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
CROW AGENCY  Yellowstone, the worlds first national park, marks its 150th birthday this year and it is under enormous and unprecedented pressure.

The park is contending with a rapidly warming climate, a dramatic rise in visitors, and threats to its most beloved wildlife species, including bison, grizzly bears and wolves. Yet, amid the concern and uncertainty, Native people are making their profound and overdue return to the ever-shifting landscape.

This summer, for the first time in its history, Yellowstone will host an Indigenous teepee village near the town of Gardiner and a Native interpretive center at the Old Faithful Visitors Center, both part of a series of public art installations known as Yellowstone Revealed.

Although Native people were dispossessed and officially removed from Yellowstone in 1872, 27 tribes hold a deep historical connection to the place that stretches back over 12,600 years. This is evidenced by the oldest known burial in the Western Hemisphere, which occurred at the Anzick Clovis site, about 90 miles from the park entrance near Gardiner.

As a Native person with deep familial roots in the region, I was on a research team that discovered the Clovis boy was one of my ancient relatives. In him, I see the unbroken circle of love and wisdom that connects Native people today with our ancestors and the landscapes that we recognize as home.

I helped coordinate the reburial and repatriation of the ancient boy, back near the exact site where he was disturbed in 1968. This ceremonial reburial was attended by tribal representatives from throughout the Yellowstone region, and the gathering wouldve looked familiar to the First Family; close relatives and community loved ones coming together to pay tribute, reflect and provide solace to one another.

The Native people who attended the ceremony that day were completing a full circle back to the sacred and magical Yellowstone region.

The historical significance of the First Familys discovery cannot be understated, and they remain the only family on the continent to ever be directly associated with Clovis artifacts. Ancient remnants of the familys descendants have been found throughout the Yellowstone area, most prominently around Yellowstone Lake and the Yellowstone River. Around 2012, the effects of climate change began to reveal new opportunities to study the First Familys presence in the high country along the parks eastern boundary.

In a separate section of the Yellowstone ecosystem, the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness is beginning to reveal a stunning cultural history as the regions hundreds of semi-permanent ice patches, varying in size and age, begin to melt.

As the ice patches shrink due to ongoing and unprecedented rising temperatures, long-submerged artifacts of Native people who lived seasonally at 10,000 feet above sea level are surfacing. Some of the ice patches in the Beartooth Plateau date to over 10,000 years old, and evidence indicates that the descendants of the First Family enjoyed great success hunting big game animals and spending their summers in higher-altitude areas above the tree line.

Personally, my experience as a scientific researcher of ancient history in the Yellowstone region has been a blessing and an inspiration. Yellowstone is at the forefront of an American history, and its origin story remains incomplete without Native voices.

And looking ahead, as a member of the Indigenous contingent working on the Yellowstone teepee village for this years 150th commemoration and plans far into the future, I am thankful and optimistic about this new partnership between the park and the Indigenous people who have called it their homeland since time immemorial.

Representatives of these tribes are connecting the past with the present as we look toward a future where Native voices are once again part of this revered landscape.

Dr. Shane Doyle, Apsaalooke, is an educational and cultural consultant who hails from Crow Agency, Montana. Learn more about the Yellowstone Revealed project at https://mountaintimearts.org/yellowstone-revealed.

Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
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.
LINCOLN  Lincoln College senior Zak Luken described campus as a "ghost town" Thursday morning as students and employees processed the hours-old announcement of plans to close the 157-year-old institution in May.

The shock was especially acute because of the major changes happening at Lincoln Christian University just across town, sophomore Spencer Davis said. LCU will be ending most of its bachelor degree programs and focusing on its seminary and graduate programs. The changes may involved the future sale of part or all of its campus.

Its a bit of a shock to just see your school (go in the) same fashion, Davis said.

The changes at LCU led some people on campus to think that the college across town would be making similar changes or closing, Lincoln College freshman basketball player Jurnee Flournoy said. At the same time, the LCU changes made it seem more important that Lincoln College stay open, so she was surprised when the college did announce it was closing.

Lincoln College announced on Wednesday it would close permanently on May 13, 2022, at the end of its spring semester. The announcement cited the increased expenses from the pandemic, along with the accompanying decline in enrollment, and revenue, as part of the reason for the closure.

The college reported having 702 traditional students on its Lincoln campus last fall, down from 756 in fall 2019. Currently, there are 565 full-time traditional students and 143 Accelerate Bridge to Education students, officials said.

Low-income students have been enrolling in lower numbers across the pandemic during the pandemic. Inflation, a hot labor market, the high number of college students leaving the state and the declining number of high school graduates nationwide also play a role, said President David Gerlach.

A cyberattack that prevented full admissions activities and affected access to information on recruitment, retention and fundraising made matters worse in December of last year, the college said. Once it was solved, projections showed further expected enrollment shortfalls.

No personal information was compromised in the attack, the college said.

Gerlach said Thursday that the school worked with its cyber insurance to bring in a team to address the problem. He was also in contact with the FBI.

Lincoln College also has a campus in Normal, which it opened in 1979. Plans for the campus land and facilities are not yet clear.

The college is also home to the Lincoln Heritage Museum. The college also owns the Campbell Creekside Outdoor Center for Environmental Education north of Lincoln. Future plans for either were not immediately available.

Students will have to move off campus at the close of the school year as well, the college said. Current students will still need to pay tuition, fees, room and board for the spring semester. Students who were planning to start this fall will be reimbursed for their deposit.

'Sadly ironic'

Lincoln College was founded in 1865 by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Gerlach said. The college is the only higher education institution named for President Abraham Lincoln during his lifetime.

It is also the only Predominantly Black Institution in Illinois outside of the Chicago Metro area. It is also one of just seven PBIs located in rural areas across the country, Gerlach said.

The schools demographics add another tragic layer to the closure of a school so tied to President Lincoln, Gerlach said. Most of the students come from underrepresented backgrounds, and many are low-income and first-generation students.

I think losing a place like this, where in an athletic event here, my students are screaming Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, to see the tie back to Lincolns short tenure, makes it sadly ironic, Gerlach said.

He, like Luken and Davis, has been dealing with the closure in part with humor.

COVID equals John Wilkes Booth for Lincoln College, he said.

High hopes

When Gerlach started in 2015, he wanted to bring the college back to being a four-year institution. The college had moved to a two-year model granting associates degrees in 1929.

The college introduced 12 bachelors degree programs and two masters degree programs, and joined the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

By fall 2019, school was finding athletic success, and that fall had enrolled its largest incoming class ever. Then the next spring the pandemic hit.

The pandemic really kicked our butt, Gerlach said.

Athletes were still seeming to commit to college, but other enrollment was dropping, Gerlach said. The colleges student body went from around 40% student athletes to 60%.

Many of those were also international students. International students make up around 10% of the student body. The college plans to work with them to transfer their student visas if they want.

The college's announcement Wednesday said a "transformational donation or partnership" would be needed to sustain it beyond this semester. There are still hopes of a last-minute donation.

I was hoping I would get a surprise $100 million gift from (philanthropist) MacKenzie Scott before our 3 p.m. meeting, Gerlach said.

Students and employees were told about the closure in separate meetings Wednesday afternoon.

The email asking students to attend a whole campus meeting on Wednesday afternoon went out around 10 a.m. that day, Luken said. The students then had six hours of wondering what was happening.

Thats six hours of speculation, and thats six hours of investigating, he said.

Softball player Chloe Kirkhove, a sophomore, said people seemed to either just accept it or had a harder time processing the information.

Next steps

The college has not yet announced which institution will be its custodian institution, handling matters like transcript and record requests.

Severance pay will be provided for for employees who stay through May 13 and meet the college requirements. Employees will get a further letter with information on their severance pay, the college said.

Information the college publicized Wednesday afternoon did not mention any transfer agreements for Lincoln students. However, the college is bringing representatives from other institutions to campus to meet with students on April 14. The college is also planning to offer a virtual college fair for Advanced Bridge to Education students and graduate students, but those details are still being worked out.

Davis started looking at the transfer process Wednesday night. It will be hard to go into a new environment as a junior, he said. He is from Emden, which is just 15 minutes from Lincoln, so a new college also means leaving the area and his family.

Other students needed to avoid the topic for a bit. I didnt want to think about it last night, Kirkhove said.

Her application process will be further complicated by the athletic side of her college experience. The college said it plans to invite coaches from other institutions to recruit Lincoln College student athletes.

Junior softball player Kynleigh Blake, who is from Mount Zion near Decatur, said she was thinking about possibly transferring to Millikin University, but she does not plan to play softball there. The softball program brought both women to Lincoln, they said. It is hard to leave just as college athletics were starting to return to normal.

Blake and Kirkhove are still in the middle of their softball season and said that their team had been talking about the announcement and supporting each other. Flournoy has been talking with her teammates too, but said that it felt more separate since the basketball season is already over.

"I was extremely sad because I have no idea what I am going to do but I know something is going to happen," she said. "It is hard to believe it is happening. I am trying to see where I could possibly play. I have to get my stuff out there a little bit more."

Students are also concerned for the faculty and staff at the school who are losing their jobs.

The college will provide updates to alumni and donors on the campus and on its endowment. It is required to work with the Illinois Attorney General as it figures out what to do with remaining funds.

Higher education landscape

Lincoln College is also not the only Illinois college to close in the last two years. MacMurray College in Jacksonville closed in 2020, also citing declining enrollment and finances along with the pandemic.

Illinois Baptist College closed at the end of its spring 2020 semester. Its remaining website does not include information about why the college closed. The school, which was in Washington, was not accredited and opened in 1964 as the Illinois Missionary Baptist Institute.

Lincoln Christian University is not closing but will be focusing on its graduate and seminary programs.

Lincoln College and Lincoln Christian have always had a close relationship, said LCU President Silas McCormick. The university's first classes were held on the Lincoln College campus in 1944.

For our entire existence we've shared faculty, students, the Lincoln community, and countless errant visitors who thought they were us or vice versa. It's hard to imagine that they won't be with us come fall, he said. We love the Lincoln College family, we're praying for them, and if there's anything we can do to help, we want to do that.

Other area college presidents, including Illinois Wesleyans Georgia Nugent, Illinois States Terri Goss Kinzy, Eureka Colleges Jamel Wright and Heartland Community Colleges Keith Cornille, all expressed similar sentiments of condolence and support for the Lincoln College community.

Heartland Community College also operates a campus in Lincoln, which may become the only higher education campus in the city if LCU decides to sell its campus. Cornille said Heartland will work with Lincoln College to facilitate transfers.

We are assembling a small Heartland Community College team to work with the staff at Lincoln College to assist students to continue or complete their course of study, he said in a statement to the Pantagraph.

Blake and Kirkhove said leaving the friends they had made on campus would be especially hard. That is what hit Kirkhove first when Gerlach announced the news at the student meeting.

My heard instantly dropped because I knew I was going to lose a lot of friends, she said.

Lee Enterprise's Justin Conn contributed reporting to this story.

Correction: This article originally had an incorrect year for Lincoln Christian University's founding. This version has been updated. The story has also been updated with information from Jurnee Flournoy.

Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter: @connorkwood

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
SPRINGFIELD  With adjournment looming, Illinois lawmakers on Tuesday introduced legislation that would address a recent spike in organized retail crime.

The proposal, a collaboration between the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and Attorney General Kwame Raoul, creates and defines a violation of organized retail crime  something that is not currently spelled out in state statute  with the intent of deterring the activity and reducing the ability of offenders to evade custody.

To accomplish this, the proposal provides jurisdiction to any states attorney where any element of the organized retail crime took place to prosecute the whole crime. This means that if a ring of smash-and-grab thefts occur in different counties, they would be able to consolidate charges into one county for all the alleged crimes.

It would also give the attorney generals office the ability to use a statewide grand jury to bring about organized retail theft charges. The attorney general would also be given the ability to pursue RICO charges, which gives broader authority to charge people involved in a criminal enterprise.

Existing retail theft laws leave loopholes criminals can exploit, said IRMA President Rob Karr at a news conference Tuesday. The bill addresses those loopholes, he said, without reversing recent criminal justice reform advances.

The new charge targets only individuals whose specific intent is to resell stolen items, said State Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton, D-Western Springs.

Its not the intent to prosecute two high school girls who go into a drugstore and steal a lipstick, she said.

Hilton called November and January smash-and-grab crimes in her district brazen and said shes seen nothing like them before.

I don't want my constituents or those in Illinois to feel like they can't go to Oakbrook Mall that I represent to do their shopping, she said. It's the peace of mind when you figure you're going to go Christmas shopping, you certainly don't want to be in the midst of a smash-and-grab.

Decatur Regional Chamber of Commerce president Mirinda Rothrock said the proposal will make her job easier. Those that participate in illegal crimes, such as smash-and-grab, should be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest limit, she said. Businesses should not have be in fear of a group of individuals coming in and demolishing their storefronts, stealing and terrorizing their customers. It provides businesses some sense of security that it would detour folks from wanting to commit that crime," she added. "They know now they are going to be held to full prosecution."

Having previously worked at the former Staples in town as a manager for 16 years, Mattoon Chamber of Commerce president Ed Dowd said he has been in situations where a group of people would distract employees in order for one person to steal items off the shelves.

We did catch a couple of them, but in terms of the major smash-and-grabs luckily being in a small community, I think we dont see that as pervasive as in the larger cities. Dowd said.

Although the lack of major retail crimes in the area, Dowd said he supports the bill and hopes its stop repeat offenders from committing these crimes while keeping others away from attempting them.

Dowd said the bill is especially important for small businesses that do not have the resources or staff available to do anything if a group people decided to go in and take their merchandise.

They just dont have the have staff to defend themselves or to chase after them, he said. This will definitely help deter people from doing it, which will help our small business owners who rely so much on keeping their inventory safe.

Charleston Police Chief Chad Reed said there has not been many smash-and-grab incidents over the years other than two cases.

One involving two men who stole numerous controlled narcotics from the WellCreek Pharmacy on Dec. 15, 2017 and another with a 27-year-old Charleston man who made off with $30,000 worth of electronics from the Verizon Wireless store at on May 2, 2019, before being arrested and charged.

Reed said smash-and-grab crimes usually involve a criminal ring consisting of multiple individuals coordinating in an effort to steal high valued items that can be turn around and re-sold quickly.

This bill will not only help prosecutor charge individuals at a higher level, but there is also a possibility to pursue those who are selling stolen items on online marketplaces and hold them accountable, Reed said.

If theyre looking at stiffer penalties, maybe they wont be so apt to accept stolen property and turn out to sell it, Reed said. I know the legislator has been working on this for a year and half trying to get something introduced and hopefully have success today.

The proposal would require state funds to allow state prosecutors to investigate and prosecute retail criminal rings, but those funds have to be allocated separately in the states fiscal year 2023 budget. Karr said IRMAs estimate for necessary funding is around $5 million dollars.

It would also require online third-party marketplaces like Amazon and eBay to verify the seller and the goods offered for sale and the seller to provide contact information.

State Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, said organized retail crime is not just a concern in Chicago.

When people are nervous to go to work, scared to go shopping or visit a mall or our small boutique shops in places like downtown Springfield, action needs to be taken to address our community concerns, Turner said.

Turner offered no specific examples of downstate organized retail crimes, but one local business owner said she fears smash-and-grab thefts could become a problem if lawmakers dont act soon.

I have caught individuals coming into my store and grabbing and taking and going to another store and trying to sell, said Monica Zanetti, owner of Wild Rose Boutique in downtown Springfield.

Zanetti, who runs her shop alone, said the bill would make her and many of her other fellow retailers feel safer in their stores.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, at a separate news conference just a couple floors up in the Capitol, told reporters that he had yet to see the proposals details.

I look forward to reviewing it, Pritzker said. I know that the attorney general has worked very hard on it and so I'm looking forward to making some judgments about it.

The legislation has at least one bipartisan sponsor in State Sen. John Curran, R-Downers Grove, and Karr says he expects more bipartisan support in the House.

Hilton said the legislation is a part of a broader package of bills addressing crime that Democrats in both chambers are discussing.

House Speaker Chris Welch told Lee Enterprises in January that Democrats intended to introduce a public safety package this session that would target carjackings and organized retail theft.

Karr said the IRMA has also been in conversation with Welch and other House members on various public safety bills.

Democrats, who hold supermajorities in the state legislature, have been under fire for supporting criminal justice reform measures over the past couple of years that Republicans and some in law enforcement have deemed soft on crime and emboldening criminal activity.

In 2021, the legislature on a party-line vote approved and Pritzker signed the SAFE-T Act, which among other things made Illinois the first state to abolish cash bail while mandating body cameras on all police officers by 2025.

The vast majority of the laws provisions have yet to take effect but nevertheless have been used to harangue Democrats on the crime issue, especially in the Chicago suburbs and downstate.

Several major cities in Illinois, including downstate cities like Decatur, experienced major spikes in crime over the past couple of years. Looting after peaceful protests in Chicago and cities across the state dominated the headlines during the summer months in 2020.

Republicans have sought to weaponize the issue of crime to make gains in the state legislature this fall. Democrats, on the other hand, have sought to address the issue without significantly rolling back reforms passed last year.

The bill could receive a vote in the Senate this week. If it passes, it will be sent back to the House for concurrence before the General Assembly adjourns on April 8.

Reporter Donnette Beckett contributed to this report.

Love 0 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.
E. R. Davis feels that columnist Leonard Pitts Jr. deals in hatred (Letters, March 25), but I see no evidence of hatred for white people or anyone in his columns.

There is considerable evidence in Pitts columns over the years that he has an open mind and a faith-filled moral compass. Pitts has often reflected his Christian faith calling on us to love one another. He has noted that love is compassion in action.

We have to face the deep history of racism and put our contrite hearts into compassionate action to create a society that lives up to our values of freedom and justice for all. No one is perfect; we are all forgiven sinners. As it is written, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8).

As a white person, my identity has been shaped by white supremacy and racism, which makes me aware that the people who think of themselves as white come at the problem from a different history than those called people of color. Thats one reason Leonard Pitts columns are an essential part of the conversation.

The column from March 16 titled Conservatives to lose century that prompted E. R. Davis letter shows Pitts compassion for LGBTQ kids. He draws relevant parallels to the history of conservative opposition to civil rights and womens rights. We must hold compassionate love for each persons human dignity at the center of our conversations while speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Leonard Pitts speaks truth in love.

Catherine Stanford, Decatur

Love 388 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 163
FILE PHOTO: Barron Casteel shakes the hand of a supporter Tuesday night at Spass Haus as they gathered awaiting elections results in the Texas House District 73 race. Casteel and Carrie Isaac will head to a run-off in May.
New Braunfels City Council gives green light to first sector of Mayfair development
A fleet of sophisticated data collection vehicles equipped with precision instrumentation and data collection equipment will be roaming city streets in New Braunfels.
BRISTOL, Tenn.  In order to meet the ongoing staffing issues due to the COVID pandemic and resulting labor shortages at schools in Tennessee, the Tennessee Senate recently passed legislation that removes the current 120-day reemployment limit for retired K-12 faculty and will allow them to work without losing their state retirement benefits.

Annette Tudor, the Bristol, Tennessee director of schools, explained what this means to the Bristol Tennessee City Schools system, which currently relies heavily on a community of retired teachers and faculty to meet the needs of the students.

With staffing shortages the way that they have been, its a tremendous help to be able to employ retired teachers who obviously dont want to lose that [retirement] benefit but who are willing to work for us, Tudor said. This allows us much more flexibility and opportunity for them to do that. So its very helpful.

Retired faculty who are reemployed will not lose or have their Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS) benefits suspended. However, during the time that they choose to return to work, their benefits will be reduced to 70% of their retirement allowance.

For retired faculty to participate, they must be at least 60 days past their retirement date.

The legislation will become active on July 1 and remain in effect until June 30, 2025.

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.  A day after visiting the city landfill, a Richmond-based environmental justice group issued a call for its closure Wednesday.

Virginia Interfaith Power and Light helped sponsor a Tuesday visit by about 20 people from across the state, which included hearing from Twin City residents impacted by the landfill, a tour of the landfill and driving through neighborhoods near the operation.

Concerns about the landfill have been at the fore for over a year and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality recently hosted a panel of national experts to develop strategies to resolve issues with the facility. Their report is due next month.

The fact-finding delegation was an act of unwavering solidarity with the community who are seeking to mitigate the landfill impacts. This is an environmental justice issue because Bristol is among the poorest cities in Virginia. We believe that we have a responsibility to support the people of Bristol as they tell their stories and seek relief, according to a written statement. Please sign the petition  to help elevate the voices of the Bristol community and shine a light on a community whose needs have long been overlooked.

The petition is addressed to state Sen. Todd Pillion, R-Abingdon, Del. Israel OQuinn, R-Bristol, the DEQ and federal EPA.

Since 1998, the Bristol city landfill has threatened the air and groundwater quality of Bristol city residents. This problem is made worse by the proximity of the quarry landfill to an environmental justice community and a juvenile detention center only yards away from the landfill, according to the petition. At this time, no studies of the landfill have shown landfill emissions have impacted groundwater. Repeated tests of air samples by the EPA have not shown emissions to be at a level that would cause long term health issues.

The EPAs Environmental Justice mapper shows the health impacts of the landfill are being disproportionately carried by the handicapped, communities of color, and poor whites (with incomes under $25,000 a year, less than high school education and inadequate access to health care) who live around the quarry landfill.

The petition terms the landfill a threat to the health and dignity of city residents and those housed at the detention center and immediately close the landfill. It further asks that the DEQ conduct risk and health impact assessments of residents.

Twitter: @DMcGeeBHC

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.
The Buchanan County Sheriffs Office has obtained multiple warrants for two Kentucky men involved in crimes against Hurley, Virginia, flood victims.

On Friday, two men were observed at a home in the Guesses Fork area, which had been affected by flooding last summer, police said.

The suspects were loading items into a vehicle from the home, according to the Sheriffs Office. As a local citizen approached the two men to inquire what they were doing, one of the two men brandished a firearm at the citizen. The two men then left the area in a vehicle, the release said.

After an investigation, the two men have been charged with multiple offenses, including breaking and entering and grand larceny, police said. One of the men was charged with an additional brandishing of a firearm.

The names of the two men are being withheld by the Buchanan County Sheriffs Office.

Additional patrols have increased in the Guesses Fork area. The Buchanan County Sheriffs Office is currently working with Kentucky authorities in locating and arresting the men. The two are considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached, according to authorities.

Residents are urged to contact the Buchanan County Sheriffs Office at 276-935-2313 if any suspicious activity is noticed in the Guesses Fork area of Hurley.
This story was updated at 6 p.m. on March 30 to include new information.

Twenty-four books available in school libraries will be reviewed, including works by authors Toni Morrison and Margaret Atwood, after challenges were submitted to Catawba County Schools on Friday by an elementary school parent.

Michelle Teague asked for the books to be reviewed for inappropriate content. The topic of what is appropriate reading material for students has been mentioned in public comments during several school board meetings in the past school year.

An eight-person committee will review the books. The committee will have 15 business days to review each book individually, school board attorney Crystal Davis said on Monday. The committee will determine if the books are age appropriate, the extent to which the books support the curriculum, weigh the merits of the books and decide if the books should be removed, Davis said.

In a phone call on Wednesday, Davis said that each member of the committee is required to read the books. It is estimated the committee will need until at least the end of the school year to review all of the books, Davis said.

Parent Shawanna White spoke during public comments at the school board meeting on Monday. She spoke against the banning of specific books.

We must remember this is a public school system. We are here to educate not just our children, but all children, White said. It is our job to raise and prepare the next generation to do better than us. That should be a common goal for a better and improved North Carolina and for our thriving and successful children.

If parents object to material in a certain book, they can request to have their students read alternate books for assignments, White said. She reiterated that education is for all students, not just one student.

The North Carolina School Library Media Association acknowledges that not every book is for every reader, White said. Parents have a right to determine what is best for their children in setting restrictions and reading parameters. However, no individual or group has the right to make decisions for all children.

The district has a red flag policy, which allows parents to limit what books their children can check out of school libraries. If a student tries to check out a book that has been flagged, the parent will be notified, Davis said.

In the school libraries students use a self-checkout scanner. The scanners have specific dings to notify media center staff if a child cannot check out a book or if the child has an overdue book, Catawba County Schools Chief Technology Officer Marty Sharpe said.

Another protection the district has in place is through the Interlibrary Loan. Students cannot request books outside of their age-appropriate content. For example, an elementary school student cannot request to check out a young adult novel from a high school library, Sharpe 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.
The Dictionary Project was started in 1955 in South Carolina. Currently, the Kiwanis Clubs of North and South Carolina raise funds to place dictionaries in the hands of all children. In some cases these dictionaries are the only books owned by the students. Kiwanians believe it is important to make all learning resources available to all children during their formative years, and that the dictionaries provide an opportunity for the children to expand their vocabularies.
The authors are animal scientists at Purdue University, Purdue Extension, The Ohio State University, and Michigan State University, respectively.

While there is often pushback that ruminants are utilizing land that could otherwise be used for edible food production for humans, cattle deliver value. Consider this: For every 0.27 pound of human edible food that ruminants consume, they produce 1 pound of product.

Additionally, for every 100 pounds of human edible plant-based food that is produced, 37 pounds of by-products are generated, which can be fed to ruminants, reducing the quantity of by-products put into landfills.

Stated more practically, ruminants often utilize feedstuffs and land that is unsuitable to feed humans. At the same time, cattle ingest lower quality protein sources and produce higher quality protein products in the form of milk and meat. These topics and much more were the focus of the Zero Net Carbon conference held at MVP Dairy in Celina, Ohio, last November.



Greenhouse gas emissions

Dairy production does result in the production of greenhouse gases, such as methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide. Some of the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farms are the production of feed, enteric fermentation that takes place in the rumen, and manure.

Although the estimates differ regarding the extent that dairy cattle contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, the best holistic report that evaluates entire systems indicates that animal agriculture contributes approximately 4% of U.S. greenhouse gases, with U.S. dairy contributing 1.9% of total national greenhouse gas emissions.

As efficiency of dairy production has improved, we require fewer cows to produce the same amount of milk. However, as farm size climbs, manure storage has continued to elevate the amount of methane produced with each passing year. As we are unable to stop cows from producing enteric methane, our biggest opportunities are likely in changes to how we manage manure and changes in how we produce feedstuffs being fed to cows. The theoretical maximum reduction of greenhouse gases in the dairy system is about 56%, mainly coming from reductions in methane released from manure.



However, in order to completely reach carbon neutrality, we would need to make feed production a carbon sink to offset methane production. The utilization of displacement credits from electricity produced by renewable natural gas displacing fossil fuels will also contribute to carbon neutrality by the dairy industry.

A 10-year horizon

A change in the concentration of methane in the atmosphere is what impacts climate warming potential. If we can reduce the concentration of methane in the atmosphere, this will actually reduce the warming potential.

This is possible because methane, unlike carbon dioxide, is degraded relatively quickly in the atmosphere  in about 10 years. As the dairy industry has improved in efficiency, with fewer cows required to produce more milk compared to decades ago, methane production has decreased per unit of milk produced. However, the concentration of animals and manure on farms, as well as greater feed intakes, has resulted in more methane production per cow.

Several strategies to reduce methane production focus on manure management, which is viewed as the sector having the largest potential gains. Also, there likely are opportunities for genetics and nutrition to reduce enteric methane production from cattle as well, but dairy methane production is part of ruminant fermentation and will not be able to be completely eliminated.



Sustainability in action

The McCarty and VanTilburg families of MVP Dairy and Ryan Bergman from Danone discussed their commitment to regenerative agriculture and how they are evaluating their current practices and strategies to improve sustainability at the conference. Regenerative agriculture was defined as protecting the soil, water, and biodiversity and respecting animal welfare.

Within Danones business, 50% of their carbon footprint is coming from agriculture. Therefore, the dairy processor is focusing on improvements for soil and water, biodiversity, carbon and energy usage, and economics on dairy farms, Bergman explained.

Over 140,000 acres

Currently, the organization has 140,000-plus acres enrolled in a soil health program. One of the strategies being utilized on farms is to plant cover crops to enhance carbon sequestration, with an estimated 3% to 5% reduction in net carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents.

Bergman shared that Danone is using a third-party program, EcoPractices, to collect data related to sustainability and estimate a farms relative carbon footprint. Danone then works with dairy farms to develop a sustainable, continuous improvement plan, including feed, fermentation, and manure management, to make progress toward a reduced carbon footprint.



Focus on manure handling

Dairy Management Inc., (DMI) has initiated Dairy Scale for Good as one of the strategies to achieve dairys Net Zero Initiative goal by 2050. On a pilot project basis, Dairy Scale for Good plans to work with up to five dairy farms to adopt technology and best practices to become living laboratories to improve sustainability. DMIs Jim Wallace shared that the goal for this project is to understand the collective impact of implementing multiple practices and disseminating this information broadly to the industry.

An example of the technologies being evaluated are manure systems that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Of the manure systems described, dissolved air floatation, nitrification/denitrification systems, and evaporative systems have the largest potential impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, anaerobic digestion systems have a smaller, but still positive, impact on emissions.

Wallace explained that each cow can generate approximately 20 million British Thermal Units (BTU) per year in renewable natural gas, and the standard value of that energy is approximately $3 per million BTU.

Admittedly, $3 is a small number. However, much of the current value of anaerobic digestion is driven by the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard and federal renewable energy subsidies. When combined, these two programs provide more than $80 of economic value per million BTU. These incentives are driving rapid development of new anaerobic digesters on dairy farms.



Assessing goals

As agriculture and the dairy industry develop goals for environmental sustainability, its important to grasp where the most likely improvements can be made and how to assess the goals established. Although the bulk of greenhouse gas from dairy cattle is carbon dioxide, the exchange of carbon dioxide from animals with the soil and plants negates it being a primary focus.

Even though nitric oxide is a major carbon equivalent from dairy cattle, it is very difficult to measure and control. However, methane from enteric fermentation and manure storage and application should be a major focus in assessing goals and in reducing carbon dioxide equivalents.

Measuring success

Marilia Chiavegato and her team at The Ohio State University have developed tools for measuring greenhouse gas release from the soil and animals, especially focusing on methane. Methane release can be assessed from animals in confinement or pasture-based systems.

As the carbon footprint by dairy farms continues to be of interest, Chiavegato shared that the emission factors used in the estimates will be much more meaningful if the factors are more farm-specific than regional or generalized in development. Improving the accuracy in estimating greenhouse gas emissions will be important for dairy farms to be able to effectively assess if they are attaining their sustainability goals.



One question brought up during the question-and-answer session was, Do you honestly think that people care about sustainability? Each speaker had a slightly different perspective in answering the question.

Chiavegato emphasized that the students she teaches care; these young people want to understand how agriculture is helping or hurting sustainability efforts. Sara Place with Elanco indicated that investors care; they are putting money toward meeting sustainability goals, and as a result, individual companies are putting action plans in place to reduce carbon emissions.

The MVP Dairy team specified that they care because they want to see the next generation of farmers be able to farm, and ignoring sustainability may impede that goal. Wallace indicated that there are solutions that may not be available now but can be developed if the focus and funding is on sustainability.

Regardless of why, it was clear that the speakers on the panel cared about dairy sustainability. Even more importantly, it is likely that the industry as a whole will continue to be asked if they are the problem or the solution when it comes to environmental sustainability.


The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoards Dairyman.

The Animal Agriculture Alliance board of directors has announced that Hannah Thompson-Weeman, currently serving as the Alliances vice president, strategic engagement, has been named the organizations new president and CEO. Thompson-Weeman will assume the role on May 1 prior to the departure of longtime president and CEO Kay Johnson Smith later that month to join the staff of Alliance member organization Dairy MAX, one of the leading regional dairy councils in America representing more than 900 dairy farmers and serving communities in eight states.

Description automatically generatedThompson-Weeman joined the Alliance in 2014 as director of communications and since that time has been promoted to vice president of communications before assuming her current role leading strategic engagement. She has led the Alliances issues management, crisis communications, animal rights extremist monitoring and influencer engagement work, as well as played an integral role in connecting with supporters and developing Alliance programs such as the Stakeholders Summit, Animal Ag Allies and College Aggies Online. Thompson-Weemans expertise and passion in these areas has made her a sought-after columnist for various publications and speaker for national and even international events, helping to build the Alliance brand. She holds a B.S. in agricultural communication with a minor in agricultural business and an M.S. in agricultural and extension education, both from The Ohio State University.



Hannahs history with the Alliance and energy for taking its mission to new heights make her the ideal choice for both a seamless transition and a bright future for the organization, said Christina Lood, senior director, sustainability and innovation communications, Zoetis, and current Alliance chairperson. The board of directors offers Kay the deepest gratitude for her nearly 28 years of commitment to the Alliance. The organization would not be what it is today if it werent for her pouring limitless time and energy into growing the Alliances resources, team and programs. We wish her all the best in her new role and look forward to continuing to engage with her both personally and professionally.



Johnson Smith is departing the Alliance to join longtime Alliance member Dairy MAX as chief operating officer. A nonprofit organization headquartered in Texas and with operations in Colorado, southwest Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, western Oklahoma, and Wyoming, Dairy MAX is part of a nationwide effort to promote dairy, develop new dairy foods, provide educational information and increase consumption.

While it is certainly bittersweet to leave the Alliance after so many years, I am looking forward to remaining in the animal agriculture community and continuing to be the Alliance's strongest advocate, now as part of a member organization, said Johnson Smith. The Alliance will be in exceptional hands with Hannah leading a strong team with deep roots at the organization. It has truly been an honor to have served the Alliance, our members and the broader animal agriculture community for all these years, and Im thrilled to be able to continue to do so in a new role going forward.

Thompson-Weeman will begin her new duties just prior to the Alliances 2022 Stakeholders Summit, set for May 11-12 in Kansas City. Both Johnson Smith and Thompson-Weemans time at the Alliance and new roles will be celebrated during the Chairpersons Reception at the event. For more information on the Summit, themed Come Together for Animal Ag: Be Informed, Be Ready, Be Here, and how to register, visit bit.ly/AAA22Summit.



About the Alliance:

The Animal Agriculture Alliance safeguards the future of animal agriculture and its value to society by bridging the communication gap between the farm and food communities. We connect key food industry stakeholders to arm them with responses to emerging issues. We engage food chain influencers and promote consumer choice by helping them better understand modern animal agriculture. We protect by exposing those who threaten our nations food security with damaging misinformation.

Find the Alliance on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
Tax write-offs for small businesses investing in tech and skills, a shot in the arm for the Australian Signals Directorate, and increases to the number of skilled migrant visas featured in Tuesday nights budget as the government pitched its next economic plan ahead of the upcoming election.

We live in uncertain times, Frydenyberg said in his budget speech.

The last two years have been tough for our country, there have been setbacks along the way. But Australia remains resilient. Australians remain strong.

The governments plan for the times will see an expanded cyber security budget through what Frydenberg, formally announcing the already leaked policy, called a new 10 year, $9.9 billion investment in Australias offensive and defensive cyber capabilities.

The Resilience, Effects, Defence, Space, Intelligence, Cyber and Enablers (REDSPICE) package will be run out of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD).

Much of the $9.9 billion over 10 years for REDSPICE will be offset by moving it out of Defence to the ASD, with the first year forecast in the budget papers seeing $8.7 million less spent on the program.

Over the following three budget years  from 2023-24 to 2025-26  $597 million in additional funding will go toward REDSPICE, a program slated to triple Australias offensive capabilities and add 1,900 new personnel to the ASDs workforce, according to the ASD.

Frydenberg said it will add more data analysts, computer programmers, and software engineers to boost our capacity to prevent and respond to cyber threats.

ACS President Dr Nick Tate said he was extremely pleased the government was recognising the importance of cyber security.

Protecting Australias digital infrastructure is essential to guaranteeing the nations security and keeping our industries and society running, so we welcome the cybersecurity investment, he said.

We would flag however that Australia needs a skilled workforce to maintain a robust cybersecurity sector and meet the demands of an increasingly digital economy and society.

Small business win

Technology skills demands are to be partially met through small business tax deductions.

Businesses with annual turnovers less than $50 million will be able to deduct an extra 20 per cent of the cost of expenses and depreciating assets for technology investment up to $100,000 per year.

Small businesses will also be able to deduct an extra 20 per cent of the cost of external training courses delivered by registered Australian providers.

For every hundred dollars a small business spends on training their employees, they will get a $120 tax deduction, Frydenberg said in his speech.

[And] every hundred dollars these small businesses spend on digital technologies like cloud computing, eInvoicing, cyber security and web design will see them get a $120 tax deduction.

Technology investment deductions will apply from spending between now and 30 June 2023, while training expense deductions will continue to apply until 30 June 2024.

The combined deductions are estimated to cost more than $1.5 billion in tax receipts over the forward estimates.

Skilled migration

Migration is also set to increase with the government shuffling around available placements with the hopes of boosting the number of skilled migrants.

Overall migration is expected to ramp up over the coming years, with forecasts estimating Australia will have a net overseas migration of 180,000 people in the 2022-23 financial year  a significant increase from the projected 41,000 in 2021-22 following migration losses in the heart of the pandemic.

The government plans on moving 10,000 partner visas to the skill stream in order to increase the cap on skilled migrants to 89,600 for the rest of 2021-22.

It then wants to increase the amount of skilled visas to 109,900 a year, making it a more significant portion of the total 160,000 migrant places from 2022-23.

Also in the budget was a further commitment from 2023-24 to provide $9 million (over three years) for continuing supporting the Academy for Enterprising Girls  a free entrepreneurship program available to all young women in Australia between the ages of 10 and 18.

Regional telecommunications infrastructure will hopefully benefit from a $1.3 billion regional telecommunications package that includes $811 million over five years to improve regional mobile coverage, which goes alongside the already announced $480 million NBN upgrade to fixed wireless and satellite services.

Over $12 million a year is earmarked to implement recommendations from the Inquiry in the Future Directions of the Consumer Data Right (CDR).
The budget was welcomed but could have gone further. Photo: Shutterstock

The Budget may have doubled down on cyber security and subsidised the digital transformation and training of small businesses, but optimism about its tech commitments has been tempered by concerns about vague timelines and missed opportunities.

Industry figures were generally supportive of the 2022-23 Budget commitments to digital skills capabilities, particularly the Small Business Technology Investment Boost  which will provide a 120 per cent tax deduction for up to $100,000 worth of expenditure and depreciating assets that support digital uptake  including payment devices, cybersecurity systems, and subscriptions to cloud services.

A companion Small Business Skills and Training Boost will provide similar benefits for companies undertaking external training, whether delivered in person or online.

Beyond its tax incentives, however, the Budget was relatively light on detail around startups beyond a $56.2m commitment to support women entrepreneurship and help women transition into tech sector jobs.

Despite the Budget funding commitments, industry figures were quick to point out that those investments in training wont pay dividends for years down the track  leaving a yawning skills gap that, Metigy CTO and co-founder Johnson Lin said, will haunt an Australian startup sector that is kicking goals but needs certainty around skills and backing.

We knew this talent crisis was coming [and] our industry has predicted it over and over again, Lin explained. But thanks to sub-par government investment in engineering skills, our industry has now tipped over into a productivity crisis.

The government must start to take its role in supporting the tech and startup ecosystem more seriously, he continued, noting that Australian tech businesses created 66,000 jobs during the pandemic and that startups secured more funding in 2021 than in every previous year combined.

Were no longer the underdogs, he said, but we, as startup founders, need to have the confidence that the support for a growing workforce will come, in the same way that investors are putting their confidence in us.

Cant buy me cyber... or can it?

The governments commitment to cyber security offensive and defensive capabilities  which will see $10b invested over the next decade to bolster the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD)s cyber security capabilities under a program called REDSPICE  was well received despite a backloaded funding schedule, not the least for its commitment to add 1,900 skilled cybersecurity staff.

The investment could not come at a better time, said Dale Heath, engineering manager at Rubrik ANZ, who noted that Australia needed to step up in a climate where Russias invasion of Ukraine had exacerbated the alarming rise in cyberattacks targeting organisations of every stripe [and] geopolitical conflicts spilling into cyber space.... reinforcing our cyber resiliency is a national priority.

Yet in a market where companies are already struggling to find qualified cyber security staff, PwC partner for cyber security and digital trust Pip Wyrdeman warned that throwing money at the cyber skills gap is far from a panacea.

Although the governments commitment to cyber security funding is very positive [and] can only be good for all of us at the family, business and government levels, she said, warning that finding or training another 1,900 cyber skilled personnel wont be easy and its not just as simple as throwing money at the problem.

We know the size of the problem is much bigger than 1,900, she added, noting AustCyber estimates that Australia will need 17,000 new cyber security workers by 2026. Theres much to do, she said, so theres some details we need to see.

As challenging as finding the numbers is the timeframes around skills development, others pointed out, warning that the budgets short-term focus fell short of the long-term goals that are needed to build a self-sustaining digital capability.

It's encouraging to see the government injecting funds to support small businesses adopting cyber security technologies, said Raymond Maisano, ANZ head with Cloudflare. However, the Federal Budget has missed out on addressing the growing and critical shortage of cyber security talent in Australia.

Investments into STEM education, particularly for women, are of great assistance, but provide little to no short or mid-term impact, he said. It would be great to see the government create support for internship programs to develop the essential, real-world experience cyber security workers need to succeed in the industry.

The governments focus on trade apprenticeships reflected a positive step towards skills development, Cyara CEO Alok Kulkarni said, but would do nothing for a tech and innovation industry that has been paralysed by the lack of talent during the pandemic as international borders shut and Australian companies survived on only a small pool of local talent.

More needs to be done to develop a STEM workforce, he said, from students in high school right through to the tertiary level.

The governments focus on cyber security was important, Kulkarni added, while pointing out that there are many Australian technology companies outside the cyber security space that also require much needed investment, such as software developers and engineers. Local innovation and talent needs to find its way to the heart of future budgets, so we can focus on becoming a nation of creators, rather than adopters.
The Concord Police Department is looking for two men who tagged graffiti in front of at least two places downtown.

The tagging took place in the early morning hours of March 26.

Authorities said one location was tagged in front of 35 Market St. There was potentially at least one other tagging on Union Street.

The two men are said to have left the downtown area around 12:45 a.m. and were last seen on a traffic camera on N.C. Highway 29 crossing over Interstate 85 into the city of Kannapolis.

The suspects were seen in a red hatchback.
Why cant the Special Forces units such as those at Fort Bragg do something to help the Ukrainians use of unconventional warfare strategy and tactics against the invading Russian armed forces?

It turns out they have done a lot more than most of us know about.

Here is a headline from a March 2 article by Stavros Atlamazoglou, a Greek Army veteran and freelance defense journalist, posted on the website of the Business Insider: Ukrainian special operators may soon be putting years of secretive training from the US to use against Russia.

Another headline asserted, Should the conventional fight in Ukraine end in Russia's favor, Ukrainians could put those unconventional skills to use.

Sooner or later, Atlamazoglou writes, Russian quantitative and qualitative military superiority might give Putin his so-desired victory. But then the unconventional war will begin, and Ukrainians have been preparing for that since Russia's invasion and seizure of Crimea in 2014.

US and Western special-operations forces have worked extensively with the Ukrainian military in the years since, setting up commando units, training them, and preparing them to wage a guerrilla campaign against an occupying force.

A guerrilla war in Ukraine, Atlamazoglou says, will be bloody for defenders, insurgents, and bystanders.

Steve Balestrieri, a journalist and retired Army Special Forces warrant officer, said, "The Russians' logistics chain, which is already in a mess trying to keep their troops supplied, would become a primary target. They are soft-skinned, road-bound, and are staffed by conscripts, not professional warriors."

In the event of a Russian victory and takeover of Ukraine, Balestrieri said, "Government buildings, isolated outposts, small groups of Russian soldiers would all be targets. If any high-ranking officers or politicians visit, they would all be likely targets for guerrilla attacks. The Russian battalion tactical groups are ill-prepared for being occupying powers in the cities of Ukraine."

Atlamazoglou explains, Unconventional warfare is the bread and butter of the US Army's Special Forces Regiment-the Green Berets-and members of the 10th Special Forces Group, which has Europe as its area of responsibility, have worked with Ukrainian special-operations forces. Reports also indicate that the U.S. intelligence community has provided special-operations and intelligence training to Ukraine.

Meanwhile, at the Army Special Forces Command at Fort Bragg, preparation for challenges such as Ukraine is ongoing and responsive to the changing threats and opportunities.

When some people learn that I served in the Special Forces they ask, How in the world did they let you in?

It is a good question.

I was a green second lieutenant without the skills and experience a good Special Forces soldier should have. But in 1961, President John F. Kennedy ordered the expansion of the Special Forces to include an intelligence unit.

Filling that unit was a challenge. Special Forces required airborne training and very few intelligence officers qualified. Intelligence officers are too smart to jump out of planes, I heard a thousand times.

But I was not that smart and was proud that I had made it through jump school.

So, I got in. My two-year experience with the Special Forces began in 1963.

I was a freshly trained counter-intelligence second lieutenant reporting to Fort Bragg and the Special Warfare School to learn about unconventional warfare.

Ironically, the focus of training at the school was shifting rapidly from fostering and supporting insurgencies in places such as Soviet-occupied Eastern Europe to counterinsurgency operations in Vietnam.

Today, perhaps, the school will be adjusting again to changing times, renewing its focus on Eastern Europe.

Like other North Carolinians I am proud of our states connections to the school and to the Special Forces and for their contributions to the Ukrainian peoples battle to preserve their independence and freedoms.

D.G. Martin hosted North Carolina Bookwatch, for more than 20 years. To view prior programs: https://video.pbsnc.org/show/nc-bookwatch/episodes/
March 31 is a big day.

As the late entertainer Jackie Gleason would say, a REALLY BIG day, in Corn Belt agriculture because the USDA will release its farmer survey results to project corn and soybean acreage.

Farmers were asked for their planting intentions the first of March and there were more dynamics pushing and pulling than ever before.

First of all, crop prices are in rare air. Some commodities are at all-time highs, and will $16-17 soybeans pull acres away from $6 corn? Will $10 wheat pull acres away from corn? Cotton is very high priced and likely took acres away from alternative crops in southern states earlier this year. Farmers reasonably wonder how prices can be so high, when the crop has not yet been planted?

The reason for high prices is a truckload of supply and demand issues that have become stronger in the past couple of years. China has been a big importer of U.S. grain. Brazils initial crops this growing season were radically trimmed by a La Nina drought. So those factors have pushed up prices due to global supply and demand.

But secondly, while farmers were flipping the coin on acreage decisions, the economy exploded on crop inputs. Oil prices have caused diesel fuel to double in cost. A hurricane took out U.S. plants that manufacture crop chemicals, at the same time COVID closed Chinese plants that manufacture the active ingredients for herbicides and other crop protectants.

Thirdly, the fertilizer industry imploded because of a myriad of geo-political issues that began last fall, convincing many farmers to wait until spring when prices would likely be much lower. Then the fertilizer market was Putin-ized and prices have continued upward. All of that has caused many farmers to shift from one crop to another, thinking production costs could be reduced and marketing might be more profitable.

On a date when many Corn Belt farmers would be in the field, with many planting both corn and soybeans in more weather-friendly years, nary a field has been tilled, nor sprayed with pre-emergent herbicides, nor prepared in any way for seed to hit the soil. And forecasters who are increasingly expressing concerns about a 2022 drought, have caused farmers to again revise their planting intentions.

When the wire services asked commodity analysts last week for their predictions, there was a wide range that might have been a record from high to lows, if such records were kept. On the high and low ends are very reputable organizations. The University of Missouris Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute predicts 93.9 million acres of corn and 87.7 million acres of soybeans. But Farm Futures says its survey of farmers points to 90.4 million acres of corn and 92.2 million acres of soybeans.

When the USDA releases its numbers Thursday, that will be just one more data point. The big number that the market will really trade will be the Planted Acreage report on June 30. After all, farmers cannot change their mind at that point.

Stu Ellis is an observer of the Central Illinois agriculture scene. In addition to his weekly column, you can view his From The Farm and Harvest Heritage reports on WCIA 3 News.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
MATTOON  The Mattoon City Council last night completed a draft of a franchise agreement to be granted the Mattoon Clear Water Company. Provided it is accepted by the company and approved by voters at the April city elections. The proposed franchise is for 20 years, after the company had asked for a 30-year franchise. It was pointed out by the Mattoon Health Department that if water from the Paradise reservoir ran through the mains of the Clear Water Company, the city would be inviting an epidemic of disease. At the request of the health department it was required that drinking water be from deep bored wells that also are free from animal or vegetable matter CHARLESTON  The auditing board of Charleston Township met yesterday to audit claims and fix the compensation of the highway commissioner for the coming year. The board made a reduction in the compensation of the highway commissioner by fixing his salary at $5 a day. The compensation has been $6 a day. The auditing board consists of Supervisor Albert C. Alexander, Clerk James Tolly, Perry W. Grove, Basil Baker, L.H. Linn, J.A. Colby and Edwin W. Davis MATTOON  Miss Jeanette Rankin, former congresswoman from Montana, was a guest of members of the newly formed Mattoon Republican Womens Club this afternoon. Miss Rankin arrived at 1:55 p.m. on the Illinois Central Railroad and taken to the Hotel Byers where she was presented to a number of the leading ladies of the club. Miss Rankin answered many questions put to her. Mrs. G.R. Capen is president of the newly formed Mattoon organization. Mrs. Kate Gould Brennan is vice president with Miss Lillian Riddle the secretary and Mrs. M.C. Talbot serving as treasurer.
MATTOON - A 75-year-old woman was killed in a vehicle collision early Friday at the intersection of Illinois 16 and Miller Road.

Mattoon Police Chief Sam Gaines said units responded to reports of a fatal car crash at 5:54 a.m. where a 2008 Buick LaCrosse passenger car hit the back wheels of a semitruck trailer.

Gaines said the 2007 Freightliner semitruck was traveling northbound on Miller Road and stopped at the intersection of Illinois 16 before turning left onto the westbound lane.

The passenger car, which was driven by the woman, was traveling eastbound on Illinois 16 and crashed into the rear, driver side of the semitruck where the wheels of the trailer were located, Gaines said.

The woman was transported to Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center before being airlifted to a Champaign-area hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Gaines said the driver of the semitruck was cited for failing to yield to oncoming traffic resulting in the collision.

Illinois State Police units from District 10 and 12 were also on scene to assist the Mattoon Police Department in their inspection and investigation.

No further information was available at press time.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
DECATUR  Police say a Decatur woman is jailed on charges she kidnapped a flooring company owner after luring him to an abandoned house, pepper-spraying him and then holding him at gunpoint before trying to ransom him back to his family for $400,000.

The man was abducted Thursday morning and escaped hours later after having been restrained with plastic ties with a cloth bag placed over his head. A sworn affidavit from Decatur police said he eventually managed to free himself from the back of a minivan after earlier being moved around several times in the trunk of a car.

He then fled on foot before walking into a business on North Monroe Street to raise the alarm.

Police had already been alerted and were hunting for the man after being called in by his frightened wife. The kidnappers had allowed him to phone her at 12:35 p.m. to say he was being held for ransom.

She received a phone call stating that he had been kidnapped, was tied to a chair in a basement, and that the kidnappers wanted $400,000 for him to be released, said the affidavit, signed by Detective James Weddle.

(She) advised she later received a subsequent call from (her husband) stating that he had actually been kidnapped and was not joking.

The victim had met the woman before as a customer of his business. His description and police investigative work led to her being identified as Ademeko M. Maclin-Carney. The 23-year-old woman was arrested Monday evening after police intercepted her driving her vehicle.The male accomplice, who was armed, was still being sought as of Tuesday night.

Questioned by police about his ordeal, the victim said he had been lured to a house in the 1200 block of East William Street at 10:15 a.m. Thursday after receiving a call from Maclin-Carney who said she needed some work done.

Weddle said the victim had just been explaining that the house was in too rough a shape to lay flooring when Maclin-Carney blasted him in the face with pepper spray.

(He) advised a male then came out of a side room and pointed a small pistol at him, said Weddle. He advised the male told him to to get on the ground, to which he compiled. When he got on the ground, the male Zip-tied his hands and placed a cream colored linen bag over his head to prevent him from seeing.

He was later bundled in the trunk of a car and driven to another unknown address where he was held in the basement. Then he was forced back in the trunk again before being driven to another house and then shoved in the back of the minivan, from which he would eventually escape.

Weddle said he had told his kidnappers before his escape that he nor his wife would be able to obtain this amount of money.

Police also noted that the house on East William Street where he had been lured was badly damaged by fire Thursday evening; the fire was later determined to be suspected arson by the Decatur Fire Department.

Maclin-Carney was booked on a preliminary charge of aggravated kidnapping. She also faces additional charges of aggravated battery, mob action and criminal damage in a separate incident after police say she used a BB gun to shoot out the windows and glass door of a home in the 1300 block of North Walnut Grove on the night of March 20.

She was also accused of joining in on an assault of the homeowner with three other suspects who punched and kicked him to the ground, leaving him with multiple lacerations and other wounds.

All preliminary charges are subject to review by the state's attorneys office.

Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
SPRINGFIELD  With adjournment looming, Illinois lawmakers on Tuesday introduced legislation that would address a recent spike in organized retail crime.

The proposal, a collaboration between the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and Attorney General Kwame Raoul, creates and defines a violation of organized retail crime  something that is not currently spelled out in state statute  with the intent of deterring the activity and reducing the ability of offenders to evade custody.

To accomplish this, the proposal provides jurisdiction to any states attorney where any element of the organized retail crime took place to prosecute the whole crime. This means that if a ring of smash-and-grab thefts occur in different counties, they would be able to consolidate charges into one county for all the alleged crimes.

It would also give the attorney generals office the ability to use a statewide grand jury to bring about organized retail theft charges. The attorney general would also be given the ability to pursue RICO charges, which gives broader authority to charge people involved in a criminal enterprise.

Existing retail theft laws leave loopholes criminals can exploit, said IRMA President Rob Karr at a news conference Tuesday. The bill addresses those loopholes, he said, without reversing recent criminal justice reform advances.

The new charge targets only individuals whose specific intent is to resell stolen items, said State Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton, D-Western Springs.

Its not the intent to prosecute two high school girls who go into a drugstore and steal a lipstick, she said.

Hilton called November and January smash-and-grab crimes in her district brazen and said shes seen nothing like them before.

I don't want my constituents or those in Illinois to feel like they can't go to Oakbrook Mall that I represent to do their shopping, she said. It's the peace of mind when you figure you're going to go Christmas shopping, you certainly don't want to be in the midst of a smash-and-grab.

Decatur Regional Chamber of Commerce president Mirinda Rothrock said the proposal will make her job easier. Those that participate in illegal crimes, such as smash-and-grab, should be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest limit, she said. Businesses should not have be in fear of a group of individuals coming in and demolishing their storefronts, stealing and terrorizing their customers. It provides businesses some sense of security that it would deter folks from wanting to commit that crime," she added. "They know now they are going to be held to full prosecution."

Having previously worked at the former Staples in town as a manager for 16 years, Mattoon Chamber of Commerce president Ed Dowd said he has been in situations where a group of people would distract employees in order for one person to steal items off the shelves.

We did catch a couple of them, but in terms of the major smash-and-grabs luckily being in a small community, I think we dont see that as pervasive as in the larger cities, Dowd said.

Although the lack of major retail crimes in the area, Dowd said he supports the bill and hopes it stops repeat offenders from committing these crimes while keeping others away from attempting them.

Dowd said the bill is especially important for small businesses that do not have the resources or staff available to do anything if a group people decided to go in and take their merchandise.

They just dont have the staff to defend themselves or to chase after them, he said. This will definitely help deter people from doing it, which will help our small business owners who rely so much on keeping their inventory safe.

Charleston Police Chief Chad Reed said there has not been many smash-and-grab incidents over the years other than two cases.

One involving two men who stole numerous controlled narcotics from the WellCreek Pharmacy on Dec. 15, 2017 and another with a 27-year-old Charleston man who made off with $30,000 worth of electronics from the Verizon Wireless store on May 2, 2019, before being arrested and charged.

Reed said smash-and-grab crimes usually involve a criminal ring consisting of multiple individuals coordinating in an effort to steal high valued items that can be turned around and re-sold quickly.

This bill will not only help prosecutors charge individuals at a higher level, but there is also a possibility to pursue those who are selling stolen items on online marketplaces and hold them accountable, Reed said.

If theyre looking at stiffer penalties, maybe they wont be so apt to accept stolen property and turn out to sell it, Reed said. I know the legislator has been working on this for a year and half trying to get something introduced and hopefully have success today.

Coles County States Attorney Jesse Danley said the legislation will be helpful for small county prosecutors to charge criminals of organized retail theft more seriously, but is wondering what will follow once counties decide to pursue suspects involved.

We appreciate when legislators give more power but I think it has to be balanced with the use of resources as well, Danley said. Were talking about these smash-and-grabs across multiple jurisdiction and being able to prosecute those is great but then that means Im probably taking officers and detectives away from my community.

Danley said its unknown whether a state task force will be created to investigate these crimes on a larger scale but the attorney general has been adamant with these issues and he hopes it comes with cooperation of all parties including the county, state and federal governments.

As long as jurisdictions are working together and sharing resources I think its a great thing, but if that doesnt happen, then it could be burdensome for smaller counties and ours, Danley said. Were right in the middle so some things work well for well us that Cook County throws our way but most of them dont have any practical application because we dont have the millions of dollars in tax revenue that they do to go out and do the things we need to do sometimes.

The proposal would require state funds to allow state prosecutors to investigate and prosecute retail criminal rings, but those funds have to be allocated separately in the states fiscal year 2023 budget. Karr said IRMAs estimate for necessary funding is around $5 million dollars.

It would also require online third-party marketplaces like Amazon and eBay to verify the seller and the goods offered for sale and the seller to provide contact information.

State Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, said organized retail crime is not just a concern in Chicago.

When people are nervous to go to work, scared to go shopping or visit a mall or our small boutique shops in places like downtown Springfield, action needs to be taken to address our community concerns, Turner said.

Turner offered no specific examples of downstate organized retail crimes, but one local business owner said she fears smash-and-grab thefts could become a problem if lawmakers dont act soon.

I have caught individuals coming into my store and grabbing and taking and going to another store and trying to sell, said Monica Zanetti, owner of Wild Rose Boutique in downtown Springfield.

Zanetti, who runs her shop alone, said the bill would make her and many of her other fellow retailers feel safer in their stores.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, at a separate news conference just a couple floors up in the Capitol, told reporters that he had yet to see the proposals details.

I look forward to reviewing it, Pritzker said. I know that the attorney general has worked very hard on it and so I'm looking forward to making some judgments about it.

The legislation has at least one bipartisan sponsor in State Sen. John Curran, R-Downers Grove, and Karr says he expects more bipartisan support in the House.

Hilton said the legislation is a part of a broader package of bills addressing crime that Democrats in both chambers are discussing.

House Speaker Chris Welch told Lee Enterprises in January that Democrats intended to introduce a public safety package this session that would target carjackings and organized retail theft.

Karr said the IRMA has also been in conversation with Welch and other House members on various public safety bills.

Democrats, who hold supermajorities in the state legislature, have been under fire for supporting criminal justice reform measures over the past couple of years that Republicans and some in law enforcement have deemed soft on crime and emboldening criminal activity.

In 2021, the legislature on a party-line vote approved and Pritzker signed the SAFE-T Act, which among other things made Illinois the first state to abolish cash bail while mandating body cameras on all police officers by 2025.

The vast majority of the laws provisions have yet to take effect but nevertheless have been used to harangue Democrats on the crime issue, especially in the Chicago suburbs and downstate.

Several major cities in Illinois, including downstate cities like Decatur, experienced major spikes in crime over the past couple of years. Looting after peaceful protests in Chicago and cities across the state dominated the headlines during the summer months in 2020.

Republicans have sought to weaponize the issue of crime to make gains in the state legislature this fall. Democrats, on the other hand, have sought to address the issue without significantly rolling back reforms passed last year.

The bill could receive a vote in the Senate this week. If it passes, it will be sent back to the House for concurrence before the General Assembly adjourns on April 8.

Reporter Donnette Beckett contributed to this report.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
President Joe Bidens speech in Warsaw on Saturday movingly framed Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine as a battle between liberty and repression, between a rules-based order and one governed by brute force. Then Biden ad-libbed, putting an unexpected, provocative capstone on what was otherwise a meticulously crafted message of resolve in the face of tyranny.

For Gods sake, this man cannot remain in power, the president said of Putin.

It was an unscripted gaffe, the kind Biden has been known to make when he veers from the text aides give him. The White House quickly tried to put the fire out. No, Biden wasnt calling for regime change and Putins ouster as Russias president, Biden administration officials insisted. The presidents point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region, a White House official told reporters.

The administrations attempts to downplay the presidents remark werent convincing at all. Certainly, Biden wasnt calling for the West to begin devising ways to remove Putin from power. But he was encapsulating what many Americans and others in the West have been thinking while Putins tanks and missiles continue to slaughter innocent Ukrainians  the world isnt safe as long as Putin rules Russia.

It wont be enough, however, for Westerners to reach that conclusion. And in any case, its not a matter for the West to decide.

Its the Russian population that, at some point, must come to grips with that reality. Biden made it clear in his speech that he understands that. Now, Vladimir Putins aggression have cut you, the Russian people, off from the rest of the world, and its taking Russia back to the 19th century, the president said. This is not who you are. This is not the future ... you deserve for your families and your children. Im telling you the truth. This war is not worthy of you, the Russian people.

Russians cannot be happy with the fallout that Putins brutality in Ukraine has created for them. The ruble has bounced back somewhat, but it still buys a lot less than it did before. The countrys economy, far from a juggernaut even before the invasion, has doubled over from the impact of withering sanctions imposed by the U.S. and Europe. The Russian stock market reopened last week after a monthlong shutdown, but trading is heavily restricted. The White House called it a Potemkin market opening.

Thousands of Russians who took to the streets to protest the war have been jailed. At least 200,000 Russians have had enough of their dictator and have left the country, a brain drain that only adds to Russias long-standing struggle with population losses. Russian citizens able to access media coverage of the war that isnt Kremlin-controlled have witnessed Putins barbaric destruction of whole Ukrainian cities, his bombing of maternity hospitals and schools and his forced deportation of thousands of Ukrainians from the besieged city of Mariupol to makeshift camps in Russia.

As long as Putin continues this campaign of mass killing, its only going to get worse for Russians. The Biden administration hopes that Europe now sees the folly of its overdependence on Putin for energy and will begin to wean itself off of Russian natural gas and oil  which serves as the lifeblood of the countrys economy. Diplomatically and economically, Russia faces a future of isolation. In 1991, Russians celebrated escaping from the bleak times of stifling Soviet rule. Under Putin, Russians face a return to bleak times.

There was a time when Russians adored Putin. They credited him with pulling the country out of the doldrums of the 1990s, when Boris Yeltsin tanked the economy and oversaw the ruinous fire sale of state assets to politically connected businessmen who would become todays oligarchs. Putin righted the ship, and Russians treasured that.

But now its Putin whos imperiling the Russian economy, through a war thats transforming Russia into a global outcast. Its true that Putins arsenal includes the worlds biggest storehouse of nuclear weapons, along with a faithful army of hackers capable of wreaking cyber-havoc on the West. But if he loses the backing of everyday Russians, he may face a battle that hes destined to lose.

If Biden could take back his speech slip-up, he probably would. But that doesnt mean the meaning of the remark is any less valid. The world, including Russia, is better off without Putin in power. And unless Putin suddenly reverses course, its a safe bet that a growing number of Russians will feel the same way.

Chicago Tribune

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Film screening

RiverRun International Film Festival will present the film Try Harder! at 7 p.m. April 5 alongside UNC-TV PBS North Carolina and as part of the Indie Lens Pop-Up program.

San Franciscos Lowell High, one of the best public schools in the country, draws high achievers  nearly 70% Asian Americans  from across the city into a fiercely competitive universe. The camera follows seniors through the hallways and into classrooms as the pressure intensifies to impress admissions officers at elite universities with their report cards, test scores, and overall awesomeness. The students proudly own their identity as nerds and tell their stories with candor and humor despite the stress. The film asks: How do these kids define their identities outside of acceptance letters?

A moderated panel discussion focusing on the challenges faced by students in todays high pressure academic landscape will be after the film. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions and engage in the conversation via the virtual chat. The screening and discussion are both free, but registration is required by visiting riverrunfilm.com.

New play

Theatre Alliance will present Sordid Lives at Ihrie Theatre, 650 W. Sixth St., Winston-Salem.

The play is a black comedy about white trash. Written by Del Shores, the author of Daddys Dyin (Whos Got the Will?), has written a comedy that was nominated for over 30 awards during its long run in Los Angeles. When Peggy, a good Christian woman, hits her head on the sink and bleeds to death after tripping over her lovers wooden legs in a motel room, chaos erupts in Winters, Texas.

Performances will be at 8 p.m. April 1-2, 8-9 and 2 p.m. April 3 and 10

The play is two hours with one intermission.

Tickets are $21 for adults and $19 for seniors (62 and older) and students at 336-723-7777 or theatrealliance.ws/box_office.

Current COVID-19 protocols will be in effect. Check theatrealliance.ws for the latest rules in force.

Visit theatrealliance.ws.

Book event

As part of its 250th anniversary celebration, Salem Academy and College and Bookmarks will host author Chelsea Clinton in conversation with Salem President Summer McGee at 7 p.m. April 4 at Elberson Fine Arts Center on Salems campus 601 Church St. S in Winston-Salem.

Much of the April 4 event will focus on Clintons new book for young readers called She Persisted in Science. Published by Penguin Young Readers Group and illustrated by Alexandra Boiger, She Persisted in Science was released on March 1.

The book shares the stories of women who became successful scientists and is part of Clintons No. 1 New York Times bestselling She Persisted series. Salem Academy and College is exclusively focused on developing tomorrows health leaders and change agents in STEAM fields and beyond.

The conversation with her will be casual in format and promises to be highly informative about the importance of educating future generations of girls and women in the area of science, said McGee.

In She Persisted in Science, Clinton writes, Being a woman in science isnt always easy. Sometimes women are told that their ideas arent smart enough, their research isnt good enough  simply because theyre women. But that is not true. The world needs everyones scientific discoveries.

The cost to attend the event is $25 at bookmarksnc.org/chelseaclinton and includes a copy of She Persisted in Science. Attendees can donate their books back to Bookmarks as part of its program to increase access to books for children in Winston-Salem.







Supporting Ukraine

Colored pencil exhibit

Yadkin Arts Council presents The Fine Art of Colored Pencil by the Colored Pencil Society of America (District Chapter 114 Raleigh-Durham) through April 29 at 226 E. Main St. in Yadkinville.

The group exhibit will highlight the beautiful and versatile medium of colored pencil.

Founded in 1990 by Vera Curnow, the Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA) is a nonprofit representing almost 2,000 members worldwide who work with colored pencils.

Artwork needed

Piedmont Triad Airport Authority is looking for art to feature from N.C. and southern Virginia artists, including two-dimensional paintings, photographs, mixed media and three-dimensional sculpture for inside and outside.

The artwork will be on loan to the PTAA for one year. An agreed-upon fee will be paid for installation time.

Visit flyfrompti.com/art-walking-tour to see current artwork on display or flyfrompti.com/2022-call-to-artists for art submission details.
Lawsuits involving Cardinal Innovations and Richard Topping Jr., its fired chief executive, have been settled by each party agreeing to end their respective litigation, according to a civil court filing submitted Tuesday.

The parties notified the N.C. Court of Appeals on Jan. 27 that they expected to reach a settlement.

Tuesdays filing did not disclose any financial aspects of the settlement.

David Rudolf, an attorney representing Topping, said Thursday there will be a final settlement filing that includes financial details.

Rudolf issued a statement Wednesday saying Cardinal is paying $500,000 to Topping for false and defamatory statements made by Cardinal Innovations and its law firm, McGuireWoods, at a 2018 press conference.

Topping is serving as chief legal officer for CareSource, a managed-care services provider based in Dayton, Ohio.

In March 2018, a newly constituted Cardinal board of directors sued Topping as part of an attempt to claw-back, or recover, $1.68 million in severance that the previous board paid to Topping.

Topping filed a countersuit against the new Cardinal board pursuing damages in excess of $1 million.

The latest settlement filing shows that no trial date had been set to address the respective lawsuits.

During that press conference, Kent Meyers, the former federal prosecutor who conducted the investigation for McGuireWoods on behalf of Cardinal, accused Topping of inflating his salary without regard to the reputational, regulatory and legal damages it was going to cause.

According to Meyers investigation, Topping pressured the former board not to fire him for several months by saying that if he was fired, his entire management team would also leave with him, ending Cardinal as they knew it, Meyers said Topping told the board.

Rudolf said that the Cardinal Innovations board has accepted responsibility for the misconduct of its former employees. We continue to believe that those employees mislead not only regulators and the public, but also the Cardinal board itself.

Cardinal declined to comment Thursday on Rudolfs statement.

In a Tuesday statement, Cardinal Innovations said it stands by all claims and defenses it has asserted in this case, and strongly believes it would have prevailed had it proceeded to trial in the courts.

According to the settlement, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services agreed to withdraw its claw-back pursuit as part of allowing Cardinal to dissolve.

Considering the need to fully wrap up Cardinals affairs, and with a desire to be a good steward of future resources, all parties have elected to finalize this matter, Cardinal said.

Background

Cardinal, based in Charlotte, had operated as the states largest behavioral health managed care organization covering 20 counties  including Alamance, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Rockingham and Stokes counties in the Triad.

The main factor in reaching the settlement appears to be the pending dissolution of Cardinal as an on-going entity after Thursday.

Cardinal agreed on June 1, 2021, to being taken over by Vaya Health of Asheville by June 30, 2022. The consolidation was completed on Jan. 1, 2022, with Vaya not being required by DHHS to assume Cardinals litigation and liabilities.

That merger occurred in part in response to several county boards of commissioners, including Davidson, Davie, Forsyth and Rockingham, gaining permission in fall 2021 by then-state Health Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen to move to another MCO.

The common denominator among the commissioners is they had lost faith in Cardinals ability to manage care for their residents.

The Cardinal board has been pursuing altogether about $3.8 million in paid severance from four former Cardinal officials. Cardinal reimbursed the state the $3.8 million from administrative funds.

About an hour after Cardinal filed its lawsuit against Topping in Mecklenburg Superior Court, Meyers disclosed his findings in a press conference.

On May 30, 2018, Topping sued for libel and slander, claiming Meyers presentation was misleading and false. That lawsuit came 15 days after Topping countersued Cardinal.

According to the settlement, Topping continues to pursue his complaint against Meyers and the law firm.

Rudolf alleges in his statement that decisions by Cohen and the newly formed Cardinal board was based on information provided by Trey Sutten, successor to Topping as Cardinal chief executive, along with Cardinal general counsel Chuck Hollowell and deputy general counsel Steve Martin.

Controversial reign

Cardinal, at its peak, had responsibility for more than 850,000 Medicaid recipients and more than $675 million in federal and state Medicaid funding.

The firing of Topping in November 2017 represented the climax of regulatory and legal probes into his performance as Cardinals top executive.

The Cardinal board was revamped in large part because Cohen determined the previous board, led by chairwoman Lucy Drake, had acted inappropriately in paying severance to Topping and other Cardinal executives as part of their dismissals.

Topping was terminated without cause by the previous Cardinal board on Nov. 17, 2017, which allowed him to receive a $1.68 million, two-year severance package. The board also allowed Topping to continue his duties through Nov. 30, 2017.

Cohen stepped in on Nov. 27, 2017, to formally remove Topping and disband the Cardinal board.

State law permits the health secretary to remove the chief executive and the board of a behavioral-health MCO if the secretary determines that the agency demonstrates serious financial mismanagement or serious regulatory noncompliance.

Topping faces seven claims in the Cardinal lawsuit: breach of contract; breach of fiduciary duties; breach of implied duty of good faith and fair dealing (in his role as CEO); conversion (deleting data from Cardinal-owned devices and not returning Cardinal electronic property); unjust enrichment; constructive trust (knowingly accepting overpayments in severance); and constructive fraud (taking without permission highly confidential Cardinal financial and operational data).

The revamped Cardinal board complaint called Toppings severance excessive and unlawful payments. Topping also was paid as much as $635,000 in annual salary  more than three times the $204,000 permitted by state law.

State Auditor Beth Wood said in a May 2017 audit ordered by a bipartisan group of legislators in August 2016 that Cardinals whole independent contractor claims have been taken out of context, and they are being misleading when they say they are.

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.
President Joe Bidens speech from Warsaw on Saturday night, reminded me of two previous presidents who delivered speeches confronting the autocracy that was then the Soviet Union and is now Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, a man Biden has rightly called a war criminal.

On June 26, 1963, John F. Kennedy spoke before the Berlin Wall which the Soviets had erected to stem the flow of Berliners out of the communist paradise to the West. In his remarks, Kennedy said, Freedom is indivisible and when one man is enslaved, all are not free and  lift your eyes beyond the dangers of today, to the hopes of tomorrow  to the advance of freedom everywhere  . Kennedys remarks came to be known as the I am a Berliner address.

Biden echoed Kennedys optimism when he quoted a phrase Pope John Paul II often used: Do not be afraid.

In 1987, Ronald Reagan visited Berlin and delivered his Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall speech. Like Biden, Reagan contrasted systems of government that preserve freedom with those ruled by autocrats who quash freedom. Reagan said, Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor.  We believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace.

In his speech Biden went further than Kennedy and Reagan, calling Vladimir Putin a butcher. Speaking directly to the Russian people (if they can hear me) he tacitly called upon them to remove Putin from office, saying This man cannot remain in power. A White House statement walked back his clear reference to regime change, but what he said remains in the official transcript. Biden later denied he was calling for Putins ouster, but the damage was done.

Biden also said the war will be a long one. Did he mean the Putin war against Ukraine, or something bigger, like the decadeslong Cold War? He did not specify and that is part of the problem. Whats the endgame and what is Americas strategy for reaching it? Biden still wont supply Ukraine with old Soviet MiG airplanes to close the skies, fearing that could trigger the use of nuclear weapons by Putin.

Biden again spoke of the need to end the Wests reliance on fossil fuels and create more renewable energy. That is an objective that cannot be achieved anytime soon, like the war between autocracies and democracy, which the president said will not be won in days or months (or decades?). Autocracies preceded the worldwide need for petroleum and will likely continue, should renewable energy eventually replace it.

Conservatives should praise Biden for what may be the best and most energized speech of his presidency while still asking why he and NATO wont provide more of what Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he needs to defeat the invasion. The situation with Ukraine is different from what Kennedy and Reagan faced. Then, there was only a wall erected on the order of an occupying force that was not bombing East Germany, though guards shot anyone trying to escape. Those presidents used powerful words and Reagans Strategic Defense Initiative to wear down the Soviet Union and cause its collapse.

Today, Ukraine faces predatory forces that have been ordered by another Russian dictator to do whatever is necessary to achieve his goals, including the killing of civilian men, women and babies.

The BBC reports an estimated 200,000 Russians have left their country since the start of the war, a significant brain drain. Those who have stayed should heed President Bidens call to remove Putin from power by whatever means necessary. I think Kennedy and Reagan might have approved of such a goal.

Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com.
Author Thomas Wolfe once wrote, You cant go home again.

For Judy Lambeth and Jerry McAfee  retirees of corporate law and chemical engineering, respectively, who met at DuPont and married in 1994  the notion of going home again took on special significance when Lambeths fathers health began to wane.

Living in Texas at the time and working with a headhunter, getting back to North Carolina was a priority.

He looked at me funny and asked if I was OK working for a tobacco company, she says.

I was raised in tobacco, she chuckles. It was great karma.

In 2006, Lambeth returned to Winston-Salem to become general counsel for Reynolds American and look after her father, who was still living in the same house she had grown up in.

When her father passed, she and her siblings had a decision to make about the family homestead.

Everyone wanted to keep the property in the family, Lambeth says. Its just that nobody wanted to live here.

In 1956, the Lambeths were one of four families who together purchased a large tract of land off Shattalon Drive. Complete with conservation easements, each family compound consisted of four acres, and everyone shared the remaining common property that included a lower field, a pasture and a lake.

The Lambeths built a stately colonial style home that sat on a hillside overlooking the lake  a favorite stopover for Canadian geese and the occasional heron. With a westward facing sunroom, the house was also a perfect perch for late afternoon sunsets.

I was 5 when we moved here, Lambeth says.

While the couple initially thought about razing the house, it was just too sentimental says Lambeth. She ultimately agreed to move in, to come home again, with one caveat  that they totally transform the house into something more contemporary.

It was the modern farmhouse look that Lambeth discovered on the website Houzz that she and McAfee agreed would be the perfect compliment for world class collection of Asian art and antiques  Lambeth and McAfee lived in Hong Kong for more than three years.

Over the following year, they worked closely with architect Quinn Pillsworth, who helped bring their vision to life.

Instinctively, Lambeth knew she would need someone who could help her bring the design aesthetics of East and West together in harmony in the interior spaces of the home.

I need someone with imagination, she announced during a dinner party with friends. To which one of the guests replied I have the perfect person  interior designer and artist, Happy Martin.

Martin was indeed the perfect choice, for in addition to her strong belief that a home should be about its owner and her reputation for designing creative spaces that are distinct and true to her clients vision, she came with the name of a trusted contractor she often collaborated with  Mike Wrege.

I went to school with Mike, Lambeth told Martin.

The builder also came with names  a roster of talented woodworkers and local craftsman whose attention to detail is the hallmark of this home.

I am a lumbermans granddaughter, says Lambeth in a nod of appreciation for every white-washed and pickled board in the house.

Take the dry bar off the kitchen  a modest but important space for any self-respecting entertainer  where woodworker and cabinetmaker Jack Dent introduced the exquisite rippling beauty of fiddle back maple with ambrosia stains left by tunneling beetles.

From the down-to-the-studs rewiring and re-plumbing that you dont see to changes of every door and window that open your eyes to the homes natural surroundings, Lambeth and McAfee, along with their crack design team, have succeeded in bringing a modern twist to an old classic.

Looking outside, the last but not least of the design team members  California native Sally Pagliai of Studio Pagliai out of Greensboro  has introduced xeriscaping design concepts, among elements like a fake creek, around the property. Its a landscaping approach that requires little to no irrigation or maintenance  like the propertys sprawling front lawn of buffalo grass, which never needs to be watered or mowed.

In the end, it seems Wolfe may have been partially right. From the outside looking in, Lambeth has indeed come home again. But she and McAfee have also created a completely unique home in a place soaked with nostalgia  a place that simultaneously honors the past, the present, and the future.
John-Mark Mitchell believes in the power of numbers.

Thats why he celebrated the grand opening of Mitchell Prime Properties new headquarters on Feb. 22, or 2/22/22.

The numbers for this year represent his firms growing success.

The number 10: This year marks the firms 10th anniversary.

Another key number is 12,000: Mitchell recently moved into a new 12,000-square-foot headquarters building on Charlois Boulevard.

Finally, 40: Mitchell has more than 40 agents representing luxury properties from the beach to the mountains.

Careful growth, he says, has helped Mitchell Prime Properties expand its knowledge of the entire state and how to serve people in Winston-Salem and the Triad.

Three years ago, Mitchell opened an office in a building at Emerald Isle, on the Crystal Coast, and business is strong, he says.

Its amazing how many people here know people at Emerald Isle or they want a place at Emerald Isle, he says. Customers often say, Oh you can help us at Emerald Isle? Oh, my gosh, this is amazing.

Mitchell says after research, he discovered that his firm is the first non-franchised residential real estate firm established in the Triad that has opened an office in another city outside the Triad.

When he was thinking about opening the Emerald Isle office, Mitchell said he took a look at his competitors.

Lets see who else has done this, he says. Im not going to copy them, but I want to see what they did and where did they go. Nobody had done that.

Mitchell says, We discovered that we were the leader when I realized we had no one else to follow.

We are just doing what we feel we need to do and where the market is, he says. We want to grow this market. We want to grow North Carolina.

Mitchell has brokers in every metro area of the state, including Banner Elk, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Raleigh/Durham, Wilmington and Emerald Isle.

Luxury goes beyond numbers  and price tags  Mitchell says.

It means different things to different people. To some, luxury is a well-built modest home; for others, its a multi-million-dollar beach or mountain home.

Its the service that defines luxury and not the price alone, Mitchell says. Thatd be silly to say that if youve got a $2 million house, youre not going to put that under luxury, right? It also is to say that if you have a $250,000 home and its really looking good to that person, it may be, to their family, that it could be the most luxurious house theyve ever had. And we want them to have the same experience.

Its that service attitude that brought Mitchell to open the new headquarters, designed to feel like a home for agents and customers alike.

And to add to a one-stop-shop approach, the company has office space for an attorney and representatives for Truliant Federal Credit Union and Farm Bureau insurance.

With 30 years experience as one of Winston-Salems top producers, Mitchell will reach another milestone later this year: The opening of the Mitchell Academy.

Mitchell Academy will open near the new Mitchell Building headquarters, which resembles a comfortable mid-century modern home.

The academy will welcome students from all companies and all disciplines who want to become exceptional real estate professionals, Mitchell says.

Thats why Mitchell says he is staffing it with leaders who are not just specialists in residential real estate, but in education.

Our education director has a doctor of education degree, Dr. Scott Munsie, Mitchell says.

Munsie says the approach is designed not only to teach fundamentals of real estate but also to enhance its students professionalism and connection to a wider industry.

Mitchell Academy students will be able to link up with various business leaders committed to the importance of real estate in the Triad and surrounding counties in North Carolina, he says.

Its been planned for quite a long time, Mitchell says. The problem was we didnt have the right location. Didnt have the right people. And it wasnt the right time. Those factors disappeared only in the last six months, and everything just kind of puzzled itself together.

His sole purpose in creating the academy, Mitchell says, is to take basic real estate instruction and add a level of refinement so the aspiring or working agent can do more than just earn a license to sell a house.

There is a lack of concern, in my opinion, for the consumer. There is a lack of education on service. Theres a need for emphasis on how agents can better communicate with customers, Mitchell says.

He adds, If theyre not in it for service  then theyll probably not be in it very long.

The academy is not strictly for Mitchell employees but for all real estate professionals in the region.

And if that means helping agents from other companies to improve their technique and relations with customers, thats a good thing for his company because it improves the image of the entire real estate profession, Mitchell says.

You might think the pandemic has stifled education initiatives, but Mitchell says remote education has only expanded his academys potential reach. He estimates the academy will have 75 to 100 people live in a classroom, plus online students.

He wants everyone in the industry to adopt his feeling that once I stop learning, I stop growing.

You may have seen one of Mitchells prominent billboards on Interstate 40. Thats not necessarily to draw new customers but to reinforce his image to the customers hes already helped and hopes to help again.

He says that 85% of his companys customers represent repeat business, proof that his company gets it right over and over.

Ive helped people make massively wonderful financial decisions in their life, Mitchell says without a trace of bragging. That makes me very happy. And theyve done it repeatedly, through the use of our service, and the knowledge that we give them. And its very rewarding.

In the end, he says, were not about the numbers. And were not churning out things that just say, If you do 400 closings, then youre the No. 1 in the area, and thats what makes you important. At the end of the day, the lives that weve affected in some large or small part is what makes our job relevant.
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to fall in Lancaster County, and, at least for now, signs point to that trend continuing.

The county recorded only 66 cases last week, down from 89 the previous week and the lowest weekly total since the week ending July 3 of last year.

More impressive has been the drop in hospitalizations. Lincoln's two hospital systems reported only 12 COVID-19 patients Monday. That's the lowest total since June 23 and the fourth-lowest total on any day since the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department debuted its COVID-19 dashboard in April 2020. On Tuesday, the number of patients had risen to 14.

There are other positive signs as well. The county's rate of positive COVID-19 tests was 3.5% last week, essentially the same as the previous week and the third straight week it's been below 5%.

In fact, the only real negative COVID-19-related data last week was the three reported deaths. Still, Lancaster County has recorded only five deaths this month, compared with 32 in February and 39 in January.

The local numbers, which warranted keeping the county's risk dial in the green, or low, range for the second week in a row, are in line with statewide numbers.

For the week that ended Sunday, the state reported 330 COVID-19 cases, down from 354 the week before.

As of Monday night, there were 84 COVID-19 patients in Nebraska hospitals, the lowest number since mid-July. CHI Health reported only 19 patients total across its hospitals in Nebraska and southwest Iowa.

Dr. David Quimby, an infectious disease specialist with the health system, said that just a month ago, it had that many patients on ventilators.

On Monday, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services debuted two new tools that can be used to track COVID-19. One is a genomic surveillance report that shows the prevalence of variants, and the other is a roundup of all wastewater monitoring that is occurring in the state.

The wastewater monitoring report, which tracks samples collected at 13 sites in 11 counties, shows a few occasional spikes in virus samples found over the past month, but the general trend is either a leveling off of virus particles or a slight increase.

The genomic surveillance showed that as of March 19, the most recent data available, the omicron BA.2 variant was found in 7% of positive COVID-19 samples that underwent genetic sequencing. While that's a big jump from the 1% of samples that showed BA.2 in the weeks ending Feb. 19 and March 5, it's far below the national average, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate is nearly 55% of all cases.

Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Director Pat Lopez said in a statement that while BA.2 activity is limited in Nebraska right now, "were concerned that this could change and we continue to monitor the situation closely."

The variant has sparked new outbreaks in Asia and Europe, and health experts have been warning for weeks that the same thing could happen in the U.S.

Several states have seen double-digit increases in their COVID-19 case numbers over the past couple of weeks, while the daily average in the U.S. has risen slightly and leveled off since hitting its low point of just less than 27,000 cases March 19, according to the CDC. However, both hospitalizations and deaths have continued to decline nationally.

Dr. James Lawler, co-executive director of the University of Nebraska Medical Centers Global Center for Health Security, said it's "inevitable" that the U.S. as a whole and Nebraska will see another spike in cases caused by BA.2.

"The question is just the timing of when," he said.

Lawler said he expects case numbers will rise significantly within the next couple of months, which will again lead to increases in hospitalizations and deaths.

The good news is that any surge could be blunted by warmer weather, and hospitals are in much better shape now than when the first omicron wave hit in December.

One other thing that could help blunt another wave of COVID-19 is people getting vaccinated and/or boosted.

Lawler said the Food and Drug Administration's decision to approve a second booster for those older than 50 is great news.

"I hope we have a lot of takers for that," he said, noting that boosters have been shown to greatly reduce the risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19, especially in older people.

Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz.

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.
Attorney General Doug Peterson has endorsed Jim Pillen in his bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

"When considering Jim's life accomplishments, it's evident that he is very talented in developing a successful business, making payroll every week for over a thousand Nebraska employees and generously giving back to his community," Peterson said.

"It is one thing to talk about success; it is another to show a history of success," the attorney general said.

Pillen, a Columbus pork producer, is a member of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents and has been endorsed by Gov. Pete Ricketts.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon

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.
Nebraska has sent 550 pieces of used protective law enforcement and military equipment to Ukraine to help protect Ukrainians who are battling the Russian troops who have invaded their country, Gov. Pete Ricketts announced Wednesday.

The equipment was delivered to Des Moines where it was scheduled to be flown to Ukraine along with equipment gathered in Iowa.

"We want to help the people of Ukraine fight this aggression," the governor said. "We support Ukraine," the governor said during a news conference that included Ukrainian Catholic Church representatives and a third grader named Lexi Fedoronko who tearfully said her grandparents are still in Ukraine.

They all asked Nebraskans to pray for the people of Ukraine.

Among the donated items shipped from Nebraska were 321 pieces of body armor and 69 helmets.

Cass County Sheriffs Lt. Larry Burke said his department donated 30 to 40 vests, which typically cost about $400 apiece. He told the Omaha World-Herald each vest is at least 5 years old, which means it no longer is in compliance with law enforcement standards.

Normally, Burke said the Sheriffs Office would dispose of the vests through a vendor but "this was a way of cleaning out our storage and (they) are hopefully going to a good cause.

Ricketts said the people of Ukraine are undergoing "enormous suffering" now as a result of "the unprovoked attack" by Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has created "the worst refugee crisis since World War II," the governor said. "Nebraskans stand with Ukraine."

Bennet Goldstein of the Omaha World-Herald contributed to this report.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The Fillmore County sheriff who was arrested on suspicion of DUI last week had been drinking in Lincoln before he allegedly drove his truck off a rural Seward County road in the early morning hours of March 20, according to court filings.

Steve Julich, a 41-year-old Geneva man who has been Fillmore County's acting sheriff since November, was formally charged with misdemeanor DUI on Friday after Seward County deputies found him alone in the backseat of his 2013 Ford just before 6 a.m. March 20, according to the affidavit for his arrest.

The truck, which was running and still in drive when deputies contacted Julich, was in a ditch against a tree off County Road 140, Deputy Steve Schulz said in the affidavit.

Schulz said the truck smelled of alcohol, and Julich, who appeared to have vomit on his left shirt sleeve, declined both a field sobriety test and preliminary breath test.

The sheriff told deputies he left a Lincoln bar with two friends, one of whom had been driving the truck, but Julich couldn't name the individuals, Schulz said. The deputy noted there wasn't room in the pickup for three people, and Julich was the only person on scene.

Julich, who is still the acting sheriff in Fillmore County, was taken to the Seward County Jail but was released on bond March 21.

He is set to make his first appearance in court April 20.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.com. On Twitter @andrewwegley

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.
BELLEVUE  An Iowa man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for fatally shooting a pregnant woman at a Bellevue home last year.

Nicholas Holliday, 25, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced Tuesday in Sarpy County District Court after pleading no contest to manslaughter and second-degree assault of an unborn child.

Police investigators have said Holliday was showing a gun to people in the home May 30 and was handing it to 21-year-old Madyson Dennis of Omaha when it discharged, hitting her. Dennis, who was three months pregnant, was declared dead at the scene. Police determined that Holliday had been reckless in his handling of the gun.
Nebraska lawmakers advanced a bill Monday that would expand tax exemptions for some disabled veterans.

LB853 passed its first of three rounds of debate on a 39-0 vote Monday night. The bill would expand Nebraska's homestead exemption program based on veterans' disability levels.

Homestead exemptions are property tax relief for veterans who are 100% disabled, or whose home was contributed by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, as well as Nebraskans over 65 and some disabled residents. These exemptions are typically calculated by the resident's annual income.

LB853 would expand exemptions to include veterans who are 50%-99% disabled. According to state documents, as of 2017 there were more than 17,000 veterans in Nebraska who were at least 50% disabled. The injuries can include PTSD and even some arm amputations.

Sen. Jen Day of Omaha, who introduced the bill, said many disabled veterans experience a level of physical and psychological loss that is hard for non-veterans to understand.

"This is their daily reality," Day said.

A veteran's disability percentage is determined through an assessment by the VA. Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon said the process is more complicated than simply counting a veteran's injuries.

When Brewer retired from the army after 37 years, his assessment noted several injuries, including a traumatic brain injury and an incident where he got his thumb blown off and reattached. Combined, Brewer's injuries added up to no more than 70% disability, he said.

Under LB853, a veteran who is 70% disabled would have 70% applied to the exemption they would receive based on their income. If that same veteran earned $35,000 a year, which would qualify them for a 60% exemption if they were single and 100% disabled, the 60% would be multiplied by their disability percentage, 70% in this case, giving them an actual exemption of 42%.

LB853 saw broad support from lawmakers during Monday's brief debate. Day said the bill has seen support from both Democrats and Republicans in the officially nonpartisan Legislature.

"There's never really enough that we can do for our veterans," said Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The Cass County Sheriffs Office is donating dozens of expired bulletproof vests to Ukraine.

The agency is among Nebraska law enforcement agencies that have supported the Ukrainian government after Russia invaded the country in late February.

Normally, the Cass County Sheriffs Office disposes of the vests through a vendor, which charges the county to collect the equipment.

The worst thing is we dont want them in the wrong hands. They are still effective, said Cass County Sheriffs Lt. Larry Burke. 

Burke estimated that his department donated 30 to 40 vests, which typically cost about $400 apiece. Each vest is at least five years old, which means it no longer is in compliance with law enforcement standards.

The vests are capable of stopping the bullets of the service weapons the Sheriffs Office employs, Burke said.

The statewide collection was coordinated by multiple Nebraska entities, including the Department of Transportation, the Nebraska State Patrol, the National Guard and the Governors Office.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The whooping cranes made a splash in November, when they landed along the Platte River.

A flock of 46  nearly 10% of the endangered species population, the largest group ever recorded in the U.S.  was taking a weeklong break at the Crane Trust southwest of Grand Island before finishing its trip to the Texas Gulf Coast.

That was historic numbers for whooping cranes in their migration corridor, said Tim Smith, the nonprofits director of land management. We havent seen numbers like that on the Platte River for over 100 years.

And they were hanging out near 357 acres of new, inviting habitat  riverside sandbars and other habitat that had been cleared of vegetation and unwanted trees.

One of the things we want to do is open up the river visually for migratory birds, such as whooping cranes, Smith said. They prefer that habitat over conditions where the river is narrower, and they cant see.

The work was done last year, its $300,000 price paid for by the Crane Trusts new and unlikely partner, the Nebraska Army National Guard.

Because of that work  and for its other efforts to prevent potential conflicts with whooping cranes  the Nebraska Army National Guard recently won its first Secretary of the Armys Natural Resources Conservation Team Award.

It will now compete against the winners from other military branches  Navy, Marines and Air Force  for the top prize, the Department of Defenses environmental award, which will be announced on Earth Day on April 22.

But that wasnt the intention when Larry Vrtiska came up with idea a couple of years ago.

The environmental program manager for the Nebraska Military Department had recognized the potential for conflict along the Platte River between the endangered birds, which visit the area twice a year during their migrations between Canada and Texas, and the Army Guard members, who use the same area for training.

Our thought was, Hey, what can we do to not have an impact on our military mission, but also be stewards of our natural resources?

He wasnt worried about the Guards helicopters colliding with the birds; he didnt want the militarys mere presence to disrupt and flush the birds from their resting places.

Whooping cranes dont like to be around people. They dont like to be around roadways, where theres a lot of vehicles. They dont like to be disturbed.

Vrtiska found a pair of partners for the project, which would be called the Crane Protection Team. First, he worked with the U.S. Geological Survey to try to determine where the birds will be, and when.

The result? A computer model that identifies potential whooping crane habitat and behavior  during drought years or wet years. That information helps the Guard plan where it conducts its exercises.

Maybe we can fly over here instead of over there, he said. Its just moving the flight a little bit.

And its not just for Nebraska National Guard. The Geological Surveys model covers the entire central flyway, from North Dakota to Texas.

Its for all of the Department of Defense within that flyway. Everyone can use these models to look to see if theres potential conflict and if theres any way they can mitigate it.

Then the Guard approached the Crane Trust, offering to help make more whooping crane habitat, to give the birds an appealing  and protected  place to go if they were flushed by its choppers.

It paid to have 300 acres of sandbar disked, to remove vegetation. It cleared another 57 acres of unwanted trees. And it funded the burial of nearly 3 miles of overhead power lines  a leading killer of cranes.

It worked. When the record-setting flock landed on the river late last year, the Crane Trust told the Guard to steer clear.

And we made sure we avoided the area, Vrtiska said. Our job is to be soldiers but also to protect resources. We can do our jobs and we can also protect these birds.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7254 or psalter@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSPeterSalter

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
MOUNT PLEASANT  Faced with the requirement of the public having to vote on whether local elected officials terms should be lengthened to three years, the Mount Pleasant Village Board abandoned the whole venture Monday evening.

On Jan. 24, the Village Board unanimously voted to have trustees terms be three years instead of the current two-year terms, to take effect in 2023. But earlier this month, an official petition that included 1,199 certified signatures from Mount Pleasant residents was delivered to the village clerk. The petition would have forced a referendum of voters to be passed before the extension of terms could be put into effect.

Instead of doing that, the Village Board unanimously voted to repeal the ordinance that would have extended the length of their terms rather than letting a referendum be held.

The Village Board on Monday could have begun drafting how a referendum question would be worded, but decided against it.

When we passed this as a board, one of the parts of our discussion about this was the fact that we felt confident in the decision, Trustee Nancy Washburn said Monday night. But we also knew, and it was made clear to us after asking the same question multiple ways, that there was a window of opportunity  for our residents to tell us this was something they desired. In my mind, seeing that there are 1,199 signatures that have been authenticated, its clear to me that  unfortunately or fortunately  apparently that our residents who we represent, who we are here to put into action what they want and represent them, its clear to me that they probably dont want that.

The leader of the effort to collect signatures was Kelly Gallaher, who manages the A Better Mount Pleasant social media pages. She said in a statement after Mondays vote: Had the Village Board opted to legitimately solicit public input on a charter ordinance to extend term lengths for trustees, they may have spared themselves the embarrassment of having to retreat from such a transparently self-serving measure. It is clear they realized they had little hope of winning a referendum thanks to the dozens of volunteers who collected nearly 1,300 petition signatures in just two weeks.

While 1,199 signatures were certified as being truly from Mount Pleasant residents, Gallaher reported that 1,282 signatures in total were collected.

Gallaher continued: A referendum win would have ensured that term extensions could not be proposed again for a minimum of two years. Should the Village Board have a change of heart, and attempt to sneak this through again, we are ready and willing to circulate another petition. Residents should decide the length of terms in office, not politicians.

That was a sentiment echoed by Don Trottier, a member of the Racine County Board and a Mount Pleasant resident.

After the idea of lengthening terms was first made public in January, following years of discussion within Village Hall, Trottier said he reached out to each Village Board member to advise against them voting to extend term lengths without a referendum.

It should be the people that decide, not the trustees, Trottier said in a phone call Tuesday morning.

Trustees indicated Monday night that they were surprised by how strong the response was.

I dont think we as a board ever thought that many people would object to it, Washburn said.

Added Village President Dave DeGroot: When we passed this, I believe in good faith, back in January, I believe one of the trustees (Denise Anastasio, who was not at Mondays meeting) mentioned  Is this something that should have been going to referendum? 

At the time, the Village Board had planned to not go with a referendum. But now, after at least 1,199 residents indicated opposition to the board voting to extend future term lengths, voters still will not have a direct say on whether they believe trustees terms should be two years or three.

If the term-length extension had been put in place, Mount Pleasant would have been the only municipality in Racine County where its boards terms were longer than two years.

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.
CALEDONIA  A Racine man has been accused of assaulting a man and causing two injuries in a hit-and-run.

Ricky M. Steil, 35, of the 2600 block of Iris Court, was charged with two felony counts of hit and run causing injury, felony counts of burglary of a building or dwelling, strangulation and suffocation and substantial battery, two misdemeanor counts of bail jumping and a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.

According to criminal complaints:

First incident

At 6:30 a.m. on June 8, 2019, officers were sent to the 4400 block of Meadow Drive for a reported assault.

Upon arrival, officers observed a man with blood on his head and sweatshirt. He had a laceration on his head that required four staples to close. The laceration was a result of being struck on the head with a tire iron.

The man said he lives at the residence with his ex-girlfriend and her parents.

During the evening of June 7, his ex-girlfriend was video-calling a man and complaining that he was not paying rent to her dad. The man later sent a message saying that he needed to be out of the home by tomorrow, and he and Steil would come over.

At 6:15 a.m. the following day, the man said he was in the living room when another man and Steil entered and began to punch and kick him.

Steil put him in a headlock and he struggled to breathe. He was able to break free but was attacked again.

Steil put the man in a second headlock as the other man grabbed a tire iron and hit him in the head twice.

The two left the residence when a woman came in and shouted What the (expletive) is going on!?

A warrant for Steils arrest was issued, but he didnt make his initial appearance until Tuesday.

Second incident

At 6:20 p.m. on Feb. 19, an officer was sent to the intersection of Highway 31 and Four Mile Road for a two-vehicle accident.

Upon arrival, the officer saw two vehicles with substantial damage. One of the drivers said she was having severe chest, arm and back pain from the accident. She said that she was approaching Four Mile Road when a vehicle disregarded her right of way and collided with her. She was transported to the hospital for her injuries.

In making contact with the other vehicle, the drivers seat was empty and the passenger had to be extricated from her seat. She said that Steil was the driver and that he ran away because he had outstanding warrants. She was also transported to the hospital for her injuries.

Steil was given $3,500 in cash bonds in Racine County Circuit Court on Tuesday. A preliminary hearing is set for April 6 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave., online court records show.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
RACINE  It has been a long journey for the Afghan evacuees, those who fled as the U.S. military pulled out of Afghanistan and the country was retaken by the Taliban in August.

Approximately 80,000 Afghans came to the United States immediately after the downfall. More than 13,000 of them were brought to Fort McCoy in western Wisconsin. About 820 are slated to settle down permanently in Wisconsin.

Of them, three groups now call Racine home.

The Racine Interfaith Coalition was instrumental in organizing the resettlement of three groups, which included two families and one group of men. Three area churches agreed to each adopt one of the groups.

Safety Due to fear of retaliation against family members who remain in Afghanistan, the evacuees now living in Racine could not be interviewed or photographed for this article.

Descendants of refugees aiding evacuees

St. Mesrob Armenian Church, 4605 Erie St., was one of the churches that rallied to help the evacuees.

Many local Armenians are the descendants of those who fled genocide that occurred from 1914-1916, carried out by Muslims from the Ottoman Empire. Hundreds of thousands (possibly more than a million) Armenians died after being force-marched across the Syrian Desert before being interred in concentration camps during World War I.

The vast majority of modern Afghans are Muslim. That did not stop local Armenians from helping them.

Father Avedis Kalayjian noted the religious persecution committed by some Muslims, but said focusing on that would not be a holistic understanding of the history.

There were Muslims who participated in the genocide, but there were also Muslims who protected Christian Armenians  not only in Turkey but also in Iran and Egypt (then part of Persia), and across the region.

When the Armenians who were spared the slaughter actually made it through the deserts of Syria and into the Middle East, the Arab Muslims there were sympathetic to many of the Armenians and gave them safe haven, he said.

One-hundred years later  as Saint Mesrob celebrates its centennial  the descendants of those who fled the genocide are in a position to show mercy to the evacuees.

The parishes who were the most interested in assisting the Afghans came from immigrant families fleeing persecution, he said. They found themselves in the United States and relying on the hospitality, the charity and the mercy of the American people.

The church has a team of volunteers helping the Afghans transition to life Racine.

The team found a place for the evacuees to live and furnished it  from the furniture to the towels to the paper products.

Quote Theyre very anxious to work  all of them. Theyre very anxious to become independent. Tamerin Hayward, Racine Interfaith Coalition co-president speaking on Afghan evacuees now living in Racine

Kalayjian said the team did the things they were supposed to: getting the evacuees in contact with Gateway Technical College and getting the kids registered for school. But they also took the family on fun trips, including a visit to a local zoo.

From a rectory to a family home

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 2201 Northwestern Ave., happens to have a large house not being used.

It was previously was a rectory, built for the original 1916 church. After the new rectory and church were built, Dominican nuns in retirement lived there until about five years ago.

When he heard housing was needed for evacuees, Sacred Heart parishioner Dave Kleba approached Father Ricardo Martin about welcoming evacuees into it.

The church community rallied to clean the house and provided new dishes, new appliances and new furniture where needed. Cracks in the ceiling and on the walls were patched. Plumbing work was done to install the new dishwasher. Gas pipes were updated. Walls were painted.

A sewing machine, that the women could use to sew the traditional clothes they wear, was also provided.

The primary challenge, Kleba noted, was the structure was not designed with families in mind.

The bedrooms that were once used for priests and later retired nuns are connected and share bathrooms.

When asked how many bedrooms there are, Kelba replied, It depends on how you count.

Because the rooms are connected, he said it might work out that one of the bedrooms is for the parents and the connected room would work as a nursery. Another scenario is that siblings could share the connected rooms.

It might be awkward for a person to leave their room and have to walk through someone elses bedroom to gain the hallway. However, it would not be awkward for infants and siblings  depending on the age of the sibling.

Kelba said the house is ready for a group of refugees (from Afghanistan or elsewhere) to move in, but no one has settled there yet.

Evacuees? Or refugees? There was a learning curve for volunteers with the Racine Interfaith Coalition in aiding the Afghan evacuees. One of the things they learned was the correct nomenclature for groups in Racine was "evacuees." Those coming in the future, however, will be "refugees," which is the status given when someone comes to the U.S. through the United Nations, a lengthy process, but one in which the individual is better prepared for the culture of their new home. If so, refugees will already have a place to go when they arrive on U.S. soil, and there wont be the scramble for housing as there has been with the evacuees.

The new neighbors

Tamerin Hayward, co-president of RIC, advised neighbors of the evacuees to be warm and welcoming, but also to remember they come from an entirely different culture and could easily be overwhelmed.

Theyre very anxious to adopt our culture and to learn our ways, our language, and to become part of our country, she said. This is something they are really anxious to do but obviously its going to take a while.

If you notice someone, be friendly, but were looking for them to make friends in a more casual setting, she said. Theyll go to the Mosque and theyll meet people who are already here from the Mosque, and eventually when they are going to school theyll meet people that way.

Hayward praised the generosity of local people, who donated furniture, clothes, household items, and more. Food pantries have been open to RIC.

The community has been excellent in doing what they could do, Hayward said. Its been a truly wonderful experience.

Evacuees? Or refugees? There was a learning curve for volunteers with the Racine Interfaith Coalition in aiding the Afghan evacuees. One of the things they learned was the correct nomenclature for groups in Racine was "evacuees." Those coming in the future, however, will be "refugees," which is the status given when someone comes to the U.S. through the United Nations, a lengthy process, but one in which the individual is better prepared for the culture of their new home. If so, refugees will already have a place to go when they arrive on U.S. soil, and there wont be the scramble for housing as there has been with the evacuees.

Long process

With their network of 28 churches and many volunteers, RIC had the resources and network to assist Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, an official refugee resettlement organization that partners with the U.S. government, with settling the evacuees into Racine.

Hayward said there was actually a lengthy process in which RIC was vetted by Lutheran Social Services to ensure the Afghanistan evacuees were in good and competent hands.

They have to know who you are, Hayward said of LSS. Several individuals from RIC were also vetted so we could help.

Due to the circumstances of the evacuation from Afghanistan, those who resettled in the U.S. needed just about everything.

These folks, it was such an emergency, Hayward added. They were just quickly taken out (of their homeland) and housed until we could settle them.

Hayward said Lutheran Social Services told RIC that locals would have to provide $5,000 to $6,000 for each group/family who settled in Racine. That figure is an estimate of what the evacuees might need and it might be more or less depending on the services they require.

She explained some of the adults might come already speaking English, some might have to learn, and still others might need classes to learn basic computer skills in order work  it just depends.

The individual churches were able to provide some or all of the funds for the group they were aiding. If the church did not quite have the financial resources to meet the needs of the evacuees, she added, then the funds were supplied by RIC.

The churches are planning on assisting the evacuees for up to a year, until each group is are self-sufficient.

The evacuees initially have to be driven everywhere they need to go, to the grocery store or to the mosque, until such a time as they learn the bus system or someone gets a driver license and a car.

The ultimate goal for the evacuees is to obtain a job.

Theyre very anxious to work  all of them, Hayward said. Theyre very anxious to become independent.

While they are so appreciative of the assistance they have received, she continued, the goal they set for themselves is self-reliance.

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.
MOUNT PLEASANT  Voters in the Village of Mount Pleasant are expected to be able to vote on whether their elected officials will serve three-year terms or remain with two-year terms.

On Jan. 24, the Village Board unanimously voted to extend terms from two years to three. That policy would not take effect until after elections are held in 2023 so as to not change any of their current terms.

But a petition that is reported to have garnered more than a thousand signatures will instead put that measure before voters, likely to coincide with Novembers gubernatorial election.

The Village Board was expected to discuss and certify the petition during a meeting Monday night, after The Journal Times went to press.

Village officials have argued that having three-year terms will bring more stability to the Village Board. Currently, with two-year terms in place, four out of seven board seats are up for election every other year, meaning a majority of the board could be new faces following a single election. With three-year terms, at most three out of seven board seats would be up for election at a time.

But opponents, led by Kelly Gallaher, who manages the A Better Mount Pleasant social media pages, say that residents rather than elected officials should be the ones directly setting lengths of terms.

According to A Better Mount Pleasant, 1,282 signatures were gathered. According to a village meeting agenda, 1,199 of those signatures have been certified, meaning that the village confirmed that 1,199 of those who signed the petition are legal voters who reside in Mount Pleasant.

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Mount Pleasants population is 27,732, indicating that more than 4% of village residents signed the petition.

If trustees terms are extended to three years, Mount Pleasant would be the only municipality in the county where elected officials serve for more than two years between elections.

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.
MOUNT PLEASANT  More than 1,000 manufacturing jobs nearly came to the Racine area, to build a highly publicized new fleet of vehicles for the U.S. Postal Service. But a deal that would have allowed the use of a Foxconn facility for the project never came to fruition.

Based in Oshkosh, Oshkosh Corp. won a 10-year contract from the federal government to build up to 165,000 new USPS vehicles; more than 10,000 of the first phase of 50,000 vehicles will be powered by electricity, not gasoline.

The company indicated that Foxconns Advanced Manufacturing Facility was not big enough for what it needed, although discussions were held about the possibility of doing the work in Mount Pleasant.

Oshkosh Corp., aka Oshkosh Defense, said that the facility it needed was, at minimum, 825,000 square feet. However, Foxconns Advanced Manufacturing Facility in Mount Pleasant is 1 million square feet.

In a statement this week, Oshkosh Corp. said that Wisconsin simply did not have any available buildings that could meet NGDV (the USPSs Next Generation Delivery Vehicle) program requirements and given the strict timing requirements of this program, building a new facility was not feasible.

Oshkosh Corp. declined to answer follow-up questions from The Journal Times.

In a statement given exclusively to The Journal Times on Wednesday, Foxconn Technology Group offered little more information.

For the last few years Foxconn has met with Oshkosh Corporation on several occasions to build a working relationship, Foxconn said in the statement. As it pertains to our Advance (sic) Manufacturing Facility, the building remains a key strategic asset to the company in order to respond to market demand for Foxconn related activities or activities that involve joint venture partnerships.

Village officials say that Foxconn is doing some manufacturing, likely producing servers, in Mount Pleasant. Foxconn has never publicly disclosed what it is doing inside its Mount Pleasant facilities.

An estimated 800 people work for Foxconn in Racine County, according to Claude Lois, the Foxconn project manager contracted by the Village of Mount Pleasant.

Concerns over unions, environment

Oshkosh Corp. has faced criticism both from outside the company and from many of its own employees for choosing to fulfill the NGDV contract at its non-union South Carolina site as opposed to in Wisconsin, where its workers are unionized.

Oshkosh Corp. plans to convert an existing warehouse for manufacturing the vehicles in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

The total value of the USPS contract is estimated to be more than $150 million.

In a letter Wednesday, Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson  who is one of the Democrats campaigning to unseat incumbent U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.  called for congressional oversight committees to investigate negotiations between Oshkosh Corp. and Foxconn.

As you (referring to the chairs of House and Senate oversight committees) already know, Oshkosh Defense has announced its plans to move its production of the vehicles from Wisconsin to South Carolina in an apparent bid to avoid a unionized workforce at the same time it seeks to avoid new emissions standards, Nelson wrote.

He added in a statement: At a time when the United States is struggling to make investments in our workforce and in developing a coordinated national industrial plan that grows our economy while tackling the existential issue of global climate change, understanding Foxconns and Oshkosh Defenses treatment of public resources is vital for an informed public.

Other Democratic officials, including U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, have advocated for having the USPS vehicles built by Oshkosh Corp. in Wisconsin.

Johnson, who lives in Oshkosh, brushed off the loss to South Carolina as no big deal. Its not like we dont have enough jobs here in Wisconsin. The biggest problem we have in Wisconsin right now is employers not being able to find enough workers, he said in published reports.

In a tweet, Lawrence Tabak, author of the book Foxconned: Imaginary Jobs, Bulldozed Homes, and the Sacking of Local Government that was published in November, said Monday in reaction to the potential Oshkosh Corp.-Foxconn deal not coming together: The first question Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou asked Scott Walker when considering Wisconsin was (regarding) the strength of unions. Oshkosh is a union shop  Asian companies that abuse workers live in dire fear of organized labor. Not a chance theyd work with Oshkosh.

The Environmental Protection Agency has urged USPS to reconsider its contract with Oshkosh Corp. Last year, President Joe Bidens administration pledged that 70% of the new fleet would be electric-battery powered, a goal that likely will not be reached under the current plan.

According to reporting from The Guardian: Biden administration officials say they have no ability to alter the Oshkosh Defense contract, noting that it was awarded by the Postal Service, an independent agency that the White House doesnt control. They say their hands are, in essence, tied.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, plants a tree during a tree-planting activity in Daxing District of Beijing, capital of China, March 30, 2022. The activity was also attended by other leaders including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Wednesday planted trees in Beijing, marking the 10th year of his participation as the top leader in the annual tree-planting activity in the Chinese capital.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said he did so to make his contribution to building a beautiful China and to encourage the whole of society, especially the young people, to push for ecological advancement so that China's environment will become even better.

The activity was also attended by other leaders including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan.

The leaders planted trees with people from Beijing at a city park in the southern district of Daxing.

While planting saplings of different types of trees, Xi asked the young students around him about their studies, motivated them to foster a sense of hard work, and told them to boost their awareness of the need to protect the environment and conserve resources.

"Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have adhered to the notion that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets to fully promote the development of ecological civilization, advance afforestation and improve living environment in both urban and rural areas," Xi said. "A beautiful China is becoming a reality."

The president also stressed continuous and arduous efforts to protect and restore the ecological system and achieve the fundamental improvement of the environment.
Like all effective satire, the Onions headline had a ring of truth: Putin Pleased as Plot to Ruin Russian Economy, Destroy International Standing Goes Exactly to Plan.

A month after Russia invaded Ukraine, the satirical publication  founded as a weekly newspaper in Madison in 1988  has been willing to Go There, to look for humor in the most searing of stories even as it unfolds. The satirical site has identified Russian President Vladimir Putins college major as aggression, showed a coastal resort in Ukraine with extremely affordable rates right now and said the United Nations is escalating its response to the invasion from warnings to stern warnings.

Too soon? Too bad.

Finding comedy in the Ukraine situation serves several functions, says Chad Nackers, editor in chief of The Onion. It is a powerful tool for exposing the folly and absurdity and human cruelty, as well as providing some release from a stressful state of affairs and an endless cycle of misery.

Laughter, he says, can fill the hole created by a sense of hopelessness.

The war hasnt been ignored elsewhere in comedy. Late-night television has used Ukraine for familiar or tangential punch lines  Tucker Carlson, Donald Trump or the quality of Papa Johns pizza. Stephen Colbert suggested the United States add a T-shirt cannon to the weapons it sends to the Ukraine. After President Joe Biden called Putin a war criminal, Jimmy Kimmel suggested stupid-head was next.

True to the Onions nature as a brand sprung from the Midwest, theres a whiff of gentility to its Ukraine humor. None of its sarcasm touches upon the human victims of the war.

Its list of the wars potential outcomes ranged from a lot of really bad speculative historical fiction to the Mets win the World Series. A map of Ukraine identifies the only decent taco place in the whole damn country.

A mock slide show on Putins rise to power shows a pregnant woman with the caption, Putins parents decide to try for an evil megalomaniac. Under another picture of a gravestone, the caption reads: Opponent for student council treasurer suffers mysterious organ failure.

The Onions decision not to ignore a thorny topic recalls one of its most impactful moments, when its print issue two weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks helped break a comedy barrier, says Sophia McClennen, a Penn State University professor and author of the upcoming book, Trump Was a Joke: How Satire Made Sense of a President Who Didnt.

That issues cover pictured President George W. Bush under the headline, U.S. Vows to Defeat Whoever it is Were at War With.

Storied history

Those were more influential days at the Onion, which stopped printing editions in 2013 and now exists as a website with traffic directed through social media posts. It has a great deal more competition online now and in late-night television comedy, which grew more satirical in the wake of Jon Stewart and The Daily Show, says Robert Thompson, director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University.

Theres a rich history of satirical publications like Mad magazine and National Lampoon  places where the news of the day collides with the potential for laughter that can reduce its heaviness. Spy magazine burned brightly and briefly in the 1980s. Private Eye and Punch were popular English magazines. Notoriously, the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo was the target of a terrorist attack in 2015.

The Onion sometimes looks to be merely entertaining instead of satirical, says James Caron, author of Satire as the Comic Public Sphere.

Its just kind of silly at times, Caron says.

Yet it still has the capacity to hit a target squarely. In the wake of several mass shootings in the United States over the past decade, the Onion repeated essentially the same article, changing only a few details, under the headline, No Way to Prevent This, Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens.

Its just this endless loop of horror, Nackers says. The way the Onion matched the repetitiveness with its stories really struck a nerve with people. It hit it in a way that is respectful. It feels like theres a really strong point being made, but ... it doesnt feel like youre exploiting people.

The Onion, now based in Chicago, has a staff of 20 people. It has gone through a handful of corporate overseers. The current owner, Great Hill Partners, purchased the Onion from the communications company Univision in 2019.

Nackers started in 1997 as a photographer, earning $10 a photo. He began contributing jokes, became a writer and now runs the place. He watched the satire grow more serious after 9/11, as the worlds insanity kind of caught up with what used to be insane satirical premises. The focus tends to toggle between dark humor and the more frivolous as dictated by the times.

Truth-teller

One thing that we can kind of do, because we have a lot of editorial freedom, is that we are basically a truth-teller, Nackers says. We kind of get to the core of things and expose the real truth by using satire, making a joke, but showing things how they really are.

During the past month, the Onion ran a mock fact check on Ukraine. To the statement that Russia claimed Ukraine is harboring biological weapons, the Onion said fabricating allegations about enemies holding biological weapons is Americas job.

CLAIM: Rudy Giuliani is a valued Russian asset acting against Ukraine in service of the Kremlin, the Onion wrote. REALITY: Rudy Giuliani has not been of value to anyone for years.

Occasionally, someone will think some of the Onions fake news is actually true, like when a Chinese newspaper reprinted the Onions declaration of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as the sexiest man of the year  adding its own slide show. When those things happen, its a fun day at the office, says Jordan LaFlure, senior managing editor.

The story of the Onion is how little weve changed, LaFlure said. We have a voice that endures across changing political climates. Its just a matter of deciding what is the best arrow in our quiver to fire at a particular target.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
A Dane County Circuit judge held Assembly Speaker Robin Vos in contempt of court Wednesday for failing to provide requested public documents related to the ongoing GOP-ordered review of the 2020 election.

Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihns ruling followed her previous order that Vos, R-Rochester, and the Assembly produce the records, which were requested last year by liberal watchdog group American Oversight. The requested documents include records created by contractors, including former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, who is leading the review.

Robin Vos had delegated the search for contractors records to an employee who did nothing more than send one vague email to one contractor, Bailey-Rihn wrote. Putting aside for the moment the impropriety of making a contractor responsible for a records request  Robin Vos did not tell that contractor which records to produce, did not ask any of the other contractors to produce records, and did not even review the records ultimately received. Still worse, the Assembly did nothing at all.

Bailey-Rihn concluded that Vos and the Assembly, after hearing and notice, have chosen to willfully violate a court order and are held in contempt.

Vos and the Assembly have been ordered to pay American Oversights legal fees related to the contempt motion. Vos has 14 days to comply with the judges order or begin paying a $1,000 daily forfeiture. If Vos and the Assembly provide proof they have complied with the states public records law, the contempt ruling will be lifted.

Because of the uncontroverted evidence that the Respondents failed to instruct contractors to preserve records, each Respondent shall submit evidentiary proof of reasonable efforts to search for deleted, lost, missing, or otherwise unavailable records, or provide an explanation of why such a search would not be reasonable, Bailey-Rihn added.

Approached by a reporter following a pair of town halls in western Racine County Wednesday afternoon, during which Vos repeatedly told listeners that the 2020 election could not be decertified, Vos responded to being found in contempt of court.

Its a liberal judge in Dane County trying to make us look bad. I dont know about you, but when you have deleted emails, how do you get deleted emails back if theyre from Gmail? We already have an expert saying they cant be done. You have a judge whos focused on making a name for herself, and thats all shes doing, Vos said.

Responding to that claim from Vos, Rachel Rodriguez, the elections management specialist for Dane County, said in a tweet "Judge Bailey-Rihn is retiring in July. Pretty sure shes not concerned with making a name for herself."

We have followed the law. There is no problem with what were doing. Its really them trying to stop our investigation. This all focuses on them not wanting to get to the truth of what happened in 2020.  You cant produce emails that you dont have, he said.

When asked how he would legally be responding to being found in contempt of court, Vos said he would have to consult with our attorneys.

Speaker Vos and the Assembly have had ample opportunity to comply with the courts order and produce records, American Oversight senior adviser Melanie Sloan said in a statement. Maybe the threat of a $1,000/day fine until the records are produced will finally encourage compliance and give the people of Wisconsin the answers they deserve.

Bailey-Rihn did not seek sanctions against Assembly Chief Clerk Ted Blazel, who is also named in the lawsuit. Bailey-Rihn determined that the Assembly, and not Blazel, is primarily responsible for the requested records.

The case is one of three records-related lawsuits filed by American Oversight against Vos, the Assembly and Gableman, who was hired by Vos last year to review the election at a cost of $676,000 to taxpayers.

In a separate American Oversight case, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Frank Remington earlier this month ordered the release of hundreds of pages of documents related to Gablemans review. Remington described the records as much to-do about nothing.

Remington ordered Vos, Gableman and the Assembly to each pay $1,000 in damages to American Oversight and cover the groups legal fees  costs that could fall to taxpayers.

Vos has extended Gablemans contract through the end of April. The new contract maintains Gablemans existing budget, but does allow for the possibility of added funds to cover the costs of multiple lawsuits related to the probe.

In addition, Vos said earlier this month he might rescind subpoenas issued to mayors and election officials as part of Gablemans review, but only so that a Republican attorney general elected in November could file criminal charges. Vos has not provided specifics on what criminal charges could be pursued.

(Racine) Journal Times reporter Scott Williams contributed to this report.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0
A Janesville man and his passenger were arrested after a head-on crash with a Rock County squad car during a police pursuit on Tuesday night, authorities reported.

At about 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Janesville police were investigating a suspicious vehicle in the 1500 block of Parker Court and found it at Lions Quick Mart, 2615 Milton Ave., Janesville police Sgt. Rob Perkins said in a statement.

Officers saw drug paraphernalia in the vehicle and attempted to take the driver and passenger into custody, but they fled in the vehicle, starting a pursuit that was terminated at Highway 14 and Highway 26 after the driver made several evasive maneuvers, Perkins said.

Rock County Sheriffs Office Sgt. Clint Rowley said a deputy saw the driver, whose identity was known, go around their squad northbound in the southbound lanes of Highway 26

The deputy attempted to stop the suspect and when the suspect continued in the wrong direction on Highway 26 the deputy continued northbound on the northbound side while the suspect vehicle continued northbound on the southbound side. The suspect vehicle then turned south and headed southbound on the north side of Highway 26, so the deputy activated their squads emergency lights to warn the traffic behind them of the danger, Rowley said.

The suspect then caused a head-on collision with the deputys squad, with no other vehicles involved. After the collision, the driver, Jesse Seales, 38, of Janesville, fled on foot, but was later taken into custody by deputies and Janesville police in the 3500 block of Voda Drive, Rowley and Perkins said.

The deputy, who was not identified, was taken by ambulance to a hospital, treated and released, Rowley said.

The Wisconsin State Patrol will be investigating the crash, Rowley said.

Seales currently is out on bond for disorderly conduct/domestic violence, possession with intent to distribute amphetamine, possession of a narcotic drug, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting an officer, misdemeanor bail jumping, and felony bail jumping, and now faces tentative charges of fleeing an officer, possession of THC, possession of amphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and trespass to dwelling, Perkins said.

Passenger Ryan Schultz, 35, was arrested on a probation violation, and faces tentative charges of possession of THC, possession of amphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia, Perkins said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Madison police are investigating a possible arson after a man lit his shelter on fire at a Madison-owned homeless shelter encampment Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

Fire crews responded to the burning tiny shelter at the city's encampment at 3202 Dairy Drive just after 1:15 p.m., said Bernadette Galvez, a community education officer for the Madison Fire Department. Firefighters saw the smoke from a fire station across the street, yet it had burned to the ground by the time they arrived, Galvez said.

No one was injured in the fire, which caused an estimated $15,500 in damage, Galvez said. No other shelters at the encampment were damaged.

The city opened the legal encampment in November in a bid to transition people to permanent housing and close the long-troubled encampment at Reindahl Park.

Police are investigating the incident, though the man who lit the shelter on fire, a resident at the encampment, has not been arrested, said spokesperson Stephanie Fryer.

Kevin Femal, the CEO of EMS Industrial, which is two lots down from the encampment, said he saw "a huge blaze of fire" through the window while he was on the phone.

"They were over there in a quick fashion," Femal said of the fire crews.

The camp's 30 64-square-foot shelters are equipped with operable windows, fold-up beds, shelving, electricity, light, a heater and a mini-refrigerator. Staff with MACH OneHealth and Kabba Recovery Services, which operate the camp, are on site to help campground users with daily living needs and provide mental health services, substance abuse treatment and housing searches.

Brenda Konkel, the executive director of MACH OneHealth, did not respond to an email asking about the fire.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Timothy Carey has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, leaving him unable to move his body. He needs the assistance of a private nurse within his home, so leaving his home is extremely challenging, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

He still has the right to vote. The 15th, 19th, 24th and 26th amendments to the Constitution all establish that the right of everyone 18 years of age and older shall not be denied or abridged.

A recent ruling by a Waukesha County judge threatens Careys ability to exercise that right.

In a 4-3 ruling in February, the Wisconsin Supreme Court let stand Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Michael Bohrens decision that says voters cannot give their absentee ballots to another person to mail or to hand over to an election clerk.

Carey, who lives in Grand Chute near Appleton, would need to bring a portable ventilator and, in his words, a boatload of gear to get to the polls. Voting in person would increase the possibility of his catching COVID, which because of his disability could kill him. It will basically make it impossible for me to vote, he said.

People should not have to risk their lives to vote.

We have come a long way from the fearful situation we were in two years ago this week. Vaccination against COVID-19 has been available to nearly every adult for almost a year, so we believe there are far fewer people who can  or, at least, who should  be able to claim indefinite confinement than there were during the 2020 elections.

But people with substantial physical disabilities should be able to claim it.

The lawsuit over returning ballots was brought in 2021 by two men represented by the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. The rule under state law says by the elector, so the elector has to be the one to mail their ballot or deliver it to the clerk, said their attorney, Luke Berg. They cant hand it off to somebody else to do it for them.

Berg noted there are programs to help disabled and elderly people vote, the Journal Sentinel reported. Poll workers typically visit nursing homes to assist residents to vote; those would be the Special Voting Deputies that have been in the news recently.

Clerks allow curbside voting for people who cant get easily get out of a car. In some cases, letter carriers will pick up and deliver mail to the front door instead of a mailbox at the end of a driveway if the recipient has a medical condition.

The state high court is expected to decide by this summer what the rules will be for the Aug. 9 primary and Nov. 8 general election, when residents of the Badger State will vote for governor, U.S. senator and other offices.

In that decision, the state Supreme Court must make clear that accommodations are required for people like Timothy Carey. The Constitution says his right to vote shall not be denied or abridged.

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
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
KEARNEY  There will be at least one new face on the Kearney Public Schools Board of Education because incumbent Alex Straatmann has decided not to seek another four-year term.

There are two incumbents who want to serve another term  Wendy Kreis, who is chairman of the KPS Board, and Drew Blessing.

Challenging Kreis and Blessing are new candidates Jacob Reiter, Will Kirkland, Derek Meyer, Paul Hazard, John Icenogle and Dionne Moore.

The remaining KPS Board members who are not up for election this year are Dave Brandt, Steve Gaasch and Kathy Gifford.

KPS Board candidates responded to a questionnaire from the Kearney Hub. Here are their responses:

Wendy Kreis

Town: Kearney

Office Sought: Kearney Board of Education

Current Elective Office: KPS Board (president)

Years in That Office: Four

Prior Elective Office: None

Occupation: Real estate broker

Question 1: Why are you seeking office and what are the strengths you bring? (50 words)

I am seeking reelection for the sole purpose that I am passionate about education, specifically public education. I bring the experience of a current parent, a business owner, and a community leader to the table.

Question 2: What is the most pressing issue in your race? (50 words)

I believe there are many issues education is facing. We are in our third school year of COVID, which has created potential learning loss for students. We are facing politics and social issues infiltrating education more and more. Funding is a constant battle.

Question 3: How will you make a difference if youre elected? (50 words)

I bring conflict resolution skills. I am a skilled negotiator by profession. I bring a small business owners skill set of operations to the BOE. I have two KPS graduates, one student. I have been engaged with our schools previous to my current term and continue to volunteer.

Drew Blessing

Town: Kearney

Office Sought: Kearney Board of Education

Current Elective Office: Kearney School Board

Years in That Office: Four

Prior Elective Offices: None

Occupation: Software engineer

Question 1: Why are you seeking office and what are the strengths you bring?

My prior experience working in K-12 education drives my passion for leading. I love finding solutions to challenging problems and am a strong advocate for students and education. I am thankful to serve the Kearney community on the school board and would be honored to continue serving.

Question 2: What is the most pressing issue in your race?

Teachers and students have had a hard couple of years. We need to double-down on student success. That means empowering teachers to engage students in creative ways and equipping students to achieve their goals. At the high school we should continue to expand college, career and trade readiness opportunities.

Question 3: How will you make a difference if youre elected?

My experience will provide the consistent leadership our schools need. I will focus on student success and advocate for local control. I am a leader who will collaborate with other board members, set partisan politics aside, and ensure we provide a quality education for Kearneys future professionals and entrepreneurs.

Jacob Reiter

Town: Kearney

Office Sought: Kearney Board of Education

Current Elective Office: None

Years in That Office: None

Prior Elective Offices: None

Occupation: Professional engineer

Question 1: Why are you seeking office and what are the strengths you bring?

I want to be a voice for parents and teachers, whose concerns have been silenced. Many teachers feel that they cannot speak up on important issues. I will fight CRT, CSE and schools that make medical decisions for our children. My strengths include 20 years in management, accounting, finance, construction and engineering.

Question 2: What is the most pressing issue in your race?

The most pressing issue is allowing kids to enjoy their youth while informing them of the world. Curriculum proposed by the State Board of Education has deeply troubled me and I believe schools can insist that every child be treated respectfully without sowing gender confusion into an entire student population.

Question 3: How will you make a difference if youre elected?

I will make a difference by applying experience in finance and management in budgets. As a professional engineer, I help people come up with the best, most cost-effective solutions. I will question everything, challenge others to raise the standards, promote transparency and help solve the current issues we face as a community.

Will Kirkland

List: Town: Kearney

Office Sought: Kearney Board of Education

Current Elective Office: None

Years in That Office: None

Prior Elective Offices: None

Occupation: Service desk manager at The Buckle Inc.

Question 1: Why are you seeking office and what are the strengths you will bring?

I am very proud of the work our teachers, administrators and faculty do. I want to contribute in a meaningful way. Perspective and ethics are some of the strengths I will bring with me. Also, my time in the Air Force taught me the importance of empathy and integrity.

Question 2: What is the most pressing issue in your race?

I believe that the children in our community deserve attention to real problems they face. I believe educators need someone who they consider trustworthy and acknowledges their hardships. Lastly, I feel the Kearney community needs someone who is thoughtful, willing to research ideas, and is not prone to knee-jerk reactions.

Question 3: How will you make a difference if youre elected?

We need people on the board who will ensure the decisions made for the district are in the best interests of our children, and in accordance with published, peer-reviewed child development. Also, with such a large district, it is important to remain impartial yet critical to every concern presented.

Derek Meyer

Town: Kearney

Office Sought: Kearney Board of Education

Current Elective Office: None

Years in That Office: None

Prior Elective Offices: None

Occupation: Crop insurance claims adjuster

Question 1: Why are you seeking office and what are the strengths you bring?

I am a father of three and wish to see our children thrive in our community. I believe we need representatives who will stand strong in their convictions, base decisions on input from parents in our district, and not be easily influenced by media, politics or pressure from outside organizations.

Question 2: What is the most pressing issue in your race?

One of the biggest issues I see in our district is fighting to keep Critical Race Theory and Comprehensive Sexuality Education out of our schools. These are divisive topics that have no place in a classroom setting for impressionable children.

Question 3: How will you make a difference if youre elected?

Parents deserve input and transparency in what their children are being taught, and to make decisions on whats best for their childrens health. I will fight to ensure parents voices are heard when it comes to all controversial issues that involve their children such as CRT, CSE and mask mandates.

Paul Hazard

Town: Kearney

Office Sought: Kearney Board of Education

Current Elective Office: None

Years in That Office: None

Prior Elective Offices: None

Occupation: Vice president Duvall Financial Group

Question 1: Why are you seeking office and what are the strengths you bring?

KPS parent to three daughters. Serving in a role related to their education is a priority. Growing up in a home of educators, I understand the importance of a quality education. Student/staff safety whether physically or mentally hits my radar as a former State Trooper. Budgets are my strength.

Question 2: What is the most pressing issue in your race?

Our culture has shifted on education and values leaving parents along with teachers stressed with their hands tied. School boards have forgotten to hear the voices of who they represent. I want to be their conservative voice. Retaining hardworking teachers and getting parents involved is needed more than ever.

Question 3: How will you make a difference if youre elected?

Knowing we will not always agree, respect is my priority to gain awareness related to crucial topics. By listening to the voices of parents, staff, and students, I will collaborate with the board finding common ground to solve difficult topics. Problems have solutions with open communication across the aisle.

John D. Icenogle

Town: Kearney

Office Sought: Kearney Board of Education

Current Elective Office: None

Years in That Office: None

Prior Elective Offices: None

Occupation: Attorney

Question 1: Why are you seeking office and what are the strengths you bring?

Im running because my experience working in the juvenile court system and working with our students through Youth Leadership Kearney has given me insight into what barriers and challenges, they face. I am also seeking to advocate for our teachers and for a curriculum in the students best interests.

Question 2: What is the most pressing issue in your race?

I have spoken with teachers in our system that feel alienated and unsupported. Many of the problems our board faces can be solved with providing our teachers and administrators with the tools they need to run our schools and keep Kearney academically competitive in Nebraska.

Question 3: How will you make a difference if youre elected?

I will have an open-door policy with administrators, parents and teachers to voice concerns and convey ideas. The community should have input into the decisions our school board makes while at the same time my position is to advocate for the best interests of our students and teachers.

Dionne Moore

Town: Kearney

Office Sought: Kearney Board of Education

Current Elective Office: None

Years in That Office: None

Prior Elective Offices: None

Occupation: Nurse practitioner, vascular and cardiothoracic surgery

Question 1: Why are you seeking office and what are the strengths you bring?

I love and am passionate about KPS. I attended Park, Kearney Junior High and KHS, graduating in 1994. I want to give back. One way I can do that is through serving on the school board. I offer my strength of character and decision making skills as assets.

Question 2: What is the most pressing issue in your race?

All aspects of safety; physical, emotional and mental. Retention and morale of staff/educators. Curriculum alignment with community values, parent involvement, maintaining the integrity of the school board by being the voice of the people of Kearney in education.

Question 3: How will you make a difference if youre elected?

By building even stronger connections between students, staff, educators, administration and parents. By doing what is necessary and best for KPS and its stakeholders, especially when it is hard. By being present and engaged with the issues the board faces on behalf of the community it serves.
KEARNEY  Haydyn Premer has been convicted of flight to avoid arrest after a May pursuit with law enforcement where speeds reached more than 150 mph.

Premer, 20, of Kearney pleaded no contest to operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest earlier this month in Buffalo County District Court. A no contest plea is neither an admission nor denial of guilt, but the plea is treated the same as a guilty plea.

In exchange for his plea the Buffalo County Attorneys Office reduced the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor, and dismissed three other charges of obstructing police, exhibition of acceleration and speeding.

Judge Ryan Carson accepted Premers plea and found him guilty, and ordered the Nebraska Probation Office to do a presentence investigation.

Findings of those reports  including background information on the defendant, family and criminal history and employment record  will help Carson issue a sentence in May.

Around 11 p.m. May 25, 2021, a Nebraska State Patrol trooper saw two vehicles and a motorcycle on U.S. Highway 10 north of Kearney drag racing. The trooper tried to contact the vehicles, passing one of them before catching up to the motorcycle and a dark-colored Ford Mustang, both traveling more than 120 mph, court records indicate.

The Mustang accelerated and the trooper began a pursuit at speeds in excess of 150 mph. A Buffalo County Sheriff deputy joined in the pursuit as the Mustang passed vehicles in a reckless manner before moving on to Highway 40 where it continued to outpace the officers at speeds over 150 mph.

Officers lost contact of the car for about 30 minutes, records indicate, when the 911 communications center received a report of a dark-colored Mustang broke down north of Kearney near the intersection of Highway 10 and 170th Road.

The caller reported seeing two individuals run from the car, then another vehicle arrived in the area a short time later. When officers arrived at the scene, records indicate they obtained the cars registration information, which included Premer as a registered owner.

Premer later was contacted and arrested.
KEARNEY  For nine years Suite Child has been a memorable part of shopping experiences in Downtown Kearney: The Bricks.

Owner Jamie Frerichs said her stores emphasis on customer service, the latest baby and toddler fashions, and helpful products for families welcoming home new ones is bringing customers back for more.

We understood just how overwhelming becoming a parent is. It was an opportunity to bring together outstanding products and make it simpler for families, Frerichs said about the philosophy guiding her boutique for little ones and the big people who love them.

So many of our customers to the Kearney store travel from far away, Frerichs said. Its a sign that her promotions are effective, but what really gets her heart pumping is hearing customers say it was word-of-mouth that brought them to her shop.

Now Suite Child fans have another reason to be excited. The store at 2304 Central Ave. has a bright new look that begins with what Frerichs describes as her stores brand color, Suite Child Aqua.

Its like pouring the Caribbean Sea into a bucket. Suite Childs awning and interior ceiling now are dripping with the brand color. Theres all new lighting and wood flooring, but the flooring has a modern feel and color.

The makeover is a considerable expense, Frerichs said, but the city of Kearneys facade grant program funneled stimulus money to Suite Child and other downtown businesses, making the cosmetic improvements feasible.

Hanging in there during the pandemic required Frerichs to be constantly alert for challenges but also poised for opportunities. She said its an experience that left her feeling cautious about the future but convinced her that Suite Child will succeed.

Why so confident? She said it starts with the basics: good people, good service and good product. She also stresses the support of her husband, Nathan. He farms near Axtell.

He is incredibly supportive of our business. He loves to see how weve really grown this during the last nine years, Frerichs said.

Their Kearney store is one of two Suite Child shops they operate. The second store is in Elkhorn, near Omaha.

In her nine years in business, Frerichs said shes learned its an incredible amount of work, but its rewarding, especially recording year-over-year growth.

She credits her employees. The Kearney Suite Child employs three full-time and three part-time on its staff.

I have an amazing team of people who work on this Suite Child team, and were with families at the happy times of their lives, she said.

She said Suite Child fought through the past two years. Theres no guarantee the pandemic has passed, but Frerichs said investing in the business is exciting. Frerichs said it also is exciting to prepare for the upcoming market in Las Vegas. Its the first in-person merchandise market in almost three years.

When Frerichs arrives in Las Vegas shell be scouting for the latest products that can make a difference in her customers lives.

I know were going to succeed because we always find the best products, she said.

Suite Child carries a selection of clothing for babies, toddlers and kids up to age 6. There is nursery furniture, blankets and bedding, books, toys, games, puzzles, essentials for feeding and meal time, bathing, safe sleep and breastfeeding, three- and four-wheel gear to get around with baby, and a section of locally made no place like Nebraska fashions. Babies can also join Loper Nation or wear Creighton Bluejays colors.

Frerichs, her staff and other downtown businesses will celebrate Suite Childs new look with a chamber ribbon cutting 5-7 p.m. Thursday.

We also are going to celebrate nine years of business on May 1, she said.
Administration Committee meets at 9:00 a.m. March 30, 2022 at Courthouse Annex #310 and Zoom. Personnel, IT, Buildings & Facilities, Legal Affairs updates; Voucher Approval; Directors Report; any other business

Highway Safety Committee meets at 1:30 pm March 30th, 2022 at Vernon County Sheriffs Office Conference room and via Zoom. Sheriff Spears- Highway Traffic Problems; Luke Yahn- State Patrol; Chief Rick Niedfeldt- Viroqua Police; Phil Hewitt- Highway Dept; Brad Byom- DOT; Dan Kontos- DOT Safety Report; David Hartberg- VMH; Tom Burkhalter- School Issues; Brandon Larson- Emergency Management; Dave Robinson- Media; confirm next meeting date.

The Security & Facilities Committee meets at 11:00 a.m. April 8, 2022, via Zoom meeting ID 987-9964-1958. Agenda to include: Emergency Management update, Court Services update, Training/Drills update, Cameras/Locks update. New or other business to be discussed. Confirm next meeting.

Court & Community Collaborative Council meets at 12:00 p.m. April 8, 2022. Call to order. Reports on Sobriety/Drug Court, Teen Court, Domestic/Elder Abuse Issues, Aging & Disability, Health Dept., Trauma Task Force/School Justice Program, YWCA/CASA, Veterans Issues. New or other business to be discussed. Confirm next meeting.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Library Director Trina Erickson and Youth Services Director Laci Sheldon had the opportunity to attend the Public Library Association Conference in Portland, Oregon, last week. During the week-long conference, Erickson and Sheldon attended numerous seminars on library management, programming opportunities, marketing, writing grants, and other relevant topics. Speakers traveled from all over the United States to lead the event attendees through the various educational offerings. The Public Library Association Conference is offered every two years.

The Public Library Association (PLA) is the largest association dedicated to supporting the unique and evolving needs of public library professionals. Founded in 1944, PLA serves nearly 10,000 members in public libraries large and small in communities across the United States and Canada, with a growing presence around the world. Funding for the trip was made possible by the Winding Rivers Library System and the Friends of the McIntosh Memorial Library.

We will be celebrating National Library Week at the McIntosh Memorial Library in April. Join us the week of April 3-9 as we offer daily giveaways inside the library! On Wednesday, April 6, from 1 to 3 p.m. join the Friends of the Library for cake and lemonade in the library lobby. National Library Week is a special time for all libraries to pause and recognize the outstanding service libraries provide to their communities. The McIntosh Memorial Library has served the City of Viroqua since 1904. The library operated out of a Carnegie Library on Jefferson Street until February of 2016. Six years ago, the new library building opened on Rock Avenue. The new building doubled the amount of space available for the library. The new facility offers community meeting rooms, a fireplace gathering area, art display areas, a Friends Bookstore, and a designated area for library staff to work. The library is open Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In the month of April, McIntosh Memorial Library will be closed on Friday, April 15. While on Thursday, April 21, the library will open at 12 p.m. due to a staff training on Thursday morning. The library material return slots will be open for you to return your materials and you can always access your library account by logging in through the library website.

To stay up-to-date on everything happening at the library, like the Viroqua Library page on Facebook, visit our website at www.mcintoshmemoriallibrary.org, or visit us in person at 205 S. Rock Ave. in Viroqua.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
This past week was Youth Apprenticeship Day at the Capitol. This is an annual event, and youth apprentices from around the state come to the Capitol to talk with legislators about what they have learned while participating in the Youth Apprenticeship Program.

Throughout this session I served as a member of the Assembly Committee on Workforce Development, and continued to build on the work from last legislative session to expand and promote apprenticeships in Wisconsin. I made it a priority this year to expand, promote, and provide more resources to help connect high school students with real-world work experience. This experience is needed to expand the necessary skills to better prepare our students for a career in Wisconsin. I happy to continue supporting Wisconsins Youth Apprenticeship Program, which leads the nation.

This session I authored 3 bills to help expand and promote Registered and Youth Apprenticeships in Wisconsin. Assembly Bill 220, Assembly Bill 932, and Assembly Bill 973. I also sponsored a budget motion to fund the Youth Apprenticeship program, this motion matches the demand for the program from Wisconsins students.

The Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship Program started in 1991 as a school-to-work initiative to help connect and prepare students for future careers. This program connects high school juniors and seniors with a counselor within their school district and allows students to interview with the intent to secure a job with an employer and industry of their choosing. After securing a job during the school year, the students are paired with a mentor at the work site which allows these young individuals to earn money while gaining experience in their chosen industry. Additionally, they receive related customized classroom instruction during school hours. After finishing the program, students graduate with a workplace credential along with their high school diploma. Since 2011, over 40,000 students have graduated from this amazing program with the help of employers and industry professionals throughout the state.

The Youth and Registered Apprenticeship programs of Wisconsin are valuable resources that help people find careers that they enjoy, in the trades, and in several other fields. The time to apply for the Youth Apprenticeship program is now. Students who are currently sophomores and juniors in high school can work with their school to learn about the program, and sign up. Interested students who choose to apply for the Youth Apprenticeship program will need to begin the interview process with prospective employers soon, so now is the time to apply. The apprenticeship programs in Wisconsin are administered by the Department of Workforce Development, and you can find information regarding who to contact on the agencies website: https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/apprenticeship. From there, click the Youth Apprenticeship logo and search by school district.

I will continue to advocate for the Youth Apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship programs in Wisconsin. These are great tools that we have to train skilled workers, and help people find a career that they are passionate about. If you are considering an apprenticeship opportunity look into all the programs have to offer today.

Loren Oldenburg (R-Viroqua) represents the 96th Assembly District, which includes Vernon County, Crawford County and the southern half of Monroe County.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The La Crosse Police Police Department is asking for the communitys assistance regarding an assault that was reported March 28.

A female told police she was walking in the area of 13th Street South and King Street around 9:45 p.m. when she was approached by two unknown individuals and pulled to the ground by her backpack. The female was able to physically resist and escape to a safe location, where police were called.

The incident is under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact police department investigator Alex Burg at 608-789-8124 or the police at 608-782-7575.

Tips can anonymously be provided to the 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 their 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.
Warm weather, sunshine and the smell of fresh outdoor air. It all means one thing. Its time to get outside!

You may head to a local trail, awaiting that first deep breath at the top of your favorite lookout. Trails offer many benefits.

They enhance the quality of life for residents by providing health and social benefits, among others.

They create the opportunity to bring new people (tourism) to your community because the trails are something they dont have where they live.

They add economic value, because of the unique experience they bring to visitors and residents alike.

But what if your community is lacking trails or trails that meet your recreation activity interests?

UW-La Crosse faculty and students with the Tourism Research Institute (TRI) and Recreation Management program frequently conduct trail research to assess the need for and value of recreational trails.

Spring Grove project

Working through TRI, spring 2019 students in a recreation facilities planning course proposed a sustainable fat tire bike trail with possibilities for multiple use for the community of Spring Grove, Minn. With the guidance of Dr. Laurie Harmon, students met with community members to gather information so they could create trail proposals that would meet community interests and needs.

The community engagement effort provided students with a valuable hands-on learning experience, while the community received four trail proposals designed based on projected recreation trends, an inventory of what the area has to offer, and community input.

Rushford project

TRI is engaged in a similar project with the village of Rushford (Minn.) community. In a prior survey conducted by the city, the community identified trails as the top amenity they would like to see brought to the area. Those findings led to the city partnering with TRI to identify why the community wants trails, learn more about how theyd like to use trails, and where theyd like to see more trails.

Under the guidance of TRI director, Dr. Dan Plunkett, students in a civic engagement in recreation course are currently meeting with members of the community to gather this information, so students in the fall facilities planning course can once again develop trail proposals that meet community needs.

We know access to outdoor recreation is important in every community, but what that looks like depends on the community. In the examples discussed here, research like this helps communities envision what trails look like for them.

What do we want? What dont we want? Having this information, and developing proposals that align with a communitys vision, allows planners to move forward with building something that works. One plan might not work in every community, but communities can find a plan that works for them.

So, as you get outside this spring, be thankful for the recreational opportunities you have. They likely involved many people and planning. Hopefully you could be involved in the development of future recreation opportunities.

Use trails responsibly

Now is a great time to remind people to use trails responsibly. Whether its the spring thaw, or the days after a heavy rainfall, trails need time to dry out.

ORA Trails website is a great resource before you go out. (www.oratrails.org). Also, use clues around you to determine what trail conditions might be like. Standing water on streets, yards or sidewalks may be an indication that trails arent dry enough to use. Or visit a paved or gravel trail that isnt as impacted by saturated conditions.

Dan Plunkett, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the UW-La Crosse Recreation Management program and the director of the UW-La Crosse Tourism Research Institute.

Learn more about UWL Recreation Management at www.uwlax.edu/academics/recreation-management/

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Experts are cautioning that previous COVID infection does not offer sustained protection from the virus, and vaccination  including booster doses  are essential in evading severe disease.

Having had the coronavirus does produce what some refer to as natural immunity, but studies have found the protection wanes relatively quickly. While vaccine efficacy also drops over time, it still reduces risk of contracting the virus  and particularly hospitalization and death  with the best results among those boosted. And for those previously infected and inoculated  hybrid immunity  the protection is greatest.

If you get the vaccine after even moderate illness youre going to be super protected, says Megan Meller, infection preventionist with Gundersen Health System. Moving forward those are really going to be the super stars in immune defense to another infection. If you had an earlier infection, run, dont walk, to get vaccinated.

A study from the Imperial College London COVID-19 response team found unvaccinated persons who previously had COVID had as little as 19% protection from reinfection with the omicron variant. A 2021 study from Kentucky, which looked at infections prior to omicron, found those recovered from COVID and uninoculated were twice as likely to be reinfected than those who recovered and had the shots.

Another study, published by Morbidity & Mortality Weekly, looked at COVID cases from January to September 2021 and showed among over 7,000 hospitalized COVID patients, the chance of reinfection was 5.5 times higher than among those vaccinated.

On March 23, 2022, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study which looked at four groups who had recovered from an omicron infection, including those vaccinated and not, and reviewed their neutralizing antibody levels against six variants, including omicron. Those unvaccinated had a mean 50 percent neutralizing antibody titer (the presence and level of antibodies in the blood) of 79.5 against omicron. In comparison, the mean titer against omicron in those inoculated was was 680.

Those unvaccinated also had low-to-negligible levels of neutralizing antibodies against the other variants studied. While those unvaccinated but previously infected had higher and broader protection than those unvaccinated and never infected, antibody levels were more variable and lower overall than those seen in the vaccinated groups.

Per the CDC, those vaccinated and boosted were 3.5 times less likely to test positive for COVID-19 and 21 times less likely to die from of COVID-19 when omicron was the dominant variant.

Infection induced immunity from omicron for those unvaccinated may last between three to six months, with the shortened duration versus previous strains possibly due to it being an upper airway infection and generally more mild than a delta infection. The less severe the infection, the lower the level of immunity built. Immune responses, notes Meller, vary from person to person, and some may not develop a robust response from infection. That can have a long term impact on how well your body is able to respond to another infection, Meller says. Thats where the advantage of getting the vaccine lies. It allows everyone to get a really strong baseline protection against infection. In addition, long COVID is a risk for those with mild, moderate or severe cases, with the virus having the potential to increase chances of developing cardiovascular diseases and ongoing fatigue, headache, chest or joint pain or trouble concentrating. The vaccine can help bolster against that, Meller says.

Even for those who dont suffer lingering effects from COVID infection, inoculation is important to protect others more vulnerable to the disease, and to help prevent development on new mutations. The newly dominant BA.2, or stealth omicron variant, appears to be around 50% more contagious, and future strains could be even more easily spread or of increased severity.

Immunity to omicron was different to someone who had delta or alpha  people who had those early infections were better protected but omicron was different enough that people were still vulnerable to those reinfections, Meller says. And I think we will continue to see that. As long as there is moderate transmission going on in the world were going to continue to see these new variants.

For those who are on the fence (about being vaccinated) I would say, Dont hesitate, Meller continues. Having that vaccine, hopefully all you will get from COVID is a mild cold, which is the ultimate goal of all of this.

Emily Pyrek can be reached at emily.pyrek@lee.net.

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.
VOLK FIELD  For Wisconsin Air National Guard Lt. Col. Cyndi Bergman, Tuesdays sendoff ceremony at Volk Field was more than a chance for her family to say goodbye.

It was also an opportunity for her family to see her in uniform. She lives more than an hour away from Volk Field and travels to her training exercises in civilian clothes.

Im a traditional Guardsman ... I come here in my civilian clothes, I change, I do my mission and then I go home, said Bergman, director of operations for the 128th Air Control Squadron based at Volk Field. Im proud to wear the uniform, and Im proud for them to see the ceremony and what I do when I leave them on the weekends and in the summer.

Bergman is one of 90 airmen of the 128th who will deploy in support of air operations in the Middle East, where they will be supporting Headquarters 9th Air Force.

The unit will perform air surveillance, aircraft tracking and overall command and control of tactical coalition aircraft operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and the Combined Defense of the Arabian Peninsula.

The deployment is expected to last six months.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers addressed the sendoff ceremony and emphasized the citizen-soldier nature of Guard service. He said Guard units in Wisconsin have faced a wide array of challenges recently  from staffing polling sites to administering COVID-19 tests to quelling civil unrest.

We are proud to call you citizen airmen, Evers said. You represent the very best the state has to offer.

The deployment marks the seventh time since 2001 that the 128th has been sent to the region. Brigadier Gen. David May, Wisconsin Deputy Adjutant General for Air, said family support back home is critical to the missions success.

The 128th ACS families are strong, resilient, supportive, and we cant thank you enough for watching the home front during this deployment, May said.

Bergman and her family are already transitioning day-to-day issues, such as which parent takes the children to school. She anticipates that technology will help keep the family connected during the deployment.

Weve tried out Zoom and made sure everyones FaceTime works, she said. As long as technology is there, we can maintain some consistency.

Bergman believes in the mission and said shes ready and excited to deploy.

We are very well-trained ... we have been training for this mission for a year, she said. Every deployment is different, but our training and core competencies still remain the same. We provide safe air control, we provide safe transit, and that doesnt change no matter what theater were in.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The United Academic Professionals of UWL (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

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
Did you grow up attending a one- or two-room country school? Or maybe you even taught in a little country school yourself? If not, maybe you heard rural school stories from your parents or grandparents or other older relatives. I certainly heard my grandfather tell many stories of attending a one-room school when he was a child and then teaching in country schools as a young man.

The state of Wisconsin once had about 6,000 one-room schools. Vernon County had over 150 small country schools, and Crawford County had 115. Tomah author and retired teacher Larry Scheckel attended one of these schools, Oak Grove School in Crawford County, and recently wrote a book about his experiences, called "Country School Days: True Tales of a Wisconsin One-Room School."

On Tuesday, April 5, at 7 p.m., Larry will present a program at the museum based on his new book. He grew up with eight siblings on a farm in the Seneca area of Crawford County, and attended all eight grades at Oak Grove School. Then he went on to high school, college, and a long career as a science teacher in Tomah. The evening will include his PowerPoint presentation about country school life.

Larry will have copies of his new book, "Country School Days: True Tales of a Wisconsin One-Room School," for sale at the program. This event will be held in the museums first-floor, wheelchair-accessible conference room. Everyone is welcome to attend.

We will also have copies of our own new book, "Country Schoolhouses of Vernon County, Wisconsin," available for sale at the program. The book includes one page for each rural school in the county, arranged alphabetically by school name. Each page includes basic information about that school, plus historic photographs, and also modern photographs if the building is still standing. The book is $20, and can be purchased at the museum during our regular hours and at special events, or anytime from our website, vernoncountyhistory.org.

Spring is here! On April 1, the museum will switch to its springtime public hours of Monday through Friday, noon to 4 p.m. As always, we are also open by appointment.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
A Brazilian company is offering a way to help save the Amazon rainforest by selling non-fungible tokens.

A non-fungible token, or NFT, is based on a technology called blockchain, which is also used with digital money known as cryptocurrencies.

An NFT can be attached to a piece of digital artwork or other things existing in digital form. The NFT can be used to provide proof that the pieces are real. While anyone can view the work, the buyer has official ownership rights over the pieces.

The Brazilian company Nemus owns 410 square kilometers of Amazon rainforest. It began selling NFTs to permit buyers to support different sized areas of forest. The money is used to help protect the trees, regrow cleared areas and support environmental development.

NFT holders will not own the land itself. But they will be able to view important information about its protection. That information includes satellite imagery, licensing and other documentation, said Nemus founder Flavio de Meira Penna.

He said Nemus had sold 10 percent of its first offering of NFTs for 8,000 hectares on the first day.

Penna told Reuters that he thinks the companys NFTs will continue to sell quickly.

Areas of land differ in size, from less than one hectare to 81 hectares. Buyers will be able to find the area of land they are supporting with online maps.

NFTs for the smallest areas of land sell for $150 and the largest for $51,000, said Penna. He hopes to raise up to $5 million to buy an additional 2 million hectares of land in Amazonas state.

Penna said the money will also support environmental development efforts such as harvesting acai berries and Brazil nuts from local communities.

Each NFT comes with artwork of an Amazon plant or animal. The artwork is produced by content developer and NFT publisher Concept Art House of San Francisco, California.

Some critics have questioned the value of NFTs for environmental causes. Blockchain technology requires great computing power, increasing the use of electricity that releases climate-warming greenhouse gases.

But Penna disagrees. He says saving threatened areas of the Amazon far outweighs the environmental cost of trading in NFTs.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Anthony Boadle reported on this story for the Reuters news service. Jonathan Evans adapted this story for Learning English.

__________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

digital  adj. characterized by electronic and especially computerized technology

licensing  n. permission to do something granted especially by qualified authority

greenhouse gas  n. any of various gaseous compounds such as carbon dioxide or methane that absorb infrared radiation, trap heat in the atmosphere.
A famously strange statue in the city of Oxford, England recently received official protection as a historic landmark. But, Magnus Hanson-Heine, the son of the man who built the artwork, is not happy about the special recognition.

But first, about that statue: It is a 7.6 meter tall model of a shark. The strange part is in the sculptures positioning up on the top of the Hanson-Heine house. It appears from the street as if the huge fish dove straight through the homes roof.

Magnus Hanson-Heines father, Bill, put up the sculpture in 1986 as a protest against war and nuclear weapons. He worked on the art project with his friend, sculptor John Buckley.

Bill Heine was an American who studied law at the University of Oxford and made the town his home. He got the idea for the sculpture after he heard American warplanes fly over his house one night in April 1986. The next morning, he learned that the planes had been on their way to bomb Tripoli, Libya.

The men put the sculpture on display on August 9 to mark the 41st anniversary of the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima, Japan.

The image of a shark crashing through the home captured the shock civilians must feel when bombs smash into their homes, Magnus Hanson-Heine said.

Bill Heine died in 2019.

Magnus Hanson-Heine calls the local governments declaration about the sculpture absurd. His father, he explained, never sought nor accepted permission to put up the shark. In fact, he strongly believed, his son said, that the government should not decide what art the public should see.

And, Hanson-Heine noted, the same local council that has declared the shark historic and protected, had spent years seeking its removal.

The sharks anti-war message is just as important today, Hanson-Heine said, as Russian bombs fall on Ukraine.

Thats obviously something that the people in Ukraine are experiencing right now in very real time, he said.

While that message is serious, the strange sculpture that rises over the otherwise normal street incites some fun and laughter as well.

Especially when someone asks about the model sharks unseen head. The story is that it crashed through to just above the toilet.

That, a laughing Magnus Hanson-Heine said, is a myth.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press.

How would you feel if you saw a shark sticking out of a home where you live? Let us know. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page.

Words in This Story

roof n. the cover or top of a building or vehicle

sculpture  n. a piece of art that is made by molding or carving clay, stone, metal, etc.

city council  n. the group of people who make rules for a city

absurd  adj. extremely silly, foolish or ridiculous

toilet n. a large bowl that is attached to a pipe that is used for getting rid of bodily waste and then flushed with water

myth n. an idea or story that is believed by many people but is not true
For some people, seeing a beautiful event in nature can be unforgettable and sometimes life-changing.

That is what happened to Franco Cagnoli. The Italian man was so moved by seeing the sun rise over a village in the mountains of central Italy that the experience changed his life.

Cagnoli told Reuters that when he saw the sun rise over the castle of Rocca Calascio he made it his goal to help revive the medieval village. A castle is an old building with thick walls and tall towers meant to defend against attacks.

No one has lived in Rocca Calascio since 1957. After World War II, many people left rural areas of Italy for the cities as the countrys economy improved.

The old village was established hundreds of years ago during what is known as the Medieval period in Europe.

However, like many places in Italy, the area is enjoying a revival. This rebirth has been fueled by low prices, different kinds of jobs, and a desire for a quieter life.

"To put it in romantic terms, there is a love story between me and Rocca Calascio," Cagnoli said as he showed visitors the castle.

The village is known as the "Light of Abruzzo." Abruzzo is the name of the area in central Italy.

The castle sits 1,400 meters above sea level. That makes it one of the highest castles in Europe. The village below the castle is now home to two families. Others have bought properties in the village.

The castles foundations were built about 1,000 years ago. The castle began as a tower in a line of connected defensive structures. The purpose was to control the land that stretched inland from the Adriatic Sea.

Cagnoli is now 39 but first saw the castle when he was 16. Living in the area capital, L'Aquila, he took a trip, he said, to find himself. He arrived at the castle just as the sun was rising.

...I was literally blinded by the light and since that day something inside me changed," he said. "I thought it was the most beautiful place on earth. I felt special energies."

His connection with Rocca Calascio never loosened. In 2012, he moved to Calascio, a village of about 80 residents three kilometers away from the castle.

Today, he is the castle's caretaker and head of a cooperative. The group has 26 members who guide visitors through the castle and take care of it.

One Rocca Calascio resident, Valeria Befani, left Rome in 1996. Now, she runs an online business selling woolen products. She makes the products herself using an old-fashioned wooden device called a loom.

"People of the previous generation didn't appreciate, or thought they didn't appreciate, the land they lived on," Befani said. "Today's teenagers, like my children, are proud of their land and are happy if they can stay here."

Others appreciate the beauty of the area. The castle is where the 1985 movie Ladyhawke was filmed.

The future of Rocca Calascio was helped recently when Italy's culture ministry included it among 21 places that will receive $22 million. The money is to rebuild the ruins and to make improvements for visitors.

Programs to bring people to villages in Italy have included local governments giving houses away or selling them for a low price. In exchange, the new residents promise to rebuild the houses.

Im Anna Matteo.

Antonio Denti and Philip Pullella reported this story from Rocca Calascio, Italy for Reuters. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English.

__________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

revive v. to make (someone or something) strong, healthy, or active again

romantic adj. making someone think of love; bringing ideas of romance

foundation n. a usually stone or concrete structure that supports a building from underneath

resident n. someone who lives in a particular place

cooperative n. a business or organization that is owned and operated by the people who work there or the people who use its services

previous adj. existing or happening before the present time

appreciate v. to understand the worth or importance of (something or someone); to admire and value (something or someone)
The former mayor of Happy Valley was touted Monday as part of a "pink wave" of Republican women who could restore GOP control of the U.S. House.

Lori Chavez-DeRemer is a candidate for Oregon's 5th Congressional District, which includes Linn County. She was among 10 Republican women boosted at a Monday morning fundraiser in Washington, D.C. They were all endorsed by the Elevate Political Action Committee, a GOP leadership fundraising effort led by U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-NY, the House Republican Conference Chair.

We have strong Republican women running from Florida, to Indiana, to Arizona, to Oregon, in top battleground districts that will determine the House majority," Stefanik said at a press conference after the event Monday.

Democrats currently hold a 222-210 majority in the House, with three vacant seats. Republicans have targeted 70 open and Democratic-held seats in the 2022 election. Stefanik's group goes a step further and backs women in the Republican primaries. Chavez-DeRemer was tapped by the group in an effort to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Canby.

"I will flip Oregon's 5th district and will be standing with these women in Congress," Chavez-DeRemer said.

Stefanik's office said the endorsements on Monday focused on Hispanic Republican candidates with a proven ability to attract support and funds to take on Democratic incumbents.

Over the last century, the midterm election after a new president takes office has resulted in a loss for the president's party in all but two years, 1934 and 2002.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald.

Stefanik said in 2019, there were just 13 Republican women among the 435 members of the U.S. House. In 2020, Elevate PAC supported woman candidates who flipped 11 of the 15 seats won by Republicans.

Elevate PAC has raised $600,000 this year and has endorsed a total of 18 candidates so far. Chavez-DeRemer declined to say how much the group has pledged to her campaign. She also declined to say how much her campaign has raised and spent in 2022. Under federal campaign finance rules, the next report isn't due until March 31.

Chavez-DeRemer reported at the end of 2021 that she had raised $350,940, spent $124,877 and had $226,062 in the bank.

Schrader reported $3.5 million in the bank.

Chavez-DeRemer is also receiving money from an Alexandria, Virginia-based political action committee set up to raise contributions that would be split by Chavez-DeRemer and 4th Congressional District candidate Alek Skarlatos.

The 10 candidates endorsed on Monday said they wanted to change the impression that Hispanic voters instinctively support Democrats.

"I am pro-life, pro-God, pro-gun, and anti-socialist," said Ana Paulina Luna, a candidate for Congress in Florida. "In 2022, we take back the House from the identity politics Democrats are using against the Hispanic-American demographic."

Morgan Ortagus, running for a House seat in Tennessee, said the group's goal was to sweep House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. from control of the U.S. House.

Ortagus used a variation of the traditional Republican red vs. Democratic blue color-coding to give the women a collective nickname.

"This is going to be a pink wave, a pink wave of Republican women around this country that are going to fire Nancy Pelosi, that are going to take the House back," she said.

Stefanik said the Republican efforts had the Democrats playing defense, with swing district Democrats scrambling to hold onto seats, while other have retired rather than face possible defeat.

"I think we will have a historic Republican victory," Stefanik said. "They're running for the hills."

In introducing Chavez-DeRemer, Stefanik said Schrader had voted "lock, stock and barrel" with Pelosi.

Many progressive Democrats in Oregon would disagree. Schrader was among a handful of House members who opposed the return of Pelosi to the top job of House Speaker. He's also split with the party on deficit spending and the scope of restrictions on Medicare's ability to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. Last week, he announced he would no longer take contributions from a political action committee tied to Charles Koch, the conservative activist billionaire.

Schrader is defending a lot of unknown territory, with redistricting leaving him with less than half of his current constituents. The new boundaries run from southern Portland, jump the Cascades at the Santiam Pass, and take in most of Redmond and Bend in Deschutes County.

Its a mashed-up spread of voters  43% in Clackamas County, 25% in Deschutes County, 18% in Linn County, and around 7% each in Multnomah and Marion counties.

Democratic activist Jamie McLeod-Skinner is making a strong challenge to Schrader in the primary. She's won the endorsement of five of six county Democratic parties in the district, as well as former Gov. Barbara Roberts. Whether Schrader or McLeod-Skinner ends up winning the May 17 primary, Democrats say the district won't support a pro-Trump Republican in the November general election.

While focusing on Schrader, Chavez-DeRemer must first win the Republican primary. She'll share the ballot with Bend entrepreneur Jimmy Crumpacker, orthopedic surgeon John Di Paola of Wilsonville, building restoration technician Madison Oatman of Bend, and trucking company co-owner Laurel Roses of Mulino, in Clackamas County.

Some of the 10 candidates receiving Stefanik's endorsement on Monday worked in the Trump administration or have been endorsed by the former president. Trump has not endorsed in the 5th district race. Crumpacker in particular has been a Trump loyalist, touting his ideological allegiance during an unsuccessful GOP primary bid for the 2nd Congressional District, which included Bend prior to the recent redistricting.

Stefanik's rise has also been tied to her pro-Trump stance. She became the House Republican Conference chair  the third highest ranking GOP leader in the chamber  after backing the ouster of U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-WY, from the job. Cheney was among 10 Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump following the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

The riot occurred just after Trump had repeated unfounded allegations that he had won the election and Congress was aiding president-elect Joe Biden in "stealing" the election.

Stefanik said Monday that 280 Republican women were running for Congress in 2022.

The PAC is similar in purpose if not politics to EMILY's List, the liberal PAC backing women in primaries. Its name is an acronym for "Early Money Is Like Yeast," contributing early money to help candidates rise above others in races.

The first step for the Elevate PAC-backed candidates is to win their primaries. The group used the Monday press conference to hammer at issues polls show are especially important to GOP voters. Several mentioned controlling illegal immigration and concerns over rising crime rates.

A Pew Research Center survey released last week showed majorities of both Democrats and Republicans believe the economy is the top issue in the 2022 election.

But party members went in opposite directions on several key issues.

Among Republicans, 68% believed immigration was the top issue facing the nation, followed closely by violent crime and foreign policy (both at 67%). Among possible GOP primary voters, 62% said the size and scope of government had become too large.

Democratic priorities were different. The Pew survey said just 34% of Democrats said immigration is a top issue, while 26% said government is too large.

The top issue for Democrats is health care, with 74% saying it was a crucial issue, vs. just 14% for Republicans. Climate change was important to 64% of Democrats vs. 14% of Republicans. While 54% of Democrats said racial and ethnic inequality and diversity was a top issue, it was cited by just 14% of Republicans.

Majorities of voters in both parties said COVID-19 would not be a factor in the 2022 election, with 46% of Democrats saying the pandemic would impact the election, while just 19% of Republicans said it was a key issue.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
Samantha Fiscus opened and maintained her small business during the pandemic with the support of local networks, mentorship programs and financial assistance.

But it was the owner of a stylish hair salon on East Washington Avenue who provided the deepest level of support and with a connection that would be impossible for others to replicate.

When COVID-19 threw Fiscus fresh business plan to open Duncans Dog Daycare near East Towne Mall into disarray, it was her big sister, Kristin Knechtges, owner of Kismet Aveda Salon, who was there to offer up support, encouragement and a shoulder on which to cry.

Fiscus, 37, felt confident in quitting her state job, mortgaging her house and becoming an entrepreneur because of the support from Knechtges, 39. However, neither foresaw a pandemic that hit just prior to Fiscus opening her business that caters to those with dogs and jobs away from home.

Rather than opening in March 2020, the doors opened two months later to just a handful of customers instead of more than 26 dogs a day, a number that would make the business profitable.

Duncans remains in the red, but Fiscus has fought to keep the doors of a dream open, thanks in part to Knechtges, who also had to navigate the pandemic for her own business that opened in 2018.

Shes one of the most critical people I know and so if she thought this wasnt going to happen or if I needed to just cash in my chips and throw in the cards, she would have been one of the first people to tell me to do so and that never came out of her mouth, Fiscus said last week as a pack of hounds, doodles of varying breeds and other dogs milled about in the sunshine of an outside courtyard.

I feel like getting though this is probably going to prepare me for anything else that gets thrown at me. I think about that almost every single night.

The pandemic crippled many businesses and, for those that survived, has altered the future.

Offices around Dane County remain empty or are only partially filled, meaning less business for local restaurants, gas stations and retailers. Dry cleaners have seen business evaporate as in-person meetings and business travel remain scant, while hotels have relied on leisure travelers for the vast majority of their revenue.

And while the mask mandates have been lifted, the path forward for most business has a different look from that of early 2020.

For Knechtges, that means having clients with flexible schedules, which has reduced the need for late nights and some weekend work. Her salon, located on the ground level of the Galaxie apartments building and just a few hundred feet from Breese Stevens Field, endured the flooding of East Washington Avenue shortly after she opened in 2018 and less than a year later an explosion and fire at a nearby electrical substation that cut power to her business and fried her computer system.

COVID-19 shuttered her salon for eight weeks, saw business initially rebound but then decline as fears of the pandemic remained. She struggled with staffing and has found it difficult to find some products like hair coloring. However, in 2021 her business turned the corner, continues to thrive and now has eight chairs, up from the four when the business opened.

I know were not out of COVID but Im so happy were moving in that direction and that we dont have to dwell on COVID anymore, Knechtges said. I think a lot of people dont realize how hard it was for business owners. Were just thankful that the doors are open, were thankful that the bills are paid and thankful that we have (hair) coloring.

Fiscus launched Duncans Dog Daycare, 4351 E. Towne Way, after seeing a glaring need for more dog day care facilities in the Madison area and few with a holistic approach. She was diligent in her research, began studying her plans in 2018 and even took a part-time job with another dog day care facility to make sure she was making the right decision before quitting her job with the state. Her business plan was forged after taking the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundations UpStart class, a free program for women and people of color.

It called for capping her facility at 45 dogs at a time and a 15-to-1 dog-to-handler ratio, fewer per handler than the national average. But the pandemic forced her to close on Mondays while on other days of the week she would host fewer than 10 dogs. Those numbers have improved, she reopened on Mondays in January and on some days she is now taking care of up to 30 dogs at a time.

To get off the ground, she turned to the Small Business Development Center at UW-Madison and MERLIN Mentors, a Madison-based network of volunteer mentors who use their expertise to guide emerging entrepreneurs. She also received guidance and support from the Wisconsin Womens Business Initiative Corp., Dane Buy Local and even cash infusions from one of her business-savvy clients. And, of course, her sister.

Shes determined, Knechtges said. Shell make it work.

The sisters spent their early years in Madisons Vilas neighborhood before moving with their family to DeForest. Fiscus has a degree in environmental public health from UW-Eau Claire and spent 10 years with the state Department of Health Services, where she worked on public health and safety regulations. She quit that job with the state in February 2020 to open Duncans.

Fiscus, who initially invested $30,000 into business, was also not eligible for money from the Paycheck Protection Program because her business was so new. Shes waiting to be approved for a $25,000 loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration, which would further help her company stabilize.

But the last two years shes not only received blows from the pandemic. Fiscus schnauzer poodle Duncan, one of her inspirations for the business, died in late 2020. On Christmas Day 2021, she and Knechtges lost their father, John Fiscus, who died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 63.

Fiscus, who is single and with a house payment, can work more than 13 hours a day and, even though shes closed on weekends, spends that time on administrative work and social media.

Im tired, Im sore, Im emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted. But Ive got a dream and this is my dream and Im not going to let it die because of the pandemic, Fiscus said. Its going to take something stronger than a pandemic to crush this dream.

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.
A Janesville man and his passenger were arrested after a head-on crash with a Rock County squad car during a police pursuit on Tuesday night, authorities reported.

At about 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Janesville police were investigating a suspicious vehicle in the 1500 block of Parker Court and found it at Lions Quick Mart, 2615 Milton Ave., Janesville police Sgt. Rob Perkins said in a statement.

Officers saw drug paraphernalia in the vehicle and attempted to take the driver and passenger into custody, but they fled in the vehicle, starting a pursuit that was terminated at Highway 14 and Highway 26 after the driver made several evasive maneuvers, Perkins said.

Rock County Sheriffs Office Sgt. Clint Rowley said a deputy saw the driver, whose identity was known, go around their squad northbound in the southbound lanes of Highway 26

The deputy attempted to stop the suspect and when the suspect continued in the wrong direction on Highway 26 the deputy continued northbound on the northbound side while the suspect vehicle continued northbound on the southbound side. The suspect vehicle then turned south and headed southbound on the north side of Highway 26, so the deputy activated their squads emergency lights to warn the traffic behind them of the danger, Rowley said.

The suspect then caused a head-on collision with the deputys squad, with no other vehicles involved. After the collision, the driver, Jesse Seales, 38, of Janesville, fled on foot, but was later taken into custody by deputies and Janesville police in the 3500 block of Voda Drive, Rowley and Perkins said.

The deputy, who was not identified, was taken by ambulance to a hospital, treated and released, Rowley said.

The Wisconsin State Patrol will be investigating the crash, Rowley said.

Seales currently is out on bond for disorderly conduct/domestic violence, possession with intent to distribute amphetamine, possession of a narcotic drug, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting an officer, misdemeanor bail jumping, and felony bail jumping, and now faces tentative charges of fleeing an officer, possession of THC, possession of amphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and trespass to dwelling, Perkins said.

Passenger Ryan Schultz, 35, was arrested on a probation violation, and faces tentative charges of possession of THC, possession of amphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia, Perkins said.

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
A Portland, Oregon, man who was charged Tuesday with groping a Dane County sheriffs deputy and two inmates in the county jail earlier this month attacked two jail deputies without warning, also on Tuesday, the Sheriffs Office said Wednesday.

Timothy I. Thomas, 32, who is being held in the Dane County Jail while he awaits sentencing on a federal charge of threatening passengers and a conductor on an Amtrak train in 2020, is now tentatively charged with two counts of battery to a law enforcement officer.

According to the Sheriffs Office, around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday the deputies were completing wellness checks in the cellblock in the City-County Building jail where Thomas was being housed.

Without provocation or any indication Thomas was agitated or upset, he spontaneously and violently attacked the two deputies, the Sheriffs Office said in a news release. Additional deputies responded and were able to secure Thomas and apply restraints.

Both deputies were injured. One of them was evaluated at a local hospital and later released, the Sheriffs Office said.

Also on Tuesday, Thomas was charged with three counts of fourth-degree sexual assault and one count of disorderly conduct after it was alleged that on March 10, he had grabbed the crotch of a female deputy who was part of a group of deputies doing a security check of the area where Thomas was housed, according to a criminal complaint.

During the investigation of that incident, two inmates told deputies that Thomas also had grabbed their buttocks sometime earlier on March 10, the complaint states.

All three of the incidents were captured on security video, the complaint states.

Thomas was arrested in November 2020 after he threatened passengers on a westbound Amtrak train as it passed through Wisconsin, then pulled a knife on a conductor who had come to speak with Thomas. Federal court documents state Thomas got off the train at Oakdale, in Monroe County, and tried to force his way into one of the locomotives.

When Thomas was taken into custody by Monroe County sheriffs deputies, a knife was found concealed in one of his pant legs, federal court documents state.

Thomas pleaded guilty on March 3 to interfering with a railroad conductor with reckless disregard for the safety of human life. He faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 19 by U.S. District Judge William Conley.

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.
One City Schools will receive nearly $2 million in multiyear grants to support the opening of its middle and high schools from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the Colorado-based Charter School Growth fund.

The funds will support One City Preparatory Academy, One City Schools early college and career high school, which is scheduled to open in September to a maximum of 264 students in grades 6, 9 and 10. Enrollment for the school is scheduled to begin April 4 and end April 22.

The Charter School Growth fund, a nonprofit, philanthropic venture capital fund, will contribute $850,000 over the next two years to One City. That along with a recently awarded $900,000 grant to the school from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction through a federally funded program, will total $1.75 million in funds for the opening of the academy over the course of the next two years.

One Citys transformational schools would not exist without the extraordinary giving of our local and national philanthropic communities, Kaleem Caire, the founder of the school, said in a statement. Academic achievement and opportunity gaps have persisted between students of color and their white peers for a long time. One Citys schools are focused on eliminating this gap.

A contract, signed in February with the UW System, greenlit Caires 33-year dream of growing One City Schools from early childhood education and elementary to include students through grade 12, roughly a decade after the Madison School Board rejected a similar proposal for a charter school overseen by the Madison School District that would have been called Madison Preparatory Academy.

Students in grades 4K through 4 are currently learning on the third floor of the schools new facility, purchased by One City Schools in March 2021 through a $14 million donation from American Girl founder and philanthropist Pleasant Rowland. Caire said his plan for the 157,000-square-foot office building, on the campus of WPS Health Solutions in Monona adjacent to South Madison, is to build a full K-12 charter school with an enrollment of nearly 1,000 students by the 2024-25 school year.

One City Schools also plans to partner with Madison Area Technical College, UW-Oshkosh and UW-Madisons School of Education to offer higher education opportunities to its high school students.

A blind admissions lottery is planned for the week of April 25 if the school receives more than 264 applications. Students who enroll after the deadline will be placed on a waiting list or will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis if there are still enrollment slots to be filled in their grade level.

Students enrolling after the April 22 deadline will also be placed on a waiting list if the grade level they have applied to has more applicants than there are available seats. However, if there are still seats available in a grade level after the enrollment deadline, students will be accepted into that grade level on a first-come, first-served basis.

One City Schools first opened as a preschool serving six students in South Madison in September 2015. Its Fisher Street location will remain open to serve students in early childhood education, who may later attend the K-12 school.

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.
The Dane County Farmers Market will be celebrating its 50th anniversary when it returns April 16 to Capitol Square.

The market will run 6:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. each Saturday through Nov. 12.

The market was founded in September of 1972 with just five farmers on the Square. Today, it has about 250 Wisconsin producer-members and is the largest producer-only market in the nation.

About 130 vendors are able to set up around the Capitol each Saturday.

Its a big Madison attraction, not only for straight-from-the-farm produce, fresh meat and just-baked bread, but also for its social aspect and festival feel.

Jason Harder, bakery manager for Stellas Bakery, which sells 2,000 to 3,000 loaves of bread including its famous spicy cheese bread each Saturday during the market, said hes looking forward to getting back to the Square after a shortened Capitol presence last year due to COVID-19.

The Farmers Market, thats our main source of sales throughout the year. So its a big deal to be able to open back up and get down there, he said.

Stellas is hiring extra people to be able to ramp up production for the market, Harder said.

The market is where people know to find the bakery, which is on Madisons South Side, he said.

Harder said the market is the place to be on a Saturday for one-stop shopping. You can come down and get pretty much everything that youre looking for, from bakery to produce to flowers to honey.

Waiting list

Jamie Bugel, who has been market manager since last April, said the market had 32 people on its wait list and invited everyone from it to join this year.

She said 16 people chose to join and 16 deferred for a year. Everyone gets a chance to defer for one year, she said.

There are 24 people on the wait list now, meaning eight people joined the wait list since the beginning of this year, Bugel said.

She said she doesnt know the exact number of vendors this year because shes still accepting applications. Applications were due at the beginning of March, but a few are still trickling in, she said.

Other locales

On July 9, during Art Fair on the Square, the market will be at Breese Stevens Field.

The Wednesday market on the 200 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. will begin April 20 and continue through Nov. 2. It runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.

The Saturday late winter market at Garver Feed Mill will continue through April 9.

A special time

Bugel said shes still trying to figure out how to bring visibility to the markets 50-year anniversary and that some members are working on projects individually.

A collaborative cookbook is in the works, and Bugel said she will be asking members for their favorite recipes, but theres no timeline for it yet.

One member is organizing a wagon project, where local artists will decorate a wagon that will be displayed around the market at some point during the season, Bugel said.

Last year, due to COVID-19, the market started at the Alliant Energy Center the second week in April and returned to the Square in the middle of June, after it spent 2020 operating in a limited way at Garver Feed Mill and the Alliant Center.

The market hosted modified operations at the Alliant Center for more than a year due to the pandemic.

Bugel said from conversations shes had with vendors, sales were good last year with the return to the Square. Not as many vendors sold at the Alliant Center, but then when we were back on the Square, I think all the vendors just saw more of their customers again. People were missing them. So, after two years they were excited to shop with their favorites.

Fresh infusion

Farmer John Dougherty of Farmer Johns Cheese in Dodgeville, whos been selling his cheese and cheese curds on the Square for about 30 years, said he had a good year of sales on the Square last year and at some of the smaller farmers markets in the area. He usually does two on Tuesdays, two on Wednesdays, two on Thursdays and six over weekends.

During the pandemic, he said, some vendors took the opportunity to retire, and that opened up a lot of spots. I think this year was our highest introduction to the farmers market for new people. The wait list got lowered quite a bit due to the pandemic.

Dougherty said in 2020 and 2021 many shoppers and vendors took advantage of food delivery services that started because of the pandemic when some market customers were fearful of shopping in person.

But every week it seemed to get better and better, he said.

Bugel said its not always clear why vendors leave the market. During the pandemic they left because of business changes, family changes or retirement, she said. From March 2020 until March 2022, she said about 20 vendors retired.

While the market has 250 members, its seasonal nature means that only 130 to 140 show up on the Square on a given Saturday, Bugel said.

For example, about a dozen nurseries sell at the market, but are only there in April and May. Then, those who run orchards show up from August through November.

We usually start the season with fewer vendors, keep growing through September, and then the numbers start coming down in October, Bugel 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.
WASHINGTON  Since its 2004 launch, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has appeared everywhere, from highway billboards and college identification cards to the title of a 2018 rap chart-topper by Logic.

But in mental health crises, many peoples first instinct is still to dial 911, where the officers on the other end will likely be untrained in mental health counseling  and may cause further distress, especially for those belonging to communities historically affected by police violence.

A law signed in 2020 from a bill sponsored by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, seeks to change that: On July 16, the 10-digit Lifeline will relaunch as 988.

Mental health care professionals say the easily remembered, readily accessible hotline will revamp emergency mental services as we know them, and calls to the rebranded Lifeline will surge significantly as a result.

Everybody knows 911, said Amy Watson, who studies mental health policy at UW-Milwaukee. Now, eventually, everybody will know 988.

A couple hundred local crisis centers across the country currently field all the calls to the Lifeline. Four months ahead of the launch and amid national health care worker shortages, states are scrambling to ensure they have adequate staffing to field the onset of calls.

Baldwin told Medill News Service she had been in regular communication with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which allocates grants to mental health organizations, ahead of the launch. She plans to further investigate reports that states are falling behind in preparation, she said.

The last thing we want is for somebody to reach out and there not be adequate referral, she said. But that does really involve ramping up a lot of the support to agencies that are on the front line.

Five call centers across Wisconsin currently answer the Lifeline calls, two of them operated by Family Services of Northwest Wisconsin. As the official host of the Wisconsin Lifeline Center, Family Services will field all 988 calls once the line goes live.

The center, launched in 2020, received 2.6 million calls, chats and texts in its inaugural year, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. That includes more than 20,000 phone calls from Wisconsin residents, with the rest being chat messages and texts.

Shelly Missal, outreach coordinator for the Lifeline Center, said the center struggled in the early months of its launch to properly route calls. The center began fielding Lifeline calls in August 2020 but took until the next month to take calls full time.

Wisconsin is in a better position than most other states for the launch, Missal said. Before the centers launch, almost a third of the calls were routed out of state, she said, but now only eight states outrank Wisconsins 86% call response rate, according to Lifeline reports. The center has not yet requested any additional funding from the state, she said.

But the July deadline still may not be a full-throated launch, Missal added. Lifeline Center will follow the lead of the national marketing strategy when rolling out 988 statewide.

We are proceeding cautiously, and part of that is that some states will be better positioned than others to handle the increased volume early on, Missal said. We want to roll out gently so that all of the states have the ability to boost their capacity.

DHS has been preparing for the rollout for several years. An effectively resourced line would be able to connect anyone who calls to a trained counselor, who can then address immediate needs and connect callers to ongoing care, DHS said.

Along with law enforcement, the states current crisis response system includes emergency rooms and private and state-operated hospitals, a spokesperson said, but the Lifeline dispatches emergency services for only 2% of calls.

In recent years, the states crisis system has faced rising service volumes related to mental health needs, the spokesperson said. Many of these needs can be resolved without involving intensive services.

Shift in response

Then-President Donald Trump signed the bill into law in October 2020  on the heels of a summer of racial justice protests, including in Kenosha in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

The push for 988 merged with a larger push to reduce the role of law enforcement in behavioral health crises, especially in cases where police have historically tense relationships with marginalized groups, Watson said.

Mental health professionals often have only police to rely on for on-the-scene responses, she said. Wisconsin is one of a few states where only police have the legal power to detain someone for an emergency mental health evaluation.

Policing and mental health responses are really intertwined in Wisconsin and everywhere, Watson said. Weve gotten ourselves to the point where police are often the primary responders to someone experiencing crisis.

Several communities in Wisconsin, including Madison, have experimented with a dual model of response: social and mental health workers riding along with officers to respond to mental health emergencies, Watson said.

What I see is a lot of communities feeling more comfortable with just hiring some social workers to ride with police officers, Watson said. But that doesnt do much to reduce the role of law enforcement.

Last fall, Madison started a program in which 911 reroutes certain calls to the Fire Department, and a paramedic travels with a mental health professional to the scene. Madison is working with professionals from Journey Mental Health Center, which also currently fields Lifeline calls.

Nichole Wright, chief clinical officer at Journey, said many localities across the country are too understaffed to consistently dispatch mental health crisis counselors.

The ideal situation is that the behavioral health professional is able to be the one who takes that lead and responds, Wright said. Were trained clinically to be able to respond to mental health crises.
DECATUR, Illinois  Police say a Decatur woman is jailed on charges she kidnapped a flooring company owner after luring him to an abandoned house, pepper-spraying him and then holding him at gunpoint before trying to ransom him back to his family for $400,000.

The man was abducted Thursday morning and escaped hours later after having been restrained with plastic ties with a cloth bag placed over his head. A sworn affidavit from Decatur police said he eventually managed to free himself from the back of a minivan after earlier being moved around several times in the trunk of a car.

He then fled on foot before walking into a business on North Monroe Street to raise the alarm.

Police had already been alerted and were hunting for the man after being called in by his frightened wife. The kidnappers had allowed him to phone her at 12:35 p.m. to say he was being held for ransom.

She received a phone call stating that he had been kidnapped, was tied to a chair in a basement, and that the kidnappers wanted $400,000 for him to be released, said the affidavit, signed by Detective James Weddle.

(She) advised she later received a subsequent call from (her husband) stating that he had actually been kidnapped and was not joking.

The victim had met the woman before as a customer of his business. His description and police investigative work led to her being identified as Ademeko M. Maclin-Carney. The 23-year-old woman was arrested Monday evening after police intercepted her driving her vehicle. The male accomplice, who was armed, was still being sought as of Tuesday night.

Questioned by police about his ordeal, the victim said he had been lured to a house in the 1200 block of East William Street at 10:15 a.m. Thursday after receiving a call from Maclin-Carney who said she needed some work done.

Weddle said the victim had just been explaining that the house was in too rough a shape to lay flooring when Maclin-Carney blasted him in the face with pepper spray.

(He) advised a male then came out of a side room and pointed a small pistol at him, said Weddle. He advised the male told him to to get on the ground, to which he compiled. When he got on the ground, the male Zip-tied his hands and placed a cream colored linen bag over his head to prevent him from seeing.

He was later bundled in the trunk of a car and driven to another unknown address where he was held in the basement. Then he was forced back in the trunk again before being driven to another house and then shoved in the back of the minivan, from which he would eventually escape.

Weddle said he had told his kidnappers before his escape that he nor his wife would be able to obtain this amount of money.

Police also noted that the house on East William Street where he had been lured was badly damaged by fire Thursday evening; the fire was later determined to be suspected arson by the Decatur Fire Department.

Maclin-Carney was booked on a preliminary charge of aggravated kidnapping. She also faces additional charges of aggravated battery, mob action and criminal damage in a separate incident after police say she used a BB gun to shoot out the windows and glass door of a home in the 1300 block of North Walnut Grove on the night of March 20.

She was also accused of joining in on an assault of the homeowner with three other suspects who punched and kicked him to the ground, leaving him with multiple lacerations and other wounds.

All preliminary charges are subject to review by the state's attorneys office.

Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid
In 1851, Sojourner Truth, who had been born into slavery, gave a remarkable speech at a convention organized by suffragists. She brilliantly noted perceptions of her own womanhood as contrasted to the womanhood of her white sisters.

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud puddles, or gives me any best place! And aint I a woman? ... I have borne 13 children and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mothers grief, none but Jesus heard me! And aint I a woman? she asked.

Truths speech came to mind as I was watching the confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, who was subjected to a barrage of inane and inappropriate questions by Republican senators grandstanding for the cameras. Among those was Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who asked Jackson, Can you provide a definition for the word woman?

Its unlikely that Blackburn ever heard of Sojourner Truths speech. She may never have heard of Truth. But Blackburn knows how to drape herself in the politics of the past, as do her GOP colleagues, who infused their harangues against Jackson with racism, sexism, transphobia and a healthy dose of hypocrisy.

Perhaps the Grand Old Party doesnt want to take us all the way back to 1851, when slavery was still the law of the land, when Black people were regarded as less than human, when women could not vote and could not own property in several states. Still, leading Republicans obviously have a vision of America as having been at its most righteous in the early 1950s, before the civil rights movement had blossomed and the Supreme Court had begun a progression of rulings favoring rights for the marginalized. Conservatives are waging war on modernity.

They are clear about that now  no longer speaking in coded language or hiding their resentments behind a thin veil of civility. Republican senators and right-wing pundits began spewing their explicit bigotry against President Joe Bidens Supreme Court nominee before she was named. They declared her an affirmative action choice  unqualified for the job  simply because Biden had promised to name a Black woman.

Never mind that they had raved about former President Donald Trumps choice of Amy Coney Barrett partly because she is a woman, just as Republicans praised President Ronald Reagans decision to name the first woman to the court, former Justice Sandra Day OConnor. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., celebrated Barrett as an inspiration to millions of young women in this country. Barrett and OConnor, as Truth would have noted, are white, so thats different.

The racist tirades continued when the confirmation hearings began, as Jackson endured a bizarre set of questions about critical race theory from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, even though the subject of books available to students at Georgetown Day School (where Jackson is on the board of trustees) is unlikely ever to come before the U.S. Supreme Court. Republican senators also sought to smear Jackson as soft on crime by attacking sentences she had handed out in child pornography cases. The soft on crime canard served double duty: It is used against liberals of all races, but it also reminds bigoted whites that any Black person is suspect where crime is concerned.

Blackburns little sideshow over womanhood was her attempt to trap Jackson in conservatives crusade against transgender people. But that gambit wasnt as shocking as another fusillade she unleashed in a separate video statement  an attack on the Supreme Court ruling that legalized the use of contraceptives. Apparently, Blackburn doesnt believe Americans have any right to birth control.

Not to be outdone, Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., told reporters that the Supreme Court should not have legalized interracial marriage in 1967 but should have left it to the states. (He later tried to walk it back, but he was clear enough when he said it.) States rights? Where have we heard that before?

This crowd apparently wants to live in Andy Griffiths Mayberry, where there were no women in power and no Black or brown people, period. Do they know its fiction?

Tucker won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 2007: cynthia@cynthiatucker.com.
In the past three months, owners have shuttered three businesses in the Magic Valley. One, however, will be returning.

Pandoras Legacy, Beans & Brews Coffeehouse and Happy Teriyaki have all announced closures. A spokesperson for Happy Teriyaki told the Times-News in an email that the closure is temporary and the business will be reopening April 18.

In addition to closures, Twin Falls has a new coffeehouse, physical therapy office, cheer gym, donut shop and more.

Each month, the Times-News complies a list of new businesses, along with those that have moved, opened a new location or closed.

If you know of any south-central Idaho business openings or closings that did not appear on this list that should be included next time, please contact Times-News business reporter Hannah Ashton at hashton@magicvalley.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy
Qatar will invest $5 billion into the Egyptian economy in unspecified sectors, the government of the Arab republic has said a statement.

Statement came following a meeting on March 29th in Cairo between the Egyptian Prime minister Mostafa Madbouli and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani.

The meeting came in the framework of strengthening economic cooperation between Egypt and Qatar.

Both countries renewed ties in January last year after several years diplomatic feud after Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain cut off ties with the tiny gas-rich country over its backing for terrorism and Muslim Brotherhood; a charge Doha has vehemently refuted.
The Saudi-led coalition battling Iran-supported Houthi rebels said Tuesday it would cease military operations in Yemen today March 30 to help peace efforts by the UN and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

This, Arab News reports citing the coalition, comes in response to the request of the Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General and in support of the efforts and endeavors to reach a comprehensive and sustainable political solution to end the Yemeni crisis.

Our position is firm in support of the legitimate Yemeni government in all its political stance and military measures, and we affirm our stand with the Yemeni people to achieve their aspirations and build their state in a way that achieves security and prosperity, the coalition further said.

Tuesday, GCC Secretary Dr. Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf reportedly called on the coalition and all Yemeni parties to halt all military operations in Yemen.

Al-Hajrafs call also follows that of the UN for a truce during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan to allow fuel ships to dock at Houthi-held Hodeidah port and a small number of commercial flights to operate from Sanaa airport according to some sources familiar with the matter.

The coalition controls Yemens sea and air space.

The truce is the most significant step in peace efforts in more than three years. Ramadan begins this weekend.

The UN has been trying to mediate before the two sides wandered in the conflict dating back to 2015. The Saud-led coalition says it is fighting to restore the government of Hadi Mansour.

The rebels have also launched repeated attacks on Saudi Arabia. On Friday the Houthis attacked an Aramco oil storage facility in Jeddah causing a fire.
After months of suspicions and decades of mistrust, the army of the Democratic Republic of Congo is clearly accusing the Rwandan army of supporting an active rebellion in the eastern DRC. The authorities in Kigali denied Tuesday.

Ongoing fighting between the Congolese army and the M23 (for March 23 Movement), which began Monday, continued Tuesday in the region.

The UN Mission in the DRC, Monusco, announced early this afternoon on Twitter that it had lost contact with one of its helicopters on a reconnaissance mission in the area. The causes of this disappearance are not yet known, searches are underway, the mission added.

On Monday evening, General Sylvain Ekenge, spokesman for the military governor of North Kivu province, had accused the Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF) of supporting the M23, which, he said, had carried out incursions and attacked FARDC (Congolese Armed Forces) positions in Tchanzu and Runyoni, in the Rutshuru territory.

Invited by TV5 Mondes Journal Afrique, the Congolese Minister of Communication and government spokesman, Patrick Muyaya, then used the conditional but nonetheless made the point: It is time to put an end to this form of hypocrisy that would exist or this form of complicity between the M23 and the government of Rwanda, he said, because we want to look at Rwanda as a partner country, as we look at Uganda.

We categorically refute the baseless accusations of the Congolese army, the governor of Rwandas Western province, Francois Habitegeko, said in a statement Tuesday. The Rwandan army is in no way involved in warlike activities in the DRC, he added.

Since the massive arrival in the DRC of Rwandan Hutus accused of massacring Tutsis during the 1994 genocide, Rwanda has been regularly accused by Kinshasa of incursions into Congo and of supporting armed groups in the east of the country.

Relations eased with the accession to power in early 2019 of Felix Tshisekedi, who has met several times with his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame. But the renewed activity of the M23 has rekindled suspicion.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

From HIV to Ebola, and now COVID-19, inequality in access to medicines and vaccines has been prevalent in developing countries for decades.

In The BMJ today, Mohga Kamal-Yanni, a consultant in global health policy and access to medicines, argues that the pandemic offers a chance for governments to retain control by sharing knowledge and waiving intellectual property rules.

But Thomas Cueni, Director General at the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations, says that debates about prices and profit are a distraction from the real problems behind inequity.

Drug companies claim that high price and high profits are essential for financing research and development (R&D). Yet COVID-19 has clearly illustrated that public funding is the cornerstone of innovation, says Mohga Kamal-Yanni.

For example, the UK public purse funded 97% of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, while the US government injected $10bn into the NIH-Moderna vaccine, and Pfizer and BioNTech received $800m in R&D funding.

What's more, the Oxford University agreement with AstraZeneca required the company to prioritize low and middle income countries and sell at non-profit price, and the vaccine was the main one used in Africa for most of 2021. "This provides clear evidence not only that products for pandemics should be provided at a non-profit price but that it is feasible to do so," she writes.

She argues that global actions are needed to expand manufacturing sites to ensure universal access to vaccines, medicines and tests. This in turn requires maximizing and diversifying production by sharing technology and know-how and waiving intellectual property rules. "Such an approach is totally different from the drug companies' focus on maximizing profit."

She concludes: "If now is not the time for governments to retain control by diversifying production, sharing knowledge, and waiving intellectual property rules during a pandemic, when will they act?"

But framing the discussion of whether COVID-19 vaccines and drugs should be "not for profit" or "non-profit" is misleading  and it directs energies away from the very pressing problems of equitable access to vaccines and treatments, says Thomas Cueni.

He acknowledges that many of the successful vaccines received public funding during the pandemic, but argues that biopharmaceutical innovation "remains a risky endeavor, where financial incentives are necessary to drive investment in R&D and manufacturing scale-up."

He points out that since the turn of the year, the ground has shifted, with supply constraints easing significantly, but warns "we are now confronted with demand constraints that hinder access, owing to a lack of absorption capacity and countries' readiness."

And he agrees that we need to have a debate about why the world failed to provide equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, but argues that drug companies have been vital and essential partners in the largest and most rapid global vaccine rollout in history.

"While we must urgently tackle the bottlenecks in vaccine administration, it is indisputable that we all need to do more and go further," he concludes. "This includes reflecting on how to achieve more equitable allocation more quickly in the future, with more geographical dispersion of manufacturing capacity as an important component."

Explore further COVID-19: Governments must stop vaccine cost secrecy

More information: Should COVID-19 vaccines and drugs be "not for profit"?, The BMJ (2022). Should COVID-19 vaccines and drugs be "not for profit"?,(2022). DOI: 10.1136/bmj.o755
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The electronic personal health record is a valuable tool to collect data related to the health of migrant populations and better address their needs. These are the conclusions of a study led by ISGlobal, a center supported by "la Caixa" Foundation, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which provides a snapshot of the health status of the migrants and refugees who arrived in southern Europe between 2016 and 2019.

Migration is a complex and growing phenomenon worldwide, influenced by geographical, socioeconomic and political factors. More than 120,000 people migrated to Europe in 2019, mainly from African and Asian countries, and between 2015 and 2019 the main migration route was the eastern Mediterranean, due to the large number of refugees from the civil war in Syria.

Already in 2016, the United Nations stressed the need to address the health needs of migrant and refugee populations by providing care in arrival, transit and destination countries. "But to address their needs we first need to know what they are, and for that we need data that are reliable, complete and comparable," says Ana Requena, head of the Health and Migration research group at ISGlobal.

With this goal in mind, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) developed an electronic personal health record (ePHR) and implemented it in eight southern European countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Romania, Slovenia, and Greece). The registry allows to collect data on persons newly arrived to reception centers and who seek or need medical care.

In this study, Requena and colleagues from London and IOM used the ePHR to make a diagnosis of the health status of migrants and refugees attended at clinics in reception centers in six of the eight countries mentioned above, between January 2016 and October 2019. They analyzed data collected from a total of 14,436 individuals of 92 different nationalities. 75% of them were refugees and more than half came from South Asia (Afghanistan, Pakistan or Syria).

The results describe a young and mostly healthy population with many acute respiratory or skin infections in children, and HIV or tuberculosis in the adult population. There was also a smaller but considerable burden of chronic conditions, such as diabetes mellitus, and to a lesser extent, physical injuries and mental health problems.

"This study provides a snapshot of the health status of the migrantand highly vulnerablepopulation that arrived in southern Europe between 2016 and 2019," says Requena. It also shows that the electronic record is a very useful tool to collect data effectively in reception centers which are often not well-equipped, say the authors. In addition, the use of the electronic registry in mobile populations allows to transfer medical information to other centers or countries, and thus avoid duplicating tests or interventions in that population.

"Unfortunately, the current Ukrainian refugee situation shows us that ensuring the health of refugee or migrant populations is a constant challenge," concludes Requena.

Currently, the ISGlobal researcher is implementing a digital tool, the Migrant Health Country Profile tool, to facilitate the monitoring of key health indicators of the migrant population in six North African countries (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia) and Yemen. This project, funded by the "la Caixa" Foundation under the Mobility-Global Medicine and Health Research 2020 program, has a duration of three years.

The research was published in the Journal of Travel Medicine.

Explore further Gender-based violence among refugee women increased during COVID

More information: Dominik Zenner et al, Health and illness in migrants and refugees arriving in Europe: analysis of the electronic personal health record system, Journal of Travel Medicine (2022). Dominik Zenner et al, Health and illness in migrants and refugees arriving in Europe: analysis of the electronic personal health record system,(2022). DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taac035
Some examples of the variations in fabric structure seen with scanning electron microscopy: A) Bandana, B) High quality quilting fabric, C) Tea towel, D) Bed sheet, E) Outer layer L1 nonwoven medical mask, F) Middle layer of L1 nonwoven medical mask. We found that pore diameter (the size of the gaps) and fabric weight predicted filtration, however consumers would not know the pore diameter for retail or wholesale cloth. For this reason, we focus on the categories used when cloth is sold, and recommend 100 per cent cotton quilters fabric, fashion fabric and T-shirt fabric. Credit: Drouillard et. al., PLOS

Early in the pandemic, mask-wearing policies were consistently associated with decreased transmission of SARS-CoV-2. At that time, the masks worn were generally made of cloth and often improvised.

The highly transmissible omicron variant focused attention on mask performance.

Although most provinces are lifting official mask mandates, we agree with public health authorities in recommending that people wear the best mask available. We have been working to improve and test reusable masks for community use.

We are an interdisciplinary group of engineers, scientists, a doctor and a community mask-maker. We test novel personal protective equipment (PPE), advocate for mask use and summarize the best available evidence at clothmasks.org.

Hierarchy of mask performance

There is an accepted hierarchy of mask performance based on mask materials, certification standards and use, confirmed by a 2022 California population health study. The best protection is obtained by wearing a respirator such as an N95, CAN95 or CAN99, or in Europe, an FFP2 or FFP3. Performance is typically lower for KN95s, KF94s and certified medical masks meeting ASTM levels 1 to 3. (ASTM is an international standards organization.)

The materials used in all these masks offer similar, excellent, aerosol filtration, but the masks differ in their fit and seal on the face, with KN95s and KF94s fitting better than certified medical masks.

Cloth masks are typically ranked lower in their performance and may or may not be certified (for example, meeting ASTM-F3502 standard). However, we recently showed that well-fitted cloth masks comprising high quality two-ply cotton material can perform as well as Level 1 medical masks.

This graph shows the filtration of two-layer masks, all the same design, worn by a human volunteer. All except bandana cotton showed filtration equivalent to a medical mask. Mass market QC = mass market quilting cotton, HQ QC = high quality quilting cotton, HQ Batik = high quality batik quilting fabric. The medical masks we tested are represented by dotted lines showing their 50 to 60% filtration. Credit: Drouillard et. al., PLOS

Fabric types

When health-care professionals are issued N95s or other certified respirators, they are fit tested to verify mask performance on the wearer. But fit testing is typically not an option for the public.

Our research, explained in plain language here, underscores that fit can be achieved by good design and is as important as mask materials. For our research, we adapted the same method used in quantitative mask fit testing: a PortaCount fit tester that counts particles inside and outside the mask.

We tested 16 different cottons from nine recognizable categories. All except bandana cotton showed filtration equivalent to a medical mask. These findings apply to the carefully designed two-layer cloth mask with ties we usedother masks that fit less well will not provide the same protection.

Our results show that two-layer cotton masks made from quilters' cotton, fashion fabric and T-shirt fabric filtered 55 to 60 percent of aerosol particles measuring one micron or smaller, the size relevant for infectious aerosol particles. This was similar to the performance of a Level 1 medical mask. The breathability of the two-layer cotton masks was also acceptable as per medical mask standards.

Filtration in the same range was provided by batiks, home decor fabric and bed-sheet fabric, but some examples of these materials failed the breathability testing. Tea towel fabrics also filtered well, but some were too thick to sew. Bandana fabrics performed worst at 46 percent filtration.

A close fit at the ear prevents unfiltered air from entering the mask at the sides. Credit: Windsor Essex Sewing Force, Author provided

Fit and design

Our research showed that cloth masks performed similarly to medical masks because they fit better, were designed thoughtfully and had overhead ties. Although medical masks are composed of materials with better filtration performance, they exhibit greater leakage, with completely unfiltered air passing around the mask.

The cloth masks included in past studies may have been haphazardly selected: their filtration, using the same methods that we used, was found to be between 23 and 52 percent. A thoughtfully designed two-layer T-shirt mask with overhead ties, tested on human volunteers, filtered 50 percent of aerosols, in keeping with our study, and again highlighting the importance of fit.

To compare like with like, when we looked at other studies, the filtration percentages that we quote above were taken from studies using a similar design: protection of a human wearer, using particles 0.02 to 3 microns, 0.02 to 1 microns and 0.02 to 0.1 microns. Other studies examining source control, using mannikins and using larger particles come to similar conclusions.

Good masks fit well, with minimal obvious leaking at the edges. Nosewires, overhead ties or earloop adjusters all contribute to fit. Two layers or more, and a middle layer of non-woven polypropylene improve overall filtration.

Masks meeting the new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standard for community masks, ASTM-F3502, are likely to filter well, though generally not as well as respirators.

As a test of breathability, we measured the pressure across fabrics using the same methods that are used for testing certified medical masks. The threshold for medical masks is shown with dotted lines. Credit: Drouillard et. al. PLOS

N95 masks

Hospitals report that the current supply of N95-type masks meets but doesn't exceed demand, and supply of these masks is insufficient for the general population. Access and cost issues require public health and economic solutions along with consideration of environmental impact of disposable PPE.

If buying respirators for personal use, we recommend buying only what you need and practising extended reuse. If buying KN95s and equivalent certified medical masks, we advise paying close attention to the fit of the mask. We recommend double masking medical masks or using minor modifications or mask hacks that enhance fit and reduce leakage.

Carefully designed, well-fitting, multilayer reusable cloth masks still have an important ongoing role in reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2, especially in lower risk settings.

Protection is highest and transmission is lowest when everyone wears masks, because masks both protect the wearer while also reducing the number of contaminated particles reaching the environment (source control). There are important reductions to individual risk from wearing any mask, which have been observed in the community and quantified in the lab. We can protect ourselves, others and vulnerable people. Let's all wear the best mask available.

Explore further Research shows superior COVID protection from better face masks

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The U.S. government's mask mandate for people on planes, trains, ferries and other modes of public transportation has been challenged in a lawsuit filed by 21 states on Tuesday.

The mask mandate exceeds the authority of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Tampa, Fla., by the states with Republican attorneys general.

The CDC's mask mandate took effect Feb. 1, 2021, and was recently extended until April 18, although the agency has said it is considering easing the rules and taking a more targeted approach.

Right now, the mandate requires "the wearing of masks by people on public transportation conveyances or on the premises of transportation hubs," according to the CDC.

"It is well past time to get rid of this unnecessary mandate and get back to normal life," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday while announcing the lawsuit, which seeks an immediate end to the mandate and asks for costs and attorneys' fees, the Associated Press reported.

Other states involved in the lawsuit are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.

The 21 states are not the only ones who want the mask mandate for public transportation lifted.

Last week, the chief executives of the country's largest airlines asked President Joe Biden in a letter to let federal mask mandates at airports and on planes lapse on April 18, along with COVID-19 testing requirements for international travelers.

And some public health officials agreed with the airlines' move.

The American Public Health Association is "supportive of this request," said its executive director Dr. Georges Benjamin. "We think that as you look at the trajectory of the disease in the United States, it's on a downward slope. There's no question that they can lift the mask mandate."

The CDC did not immediately respond to a phone call and email requesting comment on the lawsuit, the AP reported.

Explore further US extends mask rule for travel while weighing new approach

More information: Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on masks and public transportation during the pandemic.

 2022 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The World Health Organization on Wednesday laid out three possible paths that the COVID-19 pandemic might follow in 2022with a new, more virulent variant the worst-case scenario.

The WHO said the most likely way forward was that the severity of disease caused by the virus would wane over time, due to greater public immunity.

But the UN health agency also said a more dangerous variant of concern than Omicron could be lurking round the corner.

The WHO released its updated COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness, Readiness and Response Plan, with the organisation's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hoping it will be the last.

It lays out three possible scenarios for how the third year of the pandemic will pan out.

"Based on what we know now, the most likely scenario is that the virus continues to evolve, but the severity of disease it causes reduces over time as immunity increases due to vaccination and infection," Tedros told a press conference.

He said periodic spikes in cases and deaths might occur as immunity wanes, which may require occasional booster vaccinations for vulnerable people.

"In the best-case scenario, we may see less severe variants emerge, and boosters or new formulations of vaccines won't be necessary," he said.

"In the worst-case scenario, a more virulent and highly transmissible variant emerges. Against this new threat, people's protection against severe disease and death, either from prior vaccination or infection, will wane rapidly."

Tedros said that scenario would require significantly altering the currently-available vaccines, and then making sure they get delivered to the people most vulnerable to severe disease.

Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's technical lead on COVID-19, said the virus still has "a lot of energy left", going into the third year of the pandemic.

Last week, more than 10 million new cases and 45,000 deaths were reported to the WHO, which said the number of new infections would be far higher as testing rates have dropped.

At the end of last week, more than 479 million confirmed cases had been registered throughout the pandemic, and more than six million deaths, although WHO acknowledges that the true toll could be several times higher.

 2022 AFP
Some housing projects are deemed too dense, while others are questioned as not dense enough.

As the building boom continues in Missoula, a couple of large housing construction projects in lower Grant Creek and the lower Rattlesnake, respectively, are in the planning stages. The Missoula City Council is grappling with questions about housing density in neighborhoods.

A Vancouver, Washington-based developer has proposed a 20-lot subdivision at 1006 W. Greenough Drive in the lower Rattlesnake on a 5.79-acre piece of land that is currently home to just an aging house and a barn. The developer seeks a different configuration of the existing zoning and the local planning board unanimously approved the request, but it still needs to be OKd by the full city council.

The project means that there would be about 3.89 single-family homes per acre on the site, although the property is zoned for a slightly higher density.

At a land use and planning committee presentation on Wednesday, city council members Daniel Carlino and Mirtha Becerra wanted to know why the developers werent planning on building houses to the maximum density. Missoula has a severe shortage of homes, especially in the lower price ranges, and the lack of supply has driven up prices to unprecedented levels in recent years.

This (density of housing units per acre) is at the lower end of what the land use recommendation for this area is, Becerra noted. Im not suggesting they change at this point, but Im curious to know (what) the rationale is for the developers proposal. In many instances a developer has come in and city recommends a more diverse and more intense use of the land.

Becerra said that higher density doesnt necessarily have to mean apartment buildings as opposed to single-family homes or townhouses or duplexes.

Weve been focusing on the missing middle as an opportunity for those with diverse income levels to enter the housing market and so I just see this would have been a great opportunity to offer that rather than single-family homes, she said.

She said the project is close to transit and is within walking distance of a lot of amenities downtown.

I just want to point out that when were talking about higher density, its not only apartment buildings, she said. Its the missing middle.

Anna Vickers of the IMEG Corp. in Missoula, which is helping the developers through the process, said they felt that 3.89 homes per acre was a good median point considering there are higher densities and lower densities in the immediate surrounding area.

We werent really thinking about highest density, she said. You know when you look at all the stuff for building permits approval that have been happening lately, a lot of those are multi-family units and townhome units. And so we felt like these single-family homes were presenting an option that was available that wasnt quite as prevalent in what was getting approved recently.

She said they were trying to find the right mix of what was good for the neighborhood as well as considering what was being approved elsewhere in Missoula.

So I can completely understand, we all are very concerned about the lack of housing, she said. But it was just more of trying to fit into the neighborhood without like over-development and also you try to meet with whatever people want."

There have been no protests of the rezone submitted by neighbors.

"It wasnt so much as trying to put a bunch of multiplexes here so much as it was trying to fit in with the area and not cause too much stress on the neighborhood," Vickers said.

Carlino wondered if the city could rezone the property to a higher allowable density.

City attorney Jim Nugent noted that the developer is the one who ultimately decides how many homes are built on a site. He also said the project would have to be scrapped and a new application would have to be submitted by the developer to give the public the opportunity to comment about a new rezoning application.

In lower Grant Creek, local developer Ken Ault hopes to rezone roughly 44 acres of land just west of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation headquarters where he recently completed a high-density apartment complex.

The proposed new project would be north of that apartment complex. The area now consists of a reclaimed gravel pit, irrigation canal and a hillside.

With the existing zoning, the property could be developed with 158 single-dwelling and duplex homes and 344 multi-dwelling units, for a total of 502 housing units. Ault would like to build a maximum of 700 residential units for rent.

In 2020, Aults proposal for rezoning the southern portion was protested by a group of residents in the Grant Creek neighborhood. The city council (including council member Becerra) eventually voted down his proposal to rezone, despite a supply shortage of housing in the valley thats caused housing prices to spike in recent years.

Ault had originally proposed roughly 900 units for the southern portion, but in the end was only able to build about 494 units. Neighbors had concerns about traffic and other impacts, but city staff had recommended that the higher density be approved.

The planning board is set to hold a public hearing about the project at 6 p.m. on April 19.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 5 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 7

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 Missoula man accused of shooting his father, a former Missoula rural fire chief, 19 times last winter is undergoing a mental health evaluation at the state hospital.

Colton R. Merritt pleaded not guilty in January 2021 to one count of deliberate homicide. Colton called 911 on Jan. 4, 2021, and told dispatchers he shot his father, 58-year-old Daniel C. Merritt, in self-defense. Daniel was a retired Missoula Rural Fire Battalion Chief. The shooting happened at Colton's house on the 4700 block of Bailey Street, court documents allege.

Colton relayed to 911 that his father was outside his door and told him, "I am going to break in the door and put a bullet in your brain." He reported to dispatchers he believed it was an empty threat and said his father hit and kicked the door and was "eventually" able to unlock it.

As his father entered the room, Colton shot him with a .22 bolt-action rifle, he told dispatchers. Colton said he thought he fired 19 shots total and used two "clips," according to court documents.

He told investigators he thought his father was armed, but did not see his father with a gun. After shooting his father, Colton said it looked like Daniel Merritt was still alive and he shot him again to put him out of his misery, according to charging documents.

He indicated to law enforcement that his father was abusive to him in the past. Investigators interviewed Colton's brothers and Daniel Merritt's other sons. They said they grew up in the same home and that Daniel Merritt was not abusive to them or Colton.

Last month, Missoula County District Judge Robert Deschamps ordered Colton to be evaluated at the Montana State Hospital after his attorney filed a notice saying Colton intends to rely on a "mental disease or disorder" defense. The order stipulates the evaluation be completed within a 60-day time frame of his commitment.

On March 14, another order was filed vacating a trial set in April. It says Colton was still awaiting the evaluation. When the court receives the hospital's findings, a status hearing date will be set.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 6 Angry 2

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.
An assault at Montana State Hospital last week triggered a review by federal investigators while the state psychiatric hospital remains under an "immediate jeopardy" status for its deficiencies uncovered in recent months.

Last week the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services confirmed a female patient was assaulted by another patient at the state psychiatric facility and said the state was investigating the incident. Staff at the hospital who spoke to the Montana State News Bureau about the attack said the woman was severely injured and life-flighted to a Missoula hospital.

Megan Grotzke, a spokesperson for the state health department, said Tuesday that CMS inspectors were at the hospital for a review related to the assault. Grotzke declined to comment further while the process is ongoing.

The state psychiatric hospital in Warm Springs has come under the scrutiny of the federal government in recent months after inspectors found the facility's deficiencies led to patient deaths and a COVID-19 outbreak. In some cases those deficiencies were tied to the state hospital's inability to stabilize staffing, with vacancies among some positions as high as 72%.

The facility has supplemented its remaining ranks with contract staff, although paying them at a much higher rate than permanent staff has contributed to the facility approaching the end of the fiscal year $7 million over budget.

The patient-on-patient assault took place the evening of March 21. A CMS spokesperson said Tuesday that investigators were on-site in Warm Springs four days later.

"State inspectors completed a follow-up survey of the Montana State Hospital on March 25, 2022, and CMS is currently reviewing the results of that survey," the spokesperson said.

CMS was unable to provide any further information while the survey results were under review.

In a statement Tuesday, Bernadette Franks-Ongoy, executive director of the federally mandated advocacy group Disability Rights Montana, called on the state to take action as news of dangerous conditions at the state hospital continue to emerge.

"It is very concerning that this assault took place in what should be a safe environment for people with serious mental illness who are committed to MSH for treatment," Franks-Ongoy said in an emailed statement. People can also be voluntarily admitted with administrator approval, according to the hospital's website.

"Everyone should be concerned. This is another very serious incident in a hospital that is already under immediate jeopardy and under threat of losing its certification because it does not meet the minimum standards of care. How many more people have to die or be seriously injured for the state to act?"

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 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.
Naomi Judd died Saturday at age 76. Here are some of the entertainers, leaders, athletes and other notable people we've lost so far this year.
MARION  A Morganton woman was charged in McDowell County after a traffic stop last week.

Miranda Elizabeth Jackson, 36, was charged with felony possession of methamphetamine, misdemeanor possession of marijuana, misdemeanor possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, a release from the McDowell County Sheriffs Office says.

The charges came after a deputy pulled Jackson over Thursday for not having a license plate on her vehicle, the release said.

Open containers of alcohol were visible in the vehicle, and a search of the car turned up methamphetamine, marijuana and the prescription drugs Suboxone and Percocet, the release said.

Jackson has previous misdemeanor convictions of larceny, reckless driving, larceny of motor fuel, child abuse, use/possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while license revoked, a records check on the North Carolina Department of Public Safety website shows.

Her secured bond was set at $8,000, the release said. Her next court date is set for July 19, the N.C. Judicial Branch website said.
BANNER ELK  Lees-McRae College will host two sessions of the Wildlife Science Summer Program starting in June.

The first session will take place June 19-25, and the second session from June 26-July 1.

Targeted toward high school students with an interest in natural and environmental sciences, this weeklong camp is an immersive academic enrichment experience where students will eat, sleep and learn on the Lees-McRae campus. Participants must have completed at least their freshman year of high school and must have taken or be enrolled in a high-school level biology course.

While the sessions are similar and focus on teaching the fundamentals of wildlife biology through experiential learning, week two is suggested for students who are slightly more advanced. Students can enroll in one or both sessions, and the week one session provides adequate background information for a student to be successful in the more advanced week two session.

This program is for students who are interested in pursuing a degree or career in natural or wildlife sciences, and many participants go on to study these fields at Lees-McRae as undergraduates.

To sign up for the program or find more details about the sessions, visit lmc.edu/community/summer-programs/academic-camps.htm.
The Friends of the Fonta Flora State Trail organization has named Amanda Elledge Finn its new executive director.

The Friends is a nonprofit group whose mission is to build and maintain 100 miles of trail that will connect Burke, McDowell and Buncombe counties. Representing a significant economic opportunity for western North Carolina, the group will work with existing partner organizations in the region to expand the outdoor recreational offerings to the community.

Beth Heile, who has been acting as executive director for the past year, has stepped into the role of president of the groups board of directors.

Finn earned a Bachelor of Arts from N.C. State University, a Master of Arts from New York University and a Master of Arts from Appalachian State University. She is the former executive director of the Historic Carson House in Marion and has returned to western North Carolina after becoming a doctoral student at N.C. State.

Amandas experience in strategic planning, fund development and grant writing made her the perfect fit to ensure F3STs success and sustainability going forward, Heile said. I feel confident the organization will grow under her leadership.

Finn, a native of McDowell County, said she is excited to bring my experience with cultural resources and grant writing gained at the National Park Service to move F3ST into the next phase of its mission.

Working with familiar faces makes this project all the more exciting, she said.

To learn more about the Friends, visit fontaflorastatetrail.com.
The Montana History Foundation granted a total of $212,147 in 2022 preservation grants to 28 projects across the state. The History Foundations total amount awarded to date is now over $1.3 million.

We are humbled by the number of worthy projects seeking funds this year, said President and CEO Charlene Porsild. It is an honor to support 28 community organizations working to preserve their history across Montana.

The Foundation grants up to $10,000 per project. This year, grants will support projects from Flathead to Fallon counties.

Area projects include two in Butte and one in Deer Lodge.

CHINESE CEMETERY

Montanas Chinese Cemeteries: Translating and Interpreting what Remains, Butte, $10,000: The Mai Wah Society will use MHF funds to translate and interpret Chinese headstones in four cemeteries in Bozeman, Butte, Billings, and Helena. The group will create a website featuring the projects findings.

CLARK CHATEAU

Matterport 3D Imaging of the Clark Chateau, Butte, $2,000: The Clark Chateau Museum in Butte will conduct a 3D Matterport Service to document the historic architecture, exhibits, and collections. The photos will be freely available on the Chateaus website.

OLD PRISON

The 1893 Montana Prison Perimeter Stone Wall Tower Project, Deer Lodge, $9,000: The Powell County Museum and Arts Foundation will repair and reset two of the six original Montana Prison wall towers and restore part of the Prison perimeter wall.

See of complete list of recipients at https://www.mthistory.org/grants/

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The Rotary Club of Butte will honor Dr. James L. Patterson at a ceremony at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at the Maud S Canyon parking lot on the East Ridge. A bench will be dedicated to Patterson and his late wife, Meryl, in recognition of their many contributions to Rotary Club and the community.
The countys plans to demolish a long-vacant, crumbling building in Uptown Butte have expanded to include two adjacent buildings on East Park Street that have served as the Butte-Rescue Missions thrift store.

That will increase the tab to taxpayers, at least in the short-run, but county officials say its the safe, logical way to go.

Butte-Silver Bow officials say it would have cost up to $150,000 just to stabilize a shared wall between the now county-owned vacant building at 135 E. Park Street and the thrift store so demolition of the vacant structure could proceed.

But a structural engineer also inspected the thrift store buildings and determined they, too, were unstable and unsafe and needed repairs would cost well over $200,000.

Under a new plan, the county would pay the Mission $38,572 for the thrift store property and up to $12,000 in relocation expenses, then tear all three buildings down. The tab for demolition hasnt been set but its likely to cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars.

The countys Urban Revitalization Agency agreed Tuesday to provide the payments to the Mission but the overall plan  including the expanded demolition  must also get a nod from the Council of Commissioners. The council is likely to consider it next week.

Both thrift store buildings were built before 1911 and the Mission has owned them for the past 20 years. The building at 135 E. Park was privately owned but the county deemed it dangerous and acquired it in a settlement in 2020 so it could be torn down.

J.P. Gallagher, Butte-Silver Bows chief executive, said the Mission didnt neglect the thrift store buildings but others had in prior years. There are lots of other buildings in Uptown Butte that end up in the governments lap due to neglect, he said.

We become the bad guy because we have to do something about it, he said. That makes it tough. No one in government wants to lose more historic Uptown buildings. We want to keep them if at all possible, but that doesnt mean at all costs because sometimes theyre not recoverable.

URA board members said the nonprofit Mission provides needed services to the homeless and hungry and does great work. That and safety and cost factors justified the property purchase, they said.

I think this has to happen but I dont want to see it as being a precedent for this board, said longtime member Bob Worley.

The Mission was in a tough spot, Gallagher said, because they were trying to keep the doors open to the homeless shelter on Platinum Street. The new plan, he said, was the right thing for the community.

The URA oversees Buttes Uptown tax-increment district. It captures property taxes from new developments in the district and the board reinvests the revenue in the same area, but the money still comes from property taxpayers.

Mission officials said they were grateful for the countys support in the dilemma and are suspending thrift store operations for now. They are looking for alternate locations but said nothing has been decided about any future thrift store.

The store provides some monetary support for overall Mission operations but is not a huge source of income, Mission officials said. But it serves other purposes, too, including sales training for those trying to overcome homelessness.

We will continue to provide food, shelter and cold-weather clothing, including blankets, for anyone in need at our campus location on Platinum Street, said Mission Executive Director Brayton Erickson. The way we receive donations may change but our mission will remain the same as we care for this community.

Silver Bow Properties owned the building at 135 E. Park Street before the county deemed it dangerous several years ago. The roof and second floor had collapsed among other things.

After more than 18 months passed, the county reached a settlement agreement with Silver Bow Properties in the fall of 2020. Under the deal, Silver Bow Properties gave ownership of the building to the county and agreed to pay $25,000 toward demolition costs.

The costs could run $50,000 to $60,000 but county officials said without the settlement, the matter could drag out months longer and a dangerous building would still be standing. Gallagher said Tuesday that Silver Bow Properties had paid the $25,000.

Prep work for demolition began in February 2021 and it offered a closer look at a merged or meshed wall with one of the thrift store buildings. More analysis on it was needed so demolition was halted.

Structural engineers with Stahly Engineering ultimately determined the buildings shared a wall and it would cost $150,000 to stabilize it so demolition of 135 E. Park could continue. To determine whether that made sense, the engineers did an analysis of the thrift store buildings.

That, according to a summary given to URA board members, showed the buildings were unstable and in need of extensive structural repairs that would well exceed $200,000.

The county has been working with the Mission, including Erickson and Mission Board President Bill McGladdery, on how to proceed.

When they first came back and said, Well, its going to be $150,000 to build this wall, we just sat there and said, You know, as taxpayers and as individuals, we have a hard time seeing the county expend those types of funds, McGladdery told URA board members Tuesday.

The bottom line, officials said, is that shoring up the wall would not fix the serious structural problems in the thrift buildings.

URA board Chairman Dale Mahugh said Butte-Silver Bow and Uptown Butte could benefit from the plan in the end if the county finds new uses or developers for the site.

It is a desirable area and a situation where there is probably a much higher and better use going forward with new construction, but at the same time, Butte-Silver Bow can actually monitor and control what the face of that new building will look like so its a good fit, he said.

The URA spends much of its money on projects that restore buildings, but board member Bob Brown said this was a justified exception. That was in part due to the great work the Mission does, he said.

You people deserve a lot of praise for what youve done, he said. Theres not any joy in this but I think its the wisest course.

Love 5 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 8 Angry 11

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The Bureau of Land Management on Wednesday issued a proposed decision to allow American Prairie to graze bison on about 63,000 acres of federal land in Phillips County under 10 year leases.

Ultimately, the overall goals of any grazing decision are to ensure the health of BLM-administered public lands and implement the law, said acting Montana/Dakotas State Director Theresa Hanley in a statement. This proposed grazing decision will help us continue to achieve those goals, providing for multiple-purpose use and enjoyment, now and in the future.

Pete Geddes, American Prairie vice president, said in an email, We are extremely pleased with this decision, which will enable us to exercise our grazing privileges to sustainably grow our conservation herd of bison, protect the health of the land, and create more outdoor opportunities for visitors to experience Montanas prairie lands and wildlife.

Change

American Prairies initial request in 2017 was to change the terms of its grazing allotments on 290,000 acres, which angered some ranchers, the Montana Stockgrowers Association and politicians in the region. More than 2,400 comments were received on the proposal which dealt with 18 allotments in four counties.

The 2019 Legislature passed a House joint resolution requesting the BLM deny the grazing permit. By the end of the year, American Prairie amended its proposal, dropping down to only seven allotments to reduce the acreage, all of them in Phillips County. Another 3,000 comments were received on the modified proposal.

Opposition

After the BLM gave its initial approval to the plan, Gov. Greg Gianforte criticized the agency for not allowing enough time for the public to comment. The BLM extended the comment deadline, but state officials said it wasnt enough. As a result, a Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation administrator charged the BLM did not have the authority to grant American Prairie permits to graze on federal lands.

Shawn Thomas, division administrator for the state's Trust Land Management, made the statement in a letter to the BLM and also requested the federal agency withhold its decision until the DNRC conducted its own environmental analysis. Within American Prairies proposed grazing allotments there are 5,830 acres of state lands. A message for Thomas was not returned in time for this story.

Brooke Stroyke, press secretary for Gianforte, said in an email, The state has received and is reviewing the BLM's grazing decision. The governor shares Montanans' hope that BLM took Montanans' comments to heart and bolstered its analysis to reach a legal, well-reasoned decision.

Opponents to the BLM decision have 15 days to protest. Following that, the BLM will consider any substantive protests from qualified commenters before issuing a final grazing decision. That will initiate a 30-day appeal period.

Nonprofit

A nonprofit conservation group, American Prairie (formerly known as American Prairie Reserve) has purchased 452,428 acres (117,611 private and 334,817 public) since its inception in 2001. The groups goal is to one day lace together its private lands with 3 million acres of adjoining public property to create a wildlife preserve and refuge for prairie species. The group also offers visitor access to parts of its property for recreation, including camping and hunting.

Returning bison to the landscape is part of APs grand plan. Bison are already managed as livestock in other areas of Montana and across the United States.

A distinction is made between bison that are privately owned and considered livestock and those that are considered wildlife (publicly owned) that fall under the jurisdiction of the State of Montana, the BLM wrote.

Yet American Prairies plans have raised concerns other private bison ranchers have not.

American Prairies current bison population totals 813 animals and is spread across three herds in Dry Fork, White Rock and Sun Prairie. Once the grazing changes are finalized, American Prairie will be able to grow its herd to 1,000 animals by 2025, the group said. By comparison there are currently more than 13,000 head of cattle grazing across American Prairie.

Decision

The BLMs proposed decision would allow bison grazing on six of the seven allotments. One common allotment, the East Dry Fork, grazed with another livestock operator would remain approved for cattle-only at 1,584 animal unit months. AUMs are the amount of forage required by one animal for one month.

Seasonal grazing would be permitted on four of the allotments. Year-round grazing would be permitted on three allotments; two of which had been previously authorized for year-round bison grazing. There would be no change in AUMs on any of the allotments.

The proposed grazing decision, and its detailed terms and conditions, are supported by the EA analysis which carefully examined American Prairies proposal for potential effects on each individual allotments unique land characteristics and uses, said Tom Darrington, Malta Field Office manager.

Although cattle groups complained year-round grazing would harm the environment, the BLM wrote that areas being grazed by bison will experience improvements to vegetative communities including variation in vegetative communities, diversified vegetation and an increase in native plant species. Because bison tend to graze in patches, the result is a patchy distribution of vegetation that encourages plant species diversity by allowing forbs to flourish. Species such as Greater Sage Grouse will benefit from an increase in native forbs. Because bison tend to spend less time and forage greater distances from water, improvements to riparian vegetation and riparian function will also be seen.

As a result of improved water quality from less sedimentation, the habitat for aquatic species and riparian birds will be improved, the agency added.

After years of thoughtful consideration and public input, it is clear the Bureau of Land Management understands the value of having bison on the landscape, the APs Geddes said. Not only in their finding that our grazing proposal will not have a significant environmental impact on the land, but in going a step further and recognizing it will benefit local wildlife, improve land and water quality, and create new local jobs, all without impacting the value of the ranching economy.

Other changes

More than 30 miles of existing fence will be removed under the proposal while another 44 miles will be rebuilt, 35 miles will be reconstructed as electric and five miles of new fence would be built. The new and reconstructed fences would be wildlife friendly to make it easier for animals like pronghorns to pass through.

In Phillips County, where all seven of the grazing allotments exist, American Prairie inked an agreement last year with the Conservation District that guides disease testing, a vaccination program and a treatment plan for escaped bison.

We look forward to putting our management plan into action in partnership with Phillips County to ensure the long-term health of the land, our bison herd and local producers, Geddes said.

The proposed grazing decision, and documents associated with the EA and FONSI are available on the BLMs ePlanning website https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/103543/510.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
A state district court judge has denied a request to remove the ankle-monitoring bracelets of a Plentywood man accused of raping two developmentally disabled women.

Judge Brenda Gilbert said Wednesday that Timothy Ray Marsh is presumed innocent of the pending charges, but the allegations are serious and warrant the pre-trial conditions as set by the court."

Marsh, who is awaiting trial, had asked for the bracelet to be removed, noting the $350 monthly expense of the monitoring device. He has been on an ankle bracelet since September, his attorney, Samantha Howard, said.

Marsh pleaded not guilty Aug. 25 to three counts of sexual intercourse without consent with two women. Marsh, who was 62 at the time of his August arraignment, had been held on $150,000 bond and was out of jail since Aug. 19. 2021.

The trial is now set for Aug. 12. At one time, the trial was scheduled for February.

The alleged incidents occurred in 2015 and in 2018, according to court documents. Marsh at one time worked as a maintenance worker at Glenwood Inc., a facility for adults with disabilities. He is no longer employed there.

The defense has asked for competency evaluations for the two alleged victims. The state did not object but sought the following conditions: that the evaluations be recorded, that the evaluator may not ask questions about the allegations, and that both women can have a support person in the room.

The state also said the defense must provide reports and if a rebuttal evaluation is necessary, the state will provide that report to the defense.

A competency hearing is set for July 7.

Gilbert, a Livingston-based judge, is presiding in the case in the 15th Judicial District in Sheridan County, after the previous judge recused himself. The state attorney generals office, who is prosecuting the case, asked Judge David Cybulski to step down, saying there was a specter of a conflict as he and Marsh are longtime residents of the community of 1,669.

Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0
ARCHIVED - Price of electricity in Spain has risen 24 per cent since start of war in Ukraine



Most people will not feel the benefit of the governments new measures on their energy bills

The price of electricity on the wholesale market in Spain has increased this Wednesday for the third consecutive day, by about 3%, to reach 255.81 euros per Megawatt hour (MWh), according to data from the Iberian Electricity Market Operator (OMIE).

With this latest rise, the price of electricity is five times the amount it was just a year ago (53.53 euros/MWh), and is 24% higher than on 24 February, when the war in Ukraine began

In terms of energy prices, they have placed a cap of 67 euros/MWh for new and renewed contracts with electricity companies, but this will not apply for anyone who has a standing contract with their energy company, and the cost per Megawatt hour will remain as high as ever.

Image: Archive
WAPELLO  The Louisa County Board of Supervisors appeal last year of updated Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) floodplain maps has apparently paid off for the Oakville and Fredonia areas, the supervisors learned during their regular weekly meeting on Tuesday.

Those initial maps had been developed several years ago but had quickly been challenged by area municipal, drainage and county officials as inaccurate. Among the problems was a failure to account for levee protection around Oakville and much of the north portion of the Two Rivers Levee and Drainage District (TRLDD). Fredonia was also misclassified because of a drainage issue that was jointly resolved last year between the Canadian Pacific Railroad, Louisa County and the city of Fredonia.

Those errors had meant both communities were placed into Zone A of the floodplain, meaning no building could be rebuilt in those areas unless they were raised above the 100-year flood level. At the time the initial maps were reviewed, officials also stated the errors meant property owners could have seen significant hikes in their property insurance premiums because of the misclassifications.

After examining those maps last year, the supervisors appealed to federal officials, and at Tuesdays meeting, board chair Brad Quigley reported the revised FEMA maps had arrived and requested Shutt to review them.

Shutt had goods news after a quick look.

Oakville is back in Zone X, protected by a levee, he told the board, adding Fredonia also had been placed outside of Zone A.

I think this is where we wanted to be, Shutt said, adding he wanted to study the maps more and also talk with TRLDD Administrator Vicki Stoller to confirm his analysis.

The supervisors agreed and gave Shutt the revised maps, asking him to keep them updated on his discussions with Stoller and his continued review.

In his regular weekly departmental update to the board, Shutt introduced new maintenance supervisor Terry Harris. Harris is scheduled to begin his new position on April 1.

Responding to a question from Quigley, Shutt confirmed the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) was expecting to complete the replacement of a bridge on Iowa Highway 78 in 77 days.

Quigley said the board had assumed the work would close the highway for up to one year, so the short construction period was welcomed.

Shutt also reported he had started right of way acquisition efforts to cover planned improvements to 160th Street, the Grandview Bypass.

In other action, the board met with Louisa County Conservation Board Executive Director Katie Hammond and set an April 12 public hearing for a planned timber sale at Virginia Grove Recreation Area northwest of Morning Sun.

Hammond said 139 trees had been marked by state and other professional foresters for the sale, using the LCCBs previously approved Virginia Grove Timber Management Plan.

The supervisors also met through Zoom with Louisa County Public Health Administrator Roxanne Smith. She reported recently attending a conference on home health care. She also responded to a report from supervisor Randy Griffin, who said a constituent had quizzed him about the public health service not charging to administer COVID vaccinations.

Smith said the county board of health had decided not to charge during the public health emergency and the supervisors agreed that had been the right decision.

In final action, the board:

 Accepted a $4,600 quote from Maddy Tree Service, Mount Pleasant, to removal seven ash trees at the county complex and trim several trees at the courthouse.

 Agreed to recommend the Columbus City Township trustees contact county attorney Adam Parsons concerning a fencing dispute.

 Approved a fireworks permit for Denise McCulley.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
MUSCATINE  Ten Muscatine High School students attended the National High School Model United Nations Conference last week in New York City.

The school has participated in the Model U.N. conference six times in the past 13 years, according to trip advisor and seventh grade social studies instructor Aaron Smith.

This year, student delegates researched and discussed various topics such as economics, human rights, politics and science. The MHS students were asked to debate from the South Korean perspective.

MHS has a long history of supporting Model U.N. clubs, Smith said. We have found (NHSMUN) to be a well-organized conference where students can discuss, debate and collaborate to find solutions to modern-day problems with students from all parts of the world. When discussing and debating solutions to these issues, the emphasis is to teach students how to come up with diplomatic solutions.

Senior Elizabeth Storr, called the trip a once in a lifetime thing.

Hearing about all these different delegates ideas from around the world opened my eyes to things I had never thought of before, she said. As the Republic of Korea, we had to stand for the different policies they live by today.

Storr said her freshman teacher, Ms. Hansen, sparked her interest in Model U.N. and world relations.

During the conference, Storr and senior Elly Shippee spoke about the mass detention of the Uighur Muslims in China.

The conference is great and life-changing. I was able to gain skills on parliamentary procedure, public speaking, debate and understanding cultural differences, Shippee said. My favorite part of the trip was meeting people from across the world. It was so cool to hear how their day-to-day life is like in comparison to ours.

Senior Aidan Schrader said this was his first time at Model U.N. and it was a positive experience.

To see so many schools from around the world come together and work on world problems was something Ill never forget, he said. Meeting kids from Europe to Africa really opened up my eyes to not only my own experiences but the experiences of the kids I met.

Stanley Center for Peace and Security's Global Education program assisted with the trip. The program has partnered with the MHS Model U.N. club since its formation in the 1980s.

We are proud to partner with the MHS Model U.N. Club on this amazing opportunity for our local students to listen, ask questions and interact with their international peers, Stanley Center Program Officer Krista Regennitter said. It was inspirational to watch our local students engage with youth from around the globe, discussing issues that impact us locally and require action globally, and finding ways to build consensus around possible solutions.

For our students, events like NHSMUN are important because it provides students with a real-life simulation where they can develop the diplomatic skills to work with other people, who may have different beliefs, to solve problems, Smith added. It also shows them the differences a political leader has to work through during their career.

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.
It was Calistoga, 1913, and the Nationals of Camp John E. Klein were stationed in a field near the original Springs grounds between July 3 and 13.

The Nationals (not affiliated with the National Guard) claim to have been originally organized in 1855 as a private military cadet corps based in San Francisco. They modeled themselves after an early San Francisco militia unit, practicing military drilling in preparation for being called to war. Even though the claim was they dated back to pre-Civil War, research tells us they had only been in existence since circa 1910 although many members of a previous incarnation of The Nationals enlisted in the Spanish-American War.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.

It's safe to say they were a paramilitary group, all volunteer, young men possibly eager for the glory of war. These types of private military organizations became a fad of sorts during the period. Although the reality of World War I must have removed much of the romance, when the U.S. entered the war in 1917, many of these members enlisted individually and served honorably.

They had adopted a mid-century uniform (no longer in use by the U.S. military after the Civil War) of the Zouaves, who were crack troops in the U.S. during the 1850s and 1860s. Zouaves, originating in France, were considered some of the most highly trained and most feared in the world. The uniforms were flashy and bright, maybe not the best to be worn on a battlefield.

Captain John E. Klein, for which this chapter was named, served as an officer in the California National Guard in San Francisco in the 1880s and 1890s. He may have distinguished himself in the Spanish-American War. This is unknown, but for whatever the reason, his name is proudly recorded for the group of Nationals that visited Calistoga in 1913 as Camp John E. Klein.

The namesake for our local chapter SUVCW (Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War) is Col. Elmer Ellsworth, who commanded a New York Zouaves company. His name became a rallying cry in the North to sign-up enlistees.

We cannot confirm the reason for the Nationals being present in 1913 Calistoga for 10 days, possibly wanting to simply take advantage of the scores of visitors Calistoga experienced during the Fourth of July holiday to advertise their chapter and gain more volunteers. Needless to say they were dedicated in their vision, whatever that may have been.

Dean Enderlin contributed to this story.
In the late 70s Gary Fishman was the first Southern California wine retailer to discover the wine of a little-known vintner named Randy Dunn.

It turns out that a good bottle of wine isnt the only thing Fishman has an eye for, as his fine art photography career has taken off since he retired from the wine business in 2018.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.

Starting April 4, Fishmans photos will be on display throughout the month of April at The Gallery at Brasswood, 3111 St. Helena Highway North (Highway 29).

Fishman describes the photos included in Sites and Insights 2022 as eclectic. A sunrise in Beverly Glen, Los Angeles. A cracked sidewalk in New Orleans. A friends daughter raising a wineglass. A door outside Georgia OKeefes house near Santa Fe. Pretty much anything except vineyard shots, which I dont do, he said.

Spontaneity plays an important role in Fishmans photography.

Ansel Adams would have been sweating for eight hours over the Beverly Glen shot, he said. I just jumped out of the car and captured a few shots, and it turned out to be this unplanned magic moment that only lasted two or three minutes.

Fishman has also been praised for having a natural eye for interesting subject matter. He said vintner Warren Winiarski once told him, Gary, you see things that other people do not see.

Fishman first started dabbling in photography around the age of 6, when his skill with a Polaroid camera earned him a job as the familys official photographer.

He kept taking photos during his 45-year career in wine, but it wasnt until he retired that he established his fine art photography business and exhibited his work at Rutherfords St. Supery Winery one weekend in 2019.

The Brasswood exhibit will give his photos a chance to shine for an entire month.

He thinks people will enjoy the shows eclecticism because you dont know whats coming next, he said.

Something of no really intrinsic value can suddenly be elevated to the level of art simply because it was noticed in a certain light, so to speak, Fishman said.

For example, while Fishman doesnt do vineyard shots, the Brasswood show does contain one winery shot  not that youll be able to tell by looking at it.

Its simply a cement wall drying at Nine Suns Winery on Pritchard Hill, he said. A year or two down the road that walls going to look different. But I captured a moment and memorialized a point in time.

You can reach Jesse Duarte at 967-6803 or jduarte@sthelenastar.com.

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.
UpStage Napa Valley is calling all playwrights or aspiring playwrights for their Second Annual PlayFest. This local playwright festival focuses on 10-minute plays, which is a genre that began in the late 1970s and has soared in popularity to become one of the most popular type of plays today.

Writing a full-length play is very intimidating to most writers, but a 10-minute-play is doable, said Michael Waterson, a Napa Valley playwright, actor, performer and poet who had three plays chosen for UpStage Napa Valleys premiere 2021 festival. The 10-minute-play gives local playwrights a chance to get produced and, since these plays dont usually involve royalties, they are much more affordable for small theaters to perform. This short play must be complete, with a beginning, middle and end, and present deep character transformation within the limited time frame.

UpStage has announced this years prompt to be Looking for Normal   All scripts must be original and written for no more than four performers, with a setting in one location, and a performance length of between 10 and 20 minutes. Plays must be submitted by May 15 to UpStage Napa Valley, P.O. Box 277, Calistoga, CA 94515. Or email info@upstagenapavalley.org. Announcement of chosen entries will be mid-June and, over the following months, the plays will be performed by UpStage actors.

How do you write a 10-minute play? According to Waterson, You must hit the ground running to fit in conflict, arc, and resolution is a very short time. The text is 10-15 double-spaced pages when written in the correct format for submission. There is a wealth of information on the internet. The best place to start is to enter 'how to write a ten minute play' or 'best 10 minute plays of 2020' or 'how to format a playscript' on your browser. Many of us have had ideas for stories floating around our heads for years that wed like to write or perhaps an event brings a new, burning idea. The 10-minute play gives a short-commitment opportunity. If youre a writer you are just typing the words that come from your brain.

One of Watersons short plays, which UpStage Napa Valley chose for its 2021 Playwright Festival, is Absolution. The idea for this very powerful play came from Waterson attending his 40th high school reunion in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania more than a decade ago. A classmate shared that he had been molested, as a boy, by the parish priest after a field trip. The classmate didnt go into detail, but that event triggered Waterson to write Absolution.

Going to confession is very psychoanalytical, so you put your trust in this person, especially if youre a child, explained Waterson. Therefore, being hurt physically and mentally by a priest is extremely damaging. Instead of blaming the perpetrator, the victim often takes responsibility and blame for what happened.

To view the film Absolution, performed by two local actors, go to the link on UpStage Napa Valleys website https://www.upstagenapavalley.org/videos/absolution. There are also other films available under the link Video Series. These videos were UpStage Napa Valleys solution to performing during the pandemic when live audiences werent an option. While there is no charge for watching the videos, donations to UpStage are greatly appreciated.

Our mission is Theater from the Heart. Theater not only entertains, it can engage and heal, said Sharie Renault, Artistic Director for Upstage Napa Valley. Each of our plays deals with meaningful  often difficult  real-life issues and, yet, there is always a positive message within each of these stories. After each performance, there is an open discussion between the actors and the audience to bring an even deeper connection to the experience.

We are a volunteer community theater in our sixth year of performances. Our venue is Newton Hall of Grace Episcopal Church on Spring Street in St. Helena. We draw the majority of our actors from members of the community, as well as our playwrights for PlayFest. This year, a university professor in Puerto Rico, Rosalina Perales, who is also on the UpStage Napa Valley script-reading committee, is having a few students write plays for our playwright festival in Spanish. Their plays will be a welcome diversity to our performances. We hope to see you at UpStage Napa Valley!
UpStage Napa Valley is fortunate to feature actor Luke Myers, who grew up in St. Helena and contributed to theater productions in our local schools and community. He then studied at acting conservatories in the United States and London, before returning as a professional Bay Area actor.

Myers is also an accomplished playwright and will read one of his short plays for UpStage Napa Valleys PlayRead on Thursday, April 7 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the St. Helena Public Library. This play, Planet Earth is Blue (and theres nothing we can do) responds to the climate change crisis. After the PlayRead, there will be an open discussion between Myers and the audience to bring an even deeper connection to the experience.

I was intrigued by the prompt for UpStage Napa Valleys Playwright Festival, which was 'Conversations after  ," said Myers. It gave me an opportunity to expand upon an idea I had for a solo show, where Id sent myself back in time from a future state to present day, believing that this exact place and time is the absolute critical moment that could prevent the worst effects of climate change. 'Planet Earth is Blue  ' takes place after a future climate apocalypse, when a scientist, artist, and bodyguard travel together from Mars with the destination of 16th-century London, landing instead in present-day Napa Valley. Believing that its too late to stop the worst from happening, they are forced to face the climate crisis as it is today, since the past cannot be altered.

Myers participated in St. Helena High School drama department productions years ago, under teachers Mary Fullerton and Patti Coyle. He graduated in 2011 and went on to study at PCPA Pacific Conservatory Theatre. From 2014 to 2018, he studied at the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater BFA Actor Training Program, including a semester at the Globe in London.

My first theatrical experience was playing Christopher Robin in elementary school, said Myers. Ive always been shy, and this was a pivotal movement that allowed me to access parts of myself that I hadnt before. Mentors and theater camps reinforced to me that acting could be a profession and thankfully my parents were very supportive of my decision to continue this passion.

Ive always wanted to tell stories said Myers, and lately, Ive felt a strong pull to tell more climate narratives and reckon with my own struggles to find arts place in climate justice  Im most excited about my work with Climate Change Theatre Action, a global initiative with a community focus that combines short plays with opportunities for climate action. In December, I teamed up with local creatives and climate speakers to host A Pathway to Change, a walking theatre experience along the St. Helena Library path, where audiences strolled and stopped to listen to climate plays, poems, music, and presentations by an empowering array of locals whove been involved in positive climate action. Im very grateful that Aisha Rivera, a key collaborator on the project, will be reading this play with me, alongside artistic colleague Ginna Beharry.

Following Lukes PlayRead, there will be a sneak peek at UpStages spring production, Dead Mans Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl. Stay tuned for May dates for this dark comedy.

Complete with a wine & cheese reception, the UpStage Napa Valley PlayRead event does not require an RSVP and there is no charge. Donations to UpStage are graciously accepted. The St. Helena Public Library is located at 1492 Library Lane. UpStage is very appreciative of the Librarys continued support.
Tackling climate change in Napa was the primary focus of the Napa City Council Monday night as councilmembers took turns providing feedback on the citys 313-page draft general plan during a rare joint meeting with the citys Planning Commission.

The new draft general plan  which, when approved, will serve as the citys main long-term planning document until 2040  became available for public review in late February after years of development. Back in February, the council identified finishing up and implementing the general plan this year as a priority.

Earlier this month, the Planning Commission reviewed three elements of the plan, including sections covering land use, transportation and climate change. Several public commenters asked for more specific language in the climate and transportation elements at the time.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.

A larger group filled the council chambers Monday evening: 27 community members shared feedback during a roughly hour-long public comment session. And 94 additional written comments were emailed to the city, said City Clerk Tiffany Carranza. Most of the comments focused on climate, traffic and environmental concerns and impacts.

Michael Walker, senior planner for the city, said at the meeting general plans need to be designed around several requirements, some of which prevent officials from being too specific. For example, he said, theyre required to be comprehensive, internally consistent and take a long-term perspective. Thats because supposed to establish a long-range vision and policies for the city provide a strong basis for city actions and development projects over the next 20 years, Walker added.

In terms of being internally consistent, that means that all portions of the plan have legal weight and are fully integrated without conflict, Walker said. Because of this, it is imperative that all elements carry the same level of specificity. What we want to avoid are situations that create unintended consequences.

Margaret Smetana  a member of local environmental group Napa Climate NOW!  said it seemed like the unique urgency of climate change is new for the long-term planning process, and it was up for question how climate considerations can appropriately fit alongside the other planning elements.

They are not equal, really, Smetana said. Rather, the climate element really cant be siloed; it needs to set an appropriately high and clear bar for all the others.

Bayard Fox, also a member of the climate group, urged stronger language.

I subsequently read other general plans which incorporated much stronger verbiage, Fox said. Words like achieve, instead of vague words like propose or promote. This is not really the time to equivocate.

Several commenters also criticized the inclusion of a historically controversial plan to extend Linda Vista Avenue over Napa Creek, which would allow motorists on the west side of Highway 29 to drive from First Street to north Napa without getting on the highway.

That plan most recently came to the Napa City Council in 2018, and the council tabled it in the face of considerable community opposition.

Traffic generally was a prominent topic of the public comments. Maureen Trippe, co-founder of Slow Down Napa, called for the incorporation of traffic calming  a term that refers to engineering solutions to traffic, such as speed bumps  in the general plan.

This isnt about solving a short term problem that engineering and enforcement can patch up with a few measures, Trippe said. A long-term strategy is needed, which is why (traffic calming) must be in the general plan.

City staff maintained that the language in the plan needs to be somewhat unspecific so it doesnt cause unintended legal consequences.

Community development director Vin Smith added that city staff is trying to balance picking language that will survive the 20-year life of the general plan while still being aspirational.

Though the councilmembers and commissioners were scheduled to review all nine elements of the draft general plan, they, over the course of three hours, ultimately gave feedback on the land use, transportation, parks and climate change elements, focusing primarily on climate change.

Several councilmembers did say they didnt support the Linda Vista Bridge project, at least as a motor vehicle thoroughfare.

The councilmembers and commissioners agreed that the climate change element deserved some extra focus.

Planning Commission Chair Gordon Huether said climate change is certainly a crisis and that the city needs to rise up and try to mitigate it as much as possible.

Councilmember Beth Painter added that the comments made by the climate group members were well thought out, and she thought the council and commission members were in agreement that this is not only a new element, but this is a critical element.

Additionally, Painter said, she wanted to see language that would make it clear in the general plan that establishing a short-term Climate Action Plan is a priority for the city.

She also said that words do matter, that words like achieve, aim, strong, ambitious, establish, ensure, protect, maintain and prioritize dont necessarily box the city into areas that could cause legal trouble, but still set a tone of urgency.

I want us all to listen really carefully to the words that are used and find that balance between flexibility on language, but maybe a little bit more audacious and forceful, Painter said.  This is new and this is something that I think warrants a little bit of time spent on that terminology.

Councilmember Bernie Narvaez said he was inspired by the discussion around the climate element because the need to address climate change is nonnegotiable.

If were going to be bold in any element, specific in any element, this is it, Narvaez said. This is where we really need to show up.

You can reach Edward Booth at (707) 256-2213.

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.
New signage and lighting, an upgraded reservation system for RV owners, and better internet access are among the items on the Napa Valley Expos to-do list this year.

A capital improvement plan, whose first stage was approved last week by the board of the state-owned Expo in downtown Napa, is meant to modernize a host of services and fixtures, both at the Third Street fairground and in its offices.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.

The plan's $376,500 first phase covers a host of upgrades and replacements sought by the Expos directors and customers, in some cases long before the fairground all but shut down with the pandemics arrival in early 2020. After being nearly denuded of revenue for more than a year, the Expo has rebuilt its budget with a combination of federal stimulus funds and the return last year of mass events like the BottleRock music festival.

The list of 15 projects includes a tractor and turf maintenance equipment, at $100,000 the most expensive item on the slate. Other items will include $30,000 to replace power tools stolen from the Expo last year, $20,000 for new asphalt, $12,500 for lighting, and $35,000 for directional signs to guide visitors around the fairground and RV park.

The facilities plan also includes a second list of longer-term fixes to buildings and electrical, water and climate-control systems totaling more than $3.1 million, which are not on the Expos priority list for 2022 but could be added if new needs arise.

The plan now is that were addressing what we felt were the most immediate needs, the Expos chief executive Corey Oakley said Tuesday. "Everything thats left are definitely (more than) just wish list items; we will move them up based on the funds available or something becoming a more critical need.

Napa Valley Expo director suggests future changes at Town & Country Fair The Expo's director looks ahead at the shape the fair may take as it emerges this summer from a pandemic-induced hiatus.

One of the first improvements the Expo will make is the switch to a new online reservation system for the RV park, which will let users make and cancel bookings on their own. The upgrade, expected to cost $5,500, would replace an existing system that allows for online reservations, but requires people to call to cancel during weekday business hours.

Another project would be an $85,000 upgrade to extend fiber-optic cable from the edge of the Expo onto the fairground, including Chardonnay Hall and the animal pavilion that hosts the Junior Livestock Auction at the annual Town & Country Fair. On-the-premises infrastructure, which Oakley said could be installed as early as this fall, would allow the Expo to charge event planners for ready-to-use internet access rather than requiring them to bring their own equipment on site  a necessity for visitors like SF Combat, which stages mixed martial arts events at the Expo and streams online video of bouts.

The budget includes $15,000 already spent this year for architectural study of Expo structures such as its public restrooms, which are not accessible to disabled people, according to Oakley.

Napa to host fundraiser rally and concert for Ukraine relief April 3 Music, food and fundraising will mesh at the Napa Valley to Ukraine benefit concert and rally, scheduled for April 3 at the Napa Valley Expo.

Improvements to the Expo grounds are especially important because the fairgrounds aesthetics largely define its public image, board member John Dunbar said shortly before the boards approval of the facility plan.

I want us to get all the lawn areas up to a high level, he said during the March 22 meeting. We can really enhance look of the property  and were in middle of wine country.

Dunbar also suggested planting grapevines at the Expo, as part of an educational display could include labeled varietals and a storyboard describing the grapegrowing process.

You can reach Howard Yune at 530-763-2266 or hyune@napanews.com

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Napa County in recent weeks has worked on a new budget, including setting money aside for a purchase of Skyline Wilderness Park and potential cost overruns on jail construction.

The county Board of Supervisors at its March 1 and March 22 meetings discussed money. In coming weeks, it will continue laying the groundwork to create the 2022-23 budget for the fiscal year that runs from July 1 through June 30.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: Subscribe for $5.99 per mo

This would be a great time to tune in and understand how the county works, where the all money goes, Board Chairperson Ryan Gregory said. Its all there. Its very transparent.

Its also complex. The county is a half-billion-dollar-a-year taxpayers-funded operation, with much of the money required to go to health services, social services and other programs.

Supervisors have most control over a general fund that's in the $230 million range. Money goes to everything from open space parks to jail operations to rural road repair.

County officials said tax income this fiscal year is estimated to be $11.8 million more than projected. Selling the Old Sonoma Road property in the city of Napa brought in an additional $7.5 million.

This money is going into a capital improvement fund to possibly help buy Skyline Wilderness Park, build a new jail and make county administration building changes.

The county wants to buy the 850-acre Skyline Wilderness Park east of the city of Napa from the state. Presently, the county leases the oak-covered land with 25 miles of trails for $100 annually, with the lease to expire in 2030.

Local open space advocates fear the state might someday use the land for rock mining or housing unless the county steps in.

We all would all love to buy Skyline Park, but its getting the state to come up with what they think is the right answer for that, the right price for that, Supervisor Brad Wagenknecht said. Were working on the appraisal as we speak.

A recent Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District memo gave an update on the Skyline Wilderness Park situation.

The issue has apparently now made its way up to the very highest levels in Sacramento, so while there is no hard news, that indicates that movement on the appraisal and ultimate sale is occurring, it said.

Napa County plans to build a jail along Highway 221 to replace the downtown Napa jail. The estimated cost is $128 million. The county has set aside that amount and supervisors in the past have cautioned staff to avoid overruns.

But the estimate is a few years old and may or may not be accurate today amid rising costs. County officials said the answer will become clear when bids are received from potential contractors.

On the jail, I just want to be real clear with the public  in this environment, once we go out to bid, its very likely to exceed what weve budgeted, Gregory said. I think we need to be ready for that.

County officials are targeting jail construction to begin later this year. They expect the project will go out-to-bid this summer.

Money could also go to the county administration building, which is located in downtown Napa at 1195 Third St. It all depends on how the Board decides to spend the capital investment fund at a later date.

This is a catch-all item that includes maintenance and repairs at the building, Assistant County Executive Officer Rebecca Craig said. It could also include restarting the conversation on a future location for county offices.

One relocation scenario mentioned in 2015 involved moving county administrative departments to the 25-acre South Campus in Napa Valley Commons. South Campus is the former Dey Labs pharmaceutical plant that the county bought in 2013 and houses Health and Human Services.

Then the criminal justice offices housed in the former, 1970s-era Carithers department store on First Street in downtown Napa could move to the administration building. That would leave the Carithers site free to be redeveloped.

On March 1, the Board of Supervisors heard a county report that tried to peer five years into the future with revenues and spending. The general fund is structurally sound, the report concluded.

But there are red flags. Among those listed:

Because of arcane state budget maneuvers, the county could see a two-year lag in receiving vehicle license swap revenues. That could cost the county $24 million in 2023-24 and $25 million in 2024-25, forcing the use of reserves.

The county could spend $9 million annually on wildfire protection, a move county officials say might eat away at core county services. Supervisors recently placed the Measure L quarter-cent sales tax for wildfire protection on the June ballot.

Extra operating costs for the new jail could be $1 million in 2023-24 and $4.89 million annually when the replacement jail is fully operational.

You can reach Barry Eberling at 256-2253 or beberling@napanews.com.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
On Feb. 28, the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report said that climate change is impacting the world much faster than scientists had anticipated. There's a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a livable future on this planet.

It says we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions because if we don't, it's going to be catastrophic.

On March 18, a report came out that the eastern Antarctic ice sheet was 50 to 90 degrees above normal temps and scientists are stunned. This is the coldest location on earth, and that week it experienced an episode of warm weather that has never occurred before.

Parts of eastern Antarctica had seen temperatures hover 70 degrees above normal for three days plus, and at the same time, the Arctic had temperatures 50 degrees above normal. Researchers are likening the Antarctic event to last June's heat wave in the Pacific Northwest which scientists concluded would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change.

Reports have now come out that the 450 square-mile eastern Antarctic Conger ice shelf collapsed in mid-March during the heat wave. The loss of a shelf can allow faster movement of the glaciers behind it which can lead to more rapid ice sheet loss and greater sea level rise.

These are "canary in the coal mine" reports, and we should be heeding their warnings.

Given that ominous forecast, how does Napa County justify allowing over 14,000 mature oak trees to be cut down to plant vineyards on Walt Ranch?

Those destroyed trees and the carbon they sequester can never be replaced. How profitable will those vineyards be in 10 to 20 years when Napa will be too hot to allow those grapes to thrive?

There are already reports that Napa Valley may become less suitable for premium wine grapes as our climate changes. 2021 was the world's 6th hottest year on record and those trees need to be protected now in this global climate crisis.

Yes, I know it's private property and plenty of people will tell me to buy Walt Ranch if I want to save those trees  that's their mantra. My response: why are multi-millionaires who claim to be concerned about the environment so driven to do such environmental destruction all in the name of wine, which they already have plenty of?

On March 24th, the Register published "Napa County raises red flags on groundwater." For the last five out of seven years, the county has already exceeded the sustainable yield of 15,000 acre feet being pumped out of the subbasin. The watersheds help replenish the subbasin if we have rain, but we're now heading into another year of drought with no signs of it letting up during this time of mega drought.

Again, why do multi-millionaires want to destroy the watersheds that we need to replenish the subbasin for all of Napa Valley?

The Napa Schools for Climate Action's presentation by Emily Bit at the March 8 Napa County Board of Supervisor's meeting told us that one mature oak tree can store 1.3 metric tons of carbon in its trunk, branches and roots. Students with Napa's Resource Conservation District Acorns to Oaks program found that out of 5,525 acorns planted over eight years, only 936 seedlings have survived (17% survival rate), and all those combined only sequester half the carbon of one mature tree.

Napa County is claiming that 17,582 seedlings will make up for the more than 14,000 mature oaks that will be destroyed on Walt Ranch. By my calculations, those seedlings will only replace 9.5 mature oak trees, and that's only if every one of them survive, which isn't reality.

The county's greenhouse gas numbers are absolutely inadequate and amount to fake mitigation, especially under current environmental conditions.

Tell me how the amount of carbon 9.5 oak trees will sequester equals the more than 14,000 carbon sequestering trees that will be destroyed for vineyards. This doesn't even take into account the carbon sequestration that was lost in the more than 50,000 acres of oak woodland habitat that was damaged or destroyed in the Atlas and LNU wildfires.

Now, more than ever, the County's Planning Director and Supervisors need to take immediate action to respond to the undeniable fact that climate change has created a "house on fire" emergency in Napa Valley.

Emily and her classmates are the generation that will inherit this planet from us, and they already know that we must stop killing our old oaks. They're asking for Napa County's help, and the county knows what it needs to do.

We have eight years left to get down to net zero emissions annually to stop the worst effects of climate change. We can't plant our way out of this. Tough decisions need to be made now. The planet is on fire, and Napa County is sticking their heads in the sand.

Lisa Hirayama

Napa
The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency on March 29 announced that the State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the United Kingdom of Tomahawk Weapon System (TWS) Follow-On Support and related equipment for an estimated cost of $368.53 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on the same day. The prime contractor will be Raytheon Missiles and Defense.

Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

HMS Astute fires a Tomahawk cruise missile (Picture source: Royal Navy)

The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) has requested to buy follow-on support for all three segments of the United Kingdoms Tomahawk Weapon System (TWS). This includes the All Up Round (AUR), Tactical Tomahawk Weapon Control System (TTWCS) and Theater Mission Planning Center (TMPC). The support includes recertification of the UKs missiles; unscheduled missile maintenance; spares; procurement; training; in-service support; software; hardware; communication equipment; operational flight test; engineering and technical expertise to maintain the TWS capability; and other related elements of logistical and program support. The total estimated program cost is $368.53 million.

The proposed sale will sustain the operating capability of the United Kingdom, ensuring maritime forces interoperability with the United States and other allied forces as well as their ability to contribute to missions of mutual interest by delivering follow-on support and sustainment. The United Kingdom already operates this capability.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips by U.S. Government representatives and the assignment of contractor representatives to the United Kingdom on an intermittent basis over the life of the case to support delivery and integration of items and to provide supply support management, inventory control and equipment familiarization. There will be one U.S. Government representative and three U.S. contractor representatives in the UK full-time for the duration of the case.
Situation gets tense during opposition march in Yerevan

Ararat Mirzoyan briefs US Senator McConnell on details of Armenia-Turkey normalization process

Azerbaijan holding international regatta in occupied Armenian Mataghis town of Karabakh

Many members of US Congress give green light for F-16s to Turkey

Law amendments propose that Armenia councils of elders members will also be able to be elected community leaders

Resistance Movement holding marches in Yerevan in 4 directions

Armenia parliament holding special sitting

Copper prices falling

Armenia FM Mirzoyan, US Senator Menendez stress inadmissibility of provoking tension by Azerbaijan

Oil rises in price

Bishkek reports that Uzbekistan border guards shoot, kill 3 Kyrgyzstan citizens at border

Azerbaijani military convoy throws Armenian taxi into gorge in Artsakh (PHOTOS)

Armenia Police: All roads open in Yerevan, provinces

Armenia FM in US, meets with International Republican Institute Eurasia regional director

US Strategic Command chief warns of deterrence crisis against Russia, China

Armenia ex-Prosecutor General, Investigative Committee former chief to remain in custody

Newspaper: Armenia President reacts to oppositions struggle

Mississippi becomes last US state to recognize Armenian Genocide

Resistance Movement rally ends: Citizens remain on France Square

Erdogan and Macron discuss Turkey-France relations and Ukraine

CNBC: Elon Musk to become interim CEO of Twitter

Saghatelyan: Tomorrow from 12:00 we will completely paralyze Yerevan from four directions

Finland ready to cut off gas supplies from Russia

Resistance Movement marchers return to France Square

NEWS.am digest: Large scale protests continue in Yerevan, people forcibly arrested

Greece accuses Turkey of stoking tensions in Aegean Sea

Resistance Movement rally starts in central Yerevan

US Embassy in Havana resumes issuing visas to Cubans

Bloomberg: UK and Japan will help Asian countries reduce dependence on Russian oil

Dollar, euro gain considerable value in Armenia

FLYONE ARMENIA cancels Yerevan flights to, from Lyon, Paris until June 10

Annual inflation in Turkey reaches 69.97% in April

Armenia population as of January 1 announced

Poland builds 50 kilometers of fence on border with Belarus

Azerbaijan promises Europe gas in the hope of loyalty to Baku's crimes

Australia allocates $1.4 billion to modernize its Navy

Peskov says events unrolling in Armenia are countrys internal affair

Grigoryan: Discussions on setting up Armenia-Azerbaijan commission may be completed in near future

Red Cross: No Azerbaijani detainees in Armenia

Armenia official: Peace agreement with Azerbaijan also means solution to Karabakh issue

Armen Grigoryan: There is need to get answers to questions in order to organize Armenia, Azerbaijan leaders meeting

Security Council chief: Baku's statements on Armenia territories belonging to Azerbaijan do not contribute to peace

Armenia official comments on Azerbaijan president's words about 'Zangezur corridor'

Armen Grigoryan: Armenia and Azerbaijan could exchange enclaves

FT: Erdogan used mediation between Russia and Ukraine

Person dies after being hospitalized from one of tents at France Square in Yerevan

Armenia to get 22.6M loan from International Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Armenia ruling force MP: Oppositions goal is not saving Karabakh but changing of power

President says Artsakh continues to maintain its vision for future, toward independence

Oppositions uncrowded marches show lack of public support, says Armenia ruling force lawmaker

Trade in Armenia increased by about $80 million, PM says

Scuffle breaks out during civil disobedience march in Yerevan, police attempt to apprehend opposition MP

Pashinyan to Bennett: I am hopeful that Armenian-Israeli relations will flourish in near future

Armenia ruling power legislator: This opposition has always run away from truth

Civil disobedience motorcade being held in Yerevan

EU to ban Russians from buying European real estate

US defense industry facing problems due to supply of weapons to Ukraine

Armenia FM holds discussion at Atlantic Council, speaks about process of normalization of relations with Turkey

Newspaper: Armenia opposition MPs to lose their parliamentary mandates?

Newspaper: Artsakh President says we would not have had so many casualties if war had started half year later

Civil disobedience march kicks off in downtown Yerevan

Civil disobedience actions resume in Yerevan

Blinken tests positive for Covid

Denmark, Finland support European Commission proposal on Russian oil sanctions

Bulgaria to seek exemption from EU proposed Russian oil embargo

Biden says he is ready for additional sanctions against Russia

Switzerland braces for serious power shortage

Uruguay freezes ambassador appointment to Ankara after Cavusoglu's gesture

Czech Republic to seek exemption from proposed EU embargo on Russian oil imports

Charles Michel on the likelihood of Moldova's EU membership

Resistance Movement actions to resume tomorrow early morning

Elon Musk is invited to UK Parliament for buying Twitter

Disobedience march reaches France Square, rally starts

US crude oil shipments to Europe hit highest level in April

NEWS.am digest: Large-scale protests being held in Armenia to demand PMs resignation

Armenia Defense Minister meets with Georgian PM

UK bans imposes sanctions on 63 individuals and organizations in Russia

EU plan to completely ban Russian crude oil threatens Hungary's energy security

EU interested in expanding energy cooperation with Azerbaijan

Germany: Gradual EU ban on Russian oil imports could lead to 'supply disruptions'

Opposition demonstration reaches government residences

Aliyev insists so-called Zangezur corridor 'is already a reality'

Slovakia seeks exemption from EU oil embargo for three years

Defense Ministers of Armenia and Georgia sign cooperation program for 2022

Romanian President approves entry of Stryker Brigade and US fighter squadron into country

Dollar goes up, euro also rises in Armenia

EU studying possibility of providing military assistance to Moldova

Public demand for Nikol Pashinyan's resignation

Opposition supporters move toward Armenian parliament building

EU envoys can not agree on Russian oil

Armenia Security Council chief briefs Georgia PM on Karabakh conflict settlement process

Armenia deputy police chief says law enforcement has right detain MPs

Large-scale opposition rally starts in central Yerevan

Many teenagers in New Zealand are illiterate

AFP: EU proposes to impose sanctions on Patriarch Kirill

Arestovich says Israel could supply Ukraine with weapons Azerbaijan used in Karabakh war

Parliament speaker threatens Armenian opposition, clergy

Armenia opposition MP: Ex-President Serzh Sargsyan will not hold office in new government

Beijing closes over 60 subway stations due to COVID-19 outbreak

Bayramov, Roquefeuil discuss Azerbaijan-Armenia relations normalization process
YEREVAN.  Deputy Prime Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan of Armenia on Tuesday took part in the "Annual Investment Meeting-2022" event taking place in the United Arab Emirates (Dubai), and in his speech referred to the "open door" policy of the Armenian government developed for investors, the government informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Thanking the friendly country for organizing the event, the Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia emphasized that this conference will give an opportunity to unlock the full potential of the participating states and the policy aimed at promoting smart investments.

The Government of Armenia has committed itself to building a knowledge-based, export-oriented, and inclusive economy. Along this way, we encourage inflow of foreign investments that advance innovation, generate knowledge and technology spillovers to support the overall upgrading of the economy, Hambardzum Matevosyan said, assuring that the Armenian government remains committed to its open-door policy and providing transparent, fair, and beneficial environment for incoming investments.

According to the Deputy PM, understanding that promoting investment comes with great responsibilities, the Government of Armenia is making great efforts to continue reforming its investment environment and public service provision by offering foreign investors a predictable, competitive business environment with strong protection guarantees that meet international best standards.

Besides the overarching patterns of economic reform, Armenia is actively diversifying its economy with pioneering sectors creating ample investment opportunities. For instance, the spectacular rise of Armenias IT sector has galvanized revolutionary industries including biotech and agritech. The booming IT industry has not only become an engine for sustained growth but also a model for other countries, the Deputy PM said, suggesting entrepreneurs considering Armenia for their next business venture. Hambardzum Matevosyan considered the establishment of the Enterprise Armenia agency, which was highly praised by investors for its prompt, expert support, as one of the important steps taken by the Armenian government to promote investments.

Touching upon the consequences and challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Deputy Prime Minister assured that the investment climate in Armenia is well positioned for the post-Covid world. "Since the epidemic is gradually receding, we expect an increase in investments from different countries. Our investment specialists are ready to assist, and the Government will come up with new initiatives, creating favorable legislation for business in order to attract investments from all over the world. I reiterate, we are staunch supporters of smart investments, and there are great opportunities ahead," the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized, calling on investors to hit the ground running.
YEREVAN.  Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan on Tuesday metwithin the framework of his visit to the United Arab Emirateswith Secretary-General Rebeca Greenspan of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the government of Armenia informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

In particular, the cooperation in economic diversification, human capital, and sustainable economic development was highly assessed during the conversation, and the peculiarities of the post-Covid situation were discussedemphasizing the need for respective solutions tailored to the needs of landlocked countries such as Armenia.

The parties touched also upon the possibility of cooperation in digitalization, as well as in investment support. In this connection, the UNCTAD chief expressed readiness to assist Armenias private sector in assessing its readiness for digitalization and developing a corresponding roadmap.

In addition, an agreement was reached to continue the discussions on a working basis in order to develop concrete initiatives in investment support.

Also, Deputy Prime Minister Matevosyan reaffirmedon behalf of the Armenian governmentthe commitment to promote the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives will examine statements from fellow party member Madison Cawthorn, who alleges cases of cocaine use by members of Congress. Cawthorn also complained that he has been regularly asked to take part in orgies since he moved to DC, according to Vice.

The sexual perversion that goes on in Washington, Cawthorn said on the Warrior Poet Society podcast. Being kind of a young guy in Washington when the average age is probably 60 and 70  you look at all these people, a lot of them that Ive looked up to through my life, then all of a sudden you get invited: Hey, were going to have a sexual get together at one of our homes. You should come. Im like, What did you just ask me to come to? Then you realized theyre asking you to come to an orgy.

The comments of the 26-year-old politician, who shared his insights as part of a podcast, will now be studied. The issue of cocaine and orgies was already raised on March 29 during the Republican conference in the House of Representatives, according to Politico.
Azerbaijan has not "noticed" the application of Armenia to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs on the issue of a peace agreement.

Some time ago, the Armenian public learned from the media that Azerbaijan had sent some five-point proposals to Armenia in order to start discussing a peace agreement.

The Armenian side had confirmed the receipt of these proposals, and stated that it had applied to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs regarding this matter.

Moreover, Armenia announced at various levels that these proposals are acceptable. But those in Azerbaijan, apparently, prefer not to notice this.

According to APA news agency, Azerbaijani deputy foreign minister Elnur Mammadov on Wednesday said the following at a conference: A while ago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [of Azerbaijan] has officially presented to the Armenian side 5 basic principles that will form the basis of this agreement. The Azerbaijani government has offered Armenia to sign a peace agreement based on these principles in order to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region, and waits for a meaningful response from the opposite side for some time.
YEREVAN.  Anna Karapetyan, a representative of the Human Rights Defender (Ombudsperson) of Armenia, participated in the OSCE Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting I, entitled International co-operation to address violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, which took place on Monday and Tuesday in Vienna, Austria, informed the Office of the Human Rights Defender.

Issues related to the requirements and application of international humanitarian law and human rights law were discussed during the meeting, focusing on the situation of the civilian population in conflict zones and the impact of the conflict on them; best practice in documenting and investigating human rights and international humanitarian law violations, including issues related to digital technologies supporting national human rights institutions.

During the meeting, the representative of the Office of the Human Rights Defender made a speech, referring to the human rights and international humanitarian law violations by Azerbaijan during the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war, as well as the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh as a result of the war.

The representative of the Office of the Human Rights Defender presented the violations of international humanitarian law against the border population of the Republic of Armenia by the Azerbaijani side, the human rights violations and the torture of prisoners of war by the Azerbaijani authorities, referring to the facts presented in the ad hoc reports of the Human Rights Defender.

In particular, the fact that the presence of the Azerbaijani armed forces has posed serious humanitarian problems to the border residents of Armenia was mentioned in the speech. Due to the behavior of the Azerbaijani authorities, which violate all well-known norms of international law, people in Artsakh have been deprived of gas supply for weeks, which disturbs the implementation of the latter's right to health, education, work, and other fundamental rights. The recent aggressive acts of Azerbaijan have caused not only social but also serious security issues.

The representative of the Office of the Human Rights Defender made a particular reference to the urgency of the need to return the prisoners of war and civilian captives still held in Azerbaijan.

During the speech, the criminal behavior of Azerbaijan was strongly condemned, and a call was made to national human rights institutions and international organizations to act to stop the genocidal policy against Azerbaijan. In their speech, the representative of the Office of the Human Rights Defender emphasized the importance of securing the presence of international organizations in conflict zones, both during and in the post-conflict periods, as a mechanism of guaranteeing and protecting the rights of the civilian population.
Azerbaijan has announced an international search for Mikhail Delyagin, a member of the Russian State Duma and deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy.

On the air of two Russian TV channels on Monday, Delyagin had called Turkey a US satellite, and Azerbaijana "proxy of Turkey" and a real threat, and called for severely punishing Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijani business, which depends on the Russian economy, may explode in one day. Azerbaijan's oil industry is highly localized and may cease to exist within 15 minutes, as the proxy does not understand in any other way. An independent state would understand, but not the 'proxy'. A proxy has no function to understand it freely. It is no longer possible to speak differently in the modern world," Mikhail Delyagin had said.

The Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan said it has seen in the actions of this Russian MP signs of the crimes specified in several articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.

On Tuesday, the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan instructed the Investigation Department of the Prosecutor's Office to conduct an investigation to launch a criminal case under these articles.

Subsequently, Mikhail Delyagin was charged under these articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, an Azerbaijani court ruled to declare an international search for him through Interpol, and detention was selected as his pretrial measure.
The Dutch government will ask citizens and businesses to use less gas, but will not activate its gas crisis plan yet.

The Netherlands imports almost 20% of its natural gas from Russia and is looking for alternative sources.

Germany earlier announced an early warning system over fears of a natural gas emergency as Europe's largest economy braces for the risk of a complete shutdown of supplies.

According to him, the authorities decided to launch a public campaign this weekend calling on people to reduce their use of gas.

This is not a response to today's German measure, but, of course, is related to the situation in Ukraine. The campaign will emphasize that the less gas we use, the less we have to import, he said.

Despite tough sanctions imposed on Moscow by the European Union, Russian gas continues to flow to Europe, accounting for about 40% of its total supply.

In order for the EU to initiate a regional or bloc-wide anti-crisis plan, two member states must declare a state of emergency on the same grounds.
The Duma will react to the declaration of deputy from the "A Just Russia  For Truth " Mikhail Delyagin wanted by Azerbaijan, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Alexei Chepa told RIA Novosti.

"This is a nervous, wrong action. We will respond to such statements, we will try now to take certain steps to reassure our colleagues. I think this is the attitude of our Azerbaijani partners toward criticism," Chepa said.

Earlier, the General Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan reported on the initiation of a criminal case against Delyagin for calling for the destruction of the country's energy infrastructure and oil industry, it was also decided to put him on the international wanted list through Interpol.

On Monday, during the "60 Minutes" political talk show on "Russia 1" and "Channel One," Mikhail Delyagin called Turkey a satellite of the United States and Azerbaijan a "proxy of Turkey," a real threat and called for harsh punishment against Azerbaijan. "Dependent on the Russian economy, Azerbaijani business can explode in one day. Azerbaijan's oil industry is very territorially localized and can cease to exist within 15 minutes. Because the "proxy" does not understand otherwise. An independent state would understand, but a "proxy" would not. The "proxy" does not have the function of freely understanding it. In today's world, it is no longer possible to speak differently," Mikhail Delyagin noted.

Moscow, represented by the Kremlin and the Foreign Ministry, said that Delyagin's comments do not reflect Russia's official position.

Delyagin himself apologized to people of all nationalities who were suddenly frightened by his words and stressed that his apology does not apply to people who misunderstood him because they only use foul language from the Russian language.

Delyagin also noted that the statement and the telegram survey were not addressed to the Azerbaijani people and the state as a whole, but to some part of the Azerbaijani bureaucracy, which may have decided that in the situation when Russian forces were diverted to a military special operation, it was possible not to fulfill the agreements reached with Russia.
Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of top news as of 30.03.22:

On Tuesday night and as of 10am Wednesday, no significant ceasefire violations were registered along the line of contact of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), and the operative-tactical situation remained tense.

The Artsakh authorities, together with the command staff of the Russian peacekeeping contingent continue the consistent work to withdraw the Azerbaijani troops to their original positions.

Various state agencies in Artsakh are doing their job to resolve the issues arising from the situation, said Artsakh Minister of State Artak Beglaryan.

Beglaryan noted that about 200 children, women, and the elderly of Khramort and Parukh villages, have been evacuated.

Meanwhile, Moscow will actively promote the conclusion of a peace treaty between Yerevan and Baku, said Russian MFA spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

We continue to make efforts to normalize relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, she noted.

The United Nations, in turn, welcomes the efforts to decrease tension in Nagorno Karabakh in the trilateral format as well as by the OSCE Minsk Group, said the official representative of the head of the world organization, Stephane Dujarric.

Some time ago, the Armenian public learned from the media that Azerbaijan had sent some five-point proposals to Armenia to start discussing a peace agreement.

The Armenian side had confirmed the receipt of these proposals, and said it had applied to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs regarding this matter.

Moreover, Armenia announced at various levels that these proposals are acceptable. But those in Azerbaijan, apparently, prefer not to notice this.

According to APA news agency, Azerbaijani deputy FM Elnur Mammadov on Wednesday said that a while ago that the Azerbaijani MFA has officially presented to the Armenian side 5 basic principles that will form the basis of this agreement and waits for a meaningful response from the opposite side for some time.

Turkeys Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the talks at the Dolmabahce Palace on the Bosphorus strait marked most significant progress since war broke out between the two countries.

However, the Kremlin has said there was no breakthrough during the latest round of talks between delegations from Moscow and Kyiv..

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters it was a positive factor that Ukraine submitted its written proposals during the discussions in Istanbul, but added that we cant say there has been anything promising or any breakthroughs.

There is a lot of work to be done, he said.

On Tuesday, Ukraine set out a detailed framework for a peace deal under which the country would remain neutral but its security would be guaranteed by a group of third countries. It said it would also be willing to hold talks over a 15-year period on the future of the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.

However, Russian attacks have not eased in Chernihiv despite a Russian promise to scale back, the northern regions governor said.

Ukraine has seen some troop movements from the Kyiv and Chernihiv areas, but no mass scale withdrawal, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian military said.

Ukrainian assertions that it was pushing back Russian forces near Kyiv generally appear to be true, according to a Washington Post reporter on the ground. But new satellite images of the bombed-out southern port city of Mariupol document severe damage to civilian infrastructure. The photos depict long lines outside a grocery store in the city, where local leaders have warned of a severe shortage of basic necessities.

The number of refugees from Ukraine who left their homes in connection with the start of the Russian military special operation is already 4 million, Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, tweeted.

More than 2.3 million have arrived in Poland, but many have traveled onward to other countries and a small number have even returned to Ukraine, either to help fight against the Russians or care for relatives.

Aid workers say the numbers have eased in recent days as many people await developments in the war. An estimated 6.5 million people have also been displaced from their homes within the country.

More than 608,000 have entered Romania, over 387,000 have gone to Moldova, and about 364,000 have entered Hungary since the war began on Feb. 24, based on counts provided by governments.
More than 35 scholars representing 18 international universities offered presentations based on essays they had written for the Migration and Urbanization in Three Continents conference held virtually March 24, 25, and 28 and co-sponsored by the University of Miamis Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas and the School of Law.

Conference proceedings will be compiled and published in book formata tangible product of the Universitys Immigration Initiative launched in November 2019.

Since the dawn of civilization, population movements and the rise of towns have been imminently linked, Alejandro Portes, a research professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, said in opening remarks. Migratory movement and the evolution of cities are like two sides of the same coin.

The renowned sociologist and author highlighted that while the conference was taking place as the largest humanitarian crisis in modern history is unfolding in Ukraine and across Europe, participants would remain focused on the nine cities chosen strategically across three continentsLatin America, the United States, and Europeto be studied.

Felicia Knaul, director of the institute and professor at the Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, highlighted the scholarly and interdisciplinary focus of the conference.

The caliber and breath of each component of the conference guarantees that we will keep advancing our knowledge on migration, a key catalyst of both development and poverty in Miami, the Americas, and globally, Knaul said.

We come together to learn about a processthe complex interplay of migration and urbanizationthat too often has divided, but should, in fact, unite our world, added Knaul, emphasizing the value of using innovative technology and communication tools that have emerged during the pandemic for this endeavor.

She highlighted projections that show by 2060, two-thirds of the worlds population will live in urban centers. And the cities chosen for the conference were among the most urbanized in the world.

Our world is deeply unprepared and, so, too often unwilling to receive these individuals [migrants] and to believe in all they can bring to our globalized world, Knaul said.

Portes and Margarita Rodriguez, program coordinator at the institute, served as principal organizers for the conference, which included a presentation by Carie Penabad, associate professor, and Adib Cure, associate professor of practice, both faculty members for the School of Architecture. Rebecca Sharpless, director of the immigration clinic at the School of Law, and Alex Piquero, professor and chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminology, served as presentation commentators.

Portes explained that the conference and the book to follow explore two major questions: What successive waves of migration have done to cities in which the migrants settled and, conversely, what these citiestheir governing elites and populationshave done to migrants.

There has been a cultural, social, and political evolution, Portes pointed out. For it is true that there was a resident population and a resident authority structure in each of these cities where migrants arrivedthese cities were not empty shells and their social and political structures have evolved.

He noted that the nine cities chosenBuenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Stockholm, Barcelona, and Londonwere selected as strategic entry points to study, both historically and at present, the interface of the two movements.

In their session about Miami, Penabad and Cure shared a unique perspective that explored the impact of Cuban migration on architecture in Miami, influences that countered the suburban-based designs popular at that time.

The mass migration of Cuban migrants fleeing the [Cuban] revolution had a profound impact on the structure of the city as waves and waves arrived and they sought to recapture aspects of their homeland amidst the largely alienating landscapes that were present, Penabad said.

Featuring images and history of Los Pinarenos Fruteria, El Palacio de los Jugos, and Cafe Versaillethree iconic structures within the area of Little Havanathe architects explored the distinctness in style and attempts of the buildings to reconstruct memory through a point of reference in time.

This migration created a cross-cultural phenomenon where Cuban and American social realities merged to produce a contemporary urbanism that is uniquely Miami, the architects noted in their report.

In closing remarks to attendees, President Julio Frenk said that the conference forms an integral part of the Immigration Initiative and advances the Universitys strategic plan and Roadmap to Our New Century.

One of our priorities is to support teams of scholars from multiple disciplines to address the complex challenges of society, Frenk said. Our aim is to use interdisciplinary insights from the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities to allow us to better understand major global problems and then translate integrated and interdisciplinary research into actionable solutions.

The president said he was encouraged by the insights shared at the conference. I look forward to the continued collaborative effort of this collective on migration and urbanization, Frenk indicated.
Have an eye for the outdoors? From kayaking and paddleboarding to camping and hiking, students next adventure trip may begin at an unlikely place: on campus.

Outdoor Adventures, located at Lakeside Village, has been an outlet for students seeking adventure since opening last spring. Offering gear rentals for outdoor sports, guides on trip-taking in the South Florida area, and a 14-foot climbing wall, the center is the Universitys gateway to the outdoors.

Expanding on its existing programming, Outdoor Adventures is getting ready to reimagine student engagement with new adventure trips and outdoor experiences this fall.

The Adventure Trips Development Program will serve as a bridge from campus to Floridas outdoors. Offering short day trips, extended camping treks, and everything in between, the new program is designed with all levels of experience in mind.

With a lineup of trips ready for the fall 2022 semester, Alexander Griffin is ready to craft the programs trips and logistics. His role as trip manager also includes helping bring Outdoor Adventures new immersive experience to life.

Its an incredible way to experience the community youre a part of. These trips will be an experience you wouldnt otherwise get, said Griffin, who is pursuing a masters degree in coastal zone management.

For students who want to learn how to lead trips and guide their classmates on these one-of-a-kind adventures, the new Student Experience Adventure Leadership program is a semester-long training that blends unique expeditions with leadership development. It features in-class, on-campus, and field-based lessons. Aiming to teach students technical skills of outdoor recreation to later educate their peers, SEALs will teach participants how to plan and navigate group dynamics while also discovering a new sense of self-sufficiency.

We plan on every student having the chance to build and plan a weekend adventure for the group. Going on the trip, students will be able to reflect on the intricacies of group planning and learn about managing a group of about 10 to 15 students, added Griffin.

The immersive program will provide participants with valuable group-leadership experiences through four weekend-long trips and a culminating ten-day expedition. Managing group food preparation, learning risk management, and facilitating change in their groups, the program offers an exciting new way to learn about leadership and the South Florida community.

SEALs will allow students to further refine their leadership skills and differentiate amongst their peers to expand their career past the University, said Trey Knight, assistant director with the Department of Wellness and Recreation who oversees Outdoor Adventures.

To learn more about the Adventure Trips program and complete an interest form to stay updated on trip schedules, visit the Outdoor Adventures website. Additionally, applications for the Fall 2022 SEALs program are open through Tuesday, April 5.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Wednesday that the number of people settling in Hong Kong or leaving the city cannot accurately reflect the level of confidence they have in the SAR as an international hub.Some international businesses and expatriates are relocating to other financial hubs such as Singapore, citing Hong Kongs stringent anti-epidemic measures.Speaking at her daily press briefing , Lam said while it might be an indisputable fact that business talents are leaving, she nonetheless has to take care of the peoples well-being.I place great emphasis on the international status of Hong Kong, I even said, probably no one cares more about Hong Kongs international status than me, she said.However, the well-being of the public is always the top priority, and in this regard, we have to take anti-epidemic measures. These measures would more or less affect individuals and companies.A recent survey of 260 executives by the European Chambers of Commerce suggested that nearly half of all European businesses in the city are considering moving elsewhere in the coming year.Among the firms planning to leave, a quarter said they would fully relocate in the next 12 months, while 24 percent plan to move at least partially.But Lam said whats needed right now is to try to keep the citys traditional advantages and maintain its global status, adding that she hopes foreign investors can see that Hong Kong is still a place where they can make a profit.She said factors other than peoples confidence in Hong Kong  such as the citys travel restrictions  could affect the number of people entering or leaving the city, adding the lifting of the SAR's flight ban on nine countries would likely lead to a surge in arrivals.Lam also pointed to an increase of talents and university students coming to the SAR.I strongly believe Hong Kong is a talent pool, even though talents are mobile, they can come and go, and also return. The most important thing is we are still attracting talent, she said.Im very confident and optimistic about the future development, including the financial sector.The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Christopher Hui, gave similar assurances at the same briefing, saying the SAR has put forward measures to broaden the development scope of the business sector and nurture its talent pool.After all, if we look at a place where people or companies try to locate their business, definitely opportunities and talent are key, he said.All these efforts will continue, and also continue to be strengthened in such a way that Hong Kong will continue to open business to the rest of the world.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has barred ruling PTI lawmakers from attending the National Assembly session on the day of voting on no trust motion, slated for April 3 as per Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, media reports said. The Premier issued the directives as head/leader of the parliamentary party of PTI on Tuesday, a day after the no-confidence motion was tabled in the lower house of the Parliament against him by Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif, Express Tribune reported. "All the members of the Parliamentary Party of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the National Assembly of Pakistan shall abstain from voting/not attend the meeting of the National Assembly on the date when the said resolution is set out on the agenda of the National Assembly for voting," read a communique issued by the PTI. The handout said only designated parliamentary members will speak on behalf of PTI during the course of debate on the motion against the premier in the house. "All members are required to adhere to these directions in true letter and spirit and keep in mind the intent behind the provision of Article 63-A of Constitution of Pakistan, 1973." The PTI chief also warned all lawmakers that "no member shall violate any instruction or extend any favour, relating to the vote of no confidence, to any other parliamentary party/group whatsoever". It added that any violation of these directions will be treated as "express defection in terms of Article 63-A". --IANS san/pgh ( 258 Words) 2022-03-29-22:44:03 (IANS)
New Delhi [India], March 30 (ANI/NewsVoir): Centre for CSR & Sustainability Excellence (CCSE), and Siegwerk India Private Limited have partnered for the implementation and management of Siegwerk's sustainability initiative centred around water resource management. CCSE is the not-for-profit implementation arm of Innovative Financial Advisors Pvt. Ltd. - a Delhi-based CSR consulting and technical research organisation. The CSR programme envisages conservation, development and sustainable management of natural water resources in Tijara block of district Alwar in Rajasthan. The majority of the community living in the targeted region depends upon agriculture and its allied sectors as their primary source for livelihood. However, the region is semi-arid and experiences erratic rainfall. The project aims to address the issue of water scarcity in the region by restoring a pond situated in the Dhaki village within the district. The project consists of three stages - restoration of the pond, plantation of trees and clearing the areas around the pond. Speaking about the partnership, Dr Soumitro Chakraborty, CEO of Innovative Financial Advisors Pvt. Ltd., and also the Chairman of CCSE, said, "Efficient and sustainable usage of natural resources is a priority and an emerging need in today's times of climate change. The project offers a perfect opportunity to sensitise the community about water conservation whilst involving them in the conservation and restoration process directly." CCSE, as part of the partnership with Siegwerk India, will monitor and manage the project implementation, community mobilisation and outreach on-ground with the help of its local community-based non-profit partner, Bharat Gyan Vigyam Samiti (BGVS). BGVS is a national organisation with associating units in 23 states, 350 districts and more than 25,000 Panchayats with 300,000 volunteers and has been working extensively on addressing the issues faced by the marginalised communities. Ramakrishna Karanth, CEO, Siegwerk India Region said, "At Siegwerk, we have articulated a clear sustainability journey for the improvement of ecological and social performances. Our CSR Vision of sustainable development is a strategic priority which requires supportive commitment through such partnerships and bold decisions to drive change. Through this project, Siegwerk aims to empower the local community and steer socio-economic progress in the village of Dhaki." On the occasion of World Water Day on 22nd March 2022, CCSE, Siegwerk India and BGVS, jointly organised a community sensitisation event in Dhaki village. The event aimed at raising awareness about water conservation and the key role of rural communities in it. During the course of the event, the impending threat of global water crisis was highlighted upon, and the villagers were urged to pledge for conservation, development and sustainable management of the natural water resources. The event was conducted in the government school of Dhaki village and witnessed enthusiastic participation from the school principal, teachers, members of the panchayat, key leaders of the village, and school students. CCSE (Centre for CSR and Sustainability Excellence) is a non-profit foundation of Innovative Financial Advisors Pvt. Ltd., that aims to ensure social impact through philanthropic and CSR investments of individuals and corporations. CCSE strives to uplift individuals and communities by working in sectors like education, environment, health, sports, livelihood, etc and aim at achieving inclusive growth. For more information on CCSE, you can visit www.ccse.in. Siegwerk, a sixth-generation family-owned company, is one of the leading international manufacturers of printing inks and coatings for packaging, labels, and catalogues. With more than 180 years of experience, the company has solid expertise in and knowledge of many printing procedures. A global manufacturing and service network provides customers with consistently high-quality products and services. In keeping with the company's philosophy "Ink, Heart & Soul", Siegwerk seeks long-term cooperation with its business partners. Siegwerk employs some 5,000 people worldwide in more than 30 country organisations and is headquartered in Siegburg near Cologne. Further information on Siegwerk can be found at www.siegwerk.com. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
The 30 stock S&P BSE Sensex was trading at 58,622.78 points at 11.38 am, which is 679.13 points or 1.17 per cent higher than its previous day's close at 57,943.65 points.

Tracking positive cues from the global equities markets, Sensex started the day sharply higher at 58,362.85 points. Buying interest got stronger later in the day. The Sensex rose to a high of 58,647.37 points in the intra-day.

This is the third consecutive day of the rally in the Indian equities markets. The Sensex had gained 350.16 points or 0.61 per cent on Tuesday.

The broader Nifty 50 of the National Stock Exchange was trading 171.45 points or 0.99 per cent higher at 17,496.75 points against its previous day's close at 17,325.30 points.

The Nifty had gained 103.30 points or 0.6 per cent on Tuesday.

The stocks markets have rallied across the world on signs of de-escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Russia has said it will pull back troops from Kyiv and other northern areas of Ukraine.

There was strong buying support in banking and financial stocks. Bajaj Finance and Bajaj Finserv surged by more than 3 per cent. Axis Bank soared 3.08 per cent to Rs 760.25. HDFC soared 2.08 per cent to Rs 2385.70. ICICI Bank rose 1.86 per cent to Rs 728.40.

The index heavyweight Reliance Industries was trading 1.64 per cent higher at Rs 2665.05. Maruti Suzuki soared 2.09 per cent to Rs 7593.

Only five of the 30 scrips that are part of the Sensex were trading in the red. Tata Steel fell 1.96 per cent to Rs 1308.25. Tech Mahindra fell 1.70 per cent to Rs 1495.90. (ANI)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 30 (ANI/PRNewswire): Quantiphi, an AI-first digital engineering company, announced its FlexiWork policy--its latest addition to an existing suite of employee-friendly benefits that ensures employees feel valued, heard, and engaged. The revolutionizing work model is introduced in response to the changing work patterns accelerated by Covid and to address the needs of the diverse range of employees, ranging from Gen Z and millennials to Gen X. "Quantiphi's culture is centered on meaningful connections and relationships. We want our people to have the complete freedom to decide their version of an effective working model," said Mohini Palchowdhury, Head - Human Resources at Quantiphi. "The idea of a traditional workplace as we know has changed forever. The future of work is rapidly evolving, and we need to adapt to these changes to ensure our people and our customers get the best experiences." Designed to strike a fine balance between in-person and virtual work, the policy will offer exclusive benefits to those who choose to return to the office (opting for hybrid work model) while also celebrating those choosing to work remotely. The benefits will have no impact on their existing compensation and performance bonuses to ensure the elimination of proximity bias. The hybrid work model will allow people to connect personally and come together to create new, meaningful experiences and outcomes. Employees opting for the hybrid work model will avail of exclusive benefits like hybrid allowances and an enhanced relocation bonus. They will also get an additional flexibility to work from anywhere across the globe for one month. "Attracting top talent and being productive in today's modern world requires an evolving and practical policy where everyone, regardless of where they work, can collaborate, contribute, and be rewarded objectively," said Ritesh Patel, Founder at Quantiphi. "Our people go the extra mile to support their teams and drive customer satisfaction. We have always been committed to making it as easy as possible for them. We believe that the new FlexiWork model will bring greater work-life balance and an environment that promotes trust and accountability." As the world navigates the path of the new normal, Quantiphi is engineering a transformation by officially formalising the hybrid work policy. The new working pattern will provide the company with an edge in vying for talented and highly motivated employees. The FlexiWork policy is aimed to facilitate effective collaboration, engaging conversations, and ultimately create a cohesive environment. This will drive flexibility and agility at the organizational level to fuel employee engagement, promote productivity and innovation, and retain top talent. #TogetherWeThrive Quantiphi is an award-winning AI-first digital engineering company driven by the desire to solve transformational problems at the heart of the business. Quantiphi solves the toughest and most complex business problems by combining deep industry experience, disciplined cloud, data-engineering practices, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence research to achieve quantifiable business impact at unprecedented speed. We are passionate about our customers and obsessed with problem-solving to make products smarter, customer experiences frictionless, processes autonomous and businesses safer by detecting risks, threats, and anomalies. Together with partners and customers, we embark on a data and AI-led transformation journey that delivers impactful and measurable results. For more on Quantiphi's capabilities, visit www.quantiphi.com This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 30 (ANI/BusinessWire India): 21K School - India's first online-only school, is well on its way to becoming the largest online-only K12 school in South Asia. It will be registering over 15,000 students for the upcoming academic year by July 2022 and by 2023, the school plans to have over 30,000 students. Presently, 21K School has students from over 35 countries who have been the strong promoters helping the community grow. 21K School is a leading online-only school that offers accessible, world-class education to children between the age of 3 to 18 years, residing in any geographical location and time zone. With over 200 highly trained and best-in-class teachers, 21K School has an enviable teaching quality which is rated at an industry beating 96% approval. While students enrolling at 21K School can choose to study from three curriculums - Indian, American, and British - its disruptive education model is helping create a new category with personalised, affordable, and flexible schooling for them. The online-only school has recently partnered with Cambridge UK to offer career pathway programs from schooling to admission in universities across the UK for higher education. The team has taken their deep understanding of technology and pedagogy to create a school of the future. 21K School helps students significantly cut down their commute time to and from school, thus giving them more time at hand to pursue language studies, performing arts, sports, etc. Furthermore, students from 21K School have gone on to publish books, develop games, compete in state and national level sporting events, and yet have never had to miss a day of school. Santosh Kumar, CEO & Co-founder, 21K School, said, "21K School continuously aims to provide world-class education from nursery to Grade 12, with an ease of access to everyone, anywhere, anytime. Outside our regular target audience, we have seen a high level of inbound interest from parents who have to frequently move cities due to jobs, or parents from Tier 2 & 3 cities who yearn for high quality education or those in metros but cannot afford the sky-rocketing price of schooling. With online schooling making a breakthrough in the education ecosystem, 21K School focuses on broadening its reach to help students fulfil their quest for holistic education and be ready for future." This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)
New Delhi [India], March 30 (ANI/BusinessWire India): NATHEALTH - The Healthcare Federation of India held its 8th Annual Summit on the theme, "Re-building, Re-structuring and Re-imagining resilient healthcare systems in India in a post-pandemic era" on March 28-29 2022. The summit aimed to unite industry and the government together in one platform to discuss, deliberate and pave the path for a stronger, resilient health system in India which is future-ready to tackle any unprecedented emergencies. The two-day summit had a stellar line-up of over 120 speakers comprising top government policymakers, leaders from hospitals, medical technology and diagnostics sectors, insurance, medical education, pharmaceuticals, global multi-stakeholder organizations, start-ups, investors, and global domain experts. Overall, the summit was attended by almost 5000 delegates from the healthcare fraternity and related fields. The Summit focused on three critical themes of current times led by top Indian healthcare leaders. The plenary session was led by Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, Vice President-NATHEALTH, MD & CEO, Fortis Hospitals focused on Building a resilient healthcare system in India that prioritizes equity and access to take a people-centric approach by bringing in other sectors as well. The second plenary session was led by Ameera Shah, Secretary-NATHEALTH, MD, Metropolis India focused on Re-structuring health care financing for alternate care delivery and other innovative models to explore new ways to raise funds, allocate resources in the optimum manner to ensure equity and quality healthcare for everyone. The third plenary session was led by Dr Shravan Subramanyam, SVP NATHEALTH and President and CEO, GE Healthcare India & South Asia and Managing Director, Wipro GE Healthcare that focused on Re-imagining integrated care delivery through digital adoption and supply chain innovation. Amid the acute resources shortages as seen during the pandemic, digital collaboration on patient recoveries, testing numbers, vaccine outreach and procurement of crucial supplies highlight the need for out-of-the-box supply chain models, leveraging the potential of digital health, telemedicine, and home care, and harnessing the contribution of medical technology and pharmaceutical sector. The Summit also focused on how health-tech start-ups can leverage the booming start-up ecosystem and the role of start-up accelerators in defining acceleration stage and readiness and the reason why government must focus and encourage collaboration with the new-age startups and entrepreneurs as an immediate step towards ramping up health infra to make Indian healthcare ecosystem future-ready. The summit also hosted the business opportunity pavilion. This was an opportunity for everyone to learn from various stakeholders from around the world who are building highly innovative models in healthcare which has proved to be highly resilient during the pandemic and has the potential to become the 'next big thing' in this new era of uncertainties. At the same time, it presented new opportunities to collaborate with each other to create new win-win outcomes. With an aim to unite all stakeholders in healthcare and in tandem with NATHEALTH 3.0's strategic agenda, NATHEALTH, in collaboration with The Bridgespan Group and Sahamanthran, for the first time presented the Healthcare CSR Awards Ceremony to bring together and felicitate corporations practicing healthcare CSR and other philanthropic organizations in this field. The session also witnessed insightful discussion around healthcare CSR and the global best practices. The award ceremony was presided over by Smriti Irani, Minister of Women and Child Development, Government of India. Apollo Hospital Groups CSR project, Total Health lifted the champion's titleDr Lal PathLabs Ltd CSR project, LPL Academy for Laboratory Medicine (Skill Development and Livelihood Generation in the area of healthcare) were the first runner upRoche Diagnostics India's CSR project, Project Roshni were the second runner upDeepTek Medical Imaging Private Limited's CSR project, DeepTek Medical Imaging Private Limited were the third runner up Presiding over the awards ceremony, Smriti Irani, Minister of Women and Child Development, Government of India, said, "India would not have survived the devastating waves of the COVID-19 pandemic without the greatest support from the healthcare workforce. Almost 6.6 million Indian women served the country during the pandemic as doctors, nurses, and grassroot healthcare workers, visiting door to door, ensuring that basic COVID protocol and hygiene is followed, and the health of rural population is taken care of." She further added, "The recent budget has increased the allocation for health to 16.5 per cent. Today the Government of India is committed to spend eighteen thousand crore rupees for the betterment of the healthcare system of our country starting from the district level. In order to serve the healthcare needs of our country, to mitigate the infrastructural challenges our Prime Minister introduced Ayushman Bharat program, and it is functional in 33 states including some of the union territories. Under the Ayushman Bharat, till date the Government has issued 17 crore 90 lakhs health cards, 3 crore 26 lakhs Indian have found admissions in over 25,000 hospitals and 47 per cent of those beneficiaries are women who got treated for critical issues like cervical cancer and breast cancer. Every second, 20 beneficiaries get healthcare services under Ayushman Bharat Program. While COVID has thrown many challenges, but with the help of the Ayushman Bharat program, we are able to address and bridge many of those long-standing gaps caused by the pandemic in last two years. We hope, going forward, the strong collaboration between the private and the public sector players would help us build healthy India for a better tomorrow." Speaking about the summit Dr Harsh Mahajan, President - NATHEALTH and Founder and Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imaging, said, "Health is now a global priority, and it is imperative for health systems around the world to rebuild themselves to be much more resilient and robust in readiness for medical crises in future. NATHEALTH has been successfully organizing annual summits to address key issues significant for the Indian healthcare ecosystem and engage with all stakeholders across sectors with an aim to improve access and quality of care through leveraging innovation and technology. The 8th Annual Summit of NATHEALTH has successfully discussed the important learnings from the pandemic, shed light on the global best practices from industry leaders in the healthcare ecosystem from start-ups to philanthropic organizations, contributed towards creating new operating mechanisms, harness knowledge and technology to ensure accessibility and affordability of healthcare services - that holds utmost importance especially in the post-pandemic era. The summit highlighted many areas around the evident gaps in healthcare infrastructure, equipment, human resource, and supply chain where stakeholders shared their ideas and views to build and strengthen capacity of India's public health system. We believe the summit has been successful enough to attract policymakers and investors to come forward and join hands together for improving the health system of India." For further details, kindly refer to: www.nathealthsummit.com This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)
New Delhi [India], March 30 (ANI/BusinessWire India): The 42nd India Carpet Expo concluded on Monday with a large number of visitors turning out on the last day of the 4-day long mega expo. Carpet Export Promotion Council organized the 42nd Edition of India Carpet Expo from March 25-28 2022 at NSIC Exhibition Ground, Okhla, New Delhi, with an aim to promote the Cultural Heritage and showcase the weaving skills of Indian hand-knotted carpet artisans amongst the overseas buyers. The Curtain Raiser of India Carpet Expo was held on 24th March 2022 by UP Singh, IAS, Secretary (Textiles), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, in the august presence of Shantmanu, IAS, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) and Umer Hameed, Chairman, CEPC, Aslam Mahboob, Darpan Baranwal, Imtiaz Ahmad, Mohammad Wasif Ansari, Rohit Gupta, Gulam Nabi Bhat, Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad, Bodh Raj Malhotra, Mahavir Pratap Sharma Members COA, CEPC, Umesh Kumar Gupta, past COA member CEPC, other Senior Officials, and Exhibitors. 257 Carpet importers mainly from Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica. Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Mauritius, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, U.A.E., U.K., U.S.A. and 280 Buying Representatives registered their presence in the Mega Expo. Joe Hinson, a buyer from the US said that this is his first time in India. "The expo was amazing and the products were really made of superior quality handmade materials. We see great business opportunity with the Indian products in near future as demands for rich Indian Craftsmanship is having a great demand amongst American Buyers ." Another buyer from UK Angel Lackrin visited the ICE 2022 runs a chain of stores where he sells mostly Indian handmade Carpets said, "India Carpet Expo 2022 gave us a great opportunity to meet Carpet Manufacturers across India under one roof. It saved my precious time, energy and money too which I would have otherwise done to meet them individually. The arrangements were world-class and I personally want to thank CEPC for making this show such a productive and profitable one after 2 years of Corona. I am looking forward eagerly to participate in next Expo." Umer Hameed, Chairman, CEPC, in his concluding remarks, said, "It was never easy to take the challenge of conducting such a big event when war had already started between Russia and Ukraine. We worked out from our data the number of buyers who can miss the show and put our foot down to go for it." He further said that "Someone had to take the initiative to start so why not us. This show will take our industry a milestone ahead and give them business for the whole year. As we have to fulfil the target set for our industry for year 2022-23, we have taken our steps to move ahead to fulfil the same." This expo opened up new market opportunities for the industry and shall help Small and Medium Indian carpet exporters promote their products to overseas countries. Eventually, this is an ongoing process, on a broader scale and is instrumental in projecting the "Make in India Brand" in overseas markets. Hameed also conveyed his thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Textile Minister Piyush Goyal, Our Secretary Textile UP Singh, BVR Subrahmanyam, Secretary Commerce, Shantmanu , Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) for their support for this Expo. Umer Hameed also conveyed thanks to all the Indian Embassies who eased in providing visas to our overseas buyers to enable them to visit our show. Umer Hameed also conveyed thanks to all the members of the COA for their support and all the Officials and Staff of the Carpet Export Promotion Council for their untiring effort to make the event a grand success. http://cepc.co.in/ This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 30 (ANI/BusinessWire India): Aglowid IT Solutions Pvt. Ltd. bagged the "Excellence in Information Technology" Award at the World Innovation Congress held at Taj Lands End, Mumbai, India. This award signifies the perseverance and presence of the company providing unmatched client experience in the fields of mobile, web, and other Managed IT services for clients across the globe. In the 14th Edition of this award, World Innovation Congress celebrates and recognizes innovative thought leaders, which is a property of Dr R.L Bhatia and Fun and Joy at Work. The Excellence in Information Technology award is rewarded to the company that has proven its commitment and excellence in consistently providing scalable, cost-effective, and reliable IT Solutions to its clients. Ronak Patel (CEO at Aglowid IT Solution) received this award on behalf of Aglowid IT Solutions by Vasanth Jeyapaul (CEO at CAMSPay) at Hotel Taj Lands End. On receiving this award, he said, "I would like to thank World Congress Innovation for recognizing Aglowid IT Solutions for this prestigious Excellence in Information Technology Award. I would also like to applaud and congratulate every member of Team Aglowid back home that made achieving this feat possible. I will do everything to uphold the responsibility this recognition brings and continue to strive for excellence." Core Strengths of Aglowid IT Solutions that helped them bag this award: A dedicated and diverse core team - Team Aglowid understands the importance of proven experience and expertise for clients before hiring any developers for their project requirements. With a team of 50+ developers specializing in various IT services such as mobile app development (iOS and Android), web app development, and other managed IT services. Systematic intellectual policies & industry-grade protocols - To provide intellectual security and scalability in development, Aglowid offers signed NDA, complete code ownership, and follows all industry-grade compliances. Aligned with all the futuristic updates - Clients that choose Aglowid as their Managed IT development partner get a full-stack solution that follows all the latest trends and important updates in their specific niche. Depending on the scale of the project, they also integrate AI/ML, IoT, and other futuristic technologies, when and if needed. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)
New Delhi [India], March 30 (ANI/PR Newswire): SEEDS (Sustainable Ecological & Environmental Development Society) along with Chegg India has handed over 1850 dual desks to aid post-pandemic recovery of learning levels. Around 21 East Delhi Municipal Corporation schools were selected for distribution, to support education through school furniture that encourages collaborative learning by creating an ideal learning space. "Continuing our efforts to support the education of children, SEEDS has teamed up with Chegg India to support students in East Delhi public schools with functional learning stations, as they gradually return to classrooms after the pandemic. Classroom furniture plays an important role in improving learning environments for children. We hope the new arrangements will contribute to improving learning outcomes and safer environments for young school-going children," said Dr Manu Gupta, Co-Founder, SEEDS, on the occasion. Most children at government schools in East Delhi, where the furniture was provided, are from low-income families who rely on daily wages for livelihood. With the high-quality classroom furniture, the children can stay focused and study at school for longer periods of time. Classroom furniture plays an important role in the effectiveness of a student's learning ability. Desks and chairs help to provide a more dignified and organised educational environment for students to complete their learning. The distribution of furniture in their classrooms is expected to help these children not only to prevent drop-out rates but also provide a stable learning environment at the schools to meet the challenges of educating the future. "The mission and north star of Chegg has always been Student First. We believe that giving back to the community is a direct reflection of how we operate as a company. Over the course of the pandemic, students have missed out on enjoying learning in school. Chegg India is grateful to have an opportunity to contribute to the educational ecosystem at a grassroots level. Children are the future of the country. With this donation, we hope to help foster their love of life-long learning and these children will enjoy their studies in a more structured and organised learning environment." said Vijay TS, Managing Director, Chegg India. The furniture handover took place at Vishkarma Park where several dignitaries -- Abhay Verma, MLA, Laxmi Nagar; Shyam Sunder Aggarwal, Mayor, East Delhi; Seema Sharma, Additional Director of Education, EDMC-- were present along with school administration personnel. SEEDS (Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society) is a not-for-profit organisation that enables community resilience through practical solutions in the areas of disaster readiness, response and rehabilitation. Since 1994, the organisation has worked extensively on every major disaster in the Indian subcontinent - grafting innovative technology on to traditional wisdom. It has reached out to families affected by disasters and climate stresses; strengthened and rebuilt schools and homes; and has invariably put its faith in skill-building, planning and communications to foster long-term resilience. SEEDS is also India's first agency to be verified on the parameters of the global Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS)--an international certification system for quality and accountability in humanitarian response. SEEDS has been awarded the most prestigious annual Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan 2021 by the Government of India, acknowledging the invaluable contribution and selfless service rendered by individuals and organisations in India in the field of Disaster Management. SEEDS completed 28 years of outstanding service to humanity in January 2022 and is re-anchoring its approach to building resilience through innovation. It continues to empower the most vulnerable across Asia to build a better future. For more information, visit www.seedsindia.org Follow us: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram Chegg India is a subsidiary of Chegg, Inc., which trades on the NYSE under the symbol of CHGG. Our offices in Delhi and Vizag have specialists across content, engineering, data analysis and marketing, along with thousands of experts who help us create world class content for the ever-growing needs of learners across the world. Millions of people all around the world Learn with Chegg. Our mission is to improve learning and learning outcomes by putting students first. We support life-long learners starting with their academic journey and extending into their careers. The Chegg platform provides products and services to support learners to help them better understand their academic course materials, and provides personal and professional development skills training, to help them achieve their learning goals. For more information, visit www.chegg.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1776729/SEEDS_Chegg_East_Delhi_event.jpg This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PR Newswire)
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 30 (ANI/BusinessWire India): ABB today inaugurated a new and expanded R&D and engineering facility, the ABB Innovation Centre (AIC) in Bengaluru, India. This state-of-the-art facility is one of ABB's largest globally and serves as the backbone for technology developments to accelerate innovation. It houses 2500 diverse technologists including engineers, principal and data scientists, architects, domain and analytics specialists, programmers, and developers. The new AIC facility, spread over 3,30,000 sq. ft across 8 floors, offers a work environment and ecosystem for open and seamless collaboration. This facility is in line with ABB's sustainability commitment to enable a low-carbon emission society. More than 25,000 ABB products including 3000 IoT-enabled products used in the Building Management System (BMS) offer savings of ~20 per cent in energy bills with a potential of saving ~40 per cent on maintenance costs and up to 30 per cent on operational costs. AIC's three strategic arms - the Corporate Technology Centre, India Operations Centre and Process Automation Digital have been instrumental in: -- providing solutions with next-level AI, ML, data analytics, 3D and digital wins, Multiphysics modelling & IIoT tech - industry-academic partnerships with top-rated Indian institutions - playing a key role in the development of ABB's global digital solutions like ABB Ability Genix - the industrial analytics and AI suite - worked on innovations like the next generation of solar pump drives used across multiple geographies - remote condition monitoring of 8500 robots across 42 countries & simulation software for multiple robotics applications - high-quality engineering, operations, and services support for Process Automation businesses globally - catering to ABB's Electrification (EL) and Motion (MO) business areas with Centers of Expertise in several critical streams "As a global technology leader, ABB is deeply rooted in India, with a full range of business activities, right from R&D and manufacturing to sales and services. We are committed to staying invested in the country and delivering globally. Our new ABB Innovation Centre, along with the one in Hyderabad, is instrumental in developing products and solutions, which deploy new-age technologies such as AI, ML, data analytics, edge, and cloud solutions for companies here and globally. We are proud to have offered an inclusive and collaborative work environment to help nurture young talent who play a critical role in making in India for India and for the rest of the world," said Sanjeev Sharma, Country Head and Managing Director, ABB India, Chairman, AIC. "ABB Innovation Centre has witnessed tremendous growth over the years and today offers a unique ecosystem covering multiple functions to drive innovation through not only R&D but also spanning the entire product lifecycle, from Product development through to engineering, operations and service support. This seamless offering under one roof has helped ABB address new challenges and develop advanced technologies from India for customers in more than 50 geographies. This centre, over the years, has evolved and contributed to several landmark ABB projects across all areas of expertise. This new facility, aligned with ABB's vision of a sustainable and smarter world, will have a significant role to develop technology for the transformation of society and industry that keeps us ahead of the curve and serve ever-evolving customer demands," said GNV Subba Rao, Global Head of Operation Centre, Process Automation (PA) and Director, AIC. ABB AIC facility is conceptualized as a state-of-the-art Green Building and aims to achieve Platinum Rating under LEED, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) rating system. AIC has been designed at par with USGBC's mission to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built, and operated to reduce contribution to global climate change and preserve resources. ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB's success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)
New Delhi [India], March 30 (ANI/NewsVoir): A patriotic evening complemented with a never seen before play "The Buckingham Palace Trials" was organized by Bharat Maa Shaheed Samman Trust, at the Dalmia House, residence of Industrialist Sanjay Dalmia. The play showcased the image of Buckingham Palace at the stage and artists playing the leading characters from the period of British rule in India. The play unfolded intensely and the artist playing prosecutor presented his case pretty well, against the 4 main accused - Queen Victoria, Lord Macaulay, Brigadier General Dyer and Winston Churchill who were responsible for the atrocities committed against Indian citizens, during British rule in India. The artist playing the defense attorney tried to defend the actions of each one of his clients but failed miserably. The three accused were found guilty by the Indian court of law and were sentenced to death while queen Victoria was sent to "Kala Pani" for life. While addressing the audience present at the event, Sanjay Dalmia mentioned, "It is a sin to commit injustice, but it is a greater sin to tolerate injustice. These words from Lord Krishna to Arjuna, from the holy book, Bhagavad Geeta actually inspired me to conceptualise & develop "The Buckingham Palace Trials" on the lines of Nuremberg trial where Nazi war criminals were tried for their crimes by the court of law. I strongly believe that Whatever one dreams today, can be realized tomorrow." The scripted performance strongly portrayed the atrocities done by the accused, as per the allegation made by the prosecutor, including the ill practices of Indentured labour during British rule, when poor Indian farmers were sent to remote lands like Fiji, Trinidad, Mauritius, Guyana and Tobago, for sugarcane farming. The lawyer demanded the highest level of punishment for General Dyer, the main accused for the bloodshed during the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. The crowd was awestruck and got emotional as this play took them down the memory lane to present a glimpse of the pain and grief that our people suffered during that period. They realized how our Gurukul and traditional skill-based education system was tarnished during colonial rule. Also, our local industries were butchered and farmlands were destroyed which resulted in the loss of nearly 4 million lives during the Bengal famine and pushed our countrymen into extreme poverty. Bharat Maa Shaheed Samman Trust was formed by the Chairman of Dalmia Group and the former member of the parliament - Sanjay Dalmia and Dr Jai Madaan, a popular motivational speaker and celebrity astrologer. The objective of this trust is to honour the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives, fighting against the Britishers to liberate India from colonial rule. Bharat Shaheed Samman Trust has been actively supporting the families of the martyrs, by providing them the much-needed financial assistance for education and livelihood. Dr Jai Madaan while delivering her speech said that, "All Indian parents must inculcate the habit of saying "Jai Bharat Maa", at least once, into their children. She said "I believe that as proud Indians, it's our responsibility to address our mother nation as "Bharat Maa''. These words have the power to move every Indian who aspires to dream big and make India "The Golden Bird", once again." Amit Azad, great grandnephew of the revolutionary freedom fighter- Chandrashekhar Azad, was also present at the event. Commenting on the trial, he said, "My soul soothes to see that Britishers who dared to destroy our Indian culture and heritage met the fate they deserved, in this play. I am very hopeful that one day, every family like ours will get the long due justice for the years of pain we have suffered. I salute this effort by Bharat Maa Shaheed Samman Trust and offer my regards to Sanjay Dalmia sir, for his commendable dedication in honouring the freedom fighters." "The Buckingham Palace Trials" was also streamed live on social media. The occasion was graced by the presence of the families of great freedom fighters, like Chandrashekhar Azad and Sukhdev along with many other dignitaries like Major General Gagan Deep Bakshi. A short video from the play is currently available on YouTube for public view. Here is the link: The Buckingham Palace Trials. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Gurugram (Haryana) [India], March 30 (ANI/NewsVoir): Benling India Energy & Technology Limited, a company manufacturing electric two-wheelers logged a stunning 53.73 percent year-on-year growth in the first three quarters of fiscal 2022, with sales clocking around 42,000 units. Despite the second wave of Covid-19 weighing heavy on the automotive industry, the company sold 30,000 units in the pandemic-impacted period (FY 2020). The business grew to Rs. 96 crores for the first three quarters ended FY 2021-22 from Rs. 45 crores for the year-ago period FY 2020-21. The company achieved a sales turnover of Rs 116 crores in FY 2020-21. Benling India has also drawn its plans to scale up to nearly 50 more cities in coming months and is eventually aiming for up to 300 cities for showroom activity. Benling India is strengthening its footprints across PAN India. It started off 2022 with a brand-new EV showroom at UP (Bijnor, Ghaziabad) and quickly expanded to Delhi, Haryana (Rewari), Bengaluru (Karnataka), Kerala (Parappanangadi) in recent weeks. The company has already tied up with around 210 dealer partners across the country in three years of its operations. Amit Kumar, ED & CEO, Benling India said, "Benling has been an aspirational pure electric brand globally with strong presence in 84 countries. The Indian subsidiary, Benling India Energy & Technology Limited has been set up with an intent to make India as a distribution hub to cover Asian Region. India is one the largest two-wheeler markets in the world and so far, have remained untapped with a significant demand for EV products. The brand sees this is an appropriate time to expand beyond the metros and penetrate in Tier 2,3 cities to meet the increased demand and keep the momentum going. Affordability is Benling India's central focus in asserting its position in the market." Benling India has invested about Rs. 90 crore in the business, which has been used in building the production facility and developing products. In the next three years the company will be investing another Rs. 110 crore for revamping the production facility and increasing the installed capacity. Also, through this expansion and investment strategy, the company will create more than 500 jobs over the next three years. Benling India manufactures electric two wheelers at Manesar, Haryana since 2018 in technical collaboration with Japan's Zhushi Clubs Limited. The company offers a wide range of colour options and provides its customer 3 years of warranty on battery. With 100 per cent localisation in manufacturing, its high-speed models are all ARAI/ICAT certified. The company has unlocked low-interest cost financing for its E2W by tying up with renowned NBFCs and fintech players that are operating in the green financing space. Commenting on its recent financing tie-up, Amit Kumar, ED & CEO, Benling India, "India's electric vehicle market could be worth USD 206 billion in ten years if the country expects to achieve its 2030 electric vehicle (EV) ambitions. This potential boom in the market calls for an increasing need for financing as the market is going to be worth USD 60-70 billion in the next 10 years." Benling India continue to remain extremely bullish on the long-term prospects of the business and will continue to invest and innovate in bringing richer and more experiential models for customers. With a tilt towards personal mobility and the economy returning stronger, along with people keen to get on with their lives is fuelling the demand. The company sells high speed model (Aura) & low speed models (Falcon, Kriti) which are available for test ride and purchase at all its retail outlets. The base model, Kriti is priced at INR 68,000 (ex-showroom) whereas Falcon is priced at INR 72,000 (ex-showroom) and the High-speed Aura is available at INR 82,975 (ex-showroom). The new retail outlets provide unique ownership experience along with complete service and support for the owners. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
New Delhi [India], March 30 (ANI/Picture N Kraft): In the second edition of Most Trusted Brands of India, Gurmeetsingh Bhamrah's brand 'Cyforce' was recognized as one of the Most Trusted Brands of India 2022 on the parameters of - Corporate Citizenship, Trust Quotient, Business Resilience, Innovative Thinking, Digital Transformation, Stakeholder Capitalism, Sustainability Measures. Gurmeetsingh Bhamrah's brand 'Cyforce' has lived upto its values and brought to life the vision of a post-pandemic world in which the greater good is pursued. Its can-do-better spirit and innovative practices has driven its transition in most trying times, setting the stage for a better socio-economic order for all. Gurmeetsingh Bhamrah says, "It is an honour to be recognised at the Most Trusted Brands of India. We as a brand strive to do better with each day, customer satisfaction is our paramount goal. We aim to deliver nothing less than the best to our loyal customers" After the resounding success of the first edition of the Most Trusted Brands of India 2021, which saw brands like Bridgestone, Colgate-Palmolive, Crompton Greaves, IDFC First, Mahindra, Pepsi, Whatsapp, and many others take centre-stage, Team Marksmen along with its media partner ZEE Business hosted their 2nd edition of the mega initiative. Most Trusted Brands of India 2022 promises to be an exclusive gathering of the brands they know and love, which celebrates their achievements over the past year and beyond, in addition to shining a light on what they mean for consumers at large, while highlighting insights and takeaways from their journey. They believe that the brand's achievements will serve as beacons guiding peers through this next normal. This story is provided by Picture N Kraft. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/Picture N Kraft)
New Delhi [India], March 30 (ANI/SRV): In the last few years, the digital space has evolved to the point where potential customers analyze your brand based on your website and digital marketing efforts and are familiar with everything about your company before they even contact you. Over the past decade, the digital marketing industry has had to keep up with technology and people's relationships with devices. This has only gotten more complex as you can imagine the amount of data one must assess to get the most accurate predictions of their customer's desires. Knowing what and how to market your products online is nothing short of skill, and one that is in high demand at the moment. Learn and optimize this skill in the best way possible, through EduVert. "While acquiring new skills, one should get practical exposure as it helps to implement skills in the real world", says Sandeep Kanade, Program Head, EduVert As the scope of digital marketing technologies evolves, companies are staying updated by adding online components to their brick-and-mortar stores or combining various digital marketing strategies to create an internet presence. Since most consumers use smartphones and research products online before buying, digital marketing strategies are crucial to businesses. But companies across the globe also employ digital marketing to more easily target their audiences online and via mobile devices and many are seeing a significant return on investment (ROI) because of these efforts. Digital marketing trends evolve each year as more companies enter the space and new technologies emerge. One of the most promising trends that people seem to be adapting to is data analysis. EduVert is one of the best digital marketing institutes in Navi Mumbai offering quality digital marketing courses and covering everything one might need to proceed forward in their professional life in this field. "Also it is associated with SNK Web Solutions - Digital Marketing Agency which is Google Partner." Their digital marketing course covers a wide range of topics like Web Analytics, Social Media Marketing, SEO, Search Engine Marketing, Email Marketing, and Mobile Marketing. As their student demographic includes degree students, working professionals as well as entrepreneurs, they offer both online and physical lectures along with the option of weekday and weekend sessions as per the students' flexibility. Their inclusion of live projects using an impressive amount of tools that one will come across in a professional environment provides their students with practical exposure that is much needed in the field of digital marketing. They also offer a data analytics course with python and excel. This course provides a very thorough understanding of the basics in the field. The importance of data analytics in digital marketing stems from the ability to pinpoint the information that observers would otherwise miss. At its heart, data analytics is the ability to spot patterns. Current methods of digital marketing utilize big data- massive collections of information from multiple sources. Data analytics processes this data to provide a company with actionable insights. Another trend that seems to be catching on is AI or artificial intelligence. EduVert training institute provides a well-equipped, all-around training experience with its ultra-modern infrastructure and lecturers with over 15 years of experience in the industry. They are now open for admission and offer selective scholarships based on a self-formulated aptitude test following a personal interview round. One should get equipped with New age Digital Skills. To know more visit: https://eduvert.co/ This story is provided by SRV Media. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/SRV)
New Delhi [India], March 30 (ANI/NewsVoir): The International Organization for Migration (IOM), UN Migration in partnership with the Government of India's think-tank NITI Aayog organized a National Conclave on March 29, 2022, at Hotel Taj Palace, Chanakyapuri in New Delhi to initiate, contribute to and support a holistic analysis on and of the core areas of migration. As migration trends continue to evolve, accompanied by unprecedented challenges, the situation calls for recognizing the potential for collaboration and coalescing of efforts towards a sustainable, safe, secure and orderly model of migration. The Conclave broadly focused on 1. Identifying and sharing of good practices and lessons learned by different states during the critical stages of the COVID-19 pandemic 2. Developing an understanding of the invaluable nature of a multi-stakeholder participatory approach like partnerships with the private sector for responsible recruitment of migrant workers 3. Working towards combined action by states of origin and states of destination for the safety of migrant workers buoyed by the context provided by NITI Aayog's draft 'National Policy Framework on Migrant Labour'; and, 4. Promotion of better understanding of, and response to, needs and challenges of female migrants in the supply chain of the garment industry. The inaugural ceremony of the Conclave commenced with a welcome note by Sanjay Awasthi, Head of Office, IOM's Mission in India. This was followed by a special address by Sarat Dash, Chief of Mission of Sri Lanka and Maldives and IOM DG's Special Envoy to India and Bhutan. The Deputy Advisor from NITI Aayog, Dr Muniraju. S. B. talked about the need for "evidence-based policy formulation along with design and delivery of compensation packages, through a need-based and in a gender sensitive manner." The inaugural speeches echoed the intent of the Conclave, where diverse and seemingly disparate groups, had gathered as primary stakeholders to engage in dialogue, deliberation and decision-making, that has become symbolic of migration management efforts. Besides this being the hallmark of a whole-of-society approach, Sanjay Awasthi elucidated the rigor of the Government of India, in migration data management, within and outside India. Reflecting on the economic turmoil caused by the pandemic, which resulted in a 2.2% decline in global remittances in 2020, Sarat Das, "proud of their contribution" talked about migrant workers' resilience. Despite compounding of "vulnerabilities due to their socio economic status, suboptimal living environments, eligibility or access to services including health services, cultural or linguistic barriers at their destinations, migrant workers still contributed 702 billion USD compared to 718billion USD in 2019". Dr Muniraju., shed light on the numerous initiatives of the government, like constitution of several committees under Disaster management Act, 2005, collaborative efforts with UN Agencies and NGOs, and launching of almost Rs. 1.7 lakh crores to help the committees of the economically disadvantaged states. Three sessions spread out over one day, brought together stakeholders from multiple sectors. Session 1, comprised of detailed presentations by representatives from the state labor departments of Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Haryana. Each state acknowledged the stiff challenges when the 'lockdown' was enforced and the innovative ways that their resources were mobilized to maximize protective cover to migrant workers, amidst uncertainties. Some of the outstanding efforts was joint action between states of origin and states of destination to ply special trains and buses, provisions for temporary shelter and food, coordination between labor and law enforcement control rooms, appointment of nodal officers from different departments and monetary help, among many other novel initiatives. Dr Muniraju, spoke about the importance of distinguishing between "inter-state and intra-state due to different needs" and "information management and communication control to mitigate harm through the spread of fake news". Session 2 delved deep into partnerships and collaborations with the private sector, including export houses, global brands, supply chains, labor recruitment agents and agencies, NGOs and CSOs. Dr. Surabhi Singh, India Centre for Migration, MEA, as the Chair of the session, commending the practices of the public and private organizations, said that "the need is to coordinate strategies and not have fragmented practices". Session 3, a panel discussion on 'A National Policy for protection and welfare of Migrant Workers' demonstrated the solution-seeking and sustaining capacity of stakeholders through appropriate and timely mobilization of resources for the benefit of migrant workers. One of the key takeaways was that a crisis can be converted into an opportunity and migration is synonymous with opportunity. Panelists talked about specific policies at the states of origin and destination respectively, by recognizing the multisectoral nature of labor migration, understanding the demographic makeup of regions to devise adequate solutions caused by changes related to migration. It is thus crucial to be clear about migration and 'migrant workers' without getting mired in misguiding terminologies, which can have a deleterious effect on migrant communities. Lastly, recommendations for robust policies through programs and partnerships for the protection of children were made, especially in light of COVID-19 that disrupted child protection networks. Concluding the event, Sanjay Awasthi, said, "Migration is an international issue and with pandemic the crisis only accelerated manifold. Through this conclave, IOM aims to create awareness about the challenges faced by migrant workers and develop best practices with the help of stakeholders, to be adopted for their safety and welfare." The Conclave's main aim was to aid in achieving inclusive, broad-based, and effective governance of migration through sharing of experiences, expertise, and best practices. Against this backdrop, IOM is poised to support and build capacities of public and private entities in developing a comprehensive approach for increasing coordination between all stakeholders involved in human migration and mobility. The need of the hour is to build back better migration management frameworks with multilateral cooperation and collaboration to encourage safe migration. Additionally, as markets across the country and the world reel under the impact of COVID-19, it is more important than ever to explore good practices and formulate evidence-based practices. To continue the discussion on migration, IOM is also organizing a media roundtable on March 30, 2022 to discuss and debate on the migration issue, reporting on the issue by media and their perspective on the subject and the role played by IOM in managing the migrant crisis efficiently. Established in 1951, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, inter-governmental and non-governmental partners. With 174 member states, a further eight states holding observer status and offices in over 100 countries, IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants. IOM works to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration to promote international cooperation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people. The NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) is the apex public policy think tank of the Government of India, and the nodal agency tasked with catalyzing economic development, and fostering cooperative federalism through the involvement of State Governments of India in the economic policy-making process using a bottom-up approach.(1) (1) NITI Aayog - Wikipedia This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Project Monitoring Group (PMG), which is responsible to facilitate the resolution of issues in infrastructure projects with investments upward of Rs 500 crore, has reviewed 374 high impact infrastructure projects worth Rs 17 lakh crore in the current financial year, the Union Ministry of Commerce & Industry said on Wednesday. At present, the PMG is monitoring 1,362 under implementation projects with a total anticipated investment of approximately Rs 47.55 lakh crore spanning across key sectors like Road, Transport and Highways, Railways, Petroleum and Natural Gas, New and Renewable Energy, etc. "Under the guidance of senior officers from DPIIT, in FY 2021-22, 787 new projects with an investment value of Rs 19.6 lakh crore have been brought on PMG for monitoring. And 44 projects with an investment value of INR 1.25 lakh crore have been commissioned," the ministry said in a statement. Project Monitoring Group, which is currently housed in Invest India, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is a unique institutional mechanism to facilitate the resolution of issues in infrastructure projects with investments upward of Rs 500 crore primarily by way of conducting regular review meetings with States and Central Ministries. With the deployment of milestone-based monitoring of projects on the PMG portal in November 2021, project reviews have become more holistic, combining both issue resolution and milestone-based monitoring to anticipate delays in projects, mitigating time and cost overruns and identifying agencies/authorities responsible for delays. PMG has been convening regular review meetings between project proponents, State Governments and Union Ministries to accelerate project implementation through expeditious resolution of issues. Since April 2021, PMG has organized 30 review meetings with nearly all State Governments and Central Ministries. With the co-operation and active participation of the State Governments and Ministry Officials, 374 projects with a value of approximately Rs 17 lakh crore have been reviewed during these meetings. As a result of regular reviews, 568 issues in 248 projects worth Rs 12.20 lakh crore have been resolved. (ANI)
Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu met Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at his official residence in Chandigarh, on Wednesday. The official Twitter handle of CMO Punjab shared a video of the meeting. "Miss Universe @HarnaazKaur Sandhu called on CM @BhagwantMann today at his official residence. Chief Minister congratulated her for making the country proud by bringing the title of Miss Universe back to India after 21 years," the tweet read. The 22-year-old who hails from Punjab, also attended an event today where she revealed that during her visit to the CM of Punjab, the two talked about the welfare of the state. During the event, she also shared her views on the hijab controversy. "It's every girl's own choice, so no one has the right to speak about how the girls of India should live, and how to dress," Harnaaz said adding, "those who are doing politics on the issue, are wrong." The hijab protests in Karnataka began in January this year when some students of Government Girls PU college in the Udupi district of the state alleged that they had been barred from attending classes. During the protests, some students claimed they were denied entry into the college for wearing hijab. For the unversed, Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu was crowned Miss Universe 2021, making her the third entrant from India to bag the prestigious title after 21 years.(ANI)
According to Billboard, the duo joined forces at ITV's 'Concert for Ukraine' on Tuesday, March 29.

"We're all praying tonight for the peace and the safety of the people in Ukraine," Camila said before surprising the crowd by welcoming Sheeran to the stage, adding, "This is such a full-circle moment for me...But, like, literally I cried the first time I met him, I'm like such a huge fan of his."

The fundraising event in Birmingham is aimed to raise funds for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

As per Billboard, the line-up for the two-hour show also featured Nile Rodgers and Chic, Snow Patrol, Anne-Marie, Nile Rodgers with Chic, Emeli Sande, Tom Odell, Paloma Faith, Eurovision winner Jamala and more. (ANI)
Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said other countries of the world look at India as a leader in the health sector after "we handled the Covid-19 pandemic so efficiently under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi". In response to a question on the development of healthcare facilities in the country, the Health Minister said the Central and the state governments need to work together in the health sector. Replying to another query on states receiving more authority to deal with disease outbreaks, the Health Minister said the House that even though Health was a state subject, there was no gap in between the Centre and the states while tackling issues in the health sector. Answering a question of Trinamool Congress MP Derek O' Brien who asked questions about the medical bills of ex-servicemen, Mandaviya said that the government is committed towards the welfare of the ex-servicemen and always ready to provide services to those with Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) cards. He also said that earlier the CGHS facility was provided to 75 cities in the country which has increased to 81 cities now. Responding to the question of Samajwadi Party Member Rewati Raman Singh, the Minister of State, Health, Bharati Pawar said that altogether, 22 All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) are being set up in the country. Out of 10 proposed in the first phase, six have started functioning with all departments. "Over 15,000 patients are being examined at these six AIIMS, over seven thousand major and minor surgeries have been doing in these AIIMS while the OPD facility in another 10 AIIMS will start soon", Pawar said. Replying to the question of DMK MP T Siva about the new AIIMS proposed in Tamil Nadu, she told the House that the site has been earmarked in Madurai. "This AIIMS is being built with the funding from Japan International Cooperation Agency and the appointment of the Project Management Consultant has also been appointed." She said that the land for AIIMS in Darbhanga has been finalised by the state government and the work on the building will start soon. --IANS ams/pgh ( 374 Words) 2022-03-29-22:22:03 (IANS)
The government has fixed trade margins of over 40 costly cancer drugs following which their prices have come down significantly, the Parliament was told on Tuesday. "We had to import cancer medicines but now India is capable of manufacturing them. We have introduced PLI scheme under which the manufacturing of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) required for making cancer medicines have also started in India," Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told the Rajya Sabha in response to a question. He said that such medicines are imported, as per requirement, but trade margins of 44 cancer treatment medicines, which are very costly, have been fixed, bringing down their prices significantly, which is benefiting cancer patients. The minister also informed the House that the MRPs of these cancer medicines have been capped in such a manner that it cannot be more than 60 per cent of the first price that a manufacturer sells to a distributor in India. On what steps are being taken by the government on reports of about 175 healthcare organisations refusing to honour and clear bills of ex-servicemen under the Central Government Health Scheme, the Minister assured the house that government will look into the matter. He also assured that issues faced by senior retired journalists, whose bills have not been cleared under CGHS, will also be addressed. Mandaviya also said that the reach of CGHS centres are also being expanded to 81 cities from 25 cities earlier and every two monthsm the package under the scheme is revised to meet the changing treatment protocol requirements. --IANS avr/vd ( 271 Words) 2022-03-29-23:28:04 (IANS)
New research led by the Massachusetts General Hospital has found that B cells in the bone marrow, which produce a chemical messenger called acetylcholine can prevent inflammation in the heart and blood vessels by blocking white blood cell production. This process might help scientists target inflammation in cardiovascular conditions. The research was published in the journal, 'Nature Immunology'. Senior author Matthias Nahrendorf, MD, PhD, an investigator in MGH's Center for Systems Biology and Richard Moerschner professor at the MGH Research Institute and Harvard Medical School, explained that the nervous system plays a role in controlling blood cell production through chemical messengers or neurotransmitters. "This is for instance important in people exposed to stress, where stress hormones -- part of the 'fight-or-flight' response controlled by the sympathetic nervous system -- may increase bone marrow activity and cardiovascular inflammation in response to the neurotransmitter noradrenaline," he said. The sympathetic nerves have a counter player -- the parasympathetic nerves, which slow down responses and bring about a state of calm to the body, mainly through the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Because acetylcholine can have a protective effect against inflammation and heart disease, the researchers studied this neurotransmitter in the bone marrow. "When we looked into how acetylcholine acts on the production of blood cells, we found that it does the expected -- it reduces white blood cells, as opposed to noradrenaline, which increases them," said Nahrendorf. "What was unexpected though was the source of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine," he added. The team found no evidence in the bone marrow of the typical nerve fibres that are known to release acetylcholine. Instead, B cells, which are themselves a type of white blood cell (most known for making antibodies), supplied the acetylcholine in the bone marrow. "Thus, B cells counter inflammation -- even in the heart and the arteries -- via dampening white blood cell production in the bone marrow. Surprisingly, they use a neurotransmitter to do so," said Nahrendorf. Tapping into this process may help investigators develop strategies to block inflammation in cardiovascular conditions such as atherosclerosis. "Ultimately this may lead to new therapeutics that combat myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart failure," said Nahrendorf. (ANI)
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said that Russia-Ukraine war has impacted all countries. Replying to the debate in the Rajya Sabha on the Finance Bill, she said that the impact of a full-blown war in Ukraine is being felt by "all of us" as the war's impact has disrupted supplies and broken value chains. "Now we are also facing the situation of a full-blown war in Ukraine which is not some war in some corner of the world but it seems to be having an impact on all countries like the way the pandemic has," she said. Sitharaman also pointed out that the Central government did not increase taxes to fund the recovery from the impact of Covid, while citing an OECD report that said 32 countries had increased various tax rates during the pandemic. "So, no tax was increased for our recovery process to be funded or aided." Furthermore, she said that India remains as the top 5 FDI recipient countries in the world. The minister pointed out that in the last 7 years and 9 months of the present government till December 2021, India recieved FDI inflows of $500.5 billion, which is 65 per cent higher than the inflows during the 10 years of the UPA government. On Tuesday, Rajya Sabha continued to discuss the Finance Bill 2022 and Appropriation Bill, 2022 moved by the Finance Minister on Monday. --IANS rv/vd ( 248 Words) 2022-03-29-20:02:03 (IANS)
Ahead of next year's assembly polls in Rajasthan, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is trying to re-establish herself as the BJP's face there. She is meeting the party's central leadership including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and participating in party events. Raje is currently a Bharatiya Janata Party national vice president and was visible at several events including the swearing in ceremonies of the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments in Lucknow and Dehradun respectively. There is speculation in the saffron camp that by her presence at party functions Raje is trying to re-establish herself as the party's face in Rajasthan. Raje has not attended several programmes of the BJP Rajasthan unit in the past citing various reasons. In the last one week, however, Raje met Prime Minister Modi, BJP chief J P Nadda, a couple of senior Union ministers during the second half of the on-going budget session of Parliament. A senior party functionary said that the former chief minister is now trying to reclaim her position as the face of the BJP in Rajasthan by becoming active. "After the BJP defeat in the 2018 Rajasthan assembly polls, Raje was sidelined by the party leadership over allegations of running a parallel organisation for self-promotion instead of the party. By making an appearance in party programmes Raje is trying to send a message that she is active and relevant. She is also meeting the central leadership to win back their confidence before next year's assembly polls," he said. A fight over party faces for next year's election has already started and all the camps have begun asserting their claim to lead the BJP in the 2023 Rajasthan assembly polls. Raje's differences with Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia is an open secret in the state. A party insider said that the former chief minister still wields strong influence in the Rajasthan unit and now she is trying to end her differences with the central leadership well before the assembly polls scheduled at the end of 2023. "There is no doubt that she is one of the strongest leaders in the party's Rajasthan unit with influence across the state. Her involvement in party activities will only help the party in the assembly polls next year. But the important question is whether she gets the support of the central leadership or not," he said. --IANS ssb/bg ( 407 Words) 2022-03-29-20:04:01 (IANS)
The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the mental and physical loss of a victim in a road accident cannot be computed in terms of money but there is no other way to compensate. A bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and V. Ramasubramanian enhanced the compensation awarded to the boy, who was 5 years old at the time of the accident, to Rs 49.93 lakh, along with interest. The boy suffered serious injuries and he is a paraplegic now. "The determination of damages in personal injury cases is not easy. The mental and physical loss cannot be computed in terms of money but there is no other way to compensate the victim except by payment of just compensation," it said, noting that the appellant herein is not able to move his both legs and had complete sensory loss in the legs, urinary incontinence and bowel constipation, and bed sores. "Therefore, we find that in view of the physical condition, the appellant is entitled to one attendant for the rest of his life though he may be able to walk with the help of assistant devicea.. The appellant has not only lost his childhood but also adult life. Therefore, loss of marriage prospects would also be required to be awarded," it held. The top court verdict came on appeal filed by the boy against the Karnataka High Court order, awarding a compensation of Rs 13.46 lakh as against Rs 18.24 lakh, which was awarded by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal. The bench noted that the tribunal has rejected the claim of taxi expenses for the reason that the taxi driver has not been produced. "It is impossible to produce the numerous taxi drivers. Still further, the Tribunal should have realized the condition of the child who had complete sensory loss in the legs. Therefore, if the parents of the child had taken him in a taxi, probably that was the only option available to them. Accordingly, we award a sum of Rs 2 lakh as conveyance charges," it said. "The compensation comes out to be Rs 49,93,000, along with interest already awarded by the Tribunal and affirmed by the High Court i.e. 7.5 per cent p.a. from the date of filing of the claim application till realisation." --IANS ss/vd ( 395 Words) 2022-03-29-20:30:03 (IANS)
The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) activists in Karnataka have taken out a protest march from Belthangadi town to Mangaluru demanding justice for the family of Dinesh Kanyadi, a Dalit youth allegedly killed by a Sangh Parivar activist. The protesters marched 60 km, condemning the "negligent attitude" of the ruling BJP government. They demanded Rs 50 lakh as compensation for Dinesh's family, and a government job for one of his family members. Afsar Kodlipet, state Secretary of SDPI, said on Tuesday 2 acres of land must be given to his family, and conspirators behind the death be investigated and booked. Aboobakar Kulayi, the district president of SDPI, said: "The ruling BJP government will shower condolences and compensation after the murder of a Sangh Parivar activist... The accused persons are booked under UAPA Act," he said, indirectly referring to Bajrang Dal activist Harsha murder case in Shivamogga. "But, if a Dalit is killed by a Sangh Parivar activist, no one from the government is bothered to visit his family, no compensation announced and not a word of solace is being offered to the family." "The Karnataka government should come forward to offer succour to the family of Dinesh Kanyadi. However, since the accused is a Sangh Parivar activist, the case is not taken seriously and the government is turning a blind eye to it," he said. Dinesh Kanyadi, a Dalit youth was attacked for a trivial reason on February 23. He breathed his last on the same day in the hospital in Dharmasthala. D. Krishna, a Sangh Parivar activist and BJP leader was arrested in connection with the case and released on bail later. --IANS mka/pgh ( 290 Words) 2022-03-29-22:00:04 (IANS)
The Opposition BJP and Congress in Odisha Assembly on Tuesday demanded constitution of a House Committee to examine the construction work undertaken by the Odisha government near Jagannath temple in Puri. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Puri MLA of BJP, Jayant Sarangi said the National Monument Authority and Archaeological Survey of India have said that they have not given any approval to undertake construction of a permanent structure near the temple. Deep pits are being dug close to the temple, which may damage the structure of the temple, he said. "If major damage happens to the temple in the coming days, the state government will be responsible," Sarangi said. Requesting Speaker S.N. Patro to take the issue seriously, the MLA has demanded formation of a House Committee consisting of members from all political parties, temple administration, servitors and architectural experts, to examine the construction activities. Joining him, BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi too demanded the Speaker to give ruling for formation of a House panel for this purpose. Similarly, Congress legislature party leader Narasingha Mishra too demanded the formation of a House Committee immediately so that the members can inspect the construction site and submit its report by the next session of the assembly. Otherwise, the Law Minister should make a statement in the House on this, he said. However, Speaker Patro remained silent over the demand. Later, Parliamentary Affairs Minister B.K. Arukha said the Heritage Corridor project work is underway and there is no threat to the temple. An unanimous resolution was also passed in the House on February 27, 2021 for development of the project, he said. On the Opposition's demand for a House panel, Arukha said that the government is prepared to constitute a committee on March 31 when various panels of the assembly will be formed. --IANS bbm/pgh ( 317 Words) 2022-03-29-22:10:02 (IANS)
It indicates a clear case of misuse of media, said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir.

"One of the killed categorised local terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT was carrying an Identity Card (ID) of media. It indicates a clear case of misuse of media: IGP Kashmir," tweeted Jammu and Kashmir police.

Earlier on Wednesday, two terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba/The Resistance Front (LeT/TRF) have been killed in an encounter that began in the Rainawari area of Srinagar on Wednesday, said Jammu and Kashmir police.

Both the terrorists were involved in several recent terror crimes including civilian killings, said Inspector General of Police Kashmir.

Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition have been recovered, added the police.

Further details shall follow. (ANI)
Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday addressed 20,000 Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) members from across the UT during a virtual PRI Conference. Terming the PRIs as the foundation of rural construction and development programmes, he said that in governance, from policy to service delivery, they act as the living cells of the system. "By strengthening the PRIs, we are empowering a more effective system to truly realize the vision of Gram Swaraj." Expressing gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi for establishing a three-tier Panchayati Raj system in J&K, the Lt Governor said that under the guidance of PM, they have been strengthening the roots of PRIs to build an inclusive society. "Our effort is to remove the gap between rural and urban, so that prosperity reaches the home and heart of every citizen of J&K," he added. Appreciating the initiative taken to bring the PRIs on a common platform, the Lt Governor said that the unprecedented participation of PRI representatives reflects the untiring efforts of the government to make PRIs more empowered, participatory, and vibrant. He observed that the effective devolution of three 'Fs' - funds, functions and functionaries - has established the centrality of Panchayats in governance and implementation of public welfare schemes. It will bring effective social and economic empowerment, besides ensuring that the benefits of rapid economic growth actually reach the last person in the queue, he added. Noting that "a historical decision was taken to involve PRIs to formulate district capex budget to effectively plan and carry out development works", Sinha said that funds are also being provided to the PRIs to evolve their development schemes as per the needs of local population. --IANS zi/vd ( 292 Words) 2022-03-29-22:36:01 (IANS)
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Gantz on Tuesday and expressed condolences on the loss of lives of innocent civilians due to recent terror attacks in Israel. In the call initiated from Tel Aviv, he also said terrorism is a threat to the whole world and it does not have any place in the civilised world. "Had a telephonic conversation with the Defence Minister of Israel, Mr. Benjamin Gantz. Shared my condolences on loss of innocent lives due to terror attacks in Israel. Terrorism is a global menace which has no place in today's civilised world," Rajnath Singh said in a tweet. Gantz appreciated the gesture and thanked his Indian counterpart. He also said that his proposed visit to India from March 30-31, 2022 has been postponed due to some unavoidable reasons and new dates will be worked out through diplomatic channels. While looking forward to the visit, Singh said it would further strengthen defence cooperation between the two countries, which look forward to further strengthen their relations as they completed 30 years of full diplomatic ties. "Defence cooperation is the founding pillar of our strategic partnership. Military and industry cooperation has been on an upward swing," he said. --IANS sk/vd ( 217 Words) 2022-03-29-22:40:05 (IANS)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said "if anyone is being harassed anywhere, then definitely raise your voice". The Prime Minister said this during his virtual address at the Matua Dharma Maha Mela 2022 at Shreedham Thakurnagar, Thakurbari in West Bengal on the occasion of 211th birth anniversary of Shree ShreeHarichand Thakur ji. Modi called upon the Matua community to raise awareness to remove corruption at every level in the society. "If anyone is being harassed anywhere, then definitely raise your voice there. It is our duty towards the society and also towards the nation," the Prime Minister said. He said "it is our democratic right to participate in political activities". "But because of political opposition, if someone intimidates someone with violence, then it is a violation of the rights of others. Therefore, it is our duty that if the mentality of violence, anarchy exists anywhere in the society, then it should be opposed," he said. The Prime Minister recalled his happiness on being able to pay his obeisance at Orakandi Thakurbari in Bangladesh in March 2021, and also in February 2019 when he had the opportunity to visit Thakurnagar. The Prime Minister further emphasised that Matua Dharma Maha Mela is an occasion to bow to the Matua tradition, foundation of which was laid by Shree Shree Harichand Thakur ji and further nurtured by Guruchand Thakur ji and Boro Ma. The Prime Minister also credited his Council of Minister colleague Shantanu Thakur for taking forward the "great tradition". Modi termed the Maha Mela a reflection of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat'. "Our culture and civilisation is great due to its continuous flow and continuity and has a natural tendency to self-regenerate," he said. The Prime Minister has talked about "New India's effort to provide cleanliness, health, and self-confidence to the daughters of the country". "When we see our sisters and daughters in every sphere of society contributing to nation building along with sons, then it feels like a true tribute to great personalities like Shree Shree Harichand Thakur ji," he said. The Prime Minister said: "When the government takes the government schemes to the people on the basis of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and when, Sabka Prayas drives the development of the nation, then we move towards building an inclusive society." --IANS ssb/pgh ( 396 Words) 2022-03-29-23:12:03 (IANS)
Bandra and Worli unit of Anti Narcotics Cell arrested three drug peddlers from different areas of Mumbai and recovered 3.160 kg of MD drugs worth Rs 4.73 crore in the international market, said Anti Narcotics Cell. A case had been registered under NDPS Act, added Anti Narcotics Cell. Further investigation is underway. (ANI)
The Summit Meeting, which is being held in virtual mode, will be hosted by Sri Lanka, the current BIMSTEC chair.

To prepare for the Summit, meetings of BIMSTEC Senior Officials (SOM) took place on March 28 followed by meetings of the BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers (BMM) on March 29.

"The Covid pandemic related challenges, and the uncertainties within the international system that all BIMSTEC members are facing, imparts greater urgency to the goal of taking BIMSTEC technical and economic cooperation to the next level. This is expected to be the main subject of deliberations by Leaders at the Summit," the Ministry of External (MEA) said in a press release.

The leaders are also expected to discuss the establishment of basic institutional structures and mechanisms of the group.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar today concluded a "productive and congenial" BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting. "Thank you FM Prof G. L. Peiris for the excellent arrangements," Jaishankar tweeted.

Jaishankar participated in the 18th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting in Colombo and emphasized the grouping's commitment to intensify and expand areas of cooperation especially connectivity, energy and maritime ties among the member countries.

The 'Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)' is a regional multilateral organisation. Its members lie in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal, constituting a contiguous regional unity. The members include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. (ANI)
"Remembering the courageous Shyamji Krishna Varma on his Punya Tithi. Every Indian is proud of his monumental contribution to our freedom struggle. To be able to bring back his ashes from Geneva in 2003 will remain among the most special moments of my life," tweeted Prime Minister.

Born in Gujarat, Shyamji Krishna Varma was a freedom fighter who founded the Indian Home Rule Society, The Indian Sociologist and India House in London. He was a barrister in London and was later barred from practicing for being critical of the colonial government. Varma also taught Sanskrit at Oxford University. (ANI)
A police case has been registered after a woman gynecologist at a private hospital in Dausa here died, allegedly by suicide, after she was booked for the death of a pregnant woman, police said. Dausa Station House Officer, Shankar Lal Meena said, "The doctor''s body has been sent for post-mortem. We have filed an FIR of the suicide case. A suicide note was received from the room. We are further investigating the matter." According to police, the gynecologist Dr Archana Sharma allegedly died by hanging on March 29 inside a room of the hospital after an FIR was registered against her at the Lalsot Police Station after family of the pregnant woman demonstrated outside the hospital and demanded immediate action against the doctor alleging negligence. The patient''s family created a ruckus outside the hospital and had lodged an FIR against Dr Archana and her husband Dr Suneet Upadhyay under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. The FIR stated that due to the negligence of the hospital and the doctor the patient lost her life and demanded strict actions against the doctor and her husband. An FIR has been filed at the Dausa police station by the husband of Dr Archana Shama seeking immediate action against a politician, Balya Joshi and the patient''s attendants for inciting the doctor to commit suicide. Federation of Resident Doctors'' Association has written to the government of Rajasthan regarding the suicide case of Dr Sharma and urged for strict actions against the demonstrators and immediate withdrawal of the FIR. FORDA has also demanded compensation by the State Government to the family of the deceased doctor. FORDA stated that "Post-Partum Haemorrhage (PPH) is a known complication following delivery in pregnant women and as per guidelines of the Supreme Court, a doctor cannot be accused of medical negligence in any such incident, without proper investigation by an expert committee." Meanwhile, doctors in private hospitals in Jaipur and Dausa have said they will go on strike today to demanding action against those who abetted the alleged suicide. (ANI)
"The woman who hurled a bomb at the CRPF bunker in Sopore yesterday has been identified. She will be arrested soon," Kumar told ANI.

Yesterday, a burqa-clad woman was seen hurling a bomb at a CRPF bunker in Sopore.

The incident was captured on CRPF's CCTV camera. In the CCTV footage, the women could be seen fleeing from the spot after hurling the bomb. The fire caused due to the bomb was doused immediately. No injuries have been reported. Further details in the matter are awaited.

Meanwhile, two terrorists of the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) -- Rayees Ahmad Bhat, a former journalist, and C category terrorist Hilal Ah Rah -- were killed in an encounter in the Rainawari area of Srinagar today.

The Kashmir Zone Police said that one of the killed terrorists was carrying a media Identity Card (ID). Rayees Ahmad Bhat was earlier a journalist and was running an online news portal 'ValleyNews Service' in Anantnag, added the police.

"Bhat had terrorist ranks in 2021. Two FIRs were already registered against him for terror crimes," the police informed.

The second terrorist killed in the encounter has been identified as Hilal Ah Rah of Bijbehara, a 'C' categorised terrorist, said Kashmir Zone Police in a tweet.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar informed that the two terrorists killed in the encounter were involved in several recent terror crimes, including killings of civilians. (ANI)
A team of police officials from the Mundka police station has arrested one accused of kidnapping a 12-year-old child, here, and handed over the child safely to the family after rescuing him, police said. The police team arrested the accused identified as Arbind Upadhyay after chasing him for around 1100 km and rescued the kidnapped child from his custody. A case was registered at Mundka police station on March 26, by the mother of the kidnapped child complaining that the boy went missing after leaving for school in a village of Tikri Kalan in the national capital. The police filed an FIR under section 363 of the Indian Penal Code and initiated the investigation into the case. The investigation revealed that Arbind is a native of Bihar, a class 8th pass out who runs an orchestra in the name of 'Heena' in his native village. To track the accused, the police team deployed the sources immediately. During the investigation into the case, the suspected contact numbers were identified. The police team tracked the location and obtained the Call detail record (CDR) of the accused, it was found that the accused was travelling on Bihar Sampark Kranti Train, revealed the police. A raiding team was formed and sent immediately to follow the suspect. Technical surveillance was used by the police to trace the victim and accused. The police had also informed and contacted the railway authorities about the incident. The police conducted a raid as per the live location and Customer Acquisition Form details of the mobile phone number used by the accused and nabbed the accused at Village Khutka Dahva, District Saran, Bihar. The rescued child was handed over to the family. (ANI)
"Sangeeta Patel the wife of Amar Patel came to us alleging atrocities against her by her husband, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law," said Apurva Killedar, Deputy superintendent of police (DSP).

"She allegedly consumed rat poison as she was facing violence at home," the DCP added.

The police have taken her to Victoria Hospital for necessary treatment.

The Police also said, "In order to resolve her marriage-related disputes, a case has been filed with the Family counselling centre (Pariwar Paramarsh Kendra), while the police are investigating the case." (ANI)
The Delhi High court on Wednesday dismissed the plea challenging the Central Information Commission (CIC) order and seeking the information under Right To Information (RTI) regarding the agenda of the Supreme Court collegium meeting held on December 12, 2018. Justice Yashwant Varma on Wednesday dismissed the plea moved by RTI Activist Anjali Bhardwaj challenging an order dated December 16, 2021, passed by the Central Information Commission in Second Appeal, in which it has dismissed the petitioner's appeal. The petitioner had sought direction from authorities to disclose the available information sought in the RTI application on February 26, 2019. The petition stated that on January 23, 2019, former Justice Madan B Lokur, who was one of the members of the collegium meeting of December 12, 2018, and was retired on December 30 that year, in an interview had expressed his disappointment that December 12, 2018 collegium meeting resolution was not uploaded in the Supreme Court website. In the petition, Justice Lokur was quoted having said, "once we take certain decisions, they have to be uploaded". "In such circumstances, in the interest of transparency in the appointment in the judiciary, on February 26, 2019, the petitioner through an RTI application to the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of the Supreme Court sought a copy of the agenda, decisions and resolution of the collegium meeting held on December 12, 2018," stated the plea. The plea stated that the CPIO of the Supreme Court refused to provide the information. It was challenged before the First Appellate Authority (FAA). "While disposing of the appeal, the FAA had also dismissed it holding that in view of the subsequent collegium resolution of January 10, 2019, it was clear that though certain decisions were taken in the meeting of December 12, 2018, the required consultation could not be completed therefore no resolution was formally passed. Therefore the information sought could not be supplied to the petitioner," the plea said. The petition stated that in the second appeal, the CIC dismissing it had relied on the resolution of 10 January 2019. It was also held that the copy of the decision and the resolution of 12 December 2018 did not exist on record and therefore could not be supplied to the petitioner. (ANI)
Amid much outrage over the Birbhum violence in which eight people were charred to death, the five-member fact-finding committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has submitted its report to party chief JP Nadda on Wednesday. Nadda had formed a five-member fact-finding committee comprising West Bengal state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, Rajya Sabha MP and former Uttar Pradesh DGP Brajlal, Lok Sabha MP and former Mumbai Police Commissioner Satya Pal Singh, Rajya Sabha MP and former IPS KC Ramamurty and BJP spokesperson and former IPS Bharati Ghosh. Before submitting the report, Majumdar told ANI, "The fact-finding committee went to the village in Birbhum where the incident took place. We had to face problems to reach the village due to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). The committee had four former IPS officers and they made a comprehensive report. We will hand over the report to party president JP Nadda today. We will also hand over a copy of this confidential report to Union Home Minister Amit Shah." As many as eight people were killed in the Rampurhat area of West Bengal's Birbhum on Tuesday after a mob allegedly set houses on fire following the killing of TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the probe of the Birbhum violence case following the Calcutta High Court order. Meanwhile, CBI named 21 accused under Section 147, 148, 149 and other Sections in FIR on suspected offence of armed rioting. Last week, Director-General of Police (DGP) West Bengal, Manoj Malviya had informed that 11 arrests were made in the case. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee went to Bagtui village on Thursday to meet the kin of those killed in the violence. On Friday, the Calcutta High Court had directed the SIT formed by the West Bengal government to hand over case papers and accused persons arrested by it to the central probe agency. The Court had also directed the state government to install CCTV cameras for round-the-clock surveillance. Following this direction, CCTV cameras were installed in the violence-affected area of Rampurhat. Also, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had sought a detailed report from the West Bengal government over the arson incident. The move came after a nine-member delegation of BJP MPs from West Bengal met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and sought his intervention and action against the perpetrators involved in the crime. (ANI)
"After preliminary treatment, the injured Gibbon was sent to the Assam State Zoo for better treatment," said a forest official.

Earlier on March 10, three rhinos, which were separated from their mother in 2019, were sent to Assam State Zoo from Kaziranga.

Dr Samsul Ali, a veterinary surgeon suggested the age of those rhinos as 2-3 years, who were transported in their unconscious state to the zoo under the security arrangements of the forest department.

These rhinos were rescued by Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) from Kohra, Biswanath and Agratuli areas during the 2019 flood. (ANI)
Eleven people have been arrested in a child trafficking case here for allegedly selling a three-month-old baby, said Hyderabad police on Wednesday. A three-month-old girl was sold by her father for Rs 70,000, and 11 people were found to have been involved in the case, said the police, adding that all the accused have been apprehended. The matter came to light after the mother and grandmother of the infant reported the case to the police, accusing the father of the child for selling for Rs 70,000 as he was habituated to bad vices. Deputy Superintendent of police of North division, Mangalgiri Police Station, J Rambabu said, "We rescued the infant and handed her over safely to the parents. The main accused in the case is her father who had sold the baby. The baby was sold to many people subsequently and the accused do not have any criminal backgrounds. Lastly, she was sold for Rs 2,50,000 before police caught the culprits." The police also stated that the accused who had bought the baby belonged to Mangalgiri, Dachepally, Hyderabad while the infant was finally rescued from Vijayawada. The accused Manoj, father of the infant, has two other daughters. Three months ago, when his wife gave birth to another girl child, the accused with the help of a woman, Mikkili Nagalakshmi, from the same area, sold the baby to a married woman Meghawat Gayatri alias Saraswati of Kondaprolu village in Damracharla Mandal of Nalgonda district for Rs 70,000. Later, Meghawat Gayatri, who had bought the baby, sold her for Rs 1,20,000 to Bhookya Balavartiraju of Dilshuk Nagar, Hyderabad, who in turn sold the infant to Nurjahan for Rs 1,87,000. Nur Jahan with the help of another accused Anubhoju Uday Kiran of Khammam district sold the baby to Bommada Ummadevi of Chikkadpally Narayana Guda in Hyderabad for Rs 1,90,000 who further sold her to Padala Shravani of Vijayawada Benz Circle for Rs 2,00,000. Padala Sravani sold the baby to Garikamukku Vijayalakshmi of Gollapudi, Vijayawada for Rs 2,20,000 who lastly sold the baby to Varre Ramesh of Eluru, East Godavari district for Rs 2,50,000. "On the direction of Guntur District Urban Superintendent of Police Arif Hafeez, the police team caught the culprits and rescued the baby and handed her over to the parents. Urban SP Arif Hafeez announced the rewards for the police officers and staff that excelled in the case," said the DSP Rambabu. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday allowed Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar to travel abroad from March 31, 2022, to April 6, 2022. The Congress leader was granted bail in 2019 by Delhi High Court, in a money laundering case on the condition that he shall take prior permission of the court before travelling abroad. The bench of Justice Asha Menon on Wednesday allowed DK Shivakumar's plea to travel to Dubai- UAE where he is invited as a special guest in an inauguration ceremony of a company. Earlier, the Court had asked the applicant to place on record the itinerary and travel documents, as well as the details of the company inviting the applicant and his address with contact details when travelling abroad. Advocate Mayank Jain, who appeared for DK Shivakumar, in compliance with the court's earlier direction on Wednesday placed on record the itinerary, travel documents, Contact number of the leader and other related documents. Shivakumar is an Indian politician who is currently serving as the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. He was the state minister of irrigation in the cabinet of H. D. Kumaraswamy. A seven-time MLA in Karnataka, Shivakumar was booked along with Haumanthaiah, an employee at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi and others over charges of corruption and money laundering under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). After questioning the congress leader several times, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested him on September 3, 2019, in the case and later Delhi High Court granted him bail in October 2019. Shivakumar is presently on bail in the money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate, based on a complaint filed by the Income Tax (IT) department. The I-T department, during the initial probe, had allegedly found unaccounted and misreported wealth linked to the congress leader. (ANI)
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday took to Twitter to condemn the incident of assault of the officials of the electricity department by a Congress MLA and six others here on Tuesday. The CM wrote on his Twitter account, "The incident of assault of the electricity department officials is very unfortunate. If the government officials performing their duties will be given this treatment, how are they supposed to work responsibly?" The incident took place on Monday when a Congress MLA and six others allegedly assaulted officials of the electricity department and made casteist remarks against them. In a complaint to police filed on Tuesday, an assistant engineer had alleged that Dholpur's Bari MLA Giriraj Singh Malinga and the others assaulted him and junior engineer, Nitin Gulati, on Monday and made casteist remarks. However, the MLA has denied the allegations. The CM condemned the act and assured safety to the officials, he wrote, "During the tough times of the Covid-pandemic, when we all wanted to stay back at our homes, the government employees risked their lives to fulfil the requirements of essential services. The officials involved in essential services such as electricity and water supply department have a tough job to do," tweeted CM Gehlot adding, "But no one has the right to take law and order in their control and assault the officials performing these tough jobs. The state government will ensure the safety of its employees and assure that no person guilty of any such act will be spared in future." However, a case has been registered in the local police station against the MLA and others for assaulting the officials and obstructing their work. They have been booked under the SC/ST Act.(ANI)
Eleven people have been arrested in a child trafficking case here for allegedly selling a three-month-old baby, said Andhra Pradesh police on Wednesday. A three-month-old girl was sold by her father for Rs 70,000, and 11 people were found to have been involved in the case, said the police, adding that all the accused have been apprehended. The matter came to light after the mother and grandmother of the infant reported the case to the police, accusing the father of the child for selling for Rs 70,000 as he was habituated to bad vices. Deputy Superintendent of police of North division, Mangalgiri Police Station in Andhra Pradesh, J Rambabu said, "We rescued the infant and handed her over safely to the parents. The main accused in the case is her father who had sold the baby. The baby was sold to many people subsequently and the accused do not have any criminal backgrounds. Lastly, she was sold for Rs 2,50,000 before police caught the culprits." The police also stated that the accused who had bought the baby belonged to Mangalgiri, Dachepally while the infant was finally rescued from Vijayawada. The accused Manoj, father of the infant, has two other daughters. Three months ago, when his wife gave birth to another girl child, the accused with the help of a woman, Mikkili Nagalakshmi, from the same area, sold the baby to a married woman Meghawat Gayatri alias Saraswati of Kondaprolu village in Damracharla Mandal of Nalgonda district for Rs 70,000. Later, Meghawat Gayatri, who had bought the baby, sold her for Rs 1,20,000 to Bhookya Balavartiraju of Dilshuk Nagar, Hyderabad, who in turn sold the infant to Nurjahan for Rs 1,87,000. Nur Jahan with the help of another accused Anubhoju Uday Kiran of Khammam district sold the baby to Bommada Ummadevi of Chikkadpally Narayana Guda in Hyderabad for Rs 1,90,000 who further sold her to Padala Shravani of Vijayawada Benz Circle for Rs 2,00,000. Padala Sravani sold the baby to Garikamukku Vijayalakshmi of Gollapudi, Vijayawada for Rs 2,20,000 who lastly sold the baby to Varre Ramesh of Eluru, East Godavari district for Rs 2,50,000. "On the direction of Guntur District Urban Superintendent of Police Arif Hafeez, the police team caught the culprits and rescued the baby and handed her over to the parents. Urban SP Arif Hafeez announced the rewards for the police officers and staff that excelled in the case," said the DSP Rambabu. (ANI)
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will hold a roadshow in Ahmedabad on April 2.

Kejriwal will also hold meetings with party leaders of the Gujarat unit on March 3.

Further, Kejriwal and Mann will hold a Tiranga Yatra in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi on April 6.

Assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh are slated to be held later this year.

Charged with its landslide victory in the recently held Punjab Assembly elections, AAP is seeking to expand its footprint in other states. (ANI)
Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu will host a dinner along with cultural events for all the outgoing members of the Upper House to mark their farewell on Thursday at his official residence. Mementos will be presented to all the 72 retiring members and another 19 retired earlier who could not receive the mementos. At the dinner, about half a dozen Rajya Sabha members will showcase their cultural talents. Trinamool Congress leader Santanu Sen will play the Guitar, Trinamool Congress' Dola Sen will present Rabindra Sangeet, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Tiruchi Siva will render a Tamil song, Bharatiya Janata Party's Roopa Ganguly, a Hindi song and another BJP leader Ramachandra Jhangra will present a patriotic song, Nationalist Congress Party leader Vandana Chavan will sing a Hindi song. These individual performances will be followed by a chorus song. Senior officials of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat have said that the members of the House will showcase their cultural talents after 20 years at such an occasion. Chairman Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of the House, Leader of the Opposition, Leaders of various parties and several of the retiring members will speak in the House on the occasion tomorrow. Chairman Naidu today announced in the House that Zero Hour and Question Hour will not be taken up in the House tomorrow so as to enable the leaders and Members to speak on the occasion. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday appreciated the enthusiasm of lakhs of people who have shared their valuable insights towards this year's Pariksha Pe Charcha. The Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to students, parents and teachers who have contributed to Pariksha Pe Charcha. "The enthusiasm towards this year's Pariksha Pe Charcha has been phenomenal. Lakhs of people have shared their valuable insights and experiences. I thank all those students, parents and teachers who have contributed. Looking forward to the programme on 1st April," the Prime Minister tweeted. The Prime Minister will interact with the students, teachers and parents all over the world during the fifth edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha on April 1. It will be held in New Delhi in a town-hall interactive format from Talkatora Stadium at 11 am. Crores of students, teachers and parents from India and abroad will be participating, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said earlier. "Pariksha Pe Charcha is a much-awaited annual event in which the Prime Minister responds to questions related to examination stress and related areas posed by students in his uniquely engaging style in a live programme," Pradhan had said. Terming Pariksha pe Charcha, a public movement, Minister Pradhan outlined the importance of this year's PPC in wake of the country coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic and exams shifting back to offline mode. Underlining the importance of initiatives like PPC in building the knowledge-based economy of the 21st century, he said that PPC is becoming a formal institution through which Prime Minister interacts directly with the students. Pradhan informed that select students across the country will also visit Raj Bhawans to watch the event in the presence of the State Governors. He also expressed confidence that State Governments across the country will also encourage the participation of students, teachers and parents. The Minister mentioned that PPC will be streamed, not only across India, but also in other countries reaching out to the Indian diaspora. He also called for support from the media in making this program a mass movement and ensuring stress-free exams for the students. (ANI)
After BJP workers dismantled the barricades outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's house on Wednesday, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia claimed that the BJP cadres attempted to kill the CM as they were unable to defeat him electorally. The BJP workers were protesting against Kejriwal's remarks on 'The Kashmir Files' movie in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha when the protestors breached two barricades and reached the CM House where they created a ruckus. Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia alleged that "Just because BJP cannot defeat Kejriwal, they are trying to kill him. Today's incident was a pre-orchestrated plan of the BJP to murder the CM." He added, "Due to Aam Aadmi Party's victory and BJP's defeat in Punjab, BJP wants to murder Arvind Kejriwal. He alleged that the BJP goons were deliberately taken by the police to the residence of CM Kejriwal. They broke the CCTV cameras and barriers in front of the CM's residence and intended to kill Kejriwal." Raghav Chadha, AAP leader said, "Since AAP has formed its govt in Punjab, BJP has gone insane. They contested against Kejriwal many times in Punjab and Delhi but got defeated. BJP has an insecurity that their business will stop; hence the BJP goons resorted to attacking the AAP convenor and this is their politics:" He further added, "BJP attacked the house of a democratically elected CM today and this attack is not just on Kejriwal, it is on the people of this country who want sincere governance. AAP will answer back with its public service and patriotism." AAP leader Atishi took to Twitter and tweeted, "Shocking! What was Delhi Police doing when BJP workers and leaders were doing rampage at CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence? Did they have orders from Amit Shah's office to support the BJP vandals?" The AAP MLA from Punjab Jarnail Singh tweeted, "BJP's goons kept vandalizing the house of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who is elected with the largest majority ever. Instead of stopping them, the BJP's police brought them to the door of the CM house. Shameful." A protest was started by around 150-200 protestors of BJP Yuva Morcha on Wednesday, outside Kejriwal's residence, at Link road near IP College, around 11.30 am onwards to protest against his remarks on 'The Kashmir Files' in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha. During the protest, around 1 pm, some of the protestors breached two barricades and reached outside the CM House where they created a ruckus, shouted slogans etc. The BJP workers were also carrying a box of paint from which they threw paint outside the door. In the imbroglio, a boom barrier arm, as well as a CCTV camera, was vandalised The police team immediately removed the BJP workers from the spot and has detained around 70 people. Legal action is being initiated in the matter. (ANI)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Delhi MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj took a potshot at the BJP on Wednesday saying that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is unable to accept their electoral defeat, therefore, wants to "kill" the Delhi CM and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal. While speaking to ANI, Bhardwaj said, "After AAP registered a huge victory in Punjab, BJP is unable to digest this defeat. They can't accept that people trust our party and are voting for us. So they want to kill Arvind Kejriwal." He added, "AAP's truthfulness, patriotism and humanity are being liked by the people of the country and hence people are electing the AAP candidates." "The BJP lost against AAP in Delhi. They played dirty politics in Punjab during the Assembly elections, still, they lost and so they are furious and hence attacking," added the AAP leader. Bhardwaj further added that "Their intention is to get Arvind Kejriwal killed. But we will answer the politics of their attack with the politics of public service, the people will answer them. This attack is not on Arvind Kejriwal, but on truth, honesty and patriotism." On asking whether AAP will file a complaint regarding the issue, the AAP leader said, "To which police should we complain now? The CM with Y-category security, outside whose house dozens of Delhi Police personnel were standing, just stood by the side as mute spectators when the CM's house was attacked. All this is captured on camera." "I think this is a matter of court, not of police. Strict action should be taken against the police by the court. It is wrong to think that the Delhi police under Amit Shah can save Arvind Kejriwal from the assassination plot. These are the people themselves involved in the conspiracy to murder," he stated. Around 150-200 protestors of BJP Yuva Morcha on Wednesday protested outside Kejriwal's residence, at Link road near IP College, around 11.30 am onwards to protest against his remarks on 'The Kashmir Files' in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha. During the protest, around 1 pm, some of the protestors breached two barricades and reached outside the CM House where they created a ruckus, shouted slogans etc. The BJP workers were also carrying a box of paint from which they threw paint outside the door. In the imbroglio, a boom barrier arm, as well as a CCTV camera, was vandalised The Police team immediately removed the BJP workers from the spot and has detained around 70 people. (ANI)
Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2022 to omit the 'Bhogta' community from the list of Scheduled Castes in relation to the state of Jharkhand. The Bill, which seeks amendment to the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, was passed with a voice vote. It was moved in the Upper House by the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda. The Bill seeks amendment to the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 to omit the Bhogta community from the list of Scheduled Castes in relation to the State of Jharkhand and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 for inclusion of certain communities in the lists of Scheduled Tribes in relation to the State of Jharkhand. According to their traditional beliefs, the Bhogta people emerged from a union of religious preachers and tribal women. The children from these unions became the Bhogta people, most of whom now live in India's eastern states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, and Bihar. (ANI)
Thackery said, "Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to change the place for the Nanar project."

He added, "Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has named three places in Ratnagiri district for the Nanar project, out of which Barsu has also been named. But till now there has been no reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the matter."

Thackery further stated that the Shiv Sena has a clear stand that the Nanar project will not happen where people will oppose the project. Shiv Sena fill first take a decision that is in the interest of the people, then something else.

He added, "A place is being looked at where there will be no harm to trees and the environment. But it is clear that Shiv Sena will not allow this project to happen in Nanar."

The Nanar refinery project was a joint venture between the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) with two other international oil companies.

The project in Konkan's Nanar village was formally scrapped by the then Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Shiv Sena had vehemently opposed the project claiming it would affect the locals.

Later, in Chiplun of Ratnagiri, Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray took stock of the work in the Vashishti River and inaugurated rubber boats and other rescue materials.

Last year, the Vashishti River went above the danger mark, submerging the nearby villages. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday grants more time to Whatsapp and Facebook to file their response over notices issued to them by the Competition Commission of India (CCI). The Division Bench was hearing the petitions of Whatsapp and Facebook challenging the single bench, which had dismissed their pleas challenging a CCI order for an investigation into the messaging app's new privacy policy. Meanwhile, ASG Balbir Singh appeared for CCI and urge High Court to not defer the hearing further due to the pendency of the Data Protection Bill. The Bench of Justice Rajiv Shakdher and Justice Poonam A. Bamba on Wednesday after noting that the Data Protection Bill is yet to be finalised by the respondents further adjourned the matter for July 21, 2022. After taking notes of the submission of the appellant the court grants time to Whatsapp and Facebook to file their response over the notice issued to them by CCI sought several details from them. Court also extends the interim order granted to the appellant earlier by the court. Earlier, Senior Advocate Harish Salve appearing for Whatsapp LLC. informed the Court that we are insisting to file a response on CCI notices despite the matter is pending before the courts and under judicial consideration. Whatsapp was sent a notice on June 4, 2021 while Facebook was sent a notice on June 8, 2021 by CCI sought several information and response to certain queries. Earlier, the Delhi HC urged the DG, CCI to bear in mind that the investigation against the appellant (WhatsApp and Facebook) is under judicial consideration before a Division Bench of this court. The bench also states that, In our view, there is no doubt that the issuance of impugned notice by the DG is a step in furtherance of the investigation commenced in the suo-motu case, in which investigation is the subject matter of the challenge in the present LPA. "...we do not consider it appropriate to stay the operation of impugned notice dated 04.06.2021, at this stage...", said Delhi High Court Bench. Facebook and Whastapp had approached the Division bench through an appeal challenged single-judge bench order dismissing their pleas against the CCI decision. The single bench of the Delhi High Court on April 22, 2021had dismissed Facebook and WhatsApp pleas challenging a CCI order for an investigation into the messaging app's new privacy policy. The petitioners had challenged the March 24 order passed by CCI directing a probe into the new privacy policy and the probe should be completed within 60 days. Facebook and WhatsApp said that since the issue of WhatsApp's privacy policy is being heard by the Supreme Court, High Court, therefore, there was no requirement for CCI to order the probe. Senior Advocate Harish Salve and Former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi appeared for the petitioners and had told the court that CCI proceedings must be kept in abeyance as the matter is pending before Supreme Court and High Court. Additional Solicitor General (ASG), who represented CCI in the matter, had earlier told the court that the matter is not of privacy but access to data and the Competition is going to deal with metadata. (ANI)
The government sources said, "PM Modi expressed concern at the situation in Sariska Tiger reserve and has assured Gehlot of all necessary help."

A massive fire broke out in the forest area of Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan's Alwar district on Tuesday.

Two Mi 17 V5 Indian Air Force (IAF) choppers have been deployed to douse the blaze. The fire fighting operations are underway since Tuesday morning. (ANI)
The Bill permits the state government to prescribe fines, and imprisonment (in case of repeat offenders) for the consumption of liquor.

The Bill comes after the criticism of the Nitish Kumar government over the continuous increase in the number of cases pending in courts and undertrials in jails.

After the amendment, the offender will be presented before a duty magistrate, which will decide the seriousness of the offence.

After going through the circumstances, the magistrate can just impose a fine on the offender instead direct imprisonment, as prescribed earlier.

If the offender fails to pay the penalty then he/she will be liable to face imprisonment.

This is the third amendment in the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016. The first amendment to the act was brought in 2018 and then subsequently in 2020.

The Bill seeks to amend the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016 which enforces the complete prohibition of liquor and intoxicants in Bihar. (ANI)
With the inauguration of the "Refurbished Legal Aid Clinic & 'OJAS' Centre for Learning for Jail Inmates" in Tihar jail, the inmates will now be able to get legal aid and Vocational Training Centre. The programme was inaugurated by Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, Judge, Supreme Court of India and Executive Chairman, National Legal Services Authority along with Justice Vipin Sanghi, Acting Chief Justice, High Court of Delhi and Executive Chairperson, Delhi State Legal Services Authority; Justice Siddarth Mridul, Judge, High Court of Delhi & Chairman, Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee along with other Judges of Delhi High Court. It was launched by Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) under the aegis of the National Legal Services Authority in association with Delhi Prisons. Apart from the above dignitaries, Principal District and Sessions Judges, Judicial Officers of DSLSA, senior officers, especially from Delhi Prisons, witnessed the event. "Every person who comes in contact with the criminal justice system is a person in difficult circumstances who has fallen out of the protective net at some point and has been robbed of an opportunity of a safe and secure life. Hence, they must be given another chance to reboot and restart their life. It is our collective duty to inculcate a learning environment in prisons and ensure that prisoners return to society as Good Samaritans," said Kanwal Jeet Arora, Member Secretary, DSLSA. According to DSLSA, with the launch of OJAS, Vocational Training Centre, skill-based courses, continuous education courses and vocational courses would be provided to inmates to make them neo-literate and improve their economical abilities. Courses ranging from Painting, Plumbing, Textile Designing, Stitching to Electrical devices and Mobile Repairs would be provided to the inmates. The DSLSA further added that through the acquisition of skill-based knowledge, inmates would have better job opportunities and a sense of confidence which would help their rehabilitation into the mainstream of society after their release from Jails. Furthermore, the Refurbished Legal Aid Clinic manned by Legal Aid Counsels and Para-legal Volunteers of DSLSA aims at providing improved access to legal aid services for inmates. Panel Lawyers visiting the jails provide free, competent and efficient legal assistance to the jail inmates so that they are not deprived of their constitutional and statutory rights and also help them file appeals or misc. applications in the courts after interacting with them, DSLSA said in a statement. (ANI)
Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh, chaired a meeting of senior officers at the police headquarters, as per a press release. The meeting was held to discuss the follow up of the recommendations of the Inspector General (IGPs) conference 2021 and their implementation by various wings and zones of the Jammu and Kashmir Police. While speaking on the occasion, the DGP stressed timely compliance with the directions issued by MHA with regard to the said conference. While discussing the installation of CCTV cameras and other technology-driven policing aids and soldiers, he stressed on mission mode work on adopting new initiatives and technologies in dealing with operations, crimes and other security matters. The DGP directed the officers for developing the system to harness the benefits of the technical infrastructure put in place. He also directed for increasing usage of various modules of the Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) for investigation and crime prevention. With regard to Emergency Response Support System (ERSS), the DGP directed the nodal officers to take all the necessary initiatives to ensure the integration of the remaining helpline emergency numbers of different departments with ERSS setup as soon as possible in Jammu and Kashmir. During the meeting, a detailed discussion was held on various recommendations of the previously held DGPs/IGPs conference. The DGP directed senior wing heads for preparing detailed reports on different policing issues so that implementation of the recommendations of the conference is ensured in a time-bound manner. The officers present in the meeting apprised the DGP regarding the measures taken to ensure the implementation of various initiatives and recommendations of the previously held DGPs/IGPs conference and directions of the Union Home Ministry in this regard. (ANI)
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said that the state government will look into 'halal' meat issue as "serious objections" have now been raised about it. "The halal issue has just started. We have to study it. It's a practice that is going on. Now serious objections have been raised about it. I will look into it," Bommai said in a press conference. Asked about the call for boycott of halal meat by some right-wing organizations, Bommai said, "As far as my government is concerned, we are not right-wing or left-wing, only growth wing." Opposition leaders accused the BJP government of allowing such issues to come up in view of assembly polls next year. Congress leader Priyank Kharge said BJP wants "to turn Karnataka into Uttar Pradesh". "I think the BJP has lost the plot in Karnataka and they want to make this UP. They have no issues to take to people so they are bringing issues like Kashmir Files, ban on economic activities of minorities and now this question of halal meat. We are already reeling under economic distress and they are out to make Karnataka - a very progressive state into Uttar Pradesh. This is just an election tactic," he said. Congress MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao referred to the hijab row and to "ban" on Muslim vendors at temple fairs and said real issues concerning people such as girls' education are being ignored. "Halal meat or no halal meat, who cares? If people want to buy halal meat they will buy and if people don't want to buy halal meat, they won't buy it. There's no rule. This is somewhere a focused target. It is very, very bad for the country. I condemn the approach of the Bommai government," Rao said. (ANI)
Taking up the petition submitted by the accused persons -- Irfan Pasha and three others -- in this regard, the high court bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi passed the order.

The petition also sought the court to drop the charges under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) framed against them. The bench said that there is no scope for the accused persons to challenge the order passed by the lower court in this case.

RSS worker Rudresh was killed in broad daylight at Shivajinagar in Bengaluru on October 16, 2016 when he was returning home after attending an RSS event. The brutal murder, wherein the miscreants hit Rudresh from behind with a machete, had created a furore cross the southern state.

The case made national headlines and raised concerns over the growing communal divide in the state.

After investigating the matter, the police had arrested four accused persons. Later, the case was handed over to the NIA by the Central government.

--IANS mka/arm

( 214 Words)

2022-03-30-19:02:03 (IANS)
After surgical strike on Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), BJP leaders are now directly targeting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Vinay Bihari, a BJP MLA claimed that Nitish Kumar lost his fire that he was known for, during the first tenure in 2005. "I firmly believe that the BJP top leadership should think about it and make a Chief Minister from our party," he said. "People of the states are talking about the Yogi model as incidents of crime are rising in Bihar every day. We are living in Bihar, so we advocate for Nitish Model here. But we do not want the present Nitish model, but we want Nitish Kumar as we knew him in 2005," Bihari said. When asked to describe the Yogi model, Vinay Bihari said: "The way crime incidents take place every day in Bihar, the Yogi model means quick action on the criminals. The bulldozers are required in Bihar to bring the situation under control." "As I belong to the BJP, I firmly believe that the Chief Minister should be from our party. The BJP top leadership should make Tar Kishore Prasad as Chief Minister of the state. He is doing well ever since he was given the charge of deputy chief minister of Bihar," he said. "The popularity of Nitish Kumar is declining in Bihar. He contested 115 seats and won only 45, an indication of his decreasing popularity. He does not have the fire power anymore," Bihari explained. The BJP in Bihar is enthused after victory in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and the party executed a successful surgical strike on VIP and included 3 of its MLAs in BJP. After the inclusion of 3 VIP MLAs, BJP became the single largest party in the state with 77 MLAs surpassing RJD having 75 MLAs in the Bihar assembly. Meanwhile Neeraj Kumar, JDU MLC and party's chief spokesperson told IANS: "Vinay Bihari, through his statement, challenged the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union Home Minister Amit Shah. Nitish Kumar became the Chief Minister on the basis of a decision by both the parties and Modi and Amit Shah gave the green signal for his name. Vinay Bihari recently joined BJP and he is not an official spokesperson of the party. Hence, we do not take him seriously." --IANS ajk/skp/ ( 398 Words) 2022-03-30-19:16:03 (IANS)
"The construction of Mopa airport is in full swing and the project is expected to be completed, commissioned and dedicated to the nation by August 2022 in commemoration of the 75th year of India's independence," the Chief Minister told the state legislative assembly.

Sawant also said that a provision of Rs 16 crore had been made in the budget for strengthening, widening and re-carpeting of the existing approach road to the airport.

In its first phase the airport is expected to cater to 4.5 million passengers and at the end of fourth phase its passenger handling capacity is expected to be 13 million.

--IANS maya/skp

( 147 Words)

2022-03-30-19:20:02 (IANS)
Tweaking the ears of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally Congress on Wednesday asked him to now start implementing the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the three partners. In a letter to Thackeray, state Congress President Nana Patole said that the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress - hailing from different ideological backgrounds -- had decided to run the MVA government on the basis of a CMP. "Owing to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020, the CMP implementation was delayed, but now as the coronavirus threat is over, the CMP should be executed for the overall development of all sections of society," Patole urged the Chief Minister. He referred to the suggestion by Congress President Sonia Gandhi who desired that the MVA should function as per the CMP that was decided ahead of the swearing-in of the Thackeray government in November 2019, and block the communal forces from coming to power. He pointed out that the Congress party strives to ensure justice to all sections of the masses and urged the CM to work on the welfare schemes for the Dalits, OBCs and minorities. "Despite the challenges encountered during the two year of the pandemic, the MVA government under Thackeray's leadership did a commendable job. With the situation now normalising, the work of the state government and the economy is coming back on the tracks," said Patole. To a query, Patole reiterated that the MVA government is stable and there is no 'discontent' among the 3 allies, and accused the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party of spreading rumours of differences in the coalition. He countered reports that some Congress legislators planned to meet Sonia Gandhi and said that there was nothing wrong if the elected representatives wanted to meet senior leaders on certain issues. --IANS qn/pgh ( 312 Words) 2022-03-30-21:00:02 (IANS)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the Bill to unify the three municipal corporations is as per the Constitution and the Central government has the right to introduce legislation relating to the Union Territory. Shah said while replying to the discussion on the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 that was later passed in Lok Sabha. The Opposition had alleged that the MCD bill introduced in the Lok Sabha is against the spirit of federalism. "I would like to tell you that this Bill is as per the Constitution and it is absolutely a Constitutional Bill. Since Delhi is a Union Territory, Govt of India has the right to bring any legislation relating to it," Shah said. "Talks are being held about the rights of states. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal speaks the same...I can't bring such a Bill for Maharashtra, Gujarat, or Bengal. Neither I nor Centre can do it in the states. But if you don't know the difference between a state and UT, I think Constitution needs to be studied again," the Home Minister added. Shah further stressed that the Bill introduced is "within the powers vested into the Parliament as per Section 239 AA of the Constitution". The Home Minister also slammed the Kejriwal government and said that "Rs 40,500 crore was to be given to the three MCDs as per the fifth Finance Commission, however, the Aam Aadmi Party government gave less than Rs 7,000 crores." The Aam Aadmi Party has repeatedly accused the BJP of bringing in the bill in the Parliament to halt the MCD elections in Delhi alleging that the saffron party is "scared of polls". Shah hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party for posing the allegations and said that they (AAP) themselves are scared. "Those who are saying that elections (MCD polls) have been postponed due to fear of polls, themselves are scared. If you are so confident of the victory then why do you want elections right now? If you have done good work, you will win six months later too," he said. Shah hit out at Congress for the Emergency that was imposed in the country in 1975 by the Indira Gandhi government and said that it was done due to fear of losing the polls. "We're not scared of polls. I'll tell you what's done when polls are feared. Allahabad HC had cancelled the election of Indira Gandhi. Soon after, a PM, that didn't have the right to vote in this House, snatched away democratic rights in the country and imposed an Emergency. That's fear," Shah said. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday stayed the order passed by the Central government reallocating power from Delhi's Dadri-II Plant to the state of Haryana. Power Discom BSES Rajdhani challenged the order passed by the Ministry of Power on March 29, 2022. The order was to be effective from April 1. Justice Yashwant Varma issued notice on the petition moved by the BSES to the respondent parties including Northern Regional Power Committee and others. Notice was accepted by the counsel for the parties. The Court has listed the matter for hearing on April 1, 2022, until which the order has been stayed. Counsel for the Central Government Kirtiman Singh appeared on advance notice and prayed for the matter to be put up on April 1, 2022, in order to enable him to obtain instruction. The petitioner has challenged the order of March 29, 2022, passed by the Ministry of Power which alludes to a purported surrender of power generated by the Dadri-II Thermal Power Station by GNCTD has transferred the same to the state of Haryana. Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi appearing for the petitioner submitted the aforesaid order is wholly without jurisdiction since no power inheres in the respondents to reallocate power that forms part of the allocation made in favour of the petitioner and duly approved by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC). He also submitted that the surrender of power which was contemplated in terms of the communication of October 7, 2021, was with respect to the Dadri-I Thermal Power Plant alone. Senior Counsel also withdrew the attention of the court to the order of the DERC of March 30, 2022, which categorically records that the commission had not communicated any request to the Ministry of Power to either re-allocate or surrender the share of NCT from Dadri-II to other states. Sandeep Sethi submitted that if the impugned order were to be implemented, 23 per cent of the populace of Delhi would be deprived of power in the next 24 hours. The Court also took note of the submission that the impugned order would if permitted to operate, come into effect from midnight of Friday, April 1, 2022. The resultant deficiency would have to be arranged before 10 am on Thursday, March 31, 2022. (ANI)
The Delhi Police has registered an FIR against unidentified persons in a case of vandalism outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday. The FIR was registered under sections 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) of the Indian Penal Code and under section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. Around 70 people were detained for creating ruckus outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister during a protest that was spearheaded by the Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha over Kejriwal's recent remarks in the Delhi Assembly on 'The Kashmir Files' movie that were deemed as "against the Kashmiri Pandit" community among the saffron clans. The protest, which was led by Delhi BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga and BJP Yuva Morcha's national president Tejasvi Surya, started as a march around 10.30 a.m from the IP College to the Chief Minister's residence. The protesters reached the Chief Minister's residence at around 11.30 a.m. and started raising slogans against Kejriwal and his party. It took a violent turn at around 1 p.m., when some of the protesters breached the two barricades that were placed near the CM house and created ruckus there. Confirming about the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sagar Singh Kalsi told IANS that the protesters who breached the barricades, were carrying a small box of paint from which they threw paint outside the door. "A boom barrier arm was also found vandalised as also a CCTV camera," Kalsi said. The police officer said that the police team immediately removed them from the spot and detained around 70 people. Kejriwal was not present at the house at the time of the incident. Meanwhile, several Aam Aadmi Party leaders accused the Delhi Police of inaction during the protest and said everything happened in front of the police. The Delhi Police, however, said it had already put up barricades as a precaution and they also used water cannons to prevent the protesters from moving forward. "Strong arrangements were set up against the protesters, however, some 15-20 protesters managed to reach just outside the residence of Delhi CM," DCP Kalsi said, adding they were immediately removed from there. --IANS uj/pgh ( 413 Words) 2022-03-30-21:14:04 (IANS)
Bharatiya Janata Party national president JP Nadda on Wednesday said that the purpose of celebrating the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in the country is not only to make the countrymen aware of patriotism but also to move ahead with a vision of India of 100 years later. Addressing 'Bharat Bhagya Vidhata' Red Fort Festival, Nadda said, "The purpose of celebrating the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in the country is not only to make the countrymen aware of patriotism and our history, but we are moving ahead with a vision of our India 100 years later." "Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made an emotional appeal about the 100 yrs of independence. We need to go ahead with a vision of our India of 100 years later, make a resolution for this in Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and walk in that direction," he added. In the 10-day programme that was inaugurated by Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani on March 25, and will continue till April 3, Nadda was shown the 5,000 years old history of India through video projection on the wall of Red Fort. The organizer of the event, Puneet Dalmia was also present in the program. In the show, projections relating to India's history and culture were made from the Stone age civilization to the poets of Bhaktikaal, Indus Valley Civilization. The Indian space programme and the story of ruler Prithviraj Chauhan were also shown in the video projection. During the event, the BJP president honoured five people including famous writer of Marathi literature Narendra Jadhav, Shaheed Bhagat Singh's nephew Kiranjit Singh, Ashfaqulla Khan's grandson Ashfaq Ullah Khan, among others. JP Nadda also visited the museum in the program organized in the Red Fort complex. (ANI)
The accident reportedly took place after a rockslide hit the marble quarry, crushing seven of the miners and possibly burying those missing.

Another Pakistani was injured in the incident and is currently under treatment.

The Pakistan Embassy in Muscat said they were closely coordinating with Omani authorities for the search and rescue operation for the missing miners.

Authorities have deployed heavy machinery, sophisticated cameras and sniffer dogs for the search and rescue operation.

Two officers of the Embassy visited Ibri and met the affected families and workers. The Embassy offered complete support and ensured that the bodies would be repatriated to Pakistan at the earliest after the completion of relevant formalities.

--IANS san/arm

( 156 Words)

2022-03-30-22:22:02 (IANS)
The Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act (KCOCA) Special Court on Wednesday found jailed underworld don Bannanje Raja, and eight others guilty in connection with the death of BJP leader and industrialist R.N. Nayak who was killed in a shootout in December 2013, officials said. The shootout had taken place on December 21, 2013, in Ankola of Uttara Kannada district. It was the first case to registered under KCOCA Act in the state. Rajendra Shetty a.k.a Bannanje Raja is involved in 44 serious criminal offences including murder, extortion and kidnapping. Authorities had issued an Interpol red corner notice against Bannanje Raja, and he was nabbed in Casablanca in Morocco. Later, he was extradited to Karnataka from there. Raja, who was named as the 9th accused in the case, was named in several cases in coastal districts of Karnataka, Bengaluru and Maharashtra. Jagadish Patel from Uttar Pradesh, Abhi Bhandagara from Bengaluru, Ganesh Bhajanthri from Udupi, K.M. Ismail from Kerala, Mahesh Achangi from Hassan, M.B. Santhosh from Kerala, Jagadish Chandraraj from Bengaluru, and Ankit Kumar Kashyap from Uttar Pradesh have also been pronounced guilty in the case. Special Court judge C.M. Joshi has reserved the order for announcing the quantum of punishment on April 4. Besides, the court has acquitted some of the accused -- Rabdin Pichai, Mohammad Shabandri and Anand Ramesh Nayak, from the case. Special Public Prosecutor S.B. Puranik Math and Additional Public Prosecutor Shivaprasad Alva have argued against the accused, representing the prosecution. Alva has stated that through the judgment the court has sent a good message to the society. "The police and prosecution have successfully persuaded the legal action against anti-social elements." When asked if he faced any threats since the case involved gangster Bannanje Raja, he said there is no room for it as he has to carry out the responsibilities given by the government. "This judgment shows that no one is above the law. The law takes its own course. If police and prosecution join hands and pursue the case unitedly, legal action against any criminal element is ensured," he said. Raja had made an extortion call and demanded protection money from the deceased Nayak. When he refused to pay the money, Raja planned the shootout. He had called up media houses and claimed that he had got the murder carried out, embarrassing the state and the central investigation agencies. Various judges have heard the case for over seven years. More than 210 witnesses have recorded their statements. Prosecutors have presented 1,000 pages of documentary proof. --IANS mka/pgh ( 435 Words) 2022-03-30-22:48:03 (IANS)
According to researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), a considerable reduction in CO2 emissions is required to limit the consequences of climate change. Producing fuel from renewable sources such as waste wood and straw or renewable electricity would be one way to reduce carbon emissions from the area of transportation. The study was published in the journal, 'Frontiers in Energy Research'. Ethanol is usually produced through the fermentation of sugars from starchy raw materials such as corn, or from lignocellulosic biomass, such as wood or straw. It is an established fuel that decarbonizes the transportation sector and can be a building block to reduce emissions of CO2 over the long term. Researchers of the TUM have developed a new process for the production of ethanol. In this context, off-cut materials from the area of forestry are used together with hydrogen. The hydrogen is produced by separating water into hydrogen and oxygen with the use of electricity -- in other words, with the use of water electrolysis. In the future, this will allow the excess electricity to be used for the production of ethanol. "The overall process mainly consists of technically mature sub-processes. However, the composition of the process steps and the final step -- the hydrogenation of acetic acid to produce ethanol -- are new," explained Daniel Kluh, a doctoral student at the Professorship of Renewable Energy Systems at the TUM Straubing Campus. The researchers have also assessed the economic feasibility. "The prices we have calculated are based on assumptions for raw materials and energy. We are not using any current market prices. The calculation basis of our prices for the components in the chemical system is the year 2020," explained Kluh. The lowest cost for ethanol in the modelling was 0.65 euros per litre, with biomass costs of 20 euros per megawatt-hour, electricity costs of 45 euros per megawatt-hour, and a production volume of approximately 42 kilotons of ethanol per year. "With the current lignocellulosic ethanol production options, the costs are therefore competitive. The price of ethanol is very sensitive to the costs of electricity, and fluctuates between 0.56 and 0.74 euros per litre," explained Assistant Professor Kristian Melin of LUT in Finland. One reason for the high profitability is that the ethanol yield is much higher compared to the traditional fermentation-based bioethanol process from straw or wood. This process produces 1,350 to 1,410 litres of ethanol, compared to only 200 to 300 litres of ethanol for the traditional process per dry ton of biomass. Part of the study was focusing on the variable geographical positioning of production sites, which would enable a degree of independence from suppliers to be achieved. "Countries with a high potential for waste wood and green electricity, such as Finland or even Canada, can serve as producers of acetic acid, which, in the final process step, is hydrogenated to produce ethanol," explained Prof. Tuomas Koiranen of LUT. "In the future, countries like Germany will hopefully have a green electricity mix and will be able to carry out the hydrogenation of acetic acid to ethanol at a domestic level. However, Germany does not have the waste wood potential for large-scale biomass gasification which is required for the synthesis of acetic acid," added Prof. Matthias Gaderer, Professor of Renewable Energy Systems at TUM. With the use of green electricity to power the electrolysis, this process can produce a low CO2 fuel that has a greenhouse gas reduction potential of 75 per cent in comparison with a fossil fuel such as gasoline. Ethanol is established as a fuel. It can be used in the form of both E-10 gasoline, with 10 per cent ethanol in the fuel mixture for regular automobiles, as is already the case, or as ED95, which is 95 per cent ethanol, as a diesel substitute for heavy goods transportation. With their process simulation, the scientists have demonstrated the competitiveness of the process. "To commercialize this product, it is necessary to further improve the degree of technological maturity. The next steps could entail further catalyst developments, a reactor design and the construction and operation of a pilot system," said Prof. Gaderer. (ANI)
After extending the record for the longest single spaceflight in history by an American to 355 days, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei returned to Earth on Wednesday, March 30, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov. The trio departed the International Space Station at 3:21 am EDT and made a safe, parachute-assisted landing at 7:28 am (5:28 pm Kazakhstan time) southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. "Mark's mission is not only record-breaking, but also paving the way for future human explorers on the Moon, Mars, and beyond," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "Our astronauts make incredible sacrifices in the name of science, exploration, and cutting-edge technology development, not least among them time away from loved ones. NASA and the nation are proud to welcome Mark home and grateful for his incredible contributions throughout his year-long stay on the International Space Station." Vande Hei's extended mission will provide researchers with the opportunity to observe the effects of long-duration spaceflight on humans as the agency plans to return to the Moon under the Artemis program and prepare for the exploration of Mars. Vande Hei launched on April 9, 2021, alongside Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov. His second journey into space of 355 days is the longest single spaceflight by a US astronaut, previously held at 340 days, and gives him a lifetime total of 523 days in space. Dubrov also remained on board for 355 days on his first spaceflight. Supporting NASA's goals for future human landings on the Moon, Vande Hei completed approximately 5,680 orbits of the Earth and a journey of more than 150 million miles, roughly the equivalent of 312 trips to the Moon and back. He witnessed the arrival of 15 visiting spacecraft and new modules, and the departure of 14 visiting spacecraft. Following post-landing medical checks, the crew will return to the recovery staging city in Karaganda, Kazakhstan, aboard Russian helicopters. Vande Hei will board a NASA plane bound for Cologne, Germany, for refuelling prior to his return home. Shkaplerov and Dubrov will board a Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center aircraft to return to their home in Star City, Russia. During his record mission, Vande Hei spent many hours on scientific activities aboard the space station, conducting everything from plant research to physical sciences studies. With the undocking of the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft with Vande Hei, Shkaplerov, and Dubrov aboard, Expedition 67 officially began aboard the station. NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn recently took over as station commander and is joined by NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Kayla Barron, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveev, and Sergey Korsakov. Marshburn, Chari, Barron and Maurer will remain onboard until late April, when NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, as well as ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, launch to the station as part of NASA's SpaceX Crew-4 mission. (ANI)
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is likely to launch seven satellites during the current year and the expenditure towards the realisation of satellites is nearly Rs 490 crore, the Parliament was informed on Wednesday. "ISRO has successfully launched the Earth Observation Satellite EOS-4 onboard PSLV-C52 on February 14, 2022 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, along with INS-2TD & INSPIRESat-1 as co-passengers. The satellites were injected into the polar sun synchronous orbit at 524.84 kms altitude," Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha in a written reply. "Currently, the satellites are undergoing various in-orbit tests and calibrations and subsequently, the data available from the satellites will be used for achieving the mission objectives, during the designated mission life. The total time taken to realise the satellite is 63 months from date of financial sanction and the expenditure towards realization of satellite is nearly Rs 490 crore," he added. The EOS-4 is a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging satellite for earth observation, operating in C-band at 5.4 GHz frequency, for applications in the domains of agriculture, disaster management, water resources and forestry. INS-2TD is the first satellite of the 2nd generation nanosatellites intended to demonstrate indigenously-developed nano systems for in-orbit performance. INSPIRESat-1 is a student satellite of the class 9U, jointly developed by Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram, and Laboratory of Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, the US, to study the Ionosphere dynamics and sun's coronal heating processes, the Minister said. --IANS niv/vd ( 265 Words) 2022-03-30-19:54:02 (IANS)
"On March 30th and 31st, Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics Daleep Singh will be in New Delhi to continue our ongoing consultations with the Government of India, and advance a range of issues in the U.S.-India economic relationship and strategic partnership," said US National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne in a statement.

According to the statement, Singh will meet with Government of India officials to deepen cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and prosperity, and a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Singh will consult closely with counterparts on the consequences of Russia's unjustified war against Ukraine and mitigating its impact on the global economy, the statement said.

Singh will also discuss the priorities of the Biden Administration, including the promotion of high-quality infrastructure through Build Back Better World and the development of an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the statement added.

Meanwhile, India and United States are scheduled to hold 2+2 dialogue in Washington on April 11.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will meet their counterparts Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin. Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh will also have other meetings scheduled on the sidelines. (ANI)
"Delighted to welcome Foreign Minister of Mexico Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon on his first official visit to India. The visit will involve discussions on our ongoing cooperation and on ways to further strengthen the privileged partnership between India & Mexico," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

Mexican Foreign Minister is on a two-day (March 30 to April 1) official visit to India, at the invitation of the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Mexican Foreign Minister will also visit Mumbai.

Both Jaishankar and Casaubon will undertake a comprehensive review of bilateral relations and will also discuss international issues of mutual interest.

The visit of the Mexican Foreign Minister follows Jaishankar's visit to Mexico City in September last year. This exchange of visits will consolidate and further strengthen the privileged partnership between India and Mexico.

At present, Mexico is India's second-largest trade partner in Latin America and is a member of the UNSC alongside India for the period 2021-22. (ANI)
Ukrainian Ambassador to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya on Tuesday (local time) said the new round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul are showing that Moscow may be ready to move forward. He made these remarks at the UNSC meeting on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine. "Today's negotiations in Istanbul have demonstrated that Russia may be ready to make steps forward, although it is still a long way to a sustainable ceasefire and comprehensive de-escalation," Kyslytsya said. He said that the signing of the Treaty on the Security Guarantees for Ukraine will only be possible after the withdrawal of all Russian armed units to locations as on February 23, 2022. "Since the beginning of invasion Russia have lost more than 17000 military personnel, more than 1700 armoured vehicles, almost 600 tanks, over 300 artillery systems, 127 planes and 129 helicopters, almost 100 rocket launcher systems, 54 air defence systems and 7 ships," he added. On Tuesday (local time), the latest round of peace talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations kicked off at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul. After the delegation-level meeting between Russia-Ukraine in Istanbul, the Russian delegation announced steps for a "drastic reduction in military activity in the Kyiv and Chernihiv directions" and the possibility of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The head of the Russian delegation, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, called the negotiations "constructive". Moreover, Russia is beginning to withdraw some forces, including Russian Battalion Tactical Groups (BTGs) leaving the surrounding areas around the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. In response to Russia's operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow. (ANI)
Antonov was commenting on a relevant statement by US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins.

"During the special operation, the Russian Armed Forces took control of nuclear facilities [Chernobyl and Zaporozhye NPPs] on Ukrainian territory in order to prevent nuclear provocations by nationalistic or other terrorist groups," the ambassador said in a message posted in the diplomatic mission's Telegram channel .

He said Russian servicemen do not interfere in the operation of the NPPs, but only protect them, so nothing poses a threat to the nuclear security regime.

"The operation of the functioning power units continues in normal mode. Nothing threatens their safety, the radiation monitoring systems are fully operational. There is no possibility of a release of radioactive material. This is confirmed by the IAEA leadership," Antonov said. (ANI/Sputnik)
Remembering Bangladesh victims of 'Operation Searchlight', Paulo Casaca, founder and Executive Director of South Asia Democratic Forum (SADF) urged the international community to recognize the 1971 genocide of Bangladeshis by Pakistan and fix responsibility on them. "It is so important for all genuine human rights defenders, to get together with Bangladeshis and together with them say: remember the genocide and demand responsibilities from perpetrators!" said Casaca. Despite the passage of 50 years since the '1971 Genocide' Pakistan has shown no intention to apologize. Casaca said that he was touched by the Bangladeshi people's struggle for memory, justice, and accountability regarding the Genocide perpetrated against Bangladesh by the Pakistani military authorities. "This genocide, organised in tandem with Islamic fanatic organisations from both West and East Pakistan, was meant to destroy the Bengali identity by murdering elites, destroying religious diversity, and raping women," he said. Recalling his visit to the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital - where countless victims of the Islamist terror actions were being dealt with, Casca said, "At face-value, the issue was related to the supposedly faulty conditions of the coming elections; however, as 'Zead-Al-Malum - public prosecutor of the ICT - explained in a public conference on the 7th (December 2013), 'protests would vanish if the Government was to accept demands to dissolve the Tribunal' (International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh-ICT). All the protests regarding the lack of those elections' democratic credentials were nothing but a smokescreen used to hide the fundamental goal by Islamists to obtain impunity for the genocide's culprits." Casca said that would have certainly not understood what was going on had he not been in Dhaka himself, speaking to doctors, magistrates, academics, or simple citizens as none of these facts were ever available in the Western press. "Quite the contrary, a meticulously built, fictitious reality wherein this genocide's master minders were presented as 'opposition leaders', 'businessmen' or 'religious entities' - mercilessly persecuted by an authoritarian government - was shamelessly hammered throughout the western press (and most in particular by some NGO such as 'Human Rights Watch)," said Casca. "Realising to what extent reality was turned upside down, how the very same organisations supposed to 'watch' for the respect of 'human rights' were actually working for providing impunity to genocide perpetrators, was extremely shocking," he added. In SADF's latest contribution dedicated to the Bangladeshi genocide, Professor Uddin quoted 'The Ten Stages of Genocide' as described by Gregory Stanton in 1996 (classification, symbolization, discrimination, dehumanization, organization, polarization, preparation, persecution, extermination, and denial). "The last twenty-five years taught us that we must add a completely new stage to that process: reversal. For the denial stage has been transformed into a more complex category of disinformation," said Casca. Disinformation is not so much about lying (or at the very least, simply, outright lying). It is rather about creating doubts; magnifying distorted, secondary points and denying on this basis a whole narrative; distorting a context and - perhaps the most modern technique - disinforming in the name of 'the fight against disinformation'. During the 1971 genocide in Bangladesh, the Pakistan military deliberately harmed hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi citizens. Rights group says the horrors of 1971 are considered one of the worst mass atrocities in history. The damage they inflicted can be described in the following numbers-- as many as three million people were believed to have been killed, up to 2,00,000 women were violated and over 10 million people were forced to cross the border to India to seek shelter. (ANI)
Concerned over the spread of terrorism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's eastern provinces, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti highlighted major challenges in front of DRC authorities of providing security to civilians and supporting the stabilization and strengthening of State institutions. "The established links of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) to terror groups and the potential spread of terrorism to the Central African region is a cause for concern. The DRC authorities have been raising the issue of the presence of terrorists operating under the cover of Forces democratiques de liberation du Rwanda (FDLR) and ADF in Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu and Maniema. This needs to be taken seriously," he said. The Islamic State Central Africa Province has also claimed responsibility for the December 25 IED attack in Beni, which had the bearings of a typical terror attack. "We strongly condemn these attacks and offer our condolences to families of the victims," he added. "India welcomed the enhanced regional efforts between the DRC, Uganda, and Rwanda to combat armed groups in the eastern DRC. We also underscore the critical need of regular tripartite coordination between MONUSCO, UPDF and FARDC during military operations, especially at the tactical level, " he said. India as the second-largest troop contributor to (MONUSCO) United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with over 2,000 personnel, India takes a keen interest in the operations of MONUSCO as well as developments in the DRC. "We take note of the ongoing preparations towards the withdrawal of MONUSCO from Tanganyika by June 2022. A successful drawdown from Tanganyika as per the timeline would further boost MONUSCO's own plans for rationalizing the resources and focusing on the three eastern provinces, " he added as the objective of the UN Mission in the country (MONUSCO) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. "I will therefore focus my remarks on the two main objectives concerning MONUSCO's mandate, i.e., protection of civilians, and support to the stabilization and strengthening of State institutions in the DRC and to key governance and security reforms," he added. He also appreciated the regional efforts between the DRC, Uganda, and Rwanda to combat armed groups in eastern DRC. He said, "We also underscore the critical need of regular tripartite coordination between MONUSCO, UPDF and FARDC during the military operations, especially at the tactical level." Tirumurti noted the steps taken in the implementation of the Programme for Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration and Community Stabilization (P-DDRCS) ) against the benchmarks and the establishment of the provincial coordination mechanism. He further said that equal and meaningful participation of women in all the stages of the programme will be a crucial part and also hoped that this programme to be established in Eastern DRC. "Regarding MONUSCO's operations on the ground, we believe greater clarity on the interpretation of the mandate, in respect of Force Intervention Brigade and other battalions, is important. This will help TCCs (The Carter Center) to have a clear understanding of operations to be undertaken and to equip appropriately. It is especially important from the point of view of safety and security of peacekeepers," he said Tirumurti welcomed the progress made by DRC authorities towards holding of elections, by way of appointments to the National Independent Electoral Commission [CENI]; presentation of an electoral road map and requisite draft legislations. He said, "We welcome these developments while noting the challenges in the roadmap. We encourage all stakeholders to keep up the positive momentum and create an enabling environment for the holding of peaceful, inclusive, and transparent elections." "India also welcomes the DRC President assuming the role of Chairperson of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). We believe that this will help continue DRC's continued leadership and engagement with its neighbours and the wider Central African region. We also welcome the convening of the Tenth High-Level Meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism at Kinshasa on February 24," he added. Tirumurti concluded his speech by lauding the development that DRC leadership has shown in addressing the existing challenges. He said, "In conclusion, Madam President, a peaceful and stable DRC will contribute immensely to the overall development of the region. This potential is visible as we witness increased partnership and cooperation among the regional stakeholders. The DRC leadership has shown firm resolve to address existing challenges, and the international community needs to take cognizance of the same and continue supporting the DRC government. On our part, India will remain steadfast in supporting the people of DRC." (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India will provide USD 1 million to the 'Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) secretariat to increase its operational budget. Addressing the fifth BIMSTEC Summit virtually, PM Modi said, "India will provide the (BIMSTEC) secretariat 1 million US dollars to increase its operational budget. It is important to strengthen the capacity of (the BIMSTEC) secretariat. I suggest the Secretary-General create a roadmap for the same." He made the announcement in the backdrop of making early progress on the proposal of the BIMSTEC free trade agreement (FTA) to enhance mutual business. "We should also increase exchanges between entrepreneurs and startups of our countries. Along with this, we should also try to adopt international norms in the field of Trade Facilitation," said PM Modi. He said that the time has come to make the Bay of Bengal the bridge of connectivity, prosperity and security. He said, "Make the Bay of Bengal a bridge of connectivity, a bridge of prosperity, a bridge of security as the region is facing challenges of health and economic security and stressed the need for solidarity and cooperation." "I call on all BIMSTEC nations to dedicate themselves to working with new enthusiasm to achieve the goals we achieved together in 1997," said PM Modi. Talking about the recent developments in Europe regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, he said, "The recent developments in Europe have raised questions about the stability of the international order. In this context, it has become a greater priority to have regional cooperation." He also announced adopting the BIMSTEC charter to develop institution architecture for the group. "We are working on extending and expanding the scope of the BIMSTEC scholarship program offered by the Nalanda International University. We are also signing a treaty on mutual legal assistance on criminal matters," said PM Modi. Emphasizing the BIMSTEC Center for Weather and Climate, Prime Minister said, "The BIMSTEC Center for Weather and Climate is an important organization for cooperation on disaster management, especially disaster risk reduction. I would like your cooperation to make this more active. India is ready to contribute USD three million dollars to restart the work of this centre," he said. To strengthen BIMSTEC regional cooperation, he said, "Our region has not remained untouched by today's challenging global scenario. Our economies, our people, are still suffering the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic." Meanwhile, Bhutan Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering thanked PM Modi for providing COVID-19 vaccines to the nation. "I would like to thank PM Modi for sharing COVID-19 vaccines with us, it provided the much-needed protection from COVID-19. More than 90 per cent of our citizens are vaccinated, protection of everyone is still our priority," said Tshering at the 5th BIMSTEC Summit. PM Modi also said that the outcome of this landmark summit will write a golden chapter in the history of BIMSTEC as this year marks the 25th year of its establishment of BIMSTEC. The 'Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)' is a regional multilateral organisation. Its members lie in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal, constituting a contiguous regional unity. The members include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. (ANI)
Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said that India condemn the terrorist attacks in Israel and expressed his condolences on the loss of innocent lives in the terror attack in Israel. Taking to Twitter over the attack, he twitted, "We strongly condemn the terrorist attacks in Israel. Our condolences to the families of the victims." Earlier yesterday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a telephone conversation with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Gantz, on Tuesday and expressed his condolences on the loss of lives in the terror attack. He said terrorism is a threat to the whole world and does not have any place in the civilized world. "Had a telephonic conversation with the Defence Minister of Israel, Mr Benjamin Gantz. Shared my condolences on the loss of innocent lives due to terror attacks in Israel. Terrorism is a global menace which has no place in today's civilised world," he said in a tweet."Both the countries look forward to further strengthening the bilateral relations as India-Israel complete 30 years of full diplomatic relations. Defence cooperation is the founding pillar of our strategic partnership. Military and industry cooperation has been on an upward swing," he added.The call was initiated from Tel Aviv. Two people were killed and six were injured in a shooting attack by ISIS operatives on Sunday in the Israeli city of Hadera, some 31 miles north of Tel Aviv, Israeli officials said. Meanwhile, on late Tuesday, a Palestinian gunman opened fire at passersby and vehicles outside the Israeli city Tel Aviv, killing five people in the third shooting or knife attack in a week, prompting the police to raise its alert level nationwide to "the highest possible." The shooter was shot dead by police during the incident that took place in the city of Bnei Brak, a crowded suburb of Tel Aviv, said the police and the Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national emergency medical service. (ANI)
Donetsk [Ukraine], March 30 (ANI/Sputnik): Donetsk Mayor Alexey Kulemzin said that during a night shelling attack on the city, a Ukrainian projectile directly hit a residential building, and it was partially destroyed. "As a result of night shelling, a direct hit by a Ukrainian projectile was registered on the 9th floor of a residential building at 8, Pinter Street. .. The 8th floor... was partially destroyed, followed by a fire. Information about those injured is being clarified," Kulemzin wrote on Telegram. Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24 in response to calls from the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics for protection against intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defense Ministry said the special operation, which targets Ukrainian military infrastructure, aims to "demilitarize and denazify" Ukraine. Moscow has said it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. Western nations have imposed numerous sanctions on Russia. (ANI/Sputnik)
Amid the financial crisis, Sri Lanka will be experiencing 10-hour daily power cuts from Wednesday, announced Public Utilities Commission of the island nation. The Ceylon Electricity Board said in a statement that they were "compelled to take demand management measures due to inadequate power generation, as a result of fuel shortage and unavailability of generators," reported Xinhua. Sri Lanka has been facing power cuts since February due to dwindling electricity production in hydropower plants as well as diesel shortages that have crippled the operations of thermal power plants, the Commission said. Meanwhile, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) on Tuesday announced that there will be a diesel shortage in the country on Wednesday and Thursday, reported Xinhua. "We were unable to unload 37,500 tons of diesel shipment as planned on Tuesday. Therefore, we request the public not to queue up at filling stations for diesel on March 30 and 31," CPC Chairman Sumith Wijesinghe told the media. Wijesinghe said the remaining stocks of diesel would be given to essential services. Sri Lanka's currency has been also devalued by almost SLR 90 against the US dollar since March 8. Sri Lanka's economy has been in a free fall since the COVID-19 pandemic due to the crash of the tourism sector. Sri Lanka is presently facing a foreign exchange shortage which has led to a fuel, power and gas shortage and has sought the assistance of friendly countries for economic assistance. India provided more than USD 500 million in foreign currency swaps to strengthen Sri Lanka's foreign reserves, taking the total up to USD 900 million. India also extended the repayment time frame for the USD 500 million debt of Sri Lanka under the Asian Clearance Arbitration. More recently on March 17, Sri Lanka signed a USD 1 billion credit line deal with India for the procurement of food, medicines and other essential items during Sri Lankan Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksha's two-day visit to India. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday recommended a number of measures, including tax hikes, for macroeconomic stability in Sri Lanka and also to mitigate adverse impacts on the vulnerable and the poor. The report recommended implementing a credible and coherent strategy to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability while protecting vulnerable groups and reducing poverty through strengthened, well-targeted social safety nets. Sri Lanka's Finance Minister Basil Rajapakse is scheduled to travel to Washington in April in order to seek IMF assistance to deal with the country's economic crisis. (ANI)
India will lead the security pillar of the South Asia regional grouping BIMSTEC and the fifth summit has adopted a charter to expand its overall cooperation and announced a master plan for transport connectivity and highlighted cooperation activities standing on seven pillars at a virtual summit. In a special briefing of the Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday, Additional Secretary, BIMSTEC, Rudrendra Tandon said that the charter will help in the process of formalizing this grouping into a proper regional organization, adding "This was the main outcome of this Summit. With the charter -- BIMSTEC now has an international personality. The (signing of) charter (in Colombo, Sri Lanka) has led to BIMSTEC being recognized as an international organisation with an emblem, flag and formally listed principles to be adhered to." The adoption of the charter has given the BIMSTEC an "international personality" and it reflected a significant evolution of this grouping as this year marks the 25th year of its establishment of BIMSTEC. The fifth virtual summit on Wednesday was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the heads of seven- member countries of the bloc comprising India Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan. "BIMSTEC Cooperation activities will take place on 7 pillars. Each pillar will be led by one of the member-states, who will be primarily responsible for furthering cooperation. In that reorganization it was decided that India will lead the security pillar," said Tandon. This represents a very significant evolution of this grouping, a process that was happening since 2004 or so, but actually gained a lot of traction after 2014. "From our perspective, the signing of the Charter is the most important outcome. Also in line with this development of the organization into a formal structure was the approval granted by leaders to a complete re-organization of BIMSTEC Cooperation activities," added Tandon. He said that another major outcome of the Summit was the adoption of the master plan on transport connectivity. "This is the major agenda on the BIMSTEC platform for several years. At the 2018 Summit, it was decided that the group will approach the issue more systematically. The suggestion to create a master plan came from Thailand, it was worked upon over the last 2 years in collaboration with Asian Development Bank and was finalized, timed for this Summit," said Tandon. He said that at this Summit, the leaders adopted this as a kind of framework or guidance for the type of cooperation that we are likely to do in the future in the connectivity space. "In addition to these major outcomes, where the leaders were involved directly also witnessed the signing of three agreements -- BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters; BIMSTEC Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Cooperation in the field of Diplomatic Training and Memorandum of Association on Establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility," said Tandon. He further informed that the grouping made progress in various ongoing areas of cooperation - MLAT agreement, centre for technology transfer, etc. The mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) is an agreement between two or more countries for the purpose of gathering and exchanging information in an effort to enforce public or criminal laws. "MLAT on criminal matters emerged out of the discussions in the security pillar that has been taken by India. There was a Memorandum of Association to create a centre for technology transfer -- called technology transfer facility, which will be established in Colombo, the third was MoU for cooperation between diplomatic academies," said Tandon. Regarding PM Modi's announcement at the virtual address, he said, "PM Modi in his address focused on developing BIMSTEC further, proposed the need to accelerate the work after signing the charter and not sit back. Connectivity, disaster management, marine cooperation, economic integration and security were other agendas." Prime Minister Narendra Modi, earlier in the day virtually addressed the 5th BIMSTEC Virtual Summit hosted by Sri Lanka. Prior to the Summit, there were preparatory meetings at the Foreign Ministers level and senior official level. This took place on Monday and Tuesday, Secretary Saurabh Kumar and EAM S Jaishankar attended these meetings in Colombo. The theme of this Summit was "Towards a Resilient Region, Prosperous Economies, Healthy People". "This was chosen by the Chair and it sought to capture the main pre-occupations that currently prevail in the political leadership of the region centred around prosperity, resilience and public health. This provided the context to several of the interventions," said Tandon. In view of the special commitments that India has to develop the BIMSTEC platform further, PM Modi used this occasion to also make the announcement of some Indian initiatives, which will further the BIMSTEC agenda in an accelerated manner. "He announced a USD 1 million ad hoc grant to the BIMSTEC secretariat operational budget. The objective is to ensure that whatever pending institutional building tasks are taken forward at a rapid pace. He also announced a USD 3 million grant to revive the BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate, which is an important part of disaster management, disaster risk reduction. He announced with the aim of furthering the economic agenda the establishment of a programme that will be run by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) in India to try and adopt as many international standards and norms for the trade facilitation," said Tandon. (ANI)
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is set to address the nation on Wednesday evening to take people into confidence that there is a 'foreign-funded conspiracy' letter that contains evidence that outside elements are trying to topple the government. Sheikh Rasheed, Pakistan's Interior Minister, while addressing the media said the Prime Minister has also summoned an emergency meeting of the federal cabinet to take party leaders and allies into confidence over the contents of the letter, reported ARY News. According to the sources privy to the matter, the allied parties to the ruling PTI will also be invited to the meeting so that they can be taken into confidence too ahead of the no-trust motion against the PM. Meanwhile, a total of fourteen journalists have been invited to the PM's house where Imran Khan will brief them on the contents of the letter, reported the news channel. PM, earlier in the day said that he will share the 'foreign-funded conspiracy' letter with senior journalists and ally party members. "The letter will reveal the elements who are conspiring against the country from abroad," he said at the launch of e-passport services in Islamabad and added, "Suspicions were cast that the government is doing all this to save itself." "The letter clearly shows how big conspiracy is against the government and it is far bigger conspiracy than what I am telling to you," he added. After the no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was tabled in the National Assembly with a total of 161 votes in favour, the proceedings were adjourned till March 31.The no-confidence motion was submitted by the Opposition parties on March 8. The Opposition has been confident that its motion would be carried as many PTI lawmakers have come out in the open against PM Imran Khan. (ANI)
President Ram Nath Kovind will be on an official visit to Turkmenistan from April 1 to 4 and this visit will be just after the inauguration of the new President of Turkmenistan, said MEA's joint secretary, in charge of the BIMSTEC and south Asian region, Rudrendra Tandon on Wednesday. "President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Turkmenistan from 1st to 4th April. This will be the first-ever visit of the President of India to Turkmenistan. The visit also comes just after the inauguration of the new President of Turkmenistan," Assistant Secretary Tandon said in a special briefing of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Additional Secretary also informed that said that the President will also visit the Netherlands from April 4 to 7 and the President will also host the cultural programme there. "President Kovind to visit the Netherlands from 4-7 April. During the visit, he will hold discussions with His Royal Majesties & PM Mark Rutte. He will also be hosting a cultural performance there, it will be graced by King Willem -Alexander and Queen Maxima," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, earlier in the day virtually addressed the 5th BIMSTEC Virtual Summit hosted by Sri Lanka. Prior to the Summit, there were preparatory meetings at the Foreign Ministers level and senior official level. This took place on Monday and Tuesday, Secretary Saurabh Kumar and EAM S Jaishankar attended these meetings in Colombo. The theme of this Summit was "Towards a Resilient Region, Prosperous Economies, Healthy People". "This was chosen by the Chair and it sort to capture the main pre-occupations that currently prevail in the political leadership of the region centred around prosperity, resilience and public health. This provided the context to several of the interventions," said Tandon. The adoption of the charter has given the BIMSTEC an "international personality" and it reflected a significant evolution of this grouping as this year marks the 25th year of its establishment of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). (ANI)
Lauding Indian diplomacy, Jens Ploetner, German Foreign and Security policy advisor to the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday said that India and Germany may have different approaches towards the Ukraine-Russia conflict but both sides agree that the situation can't go unchecked otherwise it will be devastating for the world. During an official visit to India to discuss on Ukraine-Russia conflict, he said, "I am here to learn and listen from the Indian government about their views on the Ukraine-Russia conflict as India is renowned for its diplomatic policy and one can see that the country is itself in a quite challenging geopolitical situation but still, it deals with the situation in a better way." "Both India and Germany might have different approaches toward the Ukraine-Russia conflict but still, they could come to a common conclusion that this situation can't go unchecked and if it goes unchecked then it will be devastating for every country," he added. Referring to the Ukraine-Russia conflict and its impact on the geopolitical situation of Germany, Ploetner said, "The geographic proximity of Ukraine to Germany and because of our track record of being involved... for over 8 years, in an attempt to diffuse the conflict between Russia and Ukraine." Emphasizing the other related problems apart from geopolitical challenges, Ploetner also stressed the humanitarian aspect of the war, "The significant increase in the numbers of Ukrainian refugees in Berlin. If you come from Berlin, the city is full of Ukrainian refugees. At the train station,... more than something between 10,000 and 15,000 Ukrainians arrived." He also said that there is no street where one cannot see cars with Ukrainian plate numbers. He also said that the Ukrainian kids are being integrated, with the aim of giving those young lives a normal life. While responding to German's dependency on Russian energy, Ploetner said, "the country depends on about 30 per cent of Russia's gas but they can't just wind off their relationship with Russia as it would be costly for them. So, to become independent," he suggested that the country will turn 100 per cent by 2045. He further stated, "We hope to work with India on renewable energy alternatives. If India can aim to go green then why not any other country in the world." On a question about Germany's priority, Ploetner said, "Our main concern is the Russian attack on Ukraine. It is a blatant violation of international law." Jens Plotner will meet the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla before leaving for Tokyo in the evening. Meanwhile, Russian forces announced that their army is moving away from Ukraine's capital Kyiv. On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. In response to Russia's operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow. (ANI)
Taking to Twitter, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi wrote, "I have just arrived in Ukraine. In Lviv, I will discuss with the authorities, the UN and other partners ways to increase our support to people affected and displaced by this senseless war."

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the number of refugees fleeing Ukraine includes over 2,04,000 third-country nationals. IOM has been providing food, core-relief items, cash, and protection support including awareness-raising and counter-trafficking in Ukraine and neighbouring countries.

More than 2.3 million Ukrainian refugees have fled to Poland, while hundreds of thousands have fled to neighbouring countries including Romania, Moldova and Hungary, reported CNN citing UN data.

Grandi has previously called the exodus of refugees from Ukraine "the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II."

Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24 in response to calls from the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics for protection against intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defense Ministry said the special operation, which targets Ukrainian military infrastructure, aims to "demilitarize and denazify" Ukraine. Moscow has said it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. Western nations have imposed numerous sanctions on Russia. (ANI)
"Dean R Thompson is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor," a White House statement said after his nomination on Tuesday.

Thompson will replace present US envoy Randy Berry. He has served over three years and six months, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported.

Thompson currently serves as the State Department's Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, and was the acting Assistant Secretary from 2020-2021.

Prior to that, Thompson was the Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Thompson also was the Consul General of the U.S. Consulate in Kolkata, India.

Thompson's nomination comes a few weeks after Nepal's House of Representatives ratified the US grant aid following weeks of a rift within the ruling alliance.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) pact was a subject of protest as a rumour claimed it to be a military pact. (ANI)
Facing imminent ouster amid the no-confidence motion against his government, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has claimed to possess a 'threat letter' from 'foreign elements' against his government. The letter was brandished by Imran Khan during the 'power show' rally organized by the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), News International reported. A senior official from the Pakistani government, however, said that the letter was nothing but a mere diplomatic cable sent by Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Asad Majeed Khan. The official, requesting anonymity, said that the telegram was received in Islamabad on March 7, a day before the opposition requestioned the National Assembly for a vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Imran Khan, the report said. It is suggested that the letter contains a message from high-ranking US officials regarding the conduct of Khan's government towards the United States. "I assume it is a diplomatic cable from Ambassador Khan, based on his interaction with some US authorities," a diplomatic source told The News International. The letter apparently contains direct quotes of US officials recorded by Ambassador Khan. However, there is no official confirmation on this yet. Both opposition and security officials have cast doubts about whether the contents of the letter are grounded in facts. And if so, why such a letter is not presented before the high-powered National Security Committee of the cabinet, the report said. Earlier today, Imran Khan announced that he would show the letter he was brandishing to senior journalists and the government's allies later today. He made the revelation while addressing a ceremony for the launch of the e-passport facility in Islamabad, The Dawn reported. Separately, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said that the prime minister would also address the nation later today. Imran Khan is in a precarious position, with the no-confidence motion against him tabled in the parliament and the voting on the motion expected on April 3. The ruling PTI got another major shock when one of its key allies Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has quit the ruling coalition and joined ranks with the Opposition. The Pakistani National Assembly has a total strength of 342 members, with the majority mark being 172. The PTI led coalition was formed with the support of 179 members, with Imran Khan's PTI having 155 members, and four major allies Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) having seven, five, five and three members respectively. Imran Khan's situation is precarious given that three of the four allies, that is, MQM-P, PML-Q, and BAP have stated their support for the Opposition's no-confidence motion and said that they will vote accordingly. In addition, more than 40 of the ruling PTI's legislators disappeared on the day of the session of the National Assembly on no-confidence on March 25. The Opposition parties in Pakistan on the other hand hold the support of 162 members of the house and are expected to be joined by the three ruling coalition parties during the vote, helping them cross the majority mark, with 179 members supporting the no-confidence motion. The no-confidence motion was tabled in the house on March 28 with the support of 161 members of the house. (ANI)
The increased inflow of Chinese workers into Pakistan for projects related to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has resulted in the country's girls, especially from the minority Christian community, increasingly becoming targets of human trafficking to China, a media report said. It has become very easy for Chinese workers to enter Pakistan. Many genuinely come to work. Some fall in love with Pakistani girls and marry them, which of course is not illegal. In other cases, Chinese men come to Pakistan with documents issued by non-existing companies and for false business purposes. They go to Pakistan only to buy a bride, a Brookings Institution report titled 'Bride Trafficking along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor' said. Brides are sold for as low as USD 3,500 to USD 5,000, which is significant money for impoverished Pakistani families. At the same time, due to the restrictions imposed by Sharia law in marriages in Pakistan, the process of marriage becomes difficult for non-muslim Chinese workers. Hence, bride trafficking focuses on Christian girls. Christian activists reported that in the city of Gujranwala, Punjab, between 750 and 1,000 Christian girls were trafficked to Chinese men looking for brides in one year, the report said. The trafficked girls do not speak Chinese and know nothing about Chinese culture. The report documents several instances of abuse, maltreatment, domestic violence and forced pregnancies. In some cases, the report claims, there are sham marriages. The Chinese men do not even look for real wives, but for exotic women, they will force to work in China as prostitutes. The report also mentions that according to some unconfirmed accounts, Pakistani women are taken to China and killed to use their bodies for organ harvesting while noting that Chinese authorities "vehemently deny" such allegations. Human traffickers, often with the complicity of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officers, sell women to villagers affected by the shortage of brides resulting from the old draconian one-child policy. During the era of the one-child policy many families, particularly in rural areas, preferred a boy and aborted the girls, with the result that brides are now scarce in China. Bride trafficking in China involves thousands of Pakistani women. While the Pakistani police have arrested some local organizers, Chinese "husbands" have been largely left alone. The report's conclusion is that investigations have been suppressed for political reasons and trafficking is still growing. Pakistani politicians value more their relationship with China than they value the fate of Pakistani women trafficked as brides, the more so when they come from religious minorities that are largely treated as if they included second-class citizens, the report said. (ANI)
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday said Imran Khan "has now lost majority" in the National Assembly and Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif will soon become the Prime Minister of the country. Addressing a press conference ahead of the confidence vote which is expected to take place in the next few days, Bilawal Bhutto thanked Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) for joining hands with the opposition and deciding to support them to oust Imran Khan as Prime Minister in the no-confidence vote. He said the voting should be held on Thursday. "Imran Khan has now lost his majority. He is no longer the Prime Minister. The parliament session is tomorrow. Let's hold voting tomorrow and settle this matter. We can then start working on transparent elections and the journey towards restoration of democracy and an end to economic crisis can then begin," the PPP chairman said. Bilawal Bhutto also said that Shahbaz Sharif, brother of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, "will soon" become the prime minister of the country. "PPP and MQM-P's working relation has nothing to do with the no-confidence motion. Both the parties have to work together for the development of Karachi and Pakistan," he added. The PPP chairman said Shehbaz Sharif has challenged the Pakistan Prime Minister to resign from office. "He (Imran Khan) has no option left. He can either resign or get dismissed via no-confidence," Bilawal Bhutto. Earlier on Tuesday, the ruling PTI got another shock as MQM-P, an ally of the government, decided to side with the opposition and support them in the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan. After the no-confidence motion against Pakistan PM was tabled in the National Assembly with a total of 161 votes in favour, the proceedings were adjourned till March 31. Even as Imran Khan faces mounting pressure with some allies leaving the ruling coalition ahead of the no-confidence vote, Pakistan Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday said the Pakistan Prime Minister will not resign. "Prime Minister Imran Khan is a player who fights till the last ball. He will not get resignation," Fawad Chaudhry said in a tweet in Urdu. Imran Khan is in a precarious position, with the voting on the no-confidence motion expected on April 3. (ANI)
Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) president Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday said that the opposition has the support of 175 lawmakers at a time when it needs only 172 member's support to sail through the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan. Moreover, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) received another setback as Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) quit the ruling alliance after signing an agreement with joint opposition. The announcement for the exit of MQM-P was made by MQM-P convener and MNA Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui at a joint press conference with top opposition leaders, Shehbaz Sharif, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Earlier in the day, the MQM-P leaders Farogh Naseem and Aminul Haque resigned as ministers for law and justice, and information technology and telecom, respectively. Both the ministers resigned after the party took the decision to part ways with the ruling PTI. Naseem, in his resignation letter, wrote that he was resigning on directions from MQM-P's convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui. Moreover, Haque wrote that he was "bound by my party's decisions as a responsible worker" adding, "In light of my party MQM-P's decisions, I resign as federal minister for information technology and telecommunication. I request you (the prime minister) to accept this." After the no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was tabled in the National Assembly with a total of 161 votes in favour, the proceedings were adjourned till March 31. The Pakistani National Assembly has a total strength of 342 members, with the majority mark being 172. The PTI led coalition was formed with the support of 179 members, with Imran Khan's PTI having 155 members, and four major allies Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) having seven, five, five and three members respectively. The no-confidence motion was submitted by the Opposition parties on March 8. The Opposition has been confident that its motion would be carried as many PTI lawmakers have come out in the open against PM Imran Khan. (ANI)
Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, "A warm welcome to Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon to India. Taking forward #IndiaMexico privileged partnership."

Upon the arrival of the Mexican FM, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted, "Delighted to welcome Foreign Minister of Mexico Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon on his first official visit to India. The visit will involve discussions on our ongoing cooperation and on ways to further strengthen the privileged partnership between India & Mexico."

Mexican Foreign Minister is on a two-day official visit from March 30 to April 1 at the invitation of EAM Jaishankar.

Mexican Foreign Minister will also visit Mumbai. Both Jaishankar and Casaubon will undertake a comprehensive review of bilateral relations and will also discuss international issues of mutual interest.

The visit of the Mexican Foreign Minister follows Jaishankar's visit to Mexico City in September last year. This exchange of visits will consolidate and further strengthen the privileged partnership between India and Mexico.

At present, Mexico is India's second-largest trade partner in Latin America and is a member of the UNSC alongside India for the period 2021-22. (ANI)
German foreign and security policy advisor Jens Plotner met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla in New Delhi on Wednesday and exchanged views on global and regional issues. Plotner and Shringla held wide-ranging discussions on the strategic partnership. Meanwhile, Jaishankar had a conversation with the German Chancellor which focused on the Ukraine situation. "Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla met Jens Plotner, Foreign and Security Policy Advisor to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. They held wide-ranging discussions on the strategic partnership and exchanged views on global & regional issues of mutual interest," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet. "Good to see Foreign and Security Policy Advisor to German Chancellor Jens Plotner this afternoon. Understandably, our conversation focused around the Ukraine situation," Jaishankar tweeted. Earlier today, sources had informed that National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval met Jens Plotner in New Delhi. The two sides discussed a wide range of bilateral issues as well as major global developments, including in their respective regions, sources said. The visit of the German security policy adviser comes at a time when several other high-level foreign dignitaries are visiting India for consultations on ongoing bilateral, regional and multilateral issues, they further informed. Lauding Indian diplomacy, Jens Plotner, said that India and Germany may have different approaches to the Ukraine-Russia conflict but both sides agree that the situation can't go unchecked otherwise it will be devastating for the world. During an official visit to India to discuss on Ukraine-Russia conflict, he said, "I am here to learn and listen from the Indian government about their views on the Ukraine-Russia conflict as India is renowned for its diplomatic policy and one can see that the country is itself in a quite challenging geopolitical situation but still, it deals with the situation in a better way." "Both India and Germany might have different approaches toward the Ukraine-Russia conflict but still, they could come to a common conclusion that this situation can't go unchecked and if it goes unchecked then it will be devastating for every country," he added. (ANI)
For the last one week, the air quality of Kathmandu has deteriorated and the Himalayan nation's capital has remained in the list of the top ten most polluted cities in the world, as per the report by IQAir, a Swiss air quality tech company. Kathmandu's air quality remained unhealthy throughout Wednesday with pollution levels peaking in the morning and evening pushing up the ranking of most polluted cities. As per Wednesday evening (7 pm Local Time) air quality index by IQAir, Kathmandu stands fifth in terms of polluted cities with US AQI at 155. As per the United States Environment Protection Agency's air quality index, when air pollutant PM 2.5 reaches 151 to 200 mg/m3, air quality is considered unhealthy; everyone may experience problems, with sensitive groups feeling more severe effects. When it exceeds 300 mg/m3, it is considered "hazardous" for everyone and may prompt emergency condition alerts. Throughout the day, Kathmandu was shrouded by thick polluted haze which covered the bowl-shaped valley hampering the flights and daily activities. "We use to get a clearer view of Kathmandu Valley from the top of Swayambhunath Stupa but now it is all covered by dense haze reducing the visibility. The government should work on some plans to control the pollution measures which have been hampering the daily lives," SuyogBasnet, one of the residents of Kathmandu told ANI. The drop in the visibility due to the increased pollution level also impacted the operation of the airport in Kathmandu in the early hours of Wednesday as visibility there dropped to 2000 meters. "Both domestic and international flight services have continued to remain affected due to the haze. The flight services have been affected as a minimum of 2,800 meters' visibility is necessary for landings and take-offs, this has continued for some days now," said TeknathSitaula, the spokesperson of the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA). The bowl-shaped valley which also is densely populated hasn't received precipitation for weeks letting pollutants remain afloat in the atmosphere which has dropped the air quality. Though meteorologists have been issuing warnings of lightning and rainfalls in some places of Province-1, Bagmati and Gandaki amongst others the weather is still to remain clear due to the absence of a system in place currently to cause heavy rainfall or strong wind to blow away pollutants in the air. "If we take the reference of a lately published list of world's polluted cities then Kathmandu ranks on top ten polluted cities. At an earlier time when I use to come here, I could see a scenic and clear view of Kathmandu, the lately constructed Dharahara also is not visible from here it is all result of the pollution. As a lot of people are coming forward to contest for the post of mayor, none of them has thought about doing something or committing to control this pollution," another resident Adesh Kumar Shahi told ANI as he stood atop Swayambhunath Stupa, the UNESCO World Heritage Site overlooking Kathmandu Valley. Doctors have warned poor air quality causes short- and long-term effects on public health with chances of pneumonia, bronchitis, conjunctivitis, skin allergy, stroke and heart problems, among others, in the short term, and ulcers and cancer of the lungs and intestine, kidney disease and heart problems in the long-run. Nepal usually witnesses the pollution level surging high in the dry months ranging from March to May when forest fire is more common. As rain remains off the sky failing to wash out all the pollutants, the atmosphere gets surrounded by pollution dipping the air quality index. According to Sundar Sharma, Under Secretary at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), there are currently 19 forest fires in nine districts including Bara, Chitwan, Humla, Parsa, Kalikot, Kanchanpur, Kailali and Rautahat. These big forest fires are the cause of increased pollution levels and low visibility across the country. "The smoke we have been seeing for the past few days over the sky of Nepal is caused by the forest fires. There is no way for them to get cleared without rainfall as the smoke will stay in the sky for at least five-six days," Sharma said. Further warning that the peak fire season would start in the fourth week of April and end in May for Nepal. As per the experts smoke emitted from the burning of forests will move to India and come to Nepal from India. Currently, there are big wildfires in India as well, so the smoke travels to Nepal from India. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines air pollution as contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical, or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. Common sources of air pollution are household combustion devices, motor vehicles, industrial facilities, and forest fires. (ANI)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's assurance, during the OIC Conference in Islamabad recently that China would look after the interests of Muslim nations, is in total contradiction to events in his backyard. There are widespread atrocities committed against Muslims of the Uyghurs community in Xinjiang, China. Pakistan too has developed amnesia on this issue and ignored the genocide among Uyghurs. Since 2017, the Chinese government has detained about 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in hundreds of "re-education camps" in Xinjiang. An effort to prevent possible religious extremism and terrorism had led to "terror capitalism" - a system that justifies oppression by branding Uyghurs a security threat to generate state investment in policing and surveillance technologies to monitor and control them. The rise of an economic form of a kind of security-industrial complex where the state has hired over 1,000 contractors - private companies - to build forms of surveillance that will sort through Uyghur and Kazakh behaviour and diagnose who is potentially a criminal. They are using Chinese counterterrorism laws, which are very broad and define things as terrorism like having WhatsApp on your phone, using a VPN, and having relatives who live abroad and sending them money. Witness testimonies and investigative reports have since alleged that the Chinese government has tortured detainees, sterilized Uyghur women, and conscripted Uyghurs for work in factories. China also continues to carry out discriminatory work policies, such as forced labour, impossible production expectations, and long working hours, against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, a United Nations committee stated on February 11. The report from the International Labour Organization stressed that China has violated various articles of the Employment Policy Convention of 1964, which Beijing ratified in 1997, including the right to freely choose employment. The 870-page report, titled Application of International Labour Standards, was an assessment by the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations. The report stated that China continues to engage in widespread and systematic "programs" involving the extensive use of forced labour of the Uyghur and other Turkic and Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. Some 13 million members of the ethnic and religious minorities in Xinjiang are targeted based on their ethnicity and religion, adding that Beijing justified its methods in a context of "poverty alleviation", "vocational training", "re-education through labor" and "de-extremification". A key feature of China's program is the use of forced labour in or around internment or "re-education" camps housing some 1.8 million Uyghur and other Turkic or Muslim peoples in the region. The abuses take place in or around prisons and workplaces across Xinjiang and other parts of the country. From an international perspective, the US Senate unanimously voted in December last year to ban virtually all imports from China's north-western Xinjiang region over concerns about the prevalence of forced labour. The US government stated that more than one million Uyghurs and other Turkic-speaking Muslims are incarcerated in camps to root out their Islamic cultural traditions and forcibly assimilate them into China's Han majority. The United States has described the campaign as genocide. Along with Australia, Britain, and Canada, it had announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Games over the issue. The Biden administration also sanctioned Chinese firm SZ DJI Technology, the world's largest producer of consumer drones used in filmmaking and aerial photography, over surveillance in Xinjiang, where China has been honing new technologies in artificial intelligence and DNA tracking to keep a track of Uyghurs. Other companies targeted included Ziamen Meiya Pico Information, which has developed a mobile application to track files on individuals' phones, and Cloud walk Technology, which was developed to recognize the faces of Uyghurs and Tibetans. (ANI)
After the head of US Delegation Uzra Zeya visited Pakistan at the 48th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, a Pakistani Journalist while taking a jibe at Prime Minister Imran Khan questioned him as to why 'cry global conspiracy' and yet invite the US delegation. He also slammed the ruling party for Falcon Talon, a bilateral exercise between Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and United States Air Force (USAF) when the party continues to claim that foreign elements are active which are trying to oust PTI. Taking to Twitter, Pakistani Journalist, Syed Talat Hussain wrote, "So you cry global conspiracy (by Washington) and also warmly invite and welcome their delegation to the OIC conference? Not to mention holding joint air exercises Falcon Talon?" This comes at a time when PM, earlier in the day said that he will share the 'foreign-funded conspiracy' letter with senior journalists and ally party members which has evidence that outside elements are trying to topple the government. Ahead of the no-trust vote against PM Imran Khan, the journalist alerted that some desperate political, legal, procedural and constitutional options are being contemplated. "Madness Alert- Some desperate political, legal, procedural and constitutional options are being contemplated, which, if exercised, might create an even more desperate situation," wrote Hussain. Imran Khan claimed, "The letter clearly shows how big conspiracy is against the government and it is far bigger conspiracy than what I am telling to you." After the no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was tabled in the National Assembly with a total of 161 votes in favour, the proceedings were adjourned till March 31.The no-confidence motion was submitted by the Opposition parties on March 8. The Opposition has been confident that its motion would be carried as many PTI lawmakers have come out in the open against PM Imran Khan. (ANI)
Pakistan is in grip of an unprecedented political crisis as Prime Minister Imran Khan is striving hard to save his sinking government while the opposition has already come out with full spiking teeth against him. Imran Khan on Wednesday deferred his address to the nation hours after an announcement was made that he will take people into confidence about a "foreign-funded conspiracy letter" to show "evidence" of attempts to topple his government. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senator Faisal Javed Khan gave the information about the address having been postponed, reported Geo News. Imran Khan government is facing the heat over the no-confidence motion brought by the opposition. "PM Imran Khan's address to the nation for today has been postponed," Javed Khan said in a tweet. Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) president Maulana Fazlur Rehman today claimed that the opposition has the support of 175 lawmakers at a time when it needs only 172 members' support to sail through the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan. This comes as the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) received another setback as Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) quit the ruling alliance after signing an agreement with joint opposition. The announcement for the exit of MQM-P was made by MQM-P convener and MNA Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui at a joint press conference with top opposition leaders, Shehbaz Sharif, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal said Imran Khan "has now lost majority" in the National Assembly and Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif will soon become the Prime Minister of the country. Addressing a press conference ahead of the confidence vote which is expected to take place in the next few days, Bilawal Bhutto thanked MQM-P for joining hands with the opposition and deciding to support them to oust Imran Khan as Prime Minister in the no-confidence vote. He said the voting should be held on Thursday. "Imran Khan has now lost his majority. He is no longer the Prime Minister. The parliament session is tomorrow. Let's hold voting tomorrow and settle this matter. We can then start working on transparent elections and the journey towards restoration of democracy and an end to economic crisis can then begin," the PPP chairman said. Bilawal Bhutto also said that Shahbaz Sharif, brother of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, "will soon" become the prime minister of the country. "PPP and MQM-P's working relation has nothing to do with the no-confidence motion. Both the parties have to work together for the development of Karachi and Pakistan," he added. The PPP chairman said Shehbaz Sharif has challenged the Pakistan Prime Minister to resign from office. "He (Imran Khan) has no option left. He can either resign or get dismissed via no-confidence," Bilawal Bhutto said. (ANI)
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Wednesday expressed concern about the "cold-blooded murder" of a woman by three female seminary colleagues in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. The incident took place in the Dera Ismail Khan where the perpetrators killed a woman on allegations of blasphemy. Police said the suspects killed the victim over a "difference of opinion on religious issues" and allegations of blasphemy. Police said the murder occurred early in the morning outside the Jamia Islamia Falahul Binaat. When police reached the site of the crime, they found the victim lying in a pool of blood with her throat slashed, the Dawn reported citing the first information report (FIR). According to the FIR, sharp objects were used in the attack on the victim. District Police Officer (DPO) Najamul Hasnain said the victim was a follower of well-known a religious scholar which was not liked by the suspects. The suspects said that a 13-year-old female relative of theirs "saw a dream last night" in which she found out about the alleged blasphemy committed by the victim and was subsequently "ordered to slaughter her", the Dawn reported citing DPO. The HRCP expressed shock at the killing, saying that the accused claimed their allegations and subsequent action were based on a 13-year-old cousin's 'dream'. "HRCP is horrified by the cold-blooded murder of a woman by 3 female seminary colleagues in D I Khan on allegations of blasphemy. That the accused claim their allegations and subsequent action were based on a 13-year-old cousin's 'dream' is both frightening and incomprehensible," HRCP said in a statement. "Both the federal and provincial governments need to acknowledge and tackle the recent increase in vigilante-led violence in the name of religion by taking a harder line against perpetrators and ceasing to internalise 'threats to faith' in their own political and social narratives," the rights group added. Instances of mob violence, and state-enforced criminal blasphemy cases, are more frequent in Pakistan than anywhere else, according to a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. Notably, blasphemy violence in Pakistan is reflected through several incidents such as vandalizing of Hindu temples and neighbourhoods, the burning of police stations by angry mobs, the lynching of a student on a university campus and the killing of a provincial governor by his own security guard. Moreover, 90 per cent of those involved in blasphemy violence are between the ages of 18 and 30, the media outlet reported citing a senior police official's statement to a parliamentary committee. According to the Centre for Social Justice, a Lahore-based minority rights group, at least 84 people faced blasphemy accusations in courts and from angry street mobs in 2021. (ANI)
Nepal's Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba will pay an official visit to India from April 1 to 3. This is the first official visit of PM Deuba after assuming office in July 2021. Deuba has visited India in each of his four earlier stints as the Prime Minister of the Himalayan nation. His last visit to India was in 2017. Thereafter, the Prime Ministers of India and Nepal held a meeting on the side-lines of the COP-26 Glasgow summit in 2021. PM Deuba is also expected to visit Gujarat for the Vibrant Gujarat summit-2022 but it was cancelled due to the pandemic situation. Prime Minister Deuba is also scheduled to visit Varanasi where he will visit the holy Kashi Vishwanath temple and a Nepali temple also known as Shri Samrajeswar Pashupatinath Mahadev Mandir. The Nepali temple dedicated to Lord Shiva was envisaged by Nepali King Rana Bahadur Shah who was exiled to the city from 1800 to 1804 A.D. During the exile, he decided to build a replica of Kathmandu's Pashupatinath temple in the city. The construction of the temple was taken forward by his son Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah. The temple belongs to the Nepal government and is one of the most famous temples of the holy city, Varanasi. Under the vaccine Maitri initiative, India had gifted around 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Nepal. Ever since the commencement of Vaccination in India, it has committed to the supply of vaccines to other countries as well, to ensure vaccine equity. India had handed over vaccines to Nepal under grants assistance in sync with its 'Neighbourhood First' policy. Nepal has also placed an order of 2 million vaccines with Pune-based pharmaceutical company Serum Institute of India. Earlier, India had pledged one billion US dollars as support for earthquake reconstruction; one-fourth of it was committed as grant assistance to be utilized for health, cultural heritage, housing and education sectors. Over the last five years and more, India has substantially fulfilled its commitment under various priority sectors identified by the Government of Nepal. Recently, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has mentioned that the reconstruction of 50,000 owner-driven houses in Gorkha and Nuwakot districts under Indian assistance has been completed. The projects in the remaining sectors of health, education and culture are also in progress. It is important to note that India is funding the reconstruction of 70 schools and a library, 132 health facilities and 28 cultural heritage sector projects in various earthquake-affected districts of Nepal. India's development cooperation with Nepal is multi-faceted and multi-dimensional and has stood the test of time. As close partners with unparalleled civilizational and socio-cultural connections, mutual support and solidarity in times of need have been an integral part of bilateral ethos and action underscoring that India will always unhesitatingly step up to support the people of Nepal whenever called to do so. A Memorandum of Understanding on rebuilding around 137 health posts with Indian financial assistance that India had announced in the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake is also likely to be signed. Meanwhile, India agreed to fund the reconstruction of 25 health posts in Dhading. In September 2021, India and Nepal signed a memorandum of understanding for the reconstruction of 14 cultural heritage and 103 health sector projects damaged by the devastating 2015 earthquake in the country. These projects will be reconstructed at a cost of NPR420 crore (USD 36 million). Both nations also finalized the draft of a mutual recognition agreement between quality certificates issued by the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control of Nepal and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. This agreement is expected to ease the import and export of various food items between the two countries. It is important to highlight that India is Nepal's largest trading partner. The volume of bilateral trade has reached over NPR 976.78 billion during the fiscal year 2020-21 with imports from India amounting to NPR 886.59 billion and exports to India standing over NPR 90.19 billion. India accounted for almost 65 per cent ($8.2 billion) of Nepal's total trade in 2017-18. In a meeting of the joint working group on tourism cooperation between India and Nepal both the countries agreed to facilitate citizens while providing leave travel concession (LTC) and also for overland travel of vehicles on a reciprocal basis. It was also decided to jointly promote the Ramayan Circuit and the Buddhist Circuit to develop tourism in both countries. A transnational Buddhist circuit train between India and Nepal is already in place. The Indian Railways runs the Buddhist Circuit train between India and Nepal whose journey will cover pilgrimage sites significant to Gautam Buddha's life in both India and Nepal. A decision to construct a 'Buddha' gate at Sunauli-Behaliya on the Nepal-India border point was also taken. It was decided to promote adventure tourism, start air connectivity to Lumbini and establish a Nepal-India tourism forum. Moreover, the meeting also decided to start an exchange of human resources to develop the tourism sector and list medical facilities for tourists in both countries. Recently, the three substations under the Modi-Lekhnath Transmission Line and Substations Project, being financed under India's Line of Credit of USD 250 million were inaugurated. This is one of the 75 projects being inaugurated in 2022 in Nepal as part of "India@75 Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" which celebrates 75 years of India's independence. The Modi-Lekhnath project involves the construction of a 42 km long power transmission line and its associated substations at New Modi, Laha Chowk and Lekhnath in the central part of Nepal. Also, two new buildings for the school have been constructed at a cost of NPR 31.00 million under India-Nepal Development Cooperation with India's financial assistance. Since 2003, India had taken up over 523 schools in Nepal and completed 467 projects. In addition to these, India also gifted 7 ambulances to various health posts in the district. Nepal looks to secure air entry points from India through Mahendranagar and Nepalgunj in west Nepal so that international carriers can land at the two new regional airports that have come up at Bhairahawa and Pokhara. The Gautam Buddha International Airport is already planning to start commercial flights may be on Buddha Jayanti on May 16, 2022. Thus, both countries may decide on the resumption of flights. It is confirmed by the latest edition of a Governmental journal published in March 2022 edition that Nepal has adopted the unified payment interface developed by India for digital transactions. "Many countries had already praised the CoWin app, which was generated for vaccination during the first COVID-19 period and Nepal has now adopted India's UPI for digital transactions. It will accentuate interoperable real-time person-to-person (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions. Even as bilateral ties are continuously touching new heights, PM Deuba's three-day visit would add a new chapter to the relationship between two evergreen cordial neighbours. (ANI)
The bloc is also seeking to prevent the families of Russian businessmen and the use of cryptocurrencies from evading financial restrictions, the report said.

The European Union is said to be discussing how to deploy its anti-money-laundering blacklist against countries engaged in helping circumvent Western sanctions . They are weighing whether to place Russia on the EU blacklist, the newspaper said.

The European Commission is expected to outline a proposal on the new sanctions next week. (ANI/Sputnik)

-
In a special session of the cabinet chaired by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, the government has decided to share the 'foreign-conspiracy' letter with the National Security Committee where Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi would brief the Committee about the letter in an in-camera session. Apart from that, the letter was shown to the federal ministers on a teleprompter in the cabinet's special session chaired by Imran Khan, reported ARY News citing sources. In another key development, Imran Khan announced that the government invited the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) but they did not attend the session. Imran Khan earlier in the day said that he will share the 'foreign-funded conspiracy' letter with senior journalists and ally party members. "The letter will reveal the elements who are conspiring against the country from abroad," he said at the launch of e-passport services in Islamabad and added, "suspicions were cast that the government is doing all this to save itself." "The letter clearly shows how big conspiracy is against the government and it is far bigger conspiracy than what I am telling to you," he added. After the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan's government was tabled in the National Assembly with a total of 161 votes in favour, the proceedings were adjourned till March 31. The no-confidence motion was submitted by the opposition parties on March 8. The opposition is confident that its motion would be carried as some allies of PTI have come out in the open against Imran Khan. (ANI)
The United Kingdom (UK) has pledged USD 374 million towards the provision of food grains and other humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. The commitments come ahead of an upcoming United Nations (UN) conference to seek pledges toward the UN Humanitarian appeal which was launched earlier this year and looked for commitments of over USD 5 billion, Tolo News reported. "The UK is rallying countries in support of the Afghan people and helping lead the way in providing life-sustaining food, shelter, and medical supplies. Together with allies and partners, we can do more and will do more to help Afghanistan," Britain's Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said while announcing the pledge. "The UN humanitarian appeal, the largest ever launched for a single country, is only 13 per cent funded," UN spokesperson Jens Laerke said ahead of Thursday's pledging conference which will seek additional funding of over USD 4.4 billion. Laerke also said that the funds go directly to aid agencies implementing projects on the ground and that none is channelled through the Taliban regime. The online pledging event will be held on Thursday at the ministerial level. It will be convened by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and will be co-hosted by Qatar, the UK, and Germany, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said. The humanitarian condition in Afghanistan has continued to deepen since the Taliban takeover in August last year, with UN agencies estimating that over 50 per cent of the country's population is in need of immediate humanitarian assistance. Roughly 23 million people are experiencing acute hunger and 95 per cent of Afghans are not eating enough, while 10 million children are in urgent need of aid to survive, according to the United Nations. Earlier on Tuesday, Achim Steiner, Director General of United Nations Development Program (UNDP), on a visit to Afghanistan said that investment in Afghanistan's economy is necessary to stabilize the economic freefall, otherwise, based on UNDP's earlier reporting, about 90 per cent of Afghanistan's population will live below the poverty line by the end of the year. (ANI)
During the talks, Knudsen said no more time should be wasted for girls to be able to return to high school.

"No more time should be wasted for girls to be able to return to high schools. It is in the interest of all Afghans that the rights of women and girls be respected. UNAMA Deputy Head Mette Knudsen today held a dialogue with women students and representatives in Kabul," UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a tweet.

Knudsen earlier met University representatives in Kabul and urged equal access to education for boys and girls.

These meetings come as the Taliban has imposed an indefinite ban on allowing female students above the sixth-grade access to schools.

Since taking over power in August last year, the Taliban have rolled back women's rights in virtually every area, including crushing women's freedom of movement.

The vast majority of girls' secondary schools were closed. Universities recently reopened, with new gender segregation rules. But many women are unable to return, in part because the career they studied for is now off-limits as the Taliban banned women from most jobs.

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) women and girls are blocked from accessing health care as well. Reports suggest that women and girls facing violence have no escape route.

Allowing girls into schools and other educational institutes has been one of the main demands of the international community.

The majority of countries have refused to formally recognise the Taliban amid worries over their treatment of girls and women and other human rights issues. (ANI)
Bern [Switzerland], March 30 (ANI/Sputnik): The Swiss government on Wednesday said that it has decided to lift all COVID-19 restrictions in the country on April 1. Starting April 1, the requirement to wear masks in public transport and medical institutions, as well as the requirement of self-isolation for those who have tested positive for COVID-19, will be lifted, the government said in a statement. "Due to the high level of immunization of the population, there has been no significant increase in the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care in recent weeks, but the number of infections has risen again. The situation is unlikely to worsen in the months ahead. However, it is impossible to predict the development of the pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 is expected to become endemic rather than cease to exist. Therefore, new seasonable surges should be expected," the statement read. Switzerland will also establish a transition phase until spring 2023 with increased monitoring of COVID-19 infections, including testing, vaccination, and contact tracing. The cantonal authorities of Switzerland will now be responsible for containing the spread of COVID-19, the government added. A total of 3,468,289 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Switzerland since the start of the pandemic, and 13,534 people have died. Almost 6 million people, or 69.8 per cent of the country's population, have been vaccinated. (ANI/Sputnik)
Japan next month could also host the Philippines in the same format, Japanese news agency Kyodo reported, citing diplomatic sources.

The report said the main focus of Japan's talks with both countries is likely to be China's growing military power and intensifying cooperation on maritime security.

The parties are expected to reassert the importance of upholding international law in the South China Sea and the East China Sea.

Earlier in March, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had discussed the plans for these negotiations during his visit to India.

Japan and India held their first 2+2 talks in November 2019. During the summit, the ministers of the two countries are expected to focus on cooperation in cybersecurity and space, among other things.

Japan has held two-plus-two security talks with the United States, Australia, Britain, France, Germany, Indonesia and Russia, the report said. (ANI)
Recent initiatives and milestones in India's development cooperation with Nepal are likely to be highlighted during the upcoming visit of Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to India, his first official trip since his appointment as PM in July last year. The development cooperation of India with Nepal is one of the fundamental pillars of the bilateral partnership. It covers various areas such as road, rail, health, education, power among others. It not only aims to improve infrastructure and cross-border connectivity between the two countries but also serves to make the ties even more people-centric as these projects touch the lives of the common men and women on both sides of the border. India is the foremost development partner of Nepal. India-Nepal cooperation for developing modern infrastructure in Nepal began in 1951 with the construction of Gauchar Airport (today known as the Tribhuvan Airport) in Kathmandu (completed in 1954). Moreover, the Indian Aid Mission in Nepal was set up in 1954 for coordinating various projects and efforts of the Indian government for development in Nepal in the areas of connectivity, health, education, power, government departments among others. The projects under the Development Partnership have been diverse in size and sector with a geographical spread throughout Nepal. They include projects financed through grants as well as Lines of Credit provided by the Government of India. Large and Intermediate Infrastructure Projects in priority sectors for Nepal such as Health, Education, Power, and Connectivity have been undertaken on a grant basis in recent years. A prominent example of this is, Nepal Bharat Maitri Emergency & Trauma Centre (INR 100 cr), Kathmandu (the first trauma centre with AIIMS like specialized facilities, inaugurated in November 2014); the new college block of B.P Koirala Institute of Health Science, Dharan (INR 125 cr) inaugurated in March 2014. Furthermore, in the Education sector, Nepal Bharat Maitri Vidalaya, Pokhara (INR 125 cr) was opened in 2000 and Manmohan Memorial Polytechnic, Morang (INR 32 cr). Manmohan Memorial Polytechnic was the first polytechnic of its kind in Nepal providing technical education in three engineering streams as well as several vocational courses. The project was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Nepal in November 2009. A major project underway is the construction of Nepal's National Police Academy (NPA) at Kawrepalanchowk at an estimated cost of over INR 650 cr. The cooperation in the Power and Energy sector Cooperation had begun with the Trishuli Hydropower Project (originally constructed in 1976 with an installed capacity of 21 MW with a grant of INR 140 million), it has grown since then. A more recent milestone was the commissioning of the Motihari-Amlekhgunj Petroleum Pipeline (INR 324 cr) in 2019. This is the first cross-border petroleum product pipeline in South Asia, which has resulted in direct economic benefits for Nepali people (decrease of NRs. 2/ litre in price). Connectivity is yet another sector where cooperation between India-Nepal is evident. Apart from rail connectivity, India is also assisting Nepal in the Terai Roads project, consisting of ten roads connecting Nepal's East-West Highway to the Indian border. The 6-lane major bridge across River Mechhi, connecting Kakarbhitta in Nepal to Panitanki in West Bengal as part of Asian Highway -02, was also completed last year. Trade connectivity has been enhanced through the construction of Integrated Check-Posts at Birgunj (Nepal's first ever Integrated Check-Post, inaugurated in April 2018) and Biratnagar (inaugurated in January 2020). Projects for the construction of two more ICPs in Nepalgunj and Bhairwaha are also making good progress. Apart from the above projects, High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) are another important portfolio of the India Nepal Development Partnership. HICDPs are short-gestation projects. These grass root projects have been implemented in creating adequate capacity building and construction of new infrastructures such as hospitals, schools, colleges, drinking water facilities, sanitation & drainage system, rural electrification and hydropower plant, embankment and river training works etc. They have contributed to enhancing the quality of life and all round development of the people of Nepal. Since 2003, over 523 HICDPs have been taken up by the Government of India, of which 467 have been completed and the remaining 56 projects are ongoing. The total cost of these projects is around INR 706 Cr (NRs 1130 Cr). Touching upon the projects under Lines of Credit, a total of USD 1.65 billion has been extended to Nepal under four separate Lines of Credit by India, which have been utilized to finance several projects in Nepal, mostly roads, transmission lines and reconstruction projects. Some of the prominent projects are New Mechi Bridge connecting Kakarvitta-Panitanki border, an ADB funded project executed by GoI and completed in early 2021. Muzzafarpur-Dhalkebar Power Transmission line is yet another example. This line was launched by the Prime Ministers of India and Nepal during the latter's State Visit to India in February 2016. The Nepal portion of the 140 km long line was built under an Indian LoC (line of credit) of USD 13.5 million. Meanwhile, the Koshi Corridor transmission line, a 106-km Koshi Corridor transmission line, costing a total of NRs 10.40 billion (USD 86.8 million) is being built under GoI's LOC. Once the remaining two packages are completed, the project will ensure smooth power evacuation from the generation projects coming up in the Arun and Tamor river basins, with power output totalling about 2000MW. Package 1 of the 220kV Double Circuit Koshi Corridor power transmission line (Inarwa-Basantpr-Baneshwar-Tumlingtar) was handed over to Nepal Electricity Authority in October 2021. Post-Earthquake Reconstruction was a key area where development cooperation between India-Nepal was visible. Following the earthquake of April 2015, the Government of India had committed USD 1 billion, comprising USD 250 million as a grant and USD 750 million as a Line of Credit, for post-earthquake reconstruction projects in Nepal. A major project recently completed under its ambit was the reconstruction of 50,000 houses at a cost of USD 100 million in November 2021. Other projects being undertaken as part of post-earthquake assistance include the construction of 132 health facilities across 10 districts and the reconstruction of 71 educational institutes in 8 districts of Nepal. 28 cultural heritage projects in 7 districts of Nepal are also being restored, on which work on the ground has begun for 24. (ANI)
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, and both sides pledged to strengthen bilateral ties. Wang Yi is hosting the third meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries in Tunxi in east China's Anhui Province from March 30 to 31, a foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Monday. Foreign Ministers or representatives of Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan attended the meeting. Noting that China-Russia ties have stood the new test of a changing international landscape, Wang said the relationship has maintained its correct direction and shown strong resilience. "Both sides have a firmer will to develop bilateral relations, and stronger confidence to advance cooperation in various areas," Wang said, reported Xinhua. China is willing to work with Russia to push the relationship to a higher level in the new era, guided by the important consensus between the two heads of state, Wang said. For his part, Lavrov said the strategic communication between the two heads of state has played an important role in ensuring the stable development of bilateral relations and promoting a multi-polar world. He said Russia is willing to work with China in the international and multilateral arena to promote the multi-polarization process, oppose hegemony and power politics, and uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, as per the news agency. Lavrov informed the Chinese side of the Russia-Ukraine talks, saying Russia is committed to easing the tensions, continuing peace talks with Ukraine, and maintaining communication with the international community. Noting that the Ukraine issue has a complicated history, Wang said China supports Russia and Ukraine in overcoming difficulties to continue their peace talks, supports the positive outcomes achieved in the negotiations so far, and supports the de-escalation of the tensions as soon as possible and the efforts of Russia and other parties to avoid a large-scale humanitarian crisis. From a long-term perspective, lessons should be taken from the Ukraine crisis, and all parties' legitimate security concerns should be responded to on the basis of mutual respect and indivisible security, he said. He called for establishing a balanced, effective and sustainable European security structure through dialogue and negotiation in order to realise lasting peace in Europe. The two sides also exchanged views on other multilateral affairs such as the Asia-Pacific situation and the BRICS mechanism. (ANI)
"Met US Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics & G20 Sherpa, Daleep Singh. Discussed at length steps for further deepening India-US economic & strategic ties. Our complementary partnership will help us build resilient economies in a dynamic world order," Goyal said in a tweet.

Daleep Singh is on a two-day visit to India ahead of the 2+2 dialogue between India and the US.

Singh is scheduled to meet with Government of India officials to deepen cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and prosperity, and a free and open Indo-Pacific, a US National Security Council statement said.

Singh will consult closely with counterparts on the consequences of Russia's unjustified war against Ukraine and mitigate its impact on the global economy, the statement said.

Singh will also discuss the priorities of the Biden Administration, including the promotion of high-quality infrastructure through Build Back Better World and the development of an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the statement added.

Meanwhile, India and United States are scheduled to hold a 2+2 dialogue in Washington on April 11.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will meet their counterparts Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin. Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh will also have other meetings scheduled on the sidelines. (ANI)
"Warm and productive discussions with Mexican FM @m_ebrard today evening," Jaishankar said in a tweet, adding, "Discussed our growing trade and investment, health, science & technology and space sector cooperation."

"Also exchanged notes on our close UNSC cooperation. Congratulated Mexico for taking over the Presidency of the Pacific Alliance. Our regular engagements will continue providing greater energy to our relationship," Jaishankar further said.

"Very cordial conversation about the bilateral relationship, investments, cooperation for drugs and vaccines, the international order and multilateralism. We are moving towards a strategic and increasingly close relationship," Casaubon said talking about the meeting.

Earlier today, Jaishankar welcomed his Mexican counterpart on his first official visit to India and expressed the will to take forward the India-Mexico relationship.

"A warm welcome to Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon to India. Taking forward #IndiaMexico privileged partnership," Jaishankar had tweeted.

Mexican Foreign Minister is on a two-day official visit from March 30 to April 1 at the invitation of EAM Jaishankar.

Mexican Foreign Minister will also visit Mumbai. Both Jaishankar and Casaubon will undertake a comprehensive review of bilateral relations and will also discuss international issues of mutual interest.

The visit of the Mexican Foreign Minister follows Jaishankar's visit to Mexico City in September last year. This exchange of visits will consolidate and further strengthen the privileged partnership between India and Mexico.

At present, Mexico is India's second-largest trade partner in Latin America and is a member of the UNSC alongside India for the period 2021-22. (ANI)
While stressing on US' continued support for Ukraine, US President Joe Biden on Wednesday held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy where Zelenskyy updated his counterpart on the status of Ukraine's negotiations with Russia. President Zelenskyy updated President Biden on the status of Ukraine's negotiations with Russia, as per the White House Press Release. "President Biden spoke with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine today at 10:45 AM EDT to discuss US continued support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. President Biden's Call with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy was convened at 11:08 EDT. President Biden's secure call with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy was completed at 12:03 PM EDT." as per the White House Press Office. Biden also spoke with Zelenskyy about the ongoing work by the United States and its allies and partners to deliver military, economic, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and to impose severe costs on Russia for its brutal aggression against Ukraine. The leaders discussed how the United States is working around the clock to fulfil the main security assistance requests by Ukraine, the critical effects those weapons have had on the conflict, and continued efforts by the United States with allies and partners to identify additional capabilities to help the Ukrainian military defend its country said the White House press release. In addition, President Biden informed President Zelenskyy that the United States intends to provide the Ukrainian government with USD 500 million in direct budgetary aid. Biden also reviewed the additional sanctions and humanitarian assistance announced last week. Earlier on Tuesday, the US said that Russia's bombardment of Ukraine's cities and critical infrastructure has created one of the fastest-growing humanitarian crises. "Russia's ceaseless bombardment of Ukraine's cities and critical infrastructure has created one of the fastest-growing humanitarian crises in recent decades. Russian forces have laid siege to cities like Mariupol, where citizens have been left without food, water, heat, or electricity in the depths of winter," US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said at UN Security Council (UNSC). As the Russia-Ukraine war continues to intensify, the US announced that it will provide USD 100 million in civilian security assistance to Ukraine in order to enable the country's border security, sustain civil law enforcement functions, and safeguard critical governmental infrastructure, said the US State Department in its press release. Calling Putin's war on Ukraine premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified, the statement read, "US intends to provide an additional USD 100 million in civilian security assistance to enhance the capacity of the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs to provide essential border security, sustain civil law enforcement functions, and safeguard critical governmental infrastructure." Notably, Russia launched its invasion last month after recognizing the Ukrainian breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as "independent republics." Russia has since continued to maintain that the aim of its operations has been to "demilitarize" and "de-nazify" the country.Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, many Western nations and European countries have imposed tough sanctions on Russia targeting its economy and financial system. (ANI)
The Foreign Ministers of China and Pakistan held a trilateral meeting with the acting Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Taliban regime Amir Khan Muttaqi in Beijing on Wednesday on the sidelines of the third regional meeting of Afghanistan's neighboring countries. "At this trilateral meeting held in China, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said he is interested in the trilateral meeting, thus the three Ministers through this mechanism continue their cooperation," the Talibani Foreign Ministry said on Twitter, adding, "Mr. Wang Yi called for the extension of political and economic cooperation between these three countries." The third Foreign Ministers' meeting of Afghanistan's neighboring countries was attended by representatives from neighboring countries including Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Russia. A delegation of the Taliban regime of Afghanistan, led by the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi was also invited to participate in the meeting being held in Beijing. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Foreign Minister of Iran, said on Twitter that Afghanistan deserves more cooperation and attention from foreign countries, Tolo News reported. "I am glad to be in China to participate in the foreign ministers meeting of Afghanistan's neighboring countries. Afghanistan deserves further attention from the international community. Iran and China stress independence, unity, and people's right to choose their destiny and hope to see a stable, developed Afghanistan with good engagement with its neighbors" he said. Notably, a meeting between the representatives of the US, Russia, China, and Pakistan is also expected on the sidelines of the meeting under the extended troika format. Political analysts believe that the participants of the meetings on Afghanistan are pursuing their personal interests. "All the regional and world meetings have been political and all the countries who participated were after their personal gain," Javid Sangdel, an international relations analyst told Tolo News. The regional meeting comes at the time of a deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, with the country facing rampant poverty, food shortage, and dried-up humanitarian support as a result of US sanctions on the Taliban. (ANI)
UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said on Wednesday that credible reports indicate that Russian armed forces have used cluster munitions in populated areas of Ukraine on at least 24 occasions since the start of the invasion last month. "For more than one month now, the entire population of Ukraine has been enduring a living nightmare," she was quoted as saying by UN News. "The lives of millions of people are in upheaval as they are forced to flee their homes or hide in basements and bomb shelters as their cities are pummelled and destroyed." More than a month into the conflict, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said that it has provided emergency assistance to one million people inside Ukraine - no small achievement, considering that the agency had no presence inside the country until a month ago - "no staff, no network of suppliers or partners". The WFP said that it has also established logistics hubs across the country to provide support to deliver food "at scale" to communities in need. "Trucks, trains and minivans are today delivering food supplies to the most vulnerable people across the country and more convoys are expected in coming days," WFP said in a statement. Meanwhile, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also told the Human Rights Council, that her Office had verified 77 incidents in which medical facilities have been damaged, including 50 hospitals. Echoing calls from the UN Secretary-General for an end to the fighting, Bachelet insisted that "the hostilities must stop, without delay". The UN Human Rights Council today announced the names of the three investigators who are to carry out the work of the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, which the forum voted to establish on March 4. The panel's mandate includes investigating all alleged rights violations and abuses committed during Russia's military attack on Ukraine, along with related crimes. (ANI)
The conference was an annual gathering organized by the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) in Honolulu.

The international conference, one of the largest membership-based organizations in the field, was supposed to gather some of the most promising and most established Asia studies scholars from across the world.

Chinese security officers and education officials intervened, citing education regulations published during a COVID-19 pandemic, National Public Radio (NPR) reported citing four people with direct knowledge of the matter.

This rule requires all Chinese scholars to receive university permission to attend any international event.

"After years of encouraging and funding PRC scholars to participate internationally, the intensifying controls of recent years are now full-scale, and academic work, at least on China, is to be quarantined from the world," said James Millward, a history professor at Georgetown University who attended the conference. "The doors have slammed shut fast."

According to the NPR report, Chinese scholars on a separate virtual panel were also told by Chinese university administrators to cancel their presentations.

The authorities sent messages to other attendees to withdraw from the panel due to "medical reasons" but hoped to partake in AAS events again "in less sensitive times," according to NPR.

China requires its academics to seek university approval for overseas trips and collaborations.

In September 2020, universities began applying these rules for online events held by international organizations, as well, though such rules had not been extensively enforced until now. (ANI)
UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said it was 'no longer tenable' for them to serve in the former UK territory due to the behaviour of the Beijing-backed regime.

The decision that a 'tipping point' had been reached was taken following discussions with Justice Secretary Dominic Raab and Supreme Court President Lord Reed.

A 'national security law' imposed by China two years ago banned views being expressed on independence and restricted the media from criticising the regime, with people facing extradition to the mainland.

It sparked huge protests on Hong Kong and condemnation from the international community, with the UK offering refuge to thousands, Daily Mail reported.

Lord Reed and deputy president Lord Hodge have both now quit as non-permanent judges at the Hong Kong court.

UK judges had continued to sit in the Court of Final Appeal since the territory was handed back to China in 1997.

Truss said: "We have seen a systematic erosion of liberty and democracy in Hong Kong. Since the national security law was imposed, authorities have cracked down on free speech, the free press and free association."

"The situation has reached a tipping point where it is no longer tenable for British judges to sit on Hong Kong's leading court, and would risk legitimising oppression".

--IANS san/skp/

( 254 Words)

2022-03-30-19:32:06 (IANS)
"Just completed a useful conversation with @SecBlinken. Reviewed the progress on our bilateral cooperation. Discussed developments pertaining to the Indo-Pacific, Ukraine and the global economy," Jaishankar tweeted.

India and the United States are scheduled to hold a 2+2 dialogue in Washington on April 11.

EAM Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will meet their counterparts Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin. Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh will also have other meetings scheduled on the sidelines.

The last 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue between the two countries was held in October 2020 in New Delhi.

Moreover, as Russia's war on Ukraine is set to enter its sixth week, the number of refugees fleeing Ukraine has now crossed the 4 million mark, the chief of the UN refugee agency, Filippo Grandi said on Wednesday.

Notably, Russia launched its invasion last month after recognizing the Ukrainian breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as "independent republics." Russia has since continued to maintain that the aim of its operations has been to "demilitarize" and "de-nazify" the country.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, many Western nations and European countries have imposed tough sanctions on Russia targeting its economy and financial system. (ANI)
The three terrorists attempted to enter a military compound in the district, the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in the statement, Xinhua reported.

During the intense exchange of fire, six soldiers were killed, said the ISPR.

Earlier, in another incident, four Pakistani soldiers were killed as they foiled plans of a group of terrorists who "attempted to infiltrate" Pakistan from Afghanistan, said ISPR.

During the combat between the Pakistani Armed Forces and the terrorists, the soldiers were killed while the terrorists fled away with severe injuries, Dawn newspaper reported.

According to the statement by ISPR, the terrorists attempted to enter Pakistan at midnight on March 23-24 in the Hassan Khel area of North Waziristan district.

The four soldiers who were killed during the exchange of fire were identified as 34-year-old Lance Havaldar Wajahat Alam of Ghizer in Gilgit Baltistan, 25-year-old Sepoy Sajjid Inayat resident of Sheikhupura, 32-year-old Sepoy Maqbool Hayat, resident of Ghizer in Gilgit Baltistan, and 22-year-old Sepoy Sajjid Ali resident of Skardu. (ANI)
Taliban have intensified attacks on media as the journalist in the country said that it's hard to report from Afghanistan anymore, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Wednesday. "It's so hard to report from Afghanistan anymore," a journalist in the eastern province of Nangarhar said. "Anything can happen, you could be arrested, beaten, tortured or even killed, just for a report or a program," said Fereshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch. In a report, Abbasi said, on March 28, security officers from the Taliban's General Directorate of Intelligence raided the offices of four radio stations in the southern city of Kandahar for violating a ban on music and detained six journalists. All were released only after they promised they would never broadcast music again. "I want to leave this job," one said. "Being a journalist has always been my dream job but not anymore," according to the report. On the same day, Taliban authorities banned outlets in Afghanistan from broadcasting international news programs, including Voice of America and the BBC, in Dari, Pashto, and Uzbek languages. This new restriction is the latest Taliban measure to limit access to independent information, HRW reported. According to the Journalists, Taliban intelligence officials hold regular meetings with the media to inform them of any new rules. In some cases, journalists have reported that they have been harassed, beaten, and arbitrarily detained without explanation. On March 17, the Taliban detained three staff members from Tolo News, including news presenter Bahram Aman. All were released after 21 hours without explanation, HRW said. "The Taliban do not explain why a journalist has been detained or, in some cases, where they have been taken," a Kandahar journalist said. The growth of Afghanistan's media was one of the signal successes of the post-2001 reconstruction effort. Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, restrictions on media have escalated, and hundreds of media outlets have closed. "The Taliban should end restrictions on music and other content and cease the arbitrary detention of media workers and journalists. They should ensure that journalists can report freely without fear of abuse, and hold Taliban security forces accountable for the arbitrary arrest and mistreatment of media workers," HRW said. (ANI)
Rome [Italy], March 31 (ANI/Sputnik): The World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday that it has delivered food aid to 1 million people in Ukraine and requested an additional USD 590 million in funding to expand the assistance. "JUST IN: @WFP has reached 1 million people in #Ukraine w/ emergency food assistance including humanitarian convoys into Sumy & Kharkiv, two hard-to-reach cities. Within a few months, we'll be working hard to scale up to 6 million people. But we urgently need funds to do it," WFP Executive Director David Beasley said on Twitter. The WFP said it managed to build a network of urgent assistance tools in Ukraine within just one month. Food is now being delivered to such conflict zones as Sumy and Kharkiv by two convoys of humanitarian vehicles, while displaced Ukrainians in the western city of Lviv are receiving cash assistance. "Now that the structures are in place, we need the funding to keep delivering assistance, and to help 3 million people in need," the agency said, adding that "WFP requires $590 million to assist 3.1 million crisis-affected people and IDPs on the move inside Ukraine with in-kind and cash distributions, as well as refugees and asylum seekers from Ukraine in neighbouring countries for the next three months." On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after declaring the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent republics. The Russian Ministry of Defense said the operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger. (ANI/Sputnik)
As Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti's confirmation to be the next US ambassador to India is increasingly in doubt, President Biden is still confident about Garcetti and believes he will be an excellent representative in India. According to the White House, POTUS continues to express confidence about the prospects of Garcetti's confirmation. "President has confidence in Mayor Garcetti and he believes he will be an excellent representative in India," Kate Bedingfield, White House communications director told reporters on Wednesday. Multiple senators including Democrats have privately raised concerns over his professed lack of knowledge about sexual assault and harassment allegations against a top adviser. "We are continuing to engage with senators and working to earn bipartisan support for his nomination and believe he( Garcetti) should receive a vote in the Senate expeditiously," noted Bedingfield. Garcetti appeared at his original hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in December, along with the nominees to serve as the ambassadors to Germany and Pakistan. The committee advanced the nominations in January. But while the full Senate then confirmed the ambassadors to Germany and Pakistan in February and March, respectively, Garcetti's nomination has not received a vote. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley and Sen. Joni Ernst have placed a "hold" on Garcetti, indicating that they would not allow the Senate to move quickly on confirming his nomination. Grassley's office is investigating allegations that the mayor ignored sexual harassment in his office. Grassley has said in a statement that whistleblowers have spoken with his office and are presenting new allegations. Senate Democrats can confirm Garcetti without Republican votes, provided they have the support of all 50 Democratic senators as well as Vice President Kamala Harris' tie-breaking vote. But the concerns of Democratic senators create complications for his path forward, forcing the White House to find Republican senators who could put the nomination over the top. Garcetti has always denied knowing about any alleged harassment by his former advisor. A Los Angeles Police Department officer who worked on the mayor's security detail sued the city in 2020, alleging that Garcetti's longtime advisor harassed him and that the mayor witnessed the behaviour but failed to intervene. Garcetti has repeatedly denied the allegations that he ignored the alleged harassment. His office released a statement previously, saying, "As the Mayor has said repeatedly and under oath, he absolutely did not witness and was not aware of any sexual harassment ... and if he were, he would have put a stop to it. These claims were false the first time they were alleged more than a year ago, and they're just as false today." (ANI)
Both the leaders also spoke about the no-confidence motion moved against Usman Buzdar in the Punjab Assembly. Buzdar has submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Imran Khan but the resignation is yet to be accepted, Geo News reported citing sources within the PML-N and Jahangir Tareen group.

Dar and Tareen spoke over the phone for about half an hour and discussed the current political situation in Pakistan. They also discussed possible ways of cooperation at the Punjab Assembly level and the centre, said the sources.

The two leaders have agreed to keep the communication channels open and work together in the future including discussions on bringing a joint candidate for the post of Punjab chief minister, Geo News reported.

Meanwhile, PTI on Monday announced Leader of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as its candidate for Punjab chief minister after Usman Buzdar resigned from the top post.

This comes in the wake of the Opposition's no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The no-confidence motion was submitted by the opposition parties on March 8. The opposition is confident that its motion would be carried as some allies of PTI have come out in the open against Imran Khan. (ANI)
"An intense exchange of fire took place between the security forces and terrorists," said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), The News International reported.

As a result, four terrorists were killed, while Captain Saad Bin Amir, 25, and Lance Naik Riaz, 37, were killed fighting.

Earlier, four terrorists were killed in Pakistan's North Waziristan during an exchange of fire with security forces.

The terrorists were killed following an intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted by the security forces in the area of Jhallar Fort in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's North Waziristan district on the night between March 27 and March 28, Dawn newspaper reported.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation was conducted on the basis of the reported presence of terrorists in the Jhallar Fort's general area, the Pakistani newspaper reported. (ANI)
Within a month, two different soldiers from Fort Drum have been arrested by investigators with the Oneida County Child Advocacy Center on charges of sexual contact with the same child  a 13-year-old girl from Rome.

Alexander Calixto, 21, originally of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was charged March 20 with felony second-degree rape, according to a release from the Child Advocacy Center.

Rome police were first alerted that the 13-year-old was missing around 12:30 p.m. March 19. Police found her in a hotel with Calixto around 8 p.m. and notified the Child Advocacy Center, the release states. Child Advocacy Center Director Derrick OMeara said their investigators later learned the two had arranged to meet through a dating site and other social media sites.

In an earlier incident, 19-year-old Ethan Daubenspeck, originally of Furlong, Pennsylvania, was arrested Feb. 27 and charged with felony second-degree criminal sexual act after allegedly exchanging information online with the 13-year-old and meeting her at her home, according to a prior news release.

Public safety: Victim of fatal crash in Madison County identified

Rome: New ideas emerge for ARPA funding

The Oneida County Child Advocacy Center in Utica.

Fort Drum public affairs officer Lt. Col. Josh Jacques said soldiers under investigation are suspended from any favorable action until their case is concluded.

"Nothing positive could come out at this time until an investigation is done," he said.

Julie Halpin, of the public affairs office for Fort Drum, said because these cases happened off-base they would not be subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, unless the Oneida County District Attorney's Office relinquishes the case to the military.

Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara said his office would be prosecuting both cases.

How the military handles a charged soldier's career depends on each case; if a soldier is incarcerated and not working, they would go into an unpaid status until their court date, Halpin said.

Story continues

"They still get their due process," she said.

Daubenspeck was released on bail sometime after his arrest, and Calixto was released March 25. Both have had their driving privileges suspended and will be confined to base pending the outcome of the investigation, Jacques said.

There is no known connection between the soldiers, but in both cases the victim said she was 20 and used filters to look older on apps like Tinder and Snapchat, O'Meara said.

"But when you see this child, you see this child was obviously not a 20-year-old," he said.

The current age of sexual consent in New York is 17.

The use of social media and online dating sites are a factor in many of the cases the Child Advocacy Center investigates, and nearly all cases involving teenage victims have some element of online communication, O'Meara said. The effects include not only emotional harm, but even incidents where a child may arrange to meet with someone and then go missing.

"There are definitely predators out there, and those children are exposing themselves to those predators," he said. "And that's a problem that we are trying to fix."

O'Meara advises parents speak with their children about the risks of speaking to strangers online or exchanging other information.

"The best place to start is to have those conversations with your children before this starts," he said.

More: As schools reopen, Child Advocacy Center prepares for reports of new sexual abuse cases

Do you need help?

Oneida County Child Advocacy Center: 315-732-3990

New York State Child Abuse Hotline: 800-342-3720

RAINN National Child Abuse Hotline: 800-4-A-CHILD (422-4453)

RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-HOPE (4673) or online at online.rainn.org

H. Rose Schneider covers public safety, breaking and trending news for the Observer-Dispatch. Email Rose at hschneider@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: 2 Fort Drum soldiers arrested in Rome NY in child sexual abuse case
Gas prices are displayed





Americans say that Biden administration policies are the No. 1 cause for the increase in fuel costs in the United State, according to a recent poll by Quinnipiac University.

The poll found 41 percent of Americans say the Biden administration's economic policies are to blame for the rise in gas prices.

According to the survey, 24 percent say sanctions against Russia caused the increase in fuel prices, 24 percent believe oil companies are to blame and 5 percent say the increase is due to the rise in demand after coronavirus restrictions were eased.

The price of gas has skyrocketed in recent months, with the average price at the U.S. pump reaching over $4 per gallon.

The Biden administration and Democrats have sought to place the blame on corporations they say are charging more at the pump despite a decrease in the price of oil per barrel.

"Oil prices are decreasing, gas prices should too," Biden said in a tweet earlier this month. "Oil and gas companies shouldn't pad their profits at the expense of hardworking Americans."

Forty-one percent of Democrats surveyed say oil companies are to blame, and another 41 percent of Democrats blame sanctions against Russia for the price hike.

However, Republicans and independents appear to disagree - both groups blame the Biden administration first for the high gas prices.

Eighty-two percent of Republicans blame the Biden administration's policies, while 39 percent of independents feel the same, according to the poll.

The increase in fuel prices has been an issue weeks, and 35 percent of Americans said they have had to buy less groceries in order to afford gas.

The poll was conducted from March 24 to 28 among 1,462 U.S. adults. The margin of error is 2.6 percentage points.
Mar. 29AUSTIN  Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Education Agency announced via press release on Tuesday that school districts in Texas may be eligible for an adjustment in operational minutes requirements for certain attendance reporting periods during the 2021-2022 academic school year.

This means funding will be made available to school systems in Texas that have experienced attendance rate declines because of the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, given an emphasis on in-person instruction, the press release stated. This adjustment would apply to the first four reporting periods of the current school year.

"Providing this adjustment to the 2021-22 school year will ensure school systems have the funding they need to retain the best and brightest teachers and provide quality education to all public school students across Texas," Abbott stated in the press release. "We have made tremendous strides to return more of our students back to the classroom, and will continue in our efforts to do so."

Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath added in the press release: "In recent years, the Texas Legislature has taken steps both to significantly increase funding for Texas public schools, and also to focus the structure of the finance system firmly on the needs of our students. This adjustment further accounts for COVID-19-related learning disruptions, and is yet another way we're prioritizing the needs of our state's teachers and students."

In normal times, schools are funded based on the number of students enrolled and the daily attendance on campus, the press release detailed. TEA has continued to prioritize flexibility to ensure essential funding support for school systems, by providing full funding based on daily attendance, whether the attendance was in-person or remote.

For the current academic year, this operational minute adjustment will result in the exclusion of operational minutes during those instructional days that schools have low percentage attendance rates, to ensure school districts have the financial resources to provide a high quality education to all students in Texas. It does not hold a district harmless for losses of ADA due to enrollment declines.
A rescuer removes the debris of a warehouse hit by an air strike in Brovary, Kyiv region, Ukraine, on March 29, 2022. Mykola Tymchenko/Reuters

Russia on Tuesday pledged to scale back military operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv.

But an ABC News reporter shared footage of himself in Kyiv on Tuesday, with shelling heard in the background.

"Just listen to that  there's nothing reduced around the combat operations here," he said.

An ABC News correspondent shared footage of himself in Kyiv with shelling in the background the day after Russia pledged to reduce its attacks around the capital city.

Longman said he was on the outskirts of Kyiv and he could hear shelling in the nearby city of Irpin.

"This is an area that residents have been trying to get out of, many of them have been living underground for weeks trying to escape the bombs," he said.

"But crucially this is a neighborhood that Russia says they are going to drastically reduce combat operations. But just listen to that  there's nothing reduced around the combat operations here."

Russia's deputy defense minister, Alexander Fomin, told reporters on Tuesday that Russia's armed forces would "drastically reduce military activity in the Kyiv and Chernihiv direction," claiming the decision was made to help with peace negotiations.

Ukraine and the US had both expressed skepticism about Russia's pledge.

Viasheslav Chaus, the governor of the Chernihiv region, said in a Telegram post on Wednesday that this did not happen, and that "all night long they hit Chernihiv."

Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also said his citizens were "not naive people" and that "only a concrete result can be trusted."

Russian forces had been trying to capture Kyiv for weeks, but are struggling in the face of staunch Ukrainian resistance.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, shown in an August 2019 hearing, and Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell sponsored the creation of the county's guaranteed income pilot program. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

If you live in a poor or working-class neighborhood in Los Angeles County and the pandemic has hurt your pocketbook, you may be eligible to receive $1,000 a month for three years with no strings attached. But if you're interested, you should act quickly  you'll have just a limited amount of time to apply.

The grants are being made available through Breathe, the county's experiment with "guaranteed income"  a cash-based approach to fighting poverty. Conducted in partnership with the nonprofit Strength Based Community Change of Wilmington and the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Guaranteed Income Research, the program is funded with federal COVID-19 relief dollars.

The county started accepting applications Thursday. To be considered, you must apply by April 13.

Support for governments providing a financial floor for their residents has been around at least since the early 1500s, when Thomas More outlined one version of it in "Utopia." Over the past few decades, communities around the world have tried out different flavors of guaranteed income, with more experiments launching seemingly every month. Although most have been short-lived, ongoing efforts include the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend, which gives each resident a small share of the money earned from oil and gas leases and profit-sharing plans by some of the tribes that operate casinos.

The federal government launched the country's largest guaranteed income program last year when it expanded the federal child tax credit and paid it to eligible parents on a monthly basis. The program helped lift millions of children out of poverty, but Congress allowed it to expire at the end of December. Researchers at Columbia University found that in the following month, the number of impoverished children increased by 3.7 million.

What sets these programs apart from welfare, food stamps and other safety net programs is that the recipients can use the cash as they see fit. That's important because people know best what they need, and every household's needs are different, said Stacia West, founding director of the Center for Guaranteed Income Research.

Story continues

Here are more details about the county's program and the application process.

Who is eligible?

Carrie Miller, director of the county's Poverty Alleviation Initiative, said there are five requirements to be eligible for Breathe:





Age: You're at least 18. Neighborhood: You live in an L.A. County neighborhood with an area median household income no higher than the county's. Don't worry, you don't have to know the statistics! Just check the map on the Breathe website. Income: If you're living alone, your income is no higher than the area median. If you are in a household with two or more people, your income is no more than 20% above the county median. Again, the Breathe website will help you figure that one out, but to give you an idea, the cutoff is $56,000 for single individuals and $96,000 for a family of four. Pandemic effects: You need to have suffered financial harm, which Miller defined as "any financial impact someone might have experienced" as a result of COVID-19. Examples include a lost job, reduced income, higher child care costs because of school closures and increased healthcare expenses. Participation: You're not taking part in any other public guaranteed income program, such as the ones in West Hollywood or the city of Los Angeles.

The program is open to noncitizens as long as they reside in the county. "We will not check legal status, as thats not a requirement of the program," Miller said.

Applicants will have to provide a boatload of additional information about themselves for the sake of the research being conducted (more on that in a bit), but Miller emphasized that none of those data points will matter when the participants are chosen. Instead, every applicant who checks the five boxes listed above will be put into a pool, and then the 1,000 participants will be chosen at random.

How to apply

The application form is available online at the county's website, and Miller said it can be completed on a cellphone if you don't have access to a computer. You can also get help filling out the application at more than 50 centers across the county; if you can't access the list online, you can call the hotline that Strength Based Community Change set up for the program at (213) 342-1003. The hotline will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, said Ely Fournier, director of economic vitality at SBCC.

Applying early will not improve your chances of being selected, the county said when announcing the program.

Reflecting the diversity of L.A. County, the application is available in more than 100 languages. The county is also working with Comunidades Indigenas en Liderazgo (better known by the acronym CIELO) to provide translation into more than 30 Indigenous languages at a drop-in site, Miller said.

On the application, you'll have to answer some questions about your income, but you won't have to back that up with paperwork at this point, Miller said. Instead, the county will verify your eligibility only if you're selected to participate in the program.

Be forewarned, though  the application is long and will take about an hour to complete, West said. Why? Researchers need the information to get a baseline reading of the applicants' situation before they enter the program, West said. That way, they can measure how much the program helps them and in what ways their lives change.

Miller cautioned that "there are some sensitive questions and some questions that may make people a little uncomfortable to answer." For example, applicants will be asked personal questions about their physical and mental health. But your answers won't affect whether you're selected for the program; they're just to help researchers assess how people are doing before the program begins. And unlike the city of Los Angeles, the county won't ask applicants about their experience with domestic violence.

West said the survey responses would be stored without the applicants' names attached to protect their anonymity. Only the researchers would have access to the identities, she said.

How will it work?

Miller said it will take six to eight weeks to select participants, and so the monthly grants probably will start in the summer. The county will distribute the money by giving participants a prepaid debit card that will be reloaded monthly, which means people who don't have bank accounts can still participate. It also creates a detailed record for researchers of how participants spend the grants.

That form of payment raises a few issues, though  it can be costly to use the card to withdraw cash from some ATMs, and participants with checking accounts might prefer the flexibility offered by direct deposit.

Unlike some other programs, the county won't proactively try to match participants with services, such as career counseling, education or job training. Instead, Miller said, they will be offered the same support that's available to all county residents.

What are the researchers studying?

It's well established that having an unpredictable income for a lengthy period of time can be bad for your physical and mental health. For example, West said, this sort of volatility can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes and lung problems.

The county is examining whether it can improve health and well-being by providing households a reliable bit of extra income for three years, West said. It's also measuring whether the program leads to increases in savings, reductions in debt and improved ability to manage emergency expenses, she added, as well as its effect on parenting and household dynamics.

As part of that research, participants will be asked to respond to an optional survey every six months that will check on their "physical health, mental health, income volatility, housing stability, spending, consumption, employment, education, family dynamics and parenting, stress and coping, hope and mattering, household food security, and COVID-19 variables," the county's research plan states.

In addition to the 1,000 participants chosen by the county, West said, her center will invite applicants who weren't selected to join a control group of 1,200 households. To encourage these folks to complete the surveys, the program will do outreach and provide them a $30 gift card, the same compensation that participants receive. West said that control groups in other programs have generally wanted to take part, explaining, "As the world of guaranteed income grows larger, people want to contribute in some way. They feel like, 'Wow, I can actually have a say. Like, my voice actually matters in the way we construct programs.'"

Echoing other researchers, West said there's no need to keep researching whether it's wise to give money without conditions to residents in need. "Years of social science data" show that "the lowest income people make the best decisions with their money," she said, adding, "There's no way you can be wealthy and irresponsible on $1,000 a month."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.)





House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said Europe's unpreparedness for Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine should serve as a "wake-up call" to future attacks in other parts of the world.

"So much work has been done in Europe to create a peaceful continent that what Putin did was unimaginable because most of us had never lived to experience such a thing and, yes, European leadership was blind to that aspect of the threat," Smith said while appearing on The Hill's Future of Defense Summit, which was sponsored by Raytheon Missiles & Defense.

Smith said Europe's unpreparedness should set an example for increased deterrence in Asia, specifically in the case of China and Taiwan, as well as the rest of the world to prevent future "violent takeovers."

"I think that's really what it tells us. By the fact that the Europeans flat couldn't believe this," Smith said.

"I think it's a wakeup call for a lot of people," he added.

Building allies in other parts of the world can help with deterrence, Smith said.

"What does deterrence look like now? We were very worried about provoking Russia early on. Well clearly provocation wasn't the issue if they didn't feel deterred if they were willing to invade. So how do we build alliances?" he said.

When asked by The Hill's editor-at-large Steve Clemons how to create a deterrence so the world don't end up "with Ukraine in Asia," Smith said deterrence must be used to create a "high cost."

"If Putin had known for sure that he was in for the fight that he is now facing, it might likely have changed his calculation," Smith said.

Smith said while the U.S. should deter China, it must work with them to prevent larger global issues such as arms control and global warming.

"While we're trying to build partnerships and be able to deter China, we also need to find places to say 'hey there is a possible future where we work together in a peaceful more prosperous world,' and we need to look for those diplomatic opportunities as well," Smith said.
flamingo

Getty

An African flamingo missing from a Kansas zoo for 17 years recently was spotted out in the wild in Texas.

The Associated Press reported that the pink bird is one of two flamingos that escaped from the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas, in 2005 during a storm.

Since the bird was a newcomer to the Sedgwick County Zoo, blood testing had not yet been done at the time to determine the bird's sex.

On Tuesday, the Coastal Fisheries Division of Texas Parks and Wildlife told AP they found the escaped flamingo in video footage from March 10 around Rhodes Point in Cox Bay, Texas.

The flamingo is easily identifiable due to the number on its leg band, which is No. 492.

When the two flamingos escaped in 2005, their wings were not clipped, which made fleeing the zoo easier for both birds, added AP.

RELATED: Fugitive Flamingo that Escaped Kansas Zoo Spotted in Texas 14 Years After it Flew the Coop

While there are no reported sightings of the flamingo that is not No. 492, No. 492 has been seen in Wisconsin, Louisiana, and Texas over the years since their escape, according to AP.

The last time someone spotted flamingo No. 492 before March 10 was in May 2019 during Memorial Day weekend.

"Spotted once again during the Texas Colonial Waterbird Survey by Coastal Fisheries staff and volunteers, this escaped zoo flamingo has decided to spend Memorial Day weekend on the Texas coast," Coastal Fisheries  Texas Parks and Wildlife posted on Facebook along with a photo of No. 492 failing to blend in with other birds at the time.

Both of the escaped flamingos were initially transported to the zoo from Africa in 2004 along with almost 40 other flamingos, added AP.

RELATED: Adorable Baby Flamingo Tries to Stand on One Leg for the First Time

In 2007, a Sedgwick County Zoo official stated it is difficult to capture the bird without disturbing other wildlife.

"There really isn't an easy way to recapture the bird. It would only disturb wildlife where it's been found and possibly could do more damage to the bird than just leaving him alone," said Christan Baumer, a spokesperson for the zoo at the time, in 2007, per AP.
ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports

The Browns and Baker Mayfield may eventually need each other in 2022. Someone may be trying to blow things up before it ever gets to that point. A new article from Jake Trotter of ESPN.com throws more bituminous on the burn pile in Cleveland, highlighting how and why player and team got to the point [more]
On Don Lemon Tonight Wednesday, Minnesota native Tyler Jacob spoke about his ten-day detainment by the Russian military in Ukraine. Jacob, who was an English teacher in Ukraine, was traveling on a bus trying to escape the violence when he was pulled off the bus at a checkpoint. No one else he was traveling with was detained, and Jacob believes he knows why.

The Russians believe in this myth that 007, the legend, his cover story is being an English teacher, Jacob said. So they thought that I was, like, the legend.

After some heavy interrogation, and going through all of his devices, Jacobs Russian captors were satisfied that he wasnt a spy, telling him, Youre just an English teacher thats in a bad situation.

Though his mother, who had done interviews with Lemon throughout her sons detainment, had feared the worst, according to Jacob, it wasnt bad at all.

How did they treat you in custody? Lemon asked. So, the first two days werent so great. But once I got to jail in Simferopol (Crimea), they were absolutely perfect to me, Jacob said. As much as Id like to say that Russians are bad people for invading a sovereign country, these people are some of the nicest people Ive met. I mean, there [were] three captains that rotated in the jail, and two of them would speak English with me, and one of them would wink at me when Id get pulled to go get questioned and he would make sure that I knew that things were going well.

Video Transcript

DON LEMON: How did they treat you in custody? TYLER JACOB: So the first two days weren't so great. But like once I got to the jail in Simferopol, they were absolutely perfect to me. KYLIE MAR: Minnesota native Tyler Jacob, who was freed late last week after being detained for 10 days by the Russian military in Ukraine, appeared on "Don Lemon Tonight Wednesday," where he spoke about his time in captivity. And though he said he'd like to think all Russians are bad people for what they've done in Ukraine, Jacob only had words of praise for his captors. TYLER JACOB: These people were some of the nicest people I've met. I mean, two-- there were three captains that rotated in the jail. And two of them would speak English with me. And one of them would like, wink at me when I get pulled to go get questioned. And he would make sure that he knew that-- or I knew that things were going well. KYLIE MAR: Jacob, who was an English teacher in Ukraine, said he was detained because of a strange belief Russians have about the most famous fictional spy in the world. TYLER JACOB: The Russians believe in this myth that 007, the legend, his cover story as being an English teacher. So they thought that I was like the legend. - [LAUGHS] KYLIE MAR: But Jacob said they eventually realized he is exactly who he said he is. TYLER JACOB: By Wednesday, he was like still questioning me very heavily about like being a spy, and like how do you know this person? Finally, on Thursday, he comes back and he says, no, I went through all of your contacts. That number isn't in there. And like, you're just an English teacher that's in a bad situation.
The Rev. Shelton J. Fabre was installed Wednesday as the new leader of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville.

Fabre, a 58-year-old Louisiana native, is the fifth archbishop and 10th bishop in Louisville's history and the first African American to hold that title. His installation was celebrated in a Mass at the Kentucky International Convention Center.

"We need to listen to each other," Fabre said in his homily. "We in the archdiocese of Louisville are in transition."

Fabre served as the bishop for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in southeastern Louisiana since 2013. The Holy See Press Office in Rome announced on Feb. 8 that he would take the position in Louisville, replacing Archbishop Joseph Kurtz.

Here are three takeaways from the installation and Mass:

Shelton Fabre: 5 things to know about the new leader of the Archdiocese of Louisville

Fabre says he wants to rebuild relationships

In his homily, the new archbishop said the people of the archdiocese will need to get to know him, and vice versa.

"I need your voice to speak to me the needs of our family that spans 24 counties and 8,000 square miles, we are the Archdiocese of Louisville,"' he said. "The archdiocese is its people."

That includes 200,000 Catholics spread across those counties.

Jail woes: Rally urges changes at Metro Corrections following 8 deaths within 5 months

Fabre referenced the Gospel reading from the Book of Luke, which dealt with Jesus meeting Simon Peter and telling him where to cast his nets to catch fish. After Peter and the other fishermen did so, their nets were filled to the breaking point and the fishermen pulled their boats ashore to follow Jesus.

Fabre did not mention his plans as archbishop, but he said the future of the community depends on the church's unity and "keeping our eyes focused."

Fabre lists challenges for the archdiocese

In his homily, Fabre listed some of the challenges he sees for the church. He mentioned the coronavirus pandemic, racism, "assaults on religious freedom," poverty and "the need for healing the woundedness of marriage and family life."

Story continues

He again referenced the Gospel, saying people need to be united to address these issues.

Fabre only briefly touched on those topics, but he has spoken at length about some of them previously. In March 2021, he spoke at an online leadership institute organized by the archdiocese where he decried the "grave sin of racism" and spoke of ways to combat it in the church and community.

Archbishop Shelton Fabre smiles Wednesday afternoon at the Kentucky International Convention Center. Fabre is the Tenth Bishop and the Fifth Archbishop of Louisville. March 30, 2022

Related news: Vatican names new Louisville archbishop, who has history of fighting 'grave sin of racism'

He took on the role of chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism on 2018. Two years into holding his title, he published a video directed to his colleagues to find "substantive ways to enact systemic change" after George Floyd and Breonna Taylor were killed by police officers in Minneapolis and Louisville.

Fabre also has been outspoken in opposing same-sex marriage. In January 2021, he co-authored a statement with other Catholic bishops expressing concerns with President Joe Biden's executive order to expand federal protections against sex discrimination to include sexual orientation and gender identity, which the letter called "misguided."

Fabre gets a laugh amid all the ceremony

Events at the convention center, which started with Fabre's formal installation, drew hundreds of people and a multitude of clergy members.

Archbishop Christophe Pierre  who is the Apostolic nuncio, or papal representative, to the U.S.  read the letter from Pope Francis announcing Fabre as the new archbishop in Louisville.

Archbishop Shelton Fabre smiles after being formally installed during the ceremony Wednesday afternoon at the Kentucky International Convention Center. Fabre is the Tenth Bishop and the Fifth Archbishop of Louisville. March 30, 2022

Along with Pierre, others in attendance were officials from the Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver, an African American Catholic organization; officials from the Knights of Columbus; deacons; priests; cardinals; bishops; and the College of Consultors. The latter is a group of nine priests who will assist Fabre as archbishop, according to the archdiocese.

The procession of church leaders at the beginning of the Mass took roughly 15 minutes.

More on his predecessor: Louisville Archbishop Joseph Kurtz submits his resignation

In his homily, Fabre acknowledged their presence and expressed gratitude to Kurtz, who served as archbishop since 2007 until earlier this year when Fabre was announced as his replacement, and submitted his resignation following his 75th birthday, as is required by the church.

Fabre said it would be an "honor" to follow Kurtz and added that "we look forward to your continued presence and ministry here with us."

Then he added a joke that drew laughter and applause from the congregation.

"Please continue to answer your phone when my number pops up," Fabre said, "because you might be seeing it a lot."

Matthew Glowicki contributed to this story. Reach Ana Alvarez Brinez at abrinez@gannett.com; follow her on Twitter at @SoyAnaAlvarez

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Archdiocese of Louisville gives reins to Shelton Fabre, new archbishop
Christine Wormuth testifies at a House Armed Services Full Committee hearing in 2015





U.S. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said Wednesday that Russia's war on Ukraine and the risk of the conflict escalating make this moment the most dangerous in more than two decades.

"This is probably the most dangerous security environment that I've been in in 25 years of working in national security," Wormuth said at The Hill's Future of Defense Summit.

"So there's no shortage of things to keep you awake at night," she added.

Steve Clemons, The Hill's editor-at-large and the event's moderator, asked Wormuth about remarks she made earlier this month that the Russia-Ukraine crisis will "get worse before it gets better, as it looks like the Russians are going to turn to some potentially brutal tactics."

Clemons also cited fears that the conflict could spill over into Poland or another NATO ally in the region, which could spark a collective response by the security alliance.

"I certainly think we have to prepare and plan for those kinds of possibilities," Wormuth said, adding the Army has long been planning for operations in a nuclear, chemical or biological warfare landscape, "as terrible as it is to contemplate that."

"That's why, you know, so much emphasis is being placed on defending every inch of NATO territory and putting a very strong deterrent posture forward," Wormuth said.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, another speaker at Wednesday's event, underscored U.S. dedication to Article 5, the NATO agreement that an attack against one member will prompt a response by all.

"We want to make crystal clear that our commitment to Article 5 and to defending every inch of NATO territory is iron-clad," Hicks said.

Wednesday's event was sponsored by Raytheon Missiles & Defense.

Officials and lawmakers including Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) have raised the possibility that a cyberattack on critical infrastructure could also trigger Article 5, though it's unclear what a NATO response to cyber aggression would look like.

Story continues

In February, all 30 members of NATO agreed to activate its response force for the first time since its founding. The troops are now on standby.

The Biden administration has also deployed troops to Eastern Europe in a show of heightened alert and solidarity with Ukraine and regional allies.

"We've got 40,000 Army troops alone in Europe to make very clear to President Putin that there are lines that can't be crossed," Wormuth said.
Mar. 29Representatives from the Penobscot McCrum potato processor in Belfast destroyed by fire on Thursday, plan to meet with city code and planning officials Tuesday morning to discuss cleanup and rebuilding, a McCrum spokesperson said.

The company has not decided if it will try to rebuild in the same location on Pierce Street on the banks of the Passagassawakeag River, Dayna McCrum, operations supervisor for the company, said. The company owns the land where the plant was destroyed by a fire thought to be started by a fryolator.

McCrum said the company met with employees on Monday but no decisions have been made about layoffs or moving some workers to its other plant in Washburn. About 138 people work at the factory, which processes potatoes into baked and mashed potato products as well as wedges and potato skins. It uses its own potatoes as well as those of other growers.

"We're just trying to make smart business decisions and not make any emotional decisions," she said. "So we're just going to start with this meeting tomorrow."

It's too early to tell how the fire will affect potato processing in the state, Don Flannery, president of the Maine Potato Board, said. He said company CEO Jay McCrum told him Sunday that his intent was to get the plant back up and running.

"McCrum is a major part of our industry," Flannery said.

Maine's potato industry produces sales of $540 million and employs 6,150, according to a report by The Maine Monitor and Aroostook County Tourism. Potatoes top Maine's agricultural production, followed by milk and blueberries, according to federal statistics.

Penobscot McCrum's wastewater treatment plant, which is on the same land but separate from the potato processing plant, is intact. Belfast's air and water quality are being monitored in the wake of the fire, because local residents worried that water from dousing the fire, plus chemicals and other substances from the building, could go into the air and run into the river and Belfast Bay.

This is the second fire at the Belfast location. In 2019 an office building at the same location was destroyed and moved to a different building in Belfast.

The Penobscot McCrum company was created in 2004 after the McCrum family bought the assets of Penobscot Frozen Foods. The company later expanded operations to Washburn.
The White House is weighing using wartime executive powers to boost U.S. battery production to help secure supplies for the growing market for electric vehicles and power storage on the electric grid, according to two people familiar with the Biden administrations thinking.

President Joe Biden would use the Defense Production Act to help secure U.S. sources of critical minerals that are deemed key components of clean energy technology. While the U.S. possesses many of those minerals, industry and some lawmakers of both parties contend regulations have deterred development and forced the U.S. to rely on supplies from nations like China, Russia, South Africa and Australia.

As we break our dependence on foreign sources of oil and natural gas, we must ensure that we secure the materials necessary for the clean energy economy in a way that holds to our strong environmental, labor, Tribal engagement standards and does not leave us reliant on unreliable and unsustainable foreign supply chains, one of the people said.

The move to use an emergency national defense law dating to the Cold War comes as the prices of battery minerals like nickel, lithium and cobalt, have surged during Russias war in Ukraine. Russia is a leading producer of nickel, copper and other minerals. Prices were already rising before Russias invasion because of forecasts that global supply wont keep up with surging demand expected from electrifying economies.

Influential lawmakers led by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.), chair of the Energy Committee, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) called last month for the Biden administration to invoke the Defense Production Act to boost the production and processing of critical minerals, citing the ongoing supply chain crisis and the vulnerability of depending on Russian mineral supplies.

Its a nice start. If you are going to go whole hog on electric and you don't have the minerals, you ought to do something, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who signed a letter with Manchin and Murkowski prodding the Biden administration to take the action, said in an interview. Several Democratic senators wrote to Biden two weeks later expressing concern over supply chain issues related to the Ukraine crisis, too.

Story continues

Rich Nolan, CEO of the National Mining Association, said the Biden administration is sending a strong signal to the marketplace by taking action.

Its going to incentivize getting some of these materials to the marketplace right when we need it, Nolan said in an interview.

The effort Biden is considering would not circumvent or speed up permitting and environmental reviews, one of the people familiar with the plan said, a likely nod to the fact that some Democrats and green groups are wary of expanding mining on U.S. soil.

Instead, the actions would act almost as an investment vehicle, the person said. Adding minerals like nickel, lithium, graphite, manganese and cobalt to a list of covered materials under the Defense Production Acts Title III program could help companies secure money from a fund designed to ensure the U.S. maintains an industrial base for wartime capabilities. Those dollars would finance feasibility studies along with productivity and safety improvements rather than directly buying minerals.

A 2019 Congressional Research Service report found the U.S. relies wholly on imports for 14 critical minerals, including manganese, graphite and rare earths.

The move is in line with previous uses of the Defense Production Act, which explicitly grants the president authority to address the mining and production of minerals that are considered essential to the nations security. It was invoked in the 1950s to ensure an adequate supply of steel for use in the Korean War and again during the Cold War to establish domestic aluminum and titanium industries and reduce reliance on foreign sources.

These are all things that the U.S. needs to help build up the U.S. mining industry into something that is capable of navigating the energy transition, said Jordy Lee, a program manager at the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines. Demand estimates show 1000 percent increases in lithium demand, 200 percent increases in nickel demand, etc, and the U.S. mining industry is struggling.

Efforts to expand domestic mining production have already hit roadblocks at the state and local level, as litigation, state mining laws and environmental opposition have stymied some projects. The Biden administration itself canceled the leases for a major proposed copper-nickel mine in Minnesota earlier this year.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP)  Billy Turner's one-year deal with the Denver Broncos represents not only a homecoming but a reunion.

Turner, who played in Denver from 2016-18, and Broncos new head coach Nathaniel Hackett developed a close friendship during their time together in Green Bay, where Turner blossomed as a versatile and dependable offensive lineman.

It's special, Turner said Tuesday of returning to the Broncos. "On top of that, being able to play for one of the better people that Ive met in this industry and someone who I consider one of my great friends in this league ... you cant pass up on a situation like that.

Hackett gushed over Turner at the NFL owners meetings in Florida this week, and not just about Turner's versatility.

Billy is the best, man. I mean, hes such a great dude, Hackett said. He called Turner's ability to seamlessly move from one position of need to another something that would always blow me away.

"I mean, its really unbelievable. Just as a man as he is off the field is just awesome. I love him. Im so excited to have him on our team.

Asked what was the genesis of their friendship in Green Bay, where Hackett was the Packers' offensive coordinator from 2019-21, Turner said, "I just think me and Hackett are cut from a similar cloth. We were able to have conversations that arent specifically about football. We can talk about everyday life situations. It doesnt matter whats going on in the world. We can talk about whatever.

It was funny talking to him a week or two ago. We can also just sit there and sit in silence and enjoy that, Turner added.

"Every day before practice when we were together the last three years in Green Bay, I would get ready for practice and tape my hands up and whatnot. He would just come over and he would sit next to me. Sometimes we would talk about things, sometimes we wouldnt.

It was just it was one of those opportunities that we always had daily to sit there, to communicate, and to learn about one another. Hes just one of those bright positive souls that Ive fortunately had the great pleasure of meeting in this industry.

Story continues

The Miami Dolphins drafted Turner in the third round out of North Dakota State in 2014 and he joined the Broncos midway through the 2016 season.

He didn't play in all 16 games until his third season in Denver and fifth season of his NFL career. He joined the Packers in 2019 and became a mainstay in Green Bay, starting 43 games in the regular season and two in the playoffs.

Ive grown in a lot of different ways. I think Im a better football player now," Turner said.

One reason is he embraced the opportunity to play multiple positions.

"I think that has helped me as a player  not only understanding the game more, but also being able to focus in and hone in on some of my personal techniques a little bit more," he said.

"As a young player, you dont really want to bounce around from position to position. You hear coaches and older people tell you that its going to enhance your value as a player and also make you a better player. As everyone knows, when youre young and they tell you, Look it's going to go by in the blink of an eye, you never believe them until youre in that situation.

"Its no different with me playing different positions. They tell you its going to get better and its going to make you a better football player, but you never really understand that and trust that until youre going into Year 9 like I am right now.

Turner, who signed for $5 million in 2022, projects as the Broncos right tackle although he provides depth at both tackle spots and both guard positions.

I personally dont have any expectations, Turner said. "I learned a long time ago not to go into any year or any game with any type of expectation. You can talk to Coach Hackett about that. Its funny because when I was in Green Bay, you might get to a Wednesday or Thursday and then you find out that you have to play a different position. Thats just the norm for me.

"I honestly have no expectations for any position for me to play. I can play all of those positions. Im comfortable at all those positions.

Turner said it wasn't just the chance to reunite with Hackett that drew him to Denver. Playing with newly acquired QB Russell Wilson was a big draw, too.

It definitely played a factor," Turner said. When youre looking at teams and you look at situations and you look at quarterbacks out there, Russell is one of those dudes thats going to win you a handful of games by himself."

___

More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
The Belvidere Assembly Plant, which has seen its workforce slashed by 70% over the past three years amid lagging Jeep Cherokee sales, is girding for yet another round of layoffs in May.

Stellantis announced this week it plans to eliminate an undisclosed number of positions at the hard-hit auto plant near Rockford, which has been operating in fits and starts during the ongoing semiconductor shortage, and dramatically downsizing its workforce in the process.

Advertisement

The sprawling plant has been reduced from more than 5,000 workers to about 1,600 through a series of layoffs since 2019. The staffing cuts slated for May would allow the automaker to operate the plant in a more sustainable manner, Stellantis spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said in a statement Tuesday.

The reductions will be achieved through a combination of retirement packages offered to eligible UAW-represented employees as well as layoffs of both hourly and salaried staff, Tinson said. The company notified affected employees, the state of Illinois, the city of Belvidere and the UAW March 28 that layoffs could begin as early as May 27, 2022, with retirements taking effect on May 31, 2022.

Advertisement

Stellantis declined to disclose the number of positions it plans to eliminate.

Jeep Cherokees line a parking lot outside the Belvidere Assembly Plant, where the vehicle is produced, in 2018. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

The Belvidere plant became the exclusive home for the Jeep Cherokee in 2017. The regions largest employer at its zenith, the plant had 5,464 workers on three shifts at the start of 2019, after building 270,000 of the SUVs during the previous year. But the plant has dramatically scaled back its workforce since then, slashing jobs and eliminating two shifts as demand for the Cherokee waned.

Last year, Jeep Cherokee sales fell 34% to 89,126 vehicles, according to Stellantis.

The first cut was the deepest with nearly 1,400 workers downsized out of a job in 2019 as the plant eliminated its third shift, a harbinger of harder days ahead.

Last year, the plant was mostly closed from March through October due to the semiconductor shortage. When production resumed in November, the Belvidere plant was reduced to one shift and about 2,100 employees.

Stellantis notified the state in November that it planned to lay off another 400 hourly workers beginning in January, due to declining Cherokee demand and the ongoing semiconductor shortage, which has disrupted production across the auto industry.

This year, the Belvidere plant was down nearly 40% of the time during the first quarter, including most recently the weeks of March 7 and March 14. It resumed production on March 21 with about 1,600 workers, Tinson said.

Production disruptions continue to roil the auto industry as the global semiconductor shortage enters its second year, with shutdowns at Fords Chicago Assembly Plant and production issues at the nascent Rivian EV plant in Normal also blamed on the chip shortage.

Advertisement

The Ford plant on the citys Southeast Side, which makes the Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator and Police Interceptor SUVs, is currently operating at full capacity, but has more than a thousand new vehicles parked at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet awaiting chips before delivering them to dealerships.

We have some vehicles parked at the speedway awaiting parts as a result of the semiconductor shortage, Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker said in an emailed statement. We are working closely with our suppliers to address those production constraints and will ship the completed vehicles as soon as we can.

Hundreds of new Ford Explorers parked at the Chicagoland Speedway on March 21, 2022, in Joliet. Ford plans to sell them and add the semiconductor chips when they arrive. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Edmunds is projecting about 3.3 million new cars will be sold in the U.S. during the first quarter of 2022, a 15.2% year-over-year decline, due largely to the supply chain disruption.

But the car shopping website said 41% of new vehicles sold within the first week of arriving on a dealer lot, up from 20% last year, showing that demand remains strong  despite rising gas prices.

Skyrocketing gas prices were top of mind for consumers in March, but the lack of inventory is what ultimately depressed new vehicle sales in the first quarter, Jessica Caldwell, executive director of insights for Edmunds, said in a news release Wednesday.

Stellantis, which was created by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot of France in January 2021, is projected to see a year-over-year sales decline of 10.7% in the first quarter, Edmunds said.

Advertisement

The Belvidere plant opened under the Chrysler banner in 1965, with a white Plymouth Fury II sedan the first vehicle to roll off the line. Over the years, the plant was retooled several times, and made everything from the Dodge Neon to the Chrysler New Yorker.

During Chryslers bankruptcy in 2009, the plant was down to 200 employees before Fiat and a government bailout rescued it and the company.

The plant seemed to hit its stride with the 2017 arrival of the Jeep Cherokee, the sweet spot in an auto industry where SUVs have supplanted cars in many family garages. But it has been mostly downhill for the Cherokee, and the plant, over the past three years.

While the plant continues to downsize, at least one industry analyst believes Belvidere could find new life at the center of the automakers plan to convert 40% of its U.S. production to electric vehicles by 2030.

Sam Fiorani, vice president global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, a Pennsylvania-based research firm, said Stellantis could retool the Belvidere plant and begin building EVs there by 2024, while moving production of the Cherokee to another plant outside of Illinois.

Stellantis declined to comment Wednesday on rumor or speculation about the future of the Belvidere plant.

Advertisement

rchannick@chicagotribune.com
The Boston Police Department is searching for a suspect who slashed a man in the back of the head near a Northeastern University dorm on March 24th.

The victim said he was in Boston looking at potential colleges for his daughter. The assault happened at approximately 12:15 p.m. in the area of 452 Huntington Avenue.

According to police, the victim was walking with his wife and daughter when he was approached by a black male in his 40s wearing a blue windbreaker, white and black striped t-shirt, dark-colored pants, and white sneakers.

Ive never seen him here, said Northeastern student Donatien Gjero. I cant imagine taking my daughter to a college visit and then somebody starts screaming and then on top of that stabbing. Thats bad. Thats really bad.

The suspect, unprovoked, began screaming incoherently at the victim and his family.

After the victim tried to deescalate the situation, the suspect struck him with a box cutter-like object.

We are finding more and more nowadays theres so many people who need help and are not getting it and we are finding it on campus too, said Northeastern professor Samantha Boehm. Theres a lot of students who need help so thats scary, thats sad. Its awful that the first reaction is to do something of that nature. Im hoping that the person that did lash out is in a good mental state and hoping that their health is OK and that theyve been taken care of and also the person that was attacked has been taken care of.

The victim was treated and released at Brigham and Womens Hospital for a deep laceration to the back of his head.

The suspect was last seen running through the Ruggles MBTA station onto Tremont Street heading towards Melnea Cass Boulevard.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Boston Police Department D-4 Detectives at 617-343-4683.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Story continues

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW








Support local journalism. Unlock unlimited digital access to floridatoday.com Click here and subscribe today.

A Brevard County judge, citing the state attorneys decision not to pursue a manslaughter charge in a DUI case involving the death of a mother of six children, has denied a motion by family members to be considered victims under state law.

The five-page ruling was issued Wednesday by Brevard County Judge Judith Atkin and follows a March 16 hearing at the Harry and Harriette Moore Justice Center in Viera.

The court recognizes that the survivors have suffered a horrible loss and sympathizes with their situation. However, the survivors do not fit under the definition of Marsys Law and therefore, are not entitled to all the rights afforded victims under the constitutional amendment, Judge Atkin wrote in her order.

Makita Lucas, in blue, stands with the children of Passion Lucas after court hearing on March 16, 2021.

Brevard County prosecutors joined the defense and argued against the motion that the family of 37-year-old Passion Lucas, killed in a June 20, 2020 DUI-related crash, should not be considered 'victims' under state law.

Victims or not victims?: Brevard attorneys in deadly DUI-crash argue against 'victim' status for Passion Lucas' family

Passion Lucas: Family questions Brevard state attorney who dropped DUI manslaughter charge

Manslaughter charge dropped: Prosecutors file misdemeanor DUI in Cocoa crash that killed mom of 6

The status would have granted the family a guaranteed line of communication with prosecutors over potential plea dealings, court hearings, the opportunity to speak at sentencing, and potential financial restitution in the criminal case.

The concern for the Lucas family was that prosecutors would cut a plea deal and not inform the family, and that the children would not have access to financial claims in the case, the family's attorney said.

Defining 'Victim'

Prosecutors cited the Florida Constitutional amendment's definition of a victim as 'a person who suffers direct or threatened physical, psychological, or financial harm as the result of a crime and argued that Passion Lucas created the hazard by walking in the cars way, records show. Lucas was walking from the hospital when she was struck along Industry Road just north of State Road 528 at about 2:20 a.m. June 20.

Story continues

Suzanna Norris, founder of Hidden Acres Rescue for Thoroughbreds in Cocoa, told police she continued driving, but returned to the scene where Lucas was lying bloodied in the road, hospital papers scattered nearby, reports show.

Suzanna Norris, in the equestrian boots and wearing shades, stands before Makita Lucas, sister of Passion Lucas in a lavender shirt. Several of Passion's children were also present at the equestrian event along with protesters earlier this year.

Makita Lucas, Passion Lucas' sister, said the case languished until she took her concern to social media and to the Cocoa police chief.

Cocoa police arrested Norris in December and charged her with DUI manslaughter in connection with Lucas death, leaving the scene of a crash involving death and DUI.

Prosecutors then decided not to charge Norris, who admitted drinking and driving, with manslaughter. Instead, Norris, whose blood alcohol tested at twice the legal limit of 0.08, is charged with a second-degree misdemeanor.

Marsy's Law

In recent months, the same law has been used by law enforcement agencies such as the Melbourne Police Department, to convey victimhood status on officers involved in officer-related shootings, concealing their identities.

More: Melbourne police invoke Marsy's Law, won't identify officer in December Florida Tech shooting

A number of legal briefs have been filed with the Florida Supreme Court hoping to garner clarification on the law and its definition of the word victim.

Jessica Travis, the civil attorney for Passion Lucas family, said she is considering appealing the order.

Makita Lucas talks with Assstant State Attorney Bill Respess as family members, including Passion Lucas' children, leave the courtroom after the March 16, 2021 hearing.

I disagree with the courts ruling because the thing is they are victims and they have rights under the Florida Constitution. To me, the voters of Florida increased the rights of victims under the Constitution, it did not limit them. And the Constitution does not say you are only a victim when the state attorney says so or when the state files charges, Travis said.

(Passions) family is still suffering because of Norris action of driving drunk. At the same time, while we might have technically lost our argument on paper, we won the battle. My goal was for Passions family to be heard by the judge because their voices were not being heard by the state. This was a chance for the judge to hear their side of things.

Family members are also considering a civil lawsuit.

Judge Atkin, who allowed Makita Lucas to speak during the hour-long hearing earlier this month, pointed out that it was the state attorneys discretion to not file charges based on the information the office had.

The Court does not have the authority to alter a charge brought by the state attorney, due to the separation of powers doctrine that recognizes the absolute discretionary power of prosecutors, the judge pointed out.

Atkin, however, said that while the Lucas' family does not qualify as victims under Marsys Law, they should be given notice of court proceedings and the chance to speak at any sentencing if Norris is convicted.

The judge reserved any discussions for restitution for later. A court date for Norris has not been set.

J.D. Gallop is a Criminal Justice/Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @JDGallop.

Support local journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Passion Lucas: Brevard judge denies motion considering family 'victims'
By Guy Faulconbridge

LONDON (Reuters) - The head of Britain's GCHQ spy service said on Wednesday that new intelligence showed some Russian soldiers in Ukraine had refused to carry out orders, sabotaged their own equipment and accidentally shot down one of their own aircraft.

Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands of people, displaced millions and raised fears of a wider confrontation between Russia and the United States.

Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) chief Jeremy Fleming said President Vladimir Putin had "massively misjudged" the capabilities of Russia's once mighty armed forces while underestimating both the resistance of the Ukrainian people and the resolve of the West, which has punished Moscow with largely coordinated sanctions.

"Putin has massively misjudged the situation," Fleming said in a speech in Canberra at the Australian National University, according to a transcript of his remarks. "We believe Putins advisers are afraid to tell him the truth."

Citing new intelligence, Fleming said there was evidence that Russian soldiers had low morale and were poorly equipped.

"Weve seen Russian soldiers  short of weapons and morale - refusing to carry out orders, sabotaging their own equipment and even accidentally shooting down their own aircraft," Fleming said.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm GCHQ's analysis.

GCHQ, which gathers communications from around the world to identify and disrupt threats to Britain, has a close relationship with the U.S. National Security Agency and with the eavesdropping agencies of Australia, Canada and New Zealand in a consortium called "Five Eyes".

Russia's defence ministry says its armed forces are professional and carrying out their duty in Ukraine with considerable success. It says the West has spread lies about the operation in an attempt to bring down Russia.

The United States assesses that Russia is suffering failure rates as high as 60% for some of its precision-guided missiles, three U.S. officials with knowledge of the intelligence told Reuters.

Story continues

Putin was misled by advisers who were too scared to tell him how poorly the war in Ukraine is going and how damaging Western sanctions have been, U.S. and European officials said on Wednesday. The Kremlin made no immediate comment.

Putin says the "special military operation" in Ukraine is necessary because the United States was using Ukraine to threaten Russia and Moscow had to defend against the persecution of Russian-speaking people by Ukraine.

Ukraine says it is fighting against an imperial-style land grab and that Putin's claims of genocide are nonsense.

Russia says that the West has effectively declared economic war on Russia and so it will now turn eastwards, away from Europe and build a partnership with China.

"But there are risks to them both (and more for China) in being too closely aligned," Fleming said.

"Russia understands that long term, China will become increasingly strong militarily and economically. Some of their interests conflict; Russia could be squeezed out of the equation."

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Grant McCool)
An ambulance worker sexually assaulted a teen girl while she was on her way to a Los Angeles hospital last week, authorities in California alleged.

Jason Dean Anderson, 22, of Wildomar, was arrested Friday and charged with felony sexual penetration with bodily injury on a minor over 14, according to records from Riverside County Superior Court.

Anderson was working for American Medical Response and "on-duty in the back of an ambulance when he is alleged to have assaulted the underaged patient, the Riverside County Sheriffs Department said in a statement.

The investigation revealed the suspect  sexually assaulted and solicited sexual acts from the teenage patient during a medical transport. Mr. Anderson was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center for sexual assault related charges with a minor.

Anderson and his relatives could not be reached for comment Wednesday. It was unclear whether he had retained an attorney.

American Medical Response said it reported the matter to the sheriff's department following an internal investigation.

"The employee in question was placed on administrative leave during the course of our internal investigation and has not worked since the day the alleged incident took place," the company said in a statement. "AMR will cooperate fully during the course of the Riverside Sheriffs investigation."

The teens attorney, Dan Gilleon, said his client is a 16-year-old girl who was transported from her school to a nearby Temecula-area hospital. It was determined she was having a mental crisis, and she was later taken by ambulance to a hospital in Los Angeles.

She was assaulted in the back of the ambulance while a male driver was behind the wheel, Gilleon said.

The girls legs were restrained during the ride, Gilleon said.

Hes totally taking advantage of her vulnerabilities, he said. This is the ultimate power disparity.

Anderson allegedly told the teen hes done this before, Gilleon said.

Story continues

He told her in the ambulance, I do this all the time, bragging with her.

The sheriffs department said there may be additional victims.

According to court records, Anderson was released on $75,000 bond.

NBC Los Angeles spoke to the teen, who said, He asked my name and age. He asked me if Im sexually active."

"I said, No. What really concerned me was he kept pressing that subject," she said

The teenager said the ambulance worker then assaulted her while she froze in fear.

He told me there was other young women that he did stuff with and that he had a new girl every week, she said, per NBC Los Angeles.
Canada is joining the ranks of countries and states planning to ban sales of combustion engine cars. Canada has outlined an Emissions Reduction Plan that will require all new passenger car sales to be zero-emissions models by 2035. The government will gradually ramp up pressure on automakers, requiring "at least" 20 percent zero-emissions sales by 2026 and 60 percent by 2030.

Officials didn't say whether this applied to a make's product mix or simply the volume of cars sold. The strategy is more forgiving for the workplace  the Canadian government wanted 35 percent of total medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales to be zero-emissions by 2035, and 100 percent of a "subset" of those machines by 2040.

The country is also offering $1.7 billion CAD (about $1.36 billion US) to extend incentives for buying electric cars and other zero-emissions vehicles. The current federal program offers up to a $5,000 CAD ($4,010 US) rebate for EVs, plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell cars that meet varying price, seat and battery requirements. Some provinces, such as British Columbia and Nova Scotia, offer their own incentives.

The broader plan is meant to reduce emissions to 40 to 45 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, and reach net zero by 2050. This includes funds to support renewable energy projects, shrink oil industry emissions and develop "nature-based climate solutions."

Canada's car market is small compared to the US. Passenger vehicle sales in Canada reached 1.64 million in 2021, according to estimates, versus an estimated 15 million for the country's southern neighbor. However, the de facto ban on combustion engine cars could further motivate car brands already transitioning to EVs  that's still a lot of potentially lost sales, particularly for a country known for its auto manufacturing plants.
By Anna Mehler Paperny and Allison Lampert

TORONTO (Reuters) - Much of Canada is facing a fresh COVID-19 wave just as authorities ease measures meant to curb the spread of the virus, emboldened by a brief drop in cases and relatively high vaccination rates.

Public health experts are urging caution as COVID-19 levels in wastewater rise. Political analysts say looming elections in Ontario and Quebec, the most populous of Canada's 10 provinces, could deter politicians from reinstating pandemic health measures.

Meanwhile, less testing is making it hard for individuals to do the personal risk assessments politicians are urging.

Most Canadians supported the restrictions and other pandemic measures in place for the past two years, though a vocal minority opposed them, prompting a three-week protest in early 2022 that paralyzed Ottawa and multiple international border crossings. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked emergency powers to end the unrest.

While the premiers of Ontario and Quebec remain favored to be re-elected in the face of divided opposition, both risk alienating some voters if they impose new measures, pollsters say.

"I don't think it's ever too late or untenable to tighten things up again. But the political calculus around it, the closer you get to the election, that will be weighted more heavily," said Shachi Kurl, president of pollster Angus Reid.

Ontario, which has an election on June 2, dropped its mask mandate in most locations last week. Quebec, which heads to the polls in October, plans to do so next month.

Alberta, where Premier Jason Kenny faces an internal leadership review amid push-back in his United Conservative Party over COVID-19 measures and other issues in the Western Canadian province, ended pandemic restrictions including a mask mandate on March 1.

Masks, however, are still required in some settings, including public transit, in all three provinces.

While a return to strict COVID-19 restrictions may make sense scientifically, "politically it would be extremely damaging" for Quebec Premier Francois Legault, said Philippe Fournier, creator of election projection site 338Canada.com.

Story continues

'PREMATURE' MASK MOVE

Most Canadians got their COVID-19 vaccinations, with more than 90% of the population in some provinces having had at least a first dose. But that figure drops substantially for booster shots.

Canada's COVID-19 death rate, at about 100 per 100,000 people, is roughly a third of the U.S. rate but more than four times that of Australia.

Spokespeople for the Ontario and Quebec health ministries said they are monitoring for any surge in the virus. A spokesperson for Alberta's health ministry said its moves are in line with those in other jurisdictions and Albertans can "judge their own risk."

The three provinces have previously denied that their easing of restrictions was motivated by politics.

Ontario's science advisory table is revising its modeling of how bad the current wave could be as people spend more time indoors unmasked with those outside their households, said Peter Juni, the table's scientific director.

He said the lifting of Ontario's mask mandate was "premature."

Masking has proven widely popular in Canada - 73% of those surveyed in an Angus Reid poll earlier this month supported it while 64% said they supported vaccine passports.

British Columbia Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender called on her province to restore the mask mandate that it recently ended.

Rejean Leclerc, the president of a Quebec union representing orderlies, called on the province not to drop its mask mandate on April 15, warning that a rise in COVID-19 patients could batter an already fragile hospital system.

COVID-19 cases are up elsewhere, with infections in Asia topping 100 million this week amid a resurgence dominated by the BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron.

Quebec's top public health official said this week the number of healthcare workers off sick due to COVID-19 grew 60% in a week, to about 2.5% of the healthcare workforce.

Legault's center-right Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ), while the front-runner to win the October election against four rival parties, faces pressure on the right from a conservative who opposes mandates.

Ontario Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford, meanwhile, faces a balancing act, Kurl said.

"You want to look like you're making good, reasonable decisions while at the same time not annoying important parts of your voter base," the Angus Reid president said.

(Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny and Toronto and Allison Lampert in Montreal; Editing by Denny Thomas and Paul Simao)
Mar. 30Note: This story was updated on March 30 to correct the affiliation of Marie Mott.

Several residents on Tuesday denounced the Chattanooga City Council's handling of the redistricting process and called for members to restart the procedure entirely.

The comments were made at the first and only scheduled public hearing before the council is to vote on new political maps as early as next week.

During the 30-minute hearing that was scheduled to last up to an hour, speakers overwhelmingly criticized the council for what they said was a failure to engage with the public about drawing new political boundaries based on 2020 census data. Council members have previously said they plan to vote on the nine-district map at their April 5 meeting.

"Whose agenda and purpose has it served for the city council redistricting discussion, report or plans, including the development of the maps, for such limited engagement by so few council members and totally absent of a public engagement until tonight?" said Theresa Turner, co-chair of the Hamilton County Voters Coalition. "Tonight, we're asking the following, because you have plenty of time before 2025: Let's restart the redistricting process in the city, let's include all the city councilors on the committee as a committee of the whole and let's allow public input at the end of each meeting."

Local activist Marie Mott also called for council members to restart the process.

"Is it fair if people are talking and we don't know who, if people presented information and we don't know who, and who vetted the information you received in the first place?" Mott said.

Everlena Holmes, founder of the voter coalition, said the council is losing trust in its constituents due to its handling of the drawing of new political boundaries.

"This appears to be a lack of transparency on the part of the city council," Holmes said. "And this practice also creates a lack of public trust."

Story continues

Holmes noted that in September, one of the coalition's administrators was told by a city official that council members had until 2025 to put the map in place and that there was no rush. The organization did not hear about the process again until this month, she said.

"So six months had passed, and we're just learning about it," Holmes said.

Helen Burns Sharp, founder of Accountability for Taxpayer Money, reiterated that the process must be restarted because she believes council members violated the Tennessee Open Meetings Act.

"I believe that public confidence in government has suffered because you did not allow public input as you were developing the map that will affect voting boundaries for the next 10 years," she said. "While we appreciate this public hearing, it feels like it's being done as a way for you to check off the public input box before you vote on the map."

Eric Atkins, of the Unity Group, said the redistricting process is flawed and insufficient when comparing it to the last time the council had to approve a new map a decade ago.

"I can tell you from a grassroots level, public input and transparency and openness are hallmarks of democracy that we fight for every year, every legislative session," Atkins said.

Councilwoman Carol Berz, of Brainerd Hills, who chairs the redistricting committee, said during the meeting that the council has followed the law every step of the process.

She also said that public hearings aren't required by law in the first place but council members wanted to make sure that residents' voices were heard.

"Public input is not required by state law or the charter," Berz said. "We, however, decided that we wanted a lot of public input, and we started out with each of our of council members, my colleagues, meeting and talking with their districts where it was appropriate. So we made it district-specific because redistricting is district-specific. And now we're having a large public input session."

When asked about the calls to restart the redistricting process after the meeting, Berz said council members would be discussing the matter at a strategic planning meeting next week. There, members will weigh all the input they received and decide how they plan to move forward.

When asked if council members still plan to vote on the proposed map next week, Berz said she doesn't know and that will also be discussed at the strategic planning meeting.

The city has posted information about the largest changes to the districts. Berz noted on multiple occasions during the meeting that those changes have been available online for weeks.

Those who wish to view the proposed map can do so at bit.ly/ChattaRedistrict. Any new map wouldn't take effect until March 2025, when the next council elections occur.

Contact Logan Hullinger at lhullinger@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6416. Follow him on Twitter @LoganHullinger.
LONDON (Reuters) -Ramzan Kadyrov, the powerful head of Russia's republic of Chechnya, said on Wednesday that Moscow would make no concessions in its war in Ukraine, deviating from the official line and suggesting the Kremlin's own negotiator was wrong.

Kadyrov, who has Chechen forces fighting in Ukraine as part of Russia's military operation, said in comments on Telegram that President Vladimir Putin would not simply stop what he had started there.

He spoke after Vladimir Medinsky, Russia's chief negotiator, said following talks with Ukraine on Tuesday that Moscow was taking steps to de-escalate the conflict, including scaling back military activity around Kyiv.

"We will not make any concessions, it was ... Medinsky who made a mistake, made an incorrect wording... And if you think that he (Putin) will quit what he started just the way it is presented to us today, this is not true," Kadyrov said.

Kadyrov, who rose to power in the mainly Muslim southern Russian region of Chechnya in the wake of two brutal wars after the Soviet Union's collapse, has often described himself as Putin's "foot soldier". Moscow has poured in huge sums of money to rebuild the region under him.

Though he wields outsize power and is one of the country's most influential regional chiefs, his statements contradicting Medinsky by name were highly unusual on such a sensitive subject as the war.

"This is of course a serious problem for Putin," said Tatiana Stanovaya, a political analyst, on Telegram.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Mark Trevelyan)
In this article:

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui, state broadcaster CGTN reported.

Lavrov and diplomats from other countries were scheduled to hold talks hosted by China on Afghanistan on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Tony Munroe and Albee Zhang; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
There are a lot of books written about Chicago and why not?

This is an ever-fascinating place, filled with vivid characters, interesting places and buildings, and dramatic, funny or often bloody events that have and continue to provide enough material for hundreds of novels, nonfiction works and guidebooks.

Advertisement

Many of these Chicago books are excellent, some modestly appealing and more than a few, simply put, lousy. That last group includes ho-hum offerings focused on gangsters and other touristy cliches and/or feature a listing of the well-worn suspects: deep-dish pizza, blues bars, Navy Pier, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

One of the newest is A History Lovers Guide to Chicago (History Press) and it is one of the best, a thoughtful and entertaining 200-some pages.

Advertisement

It is the work of Greg Borzo, a name familiar to any of you who read or buy books about the place we live. He once told me that he believes much of our citys history hides in plain sight, and he has spent most of his career proving it.

A native of the Northwest Side, he earned a degree in cultural anthropology from Grinnell College in Iowa and later a masters in journalism from Northwestern University. He has worked and written for such publications and institutions as Modern Railroads magazine and the Field Museum. He was one of the authors of The Windies City: Chicagos Historical Hidden Treasures, with some of the favorite field trips of the Chicago History Museums docents; The Chicago L and 2012s Where to Bike Chicago: Best Biking in City and Suburbs, with more than 70 rides (27 of them for kids) across Chicago and the suburbs. In 2017 he gave us Chicagos Fabulous Fountains (Southern Illinois University Press), a lively trip to more than 100 fountains that dot and drench the area.

The exterior of the Newberry Library on Aug. 28, 2018. (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune)

In 2019, his Lost Restaurants of Chicago (History Press) arrived. It is a marvel, like walking through a culinary graveyard. It recalls not only the names of once-popular eateries  many famous and some charmingly not so  but their significance as well. In the book, he writes that Restaurants feed body and soul, and the ones weve lost can give us a taste of where weve been and who we are.

Of this newest book, he told me, This is not a guidebook for tourists, not a where to get the best doughnuts in town kind of book. Its for people who love history and this city.

He was approached to write the book by the History Press, for whom he has written before and which publishes an ongoing series of History Lovers guides that has previously visited such places as Dallas, Milwaukee, Kansas City and, perplexingly, Bar Harbor, Maine.

I agreed to do this book in part because I was given the freedom to choose the subjects, what to include and not include, Borzo says, noting that he also took almost all the fine photos in the book. That was a great opportunity and still there were many places that wound up on the cutting room floor, so to speak.

He did have some mildly heated conversations with the folks at History Press. For instance, they were initially skeptical of a chapter on libraries but once editors read what Borzo had written about such book institutions as the Newberry and Blackstone, the citys first branch library built in 1902 and modeled after the Erechtheion, a temple in Athens (with) original murals in a rotunda celebrating labor, literature, art and science  (and) carved marble, walnut wainscoting and mosaic, tile-and-glass floors, they wisely let him carry on. Libraries constitute one of the most compelling of the books 13 chapters, but there are also delights to be found in the others.

Advertisement

A jogger runs by the Ulysses S. Grant Monument south of Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago on a cold and foggy morning, Jan. 10, 2018. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

The Cemeteries chapter might have raised a History Press editors eyebrow until they read about the many glories at Graceland, Oak Woods, Rosehill and reads that many of Chicagos cemeteries and their tombstones are crumbling  (marking) the final resting places of Chicagos saints and scalawags.

A Military Matters chapter is filled with things that will likely surprise you, introducing such sites as the relatively obscure (given that it stands in Lincoln Park) colossal Ulysses S. Grant Memorial, which has been part of the urban landscape since 1891, and the heart wrenching Above and Beyond, a display of 58,307 replica dog tags hanging inside the Harold Washington Library and on loan from the National Veterans Arts Museum.

Borzo gets to my former professional home in Monuments, Markers and Memorials when he writes, Embedded in the base of the Tribune Tower are more than 150 pieces from historic sites around the world and tells you how they got there. He also informs us that When the Tribune sold its celebrated building to a developer in 2018, the first question on everyones mind was, what would happen to the precious fragments? Theyre staying put, and the new owners would like to add to the collection.

Those efforts will be interesting to watch as will be speculating about Borzos next book. This books dedication might provide a hint, for it addresses his relatively recent but consuming passion. He writes, Dedicated to all my pickleball friends, too numerous to be named here, but too good to be true. 0-0-Start!

There are a surprising number of books on this subject, with such titles as One Minute Pickleball, Finding Your Pickleball Love Language and 13 Deadly Sins of Pickleball.

I have yet to participate in this sport. But if Borzo ever decides to write a book about it, Ill be among the first to read it.

Advertisement

rkogan@chicagotribune.com
Daniel Vogelbach is back in black and gold.

The 29-year-old former Bishop Verot High School power hitter signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 15. The deal is reportedly worth $1 million with a second-year option for $1.5 million with $400,000 in incentives.

Vogelbach had a Fort Myers homecoming on Wednesday, starting at first base for the Pirates in their spring training game against the Minnesota Twins at Hammond Stadium. He went 0-for-3 at the plate with a strikeout in the Pirates' 9-4 loss.

The Pirates, who train in Bradenton, are Vogelbachs fourth major league club, but this is his first spring training in Florida.

Its good to be able to sleep in my own bed sometimes, be around the family more, Vogelbach said.

RELATED: Pittsburgh Pirates sign Bishop Verot graduate Vogelbach to one-year deal

MORE: Daniel Vogelbach making most of his chance as Brewers head into playoffs

Daniel Vogelbach of the Pittsburgh Pirate reacts with his team before playing in a spring training game against the Minnesota Twins at Hammond Stadium on Wednesday, March 30, 2022. He is a Bishop Verot graduate and this is the first time as a pro that he is playing spring training in Fort Myers.

An All-Star with the Seattle Mariners in 2019, Vogelbach spent the past two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers.

In 2021, Vogelbach hit .219 in 93 games with nine home runs and 24 RBI while battling a hamstring injury.

Felt like I was off to a really good start before I got hurt, and just trying to get back to the best version of myself, Vogelbach said.

The Pirates present another opportunity to play well, according to Vogelbach.

Its ultimately what the goal is every single year is to make a club, be on a club out of spring training and put together a good year, he said. So Im excited to be a part of the Pirates. Im excited to be here. We got a really good young group with a lot of talented players, and Im looking forward to the season.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton described the union between the team and Vogelbach as mutually advantageous.

What he brings to our lineup and what he brings to our clubhouse is energy, Shelton said. I mean, the ability to control at bats, the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark and then just his overall atmosphere into our clubhouse is something were really looking forward to.

Story continues

Equally important was the veteran leadership that the well-traveled lefty brings to the table, according to Shelton.

He was described to me before we got him as one of the best teammates people have ever been around, and I think in the short time weve been around him, he really cares about what were doing, how were doing it, and he cares about other people, and when you have that kind of energy and positivity every day, its really important for a young clubhouse, he said.

Daniel Vogelbach of the Pittsburgh Pirates signs reacts after greeting Twins players before playing in a spring training game against the Minnesota Twins at Hammond Stadium on Wednesday, March 30, 2022. He is a Bishop Verot graduate and this is the first time as a pro that he is playing spring training in Fort Myers

The MLBs new universal designated hitter rule, established by the new collective bargaining agreement, means more jobs opening up for power hitters, Vogelbach said. In addition, PNC Park could be an ideal environment for his skillset.

Its a lefty-hitter friendly park, I feel like, and just trying to have good at bats through the whole year and put a good swing on the ball, and, whatever happens, look up at the end of the year and the stats are going to be where they are, he said.

At Verot, Vogelbach hit .551 with nine home runs on his way to being named The News-Press All-Area Baseball Player of the Year as a senior in 2011.

More than a decade later, Vogelbach was making a fans day, autographing a ball from the dugout during batting practice on Wednesday.

The impression of him before he got here was a guy who could really swing the bat and handle at bats, and then the impression also was the fact that everybody said he was a great dude, Shelton said. Its as advertised.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Pittsburgh Pirates: Daniel Vogelbach back in Fort Myers for spring game
Mar. 30Dayton police are looking for a woman suspected of using a stolen credit card earlier this month.

The woman reportedly used the credit card on March 14 around 4:30 p.m. at a business in the 2400 block of North Main Street.

She appears to be 25-35 years old and was driving a white mini van, according to police.

Anyone who recognizes the woman or who has information on this incident can call Dayton police at 937-333-COPS (2677) or Miami Valley Crime Stoppers at 937-222-STOP (7867).
A wind-fueled Tennessee wildfire and a tornado that injured at least seven people in Arkansas were part of a violent day of weather across the South on Wednesday.

The EF-2 tornado struck Springdale, Arkansas, early Wednesday. Two of the injured were in critical condition.

Damage was extensive, and included an elementary school gymnasium and a warehouse, KFSM-TV reported. The Springdale School District, which is the largest in Arkansas, canceled all classes Wednesday because of the storms.

In Tennessee, a 250-acre wildfire just north of Wears Valley burned at least 20 homes and other structures Wednesday, fueled by gusty winds, warm temperatures and low humidity, the National Weather Service said. At least one person was injured and, according to the Sevier County Emergency Management Agency.

Evacuations were ordered in some areas of the state.

WHAT IS A FLOOD WATCH OR WARNING? Here's what to know about this deadly weather hazard

Debris litters a neighborhood in Springdale, Arkansas, following a reported tornado that damaged homes and businesses and downed power lines.

The Storm Prediction Center said all of Mississippi and parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee were at the greatest risk for severe weather Wednesday. The biggest concerns were strong tornadoes, some of at least EF-2 strength, and hurricane-force wind gusts of at least 75 mph.

Over 104 tornado warnings were issued by weather forecast offices over the past 24 hours, Accuweather reported.

Most of them came from Jackson, Mississippi, as stormed moved across the area, and appeared to have produced numerous tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service.

An EF-1 tornado with wind speeds around 90 mph also struck northwest Missouri overnight Tuesday. Two homes were damaged but no injuries were reported.

A tornado touched down Wednesday night in Perry County, Alabama, the weather service said. Another touched down near Bibb County, and officials warned it was "large and extremely dangerous."

Alabama Power said over 50,000 customers had lost power as of Wednesday night as a result of the storms as more than 40 trees were reportedly blown down in Tuscaloosa County alone, Accuweather reported.

Story continues

A tornado watch was issued for most of Arkansas, northern Louisiana, southern Missouri, southeastern Oklahoma, and northeast Texas through early Wednesday afternoon.

The main instigator for the severe weather will be a squall line of storms advancing from west to east across the South and lower Ohio Valley, according to Weather.com.

WHAT IS A TORNADO? Everything you need to know about these violent storms

"It is likely that the severe thunderstorms will move eastward at a swift pace Wednesday night and could be racing along at 50 mph or more. This fast motion may not allow people in the path of the storms much time to react and take shelter," AccuWeather Meteorologist Ryan Adamson said.

More than 50 million Americans are at risk of experiencing severe weather Wednesday, AccuWeather said. Big cities in the highest risk area include Memphis, Tennessee; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Jackson, Mississippi; and Montgomery, Alabama.

The threat will last overnight, and nighttime tornadoes are a major possibility only a week after an EF-3 twister rampaged through New Orleans, killing one man.

The New Orleans metro area was again hit by severe weather Wednesday night. About 3,000 St. Tammany Parish residents lost power amid tree damage near Lacombe, St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper on Twitter.

WATCHES, WARNINGS AND THE EF SCALE: How the National Weather Service talks tornadoes

Flash flooding will also be a concern Wednesday into the night, AccuWeather said, especially because rivers remain at fairly high levels after the last outbreak of rain and storms.

The storm threat was expected to last until Thursday farther east. "Severe thunderstorms are possible across Georgia and the central/eastern Florida Panhandle as well as over portions of the Mid-Atlantic states on Thursday, the Storm Prediction Center said.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Severe storms slam Southern states as possible tornado hits Arkansas
If youre getting hungry, now is a great time to grab some food and support a great cause.

Today only, every Jersey Mikes Subs in the country is donating 100% of all sales from local stores to the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games for its Day of Giving.

READ: Thousands of athletes to attend Special Olympics USA Games in Central Florida

Todays the day! Were donating 100% of all sales from local stores to the @2022USAGames. Join us for our Day of Giving and Make a Difference for remarkable athletes like Andrew, Katy, Destiny, Dion, and Layla. Lets help them shine.   #JerseyMikesGives #ShineAsOne pic.twitter.com/GeHiwAKBKz  Jersey Mike's Subs (@jerseymikes) March 30, 2022

The Special Olympics USA Games are coming to Orlando June 5- 12. More than 5,500 athletes and coaches from all 50 states and the Caribbean will come to Central Florida this summer.

The USA Games is hosted once every four years and showcases 19 Olympic-style team and individual sports and 30 events throughout the week.

READ: Hundreds of Special Olympics athletes gearing up for summer games in Central Florida

Jersey Mikes has dozens of locations throughout Central Florida. Click here to find one closest to you.

READ: 90 days away: Central Florida hits home stretch gearing up for Special Olympics USA Games

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
As his daughters fourth birthday approached, Wali Zadran thought of the parties he and his wife had previously hosted, one at a five-star hotel in Kabul even, with elaborate cakes and decorations in colors matching the girls fluffy party dress.

Its for the memories, Zadran said.

But for this birthday, a similar party seemed unlikely. He, his wife, Khadija, and daughter, Hareer, were living in a small hotel room near BWI Marshall Airport with two beds, a kitchenette and what few possessions they still have after a rushed evacuation from Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal in August.

What Hareer will remember from these nomadic seven months remains to be seen, though she sometimes asks, as if theyre on a particularly long vacation, when theyre going home.

It is less a question of when than if.

The family, including Zadrans mother, brother and two sisters, is among more than 76,000 refugees accepted into the United States since the end of the nearly 20-year war in Afghanistan and the takeover by the fundamentalist Taliban.

Things happened so quickly, Zadran, 32, said, we didnt have time to think.

They only knew they had to leave, he said, with the Taliban seeking retribution against those who had worked with the U.S.-backed Afghan government, international agencies and coalition military force, and sure to reverse advances such as on womens rights.

A lawyer by training, Zadran was an oil and gas official for the Afghan government. His sister, Shkula, 27, served as a youth representative to the United Nations. His brother, Atal, 25, worked for the Ministry of Education. And his mother, Sahera Sharif, 61, is a former member of Parliament and founder of a womens literary society in Afghanistan that gave voice to an otherwise silenced population.

They have been on the move since, first to a safe house in northern Afghanistan, then U.S. military bases in Qatar and New Jersey, and, in mid-January, Maryland  Zadran and his wife and daughter to the hotel near BWI and his mother and siblings to one in Silver Spring.

Story continues

What was meant to be temporary housing extended into months for some, as an unprecedented influx of refugees arrived amid a surging coronavirus pandemic, and the resulting staffing and housing shortages.

The International Rescue Committee, the agency charged with resettling refugees in Baltimore, scrambled to add staff to help the 480 Afghan nationals who arrived between October and February. Delays in finding apartments and permanent addresses for refugees led to other delays, from getting drivers licenses to placing children in school.

The pace has improved since those first harried months, officials said, but the work remains as the refugees make tentative steps forward into their new communities.

Despite their experiences in a war-torn country, Baltimore has proved frightening for some, such as one young woman and her sister. The woman, who asked that her name be withheld to protect family in Afghanistan, said they were moved one evening from the hotel to an apartment near Druid Hill Park with just a blurry map to find a grocery store about a mile away. As night fell, they managed to find the store on foot but got lost for about an hour before making their way back.

One day, there was a guy in a car; he threw the trash at us. I dont know what he said, but I got it was a curse word, the woman said. Another day, a drunk guy was following us and asking us for money.

Even as they look forward, there is longing and fear for family left behind. One refugee who had worked as an interpreter for U.S. forces said his son told him the Taliban came to the house looking for him.

They try to help one another, the English speakers interpreting for those who speak little or none, communicating with families in Afghanistan via WhatsApp groups.

For the Zadran family, the holding pattern of several months recently started to break, with several opportunities to resume interrupted careers.

Things are happening, he said, and Im so happy.

A horror movie

Just seven months later, the fall of Afghanistan seems far more distant, particularly after Russia invaded Ukraine, creating an even newer global refugee crisis.

But to those who lived it, those final days remain vivid, with the Taliban rapidly taking one provincial capital after another until taking Kabul on Aug. 15. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, and thousands descended on the airport in desperate attempts to evacuate.

It looked like a horror movie, a zombie movie, said Abdul, 25, a former police officer who asked that his last name not be used to protect family in Afghanistan. Every road, people are running everywhere. How can they find a way to save themselves?

Having trained with a U.S. military unit, he went into hiding as the Taliban took power. He was able to contact an American officer he calls his adviser, who had since returned to the U.S.

The officer told Abdul he would try to get him out of the country, and he should head to Kabul as quickly as possible and await a call from someone there. It took several days to get to the capital, hear from the contact and gain entry to the airport, Abdul said.

From there, he was flown to Bahrain then Germany, until on Sept. 8, he landed at Washington Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia, where they were met with food, showers, paperwork and warmth.

When the doors opened, there were two lines of people: Welcome to the U.S.  Welcome to your home, Abdul said. I will never forget this.

Soon, he was able to contact his adviser who, as it turns out, was just 15 minutes away. They were reunited, hugging one another tightly. He was like my big brother, Abdul said.

Although theyve visited often since his arrival, Abdul said he doesnt want to be a burden and is trying to strike out on his own. He was placed in an apartment with a roommate in Reservoir Hill.

I know all the city now, he said, having made use of his monthly MTA CharmCard pass.

On one bus, he saw an ad, Work today, get paid tomorrow, were hiring, and took a cellphone picture. It was for Royal Farms. He applied and recently began working at one of the outlets.

He has grown fond of the Maryland Transit Administration bus drivers and said they have been unfailingly helpful.

Its much better than the current situation in Afghanistan, Abdul said. I know the bad days are not going on forever. If we want to have a good future, it takes time.

We do our best to find our way.

Help on the ground

Some of the refugees initially thought the women were caseworkers from the resettlement agency when they began showing up at the hotels near BWI.

They turned out to be a group of volunteers, the kind of women who run clothing and food drives and help at homeless shelters and other community programs. They had heard through their networks and from groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, that some refugees were having trouble getting health care and other services.

Theyve gone through a traumatic experience. Often, theyve had to leave family behind, said Janice Keating, who lives in Severna Park and is active in volunteer groups in Anne Arundel County. This is just more trauma.

They got busy, finding out what the refugees needed: tea kettles, pressure cookers or laptops, as well as help writing resumes, finding jobs or locating delayed documents or benefits.

The IRC resettlement agency said its been overwhelmed by an unprecedented number of refugees arriving in a compressed span of time. Coinciding with the omicron surge in the coronavirus pandemic and an affordable housing shortage, the IRC said, the resettlement process has gone more slowly than it should.

Ruben Chandrasekar, the IRCs director in Baltimore, said the same staffing shortages and slow deliveries others faced during the pandemic strained the agencys ability to help a historic number of refugees from the more than 120,000 people evacuated from Afghanistan during the final, chaotic days before the U.S. withdrawal.

It was extremely challenging, he said. In an emergency, you cant provide the same level of services.

In the past, Chandrasekar said, the IRC would receive several weeks notice that a family was on its way, allowing the agency to secure and furnish an apartment before its arrival. Now, though, the IRC sometimes gets only a day or twos notice that dozens of migrants have left the military bases where theyve been staying and are en route to Baltimore, he said.

At the BWI-area hotels, the refugees are largely isolated. Theres not much to walk to, except a convenience store at a gas station. Some of the men gather in a conference room for Friday prayers. Kids play in the parking lot, running around and tossing balls, and some have started school.

On a recent day, as volunteers spread out donations of food, clothing and books in the parking lot, one boy returned from school, smiling as he talked about making a new friend to sit with at lunch. Keating had brought a couple of party dresses for Zadrans daughter in anticipation of her birthday.

The volunteers have, at times, taken refugees into their homes temporarily.

Jeanette Middleton-Sudano is the executive director of an Anne Arundel organization that helps homeless people and a Gold Star mother. She lost her son, Airman 1st Class Nathaniel H. McDavitt, 22, in a 2016 building collapse in Jordan. She learned of the refugees through Keating and tapped into her church and community network to help as lifelines for the newcomers.

Im a woman of great faith, Middleton-Sudano said. God has dropped these people in our lap.

I want them to be successful here. I want them to go, Americans are great.

A refugee, again

On March 10, the Zadrans celebrated Hareers birthday. The hotel suite of her grandmother, uncle and two aunts was decorated in pink and white ribbons and balloons. Keating had brought presents from the volunteers and a cake from Costco with candles and princess figurines.

In a pink dress and foam crown, Hareer blew out the candles and danced to the universal childrens anthem, Baby Shark, complete with the jaw-snapping hand claps.

From the small kitchen, a bounty of food emerged  curries, spinach, salads and a big platter of kabuli, the national dish made with rice, carrots and raisins.

Wali Zadran looked pleased to once again serve as host.

If he wanted to provide a memory for his daughter, perhaps it was because he remembered being in the same situation, albeit as a 7-year-old.

It was 1996, and the Taliban had taken control of Kabul after emerging from a civil war that followed the Soviet Unions occupation of Afghanistan, declaring the country an Islamic emirate.

With family members targeted by the new rulers, the Zadrans fled to Peshawar, Pakistan. In October 2001, the U.S. bombed Afghanistan, which had harbored the mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, and, by the end of the year, had toppled the Taliban regime.

The Zadrans returned home and rebuilt their lives. Wali Zadran became a lawyer and joined the government, rising to deputy minister of mines and petroleum, then general director of the countrys oil and gas regulatory agency. His sister traveled the country as a youth representative for the U.N. His brother worked in information technology. Their parents had a second daughter, Zala, now 18 years old.

Then the Taliban returned to power last year, and they again became refugees.

I never imagined it would happen a second time, he said.

The family recently found and moved into apartments in a complex in Howard County, chosen for the good school system.

Atal Zadran has begun a new job as a software engineer, while Shkula Zadran hopes to continue working on a masters degree in international relations and on youth and womens rights advocacy in her homeland.

I belong to Afghanistan, she said. You cant cut off your roots.

And recently, Wali Zadran received big news: He was accepted into the master of laws program at Columbia Law School and awarded a full scholarship designed for displaced persons.

The scholarship includes housing and other expenses, so he plans to live in New York but commute to Maryland to see his family.

I was overjoyed and excited and a little bit emotional, he said.

With the pain and the pressure of losing everything, Zadran said, it somehow released the burden in my heart.
A 44-year-old man is going to prison after striking a woman and her baby with his car and pinning them underneath it, prosecutors in New York said.

David Poncurak was sentenced on March 29 to prison for an indeterminate term of 2 1/2 years to 7 1/2 years,, the Westchester County District Attorneys Office said in a news release.

Poncurak is accused of hitting a woman who was carrying her baby with his car in Yonkers around 8:25 a.m. on July 23, 2021, officials said.

When he hit the woman and the baby, they were thrown onto his hood as he crashed into a barbershop, officials said.

The woman and baby were then pinned under his car, officials said.

Officials said witnesses helped lift the car off the mother and baby.

Both were taken to the hospital. The woman had surgery for a fractured femur and her child had a fractured skull and severe burns, officials said.

Poncurak had a blood alcohol content of .13 (the legal limit is .08) and had illegal narcotics in his system, officials said.

David Poncurak recklessly got behind the wheel of his car after drinking heavily and using illegal narcotics and placed a mother and her daughter in extreme peril, Westchester District Attorney Mimi Rocah said. I am thankful for the heroic actions of the Yonkers Police Department, the bystanders, and the ambulance crew. Because of them, the victims are alive and healing today.

Poncurak pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated vehicular assault, driving while intoxicated, driving while ability impaired by the combined influence of drugs or of alcohol and third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

On-duty deputy charged with DUI after crashing patrol car, South Carolina sheriff says

Baby dies after mom goes into labor following head-on DUI crash, Pennsylvania cops say

22-year-old driving to work with boss behind him dies in head-on crash, NC cops say
Minneapolis Superintendent Ed Graff will leave the school district when his contract expires June 30, closing out a six-year tenure marked by a sweeping redesign and the first teachers strike in decades.

The district announced his coming departure Wednesday, and Graff notified school board members of his decision by e-mail.

"For the past six years the Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Directors has given me the extraordinary opportunity to fulfill a life calling and make a difference in the lives of children," Graff wrote in a letter to board members. He noted the decision was a difficult one made after prayer and careful consideration.

Graff did not respond to a request for an interview Wednesday afternoon.

Board Chair Kim Ellison said in a statement that Graff brought "equity-driven structural changes, and kept students and staff safe and learning through a pandemic."

"Always with students as the focus, Superintendent Graff has brought systemic and transformational change to MPS during an extremely challenging time in our history," she wrote.

The news of the leadership change comes just days after the district's 28,700 students returned to class following a nearly three-week teachers strike.

But some Minneapolis school board members, union leaders and people in the community have questioned Graff's leadership for months.

The school board voted 5-4 in October to begin negotiating a contract extension with Graff. That extension had not yet come back before the board for approval.

The district said it will soon share plans about appointing an interim leader and a search process for a permanent superintendent.

The board's October vote came after members met in a closed meeting to evaluate Graff's leadership across standards of literacy, district finances, human resources and student supports. Board members determined that Graff's effectiveness on literacy was "developing" and he was an "effective" leader in two other areas, Ellison said then. The board rated him "highly effective" in the student-support category.

Story continues

In his letter, Graff listed major accomplishments, including centralizing the city's magnet schools, mandating ethnic studies courses for graduating seniors, revising the district's enrollment and lottery processes, and expanding offerings in Hmong and Somali.

Leaders of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers issued a statement urging the district to name an interim superintendent "committed to bringing our school communities together to collectively decide who our next superintendent should be."

Union chapter presidents Greta Callahan and Shaun Laden said they look forward to working with the school board, families and employees to find a superintendent "through an open and authentic process."

Board Member Adriana Cerrillo, who voted against renewing Graff's contract, said she was "relieved" to receive Graff's letter.

"Leadership matters. He made the right decision to not seek another contract," Cerrillo said Wednesday. "My hope is that we come together as one for the sake of our children."

Board members received the letter the morning after a contentious Tuesday night meeting marked by interruptions from students opposed to school calendar changes to make up for time lost during the strike.

Graff left shortly after the students, chanting into bullhorns, burst into the meeting. When students questioned his departure, he said he would not tolerate their profanity.

Board Member Nelson Inz said the last month has been difficult for district leadership, students and families, and he "hopes we can turn the page and move forward constructively for the benefit of our children."

Inz said Graff "led with a great deal of integrity."

During Graff's tenure, the district undertook a controversial redistricting plan that redrew boundaries  sending thousands of students to new schools last fall  in an attempt to distribute resources more equitably.

The decision to move forward with that redesign during the pandemic prompted an outcry from some parents.

Though district leaders want the redesign to attract new families to the city's schools, the gains aren't predicted to come in the near future, and the enrollment decline this year was even steeper than the district's projection.

The district is down more than 7,000 students since Graff began as superintendent.

Enrollment is anticipated to continue dropping by at least 1.5% each year for the next five years. Declining numbers also likely means less money from the state, which allocates funding per pupil.

Before the contract agreements were reached with the union, the district was projecting a $21.5 million budget shortfall, despite the use of $75 million in one-time federal relief money. The cost of the union agreements has not been released.

Kenneth Eban, executive director of the Advancing Equity Coalition, said in a statement that Graff's departure will come at a "particularly vulnerable moment" for the district.

Leadership changes, potential budget cuts and some of the largest academic disparities in the nation mean the next superintendent will have "tough decisions ahead of them," he said, adding that he hopes the new leader focuses on improving academic outcomes for students of color and Indigenous students.

Sondra Samuels, president and CEO of Northside Achievement Zone, echoed the sentiment in a statement, writing that the district has an opportunity to reset.

Samuels thanked Graff for his leadership, which "helped lay the foundation for creating a more racially equitable district" by supporting protections for teachers of color, reducing the number of racially isolated schools and centralizing magnet schools.

In his letter to the school board, Graff reflected on his tenure, making reference to the effects of the pandemic and the killing of George Floyd.

"The unforeseen challenges we have endured reinforced my belief that it is critically important for large urban districts not to chase the latest fads or drop initiatives after one or two years in search of a quick fix," he wrote. "To this end, we remained focused on the key levers previously identified to improve outcomes for all students."

Graff, who is originally from Bemidji, was hired to lead the district in 2016 after two unsuccessful superintendent searches.

Before coming to Minneapolis, he was the superintendent in Anchorage, Alaska, where he spent most of his career in education as a teacher, principal and administrator.

Read Graff's letter to the board below:

Staff writer Emma Nelson contributed to this report.
A Hagerstown man who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor in 2018 was ordered Monday to serve eight years in prison despite pleas from his attorney for a five-year term because of his minor criminal record and because he had taken responsibility for what he had done.

I cant bring myself to come down to five with the damage done to these children, Judge Daniel P. Dwyer said in sentencing 38-year-old Michael Paul Rishel in Washington County Circuit Court.

Rishel pleaded guilty March 16, 2021, to sexual abuse of a minor, court records show.

In exchange, a companion charge of sexual abuse of a minor was dropped and the prosecution agreed to recommend a 25-year prison term with all but eight years suspended. The recommendation included treatment, supervision, no contact with minors and registration as a sex offender. The victim in the case endorsed the agreement so they and their siblings would not have to testify at a trial, officials said.

Washington County State's Attorney Gina Cirincion asked Dwyer for a sentence at the top of sentencing guidelines that call for a prison term of five to 10 years, saying that a pre-sentence investigation showed Rishel was at medium risk to reoffend.

Dwyer agreed to the state's recommendation for eight years and gave Rishel credit for the 972 days he has already spent in custody.

Earlier: Ex-South High teacher, tennis coach pleads guilty to having sex with teen student in 2010

More: Competency exam ordered for former Heritage Academy teacher charged with abusing student

Assistant Public Defender Loren Villa had asked for a five-year prison term, or, in the alternate, discretionary time to be served in the Washington County Detention Center instead of a state prison.

She said there was nothing in Rishel's minor criminal record of alcohol-related offenses that would indicate he was at a high or medium risk to reoffend.

Villa noted that Rishel had been polite and had admitted he has a problem with alcohol. She said that Rishel did not want the victim or their siblings to have to testify, has had no infractions during his time in the detention center and is meeting other responsibilities.

Story continues

"I've never had a client ask me to help with their taxes before," she said.

Dwyer observed that reports from the pre-sentence investigation and Rishel's psychiatric evaluation showed that he had good parents, but began drinking in high school because of low self-esteem and was drunk when the offense occurred.

"The offense you pleaded guilty to was 100% related to the alcohol," he said. "It was disgraceful and deplorable that you would do something like that."

Rishel was charged by Maryland State Police after a boy said he had been molested in Pennsylvania and that it continued when Rishel moved to Maryland, according to the charging document filed against him.

Two other children, a boy and a girl, were also interviewed during the investigation and made accusations against Rishel of inappropriate touching that occurred in Maryland, the document states.

Rishel admitted to having improper contact with the girl, but not the boys, the document states.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Man ordered to serve eight years in 2018 child sexual abuse case
El Paso County is holding community listening sessions in each of its four precincts to engage the public in identifying high-priority needs in our community.

On Wednesday, the county's Precinct 3 will hold a meeting from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at San Elizario High School, 13981 Socorro Road.

The time and dates for the next three sessions were not been given by county officials.

The County Commissioner's Court will invest $9.7 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding in organizations that best meet those needs, a county news release said Wednesday.

The County of El Paso received $162 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. These funds will not only help the county continue to recover from the health and economic impacts of the pandemic but will also allow the county to make improvements that would not have otherwise been possible, County Commissioner Iliana Holguin said in a news release.

More: Here's why El Paso was ranked one of the least affordable cities in the US

Each listening session will include an interactive discussion model to facilitate dialogue on the following subjects:

Health:

Physical and mental health intervention improving longevity and quality of life.

Business development and support:

Services and programs improving economic well-being and quality of life, including business retention and expansion programs, business support services, and long-term initiatives addressing the impact COVID-19 has had on the local economy.

Community assistance:

Support and improvement of community services and animal welfare programs.

Capital and government projects:

All topics regarding purchasing buildings and land and other issues not covered.

Development in El Paso: Giant distribution center for Marshalls stores takes shape on airport land in East El Paso

More: City alters multimillion-dollar deal for West Side land where Amazon facility may be built

Anthony Jackson may be reached at ADJackson@elpasotimes.com and @TonyAnjackson on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso County asks for input on how to invest $9.7M ARPA funding
NEW YORK  The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Wednesday said that Will Smith was asked to leave Sundays Oscar ceremony after hitting Chris Rock but refused to do so.

The academys board of governors met Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations against the groups standards of conduct. The academy said disciplinary action for Smith could include suspension, expulsion or other sanctions.

Advertisement

Many have focused on why Smith was allowed to remain seated front row in the Dolby Theatre after the incident. On Wednesday, the academy suggested that it attempted to remove the actor from the audience.

Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated, the academy said. While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently.

Advertisement

A representative for the academy declined to give specifics on how it tried to removed Smith. After Smith struck Rock in response to a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, several stars including Denzel Washington, Bradley Cooper and Tyler Perry spoke with the 53-year-old Smith.

The academy said Smith has the opportunity to defend himself in a written response before the board meets again on April 18. The film academy earlier condemned Smiths onstage assault of Rock, but it used stronger language Wednesday.

Chris Rock arrives at the Wilbur Theatre before a performance, Wednesday, March 30, 2022, in Boston. (Michael Dwyer/AP)

Mr. Smiths actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television, the academy said. Mr. Rock, we apologize to you for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience in that moment. We also apologize to our nominees, guests and viewers for what transpired during what should have been a celebratory event.

On Monday, Smith issued an apology to Rock, the academy and to viewers, saying I was out of line and I was wrong.

A representative for Smith didnt immediately respond to messages Wednesday regarding the academys latest moves.

Only a very small number of academy members have ever been expelled, including Harvey Weinstein, Roman Polanski, Bill Cosby and the actor Carmine Caridi, who was kicked out for sharing awards screeners.

Whoopi Goldberg, a member of the academys board of governors, said Monday on The View, Were not going to take that Oscar from him. (Even Oscars won by expelled members havent previously been ordered to be returned.) Goldberg added that nobody is OK with what happened

Rock, who is yet to respond publicly to the incident, was to perform stand-up Wednesday night in Boston.

Advertisement

Others from Sundays telecast also began speaking out. Co-host Wanda Sykes told Ellen DeGeneres in an interview to air April 7 that she felt physically ill after Smith slapped Rock. When he returned to his seat, Smith twice shouted at Rock to keep my wifes name out your (expletive) mouth.

Im still a little traumatized by it, said Sykes in a clip released Wednesday.

Within an hour, Smith was back on stage accepting the award for best actor for his performance in King Richard. Many in the Dolby Theatre gave him a standing ovation.

I was like, how gross is this? This is the wrong message. You assault somebody and you get escorted out the building and thats it. But for them to let him continue, I thought it was gross, Sykes said. I wanted to be able to run out (on stage) after he won and say, Uh, unfortunately, Will couldnt be here tonight.
(Getty Images)

Ahead of Trans Day of Visibility, which takes place this year on 31 March, Elliot Page sat down with leading trans activists to discuss visibility, ongoing anti-trans legislation, and celebrating trans joy.

Page joined writer Raquel Willis and ACLU attorney Chase Strangio on Instagram Live to commemorate the second annual Trans Week of Visibility and Action, where The Umbrella Academy star touched on what trans joy means to him.

I feel the best Ive ever felt, Page began the discussion. I feel the way I really never thought was possible.

On Sunday evening, Page attended the 94th annual Academy Awards, where he walked the red carpet dressed in a classic black tuxedo. The actor revealed that this special moment was an example of accessing the trans joy he always felt was possible.

Its been on such a core level, this shift, he said. Just the degree now that I can feel present in a space without the incessant, underlying anxiety or some sort of feeling that I need to flee.

In the more specific ways, its wearing the Gucci suit last night [at the Oscars], Page explained. All those things are really special, wonderful, joyful moments where youre looking at a photograph and its really cool to see yourself for the first time - the person you already saw but here they are finally emerging.

Page reunited with his former Juno co-stars JK Simmons and Jennifer Garner at the Oscars ceremony on 27 March to present the award for Best Original Screenplay.

Juno had me hooked from the very first page, and was completely infused with [screenwriter Diablo Codys] distinctive voice. It was unlike anything Id ever read before, said Page.

The actor was nominated for an Oscar in 2008 for his role as Juno, a teenager who becomes pregnant. Simmons played Junos father and Garner played a woman who agrees to adopt the baby.

Page also touched on the amount of misinformation that has been spread about the transgender community in the wake of anti-transgender laws being passed in the southern United States. Most recently, the Dont Say Gay bill signed into Florida law that blocks classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity, and the push from Texas lawmakers to treat gender-affirming medical care as child abuse.

Story continues

Were tired of having to say: Oh, no. I actually do exist, Page said. The misinformation really affects people.

Page came out publicly as transgender in December 2020. The Umbrella Academy actor revealed on Tuesday that his character in the hit Netflix series, aaVanya Hargreeves, will also come out next season. Pages character Vanya Hargreeves, who was written for the first two seasons (released in 2019 and 2020) as a cisgender woman, will be known henceforth as Viktor.

Meet Viktor Hargreeves, Page tweeted alongside an image of himself in The Umbrella Academys forthcoming third season.
Emirates airline President Tim Clark says the carrier will continue serving Russia. Tobias Schwarz/AFP via Getty Images

Emirates continues to serve the Russian market even as major air carriers have pulled out amid sanctions on Russia.

Emirates is owned by the government of Dubai, which is part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE.)

The UAE hasn't condemned Russia for the war in Ukraine or imposed sanctions against the country.

Emirates will continue flying to Russia as long as its owner  the government of Dubai  tells it to, the carrier's President said on Tuesday.

"As long as the state, our owner, requires us to fly there, we will continue," President Tim Clark told the World Government Summit, per Reuters.

"We carry humanitarian goods in our holds. We've got NGOs traveling in and out of Russia. We've got the diplomatic community going in and out of Russia... so all we're doing is being an enabler, facilitator, without taking a political position on this for the time being," said Clark, according to Reuters.

Emirates is one of the few airlines still serving Russia after major carriers pulled out of the country amid sweeping sanctions over the Ukraine war. Dubai is part of the United Arab Emirates, which hasn't condemned Russia for the war in Ukraine or imposed sanctions against the country.

Clark told reporters at the summit in Dubai that Emirates prohibits sanctioned goods on its planes.

When it comes to sanctioned individuals, Clark said he wasn't "in a position to say who or what about sanctioned individuals. (They) are sanctioned by the West, they may not be sanctioned here," Reuters reported.

In a separate interview on Tuesday, Clark told Bloomberg TV the Russian people are also heavily impacted by sanctions.

"These sanctions are not aimed at the Russian people," Clark told Bloomberg. "The Russian people are just as affected by what's been going on in Ukraine as everyone else, I suspect."

Other major airlines still serving Russia include Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways.

Read the original article on Business Insider




Today is Wednesday. Welcome to Equilibrium, a newsletter that tracks the growing global battle over the future of sustainability. Subscribe here.

For a low-cost, effective mood boost, try heading for a walk in a big city park - particularly if you live in Indianapolis; Austin, Texas; Los Angeles; Jacksonville, Fla.; Chicago or Dallas, according to a recent study.

Despite relatively low levels of public spending on park infrastructure, these cities saw the highest boost in measured happiness among parkgoers, researchers from University of Vermont said.

To calculate the happiness benefit provided by parks, researchers compared social media posts originating from urban green spaces to ones that had been posted from outside them.

They found that being in nature was a powerful predictor of more positive posts - marked by words like "beautiful," "fun," "enjoying" or "amazing" - and that the greatest benefit came from parks larger than 100 acres.

While parks between 1 and 10 acres also had significant happiness-boosting potential, "not all parks appear to be equal when it comes to happiness. The ability to immerse yourself in a larger, greener natural areas had a greater effect than smaller paved city parks," said study coauthor Chris Danforth.

Today we'll look at Shanghai where attempts to head off a coronavirus outbreak in China's financial and manufacturing hub are running into the insatiable demands of a global supply chain. Then we'll look at an attempt to cut Bitcoin's reliance on dirty energy by changing its code.

For Equilibrium, we are Saul Elbein and Sharon Udasin. Please send tips or feedback to selbein@thehill.com and sudasin@thehill.com.

Let's get to it.

Shanghai 'closed loops' may not save supply chains

Shanghai is turning to a "closed loop" system that has so far kept semiconductor production and financial services running in the midst of China's worst coronavirus outbreak yet.

Story continues

But the lockdown is hitting other industries and companies hard - including Tesla - and tough restrictions to internal travel mean supply chain disruptions are likely even if its world-leading factories and ports can remain open.

'Closed loops' for critical industries: Many semiconductor manufacturers in Shanghai's eastern industrial hub have imposed a "closed loop" system to keep running despite the strict lockdown that began Monday, the South China Morning Post reported on Wednesday.

What is a 'closed loop' system?: In such a system workers stay on-site, often sleeping in company dormitories or offices. "Some engineers are expected to live and work on the factory floor for over a week," as Lifu Wang, a Shanghai-based analyst, told the SCMP.

They're avoiding China's most stringent lockdown yet. With 3,500 COVID-19 cases in Shanghai as of Monday - tiny for the rest of the world, but large for China - the Chinese government announced it was locking the city down for testing, Fortune reported.

Due to the difficulties of shutting down an entire city of 26 million, authorities opted for a phased approach: The half of the city east of the Huangpu River will be shut down Monday to Friday, with the western half closing on Friday, The New York Times reported.

Surreal scenes preceded the lockdown: "It felt like an apocalyptic scene," Shanghai counselor Ivy Sun told the Times. Before the lockdown began Sunday, "everyone ran out. A lot of people were on the streets near the neighborhood, and all the stores were filled with people."

The strictness of the quarantine kept some residents from getting necessary care - a particular blow in Shanghai, home of the country's best hospitals, many of which have refused treatment due to COVID-19 measures, the Times reported.

FACTORIES ARE KEEPING WORKERS ON SITE

Keeping workers on site means paying for housing, food and transport for employees - as well as often doubling daily salaries required to get workers to stay at their posts in isolation, without going home to their families, the analyst Wang said.

In Lujiazui - Shanghai's financial service's center, sometimes called China's Wall Street - more than 20,000 traders and bankers are sleeping in their offices, Reuters reported.

Beating out Tesla: While Tesla has had to close its Shanghai "gigafactory" this week, semiconductor plants have been running as normal, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

But open factories aren't enough to save supply chains: Danish shipping giant Maersk announced on Tuesday that the Shanghai lockdown would drive up internal Chinese transport costs, even if airports and seaports remained open, Reuters reported.

That's because while ports and some factories may be open, the transit routes between them - a labyrinthine pathway of warehouses and virus-testing checkpoints for truckers - are highly vulnerable, not least because their workers are caught in the lockdown too, the Journal reported.

One way the lockdown hurts supply chains: Truckers - who play an essential role in getting goods from factories to warehouses and warehouses to ports - are worrying "that they can transport the goods to the port, but cannot return from the port because of the stringent pandemic restrictions," freight company general manager Xiaodong Zou told the Journal.

Significant disruptions: With truck drivers often finding it impossible to secure vehicle passes that let them unload, "there is a significant disruption to truck movements already...leaving a large part of the cargo ready for loading today unable to be transported to the port," U.K. logistics provider Woodland Group told Fortune.

This is a problem with no easy answer: While "China is getting better at managing the shocks...the shocks are getting bigger," Hui Shan, chief China economist at Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong, told the Journal.

Green groups lead effort to clean up Bitcoin's code

Environmental groups are calling on Bitcoin to follow its rival Ethereum into a less energy-intensive form of code - which advocates say is necessary to avoid the cryptocurrency becoming a permanent market for the dirtiest forms of energy.

Called "Change the Code, Not the Climate," the campaign pulls together groups like Greenpeace, Environmental Working Group and Seneca Lake Guardian to pressure miners to shift to less polluting - and potentially less lucrative - methods.

Why is Bitcoin dirty? Because it's dependent on an extremely energy-intensive software design called "proof-of-work" in which banks of computers solve extremely difficult math problems to help verify transactions on the network.

What do campaigners want: For Bitcoin to "change from its original, computer- and energy-intensive proof of work technology to secure, efficient cryptocurrency systems that require a small fraction of bitcoin's current electricity needs," Ken Cook of Environmental Working Group said on Tuesday.

In such a system - which Ethereum is transitioning to as early as this summer - miners put up "stakes" of cryptocurrency to verify transactions, potentially cutting electricity usage by 99 percent, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Can't Bitcoin miners just use renewables? Of course - and many cryptocurrency industry groups have signed on to the Crypto Climate Accord, which seeks to have them do just that, the Journal reported.

But that's not enough to solve the problem: Because of the computing power required to run proof-of-work operations the industry will always be drawn to the cheapest energy sources - which today often means the dirtiest forms of fossil fuels.

How much energy are we talking about? Global cryptocurrency mining currently uses as much energy as Sweden - and could be using the equivalent of Japan in five years, as Chris Larson, co-founder of payment protocol Ripple told reporters on Tuesday.

THREE EXAMPLES OF CARBON INTENSIVE BITCOIN OPERATIONS

Here are some of the operations that worry campaigners:

Crypto-miners at Stronghold will use coal ash - a byproduct leftover from burning coal in power plants - to power cryptocurrency mining in two Western Pennsylvania facilities, Reuters reported.

A derelict coal mine is being repurposed by Blockware Solutions for Bitcoin mining in Kentucky - the second-ranked crypto-mining state after New York and one that is actively boosting the industry under two statehouse bills, TechCrunch reported.

And in New York, Greenidge Plant, a former coal facility by the Finger Lakes - now powered by natural gas - made $100 million last year, while threatening the success of the state's carbon-reduction plans, Gothamist wrote.

In the New York case, the high revenues meant that Greenidge plans to increase its operations, which will drive a huge increase in computing power, and therefore carbon emissions, Gothamist reported.

A nightmare scenario: Larson, the Ripple co-founder, sees Bitcoin as a potentially infinite market for the sorts of carbon-intensive energy that the world is trying to retire.

"What if the world is successful in creating a carbon free energy grid and fossil fuel demand crashes?" Larson asked on Tuesday.

If that crashes the prices of coal power, "now every fossil fuel producer will have a very cheap, stranded energy that can be monetized through Bitcoin mining," he added.

How do you change a decentralized currency? Greenpeace and other groups are betting that by helping boost demand for low-carbon Bitcoins among (for example) the increasingly carbon-sensitive financial institutions that now invest in it, they can shift the entire community to a new form of code.

"Bitcoin has changed its code before, notably in 2017 in what has been called the Bitcoin "civil war," Rolf Skar of Greenpeace wrote Equilibrium. "It is not the same as the Bitcoin that debuted in 2009, and it could change again. Anyone can develop and propose code changes thanks to Bitcoin's transparent, open-source code."

A limitation to that approach: "However, a level of social consensus is required for a change to have enough support to be integrated and adopted," Skar added. "Despite being decentralized, only six people (or so) make up the Bitcoin Core maintainers group."

What are miners saying? Many aren't happy. Bitcoin influencers and investors hit back at the proposal - and particularly at Larson and Ripple - in "swift and harsh" tweets, crypto news site CoinDesk reported.

Prominent crypto investors Ryan Selkis called Larson a "Judas." Other miners disputed the idea that convincing a few dozen miners would be enough to shift the network.

Skar thinks they may fall into line: "If enough investors and players create 'demand' for a code shift, it should take off" he told Equilibrium

World Wednesdays

Three snapshots from the global energy transition.

Expanding solar and wind sector are keeping 1.5 degree goal on the table

If global solar and wind energy can continue expanding at current rates until 2030, the world's power sector will be "on track for 1.5 degree [Celsius] goal" - which would keep the worst climate impacts at bay, according to a recent study covered on Wednesday in Reuters.

More methane for Europe means less for America

The U.S. is shipping unprecedented amounts of methane gas to meet rising (and more lucrative) demand overseas - depleting domestic supplies and driving up prices, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Moribund economy drives Afghanis to deadly mines

With the Afghan economy collapsing, thousands are scraping a living from the country's dangerous coal mines - despite backbreaking conditions and safety procedures that have deteriorated since the Taliban took control of the country, The New York Times reported on Tuesday. "If I had some money, I wouldn't stay here for another second," miner Baz Mohammad told the Times.

Please visit The Hill's sustainability section online for the web version of this newsletter and more stories. We'll see you on Thursday.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Hundreds of teachers at EU schools whose ex-pupils include British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen marched on Wednesday to demand better job security and contracts protected under EU employment laws.

Up to 300 teachers and other marchers, many holding banners, gathered in the EU district of Brussels on Wednesday afternoon to protest at the terms under which locally recruited teachers are hired for the European Schools.

The 13 schools cater for around 28,000 children of staff at EU institutions and of diplomats. Five are in Belgium and the rest in Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Spain.

Their teaching staff are split into two categories, about half provided by EU member states and the rest - the segment protesting on Wednesday - hired locally and paid less.

"The locally recruited teachers are employed on a contract designed by the Commission which represents all European values and principles, but we are exempt from all those principles," said philosophy teacher Matthew Pye.

"So all European employment law doesn't apply to us. We're in a separate legal bubble."

The teachers' group say that they risk having their own jobs advertised abroad, and that they can be removed or have their hours sharply cut if an EU member state hires a teacher to fill the same post.

They also say they are denied union membership.

The group said millions of people through the European Union had benefited from improvements to EU labour laws. "But there is one group of workers excluded from this process - and they work as teachers in the European Schools."

The EU office responsible for European Schools did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; editing by John Stonestreet)




Facebook hired a Republican consulting firm to run a campaign aimed at turning public sentiment against TikTok through op-eds and letters to the editor in regional news outlets and the promotion of stories about alleged TikTok trends that reportedly originated on Facebook, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

The campaign sought to portray the popular video sharing platform as a danger to American children and society, the Post reported, citing internal emails.

Operatives on the campaign were also encouraged to use TikTok's popularity to deflect from antitrust and privacy concerns facing Meta.

"Bonus point if we can fit this into a broader message that the current bills/proposals aren't where [state attorneys general] or members of Congress should be focused," wrote a staffer for Targeted Victory, the consulting firm, according to the report.

That is an argument Meta, Facebook's parent company, has used publicly before as well, highlighting TikTok's prominence as a defense against allegations that Meta has monopoly power.

The reported campaign comes as Facebook is in a precarious position, facing increasing scrutiny on its children's safety policies and its market power while also struggling to maintain and court a young user base. In February, Facebook's earnings report showed the social media platform losing users for the first time in its 18-year history.

In response to the report, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said, "We believe all platforms, including TikTok, should face a level of scrutiny consistent with their growing success."

Targeted Victory CEO Zac Moffatt said in a statement that the firm's "corporate practice manages bipartisan teams on behalf of our clients. It is public knowledge we have worked with Meta for several years and we are proud of the work we have done."

In a series of tweets, Moffatt pushed back on the Post's report, stating it "mischaracterizes" the work of the "right-of-center" firm, and that key points are simply false."

Story continues

A TikTok spokesperson said, "We are deeply concerned that the stoking of local media reports on alleged trends that have not been found on the platform could cause real world harm."

The Post reported that part of the campaign included getting letters to the editor in local newspapers. For example, The Denver Post on March 12 published a letter to the editor that Targeted Victory officials reportedly helped arrange in which a "concerned" "new parent" claimed TikTok was harmful to children's mental health and raised concerns over its data privacy practices.

A similar letter to the editor ran in The Des Moines Register the same day and linked to negative stories about TikTok that Targeted Victory had previously sought to amplify, the Post reported.

Moffatt said the authors of the letters to the editor knew of Meta's involvement.

"The story infers that the words of the letters to the editor were not the authors' own, nor did they know of Meta's involvement. That is false. They will confirm that. We had hoped to not have them included in this manufactured story out of respect for their personal privacy," Moffatt tweeted.

The campaign also had a Google document titled "Bad TikTok Clips'' that was shared internally and linked to local news stories citing TikTok as the source of dangerous trends. In an effort to pressure lawmakers to take action, local operatives working with Targeted Victory were encouraged to promote the alleged TikTok trends in their own markets, the Post reported.

For example, the campaign reportedly tried to promote clips of the "devious licks'' challenge that showed students vandalizing school property, the newspaper reported. The trend even led Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to write a letter in September to TikTok executives demanding that they do more to discourage the trend and that an executive testify in front of a Senate panel.

In October, the Targeted Victory campaign aimed to spread stories about a "Slap a Teacher TikTok challenge" in local news, but the challenge did not actually exist on TikTok, the Post reported.

Stories about both the "devious licks" trend and "Slap a Teacher TikTok challenge" seemingly initially spread on Facebook, not TikTok, according to previous reporting by Anna Foley at the podcast network Gimlet and by Insider.

Moffat also pushed back on the Post's reporting that the challenges did not initially spread on TikTok, without denying that the firm worked to amplify those stories.

"These viral stories about TikTok they claims are 'rumors' were actually reported by their own newspaper, some from over 6 months ago," Moffatt tweeted.
Alex Jones, the founder and host of Infowars, had offered $120,000 to each of the 13 plaintiffs who'd filed a defamation suit against him. Sergio Flores/Getty Images

Relatives of Sandy Hook victims rejected Alex Jones' settlement offer of $120,000 per plaintiff.

The relatives said the offer was an attempt by Jones to "escape a public reckoning."

He had baselessly claimed that the shooting was a hoax and that the families involved were "actors."

The families of the victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting rejected a settlement offer by the Infowars host Alex Jones, whom they accused of defaming them by claiming the killings never actually took place.

Jones had on Tuesday offered each of the 13 plaintiffs a settlement sum of $120,000, court filings said. "Mr. Jones extends his heartfelt apology for any distress his remarks caused," the offers read.

Lawyers for the relatives filed to reject Jones' offers on Wednesday, with the filing calling them "a transparent and desperate attempt by Alex Jones to escape a public reckoning under oath with his deceitful, profit-driven campaign against the plaintiffs and the memory of their loved ones lost at Sandy Hook."

Jones, a far-right conspiracy theorist, had baselessly claimed that the shooting was a "giant hoax" staged with "crisis actors" to support opposition to the Second Amendment. A 20-year-old gunman killed six adults and 20 first-graders in the tragedy at the school in Newtown, Connecticut.

Jones later admitted in a sworn deposition that the shooting did take place and claimed that a "form of psychosis" had led him to believe and tout his bogus theories about it.

In November, a Connecticut judge found Jones liable by default for damages when he refused to turn over evidence. The amount he must pay has not been determined.

Last week, Jones failed to appear for his court-ordered deposition, claiming to be sick. However, Judge Barbara Bellis refused to excuse him, noting complaints from the relatives that Jones was healthy enough to appear on his live show in the days prior.

Story continues

Jones also faces trial later this year over separate defamation lawsuits in Texas filed by families of the Sandy Hook victims, for which he has also been found liable for damages.

Norm Pattis, a lawyer representing Jones, told Insider in a statement that the show host and his legal team's "desire to settle is genuine and outstanding," and that they had tried to privately settle with the families for over a year.

"Commentary on the shootings at Sandy Hook was a minuscule part of our programming in years past," Pattis said. "To the degree we discuss it now, the discussion is generated by responding to the lawsuits filed against us."

Read the original article on Insider
Atlanta Public Schools says an angry parent was shot by a school police officer after she showed up at school with a weapon.

Police were called out to Booker T. Washington High School around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday following a fight between students that happened as school got out.

A parent came to the campus with a weapon and began waving it in the direction of students, employees and an Atlanta Public Schools Police Officer. The officer ordered the parent to drop the weapon. When the parent did not comply with the order, the officer fired one shot which struck the parent in the hand, the district said in a statement.

TRENDING STORIES:

Family members say the mother went to the school to defend her daughter, and that pulling out her gun was self-defense.

A woman, who did not want to be identified, said a fight between some girls started at the school before spilling over into her yard. She was the parent of one of girls involved in the fight, as well.

Some girls came over and jumped my girls, thats how everything started, she told Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln. They were fighting in my yard, jumping my children.

The mother who was shots sister said the homeowner was threatening to shoot the womans daughter.

They got fighting right in front of the house, the mother told my sister that she was going to shoot my niece, the sister told Lincoln.

EMS was called to the school where the mothers wounds were taken care of. No one else was injured in the incident.

APS Police and Atlanta Police are conducting a full investigation of the incident, and the parent faces several charges. As this was an officer involved shooting, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating as well. The safety and well-being of our students and employees is always a top priority for all Atlanta Public Schools, the district said.

IN OTHER NEWS:
(This March 30 story corrects to remove reference to 2019 statement on homosexuality that Rasanen did not make)

HELSINKI (Reuters) - A district court on Wednesday cleared a Finnish Christian Democrat lawmaker of charges of agitating against gay people after she described homosexuality as a "developmental disorder" and a sin.

In a case without precedent in Finland, the Helsinki district court had to weigh the importance of free speech and whether citing the Bible can be considered a crime against concerns over basic rights and protection of minorities.

Paivi Rasanen, a medical doctor and a former Finnish interior minister, called homosexuality "a developmental disorder" in an online opinion letter in 2004 and "a shame and a sin" on Twitter in 2019, the prosecutor said.

Rasanen, who has been a member of parliament for a small centre-right party since 1995, cited freedom of religion and denied any wrongdoing, saying the prosecutor's claims were unfounded.

"Obviously, Christians sticking to the Bible's teachings have the right to participate in public debate," she told Reuters in January.

Wednesday's verdict is not final as it can still be appealed in a higher court.

(Reporting by Essi Lehto and Anne Kauranen; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Graham Moore is 40, a relatively new husband (married in 2019), an even newer father (son born in 2021), an Academy Award winner (for his screenplay The Imitation Game) and a Chicago-raised resident of LAs Silver Lake neighborhood. Hes half a novelist, half a screenwriter, though already the math has gone flooey: Moores movie life now includes a co-writer/director credit for his feature directorial debut, currently in theaters.

The Outfit, an eccentric and rewarding addition to Chicago underworld mythology, stars Oscar winner Mark Rylance as a British cutter of exquisite handmade suits. Mistaken frequently for a common tailor, this man, Leonard Burling, has relocated for shadowy reasons to Chicago, where his shops clientele includes mob kingpins and their associates.

Advertisement

Set in the 1950s, The Outfit unfolds over a single, twisty, bloody night of suspicion, surveillance, impromptu surgery and a plot best left to real-time discovery. The question guiding the writing, Moore told me in an interview earlier this month, was simple for Moore and his collaborator, Johnathan McClain, the latter best known locally for his solo performance showcase Like It Is.

The question, Moore said, was this: Could we tell a classic 50s gangster story not from the gangsters perspective, but from that of a mild-mannered suitmaker whos in way over his head?

Advertisement

A Chicago sneak preview screening was happening a few hours after we talked. Many of Moores hometown friends and family members were coming. I have a large and motley extended family  my mother, my stepfather, my father, my stepmother, two sisters, two brothers, various husbands and wives. Its a very complicated family structure. I have every kind of sibling you can have! And theyre all coming to see it tonight! And Ive never been more anxious about a screening!

Well get to how it went in a second.

Family ties, Moore explained, had a huge influence on the genesis of The Outfit. His grandfather  a huge paternal figure in my young life  was a longtime family practice doctor in West Orange, New Jersey, and one of his patients was this notorious mobster Jerry Catena. My grandmother was shocked and sort of horrified by this. Shed say: How can you let this murderer walk through the doors of your office? And my grandfather, such a sweet man  my image of what a mensch is came from him  hed always say: Hes never been anything but a gentleman to me.

Screenwriter Graham Moore at The Peninsula Chicago on March 10, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

That got Moore thinking: What were their conversations like behind closed doors? Was my grandfather pretending not to know who he really was? Did he let his guard down? That was one seed for Leonard in The Outfit.

Another seed: In 1957, the first surveillance bug in FBI history was planted behind a radiator in Celanos Custom Tailors, located at 620 N. Michigan Ave. The Chicago mob used the shop as its downtown headquarters. As a writer and filmmaker, Moore said, Im enamored of drawing from real life.

The paradox of The Outfit is in its frank embrace of a hermetic, soundstage-bound atmosphere, effective in ways unrelated to conventional realism. When the pandemic exploded in early 2020, the movie, like almost every movie about to go into production, stalled. Then the idea of confining filming to a single London warehouse soundstage emerged. This was convenient for Rylance and, among others, for the superb Simon Russell Beale as the mobster trying to rat out whoevers been ratting out his organizations activities to the feds.

With any other film, Moore said, Id be sitting across from you now telling you how we had to find real locations, real places, you cant fake whats real. On this film, its the exact opposite. We had to build the exterior and the interiors, floor to ceiling, on a soundstage, so the space could be completely controlled. And that way, we could design the hell out of every inch of it.

Working with cinematographer Dick Pope, a veteran of many Mike Leigh films as well as Neil Burgers The Illusionist, Moore said he and his design collaborators wanted the film to look like one of Leonards suits. Its a film about a character with his own precise aesthetic, so the film should reflect his aesthetics. Their research took them to Londons Savile Row, in particular Huntsman & Sons, a 300-year-old establishment. Rylance trained there for the role.

Advertisement

Mark Rylance stars as a 1950s Chicago suit-maker, working for the mob, in "The Outfit." (Nick Wall/Focus Features/TNS)

Moore grew up in Lincoln Park, spending much of my childhood commuting along Lake Shore Drive while he attended the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. His mother, Susan Sher, served as former first lady Michelle Obamas chief of staff and now works as senior adviser to University of Chicago President Paul Alivisatos. He graduated from Lab in 1999 before earning an undergraduate degree in religious studies at Columbia University.

Moore went on to make a huge impact at the 2015 Academy Awards ceremony with a succinctly moving acceptance speech in which he acknowledged his suicide attempt at age 16. I felt weird, and I felt different, and I felt like I did not belong, he said that evening. To those who feel like you dont fit in anywhere, he said, I promise you do.

So much has happened to Moore since that night. Like every other Hollywood screenwriter, he has been hired for jobs that didnt come to fruition, among them a screen version of Erik Larsons serial killer sensation The Devil in the White City, which now, at last, is inching toward limited series adaptation, though without Moore involved.

Easy come, easy go. A half dozen of the best screenwriters in Hollywood, and also me, were invited to do drafts of that project. It was fun to work on. I got to work with Erik Larson, and hes been a tremendous supporter and confidant ever since.

When Moore was younger, he played in a lot of bands and later worked as a recording engineer and, briefly, a music producer. Everything I know about collaborative artmaking came from working with musicians and playing music with other people, he said.

On The Outfit, establishing a baseline of trust and ease with his leading actor yielded what Moore called a master class taught by Mark Rylance.

Advertisement

Hes such a subtle craftsman, Moore said of the chameleonic wizard who won a supporting actor Oscar for director Steven Spielbergs Bridge of Spies. One of his questions was always: How transparent do you want my face in this scene? How much of my thoughts and feelings do you want me to reveal here? 80%? 20? Hed do different takes, and hed be, like, Lets do a 40% take! And he could give you exactly that level of emotional transparency. Working with him was such a gift.

Then he added: And I hope my family likes it!

The next morning, I called Moore to ask him how they liked it.

Oh, gosh. Well. Theres nothing scarier than standing in the AMC River East, where I saw movies as a child, staring at all my family members. But they seemed to really like it. My mother had seen an earlier cut out in LA, a few weeks into editing. Extremely rough cut. I kept trying to tell her, its going to be much better soon. So when she said last night, Oh! This is actually good! it was her admission that she was worried it might not be.

He laughed, and then said: Moments like that are helpful so that they realize I do have a real job. And I do get to make movies.

The Outfit continues in area theaters.

Advertisement

Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.

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.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made national headlines Monday when he signed into law a divisive bill banning certain classroom instruction related to gender identity or sexual orientation in public schools.

But the bill-signing at a nontraditional charter school in Pasco County sparked questions about whether charters, which are public schools, have to follow the new law when it takes effect July 1.

The governors press secretary, Christina Pushaw, told the Phoenix in an email Tuesday that the new law would apply to all public schools including public charters.

Sign up here for The 74s daily newsletter. Donate here to support The 74's independent journalism.

But bill sponsor Sen. Dennis Baxley told the Phoenix that, I dont believe they (charter schools) would be included in the law.

Baxley, who represents Central Florida counties, understands that charter schools are public.

The charter schools sprinkling across Florida  and other states  have been around for more than 25 years, spawning debate, criticism and opposition as well as creating a movement and providing choices for families who may want something other than their neighborhood schools.

Charter schools get public funds and administer state exams in Florida, among other requirements. But generally, they are privately operated and have more freedom and flexibility in certain areas of academics and school operations.

HB 1557, officially titled Parental Rights in Education but also known as the Dont Say Gay bill, is now a law. But the words charter school do not appear in the legislation. And its still not clear if Floridas charter schools will have to comply with the law in classrooms.

The Phoenix reached out to the Florida Department of Education for clarity on whether charter schools are included under the new law, but did not receive a response.

Jon Harris Maurer is the public policy director for Equality Florida, a statewide LGBTQ advocacy group which strongly opposes the new law. He told the Phoenix in a text that:

Story continues

Florida law on charter schools broadly exempts them from complying with the Florida Education Code. While some bills specify that they regulate charter schools in addition to other public schools, this legislation does not make that clear.

The lack of clarity on this is representative of the bills overall vagueness and ambiguity, Maurer said.

Baxley, the Senate bill sponsor, told the Phoenix that the law would be applied to traditional public schools  not the nontraditional charters.

It was certainly my intent to address specifically the schools that we operate in a more direct manner. I see that the charter schools as under oversight  that they are not schools we operate, Baxley told the Phoenix.

But he noted that hes not an attorney, and that other interpretations may mean that charter schools are actually included  like Pushaw said.

I may not be correct. We may have a lot of legal opinions, he said.

This is new legislation. So, where it starts, how it progresses through that process, what it looks like at the end, what different peoples understanding of its application is  that really works out over a period of time, and will be reflected, Im sure, in input from court cases if they get filed, Baxley said.

Baxley indicated that some of the direct meaning of the legislation, which is now law, would be ironed out through expected court challenges.

I think since this legislation is passed there will be a period of working out how this will be applied. So you may get some different legal interpretations on the way there. And thats not unusual. That happens a lot with pieces of legislation, Baxley said.

He added: A lot of these things will filter out as they work down through the professional educators and with the attorneys who are challenging the wording of this statute.

Equality Florida previously stated plans to sue should any student be harmed by the effects of the legislation.

That law allows parents to sue if a school district withholds information about their childs well-being or if their child is exposed to classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity deemed not age-appropriate. The bill singles out kids in kindergarten through third grade, but could capture instruction and counseling through high school.

Opponents refer to it as Dont Say Gay because of fear of a chilling effect in public school classrooms regarding LGBTQ students, teachers, or topics.

As to charter schools, some 341,926 students were enrolled in one of Floridas 687 charter schools in the 2020-21 school year. Thats out of some 2.8 million public school students in all, according to September 2021 data from the Florida Department of Education.

The schools are created through an agreement or charter typically between the school and the local district school board.

Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Diane Rado for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.

Related: Sign up for The 74s newsletter
Moments before a McHenry County sheriffs deputy was shot to death outside a Rockford motel, police said, blasts of gunfire barely missed three other officers trying to arrest the gunman inside the motel.

Officers testified Tuesday about their narrow escape at the trial of Floyd E. Brown, charged with murder in the death of Deputy Jacob Keltner in 2019. A guest at the motel also described how he saw a man limping to his car and driving off just after the shooting, before the witness discovered Keltner lying shot in the parking lot.

Brown, 42, of Springfield, is charged with first-degree murder, several counts of attempted murder, assault of a federal officer and weapons offenses. He has denied involvement in the shooting. If convicted in federal court in Rockford, he faces mandatory life in prison.

The shooting occurred March 7, 2019, as the deputies, as part of a U.S. Marshals task force, were attempting to arrest Brown on a warrant at the Extended Stay motel in Rockford.

McHenry County Sheriffs Sgt. Daniel Kramer took the stand to say that a hotel clerk had told him Browns girlfriend had just paid the bill for his stay in Room 305 minutes before. At Kramers request, a maintenance man went into the hotel room on the pretense of looking for a water leak, and came out to confirm that Brown and his girlfriend were inside.

Kramer and two other deputies prepared to enter the room from the hallway, while Keltner parked his unmarked white SUV at a back corner of the building. I will keep an eye on the (hotel room) window and this (back) door, Keltner texted the other deputies.

McHenry County Deputy Michael Flannery said he banged on the door and announced that the officers had a warrant to arrest Brown, and Flannery was about to use a battering ram to break the door open. From inside, Flannery said, Brown yelled, Dont do it! Suddenly, a flurry of gunshots rang out and blasted through the door and walls next to the officers  at least one shot missing Flannerys head by inches.

Story continues

One of the bullets hit Browns girlfriend in the arm after she had answered the door. Because she was near the doorway, Kramer said, officers could not return fire for fear of endangering her. The deputies retreated, Flannery to a stairwell, the other two to the elevator.

They then heard another set of shots, sounding farther away and more muffled. Brown shattered the third-floor hotel room window and jumped out, prosecutors said, before shooting Keltner and escaping.

Text messages just before the shooting suggested that Keltner, who was married with two young sons, may not initially have been aware that the raid had begun. Keltner, in preparation for his role, had texted Kramer, Dan, let me know when you are knocking so I can get out on feets,  but Kramer didnt see the message until after the shooting.

Immediately after the initial shooting, one of the deputies radioed Keltner to call 911, which Keltner was doing when he got shot in the upper back. He fell to the ground beside his vehicle in the rear parking lot, with his pistol holstered and his rifle lying on the ground next to him, with the stock still unfolded.

A guest at the hotel, Oracio Gonzalez, testified that he was in his car in the rear parking lot, checking his emails, when he heard two popping sounds. He looked up to see a man limping across the lot to his car, hunched over and holding one arm to his waist. Gonzalez did not identify the man as Brown, but said the man left in a gray sedan.

Prosecutors said the car was the same one in which Brown was later arrested, after a car chase in which police later ran him off of Interstate 55 near Downstate Bloomington, about 140 miles from Rockford. After police set off tear gas following a six-hour standoff, Brown surrendered. Two loaded rifles with obliterated serial numbers and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were found in his car, according to the search warrant affidavit.

Brown told paramedics hed fallen from a third-floor window but got away feeling no pain due to adrenaline, prosecutors alleged. In the motel room, police said they found two loaded 9 mm handguns, shell casings and blood.

At the time of his arrest, Brown was on parole for a series of burglaries in McLean and Macon counties in 2011. Sentenced to 13 years in prison, records show he had been released in January 2018 with credit for good behavior.

One of his arrest warrants from Downstate alleged that hed fled police investigating a burglary and crashed his car, injuring at least two people.

A search of a laptop Brown and his girlfriend bought showed searches online for cop get ambushed and killing cops, prosecutors wrote in court documents. In a series of videos Brown made on his cellphone a month before the shooting, prosecutors alleged, he said he hated police.

If you dont know me by now, you will before long, he said. These (expletive) police want to make me famous, but Im gonna make they ass famous.

The trial, which began Monday, is expected to last three to four weeks.
The former Lawrence County attorney and his wife both admitted guilt in a federal wire fraud case in Frankfort Tuesday.

Michael Hogan, 53, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of theft of a federally funded program. His wife, Joy Hogan, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Court documents say the Hogans took part in a scheme to pay Joy Hogan more than $365,000 in bonuses while she worked in her husbands office.

Whenever public officials turn to self-interests and use taxpayer money for their personal benefit, it causes real damage, Carlton S. Shier IV, United States attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, said in a statement. Mr. Hogan was an elected county attorney  responsible for upholding the law  yet, he has now admitted to betraying that public trust and to taking a significant amount of public money for the benefit of he and his wife.

Not only was this conduct a theft of public funds, but it also dangerously erodes the publics faith in government officials and law enforcement.

Michael Hogan faces a maximum of 30 years in prison for the charges while Joy Hogan faces a maximum of 20 years for her charge. the couple could also face a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of gain or loss, according to prosecutors. Michael Hogan could also face an additional fine of no more than $250,000 for federal program theft.

A federal judge will use U.S. sentencing guidelines to determine their punishment. Their sentencing will take place on July 6.

They diverted money from the countys delinquent property-tax collections between March 2013 and April 2020, court records say. The couple deposited the money into personal bank accounts and used the money for personal purchases, according to prosecutors.

I directed Joy to write checks from the legal tax accounts, and I knew some of those checks were inappropriate, Michael admitted in court.

Joy Hogan admitted to similar behavior, and when Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove asked what she meant by inappropriate checks, she replied, I wasnt entitled to that money.

Michael Hogan also admitted to defrauding the Lawrence County Child Support Enforcement office, part of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. According to his plea agreement, Hogan billed the program for more hours than he actually worked.

Michael Hogan had been the Lawrence County attorney since 2003. An amendment in his plea agreement required him to resign. He was also required to not act as county prosecutor while on release prior to his guilty plea.
A jury found a former Salisbury daycare worker guilty Wednesday of multiple charges related to child sexual abuse.

After a two-day jury trial, 19-year-old Roseberline Turenne was convicted of eight counts each of sexual abuse of a minor, manufacturing of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

The Wicomico County State's Attorney's Office said images of eight children younger than age 3 with their private parts exposed were discovered on Turenne's phone in June 2021.

Background: Child-care employee at Stepping Stones Daycare arrested on multiple charges of sex abuse

More: Man faces assault, attempted murder charges in Brew River stabbing: police

Investigators determined she took the photos while she was responsible for the children's supervision at a Salisbury daycare, which she worked at from December 2020 until June 2021, according to prosecutors.

Turenne's sentencing has been deferred to allow for a mandatory pre-sentence investigation and mental health evaluation to be completed.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Former Salisbury daycare worker found guilty of child sexual abuse
SAVANNAH, Ga.  A soldier was killed in an aircraft incident early Wednesday at an airfield in southeast Georgia, Fort Stewart Army officials said.

The death occurred around 2 a.m. Wednesday at Wright Army Airfield on Fort Stewart and involved two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, according to a news release from officials.

Lt. Col. Lindsay Elder, a Fort Stewart spokesperson, declined to say whether one or both had crashed. Elder said one soldier died, and she was not aware of other injuries. She declined to release more information, citing an Army investigation.

The soldier's name was not immediately released, pending notification of relatives. He was assigned to the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division

Wright Army Airfield, at Fort Stewart just southwest of Savannah, has been closed until further notice.

Contributing: Associated Press

Reach Nancy Guan on Twitter @nancyguann.

FROM 2019: 3 soldiers die, 3 hurt in Army Fort Stewart training accident

'GO RIGHT NOW': For Fort Stewart spouses, Ukraine-related deployment came suddenly

MORE FROM FORT STEWART: Second round of troops disembark to reinforce NATO allies

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Fort Stewart soldier killed at Wright Army Airfield in Georgia
Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, younger brother to King Viserys and heir to the throne in House of the Dragon. (Sky/HBO)

Sky has announced that House of the Dragon, the much-anticipated Game of Thrones prequel spin-off, will air in the UK from 22 August, 2022 on Sky Atlantic and NOW.

The ten-episode series will arrive in the UK and North America simultaneously and each instalment will be made available here at the same time as the US premiere each week, and on demand thereafter.

Based on George R.R. Martins Fire & Blood and set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series tells the story of House Targaryen. It stars Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma DArcy, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Fabien Frankel, and Rhys Ifans.

Their descendant Daenerys Targaryen was a major character in the main series, with Emilia Clarke in the role.

Zai Bennett, Managing Director of Content, Sky UK, said: House of the Dragon is one of the most highly anticipated shows of the year and it showcases Skys commitment to providing exciting, world-class content for our customers.

If you loved Game of Thrones or are a first timer to the world of Westeros, this is going to be a must watch. Roll on Monday 22 August.

Paddy Considine in House of the Dragon (Sky/HBO)

Matt Smith recently told ComicBook.com that House Of The Dragon is "really different to the original series".

The Doctor Who star plays Prince Daemon Targaryen in the new series and admitted that while he hasn't even seen the show himself, he is expecting it to have a style all of its own.

Emma D'Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen (Twitter/HouseofDragon)

"I think it's really different to the original series, to be honest with you," he said.

Read more: Game of Thrones prequel House Of The Dragon releases first trailer

"I mean it has to be. The original series was its own thing and it was, it was so brilliant and, and sort of left a mark in a way that it would be impossible to repeat. So, I don't know."

Watch a teaser for House of the Dragon
An aide to Eric Garcetti is pushing back against a former colleague who accused the Los Angeles mayor of knowingly turning a blind eye to alleged sexual assult and harrassment in his office.

In email correspondence Monday sent to California Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla  and obtained by POLITICO  Garcettis chief speechwriter Becca MacLaren disputes sworn testimony from former Communications Director Naomi Seligman that is threatening to derail Garcettis nomination as ambassador to India.

Seligman accused longtime Garcetti former aide Rick Jacobs of grabbing and kissing her on the lips in 2016 in front of other city staffers. Writing to Feinstein and Padilla, MacLaren said she was present on that day and, categorically, did not witness any such act.

The alleged incident as described by Ms. Seligman in her testimony would have been shockingly inappropriate and extremely unprofessional, MacLaren continues. I would have noticed such behavior. I would not have stayed silent and sought to cover it up. And I would not have forgotten.

MacLarens email to senators challenging her former colleagues allegations represents the most significant public rebuttal to date from Garcettis inner circle. It also is a reflection of how much the claims against Jacobs  including a 2020 lawsuit brought by an LAPD officer who was a bodyguard for the mayor  have thrown into doubt Garcettis posting in New Delhi.

Reached by phone on Wednesday, MacLaren said she decided to speak up because the public debate about Garcetti has been one-sided and she felt strongly that I know the truth and that I have something to add to the story. She added, its not a comfortable thing for me to put myself forward and go on the record.

MacLaren added that she was not asked by Garcetti or anyone else to write on his behalf.

Seligman has led the charge against Garcettis confirmation, enlisting the help of the nonprofit outfit Whistleblower Aid to file a perjury complaint against him and repeatedly arguing the Biden administration should rescind his nomination.

Story continues

Her allegation is one of several Jacobs faces, including some contained in published text messages also reviewed by POLITICO. According to Seligman, Jacobs gave her the unwanted kiss on the day after a State of the City speech in 2016. A city commissioner, Rebecca Ninburg, testified that Seligman told her about the incident soon after.

Other staffers who were in the office that day have said they didnt see Jacobs act inappropriately.

In an interview Wednesday, Seligman said she would not be deterred by those, including MacLaren, trying to refute her testimony.

His staff lied under oath about not seeing anything so its no different that they lied about this, Seligman said of her former Los Angeles city colleagues. Those of us who have told the truth know that Mayor Garcetti witnessed the abuse and Rick Jacobs enacted it.

They have done whatever they can to discredit me and this is part of that pattern. They have retaliated against me and other whistleblowers and victims. Instead of focusing on the years of abuse and the victims they are focused on retaliation against me. Mayor Garcetti should be ashamed.

On Tuesday, POLITICO reported that multiple Democratic senators have privately raised concerns over Garcettis professed lack of knowledge about the allegations against Jacobs. While the Biden administration continues to express confidence about the nominations prospects, losing Democrats would force the administration to rely on Republican support. Currently, two Republican Senators have said theyre putting a hold on the Garcetti nomination until a more thorough investigation of the matter is completed. A Democratic Hill aide said that at a legislative director briefing on Wednesday, it was made clear that 50 Senate Democratic votes do not currently exist for Garcetti.



The battle over Garcettis confirmation had mostly unfolded behind closed doors. But it surfaced in earnest after he sailed through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where the mayor testified to senators that he had no prior knowledge of Jacobs alleged behavior. Garcetti added in the hearing that had he known about Jacobs conduct he would have taken action.

In the ensuing weeks, however, Seligman and others have been imploring senators to look more closely at the record and challenge Garcettis claims.

MacLaren, who has worked for Garcetti for six years, said she didnt initially come forward to challenge Seligmans account because she was busy as a new mother. But MacLaren does reveal that, in February 2022  not long after Seligman filed a complaint against Garcetti  she spoke on the record with The Los Angeles Times and shared her experience and perspective. The Times has yet to publish the story that details MacLarens pushback.

In the email to Feinstein and Padilla, MacLaren says she never cared much for Jacobs personally or professionally and would take steps to avoid him at the office. I found him to be obnoxious and condescending  harsh in his criticism about the speechwriting teams work, but unwilling to provide us with constructive feedback, MacLaren writes.

But she describes the mood on the morning of Jacobs alleged unwanted kiss of Seligman as celebratory when he came by to offer his congratulations.

I was deeply disturbed when I read her account  both because I believe her allegation to be untrue and because it suggests that her team (myself included) stood by and did nothing, she writes.

MacLaren goes on to say that she doesnt believe Garcetti would enable or ignore any claim of sexual misconduct.
What a piece of work is man! Neither of the ravenous witches in You Wont Be Alone actually quote Shakespeare, but that astonished sentiment informs every beat of first-time feature filmmaker Goran Stolevskis ruminative supernatural tale, set in the rustic hillside villages of 19th century Macedonia.

To which millions of horror movie fans will reply: Uh, no thanks, Ill wait for something more American, with some dead babysitters in it. Fine. Nevertheless: Focus Features picked up Stolevskis film for theatrical distribution, so here we are. And Im glad we are here, even if a recent preview screening had people bee-lining for the exits long before things wrapped up.

Advertisement

In You Wont Be Alone, the hills are alive with the sound of screaming, whenever the presence of Old Maid Maria, the witch also known as the Wolf-Eateress, can be felt. In the films opening minutes, the burn-scarred witch (Anamaria Marinca, smiling like a hag who knows she has the upper hand) makes a hard bargain with a peasant woman: Raise your infant daughter, and Ill come back for her when she turns 16.

From there You Wont Be Alone combines a tale of no-win parenting with the pungent, oddly delicate persuasion of an old folk tale imagined anew. The girl, Nevena, rendered mute by the witch, is raised in a cave by her real mother. Once shes collected by Old Maid Maria, she learns how to become whomever or whatever she kills.

Advertisement

Much of the film follows the grown Nevena as she transforms into three different humans, one of them played by Noomi Rapace of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and, more recently, the Icelandic film Lamb, which lies closer to this films funky earthbound supernaturalism.

The young witchs human education reveals to her a burning, hurting thing, this world, as she says in subtitled Macedonian-language voice-over. As in 2014s Under the Skin, we are seeing the world, and all sorts of rough, beautiful, carnal, elusive discoveries, through the eyes of a societal outsider.

Stolevski, based in Australia, shoots his film with close, tight hand-held camerawork, and at times it evokes what might happen if Terrence Malick took on a less comforting corner of the natural world. Its more essay than straight-ahead narrative, but that is simply a fact, not a flaw. In every design detail, the physical production and realization of You Wont Be Alone really does take you somewhere. However unsettling, its a film that knows what its doing.

You Wont Be Alone  3 stars (out of 4)

MPAA rating: R (for violence and gore, sexual content, graphic nudity, and sexual assault)

Running time: 1:49

How to watch: In theaters April 1

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.
A blue banner that reads Most Innovative HR Leaders, Presented By Human Resources on Netflix

Kazi Awal/Insider

Manish Mehta. Courtesy of Manish Mehta

Manish Mehta is the global head of human resources at the largest investment firm in the world.

He is spearheading inclusive hiring practices and employee well-being programs at BlackRock.

This article is part of Most Innovative HR Leaders, a series about talent heads who are innovating company culture, DEI, and employee experience.

Unlike many HR professionals, Manish Mehta took a more scenic route to his position in human resources.

Mehta leads the human resources team at BlackRock, the largest investment management firm in the world, with over 16,000 employees and $9.5 trillion in assets under management. Prior to being promoted to BlackRock's global head of human resources in 2020, Mehta served as the company's head of markets and investments for BlackRock's ETF and indexing business, and holds degrees in engineering, computer science, and business.

"HR chose me," Mehta said. "I did not choose HR."

A year ago, BlackRock publicly committed to increasing the diversity of its workforce. The company is now on track to increase the representation of Black and Latino employees by 30% and the representation of women in leadership to over 32% by 2024, Mehta said. For his ongoing work helping the firm reach its targets, Mehta was recognized as one of Insider's 2022 HR innovators.

"Our people are our most important asset at BlackRock," Mehta said. "We believe that it is crucial to continuously offer resources that will enable employees to bring their best selves to work, especially as we navigate a new world that blurs the lines between work and personal space."

Over the past year, 48% of BlackRock's new hires were women, while 15.3% of US hires identify as Black, 8.9% identify as Latinx, and 28.5% identify as Asian, Mehta said.

Additionally, 80% of BlackRock employees participate in at least one of 15 global employee, professional, and social impact networks. Mehta serves as the sponsor for the Asian and Middle Eastern Professionals network, which launched in 2021.

Story continues

On top of employee networks, BlackRock also launched "inclusion dialogues" in 2021. These small group conversations, led by an external facilitator, seek to create inclusive environments through open communication. To date, there have been 1,000 sessions globally with 11,000 employees participating.

Employees' mental and physical health has also been at the forefront of BlackRock's priorities since the onset of the pandemic, Mehta said, noting that health "has guided every strategic people decision, from return-to-office timing to in-office safety measures to work from home flexibility policies."

Mehta led BlackRock's creation of the COVID HR Response on Managing Experiences (CHROME) team, which provides rapid responses to employees facing stress or loss. Alongside CHROME, BlackRock created a suite of COVID-19 health benefits, including on-site and at-home testing kits.

Lastly, to help employees handle this tumultuous time, BlackRock launched a volunteer-led Mental Health Ambassador (MHA) program, where hundreds of trained employee volunteers served as allies for firmwide mental health awareness.

The practices seem to have paid off: Despite high levels of resignation nationally, BlackRock's turnover rate remained unchanged in 2021. And in an employee experience survey issued in September of 2020, 91% of employees reported they were proud to work at BlackRock, Mehta said.

"The pandemic has brought into stark relief the great impact that the HR function has on the human experience," he said. "Navigating the challenges of the pandemic with our HR team, I have seen the difference HR can make in people's lives."

Read the original article on Business Insider
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  Rick Scott likes to think of himself as Gen. Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War.

Barely halfway through his first Senate term, the Florida Republican is already leaning into a fight against his own party's leadership as he navigates a delicate alliance with former President Donald Trump and pushes a handcrafted policy agenda that many Republicans reject.

But Scott, who is also the Senate GOP's midterm chief, insists he has only begun to fight.

The 69-year-old former businessman likens his situation to that of Grant during the battle of Vicksburg, when the general ordered multiple bloody assaults on the Southern stronghold before delivering a victory that helped turn the war in the Union's favor.

I think of myself more like Grant taking Vicksburg, and I think as a result of that, Im always going to be perceived as an outsider, Scott said in an interview. Im going to keep doing what I believe in whether everybody agrees with me or not."

For now, what Scott believes is directly at odds with the wishes of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.

Scott is refusing to abandon an 11-point governing plan he released with little input from party leadership, even after McConnell's public rebuke one month ago. In the weeks since, Scott has continued to promote his plan, which would raise taxes on millions of Americans who don't earn enough to pay federal income taxes, in dozens of speeches and media appearances.

Those close to Scott suggest he understands the modern Republican Party better than McConnell and his establishment allies. And as tension lingers, Scott is leaving open the possibility of challenging McConnell for Senate majority leader should Republicans retake the Senate majority this fall, although the prospects of him waging a successful effort are slim. Most who know Scott well believe he's more likely to seek the presidency in 2024.

McConnell's office declined to comment.

Story continues

The story of Scott's unlikely rise from a little-known Florida businessman with a stiff demeanor to a two-term governor to a senator willing to buck his own party's leadership offers a fresh reminder that the conventional rules governing national politics no longer exist. Few outside Mar-a-Lago believe Scott could knock McConnell from his leadership post and Scott is an afterthought in early 2024 presidential chatter, which is dominated by his successor as governor, Ron DeSantis.

But allies suggest it would be a mistake to dismiss him as a serious political player.

Political consultant Curt Anderson, who has advised Scott for more than a decade, described the senator's interest in McConnell's job as pretty low," although Trump has privately encouraged Scott to challenge the Senate Republican leader. When asked about a potential presidential run, however, Anderson said only, Well see what opportunities lay ahead."

Not only has Scott won every race he's run, often as the underdog, he is the richest member of Congress with a net worth that exceeded $232 million before his last election. He has also expanded his donor network considerably over the last year in his role as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Lest anyone question Scott's willingness to dip into his personal fortune to further his political ambitions, he spent more than $63 million of his own money to win Florida's 2018 Senate election.

And his political footprint is growing.

As chairman of the Senate GOP's campaign arm, Scott is responsible for his party's quest to retake the Senate majority. He is tasked with leading the Republican Senate strategy, including how best to dispatch tens of millions of dollars to key races across the country.

That's even as Republican Senate candidates privately worry that Scott's policy agenda is giving Democrats a powerful talking point to use against them this fall. Several GOP campaigns have gone around Scott's committee to share their concerns directly with McConnell's team, although Scott has resisted pressure to back off.

Still, Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel described Scott as the ultimate team player who works hand in glove with the party's other major campaign committees.

But McDaniel's praise ended when the conversation turned to his governing agenda and the provision that would raise taxes.

I'm not a policymaker, McDaniel said when asked directly whether she supports Scott's plan. She noted that House Republicans are working on another policy rollout. "I know that our voters are really focused on what are our plans if we govern. But we have to win to do anything.

Republicans in Washington are divided over whether they even need a governing agenda.

The Republican Party declined to adopt a platform at Trump's 2020 presidential nominating convention. And many Republican strategists believe the GOP can win the House and Senate majority this fall without providing specific policy goals given Democratic President Joe Bidens weak political standing and traditional political headwinds against the party in power.

When asked earlier in the year what the GOPs agenda would be if it took control of Congress, McConnell told reporters, That is a very good question and Ill let you know when we take it back.

McConnell is not used to being challenged. He has been elected Senate Republican leader by acclamation without so much as a token challenger since 2007. He has already publicly declared his intention to retain his leadership role after the midterm elections, and his team does not expect anyone to oppose him.

But as Trump calls for McConnell's ouster from afar, Scott and House Republican leaders are challenging the Senate leader's wisdom.

House Republicans worked on their own Commitment to America agenda last week at their annual retreat in Jacksonville, Florida. During the three-day gathering, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was asked about the decision to introduce an agenda when McConnell has held off.

I think elections are important. But I think its more than important than just running against another party to tell the American public what you will do, McCarthy told reporters.

More than most Senate Republicans, Scott has worked to develop relationships with leading House conservatives, including Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Banks, R-Ind. Scott regularly sends handwritten thank-you notes following private meetings and has an impressive personal touch that does not necessarily match his stiff exterior, Banks said.

Banks described Scott's agenda as a courageous plan that gives the party a good framework to follow. Like other leading Republicans, however, he stopped short of endorsing Scott's tax provision.

I dont know that I support it or don't support it. I dont know the specifics," Banks said. But even Sen. Scott has admitted that this is his draft, his attempt to put a framework around the GOP agenda. He deserves credit for that.

Scotts plan to Rescue America features 11 broad policy goals, most of which are focused on the conservative movements cultural priorities.

He would require children in public school to stand for the national anthem; block the federal government from asking people to disclose their race, ethnicity, skin color or gender preference; finish Trumps proposed border wall; and ban biological males from competing in womens sports.

Critics have latched onto more specific provisions regarding taxes and federal legislation.

Scott calls for a minimum federal tax on tens of millions of Americans who dont make enough money to pay federal income taxes. Even a very small tax, he argues, would give people skin in the game to boost their interest and involvement in how their tax dollars are spent. Another provision would sunset all federal legislation five years after passage, which critics contend would jeopardize Social Security and Medicare, although Scott has said that is not his intention.

Indiana Sen. Mike Braun acknowledged that some in the Senate GOP caucus grumbled about the plan, but he said he remains confident in Scott's political leadership and even defended the 11-point plan.

In a brief interview, Braun insisted Republicans were still in a strong political position heading into the November midterms because Democrats mistakes have served up a platter of opportunity.

I say take advantage of that, but also stake a little ground out that gives independents who elect swing-state senators and the president something other than the party of 'No,'" Braun said.

Beyond dividing his caucus on Capitol Hill, Scott's plan has also divided some of Washington's most powerful conservative institutions.

Grover Norquist, president of the conservative group Americans for Tax Reform, dismissed Scotts plan as an unserious presentation that would create a significant tax increase.

Norquist complained that Scott released his proposal without checking with the broader conservative movement. This was not run past anybody, he said. Not happening.

Meanwhile, Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, praised Scott's agenda, including the tax piece. Scott is set to highlight his proposal during a Thursday speech at the foundation, which also plans to release its own set of policy goals.

The fierce resistance to Scott's plan, Roberts said, underscores a broader debate within the GOP.

This is not an honest conversation about taxation policy, Roberts said. Its about the establishment self-appointed ruling elites  I mean that generally  inside and outside the Capitol telling a great member of the Senate whos working on behalf of his constituents that he just needs to stop talking about this because its not the plan theyve decided.

And as Republicans fight each other, the Democratic National Committee has used Scott's plan as a weapon against the GOP since the day he released it.

The DNC released a second round of digital ads last week that calls on voters to stop Senate Republicans' new plan to raise taxes on 50% of Americans. The ads feature black-and-white pictures of Trump, McConnell and Scott.

"Rick Scott literally put it in writing, DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison told The Associated Press. Every Republican lawmaker must answer for it, and you can bet were going to remind the American people of it every chance we get.

Meanwhile, those who have watched Scott's political rise up close believe he is only beginning to put his stamp on national politics.

Ex-Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, who unsuccessfully ran against Scott in the 2010 Republican primary for governor, said he wouldn't underestimate Scott's potential to become the next Senate majority leader or the next president.

I think hes been ambitious to be president of the United States. He always has been," McCollum said. His real ambition was to get to Washington, always. Thats his real ambition. His real ambition is to be chief executive office of the country.

___

Associated Press writers Brian Slodysko in Washington and Farnoush Amiri in Jacksonville, Florida, contributed to this report.
Federal prosecutors asked the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to affirm the conviction of businessman John J.T. Burnette on charges involving a long-time bribery scheme with former Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox.

The government filed its brief Friday, arguing that there were no reversible errors during his 17-day-trial last summer at the U.S. Courthouse in Tallahassee. Burnettes lawyers have argued that U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle erred in matters involving jury instructions and the testimony of an undercover FBI agent and asked that the case be remanded back to the district court for a new trial or judgment of acquittal.

The latest:

None of Burnettes challenges on appeal to the jurys verdict or his trial has merit, government lawyers wrote in the 80-page brief. This court should affirm his convictions.

Jurors found Burnette guilty on five counts involving the bribery scheme and false statements he gave to the FBI once the undercover agents wrapped up their investigation in 2017. He is serving a three-year sentence in a minimum-security federal prison camp in Montgomery, Alabama.

Serving time: J.T. Burnette reports early to federal prison camp in Alabama in FBI public corruption case

Burnette was convicted for his role in the pay-to-play scheme involving Maddox and his longtime partner Paige Carter-Smith, who both testified against him after pleading guilty to several bribery counts. The governments appellate brief noted that Maddox and Burnette were long-time friends, who used their positions to enrich themselves.

Burnette first met Maddox shortly after entering the world of Tallahassee business and politics, government lawyers wrote. They became friends and together rose to become two of the most powerful people in Tallahassee. By 2012, Burnette controlled a multi-million-dollar real-estate empire, and Maddox dominated local politics from his seat on the Tallahassee City Commission.

Story continues

The 45-year-old Burnette, whose many projects included the downtown Gateway building, the Hotel Duval and the DoubleTree Hotel, was convicted for payoffs he arranged for Maddox and Carter-Smith through their lobbying firm, Governance, which she technically owned but Maddox secretly controlled.

'I let all those lines cross': Scott Maddox on his descent from public service to bribery

A $110,000 bribe, an empty chair and a hotel denied: Inside the J.T. Burnette allegations

He paid $100,000 for Maddoxs help in killing a hotel that would have rivaled Burnettes holdings and directed undercover agents to send $10,000 checks to Governance for Maddoxs help with approvals for development in Fallschase and Myers Park.

In their January court filing, Burnettes lawyers asserted that Hinkle mistakenly changed a standard jury instruction involving the definition of bribery and allowed an undercover FBI agent to testify about Burnettes truthfulness in secretly recorded conversations. They also said the court erred when it didnt grant a motion for acquittal on a charge of making false statements to the FBI.

The governments theory of the case was seriously flawed, Burnettes lawyers wrote. At the governments urging, the court instructed the jury that it could convict even if the government failed to prove that Maddox promised to take official action on any specific matter.

In the governments appeals brief, prosecutors wrote that Burnette faces two interrelated hurdles that he cant overcome. The brief was filed by W. Connor Winn, a criminal appeals lawyer with the U.S. Department of Justice.

His arguments are inconsistent with the federal bribery statute, the federal false-statement statute and the Federal Rules of Evidence, the brief says. And nearly all his claims are subject to review for plain error or sufficiency of the evidence  challenging standards of review to surmount even if his claims had merit.

Maddox, a former lawyer who was disbarred after his conviction, is serving a five-year sentence at the federal prison camp in Taladega, Alabama. Carter-Smith, former executive director of the Downtown Improvement Authority, is serving two years at the federal prison camp in Marianna.

Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or follow @JeffBurlew on Twitter.

Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Federal lawyers ask court to affirm bribery conviction of J.T. Burnette
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek police on Wednesday arrested a 33-year-old mother who will be charged with intentionally killing her 9-year-old daughter in a case that has shocked the country.

Georgina died in hospital and posthumous toxicology tests showed she had received ketamine, an anesthetic drug often used in animal surgeries, that had not been prescribed by her treating doctors.

The family's two other young girls had also died in mysterious circumstances in the last three years, prompting the homicides unit to investigate this case.

The mother was arrested in the city of Patras in southern Greece and was being brought to Athens to face a magistrate.

All three siblings died while being treated in hospital. The cause of death of Georgina's two other sisters remains unexplained and is under investigation.

(Reporting by George Georgiopoulos; Editing by Sandra Maler)
Then-Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and former Justice Sandra Day O'Connor attend the Women's Conference 2010 on Oct. 26, 2010, in Long Beach, California. (Photo: Kevork Djansezian via Getty Images)

The House of Representatives approved legislation on Monday to build statues honoring the late Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day OConnor at the U.S. Capitol.

There was bipartisan support for the bill, approved by the House in a 349-63 vote. The Senate had previously voted unanimously to pass a companion bill to erect the statues in December 2021.

The House bill is now headed to President Joe Bidens desk for his signature.

According to the legislation, each statue must be placed within two years of the bills enactment in a prominent location in the Capitol or on the Capitol Grounds. The legislation also suggests that each statue be constructed by artists from underrepresented demographic groups.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) acknowledged both Ginsburg and OConnors sacrifices and trailblazing efforts on Twitter.

Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day OConnor opened doors for women at a time when too many insisted on keeping them shut, Klobuchar tweeted on Tuesday.

Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O'Connor opened doors for women at a time when too many insisted on keeping them shut. The House just passed our bill to honor that legacy by placing their statues in the Capitol! It's heading to the President's desk.  Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) March 29, 2022

By becoming the first two women on the Supreme Court, OConnor and Ginsburg cleared a path for current Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett.

JudgeKentaji Brown Jackson is expected to follow, and would also become the first Blackwoman to serve on the highest court in the land.

OConnor became the first woman to be nominated to the Supreme Court in 1981 by former President Ronald Reagan, fighting for issues such as abortion rights and gender equality until her retirement in 2006.

Story continues

Ginsburg soon followed OConnorand became the first Jewish woman to serve on the court after being appointed by former President Bill Clinton in 1993. Nicknamed the Notorious R.B.G. for boldly defending womens rights and equal pay, she served until her death in September 2020.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
WASHINGTON  Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Wednesday she will vote to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, giving Democrats at least one Republican vote and all but assuring that Jackson will become the first Black woman on the Supreme Court.

Collins met with Jackson a second time this week after four days of hearings last week and said Wednesday that she possesses the experience, qualifications, and integrity to serve as an associate justice on the Supreme Court.

Advertisement

I will, therefore, vote to confirm her to this position, Collins said.

Collins support gives Democrats at least a one-vote cushion in the 50-50 Senate and likely saves them from having to use Vice President Kamala Harris tie-breaking vote to confirm President Joe Bidens pick. Senate Democratic leaders are pushing toward a Senate Judiciary Committee vote on the nomination Monday and a final Senate vote to confirm Jackson late next week.

Advertisement

White House chief of staff Ron Klain tweeted that he was grateful to Collins for giving fair, thoughtful consideration to Jackson and to other lower court nominees she has supported.

Jackson, who would replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer, would be the third Black justice, after Thurgood Marshall and Clarence Thomas, and the sixth woman. She would also be the first former public defender on the court.

It is expected that all 50 Democrats will support her, though one notable moderate Democrat, Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, hasnt yet said how she will vote.

Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson meets with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 8, 2022. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

Collins was the most likely Republican to support Jackson, and she has a history of voting for Supreme Court nominees picked by presidents of both parties, as well as other judicial nominations.

The only Supreme Court nominee shes voted against since her election in the mid-1990s is Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who was nominated by then-President Donald Trump after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the weeks before Trumps election defeat to Biden in 2020. Collins, who was up for reelection that year, said she voted against Barrett because of the accelerated six-week timeline. Its not a comment on her, Collins said of Barrett at the time.

In her statement supporting Jackson, the Maine senator said she doesnt expect that she will always agree with Jacksons decisions.

That alone, however, is not disqualifying, Collins said. Indeed, that statement applies to all six justices, nominated by both Republican and Democratic presidents, whom I have voted to confirm.

Collins said she believes the process is broken as it has become increasingly divided along party lines. When Collins first came to the Senate, Supreme Court confirmations were much more bipartisan. Breyer, who will step down this summer, was confirmed on an 87-9 vote in 1994.

Advertisement

In my view, the role the Constitution clearly assigns to the Senate is to examine the experience, qualifications, and integrity of the nominee, Collins said. It is not to assess whether a nominee reflects the ideology of an individual senator or would rule exactly as an individual senator would want.

In Jacksons hearings, several Republican senators interrogated her on sentencing decisions in her nine years as a federal judge and in child pornography cases in particular. The senators, several of whom are eyeing a run for president, asked the same questions repeatedly in an effort to paint her as too lenient on sex criminals.

Jackson told the committee that nothing could be further from the truth and explained her sentencing decisions in detail. She said some of the cases have given her nightmares and were among the worst that I have seen.

Collins told reporters after her announcement that they discussed many of the cases that were brought up at the hearings in an hourlong meeting on Tuesday and I had no doubt that she applies a very careful approach to the facts of the case when she is judging.

It is unclear if any other GOP senators will vote for Jackson. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell set the tone for the party last week when he said he cannot and will not support her, citing the GOP concerns raised in the hearing about her sentencing record and her support from liberal advocacy groups.

Jackson is still making the rounds in the Senate ahead of next weeks votes, doing customary meetings with Democratic and Republican senators. On Tuesday she met with Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, who said afterward that he was undecided about supporting her.

Advertisement

Romney said he had an excellent meeting and found Jackson to be intelligent, capable and charming. He said he probably wont decide whether to vote for her until the day of the vote.

Romney voted against Jackson last year, when she was confirmed by the Senate as a federal appeals court judge. Collins, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham were the only three Republicans to support her at the time.

Murkowski and Graham have each indicated they might not vote for her a second time. Murkowski said in a statement before the hearings that Ive been clear that previously voting to confirm an individual to a lower court does not signal how I will vote for a Supreme Court justice.

Graham was one of several Republicans on the Judiciary panel who pressed Jackson on the child pornography cases, and he has been vocal in his frustrations that Biden chose Jackson over his preferred candidate, a federal judge from South Carolina.

He also aired past grievances in the hearing, asking Jackson about her religion and how often she goes to church, in heated comments that he said were fair game after unfair criticism of Barretts Catholicism.

Also Wednesday, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said he will not support Jackson, further indication that the Judiciary panel will likely deadlock 11-11 at its Monday vote on whether to recommend her confirmation to the full Senate.

Advertisement

A deadlocked vote means Democrats will have to spend additional hours on the Senate floor next week to do a discharge from committee.

Still, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said this week that the Senate is on track to confirm her by the end of next week and before a two-week Spring recess.

Associated Press writers Alan Fram, Lisa Mascaro and Darlene Superville and video journalist Rick Gentilo in Washington and David Sharp in Portland, Maine, contributed to this report.
Topeka police early Wednesday afternoon were using yellow crime scene tape to continue to block off an extended area, which included this parking lot just east of Tortilla Jack's Mexican Restaurant, 1618 S.W. Washburn Ave. Police said an infant died in a homicide earlier that day in that area, located on the south side of the street in the 1400 block of S.W. Byron.

An infant died in a homicide to which officers responded early Wednesday morning in the 1400 block of S.W. Byron in central Topeka, police said.

The child's mother suffered injuries that weren't life-threatening during the same incident, said police Lt. Manuel Munoz.

Arrested in connection with crimes linked to the attack was Trayvonne Damont Jones, 18, according to Shawnee County Jail records. No formal charges had been filed.

Jones and the victims were known to each other, Munoz said.

Police weren't making public the names and ages of the victims or the gender of the child. The cause and manner of death remained under investigation.

All people involved had been located and accounted for, Munoz said, adding "there is no threat to the community from this incident."

Police called about attack at 4:40 a.m.

Munoz said police were called at 4:40 a.m. Wednesday on a report that an attack had occurred in the 1400 block of S.W. Byron, which runs from east to west and is located one block south of S.W. 17th Street between S.W. Lincoln and Lane streets.

The infant was found to be suffering from life-threatening injuries, and died after being taken to a Topeka hospital, Munoz said.

The mother received hospital treatment, then was released, he said.

Police transported several people to police headquarters for questioning, Munoz said.

Jones was booked at 6:10 p.m. Wednesday into the Shawnee County Jail, where he was being held without bond in connection with first-degree murder in the commission of a felony, reckless but unintentional second-degree murder, child abuse, aggravated child endangerment and aggravated battery, according to jail records

Traffic was blocked Wednesday afternoon from entering the 1400 block of S.W. Byron.

Yellow crime scene tape been put up to keep people out of an extended area on the south side of that street.

That area ran from 1425 S.W. Byron west to Tortilla Jack's Mexican Restaurant, 1618 S.W. Washburn Ave., while including an alley and the Tortilla Jack's parking lot.

Story continues

People were still being allowed into the restaurant.

Tim Hrenchir can be reached at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Infant dies in central Topeka homicide. Mother injured, man arrested
Justin Hartley, left, Mandy Moore and Milo Ventimiglia of "This Is Us." (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

The last words of the "This Is Us" series finale have been put to page by creator Dan Fogelman. But before viewers learn what they are, the family drama had to set in motion the Pearson family's final turning points.

Over the course of its six seasons, "This Is Us" has occasionally featured a trio of episodes zooming in on each Pearson sibling at a pivotal moment in his or her life. The series again tightened its lens on the Big Three in recent weeks as they grappled with their mother's health problems and, more urgently, responded to her stirring call to action: to live their lives fully and not slow down because of her. Im asking you to be fearless, she pleaded.

This season's trilogy, which concluded Tuesday with the Randall-focused episode, kept it all in the family, with stars Milo Ventimiglia (who plays Jack Pearson), Mandy Moore (Rebecca Pearson) and Justin Hartley (Kevin Pearson) as directors.

"What you're seeing in these final episodes is the last push off the ledge," said Fogelman.

In "The Guitar Man," directed by Ventimiglia, Kevin takes his twin daughters to the family's cabin as he sets out to complete Jack's dream home and prove himself as a father. "I think what you're beginning to see is a journey for Kevin where he comes of age in his mid-40s and beyond," Fogelman said. "That includes fatherhood, it includes what he might do with a nonprofit-type organization that works with veterans, but very much harkens to these two male figures of his life: his father and his uncle, who have defined him."

In "The Hill," directed by Moore, Kate (Chrissy Metz) visits Toby (Chris Sullivan) in San Francisco and wrestles with the growing feeling of discord and distance in their marriage. "Kate's journey got a little stilted after the loss of her father, and it comes in fits and starts," Fogelman said. "It's about relying on other people, perhaps more than she needs to, and learning to stand on her own two feet. Kate's finding a lot of resolve and a lot of strength in this moment when perhaps, as you see at the end of her episode, old versions of herself might have shrunk from the moment."

Story continues

Mandy Moore of "This Is Us." (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

In "Every Version of You," directed by Hartley, Randall (Sterling K. Brown) and Rebecca venture on an unintended road trip and reflect on their unique bond, which placed an unintentional burden on Randall and shaped his need to fix situations. "This is as big a crisis as you can get for Randall, which is, 'My mother is sick, and I'm not in charge of her care  and she wants it that way, and I don't know what to do with any of that,'" Fogelman said.

In a recent video interview with The Times, Ventimiglia, Moore and Hartley discussed directing the show's final Big Three trilogy, what the episodes unlocked for them about the characters they play and what's in store with just eight episodes left.

Members of the cast have expanded their role behind the scenes before, including Milo and Justin, who have directed before, but it's even more pronounced with this final season. How intentional and important was it for you to enhance your creative involvement in this final stretch?

Ventimiglia: These trilogies, we've done a handful of them. And we've seen directors like Ken Olin go through and do all three of them and keep it all together. And we've been a part of the performing of them. And looking at it from the other point of view, it's just adding another layer of what we've been able to do for six years.

Moore: We really were attached at the hip. I don't think they could have gotten any other directors to do these episodes because they would have been directing an episode of television for 2 months. It's not the way that it [usually] works. [But] knowing these characters, knowing these stories, so inside and out, it was just a treat to be like, In some way, we're getting to be a part of tying up bits and pieces of these characters lives. I didn't feel an intense amount of pressure because the writing is just so exceptional and the actors are so exceptional. I was like: This feels like cheating. This isn't really what directing is like.

Hartley: There's also a flip side of that. The episode that [Mandy] directed and, Milo, the episode that you directed, they do have your flavor there. They would be different episodes if that person was not directing the episode; I can say that because I saw it. There are certain things that Mandy will say that are from her heart and from her perspective on life; or the way Milo will come in  Milo will do a thing where he will just look at you and go [nods]. The way that Milo does it, it means something different.

How were the scenes that are shared across the three episodes handled?

Ventimiglia: Many, many voices. Everything that was at the pool  we were all making sure that we had an understanding, geographically, of where we needed to be. But really, what it came down to was Mandy and I were in the pool with 7-year-olds, and those kids take a lot of attention. There's a bunch of setup that we could do. But also at that moment, we have to focus on our acting. And Justin  he was there, not even filming his episode stuff just yet, but he's behind the monitor and he's walking up and he's giving notes. And then Mandy will catch something. And Mandy will catch something that plays more in my episode or more in Justin's, but she's still saying it and we're all listening. No one was stepping on anyone's toes. I think the only confusion was probably for the kids.

Milo Ventimiglia of "This Is Us." (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Hartley: I almost wish there was a documentary shot about how we shot these three. I felt like we mind-melded it together, the three of us, and kind of figured this out, especially you two. I don't know how the hell you guys were directing while both in the scene.

Moore: Milo and I have six years of working with kids in some capacity. We've been in this stupid pool before, so we have a lot of experience with that. I think it was just hard for people on the outside. They're like, "So, how'd the directing go?" I'm like, "Oh, it's still happening." It's like close to the end of January, and they're like, "Oh, I thought you were directing before Christmas." It's like, "Oh, I was. We were. We were." It literally was making an indie movie or something.

Ventimiglia: I think Justin holds the record for the longest episode on our show. It's like clocking in at three months or something like that.

Hartley: It was through my 40s.

Moore: Because there are these moments that happened in all three episodes, specifically the opening scene of each episode, that was really where we had to come together. We had to all kind of get together initially and have a giant rehearsal, and Dan and production was there. We took a part of the parking lot [at Paramount Pictures] and taped out exactly the dimensions of the pool. Because what happens in Milo's episode affects what happens in my episode affects what happens in Justin's. We all had to be on the same page and coordinate: "This is where the teens are when they're going to the pool and it's empty. They're going to start Milo's episode here. They're going to end up here. And then that picks up in my episode where it ended in Milo's.





The Rebecca monologue at Thanksgiving sets up the rest of this season, lighting a fire under the Big Three. With these episodes, we see how Kevin, Kate and Randall are facing a new crossroads in their lives and confronting the big and small moves they need to make. What struck you about the themes you were exploring in each of your episodes?

Ventimiglia: Before I got into [directing] my episode, I was watching a lot of other Kevin episodes, and I was watching Justin, through the years, go through this process of discovery of the character, and seeing how deeply impacted [Kevin] was by the loss of his father and his trajectory. He watched his brother and sister go in one path, he kind of took another and is constantly beating himself up over those steps that he took that he would categorize as a misstep, but, really, that's just his path to get him to the point where he needed to be in the moment where he found his strength. I think we saw Kevin naturally settle into this place of of confidence as a father and just as a good man.

Moore: I was floored that this was the first time Kate was really choosing herself and saying yes to herself. I think she's always struggled with pleasing everybody around her and putting herself last. And I felt like this was such an incredibly powerful and empowering moment for her. She starts out in one place and obviously finishes in a completely different place. I don't think she ever could have imagined sacrificing this idealized version of what a family is, trying to replicate what she grew up with, and coming to the realization that maybe that's ultimately not in the cards for her, and choosing herself and her health and her well-being. I related to all of that, but I was [also] inspired by it, and I'm just excited because it kind of sets the tone for the rest of this series for Kate.

Hartley: The episode I was directing, I use a lot of mirrors because the whole theme of that episode, one of the themes of that episode, is how you see someone through the years, and then realizing that people see you differently throughout the years. And you, in fact, see yourself differently throughout the years. You're very young, but you might actually have this experience a few years from now where you will look in the mirror and you will go, "Huh? Wow. Well, OK, so that's what I look like." There are a couple of moments in the episode that I directed where Mandy and Sterling are talking about that very topic, and the question is interesting: How do you see me? When did I change? When did I start becoming this person, good or bad? Because there's no going back. It's all going one direction.

Justin Hartley of "This Is Us." (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Directing involves a lot of preparation, sometimes overpreparation, but so much that comes with the job is being flexible and nimble, rolling with last-minute shifts. What were some of the things you had to roll with, or changes that had to be made on the fly?

Moore: Some of my episode was shot up in San Francisco. After months of preparation and scouting and deliberating over certain locations for things and praying that weather was going to be OK, we get up there, and, of course, it's a typical San Francisco morning  we're socked in with fog, you can't see anything. We literally could be in Echo Park right now because no one could tell it's San Francisco. There's no production value here. I mean, it's beautiful, but foggy as f. And then COVID shut us down early. We had a whole other huge sequence, a two-page scene, in our episode that had a very San Francisco-centric thing to it. It was just completely off the table because of this COVID scare that shut down production. It went from like: "Oh, we're going to be able to finish the day" to "No, you're done right now."

Initially, the way it was written was that [Kate] wakes up the next morning and has that conversation with [Toby] where he's like, "You guys have to move to San Fran. That's just the way it is." And she's like, "I need some air." And she goes out, and it was scripted that she goes to take this walk and clear her head and old Toby meets her there and she's like, "I actually have to do this by myself. I have to say goodbye to you." But because of all of this happening, we didn't get to shoot that. Chris is shaving his face, and then they're like, "Actually, you're done. You can't shoot anything." We just shoot the end of the episode with Chrissy climbing the hill. And I had all these fun, fancy shots with Yasu [Tanida], our [director of photography], planned out  like she's going to cross the horizon and all this fun stuff that we didn't get to do because it became "How can we just assemble this scene to make sense?" And we figured it out. It was a reminder of like, "Oh, yeah, this s happens."

What did these episodes unlock for you about your characters?

Moore: I think maybe Rebecca will sort of absorb Kate's situation and the changes and choices she's making in her life and feel proud. She's always known who Kate was, she's always known what she was capable of, and the fact that she's making some tough calls for herself and for the good of her family I think is something that Rebecca will feel a lot of pride about.

Hartley: I don't know about unlock, but realize that he can actually do it, to put it in simple terms  a confidence that he can be a father, that he can raise these kids.

Ventimiglia: It's the direct impact on his kids. Jack has been [a] supporting [character] since Season 4. We've learned everything we needed to know about Jack, [Seasons] 1 through 3. How does all that we know about this man truly impact his children? And it could be the simplest of things, the smallest of moments shared. But I think the resonance of Jack on his kids.

Do you have a sense of what seeds you're planting in your episodes for future ones?

Ventimiglia: We're starting to see loops close. These open-ended questions are kind of starting to close as we're in Season 6. And it's a very whole feeling.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Americans held captive in Syria were subjected to physical abuse that was unrelenting and unpredictable before they were murdered, a federal prosecutor said Wednesday in opening statements at the trial of a British man accused of helping the Islamic State terrorist group torture and murder them.

El Shafee Elsheikh is one of four British nationals accused of taking part in the kidnappings of international hostages, including U.S. aid workers Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig and U.S. journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

One of the British men was killed in a U.S. military air strike in Syria, and another is imprisoned in Turkey. The fourth, Alexanda Amon Kotey, was brought with Elsheikh to the U.S. in 2020 to face federal charges. Kotey pleaded guilty in September and faces life in prison. He was not required to testify at Elsheikhs trial.

Court documents said that throughout the captivity of the U.S. hostages and others, Kotey and Elsheikh supervised detention facilities holding the hostages and were responsible for transferring them between facilities. The men engaged in a prolonged pattern of physical and psychological violence against hostages, the filings say.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Gibbs told jurors Wednesday in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, that Elsheikh played a central role in a brutal hostage-taking scheme.

Mueller, who was tortured and sexually abused, died in 2015. Elsheikh and Kotey admitted their involvement in holding her captive in an interview obtained exclusively by NBC News, which aired in 2020. They also admitted beating Foley.

Defense attorney Edward MacMahon said the statements were made under duress because both men feared they would be killed if they simply admitted to being soldiers of the Islamic State, commonly known as ISIS. There were many motivations for them to make their statements, he said.

He said the facts are heartbreaking and horrific but that the evidence is inconsistent and fails to show that Elsheikh bears any responsibility. Former hostages who are expected to testify have given different accounts of who the four captors were, he said.

Story continues

The four British men were nicknamed The Beatles because of their accents. U.S. officials said they were led by Mohammed Emwazi, who was believed to have murdered Foley in a beheading recorded on video. Emwazi was killed by Hellfire missiles fired from a CIA drone in 2015.

U.S. and British authorities allege that the men were responsible for 27 killings, including the beheadings of Foley, Sotloff and Kassig, as well as of British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning.

In the interviews obtained by NBC News, Kotey and Elsheikh gave new details about Muellers time in captivity. I took an email from her myself," Elsheikh, referring to getting an email address ISIS could use to demand ransom from the family.

She was in a large room, it was dark and she was alone, and ... she was very scared, Elsheikh said in the interview.

Family members of the victims are attending the trial, and some are expected to testify. Other expected witnesses include detainees held at some of the Syrian facilities who managed to escape.

If he is convicted, Elsheikh faces a potential sentence of life in prison. The Justice Department agreed not to seek the death penalty to have him extradited to Virginia to stand trial.
STORY: The gunman killed at least five people in a Tel Aviv suburb on Tuesday before he was fatally shot, the national ambulance service said, in the third deadly attack in Israel in a week.

"Israel is facing a wave of murderous Arab terror," Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tweeted after the shootings in Bnei Brak, a Jewish ultra-Orthodox city on the outskirts of Israel's commercial capital.

The shooting raised to 11 the number of people killed by Arab gunmen in Israel over the past week, the sharpest spike in attacks on city streets in years.
By Maayan Lubell

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli security forces were on high alert on Wednesday after a Palestinian gunman killed five people in a Tel Aviv suburb, the latest in a string of fatal attacks that has stoked fears of wider escalation ahead of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Israel was facing a "new wave of terrorism" and called a security cabinet meeting, as police beefed up their presence in Israeli cities.

The shootings on Tuesday in Bnei Brak, a Jewish ultra-Orthodox city, raised to 11 the number of people killed by Arab attackers in Israel over the past week.

It was the sharpest spike in attacks on city streets in years, raising again for Israelis a familiar sense of insecurity.

Police said the gunman was a Palestinian from Ya'bad, a town in the occupied West Bank. He was shot dead by police during the shooting spree.

Witnesses said he had walked methodically through residential neighbourhoods in Bnei Brak, where he killed a policeman, two Israeli civilians and two Ukrainian nationals who were veteran workers in Israel.

An assailant who carried out a stabbing and car ramming attack in the Israeli city of Beersheba on March 22 and two gunmen in an assault in the city of Hadera on Sunday were Arab citizens of Israel. Israeli authorities said those assailants, who were killed during the attacks, were loyal to Islamic State.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the shootings in Bnei Brak, which was not claimed by any armed group, though residents in Ya'bad linked the assailant to the leader's Fatah party.

The Israeli military said it had boosted its deployment in the West Bank and troops were seen patrolling through Ya'bad. Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said Israeli security forces were at their highest level of alert since a Gaza war last May.

Israeli officials had warned about a potential surge in assaults in the run-up in April to the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a period during which violence has surged in the past.

Nightly Ramadan clashes last year between Palestinians and Israeli police in East Jerusalem, captured by Israel along with the West Bank in a 1967 war, helped ignite violence between Israel and Gaza militants that led to the 11-day war in May.

(Reporting by Maayan Lubell; Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Benradette Baum)
Gloria Williams enters the courtroom for her June 8, 2018, sentencing hearing in the kidnapping of newborn Kamiyah Mobley.

An impassioned plea from Gloria Williams to have her 18-year prison sentence reduced for kidnapping Kamiyah Mobley in 1998 has been dashed by a Duval County Circuit Court judge.

Despite assurances that she is working hard to improve herself four years into a prison sentence for stealing the hours-old infant from a Jacksonville maternity ward, the motion to cut her time in half was not filed in a timely manner, Judge Jeb Branham said.

Timeline: The abduction of Kamiyah Mobley

Podcast 'I'm still lost': 20th anniversary of the abduction of Kamiyah Mobley

His one-page response Tuesday also said he declined to address its merits.

"The court commends defendant for her efforts to rehabilitate herself and sympathizes with Ms. Mobley's perspective," Branham wrote. "However, even if the motion was filed on time, the court would not find a basis to undo the original sentencing judge's decision."

Taken almost 24 years ago

On July 10, 1998, Mobley was taken out of what was then called University Medical Center (now UF Health Jacksonville) by Williams. The South Carolina woman, dressed in medical scrubs, had befriended then-15-year-old Shanara Mobley after wandering the hospitals halls, only to take her baby hours later.

As the frantic search for "Baby Kamiyah" continued, she and Williams disappeared for 18 years. Williams raised her as her own daughter Alexis Manigo in Walterboro, S.C. Then on Jan. 13, 2017, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office announced investigators had found Kamiyah after she had become suspicious trying to get her Social Security card for a job application and was finally told by Williams she had taken her at birth.

Movie on kidnapping: Stolen By My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story premieres on Lifetime

Thirteen months later, Williams pleaded guilty to kidnapping and interference of custody, a plea agreement giving her 18 years in prison.

Williams filed her own brief in 2019, arguing that the 18-year sentence was unreasonable and constituted cruel and unusual punishment. She wrote that she had suffered a devastating miscarriage and was experiencing postpartum depression as well as mental and emotional disturbance. But in late July 2019, Florida's 1st District Court of Appeal affirmed a lower court's ruling and rejected her appeal.

Story continues

Kamiyah: 'I need my mother home'

Williams' latest motion, filed Dec. 6, asked the courts to cut her sentence to nine years. She wrote that she is pursuing a master's degree in business administration on top of community service, according to news partner First Coast News.

"From my arrival to the present, the amount of community service hours I have acquired is a testament to my sincere desire for self-betterment," she said.

The motion also included a handwritten letter from Mobley, supporting Williams' request.

"I would like to make it very clear that she is my mother," Mobley wrote. "She raised me and not only provided for my needs, but she loved me unconditionally."

Kamiyah Mobley attends the 2018 sentencing hearing of Gloria Williams, who kidnapped her from what was then University Medical Center in 1998 and raised her as Alexis Manigo.

Mobley's letter goes on to say she is an independent, college-educated and deeply spiritual person "because of all my mom gave me." She said she is fully aware of "how my mom became my mom" and is grateful to have met her birth parents. But while nothing justifies what happened in the past, she asked "the court's grace and mercy, as I need my mother home."

dscanlan@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4549

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Plea denied in kidnapping of Kamiyah Mobley at Jacksonville hospital
Starting April 1, Japan will lower its legal adult age from 20 to 18, which may allow some high school students to legally star in adult films.



The new law will give those who are 18 and over all of the rights and responsibilities that come with being a legal adult, including the ability to sign credit card, loan and marriage contracts or apartment leases. The motive behind the change in civil code involves the notion that people should participate in society sooner, against the backdrop of Japans low birth rates.



However, many in the country have voiced fears that actors as young as 18 years old, many of whom may still be in their final year of high school, will be able to legally star in adult films once the new law goes into effect.



There is ongoing debate between Japanese lawmakers on whether there should be an amendment that would continue shielding 18- and 19-year-old people from the adult film industry. The concern is that young women could be victimized or tricked into partaking in pornography, or that adult films depicting young girls will become an increasingly popular category.



In a meeting at the National Diet building, where Japans legislative sessions are held, a former adult film actor shared her experience with being pressured to appear in pornography as a college senior. She pleaded that the court uphold Article 5 of the Civil Law, which protects minors who were tricked or pressured into appearing in adult videos, to have their work removed from sales. Without the amendment, 18- and 19-year-old actors will no longer need parental consent when they sign contracts starting April 1.



I have heard that some people committed suicide after having similar experiences, she stated. There should be a measure to respond to such circumstances, even if the legal age of adulthood is lowered.



The AV Human Rights and Ethics Organization, a nonprofit committed to protecting the rights and interests of adult film actresses, recently established a third-party committee to address the issue of forced adult video appearances. They also sent notices to adult video studios to strongly [recommend] that only actors aged 20 and over be continued to be filmed.



Experts in Japan have also raised the issue of 18- and 19-year-olds no longer being protected from purchase scams by their parents or guardians. Since adults will no longer be able to nullify contracts or purchases on behalf of 18- and 19-year-olds, the worry is that young consumers will be heavily targeted by false advertisements such as the promise of instant weight loss or be roped into pyramid schemes.

Story continues

Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark!

Chinese father tries to kill himself because his son is still unmarried at 29

'Thank you for all you do': Biden honors Fil-Am frontline workers to start Filipino American History Month

Army vet charged for attacking 7 NYC Asian women had mental issues, wanted to learn Japanese, mother says

San Diego names street after Asian American trailblazer ahead of his 95th birthday
Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, took an unusual step last week: It suspended some of the quality controls that ensure that posts from users in Russia, Ukraine and other Eastern European countries meet its rules.

Under the change, Meta temporarily stopped tracking whether its workers who monitor Facebook and Instagram posts from those areas were accurately enforcing its content guidelines, six people with knowledge of the situation said. Thats because the workers could not keep up with shifting rules about what kinds of posts were allowed about the war in Ukraine, they said.

Advertisement

Meta has made more than half a dozen content policy revisions since Russia invaded Ukraine last month. The company has permitted posts about the conflict that it would normally have taken down  including some calling for the death of President Vladimir Putin of Russia and violence against Russian soldiers  before changing its mind or drawing up new guidelines, the people said.

The result has been internal confusion, especially among the content moderators who patrol Facebook and Instagram for text and images with gore, hate speech and incitements to violence. Meta has sometimes shifted its rules on a daily basis, causing whiplash, said the people, who were not authorized to speak publicly.

Advertisement

The bewilderment over the content guidelines is just one way that Meta has been roiled by the war in Ukraine. The company has also contended with pressure from Russian and Ukrainian authorities over the information battle about the conflict. And internally, it has dealt with discontent about its decisions, including from Russian employees concerned for their safety and Ukrainian workers who want the company to be tougher on Kremlin-affiliated organizations online, three people said.

Meta has weathered international strife before  including the genocide of a Muslim minority in Myanmar last decade and skirmishes between India and Pakistan  with varying degrees of success. Now the largest conflict on the European continent since World War II has become a litmus test of whether the company has learned to police its platforms during major global crises  and so far, it appears to remain a work in progress.

All the ingredients of the Russia-Ukraine conflict have been around for a long time: the calls for violence, the disinformation, the propaganda from state media, said David Kaye, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine, and a former special rapporteur to the United Nations. What I find mystifying was that they didnt have a game plan to deal with it.

Dani Lever, a Meta spokeswoman, declined to directly address how the company was handling content decisions and employee concerns during the war.

After Russia invaded Ukraine, Meta said it established a round-the-clock special operations team staffed by employees who are native Russian and Ukrainian speakers. It also updated its products to aid civilians in the war, including features that direct Ukrainians toward reliable, verified information to locate housing and refugee assistance.

Mark Zuckerberg, Metas chief executive, and Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer, have been directly involved in the response to the war, said two people with knowledge of the efforts. But as Zuckerberg focuses on transforming Meta into a company that will lead the digital worlds of the so-called metaverse, many responsibilities around the conflict have fallen  at least publicly  to Nick Clegg, the president for global affairs.

Last month, Clegg announced that Meta would restrict access within the European Union to the pages of Russia Today and Sputnik, which are Russian state-controlled media, following requests by Ukraine and other European governments. Russia retaliated by cutting off access to Facebook inside the country, claiming the company discriminated against Russian media, and then blocking Instagram.

This month, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine praised Meta for moving quickly to limit Russian war propaganda on its platforms. Meta also acted rapidly to remove an edited deepfake video from its platforms that falsely featured Zelenskyy yielding to Russian forces.

Advertisement

The company has made high-profile mistakes as well. It permitted a group called the Ukrainian Legion to run ads on its platforms this month to recruit foreigners for the Ukrainian army, a violation of international laws. It later removed the ads  which were shown to people in the United States, Ireland, Germany and elsewhere  because the group may have misrepresented ties to the Ukrainian government, according to Meta.

Internally, Meta had also started changing its content policies to deal with the fast-moving nature of posts about the war. The company has long forbidden posts that might incite violence. But Feb. 26, two days after Russia invaded Ukraine, Meta informed its content moderators  who are typically contractors  that it would allow calls for the death of Putin and calls for violence against Russians and Russian soldiers in the context of the Ukraine invasion, according to the policy changes, which were reviewed by The New York Times.

This month, Reuters reported on Metas shifts with a headline that suggested that posts calling for violence against all Russians would be tolerated. In response, Russian authorities labeled Metas activities as extremist.

Shortly thereafter, Meta reversed course and said it would not let its users call for the deaths of heads of state.

Circumstances in Ukraine are fast moving, Clegg wrote in an internal memo that was reviewed by The Times and first reported by Bloomberg. We try to think through all the consequences, and we keep our guidance under constant review because the context is always evolving.

Meta amended other policies. This month, it made a temporary exception to its hate speech guidelines so users could post about the removal of Russians and explicit exclusion against Russians in 12 Eastern European countries, according to internal documents. But within a week, Meta tweaked the rule to note that it should be applied only to users in Ukraine.

Advertisement

The constant adjustments left moderators who oversee users in Central and Eastern European countries confused, the six people with knowledge of the situation said.

The policy changes were onerous because moderators were generally given less than 90 seconds to decide on whether images of dead bodies, videos of limbs being blown off or outright calls to violence violated Metas rules, they said. In some instances, they added, moderators were shown posts about the war in Chechen, Kazakh or Kyrgyz, despite not knowing those languages.

Lever declined to comment on whether Meta had hired content moderators who specialize in those languages.

Emerson T. Brooking, a senior fellow at the Digital Forensic Research Lab of the Atlantic Council, which studies the spread of online disinformation, said Meta faced a quandary with war content.

Usually, content moderation policy is intended to limit violent content, he said. But war is an exercise in violence. There is no way to sanitize war or to pretend that it is anything different.

Meta has also faced employee complaints over its policy shifts. At a meeting this month for workers with ties to Ukraine, employees asked why the company had waited until the war to take action against Russia Today and Sputnik, said two people who attended. Russian state activity was at the center of Facebooks failure to protect the 2016 U.S. presidential election, they said, and it didnt make sense that those outlets had continued to operate on Metas platforms.

Advertisement

While Meta has no employees in Russia, the company held a separate meeting this month for workers with Russian connections. Those employees said they were concerned that Moscows actions against the company would affect them, according to an internal document.

In discussions on Metas internal forums, which were viewed by The Times, some Russian employees said they had erased their place of work from their online profiles. Others wondered what would happen if they worked in the companys offices in places with extradition treaties to Russia and what kind of risks will be associated with working at Meta not just for us but our families.

Lever said Metas hearts go out to all of our employees who are affected by the war in Ukraine, and our teams are working to make sure they and their families have the support they need.

At a separate company meeting this month, some employees voiced unhappiness with the changes to the speech policies during the war, according to an internal poll. Some asked if the new rules were necessary, calling the changes a slippery slope that were being used as proof that Westerners hate Russians.

Others asked about the effect on Metas business.

Will Russian ban affect our revenue for the quarter? Future quarters? read one question. Whats our recovery strategy?

Advertisement

c.2021 The New York Times Company
Joe Rogan has said that Will Smith set a terrible precedent for comedy clubs by slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars 2022 ceremony.

During Sundays (27 March) ceremony, Rock was presenting the award for Best Documentary when he made a joke about the appearance of Smiths wife Jada Pinkett Smith.

Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, cant wait to see you, he quipped in an apparent reference to the actors shaved head.

Smith then walked on stage and struck the comedian, yelling keep my wifes name out your f***ing mouth.

Rogan shared his thoughts about the incident on Tuesdays (29 March) episode of his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience.

He said: Chris Rock was doing his f***ing job.

You dont go sit in the front row, youre a star at the Oscars, [and] theres a professional comedian whose job is to roast people. Thats what hes doing, and what he did was not even insulting. It was a mild joke, Rogan said. [Smith] was emotionally fragile and he acted on impulse in a staggeringly stupid way.

(Getty Images)

Rogan further said that he was astonished at the Academy Awards decision to let Smith go back on stage to accept his Best Actor award for King Richard.

Its a rare instance that someone [is] so enormously famous and successful like Will Smith that they literally still allowed him to not just win the Academy Award, but also go up and accept it and give a speech after he assaulted a small comedian on stage.

MMA fighter Josh Barnett, who was a guest on The Joe Rogan Experience, agreed with the host, saying: They shouldve ejected him.

Rogan added: You cant just go smack a man in the face in front of the world and then go about business as usual.

It sets a terrible precedent in so many different ways, he said. It sets a terrible precedent for comedy clubs. Like, are people going to decide to go on stage and smack a comedian now?

On Monday (28 March), Smith issued an apology for slapping Rock at the Oscars.

I was out of line and I was wrong, read his statement.

The King Richard star said he knows jokes are part of his life as a public figure, and that violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive.

Find the full list of 2022 Oscar winners here. See the latest updates and reactions from the dramatic ceremony here, and read about the biggest talking points here.
By Suleiman Al-Khalidi

AMMAN (Reuters) - Jordan's King Abdullah called for calm following a historic summit with Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday after the sharpest spike in street violence in years stoked fears of a wider escalation ahead of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

Abdullah told Herzog after receiving him in the Husseiniya Palace in the first official visit by an Israeli head of state that peace was more pressing now to end a conflict that he said had "lasted too long".

A palace statement said the king condemned "violence in all its forms" including the latest attack on Tuesday in which an Arab gunman killed at least five people in a Tel Aviv suburb.

"This conflict has lasted for very long and the violence it is has resulted in continues to cause much pain and creates a fertile soil for extremism," the monarch was quoted as saying in the statement.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including Israel's nearly 55-year-old occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, has long weighed on relations between Israel and Jordan, who have been peace partners since 1994.

An Israeli statement said Abdullah offered Herzog his condolences to the victims' families amid fears in both countries of a surge in assaults in the run-up in April to the holy month of Ramadan.

"I always say, the fact that Muslim leaders are meeting together Jewish leaders and Israeli leaders is an alternative to the abyss of hatred and bloodshed," Herzog was quoted as saying in a statement.

As we enter these holy days... we must move towards enabling everyone to practice their beliefs in safety, in security, in calm circumstances. This is what we need to work towards," Herzog added.

Israeli security forces were on high alert on Wednesday after the Tel Aviv shooting, the latest in a string of fatal attacks in the past week -- the sharpest spike in attacks on city streets in years.

Both countries have engaged in a flurry of top-level diplomatic and security talks in recent days to reduce tensions that Jordan fears could spiral with repercussions in a kingdom where many of its citizens are of Palestinian origin.

Story continues

Anti-Israeli sentiment runs high in Jordan.

Last year, clashes erupted between Israeli police and Palestinians around Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque at the height of the Ramadan fasting month. The violence helped ignite an 11-day war in May between Gaza militants and Israel.

In his meeting with Herzog, Abdullah urged Israel to allow freedom of prayer to Muslim worshippers, an official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters. The king also asked that Israeli police stop provocations by Jewish worshippers in the Al Aqsa mosque compound.

Citing security concerns, Israel has imposed age limits on Muslim worshippers at Al-Aqsa during periods of tension and restricted Palestinian travel to Jerusalem from the West Bank, territory that it captured, along with the eastern part of the holy city, in a 1967 war.

Jerusalem is a particularly sensitive issue for Jordan's royal Hashemite family, which has custodianship of Muslim and Christian holy sites in the eastern part of the city, an area controlled by Jordanian forces from 1949 to 1967.

(Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; additional reporting by Maayan Lubell and Henriette Chacar in Jerusalem; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Former President Donald Trump is interviewed on Real America's Voice by John Solomon and Amanda Head on Tuesday. Real America's Voice

Trump, in an interview with John Solomon, sought Vladimir Putin's help in smearing Hunter Biden.

Trump is exploiting disinformation about Biden and Ukraine long pushed by his allies and Russia.

Among the architects of Trump's Ukraine disinformation was Solomon.

Donald Trump has once again provoked controversy with remarks about Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In an interview with the conservative journalist John Solomon on Tuesday on Solomon's streaming service, Real America's Voice, Trump addressed the war in Ukraine and called on the Russian president to provide information about Hunter Biden, Joe Biden's son, who is the target of a renewed GOP and Russian propaganda campaign.

In seeking to exploit the war in Ukraine to attack the Bidens, Trump is stirring a complex brew of rumors and conspiracy theories about the Bidens that he and his allies have been promoting for years.

And among its chief architects was Solomon, Trump's host on Tuesday.

In the early years of Trump's presidency, Solomon produced a series of columns for The Hill alleging dubious business dealing by Hunter Biden in Ukraine and corruption by his father, which were never proven.

The columns were widely cited in conservative media, with his background at mainstream outlets like The Associated Press apparently lending them credibility. Solomon was a frequent guest on Sean Hannity's Fox News show.

They formed part of the web of conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated claims that led to Trump's first impeachment in 2019, after he threatened to withhold military aid from Ukraine's newly elected president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, unless Zelenskyy helped in the bid to smear the Bidens.

Then in February 2020, Solomon's credibility took a major hit when The Hill in an internal review of his 14 articles about Ukraine and the Bidens found that he had omitted important details.

The publication found that Solomon had not disclosed that key sources for his articles were Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani; the pro-Trump attorneys Victoria Toensing and Joseph diGenova; and other discredited Ukrainian sources.

Story continues

All three attorneys played key roles in propagating the narrative regarding the Bidens and Ukraine, distributing conspiracy theories and disinformation about the Bidens seemingly meant to help Trump's reelection campaign.

Fox News, with whom Solomon was working as a commentator, severed ties with him later that year. An internal memo obtained by The Daily Beast warned that he had promoted "disinformation" about Ukraine.

But with Putin's invasion of Ukraine, the old smears are being put to renewed use, and not just by Trump.

Russia has sought to tie Hunter Biden and other Republican hate figures to its disinformation campaign about secret US biolabs in Ukraine.

Experts have told Insider that the campaign is an attempt to secure support from US conservatives for its invasion of Ukraine.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Mar. 30LAWRENCE  Jurors on Tuesday rejected a murder charge and instead found Joel Monegro of Lawrence guilty of the lesser offense of voluntary manslaughter.

Jurors deliberated for roughly four hours before handing down the voluntary manslaughter conviction.

Monegro, 35, was on trial for a week in Salem Superior Court for the murder of his wife, Yesenia, 28, on May 28, 2018, in their Doyle Street apartment.

Under state law, voluntary manslaughter describes a killing that is intentional but not premeditated.

Monegro faces as much as 20 years in state prison. He will remain in custody at Middleton Jail until his sentencing next Monday in superior court, officials said.

A father of five children, Monegro faced life in prison without the possibility of parole had he been convicted of first degree murder.

The trial opened a week earlier, on March 22.

In her opening statement, Assistant District Attorney Kate MacDougall said Yesenia suffered 30 stab wounds to her face, neck, torso, arms and back.

Despite the "slash wounds," Yesenia was able to tell a Lawrence police officer it was Monegro, her high school sweetheart and husband, who stabbed her, MacDougall said.

Yesenia was pronounced dead a short time later at a Boston hospital.

The attack occurred after Yesenia learned Joel was having a second child with Toni Marie Eaton, a Lowell woman he'd been having an affair with, she said.

Eaton was about four months pregnant when Yesenia was killed. Her first child with Monegro was born in September of 2016, she testified during the trial.

But defense attorney Kevin Mitchell said Monegro acted in self defense on May 28, 2018.

He said Monegro, who carries a knife for work purposes, went to the apartment that day to meet Yesenia and give her some money.

Eaton, Monegro's girlfriend, testified as a witness for the prosecution. She told jurors how she met Monegro seven years ago as she was walking down the street in Lawrence.

After driving by her, Monegro stopped and asked her for her phone number. She giggled at first and said, "No." But she eventually gave in.

Story continues

Monegro initially told her he wasn't married. But she later learned he was married and had three children with Yesenia.

"He would tell me one thing and her another," she said, taking the stand on the second day of trial.

Yesenia also called her at times, she testified. Sometimes their conversations were civil. Other times Yesenia was upset.

"But I understand why," Eaton testified.

In April 2018 when she found out she was pregnant again with Monegro's child, Eaton described him as being happy with the news. But, she said, Yesenia was not.

"She said, 'How could you let this happen again?'" Eaton testified. "She was upset. I understand."

Judge Thomas Dreschler presided over the trial.

Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill.
Mar. 30Teachers worried that Schuylkill Valley School District's planned switch to a new file storage service could dramatically impact online classroom activities took their concerns before the school board Monday.

Creg Drake said the district's plans to transfer assignments stored on Google Drive to Microsoft's OneDrive wouldn't work, since no program can send interactive assignments made using Google's software to OneDrive.

"It's a huge amount of stored information, all of our Google forms, a lot of our tests. Our labs are there," Drake said. "If we transition away from Google, I believe that all of those forms will be lost."

Drake, a ninth- and 10th-grade honors science teacher, was one of several district teachers who spoke, among the roughly two dozen attending the meeting Monday.

The switch is part of larger plans to transfer the district onto Schoology, an online learning management system that would streamline teachers' ability to post grades and track student outcomes, said Michael Billman, director of instructional and information technology.

The district currently uses Google Classroom as its learning platform. Assignments and other educational materials posted to the platform are used by all students, regardless of whether they attend virtually or in person.

Drake and other teachers clarified that they supported the district's transfer onto Schoology but asked the board and Billman to reconsider any abrupt change away from Google Drive.

Several teachers said district administrators only told them of the change to OneDrive on Friday. They said they were concerned with the seemingly rapid nature of the switch and the lack of correspondence with teachers.

District residents and parents took issue with the change as well.

"We have 2,000 kids and all of our staff members that are affected by this," said Kelly Steinke, a district resident, "I just don't know that now at the end of the pandemic is the best time."

Story continues

Emily Calaman, a district resident and an adjunct professor with the Library and Learning Technology Department at Kutztown University, said that moving away from Google would be a technological backslide for the district.

"It would almost be like asking a lot of teachers to completely redesign their curriculum," Calaman said.

She noted that Kutztown University teaches Google suite integration in technology and education classes.

"If we get rid of Google Drive, there may be many future educators who will be very unprepared for what our district is requiring of them," Calaman said.

Drake asked the board to postpone an official vote on Schoology integration to give teachers a chance to fully express their concerns and learn how the changes will affect them.

Following public comment, Dr. Cathy Taschner, superintendent, said the district does not plan to remove Google Drive access until all teachers are comfortable with the new system.

Addressing communication concerns, Taschner said that the district will add more teachers to the district's virtual planning committee and provide biweekly updates to district staff on technological changes .

"We want to make sure that the access is there, so if there's something (teachers) need they can get to it," Billman added.

As for why the district is planning to move entirely to OneDrive, Billman said OneDrive allows for greater security, as sensitive information stored on Google Drive can easily be shared and accessed by those outside the district.

Several board members questioned whether the district plans to have teachers manually resubmit their assignments made with Google.

Billman said the district is looking into hiring a programmer who would facilitate the transfer of Google Forms documents into the new system.

"I guess I'm confused. I thought this would be an easy transition," said board member Linda Lash. "And there was never any mention of having to hire a programmer."

Board President David Moll asked whether the programming expertise to transfer Google Forms into alternative formats even exists.

An answer to whether a programmer would be readily accessible, or how much that programming would cost was not given.

"The simple solution seems to be to maintain both OneDrive and Google Drive," said board member Robert Dempsey.

Maintaining Google Drive indefinitely would cost the district roughly $5,000 annually, officials noted.

Moll noted that the district's original plan was to cut off Google Drive access one year after the implementation of Schoology.

"I think everybody from hearing all this knows that we don't have only a year to get it done. We'll get it done when we get it done," Moll said. "We need to look at all the pieces."

Following the discussion, the board voted 9-0 to approve the district's integration of Schoology through June 30, 2025, at a cost of $11,054 for implementation and $12,250 annually.

Billman noted that the vote was only to begin the process of integrating Schoology itself and had no relation to the amount of time that the district will choose to keep Google Drive access.
The Los Angeles Police Department said Wednesday that it is investigating an allegation that YouTube personality Denzel Dion attacked the social media personality Demi Martinez last week.

Martinez filed a police report accusing Dion of attacking her last Thursday after a party in the Hollywood Hills, according to Rosie Cervantes, a spokesperson for the LAPD.

Martinez, who goes by La Demi online and has over 300,000 Instagram followers, is a transgender woman known for posting about beauty, makeup and her transition. Early last Thursday, Martinez posted on Instagram that she had been the victim of a hate crime and an assault, naming Dion as the attacker.

Dion, a prominent LGBTQ YouTube creator who has more than 1 million subscribers and is known for his celebrity fashion critiques, has denied the allegations. On Sunday, Dion was one of 12 influencers whom Meta, Facebooks parent company, invited to attend and create content at the Academy Awards.

Martinez first posted pictures to Instagram on Thursday appearing to show injuries she attributed to the assault, including bruising around her eyes and face, and cuts on her legs.

Hours later, Martinez posted screenshots of Dions Instagram account and identified him as her attacker, saying the two had gotten into an argument.

Dion denied the allegations in posts published on his social media accounts later Thursday, writing that he was heartbroken and deeply saddened by Martinezs allegations. I would never do the things I am being accused of, Dion wrote. I know La Demi and we have always been cordial.

Dion went on to write that he assumes Martinezs allegations are the result of mistaken identity and that he doesnt understand why Martinez constantly mentioned my height, build, and race. Martinez didnt back down, responding on Instagram that Dion  who is Black and well over 6-feet tall  has a distinct look. Previously, she referred to him as a tall African American man.

Story continues

It baffles me that people would call me racist or say Im making this story up, Martinez told NBC News. Im not dumb, I know who I had my altercation with.

Martinez said she reported the incident to the LAPDs Hollywood investigative division last Thursday, which was confirmed by the copy of the police report NBC News viewed. Dion didnt respond to requests for comment.

Martinez said that she had encountered Dion at parties and social events before, but that she did not know his name or that he was an influencer with a large following.

Martinez said Dion referred to her using an anti-trans slur and threatened to beat her up. NBC News was not able to independently confirm the events that led up to the alleged assault.

I said Go ahead, do it, Martinez said. Sure enough, he swung and knocked me out and I fell onto the steps and I remember grabbing the railing, trying to catch my balance, and it was just blow after blow to my head.

Martinez said that she was the last member of her friend group at the party and was waiting for an Uber when the altercation began. According to the LAPD report that she provided to NBC News, Martinez said the incident happened around 3 a.m.

Some high-profile transgender creators, including Martinezs friend and roommate Nikita Dragun, have posted in support of Martinez. They are both urging bystanders and witnesses to come forward. So far, none of the other party guests have posted publicly about Martinezs allegations.
Lawyers for Christian Halls parents have filed a federal lawsuit against five Pennsylvania State Police personnel, as well as Monroe County and its top two district attorneys, following the 19-year-olds fatal shooting by police in 2020 and the subsequent local investigation.

The officers are accused of excessive force, and the district attorneys are accused of retaliating against Fe and Gareth Hall, among other allegations.

Christian Hall was shot by police on the Route 33 overpass above Interstate 80 on Dec. 30, 2020. Officers responded after Hall anonymously called 911 about a possibly suicidal person. He was shot with his hands in the air after about 90 minutes of attempts at negotiation and de-escalation. Hall held a realistic-looking pellet gun that was pointed up and away from the police.

The lawsuit, filed in the Middle District of Pennsylvania by Ben Crump and Devon Jacob, comes 15 months after Hall was shot, and one year to the day after Monroe County First Assistant District Attorney Michael Mancuso announced at a press conference that the shooting was justified.

The lawsuit names, publicly for the first time, Corporal Charles S. Phelps and Trooper Ian D. MacMillan as the officers who fired on Hall.

Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Robert Evanchik and two John Does employed by PSP are also defendants.

Phelps, MacMillan and both John Does are accused of excessive force and failure to intervene, both Fourth Amendment violations.

Dozens of community members came together at a "Justice for Christian Hall" rally at Dansbury Park on Nov. 27.

Of interest What we know about the fatal shooting of Christian Hall at hands of police

John Doe 1 is the officer who fired an initial round of bullets that did not strike Hall, and John Doe 2 is the officer who instructed: If he doesnt drop it, take him. Phelps and MacMillan then fired, according to the lawsuit.

Hall was standing in the universal position of surrender when he was shot, and did not present as a credible threat of causing serious injury or death to anyone, the lawsuit argues, making deadly force excessive.

Story continues

Because Hall had taken the stance of surrender, the officers were on notice that any perceived threat had deescalated and that the firing of additional bullets would clearly be unlawful, the lawsuit says, but none intervened.

Evanchik, the PSP commissioner, is accused of a conspiracy to interfere with civil rights, along with Monroe County District Attorney E. David Christine Jr. and First Assistant District Attorney Michael Mancuso.

After the shooting, the state police issued a statement claiming that troopers fired after Hall pointed his weapon at them. Dashcam video shows that Hall did not do that.

The lawsuit alleges that those who authorized the statements release had access to audio and video recordings of the homicide and knew that portion was untrue.

The statement has never been retracted or corrected by the PSP, the lawsuit notes. It alleges that the statement was intended to thwart public oversight and pressure and to deter Fe and Gareth from filing a civil lawsuit.

Dashcam footage of the shooting was released in November by NBC News and Spotlight PA after the Halls and their lawyers obtained it via subpoena. According to the lawsuit, Evanchik inititally made a frivolous objection under Pennsylvanias Criminal History Record Information Act, and then agreed to produce the videos but only subject to a confidentiality agreement.

Related Community reacts to release of footage showing Christian Hall's hands were raised when he was shot

Grief, faith and anger Hall family reflects on a year without Christian

Following a threat to file a motion to enforce the subpoena and for sanctions, Evanchik turned over the video without such an agreement.

Evanchik is also accused of delaying an internal investigation.

The lawsuit alleges that Christine and Mancuso additionally furthered the conspiracy by retaliating against Fe and Gareth for engaging in protected speech, covering up the fact that PSPs official statement was false, and by intentionally misleading the public during a press conference.

The presentation shown by Mancuso at that press conference included video of the shooting  but with Hall blurred in the final moments before the police fired. The presentation misleads the viewer into believing that in the redacted portion of the video, Christian pointed the perceived handgun at Troopers while advancing on Troopers, the lawsuit says.

Mancuso and Christine are accused of retaliating against Fe and Gareth Hall for their public criticism of the Pennsylvania State Police and the Monroe County DAs office. One of their consistent demands was for the DAs office to ask the Pennsylvania attorney generals office to investigate the shooting, which local officials declined to do.

Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump holds up a photo of Christian Hall. Crump has been in Minneapolis attending the Derek Chauvin trial as the George Floyd family attorney. Crump also represents the Hall family.

According to the lawsuit, the retaliation occurred at the press conference when Mancuso publicly admonished and embarrassed (Fe and Gareth Hall) for their public protests, falsely accused them of refusing to cooperate with the criminal investigation, negatively commented about their request to have the matter referred to the (Pennsylvania attorney general), implied that they should not blame themselves for Christians death and attacked Christians character.

The lawsuit also makes liability claims and notes that Gareth Hall, as the administrator of his sons estate, can sue for financial damages and bring a wrongful death claim.

"What happened to Christian and his parents is not excusable," Crump and Jacob said in a statement announcing that they had filed the lawsuit. "Government should always be accountable to the people," they said, calling for reforms including allowing the attorney general to investigate deadly force cases.

"Just like George Floyds unlawful homicide, the involved Troopers who committed this unlawful homicide took time to deliberate before they decided to end Christian Halls life. We obtained justice for George Floyd and we will obtain justice for Christian Hall," Crump and Jacob said.

The Halls and their lawyers are seeking a jury trial.

All we can say is, we're leaving all in God's hands. We're standing on God's word, said Fe Hall, citing Proverbs 29:26: Many seek the ruler's favor but justice comes from the Lord.

Mancuso responds

Monroe County First Assistant District Attorney Michael Mancuso said on Wednesday afternoon that he had been able to "briefly review the complaint," stating that from what he could tell, "it fails to state a valid claim against the DAs Office, DA Christine, and myself."

Mancuso described the complaint as an attempt by Crump and Jacob to "push a false narrative," specifically citing a claim that the Attorney General's office has no legal authority to intervene in the investigation, which he deemed to be untrue. According to Mancuso, under Section 732-205 of the Commonwealth Attorneys Act, the Attorney General is permitted to petition the court to supersede the district attorney in order to prosecute a criminal act or institute a criminal investigation.

"The AG must show that the DA failed or refused to prosecute and that failure constitutes an abuse of discretion," Mancuso said in a written statement. "The AG has not and will not attempt supersession. The circumstances surrounding the use of deadly force demonstrate that such force was justified under the circumstances known to the officers."

The first assistant district attorney pointed out that his office had conducted an independent investigation on the use of deadly force in the situation, going on to say that the state police's investigation "is of no consequence and did not interfere or impede the DA's investigation."

Mancuso said that the district attorney's office's presentation of findings in the matter "is in keeping with the DA's responsibility to keep the public informed and reassured that this tragic incident was not due to the unjustified use of deadly force by law enforcement."

Of interest 'An extremely vulnerable position': Mental health calls are common for police in the Poconos. Is there a better way to respond?

"The attempts by the attorneys to mislead the public and now the filing of a frivolous suit against the DAs office is yet another example that (Crump and Jacob) are motivated not by the pursuit of justice but the allure of monetary gain," Mancuso said.

Regarding the unredacted video footage that Crump and Jacob refer to in the complaint, Mancuso said that the district attorney's office stands by the description delivered during the presentation last year.

"My description of it is exactly what it was, that he had lifted the  I think it was in his left hand  the gun up in the air, then he rotated it, the barrel, towards the officer, then he lifted it up again, and then he was fired upon. So there was no misleading, that's just nonsense," Mancuso said.

Mancuso added that the law does not require that a gun be pointed at an officer or another individual in order to warrant the use of deadly force. The first assistant district attorney added that reaction time is critical in such situations, "and all the training, all the expertise, they all point to the fact that deadly force would be appropriate when the the means apparently are at the ready."

"If he refuses to relinquish control, drop the gun, like he was commanded, it would have been justifiable to use deadly force way before he actually takes the gun out and starts gesturing upward and outward with it. So I think it's just another false narrative," Mancuso said.

Corporal Brent Miller, a public information officer, said, "The Pennsylvania State Police cannot comment on pending litigation."

This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: Lawyers allege excessive force in suit tied to Christian Hall case
There is positivity around Scotland, says Lewis Ferguson (left) (Claus Bech/PA) (PA Archive)

Lewis Ferguson spoke of the positivity around the Scotland squad after the 2-2 draw with Austria on Tuesday night extended the Scots unbeaten run to eight games.

The 22-year-old Aberdeen midfielder made his first start in the friendly at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion where the visitors moved into a two-goal lead after fellow playmaker John McGinns 56th-minute strike added to defender Jack Hendrys first-half opener.

The home side, however, fought back to grab a draw through goals from Michael Gregoritsch and fellow substitute Alessandro Schopf and it was as a second-successive draw for Scotland following the 1-1 friendly with Poland at Hampden last Thursday.

"It's a really tight group, everyone gets on well and looks forward to getting away with the boys."



Lewis Ferguson reflects on the mood in the Scotland camp over the last week after making his first start in our 2-2 draw with Austria in Vienna.#AUTSCO pic.twitter.com/e2CEqWoqNg  Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) March 29, 2022

Steve Clarkes men have won six and drawn two of their last eight fixtures and can start looking forward to the World Cup play-off semi-final against Ukraine, pencilled in for June, with Wales awaiting the winners in the final, while there are four Nations League games to be played in the same month.

Ferguson told the Scotland national teams official Twitter account that the Scotland squad is in fine fettle.

The boys like to get together, he said. There is a real buzz about the place at the moment, it is really positive.

Everyone likes coming away and working together and being together - it is has been pretty positive

Lewis Ferguson

I think we are unbeaten in nine (eight) and all the camps I have been involved in have been great. It is a tight group and everybody gets on well.

Story continues

Everyone likes coming away and working together and being together  it is has been pretty positive.

I was so proud to represent my country and to start the game, so much better. Delighted and as proud as I can be.

Jack Hendry (centre left) opened the scoring for Scotland (Florian Schroetter/AP) (AP)

I was looking forward to it since the gaffer let me know (I was playing).

It was a tough game. I was obviously delighted to start the game and we played pretty well, first half.

I think we were a wee bit sloppy at times, never kept the ball as much as we would have liked to and it was disappointing in the end to concede the equaliser but, overall, pretty pleased.
Mariya, a local resident, looks for personal items in the rubble of her house, destroyed during fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces in the village of Yasnohorodka, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, March 30, 2022. (VADIM GHIRDA/AP)

Russian forces bombarded areas around Kyiv and another city just hours after pledging to scale back military operations in those places to help negotiations along, Ukrainian authorities said Wednesday.

The shelling  and intensified Russian attacks on other parts of the country  tempered optimism about any progress in the talks aimed at ending the punishing war.

Advertisement

The Russian militarys announcement Tuesday that it would de-escalate near the capital and Chernihiv to increase mutual trust was met with deep suspicion from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the West.

Soon after, Ukrainian officials reported that Russian shelling hit homes, stores, libraries and other civilian sites in and around Chernihiv and on the outskirts of Kyiv. Russian troops also stepped up their attacks around the eastern city of Izyum and the eastern Donetsk region, after redeploying units from other areas, the Ukrainian side said.

Advertisement

Olexander Lomako, secretary of the Chernihiv city council, said the Russian announcement turned out to be a complete lie.

At night they didnt decrease, but vice versa increased the intensity of military action, Lomako said.

Five weeks into the invasion that has left thousands dead on both sides, the number of Ukrainians fleeing the country topped a staggering 4 million, half of them children, according to the United Nations.

I do not know if we can still believe the Russians, Nikolay Nazarov, a refugee from Ukraine, said as he pushed his fathers wheelchair at a border crossing into Poland. I think more escalation will occur in eastern Ukraine. That is why we cannot go back to Kharkiv.

A soldier comforts Larysa Kolesnyk, 82, after she was evacuated from Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, March 30, 2022. (Rodrigo Abd/AP)

In other developments:

President Joe Biden announced an additional $500 million in aid for Ukraine.

U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin is being misinformed by his advisers about the poor performance of Moscows forces in Ukraine, according to a U.S. official.

The German government said it received assurances from Russia that European companies wont have to pay for Russian gas in rubles. That prospect had raised fears that Russia could cut them off. Also, Poland announced steps to end all Russian oil imports by the end of the year.

Advertisement

 The U.N. is looking into allegations that some residents of the besieged and shattered southern city of Mariupol have been forcibly taken to areas controlled by Russian forces or to Russia itself.

At a round of talks held Tuesday in Istanbul, the faint outlines of a possible peace agreement seemed to emerge when the Ukrainian delegation offered a framework under which the country would declare itself neutral  dropping its bid to join NATO, as Moscow has long demanded  in return for security guarantees from a group of other nations.

Top Russian officials reacted positively, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov saying Ukraines willingness to accept neutrality and look outside NATO for security represents significant progress, according to Russian news agencies.

After the Kremlins announcement that it would scale back some of its military operations, Zelenskyy reacted by saying that when dealing with the Russians, you can trust only concrete results. That assessment was echoed by Biden and by British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, who noted suspicions that Russia intends to regroup and attack again.

The skepticism appeared well-founded on Wednesday.

Oleksandr Pavliuk, head of the Kyiv region military administration, said Russian shells targeted residential areas and civilian infrastructure in the Bucha, Brovary and Vyshhorod regions around the capital.

Advertisement

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said the military also targeted fuel depots in two towns in central Ukraine with air-launched long-range cruise missiles. And Russian forces hit a Ukrainian special forces headquarters in the southern Mykolaiv region, he said, and two ammunition depots in the Donetsk region.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said that over the last 24 hours, the U.S. has seen some Russian troops moving north away from Kyiv into Belarus but does not view this as a withdrawal, just an effort by Moscow to resupply and then reposition the troops.

Top Russian military officials have said in recent days that their main goal now is the liberation of Donbas, the predominantly Russian-speaking industrial heartland in the east, where Moscow-backed separatists have been battling Ukrainian forces since 2014. Western officials say Moscow is reinforcing its troops in the Donbas.

Some analysts have suggested that the apparent scaling back of the Kremlins war aims and pledge to de-escalate may merely be an effort to put a positive spin on reality: Moscows ground troops have been thwarted  and have taken heavy losses  in their bid to seize the capital and other cities.

Meanwhile, a missile destroyed part of an apartment block in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk early Wednesday, and two people were reported killed. Separatists blamed Ukrainian forces for the attack.

I was just sitting on the couch and  bang!  the window glass popped, the frames came off. I didnt even understand what happened, said resident Anna Gorda.

Advertisement

The U.N. food aid agency said it is providing emergency assistance to 1 million people in Ukraine. It said the food includes 330,000 freshly baked loaves of bread for families in the heavily bombarded eastern city of Kharkiv.

Children are suffering, and our city, and everything, Tetyana Parmynska, a 28-year-old from the Chernihiv region now at a refugee center in Poland, said as man played songs on a battered piano decorated with a peace emblem. We have no strength anymore.

Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.
Jennifer Zimmerman works behind the counter at Local Roots.

WOOSTER  A community controlling its own food production  the farm to table infrastructure  is a unique advantage, and residents in Wayne County are distinctly positioned to steer their consumption habits.

More: From Local Roots to full-fledged restaurant, The Curry Pot is coming to downtown Wooster

Over 80% of the agricultural land here is designated nationally significant farmland, says Adam Schwieterman, executive director of the Local Roots Market and Cafe cooperative.

This designation, created by the American Farmland Trust, identifies the countrys most robust land for sustainable food production. Without a place for farmers to sell what they coax from their land, and people to buy the produce, Schwieterman says, that local infrastructure dries up, leaving people reliant on food trucked in from out of town. Thats where the co-op comes in.

Second booster for ages 50 and up: FDA authorizes second COVID booster shot for Americans 50 and older

Opened in 2010 by a group of a dozen people, Local Roots has blossomed into something more than the sum of its parts. Schwieterman says that it now boasts 2,500 members. Among the membership are over 300 local producers selling their goods in the store.

This symbiosis of growers and consumers creates a feedback loop benefiting food production at a local level. As an example, Schwieterman utilizes a story about asparagus, one of the first crops of the new growing season to make its way to the store.

Marc Tresenrider works for the Korasada Food Truck. On Thursdays they sell food at Local Roots which includes tacos, and burritos.

USDA grant money helps Local Roots build kitchens to offer cooked food

When the farmers bring the fresh asparagus crop into the store, it finds its way onto the shelves and into the hands of the chefs working out of the back kitchens, built in 2012 and 2013 from USDA grant money. From there, he says, the chefs use it in a new dish, sharing what theyve done with their social media audience.

Finally, customers arrive, possibly drawn by their social media engagement, to either buy the dish from the kitchen, or the asparagus itself from the shelves.

Story continues

The idea that you can get something picked right out of your backyard, or from a neighboring farm, and purchase it here at Local Roots, I think its special, and I think its healthier for you, says Schwieterman. I think it also supports a more lively and robust economy here.

Charity Thompson of Holmesville, with daughter Anabelle and son Boone look over items on the shelves at Local Roots.

One of the cooperatives members, Cathy Reed Yoder, has been shopping at Local Roots more or less since they opened 12 years ago. Shes only recently become a member, motivated to join by the sense of community the store brings into her life.

At first, Yoder just wanted to buy locally grown food, and support small, independent businesses. As she spent more time at the store, she began forging relationships with the people who were supplying her food. In her 30 years in Wooster, it was the most connected shed felt to those around her.

It just kind of all came together for me that there was a larger appreciation for a better way to feed myself, a better way to feed my family, and to support people within our community, Yoder says.

Local Roots Director Adam Schwieterman holds a box of local mushrooms by the fresh picked local tulips.

Schwieterman, too, sees the close relationship between customer and producer as beneficial. The knowledge provided by local growers helps make the cooperative a more effective conduit of homegrown foods.

When farmers bring something in to the store, he says he asks them a plethora of questions about how best to price and market the product, or the best packaging method. They know their product so much better than we do, Schwieterman says. Its an honor being able to work with them.

Local Roots Market and Cafe's story began with meeting at the Main Wayne County Library in Wooster in 2009

The tale of the Local Roots Market and Cafe cooperative, as told by Schwieterman, begins across the street from the co-op at the Main Wayne County Library in Wooster in 2009. Farmers' markets had seen countrywide resurgence in the early 2000s, Schwieterman says, but Woosters renewed interest in local food started in the 1990s. Typically, the markets were held once a week.

Around that time, a lot of the farmers' market vendors and people that were in town, and around town, that were interested in eating healthy came together and said, hey wed really like to do this more often than Saturday afternoons, Schwieterman says.

He points out that farmers are on a continuous harvesting schedule during the growing season, and needed a spot to sell their wares on a consistent basis. The decision was made to have a public interest meeting at the library. Over 100 people attended.

One year later, the original dozen co-op members took out a lease on what used to be the Corning building on 145 S. Walnut St, vacant since 2005. A $60,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Agriculture helped get the venture underway.

It was a modest start, according to Schwieterman. Farmers stood behind linen-draped card tables selling what theyd grown to hungry customers. Things accelerated rapidly after that.

Refrigerators and other equipment was donated to the fledgling cooperative from neighboring businesses, he says, allowing for the sale of local meats, dairy, syrups and honeys.

In 2012 and 2013, Local Roots was awarded grant money from the USDA that it used to build two commercial kitchens in the back of the building. One is used to serve a daily lunch for take-out or dine-in prepared by a revolving door of eight chefs.

The other serves as a $1 per hour rental kitchen for local restaurants that may not have their own kitchen facilities. One example of that arrangement is the recently-opened Indian eatery, The Curry Pot, itself enabled by a fledgling nonprofit sister organization of Local Roots called Food Sphere that provides technical assistance to food entrepreneurs.

Boo Bears Brews, a specialty coffee and tea shop is another local small business thats been operating out of Local Roots for the past two years.

One of the founders of Local Roots, Bill Boyer, waters an amaryllis plant that originally was located in the Gold Star Store on South Market Street before it closed in the 1990s.

Theres also an artisan room, packed with, but not limited to, handmade pottery, jewelry, and stained glass. Bill Boyer, one of the founding members of the co-op (along with his wife) says that the growth hes seen since the birth of the organization was something he couldnt have anticipated.

That growth is dependent on the community surrounding the co-op, and Schwieterman makes it clear that you dont have to necessarily be a member to contribute to that growth.

All are welcome, he says. We want everybody to come here and support small local farms as much as they possibly can, and all the small local businesses that operate out of here. //Anyone wishing to become involved with the Local Roots Co-op can do so at https://www.localrootswooster.com/join-us

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Local Roots continues to provide Wooster area with local food
Mar. 30His voice is familiar among London residents  now Brooks Kidd is headed to Hollywood to display his talent for this season of "American Idol."

Kidd was one of thousands who auditioned for the popular talent search show last year, over Zoom.

"We waited 2 1/2 hours for the Zoom audition," said his father, Bobby Kidd.

But the waiting paid off  after the Zoom audition, the 19-year-old London native was asked to go to Nashville for the regional auditions, where he performed before "American Idol" judges, Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Katy Perry.

On Sunday night, Kidd's audition was broadcast on ABC where he was chosen to participate in the Hollywood Week finalists.

Kidd said that unlike the show itself, the regional competition does not provide coaches to help the contestants.

"You just go out there and perform," he said.

His audition selection was a song that he felt best describes his personal experiences.

"I performed 'Mad World' by Gary Jules," he said. "When I was younger, I found this song during a dark spot of my life and I feel like it showcased me and my story."

Although he could not disclose his progress in the audition process, he said the opportunity was "an experience unlike any other  in the best way." He said he related to all three judges, primarily because of their musical backgrounds.

"I related to Luke Bryan because of the geographical connection," he explained. "And there's Lionel Richie and all the music he's written and performed. Katy Perry is just great and I love her music."

Performing before such music legends as the three judges was somewhat intimidating, he said, admitting that he was very nervous.

"I did a lot of breathing exercises," he said, laughing. "I just told myself that I was there to perform and that's what I did."

He said the auditions blended a wide range of talent with contestants coming from Kentucky, Maine, Georgia and Nashville, to name a few.

Story continues

"The competition is extremely stiff. There wasn't a person I heard that couldn't have a song on the radio," he said. "It was a great experience just hearing everyone."

He said his decision to audition for "American Idol" came after lots of encouragement from family and friends. He has watched "American Idol" through the years and for him, that was the show he wished to pursue his dream of a musical career.

"As a kid, I had a microphone with 'American Idol' on it," he said. "My grandmother encouraged me to audition for 'American Idol', and I had friends and family who wanted me to try out."

Kidd's background in music spans most of his life. He currently plays the piano  which was included in an advertisement for this season of "American Idol."

"In the first commercial, one of the clips shows Brooks sitting at the piano, singing," said his father. "We took that as a good sign."

Besides playing piano, Brooks was also involved with his high school choir and earned several regional recognitions. He is currently on the praise team at Grace Fellowship Church in London and has been involved in the youth group at First Baptist Church in London and has performed locally at several events. He is one of two performers set for the Redbud Ride block party, scheduled for Friday, April 8 at Farmers Market.

Although Brooks is not permitted to disclose any further details of the "American Idol" audition, he did say that the experience gained him some new friends as well as professional experience.

"Being on the show put me in a professional world of music," he said. "I gained knowledge and experience  you learn what to do because you're in an environment where musicians work together and have fun."

But as Kidd shared during the clip preceding his audition, his life has had some dark spots. Kidd said he was overweight as a child and was often ridiculed and bullied at school. So, he lost 60 pounds in two months. But that still didn't change his perception of himself- admitting having suicidal thoughts. Instead he engrossed himself in music, which he said helped him.

"Music saved my life," he said.

The judges were impressed with Kidd's performance, with comments that the story he shared was extremely powerful.

"You've gone through all this  at 19," said judge Lionel Richie.

"American Idol" began in 2002, airing over the FOX Network until it was canceled in 2016 due to declining ratings. In 2018, the show was revived by ABC, and is launching its fifth season on that network.

"American Idol" airs at 8 p.m. on Sundays and Mondays on ABC network.

London Downtown is hosting an Evening with Brooks Kidd: An American Idol Celebration this Friday at 6 p.m. at the London-Laurel County Farmers Market. Kidd will perform and his audition will be viewed as well. Guests are encouraged to bring a chair.
By Jason Lange

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bipartisan 55% of Americans support sending more U.S. troops to Washington's NATO allies in central and eastern Europe in response to Russia's five-week old invasion of Ukraine, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Tuesday.

President Joe Biden has deployed thousands of additional troops to Europe to support North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies concerned by Moscow's war on its smaller neighbor.

Biden has made clear no U.S. troops will be sent to Ukraine though Washington is supplying Kyiv with weapons and has aggressively sanctioned Russia's economy, including a ban on U.S. imports of Russian oil.

Some 61% of Democrats and 54% of Republicans back further troop deployments to NATO countries, according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted on Monday and Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced a new tranche of U.S. troops and military hardware bound for NATO allies, including 10 F-18 jets and more than 200 personnel heading to eastern Europe, including Lithuania.

There are currently more than 100,000 U.S. troops in Europe, up from the roughly 80,000 before Russian troops moved into Ukraine.

The poll also showed 61% of Americans feel U.S. sanctions on Russia are worth the price of higher fuel costs - even after gasoline prices surged at the onset of the war.

That was almost unchanged from a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted a month earlier, though gasoline prices have surged by nearly 20% since then to $4.24 per gallon, according to automobile club AAA.

Some 47% of Americans approve of how Biden has handled the Ukraine crisis, well above the Democratic leader's 39% rating on the economy, the poll showed.

Biden's overall popularity has sunk to the lowest levels of his presidency in recent weeks, a warning sign that his Democratic party could lose its razor-thin majorities in the U.S. Congress in the Nov. 8 midterm elections.

The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online, in English, throughout the United States, gathering responses from 1,005 adults. It has a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of about 4 percentage points.

(Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Scott Malone and Rosalba O'Brien)
UPDATE @ 11:30 a.m.:

A passing driver discovered an overturned truck in a Miami County creek that prompted a brief search for the driver, according to deputies.

>>1 dead, 2 injured after crash in Harrison Township

The crash was spotted around 7:30 a.m. on on Kessler-Frederick Road just south of state Route 55 near West Milton in Miami County.

The truck was found unoccupied however deputies and fire crews searched the area with a drone to see if any crash victims were injured or thrown from the crash. It was later found the crash happened hours before and the driver walked to his home miles away without reporting the crash.

The driver, identified as Charles Morris, told News Center 7 he tried to avoid multiple deer in the road overnight and crashed the truck into the creek. He told News Center 7 that it happened so quick.

It was crazy. I dont even see that many when I go hunting, Morris said.

He then walked, soaking wet, about two miles to his home in Ludlow Falls after the crash happened.

I thought I was gonna freeze walking to the house, Morris said.

Morris said he was the only person in the truck and wasnt injured in the crash.

Luckily, I had my seat belt on, he said.

Tow crews were on the scene working to remove the truck from the creek. Kessler-Frederick Road remains blocked for the crash investigation.

Lt. Todd Tennant, of the Miami County Sheriffs Office, said Morris was lucky to be uninjured as there was a severe amount of damage to the cab of the truck.

Seat belts save lives, Tennant said.
The Maryland House gave its final approval Wednesday night to a new congressional map after a judge rejected the first one. But it didn't go without an attempt by Republicans to replace the map with one drawn by the independent panel convened by the governor, but that amendment failed. The bill passed the House in a party-line vote with a veto-proof majority, one day after sailing through the Senate in the same way. It now goes to the governor for his signature, and at the same time, it is submitted to the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court judge who ordered it. Lawmakers had until Wednesday to submit a new map as per the judge's order from last week.
Mar. 30WATERTOWN  Mayor Jeffrey M. Smith is calling for an investigation into allegations made by Councilman Cliff G. Olney III that he was targeted by police for his driving while intoxicated arrests more than 20 years ago.

Councilman Olney made the allegations during a March 11 appearance on former Mayor Jeffrey E. Graham's Hotline radio show.

Mayor Smith has instructed City Manager Kenneth A. Mix to direct the Watertown Police Department to conduct an internal investigation into Councilman Olney's allegations that he was targeted by police, falsely arrested and that police falsified evidence against him.

During the March 21 City Council meeting, Mayor Smith said the allegations were "rather disturbing and concerning."

"That should be looked into and substantiated thoroughly," the mayor said. "I think it should be investigated."

He called for Police Chief Charles P. Donoghue to conduct the internal investigation, even though "he was not chief at the time."

Mayor Smith said he could not believe it happened the way that the councilman described.

On Tuesday, Mayor Smith repeated his concerns about what the councilman said on the radio, saying that it's concerning whether the accusations are true or not.

If they are not true, then "you have a sitting councilman saying the police department is corrupt," he said.

On Monday, Mr. Mix said he has not started an investigation and has not talked to the mayor about it.

"We'll discuss it," Mr. Mix said.

On Tuesday, Councilman Olney didn't back down from his statements on the Hotline show.

Councilman Olney also accused the mayor of bringing the matter up as a way to continue their ongoing feud since he ran for council in the fall.

"It was brought up for something that happened 24 years ago," Councilman Olney said. "It was a dig at me."

Councilman Olney said he has no animosity against the current police department or Chief Donoghue.

Story continues

The councilman accused the mayor of trying to put a wedge between him and the police department.

"I have a good relationship with the police department and officers," Councilman Olney said, adding that he appreciates the professionalism of the department.

The councilman made the comments on the radio show after the discussion turned to his allegations that city employees were given a directive not to talk to him about city issues. Councilman Olney believes it was Mayor Smith who gave the directive about city employees, since City Attorney Robert J. Slye and Mr. Mix have said it wasn't them.

As he had done during the March 21 council meeting, Mayor Smith again denied that he gave a directive to city employees.

Councilman Olney said he intends to introduce a resolution that will give staff permission to talk to council members.

The two political adversaries have been sniping back and forth on several city issues since Councilman Olney took office Jan. 1.

Mayor Smith dismissed that he and the councilman are entangled in a feud, adding that they just disagree on issues.

He asked for the investigation only after Councilman Olney talked about it with former Mayor Graham.

"It's not (about) something that happened 24 years ago, but what he said three weeks ago," the mayor said.

According to Times archives, Mr. Olney was charged with DWI six times from 1988 to 2008, including four times over a 20-month period from 1998 to 1999.

He has readily admitted he made mistakes in his life and that he made the decision about 12 years ago to no longer drink alcohol.
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) addresses reporters after the weekly policy luncheon on Tuesday, March 22, 2022.





Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Wednesday doubled down on his defense of Justice Clarence Thomas, blasting "clumsy bullying from the political branches" over Thomas's handling of cases related to the 2020 presidential election.

McConnell's comments come after days of criticism in the wake of reports that Ginni Thomas, Clarence Thomas's wife, urged then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to move aggressively to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

McConnell dismissed calls for Thomas to recuse himself from cases related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot as an "inappropriate pressure campaign."

"It has no basis in Justice Thomas's decades of impeccable service on the court. The justice and the entire court should feel free to completely ignore all this," McConnell said.

McConnel added that Thomas "is a great American" and an "outstanding justice."

"This clumsy bullying from the political branches is really beyond the pale. Justice Thomas is an exemplary jurist who has modeled fidelity to the rule of law for more than 30 years and counting," McConnell added.

McConnell first defended Thomas late last week after The Washington Post and CBS News reported on Ginni Thomas's outreach to Meadows.

Since then, calls for Thomas to recuse himself from future cases related to the Capitol riot or the 2024 election, if former President Trump runs again, have only grown. Some House progressives have also raised the possibility of impeaching Thomas, while other Democrats have floated the possibility of a congressional investigation.

Critics have raised concerns that Ginni Thomas's political activity poses an ethically troubling overlap with her husband's judicial position. But the new reporting on her outreach to Meadows has raised fresh ethics questions about Clarence Thomas's handling of election-related cases.

In January, the Supreme Court blocked Trump's bid to keep administration records from being handed to House select committee investigating the events surrounding the Capitol riot. The decision was 8-1, with Clarence Thomas as the lone dissenter. It's unclear if Ginni Thomas's messages would have been in the White House records being disputed in court.

Clarence Thomas also dissented in a February 2021 decision by the Supreme Court to turn away a challenge to Pennsylvania's election results. He wrote that the decision was "baffling" and "befuddling."

House and Senate Democrats sent a letter to Thomas and Chief Justice John Roberts this week asking for Thomas to explain why he didn't recuse himself from previous Jan. 6-related cases and to pledge to step back from future cases involving the Capitol attack or efforts to overturn the 2020 election. They also asked Roberts to commit to adopting a code of conduct for Supreme Court justices.
Elizabeth Toledo, left, attends a prayer vigil on March 29, 2022, at the site where her son Adam Toledo, 13, was killed in a shooting by Chicago police one year earlier, after a chase in the Little Village neighborhood. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

On this weeks first anniversary of the fatal shooting of teenager Adam Toledo by a Chicago police officer during a foot chase, his family went to the church where his funeral mass was held and then visited his grave.

At the mass at St. Mary Star of the Sea, Adams name and memory were mentioned, said Lucy Garcia, his aunt.

Advertisement

We went to the mass and then we gathered as a family, ate together, went to the cemetery with all our little ones, Garcia said. We took balloons, flowers.

Toledo was killed in an alley in the Little Village neighborhood a year ago Tuesday at age 13.

Advertisement

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 46 Relatives, supporters, and members of the community march on April 18, 2021, during a peace walk for 13-year-old Adam Toledo who was shot and killed by a Chicago police officer during a foot pursuit. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Since then, his family has visited his burial site often, sharing pizza, one of Adams favorite meals, and leaving at his grave a McDonalds frappe, which he also loved, Garcia said.

We take him toys, Hot Wheels, Legos, Garcia said. Thats what he used to play.

After visiting the cemetery, the family gathered with community supporters in the alley where he was killed and held a news conference late Tuesday. White balloons were released as a community member sang Juan Gabriels famous ballad, Amor Eterno or Eternal Love.

Como quisiera que tu vivieras. Que tus ojitos jamas se hubieran cerrado nunca y estar mirandolos, the woman sang. How I wish you would live. That your little eyes would have never shut and I could be looking at them.

Adams mother hugged family members, crying into their shoulders as the balloons drifted into the sky. We love you, Adam! some of the family and community members yelled.

Elizabeth Toledo stands at the site where her son Adam Toledo, 13, was killed in a shooting by Chicago police one year earlier. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

The group gathered next to a mural, an outline of a child with raised hands and angel wings and, in a corner of the mural, the words long live Adam.

A Virgen de Guadalupe image in a frame hung on the wooden fence next to the painting. On Tuesday, a blue and silver shimmery garland hung across it, and white flowers were placed on a corner of the frame.

Garcia said seeing the community come out and support them helps the family maintain strength as they continue to fight for justice. They want the officer to be held accountable, she added.

Advertisement

Were also out here because were not happy at all with Kim Foxxs decision, Garcia said.

Earlier this month, Foxx, the Cook County states attorney, announced that her office would not bring charges against Eric Stillman, the officer who shot Toledo. Stillman knew Toledo had been carrying a weapon that night and believed the teen was turning toward him to shoot, Foxx said. There was not evidence to prove that he acted with criminal intent, Foxx said.

The vigil was also a call for justice, said Kristian Armendariz, a community organizer with the Little Village Community Council who worked with the family to organize the event.

If you come to our neighborhood, Little Village, and kill one of our children, were gonna hold you accountable, Armendariz said. Doesnt matter if youre an elected official, if youre hiding behind a badge or a fancy office desk, were gonna hold you accountable.

Friends and relatives of 13-year-old Adam Toledo light candles during a gathering at a mural in his memory, in the 3600 block of West Ogden Avenue on March 29, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

After Toledo was shot last year, Charles Odom, chairman of The Union to End Slums, a community organization, wondered why Black and brown communities dont come together to speak out against police killings and other injustices.

Odom called organizers from the Little Village Community Council and the two organizations started working together, along with the Peacemakers Coalition. Several members of both community groups were at Tuesdays vigil.

Advertisement

The three organizations have hosted Loteria and Bingo nights and organized a Thousand Man March last May.

Odom said community members have responded well to the collaboration, and some have commented the organizations should have started working together sooner.

Allan Evans, president of the Peacemakers Coalition, said the organizations are going to do what they can to try to get justice.

Im 77 years old, Evans said. And police have been shooting my friends since I was about 13.

Garcia said its been difficult explaining Adams death to the kids in the family, including his 4-year-old nephew.

Hes always asking, Why did Adam go bye byes? When is he coming? Garcia said. Those are the questions we always have to, it hurts us to hear that. We have a lot of little ones asking the same thing over and over.

Advertisement

She said she misses having Adam around, because he was always happy and if he saw someone in a bad mood he would take the time and know the right thing to say to change their mood.

Addressing some comments people have made on social media criticizing the family, Garcia said Adams only mistake that night was sneaking out of his home, like many teenagers do.

Family and community members attend a prayer vigil March 29, 2022, at the site where Adam Toledo, 13, was fatally shot by Chicago police a year earlier after a chase in the Little Village neighborhood. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

Unfortunately our Adam never came home, she said.

Last year, prosecutors brought criminal charges against Ruben Roman, the man who was with Toledo the night he was shot.

Roman was captured on video firing the gunshots that brought officers to the area, authorities have said. He fired off shots at the corner of 24th Street and Sawyer Avenue and he fled with Toledo shortly afterward, with officers pursuing them into an alley, according to Cook County prosecutors.

Roman was arrested first, after apparently having handed the gun to Toledo. Toledo kept running, video of the shooting shows, pursued by Stillman. Roman was initially charged with gun crimes and felony child endangerment.

Advertisement

However, when he was formally indicted by a grand jury, child endangerment charges were not included  meaning Romans case is no longer tied to Toledos death. He is awaiting trial on gun charges.

Foxx campaigned on a promise to request that each police shooting be investigated by a special prosecutor, stating that Cook County states attorneys have an inherent conflict of interest because they work so closely with police. That promise did not come to pass; however, since 2019, police shootings have been assessed for charges by a unit within the states attorneys office that is largely separated from the regular chain of command.

In order for a special prosecutor to investigate the circumstances of Toledos shooting, Cook County prosecutors would have to withdraw the office from handling the matter, or a judge would have to rule that a special prosecutor is necessary after someone formally petitions for one to be appointed.

Foxxs office has fought the request for a special prosecutor in a police shooting at least once before. After Cook County prosecutors declined to bring charges in the 2011 police shooting of Flint Farmer, Farmers father petitioned a judge to appoint a special prosecutor  an effort Cook County prosecutors opposed during hearings in 2017.

Ultimately, then-Presiding Judge of the Criminal Division LeRoy Martin Jr. declined to assign an outside attorney, saying that he could not find an inherent conflict of interest in Cook County prosecutors investigating police.
Mel B has asked Victoria Beckham to dress her for MBE acceptance. (Getty Images)

When you've been invited to Buckingham Palace to receive an honour from the Queen, of course you want to look the part  stylish but not too showy. So it comes as no surprise that Spice Girl Mel B has called in a favour from her bandmate turned design icon Victoria Beckham.

Melanie Brown was awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours list for her work with vulnerable women and the domestic violence charity Women's Aid.

And she told Lorraine Kelly on Wednesday morning that she has asked Victoria Beckham to dress her for the ceremony.

She revealed: I did actually ask her. Im taking my mum and so I did say, Can you dress me and my mum? Im going to see her at her sons wedding anyway. Yeah Victoria, it would be great!

Watch now: Mel B asks Victoria Beckham to dress her for MBE acceptance

Read more: Victoria Beckham swears by this 7 beauty accessory to remove her make-up

But host Kelly joked that Brown had to include some of her signature leopard print in her awards ceremony look, saying: "Maybe not something from the Spice Girls days

"But you have to have a little bit of leopard print in there, maybe a wee pair of leopard print shoes or something like that? Because you know, you have to have a nod in the direction.

Brown has worked tirelessly to support survivors of domestic abuse. She split from her husband Stephen Belafonte in 2018 after a decade, claiming she had suffered abuse  allegations he has repeatedly denied.

Mel B (R) says she is taking her mum Andrea Brown to the MBE acceptance ceremony. (Getty Images)

Read more: Eva Longoria says Victoria Beckham is dressing her for Brooklyn's wedding: We're 'Coordinating'

Speaking to The Sun about learning she had received the honour, she said: "I thought about all the women I've met over the past few years who have been through terrible situations, women who have died, women who are still suffering.

"Receiving that letter telling me about the MBE... it was the first time I thought that I'd done something. Not as a Spice Girl, but as Melanie Brown  this working-class, mixed-race kid from Leeds who has always done her own thing, regardless.

Story continues

"That made me feel incredibly proud of myself, of all women who've been through similar experiences and of all the people who have helped me along this path."

Mel B in her signature leopard print. (Getty Images)

Read more: Rylan Clark gets a Spice Girls-themed tattoo

Brown also revealed that Spice Girls fans expecting a reunion for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee this year are likely to be disappointed. She explained: I would love to do that, but sadly I dont think were going to be part of it, which is not my decision but Ill be there cheering on anyway.
Mar. 30Mercy Health-Fairfield Hospital doesn't have to look far for answers to an important question.

Since the hospital needs to expand its Mack Road campus, it's considering a 9-acre site just to the west which will also create a gateway for the medical complex.

Mercy officials made their pitch to Fairfield City Council on a concept plan to build three buildings, one of which is a 30,000-square-foot medical office building. Mercy Health-Fairfield Hospital President Justin Krueger said while they're still trying to figure out what would go into that proposed medical office space, he said the hospital is "tapped out" of room to grow, and the concept plan represents that "next phase of growth."

"As a result of the ever-increasing need we continue to have, we are challenged with space on our campus," he said. "As a part of this, it's important to continue to expand when the health care needs of the community call for it."

He later added, "This could quite possibly become the gateway for our hospital campus, something that we could really, really excited about."

In addition to the medical office building, the concept plan calls for two other buildings, an 8,400-square-foot multi-tenant retail building and a 4,125-square-foot restaurant. Both buildings will have a drive-thru component, according to the concept plan submitted to the city on March 2, and will help offset the startup costs related to site acquisition and construction, Krueger said.

"Candidly, our proforma works if we can offset some of those significant startup costs associated with such growth in the form of additional ground rents which a retail presence could help us provide," he said.

Bon Secours Mercy Health, the parent organization of the Fairfield hospital, has not yet taken title to the property, said Nick Wessels, development manager of real estate development. Wessels and Krueger said the hospital is not in a place to consider a timeframe or potential tenants.

Story continues

"We're under contract to purchase it pending this concept PUD approval," Wessels said, adding they anticipate closing on the 9-acre parcel this summer, but the company does not anticipate any immediate construction plans. "We are still working through our concept designs and trying to decide as to what exactly is going to be located in this medical office building."

The parcel is currently part of a 29-acre parcel owned by Benzing LLC. The northern 20 acres of the parcel was recently rezoned for a residential community. The southern 9 acres was not part of that rezoning request.

The Mercy Health concept plan and PUD request will be presented to the Fairfield Planning Commission on April 13 for further discussion, before going back to Fairfield City Council for second and third legislative readings.

The concept plan does have the support of the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce, said President and CEO Kert Radel. He said the development of the site "will greatly enhance the city and the business landscape in the city of Fairfield" and "we need to be able to develop and move ahead."

"I think it's good for the city and I think the chamber feels it's good for the city and it's good for the business community," Radel said.

If the concept plan is approved, a similar process is followed with the final development plan, in which the details of the project will be reviewed, presented, and scrutinized.
Mar. 30Recent projects in the city received a total of more than $21 million in state funding, and there is more money to be had, state Sen. Judy Schwank said.

"I sometimes hear people say Reading is not getting the funds it should be getting," Schwank told City Council at a committee of the whole meeting Monday. "We're getting the funds we should be getting, and we can get more. That potential is there."

Schwank, a Ruscombmanor Democrat who represents the city and part of Berks County, updated council on grant opportunities and recently funded public and private economic and community development projects.

The state's investment in local projects since 2020 includes $7.5 million for First Energy Stadium, $5 million for Alvernia University Collegtowne, $2.25 million for the Medical Arts Building on North Fifth Street, $1.5 million for the Trexler Mansion/Elks Home building on South Fifth Street, $1.0 million for an enlarged and refurbished Albright College Library, $1.5 million for streetscape improvement in the 18th Ward and $1.5 million for the Gateway West housing development.

"First Energy Stadium is such a success story for the whole commonwealth," Schwank said.

Originally, the state's commitment to the project was to have been less, she said, noting Gov. Tom Wolf upped the figure by $1 million after seeing the cooperation among the legislators, including state Reps. Mark Rozzi and Manny Guzman Jr., who also represent the city in Harrisburg.

Schwank also updated council on upcoming grant opportunities.

Some annual grant streams are newly open for applications and others will open later this year, she said.

These include the Marcellus Legacy Fund, established by Act 13 in 2012 for planning, acquiring, developing, rehabilitating and repairing greenways, recreational trails, open space and parks. Applications for grants of up to $250,000 with a 15% local match will be accepted until the end of May, she said.

Story continues

The Act 13 program also provides grants for volunteer and career fire, rescue and emergency medical services in the 40 counties where unconventional gas-well drilling has been permitted and those counties that border the permitted counties and respond to gas-well-related emergencies.

Grants can be spent to buy firefighting and other emergency equipment and pay for the training to use it.

Even though Berks does not have any Marcellus shale wells within the county, Schwank said, the county and city still qualify.

Other funding is available through the state department of community and economic development, PennDOT and other departments for a variety of projects, including flood mitigation, watershed restoration and protection.

Schwank said she is aware the city applied for a $1 million grant to build a police laboratory and training facility.

Estimated at $12 to $15 million, the planned state-of-the-art facility would be built on city-owned land in Cumru Township.

The state also has several grant opportunities for nonprofits and collaborative projects between municipalities and nonprofits.

Some of those might help address the recent rash of violence in Reading by providing guidance, training and recreation programs for youth, Schwank said.

"There is no single solution for the recent violence," she said.

The northwest section of the city had seen five of the seven homicides that occurred over the past five weeks.

City Councilwoman Donna Reed, whose district encompasses the northwestern portion, asked if there were any grants that might help the city build up its police department as it emerges from Act 47.

The city has about 25% fewer officers than it did prior to entering Act 47.

Reading has been in the state's program for financially distressed cities since 2009 and is set to exit state oversight in July.

Schwank said she understands the city is operating with a bare bones force that is facing more problems and a growing population. She suggested city officials join with those of other cities or the state league of municipalities to advocate for more state funding for police.

Councilwoman Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz urged the city administrators to be proactive in seeking available state grants and planning city projects accordingly.

Council President Jeffrey S. Waltman Sr. asked Schwank to support state legislature that will allow the city to continue levying a 0.3% earned-income tax on commuters.

The city has spent revenue from the commuter tax to fund capital projects, but will lose that ability when it leaves Act 47 later this year.

"We're in a very good place financially," he said, "but that can change very quickly."
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP)  Militants attacked Pakistan's paramilitary security forces in the country's northwest early on Wednesday, triggering a shootout in which at least six troops and three insurgents were killed, the military and police said.

Spokesman Mohammad Khurasani of the Pakistani Taliban  also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, an outlawed militant group  claimed responsibility for the attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Local police official Zahid Khan said about two dozen security personnel were also wounded in the attack, but that the paramilitary forces had apparently taken control of the situation. In a statement, the military said troops retaliated after coming under attack and killed all three insurgents involved in the assault.

The Pakistani Taliban have been emboldened since the Afghan Taliban last year seized power across the border in Afghanistan. They have stepped up attacks on Pakistani security forces since December when a month-long cease-fire between the TTP and the government ended.

Pakistani authorities say most of the fighters and leaders of the TTP are hiding in Afghanistan.
May Calamawy as Layla El-Faouly in Marvels Moon Knight (premiering March 30 on Disney+, with new episodes weekly), also starring Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke, brings a fully realized, complex woman into this unique superhero world.

At the beginning I had this like, Oh, am I meant to play that woman in a leather jacket, who's always cool and sexy? And I'm just like, that's not me, Calamawy told Yahoo Canada. I'm the spaz who falls downand so I wanted to bring that to her because I feel like that makes up a whole woman.

Every woman I know is this dichotomy of traits. You're strong and resilient, and women are nurturers and we give life but also, we're really vulnerable and sensitive, and we can feel so much. There were moments of struggle where I was like, is Layla too vulnerable right now? And then at the end of the day I was like, this is all I know how to be and all I want to do is represent I wanted to feel real.

Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant in Marvel Studios' MOON KNIGHT, exclusively on Disney+. (Photo by Csaba Aknay/Marvel Studios)

What is Moon Knight about?

At the outset of Moon Knight we meet Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac), a gift shop employee at the British Museum, even though his real desire would be to conduct tours of the ancient Egypt exhibits. But his life is far more complex.

When Steven falls asleep, he is overtaken by these haunting experiences of a completely different life that results in him losing significant periods of time, requiring him to restrain himself in his bed at night. Its then revealed that Steven has dissociative identity disorder and shares a body with American mercenary Marc Spector, the avatar of Egyptian deity Khonshu (voiced by F. Murray Abraham), who turns into the vigilante Moon Knight.

Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight in Marvel Studios' MOON KNIGHT. (Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios)

Ethan Hawke plays antagonist Arthur Harrow, previously a partner to Khonshu but now an acolyte of god Ammit.

Steven/Marc team up with Layla (May Calamawy), whose father died on an archaeology mission, to stop Harrows quest to introduce Ammits new world order, as Harrow uses a scale of justice to rid the world of sinners.

Story continues

Ethan Hawke as Arthur Harrow in Marvel Studios' MOON KNIGHT. (Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios)

Moon Knight is the ultimate example of a genre mixing experience, as we see in the first four of six episodes in the series. While some aspects of the story certainly lean into the horror aspect of the comic, at other times Oscar Isaac gives has this almost slapstick comedy that leans into a goofy and sporadic side of the character, which gives unique fluctuations in the storys tone, even when the pace does start to stall at times.

The visual impact of Moon Knight is also core to bringing you into this world, with some of the most visually delicious scenes and landscapes weve seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and theyre not even on the big movie screen.

One thing that Moon Knight certainly solidifies is that we dont need a character to already be well established in the MCU to warrant a juicy story.

May Calamawy as Layla in Marvel Studios' MOON KNIGHT, exclusively on Disney+. (Photo by Gabor Kotschy/Marvel Studios)

Showing Egyptians as 'just normal human beings'

Moon Knight director Mohamed Diab was particularly mindful of really, authentically showcasing Egypt throughout the series.

As an Egyptian, we always see us depicted, or the Middle East depicted, in a way that is, we call it Orientalism, when you see us as exotic and dehumanized, Diab told reporters ahead of the series premiere.

Seeing even Egypt as Egypt, because 90 per cent of the time, Egypt is not Egypt. Imagine Paris and youre seeing Big Ben in the background, that's how we see our country. So it's funny but it hurts.

The director added that a significant aspect to showing Egyptians as just normal human beings is through the character of Layla.

Egyptian-Palestinian actor May Calamawy told Yahoo Canada that she learned so much from Diad who, as she described, was able to see a big picture of what the show would look like, particularly related to authenticity.

If we couldn't film in Egypt, then we had to bring all of these Egyptian extras and an Egyptian designer and the storefronts had to look the same, and the streets had to really feel like Egypt, and the sounds, and it really did, she explained. How do you have a universe if it's not diverse?

I think it's going to open so many more doors to different stories from different cultures, and also, once you start to see someone Arab on such a big scale, it just, I feel, does something to you and it gives you that permission to know you're worthy of also stepping out, and I hope that we see many Arabs doing that, and people of cultures who are generally not always represented on this scale.May Calamawy, Egyptian-Palestinian actor from 'Moon Knight'

When it came to the character of Layla in particular, Calamawy revealed that there were many conversations about who she was going to be within this narrative.

We had many talks on what would make Layla who she is, you cannot have one woman represent all Arab women or a whole culture, that's not fair, the actor said. She has a determination in her and a resiliency and a fight, it's almost like a soft strength, and I find that in so many Arab women, and I think it's really cool to bring that to the screen.

May Calamawy as Layla El-Faouly and Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector/Steven Grant in Marvel Studios' MOON KNIGHT. (Photo by Gabor Kotschy/Marvel Studios)

At a press conference, Ethan Hawke stressed that Calamawy had to fight for her character on the male-dominated set.

You had the hardest job because look at what youre looking at right now, its a very male-driven rehearsal room, Hawke said. She had to fight for Layla all the time, and she did, watching you ask questions, keep pushing, keep trying to make her a three-dimensional person and it was challenging because it's a male-driven story.

I just didn't know that I was going to be able to take the space to collaborate in that way and then seeing that I had it, I think it took me a second to trust my opinion, Calamawy said in response.

As someone who's grown up in the Middle East,...the more I ended up taking from myself, the easier it became because I wanted to find a story that would work with someone who had a similar conditioning It was confronting in many ways, but when I felt OK to take that space, I felt like it was happening in a more fluid way.
The big shareholder groups in Invesco Ltd. (NYSE:IVZ) have power over the company. Institutions will often hold stock in bigger companies, and we expect to see insiders owning a noticeable percentage of the smaller ones. Companies that have been privatized tend to have low insider ownership.

Invesco is a pretty big company. It has a market capitalization of US$10b. Normally institutions would own a significant portion of a company this size. Our analysis of the ownership of the company, below, shows that institutions own shares in the company. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about Invesco.

View our latest analysis for Invesco

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Invesco?

Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it's included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Invesco. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of Invesco, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.

Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. It looks like hedge funds own 11% of Invesco shares. That's interesting, because hedge funds can be quite active and activist. Many look for medium term catalysts that will drive the share price higher. Looking at our data, we can see that the largest shareholder is Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company with 17% of shares outstanding. In comparison, the second and third largest shareholders hold about 11% and 9.9% of the stock. Additionally, the company's CEO Martin Flanagan directly holds 1.0% of the total shares outstanding.

Story continues

We did some more digging and found that 6 of the top shareholders account for roughly 51% of the register, implying that along with larger shareholders, there are a few smaller shareholders, thereby balancing out each others interests somewhat.

While studying institutional ownership for a company can add value to your research, it is also a good practice to research analyst recommendations to get a deeper understand of a stock's expected performance. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.

Insider Ownership Of Invesco

The definition of company insiders can be subjective and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO.

Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group.

Shareholders would probably be interested to learn that insiders own shares in Invesco Ltd.. Insiders own US$171m worth of shares (at current prices). we sometimes take an interest in whether they have been buying or selling.

General Public Ownership

With a 12% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Invesco. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run.

Private Company Ownership

It seems that Private Companies own 17%, of the Invesco stock. It's hard to draw any conclusions from this fact alone, so its worth looking into who owns those private companies. Sometimes insiders or other related parties have an interest in shares in a public company through a separate private company.

Next Steps:

It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Invesco better, we need to consider many other factors. To that end, you should be aware of the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Invesco .

But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Jean Jerome Dorlus

A 60-year-old Naples man will serve nearly 44 years in prison after he was found guilty of possession of child pornography.

Jean Jerome Dorlus, 60, of Naples, was adjudicated guilty and sentenced to 43.75 years in prison. He was found guilty of 20 counts of possession of child pornography and designated a lifetime sexual offender after a Collier County trial in February.

The case was opened in August 2018 when a person witnessed illegal sexual images of a young girl engaged in a sexual act on the defendants phone. That person used their phone to capture some of the images and reported them to the Collier County Sheriffs Office.

In case you missed it: Naples man found guilty of 20 counts of possession of child pornography

Preivously: Five months after 18-year-old found dead in Golden Gate, investigators seek public's help in his case

More like this: Naples man arrested, accused of possessing child sexual abuse material

During an interview by detectives with the Sheriff's Office Special Victims Unit the defendant admitted to having the illegal images on his personal phone. The child victim, a 7-year-old girl, was identified by investigators

Connect with breaking news reporter Michael Braun: MichaelBraunNP (Facebook), @MichaelBraunNP (Twitter) or mbraun@news-press.com.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Child sex images lands 60-year-old Naples man in prison for 43.75 years
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoots long-delayed review of Chicago monuments still isnt completed, but the mayor has restated her controversial pledge to return a Christopher Columbus statue to its prominent pedestal in Grant Park  the site of a bloody battle between police and demonstrators nearly two years ago.

Lightfoot ordered Columbus statues removed from Grant Park and Little Italy in summer 2020 after a clash between protesters and police injured numerous officers and demonstrators. Amid unrest following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Lightfoot promised to conduct a broad review of monuments as part of what she called a racial healing and historical reckoning project.

Advertisement

[ Chicago's Columbus statues: A brief history ]

That commission was supposed to finish its work by the end of 2020 but has been delayed numerous times. Lightfoot officials recently said it would be completed by the end of this month, but the administration is still working on the project, which is meant to catalog the citys public monuments and make suggestions for new exhibits.

Whats important is to make sure that were really respectful of, I think, legacy projects that people across the city care deeply about and particularly those that have been the subject of controversy. I would say the Columbus statue in Grant Park in particular, making sure if that statue comes back, which I fully expect that it will, that we have a safety plan in place, Lightfoot said at an unrelated news conference this week.

Advertisement

People walk past as a group of activists gather in front of a closed Christopher Columbus monument in Grant Park on March 20, 2021, in Chicago. A statue of Columbus at the site was taken down by the city in July of 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Acknowledging the security issues that could arise with a return of the statue, the mayor continued: Im not going to do anything that puts our officers in harms way. I will probably be forever haunted by the experience of the vigilantes who attacked our officers in Grant Park (in 2020).

Lightfoots handling of Chicago Columbus statues has generated criticism from all sides. Comparing the debate over Columbus statues to those about Confederate Army monuments being removed in other cities, Lightfoot initially resisted calls to take down Columbus statues and said she favors acting to not try to erase history, but to embrace it full-on.

But she ordered the removals after the unrest at Grant Park in July 2020, leading to criticism from Columbus supporters who believe she caved to mob rule. At the time, Lightfoot said the statues removal would be temporary, though the possibility of bringing the massive statue in Grant Park back raises public safety concerns as it could again become a battleground.

Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.

Lightfoot is also facing two lawsuits related to the statues removal. She is being sued by an Italian American group who says the Chicago Park District illegally removed a statue at Arrigo Park in Little Italy.

The city is also being sued by a former high-ranking Park District attorney who said Lightfoot blocked a deal the Park District made with an Italian American group to allow a Columbus statue to be displayed in a parade and made obscene remarks aimed at government lawyers during a contentious meeting.

The lawsuit, filed by former Park District deputy general counsel George Smyrniotis against the city and Lightfoot, alleges he worked with lawyers for the Italian Americans to make a deal allowing the statue to be displayed in a Columbus parade last fall,

When Lightfoot learned about the plan, Smyrniotis alleges in his lawsuit, she threatened to pull the permit for the parade and ordered Park District officials to attend a hastily called Zoom meeting.

Advertisement

Get that f------ statue back before noon tomorrow or I am going to have you fired, Lightfoot said, according to the complaint.

Lightfoot also made obscene comments to Smyrniotis and King, according to the lawsuit, which alleges she called them d---- and asked, What the f--- were you thinking?

You make some kind of secret agreement with Italians. ... You are out there stroking your d---- over the Columbus statue, I am trying to keep Chicago police officers from being shot and you are trying to get them shot, Lightfoot said, according to the complaint. My d--- is bigger than yours and the Italians, I have the biggest d--- in Chicago.

Lightfoot has said Smyrniotis lawsuit is wholly without merit and said she has no animus toward Italian Americans.

Even before the unrest sparked by the Floyds killing in Minneapolis, cities around the country were grappling with controversies over monuments that celebrate Columbus, Confederate leaders and other historical figures. Some have been marked with graffiti. Others have been pulled down.

Activists have urged that public art do a better job of representing a broad spectrum of American life, something Lightfoot has said the Chicago effort will accomplish.

Advertisement

Before Lightfoot took down the Columbus statues, her administration promised Italian American leaders that the removals would be temporary. But critics and supporters alike worry that there could be public safety challenges around a return of the statues.

Northwest Side Ald. Nick Sposato, who has been a supporter of Columbus statues, said he would like to see the statues return though he acknowledged there are real public safety concerns due to potential protesters.

These crazy lefty loons, youre not going to stop them, and they say whatever they want to say and they say whatever they think is right, he said. Unfortunately, you may have to surround it with barb wire.

Ald. Maria Hadden, who texted Lightfoot in summer 2020 to recommend the Columbus statue come down, said she would like to see the monument commissions report to learn more about the whys, the hows and the conversation.

I want to see what this monument report says and I want to see what the recommendations were, Hadden said. I want to see the result of the community process.

Northwest Side Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez, a Columbus critic who went down to Grant Park to witness the statues removal, said the mayors comments are offensive since the commissions reports arent out yet.

Advertisement

Rodriguez Sanchez also said the idea of reinstating the statue is a slap in the face to groups pursuing justice.

White supremacist statues should have no place in Chicago, she said.

gpratt@chicagotribune.com
Lenore Elfand, co-owner of Empire Cannabis Clubs  the self-proclaimed first cannabis dispensary in New York City  knows firsthand the damage that the war on drugs inflicted on whole families for decades. Elfands brother and father, who are two of her partners in the business, spent a combined 12 years behind bars for growing marijuana at a time when it was illegal.

It didn't just affect all the men in my life  I raised my brother's children until they aged out, Elfand told Yahoo News. So it affected everyone, [including] me, my mother, the kids. This social injustice doesn't just affect the people that go to prison. It's a family issue.

Marijuana was legalized last spring in New York, and as yet, no applications are being accepted for recreational cannabis dispensaries. But Empire has operated as a not-for-profit membership club in Manhattan since last September, which allows the business to circumvent current laws that permit the use and possession of marijuana but not its sale.

It's a business model that is based on the legislation, Steve Zissou, Empires attorney, said.

People in a "smoking section" outside Weed World in New York City in November 2021. (Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

Now, with the announcement this month that New York will give priority to those convicted of marijuana-related offenses or their relatives when licensing its first 100 legal cannabis dispensaries, Elfand is cautiously optimistic that her family will be near the front of the line.

There's a lot of work to be done, and hopefully we can come together with some lawmakers and make it happen," she said. "Because New York City alone is going to be the biggest market in the world.

New York state is trying to promote social and economic equity in its projected billion-dollar industry, according to Chris Alexander, the executive director of the states Office of Cannabis Management.

Despite roughly equal drug use rates, Black and Latino Americans are four times more likely than white offenders to be arrested for marijuana in New York, according to data compiled by the New York Times. Black people also remain more likely to be arrested than white people for marijuana possession in every state, including those where marijuana is legal, data from the American Civil Liberties Union shows.

Story continues

Pot is now legal in 18 states and Washington, D.C., and Alexander hopes that New York can avoid the missteps in other states, where the profit from legal weed has mainly accrued to wealthy white people, or large corporations have been able to swoop in and take control of the market.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer at the annual NYC Cannabis Parade & Rally, supporting the legalization of marijuana for recreational and medical use, on May 1, 2021. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

Some states, like California, have created social equity programs for legal marijuana, but they have often blocked out or further harmed the communities they were initially put in place to serve. A Los Angeles Times review found that less than 8% of cannabis licenses went to equity applicants in the states largest jurisdictions  while many potential applicants went broke trying to adhere to the required regulations.

There is no blueprint, but to have a different outcome we have to do things differently, Alexander told Yahoo News. We have a real opportunity to make some change.

It wont be so easy for just anyone to open a recreational dispensary. Requirements include establishing New York residency, providing proof of prior ownership of any legal business for at least two years, and an expectation that licensees will pay a producer/dispensary license fee that costs in excess of $200,000 biannually, as laid out in New York Senate Bill S854A.

Cannabis is expected to bring in an estimated $436 million in tax revenue to New York, according to the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA). In January, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a $200 million fund to aid new businesses, with most of the money likely to go toward purchasing and renovating storefronts across the state.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul at the 2022 New York State Democratic Convention on Feb. 17. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

For Alexander, it seems only fair to ensure that those who have once been criminalized for cannabis get the opportunity to benefit from the newly legalized, and profitable, industry.

The folks who've been the most impacted should go first, he said. And it makes sense to build the foundation of New York's market with folks who have real business experience. These are folks who have been battle-tested. They've demonstrated that they know how to run a business in the financial capital of the world. They are the perfect applicant to start and build our industry.

Ernesto Castillo and Joel Tellie Collado are two applicants who would seem qualified. As co-owners of El Pure, a marijuana delivery service based in upper Manhattan thats served all five boroughs for nearly 20 years, they see New Yorks latest law as an opportunity to take their business from behind closed doors into plain sight. After at least nine stints in jail between the two of them for previous marijuana convictions, Castillo and Collado told the New York Daily News that they feel they finally have a chance to become legal businessmen.

Our elders looked at us as drug dealers, Collado said to the newspaper. Now, they are proud of us. We were corner kids that were written off. Now, we are Harvard kids without a Harvard degree, for real, and now, were playing by the rules.

A person rolls a joint at the Cannabis Parade & Rally in New York City in May 2021. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

Criminal justice reform advocates are praising New Yorks approach and urging other states to follow its lead.

Marijuana criminalization is a textbook case for how structural racism and white supremacy are deeply embedded across laws and policies in our state, the New York Civil Liberties Union's Toni Smith-Thompson, a senior field organizer, and Yusuf Abdul-Qadir, a senior racial justice policy strategist, wrote on the organizations website last year. Our state has been a national leader in mass incarceration. Now we can be a leader in repairing those harms.

New York here is taking a really bold and innovative step that hopefully will be able to be a model for the country, Melissa Moore, the civil systems reform director for the Drug Policy Alliance, a nonprofit that lobbies for alternatives to drug criminalization, told Yahoo News.

You can't look at decades upon decades of devastating policy in the harm that was done to individuals and communities and say that a handful of licenses is going to cover that devastation, she added. We can do as much as possible within the vehicle of this bill to make sure that we're not just moving forward business as usual.

The MRTA also will expunge the records of those previously convicted of marijuana possession and ensure that at least 40% of the tax revenue is reinvested in communities that suffered disproportionate harm from the so-called war on drugs.

A plastic container of marijuana at the New York City Cannabis Parade & Rally last year. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

But some of the finer details of the law, which includes prohibiting vertical integration  in which businesses would own every aspect of the supply chain, from growing to selling  give some marijuana entrepreneurs like Empire pause, because already existing medical cannabis businesses would be allowed to keep their current vertical integration.

Our concern is the lack of simplicity when it comes to allowing this to flourish amongst the people that it hurt the most, Julio Brinez, the fourth co-founder of Empire, said. Brinez, a Bronx, N.Y., native, says hes seen all aspects of the war on drugs and finally wants to see the regular person win.

Zissou, Empires attorney, sees the continuation of vertical integration licensing for medical cannabis companies as the biggest hurdle for future recreational dispensary owners. If the current medical companies are able to control their own market, Zissou believes they will be able to dictate lower prices and control of the cannabis product, eventually creating a monopoly in the industry.

What is likely to happen in New York is that the billionaires are going to take over this industry, which is where the real fight is, he said.

Demonstrators in the NYC Cannabis Parade & Rally last May. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

But not all business owners are lamenting that billionaires will potentially push them out of the market in a few months. Smaller entrepreneurs, some with brick-and-mortar businesses and others without, are finding ways to flourish in this decriminalized, pre-recreational-dispensary New York era.

Small shops on Native American land in upstate New York have seen a dramatic rise in sales since they started selling marijuana. Native Americans call it an expression of sovereignty, according to NBC New York, something long overdue after centuries of being overlooked and ignored.

We have been stepped on for so long, and to have something like this happen, its almost liberating, said William Roger Jock, a partner in Good Leaf Dispensary on the Akwesasne territory, near the Canadian border.

A marijuana smoker in New York City's Washington Square Park in June 2021. (Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images)

Downstate, in the Big Apple, weed entrepreneurs with small folding tables decked out with various displays of edibles and marijuana flowers are starting to set up shop without fear of being arrested. While police have largely turned a blind eye to smaller sellers, New York considers recreational marijuana stores already to be unlicensed and illegal.

We aint worried about nothing, one outdoor merchant in Washington Square Park, in Manhattans Greenwich Village, told Forbes. Weed is legal, and as long as you have a street vendors license, youre good.

I saw firsthand what New York's laws did to people, Zissou, a former New York City prosecutor and now a criminal defense attorney, said. So if, with my last breath, I can try to make that better, Ill die smiling.
This photo of Jonathan Daniel Carlton holding a souvenir newspaper front was included in an FBI report called a statement of facts that was filed in federal court in Washington. The report said the image came from co-defendant Bradley Weeks' cell phone.

A North Florida prison employee has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for taking part in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Jonathan Daniel Carlton, 46, from Union County could face a maximum of six months behind bars after admitting Tuesday to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

Carlton entered the plea as part of an agreement to settle four charges, all misdemeanors, filed after FBI agents identified him and a friend as being among hundreds of people who entered the Capitol illegally during demonstrations that temporarily stopped Congress from certifying President Joe Bidens victory in the 2020 election.

Carltons companion, Baker County resident Bradley Weeks, still faces a felony charge of obstructing an official proceeding, a count that a USA Today tally of riot cases suggests was filed against at least 145 people.

Defendant said he did enter Capitol, didn't 'battle with anyone'

During a hearing held over Zoom, Carlton acknowledged entering the Capitol after a crowd of rioters assaulted or battled with police but his attorney, Richard Landes of Jacksonville Beach, stressed to Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas F. Hogan that Mr. Carlton did not battle with anyone and did not assault anyone.

Five people, including a police officer and a rioter shot by an officer, died during or soon after the chaos of the day when supporters of former President Donald Trump overran the Capitol.

A prosecution document called a statement of facts, filed early in the case, said that Carlton denied entering the building in one interview and later indicated that he was embarrassed to have participated in the demonstration, appalled by the riot, and just wanted to distance himself from it.

Carlton, who lives about 40 miles southwest of Jacksonville, has worked at New River Correctional Institution in Raiford but told the judge he had been moved to the mailroom pending whatever outcome his court case produces.

Story continues

Hogan scheduled Carltons sentencing for June 29. The sentencing will follow preparation of a detailed report a judge would commonly consult for factors, like a defendants background, that a judge regularly weighs when deciding a sentence.

The reports are a staple of federal court routines, but Hogan said the demand for those has risen markedly as the court in Washington handles cases involving more than 800 riot defendants.

Were getting a little crowded, the judge said.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Capitol riot: Union County man pleads guilty to misdemeanor charge
NEW YORK  Mayor Eric Adams once again doubled down on his policy of removing homeless encampments from city streets  displaying stark photos of the encampments and continuing to bemoan the citys dysfunction to drive home his point Wednesday at a City Hall news conference.

The mayors plan to remove the encampments emerged publicly last week. Since then, its been met with a chorus of criticism from advocates who say its too heavy handed and would undermine the trust the citys trying to establish with people its attempting to entice into a shelter.

The encampment sweeps began on March 18, and on Wednesday, Adams and city officials revealed that so far 244 have been identified and 239 have been cleaned. Still, only five homeless people have accepted services from the city as a result of sweeps, according to Adams, who predicted that, based on a similar initiative to remove homeless people from the subway system, that number will go up.

In our transit initiative, we went out, we tried to get people out of the subway system. As of today, we have over 300 who have accepted services, he said. The first week, no one wanted to do it, no trust. Repeating it allowed us to do so. This initiative, the first seven or eight days, we had five people that accepted services. Some went back home, some went to other locations. We know the continuation of this program, and now with the new brochure, we know those numbers are going to continue to increase.

The glossy, one-page palm card that Adams referenced, which he first announced Tuesday, was distributed to reporters after the news briefing.

Do you need a place to sleep tonight? it states. A shower, a meal, or even someone to talk to?

To highlight the dysfunction that Adams has pointed to in recent weeks, he also displayed enlarged photos of the encampments taken by outreach workers. One depicted a dirty blanket littered with used syringes, and another showed a wooden pallet covered in blankets.

Story continues

Adams homeless encampment sweeps are not the first time the city has employed the policy. Such sweeps were common to former Mayor Bill de Blasios administration and date back decades  leading advocates to question why the mayor thinks theyll work now.

But Adams pushed back on such critiques, labeling his detractors as naysayers and inviting them to come along with him as he urges people living on the streets to move into shelters.

Were in this together. This is not a point where folks are going to look and say what Im doing wrong. Its already wrong. Its already a mess, he said. And so we are trying to do the best. And so those who really are concerned about the homeless, come out with me, lets go together and encourage people not to live on the streets.

Meera Joshi, Adams deputy mayor of operations, described the outreach teams interactions with people living in encampments as an ongoing process that would take constant communication and trust and relationships to execute effectively.

I want to emphasize that this is not a one and done, she said.

She also noted that social service workers, police officers and sanitation workers give homeless people at least a days notice before removing their encampments.

Before any site is cleaned up, the Department of Homeless Services surveys the area, posts a notice at least 24 hours in advance of the cleanup, and engages with clients if they are onsite, Joshi said. This is not a rush job. This takes time, and especially patience.


Old Dominion now knows which of its two football schedules it will play in 2022.

In a joint statement with Conference USA, Marshall and Southern Miss, the Monarchs announced that the three schools will compete in the Sun Belt Conference.

The schools and C-USA have reached a resolution that allows the schools to withdraw as members at the end of the academic year, according to the joint statement. Conference USA will move forward into the 2022-23 academic year with 11 members.

C-USA had been seeking to block the schools exits via court hearings, the latest of which was postponed this week as the parties worked to resolve the conflict.

Both C-USA and the Sun Belt both recently released separate football schedules that included ODU, whose Board of Visitors filed an injunction in Norfolk Circuit Court in response to C-USAs demand for arbitration over the schools attempt to leave the conference, court documents showed.

Marshall and Southern Miss had both won temporary restraining orders preventing arbitration.

The three schools announced last month their plans to leave C-USA for the Sun Belt by July 1, though C-USA bylaws require 14 months notice for departure.

The Monarchs open the season at home on Friday, Sept. 2, against Virginia Tech and also play home games against Arkansas State, Liberty, Georgia Southern, Marshall and James Madison.

ODU plays road games at East Carolina, Virginia, Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State and South Alabama.

The Monarchs had been C-USA members since 2014. The exit fee to leave the league was expected to be around $3 million, plus another $2 million to join the Sun Belt.

The long-term benefits of the move include the New Orleans-based Sun Belts lucrative TV deal that guarantees the broadcast of every football and mens and womens basketball game on one of ESPNs platforms. Those platforms will also broadcast a total of 500 events across all sports each year.

ODU was a Sun Belt Conference member from 1982-91, leaving for the Colonial Athletic Association before joining Conference USA.

Conference USA is excited about the future with our 11 institutions in the 2022-23 academic year, and is committed to the long-term growth of the league as we usher in new members in the coming years, the league said in a statement. As we begin this new era of Conference USA, our focus remains on providing the best possible experiences for our student-athletes while engaging in the broader national conversation and process around changing the overall model. The landscape of college athletics has shifted expansively and we will continue to be a substantial part of that evolution.

David Hall, david.hall@pilotonline.com
PATERSON  An 18-year-old student at Eastside High School who was injured in a shooting almost two weeks ago died from his wounds on Tuesday, becoming Paterson's seventh homicide victim of the year, authorities said.

The victim, Nashaun Warren, a junior at Eastsides School of Information Technology, suffered multiple gunshot wounds on March 19 near the corner of East 24th Street and 15th Avenue in Patersons 5th Ward, the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office said.

Warren died at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, after being transferred there from St. Josephs University Medical Center in Paterson, officials said.

Warren is the second high school student killed in Paterson this year. Robert Cuadra, an honor student at Harp Academy who had already secured a full college scholarship, was fatally shot on Godwin Avenue in January when he got caught in the crossfire of a gunfight while bringing home groceries.

Honor student: Stunned judge orders suspect in Robert Cuadra killing to remain jailed

Paterson shooting victim's mom: My son inspired me to overcome addiction

Paterson Superintendent of Schools Eileen Shafer said the district was deeply saddened by Warrens death.

Graduates are seen during the Eastside High School Class of 2021 Commencement at Bauerle Field in Paterson on 06/24/21.

I have spoken to Nashauns mother to express my condolences to her and his sister, and we have crisis team counsellors available for students who are mourning his loss, said Shafer. We are losing Patersons young people far too often, especially when the loss of one is too many.

As we pray for comfort and peace to come to Nashauns family and friends, let us also pray and work for an end to the gun violence that is taking the lives of young people, Shafer added.

Authorities have not revealed a possible motive in the shooting. Nor have they disclosed many details of what took place. But 5th Ward Councilman Luis Velez said the area where Warren was shot has become an increasing problem, including drug dealing.

I requested the police department put extra attention there because of all the illegal activity, said Velez, who is running for mayor. I was trying to prevent this type of incident.

Story continues

Paterson Police Chief Ibrahim Mike Baycora did not respond to a message seeking comments about the crime scene.

The citys public safety director, Jerry Speziale, said the police department recently expanded the number of locations on its extra protection list, a program that assigns additional officers to crime hotspots. Speziale declined to reveal the locations.

City law enforcement sources said the police installed a mobile surveillance camera at the corner where Warren was shot more than a month ago, following several incidents involving gunfire in which there were no victims. The camera is part of the extra protection initiative, the sources said.

Paterson endured record numbers of homicides in each of the past two years  27 in both 2020 and 2021.

Last year, Paterson had its seventh homicide by March 18 and in 2020 that number was reached on June 7, according to records compiled by Paterson Press.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ Eastside High School student dies in shooting
The superyacht is named Phi. Grace Dean/Insider

A Russian businessman's $50 million superyacht, Phi, was seized by the UK in London on Tuesday.

Insider visited the dock hours after it was seized. The vessel was brightly lit but seemed quiet.

Phi was easy to spot and there weren't any security guards visible.

A Russian businessman's $50 million superyacht was seized by the UK on Tuesday in Canary Wharf, London's financial hub. The Financial Times reported that the 192-foot vessel is owned by Vitaly Vasilievich Kochetkov, who founded Motiv Telecom.

The superyacht Phi in London's Canary Wharf on March 25, 2022. Grace Dean/Insider

Sources: Insider, The Financial Times

The UK transport secretary Grant Shapps said that by seizing the vessel, authorities had "turned an icon of Russia's power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to Putin and his cronies." The West has been sanctioning Russian elites and oligarchs and seizing their assets to put pressure on the country to stop its invasion of Ukraine. Shapps said in mid-March that the UK was "investigating a small number of yachts moored in this country" with suspected links to Russian oligarchs."

The superyacht Phi in London's Canary Wharf on March 30, 2022. Grace Dean/Insider

Source: National Crime Agency, Insider

Insider visited the quay where the yacht, Phi, was docked hours after the UK announced its seizure.

Grace Dean/Insider

The vessel was brightly lit, with external blue and yellow strip lights.

Grace Dean/Insider

There were also small lights resembling stars on the covered ceiling of the deck.

Grace Dean/Insider

With its bright lights, the vessel was far from inconspicuous ...

Grace Dean/Insider

... especially compared with the other, much smaller boats docked nearby, which weren't lit up.

The superyacht Phi stood out from other vessels in London's Canary Wharf. Grace Dean/Insider

Phi seemed quiet when I visited at 10 p.m. on Tuesday night. There was nobody on the deck, and no visible security, either. This surprised me because some other yachts owned by Russian oligarchs have been targeted by activists protesting the invasion of Ukraine.

Grace Dean/Insider

Source: Insider

Phi simply had two thin chains separating the dock from the footpath. These were in place along the whole footpath, looked easy to step over, and had been there since before the vessel was seized.

Story continues

Thin chains form a barrier between the dock and the footpath. Grace Dean/Insider

Other people walked past the boat when I was there without paying any attention. They might have been unaware that it was the first superyacht to be detained in UK waters under the government's sanctions against Russia.

Grace Dean/Insider

Source: Insider

The only other person who took an interest in Phi was a tourist who asked if I could take a picture of him with the yacht.

The superyacht is named Phi. Grace Dean/Insider

"Vessels aren't obliged to keep any lights on once moored in dock," Benjamin Maltby, a partner at Keystone Law who specializes in superyachts, told Insider. "The vessel's insurance may require crew to remain on board at all times, and having the lights on just makes moving around at night easier and safer."

Grace Dean/Insider

"The lights may also be kept on as a security measure," Maltby added. "Plus, they look good  and owners and crew are rightly proud of their yachts."

Grace Dean/Insider

Read the original article on Business Insider
Mar. 30SOMERSET, Pa.  Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium's new CEO will share his vision for the nonprofit's future, including its Somerset County conservation center, with the Somerset community on April 13.

The Somerset County Chamber of Commerce will host Jeremy Goodman for its latest News at Noon at Somerset Country Club.

Goodman joined Pittsburgh Zoo in October 2021. He also spearheads the International Conservation Center (ICC), a 1,000-acre property near Fairhope that serves as North America's premier African elephant conservation, research, education, breeding and training facility.

"The ICC is the only center of its kind with such a strong focus on this beautiful and threatened animal  and enables the Pittsburgh Zoo to play a major leadership role in addressing the needs for breeding the African elephant population in North America," chamber officials wrote in a release to media.

The chamber's News at Noon event begins with registration at 11:30 a.m. followed by the lunch and presentation at noon. Admission for chamber members is $35, and for non-members is $45. A discounted option for students is available at $25, chamber officials said.

Sponsorships are available.

For more information or to register, contact the Somerset County Chamber of Commerce at 814-445-6431 or info@somersetcountychamber.com. Attendees must pre-register by April 8.
A motorist was shot by police after he ran a stop sign on the West Side and opened fire on police who pulled him over during an attack in which one Chicago police officer was shot and another seriously injured by the gunmans car, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Cook County Judge Mary Marubio denied bail for James Callion, 28, who was not present in bond court Wednesday because he was being treated at Mount Sinai Hospital for gunshot wounds, according to prosecutors and police. Another hearing was set for Friday.

Advertisement

Callion is charged with three counts of attempted murder, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated battery causing bodily harm to a police officer and armed habitual criminal, after the Monday shooting in the 3000 block of West Polk Street, police said.

The officer who was pinned between two vehicles remains hospitalized at Stroger after undergoing surgery for leg injuries, according to Assistant States Attorney Danny Hanichak. He was expected to have at least one more surgery and be bedridden for about 12 weeks before starting rehab.

Advertisement

The officer who was shot suffered injuries to two fingers with bullet fragments in each finger and was also taken to the hospital, said Hanichak, before detailing what led to the attack in the Lawndale neighborhood Monday night about 9:15 p.m.

At least three officers spotted a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix, of which Callion was the driver, only occupant and registered owner, commit a minor traffic violation in the area of South Albany Avenue and West Polk and let it slide before seeing Callion drive through a stop sign at South Sacramento Boulevard and Polk, prosecutors said.

Police SUVs blocked Callions car, one in front and one in back, as they stopped him, Hanichak said.

Two officers in the SUV in front of Callion got out and approached Callion in the drivers seat, while another officer from the SUV behind Callion walked up to the passenger side. None of the officers had their gun drawn, Hanichak said.

The officer at Callions side smelled cannabis and saw what looked like open alcohol between Callions feet and asked Callion to step out, Hanichak said, adding the officer at the passenger side saw a .40 caliber handgun to the right of Callion and told the other officers.

At the same time, a third officer and driver of the police SUV in front of Callion was walking between the SUV and Callions car when suddenly, Callion put his car into drive and accelerated forward directly into the officer, slamming him into a police car, Hanichak said.

The pinned-in officer saw Callion fire a shot through the open passenger-side door followed by another shot through the front windshield toward the pinned officer.

Neither of the officers was shot and they returned fire, one fired once at Callion, while the pinned officer fired four times at Callion through the windshield  hitting him multiple times, Hanichak said.

Advertisement

An officer was shot in the hand as he grabbed the gun-wielding Callion and wrestled him out of the car. The gun fell to the ground and was recovered, Hanichak said.

While placing Callion in custody, officers found another gun that was loaded and tucked in his waistband, Hanichak said.

Detectives found three .40-caliber shell casings inside Callions car and five 9 mm casings outside the car. Additional forensic testing was underway, Hanichak said. All three of the officers body-worn cameras captured the incident as well as a Chicago police camera at the intersection.

Callion has six felony convictions, the most recent being a residential burglary in 2014 that was reduced to a class 2 burglary with a sentence of three years in jail. Other convictions include a 2013 robbery and four additional burglaries from 2012, for which he served jail time.

sahmad@chicagotribune.com
Editor's note: This article contains graphic images below.

Louie Suljovic was working in his pizza shop Saturday night when he heard a shout from his father, Cazim. An older Asian woman had been robbed and stabbed outside the store in Queens, a borough of New York City.

Suljovic had just one thought as he ran outside to intervene: "Somebody is in trouble, and they need help," he told TODAY. "That's it."

The 38-year-old and his father chased after the people who harmed the woman  later identified as Eun Hee Chang, according to ABC New York  and fought back once they caught up to them. Cazim Suljovic, 68, was stabbed nine times and the younger Suljovic once next to his spine, puncturing his lung.

During a time of increased anti-Asian violence in the U.S., many  including the New York Police Department  have lauded Louie Suljovic and his father as heroes for intervening in the attack.

Louie Suljovic is recovering from a stab wound near his spine that resulted in a punctured lung.

"We're not going to let stuff like that happen," Louie Suljovic said. "We take care of our community."

Chang, a 61-year-old woman of Korean descent, according to NBC New York, was stabbed once in the back through her jacket.

Suljovic said he is not "100% sure" as to her condition. But if he could talk to her, he has one simple message: "We love you, and we're here for you, and we will always be here for you," he told TODAY.

According to ABC New York, Chang, a home health aide, went back to work the next day out of necessity.

Thats just who he is

Aferdita Suljovic, Louies mother, told TODAY that hearing her sons voice after the attack brought an immediate sense of relief  then, a feeling of pride.

Thats the way we were all grown up to be; if you see somebody, you have to help somebody, she said.

Her family is from Albania, and when they first arrived in the United States, they relied on their community to get through the struggles of settling in a new place. She said that her son, along with her other children, was raised to always help people, even strangers.

Story continues

Thats just who he is, she said.

Louie Suljovic continues to recover from his injuries.

Louie Suljovic is recovering at a hospital in the Elmhurst neighborhood of Queens, located across the street from his shop, Louies Pizza. Early on in the coronavirus pandemic, the area's hospital system became a cautionary tale of overworked staff and supply shortages that would come to define much of the crisis.

Suljovic served food to essential workers at the hospital to keep them well-fed and to provide a little bit of normalcy.

Your local shop is here for you; its just the one thing thats always going to be as normal, he said.

Suljovic said that the tube from his lung was removed Tuesday, and he hopes to be discharged soon.

He wants to be up and out already, Aferdita Suljovic said of her sons condition.

Cazim Suljovic will remain in the hospital for several more days to recover from his injuries, Louie Suljovic said.

According to NBC New York, two suspects were taken into custody related to the attack.

Rising anti-Asian harassment and violence

Louie Suljovic said he's noticed the city of New York becoming increasingly violent, especially toward people from the Asian American community. Intervening in the attack on the 61-year-old woman was his way to "stand up."

"If the communities don't start taking back their areas, we're going to lose our city," he said.

"We've had enough of the sheer violence on people who are incapable of defending themselves," he added.

According to 2020 U.S. census data, Queens has the largest Asian population of all five New York City boroughs at 656,583 people, with the highest concentrations in Elmhurst and Flushing-Willets Point neighborhoods.

The organization Stop AAPI Hate has tracked the rise in violence and tallied more than 10,000 hate incidents across the country against the community since March 2020, around the time of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In March 2021, six Asian women were shot at several spas in Atlanta. In January, Michelle Go was pushed in front of a New York City subway car and died. In February, Christina Yuna Lee, 35, was stabbed to death in her apartment after a man followed her home. These attacks have left many members of the Asian American community feeling unsafe.

For bystanders who bear witness to these attacks, Louie Suljovic encourages others to stand up as well.

"If we're on the sidelines and just recording an incident and putting it on social media, you're no better than the person being the perpetrator," he said.

Stop AAPI Hate has a list of resources on how to be an ally towards the community, including safety tips for what to do when witnessing a hate crime. The organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice also offers a virtual training on intervention that focuses on five safety strategies  distract, delegate, document, delay and direct.

'We need change'

Aferdita Suljovic said that her son's actions were ultimately unconditional.

"It was a human life, that was the most important thing to him," she said. But she hopes that her son's actions will change the way people approach these incidents.

"I hope we change; we need change," she said.

For Elizabeth Amber Gomez, a New York native and second-generation Chinese woman and activist, the Suljovics' actions sparked hope.

"It's extremely rare, especially when weapons are involved and in New York City," Gomez told TODAY.

She said she often sees recorded videos of hate crimes against Asian American people with no bystander intervention.

"It was hopeful, I feel like, to see someone that was a bystander come in to actually risk their own life to save another," she said. "We need that hope, that unity to keep us going. We feel like we're alone."

Support from the community

An Elmhurst community member started a GoFundMe for Louie and Cazim Suljovic to help with medical expenses and to pay staff as the restaurant remains closed in the wake of the incident.

In just two days, the page has raised more than $188,000 from more than 3,900 donors, dwarfing its initial $75,000 goal.

Louie Suljovic said these donations allow him to take time in his recovery instead of rushing to reopen his local shop.

"It's a huge relief for us," he said.

Donors from the Asian American community and beyond have left messages of thanks on the fundraising page, calling the Suljovics heroes.

"I wish the wonderful people a speedy recovery. I live in a different state, but Ill go out to eat soon, so I hope and pray that you leave the hospital early by then. There were also news articles about you in Korean news. All Koreans are grateful to you," one donor said.

"I donated because it takes a true hero to put himself in the line of danger to save a stranger," another wrote.

The fundraiser's founder, a "concerned neighbor and Louie's Pizza regular," has put out calls for more information to help the woman who was initially attacked.
The accused triggerman in last week's fatal parking lot shooting in northwest Ocala has been arrested.

Leandre Rashad Cox turned himself in at the Ocala Police Department about 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Cox, 18, is charged with murder. The Ocala resident was transported to the Marion County Jail for booking.

One arrest: 14-year-old boy charged in connection with fatal parking lot shooting in NW Ocala

Toddler hurt: Ocala boy, 4, shot himself in the hand. He was injured; the gun's owner was arrested

Bail denied: Judge revokes bond for Ocala woman charged with manslaughter

Cox's arrest came a day after a second person, a 14-year-old boy, was charged in connection with the homicide. The Star-Banner is not naming the teenager because of his age. Police describe him as an accomplice.

Ocala Police Department

Detectives are looking for a third person who they suspect is connected to the shooting death of Jacorie McCullough on March 25.

A possible motive?

While the hunt is on for the third individual, police have addressed the issue of motive. They say it appears McCullough was the target of a robbery.

According to Detective Kyle Kern's report, police examined Cox's text messages and found one from March 14 that said: "anywhere we see 'Palay' he getting robbed."

McCullough went by the name of "Palay," the report notes.

Detectives said there was another social media message where Cox, McCullough and Cox's mother had a disagreement. The report doesn't provide details.

A detective spoke with Cox's mother about the message and she confirmed it occurred "between all parties," according to her son's arrest report.

The woman was shown pictures and a brief surveillance video of the shooter. She said the suspect "looked like" Cox, officials said.

Surveillance video captured the fatal shooting

Officers said surveillance video showed the 14-year-old boy walking toward McCullough, who was in a sport utility vehicle that was in a parking lot. The teen opens a back passenger door and takes a backpack from the back of the vehicle.

Story continues

McCullough and the teenager scuffle, and McCullough manages to wrestle the backpack from the boy, according to a summary of the footage included in an arrest report.

Three males then approach the confrontation. One of them tries to separate McCullough and Cox. Cox is seen with a silver handgun in his right hand, police officials said.

Cox and McCullough are seen fighting and, during the physical confrontation, Cox points the gun at McCullough. McCullough then falls to the ground.

7 Days Food Store

A male whose face was covered grabs the backpack from the vehicle. Officers said Cox, the teen and the unidentified male then ran from the location.

The shooting occurred in a parking lot located in the 2000 block of Northwest First Ave., in front of the 7 Days Food store.

Reason for arrest

McCullough was taken to HCA Florida Ocala Hospital, formally known as Ocala Regional Medical Center, where he later died.

The detectives interviewed at least two witnesses about the shooting. From the interviews, police officials were able to identify Cox and the juvenile as suspects.

Kern said he had probable cause to arrest both Cox and the minor.

A memorial has been set up in memory of Jacorie McCullough who was shot and killed on March 25.

The reasons given by the detective were: The boy is seen on the video assisting Cox, statements and photograph identifications, and text messages between Cox and another male referring to a robbery of the victim.

Anyone with any information about the shooting can call Kern at (352) 369-700, Crime Stoppers at 368-7867, or go to www.ocalacrimestoppers.com.

Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Ocala, Florida police arrest man in March 25 fatal parking lot shooting
British Airways Heathrow airport flights IT delays - Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

British Airways has apologised for chaos at Heathrow for the second time in a month after an hour-long IT glitch led to cancellations and delays.

The airline said a technical issue on Wednesday led to flights being grounded. Cancellations on some short-haul flights continued into Wednesday evening.

The problems come weeks after all short-haul flights were cancelled on a Saturday because of another technical glitch.

Staff were dispatched to Heathrows departure gates to warn passengers that cancellations and delays were still possible despite the IT failure being rectified.

One employee asked a passenger "where are you going? before replying: Oh, that one is probably cancelled."

Customers are urged to check the BA website for information about their flights and cancellations.

One group of travellers at Heathrow were told that all short-haul flights had been cancelled, worried travellers, but those to long-haul destinations were still operating. However, departure boards showed that flights to destinations including New York had been cancelled.

One passenger, hoping to travel home to Amsterdam after a two-day business trip to London UK, said. At first the staff were very good, they helped me to rebook my flight, but then that one got cancelled too.

He was hoping to travel on another airline. if I book a flight with KLM its like double the price because its last minute  I just want to go home.

One parent was left waiting for three hours for their son, who is blind, to come through arrivals after his flight from Jersey was forced to wait on a taxiway.

A spokesman for BA said: "We experienced a technical issue for a short time this afternoon which affected our operation at Heathrow Terminal 5. This has now been resolved and we're resuming flight operations. We've apologised to those customers who have been inconvenienced."

05:10 PM

Wrapping up

That's all from us today, thank you for following! Before you go, have a look at the latest stories from our business team:

Story continues

05:09 PM

Glencore to keep investments in Russian companies

En+ Group - REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Glencore said it will not seek new deals in Russia but will continue its long-standing business ties in the country.

The world's largest commodity trader said there is no realistic way to offload its investments in Russian companies. It holds a 10.55pc stake in miner En+ and another 0.57pc in oil firm Rosneft.

Glencore said it will continue to honour legal obligations under pre-existing contracts, subject to meeting any sanctions and where it is feasible and safe to do so.

As a growing list of the worlds biggest companies, from blue-chip banks to consumer giants, announce plans to leave Russia, commodity trading houses have quietly continued their business of buying and selling the countrys natural resources.

They have historically been willing to operate in the most difficult jurisdictions and only a handful, including Gunvor Group and now Glencore, have announced they will stop new business in Russia.

04:52 PM

FTSE 100 closes in the green

Robust commodity stocks and rebounding oil prices kept the FTSE 100 positive on a turbulent day for the markets. The index ended the day up 0.5pc at 7,578.

"Stocks in Europe are retreating this afternoon as investors worry about rising energy costs that will hit consumers hard," commented Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG.

"While the FTSE 100 has escaped the losses so far today, with UK bills set to head in the same direction there are big questions about whether economies across the continent will be able to avoid a recession.

"Once again rising commodity prices have been the sticking plaster for the FTSE, masking losses across most of the rest of the index."

04:36 PM

Former BP executive appointed to Government's energy board

The Government has turned to a former executive of oil and gas giant BP to help the country cut fossil fuels. Rachel Millard has more:

Kwasi Kwarteng, the business secretary, has hired Peter Mather, BP's former Head of Country UK, to the board of the department for business, energy and industrial strategy. Mr Mather will oversee work on the "transition to a low carbon economy". Mr Kwarteng said: "Peters wealth of experience in the energy industry will prove invaluable as we ensure our energy security into the future by boosting nuclear power and renewables in the UK."

04:15 PM

EU officials raid Gazprom offices in Germany

EU officials have raided the offices of Gazproms German units as part of a probe into the Russian gas giants role in pushing prices in the continent to records, Bloomberg reported.

Officials visited offices of companies such as Gazprom Germania and Wingas, which supplies about 20pc of the German market.

The raid comes as Europe steps up its probe into whether Gazproms behavior caused a spike in gas prices and worsened the regions energy crunch.

Europe has been grappling with an energy crisis since last year, as Gazprom capped additional supplies at a time inventories were already at their lowest level in more than a decade.

03:50 PM

British Airways resumes Heathrow operations as technical glitch resolved

British Airways has resumed operations at Heathrow Airport after an IT failure at Terminal 5.

A spokesman for BA said: "We experienced a technical issue for a short time this afternoon which affected our operation at Heathrow Terminal 5. This has now been resolved and we're resuming flight operations.

"We've apologised to those customers who have been inconvenienced."

03:33 PM

Meal replacement maker Huel posts soaring results as demand soars

Huel - Huel

Meal replacement maker Huel has posted soaring results as demand for its plant-based products has continued to grow.

Revenue in the year to July 2021 climbed 43pc while profits increased nearly three-fold to 2m.

The group, which was launched in 2015, also appointed Robyn Perriss, former chief financial officer at Rightmove, as a non-executive director.

03:20 PM

Handing over

That's all from me today  thanks for following along! My colleague Giulia Bottaro will take over from here.

03:05 PM

Ports brand minimum wage ferry rules 'unworkable'

Meanwhile, UK ports have hit back at Grant Shapps' request to block ferry firms that failed to pay the minimum wage, arguing it wasn't up to them to enforce rules on pay.

Richard Ballantyne, chief executive of the British Ports Association, said the expectation was "unworkable".

"Unworkable".



Ports respond to Grant Shapps' plans for them to enforce minimum wage rules. pic.twitter.com/nUL2bad9fH  Oliver Gill (@ojngill) March 30, 2022

02:58 PM

BA says it's investigating issue

British Airways said it was investigating a technical issue after an IT outage sparked a raft of flight delays.

In a response on Twitter, the airline said: "We're investigating and working hard to resolve a technical issue and apologise for the inconvenience. We will provide further updates as quickly as possible."

The online departure board showed flights at Heathrow were delayed, with a few cancelled.

02:48 PM

BA flights grounded in latest IT crisis

Reports are emerging on social media of widespread British Airways flight delays due to a systems failure at Heathrow Terminal 5.

It's the latest IT crisis for the airline, which was forced to cancel all short-haul flights due to a technical outage less than a month ago.

JUST IN



All systems are down for British Airways in Terminal 5



Flights have stopped boarding

Departure flights facing delays and could be cancelled



BA297 - delayed

BA263 - delayed

BA2584 - delayed

BA354 - delayed

BA209 - delayed

BA480 - delayed#aviation #AvGeek  M Zulqarnain B (@MZulqarnainBut1) March 30, 2022

02:40 PM

Russia gives green light to piracy after brands flee

Moscow piracy retail sanctions - Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images

Russia has effectively legalised piracy by scrapping copyright laws after a raft of global brands halted sales or stopped exports to the country.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Moscow has authorised retailers to import products from abroad without the trademark owner's permission.

He said these "parallel imports" were needed to ensure that certain goods could continue to be shipped to Russia.

"This approach will guarantee the shipment of goods to our country... in spite of the unfriendly actions of foreign politicians."

Russia's retail sector has been upended by western sanctions and decisions by firms such as H&M, Apple and Nike to curb their activity in the country.

02:28 PM

Boris Johnson: Russia sanctions won't be lifted after ceasefire

Boris Johnson has said G7 countries shouldn't lift sanctions against Russia if there's a ceasefire in Ukraine.

The Prime Minister said this would play "straight into Putin's playbook" and insisted "every single one of his troops" needs to be out of Ukraine.

When could sanctions on Russia begin to be lifted?



PM: I certainly dont think that you could expect the G7 to lift sanctions simply because theres been a ceasefire in Ukraine in my view we need to intensify sanctions until every single one of his troops is out of Ukraine  Dominic Penna (@DominicPenna) March 30, 2022

02:19 PM

UK asks ports to block pay-skimping ferry firms

The Government has asked ports to refuse access to regular ferry services that don't pay workers the minimum wage, as the fallout from P&O's mass sackings continues.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told MPs the request was a temporary measure while the Government consulted on legislative changes to make it a legal requirement.

P&O's decision to lay off 800 workers without warning and replace them with low-paid agency staff has sparked a fierce backlash and led to calls for a change of laws.

Mr Shapps also announced several other measure in response to the P&O decision, including his intention to seek international minimum wage corridors with allies to help make sure workers are not paid below the UK rate.

02:10 PM

Hackers steal crypto worth $600m from Axie Infinity

Axie Infinity crypto hack

Hackers have stolen cryptocurrency worth about $600m (456m) from an online game in what is thought to be one of the largest such heists.

Gareth Corfield has the details:

The game, Axie Infinity, has its own version of the blockchain, the technology that powers Bitcoin, called Ronin. A connection between Ronins blockchain and other cryptocurrencies, known as the Ronin Bridge, was illicitly accessed by hackers last week. The theft was only discovered when an Axie Infinity player tried to withdraw their own cryptocurrency from the game but was unable to do so, prompting enquiries. Axie Infinitys developers, Vietnam-based Sky Mavis, said the hackers used a previously unknown backdoor in its systems to transfer Ronin tokens into the more widely used Ethereum cryptocurrency. Private cryptographic keys were said to have been obtained by the hackers and used to pass through Ronins transaction validation systems, which should have stopped the theft.

Read Gareth's full story here

01:57 PM

EU considers new sanctions on Russian banks

The EU is said to be preparing fresh sanctions against more Russian banks as the West expands its economic crackdown on Moscow.

EU officials are considering hitting four non-sanctioned banks that were removed from the Swift system, including VTB, the Wall Street Journal reports.

It's not thought there are any plans to target Gazprombank or Sberbank, which handle energy payments by European firms to Russia.

It comes as officials also look at broader sanctions on family members of targeted Russian business elites or oligarchs in a bid to stem the movement of assets abroad.

01:36 PM

Wall Street slips as Russia fears return

US stocks fell at the opening bell as hopes faded for a de-escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war and investors turned their attention back to inflation.

The S&P 500 and Dow Jones both slipped 0.2pc in early trading, while the Nasdaq was down 0.3pc.

01:24 PM

HSBC breaches competition rules with 'bundling' tactics

HSBC banking small business CMA - DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS

More than 200 of HSBC's small company customers were wrongly told they had to take out a business current account to be able to access a loan.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that HSBC breached banking rules over a nine-year period by telling small firms it was a lending requirement to have a business current account.

The move, dubbed "bundling", affected 204 customers relating to 210 loans worth more than 800,000.

HSBC reported the breaches, which took place between 2002 and 2021, to the CMA itself and confirmed it ended them from September last year.

It wrote to affected customers to waive the non-compliance clauses from the relevant loan agreements and has also offered refunds of all the current account fees and charges, while making it clear they do not need to keep the accounts with HSBC to have a loan with the lender.

The CMA has now imposed legally binding directions on HSBC ensuring it takes action to ensure the breaches do not happen again, including improved staff training.

Adam Land at the CMA said:

The rules are clear  banks should not ask customers to open or retain business accounts in order to have a loan with them. It is right that HSBC have offered refunds and we will monitor compliance with our directions closely to ensure this doesn't happen again.

01:09 PM

US companies add 455,000 jobs in March

Employment growth at US companies advanced strongly in March, suggesting higher wages are helping firms fill a near-record number of vacancies.

Payrolls increased 455,000 this month following a revised 486,000 rise in February, according to the ADP Research Institute. This was just above the 450,000 increase forecasts in a Bloomberg survey of economists.

The data supports the Federal Reserve's view that the labour market is robust and competition for workers remains intense, with many employers offering higher pay to attract candidates.

It comes ahead of the government's official employment report on Friday, which is set to show private payrolls increased by about half a million in March.

Robust & broad-based +455k private payroll gain in March, reported by @ADP



+486k in Feb (revised up by 11k)



Goods: +79k

Manufacturing +54k

Construction +15k

Mining +9k



Services: +377k

Leisure/Hospitality +161k

Education/Health +72k

Prof Biz +61k

Trade/Transport +49k pic.twitter.com/7FsR7vBOgw  Gregory Daco (@GregDaco) March 30, 2022

12:55 PM

BP turns to state energy giants in Russian asset sale

BP Moscow Russia energy sanctions - Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images

BP is said to have approached state-backed energy firms in Asia and the Middle East as it tries to offload its Russian assets.

The FTSE 100 energy giant has made preliminary approaches to China National Petroleum and Sinopec Group about the planned sale of its roughly 20pc stake in Rosneft, Bloomberg reports.

It's also said to have contacted some potential buyers in the Middle East and gauging interest from Indian firms such as Oil & Natural Gas Corp and Indian Oil.

According to the report, the efforts have gained little traction so far, highlighting the difficulty facing companies trying to sever ties with Moscow.

BP's other option is to strike a deal with Rosneft, either by handing the stake back or selling it, likely at a huge discount.

As is stands, the firm sees as transaction with Rosneft as the most realistic option, as it would struggle to sell down its holding on the market or find another buyer.

12:41 PM

German inflation surges to highest since reunification

German inflation jumped to its highest since records began after reunification in the early 1990s, as surging energy prices pile more pressure on households.

Consumer prices surged 7.6pc in March from a year earlier  topping economists' expectations.

It followed a higher-than-expected inflation reading of almost 10pc in Spain earlier today, as the war in Ukraine sparks turbulence across the continent.

The figures are likely to fuel expectations that the ECB will raise interest rates  something President Christine Lagarde has so far resisted.

12:32 PM

Russia to pay part of Eurobond in dollars

Russia's finance ministry reportedly plans to pay the remaining part of the Eurobond due on April 4.

It comes after Moscow offered to buy back part of the issue in roubles, Reuters reports.

Analysts said the offer was designed to help local holders of the $2bn (1.5bn) sovereign bond receive payment, while also easing the country's hard-currency repayment burden.

11:45 AM

What happens if Russian gas is switched off?

Russian President Vladimir Putin Ukraine energy gas prices crisis - Mikhail KLIMENTYEV / SPUTNIK / AFP

Worries are mounting that Vladimir Putin may turn off the energy supply taps that flow into Europe, in a stand-off over how payments will be made.

It comes as the Kremlin battles to prop up its currency, the rouble, after a wave of sanctions by Western countries push Russias economy to the brink. While Europe is conscious of keeping the lights on, it also does not want to inadvertently aid Putins war efforts.

As Europe prepares for a gas supply crunch, Germany, its biggest economy, has triggered an emergency plan.

What is at stake if Russia goes ahead with its threats?

Rachel Millard explains: What happens if Russian gas is switched off?

11:21 AM

Russia: No breakthroughs in Ukraine talks

Moscow has said there were no breakthroughs in talks with Ukraine yesterday, further dampening optimism about a potential ceasefire.

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's spokesman, said it was "positive" that Ukrainian negotiators had started to provide specific proposals on paper.

"But on the rest, we can't report anything very promising, no breakthroughs. Very, very prolonged work is still ahead."

Russia yesterday said it was scaling back some military operations, and raised the prospect of direct talks between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

But Russian shelling continued today, with fears the assault could intensify outside Kyiv.

11:10 AM

Wall Street to fall as Ukraine optimism fades

Wall Street's main indices look set to decline at the opening bell as optimism about a de-escalation of Russia's war in Ukraine faded.

The West has been sceptical about Moscow's pledge to scale back military operations, while traders are focusing on surging inflation and concerns that the Treasury curve signals a looming recession.

Futures tracking the S&P 500 and Dow Jones fell 0.4pc and 0.3pc respectively, while the Nasdaq lost 0.5pc.

10:57 AM

EU vows to prepare for gas supply crunch

The EU has said it will work closely with member states to prepare for gas supply disruptions after Germany triggered an emergency plan amid fears Russia could turn off the taps.

Frans Timmermans, the EU's climate policy chief, said:

We are prepared for any such cases. We will of course, work closely with member states to have everybody be prepared for any sort of situations.

10:49 AM

Revolut off the hook as FCA extends key crypto deadline

The City watchdog is extending a deadline for its approval of crypto firms, granting more time for Revolut and 11 others to get their affairs in order.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said companies on its temporary register of crypto businesses will be given additional time if they can show they require it, such as providing more information for the application, pursuing an appeal against the FCA's decision or winding down their operations.

More than 100 firms applied for permission to operate while their applications were ongoing  only 12 remain on that register.

The FCA said: "We have been reviewing cryptoasset firms' applications to ensure they meet the minimum standards we expect  that those who run these firms are fit and proper and that they have adequate systems to identify and prevent flows of money from crime."

10:37 AM

Ikea to close north London store putting 450 jobs at risk

Ikea Tottenham London - Julian Finney/Getty Images

Ikea plans to close a store in Tottenham, north London, putting 450 jobs at risk, as part its push to open more shops in city centres, writes Laura Onita.

The decision comes only a month after the Swedish giant opened its first shopping centre in Hammersmith, west London. The flat-pack furniture retailer has been focusing on smaller, inner-city locations over the years rather than just huge edge-of-town sites as shopping habits evolve. Peter Jelkeby, Ikeas UK country manager, said: The decision to propose closing the Tottenham store has not been taken lightly, but we believe it is the right thing to do as we strengthen our position for the future. The Tottenham store will continue to trade as normal until further notice.

Read Laura's full story here

10:20 AM

Kremlin says switch to roubles will take time

Russia appears to be easing its rhetoric over demands for western countries to pay for gas imports in roubles.

The Kremlin said it won't immediately demand payments in the local currency, despite Vladimir Putin ordering the switch by March 31.

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the process will take time, with a separation between payment and delivery. Natural gas prices pared gains after the climbdown.

Mr Peskov also said Russia should work on widening the list of exports requiring rouble payments after the Duma Speaker called for grain, oil and other commodities to be included in the demands.

10:11 AM

Tui pays back first bailout funds as summer booking surge

Tui travel loans Covid pandemic - Ina FASSBENDER / AFP

Tui has confirmed it will repay 700m (592m) of bailout funds to the German state and private lenders, as summer bookings climbed back towards pre-pandemic levels.

The world's biggest travel agency said it will return the money on April 1, leaving it with about 3.5bn in emergency pandemic funding lines.

Tui received the cash injections and access to state-backed loans as the pandemic sparked a slump in travel demand.

Fritz Joussen, chief executive of Tui, said: "Thanks to the credit lines from the German federal government and from the private banks and the contribution of our shareholders, we have steered Tui safely through its most serious crisis."

The company said bookings for the summer season had hit 80pc of 2019 levels in recent weeks.

10:05 AM

Shell's Cambo oil project gets two-year licence extension

Shell's controversial Cambo oil field has been granted a two-year licence extension as the war in Ukraine sparks a rethink on North Sea oil.

The project had been paused in December after Shell withdrew following pressure from fossil fuel critics. But it's now said to be reconsidering its decision as the UK looks to reduce reliance on Russian energy.

Siccar Point, which co-owns the venture with Shell, said the firms were working with the Government to "map out the next steps on Cambo".

Read more on this story: Putin puts North Sea oil back on the agenda for investors

09:55 AM

Apollo pulls out of Pearson takeover bid

Private equity firm Apollo has scrapped its efforts to snap up publishing giant Pearson.

Earlier this month the FTSE 100 group revealed it had rejected two takeover offers from Apollo  the second valued at around 7bn. It said the offers "significantly undervalued" the company.

Apollo has now confirmed it was unable to reach agreement with Pearson's board over the terms of a potential deal and so it does not intend to make an offer.

Shares in Pearson slumped as much as 14pc.

09:49 AM

One in three homes turning down the heating to save money

ONS heating energy crisis bills - Steve Parsons/PA Wire

One in three households are turning down their heating and spending less on their weekly grocery shop as family budgets are battered by the cost of living crisis.

Tom Rees has more:

Official data revealed that older generations are feeling the squeeze the most, with almost a third of adults unable to cope with an unexpected 850 bill. Britain is facing the biggest slump in living standards on record with a surge in energy bills and tax rises set to worsen the squeeze next month. More than 8 in 10 adults suffered a rise in the cost of living in March, up from 6 in 10 in November, according to the Office for National Statistics. As inflation hits its highest level in 30 years, half of adults are spending less on non-essentials and 36pc are shopping around more. However, others are taking even more drastic action to cope with the squeeze. A third are using less gas and electricity at home and 31pc are scaling back their food shopping and essential purposes.

09:34 AM

Oil climbs after two-day drop

Oil prices are back on the rise as traders cautiously assess Russia's pledge to de-escalate fighting and its potential impact on supplies.

Benchmark Brent crude rose more than 2pc to above $112 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate traded around $107. It comes after prices slid more than 8pc over the last two sessions.

The war is already taking its toll on Russian production, which fell below 11m barrels a day in the second half of March, while deliveries to refineries slid about 11pc.

Prices had slumped on hopes of a ceasefire, but western nations are sceptical about the Kremlin's claims.

09:14 AM

Economists slash German growth outlook

Economic advisers to the German government have slashed their growth forecast for 2022, warning that the war in Ukraine and soaring energy prices would take their toll.

The German Council of Economic Experts said it now expected GDP to expand by just 1.8pc year on year, down from an earlier forecast of 4.6pc.

They said: "Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and energy prices are drastically worsening the economic outlook."

The experts, whose forecasts are closely watched by Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government, said they expected inflation to hit a decades-high peak of 6.1pc this year as energy costs and supply chain disruptions continue to push up prices around the world.

09:00 AM

Spanish inflation soars to 10pc on Ukraine war

Spanish inflation has unexpectedly surged at its fastest rate in almost four decades as Russia's invasion of Ukraine pushes energy bills ever higher.

In the latest grim sign of Europe's cost-of-living crisis, Spain said EU-harmonised consumer prices jumped 9.8pc in March, outstripping economists' forecasts.

A national gauge rose by the same amount  the biggest jump since 1985  driven by food, fuel and electricity.

Germany will release inflation data later today, while eurozone numbers on Friday are set to hit a fresh high.

Spain inflation is now effectively at double digits, with energy prices absolutely out of control. This is now panic territory of the sort that can get governments ousted, so I expect more policy support to be announced sooner than later. pic.twitter.com/2yIDrrRpmM  Angel Talavera (@atalaveraEcon) March 30, 2022

08:52 AM

Citi workers stay at home as power cut hits Canary Wharf

Staff at Citigroup's Canary Wharf offices are working from home today amid a major power cut across east London.

Many of the bank's UK workers were forced to head home early yesterday when party of the building lost power, Bloomberg reports.

In a memo to staff, James Bardrick, Citigroup's UK chief, warned the disruption could continue beyond today.

He wrote: "We expect access to power in and around Canary Wharf to be compromised tomorrow, and possibly for a longer period of time. As a precaution, please plan to work from home tomorrow."

UK Power Networks said it expected the power cuts affecting Canary Wharf to be resolved by 11.30am.

Citi appears to be the hardest hit by the outages. At HSBC's offices, power was reportedly lost for several hours, forcing the bank to activate auxiliary generators.

Power also went out at Credit Suisse, but it used secondary supplies to ensure disruption was limited.

We would like to apologise to customers in the E1 and E14 areas of London who are still without power following an earlier fire at a substation. We are working hard to reconnect supplies as quickly as possible. For updates, please visit our website: https://t.co/FWa5DA5eZL pic.twitter.com/WaPHMch6sM  UK Power Networks (@UKPowerNetworks) March 29, 2022

08:36 AM

Petropavlovsk in debt talks after Gazprombank payments fail

London-listed miner Petropavlovsk has started talks with advisers over a potential debt restructuring after lender Gazprombank was hit by sanctions.

The company said it was in the early stages of discussion on the mater after it was unable to make around $10m (7.6m) of interest payments due in the last week.

Petropavlovsk has seen its share price crash more than 75pc since the start of the year as Russia's invasion of Ukraine sent investors fleeing.

The miner said sanctions against Gazprombank had left it unable to sell gold, adding that restrictions on purchasing and selling gold in Russia could make it "challenging".

08:22 AM

Bloomsbury gets profit boost thanks to Sarah Maas fantasy hit

Bloomsbury publisher Sarah Maas fantasy - Clara Molden

Soaring sales of the new novel by fantasy author Sarah Maas have helped Bloomsbury to lift its profit forecasts for the second time in as many months.

The Harry Potter publisher said full-year profits are set to be "materially" ahead of already-upgraded expectations thanks to strong consumer book sales, and after it also overcame ongoing print supply challenges.

Bloomsbury hailed "exceptional" sales in the final month of its financial year, which it largely put down to demand for Ms Maas's number one global bestseller House Of Sky And Breath.

Other top sellers included What I Wish People Knew About Dementia by Wendy Mitchell, Violeta by Isabel Allende and The Leviathan by Rosie Andrews.

This put the group on track to "comfortably" beat its 212.5m in expected sales and pre-tax profits of 22.3m.

08:15 AM

Raab: Russia sanctions will remain until invasion withdrawn

Dominic Raab has said sanctions against Russia will remain it place until the country withdraws its troops from Ukraine.

The Deputy Prime Minister told the BBC: "The sanctions are there to tighten the grip on Putin's war machine and until the invasion is withdrawn  and I think that would need to be entirely or on a verifiable basis  I don't think the sanctions can or should be lifted."

08:08 AM

Opec expected to rebuff calls to replace lost Russian oil

Producer cartel Opec is expected to rebuff calls to cover a shortfall in oil exports for Russia even as prices remain high.

The group, led by Saudi Arabia, is likely to agree to another modest production increase for May when it meets tomorrow, according to a Bloomberg survey.

Russian oil exports have plunged by a quarter as many traders shun the country over its invasion of Ukraine, while companies including BP and Shell have pledged to withdraw.

Major importers have urged Opec to boost supplies to ease prices, which have held above $100 a barrel. But the group have resisted the calls, insisting that there's no shortage in world markets yet.

07:57 AM

Germany turns to biogas amid Russia gas threat

Growing fears that Russia could cut off gas supplies are pushing Germany to a new source of energy: biogas.

Europe's largest economy is racing to reduce its reliance on Russian energy and has initiated an emergency gas supply plan as Putin's deadline for rouble payments looms.

Germany energy gas biogas roubles - John MACDOUGALL / AFP

Germany Russia biogas gas energy sanctions - John MACDOUGALL / AFP

07:51 AM

European shares fall after three days of gains

The FTSE 100's gains this morning may be modest, but the index still appears to be outperforming its European rivals.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 dropped 0.5pc, retreating after three straight sessions of gains that were driven by hopes of a breakthrough in Russia-Ukraine peace talks.

The reversal suggests investors may feel the optimism was overblow, while concerns remain about soaring inflation and a potential recession.

Swiss drugmaker Roche also weighed on the wider market, dropping 2.2pcafter it said its drug to treat small cell lung cancer failed to meet its targets in a late-stage trial.

07:47 AM

Germany: 'Every kilowatt hour counts'

Here's a bit more detail on Germany's emergency gas plans:

Robert Habeck, the country's finance minister, said that while gas supplies were secure for the time being, it was monitoring the situation closely.

He said: "Nevertheless, we must increase precautionary measures to be prepared for an escalation on the part of Russia. With the declaration of the early warning level, a crisis team has convened."

The crisis team, which includes members of his ministry, the German network regulator, network operators, and representatives of Germany's 16 federal states would closely monitor the situation "so that  if necessary  further measures can be taken to increase supply security".

Mr Habeck also urged consumers and companies to reduce consumption, saying that "every kilowatt hour counts".

Russia accounted for 55pc of Germany's gas imports in 2021. Although that figure fell to 40pc in the first quarter of 2022, Mr Habeck has said Germany will not achieve full independence from Russian supplies before mid-2024.

07:41 AM

John Menzies accepts 571m Kuwaiti bid

John Menzies takeover Kuwait FTSE - PA

Airport ground-handling specialist John Menzies has accepted a 571m takeover bid by a Kuwaiti firm.

The Scottish company said it had reached an agreement on the terms of the deal with Agility Warehousing.

The 608p-per-share offer, which follows two previous lower bids, is 81pc above Menzies' share price before the suitor first approached in early February.

Philipp Joeinig, chief executive of Menzies, said:

The Menzies directors believe that the offer represents a fair and recommendable price for shareholders which recognises Menzies' future prospects. Menzies is an outstanding business with a long and rich history. The board of Menzies applauds the work that the Menzies management team have done to steer the business through the challenging impacts of the pandemic and position the business for continued future growth and the next evolution in its journey.

07:29 AM

FTSE risers and fallers

The FTSE 100 has pushed tentatively higher this morning, extending yesterday's rally after Russia pledged to scale back operations around Kyiv.

The blue-chip index rose 0.1pc, boosted by heavyweight commodity stocks.

BP and Shell rose 1.4pc and 2.2pc respectively as oil prices clawed back heavy losses suffered earlier in the week. The latter was also helped by JP Morgan raising its price target on the stock.

Miners Glencore, Rio Tinto, Fresnillo and Anglo American all pushed higher, tracking a rebound in metal prices.

But gains were capped by Experian, which fell 2.7pc to the bottom of the FTSE 100 after Citigroup cut its rating on the credit data firm. Lloyds also dropped 2.6pc on a double downgrade from RBC.

The domestically-focused FTSE 250 dropped 0.6pc after surging 2pc yesterday.

07:22 AM

Russia proposes Swift alternative to India for rouble payments

India's government is said to be considering a proposal from Moscow to use a system developed by Russia's central bank for payments.

The plan involves payments in roubles and rupees using Russias messaging system SPFS, Bloomberg reports. This would allow the Kremlin to sidestep sanctions blocking it from the Swift transaction system.

India is keen to continue bilateral trade due to its dependency on Russian weapons and the prospect of buying cheaper oil as global prices surge.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been pushing back against pressure from western nations by arguing that arms purchases from Russia are needed to counter Chinas growing military assertiveness.

07:18 AM

Rouble close to clawing back post-invasion losses

Putin's rouble demands appear to be having the desired effect on the Russian currency, which is close to clawing back all the losses suffered since the invasion of Ukraine.

The rouble has gained ground in 13 of the past 14 trading sessions in Moscow, paring most of the 33pc decline it suffered after Putin sent Russian troops to invade Ukraine.

The currency rose again this morning, gaining more than 4pc to around 86 against the dollar, edging close to its pre-war level.

07:14 AM

Gas prices jump as Germany sounds the alarm

Natural gas prices pushed higher as Germany initiated an emergency gas supply plan amid fears Moscow could turn off the taps.

Benchmark European prices rose as much as 6.1pc after finance minister Robert Habeck said Germany had entered the first of three possible phases of the plan. The UK equivalent rose more than 9pc.

Vladimir Putin has demanded that "unfriendly" nations pay for gas imports in roubles  a demand the G7 has unanimously rejected.

The two sides are at a stand-off ahead of tomorrow's deadline, sparking market volatility as traders fear further disruption to supplies.

07:03 AM

FTSE 100 opens higher

The FTSE 100 has nudged higher at the open, building on yesterday's gains amid optimism about Russia-Ukraine ceasefire talks.

The blue-chip index gained 0.2pc to 7.549 points.

06:48 AM

Raab: UK taking sceptical view on Russian promises

Britain will take a very sceptical view towards Russia and its pledge to scale down military operations around Kyiv.

That's according to Dominic Raab, who said the Government will judge Moscow on its actions not words.

Russia has promised to de-escalate its assault around the capital, but western countries expect that to lead to an intensification of fighting in other areas. Ukraine also reacted with scepticism.

The Deputy Prime Minister told Sky News: "The door to diplomacy will always be left ajar, but I don't think you can trust what is coming out of the mouth of Putin's war machine."

06:42 AM

Germany activates emergency gas plan

Putin's demands for gas payments in roubles are triggering further jitters in energy markets.

Germany has declared an "early warning" stage of emergency over gas supplies as it braces for a potential escalation by Moscow.

It's the first of three possible phases of an emergency plan to manage squeezed energy supplies, with the threat of Russia cutting off flows completely. A task force will meet daily to monitor the situation.

Robert Habeck, Germany's economy minister, called on companies and consumers to help by reducing energy consumption wherever possible, but insisted there was currently no gas supply shortage.

06:33 AM

Russia mulls widening roubles demands

Good morning.

While there are tentative signs of de-escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war, tensions between Moscow and the West show no signs of letting up.

A top Putin ally has proposed that Moscow expands its demands for roubles payments from the West to commodities including oil, metals and fertilisers.

It comes after Putin ordered so-called "unfriendly" nations to pay for gas imports in the local currency  a move the G7 has firmly rejected.

The Kremlin is battling to prop up the rouble after a wave of western sanctions sent Russian markets crashing.

5 things to start your day

1) P&O Ferries accuses MPs of interfering in reviews It said that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency had applied an unprecedented level of rigour to inspecting its ships in the wake of interventions by ministers and MPs.

2) Dyson unveils air purifying headset Wearing a face mask in public has gone from a peculiar sight to an everyday occurrence in the past two years, but people may still not be ready for Dysons latest invention.

3) Mexico drug wars send avocado prices soaring Avocado prices have surged to their highest in more than two decades after the fruit became caught up in escalating violence between drug cartels in Mexico.

4) Tory heartlands up in arms over fears of solar panel land grab As Britain pushes ahead with plans to go green amid a biting energy crisis, ministers are taking on the Nimbys.

5) 70,000 civil servants to go Government spending has soared to a high-water mark, with a Treasury minister promising to slash the number of civil servants.

What happened overnight

The strong gains on Wall Street and in Europe were largely matched in Asia, with Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Manila, Jakarta and Wellington all performing well. Tokyo bucked the trend by falling.

Coming up today

Full-year results: Keywords

Economics: Consumer confidence, business climate (EU); inflation (Ger); GDP, ADP employment change, personal consumption expenditures (US)
Gleb Garanich/Reuters

Some Russian military vehicles around Ukraines capital have broken off of the attempt to encircle the city in what appears to be a withdrawal, according to new satellite imagery.

The pictures show columns of Russian armored vehicles forming up into columns and convoys, according to analysts with Rochan Consulting, a private aerospace and defense consulting firm which first noted the movements and shared their findings with The Daily Beast.

Photos Show Russian Troops Creeping Closer to Ukraine from Forest Hideout

Prior to the 25 March convoy formations, Russian ground forces were dispersed throughout the forested areas near Lubyanka and Hostomel. From there, Russian artillery would set up in nearby clearings to fire into civilian areas, said Chris Biggers, an imagery analyst monitoring the conflict.

The area where radar-imaging satellites caught sight of the vehicles is close to Hostomel airport, where special operations troops from the Russian Airborne Forces (VDV) had tried and failed to capture the strategic airfield early on in the war.

Capella Space/Rochan Consulting

While the withdrawal of some Russian forces offers relief for Ukraine, theres still no evidence that Russias assault on Ukraine is winding down overall and it remains unclear whether the forces Moscow is pulling out now will be redeployed later on. Late Wednesday, Ukrainian and American officials said they believed Russian forces seen withdrawing from Ukrainian territory were leaving in order to reset, resupply, and redeploy towards other theaters.

We Are Falling Into Putins Evil Little Trap Again

Capella Space satellites first captured the pictures on March 26, two days before Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin claimed that Moscow would drastically, exponentially, reduce military activity around Kyiv following the failed attempt to encircle and capture the Ukrainian capital.

Fomin presented the withdrawal pledge as a diplomatic concession to increase mutual trust and create the necessary conditions for further negotiations but military experts believe the move is less a magnanimous gesture on Russias part and more of a bow to the reality of how poorly the Russian militarys effort to take the capital has fared.

Story continues

In the case of Russian forces around Hostomel, Rochan Consulting analysts noted strike damage and scarred terrain near where Russian vehicles had previously been seen, suggesting that Ukrainian forces had managed to strike back at the attempted cordon of Kyiv.

Early on in the invasion, Russian troops streamed south across the border from Belarus and into the northwest suburbs of Kyiv in an apparent attempt to seize the city and decapitate the Ukrainian governments leadership. Ukrainian forces reported finding Russian saboteurs and assassins who had snuck into the city as the VDV troops mounted their failed assault on Hostomel airport.

In the weeks since the initial assaults on Kyiv failed to capture the city, satellite imagery has captured scenes of stalled Russian vehicles with little effort to move further into the capital region. Imagery collected by the satellite imaging company Maxar showed Russian armored vehicles near the scene of the recent retreat digging in and fortifying their positions with earthen berms rather than moving forward.

Last week, the Russian militarys General Staff implied that the attempt to seize Kyiv had never been an important part of Russias invasion and that the primary objective lay further east. Russian General Staff Main Operational Directorate head Sergei Rudskoi claimed, improbably, that the first phase of the conflict had completed successfully and that Moscow would begin to focus on the main goal, liberation of Donbas, where the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugank Peoples Republics along Russias border with Ukraine are located.

And while some vehicles may be on their way out of Ukraine, Russian forces are still attacking Kyiv. Hours after Fomins announcement of a claimed goodwill gesture towards Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said the city remained under siege. Reuters reported that Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko told European Union officials that The whole night we listened to sirens, to rocket attacks and we listened to huge explosions east of Kyiv and north of Kyiv.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.
The moment the Russian Soyuz capsule touched down in Kazakhstan at 5.28pm local time on 30 March, 2022 (Nasa)

A Nasa astronaut has returned to Earth aboard a Russian craft after breaking the record for the longest single spaceflight by an astronaut.

Mark Vande Hei spent 355 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS), breaking the previous record by 15 days.

In that time he orbited the Earth 5,680 times, covering a distance of more than 150 million miles.

Vande Hei was joined by two Roscosmos cosmonauts  Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov  on the return journey from the ISS, which touched down in Kazakhstan on Wednesday afternoon.

The US space agency broadcasted a live stream video of the parachute-assisted landing on its Nasa TV platform, which was controlled by the Russian mission control centre in the town of Korelev on the outskirts of Moscow.

Russian Soyuz rocket carrying astronauts is expected to land back on Earth in the steppe of Kazakhstan on Wednesday (Nasa)

The capsule landed upright but tipped onto its side after strong winds blew the parachute.

Recovery teams on the ground assisted the space farers off the craft before they boarded a helicopter for a two-hour flight to the city of Karaganda.

Mr Vande Hei will then catch a flight from there to Houston in the US, where he will be reunited with friends and family.

Marks mission is not only record-breaking, but also paving the way for future human explorers on the Moon, Mars, and beyond, Nasa Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement.

Our astronauts make incredible sacrifices in the name of science, exploration, and cutting-edge technology development, not least among them time away from loved ones. Nasa and the nation are proud to welcome Mark home and grateful for his incredible contributions throughout his year-long stay on the International Space Station.

The trip was put into doubt when the Russian space agency appeared to threaten to not allow Vande Hei to travel aboard its Soyuz craft, after the US imposed sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

The ISS astronauts and cosmonauts said they did not discuss the issues and continued to operate as usual while working on the orbiting laboratory.

People have problems on Earth. On orbit we are... one crew, like space brothers and sisters, Mr Shkaplerov said on Tuesday.
Kevin Dietsch/UPI/Shutterstock

It feels like we just went through an election, and yet the 2024 presidential showdown isn't that far away. Many politicians have already discussed the potential of running for president in the next election, which will take place November 5, 2024. The U.S. president earns $400,000 a year, which might be a pay cut for some of these White House hopefuls and a huge pay bump for others.

See: How Rich Are Mike Krzyzewski and Other Top-Paid College Basketball Coaches?

Find: 20 Genius Things Mark Cuban Says To Do With Your Money

Let's take a look at the net worth of those who are likely candidates or have openly discussed running for president in the 2024 election.

Patrick Semansky / AP

President Joe Biden

Net Worth: $8 Million

President Joe Biden has said he has every intention of running for reelection in 2024. Biden served as former President Barack Obama's vice president from 2009-2017. Before that, he served as a Delaware senator from 1973 until he took office as VP.

In addition to his political salary, it's reported Biden made $11 million from book advances in 2017.

John Raoux/AP/Shutterstock

Donald Trump

Net Worth: $2.5 Billion

The former Republican president has strongly hinted at the possibility of running again. Before he was president, Trump was a media personality and businessman. His net worth reportedly dropped $700 million in his last year of his presidency, and has dropped $600 million since leaving office.

Michael Brochstein/SOPA Image

Stacey Abrams

Net Worth: $500,000

Abrams served in the Georgia House of Representatives for 10 years and has since founded Fair Fight Action, an organization with the goal of fighting voter suppression. Abrams, a Democrat, is now turning her sights to the 2022 governor's race after losing the same race in 2018 to Republican Brian Kemp.

She talked about running for president in 2020, but ultimately decided against it. However, she lobbied to be President Joe Biden's running mate which ultimately went to Vice President Kamala Harris in 2020, so a run for president in 2024 isn't out of the question.

Story continues

John Raoux/AP/Shutterstock

Ron DeSantis

Net Worth: $500,000

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had said in fall of last year that he was not considering a run for president in 2024, but insiders beg to differ. Supporters say that Republican DeSantis could win even if Trump decides to run again, which is what they believe makes him a very viable candidate.

MediaPunch / Shutterstock.com

Pete Buttigieg

Net Worth: $250,000

Buttigieg is a Democrat currently serving as the United States Secretary of Transportation. Before that, he served as the mayor of South Bend, Indiana. Buttigieg unsuccessfully ran for president in 2020. Though President Biden has said he will run for reelection, if his plans were to change, it seems like Buttigieg could take a second run for the office.

This would be a pay increase for Buttigieg, who currently makes $221,400 a year in his position.

Keiko Hiromi/AFLO/Shutterstock

Mike Pence

Net Worth: $1 Million

The former Republican vice president is polling third for potential nominees behind DeSantis and Trump respectively. Trump has said he would not have Pence as his running mate again, which opens the door for Pence to run for president on his own.

Pence was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001-2013 before becoming the governor of Indiana from 2013-2017.

Kevin Dietsch/AP/Shutterstock

Elizabeth Warren

Net Worth: $8 Million

Warren made a run for president in 2020 and eventually finished third, so she might be looking to finish on top come 2024. After the election, she returned to serving as a senator from Massachusetts, a position she's held since 2013.

She currently makes $194,000 a year as a senior senator, but has reportedly made her fortune from from writing, lecturing and consulting.

Meg Kinnard/AP/Shutterstock

Nikki Haley

Net Worth: $2 Million

Haley served as the first female governor of South Carolina from 2011-2017. The Republican also served as an ambassador to the United Nations from 2017-2019. She has previously said that she has yet to decide whether or not she will be running for president, but Trump running will have no influence on her final decision.

Andrew Harnik/AP

Amy Klobuchar

Net Worth: $1.5 Million

Klobuchar is currently serving as a Democratic senior senator from Minnesota. Like many on this list, she also ran for president in 2020 before endorsing President Joe Biden. If Biden were not to run again in 2024, she might throw her hat in the ring.

Reports show she has investment accounts totaling more than $400,000. On top of that, she earns $194,000 as a senior senator.

Demetrius Freeman/AP/Shutterstock

Ted Cruz

Net Worth: $4 Million

Cruz previously ran for president in 2016, and called it "the most fun I've ever had in my life," adding that he "absolutely" would run again in 2024. Cruz has served as the junior United States senator for Texas since 2013.

As a senator he earns an annual salary of $174,000, but he reportedly made a lot of money before his political career as a private appellate attorney, and has a lot of assets in the form of stocks and bonds.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Rich Are Biden, Trump and These Other Potential 2024 Presidential Candidates?
Former President Barack Obama speaks during the ceremony for the official groundbreaking of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago's Jackson Park on Sept. 28, 2021. At left is Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and at right is former first lady Michelle Obama. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

A lawsuit that aimed to stop the Obama Presidential Center from being built in Chicagos historic Jackson Park has been dismissed by a federal judge.

Advertisement

The crux of Protect Our Parks complaint is that under regulatory statutes, federal agencies should have considered relocating the proposed Obama center site entirely to avoid damage to the environment, according to the lawsuit. The city and Obama Foundation officials have said federal agencies closed the final review into the project because they determined the Obama centers construction and nearby roadway fixes would not pose a significant impact on the environment  a finding the lawsuit says is faulty.

Advertisement

But U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey dismissed those claims, writing that the city did not abdicate control or ownership of the OPC site to the Obama Foundation and that state law confirms that presidential centers, like the OPC here, confer a public benefit because they serve valuable public purposes, including ... furthering human knowledge and understanding, educating and inspiring the public, and expanding recreational and cultural resources and opportunities.

Protects Our Parks founder and head Herb Caplan wrote in a statement to the Tribune that the group fully expected this outcome and will appeal to the 7th Circuit.

Herb Caplan, of Protect Our Parks, near Belmont Harbor in 2018. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

This is not the end of the road, Caplan wrote. Our many available paths of legal recourse are actually beginning not ending, and with a few unexpected surprises to come for the Defendants.

Richard Epstein, co-counsel for the lawsuit plaintiffs, added that although Blakeys decision left them deeply disappointed ... there remain ongoing challenges, and we will continue to defend our position vigorously by fully presenting our evidence and arguments in court.

But with construction already underway at the site  and a ceremonial groundbreaking in September attended by former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama  the plaintiffs appear to have few options left in their long legal battle over the center.

An Obama Foundation spokesperson reiterated in a statement on Wednesday that the presidential center is set to open its doors in 2025.

We know many in the city and community are eager for us to continue our work to bring jobs and investment to the South Side and the ruling yesterday allows us to do just that, the statement read. We have appreciated the voices of the many leaders who weighed in on this issue with the court to move the Center forward as the city focuses on its recovery efforts and steps to build a more inclusive economy.

The same judge had already refused to grant the plaintiffs a temporary halt to work at the site.

Advertisement

The first legal challenge from Protect Our Parks started in 2018 when the nonprofit sued the city of Chicago to halt the project, asserting that officials did not have the authority to transfer public parkland to a private nongovernmental entity such as the Obama Foundation. A federal appeals court ruled in August 2020 that the plaintiffs did not suffer actual harm and many of their grievances were not within the courts jurisdiction.

ayin@chicagotribune.com
Kyiv  Russia's unrelenting bombing campaign in Ukraine is fueling skepticism about Moscow's claim that it will "drastically reduce" its military operations in two areas of the country to "increase mutual trust" and encourage peace talks. Despite the ongoing negotiations, the war continues.

As of Wednesday, the United Nations said it had driven more than 4 million people to flee Ukraine, upending their lives and making them refugees. At least 6 million more Ukrainians have been forced to leave their homes to seek safety elsewhere inside the country.

As CBS News correspondent Debora Patta reports from the capital city of Kyiv  one of the areas where Russia said it would scale back its assault  U.S. military officials see President Vladimir Putin's latest move more as a repositioning of forces than a retreat, and in Kyiv and elsewhere, the threat remained high on Wednesday.

Boardroom discussions like Tuesday's peace talks in Turkey mean little on the battlefield. Patta says Ukrainians are not letting their guard down, with soldiers continuing to patrol checkpoints around Kyiv, on high alert as they search for Russian saboteurs.

With shelling still heard north of the capital on Wednesday morning ,it was clear that the danger still lurks on the ground, and in the sky.

"The enemy is still here," President Volodomyr Zelenskyy told his country on Wednesday night, after Russia's announcement. "Missile and air attacks have not stopped that's the reality."

Few places have felt that more than the southeastern port city of Mariupol, which has all but collapsed. Even if peace is given a chance, all that's left of Mariupol is rubble and ruin.

Children from the besieged city, and many others like it in Ukraine's south and east, want their childhoods back.

"I'm so tired," said one little girl. "And my toys have no batteries in them."

Older Ukrainians just want to forget. "What else can I do," asked Genaidy as he gathered what he could from his damaged apartment to flee Mariupol. "There's nothing left for me here."

Story continues

He's walking away after nearly 40 years working as a shoemaker in the city.

Russian-backed separatist fighters in eastern Ukraine  where the war now raging had simmered quietly since Putin's last invasion in 2014  are in no mood for peace. Video emerged showing rebels forcing Ukrainians to strip down, claiming they were searching for Nazi tattoos.

In nearby Mykolaiv, a Russian rocket ripped through a government building on Tuesday, leaving a gaping hole, and fresh trauma. One woman watched helplessly as her colleague died in her arms  one of 12 people killed in the strike according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service.

Rescuers work at the regional administration building, which was hit by cruise missiles, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, in a handout picture released March 30, 2022 by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. / Credit: STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE//Handout/REUTERS

Even if the Russian military does make good on its promise to pull back from Kyiv, in the towns around the capital, where fierce battles have been raging, there's not much left to fight for.

While Ukraine claims to have retaken nearby towns like Irpin, those areas have been decimated, and many people did not make it out alive.

The U.K. said Wednesday that its latest intelligence did show some Russian troops pulling back from the outskirts of Kyiv into Belarus and Russia, "to reorganize and resupply" after suffering heavy losses. The Ukrainian government said it expected Russia to retain some troops near the capital, to keep the pressure on and prevent Ukraine's forces from heading to the eastern front, where the war is still raging.

Zelenskyy, along with the U.S. and his other Western partners, have made it clear they'll believe Russia's claim to be easing the assault on Kyiv and the northeastern city of Chernihiv when they see it happen, and not before. Thirty-five days into an invasion that Putin insisted for months he had no intention of launching, the skepticism was unsurprising.

On Wednesday morning, the governor of Chernihiv said his region was "shelled all night" by Russian artillery: "Civil infrastructure has been destroyed again, libraries, shopping malls and other facilities have been destroyed, and many houses have been destroyed."

International Space Station continues to operate normally despite Ukraine conflict, for now

Widow of officer attacked by rioters on Jan. 6 calls for action on police suicides

FDA clears second COVID booster for adults 50 and over
By Jamie Freed

(Reuters) -A Boeing 747-8 freighter leased to Russia's AirBridgeCargo has flown to California from Hong Kong, according to FlightRadar24, after a U.S. judge signed an order allowing lessor BOC Aviation Ltd to repossess it.

The order was unsealed and made public on Tuesday, court documents showed and the aircraft arrived in the United States on March 25, according to the flight tracking service.

BOC Aviation and its lawyers declined to comment.

Singapore-based BOC Aviation is one of many global aircraft lessors that had planes on lease to Russian airlines before sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine forced the cancellation of leases and insurance policies.

More than 400 leased planes worth almost $10 billion remain in Russia despite a Monday deadline for contract cancellations, though the Interfax news agency last week reported that 78 had been seized abroad.

BOC Aviation shares closed 4.4% higher on Wednesday, outpacing a 1.4% rise in the Hong Kong index. The lessor on March 10 said its 18 planes leased to Russian airlines had a book value of $935 million and could be affected by insurance policy cancellations.

In court documents filed on March 14, BOC Aviation sought orders for one of three 747-8 freighters on lease to AirBridgeCargo that was in Hong Kong to be repossessed and flown to the United States for storage.

BOC Aviation said the aircraft was worth $148 million and that AirBridgeCargo had breached leases for two other 747-8s when it flew the planes, which were in mainland China, back to Russia despite the lessor's explicit instructions to ground them on March 5 after insurance coverage was cancelled.

One of the planes returned to Russia even after its airworthiness certificate was suspended by Bermuda, the location of registry, BOC Aviation said.

Those two freighters remain in Russia, according to FlightRadar24 data.

Volga-Dnepr Group, the owner of AirBridgeCargo, said on March 18 it had grounded the subsidiary's fleet of Boeing planes because of Western sanctions, according to media reports.

A Volga-Dnepr spokesperson on Wednesday declined to comment on the situation, citing ongoing negotiations with lessors.

(Reporting by Jamie Freed in Sydney; additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Gerry Doyle, Jason Neely and Louise Heavens)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  A Saudi-led coalition battling Yemens Iran-backed Houthis began observing Wednesday a unilateral cease-fire in the yearslong war, despite the rebels' rejection of the proposal.

The Saudi-proposed pause in fighting ahead of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan began at 6 a.m., following an announcement late Tuesday. In the past, several similar truce efforts have failed, and there was no immediate independent confirmation on whether the hostilities had in fact paused between Saudi-led forces and the Houthi rebels.

The Houthis are skipping an ongoing summit over the war called by the Saudi-based Gulf Cooperation Council because its taking place in Saudi Arabia, their adversarys territory.

Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukaiti rejected the cease-fire offer, citing the Saudi-led coalition's continued closure of the airport in Sanaa, Yemen's capital, and its restrictions on the countrys ports.

If the blockade is not lifted, the declaration of the coalition of aggression to stop its military operations will be meaningless because the suffering of Yemenis as a result of the blockade is more severe than the war itself, al-Bukaiti wrote on Twitter early Wednesday.

The United Nations and others had been pushing the warring sides to reach a truce for Ramadan, as has tenuously occurred in the past. Ramadan is likely to start this weekend, depending on the sighting of the new crescent moon.

The GCC, whose members are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, began the talks Tuesday in Riyadh. On Wednesday, Saudi state television aired an open portion of the discussions live.

GCC Secretary-General Nayef al-Hajraf welcomed Yemeni delegates to Riyadh, hailing the talks in his speech as a breakthrough to move Sanaa from war to peace."

The path to security and peace in Yemen is not impossible, even if the challenges are great, al-Hajraf told the vast hall of officials and diplomats. The success of the Yemeni consultations is not an option, but a duty."

Story continues

The U.N. special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, called the Saudi-led coalition's cease-fire offer a step in the right direction" and wished the delegates success in their talks, which are expected to continue through April 7.

At the United Nations in New York, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Grundberg expressed hope that discussions at the conference will help increase momentum toward bringing the Yemeni parties back to the negotiating table under U.N. auspices.

Grundberg will be going to Muscat in Oman on Thursday where he will be meeting with a Houthi delegation, Dujarric added.

Noting that the Houthis recently welcomed a temporary halt to military operations in Yemen, Dujarric said Grundbergs message to all parties is to adhere to what both have kind of said publicly, which is a cessation or pause of the fighting during the month of Ramadan.

The war in Yemen, the Arab world's most impoverished country, began in September 2014, when the Houthis swept into Sanaa from their northwestern stronghold. The Houthis then pushed into exile the government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, elected in 2012 as the sole candidate after the long rule of Ali Abdullah Saleh.

A Saudi-led coalition, including the UAE, entered the war in March 2015 to try and restore Hadis government to power. But the war stretched into long bloody years, pushing Yemen to the brink of famine.

More than 150,000 people have been killed in the warfare, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. Those include both fighters and civilians; the most recent figure for the civilian death toll in Yemens conflict stands at 14,500.

Saudi airstrikes have killed hundreds of civilians. The Houthis have used child soldiers and indiscriminately laid landmines across the country.

___

Associated Press writers Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
Changes to how schools in Washington State punish kids is causing controversy in the South Sound. Its a state-wide change thats been in the works for years, but recently made official at Clover Park School District in Lakewood.

The changes have some parents and school board members worried kids wont be treated fairly.

But the school district says its discipline policy aims to achieve exactly the opposite  making sure kids are not only treated as fairly as possible while helping address the root of the problem, but also in a way that lines up with state law.

I really liked how its geared towards helping the student  you cant treat every scenario the same, right? said Anthony Veliz, a Clover Park School District board member. The school board voted 3-2 on March 14 to adopt the new discipline policy language.

The changes ensure the district meets legally required state standards for discipline. In 2016, the state legislature found schools across Washington State were disproportionately punishing students of color and special needs students, specifically with whats called exclusionary discipline  consequences like suspensions that pull a kid out of class.

Thats nothing new to be honest, said Brittney Jones, a Clover Park High School student.

Lawmakers passed a bill (HB 1541) in 2016 to make sure schools look for other ways to punish kids that do not impact learning, and to have staff work with families and consider culture.

Honestly I feel like they should at least switch it up a little, because every time were getting pulled out of class, were missing something, said Antavious Hensley, another Clover Park High School student.

The changes have been slowly rolling out at school districts statewide for years, with more guidance coming out in 2019 and 2021 from different state organizations like WSSDA and OSPI.

Scroll down to continue reading

More news from KIRO 7

Story continues

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE NEWS APP

The Clover Park School District said they had already made the changes, but this latest school board meeting clarified the language to say discipline would be culturally responsive and ensure that district policies were in line with state law. (The previous discipline language at Clover Park from 2019 called it responsive to cultural context.)

The change raised concerns among some school board members during their March 14 meeting.

If its and myself and Mr. Veliz, do I have to look at his nationality, where he was born? asked Paul Wagemann, another Clover Park School board member. To be fair, if we both did the same thing, we should get the same consequence, the way I see it, he said.

Since the meeting, parents have been commenting on the Clover Park School Districts public Facebook page, with many parents believing the change would lead to harsher punishments for White students. One parent wrote, It would likely offer harsher punishments to white students, even if the conduct is identical to that of a Black or Hispanic student.

The school district says that interpretation is not correct. In a statement, the district said:

There have been media stories and social media discussions about Clover Park School District filled with inaccurate and incomplete information... The policy does not make race the determining factor for administering discipline.

The school district added that school boards across the state, including nearby districts, have also adopted policies to be in line with state law.

The Clover Park school districts community relations director, Leanna Albrecht, gave an example on how culturally responsive discipline would work.

A third of our students are military connected, Albrecht said in an email. Sometimes a student may experience trauma or other challenges when a parent is deployed which can surface in a variety of ways (behavior being one of them). With culturally responsive discipline, the teacher will proactively work with the family to get a better understanding, provide supports and address issues before they become bigger and require exclusionary discipline, she said.

A group called the Washington State School Directors Association (WSSDA) released a model policy for school districts to use in early 2021. The director of policy and legal services at WSSA, Abigail Westbrook, says treating students differently based on race would be illegal.

I dont know why its being interpreting it that way, on its face it says something else, Westbrook said over the phone. It would be against the law itself to use this policy as a means of disciplining a student who is White more harshly than a student of color, Westbrook said.

She said the 2021 model included some refining to make the policy easier to understand and offer more resources, but still didnt substantially change any discipline policy.

So the laws have been around for a long time. And sometimes its hard to understand why the pushback when. But there has been no substantiative change here for several years, Westbrook said.

Clover Park HS students say the controversy feels unnecessary.

They shouldnt make it a race thing, because everybodys child gets in trouble at some point  its unavoidable, Hensley said.

WSSDA said it didnt have data on how many of Washingtons 295 school districts are now compliant with state law, but estimated by now most would have already made the change.
WASHINGTON  The Senate is scrambling to agree on a $15 billion Covid-19 aid bill before members leave for a two-week break at the end of next week.

Democrats say the U.S. is running out of funding for vaccines, testing and treatment for Covid-19, and the Biden administration has warned that the lack of pandemic money comes at a critical moment in the coronavirus pandemic.

The party is pushing for a quick deal, saying any gap in funding would put the country at risk of being unprepared for new surges of Covid-19. The BA.2 omicron subvariant of the virus has become the dominant strain of the disease in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday.

We want to make sure we dont hit a point where we dont have vaccination and testing available, so it needs to get done as soon as possible, said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he was optimistic a deal could be reached, but he acknowledged Wednesday morning that were not yet at the finish line.

Still, Democratic negotiators will need to overcome challenges from their Republican counterparts, who are demanding that previously allocated but unspent Covid money be used for further pandemic funding.

My view is that it ought to be entirely paid for out of money thats already in the pipeline by reprogramming it for whatever amount they can justify to get the job done, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Tuesday.

Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, the lead negotiator for the GOP, said Tuesday he doesn't yet have the support of nine other Republican members who are needed for a deal, saying, "We're making progress, and hopefully we'll get there soon." He also insisted that the money be taken from one of the previous Covid aid bills.

Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., was less optimistic about the pace of negotiations. Its not going anywhere fast. Lets put it that way, he said.

Story continues

A bipartisan group of senators involved in negotiating the package met in Schumer's office Wednesday night but left without a breakthrough or a clear plan about how to pay for the bill.

Theres a gap between where we would go and where they would go, Romney said after the meeting. They provided a list to us today, and their list and our list are different. So were going to work through the differences and see if we can reach a meeting of the minds, and we may or may not.

The White House and Democrats have been discussing new ways to pay for the bill. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said about $13 billion worth of unused disaster aid in the American Rescue Plan could be used.

President Joe Biden urged Congress on Wednesday to act swiftly in a speech about the country's pandemic response. He also got his fourth shot of the Pfizer vaccine before a group of reporters and photographers a day after the CDC recommended that people ages 50 and older get second booster doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines after studies showed a decrease in protection over time.

Americans are back to living their lives again. We cant surrender that now. Congress, please act. You have to act immediately, Biden said. The consequences of inaction are severe. They only grow with time, but it doesnt have to be that way.

The lack of a funding deal has already had an impact.

In the past two weeks, the Biden administration has had to stop reimbursing health care providers for treating the uninsured, cancel monoclonal antibody orders and cut states supply, reduce orders of treatments for the immunocompromised, and pull the U.S. out of line for future vaccine and next-generation treatment purchases," the White House said in a statement Wednesday.

After initially agreeing on a $15.6 billion infusion for virus relief in a massive government spending bill this month, Congress stripped the money out at the eleventh hour amid Republican opposition and defections from a narrow group of Democrats, who opposed paying for it by redirecting some existing funds.

Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii and Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., said some Democrats have been working on a backup plan, urging Biden to declare an emergency to reshuffle defense funds to pay for Covid needs. They noted that then-President Donald Trump declared border security a national emergency to use money from the Defense Department to pay for some of his border wall.

House Democrats said after a closed-door conference meeting Tuesday that the ball is in the Senates court.

Pocan said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., sent a notice to members "that were going to wait for a bill to come from the Senate.
President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore face the roaring delegates at the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in 1996. (Jose More/Chicago Tribune)

Illinois top Democrats have put together an organized effort to consider pitching Chicago to national party leaders as the site for the 2024 Democratic presidential nominating convention, officials said Wednesday.

Advertisement

The effort is being led by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who is a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee. The potential bid is also backed by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and state Democratic Chair and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly as part of a coalition with Chicago business, civic and labor leaders.

The coalition has retained Rise Strategy Group to work on the potential bid. Tarrah Cooper Wright, a press secretary to former Mayor Rahm Emanuel who also worked on the 2012 NATO Summit and other high-profile city events, is founder and CEO of the firm and confirmed Chicagos efforts to be host city.

Advertisement

After President Bill Clinton's acceptance speech, thousands of balloons descended from the ceiling at the Democratic National Convention in 1996. (Charles Osgood/Chicago Tribune)

From previous Democratic conventions to the NATO Summit and annual large-scale events like the Air & Water Show, Chicago has a track record of successfully hosting large-scale events and has the leadership required to make a convention a success, Wright said in a statement.

Our city and state  a vibrant and diverse metropolis, thriving suburbs and strong rural communities  offer proof that our partys policies deliver for American families, and a convention would provide a boost to the local economy, she said.

Wright said a decision on whether to make a formal response to the DNCs request for proposals from host cities will be made in the near future.

Chicago last hosted a national political convention in 1996, using the United Center as the base for a Democratic gathering that nominated Bill Clinton for a second presidential term. Before the 1996 convention, the 1968 Democratic convention held in Chicago was the last national political convention held in town and it resulted in Chicago police and protesters violently clashing in the streets, dealing a blow to the citys reputation. Prior to 1968, Chicago had a long history of being a host city.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 45 Delegates on the Democratic National Convention floor chant "Stop the war" after a speech by Pierre Salinger, President John F. Kennedy's press secretary, on Aug. 28, 1968. Salinger urged adoption of the dove plank on the Vietnam War. (John Austad / Chicago Tribune)

The news that Chicago was considering a potential bid to host the convention was first reported by NBC News.

But selecting Chicago to hold the 2024 event, with its dominance by Democrats at the city and state level, would run counter to more recent efforts by Democrats and Republicans to host their showcase presidential nominating conventions in cities in swing states that could affect the national election.

The last time the national political conventions were held in nonpresidential battleground states was in 2004 when Republicans met in New York and Democrats gathered in Boston, where they heard a keynote speech delivered by then-U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama. The speech was widely regarded as helping propel the Illinois senator to the presidency.

Democrats have given cities until October to express whether they will submit a bid to host their convention, with Las Vegas and Nashville also under consideration. Republicans, who have moved more quickly on the selection process, have reportedly settled on Milwaukee and Nashville as convention finalists.

Advertisement

Milwaukee was the host of the 2020 Democratic convention that was drastically scaled back due to the pandemic. Party officials are looking at the chance to return to a more traditional convention in 2024, though they may borrow elements from two years ago, such as satellite convention events in other cities, DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison has said.

Pritzker touted Chicagos potential as a host city to Harrison during a visit last fall. And a convention could provide major economic benefits to a host city, with Harrison noting in the past that economic activity of between $150 million and $200 million during non-pandemic times.

But as much as Democrats in Illinois want to showcase Chicago as an example of Democratic leadership, the city also will have to overcome national perceptions of crime and violence. Republicans locally and nationally have used the issue of outbreaks of violent crime to accuse Democrats of adopting a soft-on-crime posture.

rap30@aol.com

gpratt@chicagotribune.com

Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) speaks to Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) during a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing of Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson on Monday, March 21, 2022.





The Senate Ukraine Caucus was briefed by Ukrainian lawmakers on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, now in its second month, and how lawmakers could further assist the former Soviet state.

"The barbaric actions of Vladimir Putin have forced nearly 4 million Ukrainians to flee their country," Senate Ukraine Caucus co-chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who hosted the meeting along with fellow co-chair Rob Portman (R-Ohio), said in a statement.

"The resilience of the Ukrainian people is unparalleled and deserves sustained American support. Today's meeting reinforced our strong relations and we will continue to work with our European allies to further tighten the economic pressure on Putin, welcome Ukrainian refugees, and much more," he added.

The senators met with Ukrainian Parliament members Lesia Zaburanna, Yevheniya Kravchuk, Anastasia Radina and Maria Ionova in addition to Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova and Polish lawmakers.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen's (D-N.H.) office noted that the senator, who was among those who met with Ukrainian lawmakers on Wednesday, had co-hosted a meeting for European ambassadors with Durbin earlier in March.

"Our meeting today addressed a number of critical concerns, particularly the urgency of the need for additional military assistance and broader application of sanctions," Shaheen said in a statement about the Wednesday meeting.

"I'll use my role as Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee that oversees Europe to ensure the urgent asks made to the Caucus today are raised to the highest level," she added.

The development comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with senators during a Zoom meeting earlier this month and addressed Congress later in March.

In his virtual address to Congress at the time, he reiterated his push for a no-fly zone, an idea that has been met with opposition from the U.S. amid concerns of escalating conflict between the country and Russia.

Story continues

A bipartisan group of senators wrote to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Tuesday asking for specifics on defense aid provided to Ukraine and its delivery status, among other inquiries.

"America's commitments to Ukraine and to our NATO allies demand we expedite the delivery of weapons and capabilities to our allies and partners; Ukraine can win this fight if we help them win this fight," the senators wrote.

"Above all else, our commitment to our allies and partners keeps Americans prosperous and keeps our families safe."

A White House National Security Council spokesperson told The Hill that "Deliveries of our security assistance are occurring daily, and we are expediting shipments as quickly as possible to get the Ukrainians even more of the weapons they are using so effectively to defend their country."

Updated 3:46 p.m.
Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Iowa)





A bipartisan group of senators from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee urged the United Nations to kick Russia out of the organization's Human Rights Council in a letter to the Biden administration.

The letter, which includes committee chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and ranking member James Risch (R-Idaho) as signatories, asked U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield to introduce a resolution to the U.N. General Assembly that would push for Russia to be removed from the council.

"If the United States is a member of the Council, then it should use its seat to counter authoritarian agendas as part of a foreign policy centered on democracy and human rights," the senators wrote in a letter dated Monday.

"It is our belief that Russia should not have a seat on what is supposed to be the premiere international human rights body. Russia should not have an opportunity to continue to block, stifle, and otherwise distract from important conversations on the situation of human rights in Ukraine," they added. "Swift action must be taken to show the world the United States and our allies will not stand for indiscriminate and unprovoked attacks on civilians and democracies."

The other signatories of the letter include Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).

A U.S. Mission to the United Nations spokesperson referred The Hill to Secretary of State Antony Blinken's previous comments.

"As Secretary Blinken said, 'One can reasonably ask whether a U.N. Member State that tries to take over another U.N. Member State - while committing horrific human rights abuses and causing massive humanitarian suffering - should be allowed to remain on this council,'" the spokesperson said when asked about the matter.

Story continues

The development comes after the U.S. determined earlier this month that Russia had committed war crimes during its invasion in Ukraine, with President Biden calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a "pure thug" and "murderous dictator."

In remarks during his visit to Warsaw, Poland, last weekend, Biden said, referring to Putin, "For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power."

Claiming he was not "walking anything back," Biden sought to clarify the comment on Monday, saying, "I want to make it clear: I wasn't then, nor am I now articulating a policy change. I was expressing moral outrage that I feel, and I make no apologies for it."

Russia has already been expelled from Europe's leading human rights council in response to its ongoing assault on Ukraine.

- Updated at 5:01 p.m.
A green turtle on the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles. Gilles Martin/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

There is a welcome and wonderful sight appearing on beaches in the Seychelles.

The endangered green turtle is making a comeback here, after several decades of protection and close monitoring. Turtle hunting was banned in the Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands off the coast of East Africa, in 1968, but it was a slow recovery. In the early 1980s, researchers would find just one or two turtle tracks on a beach, but by the mid-1990s, there would be 10 to 20.

It's only been up from there. This month, a new study was published in Endangered Species Research about the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles. Researchers found that in the late 1960s, the annual number of green turtle clutches was in the 2,000 to 3,000 range, and that increased to more than 15,000 in the late 2010s.

"There's potential for this population to double, triple, we're not even sure," lead author Adam Pritchard from the University of Exeter told Popular Science. "This could just be the start. It's amazing that, after slower growth in the beginning, there's been this real explosion in recent years."

The Aldabra Atoll has one of the world's largest green turtle populations, and in addition to the hunting ban, the fact that the area was designated a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1982 has helped the species with its recovery. It takes at least 20 to 50 years for green turtles to reach sexual maturity and start reproducing, making long-term monitoring another important step in ensuring the population continues to grow.

Over the last five decades, hundreds of people have been recording data on the green turtles, collecting information from more than 50 beaches across Aldabra. "One thing that people have learned is protection works," Jeanne Mortimer, founder and chair of Turtle Action Group Seychelles, told Popular Science. "But you may need to be patient and wait for 35 years."

You may also like

Howard Stern says Will Smith and Donald Trump 'are the same guy' after Oscars slap

Former Ukrainian President Yushchenko says Biden's Putin comment was 'absolutely correct'

Roughly 6 in 10 Republicans, 4 in 10 Democrats say they've had COVID
El Shafee ElSheikh, left, and Alexanda Kotey following their capture (Syrian Democratic Forces/AFP via)

Lawyers for El Shafee Elsheikh, a British jihadist on trial in a US federal court for his role in the kidnap and murder of four Americans while he was a member of Isis, denied that he was a member of the infamous Beatles terror cell and claimed a case of mistaken identity at the start of his trial.

During opening statements of the trial in Alexandria, Virginia, Edward MacMahon described his client as a simple Isis soldier, and claimed the evidence would show that Elsheikh was not a member of the so-called Isis Beatles, a name given to a group of four British Isis fighters by Western hostages.

Mr MacMahon said the evidence presented by the prosecution would be beyond heartbreaking and horrific, but claimed that it will fail to prove that he is a member of the Beatles, or that he was involved in the kidnapping and killing of four Americans.

Elsheikh, 33, faces eight charges relating to what prosecutors described as a vast hostage-taking scheme as part of his membership of Isis, which caused the deaths of journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and aid workers Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig. The indictment also holds him responsible for the deaths of British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning.

The Sudanese-born British citizen is the most high-profile Isis member to stand trial in the US, and the proceedings may shed light on the inner workings of the terror group. It is expected to last for four weeks and the jury will hear testimony from more than 30 witnesses  some of them former captives of the group.

ElSheikh wore a blue striped shirt, his beard long and his hair cut short and gelled at the top, as he entered the courtroom. The parents of all four American victims sat a few feet away behind him, often appearing emotional when details of their sons or daughters captivity were revealed to the court. Bethany Haines, the daughter of David Haines, was also present.

In the opening statement for the prosecution, lawyer John Gibbs said the evidence would show Elsheikh was a key member in a widespread hostage-taking scheme run by Isis. He said they would present witnesses who would identify Elsheikh as a member of the Beatles, who were jailers for those hostages, as well as their torturers.

Story continues

Mr Gibbs said that Elsheikh went to Syria not as an aid worker or a journalist, like his victims, but as a fighter. After travelling to Syria in 2013 he joined an Al Qaeda affiliate, before eventually swearing allegiance to Isis and fighting in at least one battle, he said.

The court heard that together with his alleged co-conspirators and fellow Beatles members Alexanda Kotey, Mohammed Emwazi an Isis executioner known by his nickname Jihadi John  and Aine Lesley Davis, he fought to capture the Syrian city of Raqqa from the Syrian army, after which he sent gruesome images of beheaded Syrian soldiers to his brother via the Telegram messaging app.

The group would later become jailers for Isis, keeping watch over Western hostages, the prosecution alleged. Mr Gibbs said Elsheikh and Emwazi shared a common purpose in the detention and mistreatment of those hostages.

Some hostages who were later released would testify that the group seemed to enjoy and take satisfaction in the physical abuse of detainees under their watch, Mr Gibbs said. They were described as utterly terrifying, he added, and would regularly beat them for no reason with kicks, punches and clubs. The abuse was described as unrelenting and unpredictable, and included stress positions and threats of murder.

Mr Gibbs said that Elsheikhs own words would be presented as evidence against him  statements he made in interviews with the FBI, Department of Defense and in numerous media interviews given following his capture by Kurdish-led forces in Syria in 2018.

In those interviews, Elsheikh admitted to being an Isis fighter and overseeing Western hostages, and that he was responsible for collecting email addresses from them in order to issue ransom demands. Mr Gibbs said the jury would see correspondence between Isis captors and the families of the hostages, in which they made gruesome threats and demands for millions of dollars.

Mr MacMahon, for the defence, said his client made statements during his captivity because he feared for his life, and that the evidence of what he told journalists would be shown to be inconsistent.

El Shafee Elsheikh admits being a member of Isis but says he was not on of the Beatles responsible for torturing and murdering hostages

Elsheikh was born in Sudan and grew up in Shepherds Bush, London. He went to Syria in 2012, at which point he joined an affiliate of Al Qaeda. Later, he and his friend Alexanda Kotey would swear allegiance to Isis and join up with fellow Brits Emwazi and Davis.

Emwazi was perhaps the most infamous of the group, and thought to be the ringleader. Known as Jihadi John, he carried out the beheadings of Foley, Sotloff, and British citizens David Haines and Alan Henning  acts which Isis filmed and released in propaganda videos.

Elsheikh and Kotey were captured by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in 2018 as they fled the former Isis capital of Raqqa dressed as civilians. They were held in Syria until October 2020, when they were eventually taken to the US to stand trial.

The court heard that when Elsheikh was first captured, he pretended to be a Yemeni who could not speak English. When officers with the US Department of Defence used biometric data to identify him, he came clean and started to speak English.

Kotey pled guilty in September 2021 to the murders of Foley, Sotloff, Meuller and Kassig, and is due to be sentenced next month. Emwazi was killed in a drone strike in 2015. Aine Lesley Davis, the fourth member of the group, was convicted in Turkey on terrorism charges and jailed for seven and half years in 2017.
PRAGUE (Reuters) -Slovakia has ordered Russia's embassy to cut its staff by 35, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday, citing unacceptable activity by another Russian diplomat.

The aim of the move was to "set a maximum number of diplomatic and service passport holders at this (Russian) mission," spokesperson Juraj Tomaga said in a statement.

The move cuts the embassy staff roughly to a half of its previous size, according to calculations in Slovak media.

On March 14, Slovakia expelled three Russian embassy staff based on secret service information.

"The step is an inevitable reaction to Russia's embassy personnel continuing with activities running contrary to the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations, Slovakia's interests, and partnership with Russian Federation," Tomaga said.

The Russian embassy in Bratislava was not immediately available to comment.

Several other European Union countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands and Ireland, expelled dozens of Russian diplomats on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Robert Muller; Editing by Catherine Evans)
President Joe Bidens $5.8 trillion budget proposal has a little something for everyone  except federal student loan borrowers hoping the budget would include provisions to forgive all or part of their debt.

Explore: Student Loan Pause Saved Borrowers $195 Billion, But Many Will Default When it Ends

Live Blog Updates: SNAP (Food Stamps) and Social Security Benefits

The proposal does not include any direct student loan relief such as payment forgiveness or interest relief, Forbes reported. There also is no extension of the student loan payment pause that went into effect two years ago during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As it stands, the pause is still set to end on May 1, 2022, meaning federal student loan borrowers will have to resume their payments on that date.

In terms of higher education, the proposal includes funds that would double the maximum allowable Pell Grant by 2029. These grants provide federal aid for low-income students and dont need to be repaid. The proposal also earmarks $752 million in funding for HBCUs and $800 million to streamline and improve student loan servicing.

As Forbes noted, Congress must first approve the budget for it to pass, and theres a chance Bidens proposal could be changed in Congress to include additional student loan relief. If that doesnt happen, Biden could always use an executive action to provide relief to federal student loan borrowers  something many Democrats and advocates have urged him to do.

See: In Less Than a Decade, You Wont Be Able To Afford a Home in These Cities

Find: How To Borrow Money on Cash App

Biden could also use his executive powers to extend the payment pause, which is another action supported by certain lawmakers and advocates. As GOBankingRates previously reported, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) recently unveiled a four-point plan that would extend the pause to 2023 and cancel student loans for some borrower. Murray, chairwoman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, urged Biden to consider her proposal.

Story continues

White House officials, including Chief of Staff Ronald Klain, have said the Biden administration is considering taking executive action to help student loan borrowers. But so far, nothing concrete has been proposed.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Student Loan Forgiveness Not Included in Bidens Budget  Will Payment Pause Be Extended by May 1?
The Supreme Court will make a decision in Viking River Cruises vs. Moriana by late June. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday weighed an employer's challenge to a California labor law that authorizes private attorneys to sue on behalf of thousands of workers, even if those workers had agreed to arbitrate their claims individually.

The closely watched case is the latest and perhaps most important test of whether companies can shield themselves from costly employment lawsuits through arbitration clauses that forbid group or class claims.

The court's conservative justices said little during Wednesday's argument in Viking River Cruises vs. Moriana, while the three liberals spoke in defense of the California law.

"This is the state's decision to enforce its own labor laws in a particular kind of way," Justice Elena Kagan said.

She was referring to the Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, in which the Legislature authorized private attorneys to sue employers and collect penalties for violations of the labor code.

The state said it did not have enough staff to police industries where "labor law violations are the most rampant, including agriculture, garment, construction, car wash, and restaurants.

The suits often cite complaints of wage theft or unpaid overtime work. Under the law, 75% of the penalties collected are to be returned to the state, while the remainder is divided among the employees and the attorneys.

A group of California employers told the court that the law, even if well intentioned, has become a means to enrich plaintiffs' law firms. They file claims at a rate of 17 per day, said Washington attorney Paul Clement, and they are demanding penalties for "tens of thousands of employees at a time and extracting millions of dollars from employers."

The issue for the court was whether the Federal Arbitration Act of 1925 preempts or trumps the California private-attorneys law.

For more than a decade, the high court has regularly sided with businesses and in favor of arbitration. The justices have ruled that businesses may enforce arbitration clauses that prevent workers or consumers from filing broad class-action claims.

Story continues

The 1925 law was designed originally to uphold arbitration agreements between companies that had signed contracts to ship goods by railroad or by sea. More recently, it has been transformed into a powerful weapon for companies seeking protection from class-action claims.

But California and state courts have been holdouts, ruling that plaintiffs may sometimes join together to sue under state law. In 2014, the state Supreme Court said the Federal Arbitration Act did not prevent the state from authorizing private attorneys to enforce its labor laws.

The case before the court began when Angie Moriana quit her job as a sales agent in Los Angeles for Viking River Cruises and complained she did not receive her last paycheck. She became the lead plaintiff in a private suit alleging violations of behalf of a large group of Viking employees.

Viking asked a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge to block the lawsuit and send her case to arbitration. The company said she had agreed to arbitrate any dispute arising out of or relating to your employment. Moreover, she had waived any right to any "class, collective or private attorney general action."

But the judge and a state appeals court refused and ruled that under California law, the private suit may proceed because "the state is the real party" bringing the claim. The state Supreme Court turned down an appeal, but in December, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Viking's appeal.

"Arbitration will be gutted," Clement argued, if states can authorize broad private lawsuits in its place.

But workers' rights advocates said the private lawsuits are crucial for protecting employees. They cited a recent report by the UCLA Labor Center that found 89% of claims under the Private Attorneys General Act alleged wage theft.

Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh asked whether it was correct that "California is an outlier here."

Yes, said Scott Nelson, an attorney for nonprofit consumer advocate Public Citizen. California wanted "to enhance its enforcement" of workers rights, he said. And that decision to authorize private suits "is entitled to respect, even if California remains the only state that does so."

The court will hand down a decision in the case by late June.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
By Paresh Dave and Jeffrey Dastin

OAKLAND, Calif. (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp President Brad Smith wrote to Ukraine's leader this month with a clear message: despite Kyiv's calls for it to sever all ties with Russia, the U.S. software behemoth would continue doing business in the country with non-sanctioned clients, including schools and hospitals.

"Depriving these institutions of software updates and services could put at risk the health and safety of innocent civilians, including children and the elderly," Smith said in the previously unreported March 14 letter, seen by Reuters.

Smith told President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Microsoft was "mindful of the moral responsibility" to protect civilians. However, he said the company was discussing with U.S., British and EU governments whether "to halt any ongoing services and support" in Russia and would move "in lockstep with their sanctions and other economic goals."

Asked about the exchange, spokespeople for both Microsoft and Ukraine said a constructive dialogue was underway about actions to support the country.

The decision by some leading Western business technology makers - including Microsoft, German software multinational SAP SE and U.S. giant International Business Machines Corp - to maintain operations or staff in Russia despite Ukraine's appeals have angered their workers in several countries.

Small groups of employees at Microsoft, SAP and IBM have called for management to withdraw fully from Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine, according to comments seen by Reuters on internal discussion forums and interviews with 18 workers familiar with the companies, who sought anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

The employees  echoing Ukrainian officials  have urged the companies to go beyond ending new sales and dropping sanctioned clients in order to increase economic pressure on Moscow. They want their companies to suspend every deal in Russia, including for software clients may use to track sales, supply chains and workforces.

Story continues

Asked about the internal criticism, IBM said it has ceased working with Russian companies anywhere in the world - though it has stopped short of layoffs or suspending support of foreign businesses in Russia.

SAP told Reuters it was complying with government actions and even going beyond them, and it would "welcome new sanctions currently under discussion."

SAP responded to Ukraine's requests to cut all ties in Russia with a previously undisclosed letter this month to President Zelenskiy  reviewed in part by Reuters  saying that it was supporting essential Russian services, including "hospitals, civilian infrastructure and food supply chains."

The three companies have not ruled out further pullback. But for now, their employees in Russia are getting paid and accessing workplace tools, colleagues said. Local phone numbers are active for all three, Reuters found.

Questioned about the demands on Western tech businesses from their own workers and the Ukrainian government to quit Russia, a Kremlin spokesperson said that "some companies are leaving, others are staying. New ones will come in their place."

The spokesperson noted that companies had legal obligations to employees that must be fulfilled, such as paying wages.

Russian prosecutors have warned some Western businesses that their staff could face arrests if production of essential goods was stopped, according to media reports. The Wall Street Journal named IBM among those warned.

The Kremlin spokesperson denied the reports about pressure on companies from prosecutors: "The part about arrests is a lie."

UKRAINIAN LOBBYING

Ukraine Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, one of the leading campaigners for a digital blockade, said Russia was already feeling the impact as some technology companies exit, such as developers of digital payment and web development tools. But he is pushing for a complete departure.

"We will keep trying until those companies have made the decision to leave Russia," he said.

Fedorov's team told Reuters last week that a "huge number" of Russian organizations have contracts for SAP's software, including major banking and energy companies. Reuters could not independently confirm SAP's customers in Russia, and SAP said it was in full compliance with sanctions.

Russia's Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media did not answer requests for comment on the impact of departures by Western technology companies, nor the extent of SAP's footprint in the country.

Mirroring the Ukrainian government's message, SAP's five salespeople for Ukraine told regional managers on a call March 18 that the company must end support for remaining Russian clients, according to a person familiar with the discussion.

Fedorov said on Friday in a tweet, citing a conversation with SAP Chief Executive Christian Klein, that the company would "gradually stop supporting" products in Russia. A day earlier, SAP had said it was shutting its Russian cloud business, which two sources described as a small operation.

In a March 23 letter sent to customers in Russia, reviewed by Reuters, SAP asked cloud clients to advise whether their data in the Russian cloud should be deleted, handed back to them or moved outside the country.

SAP confirmed the content of the letter, and said that Fedorov and Klein spoke. It declined to comment further.

At IBM, hundreds of workers criticized the company's response to Russia's invasion, three people with knowledge of internal messages said.

CEO Arvind Krishna on a March 2 call with employees had taken no sides on the war, one of the sources said. In a now-public message to workers the previous day, IBM had referred to what it described as the "deteriorating situation involving Ukraine and Russia."

One comment on an internal discussion forum, seen by Reuters, called on the CEO to read a book on IBM's work during the Holocaust describing how https://ibmandtheholocaust.com the company designed punch-card machines that Nazi Germany used to track Jewish people: "Think carefully and do the right thing - pull IBM and IBMer's in Russia out of Russia," the employee wrote.

IBM declined to comment on the remark.

Responding to the outcry, Krishna announced in a March 3 post a suspension of sales in Russia and condemned "the Russian war in Ukraine." On March 7, he went further, saying that IBM had suspended "all business" in Russia  without elaborating.

An IBM spokesperson told Reuters March 24 that the business suspension meant the company is no longer providing "goods, parts, software, services, consulting and technology" anywhere in the world to Russian clients.

Several Microsoft workers on internal chat tools have also demanded the company exit Russia altogether, with some even telling senior management they would quit otherwise, an employee said. Microsoft declined to comment.

DOUBTS

Some workers told Reuters they have not joined the calls for full exits due to doubts over harming civilians and how strong an impact the companies' withdrawal from Russia would have.

For instance, the United States on Feb. 24 sanctioned Russian Railways, a state-owned company operating passenger and freight trains. IBM that day placed the company on its Denied Parties List and stopped tech support, according to an IBM letter to Ukrainian minister Fedorov dated March 5, seen by Reuters.

Denied parties cannot access official replacement discs, adapters and memory for mainframes that a former IBM salesperson said need swapping every two years.

But a person familiar with operations at Russian Railways said it can run for years without aid.

Russian Railways did not respond to requests for comment. IBM declined to comment.

SAP also told Reuters that because some clients have its software installed on their machines they can keep using it regardless of the company's decision not to provide support.

(Reporting by Paresh Dave in Oakland, Calif. and Jeffrey Dastin in Palo Alto, Calif.; Additional reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington, Foo Yun Chee in Brussels and Supantha Mukherjee in Stockholm; Editing by Kenneth Li and Daniel Flynn)
Teenage Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz pulled off his second shock victory over world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas in their semi-final clash at the Miami Open (Steven Patson/PA) (PA Archive)

Teenage talent Carlos Alcaraz pulled off his second shock victory over world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas in their semi-final clash at the Miami Open.

The 18-year-old won in straight sets after almost two hours to finish 7-5 6-3 in a rematch of the pairs meeting at the US Open, where the Spanish teenager also emerged victorious.

Alcaraz told ATP after the match: It was really, really tough. He was playing unbelievable. All I can say is I fought until the last ball in the first set [to] come back.

He is the moment 



After an incredible performance, @alcarazcarlos03 triumphs over Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals at @MiamiOpen #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/c5NBQjIPY3  ATP Tour (@atptour) March 30, 2022

Alcaraz will face Miomir Kecmanovic in the quarter finals after Kecmanovic advanced with a 3-6 6-1 6-4 win over Taylor Fritz.Earlier, Nick Kyrgios lost his cool and picked up a game penalty as he crashed out of the fourth round to Jannik Sinner on Tuesday.

The combustible Australian vented his frustration towards umpire Carlos Bernardes during a tight first set, then lost the tie-break after being docked a point for smashing his racket and subsequently double-faulting.

Kyrgios was docked a game for smashing his racket again early in the second set  then posed for a selfie with a young fan who ran onto the court  before slipping to a 7-6 (3) 6-3 defeat.

Nick Kyrgios (pictured) suffered defeat against Jannik Sinner (Jim Rassol/AP) (AP)

Sinners win makes it less likely that Cameron Norrie will end the week in the worlds top 10 after the British number one succumbed 6-3 6-4 to Norways Casper Ruud.

Norrie needs Sinner, Taylor Fritz and Hubert Hurkacz to exit the tournament before he can be certain of celebrating the milestone for the first time in next weeks new world rankings.

Story continues

Norrie, playing with heavy strapping on his left leg, was never able to reach the heights that had swept him to the quarter-finals or better in his last four tournaments.

He failed to fashion a single break-point opportunity against the Norwegian world number eight until he converted the last of three in the eighth game of the second set, preventing Ruud serving out for the match.

Cameron Norrie still stands on the brink of the worlds top 10 (Wilfredo Lee/AP) (AP)

But by that point there was a sense of prolonging the inevitable and Ruud made no mistake at his second attempt to seal victory in just over one-and-a-half hours.

Daniil Medvedev moved within one more win of reclaiming the world number one spot as he moved into the quarter-finals with a 7-5 6-1 win over Jenson Brooksby.

Medvedev did not have it all his own way as he was forced to rally from 5-3 down in the first set before going on to book his place in the last eight in 80 minutes.

Meanwhile, in the womens tournament, former world number one Naomi Osaka passed through her quarter-final match against American Danielle Collins in straight sets.

It is the second time Osaka, now 77th in the world, has played and defeated Collins, who is ranked 11th. But when the pair first met  at Indian Wells in 2019  Osaka was ranked first and Collins 25th.

Her 6-2 6-1 win set her up for a semi-final against Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic of Switzerland.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has nominated Deborah Witzburg, a former high-ranking leader in the inspector generals office, to be the citys top watchdog.

At an unrelated news conference, Lightfoot said she has every confidence in Witzburgs ability and said, if the office is working right, the IG helps city government get better. Audits by the agency, she said, are important ways to improve government functions.

Advertisement

The mayor also indirectly alluded to her recurring criticisms of former inspector general Joe Fergusons office, which shes made by saying the IG needs to stay in their lane.

As I expressed to her, the work needs to speak for itself, Lightfoot said. I think she gets that.

Advertisement

Lightfoots choice follows a slow process to replace Ferguson, who announced he would not seek reappointment in a July 2021 letter urging Lightfoot and aldermen to begin the search process.

Ferguson said he was giving the city more than 100 days notice so that officials could perform a legally mandated national search and make the hire before his term expired in mid-October.

City officials were slow to move forward, however, leading to criticism from some good government advocates and city leaders who expressed concern over the office being without a permanent leader at a time of high public mistrust.

Deborah Witzburg was nominated for the role of inspector general, a position left empty since former Inspector General Joe Ferguson departed in October 2021. (City of Chicago)

Aldermen will need to approve Witzburgs nomination.

Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.

Witzburg, 38, joined the inspector generals office in May 2016 and rose to become the deputy inspector general for public safety. She resigned the position in November to pursue the inspector general job.

Im honored to be appointed and anxious to get to work, Witzburg said in a statement. Im a true believer in the work of OIG, and Im committed to carrying it forward with independence and integrity.

Advertisement

Witzburg has a law degree from Northwestern University and worked for the Cook County states attorney for nearly eight years, according to her LinkedIn page.

The inspector general is the citys internal watchdog tasked with investigating corruption and malfeasance, which have been plentiful in Chicago. Under the law, city employees, contractors and vendors have a duty to cooperate with IG investigations, empowering the office to pursue detailed audits of government programs and alleged misconduct.

Lightfoots selection of the next inspector general generated significant political intrigue. The mayor has feuded publicly with Ferguson in the months since his departure, drawing into question whether she would be willing to appoint one of his top deputies.

Lightfoot also criticized Witzburgs public safety qualifications, emails reported by the Tribune show.

In October, Lightfoot exchanged contentious emails with Northwest Side Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez, 33rd, after the first-term City Council member argued with the mayor over public safety.

Lightfoot held a community event on public safety in Rodriguez Sanchezs ward without notifying her.

Advertisement

The failure to communicate shows a lack of respect for me as the Alderperson of this area and for the neighbors who wanted to have an opportunity to speak with (police) Supt. (David) Brown in the wake of a wave of gun violence that has impacted our community, Rodriguez Sanchez wrote to the mayor and other officials.

Lightfoot responded in part by criticizing Rodriguez Sanchez for having held a community forum on crime where Ferguson and Witzburg spoke.

People were mystified that you featured the IG and the PSIG on these fundamental crime issues about which neither are qualified to opine, Lightfoot wrote.

But Lightfoot selected Witzburg after a committee appointed partly by her and aldermen screened her and other candidates for the job.

gpratt@chicagotribune.com
This article first appeared in the Morning Brief. Get the Morning Brief sent directly to your inbox every Monday to Friday by 6:30 a.m. ET. Subscribe

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

There have been a lot of news headlines weighing on markets over the last month. But the two biggest ones are:

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Uncertain path of interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve

As we prepare to flip the calendar into April, markets remain fixated on both stories. But which one remains the bigger risk? That depends on who you ask.

The common talking point at the beginning of the war in Ukraine was that the U.S. economy was relatively insulated from geopolitical conflict in Eastern Europe. However, the Feds efforts to take away the punch bowl of pandemic-era stimulus would prove to be a more persistent downside risk.

One way to test this viewpoint is by looking at the VIX, a measure of volatility sometimes referred to as the fear index (I think thats a bit dramatic, Id prefer to call it the uncertainty index).

The VIX peaked at almost 37 on March 7, following two weeks of escalations in Ukraine. At the time, the picture had not gotten any clearer on the Federal Reserve side of things (no Fed officials were speaking as part of the customary week-and-a-half media blackout period before a policy-setting meeting on March 16).

The slide down in the VIX over the last week also suggests that Russia-Ukraine remains the top story; the decline yesterday to under 19 coincided with developments suggesting that Russia would be reducing its military activity near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

All the while, Fed watchers appeared only more scattered over the central banks next steps. As Citi forecast 0.50% interest rate bumps at each of the Feds next four meetings, shops like Evercore ISI note that there is a risk of overkill from aggressive Fed actions (pushing their forecast for two to possibly three 0.50% moves).

This coincides with sentiment among large fund managers that the biggest tail risk to markets was neither a hawkish Fed nor inflation, but the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Story continues

The BofA Global Fund Manager Survey asked 341 panelists (with $1 trillion in assets under management) about their investment approaches. The March survey was conducted from March 4 to 10. (Credit: BofA Global Research)

However, Christopher Murphy at Susquehanna Financial Group noted Monday that the VIX is not the only measure of volatility in town. The ICE BofAML MOVE Index (^MOVE) measures volatility in fixed income markets. Whereas the VIX has fallen a third over the last week, MOVE has jumped almost 25%, in part due to the dramatic moves in U.S. Treasury yields (which contributed to a brief inversion of the yield curve yesterday).

Murphy points out that oil prices have also shown a similar trend in volatility.

While the VIX has plummeted, other important volatility indices are not as convinced the stress is over, Murphy wrote Monday.

The question for investors is: Whats the source of that stress?

By Brian Cheung, an anchor and reporter covering the Fed, economics, and banking for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on Twitter @bcheungz.

What to watch today

Economy

7:00 a.m. ET: MBA Mortgage Applications, week ended March 25 (-8.1% during prior week)

8:15 a.m. ET: ADP Employment Change, March (450,000 expected, 475,000 during prior month)

8:30 a.m. ET: GDP Annualized, quarter-over-quarter, 4Q third (7.0% expected, 7.0% prior)

8:30 a.m. ET: Personal Consumption, quarter-over-quarter, 4Q third (3.1% expected, 3.1% prior)

8:30 a.m. ET: GDP Price Index, quarter-over-quarter, 4Q third (7.1% expected, 7.1% prior)

8:30 a.m. ET: Core PCE, quarter-over-quarter, 4Q third (5.0% expected, 5.0% prior)

Earnings

7:00 a.m. ET: Five Below (FIVE) is expected to report adjusted earnings of $2.48 per share on revenue of $1.01 billion

Politics

President Biden will speak at 1:30 p.m. ET about the latest on the fight against COVID-19. The White House said on Monday the Omicron BA.2 sub-variant has been circulating for some time and more money is needed to help fight it.

Beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET, the House of Representatives will begin considering the MORE Act, a bill to decriminalize marijuana. The news of the upcoming vote rallied cannabis stocks even though theres no clear path to passage in the Senate.

Top News

European markets mixed as Germany triggers emergency gas plan [Yahoo Finance UK]

Icahn blasts Kroger for low wages, torturous pig crates [Bloomberg]

Transformative retirement reform package passes the House and heads to the Senate [Yahoo Finance]

Amazon faces high-stakes Alabama union vote after 'radically different' campaign [Yahoo Finance]

Yahoo Finance Highlights

Hackers steal $615 million in crypto from Axie Infinitys Ronin Network

Investing legend Bill Gross: AMC and GameStop stocks are like lottery tickets

What made Warren Buffett rich is making us all poorer



Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance

Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Flipboard, and LinkedIn
The alarm was raised at 4.06pm on Thursday after the 40-year-old mother failed to pick her children up from school (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire)

Multiple suspects are in custody after three police officers were shot during a pursuit in upstate New York.

Buffalo Police Department said in a statement that their injuries initially appear to be non-life-threatening. Police sources added to WKBW reporter Hannah Buehler that one is in surgery, one was shot in the stomach, and another was shot in the neck.

Video posted online by the National Fraternal Order of Police showed police cars and ambulances racing through Buffalo.

Stop shooting our officers, they said in a tweet.

 THREE OFFICERS DOWN: Please pray for the 3 officers in Buffalo who were shot during a pursuit. Reports are their injuries appear to be non-life threatening and multiple individuals in custody at this time.



STOP SHOOTING OUR OFFICERS!



Read More  https://t.co/tXLDgwD6lq pic.twitter.com/eqcq2Bn75I  National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@GLFOP) March 29, 2022

Local broadcaster News 4 reported a heavy police presence near the intersections of East Ferry Street and Fillmore Avenue, Sycamore Street and Fillmore, and Langfield Drive and Bailey Avenue.

This is a developing story; it will be updated.
TikTok is obsessed with the time nearly all of Icelands women went on strike  and changed the course of their countrys history.

The top 9 reasons for personal loans

On Oct. 24, 1975, 90% of Icelands women went on strike to show how essential they were to society. It was known as the Womens Day Off. They ditched their jobs, housework and even child care, leaving men to fend for themselves (and their children). And it turns out when women take a day off, things get crazy. Or, as TikToker @fluence.co pointed out in her video on the subject, It was total chaos.

Draya Michele takes home a $6K Chanel yellow mini handbag to add to her fashion collection:

The economy shut down  basic life broke, @fluence.co said. Hospitals, schools, nursing homes, grocery stores  they all either shut down or operated at half capacity. It was kind of like COVID-19. And the men had kind of a terrible time.

With women on strike, men were forced to take their children to work, where they would bribe their kids with coloring books and candy. Grocery stores sold out of sausages because they were the only foods men knew how to cook. Men had to do womens jobs but didnt know how. Everything fell apart. Suddenly, womens work became appreciated.

Shortly after, the first female president was elected, she added.

In 1980, Vigdis Finnbogadottir went on to become Icelands first woman president and Europes first female president and the first woman democratically elected as head of state. She remained so for 16 years.

Shop Jordyn Woods stunning cover looks from her In The Know cover shoot:

The post TikTok remembers the day 90% of Icelands women went on strike: It was total chaos appeared first on In The Know.

More from In The Know:

Video game writer details what it's like to apply for a job at a major game studio

Want to de-funk your refrigerator? Here's what you should use instead of baking soda

The Dyson Airwrap is finally back in stock  here's where to buy it

Are these viral 'rainbow grapes' even better than candy?
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pledged Tuesday to bring a massive veterans toxic exposure bill to a vote this year, saying the legislation is needed to ensure that veterans sickened by environmental exposures get health care and disability compensation before they die.

Speaking at a press conference alongside lawmakers, advocates and affected veterans, Schumer said the bill would deliver care and compensation without requiring veterans to "hire a lawyer."

"Veterans deserve a hell of a lot better than to have to claw their way through government bureaucracies just to get the basic benefits to treat conditions they incurred in their service," Schumer said.

Read Next: Top General Believes US Will 'Still Need More' Troops in Europe after Ukraine War

The $208 billion Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics, or PACT, Act, passed the House on March 3 in a 256-174 vote.

But it faces tough opposition in the Senate, where a $1 billion bill already has passed that would immediately provide health care to post 9/11 veterans who were exposed to burn pits and other toxins but doesn't include many of the automatic benefits and additional requirements of the PACT Act.

The PACT Act would designate 23 diseases as presumed to be linked to burn pits and other airborne pollution, and it would extend coverage to veterans exposed to other pollutants such as radiation, as well as Vietnam veterans suffering hypertension and those exposed to Agent Orange while serving in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.

It could affect up to 3.5 million veterans in the coming years.

During a hearing on the topic Tuesday, members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee sought to find common ground on the proposal, questioning VA Secretary Denis McDonough on his priorities in the bill.

McDonough said the VA supports the legislation but has some concerns, particularly over the impact of an influx of claims on the health-care system.

Story continues

The secretary said the VA will need to hire more personnel to handle potentially as many as 1.5 million new claims, the additional patient load and possibly require building extra "physical infrastructure" that would increase cost estimates.

Still, McDonough said, President Joe Biden "has made it very clear, though. We support the PACT Act."

"We support the bill for many reasons, but the first is that it helps VA accomplish a primary goal of getting more veterans into VA care because study after study shows that vets in VA care do better," McDonough said.

Among the concerns voiced by members of the committee were the potential influx of so many new claims from veterans and the impact on health-care services overall of a sudden surge of patients. The department currently has a backlog of 240,000 claims -- filings they are working to review, having hired new personnel and automating some of the processes -- that would grow with new claims.

The PACT Act "includes provisions that will perhaps stretch the VA beyond its operational capacity, effectively providing no guarantee that veterans will be able to access benefits," said Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran, the committee's highest-ranking Republican.

Bill supporters say the legislation in some form must be passed as a cost of war. Committee Chairman Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, who introduced a bill late last year that included expanded health coverage similar to the PACT Act, said as the committee considers crafting its own version of the legislation, that hes committed to finding a way to expand care for affected veterans.

"As we consider the reforms in this bill, we should be very clear about our goals. We're here to do right," Tester said.

Neither Tester nor Moran gave a timeline for crafting a new version of the bill. McDonough promised that he would provide the committee with additional data they requested as part of the effort by late spring.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: Sweeping Toxic Exposure Bill Passed by House




Former President Trump called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to release dirt on President Biden's son Hunter Biden during an interview published Tuesday.

"One thing, while I'm on your show, as long as Putin now is not exactly a fan of our country, let him explain, where did - because Chris Wallace wouldn't let me ask the question - why did the mayor of Moscow's wife give the Bidens, both of them, $3.5 million dollars? That's a lot of money," Trump told John Solomon and Amanda Head on the "Just the News" show on Real America's Voice network.

Trump added that, "I would think Putin would know the answer to that. I think he should release it."

Solomon, a former opinion writer at The Hill, faced scrutiny for his columns during Trump's first impeachment relating to Ukraine. A review of his columns was subsequently undertaken by The Hill, and they were later annotated with more context after it was established that Solomon had not identified important details regarding his sources.

The former president in the new interview was referencing a controversial 2020 Senate GOP report on President Biden and Hunter Biden, which resulted in little proof of wrongdoing.

Trump has repeatedly alleged that Hunter Biden received money from the wife of Moscow's late mayor Yury Luzhkov.

Politico reported that the former president himself had in fact pursued business deals with Luzhkov in the '90s.

Trump's remarks are likely to divide Republicans who want to align themselves with Trump while remaining fiercely opposed to Putin amid an ongoing Russian invasion into Ukraine, now in its second month.

The former president's previous remarks in which he called Putin "savvy" and a "genius" led to a rare break from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

"I do not think anything savvy or genius about Putin," McCarthy said at a press conference in the Capitol earlier this month.

Story continues

"I think Putin is evil. I think he's a dictator. I think he's murdering people right now," McCarthy added.

The development also comes as a tax crimes investigation into Hunter Biden, which started in 2018, moves onward, with The Wall Street Journal reporting this week that more evidence is being gathered by prosecutors.

It's also not the first time Trump has called for a foreign government to cause damage to a political rival. During the 2016 election, he called for Russia to release emails from former Secretary of State and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's private email server.

And in 2019, Trump's first impeachment trial centered on allegations that Trump threatened to withhold military aide for Ukraine unless that country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, investigated the Bidens.

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.
ANKARA, Turkey (AP)  A prominent Turkish military analyst and opposition politician went on trial on Wednesday, accused of engaging in political and military espionage for allegedly selling state secrets to foreign diplomats.

In the first hearing of the trial against Metin Gurcan, the court ruled to hold the trial behind closed doors on grounds that some of the accusations leveled against him fell within the scope of state secrets, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Journalists and spectators were asked to leave the courtroom.

Gurcan, 46, faces life imprisonment if found guilty of the charges of obtaining and disclosing state secrets for the purpose of political or military espionage. He has denied the accusations against him.

Gurcan is a retired army officer and founding member of the opposition Democracy and Progress Party, or DEVA, which is led by former deputy prime minister Ali Babacan. He also wrote about military issues for the online news website, Al-Monitor.

He was detained in his apartment in Istanbul on Nov. 29.

Babacan has defended Gurcan, saying the analyst had no means of accessing confidential information and insisting that his analyses consisted of information compiled from open sources.
By Arshad Mohammed and Daphne Psaledakis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Washington on Wednesday imposed sanctions on a procurement agent in Iran and his companies and accused them of helping to support Tehran's ballistic missile program following missile attacks by suspected Iran-backed proxies against countries in the region.

In a statement issued as talks stalled on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the U.S. Treasury Department cited Iran's March 13 missile attack on Erbil in Iraq and an "Iranian enabled" Houthi missile attack on Friday against a Saudi Aramco facility as well as other missile attacks by Iranian proxies against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

It accused the agent Mohammad Ali Hosseini and his network of companies of procuring ballistic missile propellant-related materials for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unit responsible for research and development of ballistic missiles. Iran's IRGC is subject to U.S. sanctions.

The Iranian mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions were unrelated to efforts to revive the nuclear deal under which Iran had limited its nuclear program to make it harder to develop a nuclear bomb - an ambition it denies - in return for relief from global economic sanctions.

The sanctions freeze any U.S. assets of those targeted and generally bars Americans from dealing with them. Those that engage in certain transactions with them also risk being hit with sanctions, the Treasury said.

The network of companies includes Iran-based Jestar Sanat Delijan and Sina Composite Delijan Co. Also sanctioned was P.B. Sadr Co, which the Treasury accused of acting on behalf of Parchin Chemical Industries, an element of Iran's Defense Industries Organization also under U.S. sanctions.

A nascent plan for Iraq's Kurdish region to supply gas to Turkey and Europe - with Israeli help - is part of what prompted Iran to strike Erbil with ballistic missiles this month, Iraqi and Turkish officials say.

Story continues

The Houthis said they launched attacks on Saudi energy facilities on Friday and the Saudi-led coalition said oil giant Aramco's petroleum products distribution station in Jeddah was hit, causing a fire in two storage tanks but no casualties.

The indirect U.S.-Iran nuclear talks were nearing an agreement in early March before last-minute Russian demands for sweeping guarantees that would have hollowed out sanctions imposed following its invasion of Ukraine derailed the talks.

Russia has since appeared to have narrowed its demands to cover only work linked to the nuclear deal, leaving a small number of issues to be resolved between Washington and Tehran, diplomats say.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to assure Gulf monarchies on Tuesday that Washington is determined to help them fend off attacks from the Iran-aligned Houthi group in Yemen.

Blinken met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, de facto ruler of the United Arab Emirates, in Morocco as part of a trip to the Middle East and North Africa.

Gulf states have for years been frustrated by what they see as U.S. inaction in confronting Iran's role in the region, but their concerns have grown since Joe Biden became president 14 months ago.

Some Gulf nations, as well as Israel, fear that a revived nuclear deal would give Iran more oil revenues that it could use to support regional proxies, potentially leading to more attacks on them.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis, Arshad Mohammed and Chris Gallagher; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Howard Goller)
By Karen Freifeld

(Reuters) - Global restrictions on exports to Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine have shut down a car maker, halted work on tanks and cut a Russian computer maker's access to circuits used in communications equipment, a U.S. official said on Wednesday.

"Thirty-three countries have joined together with one export controls strategy," said Thea Kendler, assistant secretary for export administration at the Commerce Department.

"Necessity brought together this unprecedented collaboration on export controls and other measures that are having a meaningful impact on Putin's war."

While only about 5% of Russia's imports came from the United States, Kendler said, adding the European Union and other coalition countries accounts for roughly 50 percent of Russia's imports.

Export controls were never expected to have immediate effects, she said, but noted the Ukrainian government reported that Russia's two major tank plants halted work over a lack of foreign components. Baikal Electronics, a Russian semiconductor company and computer manufacturer, was cut off from integrated circuits to support its surveillance, servers, and other domestic communications equipment, she added.

Taiwan's TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, exited the Russian market, cutting off the Moscow Center of SPARC Technologies access to Elbrus chips, which are widely used in Russian intelligence and military systems, she said. Lada halted auto production as export controls deprived it of needed parts and supplies, she added.

Renault, which controls the company that produces the Lada, said it would suspend operations at its plant in Moscow while it assesses options on its majority stake in Avtovaz AVAZI_p.MM, the country's No. 1 carmaker.

Renault did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Nor did TSMC. Baikal Electronics, the Moscow Center of SPARC Technologies, and Russian tank maker UralVagonZavod could not immediately be reached for comment.

Story continues

Kendler said she and other U.S. Treasury Department and Commerce officials traveled to London, Brussels, Paris and Berlin to bring the coalition together, and that extensive talks also are going on with Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

"I expect to be able to announce additional like-minded export controls countries soon," she said.

(Reporting by Karen Freifeld; Editing by Chris Sanders and Sandra Maler)
By Elias Biryabarema

KAMPALA (Reuters) - Uganda's military has killed 309 people in an eight-month-old operation against cattle rustling in a northeast region rich in minerals including gold, limestone and potentially oil, the armed forces said.

The Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF), the east African country's military, said the deaths resulted from a push to quell violence by cattle rustlers in Karamoja region since last July.

"The UPDF, working with other sister security agencies ... will continue working together to completely pacify Karamoja and end all the criminality in the sub-region," it said in a statement late on Tuesday.

It termed those killed as "warriors", without elaborating.

Inhabited by nomadic pastoralists, Karamoja has long suffered banditry, livestock raids and inter-clan warfare fuelled by cheap, readily available guns.

Rivalry and competition for grazing land and watering points for animals as well as raids for cattle has traditionally fomented violence between different Karamajong communities and against pastoral communities across the border in Kenya.

In a tweet on Wednesday President Yoweri Museveni's son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, a commander of UPDF land forces, said they had probably killed more people than the number the UPDF gave in the statement.

"We have killed a lot more cattle thieves since last year. And we shall continue eliminating them until they completely lose the appetite for this industry," Kainerugaba said in a tweet, in which he was responding to a local newspaper report about the 309 deaths.

UPDF said they had also recovered 184 guns in the operation and arrested 1,700 people.

In 2020, Uganda began conducting a mineral survey and mapping exercise in Karamoja, thought to hold substantial reserves of gold, copper, limestone, oil and other minerals.

A recent increase in violence in the region though has posed threats to the exercise, including the killing of a team this month that included a veteran geologist, a student intern, an interpreter and two soldiers.

(Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by George Obulutsa, William Maclean)
Teens from local Catholic high schools offer their thoughts Sunday about the ordination of women as deacons in the Catholic Church during a crowded program at St. Barnabas in Beverly. They included, from left, Margaux Doran, Mother McAuley; Esai Jacinto, Leo High School; Lila Conrath, St. Ignatius College Prep; and Sam Quiroz, Marist. (Susan DeGrane / Daily Southtown)

Should women be ordained to serve as deacons in the Catholic Church?

Not to be mistaken for priests who are empowered to bless the sacrament, say Mass, hear confessions and anoint the sick, deacons are authorized to preside at baptisms, marriages and funerals, serve in prison ministries and preach at Mass.

Advertisement

Margaux Doran, a senior at Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School, was among four teens who presented their thoughts on the ordination of women as deacons for a large crowd Sunday evening at St. Barnabas Catholic Church in Chicagos Beverly neighborhood.

On the South Side and all over Chicago, weve been talking about our beloved parishes shrinking or closing because there is a shortage of priests, Doran said. Its hard to understand why the addition of women deacons wouldnt be a welcome development.

Advertisement

Dorans presentation received loud applause.

The audience included more than 700 students, congregants and representatives from Chicago area Catholic schools, parishes and relief organizations. They were participating in what was billed as an evening of discernment led by Discerning Deacons, a national advocacy group.

Discerning Deacons has been promoting a listening conversation on the restoration of women as deacons in the Catholic Church since 2020.

Wally Trnka and Sue Cooney, members of St. Nicholas Parish in Evanston, attend an event Sunday at St. Barnabas in Beverly aimed at encouraging conversation about women being ordained as Catholic deacons. (Susan DeGrane / Daily Southtown)

The organization acknowledges that women were deacons in the early Christian church, and they now perform diaconate duties without ordination of the Catholic Church in some parts of the world.

Discerning Deacons co-director Casey Stanton and deputy director of engagement Lisa Amman are encouraged by Pope Francis insistence on a listening and participatory church.

Another hopeful sign, they said, is the popes establishment of a commission in April 2020 to study the matter of ordaining women as deacons, which will begin meeting this fall. Beyond offering words to inspire conversation and instructing the crowd to fill out questionnaires to be forwarded to the Vatican, the two women shared personal stories about what set them on their mission.

For Amman, it all started with a question from her 6-year-old daughter: She asked me, Mom, why are we here?

Amman, an active member of Saint Thomas More Parish in St. Paul, Minnesota, had attempted to explain they came to church to pray and worship Jesus, but the girl persisted, saying, No, Mom, I mean why are we here? This is all about boys.

Advertisement

Stantons moment of truth came several years ago, while volunteering with a prison ministry operated by a non-Catholic Christian congregation.

They were the first to see me as a chaplain, she said, but in the state of North Carolina, you have to be ordained in your church tradition.

During the early stages of the pandemic, Amman and Stanton organized online discussions throughout the country. More recently, they have led gatherings like the one at St. Barnabas. Regardless of format, the meetings include references to female deacons of the past.

St. Barnabas Church member Mary DuMais read an opening prayer from Romans 16:1-2, in which St. Paul writes in a letter to the Romans, I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the Church at Conchrae.

This image of St. Phoebe created by artist Laura James was presented to Pope Francis by Lisa Amman, deputy director of engagement for Discerning Deacons. (Susan DeGrane / Daily Southtown)

Later canonized as St. Phoebe, the Christian woman has been for centuries associated with the Greek word for deacon, diakonos, which appears in pre-English texts of the Bible. Iconic religious paintings of St. Phoebe also feature the word.

Fast-forward in time, Amman displayed a postcard style replica of a portrait of St. Phoebe she recently presented to Pope Francis. The image of the barefoot saint serving others was created by contemporary artist Laura James.

Advertisement

A growing number of books, scholarly articles and recent archaeological discoveries also point to evidence of womens roles in the early church. Much of that evidence appears to be carved in stone.

A Sept 8, 2016, issue of Commonwealth magazine noted that in 1903, workers at the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem found a stone likely dating from the 4th Century bearing a Greek inscription that translates to, Here lies the slave and bride of Christ, Sophia, the deacon, the second Phoebe 

More recently, a Nov. 15, 2021 issue of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel noted that in 2017, Israeli archaeologists uncovered stones and mosaics memorializing Theodosia the deaconess and Gregoria the deaconess in the ruins of a 1,600-year-old basilica in Ashdod.

The role of female deacons likely ended in the 12th Century when the diaconate became a steppingstone to the priesthood, Stanton said. Since women could not become priests, they could no longer be ordained as traditional deacons.

In the early 1960s, the Second Vatican Council restored the diaconate as a permanent vocation to married men. That prompted the question of whether women could be included.

We cant solve this question through history or theology alone, Stanton said. Its up to the ministry of discernment. The church has to decide. Now, were in this moment of women and young people having to be heard.

Advertisement

At least 15 teens from area high schools volunteered at the Sunday night discussion. Tim Daigler, a sophomore at Mount Carmel High School, wasnt there to speak publicly, but becoming involved in the event made him consider the issue.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

I hadnt thought about it being an issue until I was asked to help out. I think it could be a big change and very beneficial for women, he said.

St. Barnabas parishioner Shannon Griffin accompanied her daughter, Maeve Griffin, a freshman at St. Ignatius High School, who also volunteered. Im here to support her as a passionate believer that its time for change, Griffin said.

Keara Ette, who works at Old St. Patricks Church in Chicago, said, Our community is like so many others. We love that theres this invitation to be actively engaged in conversation about this.

The gathering also attracted plenty of men, including Wally Trnka, a member of St. Nicholas Parish in Evanston. He came with his wife, Sue Cooney, who serves on the churchs committee for equality for women.

Women need to be given opportunities to be in leadership roles in administration but also in the hierarchy of the church, Trnka said. We believe the church should be more of a circle than a pyramid. The boys club needs to end.

Advertisement

Hundreds filled out questionnaires, and Monday evening, about 50 people showed up at St. Barnabas to continue the effort to supply input to the Vatican.

Susan DeGrane is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
LONDON (AP)  A lawmaker from Britains governing Conservative Party has been praised across the political spectrum for coming out as transgender, the first U.K. member of Parliament ever to do so.

Jamie Wallis said Wednesday that Im trans. Or to be more accurate, I want to be.

Ive been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and Ive felt this way since I was a very young child, Wallis, 37, said in an online statement.

I have never lived my truth and Im not sure how, added Wallis, who said he would continue to use the pronouns he and him for now. Perhaps it starts with telling everyone.

Wallis, who represents the Welsh constituency of Bridgend in the House of Commons, revealed he was subjected to a blackmail attempt in 2020, and that the perpetrator was jailed. He also said he was suffering from post-traumatic stress after being raped in 2021.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson began his weekly question session in the House of Commons by telling Wallis: The House stands with you and will give you the support that you need to live freely as yourself. That support was echoed by other politicians, including opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer.

Former Treasury chief George Osborne said the reaction to Walliss brave statement reflected progress in the Conservative Party.

If a Tory MP had said this when I was first elected 20 years ago they would have been hounded, not applauded and supported, Osborne said on Twitter.

Despite the widespread support for Wallis, British politicians are divided over trans issues and how to balance rights based on gender identity with those based on biological sex.

Johnson said in Parliament last week that people seeking to transition should be treated with the maximum possible generosity and respect. But he added that when it comes to distinguishing between man and woman, the basic facts of biology remain overwhelmingly important.

Johnsons government has resisted recommendations from lawmakers to make it easier for people to change their gender by removing the requirement to have a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria first.

Conservatives also have used trans issues as a culture war talking point to needle left-wing opponents.

According to multiple media reports Johnson opened a party for Conservative lawmakers on Tuesday night by saying: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, or as Keir Starmer would put it, people who are assigned female or male at birth.
(Reuters) - Ukraine's armed forces say there is a danger of ammunition exploding at the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power station and that Russian forces occupying the plant must pull out of the area, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Wednesday.

She also said Ukraine had asked Russia at talks on Tuesday to allow 97 humanitarian corridors to be established to the worst-hit towns, cities, and villages in Ukraine.

"We demand that the U.N. Security Council immediately take measures to demilitarise the Chernobyl exclusion zone and introduce a special U.N. mission there to eliminate the risk of the repeat of a nuclear catastrophe," she said.

(Reporting by Natalia Zinets, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
The US State Department has issued a new travel advisory warning all its citizens against travelling to Russia, saying Americans could be targeted with harassment by government security officials in the country.

This could include detention and the arbitrary enforcement of local law said the department, adding that there was also a risk Americans mobility may be affected by limited flights into and out of Russia.

US citizens residing or travelling in Russia should depart Russia immediately, said the department, as it informed them about the embassys limited ability to assist nationals in the country.

It cautioned that the US credit and debit cards no longer work in Russia, and options to electronically transfer funds from the United States are extremely limited as a result of sanctions imposed on Russian banks.

US citizens should make their own arrangements to leave the country, the department said, as it warned that limited commercial flight options and overland routes by car and bus are still open and available.

The US Embassy has severe limitations on its ability to assist US citizens, and conditions, including transportation options, may suddenly become even more limited.

It said that due to Russias aggression against Ukraine, a number of airlines are cancelling their services to the country and numerous countries have closed their airspace to Russian airlines.

The department strongly advised US nationals against traveling from Russia to Ukraine by land, saying the situation along the border is dangerous and unpredictable.

It categorically directed citizens not to travel to the North Caucasus, including Chechnya and Mount Elbrus, due to terrorism, kidnapping and risk of civil unrest as well as to Crimea due to Russias occupation of the Ukrainian territory and abuses by occupying authorities.

The advisory comes as president Joe Biden expressed his scepticism about Russias announcement of scaling back military operations near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

Story continues

While Russia on Tuesday announced it would dial back operations in a bid to increase trust in ongoing talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Turkey, Mr Biden said he is waiting to see what Russia offers in ongoing talks.

Well see, the president said during an appearance with Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong following bilateral talks at the White House. I dont read anything into it until I see what their actions are.

The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered. To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here. To sign the petition click here. If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page.
Vuori is taking the plunge into international markets.

The Encinitas, Calif.-based activewear brand is gearing up to launch in seven countries this week: the U.K., France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Australia and Canada. The expansion will include direct-to-consumer sales as well as distribution through wholesale channels with some well-known local retailers including Selfridges, Brown Thomas, Cotswold Outdoor, Barrys Bootcamp and Bever.

More from WWD

The plan also calls for opening its first overseas store in London this summer.

Established in 2015 by chief executive officer Joe Kudla, Vuori has attracted some well-heeled investors including SoftBank Vision Fund 2, which invested $400 million in the brand last fall, leading to its current $4 billion valuation.

We are proud to announce Vuoris first expansion outside of the U.S., Kudla said. We are infinitely grateful for our team, which has helped bring this shared vision to life, and are thrilled to bring Vuoris new perspective on performance apparel to these new markets. 2022 is going to be Vuoris biggest year yet, and we look forward to sharing much more in the weeks and months ahead.

Kudla said up until now, Vuori has only had a small wholesale business in Canada, but this marks its first true move outside the U.S.

In selecting these countries, he explained, Vuori sought out regions with thriving e-commerce businesses as well as a consumer demographic that embraces a healthy active lifestyle. He realizes that Vuori does not have a high degree of brand awareness overseas and so the company will employ what he described as a start-up mentality to establish a foothold in those countries.

Then well pivot and modify if need be, he said.

Joe Kudla

The initial offering will include the full range of Vuoris mens and womens apparel that will be sold through websites that have been established in each country. In addition, Selfridges will offer the mens line only in all four of its locations; Cotswold Outdoor will sell it in 20 doors and online, and all 11 Barrys Bootcamp locations in the U.K. will sell the brand. Irelands Brown Thomas will sell the line in two locations and online, and the Netherlands-based outdoor retailer Bever will add it to 20 locations and online. Harrods will add the line this fall, Kudla said.

Story continues

To service these European countries, Vuori will open both a U.K. distribution hub as well as an innovation center in Taiwan as the brand preps for an entry into Asia in the not too distant future. Phase two will be starting a direct-to-consumer business in China, Kudla said. Well launch first on Tmall and then open our first store there in 2023.

Kudla believes that Vuori has very broad appealoutside the U.S., and international can be a very substantial business. But were not in a rush. Were still in a dramatic growth phrase in the U.S. and while we believe our brand will resonate strongly abroad, were still looking at it as a start-up and have no overly ambitious projections for year one.

The international rollout will be spearheaded by Andy Lawrence, who joined Vuori in last June as vice president of international. Lawrence was formerly a consultant/adviser for Gage Street Ventures, where he helped brands including Reformation and Billy Reid expand into new channels. He was also head of international for Reiss, and worked at Ralph Lauren in the Asia Pacific region for five years.

Overall, Kudla said Vuori continues to experience strong growth in its home market. The brand benefited from the rush to athleisure during the start of the pandemic. But as the stores reopened and people have returned to the office, the product theyre choosing is evolving, he said. Since weve come out of lockdown, our core product has continued to perform, but were also seeing a bigger focus on our travel commuter collection. Its comfortable but still very office-friendly. We believe work leisure will be the next big trend. We offer trousers and blazers, but theyre comfortable and versatile and dont identify you as going to the gym.

Vuori operates 14 stores in the western U.S. and has plans to expand that number to 100 over the next five years, with 15 being added in 2022, Kudla said,

In addition to SoftBank, Vuori is backed by Norwest Venture Partners.

Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.
A Walmart employee stabbed his coworker when the two got into a fight while working at a Washington store, police said.

The 26-year-old man stabbed the worker multiple times during a fight in the Walmart just before 5 a.m. on Wednesday, March 30, the Auburn Police Department said.

The 31-year-old man was taken to a hospital and is in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, police said.

Police arrested the 26-year-old.

Auburn is about 14 miles northeast of Tacoma.

Off-duty Washington cop stabbed after dog petting dispute on Vegas Strip, police say

Husband stabs wife to death in front of 13-year-old daughter, Texas cops say

Woman is stabbed 50 times with a screwdriver at Arizona auto parts shop, police say
"The FBI and police have cordoned off the area and they've restricted the airspace above it," the reporter says from her news chopper on that fateful day in 1986. "We're headed in that direction now. But we can only ..." A white flash engulfs the screen and the feed cuts to static as a nuclear explosion rips through downtown Indianapolis.

This never happened, of course. The fake news broadcast documenting this fake nuclear terrorist attack was created as part of a federal interagency training exercise known as Mighty Derringer.

"Until now," Gizmodo reports, "no one outside of the government has seen this video," but thanks to a Freedom of Information Act request from Gizmodo, it was published for the first time on Wednesday.

According to Gizmodo, Mighty Derringer was conducted in December of 1986 and involved the Pentagon, CIA, FBI, Department of Energy, and Nuclear Emergency Search Team (NEST). Actual radioactive material was hidden around Indianapolis as federal agents raced against the clock to stop a simulated attack by terrorist leader "Gooch" from the fictional country of Montrev.

The Government Made This Fake News Broadcast About a Nuclear Attack https://t.co/dFJQAVP6UM pic.twitter.com/prEyIxaGbN  Gizmodo (@Gizmodo) March 30, 2022

The two-minute video shows "Channel 9 Eyewitness News" anchor "Jeff Schwartz" reporting on "day four" of a standoff with nuclear-armed terrorists in Indianapolis. The city's downtown area, Schwartz reports, has been largely evacuated, and the number of terrorists and nuclear devices remains unknown.

"We have just learned ... that a federal response team has been sent in to neutralize the threat," he adds before cutting to reporter "Anne Miller."

Story continues

Miller is heard in voiceover discussing traffic conditions as a news chopper camera transmits overhead views of downtown Indianapolis.

After the explosion, the feed cuts back to Schwartz, who blames the interruption on a technical problem and cautions viewers against "over-concern." A loud boom is heard. "Oh my God," Schwartz whispers. Static.

You may also like

Ukraine's ambassador tells U.N. the 'demilitarization of Russia is well under way'

Roughly 6 in 10 Republicans, 4 in 10 Democrats say they've had COVID

Oscars co-host Amy Schumer says she's 'triggered and traumatized' by Will Smith's slap
Columbus police have arrested a West Side man on a charge of murder, accusing him of fatally shooting a much-younger man during a fight at an apartment complex.

Ronald Eugene Farrow, 47, of Ottis Court in the Wildwood Village apartments, is being held in the Franklin County jail pending his initial appearance in county Municipal Court scheduled Thursday.

Dispatch homicide map: Here's where all homicides in Columbus since 2017 have occurred

Police were called just after 10 p.m. Tuesday to the Wilson Plaza apartments complex off the 100 block of North Wilson Road on a report of a shooting.

Responding officers found a 21-year-old man with a gunshot wound. The victim was rushed by Franklin Township medics in critical condition to OhioHealth Doctors Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:52 p.m. Wednesday.

The identity of the victim was being withheld Wednesday by Columbus police homicide detectives pending notification of family.

Detectives said Farrow and the man killed were involved in a fight when Farrow pulled out a handgun and shot the younger man.

Anyone with information about this or any other homicide in the city is asked to call the Columbus police Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477).

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Homicide detectives say Ronald Farrow, 47, shot victim during fight
A Carpentersville man who skipped bail by failing to attend the second day of his bench trial has been found guilty of child sex assault charges.

Hugo Contreras, 40, of the 100 block of Mora Road, was convicted by Kane County Judge David Kliment of two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, three counts of criminal sexual assault, five counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, two counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer and one count of resisting/obstructing a peace officer.

Advertisement

All but the last charge are felonies.

Prosecutors said the counts stem from incidents that occurred between 2012 and 2018, with the two victims being under the age of 13 when the assaults began.

Advertisement

Authorities learned of the situation when the older victim told a school counselor, a Kane County States Attorneys Office news release said. When police came to Contreras house to arrest him, two officers received minor injuries when he fought with them.

Contreras was released on $25,000 bond in April 2018 and attended the first day of his trial on March 21, the release said. When he didnt appear the following day, Kliment issued a warrant for his arrest.

The victims in this case bravely faced their abuser in court and testified about the habitual abuse he perpetrated on them, Assistant States Attorney Tyler Cox said in the release. After the victims testified, the defendant made the cowardly choice of not appearing in court for the second day of the bench trial.

Anyone with information on Contreras whereabouts is asked to call 911 or the Kane County Sheriffs Office at 630-232-8400.

Contreras next scheduled court appearance is May 27. He faces up to 27 years in prison when sentenced.
President Biden speaks at Business Roundtable's CEO quarterly meeting





White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said on Tuesday that President Biden would receive a second booster if his doctor recommended it after the Food and Drug Administration authorized an additional booster for people aged 50 years and older.

"I can speak to the president who will make this decision in consultation with his doctor. Obviously if his doctor recommends that he receive a fourth booster, then he would, but he'll make that decision in consultation with his doctor," Bedingfield answered in response to whether the president and vice president would be receiving a fourth shot.

On Tuesday, the FDA said that Americans at least 50 years old could receive a fourth shot of the COVID-19 vaccine at least four months following their first booster shot.

Following the FDA's green light on the matter, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that anyone aged 50 years and older could now be able receive a second shot but stopped shy of offering a recommendation.

Biden, who is 79 years old, has received both vaccine doses and a booster shot.

The development comes as the United States's caseload has flatlined and masking requirements have been dropped in most states. Health officials are monitoring omicron subvariant BA.2, which the CDC says is the dominant strain in the United States.

The subvariant is believed to be more contagious than the original omicron variant, but it is not clear how much of an increase in COVID-19 cases BA.2 could contribute to.
Kansas Legislature

A Native American politician in Kansas is tired of her colleagues lame excuses for their lack of cultural awareness. In a truly historical moment, Rep. Ponka-We Victors earlier this month became the first Native woman to preside over the Kansas House of Representativesand now she says that she will not accept a white lawmakers apology for doing his best to ruin it.

Im tired of accepting these apologies when somebody should know how to act in the Kansas Representative House chambers, Victors said in an interview with The Daily Beast. You should know right from wrong and how to conduct yourself.

On March 23, Victors, a Democrat, made history as the first Native woman to chair the state house. However, the triumphant moment was almost immediately tainted when Rep. John Wheeler, a Republican, told her that he wanted to check to make sure she wasnt using a tomahawk in place of a gavel.

Wheeler apologized for the offensive joke after an awkward silence filled the chamber.

I am getting a point that is apparently considered offensive, Wheeler said, according to The Kansas City Star. If it is, I certainly do apologize.

However, Victors didnt consider that a real apology.

He didnt come to me personally. He justified it, made excuses for what he said, and he was trying to be funny, she told The Daily Beast. Which is like, dont use my culture as the butt of your joke.

She added: Im tired of accepting apologies. I want to start seeing some repercussions for people that talk this way.

It wasnt the first time someone had talked that way. Victors also brought Randy Wason, the Kansas education commissioner, making a derogatory remark about Natives at a conference earlier this year, joking that they were more dangerous than tornadoes.

Youve got to worry about the Indians raiding the town at any time, he said, according to The Star.

There were calls for Watson to resign, but the states board of education voted instead to suspend him for a month without pay.

Story continues

Victors said politicians try to use their age as an excuse for their demeaning and tone deaf comments.

They blame their age, they blame this, they blame that, she said. You have to be careful and mindful before you speak, and not everybodywhatever youre going to sayis not going to think its a joke or think its funny.

Victors recounted a memory she held from childhood when a white classmate called her a dirty Indian in kindergarten.

From then, its like I had to demand respect for my culture, for my name, she said. It was crazy when [Wheeler] insulted me, when he talked about my gavel being a tomahawk. It reverted me back to that first day of kindergarten. I felt the same way. I dealt with this my whole life. I had no choice but to be strong all through school, all through college, and now here at the state house.

When she first became a state representative, Victors was the only Native American lawmaker. Now, she has Rep. Christina Haswood and Rep. Stephanie Byers working with her. But despite the growing representation, Victors wants lawmakers to do better and take accountability for their ignorance.

People should know how to conduct themselves, she said, and if they dont, then dont run for office.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.
A former member of staff at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut stole more than $40m worth of computers and electronics from the university, selling the items to fund a lavish lifestyle that included luxury cars, trips, and several properties, according to prosecutors.

On Monday, Jamie Petrone, 42, from Lithia Springs, Georgia pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return, according to the US Attorneys Office for the District of Connecticut.

Petrone is accused of operating an eight-year scheme beginning in 2013, with Yale losses totalling $40,504,200.

Officials have said that she started working at the schools emergency medicine department five years previously in 2008 and that she most recently worked as the department director of finance and administration.

Petrone had the authority to make and authorize certain purchases for departmental needs as long as the purchase amount was below $10,000, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a press release.

She started ordering, either herself or through other staff, electronics worth millions using Yale Medicine funds, arranging to have the items shipped to a business in neighbouring New York state in exchange for payment. The New York business then resold the electronics, including Microsoft Surface Pro tablets and iPads.

Prosecutors said the New York business sent the cash to Maziv Entertainment LLC, where Petrone is a principal. Shes alleged to have falsely stated in internal forms and electronic communications that the hardware was meant for the medical school. She made sure each order was below $10,000 to avoid oversight, DOJ said.

The US Attorneys Office for the District of Connecticut said she used the money for real estate, expensive cars, and travel.

She was forced to give up six vehicles: two Mercedes-Benz, two Cadillac Escalades, as well as a Dodge Charger, and a Range Rover.

The US treasury lost more than $6m as she didnt pay taxes on the stolen funds, DOJ added. They said she filed inaccurate federal tax returns between 2013 and 2016, claiming that the stolen hardware was business expenses. Between 2017 and 2020, she didnt file a federal return, prosecutors added.

Story continues

The investigation began in August of last year and was spearheaded by the FBI and IRS. An affidavit in the case states that Petrone said in a voluntary statement that she estimated that about 90 per cent of her purchases of electronics were part of the fraud scheme.

After being arrested in September 2021, she was released on a bond of $1m to await sentencing.

In addition to the luxury vehicles, $560,000 has also been seized from the bank account of Maziv Entertainment LLC.

She also has agreed to liquidate three Connecticut properties that she owns or co-owns to help satisfy her restitution obligation, DOJ said on Monday. A property she owns in Georgia is also subject to seizure and liquidation.

Petrones lawyer Frank Riccio told NBC News on Wednesday that she has accepted responsibility for her actions and is remorseful.

She now looks forward towards sentencing and repairing some of the damage that has been caused, the attorney added.

The maximum sentence for wire fraud is 20 years in prison, and the longest sentence for filing a false tax return is three years. Petrone is set to be sentenced on 29 June.
MADISON HEIGHTS  At a local Republican meeting this week, former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore outlined his view of the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a long-term effort to reestablish the Soviet empire and spoke to the need for the United States to stay resolute in opposing it.

Gilmore, who spoke from his experience in serving two years as U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a war criminal and thug in his lifelong military ambition unfolding on the world stage and praised the resiliency and determination of the Ukrainians in defending their country.

OSCE, the worlds largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization, works to address areas such as arms control, human rights, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities.

In my view, this war is about Putins desire to reassemble the Russian empire, Gilmore said at the Amherst County Republican Committees meeting Monday in Madison Heights. It was the essential first step. Ukraine is the essential first step in trying to do that. That war is far from determined.

Gilmore said Eastern European leaders and their people are nervous because they have lived under the former Soviet empire and know first-hand its grim realities.

I believe that what we are at the beginning of right now is the long war, perhaps a 100-year war, Gilmore said. Its the beginning, not the end. Its the Russian authoritarians who believe that they should be assembling their empire and intimidating Europe.

If the Putin regime can get away with terrorizing and conquering Ukraine, Gilmore said it would affect the geopolitics of many European nations. Gilmore lived for a while in Vienna, Austria, after he took on the ambassador role during the presidency of Donald Trump and said he was happy to represent the U.S. in that capacity.

Gilmore said OSCE is dedicated to national security in Europe and, in his view, is more important than the United Nations in that regard. He described the United States as the big player in the room and always will be and told the Amherst crowd to not let anyone ever tell them America is not respected in Europe.

Gilmore, who was governor from 1998 to 2002, also addressed the United States response to the invasion and President Joe Bidens leadership during the crisis. Gilmore said when he was ambassador, Trump sent a delegation to renegotiate a nuclear treaty with Russia and attempts to get nuclear missiles from Russia out of Eastern Europe and criticized how Biden handled that matter, which he added Putin took notice of.

Gilmore said he voiced his opinion that Biden should not have personally met last year with Putin during a summit and build up the prestige of a thug who shouldnt be meeting with the president of the free world.

Gilmore also was critical of Bidens handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the many effects it has had.

It was noticed everywhere in the world. It was noticed particularly in Moscow, Gilmore said. Make no mistake, the president invited the invasion. He might have not have known he was doing that and did what his instincts told him to do, but what he was doing was bowing his knee to Vladimir Putin and the Russians.

He urged the Amherst crowd to not let anyone, particularly Putin, convince them Russias reason for invasion is about preserving its safety and security, which the former governor calls baloney.

Gilmore said OSCE leaders rules of the road  which include any country having a right to alliances they choose, and the respect of human rights and openness in Europe free of military aggression  have been revoked by Russias invasion.

And that is very dangerous, Gilmore said. Now its just force and power and anything goes. But the Russians decided they wanted to rebuild the Russian empire. And thats what this wars about. Thats all that this war is about.

He said the good news is the Ukrainian leadership and military have fought back valiantly and as a result of that, and the weapons and military aid the U.S. is sending, he doesnt think Putin may succeed in taking the country over.

The Americans have this bad habit of just assuming that Ukrainians are going to lose, Gilmore said. Well, Ukrainians dont think they are going to lose.

Gilmore recalled going to the American Foreign Policy Council, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., and he said, Dont we have a problem that the Russians care more about conquering Ukraine than we Americans care about protecting it? He said the response was: Thats true. But the Russians dont care more about conquering Ukraine than the Ukrainians care about protecting their own country. That is proven to be true and they are making the Russians pay a terrible price right now.

He said he believes Russia is becoming a pariah state for the atrocities and war crimes committed by its leadership in the invasion. On a fact-finding mission to Kyiv on behalf of a Washington, D.C.-based organization, Gilmore said he visited with more than a dozen Ukrainian cabinet members and their staff and he asked if they would fight if invaded by Russia.

Unanimously, they all said to me we will fight, Gilmore said. And Im a politician. I can read the room, I can see whether or not theyre putting up a posture. I knew they would fight. And they fought very, very well.

He also recalled visiting a southern city in Ukraine he said hardly exists because of the destruction.

Is American national interest necessary for a free Europe? It is, Gilmore said. If we didnt learn anything from World War II, we learned that Americans own safety is in danger if Europe is intimidated and terrorized and taken away from the Western World, not to mention the Pacific.

Gilmore took questions from the audience of more than 50 people gathered at the Madison Heights Community Center, including on the existence of biological laboratories in the Ukraine. He said he has seen no evidence while in Europe of a threat to Russia from such labs and, even if one existed, the invasion is not justified. He reiterated the point Russias true intention is taking over the country for its own interests.

Gilmore also briefly addressed threats among Iran, North Korea and Islamic terrorists, pointing out he served as governor during the Sept. 11 attacks and was in New York City the night before.

So I know about that. They can do that kind of thing but they cannot conquer the world, Gilmore said of extreme Islamic terrorists. On the other hand, authoritarians of this world can try and they are going to try.

Vance Wilkins, chair of the Amherst County Republican Committee and former Virginia Speaker of the House, praised Gilmores strong GOP principles and described him as conservative to the core. Gilmore said he thinks the United States intelligence agencies initially thought the invasion would last less than a week and with Ukrainians still fighting they hopefully will receive more significant aid in their cause.

Gilmore agrees with the stance U.S. soldiers should not be sent into the conflict and further escalate nuclear war tensions but reiterated the need to support Ukraine in other capacities and weapons being sent are helping to make a difference.

We dont know whats going to happen but Ill say this: there is potential here to fight, Gilmore said. And the goal there is to send a strong message to Russia, to China, to the Western countries, to Europe, that it isnt a done deal. This is a long, long fight and we will stand up for whats right and we will fight for our freedoms.

Putin is in violation of every rule of aggressive warfare, Gilmore said.

The Nuremberg trials that were held against the Nazis had four counts of human violations. Putin has violated all of them, he said. I hope that at some point that he can stand trial for it because at some point we have to reaffirm the rules of civilizations as we did with the Germans.

Russian leadership counted on a quick victory and setting up a puppet government in Ukraine, which now is impossible, Gilmore said.

So even if they overrun the Ukrainian army, I think they will lose in the long run, no matter what, he said.

On his long war viewpoint, Gilmore told the Amherst crowd: This will probably not be over in your lifetime, my friend.

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 number of foreign nationals in Japan has declined for the second straight year due to the coronavirus.

The Immigration Services Agency said there were about 2.76 million foreign nationals in Japan at the end of 2021, down about 126,000 from a year earlier.

By status, foreign permanent residents were the largest group at about 831,000. There were about 276,000 students and technical interns.

About 18,000 foreign nationals were ordered to leave Japan last year for staying in the country illegally and other reasons, up about 2,000 from 2020. Approximately 13,000 of them worked illegally, mainly in the agriculture and construction sectors.

Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, had 2,064 illegal foreign workers, the largest number, followed by 1,973 in Ibaraki, and 1,632 in Saitama, which are also near Tokyo.

About 4,100 foreign nationals were deported, about 1,300 fewer than the previous year as the number of international flights decreased due to the coronavirus.
Brandon Palomino-Alonso, a student at Iowa Western Community College, has been named a 2022 Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholar and will receive a $1,500 scholarship.

Palomino-Alonso of Bonita Springs, Florida is studying biological sciences at Iowa Western.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation sponsors the Coca-Cola Academic Team program by recognizing 50 Gold, 50 Silver, and 50 Bronze Scholars with nearly $200,000 in total scholarships annually. Each scholar also receives a commemorative medallion.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has a long history of providing financial assistance to outstanding students at community colleges, said Jane Hale Hopkins, president of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. We are proud to partner with Phi Theta Kappa to make it possible for more deserving students to achieve their educational goals and support tomorrows leaders of the global community.

Students are nominated for the academic team by their college administrators. Selection is based on academic achievement, leadership and engagement in college and community service.

Coca-Cola Academic Team members will be recognized in both local and statewide ceremonies and will also be recognized internationally during Phi Theta Kappas annual convention, PTK Catalyst, to be held April 7-9 in Denver.

We thank the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation for recognizing these student leaders and for investing in their futures, said Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, president and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa. Scholarships like these are integral to the success of these students in reaching their educational and career goals.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
After four days of deliberations, a Lake County jury found a Round Lake Beach man guilty of second-degree murder of a teen he shot in a confrontation over the mans stolen car.

Jurors found Lynell Glover not guilty of first-degree murder, but convicted him of second-degree murder and aggravated battery in the death of Anthony Awad, who was 17 when he died in early 2021, and the wounding of Awads twin brother.

Advertisement

Glover shot the brothers in a confrontation along Illinois Route 12 near Volo in the early morning hours of Jan. 3, 2021.

At his trial, which concluded Thursday, Glover contended that he acted in self-defense and was involved in a life-or-death struggle with the brothers.

Advertisement

Prosecutors, though, said the evidence pointed to Glover shooting the brothers as they ran away from him. Jurors spent four days sorting through the differing accounts.

We are satisfied with the verdict, States Attorney Eric Rinehart said Tuesday evening. Mr. Glover started the fight, shot the boys after the altercation and then hid the gun afterward.

The jury correctly saw that Mr. Glover was wrong to take the law into his own hands, Rinehart said.

One of the brothers stole the 2012 Camaro from the front of Glovers house on Dec. 30, 2020. Glover testified that he started the car to warm it up and briefly went inside his house before finding out his car was stolen.

Early on Jan. 3, he got a call from a friend saying he had seen the car at a gas station near the Illinois 120 and Route 12 intersection. Glover drove over and saw his car nearby with the brothers inside. He followed it about a mile, until it stalled or ran out of gas, and then confronted the brothers.

Glover testified that the brothers had pulled out the gun during the struggle, but prosecutors said it was more likely that Glover had the gun, which belonged to his wife, with him.

Police recovered the gun from a sewer at the site of the shooting.

Glover fired four times, striking Awad three times, and his brother once.

Advertisement

Glover faces up to 30 years in prison on the aggravated battery charge, which carries a heavier sentence than the 20-year maximum for second-degree murder.

Under Illinois law, a person is guilty of second-degree murder when they believe they are acting in self-defense, but that belief in unreasonable.
The Met Gala has returned to the first Monday in May after years of pandemic upheaval with a celebration of American design and a theme of gil
We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.
Weather Alert

...PATCHY DENSE FOG EXPECTED EARLY THIS MORNING... Some patchy dense fog will be possible early this morning with visibility down to one quarter to one half miles at times. The visibility cold also fluctuate rapidly over short distances. Use low beam headlines, slow down if necessary, and and allow a little extra following distance between vehicles.
The African Development Bank has pledged to provide Morocco more than $1 billion over the next two years to enable the North African country cope with drought and support climate-resilient agricultural initiatives seeking to boost farming production and ensure food security.

The announcement was made Tuesday by AfDB Vice-Pdt Beth Dunford following her working visit to the Kingdom to assess its funding needs for water, agriculture, social inclusion and human development projects.

Mrs. Beth Dunford held separate meetings with minister of equipment & water Nizar Baraka, minister of agriculture Mohammed Sadiki, and Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget Fouzi Lekjaa.

Talks between AfDB vice-President and members of Moroccan government showed convergence of views regarding water efficiency as climate change has put a great strain on water resources, affecting agricultural output and food supplies.

Mrs Beth hailed the sound and long-standing partnership existing between the Bank and Morocco. The Bank has injected more than $12 billion in 170 projects carried out over the past fifty years in Moroccan, she said.

During his meeting with Mrs Beth, Nizar Baraka called for strengthening further the Morocco-AfDB partnership to develop strategic infrastructure and speed up socioeconomic development in Morocco.

The minister of agriculture praised the excellent partnership with the Bank, which has helped Morocco to modernize its agricultural sector, while Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget commended the AfDB support of Moroccos structural reforms.
Morocco has called on businessmen of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) to set up an economic forum to enhance dialogue, contacts and joint cooperation in regional and international markets.

The call was made by Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in an address he made Tuesday in Rabat at the preparatory meeting for the 21st Ordinary Session of the CEN-SAD Executive Council.

The CEN-SAD Economic Forum will strengthen the action of the regional grouping and enable it counter tough competition, said the minister, affirming that Morocco is building African partnerships seeking the prosperity and stability of Sahel countries.

He also called for rethinking the mission of the Sahel-Saharan Bank for Investment & Trade, noting that this strategic institution must support the development of countries of the region which is failing to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the UN Agenda 2030.

Morocco will continue its commitment to work for the construction of the Sahel-Saharan space, by maintaining fraternal relations with all member countries, based on cooperation, solidarity and respect for their sovereignty and territorial integrity, underlined Mr. Bourita.

Moroccos top diplomat also called for setting up the new bodies provided for in the Revised Treaty and a coordination group of CEN-SAD countries that are members of the African Unions Peace & Security Council.

To address the security challenges facing the Sahel region, Bourita called for setting up a General Staff of Sahel-Saharan countries to fight terrorism threats and drug trafficking.

The UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), opened in Rabat in June 2021, can help CEN-SAD member countries develop their capacities, said the minister, affirming that Morocco will work in close coordination with the CEN-SAD Center for Combating Terrorism.

He reiterated Moroccos commitment to give a new impetus to the CEN-SAD and consolidate its action for peace, stability and development of the Sahel-Sahara region.

CEN-SAD Executive Secretary Brigi Rafini on his part stressed the need for the community to develop its capacity to respond to the various challenges facing it.

The CEN-SAD Community must equip itself with tools and means of intervention to meet a set of challenges, including the phenomenon of terrorism, he said.

The executive secretariat, convinced of the need to put itself in a position to contribute to meeting the challenges of the moment, has adopted a five-year action plan, he added.

This multi-sectoral Action Plan, which was designed in compliance with the instructions of the Extraordinary Summit of April 2019, is an instrument and a guide for the regenerative action of our community, he continued. To enable the community to take a good share in financing its own activities, Rafini noted that CEN-SAD is backed by a program budget whose ambition is to reaffirm its commitment to be more present alongside the populations of our space.

He expressed his hope that this session would complete the process of reforming CEN-SAD so that it no longer raises questions or concerns about its future. Rafini called for the mobilization of associations of youths and women to engage in systemic actions to restore and maintain peace.
The latest political developments in Libya were reviewed at a meeting Tuesday in Rabat between Moroccan and Libyan Foreign Ministers Nasser Bourita and Najla El Mangouch.

The talks, held on the sidelines of the 21st ordinary session of the Executive Council of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD), also discussed bilateral relations.

The support of the Kingdom of Morocco to the democratic and peaceful transition in Libya was reaffirmed on this occasion, said El Mangouch in a statement to the press after the talks.

Regarding the elections in Libya, she stressed that the process related to these deadlines is underway while the UN support mission in Libya is deploying efforts to establish a constitutional basis as a starting point for the polls.

Highlighting the importance of the Skhirat Agreement in this process, El Mangouch noted that the elections are scheduled before the end of this year and that all parties are working together to organize transparent polls.
You are here: China

Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong has called for efforts to investigate the cause of the China Eastern Airlines plane crash in a scientific manner and properly advance the settlement of the aftermath.

Wang made the remarks when guiding emergency response work from March 26 to 29 in the city of Wuzhou, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Wang asked related departments to make further efforts and enhance coordination as the follow-up tasks remain arduous.

He urged comprehensive safety overhaul in the civil aviation sector and other key industries to resolutely prevent various accidents.

The China Eastern Airlines aircraft, flight MU5735, crashed into a mountainous area in Tengxian County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on March 21.
Moroccos tourism authority, ONMT, has signed a deal with Israeli private carrier Israir to promote the kingdom destination as both countries boost ties.

ONMT in a statement issued on Tuesday indicated the deal, signed by ONMT Director Adel El Fakir, and owner of Israeli airline Rami Levi, will enable Israir to operate two weekly flights from its hub Tel Aviv Ben Gourion to Marrakech Menara, Le360.ma reports.

The deal will enable both new partners to deploy a multimedia device on several Israeli channels in order to communicate on the Morocco destination, its accessibility and its diversified offer for the various segments: family or religious tourism, leisure tourism, business travel, and MICE (Meetings, incentive, conferences, events), according to the statement.

The Israir Group is one of the most important tourism players in Israel. Through this partnership, we will quickly attract a significant flow of customers from this strategic market and we are also laying the foundation for sustainable growth for years to come, El Fakir noted.

The signing took place on the sidelines of the International Mediterranean Tourism Market (IMTM) held in Tel Aviv March 29-30.

The agreement came amid the ONMTs efforts to help establish air traffic between the two countries which restored ties in 2020.

Moroccan authorities are eyeing to attract 200,000 tourists from Israel, among whom a strong community of Moroccan origin.

Morocco, UAE, Bahrain and Sudan established ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords, brokered by the United States.
The Biden administration has voiced concern over Tunisias democratic trajectory and stressed the importance of an inclusive political and economic reform process that gives civil society a strong voice.

In a press release issued by the U.S. State Department following the visit Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Human Rights Uzra Zeya paid to Tunisia on March 23-27, Washington called for strengthening democracy in Tunisia and implementing an inclusive political and economic reform process, in coordination with political parties, unions, and civil society.

During her visit, Under Secretary Zeya met with senior government officials, including Prime Minister Najla Bouden, Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi, and Minister of Interior Taoufik Charfeddine. She also met with representatives of Tunisias civil society, including human rights defenders, anti-corruption activists and journalists.

The Under Secretary called for the respect of human rights, including freedom of expression and association for all Tunisians, as stipulated in the Constitution and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

She also underscored that an independent judiciary is key to a strong and healthy democracy, and urged the government to cease trying civilians in military courts and prosecution of individuals for peaceful freedom of expression.

The Under Secretary visited Tunisias Independent High Authority for Elections, where she stressed U.S. commitment to free and fair elections and support for this key democratic institution to fulfill its constitutionally mandated role to run the upcoming referendum and parliamentary elections.

In an Op-Ed published lately by the U.S. online newspaper THE HILL, Gordon Gray, a professor of practice at Penn States School of International Affairs, said the U.S. can no longer ignore the Tunisian peoples fight for democracy.

Washington should stand for the rule of law in Tunisia and act. Tunisians deserve no less, stressed Mr. Gordon, who is also a nonresident fellow at the Center for American Progress and at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University.

He was a career Foreign Service officer who served as U.S. ambassador to Tunisia at the start of the Arab Spring and as deputy assistant secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs.

He made the comment after President Kais Saied issued a decree replacing the Supreme Judicial Council and giving him the authority to fire judges. Saied assumed all legislative powers in his decree, which gave an official veneer to a July power grab in which he suspended parliament and fired the prime minister.
Moroccos autonomy proposal is gaining traction as more global players voice support for it as the ultimate political solution of an artificial dispute and a relic of colonialism that has long lasted.

Israel was the latest country to join the list of global players who openly back Moroccos sovereignty and territorial integrity and support the autonomy proposal as the only basis for a political solution to the territory. This came during talks in Israel between Israeli foreign minister and his Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita.

Spains recent backing of Moroccos territorial integrity and its description of the autonomy initiative as the most serious, credible and realistic basis for finding a political solution to the Sahara dispute adds to similar positions by the US, Germany and France.

African and Arab friends of Morocco have already taken concrete steps and expressed tangible support for Moroccos sovereignty over the Sahara territory by opening consulates in Dakhla and Laayoune.

For Morocco, such a momentum in favor of its autonomy plan shows support for an outcome and breaks away with the support for the process per se which has perpetuated the status quo, Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said.

He urged other European states to follow suit and leave the comfort of backing a peace process in favor of backing the autonomy direction, which was on multiple occasions described by Morocco as the ultimate concession.

Backing the autonomy plan is a de facto recognition of Moroccos sovereignty over the territory that was amputated from the Kingdom by Spanish colonialism.

Algeria in the middle of this wave of support for Moroccos territorial integrity has shown its real face as the genuine party to this conflict, wherein it arms and sponsors the Polisario separatists and blocks any progress towards a mutually acceptable solution based on compromise.
The North Platte High School agriculture program has continued to grow since its 2018 inception.

Teacher Kathleen Craig was hired to initiate the ag curriculum, and as participation grew, Collin Swedberg was added as an instructor in the program.

Future Farmers of America is an integral part of the three-circle model of ag education. The three sections include what is taught in the classroom, FFA and Supervised Agricultural Experience. The group is preparing to head to the state competition April 6-8 in Lincoln.

Our (FFA) group is the largest membership that weve had since starting in 2018, Craig said. We have 51 members this year and 22 of those were taking to the state convention in April.

The four members of the welding team qualified for their second consecutive year for state, and the welding program overall has qualified each of the four years of their existence.

Sophomore Jake Henry is looking forward to the experience.

We have a four-man team, Henry said. We have one person for every type of welding, stick welding, MIG (gas metal arc) welding, TIG (gas tungsten arc) welding and oxygen acetylene welding.

Henrys section was in oxygen acetylene welding. He said welding in general is a much needed skill at his familys farm.

At least once a week I use welding, Henry said. When something breaks down, we weld it. We have a welding trailer that we bring around if something on the place needs fixed up, like a gate.

Recently, Henry said, he built a 38-foot-wide harrow to replace an old one that had broken down.

We had to make modifications for a new type of harrow system, Henry said. We had welded new implements on it so they could use the new type of harrow.

A harrow is used to pulverize soil, break up crop residues, uproot weeds and cover seed.

Henry said he has learned a lot from Craigs teaching, and he shared a lighthearted thought on Swedbergs teaching skills.

From what I hear, hes a pretty good teacher, Henry said with a wry smile. Hes really worked with the freshman kids a lot and has gotten them involved.

Swedberg is in his second year of teaching and first at North Platte High School. He grew up on a farm and graduated from Wallace High School, where his mom, LaDonna, was a teacher for many years.

Both parents had an influence on his choice of profession.

I like to describe it as my dads a farmer and my moms a teacher, and I put the two together and I just teach about agriculture, Swedberg said.

Swedberg said whether or not a student is going to go into agriculture as a vocation, they need to learn about where our food comes from.

At state, team members will attend several workshops as well as participate in various competitions.

Team members are:

 Welding: Ashton Schiel, Jordan Buoy, Corey Miller, Jake Henry

 Nursery and landscape: Brooklyn Stoll, Hannah Jensen, Jada Hothan, Ashlee Erickson

 Farm and ranch management: Jada Mae Wheeler, Maddie Johnson, Carli Bales, Emily Hansen

 Agronomy: Elleigh Fisher, Jada Mae Wheeler, Carli Bales, Brooklyn Stoll

 Agriscience: Hannah Jensen, Brooklynn Brown, Ashlee Erickson, Jada Hothan

 Meats evaluation and technology: Tanner Schmid-Sutton, Lane Heil, Wyatt Thompson, Kaden Miller

 Environmental and natural resources: Zara Prieto, Justis Brown, Olivia Prieto, Abbi Zeller

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.
A busy day Tuesday for legislative bills affecting western Nebraska featured final approval of an extra $50 million in state matching funds for industrial rail parks.

Passage of the Unicamerals three regular 2022 budget bills raised prospects for a combined $30 million in state help to build Lincoln Countys proposed rail park outside Hershey.

Lawmakers approved or advanced six bills in all Tuesday with implications for western Nebraskas economic future:

 Besides the rail-park funds, Legislative Bills 1011, 1012 and 1013 included $200 million for statewide water projects  including a 100-slip marina at Lake McConaughy near Ogallala  and $53.5 million to prepare to revive the 1894 Perkins County Canal from Colorado.

That trio of bills now goes to Gov. Pete Ricketts for his signature.

 Senators also gave second-round approval to bills enabling the Perkins canal (LB 1015) and the special STAR WARS committees water projects (LB 1023).

Both advanced despite criticism from some Omaha-area lawmakers, who questioned the need for the canal and LB 1023s call to study building a 3,600-acre lake between Omaha and Lincoln.

 Finally, senators favored requiring market and socioeconomic studies before adding horse-racing tracks  and casinos expected to accompany them  by giving 34-0 initial approval to LB 876.

Its final passage and Ricketts signature would at least delay horse tracks and racinos proposed last year for North Platte, Ogallala, Gering and Kimball.

Still awaiting final approval is LB 1014, the special budget bill allocating $1.04 billion in federal American Relief Plan Act aid tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It includes $20 million to help build North Plattes Sustainable Beef LLC plant and $23.5 million for permanent Gering-Fort Laramie Canal tunnel repairs.

Tuesdays passage of the budget bills including the rail-park funds won applause from Gary Person, president and CEO of the North Platte Area Chamber & Development Corp.

This was monumental in our quest to expand Lincoln Countys economy and blue-collar manufacturing base, Person said.

Everyone has collaborated with us, with a team first attitude exerting a lot of patience and perseverance along the way.

Person said Tuesday marked 1,059 days since he and other North Platte-area business leaders first conversation with top Union Pacific Railroad leaders to get their blessing for a rail park.

U.P. leaders had been reluctant since laying Bailey Yards foundations in 1948 to risk complications in operating what became the worlds largest rail yard. That opposition dissipated in recent years.

To finally cross this hurdle after 75 years of rail access restriction in Lincoln County is truly remarkable, said Person, who thanked railroad, local, regional and state leaders for their help.

Ricketts signatures on the budget bills will clear the way for securing state matching funds from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, he said.

The chambers application for the Hershey-area project was first to arrive at DED Jan. 3. Enabling action by Hershey, North Platte and Lincoln County will follow as recruitment of rail-park tenants continues, Person said.

Each of the three budget measures passed Tuesday contained parts of this years North Platte-led effort to add $50 million to the original $10 million for the rail-park program established by last years LB 40.

The budget bills turn LB 40s original $50 million ceiling on statewide rail-park matching funds into a floor. Approved projects could gain up to 60% of any state funds appropriated beyond that.

LB 40 matches the first $2.5 million of locally secured funds at $2 for every local dollar. Additional locally secured funds are matched at $5 for every local dollar.

Former Sen. Mike Groene, who sponsored the original bill, introduced this years follow-up bill (LB 788) before his Feb. 21 resignation.

Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon took over as LB 788s chief sponsor before it was rolled into the Appropriations Committees budget bills. Groenes successor, North Platte Sen. Mike Jacobson, joined Brewer in sponsoring LB 788.

Jacobson said Tuesday he had to head off efforts by Grand Island and Fremont to change LB 40s first-come, first-served terms on rail-park aid. No amendment to that effect reached the floor.

Gary Person deserves all the credit for pulling this (project) together to begin with, he said. Im glad to help it to the finish line.

Brewer backed final approval of two of Tuesdays budget bills  LBs 1011 and 1012  but voted against LB 1013, which authorized transfers from cash reserves including the $50 million for rail parks.

He said later his no vote on that bill was connected to conservative senators unhappiness that a major tax-cut proposal fell short of advancement Friday.

We knew they had the votes (for LB 1013) and needed to send a message to those who stopped tax relief that the ARPA bill will die if we dont get tax relief, Brewer told The Telegraph.

Tax-cut proponents joined lawmakers wanting prison sentencing reform rather than a new state prison in extending Tuesdays budget debates to the two-hour final-round limit on all three bills.

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.
Disputes over tax cuts and criminal justice reform simmered in the background Monday as lawmakers gave second-round approval to a plan for using the state's $1.04 billion of federal pandemic recovery funds.

LB1014 advanced on a 33-7 vote, after senators approved a filibuster-ending cloture motion on a 34-4 vote. The measure allocates money coming to the state through the American Rescue Plan Act.

Earlier Monday, the bill's fate appeared unclear as frustrated backers of a tax cut package sought to tie the measures together.

Sen. Tom Briese of Albion vowed not to support the pandemic funding bill or to pass the budget bills until he could be assured of enough votes to pass the tax cut proposal. He said there were enough senators willing to "torch" the pandemic funding bill as debate began Monday.

But others, including Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers of Lincoln, urged those senators to hold their fire. Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk called for colleagues to allow the pandemic funding bill to advance, while waiting to see what comes of talks among various parties.

The package of income tax cuts and property tax relief hit an unexpected roadblock Friday, when backers fell two votes short of ending a filibuster against the measure. Based on legislative practice, the bill will not return this year. Earlier in the week, opponents had blocked an attempt to attach the package to a different bill.

Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, the Revenue Committee chairwoman, warned Friday 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.

On Monday, Sen. John Stinner of Gering, the Appropriations Committee chairman, said he doesn't believe the budget bills are in jeopardy. He said lawmakers have a chance to leave Nebraska "a much better place" by passing four critical pieces of legislation.

"We have four major things to do," he said. "Let's get with it."

One is the state budget, which boosts support for state employees in critical areas and to providers caring for the state's most vulnerable residents, along with undertaking nearly $500 million worth of building and infrastructure projects.

Another is the ARPA funding bill, which allocates money to some 40 projects and initiatives. Among them: replacing aging rural ambulances, boosting health and human services provider payment rates, repairing wastewater systems in state parks, and funding nonprofit construction projects that were interrupted by the pandemic.

Others include: developing rural and urban low-income housing, updating a climate change study, building a rural health complex at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and repairing an irrigation canal that runs from Fort Laramie, Wyoming, to Gering.

Amendments adopted Monday squeezed in funding for grants to start or expand child care centers and for a program providing education and preventative medication to people at high risk of getting HIV.

Stinner cited the tax package as the third major piece of legislation. The package would ratchet down the states top corporate and individual income tax rates and expand income tax credits offered to property taxpayers. It also would phase out income taxes on Social Security benefits.

He said the fourth key proposal is LB920, which would make changes in sentencing and parole to bring down the states prison population. Stinner said the bill would make Nebraska safer while helping control state spending on corrections.

The bill has yet to be debated by the full Legislature. However, Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha, who introduced the bill, spent several hours of budget debate talking about the issues involved. He spent much of the day Monday negotiating with Sen. Suzanne Geist of Lincoln and others who oppose measures that could lead to inmates getting out of prison earlier.
Donald Trump asked Vladimir Putin to bail him out once again. In a new interview with right-wing pseudo-journalist John Solomon, Trump claimed President Biden received millions of dollars from a Russian, and that his friend Vlad would get to the bottom of it.

This is not exactly a paradigm-shattering event in terms of understanding Donald Trump, but it does draw out a few important points about the former president and his current role in the political ecosystem.

The allegations are wild

Trump is claiming that the wife of a former Moscow mayor gave the Bidens $3.5 million. The source of this allegation is a report from his ally, Ron Johnson, a right-wing conspiracy buff who holds a seat in the U.S. Senate. Johnson released a report in 2020 alleging that Elena Baturina, the former mayors wife, hired a firm called Rosemont Seneca Thornton, linking that to Hunter Biden, who founded a firm with a similar name, Rosemont Seneca.

Hunter Biden is definitely a major sleazeball, and its possible his efforts to cash in on his family name included this deal. However, Hunter Bidens lawyer has denied both that he received the money and even that he is linked to Rosemont Seneca Thornton, so the allegation about the presidents son is at best completely unsubstantiated.

Trump is going farther, alleging not only that Hunter Biden did get this money, but that his father did, too. Why did the mayor of Moscows wife give the Bidens, both of them [italics added], three and a half million dollars?, he asked Solomon.

The allegation that Joe Biden somehow got paid off is not even made by Johnsons wild report, and Trump simply threw it in there. Because Trump broke precedent by refusing to release his tax returns, we have grown accustomed to speculating about the sources of politicians income. But Joe Biden has released his tax returns, so we know the sources of his income. Now, it is theoretically possible he is taking payments under the table and not reporting them on his tax returns, but this would require him to have engaged in truly serious financial crimes for which there is not a shred of evidence.

But Trump is ironically able to float such possibilities about his rivals because he personally normalized the idea that a president might be taking secret bribes the public doesnt know about.

The smear could work anyway

One lesson Trump drew from his two campaigns is that allegations dont have to be substantiated in order to be effective. The media will generally amplify charges that are unproven or even disproven: Trump spent 2016 floating all sorts of wild claims about Hillary Clinton, many centering on the idea that her State Department emails contained horrible revelations. The mainstream medias coverage of those allegations helped spread the idea that her emails represented a major scandal.

To the extent the media decides not to cooperate with this effort, it can also help Trump. In 2020, reporters and social media went out of their way to avoid amplifying Trumps attempt to spring another October surprise by alleging that Hunter Bidens stolen laptop contained evidence of wrongdoing by his father. Trump supporters used the cautious behavior by traditional and social media to depict the Establishment as a censorious danger.

Trump is unpatriotic

The most telling line in Trumps interview was the reason he gave for why Putin might release this allegation: As long as Putin is not exactly a fan of our country 

This is an extraordinary construction. Trump is not merely saying Putin is not a fan of President Biden, he is saying he is not a fan of the United States (no doubt because it is arming and training the country Putin is invading). And Trump just casually presents this as a reason Putin would want to help him. Even for Trump, it is shocking to see the casual assumption, If you hate America, youre my friend.

Yes, collusion

One irony of his request is that Trump is claiming Putin has secret info that would reveal a sweetheart deal for an American politician, which is exactly the position Trump was in. During his first campaign for president, Trump was secretly negotiating a deal to build towers in Moscow. Robert Mueller concluded that this sweetheart deal offered to hand Trump hundreds of millions of dollars at no risk. He also testified that, because he was lying about his lack of contacts with Russia, Trump was subject to blackmail by Putin, had Putin any reason to break with Trump.

Trump is probably thinking about Biden being in the situation of Putin having compromising information about bribes he took, because he absolutely has been in this position himself.

Trump has learned a lesson

After every Senate Republican except Mitt Romney voted to acquit Trump in his first impeachment, Susan Collins said he had learned a pretty big lesson and would be much more cautious in the future.

That scandal was not exactly the same thing  Trump was abusing his power as president to smear a rival. But the general category of amplifying Russian propaganda and enlisting foreign countries as his domestic allies is one he has no cause to regret. The lesson Republicans have taught Trump over and over is that nothing he does can be so immoral as to make them endure the political pain of breaking with him and his supporters. They may scold him once, but will ultimately lose interest, and will eventually turn their energies against whoever is trying to hold him accountable. Trump feels perfectly safe in enlisting Putin as an ally again on the grounds that Putins hatred for America makes him a natural ally. Conservative media wont cover it, the Republican base wont care, and if Trump wins the nomination again, the party will support him.
A car drives past the Gazprom Nefts oil refinery in Omsk, Russia, on February 10, 2020. Photo: Alexey Malgavko/REUTERS

One of the most important second-order effects of the war in Ukraine is a reevaluation of Western countries reliance on Russian oil and gas. I spoke with New York editor-at-large David Wallace-Wells about what this means for the worlds efforts to fight climate change.

Ben: Russias brutal invasion of Ukraine is a humanitarian catastrophe, but it has also scrambled the energy landscape. One consequence: an unfortunate new lease on life for coal in places that were aggressively phasing it out, most notably Europe. Though Russia is still supplying oil and gas to countries highly dependent on it  most notably Germany  the war has also prompted such countries to rethink that dependency, and come up with ways to produce cheap energy quickly, meaning with coal. And though the U.S. is much less reliant on Russia, plenty of powerful people here are using the war to make the argument that a too-sudden pivot from fossil fuels is a bad idea. Suddenly, the transition to clean energy, even in places that took it very seriously (so, not America) has taken a back seat. How major a setback do you think this is?

David: In the long run, I think its likelier to be helpful, in the sense that it has illustrated very clearly some of the non-climate costs of fossil fuels, and made a lot of people a lot warier of dependency not just on Russia particularly but other politically problematic petrostates as well. The status quo ante is not, broadly speaking, acceptable any more, and when you really ask the question what should we build next with any honesty and without any attachment to the old order, the answer is very obvious: a green future.

The problem comes in the short and medium term, and it is a serious one: The timeline we have that might allow us even a 50/50 chance of keeping temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius  the stated goal of the Paris accords and the global community of nations  is insanely short. Any delay basically puts it out of reach. And this will be a delay.

Ben: So you think the primary lesson countries will take from this is Build greener stuff faster rather than, Yes, building greener stuff faster would be nice, but in the meantime we need a more comprehensive dirty-energy infrastructure?

David: I think itll be a lot harder for anyone to be aggressively retiring dirty sources right now, which is ultimately what is necessary. But I think the logic of large-scale investments for the long term is going to be a lot clearer and stronger.

Put another way, nobody is going to be building a gas pipeline to Russia again. Theyll look to fulfill those needs with other energy sources. But in the short term they may well be turning to even dirtier sources to bridge the gap.

Another worrisome feature is how hard its been to swallow rising prices. For a long time, economists pointed to a carbon tax as the smoothest path to decarbonizing everything. That thinking has been revised or cast aside in the last few years. But seeing the governor of California pushing billions in gas-price relief does make it a little harder to imagine a politically workable path to decarbonization that takes us through a higher cost of fossil fuels.

Ben: Right, the notion that gas should be cheap is a core American idea. Which is not to minimize the struggle people have with rising prices everywhere  just to say that this is sort of a microcosm of climate change as a problem. When the choice is between near-term convenience and long-term stability, the first one usually wins.

David: Its a bit hard to disentangle those cultural threads: Are Americans more sensitive to expensive gas because we think cheap gas is one of our inalienable rights, or because we drive a lot more and burn many more gallons than people in Europe? But at the very least it seems obvious that our politicians are terrified of backlash from price spikes, and willing to do a whole lot to ease the burden. To some degree, of course, thats admirable, since its the worst-off Americans wholl be hit hardest by these price increases, and the more enduring responses we could engineer  like expanded mass transit  wont help over the next six months. But those who had hoped that higher oil prices might be good for climate change are probably, at the very least, ambivalent about the worlds response, which has been much more to focus on short-term needs than longer-term solutions.

Ben: Is it possible to focus on both? Or is that too much to ask?

David: Well, not just possible, but probably necessary  its what the historical moment demands. You dont want people going without heat in northern Europe at the end of winter, and you dont want working-class Americans unable to afford the drive to work. But while its been a common critique of the Biden administration from climate advocates that the president often talks out of both sides of his mouth on these issues  invoking global warming as an existential threat and endorsing ambitious net-zero goals, than urging OPEC to expand production, for instance  with the climate provisions of Build Back Better still stalled on Joe Manchins desk, its more like the administration is, for now, speaking out of just one side of its mouth, letting its once-ambitious climate agenda shrink and shrivel and retreat and dealing just with our enormous fossil-fuel demands.

As I said earlier, a lot of this is understandable, and maybe even, in a vacuum, defensible. The problem is just that there is no time left in any of our models for delay. In 2018, the U.N. declared that to keep 1.5 degrees alive as a target required a 45 percent reduction of emissions by 2030. Every year since has had higher emissions than all the years that have ever come before in all of human history. The IEA and most other watchdogs expect emissions to continue to grow for at least another few years from here. At that point, were out of time.

Ben: You sounded a lot more optimistic at the beginning of this conversation!

David: Im both! Im very optimistic that the long-term emissions trajectory points in the right direction, which it never has before. But just pointing it in the right direction isnt enough, at this point; weve wasted way too much time. It has to go sharply down, and immediately, and theres no indication were anywhere near that. Even the trajectory to 2C is starting to look somewhat treacherously steep:

When the Paris Agreement was born (COP21), we had 30 years to bring CO emissions down to 0 in order to hold glob. warm. at 1.5C.

Even if all stated climate/energy policies were implemented, we would have about no time left for the same task in 2030:#COP26Glasgow #COP26 pic.twitter.com/2RxeLknNyi  Lasse Kummer (@LasseClimate) October 31, 2021

Ben: Got it. On that note, Im going to go back to thinking about the Will SmithChris Rock thing, which unlike climate change is actually the most important issue of our time.
Photo: Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

On Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration authorized second COVID vaccine booster shots for any adults 50 and older who want to get one  though the agency is not officially recommending the extra booster, just making it available as an option. The move comes amid concern from some COVID experts about waning immunity among certain people who were boosted more than four months ago, as well as the possibility of a new wave of cases due to the BA.2 Omicron subvariant, which is more transmissible than its predecessor, BA.1, and has now become the dominant strain in the U.S. However, experts remain divided on the necessity of an extra booster at this time, based on the still-limited data about its benefits. Below is an overview of what we know thus far.

Who can get a second booster shot?

Anyone who is 50 or older is now eligible for a second booster shot, if they want one, and if it has been four months since they received their first booster shot. In addition, anyone with a weakened immune system is eligible for a second booster.

Who should get a second booster shot?

There is little consensus from the medical community on this question, mainly because there is pretty limited data regarding the benefit of the additional booster shot at this point. But those who do recommend getting the extra dose agree that it would be most useful for people who are at higher risk for severe disease from COVID-19.

Both the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said an additional booster should be made available to people who are immunocompromised, or 50 and older, if theyre four months past their last booster. This includes people in these groups who have received either three doses of some combination of the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines, or anyone who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as their initial dose and one dose of an mRNA vaccine as their booster. For immunocompromised people, who have already twice been offered a booster, this latest one may actually be their fifth shot.

Dr. Peter Marks, the director of the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement that current evidence suggests some waning of protection over time against serious outcomes from Covid-19 in older and immunocompromised individuals, and that based on emerging data, an extra booster could help increase protection levels for these higher-risk individuals. He also told reporters on March 29 that the FDAs focus on people 50 and older was because one in three people between the ages of 50 and 65 has a health condition that puts them at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

The bottom line? If youre not sure, talk to your doctor about whether or not an extra booster shot would benefit you at this time.

What are other experts (and the data) saying?

As STAT News notes, the available research on second boosters is limited:

Health officials cited data from Israel showing that second boosters increased antibody levels, while other studies from Israel have shown that the shots increased protection against death during the countrys Omicron wave. Much of that data is considered preliminary, and its only been a few months since those doses started going into arms. Pfizer and BioNTech also said they submitted data to the FDA showing some waning of effectiveness three to six months out from the first booster shots.

It also remains unclear how long any extra benefit from the extra booster will last, including how long it will protect against infection.

The New York Times points out that for seniors, timing the extra shot well could be advantageous:

If another surge is just around the corner, for instance, seniors may benefit from getting an extra shot as soon as its authorized. But if the next wave doesnt occur until the summer or even the fall, getting a booster now could backfire because the recipients immunity might start to wane by the time they need protection the most. Current vaccines are based on the original strain of the coronavirus, so getting a booster now may also do little to protect against future variants.

It would be great if we knew exactly when the next wave was going to be so we could vaccinate people beforehand, said Dr. Amy Sherman, an infectious disease physician at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston. But I think were not quite at the point where we know a clear seasonality, and we know the exact tempo and dynamics of Covid and newer variants.

Scripps Dr. Eric Topol recommends a second booster shot if you are more than 46 months from your third shot, you are age 50-plus, you tolerated the previous shots well, and you are concerned about the BA.2 wave where you live, or that its getting legs as you are trying to decide. Or if you are traveling or have plans that would put you at increased risk.

Topol concurs that the question is when is the right time, and whether an Omicron-specific vaccine will have any advantage over a second booster directed at the original strain, though he notes that vaccines that have been updated to specifically target Omicron may not be available until May or June at the earliest.

Did the FDA or CDC consult their advisory panels of outside experts before ruling on extra boosters?

No.

Do people who have already had a booster and had Omicron need another shot?

Its probably less pressing for that group, according to Dr. Topol, who recently noted that youve got some hybrid immunity and you can save an extra shot, if or when theres ultimately supportive evidence for a later time. Dr. Bob Wachter, who chairs the University of California San Franciscos department of medicine, likewise told STAT News that boosted people who caught an Omicron breakthrough infection could probably afford to wait a few months before getting another shot.

Will the U.S. government have enough funds or supply to get Americans a second booster?

The Biden administration has said it already has enough doses on hand to give second boosters to American seniors this spring. Beyond that, its not clear. The administration has repeatedly warned in recent weeks that Congress will need to approve more pandemic funding in order to make sure that every American can receive an extra dose for free.

Which vaccine boosters have been authorized?

The FDA authorized the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA COVID vaccines for use as second booster shots. Pfizer had requested authorization for second boosters for people 65 and older. Moderna had requested authorization for all adults.

Have the vaccines been updated or reformulated?

No, the additional booster shots will be the same formulations of the mRNA vaccines (designed to counter the original COVID strain) administered in previous rounds of vaccination.
Auburns art study group, formed by Mayor Ron Anders, continues to work on laying the foundation for incorporating public art in the city.

At the last meeting, Ashley Ledbetter, executive director of the Montgomery Area Business Committee for the Arts, spoke about the creation of Montgomerys art commission, its process and the obstacles it faced.

The Auburn study group met for the second time on Monday after researching public art committees and policies in seven other cities in Alabama.

Of those cities, several have regulations for murals that are considered a sign or used for advertisement as well as restrictions on which zoning districts murals are allowed in.

Beth Witten, Auburn Ward 3 city councilmember and mayor pro tem, said the groups job is to come up with recommendations to give to the planning commission and the city council.

Some issues that the group plans to address in the recommendation include specific language about what is and isnt allowed, where to allow public art and differences between advertisement and art.

Auburn Planning Director Steve Foote told the group that he strongly recommends defining regulations before asking to remove the ordinance that prohibits murals.

Auburn created an ordinance in 2010 that prohibited murals in the city after one was painted downtown that people didnt like, according to Witten.

We want to put together some safeguards, if we can, that regulate whatever we think might be important, and through legal counsel make sure that theyre OK with it, Foote said. Then modify everything at one time to adopt those regulations and take the prohibition out.

The group plans to prepare for possible copyright issues and First Amendment rights issues when it comes to what images and words the artist may want to put in the artwork.

My personal recommendation is not regulating too strictly on private property, said Planning Commissioner Marcus Marshall, to the agreement of several other memebrs.

With a deadline of May 1, Witten doesnt believe the group could follow in the footsteps of the Montgomery Area Business Committee for the Arts, which she said took a much longer process to establish.

She suggested that the group continue to move forward with the immediate recommendations on murals and ask to continue to evolve the public arts conversation.

Witten also suggested that the group could recommend that the public art commission be its own branch or subcommittee of Auburns 2040 plan.

The group agreed to recommend allowing murals in the city and plans to look at the potential language for the recommendation and to ask the staff to look at text amendments and zoning restrictions.

Lets define what people can and cant do so that we have a reasonable expectation on what were going to get out of this, no surprises, Foote said.

The study group will meet again at 4:30 on April 11 to continue tweaking the recommendations. Then the group will request a joint meeting with the planning commission and the city council at 4:30 on April 25.

In addition to Witten, Foote and Marshall, members of the art study group include Bob Parsons, another member of council; Jana Rawls Jager, another planning commissioner; Scott Cummings, development services executive director; Becky Richardson, Auburn Parks and Recreation; Katie Robinson from the planning department; Robyn Bridges, vice president of Auburn-Opelika Tourism and a planning commission member; Stephanie Canady, a GIS analyst; and Chris Molinski, director for Auburn Universitys Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts.
The author of the now celebrated Ukrainian battle cry Russian warship, go f yourself serviceman Roman Gribov, is awarded a medal for displaying the strength of Ukrainian, Kozak spirit. He was captured and then exchanged by the Russian invaders in a prisoner swap pic.twitter.com/92H4T0Ra2S  Bojan Pancevski (@bopanc) March 29, 2022

Reply

Thread

Link

FUCK YEAH!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I don't understand Ukrainian but I listened to the whole clip and when that piano started up I got choked up.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

And I hope his crewmates are ok - I know the numbers of people and what happened has been a bit murky.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

He helped set such a strong and loud tone against the invasion- such courage in the face of chaos.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Funny video or Im not going to tell you. Why would I tell you, you gotta be silly.



op i genuinely thought you were telling us we need to be silly haha. i was like well okay!! (but then i watched the vid!)

Reply

Thread

Link

That is one of the funniest things Ive seen 

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

During the meetings, Russia bombed a government building after people had started work, killing 12 and injuring an as yet unknown number.



THEY ARE KILLING INNOCENTS WHILE ALSO IN PEACE TALKS. THIS IS INSANITY.

Reply

Thread

Link

I'm (very)cautiously optimistic about the war coming to an end. Not that there won't continue to be skirmishes for a while, especially in "disputed" areas. That's how they all seem to go in the post-WW2 era. Blinken doesn't seem to share my optimism.

Reply

Thread

Link

From everyones lips to Gods ears 

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I would like it if you're right, but I feel like this is just like Russia saying their troops were leaving Belarus after their exercises were over in February. And they didn't. Russia is just stretched too thin and wants time to regroup while everyone gets complacent.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Definitely. It's so awful that they're so willing to prey on hope like that. It makes you feel so foolish.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I'm more with Blinken on this one tbh. I want to be optimistic and Russia's stated aims/rhetoric HAS changed (which is good)... but until their actions change, it just rings hollow.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

TY so much for putting this post together!



And I am... not optimistic about peace talks because I do not trust Russia as far as I can throw them. How is Ukraine supposed to trust them to stick to any agreements that might be made??

Reply

Thread

Link

As always, thanks for these round ups OP. They really have helped me, especially when so much news was coming out and it was all really overwhelming.

Reply

Thread

Link

Ha ha you know Im only playing. A little levity in these dark times goes a long way! 

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

it was good to rest for a day or so! now i am back to being pumped to talk about all this and root in my heart for ukraine

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Every day Republicans find new ways to make it as hard as possible for the United States to help Ukraine.



Senate Republicans just blocked the confirmation of Bidens nominee to oversee DoD logistics - in other words, the transfer of weapons to Ukraine.  Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) March 29, 2022



Reply

Thread

Link

can't be nothing but the opposition party

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I need a middle finger reaction like yesterday.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

"No for the sake of saying no!"



Scums of this Earth.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

The RUpublican Party Comrades strike again. These bastards.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

LMAO @ Doocy(Fox News) vs Biden



Omg, what an embarrassment. Fox News correspondents are on another level when it comes to shamelessness and having thick skin. Biden outright laughing at him in befuddlement is *chef's kiss*

Reply

Thread

Link

Thank you for the Doocy clip, needed a laugh today 

Reply

Thread

Link

the "i'm not gonna tell you, why would i tell you", with a "you moron" heavily implied, is sending me lol

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

That peace deal makes sense. When this war ends, the aftermath is gonna be tough too. Going back to places destroyed, loved ones lost. People shouldn't have to live scared of it happening again.

Reply

Thread

Link

The Hunter Biden irrelevant shit trending on twitter all day has me worried the great pro-fascist propaganda machine is getting its legs back under it with another round of Deflection News Cycles in the US.



(Somehow 1/3 of the US is convinced a pampered irrelevant drug addict is a bigger villain than Vladimir Fucking Putin.)



Edited at 2022-03-30 01:58 am (UTC)

Reply

Thread

Link





Meanwhile on Russian state TV:



Host Evgeny Popov says it's time for the Russian people to call on Americans to change "the regime in the U.S." before its term expires "and to again help our partner Trump to become President."https://t.co/orPMoKoxwG pic.twitter.com/sPVDhVWm6Q  Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) March 29, 2022

Not holding Trump accountable for a coup attempt is the stupidest, most destructive thing the admin could have done. I don't know how Garland sleeps well at night.



Not only did Trump withhold aid meant to prevent exactly this sort of war, but now he's asking Putin for help undermining Biden's admin, who are delivering aid to Ukraine while Putin slaughters civilians and ensures that people around the world are going to starve.



Edited at 2022-03-30 02:16 am (UTC) Yup.Not holding Trump accountable for a coup attempt is the stupidest, most destructive thing the admin could have done. I don't know how Garland sleeps well at night.Not only did Trump withhold aid meant to prevent exactly this sort of war, but now he's asking Putin for help undermining Biden's admin, who are delivering aid to Ukraine while Putin slaughters civilians and ensures that people around the world are going to starve.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

our partner Trump



These . And yet there are so many people STILL not calling Jan 6 what the fuck it was: a coup attempt.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Is Doocy the one who asked a question on inflation and Biden called a fucking idiot a few months ago? I rewatched that several times, it made me laugh.



His weak "the world wants to know" was very funny.

Reply

Thread

Link

Yes. Biden said What a moron. And yeah how his voice trails off I had tears by then end 

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I know I'm days late, but did anything evidence/more facts come out of the thing people were saying about some ukranian diplomats being poisoned after a meeting with russian diplomats...



and what biden said... i don't know if it was the thing to say in PUBLIC, but I agree that Putin shouldn't be in charge. It's like that Lindsay Graham tweet. Most of us agree that Putin needs to be taken out somehow but is it okay to say as a sitting elected official in a public space (in LG's case, twitter)?? especially when russia is using everything as propaganda later on?

Reply

Thread

Link

Whether Biden spoke his mind publicly or not about Putin Russian TV would still turn everything he said into anti-Russian rhetoric somehow. They've already made shitty deepfakes of Zelenskyy that Russians are believing, so it's safe to assume that they're doing it to Biden (and other top US government officials) as well. There's no winning when it comes to propaganda in Russia rn. They are making all the stops.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Yeah, but at least when it's fake, people have a CHANCE of seeing through it? You don't need to hand it to them, on a plate.



It's impossible to argue in good conscience about Biden saying what he said, other than to admit that he fucked up.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

I know I'm days late, but did anything evidence/more facts come out of the thing people were saying about some ukranian diplomats being poisoned after a meeting with russian diplomats...



They denied it and there are conflicting reports in the media, it could be misinformation or it could be that they're not acknowledging it to not impact the negotiations. Most of the allegations came from the Abramovich camp though so there's reason to question the veracity.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I'm listening to a Russian journalist in Kyiv and it's almost funny how different and unimpressed the reaction to what Biden says is. In short, Biden's 'he shouldn't be in charge' - no shit, Sherlock. Biden speaks to Poland - yeah, they know, how about you give Eastern Europe more weapons instead of praises. A journalist bringing up Westerners worrying about Biden's 'he shouldn't be in charge' - if their children were being killed, they'd talk differently.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link
Law & Order: ONTD.

Reply

Thread

Link

God plz let something from this era be comment of the year.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

dun dun

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

lmao I would watch this all day

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

For some reason, the BBC had Alan Davies on to talk about it. Alan Davies, better known for his role as Jonathan Creek, attacked a homeless man for calling him Jonathan Creek.

Reply

Thread

Link

omg what is happening

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Damn, I did not know that - had a soft spot for him after hearing about his CSA.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Wtf what a dickhead

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Wtf. I liked him from QI, didn't expect this. This post is so informative.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

"She proposed to her husband Joshua Jackson twice."

"Joshua Jackson allegedly cheated on her when they were dating and she was pregnant."



lol wtf is this thread, some of you have lost your minds.

Reply

Thread

Link

Jodie always gets dragged whenever she posts anything, so Im not even sure it has much to do with the topic at hand?

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Yes, lets drag Jodie for something her husband supposedly did to her when she says something we dont like. Classic.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

She wasn't pregnant at the time and he didn't cheat. They were broken up briefly at the time. Their social media spelled it out. She got pregnant after they got back together. Baby was born late April 2020.



Edited at 2022-04-04 12:23 am (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

She proposed to her husband twice and Zoe divorced her husband after two months, shock horror.

THE MISOGYNY IS COMING FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE, seriously what the fuck is this OP?

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

honestly, that is very ???

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

why are western-based anglophones obsessed with proposals and engagements? the last bullet point about bullying and scamming is new though. also where is she from bc i only know sororities and fraternities from US universities?

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

These Will Smith posts are not going to age well. There have been some really gross comments from users I once thought better of.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

It's awful and people have been so disgusting.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

It is insane that people keep using this as a way to insult her. What she tweeted didn't deserve the ire she received. This situation IS a lose/lose for both sides, and that's pretty much all she said.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

If I was Jodie I would just laugh at these. Thats how you know youre unproblematic *knocks on wood*.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

ikr what does that have to do with ANYTHING

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

FR! Like the mental gymnastics over non-problematic ppl is getting to be really vile

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Right? This is so gross

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

this is bringing out ONTD's most insane takes and behaviour

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Why are we calling out women for something their partners did? Zoe is not responsible for Ezra being abusive, chances are she was abused herself?



And if Joshua Jackson cheated on Jodie, that's also not something to call out her for? And that stuff about the sorority, there's barely any information about this except for some tweets.

Reply

Thread

Link

Its be more accurate to say Zoe dated Ezra when he was underaged (thats what Twitter said at least).

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Yeah, that's a reason to call somebody out for, not over their partners being abusive towards other women bc it's more than likely they've been abused themselves.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

exactly! OP should edit and add that to the main post instead

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

About them dating, is that even true?



I googled it and while there's articles about how they supposedly dated in 2010 I haven't actually been able to find any pap pics or articles about it from 2010. There's 1 picture of them kissing at a party and then pictures of them holding hands at the premiere of their movie (EDIT: actually both the kiss and the hand holding happened on the same night, movie premiere) but considering they've always been ~artistic and ~alternative I'm not sure it's 100% proof they banged or were in a relationship. People are out here calling her a whole ass predator and I feel like that sort of accusation would merit a little more evidence than that? But then again she did say some stuff that could easily be misconstrued about Jaden Smith so idk.



Edited at 2022-03-30 01:14 pm (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

That one was about their ages, Zoe was 21, Ezra was 16/17.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

The Zoe thing was mostly the Alexander Wang stuff and inappropriate Jaden comments when it was trending; the rest of the stuff just got thrown into the kitchen sink.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Its really messed up that people are trying to drag Zoe for dating Michael Fassbender, when he was probably manipulative and abusive towards her too.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I couldn't help reading the post and apparently, from what I've seen here these last few days, you can call out people for things that their partners did, but if somebody you like slaps somebody you don't like on stage, that's OK, and it's also funny. When Zverev hit the umpire's chair, everybody criticized him at once (including me), and rightfully so. But now some people feel sorry for Will Smith because this "overshadowed his moment when he won an Oscar". Feel sorry about Jada, who was the butt of that horrible, tasteless joke.



I'm sorry, but seeing violence was triggering for me, since I have a history of violence in my family. I never thought, when I visited ONTD after what happened, that most people would be laughing about it and defending Will Smith, since one of the things I like about this community is that they're very sensitive to things that can trigger negative feelings. I know I'll probably get thumbs down or some negative reply, but I had to say it.





Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Meh

Reply

Thread

Link

Hold the fuck up, a mine????

Reply

Thread

Link

I didnt know Jeffery Wright had buying a mine money.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Thats the one Ive been stuck on since Ive read this post tbh. A whole fucking mine?! Am I reading this Wright?

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

He seems like such a considerate and kind man wtf?!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

At first glance I thought gemstone mine somewhere in Nevada or South America or something but nope it's a literal gold mine in Sierra Leone 

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

He gave an interview to the daily beast about this. He was really confused as he didn't/doesn't own a mine. It became a story shortly after he ripped Trump a new one and it got a lot of engagement. Not saying the two are related, but........

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

yeah that is the real standout here!!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

RIGHT? Everything else is forgotten when this man has a whole ass gold mine in Sierra Leone with children working in it.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

He has to keep working on Westworld! It's the newest park theme

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Shes not. But this sites motto is fuck women lately.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Sorry, I deleted before I saw you replied!

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

mte women being held responsible for men's actions yet again

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

She proposed to her husband twice??? Zoe's dad dated a 17yo??? So the same people siding with Will for defending black women everywhere are also looking for any way possible to insult/blame black women and dismiss their opinions on this. Cool. Got it.

Reply

Thread

Link

The hate that Jodie gets is RIDICULOUS!! I can't even.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

it's legit so pathetic and disgusting, people are clearly just using it as a fun opportunity to be hateful

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

And people are saying stuff like "Twitter has receipts for everything," but a lot of that stuff is just clearly made up.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

also like why is that something to be proud of lmao

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Yeh, it's made up. Jodie did not propose twice and Josh did not cheat on her when she was pregnant.



Edited at 2022-04-04 12:31 am (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

The arguments against her are so weak, people are just looking for reasons to get mad at her and make her feel like she isn't worthy of his love/implying he doesn't love her.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Right. People really do need to stop and do some reflecting because at this point its not even about Jada, Will or Chris Rock anymore. But folks are really out attempting to dig up dirt on a number of black women because they deign to say they disagree with Will Smith smacking someone at the Oscars? How ironic. Also, in Zoes case nothing she said was an opinion, lol.



Edited at 2022-03-30 12:57 pm (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

The only thing I thought was strange was Jodie has lived in the US since she was 10.



If she feels better maintaining a British accent, fine. But its very unusual, most people lose their accent or at least switch.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

It has to be black women that thinks exactly like them apparently  I cant believe all this sprung from Zoes mild af post. Shes allowed to share her opinion on an altercation she witnessed in person. And Will himself said he was in the wrong and regrets it, so why is everyone still demonizing the people who agree with that? Like this incident has set ontd back about 10 years lmao

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Seriously. Zoe is only accountable for her own behavior.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

EXACTLY some of these are grasping for straws all to (not even) try to prove a point



Edited at 2022-03-30 09:37 pm (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

In case you want to change the layout: https://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/122612902.html

Reply

Thread

Link

Bless you, doing the lord's work

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

This is weird.

Reply

Thread

Link

A lot of this is gross rumour and imo "be bullied into silence by twitter" is not the way to handle this. will isnt happy with his own actions, and has apologized.



on the other hand, none of these people seem to be the ones really crossing the line? where is the dragging of the nobody blue checkmarks who were calling for will smith to go to jail? there was so much disgusting reaction toward will, I'd much rather those POS be dragged.





Reply

Thread

Link

none of these people seem to be the ones really crossing the line?



I mean, the men definitely did. The women are predictably getting most of the vitriol, though.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link





And another one.



Boy, Im starting to feel like @kfried walked up to Twitter and slapped me.



She cant be okay with this level of unsolicited word violence shes doling out.



Please help @TwitterSupport https://t.co/L2ShWwn7Qw  yvette nicole brown (@YNB) March 29, 2022 Yvette Nicole Brown was dealing with this a lot yesterday:

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Drag her for still supporting MJ with her chest, not this.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I will say that I remember blocking her for something very specific a while ago, but I know it had something to do with her being a really dumb neoliberal like Debra Messing.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Yeah, some of the Zoe ones are ridiculous. She can't help what ex-partners and her dad did. She can help supporting Alexander Wang though when she's apparently so anti-assault.

Reply

Thread

Link





Jeffrey Wright is in the gold mining business, but allegedly wants to do it "ethically", which, is that possible? idk, but man isn't selling blood diamonds and running from Leo



The fact that this has spilled over into standom wars, like the psychotic Snyder bros going after people who were in Batman cause......they're psychotic, is hilarious.Jeffrey Wright is in the gold mining business, but allegedly wants to do it "ethically", which, is that possible? idk, but man isn't selling blood diamonds and running from Leo https://www.fastcompany.com/2681810/actor-jeffrey-wright-is-trying-to-create-a-sustainable-african-goldmine

Reply

Thread

Link

Wow. And here I thought that ONTD was the last bastion of integrity.

Reply

Thread

Link

Thats sarcasm, right ???

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

My partner asked me if I saw the Jim interview this morning and we were both like who the fuck really cares what JC thinks about this? And what a privledged, seflish take. The only thing of worth he said was that it does overshadow a lot of people who worked really hard to get there. But he's not helping any by adding the rest to the discourse.,

Reply

Thread

Link

This post also feels really weird and aggressive which I don't think adds to the situation here. There's really good and important reasons why Will shouldn't be crucified for his actions, even if he *could have* handled it better(not my words but others and his own) and why what Chris said didn't go over well, this feels like it's just drowning those out with further drama rather than giving those voices more attention idk

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

The one thing I do want to say about the JC reciepts because I don't know if people are gonna defend him in this post when there's so much misogyny and racism that REALLY needs to be addressed - but I wanted to state, the death of his girlfriend is low. They had broken up and she OD'ed. He was a pallbearer at her funeral. What a dumb insult.



Edited at 2022-03-30 05:38 pm (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link
Edited at 2022-03-30 08:37 pm (UTC)

well, of some random troll farm anarcho-fascist says it, it must be true!10% of French people believe that Ukraine is run by Nazis, 22% think that Russia was acting out of security concerns, and 23% think that Russian-speaking Ukrainians would support Russia (which is a bit different from the first two, since its questioning the loyalty of Russian-speakers.) The opinions were highly correlated with being right-wing, antivaxx, and believing in conspiracy theories. And about 2/3 of French people support the ban on RT and Sputnik propaganda, which basically aligns with only the first two being pro-Russia takes.
since March 7 the local police department had received 10 calls about Miller



On Monday night, a user on the r/BigIsland subreddit made a post warning Hilo locals about Miller's presence on the island.



jesus literally a town menace

Reply

Thread

Link

TEN? They need help.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

oh my god?

Reply

Thread

Link

Please tell me this means there will be no Flash film....

Reply

Thread

Link

Didn't they already film it? I can't imagine WB won't at least release it on streaming

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

They've already finished filming it but it'll surely flop imo

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Knowing how batshit DC stans are, it won't.

I'm surprised it wrapped filming, considering it won't be released for another 14 months

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

The Flash was filmed after they were caught on camera choking someone and throwing them to the ground, WB definitely will still release it.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Hopefully they'll get recasted



Edit: after the flash movie which is like a wipeout for the dceu



Edited at 2022-03-30 11:02 pm (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

They sounds unhinged and I really think they need to get help at an inpatient mental health treatment center.



ETA: So sorry, I forgot they use they/them pronouns.



Edited at 2022-03-30 09:43 pm (UTC)

Reply

Thread

Link

Yeah this honestly sounds like theyre having a breakdown, the behavior is pretty scary. Theyre gonna really hurt someone or get really hurt soon, 10 calls to the cops is insane

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I could say something funny about Miller and islands but Ezra is repulsive and not worth that sort of effort.



Edited at 2022-03-30 10:12 pm (UTC)

Reply

Thread

Link

I hope they get some help tbh. They sound like a danger so themselves and others.

Reply

Thread

Link

this sounds frightening, they need help.



also, semi-ot but the line about the fantastic beasts cast/crew made me wonder: has anyone involved with moon knight made reference to gaspard ulliel during promotions? i read that he was not included in the oscars in memoriam package, which is shameful.

Reply

Thread

Link

no, and i was also surprised gaspard wasnt featured. its not uncommon for non-american actors to be featured, so idk what the thought process was (outside of the ceremony itself just being a mess)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

it's insane to me that they didn't include gaspard but did include carmen salinas when she never worked in hollywood unlike gaspard

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

The complete silence on Gaspard Ulliel is so uncomfortable.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I just found out about his death. I couldn't believe your comment at first, am shocked and sad

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

American headlines were all "Marvel actor dies" when he passed away but now there's nothing !

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

that Miller became irate when a woman began singing "Shallow"



Are you fucking kidding me

Reply

Thread

Link

Well that was quite a read.



"They frequently accuse people of being transphobic, anti-Semitic, colonizers or Nazis to deflect from the abuse Miller is inflicting on them."



Twitter IRL.

Reply

Thread

Link

Which is super interesting considering that apparently during a project they filmed fairly recently they were supposedly "method", they spat in cast/crews faces and used the nazi salute to people on set

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I feel like they are under the impression they are doing some sort of performance art which I think ultimately will make the realization of needing help difficult to reach.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

the boldness with which white people throw around "colonizer" and "settler" lol

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Sorry OP for askin, but the part about the Reddit user bailling him out - did they know them personally or were they just a fan?



Regardless, I hope they and the other folks Ezra attacked/harm/harrassed are okay. Fuck them and get them away from these people

Reply

Thread

Link

Yeah I would have to hope that couple knew Ezra, especially since they later were able to get in the couples bedroom the next morning. Maybe Ezra was staying with the couple? Hopefully not anymore.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

the user seemed really familiar with ezra's MO and talked about how they were charming and did use fame to make promises to people. i took that to mean the user was probably taken in by his fame and a sort of friendship emerged from that?

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

They had been staying with the couple for some odd reason, lol. Like are people that impressed with a C maybe B list celebrity that they let them stay with them? People are dumb.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Ahh okay. Hmm, can't say I understand but I am sorry their kindness was taken advantage of, especially since they were willing to bail Ezra out and let him stay with them

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

from personal and my friends own experiences with them - theyre really easy to make friends with? like they treat you like they already know you and share inside jokes and are all over you.



the only way i could explain it is like platonic lovebombing because obviously ezra is a real fucking mess, who is using you until youre no longer useful to them. then starts being psychotic apparently



Edited at 2022-03-30 10:02 pm (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Shallow is the perfect drunk karaoke song

Reply

Thread

Link

If it hadn't turned violent I would find the idea of someone being "irate" over that song choice very funny.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Tell me something, girl





Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

No that's the let's go girls pose

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Lol I just noticed the credit card and crumbled napkin on the floor

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i can't believe someone put out a PSA on the big island subreddit. like they just got over the chocking incident in Iceland or at least it fell out of public consciousness and now this. they're not going to have a career to speak of if they keep fucking around

Reply

Thread

Link

Nah, Hollywood will overlook anything as long as you make money and are nice to the "right people"

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Fucking hell

Reply

Thread

Link

Wowwwwww so this is a lot more than just a single drunken outburst or something. Not that that's okay, but I feel like people often excuse these things as just a momentary lapse of judgment or whatever (esp if the person's a famous fave). But the choking thing + all of this is very clearly a pattern of behavior.



Can you imagine if WB is cornered into firing them?? Clearly it takes a lot for them to do that, but first Johnny (and he did that to himself with the stupid Sun lawsuit), then thr actor who actually went to jail for rape, now this... hmmm maybe men could learn to fucking behave

Reply

Thread

Link

"Can you imagine if WB is cornered into firing them?? Clearly it takes a lot for them to do that..." It takes them a lot, when they are horrible persons doing awful things. In cases like standing for yourself like Ray Fisher, their reaction is really really fast

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I hope DC does fire them but the implications of what will happen to those movies will be hilarious 



Wasnt the whole point of their solo movie about turning back time and basically fixing all the fuck ups within the DCU? And now they are the fuck up that needs to be fixed??







How did my dumbass write the correct pronouns each sentence except the very first one?



Edited at 2022-03-31 01:29 am (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Theyre a pos but smth is not adding up. Or maybe Im misreading it. Why would Ezra need some random to bail them out? Surely their lawyer, agent, manager, accountant, assistant, whathaveyous could have done that? And how would they be able to kick the couple out of their own home? Was Ezra staying with them? Again why? How? So many questions.

Reply

Thread

Link

Yeah the chain is bizarre. If the bail was $500 surely they have someone on their team to do things like this. I imagine their first phone call was to their lawyer.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

They seem to not have a team at all and it's so weird. What celeb is just left to wander a small town somewhere playing darts...

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

It sounds like from the post they have been with Ezra for the week up until the arrest. Maybe friends?

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

If you search other articles about it, they were apparently staying at the couple's home. They filed a restraining order against Ezra after they barged into the home and threatened to kill them, then stole their stuff.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

But why were they staying with the said couple? Whats the context? Were they friends? Fans? So bizarre.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

per the op on the reddit post: "[they don't] carry cash, and bail could only be paid in cash. I don't know why [they] didn't get a hotel. I think [they are] having some type of issue or potential breakdown. [they were] also very loud, would blast music at all hours, would open the front door, and blast music as [they] smoked."



edits in brackets to reflect correct pronoun.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Real talk;



Do they even have those things anymore? With their erratic behavior, I can see them firing nearly everybody and going "I'm gonna be cool and ~live off the grid."



You're not wrong to ask these questions tbh I'm just spitballing.



Edited at 2022-03-30 10:06 pm (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Yes. Ezra was staying with the couple before their arrest.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

im actually not sure if they have a real team with them at all times like other celebs do. they used to mainly run stuff through their band and ezras insta was run as a fan account for years. i think they have the tick now but they used to avoid it by pretending to be a fanpage

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i wonder what happened to their guru tbh he seemed to be the only consistent member of their team

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link
There is a vicious circle of warfare that has had oil at its center for decades. Anyone looking for an oil angle on the biggest conflicts of recent history will not have to search far. Oil is what filled the war chest of Saddam Hussein. Its what filled the war chest of Muammar Ghaddafi in Libya, and its what is fueling Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine.

Those were not wars attempting to grab oil; they were wars funded by huge amounts of fossil fuels that gave autocrats and dictators the power they needed to go empire-seeking, and if more oil ends up making its way into those coffers as a result of expansionall the better.

Back in 1980, Saddam Husseins Iraq had found itself in a situation in which it was dangerously dependent on its Persian Gulf neighbors for empire-building money. He was borrowing left and right from the Saudis, the UAE, Qatar, and even Kuwait and Bahrain to fund his war against Iran. Hussein had designs on a much more significant power role in the Gulf, but his war chest was not his own. In fact, it was Husseins empire-seeking ambitions in which he saw an opportunity with a change of regime in Iran that backfired when his war chest could not contain the cost: This is where the rest of the Arab Gulf states took advantage, organizing the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), making them all the more potent in their alliance.

Iraqs war chest simply wasnt as big as Saddam Husseins ambitions. He overstepped and overplayed, and the remainder of his legacy would be an attempt to reverse that damage.

Related: OPEC Sees Smaller Oil Supply Surplus For Q1 2022



By 1981, at the height of Saddam Husseins borrowing from his Gulf neighbors, there was an oil glut, and demand for Iraqi oil had subsided. Compounding that problem, the Iran-Iraq war made it nearly impossible to ship Iraqi oil. The war chest that had already dwindled saw an Iraqi oil production cut from upwards of 3 million bpd to around 1 million bpd. Those are some devastating numbers, and this is where dependence on your neighbors begets more dependence.

Saddam Hussein hadnt played his strategy out fully from a market perspective. What he had been eyeing was this set of developments: 1980 looked brilliant. Oil producers were enjoying record-high crude prices as a result of the 1973 Arab oil embargo and the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Its a lesson that appears only to have been learned in this current decade: Beware the opulence; overproducing takes us from riches to rags in short shrift.

As the Houston Chronicle noted about the years that would immediately follow this bonanza: [...] just a few years later, it all came crashing down with the price of oil. The jets were grounded, cranes dismantled and commercial projects scrapped. Thousands of workers lost jobs and scores of companies went belly up.

The Iran-Iraq War costs over $1 trillion dollars in economic cost terms. In human terms, it cost half a million lives. In strategic value, nothing was gained. No empire was built. The only thing Iraq got out of this was American support which came in the form of simply choosing the lesser of two evils to ensure neither dictator came out of this too powerful. But that choice would just lead to more wars, including the one in 2003 that toppled Saddam Hussein, who was not, after all, redeemable.

Putins war chest is still growing, despite a U.S. ban on Russian oil, and despite indications of declining Russian production since its invasion of Ukraine, and despite traders self-sanctioning.

This is a better play than that made by Saddam Hussein. The question is whether todays soaring oil prices and an impending supply squeeze will be enough to continue to fill Putins oil coffers.

For now, that answer seems to be yes.

Every day, European countries are paying Russia, in total, an estimated $285 million for oil, according to the Transport & Environment (T&E) think tank, not including the UKs recent ban on Russian oil.

Europes Russian crude oil imports far overshadow its Russian natural gas intake, according to T&E, whose data shows that Europe paid Russia $104 billion for crude, petrol, and diesel in 2021, compared to $43 billion for natural gas shipments.

The think tank concludes that the European Commission must include Russian crude oil in its upcoming energy independence strategy because while the EU is heavily reliant on Russian crude, it is also one of the key revenue streams of Russian exports and has been helping to fund its military.

Or, as T&E director Willliam Todts more poignantly put it for The Guardian, Gas is understandably a worry, but it is oil that is funding Putins war.

For now, the markets, and European dependence, suggest that Putin, unlike Saddam Hussein, has not overplayed his hand. He started this war with an estimated $630-billion coffer built on fossil fuels, and led by crude oil. Western sanctions have made an estimated two-thirds of that war chest very difficult to access, though it remains unclear just how difficult at this point. But money is still coming in.

Natural gas may have been his weapon of choice for Europe, but crude oil is the most valuable element of his war chest, and until that oil stops flowing, his war of attrition in Ukraine can continue even if his ground troops arent making much headway.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Russia will likely redirect its oil flows to Asia as Europe seeks to minimize its intake of Russian fossil fuels, with the former becoming the default market for Russian crude, Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of S&P Global told CNBC.

After Western sanctions on Moscow for its actions in Ukraine, Russian oil flows abroad have declined and, according to Yergin, are going to be redirected to Asia.

Theres a lot of self sanctioning thats going on thats simply people not picking up oil, banks not providing letters of credit, shippers not showing up and, indeed, people in some ports not receiving Russian oil, the energy industry expert also said.

This is problematic both for the former importers and for Russia. For importers, because Russia is the worlds largest oil and oil product exporter and the second-largest crude exporter after Saudi Arabia, and for Russia itself, because the sanctions and self-sanctions leave it with millions of barrels of unsold oil.

I would have said five weeks ago Russias an energy superpower ... I think its still going to be an important player. But its going to be a reduced energy power compared to where it was before, Yergin said, referring to the Russian oil pivot to Asia, assuming Europe will be successful in weaning itself off Russian crude.

Russian oil currently accounts for almost 30 percent of the continents total petroleum imports and 51 percent of Europes oil product imports.

Yet, with all the sanctions and the bans from the U.S. and the UK, Russian oil is selling at a steep discount, which has made it more attractive to the large oil importers in Asia, including China and India.

India is a particularly good case in point as it does not normally import a lot of oil from Russia. However, with prices on the rise, the country, which depends on imports for 85 percent of its oil consumption, is understandably looking for a bargain.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
 Flash

Russia and Ukraine have concluded their fresh round of face-to-face peace talks in Istanbul on Tuesday, which lasted for about three hours.

Following the talks, the two sides made statements to reporters respectively. Ukrainian negotiators named several countries who could act as guarantors, while Russian delegates said Moscow would scale down its military operations in Ukraine.

David Arakhamia, a Ukrainian delegate, said that Kiev wants to see several countries, such as Canada, Poland, Israel, and Turkey, as guarantors, which could provide international protection to Ukraine.

"If any other country wants to join they can do so," he said, noting that the agreement with Russia will be signed together with the guarantor countries.

Ukrainian presidential adviser and negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak told reporters that the results of Tuesday's meeting are sufficient for a meeting at the leaders' level.

Meanwhile, according to the Anadolu news agency, Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, said the talks in Istanbul were "constructive," and the presidents of the two countries may meet only when a draft of a peace treaty is approved.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, who participated in the talks, pledged to drastically decrease military activities in Kiev and the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, to create the necessary conditions for dialogue.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Istanbul's meeting was the most meaningful progress since the start of the negotiations.

"We are extremely happy to see an increased rapprochement between the two sides at every stage," Cavusoglu added.
Despite spiraling oil prices which see the international Brent benchmark up by a stunning 53% since the start of 2022 to be trading at over $109 per barrel, Colombias economically crucial energy patch is struggling to come to life. The crisis-riven Andean country, despite implementing a peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC  Spanish initials) finds itself crippled by violence and geopolitical uncertainty. Last year, 2021, was the most violent year in nearly a decade. The total number of homicides rose to a seven-year high, while massacres, as well as the murder of social leaders, continued to rise. Now an electoral year has arrived in Colombia with the first round of the presidential election to be held in May 2022 followed by a run-off vote later in the year if no candidate receives a majority of the vote. These events have substantially ratcheted up the degree of risk and uncertainty surrounding Colombias oil industry. For decades Colombia has battled endemic violence with large swathes of the country falling under the control of various armed groups since the late-1970s as the Andean nation lurched from one violent crisis to the next. Colombias persistent low-level asymmetric conflict emerged from a 10-year period known as La Violencia, which was essentially a civil war between Colombias two main political parties the Conservative and Liberals. When that war ended in 1958, after a brief period of peace, the FARC and then a series of other leftwing revolutionary movements emerged, with many inspired by the Cuban revolution and nationalist Bolivarian ideology. During the 1980s the civil conflict exploded with the rapid rise of the major drug trafficking cartels and the inflow of massive cocaine-trafficking profits, seeing violence erupt across Colombia including in the capital Bogota. Over the ensuing years, various illegal armed groups including cocaine cartels, right-wing paramilitaries, and leftwing guerillas were dismantled or agreed to surrender leading to lower levels of violence and reduced risk for foreign energy companies. Those developments culminated in the 2016 peace agreement between Bogota and the FARC, Colombias largest non-government combatant force. That resulted in a dramatic drop in violence which saw Colombias homicide rate for 2017, the year when the FARC had completely demobilized, fall to 25 murders per 100,000 people, the lowest rate since 1974. Related: Germany Gets Ready For Gas Rationing

Since then, violence, notably homicides and massacres in rural regions, has soared. Last year was the first year since 2013 that Colombias national police reported more than 13,000 homicides leaving the strife-torn country with 26.8 murders per 100,000 people, the highest since 2013. Massacres are seemingly spiraling out of control having surged in number since 2018 when hard-right President Ivan Duque was sworn into office. Data from Colombian independent peace thinktank Indepaz (Spanish) shows 22 massacres from (Spanish) 1 January 2022 to 11 March 2022 compared to 18 for the same period a year earlier and 12 during the first 10 weeks of 2020. Even more startling is that the number of massacres reported in Colombia for that period during 2022 is the same as for the full-year 2019 and 10 more massacres than the 12 reported all of 2018. That worrying news means Colombia will likely experience more massacres during 2022 than for any year in over a decade. There are fears the Andean nation is returning to levels of violence that marred the period from 1995 to 2005, one of the most violent epochs of recent times, where various illegal armed groups battled for control of territory and lucrative smuggling routes. This indicates that the rule of law is breaking down, notably in remote regions where the petroleum industry operates, which historically have long had a weak government presence.

A key driver of the surge in violence is the significant uptick in cocaine production in Colombia over recent years. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, or UNOCC, coca production reached another record high in 2020 despite the acreage under cultivation falling 7% year over year. The UN estimated 2020 fresh coca leaf, the core ingredient of cocaine, the harvest of 6.4 metric tons, which was 10% higher than a year earlier and the second successive year where cultivation grew. It is believed that allowed the manufacture of 1,228 metric tons of cocaine hydrochloride, which was an 8% increase over 2019. Those remote regions where much of Colombias coca is grown possess large oil reserves and have significant industry assets leading to a heightened security risk for onshore energy operations. That explains why there has been a surge in interest in offshore Colombia but investment in offshore Colombia from foreign oil companies remains muted.

Related: OPEC Sees Smaller Oil Supply Surplus For Q1 2022



The sabotage of petroleum pipelines, which are the only cost-effective means of transporting crude across Colombias rugged terrain, is a constant risk. Whenever pipelines are shuttered because of bombings drillers are forced to store oil onsite or transport it by road to key shipment points causing operating costs to spike. In 2020, according to Reuters, Colombias national oil company Ecopetrol recorded 51 assaults on energy infrastructure and there were more than 28 such attacks in 2021. Assaults against pipelines, oilfield invasions, and wellhead attacks have, however, fallen sharply since the demobilization of the FARC in 2017, although local community opposition to the hydrocarbon sector is rising.

A moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, which is highly unpopular in Colombia, remains in place, although this does not cover fracking pilots. Ecopetrols pilot in Puerto Wilches in which ExxonMobil is a partner recently received regulatory approval (Spanish) from Colombias Environmental Licensing Authority to proceed despite considerable community opposition. This will be Colombias first fracking project and is an important step in developing the Andean countrys petroleum industry because the Andean countrys limited proved reserves of 1.8 billion barrels only have a production life of just over six years. While there have been no major oil discoveries in Colombia for over two decades the Andean country is believed to have recoverable shale oil resources of up to 7 billion barrels and 30 trillion feet of shale gas. Those unconventional hydrocarbon deposits are primarily located in the Magdalena valley, where Ecopetrols Puerto Wilches fracking pilot is situated.

Resistance to fracking in Colombia is considerable. That is adding to the onshore oil industrys woes placing further pressure on its social license which has been deteriorating in many of the communities near where there are major petroleum operations. Rising opposition to extractive industries in Colombia, notably coal mining and oil drilling, is reflected in the campaign platforms of this years presidential candidates. Leading candidate left-wing senator Gustavo Petro has made it clear that if he wins Colombias presidency, with voters going to the ballot box in May 2022, he will end coal mining and oil drilling in Colombia. Essentially, Petro plans to terminate (Spanish) the award of oil exploration licenses while allowing existing operators to continue pumping petroleum until Colombias reserves are exhausted. That has ratcheted up the political and regularity risk for Colombias oil industry at a crucial time when it is struggling to recover from surging violence and the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with Petro leading in the polls.

By Matthew Smith for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Bosnia and Herzegovina doesnt have the same military infrastructure as it did in the 90s and the country is more homogeneous now than it was then, but the threat of violence remains.

The country has been relatively stable since the Dayton Peace Agreement of 1995, but with stability in the region waning and elections looming uncertainty is rife.

Rising tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina are dragging the country into its most precarious political situation since the Bosnian War of 1992-1995. In early October 2021, Milorad Dodik  Bosnian Serb leader and member of Bosnia and Herzegovinas tripartite presidency  announced plans to form an independent Bosnian Serb Army and pull out of joint state institutions. With international presence in the region waning, unresolved rivalries and opposing interests among the various ethnic groups have resurfaced. Combined with political interference from both Russia and Serbia, the situation threatens to damage the Dayton Peace Agreement of 1995.

1992-1995 Bosnian War and Dayton Agreement

In the early 1990s, with the backing of Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic and the Serb-dominated Yugoslav Army, Bosnian Serb forces conducted a campaign of violence including ethnic cleansing in the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. The war came in response to the Republic of Bosnias April 1992 declaration of independence from Yugoslavia, with Bosnian Serbs instead envisioning being part of a Greater Serbia. Bosnias population contained a mix of ethnic groups including the majority of Bosniak Muslims (44%), Serbs, (31%), and Croats (17%). Bosnian Serb forces removed Bosniaks from towns in the east and controlled three-quarters of the country by 1993. After peace proposals failed, it was not until NATO airstrikes against the Bosnian Serb forces that an agreement was reached in November 1995. The 1995 Dayton Agreement resulted in the creation of a Bosniak-Croat Federation covering 51% of the countrys territory and Republika Srpska covering the remaining 49%, dominated by ethnic Serbs. The constitution within the agreement also contained a tripartite presidency, shared by members elected from each of the power-sharing entities  one Bosniak, one Croat, and one Serb. International oversight was ensured through the European Union-led peacekeeping force (EUFOR) and the Office of the High Representative (OHR). The agreement re-established Bosnia as a unified state, which was contrary to the wishes of Serb and Croat nationalists and also frustrated Bosniaks by recognizing Republika Srpska as a political entity.

A Divided Country: Map picturing the divisions between the Republika Srpska and the Bosnian-Croat Federation areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Source: The Financial Times

Current Political Tensions Within Bosnia

In October 2021, Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik announced plans to withdraw Republika Srpska from the Bosnian central government to form its own institutions. The plans include legislation in Republika Srpska designed to deprive the countrys state-level institutions of their prerogatives, whilst prohibiting Bosnian state-level police, intelligence, and judicial services from operating inside Serb-dominated areas. Dodiks plans to form a Republika Srpska Army led the Biden Administration to designate the move as corrupt and a threat to Dayton.

Related: Oil Rises As Market Braces For Disruption Of Russian Energy Supply

Dodik is further seeking concessions by calling for the removal of the international oversight put in place by the Dayton Agreement to protect Bosnian sovereignty. In November, Christian Schmidt submitted a report to the UN containing the most serious warnings about the existential threat facing the country communicated by the OHR since the end of the Bosnian War. However, UN Resolution 2604, adopted in November 2021, excluded any reference to the High Representative in exchange for Russian and Chinese support to extend the mandate for EUFOR. The small detail marked a departure from the Wests long-held diplomatic position of ensuring international oversight of the Dayton Agreements implementation through the OHR. For this reason, Russia and Dodik want the removal of both Christian Schmidt and the OHR to which he was appointed in 2021. In refusing to recognize Schmidt and therefore the OHR, Russia is offering Dodik the political encouragement to press his secessionist agenda.

Russian Influence

Throughout the Yugoslav wars, Russia secured a small role for itself by using its position in the United Nations to support Serbia, a policy reflected in its political efforts towards the region today. The Western Balkans are informally integrated into the West and Russias primary goal is to slow down, if not stop, the full integration of the Balkans into the EU and, especially, NATO. The Balkans do not represent a security interest to Russia in the same way as Ukraine, although they can be used to project power and influence.

Research suggests that whilst the present constitutional structure of the Dayton Agreement persists, secession will continue to be the biggest threat to Bosnia. Russia has the opportunity to exert influence through means such as the Gorchakov Fund, which seeks the creation of a public, political, and business climate abroad favorable to Russia. The fund has been involved in the denial of the genocide of Bosniaks at Srebrenica in July 1995. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is chairman of the Funds Board of Trustees, which provides a means for exerting influence in the Balkans whilst supporting local actors such as Milorad Dodik.

Dissatisfaction with the status quo has led to calls from Bosnian Serbs and Croats for devolution of powers within Bosnia, while Bosniaks call for constitutional reform. Paired with the Wests lack of engagement, Russia has a foothold in the former Yugoslavia. Milorad Dodik in isolation could arguably be considered unimportant, although Russian support has pushed him towards making increasing demands for the secession of Republika Srpska.

Forecast

Responding to a deterioration in the international security situation, the EU has doubled the EUFOR peacekeeping force with an extra 500 troops to Bosnia and Herzegovina. EUFOR suggested that the Russian invasion of Ukraine had the potential to spread instability to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The resurgence of Serb nationalism combined with far-right groups coming out in support of Russias actions emphasizes the precarity of the current situation.

Bosnias population has aged significantly since the Bosnian War, in part due to young people leaving in search of jobs abroad. The countrys territory is also more ethnically homogenous than before the conflict last broke out and the military infrastructure for Bosnia to descend into violent conflict does not exist as it did from 1992-1995. There is, however, still the possibility for violence to break out on a smaller scale. Whilst the population today has less military training, the ownership of basic weapons such as AK47s is not uncommon. The fear, therefore, remains of violence emerging between local factions or clashes with Bosnian state-level police.

The political system put in place by the Dayton Agreement may have been successful in bringing an end to the Bosnian War, but lends itself to the appeal of nationalist politicians from one of the three ethnic groups. With national elections scheduled for October 2022, the weaponization of ethnic tensions by nationalist politicians such as Dodik poses a significant threat to the Bosnian state.

By Global Risk Insights

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The current energy crisis has highlighted the importance of global energy security, and oil and gas leaders are determined to ensure energy security is a central part of an energy transition.

A special emphasis was made on the role of fossil fuels in the growth of developing nations, as the leaders attempted to widen the definition of the term energy transition.

Oil and gas industry leaders made it clear during the Atlantic Councils Global Energy Forum that fossil fuels will play an indispensable role in energy security for decades to come.

OPECs Secretary General and other industry leaders had much to say about Oil and Gas in a Net-Zero World in Dubai this week. They appeared newly confident in the central role they will play in an energy transition. Speaking at Atlantic Councils Global Energy Forum, held in conjunction with the annual World Government Summit, oil and gas leaders acknowledged that the war in Ukraine has suddenly shifted priorities. But they highlighted other factors at play, which will likely be central in their argument for the staying power of fossil fuels in the decades ahead.

Over and over again, panelists emphasized the importance of a smooth transition, in which oil and gas, as well as nuclear power, will play indispensable roles in ensuring energy security, even as renewables and other carbon-free energy sources are added. In this context, they decried the ongoing lack of sufficient investment in upstream development.

But another argument was deployed by oil and gas advocates, one often highlighted during the two-day conference that may indicate a subtle shift in their emphasis. They implied that while the rich world may well continue its push to transition away from oil and gas, the developing countries will not have this luxury. The needs of their burgeoning populations will ensure a steady and even growing market for carbon-based fuels for decades.

In this manner, the speakers signaled a possible inflection point in the dialogue on energy. They recast it by seeking to widen the concept of an energy transition.

As Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Managing Director of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) said in opening remarks, We cannot and must not unplug the current energy system before we have built the new one.

He listed the UAEs considerable commitment to new energy, with its three enormous solar parks and ambitious commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. But, alongside this, he called for increased investment in oil and gas and stated a need to inject a dose of realism into the planning for the energy transition.

History is on our side

The role of oil and gas is guaranteed for the foreseeable future, said Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, Secretary General, OPEC. It will continue to account for 50% of the global energy mix to 2045.

A key reason for this, he explained, is sheer population growth in the developing world, which will hold most of the worlds expected 20% population increase up to 2045. It is this part of the world where energy poverty is evident, he noted, while access to energy is a UN-recognized right.

Dan Brouillette, who served as US Secretary of Energy in the Trump Administration, also emphasized the industrys secure place by looking to the long history of energy. He said that energy transitions have not been from one source to another but from fewer to more sources, from those less energy-dense sources to those more energy-dense ones.

Will renewables get to 100 percent? he asked rhetorically. Theyre less energy-dense than nuclear, than oil and gas. Based on this historical observation, he continues to see a vital role for oil and gas looking 20 years out.

In this light, he did not expect much actual deviation in US energy policy no matter the administration. Brouillette said he anticipates the continuation of a kind of all of the above approach that really began during the Obama Administration.

Hunter Hunt, CEO of Texas-based Hunt Consolidated Energy LLC, carried the idea further.

In absolute terms, we consume more of all types of energy than ever, said Hunt, noting just one exception in the case of whale oil.

So how do we get 2050 to work? he asked, referring rhetorically to the Paris Accords climate goals. For industry there are no mile markers along the way.

Seen in this historical context, he noted, reducing global oil consumption to 80 million barrels per day would be an unprecedented feat.

Investment indecision

Conference participants expressed hope that a changing perception of fossil fuels role in the energy transition will help the industry recover from its shortfall in upstream investment in recent years. They emphasized that the messaging to investors is critical.

Investment is key at the moment, said Brouillette.  So its important to be careful with the words we use.

Its difficult to invest $2 billion or more in development if investors think that demand for the product will continue drop.

We have to resolve the rhetoric, he continued, because oil and gas is critical for investment in renewables.

We have to see them as complementary.

For seven to 10 years prior to last year, the energy sector was the worst-performing part of the S&P 500, said Hunt. So access to capital is a difficult problem.

Hunt went on to say that, in the face of the current crisis in Europe, he thinks its highly unlikely that the US would be able to quickly produce another million additional barrels per day, and in fact will probably add less than half of that. The constriction is directly the result of the capacity investment shortfall of recent years.

Related: Saudi Arabia May Raise Its Oil Prices For Asia To Record Premiums

Barkindo expressed concern about an ongoing downcycle and was insistent in his call for more capital in oil-sector development.

We had not recovered from the 2014-15 contraction by 2020, when (the Covid crisis) caused an unprecedented contraction of 30%, in investment, he said.

The World Oil Outlook (report) shows total oil-related investment will require $12.6 trillion by 2045 to catch up, and this was before the war in Ukraine, he said.

COP coming to MENA

The UNs 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 27) will be held in Egypt this fall, while COP 28 is to occur in Abu Dhabi next year. This setting of the event in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) may well amplify a shift in emphasis in the conversation about the energy transition. Conference participants in Dubai this week certainly hoped so.

Barkindo saw a strategic opportunity. He said that he would like to see Egyptian and Emirati leaders use their roles as conference hosts to, as he put it, refine the conversation on the energy transition. Again, he referred to the question of the developing world.

He noted that the COP, being held back-to-back in these countries, would foster discussion of inclusiveness, that no country is left behind.

He said the discussion should also encompass investment in the industry, andreset the conversation on capping (global temperature rise) at 1.5C, that this and the role of oil and gas are not mutually exclusive.

Brouillette said he thought the current crisis could, as he put it, rebalance the equation, on oil and gas in the energy transition. He said that energy security is a critical factor of equal importance and wants the world to look at energy policy as more than through the prism of climate policy.

Hunt also saw broader significance in the Ukraine crisis. We might see the event as a reset in the dialogue, he said, such that fossil fuel and climate advocates can come to some agreement.

If they can view each other with new clarity, then the energy transition will be much more successful, he said.

And he returned to the theme of developing nations needs when he conveyed a lesson that he took from a recent visit to Peru. There, he saw that a village with a truck had more ability to market its products than another village at a higher elevation that lacked a vehicle.

It is mobility that will get people out of poverty, he said. And that will require internal combustion engines, not Teslas driving up the mountainside, he said.

Of course, one might ask whether innovators, given the right encouragement and incentive, will not find better ways than 20th-century motor technologies to let villagers in Peru get their products to market. After all, affordable Teslas could come about.

The need for more aggressive and creative approaches than the measured steps of oil and gas industry leaders will likely arise at upcoming COPs, wherever they may be. These international meetings are, after all, a colorful cavalcade of people and interests, a metaphorical meeting of OPEC and Woodstock.

Anticipating that, George Frampton, who is Distinguished Senior Fellow at The Atlantic Council Global Energy Center, suggested that COP 27 and 28 organizers should start considering the role of the civic sector now.

They will need to bring in the civil society sector, in its full range including business, innovators, and non-profits, he said, after listening to industry advocates have their say in Dubai this week. That will bear the most fruitful discussion, about the energy transition, he said.

By Alan P. Mammoser for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
We will not allow our sanctions to be circumvented. The time when energy could be used to blackmail us is over, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

European leaders agree that changing the currency of the payments would be a breach of contract.

Russias demand that Europe pays for gas in rubles has been written off as unacceptable.

Russias insistence that its unfriendly nations pay in rubles for Russian natural gas risks disrupting European supplies as soon as this week as the deadline set by Putin for moving to ruble payments is drawing closer.

Europe, which depends on Russian natural gas for more than one-third of its demandwith some countries, including the biggest economy Germany, depending on Russia for half of its consumptionhas rejected the gas-for-rubles idea, saying it would be a breach of contracts to switch the currency in payments.

Russia, for its part, says it demands only rubles for its gas and will not ship gas for free.

Europes gas prices continued rising on Tuesday, two days ahead of the March 31 deadline Vladimir Putin has set for the government, Gazprom, and the central bank of Russia to make the arrangements for payments in rubles from the so-called hostile countries.

The Russian Presidentwhose list of hostile states includes the United States, all EU member states, Switzerland, Canada, Norway, South Korea, Japan, and many othersordered last week the central bank to develop a system for payments in rubles within a week.

The Russian government together with the Bank of Russia and Gazprom PJSC should implement a set of measures on changing the currency of payment for natural gas supplies to the countries of the European Union and other states that imposed restrictive measures against the citizens of the Russian Federation and Russian legal entities, to the Russian ruble, Putin said this week per a Kremlin document cited by Russian news agency TASS.

Putin has also ordered the Russian government to approve a move on changing Gazproms current contracts to reflect the change in the currency to the Russian ruble. This should be done with supply volumes, prices, and price formation principles stipulated by contracts maintained by March 31.

Commenting on Putins rubles-for-Russian-gas plan, the EU and leaders of the biggest economies in Europe said that changing the currency of the payments would be a breach of contract and that Europe would not be blackmailed into buying gas with rubles.

Related: Saudi Arabia Hikes Oil Prices Despite Record Discounts For Russian Crude

There are fixed contracts everywhere, with the currency in which the deliveries are to be paid being part of these contracts... in most cases, it says euros or dollars, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said last week. Italys Prime Minister Mario Draghi noted that This is basically a breach of contract, this is important to understand.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that We will not allow our sanctions to be circumvented. The time when energy could be used to blackmail us is over.

From the Kremlin, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday, as carried by Reuters:

No one will supply gas for free, it is simply impossible, and you can pay for it only in rubles.

As a result of the Russia-Europe standoff regarding the ruble payments, Europes benchmark natural gas prices rose on Tuesday, as did the British day-ahead and front-month prices.

It will then be interesting to see whether Russia follows through on its threat. So far, both sides have appeared keen to avoid being the first to halt the flow of gas, analysts at Commerzbank said on Tuesday, as quoted by Reuters.

Europe and the United States struck a deal last week for increased LNG imports into the European market. Yet, supply will not be enough in the short term to fully replace the Russian gas.

The extra 50 bcm / a year offered by the US would only cover about a third of the 155 bcm / year of imports from Russia that EU leaders want to replace. But in the context of a larger European strategy to find alternative supplies of gas, both pipeline and LNG, and to curb demand, US exports could make a significant contribution, Ed Crooks, Vice-Chair, Americas, at Wood Mackenzie, wrote earlier this week.

Germany, for example, will need three years to become independent of Russian gas, Leonhard Birnbaum, the CEO at utility E.ON, said earlier this week.

Russia claims it could redirect its energy supply to Asia if Europe refuses to buy. But it remains to be seen whether Moscow would follow up with the gas-for-ruble threat, considering that it cannot redirect anywhere the pipeline gas supply going to Europe, which brings it substantial revenues.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Germany is preparing for a potential disruption of natural gas supply from Russia and activated an emergency plan on Wednesday, ahead of the Thursday deadline Vladimir Putin has ordered for gas-for-ruble payments.

Germany triggered an emergency plan in case the supply from Russia is interrupted. The plan could see rationing of gas supply. Other EU member states, including Greece and the Netherlands, have also placed their systems and stakeholders on high alert. Italy and Latvia also issued warnings of potential disruptions.

Putin has set a March 31 deadline for the government, Gazprom, and the central bank of Russia to make the arrangements for payments in rubles from the so-called hostile countries.

The Russian Presidentwhose list of hostile states includes the United States, all EU member states, Switzerland, Canada, Norway, South Korea, Japan, and many othersordered last week the central bank to develop a system for payments in rubles within a week.

The EU and G7 rejected the Russian gas-for-rubles idea, saying that changing the currency of the payments would be a breach of contract and that Europe would not be blackmailed into buying gas with rubles.

Yet, the emergency plan in Europes biggest economy, and warnings in other European markets, signal that the EU is preparing for a worst-case scenario of disrupted gas supply from Russia.

German utilities had already called last week on the federal government to create a system for early warning about a potential drop in gas supply, noting that there are serious indications that the gas supply situation is about to deteriorate.

Germany depends on Russian gas for around half of its needs, with many industries using gas and about half of all households heating with gas. The Russian war in Ukraine exposed Germanysand Europesvulnerable reliance on gas and other energy flows from Russia. Europe has been reluctant to impose an embargo or sanctions on Russian energy because of its high dependence on supply from Moscow.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Oil prices rebounded from Tuesdays losses to rise by more than 3% early on Wednesday, as Russia signaled it would want rubles not only for gas but also for oil, metals, and grains.

As of 9:34 a.m. ET on Wednesday, ahead of the weekly U.S. oil inventory report from the Energy Information Administration, WTI Crude was up 3.63% at $108.00, and Brent Crude was trading up 3.45% at $114.03.

Volatility continued in the oil market this week. Oil slumped early yesterday, with the U.S. benchmark dipping briefly below $100 a barrel after signs emerged that the resumption of the Russia-Ukraine peace talks after two weeks may have been constructive. During the talks in Istanbul on Tuesday, Russia promised to significantly scale back its military operations and activity around Kyiv and in the northern city of Chernihiv. Ukraine, for its part, proposed it would keep a neutral status and would not join alliances or host troops of other countries on its territory.

The U.S., however, sounded skeptical about Russias promises to scale back its campaign, and on Wednesday, the market appeared not to be buying Moscows promises, either. Prices were also rising after the American Petroleum Institute (API) estimated late on Tuesday that there was a draw this week for crude oil of 3.0 million barrels, compared to analyst predictions of a 1.558 million barrel draw.

On Wednesday, the energy markets in Europe were bracing for a potential disruption to Russian natural gas supply ahead of a March 31 deadline Vladimir Putin had given to Gazprom and the central bank to arrange for ruble payments for gas.

In addition, Moscow signaled today that it could soon demand rubles for other exports, including those of oil, metals, and grains.

Given the level of uncertainty in the market at the moment combined with the tight supply/demand balance, we expect that oil prices will remain extremely volatile. Falling market liquidity will also add further volatility, ING strategists Warren Patterson and Wenyu Yao said on Wednesday.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Some of the largest Gulf oil producers, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are seeking to sign a written treaty with the United States under which the U.S. could provide defense support after attacks from Yemen have intensified, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, quoting sources with knowledge of the proposal.

Ideally, the major oil exporters in the Arab Gulf would seek a formal treaty with the United States, the sources told Bloomberg, but expanded and revised bilateral defense support agreements could also work, one of the sources said.

The UAE is also reportedly asking Israel to help push the case, according to Bloombergs sources.

Several high-profile attacks on Saudi Arabia and the UAE have occurred since the start of the year. All attacks were claimed by or attributed to the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen.

In January, an attack with drones on the UAE, for which the Houthi rebels later claimed responsibility, killed several people and blew up fuel tanker trucks near storage facilities owned by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).

Back then, the United States strongly condemned the attack, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said, adding that Our commitment to the security of the UAE is unwavering and we stand beside our Emirati partners against all threats to their territory.

Most recently, videos emerged on social media last week, suggesting that the Houthi rebels had launched a barrage of missiles on Saudi Arabia on Friday morning that have hit a Saudi Aramco oil facility in Jeddah.

This strike was the second such strike launched by the Houthi militia in five days on Aramcos facilities in Saudi Arabia. The Houthis used missiles and drones to target at least six Aramcos sites the previous week, prompting Riyadh to state that it is not responsible for high oil prices and suggesting that OPEC has no intention of raising production beyond what has already been agreed to by the cartel.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Addressing the Iran nuclear deal, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell noted "sometimes they think theyre almost there. And other days not." That seems to be a succinct summary of what is happening with the Vienna talks.

Borrell came in trying to facilitate the tail end of negotiations, but is now suggesting that Iran is the hold-up, and that the status of the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) being removed from a terror blacklist is clearly part of whats slowing this down.

Thats a surprise, as previous reports were that the IRGC de-listing deal was separate from the Vienna deal. Iran, moreover, had issued statements suggesting the two didnt need to be resolved at once. Here's what Borrell said:

"The JCPOA, its not getting to an end," Borrell told the European Parliament after returning from a trip to the Gulf, referring to the accord formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

"It would be a shame not to reach some sort of an agreement when were so near to reaching one. But I cannot guarantee that we will reach an agreement," he said.

Borrell offered some other details on whats been happening in recent weeks, including that one of Russias concerns was that the sanctions relief would put Irans oil back on the market, lowering prices and potentially costing Russian oil major revenues.

Days ago, Borrell blasted Russia at the Doha Forum:

"It seems that two weeks ago, we almost had it. Then Russia came, Russia was obstructing," by withholding approval of what seemed a done deal because Moscow was looking for leverage over the West in its war in Ukraine, Borrell told MEPs in Brussels.

Specifically, he said, Russia wanted to prevent sanctions on Iranian oil being lifted "because if Iran started producing oil there will be more supply in the markets, and thats not in the interest of Russia."

That too is interesting, as the price of oil was seen as a big reason for the Iran deal right now. Borrell said it was resolved with a confidential assurance to Russia on overall trade, which is interesting because the US is very much resisting any deals with Russia recently.

Borrell indicated that his team is making the rounds between Tehran, Vienna, and DC trying to work something out. Long story short, however, it seems that the deal could either happen really soon, or continue to get dragged on with minor delays.

By Zerohedge.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The Dutch government will advise citizens and businesses to use less gas but has stopped short of activating emergency energy plans.

Earlier today, Germany declared triggered the first phase of emergency gas plans  known as an early warning  amid escalating concerns over supply shortages.

Its decision not to follow in Germanys footsteps has staved off the possibility of a regional or bloc-wide crisis plan within the European Union (EU)

This only occurs when two member states declare an emergency based on the same grounds.

The Kremlins demand for gas payments to be made in roubles has sent energy firms scrambling to assess the ramifications, with the EU increasingly concerned Russia could cut off supplies.

The Netherlands imports nearly 20 percent of its natural gas from Russia and has been seeking alternative sources in the wake of Moscows invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Tim van Dijk, the economic affairs ministry spokesperson, told Reuters: In view of the German decision we reviewed our gas security plan. We are not going to initiate the plan because we will only take that step when there is a real physical shortage or there is an acute threat that it will happen.

He said the Dutch were monitoring the situation on a daily basis and had decided to launch a public campaign this weekend calling on people to reduce their use of gas, following Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Despite strict sanctions imposed on Moscow by the European Union, Russian gas is still flowing into the continent, accounting for roughly 40 percent of its total supplies.

By City AM

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
OPECs Joint Technical Committee has revised its estimates for Q1 supply and demand. In the Committees estimation, the supply surplus has shrunk to 600,000 bpd, versus its previous estimate of 1 million bpd.

OPECs Joint Technical Committee met on Wednesday to review oil market developments ahead of the OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting on Thursday.

OPEC Secretary General HE Mohammad Barkindo encouraged its members to stay the course when it comes to the groups decision tomrorow, according to an OPEC statement cited by Reuters.

This is the most recent signal to the oil markets that tomorrows OPEC+ meeting is likely to be short and uneventful, resulting in no changes to the groups production plans for May.

The current plan is for OPEC+ to add 432,000 bpd to the groups overall production quota, despite calls on the group to boost its production more significantly.

The World Bank said on Wednesday that Gulf oil producers could play a critical role in squelching oil and gas price volatility in the coming months.

We are witnessing a massive restructuring of the global oil and gas market, where the supply flexibility of the GCC will be critical in dampening volatility in coming months, David Malpass said in a speech telecast at the World Government Summit in Dubai, according to Reuters.

Gulf producers Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait are all GCC and OPEC members.

But OPEC+s challenges remain. While OPEC+ has raised its target production level every month since last August, it has been unable to hit its new monthly targets, leaving the market to worry whether OPEC+ has the capacity to meet the current market demands.

PetroLogistics said on Wednesday that OPECs crude oil exports actually fell during the first 27 days of March, averaging just 21.421 million barrels per daydown 363,000 bpd versus the full month of February, despite OPECs increased quotas.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
 Flash

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Swiss President and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis held on Tuesday a telephone conversation, during which the two mainly discussed the situation in Ukraine.

Wang said that it is deplorable that the situation in Ukraine has developed to this point, adding that China, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has always decided on its position and policy according to the merits of the matter itself.

Noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping recently gave the most authoritative elaboration of China's basic position during a video summit with the leaders of France and Germany, Wang said that all of China's measures are taken based on the "four musts."

He also said that China is committed to promoting peace talks, and has started to encourage Russia and Ukraine to conduct face-to-face negotiations from the next day after the outbreak of the conflict.

The Chinese side has always maintained that only by strengthening the efforts of the international community to promote peace talks can space be explored for diplomatic negotiations and settlement of the conflict, adding that China will continue to contribute to this in its own way.

Sanctions have never been an effective way to solve problems, said Wang, adding that the unlimited escalation of sanctions will not only worsen the difficult recovery of the global economy after the outbreak of the pandemic, but also further expand and complicate contradictions.

He urged that normal international economic and trade exchanges between non-parties to the conflict should not be affected, and the legitimate rights and interests of various countries should be earnestly safeguarded.

Cassis said that it is the largest war that broke out in Europe in more than 70 years, resulting in the displacement of a large number of civilians and having a serious impact on economic recovery, globalization and multilateralism.

The Swiss president said that Switzerland also believes that diplomacy is the only correct way to deal with it, and it stands for resolving differences through dialogues and negotiations.

Switzerland maintains dialogue with Russia and Ukraine, and it does not support the exclusion of Russia from multilateral institutions, he said, adding Switzerland will continue to uphold its status as a neutral country and provide goodwill services for diplomatic mediation and the promotion of peace talks.

Wang stressed that China has put forward a six-point initiative to prevent a larger-scale humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, provided two batches of emergency humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, and helped Ukrainian neighboring countries resettle the displaced Ukrainian people.

He added that the short-term goals of China and Switzerland in dealing with the situation in Ukraine are the same -- to achieve a cease-fire and end the conflict as soon as possible and to avoid a humanitarian crisis.

In the long run, all parties should address each other's legitimate concerns and explore ways to build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security framework, he said.

Noting that China appreciates Switzerland's repeated commitment to permanent neutrality and its role as a bridge-builder in international affairs, Wang said China expects Switzerland to play its unique role, and it stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with Switzerland.

Cassis said he agreed that the European security framework should be rebuilt.

Switzerland attaches great importance to China's status as a major country and its international influence, Cassis said, adding Switzerland is willing to explore ways to strengthen cooperation with China and jointly play a constructive role in seeking a diplomatic solution.




Poland is looking to stop using Russian oil by the end of this year and place an embargo on Russian coal imports within two months time, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday.

Poland imports from Russia around 60 percent of the oil its refineries process, and its top refiner PKN Orlen has term contracts with Russias oil firms Rosneft and Tatneft expiring at the end of 2022 and 2024, respectively.

We will do everything to stop using Russian oil by the end of this year, the Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki said today, as carried by Reuters.

Poland is one of the European Union member states that has been warning for years that Russia uses its energy resources as a blackmail tool, and was one of the biggest opponents of the now-defunct Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project. Germany halted all certifications for Nord Stream 2 after Russia recognized the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine, just before invading Ukraine.

Poland has been seeking for years to diversify its energy supplies away from Russia, and Polish energy firms have signed in recent years various deals for oil supply from Middle Eastern exporters and liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes from the United States.

Poland is also now in the camp of the EU countries calling for an EU-wide embargo on imports of Russian oil, coal, and gas. But many EU member states, including Germany, are against such an embargo, arguing that without Russian energy supply, Europe would plunge into a deep recession.

Last week, EU ministers discussed a possible embargo but failed to come to an agreement about whether to punish Putin with an oil import ban. Some small EU members, including Lithuania, pushed for an embargo, but the biggest economy, Germany, was against it.

Apart from Russian oil, Poland will look to stop using Russian coal, too. Poland targets this coming May as a deadline to impose a coal import embargo on Russia. Poland believes that it can procure coal from South Africa and Australia and prices wouldnt be more expensive.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
A NASA astronaut caught a Russian ride home after a record space station stay, returning with two cosmonauts to a world torn apart by war.
Fareway Stores, Inc. hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, March 29, for its new location at 604 S Highway 6 in Gretna.

The 21,000 square foot store features fresh meat from a full-service butcher counter, farm-fresh produce, competitive prices and a high level of customer service, including to-your-car carryout, the company said. FastLanes  a self-service checkout option, online shopping and curbside pickup will also be available.

We look forward to continued expansion in Nebraska and serving the needs of area residents in the growing community of Gretna, Fareway CEO Reynolds W. Cramer said in a press release. We want to thank the community and stakeholders for their support in making this project possible and welcoming Fareway as an integral part of the community.

The new store will be managed by Grocery Manager Charles Driscoll and Market Manager Josh Tye. The store is open to the public as of Wednesday, March 30. Store hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

As Gretna continues to grow, its important that we keep a sense of community and the quality of life for which we are well-known, Mayor Mike Evans said. We are thankful that Fareway selected our community to be part of its growing company. Not only do they provide quality products, services and career opportunities, but their focus on family values, honesty, and developing relationships with its customers, employees, and suppliers make them a great fit for Gretna.

Fareway currently operates 129 stores in a six-state region. The company said its mission includes treating customers like family and valuing dedicated employees.

The Gretna Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to have the newest Fareway location opening in our community. With a foundation of personalized service and quality food distribution, we are pleased to support the growth of commerce and dedication to local employees this company will bring, Gretna Area Chamber of Commerce Board President Doug Ortlieb said in a press release. Fareway is an asset to both our business district and our community as a whole, and we are pleased to welcome them to Gretna.
 Flash

The China-EU leaders' meeting has taken place successfully 22 times, playing a vital strategic guiding role in the development of China-EU relations and dialogue and cooperation, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily news briefing when asked to introduce arrangements for the meeting.

Wang said that, during this meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping would meet with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen via video link.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will co-chair the leaders' meeting with Michel and von der Leyen via video link, said the spokesperson.

China and the EU are two significant forces in maintaining world peace, two important markets to promote common development, and two civilizations to advance the cause of human progress, said Wang.

Wang noted that the current international situation is volatile with rising uncertainties. He said the two sides should strengthen strategic communication, enhance mutual trust, build consensus, and conduct dialogue and cooperation based on mutual respect and benefit. He added the two sides should also promote sustained and sound development of China-EU relations to inject stability and positive energy into the international situation.
Three weeks after Roberto Silva Jr. said he wanted to be executed  and three weeks after he pleaded guilty to killing two Sonic restaurant employees and wounding two others  his attorneys have filed a motion to determine his mental competency.

That the motion didnt occur in the three months prior to his guilty pleas struck some court observers as odd. In cases where theres even a suggestion of a competency issue, attorneys will have the defendant evaluated before he enters into any plea decisions.

Also unusual: The attorneys in this case filed the motion to determine competency under seal. Sarpy County Public Defender Tom Strigenz, whose office is representing Silva, said his office filed the motion under seal in the best interest of Silva.

It is extremely rare for judges to allow sealed motions in any criminal case  it is almost unheard of in capital murder cases where the defendant faces the possibility of execution.

Asked why the competency motion wasnt filed before Silvas guilty pleas, Strigenz said Wednesday: I would say Ill be honest with you  if we didnt file it, it was because we didnt have a concern prior to that (plea). ... All appropriate motions were filed on behalf of our client.

At this point, the motion to determine competency is simply to determine whether Silva is capable of understanding the court process and is capable of assisting his defense attorneys through the death-penalty phase of this case. It is different from an insanity defense, in which a defendant claims he was incapable of distinguishing right from wrong when he committed his crime.

And at this point, Silva is not seeking to withdraw his plea.

Asked if Silva would attempt to, Strigenz said: All options are on the table. Itll be up to Roberto to make a knowing and intelligent and voluntary decision with regard to how this case proceeds.

Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov said the new motion to determine competency does not mean that Silva was incompetent when he entered his guilty pleas on March 7. Silva, 24, pleaded guilty to all 15 charges for the Nov. 21, 2020, killings of Nathan Pastrana, 22, and Ryan Helbert, 28, and the critical injuries suffered by Zoey Lujan, then 18, and Kenneth Gerner, then 25. Silva was mad after he was caught stealing from the Bellevue Sonic restaurant three days before.

He pleaded guilty against the advice of the Sarpy County Public Defenders Office, including Christopher Lathrop, his lead attorney. Silva also gave up a motion to dismiss the death-penalty filing  a motion that had a decent chance of succeeding  because it was filed too late.

During the March 7 plea hearing, Polikov said, Sarpy County District Judge Nathan Cox inquired about Silvas competency. Silva assured he was of sound mind and wanted to proceed. Prosecutor Gage Cobb read from a letter in which Silva said he wanted to be executed and explained his rationale for his rampage of the restaurant at 1307 Cornhusker Road. Silva was angry because he had been detained by police three days earlier for using another persons Sonic app to purchase $57 worth of food at the restaurant.

My intention and motive was to kill the witnesses involved in (the identity theft case) to conceal the commission of that crime, Silva wrote, according to Cobb.

The death-penalty phase no doubt will be delayed. If the latest motion is granted, Silva likely will have to wait to be evaluated at the Lincoln Regional Center. In the meantime, a three-judge panel has been appointed to oversee the death-penalty phase.

Cox will serve as the lead judge, joined by Judge Bryan Meismer of northeast Nebraska and Judge Michael Piccolo of western Nebraska. The judges must be unanimous in imposing death.

Polikov said he wasnt sure why the motion to determine competency was filed under seal.

In another case where competency was an obvious issue, killer Nikko Jenkins had a motion to determine his competency before he pleaded no contest to four killings. He also had motions to determine his competency after he pleaded. All of those were public filings, handled in a public courtroom.

In November, Strigenzs office attempted to obtain a gag order  restraining press coverage and attorney comments  in another Bellevue murder case involving Adam Price, who is accused of killing his two children. Judge George Thompson rejected Strigenzs motions, ruling that any prior restraint on the press or attorneys is presumptively unconstitutional.

In more than two decades as county attorney, Polikov said he has opposed any attempts at secrecy in court. Open courts are a basic principle with me, Polikov said.

Polikov said he expects that the sentencing phase of the case may involve outside groups opposed to the death penalty  folks not even representing (Silva), just fighting capital punishment.

Theres the possibility of a circus developing, but well see, Polikov said. I think its a clear-cut death-penalty case. Thats why were presenting it.

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The Omaha City Council gave a unanimous go-ahead for Mutual of Omahas request to use more than $60 million in tax-increment financing to build a new downtown skyscraper.

The decision followed nearly two hours of testimony and discussion Tuesday, with nine residents voicing opposition and council members largely defending the proposal and its role in the transformational vision of downtown.

The project, estimated to cost $443 million, would reshape Omahas skyline and bring the Fortune 500 company to the heart of downtown. The skyscraper would sit on the current site of the W. Dale Clark Library at 15th and Douglas Streets.

Of the more than $68 million total TIF request, roughly $62.7 million would be for usable expenses. The rest would be from capitalized interest.

In all, about $83.4 million in property taxes paid on the Mutual tower would be used to repay the loan plus interest, according to project documents.

Developers say the project would move the city forward by developing a healthy urban core, changing the skyline, and helping attract and retain talent.

Mutuals move downtown also would free up its current site in midtown. Developers have not announced plans for that land, but some type of mixed-use area is expected.

The project also would go hand in hand with a recently announced streetcar line.

We have to have a healthy urban core, said developer Jason Lanoha, with Lanoha Real Estate Co. The urban core is the heart of our city.

Several people spoke in staunch opposition to the project.

Opponents cited concerns about how the pandemic  and the ability to work from home  has changed the traditional office space. A handful of people posed concerns that the building would sit empty, with most employees opting to work remotely.

Other concerns centered on moving the W. Dale Clark Library and replacing a public space with an office building that wont be used by the larger Omaha community.

Bob Grothe, who spoke on behalf of Iron Workers Local 21, said hes in favor of the project. But he voiced concern that the 1,200 construction jobs generated by the project would go to out-of-state workers. TIF-funded projects should provide jobs in the community, he told the council.

The vision for the city  and its vibrant urban core  has evolved over the years, said Councilman Brinker Harding. He stressed that council members listen to and are available to talk to their constituents.

Whatever we decide here today or in the future doesnt mean we havent listened to other people and their visions, Harding said. Whether or not we agree, I think we can work together. The Mutual project gives us a great opportunity to go forward on a new vision.

Harding also said the project will benefit not only downtown, but the entire metropolitan area.

Councilwoman Juanita Johnson echoed that sentiment, saying that the issue has been looked at from all angles and that leaders have to look at whats best for the city as a whole.

The new building would have about 800,000 square feet of office space and about 2,200 parking stalls. It would house about 4,000 employees, although not necessarily all at one time. Officials have previously said that many workers would adopt a hybrid schedule, coming into the office for certain meetings or a few days a week.

At the same time, Mutual officials said the new building has a much smaller footprint than the companys current headquarters space at 33rd and Dodge Streets. That campus has about 1.7 million square feet.

Lanoha previously said construction would start in less than a year and would be completed on a fast timeline. Officials would work on plans for redeveloping Mutuals current property in Midtown Crossing at a later date, he said at a previous meeting.

Mutual officials first unveiled the plans in January at a press conference with Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert. At the same event, city officials announced plans for a streetcar, which would operate along a 3-mile route.

Typically with TIF, a developer takes out a loan to cover eligible redevelopment expenses. The loan is then repaid by the increased property taxes generated from the redevelopment, typically over a period of 15 years, though that can be extended to 20 years if the area is deemed extremely blighted.

The site for the planned Mutual tower falls within an area deemed extremely blighted.

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.
New Douglas County Juvenile Probation offices in the old Metropolitan Utilities District headquarters building will lead to better outcomes for young people in trouble with the law and help improve public safety, officials predicted at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday.

Nebraska State Probation Administrator Deb Minardi called the newly renovated building an amazing space where families and youth (will) feel respected, feel valued, can grow and feel like people care about their future.

When we raise our youth up, were essentially saying to them, your past does not define you, and your past need not define your future; that we believe in you, and that there is hope, Minardi said.

The former MUD building, 1723 Harney St., was renovated as part of Douglas Countys $128 million juvenile justice center across Harney Street from the Douglas County Courthouse. The renovated edifice is the first of the three buildings in the complex to be completed. A new courthouse annex and juvenile detention center are scheduled to be done in 2023. Douglas County Board Chair Mary Ann Borgeson led a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday.

The renovated building will become the new home of the Douglas County district of Juvenile Probation, a state agency. The 52 probation officers, plus about 40 administrators and support staff, will move into the new offices in about two weeks. Theyll leave behind cramped quarters that Douglas County leases in the Keeline Building a block away.

In their current space, most of the probation officers must share offices with each other. There are no dedicated conference rooms for meeting with youths and their families. Drug screenings are conducted in shared restrooms. The current office doesnt even have Wi-Fi.

The four-story building theyre moving to is relatively spacious and well-lit by windows. It retains its stately historic appearance afforded by high ceilings and decorative wood trim in many places. Probation officers will have their own individual offices. The building has three small conference rooms and a large one  the imposing, wood-paneled former meeting room of the MUD board. The building has Wi-Fi and up-to-date technology. It has dedicated private rooms for drug screenings. And there are two lactation rooms.

Its an awesome complex for us to serve the kids and families, Richard Williams, a Douglas County Juvenile Probation supervisor, said as workers got their first look at their new digs. Well have appropriate space. We wont have people sitting on top of each other like we had before. Its nice.

He said the conditions are 10 times better for the workers. Having adequate space and meeting rooms, Williams said, will help the probation office serve youths and families better.

A lot of our work efforts are working with the families, he said. When we have privacy, chances are theyll be more willing to engage and work with us. ... Before, we would be speaking and other people are in the next room  thats not privacy for folks that are coming in that are already in a bad situation.

About 450 youths are on juvenile probation in Douglas County. The probation office is trying to help them turn their lives around and avoid further involvement in the court system.

The work you do in juvenile justice is challenging, said Mary Visek, chief probation officer in the office. We want to be able to offer our staff the best place that we can for them to get up and come into every day to do this work. This building really does speak to that, and provide a nice, sunlit, open, clean space.

Borgeson said the environment of the new building will increase the staffs positivity and make youths and families feel more hopeful and cared for.

What we believe is that if you provide those positive reinforcements from staff to staff, and to children and families, you then will gain an increase in public safety, Borgeson said.

The Omaha Douglas Public Building Commission sold bonds to pay for the three-building complex. Douglas County taxpayers are repaying the bonds.

Borgeson and other proponents of the controversial project, which has been five years in the making, pitched the notion that better facilities located together, combined with better programming, would lead to efficiencies and reforms that will improve services to young people directly involved, their families and the general public.

When I was standing up there, I actually had butterflies in my stomach, because I was so excited that were trying to make things better for our kids and our families, Borgeson said after the ceremony. This is the first step in the project to do that.

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 Omaha areas leading public health official spoke in opposition of a proposed ordinance Tuesday that would change the process of enacting health mandates and regulations in the case of an epidemic.

Douglas County Health Director Lindsay Huse called for City Council members to vote down the ordinance or rework the proposals language, which she said would bring with it several issues that could be detrimental to the health of the people who are living here in Omaha.

Under the proposal, any health mandate determined by the health director would have to be presented to the mayor for review and approval. Any rejections or approvals made by the mayor then would go before the City Council, which would have the power to affirm or reverse the mayors decision.

The ordinance presented Tuesday was a revised version of an ordinance originally proposed by Councilman Vinny Palermo, which would have stripped decision-making powers from the Douglas County health director during a pandemic.

Originally, Palermo, with support from Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert, called for the creation of a special epidemic health director.

The county health director would have had the power only to certify the presence of an epidemic. After a threat were recognized, the newly established special epidemic health director would have been responsible for coming up with a plan to manage it.

That position would have been filled by the physician medical director for the Omaha Fire Department. That post is held by Dr. Robert Chaplin, a pediatric critical care physician at Childrens Hospital & Medical Center and the Nebraska Medical Center.

Huse thanked Palermo for amending the original ordinance, but told council members that the proposal has not been presented with enough time to adequately understand the impact the ordinance would have broadly.

As written, the ordinance is taking steps backwards in protecting our community, Huse said. The language and the intent of the language really deserves a deeper dive.

Huse took issue with the use of the word epidemic rather than pandemic.

An epidemic occurs somewhat regularly compared to a pandemic, Huse said, and it could include a foodborne illness or an outbreak of the flu.

The ability to act with extreme speed in these situations is key in how we are able to control spread and harm from reaching other people, Huse said.

About 10 people spoke in support of the ordinance Tuesday. Many said they approved of placing more decision-making powers in the hands of elected officials.

A few spoke outright against the mask mandate that was issued by Huse in January, labeling it a form of government overreach.

Nearly two months ago, Huse issued a mask mandate for Omaha amid a surge of COVID-19 infections. She cited an astronomical spike in cases and an already overburdened health care system as her justification for the mandate.

Huse said Tuesday that she would have liked to have acted sooner in enacting the mask mandate.

Would I have liked to move sooner? Yes, Huse said. Why didnt I? I was trying to provide as much respect and balance given that there were a number of our city officials who werent in support of that action.

At the time, the mandate had the backing of a majority of City Council members. Some health officials, including the chief of the University of Nebraska Medical Centers infectious diseases division, also voiced support for the mandate.

But a trio of council members  not including Palermo  opposed it, as did Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and Stothert. Stothert did, however, concede that Huse had the authority to issue the mandate in her role as Omahas health director. The mayor said neither she nor the council could void the mandate, which Huse eventually lifted in February.

The state reacted with a lawsuit in which Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson sought a temporary and permanent injunction declaring the mandate void and unlawful. He argued that Huse did not have jurisdiction or authority to issue the mandate.

The state argued that such mandates require approval from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

A judge rejected that argument in January. Siding with the city and county, she pointed out that the plain language of the Omaha municipal code requires that the health director shall take all measures necessary to prevent the introduction ... of malignant, contagious and infectious diseases.

A city ordinance delegating such authority within Omaha city limits to the county health director has been in place since 1949.

Sometimes difficult and unpopular decisions have to be made and introducing unnecessary political steps into that process could impact peoples lives and their deaths, Huse said.

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
LINCOLN  Two proposed water projects in Nebraska continued to flow through the Legislature on Tuesday, and now need to pass only one more round of debate before they become law.

Both bills have seen support among lawmakers, who regard the projects as beneficial to increasing Nebraskas tourism, and guaranteeing the states water supply from Colorado. Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers of Lincoln, who introduced both bills, described the lake project as a win-win-win for Nebraska.

If we hit it, its going to be a home run, Hilgers said.

State Sen. Megan Hunt felt otherwise, referring to the lake as a vanity project. Hunt called out other senators for fighting to lower taxes while also supporting both projects, which she deemed wasteful spending.

It feels like an episode of Parks and Recreation, Hunt said.

The state plans to allocate about $53 million out of its cash reserve for the canal project this year. Hunt said the lake will also take about $20 million out of the budget, but early estimates put the total cost of the lake at over $1 billion. Hilgers said he hopes to have more than 90% of the cost covered by private funds.

Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha also criticized the lake, calling the idea bananas. She argued that it would bring about ongoing expenses for upkeep, and draw tourism away from other bodies of water in Nebraska.

Additionally, Cavanaugh argued that the people near a potential site dont want a lake there. Past proposals to create a lake between Omaha and Lincoln faced stiff opposition because they would have flooded the Ashland area. The current proposal would not involve flooding Ashland  the bill actually prohibits negative impacts to Ashland and surrounding communities.

Cavanaugh said property owners dont want to give up their land so the state can build a lake. Though Hilgers said he hopes to avoid exercising eminent domain, Cavanaugh and Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard doubted that would be possible.

I dont think youll accomplish this without eminent domain, Erdman said.

Despite this, Hilgers asserted that he does not plan to use eminent domain, and pointed out that the final site for the lake has not been identified yet.

LB 1023 establishes a framework for the lake development, but Hilgers said the project would take years to reach fruition. He said the effort could ultimately come up dry if further study shows that the project would harm Lincolns drinking water supply or run afoul of environmental laws.

It also could be derailed if backers cannot get enough money or are unable to acquire land, he said.

The canal project would carry out the provisions of a nearly century-old compact with Colorado. Under the compact, Nebraska can lay claim to 500 cubic feet per second of water for irrigation use between Oct. 15 and April 1 if the canal is built.

Critics questioned whether the project would hurt the states working relationship with Colorado.

Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue said she contacted Colorado officials to see how much negotiating Nebraska officials have done with them, and found that the state engineer had not even been notified of the project. She said this could hurt Nebraskas ability to negotiate with Colorado on future projects.

I dont know that were being good neighbors, Blood said.

In response, Hilgers said that negotiations werent necessary because Nebraska already has the legal right to build the canal under the compact. Without the canal, however, Colorado can keep all of the additional water outside of irrigation season.

If we continue to drag our feet and do nothing, then were going to lose that water forever, said Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte.

Sen. Matt Hansen of Lincoln questioned the logistics of the project, asking whether it was necessary to spend money and resources building the canal when the water coming from the South Platte River would ultimately end up in Nebraska anyway.

However, several senators pointed out that the project would also build reservoirs that would collect additional water during the summer, benefitting residents.

World-Herald Staff Writer Martha Stoddard 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.
LINCOLN  Gov. Pete Ricketts vetoed a bill Tuesday that would require him to apply for $120 million in federal rental assistance.

Legislative Bill 1073 passed in the Legislature on a 26-15 vote last week, but Ricketts has repeatedly voiced opposition to seeking the aid. In his veto announcement Tuesday, Ricketts said the funding would create a government subsidy that would make residents more reliant on government in the future.

We must guard against big government socialism where people are incentivized not to work but are instead encouraged to rely on government handouts well after an emergency is over, Ricketts said in the announcement.

The governor also noted that Nebraska still has $30 million in unused aid from the first round of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. That money, he said, is more than enough to meet Nebraskans rental needs through the end of 2022.

State Sen. Matt Hansen of Lincoln, who prioritized LB 1073, criticized Ricketts decision, calling it inappropriate for the governor to make state spending decisions when that power should fall to the Legislature.

Hansen will seek a veto override to overturn Ricketts decision. He said he has not set a date with Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers yet, but Hilgers previously committed to debating the bill  including a possible veto override  in time to meet a March 31 federal deadline to request the aid.

Hansen would need 30 votes to pass a veto override. Even if that succeeds, it is unlikely Nebraska will receive the full $120 million. The Legislature did not pass an emergency clause for the bill, meaning that the law would take effect in July.

At that point, Hansen said Nebraska would still have access to about 40% of the federal aid, amounting to a minimum of about $51 million. He urged state officials to seek the aid as soon as possible.

Every day were going to wait, were going to lose more and more of that $120 million, Hansen said.

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
To State Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha, the criminal sentencing changes he is pushing represent smart-on-crime reforms and could help the state avoid spending hundreds of millions on new prisons.

But Gov. Pete Ricketts recently offered a different description for Lathrops Legislative Bill 920, calling it a soft-on-crime package of letting inmates and dangerous criminals out of prison early.

In the Legislature this year, LB 920 has become a divisive issue thats gone beyond just the future of the nations fastest growing and most overcrowded prison system. The bill  along with Ricketts plan to build a new $270 million prison  has weighed heavily during discussions of the states budget and recently for a time derailed a package of tax cuts.

Lathrop maintains that state lawmakers need to pass sentencing reforms to deal with not only current overcrowding, but also the nearly 1,300 additional inmates Nebraska is projected to add between now and 2030.

Theres little doubt LB 920 would make an impact on Nebraskas inmate numbers.

The Crime and Justice Institute, a nonprofit that worked with state officials this past year to study the states criminal justice system and prison growth, estimated that LB 920 by 2030 would reduce the head count in Nebraskas prisons by more that 1,000 inmates from current projections.

Thats the difference between 4% inmate growth over that time and the current projection of 22% growth.

CJI found that the number of inmates coming into Nebraskas prison system in recent years is actually down. But the issue is that they are staying longer. Thats why its imperative to take a hard look at sentencing laws, Lathrop said.

Without taking the types of actions contemplated in LB 920, he said, even if the state builds the prison Ricketts has been pushing, lawmakers will be asked before long to build still more beds. And thats not to mention the tens of millions of annual costs to staff and run prisons.

He calls LB 920 an effort to reserve the states expensive prison beds for the states most serious and dangerous criminals.

We cant build as fast as the place is filling up, Lathrop said as lawmakers launched debate on LB 920 Wednesday night. It is incumbent on this Legislature in this session to chart a long-term course for the Department of Corrections.

But the bill has faced strong opposition from the association representing the states county prosecutors and from Ricketts. They say it goes too far in reducing criminal penalties and taking away discretion from judges.

Most of these policies are nonstarters for anyone looking to serve the victims of crime and promote public safety, the Republican governor said in a column released Tuesday.

Ricketts has called on Lathrop to drop most of the bill and instead work with him on 17 provisions from last years criminal justice review that achieved consensus approval from the panel.

Those measures include improving access to mental health care for individuals on parole or probation, providing transitional housing for just-released inmates and increasing the availability of problem-solving courts. Most of those provisions, however, are not currently before the Legislature.

While criminal justice debates can often be partisan, CJR officials note that a number of LB 920s provisions have been adopted in states with Republican governors and legislatures. Utah, Tennessee and Oklahoma, for example, have made possession of small amounts of drugs a misdemeanor rather than a felony.

And at least two LB 920 provisions are similar to policies that then-President Donald Trump included in a federal criminal justice reform package he signed in 2018.

Theres also no doubt the changes proposed by LB 920 have been subject to both misunderstanding and hyperbole.

Ricketts in a press conference last week said Lathrop wants to get rid of consecutive sentences. The bill would actually only limit their use, particularly when it comes to nonviolent offenders.

Lathrop said the governor and others have also mischaracterized parts of the bill that would make some offenders eligible for parole earlier.

That does not mean they would be released earlier, Lathrop said. It would still be up to the parole board  which is appointed by the governor  to determine whether they are good candidates and should be released to supervision. CJI found the parole board has recently been approving 58% of applications for parole.

Lathrop and even some opponents of the bill acknowledge that its in everyones interest for inmates to spend time on parole rather than jamming out  prison slang for completing their entire maximum sentence. While on parole, former inmates are monitored to make sure they are staying off drugs, working and taking other steps to reintegrate into society.

If (an offender) goes in for eight years, will you be safer if he spends eight years, or if he spends seven years and one year supervised by a parole officer? Lathrop said. Thats what this is all about.

Sen. Suzanne Geist of Lincoln, who like both Ricketts and Lathrop served on the panel that studied the states prison system, has introduced an amendment that would strip out the most contentious provisions of LB 920.

An analysis of the amendment by CJI shows it would also cut out nearly all the bills impact in reducing inmate numbers. It would mean 143 fewer inmates by 2030 compared to the more than 1,000 under Lathrops plan.

During negotiations this week, Geist has been able to reach agreement with Lathrop on some provisions of the bill. But consensus on others seems far apart.

The Legislature is expected to continue debate on the measure next week, with more negotiations likely before then.

Here is a look at some of the most contentious provisions of LB 920:

Reduce penalties for possession of a small amount of drugs.

Current law in Nebraska allows charging of a felony for even trace amounts of drugs, amounts CJI says are more consistent with being a drug user rather than a drug dealer. The bill would make possession of less than half of a gram of most drugs a misdemeanor, subject to probation or time in county jail.

A number of states have reduced penalties for small amounts of drugs. For example, Utah made it a misdemeanor for the first two offenses, with a third offense rising to a felony. An Urban Institute study found the change significantly reduced the number of drug possession offenders coming into prison.

The goal of these types of policies is that if this is an addiction issue, then address their addiction, said Len Engel, CJIs director of policy.

Geist and Ricketts say in reality, prison is already the last resort for drug users, with first-time offenders typically given the opportunity to attend diversion programs and special drug courts.

The penitentiary is not full of people arrested because they had less than half a gram of a drug, Geist said.

The county attorneys association said making drug possession a misdemeanor undermines offenders participation in drug courts, which another part of the bill seeks to expand.

Establish a system of geriatric parole for inmates 75 years or older who did not commit murder, are not serving a life sentence, and who have served at least 15 years of their sentence.

Nebraska has a fast-growing number of very old inmates. The working group examined systems in a number of states that allow for parole of older inmates who no longer pose a serious threat to public safety and are expensive to incarcerate because of medical costs.

The federal government under Trump also established geriatric parole, and that system is more lenient than what LB 920 provides. The federal program is available to inmates 60 or older and is not subject to a parole board review.

Ricketts blasted the provision in his column, saying older inmates can still pose a threat. But Geist in negotiations with Lathrop this week has agreed to the policy with some tweaks, including making sexual offenders ineligible.

I contend we do not want a 75-year-old pedophile released on parole, Geist said.

Lathrop said he expects the parole board will still choose to release few such inmates, and their numbers will not impact overcrowding much.

Set a limit on minimum sentences in order to encourage offenders to spend more of their sentences under parole supervision.

Nebraska uses indeterminate sentencing, with crimes carrying a minimum and maximum penalty. The minimum determines when the offender becomes eligible for parole, and the maximum determines when the offender will be released. The time between those dates is the time the offender can spend under parole supervision.

Nebraska law once capped minimum sentences at one-third of the maximum. But in 1993, repeal of the cap was slipped into a bill without a word of debate in the Legislature, and lawmakers have declined to restore any kind of cap since.

LB 920 would cap most minimums at 50% of the maximum in an effort to move up parole eligibility. Lathrop calls this one of the bills keys, serving the public interest by increasing supervision of those who are eventually released. Hes been willing to increase the cap above the 50% level.

Geist agrees supervision is critical but opposes the cap. She may seek to amend the measure by putting a period of mandatory supervision on the end of criminal sentences, similar to a bill vetoed previously by Ricketts.

When charging a person as a habitual criminal under Nebraskas three strikes law, the two prior strikes would need to involve violence or sexual assault.

In Nebraska, being a habitual criminal carries a significant 10-year mandatory sentence, so Lathrop said its appropriate the charge should be focused on those with a history of committing violent offenses.

The county attorneys say the law remains important, and say such offenders represent a small percentage of total inmates.

Establish criteria for judges to determine when sentences for multiple crimes should be served consecutively.

Requiring criminals convicted of multiple crimes to serve sentences consecutively can significantly ratchet up the amount of time behind bars.

CJI found that 86% of consecutive sentences handed down by Nebraska judges were discretionary, and there was also no consistency in how they were used. In Lancaster County, judges used consecutive sentences twice as often as in Douglas County, and across the state they tended to be most often used for lower-level crimes.

Under LB 920, for a judge to require consecutive sentences, the multiple crimes would need to meet one of these conditions: The crimes were violent or involved threat of violence or sexual assault, were committed on more than one day or involved multiple victims, or involved a crime that was heinous or cruel.

Ricketts said this week that the limits go too far and would handcuff a judges ability to issue a sentence appropriate for the crimes committed.

Geist said she feels there is room for reaching a compromise on this provision, as well as on others. But with just days left in the session, she questioned whether there is time.

She also lamented that at a time Nebraska coffers are flush with cash, the state isnt investing more money in drug treatment and mental health services  steps everyone agrees would reduce inmate numbers.

Sen. Lathrop and I agree on so much and want the same outcomes, she said. We just want to get there a bit differently.

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.
BLOOMINGTON  Poet Claudia Rankine will visit Bloomington-Normal next week, with speaking engagements at Illinois Wesleyan University and in uptown Normal.

Her visit is part of the William Morgan Distinguished Poet Series, which is sponsored by Illinois State University Professor Emeritus William Morgan along with various departments at IWU and ISU, according to a press release from IWU.

IWU will host a discussion with Rankine at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 7, in the Hansen Student Center. Later that evening, Rankine has a reading at the Normal Theater at 7 p.m., with a reception at Medici afterward.

The events are free and open to the public.

IWU is also hosting a reading group this Thursday, a week ahead of Rankines visit. The event is at 4 p.m. in the Center for Liberal Arts Room 105. There is a reading/watching list for those who plan to attend; it can be found at iwu.edu/news/2022/rankine-reading-group.pdf.

Masks are required at the IWU events.

Rankine is a nationally renowned poet and playwright. Her latest book is a collection of essays titled "Just Us: An American Conversation," which was published in 2020. She also co-founded The Racial Imaginary Institute in 2016.

This story has been updated with the correct date of Rankine's visit to Thursday, April 7.

Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter: @connorkwood

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

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.
BLOOMINGTON  A McLean County judge accepted a prosecutors recommendation Tuesday to sentence a Eureka man to four years in prison for a methamphetamine delivery.

Matthew D. Nunley, 33, pleaded guilty in January to one count of unlawful delivery of less than 5 grams of meth.

He was charged in September 2020 with four counts of unlawful delivery of meth. Three of the charges involved less than 5 grams and one transaction was between 5 and 15 grams of meth.

Nunley also was charged with unlawful possession of 5 to 15 grams of meth with the intent to deliver and unlawful possession of less than 15 grams of alprazolam.

Five of the charges were dismissed under a plea agreement reached in January.

McLean County Assistant States Attorney Mary Koll recommended Judge William Yoder to impose a four-year prison sentence, as she pointed to Nunleys escalating degrees of convictions from misdemeanors to felonies.

McLean County Assistant Public Defender Joseph Moran asked the judge to place Nunley on 30 months probation, where he could be monitored on a very tight leash.

Nunley faced a sentence of either probation or between three and seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections under the plea agreement.

Nunley received credit for 31 days previously served in jail. His prison sentence also is eligible for day-for-day credit.

Contact Kade Heather at 309-820-3256. Follow him on Twitter: @kadeheather

Love 0 Funny 1 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.
BLOOMINGTON  A former LeRoy High School teacher pleaded guilty Wednesday to grooming in connection to reported inappropriate communication with a student in 2019.

Brandon E. Reynolds, 35, of LeRoy, is scheduled to be sentenced June 2 for the Class 4 felony offense.

Defense lawyer Josh Rinker said the plea agreement included a stipulation that prosecutors would not pursue child pornography charges against Reynolds in relation to an open McLean County States Attorneys investigation.

LeRoy Community Unit School District Superintendent Gary Tipsord said Reynolds was replaced in December 2020. Reynolds was placed on administrative leave after school officials became aware of the communication between him and a student, the school district said in October 2020, when Reynolds was charged.

Assistant States Attorney Aaron Fredrick said Wednesday that the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services contacted LeRoy police in September 2020 about a report it received regarding an inappropriate relationship between a minor student and Reynolds.

Fredrick said the student was 16 years old at the time of the conversations, which a prosecutor previously said took place in May 2019.

Prosecutors also previously said in a probable cause statement that Reynolds complimented the students physical appearance, called the student irresistible and made other suggestive comments in text messages.

Reynolds admitted in a police interview that he knew the student was 16 years old and that the conversation was inappropriate, prosecutors said.

Contact Kade Heather at 309-820-3256. Follow him on Twitter: @kadeheather

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.
NORMAL  The Eastern Illinois Food Bank will distribute food to area families facing food insecurity from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 23, at Normal Community West High School, 501 N. Parkside Road, Normal.

The food giveaway is open to residents of McLean County. Those attending are encouraged to bring boxes or bags to transport food.

The distribution is part of the Foodbank's Foodmobile Program, a system of mobile food pantries designed to help bring nutritious food to rural or underserved areas.

Those who plan to attend should pre-register at EIFclient.com; however, this does not guarantee a spot in line. Income guidelines will apply.

Visit eifoodbank.org or call 217-328-3663 for more information.

Contact Olivia Jacobs at (309)-820-3352. Reach out with questions.

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.
NORMAL  A collection of artwork and survivor love letters reflecting anger, pain, light, strength and everything in between will line the gallery walls in Normal Public Library next month in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

I really want to encourage the community to take a good long look at the issue of sexual assault and to think that there are probably many people in their own lives who have experienced it, said Kylie Ashton Maurer, a Normal native and the organizer behind the project. Those people may never tell you, you may never know, but theyre there.

Maurers project is being done in coordination with Resilient Voices, a nonprofit based in North Carolina that brings survivors from across the country to an annual retreat where work to strengthen their voices and find support and healing  an experience she called life-changing.

With permission from filmmaker Tani Ikeda, the founder of the Survivor Love Letter movement, Maurer has asked the community to submit any form of visual art or writing. Those can include a love letter to yourself, a previous version of yourself, a survivor of sexual assault you love or a survivor you have never met. To submit a letter, complete the Google Form at bit.ly/3LuXr3Y. Anonymous submissions are welcome.

Submissions should be sent by April 12, but Maurer said letters completed after the deadline will be accepted.

The gallery will be displayed from April 15 to May 1. After the installation is finished, Maurer plans to bring the letters to the Resilient Voices retreat this fall as a sort of welcome to survivors stepping into the experience for the first time, to see support from across the country.

The gallery space located just inside the College Avenue entrance to the library was as close as I could get to the perfect place where anyone could come see it and everyone is welcome, Maurer said.

The accessibility of the library was key to finding a home for the gallery, but Maurer noted bringing it to this community with three higher education institutions was a factor as well.

According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), college-age adults are at a high risk for sexual violence. Women ages 18-24 who are college students are three times more likely than women in general to experience sexual violence and 13% of all college students experience rape or sexual assault through force, violence or incapacitation.

That is an audience who this subject is really highly relevant to, Maurer said. Theres just so many people who have been through it and I want to honor that because its really easy to feel alone and isolated in that experience when its unfortunately incredibly common.

Anne Taylor, director of YWCA McLean County Stepping Stones which supports survivors and offers resources including counseling, said giving survivors an opportunity to express themselves can make a significant difference in their lives.

"Kylie's project brings voice to the struggles survivors face, while allowing for opportunities to heal as well, Taylor said. The challenges are real. Many survivors suffer in silence; others seek justice without result. Each path is different. Each survivor unique. By providing this space for artistic expression and bringing the pieces together, a collective power is brought back to survivors.

Stepping Stones also has events and projects planned for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, including participation in First Friday in downtown Bloomington and the Step Up challenge, calling for community members to support survivors with a step-tracking competition. More information about their initiatives is available at ywcamclean.org/saam.

The gallery is "an opportunity for our whole community to acknowledge the problem, step up and show support by believing, sharing resources and making sure each survivor has an opportunity to access the resources they need," Taylor said.

Maurer said it took her years to be able to speak about her own assault, but once she started telling her story, every time I would tell it someone would respond in turn with their story.

That astounded me, that there was this kind of secret between so many people, this almost secret sisterhood, though of course sexual assault can happen to anyone regardless of gender, age or race, she said. It both made me feel not so alone but it also created a deep well of sadness within me.

Now seven years after she became a survivor, Maurer said she is comfortable using her voice and isnt ashamed. She is still sad but shes also angry, both at her rapist and at law enforcement who she feels failed her and other victims.

That made me realize how undervalued survivors are or how undervalued the voices of victims are, especially those who have gone through sexual assault, she said. When you think about how disproportionately sexual assault affects women and not only women but particularly women of color, the BIPOC community and the LGBT+ community  those are voices that need to be heard.

She hopes survivors see the gallery and feel like its OK to speak up and feel their feelings and be mad and be gentle with themselves and just go through the whole range of emotions.

Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The event will feature over 20 vendors and crafters, raffles and a bake sale. Proceeds from the event will go to help veterans and family support programs. The programs allow boxes to be sent to deployed military and also support veterans at the Quincy Veterans Home and Illiana VA Medical Center.
A Davenport attorneys law license has been suspended in Iowa and Illinois after court officials determined she had forged a clients signature on arraignment papers and then misrepresented what she had done.

The Illinois Supreme Court last week suspended the law license of Lori Jo Kieffer-Garrison until further notice. The Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board had previously suspended Kieffer-Garrison's license to practice law in Iowa without the possibility of reinstatement for one year.

The action by Iowa court officials in November 2020 led the Supreme Court of Illinois to impose "reciprocal discipline" and suspended her Illinois law license for one year and until further order of the Court.

In Illinois, a suspension until further order of the Court is an indefinite suspension that requires the suspended lawyer to petition for reinstatement after the fixed period of suspension ends. Reinstatement is not automatic and requires a hearing before the states Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission Hearing Board.

According to the Iowa attorney discipline board, Kieffer-Garrison has been licensed to practice law in Illinois since 2001 and in Iowa since 2002.

The alleged violations in the case stem from Kieffer-Garrisons court-appointed representation of Joseph Johnson in a criminal case in 2019.

A Scott County judge appointed Kieffer-Garrison to represent Johnson at his initial appearance.

Kieffer-Garrison filed an appearance and waived the preliminary hearing for Johnsons case the next day, and the district court subsequently canceled Johnsons preliminary hearing and scheduled his arraignment for March 14. Kieffer-Garrison never communicated with Johnson about waiving the preliminary hearing.

On March 12, Kieffer-Garrison filed a written arraignment and plea of not guilty on Johnsons behalf, which included a signature purporting to be Johnsons, with whom she had had yet to communicate, according to the suspension order from the Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Discipline Board.

Two days later, the Scott County Attorney filed trial information charging Johnson, who had been previously convicted of a felony. Johnson appeared before the district court for his arraignment and told the court he had not met with Kieffer-Garrison about his case and denied ever seeing the written arraignment Kieffer-Garrison filed on his behalf.

The court and an assistant county attorney both compared the signature on the written arraignment with Johnsons signature on his financial affidavit and application for appointment of counsel, as well as the three forms of identification Johnson provided. The court concluded the signature on the written arraignment had "similarities" to Johnsons signature but was "not the same."

According to the disciplinary board, Kieffer-Garrison falsely told the court that she received Johnsons written arraignment form in the mail with what she believed was Johnsons signature and filed it. Johnson reiterated to the court that he had not received any mail from Kieffer-Garrison and neither he nor anyone else at his direction signed the arraignment.

The court ultimately struck the written arraignment filed by Kieffer-Garrison and appointed a new attorney to represent Johnson and continued the arraignment again.

On Dec. 13, the attorney disciplinary board filed a complaint against Kieffer-Garrison, alleging she violated numerous rules of professional conduct during her representation of Johnson.

The Iowa Supreme Court record states that "Kieffer-Garrison has incurred numerous sanctions for her violations of our ethical rules of conduct." She was admonished and reprimanded by the Court in 2009 and 2010 for violating Iowa Rules of Professional Conduct, including negotiating with an opposing party without their attorney present and preparing a handwritten agreement for the party to sign that already contained her clients signature.

In 2014, the high court suspended Kieffer-Garrisons license to practice law for six months. In that instance, she repeatedly missed appellate deadlines in several criminal cases" and failed to pay penalties resulting from the missed deadline in a timely fashion over a period of two years, according to court records. Court officials state she also falsely represented to her client and the clerk of this court that she had timely filed an application for further review in a post-conviction appeal.

Shortly after her law license was reinstated, she was publicly reprimanded in January 2015 for violating rules in the course of representing three clients in post-conviction relief actions.

In response to a complaint, Kieffer-Garrison declared she did not practice in federal court and did not "know the procedures for habeas corpus."

Kieffer-Garrison was publicly reprimanded again in October 2017 for violating rules after she cut her clients signature from a court document and attempted to attach the cutout signature to a required pretrial conference form in front of a court attendant.

She also permitted her client to leave before a pretrial conference had concluded, resulting in the district courts issuance of a bench warrant for the clients failure to appear that led to their arrest, according to court records.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
SPRINGFIELD  Chicago attorney Alan Mills has a client on the Prisoner Review Boards clemency docket in April. His hearing has been indefinitely postponed because there is no longer a quorum on the PRB.

The client is a contractor who recently remodeled Mills law office, the Uptown Peoples Law Center, and has a conviction for an old assault. Mills said the client, who he did not identify, didnt go to prison, but the conviction on his record may impact his ability to get work.

Its a total disaster, Mills said.

On Monday, Oreal James resigned by way of a letter to Gov. J.B. Pritzker before going to the Senate for a vote, and Eleanor Kaye Wilson failed to get the required votes needed to confirm her appointment.

Under the law, gubernatorial appointments must be approved within 60 session days of their nomination. Wilson and James came under scrutiny when their appointments were pulled and then resubmitted by Pritzker to restart the 60-session-day clock in which their appointments could be heard by the committee. This practice is allowed under Senate rules and has been used by previous governors.

With James resignation and Wilsons failed confirmation, the PRB now has just six seated members of a 15-member board. Of those, LeAnn Miller, Jared Bohland and Ken Tupy need Senate approval. Tupy and Bohland were recommended by the Executive Appointments Committee unanimously. Miller was also recommended.

On Tuesday, the PRB website noted the next quarterly clemency hearings, which were scheduled for April 12 to April 15, have been indefinitely postponed due to unforeseen circumstances as the agency looks to finalize a future date and location.

As we predicted, recent attacks on the Prisoner Review Board left the body short-staffed and without the capacity to carry out April's quarterly clemency hearings, said Jennifer Soble, executive director of the Illinois Prison Project in a news release on Tuesday. This is the result of failed tough-on-crime rhetoric meant merely to incite fear and score cheap political points.

The human toll is real: Justice will be delayed for our clients and for many other people in prison awaiting the chance to be reunited with loved ones. While we're disappointed, we will not be deterred. We will continue to zealously advocate for the freedom of our clients.

Last week, Jeff Mears, a downstate Democrat, won a recommendation from the Senate Executive Appointments Committee, but also failed to get confirmed by the full Senate. Two weeks ago, Pritzker pulled the appointment of Max Cerda, a PRB board member who was convicted of a double murder when he was 16 years old and paroled in 1998. It appeared Cerda would not have enough Senate support for approval.

The Prisoner Review Board is committed to fulfilling its statutory obligations, including final revocation hearings. This work will be carried out with the same dedication and professionalism as before and the Board will adhere to all policies and procedures currently in place, said Kahala Clay, the Chief Legal Counsel for the PRB.

The PRB has been a source of scrutiny from Senate Republicans who questioned the appointment process and the recent decisions on release, including the release of two men, both now in their 70s, who shot an Illinois State Police trooper in 1976.

Pritzker spoke out during a news conference to honor the Illinois State Police on Tuesday.

We have Republicans on that board. We have Democrats on that board. They work together across the aisle. They dont even think of their party affiliation when they are doing their job, Pritzker said. Now we have Republicans attacking them and their character and their biographies to have Republicans essentially trying to tear apart this agency of government.

Pritzker said the PRB members are charged with examining the original crime, whether the offender is rehabilitated, whether they caused problems while incarcerated and whether they would be a danger to the public.

It's very easy just to say, this person committed an awful crime so many years ago, and to say, we're gonna throw away the key, leave them all in prison, Pritzker said. That's what you're gonna end up with. If that's what people want, well, let's hear that. But I don't think that's what people wanted when we created the Prisoner Review Board.

Pritzker did not directly respond to a question Tuesday as to how long it would take to get the board to a quorum, but he did note that the recent publicity around the board makes finding replacements more difficult.

The governor could appoint new members before the Senate adjourns, but the Senate would have to act on those appointments before recess on April 8, probably too late to save the April clemency docket. The constitution provides that a governor can make a temporary appointment to a board during a recess of the Senate.

Mills, who represents offenders in the Illinois Department of Corrections, contends that the GOP is trying to generate public outrage to cast Pritzker and Democrats as soft on crime. He said the members of the PRB were diverse and well-qualified.

Im sorry the politicians have turned this into a campaign issue, Mills said.

Mills said he plans to represent his contractor when the PRB is back up and running because the man deserves a fresh start and a chance to build his business.

He does good work, Mills said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
100 years ago

March 30, 1922: Police in southern Illinois arrested John Gardner, a prison parolee who robbed a bank in Chatsworth years ago. Hes suspected of being up to his old tricks. Gardner is believed involved in bank and post office holdups and had jumped bail on a Chillicothe bank robbery.

75 years ago

March 30, 1947: The FBI has sent more agents to Peoria to investigate the murder of TP&W Railroad president George McNear. Local police are also investigating. So far, neither agency has gotten very far. Leads have produced few clues, and questioning has produced no suspects.

50 years ago

March 30, 1972: Echoes keep resounding from the 1970 Kickapoo Creek rock festival at Heyworth. The Illinois Supreme Court has ordered new trials for the promoters who went to jail. They were convicted after going ahead with the rock concert in defiance of a court order.

25 years ago

March 30, 1997: Cursive writing was a separate subject in the lower grades (remember?) but is now blended with other subjects. It threatens to go away altogether. Changing technology, course-time demands and cultural influences are making the future of cursive illegible at best.

Compiled by Jack Keefe; jkeefe@coldwellhomes.com.
Parliament on Tuesday passed the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) Bill albeit the Minority caucus staging a walkout.



The only action left is for President Akufo-Addo to assent to it.



The 1.75 percent to be charged has been reduced to 1.50 percent but what products will be affected.



Speaking in an interview on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Deputy Finance Minister, John Kumah gave a breakdown of what will be exempted and affected by the levy.



According to him, the levy will cover:



- transferring from bank accounts to mobile money accounts



- Netflix payment over Ghc100



- Bank transfers on a digital platform



- Mobile money transfers between accounts



E-levy exemptions



According to the Member of Parliament for the Ejisu constituency, "the levy covers every electronic transaction except ATM, point of sale devices and registered momo merchants, clearing of checks, money from account to my phone or phone to account".



This means the levy won't affect:



- GHC100 per day made by the same person



- cumulative amount up to Ghc100



- Transfers between accounts owned by the same person



- Fees and taxes paid on Ghana.gov platform



- Clearing of Check



- Registered MoMo Merchants



- ATM



- Point of Sale Devices



The Deputy Finance Minister further reiterated that, "it doesn't matter how many times you do a transaction for a day; once it adds up to Ghc100 there will be no charges but if you exceed there will be charges. Your first Ghc100 for the day won't be charged but if it exceeds it will attract the 1.5. However, the Ghc100 doesn't necessarily have to be at once it can be cumulative; you won't pay until you cross the Ghc100 threshold".





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Government is to begin construction of five new technical institutes in the country.



The construction is to boost technical education and technical know-how in the country.



President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo disclosed this in the 2022 State of the Nation Address in Parliament Wednesday March 30, 2022, saying that Within the next few months, the construction of five technical colleges will begin in various parts of the country.



Three technical institutes will be upgraded to tertiary status.



In addition to that, the President said The initial phase for the construction of nine TVET campuses will commence next month in Bosomtwe, Akyem Awisa, Boako, Kenyasi, Patuda, Dambai, Larabanga, Guabuliga and Tolibri. These campuses will have academic facilities, workshops, laboratories, hostels and staff accommodation, and provide further access for training.



He indicated that some technical institutes will be upgraded into tertiary status.



On the youth, the President Akufo-Addo stated that some youth will be given training in creative arts to unearth their talents.



This government remains alive to its responsibilities to the Ghanaian people. The difficulties of the time notwithstanding, we intend to continue to grow this economy and bring prosperity. That will only happen when we continue to invest in the future.



Our children will continue to be educated and be equipped to run a modern and digitalized economy. The Free SHS and Free TVET are the best vehicles we have devised to take us to the realization of our goal of an educated and skilled workforce. The computerized school placement is currently ongoing and the latest batch of JHS students will soon embark on their Free SHS and Free TVET education.



The TVET institutions are being upgraded and equipped to enable them train the increased numbers of children that we want to be attracted to that sector to meet the modern needs of our economy. This year, I will be commissioning some of the 34 refurbished National Vocational and Technical Institutes (NVTIs) across the country. The refurbishment comprised the construction, rehabilitation and equipping of laboratories, workshops, additional classrooms, hostels, and administrative offices.



Government is in the process of securing financing for the construction of five STEM universities in five new Regions, that is Western North, Savannah, North East, Ahafo and Oti regions. Steps are being taken to turn the planned Bunso campus of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development into a standalone, independent University focused on the study of Engineering. Construction of this campus is set to begin within the next three months.

Source: daily guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
As part of an initiative to give back to the community, EcoZoil Services (formerly Zoil Eco Brigade), a subsidiary of the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC), has taken its coastal clean-up exercise to the Central Region.



The Central Region exercise came off on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, at the Elmina and Moree beaches.



At both Elmina and Moree beaches, workers of EcoZoil cleaned landing sites and beaches. The workers also picked plastics littered at the beaches and landing into trash bins.



Among the sanitation equipment used during the operation were wheelbarrows, rakes, shovels, broomsticks, compactors and trash bins.



And it is to support communities along the coastal stretch of the country to have clean beaches and landing sites.



Speaking to the media, the Business Development Manager of EcoZoil, Mr. Daniel Lamptey, said the nationwide clean-up exercise was being organised along the coastal stretch of the country, adding that Western Region is next after Central.



He bemoaned the deplorable state of coastal communities across the country, and thus encouraged residents in these areas to be actively involved in the exercise.



We are calling on Ghanaians to be involved in the cleaning of our beaches and landing sites, he appealed.



However, Mr. Lamptey expressed disappointment about the desecrated state of the Moree beach which was littered with so much filth.



"Join us as we strive to keep our beaches and its surroundings clean," he charged.



He, therefore, called on state agencies and owners of private beaches to come on board to ensure that our beaches and coastal communities are rid of filth.



He also indicated that his outfit will do more sensitisation programmes on the need to always ensure that the beaches and landing sites were healthy.



For her part, the National Coordinator for Coastal Sanitation Programme EcoZoil, Mrs. Dianah Ackwonu-Mensah, said it was sad that our beaches are in a state of a mess.



This explains the reason why we are partnering with community members who are ready to collaborate to make our beaches clean and healthy, she noted.



EcoZoil, she contended, is here to stay and also help keep our environment clean.

To this end, she appealed to the government to give them the mandate to work effectively to improve sanitation in the coastal areas.



we just hope and hope again that we will be given the mandate to work effectively so that we can really keep these beaches clean. Sometime ago we were doing it and we did it and everybody at the beach could really attest to it that when we left a lot of things have been happening at our beaches. And all our beaches are really in a state of a mess, she bemoaned.



She indicated that EcoZoil was undertaking this exercise to help restore sanity at the countrys beaches, adding that they were ready to work with everyone including chiefs, fisher-folks, assembly members, mothers to enable them achieve their target.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Chief Executive Officer of Farmhouse Productions, Ivan Quashigah has admonished the youth to work for free, noting that working for free and volunteering will pay them for the rest of their lives.



In a statement that many young people will find debatable and controversial, especially in the wake of the current economic hardships, the versatile filmmaker and creative director asserted that when young people offer their time and volunteer in jobs, in line with their career aspirations, they gain hands-on experiences that remain unmatched when they eventually launch their careers.



Ivan Quashigah told Rev Albert Ocran in a Springboard Virtual University interview that will be aired on Joy FM on Sunday, April 3rd, and subsequently on Joy Prime, that young entrepreneurs must look around for problems and solve them. According to him, the entrepreneurship journey begins when many young people identify a problem, solve it, and get paid for it.



He also reiterated the important role of volunteerism in the entrepreneurship journey.



Volunteering to work for an established organization is an important part of a young entrepreneurs training. You cant just come out of school and, because you were the best student, decide to start a business. You need to learn from others. Volunteering will give you the experience you need to achieve something for yourself., He stated.



Growing up, Ivan Quashigahs journey to becoming a filmmaker could best be described as the divine hand of destiny. First, he was raised in Keta between two cinema halls - Croydon and Premier. As a child, he sold movie tickets to willing patrons in exchange for the opportunity to watch the movies for free. He later started acting his own version of movies with other colleagues and got children in the neighborhood to pay in kind to watch them.



Ivan was mentored by the late Ato Yanney, another movie filmmaker and director, who helped deepened and shape his love for reading and African writers. Through Ato Yanney, he had the opportunity to be on set for the film, The Last Show, directed by Allen Gyimah, which saw the likes of David Dontoh, Grace Omaboe, George Williams, Lola Everett starring.



His journey to becoming a filmmaker had its own challenging moments. His father was detained just before going to NAFTI and he resorted to selling soft drinks to finance his education till he eventually got a scholarship. His decision go to film school was met with ridicule and even after NAFTI, he was disappointed when he was posted to the National Service Secretariat for his service. But what was supposed to be a disappointment turned out to be a great blessing for him.



While at the National Service Secretariat, we were asked to do a documentary as part of their 20thAnniversary celebration. That documentary enabled me to travel around the country for free, build relationships and appreciate different cultures. Till today, it has been a blessing in my business, he stressed.



From Things we Do for Love to YOLO, Ivan Quashigahs works in the creative media space are the silent standard most of his colleagues and other budding filmmakers aspire to. He was also the brain behind sika ooo sika, a commercial he did for UAC Textiles whiles working with the late Jake Obetsebi Lamptey at Lintas.



Behind his cool and calm personality is a tough and decisive leader who would not hesitate to call a colleague at 2am to enquire about why a task has not been executed. He attributes this side of his personality to the training he received from his late father, Major Courage Quashigah, a former military officer, and a Minister of Agric in the erstwhile Kufuor administration.



When COVID-19 ravaged businesses worldwide, and many corporate organisations laid off their staff, Ivan, determined to do otherwise. He, together with his team at Farmhouse, set up an App, the Farmhouse Movies App, to create movie content for young people. At the time of its launch in December 2020, the App had already garnered over 50,000 downloads



Ivan believes there are two possible outcomes to every pitch in life  A yes or no. A yes means you can proceed, whiles a no gives you an opportunity to learn. He admonishes youth interested in entrepreneurship to find what they love or what makes them happy and be ready to sacrifice time and money to learn and grow in it.





Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Minority in Parliament has refused to accept the passage of the E-Levy Bill on the floor of the August House today(Tuesday).



The rubicon has finally been crossed with the passage of the controversial Electronic Levy (E-Levy) bill, despite a spirited attempt by the Minority caucus in Parliament to shoot it down, including their staging of a walkout.



According to the Minority, the Majority pulled a surprise on them because E-levy wasn't listed in Parliaments business statement for this week.



However, by a voice vote by the Majority caucus after the approval of second and third readings of the bill, Speaker of Parliament declared "the electronic bill duly read the third time and passed" meaning the contentious levy has been passed.



Okudzeto Challenges E-Levy Bill



But to the North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the E-Levy Bill hasn't been passed.



Following their walkout from Parliament, the MP took to his Facebook to supposedly give hope to people stating categorically that ''what transpired today is a ridiculous nullity!''



''You thought we will give you the pleasure of returning to court for a declaration that the Assin North MP shouldnt have been present in the Chamber to vote so that you can claim a 137-136 victory for the E-Levy. With our strategic walk out, you fall short of the required 138 quorum under article 104(1) of the 1992 Constitution and as affirmed by the Supreme Court in the recent Justice Abdulai case.



"There can be no contention about Hon. Adwoa Safos absence from todays proceedings. Trust your NDC representatives, we have a conscience, and we know that the real power belongs to you. Going by the Supreme Courts decision, the E-Levy has not been passed. What transpired today is a ridiculous nullity!'', he posted.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Chief Executive Officer of the State Transport Corporation (STC), Nana Akomea, has slammed Ex-President John Dramani Mahama over his recent comments when he met with the US Chapter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).



The former President, speaking at the Bentley University over the weekend, challenged the integrity of the Judiciary and made further remarks about President Nana Akufo-Addo's administration.



We do have problems with the Judiciary, I must say. I think that it is necessary for some internal reforms to take place there. It is necessary for the Chief Justice or whoever is responsible to make some reforms.



Most of the governance institutions have been politicised. I give the example of the Judiciary. It is only in Ghana that a Supreme Court will make a decision that a birth certificate is not proof of citizenship, he said.



Undisclosed Location



Touching on the 2020 elections, Mr. Mahama also highlighted what he considered as anomalies in the elections which, to him, affected the results.



We went to court for many reasons, one, because of the many anomalies in the results.



The Electoral Commissioner went to an unknown location and declared the election results from there and after she declared the results and the results didnt tally, she came and changed the results and changed, we dont know how many multiple times. That was an issue that we had to deal with," he stated.



Unsanctioned Printing



He further accused the EC of printing unsanctioned ballot papers which was discovered by their agents.



When he (agent) asked why they were printing extra ballot papers, they said the EC had asked them to print. Out of frustration, they said they were doing that in case there was a second round. But seven people will not go for second round. Ballot papers for a second round is only for two people, the top two. No proper explanation on why those ballot papers were printed was given.



Some of the people were seen later carrying ballot papers and we reported them to the police. Up till date, nobody has been charged or prosecuted for carrying those extra ballot papers.



These are the things that happened in the elections and so we thought the elections werent free and fair and so we went to the Supreme Court. One, to test our legal right and then second, to also calm the atmosphere, he added.



Weak Leader



Reacting to the comments, Nana Akomea described Mr. Mahama as a weak leader in the NDC.



He noted that the former President has already set a bad record and, by his track record, nothing he says is believable.



On his criticisms about the Judiciary, Nana Akomea made reference to the era of Mr. John Mahama as President of Ghana where he appointed Justices, asking if he, by his comments regarding the Judiciary, would also accept that the Justices he appointed were biased in his favor.



He lambasted the Ex-President saying ''he seems to be the strongest politician in the NDC but, at the same time when it comes to the elections, he is also their weakest leader simply because he has a track record...And we know that track record has been rejected twice by the Ghanaian electorate. In fact, when he was sitting as President, the rejection was bigger''.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Details have started emerging concerning the reason behind the patapa act displayed by the Minority in Parliament leading to the walk out over the motion for the passage of tye Electronic Transaction Levy.



The NDC MPs staged a walk out when the E-levy motion was tabled before the House by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.



The minority was reportedly lacking full compliments of its strenght in terms of numbers as they were short by some four of their members.



According to sources, at least four members of the Minority were absent when the motion was tabled in the house for passage.



The Minority side noting that they could be outnumbered by the Majority when it is time for voting decided to stage a walk out to force the passage of the bill postponed since they were finding it very difficult to get all their numbers to the house.



Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu after the passage of the bill explained that the just-approved E-levy seeks to enable the government raise revenue from within to develop the country.



Addressing a press conference in Accra on Tuesday March 29 after the approval of the E-levy, he said The purpose of this bill that we have gone through is really to broaden the tax base of our country and to increase revenue mobilization domestically.



I am not too sure that anyone of us in Parliament, Minority or Majority, will disagree that where we are as a country, we need to look inwards to see if it will be possible for us to increase revenue streams from within our own household, which is what the E-levy seeks to do.



The matters that should really confront us as members of Parliament is, what we are going to apply the monies on? The bill provides that we are going to apply it to the development of physical infrastructure, that is number one.



Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has insisted that there is no E-levy despite the approval by a one-sided House on Tuesday March 29.



The Minroty Leader Haruna Iddrisu described the approval as a charade because in their view, the Majority did not have the right numbers to pass it.



This is a charade, he said at a press conference in Parliament, adding that there is no E-levy.



The majority of less than 137 conducting businesses only proceeded on illegal and unconstitutional business. Parliament did not have the numbers to take any decision that should be binding Parliament and Ghanaians.



The E-levy was passed by Parliament on Tuesday March 29 after the third reading in the House. The Minority staged a walkout during the second reading on the E-levy. They walked out after Mr Iddrisu said the NDC MPs remain united in opposing the policy.



Contributing to the E-levy debate on the floor of the House, he described the policy proposal as punitive which if approved will further increase the the high cost of doing business in the country.



E-levy is the nuisance of nuisance tax, he said, adding that businesses are suffering under your watch. We are united that we will not support E-levy, we will not vote for E-levy.



Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta on Tuesday, March 29 moved a motion for the passage of 6the E-levy in Parliament.



This was after he presented a statement on the E-levy in the House.



I, therefore, move the motion for the passage of the E-levy, he said.



Obuasi West MP Kwaku Kwarteng seconded the motion.



However, just before he finished making his statement Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu rose and said they could not deliberate on it because they did not have access to the report. His position was supported by Tamale Central lawmaker Murtala Mohammed.



Ruling on the matter, Speaker Alban Bagbin said, The copies of the report are being distributed now, I dont think it is proper for us to suspend sitting, I will give you time to read the report to make a meaningful contribution.





Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Minority is not backing down on their bid to prevent the implementation of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) Bill.



Parliament is now waiting on President Akufo-Addo to assent to the approved tax.



The Majority in Parliament approved the E-Levy after the Minority walked out saying the tax is a tool to exacerbate the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian.



Yesterdays decision was reached after the Consideration Stage was completed under a certificate of urgency.



But the Minority has given an indication to contest the decision at the Supreme Court.



Even as we prepare to challenge the matter in the Supreme Court, a judicial determination has been made on Article 104 of the Constitution. Clear cut. Anything to the contrary is a sin to Article 104 of the 1992 Constitution and the ruling of the Supreme Court, he said on Tuesday.



Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu insists that the parliamentary procedure was breached in the lead-up to the passage.



In a press conference following the Bills approval, Mr. Iddrisu explained that there was no quorum in the House that supervised it.



For this reason, the NDC MPs have declared the vote null and void.



Therefore, those of you who are celebrating with them that E-Levy has been passed and accordingly passed, your excitement will be short-lived.



He said the latest happening goes to vindicate their stance that the ruling on quorum was absurd.



It means that you needed at least 138 for any decision. Whether on the amendment, whether on third reading or during the consideration stage that the Constitution so elaborately provides for. So we didnt want to associate with it.



According to the MP, the NDC has articulated its resolve against the levy and will follow it through.



At the level of the principle, we shared with the Ghanaian people our rejection and rejection of the E-Levy. We stand same at the same level.





Source: myjoyonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Minority Members in Parliament have dragged the Attorney General to the Supreme Court over the approval of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy).



Parliament on Tuesday approved the e-levy bill with only the Majority caucus present in the House following a walkout by the Minority.



The Minority has insisted the passage of the bill is illegal because the Majority didn't have the numbers to form a quorum to pass the bill.



Led by its Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority is asking the court to declare that the passage of the bill "null and void and of no legal effect".



But reacting to this in an interview on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Deputy Minister of Finance, John Kumah has insisted that there was a quorum.



"It's not true; there was a quorum . . . at the time the Speaker was putting the question, half of the minority members were in the chamber and so there was a quorum. In the process of walking out, the speaker put the question to the House; if you're on your way out but in the chamber, you are counted," he pointed out.



Speaking to the 'e-levy suit', Mr Kumah who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Ejisu said, "they should help us expand the law; there's no problem with that (going to court).







Meanwhile, the Minority is seeking the following reliefs:a. A declaration that on the authority of the Supreme Court case of Justice Abdulai v. Attorney-General, Writ No. J1/07/2022 dated 9th March, 2022, the constitutional quorum number for decision-making and voting within the meaning of Article 104(1) of the 1992 Constitution is 138 Members of Parliament out of the 275 Members of Parliament and not 137 Members of Parliament.b. A declaration that on a true and proper interpretation of articles 2(1)(b) and 104(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, there was no quorum to enable the 137 Members of Parliament of the Majority Caucus present in Parliament on 29th March, 2022 to pass the Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy).c. A declaration that on a true and proper interpretation of Article 104(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the passing of the Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy) by the 137 Members of Parliament of the Majority Caucus present in Parliament on the 29th March 2022 without the requisite quorum number of 138 Members of Parliament present in Parliament, is null and void and of no legal effect.d. An order of the Honourable Court setting aside the passing of the Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy) by the 137 Members of Parliament of the Majority Caucus present in Parliament on the 29th March, 2022 as a nullity.e. Any other order(s) the Honourable Court may deem fit.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
The former minister of finance and former governor of the Bank of Ghana Dr. Kwabena Duffuor has said the NPP government has forced the electronic transfer levy on Ghanaians because they turned a deaf ear to wise counsel from economic experts such as himself.



Lamenting on his Facebook wall the morning after the e-levy was passed, he said, Dr. Duffuor said, The NPP has progressed in their passage of the unpopular e-levy bill. May it be on record that despite the hardship of the Ghanaian people and disaffection for the e-levy, the NPP ignored these concerns and added to our tax burden..



Many Ghanaians are expressing public indignation against the NPP government for the passage of the electronic transfer levy yesterday in parliament despite a lack of popular support from the general public, a boycott Boyes from the opposition as well as warnings from economic experts.



Just like many well-meaning and experienced economic experts, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor has in the past, offered several suggestions of several alternatives to the roundly unpopular E-levy.



Speaking on Tuesday, February 21, 2021, on star FM ahead of the IFSs forum on domestic revenue mobilization mode, Dr. Duffuor said, Currently in Ghana, foreign interests are largely the main beneficiaries of our extractive sector at the expense of Ghanaians who benefit from very little revenue from our natural resources.



He also added. we must start looking at the sector we have ignored over the years - the extractive sector. A well-managed natural resources centre has emerged as the safest route to prosperity in many developed countries such as the USA, UK and Germany. We must go back and renegotiate our mining agreements for higher revenues rather than stick to colonial agreements to the detriment of our people.



As a man who once headed the bank of Ghana and run the finance ministry, perhaps the NPP government could have made use of his views on how to proceed with its revenue mobilisation efforts as opposed to taxing an electronic mode of payment.



However, like other contrary views from other non-NPP economic experts, the former bank of Ghana governors views were not taken into consideration.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, has lampooned the Minority in Parliament over their law suit to prevent President Nana Akufo-Addo from assenting to the E-Levy Bill.



The E-Levy Bill was passed by Parliament on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 after the Minority walked out of the chamber in protest against the Bill.



The Minority claims the approval of the Bill is unconstitutional and has dragged the Attorney General to the Supreme Court.



Minority Seeks Reliefs



The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu and North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa including other members of the Minority seek reliefs as follows:



a. A declaration that on the authority of the Supreme Court case of Justice Abdulai v. Attorney-General, Writ No. J1/07/2022 dated 9th March 2022, the constitutional quorum number for decision-making and voting within the meaning of Article 104(1) of the 1992 Constitution is 138 Members of Parliament out of the 275 Members of Parliament and not 137 Members of Parliament.



b. A declaration that on a true and proper interpretation of articles 2(1)(b) and 104(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, there was no quorum to enable the 137 Members of Parliament of the Majority Caucus present in Parliament on 29th March 2022 to pass the Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy).



c. A declaration that on a true and proper interpretation of Article 104(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the passing of the Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy) by the 137 Members of Parliament of the Majority Caucus present in Parliament on the 29th March 2022 without the requisite quorum number of 138 Members of Parliament present in Parliament is null and void and of no legal effect.



d. An order of the Honourable Court setting aside the passing of the Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy) by the 137 Members of Parliament of the Majority Caucus present in Parliament on the 29th March 2022 as a nullity.



e. Any other order(s) the Honourable Court may deem fit.



Mireku Duker Blasts Minority



Hon. George Mireku Duker, during a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show ''Kokrokoo'', took on the Minority asking them how they intend to go to the Supreme Court after bastardizing the court.



His comment was related to utterances of the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu and his colleagues against the Supreme Court after it declared that Deputy Speakers in Parliament are Members of Parliament and can vote on matters in the august House.



Mr. Haruna Iddrisu and members of the Minority disparaged the court claiming the Justices who heared the case had given the verdict in favor of the E-Levy Bill and the incumbent government.



Their position was seen to be insulting to the integrity of the Judiciary but no apology was offered by the Minority.



Hon. Mireku Duker therefore found it ridiculous that the Minority would want to go to the Supreme Court to plead their case.



''They say they are going to court. It's good but I want them to be consistent. At a point, they say they don't believe in the judgement of the court. Consistency is very relevant because it borders on conscience and people are watching as well as listening to us. You claim you don't believe in the Supreme Court but now you're sending your case to the Supreme Court. Let's accord respect to the institutions that we, as Parliamentarians, have built," he said.



He however believed the law suit is just a show-off to their supporters.



''We should note that, at a point, we can't lambast and disgrace them, then on another leg, we stand somewhere and say we are going to court," he rubbished the suit.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader, Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has dared the minority in parliament to go to court over the passage of the controversial E-levy bill.



He says they will be strongly met in court.



Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he wondered why his colleagues from the minority who he believes know the laws and standing orders of Parliament will think resorting to court is the best option to register their displeasure over the passage of the bill.



"You people have been part of the process from day one and even made major contributions to it. Why do you want to all of a sudden make the public feel you are sympathetic to them and against the passage of the bill?" he rhetorically asked.



"No one can stop you from going to court but I can assure you that you are going to be schooled again on the standing orders of the House if you have forgotten," he added.



"I can tell you that we did not breach any parliamentary procedure in the lead-up to the passage, we followed the parliamentary procedure and the standing order of the House."



We Will Go To Court - Minority Assures Over Passage Of E-Levy



The Minority is not backing down on their bid to prevent the implementation of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) Bill.



Parliament is now waiting on President Akufo-Addo to assent to the approved tax.



The Majority in Parliament approved the E-Levy after the Minority walked out saying the tax is a tool to exacerbate the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian.



Yesterdays decision was reached after the Consideration Stage was completed under a certificate of urgency.



But the Minority has given an indication to contest the decision at the Supreme Court.



Even as we prepare to challenge the matter in the Supreme Court, a judicial determination has been made on Article 104 of the Constitution. Clear cut. Anything to the contrary is a sin to Article 104 of the 1992 Constitution and the ruling of the Supreme Court, he said on Tuesday.



Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu insists that the parliamentary procedure was breached in the lead-up to the passage.



Parliament Passes E-levy Bill . . . Minority Stages Walkout



The rubicon has finally been crossed with the passage of the controversial Electronic Levy (E-Levy) bill, despite a spirited attempt by the Minority caucus in Parliament to shoot it down, including the obvious staging of a walkout.



According to the Minority, the Majority pulled a surprise one on them because E-levy was not listed in Parliaments business statement for this week.



According to the Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu: We have time and again warned and cautioned that we never want to be taken by surprise on a major economic policy bill of government and we will not accept that culture."



So when you (Majority Caucus) did not have the numbers, you were hesitant, you wont come before the House, now that you think that you have some reasonable numbers then you say go to the business of item 27.



However, by a voice vote by the Majority caucus after the Speaker of Parliament suspended sitting for 30 minutes, the second reading of the bill was approved.





Watch Video Below





Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Female CEOs face more aggressive questioning from male analysts during earnings conference calls, a new study reveals.

Researchers including from the University of Exeter Business School analyzed recordings of 39,209 earnings conference calls with U.S. firms between 2005 and 2018 including the likes of Apple, Microsoft and Facebook.

Earnings conference callsquarterly events in which companies relay information about their financial performance to investors, analysts and other interested partiesinclude a Q&A in which the CEO is taken to task by one or more analysts.

The study found that when male analysts question female CEOs they were 7.9 percentage points more aggressive than when questioning male CEOs.

The researchers also found male analysts' questions to be more aggressive than those of female analysts by a score of 10 percentage points.

The study examined verbal aggressiveness through four measures:

The frequency of follow-up questions, which imply that the questioner does not accept the initial response.

The use of preface statements, which allows the questioner introduce a new context, paving the way for a more challenging question.

The number of direct questions used (questions that do not start with self-referential phrases such as "can I," "could I," "will you," which are considered deferential.

Aggressive questions that are close to assertions beginning with phrases such as "isn't it" or "aren't you."

Verbal aggressiveness was also found to be linked to career advancement, with female analysts who ask aggressive questions more likely to be selected as a top-three analyst on Institutional Investor's annual list of best analysts.

The researchers investigated a sample of nearly 40,000 earnings conference calls, of which 92% of CEOs and 88% of analysts were male.

The results reveal evidence of a gender-based "out-of-group" bias, the tendency to give preferential treatment to members of ones "own group" over others.

Previous research on gender bias in analysts' interactions with management in earnings conference calls found male analysts make lower earnings forecasts for firms with female CEOs, and that women are perceived as less knowledgeable than men.

Dr. Sebastian Tideman, a lecturer in finance and accounting at the University of Exeter Business School and co-author of the study, said differences in linguistic styles can have real consequences.

"Differences in male and female linguistic styles have potential implications for who gets credit for work and for judgements of confidence and competence. Linguistic styles also affect how men and women are viewed in the power hierarchy and how criticism is perceived. Given our findings, sell-side firms might want to ensure that their managers are aware of the differences between the linguistic styles of men and women.

"And similarly, differences in male and female linguistic styles could be considered by voters for Institutional Investor's All-American analyst awards."

"The role of gender in the aggressive questioning of CEOs during earnings conference calls," co-authored by Dr. Sebastian Tideman from the University of Exeter Business School, Professor Joseph Comprix from Syracuse University and Professor Kerstin Lopatta from the University of Hamburg, is published in The Accounting Review.

Explore further Among Wall Street analysts, men benefit more from their networks than women

More information: Joseph Comprix et al, The role of gender in the aggressive questioning of CEOs during earnings conference calls, The Accounting Review (2022). Joseph Comprix et al, The role of gender in the aggressive questioning of CEOs during earnings conference calls,(2022). DOI: 10.2308/TAR-2019-1029
Credit: Western Sydney University

Western Sydney University researchers, together with an international team of experts, have discovered a mysterious circular ring near our neighboring galaxy that could be the first known case of an intergalactic supernova remnantremains of an exploded star that could be up to 7,000 years old.

Dubbed a "rogue" supernova remnant by the researchers and named J06246948, it is most likely located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC)a satellite galaxy of the Milky Wayand its position suggests a previously unobserved origin.

Published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, lead author Professor Miroslav Filipovic from the University's School of Science said the discovery was exciting and raised many unanswered questions.

"When we originally discovered this almost perfectly circular radio object we thought it was yet another ORC (odd radio circle) but after our additional observations, it became clear that this object is much more likely to be something else," said Professor Filipovic.

The ring discovered has significant differences to the five other known ORCsa flatter radio spectral index, lack of a prominent central galaxy as a possible host, and larger apparent sizethat all suggest it may be a different type of object.

"The most plausible explanation is that the object is an intergalactic supernova remnant due to an exploded star that resided in the Large Magellanic Cloud outskirts that had undergone a single-degenerate type Ia supernova which involves the explosion of two stars orbiting each other," said Professor Filipovic.

"However, we considered other scenarios such as that this object might represent a remnant of the super-flare activity from a nearby Milky Way star (at only 190 light years away from sun) that happened only a few centuries, ago, or the premise that it may in fact be a much larger ORC.

"What we've potentially then discovered is a unique remnant of supernova that has expanded into a rarefied, intergalactic environmentan environment that we didn't expect to find in such an object. Our estimates point to the age of about 2,200 to 7,100 years old."

J06246948 was first detected with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) managed by CSIROone of several new generation radio telescopes that are revealing new features of the universe.

"These new radio telescopes can pick up a range of spherical objects, and due to the combined effects of high-sensitivity, good spatial sampling, and wide area coverage, they are enriching our understanding of the universe."

Explore further 120,000-year-old supernova remnants detected in neighboring galaxy

More information: Miroslav D Filipovic et al, Mysterious odd radio circle near the large magellanic cloud  an intergalactic supernova remnant?, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2022). Journal information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Miroslav D Filipovic et al, Mysterious odd radio circle near the large magellanic cloud  an intergalactic supernova remnant?,(2022). DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stac210
Image of comet C/2014 B1 (Scwartz) taken with the 2.5-meter Nordic Optical Telescope. This long-period comet's orbit lies exterior to Saturn's, yet it exhibited cometary activity during its most recent passage through the solar system's giant planet region. Analysis of this comet's orbit as well as others near or beyond Saturn shows that they rapidly fade below detectability after just a handful of successive passages through the outer giant planet region. The phenomenon of "comet fading" had previously only been known to operate amongst comets passing through the inner solar system near Earth. Credit: David Jewitt

As comets approach the Sun, they release gas and dust known to astronomers as cometary activity. For comets passing near or inside Earth's orbit, this activity slows over successive orbits. University of Oklahoma astronomer Nathan Kaib has found this same comet-fading phenomenon occurs as comets make repeated passages through the more distant region beyond Saturn.

Kaib, an associate professor in the Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy in the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences at OU, is the lead author of the article "Comet Fading Begins Before Saturn," published in Science Advances.

"Long-period comets, those that take at least hundreds of years to go around the Sun once, spend most of their lives thousands of times further from the Sun than the Earth is," said Kaib. "However, sometimes they develop highly elliptical orbits and, in turn, make regular incursions toward the Sun and its nearby planets. As these comets approach the Sun, its intense heat turns their icy surfaces into gas.

This cometary activity is what gives comets their striking appearance in the sky and makes them relatively easy for astronomers to find. As extreme heating from the Sun steadily depletes their surface ice supply, the activity of comets passing near Earth diminishes, or fades, over time."

In this study, Kaib discovered that this fading phenomenon also occurs among comets passing through the outer solar system near or beyond Saturn's orbit. What makes his findings surprising is that such comets experience much weaker heating from the Sun compared to those nearer Earth. In fact, unlike nearer comets, the Sun's heating is so weak that water-based ice cannot evaporate on these comets.

By running computer simulations of comets traveling near the outer solar system's giant planets, Kaib showed the gravity of the giant planets quickly shrinks the orbits of distant comets so they make smaller excursions away from the Sun in between passages through the outer solar system.

"We should therefore expect that the outer solar system has many more comets on these shrunken orbits compared to those on larger orbits," he said. "Instead, astronomers see the opposite; distant comets with shrunken orbits are almost entirely absent from astronomers' observations, and comets with larger orbits dominate our census of the outer solar system. Rapid comet fading that occurs during this orbit-shrinking explains this paradox, since it will effectively make older comets invisible to astronomers' searches."

Given that distant comets are hard to study due to their remoteness, astronomers' understanding of comets is mostly based on studying the ones on orbits near Earth. Kaib's finding suggests that passages through the outer solar system may alter the physical properties of many near-Earth comets before they are discovered.

"Fading among distant comets was discovered by combining the results of computer simulations of comet production with the current catalog of known distant comets," said Kaib. "These distant comets are faint and extremely difficult to detect, and comet-observing campaigns have taken great pains to build this catalog over the past 20 years. Without it, this current work would not have been possible."

Kaib expects the Legacy Survey of Space and Time, a 10-year mission to survey the southern sky at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, to rapidly increase comet discoveries.

"The comet fading characterized in my work will be critical to properly understanding and interpreting this imminent deluge of newly discovered comets," he said.

The computer simulations for this work were performed at the OU Supercomputing Center for Education & Research. Kaib is currently on sabbatical leave at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

More information: Nathan A. Kaib, Comet fading begins beyond Saturn, Science Advances (2022). www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abm9130 Journal information: Science Advances Nathan A. Kaib, Comet fading begins beyond Saturn,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm9130
The Ariane 5 V188 launcher carrying Herschel and Planck rises above ESAs 15 m-diameter tracking dish at Kourou, French Guiana, on 14 May 2009. Credit: ESA/A. Chance

In June 2021, ESA and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) signed an agreement to provide technical support to each other, including tracking and communication services to upcoming Indian space missions via ESA's ground stations.

The first missions to benefit from this new support agreement will enable India look to the sun and the moon with the Aditya-L1 solar observatory and Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander and rover, both due to launch in 2022 from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota Range (SDSC SHAR), India.

"Deep space communication is an essential part of any space mission," says Ramesh Chellathurai, ESA Service Manager and ESA Liaison Officer for ISRO. "Ground stations keep spacecraft safely connected to Earth as they venture into the unknowns and risks of space. Without ground station support, it's impossible to get any data from a spacecraft, to know how it's doing, to know if it is safe or even to know where it is."

A place in the sun

The Aditya-L1 solar observatory is named for the Hindu sun god, Aditya, and the spacecraft's future home, L1the first Lagrange point of the Earth-sun system. It will study a number of properties of the sun, such as the dynamics and origins of coronal mass ejections.

Its home at L1 will allow Aditya to orbit the sun at an almost constant distance from Earth, but without the planet ever eclipsing its view of our star.

"The spacecraft will always be in the same direction from Earth as the sun," says Ramesh. "So, as Earth rotates, no single ground station will always be in view of Aditya-L1. Using a global station network like ESA's is the best way to exchange data and commands with this spacecraft as often as possible."

ESA is one of the only agencies in the world with a network of deep space ground stations located across the planet. The Estrack network lets it track and communicate with spacecraft anytime and in any direction, up to two billion kilometers from Earth.

The" big iron" 35-meter deep space Estrack antennas, located in New Norcia, Australia, Malargue, Argentina, and Cebreros, Spain, will all support Aditya-L1. Additional support will be provided by ESA's 15-meter antenna at Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, and the commercial 32-meter deep space antenna at Goonhilly station in the UK.

The combined ESA and Goonhilly antennas will provide tracking, telemetry and command (TT&C) support for Aditya-L1, with ISRO's deep space antennas in India providing additional communication time.

Data and telemetry sent back by Aditya-L1 arriving via any of the ground stations will be forwarded to ESA's ESOC mission control center in Darmstadt, Germany. From there, they will be sent to ISRO's ISTRAC facility for analysis.

ESA's involvement in the mission has already begun. ISRO's flight dynamics team tested the software they will use to precisely determine the location and orbit of Aditya-L1 on ESA's Gaia observatory. ESA's flight dynamics experts then used their decades of experience flying spacecraft across the Solar System to validate this software by comparing ISRO's results to their own measurements.

Meanwhile, radio frequency compatibility tests important to ensure the hardware used by both agencies can work together took place in December 2021.

Guide me to the moon

The support to Aditya-L1 was soon extended to ISRO's upcoming Chandrayaan-3"moon craft"mission to study the lunar surface at the moon's south pole.

The mission comprises a lander and rover, which will spend two weeks conducting scientific and technical operations on the surface. Chandrayaan-3 would be India's first successful soft landing on another celestial bodya major milestone for any space program.

ESA's Kourou antenna and the Goonhilly station will be added to the NASA deep space stations supporting the mission and provide similar support to Chandrayaan-3 as they will to Aditya-L1.

The ESA station support for both Aditya L1 and Chandrayaan-3 begins with the critical launch and early orbit phase and continues to the end of both missions, if required by ISRO.

India and space

ISRO was formed in 1969 and is headquartered in the city of Bengaluru. It operates a launch site and a deep space ground station located within India.

The Organization was among ESA's first international partners in the 1970's, with initial cooperation culminating in the provision of ESA instruments for ISRO's Chandrayaan-1 lunar orbiter mission, launched in 2008.

Explore further NASA adds giant new dish to communicate with deep space missions
On 24 March 2022, ESA came one step closer to unveiling the mysteries of the dark Universe, following the coming together of two key parts of the Euclid spacecraftthe instrument-carrying payload module and the supporting service module. This image shows the 800-kilogram payload module being lifted by a crane, just before it was lowered onto the service module. Credit: ESAS. Corvaja

On 24 March, over a dozen engineers gathered at Euclid industrial prime contractor, Thales Alenia Space in Turin, to carefully attach the two main parts of the Euclid spacecraft together. This task required such extreme precision that it took a whole day, followed by two days of connecting electronic equipment and testing that Euclid's instruments still work.

"It was really exciting to see the spacecraft coming together and get one step closer to seeing the mission become a reality. I almost feel like we have united two family members," says Euclid Assembly, Integration and Testing engineer Hans Rozemeijer.

Provided by Airbus Defence and Space, Euclid's payload module houses a reflecting telescope to capture and focus light from distant stars, as well as two instruments to record this lightthe VISible imager (VIS) and the Near Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP).

Together, the telescope and instruments will image billions of galaxies with unrivaled accuracy to help astronomers better understand how they have evolved and clustered into cosmic structures over the last 10 billion years. This will give us clues on the nature of the enigmatic dark matter and dark energy, the two main drivers of the expansion of the Universe.

Euclid's instruments were integrated onto the payload module at the end of 2020. During 2021, the complete module successfully passed intensive testing under simulated space conditions to check that the telescope and instruments work as expected.

On 24 March, over a dozen engineers gathered at Euclids industrial prime contractor, Thales Alenia Space in Turin, to carefully attach the two main parts of the Euclid spacecraft together. This task required such extreme precision that it took a whole day, followed by two days of connecting electronic equipment and testing that Euclids instruments still work. Euclid is ESAs mission to unveil the mysteries of the dark universe. Credit: ESA - European Space Agency

The service module is equally as important. It contains computers to control the instruments as well as all the essential parts that Euclid needs to function, including subsystems to control the orientation of the spacecraft, propel it through space, distribute power, communicate with Earth, and handle data transfer.

To connect the two modules together, engineers used a crane to lower the 800-kilogram payload module onto the service module via six attachment points. The team took great care to make sure that these points matched up very well, as a poor contact could induce stresses that damage the structure or deform Euclid's 1.2-meter telescope mirror.

"We had to make sure that the flatness of the service module closely matched the flatness of the payload module at the connection points to reduce the loads on the telescope as much as possible," explains Hans. "We were targeting a difference of less than 50 microns at every point. It's not like a piece of Ikea furniture that you can hammer into placethis task required extreme precision!"

To put this into perspective, 50 micronsor 0.05 mmis the diameter of a thin human hair. Before attaching the two modules together, the assembly team checked the smoothness of the connection points with a laser and used very thin spacers called shims to even out the surfaces where needed.

Animation of the Euclid spacecraft, showing different elements such as the telescope, payload module and solar panels. Euclid is a medium-class mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision to investigate the expansion of our universe over the past 10 billion years, probing cosmic epochs from before the expansion started to accelerate, all the way to the present. Credit: ESA/ATG medialab

Hans continues: "After the modules were joined mechanically, we added connector brackets and plugged in the electrical connectors. Then we checked that everything was working properly. Finally, we covered the connector brackets and any tiny remaining gaps between the two modules with thermal insulation to really seal up the spacecraft."

"The Euclid spacecraft is truly complex and during the past months all the people involved in its integration were asked to be highly performant in meeting challenging schedule and operations. Let me thank the team of Thales Alenia Space and our industrial partners for the remarkable job done in full synergy with ESA representatives to reach this important milestone," says Paolo Musi, Director of Science Programs at TAS.

In April engineers will attach Euclid to its combined sunshield and solar panels. The sunshield will shade the payload module from the Sun's intense radiation, helping the mission perform to the very best of its abilities.

Once the sunshield is connected, the high gain antenna will be added and then Euclid will be complete. The finished spacecraft will measure about 4.7 m tall and 3.7 m wide. After that Euclid will be tested as a complete system and prepared for launch from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.

Explore further Image: Instruments installed on Euclid spacecraft
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A research team led by Prof. Wang Bo from Yunnan Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has explained the formation of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) with long orbital periods by accretion-induced collapse of white dwarfs.

This work was published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Neutron star (NS) systems are generally believed to be formed via three ways: core-collapse supernovae of massive stars, electron-capture supernovae of intermediate-mass stars, and accretion-induced collapse (AIC) of massive white dwarfs (WDs).

In the AIC process, oxygen-neon (ONe) WDs collapse into neutron stars via electron-capture reactions. AIC events are predicted to be the most likely short-lived and faint optical transients, and a small ejecta mass is expected during the collapse.

The AIC process can lead to the formation of newborn NSs with small kicks, and thus it can be used to reproduce obviously young NSs in some globular clusters. These young NSs cannot be produced through the classic core-collapse supernova channel.

Meanwhile, the AIC process may help to explain the observed discrepancy between the large rate of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) and the small rate of their progenitor systems (i.e., low-mass X-ray binaries or LMXBs) in the Galaxy.

An ONe WD that accretes H-rich material from a red-giant (RG) star may experience the AIC process, eventually producing MSPs, known as the RG donor channel. It is worth noting that more and more MSPs with wide orbits more than 500 days (>500 d) have been detected by recent observations, but their origin is still highly uncertain.

In this study, the researchers explored the formation of binary MSPs through the RG donor channel systematically using an integrated mass-transfer prescription for RG donors. They found that the RG donor channel could form binary MSPs with orbital periods ranging from 50 d to 1200 d, in which the final NS masses were in the range of ~1.261.55Msun and the masses of the WD companions were in the range of 0.300.55Msun.

They also found that the formed MSPs through the RG donor channel followed the correlation between the companion mass and the orbital period, and that there existed an anti-correlation between the final NS mass and the final orbital period. The pre-AIC systems with RG donors would show as symbiotics in the observations, whereas the post-AIC systems could be identified as LMXBs, finally evolving into young MSPs with wide orbits (>50d).

"The RG donor channel provides a viable way to account for the observed MSPs with long orbital periods. More theoretical and observational studies on MSPs with wide separations would be helpful for our understanding of this kind of pulsar systems," said Prof. Wang.

Explore further Thirteen new pulsars discovered with MeerKAT

More information: Bo Wang et al, Formation of millisecond pulsars with long orbital periods by accretion-induced collapse of white dwarfs, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2022). Journal information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Bo Wang et al, Formation of millisecond pulsars with long orbital periods by accretion-induced collapse of white dwarfs,(2022). DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stac114
Credit: Andre Renard, The CHIME Collaboration

The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) is expanding its ability to more accurately identify where fast radio bursts (FRBs) are coming from. The organization is constructing a new radio telescope outrigger at the SETI Institute's Hat Creek Radio Observatory (HCRO), site of the Allen Telescope Array (ATA). The outrigger will work with the main CHIME instrument in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley and enable CHIME-detected FRBs to be precisely localized on the sky. In addition to the new radio telescope at HCRO, CHIME is constructing outriggers near Princeton, British Columbia on land kindly leased to CHIME by HML Mining Ltd., and at the Green Bank Observatory.

"We are thrilled to welcome the world-class CHIME team to the Hat Creek Radio Observatory," said Andrew Siemion, Bernard M. Oliver Chair for SETI at the SETI Institute. "Hosting a CHIME outrigger represents a phenomenal and complementary addition to the HCRO's science mission."

FRBs are bright, millisecond-wide "flashes" in the radio spectrum, originating at cosmological distances. As they make their few-billion-year journey to earth, FRBs carry the imprint of the material lying between galaxies and stars, making them a significant probe to study these environments. While the current scientific consensus is that FRBs have natural origins, they represent an exciting astronomical phenomenon. Their high degree of spectro-temporal structure and transient nature make them an ideal proving ground for the robust signal processing systems built for technosignature searches.

With the ability to detect 10-100 times more fast radio bursts than all other telescopes combined, CHIME has had a radical impact on FRB science. The telescope has allowed scientists to observe the vanishingly brief bursts with exquisite time resolution. CHIME's limitation, however, has been its inability to identify with any precision an FRB's origin. The outriggers will enable this radical leap.

"The CHIME telescope can currently locate the position of a fast radio burst to a patch of sky equivalent to the size of the full moon. With the addition of the three new outrigger telescopes, this patch of sky can be reduced to the size of a quarter held at roughly 40 km," explained Patrick Boyle, Senior Project Manager for the CHIME/FRB Outriggers project and Senior Academic Associate in the Department of Physics at McGill University.

Last year researchers at ATA announced the detection of a bright double-peaked radio burst from the repeating source known as FRB20201124A. The ATA has been undergoing a refurbishment program to upgrade the telescope feeds and the digital signal processing system to improve the sensitivity and capability of the instrument. This discovery marked the first FRB detection with this nascent system.

The SETI Institute will support the construction of the outrigger at the HCRO and looks forward to possible future scientific partnerships when the outrigger comes online.

Explore further Real-time alert system heralds new era in fast radio burst research
This photo is of Central Park, New York, USA, in 2019. Credit: Jean Carlo Emer on Unsplash

Feeling unhappy? Go find a city parkthe bigger the betterand try taking a walk outdoors.

That's the upshot of a major new study that measures the happiness effects of city parks in the 25 largest U.S. cities, from New York City to Los Angeles.

The happiness benefit of urban nature on users was so strongthe team of University of Vermont scientists discoveredit was roughly equivalent to the mood spike people experience on holidays like Thanksgiving or New Year's Day.

The research is the largest study of its kindusing massive amounts of data from social mediato quantify the mood boosting benefits on urban nature. It was published March 30 by PLOS One.

"These new findings underscore just how essential nature is for our mental and physical health," says University of Vermont scientist Taylor Ricketts. "These results are especially timely given our increased reliance on urban natural areas during the COVID pandemic."

New way to measure happiness

The study builds on the team's landmark San Francisco research, which used unlikely toolsTwitter posts and geolocation datato create an effective method to quantify the happiness benefit that people get from nature.

The new study expanded the focus to the 25 largest American cities by population. The team analyzed a whopping 1.5 million Twitter posts to measure differences in online sentiment, comparing tweets posted inside city parks to those posted elsewhere.

The happiest place on Twitter? The great outdoors

Researchers found a powerful happiness benefit from city parks, which was present across all seasons, months, weeks, days, and times of the daynot just weekends and summer holidays.

"We understand the irony of using Twitter and technology to measure happiness from nature," says lead author and recent UVM Ph.D. student Aaron Schwartz, noting Twitter's reputation for 'doom-scrolling.' "But our goal is to use technology for the greater goodto better understand the effect nature has on humans, which until now has been difficult to quantify in such large numbers."

Given the findings, the researchers argue that urban nature should be protected, expanded, and made as accessible as possible. City parks are the primary source of nature for millions of people, they add.

Whose parks make them happiest?

Researchers found that U.S. cities differed a lot in the size of the happiness benefit that their parks provided to users:

Indianapolis Austin Los Angeles Jacksonville Chicago Dallas Memphis Denver New York San Diego San Francisco Philadelphia Phoenix San Jose Detroit Seattle San Antonio Houston Fort Worth Washington Columbus Charlotte Boston El Paso Baltimore

Some surprises

Scientists were surprised by several top ranked cities in the studyincluding Indianapolis, Austin and Jacksonvillewhich have lower per capita funding levels for parks compared to some other cities on the list.

While people wrote far happier tweets in parkswords like "beautiful," "fun," "enjoying," and "amazing"these top ranked cities saw people write dramatically fewer negative words on Twitter in parkssuch as "hate," "don't," and "not."

A more powerful predictor of happiness than park funding per capita (which previous research by others had suggested would be key) was park size. The happiness benefit was highest in parks over 100 acres in area, followed by parks 1 to 10 acres in size.

"Being in nature offers restorative benefits not available for purchase in a store, or downloadable on a screen," says UVM's Chris Danforth, a mathematics professor and Gund Fellow. "However, not all parks appear to be equal when it comes to happiness. The ability to immerse yourself in a larger, greener natural areas had a greater effect than smaller paved city parks."

"One possible explanation," the researchers write, "is that larger parks provide greater opportunities for mental restoration and separation from the taxing environment of the city."

This study brought together multiple UVM research groups, including the Gund Institute for Environment, Vermont Advanced Computing Center, The Spatial Analysis Lab, the MassMutual Center of Excellence in Complex Systems and Data Science, and the Hedonometer, an effort to measure global happiness using Twitter.

Explore further City parks lift mood as much as Christmas, Twitter study shows

More information: Gauging the happiness benefit of US urban parks through Twitter, PLoS ONE (2022). Journal information: PLoS ONE Gauging the happiness benefit of US urban parks through Twitter,(2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261056
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Educators should have not have "high"' confidence in the quality of existing relationship education programs, because there is a lack of robust evaluation, experts have warned.

The findings from a new systematic review of relationship education programs provide evidence there is a "significant gap" in high-quality research into the outcomes of such programs. This is despite links between healthy relationships and good mental health and well-being, and the recent formalization of a larger role for relationship education in statutory guidance in England.

Researchers reviewed 20 relationship programs. All but one were developed in the US and 11 had been evaluated. Only three had followed participants for a year or longer and many programs and evaluations did not appear to be co-developed or designed with young people. Many evaluations had examined attitudes towards marriage, divorce or collaboration, with negative attitudes to divorce and cohabitation framed as positive outcomes. This may reflect policy in some US states to reinforce traditional attitudes.

Evaluations that had taken place were not high quality, with a lack of randomization, unbalanced samples and high attrition rates over time.

This "Beacon: Healthy Relationship" study was carried out by Simon Benham-Clarke, Georgina Roberts and Tamsin Newlove-Delgado from the University of Exeter and Astrid Janssens from the University of Southern Denmark and Odense University Hospital. It builds on evidence from the Shackleton Relationships Project, which showed an appetite among young people for more education at school (which they help to develop) about how to build positive relationships and handle "normal" relationship difficulties.

Simon Benham-Clarke said, "Because of a lack of good quality evaluation we were not able to conclude that any of the programs have a strong evidence base in terms of their impact on relationships skills or healthy relationship outcomes, particularly over the longer term.

"There needs to be more robust trials of relationships education programs, with their impact to be followed up over a long-term period. There should be a set of core measures to assess programs which connect directly to the desired outcomes and priorities for young people."

The study, in the journal Pastoral Care in Education, says to improve relationship outcomes for young people it is critical that they are fully engaged in the development of new programs and the evaluation of such programs. However, the team found no evidence of young people's involvement in program or evaluation development.

Dr. Newlove-Delgado explained, "We worked with a great group of young people on this research project. Young people want their voices heard and want to contribute to what they learn about relationships in schools. Both young people and relationship experts see relationship education as having an important role in promoting good mental health and well-being, particularly through learning to cope with relationship breakdowns. They also want to learn skills which could help them maintain happy and healthy relationships over the longer term."

The review recommends that future programs are co-created with young people, teachers and relationship experts, and integrated into a mental health-informed curriculum and wider prevention programs in schools and communities. Programs should be evaluated over the longer term and assessed for feasibility and acceptability in school and community settings.

Explore further Research into what helps couples to thrive used to teach teenagers about healthy relationships

More information: Simon Benham-Clarke et al, Healthy relationship education programmes for young people: systematic review of outcomes, Pastoral Care in Education (2022). Simon Benham-Clarke et al, Healthy relationship education programmes for young people: systematic review of outcomes,(2022). DOI: 10.1080/02643944.2022.2054024
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Scientists at the National Policing Institute, George Mason University, Arizona State University, and University of Pennsylvania conducted a study with joint support from Arnold Ventures and the National Policing Institute. The study has now been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Can training police officers in procedural justice reduce crime and improve the community's perceptions of the police? An intensive, randomized controlled trial conducted in high-crime places (or "hot spots") produced evidence that training officers to operate according to the principles of procedural justice changed officer behavior, reduced arrests, and reduced crime. Perceptions of the police on the streets where these officers worked also improved during the study. The findings are good news for police, community leaders, and others who seek ways to reduce crime while simultaneously improving police-community relations.

Procedural justice is based on four components of fairness and equality: giving people a voice, showing neutrality, treating people with respect, and showing trustworthy motives. Observations of officer-community interactions found that trained officers were significantly more likely to behave in procedurally just ways.

For leaders who are looking for ways to control crime while also improving relations between the police and the community, the study's findings provide important information about a strategy that can be implemented broadly.

"This significant scientific experiment confirms that it is possible to simultaneously reduce crime and improve police-community relationships through improved training and supervision. Further, this interventionprocedural justice training to improve officers' community interaction skillsis especially powerful because it can benefit all officers and improve police-community interactions generally. We owe a debt of gratitude to the officers, supervisors and agency leaders in the study who cooperated fully with data collection and all the experimental conditions. Their willingness to engage and support the scientific process is emblematic of their commitment to improved policing," said Jim Burch, President of the National Policing Institute.

"As our nation continues to grapple with the social impacts of the pandemic and a spike in homicides, it is critical that we build a body of evidence about what works to reduce community violence," said Walter Katz, Vice President of Criminal Justice at Arnold Ventures. "This research shows that public safety and policing that is respectful of all community members are interconnected goals. Police departments across the country should learn from these results and require high-quality procedural justice training as a core component of any hot spot crime reduction program."

"The release of this research comes at an extremely pertinent time when many across the country are taking a closer look at police training," said Ann Ardis, Dean of George Mason University's College of Humanities and Social Sciences. "Professor Weisburd's work in partnership with the National Policing Institute and Arnold Ventures adds high-value scientific evidence to the national conversation around policing."

"There are only a small number of randomized experiments examining the influence of police training, and even fewer that look at effects of training on both officer behavior and community perceptions. This study adds to the evidence base for procedural justice training and expands our understanding of how training impacts interactions between police and the public. We view our findings as important for efforts to enhance both fairness and effectiveness in policing," said Cody Telep, associate professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University, and one of the authors of the study.

The multi-year study was conducted in three cities: Tucson, Arizona; Houston, Texas; and Cambridge, Massachusetts. In those cities, more than 1,000 hours of observations and more than 1,500 surveys of residents helped to confirm how the training of officers impacted outcomes. Across the three study sites, 28 police officers were randomly assigned to two groups: the intervention group, which received 40 hours of intensive training in procedural justice concepts and the practical use of the approach, and the control group, which received no procedural justice training and followed standard operating procedures. The officers were allocated randomly to 120 crime hot spots in the three cities and studied for an average of nine months in each site.

The study team collected a variety of data: self-reports before and after the training to assess whether the training influenced officer attitudes; systematic observations of officers to understand how the training impacted officer behaviors while interacting with the community; arrest data to assess law enforcement actions; household surveys before and after the training to assess resident attitudes toward the police; and official crime reports.

Explore further Getting to know local cops could reduce crime rates

More information: David Weisburd et al, Reforming the police through procedural justice training: A multicity randomized trial at crime hot spots, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences David Weisburd et al, Reforming the police through procedural justice training: A multicity randomized trial at crime hot spots,(2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2118780119

Provided by National Policing Institute
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Physicists at the University of Bayreuth are among the international pioneers of power functional theory. This new approach makes it possible for the first time to precisely describe the dynamics of many-particle systems over time. The particles can be atoms, molecules or larger particles invisible to humans. The new theory generalizes the classical density functional theory, which only applies to many-particle systems in thermal equilibrium. In Reviews of Modern Physics, a research team led by Prof. Dr. Matthias Schmidt presents the basic features of the theory, which was significantly developed and elaborated in Bayreuth.

A many-particle system is in thermal equilibrium when the temperature in its interior is balanced and no heat flows take place. This does not necessarily mean that the system is in a rigid state of rest. Some many-particle systems can also be compared to a lottery draw machine, which rotates at a constant speed. The balls have a lot of freedom of movement in it and jump back and forth in a disorderly fashion. In a fluid many-particle system, the particles are packed considerably more densely than in the drum, which is why they constantly collide with each other at short distances and time intervals. Essential properties of such systems can be described completely and precisely with the density functional theoryprovided that a thermal equilibrium of the system is given.

In the case of the lottery draw machine, this equilibrium is lost as soon as the uniform rotation gradually slows down and the chamber goes into reverse. Then the balls with the winning numbers roll onto a rail inside the chamber and are finally ejected. In order to record such processes precisely and without gaps, the power functional theory is needed: it translates the luck of the winners into the language of physics.

"The classical density functional theory is a very in-depth and at the same time esthetically appealing theory. It is able to describe and relate the often very complex processes that take place in a system during thermal equilibrium. These processes include, for example, phase transitions, crystallizations, or phenomena such as hydrophobicity, which occurs when surfaces or particles avoid contact with water. Often, such processes are of great technological or biological relevance. The elegance and power of density functional theory has spurred us in Bayreuth for the past ten years to search for ways to make many-particle systems in thermal disequilibrium accessible to an equally precise and elegant physical description. Research partners at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland have contributed to this search with important studies. For example, our joint efforts have resulted in power functional theory, which extends density functional theory to time-dependent processes," reports Prof. Dr. Matthias Schmidt, who holds a chair in theoretical physics at the University of Bayreuth.

Explore further Steady-state density functional theory
Amaranth, shown here in a Penn State greenhouse, is an annual tropical edible plant that is sometimes cultivated as a leafy vegetable. It is one of the species mentioned in the study, "Food Resilience in a Dark Catastrophe," authored by Daniel Winstead and Michael Jacobson in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Credit: Daniel Winstead/Penn State

The day after lead author Daniel Winstead approved the final proofs for a study to be published in Ambio, the journal of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Russia put its nuclear forces on high alert.

"In no way, shape or form had I thought that our work'Food Resilience in a Dark Catastrophe: A new Way of Looking at Tropical Wild Edible Plants'would be immediately relevant while we were working on it," said the research technologist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. "In the short term, I viewed it as an abstract concept."

Winstead and study co-author Michael Jacobson, professor of forest resources, had to look back at the Cold War era to get information for their review.

"So, it did not enter my mind that it would be something that could happen anytime soon," Winstead said. "This paper was published during this latest invasion by Russia into Ukraine, but our work on it began two years ago. The idea that nuclear war could break out now was unthinkable to me."

The research acknowledges what has been widely agreed upon for decades: In higher latitude countriessuch as nuclear powers the U.S. and Russiathere would be no agricultural production and little food gathering possible in a nuclear winter after an all-out conflagration. If warring countries unleashed large portions of their nuclear arsenals, the resulting global, sun-blocking cloud would turn the ground to permafrost.

A nuclear war would cause global blockage of the sun for several years due to injections of black carbon soot into the upper atmosphere, covering most of the planet with black clouds, the researchers said. Computer models predict that a large nuclear war, primarily between Russia and the U.S., could inject upwards of 165 million tons of soot into the upper atmosphere from more than 4,000 nuclear bomb explosions and ensuing wildfires.

This climate map from the researchers' study shows that food production only would be possible in the tropics after a major nuclear war, and even there it would be greatly curtailed. Credit: Ambio (2022). DOI: 10.1007/s13280-022-01715-1

Such a nuclear war could result in less than 40% of normal light levels near the equator and less than 5% normal light levels near the poles, with freezing temperatures in most temperate regions and severe precipitation reductionsjust half of the worldwide averageaccording to the study. Post-catastrophe conditions, which could last 15 years in some wet tropical forests such as those in the Congo and Amazon basins, could cause a 90% reduction in precipitation for several years after such an event.

But tropical forests would offer an opportunity for limited food production and gathering by local inhabitants because, despite the dense soot clouds, the region would be warmer. In the study, researchers classified wild, edible plants into seven main categories, augmented by forest insects: fruits, leafy vegetables, seeds/nuts, roots, spices, sweets and protein.

In a nuclear winter, the study shows, the following foods would be available in varying degrees in tropical forests: konjac, cassava, wild oyster mushroom, safou, wild spinaches, vegetable amaranths, palms, mopane worm, dilo, tamarind, baobab, enset, acacias, yam and palm weevil.

The researchers chose 33 wild, edible plants from a list of 247 and considered their potential for cultivation in tropical forests in post-nuclear war conditions. Their selections were complicated by the fact that in the tropics there are relatively few food-bearing plants that are both drought tolerant and shade or low-light tolerant.

Post-catastrophe conditions would be unlivable for humans in many areas around the world, and agriculture may not be possible, the researchers concluded. This study shows how just a few of the many tropical wild, edible plants and insects could be used for short-term emergency food cultivation and foraging after an atmospheric soot injection from a catastrophic event such as a nuclear war.

The world's tropical forests hold many underutilized crops and resources, Jacobson pointed out. This study offers a new perspective on global food security and resilience using forest foods, along with policy and preparedness recommendations.

"But regardless of the risk of nuclear war, there are numerous other existential threats, not least being climate change," he said. "Meeting food securityand nutritionin the face of any of these risks is clearly one of humanity's major challenges over the next decades. To that end, it is imperative that we better understand our food production, supply and value chains to make them less vulnerable and more adaptable in times of crises."

More information: Daniel Jefferson Winstead et al, Food resilience in a dark catastrophe: A new way of looking at tropical wild edible plants, Ambio (2022). Journal information: AMBIO Daniel Jefferson Winstead et al, Food resilience in a dark catastrophe: A new way of looking at tropical wild edible plants,(2022). DOI: 10.1007/s13280-022-01715-1
Credit: Eindhoven University of Technology

Faster, more energy-efficient ICT, or sensors to detect anything between beginning fruit rot and microscopic cracks in glass fibers: photonic technology holds great promises for the future. To deliver on those promises, a European consortium led by TU/e researchers takes the next step. The INSPIRE project uses a novel printing method to enable mass fabrication of hybrid photonic chips. These combine multiple technologies to create new possibilities for applications.

Over the past decades, a myriad of technologies has been developed to produce minuscule devices that generate, detect, process and transport light. Applications of these photonic chips range from sensors for monitoring food quality to components that enable efficient broadband data communication.

"Basically, current photonic chips come mostly in three flavors," lectures Martijn Heck, Professor of Photonic Integration and coordinator of the INSPIRE-project. "They are either based on silicon, silicon nitride, or indium phosphide. At TU/e we are experts in the latter."

Each of the currently used photonic materials comes with their own pros and cons. Silicon, and especially silicon nitride, can be used to transport light on the chip with low losses. And as the material forms the basis under the current semiconductor industry, silicon-based chips can be produced with existing semiconductor fabrication techniques.

However, silicon has one major disadvantage: it cannot generate light. So if you need a laser, you will have to turn to some other material. And that is where indium phosphide comes in.

Toward viable industrial production process

Heck: "In indium phosphide we are able to make active components such as lasers and amplifiers, whereas silicon nitride based photonics is way more efficient in guiding the light. For many applications, an optimal device would thus consist of both materials."

Technically, it is already possible to place indium phosphide devices on top of silicon based waveguides. However, the current process is not suitable for volume manufacturing, says Luc Augustin, CTO of SMART photonics, a foundry involved in the project.

"With this project we want to investigate the possibilities to scale up and print entire columns of devices at once. Both indium phosphide and silicon nitride wafers can be produced at high volumes, where each wafer contains thousands of photonic devices. But when we want to put both materials together, we have to do that chip by chip. That might work fine in a lab setting, but it is nowhere near a viable production process for industry."

The INSPIRE project aims to solve that problem and combine multiple materials in a scalable, robust and cost-efficient way. Heck: "In this project, we bring together three separate, mature technologies: we use micro-transfer printing, delivered by X-Celeprint, to print multiple indium phosphide devices made by SMART photonics on top of silicon nitride wafers produced at imec."

"The printing technique has already been demonstrated to work on a single device level in the lab. With this project we want to investigate the possibilities to scale up and print entire columns of devices at once," adds INSPIRE lead scientist Yuqing Jiao.

How to bake a layered cake

The recipe is as follows: a silicon nitride wafer containing the passive components of the ultimate chip is produced with an extremely flat and clean top layer. For the indium phosphide, first a so-called release layer of material is grown. This is topped with the indium phosphide layer containing the active components such as lasers, optical amplifiers or photodetectors.

The release layer underneath is then etched away, leaving behind a series of very small anchors that hold the separate devices in place. Then the thin indium phosphide coupon is picked up, the anchors are broken, and the indium phosphide as a whole is essentially stamped on top of the silicon nitride. As long as the interface between the two layers is smooth enough, an ultrathin layer of adhesive is enough to permanently attach the coupon to the wafer.

"Since the release layer is made out of material that we already use in our fabrication processes, this layer will not impact the device performance and fabrication," says Augustin from SMART Photonics. "The challenging part will be to get the etching part right, to make sure that we indeed transfer all of the individual devices from the wafer and retain their full functionality."

Jiao adds: "Another challenge is to find a smart way to precisely position the 'stamps.' We need the indium phosphide devices to be placed on top of their silicon nitride counterparts with an accuracy of less than one micrometer per device. And ultimately, we need to achieve such precision for tens of thousands of devices at once."

Credit: Eindhoven University of Technology

Three use cases

To demonstrate the power of the resulting hybrid technology, within the project three dedicated use cases will be explored. The first is a distributed fiber sensing readout, proposed by project partner Thales. They are in need for a system that can detect failures in large structures such as buildings and bridges with the aid of optical fibers.

This technology offers continuous, real time and precision measurements of structural changes across the entire structure, even into the areas not accessible to human operators. Jiao explains: "A laser pulse is sent into the fiber. Whenever there is a failure in the structure, this translates into a failure in the fiber, for example a twist or a fracture."

"As a result of this, reflections will occur. Depending on the location and nature of the failure, the intensity and the phase of the reflected light will change. By analyzing these reflections, one can determine what has happened and where."

This envisioned application is very demanding in terms of technical specifications, adds Heck. "To do this properly with integrated photonics, we will need a very low-noise laser. Moreover, since the signals we want to measure will not have a very high intensity, we also need to achieve low noise and high resolution detection. It is exactly this combination of requirements where hybrid technology can make a difference."

A second use case is about microwave photonics, which is for example used in wireless communication. Also here, Thales is involved as an end user. Jiao: "For wireless communication it goes that the higher the frequency, the lower the coverage. So when you go up from 4G to 5G or 6G, you need more base stations. To deliver the signal from base station to base station, you can use optical fibers."

"In the INSPIRE project, we are building a pulse generator that encodes the information from the wireless signal in a microwave photonic signal to be fed into the fibers. This technology is for example very useful for military radar applications. Since you don't have to carry the signal through the air, loss of power is reduced, and the connection is harder to hack by enemies."

The third use case, an optical switch to reduce the energy consumption of data centers, explored together with Cambridge University, is a more traditional one from a photonics perspective, comments Augustin. "Current datacenters are all photonic. Datacenters and telecom currently comprise some eighty percent or our market."

The challenge there is to come up with new designs for all-optical switches that can simultaneously switch massive amounts of data, says Heck. "We have to switch many inputs with many outputs, and with low losses. In practice that means we have to deal with a myriad of crossing waveguides and switches based on active elements where we need to prevent thermal crosstalk."

"Since the aim is a fully integrated device with only one interface for fiber inputs and one for outputs, we need to find ways to integrate hundreds of optical amplifiers, phase modulators and wave guide splitters on a single chip, while dealing with the heat they will generate. If we can demonstrate that this printing technique enables the large-scale production of hybrid chips, that would open up a lot of new opportunities to explore new markets," adds Jiao.

New opportunities

On top of these three use cases, Jiao and Heck are also contemplating a fourth: optical quantum processors. Heck: "Though more of a niche market, applications such as single photon sources or detectors for quantum technology could certainly make for an interesting use case. It would be great if we could establish indium phosphide as a platform technology for quantum communication or even quantum computation. That would also fit nicely with the mission of our recently established Eindhoven Hendrik Casimir Institute, to bring together electronics, photonics and quantum technology."

Also, Augustin is already thinking beyond the project. "INSPIRE is the next step in photonic integration. All over the world, people are looking for ways to combine different materials into a single chip to add new functionalities. The printing technique explored in this project is a unique and very promising new direction to do this."

"As SMART Photonics, we develop generic technologies. If we can demonstrate that this printing technique enables the large-scale production of hybrid chips, that would open up a lot of new opportunities to explore new markets. For example, if we can print one photonic material on top of the other, we can probably also print photonics on top of electronics, or on top of microfluidics for biosensors. Though the INSPIRE project is of a rather exploratory nature and the targets are very ambitious, our consortium comprises all of the necessary players to make this a success."

Explore further New tech builds ultralow-loss integrated photonic circuits
Monthly trends in night-time and day-time crimes in the Thames Valley region. Credit: Journal of Quantitative Criminology (2022). DOI: 10.1007/s10940-022-09539-8

Fewer cars are broken into at night on roads with part-night lighting (PNL), where street lights are switched off between midnight and 5am, suggests new NIHR-funded research in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology.

The study team, led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and UCL, and funded by NIHR, examined detailed police recorded crime data from Thames Valley Police and data on changes to street lighting from April 2004 to September 2013.

They found that the rate of thefts from cars at night was halved in streets with PNL compared to the same streets before PNL. Car break-ins decreased from an average of 12 per street per month before PNL to six per street per month after PNL was introduced.

Interestingly, this coincided with a similarly significant 1.5x increase in vehicle crime on nearby streets where the lighting remained on all night, suggesting some criminals are deciding to move to better-lit streets nearby.

However, fewer crimes were "displaced" to these nearby locations, meaning there was an overall net reduction in crime. Thefts of vehicles was also reduced but this was not statistically significant.

There was no evidence that lighting changes were associated with changes to the levels of violence, robbery or residential burglary.

Dr. Phil Edwards, from LSHTM and LANTERNS Project Leader, said: "The reason we did this research is because many local authorities in the UK have introduced part-night lighting on quiet, urban residential roads and rural roads, which have very little use after midnight, to save energy costs and reduce carbon emissions. However, safety concerns about this policy have been raised.

"Our previous research showed that switching off street lights at night does not increase crime. This new study suggests switching off street lights between midnight and 6am may actually reduce some types of crime."

Dr. Lisa Tompson, who conducted the research at UCL but is now based at The University of Waikato, New Zealand, said: "Research studies such as this can help us to better understand crime and security issues. The study findings suggest that energy saving street lighting adaptations have not increased crime in the streets studied. This is very encouraging but it is important to note that it does not mean that this will be the case under all conditions, and so changes to lighting should be managed carefully."

In this study, the team evaluated the impact on crime from changes to street lighting at street level. In contrast to previous studies, the changes to street lighting involved reducing rather than increasing lighting provision. Three different types of lighting changes: PNL, dimming, and white light were examined for five crime categories: residential burglary, robbery, vehicle crime and violence.

The team used crime data from Thames Valley Police, together with data on changes to street lighting in the local authorities in Oxfordshire, Reading, West Berkshire. Over the ten-year study period there were 283,275 crimes, of which 79,000 (28%) were vehicle crimes.

After controlling for the underlying long-term and seasonal trends in crime, the team found that theft from vehicles considerably reduced on street segments where street lighting was switched off at midnight.

For street segments with dimmed lighting there was also evidence of a reduction in night-time vehicle crime relative to day-time crime, although the effect was less robust than for PNL. There was no evidence that white lighting was significantly associated with changes in any type of night-time crime examined by the researchers.

Dr. Edwards said: "We didn't set out to find the reasons for the observed changes, but it is possible that when lighting is switched off after midnight, offenders consider that the costs of committing a crime, such as using a torch that could raise suspicion among residents, outweighs the benefits.

"When lighting is switched off after midnight the streets are likely to be in near darkness, which means that any would-be offenders may find it challenging to see if there are any valuable goods left unsecured in vehicles, so offenders may choose to move elsewhere to fulfill their intentions."

Professor Shane Johnson, director of the Dawes Centre for Future Crime at UCL, and deputy head of department at the UCL Department for Security and Crime Science, said: "Research studies such as this can help us to better understand crime and security issues. The study findings suggest that energy saving street lighting adaptations have not increased crime in the streets studied. This is very encouraging but it is important to note that it does not mean that this will be the case under all conditions, and so changes to lighting should be managed carefully."

Steve Fotios, professor of lighting and visual perception, University of Sheffield, said: "The public provision of artificial light at night should be based on the best available evidence of its effects on public health and safety. We need to be sure that lighting achieves the goals that we assume it will achieve when following lighting design guidance. The reduction in vehicle crime found by this study is surprising; further empirical research is needed to evaluate optimal light levels for residential streets after dark."

Peter Harrison, technical director, Institution of Lighting Professionals, said: "The way people use spaces is complex and multifaceted. This report looks at part of the picture and its valuable findings are just one piece of a bigger jigsaw. However, this should not be seen as a one-size-fits-all solution. The report also did not mention the impact that lack of lighting had on the elderly and more vulnerable in society their fear of crime and their reluctance to leave their homes at night."

The authors acknowledge limitations of the study, including that the findings reported are for only one of the 43 UK police force areas and so the findings may not be generalizable to the national level. Also, for some crime reports the exact time of an offense was unknown, so some vehicle crimes may have occurred either before the lights were switched off, or after they were switched on again.

Explore further Switching off street lights at night does not increase car crashes and crime, study finds

More information: Lisa Tompson et al, Absence of Street Lighting May Prevent Vehicle Crime, but Spatial and Temporal Displacement Remains a Concern, Journal of Quantitative Criminology (2022). Lisa Tompson et al, Absence of Street Lighting May Prevent Vehicle Crime, but Spatial and Temporal Displacement Remains a Concern,(2022). DOI: 10.1007/s10940-022-09539-8
Scientists plan to introduce 10 platypuses back into the rivers in the Royal National Park. Credit: Shutterstock

Researchers from UNSW Sydney have confirmed the likely disappearance of platypuses from the Royal National Park, based on results of recent environmental DNA (eDNA).

The eDNA surveyswhich use DNA found in water samples to paint a picture of the different animals living in the local environmentfound traces of as much as 250 land and water species in the park's Hacking River and Kangaroo Creek.

Unfortunatelyas fearednone of these samples showed signs of local platypus life. But that may soon change with plans to reintroduce platypuses later this year.

"Platypuses once inhabited the rivers of the Royal National Park, but none have been seen there in decades," says Dr. Gilad Bino, leading the project from UNSW's Centre for Ecosystem Science (CES).

"We're hoping to change that later this year by reintroducing a founding population of 10 platypuses to the park. Our hope is that they will establish in the area and increase."

The platypus reintroduction is a project led by researchers from UNSW's Platypus Conservation Initiative at the Centre for Ecosystem Science (CES), in collaboration with WWF-Australia, Taronga Conservation Society, and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.

The conservation project aims to reintroduce platypuses to the Royal National Park as early as August 2022.

"Platypuses are an integral part of eastern Australia's freshwater environment and belong in the rivers of the park where they once occurred," says Dr. Tahneal Hawke, a scientist on the UNSW team.

The recent environmental surveysmade with support from volunteers of Friends of the Royalhave been the next step in ensuring the sites are suitable and safe for platypus reintroductions.

In addition to confirming platypuses no longer live in the park, the team evaluated the quality of the rivers, surveyed potential platypus food sources, and ensured that potential threats, like sedimentation, pollution, and foxes, wouldn't threaten new platypus populations.

Based on their findings, the researchers are optimistic the Royal National Park would be able to sustain new platypus populations.

The scientists found evidence of 250 different land and water species - but no sign of the platypus. Credit: Richard Freeman/UNSW

"We found a healthy diversity of animal species during our surveys, including some sensitive species like spiny crayfish, which thrive in clear and flowing water environments," says Dr. Bino.

Professor Richard Kingsford, also on the research team, comments: "This is welcome news because it gives us a great chance to restore the rivers in Royal National Park with one of Australia's iconic species as well reducing threats to this diverse ecosystem."

Rewilding this iconic mammal

Platypuses are one of Australia's most iconic mammals, but sadly, they're currently listed as a near-threatened species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

A landmark assessment by UNSW scientists in 2020 found that the area of eastern Australia where platypuses live has shrunk by up to 22 percent over the past 30 years, with key threats to their habitats including historic land clearing, river regulation, and extreme droughts.

But the latest platypus project is hoping to change that by mitigating threats, improving the management of the park's rivers, and hopefully reintroducing platypuses back into this environment later this year.

"We want to bring back platypuses to the parks and ensure that all freshwater species are thriving, not only in these areas but across Australia," says Dr. Bino.

"We want people to enjoy Australia's beautiful natural environments and foster in everyone a desire for their preservation, including the iconic platypus."

Next, the team will continue scoping robust populations of platypus across NSW from which animals could be sourced for reintroduction into areas where they once thrived.

With the support of animal health staff from Taronga Zoo, platypuses will be fitted with miniature tags to track their movements and establishment in the park for up to two years after their release.

The team is working with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service closely in terms of the potential timing of this release.

Explore further Platypus to make a comeback in Australia's oldest national park
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A payment on results approach to delivering education aid, which is championed by international institutions including the World Bank, is in danger of backfiring in some of the countries it aims to help, researchers believe.

The concerns are raised in a new study, by academics at the Universities of Cambridge and Addis Ababa, which examines results-based financing in education and heavily critiques one such program in Ethiopia. It urges donors not to treat the approach as a "magic bullet" for poorer countries, echoing other studies which have flagged similar doubts.

Results-based financing is a funding model that has been widely adopted by Western governments and institutions to provide education aid to lower-income countries. Rather than handing out grants up front, the approach requires recipient governments to meet a set of target conditions which are agreed with donors in advance. The money is released as these conditions are met.

The targets vary, but typically involve improvements to attainment and enrolment in schools. According to the World Bank, results-based financing "could have a substantial impact in terms of achieving results that matter" in support of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

The new study examined the 'Program for Results' (PforR) scheme: a results-based financing package underpinning the latest phase of the Ethiopian government's education reforms. This draws on a pooled fund, supported by a consortium of donors led by the World Bank.

Although the research is broadly supportive of the principle of linking funding to results, it found that several aspects of the financing project were unfit for purpose from the start. Many of the targets set through PforR, for example, fell short of those of the education reforms themselves. The researchers also argue that key groups of children, such as those with disabilities, were overlooked in the target-setting; inadequate systems were put in place to measure results, and some local authorities were unaware of the new system months after it began.

Professor Pauline Rose, Director of the Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Center, University of Cambridge, said: "The shortcomings we identified suggest that the potential for this results-based financing program to improve education and learning is limited. In the worst-case scenario, it could end up undermining the very reforms it is meant to support."

The study is not the first to question how results-based financing packages are being structured and implemented. Similar problems have been highlighted in several previous assessments, including an evaluation of a pilot program in Ethiopia in 2015, and an assessment of funding programs in Mozambique, Nepal and Tanzania, in 2021.

The PforR initiative began in 2018 and is expected to run until 2023. Researchers examined the original program appraisal document, and interviewed 72 of the donors and government officials responsible for its creation and delivery.

They found that many targets set through the scheme failed to match the ambition of the Ethiopian government's reforms. Just 40% were linked to improving academic results, which is the principal aim of the government's initiative. The PforR plan also specified that attainment should be measured at 2,000 schools which had been earmarked as requiring improvement. The bar set for the attainment targets that would unlock further funding was therefore often low; one donor described them as "a bit soft".

While some of these targets took gender parity into account, researchers found that they overlooked other equity issues, such as how far education reforms were supporting marginalized groups including children with disabilities and those from the poorest backgrounds.

In the few cases where the PforR plan did specify targets for these groups, they were often widely considered to be inadequate. For example, education officials told the researchers that they had raised concerns at the plan's draft stage about a target for expanding the number of Inclusive Education Resource Centers in Ethiopia. The researchers calculate that this target, if achieved, would affect just 10% of schools and fail to reach the majority of children with disabilities. The feedback raising this concern was never taken into account.

The paper criticizes what appears to be a back-to-front approach to data-gathering. Several interviewees observed that systems were not in place to measure whether the PforR targets were being met before the program started. Instead, improving data collection was itself set as a goal. In some cases, the study finds, this may mean that inaccurate information produced under the old, faulty system is likely to be contradicted mid-program, creating the false impression that some targets are being missed.

The analysis also found a "significant gap in knowledge" about the program's introduction among regional and woreda (district) officials in the local education authorities charged with delivering results.

Months after it commenced, one official told researchers that he had "no clear understanding" of what 'Program for Results' meant or involved. Another said that they had only heard "a rumor that the school grant is to be changed". "These interviews were carried out during the first year of the implementation," co-author, Dr. Belay Hagos from Addis Ababa University, said. "We didn't expect everyone to have a comprehensive knowledge of what it involved, but we did expect they would at least be aware of it."

The authors suggest that these findings add further weight to existing evidence that some results-based financing packages are being implemented without adequate, contextualized planning, and without necessary preconditionssuch as data-gathering measuresin place.

Rose added that there were doubts about how more recent developments in Ethiopianotably the double shock of COVID-19 and conflictwould affect the arrangements. "Some of the education reforms to which the funding is tied have inevitably ground to a halt since 2018," she said. "It is not entirely clear who will be responsible when results aren't achieved in this context, and what sort of funding the government might eventually receive."

The research is published in Third World Quarterly.

More information: Is the Programme for Results approach fit for purpose? Evidence from a large-scale education reform in Ethiopia, Third World Quarterly (2022). Is the Programme for Results approach fit for purpose? Evidence from a large-scale education reform in Ethiopia,(2022). DOI: 10.1080/01436597.2022.2047920
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

RNA (ribonucleic acid) plays many roles in human health, and now a study in the journal Nature offers powerful evidence that RNA could also be a viable target for drug development. This work, led by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), suggests that a new class of biological factors numbering in the thousands can be targeted and thereby heralds a new era in drug development.

Nearly all drugs currently available target one of approximately 700 disease-related proteins among the roughly 20,000 human proteins identified by the Human Genome Project. However, in recent years there has been growing interest in expanding the list of "druggable" targets to include RNA. In cells, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) carries the genetic code for forming proteins. A segment of DNA is copied, or transcribed, into a "coding" RNA, which is in turn translated into protein. However, the vast majority of RNA in the human genome98 percentis "noncoding."

"These noncoding RNAs play very important roles in the genome, and we now understand that mutations in this noncoding space can result in disease," says the senior author of the Nature paper, Jeannie Lee, MD, Ph.D., of the Department of Molecular Biology at MGH. "And there may be far more of these RNA genes than there are protein-coding genes. If we could target these RNAs, we would hugely increase the universe in which we can find drugs to treat patients."

However, the pharmaceutical industry has historically been hesitant to pursue RNA as a drug target. Proteins tend to have stable shapes, or conformations, which make them optimal targets: Drugs bind to proteins like a key in a lock. By contrast, explains Lee, RNA tends to be highly flexible, or "floppy," and capable of assuming multiple conformations. "If a lock is constantly changing shape, your key is not going to work," says Lee. Noncoding RNA's unstable nature has made companies reluctant to invest in trying to develop medications that target it. However, it's known that some regions on RNA retain stable conformations, despite all of that shape-shifting, but finding such regions has been a challenge.

Lee directs a molecular biology lab at MGH, where she and her team study RNA and its role in a biological process called X-chromosome inactivation (XCI), which deactivates one copy of the X chromosome in female mammals and is necessary for normal development. In a study led by postdoctoral fellow Rodrigo Aguilar, Ph.D., Lee's group collaborated with colleagues at Merck Research Laboratories to find out if RNA could be a viable drug target. The focus of the study was a form of noncoding RNA called Xist, which silences genes on the X chromosome. Finding a way to interfere with this process and reactivate a dormant X chromosome could help guide development of treatments for genetic disorders caused by mutations on the X chromosome (known as X-linked disorders), such as Rett syndrome and Fragile X syndrome.

Together with Merck scientists Kerrie Spencer and Elliott Nickbarg, the MGH team screened Xist against a library of 50,000 small molecule compounds and found several that bind to a region called Repeat A (RepA) on Xist. One compound, which Lee's team named X1, had particularly interesting qualities: It prevented several key proteins, PRC2 and SPEN, from binding to RepA, which is necessary for Xist to silence the X chromosome. "As a result, X inactivation cannot take place," says Lee. To understand why, the team collaborated with structural biologists led by Trushar Patel of the University of Lethbridge in Canada. Normally, Xist's RepA can assume 16 different conformations, but X1 caused it to adopt a more uniform shape. This structural change prevented RepA from binding with PRC2 and SPEN.

The approach employed in this study could be used to identify other RNA-targeting drugs. "This really opens up a large universe for new drug development," says Lee. "Now we don't just have 700 proteins to target using small molecules. In the future, we may have tens and possibly hundreds of thousands of RNAs to target to cure disease."

Explore further Study identifies mechanism affecting X chromosome that could lead to novel therapies for rare and common diseases

More information: Jeannie Lee, Targeting Xist with compounds that disrupt RNA structure and X inactivation, Nature (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04537-z Journal information: Nature Jeannie Lee, Targeting Xist with compounds that disrupt RNA structure and X inactivation,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04537-z
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Sea turtles maintain their preferences for the sites where they lay their eggs each season, which could influence the sex of the offspring, according to international research conducted in Costa Rica by Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA) of the CSIC, and the NGO Leatherback Trust.

During the nesting season, which occurs every three or four years, the turtles emerge from the water to find the perfect spotthe area on the beach where they dig a hole in the sand. There they lay several dozen eggs, cover them over and return to the sea. Two months later, when they hatch, the offspring head from the sand into the water.

The study, published in Climatic Change, was begun by Lucia Heredero as her Final Master's Degree Project at the UCM's Institute of Knowledge Technology (ITC). It demonstrates that although years may have passed, turtles continue to choose the same areas of the beach as in previous years, which has an impact on the future of the offspring.

"Since the sex of the future turtles is determined by the temperature at which the eggs buried in the sand incubate, the fact that their mothers reveal a preference for a nesting site means that this could have an indirect influence on the sex of their offspring," explains Pilar Santidrian, IMEDEA researcher and co-director of the research.

Males are produced at lower temperatures than females. Turtles that always nest beneath trees could make it more likely that their offspring will be male, as the shade lowers the temperature.

"Bearing in mind the threat of climate change, one would expect nesting beneath trees to become increasingly more frequent as the temperature rises, leading to more males being born," Santidrian warns.

Social science methodology in a biological study

To conduct the research, they used data gathered since 2011 by the organization Leatherback Trust in Cabuyal, on the Northern Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

In the egg-laying season (October to March) the identity of each turtle is logged, indicating where they make their nest, using sensors to log their temperature every hour during the 60 days that the incubation period can last.

The novel aspect of this research lies not only in the results obtained, but also the methodology employed. "Artificial intelligence algorithms were used, specifically unsupervised learning, serving to analyze the strategies followed by the turtles in choosing the area of the beach where they dig their nests," explains Luis Janez, a researcher at the UCM's ITC.

Meanwhile, Lucia Heredero, who is currently researching as a biologist at the Leatherback Trust, explains that for the study they used spatial correlations to measure the tendency of turtles to nest close to their previous nest. This methodology is normally used in social sciences.

"In this study we would stress the huge importance of combining such theoretically diverse disciplines as methodology applied to social sciences and conservation biology," she adds.

The next step in the study, reveals Janez, is to identify the biological mechanisms that allow turtles to return to the same area of the same beach several years later, having covered thousands of kilometers across the ocean. "This information will help to identify the most appropriate actions to be taken by national and international bodies wishing to protect these species," he concludes.

Explore further Thousands of turtles lay eggs on Nicaraguan coast

More information: L. Heredero Saura et al, Nest-site selection influences offspring sex ratio in green turtles, a species with temperature-dependent sex determination, Climatic Change (2022). Journal information: Climatic Change L. Heredero Saura et al, Nest-site selection influences offspring sex ratio in green turtles, a species with temperature-dependent sex determination,(2022). DOI: 10.1007/s10584-022-03325-y

Provided by Universidad Complutense de Madrid
A team of local divers investigates the health of the local marine ecosystem as part of GERA's LAVA-MAR project. Credit: University of Pennsylvania

In January 2022, the Galapagos Marine Reserve was expanded by 60,000 square kilometers, bringing the total area to 198,000 square kilometers. Created in 1998, the space is home to one of the most diverse marine ecosystems in existence, with species ranging from whale sharks to Pacific Green Turtles to Galapagos penguins.

The reserve is also unique due to the fact that it brings together the governments of Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia in an allied effort to stave off illegal fishing practices, such as shark finning. It's a remarkable achievement says Michael Weisberg, Bess W. Heyman President's Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, who has been involved in research and activism in the islands for much of his career.

"These are places that are unique in the world and we're losing them because of climate change and overfishing," says Weisberg, author of Galapagos: Life in Motion. "And it's easy to say that we prioritize these things, but to actually try to do it shows real leadership."

The Galapagos Islands are famed for their biodiversity. They were the site of inspiration for Charles Darwin's development of his theory of evolution and continue to be an ideal location for research. To this end, the Galapagos Education and Research Alliance, or GERA, which Weisberg co-directs, aims to support Galapagos communities in protecting biodiversity, building resilience against climate change, and promoting the health of humans and non-humans alike. GERA brings together an alliance of the Galapagos community with faculty and students from across Penn, along with partners at Villanova University, Virginia Tech, and the University of Cincinnati.

The initiative's work focuses on addressing the most pressing issues facing the islands: How can population growth continue while preserving the biodiversity for which Galapagos is justly famous? How can these communities prepare for the coming climate emergency? And how can the tools of community science be used to increase civic engagement with these issues and empower the local community to protect its home?

GERA approaches these goals on multiple fronts, including green business consulting, community outreach, public health, and urban development. LAVA, short for Laboratorio para Apreciar la Vida y el Ambiente, is a series of community science initiatives that address issues at the intersection of ecology, conservation, and education. These initiatives include LAVA-Lobos, which investigates the impact of human presence on the behavior and social structure of the endangered Galapagos Sea Lion; LAVA-Mar, which trains local middle schoolers to SCUBA dive and carry out scientific diving protocols; and LAVA-Agua, a project to study the domestic water supply.

"As a marine biologist, I'm encouraged by the commitment to expand the reserve into a large wildlife corridor, since it covers an incredibly diverse marine environment supporting many different ecosystems," says Luella Allen-Waller, a graduate student in biology who studies symbiotic corals and how they rely on microscopic algae for energy.

Allen-Waller says the bigger and more contiguous marine protected areas have outsized conservation benefits because they provide nurseries and refuges for wide-ranging species. "My goal in working with GERA is to develop community science initiatives that ignite curiosity and help people engage with the incredible ecosystem in their backyard. When conservation steps like this one are well-supported, they can start positive feedback cycles of engagement, which in turn brings more people to the table to help shape tomorrow's conservation efforts."

Lia Enriquez, C'24, says the expansion is also important in the way it considers local citizens and the economy. "It is a policy that does not target the subsistence activities of Galapagos fishermen, which has been a big critique of a lot of environmental regulations on the islands." Enriquez also emphasizes the challenge of preventing illegal fishing. "It is an open secret at this point that large fishing operations sneak through the border to access fisheries, affecting endangered species that are very sensitive to becoming bycatch (a term that refers to a marine species that is caught unintentionally, and often discarded).

Ambassador Ivonne Baki, Ecuador's Ambassador to the United States, says the expansion is momentous, and a bridge to future developments.

"It's historic what we have done in Galapagos," says Baki, who was instrumental in forming the Galapagos Conservancy Foundation after an oil spill in 2000 threatened marine life in the region. "I think the announcement was something that people were not expecting to happen because it's difficult to get together the environmental part with the fishing industry to agree on that."

Baki points out that while those in the fishing industry might lose out on some of their profits short term, protected areas eventually yield larger, healthier fish, not only within the reserve, but also in areas where commercial fishing is permitted.

In the future, the goal is to unite even more countries around the goal of protecting the ecosystem. "Now, it's almost 200,000 square kilometers of the protected area," says Baki. "But when you add in Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica it becomes 500,000300,000 more. So, if other countries join, like Mexico, Peru, and Chile, we can expand it more and it'll be a protected area of the whole Pacific."

For Weisberg and his students, it's all about forging ahead with research and community outreach, and future expansion only provides more fertile ground for discovery. "I think prioritizing large areas of ocean that are far from where people live is politically very difficult , but you have to do it, or you just end up just protecting the places that are highly visible," says Weisberg. "It's similar to managing a citysometimes what you have to do is the stuff no one sees, like replace the sewers and the water mains. But no mayor wants to run on, 'I'm going to dig up all the streets and replace all the sewers.' It's not sexy. So, that's why I think this expansion is so impressive and says a lot about the Ecuadorian government's commitment to marine biodiversity protection."

Explore further Ecuador expands sea life protections around Galapagos
Jin Xu, Ph.D. 14, surveys sand dunes. Credit: Cornell University

Deserts may seem lifeless and inert, but they are very much alive. Sand dunes, in particular, grow and moveand according to a decades long research project, they also breathe humid air.

The findings show for the first time how water vapor penetrates powders and grains, and could have wide-ranging applications far beyond the desertin pharmaceutical research, agriculture and food processing, as well as planetary exploration.

The team's paper, "Water Vapor Transport Across an Arid Sand SurfaceNon-Linear Thermal Coupling, Wind-Driven Pore Advection, Subsurface Waves, and Exchange with the Atmospheric Boundary Layer," published March 21 in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface.

The project, led by lead author Michel Louge, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering, has spanned not only a great deal of time but also a variety of terrain. It began nearly 40 years ago, when Louge was studying the behavior of fluids, gasses and solid particles.

Wanting to measure matter with greater sensitivity, he and his students developed a new form of instrumentation called capacitance probes, which use multiple sensors to record everything from solid concentration to velocity to water content, all with unprecedented spatial resolution.

When a colleague at the University of Utah suggested the technology might be helpful in imaging the layers of mountain snow packs and assessing the likelihood of avalanches, Louge went to his garage, grabbed some probes and tested them out in a snowstorm. Soon he struck up a partnership with a company, Capacitec Inc, to combine their respective skills in geometry and electronics. The resulting probes also proved useful in hydrology research.

In the early 2000s, Louge began collaborating with Ahmed Ould el-Moctar from University of Nantes, France, to use the probes to study the moisture content in sand dunes to better understand the process by which agricultural lands turn to desertan interest that has only become more urgent with the rise of global climate change.

"The future of the Earth, if we continue this way, is a desert," Louge said.

Whereas other probes can measure large volumes of matter, Louge's probes go deep and small, collecting data on a millimetric scale to pinpoint the exact amount of moisture inand the density ofsand. To function in a new environment, though, the probes needed to be modified. And so began a decade long process of trial and error, as Louge made periodic trips to deserts in Qatar and Mauritania experimenting with different versions of the probe.

Michel Louge, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, pictured here in Qatar in 2012, has been using capacitance probes to study the moisture content in sand dunes since the early 2000s. Credit: Cornell University

The probe eventually revealed just how porous sand is, with a tiny amount of air seeping through it. Previous research had hinted this type of seepage existed in sand dunes, but no one had been able to prove it until now.

"The wind flows over the dune and as a result creates imbalances in the local pressure, which literally forces air to go into the sand and out of the sand. So the sand is breathing, like an organism breathes," Louge said.

That "breathing" is what allows microbes to persist deep inside hyper-arid sand dunes, despite the high temperature. For much of the last decade, Louge has been collaborating with Anthony Hay, associate professor of microbiology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, to study how microbes can help stabilize the dunes and prevent them from encroaching into roads and infrastructure.

Louge and his team also determined that desert surfaces exchange less moisture with the atmosphere than expected, and that water evaporation from individual sand grains behaves like a slow chemical reaction.

The bulk of their data was gathered in 2011, but it still took Louge and his collaborators another decade to make sense of some of the findings, such as identifying disturbances at the surface level that force evanescent, or nonlinear, waves of humidity to propagate downward through the dunes very quickly.

"We could have published the data 10 years ago to report the accuracy of our approach," Louge said. "But it wasn't satisfying until we understood what was going on. Nobody really had done anything like this before. This is the first time that such low levels of humidity could be measured."

The researchers anticipate their probe will have a number of applicationsfrom studying the way soils imbibe or drain water in agriculture, to calibrating satellite observations over deserts, to exploring extraterrestrial environments that may hold trace amounts of water. That wouldn't be the first time Louge's research made its way into space.

But perhaps the most immediate application is the detection of moisture contamination in pharmaceuticals. Since 2018, Louge has been collaborating with Merck to use the probes in continuous manufacturing, which is viewed as a faster, more efficient and less expensive system than batch manufacturing.

"If you want to do continuous manufacturing, you have to have probes that will allow you, as a function of time, and everywhere that's important, to check that you have the right behavior of your process," Louge said.

More information: M. Y. Louge et al, Water vapor transport across an arid sand surface  nonlinear thermal coupling, winddriven pore advection, subsurface waves, and exchange with the atmospheric boundary layer, Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface (2022). M. Y. Louge et al, Water vapor transport across an arid sand surface  nonlinear thermal coupling, winddriven pore advection, subsurface waves, and exchange with the atmospheric boundary layer,(2022). DOI: 10.1029/2021JF006490
A wildlife team covers a young buck's head with a cloth to help calm it before testing the deer for the coronavirus and taking other biological samples in Grand Portage, Minn. on Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Scientists are concerned that the COVID-19 virus could evolve within animal populations  potentially spawning dangerous viral mutants that could jump back to people, spread among us and reignite what for now seems like a waning crisis. Credit: AP Photo/Laura Ungar

To administer this COVID test, Todd Kautz had to lie on his belly in the snow and worm his upper body into the narrow den of a hibernating black bear. Training a light on its snout, Kautz carefully slipped a long cotton swab into the bear's nostrils five times.

For postdoctoral researcher Kautz and a team of other wildlife experts, tracking the coronavirus means freezing temperatures, icy roads, trudging through deep snow and getting uncomfortably close to potentially dangerous wildlife.

They're testing bears, moose, deer and wolves on a Native American reservation in the remote north woods about 5 miles from Canada. Like researchers around the world, they are trying to figure out how, how much and where wildlife is spreading the virus.

Scientists are concerned that the virus could evolve within animal populations  potentially spawning dangerous viral mutants that could jump back to people, spread among us and reignite what for now seems to some people like a waning crisis.

The coronavirus pandemic has served as a stark and tragic example of how closely animal health and human health are linked. While the origins of the virus have not been proven, many scientists say it likely jumped from bats to humans, either directly or through another species that was being sold live in Wuhan, China.

E.J. Isaac, fish and wildlife biologist for the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, places a swab into a vial after testing a young buck for the coronavirus in Grand Portage, Minn. on March 2, 2022. "If we consider that there are many species and they're all intermingling to some extent, their patterns and their movements can exponentially increase the amount of transmission that could occur," Isaac says. Credit: AP Photo/Laura Ungar

And now the virus has been confirmed in wildlife in at least 24 U.S. states, including Minnesota. Recently, an early Canadian study showed someone in nearby Ontario likely contracted a highly mutated strain from a deer.

"If the virus can establish itself in a wild animal reservoir, it will always be out there with the threat to spill back into the human population," said University of Minnesota researcher Matthew Aliota, who is working with the Grand Portage Reservation team.

E.J. Isaac, a fish and wildlife biologist for the reservation that's home to the Grand Portage Ojibwe, said he expects the stakes to get even higher with the start of spring, as bears wake from hibernation and deer and wolves roam to different regions.

"If we consider that there are many species and they're all intermingling to some extent, their patterns and their movements can exponentially increase the amount of transmission that could occur," he said.

A young buck peaks out from under a blanket while in a Clover deer trap. A wildlife team is testing the animal for the coronavirus and taking other biological samples in Grand Portage, Minn. on March 2, 2022. The COVID-19 virus has been confirmed in wildlife in at least 24 U.S. states, including Minnesota. Recently, an early Canadian study showed someone in nearby Ontario likely contracted a highly mutated strain from a deer. Credit: AP Photo/Laura Ungar

INTO THE WILD

Their research is meant to ward off such unwelcome surprises. But it carries its own set of risks.

Seth Moore, who directs the reservation biology and environment department, recently almost got bitten by a wolf.

And they sometimes team with a crew from the Texas-based company Heliwild to capture animals from the air. One chilly late-winter afternoon, the men climbed into a small helicopter with no side doors that lifted above the treetops. Flying low, they quickly spotted a deer in a forest clearing. They targeted the animal from the air with a net gun and dropped Moore off.

Wind whipped at his face as he worked in deep snow to quickly swab the deer's nose for COVID, put on a tracking collar and collect blood and other biological samples for different research.

The men capture moose in much the same way, using tranquilizer darts instead of nets. They trap wolves and deer either from the air or on the ground, and trap bears on the ground.

E.J. Isaac, fish and wildlife biologist for the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, swabs a young buck for the coronavirus in Grand Portage, Minn. on March 2, 2022. Isaac expects animal COVID-19 infections to increase with the start of spring, as bears wake from hibernation and deer and wolves roam to different regions. Credit: AP Photo/Laura Ungar

They knew of the young male bear they recently tested because they had already been tracking it. To get to the den, they had to take snowmobiles to the bottom of a hill then hike a narrow, winding path in snow shoes.

When Kautz crawled part-way into the den, a colleague held his feet to pull him out quickly if necessary. The team also gave the animal a drug to keep it sleeping and another later to counteract the effects of the first.

To minimize the risk of exposing animals to COVID, the men are fully vaccinated and boosted and get tested frequently.

The day after testing the bear, Isaac packed their samples to send to Aliota's lab in Saint Paul. The veterinary and biomedical researcher hopes to learn not just which animals are getting infected but also whether certain animals are acting as "bridge species" to bring it to others. Testing may later be expanded to red foxes and racoons.

E.J. Isaac, Roger Deschampe Jr., and Frank Manthey, who work in resource management for the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, take biological samples from a deer they caught in a Clover trap on March 2, 2022 in Grand Portage, Minn.. These samples, including a COVID-19 test on the animal, will be sent to scientists for research. Credit: AP Photo/Emma H. Tobin

It's also possible the virus hasn't reached this remote location  yet. Since it's already circulating in the wilderness of Minnesota and nearby states, Aliota said it's only a matter of time.

LOOKING FOR MUTANTS

Close contact between humans and animals has allowed the virus to overcome built-in barriers to spread between species.

To infect any living thing, the virus must get into its cells, which isn't always easy. Virology expert David O'Connor likens the process to opening a "lock" with the virus' spike protein "key."

"Different species have different-looking locks, and some of those locks are not going to be pickable by the key," the University of Wisconsin-Madison scientist said.

But other locks are similar enough for the virus to enter an animal's cells and make copies of itself. As it does, it can randomly mutate and still have a key that fits in the human lock. That allows it to leap back to humans through close contact with live animals, scientists believe.

A helicopter lifts off in Grand Portage, Minn., carrying Seth Moore, director of biology and environment for the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and a team from the wildlife capture company Heliwild. The team searches for deer and moose from the air as part of an effort to test wildlife for the coronavirus and take other biological samples. Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Laura Ungar

Although spillback is rare, it only takes one person to bring a mutated virus into the realm of humans.

Some think the highly mutated omicron variant emerged from an animal rather than an immune-compromised human, as many believe. Virologist Marc Johnson of the University of Missouri is one of them, and now sees animals as "a potential source of pi," the Greek letter that may be used to designate the next dangerous coronavirus variant.

Johnson and his colleagues found strange coronavirus lineages in New York City sewage with mutations rarely seen elsewhere, which he believes came from animals, perhaps rodents.

What scientists are most concerned about is that current or future variants could establish themselves and multiply widely within a reservoir species.

One possibility: white-tailed deer. Scientists found the coronavirus in a third of deer sampled in Iowa between September 2020 and January 2021. Others found COVID-19 antibodies in a third of deer tested in Illinois, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania. Infected deer generally have no symptoms. Testing in many other wild species has been limited or absent.

Frank Manthey follows E.J. Isaac and Roger Deschampe Jr. into the Grand Portage, Minn. woods on March 2, 2022, to check traps they set to catch deer for scientific research for the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. One of the samples they take from the deer is a COVID-19 swab. Credit: AP Photo/Emma H. Tobin

"It's possible that the virus is already perhaps circulating in multiple animals," said virology expert Suresh Kuchipudi of Pennsylvania State University, an author of the Iowa deer study. If unmonitored, the virus could leave people "completely blindsided," he said.

CAN IT BE STOPPED?

Ultimately, experts say the only way to stop viruses from jumping back and forth between animals and humansextending this pandemic or sparking a new oneis to tackle big problems like habitat destruction and illegal wildlife sales.

"We are encroaching on animal habitats like we have never before in history," Aliota said. "Spillover events from wild animals into humans are, unfortunately I think, going to increase in both frequency and scope."

To combat that threat, three international organizationsthe United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health and the World Health Organizationare urging countries to make COVID surveillance in animals a priority.

The sun begins to set over Hollow Rock on frozen Lake Superior in Grand Portage, Minn. on March 3, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Emma H. Tobin

E.J. Isaac, fish and wildlife biologist for the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, stands over an empty deer trap in Grand Portage, Minn. on March 1, 2022. He and his team are catching deer in order to take biological samples to send to scientists for research. One of the samples he takes is testing for COVID-19 in the animals. Credit: AP Photo/Emma H. Tobin

Todd Kautz, a post-doctoral researcher from the State University of New York, lies on his belly to take biological samples from a hibernating bear in its den as a colleague holds his feet in Grand Portage, Minn. on March 2, 2022. This includes testing the young black bear for the coronavirus. Credit: AP Photo/Laura Ungar

A bear hibernates in a den in Grand Portage, Minn. on March 2, 2022. Biologists from the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa are tracking the animals and taking biological samples, including a COVID-19 swab, from bears and other mammals for research. In order to access the bear dens, which they find through GPS collars on the bears, researchers need to sometimes dig down through many feet of snow and then stick the upper half of their bodies into the dens with the hibernating bear inside to sedate the animals further so that the bears don't wake up while they are taking the biological samples. Credit: AP Photo/Emma H. Tobin

The sun sets behind an abandoned structure on frozen Lake Superior off of Highway 61 between Grand Marais and Grand Portage, Minn. on March 3, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Emma H. Tobin

A frozen Hollow Rock sits on Lake Superior in Grand Portage, Minn. on March 3, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Emma H. Tobin

The sun rises over icy Lake Superior in Grand Marais, Minn., on March 3, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Emma H. Tobin

In Grand Portage, Aliota's collaborators continue to do their part by testing as many animals as they can catch.

With icy Lake Superior sparkling through the evergreens, Isaac slipped his hand beneath the netting of a deer trap. A colleague straddling the animal lifted its head off the snowy ground so that Isaac could swab its nostrils.

The young buck briefly lurched its head forward, but kept still long enough for Isaac to get what he needed.

"Nicely done," his colleague said as Isaac put the sample into a vial.

When they were finished, they gently lifted the trap to let the deer go. It bounded into the vast forest without looking back, disappearing into the snowy shadows.

Explore further Canada confirms first COVID cases in wildlife

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Womens History Month is nearly over and passed by without much fanfare.

I guess that makes sense, considering the copious accomplishments of women have often gone unrecognized. And the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of a womans right to vote were stymied by the pandemic.

We often hear about Susan B. Anthony, one of the leaders of the womens suffrage movement, who spent some of her childhood living in the southern Washington County town of Greenwich.

But the tremendous accomplishments of women in this country have been pushed aside and swept under the rug for hundreds of years.

Thats why Im always thrilled to learn about extraordinary women  especially local ladies  who broke barriers, even before they had any right to do so.

I recently stumbled upon two other remarkable women  doctors, in fact  who were born in Washington County.

Dr. Sarah Jane Finch, born in Kingsbury on April 22, 1838, graduated from the Womens Medical College of Chicago in 1873.

According to her obituary, she returned to Washington County and settled in Fort Ann, where she had an extensive medical practice with patients in Glens Falls, Sandy Hill, Fort Edward and Whitehall.

She had an office in Glens Falls for the 10 years before her failing health required a less active pursuit of her profession, her obituary explains.

Miss Finch was a highly cultured, broad-minded and sensible lady, with an intellect far beyond the ordinary woman, her obituary read.

It continued, She was earnest and active in good works, and especially so in moral reforms, but always with that tolerance for the views of others that sympathy for surrounding conditions which the wide experience in her profession taught her was inseparable from human frailty.

Dr. Finch died at her home in Fort Ann on May 6, 1899, and is buried in Fort Ann Cemetery.

Whats even more salient is that the medical school Finch attended in Chicago was started by Dr. Mary Harris Thompson, another Washington County woman, born on a farm in Fort Ann on April 15, 1829.

Dr. Thompson, the founder and head surgeon of the Chicago Hospital for Women and Children, died in Chicago at age 66 on May 21, 1895, after a three-day sickness, according to an article in the Bureau County Tribune in Princeton, Illinois. Doctors at the time declared her ailment to be cerebral hemorrhage.

Mary Harris Thompsons name has been almost identical with the Chicago Hospital for Women and Children, which she founded thirty years ago and of which she has been always the chief physician and surgeon, the article explains.

A young Mary Harris Thompson was given a liberal education at the Fort Edward Institute in Fort Edward and at the West Poultney Academy in Vermont.

In 1860, at the age of 30, Thompson decided to become a physician and enrolled in classes at the New England Female Medical College in Boston, the first medical school for women.

She studied at the New York Infirmary for Women and Children under Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, who is considered the first woman in America to receive a medical degree.

Thompson was one of the first women to practice medicine in Chicago, according to Womenhistoryblog.com, and by some accounts, the first female surgeon in the United States.

In July 1863, Thompson began working for the Northwestern Sanitary Commissions Chicago branch caring for women and children who had lost their husbands and fathers in the Civil War, the blog explains.

The blog continues: Thompson was limited in her ability to care for the overwhelming numbers of women and children seeking medical help. Of the two existing hospitals in Chicago, one would not admit women as patients, and neither allowed women doctors to serve on their staff.

Undeterred, Dr. Thompson established her own hospital.

The Chicago Hospital for Women and Children opened in May 1865 with 14 beds.

After her untimely death, Thompson was mourned by the Board of Women Managers at the Peoples Hospital of Chicago during a meeting held May 22, 1895, according to an article in the Chicago Tribune.

We express our high appreciation of the talents, the culture, and the professional and benevolent achievements of the deceased, the article said, and our sorrow over the loss of so great a benefactor to her race.

After her death, the board of the Chicago Hospital for Women and Children renamed the hospital the Mary Thompson Hospital of Chicago for Women and Children, according to Wikipedia. The hospital closed in 1988.

Drs. Thompson and Finch are both buried in Fort Ann Cemetery.

Gretta Hochsprung writes features and hometown news. She can be reached at 518-742-3206 or ghochsprung@poststar.com.

Love 1 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.
WARRENSBURG  A Warrensburg woman was arrested on Friday following a controlled drug buy operation conducted by the Warren County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Enforcement Unit.

Cassandra E. Baker, 25, of Main Street, was charged with a felony charge of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, police said.

Police said the Warren County NEU purchased crack cocaine from Baker.

She was arraigned in Warren County Court and released on her own recognizance pending prosecution. The investigation was conducted with assistance from New York State Police.
GLENS FALLS  The suspect who robbed the Glens Falls National Bank on Broad Street in Glens Falls on Monday has not been caught yet.

We do not have any new information and have not found the suspect yet, Detective Sgt. Seth French of the Glens Falls Police Department said on Tuesday.

French said police are still searching for the suspect.

Police said that the suspect is a white man and between 5 feet and 5 feet, 4 inches tall.

At the time of the crime, cameras at the bank revealed the man to be wearing a tan-colored jacket, green pants with a white logo on the left leg, a camouflage bandana, a gray hoodie and dark sunglasses.

According to authorities, the unarmed suspect slipped a note to the bank teller demanding an undisclosed amount of money.

After he received the money, he exited the building and fled by foot on Mission Street heading north, police said on Monday.

The Glens Falls Police Department is working with the New York State Police, Warren County Sheriffs Office and the Washington County Sheriffs Office K-9 Unit in the investigation.

Drew Wardle is a reporter for The Post-Star. You can contact him at 518-681-7343 or email him at dwardle@poststar.com

Love 4 Funny 2 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 4

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor Office is warning residents as motor vehicle thefts continue to rise around the state.

From Jan. 1 to March 8, there were 95 reported thefts of motor vehicles in Atlantic County, almost double that of 2021, according to the State Police Real Time Crime Center.

A total of 14,320 vehicles were reported stolen in New Jersey in 2021, a 22% increase over 2020, the Prosecutors Office said in a news release.

Most auto thefts occur when the owner exits the vehicle while its running or leaves their car unattended, according to the State Police.

Cape May man caught driving stolen car in Wildwood Crest, police say WILDWOOD CREST  A Cape May man was arrested during a traffic stop for driving a stolen vehi

Please safeguard your vehicles. Help us help you, residents and visitors of Atlantic County, Atlantic County Chief of County Investigators Bruce DeShields said.

The Prosecutors Office cites a connection between stolen vehicles and shootings. In 2021, of 3,075 arrests involving receiving stolen property, 211 were involved in 377 shootings, and 285 were arrested with a firearm.

Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said residents should never leave their keys or key fobs in their vehicle, should not leave vehicles running while unattended, park cars in well-lit areas, ensure all windows are closed, hide valuables and make sure all doors are locked.

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.
When real estate developer Kevin Dixon decided to convert his South Jersey property into an alternative school for troubled students from Atlantic City, he started losing friends.

The plan also sparked a bitter disagreement among neighbors in sprawling suburban Galloway Township and a racial discrimination lawsuit Dixon filed against the township that landed in federal court in Camden.

Dixon, a longtime resident and former township engineer, found himself at odds with Galloway officials after deciding in September 2020 to lease a building to Camelot Educational Resources, a Texas-based firm that planned to enroll about 90 students, mostly Black and Latino from Atlantic City and Pleasantville, under a $2.3 million contract with the Atlantic City school district to create Sea Shore Learning Academy.

I was very proud to bring this school to the community, Dixon said. I knew this was the right organization, the right thing to do.

But the project derailed after pushback from officials and residents in the predominantly white town of nearly 36,000. At a meeting last October with Dixon, then-Mayor James Gorman told him the prospective students were the worst of the worst, court records show. And a month later, residents who spoke out at a heated Nov. 9 council meeting called the students dangerous, disturbed and trash coming into my town. After the meeting, the township solicitor instructed the towns code official to issue stop permits on the project.

Now, after U.S. District Judge Robert Kugler ruled in January that township officials actions were discriminatory, a preliminary injunction he issued has blocked officials from trying to further thwart the school. Dixon said the school is now scheduled to open in a few weeks.

Amid community concerns, Galloway creates new marijuana committee GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP  The application pool for marijuana retail licenses opened earlier this m

The only rational conclusion that one can draw from this sordid episode was that the town officials were desperately seeking a way to halt the opening of the school because of pressure from the residents, Kugler wrote. The reason for that pressure is not complimentary to the township and its residents.

Built in 2008, the two-story L-shaped building where Dixon once housed his engineering business had been mostly vacant from the start.

After obtaining construction permits, Dixon pumped $1.7 million into renovating the 17,160-square-foot building, creating 10 classrooms, an all-purpose room, a nurses office and administrative offices. Located in a commercial strip on a busy stretch of Jimmie Leeds Road, the school was scheduled to open this past January under a six-year, $350,000 annual lease.

But then came the October meeting where Gorman called the students the worst, a comment Gorman did not dispute making, according to court papers, but did add he was unaware of the race of the students. Kugler said it was widely documented many of the students would come from Atlantic City, where the population comprises mostly people of color.

This is a sorely needed school, Kugler wrote in his ruling. It is not a maximum-security prison which would raise security concerns in the community.

At the Nov. 9 meeting, a resident asked how to obtain a gun permit and warned, Im not going to put up with it. Others penned their frustration on social media. There goes the neighborhood, folks, wrote one resident. A few said they were embarrassed by the negative reaction to the school.

Galloway Township Council unveils marijuana zoning, new budget The changes were prompted by a review from the state Pinelands Commission that determined th

I really cant believe so many people are against a good for children, one wrote.

Then-police Chief Donna Higbee, who retired in March after 25 years on the force, said she was concerned about public safety. She cited at the meeting another alternative school in the county, which she said generated 71 police reports of assaults, weapons and drug possession.

Someone needs to be looking out for whats coming to this town, said Higbee, who was named in the lawsuit along with Gorman, the township, its manager, solicitor and construction official.

Their goal was simple: to prevent underserved Black and Latino students from attending the school in Galloway Township, Dixons attorney, Paul Fishman, wrote in the lawsuit, filed in December.

Gorman declined to comment when reached by phone this week. Higbee and Todd Gelfand, the townships attorney, did not respond to messages.

Current Mayor Anthony Coppola, who succeeded Gorman in January, declined comment, citing the pending lawsuit.

Galloway schools respond to lead contamination report In an email, Giaquinto outlined measures the district has taken to remediate the issue.

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. responded the day after the contentious November meeting at a news conference, saying, according to the lawsuit, the actions meet the definition of racial profiling if I ever saw it.

The incoming Sea Shore students, from grades six to 12, have been learning virtually since 2020, said Milton Alexander, deputy superintendent for Sea Shore. The school has about 24 teachers and support staff, he said.

Construction crews are putting the final touches on Dixons building, installing waterlines to the property for the sprinkler system. Inside, desks and equipment are lined up in classrooms with robins egg-colored walls.

Dixon plans to be there when the school opens.

Its been a long journey, Dixon said. These kids have needed a place.
OCEAN CITY  The sixth OC Con will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Music Pier on the Boardwalk.

One of the headliners of the convention will be Roger Clark, an actor who voiced the lead role of Arthur Morgan in the 2018 video game Red Dead Redemption 2.

Clark will hold a meet-and-greet from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday.

Also featured will be Tony DiGerolamo, a New Jersey writer and comedian. DiGerolamo has penned several Simpsons comic books, as well as comics about the mythical Jersey Devil, and has worked on TVs Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher. He is currently working on another Jersey Devil-themed novella called The Pineys.

The convention also will feature Bob Petrecca, an artist who has worked for DC, Marvel Comics and Upper Deck over his career and is currently working on a comic adaptation for an album by the rock band Dear Hunter. Other guests include Bobs son Luke Petrecca, who also does work for Upper Deck and Dear Hunter; Micahel S. Bracco, who has worked on The Creators graphic novel; Galica Graphics artist Garland Holloman; and New Jersey comic book artist and writer Jason Pharo.

The convention will hold a 1-mile superhero run on the Boardwalk at 9 a.m. Saturday, along with a superhero obstacle course race at 10:15 a.m. Saturday. Sign up for either event at the Civic Center at Sixth Street and the Boardwalk or at the shows website.

The Ocean City Pops Orchestra will perform at the convention Saturday. The Saber Guild Zeffo Temple will stage a lightsaber training session for children Sunday.

The convention will be capped off by Sundays cosplay contest.

General admission is free. Registration for the races ranges between $15 and $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and younger.

A full list of guests, as well as a list of vendors, panels and activities, is at ocnjcon.com.

Contact Chris Doyle cdoyle@pressofac.com

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
PLEASANTVILLE  Amid recent consternation about the direction of the school district, the city is taking steps to increase student representation in public affairs.

At its March 21 meeting, City Council welcomed three student representatives from Pleasantville High School. The representatives consisted of two seniors, Andy Caceres and Faith Gracia, as well as freshman Janya Johnson.

We wanted to start out by telling you about some stuff thats happening at Pleasantville High School that you guys might not be aware of, Caceres said.

The students told council about the school districts Early College program, through which students can earn college credits and even associates degrees while still in high school. Caceres said there are 26 seniors in the program.

The student presenters also discussed the upcoming prom, the successful indoor track and field season and the ongoing outdoor track season. They also described the recent school show, which centered on Black history in New Jersey.

Mayor Judy Ward greeted the students and said she was eager to attend more school functions.

Im so happy to see you guys here, getting involved, I commend you for that, congratulations, keep up the good work, Councilman Bertilio Correa said. I hope to see more of you.

In other business, council passed a resolution authorizing Longport to apply for a Local Efficiency Achievement Program implementation grant from the state Department of Community Affairs on behalf of Pleasantville and a group of other municipalities that are participating in a shared-services agreement. The council also introduced an ordinance expanding where marijuana businesses will be allowed to operate in certain designated areas.

A pair of residents raised concerns about parking around Utah Avenue, expressing fears that it could impair the dispatch of emergency services to the area. They asked that council explore ways to prevent commercial vehicles from parking in ways that interfere with egress and ingress. Another resident, who said he was a veteran of the Vietnam War, said the street leading up to the citys war memorial was unbecoming of the area and renovations were needed to improve the scenery.

City officials said they would be exploring ways to address those concerns and were considering financing options for infrastructure improvements.

Contact Chris Doyle cdoyle@pressofac.com

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Carlton Soudan walked through boot-caking mud on the side of his familys Camden house and proceeded to his backyard, where a fence has collapsed on several sides.

A 40-foot-high pile of fill and excavation waste, just a few yards from the Chestnut Street home, slopes straight up and looms over most of the block.

You see the damage? Soudan said with a sweep of his hand. Thats because they used to back their trucks up here. This is what happened to my fence. They destroyed all this.

He wondered whether such a pile would ever rise in the mostly white suburbs that ring Camden.

This has been a long struggle, Soudan said.

Soudan has support to push for a cleanup from a host of community groups that see it as an environmental justice issue. The group gathered Thursday at Soudans home in the 600 block of Chestnut Street, holding up a large aerial photo of what the city refers to as a dirt pile printed with Illegally dumped soil may contain contaminants that are threatening the health of you and your family.

Legislature passes bill to increase poll worker pay TRENTON  A bill to increase poll worker pay permanently passed the state Legislature on Thu

Camden Councilwoman Shaneka Boucher, who gathered with the group, said Soudans plight  which also affects neighbors around him  was expected to be addressed during a council meeting this week.

Were hoping that the community will join to express their concerns about how we can address this issue immediately, Boucher said, citing federal funds that might be available to move this along faster.

She praised the community and especially the Soudan family for their advocacy.

Its been a long time and theyve had to fight this alone, Boucher said. Now they have some help from neighbors and community members.

Vince Basara, a spokesperson for Mayor Victor Carstarphen, said the site had been in industrial use for 100 years, and that the mayor, county and other local officials met Wednesday with acting Attorney General Matt Platkin and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette to tour it.

The city refers to it as an illegal dump. The stockpile includes fill material that tested positive for toxins and includes construction and demolition debris and tires, and significant amounts of debris have migrated to neighboring properties.

Businesses press to avoid worst of unemployment tax hike A coalition of about 100 business and trade groups sent a letter this week to the state Legi

Due to the potential hazardous materials, the pile cannot simply be moved haphazardly without a plan in place, Basara said, adding the mayor is pursuing multiple sources of funding/grants to help develop a plan to not only remove the pile but identify any potential contaminants. Fortunately, the City feels progress has been made and expects to have the pile removed in the upcoming months.

Basara said it will take millions to clean out.

The New Jersey DEP sued a former owner and operator of the site, S. Yaffa & Sons, last year.

For years, Defendants have unlawfully imported and stockpiled solid waste on their Camden property, including contaminated fill material, construction and demolition debris, and waste tires, the civil suit filed in Superior Court in Camden states. Despite Plaintiffs repeated administrative efforts  including numerous Notices of Violation and a Final Agency Order  to compel compliance, Defendants have continued their unlawful conduct.

The suit said the owners have also flouted the Departments enforcement efforts for nearly two decades by failing to properly close a 500-gallon Underground [gasoline] Storage Tank ... which also poses a significant threat to public health and the environment.

Further, the suit states that Camden, with a significant low-income and minority population, has been disproportionately exposed to high-polluting facilities and to the resultant threats of high levels of air, water, and soil pollution, and accompanying potential for increased public health impacts.

The DEP asked the court to order an immediate cleanup in July against S. Yaffa & Sons Inc.

A representatives for Yaffa could not be immediately reached Thursday for comment, and owner Charles Yaffa has since died. Yaffa & Sons sold the property in July 2019 to Weyhill Realty Holdings LLC.

In March, the state named additional defendants including Weyhill, Franchi Contractors and Site Service Supply. Court documents show Anthony Franchi owns all three.

Franchi said Thursday he purchased the property in 2019 assuming it would have some legacy issues that would have been addressed over time. He planned to use the site to store trucks, equipment and material generated from his earth-moving business. He eventually hoped to develop the site into another use.

However, he said the city shut down his operations in April 2021, citing lack of a mercantile license he didnt know he needed. So he was never able to remove any of the excavated material, and believes many of the issues could have been resolved through conversations with city officials.

I think it should be known that if this was a problem, the city should have stopped it a lot sooner and we wouldnt have the problem today with a giant pile of dirt nobody knows what to do with, Franchi said.

The states suit has been transferred to Superior Court in Burlington County.

For his part, Soudan said no one has lived permanently at the house since 2013, when his father died. Soudan, who lives elsewhere in Camden, is still the owner.

He said dumping first started at the site in 2013 but was nowhere near as high. Soudan complained to then-Mayor Dana Redd, and the dumping stopped. But the dumping restarted on a larger scale in 2019, he said.

Apparently, somebody dropped the ball, Soudan said, adding he wasnt able to get a response from the city or state until recently. So this is how much dirt has accumulated.

But the issue at that dump site, which spans multiple lots around Soudans home and across the street, has a much longer history of trouble with the state.

The suit notes that between 2002 and 2021, the DEP inspected the property many times, finding repeated violations, and that the 500-gallon unleaded gasoline tank registered to Charles Yaffa was out of service, still contained gas and had not been properly closed. The suit mentions a similar string of incidents through 2019.

In November 2020, DEP inspectors took 10 soil samples from the various lots involved and found each contained at least one hazardous substance exceeding state standards, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals. Both are carcinogens and have been shown to cause liver, kidney and other organ damage.

Roy Jones, an activist who came out Thursday to support Soudan, is executive director of the National Institute of Healthy Human Spaces. He was joined by representatives of Concerned Citizens of Bergen Square, Native American House Alliance, Camden Voice of Action, Food and Water Watch, and the Parents and Student Union.

Jones called Soudans predicament an extreme example of a larger pattern of environmental injustice in the area.

We think its important to continue to fight on this issue, Jones said, and to make sure that community is at the table where the state and local government can come and hear the voices of the people.
A Davenport attorneys law license has been suspended in Iowa and Illinois after court officials determined she had forged a clients signature on arraignment papers and then misrepresented what she had done.

The Illinois Supreme Court last week suspended the law license of Lori Jo Kieffer-Garrison until further notice. The Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board had previously suspended Kieffer-Garrison's license to practice law in Iowa without the possibility of reinstatement for one year.

The action by Iowa court officials in November 2020 led the Supreme Court of Illinois to impose "reciprocal discipline" and suspended her Illinois law license for one year and until further order of the Court.

In Illinois, a suspension until further order of the Court is an indefinite suspension that requires the suspended lawyer to petition for reinstatement after the fixed period of suspension ends. Reinstatement is not automatic and requires a hearing before the states Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission Hearing Board.

According to the Iowa attorney discipline board, Kieffer-Garrison has been licensed to practice law in Illinois since 2001 and in Iowa since 2002.

The alleged violations in the case stem from Kieffer-Garrisons court-appointed representation of Joseph Johnson in a criminal case in 2019.

A Scott County judge appointed Kieffer-Garrison to represent Johnson at his initial appearance.

Kieffer-Garrison filed an appearance and waived the preliminary hearing for Johnsons case the next day, and the district court subsequently canceled Johnsons preliminary hearing and scheduled his arraignment for March 14. Kieffer-Garrison never communicated with Johnson about waiving the preliminary hearing.

On March 12, Kieffer-Garrison filed a written arraignment and plea of not guilty on Johnsons behalf, which included a signature purporting to be Johnsons, with whom she had had yet to communicate, according to the suspension order from the Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Discipline Board.

Two days later, the Scott County Attorney filed trial information charging Johnson, who had been previously convicted of a felony. Johnson appeared before the district court for his arraignment and told the court he had not met with Kieffer-Garrison about his case and denied ever seeing the written arraignment Kieffer-Garrison filed on his behalf.

The court and an assistant county attorney both compared the signature on the written arraignment with Johnsons signature on his financial affidavit and application for appointment of counsel, as well as the three forms of identification Johnson provided. The court concluded the signature on the written arraignment had "similarities" to Johnsons signature but was "not the same."

According to the disciplinary board, Kieffer-Garrison falsely told the court that she received Johnsons written arraignment form in the mail with what she believed was Johnsons signature and filed it. Johnson reiterated to the court that he had not received any mail from Kieffer-Garrison and neither he nor anyone else at his direction signed the arraignment.

The court ultimately struck the written arraignment filed by Kieffer-Garrison and appointed a new attorney to represent Johnson and continued the arraignment again.

On Dec. 13, the attorney disciplinary board filed a complaint against Kieffer-Garrison, alleging she violated numerous rules of professional conduct during her representation of Johnson.

The Iowa Supreme Court record states that "Kieffer-Garrison has incurred numerous sanctions for her violations of our ethical rules of conduct." She was admonished and reprimanded by the Court in 2009 and 2010 for violating Iowa Rules of Professional Conduct, including negotiating with an opposing party without their attorney present and preparing a handwritten agreement for the party to sign that already contained her clients signature.

In 2014, the high court suspended Kieffer-Garrisons license to practice law for six months. In that instance, she repeatedly missed appellate deadlines in several criminal cases" and failed to pay penalties resulting from the missed deadline in a timely fashion over a period of two years, according to court records. Court officials state she also falsely represented to her client and the clerk of this court that she had timely filed an application for further review in a post-conviction appeal.

Shortly after her law license was reinstated, she was publicly reprimanded in January 2015 for violating rules in the course of representing three clients in post-conviction relief actions.

In response to a complaint, Kieffer-Garrison declared she did not practice in federal court and did not "know the procedures for habeas corpus."

Kieffer-Garrison was publicly reprimanded again in October 2017 for violating rules after she cut her clients signature from a court document and attempted to attach the cutout signature to a required pretrial conference form in front of a court attendant.

She also permitted her client to leave before a pretrial conference had concluded, resulting in the district courts issuance of a bench warrant for the clients failure to appear that led to their arrest, according to court records.

Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 8

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.
Rock Island-Milan School District officials broke ground Tuesday on the districts new $7.6 million Central Administration Facility.

The ceremony was at 11 a.m. at 20th Street and 7th Avenue, near the current administration building and the former Lincoln School.

Were just excited and were thankful and we cant wait to get the work started, Superintendent Reginald Lawrence said at the ceremony. So hopefully youll enjoy it as you ride back and forth down the street, seeing this building go from ground to being up.

At the ceremony, Lawrence said the new facility wont just support the district and its students but Rock Island as a whole.

This is for our community, Lawrence said.

The facility will have 15,000 square feet of space for the districts administration offices, another 15,000 for a warehouse, and 5,000 square feet for a kitchen, according to a district news release.

The existing administration building is old, Lawrence said, and is inefficient when it comes to utilities.

When it needs to store things now, the district uses a floor of the old Lincoln School, Lawrence said. That makes it more difficult to move them to the schools.

The new warehouse will serve the whole district, Lawrence said.

Lawrence said the kitchen would serve students throughout the district, supporting existing kitchens at different buildings.

In the release, the district credited the Rock Island County 1% Sales Tax for helping raise the funds needed for this and other projects as well as funds for planning future building upgrades.

Lawrence said the project also was being funded by bonds and was scheduled for completion in December.

The project was developed and will be carried out with the help of Legat Architects and Bush Construction, the district said.

What will happen to the old administration building and Lincoln School is still being considered, he said, but options include demolition or sale.

Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms attended the groundbreaking.

The school district keeps thinking ahead and working on these projects and the citys behind them all the way, Thoms said.

Rock Island loves to see new buildings come up, Thoms said.

You know the skylines changing a little bit here in Rock Island, Thoms said.

He cited plans for a new YWCA building and federal courthouse.

And now a new school district administration building, Thoms said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1

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.
The end of winter marks another round of road, sewer and facility improvements for the city of Davenport, including crucial flood-prevention measures approved by the City Council last year.

"Following the flood of 2019, we have been looking for ways to better handle floods," Assistant Public Works Director Clay Merritt said Tuesday. "In terms of flood prevention, we have three projects going this year and a fourth we have our fingers crossed on."

The three flood-prevention projects planned for the upcoming fiscal year include:

 Restoration work on the existing berm system located within the Garden Addition neighborhood along Blackhawk and Walnut Creeks.

 Engineering work to design storm sewer improvements and install backflow prevention gates to keep East River Drive at the intersections of 3rd and 4th streets dry until water rises over the seawall, up to a stage of 22 feet

 Design of a new berm system that will protect the Citys wastewater treatment plant located near South Concord Street.

Merritt said his fingers were crossed on receiving funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a fourth project to develop a berm system to help with flood mitigation for Union Station.

While all three flood-mitigation projects are crucial, Merritt said the importance of the work to safeguard the city's water treatment and pollution control should not be underestimated.

The record flood of 2019 crested between 22.5 and 22.7 feet and nearly forced the evacuation of the city's regional wastewater treatment facility near Credit Island.

The Water Pollution Control Plant is one of the largest Wastewater Treatment plants in the state of Iowa, serving the cities of Davenport, Bettendorf, Panorama Park and Riverdale.

The plant serves more than 6,000 commercial properties and more than 47,400 homes in Scott County.

The city pegs the annual average wastewater flow through the plant on a yearly basis at 9.855 trillion gallons, or around 27 million gallons per day. During heavy rains or flooding, the flow can reach 60 million gallons per day.

Merritt said the city was looking to build a system of berms at the plant that would protect it from floods cresting up to 28 feet. The estimated $20 million project would be funded through multiple sources, including a $10 million federal grant and a $4 million state grant that requires a city match.

Since 1868, flooding in Davenport has surpassed a 22-foot crest four times  in 1965, 1993, 2001 and 2019.

Merritt said planned storm sewer improvements at 3rd and 4th streets along River Drive  initially projected to cost about $4 million  were aimed at creating an additional 3 to 4 feet of flood stage for the surrounding downtown area.

After a nearly two-year planning effort, Davenport aldermen in November approved a plan that calls for a mix of flood buyouts and above- and below-ground improvements to mitigate the effects of more frequent river flooding.

Flood projects are expected to be phased over time and rely on annual capital-improvement funding by the city and on state and federal grants. The total price tag is likely to exceed $165 million, according to a consultant's estimates.

For many years Davenport depended on its levee of sand-filled HESCO barriers to protect the downtown from the river. A 2019 breach led to increasing calls for a permanent solution to river flooding.

53rd Street

Merritt said the most important street improvement planned for the 2022-23 construction season would be found on 53rd Street with a $9 million project that was one of nine major Davenport thoroughfares scheduled for repairs.

"Fifty-Third Street is by far the most visible and either the most-traveled or second-most traveled road in Davenport," Merritt said. "This will be the second phase of the project and will focus on the portion of 53rd from Eastern Avenue to Elmore Circle."

The work on 53rd Street will include adding lanes, resurfacing, storm sewer improvements and road widening.

Other construction projects on major roads planned for the 2022-23 construction season include:

Lombard Street between Harrison and Brady streets.

Division Street between 13th and Locust streets.

Central Park from Cedar Street to Lincoln Street.

Locust Street between Clark and Michigan streets.

Northwest Boulevard at the intersection with 76th Street.

Pershing Street from 11th Street to 14th Street.

Division Street from Research Parkway to 76th Street.

2nd Street from Harrison Street to the Arsenal Bridge.

All told, public works projects slated to start soon include:

Improvements to 55 neighborhood streets.

Nine alley repair projects.

A sewer lining project.

A manhole repair program.

The second phase of the Goose Trail project from 53rd to 59th streets.

Start of construction of a new fire station.

Love 0 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.
JOHNSTON  Taras Slyvka, a Ukrainian-Iowan who lives in Dubuque, said in 2015 he lost two good friends who fought for Ukraine, and that now he has two more close friends fighting to defend Ukraine against the Russian invasion.

They need help, Slyvka said.

The state of Iowa is trying to do its part, announcing Wednesday it is shipping unused protective helmets and vests from state and local law enforcement agencies to Ukraine, where they will be donated with the hope of helping Ukrainian military forces and citizens.

During a news conference at Camp Dodge, where Slyvka spoke, Iowa officials said the state public safety department oversaw the collection of donated gear from its own reserves as well as 18 local law enforcement agencies around the state, and will send 146 protective helmets and 714 ballistic vests to Ukraine.

The equipment is considered retired by the agencies because of manufacturers recommended service life. Law enforcement officials said the equipment still is in usable condition.

Once we learned the plight and the needs of the Ukrainian people, it was immediately apparent to us that we could put our decommissioned equipment to good use, said Stephan Bayens, commissioner of the Iowa Department of Public Safety. While this protective gear is beyond its recommended service life, it still is capable of providing a measure of ballistic protection where currently none exists. 

I know its a small gesture. But if the equipment we donate today even saves one life or protects one family, gives the Ukrainian people any measure of hope, it was worth every effort.

The state of Nebraska added to Iowas donation, officials said.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said the state stands ready to accept Ukrainian refugees and has notified the federal government. She said she does not have a projected timeline for when the federal government might ask Iowa to house Ukrainian refugees.

I have had so many people  Ive had mayors, Ive had individuals, Ive had families reach out to me and say, Ive got room in my home. We will do whatever we can to help the displaced refugees until they can get back home to their family, Reynolds said. So I wanted to make sure that we werent the barrier in making that happen.  Were ready."

Reynolds also said the state is working with Iowa Sister States and Meals from the Heartland in West Des Moines to help address food supply needs in Iowas sister state of Cherkasy, Ukraine.

Reynolds said there is not currently a need for volunteers, but donations to help cover costs of shipping the food to Ukraine can be made at iowasisterstates.org.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
For as long as most Cubans have been alive, they have both hoarded and hated a flimsy little booklet of cheap paper that reminds them daily how much they owe their government.

Known as la libreta, or little book, its 20-or-so pages dictate how Cubans can buy limited amounts of basic foods such as rice, beans and chicken at subsidized prices. Resembling wartime rations, the system has been in place since Fidel Castro laid it out on Cuban television on March 26, 1962, little more than a month after President Kennedy announced the complete economic embargo of Cuba that remains in place today.

The booklet effectively determines what Cubans can buy, sell and, to a large extent, eat. For some, it is a lifeline. Others see it as a symbol of government control at the most intimate level, a handout intended to keep people dependent.

The embargo and the libreta dominate the lives of ordinary Cubans  and after 60 years, the time may have come for both to end.

The libreta has become a cultural touchstone for Cubans, a totem of either survival or subservience that they have been forced to obsessively hold on to through the many trials of revolutionary Cubas existence. It is celebrated officially but mocked incessantly. Cubans surely chuckle subversively when popular TV comedian Luis Silva, better known as his character Panfilo, regularly beseeches an oversized libreta for help tracking down precious food.

Since rationing began, the booklets offerings have varied widely. At one point, even Christmas toys were rationed. Peas and potatoes come and go. Sometimes cigarettes are included (10 packs a week per person).

The allotments are always meager  five eggs per person per month, for example  but Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, in an address last September at the United Nations, asserted that the ration system guarantees every Cuban sufficient nutrition.

The reality is different. A Cuban human rights monitor contends that for six of 10 Cuban families, the libretas monthly supplies last about a week. Month after month, libreta stores run short, forcing Cubans to scurry from store to store or wait in lines for hours.

Cuba has been trying to end rationing for years because the system is inefficient and encourages hoarding. But new crises, most recently the pandemic, have won it reprieves. Since Raul Castro took over in 2008, the government has also operated state-run stores that sell food without limitations, but at prices most people cant afford.

Sometimes this inequity enrages. Today, there is a shortage of powdered milk, which the government has long guaranteed would be available at subsidized prices for young children and ill adults. Cuban mothers are infuriated when they see it at dollar stores, priced out of their reach. We were used to not having chicken for a month, but milk, that was always sacrosanct, one mother in Havana told the news agency AFP.

Cuba blames the U.S. embargo for creating many of the shortages that plague the nation  and that helped incite last Julys historic street protests. On Feb. 3, the 60th anniversary of Kennedys embargo proclamation, Cuban leaders again called for its end. And so did a number of American politicians, including Rep. James P. McGovern (D-Mass.), who first traveled to Cuba in 1979.

At the end of the day, we are responsible for inflicting a lot of pain on the Cuban people, McGovern told me in a phone interview. He is one of 114 members of Congress pressing President Biden to suspend regulations that limit travel, remittances and the sale of food and medicine.

Cubas underachieving farms and its inept centrally controlled economy force the country to import most of its food. Since the U.S. embargo was amended in 2000 to exclude food, much of the chicken that Cubans eat  when they can get it  has come from America. But because the U.S. demands cash, in advance, the cash-poor Cuban government often has to shop elsewhere for staples like milk, which comes from as far away as New Zealand.

American farmers and food producers have consistently lobbied to be able to sell to the Cuban market. The trade embargo long ago outlived its usefulness, except at election time, when Florida votes are in play. But are those votes worth it if they mean Cuban kids wont have milk?

Some in Washington and Miami worry that lifting any restrictions now would reward the Cuban regime, but the members of Congress urging Biden to suspend the sanctions say they are not giving the Cuban government a pass. Were just saying our policies have made things a lot worse for the Cuban people, McGovern said.

Denying humanitarian aid during the worst economic crisis in Cuba in a generation is unworthy of a great nation.

If the powdered milk that fills the shelves of libreta stores is labeled Made in USA, there would be little benefit to the increasingly unpopular Cuban government. But it could mean that someday the libreta might not need to be printed again.

Anthony DePalma, a journalist who has covered Latin America for close to three decades, is author of The Cubans: Ordinary Lives in Extraordinary Times. 2022 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Editor's Note: In recognition of Womens History Month, Tom Miller, an author from Bettendorf, puts readers in the shoes of civil rights pioneer Autherine Lucy as she seeks to breach the color barrier at the University of Alabama in 1956.

A cold rain fell on the University of Alabama campus on Feb. 3. For Autherine Lucy, whose four-year odyssey to become the first Black student in the university's 135-year history was finally ending, a little rain was the least of her concerns.

Lucy, the youngest of nine children of a Marengo County farmer, first applied to the university in 1952 following graduation from Birminghams Miles College. Polly Myers, a fellow Miles College graduate, applied at the same time. They received dormitory assignments and letters of welcome, but when they tried to register in September, administrators citing Alabama law refused to enroll them.

Arthur Shores, a Birmingham attorney who was representing the two women, then filed suit in U.S. District Court seeking an injunction prohibiting the university from denying them admission. On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in another case, Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, outlawing segregation in public education. In light of the Brown decision, attorneys for Lucy and Myers amended their suit and returned to court.

On June 29, 1955, the district court ruled in their favor: The university could not deny Lucy and Myers admission because of their race. Subsequently, he ruled that the decision was a class action and no qualified Black could be denied admission.

On Jan. 31, 1956, Lucy received by registered mail a letter of acceptance from the university. Myers was denied admission because she had married and divorced in the interim. Myers pledged to continue her efforts to enroll but gave up shortly thereafter.

On the night of Jan. 31, four crosses were burned on the university campus. More crosses were burned on Feb. 1, the day that Lucy registered.

A few minutes before 9 a.m. on a wet Friday, Feb. 3, Lucy arrived at Smith Hall for her first class, Geography I. Wearing a raincoat and hat over a light orange blouse and skirt, she slipped into the classroom and took a seat in the front row. Avoided by the other students, she sat alone.

The class over, she walked across campus to her next class at Graves Hall, followed closely by a policeman. Out of the rain, under eaves and in doorways, curious students watched her progress. Later, her classes over for the day, a relieved Lucy returned to her room. The first day had passed without trouble.

That night, however, more crosses were burned on campus and a large crowd of students exploded fireworks and sang "Dixie." The following night, an even larger crowd gathered, and non-students mixed among the crowd. The demonstration started out routinely enough, but soon morphed into a mob, which attacked passing cars and a bus. The following day, Sunday, was quiet, likely because of a light rain that fell throughout the day.

On Monday morning, a crowd began forming early near Smith Hall. When Lucy arrived for her 9 a.m. class, the crowd numbered about 150. Tuscaloosa Police Chief W.C. Tompkins noted that non-students, primarily rubber workers from the Goodyear plant in town, made up a majority of the crowd. The crowd was in an ugly mood and shouts of "kill her" had officials worried.

By 11 a.m. when Lucys second class ended, the crowd had swelled to 2,000. This time, the police spirited Lucy out a back entrance of Graves Hall and into a waiting Highway Patrol car. Lucy didnt know it, but she wouldnt be back.

As the drama on campus was unfolding, the university board of trustees was meeting. Their decision, announced later in the day, barred Lucy from campus "for the public safety." Although she promised to continue her struggle to attend the university, Lucy soon married a Texas minister, the Rev. Hugh Foster, and moved to Texas.

The uneasy status quo at the university lasted another seven years before Black students Vivian Malone and James Hood enrolled peacefully in 1963 despite Alabama Gov. George Wallace temporarily blocking their way by standing in the schoolhouse door.

Hood withdrew from the university after two months, but Malone stayed and received her bachelor of arts degree in 1965, becoming the first Black to graduate from the university.

Coming full circle, Lucy returned to the university in 1989 and earned a masters degree in elementary education. On Friday, February 25, 2022, Graves Hall, the College of Education building where Lucy took refuge in 1956, was renamed Autherine Lucy Hall. Five days later, on March 2, she passed away peacefully at her home in Bessemer, Alabama.

Tom Miller, of Bettendorf, is a retired instructor of history at Scott Community College and an author. His latest novel, "A Place to Rest", is set in post-World War II Alabama. Autherine Lucy and Vivian Malone appear as historical characters in its pages.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Last week, the Chadron Chamber of Commerce had its annual meeting, providing opportunity for members to meet and discuss businesses and what the Chamber has to offer.

Chamber Executive Director Gabby Michna said there are currently 198 members, among them the City of Chadron as of Monday, March 21. The past year, there have been eight new members.

Obviously we were all in a crunch in 2020, Michna said. It was very ambiguous what was going to happen, but we didnt see a huge decline. She acknowledged there were some businesses that didnt make it, as well as those that did, and noted there was a decent increase in 2021 membership in terms of people seeing the value of being a Chamber member.

It seems to appear that, after the hardships of 2020, people started to see more value in being a Chamber member the following year, which is great for us.

Theres been plenty of Chamber board enhancement as well, Michna said, in terms of recruiting fresh blood that would like to be responsible for different committees. The number of board members varies between 12 and 14, she added, based on peoples timelines of coming on and off terms.

This year, Chadron City Council Member Keith Crofutt has volunteered to be the Chamber boards assitant vice chair. There are three representatives on the board from institutions which are highly functioning community economic pieces, Michna explained. In addition to Crofutt, this includes TJ Rutledge from the Northwest Nebraska Development Corporation board and Jon Hansen from Chadron State College.

This is the first year, that Im aware of, that weve had a representative step up and want to be an officer, she said of Crofutt, which I think is huge. That also says a lot about the partnerships we have and the impact he can make having that position and voice, in terms of the direction he could help us work toward.

As to the benefits of being a Chamber member, Michna said its different for each business, based on their own needs, but among the surface-level benefits is directed traffic flow.

Typically,, she said the Chamber and the Tourism building and phone number is the first place people either call or stop. That in itself is an added value. Were able to push people to your business.

Other benefits include networking, referrals, sponsorships, value through market and advertising, different media outlets and customizing specific business needs.

Some members are strictly supporting the Chamber because theyre community-oriented and membership provides opportunity to give back. Others might actually need the Chamber to thrive and survive.

The Chamber will be plenty busy with activities in the coming months, with the Easter Egg Hunt in April, Dawes County Ag Appreciation Banquet in May and the Bands on Bordeaux through the summer. Michna noted the four bands are booked, but no further information will be released at this time.

Shes also looking forward to executing at least two murals this summer in conjunction with the Art Alley this summer.

Within the next month, members will have the opportunity to fill out surveys and update forms. These will provide a means for them to share if they have anything new happening or if they are using any new media that can be linked to the Chamber website.

They can also note if theyre interested in hosting Business After Hours. Michna said the program has been revitalized this year, with the first being April 6. She explained this is a casual networking opportunity for businesses to make connections, or to bring in people who have yet to come into a host business.

Attendees at the annual meeting also voted on who will receive Large, Small and New Chamber Member of the Year awards, though winners will be announced this summer during Bands on Bordeaux.

There will also be a link to vote at the Chamber website, chadron.com, in the coming weeks.

We are in debt to this community and the businesspeople here,Michna said. People literally just show up over and over again. Without the consistent support and the foundation of what we have, we would not be able to put on a single event. Our board is so grateful for the membership process and all of the community.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Periods of snow coupled with the seemingly ever-present winds have hampered fishing activity the past week or so. Fortunately, a reprieve in both areas is forecast for the weekend, and may help to spur angler interest as area lakes are generally open though partial ice may remain particularly in upper elevation bodies.

Trout bites are already in progress in area lakes ands streams. And while water temps will need to increase considerably before the annual walleye feeding frenzy associated with the spring spawn, walleye are stirring somewhat at Angy and Orman as well as the Missouri.

Otherwise, warming weather, albeit with periods of wind, should provide soft-water fishermen with bountiful opportunities to cast, troll and jig to their hearts content in the days ahead.

Heres a quick look at whats been happening on the fishing front.

Angostura Reservoir: The lake is open and docks are in. Some walleye activity reportedjig and a minnow or Lindy rig and a minnow--as well as some bass and perch action. Bites are slow though the early open water season seems to be tracking more positively than in recent years, a situation that will be influenced by the bait fish population in the lake.

Belle Fourche Reservoir (Orman): The lake is at 75% capacity and with all of the boat ramps in--including the new ramp on the eastern tip of Gadens Pointfishing activity should pick up soon when weather cooperates. Currently, a hit-and-miss walleye bite reported on jigs and minnows.

Black Hills Area Streams: Spurred by midday blue-wing-olive hatches, trout activity has been excellent in area streams particularly Rapid and Spearfish creeks though smaller streams should be stepping up soon. Nymph fishing has the best of it though dry fly fishing opportunities exist as well.

Custer State Park: Lakes are open for the most part though fishing activity remains light due to inclement weather. Trout should be feeding if and when weather stabilizes.

Deerfield Lake: Not much fishing activity recently due to weather. The lake does have some safe icetwo feet of ice reported in Gold Run area--though access can be treacherous. Open water reported near dam, and widening.

Pactola Reservoir: The lake is open and a nice rainbow trout bite reported with worms apparently working best. Some perch and pike activity though of a more limited nature.

Sheridan Lake: Remaining ice is unsafe as lake transitions to open water throughout.

Lake Oahe: The lake is wide open for the most part from Pierre north to the Mobridge area though wind and cold temperatures have idled anglers for the most part. Nonetheless, the ramps are in and the lake is accessible. With that, the annual spring northern pike bite should be opened up very soon. Toward that end, a six-man contingent from Wisconsin is scheduled in this weekend to try out both pike and walleye bites in the Cheyenne River and Miniconjou areas.

Lake Sharpe: Boaters are catching walleye below the dam and points south as walleye are stacking up for spring spawn. Much depends upon water releases, a boon to the walleye bite, though extremely low levels above may limit releases.

Lake Francis Case: Fishing activity has been slow. As elsewhere, problematic weather has lessened interest. Some recent walleye activity reported below Ft. Thompson.

Dakota Angler & Outfitter, 513 Seventh St., Rapid City; The Rooster, 1441 W. Main St., Rapid City; Wheel in Bait Shop, 18696 Fishermans Road, Fruitdale, and West Prairie Resort, 28354 182nd, Pierre (605-264-5303) have contributed to this report.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Superintendent Kevin Case provided the Douglas School District Board of Education with an update Monday on a demographic study pertaining to anticipated growth at Ellsworth Air Force Base, and expressed concern with the timeliness of federal funding pursuits needed as a result.

He said there have been challenges with getting accurate, timely information.

Case told the board that he and Business Manager Trista Olney met with senators and representatives while in Washington D.C., as well as representatives from the U.S. Air Force working with Ellsworth AFB, regarding federal funding for the anticipated growth on base. He said they are working with the Air Force on getting additional information declassified that could be helpful in determining expected growth, and hopefully a timeline of where were headed thats more specific.

(I) continue to be hopeful and optimistic, yet concerned that its not moving at the pace wed like to see it move at, Case said, in regard to the district's pursuit of federal funding.

The study is expected to be completed by the boards next meeting on April 7, or at the following meeting on April 25.

In other business, Olney was recognized at Monday's board meeting as the "2022 Outstanding School Business Official" by the South Dakota Association of School Business Officials.

Amanda Trople, vice president of SDASBO and New Underwood School District's business manager, presented the recognition. Trople said that SDASBO received glowing nominations for Olney from her peers, coworkers and administration.

An excerpt from one nomination read aloud stated her kids, her husband, and her extended family are her number one priority, and yet she still finds a way to be very involved in her district, and the local, state, and national level.

The nomination referenced Olneys attendance record, clean audits and well-rounded participation in her community. She was lauded for her passion for schools and school funding, involvement in the legislative process, and working relationships at the local, national and federal levels.

I speak from personal experience in Washington  when youre sitting in a room and senators start walking in and calling our business manager by first name, she represents us so very well, Board President Cathy Melendez said.

Olney will be honored at the SDASBO spring conference in Pierre.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Four Rapid City-area men have been sentenced in federal court for their connections to a large-scale methamphetamine and heroin trafficking network.

Michael Cole, 31, of Rapid City, Melvin Corbine, 44, of Rapid City, Eric Yockey, 36, of Black Hawk, and Anthony Larson, 40, of Rapid City, were sentenced last month by a federal judge.

Cole, convicted of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, has been sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims fund.

According to the District of South Dakotas U.S. Attorneys Office, Cole had been stopped for driving with a suspended license, at which time illegal narcotics and drug paraphernalia were located by a drug-detection dog. Fentanyl was also discovered in Coles shoes upon arrest.

Corbine, convicted of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The U.S. Attorneys Office said Corbine, while involved in the conspiracy, distributed methamphetamine in the Rapid City area to others for use and distribution.

Yockey, convicted of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said Yockley, during his involvement in the conspiracy, had traveled to California with a co-conspirator and received heroin in payment for assisting in the trip. He also obtained more heroin on other occasions, which was then distributed to people in South Dakota.

Larson was convicted of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and sentenced to 12  years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. According to the U.S. Attorneys Office, Larson was part of a conspiracy responsible for distributing between 1.5 and 5 kilograms of methamphetamine in western South Dakota.

Thirty-seven people were federally indicted in February 2021 as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force's "Operation Say Uncle." The charges alleged that the defendants conspired with each other to bring multiple pounds of methamphetamine and heroin into Western South Dakota beginning in 2019 and continuing into 2021.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0
Four local elected seats will appear on the June 7 ballot for the Rapid City Council and Rapid City Area School District.

Candidates had to submit petitions to governing bodies by 5 p.m. Tuesday for the June 7 municipal election.

In Rapid City, one seat from each of the five wards was open for filing. The Rapid City Area School District had seats open in Areas 2, 3 and 6, and the Douglas School District had two at-large seats open.

Rapid City Council

Wards 2 and 5 are the only contested races for council seats. Voters will be able to vote between Ward 2 incumbent Bill Evans and Lindsey Seachris, and Ward 5 voters can choose between J.J. Carrell and Patrick Roseland to replace Council member Darla Drew.

Evans was first elected to his seat in 2019. Seachris is currently a marketing specialist with South Dakota Mines.

Carrell is currently the Director of College and Career Readiness at the Rapid City Area Schools. Roseland is a 30-year Rapid City resident.

Seats for Wards 1, 3 and 4 are uncontested and will not appear on this year's ballot. The Ward 1 seat, which will replace Council member Ron Weifenbach, will go to Jesse Ham. Incumbents Greg Strommen and Lance Lehmann will retain their seats for wards 3 and 4, respectively.

Candidates must file a statement of Financial Interest within 15 days after filing their nominating petitions and must also file a statement of organization for a candidate campaign committee no later than 15 days after becoming a candidate.

Candidates elected June 7 will take office at the July 5 council meeting.

RCAS

Three seats are open in Areas 2, 3 and 6 for the Rapid City Area School District.

Incumbent Bishop Troy Carr is the only candidate for Area 2.

In Area 3, Michael Birkland, a former RCAS teacher, will run against incumbent Gabe Doney. Doney was elected to the board in 2021.

Area 6 voters will be able to vote between Jamie Clapham, Rapid City PTA Council President, and Janyce Hockenbary to fill Amy Policky's seat.

Douglas

There will not be an election for the two open Douglas School Board seats as only two candidates filed notarized petitions.

Tanya Amaral and current board member Amy McGovern will be sworn in at the annual meeting in July. Amaral will replace incumbent Ben Frerichs, who currently serves as second vice president on the board.

Voting information

Voter registration deadline is May 23, which is also when early voting begins. Early voting ends at 5 p.m. June 6. Early voting may begin earlier if the ballots have been received by the Pennington County Auditors Office, which is contracted to conduct the Rapid City municipal election.

 Contact Siandhara Bonnet at siandhara.bonnet@rapidcityjournal.com 

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Three candidates for municipal office in Sturgis have filed a lawsuit against the city and City Manager Daniel Ainslie, alleging the office of city manager is not legal and that Ainslie should pay back all of his salary and benefits since he was hired in 2011.

An attorney representing Tammy Bohn, Justin Bohn and Brenda Vasknetz filed the lawsuit in Meade County Circuit Court on March 18. Tammy Bohn is a candidate for mayor, running against incumbent Mayor Mark Carstensen. Her husband Justin is running against incumbent Kevin Forrester for a seat on City Council Ward 4. Vasknetz is running against incumbent Mike Bachland for the Ward 1 seat.

The lawsuit alleges that an election held in April 2007 which authorized the city of Sturgis to hire a city manager was improperly called using a different statute under South Dakota Codified Law. The plaintiffs claim that because the election procedure was allegedly called under a different statute, the effect invalidates the city manager position.

"The 2007 Election did not create an office of City Manager for Sturgis," the lawsuit states. "Sturgis has no office of City Manager... the election had no effect."

Sturgis has employed two city managers since the April 2007 election. David Boone was the first city manager and Ainslie was the second when he was hired in 2011.

The lawsuit only mentions Ainslie by name, and alleges that his employment with the city is "without authority of law because the office of City Manager has not yet been lawfully established," and Ainslie's compensation and benefits since he was hired were "without any lawful authority to do so."

The Bohns and Vasknetz are requesting a judge to invalidate the April 2007 election and eliminate the position of city manager in Sturgis. The plaintiffs are also requesting that Ainslie repay his salary and benefits that he earned since he was hired in 2011. They make no claim against Boone's salary.

This is not the first occurrence where the plaintiffs have questioned the office of city manager. The Bohns, who own Sturgis Guns, and Vasknetz, who is the former city director of the Sturgis Rally and Events Department, filed a petition in December requesting an election to change municipal government from one with a city manager to one without.

Sturgis City Finance Officer Fay Bueno rejected the form of government petitions in mid-January saying the question posed was not subject to referendum.

The Bohns and Vasknetz filed another lawsuit challenging the city's decision to reject the petition. In February, Fourth Circuit Judge Kevin Krull ruled the petition was invalid.

Sturgis City Attorney Mark Marshall said previously that the petitioners real intent was to make the issue about the person who serves as city manager and not necessarily about the office of city manager.

During a candidate forum Tuesday at the Sturgis Community Center, Carstensen said the lawsuit was political, but Vasknetz responded it was not political. The City Council members involved in the lawsuit as well as the Bohns and Vasknetz would not comment further on the merits of the lawsuit.

Wednesday, Carstensen sent out a press release on city of Sturgis letterhead with the city's response to the lawsuit. The release printed the original February 2007 petition to change municipal government and showed that the citizens of Sturgis voted in favor of the petition by a margin of 61.14%.

Carstensen said the Bohns and Vasknetz are "trying to undo the will of the people."

"Their action threatens to damage the city's relationship with employees, creditors and rally sponsors," Carstensen said in the release. "The city will vigorously resist the lawsuit and defend the best interests of the citizens of Sturgis."

No hearing date on the lawsuit has been set. Sturgis municipal elections are scheduled for April 12.

Contact Nathan Thompson at nathan.thompson@rapidcityjournal.com.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
On January 12, 2021, with my hand on my Grandmothers Bible, I was sworn into office as District 30, Representative for the State of South Dakota. After I read, and understood the oath of office; an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the state of South Dakota, and to faithfully discharge the duties of Representative according to the best of my abilities. I enthusiastically signed the document. It has been my honor to have done just that for the past two years and I havent taken that responsibility lightly.

Even though the 97th legislative session officially came to a close on Monday, we will still have the Ravnsborg impeachment proceedings to contend with. Remember, the South Dakota Constitution specifically states grounds for impeachment are drunkenness, crimes, corrupt conduct, or malfeasance or misdemeanor in office. In order to determine if there are grounds for impeachment, the House appointed a Select Committee on Investigation.

This committee reviews all investigative records and interviews witnesses and then compiles a final report that gives detailed facts and recommendations. The members of the legislature will review the committees findings and final report and return to the Capital for a special session, currently scheduled for April 12th. During this special session House legislators will vote on whether or not to impeach. The House needs a simple majority vote of 36 representatives to impeach Ravnsborg. If the House impeaches, then Ravnsborg must step aside, at least temporarily. The Senate must wait at least 20 days before conducting a public trial of Ravnsborg. The Senate needs a two-thirds majority of 24 votes to convict. If the Senate fails to convict, Ravnsborg can return to his official duties. If the Senate convicts, he is barred from holding office.

Just another twist to the unprecedented year in the legislature!

This year we had an inordinate amount of money to appropriate, more bills to review & vote on than in years past we had to stay focused on local and state issues such as the Custer State Park expansion and the gun range in Meade County that would have had a great impact to all of us in the Black Hills if they would have passed. Because we all (you at home and those of us in Pierre), worked so hard, those bills were defeated. We passed a bill that helps our elderly (65+) and disabled citizens by raising the income level and property value caps to be eligible to apply for a property tax freeze. This will help many to remain in their homes. We also passed a bill that gives authority back to the county assessors to re-classify up to 20% of Class IV soils (annually), within each county when appropriate. This bill will give significant help to our ranchers by properly assessing their land.

Keep in mind, this is just a snapshot of the great things that we accomplished this year in Pierre, and I am looking forward to all of us working together next year to do even greater things!

Representative Trish Ladner, District 30

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Editor's note: East Middle School 8th Grade Advanced English students wrote letters to the editor as an assignment in class. They were not required to submit letters for publication to receive a grade for class. Also, parental consent to publish forms accompanied all letters that were submitted for publication. Students picked their own topics, wrote and edited their letters, and submitted them electronically to the Journal.

Mental health in schools

Mental health is a huge issue that needs to be addressed in schools.

According to KFF, 12.5% of students struggle with diagnosed mental illnesses in South Dakota alone. Many factors may cause this in schools, such as stress from homework or bullying.

I think schools should do something to inform students of this issue. They should teach about it or have a week dedicated to giving more information, so students are more aware of something going on in their own lives.

Students may have some mental health issues but are not aware because they do not have enough knowledge on the subject. Schools should address this issue more than they are.

Breanna Foster

A misunderstood topic

South Dakota has some of the most restrictive laws on abortion. It can take up to 6 weeks for women to even know they are pregnant. That leaves about 16 weeks to do your research, consult people, and make your decision.

Women (or anyone that can reproduce) can get pregnant as young as 10 years old. You may think a 10 year old is choosing to get pregnant. There are many cases of rape and incest each year. If abortions were banned, that 10 year-old child would be forced to give birth to a child as big as them, which could result in death.

A topic that is often misunderstood is the concept of pro-life and pro-choice. People think being pro-life means no abortions only, or that pro-choice means pro-abortions. Thats not true. Being pro-choice is giving people a choice on what they do with their body. Being pro-life is about the opposite.

Everyone deserves a say on what happens with their body on any given day. Keeping abortions legal, keeps them safe.

Shentell Hawkins

Social media brings new problems

Kids are future adults. They will run our government in the coming years. Yet we still dont see what is happening to our kids. Social media is ruining them.

A lot of teens are insecure about their body, because of social media. Countless teens are complaining about their body because they are comparing it to people that photoshop their bodies for one example, celebrities because they too are insecure about their body. We need to instruct kids and adults that its okay to not have a perfect body, because there is no such thing as a perfect body. A lot of teens' eating disorders are caused by social media.

Also, kids are being cyber bullying for being who they are. And its a cruel world out there, but it shouldnt be that cruel. I have heard countless situations like this before (minding you Im just a teen). Schools try to stop cyber bullying, but they cant do anything about it. Bullying never stops.

We need to stand up for teens and kids for these kinds of acts because this can cause a child's life to be on the line. Do better at preparing our kids for the future, not death.

Natalee May

Legalizing marijuana was a mistake

Although the citizens of South Dakota voted to legalize recreational Marijuana, I think they made a mistake. There are many terrible things that have happened to Marijuana smokers.

It may also increase the teen use and that could become very dangerous, it could lead to medical emergencies including traffic deaths from driving while high.

As a young person, I have had many experiences being around Marijuana smokers, and its all their life revolves around. They think they are nothing without smoking, it keeps them motivated. Costs increased in hospital visits, addiction treatment, environmental damage, crime, workplace accidents, and lost productivity.

They say that marijuana use harms the user physically and mentally, and that its use should be strongly discouraged, not legalized.

Many students in school systems have been caught with Marijuana at a young age and had charges pressed and had to go to treatments or rehab. If its legalized that means it will become way more easy to be bought and sold.

Marijuana is especially dangerous for young people, because human brains are not fully developed until around age 25. Marijuana smoking in teens increased short-term memory, decreased concentration, attention span, and problem solving, which interfere with learning.

Emelia Striegel

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0
A longtime Montana nonprofit reproductive and sexual health care clinic announced Wednesday that it  and not the state health department  was awarded more than $2 million in federal family planning money.

The Department of Public Health and Human Services has for 50 years been awarded and administrated the money, known as Title X funding, and distributed it through contracts to clinics around Montana.

But Bozeman-based Bridgercare said in a press release that state legislation passed last year would have prohibited it and other organizations like Planned Parenthood from receiving the federal funding if the state was granted this year's award.

During the 2021 legislative session, state Rep. Amy Regier, R-Kalispell, passed a bill that would have prohibited the department from entering into a contract with any organization that provided non-federally qualified abortions.

The law, however, only applies to the state health department and cannot dictate how Bridgercare spends the funding. Bridgercare does not provide abortions.

"Bridgercare had serious concerns about the impact of new state restrictions on Title X funding and services. These concerns spurred us to develop an alternative to the Title X program that would exclude Bridgercare and other providers," said Stephanie McDowell, Bridgercare's executive director, in a press conference Wednesday.

In an email Wednesday, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said grants are awarded "through a competitive process to public and private nonprofit entities."

"A competitive funding announcement was published at Grants.gov announcing the competition. Eligible applicants were reviewed by a panel of independent reviewers and evaluated based on criteria in the Title X regulations," the spokesperson said.

In an emailed statement, the state health department said it was "disappointed" with the news.

"DPHHS is disappointed with the Biden administration's refusal to renew funding for this longstanding, successful state program," a spokesperson said.

"We recognize, however, that recent pro-abortion federal rule changes have distorted Title X and conflict with Montana law, as well as the Gianforte administration's priority of expanding primary care. The department will provide a transition and continuity for Title X-funded clinics and their clients."

The department said it was unable to answer further questions Wednesday "due to the recent nature of this news." Regier's bill also said primary care clinics should be prioritized for funding over clinics like Bridgercare.

In October last year, the Biden administration issued new regulations around Title X money, which replaced rules from the previous Trump administration. Biden reversed a Trump regulation that blocked funding for recipients that made referrals for abortions and disqualified clinics that were located where abortion services were provided. The Title X Family Planning Annual Report 2020 National Summary found the Trump administration's change led to the number of people accessing services dropping from 3.9 million to 1.5 million people between 2018-2020.

In a press release, the U.S. Department Health and Human Services said grants it awarded across the country Wednesday will "fill service gaps caused by more than a quarter of Title X providers withdrawing from the program over the past two and a half years in response to the previous administrations Title X rule."

A report prepared by Democratic staff for the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee said in 2015 Montana had 26 sites funded by Title X money that provided care to 18,090 women and that Planned Parenthood centers served 43% of those women.

"If Planned Parenthood were excluded from Title X, all other types of Title X-funded sites in Montana would have to increase their contraceptive client caseloads by 74% to serve the women who currently obtain contraceptive care from Planned Parenthood health centers," according to the 2018 report.

Since the Trump administration's gag rule took effect in 2019, Planned Parenthood of Montana was not a participant in Title X programs.

McDowell said that will change going forward. In a statement Wednesday, Martha Fuller, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Montana, said that will increase access to family planning services for Montanans.

Thanks to Bridgercares leadership, Montanans will once again be able to access the federal family program from the provider of their choice and without interference from extremist politicians. PPMT looks forward to coming back into the program to meet patient needs and in partnership with providers around the state," Fuller said.

Bridgercare said the network will start with eight providers at 16 locations and the capacity to serve 20,000 people. The grant is for five years and the organization can apply for increased funding in the future.

While some existing Title X clinics, including several in rural areas, chose to be a part of the state's application for the funding and not Bridgercare's, McDowell said Bridgercare will reach out to them to try to bring them under the Montana Family Planning network. The state health department's website listed 22 clinics on its Title X website.

Clinics that get funding do things like provide contraceptive services to men and women; perform pregnancy tests and cancer screenings; test for STDs and provide health education and referrals for other care.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 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.
The Bureau of Land Management on Wednesday issued a proposed decision to allow American Prairie to graze bison on about 63,000 acres of federal land in Phillips County under 10 year leases.

Ultimately, the overall goals of any grazing decision are to ensure the health of BLM-administered public lands and implement the law, said acting Montana/Dakotas State Director Theresa Hanley in a statement. This proposed grazing decision will help us continue to achieve those goals, providing for multiple-purpose use and enjoyment, now and in the future.

Pete Geddes, American Prairie vice president, said in an email, We are extremely pleased with this decision, which will enable us to exercise our grazing privileges to sustainably grow our conservation herd of bison, protect the health of the land, and create more outdoor opportunities for visitors to experience Montanas prairie lands and wildlife.

Change

American Prairies initial request in 2017 was to change the terms of its grazing allotments on 290,000 acres, which angered some ranchers, the Montana Stockgrowers Association and politicians in the region. More than 2,400 comments were received on the proposal which dealt with 18 allotments in four counties.

The 2019 Legislature passed a House joint resolution requesting the BLM deny the grazing permit. By the end of the year, American Prairie amended its proposal, dropping down to only seven allotments to reduce the acreage, all of them in Phillips County. Another 3,000 comments were received on the modified proposal.

Opposition

After the BLM gave its initial approval to the plan, Gov. Greg Gianforte criticized the agency for not allowing enough time for the public to comment. The BLM extended the comment deadline, but state officials said it wasnt enough. As a result, a Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation administrator charged the BLM did not have the authority to grant American Prairie permits to graze on federal lands.

Shawn Thomas, division administrator for the state's Trust Land Management, made the statement in a letter to the BLM and also requested the federal agency withhold its decision until the DNRC conducted its own environmental analysis. Within American Prairies proposed grazing allotments there are 5,830 acres of state lands. A message for Thomas was not returned in time for this story.

Brooke Stroyke, press secretary for Gianforte, said in an email, The state has received and is reviewing the BLM's grazing decision. The governor shares Montanans' hope that BLM took Montanans' comments to heart and bolstered its analysis to reach a legal, well-reasoned decision.

Opponents to the BLM decision have 15 days to protest. Following that, the BLM will consider any substantive protests from qualified commenters before issuing a final grazing decision. That will initiate a 30-day appeal period.

Nonprofit

A nonprofit conservation group, American Prairie (formerly known as American Prairie Reserve) has purchased 452,428 acres (117,611 private and 334,817 public) since its inception in 2001. The groups goal is to one day lace together its private lands with 3 million acres of adjoining public property to create a wildlife preserve and refuge for prairie species. The group also offers visitor access to parts of its property for recreation, including camping and hunting.

Returning bison to the landscape is part of APs grand plan. Bison are already managed as livestock in other areas of Montana and across the United States.

A distinction is made between bison that are privately owned and considered livestock and those that are considered wildlife (publicly owned) that fall under the jurisdiction of the State of Montana, the BLM wrote.

Yet American Prairies plans have raised concerns other private bison ranchers have not.

American Prairies current bison population totals 813 animals and is spread across three herds in Dry Fork, White Rock and Sun Prairie. Once the grazing changes are finalized, American Prairie will be able to grow its herd to 1,000 animals by 2025, the group said. By comparison there are currently more than 13,000 head of cattle grazing across American Prairie.

Decision

The BLMs proposed decision would allow bison grazing on six of the seven allotments. One common allotment, the East Dry Fork, grazed with another livestock operator would remain approved for cattle-only at 1,584 animal unit months. AUMs are the amount of forage required by one animal for one month.

Seasonal grazing would be permitted on four of the allotments. Year-round grazing would be permitted on three allotments; two of which had been previously authorized for year-round bison grazing. There would be no change in AUMs on any of the allotments.

The proposed grazing decision, and its detailed terms and conditions, are supported by the EA analysis which carefully examined American Prairies proposal for potential effects on each individual allotments unique land characteristics and uses, said Tom Darrington, Malta Field Office manager.

Although cattle groups complained year-round grazing would harm the environment, the BLM wrote that areas being grazed by bison will experience improvements to vegetative communities including variation in vegetative communities, diversified vegetation and an increase in native plant species. Because bison tend to graze in patches, the result is a patchy distribution of vegetation that encourages plant species diversity by allowing forbs to flourish. Species such as Greater Sage Grouse will benefit from an increase in native forbs. Because bison tend to spend less time and forage greater distances from water, improvements to riparian vegetation and riparian function will also be seen.

As a result of improved water quality from less sedimentation, the habitat for aquatic species and riparian birds will be improved, the agency added.

After years of thoughtful consideration and public input, it is clear the Bureau of Land Management understands the value of having bison on the landscape, the APs Geddes said. Not only in their finding that our grazing proposal will not have a significant environmental impact on the land, but in going a step further and recognizing it will benefit local wildlife, improve land and water quality, and create new local jobs, all without impacting the value of the ranching economy.

Other changes

More than 30 miles of existing fence will be removed under the proposal while another 44 miles will be rebuilt, 35 miles will be reconstructed as electric and five miles of new fence would be built. The new and reconstructed fences would be wildlife friendly to make it easier for animals like pronghorns to pass through.

In Phillips County, where all seven of the grazing allotments exist, American Prairie inked an agreement last year with the Conservation District that guides disease testing, a vaccination program and a treatment plan for escaped bison.

We look forward to putting our management plan into action in partnership with Phillips County to ensure the long-term health of the land, our bison herd and local producers, Geddes said.

The proposed grazing decision, and documents associated with the EA and FONSI are available on the BLMs ePlanning website https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/103543/510.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Fabric is an essential part of any home. From upholstery to window treatments to wallpaper, colors and textures work together to create the look and feel of a room. But with so many options out there, the choices can seem overwhelming. We chatted with Diana Vicenti, a professional design consultant at u-fab interiors, about how to make the most out of the space you have, the next big design trends, how to use color with confidence and how you can (and should) break the basic rules of design.

How did you arrive at your passion for great interior design?

I was born into it. My mother wasnt an interior designer, but she should have been! My parents were kind of crazy in that they would fix up a house and then move and start all over again. Im also from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which is Amish Country. So I grew up around these beautiful handmade quilts and textiles, and it inspired me to pursue the fine arts as a career.

How does a design consultant help a client with a project?

Were going to give you a fresh perspective. Sometimes a client has become too accustomed to whats there already to see the potential of what can be. My goal is to always make your house reflect who lives there and consider how you use the space. It also saves time and money because a consultant can often create the look you want by repurposing what you already have.

Give us a glimpse into the next big decorating trends.

After being stuck at home during COVID-19 and things feeling dismal, people want color back in a big way  greens, subdued purples and warmer colors like browns instead of grays. People want cozy comfort with materials like velvets and boucle. Bold wallpaper prints are coming back, especially in powder rooms. Furniture is becoming less boxy and more curved, with sculptural accent chairs  things are becoming more fun again.

How can someone get the most bang for their buck when updating a room?

Reupholstery. A fun, new fabric can make an old piece of furniture look completely fresh for a fraction of the cost of buying a new piece. Fresh paint on the walls in a new color always helps. Kitchen hardware, picture frames, lighting, window fixtures and ceiling fans can all date a room, so those are great, easy updates to make. Even something as simple as new accent pillows or rearranging furniture can be a cost-effective upgrade.

How do you identify a piece of furniture that will look great reupholstered?

Almost any older piece of furniture is going to have high-quality wood thats worth saving. If it has good bones and feels sturdy, it has tons of life left in it. If its rickety, u-fab can reglue joints or retie springs. So many people want to save pieces passed down from loved ones because you just cant buy the same quality today  well, you can, but its going to cost you twice as much as reupholstering. Its more sustainable, too. Our goal at u-fab is to get you another 30 years out of a piece so you can enjoy it for a long time and hand it down to the next generation.

We want to incorporate color but dont know how to pick a palette. Any tips?

If were starting from scratch, I tell people to look at their wardrobe because those are the colors you already know make you happy. But if we have a rug or great piece of artwork as a focal point, well use that. For example, the client may only see the main red and navy colors in a statement Persian rug, but we can look deeper and pull out subtle colors in the background like a soft pinky coral or hazy steel blue. From there we can work on creating a palette and start mixing colors and patterns.

What are some services people might be surprised to find out u-fab offers?

People think of u-fab as a reupholstery shop, but were really a one-stop shop. We create custom headboards, window treatments or ottomans and can even source outside pieces (photography, framing, gun cabinets, you name it!) from local and national artisans to give our clients projects a unique look that thousands of other people wont have.

Designers like to say there are no rules. Do you agree?

There are certainly guidelines to follow in design, but there are no steadfast rules. Sometimes our customers will say they hired an outside designer and spent a fortune to have a house that looks great and follows all the rules, but its just not them. Unless your home reflects your personality, whats the point of it all?

u-fab interiors has two locations: 7921 W. Broad St., Richmond, Virginia (804-888-8322), and 2171 Ivy Road, Suite 5, Charlottesville, Virginia (434-245-8322). Appointments are recommended for personalized services. For more information, visit u-fab.com.
A Chesterfield County judge has denied a request by Chesterfields chief prosecutor asking the judge to recuse herself from presiding over the trial of a man accused of killing Linda Lunsford in 1996. She will also allow the defense to introduce evidence of a possible alternative suspect who kidnapped or attempted to kidnap two women during the same period that Lunsford disappeared.

During a hearing Tuesday in Chesterfield Circuit Court, Judge Lynn Brice rebuffed efforts by Chesterfield Commonwealths Attorney Stacey Davenport to get her to stand aside because of previous clashes between the judge and Davenports chief deputy, Jennifer Nesbitt.

Nesbitt is co-prosecuting John Harvey Howard, 62, in Lunsfords presumed murder in a rare, no-body homicide case. No trace of Lunsford was ever found.

Lunsford suddenly disappeared on Dec. 26, 1996, after she and Howard  her former boyfriend  finished their shifts at the Walmart just off Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield, authorities said.

In requesting the judge recuse herself, Davenport said shes not suggesting Brice exhibited any bias, but says there may be a public perception of bias  Brices interactions with Nesbitt in the courtroom and in the judges chambers have made news in recent months.

Also at issue was a letter that a state Senator requested Nesbitt write about her encounters with Brice that was considered by legislators in the judges failed bid to be reappointed to the bench.

In denying Davenports recusal motion, Brice said in comments from the bench that she had not seen the letter, nor has she been told of its specific contents, but that she harbors no bias or prejudice that would in any way impair this courts ability to give this defendant a fair trial and hear this case impartially.

Assuming ... that some animosity exists on the part of the Commonwealths Attorney toward this court, this court does not share that animosity and it does not impair this courts ability to afford both parties a fair and impartial trial, Brice added.

Brice on Tuesday ruled on a multitude of key prosecution and defense motions in preparation for a trial that the judge agreed to postpone from mid-April until late August.

Perhaps the most interesting development was that Brice allowed defense attorney Greg Sheldon to introduce evidence at trial of whats legally referred to as third-party guilt  which will involve introducing to the jury an alternative suspect to Howard in Lunsfords disappearance and presumed murder.

During the course of the 26-year investigation, Chesterfield police received a tip regarding the possible involvement of a man named Thomas Andrew Bresco, who was later convicted separately of abducting or attempting to abduct two women in Spotsylvania and Williamsburg on Dec. 14, 1996, and Jan. 2, 1997.

Ms. Lunsford disappeared in between these two events, Sheldon wrote in his motion.

In the Spotsylvania case, Bresco raped and sodomized a woman he abducted at gunpoint from a Dennys parking lot as she was going to work. In the Williamsburg case, Bresco attempted to abduct a woman in the parking lot of a Food Lion store, but the woman managed to escape, according to news stories Sheldon attached to his motion.

Sheldon noted that after Lunford vanished, her Nissan Sentra was found in front of the Food Lion store in the Village Marketplace shopping center off Midlothian Turnrpike. During that time frame, Bresco worked in the Richmond area and knew and had worked with Ms. Lunsfords brother-in-law, Sheldon said in his motion.

Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Jeff Einhaus urged the court to disallow introducing Bresco as an alternative suspect to jurors at trial, saying it will only confuse them and add irrelevant information that has no bearing on the case.

According to Sheldons court filing, Chesterfield police quickly dismissed Bresco as a suspect after receiving a Crime Stoppers tip and interviewing him; a police report stated that Bresco does not appear to be involved in any way.

But Sheldon noted in his motion that police only spoke to Bresco once and never obtained his fingerprints or DNA to compare with other evidence obtained during the investigation. He was dismissed as a possible suspect based upon his perceived reaction to a photograph of Ms. Lunsford, Sheldon wrote.

Bresco was sentenced to 30 years in prison in Spotsylvania and to an additional 10 years in Williamsburg.

The judge on Tuesday also imposed a gag order on both the prosecution and defense from further commenting on the case publicly before trial.

Concerned that a fair trial for his client could be harmed by additional publicity, Sheldon filed a motion requesting the prosecution be barred from making further comment about the case. The request largely stemmed from Davenports decision to issue a Feb. 2 news release about her efforts in traveling to New York to interview witnesses for the trial, among other details.

Sheldon also cited Davenports plans on Feb. 9 to be interviewed about the case on WRVAs Jeff Katz Show, which Sheldon said she cancelled after he raised concerns. Davenports scheduled appearance was promoted by the radio program.

Davenport responded that her release did not divulge any trial evidence and was issued to inform the public about her role as commonwealths attorney.

Sheldon objected to Davenports use of the word brutality in her news release to describe Lunsfords presumed murder, since the victims body has not been found and her cause of death is unknown. But Davenport said the word brutality was used to describe an element of the crime that prosecutors intend to prove and noted that Sheldon offered no evidence how a jury would be prejudiced by the term.

The judge, however, said she believed the overall timing of the recent publicity did pose a significant threat to the fairness of the defendants right to an impartial jury and a fair trial by potentially prejudicing the jury pool. She barred both the prosecution and defense from commenting publicly in any fashion about this case until its conclusion.

For similar reasons involving pre-trial publicity, Sheldon requested that his clients trial be moved from Chesterfield to another locality  the judge took the request under advisement until it can be determined whether an impartial jury can be seated in Chesterfield to hear the case.

The trial  originally scheduled for two weeks beginning April 18  was postponed until Aug. 22 through Sept. 2, after Sheldon asked for more time to review a large volume of material he requested from the prosecution that he only recently received. Prosecutors initially objected to delaying the trial in a motion filed with the court, but withdrew their objection Tuesday.

There were some prickly moments in deciding on a new trial date. The prosecution said the only two-week window available in coming months  when taking into consideration the availability of more than 100 witnesses  would be in early June or mid-December. The June date was not considered because of the time the defense needs to review the additional material.

That left the prosecutions proposed trial date of Dec. 5 through Dec. 16, which Brice immediately seized upon as being unacceptable.

I find that curious, Brice told prosecutors without elaboration. Her last day on the bench before her term expires is Nov. 30.

The judge then set a trial date after a back-and-forth exchange with Einhaus about the availability of certain prosecution witnesses in the two-week period beginning Aug. 22; Einhaus indicated some witnesses would not would not be available on one or more days during that stretch.
Richmond police officers were called to South Richmond on Tuesday morning where they discovered a dead man in a roadway.

Authorities responded around 6:48 a.m. to the 4900 block of Titus Street for a report of a downed individual. At the scene, police found a man whod been shot.

The man  who has not yet been identified  was declared dead at the scene. Richmond police are in the process of conducting a death investigation.

The state medical examiners office will determine the manner and cause of death.

Anyone with information is asked to call Major Crimes Detective M. Godwin (804) 646-5533, contact Crime Stoppers at 780-1000 or submit an anonymous tip via the P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app.
Richmond police have identified a man found dead in South Richmond on Tuesday morning.

Officers were called to the scene around 6:38 a.m. near the 2600 block of Titus Street for reports of a downed individual. At the scene, they found a man lying in the road with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police on Wednesday identified the man as Isaiah Lee, 25, of Richmond. The state medical examiners office will determine the manner and cause of death.

No arrests have been made in connection with the incident.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Major Crimes Detective M. Godwin at (804) 646-5533, contact Crime Stoppers at 780-1000 or submit an anonymous tip to the P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app.
Facial recognition technology

Snapshot of a political Kodak moment

BY JEFF E. SCHAPIRO

Richmond Times-Dispatch

Bryce Reeves used to be a cop in one of the outer-D.C. Virginia suburbs, working as a detective on the drug beat. Now a Republican state senator from Spotsylvania County, a mix of farms and subdivisions about an hour south of Washington, Reeves considers himself a friend of law enforcement.

But only to a point.

Not only did he sponsor and win legislation now before Gov. Glenn Youngkin that would ban ticket-writing and arrest quotas for police officers, Reeves opposed lifting Virginias prohibition, enacted just last year, on the use by police departments of digital photo wizardry to identify suspected criminals, victims and witnesses.

Available through about a half-dozen companies, including the best-known, Clearview AI, which hired the white-shoe law-and-lobbying firm Hunton Andrews Kurth to push for the Virginia rollback, the technology  hailed as a breakthrough tool for police and derided as a worrisome weapon for entrapment  has been used by federal authorities in their investigation of the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump loyalists.

Reeves argued on the Senate floor  and in an interview this week  that so-called facial recognition technology, or FRT, is needlessly invasive; that it is a threat to privacy rights, adding, I dont like that its not easy for law enforcement. But I think the system is set up so that it doesnt skew one way or another.

Reeves, whose pro-privacy stance could be a plus with the edgier conservative activists wholl decide the GOP congressional nomination he and eight others are seeking in the redrawn 7th District of Democrat Abigail Spanberger, was on the losing side on that measure, which was also sent to Youngkin by Virginias divided General Assembly.

And in the countdown hours to adjournment of the winter session, the bill  largely overshadowed by the continuing impasse on taxes and spending  reached the governors office on the strength of a coalition not often seen at the state Capitol, where policy increasingly is decided, as in Washington, along party lines.

Though his office isnt saying  yet  whether Youngkin will sign the bill into law, it is likely that he will. The Republican, whose anti-crime message in last years campaign was occasionally criticized by independent fact-checkers as hyperbolic and selectively factual, was elected with the endorsements of the Fraternal Order of Police and some 50 sheriffs. Youngkin was to meet Wednesday with supporters and opponents of the measure.

Virginias popularly elected prosecutors, usually unified on law-enforcement issues, including Attorney General Jason Miyares since-withdrawn legislation that would allow his office to take over local criminal investigations under certain circumstances, are divided on facial recognition technology.

In Norfolk, beset by homicides, most recently the fatal shooting of a newspaper reporter, Commonwealths Attorney Ramin Fatehi, a Democrat, said FRT could help police investigations by making it easier for witnesses, particularly those frightened or intimidated, to be more forthcoming about vital information.

Its appropriate, legitimate and necessary for investigating and prosecuting crime, he said.

Henricos Democratic prosecutor, Shannon Taylor, said that the commonwealths attorneys should have had a bigger say in fashioning the legislation now before Youngkin, especially given continuing federal litigation in which individuals, including some in Virginia, allege Clearview AI violated their privacy rights in harvesting  scraping is the preferred info-tech term  more than 3 billion photographs from the internet without authorization.

Steve Benjamin, a Richmond criminal defense lawyer and adviser to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which did not hear the bill, said that giant lawsuit and constitutional concerns might have spurred lawmakers to delay action on the proposal, opting instead to study the issue for at least a year. Benjamin said that was the committees practice on, for example, legislation on criminal sentencing of juveniles. It waited until the U.S. Supreme Court spoke on the topic.

But the General Assembly has been inconsistent in that regard. Last year, Virginia became one of the first states to adopt consumer data protection despite seemingly relevant disputes in the federal courts over the privacy rights.

In allowing state, local and campus police to use FRT  officers in several departments had until the prohibition was enacted in 2021  the legislation says the technology, which relies on photographs snatched from social media, news and government sites and aggregators, cannot be the basis for search or arrest warrants. They would continue to depend on corroborating evidence.

The technologys accuracy, at minimum, must be 98% for all demographic groups  a target that a 2019 federal study suggests may not be achievable. It noted that algorithms have misidentified more people of color than whites and more women than men. This is one of the reasons a Virginia congressman, Don Beyer, in 2020 called for banning federal law enforcement from using body-camera footage in FRT.

The state legislation  introduced in the Virginia Senate by Scott Surovell, a liberal Democrat from Northern Virginia, and in the House of Delegates by Jay Leftwich, a conservative Republican from South Hampton Roads  was propelled by an unlikely alliance of rural Republicans and suburban and urban Democrats bound by a shared concern over safe streets.

It included Dels. Eileen Filler-Corn, the former House speaker and reliable Fairfax County liberal; Rob Bell of Albemarle County, the tough anti-crime Republican chairman of the House courts committee; and inner-city Black Democrats such as Don Scott of Portsmouth and Jeff Bourne and Sen. Jennifer McClellan, both of Richmond. Also, Republican Sens. Mark Obenshain of Rockingham County, an unsuccessful 2013 candidate for attorney general; Richard Stuart of King George County, a former prosecutor; and House Majority Leader Jerry Kilgore, R-Scott County.

The strangest of bedfellows  progressives fearful of police targeting of minorities and libertarians wary of intrusive government  made up the opposition.

In addition to Reeves, there was Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah County; Del. Lamont Bagby of Henrico County, chairman of the all-Democrat legislative Black caucus; John Edwards of Roanoke and Creigh Deeds of Bath County, the Democratic chairman and co-chairman, respectively, of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which to the surprise of some prosecutors and criminal defense lawyers, left it to a panel that handles technology legislation to vet the bill.

Other opponents: Sen. Jenn Kiggans of Virginia Beach, also a Republican congressional candidate  and like Reeves  presumably mindful of privacy-preoccupied MAGA voters; and Sens. Joe Morrissey, a Democrat and disbarred former prosecutor and trial lawyer from Richmond, and his attorney in the failed to effort to keep his license, Republican Sen. Bill Stanley of Franklin County.

The politics of this issue isnt necessarily as clear as the photographs used in facial recognition technology are supposed to be.

Contact Jeff E. Schapiro at (804) 649-6814 or jschapiro@timesdispatch.com. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter, @RTDSchapiro. Listen to his analysis 7:45 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. Friday on Radio IQ, 89.7 FM in Richmond and 89.1 FM in Roanoke, and in Norfolk on WHRV, 89.5 FM.
Attorney General Jason Miyares announced on Tuesday that Virginia has joined 20 other states in a legal challenge to what he termed the CDCs unlawful mask mandate on public transportation.

Florida is leading the bid for an injunction, accusing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of unprecedented assertions of power since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The CDC recently announced that at its recommendation, the Transportation Security Administration will extend the security directive for mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs for one month, through April 18th.

Miyares said in a statement: The CDCs mask mandate on public transportation, like air travel, is scientifically unnecessary at this stage of the pandemic. Not only are the CDCs mask mandates for public transportation an example of federal overreach, but they are outdated as states across the country have lifted mask mandates in other aspects of daily life.

Limited injunction on masks could affect certain Chesterfield, Henrico schools Chesterfield and Henrico counties are among 10 school districts that could be affected by a 

CDC data shows that the daily averages of new cases and deaths are trending downward nationally, as are new hospital admissions.

But the CDC says the guidance is warranted because people on public transit can be in close proximity for lengthy periods without the opportunity to socially distance.

The Associated Press reports that fewer than half of the respondents in a recent AP poll said they still regularly wear face masks.

The easing of precautions comes as scientists eye another contagious omicron subvariant that has become the leading strain in the U.S.

COVID cases reach 8-month low in Virginia, but Europe's surge has health experts concerned There are 928 average cases, the lowest tally since late July. But about 12 countries in Europe are seeing a rise of a subvariant of omicron known as BA.2.

Since taking office on Jan. 15, Miyares has joined Gov. Glenn Youngkin in opposing mandates to combat COVID-19, from mask requirements in schools to vaccination requirements at colleges and universities.

Youngkin, who also took office Jan. 15, immediately issued executive orders scrapping mask mandates in schools and COVID-19 vaccine requirements for state workers.

Last week Youngkin hailed a state boards move to formally remove stricter COVID workplace rules.

The other states that have joined Florida in the suit are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah and West Virginia.
Almost two dozen workers employed by drywall subcontractors building a new home for the General Assembly and other big construction projects in Virginia have received payouts to compensate for allegedly unpaid overtime under settlement of a federal lawsuit filed against three Richmond-area companies.

Under the settlement  approved by U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson on Jan. 26 and first reported by WRIC-Channel 8 this week  22 workers received a total of $54,326 for their claims of wage theft by two drywall subcontractors and the company that hired them for the high-profile construction project next to Capitol Square, as well as other major public and private construction projects in Virginia.

The payments ranged from $574 to $21,628 for 19 employees of two drywall subcontractors, and $500 each for three employees of one other subcontractor not named in the suit for allegedly similar labor practices.

The settlement also requires the companies to pay $86,000 in attorneys fees for the lawyers representing workers in the case, which was filed in December 2020.

Its a fair settlement for our clients, said Matthew Kaplan, a Fairfax County attorney who specializes in violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which sets federal requirements for overtime wages.

The lawsuit alleged that Capital Interior Contractors  and two of its drywall subcontractors, GTO Drywall Inc. and RDIC Inc.  improperly misclassified employees as independent contractors to avoid paying their time-and-a-half for overtime hours, as well as other benefits.

In the settlement agreement presented to Hudson in late December, the companies denied the allegations and any liability for alleged failure to pay overtime compensation, or that the workers were jointly employed by Capital Interior and the subcontractors it hired for the jobs.

Specifically, there is a bona fide dispute as to whether Defendants were employers or joint employers and whether the workers were improperly classified as contractors who should have been paid overtime compensation, lawyers for the workers said in a memorandum of support for the settlement.

A state investigation found a year ago that dozens of workers had been improperly classified as independent contractors and not fully compensated for overtime hours on the new General Assembly Building at the corner of East Broad and North Ninth streets in downtown Richmond.

The project is part of a $300 million overhaul of prominent state properties next to Capitol Square. The new General Assembly Building is expected to be completed this year and reopen for the legislative session scheduled to begin in January.

It was among 34 high-profile construction projects, private and public, that the lawsuit alleged had used subcontractors who used labor practices that violated federal wage and hour laws.

Last fall, then-Attorney General Mark Herring brought felony embezzlement charges against the two drywall subcontractors, alleging that through worker misclassification the companies had deprived workers of full wages and the state taxes for benefits such as unemployment insurance and workers compensation.

General Assembly Building subcontractors indicted on charges of falsely identifying workers About a year after unions raised public concerns, a grand jury indicted two General Assembly

RDIC, or Richmond Drywall Installers Constructors Inc., pleaded guilty in December and agreed to pay $21,000 in fines and restitution for misclassifying its employees as independent contractors.

It was the first conviction won by a new workers protection unit in the attorney generals office, which had investigated the charges with the Office of the State Inspector General.

The guilty plea came as a surprise to Capital Interior Contractors Inc., which had hired the drywall subcontractors.

Capital does not condone such practices, Nate Story, the companys attorney, said in a statement in December. Capital continues to investigate this issue and is committed to legal compliance and fair wage practices.

GTO Drywall pleaded guilty to five felony counts of embezzlement and agreed to pay a $2,500 fine for each count and $8,500 in restitution, according to a spokeswoman for Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican who took office in January.

Miyares director of communications, Victoria LaCivita, said he would keep the workers protection unit, using attorneys from across divisions of his office.

The Attorney General believes in calling balls and strikes and enforcing the law as it applies to wage theft, LaCivita said.

Two workers  Gilberto Rosales and Hector Jose Polanco-Alvarez  filed the civil lawsuit in December, 2020. Dozens of other workers subsequently joined the action.

Under the settlement, GTO paid Rosales $1,715 and RDIC paid $4,301 to Jennifer Munoz, mother of two children with Polanco-Alvarez, who died last fall.

The agreement outlined payments for a primary group of workers for GTO and RDIC, as well as a secondary group of employees at another subcontractor hired by Capital Interior. Payments to the primary group represented estimates of unpaid overtime, doubled, with an additional $400 each, with additional awards for Rosales and Munoz.

For the primary group, 19 of 22 plaintiffs agreed to participate in the settlement. In the secondary group, only three of 11 workers agreed to participate and one other worker could not be contacted, according to the court documents.

Capital Interior paid $500 each to those three workers, who cannot take further legal action against the company, but could make further claims against the subcontractor that hired them.

State probe finds worker misclassification in construction of new General Assembly Building A state investigation has found that dozens of workers have been misclassified as independen

Kaplan  one of the lawyers for the workers  said the lawsuit addressed what he called a broad problem in the construction industry in Virginia.

There is a problem of people using subcontractors who dont follow wage and hour rules, he said.

As a result, Kaplan said, companies that do follow the rules are at a significant disadvantage in competing for construction contracts.

Labor unions representing workers for those companies have pushed hard to focus attention on what they consider unfair labor practices in Virginia.

It was great to see the workers get the payments they deserve, said Frank Mahoney, spokesman for the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters.
Roanoke City police have detained a student after a gun was fired in a restroom at Lucy Addison Middle School on Tuesday.

No one was injured.

At about 2:15 p.m. Tuesday, school resource officers were notified by other school personnel about a situation in one of the schools restrooms, according to a statement by Roanoke police said.

Responding resource officers located a firearm and property damages related to a shooting and secured the restroom area while school administrators placed the building on lockdown.

Roanoke City Public Schools released a statement just before 3 p.m. indicating that police and school administrators were on the scene and investigating. Parents were asked to stay away from the school.

Police said a juvenile male student was detained for questioning.

After warrants for possession of a firearm on school grounds and discharging a firearm on school grounds were obtained, the student was taken to the Roanoke Valley Juvenile Detention Center, police said.

Around 3:15 p.m.  less than an hour after it started  the schools lockdown was lifted. Students were then dismissed and allowed to be picked up, a Roanoke schools statement said. The school division also transported remaining students home by bus beginning around 4:30 p.m.

Lucy Addison staff will be at the school tomorrow bright and early to welcome students back, an RCPS statement said Tuesday evening. We want our students and staff to know we are here for them and that their safety is always our top priority. There will also be additional police presence at the school.

Roanoke City Public Schools has a zero-tolerance policy about weapons in school, including anything resembling a weapon, the statement continued. We ask parents and guardians to speak with their children to make sure they understand this policy and that if students see something, to always say something.

The shooting is the second to affect city students within a week. On March 22, a school bus transporting five James Madison Middle School students home was struck by a stray bullet during its afternoon run near a northwest city residential complex. No one was injured in that incident, either.

The Lucy Addison incident remains under investigation, police said, adding that they did not believe it poses a continuing threat to Lucy Addison Middle School or any other Roanoke city school.

The school system said additional counseling services will be available to students and staff as they return on Wednesday.

Anyone in more immediate need of support has been advised to call (540) 981-8181 for Carilion CONNECT.
A fundraiser to erect a statue of Henrietta Lacks in downtown Roanoke and document other prominent figures and events in local history is halfway to its goal.

The latest total is $89,000 two and a half months after the campaigns start, said Vice Mayor Trish White-Boyd, head of the projects steering committee. The goal is $160,000.

Current receipts will be enough for a down payment to a cultural education group that produced a multimedia program about the Black experience in Richmond and will do the same for Roanoke, the vice mayor said.

For an idea of what the Roanoke presentation may look like when its done, the Richmond report can be seen at https://www.hiddeninplainsite.org.

The steering committee has identified five landmarks and one person for inclusion in the Roanoke presentation. White-Boyd said they are as follows: Burrell Memorial Hospital, Old Lick Cemetery, Henry Street, Berglund Center, Dreamland and Lacks.

Lacks, a Black woman who was born in Roanoke where she spent her infancy and toddler years, went to The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, for cancer treatment in 1951. Doctors couldnt save the young woman, then from Maryland, but they discovered that her cells were capable of growing outside her body in a laboratory vessel. The availability of the cells as a research platform supported groundbreaking medical research over the decades since.

Lacks story will be recreated in the Hidden In Plain Site report about Roanoke and she will be the subject of a life-sized statue to be erected near the Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building.

Donations are still welcome, White-Boyd said. Checks should be made out to the Harrison Museum, the fundraisers fiscal agent, with the phrase Henrietta Lacks on the memo line. Contributions should be mailed to: The Harrison Museum, P.O. Box 21054, Roanoke, VA 24018.

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.
In November, a team of Ukrainian journalists from Odessa Life  a newspaper in Ukraines third largest city  visited Roanoke and The Roanoke Times. They were here to learn about American newspapers, online news operations in particular.

It was a friendly affair with camaraderie, exchanges of information and many smiles. Kindly, the group left a box of Ukrainian chocolates in our newsroom. At the time, few Americans could imagine the conflagration that awaited their homeland.

By the morning of March 17, when I connected with them over Zoom, the hellish reality was front and center.

The skies around Odessa, a southern Ukrainian city of 1 million that predates Christopher Columbus, have resounded with air-raid sirens since Russias unprovoked invasion Feb. 24.

Tatiana Siarova, 33, an editor of Odessa Life, lives in an apartment in the citys downtown area with her husband and his mom. The city resembled a makeshift fortress, she said.

Defensive sandbags are piled high in many locations. Another common sight is metal anti-tank barriers known as hedgehogs, strategically placed to thwart Russian war machinery.

Ukrainian soldiers manning city-street checkpoints halt drivers and in some cases, pedestrians. Huge concrete blockades guard Odessas waterfront.

From the beginning, residents of Odessa have heard bombs falling on the outskirts of their city, because Russia shelled its airport early in the invasion, the journalists said. Ominously, by mid-March some 20 ships, presumably Russian Navy, were spotted near Odessas Black Sea coastline.

If that sounds bad, the situation is even worse in other parts of the nation of 44 million people, which has roughly the land area of Texas.

Russian artillery has pounded the city of Kharkiv  in northern Ukraine, near the Russian border  destroying or damaging 600 civilian-occupied buildings, they said.

In Mariupol, roughly 400 miles east of Odessa, the Russians have bombed a university, a childrens hospital and, on March 16, a large theater where more than a thousand people had taken shelter in its basement.

One rare bit of hopeful news was that survivors had begun crawling out of the shelter below the theaters rubble. But news reports suggested most of 1,300 people whod been in it were still unaccounted for.

From the first day, we could hear the echoes of the war. Were not under direct shelling like other parts of Ukraine, but Odessa is by the sea, Siarova said. Everyone is aware of the rule of two walls, she added. Basically, that means you stay away from windows and always try to keep at least two walls between yourself and the outside.

On the invasions first day, Odessa Lifes owner and editor in chief, Gennadii Chabanov, called a meeting of his 40-some employees via Zoom. He told them the newspaper was shutting down.

One problem was their paper supply. His normal suppliers in Russia and Belarus are no longer viable. Another was his printing plant in Kyiv, rendered untenable with Russian forces gradually surrounding the capital.

The main concern, however, was his employees safety. Please take care of your security first, your life is of primary importance, Chabanov told them.

But the same day, some of them got back to me and said, You know, instead of sitting and doing nothing and being afraid, lets do something. Lets cover the events, lets go out on the streets and provide the coverage.

With its dwindling stock of paper, Odessa Life managed to publish two special editions after the invasion. Those were delivered to supermarkets and other population centers and distributed at no charge. One was a specialty publication for low-income seniors and contained survival tips under the quickly changing circumstances.

We compiled questions and answers for people who dont have internet, who dont know how to use the internet and cannot watch the information online, Chabanov said.

These special editions give answers about how to behave when you hear rockets flying or where you should go if you need help with a social issue, and advice for people during wartime.

(Because I dont speak Ukrainian, and only one of the journalists interviewed speaks English, much of the interview was facilitated and translated by other bilingual Ukrainian journalists.)

Chabanov, 54, paid his employees from reserve funds, but those were gone by the end of February. Since then, roughly 15 editors and reporters have been working as volunteers. And you could see the result on the newspapers website on March 18, the day after we spoke.

I used Google Translate to check out a few of its headlines.

One informed Odessans of the latest recommended land-sea evacuation route to Romania. Another told readers where to find buckwheat, a grain staple, and how much to expect to pay. A third carried a government warning that war profiteers would be prosecuted.

In another, Ukrainian armed forces celebrated the shooting down of a Russian cruise missile over in the Odessa region. And a man near Odessa was arrested by Ukrianian authorities for passing information to the Russian occupiers.

There were also posts about healthy eating in wartime, and the condition of animals in Odessas zoo.

We continue to update online now, with the website and across all social media, Chabanov said. He was speaking from Lviv in western Ukraine, near the border with Poland. Hes trying to arrange alternative printing there. On the morning of March 18, the city was hit by Russian missiles.

Its hard to find people  official sources  for whats going on and were trying to be as active as possible, given the situation, he said.

Millions of Ukrainians have fled to other countries. But many more millions are left, and theyre giving the Russians a hell of a fight. Friday the Ukrainians mounted a successful counteroffensive near the capital, Kyiv.

The Russians have failed to get deeper into the country, Chabanov said. Their routes have been stopped in all directions where they were entering, from the north, south and east.

Besides self-survival and informing the public under the most difficult circumstances imaginable, the journalists of Odessa Life have other important considerations  such as their families.

Siarovas husband is from Donestk, one of the regions in eastern Ukraine where pro-Russian separatist forces have been fighting since 2014. At that time, he fled to Odessa with his mother. The couple was trying to start a family, but have put those plans on indefinite hold.

Siarovas brother and his family have evacuated to neighboring Moldova.

Valentyna Chabanova-Babak, 31, the newspapers online products manager, moved herself and her son, Lev, 5, to Poland. Theyre staying with a friend of hers, a woman who has two children of her own. Shes trying to get Lev enrolled in a Warsaw kindergarten, but theres a lot of red tape, she said.

Her husband remained in Ukraine, where he works in IT. On March 17, he was in Lviv (the western Ukraine city, near Polands border, struck by Russian missiles the next day) working and volunteering in the war effort, too.

Lev hasnt yet heard the distant rumble of exploding bombs like his parents did, because those came at night and he was asleep, she said.

But he knows that theres a war, and hes very upset because we needed to go to Poland, without my husband, without his father At that point her voice trailed off and she was overcome with emotion.

One of the interpreters on the call was Olena Vlasova, whos also presently in Poland, too. Shes with her 5-year-old daughter, Marta. Before the war, they lived in Kiev.

Of course, she wants to go back home, Vlasova said. Shes asking why the world is not helping us fight? Shes also asking, why is it only Ukraine, and everyone else is afraid of Russia?

Ukraine is on the border of other European countries  who will be next, Vlasova said.

Odessa Life has started a Patreon account for people who wish to contribute to their wartime publishing efforts. Heres that link: https://www.patreon.com/odessalife

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

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

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.
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
Candidate Votes Percentage Mike Reichenbach (WINNER) 7,547 90.1 Suzanne La Rochelle 811 9.7 42/44 precincts reporting

FLORENCE, S.C. -- Republican Florence Businessman Mike Reichenbach hammered Democratic challenger Suzanne LaRochelle in the special election conducted to select the next state senator for District 31.

The Senate District 31 seat was vacant because longtime state Sen. Hugh Leatherman died in November after a battle with cancer.

Voters in Florence and Darlington counties cast their ballots Tuesday in the District 31 state senate special election.

Reichenbach won the Republican primary on Jan. 25. The Florence businessman defeated state Rep. Jay Jordan by 4 percentage points. He received 6,256 votes, compared to Jordan's 5,756.

Reichenbach worked for Ford Motor Co. before leaving the corporation to pursue his dreams of owning an automobile dealership. Mike Reichenbach Automotive was born in 2008.

La Rochelle wasn't involved in a primary. She was the only Democrat to file for the seat.

La Rochelle is a social worker, who has served as a guardian ad litem and education advocate for children with disabilities.
If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE).
 "Free-World Law Behind Bars" | Main | An effective (though incomplete) review of current GOP views on criminal justice reform 

The Center for Juvenile and Criminal Justice has this notable new report on developments in California titled "Proposition 47: A $600 Million Lifeline to California Communities." Here is the 10-page report's introduction (with cites preserved):

Proposition 47 (Prop 47), one of the most significant criminal justice reforms in California history, has now been in effect for more than seven years. The initiative, which passed with nearly 60 percent of the vote in 2014, sought to interrupt cycles of frequent incarceration and redress decades of overly punitive sentencing by reclassifying several low-level drug and property offenses from potential felonies to misdemeanors (SOS, 2014; 2014a). The result has been a marked decline in Californias incarcerated population (Bird et al., 2016; 2018; Graves, 2020).

A key provision of Prop 47 was the reinvestment of state dollars from prisons into community-based prevention programs. This year, as part of his Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23 budget proposal, Governor Gavin Newsom announced an additional $150 million in prison savings attributed to Prop 47 (DOF, 2022). This latest investment would increase total funding to nearly $600 million.

Proposition 47 has been a lifeline to vulnerable Californians. This support has proved critical as California now faces an unprecedented set of challenges. These include significant disruption and loss of life due to COVID-19, a reckoning over police violence against people of color, sharp increases in the cost of living, and rising rates of homelessness and drug overdose. Most recently, there are changing public narratives around crime and the impacts of justice reform. To date, Prop 47 has:

1. Coincided with a period of record-low crime in California (CJCJ, 2020; 2020a; 2021; 2021a).

2. Reduced unconstitutional overcrowding in state prisons (Graves, 2020).

3. Offered resentencing, release, and/or record change opportunities to thousands of Californians.

4. Lessened racial disparities in Californias criminal justice system (Lofstrom et al., 2020).

5. Reinvested more than half a billion dollars into local programs that address the root causes of incarceration for as many as 40,000 people by reducing homelessness and boosting employment.
 7.07 13.9% 245.68 482.9 4226.4 Spriver Tech Limited10 -SW526 7.8498  4226.4 57 NFT40%  7  Crew-34177 59 10  3    2023        Art Basel  M+    1550  9.6% Pondi
The Lost City needed another rewrite.

Borrowing heavily from Romancing the Stone and, strangely, Jungle Cruise, it wastes the actors talent and, frequently, resorts to Sandra Bullock complaining about the sequined jumpsuit shes wearing.

The best bits  including one with Brad Pitt  turn up in the films trailer, which makes seeing the whole thing a bit redundant.

Bullock plays a reclusive author who agrees to do a book event with  get this  the model who has peered out from her books for years. Very Fabio, he steals focus and, early on, loses his long, flowing wig. When Bullocks Loretta Sage is kidnapped by a mad treasure hunter (nicely played by Daniel Radcliffe), Channing Tatums Alan attempts to prove hes more than his individual parts. He goes on a rescue mission and, soon, Loretta and Alan are in the jungle trying to find a way out.

Although most of the scenes look like theyve been done with green-screen technology, Bullock still pretends like shes hanging off a cliff, crawling into a cave and swimming under water for some lost treasure that few think exists.

Radcliffe, meanwhile, turns up immediately, as if he had a tracker on the two. Luckily, the mismatched adventurers have a night where they can bond and she can pluck leeches from his body.

Directed by Aaron Nee and Adam Nee, The Lost City doesnt have the spontaneity or chemistry of its predecessors. Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner projected real swagger; Bullock and Tatum run through their own greatest hits. She plays shy, bumbling and smarty; he plays big, dumb and naive. Both guises have worked better in other films. Here, its what we have to endure until they can get out of the jungle and into a posh hotel.

Both are good at playing to type but it would have been a better movie if the two had swapped roles and no one talked about Pitt before he pops up. Hes a real treat (in the same way he was on Friends) and that little lift Lost City needs just when you think its struggling.

DaVine Joy Randolph, who was so good in Dolemite is My Name, has a subplot here as Bullocks handler, willing to move mountains to get her back home. Shes fun, but the Nees ignore her frequently, which undercuts the big statement about managers and publicists.

While the films real goal is never in jeopardy, it might have been nice to make it less predictable than it is. Great as she is as a physical comedian, Bullock never really lets down the glam guard. She looks good even in the worst circumstances and shouldnt be such a cinematic throwback.

The Lost City isnt bad (its one of those harmless date night films), just underbaked. Had the directors turned up the heat, it might have been the return of a genre. Instead, its just recognizable leftovers made with expensive ingredients.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Staying in? We've got you covered Get the recommendations on what's streaming now, games you'll love, TV news and more with our weekly Home Entertainment newsletter! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Actor Jim Carrey lambasted Will Smith and members of the Hollywood circle in candid comments after Smith smacked Chris Rock during the Academy Awards.

Appearing Tuesday, March 28, on CBS Mornings, Carrey called Smiths smack a selfish moment and one that cast a pall over the annual award show.

Keep scrolling for a look back at other stunning live TV moments in history

You do not have the right to walk up on stage and smack someone in the face because they said words, Carrey said.

Rock was smacked after he made a joke about Will Smiths wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. When Will Smith took his seat after the physical confrontation, he had choice words for Rock.

Keep my wifes name out your ------- mouth, Smith told Rock as the audience  and viewers  quickly realized the smack was not staged.

But later in the show, Smith received his first Oscar award, winning for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He received a standing ovation from the Academy Award crowd as he accepted the honor.

Carrey said he was sickened by that standing ovation.

I felt like Hollywood is just spineless en masse, Carrey said. It just really felt like this is a really clear indication of were not the cool club anymore.

Smith apologized to the Academy and to other nominees while he accepted the award for his role in the movie King Richard.

The night after the show, he shared a public apology on social media to Rock, saying he was out of line and he was wrong. He again apologized to the Academy and members of the King Richard movie, as well as the people the movie was based on.

Rock has chosen not to press charges against Smith, McClatchy News reported. Carrey believes Smith should have been arrested.

He doesnt want the hassle, Carrey said of Rock. I would have announced this morning that I was suing Will for $200 million because that video will be there forever. Its gonna be ubiquitous. That insult will last a very long time.

Other comedians took a similar stance as Carrey in criticizing Smith. Kathy Griffin, Tim Allen and Rosie ODonnell were among those who took Rocks side.

***

***

2022 The Charlotte Observer. Visit charlotteobserver.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Justin Figueroa, 25, pleaded guilty in November in U.S. District Court to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to 27 months in prison.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Figueroa used drugs from 2017 through 2021 and was convicted of a felony drug crime in 2020, prohibiting from owning guns. During that time, however, Figueroa possessed a rife, three pistols and a revolver in connection with his drug trafficking and on one occasion traded a gun for drugs. The gun later was traced to a case of attempted murder of a 2-year-old.
SIOUX CITY -- Sioux City police are looking for a man who is suspected of shooting a teenager multiple times Tuesday morning on the city's near north side.

Police said in a statement that the suspect is described as a 6-foot-tall black male with dreadlocks who was last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt. He is considered armed and dangerous.

"Detectives are investigating a motive at this time, as this appears to be an unprovoked attack," the statement said.

The 16-year-old male victim was walking in the 700 block of 18th Street when he was confronted by an unknown male party who started a physical altercation with him. During the altercation, the man produced a handgun and shot the teenager, who then ran from the scene of the shooting, according to the statement.

At 9:52 a.m., officers responded to a report of shots fired in the 700 block of 18th Street. They found the victim, who was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, at the corner of 16th and Jackson streets. He was taken to MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

Anyone with information on the identity of the suspect is asked to call the Sioux City Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 712-258-8477.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
SIOUX CITY -- The Sioux City school board on Monday approved $163,628 for 106 teachers who are not eligible for a $1,000 bonus through Gov. Kim Reynolds teacher retention initiative.

A total of 152 district teachers now qualify for the $1,000 state stipends under Reynolds' plan, which she announced in January as a bonus for the state's teachers who continued working through the pandemic and will continue teaching next year.

The seven-member board voted unanimously Monday to use the district's Elementary and Secondary Education Relief funding to also award stipends to teachers who are not eligible under the state's criteria. The list mostly includes instructors at the district's online VIBE Academy, as well as various other staff who work remotely.

Sioux City schools superintendent Paul Gausman said state lawmakers are considering extending the state stipends to all teachers, but it's unknown if such legislation will pass by the end of the legislative session.

If the governor's plan is later adjusted, the district will withdraw its own expenditure to also reward those teachers.

The stipends will be distributed to teachers Aug. 31. Individuals who started by Oct. 1, 2021, worked in a classroom during the pandemic and whose contract does not expire before Aug. 31 are eligible for the funds. The funding is available to "qualifying teachers" from public schools, accredited nonpublic schools, independently accredited nonpublic schools, and state-operated schools are eligible for the bonuses, according to the state Department of Education.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
SIOUX CITY  Land O Lakes CEO Beth Ford says she likes to hire people who have done the messy work and understand the challenge of hard work.

Thats what I think of Iowa," Ford said Tuesday during a visit to her hometown of Sioux City.

The Bishop Heelan High School graduate offered career advice to students at Morningside University. She encouraged students to consider a wide range of choices before narrowing down their career path.

During the chat with students, which was not open to local reporters, Ford said she was asked 'how is it that youre from Sioux City and now youre doing this and how did that all transpire?'

"Resilient, smart people, highly intelligent, connected to the world, this is a global business, and really wanting to make an impact, so I think growing up in Iowa put me in a terrific spot, Ford said during a brief media availability on the campus.

In 2018, Ford, 58, was named the first female CEO in the 101-year-old history of Land O'Lakes, a Twins Cities-based agriculture cooperative with more than 10,000 U.S. employees. Ford is also the first openly gay female CEO of an Fortune 500 company.

Ford, who lives in Minneapolis with her spouse, Jill Schurtz, and their three teenage children, said she celebrates how her sexuality wasnt a hindrance in achieving her goals.

I think what is most important there is to come in and be your authentic, best self, she said. When you show up that way, its the most important way to elevate your career.

Ford was the subject of numerous news stories after her appointment as chief executive officer but such questions have since receded.

My job is to be the CEO of the company, my job is to talk about policy or talk about business issues and I spend my time doing so and most people are not distracted by those other elements of who I am, she said.

Ford was promoted to CEO after a series of successful leadership roles with Land O' Lakes, most recently as chief operating officer of Land OLakes Businesses. Prior to that, she was head of Land OLakes Dairy Foods and Purina Animal Nutrition businesses, where she led record performance and growth, leveraging innovation through R&D to strengthen both brands. She also was instrumental in the acquisition of Vermont Creamery in early 2017.

Before joining Land OLakes in 2011, Ford excelled in executive operations management and supply chain roles at International Flavors and Fragrances, Mobil Corporation, PepsiCo and Pepsi Bottling Company and Scholastic. She has more than 20 years experience specifically in the areas of technology and R&D.

Ford, who earned her undergraduate degree from Iowa State University and an MBA at Columbia University Business School, remains involved in both universities.

During her visit to Morningside Tuesday, Ford learned about the Sioux City university's growing agriculture program and also toured the school's new Lags Greenhouse.

Ford said she came away impressed with both the greenhouse and the program offerings.

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.
SIOUX CITY -- Two more pilot training programs have been added in metro Sioux City.

Carver Aero, which has a Council Bluffs flight school aligned with the University of Nebraska Omaha's aviation program, announced in early February it had opened flight training operations at Sioux Gateway Airport.

That same day, Graham Airport said it plans to begin offering pilot training courses in March with the newly reorganized Graham Flying Service.

On top of those two programs, Oracle Aviation, LLC, an Omaha aviation company, has already partnered with Morningside University to establish a fully accredited aviation program at Sioux Gateway Airport, with assistance from the city, which owns the airport. That program will offer a bachelor of science degree in aviation-related fields.

"I think all of it is in direct response to what's happening nationally with the pilot shortage," Assistant City Manager Mike Collett said. "The pilot shortage has been discussed for quite a few years, but COVID really compounded the problem. Now, the pilot shortage is even forcing airlines to start their own pilot schools and they're having to cancel regional flights because they do not have enough pilots to fly those routes."

Muscatine, Iowa-based Carver Aero started its pilot training operations with a pair of single-engine Cessna 172s and utilize certified flight instructors from Council Bluffs until instructors can be hired from the Sioux City area.

"We see tremendous potential to fill the needs of all current and want-to-be aviators in the Sioux City region," Guy Lieser, Carver Aero CEO, said in the statement. "Our pilot training is a first phase of service offerings we plan to offer at Sioux City. Our goal is to bring the wonder of aviation back to young people who may have never considered a career in all aspects of aviation, including pilots, mechanics and technicians."

Jerome Howard, chief flight instructor for Carver Aero, said in the statement that Carver Aero has had 17 pilots move on to airlines in the last six months and others move into charter operations.

Carver Aero, which is rebranding to revv aviation, is owned by CL Enterprises. Carver Aero has fixed-base operations in Aurora, Illinois; Davenport, Iowa; Janesville, Wisconsin; and Schaumburg, Illinois, as well as Council Bluffs and Muscatine.

The company's Council Bluffs school, aligned with the aviation program at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, currently has 119 UNO students, including the entire freshman class of 70 students, Howard said. In addition, Council Bluffs is instructing an additional 63 student pilots with its 33 certified flight instructors.

Oracle Aviation's flight school soon will join Carver Aero's at Sioux Gateway. Last July, the City Council voted to move forward with the Oracle Aviation Center project and reject an alternative proposal from Hawthorne Global Aviation Services, the current fixed based operator at the airport.

Oracle Aviation operates a similar pilot training center at Millard Airport in Omaha with a partnership to offer a bachelor of science degree through the University of Nebraska Omaha.

The Oracle Aviation Center project includes a 39,400-square-foot facility, with a minimum of 29,400 square feet of hangar space and a two-level office/training space with 5,000 square feet on two floors.

The city has committed to investing $7 million in the construction of the new hangar facility. A $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration will assist with the construction of the hangar facility, offices and other site improvements.

In North Sioux City, Graham Flying Services is offering pilot training as Graham Field prepares for a major expansion of the privately-owned airport that includes construction of commercial and residential properties with runway access.

Graham, which offers full courses in ground school, currently has 15 students enrolled to fly with the program, according to the statement from Graham Flying Service. Airport manager Stephen Jones said students can expect to train in a Cessna 172 aircraft with a full glass panel and the latest flight technology for avionics. Licensed and certified instructors Scott Taylor and Richard Quandt will be teaching the students.

"Our community is bringing life back to the Graham Airport. This flight training and our development project is so exciting for North Sioux City," Jones said. "It is an honor to continue the wonderful history of this airport and the Graham family with the opening of Graham Flying Service and the Graham Development. I can't wait to see new pilots training here at Graham."

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.
SOUTH SIOUX, NEB. -- This spring, South Sioux City is giving away 100 trees for residents to plant in city-owned rights-of-way.

According to a press release from South Sioux City Parks Director Gene Maffit, residents can enter to receive a tree by sending or emailing their name, address, email and phone number to "SSCgrants@southsiouxcity.org" or to Gene Maffit, Parks Director, 1615 First Ave., South Sioux City, Neb., 68776. Those who do get a tree are responsible for planting and watering it themselves, the release explained.

The release notes that the campaign is being supported by the Arbor Day Foundation's Community Tree Recovery program, as well as the Peter Kiewit Foundation, and is meant to provide people with neighborhoods that are shady, scenic and conserve energy.

Jared McNett is an online editor and reporter for the Sioux City Journal. You can reach him at 712-293-4234 and follow him on Twitter @TwoHeadedBoy98.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
IDA GROVE, Iowa -- Five Northwest Iowa men have been fined a total of nearly $83,000 for their involvement in a wildlife poaching network dating back to 2018.

State conservation officers served a search warrant at the rural Washta home of Devon Lewis in November and discovered evidence of other poaching activity. After getting an additional search warrant, investigators found evidence of a year-round poaching network involving at least 70 deer, four turkeys, ducks, raccoons and red fox.

The five men shot wildlife out of season and from vehicles, over baited and often did not have proper tags, according to an Iowa Department of Natural Resources news release.

Pleading guilty in Ida County District Court were:

-- Devon Lewis, 26, 23 citations, $37,600 in fines and damages, seven-year hunting license suspension.

-- Taylor Luvaas, 27, Schaller, 14 citations, $31,118 in fines and damages, seven-year hunting license suspension.

-- Jacob Fouts, 23, Cherokee, six citations, $5,861 in fines and damages, hunting license suspension.

-- Dylan Lewis, 22, Cushing, three citations, $5,251 in fines and damages, license suspension.

-- Austin Lewis, 19, Cushing, two citations, $4,300 in fines and damages.

A judge also condemned five rifles, three shotguns and three bows used to commit the crimes.

"Our best chance to catch poachers is when the public provides us with timely information after witnessing illegal activity take place. It was apparent that this activity had been going on for quite some time," conservation officer Kirby Bragg said in a news release.

Love 1 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.
Major water development bills, including a proposal for creation of a 4,000-acre lake between Lincoln and Omaha, sailed Tuesday through second-stage floor consideration in the Legislature on their way toward final enactment.

Tagging along was the major plan to launch an ambitious $500 million project for development of a South Platte River canal and reservoir system to capture water that Nebraska is entitled to under the terms of a century-old interstate compact with Colorado.

The lake project, part of the Jobs and Economic Development Initiative, or JEDI Act, proposed by the Legislature's so-called STARWARS study committee, would become reality only if it clears a hydrology study designed to assure protection of the water supply interests of Lincoln and Omaha, Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers of Lincoln said.

It also must pass an environmental study, he said, and attract sufficient private investment to make it a reality. It is envisioned as a billion-dollar project with a lake larger than Lake Okoboji in Iowa.

Hilgers won 32-2 approval of an amendment that would assure continuing public access to the proposed lake, addressing the concerns of some senators who said it might turn into a private playground for the wealthy.

Sen. Michaela Cavanaugh of Omaha attempted to scuttle the lake proposal, but her proposed amendment was defeated 25-6 before senators advanced the bill (LB1023) by a 29-4 margin.

Other projects proposed in the water development bill include marina development at Lake McConaughy near Ogallala, marina and site improvements at Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area and creation of an event center at Niobrara State Park.

How they voted Senators voted 29-4 Tuesday to advance LB1023 that could lead toward development of a 4,000-acre lake between Lincoln and Omaha. For (29): Aguilar, Bostar, Bostelman, Brandt, Brewer, Briese, DeBoer, Dorn, Erdman, Flood, Gragert, Halloran, B. Hansen, Hilgers, Hilkemann, Hughes, Jacobson, Kolterman, Linehan, Lowe, McCollister, McDonnell, Murman, Pansing Brooks, Sanders, Slama, Wayne, Williams, Wishart. Against (4): Albrecht, M. Cavanaugh, Friesen. Hunt. Present, not voting (11): Blood, J. Cavanaugh, Clements, M. Hansen, Lathrop, McKinney, Morfeld, Moser, Stinner, Vargas, Walz. Excused, not voting (5): Arch, Day, Geist, Lindstrom, Pahls.

The projects carry a $200 million price tag.

The South Platte River proposal (LB1015) was advanced to final reading on a voice vote after several senators, including Hilgers, argued that it is essential for Nebraska to claim its water rights now in the face of rapid population growth along Colorado's Front Range and the accompanying demand for water.

Under terms of the century-old compact, Nebraska will not have legal entitlement to the water until it builds the proposed canal, Hilgers told his colleagues.

"If we don't build now, if we continue to drag our feet, we lose that water forever," Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte said.

While Gov. Pete Ricketts proposed $500 million in ultimate state funding for the project, the Legislature's Appropriations Committee launched the effort with $22.5 million for a feasibility study and $31 million to acquire options for the land.

Supplying that irrigated land with a guaranteed flow of water will increase the tax base and accelerate economic activity, Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango said.

"It's a huge deal," he said. "We need to capture this water."

Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Pledging to make law enforcement a top priority and promising to support officers with increased compensation, Republican gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster on Tuesday gained the endorsement of the State Troopers Association of Nebraska.

With a growing decline in the number of officers in the State Patrol, Herbster said, "it is evident to me that we are not making good on our commitments to state troopers."

"Our No. 1 thing is law enforcement," he said, promising his support for "our state troopers and a safe Nebraska.

"They know I have their back," Herbster said.

Former State Patrol Col. Tom Nesbitt joined Herbster, along with a couple dozen other current or former law enforcement officers and family members, none appearing in uniform, to demonstrate their support for the Falls City agri-businessman.

Herbster is "a law and order guy," Nesbitt said. "Charles understands what needs to take place.

"In order to retain troopers, we're going to need to pay troopers," he said.

The declining State Patrol force is "down 60 troopers," Nesbitt said.

Herbster said "drug abuse is on the rise, mental illness is on the rise, crime is on the rise (and) America is unraveling."

National challenges include "election integrity" and the need for closed borders, he said. One trillion dollars in illegal drugs came across the southern border in 2021, Herbster said.

Supporters said State Patrol salaries need to be at least comparable to salaries paid to law enforcement officers in Nebraska's metropolitan areas and that "some commitments were made" to the State Troopers Association in earning the endorsement.

Outside sources said that apparent agreement on a proposed increase in the state contribution to the State Patrol retirement fund would require an additional annual $5 million state appropriation.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Ukrainian defenders of a steel plant in Mariupol say Russian forces have started to storm the the last pocket of resistance. The latest from Ukraine.
Last week, four Republican candidates for governor met in a Lincoln television studio to discuss issues affecting Nebraskas present and future.

Their debate was broadcast to potential voters all across the state, who heard the four talk about whether the state should build a $270 million prison. Voters heard their views on the merits of a $500 million canal-and-reservoir project to get water from the South Platte River in Colorado. They learned what the four thought about creating a vast new lake near the Platte River between Omaha and Lincoln.

Pretty important stuff, with major implications for the state that Brett Lindstrom, Theresa Thibodeau, Charles W. Herbster and Breland Ridenour want to lead for  at least  the next four years.

But Jim Pillen, another GOP candidate who wants to be governor, was a no-show.

Instead, Pillen held his own tele-town hall at the same time as Thursdays Nebraska Public Media debate, safely distanced from having to answer questions in a forum where his rivals could challenge him.

Pillen has signaled that he wont do any future debates before the May primary. And speaking for Pillen, his campaign manager dismissed debates as political theater compared to Pillens efforts to reach voters directly, as well as offering some silliness about how the liberal media might ask questions about liberal topics.

Interesting that none of the other Republican candidates felt they had to duck Thursdays debate because of those fears.

In fact, over many years, countless candidates from all political parties in lots of campaigns have been willing to debate. They accept that they might have to answer a question they might not like, or deal with an opponent who criticizes them. Confident leaders who believe in their ideas can handle that.

One of the early heroes of the Republican Party, Abraham Lincoln, became famous for the series of seven debates known as the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Long before television, thousands of spectators attended as the two men verbally battled over slavery issues. Lincolns eloquence in 1858 enhanced his national standing and helped him win the presidency two years later.

More recently, Ronald Reagan famously outshined Jimmy Carter in their 1980 debates, including his memorable there you go again reply when Carter picked at Reagans record. Did his quip amount to political theater? Maybe. But it also demonstrated his humor and command of the situation.

Every candidate has plenty of opportunities to hold town hall meetings, virtual or not. They can meet with small groups of voters in living rooms, local cafes or meeting halls. They can hold large rallies  or knock on individual doors. And, of course, they can and do spend vast sums on carefully-crafted television ads intended to package their image just right.

No debate ever prevented a candidate from using any of those strategies.

Most candidates are willing to debate their rivals. And why shouldnt they? Its an opportunity to reach more of the public with their message. A chance to prove that they understand issues. A test of their ability to stand up to possible criticism and make a compelling case for what they believe.

In short, its one way to see if a candidate has what it takes to lead.

Pete Ricketts stepped up to the plate in a crowded field when he ran for governor eight years ago. Donald Trump faced an even bigger set of GOP rivals on debate stages in his race for the 2016 presidential nomination, and then took on Hillary Clinton in general election debates. Debates didnt keep them from victory.

Last week, Lindstrom, Thibodeau, Herbster and Ridenour participated in this longstanding political tradition. They answered questions and demonstrated that they could to be part of a statewide conversation about Nebraskas current needs and future direction. They proved that they deserve attention and consideration by Nebraska voters.

Win or lose in Mays Republican primary, those four showed that they are leaders.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
I just took my sister to MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center. I want to tell the people of this area that our experience was good. Everyone was 
Will Smith would have been kicked out of the BAFTAs if he stepped on stage to slap a presenter, the organisation has said.

Following the incident at the 2022 Oscars in which 53-year-old actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock, 57, an executive for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts has confirmed that had a similar incident occurred at their event, Will would have been removed from the ceremony".

Will decided to slap Chris, 57, after an insult from the comedian that targeted the hair loss struggles of his wife, 50-year-old actress Jada Pinkett Smith, who suffers from alopecia.

Chris suggested Jada was getting ready to film a sequel to 1997 movie 'G.I. Jane' which stars Demi Moore as a woman training for the military who has to shave her head for basic training. Will has since apologized for his violent response to the ill-advised joke.

When asked about what would happen if something similar occurred at the BAFTAs, Sara Putt, chair of BAFTAs television committee and deputy chair of BAFTA, said: They would be removed from the ceremony. They would not be in the buildings, so they would not physically be able to collect their award.

Emma Baehr, BAFTAs executive director of awards and content, added: We do not tolerate violence of any kind.

Sara said: Its just a complete red line for us.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, also known as the BAFTAs, hosted their 2022 Film Awards on March 13 and will be hosting their TV Awards on May 8. Will won the award for Best Actor at the BAFTA film awards ceremony for his role in King Richard, but was not in attendance at the event.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Originally published on celebretainment.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.
SIOUX CITY -- A Florida-based cold storage company has committed to constructing a 500,000-square-foot cold storage facility in Sioux City's Southbridge Business Park.

Cold-Link Logistics intends to build the facility in phases on a 40-acre parcel abutting 225th Street. The first phase will contain roughly 130,000 square feet of cold storage space along with offices, truck docks, parking and other amenities. Construction is expected to begin in March 2022 with a projected opening date in early 2023.

Cold-Link Logistics was founded by brothers Michael, Mark and Nick Mandich in 2020. According to the company's website, the Mandich Group owns and manages eight properties throughout the United States, with over two million square feet of cold/dry storage assets under management.

The company will staff the first phase of its Sioux City facility with 60 employees, including 50 production staff at an hourly wage of over $23 per hour.

"We were approached about locating in Iowa and were immediately intrigued given its role as a major food producer in the U.S.," Cold-Link Logistics President Michael Mandich said in a statement. "Sioux City became an ideal location due to many factors, but most importantly we were welcomed by State and Local leaders who truly valued the partnership and investment we were going to bring. Further support from the Federal New Market Tax Credit program enabled us to get this project over the goal line. We are truly excited to become a part of the Sioux City community and the great state of Iowa."

Early last year, city staff began working with Iowa Area Development Group and Woodbury REC regarding their contact with Cold Link, a company that is actively constructing or acquiring several cold storage facilities in the Midwest. After several months, Cold Link committed to construct a facility on a portion of the 27 Flags site, according to city documents.

"They've been great to work with," Sioux City Economic Development Director Marty Dougherty said of Cold-Link Logistics. "We have so many food processing companies that are growing. This type of facility will facilitate the growth of companies in our area. I think that's one of the great things about this project."

On Feb. 28, the council approved a resolution to accept Cold-Link Logistics proposal to construct the facility. The resolution also directs the city manager to negotiate a development agreement and minimum assessment agreement with Cold-Link.

Under the current terms of the proposed agreement, Cold-Link would purchase 37.04 acres of the City's 27 Flags industrial for $833,400. Cold-Link would also commit to investing $50 million to construct the first phase of the facility, and enter into a minimum assessment agreement of $25 million beginning Jan. 1, 2024, which would continue for a period of 10 years. The city assessor's preliminary estimate of value for the project is approximately $34 million, according to the documents.

The city, in turn, would sell roughly 40 acres of the 27 Flags industrial site to Cold-Link for $22,500 per acre, a $7,500 per acre discount. The city would provide 75% property tax rebates on the new incremental taxes created by the value added to the property for a period of seven years. Total tax rebate assistance is estimated at $5.3 million.

The city would also construct Alicia Avenue along the eastern side of the Cold-Link development and a rail spur from the city-owned lead track north to serve the facility. The road is estimated to cost approximately $1.5 million and the rail spur more than $1.3 million. The city would likely receive approximately 80% reimbursement through the IDOT RISE program for the road and 50% of the costs of the rail spur through the Rail Revolving Loan and Grant Program, according to the documents. The city would also spend an estimated $900,000 to construct utilities to serve the site, as well as a much larger portion of 27 Flags.

"Shipments of products from the Sioux City area will be able to go out by rail all over the country, so I think that efficiency will help our other companies locally," Dougherty said. "I think that helps our region grow. That's the kind of thing we like to see in economic development, because we want all of our companies to grow. I think this is the type of development that helps that happen."

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.
SIOUX CITY -- The largest multi-family housing development in Sioux City's history debuted last year.

District 42, a $22 million development in Sunnybrook Plaza, features 215 townhomes and apartments. The first phase of the project, named after the line of longitude where the complex is located, opened in June, followed by the completion of the second phase in the fall.

The complex offers studios, 1- and 2-bedroom apartments and 2- and 3-bedroom townhomes, with a variety of floor plans. At the time of the opening, monthly rents started at $699 for studios and ranged to $1,500 for three-bedroom townhomes.

Amenities include an outdoor pool, community building and fitness center, as well as easy access to the city's trail system and various shopping options. The complex is located behind Lowe's and Primebank in the commercial district at the intersection of Sunnybrook Drive and the U.S Highway 75/20 bypass.

District 42 was developed Sioux Falls-based Eagle Construction, which has built housing projects across Iowa and in other Midwest states. At a grand opening ceremony in August, Eagle CEO Steve Boote, an Orange City, Iowa, native, praised the cooperation the company received from state and local government on the project. He particularly cited Gov. Kim Reynolds.

"Shes the reason we are back in Iowa, Boote told the audience during the ceremony, which Reynolds also spoke at. "We were in Okoboji maybe about five years ago and I started telling her my dream about developing workforce housing and weve been communicating ever since."

Reynolds called District 42 the type of high-quality project Iowa needs to help fill thousands of jobs in the state.

"The competition for this type of development is fierce," she told the audience. "I couldn't be more pleased that Eagle Construction chose to (locate it) here in Iowa."

Reynolds noted Iowa continues to have "more jobs available than people to fill them" and "ambitious housing investments like this are a critical step in helping to solve our workforce needs."

The governor mentioned that while flying into Sioux City she caught a glimpse of the "gorgeous" complex.

Whats great is you can see this complex from the air and it makes a big statement when youre flying in, she said.

Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
How to Do It is Slates sex advice column. Have a question? Send it to Stoya and Rich here. Its anonymous!

Dear How to Do It,

I had a herpes outbreak one time as a teenager. I easily could have dismissed it as a couple of ingrown hairs and lived a life of blissful ignorance. However, I had just started seeing a new partner and I wanted to get checked out. Only knowing herpes as a sex-ed boogeyman, I initially felt ruined and ashamed when I found out. After that, I did a lot of reading about herpes. The more I learned about it, the more unreasonable it seemed that Im supposed to forever slap a warning label on my pussy. I read that most people have it, and that most people who have it dont know it, and can go their whole lives without knowing it. I read that the CDC does not recommend testing for herpes because its medically inconsequential and emotionally damaging. And I thought about how nobody I knew of ever got tested for herpes just to check and see if they had it. I thought about how ready people are to go raw without asking any questions or having any answers about their own status. I also noticed a huge double standard at play, which is that innocuous cold sores dont really need to be discussed, but nasty herpes requires a revelation. As if the virus is different depending on how you contracted it. I came to believe that unless we as a society decide that routine testing for herpes is important, and that its important that everyone know and disclose their status to one another, then its not important for me to disclose mine (and I never have). Encouragements for herpes disclosures are always like, Herpes is totally nothing, the CDC says its nothing, but you still have to tell people just because. But Im saying, because what? I am writing this so that someone can poke holes in my line of thinking if there are any, or so that someone can finally admit that herpes is literally cooties for adults.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Positive

Dear Positive,

The difference between cooties and herpes is that cooties is nothinga fake designation flung by childrenwhile herpes is not nothing. It may be just a smidge more than nothing, but still, it is something: a virus. Outbreaks can be painful, and rarely, there can be related complications. (There are also differences between the virus that generally causes oral herpes and the one that generally causes genital herpes, although one can also cause the other.) It is not unreasonable to want to avoid infection of any kind, but people do behave unreasonably about herpes for many of the reasons that you mention. It really does seem unfair that a person should have to face rejection and stigma as a result of disclosure, when so many other people get away with avoiding doing so, in some cases even after learning their status. To hook up frequently or participate in a culture of free-flowing sex is to tacitly accept the risk of infection, especially of something like herpes, which as you rightly point out, is rarely tested for or even spoken about.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Your logic is practically sound, and Im happy to see it spelled out so clearly in this column. One thing to consider, however, is that truly ethical behavior often transcends the status quo. Everyone else is doing it just doesnt cut it as ethical rationale, as practically true as it may be. Strictly speaking, giving someone a fair warning of even a minor threat is ethical behavior, but because the reward for the recipient of the warning is minor and the potential consequences for the giver are more severe, I understand where youre coming from. Im not condoning it, but I understand. I dont think youre alone.

Dear How to Do It,

Advertisement

Advertisement

I have a nearly invisible raised scar on my shoulder, about the size of a dime. It looks like nothing to the eye, but it feels rough to the touch. My dermatologist knows about it, and has no concerns.

Advertisement

Ive never thought too much about it, since I knew it was benign and nearly unseen. This fall, I got out of a serious relationship and it seems like things casual sex partners say have changed drastically since last time I was single. Ive been having on and off casual sex and literally every single man Ive slept with (six people) has said something along the lines of Wow what is that? You should get it checked out. What if its skin cancer?

Has someone been aggressively miseducating East Coast men in their 30s about dermatology? I know its generally friendly concern, but it makes me feel super self-conscious about something that never worried me before. Is there a way to pre-warn guys that I have a scar without making it a big deal?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Its Just a Scar

Dear Scar,

This is a great example of the consequences of hooking up: After (quite literally) exposing yourself to another person, that person may have questions or feedback. Assuming these conversations end with your responseIts a scar. My dermatologist knows. Im goodI think this qualifies as an annoyance that is easily navigated. It might just be something you have to put up with. I know thats not ideal, but few things in life are.

Advertisement

Advertisement

In intimate contexts, virtual strangers may say things that seem prying or judgmental, but when we get naked in front of them and do naked stuff with them, we put ourselves out there. Hopefully these things will be expressed politely if at all, but unfortunately its not always the case. At least this thing people keep mentioning is easily explained. Dont let these questions make a mountain out of a dime-sized, nearly invisible scar. You know its no big deal, so hold onto your correctness. I think drawing peoples attention to it may prevent inevitable questions, but youll probably spend as much time explaining it in that scenario as you do when someone asks about it. Pointing out indeed threatens to make it a bigger deal than it is and it saves you no time or hassle, so I dont see the purpose there.

Advertisement

Advertisement

I think more than someone miseducating men about dermatology, there is absolutely no education about it, so people ask dumb questions. Having to teach them is a bit more work than you have signed up for upon turning down the sheets, but at least youre getting laid. File it in the realm of necessary evils and keep it moving. Youre fine and you know it.

Dear How to Do It,

Im a college freshman who used to live in a very religious and controlled household, and who still continues to be involved the religious community over here, across the country. My religious identity is visible because of the way I dress, and so I avoid dating apps because I dont feel comfortable knowing that someone might fetishize that aspect of my identity. In my religion, its also considered a sin to date, so being on dating apps is even more of a no. There would also be pretty significant social consequences if any hint of my sex life became known to anyone else in my religious community. I also cant be seen in bars, clubs, etc. because of religious reputation reasons. I am genuinely devout and practicing in every other way, but also would like to sate that specific need for casual sex without there being any real-life consequences. I have tried an online site, but the options are fairly limited. Are there any steps forward? I wanted to try hitting on strangers in grocery stores and other places, but it makes me uncomfortable when strangers do the same to me, so Im not sure what the etiquette there is, or what I would even say, given that I do look very religious.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Lost and Confused

Dear Lost and Confused,

The tension you describe between what your body wants and what your religion compels has prompted many a sheep to wander from the flock. Could it be that with maturity you are realizing the strictures of your religion are not tenable, at least not for the life you envision for yourself? Im not trying to talk you out of your devotion, because it seems sincere and Im sure its rewardingIm just wondering aloud if your letter suggests that youre at (or nearing) a crossroads. In any case, as you are well aware, its not really easy to break the rules without breaking the rulesor at least without getting caught. Assuming that your garb also takes sex-specific environments like sex parties off the table, I think the best you can do is investigate on-campus social options in the hopes of meeting potential partners (hopefully ones that you can trust). Your process is going to have to be more involved and methodical than coordinating play via an app, which can have the ease of putting through a Seamless order. If youre unsure of etiquette when it comes to hitting on people, scale back a bit and just be super friendly to people who see in public that interest you. Not everyone will get it, but some may interpret the overtures of a young and socially engaged woman as signaling sexual interest. From what I understand, a lot of people in fact leap to such a conclusion when it isnt the case. That can be a drag, but you can exploit this tendency to your advantage.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Dear How to Do It,

I got married to my husband at 19 and have been married for about five and a half years. Its a monogamous relationship. My husband was my first consensual sexual relationship, although I was not his. Things were good for a while, several years. Because of the nature of our jobs, we did not spend a ton of time living in our house together (think military deployments) and we could treasure any time we got together. He has finished his contract and not worked in about six months. While my pay supports us, and my spouse manages our household (dogs), my sex drive has completely tanked.

I go through this sometimes, but this time it seems to be really sticking. I dont even feel aroused when Im by myself or any form of self-stimulation. It makes him sad that I literally never want any form of sex or even really intimacy. Weve talked plenty, Im cleared by an OB-GYN, but when I participate in sex, it causes a weird pain I can only assume/equate to blue balls and makes me feel stressed. My job is very high-stress and I deal with people who are trying to hurt themselves regularly. I think this issue could relate to depression, but I have major concerns about losing my security clearance for mental health issues. I have no idea how to make my relationship make sense physically anymore. Any non-medical advice you can give me?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Blocked

Dear Blocked,

If you are in the U.S. military, I am sure you know the official story is that the Department of Defense wants you to know that getting help for a psychological issue is a sign of strength. I also understand that stigma or some kind of indirect consequence might underline your concern. But I wanted to point out at least one veteran I found, Tyler Murphy, has written that the notion that seeking mental health care will come at the cost of ones security clearance is a myth, and pointed to the Questionnaire for National Security Positions section on mental health, which reads in part: Nothing in this questionnaire is intended to discourage those who might benefit from such treatment from seeking it. Mental health treatment and counseling, in and of itself, is not a reason to revoke or deny eligibility for access to classified information or for holding a sensitive position, suitability or fitness to obtain or retain Federal or contract employment, or eligibility for physical or logical access to federally controlled facilities or information systems. Seeking or receiving mental health care for personal wellness and recovery may contribute favorably to decisions about your eligibility.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I hope this is the case, because a policy discouraging workers from tending to their mental health is hazardous to those beyond the immediate actors. I fear that trying to work around your potential depression is just going to amount to putting a Band-Aid on a laceration. Bare minimum: Sex therapy might be useful. There are a lot of things that could be going on. The pain youre experiencing during sex could indicate a physiological condition. You could be experiencing the kind of waning interest that a lot of long-term couples do, or you could have hypoactive sexual desire disorder. If you truly want to stay out of the realm of medicine, read Esther Perels Mating in Captivity and see if her ideas for rebooting your sex life (which can involve cultivating mystery and fostering a sense of intrigue for your partner) are useful. But something tells me you need more, and I know that you deserve it.

More How to Do It

I am a straight man in his 30s in a live-in relationship with a woman. She just found me in a very compromising position and I am unsure how to possibly proceed. Let me explain.
Ginni Thomas is the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomasbut far more than that, shes a D.C. power broker. She runs a consulting firm that boasts it can open any door in Washington. Shes launched the careers of right-wing media stars like Dan Bongino and has a knack for building up ideological networks. In the years since her husband was confirmed to SCOTUS, Ginni Thomas has made herself a key part of the conservative infrastructure in D.C. For example: A few years ago she started the Impact Awards, an annual luncheon celebrating conservative icons as well as the movements more obscure foot soldiers. In 2019, the luncheon was held at the Trump International Hotel; toward the end of the ceremony, she gave an award to Mark Meadows, who was then a congressman but, within a few months, would become the chief of staff for Donald Trump. Last week, the Select Committee investigating Jan. 6 got ahold of some of Ginni Thomass text messages, sent directly to Meadows in the wake of the 2020 election. In these texts, Thomas urges Trump and his supporters to keep Joe Biden out of office and encourages them to stop the steal with the fervor of a zealot. Mark Joseph Stern, who covers courts and the law for Slate, has followed Ginni Thomas for a whileand he thinks these texts may be just the beginning. On Wednesdays episode of What Next, I spoke with Stern about what role Ginni Thomas plays in Washington, and what it means for the Supreme Court. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Mark Joseph Stern: She has the ear of some of the most powerful people on the American right. Folks toward the top of the House Republican caucus recognize that they need to make friends with Ginni Thomas in order to continue their rise.

Mary Harris: Ginni Thomas has been problematic for a while, but Im wondering if you think these texts change something.

For a long time, there has been this concern that theres overlap between Ginni Thomas and Clarence Thomas work. We know, for instance, that Ginni Thomas is involved with various organizations that filed briefs before the Supreme Court. But until now, there hasnt really been a kind of smoking gun where Clarence Thomas has cast a vote that directly protects or favors Ginni. Now we have evidence that he voted in at least one case in a way that would have shielded Ginni Thomas from legal scrutiny: He voted to block the Jan. 6 subcommittee from obtaining a bunch of Trump documents about the capitol insurrection, documents in which Ginni Thomas may well appear. Thats the first time ever, as far as Im aware, that you can draw a direct line between Clarence Thomas and his legal work and Ginni Thomas and her political work. That, I think, is a really big deal.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

You cover the Supreme Court. Is it normal behavior for a Supreme Court spouse to be giving out awards to Washington insiders, like with Mark Meadows?

Of course it isnt. The Supreme Court is actually required by federal law to retain this appearance of impartiality, and there is a federal statute that requires justices to recuse when their impartiality could be reasonably questioned. But theres no one to enforce that rule, so the justices can just ignore it. It is highly unusual, really unprecedented to have the spouse of a justice be this engaged in political activism. I mean, just to give you an example, John Roberts wife was long involved in anti-abortion activism. When Roberts joined the Supreme Court, she stopped because she understood that that is like the ground rule for being the spouse of a justice. Ginni Thomas and Clarence Thomas totally reject that idea and refuse to directly address the accusations of partiality and conflicts of interest and unethical conduct.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In Ginni Thomas texts, at certain points she is offering up conspiracy theories as fact to the White House. Im wondering if you can translate those for me and tell me exactly what shes referring to and why its so notable.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The easiest one to translate is Ginni Thomas texting Mark Meadows, Release the Kraken and save us from the left taking America down, which directly takes from Sidney Powell. So even after Trump disavows Powell, Thomas is still defending her. She also sends Mark Meadows this article and quotes a passage from it: Biden crime family & ballot fraud co-conspirators are being arrested & detained for ballot fraud right now & over coming days, & will be living in barges off GITMO to face military tribunals for sedition.

Advertisement

Advertisement

She said that as fact. What is this about?

As NBCs Ben Collins, whos kind of an expert on QAnon, has reported, this has been a long-standing fantasy among QAnon true believers: that there are going to be these barges that collect the enemies of Trump and his administration and bring them down to Guantanamo Bay and try them for treason or sedition or whatever. And that thats going to be the grand climax of this long-boiling battle between good and evil, and good will finally prevail when these people are locked up in Guantanamo. That is what Ginni Thomas apparently believed on Nov. 5, 2020.

On Jan. 6 itself, Ginni Thomas was cheering on people who were at the Ellipse and eventually the Capitol, right?

Advertisement

Advertisement

She herself was at the Ellipse, we now know. So yes, she was very enmeshed in this movement and not just close with Mark Meadows, but close with the organizers of the event. Allegedly, according to Jane Mayer, she served as a kind of peacemaker and brought together different factions organizing this event. She was so respected in these various pockets of the right that she was able to bring together different leaders and say: This is what you need to do. You all need to get along. This is our goal.

Advertisement

How many cases involving the 2020 election or Donald Trump or Jan. 6 have come before the Supreme Court?

Already at least half a dozen, and my count may be incomplete. Whats really notable is that Clarence Thomas has been on the pro-Trump side of most, if not all, of those cases. For instance, he was pushing really hard to take up this big case about whether the Pennsylvania Supreme Court lawfully extended the receipt deadline for mail ballots. In his dissent, he promoted some of these conspiracy theories about ballot fraud that we now know Ginni Thomas was texting to Mark Meadows and probably others. He wrote in an opinion, Mail balloting is just inherently susceptible to fraud. It relies exclusively on a system of trust. Its an honor system. When courts expand mail balloting, theyre just expanding opportunities for fraud. That is just the slightly nicer way of saying what Ginni was saying about the Biden crime family engaging in mass ballot fraud. Even before Clarence Thomas notorious vote trying to block the Jan. 6 committee from getting these documents about Trump, it was very clear that there was overlap between Ginnis political activism after the 2020 election and Clarence Thomas own votes trying to help Trump during the 2020 election.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

If you ask Clarence and Ginni Thomas, theyll say: We keep things separated. We dont discuss work.

Yes, thats what they say.

"It was very clear that there was overlap between Ginnis political activism after the 2020 election and Clarence Thomas own votes trying to help Trump during the 2020 election."  Mark Joseph Stern

Is there any chance in your mind that Clarence Thomas will recuse himself from more related cases?

I dont think so, frankly. He is not going to start doing now what he obviously should have started doing years ago. I could even imagine a case where Ginni Thomas has been subpoenaed by the Jan. 6 subcommittee and fights that subpoena to the Supreme Court, and Clarence Thomas not only votes on the case but sides with her.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Experts are saying the other justices on the court are probably really embarrassed by this. Why cant they just go to Thomas and say, Were going to need you to recuse here?

Advertisement

Because there is nothing they can actually do to make him recuse. And I think they are genuinely afraid of poisoning their relationship with him by pressing this issue too hard or too far. Think about it from the perspective of someone like Elena Kagan: She has nabbed Thomas vote in some pretty important cases. So I think if youre Kagan, youre going to say to yourself: Going to him and asking him to recuse will accomplish nothing because I have no influence over this. This is all building on decades of unethical conduct and Im coming in rather late, and all Im going to do is further alienate him and make it even more difficult to get that fifth vote on a 63 conservative court. So why risk it?

Advertisement

Advertisement

What about impeaching Clarence Thomas? Is there a case for that here?

Absolutely. But moderates do not want to burn up their political capital and their time impeaching a justice. All of these Democrats know that even if they get the impeachment through the House, the Senate is not going to remove him. Republicans will never vote to remove Clarence Thomas.

There are reports that the congressional subcommittee is planning to ask Ginni Thomas to testify about her involvement in the events of Jan. 6. How do you expect that to play out, since a lot of White House insiders have straight-up refused to testify?

This is a theory on my partI dont have reporting to back it upbut I think it seems pretty clear that Democratic members of the Jan. 6 subcommittee leaked these texts to put pressure on Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger to call Ginni to testify. If you read the New York Times report specifically about Liz Cheneys extreme hesitance to even look into Ginni Thomas, if you look between the lines, it seems pretty clear that Democrats want to call her and Republicans dont. This committee has been so unified for so long, with bringing the two Republicans on board, so why risk creating a huge rift between the two sides? Yet, now that the texts are out, its got to be really hard for the Republicans not to call her to testify, right? Because she is there on Jan. 6 texting the chief of staff, the guy who is one of the main targets of this committee, and actively engaging in these conspiracy theories and urging along this attempted coup. So if Ginni gets subpoenaed, if she gets called to testify, I strongly doubt she will agree to it. I think she will fight it knowing she has at least one vote on her side on the Supreme Court. But Im not sure the committee will get that far because they are so eager, or even desperate, to prevent any rift between Cheney/Kinzinger and the Dems.

So youre thinking they wont call her to testify?

Correct.

Well, that doesnt achieve very much.

Clarence Thomas has been on the Supreme Court for 30 years. He has had four clerks every year, and many of those clerks are now power brokers in D.C.superpowerful, wealthy, well-connected people deeply entrenched in politics and conservative activism. One of the problems with giving justices life tenure is that they are able to build up this network of protectors who can spring into action if their justice is facing any kind of problemincluding an investigationand try to shield him or his spouse from accountability. That appears to be exactly what were seeing right now. There is no system in place to push back against that.

Subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts

Get more news from Mary Harris every weekday.
The most overwhelming aspect of the news last week that Virginia Ginni Thomas repeatedly texted Donald Trumps White House chief of staff about efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in the days after the vote was the shock of what it meant about what her husband, Justice Clarence Thomas, had done. He is, after all, the person bound by ethical rules. While we didnt realize it until last week, the news means that Thomas has voted in cases in which his wifes text messages would give him reason to attempt to protect her. This goes beyond the potential appearance of a conflict of interest for a sitting federal judge. As the New Yorkers Jane Mayer explained last week, even though the justices are not bound by enforceable judicial ethics rules, they are subject to a federal law, 28 U.S.C. Section 455, that bars them from hearing cases in which their spouses have an interest that could be substantially affected by the outcome of the proceeding. That Thomas might have played a role in shielding potentially incriminating information about his wife from public scrutiny transcends even any unenforceable, squishy recusal standard that currently exists.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time.

Defenders of the Thomases conduct have offered up a raft of snot-right-out-the-nostrils defenses. The brashest of these has been the sexism defense, which holds that women and their spouses are separate and distinct persons who can only be said to be invested in the work of the other through diminution of the womans agency and power.

Sen. Josh Hawley, who spent last week bullying a Black woman on national television, floated the idea on CNN that it is sexist to view Ginni Thomas as capable of compromising her husband. Shes an independent, adult woman, Hawley said. It just seems a little strange to me, all of these calls for her husband to be, what, like, minding her better? Frankly, I think its kind of misogynistic. This idea that he is somehow automatically responsible for everything she sayswhat does that mean? Does she have to get his permission?

Advertisement

Advertisement

The sexism claim is of course a long-standing Thomas-Thomas ethics avoidance trope. In recent months, both the New Yorker and the New York Times published detailed pieces on Ginni Thomas activism on issues that might come before her husband at the court, and revealed that she had special access to the Trump White House which she used to try to pressure the administration on political appointments. Politico further reported that she was in contact with Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is regularly before the court. Over the years, as more and more Thomas couple stories emerged, conservative groups have liked to huff that anyone with the temerity to question Ginnis outsize role in matters that are pending before the court is perpetuating a cyclical sexist smear.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Theres an obvious fallacy to the but feminism! defense. Just look at some corollaries. Justice Stephen Breyer, for instance, has long been recusing himself in cases in which his brother, also a federal judge, has participated, and nobody has ever suggested that this infantilizes or diminishes Judge Charles Breyer. When Thomas recused in the famous Virginia Military Institute case in 1996 because his son attended the institution, did that diminish or degrade his son? Indeed, the best way to think about the argument that its sexist to assume a justice and his or her spouse or partner might be aware of and even potentially influenced by the work that the other one does is to imagine a simple counterfactual: What if Justice Amy Coney Barretts husband had engaged in decades of political work with and on behalf of groups that bring cases before the Supreme Court, filed amicus briefs in litigation before the court, or had egged on the Jan. 6, 2021, insurgents in social media postings? Simply put, nobody would say that critiques of such conduct would be sexist. They would note that it is wildly and emphatically inappropriate for a justices spouse to have business before the court, or to suggest he has special access to the court. (Whataboutism that references Ruth Bader Ginsburgs recusal practices rarely invoke the charge of sexism over her husband. Its assumed he had a career on par with hers.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Whats sexistto the extent that word can be deployed at all in this instanceis the shrugging acceptance that Virginia Lamp Thomas isnt a serious political operative because shes just a kind of Lady Who Lunches  if those lunches happen with insurgents and insurrectionists. The notion that Ginni Thomas ideas arent sufficiently important or serious to rise to the level of being taken seriously by serious male jurists is the most shocking aspect of this defense. Were a male spousea Marty Ginsburgto engage in the kinds of political advocacy and fundraising we have seen over decades from Ginni, nobody would decry criticism as sexist. Theyd be sharpening the knives.

To be sure, theres no evidence that Clarence Thomas was aware of his wifes contacts with Trumps White House or indication that his votes were influenced by them. But the legal standards do not turn on what the Thomases actually knew or believed. Framing this as a debate about gender equality is as fatuous as framing it as a debate about whether Thomas believes himself to be objective. According to precedent, set forth in Liljeberg v. Health Services, the test is a straightforward one. It does not require evidence of actual bias, only a showing that a reasonable person, with knowledge of the relevant facts, would believe that the judge or justice has created an appearance of partiality.

Advertisement

Advertisement

In his comprehensive 2013 law review article on recusal, professor James Sample offers insights into the current moment with his look at Supreme Court recusal controversies past. Sample notes that when, in 2004, Justice Antonin Scalia declined to recuse himself from a case involving then Vice President Dick Cheney, after the two had gone on a hunting trip together, at least Scalia wrote at length to explain his reasoning. And as Sample notes, the justices defensive rhetoric shifted the frame of focus away from whether his impartiality might reasonably be questioned by the American people to his perception of the unreasonableness of the American people. File the shabby sexist critique in that drawer.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Critically, Sample notes that the sexism of even the old rule about judicial spouses was an anachronism in its own time. From the article:

Advertisement

With respect to spouses, consider that the 1972 version of the ABA Code of Judicial Conduct provided that a candidate for judicial office should encourage members of his family to adhere to the same standards of political conduct that apply to him. Reflecting on that provision years later, federal Judge Roger Miner wrote, [m]y wife, a well-known political activist at that time, responded: Consider me encouraged, and went on to lead some statewide and national campaigns.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Sample also quotes extensively from a decision by former Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the 9th Circuit who heard the appeal of the decision overturning a same-sex marriage case in 2012. Addressing the issue of his wifes involvement in the case on behalf of the California ACLU, and his refusal to recuse, Reinhardt wrote:

Advertisement

[M]y wife and I share many fundamental interests by virtue of our marriage, but her views regarding issues of public significance are her own, and cannot be imputed to me, no matter how prominently she expresses them. It is her view, and I agree, that she has the right to perform her professional duties without regard to whatever my views may be, and that I should do the same without regard to hers. Because my wife is an independent woman, I cannot accept Proponents position that my impartiality might reasonably be questioned.

Of course, nobody is suggesting that Ginni Thomas should be unemployed, or that she has to obtain permission from her spouse to engage in political activities, or that as a result of some protracted patriarchal Vulcan mind meld with all men, she is incapable of forming her own opinions. Thats a convenient cover to evade the reality that she is an interested party in litigation that is coming before her husband, and that both he and she now appear to have an improper interest in the outcomes of those cases. The cries of sexism elide the reality that in a world in which women work, they can undermine their husbands appearance of objectivity as handily as a son, brother, or law partner once could.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Youve come a long way, baby.

For all the outraged howling, the Thomases case is not a close call under either the federal statute or the judicial canons. In a letter to the chief justice demanding that the judiciary create a binding code of conduct for the Supreme Court, a group of lawmakersled by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal, and Cory Booker and Rep. Pramila Jayapallaid out some of the damning evidence:

Ms. Thomas was not simply another attendee at the January 6th Stop the Steal rally outside the White House; she was one of nine board members for a conservative political group that helped lead the Stop the Steal movement, she signed a letter calling on House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to punish Republicans who participated in the U.S. House Select Committee investigating the January 6th attack, and as last weeks reporting indicates, she was in direct communication with the White House and congressional aides about strategies to overturn the 2020 presidential election as the Trump Administration was coordinating litigation before the Supreme Court on the topic.

Advertisement

Sen. Chris Murphy has also reintroduced legislation to correct for this high court where ethics rules go to die, while the bipartisan commission on court reform and court reform groups like Fix the Court have numerous good ideas that warrant serious consideration. Sadly, when this topic has come up before the court in the past, John Roberts has chosen to look the other way. In his 2011 annual report, the chief justice emphasized that the Supreme Court does not sit in judgment of one of its own Members decision whether to recuse in the course of deciding a case. That is a problem that has nothing whatever to do with unfair sexism. It has everything to do with judicial impunity.

For more legal analysis from Dahlia Lithwick, listen to the latest episode of the Amicus podcast.
Last week, a high school freshmans history homework made the news. When Cece Walshs public school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, asked her to list Positive and Negative Effects of Imperialism, she filled in the second column but left the first one blank. In a note below the empty column, she explained that asking us to identify positives of imperialism, something that killed thousands and contributed to slavery, is extremely  disrespectful to people whose ancestors were murdered because of colonization. Her sister Calla Walsh, a senior, shared an image of the homework on Twitter, outraged that her little sister was being asked to list  POSITIVE EFFECTS OF IMPERIALISM?????? and the tweet went viral. Coincidentally, just two days earlier, Britains own equalities minister had declared that both the positives and negatives of the British Empire must be taught in British schools, provoking pushback there, too.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time.

In another progressive American public high school, in Palo Alto, California, where my child is enrolled, ninth and 10th graders read William Duiker and Jackson Spielvogels World History textbook (ninth edition, 2018), which similarly insists that neither extreme position [of arguing for or against colonialism] is justifiedinvalidating, in a stroke, the epoch-making mass struggles for freedom led by figures like Gandhi and Nkrumah. Stoically valorizing balance, the textbook echoes Victorian defenses of empire with lines like this: British governance over the subcontinent brought order and stability to a society that had been rent by civil war.  British control  led to relatively honest and efficient government that  operated to the benefit of the average Indian (a claim that flies in the face of scholarship since at least the 19th century). As my child observed in her school newspaper, the book draws up its concluding balance sheet by way of a cast of white male scholars (some with shaky claims to expertise). A chapter about the rule of Europeans over Africans and Asians astonishingly neglects to include the perspective of a single historian of color or even a woman. This reading lesson was followed by an in-class debate on the pros and cons of empire.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

When I raised my concern with this lesson and debate, as a parent, descendant of anti-colonial activists, and historian of Britain and its empire, I found the high school history faculty and leadership exceedingly receptive. They, too, felt something amiss in the lesson, but struggled to find alternative materials and frameworks. Cece Walshs teacher likewise sympathized with her objection and explained that the lesson was part of the state-mandated curriculum, so the best they could do was supply additional readings offering other points of view.

But the social media response to Cece Walshs homework revealed the source of the stickiness of colonial-era frameworks for studying empire. Many of those who disagreed with the tweet argued that tallying the pros and cons of empire promotes critical thinkingperhaps without realizing that in doing so, they were uncritically endorsing an approach long favored by British governments precisely for its propagandistic uses. The current Conservative government, nurturing an unapologetic nostalgia for empire, insists, like U.S. states curtailing the teaching of the history of slavery, on a rosy national historical narrative that inspires pride in dominant groups.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

It turns out that assessing the truth of the claim that a balance-sheet approach to empire is good for critical thinking is itself an opportunity to flex our critical thinking skills: Does such an approach actually hone our analytical skills, or does it whitewash empire? Is Calla Walsh right that forcing students into the mental exercise of justifying/rationalizing genocide because of its supposed positive effects itself perpetuates genocide and indoctrinates them into supporting an imperial war machine? Listing pros and cons is never an ideal way to study history, whose purpose is understanding rather than judgment, but there are historical reasons it remains such a common approach to studying the history of the British Empire in particular. As I describe in my recent book Times Monster, historians within the British political elite long used the balance sheet concept to justify imperialism. Todays pedagogical exercises have to be understood as descendants of this lineage.

Advertisement

Advertisement

No historian in her right mind would say, Yes, Hitler was horrible to the Jews, but on the other hand, he built the autobahn!

Weighing pros and cons depends, firstly, on the premise that European overseas imperialism was a politically and morally legitimate form of rulea false premise that subverts the laborious and sacrificial work of the generations who fought to end empire on the grounds that it was illegitimate, and won that argument, changing the world in the 20th century era of decolonization. Its not that whats positive or negative depends on perspectivethat plantation owners saw booming sugar colonies as positive, while enslaved people saw them as negativebut that oppressive systems are not good for anyone, reducing even those who benefit materially to greed and brutality, mutilating their humanity, in a way that even English authors like George Orwell made clear. We cant list plantation owner wealth or policing jobs for lower-class Britons as positive effects of a system that, these very effects confirm, was founded on racism and violence.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

And we dont weigh the pros and cons of racist European despotismsfor instance, fascist regimesas if they were legitimate. No historian in her right mind would say, Yes, Hitler was horrible to the Jews, but on the other hand, he built the autobahn! The question is not when and where the imperial state erred or failed or proved incompetent, but why we presume an illegitimate form of government could do anything but err and fail and prove incompetent.

Here, those pro the use of a pros-and-cons balance sheet often object that the British Empire was not the moral abyss of Nazism. However, applying critical thinking here, it becomes apparent that Nazism and British imperialism do not have to have been the same for both to have been illegitimate, racist, and violent in different ways. (We dont even need to go into the ways Nazism drew from the well of British imperial experience, or the common origins of Nazism, slavery, and apartheid in the wider phenomenon of European imperialism, which thinkers as different as Hannah Arendt and Aime Cesaire pointed out in the last century.)

Advertisement

South African apartheid, for instance, is also not the same thing as Nazism. Like colonialism, it inspired a movement for change and yielded to change, and we are able to teach its history critically without asking students to defend its positive effectssince its illegitimacy and immorality have already been proved and accepted. Similarly, since the controversy around Robert Fogel and Stanley Engermans Time on the Cross (1974), respectable scholars no longer enumerate the pros and cons of American slavery (which was also not the same as Nazism). We have agreed, together (at least in states like California and Massachusetts), that slavery was a moral wrong that cannot be redeemed.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The fact that we have not arrived at such a consensus on the British Empire testifies to the success with which our pedagogy allows it to be continually re-legitimized, despite the anti-colonial struggles of the last century. Our very focus on imperialisms worst excesses, such as Nazism and slavery, has kept us from condemning the enabling context of these atrocitiesimperialism itself, which we continue to redeem with lists of pros, enabling new bouts of imperialist adventure like the 2003 invasion of Iraq. (Indeed, equivocation on imperialism has, arguably, kept the door cracked open for people who seek to undermine the unambiguous condemnation of Nazism and slavery, in our own time.) Recognizing empires intrinsic illegitimacy and dependence on violence and exploitation does not imply a belief in British malignancy, any more than recognizing the violence of Nazism implies a belief in Germans as existentially evil. It is merely a call to honor the values that decolonization affirmed: a world of racial, political, and economic equality.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Secondly, totting up pros and cons rests on a fallacy of counterfactual history, the idea that, absent the British presence, there would be no railroads or dams or any sort of progress in places like India. This sort of thinking reproduces the legitimizing racist narratives of European empirethe idea that India would have no history without the British presence, that it would have stood still in time. We already know that pre-colonial trends in management of food security and water were better suited to the region than the practices introduced by the British. Moreover, the British worked hard from the beginning to stifle indigenous manufacturing. Those still skeptical of the possibility of an alternate-history Indian industrial takeoff might at least be persuaded that there is no evidence that Indians would not have been as good at imitating British industry as the Japanese and Germans proved to be. The British ensured that they did not have an opportunity to do so, for they needed India to supply raw materials.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The very structure of textbooks like the one my daughters school uses impedes such alternate-history thinking. This textbook presents as opposing views on the matter of empire not the views of an anti-colonial figure and a colonial figure, but those of two colonial figures, who wrote at the height of the British Empire: Rudyard Kipling and E.D. Morel, a critic of colonial violence who was nevertheless as invested as the arch-imperialist Kipling in the government of Africa by white men. Left off the table are the voices of the colonized and the counterfactual histories such colonial thinkers could not conceive: Africa ruled by Africans, a West Indies in which ex-slaves rather than exslave owners had received reparations, South Asian states left to sort out their own destinies and development. Criticism like Morels mattered, but also helped sustain the notion that empire was redeemable, extending its life and enabling ever more abuses. The instances of scandalous excess in imperial rule that concerned such critics were not disruptions of an otherwise beneficent form of rule, but endemic to an inherently racist and violent form of rule without consent, aimed at coercive resource extraction.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Thirdly, there is little evidence that the alleged pros were in fact pros. British-built railroads in India, for instance, served British economic and political needs rather than the needs of Indians. The East India Company, which administered British India before 1858, guaranteed a 4 to 5 percent profit plus free land and other facilities to British investors in their construction. Indian taxpayers massively subsidized these corporate profits. Most of the capital raised for railroad construction was spent in Britain; workers came from Britain and were paid twice the home rate plus passage and other allowances. Rails, locomotiveseverything came from abroad, despite the capacity to make locomotives in India. In turn, India became more dependent on British industry, settling into the role of raw material supplier for world markets. In the 1870s, it was also clear that the British-made railroads exacerbated rather than alleviated the effects of famine. They served British rather than Indian security, as did irrigation projects.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

All alleged public works projects in India were designed to enable the imperial bureaucracy to preserve its power as cheaply as possible. In the 1840s and 1850s, they were supported only when they promised to either mitigate revenue loss caused by famine or strengthen the British military position. After the massive Indian rebellion against British rule in 1857, they were part of a new assertion of British authority over the subcontinent. John Stuart Mills official defense of the East India Company propagandized such improvements, setting a trend for annual government reports on Moral and Material Progress in India, which were assembled without consulting Indians. Such narratives produced a gap between the real and the recorded, and anti-colonial activists like Dadabhai Naoroji disproved their claims even then, showing that Indian wealth flowed into British coffers. And yet claims about British rule benefiting the average Indian continue to appear in schoolbooks in 2022. The British began advertising the pros of their presence in India precisely to redeem the destruction they were so obviously wreaking and enable its continuity. It does not make critical-thinking or ethical sense to invoke the false protest of progress that enabled British colonial violence to redeem that violence.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

What about the claim that Britain brought order to an Indian society in crisis? This poisonous canard dates to the era of colonialism too, and comparison to similarly sized Europe in the same period offers a helpful antidote: a restless subcontinent of continual wars over successions and territories, infused with sectarian differences (and driving much of the conflict in South Asia). No one says an outside power ought to have stepped in to stave off this European anarchy; rather this dynamism is viewed as progress, historys march toward the natural order of nation-states. Given the strength of emerging regional powers in India in the same period, language like decline and crisis is equally inappropriate there. The new powers challenging the Mughal Empire were no more inherently vulnerable or chaotic than, say, the successor states of the Holy Roman Empire. Textbooks that paint disunity among Indian powers as a historical failure inviting British intercession do not see Jacobite rebellion in England itself in that light. In fact, the only substantive difference between these tales of two subcontinents is simply that groups of armed traders were not poised at Europes coasts to exploit tectonic shifts there, because Europe offered little seduction in the way of riches.

Finally, the problem with weighing pros and cons is that it presumes there is a point at which the story is over, the accounts are closed, and we can actually tot up the balance, when in fact the story is never over, as the past continues to haunt the present in new and unpredicted ways.

Balance sheets of the British Empire attempt to show that its prostrains or damsoutweighed its consoccasional violent excesses, racismdespite the ambiguous impact of many alleged pros and the deeply flawed premise that we can judge an inherently illegitimate and immoral system by anything other than that illegitimacy and immorality. We forget that illegitimacyunlike, say, apartheidsbecause we still believe in the historical vision that justified its violence and racism: that a civilizing mission may wreak destruction for an ultimately good end. This is the thinking that sustained Western interventions in the formerly colonized world during the Cold War and the war on terror. But here we are in 2022, facing climate crisis, massive global inequalities and displacements, and a toxic legacy of racism, and we see that the destruction has been as indefensibly harmful as anti-colonial thinkers said it was.

The kids are right. As even Disney movies like Frozen II and Encanto take on issues like reparations, displacement, and intergenerational trauma, it is time for our schools, too, to honor those who suffered under colonialism by ceasing to ask descendants of that era to suffer the harm of participating in the ethical travesty of justifying its violence. This is, indeed, an ethical vision that makes sense to childrenand should speak to us, too.
The past few years have seen so many cases of ransomware and online extortion that its pretty rare to see an attacker deviate from the standard template: demand a cryptocurrency payment in exchange for decrypting a victims systems or not leaking their stolen data.

But the recent breach of chipmaker Nvidia didnt follow that pattern exactly: Instead of demanding that the gaming chipmaker make a cryptocurrency payment, the attackers, who claimed to have stolen 1 terabyte of data from Nvidia, instead demanded that the company make it easier to mine cryptocurrencies using its popular graphics cards. The incident highlights some of the underlying tensions around cryptocurrency mining that have worsened in the past two years as cryptocurrencies have come in for considerable scrutiny related to their environmental impacts and ties to criminal activity.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Nvidia has been at the center of that conflict as one of a very small number of tech manufacturers in a position to make cryptocurrency mining more difficult and thereby potentially reduce some of the energy costs and illegal uses. Nvidia traditionally manufacturers graphics processing units, or GPUs, that are designed for computer games but have been co-opted by cryptocurrency miners because they can do mining computations so much faster than traditional computer central processing units, or CPUs. Nvidias GeForce GPUs have been in such high demand by Ethereum cryptocurrency miners that its become difficult for anyone else to get them for playing computer games or processing graphics. So Nvidia, very sensibly, decided to redesign their GPUs to make them much less efficient at the specific operations required for mining Ethereum. The updated GPUs were released in February 2021.

Advertisement

Advertisement

There are lots of reasons to try to make it harder for people to mine cryptocurrencies with GPUsfor one thing, cryptocurrencies play a central role in many forms of cybercrime, most notably ransomware, by providing attackers with a difficult-to-trace payment method. Additionally, people who werent miners were having tremendous trouble getting access to Nvidias graphics cards, creating another problem for the company. And on top of that, the computational operations required to mine cryptocurrencies are massively power-intensive, with the mining of bitcoins alone consuming roughly 121.36 terawatt-hours per year, or slightly more than the annual power consumption of Argentina or the Netherlands, according to a 2021 analysis by researchers at the University of Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance.

Advertisement

Advertisement

So Nvidias decision to engineer its graphics cards to be less useful for cryptocurrency mining was a good one, with many benefits not just for the company but for all of us. Unfortunately, Nvidia accidentally distributed code that allowed customers to get around the new restrictions built into its GPUs in March 2021. That same month, several miners and journalists noticed the mistake. The company later tried (largely unsuccessfully) to remove that code from circulation, but it further undermined its efforts to limit cryptocurrency mining last year by deliberately adding a new product specifically designed for Ethereum mining to its line-up. Meanwhile, AMD, Nvidias main competitor in the graphics card industry, has announced it is not planning to take any steps to redesign its processors to prevent cryptocurrency mining.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Bitcoin and other decentralized cryptocurrencies like it, such as Ethereum, require computers to perform computations in order to generate more of them. Thats because theres no centralized authority controlling how many Bitcoins exist, but to prevent people from creating an unlimited number of them, there are technical restrictions built into their source code. For instance, there can only ever be 21 million Bitcoins total, of which nearly 19 million have already been mined. The mining terminology comes from the fact that computers have to do a series of computational tasks before they are rewarded with Bitcoins, just as actual miners have to do significant work to extract minerals from the earth.

Advertisement

Advertisement

As we get closer to reaching the 21 million limit, computers have to do more and more computational work to receive smaller and smaller quantities of bitcoins. Thats why miners started using Nvidia and AMD GPUs instead of the less powerful CPUs, so they could perform more computations more quickly. Operating all of the computers that perform those computational tasks and keeping them cool enough so that they dont overheat therefore requires a tremendous amount of energy particularly at times when popular cryptocurrencies are worth a lot of money and have already been largely mined.

Advertisement

Between them, Nvidia and AMD own pretty much the entire market for GPUs, though Nvidias are significantly more popular. If the two companies were both willing to limit the computational operations that are used for mining popular cryptocurrencies so that their graphics cards were less efficient at those tasks, they could single-handedly deal cryptocurrency speculators a larger setback than any government or other entity is capable of doing. We know these types of technical constraints are possible to design because Nvidia has already done it. More than that, we know that those technical constraints are having a real impact on peoples ability to mine cryptocurrencies, because otherwise why would the perpetrators of the Nvidia breach be demanding that Nvidia undo the protections it built into its graphics cards in 2021?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The fact that the people making these demands are themselves cybercriminalsin this case the hacking group Lapsus$and are currently leaking the stolen data online is a reminder of just who is most invested in being able to mine cryptocurrencies. To its credit, Nvidia has so far shown no signs of caving to the attackers demands and has even said it does not expect the breach to disrupt its business. But with the hackers leaking Nvidias proprietary data online, its hard to imagine why any company would want to open itself up to this kind of attack by trying to counter cryptocurrency mining through better-designed technology. Technological restrictions on mining of the sort Nvidia implemented last year could potentially counteract much of the harm cryptocurrency mining causes but companies may need greater incentivesor pressurefrom regulators to be willing to accept the risks associated with angering cryptocurrency-fueled cybercriminals.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
by Xinhua writers Li Rui, Tian Ye

CAIRO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, key members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), have remained hesitant to increase oil and gas exports, though the United States and the European Union (EU) are urging the Gulf states to do so.

The West's move is aimed at stabilizing the global energy market, as energy prices remain high with the U.S. and EU ban on Russia's energy exports following the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Analysts say that the Gulf states are trying to strike a balance between the United States and Russia, as their relations with the United States are tested by the impending revival of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which may pose a threat to them, while they are unwilling to cut off ties with Russia, as the military and energy ties with Russia have become stronger in the past few years.

U.S., EU MOVES

The United States recently sent a large shipment of Patriot anti-missile interceptors to Saudi Arabia, which the kingdom had requested since late last year to counter drone and missile attacks by the Houthi militia in Yemen, according to U.S. media.

The move came as the Biden administration tries to convince Riyadh to pump more crude oil to help contain soaring prices spurred by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Prices of fuel oil and gas have skyrocketed in the EU after the United States and some EU countries imposed sanctions on Russia's exports.

Senior British and German officials recently traveled to the Gulf countries to persuade the oil-rich nations to expand their spare energy capacity to fill the void left by Russia's import ban.

On March 16, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited the UAE and Saudi Arabia to discuss the stability of the global energy market.

Johnson's tour to the Middle East was followed by Germany's Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck, who visited Qatar and the UAE last week to search for alternatives to the Russian gas supply following the U.S.-led sanctions on Russia.

GULF RESISTING INCREASING EXPORTS

Although leaders of the UAE and Saudi Arabia have reiterated the importance of global energy security and energy market stability, they have not increased output.

On March 23, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan once again emphasized that "the UAE is keen on global energy security and the stability and balance of the energy market."

On March 24, the Saudi government said in a statement that the OPEC+ agreement has an essential role in maintaining the balance and stability of the oil market.

Neither country, however, has increased its output.

"It is in the Gulf states' interests to keep energy costs high," said Sun Xia, associate researcher with the Institute of International Relations at China's Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

Since 2017, the Gulf states and Russia have forged a stable energy alliance under the umbrella of OPEC+. After their successful collaboration in stabilizing oil prices, the Gulf states no longer want to be led by American politicians and financial elites, Sun noted.

STRIKING BALANCE BETWEEN U.S., RUSSIA

The Biden administration has been disregarding the Gulf states' biggest security concern -- Iran's Shiite-dominated government, Sun said.

If Washington and Tehran clinch a nuclear deal, Iranian oil will return to the international market and compete with Gulf oil. Moreover, expanding Iranian influence in Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria would pose a severe danger to the Sunni sphere of influence, Sun added.

The Gulf states' strategy to strike a balance between the United States and Russia reflects their attitudes toward the two countries' dominance in the Middle East, said Zou Zhiqiang, researcher of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at China's Fudan University.

The United States retains a great influence in regional politics in the Middle East with the help of its allies. However, its recent strategic withdrawal from the Middle East, as well as a series of irresponsible behaviors, has made some of its allies nervous and start to question the U.S. capability to ensure their safety, said Zou.

The U.S. geopolitical retreat has stood in sharp contrast with Russia's active involvement in the Middle East, said Zheng Rong, associate researcher of the Center for Arab Studies at China's Zhejiang International Studies University.

Russia has carried out cooperation with the Gulf states in oil and gas exploitation, military equipment technology, use of nuclear energy and other fields, and has also become an indispensable force to solve the crises in Syria and Libya, making it a strategic partner for several countries in the Middle East, Zheng added.

When it comes to financial interests and vital national interests of oil and gas, the Gulf states won't budge easily, Sun said.

The Gulf states will not cooperate with the United States in a meaningful way if the Biden administration does not change its Middle East policy, Sun added. 
ADEN, Yemen, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Forces loyal to Yemen's government and the Houthi militia conducted a prisoner swap following a tribal mediation in the country's southwestern province of Taiz on Wednesday, a security official told Xinhua.

Six Houthi fighters held by the pro-government Yemeni forces were released in exchange for five soldiers captured by the Houthis during the previous battles in Taiz, the local military source said on condition of anonymity.

The source confirmed that the deal succeeded after a series of negotiations conducted by local tribal figures during the past few days.

On Sunday, the Houthi militia announced that they are ready to swap 823 prisoners of the Saudi-led coalition forces and Yemen's government for 1,400 Houthi militants.

Around 15,000 prisoners of war and political prisoners were reportedly held in the Yemeni government and Houthi jails.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government of Hadi out of Sanaa.

The Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 in the Yemeni civil war in an attempt to reinstate the Hadi government. 
Caviart Ally, an O'Brien Older Pacing Mare of the Year and winner of more than $2 million, has given birth to her first foal, according to her owners Judy and Buck Chaffee of Caviart Farms.

The bay colt, born earlier this month at Hanover Shoe Farms, is the son of two Breeders Crown champions: Caviart Ally, who captured her Breeders Crown trophy in 2019, and Captain Crunch, who won the prestigious race in 2018 and was voted Dan Patch Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year. Captain Crunchs credentials include a time of 1:47.2 and earnings of $1,725,495.

Dr. Bridgette Jablonsky, Executive Vice President at Hanover Shoe Farms, spoke on behalf of the farm in saying that they feel happy and honoured to have Caviart Ally back at Hanover where she was born and raised. She praised Allys racing talent and stakes record, and reminded that Ally stems from a highly successful pacing family  a family that she revealed has long been one of her personal favourites.

Impressed with Allys new colt, Dr. Jablonsky described him as very good looking, adding that he definitely looks like mama! His markings, she said, are very similar to Allys markings, an incomplete star with strip and a white left front ankle.



In announcing the new colts arrival, Buck Chaffee said, This is very exciting  a great looking colt from such a talented mare as Ally, and additionally by one of our farms most successful stallions, Captain Crunch. It doesnt get any better than that! It is our mare, our stallion and now our beautiful colt.

Judy, who is CEO and co-owns Caviart Farms with her husband, recalled, All the while that Caviart Ally was racing was a magical and exciting time. I think most memorable of all was Ally nosing out Shartin in the TVG FFA  announcer Ken Warkentin calling out what he termed a 'bang, bang finish,' then excitedly shouting into the microphone, '1:48.3! What a race!' It was so thrilling that it sent goosebumps down the spine. The intense rivalry between those two mares was certainly terrific for our sport.

But even then, I was anxious for Ally to have her first baby and felt confident that the foal would be special. How could it not be? And now this beautiful colt is everything I dreamed about  spunky, gorgeous and absolutely perfect. Pending approval by the USTA, the plan is to name him Caviart Ashland  and to call him Ashe. It seems like a nice name and suits him. Plus the icing on the cake is how Ally has really taken to motherhood. She is a great mom.

Under the tutelage of first Noel Daley, followed by Brett Pelling when Daley briefly returned to train in his native Australia, Caviart Ally was driven throughout her racing career by Andy McCarthy. Among her 28 wins, in addition to the Breeders Crown, were such top level stakes as the Jugette elimination and final, Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final, twice the Milton Stakes, Bluegrass, the Allerage Pace and her swan song victory in the $100,000 Blue Chip Matchmaker Invitational in 2020.

Both Chaffees enthused about the new colts bloodlines. Caviart Ally, of course, is by the highly successful sire Bettors Delight. Her half-brother, All Speed Hanover has a time of P, 3, 1:49.4S, earnings of $830,738 and also chalked up the Breeders Crown among his victories.

Caviart Allys dam, Allamerican Cool, is a half-sister to $4.1 million winning Eternal Camnation, the leading money-winning pacing mare of all time. And adding to these impressive credentials, Allys fourth dam, Hall of Fame mare Three Diamonds, is also the dam of former pacing stars Life Sign and Threefold.

Captain Crunch, this foals sire, also touts an impressive list of very highest level stakes wins, including the Governors Cup, Cane Pace and Pepsi North America Cup. His own sire is leading stallion Captaintreacherous, winner of $3 million, and his dam is the Artiscape mare Sweet Paprika, a half-sister of $3 million winning Sweet Lou, $2.8 million winning Bettor Sweet and to Sweet Lady Jane, who is the dam of $1.6 million-winning Youaremycandygirl.

Caviart Ally is booked to Captaintreacherous in 2022.

(With files from Caviart Farms)
A Culpeper school programs artwork is on display for the first time at Elevate on Davis Street in downtown Culpeper.

The multi-tiled, ripped-paper collaborative work of art will be available for all to view at 107b East Davis Street for a month.

Culpeper Countys Phoenix Alternative Program, for students with behavioral or other challenges and led by Administrator Jodi Place, has pioneered integrating the practice of mindfulness into the daily routine, the school announced in a recent news release.

As part of this effort, art teacher Meroe Dawson led a coordinated art project with her middle and high school students in a craft design course that involved developing self-awareness, self-regulation and focus.

After dividing Vincent Van Goghs Starry Night into 36 equal tiles, each student selected a tile or two to create by tearing and gluing color blocks from magazines that matched the brush strokes of the original oil painting.

Some students preferred to work alone, while others chose to collaborate in pairs to complete their task, said Dawson in a statement. As you may well understand, this painstaking process took over a semester to complete. The students developed a keen awareness of color value and hues, along with the ability to lengthen their attention spans, stay on task, and work amicably together.

Dawson said one insight several students shared about the project was that when everyone does their part to the best of their ability, the end result comes together and is surprisingly beautiful.

Dawson expressed a hope that those who visit Elevate and view the project will be equally impressed, and inspired to wonder at our smallness in the vastness of Van Goghs cosmos.

When Van Goghs depiction of the night sky seen from a cafe in the south of France first hit the art world in 1889, critics and art lovers alike responded with a range of reactions, from positive to disdainful, Dawson said. This Post-Impressionist style, using broad, sweeping brush strokes and brilliant colors, was evocative of Van Goghs own deep emotions and personal symbolism that either puzzled or enchanted viewers.

Today, this celestial artwork is celebrated by many as a piece that speaks to our modern awe of the cosmos and our small terrestrial existence within its infinity, Dawson said.

Torn paper art is an unusual modern medium, a form of artistic expression using pieces torn from the pages of glossy magazines to create art without paint and brushes but simulating their effect, she said.

Student artists using this technique are challenged to attend to the task at hand, however small, and in so doing reduce mental distraction; in other words, to develop the skill of focus, she added.

Meroe Dawson is a paraeducator with Culpepers Phoenix Alternative Program.
Mention outdoor adventures in the Old Dominion, and the mind quickly goes to traditional activities like camping and hiking, hunting and fishing, as well as boating and swimming.

A few folks may want to put shopping at outdoor malls on that list. It does occur outdoors, involves walking, and occasionally carrying heavy items, so well add that to the list of favorites, too.

What doesnt come to mind for many is an activity that may well be one of the faster growing hobbies in the countrybirdwatching.

Long viewed as a retiring activity of older adults and professional ornithologists, that reality has been steadily shifting for at least 20 years.

In 2002, the Southern Research Station published a report using data from the National Survey on Recreation and the Environment that noted a steep climb nationwide in bird watchers.

Between 1994 and 2000, bird watching grew 33% among people age 16 and oldersome 70 million people. That was good enough for 15th place among the 51 activities the SRS then tracked.

That number has only continued to climb. In a conversation with Amy Gardner, co-owner of Wren and Sparrow on Caroline Street in downtown Fredericksburg, she says that the interest in birding has exploded since the pandemic. The most tangible evidence of this has been the increase of sales in bird seed.

Nationally, feeding birds increased 60% during COVID, ssssssot just a hobby for people over 60, she continues, noting that at the store she co-owns with lifelong birder Lisa Benoit, they are seeing people of all ages and backgrounds.

Asked to explain why its growing in popularity, Gardner relates her own experience. Following a career in the Marine Corps and government work, she shifted gears and started working part-time at Wild Birds Unlimited, where she initially met Benoit.

Birdwatching just consumed me, she said. It is so rewarding.

In King George County at Caledon State Park along the shores of the Potomac River, Ranger Mackenzie Guenther tells a similar story about the increased interest in birding.

Eagles and osprey frequent the waterfront and are popular with bird watchers. Every month, she or Mike Callahan will lead eagle-watching tours. More when the interest is there.

Theres no driving to the waterfront, so you have to hike in, but the trails are generally easy-going for people who are in decent shape and comfortable walking 2 to 4 miles. Along the way, people travel through old growth forests that support numerous birds, in addition to the water fowl in the area.

We have a beginning birders brochure, says Ranger Guenther, that lists over 100 species of birds.

Caledon isnt the only place in our vicinity to watch birds, of course.

The Audubon Society has developed a list of Important Birding Areas. According to its website, IBAs are locations the organization has worked to identify, monitor, and protect because of their importance to the life of birds globally, on the continent, or to a particular state.

There are 21 such sites in Virginia. Nine are of global importance, four of continental importance, and eight of state importance.

In our region, there are IBFs in King George, Orange, Stafford, and Westmoreland counties.

A popular spot near Fredericksburg is a stretch of the Rappahannock River between Tappahannock and Port Royal that the Audubon site describes as pristine.

Among the more interesting birds youll encounter there is the prothonotary warbler, whose gray wings and deep-black eyes contrast sharply with its bright yellow head.

For those who cant get out into nature, bird feeders bring a dizzying array of feathered friends to your yard.

With the weather warming, and nature blooming, its time to go back out and rediscover the remarkable diversity of wildlife in our area. Not just that with paws on the ground, but also those creatures on wing.

There are fewer places in the world better than right here in our own backyard to do so.

The (Fredericksburg) Free Lance-Star
The owner of a Nigerian dwarf goat found herself handling the rare birthing of quintuplet goats recently. A local veterinarian and the goat owner say the occurrence of quintuplets among goats is rare.

Mabel, a Nigerian dwarf nanny, successfully delivered five healthy kids on March 19, a feat so unusual it occurs once in every 10,000 births.

Mabels owner, Sanna Loukonen, started keeping watch on her a month before the kids arrived because of the nanny goats alarming size. Previously, Mabel had successfully delivered twins, which is an extremely common number for the Nigerian dwarf breed. After throwing twins, Nigerian dwarf nannies are prone to having three or even four kids at a time. However, five healthy kids is a rare occurrence even for this goat breed.

She (Mabel) just kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger, Loukonen said. You cant even really capture that.

Just as Mabels discomfort and size were becoming a real concern, the nanny finally went into labor. Loukonen, who had been carefully monitoring Mabel, was on-hand to witness the arrival of the kids.

So she started having them and I thought we would have triplets at the most, but they just kept coming, Loukonen said. I didnt even know Mabel could have five in one sitting.

Loukonen said that in her experience raising Nigerian dwarf goats, she has only ever seen twins born.

I know triplets arent uncommon, four is fairly rare and then there was five, she said.

Loukonens veterinarian, Travis Van Anne, said that he has never experienced quintuplets born successfully since he has been practicing veterinarian medicine. He said it is far more likely that if the nanny is carrying that many, there will be complications.

That is a very rare event and its even more rare that theyre all still alive, Van Anne said. Because when these five are born, theres usually one or two stillborn or smaller ones. And the fact that theyre all fairly sizable, the fact that theyre all still alive. Its amazing.

Mabel delivered the healthy kids that were normal to the breeds size in two placentas, so the egg must have split a couple times, Van Anne said. She (Mabel) had twins and then that egg kept splitting. So thats even more rare.

Loukonen realized the importance of stepping in to aid the quintuplet kids by giving additional bottle feedings four or five times a day and keeping the group housed separate from the herd with access to heat lamps. She has also made it a priority to have plenty of feed and extra nutritional supplements for Mabel.

There has been a growing demand for Nigerian dwarfs as pets because the breed is smaller in stature and personable but they are valued for their superior milk production. Though Mabel may have plenty of milk, she has only two teats to feed five kids so feeding time gets a little complicated.

The thing that is amazing is the fact that theyre all alive and thriving, its just amazing, VanAnne said.

The quintuplets  three billies and two does, are rambunctiously exploring when they arent eating or sleeping and Mabel is working tirelessly to keep tabs on the bunch.

Nicole Heldt is a reporter with the Star-Herald, covering agriculture. She can be reached at 308-632-9044 or by email at nheldt@starherald.com.

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.
Wearing cowboy boots and jeans as Rebecca Allard walks the halls of Sidney Regional Medical Center, she may not fit the stereotype of a doctor. Even so, she focuses each day on helping new mamas and babies as well as families with their health care needs.

Rebecca Allard moved to Sidney from Kansas almost eight years ago to provide medical care to families. Allard is a medical doctor in family medicine, including obstetric and pediatric care. She said she seeks to offer a safe environment for her patients where she can support their physical and emotional wellness. Allard reflected on her career and how she found her home in Sidney in recognition of Doctors Day, which is observed March 30. The observance recognizes and celebrates how doctors care for and heal patients, save lives and achieve medical advances to benefit their communities.

Its kind of like a birthday, she said about the holiday. For me, its just a reminder of what Ive done and what Ive become. Its also reassurance that youre wanted and needed.

Allard said she discovered her passion for family medicine because of her experience with her family doctor. Farrill Conant is a family medicine doctor in Smith Center, Kansas, which is affiliated with Smith County Memorial Hospital. Conant served as Allards mentor, inspiring her to become a family medicine doctor.

I got to watch my first delivery with him, she said. He took care of my grandpa who was on hospice. He was the epitome of the family doc who did it all.

She completed her undergraduate studies at Yale University, graduating in 2000 before heading to the University of Kansas Medical School to complete the rural track program.

I actually finished my third and fourth year of clinicals in Salina, Kansas, and was one of the guinea pigs to the program before it became a four-year program because me and a number of other students went on the rural track and spent so much time there, she said.

While working through her second year of medical school, Allards mother, Debbie, was diagnosed with stomach cancer.

I was at the very end of my internal medicine rotation in Wichita, she said. It was my last rotation in Wichita before I moved to Salina.

Her mother died Christmas Eve 2002. That experience of grieving the loss of a family member continues to drive how Allard interacts with her patients.

Honestly, the thing that made me a better doctor didnt have to do with med school or my residency. It had to do with the fact that my mom passed away when I was in med school, she said. Learning the patient side of it and being a patient  I feel like that probably has given me the best empathy for my patients and the ability to understand what theyre actually going through.

Her life experiences also affect how she teaches when students and interns visit Sidney Regional Medical Center to complete their family medicine, OB-GYN or rural health rotations.

When she learned about the poor condition of her mothers health, she returned home immediately. Her instructor during that rotation did not understand why she had to leave, Allard said. He graded her poorly and commented, She does not seem to be depressed and states her mother is dying.

As a driven and optimistic person, Allard took that experience to fuel her passion to excel and inform her conversations with others.

Life experiences teach you how to be a better doctor, she said. I know what I dont want to be and I dont want the college students to feel that way.

Allard completed her residency at Smoky Hill Family Medicine Residency Program in Salina, Kansas, in 2007. Allard shadowed Conant during college and worked alongside him during her six-week medical school internship.

That really just solidified that it was really what I wanted to do, she said.

The only moment Allard said she questioned her profession was during residency when she chatted with OB-GYNs. They looked exhausted, she said, so she decided to become an OB-GYN and family medicine doctor, giving her the opportunity to spend more time with her patients.

Following her residency, Allard practiced in Saint Francis, Kansas for six years. However, she had friends in Denver, Colorado, and wanted to be closer to them. She grabbed a map, drawing a circle symbolizing a three-hour distance from Denver. Sidney happened to be in that circle.

On March 3, 2013, Allard and her family visited Sidney and she completed an in-person interview with Sidney Regional Medical Center before traveling to Wyoming for another job interview. Later that weekend, she would accept the offer at Sidney.

We loved it immediately, Allard said following the family's visit to Sidney. It was definitely an amazing fit for us and our family. My two daughters now have the education I hoped they would get.

As a doctor at Sidney Regional Medical Center, Allard has served as a mentor for University of Nebraska Medical Center students, students studying to become personal assistants and summer interns working through their medical rotations.

Were here to truly teach them what family medicine is, she said. To be that mentor for them, Im pretty proud. Thats what I got, so why wouldnt I do that for them?

You wont create good doctors if you dont have kids who want to be in it.

She also supports college-age students who are patients, with their medical needs.

I hope they learn to keep trying to truly get through the hard times, she said. They can, and there are people besides family who are cheering them on.

Throughout her 20 years in the field, Allard said she has provided medical care to five generations of families. During her time in Kansas, she recalled delivering a baby girl for a patient as four generations stood by in support.

You dont get those kinds of experiences if you dont do family medicine, she said.

Her life experiences have shaped the doctor Allard is today and she hopes she continues to provide her patients with the support they need to be stewards of health in their lives.

I hope Ive given them the time that they needed and the support that makes them a better patient for themselves  that they are taking charge of their own health, but also have the support from us that they need.

Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form

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.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, March 30, 2022. Qureshi is here to attend the third meeting of foreign ministers of the countries neighboring Afghanistan. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu)

HEFEI, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks on Wednesday with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

Qureshi is in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, to attend the third meeting of foreign ministers of the countries neighboring Afghanistan.

In the face of the complex and volatile international and regional situation, the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between China and Pakistan has withstood the test and shown strong vitality, becoming an important factor in safeguarding regional peace and stability, Wang said.

No matter how the international situation changes, China will continue to view and promote China-Pakistan relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, support Pakistan in safeguarding its national sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity, and will be Pakistan's most reliable partner and strongest backer, Wang added.

Noting that Pakistan and China have supported each other in weal and woe and have never let each other down, Qureshi said Pakistan is ready to maintain sound communication with China, with the two nations firmly supporting each other in safeguarding their core interests.

The two sides exchanged views on deepening mutually beneficial cooperation and agreed to continue to promote the high-quality development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Qureshi said Pakistan will make every effort to ensure the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel in Pakistan.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine issue.

Qureshi said that Pakistan and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are deeply concerned about the multiple challenges brought by the spillover of the crisis to developing countries, and they advocate respecting international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and resolving disputes through diplomatic means.

Pakistan is willing to work with China to adopt a common position and make a unified voice, Qureshi added.

China and Pakistan, like other developing countries, adhere to the general direction of dialogue, negotiation and the restoration of peace, Wang said.

"Under the current circumstances, we should be especially vigilant against the negative spillover effects of the Ukraine crisis," Wang said. "We must not allow the Cold War mentality to resurface in Asia. We must not allow bloc confrontation to repeat in Asia. We must not allow small and medium-sized countries in the region to become tools or even victims of major-country rivalry."

He said China is ready to work with Pakistan and neighboring countries to play a constructive role in regional and world peace and stability. 

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, March 30, 2022. Qureshi is here to attend the third meeting of foreign ministers of the countries neighboring Afghanistan. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu)
LINCOLN  Proposals to open new horse racetracks, with accompanying casinos, in Nebraska would be put on hold under a bill advanced by the Nebraska Legislature on Tuesday.

Legislative Bill 876, introduced by State Sen. Tom Briese of Albion, the General Affairs Committee chairman, cleared the first of three rounds of debate on a 34-0 vote.

As advanced, the bill would not allow new tracks until after the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission completes studies of the horseracing market, the casino gambling market and the socio-economic impact of tracks and casinos. The studies must be done by Jan. 1, 2025.

The delay would, in turn, restrict the number of casinos that could be built in the state. Voters approved a trio of ballot measures in 2020 that legalized casino gambling in Nebraska but only at licensed horse racetracks.

Briese called the bill "a reasonable place to be on this." He said the study requirements would have the effect of limiting the number of racetracks and casinos in the state but would leave the final decision about approving any new racetrack-casinos up to the commission.

The original version of LB 876 would have limited the number of racetracks in the state by requiring that any new track be at least 50 miles from other tracks.

Nebraska currently has six tracks, in Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Hastings, Columbus and South Sioux City. All have announced plans to build casinos.

Proposals for seven new tracks, with accompanying casinos, emerged following passage of the ballot initiatives in 2020. The seven would be in Bellevue, York, Norfolk, North Platte, Ogallala, Gering and Kimball.

The amended version of LB 876 also would require tracks to offer at least five racing days a year, up from one currently, by 2026, with the number increasing to 15 racing days a year by 2031.

It would set the initial licensing fee for casinos at $5 million, up from $1 million under current law, and require an annual review fee of $50,000. It would set out a process for problem gamblers to ask that they be barred from entering casinos and would eliminate the prohibition against racing on Sundays.

Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form
As Theresa Thibodeau campaigns to be the state's next governor, she said she has been putting an emphasis on reaching out to constituents throughout the state. During a statewide tour, she visited Scottsbluff Tuesday, including making a stop at the Star-Herald. She also visited Alliance as part of her stops in western Nebraska.

The Republican candidate told the Star-Herald she enjoys meeting with people in different cities. Her campaign visits have been full conversations instead of just stump speeches, she said.

Once you build the trust and people know you truly care, then youll have a lot of people who can move forward, she said.

Visits in communities across the state allow her to hear from constituents directly about their issues. Asked about the most common comments she has received, she said many constituents have expressed concerns revolving around property tax relief. If elected governor, Thibodeau says shell address property tax reform in a unique manner. She has put forth a plan that included getting rid of 1990s Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act (TEEOSA), with the state instead providing funding to school districts on a per-child basis. She proposed the plan will put more resources into supporting students and teachers directly. As part of her plan to reduce taxes, she said she wants to audit schools to see how they use such funding and reduce waste.

Thibodeau called Nebraskans the second house of the state and said she wants to get people and communities on board before proposing legislation for consideration by senators. The governments role is to remove roadblocks their constituents face, she said.

She said she also wanted to increase the workforce and keep young people in the state by building affordable housing and expanding the availability of child care and health care.

Twelve people filed to run for governor this year, including nine Republicans. Michael Connely, of York; Brett Lindstrom, of Omaha; Donna Nicole Carpenter, of Lincoln; Lela McNinch, of Lincoln; Jim Pillen, of Columbus; Troy Wentz, of Sterling; Charles W. Herbster, of Falls City; Breland Ridenour, of Elkhorn, make up the rest of the Republican ticket. Democrats Carol Blood, of Bellevue, and Roy Harris, of Linwood, have also filed to run. Scott Zimmerman of Omaha is the only Libertarian vying for the seat.

Thibodeau said what sets her apart from the roster of Republican challengers is that she focuses mainly on state and local issues instead of national ones.

Nebraska should come first for any candidate, she said.

Thibodeau says her experience also includes having previously served on city-level boards and worked with county-level boards, as well as working directly with state departments as a businesswoman. She also served in the State Legislature for a year.

One goal she has if elected, she said, is to build economic development in local areas.

I think the best role for the state is to have the economic development departments representatives out in regional areas of the state, thus not only streamlining communication, but living and working in the community also helps to experience what every day Nebraskans are looking for, she said.

She said she would also start up an agricultural advisory committee headed by an individual from Alliance.

Thibodeau said she would put emphasis on filling these positions with people who represent different areas and industries across Nebraska, including the Panhandle.

If one part of our state is not healthy, the rest of the state is feeling (bad), and we have to give attention to the whole state in order for us to move ahead and prosper, Thibodeau said.

She also intends to learn more about the needs of the agricultural industry in the state by establishing an agriculture advisory committee. She indicated she plans to have representatives from throughout the state on the advisory committee, with plans to soon announce a leader of the committee hailing from Alliance.

As she campaigns, she said, she has already began that process, having met with Coloradoans in the agriculture community during a Sterling, Colorado, visit on water issues affecting both states. Thibodeau said she intends to ensure Nebraskans and Coloradoans both have water for agriculture needs. Its an issue that has arisen to the forefront recently as Ricketts advances plans to build a canal through the neighboring state to irrigate southwest Nebraska in accordance to a century-old water contract between Nebraska and Colorado.

There are leaders in Colorado who have the same fears that Nebraskans do. We all have the same goal and want to have the water for irrigation and the water for both of our states. Were on the same page and want our states to succeed, Thibodeau said.

To learn more about the issues facing Nebraska, she said she would create a public schedule of rotating town halls, if elected, to continuing hearing about the issues constituents find important.

Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form

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.
A busy day Tuesday for legislative bills affecting western Nebraska featured final approval of an extra $50 million in state matching funds for industrial rail parks.

Passage of the Unicamerals three regular 2022 budget bills raised prospects for a combined $30 million in state help to build Lincoln Countys proposed rail park outside Hershey.

Lawmakers approved or advanced six bills in all Tuesday with implications for western Nebraskas economic future:

 Besides the rail-park funds, Legislative Bills 1011, 1012 and 1013 included $200 million for statewide water projects  including a 100-slip marina at Lake McConaughy near Ogallala  and $53.5 million to prepare to revive the 1894 Perkins County Canal from Colorado.

That trio of bills now goes to Gov. Pete Ricketts for his signature.

 Senators also gave second-round approval to bills enabling the Perkins canal (LB 1015) and the special STAR WARS committees water projects (LB 1023).

Both advanced despite criticism from some Omaha-area lawmakers, who questioned the need for the canal and LB 1023s call to study building a 3,600-acre lake between Omaha and Lincoln.

 Finally, senators favored requiring market and socioeconomic studies before adding horse-racing tracks  and casinos expected to accompany them  by giving 34-0 initial approval to LB 876.

Its final passage and Ricketts signature would at least delay horse tracks and racinos proposed last year for North Platte, Ogallala, Gering and Kimball.

Still awaiting final approval is LB 1014, the special budget bill allocating $1.04 billion in federal American Relief Plan Act aid tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It includes $20 million to help build North Plattes Sustainable Beef LLC plant and $23.5 million for permanent Gering-Fort Laramie Canal tunnel repairs.

Tuesdays passage of the budget bills including the rail-park funds won applause from Gary Person, president and CEO of the North Platte Area Chamber & Development Corp.

This was monumental in our quest to expand Lincoln Countys economy and blue-collar manufacturing base, Person said.

Everyone has collaborated with us, with a team first attitude exerting a lot of patience and perseverance along the way.

Person said Tuesday marked 1,059 days since he and other North Platte-area business leaders first conversation with top Union Pacific Railroad leaders to get their blessing for a rail park.

U.P. leaders had been reluctant since laying Bailey Yards foundations in 1948 to risk complications in operating what became the worlds largest rail yard. That opposition dissipated in recent years.

To finally cross this hurdle after 75 years of rail access restriction in Lincoln County is truly remarkable, said Person, who thanked railroad, local, regional and state leaders for their help.

Ricketts signatures on the budget bills will clear the way for securing state matching funds from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, he said.

The chambers application for the Hershey-area project was first to arrive at DED Jan. 3. Enabling action by Hershey, North Platte and Lincoln County will follow as recruitment of rail-park tenants continues, Person said.

Each of the three budget measures passed Tuesday contained parts of this years North Platte-led effort to add $50 million to the original $10 million for the rail-park program established by last years LB 40.

The budget bills turn LB 40s original $50 million ceiling on statewide rail-park matching funds into a floor. Approved projects could gain up to 60% of any state funds appropriated beyond that.

LB 40 matches the first $2.5 million of locally secured funds at $2 for every local dollar. Additional locally secured funds are matched at $5 for every local dollar.

Former Sen. Mike Groene, who sponsored the original bill, introduced this years follow-up bill (LB 788) before his Feb. 21 resignation.

Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon took over as LB 788s chief sponsor before it was rolled into the Appropriations Committees budget bills. Groenes successor, North Platte Sen. Mike Jacobson, joined Brewer in sponsoring LB 788.

Jacobson said Tuesday he had to head off efforts by Grand Island and Fremont to change LB 40s first-come, first-served terms on rail-park aid. No amendment to that effect reached the floor.

Gary Person deserves all the credit for pulling this (project) together to begin with, he said. Im glad to help it to the finish line.

Brewer backed final approval of two of Tuesdays budget bills  LBs 1011 and 1012  but voted against LB 1013, which authorized transfers from cash reserves including the $50 million for rail parks.

He said later his no vote on that bill was connected to conservative senators unhappiness that a major tax-cut proposal fell short of advancement Friday.

We knew they had the votes (for LB 1013) and needed to send a message to those who stopped tax relief that the ARPA bill will die if we dont get tax relief, Brewer told The Telegraph.

Tax-cut proponents joined lawmakers wanting prison sentencing reform rather than a new state prison in extending Tuesdays budget debates to the two-hour final-round limit on all three bills.

Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form
A man was stabbed to death Monday night and a woman is now in custody.

Charles Alexander Barber died shortly after running to an apartment on Valley Street on Monday night, the Statesville Police Department reported in a news release.

Police were sent to an apartment at 503 Valley St. regarding a man with a stab wound. Barber, police said, ran from that apartment to one at 507 Valley St. Police said he collapsed in the doorway.

He was pronounced dead a short time later.

Jessie Owenby, of Statesville, was identified as a suspect and she was arrested on the scene, police said.

The Criminal Investigation Division was called to the scene and collected evidence and witness statements.

Owenby was taken before a magistrate and charged with homicide. She is being held without bond and the investigation is continuing.
Waking up every morning to provide medical care to those in need is the dream for many students in the Emory & Henry College physician assistant (PA) graduate program.

Waking up every morning at 5 a.m. and boarding a small bus into the mountains of Guatemala to do pop-up clinics at several remote villages was a once-in-a-lifetime experience some students got to experience recently while in the program.

It was like being on a clinical rotation but in Guatemala, first-year Emory & Henry PA student Alyssa Gottschalk said.

Michael Nowak, a doctor of medical science and a professor in the graduate program, facilitates the program that allows interested students to travel to remote Guatemalan villages and deliver aid to hundreds of people while practicing medical skills.

After a brief hiatus during the pandemic, Nowak and other doctors, two Emory & Henry PA students and students from South College in Tennessee traveled to Guatemala during the winter break of 2021 for the programs 10th annual mission.

Dr. Nowak said assisting with dozens of births and cesarean sections and learning medical diagnostic skills, pediatric and geriatric care is one of the highlights [students] will never forget for the rest of their lives.

The students stayed with a couple from Texas who moved to Guatemala nearly 20 years ago. From the couples home, where students slept in bunk beds and had breakfast every morning, the students boarded buses for the commute into villages to set up the pop-up clinic.

There are villages up in the mountains that have a hard time kind of getting down to the city to go to the hospital. They dont have the means of transport, and sometimes they havent seen a doctor in you dont know how many years. Each day we set up a clinic for these people in different villages, Gottschalk said.

We would commute back and forth from the house and city to the villages in the mountains and then tear down and come back to the city at the end of the day, she said, explaining the trips busy schedule.

The 10th annual mission aided 700 people over a week in Guatemala. The program provides valuable medical practice for the people in the Guatemalan villages while also providing a unique experience for students.

One of the most exciting moments of the trip for Gottschalk was watching and assisting with a cesarean section birth when the students traveled to the city hospital and stayed late to watch the procedure.

Thats the only hospital around, so theyre having 30-plus deliveries a day. One of the other students on the trip was about to start her OB rotation, so she actually scrubbed in for the cesarean and was assisting the doctor, she said. Then I helped after the baby was taken out and delivered. I helped cut the cord and clean the baby up and make sure she was doing OK.

One challenge Gottschalk and the other students faced was the language barrier, despite having translators. Even this challenge provided an interesting learning experience. While assisting with the cesarean, the students learned medical procedures are a language of their own.

So we were helping deliver this baby, and we arent even talking to each other, but we all know whats going on because were all medical providers or future medical providers, Gottschalk said. So its really cool that, even when we were unable to communicate verbally, we knew what was going on, and we could help each other and actually bring this child into the world.

Gottschalk spoke with excitement about providing essential medical items, such as ointment to soothe diaper rash and glasses, to the people living in the Guatemalan villages.

There was this little kiddo, he was like seven months old, and he had had eczema since he was born. I was able to give his mother some steroid cream and some emollient to help with his eczema.  Thats a big change for that kid; hes going to be way more comfortable now, Gottschalk said. Hopefully that treatment helped him and was able to help him for a long time.

Providing ointments was just one station the PA students and physicians were able to provide at their pop-up clinics.

Stations for glasses, ear cleaning and pharmaceuticals were also set up.

All of these different stations kind of worked together, Gottschalk said. Its really dusty in the mountains, and they do a lot of farming work, and these people have not had their ears cleaned in how many years, and sometimes they will even find bugs in their ears. So that was kind of a big help for them.

A lot of these people have also never seen an eye doctor before.  I mean, its minimal care to you and me  like, this is like the basics, right?  It made me realize how lucky we are in America to be able to have good medical care and access to medicine. And, in America, not everyone has access either, but a lot better access, Gottschalk said. What we saw in Guatemala for these people who never see doctors, how grateful they are for putting on a pair of glasses for the first time, and all of a sudden, they can see now, and they can cook again, work again, do everyday life.

The glasses, medicines and other supplies are donated and gathered by the doctors and others who attend the trip.

For the glasses, we had an ophthalmologist; she had all these extra glasses that were just gonna get tossed. So she just brought them with her, and we used all of them, Gottschalk said.

Gottschalk also got to treat one of the village elders during her time in Guatemala.

Theres a leader of every village  the elders are what they call them.  Again, I dont speak Spanish, so I was speaking through my translator, but he was thankful for the care I was able to give him. It was really cool to actually get to treat that patient, she said.

The Guatemalan medical mission trip for 2022 is already being planned between Nowak and the village elders.

Those are the people who know Dr. Nowak, and they communicate with him every year, and they want him to come back and bring his students, Gottschalk said. As long as the villages will have [students] back, theyll keep going and providing care to people.
Red Leaf Organic Coffee is opening a location in Toutle in June, bringing the local coffee chain its seventh store in Cowlitz County.

The new location is being built next door to Drews Grocery Store along Spirit Lake Memorial Highway. It will be a drive-through coffee shop with a lane on either side of the building, similar to the setup of the Red Leaf on 15th Avenue in Longview.

General Manager Ann Lucas said the new Red Leaf location was chosen after listening to customer demand from the area. The drive-through will serve people from Toutle, Silver Lake and Castle Rock who travel to visit the Red Leaf locations in Longview and Kelso.

May through September is a big time of year for tourists in that area heading to Mount St. Helens, so thats another reason to be out there, Lucas said.

Red Leaf began accepting applications to work at the Toutle store Wednesday. Interested workers can apply for full-time and part-time positions through the companys website, redleafcoffee.com/.

The new location continues the expansion push Red Leaf had been making in the years before the COVID-19 shutdown. Four new Red Leaf locations opened between 2017 and 2020, including the companys first store outside Cowlitz County inside of a TLC credit union branch in Warrenton, Oregon.

Owners Ray and Melissa Vandervalk started Red Leaf as a drive-through location in Woodland in 2008. The company employs 87 people across its seven locations in Cowlitz County.

Lucas said the company is working on launching another new branch. She said Red Leaf is not ready to announce the location, but it will be in Cowlitz County and should be ready to open this fall.

(The Vandervalks) have been very diligent and intentional in making sure were still financially strong. They are trying to get ahead of issues and watch for things to come, Lucas said.

Love 1 Funny 1 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.
The Longview service employee union reached a tentative agreement Monday with the Longview School District, promising fairer wages and steps for longevity, the union said.

Shawn Nyman, representative for the Longview chapter of the Service Employees International Union 925, said both sides agreed to higher wages and better benefits for employees who spend decades as paraeducators in the school district. The union represents Longview service employees like bus drivers, food service and maintenance workers.

I could not ask for a better group of individuals to sit down at the bargaining table with and am proud to call them friends, co-workers and colleagues, local chapter President Sherry Parsons told The Daily News via email.

The agreement will have to be ratified by the union and then get final approval from the school board in coming months, Nyman said.

Superintendent Dan Zorn said in an interview he felt the agreement will benefit both sides. Hard work put in by union leadership, the state mediator and the school district representatives helped them settle the long process of bargaining, he said.

Were very pleased we got it all done, Zorn said. We feel that its a good agreement that recognizes and values our SEIU members and the work they do for our students.

Mediation started 9 a.m. Friday and went until 3 a.m. Saturday before they came back and finalized Monday afternoon, Nyman said.

We knew if the district didnt bring wages up and offer more longevity steps, we were going to be losing the folks who were currently working, Nyman said.

On March 23, the union executive board opened the possibility of a strike vote, which did not end up happening during mediation because both sides wanted to avoid that outcome, Nyman said.

Longview classified staff urge district to increase wages amid staffing shortages Longview school classified staff urged the school board Monday to increase wages for undervalued workers.

Bargaining began in April 2021 when the union asked that competitive wages be given to paraeducators in the district, Nyman said. Back-and-forth negotiations since then lasted nearly a year.

Parsons said in an email the pandemic made the process even longer, and sometimes frustrating, because they had to work around schedules and ensure people had access to the virtual meetings.

Its been a long process, Nyman said.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
Samsung has dropped the Z moniker from its fading smartphones in certain countries. Here is all you need to know about it.

Samsung has changed names of its flagship foldable phones! The Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 in certain countries will now be called by a new name. The phones will now be called Samsung Galaxy Fold 3 and Galaxy Flip 3 in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Samsung is yet to explain reasons behind this change in names yet but it seems tone related to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

The Z alphabet has been found on the Russian invading forces equipment. Samsung probably doesnt want its flagship foldable phones to be related to the invading forces in these Baltic countries. Hence, it may have led the company to remove the Z letter from the phones name for the time being. It is unknown whether Samsung will bring back the Z moniker for the Fold 4 and Flip 4 generation.

Samsung drops Z from its foldable

Note that this is isnt first time Samsungs foldable flagship is without the Z moniker. The first generation Galaxy Fold was known as the Fold across all countries. It was the second generation that Samsung merged its Fold and Flip devices under the Z series.

Note that the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 names will remain for all other markets, including India. Both phones were launched in August 2021 and have been treated as Samsungs absolute flagship smartphones. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is the more affordable model adhering to the flip phone form factor and having a price tag of under Rs. 90,000 at the moment. However, it is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 that is considered as the absolute flagship, sitting with a higher price tag than the recently launched Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Both the Flip 3 and Fold 3 rely on the Snapdragon 888 platforms and are already running on the latest Android 12 with Samsungs One UI 4.1 skin. Samsung debuted its under-display camera tech on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 as well, wherein the inner camera on the main display hides underneath the pixels when not required.

On the other hand, rumours have hinted at the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Fold 4 already. This years versions are expected to be focused on increased durability and lightweight build. The Fold 4 is even said to get the S Pen integrated in its body in a similar fashion to the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Xiaomi Leica deal seems to be happening, as suggested by the latest MIUI codes. Leica was previously associated with Huawei.

Xiaomi and Leica branding could share the same space on the formers phone, suggests latest leaks. Based on some internal digging of the MIUI Gallery app codes, it seems that Xiaomi and Leica could be coming together for one of Xiaomis upcoming smartphones. This falls in line with the previous rumours that suggested Leica branding for the Xiaomi 12 Ultra cameras. Nothing official has been announced yet but we may not have to wait long.

Found by XDA member kacskrz within the Gallery Editor app in MIUI Chinese ROM, the codes suggest that you will be able to edit photos and videos with a Leica branded filter. No other trace of the Leica partnership has been found yet. Theres also no clue now whether the Leica association will be restricted to Leica branded filters or more.

Xiaomi Leica deal hinted by MIUI codes

Leica has been associated the smartphone photography for several years now. We have seen some of the nicest camera phones from Huawei flaunting their Leica tuned cameras, dominating DxOMark benchmark charts like a pro. Huawei has had its own share of issues lately and it seems Leica doesnt want any part of that anymore.

Note that Leica already sells a smartphone of its own wherein it tunes the camera entirely on its own. The Leica Leitz Phone 1 is a limited editions special phone that gets a unique mode called Leitz Looks; it basically brings Leicas signature black and white look.

Xiaomi could be reserving this branding deal for its rumoured Xiaomi 12 Ultra, which is expected to be the successor to last years Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra. The Xiaomi 12 Pro already has some solid cameras on its back and with the Ultra, it could be looking to increase it edge with the Leica branding.

Moroever, the branding game for Android flagships has been at an all-time high these days. OnePlus and Oppo now bank highly on the Hasselblad branding whereas Vivo does the same with Zeiss. Note that Vivo uses the Zeiss T* coating on the lenses of its Vivo X70 Pro+. Only Samsung and Apple have refrained for using third-party branding for their high-end phones.
AMMAN, March 30 (Xinhua) -- King Abdullah II of Jordan on Wednesday held talks with visiting Israeli President Isaac Herzog in the capital of Amman, according to a statement by the Royal Hashemite Court.

King Abdullah said during the meeting that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict lasted for a long period and the violence resulting from the conflict continues to cause a lot of pain and provides a fertile ground for extremism.

The king condemned the unfortunate attacks that targeted civilians from both sides, including the latest attack in the Israeli city Tel Aviv that occurred Tuesday night, which resulted in the death of five persons.

The king noted that Herzog's visit is an opportunity for thorough discussions about how to move forward with efforts to attain just and lasting peace that ushers in a bright future for all away from violence and crises.

King Abdullah pointed out that the Middle East has great potential for economic cooperation and integration, and such a process should include all and should not exclude the Palestinians.

For his part, the Israeli president stressed the importance of going forward with partnership and dialogue to attain peace and prosperity for all the nations in the region, including the Palestinians.

Herzog also underscored the importance of allowing the practice of religious rituals in peace and security, adding that Israel is in dialogue with Jordan to ensure achieving this objective.

On Tuesday, the king received Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz and reiterated that maintaining calm requires respecting the rights of Muslims to worship at Al-Aqsa Mosque, removing any impediments that prevent them from praying there, and stopping provocations that could lead to escalation.

Earlier this month, King Abdullah reaffirmed the necessity to intensify efforts to achieve just and comprehensive peace between Israel and Palestine on the basis of the two-state solution during a meeting with visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. 
After multiple solar flares were set off on the Sun, NOAA predicts three big geomagnetic storms that will strike the Earth starting today. NASA has explained what can happen.

The Earth is going to be bombarded by multiple geomagnetic storms in the coming days. On Monday, March 28, the Sun witnessed an intense period of solar activity which produced multiple M and C-class solar flares. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stated that resultant geomagnetic storms will hit the Earth starting today, March 30. More solar storms are expected on March 31 and April 1st. According to scientists, the next few days will see more solar activity and further intense solar storms should be expected. The more frequent geomagnetic storm strike is related to the particularly active solar region AR2975, which came into the Earths view last week. Since then, it has produced 6 M-class solar flares, 10+ C-class solar flares, and two halo CMEs, with more expected in coming days. This is a very concerning situation because if the Sun unleashes a G5 class geomagnetic storm, it can cause massive destruction.

Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here. Also read:

Among the geomagnetic storms bound to hit the Earth, one is a G3 class storm which can cause moderate damage to satellites and communications systems. This particular solar storm will hit the Earth on March 31 and NOAA has issued a strong geomagnetic storm watch alert for it. Dr. C. Alex Young, a NASA heliophysicist explained, NOAA has updated its March 31 geomagnetic storm watch to G3 with a G1 watch for March 30 and a G2 watch for April 1. Waiting for those to CMEs to get to us. Then maybe aurora as far south as e.g. Illinois, New York, and Oregon in the US.

Massive geomagnetic storms bound for Earth

As the solar activity on the Sun intensifies due to approaching solar maximum, the solar storms have been increasing in frequency. In the last week we witnessed a couple of G1 class geomagnetic storms which only resulted in auroras or northern lights. But this time around, G2 and G3 class solar storms will also be hitting Earth. While they arent the worst when it comes to disrupting the communication systems and damaging the satellites, they are still capable of it. The worst concern is if the solar activities get more severe, we might even be headed for a G5 geomagnetic storm like the extremely destructive Carrington event.

What can a powerful geomagnetic storm do

A strong geomagnetic storm can not only damage satellites in its path due to heat and radiation which can affect the sensitive instruments, but also disrupt GPS systems, mobile phones, internet services and even electricity grids. This impacts everything from airlines navigation systems to hospitals and emergency services. While a severe solar storm is still not going to harm humans directly, their attack on our technology can definitely cripple us and cause massive devastation. Humans are protected from solar storms by Earth's atmosphere, but the same does not apply to electronics.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

In a low-light Culver City, California control room, Lily Shaw is getting her pilot mood on.

A can of mint Guayaki Yerba Mate sits near her carefully manicured fingers. "Good jams to get pumped" from alt rock band Slothrust blast on her earbuds. Horn-rimmed, blue-light filtering glasses protect her eyes. Her favored chartreuse Xbox controller stands ready to command her laptop.

Shaw is set for her mission: piloting an order of burritos and doughnuts along Santa Monica sidewalks to a hungry customer.

It's not exactly "Top Gun," but Shaw's job at delivery startup Coco highlights a little-known fact about the autonomous delivery robot industry, which is projected to mushroom in growth over the next few years. Those cute sidewalk-traveling ice chests on wheels aren't completely autonomous, unlike the Roomba roaming your house.

For all their AI and other advanced technology, such sidewalk robotssuddenly all over certain neighborhoods and college campusesare backed by armies of human minders who track the last-mile delivery vehicles the way parents hover over toddlers taking their first steps. These behind-the-scenes workers monitor, drive, troubleshoot, rescue andwhen things go terribly wrongmay hop on a bike or scooter to complete the delivery themselves.

California has become a proving ground for several sidewalk delivery robot startups like Coco, which was born two years ago in the living room of UCLA alumni Zach Rash and Brad Squicciarini, both now 24 and riding a pandemic-related desire for contact-free delivery. A recent partnership with Segway is promising to unleash thousands of the pink vehicles in multiple cities.

Another California startup, Kiwibot, also employs remote vehicle operators, while San Francisco-based Starship Technologies has designed its sidewalk delivery bots to mosey along on their own but with employees tracking every move via computer screen and grabbing control when needed.

This off-road race to compete with Uber Eats, DoorDash and other delivery companies that rely on gig workers is hindered by currently available self-driving technology, not to mention gaping sidewalk cracks. But it's getting a big assist from the shortage of people willing to take gig-delivery work for the money offered.

"There's a huge demand for delivery to people's homes. Unfortunately there is a shortage of drivers for most types of delivery," says Satyandra K. Gupta, director of USC's Center for Advanced Manufacturing.

The demand for drivers "cannot be met at a cost that businesses are willing to pay. So the only option out of this is basically doing delivery by robots," Gupta says.

Building a truly autonomous vehicle is definitely a work in progress.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has adopted a six-point standard for driving autonomy that applies to self-driving cars on public roads as well as 2-foot-tall delivery robots on sidewalks.

The scale starts at zero, where the vehicle must be human-controlled at all times, like Coco's delivery bots. The scale tops out at level 5, where the vehicle drives itself and can go anywhere under all conditions. That's what carmakers and Alphabet's Waymo are striving for with self-driving passenger vehicles and freight delivery trucks.

Starship Technologies bots land at level 4. Chief Executive Alastair Westgarth says the robots can find their way along most routes and can even climb curbs. Human intervention comes into play only when the bot finds something it doesn't expect or when mayhem ensues.

(Despite the internet's collection of bots getting into hilarious trouble, the delivery companies all note that the low-mass, low-speed vehicles are designed with safety in mind and have operated without serious harm to people or property.)

"Say it finds a piece of construction equipment that wasn't there before. It's not on the maps. The robot doesn't recognize it," Westgarth says.

At first, the bot will assess the situation on its own.

"If it knows a way around that obstruction, even if it doesn't know what the obstruction is, it will do that by itself," Westgarth says. "If it cannot figure that out, it calls home." A human, who had been watching the bot remotely, takes over.

Still, some obstacles take a long time to master. Trains, for instance. Starship's bots were completely flummoxed by things first blocking the way and then suddenly gone.

"A train could be half a mile long and to the robot, it looks like a wall," Westgarth says.

"We had to figure out algorithms for the radar to give us a continuous velocity read, also allow us to identify the wheels. Then we could build the logic: It's a train. You're going to be waiting for a while. Wait for an indication that the train is gone, see if anything else is in the way and then, it can cross. The system learns."

Each Starship bot comes equipped with six wheels, an AMD Ryzen processor, radar, cameras, lights, speakers that allow the bot to talk and an illuminated flag on a pole, which makes the vehicle more visible as it navigates across roads and among pedestrians. The bot voice and flag also help amplify the cute factor, like a cartoon character crossed with a grade-schooler's souped-up bike.

Being adorable isn't just a marketing tactic, it's an integral part of the companies' efforts to increase acceptance and ensure the little vehicles' safety from human ire. Robot designers have added features that allow the vehicles to communicate with pedestrians using LED screens, pre-recorded messages and emoji-like eyes.

Online videos show robot rescuers having emotional reactions when Starship bots respond with a chipper "Thank you. Have a nice day!" People wave. Children follow them down the street.

Although the robots' friendly appearance is what customers recall, their creation involves serious science.

"You have a mixture of artists, engineers, operations people, businesspeople working in tandem, just so you can see a robot deliver a burrito, which I think is pretty fascinating," says Kiwibot co-founder David Rodriguez, 28, who first tested the company's remote piloting technology in 2017 at the UC Berkeley Sky Deck Acceleration Program using a Hot Wheels-size vehicle.

Although sidewalk delivery was boosted by pandemic lockdown orders, the businesses like to highlight how bots help reduce pollution and climate change.

Rash and his Coco co-founder are avid surfers who, tired of all the trash they'd see on the water, wanted to do something that might help the environment.

"It was a little depressing to think that the future was going to involve 4,000-pound, 3,000-pound cars driving in circles a couple blocks all day, every day just to deliver food," Rash says.

Back at Coco's Culver City office, Lily Shaw is piloting a delivery from Alfalfa, a Santa Monica restaurant. Co-owner Dan Londono says he was attracted by the time savings.

"One of the key benefits is speed, as we are able to send the food out to our nearby customers in the Coco robots as soon as the order is ready and not wait for drivers to arrive," he says.

Despite the pandemic's Great Resignation and resulting worker shortage, Coco has managed to create enthusiasm within a largely untapped workforce: Generation Z. The company's young squadron of about 150 pilotsdubbed "Coconauts"offers something parents around the world have told their teens not to expect in real life: a paying job with "experience playing racing video games" listed as a requirement.

"As a Coconaut, you'll join an elite team: the pilots of our remotely-operated robot fleet," Coco's standard pilot job listing says. "Once you've completed a brief training, you can enter your virtual robot cockpit, accept jobs, and deliver items to our customers. Get paid to drive robots!"

But there's a catch. Leave your urban mayhem Grand Theft Auto techniques at the door. Coconauts must drive their robots "carefully and responsibly."

Coco's remote pilots earn more than U.S. minimum wage, Rash says, declining to be more specific.

Kiwibot's drivers might work in foreign countries, earning less than U.S. minimum wage. That ignited a brief controversy at UC Berkeley, the Daily Californian reported in 2019, because students were concerned Kiwibot pilots in Colombia were earning the equivalent of $2 an hour, which a company representative said was higher than Colombia's minimum wage.

One trick to piloting is getting used to the viewpointabout the height of a small dog. Shaw's four video cameras show humans as giants and bigger canines as hippo-size. People rushing past look as if they are going to run right over the bot. Sidewalk signs appear as tank barricades. Swinging doors look like a glass building is suddenly coming at you.

"I've driven through worse," shrugs Shaw, untroubled, except, maybe, for those doors. "Someone will open them just as I'm passing by and they could get me," she says, speaking as if she were the bot. "You've got to be careful."

Before they start piloting, Coco workers receive 30 hours of paid training, something that was essential for Shaw, who is one of the few pilots without a console gaming background. She was a little nervous at first but began playing video games in her off hours "and when I did that, I noticed that I was definitely becoming more skilled at piloting bots."

Most of the other pilots are like Cole Green, 21, a gamer who rivals Tom Brady for sport longevity. Green, who is studying sociology at Santa Monica College, has been playing on XBox since he was 7. In effect, he's had an apprenticeship for bot controlling that has lasted two-thirds of his life.

"The gaming made it much easier for me, I already knew about how to handle lags in the timing and how to react and what to do," Green says. "The gaming is definitely harder than piloting the bots."

Coco pilot trainer Max Lopez drills in the basics: "Always stop at driveways. Always defer to pedestrians. If there is a crowd approaching, just back off to the side and let them pass. And be prepared when children and dogs take a keen interest in the bot."

Sometimes, it's more than a keen interest.

"The biggest obstructions are people trying to take selfies with the bots," says Carl Hansen, Coco's vice president of government relations.

YouTube brims with videos of people trying to prank or harm bots. One shows kids on scooters zooming ahead of a bot and laying down the scooters in its path, just to see the bot maneuver around the obstacle.

"I've had that happen to me," Shaw says, doing the bot meld thing again.

Shaw likes that it's a job she is allowed to do from anywhere. The pay is enough to be comfortable, especially for a student.

"That's really nice," she says. "My parents are thrilled that I'm earning money doing this."

Explore further Robots hit the streets as demand for food delivery grows

2022 Los Angeles Times.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Germany hopes cow manure can contribute to efforts to cut the country's dependence on Russian gas.

As Germany scrambles to reduce its dependence on Russian energy, the pungent fumes from the manure and other organic waste in Peter Kaim's farm could be part of the solution.

An hour's drive west of Berlin, a strong smell emanates from three large cylinders in the middle of a muddy field on Kaim's property shared with 100 dairy cows.

Every day, tonnes of organic wastemainly manure, corn and grassare poured into these receptacles.

In a process called "methanisation" fuelled by bacteria, the organic matter is transformed into gas.

This mini power plant supplies heating to about 20 homes in the village of Ribbeck, known for a pear tree whose praises the beloved 19th century writer Theodor Fontane once sang in a classic poem.

Everything "comes 100 percent from our farm", Kaim told AFP.

The farmer prides himself on "independent" energy production against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, and calls on the state to "adopt simpler authorisation procedures" to help biogas become a bigger part of the mix in Germany.

Like this operator, the entire biogas sector sees its chance in the current crisis as Berlin looks to quickly curb its dependence on Moscow for energy.

Before the Ukraine war, Germany imported 55 percent of its natural gas from Russia, half its coal and around 35 percent of its oil.

In a sign that their message is being heard, the German government announced this month its desire to "increase the production of 'green' gas", as part of moves to boost resilience in the face of rising energy prices.

German farmer Peter Kaim's biogas operation supplies heating to about 20 homes in the village of Ribbeck.

2/3 of Nord Stream

For the moment, biogas accounts for only one percent of consumption in Europe's top economy.

"We could immediately increase our production by 20 percent, and replace five percent of Russian gas, if some regulatory barriers were lifted tomorrow," Horst Seide, president of the German federation of biogas producers, told AFP.

A concerted effort to boost the sector would allow it in the long term "to produce two-thirds of the capacity of Nord Stream 2", the gas pipeline project which Berlin suspended after last month's Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to the industry group.

The history of biogas in Germany goes back decades. In the early 2000s, the country threw its weight behind the sector, making it a European leader.

Half of the continent's methanisers are located in Germany.

But beginning in 2014, the German government reversed course, deciding to curb the production capacity of the industry with a complex system of targeted subsidies.

Biogas faced questions about its environment impact but the industry says it has learned from its mistakes.

The main objection stemmed from the massive industrialisation of the sector, which posed serious environmental problems linked to the increased risks of water pollution and leakage of polluting gas.

A land grab for energy use to the detriment of food production has also been a cause of concern.

The agriculture ministry says 14 percent of Germany's farmland is already used for the generation of energy.

As a result of disincentives, the opening of new biogas facilities has declined sharply, from 1,526 in 2013 to 94 in 2014, just after the regulatory change, to a mere 60 in 2021.

'Food insecurity'

The sector says it has learned from its mistakes and wants to be part of the solution when it comes to pulling away from Russian gas, calling for regulations to be loosened.

However, some experts are sceptical.

The German government announced this month its desire to "increase the production of 'green' gas", as part of moves to boost resilience in the face of rising energy prices.

"In a future context of food insecurity due to the war in Ukraine, it is complicated to defend an increase in biogas production using the current model," Michael Sterner, an energy researcher at the University of Regensburg, told AFP.

The expansion of production can be done in a "decentralised" way using small installations and "sustainable raw materials", responds Ingo Baumstark, spokesman for the federation of gas producers.

The industry says it wants to abandon maize monocultures dedicated exclusively to energy production to focus on residue and waste from agricultural production.

But such a model, an improvement from an environmental point of view, would require a colossal logistical operation.

Currently 80 percent of the organic matter used for biogas in Germany comes from plants grown exclusively for this purpose, according to the German Environment Agency.

Explore further Producing ethylene from food waste without greenhouse gas emissions

 2022 AFP
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

UCLA environmental law professor Sean Hecht was walking across the campus one recent night when he photographed a uniquely modern urban transport scene: a snarl of food delivery robots that couldn't figure out a way around a pile of discarded electric scooters.

Bystanders tried to help by moving the scooters but became irritated at the lack of response, probably not realizing that the Starship Technologies botsdeferential to their AMD Ryzen coresweren't going to budge until the humans stopped crossing back and forth in front of them.

"One student said, 'We're trying to help you here,' which I thought was amazing," Hecht said. But also, "people were asking why they didn't just break the robots and steal the food."

"Difficult situation on campus," Hecht tweeted wryly. "Traffic jam of automated food delivery robots, apparently all stuck behind a carelessly discarded scooter. I just observed a couple of students clearing a path out of pity for the robots. This is our future, I guess."

Twitter jumped on Hecht's post with enthusiasm: pro- and anti-bot, pro- and anti-scooters, anti-lazy students who couldn't just get their own food. Some said they would have helped the bots. Others said, no way, no help. Some joked about turning the bots over onto their backs.

It's not easy being a delivery bot in America.

They have been rage-kicked by angry pedestrians, urinated on by dogs, whacked by heavy glass doors, pranked and blocked with mischievously placed barricades. They've been left stuck in ditches and banned, on and off, by cities including San Francisco and New York, concerned about sidewalk congestion and job loss, among other things.

They've become popular subjects of online fail videos showing them crashing down stairs, crashing into a fire hydrant and shooting up a ramp too fast. And crashing.

That's why, as delivery bots proliferate and new robot startups enter the already crowded field, companies have gone out of their way to seek municipal and university approvals to operate their delivery bots. The companies have joined urban planning groups and offered to report problems such as dangerous sidewalks, partly in an effort to avoid the municipal pushback encountered by Bird and other electric scooter startups.

As Kiwibot co-founder David Rodriguez put it: "We've started working on new ways in which we can use our sensors and cameras for palpable digital mapping of the public right of ways." Carl Hansen, government relations head at Los Angeles-based Coco, put it a little more accessibly: "We're notifying [cities] about obstacles on the streets, sidewalks that are in bad shape and might cause injuries."

It's all part of a charm offensive portraying bots as safe, polite, cute and deferential. Some companies' models have LED screens that can display messages and emoji (like shocking pink heart eyes); some are able to talk to pedestrians to offer free samples or ask for help pressing a traffic signal's push button, for instance.

"It's important that we help prepare cities for our bots," Rodriguez said. "What we're doing now is working together in terms of regulation so that this happens in a coordinated way, not the way that electric scooter companies did it. It's better to seek permission than ask for forgiveness."

Kiwibot has been serving as one of the mobility innovators working with L.A.'s Urban Movement Labs, a public-private partnership where companies, communities and local government work together, as the group's lofty language says, "to make Los Angeles the transportation innovation capital of the world."

"We are also working with Carnegie Mellon University to provide some advice on what kind of bots would be most appropriate for urban settings," Rodriguez said. "We need to have small robots that are not going to compete with wheelchair users or cause right-of-way problems. And the top speed of a robot, we think, shouldn't be more than the speed of a human walking."

The companies spend a significant amount of FAQ real estate talking about all sorts of potential safety and privacy concerns.

Starship Technologies' answer to "Are Starship robots safe for pedestrians?": "Absolutely!" Starship notes that its robots have traveled more than 4 million miles in 20 countries and 100-plus cities, encountering millions of people.

Coco assures that "video data is securely stored on the devices and deleted every day. It would only be reviewed in the event of an accident or other emergency."

As co-executive director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the UCLA School of Law, Hecht has more than a passing interest in these things. Determining the effects of bots and scooters, both positive and negative, is not a simple task.

"If it turns out that scooters are mostly replacing walking trips, then there is no environmental benefit and people get less exercise," Hecht said. "For delivery robots, it's a matter of convenience for people, but I think there are plenty of cases where it probably is a little silly for somebody to get something delivered in a robot if they could walk a quarter of a mile and order the same thing."

2022 Los Angeles Times.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
One of the cells fabricated at CSU during characterization. The white beam is the bias light ("the sun"), the red dot is the probe laser. Credit: Onno et al.

So far, solar cells based on polycrystalline cadmium selenide telluride (CdSeTe) have exhibited some crucial limitations, despite their low fabrication costs and advantageous qualities. Most notably, these solar cells exhibit higher voltage losses than other mature photovoltaic technologies (crystalline silicon, for example) and this considerably impairs their performance and efficiency.

Researchers at Arizona State University (ASU), Colorado State University (CSU), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and First Solar Inc. have recently carried out a study aimed at better understanding the reasons for the voltage deficits observed in CdSeTe solar cells. Their paper, published in Nature Energy, offers new insight that could help engineers to improve the performance of these solar cells in the future.

"The idea for this project came to us during a previous partnership with CSU," Arthur Onno, Assistant Research Professor at ASU, told TechXplore. "Our team, which has its roots in silicon photovoltaic (PV) solar cells, is accustomed to parsing losses (including voltage losses) to identify what is the issue limiting the efficiency of our cells and guide their optimization (think about identifying the low hanging fruits). We realized that the CdSeTe community did not have similar techniques to systematically parse voltage and efficiency losses and were having a blind spot when trying to optimize their solar cells."

While reviewing past efforts aimed at creating CdSeTe solar cells, Onno and his colleagues observed that often engineers developing these technologies associated voltage losses with the malfunctioning or limitations of specific cell components. However, very few studies tried to clearly identify the mechanisms behind observed voltage losses or quantify their impact.

To fill this gap in the literature, the researchers used an optical, non-destructive and contact-less technique, called External Radiative Efficiency (ERE) measurement. ERE is a valuable metric that describes how good a solar cell is at reemitting absorbed light at open circuit (when current is not extracted from it). Thus, it quantifies how reversible the conversion of the solar resource into an electrochemical potential is.

Onno and his colleagues collected ERE measurements on CdSeTe cells developed at CSU. Interestingly, they found that the primary mechanism limiting their voltage is not recombination on defects within the bulk of the cell, as engineers creating CdSeTe cells have long assumed, but instead an issue with selectivity. More specifically, the team observed that a non-negligible fraction of electrons inside the cell appeared to move in the "wrong" direction and thus canceled each other's charge while leaving the cell.

"This finding is important, as it will hopefully broaden the approach that the CdSeTe community (industry included) takes to improve their devices, with a deeper physical understanding of why the voltage of CdSeTe solar cells is not higher," Onno said. "This is both a significant problem and a significant opportunity: as of right now, CdSeTe lags behind most established solar cell technologies in terms of voltage losses, which is a problem, but with the biggest headroom for improvement, which is an opportunity."

A solar cell's structure consists of a light-absorbing material sandwiched between semi-permeable membranes, which are known as "contacts." The key function of these membranes is to ensure that excited electrons leave the absorbing layer from only one of the two electrodes in the cells, and that they only come back into the cell from the other. When this does not happen (i.e., if electrons exit or enter the cell from the "wrong" electrode), energy is lost.

"In the absorber, bound electrons get excited into a free electron-hole pair when they absorb photons (particles of light)," Onno explained. "The electron-hole pair needs to get back to the bound (ground) state eventually, we cannot 'pump' them with light into the excited free electron-hole pair state indefinitely, there is and must be a reciprocal process called recombination. This recombination can happen in the absorber, in that case the energy of the absorbed photon is lost, or we can gather the electron at an electrode, use some of the energy in the form of electricity to power a load, and bring back the electron through the other electrode at the other end of the cell where it will recombine with a free hole."

The experimental method used by Onno and his colleagues allowed them to access the internal voltage of CdSeTe cells. A cell's internal voltage is the difference in free energy (i.e., chemical potential) between populations of electrons and holes within the absorber.

"If electrons and holes recombine through defects in the bulk of the absorber or at interfaces, this internal voltage decreases," Onno said. "So, the internal voltage is a measure of how defects reduce your voltage from the ideal thermodynamic limit. The external voltage, on the other hand, corresponds to the internal voltage minus voltage losses due to the semi-permeable membranes being imperfect (i.e., losses due to electrons exiting at the wrong electrode or coming back at the wrong electrode)."

When a cell's semi-permeable membranes are operating perfectly, its internal and external voltages match. If they are malfunctioning, however, the external voltage is lower than the internal voltage.

"In extreme cases, you can imagine a symmetric structure where the semi-permeable membranes are the same on both sides," Onno explained. "In this case, symmetry dictates that the potential will be the same on both sides of the cell and the external voltage will be zero even if your internal voltage is high. The catch is that the external voltage can easily be measured with a voltmeter, but the internal voltage is trickier to access."

One of the most notable achievements of the recent work by this team of researchers is that they introduced a simple method to measure the internal voltage of solar cells. This allowed them to shed more light on the mechanisms underlying voltage losses in CdSeTe solar cells.

"With the support of a $1.5 million research grant that we received from the U.S. Department of Energy, we first developed the technique and showed that it worked well on silicon, a well-known material system on which we could easily cross-checked our results with state-of-the-art techniques," Onno added. "Then, with our collaborators at NREL and CSU, we started looking into CdSeTe solar cells fabricated at CSU, with the goal of comparing their internal and the external voltages. 3 years of work, 75 samples fabricated, and close to 900 solar cells measured later, we came to the conclusions outlined in our paper."

The researchers also collaborated with First Solar, the largest U.S.-based solar module manufacturer. First Solar sent them solar cell samples with different doping concentrations, which they could use to validate some of their findings.

In their experiments, Onno and his colleagues found that contacts to CdSeTe solar cells are not necessarily perfect, as many researchers assumed, as they often contribute to voltage losses in the devices. In addition, the results of their analyses suggest that the bulk absorber in these cells is highly promising, but its performance is not fully realized without excellent semi-permeable membranes.

"Finally, we found that Se and As alloying have detrimental material effects that limit the achievable voltage independent of the other sources of losses," Onno said. "Understanding the origin of this issue and mitigating it will be key to push the CdSeTe technology further."

In the future, the methodology used by Onno and his colleagues could be employed by other teams to investigate the factors causing voltage losses in a variety of different solar cells. In addition, the findings gathered in this study could help to design more efficient cells based on CdSeTe.

The researchers are currently working to make the technique they developed available to other research teams and companies worldwide, for instance by building a replica of their measurement technique that could be used by solar cell manufacturers. Their work recently received additional funding from the State of Arizona's New Economy Initiative (NEI).

"We now plan to extend our research to other photovoltaic absorbers, such as perovskites, which are a hot research topic right now," Onno concluded. "We also plan to use the technique on silicon solar cells because, as opposed to other similar charaterization techniques, our technique can be used on any type of samples (e.g., unfinished cell precursor, finished device, cells encapsulated in modules, etc.). For example, we can imagine taking a module that has been producing power in the field for 20 years and investigating it with our technique."

Explore further Engineering research equips solar industry for improved performance

More information: Arthur Onno et al, Understanding what limits the voltage of polycrystalline CdSeTe solar cells, Nature Energy (2022). Journal information: Nature Energy Arthur Onno et al, Understanding what limits the voltage of polycrystalline CdSeTe solar cells,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41560-022-00985-z

 2022 Science X Network
The VinFast VF e36 is shown at the AutoMobility LA auto show Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, in Los Angeles. VinFast announced plans Tuesday, March 29, 2022, to build a plant in North Carolina to manufacture electric vehicles, promising to bring 7,500 jobs. Credit: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File

A Vietnamese automaker announced plans Tuesday to build a plant in North Carolina to manufacture electric vehicles, promising to bring 7,500 jobs and ending the state's streak of near-misses for landing carmakers.

VinFast will build its first North American plant in Chatham County southwest of Raleigh, with production expected to start in 2024. It expects to employ 7,500 by 2027 with average salaries of $51,000, according to the state Commerce Department.

"VinFast's transformative project will bring many good jobs to our state, along with a healthier environment as more electric vehicles take to the road to help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement.

The company is expected to invest $4 billion in building the plant on a nearly 2,000-acre (800-hectare) site about a 30-minute drive southwest of Raleigh. The plant is planned to be able to manufacture 150,000 cars per year. The state has agreed to use job development grants to reimburse $316 million over 32 years if it hits job-creation and investment goals. The state is also planning to provide as much as $450 million for site preparation, road improvements and other infrastructure work.

A release from the state Commerce Department said the manufacturer considered sites in 12 states before narrowing its search to North Carolina and a site in Savannah, Georgia. The release said the workforce, incentives and site preparation were key factors in its choice.

"North Carolina's strong commitments in building a clean energy economy, fighting climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in transportation make it an ideal location for VinFast to develop its premium, smart and environmentally friendly EVs," VinFast Global CEO Le Thi Thu Thuy said in a statement.

The United Auto Workers union has plans to organize workers at the new VinFast plant, as well as other electric vehicle and battery factories that are locating in Southern states, union President Ray Curry said Tuesday. The union has funding available now to start organizing efforts, Curry told the Automotive Press Association in Detroit.

The union, he said, already has a presence in North Carolina.

"We believe that we are the preferred union," Curry said. "We are the auto workers, and our goal would be to be able to represent any auto work assembly that would take place in the country, especially EVs that are transforming right now."

The UAW also will try to organize Ford and General Motors battery plants in Kentucky and Tennessee, as well as factories run by Tesla and electric vehicle startup Rivian. Both have plants that were represented by the union under previous owners. Such campaigns, depending on their duration, could cost tens of millions of dollars, he said.

Gov. Roy Cooper sits inside a VinFast VF8 electric car Tuesday, March 29, 2022, outside the Raleigh Convention Center, in Raleigh, N.C., following an announcement that the company will build a manufacturing facility in neighboring Chatham County. Credit: Travis Long/The News & Observer via AP

Landing the car manufacturing plant is considered a major accomplishment for Cooper, legislative leaders and economic recruiters following a series of disappointments stretching back decades.

In the early 1990s, North Carolina lost out to South Carolina for BMW's first full-service factory outside of Germany, then later to Alabama, which landed Mercedes-Benz's SUV plant. More recently, the state fell short in competing for new plants by Tesla and Rivian Automotive.

Freightliner already operates truck production plants in North Carolina, and Volvo Trucks' North America headquarters is based in Greensboro.

The VinFast plant acquisition is the latest in a string of significant economic victories for the state over the past 12 months.

Apple announced plans last April to build its first East Coast campus in Research Triangle Park between Raleigh and Durham, creating 3,000 new jobs over the next decade.

Toyota revealed in December it will build a $1.3 billion battery plant near Greensboro that will employ at least 1,750 people and help fulfill the automaker's plans to drastically increase electric vehicle sales in the U.S.

And Boom Supersonic announced in January that Greensboro would be the home for its first full-scale manufacturing facility for next-generation supersonic passenger jets. That also comes with a goal of more than 2,400 new jobs by 2032.

VinFast is part of Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, which is providing capital to expand electric vehicle sales to the U.S. and eventually Europe. The company already is selling vehicles with internal combustion engines and electric powertrains in Vietnam.

In November, the company introduced the VF e35 midsize and VF e36 large electric SUVs at the Los Angeles Auto Show, but it did not reveal prices.

The company's former chief executive said last year that VinFast plans to start taking orders in the spring and delivering vehicles in the U.S. in the fall. Initially the SUVs would be built at a new factory in Vietnam, but VinFast was planning to build a U.S. factory that would start producing in the second half of 2024.

VinFast, with a U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles, plans to sell vehicles through its own network of stores, with much of the order process done online. Already the company has plans for 60 stores in California alone. It also will have some service centers and mobile service.

Explore further Electric vehicles get spotlight at Los Angeles Auto Show

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Air New Zealand passenger planes parked on the tarmac at Auckland International Airport in Auckland, New Zealand, Wednesday, March 23, 2022. New Zealand's flagship airline on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, announced a plan to raise $1.5 billion to hire more staff, buy new planes and expand its routes as it seeks to rebuild from deep losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Baker, File

New Zealand's flagship airline on Wednesday announced a plan to raise $1.5 billion to hire more staff, buy new planes and expand its routes as it seeks to rebuild from deep losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Air New Zealand's shares were put in a temporary trading halt ahead of the announcement. As well as being used to invest in the business, some of the new money would be used to pay back government loans.

Under the plan, the airline would raise 2.2 billion New Zealand dollars ($1.5 billion). About 55% of the new money would come from an offer to existing shareholders, under which they can buy new shares at a steep discount to the last trading price.

The rest of the money would come from the government through redeemable shares and new loan financing. The New Zealand government currently owns 51% of the airline, a ratio that won't change under the plan.

When the pandemic hit, Air New Zealand responded by cutting back its flights by 95% and slashing thousands of jobs, reducing its workforce by nearly one-third.

For two years, New Zealand imposed some of the world's toughest border restrictions, extinguishing a once-thriving international tourism industry.

Domestic flights have recovered somewhat but the airline still expects to lose about NZ$800 million this year.

The government announced earlier this month it will reopen to tourists from the U.S. and many other countries by May 1 as the pandemic threat recedes.

Airline Chief Executive Greg Foran said its top priorities were to grow its domestic business, optimize its international routes and grow its loyalty program.

Chairperson Therese Walsh said that despite the cutbacks, the airline had been able to keep the nation connected throughout the pandemic, allowing New Zealanders to return home, bringing in vital supplies and keeping its export markets running.

"While we know there are still bumpy skies ahead, the timing is right for us to position the airline for recovery," Walsh said.

Last week the airline announced it had started selling tickets for direct flights to and from New York, a new route that will take more than 17 hours southbound and be among the longest nonstop flights in the world.

Air New Zealand had intended to start the route from Auckland to John F. Kennedy International Airport in 2020, but then the pandemic hit. The first flights will now begin in September.

Explore further Air New Zealand unveils huge loss, warns worse to come

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Women's Rowing March 30, 2022 North Carolinas Second Varsity Four Earns ACC Crew of the Week

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) - Following a strong showing at the Virginia Invitational, North Carolinas Second Varsity Four has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Crew of the Week.



The crew finished nearly 20 seconds ahead of the second-place boat on Saturday at the UVA Invitational. The Tar Heels Second Varsity Four clocked a time of 9:35.50 to defeat No. 20 Tennessee, which recorded a time of 9:55.10.



It was North Carolinas spring season debut, as the squad turned in a strong performance at the Rivanna Reservoir competing against the Volunteers and UCF.



The Tar Heels return to action on Saturday, April 2, when they compete against Bucknell, Boston College, and George Washington at the Bucknell River Complex in Shamokin Dam, Pennsylvania.



Crew Members

Second Varsity Four

Coxswain: Lauren Walsh

Hannah Davis

Jacqueline Orza

Amelia Locklear

Bow: Jessica Judge


TEHRAN, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian foreign minister said Wednesday that the United States must give up its excessive demands so that "strenuous efforts in Vienna to get all sides to return to their commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal will pay off."

Hossein Amir Abdollahian made the remarks in a meeting with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on the sidelines of a gathering of foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbors in China, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry's website.

Elaborating on the present situation of the negotiations in the Austrian capital, the Iranian foreign minister said the achievement of an agreement in the talks hinges on Washington's adoption of a realistic approach.

In terms of bilateral ties between Iran and Qatar, Amir Abdollahian called for expanding bilateral economic cooperation, and following up on the implementation of the previously signed agreements.

For his part, the Qatari foreign minister underlined the need for further activation of bilateral relations, praising Iran for its active participation in Doha Forum international conference.

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, eight rounds of talks have been held in the Austrian capital between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties, namely China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany, with the United States indirectly involved, to revive the deal. 
For Michelle Setlik, the partnership between Central Community College and University of Nebraska at Kearney announced Monday could have changed the course of her own life.

Now Setliks own students will have an opportunity she didnt.

Setlik, the associate dean of Business and Entrepreneurship at CCCs Grand Island and Columbus campuses, said the business pathway program allows students pursuing one of three associates degree at CCC to transfer seamlessly toward a bachelors degree at UNK upon graduation.

I wish this had been an opportunity when I was a student, Setlik said. When she graduated from high school, Setlik had been accepted into UNK. She was a first-generation college student.

I didnt really know how to navigate, my parents didnt really know how to navigate, Setlik said. I ended up coming here to CCC and got my associates degree in business, but there was no clear pathway back to UNK.

Setlik still obtained her bachelors degree.

But this would have been a great opportunity, she said.

Students can begin their post-high school diploma studies at CCC, and take a prescribed path to take courses at CCC that will give them not only their associates degree, but a seamless transfer directly into UNKs bachelors degree in business program  whichever business college path they choose.

Students who take advantage of the pathway program complete their first 60 credit hours through CCC, which offers an associate of applied science degree in business administration through its Columbus, Grand Island, Hastings and Kearney locations. Theres also an online option and a night program that combines online and in-person classes, with CCC students meeting one night a week at the Columbus, Grand Island or Hastings campus.

The business pathway between CCC and UNK is the second program launched by the schools as part of the Equity Transfer Initiative, a two-year partnership aimed at increasing transfer and completion rates for Black, Hispanic, adult and first-generation learners. The national initiative is led by the American Association of Community Colleges in collaboration with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities.

UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen said the CCC-UNK working together has been successful.

We view this very much as an ongoing relationship continues to grow and get better, he said. Part of that relationship, Kristensen said, comes from the schools communities themselves.

These are significant relationships, Kristensen said. And the importance of the discussions that weve had about workforce development are real  our business educators in central, greater Nebraska are working together. Theyre addressing the needs of the business community, particularly the educational needs of the business community.

Setlik said while there are prescribed classes to move on to UNK under the program, there is still a lot of flexibility.

If they were already identified as being a business administration student, chances are theyre already well on their pathway. If theyre already a business student, chances are theyre already most of the way there, she said. But there might be some additional general elective classes that they would need to take to be able to stay on that path.

In a news release, Roxann Holliday, CCC dean of business and entrepreneurship, said: The combined years of experience in industry and academic excellence of CCCs faculty makes for robust and well-rounded programs for our students. She said CCC students have exceptional advocates in our faculty who have a passion to help students succeed in whatever path they choose.

After graduating from CCC, students take their final 60 credit hours at UNK, which offers a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. There are five emphasis areas to choose from: accounting, finance, management, marketing and supply chain management.

CCC President Matt Gotschall said the partnership between CCC and UNK could open doors for students, even if they are unsure as to what their educational future looks like.

Its great to have this additional pathway for our associate degree students to go on and get their bachelors  or masters or even Ph.D.s  in business and the whole time while working, living and contributing to Central Nebraska. I think thats just fantastic and really something that we have been growing to develop in this region, Gotschall said.

Setlik said students can enroll in the 2+2 partnership as soon as this fall.

Im most excited to see those first students come into the program and graduate and hear about them going on to UNK and their success stories, she said. And in five, six years be able to hear from them as being people working in our community and what an impact this program has made for them. Thats what I want to see. I want to see the impact that we have on our local workforce and in the lives of our students.

Setlik said she isnt sure where the 2+2 pathway would have taken her, but shes glad to have the opportunity to facilitate it for her own students.

Im excited to be back here at CCC in the role that I am, and leading the division that I was actually a student of myself. I think (the pathway) is going to change lives.

Jessica Votipka is the education reporter at the Grand Island Independent. She can be reached at 308-381-5420.

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.
Why is it that most children, generally speaking, seem to be intrigued or even mesmerized by music?

With adults, it's also curious how some of us are avid music lovers and others are more or less indifferent to the art form.

For myself, as a musician, and for many of you readers who also are musicians, we've likely encountered plenty of others who have no more than a polite, genteel interest in the music of which we're excited to talk about or perform.

Actually, the enjoyment of music  or rather, the lack thereof  has been identified as a medical condition. It's called musical anhedonia.

If you have "MA," then you're unable to derive pleasure from music. It means you can distinguish and understand music and the sounds you hear, but there's a disconnect between the pertinent associated parts of your brain the auditory cortex and mesolimbic or "reward" pathway.

But don't worry. Unless some unfortunate brain injury has befallen you, less than 5% of the population suffers from musical anhedonia.

Let's digress and consider why children enjoy what's known as children's music.

It could be a developmental thing. Child psychologists theorize that short, repetitive patterns are easy for children to grasp and remember. For instance, it's difficult to teach a kid the ABCs without the help of the "ABC song."

Some tunes also help children with their motor skills, and that's why the songs are remembered. For example, "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" allow kids to incorporate body awareness, self-control and coordination. Another song with hand movement is "Itsy Bitsy Spider"  do you remember that one?

There's also a scientific basis in music, such as a lullaby, being able to calm a crying baby. It can be soothing, affecting the emotional part of the brain  or limbic system  and lowering the heart rate.

But why do children respond and remember children's songs so effectively?

Child psychologists say it's because many of the tunes have easily-grasped concepts, like the "Baby Shark" song. Each verse mentions a different member of a family. If you haven't ever heard Baby Shark, please resist the urge to search and listen to it.

Another debatably annoying children's tune might be a song that's used to annoy prisoners or protesters "It's Raining Tacos."

"It's raining tacos, from out of the skies, no need to ask why, just open your mouth and close your eyes."

Oh, the imagery!

Children's tunes might also be memorable due to the repetitive nature. Consider songs from the Teletubbies, a British television series that originally aired from 1997 until 2001 but has been rebooted and still airs today.

The Teletubbies theme song happened to reach No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart and was in the Top 75 for 32 weeks. Some other associated tunes sung by Dipsy, La-La, Po and Tinky Winky include Running Away Dance, Dirty Knees and The Phone Dance. If you've ever seen the show, the four characters always need the song to be done a second time, insisting "again, again!"

Personally, I prefer the album of children's music put together by mandolinist David Grisman and Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia.

Released in 1993, "Not For Kids Only" includes mostly public domain Traditional songs like Arkansas Traveler, Jenny Jenkins, Hopalong Peter and Hot Corn Cold Corn. But it also has a catchy tune by Fiddlin' John Carson, called There Ain't No Bugs on Me.

My favorite on that record is the Irving Berlin "Teddy Bears Picnic," tenderly performed, featuring a warm, loving vocal performance by Garcia.

But perhaps the overall reason that both children and adults mostly enjoy a song equates with the adage "music soothes the savage beast."

That phrase came from a play written in the century after William Shakespeare, by English playwright William Congreve.

Congreve's 1697 tragedy "The Mourning Bride" also was the original source of a couple other common adages like "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" and "Heaven hath no rage like love turned to hatred."

That same play opens with a woman mourning the death of a loved one. With opening line of dialog, she laments "music has charms to sooth a savage breast, to soften rocks or bend a knotted oak.

How the word "breast" became "beast" in the popular adage is unknown, but the effect of music cannot be denied, whether youre a child or an adult.

Gary Gibula is an SIU alum, musician, writer, editor and author of the Music Historicity columns. He can be reached at gary@gratefulgary.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
CARBONDALE  A new park is planned for Carbondale east of the police department.

Founders Park will be located in a green space bound by East Mill Street on the south, South Lincoln Street on the east, East College Street on the north and South Marion Street on the west.

A presentation on the design of the park was given at the last Carbondale City Council meeting.

Tom Grant, city council member on the Founders Park Committee, said the park will sit on land where Carbondale College started. Carbondale College was the first institute of higher learning in the city of Carbondale, pre-dating SIU and the Civil War.

Southern Illinois Normal University was conceived about 1856. The university was chartered in 1869 and opened its doors to students in 1874. The name later changed to Southern Illinois University.

The area will have a band shell, public pavilion with tables, seven statues that tell the history of the property, and a parking lot along the Mill Street side of the park.

We are lucky to own the land that establishes a time and place that is unique to Carbondale, Grant said, adding that the park and history are good for promoting Carbondale.

Some of the history of the Carbondale included is the number of residents who died fighting for the Union during the Civil War.

Carbondale was a city of 1,050 and 55 people gave their life in the Civil War, Grant said.

The park will celebrate the trains that came through Carbondale and helped settle the town, and highlight Carbondale as a safe place for freed slaves.

We have an amazing history that tells a story, Ed Van Awken said.

I like it, but it doesnt need a parking lot, Councilman Adam Loos said, adding that there is parking nearby.

Grant said part of the reason for adding a parking lot was convenience. It also has space to bus parking, which could accommodate an act performing in the band shell.

The band shell can be used as a smaller venue than the one downtown or as a second concert site during a festival.

Nancy Maxwell said including a Union flag would bring about unpleasant memories for Black people.

Van Awken said the committee spent time with the members of Bethel AME Church.

The story is pretty successful and will bring us together, he said.

Plans are to fund the park through private donations. Fundraising plans are in the works but have not been released.

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.
State police investigators are working towards reducing its case backlog and crime solving by making continued forensic science improvements, ISP Director Brendan Kelly said during a recent press conference.

If we want to reduce crime, we have to solve crime, Kelly said. That's something that the governor says all the time and he's absolutely right. And to do that, we need to ensure that we are using sound forensic science, the most effective testing procedures, and the latest technology. Catching and prosecuting those who break the law can reduce and deter crime and forensic services are critical to that work.

ISP announced that they are building a new combined crime laboratory and administrative facility in Joliet and another lab in Decatur to continue to deliver complete and accurate crime scene evidence to more than 200 law enforcement agencies.

The buildings are possible through Rebuild Illinois, which is supplying $76.6 million to the project.

Governor JB Pritzker expressed his pride in the advancements at the press conference.

As governor, Ive been proud to champion new investments to solve crimes and advance justice for victims, survivors, and their families  including reducing the long-standing DNA backlog and funding the new forensics facility in Decatur, Pritzker said. The Forensic Science Commission has been an indispensable tool in our fight to solve crimes and pursue justice, and Im proud to bring these experts together to further improve our state systems.

The announcement was made at the first meeting of the Forensic Science Commission that will be charged with ensuring the efficient delivery of forensic science to help ensure justice for victims and those wrongly accused.

The commission will review all aspects and practices of forensic services with the goal of reducing or eliminating inefficiencies that contribute to backlogs and errors, according to a news release.

They will also focus on education, training, funding and hiring.

The Illinois State Police Division of Forensic Services has made tremendous improvements over the past several years resulting in reduced turnaround times for processing evidence and quicker justice for victims of crime, Kelly said. The Illinois Forensic Science Commission can help guide the future of forensic science in Illinois by identifying efficiencies, new technologies and methodologies, improving communications among stakeholders, and analyzing current policies and practices that impact the use of forensic evidence in the courts.

ISP has made several improvements to forensic services in the past year including reducing the total forensic backlog by 72% in two years, according to the news release.

From February 2019 to the end of 2021, specific reductions in the backlog that were achieved include:

52% firearms/toolmarks

56% toxicology

60% biology/DNA

62% trace chemistry (e.g. gunshot residue)

83% latent prints

89% drug chemistry

97% sexual assault evidence older than six months

Carrie Ward, CEO with Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, was very impressed by the progress ISP had made especially in sexual assault cases.

On behalf of sexual assault survivors across the state, the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault applauds the progress the Illinois State Police has made reducing the backlog of sexual assault evidence collection kits awaiting forensic analysis, Ward said. There have been significant steps forward in improving the efficiency of the analysis process. We appreciate the continued steps ISP and Director Kelly have taken to improve the system for survivors. ICASA looks forward to the eventual elimination of the backlog of untested kits, demonstrating these cases are being investigated and processed in the timely and efficient manner that survivors deserve.

Ward is also one of the new commission members.

To continue the work on sexual assault cases, ISP has implemented an online sexual assault tracking system that allows survivors of sexual assault to monitor their evidence online throughout the entire process from the collection at the hospital to the States Attorneys office.

The system can be accessed at https://isp.illinois.gov/Forensics/SexualAssaultEvidence.

ISP also launched a publicly available web-based dashboard to provide information on processing times and backlogs, which is available on the ISP Forensics Reports website at https://isp.illinois.gov/Forensics/Reports.

Other recent improvements to the ISP Division of Forensic Services includes hiring additional forensic scientists, utilizing of robotics and implementing new technology that allowed DFS to go paperless, which helped reduce the turnaround time for processing evidence.

The commission will also collect and analyze information, as well as evaluate the impact of current laws, rules, policies and practices on forensic crime laboratories.

Illinois Innocence Project retired Executive Director and new commission member, John Hanlon, was especially thrilled about this.

I am proud of the fact that our state has enacted legislation to create this Forensic Science Commission, as the work of the Commission will seek to enhance justice for both victims and defendants alike, Hanlon said. As an attorney whose work has often involved trying to remedy cases of wrongful convictions of the innocent, I know that countless innocent individuals have been sent to prison based on 'junk science,' i.e. forensic evidence which lacks proper scientific underpinnings. Improvements are also needed in the area of preservation of evidence with circuit clerks and law enforcement agencies in Illinois cities and counties. I look forward to working with the members of the Commission toward understandings and meaningful improvements in these areas and others.

The mission of the ISP DFS is to deliver complete, accurate and timely crime scene evidence collection and forensic analysis to every law enforcement agency within the state. With the new advancements, they hope to do just that.

Our continued investment in forensic services will help put criminals behind bars and bring justice to victims and exonerate those wrongfully accused, Kelly said. I am confident with the creation of this commission and the hard work of all those who make up the commission. We will continue to make tremendous strides and improving efficiency within the forensic science services field here in Illinois.

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.
WINDHOEK, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The traditional relations between Namibia and China have deepened over the years, translating to a strategic partnership that has yielded fruitful results, a local expert said Tuesday.

Lameck Odada, an economist at the Namibia University of Science and Technology, in an interview with Xinhua said that the two countries have built solid ties over the years through cooperation in sectors such as education, infrastructure development, agriculture, sports, trade and health, among others.

"If one observes closely, besides broader diplomatic ties and political mutual trust, the approach, key projects and programmes have been human-centric, impacting the lives of many locals," he said.

He said China's role in constructing major infrastructural development projects, including the port of Walvis Bay, road infrastructure, airport upgrading, rail and the dual carriage-way, has also strengthened and strategically positioned Namibia's presence in the regional and continental trade arena.

"Namibia is a gateway for trade to many countries. And in recent times, many of the projects were either constructed or upgraded by China," he added.

The economist suggested the two countries expand into new areas of cooperation such as financial technology, easing conditions of trade processing, and value addition of agricultural products.

The latest records by Namibia Statistics Agency show that China emerged as the main export market for Namibia in January 2022, absorbing 32.3 percent of all goods exported, ahead of South Africa in the second position with a share of 18.3 percent. 
WEST FRANKFORT  "This is what happened to my home. It's all gone. Everything. Just burnt to a crisp," Sam McKinnies' voice can be heard saying on video as he pans his cellphone camera over the wreckage.

The familys house was destroyed Friday and almost all was lost in the blaze, McKinnies recently told The Southern.

McKinnies and his West Frankfort family are now seeking help rebuilding their lives after two fires destroyed their home Friday.

McKinnies told The Southern Tuesday that all they have is the clothes on their backs and the little bit of equipment he had with him for a karaoke show he was traveling to.

No one was home at the time of the fire, but the family did lose one pet in the incident.

The family says they are in need of clothes and shoes as well as money for gas and food.

Clothes can be dropped off at 14847 Christmas Tree Rd in Johnston City.

People can donate to the GoFundMe started by McKinnies' niece at https://www.gofundme.com/f/vj8gvt-please-help-this-sweet-family?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer.

People can also donate to the family on PayPal at https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/SamMckinnies?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US&fbclid=IwAR2GqC5J0H5qBvd9VFoV7-8l1rrt3d70Xla1LhgdsDZdVRhJkCpJxoAk15I.

The McKinnies have been met by an outpour of local support and their GoFundMe has already exceeded their $2,000 goal by $3,000.

McKinnies has said he is eternally grateful.

The fires

At 6:48 p.m. Friday, dispatchers at the West Frankfort Police Department began receiving calls about smoke coming from a house in the 500 block of South Emma Street, authorities said.

Police officers and fire personnel arrived on the scene within minutes and found heavy smoke and fire filling the residence at 516 S. Emma St, firefighters said.

They were able to quickly extinguish the fire.

They also confirmed that no one was inside the home at the time of the fire, authorities said.

While crews were responding to a vehicle fire, another fire erupted at the residence.

Multiple 911 callers reported flames showing from the roof of the residence at 516 S. Emma St. at approximately 10:28 p.m., authorities said.

Off duty firefighters from West Frankfort assisted by Benton and Zeigler Fire Departments were dispatched to the house fire.

The residence was fully involved before firefighters arrived on the scene, firefighters said.

The MABAS System was once again activated and crews from Buckner, Carterville and Marion Fire Departments as well as Abbott EMS responded to provide aid.

Fire crews cleared the Emma Street incident shortly before 2:30 a.m.

Damage to two other residences and a vehicle was reported but there were no injuries.

The Illinois State Fire Marshal Division of Arson Investigation is investigating the fires.

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.
CARBONDALE  An update on the multimodal transportation center project was given to the city council by the Design Team of Design Works/hmb Architects LLC members Thad Heckman, Jarus Jones and Mark Bollman last week.

As of last week, about 60 % of the construction documents are complete. Most of the approvals to build the center have been secured, including approval from Illinois Department of Transportation.

Many of the visitors to the center will enter at the tower on the southwest corner of the building. Those coming from the parking lot will enter from the south, with an entry along Illinois Avenue on the West. The building also has a vestibule in the center of its west side to allow for passengers and luggage to be dropped off.

The building will house Carbondale Tourism, SIUs welcome center and mass transit services on its south side. The center will house Amtrak, including restrooms, baggage area with a baggage claim area, ticketing and offices. The northern end of the building will hold Carbondale Chamber of Commerce, Carbondale Main Street and a work program.

The building was originally planned to have a second floor designated to house a work program. Architects found they had room for the work program on the first floor, so they moved it made the building one story.

Councilman Jeff Doherty asked if the building plan included the possibility of a second floor. Heckman said it did not include those plans.

"To me, it looks appropriate for a two-story building," Councilman Lee Fronabarger said.

"It will be the gem of the Southern Line," Bollman said.

The building will have a small dog walk area near the railroad tracks at request of Amtrak. The area will be fenced but will be convenient to dog owners traveling with their pets.

The center is designed to have a terrazzo floor, which Heckman said will take many years of wear and tear. It will feature a compass star in the center of the building inside of the west vestibule. The center of the tower floor will feature a two-dimensional geodesic dome.

In addition to the geodesic dome in the flooring, the center will include a nod to one of Carbondales most famous residents, R. Buckminster Fuller.

Heckman said one goal of the city is to have the building certified as LEED Silver. LEED is Leadership on Environment and Energy Design. The program encourages designing buildings that save money, improve efficiency, lower carbon emissions and create healthier places for people.

The east interior of the building will give a nod to Fuller, who is often called the father of the modern green movement. The building will have a quote wall, similar to the quote in the hall of presidents at Morris Library, with one of Fullers most famous quotes.

It will read:  to make the world work for 100% of humanity in the shortest possible time, through spontaneous cooperation, without ecological offences or disadvantage of anyone. R. Buckminster Fuller.

As a designer, I didnt want to get over the top. Its not about Bucky; its about the train station. And, travelers need to see a nod to Bucky, Heckman said.

On the lower left side of the quote will be room for the LEED certification plaque. The right side will contain information about Fuller. The The R. Buckminster Fuller Dome Not-For-Profit will display photos, paintings and artifacts in the station.

The new multimodal transportation center also has a new formal name. The city council approved a resolution naming the facility Southern Illinois Multimodal Station as part of the consent agenda during its regular meeting March 22.

Nancy Maxwell asked why the building wasnt named after a Black person in light of the city originally suggesting the station be named after a civil rights leader.

City officials said no one proposed anyone to name it after. They stuck with the more generic term, Southern Illinois Multimodal Station.

"Is naming after a civil rights leader still on the table?" Councilwoman Ginger Reye Sanders asked.

City manager Gary Williams said they just needed to move forward.

The schedule for the building project includes 90% of the construction documents will be completed by June. Bids will be taken beginning Aug. 1. Construction will begin in the fall.

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 was the headline in the Grand Tower newspaper, The Review, Dated Friday, April 29, 1927.

At Grand Tower the river has been rubbing the bank for the past 10 days, and farther down the street water has leaped over into the road, spreading over a wide area of territory.

The homes of Hiram Anderson and F. Layman in the south end, were flooded by the water which, to date, has not receded to any appreciable extent. Although some relief as the river slowly goes down.

Grand Tower has experienced one of the worst floods imaginable with the exception of the one in the year of 1844.

At that time, according to our informant, this city was virtually under water, and much damage incurred locally and elsewhere as well. At present time, the water has far surpassed the stage attained in 1922, by several feet or more. The present flood conditions we presume, are more or less due to the heavy rains of the past few weeks, particularly in the Upper Mississippi Valley.

Sensing the need of adequate means to get the water out of the lower end of town, Mayor Elmer OConnel, and the people of Grand Tower, secured a pumping machine from Benton, Illinois, bringing same here. As this is written the pump is now in operation, and being located on the north side of the levee which runs across from the old furnace site.

The pump has been kept going day and night for the past week, and just how long it will take to rid the town of this surplus of water is problematic, but it is believed that the entire body of water can be pumped out and back into the river in two weeks.

Residents forced to vacate their homes by reason of the high water, are temporarily being cared for by friends until such a time as they can comfortably return to their homes.

A report comes to Grand Tower that McClure, a town about 22 miles south of here, has almost been swept away by the flood, but we are somewhat inclined to think that this report has been more or less exaggerated, and the real truth of the matter not as yet obtainable.

No one can begin to offer an estimate of the damage brought about by the flood, not only here but elsewhere as well. We believe we are safe in saying that it will soar up into the thousands of dollars, and the effect of the flood will be felt for many months to come, yes possibly a number of years.

The newspaper said, Our paper, like other industries of Grand Tower, feels the blunt of the flood, and just how long it will continue thus, it is problematic indeed. It is next to impossible for us to get out and solicit advertising by reason of the fact that the roads, both rail and dirt are submerged, and how long this condition shall continue to exist we cant say.

We will be glad when we can return to normalcy, but all we can do is just to 'live in hopes.'"

A few days later after this article was written, the river started its downward trend. It begin to fall after being out of its banks for a couple weeks. A big fall was noted when the river gage showed 10  inch fall in 24 hours.

There seem to be some fear, that by reason of past experiences, flooding of a June rise, by some of the townspeople. But others discouraged such belief.

It is now 2022 and since 1952 we here in Grand Tower have experienced many high waters before the levee was constructed, but none since. We still get a considerable amount of seep water on the dry side of the levee, but nothing like before. We have seen the river at nearly the top of the levee, a frightening scene.

We have sandbagged the top of the levee in some areas, but our biggest tool is prayer. I believe God hears our prayers and keeps our levees sound. Thanks be to the Lord.

Charles F. Burdick is a lifelong resident of Grand Tower. After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Navy and then went on to a 42-year Maritime career including 35 years as Master Pilot. He has been retired for 28 years and enjoys local history and writing poetry.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The images invoke tears and rage but mostly tears. Mutilated bodies, mass graves, bombed maternity hospitals, elderly and invalids laying on concrete floors in a bomb-shelter, families shot and left to die on Ukrainian streets  and no end in sight.

Those of us, who as children lived and survived such horrors don't want to tune into "breaking news" of mutilated bodies, but feel that if we don't, we are betraying our own past of unimaginable horror. A past that will now bring the same nightly nightmares to a new generation of war's children. My nightmares faded some decades ago  and dammit to hell  they are back.

Have we learned nothing?

British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, French President Didier, German Chancellor, Adolf Hitler, and Italy's Prime Minister Mussolini met to avert World War II in September 1938.

Their solution to halt Hitler's imperial lust  sacrificing Czechoslovakia. (Czechoslovakia was not invited to discuss the details of the annihilation.)

After the historic meeting, Mr. Chamberlain made this statement. "My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British prime minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honor. I believe it is peace for our time."

A month later, Conservative Member of Parliament, Winston Churchill, addressed Parliament for 45 minutes. The address included this warning-and-prophecy. "This is only the beginning of the reckoning. This is only the first sip, the first foretaste of a bitter cup which will be proffered to us year by year unless by a supreme recovery of moral health and martial vigor, we arise again and take our stand for freedom as in the olden time." That speech was followed by the Second World War and 62-million dead.

We have learned nothing.

In fact, our European partners and our President see the world through Chamberlains rose-colored glasses. Mr. Putin shares a trait with Hitler and other sociopathic megalomaniacs  an insatiable appetite for power  punctuated with a healthy dose of narcissism. The photo of shirtless, saggy-boobed Putin posing on a horse speaks volumes, but I digress.

The Euros, being fully aware of who-and-what they were dealing with, foolishly became "energy dependent" on Putin's oil and gas. Meanwhile our President, in a colossal and historic blunder, botched the Afghanistan withdrawal by abandoning our citizens and gifting the Taliban billions in weaponry. The Afghan debacle was followed by reversing our energy independence and making us rely on others to heat our homes and drive our cars to work. Putin watched in amazement, smiled, and plotted.

The Putins of the world have a knack for sizing up opponents. They examine both the mental agility and character of adversaries. As such, when our president, prior to the invasion, hinted that a "minor incursion" was preferable to all-out war, this gross mental lapse was not lost on Putin. As to judging character, our President's family had grossed millions by cashing-in on our presidents name. The partial list of the Biden family pay-for-play donors is impressive  Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Romania. Such blatant moral lapses were also not lost on Putin, himself an ethical trainwreck, who understands how to weaponize an opponents ethical lapses to his tactical advantage.

Yes, we are in a mess and our enemies, China, Iran, N. Korea, Venezuela, Cuba and others are watching, waiting and plotting.

Oh, what to do? Heres a suggestion for us who, in disgust, stare at our TVs and watch the nightly horror show. Turn off the TV, find a pen and paper and send a summary of your revulsion and mistrust of this bungling and ethically challenged Administration to our representatives in both the House and Senate.

And let's not mince words  remind our elected officials of Churchill's prophecy, that "this is only the beginning of the reckoning."

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0
Dear Doctors: I've been seeing in the news that if you're depressed, it probably has something to do with your gut. Is it possible that all mental illness comes from a bad gut? Does that mean it would be possible to find a cure?

Dear Reader: As researchers explore how the trillions of microbes that live in our gastrointestinal tracts affect our health and well-being, the link between the gut and the central nervous system has grown increasingly clear.

The central nervous system, or CNS, consists of the brain and the spinal cord. In addition to overseeing movement and controlling the body's response to sensory information, the CNS is the seat of thought, memory and emotion. Decades of studies have found a link between the composition of the gut microbiome and CNS functions such as mood, cognition and mental health. This connection has even been given its own name -- the psychobiome.

A recent case study by scientists in Australia described their work with a patient living with bipolar disorder. This is a mental health condition marked by extreme mood swings, including emotional highs and intense lows. The patient, a 28-year-old man who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he was 15, underwent a fecal transplant. That's a procedure that introduces the stool of a healthy person into the colon of someone who is ill. In the months following the procedure, the man experienced a marked lessening of his symptoms.

In a different case study, published by researchers from Switzerland, Iran and Germany, two women who had been living with severe depression for many years also received fecal transplant therapy. In the weeks after the procedure, each woman reported a decrease in her symptoms.

While the outcomes here are intriguing, it's important to note that these are single-patient case studies. That means the results apply only to the specific situations described. They cannot be generalized for a larger population. Further research with more participants, and over longer periods of time, is needed to put these case studies into perspective.

It appears that the gut-brain connection plays an important role in neurological disorders, as well. These include multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Large-scale studies use stool samples to analyze the types and species of gut microbes in participants' intestines. These have identified distinct differences between the microbial profiles of healthy individuals and those with mental health and neurological disorders. Whether these anomalies are the cause of the disorders or represent additional symptoms is not yet clear. However, the findings point to the possibility of using beneficial bacteria to treat mental health disorders, either with the microbes themselves, or with drugs that simulate their metabolic functions.

An upcoming clinical trial, approved by the Food and Drug Administration, will break ground by using that approach. Researchers plan to test two specific strains of live microorganisms to see if they will slow progression of symptoms in people living with Parkinson's disease. If successful, it will mark an important new phase of research into the psychobiome.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
A bill formally dissolving the former Bamberg County School District 1 and 2 boards is making its way through the state Senate as work continues to consolidate the districts.

The two districts have already been sharing key personnel, with consolidation planned for 2022-23.

The new, nine-member Bamberg County School District board includes three members from each of the former BSD1 and BSD2 boards.

The members of the new, consolidated board were appointed by members of the Bamberg County Legislative Delegation, Rep. Justin Bamberg and Sen. Brad Hutto, and sworn into office in February.

BCSD Superintendent Dottie Brown said the monthly meetings of the former boards have been cancelled because of the lack of a quorum that resulted.

You cant serve on two boards. Once the new, appointed board members accepted their appointment and were sworn in in February, they had to resign that day prior to being sworn in, leaving those boards without a quorum, Brown said.

So their regularly scheduled meetings are being cancelled. However the consolidated board of nine members meets the first Monday of each month, she said.

Brown continued, Theyve had a series of meetings in late February and March for new board member training and approved a monthly board meeting calendar.

The next board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, April 4 at Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School.

Bamberg introduced a bill on March 9 which would provide for the dissolution of the two present school districts boards of trustees if the appointments to the newly consolidated school board resulted in the lack of a quorum for each board, which it has.

The bill has already passed the House and underwent second reading in the Senate on March 16.

So there's no quorum for the two prior boards. So, for example, with certain internal matters, as if a kid could get in trouble or something, or there'd be some issue that requires an appeal to the sitting board, you can't do it because there's no quorum for the old Bamberg 2, or the old Bamberg 1, Bamberg said.

So that's where I went, since everything was on track, and filed legislation to go ahead and fix that, to go ahead and invest all of the authority into the consolidated board that it would have had, the representative said.

Bamberg continued, That authority is invested in them now so that we don't have this issue of there are certain things that only the prior boards can do at this point, but there's no quorum because of the way that we constructed the new board by taking those members.

Bamberg said the consolidation efforts have gone forward very well, so well that the process of consolidation is ahead of schedule with the formation of the newly consolidated board.

When the consolidation legislation was filed, there was a certain time frame where certain boards would stay in place until X date. Well, we beat the deadline and, because of that, those two prior boards still technically existed, and there are certain things that the consolidated board had not been yet been invested with the authority to do based on the original legislation and the time frames, he said.

The legislator said the consolidated board is designed with one goal in mind.

With the way that we went about putting the consolidated board together, we were trying to avoid some of the problems that befell other districts in the past when they consolidated. For example, people will say, Well, nobody on the new board is publicly elected.

Thats not actually true. The legislative delegation, me and Brad, took three publicly elected sitting board members from Bamberg 1 and Bamberg 2, and we put them on the consolidated board because these individuals had already been dealing with consolidation, Bamberg said.

He continued, Theyre familiar with their own individual prior districts. So you get the institutional knowledge of not just consolidation, but also of the actual district.  Then we picked some non-board members and put them on there. So that works out great for consolidation.

The board chairpersons of BSD1 and BSD2, Janeth Walker and Beverly Bonaparte, for example, are both members of the new, consolidated board. Walker serves as chairperson of the new board, with Bonaparte serving as vice chairperson. Other members include: Tonie A. Holman, secretary, and trustees Harriet H. Coker, Naomi Eckels, John L. Hiers, Cynthia F. Hurst, Blossom J. Thompson, and Gwendolyn D. Bamberg.

Brown said, All decisions at this point that have to be made for the new fiscal year and the new school year (have been made). Our budgets are done for the year, our staffs in place for this year, our policies are all in place.

The superintendent said she is pleased with how well the process has flowed.

Its been going good. The board members have been very good and very patient. Theres mandatory new board training. They went through three weeks of meeting back to back to get some of that board training done, Brown said.

Bamberg County voters will begin electing new members in 2024.

Working to reduce debt

The newly consolidated district has incurred debt, including bonds issued to build Richard Carroll Elementary School in BSD1 and a new BSD2 pre-K-12 school.

If were trying to reach the point of lowering our taxes, weve got to get the bond debts paid down. So a lot of attention on my end on the state level is securing funding to help us reduce our bond debt. Youre talking about at least $50 million in outstanding bond debt, Bamberg said.

The legislator said millions have already been secured in the effort to reduce bond debt, including approximately $8 million from the state Department of Education and $5 million from a $525 million settlement money the state received from a Savannah River Site settlement.

The settlement followed a years-long legal battle between South Carolina and the U.S. Department of Energy over the removal and long-term storage of plutonium at the SRS.

Thats more money that our school districts have seen come in probably the last 20 years, Bamberg said.

He is confident the bill will pass the Senate and reach the governors desk for signing.

Oh, without a doubt. Its just a matter of time  and then well be good to go, he said.

Contact the writer: dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5534. Follow "Good News with Gleaton" on Twitter at @DionneTandD

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 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.
What if the world had already been conquered and we didnt know it? What if America is Orwells 1984 fictional world of Oceana and all we know about the past and present is what the Ministry of Truth tells us?

Greg Tinker, a retired eighth-grade teacher in Alabama, wrote a very thoughtful piece titled, The Death of Virtue  A Telltale Sign of Civilizational Collapse. Tinker began with two poignant quotes: The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe. -Proverbs 16:17, NLT When, therefore, man lives according to man, not according to God, he is like the devil. -Saint Augustine.

He continued, We live in an era of unthinkable absurdity. Up is down. Black is white. Evil is good. Light is dark. Truth is a lie. Right is wrong. Virtue is vice. Gender is fluid. And we have thousands of friends (on social media).

From the 1960s to today, popular culture has warned Americans of our imminent demise. Doomsday! What could be a scarier scenario than living in a world where everything we thought was true was a lie?

In verse 2 of chapter 6 of the Book of the Revelation, the Apostle John wrote, And I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him; and he went out conquering, and to conquer.

The first conquest of the end times will be with words of peace, not engines of war. The first rider has no arrows, only words of peace. Nowadays we endeavor to distinguish between defensive and offensive weapons. We wage a war of words against a perpetrator of senseless slaughter so as not to offend the aggressor and exacerbate the  uh, war? How does one exacerbate war? What are the rules for not exacerbating war?

Acts of war follow words of peace as surely as the red horse follows the white horse bringing war to the whole world: a red horse went out, and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the whole earth, and that men should slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.

As the account continues, the black horse of famine follows the red horse of war. Then the last horse, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. And authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.

We are currently living in a world in which all sides play by the rules of their own words and definitions. Bless the hearts of those who attempt to adjudicate and reconcile all of the words from all of the sides. Saint Augustines words were never truer than today, When, therefore, man lives according to man, not according to God, he is like the devil.

Surrounded by false claims of peace built on rubbish heaps of common lies, how shall we not only survive, but also how shall we find safety? The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe.

Has the rider of the white horse already conquered earth?

Daniel L. Gardner is a syndicated columnist who lives in Starkville, Miss. You may contact him at PJandMe2@gmail.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0
Cuc Canh tranh va Bao ve nguoi tieu dung (Bo Cong thuong) vua cho biet, a tiep nhan bao cao cua Cong ty o to Toyota Viet Nam ve chuong trinh thu hoi e sua chua chinh thuc xe o to Toyota Raize. Viec kiem tra, khac phuc cho nhung xe bi anh huong la hoan toan mien phi.
A Casper man was sentenced this month to five years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl in Wyoming.

Brandon Spence is set to complete three years of supervised release after the sentence. He was also ordered on March 7 to pay $500 in restitution and a $100 special assessment by U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Freudenthal, court filings show.

The single felony charge of distribution can carry a sentence of up to 20 years and a fine as high as $1 million.

Federal court filings show Spence was charged on Sept. 20 for distributing the drug in February, and arrested on a warrant in Cheyenne four days later.

He initially pleaded not guilty to the charge at an October arraignment, but changed his plea in a hearing in December.

The court recommended Spence serve the sentence at a federal prison in Sheridan, Oregon; El Reno, Oklahoma or Phoenix. Freudenthal also recommended he complete a residential drug abuse program during his time.

Follow city and crime reporter Ellen Gerst on Twitter at @ellengerst.

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.
The prison sentence for a Casper man convicted of killing his mother in 2019 has been slightly revised after a Wyoming Supreme Court ruling deemed part of his sentence improper.

Andrew Steplock is still set to serve the rest of his life in prison, a judgment filed last week in Natrona County District Court says.

But the state supreme court ruled in January that an additional sentence of 10 to 15 years for aggravated burglary, committed at the same time as the murder, should not have been ordered by the lower court.

Steplocks sentence was revised in an amended judgment and sentence from Judge Daniel Forgey, after a status conference in his case on March 16.

The revision ordered the burglary sentence to be merged with the life sentence Steplock received for his felony murder conviction.

State supreme court justices rejected the rest of Steplocks appeal in January, siding with the district court.

Steplock was convicted in November 2019 for breaking into his parents Casper home and murdering his mother, Deborah, earlier that year. He admitted to the crime at trial, but said he had done it while hallucinating and that a demon had convinced him to do it.

He argued in the appeal that his attorney had been ineffective since he did not secure a second mental evaluation.

According to court filings, Steplock first brought up the demon and hallucinations during the initial evaluation at the Wyoming State Hospital, and had not mentioned them in several interviews with police. Immediately following the murder, Steplock told investigators he was breaking in to steal money from his parents cellar.

A jury found Steplock guilty of four felony charges for the February 2019 murder later that year.

He was then sentenced to life for a felony murder count, 55 years to life for second-degree murder, 10 to 15 years for aggravated burglary and three to five years for possessing a deadly weapon. The lesser terms were ordered to run at the same time as his life sentence. Steplock also received about a years credit for time hed already served before trial.

Steplock appealed the conviction, claiming he was not prepared for trial because he didnt receive a second mental evaluation for his plea of not guilty by reason of mental illness.

Supreme court justices said in their ruling that the inconsistencies in his version of events weakened his NGMI (not guilty by reason of mental illness) defense, and said that having a second evaluation would not have likely changed the outcome of his case.

Steplocks attorney, public defender Joseph Cole, could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Steplock is now serving his sentence at the Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution in Torrington.

Follow city and crime reporter Ellen Gerst on Twitter at @ellengerst.

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.
The University of Wyoming is getting ready for tax season  and helping others do so too.

UWs Department of Accounting and Finance recently opened a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic for consulting and representing taxpayers, according to a statement from the university.

The clinic is part of a nationwide network uniting independent organizations to provide representation, education and advocacy for low-income or non-native English speaking taxpayers.

Wyoming was previously one of just a few places without a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic. There arent any clinics in Nevada or North Dakota, or in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.

The university received a federal grant from the Internal Revenue Service in November to create the clinic. Although the clinic receives funding from the IRS, it is independent from the bureau.

Across the nation in 2020, Low Income Taxpayer Clinics represented 19,413 taxpayers, educated 133,757 individuals and service providers, secured over $5.8 million in refunds, decreased or corrected $50 million in tax liabilities and brought over 2,900 taxpayers back into payment compliance.

Tax issues can affect anyone, and achieving a correct outcome in an IRS dispute should not be dependent on someones ability to pay for representation, said UW associate professor of finance Nicole Choi, the founder and director of the campus program.

We want to ensure that all taxpayers obtain fair results within the tax system and empower them to exercise all of their rights, regardless of income level.

The clinic will serve Wyoming residents whose incomes are generally below 250% of the federal poverty guideline. About half of Wyomings population falls within these guidelines.

Thats half of Wyoming thats eligible for this service, Choi said. I anticipate that there are a lot of people out there who could use this service.

In addition, income guidelines dont apply to those who are just seeking consultation services.

Students from the College of Law and College of Business will educate individuals about their rights and responsibilities and help resolve issues with audits, appeals and tax collection disputes with the IRS. Choi said students activity in the clinic will be part of their coursework. She expects the first cohort of students to begin helping at the clinic in August.

A panel of tax controversy lawyers from Jackson-based law firm Holland & Hart will provide taxpayers pro-bono representation in disputes.

The program will also work with the Albany County Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program to assist individuals in preparing and filing federal and state income tax returns. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program is a partnership between UWs accounting and finance department and the United Way, an organization that coordinates relief services, collects funds for local charities and distributes emergency assistance grants, among other activities.

As part of the grant, the clinic is also required to hold events to educate the public about basic tax-related topics. Choi said the clinic will offer in-person and virtual events. There arent any events planned yet, but Choi said events will be announced via the universitys social media platforms.

Im just really glad that the residents of Wyoming now have access to this service, Choi said. Its a great service for the state.

Interested Wyoming residents should email litc@uwyo.edu or call (307) 766-6114. Virtual and in-person appointments are available.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Mothers will get extra special treatment on Sundaylavish lunches, concerts and gifts of perfumes and roses.

Meanwhile, mere days before the celebration, Port of Spain businesspeoplevendors and huckstersare reporting slow sales. They are cautiously optimistic that it will pick up today.
In the face of the rise in the cost of living, increased instability across workplaces and the need for a financial plan to secure his familys future, Anildath Cazabo started to build a business last year.

Notwithstanding the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic that led to financial fragility, Anildath ground his heels, with determination to bring money to the familys table.
When Dr Eric Williams decided to lay down his bucket here in the islands after his release from the Caribbean Commission and his debates with Dom Basil Matthews in the Public Library, he held lectures in Woodford Square, which he called The University of Woodford Square. We who were alive then felt happy.

He attracted people of like mind for the betterment of the islands, so he formed the PNMthe Peoples National Movement.
ALGIERS, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded a one-day visit to Algeria on Wednesday, where he met with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra, discussing bilateral security and economic cooperation.

This is the last leg of his tour to the Middle East amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The top U.S. diplomat also visited Israel, Palestine, and Morocco before landing in Algiers, capital of Algeria.

Blinken told a press conference held at the U.S. Embassy in Algiers that security and counterterrorism cooperation remained "the cornerstone" of bilateral relations between Algiers and Washington.

"Algeria plays a key role in improving peace and security in the region," he said, adding "cooperation with Algeria in the Sahel is important for us."

Blinken pointed out that Algeria continues to play a key role in the stability in Mali as well as Libya, which is locked in a political impasse as factions cannot reach an agreement on holding a presidential election.

In addition to the security cooperation, he hailed the "strong" relations that bind Algeria and the United States, stressing his country's desire to work for deepening economic, educational, and cultural ties.

As for the Western Sahara issue, Blinken said "our position did not change; we fully support the efforts of the Special Envoy of the UN aiming at resolving the situation."

Former U.S. President Donald Trump decided in 2020 to recognize Western Sahara as part of Morocco after the kingdom agreed to normalize relations with Israel under the so-called Abraham Accords.

The decision has prompted shrill criticism from Algeria, which has supported the independence of the whole of Western Sahara since 1975.

The Biden administration has voiced its full support for the Abraham Accords while remaining largely silent on the Western Sahara matter.

Blinken also said he discussed with Algerian officials the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, noting it has had an impact on food and energy prices.

The U.S. official arrived in Algeria on Wednesday morning. 
An advocate for a new school-funding system for Arizona pointed to Sunnyside Unified School District Monday as an example of the inequality the new proposal aims to fix.

A student from Sunnyside Unified in Tucson is worth approximately $5,500 less than a student from Phoenix Union, said Matthew Simon of the advocacy group Great Leaders, Strong Schools, which helped design the proposal.

The only thing is, Sunnyside would not benefit from the proposed new funding system in the near future.

Its interesting they cited us, Sunnyside superintendent Steve Holmes told me Tuesday. My understanding is it would not be applicable for any district that has debt service past four years.

That includes Sunnyside, which is still working on a bond issue passed in 2011.

These poorer districts may serve well as props in the argument for the half-baked new system, introduced as a strike-all amendment to an unrelated bill. But this system clearly isnt designed with them as a top priority.

Urban districts such as Sunnyside were kept completely out of the design of this new proposal. The discussion has been going on since October, the sponsor Rep. Michelle Udall said, but Holmes didnt know of it till earlier this month, as word leaked into Arizona superintendent circles.

It was charter-school advocates such as Simon and the group he represents, Great Leaders, Strong Schools, that designed the proposal along with Udall. Not surprisingly, charter schools are the clearest beneficiary of the new plan. Essentially all of them would receive increased funding.

Theres nothing wrong with them trying to accelerate an overdue reform of school funding in Arizona, but it should not be just them.

District schools have a much more difficult time figuring out even what the impact would be. Although the proposal would add more than $200 million to annual school spending, 121 districts would actually lose money.

This proposal is the latest example of the tail  charter schools and school-choice advocates  wagging the dog in Arizona education. About 80% of Arizona public school students go to district schools, and 20% to charters.

But the dominant political faction when it comes to education at Arizonas Legislature is the 20%.

Both of my kids have attended charter and district schools in Tucson. I appreciate the value of both options. But this smaller faction should not be dominating such an important debate in Arizona.

Yet, that is what House Republicans ensured by rushing this proposal as a strike-all amendment during the last week possible, late in the legislative session. SB 1269 was originally introduced as a technical fix to Arizona tax law, by Sen. Vince Leach of SaddleBrooke. The main body of its text used to say:

For the purposes of computing income tax pursuant to this title, for taxable years beginning from and after December 31, 2021, Internal Revenue Code means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and so on.

Leach permitted that text to be stricken and replaced last week with a 101-page amendment that fundamentally alters the way schools are funded in Arizona. Legislators got the text on Thursday.

Among its key provisions is that it would allow districts to receive increased state funding if they forego the voter-approved bond issues and budget overrides that have helped drive the inequality in the state. District voters would have to approve a property tax increase in order to opt in to the system.

Other key changes would be to transportation funding and to specific teacher-pay mechanisms. A results-based pool of about $50 million would go to high-performing schools.

On Monday, Rep. Regina Cobb, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, had the audacity to chastise committee members and a couple of the six total witnesses she permitted to speak for wanting to discuss the proposal deeply.

When Cobb felt Rep. Kelli Butler was violating her rules, she told Butler, Im going to censor you today if you do not stop.

Still, Rep. Cesar Chavez was able to make a crucial point for districts like Sunnyside: School districts that would not be able to opt into this because of bonds  those are some of the most neglected school districts in the state.

Overall, though, this was embarrassing handling of a crucial piece of legislation.

Arizona Education Association president Joe Thomas, one of the many people with a deep interest in school funding who was excluded from the development of the proposal, made the key point in his testimony:

If thats good a bill, he said, it doesnt need to be run through as a striker toward the end of the session.

But people like Thomas and Chuck Essigs, of the Arizona Association of School Budget Officials, had no say. That is, of course, by design. They are viewed as dinosaurs of the old system who only want endlessly more money for schools.

Whats missing in that view is that they represent the districts that still educate the vast majority of our children. Sure, their input might make coming to a new funding formula slower and more cumbersome, but the end result would be more likely to meet the needs of the majority of students.

And they probably wouldnt use districts like Sunnyside as props for a change that doesnt benefit them.

Contact columnist Tim Steller at tsteller@tucson.com or 520-807-7789. On Twitter: @senyorreporter

Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community.



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.
A monthly workshop that pairs Southern Arizona writers with people in prisons across the country is building a community through the old-fashioned art of letter-writing.

The program was started four years ago by former journalist Joe Watson, who experienced firsthand the benefits writing can bring to incarcerated people.

Free Time: Building Community for Incarcerated Writers is run out of the University of Arizona Poetry Center, with volunteers meeting in person or via Zoom one Saturday a month.

Volunteers offer guidance, mentorship and collaboration through regular correspondence with incarcerated people. Watson provides advice to volunteers on how to best encourage and offer constructive and compassionate criticism to their mentees.

Studies over the years have shown that prison arts programs encourage and facilitate creativity, communication and reflection, while also teaching inmates how to work with a focused discipline, according to a 2014 evaluation published in the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice's Justice Policy Journal.

Prison arts programs have also been shown to act as a gateway to further learning by building confidence and self-esteem, especially in people who have been alienated from the formal education system, the article said. One reason might be the arts programs' nontraditional content and teaching methods, it added.

Feeling free

behind bars

The program's name is personal for Watson. While serving his own prison sentence years ago, the time he spent writing from his bunk was the only time he felt free, he said.

After his release, Watson went to work as communications coordinator for American Friends Service Committee Arizona (now called Just Communities Arizona), a group working toward ending the current punishment system and its emphasis on criminalization, surveillance and mass incarceration. In January 2021, he became communications director for Pima County Attorney Laura Conover but left the position last month to pursue other opportunities, including writing a book.

On the last Saturday in January, a half-dozen community members gathered in a sun-bathed conference room on the second floor of the University of Arizona Poetry Center, with another 18 people joining via Zoom.

Watson said later that he was pleased with the turnout in that second consecutive month of the program's hybrid-attendance model. He kicked off the meeting by inviting newcomers to introduce themselves.

Attendees ranged in ages and genders, and included a retiree who previously taught classes at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York, a law school student, a woman who also volunteers with Literacy Connects, and others.

Watson explained the process, telling attendees they would be matched with incarcerated people from prisons in Arizona, California, New York, Texas, Florida and other sites, through a list of more than 2,500 people maintained by a national nonprofit called PEN America. PEN America works to protect free expression by uniting writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression.

In October, Free Time participants organized and facilitated the UA Poetry Center's 2021 Poetry & Prose Writing Challenge for Incarcerated Writers for the second year in a row, which included a public reading of finalists' works and cash awards, thanks to PEN America and the Art for Justice Fund.

The contest culminated in a November reading of selected works by judges Piper Kerman, bestselling author of "Orange Is the New Black," and others. Now, Watson told volunteers, it was time to get back to the basics of what the workshop is about.

"Helping your friend inside get the most from you," he said.

Watson told volunteers that building trust in the relationship is key, due to the inherent differences they and their mentees will likely have, and to focus on who they are as people.

"Ask who they are. Are they a parent? Someone's brother, sister, son? What do they do for a living, what are their hopes and dreams?" Watson suggested.

The program is based on letter-writing because while tablets are free for many inmates to use, communication on those tablets is not, with people being charged every time they send or receive an email.

"And writing letters is an incredibly rewarding thing when you're incarcerated. Being able to share how your day is or what your experience has been," Watson said. "Lots of you will be writing to people who it says on paper will never get out of prison."

Watson said 90-95% of people in prisons will get out at some point, but that many inmates taking part in the writing program are doing so because they know they have some time to do.

"If someone has a two- to three-year sentence, they maybe are not as interested in getting into the writing process and putting in the emotional labor gaining self-awareness and growth," he said.

Arts programs

help lift morale

Studies have shown prison arts programs to be effective in not just improving inmate morale and self-esteem, but also improving their disciplinary records.

The Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice's 2014 evaluation surveyed 49 former participants in California's longstanding Arts-In-Corrections program, which ended its 30-year run in 2010 because of state budgetary issues. Nearly 13% of people enrolled in the program for a year or less reported fewer disciplinary issues, and the longer people remained in the program, the more their behavior changed. For people enrolled in the program for two to four years, 36% said they had fewer disciplinary records and after five years in the program, that number increased to 61%.

The overwhelming majority of former Arts-In-Corrrections participants also reported improved relationships with other inmates, staffers and family members, and said they liked themselves more after spending time in the program, the study showed.

To give volunteers an idea of what's going on in the lives of their mentees inside prison or what they'll face when they get out, Watson reviews developments in criminal-justice reform and prison-related news topics during each meeting.

Every meeting also includes a writing prompt. January's focused on how incarceration often reduces people to their inmate number, but that number can be a point of pride for some.

If a person has an inmate number that starts with a lower digit, they've likely been in for many years, Watson said.

Inmate identification numbers aren't the only significant numbers in an incarcerated person's life. For some people, the day they were admitted to prison for the first time might be significant, or it may be the day they're slated for release.

"But it can also bring up all the times they survived something," Watson said. "Fights, disrespect, getting a GED or college education. Reconciling with family members or losing contact with people they love while incarcerated."

He encouraged attendees to think about what their number would be if they were able to choose a number to represent their lives, and consider if that number demonstrates something he or she overcame.

One participant said he would refuse, calling it dehumanizing. Longtime participant Betty King said her number would be 17, as she grew up in the superstitious South and her lucky number was 17.

Another volunteer said her number would be the pandemic year that changed her life, with another saying she immediately thought of her age, saying she never thought she'd live that long.

Watson urged volunteers to use the number as a conversation piece in their letters to mentees, as new mentees often feel intimidated writing their first letter.

"I think we share more experiences, all of us as human beings, whether we're incarcerated or not than all of us care to admit," Watson said. "Don't be afraid to share your number."

Finding things

in common

While studies have shown prison arts programs to be beneficial to incarcerated individuals, they also have positive impacts on the people who work with them.

King got involved with the program a year and a half ago, coming from a background in public health. When the program went online during the pandemic, King decided to give it a shot, saying one of her values is service, "even if it's in small ways."

While she was a little intimidated at first, knowing that there were more experienced writers in the group, King said her lack of professional writing experience has never been an issue.

"I shy away from the word mentor. I really do try to think of them as my writing friends as opposed to incarcerated," King said. "When I write to someone who is a writer in prison, that is the terms on which we communicate."

King said she's been pleasantly surprised by the personal connections she's formed.

"I'm realizing that people who are in prison, as Joe likes to say, they're not that different from me," King said. "We find things in common beyond a love or poetry and writing. It's fun and meaningful."

"One person I was writing with, he had a son who got in trouble and was going to go to jail, and we talked about being parents and having kids and the struggle to raise our kids," she said. "It meant a lot to him because he was a parent and he was struggling with that."

King has also been surprised by how interested she is in the criminal-justice issues discussed during the workshop and how much she's wanted to get involved. In January, she planned a voting education session for the League of Women Voters in Tucson, about how to improve the state's criminal-justice system. She also joined the local branch of the NAACP, which actively works on bail reform.

She's also stepped up to help the program run more efficiently, overseeing the list of writers and keeping it updated, while matching new volunteers with their mentees. She has hopes the word will get out and more volunteers will sign up.

"I've found something I'm really interested in and passionate about," King said. "I'm committed."

Caitlin Schmidt is the Star's solutions reporter, focusing on potential approaches or solutions to social issues and problems. Contact her at 520-573-4191 or cschmidt@tucson.com. On Twitter: @caitlincschmidt

To get involved with Free Time Free Time meets one Saturday a month from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Upcoming meetings will take place March 26, April 30, May 21 and June 25 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All prospective mentors must email Joe Watson at heyjoewatson@arizona.edu before their first workshop to receive instructions on how to join and to learn more about class format. For more information, visit poetry.arizona.edu/calendar/free-time-building-community-incarcerated-writers Poetry contest for incarcerated writers The full list of winners of the UA Poetry Center's 2021 Poetry & Prose Writing Challenge for Incarcerated Writers will be published later this month on the center's website. Here is an entry that received an honorable mention. To read more of the honorable mentions, visit poetry.arizona.edu/blog/resilience-today-tomorrow-poetry-honorable-mentions and poetry.arizona.edu/blog/resilience-today-tomorrow-fiction-honorable-mentions "I'VE BEEN" By Patrick Pantusco Ive been thrown against a wall Ive been locked-up in a cage Ive been pushed passed my limits And I was full of blinding rage. Ive been labeled narcissistic Ive been called a sociopath Ive been locked away for years And I became a slave to my wrath. Ive been beaten to a pulp Ive been told Id never win Ive been kicked in the balls And Ive committed every sin. Ive been tortured in the mind Ive been left alone to die Ive been treated like a beast But theyll never see me cry. Ive been looking for a chance Ive been searching all around Ive been accepted into STEP And now Im college bound. Ive been cracking all the books Ive been reading every line Ive been a sponge for information And now I use my mind. Ive been the one who used the drugs Ive been the one who committed crime Ive been the one who did his time Now the second chance is mine!

Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community.



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.
CAPE TOWN, March 30 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's National Assembly, the lower house, on Wednesday voted down a motion of no confidence in the Cabinet, excluding President Cyril Ramaphosa, in open voting.

The voting on the motion, which was tabled by Official Opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), took place during a hybrid plenary meeting shortly after lawmakers debated the matter in the Good Hope Chamber at Parliament in Cape Town, the legislative capital of South Africa.

Deputy Speaker Solomon Lechesa Tsenoli announced the voting was 231 against, 131 in favor, and 1 abstention.

Had the motions passed, all cabinet members, led by the ruling African National Congress (ANC), excluding the president would have been dismissed.

A motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa, presented by opposition party African Transformation Movement (ATM), did not proceed as scheduled during the over-five-hour meeting due to disagreement over the procedure, and Speaker Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula ruled that the matter will be dealt on Wednesday with National Assembly's Program Committee.

ANC has been governing the country since the first democratic election in April 1994. 
PHNOM PENH, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The third Lancang-Mekong Business Forum was held in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh on Wednesday, aimed at exploring business opportunities among the six Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) countries.

The LMC groups China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Under the theme of "Promoting Agribusiness and Investment in Processed Food Sector", the two-day forum was attended online and offline by some 350 representatives from public and private sectors in the six countries.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chhuon Dara, secretary of state at the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce, said the forum provided a platform to discuss challenges and opportunities for agribusiness in processed food sector in the LMC countries.

"It's a good opportunity to showcase the innovative agro-food products and facilitate business matching between Cambodian companies and foreign manufacturers, suppliers, traders and investors from the LMC countries," he said.

"It's also to assist traders and investors to understand Cambodia's agro-food processing market, investment policies and incentives," he added.

Dara said agribusiness is one of the most crucial industries driving and backing up economic and social development in the LMC countries.

Sponsored by the LMC's special fund, the forum was co-organized by the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce and the Mekong Institute.

Kith Meng, president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said the LMC countries enjoy cultural similarities and long-standing traditional friendship, and have common development goals.

"Despite the impact of COVID-19, trade and investment volumes among the LMC countries have continued to rise," he said, adding that promoting cooperation among LMC countries is essential for building a community with a shared future by the countries.

Over the course of two days, the forum will also arrange a field visit to a local food processing company and to a special economic zone so that participants can learn more about investment incentives offered by the Cambodian government. 
People in the US won't face a shutdown like the one currently in place in Shanghai, where no one is allowed to leave their residential compounds, Covid testing is mandatory and food supplies are running low. It's unlikely most Americans will see local governments bring back even moderate pandemic restrictions. That leaves it mostly to individuals to protect themselves.

After three years, most people know how to do that: vaccines, masks, physical distancing, handwashing and -- let's not forget -- ventilation.

But as we head into offices, schools and public spaces, there are some things we can control -- like masking -- and others that are not in our control, such as whether our offices have improved ventilation.

How should people weigh which precautions they want to follow? Should indoor mask mandates come back? Are there settings where people should consider masking outdoors? What if you have to go back to the office, and others aren't masking? And should we skip large indoor events again?

To help us with these questions, I spoke with CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. She is also author of "Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health."

The following conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

CNN: Can you give us a quick refresher -- what protective measures are effective against this very contagious BA.2 variant?

Dr. Leana Wen: BA.2 is a subvariant of the Omicron variant. It appears to be even more contagious than Omicron. Like previous variants, it's spread through direct contact and is airborne. Someone coughing and sneezing will exhale droplets that can transmit the virus. The virus can also be carried on microscopic aerosols that are expelled by breathing. In addition, surfaces may play a greater role in Omicron transmission. Someone who coughed onto their hand and then touched a door could seed virus there and transmit it to you if you touch that door and then your nose or mouth.

The protective measures we talked about early in the pandemic still work against Omicron. Masks work very well, though here I would urge that people wear an N95 or equivalent mask, such as a KN95 or KF94. A simple cloth mask is much less effective, especially against a variant as contagious as BA.2.

Ventilation is very important. The risk of outdoor transmission is exponentially lower than indoor transmission, and a well-ventilated, less crowded space also has much lower risk than people packed together in an unventilated space. Surfaces play less of a role than aerosol transmission, but it's still good practice to wash your hands well or to use hand sanitizer if you shake people's hands and touch frequently used surfaces. That will reduce not only this coronavirus transmission but other respiratory and gastrointestinal pathogens, too.

We also have more tools at our disposal than we did in 2020. Namely, we have vaccines and boosters, which protect very well against severe illness and also reduce the risk of Covid-19 infection. Testing prior to getting together with others tells people if they are infectious and need to avoid the gathering. That's another key preventive measure that we now have access to.

CNN: What should people consider when deciding what precautions they want to bring back, like canceling restaurant reservations or masking up indoors?

Wen: I'd consider three things. First, what is the Covid-19 risk in your community? I've talked before about how the new guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be used here. If your community is in an orange, or "high risk," area by the CDC's metrics, you should mask indoors. If it's in green or yellow -- or "low" or "medium" risk -- you could choose not to, depending on the other two factors.

The second thing to think about is, what is your medical situation and the circumstances of others in your household? If you are generally healthy and fully vaccinated and boosted, your chance of severe illness from Covid-19 is very low. That's different if you are immunocompromised or live with someone who is elderly with multiple medical conditions. You would want to have a higher threshold for caution depending on your family's medical situation.

Third, how important is it to you to continue to avoid Covid-19? Of course, none of us want to get infected by the coronavirus, and no one should be trying to get it. But there are some people who want to avoid it at all costs and others who accept that if they engage in travel, resume parties, dine in restaurants and engage in other pre-pandemic activities, they will have some level of risk. That's a personal decision that will differ from person to person.

CNN: Does it make sense to mask in some situations but not others?

Wen: Absolutely. Risk is additive. You can bring back some things that are lower risk or higher value but still take some precautions. For example, if you work in an office that has pretty good ventilation and is well-spaced, and requires proof of vaccination, you may consider not masking in that setting. But you might still decide to mask in crowded, indoor places like grocery stores and train stations. Again, I'd urge that if you are wearing a mask, wear an N95 or equivalent mask, because it will be your best chance of protecting against the very contagious BA.2 variant.

CNN: What about outdoors? Is BA.2 so contagious that it could transmit there?

Wen: The risk of outdoor transmission is very low to the point that it's virtually nonexistent. Outdoor social gatherings are very safe, and certainly lower risk than the equivalent setting indoors. I do not think that people need to mask outdoors, but there may be situations where someone is extremely vulnerable -- for example, a cancer patient on chemotherapy -- and wants to be extra careful. In that case, they should definitely feel free to wear a mask when in outdoor and more crowded settings.

CNN: What if you have to go back to the office, and others aren't masking?

Wen: You need to decide what's best for you, with the understanding that one-way masking with an N95 or equivalent works very well -- that is, even if others around you aren't masking, you are still well-protected if you wear a well-fitting, high-quality mask at all times.

It also depends on the specifics of your workplace. Let's say you work in a well-ventilated office, everyone around you is vaccinated, and you are well-distanced from the next person. You could decide to remove your mask when sitting at your desk, but put it on again to go into a crowded elevator or a conference room where you're sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with other people. You could decide to go to an outdoor lunch with your colleagues, but skip the happy hour in a packed bar. These are all reasonable decisions depending on how you think about your own risk.

CNN: Should people avoid indoor gatherings, knowing that outbreaks can happen?

Wen: Not necessarily. It again depends on what's going on in your community, what your medical situation is, and how much you want to keep avoiding Covid-19. For me, my area, in Baltimore City, is in a green or "low-risk" area for Covid-19 transmission, according to the CDC. My husband and I are vaccinated and boosted. We have two little kids who are too young to be vaccinated, but we also recognize that it's going to be very difficult to keep them from getting the coronavirus given how transmissible this new variant is.

As such, I am attending large events, including indoor conferences and meetings. I'd prefer that these events require proof of vaccination and same-day negative test result. If they don't, they are less safe, and I certainly understand if others want to avoid them for the time beingjust as I understand if others will want to keep attending them. This, to me, is no different from a decision to go back to the gym, resume travel or dine indoors in restaurants. Some will think those activities are worth the risk. Others will not.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community.


Many Americans now can get a second COVID-19 booster, but it's hard to tell who really needs another shot right now and who could wait.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized extra Pfizer or Moderna shots for anyone 50 or older and for some younger people with severely weakened immune systems. It's an effort to get ahead of a possible next coronavirus surge.

With COVID-19 cases low in the U.S., it's easy to ignore calls for another dose  or for those who aren't yet vaccinated or boosted to get up to date, said Dr. Erica Johnson, an infectious disease specialist at the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Her advice: If you're on the fence, use this lull to talk with your doctor about how protected you really are  and need to be.

Who is eligible for a second booster?

Anyone 50 and older can get the extra dose at least four months after their last vaccination. So can severely immune-compromised patients, such as organ transplant recipients, as young as 12.

Adults can choose either the Pfizer or the Moderna vaccine for their extra shot, but Pfizer is the only option for children.

What about people who got Johnson & Johnson?

Adults who received J&J's single-dose vaccine already were eligible for a booster of any kind, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends only some of them get another.

A new study found a Moderna or Pfizer second shot was superior to getting a second J&J dose. So the advice is anyone who got a second J&J shot now can choose a Moderna or Pfizer dose.

But if they already had one of those other boosters, the CDC says only those who meet the newest criteria  age or weak immune system  qualify for another.

What prompted the move?

Vaccines still offer strong protection against severe illness and death, but effectiveness against milder infections wanes months later. The shots also don't work as well against new variants like the super-contagious omicron mutant as they did earlier in the pandemic.

That's why everyone 12 and older, regardless of their health, already was urged to get a first booster for the best chance at fending off omicron. Only about half of those eligible have.

With an omicron sibling causing spikes in infections in other countries, officials are nervous the U.S. is next, prompting efforts to offer extra protection to the most vulnerable.

What's the evidence for another booster?

Many scientists say it's limited, leaving public health officials to use their best judgment.

During the U.S. omicron wave, two Pfizer or Moderna doses plus a booster were 94% effective against death or needing a ventilator, according to a recent CDC study. That protection was lowest  74%  in immune-compromised people, although most hadn't gotten the already recommended third dose.

Israel began offering people 60 and older a second booster during its omicron surge. Preliminary findings posted online last week show there were fewer deaths among people who chose another booster compared to those who skipped the fourth dose.

The FDA decided to set the age limit at 50 instead of 60 because that's when chronic illnesses like heart disease or diabetes become more common, leaving people more vulnerable to serious COVID-19.

Who really needs a second booster?

The CDC says an extra shot is an option  but those most likely to benefit are those most vulnerable to severe disease, including people 65 and older and 50-somethings who have multiple health problems.

When should I get it?

Again, experts have differing opinions, partly because it's not clear how long any extra benefit lasts.

"We can never really perfectly time when the next wave is, or when someone might encounter infection," said Johnson, who sees patients at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore. "To be as ready as possible, I think everyone just needs to stay as up to date as possible with their vaccines."

Another dose now may make sense for older people and the immune-compromised, but "there's less urgency in an otherwise healthy person," said University of Pennsylvania immunologist E. John Wherry.

At 50, Wherry said he's healthy enough to watch if cases rise enough to prompt another booster, but he'd prefer to wait until fall. That's because going longer between vaccinations allows the immune response to better mature and strengthen.

These 10 charts show you vaccination and virus trends in our state and nation Your browser does not support the iframe HTML tag. Try viewing this in a modern browser like Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Internet Explorer 9 or later.

Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community.


ISLAMABAD, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Four terrorists and two soldiers were killed during an intense exchange of fire in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan army said on Wednesday.

The exchange of fire took place between security forces and terrorists in the Makin area of South Waziristan district of the province on Tuesday, army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

Area clearance is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists in the area, said the ISPR statement.

"Pakistan Army is determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave officers and soldiers further strengthen our resolve," it added. 
PHOENIX  Attorney General Mark Brnovich is asking the Arizona Supreme Court to adopt new rules spelling out that he can do what hes already done: sue state agencies that are his clients.

The new legal filing is not entirely voluntary. Instead, its part of what Brnovich was required to do as part of a diversion agreement he reached with the State Bar of Arizona to end its investigation into his decisions to sue the Arizona Board of Regents and to take a different court position on a lawsuit over election laws than Secretary of State Katie Hobbs. The regents and Hobbs filed bar complaints against Brnovich.

The diversion agreement, obtained by Capitol Media Services, also required Brnovich to write a manual to explain to the agencies his office represents how he will handle situations when he thinks those agencies are doing something illegal.

Strictly speaking, Brnovich was never found to have violated the existing ethical rules governing the conduct of lawyers. But the State Bar, which investigated the separate complaints by the regents and Hobbs, maintained until the diversion agreement was signed that his actions did violate the ethical rules.

Brnovich continues to contend he never violated the rules. He said he did nothing different than predecessors have done for years. He said they all were able to perform the dual tasks of representing state agencies while having different divisions fulfill duties to enforce state laws and take legal positions in federal court cases.

Until this got weaponized, politicized, it was a process that was working, Brnovich, a Republican, said in an interview with Capitol Media Services, taking a slap at the regents and Hobbs, a Democrat, for filing complaints in the first place. No one ever tried to use the bar process to try to intimidate or undermine someones ability to do their job, he said.

But rather than fight it out, Brnovich and the bar decided to resolve the situation with the requirements for the attorney general to seek changes in ethics rules and to put together the manual. With both tasks now completed, the complaints have been dismissed and there is no danger he will face sanctions over either incident.

Permission at issue

The alterations Brnovich seeks to the ethics rules, if adopted by the high court, would eliminate the requirement he first get permission from the client  in this case, a state agency represented by the Attorney Generals Office  to turn around and investigate or prosecute it, or to take a contrary position in a court case.

There would, however, be restrictions, including that there be a screen erected between the lawyers in his office who have been representing the agency and those who are planning to take legal action against it.

Hobbs said the Attorney Generals Office, in its role representing her agency, had received confidential attorney-client communications and provided advice on election matters. She said the AGs office then withdrew from representing her  and took a legal position materially adverse to the secretary of state.

In the other case, the main issue in the bar complaint was that Brnovich filed suit against the regents over a deal made by Arizona State University for a hotel and conference center on university property. That lawsuit, which is still pending, claims the deal amounted to an illegal gift of public funds.

The regents also complained about Brnovich publicly blasting them over what he contends are overly high, and potentially illegal, tuition increases.

The complaints from Hobbs and the regents said that, as their attorney, it was unethical for Brnovich to take those actions. In both cases, he had not first obtained permission from them, as his clients, to take the actions he did.

Brnovich argued all along that he is different than any other attorney who represents a client  and has clear rules about conflicts of interest  by virtue of his constitutional duties and powers.

Task force set up

He isnt the only one looking at the issue of the potentially inherent conflict of representing a government agency while also having certain investigatory and prosecutorial duties.

Last month Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Brutinel formed a special tax force to look at all ethical rules governing the conduct of the state attorney general, county attorneys and other public lawyers.

This has been an issue for a number of years, Brutinel said in announcing the task force. Its time we take a serious look at addressing potential conflicts for public attorneys.

Brutinel told the panel to look at how other states deal with the issue and, if necessary, to recommend amendments to the rules.

Among the members are Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, retired Attorney General Terry Goddard, ethics legal expert Pat Sallen and Chief State Bar Counsel Maret Vessela. Recommendations are due by December.

Howard Fischer is a veteran journalist who has been reporting since 1970 and covering state politics and the Legislature since 1982. Follow him on Twitter at @azcapmedia or email azcapmedia@gmail.com .

Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community.


PHOENIX  The states attorney general is asking Cochise Countys prosecutor to launch a criminal probe into whether Secretary of State Katie Hobbs broke the law.

The move came late Tuesday, after Hobbs ignored prior warnings from Attorney General Mark Brnovich that it would be illegal for her to shut down part of the E-Qual system where candidates can gather signatures online for their nominating petitions.

Hobbs said the temporary shutdown was necessary to update some data due to redistricting. Effective March 17, her office disabled the section for legislative and congressional candidates, even though their April 4 deadline for signatures is approaching.

Now Brnovich wants Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre, a fellow Republican, to see if any laws were broken.

Since he did so on Tuesday, however, Hobbs said she and county election officials managed to complete the update and the system is back online and fully functional.

That may not end the matter. McIntyre told Capitol Media Services on Thursday he cannot comment. We will take all of the facts into consideration in our review, he said.

Brnovich told McIntyre in a letter Tuesday that he gets to operate independently of the attorney generals office in determining what actions are appropriate to resolve this matter.

But he gave McIntyre a head start by laying out the laws he says are at issue in determining whether criminal charges should be brought.

Hobbs said she is reviewing the letter. But she also took a slap at Brnovich.

The attorney generals continued attacks on election officials across the state for doing our jobs is ridiculous, she said.

Brnovich spokeswoman Katie Conner said the office does not comment on why it refers cases out to other prosecutors instead of handling them in house.

But she said the decision to send the issue to McIntyre is unrelated to the history between Brnovich, who is running for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, and Hobbs, a Democrat who is running for governor.

Conner said its also unrelated to the fact that Brnovich entered into a diversion agreement with the State Bar of Arizona to settle complaints, including one by Hobbs, that it was unethical for him to represent her office but then take contrary legal positions.

Hobbs: Redistricting forced update

The E-Qual system, established in 2011, allows candidates to get signatures they need for nomination online. Normally there are no major issues.

This year, however, the Independent Redistricting Commission drew new lines for legislative and congressional candidates.

Hobbs said that required her to take the system offline to account for those new districts. The voter registration system  which determines if signers live within the districts of those they are supporting  cannot accommodate more than one set of maps. That means the system was temporarily not available for those running for Congress or the Legislature; it remained accessible for candidates seeking statewide office who are unaffected by redistricting.

As Hobbs was preparing to take it down, Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Wright wrote to her warning that any move to do so would be contrary to law.

The letter floated the possibility Hobbs could be charged with a Class 3 misdemeanor  and jailed for up to 30 days and fined $500  for knowingly refusing to perform a duty required under state election laws. Wright said the refusal to keep E-Qual online could even be a felony that carries a penalty of a year in state prison.

Hobbs, in turn, filed a lawsuit asking a court to block Brnovich from initiating any prosecution.

But Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Joan Sinclair refused, saying Wrights letter simply informed Hobbs of the legal requirements for E-Qual. The judge said that unless and until Brnovich took action, there was nothing for her to block.

Now the prosecution decision has been farmed out to McIntyre.

Brnovich also said he will send McIntyre copies of multiple written complaints his office got after Hobbs shut down the E-Qual system for congressional and legislative candidates.

He did not set a deadline for McIntyre to complete his probe.

+1 +1

Howard Fischer is a veteran journalist who has been reporting since 1970 and covering state politics and the Legislature since 1982. Follow him on Twitter at @azcapmedia or email azcapmedia@gmail.com .

Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community.


PHOENIX  A Senate panel unanimously approved plans to set up a special division within the Department of Public Safety to investigate police use of force, despite some concerns it would not ensure a true independent review.

House Bill 2650, sponsored by House Speaker Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, is designed to be a key step in making sure law enforcement agencies do not investigate critical force incidents involving their own officers.

Police and sheriffs departments would not be required to use the new DPS bureau. They also could turn an inquiry over to a regional law enforcement task force or any other agency. (Earlier this month, nine Southern Arizona law enforcement agencies announced they have launched their own critical incident team.)

Bowers said he contacted various police chiefs and sheriffs following a series of shootings last year amid questions by some in the public about whether the incidents were being properly investigated. They, in turn, came up with this plan. Bowers told the Senate Appropriations Committee Tuesday he believes it makes sense.

There was, and I think there still is, a sense among many people that they would like to not have any good old boy reviews, but that there would be a very professional oversight and training by the officers involved in doing the review, he said.

What would be covered is any discharge of a firearm by a police officer in an encounter, regardless of whether that resulted in death or injury to anyone. It also would include any intended use of deadly force that resulted in death or serious injury to someone else, whether the officer was on- or off-duty.

Bowers said there was a buy-in to the idea by all agencies involved.

They all want to have citizen confidence in what they do, he said. It reaffirms public trust in law enforcement across the state.

But Sen. Raquel Teran, D-Phoenix, said she got a list of concerns and objections from the William E. Morris Institute for Justice, a nonprofit public interest law firm that provides legal representation and legislative advocacy on behalf of low-income Arizonans.

For example, she said, the institute wants to be sure community members have an avenue for meaningful independent review of instances where police use force.

Bowers, for his part, said nothing in the legislation precludes communities from establishing their own civilian review boards. Nor does it bar them doing their own investigations.

But this, he said, is separate.

Teran, however, said the institute also wants community involvement in how the new bureau would be set up, with specific direction to include historically marginalized communities, including the disability community, communities of color, Indigenous communities and immigrant communities.

She said it also wants the involvement of trained civil rights experts in oversight of the new DPS bureau.

Bowers did not rule out any of that, but he said there has to be a starting point. This doesnt pretend to do everything all at once, he said.

But the speaker said hes unsure about having outside groups and interests actually involved in any probe by the DPS unit.

One thing we wanted to preserve is the absolute professionalism of any investigation, Bowers said. Im not familiar with someone being a civil rights-trained investigator. But I would certainly be open to understand that more  and if it could fit within a very tight professional investigation.

Rep. David Livingston, R-Peoria, pointed out that DPS already is short of officers and questioned where the agency would get the additional officers needed to do these investigations.

Gilbert Police Chief Mike Soelberg, who has coordinated much of the discussion that resulted in the legislation, sought to reassure lawmakers.

Our goal is not to deplete DPS staff, he said. Instead, Soelberg said, DPS would recruit from elsewhere, including retirees.

Weve got a lot of very experienced homicide investigators, violent crime investigators that are looking for that second career, he said. They would be eligible to participate in this.

The special unit even could be staffed from officers outside the state if they can get the required credentialing from the Police Officer Standards and Training Board, he said.

The legislation, which now goes to the full Senate, would provide $24.4 million to DPS to establish and maintain the new unit. It already cleared the House.

Howard Fischer is a veteran journalist who has been reporting since 1970 and covering state politics and the Legislature since 1982. Follow him on Twitter at @azcapmedia or email azcapmedia@gmail.com .

Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community.


Osage County Tourism often touts Skiatook as the music capital of Osage county in reference to Third Thursdays in the Park, the annual Tallgrass Music Festival, Pioneer Day concerts and other such events.

The First Baptist Church of Skiatook is contributing to that moniker with a unique event. The Oklahoma Baptist Symphony will present a free concert of sacred and classical music at 6 p.m. on Palm Sunday, April 10, at the West Rogers Campus of the church at 825 W. Rogers Blvd in Skiatook.

Brad Henderson serves as director of the Oklahoma Baptist Symphony and Worship Associate at First Baptist Church in Tulsa. He is an accomplished writer and arranger. Henderson is a member of the Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma and produced its recording, Let Everything That Has Breath.

The Oklahoma Baptist Symphony was established in 1993 and is continuing a rich tradition of instrumental worship. Sponsored by the Worship & Music Ministry division of the Oklahoma Baptists, this ministry organization is made up of volunteers from every walk of life. The group has grown to 82 members.

In addition to their own concerts and recordings, the orchestra has also accompanied groups such as the Singing Churchmen and Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma. In 2018, they performed a series of Memorial Day concerts with the combined choirs across Washington, D.C., including a special event for veterans at the famed Kennedy Center.

For more information on this free concert, contact the church office at 918-396-1565.
A woman was killed Tuesday evening in an ATV collision in Delaware County that closed a state highway for more than four hours, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported.

Dusti Graves, 45, of Jay, was driving a 2015 Bombardier ATV about 4 p.m. near Oklahoma 20 and EW 360 Road southeast of Grove when the collision with a 2015 Dodge Ram 1500 driven by a Noel, Missouri, man occurred.

The cause of the collision and what happened are still under investigation, but Graves died at the scene, troopers said.

Oklahoma 20 was closed in both directions for nearly five hours while troopers worked the collision.

Graves was not wearing a helmet at the time of the collision, troopers said.

The man driving the truck was uninjured.
Union High School seniors Eromon Ewohime and Jacob Osifeso did not expect to spend part of their Tuesday morning learning how to break an amniotic sac.

As part of a mini summit hosted Tuesday at Union High School to encourage more minority students to consider careers in medicine, Ewohime and 50 other secondary students from across Oklahoma spent the morning doing hands-on activities to reinforce skills used by health care professionals.

Along with practicing CPR on dummies, putting personal protective equipment on as fast as possible and channeling MacGyver to make casts out of cardboard boxes and bubble wrap, one station used Styrofoam cups, orange juice, oranges and Ziploc bags to teach students how to safely break a pregnant womans amniotic sac without injuring the fetus.

I never expected to do anything like that, Ewohime said. I didnt think Id go anywhere near childbirth, but this was the first activity I wound up going to. It was still cool, though.

The event host, Black Men in White Coats, is an organization that strives to diversify the medical field by providing mentorship opportunities and introducing students to potential career possibilities.

According to a 2018 study published by the Association of American Medical Colleges, 5% of all active doctors nationwide identify as Black, 5.8% identify as Hispanic, 17.1% identify as Asian, 0.3% identify as American Indian or Alaska Native and 0.1% identify as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.

Both Ewohine and Osifeso have family members in nursing who have encouraged them to consider going into medicine. Neither is completely sure what specific area of medicine they would like to pursue, but they said they are intrigued at the possibilities.

My mom is a nurse practitioner, Osifeso said. She keeps telling me to go into medicine. I sometimes look at the papers she has to do, and it looks like fun.

In addition to the hands-on activities, participants also had the opportunity to make contacts with local undergraduate students, medical students and health care providers.

This gives me more energy than anything else  the potential in this room, keynote speaker and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at the University of Oklahoma-University of Tulsa School of Community Medicine Dr. Jabraan Pasha said. This is potential energy. I see the possibilities in this room. We need yall. There are not enough of us in medicine, and the sad truth is that lives are lost  literally  because there arent enough of us in medicine.

Im not saying that to put pressure on you. Im saying that to give a little extra motivation as if you dont have enough already.

Featured video:

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.
Voters on Tulsa Public Schools southside are being asked to select a new representative on the board of education Tuesday.

Susan Lamkin and Tim Harris finished first and second atop a four-candidate field for TPS District 7 in the Feb. 8 primary election.

Incumbent Suzanne Schreiber declined to seek a third term. She has since announced her intent to run for the state House of Representatives.

TPS campuses in District 7 include Carnegie, Eisenhower International, Grissom, Key, Marshall, McClure and Patrick Henry elementary schools; Thoreau Demonstration Academy and Memorial High School.

Early walk-in voting is available Thursday and Friday at county election board offices. The general election is April 5.

Previously the Tulsa County district attorney, Harris has said concerns about the districts pre-pandemic test scores, coupled with some of his experiences as a prosecutor, are an impetus behind his decision to run for office.

The insight that I have gleaned in 28 years in the DAs office is not hundreds, but thousands of young men and women who did not have a good, basic education, he said at a forum Monday night hosted by the Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association and the Tulsa Council of Parent-Teacher Associations. Without that education and a high school diploma, it led them down a track that led them into the criminal justice system. At this stage of my career, having done that prosecution of people committing crimes, I want to get on the front end of this.

During Monday nights candidate forum, Harris called for a forensic audit of the districts finances. He also said he would support reducing the salaries of Superintendent Deborah Gist and other top TPS administrators and instead reallocating those funds toward teacher pay in an effort to attract and retain educators.

Gists current annual salary is $254,306 per year. Her most recent contract extension did not include a salary increase.

I dont know how these salaries get set, but I do know that if we take some of that money and give it to the teachers, well see better results, he said.

Pointing to a Feb. 24 meeting with the Tulsa World Editorial Board as sufficient, the Harris campaign responded to a Tulsa World interview request submitted prior to the forum by asking that any additional questions be submitted in writing for consideration.

In response to queries about vouchers, staffing concerns and student absentee rates, the campaign emailed the following statement:

When it comes to supporting our students, parents and teachers, our party affiliations, race or tribe should not be at the center of the issue; It is imperative the commitment and mission is to ensure every child in our city has access to an excellent public education.

We all are stakeholders in Tulsas public education system.

A current TPS parent, Lamkin has been involved in the Parent-Teacher Association at five of the districts campuses over the course of 16 years. She is currently president of Memorial High Schools PTA and a vice president with the Tulsa Council of PTAs.

Her campaign priority has been finding ways to better support teachers, families and students, particularly in light of the additional academic, public health and mental health challenges brought on by the pandemic.

I didnt go into this with any certain agenda or major concern other than I just saw that our schools and teachers were just so criticized, she said. Teachers were getting run through the mill over mask mandates, distance learning and COVID. I felt I could be a good voice on the board and try to make teachers and parents feel they were better represented.

While talking with voters in the weeks between the primary and general elections, Lamkin said she repeatedly received questions about critical race theory, particularly from voters who do not have children currently attending a TPS site.

Critical race theory is an academic and legal premise that several key aspects of American society, including its laws, economy and criminal justice system, were fashioned in a way to benefit white people at the expense of minorities.

Citing her desire to support teachers as trained professionals, Lamkin said she backs fact-based teaching practices that encourage students to develop critical thinking skills.

It all goes back to supporting the teachers and respecting the fact that they know how to teach the good and the bad while being appropriate, she said. We dont need to make laws or try to censor teachers on what they teach or read. Critical race theory is not really a thing thats being taught in (grades) K-12. I have kids in school and have not heard of anything along those lines thats actually being taught in schools.

Video: Tulsa World Newsroom: How does a book end up at your kids school library?

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.
PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Afghan security forces have launched a crackdown on armed opponents in Deh Salah district of the northern Baghlan province, provincial police spokesman Edris Shirzad said.

The crackdown, according to the official, was launched on Tuesday on the outskirts of Deh Salah district.

In the meantime, some locals on the condition of anonymity confirmed the fighting which inflicted casualties on both sides. 
Manuela Barrios was curious about the COVID-19 vaccine but harbored concerns and put it off because one of her children has a heart condition.

Barrios came across a social media ad about an Uma Center of Tulsa vaccination clinic March 3 with bilingual staff, so she took her 15- and 14-year-old children to it.

She had caught the virus earlier and missed work. She didn't want to repeat the experience nor potentially pass on the disease to others. So after hearing information in her native language of Spanish that alleviated her concerns, Barrios and her two children received their first doses of COVID vaccine.

"I would like to have everybody safe," Barrios said recently via an interpreter. "It's very important that everybody get the vaccine because of the benefits of the vaccine."

Barrios and her children are part of a trend this year in which Hispanic people are a greater share of new COVID vaccinations than ever before in Tulsa County  in part because Uma Center of Tulsa's Latino outreach efforts have grown.

"The Latino community was so badly hit in 2020-21 by COVID and its economic effects, so the Latino community went through a lot," said Martha Zapata, Uma Center of Tulsa's director. "So many Latinos have lost family members and friends. It has been really tragic, and we want to prevent that."

Hispanic people are about 16% of Tulsa County's population, but from mid-January through mid-February they accounted for 30% of new vaccinations, according to Tulsa Health Department's data analysis.

The trend in part was driven by Hispanic kids ages 5 to 11, who THD estimated to be about 21% of that demographic in the county but were about 35% of new vaccinations in that span.

Since August, Uma Center of Tulsa has been coordinating with and hosting vaccination clinics. The goal is to build trust and remove barriers for Hispanics, such as language, discomfort with government institutions, vaccine misinformation and help filling out forms.

The FDA and CDC in November approved the Pfizer vaccine for emergency-use authorization in children ages 5 to 11. Zapata said Uma Center of Tulsa posted fliers in Spanish that children as young as 5 could be vaccinated. Traditional and social media ads were put out, too.

She then began to notice more Latino families showing up to clinics in December and thereafter. Some were young families. Others were children bringing elderly parents.

"We Latinos do everything as a family," Zapata said. "It moved my heart."

From August through March, Uma Center of Tulsa clinics have vaccinated more than 3,000 people.

Wayne Everett, THD data analyst, said Hispanic first-dose vaccinations continue to outperform their share of the county's population in March, just not at the peak levels in that four-week span earlier this year.

Everett said Hispanic people were only 2% of vaccinations by the end of January 2021, when the focus was on health-care workers, first-responders and older individuals. Hispanics are younger than the county population as a whole, contributing to that under-representation, he said.

Hispanics, roughly 16% of Tulsa County's population, now are about 12% of vaccinated people in the county, with the caveat that about 1 in 5 individuals don't report their ethnicity when immunized, he said.

Everett added that Hispanics generally comprised about 15% to 18% of new vaccinations in the county throughout most of 2021  and then came the boost up to 30% beginning in mid-January.

"I was surprised to see numbers that high, so that forced me to dive into trying to validate them and then also look closely at the age differences between the county population and the Hispanics within Tulsa County," Everett said. "Obviously the Hispanic portion of that is partly explained by the fact that Hispanics are younger, but that doesn't explain all of it."

Zapata said Uma Center of Tulsa's vaccine clinics mostly are in partnership with the Caring Van, which sets up at different sites and is a program of the Oklahoma Caring Foundation.

Zapata said her group has received grant funding from Made to Save, a national nonprofit working to increase COVID vaccine access. Made to Save also provides training through physicians so that bilingual peer educators know how to informatively address questions.

Uma Center of Tulsa will add health screenings to its vaccination clinics beginning in April with medical students from a local chapter of the Latino Medical Student Association.

The Tulsa-based nonprofit began in July 2020 with mental health work, Zapata said, which has expanded to vaccinations and recently to business education, too.

She said her group partners with the city of Tulsa, Tulsa Health Department and the Tulsa Community Foundation to help make its outreach possible. George Kaiser Family Foundation also supports the center, she said.

"During the pandemic was the right time to start this nonprofit," Zapata said of Uma Center of Tulsa. "I saw the need for programming and curriculum in Spanish for more outreach for Hispanics."

Barrios and her kids will receive their second doses soon at another Uma Center of Tulsa clinic.

She said the nonprofit's outreach is "very important" for individuals like herself who don't speak English and want to learn about the vaccine.

"It was easy for me to fill out the forms with help, and everyone was friendly," Barrios said.

Editor's note: This story was edited after publication to include additional information about philanthropic support for the Uma Center.

Featured video:

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.
Ho Chi Minh City has abundant trade and investment opportunities for foreign enterprises including those from the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), a city official said at the two-day Francophone Business Forum that wrapped up in Ho Chi Minh City last week.

Duong Anh Duc, deputy chairman of the city administration, made the statement at the forum jointly held by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the OIF last Wednesday.

He also emphasized that the southern economic hub of Vietnam could serve as a launching pad for enterprises of the French-speaking countries, or Francophones, to further join regional and global supply chains.

As part of various activities scheduled during the ongoing visit by the Economic and Commercial Mission of La Francophonie (MECA) from March 21 to 30, the event attracted 102 international business people and economic entities from 24 countries and member governments of the OIF and more than 420 Vietnamese businesses.

The event focuses on three areas: agriculture and food processing, sustainable energy, and digital goods and services.

Duc also pointed out that OIF enterprises could leverage opportunities created by free trade agreements to which Vietnam is party, such as the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Standing deputy chairman of the VCCI Hoang Quang Phong said Vietnam and other OIF member countries have reciprocal conditions for development together, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

The Francophone economic space offers a big market for Vietnam while the Southeast Asian nation can help enhance the connectivity within the OIF and form a closed-loop supply-consumption chain, spreading from Africa to Europe and North America, Phong elaborated.

The presence of a lot of business owners, startup entrepreneurs, and economic organizations from 24 OIF member countries at this forum has reflected their expectations for cooperation in Vietnam, OIF Secretary General Louise Mushikiwabo told the forum.

As its first stop of MECA before going to Hanoi and Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Ho Chi Minh City creates chances for OIF enterprises to visit industrial parks and companies in the energy and high-tech industries to set up business development connections, Mushikiwabo stated.

Hailing Vietnams dynamism, the OIF official said the country offers many opportunities to foreign businesses and investors.

The Vietnam visit by the Francophone delegation is part of the efforts to implement the Francophone Economic Development Strategy in 2020-25, the Vietnam News Agency cited Mushikiwabo as saying.

Vietnam has so far set up trade ties with 44 out of 54 OIF member countries, with trade turnover between Vietnam and OIF members reaching over US$20 billion in the 2017-21 period.

In regard to investment, 16 OIF countries had developed 1,450 projects worth nearly $16 billion in Vietnam as of 2021, while many of Vietnams state-run groups and private firms have also invested in Africa, mainly in oil and gas, telecommunications, hydroelectricity, and wood processing.

Established in 1970, the OIF now has 88 member states and observers, accounting for 16 percent of the global population and 16.5 percent of the worlds total assets.

As an OIF member in 1979, Vietnam has been an active and core member of the organization in Asia-Pacific.

The country hosted the Francophone Summit in 1997.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Police in Tra Vinh Province, located in Vietnams Mekong Delta region, said on Tuesday that officers are clarifying the denunciation of sexual abuse by a group of alumnae against a literature teacher of a high school in Tra Vinh City.

The local police received a total of four written denunciations from four alumnae of Nguyen Thien Thanh High School for the Gifted, who stated that a literature of the school had engaged in indecent, sexually abusive behaviors toward them.

The officers did not elaborate on where and when the sexually abusive behaviors happened as per the alumnae's account.

They worked with two of the accusers on the denunciation, while being scheduled to meet another, who is living in Ho Chi Minh City, later.

The officers have yet to arrange a working session with the remaining alumna, who has been infected with COVID-19.

They will also invite the teacher in question, who has worked at Nguyen Thien Thanh High School for the Gifted for 20 years, to the police headquarters to clarify the denunciations.

At his request, the teacher has been suspended from providing in-person lessons at classrooms and assigned other tasks outside of his teaching expertise in the meantime, a leader of the school said on Tuesday.

The school also reported the case to the provincial Department of Education and Training after information related to it circulated online on February 25.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
An Arab gunman killed at least five people in a Tel Aviv suburb on Tuesday before he was fatally shot, the national ambulance service said, in the third deadly attack in Israel in a week.

"Israel is facing a wave of murderous Arab terror," Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tweeted after the shootings in Bnei Brak, a Jewish ultra-Orthodox city on the outskirts of Israel's commercial capital.

The shooting raised to 11 the number of people killed by Arab gunmen in Israel over the past week, the sharpest spike in attacks on city streets in years.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the killing of Israeli civilians and stressed that the killing of Israelis and Palestinians would only lead to a deterioration of the situation, cautioning against retaliatory attacks by Jewish settlers and others, Palestinian Wafa news agency reported.

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men gather at the scene of an attack in which people were killed by a gunman on a main street in Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, Israel, March 29, 2022. Photo: Reuters

Palestinians have been reporting a rise in settler violence across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in a 1967 war.

Amateur video broadcast on Israeli television stations showed a man dressed in black and pointing an assault rifle walking down a road in Bnei Brak.

Israeli media reports, quoting unidentified security officials, said the assailant was a Palestinian from a village near the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank.

Police said he killed four civilians and an officer who had arrived on the scene before officers fatally shot the gunman.

People gather at the scene of an attack in which people were killed by a gunman on a main street in Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, Israel, March 29, 2022. Photo: Reuters

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Israeli officials had cautioned about a surge in assaults in the run-up in April to the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a period in which violence has surged in the past.

Last year saw nightly Ramadan clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police and settlers. Police raids at Al-Aqsa mosque compound and a ban on evening gatherings at Damascus Gate helped ignite violence between Israel and Gaza militants that led to 11 days of Palestinian rocket attacks and Israeli air strikes.

In Bnei Brak, witnesses said the gunman began shooting at apartment balconies and then at people on the street and in a car.

Israeli police forensics experts work at the scene of an attack in which people were killed by a gunman on a main street in Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, Israel, March 29, 2022. Photo: Reuters

"I live on Hashneim Street in Bnei Brak and I was at home when I heard gunshots," paramedic Menachem Englander said, according to a tweet posted by Magen David Adom. "I immediately went out to the street and saw a terrorist pointing a weapon at me. By a miracle, his weapon jammed and he couldn't shoot."

Last week, an Arab citizen of Israel killed four people in a stabbing and car ramming attack in the southern city of Beersheba, before he was shot dead by a passerby. Israeli authorities said he was an Islamic State sympathiser.

On Sunday, as an Israeli-Arab summit convened in southern Israel, an Arab assailant shot and killed two police officers in Hadera, a city some 50 km (30 miles) north of Tel Aviv. Other officers shot and killed him.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the Hadera attack.
"As a man, you must prove that you are worthy of being a man," this traditional norm has caused many problems for many male generations in Vietnam.

It is no surprise to hear the opinion of Dr. Khuat Thu Hong, director of the Institute for Social Development Studies (ISDS), who said that the stereotype of being a true man has put a lot of pressure on Vietnamese masculinity for years.

Self-imposed and socially imposed standards

Dr. Hong pointed out that in a recent ISDS study based on a sample size of 2,567 men aged 18 to 64, the most preferred stereotype of a man included 23 criteria, including a stable career, a high level of education, a skillful profession, a high position in a government agency, a leadership or a decision-making post, a healthy body, the ability to take risks and challenges, and a strong sexual ability.

In addition, there are some popular standards for a 'true man' in Vietnamese society, such as the ability to support a family, earn enough money to raise his wife and children, and bear the responsibility of ancestor worship.

"These standards are too strict and get many men into trouble when it comes to meeting them," Hong said.

These demanding criteria stem from a widely held notion of men's role as the mainstay of Vietnamese families and society for thousands of years, she explained.

"This norm can be maintained as long as the man has always held a position endowed with more privileges and rights than those of the other genders," she added.

Dr. Hong revealed that in an earlier ISDS study of 8,424 people, including both men and women, it was found that men enjoy many more privileges than women, including better opportunities to gain experience, work, own assets, and take on duties in society.

The poor 'pillar'

The more expectations are imposed on men, the more pressure is placed on them, especially those whose abilities cannot meet these criteria.

"In our survey, nearly a quarter of them admitted that they face tremendous pressure in life," Hong said.

"More than 80 percent and nearly 70 percent of men feel overwhelmed by financial and professional burdens, respectively."

She is aware that many men are obsessed with the arduous responsibilities of both raising a family and trying to secure a social position.

The more competitive their lives become, the more stressed they feel, especially if they often compare themselves to others, the ISDS director said.

Given these strains, it is understandable that men, many of whom are young and living in urban cities, tend to suffer from negative emotions and feelings.

A growing number of urban men feel so lonely and disappointed that they sometimes resort to risky actions, Dr. Hong said.

"We found in our survey that three in one hundred men have suicidal intentions, which is three times more than women; more than 67 percent smoke regularly; and above 58 percent get drunk frequently," she elaborated.

In recent years, more than 80 percent of accidents were caused by men, with alcohol abuse being the main reason, she added.

Faced with this gender pressure, many men treat their wives badly to distract themselves from their psychological distress.

Dr. Khuat Thu Hong, director of the Institute for Social Development Studies (ISDS)

How to break away from the norms?

"In order to relieve men from onuses, I think we need to raise awareness of this problem through communication and education, both in families and in society," Hong suggested.

"Above all, we should adopt policies that enable women to share responsibilities with their husbands."

Hong said researchers like her are glad that their surveys show that many young men living in cities do not suffer from such pressures.

"They have been influenced by globalization through the Internet, travel experiences, and working in international environments, which makes their way of thinking freer and more comfortable from old norms," the gender equality expert explained.

She hopes that it is the group of 'non-norm men' who would set new and proper examples of the roles of women and men in today's fast-paced society.

Let us educate girls and boys the same way! To make a difference, Dr. Khuat Thu Hong recommends that Vietnamese parents do their part by creating new norms or 'new stereotypes' in their own families. "You should raise your children in the same way, promote their positive values, and teach them the necessary life skills with which they can grow up confident and lead meaningful lives," she advised.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The Supreme Peoples Procuracy initiated legal proceedings and issued an arrest warrant against the captain of a drug-related crime investigation team in the central Vietnamese province of Quang Ngai on Tuesday for receiving a bribe of VND100 million (US$4,373) to ignore illegal use of drugs at a karaoke bar.

Nguyen Cong Tam, captain of the drug-related crime investigation team in Binh Son District, Quang Ngai, is being investigated for taking bribes, while Ngo Van Tien, a local man from the district, is being prosecuted for brokering bribery.

Tam was charged with clarifying and collecting documents to handle the case of illegal drug use at Gia Minh karaoke bar, run by Nguyen Van Thoi, in the district in early 2021, according to initial investigation results.

For fear of criminal prosecution, Thoi asked Tien to reach out to Tam and give him VND100 million so that he would turn a blind eye to his organization of illegal drug use at the karaoke bar.

On January 22, Tam received the VND100-million amount from Tien.

After that, Tam did not perform investigation work to clarify whether there was proof of criminal offenses related to Thoi and some other subjects.

Instead, the captain merely proposed an administrative fine on the karaoke bar owner.

The Supreme Peoples Procuracy thus initiated legal proceedings and issued an arrest warrant against Tam.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The Vietnamese man who was found paddling an inflatable boat toward India to see his 'Indian wife' last week had previously intended to travel to the UK to find a job, his mother said, adding that he had spent a lot of money preparing for the trip.

Phan Tan Loi, chairman of the Peoples Committee in Tan Trach Commune, located in southern Long An Province, confirmed on Monday he had tasked his officials with visiting the family of Ho Hoang Hung following the incident.

Hung, 37, was rescued by Thai naval forces on Wednesday last week after he was found paddling an inflatable boat alone toward India, claiming he wanted to see his 'Indian wife' as they had been separated by the COVID-19 pandemic for over two years.

He is the youngest son of Ho Ngoc Long and Nguyen Thi Hao, both 62, according to chairman Loi.

He dropped out of high school in 2001 and became a silversmith apprentice until 2003.

The man then worked as a silversmith before working for a factory at an industrial park in Can Duoc District, Long An in 2007.

In 2017, Hung quit his job, bought an automobile, and worked as a GrabCar driver in Ho Chi Minh City for a few months.

On March 19, 2018, he wandered to Laos and was arrested by local police.

His family later had to go to the Lao Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and paid VND8.5 million (US$371) to bail him out.

His family members believed that Hung had signs of mental illness but an examination at the hospital in 2014 showed that he was in a normal condition.

One of the electric motorbikes that Ho Hoang Hung bought. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

Hung once reported being chased by a group of people from Ho Chi Minh City, but police later found out that there were no such incidents.

In 2018, local residents saw Hung standing by the lake and praying for more than an hour, the chairman added.

Hao, Hungs mother, confirmed these accounts, adding that Hung once locked himself in his room for months and did not talk to anyone.

Doing whatever it takes to go to the UK

Aside from the abnormal behaviors, Hung is a gentle and quiet man and easy to trust others, according to his mother.

The mother also confirmed that he is not married, adding that he had never had a girlfriend.

In 2017, Hao and her husband gave their land plots to their three sons. Hung later sold his for VND1 billion ($43,700).

Following his arrest in Laos, Hung thought about traveling to Russia and later to the UK.

He has been talking about going to the UK to work over the past two years, Hao stated.

Hung had also paid an international education company for a course to prepare for this plan.

The registration paper of Ho Hoang Hungs business household. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

Hao added that her son even bought two electric motorbikes costing a combined VND33 million ($1,440), as someone told him that people often travel by electric motorbike in the UK.

His brothers said he had been fooled, but he did not listen, Hao recalled.

In 2021, after hearing that owning a business would make it easier for him to travel to the UK, Hung headed to Ca Mau Province and asked a local man to help him with registering a business household with a capital of VND200 million ($8,740).

Hung left the house at around 11:30 am on March 1 and told the family that he was going to get on a plane to the UK.

However, all of the things he had prepared for his trip, namely the electric motorbikes and business registration paper, were left at home.

Hao said she had no idea her son had gone to Thailand and been drifting at sea for days until he was found by Thai naval forces.

As long as hes alive, Im glad, Hao stressed, hoping that the embassy completes their procedures early to let Hung come home.

He may leave us again. I understand my son. But I always hope he will return soon.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
BRATISLAVA, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Russian Ambassador Igor Bratchikov on Wednesday, requiring him to decrease the staff of the embassy by 35 members.

The decision was made "based on information from the security forces of the Slovak Republic about the activities of another Russian diplomat in violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations," the Slovak Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Slovakia expelled three Russian embassy staff on March 14, citing information from Slovakia's secret service. 
The construction of Rach Mieu 2, a US$226 million bridge crossing the Tien (Front) River in Vietnams Mekong Delta, was kick-started in Ben Tre Province on Tuesday.

The groundbreaking was organized by authorities in Ben Tre Province, in coordination with the Ministry of Transport and authorities in Tien Giang Province.

Rach Mieu 2 Bridge stretches 17.6 kilometers over the Tien River to connect Ben Tre and Tien Giang Provinces, according to Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Duy Lam.

It has six lanes and a designed speed of 80km per hour. The construction is expected to be complete in 2025.

The project costs more than VND5.175 trillion (US$226.3 million), which is funded by the central budget.

This is the second major bridge crossing the Tien River aside from Rach Mieu 1 Bridge, which was opened to traffic in 2009.

Rach Mieu 1 Bridge has been plagued by serious traffic jams over the past years, especially during major holidays.

The groundbreaking of Rach Mieu 2 Bridge is organized in Ben Tre Province, Vietnam, March 29, 2022. Photo: Mau Truong / Tuoi Tre

Rach Mieu 2 Bridge is located about 3.8 kilometers from Rach Mieu 1, starting at the intersection of National Highway No. 1 and Provincial Road No. 870 in Chau Thanh District, Tien Giang Province and ending at National Highway No. 60 in Ben Tre City under Ben Tre Province.

This is a very important project as it contributes to the completion of the national road network and creates favorable conditions for travel, goods transport, and socio-economic development in Ben Tre and the Mekong Delta in general, Tran Ngoc Tam, chairman of the Ben Tre Peoples Committee, said at the ceremony.

The new bridge will reduce traffic congestion and accidents as well as save travel costs as the distance between Ho Chi Minh City and multiple provinces in the Mekong Delta will be greatly shortened.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai highlighted the significance of the project in improving the transport infrastructure and socio-economic development in the Mekong Delta and the country.

He asked the Ministry of Transport to ensure the progress and the quality of the project, adding that appropriate construction solutions should be applied.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
ABC feature film Here Out West has been announced as the winner of the annual Screen Diversity & Inclusion (SDIN) Award.

The announcement was made by SDIN co-chairs Michelle Cheng and Kelrick Martin today at the Screen Forever conference on the Gold Coast where they hosted the panel Diversity in TV & Film: Navigating Difficult Conversations

Here Out West was selected by an external panel from a shortlist which included drama series Firebite and the factual series The School That Tried To End Racism.

The SDIN Award recognises an Australian based project, producer and/or production company and/or screen organisation that has made a significant contribution through excellence or impact to diversity and inclusion either on or offscreen within the Australian screen industry.

Here Out West selected as Opening Night film at the 2021 Sydney Film Festival, is an anthology film produced by Annabel Davis, Sheila Jayadev and Bree-Anne Sykes, directed by Lucy Gaffy, Ana Kokkinos, Leah Purcell, Fadia Abboud and Julie Kalceff, and written by Nisrine Amine, Matias Bolla, Arka Das, Bina Bhattacharya, Dee Dogan, Tien Tran, Vonne Patiag and Claire Cao.

SDIN Co-Chair, Michelle Cheng, said: We were greatly encouraged to see the diversity of lived experience in crew and cast in this years SDIN nominees. Here Out West is a leader in authentic and meaningful collaboration with Australians from a wide range of backgrounds, and an incredible example for the industry.

SDIN Co-Chair, Kelrick Martin, said: Im overwhelmed by the quality of this years SDIN Award submissions, which paint a very positive light for the future of diverse content in Australia. Here Out West is a standout recipient of this years award, and I have no doubt that the unique methodology the team developed to ensure authentic representation in a respectful, inclusive way will be used as a benchmark for many years to come.

SDIN members include all Australian broadcasters, state and national screen agencies, guilds and business associations as well as FreeTV and AFTRS. SDIN members commit to supporting greater inclusiveness around workforce, talent development, training and partnerships. The SDIN Charter and a full list of members is available at www.sdin.com.au.
A new UK drama series Stonehouse which centres around disgraced British Labour minister John Stonehouse a suspected spy who faked his death, fled across the world and hid in Melbourne, will screen on BritBox in late 2022.

Matthew Macfayden (Succession, Pride & Prejudice) plays the lead role of John Stonehouse and Keeley Hawes (Line of Duty, Ashes to Ashes, Spooks, Its A Sin) co-stars as his wife Barbara.

Moira Hogan, Country Manager of BritBox Australia says: The story of John Stonehouse is as unbelievable as it is fascinating. The production, script and cast bring together an incredible re-telling of a true, yet bizarre narrative. Were proud to announce that Stonehouse is one of the many original programs that BritBox is bringing to Aussie screens this year.

Diederick Santer, Chief Creative Officer, BritBox International says: We at BritBox International are delighted to be working with this talented and accomplished team, and with ITV, to be sharing this extraordinary story with our audiences all over the world. Were very proud to have Stonehouse as our first global co-production.

Melbourne scenes will be shot in Coventry and Spain.

The three-part drama, directed by BAFTA-nominated Jon S. Baird (Stan & Ollie, Vinyl, Filth), produced by Snowed-In Productions and Clearwood Films with BritBox International as co-production partners, relates how Stonehouse, a high-flying member of Harold Wilsons Government, vanished from the beach of a large luxury hotel in Florida in November 1974, leaving a neatly folded pile of clothes as he swam into the sea, intent on faking his own death.

Stonehouse was a high flying member of Harold Wilsons Government who impressed labour stalwarts from an early stage in his parliamentary career. From a working-class background, hed graduated from the London School of Economics, was in the RAF during the Second World War and seemed the ideal candidate for a life in politics.

As the drama unfolds, it becomes apparent that his reputation as a devoted family man masked the truth. Stonehouse embarked on an extra marital affair with his secretary, Sheila Buckley, and acted as a spy for the Czech Government in the 1960s.

His complex financial status and relationships eventually took their toll, with Stonehouse deliberately stealing the identity of a recently deceased constituent. Stonehouse applied for a passport in the dead mans name and began to weave an elaborate conspiracy,

Faking his death, Stonehouse left behind his loving wife Barbara and three young children in 1974. He staged a scene of leaving a neatly folded pile of clothes by the beach to suggest he swam into the sea and was eaten by a shark.

Stonehouse sought a new life in Australia. However, his plans soon turned sour as he was arrested by Australian police who had been under the mistaken impression that he was the fugitive peer Lord Lucan.

Brought back to the UK by Scotland Yard detectives, Stonehouse found that he was crucial to keeping the Labour government in power with its wafer-thin majority.

Written by acclaimed writer John Preston (A Very English Scandal, The Dig), the drama will also star Emer Heatley (Showtrial) as Stonehouses mistress Sheila Buckley, Kevin R McNally (The Crown, Unforgotten) as Harold Wilson, Dorothy Atkinson (All Creatures Great and Small, Mum) as Betty Boothroyd and Igor Grabuzov (Voskresenskiy, No Looking Back).

Stonehouse Executive Producers are Jon S. Baird, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, Matthew Macfadyen, John Preston and Ellie Wood, Polly Hill for ITV and Diederick Santer for BritBox International.

Stonehouse is commissioned by ITV. BritBox International is a joint initiative created by ITV and BBC. Banijay will be responsible for the international distribution of the drama.
By Karen Updyke, School of Engineering

University of Dayton Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering alumni, Colin Hisey 10 and Lydia Everhart 11, have enjoyed success from UD to New Zealand.

While at UD, they participated in the Multi-Ethnic Engineers Program and gained insight beyond academics. We were not just a number at UD; faculty and staff went out of their way to offer support, said Everhart.

For over 20 years, the UD School of Engineering Multi-Ethnic Engineers Program has delivered a unique level of student support. It is a community of faculty and staff scholars who support experiential exploration and collaboration  co-op, professional organizations, ETHOS and the Innovation Center just to name a few.

Hisey and Everhart agree, MEP gave us the assistance and confidence needed to tackle the tough engineering coursework. We had access to peer, faculty, staff, and professional help through networking, discussions, and speakers. They applaud MEP as well as faculty and staff: Laura Bistrek, Maceo Cofield, Charles Browning, Tony Saliba, Julie Brill were positive influences and helped us succeed as students and design our careers. We had early exposure to hands-on research, which was a unique experience that encouraged us to continue our education after graduation.

They met at the STEM summer bridge program through the Diversity in Engineering Center but began their love story years later in a biology class  sharing notes. They were chemical engineering majors and interested in biomedicine, which they both followed.

After graduation, Hisey received his masters degree in chemical engineering in 2011 from UD and his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering in 2018 from The Ohio State University. He then traveled to New Zealand, where, as a postdoc research fellow, he studied the role of extracellular vesicles in metastasis and their potential in medical applications at the Hub for Extracellular Vesicle Investigations (HEVI) at the University of Auckland. It was the perfect fit, said Hisey. Auckland was one of the top universities for my research interests.

Everhart received her masters degree in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 2014. She then pursued clinical translational research briefly before transitioning to a role in operations management at McMaster-Carr Supply Company. In New Zealand, Everhart secured a position with Auckland UniServices Ltd, a consultancy for faculty proposals, patents and industry-sponsored research, and she also found her analytical niche.

After three years in New Zealand, they returned to the States and now reside in Columbus, Ohio, where Hisey is a LEGACY Postdoctoral Scholar with The Ohio State University and plans to remain in academia and continue his research. Everhart works with the Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Columbus supporting the development of innovative and optimized processes that will benefit the children, the parents and the hospital.

More than 10 years after their UD graduation, their love grows, their successes shine, and they continue to return to UD, contribute, and make a difference.

They agreed that MEP and the University of Dayton supported us beyond our expectations."

MEP thrives today and is one of the multiple programs that receives direct funding for student scholarships from UDs annual day of giving: One Day, One Dayton.
ReportLinker

Pulse Flours Market Research Report by Type (Bean, Chickpea, and Lentil), by Application (Bakery, Beverages, and Extruded Food), by Region (Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa) - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19

New York, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Pulse Flours Market Research Report by Type, by Application, by Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06226160/?utm_source=GNW



The Global Pulse Flours Market size was estimated at USD 19.90 billion in 2020 and expected to reach USD 21.15 billion in 2021, at a CAGR 6.72% to reach USD 31.38 billion by 2027.



Market Statistics:

The report provides market sizing and forecast across five major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2018 and 2019 are considered historical years, 2020 as the base year, 2021 as the estimated year, and years from 2022 to 2027 are considered the forecast period.



Market Segmentation & Coverage:

This research report categorizes the Pulse Flours to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets:



Based on Type, the market was studied across Bean, Chickpea, Lentil, and Peas.



Based on Application, the market was studied across Bakery, Beverages, Extruded Food, Feed, and Meat Products.



Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom.



Cumulative Impact of COVID-19:

COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, and the long-term effects are projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report delivers insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecasts, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market.



Competitive Strategic Window:

The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period.



FPNV Positioning Matrix:

The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Pulse Flours Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape.



Market Share Analysis:

The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits.



Competitive Scenario:

The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitors strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service.



Company Usability Profiles:

The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Pulse Flours Market, including AGT Food and Ingredients Inc., Anchor Ingredients Co., LLC, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Batory Foods, Inc., BEAN GROWERS AUSTRALIA LIMITED., Bridgewell Agribusiness LLC, CanMar Foods Ltd. by Hokanson Capital Inc., Diefenbaker Spice & Pulse, Globeways Canada Inc, Hodmedod Ltd, Ingredion Incorporated, JOVA GRANEROS SA DE CV, Olega SA, Pulse Canada, PURIS LLC by Carpenter Technology, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, SunOpta Inc, The Blue Ribbon Group, The Scoular Company, Vestkorn A/S, and Woodland Foods. Ltd.



The report provides insights on the following pointers:

1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players

2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets

3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments

4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players

5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments



The report answers questions such as:

1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Pulse Flours Market?

2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Pulse Flours Market during the forecast period?

3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Pulse Flours Market?

4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Pulse Flours Market?

5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Pulse Flours Market?

6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Pulse Flours Market?

7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Pulse Flours Market?

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06226160/?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




LJUBLJANA, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The Slovenian embassy in the Ukrainian capital Kiev, which reopened on Monday, has removed the Slovenian flag which was hanging in front of the embassy, because of its similarity with the Russian flag, a Slovenian representative in Ukraine said on Wednesday.

Slovenian and Russian flags both carry the same colors in the same order: white, blue and red, with the Slovenian flag carrying the country's coat of arms which consists of stylised symbols of stars, mountains, sea and rivers.

"We raised the Slovenian and the European flags with pride when we returned to Kiev," Bostjan Lesjak, Slovenian charge d'affaires in Kiev, told TV Slovenia.

"But in the morning, representatives of the (Ukrainian) national guard, followed by representatives of the police, visited me and very politely asked me if we could temporary remove the Slovenian flag because it is too similar to the Russian one," he said.

Slovenia reopened its embassy in Kiev on Monday, about a month after the country evacuated all its diplomats from Ukraine on Feb. 26 following the start of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

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 earlier this week. 
By Joe Bavier, Helen Reid and Clara Denina

JOHANNESBURG(Reuters) - Ore shipments from Russian aluminium giant Rusal's bauxite mines in Guinea have ground to a halt as the war in Ukraine disrupts the company's global operations, shipping data showed on Wednesday.

Unlike several other Russian companies, Rusal is not under sanctions, although its billionaire founder Oleg Deripaska is. But the export standstill illustrates how the war and backlash against Moscow's actions have wreaked havoc on global supply chains that will likely drive up prices for many goods.

Roughly half of Rusal's production of the aluminium ore bauxite came from its mines in Guinea last year. That output is even more critical now that Australia - the world's top bauxite producer - has banned exports to Russia and Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto said it would sever ties with Russian businesses.

Rusal, which reported 2021 results on Wednesday, produced 3.8 million tonnes of aluminium last year - 5.6% of the world's supply of the lightweight metal used in everything from satellites and planes to cans and toasters.

The company did not reply to a request for comment on the slowdown in shipments or its impact on its operations.

Rusal's Dian-Dian mines in Guinea, which have historically supplied bauxite to its Aughinish refinery in Ireland, last shipped ore on March 12, according to an analysis of Refinitiv shipping data. Its Kindia operations, meanwhile, last exported on Feb. 26.

By comparison, in 2021 Dian-Dian exported three bauxite shipments between March 12 and 30, and Kindia shipped seven from Feb. 26 to March 30, according to data compiled by Perth-based bauxite specialists Mining Consulting.

STOCKPILES FILLING UP

A Rusal company official in Guinea, who declined to be named, told Reuters the company was stockpiling bauxite at the Kindia mine, and fewer trains were transporting bauxite to port because it was running out of stockpile capacity there.

Story continues

Bauxite mined at Kindia would typically be sent to the Nikolaev alumina refinery in southern Ukraine. But the facility, responsible for around a fifth of Rusal's output of the material used to make aluminium, has been shuttered due to the war and Guinean bauxite shipments already en route there were diverted to Aughinish.

"I would think Kindia will go into care and maintenance when the stockpiles are full," said Mining Consulting's Bob Adam. "Aughinish is a low temperature refinery, and Dian-Dian is more favourable feed stock."

Earlier this month, Rusal told Reuters its Guinea operations had not stopped producing and it did not plan to lay off staff.

Guinea's mines ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Nearly two-thirds of Rusal's 8.3 million tonne alumina output was produced outside Russia in 2021, meaning the company is highly dependent on its refineries overseas, which require a constant feed of bauxite to keep running.

Ireland's government has said it is keen the Aughinish refinery - a key alumina supplier to Europe and an important employer in County Limerick - continues to operate.

Australia's ban on alumina and bauxite exports to Russia has piled further pressure on Rusal, with consultancy Wood Mackenzie saying the ban would make it difficult for it to maintain normal aluminium production.

For a related graphic on Australia's ban on alumina exports to Russia tightens the raw materials screw on Rusa, click https://tmsnrt.rs/3ucqnHb

(Reporting by Joe Bavier and Helen Reid in Johannesburg, Clara Denina in London, Additional reporting by Padraic Halpin in Dublin and Saliou Samb in Conakry, Graphic by Andy Home; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
Scotland will phase out its face mask laws from next Monday, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The first minister said they would no longer be needed at places of worship, weddings and funerals from 4 April, with the requirement covering shops, schools and public transport ending on 18 April.

Mask laws were due to be dropped earlier this month but were kept due to a "spike" in COVID cases.

Ms Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament the laws would instead become guidance.

She said: "We have taken account of the very high level of infection and the pressure on the NHS, and the fact that face coverings do provide an important layer of protection against transmission of the virus from one person to another.

"However, we are also mindful that the data may now be indicating a peaking of this wave of infection which should hopefully become more pronounced over the next couple of weeks.

"We have therefore concluded, subject as always to the state of the pandemic, that the legal requirement to wear face coverings will be replaced with guidance on the following phased basis."

All other Scottish legal requirements on COVID were lifted nine days ago but the face covering mandate was maintained.

England dropped its face mask law at the end of January.

Wales dropped the requirement for a mask in shops and on public transport on Monday, but they are still mandatory in health and social care settings.

Face mask laws in Northern Ireland changed in February. People there are still recommended to wear one in indoor public places, but it's not legally required.

There were a further 9,610 COVID cases reported in Scotland on Wednesday, as well as 34 deaths, but the first minister said there were signs that the rise in cases was stabilising.

Some 2,344 people are in hospital with the virus in Scotland, according to latest figures on Tuesday, down slightly from 2,383 the previous day.

However, Ms Sturgeon said that figure was still far higher than the previous peak - 2,053 in January 2021 - and that the recent increase in cases had "put the NHS under even more severe strain".
Triton Poker Returns with Special Edition in North Cyprus from April 2-7

March 30 2022 Matt Hansen

The Triton Poker Series returns to action at the Merit Royal Hotel Casino and Spa in North Cyprus from April 2-7 and they will join forces with PokerGO and the Super High Roller Series to add 10 more events to the slate, including the $250,000 Super High Roller Bowl on April 13. The action will be streamed live on Youtube and Twitch via Triton Poker.

The North Cyprus stop marks the return of Triton Poker with the first event since London in 2019. The series returns after canceling a robust 2020 schedule in the wake of COVID-19, along with two postponed events earlier in 2022 in Bali and Russia.

GGPoker Triton Poker Sponsorship

In addition, GGPoker have been unveiled as an official partner of Triton Poker, with the two brands planning to collaborate on future live events, with exclusive online satellites made available on GGPoker.

"Triton Series has striven to bring live poker to the next level"

"Since its inception, the Triton Series has striven to bring live poker to the next level," said John Scanlon, Director of Sponsorships & Live Events at GGPoker. "Its not just about the size of the buy-ins or the big name players, but the quality of production and level of engagement it receives from the poker community.

"This partnership is the perfect synergy between two brands aligned with a common goal to bring poker to the masses through premium product offerings."

Meanwhile CEO of Triton Poker Series Andy Wong was thrilled to welcome GGPoker as a premium partner.

"GGPoker brings a wealth of experience within the online gaming industry and is renowned for being at the forefront of developing innovative games and features.

"Significant live coverage has always been the cornerstone of our business, and this partnership will further enhance the thrills and spills our fans have come to enjoy at our exclusive events."

2022 Triton Poker Cyprus Special Edition Schedule

Date Local Time (GMT+3) Event Buy-in Starting Stack April 2 1 p.m. Event #1: NLH 6-Handed Day 1 $50,000 200,000 April 3 1 p.m. Event #1: NLH 6-Handed Day 2 April 3 4 p.m. Event #2: NLH 8-Handed Day 1 $100,000 200,000 April 4 1 p.m. Event #2: NLH 8-Handed Day 2 April 5 1 p.m. Event #3: Short Deck Day 1 $75,000 100,000 (3x Bullets) April 6 1 p.m. Event #3: Short Deck Day 2 April 6 4 p.m. Event #5: Short Deck Day 1 $125,000 100,000 (3x Bullets) April 7 1 p.m. Event #5: Short Deck Day 2

Justin Bonomo won the last Triton Main Event, taking 2,670,000 for winning the Short Deck finale in 2019 at the London Hilton on Park Lane.

This years action begins in North Cyprus with six-handed play in the $50,000 NLH event on April 2. The second no-limit event kicks off the next day with a $100,000 buy-in on April 3. Triton Poker Series Cyprus will also offer two Short Deck events, with a $75,000 buy-in on April 5 and a $125,000 event on April 6.

All four Triton tournaments will take place over two days, and each will feature live reporting from beginning to end by the PokerNews team.

Once the Triton series wraps up, the Super High Roller Series opens with 10 more events from April 2-15 that have buy-ins ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 Super High Roller Bowl.

2022 Super High Roller Series Cyprus Schedule

Date Local Time (GMT+3) Event Buy-in April 7 2 p.m. Event #1: Pot-Limit Omaha $25,000 April 8 2 p.m. Event #2: No-Limit Holdem $25,000 April 9 2 p.m. Event #3: Short Deck $50,000 April 10 2 p.m. Event #4: Pot Limit Omaha $25,000 April 11 2 p.m. Event #5: No-Limit Holdem $50,000 April 12 2 p.m. Event #6: Short Deck $100,000 April 13 2 p.m. Event #7: Pot-Limit Omaha $25,000 April 13 5 p.m. Super High Roller Bowl $250,000 April 14 2 p.m. Event #8: No-Limit Holdem $50,000 April 15 2 p.m. Event #9: No-Limit Holdem $50,000

Be sure to keep it with PokerNews for live reports from all four events at Triton Pokers return to live poker at Merit Royal Hotel Casino and Spa in North Cyprus.
WASHINGTON, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Susan Collins became the first Republican senator to voice support for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve in the U.S. Supreme Court, as the highest institution in the federal judiciary is under the spotlight.

"I have concluded that she possesses the experience, qualifications, and integrity to serve as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court," Collins, of Maine, said in a statement. "I will, therefore, vote to confirm her to this position."

Jackson, nominated by President Joe Biden in late February, would be the first African American woman to sit on the Supreme Court if confirmed.

At age 51, she is currently a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, often referred to as the nation's second most powerful court.

The decision by Collins signals the nomination of Jackson is likely to pass the evenly-divided Senate without the need for a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Kamala Harris.

Top Democrats and the White House had reportedly worked heavily to court Collins, a moderate Republican.

It is not clear if any other Republicans will vote for Jackson, with U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Utah considered potential "yes" votes.

The Senate Judiciary Committee held confirmation hearings for Jackson last week, in which several Republican senators repeatedly pressed the judge over her record of child pornography sentencing in a manner drawing the ire of their Democratic colleagues.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman and Democrat Dick Durbin told reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday that he thought that "four or five" Republican senators on the committee treated the nominee disrespectfully, despite their pledge to hold a "dignified" process.

Biden announced in late February he was nominating Jackson to succeed liberal Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, who is about to retire this summer. It was one of his major campaign promises to fill a potential Supreme Court vacancy with an African American woman.

Born in D.C. but raised in Miami, Jackson received her law degree from Harvard University and graduated cum laude in 1996. Earlier in her legal career, she worked as an assistant federal public defender in D.C. and served as vice-chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission for four years.

This year, the Supreme Court will rule on cases involving a series of major issues, including abortion, affirmative action, and gun control.

Court watchers have argued Jackson is expected to vote very similarly to Breyer and her ascension won't change the Supreme Court's ideological balance, in which conservatives have a 6-3 majority over liberals.

The high court is also attracting media attention because Justice Clarence Thomas is facing ethics questions due to his wife's alleged efforts to push for the overturn of the 2020 presidential election results.

Democrats are calling for Thomas to recuse himself from certain cases they believe could present a conflict of interest, while Republicans are throwing support behind the judicial conservative.

Thomas was nominated by former U.S. President George H. W. Bush to succeed Justice Thurgood Marshall and has served the post since 1991.

He is the second African American to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, after Marshall.

The Supreme Court is the final appellate court of the U.S. judicial system, with the power to review and overturn lower court decisions, and is also generally the final interpreter of federal law, including the country's constitution.

The justices have life tenure and can serve until they die, resign, retire, or are impeached and removed from office. 
AI technology allows doctors to detect lesions faster. Photo courtesy of the hospital

HCM CITY  HCM Citys Cho Ray Hospital has applied the first complete set of health information technology solutions ever in Viet Nam.

The set includes the picture archiving and communication system (PACS) - radiology information system (RIS), artificial intelligence (AI), and digital radiography system, which was donated by Japanese company Fujifilm.

Dr Le Van Phuoc, head of the hospitals diagnostic imaging department, said AI is widely used in medicine, especially diagnostic imaging.

With support from Fujifilm, the hospital has created an eco-system for systems such as RIS and PACS, at the visa medical department, he said.

These systems help reduce the time taken for diagnosis and eliminate mistakes caused by manual handling, and allow doctors to read and detect lesions faster, he said.

This model should be replicated in the hospitals other departments as well as at other medical facilities in the country, he added.

Speaking at the handover ceremony at the hospital on Tuesday, Mamoru Morota, general director of Fujifilm Vietnam, said the hospital and his company have in recent years strengthened co-operation.

The AI solution, PACS - RIS medical information technology system and digital radiography system donated by Fujifilm would become effective assistants to doctors and help reduce time pressure, enable systematic management of patient information, increase accuracy, and help diagnose diseases in early stages, he added.

In the initial testing phase, Fujifilm has provided all resources like knowledge, technology, technical experts, and other human resources to support the hospital with all aspects of IT installation. VNS
Two is a challenging and flexible number when it comes to the string duo Duo-B, composed of violinist Hirono Borter and cellist Philip Borter.

Challenging in that it requires a technical expertise to cover the missing parts of larger ensembles adapted for two players, flexible in that it expands melody and interactive possibilities for original work written for violin and cello.

Challenge and flexibility come together in the Duo-B program "Reimagining Bach" presented Sunday at St. Alban's Episcopal Church, the final concert in the church's Sacred Arts Series. It's the first live performance in Waco for the couple since they and their children moved to town two years ago, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was closing many things down, and a second, if one counts the online virtual concert they did earlier.

Philip, 38, is an associate professor of cello at Baylor University while Hirono, 33, composes and teaches private violin. Both are parents to four children, three sons and a daughter, ranging from 8 years to a 1-year-old born in Waco a year ago this Friday.

The two met in 2009 in Germany where she was studying violin in Berlin and he was an Eastman School of Music intern studying abroad. The two hit it off, leading to a relationship that led to studies at the Eastman School, a marriage, a performing career for more than a decade and a family.

Duo-B, the ensemble they form, enables them to explore and build on a classical repertoire for violin and cello, with emphasis on exploring and building, thanks in large part to Hirono's composing. "There's a rich tradition of music that's largely untapped," Philip said. Many times that's a starting point, with new lines spanning classical, folk and rock styles added or entwined.

The two have performed in such venues as the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Kodak Hall at the Eastman School, the Universitat der Kunste in Berlin and Minato Mirai Hall in Yokohama, Japan.

Playing as a duo proves less restricting than as part of a larger ensemble, where performers work with instrumental lines written with a group sound in mind. "There's a lot of freedom in it, but it certainly poses some challenges. It forces us to be more creative when it comes to chords and textures," Philip said.

Sunday's hourlong "Reimagining Bach" showcases her work in taking themes and lines from the classical composer Johann Sebastian Bach and reworking them in new styles. The concert also will feature a piece from the duo's experimenting with Latin American music, "Tango Nostalgia," in the style of Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla.

Philip said his family has found Waco "the perfect size for us." With past concert restrictions easing up across the county, Duo-B will start to use Waco as a home base for outside concerts, with performances ahead at the Victoria Bach Festival in Victoria this June, and fall concerts in Tyler and San Antonio.

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.
A Waco man wanted on several warrants surrendered after barricading himself in a South Waco home late Tuesday and exchanging gunfire with police, authorities said.

Waco police arrested Kevin Dwayne Kirven, 37, and booked him into McLennan County Jail after a lengthy negotiation with a Waco Police Department negotiator, police said.

He was charged with several offenses including second-degree felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, Waco police Officer Garen Bynum said in a statement.

Jail records show an additional misdemeanor warrant from Waco as well as one additional felony family violence warrant with two counts and two additional misdemeanor family violence warrants from Lacy Lakeview.

Additional charges based the events that took place after law enforcement officials served the warrants may be filed as well, since the is investigation is ongoing.

The incident began when the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, including at least one Waco police officer, attempted to serve at least five warrants on Kirven at a home in the 3700 block of Hay Avenue in South Waco near Beverly Hills, a Marshals Service spokesperson said.

Authorities said Kirven fired shots from inside the house at law enforcement personnel when they attempted to serve the warrants. The personnel, including the Waco police officer, returned fire at Kirven, then repositioned themselves to locations around the house from which they could safely engage him, according to the statement.

The number of law enforcement personnel who actually returned fire is still under investigation, Waco police spokesperson Cierra Shipley said Wednesday.

No individual was struck by gunfire from the officers returning fire at the suspect who (officers on the scene said) initially shot multiple times at the officers on scene, she said. A preliminary review shows that officers acted within the law, and the Waco PD officer will not be placed on leave.

The Marshalls Service spokesperson said that after Kirven and the personnel serving his warrants allegedly exchanged gunfire, the officers called for backup.

Several agencies and units responded, including the Waco police SWAT team, the McLennan County Sheriffs Office SWAT team and the Waco police negotiators. The Waco police bomb squad is a part of the SWAT team and accompanied them into this action even though no explosive devices were threatened or found, Shipley said.

The McLennan County Sheriffs Office did not immediately respond to the Tribune-Heralds request for comment.

While the units responded, Kirven barricaded himself in the house, according to the Waco police statement.

As more officers arrived, they began to contact neighbors asking them to stay inside, and the police negotiator contacted Kirven.

He surrendered after a standoff of more than an hour and a half, and no forced entry was used, Shipley said.

Kirven will face charges including second-degree felony aggravated family violence assault with a deadly weapon as well as a criminal mischief warrant from Waco, the statement says.

Under the Texas Penal Code, criminal mischief is a property crime and may be charged as a misdemeanor or a state jail felony depending on the value of the damaged property.

Kirven will also face additional charges from other agencies that brought the fugitive task force to his door, according to the statement.

Some of those charges include the two additional felony domestic violence counts and the two additional misdemeanor family violence charges from Lacy Lakeview, Police Chief Jeron Barnett said.

No injuries were reported from the incident.

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.
Almost two pandemic-influenced years after starting work on associate degrees in nursing at McLennan Community College, the 11 students in the spring 2020 cohort got an affirming dose of good news: They all passed the state licensing exam.

The 100% pass rate of that class was good news as well for Program Director Shelley Blackwood and her faculty, coming three years after low passing rates caused the Texas Board of Nursing to pause enrollment in the program.

The recently graduated cohort was the first to enroll after the state board banned MCC from enrolling associate degree nursing students for fall 2019. Improved passing rates for the next cohorts to graduate allowed new enrollment in the program to continue.

The class started the two-year program in January 2020 with 27 students. Two months later, COVID-19 entered the picture, forcing school, business and hospital lockdowns and other restrictive protocols that would alter how the nursing students got instruction and hands-on training.

The remainder of the spring 2020 was completed online with hands-on clinical training opportunities put on pause as hospitals, nursing homes and hospice centers restricted outside access. Some clinicals resumed by summer 2020, but nursing students still had to navigate regimens of quarantines, hybrid classes, masking and layers of protective wear during in-person training.

They showed a lot of grit, Blackwood said of the 11 students who graduated in December, then passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses in the months that followed. It speaks to the dedication and brilliance of our faculty.

The program director, who joined the MCC faculty in May 2020, said the MCC program is structured to provide student support with extra resources and attention provided to shore up learning weaknesses.

The MCC nursing program has 121 students enrolled, an increase from past years. In addition to the two-year associate degree in nursing, MCC offers a one-year licensed vocational nursing certification and the start of a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in nursing that finishes through MCC partners Texas Tech University or Tarleton State University.

The demand for nurses is so high that many MCC nursing students are hired on a conditional basis before they graduate, Blackwood said.

Past MCC nursing classes graduated with pass rates above 80%, but the 100% rate recently achieved reset the bar for upcoming classes.

It now raises the stakes for the program, Blackwood said with a laugh.

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.
What is it about oil price spikes that befuddle politicians?

This is especially true of Democrats, but Republicans, too, have had moments of confusion about oil.

In fact, Republican president Richard Nixon was, when it came to energy, very confused. Most notably, he didnt realize that his own policies were responsible for many of the bad things that happened during the 1973-74 energy crisis.

That he also learned nothing from the crisis is clear, but he was not alone. As I explain in my 2013 book U.S. Energy Policy and the Pursuit of Failure, most politicians and bureaucrats learned nothing or, worse, the wrong lessons.

The underlying story they adopted was wrong: We werent running out of oil and gas; OPEC was not about to take over the world; and we didnt need a moonshot for alternative energy (something just about every politician starting with Nixon has called for at one time or another).

The 1970s are remembered mostly for lines at service stations as people waited for a few gallons of gas. But it is also remembered for enormous price increases. Since we havent had gas lines since 1980, the claim of an energy crisis typically involves price spikes (or more drawn-out price surges) for oil and especially gasoline. Heres what Democrats did when prices soared at the pump back in the 1970s:

Blamed the oil companies.

Demanded investigations of the oil industry.

Called for a windfall profits tax against energy producers.

Appealed for laws against price gouging.

Sadly, much of what was proposed back then to deal with the crisis has continued to be advocated. The script in 1973-74 and 1979-80 was repeated again in 1990, 1996, and from about 2000 through 2008. Now its happening again.

The script has played poorly. The oil industry has been investigated, but to the chagrin of many politicians each investigation turned up nothing illegal.

In 1980, Congress passed a windfall profits tax and that experience should suggest why another one would be foolhardy.

Such a tax is based on a government determination of what the price of oil should be. Any legislation that is based on a government determination of the price for a commodity is a bad idea.

Those prices are never correct; actual market prices for any commodity will change by the minute. Even if government gets it right today (which is unlikely), it may take months for the legislation to pass, undoubtedly causing the price determination to be wildly wrong. The result is likely a shortage one day, a glut the next.

Meantime, the windfall tax does nothing to help consumers. More likely it hurts them because the tax has to be figured as a cost of production. As such costs rise, sellers will produce less.

As for price gouging laws, there are two main problems. First, no one can actually define what constitutes price gouging. Some legislators have tried, but the choices of gouging thresholds are always arbitrary.

Second, anti-gouging laws can have serious consequences. Most such laws deal with price hikes in an emergency. But the result of anti-gouging laws is not stable prices, but rather it is shortages at the worst times. Those who need the products most will find empty shelves (or gas pumps) because the product is too cheap and the price doesnt take account of an extreme increase in demand. The existence of such laws may also lead retailers to close during an emergency for fear theyll be tagged as gougers.

Past failures notwithstanding, President Biden is calling for an investigation of the oil industry; members of Congress are demanding a new windfall profits tax; and several anti-gouging bills have been introduced in Congress.

Dont expect anything positive to come from this. But anticipate when oil prices come down, which they will, the same politicians will take credit for it.

Peter Z. Grossman is an emeritus professor of economics at Butler University and the author of several books on energy, including U.S. Energy Policy and the Pursuit of Failure (Cambridge University Press, 2013). He wrote this for InsideSources.com.
WATERLOO  A Waterloo woman has been arrested after police found a stolen shotgun Monday.

Officers with the Waterloo Police Departments Violent Crime Apprehension Team contacted the woman at the Waterloo Public Library on Commercial Street as part of an ongoing investigation around 1:30 p.m. Authorities found a single-shot 12 gauge Savage Stevens Model 49 in her book bag, according to police.

The shotgun had a barrel under 18 inches, and the shoulder stock was cut off, records state.

Investigators determined the gun had been reported stolen in Janesville.

Bailey Montana Jacobs, 23, was arrested for fifth-degree theft and possession of a short-barrel shotgun. Bond was set at $10,000.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
CEDAR FALLS  Supporters of Cedar Falls Community Schools paraeducators are helping to press their case with the district for a significant wage increase.

Three parents of students who use the services of special needs paraeducators addressed the Board of Education during the public comment portion of its meeting last week. As they spoke, more than two dozen members of the Cedar Falls Educational Support Professionals, which represents paraeducators and building secretaries, sat in the audience wearing red district shirts.

Contract negotiations got underway last month with that union and the Chauffeurs, Teamsters and Helpers Local 238, representing 51 skilled trades, grounds and custodial staff. CFESP represents 225 employees.

It was more than the start of bargaining Feb. 22 with Cedar Falls Schools that motivated staff members and parents to attend the meeting, though. The actions of a neighboring school district were also an impetus.

Emily Ackerson told the board that she has twins in first grade who both have an individual education program. Her daughter, Nora, has the more severe disability, uses a power wheelchair, and is not able to go to school without a para. She said continuity of care is important for Nora and thankfully for the last two years her para continues to show up day after day.

But we have fear we are going to lose her para so she can make a livable wage in Waterloo, Ackerson explained. This would be detrimental to Nora and our family, both in school and home life.

Waterloo Community Schools is boosting wages for its support staff represented by two unions  one of which includes paraeducators  by at least $2. Waterloos Board of Education approved an immediate $2 per hour supplemental pay increase Feb. 28 for positions represented by the unions. Educational support staff in the district will receive another $1 hourly raise in the fall between scheduled contract increases and additional supplemental pay, bringing the beginning wage to $16.23 per hour.

Further increases for the custodial, maintenance, food service and campus safety monitor positions represented by the other union are still being worked out.

Both CFESP and Cedar Falls Schools proposed wage increases and a two-year contract in the initial bargaining session. District administrators proposed 40-cent increases in hourly base wages and for existing employees both of the next two years. That would bring the base pay range to $12.17-$13.47 per hour for the first year, starting July 1.

The union sought a 60-cent boost in hourly base wages the first year, raising the starting pay range to $12.37-$13.57, and 55 cents the second year. Existing employees would get a 75 cent increase per hour under the proposal. Support staff also asked for 10-cent per hour increase in longevity pay for those with five to 20-plus years of experience with the district.

What the district promises for kids is not being met when the school is short-staffed by paraeducators, Ackerson told the Cedar Falls board. They are all pulled in different directions, everyone is affected. You are taking away from the kids that already have a hard time adapting and making changes in their daily routine and changing it for them.

It does not make a safe and consistent environment for those kids who need it the most, she said. Ackerson questioned what the board would do to keep current staff in Cedar Falls or attract new staff in light of the Waterloo Schools raise.

The Cedar Falls tagline is Every student every day, said Chris Corkery. His son, a seventh-grader at Peet Junior High, is legally blind. Were here to support the individuals who support those students every day.

Corkery suggested the school district isnt doing a good enough job at that, noting that the special needs paraeducators that have worked with his son each year have all had a second or third job to go to after working in the classroom.

How many of you have a second job, another job that is fundamental to putting food on the table or putting gas in your car? he asked.

Dan Jensen said his two special needs eighth-graders at Peet have been learning remotely through the COVID-19 pandemic. And he said that will continue during ninth grade.

We know the district has major problems with consistent, well-trained paraeducators for their staffing assignments  being pulled away, shifted around, just being retained, Jensen contended. He voiced concern that the downward direction will most likely continue. ... Right now, I do not believe my kids would have a safe consistent learning environment at Cedar Falls Schools.

The district proposed a two-year contract with Teamsters Local 238 with hourly raises of 52 cents for 2022-23 and 53 cents per hour for 2023-24 for existing employees. Base wages would grow by the same amount, raising the rates to $15.80-20.83 per hour depending on position. The union proposed a $1.50 per hour increase in base wages and for all existing employees.

After the parents comments, Jeff Hassman, Cedar Falls school board president, noted that officials couldnt comment since negotiations are underway.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 2

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.
JoAnn Whitehead has been hired as a System Administrator for Lincoln Savings Bank. From Bel Air, Maryland, Whitehead earned a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice and has previous experience in the financial industry. She will be responsible for administrative tasks for the DNA processing platform which streamlines financial operations.

Garret Meyer has been hired as an Assistant Controller at the Lincoln Savings Bank Techworks Central Campus. Meyer has a BS in Finance from Iowa State University and began working in the financial industry after graduating college. Through his role he will provide support to the management team on accounting and financial needs.

Melody Ver Woert has been hired as a Communication Support Intern at the Lincoln Savings Bank Techworks Central Campus. Ver Woert will be graduating in May from the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in Business Management and Administration. She is excited to gain experience, connections, and apply the skills learned in the classroom.

Jesse Bro has been hired as an SBA Commercial Lender for Lincoln Savings Bank. From Belton, Texas, has a degree in Finance from the University of Northern Iowa and MBA from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. He will be working with small business owners across the country to find ways to finance their business projects.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
WATERLOO  Sam Card decided to go big when he was invited as guest director for the Black Hawk Childrens Theatre production, Judy Moody & Stink: The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt, opening Friday.

When I was introduced to the script for my first time directing at BHCT, it suggested seven to 14 actors. I decided to go big with 23. We had a really large group of actors interested in the show and a lot of enthusiasm. I wanted to meet the challenge and get as many people in the show as we could cast, said Card, who graduated in 2015 with a theater degree from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.

Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday and April 8 and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and April 9 on the Hope Martin Theatre stage at the Waterloo Center for the Arts, 225 Commercial St.

The play is based on books by author Megan Jo McDonald about the adventures of a third-grade girl named Judy Moody and her little brother, Stink. In this show, the Moody family heads out to Artichoke Island, where Capn Weevil, a buccaneer with a treasure map, sends Judy and Stink on a search for gold. They must race against rivals Tall Boy and Smart Girl, crack the codes and solve the puzzle to get the treasure.

There was a lot to wrap my head around, but the experience has been fun and exciting, said Card. He has directed independent productions, but this is his first experience with BHCT and the Waterloo Community Playhouse.

Card has a lengthy list of acting roles, but sitting in the directors chair has given him newfound respect for actors. These actors have been working hard and trying different stuff with their characters, using their imaginations. The more an actor is engaged in a role, the easier it is to direct.

As director, Card must also oversee production teams, provide design direction, lead rehearsals and manage the show schedule, while making sure all elements come together at the right time.

Maddison Younger was cast as Judy, and Gabriel Vernoy as Stink. Other cast members include Jeffrey Hansen and Megan Hild as the Moody parents, Cale Clark and Sarija Patterson as Tall Boy and Smart Girl, Taylor Launstein as Scurvy Sam, Naomi Rogers as Parrott and Illianna Albright as Park Ranger.

The crew has repurposed parts of the recent Rocky Horror Show stage set for the childrens theater show. Weve gotten creative  moving some stuff around, repainting parts of it, creating a lot of different levels. The other thing we did thats different is include a tour group that keeps coming around to bring that island vacation feeling, and a group of butterfly-catching kids. It helps bring visual interest to the island setting, Card explained.

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.
WAVERLY  After being in business since 1939 under the ownership of the same family, Gades Appliance soon will permanently close its doors, a day that had been on the horizon but was hastened by supply issues.

A fixture at its current home, 223 W. Bremer Ave., since 1968, its last day is tentatively May 1 or 2, said co-owner Karla White. But the store could shutter sooner if it sells out of its remaining stock before then.

We made friends with our customers, she said. We knew everybody and were highly trusted. Our customers were like our family. It was a very hard decision to shut our doors, and we feel our large service base will miss us.

These are people who dont want to go to big box stores, but they are being forced to, and they dont like it, she added.

Closure had been discussed the last five years as a possibility, White, 66, said, as she broached retiring.

Whites brother, David Gade, another co-owner, passed away in May 2020. Whenever her retirement became reality, she said her other brother, Scott Gade, did not have an interest in running it on his own.

White and her two brothers took over the family business in the 1970s. It was founded by their grandfather Fred Gade. She noted their father and uncle worked there as soon as they were of the appropriate age.

The major issue was a lack of supply hindering the businesss operation, having gone from placing orders and receiving 16 to 20 units of appliances per week to only one or none.

It seems the appliance distributor is favoring the larger box stores over the smaller stores, she said.

Waterloo wrestling legend Chuck Yagla honored at Dan Gable Museum Waterloo wrestling legend Chuck Yagla was honored at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable museum with a wall-signing on Sunday, commemorating his contributions to the states most beloved sport.

In addition to her retirement creating a big void, finding good, competent labor was another challenge. The store has four employees at this time, but in the past had six.

Hours were 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, but now are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Mayor Adam Hoffman referenced the business, without including its name, in a Facebook post, after personally reflecting on my personal engagement history with this business and how it had been fairly minimal, feeling as a result he was partly to blame for the closure.

What I mean is that several years ago I was in the market for a product type this business sold. Unfortunately, I made a purchase elsewhere. However, I know I am not alone by any means, he said.

In the lengthy post, he ultimately encouraged each of us, including your mayor, to dig deeper to find the value, that does exist, in shopping local.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 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.
PLYMOUTH, Mass.  A baby girl born extremely premature is getting her happy homecoming to Plymouth at last, after spending her first year fighting for life against health complications.

She is finally here and just ready to live her life, said Darlene Foster, mother of 19-month-old Bradi Foster.

Foster was discharged from Franciscan Childrens Hospital in Brighton after spending the past several months in its rehabilitative care. The blue-eyed baby girl was born in July 2020 at just 25 weeks, due to placental abruption. She was first rushed to Boston Childrens Hospital, where she endured multiple infections and underwent cardiac surgery.

Bradi was in severely rough shape by January 2022. She was breathing through a ventilator and taking her food intravenously.

But in just a matter of days, she made an incredible recovery through assistance provided by a heart-lung machine.

She grew strong enough for a transfer to Franciscans, where she was gradually weaned off her ventilator and intravenous food. Throughout her fight, nobody maintained a better attitude than Bradi herself, her parents said.

She is just here to love everybody. Anyone who walks in her room, from her nurses to the respiratory therapists to the people cleaning her room, she just has her arms out ready to love them. So if anybodys having a bad day they just go see her, and she just gives them a smile and all the love, Darlene Foster said.

Shes such a bright personality for someone whos gone through what shes gone through, her father, James Foster, said.

Bradis grown strong enough to crawl around and stand with some assistance. The one-year-old will be able to continue to improve her physical mobility through the help of a special medical device just recently introduced to patients at Franciscans: a specialized feeding tube backpack.

The animal-themed backpacks look like any kids bag a parent might buy at Target, but theyre specially constructed to hold medical feeding equipment. Kids simply strap them onto their backs and hook their gastronomy tubes up to the device.

Theres a little tube that goes to them, and it gives them full mobility so they can really experience what life at home is going to be like, said Franciscan Childrens patient advocate Amanda Voysey.

Bradi will need that mobility to navigate life with her three older sisters, who are delighted to welcome their baby sister home, Darlene said.

Her oldest sister has already been inspired by Bradis battle.

The six-year-old is beyond excited, shes already decided shes going to be a doctor at (Franciscan)  so she can save the babies, just like they saved her baby sister, Darlene Foster said.

***

2022 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at bostonherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Higher-than-projected gambling revenue will make it possible for the Legislature to bump up the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund, or RIIF, by $87 million in the coming year.

The House Transportation, Infrastructure and Capital Appropriations subcommittee on Monday voted 7-2 to send a $289,687,568 proposed RIIF budget to the full committee. It likely will be considered Tuesday.

Some of the additional funding proposed in fiscal 2023 is due to concerns that Iowa gambling revenue may dip or nose dive as Nebraska casinos come online, said Rep. Jacob Bossman, R-Sioux City. Some projects are being accelerated, and others are being paid for sooner than previously scheduled.

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has received studies projecting Iowa gaming revenue could fall somewhere between $183 million and $256 million a year. One study said Council Bluffs casinos indicated that as much as 80 percent their revenue is from Nebraska residents.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate announced Monday that the annual National Change of Address process to update and maintain Iowas voter registration records is underway.

Notices have been sent to 123,634 registered Iowa voters who have filed a change of address with the U.S. Postal Service. Its part of the annual National Change of Address process to update and maintain Iowas voter registration record.

Pate encourages voters who receive the notices to indicate if the new address is incorrect and quickly return the card to the county auditors office.

The mailing is being conducted to ensure full compliance with the National Voter Registration Act, which requires periodic contact with voters to ensure the most accurate information is on file.

Data indicates 59,718 registered voters moved within their county during the past year and 63,916 moved outside their county, but still within Iowa.

For additional information, contact your county auditors office.

PARK REMAINS CLOSED: Red Haw State Park remains closed to visitors because of damage from a March 5 tornado. The campground, which is the most heavily damaged area of the park, is anticipated to be closed until Labor Day.

Cleanup continues, with progress dependent on the weather. Visitors will not be allowed into the park for safety reasons and are asked to stay away at this time.

Volunteer days to help with cleanup will be announced at a later date once major hazards are removed and the ground has dried out.

For future updates, visit the DNRs Alerts and Closure page.

WILDLIFE SURVEY: The Department of Natural Resources is conducting its annual nighttime spring spotlight surveys across the state, collecting information on Iowas deer and furbearer populations.

Conducted from mid-March to mid-April in each county, the survey begins an hour after sunset, preferably on nights with low wind, good visibility and high humidity. The routes cover different habitats from river bottoms, to farm fields, prairies, woodlots, pastures and timber stands.

The 50-mile routes  two per county  are driven below 20 mph with staff shining spotlights out of both sides of the vehicle, recording the number of deer and furbearers seen along with the habitat type, at different points along the way. Staff are careful to avoid shining homes and livestock while on the survey and contact the county sheriff ahead of time in case they receive any calls.

This survey produces really valuable information on our deer and furbearer populations, both locally and at the state level, allowing us to see population trends over time, said Jace Elliott, DNR deer research specialist.

The survey began in the late 1970s as a way to collect information on the raccoon population, but was expanded to include deer and other furbearers.

The survey report will be posted later this summer at https://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Population-Harvest-Trends.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
A Sierra Club-sponsored public hearing Tuesday on the use of eminent domain for the construction of proposed CO2 pipelines across Iowa drew both opposition and support.

The majority of the more than 100 people who gathered in the Statehouse rotunda were opposed.

Maria Trinidad of Des Moines was with dozens of members of Laborers Local 177 supporting construction because local jobs mean local paychecks.

An amendment on the administration and regulation budget would prohibit the Iowa Utilities Board from scheduling hearings on the use of eminent domain until after Feb. 1, 2023.

POACHERS SENTENCED: An investigation that began as a turkey poaching case last fall has concluded with five people pleading guilty to 48 wildlife charges. They were assessed nearly $83,000 in fines and liquidated damages.

State conservation officers were executing a search warrant at the home of Devon Lewis, 26, of rural Washta, in November when they discovered evidence of other poaching activity. Once an additional search warrant was secured, investigators uncovered evidence of a year-round poaching network involving at least 70 deer, four turkeys, ducks, raccoons and red fox dating back to at least 2018.

State Conservation Officer Kirby Bragg said evidence from the lengthy investigation showed the poachers would shoot wildlife out of season, over bait and from vehicles, often without the proper tags. The deer were primarily bucks with antlers.

Lewis pleaded guilty to 23 citations with fines and damages totaling $37,600 and a minimum seven-year hunting license suspension.

The others pleading guilty were Taylor Luvaas, 27, of Schaller, 14 citations, fines and damages of $31,118, seven-year hunting license suspension; Jacob Fouts, 23, of Cherokee, six citations, fines and damages of $5,861 and hunting license suspension; Dylan Lewis, 22, of Cushing, three citations, fines and damages of $5,251, hunting license suspension; Austin Lewis, 19, of Cushing, two citations, fines and damages of $4,300.

The judge condemned five rifles, three shotguns and three bows used to commit the crimes.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources was assisted by the sheriffs offices and conservation boards in Ida and Woodbury counties.

JUDICIAL NOMINATING: The Iowa Senate on Tuesday approved changes to the judicial nominating process.

The changes boost the number of recommended candidates for appellate court openings from three to five, have the governor select lower-level judges instead of district court judges making that selection, and allow judges in contiguous counties to be eligible for a judicial opening, provided they move into the new district if selected.

HF 2481 passed on a party-line 31-16 vote, with Republicans supporting.

The bill previously passed the House, so with its Senate passage it heads to Gov. Kim Reynolds desk for her consideration.

RADON TESTING: The Iowa Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved HF 2412, which requires schools to establish a plan for at least one radon test in each attendance center before July 2027. The House approved it earlier, 93-2.

Radon is colorless, odorless and tasteless radioactive gas is produced by the natural breakdown of uranium, which is found in soil and rock throughout the United States. Radon travels through soil and enters buildings through cracks and other holes in the foundations. An estimated 400 Iowans die each year from radon exposure.

According to the Legislative Services Agency, the initial cost of radon testing in schools would range from $220,000 to $330,000. School districts may choose to use district employees trained in radon testing. Initial measurement specialist certification for radon testing is $275. Initial mitigation specialist certification for radon testing is $175. Training for an individual to receive both certifications is $400.

ABSENTEE BALLOTS: Voters wishing to vote by mail in the June 7 primary election now may request an absentee ballot.

The 70-day absentee ballot request period for the primary election is now open, and county auditors can begin mailing absentee ballots 20 days ahead of Election Day, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate announced.

Iowans can download the request form directly from the Iowa Secretary of State Offices website. Requests must be received by the county auditors office by May 23. In-person absentee voting at the county auditors office is available through the day before the election, June 6.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
DES MOINES  Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller and U.S. Senate hopeful Abby Finkenauer  both Democrats  will be on the ballot when Iowans cast votes later this year after both survived challenges Tuesday to their candidate filing paperwork.

Barely.

Miller, the state attorney general seeking re-election in November, and Finkenauer, a challenger in a June 7 primary for an Iowa U.S. Senate seat, both wound up with just enough qualifying signatures on their candidate filing forms after review by the three-member State Objection Panel.

Challenges to Millers and Finkenauers signatures, brought by registered Republican voters in Iowa, dealt mostly with incomplete addresses and incomplete, incorrect or difficult-to-read dates.

Candidates for public office in Iowa must obtain a required number of signatures from the public to get on the ballot. That number varies depending on the office.

As a candidate for re-election as state attorney general, Miller was required to obtain at least 77 signatures in at least 18 counties. After the panel reviewed his campaigns signatures, Miller squeaked by the minimum requirements: He finished with 18 qualifying counties, one of which had 78 signatures.

Admittedly, it was pretty close, Miller said.

Had the panel disqualified Miller, the Democratic Party could have, and likely would have, voted to reinstate him to the ballot. If a party does not have a candidate in any race after the early filing period, it can nominate a candidate at its convention.

The same safety net was not in place for Finkenauer, since two other Democratic candidates have qualified for the ballot in the primary for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Chuck Grassley.

Finkenauer needed to acquire at least 100 signatures from 19 counties. After the panels review, she finished with 19 qualifying counties, including one with exactly 100 signatures and two more with 101.

An objection to Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mike Frankens paperwork was dropped late Monday. The third candidate in that primary is Glenn Hurst.

The State Objection Panel is made up of the secretary of state, attorney general and auditor. So for most of Tuesdays deliberations, the panel comprised Miller, Republican Secretary of State Paul Pate and Democratic Auditor Rob Sand.

For Millers challenge, however, he was replaced on the panel by Republican Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg.

With that difference in political makeup, the panel voted two different ways on the same sets of issues. The Democrats, Sand and Miller, voted to forgive signatures that had minor clerical errors, noting the panel historically has erred on the side of ballot access. The Republicans, Pate and Gregg, voted to reject those signatures, arguing they did not meet the letter of the law.

While the panel unanimously rejected the challenge to Millers forms, it voted 2-1 to reject Finkenauers, with Pate voting to accept the challenge and take Finkenauer off the ballot.

Alan Ostergren, a conservative lawyer who argued on behalf of many of the challenges, said some of the petitioners now may contest some of the panels rulings in court.

We had a different standard applied this morning than was applied this afternoon. Thats not right, Ostergren said.

The panel also unanimously rejected challenges to candidate filing forms for four Republicans  state Sens. Jack Whitver and Ken Rozenboom, state Senate candidate Anthony LaBruna and state Rep. Jeff Shipley, keeping them all on the ballot.

The challenges to Whitvers and Rozenbooms forms centered on their residency as they prepare to run in new Iowa Senate districts. State law says a candidate needs to live in the district by 60 days before the general election, which this year is Nov. 8.

Whitver, the Senate majority leader, currently lives in Ankeny but plans to move into a new Senate district in rural, northern Polk County to run for re-election.

The panel upheld only one challenge, to the nominating forms of Kyle Kuehl, a Republican candidate for U.S. House in eastern Iowas new 1st District. But Kuehl late Monday notified the Secretary of States office of his intention to withdraw from the race.

That leaves incumbent U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks as the only Republican running in that race.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
While doctors have always been highly respected in American society, their contributions have been brought into sharp focus after two years of managing a global pandemic. Health care has never been so front and center as it has been in recent history. It is through this lens, then, that we see our physicians roles even more clearly this Doctors Day, March 30, and express our sincere appreciation for both their contributions and sacrifices of the past two years.

Doctors Day was established in 1933 to recognize the hard work of physicians and the role they play in providing comfort to the sick and injured. We have certainly seen them play that role throughout the past two years. By relying on evidence-based medicine and recognizing the evolving science and data, Iowas physicians have served as a trusted resource throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, helping patients and families navigate the flood of information and make the best decisions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe during this tumultuous time.

Despite being overwhelmed themselves at times, having concern for their own personal health and well-being, and facing the ongoing debates about treatments and prevention of COVID-19, physicians have been unwavering in their commitment to do what is necessary to protect their patients and their community. When the noise fades away, our doctors are there for us.

They show up day after day to provide diagnoses and treatment options for individuals; they are alleviating fears and giving honest assessments, recognizing their patients as people. They feel the hurt of delivering bad news, as well as the utter joy of positive outcomes. Patient by patient, our doctors help keep us well, they get us healthy, and they pick us back up when were down.

While we are currently seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases, we acknowledge there will likely be future surges from time to time as the virus evolves. Thankfully, we have the resources to help mitigate those surges. We can all do our part to stop the spread  wash your hands frequently, get tested and stay home if youre sick, and continue to follow CDC guidelines for vaccinations and boosters. This will help to ensure the low case counts were seeing now, remain  and give doctors a much-needed respite from COVID-19 care.

So, this Doctors Day, lets join together as we honor our physicians and providers for their incredible work  not just for the heroics they may perform, but also  and maybe even more so  the everyday work. The routine checkups, the good advice, the calming reassurance that everything is going to be okay.

Please join us in thanking a doctor today!

Michael Flesher, executive vice president and chief executive officer, Iowa Medical Society Clay Holderman, president and chief executive officer, UnityPoint Health, Brooks Jackson, vice president for medical affairs and the Tyrone D. Artz dean, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Chris Mitchell, president and chief executive officer, Iowa Hospital Association, Bob Ritz, chief executive officer, MercyOne.
Caring for and supporting other human beings is a wonderful calling but should not require people to take a vow of poverty to do so. The demand for direct care workers will increase substantially in coming years as the population of older adults and people with disabilities in Iowa increases. DCWs go by different names often determined by where they work and the populations they support or serve. Regardless of their title they provide most of the hands-on care in settings that range from in-home care, assisted living, nursing homes, and hospitals to residential care facilities, supported living, adult day services, and hospices.

Our state has struggled mightily to maintain an adequate direct care workforce. This is a challenge that we share with every state in the country, but an especially vexing problem in Iowa due to our slow population growth, and the increasing number of people needing direct care services further compounded by the pandemic. In fact, 59.2% of Iowas nursing homes report they are short-staffed according to a February AARP Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard. Attracting and retaining DCWs to meet Iowas present and future needs is impossible with the wages currently paid. DCWs median hourly wage is below $15 an hour with 15% living below the poverty guidelines according to PHI National. Twenty-eight percent work more than one job to make ends meet. Caring for and supporting other human beings is a wonderful calling but should not require people to take a vow of poverty to do so.

The American Rescue Plan Act, federal legislation passed in 2021, brought large sums of one-time funding into Iowa. A portion of the funds are being used to provide bonuses for direct support professionals who serve individuals with disabilities in some settings. While temporary bonuses help DSPs and their employers, it isnt a solution and falls short of what is needed. Needed, is a more equitable distribution of wage enhancements across settings and populations served to shore up the direct care workforce. Iowa lawmakers should seize this golden opportunity (pun intended) to use ARPA funds to jump-start the following and commit to their future sustainability:

1) Increase Medicaid reimbursement rates to all health, long-term care, and home and community-based providers. The increased rates should be accompanied with requirements that employers spend the reimbursement increases on improving wages and benefits for the direct care workforce.

2) Exempt all DCWs who have worked for a Medicare/Medicaid provider for at least one year and are making at least $15 an hour from paying Iowa income tax. This would incentivize employers who are not paying at least $15 an hour to increase their wages. In addition to the income tax exemption, provide those same DCWs a tax credit or incentive for each quarter that they remain working in the direct care field. The incentive must be high enough to lift DCWs out of poverty as specified in the United Ways Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed report, with updated data due out in 2023, and eventually eliminate reliance on state help for food, housing, health insurance, and childcare. Those providing care and supportive services through Money Follows the Person (MFP) and the Consumer Directed Attendant Care (CDAC) programs should also receive the exemption and tax incentives.

Generally higher demand for employees drives wages up, but that is not so for some DCWs. This is because payment for health and long-term care providers that employ DCWs is mainly determined by states through their Medicaid programs. As the largest payer for services, Medicaid sets the industry standard for direct care wages. Inadequate reimbursement rates under Medicaid prevent many employers from offering competitive wages.

Investing significantly in care infrastructure  in which higher wages for care workers is a key plank  would transform Iowas direct care workforce. It would attract more workers to the field and improve retention. And to fellow Iowa taxpayers do you want your tax dollars spent on the front-end investing in good paying jobs and good care or do you want to continue to invest in the back-end costs of high worker turnover, diminished care quality, and the tax funded programs like child care subsidies, state health insurance, and food benefits so these and other essential workers can afford to work? This is the year for Iowa lawmakers to act.

Maribel Slinde is board chair of Iowa CareGivers.
Human rights violations in Papua and the Ukraine are equally appalling and horrendous. The difference is that the situation in Ukraine is very much in the public eye, with the whole world watching and variations of the truth being published, whereas in Papua the whole world is pretty much oblivious to the abuse that indigenous people are suffering.

Papua

On 1 March three United Nations (UN) human rights experts issued a joint statement calling for urgent action to address the deteriorating human rights situation in Indonesia's West Papua and Papua provinces.

While the statement makes no mention of racial or religious distinctions, it must be noted that the human rights violations are being perpetrated by Indonesia's mostly Javanese Muslim military against indigenous, ethnic Melanesian, mostly Christian, Papuan communities. Racial-religious hatred plays an enormous role in the violence and has done ever since the Indonesian invasion of 1962.

Military violence escalated in May 2021 after the Indonesian government deployed counter-terrorism forces to the region. The number of displaced Papuans is now between 60,000 to 100,000 people, thousands of whom remain stranded in the bush.

The UN experts were 'particularly disturbed by reports that humanitarian aid to displaced Papuans is being obstructed by the authorities ... In several incidents, church workers have been prevented by security forces from visiting villages where Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are seeking shelter'.

The UN experts note: 'These [numerous cases of alleged abuses] may represent the tip of the iceberg given that access to the region is severely restricted making it difficult to monitor events on the ground.' The UN has now joined the European Union in calling for an end to impunity, adding that 'independent monitors and journalists must be allowed access to the region'.

The UN experts had written to the Indonesian government expressing their concerns in December 2021 but had not been impressed with the response they received; hence their decision to go public.

Indonesia's response on 1 March was to denounce the 'biased news' issued by the 'so-called "UN Human Rights experts"' as 'unconstructive and baseless'. The Indonesian government will lodge a formal protest through the Human Rights Council against the experts' 'unprofessional, ill-intentioned, one-sided' statement, claiming it is nothing but 'click-bait' aimed at creating 'negative public opinion'.

On Wednesday 2 March, Papuan gunmen killed eight technicians working on a telecommunications mast in a remote area. The West Papua National Liberation Army has claimed responsibility. A further escalation in military violence is all but guaranteed.

Please pray that God will help the Papuan church remain strong in the faith. Pray that humanitarian aid may be able to reach those who need it, and that God would protect churches, Christian organisations and other groups in doing so.

Pray also for open access to the regions where lack of transparency and lack of accountability has only worked to fuel human rights abuses.

Ukraine

Amidst obscene levels of death and destruction, Russia-Ukraine negotiations continue apace. Encouragingly, sources report, 'that the sides' positions aren't that far apart'. Russia is demanding: (1) that Crimea be recognised as part of Russia, (2) that the Russian-speaking separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk be recognised as independent republics, and (3) that Ukraine amend its constitution to enshrine neutrality.

Should this happen, then President Zelenskys government would remain in place and Ukraine would retain its independence. Having already given up on NATO membership, Kyiv says it is ready to negotiate on territory.

Reasons why it is imperative that a ceasefire be brokered soon include the threats posed by: (1) nuclear weapons, (2) unsecured pathogens, and (3) an influx of pro-Russian and anti-Russian Muslim mercenaries, including battle-hardened Islamic jihadis.

In the words of long-time war correspondent Chris Hedges (27 Feb 2022), 'War is not politics by other means. It is demonic.' Indeed! Doubtless there is nothing the devil loves more than to see human beings - bearers of God's image - killing, butchering and destroying one another.

According to Ben Caspit (Israeli political analyst 8 March), the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have been real and serious. 'On the table is a new proposal from the Russians aimed at ending the fighting, awaiting a response by Zelensky.' Caspit reports: 'The sides' positions aren't that far apart  but Putin does not intend to compromise.'

In an analysis for Jamestown Foundation's Eurasia Daily Monitor (8 March), experts explain that Chechens are already fighting on both sides of the conflict. According to reports there is much chatter in jihadist circles about 'whether joining the Ukrainian forces constitutes a legitimate form of jihad ... against the Russian "crusader" enemy'.

A worst-case scenario could see Ukraine - already a theatre of US-NATO proxy war - become a theatre for intra-Muslim war and/or an Islamic jihad against Russia, with the West supplying weapons to Islamic jihadists as occurred in Afghanistan in the 1980s. If that were to occur, Ukraine would become a magnet for jihadists. Add to the mix nuclear weapons and unsecured pathogens, and surely no-one would disagree that this demonic war must end as soon as possible.

Please pray for a breakthrough in negotiations, and that a ceasefire will be brokered soon and humanitarian needs addressed. Pray also that God would raise up peacemakers who, through their words and deeds, might reflect Christ and bring healing and hope to traumatised individuals, families and communities across ethnic and denominational lines.

May the Spirit of God empower all who call themselves 'Christian' - in Ukraine, Russia and everywhere Ukraine's refugees have fled - to resist the temptation to view the 'other' as the 'enemy' and react against them with ethnic and/or religious hatred, discrimination, persecution and repression.


Investor Presentation - 121 Conference, Las Vegas

Perth, Mar 30, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Okapi Resources Ltd ( ASX:OKR ) ( FRA:26O ) ( OTCMKTS:OKPRF ) provide the Investor Presentation for the 121 Conference in Las Vegas.- Uranium market is gaining momentum on world's path to zero carbon.- Our projects are located in proven uranium provinces.- Excellent cash position to execute strategy and add pounds via acquisitions and exploration.- New management team with significant experience in uranium in North America.- Nuclear energy critical to a low carbon future.*To view the presentation, please visit:About Okapi Resources Limited

Okapi Resources Limited (ASX:OKR) recently acquired a portfolio of advanced, high grade uranium assets located in the United States of America and in the Athabasca Basin, Canada.

Assets include a strategic position in one of the most prolific uranium districts in the USA - the Tallahassee Creek Uranium District in Colorado. The Tallahassee Uranium Project contains a JORC 2012 Mineral Resource estimate of 27.6 million pounds of U3O8 at a grade of 490ppm U3O8 with significant exploration upside. The greater Tallahassee Creek Uranium District hosts more than 100 million pounds of U3O8 with considerable opportunity to expand the existing resource base by acquiring additional complementary assets in the district.

The portfolio of assets also includes an option to acquire 100% of the high-grade Rattler Uranium Project in Utah, which includes the historical Rattlesnake open pit mine. The Rattler Uranium Project is located 85km from the White Mesa Uranium Mill, the only operating conventional uranium mill in the USA hence provides a near term, low-capital development opportunity.

In January 2022, Okapi acquired a portfolio of high-grade exploration assets in the world's premier uranium district, the Athabasca Basin. The Athabasca Basin is home to the world's largest and highest-grade uranium mines.

Okapi's clear strategy is to become a new leader in North American carbon-free nuclear energy by assembling a portfolio of high-quality uranium assets through accretive acquisitions and exploration.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Every year, John Formby spends weeks flying in a plane above New Mexicos forests, looking for trees with signs of insect damage and stress from heat and drought.

The state forest health specialists latest report shows damaged forests increased by about 240,000 acres in 2021.

Formby said bark beetles caused the most damage, especially in the East Mountains and near Cuba and Santa Fe.

Weve been on the ground enough in the state to know that pockets of pinon mortality are caused by bark beetles, he said. If its drought, well see it across the landscape, more like a widespread complete mortality.

The beetles bore through a trees bark and lay eggs, which hatch into larvae that feed on tree cells that supply water to the canopy, effectively killing the tree.

If a tree has enough moisture, it can often defend itself against the insects.

Drought and those extreme, above-average temperatures in the summertime are having an impact on trees ability to fight off the pest, Formby said.

The state documented large areas of drought stress and canopy yellowing in ponderosa pine forest for the second consecutive year.

Pine trees naturally shed really old needles every year, but were seeing this event occurring earlier in the year, a couple months before trees normally do this, Formby said.

Creating resilient forests requires work across public and private lands, said John Waconda, the Indigenous Peoples partnership program director with The Nature Conservancy.

The group recently received $125,000 from the Taos Ski Valley Foundation for forest restoration and wildfire prevention.

Fire has always been a necessary element in our traditional land management, Waconda said. One of our priorities would be to conduct more prescribed fire in landscapes where fire has been excluded in the past, creating hazardous unnatural conditions in the forest.

Waconda said the grant will help the group work with northern New Mexico pueblos on prescribed fire training.

Were hoping to support tribes in their ability to receive training that allow us to address the complex challenges as a result of more people in the wildland-urban interface  that connection between communities and forested areas where now more people reside, he said.

Forest thinning, careful insecticide use and keeping trees watered can help landowners and managers protect forests.

The Forestry Division also has an interactive map documenting insect and drought damage.

I fear that over the next few years, we may start getting into some dire circumstances as far as pinon and ponderosa go, Formby said.

Theresa Davis is a Report for America corps member covering water and the environment for the Albuquerque Journal.

View the report

Read the full 2021 New Mexico Forest Health Conditions Report, including the story map and aerial survey data dashboard, at www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/forest-health/
SANTA FE  The border with Mexico plays a starring role in a recent burst of television ads released by Republican candidates for governor.

In his first campaign commercial, Mark Ronchetti pledged to create a border strike force and deploy the National Guard to the border.

You cant fight crime if you dont secure the border, he says in the ad released in late February.

Ronchetti, a former meteorologist for KRQE, also mentioned the border in a second ad this month. The TV spot also mentions New Mexicos poor national rankings for crime and education.

In each commercial, Ronchetti contrasts himself with Democrats  Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and President Joe Biden  rather than other Republican candidates.

Rebecca Dow takes a somewhat different approach in her new ad. An image of Ronchetti appears on TV screens  between shots of Lujan Grisham, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris  during Dows ad as the narrator mentions politicians and TV blowhards.

She also links herself to former President Donald Trump.

Im not here to put on a show, Dow says in the ad. Im here to fight radical socialists, defend our constitutional rights and finish President Trumps wall.

Dow, a state representative from Truth or Consequences, rides on horseback beside county sheriffs throughout much of the ad.

Ronchetti and Dow are among five candidates seeking the Republican nomination to take on Lujan Grisham this fall.

Also campaigning are Jay Block, a Sandoval County commissioner and retired Air Force lieutenant colonel; Ethel Maharg, an anti-abortion activist and former mayor of Cuba; and Greg Zanetti, a financial adviser and military veteran.

The primary election is June 7. Absentee voting begins May 10.

SPECIAL SESSION: Legislators say they hope next weeks special session is a quick one, perhaps taking just a day.

Two items are on the agenda: economic relief to help New Mexicans with high gas prices and a revised version of the $50 million supplemental spending bill the governor vetoed in March.

But theres no guarantee of a quick pace, of course. Legislative sessions  special or not  often include surprises.

For comparison, Lujan Grisham called two special sessions last year  one on cannabis legalization that lasted two days and another on redistricting that stretched for 12 days.

In November 2020, however, a special session on COVID-19 relief moved so quickly that legislators finished in just a day.

Dan McKay: dmckay@abqjournal.com
 2022 Albuquerque Journal

The University of New Mexicos engineering department will become the first to be endowed in the universitys history after a $5 million donation by a former student who now runs a tech startup he co-founded in Colorado.

Donor Doug Campbell, who earned his bachelors and masters degrees in civil engineering from UNMs Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering in the early 2000s, pledged the funds to rename the department in honor of one of his professors, Gerald May.

May, who served as a professor, associate dean, dean of engineering and UNMs 14th president, was incredibly humble, he was a fantastic teacher, and I kind of adopted him as an informal mentor, Campbell told the Journal.

May retired from UNM in 2002 and lives in Albuquerque.

Campbell, an Albuquerque native, is co-founder and CEO of Solid Power, a developer of electric vehicle batteries located in Louisville, Colorado.

Hes come a long way since his first forays onto the UNM campus.

As an Albuquerque kid through and through, Campbell spent time expertly perusing the UNM grounds while his single mother earned her degree in civil engineering in the early 80s. His first indirect and somewhat ironic connection to May happened when Campbell was a teenage skater.

We would skate at the university, and, of course, I dont think skateboarding was allowed, Campbell said. If you look at the dates with which Dr. May was president of the university, it was during that exact time when his cops were chasing me off campus.

Decades later, hes more than making up for classic teenage rebellion.

Campbell had a brief stretch as a professional mountain biker before co-founding Roccor, an aerospace company, which he sold at the end of 2020. He founded Solid Power in 2012, and took his current company public late last year.

Philanthropy had always been a consideration for Campbell. Though hes in Colorado now, he said, I wanted to give back to my community, and my community is Albuquerque.

His $5 million gift will be dispersed across the department in a variety of areas. Mahmoud Taha, a 20-year faculty veteran and current department chairman, said the money will go toward recruiting faculty, retaining their already distinguished staff, upgrading research facilities and also attracting graduate students, including offering programs for them to study abroad.

Taha said the endowment was a very generous gift, and the donor is a very generous man.

I was not surprised by (Campbells) gift, because, the years Ive known him, I know he wants to do something big for UNM and the civil engineering department, he said.

Taha introduced the 12 in 12 initiative in 2018, which was established to earn $12 million in private gifts for the department over 12 years.

The intention is to make UNM a Top 50 engineering school in the nation. He shared that the $5 million donation has brought them within almost $3.5 million of reaching the lofty, yet achievable goal.

Im sure this will inspire other colleagues and graduates of UNM to support other programs, Taha said.

Its a great school and a great place to work at, and I think it deserves the support its alums do.

Campbell said that naming the department after May was a no-brainer.

He earned it, Campbell said.

He was a phenomenal professional and devoted his entire career to the university.

May became a UNM faculty member for the civil engineering department in 1967. After his tenure as UNMs president from 1986 to 1990, he returned to teaching up until around the time Campbell graduated.

In a UNM news release about the endowment, May said that teaching was his most rewarding role.

In the release, he told Kim Delker, marketing manager of UNMs school of engineering, Im very humbled by such a generous gesture from a former student. I have been privileged to be able to spend a career at UNM working with such bright young men and women.

The UNM Board of Regents approved renaming the department as the Gerald May Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering. The release said the department will officially be renamed no later than Dec. 31, 2026, upon final payment of the pledge.

The gift is also the 12th largest for UNM, according to the UNM Foundation records.

Campbell said he plans to continue his philanthropic efforts, especially when it comes to the city he grew up in, which he said is ripe for innovation.

Albuquerque has a lot going for it, he said. The weathers fantastic, the culture is so unique  and then you got these phenomenal research institutions.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  With New Mexico poised to launch commercial cannabis sales on Friday, state health officials are seeking to reassure the roughly 132,000 New Mexicans enrolled in the states medical marijuana program that they wont be left empty-handed.

The Department of Health, which oversees the medical cannabis program, said this week there will be a stable, long-term supply of cannabis products, despite an expected market rush once recreational sales begin after a year of planning and rule-making.

We are proud to help more than 132,000 New Mexicans who use cannabis to alleviate pain and other medical symptoms, said Dominick Zurlo, medical cannabis program director.

But some medical cannabis advocates remain concerned, citing past supply shortages and access issues.

Jason Barker, an Albuquerque resident and medical cannabis patient, said dispensaries should devote some business hours exclusively for card-carrying patients.

He also said the state has alerted medical cannabis users that they will no longer be allowed to use curbside delivery for cannabis purchases, an option that was implemented during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic to limit person-to-person contact.

Its going to be a hard reality for the medical patients, Barker said in an interview. Right now, patients have access to 100% of the supply (of licensed dispensaries) and are still having issues.

A state Cannabis Control Division spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday that curbside delivery has been discontinued, saying it would represent an unlawful sale outside of a licensed business under the states current licensing system.

But Heather Brewer, the agencys spokeswoman, pointed out that new rules adopted after the 2021 approval of recreational cannabis for New Mexico adults, allow licensed couriers to make home deliveries.

Meanwhile, Cannabis Control Division Director Kristen Thomson on Tuesday likened the opening day of cannabis sales to the first day of a new Broadway show, saying its likely some cannabis retailers will sell out on Friday.

We definitely understand that excitement can lead to short-term shortages, Thomson told the Journal.

Other states that have legalized recreational cannabis in recent years have dealt with supply shortages. In Illinois, for instance, some dispensaries imposed purchase limits and others were forced to close temporarily as demand outpaced supply after legal sales began in 2020.

While Thomson did not make guarantees, she cited guardrails in New Mexicos recreational cannabis law intended to protect medical cannabis patients.

That includes a requirement imposed by the Cannabis Control Division that producers reserve at least 20% of their cultivated plants for enrolled medical patients.

The states legalization law allows the agency to require up to 25% of cannabis products be earmarked for licensed patients.

With the start of adult-use cannabis sales looming, the Department of Health recently increased the amount of cannabis licensed patients can obtain  from 8 ounces to 15 ounces every 90 days.

Patients can also purchase cannabis under the states recreational cannabis program, which has a purchase limit of up to 2 ounces of flower  and similar limits for edible products and cannabis extract  but does not limit how much cannabis can be stored at an individuals home.

In addition, taxes will also be levied on commercial cannabis sales, while medical cannabis purchases were exempted from taxation under the law signed last year by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

That could represent a significant savings, as the excise tax for marijuana sales will be set at 12%, with gross receipts tax levied on top of that.

New Mexico launched its medical cannabis program in 2007 and enrollment has surged in recent years  from 48,821 enrolled patients in February 2018 to 131,924 patients as of last month.

Patients must be authorized for a license by a health care professional and there are currently 28 qualifying conditions, including severe chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. Those two conditions are cited by the majority of enrolled patients statewide.
MEDYKA, Poland  The number of people who have fled Ukraine since Russian troops invaded has surpassed 4 million, the United Nations reported Wednesday as shelling continued in places where Moscow had vowed to ease its military operations.

I do not know if we can still believe the Russians, refugee Nikolay Nazarov, 23, said as he crossed Ukraines border into Poland with his wheelchair-bound father.

Despite Russias announcement during talks on Tuesday that its forces would ease their assault near Ukraines capital, Kyiv, and elsewhere, Nazarov said he expects more escalation in the countrys east, including the city he and his father fled.

That is why we cannot go back to Kharkiv, he said. We are afraid of a new phase of war in eastern Ukraine.

Nazarov, like other refugees interviewed by The Associated Press, echoed the opinion of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy said that given what was happening on the ground, there was no reason to believe Russias statement about reducing military activity near Kyiv and in Chernihiv, a besieged northern city.

We can call those signals that we hear at the negotiations positive, Zelenskyy said in his address to the Ukrainian people. But those signals dont silence the explosions of Russian shells.

For Diana Konstantynova, a 45-year-old accountant from Vinnytsia in south Ukraine, Russias promise to scale back its attacks is not a signal she can safely return home.

I do not believe in a truce, said Konstantynova, who fled to Romania with her 8-year-old son a month ago. She says they will only return when bombs stop exploding in my city and when Russian troops completely leave our territory.

Elena Litvinova, a 33-year-old accountant from Mykolaiv, is also skeptical of Russias promises and will only head home with her two young children when our president says that the war is over.

During the negotiations, the city administration and childrens educational institutions where my children studied were destroyed, she said at a refugee center in Romanias central city of Brasov, where she says they will stay until the war is over. Its still very scary, every day we get messages from home that there is shooting and bombing.

Olha Kovalyova, who arrived in Poland with her two children, said she didnt trust Moscow because it had failed to fulfill earlier promises made in the framework of 2014 and 2015 agreements aimed at ending fighting between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces in the eastern Donbas region.

The Minsk agreement is not working, so how can we call it peace talks if they are shooting and bombing our cites during and after the talks? Kovalyova said. There is no trust in Russia, but also I hope for peace and calm, but unfortunately this is the situation.

The U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, said Wednesday that more than 4 million people have left Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion on Feb. 24 and sparked Europes largest refugee crisis since World War II. That number exceeds the worst-case predictions made at the start of the war.

Half of the refugees from Ukraine are children, according to UNHCR and the U.N. childrens agency UNICEF.

I think its a tragic milestone, Alex Mundt, the UNHCR senior emergency coordinator in Poland, said. It means that in less than a month or in just about a month, 4 million people have been uprooted from their homes, from their families, their communities, in what is the fastest exodus of refugees moving in recent history.

More than 2.3 million refugees from Ukraine entered Poland, but some have since traveled on to other countries. A small number have returned to Ukraine, either to help in the defense against the Russians or to care for relatives.

More than 608,000 refugees have entered Romania, over 387,000 have gone to Moldova, and about 364,000 have entered Hungary in the last five weeks, UNHCR said, based on counts provided by the governments of those countries.

The situation inside Ukraine is spiraling, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement Wednesday. As the number of children fleeing their homes continues to climb, we must remember that every single one of them needs protection, education, safety and support.

U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi entered Ukraine on Wednesday and said he would be in the western city of Lviv and discuss ways to increase support to people affected and displaced by this senseless war.

Lviv has become a destination for Ukrainians seeking a safe place to stay or are heading to bordering European countries. UNHCR teams and their partners have been working to deliver protection, emergency shelter, cash assistance, core relief items and other critical services for refugees.

UNHCR projected from the onset that about 4 million people might flee Ukraine and said it was regularly reassessing its forecasts.

Aid workers say the number of people fleeing eased in recent days as many residents awaited indications of the direction the invasion might take. The U.N. estimates the war also has displaced 6.5 million people within the country.

The International Organization for Migration, which tracks not just refugees but all people on the move from their homes, reported earlier this month that more than 12 million people are estimated to be stranded in areas of Ukraine under attack or cannot leave because of security risks, the destruction of bridges and roads and a lack of information about safe destinations and lodging.

All told, more than 22 million people are either blocked from moving or have been forced to flee, IOM figures show.

___

Jamey Keaten reported from Geneva. Vanessa Gera in Warsaw, Stephen McGrath in Brasov, Romania, and Srdjan Nedeljkovic in Medyka, contributed to this report.

___

Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
BERLIN  Germany and Austria activated early warning plans Wednesday amid concerns that Moscow could cut natural gas deliveries, while Poland announced steps to end all Russian oil imports by years end, in fresh signs of how Russias war in Ukraine is affecting Europes energy security.

The German government said it was establishing a crisis team to step up monitoring of the gas supply, and called on companies and households to conserve energy following demands by Russia that deliveries should be paid in rubles.

Western nations have rejected that demand, arguing it would undermine sanctions imposed because of the war.

There have been several comments from the Russian side that if this (payments in rubles) doesnt happen, then the supplies will be stopped, Economy Minister Robert Habeck told reporters in Berlin.

Hours later, German officials said Chancellor Olaf Scholz had received assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin that European companies wont have to pay for Russian gas supplies in rubles but could continue to pay in euros as stipulated by existing contracts.

Scholz had asked for further details of the process, which involves payments to a Russian bank not subjected to sanctions, his office said.

Habeck had earlier said that the level one warning triggered  a step also taken Wednesday by Austria  was a precautionary measure and Germany was prepared for a sudden stop in Russian gas supplies.

Still, he warned of considerable impacts if that were to happen and urged consumers to help prevent a shortage by conserving energy.

We are in a situation where, I have to say this clearly, every kilowatt hour of energy saved helps, Habeck said. He added that Germanys gas storages are currently filled to about 25% capacity.

A second warning level would require companies in the gas industry to take necessary measures to regulate supply. The third and highest level entails full state intervention to ensure those who most need gas  such as hospitals and private households  receive it, Habeck said.

Were not there and we dont want to go there, he added.

France also called Wednesday for those who can to conserve energy, including electricity and gas, focusing especially on businesses and public facilities. The countrys gas storage facilities are well filled, according to the head of its Regulatory Energy Commission, but still asked for some efforts to save energy.

If we dont do that, there is a risk next winter for consumption demand to be superior to our ability to meet that demand, Jean-Francois Carenco told the BFM news broadcaster.

France gets about 70% of its electricity from nuclear plants but uses natural gas during peak demand at winter time and for home heating.

Italy issued a pre-alert of the risks to its natural gas supply days after the war broke out, given its heavy reliance on Russia. Energy transition minister Roberto Cingolani said at the time that the warning aimed to inform users of the uncertainties linked to the conflict, while confirming supplies remained adequate to cover demand. It has not asked people to conserve.

Meanwhile Poland, which has taken in millions of Ukrainian refugees, has taken the lead in the European Union on swiftly cutting off Russian fossil fuels. The 27-nation bloc has declined to sanction energy because it depends on Moscow for the fuel needed for cars, electricity, heating and industry, but it has announced proposals to wean itself off those supplies.

We are presenting the most radical plan in Europe for departing from Russian oil by the end of this year, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said at a news conference.

On Tuesday Poland said it was banning Russian coal imports, expected by May. Morawiecki said Poland will take steps to become independent of Russian supplies and called on other European Union countries to walk away as well. He argued that money paid for Russias oil and gas is fueling its war machine.

While some in Europe are calling for an immediate boycott of all Russian oil and natural gas, the EU plans to reduce Russian gas imports by two-thirds by the end of the year and eliminate them before 2030. In the meantime, rattled energy markets have pushed up already high oil and natural gas prices for Europeans and others worldwide.

The EU is turning to investments in renewable energy as a long-term fix but also is scrambling to shore up alternative sources of fossil fuels, including a new agreement with the U.S. to receive more liquefied natural gas, or LNG, that arrives by ship.

Poland is expanding an LNG terminal to receive deliveries from Qatar, the U.S., Norway and other exporters. A new Baltic pipeline bringing gas from Norway is expected to open by the end of the year. It also has been reducing dependence on Russian oil through contracts with Saudi Arabia, the U.S. and Norway and is considering imports from Kazakhstan.

Germany, the EUs biggest economy and until recently reliant on Russias natural gas for 55% of its needs, has signed deals with several suppliers of LNG, which is shipped to neighboring European countries and then pumped in. German officials say they aim to end the use of Russian oil and coal this year and natural gas by mid-2024.

___

Scislowska reported from Warsaw. Samuel Petrequin in Brussels, Sylvie Corbet in Paris and Colleen Barry in Milan contributed.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.  Rick Scott likes to think of himself as Gen. Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War.

Barely halfway through his first Senate term, the Florida Republican is already leaning into a fight against his own partys leadership as he navigates a delicate alliance with former President Donald Trump and pushes a handcrafted policy agenda that many Republicans reject.

But Scott, who is also the Senate GOPs midterm chief, insists he has only begun to fight.

The 69-year-old former businessman likens his situation to that of Grant during the battle of Vicksburg, when the general ordered multiple bloody assaults on the Southern stronghold before delivering a victory that helped turn the war in the Unions favor.

I think of myself more like Grant taking Vicksburg, and I think as a result of that, Im always going to be perceived as an outsider, Scott said in an interview. Im going to keep doing what I believe in whether everybody agrees with me or not.

For now, what Scott believes is directly at odds with the wishes of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.

Scott is refusing to abandon an 11-point governing plan he released with little input from party leadership, even after McConnells public rebuke one month ago. In the weeks since, Scott has continued to promote his plan, which would raise taxes on millions of Americans who dont earn enough to pay federal income taxes, in dozens of speeches and media appearances.

Those close to Scott suggest he understands the modern Republican Party better than McConnell and his establishment allies. And as tension lingers, Scott is leaving open the possibility of challenging McConnell for Senate majority leader should Republicans retake the Senate majority this fall, although the prospects of him waging a successful effort are slim. Most who know Scott well believe hes more likely to seek the presidency in 2024.

McConnells office declined to comment.

The story of Scotts unlikely rise from a little-known Florida businessman with a stiff demeanor to a two-term governor to a senator willing to buck his own partys leadership offers a fresh reminder that the conventional rules governing national politics no longer exist. Few outside Mar-a-Lago believe Scott could knock McConnell from his leadership post and Scott is an afterthought in early 2024 presidential chatter, which is dominated by his successor as governor, Ron DeSantis.

But allies suggest it would be a mistake to dismiss him as a serious political player.

Political consultant Curt Anderson, who has advised Scott for more than a decade, described the senators interest in McConnells job as pretty low, although Trump has privately encouraged Scott to challenge the Senate Republican leader. When asked about a potential presidential run, however, Anderson said only, Well see what opportunities lay ahead.

Not only has Scott won every race hes run, often as the underdog, he is the richest member of Congress with a net worth that exceeded $232 million before his last election. He has also expanded his donor network considerably over the last year in his role as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Lest anyone question Scotts willingness to dip into his personal fortune to further his political ambitions, he spent more than $63 million of his own money to win Floridas 2018 Senate election.

And his political footprint is growing.

As chairman of the Senate GOPs campaign arm, Scott is responsible for his partys quest to retake the Senate majority. He is tasked with leading the Republican Senate strategy, including how best to dispatch tens of millions of dollars to key races across the country.

Thats even as Republican Senate candidates privately worry that Scotts policy agenda is giving Democrats a powerful talking point to use against them this fall. Several GOP campaigns have gone around Scotts committee to share their concerns directly with McConnells team, although Scott has resisted pressure to back off.

Still, Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel described Scott as the ultimate team player who works hand in glove with the partys other major campaign committees.

But McDaniels praise ended when the conversation turned to his governing agenda and the provision that would raise taxes.

Im not a policymaker, McDaniel said when asked directly whether she supports Scotts plan. She noted that House Republicans are working on another policy rollout. I know that our voters are really focused on what are our plans if we govern. But we have to win to do anything.

Republicans in Washington are divided over whether they even need a governing agenda.

The Republican Party declined to adopt a platform at Trumps 2020 presidential nominating convention. And many Republican strategists believe the GOP can win the House and Senate majority this fall without providing specific policy goals given Democratic President Joe Bidens weak political standing and traditional political headwinds against the party in power.

When asked earlier in the year what the GOPs agenda would be if it took control of Congress, McConnell told reporters, That is a very good question and Ill let you know when we take it back.

McConnell is not used to being challenged. He has been elected Senate Republican leader by acclamation without so much as a token challenger since 2007. He has already publicly declared his intention to retain his leadership role after the midterm elections, and his team does not expect anyone to oppose him.

But as Trump calls for McConnells ouster from afar, Scott and House Republican leaders are challenging the Senate leaders wisdom.

House Republicans worked on their own Commitment to America agenda last week at their annual retreat in Jacksonville, Florida. During the three-day gathering, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was asked about the decision to introduce an agenda when McConnell has held off.

I think elections are important. But I think its more than important than just running against another party to tell the American public what you will do, McCarthy told reporters.

More than most Senate Republicans, Scott has worked to develop relationships with leading House conservatives, including Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Banks, R-Ind. Scott regularly sends handwritten thank-you notes following private meetings and has an impressive personal touch that does not necessarily match his stiff exterior, Banks said.

Banks described Scotts agenda as a courageous plan that gives the party a good framework to follow. Like other leading Republicans, however, he stopped short of endorsing Scotts tax provision.

I dont know that I support it or dont support it. I dont know the specifics, Banks said. But even Sen. Scott has admitted that this is his draft, his attempt to put a framework around the GOP agenda. He deserves credit for that.

Scotts plan to Rescue America features 11 broad policy goals, most of which are focused on the conservative movements cultural priorities.

He would require children in public school to stand for the national anthem; block the federal government from asking people to disclose their race, ethnicity, skin color or gender preference; finish Trumps proposed border wall; and ban biological males from competing in womens sports.

Critics have latched onto more specific provisions regarding taxes and federal legislation.

Scott calls for a minimum federal tax on tens of millions of Americans who dont make enough money to pay federal income taxes. Even a very small tax, he argues, would give people skin in the game to boost their interest and involvement in how their tax dollars are spent. Another provision would sunset all federal legislation five years after passage, which critics contend would jeopardize Social Security and Medicare, although Scott has said that is not his intention.

Indiana Sen. Mike Braun acknowledged that some in the Senate GOP caucus grumbled about the plan, but he said he remains confident in Scotts political leadership and even defended the 11-point plan.

In a brief interview, Braun insisted Republicans were still in a strong political position heading into the November midterms because Democrats mistakes have served up a platter of opportunity.

I say take advantage of that, but also stake a little ground out that gives independents who elect swing-state senators and the president something other than the party of No,' Braun said.

Beyond dividing his caucus on Capitol Hill, Scotts plan has also divided some of Washingtons most powerful conservative institutions.

Grover Norquist, president of the conservative group Americans for Tax Reform, dismissed Scotts plan as an unserious presentation that would create a significant tax increase.

Norquist complained that Scott released his proposal without checking with the broader conservative movement. This was not run past anybody, he said. Not happening.

Meanwhile, Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, praised Scotts agenda, including the tax piece. Scott is set to highlight his proposal during a Thursday speech at the foundation, which also plans to release its own set of policy goals.

The fierce resistance to Scotts plan, Roberts said, underscores a broader debate within the GOP.

This is not an honest conversation about taxation policy, Roberts said. Its about the establishment self-appointed ruling elites  I mean that generally  inside and outside the Capitol telling a great member of the Senate whos working on behalf of his constituents that he just needs to stop talking about this because its not the plan theyve decided.

And as Republicans fight each other, the Democratic National Committee has used Scotts plan as a weapon against the GOP since the day he released it.

The DNC released a second round of digital ads last week that calls on voters to stop Senate Republicans new plan to raise taxes on 50% of Americans. The ads feature black-and-white pictures of Trump, McConnell and Scott.

Rick Scott literally put it in writing, DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison told The Associated Press. Every Republican lawmaker must answer for it, and you can bet were going to remind the American people of it every chance we get.

Meanwhile, those who have watched Scotts political rise up close believe he is only beginning to put his stamp on national politics.

Ex-Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, who unsuccessfully ran against Scott in the 2010 Republican primary for governor, said he wouldnt underestimate Scotts potential to become the next Senate majority leader or the next president.

I think hes been ambitious to be president of the United States. He always has been, McCollum said. His real ambition was to get to Washington, always. Thats his real ambition. His real ambition is to be chief executive office of the country.

___

Associated Press writers Brian Slodysko in Washington and Farnoush Amiri in Jacksonville, Florida, contributed to this report.
TEL AVIV, Israel  Three deadly attacks in Israel in a week are raising questions over Israels approach to its conflict with the Palestinians, after years of efforts to sideline the issue and focus instead on other regional priorities.

The attacks by Palestinian assailants, including most recently on Tuesday night, have killed 11 people in the deadliest spate Israel has seen in years. They come as peace talks on ending Israels rule over Palestinians and setting up a Palestinian state on occupied lands are a distant memory. In the meantime, Israel has shifted its priorities to containing archenemy Iran and building regional Arab alliances.

Israels government, with support from the Biden administration, has tried to do what leaders describe as shrinking the conflict. Instead of seeking a partition deal with the Palestinians, it aims to keep things quiet by taking steps to improve the Palestinian economy and reduce frictions.

But now, as Israel faces the possibility of another cycle of violence less than a year after a war with Hamas militants in Gaza, the Palestinian issue is once again clawing its way back to the fore and exposing the weaknesses of this approach.

It was a message that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas tried to deliver as he condemned Tuesday nights shooting in the central city of Bnei Brak.

Permanent, comprehensive and just peace is the shortest way to provide security and stability for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples and the peoples of the region, he said. Israel has long sidelined Abbas, branding him an unacceptable partner for peace talks.

Israel sees the current wave as another round of extremist violence aimed against its very existence. It blames incitement on Palestinian social media, says that Hamas encourages the violence and points to a flood of weapons available in Palestinian communities.

In Tuesdays attack, a 27-year-old Palestinian from the West Bank methodically gunned down victims, killing five. On Sunday night, a shooting attack by two Islamic State sympathizers in the central city of Hadera killed two police officers. Last week, a combined car-ramming and stabbing attack in the southern city of Beersheba  also by an attacker inspired by IS  killed four.

The two earlier attacks were carried out by Palestinian citizens of Israel; in all three incidents the attackers were killed by police or passersby.

The violence has stunned Israelis, who had enjoyed relative quiet since last years 11-day war with Hamas. It has also overshadowed a historic gathering in the Negev Desert this week that for the first time saw the foreign ministers of four Arab countries meet their Israeli and American counterparts on Israeli soil. And though the foreign ministers  from Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Morocco  paid lip service to the Palestinian issue, the meeting centered on the emerging nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. The Palestinians were not invited.

In response to the violence, Israel has increased its security presence in Israeli cities and the occupied West Bank. It has made arrests in Arab communities and raided the West Bank home of the man who carried out Tuesdays attack.

We are dealing with a new wave of terror, said Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. As in other waves, we will prevail.

Ahead of a Cabinet meeting Wednesday, Bennett said that along with calling up reservists to bolster the police, he was evaluating a larger framework for incorporating civilian volunteers who want to help and assist.

Anyone who has a license for a firearm, this is the time to carry a weapon, he said.

But there are no signs that Bennett is prepared to address the deeper issues fueling the conflict.

Bennett heads an unwieldy coalition of ideologically diverse parties  including an Islamist Arab faction  that united with the goal of toppling former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. To survive, the coalition agreed to set aside divisive issues, most notably the conflict with the Palestinians, and instead focus on matters in the Israeli consensus, such as the pandemic and the economy.

The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Tom Nides, has repeatedly called the new government a beautiful thing. Focused on the war in Ukraine and tensions with China, Washington has indicated it has no plans to float a peace plan and instead wants to lay the foundation for future talks one day.

With his tack, Bennett and his government did not diverge from Netanyahu, who begrudgingly accepted the concept of Palestinian statehood under fierce American pressure but did little to advance the idea.

The Palestinians, in turn, have drawn disappointing parallels with the war in Ukraine, lamenting that the West has rallied swiftly against Russias aggression and has yet to move to sanction Israel for its 55-year occupation.

Meanwhile, Israel has deepened its control over the West Bank with its web of checkpoints and barriers, and hundreds of thousands of Israelis living in Jewish settlements. The Israeli-Egyptian blockade on Gaza persists. The last substantive peace talks took place a decade and a half ago. The Palestinians seek the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, for a future state.

The Bennett government appears to have learned some lessons from last year, when a series of missteps before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan boiled over into the Gaza war.

This year, as major Muslim, Jewish and Christian holidays converge, Israel has offered to ease a series of restrictions on Palestinians ahead of Ramadan, which begins this weekend.

Israel has issued thousands of work permits for Gaza laborers, lifted a ban on family visits to Palestinian prisoners from Gaza and said it will not restrict Palestinian gatherings around Jerusalems Old City like last year.

A rare visit by Jordans king to Palestinian leaders in the West Bank this week, followed by visits to the king by Israels defense minister and president on Wednesday, was aimed at cementing the calm.

The uptick in violence could derail the new measures.

King Abdullah II told Isaac Herzog, the visiting Israeli president, that he condemned the bloodshed, but that any regional progress must include our Palestinian brothers.

Many Palestinians say the true aim of Israels measures is to maintain the status quo, in which millions live under a decades-long military occupation with no end in sight.

Theyre doling out little privileges through an eyedropper, said Diana Buttu, a former legal adviser to the Palestinian leadership. The Israelis have long taken the position that Palestinians dont deserve rights, that we dont want rights, that its just a question of us being able to be bought off, to get little permits here and there.

Any solution to the Palestinian conflict is complicated by a yearslong rift between Abbas Fatah movement and Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip and calls for Israels destruction. And with two of the last three attacks having been carried out by Israeli citizens, Israel may now be forced to reckon with a minority population riddled by violent crime and long suffering from discrimination.

In Israel, some argue that even Palestinian statehood wouldnt end the conflict.

The Palestinians will never accept Israel as a Jewish state. The struggle for them is for all of Israel, Yitzhak Gershon, a retired military major general, told Israeli Army Radio.

Meanwhile, several rights groups have branded Israeli rule between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea as an apartheid system.

Omar Shakir of the international group Human Rights Watch stressed that no grievance justifies the killing of innocent people. He added: The reality is that it is unsustainable to continue ruling over millions of people deprived of their fundamental rights.

___

Associated Press writers Joseph Krauss and Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recalled Ukraines ambassadors to Georgia and Morocco, suggesting they havent done enough to persuade those countries to support Ukraine and punish Russia for the invasion.

With all due respect, if there wont be weapons, wont be sanctions, wont be restrictions for Russian business, then please look for other work, Zelenskyy said in his nighttime video address to the nation Wednesday. I am waiting for concrete results in the coming days from the work of our representatives in Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa.

Zelenskyy also said he was expecting results from Ukraines military attaches in embassies abroad.

He said the diplomatic front is one of the key fronts in Ukraines battle to win the war against Russia.

___

KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:

 Russia shells areas in Ukraine where it vowed to scale back

 US intel determines Putin has been misled by advisers on Ukraine

 Poland to end Russian oil imports; Germany warns on gas

 UN agency says 4 million refugees have now fled Ukraine

 UN food chief says Ukraine wars food crisis is worst since WWII

 Go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine for more coverage

___

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

The talks between Ukraine and Russia will resume on Friday by video, according to the head of the Ukrainian delegation, David Arakhamia.

The delegations met in-person on Tuesday in Istanbul, after two weeks of meeting by video, and the faint outlines of a possible peace agreement seemed to emerge.

The Ukrainian delegation offered a framework under with the country would declare itself neutral  dropping its bid to join NATO, as Moscow has long demanded  in return for security guarantees from a group of other nations.

Russian diplomats responded positively to Ukraines proposal.

__

DUBLIN  An aircraft-leasing company has filed $3.5 billion in insurance claims for planes and aircraft engines that are stranded in Russia because of sanctions following Russias invasion of Ukraine.

AerCap said it had leased 135 planes to Russian airlines and has repossessed 22 of them outside of Russia.

The Dublin-based company said AerCap says its unclear whether it will recover more, and Russian airlines continue to use its planes even though it terminated the leases and demanded that the planes be returned.

After sanctions prohibited U.S. and European companies from leasing, selling or servicing planes and aircraft parts to Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law letting his countrys airlines re-register foreign planes and use them for domestic flights.

__

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency visited a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on Wednesday to meet Ukrainian officials and provide technical assistance.

Rafael Mariano Grossi said the IAEA is not involved in political talks with the Russians.

We are trying to be very active in order to ensure that as soon as possible, the situation is regressed, and the facilities are back in the hands of the Ukrainians, Grossi said.

Ukraine has 15 nuclear reactors at four plants, one of which (Zaporizhzia) is under the Russian militarys control.

Ukraine also is home to the decommissioned Chernobyl plant, the site of the 1986 nuclear accident, with the Russian military seized early in the war. As of Tuesday, eight reactors were operating and the rest were shut down for regular maintenance.

 From video published by Energoatom Press Service in Media Port Mykolaiv region, Ukraine

LONDON  A U.K. intelligence chief is warning that Russia is looking for cyber targets and bringing in mercenaries to shore up its stalled military campaign in Ukraine.

Jeremy Fleming, who heads the U.K.s GCHQ electronic spy agency, said Russian President Vladimir Putin massively misjudged his chances for a swift military victory in Ukraine.

In a speech in Australia, Fleming praised Ukraines information operation for effectively countering Russias big disinformation campaign about the war.

While there were expectations that Russia would launch a major cyberattack as part of its military campaign, Fleming said such a move was never part of Moscows playbook.

But Fleming warns that Russias cyber actors are looking for targets in the countries that oppose their actions.

__

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the White House for pledging an additional $500 million in direct aid, but said he was open with U.S. President Biden about Ukraine needing more to resist the Russian invasion.

If we really are fighting for freedom and in defense of democracy together, then we have a right to demand help in this difficult turning point, Zelenskyy said in his nighttime video address to the nation Wednesday. Tanks, aircraft, artillery systems. Freedom should be armed no worse than tyranny.

Prior to Wednesdays announcement of $500 million in aid, the Biden administration had sent Ukraine about $2 billion in humanitarian and security assistance since the start of the war last month. Thats all part of the $13.6 billion that Congress approved earlier this month for Ukraine as part of a broader spending bill.

Zelenskyy said the negotiations with Russia were continuing but for now, they were only words without specifics.

About the supposed withdrawal of Russian forces from Kyiv and Chernihiv, Zelenskyy said: We know that this is not a withdrawal but the consequences of being driven out. But we also are seeing that Russia is now concentrating its forces for new strikes on Donbas and we are preparing for this.

__

UNITED NATIONS  The United Nations chief said Wednesday that one-quarter of humanity  two billion people  are living in conflict areas today and the world is facing the highest number of violent conflicts since 1945 when World War II ended.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cited conflicts from Yemen, Syria, Myanmar and Sudan to Haiti, Africas Sahel, and now the war in Ukraine  a catastrophe shaking the foundations of the international order, spilling across borders and causing skyrocketing food, fuel and fertilizer prices that spell disaster for developing countries.

He told the U.N. Peacebuilding Commission on Wednesday that last year 84 million people were forced to leave their homes because of conflict, violence and human rights violations. And that doesnt include the Ukraine war which has already seen 4 million people flee the country and displaced another 6.5 million within the country, according to U.N. agencies.

Guterres said the U.N. estimates that this year at least 274 million will need humanitarian assistance. This represents a 17% increase from 2021 and will cost $41 billion for the 183 million people targeted for aid, according to the U.N. humanitarian office.

__

WASHINGTON  The White House has pledged an additional $500 million in direct aid for Ukraine as the Russian invasion grinds on.

U.S. President Joe Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a 55 minute call Wednesday that the additional aid was on its way. The leaders also reviewed security aid already delivered to Ukraine and the effects that weaponry has had on the war, according to the White House.

Zelesnkyy has pressed the Biden administration and other Western allies to provide Ukraine with military jets. The U.S. and other NATO countries have thus far been unwilling to accommodate that request out of concern it could lead to Russia broadening the war beyond Ukraines borders.

Prior to Wednesdays announcement of $500 million in aid, the Biden administration had sent Ukraine about $2 billion in humanitarian and security assistance since the start of the war last month.

The $500 million could come from $13.6 billion that Congress approved earlier this month for Ukraine as part of a broader spending bill. The White House is also looking at possibly using funding authorized prior to approval of the spending bill.

___

BERLIN  The German government says it has received assurances from Russia that European companies wont have to pay for Russian gas supplies in rubles.

Olaf Scholzs office said the German chancellor spoke by phone Wednesday afternoon with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had requested the call, about the issue.

During the call Putin said he planned to issue a law requiring gas supplies to be paid in rubles from April 1, Scholzs office said.

At the same time (Putin) emphasized during the conversation that there would be no change for European contractual partners, who would continue to pay only in euros to Gazprombank, it said.

The bank would convert the payments to rubles, Scholzs office added.

Gazprombank is not currently under EU sanctions but is under restrictions from the U.S. affecting debt and equity operations.

It noted that the German chancellor did not agree to the procedure but instead requested written information to understand it better.

___

LONDON  Britains government has announced new legal powers prohibiting U.K. maintenance on planes and ships belonging to Russian oligarchs. The Foreign Office said Wednesday the new sanctions have been used immediately against billionaire oil tycoon Eugene Shvidler and Oleg Tinkov, founder of Tinkoff bank.

Shvidler, whos already sanctioned over his business links to Roman Abramovich, has had two private jets seized.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the new law adds to Britains powers to deprive oligarchs access to their luxury toys.

British authorities on Tuesday seized a Russian-owned superyacht valued at $38 million. They did not identify the owner of the vessel, only saying the billionaire was connected to President Vladimir Putin.

The government also said that finance, trade and shipping sanctions imposed on Crimea have been expanded to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

___

WASHINGTON  The Pentagon said Wednesday that over the last 24 hours it has seen some Russian troops in the areas around Kyiv moving north toward or into Belarus.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said the U.S. does not view this as a withdrawal, but as an attempt by Russia to resupply, refit and then reposition the troops.

We dont know exactly where these troops are going to go, he said.

But he noted that Russia has talked about prioritizing the Donbas region. Kirby was speaking on CNN and Fox Business.

Kirby also said that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have continued to try to speak with their Russian counterparts but they have not answered and they have not replied with a willingness to do so.

___

UNITED NATIONS  The United Nations chief says one-quarter of humanity  two billion people  are living in conflict areas today, and the world is facing the highest number of violent conflicts since the end of World War II in 1945.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cited conflicts from Yemen, Syria, Myanmar and Sudan to Haiti, Africas Sahel and now the war in Ukraine  a catastrophe shaking the foundations of the international order, spilling across borders and causing skyrocketing food, fuel and fertilizer prices that spell disaster for developing countries.

He told the U.N. Peacebuilding Commission on Wednesday that last year 84 million people were forced to leave their homes because of conflict, violence and human rights violations. And this year, we estimate that at least 274 million will need humanitarian assistance, he said.

Guterres said this is taking place at a moment of multiplying risks that are pushing peace further out of reach  inequalities, COVD-19, climate change and cyber threats, to name just a few.

He said the flames of conflict are fuelled by inequality, deprivation and underfunded systems and these issues must be addressed urgently.

___

LONDON  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Western nations shouldnt lift sanctions on Russia until all Moscows troops have left Ukraine.

Johnson said a cease fire would not be enough, and the G-7 should intensify sanctions with a rolling program until every single one of (President Vladimir Putins) troops is out of Ukraine.

Speaking to a committee of British lawmakers on Wednesday, Johnson also said Britain was discussing going up a gear in support to help Ukraine defend itself. He said sending armored personnel carriers was something the U.K. was looking at.

The U.K. has sent anti-tank weapons and other military equipment to Ukraine but wants to avoid anything that could be seen as escalating the conflict.

___

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia  Slovakias Foreign Ministry says it has decided to reduce the Russian diplomatic mission in the country by 35 people.

The ministry said on Wednesday the Russian side was informed about the move in a diplomatic note.

The given step is an inevitable reaction to the continuing activities of the Russian embassys personnel that violate the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, Slovakias interests and an effort to develop partnership relations with the Russian Federation, the ministry said.

Slovakia already expelled three Russian diplomats two weeks ago over a spying scandal.

At least four European allies expelled dozens of Russian diplomats on Tuesday, an apparent coordinated effort to tackle espionage.

___

WASHINGTON  U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin is being misinformed by his advisers about Russian forces performance in Ukraine, according to a U.S. official.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity Wednesday to discuss the recently declassified intelligence finding, said that Putin has felt misled by the Russian military and there is now persistent tension between him and senior Russian defense officials.

The official did not detail underlying evidence for how U.S. intelligence made the determination.

But the intel community has concluded that Putin was unaware that the military had been using and losing conscripts in Ukraine. They also have determined Putin is not fully aware of the extent to which the Russian economy is being damaged by economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and allies.

The findings demonstrate a clear breakdown in the flow of accurate information to Putin, and show that Putins senior advisers are afraid to tell him the truth, the official said.

 Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani and Nomaan Merchant contributed from Washington.

___

GENEVA  The U.N. human rights chief says her office is looking into allegations that some residents of the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol have been forcibly evacuated to areas controlled by Russian forces or to Russia itself.

Speaking to the U.N.s Human Rights Council on Wednesday, Michelle Bachelet decried life of sheer terror for people in the southeastern port city since Russias invasion on Feb. 24.

Ukraine has charged that Russian forces were forcibly taking people from Mariupol and other areas to Russia. Moscow has denied the claims, saying about 500,000 Ukrainians left for Russia voluntarily.

Bachelet said her office also is reviewing credible allegations that Russian forces have used cluster munitions 24 times and allegations that Ukrainian forces also have done so.

She says the office also received allegations that two civilians affiliated with Russian armed forces, or backing pro-Russian views, had been killed. She criticized widespread detention of civilians who openly support Ukraine in areas under Russian control.

___

MOSCOW  The head of Russias delegation in talks with Ukraine this week says that Kyivs readiness to consider a neutral status would meet a key Russian demand.

Vladimir Medinsky said that, during Tuesdays talks in Istanbul, Ukraine submitted a set of proposals including its readiness to adopt a non-bloc, nuclear-free status and drop its bid to join NATO.

He said Ukraine also signaled its readiness not to host foreign military bases and to hold joint drills with foreign militaries only in consultation with countries serving as guarantors of a peace deal, which would include Russia.

Medinsky said in televised comments that the proposals signaled Ukraines readiness to reach agreement for the first time in years, adding that if it fulfills the obligations, the threat of creating a NATO bridgehead on the Ukrainian territory will be removed.

___

KYIV, Ukraine  An adviser to Ukraines president says that a vote sealing a prospective agreement with Russia could only be held after Russian troops pull back.

Mykhailo Podolyak said Wednesday that the Russian forces must withdraw to their positions before the Feb. 24 invasion to pave the way for any peace deal to be put on a nationwide referendum.

In an online briefing, he voiced hope for a meeting soon between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin but wouldnt say when exactly it could happen.

Podolyak took part in Tuesdays talks with Russian negotiators in Istanbul. He said a deal on multilateral security guarantees for Ukraine will be a key part of the package to be discussed.

___

BUDAPEST, Hungary  Hungarys foreign minister has accused Ukraines leadership of attempting to interfere in the upcoming Hungarian election. His Ukrainian counterpart has denied the charge in an episode that put further strain on relations.

In a video on social media, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto claimed that there was ongoing coordination between the Hungarian left and representatives of the Ukrainian government, and that Ukraine was attempting to influence Hungarys April 3 election in favor of a coalition of opposition parties.

Szijjarto did not provide any evidence supporting the claim.

The statements came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made several recent comments that were harshly critical of the Hungarian governments approach to the war.

On Wednesday, Szijjarto claimed that Ukraines foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, had contacted Ukraines ambassador in Budapest to discuss how Ukraine could influence Hungarys election, in which Prime Minister Viktor Orban is seeking a fourth consecutive term.

But Kuleba told Ukrainian newspaper Evropeiska Pravda that we have never interfered in Hungarys internal affairs and especially not ahead of an election.

___

ISTANBUL, Turkey  A senior Ukrainian official says the countrys delegation to talks with Russia has remained in Turkey to discuss military issues.

David Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation who also leads the governing partys group in parliament, posted on social media that meetings with high-ranking Turkish officials during which cooperation in the military-technical field will be discussed were planned for Wednesday.

Turkey is a supplier of drones which Ukrainian forces have used to destroy Russian vehicles from the air.

Russian media reported that the Russian delegation returned home Tuesday after the talks with Ukraine.

___

COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told the Norwegian Parliament that Russia wants to destroy the foundation of Europe.

Zelenskyy, speaking through an interpreter during a live video appearance before the 169-member Stortinget, said Wednesday that the future of Europe is being decided now.

Speaking generally of Russias military activities in Ukraine, Zelenskyy said that for the Russians, there are no prohibited targets.

Zelenskyys speech was the latest of a string of addresses to lawmakers in several countries, including the United States, Britain, Sweden, Germany, Canada, Israel, Japan and the European Union.

___

KYIV, Ukraine  The Ukrainian military says that Russian troops have intensified their activities in the countrys east.

The Ukrainian general staff said Wednesday that the Russians have scaled up their activities around Izyum, south of Kharkiv, after redeploying some units from other areas. It also said that the Russian forces have intensified shelling and attacks in the eastern Donetsk region, focusing on trying to win control of Mariupol, Popasna and Rubizhne.

The Russian military has said it has shifted its focus to Ukraines eastern industrial heartland, the Donbas, where Moscow-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian forces since 2014.

___
NASHVILLE, Tenn.  The moment nurse RaDonda Vaught realized she had given a patient the wrong medication, she rushed to the doctors working to revive 75-year-old Charlene Murphey and told them what she had done. Within hours, she made a full report of her mistake to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Murphey died the next day, on Dec. 27, 2017. On Friday, a jury found Vaught guilty of criminally negligent homicide and gross neglect.

That verdict  and the fact that Vaught was charged at all  worries patient safety and nursing groups that have worked for years to move hospital culture away from cover-ups, blame and punishment, and toward the honest reporting of mistakes.

The move to a Just Culture seeks to improve safety by analyzing human errors and making systemic changes to prevent their recurrence. And that cant happen if providers think they could go to prison, they say.

The criminalization of medical errors is unnerving, and this verdict sets into motion a dangerous precedent, the American Nurses Association said. Health care delivery is highly complex. It is inevitable that mistakes will happen.  It is completely unrealistic to think otherwise.

Just Culture has been widely adopted in hospitals since a 1999 report by the National Academy of Medicine estimated at least 98,000 people may die each year due to medical errors.

But such bad outcomes remain stubbornly common, with too many hospital staffers convinced that owning up to mistakes will expose them to punishment, according to a 2018 study published in the American Journal of Medical Quality.

More than 46,000 death certificates listed complications of medical and surgical care  a category that includes medical errors  among the causes of death in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions National Center for Health Statistics.

Best estimates are 7,000-10,000 fatal medication errors a year. Are we going to lock them up? Who is going to replace them? said Bruce Lambert, patient safety expert and director of the Center for Communication and Health at Northwestern University.

If you think RaDonda Vaught is criminally negligent, you just dont know how health care works, Lambert said.

Murphey was admitted to the neurological intensive care unit on Dec. 24, 2017, after suffering from a brain bleed. Two days later, doctors ordered a PET scan. Murphey was claustrophobic and was prescribed Versed for her anxiety, according to testimony. When Vaught could not find Versed in an automatic drug dispensing cabinet, she used an override and accidentally grabbed the paralyzing drug vecuronium instead.

Such mistakes often end up in malpractice lawsuits, but criminal prosecutions are rare. After Vaught was charged in 2019, the Institute for Safe Medical Practices issued a statement saying it had worrisome implications for safety.

In an era when we need more transparency, cover-ups will reign due to fear, the statement read. Even if errors are reported, effective event investigation and learning cannot occur in a culture of fear or blame.

Many nurses are already at their breaking point  after a physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting two years caring for patients with COVID, said Liz Stokes, director of the American Nurses Associations Center for Ethics and Human Rights. Vaughts prosecution gives them one more reason to quit, she said.

This could be me. Im an RN as well, she said. This could be any of us.

Vaught was steeped in the idea of Just Culture and says she has zero regrets about telling the truth, but her candor was used against her at trial. Assistant District Attorney Brittani Flatt quoted from her interview with a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent in closing arguments: I definitely should have paid more attention. I should have called the pharmacy. I shouldnt have overridden, because it wasnt an emergency.

It is easy to judge Vaughts actions in retrospect, Lambert said, but overrides and workarounds are an extremely common part of healthcare, he said: This is typical, not aberrant or bizarre, behavior.

Meanwhile, Vaughts honesty about her mistake has already brought about safety improvements, and not just at Vanderbilt. Because vecuronium should only be used on patients who have a breathing tube inserted, some hospitals have moved it and other paralytic drugs out of automatic dispensing cabinets.

At my hospital, theyve changed their policy and put paralytics into a rapid intubation kit because of this, said Janie Harvey Garner, who founded the nurse advocacy organization Show Me Your Stethoscope. She said that because Vaught owned up to the mistake, Murpheys death has probably saved lives.

While Murpheys death may serve as a cautionary tale for other nurses, Vaught, now awaiting a sentence of up to eight years, told The Associated Press in an interview that she thinks about her patient every day.

Vaught, 37, discovered that she and Murphey lived in the same small community of Bethpage, about an hour northeast of Nashville, and that she and members of Murpheys family have mutual friends. It would only be a matter of time before she met one of them in person.

Ive imagined so many times how I would feel if this were my grandma, my family member, my husband, she said.

Recently, while buying farm supplies, she was talking with the young man behind the counter when he recognized her, and told her he was Murpheys grandson. Instead of reproaching her, he ended up comforting her and patting her on the shoulder, she said.

He was so kind. He was so incredibly kind, Vaught said. I took his grandma away, and he just kept telling me to take care of myself. There are good people in this world.
BATON ROUGE, La.  Days before his own death, Louisiana Master Trooper Chris Hollingsworth walked into a secure room deep inside state police headquarters, swore an oath and told investigators about the night he held down Black motorist Ronald Greene and repeatedly bashed him in the head with a flashlight.

Gone was the bravado from Hollingsworths earlier boast  captured on body-camera video  that he beat the ever-living f out of the man before his 2019 death along a rural roadside in northeast Louisiana.

Instead, in a two-hour interrogation, Hollingsworth meekly portrayed himself as the victim in the violent arrest, saying he feared for his life even as graphic footage played over and over of white troopers swarming Greenes car after a high-speed chase, jolting him with stun guns, punching him in the face and dragging him by his ankle shackles as he wailed, Im your brother! Im scared! Im scared!

I was scared, Hollingsworth said in the never-before-released recorded interview obtained by The Associated Press. He could have done anything once my hold was broke off him  and thats why I struck him.

Detectives werent buying it, describing the repeated flashlight blows to Greenes head as unjustified while peppering the 46-year-old veteran trooper with questions. Why did Hollingsworth turn off his body-camera video recorder? Why did he jolt Greene with his stun gun before the motorist could even get out of his car? Why did he resort to disproportionate force with an unarmed man who was hardly resisting?

As for troopers initial account that blamed Greenes death on injuries from a car crash, fueling allegations of a cover-up, Hollingsworth said he didnt see such injuries himself but added, Im not a doctor.

Nearly three years after Greenes May 10, 2019, death with still no one criminally charged, Hollingsworths internal affairs interview in September 2020 stands as a defiant, haunting voice from the grave.

Widely seen as the most culpable of the half-dozen officers involved, Hollingsworth cant face justice because he died just six days after the interrogation from a high-speed, single-vehicle, crash that came hours after he was told he would be fired for his role in Greenes arrest.

Though his death was ruled accidental, Hollingsworths early morning, off-duty crash into a highway guardrail in Monroe prompted widespread speculation the trooper took his own life. Hollingsworth was sober, not wearing a seatbelt and was a state police driving instructor traveling an interstate he had patrolled for decades. Crash reconstruction experts who reviewed case reports for the AP agreed the circumstances were suspicious and the probe by local police was inadequate.

Its definitely consistent with a suicide but I dont have enough information to say he didnt fall asleep, said Jonathan Cherney, a California-based crash reconstructionist. But Ill tell you what, you have a hard time falling asleep when youre doing 100 miles per hour.

Scott Wolleson, the lawyer who accompanied Hollingsworth to the interview and now represents his widow in a civil suit brought by Greenes family, declined to comment.

Intentional or not, Hollingsworths death has complicated ongoing federal and state investigations and was particularly painful for Greenes mother, Mona Hardin, who says it robbed her of any hope for full justice while the trooper was allowed to be buried with full honors despite his misconduct.

It hurts me to the core that Hollingsworth isnt here, Hardin told AP. He was front and center and they gave him all the bells and whistles on his burial.  They overlooked what he did, what he confessed to.

State police were so concerned about unruly groups and a major disturbance at Hollingsworths funeral, according to operational plans obtained by AP, that they kept the location of the services secret and deployed two counter snipers and a SWAT team to watch over the sea of blue uniforms that piled into a West Monroe church.

The bristling security was set up at a time when the public had not yet seen the body-camera footage of Greenes arrest, but the state police leaders coordinating his funeral had.

Serving as platoon leader that day was Lt. John Clary, the highest-ranking officer at the scene of Greenes death who remains under federal scrutiny for allegedly withholding his own body-camera footage from detectives.

AP last year obtained and published the graphic footage that officials from Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards on down had refused to release for more than two years. But even before that, Hollingsworth made himself a focus of the Greene investigation by his own words on the night of the arrest, what he dismissed to detectives as inappropriate cop talk.

I beat the ever-living f out of him, choked him and everything else trying to get him under control, Hollingsworth told a fellow officer in a phone call picked up on his body-camera mic. All of a sudden he just went limp.  I thought he was dead.

Greene died before his ambulance reached the hospital. Hollingsworth was photographed there with flecks of Greenes blood dotting his blue uniform and brass badge.

The governor later told police commanders to investigate Hollingsworths role in the deadly arrest. Edwards top lawyer, Matthew Block, told AP the then-head of the state police informed him when the decision was finally made to fire Hollingsworth. Edwards has since come to describe the actions of the troopers in Greenes arrest as criminal and racist.

Asked late last year whether he feels any responsibility for the loss of public trust in state police, a spokesperson for Edwards told AP: The troopers on the scene  particularly Trooper Hollingsworth  are responsible for what happened the night of Mr. Greenes death, period.

Federal prosecutors have been considering for months whether to charge the other troopers, including Kory York, who remains on the force after dragging Greene face down by his ankle shackles. The FBI also is investigating whether state police brass obstructed justice in part by rebuffing the detectives who pushed for criminal charges. One supervisor recently told a state legislative committee probing the case that his bosses instructed him not to give prosecutors the body-camera footage of Greenes arrest.

That was consistent with an AP investigation last year that found Greenes was among at least a dozen cases over the past decade in which state police troopers or their bosses ignored or concealed evidence of beatings, deflected blame and impeded efforts to root out misconduct.

Hollingsworth himself seemed to recognize his legal risk, refusing to provide any statement to the detectives conducting the criminal investigation in the days after Greenes death.

But he was compelled  496 days later  to cooperate with an internal affairs investigation focused on whether he violated state police policy. That inquiry could not be used to charge Hollingsworth but would determine whether he kept his badge.

Hollingsworths story evolved significantly during the interview. He initially told detectives he struck Greene with a closed fist. Then he claimed he couldnt remember whether he struck him with an object.

Finally, after the investigators replayed the video and pointed out Hollingsworths flashlight, he conceded to hitting Greene with it, even using his water bottle to demonstrate how he swung with the rounded edge down.

Detectives then showed Hollingsworth autopsy photos and asked him to describe several cuts on Greenes head.

Theyre like a little half-moon, Hollingsworth said.

You dont think your flashlight caused those cuts?

It could have, the trooper said.

A reexamined autopsy commissioned by the FBI last year rejected the crash theory and attributed Greenes death to physical struggle, troopers repeatedly stunning him, striking him in the head, restraining him at length and Greenes use of cocaine.

Asked to justify his use of force, Hollingsworth repeatedly exaggerated Greenes threat and resistance.

I did fear that he was much bigger than I was and much stronger, he said. He had already kept two troopers from being able to handcuff him, and I was in fear at that time of him getting control of me or headbutting me.

Race did not come up in the interrogation but Hollingsworth opined on the subject decades earlier in a 2002 essay at the Louisiana State Police Training Academy, writing that white police officers have to prove they are not racist on every complaint and in every court case involving blacks.

Today, the first concern is if the officer is white and the suspect is black.  Race is the issue and not the crime.
WASHINGTON  The United States sanctioned Iranian defense companies Wednesday after a spate of ballistic missile attacks on targets in Iraq and the Gulf.

The U.S. and Irans neighbors blame that country for a March 13 strike on Irbil, Iraq, and for repeated missile strikes into Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates by Iranian-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen.

On Friday, a Houthi missile strike set ablaze a Saudi Aramco oil storage site, prompting warnings from angry Saudi leaders that the attacks threatened the stability of the world oil market.

Even as the U.S. carries out indirect negotiations with Iran for reviving limits on Irans nuclear program, it will keep up penalties against those involved in Irans ballistic missile production, Treasury Undersecretary Brian Nelson said in announcing the sanctions.

We will also work with other partners in the region to hold Iran accountable for its actions, including gross violations of the sovereignty of its neighbors, Nelson said in a statement.

The Treasury Department said Wednesdays sanctions target an Iran-based procurement agent and his companies, which helped acquire propellant-related materials for the missile research program of Irans Revolutionary Guard; an Iranian defense company; and an Iranian intermediary who also helped in the development of missile propellant.

The sanctions were authorized under an existing executive order targeting producers and supporters of weapons of mass destruction. The penalties allow the U.S. to block the assets of the sanctioned people and entities, and to prosecute others who do business with them.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been at war against Iranian-backed Houthi fighters who have seized much of northern Yemen. Irans Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for the March 13 strike on Erbil, and alleged it was targeting an Israeli strategic center there.
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration is expected to end the asylum limits at the U.S.-Mexico border by May 23 that were put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, according to people familiar with the matter.

The decision, not yet final, would halt use of public health powers to absolve the United States of obligations under American law and international treaty to provide haven to people fleeing persecution, and would apply to all asylum-seekers.

Ending the limitations in May would allow for time to prepare at the border, the people said. But the delay runs against the wishes of top Democrats and others who say COVID-19 has long been used as an excuse for the U.S. to get out of asylum obligations.

It also raises the possibility that more asylum-seeking migrants will come to the border at a time when flows are already high. The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday that about 7,100 migrants were coming daily, compared with an average of about 5,900 a day in February and on pace to match or exceed highs from last year, 2019 and other peak periods.

President Joe Biden declined to discuss his administrations plans, telling reporters Wednesday at the White House, Well have a decision on that soon.

Whenever the limits are lifted, his communications director said there will be an influx of people to the border. We are doing a lot of work to plan for that contingency. Speaking broadly, Kate Bedingfield said the administration is trying to build up our migration system and ensure that we are restoring order at the border.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had extended its asylum-blocking powers for two months in late January, near the height of the omicron variant. The authority is up for renewal this week, and officials were expected to announce as early as Friday that it would be terminated, giving border authorities a few months to prepare for the coming deadline.

The people familiar with the plans saw a draft report that has not been finalized and they spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the plans.

The limits went into place in March 2020 under the Trump administration as coronavirus cases soared. While officials said at the time that it was a way to keep COVID-19 out of the United States, there always has been criticism that the restrictions were used as an excuse to seal the border to migrants unwanted by then-President Donald Trump.

It was perhaps the broadest of Trumps actions to restrict crossings and crack down on migrants. The health order has caused migrants to be expelled from the United States more than 1.7 million times since March 2020 without a chance for them to request asylum.

And restrictions took effect over the objections of CDC officials, and Dr. Martin Cetron of the Division of Migration and Quarantine refused the order to begin its use. He said there was no public health basis for such a drastic move, the AP reported. But then-Vice President Mike Pence ordered the CDCs director to use the agencys emergency powers and it went into effect.

As mask mandates were lifted, vaccination rates climbed and COVID-19 rates dropped among migrants crossing from Mexico it became increasingly difficult to defend the order on scientific grounds.

Biden, who has rolled back some of Trumps other more restrictive policies, has taken increasing criticism for keeping the policy.

Homeland Security officials, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and other top Democrats were increasingly vocal about wanting to end so-called Title 42 authority, named for a 1944 public health law to prevent communicable disease.

Not all Democratic elected officials agreed, including some from border and swing states. Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, both Arizona Democrats, sided with Republican leaders to say Title 42 should remain until U.S. border authorities were prepared for sharp increases in new arrivals.

The Border Patrol agents told me they expect a tsunami of humans to come across the border and the Border Patrol has said they will lose control entirely, said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

Homeland Security officials said they are planning for as many as 18,000 arrivals daily, an astounding number that they cautioned was simply to prepare for all possible outcomes, not projections.

But there have been no major changes to how migrants are processed at the U.S.-Mexico border and no increase in holding facilities for them. The immigration court backlog continues to soar to more than 1.7 million cases.

Critics say Title 42 has been an excuse to avoid asylum obligations under U.S. law and international treaty, buying Biden time to create the humane asylum system that he promised during his 2020 campaign.

Title 42 is a horrific and unjustified policy that should never have been enacted and has caused grave harm to thousands of asylum-seekers over the past two years, said immigration attorney Lee Gelernt of the American Civil Liberties Union.

While there is no aggregate rate for migrants, COVID-19 test results from several major corridors for illegal border crossings suggest it is well below levels that have triggered concerns among U.S. officials.

In California, 54 of 2,877 migrants tested positive in the first two weeks of March, according to the state Department of Social Services. Thats a rate of just 1.9%, down from a peak of 28.2% on Jan. 8.

In Pima County, Arizona, which includes Tucson, the seven-day positivity rate among migrants didnt exceed 1.3% in early March. The positivity rate among 5,300 migrants tested last month at the Regional Center for Border Health near Yuma, Arizona, was 0.1%.

McAllen, Texas, the largest city in the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, has a higher rate among migrants  11.3% for the week ending March 16  but it has been consistently lower than the general population.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky noted falling rates when she ended asylum limits on unaccompanied child migrants on March 11, while keeping them for adults and families with kids. In August, U.S. border authorities began testing children traveling alone in their busiest areas: Positives fell to 6% in the first week of March from a high of nearly 20% in early February.

Asylum limits have been applied unevenly by nationality, depending largely on costs and diplomatic relations with home countries. Many migrants have been spared from Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and, more recently, Ukraine. Homeland Security officials wrote border authorities this month that Ukrainians may be exempt, saying Russias invasion created a humanitarian crisis.

___

Dearen reported from New York and Spagat from San Diego. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Michael Balsamo, Nomaan Merchant and Farnoush Amiri in Washington and Garance Burke in San Francisco contributed to this report.
HARTFORD, Conn.  A Connecticut judge said Wednesday Infowars host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones will be fined for each weekday that passes without him appearing for a deposition in a lawsuit brought by relatives of some victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

The penalties were in response to Jones defying court orders to attend a deposition last week, when he cited a health problem including vertigo that later turned out to be a sinus infection. His testimony is being sought ahead of a trial to determine how much he should pay in damages to the families for pushing a conspiracy theory that the massacre never happened.

The penalties will begin at $25,000 per weekday beginning Friday and increase by $25,000 per weekday until he appears for a deposition, Judge Barbara Bellis said. She found Jones in contempt of court orders and repeated her view Wednesday that letters submitted by Jones doctors did not include enough evidence that he was too ill to attend last weeks deposition. She noted Jones appeared on his website show  either in-person or by phone  every day last week.

The court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant, Alex Jones, willfully and in bad faith violated without justification several clear court orders requiring his attendance at his depositions, Bellis said during a court hearing held by video conference.

Bellis, a judge at Waterbury Superior Court, also ordered the deposition to be held at the Bridgeport, Connecticut, office of the families lawyers, instead of Austin, Texas, where it was scheduled last week. Austin is home to Jones and Infowars.

The judge, however, again denied a request by lawyers for the Sandy Hook families to order Jones arrested and detained until he could appear at a deposition. The attorneys first made the request last week.

Jones lawyer, Norman Pattis, criticized Bellis ruling and planned to appeal to the Connecticut Supreme Court on Thursday.

The judges order is shocking and an insult to the medical doctor who advised Alex not to attend court proceedings, Pattis said in an email to The Associated Press. We regard the order as lawless and unprecedented.

Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the Sandy Hook families, said during the hearing that the families were seeking penalties because Jones violated court orders and appeared to be attempting to avoid the deposition.

So what weve tried to do  is change that calculus, make it clear to Mr. Jones that the penalties that will accrue to him as a result of his further noncompliance are not worth it and that he should sit for deposition in order to avoid them, Mattei said.

A new deposition date was not immediately set. Cameron Atkinson, another Jones lawyer, said Jones would next be available to testify on April 11.

Twenty first-graders and six educators were killed in the December 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The gunman, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, killed his mother at their Newtown home before the shooting, and killed himself at the school as police arrived, officials said.

The families of eight of the victims and an FBI agent who responded to the school sued Jones, Infowars and others in Connecticut, saying they have been subjected to harassment and death threats from Jones followers because of the hoax conspiracy promoted on his show. Jones has since said he believes the shooting did occur.

On Tuesday, Jones lawyers filed court documents that offered to pay $120,000 per plaintiff to settle the lawsuit and offered an apology for any distress his remarks caused. The families lawyers rejected the offers.

Jones was found liable for damages to the families in the Connecticut lawsuit as well as to some Sandy Hook families who sued him in Texas. Judges in both states found Jones liable by default without a trial, saying he repeatedly refused to abide by court rulings and provide requested evidence to the families lawyers.

Jones and his lawyers said he has turned over thousands of documents to the families lawyers and sat for depositions in the Texas cases.

Trials are scheduled later this year in Connecticut and Texas to determine how much Jones should pay the families.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the fines Jones would face start at $25,000 per weekday and increase by $25,000 per weekday, not $25,000 to $50,000 per weekday.
WASHINGTON  U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin is being misinformed by advisers about his militarys poor performance in Ukraine, according to the White House. The advisers are scared to tell him the truth, the intel says.

The findings, recently declassified, indicate that Putin is aware of the situation on information coming to him and there now is persistent tension between him and senior Russian military officials.

The U.S. believes Putin is being misled not only about his militarys performance but also how the Russian economy is b eing crippled by sanctions because, again, his senior advisers are too afraid to tell him the truth, White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said Wednesday.

Earlier, President Joe Biden said in an exchange with reporters that he could not comment on the intelligence.

The administration is hopeful that divulging the finding could help prod Putin to reconsider his options in Ukraine, according to a U.S. official. The official was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The war has ground to a bloody stalemate in much of the country, with heavy casualties and Russian troop morale sinking as Ukrainian forces and volunteers put up an unexpectedly stout defense.

But the publicity could also risk further isolating Putin, who U.S. officials have said seems at least in part driven by a desire to win back Russian prestige lost by the fall of the Soviet Union.

What it does is underscore that this has been a strategic blunder for Russia, Bedingfield said of the intelligence finding. But Im not going to characterize how  Vladimir Putin might be thinking about this.

Meanwhile, Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a 55 minute call that an additional $500 million in direct aid for Ukraine was on its way. Its the latest burst in American assistance as the Russian invasion grinds on.

Asked about the latest intelligence, Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested that a dynamic within the Kremlin exists where advisers are unwilling to speak to Putin with candor.

One of the Achilles heels of autocracies is that you dont have people in those systems that speak truth to power or have the ability to speak truth to power, and I think thats what were seeing in Russia, Blinken told reporters during a stop in Algeria on Wednesday.

The unidentified official did not detail underlying evidence for how U.S. intelligence made its determination.

The intelligence community has concluded that Putin was unaware that his military had been using and losing conscripts in Ukraine. They also have determined he is not fully aware of the extent to which the Russian economy is being damaged by economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and allies.

The findings demonstrate a clear breakdown in the flow of accurate information to Putin, and show that Putins senior advisers are afraid to tell him the truth, the official said.

Biden notified Zelenskyy about the latest tranche of assistance during a call in which the leaders also reviewed security aid already delivered to Ukraine and the effects that weaponry has had on the war, according to the White House.

Zelesnkyy has pressed the Biden administration and other Western allies to provide Ukraine with military jets, something that the U.S. and other NATO countries have thus far been unwilling to accommodate out of concern it could lead to Russia broadening the war beyond Ukraines borders.

Prior to Wednesdays announcement of $500 million in aid, the Biden administration had sent Ukraine about $2 billion in humanitarian and security assistance since the start of the war last month.

Congress approved $13.6 billion that Congress approved earlier this month as part of a broader spending bill. Bedingfield said the latest round of financial assistance could be used by the Ukrainian government to bolster its economy and pay for budgetary expenses including government salaries and maintaining services.

Ukraines presidential website says Zelenskyy told Biden: We need peace, and it will be achieved only when we have a strong position on the battlefield. Our morale is firm, there is enough determination, but we need your immediate support.

Zelenskyy in a Twitter posting said that he also spoke to Biden about new sanctions against Russia. Bedingfield said the administration is looking at options to expand and deepen current sanctions.

The new intelligence came after the White House on Tuesday expressed skepticism about Russias public announcement that it would dial back operations near Kyiv in an effort to increase trust in ongoing talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Turkey.

Russian forces pounded areas around Ukraines capital and another city overnight, regional leaders said Wednesday.

The Pentagon said Wednesday that over the past 24 hours it had seen some Russian troops in the areas around Kyiv moving north toward or into Belarus.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in interviews with CNN and Fox Business that the U.S. does not view this as a withdrawal but as an attempt by Russia to resupply, refit and then reposition the troops.

Putin has long been seen outside Russia as insular and surrounded by officials who dont always tell him the truth. U.S. officials have said publicly they believe that limited flow of information - possibly exacerbated by Putins heightened isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic - may have given the Russian president unrealistic views of how quickly he could overrun Ukraine.

The Biden administration before the war launched an unprecedented effort to publicize what it believed were Putins invasion plans, drawing on intelligence findings. While Russia still invaded, the White House was widely credited with drawing attention to Ukraine and pushing initially reluctant allies to back tough sanctions that have hammered the Russian economy.

But underscoring the limits of intelligence, the U.S. also underestimated Ukraines will to fight before the invasion, said Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, in recent testimony before Congress.



AP writers Matthew Lee in Algiers and Lolita C. Baldor contributed reporting.
BOULDER, Colo.  A judge on Wednesday dismissed the murder case against a 96-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a maintenance worker at an assisted living center north of Denver.

Okey Payne had been charged with first-degree murder after deliberation and two felony counts of menacing stemming from the Feb. 3, 2021, death of Ricardo Medina-Rojas, 44.

Defense attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the case after Payne was deemed incompetent to stand trial, and prosecutors did not object, the Boulder Daily Camera reported. Payne will now be admitted to a secure unit at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo.

Payne shot Medina-Rojas in the head after confronting him about $200 he claimed Medina-Rojas had stolen after he arrived for work at Legacy Assisted Living in the city of Lafayette, according to police. He then allegedly waved his handgun at two people who tried to help Medina-Rojas.

Doctors deemed Payne incompetent to stand trial and doubted his condition would improve, noting his delusions, advanced age and refusal to participate in testing.

Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said during Wednesdays hearing that Medina-Rojas family believed this was going to be the likely outcome of the case, and they expressed their understanding for what was happening here.

Lafayette police and Adult Protective Services have said Paynes theft allegations were unsubstantiated.
Even with COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations on the decline, local health officials are recommending another shot in the arm for certain individuals.

On Wednesday, the New Mexico Department of Health announced a recommendation that people 50 or older who are at least four months removed from receiving a booster of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines get a second booster shot.

The health department is also recommending immunocompromised people 12 and older get another shot, as well as adults who received a primary and booster shot of the Johnson & Johnsons vaccine get a booster shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

Acting Health Secretary Dr. David Scrase said the recommendation is especially important for people 65 and older and those who are older than 50 with underlying medical conditions.

Vaccines and boosters are both safe and free, he said in a statement. The data clearly demonstrates that COVID-19 vaccine and booster doses protect individuals from both infection and severe outcomes.

Jodi McGinnis Porter, a spokeswoman for the Health Department, said the state plans to continue to cover the cost of PCR testing by Curative, Vault and Tricore through June 30.

Scrase said the states vaccine recommendation is in step with the guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The shots are proving to be effective at preventing serious illness in New Mexico, but many breakthrough cases are common.

In the last In the past four weeks, unvaccinated individuals accounted for 40% of the cases, 65% of the hospitalizations and 58% of the deaths, according to New Mexico Health Department weekly epidemiology reports.

The Health Departments website shows 77.6% of adults in the state are fully vaccinated.

Weekly hospital admissions for COVID-19 patients dropped nearly 50% in the last week even though new cases didnt change much, according to New Mexico Health Department weekly epidemiology reports.

According to the reports, which are dated March 28, New Mexico had 40 people with COVID admitted to hospitals around the state in the last week. That was down from 77 the week before.

The were 925 total new cases in the same week, compared with 987 cases the week before.

Eighty-four people were hospitalized with COVID in New Mexico on Wednesday, 10 of whom were on ventilators.

The state reported 21 more COVID-related deaths on Wednesday, pushing the statewide toll to 7,255 since the start of the pandemic.
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico  Hurricane Patricia roared ashore in southwestern Mexico as a Category 5 storm Friday evening, bringing lashing rains, surging seas and cyclonic winds hours after it peaked as one of the strongest storms ever recorded.

There were early reports of some flooding and landslides as the storm moved over inland mountains after nightfall. Television news reports from the coast showed some toppled trees and lampposts and inundated streets. Milenio TV carried footage of cars and buses being swept by floodwaters in the state of Jalisco.

But authorities said there were no immediate reports of fatalities or the kind of major, widespread damage feared earlier in the day when forecasters warned of a potentially catastrophic landfall.

The first reports confirm that the damage has been less than those expected from a hurricane of this magnitude, President Enrique Pena Nieto said in a taped address late Friday. He added, however, that we cannot yet let our guard down.

Indeed, Patricias projected path was headed next over a mountainous region dotted with hamlets that are at risk for dangerous mudslides and flash floods, and where communications can be sketchy. It wasnt clear when emergency crews would be able to fully assess the storms impact in those isolated areas.

The storm was expected to weaken rapidly and dissipate today, but it was still capable of soaking the region with heavy rain.

Patricia continues to advance and continues to be extremely dangerous, national civil protection coordinator Luis Felipe Puente warned via Twitter. Stay informed and follow recommendations.

Patricias center made landfall as a monstrous Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph, but in a relatively low-populated stretch of the Jalisco state coast near Cuixmala. The nearest significant city, Manzanillo, was about 55 miles southeast and outside the zone of the storms hurricane-force winds.

By late Friday, Patricia was rapidly losing steam but was still a major hurricane with winds at 130 mph, the center reported, or just above the threshold for a Category 4.

Its center was about 50 miles southeast of the resort city of Puerto Vallarta, where rain began to fall harder than it had all day, but there was still no sign of strong winds. Streets were deserted except for police patrolling slowly with their emergency lights on.

Brandie Galle, a tourist from Grants Pass, Ore., said she sheltered with other guests in a ballroom with boarded-up windows at the Hard Rock Hotel in Puerto Vallarta. Workers let them out to eat in a hotel restaurant after the city was not feeling any major effects from the storm two hours after landfall. There was no visible damage to the building.

Galle said some guests desperate to leave had earlier paid $400 for taxis to drive them the 120 miles to the inland city of Guadalajara.

Patricia formed suddenly Tuesday as a tropical storm and quickly strengthened to a hurricane. Within 30 hours, it had zoomed to a record-beating Category 5 storm, catching many off guard with its rapid growth.

By Friday, it was the most powerful hurricane on record in the Western Hemisphere, with a central pressure of 880 millibars and maximum sustained winds of 200 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Parenting platform BabyChakra recently acquired one of Indias strongest regional parenting networks, Tinystep, to further strengthen its growth across the country. With this acquisition, BabyChakra expands its regional footprint by providing in-depth access to a robust network of parents across 9 languages. BabyChakra targets to reach 75 million moms by the end of 2022.

BabyChakra has earmarked Rs 100 crore in building Indias largest mom-baby content to commerce platform over the next 3 years. By acquiring Tinystep, Baby Chakra makes significant progress towards its aspiration to reach 75 million mothers and achieve its goal. This is BabyChakras first acquisition.

Indias baby care product market is expected to grow by $10 billion over the next few years at a CAGR of more than 14%. With the growth of the online availability of baby care products and nuclear as well as single parent families, the market is gradually witnessing a steady growth.

Adgully spoke to Naiyya Saggi, Co-founder, Good Glamm Group, Founder & CEO, BabyChakra, to know what this acquisition brings to the companys core business strength, investing in enhancing content and communities of mothers and doctors on the platform, and more.

BabyChakra already reaches 39 million moms and 10,000 doctors across India. With such a great reach, what was the reason for acquiring Tinystep?

BabyChakra aims to grow further and be a part of families across India. To do so, it is necessary to connect with parents in their language. Tinystep is a network of 9 regional language based mom networks and with 5 million+ existing followers and a potential 20 million addressable additional reach has the largest social presence of all parenting platforms. The decision to acquire Tinstep assets is a step forward in our aspiration to be the largest parenting platform from India.

What new products and services can the consumers expect with this new partnership?

There will be more content and outreach in newer regions and languages ensuring deeper engagement with families who need us most. BabyChakra will continue investing in enhancing content and communities of mothers and doctors on our platform and reaffirm its commitment to becoming the one stop destination for all parents across India to find the support , care & community they need in their language through conception, pregnancy and early child care.

Tinystep is a multilingual parenting platform. How is that going to help BabyChakra?

70% of Indian families are nuclear units. Hence, parents today are turning online for virtual communities of care and information. However, no two parents are alike. Language is an important part of ensuring parents feel comfortable in getting care and also getting their questions answered. Also, language is an indicator of culture, hence cultural nuances, which are an extremely core part of a familys identity. Hence, through language we can form a deeper connection with families we serve. With Tinystep, we open up more than 9 new languages for BabyChakra. Hence, it opens up a new set of languages and content to initiate conversations with newer families.

What is the USP of BabyChakra and Tinystep as an entity?

The USP is that we now have the largest social followership in India as a parenting entity and will be available in 9+ languages. Therefore, we will be able to fulfil our vision of being the largest parenting platform in India by next year with 75 million parents.

Will the partnership help BabyChakra to better co-exist with competitors such as The Moms Co, iMumz, and others?

The Moms Co is a part of our overall group (The Good Glamm Group) and is a close partner with BabyChakra. They are already using BabyChakra as a way to initiate conversations and connect with millions of parents across India. The Tinystep partnership already puts us ahead of most other players in the ecosystem, since we have a differentiated proposition of having the largest social user base and accelerated reach in regional networks. The content assets and social IPs that Tinystep acquisition brings to us already gives us a head start of one and half years into our ambitions.

How does BabyChakra in collaboration with Tinystep want to position itself in the market in the next 5 years?

The aim for BabyChakra is to be the care companion for parents globally from out of India. Care for us is care across information, communities and products. With Tinystep, this is a starting point in this aspiration on ensuring new audiences become part of the BabyChakra community of care with many future milestones to come.
As part of a unique network strategy of Viacom18 in the Kannada market, the networks broadcast channel Colors Kannada and digital platform Voot Select will be premiering the hit Kannada movie Neer Dose.

The much-talked adult comedy movie Neer Dose will premiere digitally on Voot Select on March 31st 2022 followed by the World Television Premier on Colors Kannada.

The movie that entertained Kannada audiences with its comedy has the most versatile and veteran talents such as HG Dattatreya, Jaggesh, Hariprriya and Suman Ranganathan in its lead roles. Though Neer Dose has been categorized as bold comedy, the movie talks about social and emotional values by adding the flavour of comedy into it.

Neer Dose, in its plot explores the challenge of narrating the life of a sex worker (Hariprriya) who forges unexpected but meaningful and selfless friendships with a crematorium van driver (Jaggesh) and a retired man (H G Dattatreya).

Director Vijaya Prasad says, I have seen sex workers closely and that has helped me in narrating the character of Hariprriya in this movie.

Another unique aspect of the movie is that the character played by Jaggesh as crematorium van driver who joins hands with one of effortless actors H G Dattatreya. Here Neer Dose talks about how life can be so beautiful and simple if one breaks the barriers of social paradigms.

Speaking about the digital premiere of Neer Dose on Voot Select, Director Vijaya Prasad said, I am so excited about the OTT release of the film as the demand of mass audiences for the film is finally being addressed by Voot Select. I can say that the same baby is born twice.

Get ready to immerse yourself in the world of Neer Dose premiering on Voot Select on March 31st, 2022 followed by the television premiere on Colors Kannada.
Google has launched its Look to Speak app to enable better communication for those with speech and motor disabilities. The app was introduced through an ad at the 94th Academy Awards in Los Angeles. The app expresses how a look can say a lot without saying anything. The app makes use of Google voice assistant while the eyes navigate to guide the pre-written phrases to be said out loud from the phone. The inbuilt technology reads the eye movements to come up with the phrases. Antoinette Fernandes, who has been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) since the year 2019, is featured in the ad. She uses the app in order to communicate with her daughter.

In the Academy Awards of the year 2021, Google featured the story of a child of deaf adults (CODA) Tony, and how by utilizing helpful technologies such as Google Meet, Live Captions, Tony along with his family can spend valuable time with each other and communicate.

In 2020, language and speech therapist Richard Cave, told in Googles blog Conversations can now happen with more ease, where previously silence may have prevailed and am looking forward to witness those
After its theatrical release, Prabhas and Pooja Hegde starrer Radhe Shyam is all set to entertain audiences in Hindi on television, and Zee Cinema audiences will have front row seats! With the promise of bringing top-notch blockbusters to television screens, Zee Cinema has announced the Hindi TV Premiere of the romantic period drama on 24th April at 12 Noon. Touted to be Indias most expensive romantic genre film, this unique story, set in the background of old Europe, boasts of riveting cinematography, breathtaking picturization, dreamy locations, an impactful script, and awe-inspiring romance.

Going beyond the trend of movies coming directly to OTT, Zee Cinema has time and again brought the magic of grand movie releases to the comfort of homes, the release of Radhe Shyam being another step in that direction.

With the legendary Amitabh Bachchan lending his voice to the film, Radhe Shyam, alongside Prabhas and Pooja Hegde, also stars Bhagyashree, Murali Sharma, Priyadarshi, Krishnam Raju, and Jagapathi Babu in key roles.

Set in the 70s, Radhe Shyam portrays Vikram Aditya, a renowned palmist who doesnt believe in love who meets Prerana only to fall deeply for her. It all changes for them when Vikram predicts the future that makes him leave her. Its a story embedded with mystery, ways of destiny and romance. The charming chemistry between Prabhas and Pooja Hegde with pleasantly surprising wow factors will leave you wanting more.

Catch the dreamy love saga after its theatrical release with the Hindi TV premiere of Radhe Shyam on 24th April at 12 Noon
Zaggle, a profitable SaaS FinTech company and a pioneer in digitizing business spends, today announced the appointment of Mr. Saurabh Puri as its Chief Business Officer - Credit Cards and Lending Products. Mr. Puri's appointment comes at an opportune time as the company prepares to enhance its product line by adding innovative offerings as part of a holistic service proposition for its users. He will work towards developing and leading the credit card and lending products business in partnership with banks and NBFCs.

Mr. Puri is a seasoned professional who has a proven track record of surpassing corporate growth objectives and expertise in identifying and managing key business drivers, as well as achieving and exceeding customer expectations. Before joining Zaggle, he was the Business Head - Credit Cards at Kotak Mahindra Bank, where he handled business transformation initiatives as well as the brand expansion mandate across verticals.

Saurabh has 24 years of experience, 18 years of which was spent in mastering the credit card and unsecured lending area. Saurabh will work collaboratively with Mr. Avinash Godkhindi, Zaggle's MD and CEO, to further augment the growth momentum of Zaggle in the fast growing Indian and global SpendTech markets.

Zaggle has constantly endeavoured to provide better experience to its customers by working on evolving technologies. The company began its journey in 2011 with the vision of developing a digital ecosystem that would connect corporations and their users with partner merchants through its innovative FinTech solutions. The appointment of Saurabh Puri will further help the company expand itself.

On the leadership appointment, Raj N., Founder and Chairman of Zaggle said, , Zaggle is preparing for the next phase of growth and global expansion as we see tremendous opportunity to define the SpendTech space in India. As we march on this exciting journey at full speed, I am very pleased to welcome Saurabh who along with his team will be responsible for expanding Zaggles business offerings substantially t and drive to our business and market expansion strategies. I am confident, his leadership will drive Zaggle towards greater heights in the coming days and years.

Welcoming Saurabh Puri, Avinash Godkhindi, MD and CEO, Zaggle, said, We are delighted to have Saurabh aboard with us to lead the credit card and lending business. Credit cards are a deeply under penetrated product category and present a hugely opportunity in India which will drive the next phase of the countrys FinTech ecosystem. With Saurabhs experience, I am confident our lending businesses will evolve into our key business driver over the next few years.

Sharing his thoughts, Saurabh Puri, Chief Business Officer - Credit Cards and Lending Products, Zaggle said, Zaggle is one of the most reliable company with the capacity to meet the financial needs of its corporate and SME clients in order for them to tackle the ever-changing environment. I am pleased to be joining Zaggle and working with a team that is dedicated to developing cutting-edge products for the country's corporates to streamline their business automation. Zaggle has changed the SpendTech landscape in India in a short period of time, and I am excited to continue the vision of putting customer experience at the centre of this journey. Credit card is an underpenetrated product and hence there is a huge scope of expanding the market through partnerships. Zaggle being a SaaS Fintech can play a pivotal role in building innovative products and help capture the larger market share.
Between regular post-shopping festival delivery woes and the pandemic induced global manpower shortage, is it time for businesses to adopt AI to resolve supply chain business challenges and more? Consumers seem to think so; at least 44% of consumers are excited about the prospect of AI, and 51% of consumers believe that AI can improve the quality of their lives, according to Wunderman Thompson Commerces report Adopt or Fail: Why businesses need AI.

The global eCommerce consultancys latest report investigates the benefits of AI solutions from both the perspective of businesses and consumers, from businesses understanding, confidence of, and adoption of AI solutions, the benefits of AI and the business challenges it can resolve, and consumers belief and concerns regarding AI. The report covers survey results from the United States, the United Kingdom, and China.

Consumers find companies that use AI exciting

While 51% of consumers globally believe that AI has the potential to improve their quality of life, the number differs vastly across the three countries surveyed. Chinese consumers have the most belief (70%), with US consumers behind at 41% and UK consumers lowest at just 29%.

Understanding of what AI means seems to be different across the three countries surveyed. In the UK, 26% of consumers did not know what AI was, while only 5% in China said the same. 52% of Chinese consumers felt AI was about apps or software, compared to the highest percentage in the US (33%) who thought it was about physical machines or robots.

When asked what excited them most about AI, Chinese consumers were most excited across the spectrum, fromquickand effectiveconsumers services (66%, compared to US: 45% and UK: 30%), good in-store experiences (CN: 58%, US: 36%, UK: 27%), personalised communications and product recommendations (CN: 58%, US: 31%, UK: 38%), to on-time and accurate home delivery (CN: 52%, US: 40%, UK: 28%).

but 50% of consumers are concerned about data safety with AI

The overall biggest concern is that the data wont be protected and will be sold to advertisers or 3rd parties (50%), followed by companies not being transparent about how data is used (41%), companies using AI to replace jobs (39%), data being used to discriminate against the user (33%) and data being used to keep the user on their screen(s) (24%). When asked if they actively avoid companies for the reasons stated above, 41% said yes, with Chinese consumers highest at 52%, compared to 34% in the US and 36% in the UK. Interestingly, when the responses were broken down by age group, it was the 16 to 24 years old who came in at 47% as the highest percentage who would avoid companies due to data concerns, compared to only 29% for those aged above 55.

Most business leaders have confidence and belief in AI solutions

On the business front, 87% of business leaders who have implemented AI believe their current solutions have contributed positively to business outcomes. In fact,77% of businesses have already adopted some form of AI solutions, from data analytics and dashboards to automated decision-making. This percentage was relatively consistent across the three countries, with 79% in China, 77% in the US and 74% in the UK.

Cost and efficiency are part of the improvement thanks to AI

So, what exactly are businesses using AI for? 50% say theyre using AI for marketing and sales purposes, followed by 49% on customer experience (voice assistants etc.), 44% on logistics and warehousing, 41% on customer service, 35% on employee experience, and 31% on business planning (demand forecasting etc.)

The overall 5 topmost visible improvementsto businesses after implementing AI arequicker decision-making capabilities(37%), cost reduction (32%), improved utilization of customer data (32%), increased revenue (31%) and quicker time to market(31%).

So, whats stopping businesses from using AI more?

Of the businesses that have not implemented AI, 44% said they did not think AI was useful to their business, and 71% said they would be more likely to consider using AI if they knew more about its use cases. 45% of business leaders say they have not implemented AI due to a lack of skills in their business.

With China leading many indicators for AI adoption globally, the opportunities for organisations across APAC are vast. While adoption is high and businesses areseeing real benefits, business leaders feel there is room for improvement, and that there is a knowledge gap about AI and its unrealised potential. For organisations yet to adopt AI solutions, the challenge is typically knowing where to start so as not to fall behind competitors, said Kaythaya Maw, Chief Technology Officer of Wunderman Thompson APAC.

He further said, This report provides critical insights to the adoption, opportunities, and challenges organisations face in 2022, from the perspective of both businesses and consumers. This baseline view of AI is intended to help leaders define strategies to better understand it, implement it, and as a result deliver overall improvements in customer experiences.
Wunderman Thompson India has launched a new multi-lingual campaign across all southern markets for Nestle Munch featuring actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu. Shot in the beautiful backwaters of Kerala, the TVC which has been released in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada, encourages youngsters to overcome self-doubt.

The film features the story of the first ever woman captain of the snake boat races, which has always been a male bastion. A young woman, a rookie first time captain played by Samantha is stumbling as the spotlight falls on her in the backwaters, her native place. The storytelling elevates the journey from that moment of self-doubt to the surge of self-confidence to finding her Thaalam and leading her team to victory. She finds her Thaalam to beat the odds stacked up against her and rises to the forefront on the big stage.

Talking about the new campaign, Senthil Kumar, Chief Creative Officer, Wunderman Thompson India, said, All of us have been in situations when the spotlight is suddenly turned on us and a moment of self-doubt creeps in no matter how prepared we are. It is time to drown the voices of doubt that rise in your head with the crunch of self-confidence. Overcoming self-doubt with self-confidence is what this brand narrative is all about. Drop The Doubt. Lift Your Confidence Ka Crunch with Nestle Munch.

The film has been crafted to epic proportions by Director Manoj Pillai and his team and the musical expression of the Thaalam by Maestro Sameeruddin is making waves in Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu with a powerful beat and an emotional score, he added.

Joy Chauhan, Managing Partner, Wunderman Thompson India, said, Brand Munch has been a loved brand across markets for decades. In the south of India, Munch enjoys unprecedented consumer love and enviable stature. The responsibility a Munch communication carries on its shoulders is equal to the love our consumers carry for this brand. It is not just an entertainer but something which takes a leaf out of our great culture and ends up inspiring our audiences along with entertaining them. Munch Thaalam film has all of this and more. We are very proud of our long association with this great brand from Nestle.

Shubhrojyoti Roy, Strategy and Planning Head, Wunderman Thompson India, added, This communication looked to refresh relevance and local connect for Nestle Munch in our Southern markets while bringing to life the brands essence of Inspiring Confidence under Pressure. Consumer research revealed performance pressure as a key tension point that keeps gnawing away at youths confidence. Made of a beautiful juxtaposition of traditional local flavours and a contemporary narrative, the Thaalam commercial is an entertaining reminder to drown murmurs of doubts with a loud crunchy bite of Munch and stay confident on the spot.

Rupali Rattan, Head, Confectionery Business, Nestle India, MUNCH has always encouraged our consumers to overcome any doubts and inspired them to put forth their best self. This film uses the setting of the beautiful local boat races to bring this truth to life in a grand yet enjoyable, relatable way."

South superstar Samantha Ruth Prabhu, said, I am delighted to be a part of this campaign with MUNCH and resonate very well with the core idea of the campaign. I truly believe its our confidence that helps us get through the many hurdles we face every day. I hope through this campaign, we are able to inspire the youngsters to overcome any self-doubt with self-confidence and self-belief.

The campaign is currently live across all mainstream television, mobile and social media platforms.
Zee Media Corporation Ltd (ZMCL) has terminated Jagdeep Singh Sandhu as the Editor of Zee Punjab Haryana Himachal with effect from March 28, 2022. Sandhu has been removed for biased reporting during the recently held Punjab Assembly Elections.

In a statement issued, Zee Media said that 2-3 months back Jagdeep Singh Sandhu allegedly entered into a clandestine understanding with a political party contesting the Punjab Assembly Elections.

According to a spokesperson of Zee Media, As per the deal, Jagdeep would do biased reporting on ZEE PHH TV station (No. 1 TV channel in the state of Punjab) in favour of such political party, bypassing the organisations policy to remain neutral and impartial all the time or otherwise, and they supposedly agreed to grant him a Rajya Sabha nomination. It is further being talked that now the political party has backed out and is not fulfilling its part of the deal. Jagdeep was exposed in front of the management of Zee Media as he suddenly wanted to persuade the management to publish stories against the said political party. Such an act by Jagdeep is seen as not only unlawful and unethical journalistic practice, but it also amounts to defrauding and misleading the viewers of the network.

The statement emphasised, We have a zero-tolerance policy for any such act of dishonesty and gross misconduct by any of its work force, and cautioned the general public/ political parties/ media against entering into any transaction with Sandhu on behalf of Zee Media as he has no authority to represent the company and to enter into any arrangement/ agreement/ transaction/ deal of whatsoever nature with anyone on behalf of the company or to receive any money/ other consideration for and on behalf of the company.
The New York Times followed up with a scathing hit piece targeting Kennedy as a leading voice in the campaign to discredit coronavirus vaccines and other measures being advanced by the Biden White House to battle a pandemic that waskilling close to 1,900 people a day. It accused him of circulating false information, without indicating what that information is or explaining why its false, and of comparing the government pandemic response to the Holocaust, even though he clearly didnt do that.

In support of their interests, and at the expense of those of American citizens, it censored The Real Anthony Fauci by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in every conceivable way. It ranked the book #7 on its non-fiction bestseller list even though Kennedys book outsold any other book in America that week by thousands of copies. Then it refused to allow Skyhorse Publishing to place an advertisement for the book because its censorship division, ironically called Standards Management, decided that the book itself constituted misinformation, despite their stated policy that Standards only looks into whether an ad itself is non-defamatory and accurate.

Of course, the New York Times should be teaching by example. In fact, it has not supported free speech, protected the First Amendment, or allowed honest debate. It has not allowed competing perspectives about the most important issues of the day. It has been a mouthpiece for greedy corporations and corrupt government officials.

People should be able to put forward viewpoints, ask questions and make mistakes, and take unpopular but good-faith positions on issues that society is still working throughall without fearing cancellationFreedom of speech requires not just a commitment to openness and tolerance in the abstract. It demands conscientiousnessWe believe it isnt enough for Americans to just believe in the rights of others to speak freely; they should also find ways to actively support and protect those rights.

For all the tolerance and enlightenment that modern society claims, Americans are losing hold of a fundamental right as citizens of a free country: the right to speak their minds and voice their opinions in public without fear of being shamed or shunned.

In a bold but clearly disingenuous statement from its famed Editorial Board, a group of opinion journalists whose views are informed by expertise, research, debate, and certain longstanding values, the New York Times issued a cautionary statement:

Finally, they refused to review The Real Anthony Fauci or so much as comment on its historic grassroots success, even though its become a cult classic, selling over 1,000,000 copies, and launching a worldwide movement against government corruption and corporate greed.

Despite all the lying, or maybe in reaction to it, Tucker Carlson wrote, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is becoming a legitimate folk hero.

He is a folk hero because he stood up, grabbed a bullhorn, and spoke truth to power. Hes risked everything and lost a lot. Hes realized that you either care about justice or you care about personal consequences. And for him there have been many.

After suppressing freedom of speech for two years, after defending a specific, myopic and harmful narrative, the Editorial Board of the New York Times decided it was the perfect time to take a strong stance against censorship and cancel culture.

The irony of the most powerful and impactful violator of First Amendment rights lamenting the lack of free speech and offering up ideas to protect the rights of Americans was palpable, inescapable, and despicable.

Like Captain Renault in the movie Casablanca, when he closes Ricks Cafe Americain and proclaims: Im shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here, the New York Times gladly accepted its winnings. Their profitability has soared during the worst and most pervasive period of censorship in recent American history. They have done absolutely nothing to protect the free speech rights of hundreds, if not thousands, of doctors, nurses, scientists, and concerned citizens who have tried to discuss views, make arguments, and analyze scientific studies that challenge the prevailing Covid narrative. They have silenced debate, worked tirelessly to chastise, vilify, and discredit those whose positions they disagree with, and failed to investigate serious claims of government corruption.

Nevertheless, they claim to lament that when public discourse in America is narrowed, it becomes harder to answerthe urgent questions we face as a society.

What could be more important, more urgent, than the truth about corruption at the highest levels of government, about a pandemic response that led to more serious illness and death than was necessary, about the most powerful public health official in the country being more concerned with helping Big Pharma maximize return on investment and mitigate risk, than protecting people?

As the NYT wrote, the worst kind of censorship is cancel culture and the worst kind of cancel culture is the piling on kind. Why then, one might ask, did the NYT run a hit piece about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that covered essentially the same subject matter as a dozen other hit pieces against Kennedy? Why now? Why this target? His family thinks hes wrong about vaccines, the Times noted. His friends think hes wrong about vaccines. Dr. Fauci thinks hes wrong about vaccines. Ever heard that before? Any analysis about vaccine safety? Any facts? Any citations? Any discussion of Dr. Faucis despicable corruption as described in The Real Anthony Fauci, Kennedys recent and epic takedown of Fauci. No, no, no, no, and no. What was the New York Times doing when the whole world was attacking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.?

Where was the New York Times when Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Dr. Robert Malone, Dr. Judy Mikovits, Dr. Pierre Kory, Dr. Paul Marik, Dr. Ryan Cole  and so many other impressive voices were being stifled? Heres an easy answer: they were piling on.

The NYT has stated that it wont publish ad hominem attacks, but it does publish hit pieces that any rational person understands are meant to discredit a book that they dont mention and obviously havent read. They protect corrupt government officials against the unsuspecting public by forwarding policy statements or official memos that they have not thoroughly vetted, investigated, or corroborated. They are the worst kind of co-conspirators: the kind that claim to be protecting their victims.

The New York Times writes that:

At the individual level, human beings cannot flourish without the confidence to take risks, to pursue ideas and express thoughts that others might rejectWhen speech is stifled or when dissenters are shut out of the public discourse, a society also loses its ability to resolve conflict, and it faces the risk of political violence.

Thats where we are in America today. There is no debate, no public discourse, and we have lost the ability to resolve conflict. We have separated the country into two Americas, at least partially because of the policies and practices of the New York Times.

The New York Post has pointed out that the New York Times published lies to serve a biased narrative. They accused the Times of malicious misreporting and cite a book called The Grey Lady Winked by Ashley Rindsberg.

Rindsberg is quoted as calling the New York Times a truth-producing machine. He believes that the fabrications and distortions theyve peddled since the 1920s were a system of twisting facts to manipulate public opinion about everything from Hitlers Germany and Stalins Russia to Vietnam and the Iraq War. The reporting is designed to support a narrative aligned with the corporate whims, economic needs and political preferences of the New York Times. He believes that they have consistently created false narratives.

The New York Post says the Times has the resources to do it: With close to $2 billion in annual revenue, the Times has the money, prestige, experience and stature to set the narratives that other news outlets invariably follow.

Rindsberg alleges that a former Times bureau chief in Berlin was a Nazi collaborator and that another star reporter for the New York Times parroted Soviet propaganda to defend Stalin.

The NYT coverage in the lead up to the Vietnam and Iraq wars seemed like government disinformation designed to support going to war. More recently Rindsberg points to the stories that the New York Times published about Russia putting a bounty on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, which the Biden administration later conceded was misinformation, and the story about Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick being murdered by rampaging Trump supporters, though it was later proven that he had died of a stroke.

Similarly, Glenn Greenwald accused the New York Times of participating in one of the most successful disinformation campaigns in modern electoral history. The Times, which before the 2020 election dismissed the Hunter Biden laptop as Russian Disinformation, later conceded that it was authentic.

It seems likely the New York Times coverage of the Covid Pandemic isnt any different than its coverage of Hitler, Stalin, Vietnam, the Iraq War, January 6th, the Russian bounty on American soldiers, or the Hunter Biden laptop. Like most of the major big tech platforms, they appear to have worked closely with Dr. Fauci and others, as representatives of the U.S. Government, to control and propagate a specific narrative and to do what the government cant legally do itselfcensor ideas that it disagrees with or narratives that might be harmful to its corporate partners.

As discussed above, the New York Times actively suppressed Robert F. Kennedy Jrs book and his allegations of corruption against Dr. Anthony Fauci. It defended Dr. Fauci without any investigation, without a full, free and fair discussion of what is clearly the most important book of the decade. By ignoring Kennedys book, by refusing to review it, by not allowing advertisements, by misrepresenting its success on its bestseller list, it clearly did everything in its power to avoid any debate whatsoever about the real science behind the origins of Covid or the best practices for controlling the virus and protecting the public. The New York Times has shown a total disregard for the scientific process, individual due process rights, or for any real search for truth.

And, once again, it did all this while lecturing us about the importance of free speech.

We have arrived at Orwells 1984. Doublespeak is the universal language. The paper of record floods the world with disinformation, claims to be working tirelessly to protect the American people, and has clearly become The Ministry of Truth.

Reading Robert F. Kennedy Jrs book, The Real Anthony Faucithe book Big Pharma, Dr. Fauci, the U.S. Government and the New York Times will do absolutely anything to prevent you from readinghas become an act of rebellion, a blow to fascism, and a clear message that censorship in America just doesnt work.

About the Author:

Tony Lyons, President and Publisher at Skyhorse, and an attorney, was Publisher at The Lyons Press between 1997 and 2004. He founded Skyhorse in 2006 and has been involved with every aspect of the book publishing process. Starting with a small team of people, some of whom still work for Skyhorse, Tony has steadily built the company from a start-up to an increasingly prominent mid-sized publisher.
Buried in the archives of George Washington University are declassified documents presented to John F. Kennedy by the head of the chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in March of 1962, sixty years ago this month. The contents of these documents, codenamed Operation Northwoods, detail a proposal for the United States government to dress up agitators as Cubans and then commit a series of terror attacks in Miami and Washington, D.C. as a pretext to justify war with the Castro regime in Cuba. Fortunately, President Kennedy rejected this proposal, and JCS chairman Lyman Lemnitzer was subsequently relieved of his post. Unfortunately, General Lemnitzer would go on to head up NATO for the U.S. throughout the duration of the Vietnam War.

Casus belli is a Latin term that, literally translated, means a case for war. Under the Just War Theory of St. Augustine, Christians subscribe to certain conditions that must be met to make a case for righteous warfare. Just War Theory largely permits warfare in defense of oneself or the defenseless, and those who make war are keenly aware of this. This is the reason why those who desire war must often shift public sentiment in their favor by enacting subversive schemes. This practice of creating a political or military action with the intention of blaming an opponent is known as a false flag or black flag event.

A recent black flag event that you may be aware of is the attack in Douma, Syria in 2018. In the waning days of the Syrian Civil War, Bashar Assad inexplicably gassed his own people with chemical weapons in the city of Douma. Within hours, anti-Assad forces were calling this an act of a maniacal dictator and demanding the removal of Assad from Damascus, the stated number-one priority should Hillary Clinton have been elected in 2016. The characterization of the Douma attack in the Western press made little sense. Assad is a physician by trade, so at least in that regard, he is not a stupid person. By the time this chemical attack happened, Assad had largely won the war. Gassing his own people only served to galvanize the international community against him and resultingly get bombed by the West.

The skepticism of the attack in Douma was largely shared by much of the international community. An independent review by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons found mixed results. They identified the presence of some chlorinating agents that may have been used in a chemical attack but stopped short of confirming that it had happened or assigning fault in whether or not chemical weapons were utilized. An investigation by Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist Seymour Hersh found that not only did Syria not use chemical weapons in Douma, but a Russian attack on ISIS forces was known by the West ahead of time, including shared flight paths and targets. The most likely scenario was a secondary leak or incendiary event following the Russian bombing, which was consequently used to escalate actions against the Syrian government.

In a recent U.S. Senate hearing regarding the state of Ukraine and the alleged presence of U.S.-funded biological weapons labs in the region, under-secretary of state Victoria Nuland confirmed to Sen. Marco Rubio the presence of biological research facilities in Ukraine. She spoke of the urgency required for Ukraine to secure biological specimens within and keep them out of the hands of Russian invaders. In the final line of questioning, Sen. Rubio primed the audience of this hearing by asking Mrs. Nuland, "If there is a biological or chemical attack in Ukraine, is there any doubt in your mind that 100% it would be the Russians behind it?" To this, Mrs. Nuland responded, "There is no doubt in my mind, Senator, and it is classic Russian technique to blame on the other guy what they're planning to do themselves."

Depending on which news source or government official you're citing, these U.S.-funded biological research facilities do or do not exist. This is why it is troubling that an official like Mrs. Nuland, who famously aided the installation of the current regime in Ukraine following the color revolution of 2014, would partake in such a specific and bizarre line of questioning. From a purely strategic and resource perspective, Ukraine will lose its current war with Russia. The Ukrainians have no air force and no navy and are pleading daily with international forces to intervene on their behalf. Just this week, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky signaled his readiness to negotiate with the Kremlin. As in the case of Douma, there would be little strategic purpose for Russia to take action that would justify the intervention of NATO or other international forces in the region.

Perhaps at no point since the Cuban Missile Crisis has the world been more on edge regarding the potential for cataclysmic nuclear war. The existence of Operation Northwoods is irrefutable proof that some in power think so little of human life and so highly of war that they would instigate warfare under false pretenses to garner the support and the will of the public into violence against people who've done nothing to them.

It is because of this that patience and reason are indispensable virtues. In all things geopolitics, a reasonable response is cui bono, or who benefits? Prudence demands that we view geopolitics first through a lens of skepticism prior to taking action.

Brian Parsons is a paleoconservative columnist in Idaho, a proud husband and father, and saved by Grace. You can follow him at WithdrawConsent.org or find his weekly opinion column in the Idaho State Journal. Gab, email.

Image via Unsplash.
The United Nations recently named March 15 -- also rather ominously known as the Ides of March -- as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. In doing so, they have accepted and seek to mandate the idea that whatever fear (literally, phobia) non-Muslims have of Islam is unfounded and irrational, and therefore must be combatted.

In reality, aversion to Islam is not new or something that just happened; nor is it a byproduct of temporal circumstances (say, resentment towards Muslims due to the terror strikes of 9/11). Instead, it is something that all rational non-Muslims have felt from the very inception of Islam in the seventh century.

Western peoples, for instance, including many of their luminaries, have always portrayed Islam as a hostile and violent force -- often in terms that would make todays Islamophobe blush. And that wasnt because Europeans were recasting the other to validate their imperial aspirations (to use the tired terminology of Edward Said that has long dominated academias treatment of Western-Muslim interactions). Rather, it was because Islam has always treated the infidel, the non-Muslim, the same way ISIS treats the infidel: atrociously.

According to Muslim history, in 628 AD, Muhammad summoned the Roman (or Byzantine) emperor, Heraclius -- the symbolic head of the West, then known as Christendom -- to submit to Islam; when the emperor refused, a virulent jihad was unleashed against the Western world. Less than 100 years later, Islam had conquered more than two-thirds of Christendom, and was raiding deep into France. While these far-reaching conquests are often allotted a sanitized sentence, if that, in todays textbooks, the chroniclers of the time make clear that these were cataclysmic events that had a traumatic impact on, and played no small part in forming, Europe proper, that is, the unconquered portion and final bastion of Christendom.

But it wasnt just what they personally experienced at the hands of Muslims that developed this ancient phobia to Islam. As far back as the eighth century, Islams scriptures and histories -- the Koran, hadith, sira and maghazi literature -- became available to those Christian communities living adjacent to, or even under the authority of, the caliphates. Based solely on these primary sources of Islam, Christians concluded that Muhammad was a (possibly demon possessed) false prophet who had very obviously concocted a creed to justify the worst depravities of man -- for dominion, plunder, cruelty and carnality (see Sword and Scimitar for copious documentation, especially Chapter 2).

This view prevailed for well over a millennium throughout Europe; and it was augmented by the fact that Muslims were still, well over a millennium after Muhammad, invading Christian territories, plundering them, and abducting their women and children. The United States first brush with Islam -- its very first war as a nation, soon after its independence -- came by way of Muslim raids on American ships for booty and slaves in the name of Allah.

A miniscule sampling of what Europeans thought of Islam throughout the centuries follows:

Theophanes, important Eastern Roman chronicler (d.818):

He [Muhammad] taught those who gave ear to him that the one slaying the enemy -- or being slain by the enemy -- entered into paradise [see Koran 9:111]. And he said paradise was carnal and sensual -- orgies of eating, drinking, and women. Also, there was a river of wine and the women were of another sort [houris], and the duration of sex greatly prolonged and its pleasure long-enduring [e.g., Koran 56: 7-40, 78:31, 55:70-77]. And all sorts of other nonsense.

Thomas Aquinas, one of Christendoms most influential philosophers (d.1274):

He [Muhamad] seduced the people by promises of carnal pleasure to which the concupiscence of the flesh urges us and he gave free rein to carnal pleasure. In all this, as is not unexpected, he was obeyed by carnal men. As for proofs of the truth of his doctrine Muhammad said that he was sent in the power of his arms -- which are signs not lacking even to robbers and tyrants [i.e., his proof that God was with him is that he was able to conquer and plunder others] Muhammad forced others to become his followers by the violence of his arms.

Marco Polo, world famous traveler (d.1324):

According to their [Muslims] doctrine, whatever is stolen or plundered from others of a different faith, is properly taken, and the theft is no crime; whilst those who suffer death or injury by the hands of Christians, are considered as martyrs. If, therefore, they were not prohibited and restrained by the [Mongol] powers who now govern them, they would commit many outrages. These principles are common to all Saracens.

When the Mongol khan later discovered the depraved criminality of Achmath (or Ahmed), one of his Muslim governors, Polo writes that that the khans

attention [went] to the doctrines of the Sect of the Saracens [i.e., Islam], which excuse every crime, yea, even murder itself, when committed on such as are not of their religion. And seeing that this doctrine had led the accursed Achmath and his sons to act as they did without any sense of guilt, the Khan was led to entertain the greatest disgust and abomination for it. So he summoned the Saracens and prohibited their doing many things which their religion enjoined.

Alexis de Tocqueville, French political thinker and philosopher, best known for Democracy in America (d. 1859):

I studied the Quran a great deal. I came away from that study with the conviction that by and large there have been few religions in the world as deadly to men as that of Muhammad. As far as I can see, it is the principal cause of the decadence so visible today in the Muslim world and, though less absurd than the polytheism of old, its social and political tendencies are in my opinion more to be feared, and I therefore regard it as a form of decadence rather than a form of progress in relation to paganism itself.

Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt, 26th president of the United States (d. 1919):

Christianity was saved in Europe solely because the peoples of Europe fought. If the peoples of Europe in the seventh and eighth centuries, and on up to and including the seventeenth century, had not possessed a military equality with, and gradually a growing superiority over the Mohammedans who invaded Europe, Europe would at this moment be Mohammedan and the Christian religion would be exterminated. Wherever the Mohammedans have had complete sway, wherever the Christians have been unable to resist them by the sword, Christianity has ultimately disappeared.

Winston Churchill, a leader of the Allied war effort against Hitler during WWII (d. 1965):

How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism [Islam] lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men.

Lest it seem that these and other historic charges against Islam are mere byproducts of Christian/Western xenophobia and intolerance for the other, it should be noted that many of Islams Western critics regularly praised other non-Western civilizations, as well as what is today called moderate Muslims. Thus Marco Polo hailed the Brahmins of India as being most honorable, possessing a hatred for cheating or of taking the goods of other persons. And despite his criticisms of the sect of the Saracens, that is, Islam, he referred to one Muslim leader as governing with justice, and another who showed himself [to be] a very good lord, and made himself beloved by everybody.

Churchill well summed up the matter as follows: Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities -- but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world.

The OIC and UN can say whatever they want; they can claim that, unlike every other major religion, and for some odd reason, Islam is forever and perpetually misunderstood. But fear and dislike of Islam has been the mainstream position among non-Muslims for nearly 1,400 years -- ever since Muhammad started raiding, plundering, massacring, and enslaving non-Muslims (infidels) in the name of his god. And it is because his followers, Muslims, continue raiding, plundering, massacring, and enslaving infidels that fear and dislike of Islam -- what is called Islamophobia -- exists to this day.

Rather than openly address and seek to ameliorate this issue, the UN, like all the other powers that thrive on rewriting history, if not reality itself, seeks only to suppress and silence truth, including by demonizing the victim, the so-called Islamophobe.

Raymond Ibrahim, author of the new book Defenders of the West: The Christian Heroes Who Stood against Islam, is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center, a Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum, and a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute.

Image: Delacroix
On social media, some disturbing maps have circulated showing the globe in terms of which nations have sanctioned Russia over her invasion of Ukraine. Bolivian writer Ollie Vargas posted this map, which makes clear that sanctions in Russia are seen as an absolute must in Europe, the English-speaking world, Japan, and South Korea. Everywhere else, President Biden's requests for economic war against Russia have been rejected.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki recently claimed that we have "basically crushed" Russia's economy through sanctions, but is this true? The sanctions can't work in crushing the Russian economy and forcing the ouster of Putin if only a small percentage of the globe is really sanctioning Moscow. Despite how important the United States and her allies are, Russia still has a huge playing field in which to recover trade.

Domestically, the Democrats have prided themselves on being the party of inclusion. They spent half a decade convincing all of us that Trump was racist; Republicans were despised white supremacists; and people of color everywhere would embrace the liberal diversity gestures of Walt Disney, the Clinton Global Initiative, Twitter, Bloomberg, MSNBC, and Harvard University. It seems black, brown, yellow, and otherwise non-white people have told Biden's progressive party to take a hike.

Perhaps they see in Biden everything that the Democrats condemned Trump for; they just happen to think Trump does a better job at being Trump than Biden does. Trump never tried to bully them into starving their citizens of Russian wheat, petrochemicals, fertilizer, barley, rye, gas, and oil. Apparently this little detail matters a lot more than rumors that Trump once talked about s-hole countries.

It is hard to interpret events as anything other than a massive blow to American credibility abroad. Around the world, people sympathize with innocent civilians harmed in Ukraine. But there's a difference in how people moralize and assign blame. Europeans, Anglophone nations, Japan, and South Korea take America's claims and promises seriously mostly because their experience with American credibility has been rather helpful.

On the other hand, now would be a good time for all those Critical Race theorists in New York and California to update their antiquated assumptions. People outside the tidy U.S. sphere of influence don't see the Ukraine invasion as a simple bad/good dichotomy. Many recognize that the 2014 coup d'etat that put the current Ukrainian regime in power as a typical Western intelligence operation, something they can recognize from their own histories. Therefore, they aren't swayed simply by the idea that Zelensky is naturally the good guy by virtue of being the one holding power before the war started. A lot of them look at Zelensky and see a puppet, an agent of Western infiltration and subversion, not very different from the countless phonies that the CIA has installed in the four corners of the globe.

Most depressing is the fact that a lot of the world just doesn't believe us. They don't have a lot of reason to believe us because the Biden administration got caught in quite a few recent lies. Our reason for taking such keen interest in a dispute between Russia and Ukraine looks suspicious, given how many hotspots exist on the globe, which the United States all but ignores.

Americans think the rest of the world sees a nation leading the charge for freedom, democracy, prosperity, and human kindness. The rest of the world sees some of that glowing idealism, mixed with a great deal of cynicism and hypocrisy. It used to be Republicans who didn't want to concede that people abroad had some reason for distrusting the U.S. Now the Democrats are incapable of considering whether their fascination with green energy, LGBT rights, feminism, race, and Big Tech persuades people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America or just creeps a lot of people out.

Who are the countries that said no?

That Africa and the Middle East would shrug off Biden's calls is not that surprising, given that the United States has never treated issues in Africa as a high priority.

After the War on Terror, we did not expect Middle Eastern countries to jump on Biden's bandwagon, especially since Biden voted in favor of the Bush administration's invasion of Iraq.

The high-profile refusals of China and India are disconcerting, to say the least, given their enormous populations (together nearly eight times the population of the U.S.) and the prospects that their continued commerce with Russia could create an alternate world economy from which the United States will have effectively exiled herself.

But perhaps the most underreported, and indeed most dangerous defections from U.S. dominance have taken place in Latin America. Mexico's president hails from the Party of the Democratic Revolution and has been celebrated for being the first truly indigenous leader of the tenth most populous country in the world (close to 130 million people). You would think a man with such lefty credentials would be positively thrilled to work with a Democrat after four years of Trump...but you would be wrong.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced soon after the imposition of sanctions that Mexico would not partake in them: "We are not going to take any sort of economic reprisal because we want to have good relations with all the governments in the world."

Let us just say it is less than comforting that we have a 1,900-mile open border with a country that just announced that it wants good relations with a Russian government the U.S. has sworn publicly to crush.

The other powerhouse south of the border is Brazil, where president Bolsonaro is not playing ball with Joe Biden, either. Besides mocking Zelensky's status as a comedian, Bolsonaro said Brazil needs Russian partnership to support its agribusiness and feed its population of over 200 million people. As Reuters reported, "[h]e added that he was against any sanctions that could bring negative repercussions for Brazil, citing Russian fertilizers which are crucial for the country's giant agribusiness sector."

Countries with smaller populations are not holding back, either. President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador loves to needle the United States government on Twitter now that Biden is in office. In response to calls for a united front against Russia, Bukele wrote: "The real war is not in Ukraine, it's in Canada, Australia, France, Brussels, England, Germany, Italy. They just want you to look the other way." Nowadays he seems emboldened to use Bitcoin as an alternate currency despite the United States Congress issuing statements strongly opposed to such a move. In response to criticisms over currency, Bukele asked on Twitter whether El Salvador deserves "sovereignty" the same way Ukraine does.

In nearby Nicaragua, still led by the now older superstar of Reagan-era geopolitics, Daniel Ortega, that rejection of sanctions is the least of Biden's worries. Ortega has openly sided with Russia and supports her latest moves, saying: "If Ukraine gets into NATO they will be saying to Russia let's go to war, and that explains why Russia is acting like this. Russia is simply defending itself." Recently, Russia's deputy prime minister, Yuri Borisov, visited Venezuela and Cuba, both nations that have ironically survived U.S. sanctions against them, though not without pain.

We could go from Guatemala to Argentina, with each nation having its own flavor and specific angle on the issue. But the continent is not going to sanction Russia.

That is not good for the United States for a lot of reasons, but for one reason, especially: Joe Biden publicly and aggressively asked all the countries of the world to sanction Russia and make her a pariah state. By saying no to such an important request, our neighbors have made Biden's America a pariah state instead.

The Monroe Doctrine Comes Back as a Zombie

If it were just Brazil and Mexico, we could blame the right-wing president in the former and/or the left-wing president in the latter. But everyone seems to hate Biden's America and what it represents in Latin America. The left will have to grapple with this for years to come.

Democrats and Republicans alike would love to shrug off Latin America's response and say, "Well, who needs them anyway?" I am not so sure that's a viable position to take. Our border with Mexico is gaping. If Biden's recent slip-up ("Putin cannot remain in power") spoke unintentional truth and our secret goal is regime change in Russia, we are looking at a war that will last a long time, in which Russia will defend her home turf against a foreign aggressor.

In the defender role, Russia will probably count on support from China and India. Our military and intelligence operations are going to be stretched thin. If the war goes on, we will probably need a draft to staff our military efforts. We will simply not be able to defend our homeland from Russian and Chinese assets that find their way into the many nations of Latin America. Put simply, we cannot place ourselves at war with Russia, China, and India, while conducting a sprawling intelligence and covert operation in all of Latin America to keep all those countries out of alliance with Russia and China. And unlike the Middle East, the Latin American countries live right next to us.

Despite the posturing of the two parties, both Republicans and Democrats have inherited the Monroe Doctrine as their default framework. On December 2, 1823, President James Monroe gave an address regarding the Latin American republics that had recently gained independence from Spain. The 1820s was a time of excitement and rapid change in the Americas, especially with the colorful figure of Simon Bolivar in the middle of it all.

Speaking to the spirit of the age, James Monroe balanced conflicting sentiments. On the one hand, many Americans were delighted that Latin American revolutionaries like Bolivar emulated Washington, Jefferson, and Adams  and indeed patterned their movement after the spirit of '76. On the other hand, the United States was already almost fifty years old and needed to contend with certain political realities. The Americans had recently struck a deal with Spain and acquired Florida. It was in the interests of the United States not to make an enemy of Madrid by allowing the independent republics to sign treaties with Spain's rival, England; the Spaniards, ruled by the same dynasty as the French in the eighteenth century, had sided with the Americans against the British in the Revolutionary War.

Ideology was not so dear that we would pay any price to assist other democracies if it meant endangering our own. It was one thing to have a far-flung Spanish empire led by weak Bourbon kings to the south of us. Quite another thing was to have a quarrelsome clan of republics afire with idealism and of questionable stability. American leaders feared that the volatility of independent Latin America, combined with the meddlesome influence of England, France, Spain, and possibly Russia (then advancing her interests in the Pacific Rim), would make the continent a breeding ground for groups subversive of U.S. interests.

Monroe delivered an address on December 2, 1823, balancing these competing sentiments and baking a policy scheme known as the Monroe Doctrine, which determined American policy in Latin America from Monroe's presidency until the 1990s. Monroe laid out three principles, which would prove pliable and subject to wildly different interpretations by later presidents who invoked it:

1. The Latin American republics, once freed, were not to be subject to recolonization by any foreign power. [This essentially grew into the principle that the United States had the right to intervene if Latin American countries entered into treaties with other countries that did not serve our interests.] 2. Any foreign power attempting to exert influence over the Latin American republics would and should be viewed as a hostile action toward the United States and must be addressed as such. [This grew into the Roosevelt Corollary, allowing the United States to interpret Latin American republics' own pursuit of alliances as de facto acts of war, and grounds for U.S. intervention.] 3. In exchange for the European powers' abstaining from Latin American affairs, the United States would abstain from European disputes. [This was actually an idea that some Latin Americans liked, because it meant they would be recused from dangerous obligations to hostile combatants outside the hemisphere, but the clause was all but abandoned in the twentieth century as the United States pressured Latin Americans to pick sides in struggles such as the Cold War.]

Through the 1990s, with the exception of Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Good Neighbor" policies during one limited period of time, U.S. presidents respected the Monroe Doctrine and cited it affirmatively. In 1947, during the negotiations that led to the formation of the United Nations, the Truman administration cited the Monroe Doctrine as the justification for forming a separate multinational league, the Organization of American States, even naming it in one of the founding articles of the OAS.

Three articles I can recommend if you want an overview of this policy that goes deeper than Wikipedia are listed at the end of this article. When I do a deep dive into the long history of the Monroe Doctrine, I find an enormous trove of scholarship about it from around the world because it went through several phases, all of which impacted other countries.

Russian scholars, like scholars everywhere, have studied the Monroe Doctrine because it stands out as such an important principle in the development of global politics. Unfortunately, all the doctrine's clauses look and sound exactly like Russia's rationale for invading Ukraine. If we try to talk around the parallels or dismiss such comparison as "whataboutism," we aren't going to win friends and influence people. We just undermine our own credibility and look like hypocritical clowns. Without the Monroe Doctrine, Los Angeles and Dallas would be part of Mexico. That's not a small, irrelevant detail.

The list of American interventions into Latin American affairs is long and bloody. Virtually every nation in Latin America has been subject to invasion or other kinds of domination by the United States. Not everyone in Latin America harbors a grudge against the United States, but most people in Latin America will not be receptive to the moral argument that they should back the United States against Russia based on principles of international law. It would be extremely offensive for President Biden even to try to make such an argument.

Aside from the moral argument, the United States has no other argument beyond threats and bullying that a crisis with Russia would leave America too weak to enforce. No country in the region has any reason to believe that Biden could sanction them for not sanctioning Russia; Biden's hurried overtures to the despised government in Caracas prove that.

Latin America has no military interest in propping up Ukraine's corrupt government and has an enormous economic interest in keeping trade lanes open with Russia and China.

Like Frankenstein's monster coming back to kill the scientist who created him, the pestilent and tattered Monroe Doctrine walks among us again. Monroe stands vindicated, in one sense: he was right that Latin America's allegiances with foreign powers undermine the United States' political position at home. The difference between 1823 and 2022 is stark, however. In 1823, the republics wanted to stay on good terms with the United States and build their countries up as best as they could. In 2022, they look at America and see her led by someone they don't respect.

The problem for President Biden is that he inherits all the debts and guilt that come with two hundred years of Monroe's doctrine while he possesses none of the strength or political know-how to put it in motion. That's a problem he may never solve. The Biden Corollary might simply be to lose everything, everywhere, all the time.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gilderhus, M. T. (2006). The Monroe Doctrine: Meanings and Implications. Presidential Studies Quarterly, 36(1), 516. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27552742

Kasturi, N. (1941). THE MONROE DOCTRINE. The Indian Journal of Political Science, 3(2), 176181. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42743711

Sessions, Gene A. "THE MULTILATERALIZATION OF THE MONROE DOCTRINE: THE RIO TREATY, 1947." World Affairs 136, no. 3 (1973): 25974. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20671521

Image: ChristianIS via Pixabay, Pixabay License.
Maverick: A Biography of Thomas Sowell by Jason L Riley 304 pp, 18.69 Hardcover 16.69 Kindle, ISBN-10  :  1541619684 (Basic Books 2021)

Thomas Sowell is an American literary and philosophical icon -- a prolific genius who has graced us with his presence and his extraordinary essays, books and lectures for more than 50 years. Consider that his career as a writer and public intellectual was delayed by a tumultuous youth and service in the Marines, so he didnt even get started on his lifes work as a remarkable economist, philosopher, social scientist until he was almost 30.

My personal appreciation of Thomas Sowell began at least 30 years ago when I realized any adult American is obligated to understand economics and Thomas Sowell was an education on economics. But then he became an education on so many other areas of importance that I began to wonder: how is this man so good at what he does?

When I saw that Jason Riley had composed a biography with Sowells cooperation, a biography that is comprehensive and intelligent in scope and content, I was compelled to tell American Thinker readers that it will not only be salutary and enlightening to read the biography, to know of Thomas Sowell but the biography will also give you a well-developed exposure to the Sowell oeuvre of more than 40 books, along with an excellent narrative of Sowells life and career.

Mr. Riley, a conservative commentator and columnist for the Wall Street Journal and fellow at the Manhattan Institute, summarizes the life and times of Dr. Sowell, but focuses on his literary and intellectual achievements, how others assessed his work and why he is a monument to effective intellectual inquiry -- a man whose whole life has been about the search for truth and insights into the nature of the human experience.

I was attracted more than 3 decades ago to Sowell because he uses economic analysis as a jumping off point for his far-ranging scholarship in the social and political sciences. He is a master of economics, but also has become such a respected intellect because he has expanded his scholarship to intellectual history and social science using the University of Chicago economics empirical approach -- gather and analyze the pertinent evidence if you want to answer the questions. Sowell benefits from the fact that economics provides important reliable information (evidence) about human behavior. Economics provides good social science metrics. The great Austrian school free markets economist Ludwig von Mises titled his master work Human Action for a reason.

Thomas Sowell used his superior and thorough economics knowledge and research to range far and wide in the social sciences and become one of the great social scientists and philosophers of his time -- not just an accomplished economist. It is impossible for me to adequately describe Sowells achievements here, but the Riley biography is more than adequate, it is brilliant. Mr. Riley has functioned in the same role, in a way, as Sam Johnsons famous biographer James Boswell. Sowells wonderful story deserves a good biographer.

Sowell was the 5th child born of a widow in Gastonia, North Caroline in 1939, raised by his great aunt who moved to Harlem when Sowell was 9. He was smart enough to be admitted to the academically very selective Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan (alma mater of 4 Nobel laureates) but dropped out after 1 year at age16 because of behavior problems  a bull headedness that would be a valuable characteristic in his adult life.

At that point he was also estranged from his great aunt, so he lived in homeless boys shelter and worked various jobs. He became a Marine during the Korean war at age 21 as a pistol instructor, and completed high school, entered Howard University in DC after the war, grabbing an iron hold on academics, matriculating later at Harvard then Columbia and finally a PhD at University of Chicago. His teaching career spanned the 1960s and 70s at Rutgers, Howard, Cornell, Brandeis, and a 10-year stint at UCLA from 1970 to 1980. Since then, he has been at the Hoover Institute at Stanford University, where he has been one of their most prolific, prominent and recognized fellows, writing books and columns but also making public appearances as an advocate or subject of interviews advocating his opinion on matters of policy and economics. Right-on Dr. Sowell.

The best thing I can do is to summarize the important areas of inquiry for Dr. Sowell and assure you that Mr. Riley does a fine job of giving an overview of the work of a giant -- a real challenge that Riley took on with energy and a fine touch. Riley is an excellent writer and has the right attitude for a biographer -- tell the story of the subject and his life and accomplishments, focus on the subject -- the book romps along because Sowells life is full of action and achievements.

The subjects that best summarize Sowells professional inquiries are

economic theory and economics issues -- distribution of values, impact of government policies and the realities of economics that should not be sacrificed on crackpot ideas driven by intellectuals

race and ethnic minority problems with a focus on inequalities and discrimination as well as the effect of quotas and affirmative action, again with a liberal dose of criticism of social scientists who hold inane and, in many cases, destructive theories

intellectual history and history of ideas (philosophy) as played out in the political arena with a generous effort to the mindset of intellectuals and how they try to dominate society

a focus on ethnic cultures, strengths, weaknesses, inequalities between and within groups that create strife and polarization but also drive counterproductive policymaking that actually increases strife and conflict

pedagogy, learning and language development and a deep dive into the ethnic/racial IQ debate as well as the mistake of affirmative action quotas in higher education and forced bussing in primary and secondary education while ignoring the decline of the education establishment into progressive nonsense

Sowell was influenced by Friedrich Hayek in many ways, and he adopted the free market economic theory of cumulative economic knowledge as the basis for his dissection of the matter of political actions and political theory -- after he gave up his Marxist ways.

The theme of Knowledge and Decisions can be stated as: the cumulative knowledge of society is often more likely to be correct than the theories of intellectuals and political actors, who are perversely motivated by a desire for power and control. Sowells concerns were to warn of the tyranny of the power-hungry elites. The idea itself is simple. He already had determined that knowledge is radically dispersed among millions of human beings who are ignorant of others tiny fragments of knowledge.

Hayek criticized the enthusiasm for central economic planning, an incredibly stupid idea that reinforced the oligarchs sense that they should make the big decisions on economic matters, not the market itself. This insanity was inherent to Marxist ideas and agendas that were spreading from the Soviet Union throughout Europe. Sowell captured the stupidity when he opened his book Knowledge and Decisions: Ideas are everywhere, but knowledge is rare.

Sowell provides a panoramic view of how the world works that will inform any careful readers thinking on just about everything.

Sowells many books on racial issues are focused on empirical analysis and not sloganeering and noisy rhetoric. A student of Stigler and Freidman and influenced by Hayek, Sowell eschews rhetoric and focuses on what they always emphasized at University of Chicago -- the data, the evidence, empiric methods.

Related to the race and inequality issues as well as the discrimination against minorities around the world are his trilogy on migrations and migrant minorities -- just another angle that strengthens his position as a level headed scientifically driven researcher who debunks bad ideas regularly and displays insights that are critical to intelligent analysis. In matters of ethnic differences and ethnic migrations Sowell did his homework and traveled the world twice to study minorities in other countries. His ethnic studies are on display in his work on other subjects, but his focus on minorities, affirmative action and the experience of minorities in other cultures is found in books on policies around the world, minorities in America and other countries, the particular experiences of minorities in America.

Many years ago, he wrote a trilogy on migrations and migrants -- some people would consider that a career -- he just did it so he could pursue his ambition to inform and educate and maybe stop harmful policies that set back things for society and the targeted minority. He didnt stop at discrimination, he provided an excellent analysis of the harmful effects of affirmative action and quota policies or special favoritism. Just as a prize for reading Sowell you learn things you may never have known otherwise -- how Chinese Mainlander migrants to other countries have a remarkable record of achievement and prosperity. Sowell shows that its the culture of the minority that determines success, and policies intended to provide social justice are sometimes poorly conceived and executed.

Sowells books on race and racial issues were written because he was obligated to weigh in, but I think Riley is right to emphasize the most important achievements of Sowells career -- his work on economics and the philosophy/history of ideas/politics/ and the influence of intellectuals. The ideas he espouses on philosophy and economics and their intersection are all through his essays and books, but there is a trilogy that is foundational and make him the go-to guy on ideas and politics, A Conflict of Visions (1987), The Vision of the Anointed (1995), and The Quest for Cosmic Justice (1999).

Here I have to take a break and explain why Sowell is a go-to guy, and it is because he uses examples and plain talk that will elevate your thinking but not put you down. Sowell believes that wisdom is all around us and he is, in practice and theory, very leery of intellectual pretensions, so he writes so that a truck driver can get it. I liked that the first time I read him -- talk plain. If you cant explain your theory to a bus driver, you dont understand your theory (thats borrowed from the great Physics Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman).

As an example of why Sowell is so interesting and readable, he asserts in his first book of a trilogy on Ideas that there are basically two types of people and two attitudes that result in two people similarly informed and well intentioned would always be on opposite sides. Its that fundamentally different visions of human nature divide people. There is the constrained tragic vision that humans are imperfect and flawed and the unconstrained feel-good utopian vision that is based on the perfectibility of man and the victory of good intentions. The politics and attitudes of people divide that way and are the motives we see in the American Constitution of 1787 as opposed to the French Constitution of 1793.

The three books on ideas and political philosophy use this basic premise to explain real world politics and government and approaches to economic and social problems. A Conflict of Visions sets out the theory, begins with a series of chapters describing this underlying theory and then shifts to chapters showing the realities and the consequences. The Vision of the Anointed, deals with the unrestrained mindset that poisons the intellectual and political elites, who think they are smart enough to actually direct societies to produce a utopia. Sowell pulls no punches taking down the elites/oligarchs/ intellectuals and how they are tyrants in waiting. The last book in the trilogy The Quest for Cosmic Justice, explains the trap that social justice advocates have laid for society, and he expresses his concerns and contempt for the utopian social scientists who want to impose their will on society and who will create an Orwellian nightmare.

Sowells analyses of so many problems have been more lucid and cogent that most of the so-called public intellectuals in America -- and its because he is, first of all, a serious researcher and second a disciplined analyst. Most of what he has said in the past 3 decades completely discredits the claims of current noisy and popular blowhards. Decades ago Thomas Sowell was debunking stupid arguments now popular in all the popular progressive publications and media outlets.

Knowledge and Decisions, along with so many other books by Sowell, exposed the inanity of so many contemporary experts long before they wore long pants. More than 30 years ago I read A Conflict of Visions that exposed the poseur intellectuals and their silly ideas before they had a chance to articulate them. Thomas Sowell is head and shoulders above the intellectuals of this society in the past century -- no one comes close. As he would say, look at the evidence. Read the brilliant biography by Mr. Riley.

John Dale Dunn, M.D., J.D. is a physician and non-practicing lawyer in Brownwood, Tex.
You have to wonder what great disconnect happened in the minds of conservatives who are agitating for war with Russia. Given their rhetoric, war is what theyre flirting with. Putin, per the invective, is a butcher, war criminal, Hitler clone, and madman. They want Putin exiled to Siberia or dead. They want a no-fly zone and Russian convoys bombed. Regime change in Russia is a must. Ukrainians alone arent going to make that happen. We must do more, they insist.

Sounds like war talk, doesnt it?

We get that the military-industrial complex (hat tip: Dwight Eisenhower) and D.C.s foreign policy and defense establishment are self-interested and appear to want war, but shouldnt conservatives know better?

A war with Russia -- even if somehow justified -- requires a leader, a capable, sensible leader, to name two basic qualities. How does Joe Biden measure up?

We wonder what pro-war conservatives are thinking. Prior to Putins invasion, these conservative stalwarts routinely excoriated Biden for his total incompetence, habitual lying, corruption, and pushing a leftist agenda that has only begun hurting Americans.

What alchemy changed their perceptions of Biden? How have they concluded that hes fit to lead this nation in a major war against nuclear-armed Russia (tactically armed to the teeth, no less)?

Wasnt it just last August when our commander-in-chief insisted on an ignominious retreat from Afghanistan, abandoning billions of dollars in weapons and equipment to the Taliban and, worse, heartlessly leaving behind Americans and Afghan allies by the score? During the rush for the exit, didnt thirteen American soldiers needlessly die in a terrorist attack on Karzai International Airport? Never forget those brave Americans.

In the aftermath, wasnt there a huge outcry about Bidens complete failure and crass motives from the conservative chattering class and just about every congressional Republican who could find a podium, mic, and camera?

Why did Biden make decisions that led to disaster? For headlines. With 9/11 approaching, Biden wanted to hurry up. 9/11 was to be a publicity hook, not a solemn remembrance. Damn a gradual withdrawal, which Biden was advised would have been better -- that is, if you believe the media, whose sources were rear-covering military brass and intelligence lifers.

What happened to war hawks indignation over Bidens Afghanistan folly? Lessons forgotten? How did Biden suddenly transform from a gross incompetent and headline-grabbing hack politician into a possible war leader?

Theres no escaping that Joe Biden is The Man in the event of major conflict with Russia. Thats Joe Biden, who shuffles instead of walks, and who with every syllable uttered makes it abundantly clear that his mind wobbles. Something of a surprise that the 82nd Airborne was to be deployed in Ukraine, no? Biden said so late last week in Poland to troops, but it proved another gaffe. Then Biden called for Putins ouster. The White House later walked back Bidens remark.

Mind you, Biden is prix fixe; theres no Column A or Column B to choose from. If you want to fight Russia, hes the guy leading from behind the guy who works short days at the White House and spends weekends at Camp David or one of his Delaware properties.

Consider this. If Biden falters, who leads the nation in the midst of war? Folks, theres no Harry Truman waiting in the wings. Theres Kamala Harris -- lightweight, cackling Kamala. In public appearance after public appearance, Kamala indicts herself as embarrassingly unfit to serve as Veep, never mind president. Kamalas Poland trip was pure buffoonery on display.

In peace or war, should Biden be incapacitated or die, constitutionally, tag, Harris is it shes president, with all the Buck Stops Here authority of the office.

How in the name of Lincoln or FDR does President Harris inspire confidence among gung-ho, warpath conservatives? Not that President Biden compels us to grab our guns and march to Ukraine.

Theres no replacing Kamala, the way some writers speculate. Why would Harris surrender the vice presidency? She wouldnt fight a plot to remove her? Shes a heartbeat away from a progressive box checkers dream: being the first black female president. And short of incapacitation, Biden isnt resigning. Invoke the 25th Amendment? That should have happened on Inauguration Day. So, the country is stuck with the Bad and Worse tandem.

For a moment, set aside your laundry list of Bidens failures. Focus on one, instead, because it had significant bearing on Putins decision to attack Ukraine.

Biden gutted Americas energy independence. He didnt blunder in doing so, it was done with intent. Bidens decision has crimped our ability to export oil and gas. American exports helped reduce global energy costs. Higher costs for conventional energy have benefitted Putin, fattening Russias treasury. As Vladimir Lenin might have said, Biden gave Putin the rope that hes using to try to hang Ukraine.

Biden wasted critical leverage. His disregard for the strategic advantages of robust energy production happened because his myopic goal was to please his partys green energy radicals. Theyre money and muscle for Democrats.

How did Bidens seeming corruption factor in Putins calculus to attack Ukraine?

The FBI is investigating Hunter Bidens dealings. Hunter wasnt acting on his behalf only, but his familys, per reports. The Bidens, its alleged, made millions off influence peddling schemes, notably with Americas two principal adversaries, China and Russia. For instance, why did Hunter accept $ 3.5 million from Elena Baturina, the widow of Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov?

Putin, an old KGB hand, doubtlessly has a dossier on the Bidens questionable dealings in Russia. Call it a blackmail file. How that factored into Putins decision to invade Ukraine is unknown, but its an intriguing consideration.

And Bidens frailty and bumbling? If we see it, Putin surely does, too, and accounted for it in his decision to make war.

Bidens poor leadership is bad enough, but his supporting cast is no better.

Secretary of Defense Llyod Austin is a milquetoast whose principal assignment is building a woke military. Secretary of State Tony Blinken is a namby-pamby, which is precisely what radical feminists and wokesters want from a man. Why? Because real men threaten them. Blinken and his team took a browbeating from their Chinese opposites at the now infamous 2021 Anchorage, Alaska summit.

Jake Sullivan, Bidens national security advisor, actually stated publicly that Kabul would stand as Afghan government forces crumbled in the teeth of the Taliban onslaught. If he didnt know better, shame on him, the military, and U.S. intelligence agencies for being so completely clueless. Shame on them anyway. Nonetheless, Sullivan still has his job.

Which brings us to Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Milley skirted sedition by communicating with his Chinese counterpart after Bidens suspicious 2020 election victory. Trump, Milley fretted, might have been so distraught by his defeat that hed nuke the PRC. Milley appears to have been atoning for General Buck Turgidsons sins. Life mimics art. Russian generals show Milley no respect; theyre refusing to return his calls. The Chinese surely alerted them about Milleys prank. Milley, a consummate D.C. toady, eagerly pushes the Democrats woke agenda.

Finally, there are White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain and Obama shill Susan Rice. They have day-to-day control of executive branch affairs. If you think that Bidens incredible track record of serial failures is his alone, think again.

If Biden and his crew are bad enough without war, imagine them manning the helm with a major war underway. We pray we never find out.

J. Robert Smith can be found regularly at Gab @JRobertSmith. He also blogs at Flyover.

Image: Gage Skidmore
Since the day Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016, even before he was inaugurated, Democrats in Washington and in the media began their attempts to unseat him.

Before Trump was sworn in, a group of washed up celebrities attempted to subvert the elections by urging Republican delegates not to cast their votes for President-Elect Trump in December 2016.

When that failed and Trump was inaugurated, a sustained campaign commenced to force the democratically elected president out of office.

For any given "scandal," pundits claimed the following.

"I never thought I would be saying this" is how they usually began to disguise themselves with a cloak of neutrality, "but this revelation could be the end (of Trump's presidency)."

During the George W. Bush years, the media had assumed the role of the opposition. They attempted to claim that Al Gore was the real winner of the 2000 election. They suggested that Bush had used the influence of his brother Jeb, who was governor of Florida back then, to manipulate the Florida vote count in his favor. Michael Moore began his Fahrenheit 911 documentary with this bogus claim.

When Bush was sworn in, this talk ended in the mainstream, although the fringe persisted.

The best way to predict the future of the Democrats is to listen to their fringe.

What the fringe claimed in 2000 became their mainstream talking point from 2016 onward. Any election where they suffer an electoral defeat was rigged.

They proclaimed with certitude that the 2016 elections were rigged by the Russians in favor of Trump. They couldn't tell you how it happened or who altered the vote tally; they just knew it. Soon the Russian Collusion conspiracy theory was mainstreamed, causing the appointment of a special counsel.

Myriad other anti-Trump scandals were fabricated.

On odd days, Trump was called a bloviating ignoramus; on even days, he was called an evil genius. On all days, he was a bigot.

It was all like an obscene parody.

For all four years during the Trump presidency, we heard of the "walls closing in" on Trump. In the end, it was all a big hoax.

A recent hoax is related to an investigation into the Trump Organization, whether they misled lenders, insurers, and others by providing them false or misleading financial statements about the value of properties.

But Fox News reported the following:

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg stopped pursuing charges against former President Trump and suspended the investigation "indefinitely," one of the top prosecutors who resigned from the office said in his resignation letter  but disagreed with the decision. Mark Pomerantz and Carey Dunne, who had been leading the investigation under former DA Cyrus Vance, submitted their resignations last month after Bragg began raising doubts about pursuing a case against Trump. "You have reached the decision not to go forward with the grand jury presentation and not to seek criminal charges at the present time," Pomerantz wrote in his resignation letter, first reported by the New York Times. "The investigation has been suspended indefinitely."

Alvin Bragg (Twitter icon)

The Democrat media will obviously report it as "Trump is Guilty of Numerous Felonies, says outgoing Prosecutor," the implication being that Trump dodged justice owing to a technicality, or maybe Bragg was compromised.

The fact remains that Alvin Bragg is the New York County (Manhattan) district attorney. He is a Democrat and emphatically not an ally of Trump. If he had found even a smidgen of evidence that alluded to Trump's guilt, he would have pursued the case, knowing that the Democrats would declare him a national hero who finally "took Trump out." The fact that he "suspended" investigations was probably because the case had no merit and it would have led to an exoneration of Trump, which they did not want.

Phrases such as "stopped pursuing charges" and "suspend investigations indefinitely" were chosen on purpose, to give the impression that this is a temporary phase, and that the investigation could resume in the future and charges may be pursued again. The goal is to let the cloud of doubt hang despite the lack of any credible evidence.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi in a recent interview said she fears for American democracy if Republicans win the House in this year's midterm elections because of President Trump's continued influence.

Pelosi's utterances provide insight into the Democrats' mindset. Despite their name, they are no proponents of democracy. They do not want any challenge to their power. They want a one-party system. They see everybody from Trump to his GOP supporters as impediments to their permanent rule. This explains their relentless scorn for flyover country.

It is always most dangerous when the scornful have power. The Democrats have shown the country what they are capable of by abusing the power of the government to destroy their political opposition. This was the goal of the Russian Collusion probe, the January 6 probe, and all other probes: to scare any opposition and perhaps make political opposition illegal.

Leaving borders open is another way to achieve a permanence of power. Any given zone is flooded with illegal aliens, who eventually become Democrat voters. These new voters drown the impact of GOP voters. They have implemented this successfully in California and NYC. If they manage this in Texas, where the border is left open, their permanence in power is almost insured.

Trump may have won again in NYC, but this victory is nothing to celebrate because the basis of the case and investigation wasn't fact. It was purely political. Probes such as these and the Russia collusion investigation should have been thrown out on the very first day. The fact that it took so long is a travesty because the process itself was the equivalent of punishment.

The process provided the media with a reason to sow seeds of doubt about Trump, which must have swayed some voters against Trump. These investigations were the early steps of rigging the 2020 presidential election.

The process also must have succeeded in retarding the implementation of Trump's agenda since many Republicans also were either unsure or covert enablers of the Democrats.

The ultimate goal was to punish Trump for attempting to challenge their monopoly. They also want to send a message to aspirants such as Trump not to try it or they will face a similar fate.

This is a common occurrence in third-world totalitarian or theocratic nations, where the Deep State attempts to entrap political challengers. We hear of dissidents and free thinkers being persecuted and imprisoned in Pakistan, Venezuela, and Cuba.

This is certainly not how one of the world's largest republics and economic superpowers should function.

The first step toward bringing about change is voting for the GOP during the midterms. It won't be a magic wand. The Romneys and the Lindsey Grahams of the GOP remain. The Democrat Washington establishment cultivated over decades remains.

But great journeys begin with a single small step. The GOP controlling the House and the Senate in January 2023 is that first small step.
I can't think of another week or so in which a president has sown so much confusion and seemed to reveal so many surprising new policies with off-the-cuff remarks  statements that so alarmed his staff that they had to issue "clarifications" and deny the obvious meaning of what he said.

There's senile old Joe telling the world that sanctions don't work, have never worked, when sanctions were the announced policy.

There's Joe saying the U.S. would respond "in kind" to any use of chemical warfare, when the U.S. has a policy of never using chemical warfare.

There's Joe telling troops in Poland they are going to soon be in Ukraine, where an active war is underway:

"You're going to see when you're there and some, some of you have been there, you're gonna see, you're gonna see women, young people standing in the middle, in front of a damn tank!" Biden said.

Then there's Joe in Poland signaling regime change in Moscow, saying "For God's sake, this man [Putin] cannot remain in power."

Usually, three strikes and you're out, at least in America's pastime. That's four already.

But Monday, Old Joe off-handedly revealed American involvement in the war between Ukraine and nuclear superpower Russia that had previously been secret, when being questioned about his previous implication that U.S. troops were going to Ukraine. From the left-wing site AntiWar.com:

President Biden appeared to reveal on Monday that the US is training Ukrainian troops in Poland. Biden made the comments when trying to explain a recent gaffe. In Poland on Friday, President Biden told members of the 82nd Airborne Division that Ukrainians were "stepping up" against the Russian assault and said, "You're going to see when you're there," suggesting that the US soldiers would be entering the war zone. Explaining his comments on Monday, Biden said, "We were talking about helping train the troops in  that are  the Ukrainian troops that are in Poland. That's what the context." "I was referring to with  being with and talking with the Ukrainian troops who are in Poland," he added.

Biden appeared to reveal the US is training Ukrainian troops in Poland while trying to explain recent gaffes pic.twitter.com/HNuztlCI84  Dave DeCamp (@DecampDave) March 29, 2022

The U.S. long had trained and supplied Ukrainian troops in Ukraine, but "[b]efore Russia's invasion, the US pulled National Guard troops out of Ukraine and reportedly ordered CIA paramilitaries to leave the country."

Now Poland has been identified to the Russians as the site where enemy troops in active combat are being trained. In other words, they are now targets in Poland. Amid all the other gaffes, this reveal has barely been noticed, except, of course, by the war-planners in Moscow.

Photo credit: Twitter video screen grab.
Whenever I use a word it means just what I choose it to mean  neither more nor less.

Humpty Dumpty

Everyone sometimes makes mistakes in speaking  slips of the tongue that may be inconsequential or may reveal thoughts and motives that lie beneath the surface.

Of course, sometimes a banana is just a banana. However, Sigmund Freud informed us in his discussion of the psychopathology of everyday life that he discovered almost invariably something apparent out of the intended speech of a patient: the disturbing element was a single unconscious thought which came to light through special blunders, mistakes, fehlleistungen.

A saying usually (if incorrectly) attributed to the cynical French diplomat, working for Napoleon, Charles Talleyrand, 17541838, regarding the execution of a duke, is that the action was worse than a crime; it was a mistake. Was the event done inadvertently or by conscious wrongdoing? Talleyrand himself epitomizes a current concern: cynical opportunism on behalf of a country, or genuine concern for peace in the Continent.

Life and literature amply illustrate mistakes and gaffes, humorous or serious.

Malaprops, the use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one, are first found in R.B. Sheridan's The Rivals. His character Mrs. Malaprop says "she's as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile." Some of the many similar mistakes can be mentioned. Shakespeare's Constable Dogberry: "Our watch have indeed comprehended two auspicious persons"; Yogi Berra, who declared that "Texas has a lot of electrical voters" and who assured us that even Napoleon had his Watergate; and Richard Daley, political boss of Chicago, who boasted that "O'Hare airport was the crosswords of the nation."

Commonly, politicians of all parties make gaffes, revealing truths that they did not intend to admit or weren't supposed to say. Ronald Reagan, in a microphone test before a radio address in 1984, uttered, "My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you I just signed legislation which outlaws Russia forever. The bombing begins in five minutes." Or Vice President Dan Quayle, talking of George H.W. Bush: "The president is going to lead us out of this recovery." Or Richard Daley again: "The police are not here to create disorder; they're here to preserve disorder."

Gaffes may embody ill advised humor or deliberate distortion. Joe Biden in 2008 praised Barack Obama as "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man." Some gaffes stem from egoism or exaggeration of ability. Al Gore in 1999: "During my service in the U.S. Congress, I took the initiative in creating the internet."

The present dilemma over the use of language stems from the recent utterances of the leader of the world's superpower. It is recognized in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere, that President Joe Biden has a tendency to misstate his ideas and policies. Officials in the White House have had to clarify his injudicious statements on a number of issues: on U.S. troops based in Poland going into Ukraine; the suggestion that a "minor incursion" by Russia into Ukrainian territory might be acceptable, a suggestion refuted by President Zelensky to the effect that there are no minor incursions; the nature of U.S. responses "in kind" to the use of chemical weapons by Russia; uncertain relations with NATO; and now on regime change in Moscow.

The present focus is on Biden's remarks during his trip to Eastern Europe in March 2022. In Warsaw on March 26, 2022, Biden delivered a stark speech, speaking of the battle between liberty and repression, between a rule-based order and one governed by brute force. Alas, it now may be considered a gaffe. The speech was intended to emphasize the policy of the U.S. in alliance with Europe to support Ukraine against Russian invasion. But in it, he departed at the end of his address from the official script, ad-libbing the nine words, "for God's sake, this man [Putin] cannot remain in power."

The query now is whether Biden's off-the-cuff remark was sending a message to Putin and to the international community, or was this an example of what Freud called fehlleiostingen? Was the ad-lib unhelpful to peace talk, and would it escalate problems? The question is whether Biden's words are a gaffe, or does he utter things he does not really mean? Some commentators suggest that the remarks were a gift to Russian propaganda and paranoia about U.S. coups. In general, some ambiguity is essential in international affairs, but there is a basic need for clarity.

It is essential to understand whether Biden misspoke or was expressing his true feelings. Was his remark aimed at change of regime, and therefore akin to the Kremlin's own argument that the West is anxious to destroy Russia? Officials in the White House attempted to "correct" the remark. Secretary of state Antony Blinken said Biden not advocating regime change but meant that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. Blinken said regime change is up to the Russian people.

Biden on March 28, 2022 did not apologize for calling for Putin's removal, but defended his remark, which he "was not walking back." He was expressing his outrage. Putin should not remain in power, just as bad people should not continue to do bad things, But there is no fundamental policy to do anything to take Putin down. He refuted the idea that his rhetoric could cause Putin to escalate his aggression against Ukraine. Indeed, it is Putin's extraordinary behavior that has removed any doubt of this and has strengthened the transatlantic alliance.

But can Biden be the leader of that alliance?

Photo credit: Twitter video screen grab.
I think I have figured out the way the world really works. The West, Russia, and China are three mafia families. The American, Russian, and Chinese presidents are the dons, the intelligence agencies are their consiglieri, and the bureaucrats are their capi.

Like every mafia family, they run a protection racket, producing nothing for anyone, but collecting envelopes with their "taste" from the productive members of their populations. Failure to deliver the "taste" to the mafia hierarchy has the usual consequence for mere citizens: intimidation and violence. The only thing the citizens get from this arrangement is "protection," but that protection is really nothing but a conditional promise that the mafia will not shoot the citizen in the kneecaps.

This paradigm explains the interactions among the West, Russia, and China in the present crisis. If both Miranda Devine's Laptop from Hell and Peter Schweizer's Red-Handed expose the compromising corruption of Biden and his colleagues, surely far more kompromat, in undeniable detail, is in the hands of Putin and Xi. One imagines their glee at (if not complicity in) the stolen election of 2020. After that, the Washington don became a player.

One imagines the conversation among the three dons in an isolated parking lot in Passaic at 3 A.M. "Joe, this kompromat on you is all coming out if we don't get exactly what we want: Ukraine and Taiwan." It's a big problem for Joe. His mafia owns those neighborhoods. They have been reliable producers for the Washington Family for years. And now the Moscow and Beijing Families want to take them over, just like that? But Joe can't say no outright. They've got the kompromat. They'll rat. So what to do?

Putin strikes first. He moves in on the Ukraine neighborhood. Biden can't afford a straight-up gangland war, but he hits back with sanctions and arms supplies to Ukraine. He creates chaos. And probably profitable chaos. Those missiles going to Ukraine; no doubt Joe can count on Zelensky for a "taste." And, of course, for every hundred missiles shipped, "shrinkage" is to be expected. (Later, they will be available for sale in an abandoned warehouse in Rutherford.) Hey, there are a lot of capi who need their "taste." And let's not forget the arms manufacturers. For all those new orders, they're going to owe a "taste," big time.

Now Xi's thinking, if moving on Taiwan is going to be this much of a mess, is it worth it? He says to Putin, "Oh, cumpa, Joe's getting out of hand. Do we drop him? Release the kompromat?"

Putin: "Trouble is, then we get what's worse, that cackling cretina Kamala."

Xi: "But what if Joe slaps sanctions on the Beijing Family? I ain't puttin' up with that."

Putin: "She might do that, too. Trying to look tough. Didja ever think of that?"

Xi: "So whatta we do?"

Putin: "Give my boys a few more weeks to wrap up Ukraine. The sanctions don't hurt the Moscow Family much, but they hurt the Washington Family a lot."

Xi: "So you're saying in the November elections the Washington Family will off the boss."

Putin (grinning): "And we'll help them with the kompromat."

Xi: "Then what do we get?"

Putin: "A divided house. It cannot stand."

Xi: "You know, I've never liked elections."

Putin: "You said a mouthful."

And where, dear citizens of America, Russia, or China, do you come in? Shaddup, pay higher prices for everything, and just keep delivering your "taste."

Graphic credit: vintagelee, Pixabay license.
Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, was forced to apologize by his two main patrons, U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken and the king of Jordan, for the deadly Palestinian terror attack in the Bnei Brak residential suburb of Tel Aviv on Tuesday night, 29 March, that killed five people and injured others.

We all know, at least those of us close to the action and who do not live in fantasy land, that the background to the slaughter was the Palestinian leader's constant incitement against Jews and Israel to his brainwashed people.

This indoctrination is laced with many incentives, some religious, some financial, to pick up a knife or a gun. Recently, the Palestinian population has been exploited into pre-Ramadan violence by its political and religious leaders.

Sadly, tragically, Ramadan for Palestinians has become a religious ritual of Jewish bloodletting in a nationalistic cause.

The added incentive is Mahmoud Abbas's terror reward system, known locally as his "Pay to Slay" policy. The more Jews you kill, the more money you or your family receive if you die as a holy martyr in the Palestinian cause.

Mahmoud Abbas calls it his welfare system, but the payout rises with the number of Jews killed.

Several Palestinians, having served lengthy sentences for multiple murders of Israelis, left jail as wealthy people with homes and cars. The money comes out of the pockets of American taxpayers, donated to the Palestinian Authority by the Biden administration as foreign aid.

This payment system was stopped by President Trump but quickly reintroduced by Biden without any demand for reform from the Palestinians  sort of like the payments and sanctions relief being offered to Iran by the same administration so that Iran can continue its murderous rampage across the Middle East, mainly targeting Israel for the same reasons the Palestinians are murdering us.

We are Jews, and they want us gone.

To prove the point that this P.A. reward system is alive and killing, the terrorist that wreaked death and injury in Bnei Brak was affiliated with Abbas's own Fatah Party.

Incidentally, this terrorist had posted his motivations and intentions on his Facebook page.

Make of that what you will.

Poignantly, two of the victims of this Palestinian's murderous rampage were Ukrainian foreign workers, while the hero was an Israeli Druze policeman who was shot in his gun battle with the Arab terrorist and sadly died of his injuries.

In Bnei Brak, what was clearly on show was which side of the conflict is the real obstacle to peace.

It is not Jews, and it is not Israel.

It is the divided, rejectionist, and unrepentant Palestinian leadership in Ramallah and in Gaza.

And America wants to give these people, even in its current evil anti-Semitic form, not only money, but also Jerusalem and the rest of Judea and Samaria in the vain hope that handing them the heart of Israel will convert them into peacemakers.

These delusional policymakers, who think they can convert evildoers into saints, are paying with our lives and our existence as a nation.

Yet they refuse to see it.

This blind pursuit of dangerous policies, based on nothing more than hopeful conviction while ignoring bloody facts on the ground, makes them overly eager to hand the unconvertable messianic mullahs of Tehran the keys to the ultimate weapon.

Barry Shaw, international public diplomacy director, Israel Institute for Strategic Studies.

Photo credit: YouTube screen grab.
Some things don't make sense.

That brings us to some testimony from the FBI's assistant director for cyber-security, who told Congress's Rep. Matt Gaetz that he had no idea where Hunter Biden's laptop, entrusted to FBI custody, actually is.

According to the Post Millennial:

"Who has it?" Gaetz asked. "I don't know who has it," said [FBI Assistant Director for the Cyber Division Bryan] Vorndran. "What now you're telling me right here is that as the Assistant Director of FBI Cyber, you don't know where this is, after it was turned over to you three years ago?" Gaetz said. "Yes, sir. That's an accurate statement," Vorndran responded. "How are Americans supposed to trust that you can protect us from the next Colonial pipeline if it seems you can't locate a laptop that was given to you three years ago from the First Family, potentially creating vulnerabilities for our country?" Gaetz asked. "Sir, it's not in the purview of my investigative responsibilities," Vorndran said. "But that is shocking that you wouldn't, as the Assistant Director of Cyber, know whether or not there are international business deals, kickbacks, shakedowns, that are on this laptop that would make the First Family suspect to some sort of compromise," said Gaetz.

Vorndran should be embarrassed.

The whereabouts of this laptop are something he should know. Even if he doesn't have it, he should know who does have it because it's a computer matter that likely affects his job of protecting the country from cyber-attacks.

The exchange continues:

VORNDRAN: "Sir, as a representative of the FBI cyber program, it is not in the realm of my responsibilities to deal with the questions that you're asking me." GAETZ: "Has anyone at FBI cyber been asked to make assessments whether or not the laptop creates a point of vulnerability?" VORNDRAN: "Sir, we have multiple lines of investigative responsibility in the FBI. They're all available on public source." GAETZ: "I would think you'd know this one. I mean, I would think that if the President's son, who does international business deals, referencing the now-president with the Chinese, with Ukrainians, I mean, have you assessed whether or not the Hunter Biden laptop gives Russia the ability to harm our country?"

Now, to try to understand how the Bureau man is arguing it, the guy seemed to be saying he is focused on cyber-attack activity from foreign countries, and the laptop is a domestic political matter.

There is plenty going on on the foreign attacks front, and I hope he answered some important questions about Microsoft's charge that China did a major cyber-attack on its servers a year ago, as well as reports that Russia is suspected of cyber-attacks on the Colonial pipeline and America's meat industry. Russia got sanctioned big on the muddy information in that incident, which requires clarity about what the U.S. knows at this point, while China, which clearly was culpable, got no sanctions whatsoever. Does that sound funny? I wrote about that here.

There's also the issue of Joe Biden buying China's spyware drones for U.S. national security purposes  which again raises more red flags. It would be nice to know what Assistant Director Vorndran has to say about that.

All of these anomalies point to why the Hunter Biden laptop actually is important to U.S. cyber-security and does affect the job of protecting the U.S. from foreign cyber-attacks.

Yet Vorndran is amazingly incurious.

The Hunter Biden computer clearly shows the Biden family in sexually, legally, druggishly, and financially compromising positions, with significant potential for foreign blackmail. Given that Joe is prominently featured in that laptop as using his political influence as currency for the exchange of cash and political favors, it may well be that China evaded sanctions because of various financial matters cited in the contents of that computer. The same goes for which Russian oligarchs got sanctioned over Ukraine and which ones didn't.

On the public credibility front, Vorndran does no better. He told Gaetz that the laptop was not in his investigative bailiwick, but a credible question could be raised as to why not. The influence-peddling cited in the laptop clearly affects his job, making it a lot harder to protect the country from cyber-attacks as certain cyber-attackers evade sanctions and others don't, certain drones get bought from China's spyware outfits and others don't.

The fact that the computer, or enough of it, is out there in public and apparently not classified at all might be a factor for the apparent FBI indifference as to its contents  Intelligence Community characters like their information to be entirely secret, and this stuff isn't secret.

But it doesn't explain Vorndran's ignorance of the computer's whereabouts. The FBI was entrusted to protect this device as part of its duty to protect evidence, and as evidence goes, this is a whopper. Where the Hunter Biden laptop is is something he should know. His claims that he doesn't know suggest sloppy stewardship or ignorance of Bureau procedures, if not outright lying, which is a distinct possibility, too.

The fact that he doesn't "know" ultimately suggests that the Bureau remains a politicized agency, still at the exclusive beck and call of the Democrat party, as a sort of KGB for Democrats  and may well be why the U.S. is so ineffective at countering cyber-attacks, which at last reports are getting bigger and more dangerous than the Colonial pipeline attack, as AT contributor Julio Rivera wrote here. Was he singing for his supper to Joe Biden with this kind of remark? If so, that doesn't make the Bureau look good.

Some twitterers have made important observations about this obvious appearance of politicization:

Two years later and they don't know where the virus came from, or where Hunter's laptop is, or where all the billions in COVID stimulus went, or how many criminal illegal aliens have crossed into the country, but have no fear, they're going to get to the bottom of Trump's phone.  Rising serpent  (@rising_serpent) March 29, 2022

Why does the FBI always lose, delete or ignore evidence of criminal activity committed by the Democrats [or UniParty], and then make up crimes when none exist to frame their enemies [ie. Russian Collusion Hoax, Gen Flynn, Kavanaugh, etc.].



Is that their true purpose?  Murray  (@Rothbard1776) March 30, 2022

Hunter Bidens laptop was probably PG compared to whatever was on Anthony Weiners hard drive. Lets track that one down next. https://t.co/CJDFVwSLgS  Murray  (@Rothbard1776) March 29, 2022

How anyone could argue with these observations is amazing. How indeed does the FBI lose track of something as pivotal as the Hunter Biden laptop? And why does it not seem to care? To Democrats, the press, and the politicized government agencies, it's all about ignoring the issue, and keeping corrupt old Joe Biden and his political influence-peddling machine happy. Why are they doing that?
Thanks to imbecilic comments by President Biden, the threat of nuclear war just got a lot more serious if new reports are to be believed. The estimable David Goldman (AKA Spengler), writing with Uwe Parpart, warns us:

What does Vladimir Putin have to do to convince Washington that the Ukraine crisis is a preliminary skirmish in what might be a nuclear war? On February 23, Putin warned of nuclear war. On February 19, he conducted a full-dress drill of Russian ballistic missile forces. On February 27, he put Russia on a nuclear alert  which remains in effect. Joe Biden didn't get the message. Then on March 29, Moscow sent a red-alarm signal to the West by leaking news that "Putin and his high command have decamped to secret bunkers, following a Kremlin statement that Russia would use nuclear weapons to counter an 'existential threat,'" the Daily Mail reported, citing investigations by journalist Christo Grozev.

That Daily Mail article claims:

New evidence has emerged Vladimir Putin and his highest ranking commanders are running the war in Ukraine from top secret nuclear bunkers. Movements of planes used by top Kremlin officials show Putin may be in a hideaway near Surgut, in western Siberia, it has been claimed. His defence minister Sergei Shoigu - who has been mysteriously absent for several weeks, sparking rumours about his health - is believed to be in a bunker near Ufa in the Urals, 725 miles east of Moscow, according to investigative journalist Christo Grozev. (snip) The suspected use of the high security nuclear bunkers is concerning as it leads to suggestions Putin may be prepared to deploy nuclear weapons, a move that would lead to inevitable reprisals.



Putin and defense minister Sergei Shoigu at the 2019 Victory Day Parade.

Kremlin.ru via UKDM.

Biden foolishly called for regime change with the now infamous 9 words, "for God's sake, this man [Putin] cannot remain in power." From the standpoint of Vladimir Putin, that is an existential threat. Having been branded a war criminal, and watching the seizure of assets of Russian oligarchs, there is no graceful retirement to the French Riviera like some deposed murderous third-world oligarch. If Russian forces are doing as badly as our media claim, then Putin may well feel cornered. Gaddafi rode a bayonet at the end, and Ceausescu was executed by a firing squad. Vlad has no intention of hiding in a spider hole like Saddam until found and hanged.

Biden's word is worthless in Putin's mind. He claims he didn't say what he clearly said when questioned about regime change.

A man in this situation, whether sane or not, might well conclude that nuclear war is the preferable option.
Article 231 may rightly deserve the notorious distinction as being the 20th century's single greatest miscalculation. Any miscalculation in the application and enforcement of the severe economic sanctions levied against Russia in response to its recent invasion of Ukraine may turn out to be the 21st century's single greatest.

Article 231, also known as the War Guilt Clause, was part of the Treaty of Versailles, negotiated as conditions of peace for ending World War I. The resolution "placed all blame for inciting the war squarely on Germany, and forced it to pay several billion in reparations to the Allied nations."

This miscalculation is found in the intent of the War Guilt Clause, which was to take all the bite out of the German Pinscher's mouth, by crippling, for generations to come, the German economy to subsistence, subservient levels, so it should never again be able make war on its neighbors . However, it would be its severe enforcement that, as historians assert, led to the broad support among Germans for political and cultural promises contained in the evil and maniacal barking of Adolf Hitler.

In other words, it was, at least in part, "[d]ue to lasting resentment of the Versailles Treaty [that] the National Socialist (Nazi) Party ... w[as] able to gain support in the 1920s and early '30s by promising to overturn [the Versailles Treaty's] harsh provisions and make Germany into a major European power once again." That regained power would soon assert itself by provoking a second world war and committing the horrific atrocities of the holocaust.

The NATO and U.N. countries' severe response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which admittedly has been swift and mostly unified (with a few exceptions glaring as bright as the rising sun in eastern skies), seems primarily intended to cripple Putin's ability to wage and sustain a prolonged military campaign in Ukraine, first by crushing Russia's economy.

The international move to economically level Russia today represents a blockade unprecedented in scope for a regional conflict. The current measures seems so similar in intent to those underlying Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles as to be considered a sort of "pre-emptive War Guilt Clause"  in short, to decimate an adversary's war-making capability by destroying its economy.

This strategy to make Russia an international pariah and pauper, rather than preventing Russia's war with Ukraine from escalating into World War III, may just as easily precipitate World War III. This is especially so when a U.S. senator makes an outrageous and ill advised call, unbecoming of the office, for Russians to "take out Putin." Even more so when a similar, though more diluted, less threatening call for "regime change" in Russia then comes from the so-called leader of the free world, the obviously enfeebled, reckless, and politically desperate President Biden.

Instead of turning on Putin, the Russian people may perceive in these threats, even those who deplore him, his leadership, and his war, cause enough, in the interest of defending and preserving their national pride and self-respect, for rallying around Putin and his sociopathic geopolitical and expansionist designs.

Furthermore, we must not miscalculate today's generation of Russians' willingness to endure severe economic deprivation. There are many Russians alive today who vividly recall the oppressive economy and government of the Soviet Union, when it was commonplace to wait years for an automobile, apartment, or refrigerator.

Nor should we miscalculate their willingness to fight.

The U.S. and allies shouldn't be buoyed too much that reports of low morale and poor performance among Russian troops fighting in Ukraine is an indication of how they will perform matched up against American and NATO troops.

Any problems with Russian troop morale may be due more to a fraternal affinity between so-called former "compatriots" and a visceral reluctance to take up arms against them for dubious justifications, than to any actual systemic Russian military unpreparedness, unwillingness, or unfitness to fight.

We may also discover current generations of Russians better equipped mentally and physically, because they have been much less weakened in mind and fortitude by decades of toxic exposure to institutionalized moral relativism and secular progressivism than their contemporaries in America and other NATO countries. They may therefore be better able to respond with the same obstinate resistance and perseverance exhibited by their grandparents and great-grandparents against the Nazis during the Siege of Leningrad and the Battle of Stalingrad.

In closing, the current economic, non-military strategy against Russia is a good and effective one for the international community to take. However, it must be implemented with great sobriety and retrospection to ensure that its noble intent is not found to be contradicted by the effects of its enforcement, as happened in the wake of Article 231. Otherwise, the postCold War world may yet again plunge over the precipice.

Image: World Economic Forum via Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
The demands that Justice Thomas recuse himself from a case involving the January 6 incident because of his wife's activities are silly. Similar demands for recusal of a prominent member of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals because of his wife's related activities were dismissed out of hand, to the approval of the media, the legal establishment, and academia. See Salon, December 2, 2010:

An attempt to oust a liberal judge from hearing a landmark gay marriage [sic] case in California ended Thursday almost as quickly as it began. Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied a request that he recuse himself from the case because his wife, Ramona Ripston, is a former head of the American Civil Liberties Union's Southern California office. The ACLU is an outspoken opponent of Proposition 8. Supporters of the gay marriage [sic] ban argued in court papers Wednesday that the judge appointed by President Carter would have trouble remaining impartial because of his wife's link to the ACLU.

The ABA Journal, published by the American Bar Association:

Updated: Opponents of same-sex marriage [sic] in California have lost their bid to disqualify a liberal judge on the panel appointed to hear their appeal that was based on his wife's history with the American Civil Liberties Union. On Wednesday, sponsors of the state's Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage [sic] asked Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to remove himself from the case, the San Jose Mercury News reports. His wife, Ramona Ripston, is stepping down as executive director of the ACLU's Southern California chapter. Ripston and the ACLU have opposed Proposition 8 "and have been active participants in this very lawsuit," according to court papers.

The Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review:

Quickly following on the heels of an announcement of which 9th Circuit judges would here [sic] the federal appeal of Perry v. Schwarzenegger, a suit challenging the constitutionality of CA's gay marriage [sic] ban, Proposition 8, same-sex marriage [sic] opponents filed a motion asking Judge Stephen Reinhardt to recuse himelf from the case. They question his ability to impartially hear the case, given that his wife heads the Southern California chapter of the ACLU, which had opposed Proposition 8 from the beginning. Today, Reinhardt said "thanks but no thanks." In his own words: "I have before me defendants-intervenors-appellants' motion to disqualify myself from this appeal. I have not hesitated to recuse from cases in the past when doing so was warranted by the circumstances . . . I am certain that "a reasonable person with knowledge of all the facts would [not] conclude that [my] impartiality might reasonably be questioned." United States v. Nelson, 718 F.2d 315, 321 (9th Cir. 1983). I will be able to rule impartially on this appeal, and I will do so. The motion is therefore DENIED."

The precedent applies to Justice and Mrs. Thomas.

Case closed.
According to a recent report by Politico, a foundation run by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has contributed to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy over the past year.

Consulting with top executives by the White House is not strange. Almost all presidents have a history of consulting and working with top executives in American companies. However, the role of CEOs of technology companies has always been more significant.

The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) provides funds for scientific projects and determines the countrys policies on artificial intelligence. However, the recent contribution of a foundation belonging to Eric Schmidt to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has raised concerns over ethical issues. But worries arise when you know that Eric Schmidt is currently investing in some artificial intelligence companies.

Advertisement

As per the emails obtained by Politico, OSTP general counsel Rachel Wallace has also expressed concern over recent financial involvements.

I and others on the legal team had been noticing a large number of staff with financial connections to Schmidt Futures and were increasingly concerned about the influence this organization was able to have through these individuals, Wallace told Politico.

Schmidts foundation has direct financial ties with OSTP

Politico reports that Schmidts foundation, Schmidt Futures, has paid the salaries of OSTP employees. Also, Schmidt Futures fellowships for traveling to conferences are offered to some employees. Schmidt Futures also hired an unpaid consultant in the office. The report says that some members of the office withdrew in response to ethical concerns.

Advertisement

Moreover, Eric Schmidt has some close ties with Eric Lander, former director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Lander resigned in February following reports of bullying of the office employees.

An unnamed OSTP spokesperson reacted to the Politico report and said they work with many outside groups. Also, the legal office reviews any potential ethical conflicts.

Ethical concerns about what big companies can do with artificial intelligence have recently increased. Just recently, two members of Google ethical AI research group left the company. Also, a former Google AI researcher joined FTC as senior advisor.
The Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 is the companys upcoming foldable smartphone, and according to a new rumor, the device will include a less visible crease. This information has been shared by Digital Chat Station, a well-known Chinese tipster.

The Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 is expected to offer a less visible crease

The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold did have a visible crease, as does every foldable, though some do a better job with it than others. The OPPO Find N and HONOR Magic V did a great job with hiding the crease, and the MIX Fold 2 may join the ranks.

This information basically suggests that the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 may utilize a similar hinge as the two aforementioned devices, the teardrop one. The tipster did reveal some additional information about the device.

Advertisement

According to Digital Chat Station, the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 will include an 8-inch main display, and a 6.5-inch secondary panel. So, it wont exactly be as compact as the OPPO Find N, not even close to it. It will be closer to the original foldable Xiaomi released.

Both of its display are tipped to offer a 120Hz refresh rate

Both of its displays will utilize a high refresh rate, a 120Hz refresh rate, to be accurate. The first-gen models secondary panel had a 60Hz display, thats something Xiaomi is looking to change this time around.

The tipster also mentioned the DC dimming feature, while the main display will also be an LTPO panel. In other words, the main display will support an adaptive refresh rate, which should reflect on the battery life in a positive way.

Advertisement

Xiaomi could opt for TSMCs Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 aka the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+. That chip is expected to arrive in the near future. Many flagship devices in H2 2022 are expected to utilize it.

That chip is expected to offer better thermals than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, and better performance overall. The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold launched in March last year, so its successor cant be that far away at this point. Xiaomi is expected to announce it in the near future. Do note that some rumors suggested a mid-year launch may be in the cards. So, it may launch a bit later than its predecessor, as were already at the very end of March.
(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 30 - Premier Mario Draghi is set to press ahead with his plan to raise Italy's defence spending to 2% of GDP, in line with its NATO commitments, despite the opposition of the 5-Star Movement (M5S), sources said after he had talks with M5S leader Giuseppe Conte and President Sergio Mattarella on Tuesday.

Draghi told ex-premier Conte that the country's international commitments could not be thrown into doubt at "such a delicate time" following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, adding that, if this were to happen, the pact that holds together the broad coalition of his national unity government would disintegrate, the sources said.

After meeting Conte, Draghi had talks with Mattarella, who backed the premier's position, sources said.

"I haven't caused a crisis of government," Conte told La7 television.

"All I say is that, if we have to plan military spending, a party of the ruling majority can have a say about the time frame".

On Thursday the Senate is set to vote on the government's decree with measures linked to the effects of the Ukraine war and a motion by the opposition Brothers of Italy (FdI) party about taking defence spending up to the 2% threshold. (ANSA).


Ukraine: Croatia pipeline to suspend deliveries to Serbia Due to European sanctions against Russian companies

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, MAR 30 - The Croatian operator of the Adria Oil Pipeline JANAF ha announced it will halt deliveries of crude oil to the Serbian energy giant NIS, controlled by the Russian Gazprom Neft from mid-May. Russian Gazprom Neft holds 56.15% of NIS, while the Serbian governments holds approximately 30% of shares. JANAF said that it will not be in a position to realise the provisions of the contract with NIS as of 15 May 2022 and as long as the restrictive measures imposed by the EU are in force, local media reported. "The sanctions also include a ban on any transactions with key Russian state-owned enterprises across different sectors, including Gazprom Neft," the regional television N1 said. (ANSA).





 Copyright ANSA - All rights reserved
Tunisia: 50 mn euros for environmental transition from EU Partnership accord on research, innovation signed

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, MARCH 30 - The head of the Tunisian government, Najla Bouden, and the European commissioner for neighborhood and enlargement policies, Oliver Varhelyi, chaired the ceremony for the signature of an agreement to provide 50 million euros as part of the "EU program to support environmental transition in Tunisia'.



The minister of education and scientific research, Moncef Boukthir, also announced the signature of an agreement that is part of the partnership between Tunisia and the European Union concerning the project of European research and innovation 'Horizon Europe', stressing that it is an important event thanks to which Tunisia is now a full member of the European space research with the same privileges enjoyed by European countries.



The results obtained by Tunisia in the field of scientific research allowed the country to participate in this vast program, which lasts until 2027 with funding worth 95.5 million euros. Economy Minister Samir Said stressed the importance of diversifying the fields of partnership between Tunisia and European Union in the economic, financial and development fields.(ANSAmed).




TUNIS - The head of the Tunisian government, Najla Bouden, and the European commissioner for neighborhood and enlargement policies, Oliver Varhelyi, chaired the ceremony for the signature of an agreement to provide 50 million euros as part of the "EU program to support environmental transition in Tunisia'.



The minister of education and scientific research, Moncef Boukthir, also announced the signature of an agreement that is part of the partnership between Tunisia and the European Union concerning the project of European research and innovation 'Horizon Europe', stressing that it is an important event thanks to which Tunisia is now a full member of the European space research with the same privileges enjoyed by European countries.



The results obtained by Tunisia in the field of scientific research allowed the country to participate in this vast program, which lasts until 2027 with funding worth 95.5 million euros. Economy Minister Samir Said stressed the importance of diversifying the fields of partnership between Tunisia and European Union in the economic, financial and development fields.




TEL AVIV - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has condemned an attack last night in Bnei Brak, an Orthodox city near Tel Aviv, in which a Palestinian from the West Bank killed five people. "The killing of Palestinian and Israeli civilians - the president was quoted as saying by Palestinian news agency Wafa - can only deteriorate the situation, especially on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan and of Christian and Jewish festivities".



Abbas also warned against the possibility of retaliatory attacks against Palestinians by settlers. "The cycle of violence - he said - confirms that a lasting and comprehensive peace is the shortcut for security and stability".



The attack last night in Bnei Brak is the third in a week of blood in Israel, under terrorist attack under the shadow of ISIS, with a toll of 11 murdered citizens. The first attack in Beersheva, on March 22, killed four; another attack in Hadera, on March 27, killed two people. The first images posted on social media of the attack last night showed a terrorist mercilessly chasing a passerby and then killing him with a machine gun as others fled, desperately looking for shelter. One of the attackers is a Palestinian identified as Dia Hamarsha, 27, from the village of Yabed, near Jenin, in the north of the West Bank. Eye witnesses said he arrived by motorcycle. He was killed after the attack.



During the night, Israeli security forces, at the indication of intelligence services, arrested five people in the West Bank suspected of involvement in the attack. The suspects arrested include the brother of Dia Hamarsha. The arrests, the army said, were carried out in areas of the West Bank including the village of Yabed, from which Hamarsha came. Troops decided to guard the house ahead of a possible demolition.




ATHENS - Greece's National Transparency Authority (EAD) has rejected reports of illegal pushbacks following the completion of what it described as an in-depth, four-month investigation into reports from non-profit organization LightHouse Reports.



The country's independent authority for transparency said in a media statement that it has found no basis for the claims made by Dutch-based Lighthouse Reports that Greek authorities have illegally pushed back asylum-seekers trying to enter the country from Turkey.



"Upon completion of the examination process and the laboratory examination of the relevant material, no supporting evidence emerged," the EAD's media statement said.



The EAD's group of inspectors and auditors began the investigation, of which the purpose was to check the management of migration flows in Greece by all the competent national bodies, on 15.11.2021, and it was completed on 24.03.2022.



The probe was a result of a publication by Lighthouse Reports, in collaboration with other foreign media, entitled "Unmasking Europe's shadow armies", in which there were allegations of informal forced returns (repatriations) of illegal immigrants carried out by operational actions by the relevant national bodies on maritime and land borders.



"The allegations in the repatriation report were thoroughly investigated, based on a structured control program developed following a study of the national, EU and international legal framework, and an evaluation of the publication information," said the EAD statement.



The statement mentioned that on-site visits and forensic studies were carried out at critical points of exercise from political border guards, and interviews-examinations were also conducted with officers, residents and migrants on islands of the North and South Aegean (Mytilene-Samos-Kos-Rhodes and in Kastelorizo), and in the Prefecture of Evros (Alexandroupoli-Orestiada-Didymoteicho).



"In order to investigate the allegations and to collect the documentation data mentioned by Lighthouse Reports, the EAD audit team contacted the stakeholders in order to seek and provide usable documentation, and follow-up documentation in a macroscopic and laboratory examination of the provided data (video and photographic material), with the assistance of the Directorate of Criminological Investigations (DEE) of the Hellenic Police, in order to verify the authenticity of the material, as well as the existence of identifying such things as timestamps, geographical locations, etc.) of the available audiovisual archives." "From all the testimonies and other data taken into account in the research, it was found that a structured process flow is included, integrated in a strict protocol of coordinated actions, which constitute the framework of activity of the relevant authorities. Regarding the content of the publication from Lighthouse Reports, the information contained in this publication about illegal forced returns was not confirmed, since after the completion of the control program and the laboratory examinations of the relevant material, no documentary evidence emerged," concluded the statement.



Greece has been a major entry point to Europe for those people fleeing the Middle East, Asia and Africa since the peak of the refugee crisis in 2015.



In recent months Greece has been embroiled repeatedly in a war of words with Turkey, with the latter, as well as human rights groups, accusing the former of illegally sending back asylum-seekers who have reached Greek shores by dumping them back at sea. In contrast, Greece has accused Turkey of supporting illegal smuggling networks trying to send undocumented and illegal migrants to Greece.



Greece's government announced a 79% decrease in refugees and migrants on its islands for the first month of 2022, and a 51% drop in the asylum seeker population of the country overall in the latest official figures released at the end of February, Greece continues to be one of the main routes into the European Union for asylum-seekers trying to get into the bloc from neighboring Turkey.



Thousands of people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia continue to try and attempt to reach the European Union through Greece, with many making the short but often perilous journey in unseaworthy vessels and dinghies from the Turkish coast to the nearby Greek islands of Lesvos, Chios and Samos.



While the UNHCR and even the EU have also voiced concern over repeated allegations of pushbacks at sea by Greece, in a series of investigations, Brussels has exonerated its Frontex agency from any complicity in any such activity.



Similarly, Greece's New Democracy government has been particularly active and vocal on the refugee issue, introducing stricter security measures and focusing on battling criminal gangs involved in illegal migration.
PARIS - The French Bishops' Conference (CEF) has set up nine working groups, including on the education of future priests, confession and support for bishops, as part of the fight against sexual violence in the Church. These groups, CEF explained, were promised in November by bishops gathered in Lourdes in the framework of the fight against abuse. Composed by deacons, priests and bishops, as well as laymen and women - including some victims - each group will be led by lay people. They now have one year of time to work on different themes, including "sharing good practices when dealing with reported cases" of violence, vocation and the "training of future priests", "accompanying reported priests". The conclusions of the work are expected in the spring of 2023.



On March 25, CEF inaugurated a website to follow the implementation of pledges made by bishops in 2021 to support victims. Last November, in Lourdes, CEF recognized the "institutional responsibility" of the Church in crimes of pedophilia, one month after the release of a special report on sexual abuse by the French independent commission, chaired by Jean-Marc Sauve. The research revealed the extent of sexual abuse against minors in the Church over the last 70 years: 330,000 minors were victims of priests, members of the Church at different levels and lay people.



Several appeals have been launched in Italy to follow this example, setting up a similar independent commission, under the hashtag '#ItalyChurchToo'. In practice, the website (https://abus quefaitleglise.catholique.fr/) indicates progress on each pledge made last year by CEF with the mention "done", "ongoing", "waiting", "to be made". Pledges include the implementation of a national body to pay back victims as well as a fund to finance it.




RIYADH - The Saudi-led coalition backing the Yemeni government against Houthi rebels has announced a ceasefire starting on Wednesday, during the month of fasting Ramadan while talks are expected in Riyadh. "The coalition announces a ceasefire of military operations in Yemen, starting at 06:00 (03:00 GMT) on Wednesday, March 30, 2022", according to a statement released by the Saudi news agency. The ceasefire "coincides with the start of consultations among Yemenis, with the objective of creating favorable conditions for the holy month of Ramadan to proceed in peace", added the command of the coalition in the statement.



Ramadan starts at the beginning of April in the Muslim world.



Riyadh will host talks sponsored by the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes six countries, but without the participation of Houthis who have refused to enter "enemy" territory. "I am very grateful for the unanimous support expressed by efforts of the United Nations for an immediate de-escalation and a political solution to the conflict", tweeted before the announcement of the ceasefire the UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg.



Houthi rebels, after carrying out 16 attacks on Friday, announced Saturday a three-day unilateral truce. Insurgents, backed by Iran, offered to make the truce permanent if Riyadh removes the "blockade" on Yemen, ceases air raids and withdraws its forces from the country, at war since 2014. The international coalition controls the airspace and expeditions from Yemen and only United Nations flights are allowed to go through the airport of Sanaa.




Alan Cumming will play Robert Burns in a solo show at this years Edinburgh Festival, which is set to welcome more than 2,300 artists to the Scottish capital.

Burn, inspired by the life of the poet, is likely to be one of the highlights of the three-week festival in August.

The festival is returning to a scale not seen since before the pandemic, with 14 venues hosting 87 events and more than 160 performances.

Marco will open the Edinburgh International Festival (Edinburgh International Festival/Darcy Grant/PA)

Fergus Linehan, who will be serving as its director for the final time before handing over the reigns to Nicola Benedetti, said this is a special year for the festival.

We hope that it will mark the turning point in the pandemic that has changed all our lives over the past two years, he said.

Edinburgh is more than a collection of performances, it is the great annual meeting point for artists and all those who love music, theatre, dance, and literature.

At the festival this year, Marco, a free opening event at Murrayfield stadium, will feature contemporary circus Gravity & Other Myths alongside first nations dance company Djuki Mala, and the National Youth Choir of Scotland alongside a roster of Scottish musicians.

Jazz legend Herbie Hancock will be making his festival debut, while Akram Khans Jungle Book Reimagined will reinvent the journey of Mowgli though the eyes of a climate refugee, and there will be the world premiere of Scottish Ballets Coppelia.

The 2022 Edinburgh International Festival programme is here  We celebrate 75 years of #EdIntFest this August with world premieres, bold collaborations & world-class artists in Edinburgh's iconic theatres & concert halls. Discover the programme now: https://t.co/i57h87Jy3k pic.twitter.com/Xz8BT1wdp2  edintfest (@edintfest) March 30, 2022

Refuge, a season of contemporary theatre, dance, visual art, film and conversation created in collaboration with the Scottish Refugee Council, will explore themes of refugeehood, migration, identity and inclusion.

Ian Munro, chief executive of Creative Scotland, said the 75th festival anniversary programme represents an important moment, bringing people together to celebrate creativity through an inspirational line-up of world-class music, opera, dance and theatre.

He added: Seventy-five years on from the festivals founding in the shadow of the Second World War, we find ourselves again turning to culture to lift spirits and provide inspiration in uncertain and challenging times.
Michael Gove met members of a Ukrainian community group in Edinburgh to discuss his Homes for Ukraine scheme.

The scheme, designed to allow Ukrainians with no family links to come to Britain and be hosted by members of the public, who will be paid 350 per month for doing so, has come under fire since it launched more than two weeks ago for not issuing enough visas.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also warned of the danger of scheme turning into Tinder for sex traffickers.

But the Secretary of State for Housing and Communities said he discussed with members of the Edinburgh Ukrainian Club how to make the scheme even better.

Speaking outside the club on Wednesday, Mr Gove said: I have just been talking to some wonderful representatives of the Ukrainian community here in Scotland and we have been discussing how we can make sure the Homes for Ukraine scheme works even better.

Theres been an amazing outpouring of generosity on behalf of people in Scotland and across the UK, and this UK-wide scheme is designed to ensure that the generosity and the good-heartedness of the British people is matched with the need of so many in Ukraine and so many in the countries adjacent to Ukraine, to provide people with a safe secure home.

Earlier, the Home Office said just 2,700 visas have been granted to people wanting to come to the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, despite applications reaching 28,300.

SNP MP Stuart McDonald said the visa figures are desperately poor and highlight the UK Governments disappointing response to the refugee crisis unfolding in Ukraine.

He added: These figures must be a wake-up call for the UK Government, and they must now heed the calls and waive requirements for Ukrainians to apply for visas in advance of their arrival in the UK, so as to facilitate speedy access to international protection and ensure people can find safety and be able to rebuild their lives.

Many Ukrainians have been advertising themselves on social media in a bid to find hosts under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, prompting concerns that the programme could expose vulnerable people to abuse.

Robina Qureshi, director of Positive Action in Housing, a refugee homelessness charity, said the credibility of the Homes for Ukraine scheme is steadily crumbling and warned of Ukrainian women, children and young people becoming prime targets on social media for criminal people traffickers.

The scheme must be stopped in its tracks and sponsorship requirements lifted to avoid endangering the lives of Ukrainian women and children, she said.

Michael Goves Homes for Ukraine Scheme has driven tens of thousands of people onto Facebook where sponsors and refugees search for each other, sharing personal information. But Europol has issued an early notification warning. https://t.co/h87tHf1p38  Positive Action in Housing #RebuildingRefugeeLives (@PositiveActionH) March 30, 2022

Twelve miles across the water, Ireland is working with NGOs, bringing in up to 200,000 people.

Yet here we have a humanitarian tragedy unfolding and this government has granted visas to only 2,700 people. Women are hiding in basements with children and asking us if the UK will take them in.

She added: This government has made a complete mockery of the refugee convention. The sincere and genuine goodwill of British people is being poured down the drain.

It was a deliberate ploy to divert goodwill down a dead end, a ruse to make people think they are helping. We are disgusted and ashamed.

There are two UK schemes for Ukrainian refugees: the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme, for which anybody with space to house a refugee can apply; and the Ukraine family scheme, for those who already have relatives in the UK.

Some 21,000 visas had been issued under the Ukraine family scheme as of Friday, and a total of 36,300 applications had been submitted, according to provisional data published on the Home Offices website.

The UN refugee agency said four million people have now fled Ukraine since Russia launched its war on February 24.
TV judge Rob Rinder has spoken of the gift and privilege of finding the grandparents of his former Strictly Come Dancing partner in Ukraine as he collected an MBE for services to Holocaust education.

The media personality, 43, warned his time in the war-torn region had showed him life can turn on a dime after witnessing families cross the border earlier in the month.

Mr Rinder had travelled to Ukraine to report on the ground, where he ended up finding his Strictly partner Oksana Plateros grandparents and aunt, who he said were in special difficulty.

Its a magical relationship which doesnt disappear, he said of his bond with Ms Platero, with whom he reached fifth place on the show in 2016.

Whilst I was there (reporting at the border), I asked what was going on with her family.

I then found out that her grandparents were in special difficulty.

Her family left with not enough medical things that they needed, a wheelchair and various things that people with disabilities need.

We were able to get that stuff to her (family) and that was a real gift and a privilege.

Angela Cohen and Rob Rinder collect their awards (Jonathan Brady/PA)

He said the dancers relatives had managed to cross the border but had been forced to leave last minute along with many others.

All of these things we see that make us think we livein the first world and so consequently, were protected or cushioned from horror, from fleeing our homes, that was true a month ago in Kyiv and Lviv a month ago.

A month later a station that was pretty much like Milton Keynes is now a border crossing with refugees.

Life can turn on a dime, and so every person crossing, every mum with their kids in Dora the Explorer backpacks, each one of them is one of us.

The great British public understand that and theyve always answered the call.

For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only Undated BBC handout photo of Oksana Platero and Judge Robert Rinder during the live show of BBC1 show, Strictly Come Dancing (Guy Levy/BBC/PA)

Mr Rinder said the experience had made him proud of being British, and that seeing so many people from the UK helping on the border was a great light in all of the darkness.

I saw in Ukraine on the borders some of the best of British everywhere, people who answered the call to be the best of who we could be.

He appeared alongside his mother, Angela Cohen, who received the same award as him, also for services to Holocaust education.

Ms Cohen said that her work heading the 45 Aid society, a charity set up in 1963 by Holocaust survivors, had made clear the importance of welcoming those fleeing conflict.

Standing alongside her son, she said: I think that everything thats happening in the Ukraine is a lesson that we have to welcome everybody into this country like it happened for my father, she said.

The mother and son duo appeared together in the 2019 BBC series My Family, The Holocaust And Me, which explored the stories of Jewish families.

Robert Rinder (Steve Parsons/PA)

Mr Rinder said their mission had been to teach the world what happens when we forget history.

He added that although it was important to avoid mak(ing) equivalencies or politicising too heavily, the current conflict in Ukraine meant now more than ever (we should) remember what happens when were too complacent.

Mr Rinder previously traced his own familys roots in an episode of Who Do You Think You Are?, making new discoveries about his grandfather, Morris Malenicky, a survivor of two concentration camps.

Ms Cohen said her father Mr Malenicky would have been so proud to see his daughter and grandson both receive royal honours together, something she said he couldnt even have dreamed of.

It has been utterly overwhelming, and probably one of the most amazing days of my life, she said.
Vladimir Putins forces have suffered heavy losses in Ukraine, with troops forced to return to Russia and Belarus to resupply, according to UK defence intelligence analysis.

The issues Russia has faced with the invasion could result in an increased reliance on mass artillery and missile bombardments, something which could increase the risk of civilian casualties in Ukrainian cities which have already endured weeks of shelling.

The latest defence assessment came as Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said there was obviously scepticism about Moscows pledge to scale back some military operations around Ukraines capital Kyiv.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine  30 March 2022 Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/ete9x5Ty71  #StandWithUkraine  pic.twitter.com/202UH5Uz8t  Ministry of Defence  (@DefenceHQ) March 30, 2022

The Russians said the move was intended to increase mutual trust in face-to-face peace talks which resumed in Istanbul on Tuesday.

But Mr Raab told Sky News: We judge the Russian military machine by its actions, not its words. There is obviously scepticism that it will regroup to attack again.

The door to diplomacy will always be left ajar but I dont think you can trust what is coming out of the mouth of Putins war machine.

Mr Raab said reports that Russia was planning to deploy mercenaries from the Wagner Group and from Syria could be a sign of Russian weakness.

It is a worrying sign but it also probably shows you how dependent they have become on other fighters because of the weakness and fragility of the professional forces  and they are reliant on conscripts  which we are starting to see play out a bit in Ukraine, he said.

Certainly the Russian war machine, which had a pretty fearsome reputation, has been found to stutter and stumble, in at least the early stages of this campaign.

In its latest intelligence assessment, the Ministry of Defence said the shift in Russian attack, from trying to besiege Kyiv to focusing on the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine was likely a tacit admission that it is struggling to sustain more than one significant axis of advance.

Russian units suffering heavy losses have been forced to return to Belarus and Russia to reorganise and resupply, the MoD said.

Such activity is placing further pressure on Russias already strained logistics and demonstrates the difficulties Russia is having reorganising its units in forward areas within Ukraine.

Russia will likely continue to compensate for its reduced ground manoeuvre capability through mass artillery and missile strikes.

The UKs ambassador to Ukraine, Melinda Simmons, characterised the approach as pull back troops to resupply them, meanwhile pound Kyiv from the air.

Pull back troops to resupply them, meanwhile pound Kyiv from the air. https://t.co/sjjrJJ1Clh  Melinda Simmons (@MelSimmonsFCDO) March 30, 2022

Following Tuesdays peace talks, Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky said: Yes, we can call positive the signals we hear from the negotiating platform.

But these signals do not silence the explosion of Russian shells.
British judges will be withdrawn from serving in Hong Kongs top court because of concerns about the erosion of human rights.

The Foreign Office said it was no longer tenable for serving UK judges to sit in the court because of the impact of the national security law imposed by Beijing.

President of the Supreme Court Lord Reed and deputy president Lord Hodge have both now quit as non-permanent judges at the Hong Kong court.

UK judges had continued to sit in the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal since the territory was handed back to China in 1997.

China continues to use the National Security Law to grossly undermine Hong Kongs fundamental rights and freedoms. I have concluded that it is no longer tenable for British judges to sit on the Hong Kongs leading court. @uksupremecourt https://t.co/Dd2nkMR0M0 pic.twitter.com/RzQPwjhHJC  Liz Truss (@trussliz) March 30, 2022

But Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said their presence risked legitimising oppression because of the Hong Kong authorities actions, including restrictions on freedom of expression, the stifling of opposition voices, and the criminalising of dissent.

She said: We have seen a systematic erosion of liberty and democracy in Hong Kong.

Since the national security law was imposed, authorities have cracked down on free speech, the free press and free association.

The situation has reached a tipping point where it is no longer tenable for British judges to sit on Hong Kongs leading court, and would risk legitimising oppression.

I welcome and wholeheartedly support the decision to withdraw British judges from the court.

Updated statement from the President of the UK Supreme Court, on the role of serving UK judges on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal https://t.co/RAFNI5dpGy  UK Supreme Court (@UKSupremeCourt) March 30, 2022

The decision to pull serving UK judges from Hong Kongs top court was taken following discussions with Justice Secretary Dominic Raab and Lord Reed.

The Supreme Court president said: The courts in Hong Kong continue to be internationally respected for their commitment to the rule of law.

Nevertheless, I have concluded, in agreement with the Government, that the judges of the Supreme Court cannot continue to sit in Hong Kong without appearing to endorse an administration which has departed from values of political freedom, and freedom of expression, to which the justices of the Supreme Court are deeply committed.

Mr Raab said: Since 2020 and the introduction of the national security law, our assessment of the situation in Hong Kong is that it has shifted too far from the freedoms that we hold dear  making free expression and honest critique of the state a criminal offence.

This flies in the face of the handover agreement we have had with China since 1997 and, having discussed at length with the Foreign Secretary and the president of the Supreme Court, we regretfully agree that it is no longer appropriate for serving UK judges to continue sitting in Hong Kong courts.

I thank our judges for being a bastion of international rule of law in Hong Kong over the past 25 years.
In his corner. Hayden Panettiere is standing firmly by her on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, after he was involved in a bar fight, an insider exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly.

Read article

Hayden says people can learn from their mistakes, the source says of the Nashville alum, 32. She swears that Brian has changed for the better since being in jail, and anger management classes have taught him to control his temper.

The South Carolina native, 30, got into a brawl with fellow patrons at the Sunset Marquis hotel in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 24. The duo were dining at the hotels restaurant when Hickerson made a comment to an individual about leaving the waitress a poor tip, Panettieres representative told Us in a statement one day later. That same individual along with the group he was with began badgering and shoving Brian at which point security pushed everyone outside.

The former Heroes star was seemingly knocked to the ground after trying to break up the fight, but her rep said she was unharmed during the incident.

Hayden was shouting and screaming at the group. Regardless of who started it, its not a good look, the first source tells Us. She has her own issues and insecurities, and she and Brian make a bad combo.

Read article

The insider claims that the Scream 4 actress has cut friends and peers who are anti-Brian out of her life. Shes become secretive with other friends, the source adds. She takes ages to respond and sends one-word answers by text and cryptic messages.

Shutterstock; MEGA

The Lip Sync Battle alum and Hickerson have had their share of ups and downs since they started dating in August 2018 following her split from ex-fiance Wladimir Klitschko. The New York native and the former boxer, 46, share daughter Kaya, 7.

In November 2018, police officers responded to a call about a domestic assault in progress following an alleged altercation between Hickerson and his father in South Carolina. Six months later, Hickerson was arrested for domestic violence after police found redness and marks on Panettiere following an alleged argument between the couple.

Hickerson was later charged with felony domestic violence, and a prosecutor-requested protective order mandated that he could not come within 100 yards of Panettiere or contact her via phone, email or third party. In September 2019, however, the charges against him were dropped.

Read article

The actor was arrested a second time in July 2020 after allegedly punching the Ice Princess star in the face. He was charged with eight counts counts of domestic violence and assault. Nine months later, he pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend, and the remaining six counts against him were dismissed. He served 33 days in prison and was also placed on four years probation and required to pay a $500 fine.

After Hickersons second arrest, Panettiere told Us that she wanted to help others learn how to escape abusive partners. I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve, she said at the time. I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again. Im grateful for my support system, which helped me find the courage to regain my voice and my life.

For more on Panettieres relationship with Hickerson, watch the video above and pick up the new issue of Us Weekly, on stands now.

If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
Billy Crystal and Jimmy Kimmel at the 2022 Critics Choice Awards. (Photo: Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Champagne Collet & OBC Wines)

Oscars co-host Amy Schumer had one of the nights best ad libs when she reappeared on the telecast about 15 minutes after Will Smith shocked the world  including all of those seated inside the Kodak Theatre... minus Questlove  by slapping presenter Chris Rock when the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smiths shaved head.

Did I miss anything?, Schumer quipped, breaking (some) of the tension in the room. Theres a different vibe in here.

Former Oscar hosts have weighed in, too, in the days since.

That includes one of the most beloved emcees of all time, Billy Crystal, who mentioned the instantly infamous moment during a curtain call for the final dress rehearsal of his new Broadway musical adaptation, Mr. Saturday Night.

We got through a show and no one got slapped, cracked Crystal to laughs and cheers in a video posted on the shows Twitter (watch below). Unbelievable.

Crystal hosted the Oscars nine times between 1990 and 2012 (second most to Bob Hopes 19), bringing a blend of quick wit and humorous song-and-dance parodies that earned him critical acclaim, high ratings and four Emmys.

Other former hosts to speak publicly about the incident include Jimmy Kimmel and Whoopi Goldberg  which makes sense considering both have talk shows. (In a viral tweet Sunday night, Conan OBrien  who has hosted the Emmy but not the Oscars  joked, Just saw the Will Smith slap. Anyone have a late night show I can borrow just for tomorrow?).

Kimmel, who hosted consecutive Oscars telecasts in 2017 and 2018, appeared on The Bill Simmons Podcast, where he expressed shock over Smiths violence. Kimmel called Smith the nicest guy in Hollywood and suggested the moment was both shocking and surreal as it would have been had Tom Hanks done the same thing.

Kimmel also spent a large portion of his monologue Monday night breaking down The Slap, which occurred just across the street from his Hollywood Boulevard headquarters.

Its now part of our lives forever, we will never stop talking about this, Kimmel said. It was so shocking the only thing that I can really compare it to is when Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfields ears. Even Kanye was like, You went on stage and did what at an awards show?'

And the weirdest part is that initially Will Smith laughed at that joke. But then he mustve looked over and noticed that Jada was not amused and was like, Uh-oh, I better do something. And boy did he do something.

Kimmel also commended Rock, saying he handled it about as well as you could possibly handle being slapped on stage at the Oscars. He didnt even flinch when Will slapped him, Kimmel said. I wouldve been crying so hard.

Kimmel knows a thing or two about shocking Oscars moments. He was host of the 2017 telecast when Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway mistakenly named La La Land, not actual winner Moonlight, Best Picture in 2017.

Im a little bummed cause now Ive only hosted the second craziest Oscars of all time, he mused.

Four-time Oscars host and one-time winner Goldberg dissected the stunning moment with her cohosts on The View on segments airing Monday and Tuesday.

I think it was a lot of stuff probably built up, Goldberg said, like Kimmel, noting Rock had previously taken a jab at Pinkett Smith at the 2016 Oscars. I think he had one of those moments where it was just like, Just stop. I get it, not everybody acts the way we would like them to under pressure. Some people just snap. He snapped.

The co-hosts also wondered what kind of penalty Smith could face.

Were not going to take that Oscar from him, said Goldberg who is not only an Academy member but also sits on the Board of Governors. There will be consequences, Im sure, but I dont think thats what theyll do  particularly because Chris said, Listen, Im not pressing any charges.

Then on Tuesdays show, after Smith issued an apology on social media, Goldberg said she accepted his mea culpa, because I know how important it is to have people to say, I hear you.
LONDON/ZURICH/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Yevgeny Chichvarkin, a telecoms tycoon who fled Russia in 2008 and became a high-profile London restaurateur, has long been a vocal supporter of Ukraine.

Together with wife Tatiana Fokina, the multimillionaire says he has sent four truckloads of medical and protective equipment to Poland to help Ukrainians since the Russian invasion on Feb. 24.

Chichvarkin, a burly man with a waxed moustache, said he drove the first load himself.

But the 48-year-old entrepreneur, a long-time critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said he has just unexpectedly had one of his Swiss bank accounts frozen. He declined to say by which bank.

Chichvarkin is one of a growing number of Russians living abroad who are finding issues accessing their money, even when they are not the direct targets of Western sanctions.

Reuters interviews with nine Russians living overseas - as well as their wealth managers, lawyers, tax advisers, real estate and art brokers - suggest that Western sanctions meant to punish Putin's inner circle are also broadly ensnaring Russian passport holders.

Four Russians living overseas with dual citizenship described banks freezing their accounts or payments in London, Zurich and Paris. One wealthy emigre in London said he had switched to cash to make purchases and was keeping a low profile.

Two wealth advisors and a lawyer described applications for bank accounts by Russian clients being rejected. Banks said they were taking extra precautions with Russian money. And three brokers said some real estate and art deals had stalled.

A Canadian-American lawyer said his Russian clients were afraid to take international trips for fear of being stopped at customs as Western banks cast a wide blanket of suspicion on Russian money - even donations to charities. Dual passports no longer provide escape routes as they once did.

"I am dealing with Russians who can't get out of hotels, students who have no money because credit cards are valueless," said Bob Amsterdam, a founding partner of Washington- and London-based law firm Amsterdam & Partners.

"Banks ... are refusing Russians bank accounts: they are closing their doors to Russians on nationality," said Amsterdam, who is based in London. "Leading law firms in the City have closed their doors to Russians in terms of nationality."

'YOU NEED TO BE VERY QUIET'

Several lawyers representing wealthy Russians in Europe spoke about a pervasive climate of distrust. One tax and wealth planning expert, who asked not to be named due to a climate that she said penalized association with Russia, said that Russians were being scrutinized regardless of their place of residence or wealth.

"Currently, everything that is Russian is toxic, which means that everyone is trying to be extremely, extremely careful in terms of what to do with Russian clients," said the lawyer, a dual Russian and British citizen, who runs a law firm in Zurich.

Journalist Elena Servettaz, a dual citizen who has lived in France since 2005, said French bank Credit Mutuel rejected a transfer of less than 1,000 euros to her account  money sent to her from London to support Ukrainian refugee aid efforts.

When Servettaz called the bank, she was told the transaction had been flagged due to her Russian nationality. Servettaz received the money more than a week later.

"It's so unfair when you are part of the Russian opposition, you're helping Ukrainian refugees, and they're saying you're Russian so you can't have your money," Servettaz said.

Credit Mutuel said that European banks were obliged to apply "the greatest prudence" in scrutinising transactions that could be affected by E.U. sanctions, and that additional checks required to ensure compliance could lead to delays, though it was doing its best to limit the effects on customers.

A Credit Mutuel spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the situation relating to Servetta "was quickly resolved once the customer sent us the requested information."

Reuters reported this month that European Union regulators have told some banks to scrutinise transactions by all Russian and Belarusian clients, including EU residents.

Some wealth managers in Europe have sought to distance themselves from economic and political fallout. Switzerland's Julius Baer this month began blocking new business with Russian clients, two sources familiar with the operations said. UBS CEO Ralph Hamers said all Russian passport holders have effectively become semi-sanctioned.

Julius Baer said it was not accepting new Russian clients with a Russian domicile but continued to serve existing Russian clients "in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations or sanctions."

Russian writer Grigory Chkhartishvili, who lives in London and whose last name is Georgian, successfully transferred a sum of money through British bank Barclays to support his Ukrainian refugee assistance charity, True Russia.

But his wife, whose last name is Russian, was blocked by Barclays when attempting to send money to the same charity, he said. The bank requested a face-to-face interview with her.

"My sum was ten times bigger, but it was no problem," Chkhartishvili said. "It shows the atmosphere."

Chkhartishvili said his wife, who declined to be interviewed by Reuters and asked for her name not to be made public, had told him she was able to transfer the money the next day after she called the bank and explained that she was helping Ukrainian refugees.

Barclays did not respond to a request for comment.

A wealthy Russian oil and banking magnate, who asked not to be identified so he could speak freely about his financial situation, said he felt he had become "collateral damage" from Russia's invasion - which Moscow calls a "special operation".

Based in London for three decades, he said he still had businesses in Russia and was anxious about greater financial restrictions, despite not being on a sanctions list.

"I have some savings," he said, adding he was considering selling European assets. "You need to live out of cash ... You need to be very quiet."

'RUSSOPHOBIA'

In the basement of one of his newest ventures, The White Horse pub in London's upmarket Mayfair district, Chichvarkin says he is confident his lawyers will be able to unfreeze his Swiss bank account.

It is the only account of his that has been frozen, he said. He believes that is because it is the only one he opened with a Russian passport.

At the same time, Chichvarkin believes his and his wife's opposition to Putin and the war, as well as their vocal support for Ukraine, has helped protect their businesses from anti-Russian hostility by customers and the public, stirred by what Fokina calls "Putin's war".

Still, their Michelin-starred restaurant Hide - which they own alongside wine boutique Hedonism Wines, where a bottle can cost 124,000 pounds ($163,500) - received a one-star Google review about two weeks into the war, Fokina's assistant said.

The rare poor review, among 1,767 others that give the restaurant an average 4.5-star rating, said simply: "Russian owned". It has since been removed.

"You read about people cancelling Tchaikovsky concerts, people vandalising Russian food shops," said Fokina. "This is London 2022. How did we get here so quickly?"

(Additional reporting by Valentina Za in Milan, Michele Kambas in Cyprus, Elizabeth Howcroft and Sinead Cruise in London; Writing by Silvia Aloisi; Editing by Leela de Kretser and Daniel Wallis)
A 14-year-old boy, who became paralyzed after a tornado tore through his home in December, has walked out of the hospital.

Kyle Koehn and his family's home in Dresden, Tennessee, was leveled during a tornado that ripped through four states last year.

[I] heard the house start splintering and thats the last we remember until we woke up in the field, his father, Darwin, told St. Louis NBC affiliate KSDK.

Most of Kyles family wound up about 180 feet from the home, while he landed a few yards away.

He was moaning, Darwin said. And I said right there, That boy is hurt bad.'

Kyle says that he didn't recall much of the pain right after it happened, but he remembers it being "cold" and "wet."

Two weeks later, Kyle was taken to Ranken-Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.

He had a fracture that involved every vertebrae in his back, said Dr. Connie Simmons, a pediatrician at Ranken-Jordan. He had no feeling from his belly button, basically, down.

Kyle Koehn learns to walk again alongside staff at Ranken-Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. (KSDK)

Kyle quickly realized that learning to walk again was not going to be easy, but his team pushed him to keep going.

Theyll make you do stuff that you think is really hard," Kyle mentioned. "But theyll make you do it."

Kyle's family also couldnt be with him during the first half of his recovery because his parents were tending to their own injuries from the tornado back home.

The first time we saw him was here six weeks later, his mother, Kimberly, said. Thats how long it took for us to recover enough to travel up here.

Despite the obstacles, Kyle persevered, going on a treadmill and working with therapists to walk down stairs.

We knew that this was a kid that was going to fight hard, Simmons said.

Three months after the incident, Kyle was discharged and walked out of the hospital. His school chartered a bus to drive to St. Louis so his friends and family could greet him when walking out of the hospital.

In addition to his community, Kyle remains grateful for all the support hes received from his team of doctors and therapists.

Theyve been wonderful, couldnt ask for better, he said.

And while Kyle's road to recovery is still underway, Simmons remains hopeful that he will "continue to improve" and "return to some fun teenage activities."
FILE - A healthcare worker fills a syringe with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Jackson Memorial Hospital on Oct. 5, 2021, in Miami. A federal judge in Texas is barring the Navy from taking action for now against sailors who have objected to being vaccinated against COVID-19 on religious grounds. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

In a flurryof federal action, two of the nations top health agencies authorized and expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to allow older Americans to receive a second booster shot.

Last week the Food and Drug Administration authorized a second dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna shot for people 50 or older at least four months after their first.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on the authorization several hours later.

The agencys director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said the additional booster is especially important for people 65 or older and those 50 or older who have underlying medical conditions that increase their risk of severe disease from COVID-19.

HOW DOES COVID-19 AFFECT ME?Dont miss an update with USA TODAYs free Coronavirus Watch newsletter

They are the most likely to benefit from receiving an additional booster dose at this time, she said in a statement.

Here's what to know about booster shots:

Who can get a second COVID-19 booster of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines?

Anyone 50 or older who has gotten any approved or authorized primary COVID-19 vaccine series and a booster dose is eligible for a second booster of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna at least four months after receiving their first.

Although the CDC expanded booster eligibility, the agency said the second shot is especially important for those 65 and older and those 50 and older with underlying medical conditions.

Anyone immunocompromised and age 12 or older is eligible for another dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and immunocompromised adults can also receive the Moderna vaccine.

For the immunocompromised, the initial vaccination course is three doses. They have been allowed since last fall to get a first booster, or fourth dose, and are entitled to a fifth, CDC spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund confirmed.

What qualifies as an underlying medical condition?'

Studies have shown that people who have certain medical conditions are more at risk of developing severe disease from COVID-19, according to the CDC.

These medical conditions include obesity, diabetes, chronic lung, kidney or liver disease, heart disease, smoking, pregnancy and many mental health conditions.

The CDC completed a review for each medical condition to ensure it met the criteria to be included on the list but urged people to talk with their health care provider about their risk as some medical conditions may not appear on the list.

Can people who received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine get a second booster?

People who received initial doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine can receive a second booster dose, Nordlund said. The J&J vaccine was initially a one-shot vaccine, though studies suggested that two doses were needed to provide the same protection as the other two authorized vaccines.

J&J recipients have been eligible since last fall to get a second shot, and the CDC recommended they receive an mRNA vaccine for their second dose. They can receive a third shot, with either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, Nordlund said.

Can pregnant people get a second booster?

Only people over 12 moderately or severely immunocompromised are eligible for a second booster dose, the CDC says.

Although the agency considers pregnancy an underlying condition, pregnant people are not considered immunocompromised and are not eligible for the second booster dose if they're under the age of 50.

Where can you get a second COVID-19 booster?

CVS and Walgreens, the nation's top two pharmacies, said they're accepting appointments and administering second booster doses.

Eligible Americans can go online or use the pharmacies' mobile applications to schedule their shot. Same-day or walk-in vaccination appointments are possible at both pharmacies but are subject to local demand.

The Biden administration also announced last week it is launching an online one-stop center, COVID.gov, that will enable people to access pharmacies and quickly find information about COVID-19 vaccines.

What does the data say about a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine?

There is no data suggesting that healthy people will significantly benefit from a fourth dose or how long the fourth dose would last.

Some data suggests a second booster shot would help combat fading immunity after the third shot.

The FDA cited an ongoing study among Israeli health care workers, 154 of whom received a fourth shot with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 120 who were boosted a second time with Moderna.

Two weeks later, both groups saw at least a tenfold increase in levels of antibodies capable of fighting off COVID-19, while antibody levels continued to fall among those who didn't receive an additional booster. No new safety concerns were raised in either group.

Other studies, some not officially peer-reviewed and published, show vaccine effectiveness declines three to six months after the initial booster, and a second booster can improve protection against severe disease.

Contributing: Karen Weintraub and Michael Collins

Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.

Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID-19 vaccine second booster: Who can get Pfizer, Moderna 4th shot?
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  Infowars host Alex Jones offered to pay $120,000 per plaintiff to resolve a lawsuit by relatives of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims who said he defamed them by asserting the massacre never happened, according to court filings Tuesday. The offer was quickly rejected by the families.

A Connecticut judge found Jones liable for damages in November, and a trial is planned to determine how much he should pay the families.

The plaintiffs said they have been subjected to harassment and death threats from Jones followers because of the hoax conspiracy promoted on his show.

The court filings posted online said: Mr. Jones extends his heartfelt apology for any distress his remarks caused.

Last week Jones defied a court order to attend a deposition near his home in Austin, Texas, to provide testimony ahead of the trial. Jones said he was ill. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday on a request by the plaintiffs to sanction Jones for not cooperating.

Lawyers for the families rejected the settlement offer within a few hours, saying in court filings that it was a transparent and desperate attempt by Alex Jones to escape a public reckoning under oath with his deceitful, profit-driven campaign against the plaintiffs and the memory of their loved ones lost at Sandy Hook.

Twenty first graders and six educators were killed in the 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The families of eight of the victims and an FBI agent who responded to the school sued Jones, Infowars and others in Connecticut over the hoax conspiracy. Jones has since said he believes the shooting did occur.

Jones also was found liable for damages in similar lawsuits filed in Texas by relatives of Sandy Hook victims, and also faces trial later this year.
The body of a civilian on a destroyed bridge overlooking the Irpin River in Irpin, Ukraine. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

With rare speed, the U.S. government has determined that Russian forces are committing war crimes as they attempt to bombard Ukraine into submission, a brutal onslaught that has displaced millions and likely killed thousands of civilians.

But even after egregious actions, war crimes prosecutions are methodical endeavors that can last for more than a decade before perpetrators are brought to justice  if they ever are.

Something different, though, is occurring with Ukraine, legal and human rights experts say. Thanks to smartphones, social media and the publicity savvy and pointed eagerness of Ukrainian officials, evidence of potential war crimes is being compiled even as they unfold.

Its all happening in real time, said Jane E. Stromseth, a professor of international law and human rights at Georgetown University, who previously worked on global justice for the State Department.

This will allow investigators to build cases more rapidly than in previous theaters of war crimes, such as the Balkans or Sudan or Rwanda, all in the 1990s and early 2000s.

It took more than a decade to indict, capture and try the former president of Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milosevic, who gave the world the term ethnic cleansing in his campaign to eliminate Muslim Bosnians. Milosevic died in his cell at The Hague in 2006 during his trial.

Omar Bashir, the former president of Sudan, was free for more than a decade after the International Criminal Court, the lead institution for adjudicating war crimes, indicted him on charges of murder, torture and rape in Darfur. He awaits trial but conditions are being negotiated between Sudan and the court.

A boy sits is among Ukrainian refugees waiting to be transported after crossing the border in Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Real-time access to witnesses, video

Unlike in those cases, investigators now also have real-time access to witnesses, thanks to the nearly 3 million Ukrainians who fled the country in just the first weeks of the war. Most are in neighboring NATO country Poland, where the ICC has already sent a team of investigators after opening a formal inquiry. Those who fled can give fresh testimony to help document what has happened on the ground in Kyiv, Mariupol, Chernihiv, Kherson and dozens of other ravaged cities and towns.

None of this means President Vladimir Putin or any other senior Russian commander or official will necessarily be in the dock anytime soon. But there is hope for some progress among many advocates and legal experts.

There is not a time lag, and there is a prospect for justice, Stromseth said in an interview.

At the same time, there is a downside to the abundance of available material, said Aisling Reidy, a legal advisor to Human Rights Watch.

"Getting hold of evidence is both easier and harder, said Reidy, who recalled having to use radios to communicate with co-workers during the conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo. Now, the quantity of videos, testimonies and other material is often polluted with disinformation, which Russians especially are masterful at propagating, and investigators have to sort though all of it.

Residents of Irpin, Ukraine, evacuate as Russian forces advance and continue to bombard the town with artillery on March 6. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

U.S. accuses Russia

Both President Biden and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken earlier this month said they "personally" believed Putin to be a war criminal. On March 23, the State Department formally announced it had determined that Russian forces were committing war crimes in repeated attacks on civilian targets.

"The deliberate targeting of civilians is a war crime," Samantha Power, head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, whose 2002 book on genocide won a Pulitzer Prize, said that day on Twitter. "From attacking a maternity hospital to a theater full of sheltering civilians, Russias playbook is the same as in Chechnya & Syria: break the will of the people."

U.S. officials said an advantage to the swift denouncement of war crimes is to put the Russians on notice and give succor to the Ukrainians, as well as to preserve evidence.

"Its also extremely important to continue to document whats happening on the ground to preserve that information as potential evidence for future accountability purposes." said Beth Van Schaack, U.S. ambassador-at-large for global justice at the State Department. "We dont want to lose that evidence. We dont want that evidence to be tampered with."

When Milosevic-backed Serbs in Bosnia, who had led the pogroms against Bosnian Muslims, realized that inspectors from a war crimes tribunal were finally going to gain access to their territory, they began digging up the mass graves where they had deposited their victims and moved them to more remote areas in hopes of concealing the slaughter. Reporters at the time, along with United Nations officials and people from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and others, were at the forefront of tracking down the new graves and eventually building cases against Milosevic, Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic and military commander Ratko Mladic.

Oksana Seychuk watches over her husband, Vasil, who was wounded by Russian bombardment in Brovary, Ukraine. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

International Criminal Court

Created in 1998 and headquartered at The Hague, the ICC evolved out of ad-hoc tribunals established by the U.N. specifically for Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Unlike those courts, however, the ICC is independent of the U.N. and its proceedings cannot be vetoed by Security Council members such as Russia.

The U.S. is pledging cooperation with the ICC on Ukraine, but it has refused to become a member state. It often resists  even attacks  the court if the ICC threatens to touch on, for example, U.S. military operations in Afghanistan or Israeli actions in the Palestinian West Bank or Gaza Strip. The U.S. tends to pick certain cases rather than lending full support to the ICC, critics say, which politicizes the court's actions.

The Trump administration went so far as to place economic sanctions on ICC prosecutors and attempt to bar them from entering the U.S.

"Hypocrisy abounds," said one human rights activist who did not want to be named to preserve a good working relationship with U.S. officials. "If you're going to be serious about war crimes, it has to be full-hearted."

Washington can provide enormous amounts of resources, money and expertise to prosecutions over Ukraine. U.S. intelligence can be especially valuable because of knowledge  after decades of espionage and surveillance  of Russian military units and command structures. That could be key to establishing accountability for war crimes: Who knew what  and ordered what actions  when?

How do you show the most senior people, up to and including President Putin, are responsible for a particular operation or decision, that day? Reidy said, pointing to the problem of determining the chain of command in specific military operations.

Russia and Ukraine are not parties to the ICC, but Ukraine has said it would accept the court's jurisdiction. While Russia would not send Putin or other senior officials to The Hague for trial, even if they were indicted, the president and others would be subject to arrest if they traveled to a country that is part of the ICC treaty. However, that is also unlikely. Bashir traveled widely after his indictment and was never arrested. Many countries seem reluctant to intervene in these cases, especially if they involve still-serving leaders.

Besides the ICC, some domestic courts can also prosecute war crimes. Citing the concept of universal justice, Spain tried and convicted a Salvadoran army officer in the murder of six Jesuit priests in that Central American country in 1989. Some of the priests were Spanish nationals. Earlier this year, a court in Germany convicted a Syrian intelligence officer for torture and other crimes committed in a Damascus detention center that he oversaw. The officer had moved to Germany and sought asylum. It is not always the case that the targets of the investigation have to be present in the country where they are being tried. They can be extradited.

Civilians, mostly women and children, crowd into a train car in Irpin, Ukraine. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

'Web of accountability'

A series of domestic courts spins a "web of accountability" across borders, Stromseth said, that complements the ICC and sends a message to "those who commit these horrific crimes that they can run but they cannot hide."

War crimes are generally defined as severe breaches of the landmark Geneva Conventions or other cannons of international humanitarian law, which govern, among other actions, how war is conducted. These include the deliberate or reckless targeting of civilians; use of chemical weapons; torture; rape as a tool of war; enslavement of occupied populations. (The use of prisoners of war in propaganda, which Ukraine has been accused of doing, is not a war crime but does violate the Geneva Conventions.)

Genocide is in a class by itself, the deliberate destruction of a racial, ethnic or religious group of people. Current examples would include China's incarceration of Muslim Uyghurs and destruction of their culture, and Myanmar's attempts to eradicate the Rohingya, both of which the U.S. has described as genocide.

Experts say there is one serious gap in the powers of the ICC: It has no jurisdiction over the crime of aggression  not the conduct of the war but the political decision that went into launching a war (or, as in this case, an invasion). Some domestic courts may be able to prosecute that crime, but they are necessarily less powerful than an international tribunal.

"My focus is on the gap" that misses the "universal" crime of aggression, said Philippe Sands, a law professor at the University College of London and head of the Centre for International Courts and Tribunals. It is "the only way to get to the political, military and intelligence leadership, and the financiers."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Asylum seekers wait to be processed and taken to holding facilities in March 2021 in Mission, Texas. The Biden administration may end a controversial coronavirus-era border policy by May. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

The Biden administration has reportedly drafted a plan to end a controversial border policy by late May that has prevented most migrants from seeking humanitarian protections at the U.S. border.

The decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is not yet final, according to people familiar with the matter, but would give officials time to prepare at the border before a change takes effect, several news organizations, including the Associated Press, reported.

Department of Homeland Security officials had been in talks for weeks over how to respond to the potential influx of asylum seekers if the policy known as Title 42 were ended. The Trump administration invoked a 1944 public health statute to quickly expel migrants either to Mexico or to their home countries, citing the need to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The CDC reassesses the need for the policy every two months and is expected to issue its latest decision this week.

Title 42 applies to adults traveling alone and to parents traveling with their children. Last year, the Biden administration exempted children traveling without a parent from being expelled under the policy.

Over the last two years, border authorities have used Title 42 to expel migrants in about 60% of encounters  more than 1.7 million expulsions  while allowing others in with humanitarian exemptions. But as the response to the pandemic changed within the U.S., officials began preparing an end to the policy.

The fact is that after more than a year in office, this administrations COVID policies remain deeply hypocritical: falsely scapegoating asylum seekers at the border for the spread of the pandemic while simultaneously removing COVID restrictions across the country, said Noah Gottschalk, global policy lead for Oxfam America, which is among the groups challenging Title 42.

Earlier this month, the CDC formally ended the policy for unaccompanied children, saying their expulsion is not warranted to protect the public health.

Meanwhile, a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., ruled that migrants cannot be expelled to places where they would be persecuted or tortured. That ruling has yet to take effect.

Without Title 42 in place, migrants would once again be able to seek asylum in the U.S. Before the policy was enacted, asylum seekers were screened to determine whether they could stay in the U.S. while their cases moved forward.

But officials worry that returning to pre-pandemic practices would strain resources at the border as high numbers of migrants attempt to enter. Seeking asylum is a legal right under U.S. and international law, regardless of how someone arrived on U.S. soil.

Last week, the Biden administration announced that it will overhaul the nations system for asylum with goals of speeding up processing at the border and alleviating immigration court backlogs. That new policy is scheduled to take effect May 28 but will initially apply only to a small number of migrants.

Before the pandemic, migrants encountered near the border were screened by agency asylum officers who assessed their claims of fear of persecution in their home countries. Those who passed the initial screening would have their cases moved to immigration court, where a judge would decide whether they qualified for asylum or another form of protection and could stay in the U.S. Meanwhile, they were detained or released pending a final court hearing that could take years.

Under the revamped asylum system and with Title 42 lifted, migrants would be allowed to make their case again, but the process would be swifter.

Immigrant advocates and some Democratic congressional leaders have ramped up efforts calling for its end. Congressional Hispanic Caucus members on Tuesday urged the Biden administration to do the right thing.

It is long overdue to completely end the Trump-initiated Title 42 policy and stop using the pandemic as an excuse to keep it going, caucus Chair Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Coachella) said in a news release. Transmission rates are low, there are safe testing and quarantining protocols, and vaccines are readily available.

Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers from Texas this week called on administration officials to keep Title 42 in place until apprehensions at the border drop to manageable levels.

In a March 24 letter, Democratic Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly from Arizona similarly warned the Biden administration against a premature end to the policy.

A sharp end to Title 42 without a comprehensive plan in motion would significantly increase the strain on DHS, border communities and local nonprofits that are already near or at capacity, the letter states.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas has repeatedly punted responsibility for Title 42 to the CDC, saying its a matter of public health, not immigration policy. Earlier this month, though, he said the agency was planning for the possibility of its end.

Mayorkas recently met with officials in Mexico and Costa Rica to coordinate regional efforts to stem unauthorized migration. Officials are concerned about the potential for a significant increase in already high numbers of migrants arriving at the southern border and have initiated plans to increase staffing and capacity at temporary processing facilities.

Those plans include worst-case scenarios in which up to 18,000 migrants are apprehended daily, officials said on a call with reporters Tuesday on condition that they not be identified. Border officials are currently encountering an average of 7,100 migrants per day, according to a Department of Homeland Security contingency plan. Apprehensions of migrants normally increase in the spring.

For asylum seekers stuck in Tijuana waiting for the policy to change, the two-year block on requesting protection in the U.S. has meant living indefinitely in crowded migrant shelters, scrambling to pay rent for dilapidated apartments or surviving on the street in a city where they are often targeted. For nearly a year, hundreds of asylum seekers waited in a tent camp in Tijuana next to a port of entry, but Mexican officials bulldozed it in early February.

As pressure mounted around Title 42, a spokesman said the Department of Homeland Security had begun requiring COVID-19 vaccines of thousands of migrants encountered at the southern border, calling it a public health best practice. The agency has already offered vaccines to people detained in federal immigration facilities. Vaccines are also offered to more than 1,400 people who have so far been subject to the so-called Remain in Mexico policy, under which migrants from countries other than Mexico are directed to stay there until their cases in U.S. immigration court conclude.

In deciding to vaccinate people apprehended at the border, the administration acknowledged that Title 42 is not the only way to curb the spread of COVID-19. Officials previously said the policy was necessary to protect the health of people in the U.S. and migrants themselves. But public health experts, including Anne Schuchat, the second-highest ranking official at the CDC until she departed last spring, called it scientifically baseless.

Since Biden took office, Human Rights First has recorded at least 9,886 kidnappings, torture, rape and other violent attacks on people blocked in or expelled to Mexico due to the Title 42 policy.

Experts say Title 42 has led to an increase in unauthorized crossings into the U.S. by people who would have otherwise requested asylum at an official port of entry. The rapid removals to Mexico also lead migrants to make repeated attempts to cross the border.

Federal officials rely on Mexico and other countries to receive migrants expelled from the U.S., which has contributed to a wide disparity among whom has been able to enter the country to seek asylum. While people from India, Turkey, Romania, Ukraine and Russia are almost never expelled under Title 42 if they reach U.S. soil, those from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador are expelled most of the time, Customs and Border Patrol data show.

Those disparities became more apparent as the Biden administration began exempting Ukrainians arriving after the Russian invasion while continuing to turn away Mexicans who said they were in imminent danger in Tijuana. The move also contrasted starkly with the administrations decision to expand expulsions to Haiti after thousands of Haitians crossed the border into Texas last fall.

Advocates say ending the use of the policy isnt enough.

We need to make sure it can never be used again, said Allen Orr Jr., president of the American Immigration Lawyers Assn. It has been focused at specific nationalities and used as a tool for border control, not public health. Certain groups have received exceptions, proving the enforcement is arbitrary. These rules cannot exist in a country where people of all nationalities should receive equal treatment.

San Diego Union-Tribune staff writer Kate Morrissey contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
President Biden on Tuesday signed into law legislation that makes lynching a federal hate crime  a historic bill that took more than 100 years to arrive on the desk of the U.S. president. He wasted no time signing off on it, putting pen to paper before giving remarks.

I just signed into law the Emmett Till Antilynching Act, making lynching a federal hate crime for the first time in American history, Biden said at the White House.

President Biden signs the Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law during a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)

Lynching was pure terror to enforce the lie that not everyone belongs in America, not everyone is created equal. Terror to systemically undermine hard-fought civil rights.

The Emmett Till Antilynching Act, named for the 14-year-old who was brutally killed in 1955 after a white woman accused him of whistling at her, will make it possible to prosecute a person for lynching when that person conspires to commit a hate crime that results in death or serious bodily injury.

The legislation, one of roughly 200 bills that had attempted to outlaw lynching, makes the crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Lynching, we know its a stain on the history of our nation. Since our founding, and in particular the century following the Civil War, thousands of people in states across our nation were tortured and murdered by vigilantes, said Vice President Kamala Harris, who had co-sponsored anti-lynching legislation when she was a U.S. senator.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks after the signing of the law. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)

Lawmakers, including Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., who have advocated for this measure for years, are rejoicing. The bill was unanimously passed in the Senate on March 7, after being blocked there in 2020. Rush was one of the advocates who stood behind Biden as he signed the bill.

In the House of Representatives, Rush carried the torch for this legislation, reintroducing it in February, and he succeeded in pushing it through just before the end of his term, when he is due to retire.

I was 8 years old when my mother put the photograph of Emmett Tills brutalized body that ran in Jet magazine on our living room coffee table, Rush explained in a statement issued on Feb. 25. She pointed to it, and said, This is why I brought my boys out of Albany, Ga.

The picture shaped my consciousness as a Black man in America, changed the course of my life and changed our very nation, the lawmaker said.

The failure of Congress to codify federal anti-lynching legislation  despite more than 200 attempts since 1900  meant that 99% of lynching perpetrators walked free, Rush said after the House passed the bill on Feb. 28. Today, we take a meaningful step toward correcting this historical injustice. I am immensely proud of this legislation, which will ensure that the full force of the U.S. federal government will always be brought to bear against those who commit monstrous acts of hatred.

According to documentation from the Equal Justice Initiative, nearly 6,500 Black people were lynched between 1865 and 1950. NAACP research, however, found that of 4,743 lynchings that occurred between 1882 and 1968, 72% of the victims were Black.

Signs illustrating what was stolen when Emmett Till lost his life, on display in the Mississippi State Capitol on March 11. (Peter Forest/Getty Images for MoveOn & Emmett Till Legacy Foundation)

The death of Emmett Till was a sobering moment that revealed how Black people were treated in the United States, and it helped to spark the civil rights movement. Till, a Black teenager from Chicago, was visiting his family in Money, Miss., and was not accustomed to the segregation and racism in the South, according to History.com. He went into a store to buy candy, and on his way out he allegedly flirted with 21-year-old Carolyn Bryant. She later claimed that more than that had happened between them.

Days after that interaction, Bryants husband and his half-brother kidnapped, tortured and beat Till, leaving his body in the Tallahatchie River. His mother famously insisted on having an open casket at the funeral to show the world the brutal beating of her only son.

In the Senate, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., helped to carry the bill through the chamber and exulted at its passage.

He tweeted: Tonight the Senate passed my anti-lynching legislation, taking a necessary and long-overdue step toward a more unified and just America. After working on this issue for years, I am glad to have partnered with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to finally get this done.

Opposition to the law in the past included criticism that the bill was too broad and fell under the jurisdiction of states rights.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., one of the co-sponsors, who had filed his own anti-lynching bill in the past, said: Im pleased to have worked with Senators Cory Booker [D-N.J.] and Tim Scott to strengthen the language of this bill, which will ensure that federal law will define lynching as the absolutely heinous crime that it is.  Im glad to co-sponsor this bipartisan effort, and I applaud the Senate for quickly passing this important legislation.

In 2020, Paul said of earlier anti-lynching legislation: This bill would cheapen the meaning of lynching by defining it so broadly as to include a minor bruise or abrasion. Our national history of racial terrorism demands more seriousness of us than that.

Many liken the death of Ahmaud Arbery to a modern-day lynching. The 25-year-old Black man was chased and gunned down in a neighborhood in southern Georgia in February 2020 by three white men who said they believed he was a burglar.

The men, William Roddie Bryan, Travis McMichael and his father, Gregory McMichael, were convicted of Arberys murder and were found guilty of federal hate crimes in February for violating Arberys civil rights and targeting him for being Black.

Rep. Bobby Rush shakes hands with Rep. Steny Hoyer during the bill enrollment ceremony for the Emmett Till Antilynching Act in March. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Modern-day lynchings like the murder of Ahmaud Arbery make abundantly clear that the racist hatred and terror that fueled the lynching of Emmett Till are far too prevalent in America to this day, Rush said after the House passed the bill.

A few months after Arberys slaying in 2020, the death of George Floyd sparked a global racial reckoning, throwing a spotlight on the treatment of Black Americans.
The U.S. and European powers have condemned Russias invasion of Ukraine and moved in unison to oppose the Kremlin, but many other nations are treading carefully as they assess a new global balance of power in which China holds increasing sway.

China, the worlds largest exporter of goods, aligned itself with Russia before the Feb. 24 invasion and remains a close partner despite its discomfort with the Kremlins brutal campaign in Ukraine.

Beijing has neither publicly endorsed nor condemned Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion, but it has blamed NATO expansion into Eastern Europe for provoking Russia, and has helped spread Russian disinformation.

China has not taken part in placing sanctions on Russian industries and oligarchs, and it has sided with Russia at the United Nations Security Council. And Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely, experts say, to seize what some see as an opportunity for his ascendant country: to play peacemaker in the conflict.

Chinese President Xi Jinping during the closing ceremony of the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing on March 13. (Xie Huanchi/Xinhua via Getty Images)

For decades, Western leaders pushed China to be a strategic partner or stakeholder in the global international order. Many have imagined that sooner or later China would rise to the occasion, wrote Ian Johnson, author of multiple books on China and a scholar at the Council on Foreign Relations.

But Johnson said China is obsessed with a narrow set of issues and that Xis ambitions for China are limited and inward-focused.

Chinas supportive stance toward Russia has frozen many countries in that part of the world that may be opposed to Russias invasion but feel unable to say so publicly.

In Asia, places like Vietnam and Singapore, people would say that obviously the United States vision of things is better for the world, but dont make us choose. Were in Chinas backyard and have economic relations with them, said Michael Allen, a national security expert at the Atlantic Council who worked in the Bush administration.

The foundation of Chinas relationship with Russia, Allen told Yahoo News, is that both countries are against the world order that the West, led by the United States, has set up since World War II.

There are a lot of fence-sitters in Asia, and Europe, who would prefer not to choose between the U.S. and China, Allen said.

India is a prime example. At the United Nations, India has abstained from votes condemning Russia but has followed up those votes with statements critical of Putins invasion.

Indias sympathy toward Russia is not related to China. Its because India relies on Russia for most of its weapons purchases and because of a strong and understandable anti-Western sentiment that is largely the consequence of British colonial rule, according to Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, director of the Center for Security, Strategy and Technology at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been much criticized by Western leaders and organizations in recent years due to what critics describe as his authoritarian bent.

But Russias growing closeness with China is making the government in New Delhi uncomfortable, because India is concerned about the impact of Chinas growing clout. These neighboring Asian powers, which share a disputed border, have had a contentious relationship for decades. China is also a major ally of Pakistan, Indias historic rival.

The improved relationship between Moscow and Beijing over the past decade is a concern for New Delhi, Rajagopalan wrote in the Atlantic. Since 2014, Russias sale of advanced weapon platforms to China, such as its Su-35 fighter jets, has had a direct impact on the military balance between India and China.

However, India has begun to build stronger economic ties with the U.S., Australia, Japan and France, and Rajagopalan predicted that New Delhis Russia policy will change, gradually, but not because of American or Western pressure.

Instead, it will change as a result of the growing strategic dissonance between [India and Russia], as Russia finds itself more and more beholden to China, and uncomfortable questions are raised about Indias enormous dependence on Russian arms and how vulnerable it is to Russian behavior, she wrote.

A damaged military vehicle in Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 21. (Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A number of Middle Eastern nations have also looked to avoid taking sides in the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, including Israel, the primary U.S. ally in the region.

Youd think that the Middle Easts only democracy and Americas closest ally would have jumped on joint sanctions, criticizing Putin and providing military assistance, Aaron David Miller, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Yahoo News.

But Israel has not provided weapons and has not even joined the sanctions regime. At the United Nations, Israel declined to co-sponsor a resolution in the Security Council calling on Russia to halt its invasion. Israel did vote later for a resolution in the U.N.s General Assembly condemning Putins attack.

New Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a conservative who leads an ideologically broad coalition government, has conspicuously failed to condemn Putins incursion and destruction of Ukraine, even as Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has.

Miller called these moves jarring but acknowledged there are obvious reasons for them. Israel has developed a cooperative relationship with Russia in Syria, where the Kremlin has given Israel the green light to take military action against elements aligned with Hezbollah and Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, right, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken address the media following a meeting in Jerusalem on March 27. (Jacquelyn Martin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel also believes that Americas pivot to Asia and renewed focus on countering Chinese influence has distracted it from protecting Israels interests in the Middle East. And Tel Aviv has signaled in recent years that it is happy to have a close economic relationship with Beijing despite Israels alliance with the U.S.

Israelis have gotten the sense that American priorities are shifting and the Middle East is not as central to U.S. foreign policy as it was, Miller said. The Israelis know that they have to make space for other actors who could impinge on their interests.

And Bennett is seeking to play a mediating role in the Ukraine conflict, which further inhibits Israel from taking actions that would anger either Russia, the U.S. or Europe. In a recent speech to the Israeli Parliament, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Israels reluctance to offer more support to Ukraine.

Everybody knows that your missile defense systems are the best  and that you can definitely help our people, save the lives of Ukrainians, of Ukrainian Jews, Zelensky said.

Meanwhile in Washington, senators grumble about Bennetts approach, noting that Israel receives the most U.S. foreign aid in the world.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a press conference in Kyiv on March 3. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)

They ought to be stepping up like the rest of the world. I dont understand it, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said last week, according to CNN. I understand its because they feel they have some red light, green light from Russia about attacks on Iranian assets in the Middle East ... but thats  its very disappointing, especially considering the massive amount of military aid weve provided to them.

Even in Europe, which with few exceptions has rallied to the Ukrainian cause and is wary of Russian moves westward, there is a need for a delicate balance with regard to China.

Chinas alliance with Russia hasnt stopped EU nations from acting decisively to punish Russia with sanctions. Nor has the fact that Russia is the biggest energy supplier to much of Europe, providing 40% of its natural gas, 27% of its oil and 46% of its coal.

Major European powers like Germany have also been galvanized to increase their defense spending in the wake of the invasion.

But Europe and China still have major economic ties, as do the U.S. and China. In fact, Europe and the EU make up a far bigger share of Chinas trade volume than Russia. The EU struck a major investment deal with China at the end of 2020, but then froze that deal in 2021 due to Chinas severe treatment of its Uyghur minority, which has included numerous human rights violations and has been called a genocide by the U.S.

This Friday, the EU and China are set to discuss the status of that agreement, and also the war in Ukraine.

Buildings at the Artux City Vocational Skills Education Training Service Center, believed to be a reeducation camp where mostly Muslim ethnic minorities are detained, in China's Xinjiang region in 2019. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

President Biden last week urged European leaders to deliver clear messaging to China regarding the costs of supporting Russias invasion, Reuters reported.

China understands its economic future is more closely tied to the West than it is to Russia, Biden told reporters after that meeting.

Allen agreed. China wants to be able to keep good relations in Europe. They need economic allies. They need influence, he said.

There are signs that China is doing things to avoid a rupture in its economic relationship with the West. Beijing has taken a few less noticeable steps that are hurting Russia, such as withholding key airplane parts, allowing the Russian ruble to drop in value and freezing infrastructure investment in Russia.

Johnson, the China expert at the Council on Foreign Relations, said that China does not have many allies in the world.

Unlike Russia, they dont want to overturn the world order, because they got rich from it. They want to realign it. But theyre not anarchic like Russia is, he said.

_____

What happened this week in Ukraine? Check out this explainer from Yahoo Immersive to find out.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Wednesday that she will vote for Ketanji Brown Jacksons confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court, the first Senate Republican to publicly signal support for President Bidens historic nominee.

If confirmed, Jackson, 51, would become the first Black woman to serve on the nations highest court.

In a statement, Collins said that after meeting with Jackson twice in person, she was reassured that the judge possesses the experience, qualifications and integrity to serve on the court, and that some of the issues raised during last weeks contentious confirmation hearings had been alleviated.

In my meetings with Judge Jackson, we discussed in depth several issues that were raised in her hearing, she said. Sometimes I agreed with her; sometimes I did not. And just as I have disagreed with some of her decisions to date, I have no doubt that, if Judge Jackson is confirmed, I will not agree with every vote that she casts as a Justice. That alone, however, is not disqualifying.

I dont expect that any of the justices I am going to agree with on every decision  thats impossible, Collins said in a separate interview with the New York Times. But I do want them to be able to be devoid of prejudgement, partisanship, preference and to be impartial and rule consistent with legal precedent, the language of the law and the Constitution.

Collins and Jackson on March 8. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Collinss support means that Jackson will receive at least one Republican vote in the evenly divided Senate.

Jackson was confirmed to her current seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit last summer by the Senate in a 53-44 vote, with Collins, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., voting in her favor.

It seems unlikely that Graham will vote for Jackson again, given his repeated attacks on her during last weeks confirmation hearings. Murkowski said she is still evaluating the nominee.

Jackson does not need a GOP vote to secure confirmation. With the Senate evenly split, Vice President Kamala Harris would cast the tiebreaking vote if the Democrats are united on the appointment.

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday announced its plans to meet on April 4 for a vote to advance Jacksons nomination to the full floor.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said he hopes to hold a final confirmation vote before the Senates expected Easter recess, which begins on April 8.
The federal investigation into President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, over his tax affairs has intensified in recent weeks, sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News.

An increasing number of witnesses have appeared before a grand jury impaneled in Wilmington, Delaware, in recent months, the sources said, and have been asked about payments Hunter Biden received while serving on the board of directors of Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma, in addition to other questions about how Biden paid off tax obligations in recent years.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for Delaware, which has been leading the investigation, is expected to hear from more witnesses in the coming weeks, sources told ABC News.

Sources say that prosecutors have not made a decision yet on whether criminal charges against Biden are warranted, and that there is debate about whether Biden's admitted past drug abuse could serve to undermine a criminal case over his financial decision-making.

MORE: Hunter Biden, in new memoir, offers lurid details of addiction but sidesteps some political scandals

A spokesperson for the DA's office declined to comment to ABC News, as did a spokesperson for the Justice Department.

Related video: Outgoing AG Bill Barr declined to appoint special counsel on Hunter Biden

Chris Clark, an attorney for Hunter Biden, did not respond to a request for comment. The developments in the probe were first reported by The New York Times.

Hunter Biden confirmed the existence of the investigation in December 2020, shortly after his father won the presidency. Since taking office, President Biden has repeatedly pledged to uphold the independence of the Justice Department and not interfere in its work. The tax probe is being led by U.S. Attorney Dan Weiss, a Trump appointee who remained on the job after Biden was sworn in.

PHOTO: Hunter Biden waits for the start of the his father's, Vice President Joe Biden's, debate at Centre College in Danville, Ky. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP, FILE)

In a statement released through the Biden-Harris transition team in December 2020, Hunter Biden said that he and his attorney had learned of the investigation just days earlier, and that he was confident that he had handled his tax affairs "legally and appropriately."

ABC News has previously reported that the investigation began in 2018  more than a year before Biden announced his presidential run. Investigators paused their work ahead of the election and waited until after votes were cast to notify Hunter Biden's legal team of the probe, a source told ABC News at the time.

Ahead of the 2020 election, political foes of then-candidate Joe Biden  including then-President Donald Trump  focused on Hunter Biden's work as a board member for Burisma as well as a series of ill-fated investment endeavors in China. Trump and his allies sought unsuccessfully to characterize Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings over the past decade as evidence of Biden family corruption.

MORE: Hunter Biden, long a GOP political target, reveals he is subject of federal tax probe

"In retrospect, look, I think that it was poor judgment on my part," Hunter Biden told ABC News Anchor Amy Robach in October 2019, regarding the impact of his business dealings on his father's political career. "Is that I think that it was poor judgment because I don't believe now, when I look back on it  I know that there was  did nothing wrong at all. However, was it poor judgment to be in the middle of something that is ... a swamp in  in  in many ways? Yeah."

While government watchdogs have broadly taken issue with the ethical implications of Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings, the federal probe marks the first possible legal threat tied to his overseas work.

Sources told ABC News that prosecutors in Delaware are investigating the tax implications of Hunter Biden's work in both China and Ukraine, among other business endeavors.

ABC News' Mike Levine contributed to this report.

Federal probe into Hunter Biden's taxes intensifies, sources say originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Vice President Kamala Harris and Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness met at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building beside the White House on Wednesday, the first time a Jamaican leader has visited the White House since 1995. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press)

Vice President Kamala Harris  whose father emigrated from Jamaica  met Wednesday with the island nations prime minister, Andrew Holness, at the White House, marking another historic moment for the first Black and South Asian vice president.

The meeting was the first time since 1995 that a Jamaican leader has visited the White House.

Harris, in brief remarks during a photo opportunity with reporters, noted her Jamaican descent and trips to the island in her childhood as she welcomed Holness.

We are acutely aware of the interconnection and interdependence between the United States and Jamaica, Harris said, adding that she shared a history with millions of Americans who have their roots through the generations in Jamaica.

Holness said that Harris has been a source of inspiration and great triumph for many in the Caribbean, in particular our young women in the region.

Harris has had little known contact in recent years with her father, an 83-year-old Jamaican-born economist named Donald J. Harris, who was divorced from her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, when she was a young girl. He criticized Harris publicly in 2019 when she made a joke about her heritage playing a role in her smoking pot when she was in college.

Harris does not mention Jamaica often in public but visited relatives there as a child. She wrote in her memoir that her late mother, who was born in India, raised her and her sister, Maya, as black girls, with the understanding that they would be viewed that way in the U.S.

Though her strained family relations have complicated Harris connection with her fathers homeland, her ascension to the vice presidency has been greeted with pride in Jamaica, a Caribbean nation of about 3million people with strong cultural and economic ties to the U.S.

I know she doesnt make a big deal of it, but, as you can imagine, small countries make a big deal of any sort of global exposure or connection, said Damien King, an economist who is the executive director of the Caribbean Policy Research Institute in Kingston, Jamaica.

Though Holness visit was the first by a Jamaican leader to the White House in nearly three decades, he and other Caribbean leaders met with then-President Trump in 2019 at his residence in Palm Beach, Fla. Then-President Obama visited the country in 2015, and Trumps secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, went there in 2020.

Wednesdays meeting commemorated the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the countries. Harris said the two leaders discussed new efforts to help Jamaica recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, crime prevention efforts, the environment and Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Though Caribbean nations were divided over how to relate to the U.S. during the Trump presidency, Jamaica maintained its close ties. Some Caribbean leaders boycotted Pompeos speech because of the administrations hard line against Venezuela and its immigration policies. For its part, the Trump administration took issue with Jamaicas increasing economic ties with China, which has built several infrastructure projects in the country as it seeks to broaden its global influence.

The Biden administration is also wary of Chinas growing influence but has not spoken out as aggressively. King said that he believes Jamaica is trying to balance those concerns with its need for economic investment, and that its leaders are pressing the administration for help in shoring up ties between American and Jamaican banks.

My feeling is that the thinking is purely economic and pragmatic rather than trying to play geopolitical game theory, King said. Jamaica has given no indication of wanting to jeopardize its long-standing warm and close relationship with the United States.

The same may not be true of its ties to Britain. Holness told Britains Prince William and his wife, Kate, during a tense meeting in Jamaica last week that his country wants to be fully independent from the United Kingdom. Though the former colony gained independence from British rule in 1962, Jamaica still recognizes the queen as its sovereign head of state.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A COVID-19 testing clinic at the historic First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

The highly contagious BA.2 Omicron subvariant is now the dominant version of the coronavirus in the U.S., including the West Coast  a development that added urgency to federal authorities' decision Tuesday to allow a second vaccine booster shot for those age 50 and up.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will be ready to offer second booster shots to those in that age group starting Wednesday at seven clinics.

An additional shot "is especially important for those 65 and older, and those 50 and older with underlying medical conditions that increase their risk for severe disease from COVID-19, as they are the most likely to benefit from receiving an additional booster dose at this time," Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a statement Tuesday.

Under the new authorization, a second booster dose will be available to those who are at least four months removed from their first booster. This would be the fourth dose for those who were originally vaccinated with the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines and a third for those who originally got the single-shot Johnson & Johnson.

Officials will continue to study the need for a second booster dose for Americans younger than 50.

The CDC on Tuesday also made a special allowance for all adults who received a J&J initial dose and J&J booster: They are authorized for a second booster, of either Pfizer or Moderna.

Boosters are important because there's evidence of "some waning of protection over time against serious outcomes from COVID-19 in older and immunocompromised individuals," Dr. Peter Marks, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.

The CDC has suggested that the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines be used for either first or second boosters in most situations. A CDC study published Tuesday found that a Pfizer or Moderna booster following an initial J&J shot was more effective at protecting against hospitalization than a J&J booster.

The CDC has already recommended that those 12 and older with moderately or severely compromised immune systems who originally got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine get a fourth dose, and those with weakened immune systems who originally got the J&J vaccine get two additional doses.

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a UC San Francisco infectious-diseases expert, said in an interview that if he were advising his relatives, he might want those 65 and older  and especially those 75 and older  to get the second booster. It's less urgent for a relatively healthy person in their 50s, he said. But a second booster would provide an antibody boost that may help protect them against getting a breakthrough infection." An additional dose might also be helpful for people who are traveling and want to take additional steps to avoid getting infected.

Chin-Hong noted that the boosters are safe.

You dont get immune exhaustion; you dont get more side effects," he said. "Its well tolerated.

It will take time for researchers to determine how much additional benefit a second booster will provide. There is a clear benefit after completing the initial vaccination series and again following the first booster, Chin-Hong said. However, early data from Israel suggest that the benefit of a subsequent shot isnt as substantial.

We do note waning immunity following the third dose," said Dr. Robert Kim-Farley, a UCLA epidemiologist and infectious-disease expert. "And in some studies, a fourth dose has been able to bring the antibody level back up to what it was shortly after the third dose. That would imply additional protection."

The expanded booster availability arrived the same day the CDC published data estimating that BA.2  an even more infectious version of the coronavirus than the one that swept across California over the winter  accounts for a majority of new cases nationwide.

Over the week ending Saturday, BA.2 made up an estimated 55% of samples nationally, according to the CDC, up from 39% the previous week. In the Southwest  including California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii  BA.2 made up an estimated 60.5% of coronavirus samples that week, up from 45%.

There have yet to be signs of a sustained increase in new coronavirus cases nationally and in California. In Los Angeles County and across the state, case rates remain at their lowest point since last July, before the Delta surge.

California's weekly case rate is now 50 for every 100,000 residents, down from 70 in early March, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

But about a dozen states are observing an uptick  including New York, where the weekly case rate has risen from 58 for every 100,000 residents to 105. BA.2 became dominant in the Northeast before it did on the West Coast.

Some experts say they expect an increase in cases nationally this spring  a likelihood that could be fueled by the spread of BA.2 and worsened by reductions in public masking and increases in travel and gatherings.

BA.2 has already fueled substantial increases in other countries, demonstrating how readily the subvariant can spread.

In Britain, weekly coronavirus cases have more than doubled since late February, and hospitalizations and deaths are climbing.

Fueled by BA.2, Britain's weekly case rate is now about 40% of its winter Omicron peak. There are reports of hospitals coming under pressure, a result of healthcare staff needing to be sent home due to coronavirus infections, according to the BBC.

Many experts believe California is well-armored against another significant surge, as the vast majority of residents have either been vaccinated or have some natural immunity from a recent infection. But researchers predict that California will see rising cases.

We will have a wave. The only question is how big it will be, tweeted Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla.

Added Scripps microbiologist Kristian Andersen: I expect well see a wave  I dont know if itll be a surge.

Kim-Farley of UCLA doesnt expect a major surge in the state, just because so many people are immune, due to vaccination or to natural immunity from a recent infection. He has said hed be more concerned about a new variant that would render existing immunizations and natural immunity less effective. He expects the likely scenario for California in the coming weeks is either a mild increase in coronavirus cases or a leveled-off decrease.

To help L.A. County avoid a springtime surge, its most important for the unvaccinated to get their shots and for those eligible to get their boosters, Kim-Farley said. Only 30% of the county's 900,000 5- to 11-year-olds are considered fully vaccinated, and just 62% of its 1.4 million seniors have received a first booster.

Like Kim-Farley, Chin-Hong doesnt think BA.2 will do much damage to California in the next few weeks, partly due to the mild weather allowing people to spend more time outdoors.

At UC San Franciscos flagship hospital at Parnassus Heights on Monday, there were just four coronavirus-positive patients; none were on ventilators. On one day in late January, there were 95 coronavirus-positive patients, 12 of them on ventilators.

Evidence is mounting that BA.2 is more contagious than the earlier Omicron subvariant. According to a new study from Sweden  not yet peer-reviewed and posted online Sunday  that analyzed nasal swab samples, the levels of BA.2 virus detected were nearly twice as high as the levels of BA.1.

Higher viral load in the upper pharynx may at least partially explain why Omicron BA.2 is more contagious than the BA.1 lineage, the study said.

Meanwhile, more needs to be done to promote broader public understanding of anti-COVID drugs like Pfizer's Paxlovid, Chin-Hong said, which is taken orally and can reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 by as much as 89%.

There has been concern around recent setbacks involving COVID-19 medications. First, one of the five drugs that treats a new coronavirus infection, sotrovimab, is probably ineffective against BA.2, and the FDA on Friday said the drug is no longer authorized for use in New England, New York and New Jersey.

Second, the inability of Congress to approve new funding for community groups to vaccinate Americans  especially those who are uninsured  could worsen efforts to inoculate people living in vulnerable communities, Chin-Hong said.

In an interview Sunday on the BBC, Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Bidens chief medical advisor, said the U.S. is headed in the right direction, with hospitalizations and deaths declining. He said he wouldnt be surprised if eventually an intermittent COVID-19 booster is made available regularly, similar to the flu shot.

We are going, in a gradual way, toward what we all hoped would be normal, Fauci said. Having said that, we need to be prepared for the possibility that we would have another variant that would come along  that does give us an uptick in cases and hospitalization."

If that happens, he said, we should be prepared and flexible enough to pivot toward going back, at least temporarily, to a more rigid type of restriction, such as requiring masks indoors.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
An Afghan schoolgirl reads from her notebook as another unpacks her school bag inside a house in Kabul

By Andrea Shalal and Jonathan Landay

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The World Bank has put four projects in Afghanistan worth $600 million on hold amid concerns over a decision by the country's ruling Islamist leaders to ban girls from returning to public high schools, the bank said.

The projects, to be funded under the revamped Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, were being readied for implementation by United Nations agencies to support projects in agriculture, education, health, and livelihoods.

But the bank's guidance requires all ARTF-financed activities to support access to - and equity of services for - women and girls in Afghanistan, the bank said, citing its deep concerns over the Taliban's ban on girls attending high school.

As a result, the bank said, the four projects will be presented to ARTF donors for approval only "when the World Bank and international partners have a better understanding of the situation and confidence that the goals of the projects can be met." It was not immediately clear when that could occur.

U.S. officials last week cancelled planned meetings in Doha with the Taliban over the decision to keep girls out of secondary school.

The executive board of the World Bank on March 1 approved a plan to use more than $1 billion from the ARTF fund to finance urgently needed education, agriculture, health and family programs that would bypass sanctioned Taliban authorities and disburse the money through U.N. agencies and aid groups.

The ARTF was frozen in August when the Taliban took power as U.S.-led international troops departed after 20 years of war.

Foreign governments also ended financial aid comprising over 70% of government expenditures, accelerating the country's economic collapse.

When it agreed to free up ARTF funds for new projects to be implemented by UN agencies, the World Bank had stipulated that it expected a "strong focus on ensuring that girls and women participate and benefit from the support."

The Taliban has unraveled gains in rights made by women during the last two decades, including restricting them from working and limiting their travel unless accompanied by a close male relative. Most girls were also barred from going to school beyond seventh grade.

But Taliban leaders had said all girls would be allowed to return to classrooms later this month.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Sam Holmes)
Wendy, Vilma, Cindy, Edwin Jr., and (top) Edwin Alvarado, in front of the mobile plant shop Pasadena Roots. (Silvia Razgova / For The Times)

In our Plant PPLseries,we interview people of color in the plant world. If you have suggestions for PPL to include, tag us on Instagram @latimesplants.

Nearly two years after opening their mobile plant shop Pasadena Roots  a terracotta-toned trailer so delightful it is often mistaken for an ice cream truck  Vilma Alvarado, 55, and her daughters Wendy, 30, and Cindy, 34, are confident about one thing: community matters.

A lot of good is going on in Los Angeles, says Wendy, a high school English teacher and proud first-generation Latina.

Being out and about selling plants on the streets has allowed us to form connections and meet so many wonderful human beings from all walks of life, she says. Plants have continued to allow us to grow as individuals and connect with our community through a completely different lens. We are able to learn about others experiences and their stories through plants.

Vilma Alvarado, left, and her daughters Cindy and Wendy, right, at a pop-up outside Car Artisan Chocolate in Pasadena. (Silvia Razgova / For The Times)

Twenty-five years ago, when Vilma and her husband, Edwin, left Guatemala in search of a better life in Los Angeles, she found herself without a job  an odd position for a woman who had owned and operated her own juicery in a central market.

Eventually, she found work cleaning houses while raising her three children, including Edwin Jr., but like so many domestic workers in L.A., her work disappeared with the spread of the coronavirus in 2020.

It was so hard not to work, she says now. One of my clients felt so badly when she laid me off, she gave me a bonus of $1,000.

Vilma and her daughters have a tight bond. When the world shut down during the pandemic, it served as an opportunity for them to seek solace together in plants.

We couldn't do anything, but we could do some social distancing and repot plants and swap plants and cuttings, says Wendy. We would post plant things on our personal Instagram and people started asking us for advice and where to buy plants.

A customer checks out the plants at a recent Pasadena Roots pop-up. (Silvia Razgova / For The Times)

As interest in their plant content increased, they began to wonder if they were on to something. Wouldnt it be great, they thought, if they could turn their love of plants into a business?

Their first plant pop-up was more of a cautious experiment than a serious retail endeavor. After driving around Highland Park, they set up a table and tent and sold a variety of plants they purchased with Vilmas bonus. (She planted a seed, Vilma now says of the woman who gave her the gift.) They were overwhelmed by the positive response. People were working from home and were super excited to see a pop-up plant shop in the middle of nowhere, Wendy says.

A Swiss cheese plant (Monstera adansonii) at Pasadena Roots. (Silvia Razgova / For The Times)

Little by little, Vilmas dream of becoming a small-business owner again was becoming a reality. In January 2021, after hosting a pop-up inside the Mercadito Monarca shop in Pasadena , they hosted their first official event at Cerveceria Del Pueblo, also in Pasadena.

After being closed for months during COVID-19, the brewery sold out of beer, and the plants flew out the door. Everyone was so excited," Wendy says.

Last March, the women decided they needed to step up their display game. Transporting delicate plants in high quantities was challenging, but they weren't ready to invest in a bricks-and-mortar store. When they spotted a cargo trailer on OfferUp, they knew they had found the answer to their prayers and drove to Long Beach to purchase the black cargo trailer they lovingly refer to as La Chula (cutie) for $5,000  their entire business savings.

Annie Mouradian buys a snake plant from Wendy Alvarado at a recent pop-up. (Silvia Razgova / For The Times)

Working together as a family, including Edwin Sr. and Edwin Jr., they gave the trailer a glow-up with new flooring, a pop-out window, a pink neon sign and whimsical floral wallpaper. They then painted the exterior a festive terracotta color to make it pop on the streets of L.A. and commissioned Compton muralist Mel DePaz to adorn the truck with trailing ferns, monstera leaves and anthuriums.

The stars aligned," Wendy says. "It felt like the right next step. It's our pride and joy.

Like the taco trucks that have galvanized L.A.s food scene, the trailer gave them the freedom to attend pop-ups across town whether outside Genero Neutral in Echo Park or Good Mood Creative Space in El Sereno.

"The ladies of Pasadena Roots are a gem in our community and we love to support them in any way we can," says Erica Gutierrez of Mercadito Monarca. "As BIPOC- and women-owned businesses, we support and uplift each other. We plan to continue collaborating on events with them this year."

Last November, about two months after meeting Daniel Buezo, co-founder of the Los Angeles brand Kids of Immigrants, on Sunset Boulevard during a weekend pop-up, he invited them, along with 12 other BIPOC small-business owners, to sell their products at the Kids of Immigrants booth at ComplexCon, a popular streetwear trade show in Long Beach. Although it was advertised as a Kids of Immigrants booth, Buezo decided not to sell anything and instead chose to spotlight other Los Angeles businesses including the Alvarados, who sold plants, pots and a tote inscribed with "Proud of My Roots," which they designed with Kids of Immigrants.

The opportunity was more than just a chance to network: The exposure led to a surprise grant of $5,000 for all 13 participants from UPS, a company that has been investing in small businesses in need of support.

Thanks to the grant, the money covered the purchase of La Chula, and the family had money in its business account once more.

"We wanted the message to be that we can come together and support one another within our communities," Buezo says. "Pasadena Roots started a business from scratch during the pandemic, and they are doing it as a family. The fact that Cindy and Wendy are doing it with their mom is so touching. As another first-generation immigrant, I relate to what they are doing. We can help one another in so many different ways, and that's what we created at ComplexCon. For us, it was about community over competition."

In retrospect, it seems unbelievable to the Alvarados that they are street vendors. Still, they are grateful. They know that people can buy plants at big-box stores and are appreciative that Angelenos choose to shop with them instead.

Watermelon peperomia and prayer plants in pots, for sale at Pasadena Roots. (Silvia Razgova / For The Times)

People want to support Latino and Latina-owned businesses, Wendy says. We are first-generation Latino immigrants and have very strong ties to our parents. People identify with what we are doing.

Vilma is eloquent when she talks about her gratitude for the community. "There are so many people from all different backgrounds who are willing to help and support our small business," she says. "Ive gained confidence to get out of my comfort zone and work with other communities."

She's also reminded of the importance of family. "I couldn't do it without them," she says of her daughters. Whether it's posting on Instagram or buying plants, there's always someone to pick up the slack.

Meanwhile there are more pop-ups to plan, including one at Edwin Jr.s cellphone store in Pasadena. They also hope to host a support your neighbor event in April modeled after Buezo's inclusive community-first business model.

At a recent Saturday sidewalk sale outside Car Artisan Chocolate in Pasadena, Cindy mused on what she has learned over the last two years.

Running a small business takes a lot of work and consistency, but its worth giving your dreams a chance," she says. "Youll never know unless you try. Ive learned to trust the process of growth in all areas of my life, and Im extremely grateful for all the support weve received these past two years from our community. Honestly, it doesn't feel like work.

For pop-up dates, consult @pasadenaroots on Instagram.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Marysville, CA (95901)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. High near 80F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low near 50F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.
YEREVAN, MARCH 30, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Hambardzum Matevosyan met on March 29 with Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Rebeca Grynspan on the sidelines of his visit in the United Arab Emirates, the deputy PMs Office said.

A wide range of issues of bilateral interest were discussed during the meeting.

During the talk the cooperation in the diversification of the economy, the human capital and sustainable economic development was highly appreciated, the peculiarities of the post-Covid situation were discussed.

The sides agreed to continue the discussions aimed at developing concrete initiatives in the field of supporting investments.

On behalf of the Armenian government, the deputy PM reaffirmed the commitment to contribute to the implementation of Agenda 2030 and sustainable development goals.
Bhat, a resident of Shahaabad Veeri, Bijbehara in southern Anantnag district, was earlier running a news portal Valley News Service

SRINAGAR: Two 'militants' were shot dead by the security forces in a brief encounter in Srinagar 's Rainawari quarter early Wednesday. The police said that one of them Rayees Ahmad Bhat was a former journalist who had joined proscribed Lashkar -e-Tayyaba (LeT) in August last year.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range), Vijay Kumar, said that slain Bhat, a resident of Shahaabad Veeri, Bijbehara in southern Anantnag district, was earlier running a news portal 'Valley News Service (VNS)' . "The identity card found on him showed him the editor in chief of the news portal which is share misuse of media. He was a 'C' category terrorist and there were two FIRs registered against him in Anantnag police stations for committing terror crimes", he was quoted as saying by local media.

A tweet by the Kashmir Zone police said "One of the killed categorised local #terrorists of proscribed #terror outfit LET was carrying identify card (ID) of media. It indicates a clear case of misuse of media".

The police identified the other slain 'C' category militant as Hilal Ahmad Rah, also a resident of Bijbehara. It said he too went missing in August last year to join the LeT.

The police had earlier at around 1.30 am tweeted that an encounter has started at Rainawari and that J&K police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were on the job.
Let us commit to the cause of a unified and principled opposition that will make way for the government that our country deserves, Didi said

Kolkata: Amid the CBI's probe in the massacre in West Bengal's Birbhum, Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has written to non-BJP chief ministers and other Opposition leaders to commit to the cause of a unified and principled Opposition that will unitedly fight the saffron party and make way for the "government that the country deserves".

In a letter written to them as TMC chief, Ms Banerjee called for a meeting of all non-BJP CMs and Opposition leaders to discuss this and to fight the misuse of the Central agencies by the BJP-led government at the Centre.

Accusing the BJP of "interferences" in the judiciary after two heavyweight leaders of her party, Abhishek Banerjee and Anubrata Mondal, got no relief from the court from facing the ED and CBI in two separate cases, Ms Banerjee wrote in the letter, "I urge that everyone of us come together for a meeting to deliberate on the way forward at a place as per everyone's convenience and suitability. The need of the hour is for all progressive forces in this country to come together and fight this oppressive force. Let us commit to the cause of a unified and principled opposition that will make way for the government that our country deserves.*

Expressing her "deep concern over direct attacks on the nation's institutional democracy by the ruling BJP", she alleged, "Central agencies such as the ED, CBI, Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and the Income Tax Department are being used to target, harass and corner political opponents across the country for vendetta. During the recently concluded Winter Session, Parliament bulldozed through the Delhi Special Police (Amendment) Bill 2021 as well as the CVC (Amendment) Bill 2021, in the midst of an Opposition walkout. These laws enable the Centre to extend the tenure of the directors of ED and CBI up to 5 years in blatant violation of a previous Supreme Court judgment."

Ms Banerjee claimed, "We all must resist the ruling BJP's intention to misuse these Central agencies with the sole intent of suppressing Opposition leaders. Central agencies are jolted to action just when elections are round the corner. It is amply clear that the BJP-ruled states get a free pass from these agencies to paint a rosy picture of their hollow governance. We believe in transparency and accountability in governance but we will not tolerate the vindictive politics of the BJP that has led to a political witch-hunt."

She added, "It pains me to see that the chief ministers of BJP ruled states have been consistently flouting the directives of the judiciary. I have the highest regards for the judiciary. But at present due to certain biased political interferences, people are not getting justice which is a dangerous trend in our democracy. In our democratic system, judiciary, media and public are important pillars. If any part is disrupted, the system collapses. Time and again, the BJP is trying to attack the federal structure of this country by attempting to influence a certain section of the judiciary. As the Opposition parties, it is our constitutional responsibility to hold this government accountable for their actions, to resist the stifling of voices of dissent."
The resolution assumes significance as it was for the first time the party has openly advocated Pawars name for the UPA chairpersons post

Mumbai: The NCP youth wing, Nationalist Youth Congress, has proposed that party chief Sharad Pawar should be made the chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). It passed a resolution on Tuesday recommending the veteran leaders name for the post.

The resolution was unanimously approved at the national executive of the NCP youth wing at New Delhi where over 100 representatives from across the country were present.

The resolution assumes significance as it was for the first time the party has openly advocated Mr Pawars name for the UPA chairpersons post. The demand significantly has also come on the backdrop of the Congress facing a heavy drubbing in the recently held assembly polls in the country.

Looking at the current political scenario in the country, Sharad Pawar should lead the Congress and other regional parties at the national level as he is the most experienced leader in the country. He has made a significant contribution in the countrys development while working as a union defence and agriculture minister. Taking all these aspects into account, he should be appointed as the leader of opposition parties, said Ravikant Varpe, working president of Maharashtra NCP youth wing.

NCPs ally Shiv Sena too has favoured Mr Pawar to head the opposition alliance on many occasions earlier. With the NCP itself favouring its party chief for the post, it remains to be seen what stand the other constituents of the UPA take on this issue.

However, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole has said that only Congress is capable of defeating the BJP at the national level. Sonia Gandhi is leading the UPA and she is competent enough for it. The UPA cannot function without Congress, he said.
Today's headlines: Pakistani president confers posthumous award on Iqbal Masih, who died in the fight against the exploitation of child labour; the famous Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo will be demolished; Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia arrested for praying for peace; humanitarian aid for Ukraine from Azerbaijan; Dengue fever alert in Singapore.

CHINA

Beijing has censored all news on the March 22 China Eastern Boeing 737 air disaster. The plane crashed mid flight between Kunming and Guangzhou into a mountainous area of Guangxi. The 132 people on board died. The families of the victims are not allowed to talk to each other, news on social networks is censored and even journalists loyal to the party are not allowed to go near the crash area.

PAKISTAN

Pakistani President Arif Alvi awarded the Sitara-e-Shujaat prize, one of the highest civilian honours, to Iqbal Masih, a young Catholic man killed on 16 April 1995 at the age of 12 for having denounced child exploitation in the textile industry. Also a victim, he fought for two years in defence of the weakest, freeing 3,000 of them. His brother Patras Masih accepted the award.

JAPAN

The Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo, a rare example of architecture from the Metabolist movement, emblematic of Japan's rebirth after the war by architect Kisho Kurokawa, will be demolished next month. Completed in 1972, it is the world's first example of a serial application of a housing capsule built for real use. Attempts to restore the structure have failed.

RUSSIA

In the Russian-Caucasian republic of Adyetia, charges of extremism and defamation of the State have been brought against a group of Jehovah's Witnesses, a religious denomination banned in Russia, who held collective prayers for peace in Ukraine. The leaders of the community were arrested and placed in solitary confinement.

AZERBAIJAN - UKRAINE

Ukrainian President Zelensky thanked his Azerbaijani counterpart Aliev for the humanitarian aid and, above all, for his willingness to compensate for the destruction by the Russians of fuel deposits for agricultural work. Azerbaijani supplies will enable the Ukrainians to complete the harvests "on which the food security of half the Arab world depends".

UZBEKISTAN - RUSSIA

Russian tourist agencies such as "Vedi Group" (Moscow and Ekaterinburg) are offering three-day trips to Uzbekistan, with VISA and MasterCard credit cards still active in Tashkent. Painful for the Russian economy is the exit of the Dutch beer company Heineken, on which five other different Russian brands and many factories, employing over two thousand people, depend.

SINGAPORE

Health authorities in Singapore are warning of a rapid increase in cases of dengue fever, the haemorrhagic fever transmitted by mosquitoes. Since the beginning of the year, there have been about 3,000 cases, 112 of which are still active. The peak is expected between June and October. The Ministry of Sustainability and Environment says that dengue remains a "clear and serious" threat at the time of Covid-19.

SAUDI ARABIA - YEMEN

The Saudi-led Arab coalition says it will freeze military operations in Yemen as of today. Previously, the Houthi rebels had called a three-day truce. The aim is to create an atmosphere of relative calm for Ramadan and encourage negotiations between the parties. The docking of ships laden with fuel and the partial resumption of flights to Sana'a are also under consideration.
by Melani Manel Perera

On a recent visit to Sri Lanka, Indias External Affairs minister signed several memoranda of understanding. Although not confirmed by either country, defence agreements have been criticised by the opposition.

Colombo (Asia News)  Sri Lanka and India signed six memoranda of understanding (MoUs) during a meeting on Monday between Indian External Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and his Sri Lankan counterpart, Gamini Lakshman Peiris.

The agreements cover various sectors, like digital identity, cooperation for the development of Sri Lankan fishing ports, and the establishment of a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC).

Colombo and New Delhi will also work together on energy diversification projects on three islands near Jaffna while modern computer labs will be built in Galle district;

A partnership was also inked between two diplomatic training institutes: the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service and the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute.

Minister Jaishankar was accompanied by five External Affairs officials for the summit in Colombo of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)[*], a regional organisation that brings together seven countries that have an interest in the Bay of Bengal.

After delivering greetings from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jaishankar reiterated India's continued support for Sri Lanka's economic recovery; for his part, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa thanked the Indian government for its financial assistance to the island nation (just under US$ 2.5 billion) in the past year.

The two sides agreed to boost economic and trade links but also cooperation in defence and energy. The Indian High Commission also announced an agreement to promote Buddhist ties between the two countries.

Minister Jaishankar met Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, who stressed the importance of a greater economic involvement between the two neighbours at a time when the impact of COVID-19 is still very much felt.

He noted that the bilateral partnership between Colombo and New Delhi is rooted in the Neighbourhood First approach and in what is called the Sagar doctrine (Security and Growth for All in the Region).

However, Sri Lankan opposition MP Harin Fernando warned that creating a database with Indian aid containing the biometric data of Sri Lankan citizens is a threat to the latter.

A member of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (United Peoples Power) party, Fernando also expressed concern about the signing of two defence agreements on 16 March, which were announced yesterday.

Sri Lanka runs the risk of getting involved in a regional war owing to these agreements as India will get the opportunity of controlling Sri Lankan waters and skies, while China controls the port in Hambantota, Mr. Fernando told Parliament.

The recently signed maritime security pacts with the Government of India will neither result in hindrance nor threat to the national security of Sri Lanka, as misinterpreted by several print and electronic media," said a press release by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence.

Under the terms of the agreements, India will provide a Dornier reconnaissance plane free of charge for surveillance, search and rescue operations and a floating dock facility for ship repairs.

[*] Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand,
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Proposed amendment to the law requiring them to know Russian. A "blood and soul" loyalty to the homeland as a response to the "Russophobia" that has grown after the attack on Ukraine. The defence of the rights of "compatriots" will be increased through political, legal, social and religious representation in foreign countries.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - Konstantin Zatulin, first deputy chairman of the Moscow Duma's committee for the affairs of the post-Soviet "Commonwealth of Independent States", has submitted to parliament an amendment to the law on the "state policy of the Russian Federation towards compatriots abroad". The main change is the compulsory requirement for all Russians abroad to 'possess the state language', namely Russian.

This is one of the necessary global redefinitions of the "Russian world", not so much in its extension, but in its faithful determination, so as to enable the Moscow authorities to act legally and constitutionally in defence of their compatriots anywhere on the globe. The law to which Zatulin refers has been in force for more than 20 years, but appears to have been overtaken by recent events, which introduce other features into the specification of 'Russians abroad' and their ties with the motherland.

The reference to the former Soviet citizenship, which gave access to current Russian citizenship, is removed from the text, since 'in the 30 years since the end of the USSR, a new generation of compatriots has grown up'. Today they are defined as 'persons residing abroad in possession of the Russian language, originating from peoples historically living on the territory of Russia, who have freely made a choice in favour of spiritual, cultural and legal relations with Russia, and whose direct lineal ancestors were born or have previously lived on Russian territory'.

A loyalty of "blood and soul", combining "Soviet" derivations with recent emigration in new historical and social categories to be applied on a case-by-case basis, also regularising those who have taken on different citizenships or who have remained without citizenship due to an interruption in Russian and Soviet ties. The possession of the language is decisive, as Zatulin explained, in order to "activate the constitutional obligation of the Russian State to guarantee the common Russian cultural identity". This new definition of "compatriots" will allow Russia to intervene abroad with all the necessary procedures, depending on the circumstances, today particularly exacerbated by the spread of "Russophobia" as a consequence of the war in Ukraine, but in fact already widespread in many parts of the world, as denounced in recent days by many Russian politicians.

A list of Russia's 'historical peoples' is proposed, starting with Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians, then the 'nationalities within the Russian Federation', the 'minorities scattered throughout the territory' and finally 'other historically associated peoples', a category that would open the way to any ethnic group that could justify a 'spiritual harmony' with the Russians on all continents.

The defence of the rights of "compatriots" will push Russians to increase their political, juridical, social and religious representations, as is already happening with the various structures of the Moscow Patriarchate in Asia, Africa and many other countries. Among the "real Russians" abroad it will be possible to select the candidates for these representations, and also to control those who would like to unjustly appropriate the identity, distinguishing everywhere the "authentic people" from the fake one, according to the expression that came into vogue thanks to the military operation in Ukraine.
by Shafique Khokhar

A madrassa in the city of Dera Ismail Khan was the scene of the chilling crime. Three female teachers killed a colleague upon an order delivered by the Prophet in a dream. According to investigators, the victim was targeted out of hatred because she followed an Islamic TV preacher who was viewed with suspicion by the others.

Dera Ismail Khan (AsiaNews)  Three madrassa teachers killed a colleague, 21-year-old Safoora Bibi, in Dera Ismail Khan, a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

According to the investigation, the horrendous crime took place in a street in the morning when the victim was on her way to Jamia Islamia Falahul Binaat, a school in the Anjumabad neighbourhood.

According to police, the three female teachers accused of the crime said that a 13-year-old relative of one of them had a dream in which the Prophet accused the victim of blasphemy and ordered them to kill her.

Police arrested Umra Aman, Razia Hanfi and Aisha Nomani as well as the 13-year-old relative girl. They note that the murdered woman was a follower of a well-known Pakistani Islamic TV preacher, Tariq Jamil, which her colleagues viewed with suspicion.

The accused belong to the Mehsud tribe in South Waziristan district and currently live in the Anjumabad area.

Wafaqul Madaris Al-Arabia Pakistan, the largest federation of Pakistani madrassas, condemned the murder calling it unfortunate. Its governing board called for a fair and independent investigation into the crime and punitive measures.

Pervaiz Masih, a social activist in Karachi, also condemned the crime asking the government for a fair trial in this and all blasphemy cases. The latter are on the rise across the country.

He also expressed concern that teachers and a teenage girl were involved in this affair.
SUV

It all started in 2015, when the manager of a company in Bucharest, Romania, Marian Raducu, mistakenly received 2,016,985 Romanian Lei (the equivalent of 407,505 / $455,000 at todays exchange rate). The firm Raducu was managing had a contract with a construction company for a project, and the secretary had to send Raducu 8,000 lei (1,616 / $1,800), but mistakenly sent over 400k.When she realized the mistake, she contacted Raducu and asked him to return the money. The manager lied and said he didnt receive that amount, but that he would investigate. She continued to contact him the same day and the next, but his phone was turned off.Later on, an investigation showed the man had got two bank loans with another man, Eugen Plopeanu, allegedly contracted in 2010 and 2015. The repayment of loans reached their maturity on June 20, 2016, just a few days after he reportedly received the large sum.He used the money to purchase two BMWs from Germany. He went for a BMW 6 Series Grand Coupe and a BMW X5 After a very long trial that lasted almost seven years, the Timisoara Court of Appeal announced its final ruling, and Marian Raducu was sentenced to two years and one month of imprisonment for appropriating the money, abetting, and forgery, Romanian paper Adevarul reports. And naturally, he wont get to keep any of the BMWs. Plopeanu, his aide, also received a year and seven months of imprisonment.So, returning to our original question: what would you do if you found $450,000 in your bank account that does not belong to you? The only good answer is return it. And Marian Raducu surely knows that now.
Spot, Boston Dynamics famous robot dog, is building an impressive career. After recently having joined the New York Firefighting Department, its now gearing up to become an inspector and guard working the night shift at the world-famous Pompeii ancient city, near Naples, in Italy. Daily Mail reports that Spot will become the first robot dog enlisted for such an important job.The four-legged robot will use its advanced cameras and sensors to perform two types of missions. On one hand, it will help monitor the buildings, keep an eye out for illegal relic hunters, and provide live data to the human officials that are off-site. On the other hand, it will inspect the areas that are hard to reach and too dangerous for humans. This will also help gather information, one that will be used for planning future interventions in order to address structural issues.Weighing 55 lb (25 kg) and sporting cutting-edge equipment, this robot dog has proved its abilities numerous times since it was first introduced in 2016. It can map out the surroundings, avoid obstacles, climb stairs, detect dangerous substances, and its equally efficient indoors or outdoors, during daytime or at night. These qualities make it an appropriate choice for inspecting the streets and tunnels of the ancient city of Pompeii.Representatives of the Pompeii archaeological park told the Daily Mail that the robots will be tested in the underground tunnels that were made by illegal excavators.The archaeological ruins of Pompeii, unfolding over 440,000 square meters (4,736,120 square feet), are whats left of an ancient city that was covered by volcanic ash after an eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
Adaptive Cruise Control

This connected traffic light system could also send timing information for red and green lights to other vehicles, in turn improving overall traffic flow and reducing congestion. This trial run was part of a larger project that involved testing automated and connected vehicles, as well as networked infrastructure in highway, urban and rural areas.Whether its a fire engine attending a blaze or an ambulance that is en route to an accident, the last thing anyone wants is for these drivers to be caught up among other vehicles waiting for the lights to change, said Ford of Europe research engineer for Automated Driving, Martin Sommer.While performing the test, Ford utilized a road with eight consecutive traffic lights in Aachen, Germany, and two stretches with three consecutive traffic lights just outside the city. The vehicle used was a Kuga plug-in hybrid model, equipped with onboard units for communicating with the infrastructure.The crossover acted as both an ambulance as well as a passenger vehicle for different test scenarios.During daily driving situations, the test vehicle received timing information for when the lights turned either green or red, before thesystem took over and adapted the Kugas speed to help ensure that a higher proportion of traffic encountered a green light.When the light was red, the vehicles speed was reduced well ahead of the junction in order to time its approach for when the light turned green. Were only talking about a deceleration from 30 mph (48 kph) to 20 mph (32 kph), so nothing too drastic.Communication between vehicles and traffic lights is made possible by C-V2X (Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything) technology, a platform that connects vehicles to not only infrastructure but other vehicles as well.The U.S. carmaker tested this system as part of the Corridor for New Mobility Aachen-Dusseldorf (ACCorD) project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport.
These bespoke supercars will pay tribute to not only the brands storied history, but also the first McLaren sold in Canada, which was a 2012 McLaren 12C delivered by the carmakers Toronto dealerships.The British brand will build three Coupe versions and seven Spiders for this new special edition series, which buyers will be able to pick up from Canadas three McLaren dealerships in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.Each car will only be available with a Pure Black MSO Bespoke paint, featuring a Stealth wheel finish, to mirror that very first 12C model that made the journey across the Atlantic. The exterior will also feature the Stealth Pack, MSO Black Pack and on the Spider, an electrochromatic glazed roof.Other exterior accents include McLaren Orange paint on the brake calipers, front and side air intakes, the rear diffuser, plus a custom stripe with an inset maple leaf graphic. Theres more McLaren Orange under the rear wing, accented with a black stripe and another maple leaf graphic.Inside, each car will come with an electric steering column, electric heated and memory seats, carbon fiber trim, a Bowers and Wilkins sound system, McLaren Orange Alcantara elements with MSO Bespoke contrast stitching, MSO logos and a special options plaque fitted in the front trunk.We are so excited to celebrate the legacy of McLaren in Canada, said Pfaff president and CEO, Christopher Pfaff. "With a nearly unbroken string of wins in the legendary Can-Am series, and 13 Formula 1 wins, McLaren has always set an incredibly high benchmark for performance in Canada.With three retail points in Canada, and over 1,000 McLaren cars sold, the brand has gone from strength to strength on Canadian roads as well. These 10 special 720S celebrate both legacies and give our Canadian customers something special to get excited about.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

In addition to weird sounds coming from the rear end, the customer noted unstable driving. Mercedes-Benz AG immediately launched investigations that concluded with drum roll please a quality control-related issue.More specifically, the Stuttgart-based automaker has identified a production deviation that occurred in September 2021. The rear axle carrier is manufactured by none other than MB, so theres no third party to blame.According to documents filed with the, the subframe welds for the thrust arm may not meet production specifications. The welds could fail without prior warning, causing the thrust arm to detach from the rear axle carrier. As if that wasnt bad enough, the vehicle may pull to one side in the event of hard braking.Thankfully for everyone involved, MB isnt aware of any reports involving accidents or injuries related to this condition. Identified under part number A2233509510, the rear axle carrier of 11 vehicles will be replaced. The vehicles in question are split between the V8-powered Maybach S 580, the Mercedes-Benz S 580, as well as the six-pot Mercedes S 500.The full-size luxury sedans were produced between September 14th, 2021, and January 4th, 2022. As for the rear axle carrier, the automaker highlights that a change in the production process was introduced on January 14th.Merc has also issued a stop-drive warning for the aforementioned vehicles. Where available, owners will be offered loaner vehicles at no cost. Last, but not least, Merc says that notifications will be mailed before May 24th.Codenamed W223, the seventh-generation Sonderklasse currently retails from $111,100 sans destination for the S 500 in V223 long-wheelbase format. This fellow is joined by the S 580 at $117,700 excluding taxes. The Maybach variants, which are dubbed Z223, start from $184,900 for the S 580 while the S 680 still doesnt have a price tag in the U.S. of A.
Thank TechCrunch for that. It revealed that after covering Coreshell, a battery tech startup that has developed a nanolayer coating solution that increases battery capacity by more than 30% and increases heat tolerance by 200%. The best news is that it does all that to current cells, with no need to develop new manufacturing techniques or invest billions in transforming existing battery plants to adopt it.As appealing as this new technology is, we have to confess that we are way more interested in the car. According to the article, the electric beach buggy that Meyers Manx is currently developing will be the first vehicle to present the Coreshell technology.That means that Meyers Manx will not buy a platform from another company as it used to do to build its original car. It is probably developing the platform and at least collaborating with its cell supplier to get Coreshell onboard.Could the American buggy maker be talking to Volkswagen ? If it were, we would probably have heard that the German brand is also investing in Coreshell and planning to apply the nanolayer to its unified battery, which will work with several different chemistries under the same format. If we didnt, either Volkswagen does not want that to be disclosed, or it has nothing to do with the new Meyers Manx, which is the most substantial possibility at this point. TechCrunch clarifies that the company is heading that way because Phillip Sarofim is involved with both companies. Sarofim is the founder and CEO of Trousdale Ventures, which helped Coreshell raise $12 million in a Series A round. He is also chairman of Meyers Manx and intends to help the company adapt to modern times while sticking to its mission of bringing adventure and fun to the world.An electric dune buggy would be fantastic to preserve the environments that welcome its use. It would also be much more stable than the original Meyers Manx ever was, thanks to the lower center of mass that battery packs offer. We will not even mention the massive torque of electric motors.Whether it takes Coreshells technology into production lines or not, we are now anxious to see the electric Meyers Manx. Its competitors should take notes and start working on electric buggies as soon as possible.
In this instance, it was the V8 symphony that attracted bystanders around it, as this Accelerate Yellow blue-collar supercar fired up its engine inside the dealer, before taking it outside for a couple of acceleration runs.If its one thing that the clip, which was filmed as part of the Corvette Z06 Dealer Tour, in Florida, doesnt show, it is the engine hitting its 8,600 rpm redline. Of course, that could be due to a number of different things, from a possible rev limiter at idle, to not having enough space to maneuver during the short drive, or other restrictions. Nonetheless, that doesnt make the video any less exciting, because it is sprinkled with the occasional pops and bangs.Now, before moving on to it, we will remind you that the bowtie brands engineers ended up buying the engine of a Ferrari 458 from eBay when they started developing the Z06s V8, as they didnt know how to make a flat-plane crank mill back then. Chief engineer Jordan Lee revealed that they paid in the region of $25,000 for the power unit, and everyone was surprised when it actually showed up at their Michigan facility.After many sleepless nights, and countless hours of development, fine-tuning, and testing, the engine was finally ready. It has a 5.5-liter displacement, produces 670 hp and 460 lb-ft (624 Nm) of torque, and rockets the new Z06 to 60 mph (97 kph) in a little over 2.5 seconds. The model is a 10-second car down the quarter-mile and can hit speeds in excess of 200 mph (322 kph).
kW

HP

Described as the best in its class, this evolved two-wheeler claims it can effortlessly compete with any 125cc moped on the market. The MQi GT EVO comes with a large frame and a classic design. This thing tips the scales at 128 kg (282 lb) and is available in eight colors. Nius zero-emission urban commuter features 14 wheels and has a ground clearance of 180mm (7). As for its payload capacity, it supports up to 275 kg (606 lb).While its design is not all that special or different from the previous models, the MQi GT EVO compensates through its impressive performance. It packs a powerful 5(6.7) motor (peak power of 6.5 kW) and claims it can hit a top speed of 100 kph (62 mph). Niu s all-star MQi GT EVO is powered by a 4th gen proprietary lithium battery that claims to offer a range of up to 75 km (46 miles) on a charge. The battery takes five hours to fully charge.A generous, customizable LED dashboard gives you all the important details such as battery status, riding mode (there are three of them available: Eco, Dynamic, Sport) and so on. You can personalize your scooter by switching between three display faces.As for some of the notable smart features of the scooter, one of them is the Bluetooth keyless entry on the MQi GT EVO, so you can forget about forgetting those keys. A dedicated mobile app sends notifications in case of unauthorized movements and offers real-time location details.European customers can order the Niu MQi GT EVO electric scooter for 5,000 (approximately $5,560). You can take a closer look at the electric moped in the video below, just fast forward to minute 7:40.
Ever since Russias attack on Ukraine, Russian oligarchs have also had to suffer directly. Their investments crashed, and governments all over the world (but most specifically in the U.S., UK and EU) have been working tirelessly to find the possessions of Russian billionaires and deprive them of those assets.Now a superyacht called PHI has been seized yesterday by the UKs anti-kleptocracy unit in the Canary Warf, East London, just hours before it was due to leave.The investigators from the National Crime Agency have reasons to believe the boat belongs to a Russian businessman named Sergei Georgievich Naumenko. The superyacht was in London for an awards ceremony and is reportedly registered to a company from the Caribbean islands of St Kitts and Nevis, The Daily Mail reports. The vessel also carried Maltese flags to deliberately hide its origins.The PHI is the first superyacht that has been detained in the UK since the sanctions started. The superyacht was first identified as potentially Russian-owned on March 13, although theres still a mystery as to why it has been detained since Mr. Naumenko does not even feature on the list of sanctions.The captain of the vessel, Guy Booth, from Worthing, West Sussex, denied any ties with Russians on his Facebook account and said the owner is an experienced yachtsman. PHI , which is reportedly worth almost $50 million, is a 192-foot (58.5 meters) yacht below 500 gross tonnes, which makes it the longest vessel in this category. The superyachts most interesting onboard features are its 300-bottle infinity wine cellar and an innovative, sustainable pool which uses much less fresh water than usual pools and doesnt need a separate dump tank.
A little background on Fresco Motors first, just to jog your memory. The Oslo-based company has been making the headlines lately with its recently unveiled Fresco XL , a large, fully electric vehicle, with a battery pack to match. The electric pod will be equipped with a motor on each axle and claims to be able to offer up to 1,000 km (621 miles) on a charge. It is advertised by the automaker as a breath of fresh air and promises unadulterated power, but without the noise of a non-electric car.Up to eight passengers can hitch a ride in the Fresco XL, which comes as standard with all-wheel drive. The vehicle can also be used as a camper by pulling down the seats to create a flat sleeping area in the car.Thats pretty much everything we know about the Fresco XL pod for now, with the company being yet to offer any specs or production dates for its electric pod Meanwhile, Fresco Motors is also planning the aforementioned energy-positive corporate campus, whose destination is unknown yet. As explained by the companys CEO, Espen Kvalvik, the Fresco Campus is a long-term objective and will include everything that you can find in a healthy city, from office spaces to subterranean production facilities, malls, apartment buildings, parks, and so on. It will operate in an environmentally-friendly manner and aims to employ thousands of people.The campus will be powered by solar and wind energy and will be built in a place that can meet some essential criteria. One of them is to be located by the ocean, train tracks, and airports, for easy global shipping. Another requirement is to already have a workforce that can both build and maintain the campus. The third one is for the location to have the proper resources to build the facility.Fresco Motors added that it is now open to receiving offers and is willing to discuss its campus with any country that meets the above conditions.
Cold Response is a military exercise that takes place regularly with the aim of demonstrating NATOs Arctic warfighting capabilities. But this years edition was the largest of its kind in more than three decades, with 30,000 military personnel participating, from 27 nations. As part of Cold Response 2022, the Royal Marines participated in a training session held in Lyngenfjord, located inside the Arctic Circle, east of Tromso, Norway.During this training, small teams from the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron were launched on Inflatable Raiding Crafts (IRCs) from a hunter-killer submarine . Larger and faster crafts belonging to their Norwegian counterparts were also used to access areas that were harder to reach. The goal was to conduct reconnaissance missions on the challenging icy terrain in freezing cold temperatures while at the same time escaping from a mock enemy force that was hunting them.These types of reconnaissance missions are meant to gather critical data on the terrain, preparing the way for the larger amphibious forces that would arrive later, either by ski and snowmobile or by helicopter.In order to successfully complete such missions, assets like hunter-killer submarines are essential because of their stealthy operation. The ability to operate undetected for significant periods of time with top quality kit ensures that a submarine remains a formidable delivery mechanism, said Commodore Jim Perks, the head of the RN Submarine Service.The Astute class of modern nuclear submarines is comprised of 318-foot (97 meters) hunter-killers that weigh 7,400 tons. The nuclear reactor enables an extensive range while also generating oxygen and water.The newest Astute-class submarine, HMS Anson , recently completed its first diving test. Four of them are already in operation, and two more are currently under construction.
In the summer of 2021, Avolon purchased 500 eVTOLs from Vertical Aerospace , making it the manufacturer with the most impressive pre-order book at the time. Now, after less than a year, it has successfully placed all of the aircraft, even exceeding the order book by 50 options. Avolon has established UAM (urban air mobility) Working Groups all over the world, in places such as Brazil (with GOL), Greenland (with Air Greenland), Japan (with Japan Airlines), and Southeast Asia (with AirAsia).The latest one to join this impressive list, bringing the placement of the 500 VX4 air taxis to completion, is Gozen Holding, an aviation conglomerate in Turkey that owns Freebird Airlines. Under a recent contract, Gozen has agreed to purchase or lease 50 eVTOLs, with the option for 50 additional aircraft . This will be a pioneering moment for UAM operations in Turkey.Istanbul, in particular, has a huge potential for air taxi operations  because its known for its huge traffic. The airports in the area are distant, and the waterway networks are always overcrowded. Statistics show that 50 million people use ferries or boats in Istanbul every year. Air taxis would provide an alternative way of traveling thats much faster, quieter, and more sustainable. The upcoming Working Group established by Gozen and Avolon will explore these opportunities. Soon, Istanbul might become one of the main centers for air taxi services in the world. This is the first step towards that goal.Boasting a high-performance powertrain, developed together with Rolls-Royce and fighter jet-inspired avionics, the VX4 will kick off test flights this year.
EV

kWh

A press conference at the new Raleigh Convention Center announced the $2-billion investment the company plans to make in Chatham county. Thats just for phase one, where VinFast intends to produce 150,000 EVs per year, among electric SUVs and buses.Most of that production will be dedicated to the VF 8 and VF 9, respectively, five-seater and seven-seater SUVs. The VF 8 is also known as VF32 of VF e35, while the VF 9 is also called VF33 or e36. We have no idea why VinFast has so many different names for its vehicles, both designed by Pininfarina . it will no longer be necessary if all its cars are going to be electric. The company also changed the numbers completely. Go figure...The factory will be built on a terrain of 1,977 acres (8 million square meters) starting in 2022. It is expected to start production in July 2024. When all phases are concluded, VinFast expects to employ 7,500 people in North Carolinas first car factory.Apart from vehicles, the Vietnamese company will also manufacturebatteries and ancillary industries for suppliers. We suppose it means that the site will also house suppliers for the vehicles. That seems necessary for a state with no tradition related to the automotive industry.It would be interesting to learn if the factory was a plan started by Michael Lohscheller or if the idea was presented and approved after he left. Considering how much time these decisions demand to be taken, it seems Lohscheller started it and did not have time to show his efforts.Dont expect the VF 8 and VF 9 to only start sales in the U.S. by 2024. It is not unlikely that VinFast will begin selling them in the American market as soon as it can export them from Vietnam. That said, local production should replace imports when it kicks off. Thats precisely what Volkswagen is doing now with the ID.4.The VF 8 has a 106-battery pack. That means that VinFast will have to produce at least 16 GWh in batteries to cope with manufacturing 150,000 EVs per year. Bear in mind that it will also make electric buses, which present much larger battery packs. It would be safe to say that VinFast has to ensure a supply of at least 20 GWh to make that many electric vehicles.Apart from BYD , all the other companies need cell manufacturers to get their battery packs. VinFast has not disclosed if it has any partnership with LGES, SK Innovation, or another one of these cell suppliers for its North Carolina plant.
Palmdale, CA (93550)

Today

Plenty of sunshine with gusty winds developing this afternoon. High 86F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 58F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
The officers of the Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC) and the National Security Service (NSS) jointly searched at least one office at the ministry headquarters in Yerevan on Monday. It remains unclear whether anyone was arrested or charged as a result.

Neither law-enforcement agency has commented on the extraordinary operation so far. The ACC said on Wednesday that it will make an official statement soon.

A spokeswoman for the ministry told RFE/RLs Armenian Service that the investigators searched the office of Ashot Hakobian, an adviser to Minister of Emergency Situations Andranik Piloyan. Hakobian did not report for work on Wednesday despite not being on vacation, she said without commenting further.

Piloyan went on a two-week vacation hours after the raid. He was reportedly questioned by the ACC on Tuesday. The minister has still not publicly commented on the corruption probe.

Piloyan is a retired army general who participated in the 2020 war with Azerbaijan. During the six-week hostilities, he received Armenias highest state award, the title of National Hero, for leading what Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian called a successful Armenian counteroffensive southwest of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The award proved highly controversial seeing as Azerbaijani forces continued their advance in that area in the following days.

Pashinian went on to appoint Piloyan as minister in November 2020 less than two weeks after a Russian-brokered ceasefire that stopped the devastating war.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations will be run by Piloyans first deputy, Armen Pambukhchian, for now. Pambukhchian is a member of the ruling Civil Contract party.
Boris Bakhshiyan was taken into custody on February 7 two weeks after granting bail to a jailed opposition figure. He rejects accusations leveled against him as government retribution for that decision.

The accusations stem from another decision which Bakhshiyan made during an ongoing trial presided over by him. Prosecutors claim that the 36-year-old judge illegally ordered the arrest of one of the defendants in that trial.

The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), a state body overseeing Armenian courts, allowed Bakhshiyans arrest despite an uproar from many lawyers and the leadership of Armenias Union of Judges.

Bakhshiyans lawyer, Arsen Sardarian, told RFE/RLs Armenian Service on Wednesday that a Yerevan court has agreed to allow investigators to hold his client in detention for one more month, until May 7.

In recent months, opposition groups, legal experts and some judges have repeatedly accused the Armenian government of seeking to increase its influence on courts under the guise of judicial reforms. The authorities deny this, insisting that the reforms are aimed at increasing judicial independence.

Armenias parliament controlled by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians party approved in February legislation that made it easier for law-enforcement authorities to indict and arrest judges.
Arush Arushanian received a suspended six-month prison sentence and was set free on Monday nine months after being arrested on a string of charges strongly denied by him.

Arushanian was acquitted of vote buying but found guilty of assault and abuse of power at the end of a four-month trial. A court in Goris also ruled that he cannot hold any local government posts for the next five years.

Arushanians lawyers said that he will appeal against the verdict. They insisted that the 31-year-old can continue to serve as Goris mayor pending a higher courts ruling on the appeal.

A spokesman for Armenias Office of the Prosecutor-General, Gor Abrahamian, confirmed that. There are no obstacles right now given the fact that the judicial act has not yet taken effect, he told RFE/RLs Armenian Service.

Arushanian returned to work hours after walking free in the courtroom. A statement posted on the website of the Goris municipality said that he will chair a session of the municipal council scheduled for April 5.

The council elected last October is empowered to appoint and dismiss the head of the local community comprising Goris and surrounding villages.

An opposition bloc led by Arushanian controls 13 of the 21 seats in the council. It will therefore be in a position to install another mayor if Arushanians removal from office is upheld by higher courts.

Arushanian was one of the four heads of major communities of Syunik province who were arrested shortly after the June 2021 parliamentary elections on various charges rejected by them as politically motivated. They all demanded Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians resignation before joining the main opposition Hayastan alliance set up by former President Robert Kocharian in the run-up to the snap polls.
You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @idesai98 on Twitter.
Famed, 'Terrible' Tillamook Rock Lighthouse Up for Sale - N. Oregon Coast

Published 03/30/22 at 4:35 AM PST

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Seaside, Oregon)  For a mere $6.5 million, you could own a famous Oregon coast lighthouse (photo copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection).

Of course, it's utterly remote, it's technically a wildlife reserve so you can't regularly visit, and it's only used to house urns of deceased people's ashes.

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, otherwise known as Terrible Tilly, is the 141-year-old specter-like landmark way offshore from Cannon Beach and Seaside, having shutdown as a lighthouse back in 1957. Back then, author James Gibbs was one of the last crew to man the lighthouse, and he went on to create one of his own near Yachats  atop his private home.

Tilly is also privately owned by Mimi Morissette, who picked up the place in the late '70s and turned it into a columbarium, a place to house ashes of the dead. That operation hit numerous snags over the decades, and now at age 77, she has put it up for sale, according to various regional media in the Pacific Northwest.

According to Astoria radio station KMUN and Portland's The Oregonian, she's decided to let someone else take the reigns of this elusive Oregon coast landmark. Only around 30 people were interred there since 1980, and it well may find that use again in its next incarnation as Morisette has been in contact with similar businesses about the sale.

Eternity at Sea Combarium has been the name of the business since it took over Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, finding trouble by the end of the '80s. According to regional media outlets, they soon discovered the metal used for the urns did not fare well in the salty and rough Oregon coast seas. By 1999, the firm lost its operating license and was unable to acquire a new one.





Tillamook Rock Lighthouse is part of the rock islands offshore that are under the protection of US Fish and Wildlife, essentially a reserve for various birds and the sea lions that haul out there. Although it can be bought and acquired by new owners, the place is basically off limits except only at various points in the year because of conservation laws. Even then, the only vaguely safe way on or off the lighthouse island is by helicopter.

Late in the 2010s, Oregon Coast Beach Connection learned of a photographer who had landed on the area, apparently with the owners. Initially, when contact was made with him by Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff, he was willing to talk about the experience and why the helicopter was there. He quickly cut off contact and his social media posts of the visit disappeared.

Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff had the opportunity to fly over the lighthouse in 2007 and photograph it from above.

Terrible Tilly was an apt name for the ancient sentinel, beginning with its initial construction. Reports have differed whether people were killed there or not, but what is known for certain is that workers helping to build it way back in the 1870s were sequestered on the south Washington coast while waiting for their round of shifts. The construction companies involved did not want the workers to read regional newspapers and find out about the rock structure's dangerous reputation and the constant stream of incidents injuring crewmembers.

During the course of the lighthouse's run, dramatic stories of massive storm waves washing over the building were many, including some that severely damaged the lighthouse. MORE PHOTOS BELOW

Hotels in Seaside - Where to eat - Seaside Maps and Virtual Tours





MORE PHOTOS BELOW













Photos below courtesy Tiffany Boothe / Seaside Aquarium















More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....



Coastal Spotlight



LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net

All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted
The Perfect Loaf is a column from software engineer turned bread expert (and Food52's Resident Bread Baker), Maurizio Leo. Maurizio is here to show us all things naturally leavened, enriched, yeast-risen, you name itbasically, anything you can slather a lot of butter on. Today, he tells us about naturally leavened mazanec, a Czech sweet bread.

Many years ago I had the pleasure of traveling through Europe for work, with a multiweek stop in the Czech Republic. My hosts, knowing my appreciation for good food, took me to restaurants that catered to the locals and that were so small it felt like we were eating in their cousins kitchen. In these quaint eateries, I had some of the tastiest food of my entire trip. The highlight was probably eating a whole pork knuckle, but I also ordered plenty of dumplings and many a light beer. As I was traveling during the dead of winter, many spring and summer Czech specialties eluded me, including the Eastertime sweet bread called mazanec. This treat is not widely known here in the U.S., so I figured what better way to remember my trip through the beautiful Czech Republic than to fill the mazanec void and make it in my home kitchenusing my sourdough starter, of course.

Read More >>
The Jasper County Commissioner Court voted during its regular session on Monday, March 21, to extend the COVID-19 declaration of disaster for another two months.

Even though active cases are down, this would allow the county to mobilize the resources necessary quickly and efficiently if cases began to increase again.

The Commissioners Court heard the regular report, which included the jail report with receipts for housing inmates from Newton, Tyler and Sabine Counties and inmates from the city of Jasper that totaled $36,120.

In financial matters, the Commissioners Court accepted $159,000 in grants from the federal governments Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for Jasper Countys Bell Field Airport. Then they approved an interlocal agreement between Jasper County and the city of Jasper on a flood plain buyout program. This allows the county and the city to work together to purchase homes that have repeatedly flooded due to weather events. The purchased properties will be deeded to the city of Jasper for use by the city in future green space.

Commissioners also approved a bid from Gulf Coast Construction of Jasper for repairs to Duffer Road in Precinct 2 for $146,223.00. The court also approved the countys application for United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service funding. The money would be used to complete a brush management project, and upgrade pumping plants on Jasper Countys school land located in Pecos County.

The court then appointed Dennis Marks, the commissioner-elect from Precinct 4, as the replacement for current Commissioner Vance Moss to the Jasper-Newton County Public Health District Board of Directors. The court thanked Moss for his years of volunteer service on the Health District Board. Moss did not seek reelection to his seat.

The Court then heard of the need to relocate the Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace and Constables office. The office is in Rayburn County, but the building that is leased to Jasper County for the offices is slated to be demolished by the building owner. The court authorized Judge Mark Allen to locate a temporary site for the office to keep the services in the precinct from being interrupted.

Finally, the Court voted to table participation in the Tex-21 Transportation Coalition. Jasper County has long been a member of the I-14 Gulf Coast Strategic Highway Coalition, which has planned for and gained approval for a new interstate highway that will run from Midland,Texas to Georgia.
AzmanL/Getty Images

Corporate relocations to the Lone Star State reached a temporary 'lull' during the early months of 2022, according to a report published in the Dallas Business Journal, but Ed Curtis, founder and CEO of YTexas, a business network for companies relocating and expanding growth, told the publication he expects business relocations to the state would soon "pop" again.

"When I talked to the regional economic development organizations, all of them say they have a pipeline of new business that they have never seen before. All of them. If they've got this pipeline, and they're slowly dripping out, I think there's going to be a point where it's going to unload, and we're going to have another wave of big announcements," Curtis told the Dallas Business Journal.
Beaumont ISD's Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School Principal Julia Rich is resigning her position at the end of the school year.

Rich said in a statement that she will be relocating this summer, though did not disclose where.

"This year has been one of great progress as we have grown immensely, built deep relationships and learned alongside each other," said Rich in her statement. "As a campus, we have established a culture of growth that will shine the light on the abilities of our students and the strength of the community. I am proud to have led that charge."

Rich joined the district and community in 2021 and was one of the school's first principals since Green Dot Public Schools -- a Los Angeles-based charter school operator -- took control of the campus.

RELATED: BISD selects charter partner for MLK Middle School

BISD partnered with the charter operator to avoid state intervention or closure following years of failing state accountability scores, according to previous Enterprise reporting.

"Already we are seeing strong growth in (English/Language arts) and math, an indicator of the progress students have made since our partnership took off last summer," said Green Dot Public Schools Executive Director Cliff Claflin.

Claflin said that a formal principal search has been launched and that they will be engaging the community in the selection.

Green Dot's contract with the district gives the charter operator the authority to hire and fire all employees, principals and other academic instructional employees, according to previous Enterprise reporting.

olivia.malick@hearst.com

twitter.com/OliviaMalick
Fran Ruchalski, The Enterprise / The Enterprise

The Texas State University System is taking the next step in finding a new president for Lamar Institute of Technology.

LIT President Lonnie Howard in February announced that he would step down from the position in July.
The Gulf Coast produces nearly half (45%) of the nation's $250 million oyster industry, according to an NOAA Fisheries report. In Texas, the industry contributes approximately $50 million to the state economy, based on Texas A&M estimates. In recent months, the oyster industry has taken a financial hit due to a number of challenges, including the temporary closing of a majority of the commercial oyster reef on the Texas Gulf Coast by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).

So, what's behind the closures, and how are these challenges impacting industry professionals?

Texas oyster reef closures and community impacts

On March 23, the TPWD heard public comments from industry businessmen, oystermen workers, stakeholders and researchers in the field in response to an agenda item to permanently close the Ayres, Carlos and Mesquite Bays. The department stated that the closures are due to harvest reefs not producing oysters at the legal size to harvest.

Jennifer Pollack, an Associate Professor in the Department of Life Sciences at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi researches climate, impacts on these environments related to human activity and marine ecology restoration. Her research focuses on marine organisms and how restoration can play a role in recovering ecosystem services along the Gulf Coast.

"The issue is multifaceted with many variables including climate changes, weather patterns, reefs being overfished, to name a few," Pollack explained. "The TPWD studies the commercial fished bays and provides samples to [determine] if the [oysters] beds meet the regulated population and required size for commercial fishing."

Pollack said her presentation at the TPWD commissioner meeting was to report data collected in science-based research, noting that she cannot take any side in response to the debate.

The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Im

Texas seafood retailers and oystermen

So, as oyster reefs close, how are Texas seafood retailers and oystermen weathering the industry tides?

"I have worked as a seafood retailer for 43 years and I have never seen the oyster industry this bad," said Steve Edwards, owner of Seafood Lovers in Beaumont. "I'm purchasing oysters from Louisiana and they're more expensive and sold in smaller quantities. It's detrimental on our [bottom line]. I feel for the oystermen. There's a lot [of] folks in the industry that have totally lost their livelihoods."

The closures have potentially far-reaching impacts across the industry and local economies for businesses and consumers alike.

"In the restaurant business, sacks of oysters have been difficult to come by," said George Meagas with, The Schooner Restaurant near Port Arthur. "I will order 10 sacks and only four will be delivered [and this] is a common occurrence. I have ordered from Louisiana and Mississippi and the higher costs are increased to the consumer on the menu, but, in all fairness, it's not just oysters, it's shrimp, beef, sugar packets, it's [everything]."

Mark Valentino owner of Bay Fresh Oyster Co., an oyster processing business in San Leon has been in the business for 40 years, said he disagrees with the TPWD actions related to the bay closures, noting that his business has come to a standstill for more than two months.

"Oysters are more resilient than people think," Valentino said. "Dredging the bays helps cultivate the oysters and supports them to populate. I've seen this first hand through my many years in the business with a variety of different weather patterns. In the 1980s, the state closed the oyster beds like they are now and a group of [us] in the industry had to file a lawsuit to protect our rights and livelihood."

Valentino presented his views in response to this season's Gulf Coast Bay closures at the TPWD commissioner's meeting along with Pollack. The meeting accompanied a full house of attendees as well as a four-hour public comment session.

"The agenda item was tabled," said Pollack. "TPWD determined to create a committee with stakeholders to provide more information and data. A projected decision should be determined before the next commercial oyster season in November."

TPWD was contacted in response to the Gulf Coast bays being closed for the commercial oyster season and provided comments on the topic.

"We are sensitive to the potential economic impact of closures, but we are also sensitive to the long-term sustainability of the oyster fishery and oyster habitats," said Emma Clarkson, with TPWD. "Oyster reefs provide a variety of ecosystem services (such as habitat provision for fish and water quality improvement) based on their physical structure and vertical relief, which is very sensitive to degradation from dredging."

Additionally, Clarkson said the department has been constructed to "work with constituents, including the industry, to find a solution."

"It is a balancing act between protecting habitat and peoples livelihoods, and we must ensure that oysters and their habitats are thriving for future generations," Clarkson added.

Educational opportunities and innovation

Executive Director Joe M. Fox and Gail Sutton with the Palacios Marine Agriculture Research, Inc., a non-profit group focused on Texas oyster farming research and innovation to mitigate the environmental impacts in the industry.

Their goal is to create a sustainable commercial aquaculture industry, which can develop seed oysters in hatcheries, grow them in a reliable, protected environment and then harvest them when ready  all while maintaining the integrity of the coastal environment, as stated in a published report on their efforts in AgriLife Today.

"This is an environmental issue and Texas is behind from what other coastal communities are doing to create a better ecosystem in their bays," Sutton said. "The bays are not in a good condition and [we] need to act now."

"I would like to see the state implement retraining programs and [educational] opportunities for the men impacted by the current bay closures, something to help mitigate the economic and environmental shifts of [our] time," Sutton added.

Pollack agreed with the TPWD decision to include more time to handle the commercial oyster bay closures and create a strategic plan that includes the considerations of all parties involved with the decision.

"I think the oyster aquaculture research and farming is a separate conversation to the bay closure debate ," Pollack added. "However, aquaculture and closures in the Gulf Coast will help provide protections as added tools to help with oyster reef sustainability."
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Damaging winds reamin the greatest potential threat for severe weather headed to Southeast Texas.

A line of storms is expected to enter from the west around 9 a.m. on Wednesday.

The line is expected to move through the Beaumont area toward Orange through the noon hour, according to the National Weather Service in Lake Charles. From noon to 3 p.m. the line will enter western Louisiana and move on toward the Lafayette area around the 3 to 6 p.m. time frame.

There is still a significant severe weather threat expected across the region tomorrow, NWS Lake Charles Meteorologist Donald Jones said. We are going to have a squall line roll through the area associated with a cold front and within that squall line as well as out in front of it, we are going to have the potential to see severe weather.

All forms of severe weather, including tornadoes and large hail, are possible, he said. However, strong winds remain the biggest risk.

Related: Southeast Texas expecting more severe weather this week

Lake Charles region, which includes Southeast Texas, is a risk level of 3 out of 5 for severe weather. It will continue to see strong southern winds on Wednesday.

A wind advisory is in effect for Southeast Texas as well as portions of Louisiana until 4 p.m. on Wednesday. The alert included precautionary actions to take ahead of the storm, including using caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle, and securing outdoor objects.

Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects, according to a Beaumont severe weather alert. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.

Weather experts said to expect some tree limbs down along with isolated to scattered power outages especially along and south of the Interstate 10 corridor. Some areas of Louisiana will be under an uncommon wind warning that has not been issued since 2015, Jones said.

The Southeast Texas area is looking at a marginal risk level for tornadoes at only a 2 to 5% probability.

The greatest potential for tornadoes will be with thunderstorms that develop out in front of the line, Jones said. While the risk for tornadoes is lower than last week and only marginal for the area, Jones advised not to rule out the potential for tornadoes or the damaging wind threat with the stronger squall line.

The National Weather Service expects the region to see sustained winds of 20 to 25 mph with 50 mph gusts, which could increase to 60 to 80 mph in some areas. Some manufactured homes could experience damage from the wind threat with this storm.

You can receive some significant damage from strong damaging winds just as easily as you can a tornado Jones said. We are talking about 60, 70, 80 mph winds. Thats category 1 hurricane force winds that we can potentially see out of this squall line. That can cause just as much damage as a weak tornado.

Some areas may see heavy rainfall, which could potentially cause minor street flooding. Jones does not expect flash flooding with the fast-moving system which may only be in an area for about an hour at a time. The Beaumont area is expected to see about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of rainfall. Surrounding areas to the east and northeast could see about up to an inch of rainfall, NWS information showed.

Once the squall line moves through the area, Jones said the severe weather threat will be essentially over for the week. A weak frontal system could bring a 50% chance of rain showers and thunderstorms on Saturday, but a severe weather threat is not expected with that system.

After the cool weather brought by these storm expires, temperatures will warm up to the upper 70s and 80s with nicer conditions this week.

Jones recommended enjoying the Spring weather while you can.

Summer is coming, it is not too far away, Jones said.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attend a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Oct. 9, 2019.

A controversial security agreement with China is ready for signing, the leader of the Solomon Islands told Parliament but without revealing the details, saying only that his government had not been pressured to let China build a naval base in the country.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare made the remarks to Parliament late Tuesday, according to multiple news reports. Neighboring powers have expressed concern over the pact that China has defended as normal cooperation with Pacific island nations.

We are not pressured in any way by our new friends and there is no intention whatsoever to ask China to build a military base in the Solomon Islands, Sogavare was quoted as saying.

A draft agreement leaked online last week would allow Beijing to set up bases and deploy troops in the Solomon Islands, which lies about 1,700 km (1,050 miles) from the northeastern coast of Australia.

The document provoked fears in the regions traditional powers, Australia and New Zealand, with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying that her country sees the pact as gravely concerning.

It is unclear whether the leaked draft differs from the final agreement.

Sogavare told lawmakers that to achieve the nations security needs, it is clear that we need to diversify the countrys relationship with other countries but existing security arrangements with Australia would remain.

His policy of diversification was evident in November 2021 when Sogavare asked Australia, and after that China, to send police forces to help him quell violent riots that rocked the capital, Honiara.

Alexander Vuving, a professor with the Hawaii-based Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, said Sogavares strategy is not unusual for leaders of small Pacific island states who are willing to play the major powers off against each other, thus bloating their states values to the major powers.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday that normal law enforcement and security cooperation between China and Solomon Islands  is consistent with international law and customary international practice.

We hope relevant countries will earnestly respect Solomon Islands sovereignty and its independent decisions instead of deciding what others should and should not do in a condescending manner, spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

Chinas growing presence in Pacific

Beijing doesnt hide its ambition to set up military bases in the region. Some Chinese analysts, such as Qi Huaigao, an associate professor at Fudan University, suggested that in order to compete with the United States in the Western Pacific, China needs to have bases in Solomon Islands, Samoa and Vanuatu for commercial and military supply purposes.

In 2018, media reports about Chinas plan to build a base in Vanuatu prompted a stern warning from then-Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

David Capie, director of the Center for Strategic Studies at the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, told Radio Free Asia earlier this week that China wants to be able to operate its rapidly growing navy out in the wider Pacific, complicating U.S. plans in the event of a future conflict.

A base in the Pacific would let Peoples Liberation Army Navy vessels operate far away from their home ports for longer and in the future might also be used for intelligence gathering and surveillance, he said.

It would greatly boost Chinas capabilities in intelligence-collecting which is alleged to have often been done by marine research vessels.

Data provided by the ship-tracking website MarineTraffic show that Chinas spacecraft-tracking ship Yuanwang-5 is currently operating in the Western Pacific, not far from the Solomon Islands.

Yuanwang-class ships are multi-purpose signals and technical intelligence gathering platforms, said Paul Buchanan, director of the Auckland, New Zealand-based 36th Parallel Assessments risk consultancy.

The Yuanwang-5s presence is normal but it would not be surprising if it makes a port visit to Honiara as part of the deployment in order to register the seriousness of Chinas intent in the region, Buchanan said.

This report was produced by Radio Free Asia, sister entity of BenarNews.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore makes remarks as he arrives for talks with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, March 30, 2022.

In upending the international order Russias invasion of Ukraine has strained Sino-American ties and created a sense of insecurity in the Indo-Pacific region, Singapores leader told a Washington think-tank during a visit to the U.S. capital on Wednesday.

In a one-hour webinar hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong discussed Chinas relationship with Russia as it affects the Indo-Pacific, along with U.S. efforts to work with Singapore and its neighbors in Southeast Asia.

Moderator Richard Haass opened the event by asking Lee to comment on Chinas relationships in light of the Russian attack on Ukraine.

What happens in Ukraine is bound to have a big impact on U.S.-China relations. It has already strained them, Lee said.

It has damaged the international framework and peace between countries, he said. Some of us are going to feel very insecure in the Asia-Pacific.

Lee said he hoped the relationship between the superpowers would hold.

The Ukraine invasion, which began on Feb. 24, had also affected Beijings relationship with Moscow, he said.

It presents them with awkward questions because on Ukraine it violates the principles which the Chinese hold very dearly  territorial integrity, sovereignty and non-interference, Lee said. Still, I dont think in the region the fact that China refuses to distance itself from Russia cost them.

During the 2022 Winter Olympics that Beijing hosted in the days before the invasion, Russia and China agreed to a cooperation pact. And since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military forces to invade Ukraine, fears have trickled over into Asia and elsewhere about whether that action might inspire Chinese President Xi Jinping to launch an attack on Taiwan.

The Singapore prime minister also talked about the South China Sea in terms of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) relationship with China. He touched on but did not go into detail about Chinas overlapping waterway claims with four members of the Southeast Asian bloc.

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea while ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam have their own claims to parts of the sea. Member-state Indonesia is locked in a separate dispute with China which claims parts of the sea that are within Jakartas exclusive economic zone.

Different countries have different atolls or islands that are occupied. Some have been reclaimed, enlarged and occupied, Lee said.

The Philippines has protested Chinas presence around the Scarborough Shoal in the waterway, filing a series of diplomatic protests. The most recent one, filed earlier this week, raised alarm about a China Coast Guard ship coming within 21 meters (69 feet) of a Philippine Coast Guard ship on March 2.

From our point of view, freedom of navigation is important, international law is important, the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea [UNCLOS] is also important, and peaceful resolution of disputes so you avoid some accidental conflicts, Lee said.

China and ASEAN have been working on establishing a code of conduct for the South China Sea but have not been able to reach agreement, he noted.

Lee made the comment a day after he met with President Joe Biden at the White House, where they voiced their support for freedom of navigation.

We reaffirm that all concerned parties must abide by the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and reiterate our support for ASEAN-led efforts to develop an effective and substantive Code of Conduct for the South China Sea that upholds the legitimate rights and interests of all parties and is consistent with UNCLOS, Biden and Lee said in a joint statement.

It also said the leaders respect states ability to conserve, sustainably develop, and effectively manage their maritime natural resources in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS.

Economic relations

Another question raised at Wednesdays webinar dealt with U.S. economic relationships in the region. Lee discussed the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework proposed by Biden in October 2021.

What it should do is to be a positive agenda for the U.S. on economic cooperation with countries in Asia Pacific, Lee said, adding it should have an upside for both parties.

Lets take some baby steps toward market access and trade levelization, he said. Politics is the art of the possible.

Asked about the Trans-Pacific Partnership  a proposed 12-nation plan that collapsed in 2017 when then-President Donald Trump withdrew, thats water under the bridge.

The TPP, which became the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) without the U.S. joining, went into effect in 2018. China has sought membership in the partnership.
President Rodrigo Duterte gestures during his weekly talk to the people address in Manila, March 29, 2022.

President Rodrigo Duterte is alleging that communist insurgents waging a decades-old insurgency have gained a foothold in the Philippine Congress through representation by leftist groups.

Several left-leaning organizations are fronts for the rebels waging a decades-old insurgency and have gained seats in the House of Representatives, the Philippine leader said during his weekly talk to the nation address late Tuesday.

You know, it is true. They have infiltrated Congress. No doubt about it. They have used the party-list [system in the electoral process], Duterte said, according to a transcript released to the press Wednesday.

The problem here is that they are supporting [the communist movement] or acting as legal fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines, he said.

Duterte named at least five organizations that have won congressional seats as sector representatives, including the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), the womens rights groups Gabriela, and the nationalist group Bayan Muna.

Carlos Zarate, who represents Bayan Muna in Congress, hit back at the president, saying Duterte had presented no credible evidence against the nationalist bloc, except for innuendo and hearsay coming from perjured witnesses.

The real intent of this attack is to immobilize us, he said.

Zarate also accused the president, who will leave office when his term expires after the May general election, of a using a desperate ploy to divide the political opposition that supports Vice President Leni Robredo, one of the presidential candidates vying to replace Duterte.

Communist New People's Army (NPA) fighters march in a parade in Lagonlong, a town in Misamis Oriental province, southern Philippines, May 2, 2016. [Froilan Gallardo/BenarNews]

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has been waging a Maoist rebellion against Manila since 1969. The New Peoples Army, the partys military wing, has about 5,000 fighters nationwide, down from at least 20,000 at its peak in the 1980s.

Dutertes comments coincided with the 53rd anniversary of the NPA on Tuesday, when the communists called on their guerrillas to intensify their campaign against the government.

The CPP alleged that Dutertes anti-insurgency campaign had failed and he now faces the real threat of being investigated for the thousands of killings carried out by the police in the name of his administrations war on illegal drugs.

Whatever the outcome of the May elections, the Filipino people must remain keenly aware that they will have to continue to push ahead with their struggle to take back their fundamental freedoms and rights and push for their democratic aspirations, the CPP said in a statement Tuesday.

They will have to contend with and resist the counterinsurgency state and fight to break the militarys stronghold of the entire government and demand an end to the reign of impunity and tyranny, it said.

Duterte, a self-described leftist, was once a university student of Jose Maria Sison, the founder of the communist movement.

When Duterte took power in 2016, one of his first acts was to name leftist personalities in the cabinet and invite the insurgents to peace talks. But that did not last long, and both sides soon accused each other of violence despite the peace overtures. In 2017, Duterte canceled the negotiations.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us

We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.
"Bright Colors on a Dark Canvas," a suite of four movements, emerged from Naseem Alatrashs Palestinian heritage and his desire to say something with my music. On Sunday, he brings his message to Putneys Next Stage as part of Berklee World Strings. The group was founded in 2010 by Vermont resident and Grammy-winning cellist Eugene Friesen, who will conduct.
UPDATE: Kevin Nieves sentenced to up to 25 years in connection with August 2018 shooting of Nick Carneval

PITTSFIELD  A jury on Tuesday reached a split verdict in the case against Kevin Nieves and Daquan Douglas in connection with the shooting of Nick Carnevale.

Both men were acquitted of the most serious charge of armed assault with intent to murder, but Nieves was convicted on all other charges, including kidnapping and numerous counts of assault and battery. Douglas was cleared on all but one charge: misleading a police officer.

Sentencing is scheduled for 10 a.m. today. At the request of Assistant District Attorney Joseph Yorlano, who prosecuted the case, Judge John Agostini ordered Douglas and Nieves held without the right to bail overnight.

After deliberating for most of the day, jurors filed into Berkshire Superior Court about 4:15 p.m. Wednesday and delivered the verdict.

This is the first time weve been able to breathe in four years, said Cara Petricca, Carnevales mother, after the jury returned the verdict. To have that hanging over you is a lot.

Carnevale was shot twice in the head and gravely injured on Aug. 21, 2018, while trying to leave a gathering at October Mountain State Forest in Washington. He has undergone multiple surgeries and procedures since then and continues to recuperate.

Two others also are facing charges in the shooting: Christopher Frazier and Luis Delvalle-Rodriguez, who is accused of pulling the trigger. Their case is pending.

Marc Carnevale, Nicks father, said it was difficult for him to watch his sons peers testify during the trial, when they recounted details of the shooting that left his son fighting for his life. He is proud of those witnesses, and said he was satisfied with the outcome.

Im really relieved that this first trial is over with the process worked, he said. Finally, theres some justice for Nick. And hes [Nieves] going to be held accountable for what he did to my son.

Both parents said they were looking forward to going home and telling Nick about the outcome.

Marc Carnevale said they werent surprised the jury acquitted Douglas on almost all the charges, because of what they heard from witnesses on the stand.

The jury convicted Douglas of lying to the police about where and how he got a slice wound to his rib area. While Douglas told police he was attacked at a basketball court in South County, Carnevale said the guilty finding shows the jury believed Douglas was injured at the party in October Mountain State Forest where the shooting occurred.

Marc Carnevale said his son is doing well physically, went skiing last winter and cooks for the family often.

Based on the jurys decision to find Nieves guilty of all charges but the most serious one, Marc Carnevale said it seems like jurors believed the prosecutions general theory that Luis Delvalle-Rodriguez shot Nick, and Nieves did everything else but pull the trigger.

The charges Nieves was found guilty on were: assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily harm, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, armed kidnapping with serious bodily injury, two counts of assault and battery, and a single count of malicious damage to a motor vehicle.

Petricca expressed concern for Douglas and Nieves and their families.

Its not a win by any means for anybody. I feel for the mothers of these other kids, I understand their loss as well, she said. And, unfortunately, Nick lost the most. And thats something we cant ever get justice for.

So we just have to move on, she said. I hope that [Nieves and Douglas] move through this and change their lives just like Nick changed his life.

Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington said she was grateful the jury held Nieves accountable, and thanked jurors for listening to the evidence and rendering their verdict.

While a conviction on the most serious charge of armed assault with intent to murder would have been preferred, she said her offices overall feeling was one of satisfaction that we have accountability.

I am truly in awe of Nicks strength during his long and difficult recovery from the injuries he sustained that night, she said in a prepared statement. He is an inspiration to our entire community, and I look forward to hearing about and seeing every milestone in his continued fight.

Defense lawyer Dale Bass represented Douglas, and Joseph Harty represented Nieves. After the verdict, Bass said he believes jurors took great care when weighing the facts of the case.

We have absolutely no doubt that they carefully deliberated all the issues here, they took the time to carefully look at everything, he said. I think its a just verdict.
Four months after the body of Reymon Delacruz-Batista was discovered by hunters in Pittsfield State Forest, a third man has been arrested and charged in connection with his killing.
A group of state police, Lee Police, and Lee Fire Department members fan out through the woods along Church Street in Lee in a search for Megh
Jennifer Trainer Thompson pauses outside the Round Stone Barn at Hancock Shaker Village in Sept. 2016. Thompson, who has been president and CEO of the Village since December 2016, has announced she's stepping down in July.
A committee has been charged with reviewing plans for a new police station in Lanesborough and presenting a recommendation to be voted on at the annual town meeting in May.
You are the owner of this article.
GREAT BARRINGTON  Housatonic residents might see the core of their village transform after all.

Interest in redevelopment of the former Housatonic School appears to be quickening since the town in January issued a new request for proposal to buy or lease the former elementary school, and advertised on a commercial real estate web platform.

The town directed ads toward New York City and Boston that, as of last week, had reached 19,520 people, Town Manager Mark Pruhenski told the Select Board on Monday. The town also made a push on Facebook and Instagram, and posted a video on YouTube.

As of Monday afternoon, the town has received 22 inquiries asking for copies of the RFP, Pruhenski added. And at a second tour of the building for interested developers on March 17, several teams came, some spending hours taking measurements and studying the building.

Given spiking interest, Pruhenski asked the board Monday to approve an extension of the RFP submission deadline from April 17 to June 10. The board agreed.

Sign-up for The Berkshire Eagle's free newsletters Sign up

We just want to give potential developers more time to solidify their plans and reach out to potential tenants to secure financing and their own budgets and complete their designs, and we want to give developers the best shot they can to put their best foot forward on this, Pruhenski said.

This RFP is the towns third as it tries to get the old school overhauled and back on the tax rolls. The decaying historic structure in the heart of the village began its decline in the years after the school district in 2005 moved its students to a new elementary school at its new campus off Route 7.

Bringing the building up to code would have cost the district $900,000, according to estimates from nearly 20 years ago. Lead paint and asbestos remediation would run about $850,000. Tearing it down might cost around $1 million.

Vacancy also has been expensive. The town has earmarked more than $1 million over the years for future repairs. As of 2019, the building cost taxpayers around $5,000 a year to maintain.

Attempts to redevelop it in the last five years have failed due to financing and other complications. The Housatonic Improvement Committee has worked to find a solution, and agreed attempts should be made to save the building, though some have called for it to be razed.
Reporter

Heather Bellow, a member of the investigations team, joined The Eagle in 2017. She is based in the South Berkshire County bureau in Great Barrington. Her work has appeared in newspapers across the U.S.
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data.
A $164 million bond bill designed to modernize the judicial system's IT infrastructure would "change how the judges and the courts do their work for years to come," Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Kimberly Budd (top center) told the Bonding Committee at a Tuesday hearing.
Child care is among the area that will need to be overhauled in order for Massachusetts to adapt to a post-pandemic world, according to a legislative commission.
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
Disbursement of Rs 20 crore was made to JBL directly, which was misappropriated by the company.  DC file image

HYDERABAD: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials registered criminal cases against Jupiter Bioscience Limited (JBL), its CMD Kalavakolanu Venkata Ramana, Kever Pharma and its director Shyamsunder Suri and valuer D.S.K Avadhani for duping the IFCI bank to the tune of Rs 52 crore.

M. Srinivas Rao, DGM, law, IFCI bank, New Delhi, lodged a complaint with the Hyderabad CBI officials that the management of Jupiter Bioscience Limited approached the IFCI Hyderabad office at Saifabad seeking a loan of Rs 60 crore for the purpose of repayment of the then existing debt to the extent of Rs 40 crore, and Rs 20 crore for expanding its business.

The IFCI, considering the request of JBL, had sanctioned Rs 60 crore for the purpose.

Disbursement of Rs 20 crore was made to JBL directly, which was misappropriated by the company.

In the pledged property documents, the accused company and its management showed fake value of its property located at Amberpet in Hyderabad and in Bangalore. The audit report indicated that the accused company and its management conspired in duping the bank and diverted the loan amount.
Across Africa, informal retailing continues to play an important role, even as modern retailing and more lately, e-commerce, expand alongside traditional stores. Acknowledging informal retailing's importance, busting the myths around who shops there, and understanding the interplay of economics, the state of supply chains, consumer preferences and local culture in each market will help manufacturers position their brands in this important sector in sub-Saharan Africa. Euromonitor International estimates the combined value of traditional, modern, and e-commerce retailing in sub-Saharan Africa at $380bn in 2021, contributing 20-50% of GDP on average.

Informal retailing, despite its important role in regional retailing, is much more difficult to quantify. Statistics from the International Labour Organization indicate that informal employment accounts for over 80% of total employment in some economies in sub-Saharan Africa, and informal output accounts for more than 50% of the regions overall official GDP, indicating the sectors broad significance.As defined by Euromonitor International, informal retailing involves trade conducted by unregistered or unlicensed retailers, which are typically not reported to tax authorities. In general, such retailers operate primarily (but not exclusively) as street hawkers, open market stalls, or informal shops, making them more difficult to monitor than permanent outlets. Informal traders are common across sub-Saharan African cities and rural areas. Spaces for trading can range from as little as 1 square metre up to 30 square metres, depending on the setting. Due to their small footprint, traders are located closer to consumers, along transport routes and hubs, or within local communities. Furthermore, proximity extends to knowing and stocking customers preferred brands and products, and offering credit to loyal customers.Regardless of income levels, most consumers still buy groceries through informal channels, even though modern grocery retail outlets have increased in number across sub-Saharan Africa. The informal channel also handles a substantial proportion of sales to bottom-of-the-pyramid (BOP) consumers. BOP households typically earn less than $2,500 annually, and in 2021 they represented more than 20% of the sub-Saharan African population.Interestingly, the informal channel caters to consumers of all income levels and is popular with people from all economic backgrounds due to its convenience, credit-based payment flexibility, fresh foods, and lower prices. Outside of South Africa, industry sources estimate that informal channels account for between 40% and 90% of total food sales. Businesses seeking to expand their distribution networks and access the regions growing consumer market will have a considerable amount of market potential by selling in the informal market.With a focus on affordability, products tend to consist of small packs of household and grocery items, including bread, maize meal, cooking oil, soft drinks, crisps, sugar, single eggs, fresh foods and unpackaged foods. Food inventory is normally constrained by shelf space and dominated by essential products, with many manufacturers in the region adapting their product sizing for both informal and traditional stores. Diverse indigenous food supplies also attract different consumers. Packaged and processed foods are also sold in informal retail. However, inventory is often limited to entry-level products. Repackaging or bulk breaking products into smaller portions and selling them at affordable unit prices also makes the informal retail market competitive.Logistical costs and lead times required to access markets in sub-Saharan Africa can make it difficult to reach the last mile of distribution. Informal channels are stocked through a complex network, which includes distributors, agents, manufacturers (brands), farmers, and modern retail outlets.The supply chain is often highly fragmented, but partnering with reputable local companies which have established connections throughout the value chain allows companies to reach consumers effectively and efficiently. To learn more about the informal retail channel visit our website here.Informal retailers often serve as distribution points for essential financial services such as payments and remittances. Meeting the demand for payment services means more informal retailers need cutting-edge digital tools to meet this market.Africas retail landscape is complex, making the last mile to intermediaries an important way of reaching underserved populations. Development of diverse products and services that meet different socioeconomic needs is essential to the growth of the region. Informal shopping is likely to remain relevant for the foreseeable future as it is an integral part of sub-Saharan Africas food economy, and consumers shopping habits.Informal channels are also prevalent in other emerging markets. By understanding how and where a product is consumed in the region, as well as the types of informal traders and their specialties, brands can develop more targeted product offerings, which is necessary for developing a successful route-to-market strategy, making an informal retail strategy as important as it is for modern retail.For further information about this channel, please refer to our latest webinar, Why informal retailers cannot be ignored
Award-winning South African blues-rock guitarist Dan Patlansky has released his tenth studio album Shelter of Bones. This week, he is starting a major tour of the UK with ten shows and five in the Netherlands running till the end of April 2022.

Image by Tobias Coetsee: Dan Patlansky

What is your job description?

What does music mean to you?

My music is about

What is your motto?

Fame is about

Retirement will happen when

I don't do

I would love to co-write with

Where do you go for inspiration to create?

What is the most enjoyable aspect of your work?

The song you must do during every show?

Any funny moments on stage?

My heroes are

My style icon is

Which living person do you admire most and why?

What is your most treasured possession?

It's your round; what are you drinking?

Dream gig to do?

What makes you stand out?

If you were not a musician, what would you do?

Pick five words to describe yourself?

What are you streaming?

Greatest movie ever made?

What book are you reading?

What song changed your life?

Who do you love?

What is your favourite word?

Top of your bucket list?

Your greatest achievement?

What do you complain about most often?

What is your biggest fear?

Happiness is

On stage, I tend to

The best life lesson you have learned?

What has been your favourite journey so far?

Do you do charity work, and if you do  what do you do?

Wishes and dreams?

Social media

In 2019, he also won the Sama Award for Best Rock Album for Perfection Kills.Shelter of Bones was recorded over a three-year period from 2019 to 2021. The pandemic allowed me to take my time, and really think about how I want the songs to come across, reflects Patlansky.In many ways, I tried to keep the sound from past albums that Ive become known for in my arrangements and songwriting, but definitely took some different turns along the way.Ive always seen a record as a time capsule of where an artist is in a particular time of their lives. For Patlansky, Shelter of Bones covers a three-year period of many ups and downs, and, as a result, the South African guitarist believes the process has been a very interesting journey, he said.I caught up with Dan prior to his departureCreator of ear candy.EverythingExpressing through the song.One step at a time.The world subscribing to your soul.I can afford to.Shopping malls and hookers.Chris StapletonOther artistsPlaying to live crowdsBig Things Going DownBass player soiling his pants.Stevie Ray Vaughan and David Gilmour.Stevie Ray VaughanJoe Bonamassa, because of his supreme talent and unbelievable career.My StratWine, please!Royal Albert Hall -LondonThe blend of modern meets old school blues-rock.Eat out of dustbins.Passionate, driven, excited, positive, stubborn.Beck, Eric Gales and Pink Floyd.No Country For Old MenNothing but emails currently.Texas Flood by Stevie Ray VaughanMy family and good, honest peopleGo!To live on an island.Surviving Covid and creating new sides to my business.The governmentMy children suffering.My kids.Close my eyes.Consistency is everything.Touring with Joe Satriani.Not enough.Peace and happiness in abundance
Discovery Bank recently launched Vitality Travel, an integrated travel-booking service with discounts and simplified trip management.

Managing travel bookings easily

The comprehensive travel offering is the worlds first shared-value travel platform which channels behavioural savings into savings on flights, holiday accommodation, car hire and holiday packages.Vitality Travel further expands the value clients get as they continue to monetise positive health and financial behaviours, says Hylton Kallner, CEO of Discovery Bank.The new travel offering combines Discovery Banks digital payments and platform capabilities with Vitalitys rewards expertise and partner network to access a world of travel deals in a uniquely convenient way.Vitality Travel provides clients with a unified platform to view, book and change flights, holiday accommodation and car hire. Clients can easily compare travel prices across the market and benefit from discounts with a wide range of travel partners. Bookings are payable directly from a clients Discovery Bank account or with Miles which clients get from managing their health and money well.Vitality Travel enables Discovery Bank clients to book  with personalised discounts  directly through the Discovery Bank website, where they have access to all local and international airlines, which currently includes five local and three international airline partners at discounted rates, as well as discounts at over 1,000 holiday accommodation properties and car-hire services, and soon, holiday packages as well.We are building an integrated travel ecosystem to cover every aspect of planning a travel experience within Discovery Bank, from bookings to the Priority Fast Track service at the airport and lounge access. Our recently launched Forex accounts provide real-time access to foreign currencies in the palm of your hand with a multi-currency card to use while travelling abroad, and we will soon offer visa applications and travel-insurance integration, Kallner says.Vitality Travel provides access to all airlines and to more than 40 local and regional flight destinations with new partners FlySafair, Airlink and Lift for local flights, in addition to existing partners kulula.com and British Airways operated by Comair.International flight partners Emirates, British Airways and Qantas are integrated into the platform.Accommodation options include hotels, apartments and local game lodges.Clients will also soon have access to a digital vault to store important documents, get free travel insurance and buy additional top-up travel cover when booking international flights with a Discovery Bank card.Additional travel benefits are available to qualifying Discovery Bank Black and Purple cardholders to use the Discovery Bank Priority Fast Track at OR Tambo and Cape Town International airports and to access more than 1,200 airport lounges globally.Dinesh Govender, CEO of Discovery Vitality, says: The beauty of Vitality Travel is that its fully secure and easy to use, with all your travel needs looked after through a single platform. It really makes it possible to go everywhere and to have an affordable travel experience, as a reward for your positive behaviour."
Northlink College forged a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), under the banner: Automotive Training and Re-Skilling in the Post-Covid-19 Economic Recovery for Vulnerable Youth and Women in South Africa. The focus of the UNDP is mainly targeted at the youth and women. The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated challenges around youth unemployment, interrupting learning and depriving students of opportunities for growth and prospects for employment, said Ms Phumla Hlati (UNDP's Inclusive Growth Programme Manager). The partnership between the UNDP and the Northlink college is designed to mitigate against empowerment hindrances and build capacity for future growth.

Seen in the picture above, is the college management team led by the College CEO Mr Xolelo Brian Phike, Deputy Principal Ms Sandra Raubenheimer, Wingfield Campus Manager Mark Corneilse, Bellville Campus Manager (Acting) Mr Mbulelo Pepese, Assistant Director: IT (Acting) Mr Clinton Robyn, and Manager CoS Mr Henri Mafoumba. UNDP delegation: Ms Phumla Hlati, Mr John Cardozo, Mr Sangsun Kwon, and Ms Izumi Ogawa.

In the past week, the UNDP handed over Information Communication and Technology (ICT) facilities (two laboratories) which included devices such as laptops and smartboards intended for support provisioning to Northlink college students. The main focus of these donated resources was on the automotive studies, which are offered at Bellville and Wingfield campuses. The reason for the focus on the automotive sector is because this segment is regarded as a high-priority sector that employs workers in numbers, across various skills levels, said Ms Hlati. Such job opportunities will assist towards the recovery of the South African economy in a long term, and also have an immediate impact in providing an impetus to reignite the economy from the devastation of Covid-19.The UNDP aid through partnering with other institutions, in providing support to youth and women, equipping them with relevant digital skills in a post-Covid-19 economy. Ms Hlati cited the slogan leave no one behind asserting that it is not ideal to discuss youth development without the participation of the youth, hence she was looking forward to meeting the students.Upon the conclusion of the engagement with the college management team at the central office, which included the colleges chief executive officer, Mr Xolelo Brian Phike, the UNDP and the government of Japan delegation led by Ms Hlati. The entourage made their way to the campuses for the interactive sessions.The engagement with the students was characterised by motivation to the youth to sign-up on the SAYouth platform ( https://sayouth.mobi/Home/Index/EN ), which helps the youth to find jobs and opportunities to grow their skills (the website/mobi platform is zero-rated). This platform was launched under the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI).The handover of the facilities and devices was marked by cutting of the red ribbon by the colleges CEO, Mr Phike, together with Ms Hlati at both Bellville and Wingfield campuses. The delivery of the information communication and technology (ICT) devices was made possible by the partnership between the UNDP, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) funded by the Government of Japan.In accepting the donation of ICT devices, Mr Phike said the college is deeply grateful to the UNDP and the Government of Japan for the donation and support, helping the college improve its ICT resources and consequently improve quality of learning and training.Northlink College is dedicated to improving the lives of youth through teaching and learning, the equipment you have provided is an aid towards achieving the colleges objectives, said Mr Phike. This donation by the Government of Japan in collaboration with the UNDP and (PYEI), is a much-needed generosity, more so in the post-Covid-19 economic recovery period.As Covid-19 started to spread across the country, the college staff had to shift to virtual learning, and many students had limited exposure to the technology required to continue virtual learning. Fortunately, the UNDP has recognised the need and was quick to respond.The donation of the 60 laptops, two interactive smartboards and two projectors delivered to the Bellville and Wingfield campuses was a much-needed injection into our system. These devices will assist in augmenting the blended learning process, which has become a catalyst for learning and training, Mr Phike said. He added, that the donation will help students to complete their automotive projects with much more efficiency and the college will ensure that these devices are put into good use and not gather rust somewhere in storage.Mr Phike asserted that although some of the opportunities provided to students by the UNDP and its partners are only internships, they are however in some cases viewed by the student as a valuable support system for them and their families. The CEO extended the invite to businesses and other institutions to be involved in the development of the students, in order to build a stable economy and a poverty-free South Africa. He said this could be done by working together with the colleges Work Integrated Learning (WIL) division, which assists students with work exposure.
P&G marks Human Rights Month and National Water Week by highlighting the right to access clean water

As South Africa marks Human Rights Month, global brand P&G recognises that one of the fundamental basic human rights is access to clean water. Between 20 and 26 March is National Water Week in the country, with Tuesday 22 March being World Water Day. The day focuses on achieving the UNs Sustainable Development Goal 6: Water and Sanitation for all by 2030. Around the world, 2.2 billion people are living without access to safe water. P&G acknowledges this challenge and is taking meaningful action to tackle the global water crisis, including in South Africa. To date, the company has donated over a billion litres of clean and safe water to South Africans.In 2004, P&G launched the Childrens Safe Drinking Water Programme, a non-profit initiative. Through a diverse network of more than 150 partners, P&G has provided more than 19-billion litres of clean water to people in 93 countries. The programme uses innovation to make an impact with an easy-to-use water purification packet invented by P&G scientists, that can clean 10 litres of water in just 30 minutes. The company has also been drilling boreholes in search of more accessible water sources for communities around the world.Providing clean, drinkable water can help reduce the risk of disease and death by almost half. Diarrhoea, caused by drinking contaminated water, is still a leading cause of illness and death among infants and children in the developing world. A lack of clean drinking water results in more deaths than HIV/AIDS and malaria combined.It also contributes to many problems within communities. Children are frequently absent from school, while their parents stay away from work as a result of waterborne illnesses. Women and girls are especially affected as they disproportionately bear the burden of managing household water needs. Many walk long distances each day to collect contaminated water and are often also responsible for taking care of sick family members. This keeps many girls out of school, denying them an uninterrupted education that could secure their future. P&G firmly believes that touching these individual lives through its Childrens Safe Drinking Water Programme is part of its social responsibility.
The community broadcasting services sector (in particular, radio) plays a pivotal role in shaping the state of broadcasting in South Africa. It will continue to contribute immensely to shaping the future of radio broadcasting in South Africa.

The role of community radio in society

The dangers of non-compliance

Community broadcasting regulations are the key to success

The invitation to pre-register

According to the Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRCSA), in 2021, about 80% of South Africans tune into a radio station weekly, with most people still listening on traditional radio sets. There are 30 commercial radio stations (inclusive of three SABC commercial radio stations), 15 public radio stations as well as 271 community stations in South Africa.Community radio plays a significant role in South Africa as a source of information, education, and entertainment. For many years, the community radio sector has been a talent breeding ground for public and commercial broadcasting services to the extent that most well-known presenters and newscasters have started their careers at this grassroots level.These presenters and newscasters remain role models and inspirations to young up-and-coming radio personalities within their respective communities. Those who started their career at community radio stations will attest that they learnt everything  from gathering news from their local communities, editing soundbites, putting together a news bulletin and making sure it goes on air.Some would say they learnt radio productions and presenting without reading a book, but through experiential training, at times, without proper guidance from their respective managers.The power of community radio stations remains unimaginable. However, all these good learnings and teachings of young people in community radio stations are at times marred by internal conflicts between the station personnel, managers, and board of directors.Such conflicts have led to non-compliance with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) regulations and the laws governing the community radio sector. Some stations have found themselves appearing before the Complaints and Compliance Committee (CCC). The CCC is a tribunal established in terms of the Icasa Act to hear, investigate and recommend possible sanctions to the Icasa Council in relation to community radio stations that have failed to execute their mandate as per the issued licence or have contravened the regulations.In the 2019/20 financial year, 29 community radio stations were shut down by Icasa for the simple reason of not applying for the renewal of their licences, even after they were informed in advance that the licences were due for renewal.All those affected communities were denied their right to information, education, and entertainment because those they entrusted with the responsibility of governing the affairs of their radio stations failed in their fiduciary duties as members of the boards or management. The onus lies with the board of directors and management as the custodians of the licence and elected members by the community to oversee the affairs of the stations.Icasa compliance reports compiled on an annual basis have shown that a lack of accountability, mismanagement of funds, internal conflicts, and lack of understanding of roles between the station manager and the board are some of the reasons community radio stations are unable to be sustainable and fail in their existence.The very nature of the community broadcasting sector means that it lacks the kind of expertise, resources, financial means, consultants, and lawyers that its well-heeled counterparts in the commercial sector enjoy, hence all the problems we have encountered.It is for this reason that Icasa began a process to review the community broadcasting framework, which culminated in the publication of the Community Broadcasting Services Regulations, 2019 (also referred to as The Regulations').One of the most critical provisions within these Regulations is the introduction of regulation 5 which deals with Governance and Management. In short, this regulation provides clarity of roles between the Station Manager and the Board of Directors. For many years, this has been a challenge, where roles were somewhat blurry and created conflicts within community radio stations.Another important inclusion in the Regulations (particularly as it relates to licencing applications) is regulation 4  which requires an applicant to be registered as a non-profit organisation (NPO) that has been operating for at least two years prior to lodging an application for a community broadcasting service licence.In this regard, an applicant must demonstrate the role it has played in community development and empowerment within the coverage area it would like to render community broadcasting service. This is important as it will show that the entity has been able to participate in community projects and has shown that it can account for its existence.The Authority issued the Invitation To Pre-Register (ITP-R) for the licensing of new community radio station on 15 December 2021. Virtual workshops were held on 8 December 2021 (prior to issuing the ITP-R) and from 16 - 17 February 2022 with the intent to fully unpack the requirements of the ITP-R, and to assist communities to have a full understanding of the requirements while addressing any glaring challenges that may be raised during those proceedings.It is time that community radio stations are run and operated as legitimate local businesses whose books are audited, pass the accounting tests, and implement clear policies so that they can continue to thrive; and not risk losing their licences due to a lack of accountability and proper governance structures.The closing date for applications is 30 June 2022 and this gives communities ample opportunity to familiarise themselves with the requirements as outlined in the ITP-R and the Community Broadcasting Services Regulations.
The term 'social media' has become synonymous in the marketing environment. This appears to be the case as more and more companies have stepped onto the social media bandwagon by investing their marketing strategies in the various platforms on offer. Why are they doing this?

References:



Deloitte. 2022. The changing drivers that influence consumer behaviour | Consumer Business | Deloitte Southern Africa. [online] Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/za/en/footerlinks/pressreleasespage/the-changing-drivers-that-influence-consumer-behavior.html [Accessed 16 March 2022].

https://digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za/blog/why-becoming-skilled-in-social-media-marketing-is-paramount-for-south-african-businesses/



Ritzer G, Jurgenson N (2010). Production, consumption, prosumption: The nature of capitalism in the age of the digital prosumer. J.Cons. Cult. pp.163-196.



Sheth NJ, Mittal B (2004). Consumer behaviour: a managerial perspective. 2nd ed. South Western Publishing Company: New Jersey.

Statista. 2022. Smartphone users in South Africa 2014-2023 | Statista. [online] Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/488376/forecast-of-smartphone-users-in-south-africa/ [Accessed 18 March 2022].



Yavisha, R. and Krishna, K., 2013. Social media browsing and consumer behaviour: Exploring the youth market. African Journal of Business Management, 7(18), pp.1885-1893.





The social media game is rapidly developing and increasingly assuming a significant role in the lives of consumers. According to Yavisha and Krishna (2013) in a study on social media browsing and consumer behaviour, 92% of the respondents indicated they use social media platforms to search information and advice on products before purchasing. A further 78% indicated that social media directly influences their purchasing behaviour. Previously, social media represented online applications such as Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube where users shared their opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives with one other. Marketers now use the platform to connect and communicate with consumers and essentially influence their purchasing decisions (Yavisha and Krishna, 2013).Today, there are 2022 million people in South Africa who own a smartphone which, in turn, amounts to one third of the countrys population (Statista, 2022). Consumers are migrating from traditional media formats to social media apps. Equipped with smartphones and internet access, consumers now have reams of information at their fingertips and the ability to instantly share and explore this information among their trusted online networks and peers (Deloitte, 2022).For this reason, consumers are becoming more demanding, time-driven, individualistic, information and content intensive (Yavisha and Krishna, 2013). They are prioritising brands which emphasise elements such as being eco-friendly, organic, and responsibly sourced. For example, one South African organic and natural products online store named Faithful to Nature, has reported an impressive 70% average growth over the past three years (Deloitte, 2022).According Sheth and Mittal (2004) modern-day consumers value prepurchase support and actively search for information on social media platforms, which directly impacts their purchasing performance. Research has revealed that 80% of online users/consumers trust the judgement and opinions of a friend or social media influencers formally known as 'prosumers'. Up to 50% of consumers read other customer reviews whilst spending time doing online shopping and 16% have been influenced by direct online information when making purchases (Yavisha and Krishna, 2013). Gone are the days of impromptu buying based on ones solitary opinions and feelings, or so it seems.There has been a significant growth in social media influencers (prosumers) who generate online content by reviewing new products and services and presenting it from a personal perspective. These are real people with real experiences and with no hidden agenda as opposed to marketers who aim to generate sales by candy-coating the products and services they have been tasked to sell. This has resulted in an informational power shift from marketers to consumers as consumers are now producing and consuming information as they wish (Ritzer and Jurgenson, 2010).Todays market is driven by consumer preferences and recommendations; its the ability of consumers to communicate and share information with many individuals online that represents the biggest opportunity or threat that exists for brands of goods and services (Yavisha and Krishna, 2013). Social media has created a space for consumers to influence one another through the purchasing process based on a trusted personal experience. This ensures a true reflection of value for money which is what all consumers strive to receive (Yavisha and Krishna, 2013).So, the next time youre about to make a purchase stop and check your buying habits to see if youre following the exact same processes as mentioned above or if youre still on a solo mission, trusting your own judgements before swiping or approving that purchase on your banking app.
We specialise in outsourced sales and marketing on behalf of our clients' brands. We know that a friendly hello and a firm handshake are the best ways to form a lasting relationship with consumers so this is exactly what we do!
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma(L) and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma (R) sign an agreement to resolve the boundary dispute between their states, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, at North Block in New Delhi, Tuesday, March 29, 2022. (PTI/Arun Sharma)

Guwahati: In a major breakthrough, Assam and Meghalaya on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to resolve five-decades old border disputes between the two states.

The chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya, who signed the agreement at the office of the Union ministry of home affairs, announced that they have agreed to resolve the dispute at six of the 12 disputed locations in the first phase of agreement.

Congratulating the two chief ministers for resolving the dispute, the Union home minister said, Today, a 50-year-old pending boundary dispute between Assam and Meghalaya has been resolved. Six out of 12 points of the dispute have been resolved, which comprise nearly 70 per cent of the boundary. The remaining six points will be resolved at the earliest.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who played the key role in resolving the dispute said, It is a historic day for us. After this MoU, in the next six to seven months, we aim to resolve the issue of the remaining disputed sites. We will work towards making the northeast region a growth engine in the country.

Assam has a BJP government. Meghalaya's coalition government, led by chief minister Conrad Sangma's National People's Party, includes the BJP.

The chief minister of Meghalaya, Conrad K Sangma, told reporters, Firstly I want to thank home minister Amit Shah for giving us the direction to resolve the border disputes in the North-Eastern states. Today the first phase of the resolution has been done. It could only be possible without Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Reiterating his commitment to resolve the dispute on remaining disputed sites, Mr Sangma said, I also want to thank all members of the committee and the officers from both states.

According to the MoU, in the six places there are 36 villages, which cover an area of 36.79 square kilometres. Assam will keep 18.51 square kilometres of the land and give Meghalaya 18.28 square kilometres of land, according to the proposed recommendations.

On January 31, the chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya had submitted a draft resolution to the Union home minister for examination and consideration. The governments of the two states had come up with a draft resolution to resolve their border disputes in six of the 12 areas of difference along the 884-kilometre boundary.

In August 2021, Assam and Meghalaya had formed three committees to go into the vexed boundary question, following two rounds of talks between the two chief ministers during which the states resolved to settle the border dispute in a phased manner.

Meghalaya was carved out of Assam in 1972, and since then border dispute has afflicted the two neighbouring states. In the past several attempts to resolve the dispute had failed to yield any positive response.

Informing that Mr Shah has requested to resolve the border disputes with Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland as well, Mr Sarma said that he had a meeting with the chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh where they formed a road map to settle 122 disputed points. He further said that initial discussions have started with the chief ministers of Mizoram and Nagaland too to resolve border disputes.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the previous governments of using four crore fake ration cards to siphon off benefits meant for the poor.

When these people were in the government, four crore fake people were looting ration meant for the poor. This ration was being sold in the market and money reached the black accounts of such people (who were in government), Modi said.

But, the present regime, after coming to power in 2014, started searching for such fake and non-existing people and cancelled these ration cards, he said.

He was addressing the Grah Pravesham programme, organised to hand over 5.21 lakh houses to the beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna-Gramin in Madhya Pradesh, via video conferencing.

Modi said his government has given topmost priority to providing houses to the poor people.

He said the ownership of homes by women has empowered them and strengthened their say in financial matters of the household.

So far, 2.5 crore houses have been constructed under the PMAY scheme in the country.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to look into the "distressful" deportation of Filippo Osella, an anthropologist and academician from the UK, when he arrived in the southern state for a seminar.

Vijayan, in his letter, has requested the Prime Minister to "kindly look into this matter with the seriousness it deserves and issue instructions to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future".

Osella, Professor of Anthropology and South Asian Studies at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom (UK), had arrived in Kerala on March 24 to attend a seminar at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT).

However, he was deported on arrival at the Thiruvananthapuram airport.

"It is distressful that a reputed scholar like Prof. Osella had to face deportation at the Thiruvananthapuram airport when he arrived for participating in a seminar in Kochi," the CM said in his letter.

He further said the professor has conducted extensive research work in many places including in Kerala, where he is researching traditional fishing activities.

Vijayan said, in his letter, that India "has a rich tradition of welcoming foreign scholars and social scientists" for research purposes here and they have produced "valuable" publications. "We need to continue this tradition of being friendly and welcoming to scholars," he said.

Osella's recent research examines contemporary transformation of South Indian Muslims with field-work in Kozhikode and in a number of Gulf countries.

His new research, funded by the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme, explores new ways to make traditional fishing in Kerala safer and sustainable by co-producing knowledge on marine weather and fish resources with traditional fishermen and weather forecasters.
"Laying the groundwork for regime change in Russia"

President Biden's declaration in Warsaw that Vladimir Putin "cannot remain in power" has forced the White House into damage control, insisting that he was not calling for the Russian leader's ouster.

No amount of spin can obscure the obvious: Just like when he blurted out the truth that the US and its allies supported an Al Qaeda-dominated insurgency in Syria, Biden has laid bare the United States government's longstanding regime change aims in Russia, with Ukraine used as the tip of the spear.

Months before the US-backed Maidan coup that ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014, the head of the National Endowment for Democracy, a US intelligence cutout, dubbed Ukraine "the biggest prize" in the new Cold War with Russia. Pulling Ukraine into the Western orbit, Carl Gershman wrote, could leave Putin "on the losing end not just in the near abroad but within Russia itself."

The message was heard within Russia. "The Kremlin is convinced the United States is laying the groundwork for regime change in Russia, a conviction further reinforced by the events in Ukraine," the Defense Intelligence Agency reported in 2017. "Moscow views the United States as the critical driver behind the crisis in Ukraine and believes that the overthrow of former Ukrainian President Yanukovych is the latest move in a long-established pattern of U.S.-orchestrated regime change efforts, including the Kosovo campaign, Iraq, Libya, and the 200305 'color revolutions' in Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan."

The "events in Ukraine" that "reinforced" the Kremlin's perception included not just the 2014 coup but the proxy war that erupted in the eastern Donbas region as a result. Unwilling to live under a US-backed far-right government that banned the Russian language, venerated Nazis, and committed atrocities like the Odessa massacre, rebels in Donetsk and Luhansk took up arms in the spring of 2014 with Russia's support. The Ukrainian government responded with an "Anti-Terrorist Operation" backed by US weapons and military trainers.

When it became undeniable that US-backed shock troops for the Ukrainian counteroffensive included the "openly neo-Nazi" Azov battalion, President Obama began getting cold feet. Obama worried that sending more arms to a Nazi-infested military "would only escalate the bloodshed," in Ukraine and possibly "[end] up in the hands of thugs," the New York Times reported in 2015.

Inside the White House, Obama was virtually alone. His concern that flooding Ukraine with weapons "would escalate the crisis" and give "Putin a pretext to go further and invade all of Ukraine," Senior Pentagon official Derek Chollet later recalled, marked a rare situation "in which just about every senior official was for doing something that the president opposed."

Obama's misgivings about arming Ukraine helped yield the 2015 Minsk II accords, in which an outmatched Kiev accepted limited autonomy for the Donbas in exchange for the Russian-backed rebels' demilitarization. While this bargain would end the war, it would also grant the Donbas region an effective veto over Ukraine's NATO ambitions. The Ukrainian far-right, empowered by the 2014 Maidan coup and in no mood for an accommodation with Russian-speakers in the east, successfully undermined the Minsk accords with violent protests.

With Obama's exit from the White House, the DC foreign policy establishment  also opposed to an accommodation with Russia  seized the opportunity to permanently sabotage Minsk and escalate the Ukraine proxy war that the outgoing president had tepidly waged. Their goal was made clear by two of the Senate's leading hawks, Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsay Graham, during a visit to Ukraine in December 2016.

"Your fight is our fight. 2017 will be the year of offense," Graham declared to a group of Ukrainian soldiers at a military base. "All of us will go back to Washington and we will push the case against Russia It is time for them to pay a heavier price."

"We are with you, your fight is our fight and we will win together," McCain told Ukrainian state media. "In 2017 we will defeat the invaders and send them back where they came from."

When Donald Trump took office weeks later, Washington neoconservatives capitalized on Russiagate mania to achieve their desired "year of offense." Heavy bipartisan lobbying, coupled with his own incentive to disprove the frenzied allegations that he was beholden to the Kremlin, swayed Trump to reverse the Obama policy and approve the sale of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine.

In the Donbas, the heaviest price was paid by residents living under Ukrainian military shelling, who, according to UN figures, have accounted for 81% of the civilian casualties since 2018.

Although billed by proxy war champions like McCain as a fight against Russian "invaders", the US has long known that the rebels are in fact a local insurgency. In the Donbas, "Ukraine has mainly not been fighting Russias armed forces," two senior analysts with the Pentagon-tied RAND corporation recently observed. Instead, "the vast majority of rebel forces consist of localsnot soldiers of the regular Russian military." Up until the invasion last month, the Russian military "never used more than a tiny fraction of its capabilities against the Ukrainians."

A 2019 study by the same think tank offers strong evidence that turning Russia into "invaders" -- rather than just expending a "tiny fraction" of its military power to support the rebels -- has been the US goal.

The RAND study, "Overextending and Unbalancing Russia," found that arming Ukraine stands the highest chance of success of "exploit[ing] Russias greatest point of external vulnerability."

"Expanding U.S. assistance to Ukraine, including lethal military assistance, would likely increase the costs to Russia, in both blood and treasure, of holding the Donbass region," the study said. "The Ukrainian military already is bleeding Russia in the Donbass region (and vice versa). Providing more U.S. military equipment and advice could lead Russia to increase its direct involvement in the conflict and the price it pays for it. Russia might respond by mounting a new offensive and seizing more Ukrainian territory."

According to the RAND authors, Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, the former general of U.S. Army Europe, "argued against giving Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine for precisely this reason."

While serving in Obama's State Department, the current Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, publicly advocated the same position. "If youre playing on the military terrain in Ukraine, youre playing to Russias strength, because Russia is right next door," Blinken told a Berlin audience in March 2015. "It has a huge amount of military equipment and military force right on the border. Anything we did as countries in terms of military support for Ukraine is likely to be matched and then doubled and tripled and quadrupled by Russia."

Since taking office as Biden's Secretary of State, Blinken and his colleagues have adopted the reverse position, flooding Ukraine with weapons and undermining diplomatic opportunities that could have avoided war.
Saudi Arabias oil chief said markets are going through a jittery period and reiterated Tuesday that the kingdom's ability to ensure energy security is no longer guaranteed.

Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said cross-border attacks have put to question our ability to supply the world with the necessary energy requirements. The attacks have been carried out by Yemens rebel Houthis, who are supported by Iran.

It goes without saying that if this security supply is impacted, it will impact us ... but more fundamentally, I think it also will affect the world economy, he said.

Prince Abdulaziz said Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates could once rely on a collective effort to ensure their energy security. "These pillars are no longer there, he added. The prince spoke at the World Government Summit, an event sponsored by the government of Dubai in the UAE.

Oil prices, already at their highest in years, have shot up further amid the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, OPECs largest oil producer. Brent crude prices are trading above $110 a barrel, though have soared at times past $120.

The Houthis have used drones and missiles to target the kingdoms oil facilities, and have also attacked targets in the UAE's capital of Abu Dhabi.

On Friday, they hit a Saudi oil products storage facility in the Red Sea coastal city of Jiddah, sending huge plumes of black smoke into the air that were visible from the vicinity of the Formula One race where practice laps were underway.

The war in Yemen  where a Saudi-led military coalition, which includes the UAE, has been battling the Houthis since 2015  has rattled these two Gulf Arab states, revealing the vulnerability of their oil facilities.

Saudi Arabia has expressed its frustrations in official statements, saying it will not bear any responsibility for shortages in oil supplies due to the attacks.

Crude oil prices have also been buoyed by a deal struck by leading producers, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, in an alliance known as OPEC+, which limited oil production to keep prices from crashing amid pandemic lockdowns in 2020. The group has stuck to its cautious plan of releasing more barrels on a monthly basis as COVID-19 restrictions have eased. Critics of the plan say the Russian war in Ukraine is roiling markets and sending energy prices soaring for consumers at the pump.
Its hard to believe that the last president spent his term pouring weapons into Ukraine, shredding treaties with Russia and ramping up cold war escalations against Moscow which helped lead us directly to the extraordinarily dangerous situation we now find ourselves in, and yet mainstream liberals spent his entire administration screaming that he was a Kremlin puppet.

A lot of anti-empire commentary is rightly going into criticizing how the Obama administration paved the way to this conflict in Ukraine with its role in the 2014 coup and support for Kyivs war against Donbass separatists. But whats getting lost in all this, largely because Trumpites have been using their mainstream numbers to loudly amplify criticisms of the role of the Obama and Biden administrations in this mess, is what happened between those two presidencies which was just as crucial in getting us here.

Though its been scrubbed from mainstream liberal history, it was actually the Trump administration that began the US policy of arming Ukraine in the first place. Obama had refused forceful demands from neocons and liberal hawks to do so because he feared it would provoke an attack by Russia.

In a 2015 article titled Defying Obama, Many in Congress Press to Arm Ukraine, The New York Times reported that So far, the Obama administration has refused to provide lethal aid, fearing that it would only escalate the bloodshed and give President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia a pretext for further incursions.

It wasnt until the Trump presidency that those weapons began pouring into Ukraine, and boy howdy are we looking at some further incursions now. This change occurred either because Trump was a fully willing participant in the agenda to ramp up aggressions against Moscow, or because he was politically pressured into playing along with that agenda by the collusion narrative which had its origins at every step in the US intelligence cartel, or because of some combination of the two.

In all the world-shaping news stories weve been experiencing lately, its easy to forget how the narrative that the Kremlin had infiltrated the highest levels of the US government dominated news coverage and political discourse for years on end. But in light of the fact that todays major headlines now revolve around that exact same foreign government, this fact is probably worth revisiting.

The most important thing to understand about the Trump-Russia collusion narrative is that it began with western intelligence agencies, was sustained by western intelligence agencies, and in the end resulted in cold war escalations against a government long targeted by western intelligence agencies. It was the US intelligence cartel who initiated the still completely unproven and severely plot hole-riddled claim that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit Trump. It was a former MI6 operative who produced the notorious and completely discredited Steele Dossier which birthed the narrative that Trump colluded with the Kremlin to steal the 2016 election. It was the FBI who spied on the Trump campaign claiming it was investigating possible ties to Russia. It was the US intelligence cartel which produced, and then later walked back, the narrative that Russia was paying Taliban-linked fighters to kill allied occupiers in Afghanistan which was leveraged by Democrats to demand Trump escalate further against Putin. It was even a CIA officer who just so happened to be in the right place at the right time that kicked off the flimsy impeachment narrative that Trump had suspended arms deliveries to Ukraine.

Every step of the way the mass media was fed reports by intelligence operatives and by elected officials sharing pieces of information theyd been told by intelligence operatives about potential indications of a conspiracy between Trumps circle and the Russian government, which often faceplanted in the most humiliating ways as subsequent revelations debunked them. Day after day some new BOMBSHELL media report would surface tying some obscure Trump underling so some Russian oligarch in some way, the outlet which published it would be rewarded with millions of clicks, only to have it fizzle into a flat nothing pizza within a few days.

Day after day mainstream liberals were promised major revelations which would lead to the entire Trump family being dragged from the White House in chains, and day after day those promises failed to deliver. But what did happen during that time was a mountain of US cold war escalations against Moscow, a very good illustration of the immense difference between narrative and fact.

Trump supporters like to believe that the Deep State tried to remove their president because he was such a brave populist warrior leading a peoples revolution against their Satanic globalist agendas, and surely there were some individual goons within their ranks who would have loved to see him gone. But in reality the major decision makers in the US intelligence cartel never intended to remove Trump from office. Theyd have known from their own intel that the Mueller investigation wouldnt turn up any evidence of a conspiracy with the Russian government, and theyd have known impeachment wouldnt remove him because they know how to count Senate seats. Russiagate was never about removing Trump, it was about making sure Trump played along with their regime change plans for Moscow and manufacturing mainstream consent for the escalations were seeing today.

And now here we are. Joe Lauria has an excellent new article out for Consortium News titled Biden Confirms Why the US Needed This War which lays out the evidence that the Ukraine invasion was deliberately provoked to facilitate the longstanding agenda to oust Putin and ultimately restore a Yeltsin-like puppet to Moscow. The US could easily have prevented this war with a little bit of diplomacy and a few low-cost concessions, but instead it chose to provoke a war that could then be used to manufacture international consensus for unprecedented acts of economic warfare against Russia with the goal of effecting regime change.

Lauria writes:

The U.S. got its war in Ukraine. Without it, Washington could not attempt to destroy Russias economy, orchestrate worldwide condemnation and lead an insurgency to bleed Russia, all part of an attempt to bring down its government. Joe Biden has now left no doubt that its true. The president of the United States has confirmed what Consortium News and others have been reporting since the beginnings of Russsiagate in 2016, that the ultimate U.S. aim is to overthrow the government of Vladimir Putin. For Gods sake, this man cannot remain in power, Biden said on Saturday at the Royal Castle in Warsaw.

This was all planned years in advance. Long before Bidens presidency, and long before Trumps. It is not a coincidence that we spent years being bombarded with anti-Russia propaganda in the lead-up to a massive confrontation with that same government. Theres no connection between the discredited allegation that Trump was a secret Kremlin agent and Putins decision to invade Ukraine, yet the mainstream anti-Russia hysteria manufactured by the former is flowing seamlessly into mainstream opposition of the latter.

This is because this was all planned well in advance. Were where were at now because the US empire brought us here intentionally.

_____________________________

My work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, following me on Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud or YouTube, or throwing some money into my tip jar on Ko-fi, Patreon or Paypal. If you want to read more you can buy my books. The best way to make sure you see the stuff I publish is to subscribe to the mailing list for at my website or on Substack, which will get you an email notification for everything I publish. Everyone, racist platforms excluded, has my permission to republish, use or translate any part of this work (or anything else Ive written) in any way they like free of charge. For more info on who I am, where I stand, and what Im trying to do with this platform, click here.

Bitcoin donations:1Ac7PCQXoQoLA9Sh8fhAgiU3PHA2EX5Zm2
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) fined the DNC and Hillary Clintons 2016 campaign for lying about funding the fake Russia dossier.

Recall, Hillary Clintons camp and the DNC were hit with two lawsuits back in 2017 and 2018.

In 2018, Hillary Clinton and the DNC were accused of using state chapters as strawmen to launder $84 million in an effort to evade campaign donation limits and the Federal Election Commission ignored complaints exposing this corruption.

The FEC fined Clinton and said her campaign violated the rules because they failed to disclose payments funneled to Fusion GPS through DNC law firm Perkins Coie.

The Washington Examiner reported
Class 10 students wearing hijab stand in line with other students before the commencement of the annual SSLC exams at a government school in Bangalore (Manjunath Kiran / AFP)

Udupi: Forty Muslim girl students from Udupi district of Karnataka abstained from appearing for the first pre-university examination on Tuesday as they were apparently hurt by the recent High Court verdict against wearing of hijab inside classrooms.

The students decided to not appear for the examination without wearing the headscarf as they were hurt by the March 15 order, sources said.

The Karnataka High Court on March 15 had dismissed petitions seeking permission to wear hijab inside the classroom, saying the headscarf is not a part of the essential religious practice in Islamic faith and also stated that the uniform dress rule should be followed in educational institutions where it has been prescribed.

Those who shunned the examinations on Tuesday include 24 girl students from Kundapur, 14 from Byndoor and two from Udupi Government Girls PU college, who are involved in the legal fight over wearing of hijab in classrooms. The girls had earlier boycotted the practical examinations also.

At the RN Shetty PU college, 13 out of 28 Muslim girl students appeared for the examination. Though some students reached the examination centre wearing hijabs, they were denied permission.

Four out of five girl students appeared for the examinations at Bhandarkar's college in Udupi, while all the girl students of Basrur Sharada college attended the examinations.

Six among the eight girl students of Navunda Government PU College abstained from the examinations, while only two out of 10 Muslim girls appeared for the examinations.

Some private colleges in the district allowed students wearing hijab to attend the examinations, sources said.

The Supreme Court on March 24 refused to accord urgent hearing on the pleas challenging the Karnataka High Court verdict. The students, though, are planning to wait till the apex court gives an order on the issue.

Girls, who approached HC, refuse to write exam

The two first PUC students who had approached the Karnataka High Court seeking permission to wear Hijab abstained from attending the examination on Wednesday.

Muskan and Safa, of Government PU College for Girls in Udupi, had approached the High Court along with their four seniors, seeking permission to wear Hijab inside the classroom. The High Court had turned down their request.

The girls were not ready to attend classes without Hijab and were not coming to the college. Of the six girls who had approached the court two were first-year PUC students. The first-year examination began on March 30 and as per the HC verdict, the girls had to remove their Hijab to enter the examination hall.

Both the girls Muskan and Safa did not appear for the exam, the college authorities confirmed.

In Udupi district, of the total 700 absentees, 113 are girl students while the remaining 587 are boys.

Majority of the Muslim girls appeared for the exams in coastal Karnataka areas.
Hyderabad: The Union government accused the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Hyderabad bench and Telangana government of messing up the issue of cadre allocation of All India Services (AIS) officers to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Additional solicitor general T. Suryakaran Reddy representing the Union government on Tuesday submitted to this effect before a division bench of the High Court comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Surepalli Nanda, which was hearing a batch of petitions filed by Department for Personnel Training (DoPT), challenging the CAT orders in allotting 16 AIS officers to their choice of state, by setting aside their allocation orders issued by the Union ministry. Out of the batch petitions, the bench took up Somesh Kumars allocation orders, as the first case.

Putting forward the objections of the Union government against the CAT orders, Suryakaran Reddy submitted that the CAT unilaterally took the authority of AIS cadre allocation, which was actually vested with the DoPT.

Somesh Kumar challenged the decision of the DoPT before the CAT on the grounds that non-inclusion of P.K. Mohanty, the then Chief Secretary of United AP in the list of officers to be distributed amongst residuary Andhra Pradesh and newly-carved Telangana state. If Mohantys name was included in the list of to be distributed officers, he could have been allocated to Telangana State. Non inclusion of Mohantys name deprived him of his chance is Someshs contention.

Finding fault with the contention of Somesh Kumar, Suryakaran Reddy informed the court that Mohanty retired from AIS service on June 1, 2014, and the list was prepared consisting of officers who were in service as on June 1, 2014.

As the Union governments arguments were concluded on Tuesday, the bench adjourned the case to April 4 for submissions of the senior counsel representing Somesh Kumar.
New Delhi: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be on a two-day official visit to India from Thursday, his first trip to the country since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine last month.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a one-line statement to announce the visit.

"Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Mr. Sergey Lavrov will pay an official visit to New Delhi on 31 March -1 April 2022," it said.

The focus of Lavrov's visit to New Delhi is expected to be on India's purchase of discounted Russian crude oil and putting in place a rupee-ruble payment system for bilateral trade in view of the Western sanctions against Moscow, people familiar with the development said.

In the talks, India is also likely to press for ensuring timely delivery of various military hardware as well as components of the S-400 missile systems by Russia.

Lavrov began a two-day visit of China on Wednesday primarily to attend a meeting of foreign ministers of countries bordering Afghanistan that has been convened by Beijing to discuss the Afghan crisis.

He is expected to arrive in New Delhi on Thursday evening after concluding his visit to China.

The Russian foreign minister's visit to India coincides with that of US Deputy National Security Adviser Daleep Singh, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and German Foreign and Security Policy Advisor Jens Plotner.

Truss will visit India on March 31 while Singh is visiting India from March 30-31. Plotner is visiting India on Wednesday.

The British foreign secretary is set to hold talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India. EU Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific Gabriele Visentin visited New Delhi this week.

US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland and foreign ministers of Austria and Greece were also in India last week.

Ahead of Lavrov's visit, Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov last week held a series of meetings with senior officials in the MEA.

The officials with whom Alipov held talks are Secretary (East) Saurabh Kumar, Secretary (West) Sanjay Verma and Secretary (Economic Relations) Dammu Ravi.

Unlike many other leading powers, India has not yet criticised Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and it abstained from the votes at the UN platforms in condemning the Russian aggression.

However, last Thursday, India abstained on a resolution pushed by Russia on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, which was seen as reflective of its neutral position on the conflict.

India has been pressing for the resolution of the crisis through diplomacy and dialogue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, March 2 and March 7.

Modi had spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy twice.

Last week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in Parliament that India's position on the Ukraine conflict has been "steadfast and consistent" and that it has been seeking immediate cessation of violence.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  A Vietnamese automaker announced plans Tuesday to build a plant in North Carolina to manufacture electric vehicles, promising to bring 7,500 jobs and ending the state's streak of near-misses for landing carmakers.

FILE - The VinFast VF e36 is shown at the AutoMobility LA auto show Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, in Los Angeles. VinFast announced plans Tuesday, March 29, 2022, to build a plant in North Carolina to manufacture electric vehicles, promising to bring 7,500 jobs. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  A Vietnamese automaker announced plans Tuesday to build a plant in North Carolina to manufacture electric vehicles, promising to bring 7,500 jobs and ending the state's streak of near-misses for landing carmakers.

VinFast will build its first North American plant in Chatham County southwest of Raleigh, with production expected to start in 2024. It expects to employ 7,500 by 2027 with average salaries of $51,000, according to the state Commerce Department.

VinFasts transformative project will bring many good jobs to our state, along with a healthier environment as more electric vehicles take to the road to help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement.

The company is expected to invest $4 billion in building the plant on a nearly 2,000-acre (800-hectare) site about a 30-minute drive southwest of Raleigh. The plant is planned to be able to manufacture 150,000 cars per year. The state has agreed to use job development grants to reimburse $316 million over 32 years if it hits job-creation and investment goals. The state is also planning to provide as much as $450 million for site preparation, road improvements and other infrastructure work.

A release from the state Commerce Department said the manufacturer considered sites in 12 states before narrowing its search to North Carolina and a site in Savannah, Georgia. The release said the workforce, incentives and site preparation were key factors in its choice.

North Carolinas strong commitments in building a clean energy economy, fighting climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in transportation make it an ideal location for VinFast to develop its premium, smart and environmentally friendly EVs, VinFast Global CEO Le Thi Thu Thuy said in a statement.

Gov. Roy Cooper sits inside a VinFast VF8 electric car Tuesday, March 29, 2022, outside the Raleigh Convention Center, in Raleigh, N.C., following an announcement that the company will build a manufacturing facility in neighboring Chatham County. (Travis Long/The News & Observer via AP)

The United Auto Workers union has plans to organize workers at the new VinFast plant, as well as other electric vehicle and battery factories that are locating in Southern states, union President Ray Curry said Tuesday. The union has funding available now to start organizing efforts, Curry told the Automotive Press Association in Detroit.

The union, he said, already has a presence in North Carolina.

We believe that we are the preferred union, Curry said. We are the auto workers, and our goal would be to be able to represent any auto work assembly that would take place in the country, especially EVs that are transforming right now.

The UAW also will try to organize Ford and General Motors battery plants in Kentucky and Tennessee, as well as factories run by Tesla and electric vehicle startup Rivian. Both have plants that were represented by the union under previous owners. Such campaigns, depending on their duration, could cost tens of millions of dollars, he said.

Landing the car manufacturing plant is considered a major accomplishment for Cooper, legislative leaders and economic recruiters following a series of disappointments stretching back decades.

In the early 1990s, North Carolina lost out to South Carolina for BMWs first full-service factory outside of Germany, then later to Alabama, which landed Mercedes-Benzs SUV plant. More recently, the state fell short in competing for new plants by Tesla and Rivian Automotive.

Freightliner already operates truck production plants in North Carolina, and Volvo Trucks North America headquarters is based in Greensboro.

The VinFast plant acquisition is the latest in a string of significant economic victories for the state over the past 12 months.

Apple announced plans last April to build its first East Coast campus in Research Triangle Park between Raleigh and Durham, creating 3,000 new jobs over the next decade.

Toyota revealed in December it will build a $1.3 billion battery plant near Greensboro that will employ at least 1,750 people and help fulfill the automakers plans to drastically increase electric vehicle sales in the U.S.

And Boom Supersonic announced in January that Greensboro would be the home for its first full-scale manufacturing facility for next-generation supersonic passenger jets. That also comes with a goal of more than 2,400 new jobs by 2032.

VinFast is part of Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, which is providing capital to expand electric vehicle sales to the U.S. and eventually Europe. The company already is selling vehicles with internal combustion engines and electric powertrains in Vietnam.

In November, the company introduced the VF e35 midsize and VF e36 large electric SUVs at the Los Angeles Auto Show, but it did not reveal prices.

The companys former chief executive said last year that VinFast plans to start taking orders in the spring and delivering vehicles in the U.S. in the fall. Initially the SUVs would be built at a new factory in Vietnam, but VinFast was planning to build a U.S. factory that would start producing in the second half of 2024.

VinFast, with a U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles, plans to sell vehicles through its own network of stores, with much of the order process done online. Already the company has plans for 60 stores in California alone. It also will have some service centers and mobile service.
HYDERABAD: A petition moved in the Supreme Court by two residents of Jammu & Kashmir challenging the Central governments decision to set up a delimitation commission to reorganise the Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in that state, could have a direct bearing on the Telugu states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

A promise of delimitation of Assembly constituencies in residuary Andhra Pradesh, and the new state of Telangana was one of the essential clauses in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014. The petition, moved in the Supreme Court, by Haji Abdul Gani Khan, and Dr Mohammad Ayub Mattoo, residents of J&K, challenged the Centres notification on setting up a delimitation commission for J&K saying it was unconstitutional and in violation of Article 14 of the Constitution.

Incidentally, when the issue of delimitation of Assembly seats in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh was brought up in the past, the union home ministry sought the opinion of the then Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi, who clearly stated that as the delimitation fell under the purview of Article 170 of the Constitution, this could not be done. Any such move could be taken up only after the first census of the population after the year 2026 is completed.

Marri Shashidhar Reddy, senior Congress party leader, and instrumental in the work resulting in the inclusion of the Assembly constituencies delimitation in the AP Reorganisation Act 2014, told Deccan Chronicle that what the Centre was trying to do in J&K was completely unconstitutional. Two years ago, when Article 370 was abrogated, following which the J&K Reorganisation Act was enacted, it was provided in it to increase the Assembly seats from 113 to 120 in that state. Our contention is that this is unconstitutional as Article 170 is clear that any delimitation can be taken up only after the completion of the first census that comes up after 2026, he explained.

If the Centre wants to go ahead with delimitation in J&K, then it will need to amend the Constitution and various statutory provisions with respect to setting up of a delimitation commission. And if the Centre does this, it cannot be just for J&K. Such changes must also be applicable to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, he said.
RIVERS  Two years after a colossal rainstorm that imperiled the dam at Lake Wahtopanah, the structure will finally be rehabilitated starting this year.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

RIVERS  Two years after a colossal rainstorm that imperiled the dam at Lake Wahtopanah, the structure will finally be rehabilitated starting this year.

With the lake and the dam in Rivers as a backdrop, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk said the contract for the design of the reconstructed dam has been awarded to KGS Group Limited, a Winnipeg-based engineering firm.

Construction could start as early as this fall and is expected to take up to three years to complete.

"In early July 2020, heavy rainfall caused record rainfall in the Little Saskatchewan River, which affected the dam here in Rivers, Manitoba," Piwniuk said.

So much rain fell on Westman that water was flowing through the dam at a rate of 12,000 cubic feet per second, more than double the previously measured peak outflow of 4,500 cubic feet per second.

That water flow exceeded the dams capacity, causing concern for communities both in the immediate vicinity and further downstream, like in Brandon which could have experienced a surge of water had the structure failed.

In the summer of 2020, water flowed over this spillway at the dam at Lake Wahtopanah in Rivers at a rate of 12,000 cubic feet per second. (Colin Stark / The Brandon Sun)

The City of Brandon erected a temporary dike plug along 18th Street North, blocking off Grand Valley Road, and some nearby residents were evacuated, but the dam built in 1960 managed to hang on with minimal damage.

According to Piwniuk, this effort will bring the 62-year-old structure up to current provincial and national standards and is part of a government initiative to prepare infrastructure for the effects of climate change.

Last year, Piwniuk said, a preliminary design for the rehabilitation was completed with input from local municipalities and stakeholders. Interim fixes to the spillway were completed in winter 2021 and the structure performed well in the subsequent spring runoff.

With the province having downgraded the severity of its flood outlook for this spring late last week, Piwniuk said current conditions are ideal for the dam at Lake Wahtopanah to successfully handle snowmelt and runoff.

"Were very confident that the outlook for the Souris and Assiniboine [rivers] are going to be very low when it comes to any flooding," he said. "It all depends on whether theres a weather event, thats what were looking out for."

No price tag for the project was revealed, and KGS is still choosing between several options for the project.

Also in attendance were Spruce Woods MLA and Economic Development Minister Cliff Cullen, whose constituency includes the dam, as well as Municipal Relations Minister Eileen Clarke, Riding Mountain MLA Greg Nesbitt and Brandon East MLA Len Isleifson.

FILE So much water poured through the dam at Lake Wahtopanah in 2020 that crews were dispatched to reinforce the structure and create platforms that sensors could be suspended from to examine potential damage.

Cullen gave credit to the Municipality of Riverdale for its hard work in keeping people safe during the flood event.

After describing what the dam looked like on her last visit in 2020 and explaining its importance to the area, Clarke went over efforts to work with nearby municipalities and stakeholders to meet their needs during the reconstruction process.

When the province released its updated flood outlook last week, the accompanying media release said the government was working with municipalities to update its emergency plans.

"We have to understand that [these kinds of events] can happen at any time," she said. "Climate is changing in Manitoba and we are seeing those changes."

The Emergency Measures Organization is "prepared 365 days a year," she added.

"At this time of year, when we could expect possible flood events, they want to make sure everythings upgraded."

While Riverdale Mayor Todd Gill was unable to attend the event, Coun. Ian Dyer was on hand to explain the importance of the project to the community.

"Its a little over 60 years old and it withstood a real blow in 2020," he said. "Hopefully, the repairs  over the next three years will last the next thousand years before the next big main event."

 cslark@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ColinSlark
In just their second year of service at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, Jesse Lair of Smoked and Sauced Mobile BBQ sold out an entire days worth of food, one hour before closing time.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

In just their second year of service at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, Jesse Lair of Smoked and Sauced Mobile BBQ sold out an entire days worth of food, one hour before closing time.

"We got our asses kicked," Lair said as he laughed.

"We got destroyed. We tripled what we thought we would have gone through [for sales]. We felt great by the end of the day."

The mobile barbecue unit is under the same ownership as Eastside Eatery, a Brandon establishment. Serving beef brisket and pulled pork sandwiches with your choice of side dishes, Lair recommends their classic pulled pork.

"It melts in your mouth. It comes with coleslaw and Im not a coleslaw lover, but on that sandwich, its just a completely different sandwich.

"Weve got perogies, weve got the creamiest mac and cheese in Brandon. Come down and check it out."

He said he is excited to see high volumes of traffic at the fair and believes people are ready to get back to normal life and enjoy the weeklong event.

"I just love seeing the people loving our food, they come back smiling, and its the best part of the day."

Down the same hallway, Lorena Tsipi and Katerina Kouroumali prepare orders of chicken souvlaki, falafels and Greek gyros as meat sizzles on the grill.

The Santa Lucia Pizza employees said it is a pleasure to be back at the fair as they mark 15 years of serving guests at the event.

Business picked up on Tuesday after a slower start on Monday, Kouroumali said, and customers continued to enjoy their souvlaki and gyros, both served in pita bread with tomatoes, lettuce, caramelized onions and tzatziki sauce.

Outside the main entrance to the Keystone Centre, Jason Gryba dishes up some homestyle fries to guests at the Chip Truck.

"Its definitely good to be back here and operating again. The Chip Truck has been part of the fair for 20 years," Gryba said.

JOSEPH BERNACKI/THE BRANDON SUN Santa Lucia employees Lorena Tsipi (left) and Katerina Kouroumali prepare some hot chicken souvlaki for new customers at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair.

"Its almost a landmark here in Brandon and at the Winter Fair."

In his 11th year of operating the food truck, the Dauphin-based owner said the Winter Fair is the first time he could serve food since Brandons Food Truck Warz last September. They stick to their fan-favourite fries, as its one of the things they have done right for so long.

They hope to continue this trend and tour southern Manitoba festivals this summer.

Above the steps inside the main arena, Debbie Fisch and her husband Curtis Stovey prepare thousands of roasted nuts, mixed with cinnamon, sugar and vanilla.

In their first year operating Bavarian Roasted Nuts, Fisch said there has been a steady crowd to start the fair and customers have stopped by to try their pecans, almonds and cashews, all served warm.

Through word of mouth, Fisch said fairgoers have stopped by their booth based on sales from craft shows, and from previous management as the business has taken part in the Winter Fair for at least 10 years.

"Its awesome. Were from Brandon and weve lived here our entire lives.

"To come back here to the fair and have a booth is super exciting. Supporting the Provincial Ex is really important to us."

Its a tradition that has meant the world to Kim OHara, co-owner of Kims Cotton Candy here in Brandon. Walking into the main arena, OHaras booth was jam-packed with customers on the first day, said the Winter Fair veteran of more than 16 years.

"Weve missed everything about the fair: the customers, the children. Candy on a stick means something different to everybody. You cant get it everywhere now, so its exciting to still be able to offer it."

OHara and her husband moved to Brandon in 1999 with their children after living in Wales. She said the cotton candy business was relatively easy to start in the early 2000s as her family grew up working and spending a lot of time at English carnivals.

This year, she said, there is a generational aspect to the fair that is noticeable as grandparents bring in their grandchildren for tasty treats.

Other offerings at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair include many types of popcorn served at Beaches Sugar Shack, Mexican cuisine at Mercado Tacos and Tortillas, pretzels at The Pretzel Place as well as lemonade and fresh mini donuts across each concourse.

 jbernacki@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @JosephBernacki
A new funding agreement between the Manitoba 4-H Council and the province will ensure 4-H clubs can continue to deliver programs to its hundreds of members.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

A new funding agreement between the Manitoba 4-H Council and the province will ensure 4-H clubs can continue to deliver programs to its hundreds of members.

The Manitoba 4-H Council will receive $900,000 from the province over three years, Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson announced on Tuesday at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair.

"Our government is a long-term supporter of 4-H and we are so pleased to announce this agreement with this very important and successful program," Johnson said in a news release. "More than 100 years ago, Canadas 4-H movement began right here in Manitoba. The 4-H program has a long and successful history of providing opportunities for Manitobas youth to develop skills ranging from leadership and communication to agriculture and environmental sustainability."

The funding will help the Manitoba 4-H Council "deliver unique and quality programming" across the province to 102 4-H clubs with more than 1,020 members.

Another tool being provided to 4-H is a life-sized, anatomically correct model of a cow, named Clover, and a calf fetus children and youth will use to understand the anatomy of cattle and how to help birth calves by pulling them out of the mother during labour. Manitoba Agriculture provided $5,000 for the simulator.

The model was on display Monday night, with Johnson and a fairgoer demonstrating how to pull the calf out of the cow.

The Manitoba 4-H Council was unable to provide a comment to the Sun by press time on Tuesday. However, in a news release, executive director Shannon Carvey expressed gratitude on behalf of the council.

"4-H Manitoba is extremely grateful for the relationship we have with the Manitoba government," Carvey said. "The financial support received from the Department of Agriculture is essential for the delivery of new and existing programming to our members."

Johnson, one of at least 20 MLAs apparently attending the fair this week, is visiting the event to be a guest speaker as well as to make a few announcements.

He told the Sun it has been a pleasure to see the fair running again, with families taking in the tradition and learning about agriculture.

"Just to see the sparkle in their eyes, the joy on their faces, and multi-generational families together in the stands having a great time," he said. "I think we all know the importance of agriculture to the province. This is something we can do again now that COVID is minimal."

It is also important financially, he said, making up about 10 per cent of the provinces gross domestic product. A major part of the fair has always been demonstrating innovation in animal husbandry and livestock handling.

In response to the fairs cancellation of its pig and calf scrambles  due in large part to pushback from animal welfare advocates  he said the Animal Care Act, which oversees the welfare of animals in Manitoba, is one of the most modern pieces of legislation in the country for the care and handling of livestock.

"It was their decision to not go through with this until they can review their policies."

In place of the scrambles, the fair added an agricultural-themed obstacle course. Children must race to unlock a gate, drive a small cart between haystacks, load hay bales and tow a sleigh loaded with shavings and rope targets.

 kmckinley@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @karenleighmcki1
In 2006, I was doing my first solo show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, playing to tiny crowds in the basement of an RSL just off Flinders Lane. My material was variable, my fashion was inexcusable, and my dressing room was a storage cupboard full of beer kegs. Id crouch there after each show like a poor mans Phantom of the Opera, eavesdropping on my audience as they squeezed past to the exit. Then Id pack up my keyboard and traipse around town doing late-night gigs.

Sammy Js first solo show was in an RSL basement off Flinders Lane. Credit:Joe Armao

One of these was down by the Yarra, in a temporary big-top known as the Umbrella Revolution. Local producer Chris McDonald was putting on some musical comedy shows and for 15 bucks, punters could see a bill that included Tim Minchin, Eddie Perfect, Tripod and a little-known American improv group called Freestyle Love Supreme. This group included a little-known American performer named Lin-Manuel Miranda.

My inclusion on that bill has recently led to rumours that I was integral to the creation of Hamilton, the musical Miranda would go on to write. I refuse to confirm or deny these rumours. But like all the other newcomers, I was young, scrappy, hungry, and too drunk to remember any details.

I often ride my bike past that spot. Theres no tent there now  just a gozleme truck  and its hard to believe that in years gone by, it was pumping with the energy of late-night crowds. For me, that patch of bitumen is a hallowed ground of nostalgia. The time my comedy partner, Randy, and I did a show in blackout when the power failed; the time a producer from Edinburgh bought me a drink and invited me to tour overseas; the first time I ever saw Ali McGregor perform Creep on autoharp.
While its made forays abroad with its Kung Fu Panda franchise and a short-lived collaboration with Britains Aardman Animations, its basic comic style still springs from puns and parodies rooted in American movies and television.

Unlike Disney, which has taken to roaming the worlds cultures in search of inspiration for its animated features, Dreamworks has always looked to Hollywood.

The Bad Guys is the latest example. A wolf, a shark, a snake and a piranha make up its quartet of anti-heroes, yet they behave as if auditioning for Quentin Tarantino.

Loading

The only surprise lies in the fact that they were created by an Australian  Melbourne-based childrens author Aaron Blabey. The series of books on which the film is based has graced The New York Times bestseller list with 30 million copies sold worldwide.

Directed by Dreamworks animator Pierre Perifel, who has re-tooled Blabeys original illustrations by giving their characters sharper contours and more colourful wardrobes, the film begins with a diner scene which owes a lot to Tarantinos Pulp Fiction.

It then rolls on to a bank heist with car chase before getting down to the main game. When the gang are eventually arrested, the wily state governor, Diane Foxington (voiced by Zazie Beetz) gives them a chance to redeem themselves. If they can go straight and stay that way, they win their freedom. To the dismay of his partners-in-crime, the suave Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell) takes up the challenge. Is he serious? There are multiple plot twists before that question is finally decided.
The Girl from Plainville 

Stan*

Elle Fanning is nothing short of chilling as American teenager Michelle Carter, whose boyfriend, Conrad Roy (Colton Ryan), committed suicide after she repeatedly encouraged him to kill himself.

This new series about the so-called texting suicide case begins on the day of Roys death in 2014, and Chloe Sevigny and two-time Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz (Bloodline) are also riveting as Roys distraught parents. The ever-compelling Peter Gerety, playing Roys grandfather, adds another dimension to the portrait of a family racked by grief and anger.

Elle Fanning is chilling as American teenager Michelle Carter, whose boyfriend committed suicide after she repeatedly encouraged him to kill himself. Credit:Stan

But its Carter who forces her way into the centre of attention. Despite never having met Roys family or friends  and to their immediate consternation  she sets herself up as chief mourner, chief consoler and chief memorialiser. Fanning creates her own deeply disturbing portrait of a needy black hole whos devoid of empathy  though intermittently good at feigning it for purposes of manipulation  and who is living out an attention-getting fantasy she knows to be a lie (the looks that Sevigny gives her are something to behold).
Its a canonical checklist: The episodes are 22 minutes long, with fade-to-black commercial breaks. The setting is a workplace or family space inhabited by a cross-section of pals, kin or eccentrics. The stakes are based on understanding and idiosyncratic competition. It is, of course, the classic American sitcom, the staple of network programming for decade upon decade that has given us long-running staples such Friends, Modern Family, and The Big Bang Theory. Its the same for 2022s best new sitcom: Abbott Elementary.

The rumours of the sitcoms demise have been greatly exaggerated  you just have to know where to look for them. Abbott Elementary isnt screening at 9pm on a commercial network as a chaser to an overblown reality show, its streaming on Disney+. The show, which debuted in January on the Disney-owned American network ABC and has become a critical and commercial success, is both a terrific tribute to the pleasures of a well put together sitcom and a welcome update of the formats legacy. It looks back, but it leaps forward.

Abbott Elementary creator and star Quinta Brunson. Credit:Liliane Lathan/ABC

Created by its star, 32-year-old writer and actor Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary knowingly works in the mockumentary tradition of The Office and Parks and Recreation. The everyday characters eye off the camera catching their inopportune moments and awkwardly explain themselves in sideline interviews. But here theyre surrounded by children  its set in a West Philadelphia primary school, where the teachers plug away five days a week and the staffroom is in turn a lunchtime sanctuary and an inquisitors den.

The demographics arent make believe. The student body is almost entirely black, as are the majority of teachers. Brunsons Janine is a chatty, optimistic sparkplug, determined to make a difference even when everyone else says shes going to make things worse, which draws both side eye and eventually support from veterans such as Ms Howard (Sheryl Lee Ralph)  who is so imposing even colleagues and television critics address her formally. Janines fellow newcomer, Jacob Hill (Chris Perfetti), gets called white boy at the local lunch joints. Hes hopeful its affectionate.
A Federal Court judge has declined to order a former elite soldier to give evidence about whether war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith directed him to shoot an Afghan prisoner, after the man objected to answering questions because his testimony might incriminate him in an alleged murder.

Person 66, a former Special Air Service soldier whose identity cannot be revealed for national security reasons, started giving evidence on Monday in Mr Roberts-Smiths defamation case but objected to answering a question about how many missions he went on in Afghanistan in 2012 when the decorated former soldier was his patrol commander.

Ben Roberts-Smith at the Federal Court earlier this month. Credit:Brook Mitchell

Barrister Jack Tracey, acting for Person 66, told the court on Monday there were reasonable grounds for his client objecting to giving evidence because the testimony the witness was anticipated to give would have the tendency to incriminate him in the commission of an alleged offence. Asked about the nature of the offence, Mr Tracey said it would be an offence of murder.

Mr Roberts-Smith is suing The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times for defamation over a series of reports in 2018 that he says portray him as a war criminal who murdered detainees in Afghanistan.
Comprehensive research has confirmed that the drug ivermectin, formerly touted by some as a wonder drug against COVID-19, has no medical benefit in treating the disease.

The TOGETHER study was a major worldwide project involving a series of clinical trials designed to test the effectiveness of a range of drugs against COVID-19.

The TOGETHER trial found ivermectin has no use as a COVID-19 treatment. Credit:iStock

Co-author Craig Rayner, a scientist at drug development company Certara, said the researchers conducted a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of ivermectin involving 3515 COVID-19 patients at clinics in Brazil.

Dr Rayner said they found no clinical evidence that ivermectin had any effect on treating COVID-19 symptoms.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has refused to say how he would treat the fuel excise cut should he win government despite describing last nights federal budget as a cynical ploy.

Mr Albanese said on Wednesday morning his party would support various measures outlined in the budget to buffer cost-of-living pressures but also said the government may as well have stapled cash to peoples how-to-vote [card]s when they hand them out.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has refused to say how a Labor government would treat the Treasurers cost-of-living measures. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

This has all the sincerity of a fake tan. This is a plan for an election, not a plan for Australias future and I think people will see it for what it is, Mr Albanese told ABC television this morning.

But, of course, we wont stand in the way of cost-of-living measures because we have been saying for a long time that the cost of everything is going up. Petrol hit almost two dollars a litre before the invasion of Ukraine.
Rasa Piggott, the first Ambulance Victoria paramedic to speak publicly about entrenched harassment and sex discrimination at the service, said the report reflected the culture accurately. Three years ago, I was told by a manager that if I were a six-foot-tall, white male with blond hair, my professional perspectives would be heard and I would not be facing the same workplace challenges regarding career opportunity, she said. The report noted that despite a big increase in female employees since 2016, men dominated leadership roles. Men hold between 60.3 per cent and 69.5 per cent of managerial roles in operations support, as team managers, senior team managers and senior managers and also dominate specialist clinical roles. The commissions first report, released in late 2021, found 12 employees had reported rape or attempted rape or sexual assault at work, after which two men were referred to Victoria Police for alleged sexual offences against colleagues. It found that 348 people said they were still experiencing unlawful conduct when surveyed by the commission.

More than one in five employees said they do not feel safe at all at work; more than half (52.4 per cent) said they had been bullied; nearly half (47 per cent) said they had experienced discrimination; and 33 people reported pressure for sex or requests for sex acts at work. The commission made 24 recommendations for change. Stereotypes that remain in Ambulance Victoria culture include that to work in Air Ambulance or MICA, paramedics are macho and alpha white men. Credit:Paul Rovere On Tuesday, The Age confirmed the organisations director of people and culture, Rebecca Hodges, had resigned. Ambulance Employees Australia Victoria secretary Brett Adie wrote to Mr Lay on Friday criticising Ms Hodges team. On Thursday, acting CEO Libby Murphy said this was not related to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission report. In the letter seen by The Age, the union claimed Ms Hodges department had failed to identify and resolve fundamental issues relating to the organisations harmful culture. The [Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission] review details an [Ambulance Victoria] culture that has contributed to the establishment and maintenance of the boys club, the letter said, and integral to the preservation of that culture were allegations of recruitment based on personal preferences rather than merit.

Loading Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill said on Wednesday the union was receiving fresh sexual harassment complaints from Ambulance Victoria staff, regarding events at work that happened after the commissions first report. Ms Murphy has said she was aware of these. The union said it was also receiving complaints from members about past workplace incidents that were not adequately addressed by their employer. The new report noted staff who wanted flexible work agreements faced barriers getting promoted because shift adjustments were frowned upon by managers. It also found some breastfeeding mothers said they were discriminated against for wanting flexibility to allow them to keep feeding. The report acknowledged that change was under way at the service and that stereotypes were starting to wane, though still existed.

It noted some improvements and suggested 19 more strategies to further support equality of opportunity, promotion and pay, and fairer prospects for those from diverse backgrounds. Ambulance Victoria CEO Tony Walker says the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission has nailed its assessment of the services culture. Credit:Paul Jeffers Ambulance Victoria chief executive Tony Walker, who is currently on leave, said the commission had nailed its assessment of cultural stereotypes. The reality is Ambulance Victoria has been built for people like me, it is a historically male-dominated organisation where people, through privilege, often have partners at home caring for kids, and you work full time. Thats not the world you live in today, he said. As weve tried to address equality over time, weve bolted on equal opportunity [measures] rather than stepping back and saying, we need to design a whole new ambulance service.

Loading Mr Walker said a case study in the new report based on how BHP addressed rostering was good example for the organisation to follow. [It] shows us there are ways of doing this; we dont need to preserve the past and add to it, we need to step back and design a new system. We shouldnt think paternally about what the workplace should look like, Mr Walker said. Commissioner Ro Allen said it had been distressing for us and everyone in Ambulance Victoria that ... there hasnt been a silver bullet to solve inequality issues, but change was possible. The commissioner was pleased to see the organisation intended to remove provisions requiring manager endorsement for staff to apply for promotional opportunities.
The problem with Josh Frydenbergs fourth and possibly last budget, win or lose the election, was not whether it was good or bad, or right or wrong.

The problem always was that more was expected of it than it could ever possibly deliver.

Frydenbergs task was to produce a budget that would lift the Coalition from its present unwinnable position in the polls, to bring it within striking distance at the start of the official campaign (expected in days), to instil confidence, to maintain credibility, to restore trust in a government in desperate need of it, all while wedging or squeezing Labor.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivered the Budget speech on Tuesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

It shaped as a crushing burden, a phenomenal weight resting on a single event and mainly on the shoulders of one person who happens to be the most popular in the government. It is hard enough, even in the best of times, to reconcile the competing tensions of economics and politics and to meet such soaring expectations. Yet these are pretty close to the worst of times for the Morrison government.
Police have revealed a manhunt was already under way for a teenager who allegedly sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl, leaving her traumatised significantly.

The 17-year-old boy, who appeared in Perth Childrens Court on Wednesday accused of the brazen daylight assault near Rockingham Train Station, had also allegedly attempted to sexually assault and rob a 63-year-old woman just two days earlier.

The 17-year-old boy will appear in court on Wednesday over the serious allegations. Credit:iStock

Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said his thoughts went out to both victims.

Everything that we can do we will do to support them in what has been no doubt a horrific trauma for both of them, he said.
Groundbreaking IVF technology aiming to prevent mitochondrial disease has been given the green light, after a late-night conscience vote enacted new laws enabling the controversial procedure to be carried out in Australia.

Dubbed Maeves law after the Victorian family of a young girl with the rare but serious condition known as mito, the bill passed 37-17 in the Senate without amendments late on Wednesday night after a passionate debate.

Joel and Sarah Hoods five-year-old daughter Maeve lives with Leighs syndrome, a serious mitochondrial disease. Credit:Mito Foundation

Health Minister Greg Hunt welcomed the vote, tweeting that the globally leading legislation would give hope to families across Australia.

Mitochondrial disease refers to a group of disorders that occur when faulty mitochondria fail to produce energy in the bodys cells as they should.
John Howard says Scott Morrisons internal Coalition critics are consumed by personal grievances but agreed that Liberal Party members should choose their candidates, amid fury over how the Prime Minister and his allies have controlled preselections for the coming election.

The former prime minister also suggested whoever forms government in May should consider major tax reform as the country still relied far too heavily on income tax compared to indirect taxes such as his goods and services tax.

Former PM John Howard speaking at a Liberal Party rally. Credit:Brook Mitchell

Mr Howard told the Herald and The Age that Mr Morrison may be forceful but he was not a bully as Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells labelled him in a stunning budget night attack, and said he did not deserve criticism for his religion.

The NSW senator - who was dumped from the Liberal Senate ticket ahead of the election - used a late-night parliamentary speech to call Mr Morrison an autocrat and a bully with no moral compass, and said he was not fit for the top job.
Young Ronald Bond, trainee cyber spy at the Australian Signals Directorate, is into his third cup of chai latte, days before the federal budget, when a commanding voice enters his consciousness.

Bond, its P and I have an urgent task, booms the voice, apparently routed through one of the 23 giant code-streaming screens surrounding Ronalds secret listening post.

The federal government is spending nearly $10 billion on fighting cyber warfare. Credit:Jamie Brown

But sir, protests Ronald. I have ears on the subject Concetta and Im getting strong indications she is nearing a serious eruption of some sort.

Drop it, Pimples. We need you to investigate a matter of critical importance to our existence.
In my public life I have met ruthless people. Morrison tops the list, followed closely by Hawke. Morrison is not fit to be Prime Minister and Hawke certainly is not fit to be a minister, she told the chamber. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson backed Senator Fierravanti-Wells on Wednesday by saying she had given much to the Parliament and Mr Morrison had blackmailed people on the issue of vaccination. Loading This is not a Prime Minister for the people. He is a bully! And I back the senator up completely with that. He is a bully because I have experienced it myself. Hes a man where you do it my way or theres no way, and its a shame, Senator Hanson said. Senator Fierravanti-Wells remarks were made under the protection of parliamentary privilege less than two hours after the federal budget was released, throwing a political grenade into the governments media blitz on Wednesday to tell voters about the budget.

In a key claim, which the Prime Minister denies, she said Mr Morrison had blocked his rival Michael Towke from becoming the confirmed Liberal candidate for the seat of Cook at the 2007 election even though Mr Towke, a Christian from a Lebanese family, had won a ballot against Mr Morrison to gain the position. He is adept at running with the foxes and hunting with the hounds, lacking a moral compass and having no conscience, she told the Senate. His actions conflict with his portrayal as a man of faith. He has used his so-called faith as a marketing advantage. Morrison might profess to be Christian, but there was nothing Christian about what was done to Michael Towke. I am advised that there are several statutory declarations to attest to racial comments made by Morrison at the time that we cant have a Lebanese person in Cook.

After a long tussle over the ballot and intervention to settle the differences, Mr Morrison gained the party endorsement to run for Cook in 2007 and has represented the seat, which includes Cronulla to the south of Sydney, ever since. Mr Towke did not respond to a request for comment. Mr Hawkes press secretary said he would not comment. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg rejected the assessment of Mr Morrison and said the Prime Minister had led Australia well during a challenging time in the pandemic. NSW Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes also defended Mr Morrison as a friend of many years. Senator Hollie Hughes says if she hadnt stood aside for Senator Fierravanti-Wells, she would have lost her Senate seat six years ago. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

The comments that were made last night absolutely do not reflect the man that I know, they do not reflect his leadership style, they do not reflect the support that hes not only given me, but I know that he provides to so many other colleagues, Senator Hughes told Sky News. I think as most people who go out of this place and do so with dignity, they should be very grateful to the Liberal Party for the career that theyve had for the opportunities they had. Senator Hughes said she had been in line for preselection for the upper house six years ago but Mr Morrison had spoken to her to allow Senator Fierravanti-Wells to take the position. And for the good of the party, with Scotts intervention, I stood aside from that preselection victory and allowed Connie, who was then a minister under the Turnbull government, another six-year term in Parliament, she said. Had I not stood aside, and without Scotts intervention, Senator Fierravanti-Wells would have left the Senate six years ago.

Mr Morrison also blamed the attack on him on the events at a Liberal preselection last Saturday when Senator Fierravanti-Wells came third in a race with Senator Jim Molan and Foreign Minister Marise Payne for positions on the NSW Senate ticket at the coming election, relegating her to a position that is seen as unwinnable. Loading I understand shes disappointed, I understand shes been disappointed in the past when other prime ministers havent put her in the ministry or she hasnt been in roles she would like to perform in, he said. But in politics, on occasion, people have disappointments. I obviously dont agree with her assessments but if she has any formal complaints, in the Liberal Party we have processes to deal with that.
To her 1.4 million followers on social media, Vica Li says she is a life blogger and food lover who wants to teach her fans about China so they can travel the country with ease.

Through my lens, I will take you around China, take you into Vicas life! she says in a January video posted on YouTube and Facebook.

Chinese influencer and CGTN reporter Vica Li. The country has built a network of social media personalities who parrot the governments perspective in posts. Credit:YouTube

But that lens may be controlled by CGTN, the Chinese-state run TV network where she has regularly appeared in broadcasts and is listed as a digital reporter on the companys website. While Vica Li tells followers she created all of these channels on her own, her Facebook account shows at least nine people manage her page.

That portfolio of accounts is just one tentacle of Chinas growing influence on US-owned social media platforms, an Associated Press examination has found.
A US official said the intel finding indicates that Putin was aware of the situation on information coming to him and there was persistent tension between him and senior Russian military officials. Reframing goals Russian conscripts were told they were taking part in military exercises, but had to sign a document before the invasion that extended their duties, two European diplomats said. They were misled, badly trained and then arrived to find old Ukrainian women who looked like their grandmothers yelling at them to go home, one of the diplomats added.

There were no indications at the moment that the situation could foster a revolt among the Russian military, but the situation was unpredictable and Western powers would hope that unhappy people would speak up, the senior European diplomat said. Military analysts say Russia has reframed its war goals in Ukraine in a way that may make it easier for Putin to claim a face-saving victory despite a woeful campaign in which his army has suffered humiliating setbacks. We believe that Putin is being misinformed by his advisers about how badly the Russian military is performing and how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions, because his senior advisers are too afraid to tell him the truth, the US official said. A woman looks for personal items in the rubble of her house, destroyed during fighting in the village of Yasnohorodka, on the outskirts of Kyiv. Credit:AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda Russian forces bombarded the outskirts of Kyiv and a besieged city in northern Ukraine on Wednesday, a day after promising to scale down operations there in what the West dismissed as a ploy to regroup by invaders suffering heavy losses.

The next day, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces were preparing for new Russian attacks in the east of the country as Moscow builds up its troops there after suffering setbacks near the capital Kyiv. Loading Russias invasion of its neighbour, now in its fifth week, has driven around a quarter of Ukrainians from their homes and brought Russian-Western tensions to their worst point since the Cold War. Moscow has failed to capture any major cities, but said on Tuesday it would curtail operations near Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv to increase mutual trust for peace talks. Its not true, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a video address to European Union regional officials. The whole night we listened to sirens, to rocket attacks and we listened to huge explosions east of Kyiv and north of Kyiv. There are immense battles there, people died, still die.

Intensified bombardment could be heard in Kyiv on Wednesday from suburbs where Ukrainian forces have regained territory in recent days. The capital itself was not hit, but windows rattled from the relentless artillery on its outskirts. Reuters journalists south-east of Irpin, a Kyiv suburb which has seen intense fighting for weeks, heard frequent shelling and ordnance exploding on the ground and in the air. Ukrainians evacuating spoke of heavy shelling north of Irpin, shells landing in Irpin itself and dead bodies in the streets. Ukraine and Western leaders had cautioned that Moscows apparent peace gesture at Tuesdays talks in Istanbul was a cover for reorganising forces that had failed to take Kyiv. Russias Defence Ministry said on Wednesday its forces were regrouping near Kyiv and Chernihiv to focus on the liberation of the breakaway eastern Donbas region. War crimes in Ukraine

Russia may have committed war crimes by killing civilians and destroying hospitals in its pounding of Ukrainian cities, the top United Nations human rights official said in her strongest comments yet on the conflict. People, mainly women and children, arrive at Przemysl train station after journeying from war-torn Ukraine on March 30. Credit:Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images Homes and administrative buildings, hospitals and schools, water stations and electricity systems have not been spared, Michelle Bachelet said at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Indiscriminate attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes. Bachelet said her office had received credible allegations Russian forces had used cluster munitions in populated areas at least 24 times. Her office was also investigating alleged use of cluster munitions by Ukraine. Russia has denied using such weapons or targeting civilians.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Wednesday that more than 4 million people have left Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion and sparked Europes largest refugee crisis since World War II. That number exceeds the worst-case predictions made at the start of the war. Loading Half of the refugees from Ukraine are children, according to UNHCR and the UN childrens agency UNICEF. I think its a tragic milestone, Alex Mundt, the UNHCR senior emergency coordinator in Poland, said. Russia always lies

Chernihivs Mayor Vladyslav Astroshenko said Russian bombardment of that city had intensified over the previous 24 hours, with more than 100,000 people trapped inside with just enough food and medical supplies to last about another week. This is yet another confirmation that Russia always lies, he told CNN, adding that 25 civilians had been injured in a colossal mortar attack in the city centre. Reuters could not verify the situation in Chernihiv. Russias Defence Ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Irpin itself was recaptured by Ukrainian forces this week. Reuters journalists who entered on Tuesday saw Ukrainian troops patrolling an abandoned ghost town of ruined buildings, with the body of an old man and a woman lying on the streets. In the village of Mala Rohan in the eastern Kharkiv region, two burnt-out tanks with their turrets ripped off stood near damaged houses. Maksym, a Ukrainian soldier, said the Russians were being pushed back slowly but steadily.
London: Just when we thought wed seen the last of Prince Andrew, there he was, arm-in-arm with his frail, 95-year-old mother, escorting her to her seat as the royals gathered to remember her husband  his dad.

But this was no run-of-the-mill family gathering. This was Westminster Abbey and broadcast live to the nation. Onlookers were surprised - and some were shocked.

Was this the Queen putting motherhood ahead of monarchy? A mothers natural wish would be for comfort on a difficult day.

Prince Andrew escorted the Queen into the church after travelling to the service alongside her. Credit:AP

It is hard not to see this as anything but an endorsement for her son, her long-time favourite. It is little wonder others in the family are fuming.
Loading Targeted Victory declined to respond to questions about the campaign, saying only that it has represented Meta for several years and is proud of the work we have done. In one email, a Targeted Victory director asked for ideas on local political reporters who could serve as a back channel for anti-TikTok messages, saying the firm would definitely want it to be hands off. In other emails, Targeted Victory urged partners to push stories to local media tying TikTok to dangerous teen trends in an effort to show the apps purported harms. Any local examples of bad TikTok trends/stories in your markets? a Targeted Victory staffer asked. Dream would be to get stories with headlines like From dances to danger: how TikTok has become the most harmful social media space for kids, the staffer wrote.

Meta spokesperson Andy Stone defended the campaign by saying, We believe all platforms, including TikTok, should face a level of scrutiny consistent with their growing success. A TikTok spokesperson said the company is deeply concerned about the stoking of local media reports on alleged trends that have not been found on the platform. Targeted Victory worked to amplify negative TikTok coverage through a Google document titled Bad TikTok Clips, which was shared internally and included links to dubious local news stories citing TikTok as the origin of dangerous teen trends. Local operatives working with the firm were encouraged to promote these alleged TikTok trends in their own markets to put pressure on lawmakers to act. One trend Targeted Victory sought to enhance through its work was the devious licks challenge, which showed students vandalising school property. Through the Bad TikTok Clips document, the firm pushed stories about the devious licks challenge in local media across Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C. That trend led Senator Richard Blumenthal to write a letter in September calling on TikTok executives to testify in front of a Senate subcommittee, saying the app had been repeatedly misused and abused to promote behaviour and actions that encourage harmful and destructive acts. But according to an investigation by Anna Foley at the podcast network Gimlet, rumours of the devious licks challenge initially spread on Facebook, not TikTok.

In October, Targeted Victory worked to spread rumours of the Slap a Teacher TikTok challenge in local news, touting a local news report on the alleged challenge in Hawaii. In reality, no such challenge existed on TikTok. Again, the rumour started on Facebook, according to a series of Facebook posts first documented by Insider. TikTok is one of the fast-growing apps, especially among young people. Credit: AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato The firm worked to use both genuine concerns and unfounded anxieties to cast doubt about the popular app. One email outlining recent negative TikTok stories mixed reasonable questions, largely about TikToks corporate ownership and practices, with more exaggerated stories about young users recording themselves behaving badly - the kinds of social media panics that have long bedevilled big social networks, including Facebook. The agency was working at the same time to get proactive coverage about Facebook into local newspapers, radio segments and TV broadcasts, including submitting letters and opinion pieces speaking glowingly of Facebooks role in, for instance, supporting black-owned businesses. Those letters did not mention the Meta-funded firms involvement. Targeted Victory has contracted with dozens of public relations firms across the US to help sway public opinion against TikTok. In addition to planting local news stories, the firm has helped place op-eds targeting TikTok around the country, especially in key congressional districts.

On March 12, a letter to the editor that Targeted Victory officials helped orchestrate ran in the Denver Post. The letter, from a concerned new parent, claimed that TikTok was harmful to childrens mental health, raised concerns over its data privacy practices and said that many people even suspect China is deliberately collecting behavioral data on our kids. The letter also issued support for Colorado Attorney-General Phil Weisers choice to join a coalition of state attorneys-general investigating TikToks impact on American youths, putting political pressure on the company. A very similar letter to the editor, drafted by Targeted Victory, ran that same day in the Des Moines Register. The piece linked to negative stories about TikTok that Targeted Victory had previously sought to amplify. The letter was signed by Mary McAdams, chair of the Ankeny Area Democrats. Targeted Victory touted McAdams credentials in an email on March 7. [McAdamss] name on this [letter to the editor] will carry a lot of weight with legislators and stakeholders, a Targeted Victory director wrote. The email then encouraged partners across other states to look for opportunities to add to the campaign, especially if your state AG suddenly joins on. The authors of the two letters did not respond to calls or emails requesting comment. In an email sent last week to local contractors, Targeted Victory asked each team to be prepared to share the op-ed theyre working on right now. Colorado and Iowa - Can you talk about the TikTok Op-eds you both got? a Targeted Victory representative asked.

The emails show how the firm has effectively promoted its anti-TikTok messaging without revealing that it came from a firm working on Metas behalf. None of the op-eds or letters to the editor were published with any indication that the Meta-funded group had been involved. Loading Launched as a Republican digital consulting firm by Zac Moffatt, a digital director for Mitt Romneys 2012 presidential campaign, Targeted Victory has routinely advised Facebook officials over the years, including during a high-profile congressional hearing after the 2016 election. The Arlington-based firm advertises on its website that it brings a right-of-centre perspective to solve marketing challenges and can deploy field teams anywhere in the country within 48 hours. The firm is one of the biggest recipients of Republican campaign spending, earning more than $237 million in 2020, according to data compiled by OpenSecrets. Its biggest payments came from national GOP congressional committees and America First Action, a pro-Trump super PAC.

In 2020, the firm said it was expanding its crisis practice and corporate affairs offerings because of its clients growing need for issues management and executive positioning, adding that it would focus its efforts toward authentic storytelling with a hyper-local approach. Some of the emails targeting TikTok were sent in February, shortly after Meta announced that Facebook had lost users for the first time in its 18-year history. Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg told investors then that TikTok was a major obstacle, saying, people have a lot of choices for how they want to spend their time, and apps like TikTok are growing very quickly. The company has unveiled a TikTok clone, a short-video feature called Reels, and promotes it heavily in its Instagram app. In a 2019 speech at Georgetown University, during which he invoked the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr and championed Facebooks role in promoting free speech, Zuckerberg criticised TikTok for reports it had banned discussion of topics deemed subversive by the Chinese government, saying, is that the Internet that we want? (The Washington Post and the Guardian had previously highlighted those content-moderation rules. TikTok has said those guidelines were outdated and that its US business now operates under different rules than its Chinese counterpart.) But Zuckerberg has also pointed at TikTok to counter concerns that Facebook holds a monopoly on social media. TikTok is the fastest-growing app, he said in his opening remarks at a hearing of the House antitrust subcommittee in 2020.

The anti-TikTok campaign follows in a long line of Facebook-funded advocacy groups working to boost its standing in the public eye. In 2018, Facebook worked with Definers Public Affairs, another Washington consulting firm founded by Republican political veterans, to lash out at critics and other tech companies, including Apple and Google, during the Cambridge Analytica scandal that sparked global outrage over Facebooks privacy rules. (The company said it stopped working with Definers shortly after a New York Times report on the arrangement.) And in 2019, as the company faced antitrust scrutiny over its gargantuan impact, Facebook drove the creation of a political advocacy group, American Edge, designed to persuade Washington lawmakers that Silicon Valley was critical to the US economy - and that overt regulation could weaken the countrys competitiveness in a technology race against China. Meta outspends all but six of the nations biggest companies and industry groups in federal lobbying, paying more than $20 million last year, according to data compiled by OpenSecrets. The Washington Post
Latest News 24 lenders raise interest rates Read the full list here

Clients seek advice on interest rate rise City brokers field many enquiries

Mortgage aggregator Finsure Group has revamped its leadership structure after joining forces with investment giant MA Financial Group.

Finsure general manager Simon Bednar (pictured) will take over as CEO of Finsure from John Kolenda, who will be appointed managing director of strategy and growth  lending at MA Financial.

The changes follow MA Financials $145 million acquisition of Finsure and will prepare the aggregator for a new decade of growth after celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2021.

Read more: https://www.brokernews.com.au/news/breaking-news/revealed--covids-impact-on-housing-market-279839.aspx

Kolenda is transitioning to a more strategic role to work closely with MA Financial to support several of its business verticals, whilst still heavily involved in strategically adding value to the third-party lending market.

I am looking forward to the challenge of a new role, whilst at the same time, using this platform to continue my ongoing support of mortgage brokers, Kolenda said.

Simon will assume responsibility for the day-to-day management of Finsure while accelerating our growth agenda and providing additional value for our expanding broker network which now boasts more than 2,200 brokers.

Read more: https://www.brokernews.com.au/news/breaking-news/ma-financial-group-acquires-lender-mkm-279709.aspx

Kolenda said becoming Finsure CEO was a natural progression for Bednar who has been with the company from the beginning and has excelled in senior management roles with the group, including the last seven years as GM.

MA Financial has provided exciting opportunities for Finsure which last year was acknowledged as Aggregator of the Year at the Australian Mortgage Awards.

Finsure is uniquely positioned as a scalable, technology-enabled platform with a differentiated service proposition to become one of the most powerful pieces of financial infrastructure in the Australian residential mortgage market, Kolenda said.

MA Financial can support Finsure in this journey through its access to capital, credit and lending capabilities and technology expertise.

Finsures new CEO Simon Bednar joined Finsure in Victoria in 2011 as the states business manager and has played a key role in the groups development.

I am delighted to now become CEO of Finsure and I am excited about the future for the Group as we head into our second decade, Bednar said.
Automaker on Wednesday said it has launched the updated version of its compact SUV Kiger with price starting at Rs 5.84 lakh (ex-showroom).

The company said it has introduced the Kiger MY22 with advanced features, including multi-sense driving modes, cabin storage and cargo space.

The model has been instrumental in driving India to be among Renault's top five global markets, as per the company.

An outcome of a collaboration between the design teams in France and India, Kiger continues to garner great response from the customers, the French carmaker said.

It is the company's third model to be launched in India first, before it is taken globally, it added.

Available in two engine options with manual and automatic transmissions, the Kiger MY22 will offer PM2.5 atmospheric filter as a standard feature across the range, ensuring good air quality inside the cabin.

Besides, the company said features like wireless smartphone charging facility and cruise control functions have been added to the model range.

Following the model's successful global launch in early 2021 in India, India has also commenced exports of Kiger to Nepal, South Africa and Indonesia.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A government-appointed expert committee will now also investigate the latest incident involving the PureEV electric scooter models, a senior government official told Business Standard. The team is already probing fires involving Ola Electrics S1 Pro and Okinawa vehicles,

A team comprising experts from Indian Institute of Science (IISC) and Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES) are investigating the cases. As soon as the report is submitted, we shall take appropriate action, said Giridhar Aramane, secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.

Videos of a Pure EV electric scooter model engulfed in flames in Chennai went viral on social media Tuesday night. It was the fourth such incident involving e- within a week, putting in doubt the safety of battery-operated two-wheelers.

It wasnt a one-off for the Hyderabad-based Pure EV. Last year in September 2021, two of its EPluto 7G models caught fire. A company statement on the latest mishap indicated the fire was caused by Thermal Runaway scenario, where a batterys cells reach a critical temperature that causes them to spontaneously combust.

"We are investigating the incident and will do a thorough assessment. We adhere to the highest safety standards through rigorous internal testing as well as special phase change materials being implemented in our battery packs to avoid rapid fire/blast kind of scenarios,'' the company said about the fire at Mathur toll plaza at Manjampakkam area in North Chennai.

The Okinawa EV fire in Vellore on Saturday killed a man and his 13-year-old daughter. There were no casualties in the Ola vehicle fire in Pune.

Pure EV said that the following mechanisms are in their batteries for the worst case thermal runaway scenarios and to give adequate warning time periods to end users. It claimed that PURE batteries come with the state-of-the art thermal management system, which is a combination of the electronics coupled with multiple active/passive materials, to avoid the thermal-runaway events. We also have a special vent mechanism so that the smokes get released immediately whenever there is any kind of event inside the battery, otherwise, a pressure cooker kind of scenario can take place, leading to sudden blast/explosion, it added.

The preliminary information revealed that the white smoke has come out for a long time (which is due to the melting of the organic based phase change materials) for many minutes, followed by the controlled thermal run away event and finally leading to the uncontrolled fire, it added.

The country has seen quite a few cases of e-scooter fire in the recent past. In December 2021, a 60-year-old man was choked to death and four others were injured in Kanhai village, Gurugram, after their electric two-wheeler exploded while charging at home. In the same month, electric bike X1 from Gwalior-based company Super Eco, caught fire in Mumbai. In September 2021, there was a fire involving an Okinawa electric scooter.

Experts believe that given the novelty of the technology and an underdeveloped testing system, the government should introduce a mandatory recall policy for EVs. If anything it also puts a question mark on the testing agencies that give the type approval to the vehicles. Are they doing enough rounds of safety checks and audits? Maybe not," said an industry veteran on automobile safety.
Private sector lender is close to acquiring Citigroup's retail banking business in India and a deal is likely to be announced soon, sources said on Wednesday.

According to the sources, the deal, to be valued at USD 2.5 billion (about Rs 18,000 crore), will be subject to regulatory approvals.

In April 2021, American banking major Citigroup announced its plan to exit from the consumer banking business in India as part of its global strategy.

The business comprises credit cards, retail banking, home loans and wealth management. The bank has 35 branches in the country and employs about 4,000 people in the consumer banking business.

Once the deal gets the approvals, the sources said the balance sheet size of will expand and the retail segment will witness a significant jump.

An e-mail sent to seeking comments on the proposed deal did not elicit any response immediately.

Earlier this month, Axis Bank said it was yet to take a decision on the purchase of Citigroup's India retail business.

Citigroup had entered India in 1902 and started the consumer banking business in 1985.

Apart from the institutional banking business, Citigroup in India will continue to focus on offshoring or global business support rendered from centres in Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai and Gurugram.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Builder.ai, a leading AI-powered low-code/no-code app development platform said it has raised $100 million in a Series C round led by Insight Partners, a New York-based global venture capital and private equity firm. The round, which brings the companys total to $195 million across three rounds in all, includes participation from existing investors such as Singapore based Jungle Ventures in combination with new individual and institutional names that include the IFC & Jeffrey Katezenbergs WndrCo.

Established in 2016, Builder.ai platform that builds software and apps up to 6x faster and up to 70 per cent cheaper than traditional human teams, without users needing to speak tech. Builder.ai has increased its revenue by over 300 per cent and deployed more than 40,000 features to happy customers within the last year. The recent raise will support Builder.ais continued focus on helping organisations and entrepreneurs unlock their creativity and potential with digital transformation.

We believe that everyone, every business should be empowered to unlock their human potential, whether its creating new ideas or digitally transforming their business, and because of this, our choice of investor for this round was very deliberate, said Sachin Dev Duggal, chief wizard and co-founder of Builder.ai. We wanted someone who had deep insight and immense courage to let us think and do differently. This led us to the only natural choice  Jeff Horing and Insight Partners. This is so much more than just capital  its for our customers, all the tinkerers, the people that never accepted no for an answer, the small businesses that said, we shall prevail and the entrepreneurs who never blinked for a second.

Builder.ai will also invest the capital in AI and automation capabilities, rapidly develop its proprietary low-code/no-code platform, scale product development on core systems, including its conversational AI, named Natasha, for improved self-service, and expand global operations. For its next chapter, Builder.ai will stay focused on pushing the boundaries  both technically and in go-to-market. This includes knowledge graph-powered code synthesis or expanding to cities across the continental United States, Asia Pacific, MENA and the United Kingdom.

Builder.ai has spearheaded a new category in the low-code/no-code industry with an innovative business model and clarity of vision, fueling its 300 per cent growth in the last year, said Jeff Horing, co-founder and managing director at Insight Partners. Ive been speaking with Sachin (Duggal) from the early days of Builder.ai and have witnessed how he and the team have built something very special. By truly democratizing access to complex software, Builder.ai is set to disrupt the core of how applications are built.

Builder.ai said it further welcomes key business leaders, such as WndrCo. and Nikesh Arora, as investors and mentors to help make Builder.ai into a generational business. Builder.ais investor base provides access to network, capital and acute wisdom as it expands and continues to disrupt the disruptors of low code/no-code.

Builder.ai gives businesses large and small the superpower of building custom apps quickly and easily. WndrCo is excited to invest again and to partner with Sachin (Duggal) and team on accelerating growth in the US and beyond. ChenLi Wang, Partner, WndrC.

Another investor, Amit Anand, founding partner, Jungle Ventures, said organizations today, more than ever, are in need to be changing, innovating and deploying new ideas fast. This requires a stable but agile software development platform that can leverage innovative technologies such as AI and low-code/no-code to enable rapid digital transformation and create real-time impact for stakeholders.

As one of the earliest investors in Builder.ai, we have been thrilled and honoured to have played a part in helping them build a first of its kind, enterprise-grade platform that has already helped hundreds of individuals and organizations across the globe to Build fast and Build to Last, said Anand.

Guggenheim Securities, LLC. acted as exclusive financial advisor and Goodwin Procter LLP acted as legal advisor to Builder.ai. Wilkie Farr Gallagher LLP acted as legal advisor to Insight Partners.
on Wednesday joined the list of that have exited the retail banking business in India as the US-based banking giant announced selling its consumer banking portfolio to Axis Bank for an estimated Rs 12,325 crore.

Global banking majors such as ANZ Grindlays, RBS, Commonwealth Bank of Australia have scaled down their operations in India.

In a mega-deal announcement on Wednesday, Axis Bank and Citibank said their boards have approved acquisition of Citibank's consumer businesses in India by Axis Bank.

Under the deal, the US-based Citi will sell consumer banking businesses of Citibank India, which includes credit cards, retail banking, wealth management and consumer loans.

Citi's scaling down of operations in India is part of its strategy to exit retail businesses in 13 markets to conserve capital and focus on higher-yielding revenue streams. It had entered India in 1902 and started the consumer banking business in 1985.

Earlier in 2012, British banking major Barclays massively scaled down India operations by closing a third of its branches located in the non-metro areas. Shrinking its operations in India was part of the UK based bank's strategy to move away from retail banking to concentrate more on the corporate banking, investment banking and wealth management verticals.

In 2016, Commonwealth Bank of Australia exited India operations saying the decision was taken after a careful evaluation of its India operations alongside its refocussed strategy.

The same year, Royal Bank of Scotland Plc (RBS) too decided to wind up its corporate, retail, and institutional banking business in the Indian market as it wanted to reduce its global footprint.

Australia and New Zealand Bank had in 2000 wound up domestic operations here after selling its Grindlays Bank unit to Standard Chartered for USD 1.34 billion. However, it re-entered the Indian market in 2011 by opening a new branch in Mumbai. ANZ was in India since 1984 through its presence as Grindlays Bank.

In 2011, Deutsche Bank sold its credit card business to IndusInd Bank. In 2013, UBS exited India operations while, Morgan Stanley surrendered banking license while continuing investment banking business.

Likewise, Merril Lynch, Barclays and Standard Chartered scaled down their operations in 2015.

Among others, HSBC shut down two dozen branches and reduced its presence in 14 cities in 2016 and BNP Paribas shut down its wealth management business in India in 2020.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tyre maker Ltd on Wednesday said that officials of (CCI) visited its office for a 'routine enquiry' but denied any wrongdoing in the conduct of the company's business.

"The officials visited the office today for a routine enquiry. As a responsible corporate, we are cooperating with the authorities in the investigation," a company spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson further said, "We categorically deny any wrongdoing in our conduct of business."



Ceat, the RPG Group flagship firm, is one of the leading tyre manufacturers in the country with an annual revenue of over Rs 7,600 crore. It has a presence in over 100 countries. The company's products range from two-wheeler tyres to passenger cars and commercial vehicles.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gaming platform Games24x7 has raised $75 million in a recent round, led by Malabar Investment, taking the valuation to $2.5 billion. This will now be Indias most valuable multi-gaming platform.

The latest round included participation by existing investors and Raine Group.



Tiger had earlier invested in the company in 2011 and 2012 and Raine did their first round of investment in 2019.

Games24x7 owns popular gaming platforms such as (Indias largest online rummy game), My11Circle (Indias second largest fantasy platform) and U Games (a portfolio of casual games).



Mumbai-headquartered Games24x7 has offices in Bengaluru, New Delhi, Miami, and Philadelphia.

Bhavin Pandya, co-founder and co-chief executive officer (CEO) said: This investment round feels particularly special, when the sentiment around growth stocks, especially in the new age sector has been sluggish. It reaffirms the importance of building a business on strong fundamentals. The investment and the validation it brings for the gaming sector is our humble tribute to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modis remarkable vision of making India a global gaming hub.

The company has more than 100 million users and is regarded as one of the fastest-growing online gaming in India.

Trivikraman Thampy, co-founder, and co-CEO said: This investment is a testimony not only to Games24x7s performance, but also to Indias immense potential as an online skill gaming market.



Sumeet Nagar, managing director at Malabar Investments, said the firm is excited to partner with Games24x7 on its growth journey ahead.

John Salter, partner & co-founder, The Raine Group, said: We are strong believers in the potential of Indias gaming market and are very excited to be a part of Games24x7's journey, both as an investor and as a trusted advisor. The Raine Group was the financial advisor to Games24x7 for this round.
Greenko Wind Projects (Mauritius) Ltd (GWPML) on Wednesday raised $ 750 million through dollar from the international market to finance energy storage project in India.

The offering by GWPML, an indirect subsidiary of Greenko Energy Holdings, was priced at 5.5 per cent. The proceeds from the three-year paper will be invest in Rupee-denominated debt of an Andhra Pradesh (AP) pumped-storage project Special Purpose Vehicle - Pinnapuram SPSP Company.

Pinnapuram SPSP Company will use money to refinance its existing borrowings, create an interest service reserve account and fund the remaining capex for the AP pumped-storage project.

Sameer Gupta, MD and Head India DCM at Deutsche Bank said this was the first international green bond issuance for funding an energy storage project in India. The fund raise is a testimony to the robust credit quality of the Greenko Group and their strong track record in the international debt capital markets.

Fitch Ratings has assigned a rating of 'BB' to the proposed US dollar senior notes of Greenko Wind Projects (Mauritius) Ltd. The notes are rated at the same level as Greenko, are guaranteed by Greenko.

The Negative Outlook on Greenko's rating reflects a sharp increase in its trade receivables over the last two years and the lack of clarity over the timing and quantum of improvement in the receivables, Fitch said.

Greenko's rating is underpinned by the group's diversified portfolio of 5.2GW of renewable-power assets. The capacity is sold under long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) that provide fixed tariffs and stable volumes.

The rating also takes into account Greenko's strong access to funding and liquidity support due to strong shareholders, including GIC, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and ORIX Corporation.
With intermittent disruptions in the supply chain of raw materials from China, the industry has braced itself with bigger inventory. Even smaller drug makers are now carrying a month of buffer stock of key raw materials, said industry insiders.

The in various Chinese provinces, including Shanghai, is likely to delay shipments by two weeks to a month, said domestic players. Shipments are critical for the Indian drug industry, which imports 70 per cent of its raw material from . Some products, such as antibiotics and vitamins (fermentation bulk drugs), are imported to the extent of 90 per cent of the total requirement.

Whats ailing the local industry more is continuous price fluctuations of bulk drugs, key starting materials (KSMs), solvents, and excipients.  has been manipulating the prices of these key raw materials since the past two years, and this is leading to serious difficulties on the ground, said Chirag Doshi, former chairman of the Indian Drugs Manufacturers Association (IDMA)-Gujarat state board, and owner of Yash Medicare.

Doshi said Chinese suppliers typically raise prices of bulk drugs and other raw materials whenever they see an opportunity, and once the formulation makers turn to local suppliers in India, then suddenly crash the prices and flood the market with their products.

For example, during the pandemic, we have seen this with anti-fungal drugs, steroids, which were in high demand. Prices of steroids went up from Rs 50,000-60,000 per kg to around Rs 1.2 lakh per kg. Similarly, for anti-fungal bulk drugs, the prices moved up from Rs 1,500-1,800/kg to Rs 50,000/kg, he adds. Manufacturers started sourcing from Indian bulk drug makers which was then available at Rs 5,000/kg (for anti-fungal). then suddenly crashed their prices and flooded the market, and the prices came down to Rs 1800/kg again, Doshi said.





The local industry feels that ever since India is focusing on becoming self-reliant on bulk drugs, the Chinese manufacturers and suppliers have adopted such a price manipulative strategy.

The chief financial officer of a Gujarat-headquartered drug firm told Business Standard that the Chinese bulk drug industry has been doing so from time to time. We have seen this in the 90s as well. Now they have again adopted a similar strategy. This virtually scuttles any efforts of self-reliance, he said.

Indian industry has thus started to maintain buffer stock for a few months. Dheer Shah, CFO at BDR Pharmaceutical, said the industry always carries three to four months of buffer stock, and even smaller players mostly have a month of stock of inventory. Saying that input costs have risen dramatically in the past two years, Shah said Chinese suppliers are indicating that thanks to in Shanghai and other provinces the shipments will be delayed by two weeks to a month.

There would be no shortage of drugs in the domestic market, said a Delhi-based drug maker. We have managed to survive and supply during the pandemic. We would manage now as well, he added.

It would take at least eight to ten years for the benefits of the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme to show on the ground, he felt. The bigger problem is to find alternatives to China. Lets say we try to source from Europe one those products would be at least 35 per cent more expensive and secondly, there would be capacity constraints. China has killed competition in the bulk drug space by manipulating prices, said the executive.
Leading merchant commerce platform on Wednesday said it has raised $50 million from Vitruvian Partners, a London-headquartered international investment firm.

serves large, mid-sized and small merchants across India and Southeast Asia, and is expanding its Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) offering in Southeast Asia.

"We aim to further strengthen our recent foray in online payments via Plural and take our Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) offering to new markets through strategic collaborations," saidAB. Amrish Rau, CEO, .

Earlier this month, the company launched 'Mastercard Installments with Pine Labs' programme, with Mastercard and DBS Bank to empower the bank's two million customers in Singapore, Indonesia, and Hong Kong with Pay Later installment purchase options at the point of sale.

Peter Read, Partner at Vitruvian Partners, said that the investment in Pine Labs follows "several investments we have made into the digital payments space".

"We're excited to partner with the management team as they continue to drive digital transformation within the rapidly growing Indian payments market," Read added.

In April last year, Pine Labs acquired Fave, a consumer fintech platform that provides a smart payment app to the smart generation of consumers looking to pay and save.

Fave is currently available in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia with a planned roll-out in India in the near term.

Incorporated in Singapore, Pine Labs' key investors include Sequoia India, Actis Capital, Temasek, PayPal and Mastercard.

--IANS

na/dpb

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
acquires Citi's consumer business in India for $1.6 bn

Citigroup has agreed to sell its consumer banking business in India to for $1.6 billion, the latest step in Chief Executive Officer Jane Fraser's push to simplify the bank.

The sale follows a months-long auction process and includes a credit-card business with around 2.6 million cardholders, the sixth-largest in the country.

It is part of Citi CEO Jane Fraser's plan to revamp the bank by exiting retail banking operations in 13 countries and focusing on its more lucrative institutional and wealth management businesses.

The sale excludes Citi's institutional client businesses in India. Read more

3% hike in DA for Central govt staff, pensioners effective Jan 1, 2022

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday hiked (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) by 3 per cent to 34 per cent to compensate for the price rise, benefitting over 11.6 million central government employees and pensioners.

The additional instalment will be effective from January 1, 2022, said an official release after the Cabinet meeting. Read more

Russian foreign minister Lavrov to visit India from Mar 31-Apr 1: MEA

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be on a two-day official visit to India from Thursday, his first trip to the country since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine last month. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a one-line statement to announce the visit.

"Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Mr. Sergey Lavrov will pay an official visit to New Delhi on 31 March -1 April 2022," it said. Read more

3-year extension for 10 mega to submit required documents

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday extended the time limit for 10 by 36 months to furnish documents required to become certified 'mega' projects so as to avail tax benefits and bid for tenders or supply of electricity.

The extension of time period will enable developers to competitively bid for future PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements) and get tax exemptions as per policy terms, an official statement said. Read more
The on Wednesday slammed the Centre over "unabated" hike in and termed it "extortion" by the Modi government.

Taking to twitter, party General Secretary Randeep Surjewala said: "Daily attack..

Daily extortion..Daily exploitation..by Modi Govt on common man's budget continues unabated!"

"The 8th increase has taken the #PetrolDieselPriceHike today to 5.60/litre. Is there an end date to this "loot"? Is PM unaccountable to people? Is there an answer?" he added.

This morning, the domestic retail selling prices of petrol and diesel were increased for the eighth time in nine days.

MP Shashi Tharoor said: "Who told the BJP that drip torture is more saleable to the public than the guillotine?"

Till last Tuesday, were steady since November 2021 when the Centre reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 10 per litre, respectively.

Oil Marketing Companies(OMCs) revise the transportation fuel cost based on various factors such as rupee to US dollar exchange rate, cost of crude oil and demand of fuel amongst others.

Resultantly, the final price includes excise duty, value added tax and dealer's commission.

It was widely expected that the OMCs will revise the current prices due to high crude oil cost.

Lately, crude oil prices have been volatile on fears of tight supplies due to sanctions against Russia.

The crude oil price range is a cause of concern for India as it may ultimately add Rs 10-15 in petrol and diesel selling prices.

Currently, India imports nearly 85 per cent of its crude oil requirements.

--IANS

miz/shb/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The on Wednesday dismissed a challenge to the Central Information Commission's order dismissing an RTI appeal seeking the agenda of the Supreme Court collegium's meeting on December 12, 2018, when certain decisions were purportedly taken on elevation of judges to the apex court.

The order was passed by Justice Yashwant Varma on the petition by activist Anjali Bhardwaj.

In her petition filed in the high court through advocate Prashant Bhushan, the petitioner challenged the CIC's December 16, 2021 order by which her second appeal was dismissed and had sought a direction to the authorities to disclose the available information sought for under the February 26, 2019 RTI application.

The petition had said that on January 23, 2019, Justice Madan B Lokur, who was a part of the December 12, 2018 collegium meeting and retired on December 30, 2018, in an interview expressed his disappointment that the December 12, 2018 collegium resolution was not uploaded on the Supreme Court website.

He is quoted as having said, 'Once we take certain decisions, they have to be uploaded. I am disappointed that they were not.' In such circumstances, in the interest of transparency in the process of appointments in the judiciary, on February 26, 2019 the petitioner through an RTI application to the CPIO of the Supreme Court sought copy of the agenda, decisions, and resolution of the collegium meeting held on December 12, 2018, the plea had said.

According to former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi's autobiography 'Justice for the Judge', the names of Justice Pradeep Nandrajog, the then Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, and Justice Rajendra Menon, the then Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, had received nod for the elevation to the Supreme Court in the collegium meeting on December 12, 2018.

The matter allegedly got leaked after which the issue was kept in abeyance by Justice Gogoi till January, 2019 because of winter break which started on December 15, 2018, the book said.

In January 2019, a new collegium got constituted after the retirement of Justice Lokur.

The new collegium, in its resolution on January 10, 2019, did not clear the names of Justice Nandrajog and Justice Menon for elevation to the Supreme Court, according to the book.

The petition has not mentioned names of any judges whose names were allegedly cleared.

Initially, Bhardwaj had filed an RTI before the Supreme Court seeking copies of the agenda, decisions taken and resolutions passed in the December 12, 2018 meeting.

However, the Supreme Court Central Public Information Officer refused to provide the information on grounds that were held to be not proper by the First Appellate Authority (FAA) and are, therefore, not relevant, the petition had said.

However, while disposing the appeal against the denial by the CPIO, the FAA had held that in view of the subsequent collegium resolution of January 10, 2019, it was clear that though certain decisions were taken in the collegium meeting of December 12, 2018, the required consultations could not be completed.

Therefore, no resolution was formally passed, and hence information asked for could not be supplied to the petitioner, the petition said.

The court was further told that in the second appeal, the CIC also relied upon the January 10, 2019 resolution and held that the agenda of the collegium's December 12, 2018 meeting was clear from the subsequent resolution of January 10, 2019 and the copy of the decision and the resolution of December 2018 did not exist on record in terms of Section 2 (f) of the RTI Act and therefore, could not be supplied to the petitioner.

The petition had sought setting aside of the CIC order on grounds that the petitioner has asked for "a copy of the agenda" of the collegium meeting of December 12, 2018 and not a summary or reference thereof.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The in a new travel advisory on Tuesday urged its citizens to exercise "increased caution" while travelling to and advised them to not to travel to and within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border.

Exercise increased caution in due to crime and terrorism, the US State Department said in its latest travel advisory for that decreases the risk of travel to India from Level 3 to Level 2. The last travel advisory issued by the was on January 25.

The State Department's travel advisory comes a day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 1 Travel Health Notice due to COVID-19, indicating a low level of COVID-19 in India.

Both the advisories are indicative of the fact that the US considers that the situation in India is now returning to normal.

However, its view on and the Indo-Pak border remains the same, where it is asking its citizens not to travel.

"Terrorist attacks and violent civil unrest are possible in the union territory of . Avoid all travel to this union territory (with the exception of visits to the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh), the advisory said.

Sporadic violence occurs particularly along the Line of Control (LOC) separating India and Pakistan, and in tourist destinations in the Kashmir Valley: Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam. The Indian government prohibits foreign tourists from visiting certain areas along the LOC, the State Department said.

India and Pakistan maintain a strong military presence on both sides of the border, it said, adding that the only official India-Pakistan border crossing point for persons who are not citizens of India or Pakistan is in the state of Punjab between Atari, India, and Wagah, Pakistan.

The border crossing is usually open, but confirm the current status of the border crossing prior to commencing travel. A Pakistani visa is required to enter Pakistan. Only US citizens residing in India may apply for a Pakistani visa in India. Otherwise apply for a Pakistani visa in your country of residence before travelling to India, it said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The fire at east Delhi's Ghazipur dumping yard was put out on Wednesday evening, over 50 hours after it broke out, officials said.

The fire broke out at the dumping yard on Monday, leading to a huge cloud of smoke enveloping the region and neighbouring areas.

The fire was doused around 5 pm. Firefighting operations went on for more than 50 hours, the officials said.

Cooling operations have been completed. No casualty was reported in the incident, a fire department official said.

According to fire officials, they had received a call about the fire at Ghazipur's Khatta around 2:30 pm on Monday.

The Delhi Police had on Tuesday registered an FIR against unknown persons in connection with the incident.

"An FIR has been registered under sections 278 (making atmosphere noxious to health), 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code against unknown people," Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Priyanka Kashyap had said.

According to fire department data, a total of four fire incidents at landfill sites -- two each at Bhalswa and Tughlakabad -- took place till Sunday this year.

Last year, during the same period, a total of 16 fire incidents -- 12 at Bhalswa and four at Ghazipur -- took place.

A total of 15 such incidents were reported in 2020 and 37 were reported in 2019, the data stated.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Holding that 'Rebuild Kerala' initiative aims at broadening the welfare schemes for the poor and generating modern job opportunities, Chief Minister on Wednesday said the government plans to create around 40 lakh in the state, besides attracting Rs 10,000 crore worth of investment in four years in the industrial sector alone.

The Chief Minister was speaking while inaugurating the ambitious project of the Department of Industries to create 100,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the state in the next one year. Minister for Industries, Law, and Coir, P Rajeeve presided over the function held here.

Vijayan said though Kerala already has an investment-friendly ecosystem and infrastructure facilities, the government is committed to further reinforce these factors and transform it into a state where development models are fulfilled without any hurdle.

The scheme for MSMEs will be implemented by the Department of Industries in collaboration with other departments and agencies during 2022-23, which will be observed as 'Entrepreneurship Year'.

"Around Rs 120 crore has been allotted for the implementation for the MSME project, which bears the motto "Ente Sambrabham Nadinte Abhimanam (My Venture, Pride of My Country). The government aims to create 3 lakh-5 lakh job opportunities through this project," Vijayan said.

Kerala is set to become a knowledge community and for qualified youngsters should be created in our own state. One of the major visions of the project is to give a fillip to the industrial progress of the state, he added.

In his address, Rajeeve said the government has made extensive preparation for the implementation of the MSME project.

"The activities of the project are not confined to the Department or official-level. Central and State enterprises, research institutes, industry bodies and trade unions should take this as a collective responsibility," Rajeeve added.

Minister for Local Self Government M V Govindan, who released the handbook on the project, said unlike earlier, the officials are now extending total support to entrepreneurs.

Unveiling the logo of the 'Entrepreneurship Year', Minister for Cooperation and Registration V N Vasavan said the government has initiated a project that is going to bring about a holistic change in Kerala society and remarkable progress in job sector.

As the first phase, the scheme will kick off with the one-day workshops, to be conducted in all local self government institutions (LSGs) in April and May, to create awareness among aspiring entrepreneurs. This will be followed by licence/ loan/ subsidy fairs that will be conducted in LSGs for those who are willing to start entrepreneurship. The scheme aims to achieve the target of 100,000 MSMEs between the period April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A private hospital gynaecologist committed in Dausa after an FIR was filed against her under section 302 of the IPC (Murder).

The incident took place on Tuesday, a day after the FIR was lodged against 42-year-old Dr Archana Sharma.

As per the information, a 22-year old woman was brought to her hospital in labour pain on Sunday night. The patient's condition worsened reportedly due to excessive bleeding after which she died. Alleging negligence, the relatives of the deceased raised a demand for section 302 against the doctor on Tuesday and she was booked.

Meanwhile, her note, which is going viral on social media, says that the patient had died during the normal procedure and that her family should not be tormented post her death. "I love my kids a lot and have not killed any one. Don't harass innocent doctors," she said in the note adding, "Please don't let my kids feel the void of a mother. This act of mine shall perhaps prove my innocence," she added.

Doctors of the state are shocked with her and have announced a strike in all private hospitals in Jaipur and Dausa.

The Medical College Teachers Association and Jaipur Association of Resident Doctors have demanded action against the guilty in alleged abatement of suicide.

Dr Sharma was a gold medallist and worked as an associate professor in government medical college, Gandhinagar before joining her husband in establishing a hospital in Dausa.

Meanwhile, the Private Hospital and Nursing Homes Society has demanded the suspension and arrest of guilty police officials with immediate effect.

Deputy leader of opposition in the state Assembly Rajendra Rathore has termed the incident "unfortunate".

"In Lalsot, Dausa, which is the home town of state health minister, the filing of a case against the doctor under section 302 on the death of a pregnant woman, and forcing her to commit suicide is a stigma on the administration. I strongly condemn the extreme negligence of police who under pressure from local Congress leaders registered an FIR against the doctor without conducting a fair investigation. There is a strong resentment among the doctors against the administration. The state government should sack the guilty police officers who forced the doctor to take the extreme step," he said.

--IANS

arc/shb/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
has called for a purposeful engagement by Russia and Ukraine in the ongoing talks and expressed hope that an understanding can be reached soon towards immediate de-escalation of tensions.

Russia and Ukraine held the latest round of talks on Tuesday in Istanbul. Moscow said that it will significantly scale back military operations near Ukraine's capital and a northern city, as the outlines of a possible deal to end the grinding war which started on February 24.

 remains deeply concerned at the ongoing situation, which continues to deteriorate since the beginning of the hostilities, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said.

Speaking at the UN Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine on Tuesday, Tirumurti reiterated India's call for unimpeded humanitarian access to areas of armed conflict in Ukraine.

Amid the latest round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, Tirumurti said calls for purposeful engagement by both sides in the ongoing talks.

We hope that an understanding could be reached soon. It is clearly in our collective interest to find a solution that can provide for immediate de-escalation of tensions aimed at securing long-term peace and stability in the region and beyond, he said.

The nearly month-long war has led to the loss of thousands of lives and displaced ten million people, mainly women and children.

US Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the conflict has led to the systematic destruction of essential infrastructure, and skyrocketing food and energy prices worldwide.

Tirumurti also noted that the conflict is already having an impact on the global economy, especially in many developing countries, through the disruption of supply chains.

Its adverse impact on energy and commodity prices is evident, he said.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, addressing the Council said that Russia's ceaseless bombardment of Ukraine's cities and critical infrastructure has created one of the fastest-growing humanitarian crises in recent decades.

She said the impacts of President Vladimir Putin's war are being felt far beyond Ukraine's borders, as well  with some of the most immediate and dangerous implications for global food security. As has been said, Ukraine and Russia are both major agricultural producers. Thirty per cent of the world's wheat exports typically come from the Black Sea region, as do 20 per cent of the world's corn and 75 per cent of sunflower oil.

She asserted that the fact remains that so long as Putin continues his war, so long as Russian forces continue to bombard Ukrainian cities and block aid convoys, so long as besieged civilians are unable to get to safety, this humanitarian crisis will only get worse  in Ukraine, for the Russian people, and around the world. Sherman said the Russian government is blaming U.S., allies, and partner sanctions for increasing food costs around the world.

But the facts  the facts  colleagues, are clear: Sanctions aren't preventing grain from leaving Ukraine's ports; Putin's war is. And Russia's own food and agricultural exports are not under sanction by the US or by our allies and partners. The responsibility for waging war on Ukraine  and for the war's effects on global food security  falls solely on President Putin." India stressed the urgent need to address the humanitarian needs of the affected population and noted the decision by the EU countries who have agreed to permit-free transit of humanitarian carriers to Ukraine.

In view of the dire humanitarian situation unfolding in Ukraine, Tirumurti said India has already sent over 90 tonnes of humanitarian supplies to Ukraine and its neighbours. These supplies include medicines and other essential relief materials for refugees.

We are providing more humanitarian assistance in the coming days, especially through the supply of essential medicines, he said, expressing hope that the international community will continue to respond positively to the humanitarian needs of the people of Ukraine, including by extending generous support to the Secretary General's flash appeal and the Regional Refugee Response Plan on Ukraine.

He underscored that it is important that humanitarian action is always guided by the principles of humanitarian assistance, which is humanity neutrality, impartiality, and independence, embedded as they are at the heart of UN Guiding Principles of Humanitarian Assistance. These measures should not be politicised, he said.

India reiterated its call for an immediate cessation of hostilities across Ukraine, with Tirumurti noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has on several occasions reiterated this and emphasised that there is no other option but the part of dialogue and diplomacy.

We continue to emphasize that the global order is anchored in international law, the UN Charter and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states. World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley told the Council it's hard to believe that before the Ukraine crisis that things could get any worse around the world.

"We were already because of fuel prices, food prices, shipping costs beginning to cut rations for millions of children and families around the world in countries like Yemen, where we had just cut 8 million people down to 50 per cent rations and now, we're looking at going to zero rations. Niger, Mali and Chad I can go on and on.

So now we're talking about a catastrophe on top of a catastrophe because of Ukraine, from the breadbasket of the world to breadlines. We would have never dreamed of anything like this would be possible and its not just decimating dynamically Ukraine and the region, but it will have global context impact beyond anything we've seen since World War II.

If we end the conflict, address the needs we can avoid famine, destabilization of nations and mass migration but if we don't the world will pay a mighty price and the last thing we want to be doing as the World Food Programme is taking food from hungry children to give to starving children. Please let's make certain that we can reach them all, Beasley said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The LDF government in on Wednesday decided to hike minimum fares for travel by buses, autorickshaws, taxis and quadricycles, but appointed a commission to examine whether student ticket prices should be increased -- a move not appreciated by private bus owners.

State Transport Minister Antony Raju, in a press conference in the evening, said that the LDF during the day held a meeting in which it was decided to increase minimum bus fares from Rs 8 to Rs 10 and subsequent per kilometre charge to Re 1 from 90 paise and to appoint a commission to examine the issue of increasing the student ticket rates.

Private bus owners had demanded increasing the minimum fare of the general public from Rs 8 to Rs 12 and the subsequent per kilometre charge to Rs 1.10 from 90 paise.

They had also wanted the minimum student fare to be increased to Rs 6 and were, therefore, dissatisfied with the government's decision.

The owners of private buses, who went on strike seeking an increase in minimum fares for normal passengers and students, did not welcome the proposed increase in rates, saying it was not sufficient for them to continue providing their services.

They were also not pleased with the government's decision to appoint a commission to examine the aspect of increasing student ticket fares.

The State Private Bus Operators Federation's president, Sathyan, told PTI that earlier a commission had recommended an increase in student ticket fares as well as a cap on the age of students who can be granted the concession.

Therefore, it needs to be seen what the LDF intends to do by appointing another commission, he said and added that the bus owners will try to meet Chief Minister to discuss their concerns as they had called off their indefinite stir on his assurance that fares would be hiked.

Any future course of action would be decided after meeting the CM and the state Transport Minister, he said.

The LDF meeting also decided to increase auto, taxi and quadricycle fares.

The state Transport Minister said that minimum auto fares would be increased to Rs 30 for two kilometres as against the existing rate of Rs 25 for one-and-a-half kilometres. Thereafter, Rs 15 would be charged for every subsequent kilometre as against the existing Rs 12 per km.

Regarding taxi fares, Raju said that for cars with engine capacity of less than 1,500 cc, the minimum rate would be increased to Rs 200 for the first 5 kilometres, from the existing rate of Rs 175 for 5 km.

Thereafter, Rs 18 would be charged for every subsequent kilometre as against the prevailing rate of Rs 15 per km, he said.

For vehicles with engine capacity more than 1,500 cc, the minimum rate would be increased to Rs 225 for the first 5 kilometres, from the existing rate of Rs 200, and thereafter, Rs 20 would be charged for every subsequent kilometre as against the prevailing rate of Rs 17 per km, he said.

Minimum fares of quadricycles would be hiked from Rs 30 to Rs 35 and the per kilometre charge would be increased from Rs 12 to Rs 15, the minister said.

However, there will be no changes to the existing waiting and night travel charges, he added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress, which is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition government in Maharashtra, on Wednesday wrote to Chief Minister and demanded implementation of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP).

The CMP could not be implemented properly in the last two years due to the coronavirus pandemic, said state chief in the letter.

Now that the intensity of the pandemic has declined, the Common Minimum Programme should be implemented. Schemes should be planned and implemented for the welfare of Dalits, OBCs and the minorities, he said.

The other two prominent constituents of the MVA are the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and Nationalist Party (NCP).

Patole reminded the chief minister that when agreed to be part of the MVA, "it was decided that the government will run on the basis of the Common Minimum Programme.

Patole's letter indicated an unease in the MVA.

Congress ministers and MLAs have often complained that their departments or constituencies get less funds than the ministries controlled by NCP ministers and constituencies of NCP MLAs.

At the pole position in the state till 2014, the Grand Old Party has been relegated to the fourth position in the state now.

Speaking to reporters in Pune, Patole said he wrote to Thackeray about the CMP as the pandemic was now over.

He also said that Congress will continue to lead the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

Asked about the NCP's youth wing passing a resolution recommending party supremo Sharad Pawar's name for the post of UPA chairperson, Patole said NCP workers were free to pass such resolutions.

"But Congress is the only alternative to the BJP at the national level and Congress alone will lead the UPA," he said.

About rumblings in the MVA over the allocation of funds in the Budget, Patole said people know very well how the relations between the ruling alliance partners were during the previous BJP government.

"Differences are bound to arise... it is a good sign that there is healthy competition among MLAs for development for constituencies. If there is imbalance, the CM should do justice to such constituencies," he said.

Sena MLA Tanaji Sawant had recently alleged that his party was being neglected by the state government.

About some Congress MLAs meeting Sonia Gandhi, Patole said she was the leader of the party, and the opposition need not make fuss about such meetings.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Minister for Road Transport and Highways on Wednesday told the Rajya Sabha that Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Programme, also known as the Bharat NCAP, has already been notified by his Ministry.

Responding to the question by Congress MP KTS Tulsi about the safety norms in vehicle manufacturing, as the deaths in vehicle accidents have gone up in the country, Gadkari said that all over the world, the major car manufacturing companies have the safety standards and this is also need of the hour in India.

"Every year, over five lakh of accidents happen in India, reporting over 1.5 lakh deaths in these accidents, therefore, we took a decision and made six airbags mandatory for all cars," he said.

The Minister also said that compulsory airbags are very important from a road safety point of view and that is why we made them mandatory for all cars including in the economic models too.

Citing the figure of the road accidents, he said that in the year 2020, a total of 25,289 accidents happened out of which 30 per cent of lives could have been saved with by the airbags in case of front collision while 31 per cent of lives could have been saved in side collision by the use of side airbags.

He also said that under the Bharat NCAP, the structural safety of the vehicle, adult occupants, stiffness of the vehicle structure, crash tests safety of child occupants, assessment of the car from the pedestrian's safety point of view and the bonnet design, active safety assistance technology, six airbags norms, 3.5 seat belts and seat belt alert system, have been included as the new features.

"We want to protect the lives of the people and this is the reason, we are also going to start the 'rating system' for the manufacturing companies. This will create more employment opportunities in the vehicle manufacturing sector and boost exports as well," Gadkari said.

The Bharat NCAP will envisage the cars sold in the country will be assigned by star ratings based on their safety performance. It will be implemented in phases, according to the plans being drawn up by the Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister will visit the tribal-dominated Dahod area of Gujarat on April 21, state BJP president C R Paatil said on Wednesday.

Though there has been no official announcement of the prime minister's visit, party sources said he was likely to speak at a rally in the region.

Incidentally, Paatil had said on Tuesday that the Union government has decided not to greenlight the controversial Par-Tapi- link project following protests by tribals in Gujarat. Elections are due in the BJP-ruled state by December.

Tribal leaders within the state BJP too had appealed to the Centre not to go ahead with the project.

Addressing BJP workers in Gandhinagar on Wednesday, Paatil said, "Prime minister will visit Gujarat on April 21. His first programme in the morning will be held in Dahod."



Party workers will work to make it a grand event, he added.

Later, talking to reporters, he said in over two-and-a-half decades that the BJP has been in power in Gujarat, the party has worked for the uplift of tribal communities.

"Due to this, they have been electing BJP candidates. While Congress organises a press conference in Delhi on issues related to Gujarat, BJP workers hold meetings for programme to be organised in tribal areas. There is a difference between the two," he said.

He was referring to a press conference held on Wednesday by Congress in Delhi over the Par-Tapi- link project.

Congress Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat Shaktisinh Gohil and MLAs Sukhram Rathwa and Anant Patel attended the press meet.

On Tuesday, Paatil had said the Centre has decided not to give a go-ahead to the Par-Tapi-Narmada project.

The decision came after tribals in Valsad and other parts of south Gujarat organised massive rallies to protest against the announcement about the project made by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget speech last month.

Sitharaman had also said that the Union government will provide support for this and other river linking projects only after consensus is reached among concerned states.

The Par-Tapi-Narmada project envisages transfer of water from surplus regions of the Western Ghats to water deficit regions of Saurashtra and Kutch. It proposes seven new reservoirs in north Maharashtra and south Gujarat.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Home Minister on Wednesday said assembly elections in will be held once the delimitation exercise is over and after consultation with political parties.

"We have no interest in keeping under President's Rule," Shah said in Lok Sabha while responding to concerns raised by members on Kashmir during the discussion on the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill.

Shah said that he had made it clear that first panchayat elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir, then this would be followed by the delimitation exercise, after which assembly elections will be held, and then J-K's statehood will be restored.

"Panchayat elections have been held, without any violence. Zilla panchayat elections are over. Delimitation is on the verge of completion. I would like to say this once again, that once delimitation is completed we will hold elections after consultation with political parties," Shah said.

During the discussion on the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, opposition members had accused the government of delaying the assembly elections in .

Jammu and Kashmir has been under President's Rule since June 2018, when the BJP walked out of the coalition government with the PDP which was led by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

The Modi government had bifurcated the state into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh in August 2019.

Jammu and Kashmir, which is now a Union Territory with a legislative assembly, is under President's Rule under the J&K Reorganisation Act.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President on Wednesday extended greetings to the people of on their Statehood Day.

"Greetings to the people of the state on Day. The glorious history of this state is replete with many inspiring stories of valour. Rich in the rainbow shade of nature and having global charm due to its hospitality, has a unique identity. I wish for a bright future for the state," read the Rashtrapati Bhavan's tweet in Hindi.

Prime Minister also greeted the people of Rajasthan on the occasion.

Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister said, "Best wishes of Rajasthan Day to all the residents of Rajasthan, the historical land of bravery, pride and sacrifice. I wish the state should move forward on the path of progress."

Rajasthan Day is celebrated every year on March 30 to mark the formation of the state of Rajasthan.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russian Foreign Minister will be on a two-day official visit to India from Thursday, his first trip to the country since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine last month. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a one-line statement to announce the visit.

"Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Mr. will pay an official visit to New Delhi on 31 March -1 April 2022," it said.

The focus of Lavrov's visit to New Delhi is expected to be on India's purchase of discounted Russian crude oil and putting in place a rupee-ruble payment system for bilateral trade in view of the Western sanctions against Moscow, people familiar with the development said.

In the talks, India is also likely to press for ensuring timely delivery of various military hardware as well as components of the S-400 missile systems by Russia.

Lavrov began a two-day visit of China on Wednesday primarily to attend a meeting of foreign ministers of countries bordering Afghanistan that has been convened by Beijing to discuss the Afghan crisis. He is expected to arrive in New Delhi on Thursday evening after concluding his visit to China.

The Russian foreign minister's visit to India coincides with that of US Deputy Security Adviser Daleep Singh, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and German Foreign and Security Policy Advisor Jens Plotner. Truss will visit India on March 31 while Singh is visiting India from March 30-31. Plotner is visiting India on Wednesday.

The British foreign secretary is set to hold talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India. EU Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific Gabriele Visentin visited New Delhi this week.

US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland and foreign ministers of Austria and Greece were also in India last week. Ahead of Lavrov's visit, Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov last week held a series of meetings with senior officials in the MEA.

The officials with whom Alipov held talks are Secretary (East) Saurabh Kumar, Secretary (West) Sanjay Verma and Secretary (Economic Relations) Dammu Ravi. Unlike many other leading powers, India has not yet criticised Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and it abstained from the votes at the UN platforms in condemning the Russian aggression.

However, last Thursday, India abstained on a resolution pushed by Russia on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, which was seen as reflective of its neutral position on the conflict.

India has been pressing for the resolution of the crisis through diplomacy and dialogue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, March 2 and March 7. Modi had spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy twice.

Last week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in Parliament that India's position on the Ukraine conflict has been "steadfast and consistent" and that it has been seeking immediate cessation of violence.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India has made regional cooperation its priority after "recent developments in Europe" put the stability of international order in question, said Prime Minister on Wednesday, referring to the war in Ukraine without naming Russia.

Modi was speaking via video at a virtual summit of the BIMSTEC, a bloc comprising seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations. Sri Lanka is hosting a two-day meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) to discuss economic cooperation. Besides India and Sri Lanka, comprises Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan.

The recent developments in Europe have raised questions about the stability of the international order. In this context, it has become a greater priority to have regional cooperation. Today we are adopting charter to develop institution architecture for our group, he said.



"With our region facing challenges of health and economic security, need of the hour is unity and cooperation. Today is the time to make Bay of Bengal bridge of connectivity, bridge of prosperity, bridge of security," he said.

India on Tuesday called for a purposeful engagement by Russia and Ukraine in their talks and called for de-escalation of tensions, marking its diplomatic strategy of not blaming Russia for the war. India remains deeply concerned at the ongoing situation, which continues to deteriorate since the beginning of the hostilities, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said, according to PTI.

We hope that an understanding could be reached soon. It is clearly in our collective interest to find a solution that can provide for immediate de-escalation of tensions aimed at securing long-term peace and stability in the region and beyond, he said.

India has abstained from voting at the UN on resolutions related to the Ukraine war, avoiding to take sides either with the Western bloc or Russia.
New Delhi, March 28 (IANSlife) Christie's announces The Rock, a 228.31 carat pear-shaped that will lead the Geneva Magnificent Jewelssale on May 11, 2022, as part of Christie's Luxury Week. This extremely rare gemstone was mined and polished in South Africa over two decades ago and is the largest white ever to be auctioned.

Rahul Kadakia, Christie's International Head of Jewellery, said "The Rock will join the very best of legendary gemstones which have passed through Christie's global salerooms since 1766. The market for diamonds is particularly vibrant and we are confident that this sensational gemstone will capture the attention of collectors across the globe this Spring season."

The Rock is certified by the Gemmological Institute of America as G colour, VS1 clarity, and comes with a letter from the GIA stating that it is the largest existing D-Z colour pear-shaped ever graded by the laboratory. The previous auction record for the largest white diamond was a 163.41 carat gem that sold for US$33,701,000 at Christie's Geneva in November 2017.

The Rock will be unveiled at Christie's Dubai from the 26th to the 29th of March, before touring to Taipei and Rockefeller Plaza in New York from the 29th to the 1st of May. This exceptional diamond will then be on display to the public during Christie's Luxury Week, which runs from the 6th to the 11th of May at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva.

Top 5 white diamonds offered at Christie's

A necklace by De Grisogono

A rectangular cut-cornered diamond, weighing approximately 163.41 carats

Geneva Magnificent Jewels | 14 November 2017

Price realised: US$33,701,000

Winston Legacy

A pear-shaped diamond weighing approximately 101.73 carats

Geneva Magnificent Jewels | 15May 2013

Price realised: US$26,737,914The Archduke Joseph Diamond

A cushion-shaped diamond weighing approximately 76.02 carats

Geneva Magnificent Jewels | 13 November 2012

Price realised: US$21,474,525La Legende necklace by Boehmer et Bassaenge

A heart-shaped diamond, weighing approximately 92.15 carats

Geneva Magnificent Jewels | 17 May 2017

Price realised: US$14,989,013

A Magnificent Diamond

A pear-shaped diamond weighing approximately 75.97 carats

Geneva Magnificent Jewels | 14 May 2014

Price realised: US$14,474,732

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)

--IANS

ianslife/tb

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Finance Minister has said the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has disrupted supply chains around the world, including India. Meanwhile, the Income Tax department found that made over Rs 1,000 crore in bogus expenses and an unexplained cash transaction of Rs 100 crore. More on these in our top headlines:



Russia-Ukraine war disrupting global supply chains: FM Sitharaman



FM said that the war between Russia and Ukraine had disrupted supply chains around the world, including in India. Replying to a debate on the Finance Bill, 2022, she also said India remained one of the top five destinations for foreign direct investment (FDI). Read more

VC exits in India start-ups up 10x to $14 bn in 2021: Bain & Co

Venture capital (VC) fund exits in Indian start-ups rose more than 10X to cross $14 billion in 2021 compared to the previous year, according to a report by Bain & Company. Three marquee exits accounted for nearly 60 per cent of the total exit value  BillDesks acquisition by PayU for $4.7 billion, Paytms $2.5 billion initial public offering (IPO), and Zomatos public market debut of $1.3 billion. Read more



On Sebi diktat, mutual funds step up hunt for risk professionals

A regulatory diktat has triggered a rush for risk professionals among asset managers, bringing what is essentially a low-key, back-office profile into the spotlight. In a circular issued in September last year, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) had asked asset management companies (AMCs) to appoint dedicated risk officers for managing investment, compliance, operational, and cyber risks, along with a chief risk officer (CRO) by April 1, 2022. Read more



Centre to sell 1.5% stake in ONGC via OFS; may get Rs 3,000 crore

The government will sell 1.5 per cent stake in Oil and Natural Gas Corporation through an offer for sale (OFS) on Wednesday, a move thats expected to shore up the centres divestment receipts by over Rs 3,000 crore from the sale. Read more



I-T department detects Rs 1K-cr 'bogus' expenses at Hero MotoCorp

The income tax (I-T) department is learnt to have found that two-wheeler maker made over Rs 1,000 crore in bogus expenses and an unexplained cash transaction of Rs 100 crore involving a property allegedly owned by a promoter of the company. Read more
India's antitrust body on Wednesday raided the offices of tyre companies including India's Ceat, and Germany's Continental AG in an alleged case of competition law violations, four sources with direct knowledge told Reuters.

The raids were being conducted by the (CCI) officers across multiple cities, the sources said.

Apollo and Continental did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while calls and messages to Ceat spokespersons went unanswered.

One of the sources said the case relates to an antitrust probe into use of unfair trade practices and rigging bids while supplying tyres for public transport vehicles in the northern state of Haryana.

Reuters reported in 2020 the CCI was conducting an investigation following a complaint from the Haryana state government.

(Reporting by Aditya Kalra and Aditi Shah in New Delhi; Additional reporting by Abhirup Roy; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President on Tuesday announced to host a special session of leaders here this spring.

Biden made the announcement during a joint news conference with the visiting Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore at the White House.

As we look toward the future, Prime Minister Lee and I share a commitment to and its centrality in all of what we do. And I'm looking forward to hosting the leaders here in Washington, DC for a special summit this spring, Biden told reporters.

The exact dates of the summit have not been announced yet, but it is expected to be held soon.

Biden did not give any other details about the summit, but the announcement in this regard during his meeting with Prime Minister Lee reflects the significance he attaches to his Indo-Pacific policy.

Prime Minister Lee welcomed the decision.

We welcome his intention to host an ASEAN-US special summit here soon. It's a strong affirmation of American commitment to Southeast Asia and to ASEAN centrality. The President and I discussed the importance of the US growing both its strategic and economic stakes in the Asia Pacific, Lee said.

Biden said the US and Singapore are working to uphold a rules-based international order supporting the founding principles of the United Nations and advance a future for the Indo-Pacific that is both free and open.

We also discussed a wide range of concerns for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. That includes ensuring that all nations in the region, including China, uphold the principles that enable a free and open region. Singapore and the United States are both committed to freedom of navigation as well as an unimpeded flow of maritime commerce in the South China Sea, he said.

Singapore is the second largest Asian investor in the US, and the US is the largest investor in Singapore. Singapore's investments in the US and US exports to Singapore support over a quarter million American jobs. On the defence front, Singapore is a major security cooperation partner of the US, in fact, the only country with this status, he said.

Lee said it is important to advance a positive economic agenda that's open, inclusive, up to date, and flexible. We therefore welcome America's proposed Indo-Pacific economic framework which will strengthen America's engagement in the evolving, regional, economic architecture. I discussed with the President his recent visit to Europe and the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, he said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday hiked (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) by 3 per cent to 34 per cent to compensate for the price rise, benefitting over 1.16 crore employees and pensioners.

The additional instalment will be effective from January 1, 2022, said an official release after the Cabinet meeting.

"The Union Cabinet...has given its approval to release an additional instalment of DA to employees and DR to pensioners w.e.f. January 1, 2022, representing an increase of 3 per cent over the existing rate of 31 per cent of the Basic Pay/Pension, to compensate for price rise," an official statement said.

The increase is in accordance with the accepted formula, which is based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission, it added.

The combined impact on the exchequer on account of both and Dearness Relief will be Rs 9,544.50 crore per annum.

This will benefit about 47.68 lakh employees and 68.62 lakh pensioners, the release said.

In October last year, the Cabinet had hiked the two allowances by 3 per cent to 31 per cent. It was effective from July 1, 2021.

Before that in July, the government had restored the and dearness relief and increased the rate of allowance from 17 per cent to 28 per cent.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the central government had frozen the three additional instalments of the DA and DR, which were due on January 1, 2020; July 1, 2020; and January 1, 2021.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Australia is on the brink of finalizing a free-trade agreement with India with an announcement possible in coming days, as the government works to strike a deal less than two months before an expected May election.

Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan said that he and his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal were meeting daily and getting very close to reaching a deal. Tehan said he was hopeful that there could be an announcement soon.

Both sides are working feverishly to make sure we can get an agreement thats in both our national interests, he said in a Bloomberg Television interview.

A free trade agreement between India and Australia has been more than 10 years in the making, with negotiations beginning in 2011 before being suspended four years later in 2015. Finally in 2020, amid warming ties between Delhi and Canberra, Prime Ministers Scott Morrison and Narendra Modi agreed to restart negotiations.

Two-way trade between India and Australia was worth A$24.3 billion ($18.3 billion) in 2020, up from just $13.6 billion in 2007, according to the Australian government. Experts have said one of the main sticking points is agriculture, with Australia wanting access to the Indian market, but Modis government reluctant to put its domestic farmers - a major vote bank - at risk.

The push for an agreement comes just weeks out from the beginning of a national election campaign in Australia, with Morrisons center-right government pushing a narrative of strong economic management as it struggles to make up ground in opinion polls.

Tehan is currently on a visit to the U.S. to meet with Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo for the inaugural Strategic Economic Dialogue between the two countries, where they were expected to discuss Chinas attempts at trade coercion against Australia and the need to strengthen the supply chains for rare earths.

The traditional rule book is being thrown out the window because we are seeing some countries using their economic weight and their economic power, using economic coercion, using non-market practices, to try and influence global trade, he said.

Speaking on Russias invasion of Ukraine, Tehan said he expected Australia to announce further sanctions against Moscow soon.
Accountancy Bill gets approval



on Wednesday approved a bill to revamp the functioning of the institutes of chartered accountants, cost accountants and company secretaries, with Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman asserting that the changes will not impact the autonomy of these bodies. The Chartered Accountants, Cost and Works Accountants and Company Secretaries (Amendment) Bill seeks to appoint non-Chartered Accountant, non-cost accountant and non-company secretary as the presiding officer of the disciplinary committees of the respective institutes.

New safety norms for vehicle users

As many as 13,022 lives could have been saved in the country in 2020 if there were functional airbags in cars, Union Transport Minister told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, while asserting that new norms are being introduced to ensure the safety of vehicle users. He said the transport ministry has notified the new norms and from October 1, it is proposed that all vehicles shall be fitted with six airbags, including side airbags.

No plans of restoring rail concessions for senior citizens: Minister

Nearly 70 million senior citizens travelled by trains without availing concessions over the last two years since the suspended the facility in March 2020, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday. He also said that the ministry has no plans of restoring the concessions at present.

Nod to merge 3 Delhi municipal corporations

on Wednesday passed a bill to merge three municipal corporations of Delhi into a single entity. The Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill seeks to unify the three municipal corporations into a single, integrated and well equipped entity to ensure a robust mechanism for synergised and strategic planning and optimal utilisation of resources, Home Minister Amit Shah said.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met in New Delhi on Wednesday and approved the procurement of 15 Light Combat (LCH) for Rs 3,887 crore, or about Rs 260 crore each. The CCS also approved the creation of infrastructure worth Rs 377 crore.

Light Combat Limited Series Production (LSP) is an indigenously designed, developed and manufactured, state-of-the-art modern combat containing approximately 45 per cent indigenous content by value, which will progressively increase to more than 55 per cent for the SP (series production) version, announced a Ministry of Defence (MoD) press release today.

Beyond the preliminary order for 15 LSP helicopters, the (IAF) and the army have jointly projected a SP requirement for 162 LCHs: 65 for the IAF and 97 for the army.

The 15 LCHs in the LSP order will be test-flown by IAF and army pilots to gauge their performance and capability. These pilots will provide operational performance feedback and recommend incremental improvements that HAL can introduce into the LCHs that will be mass-manufactured on a final production line.

Stating that the LCH would be a potent platform to meet the operational requirements of (IAF) and the Indian Army, the MoD stated: This helicopter is equipped with requisite agility, manoeuvrability, extended range, high altitude performance and around-the-clock, all-weather combat capability to perform roles of Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Destruction of Enemy Air Defence (DEAD), Counter Insurgency (CI) operations, (operations) against slow moving aircraft and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs), high altitude bunker busting operations, CI operations in jungle and urban environments and support to ground forces.

The MoD announced that the LCH has integrated stealth features such as reduced visual, aural, radar and infrared (IR) signatures and crash resistant features for better survivability.

Key aviation technologies, such as a glass cockpit and composite airframe structure have been indigenised in the LCH.

The MoD announced that the manufacturing of LCH by HAL will boost the Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative and Indias defence industry. Production of LCH will reduce import dependence for combat helicopters in the country, said the MoD, taking note of the recent purchase of 22 Apache AH-64E from The Boeing Company.

Light Combat Helicopters are already in the MoDs list of defence products that are embargoed for import. With its versatile features built in for combat missions, LCH has export capability, said the MoD.

Talking to Business Standard, HALs chief, R Madhavan, said the LCH is the lightest attack helicopter in the world, designed specifically to meet the Indian armys requirements. The 5.8-tonne, twin-pilot helicopter can operate at altitudes of 20,000 feet, higher than any other attack helicopter in the world. Having demonstrated its ability to operate from 15,000-feet high helipads above the Siachen Glacier, the LCH is an ideal weapons platform for supporting the army in areas like Galwan and Daulat Beg Oldi in Eastern Ladakh, where our soldiers are confronting Chinese intruders.

Infantrymen at those oxygen-deprived altitudes cannot carry heavy weaponry for long distances, but a high-altitude attack helicopter would provide them with fire support, using its on-board, 20-millimetre turret gun, 70-millimetre rockets and air-to-air missiles. It can also carry an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) and the IAF is close to choosing one.

For delivering firepower accurately onto the enemy, the LCH is integrated with cutting-edge target-sighting systems, including an electro-optic pod and a helmet mounted display that allows a pilot to aim at a target just by looking at it.

The LCHs pilots are protected by armoured panels, self-sealing fuel tanks, a bulletproof windshield, damage-tolerant rotor blades and a main gearbox that can run for 30 minutes even after a bullet hits it and drains out the oil. The LCH also has an electronic warfare system that detects incoming missiles and confuses them by scattering flares and chaff.
The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has approved monetisation of about 17 properties of Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (MTNL) valued collectively about Rs 23,358 crore in the first phase.

In the first phase of monetisation, 11 assets of valued at Rs 18,200 crore, and six assets of worth Rs 5,158 crore have been approved for monetisation, Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan told Parliament on Wednesday.

Of these, properties identified for monetisation in the first phase, four properties of whose reserve price was set at Rs 670 crore and two properties of with base price of Rs 290 crore were taken for e-auction, but bids were received only for one property of MTNL, Chauhan said.



In February, Business Standard had reported that the first ever auction of non-core assets through DIPAMs asset monetisation portal failed to garner adequate response for land assets of and MTNL, and the department had asked its property consultants to identify issues in the bidding criteria that can be resolved.

These properties included BSNLs land in Hyderabad (about Rs 400 crore) land in Rajpura (nearly Rs 70 crore) a 5-acre land in Bhavnagar (Rs 41 crore) and an 11-acre land in Kolkata (Rs 161 crore). MTNLs 1.36-acre property in Mumbai valued at Rs 270 crore, and 20 residential flats valued about Rs 20 crore, were also put up for auctioning. Monetisation of these six properties of the two telcos was part of the revival package announced by the Centre in 2019, and the Department of Telecom was expecting Rs 3,000 crore from sale.

From the announcement of the revival package for BSNL and in October 2019 to February 2021, BSNL has been able to generate Rs 242 crore from monetisation of land and building assets, Parliament was informed last year.

With regards to the six properties that were put on the block earlier, the Centre is considering relaxing some norms that led to the failure in attracting bids for these assets.
External Affairs Minister on Wednesday held "productive" discussions with his Mexican counterpart Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon with a focus on bilateral cooperation in areas of trade, investment and health.

Casaubon is on a three-day visit to India.

"Warm and productive discussions with Mexican FM @m_ebrard today evening. Discussed our growing trade and investment, health, science & technology and space sector cooperation," Jaishankar tweeted.

Currently, Mexico is India's second-largest trade partner in Latin America and it is a member of the UN Security Council alongside India for the period 2021-22.

The visit by the Mexican foreign minister to India follows Jaishankar's visit to Mexico City in September last year.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India has cut supplies to the non-power sector and put on hold plans for some fuel auctions for utilities without supply deals due to a slump in inventories, even as the country battles a seasonal jump in demand for electricity.

The supply cuts come months after India's most crippling shortage in the recent years led to power cuts lasting up to 14 hours in some states and amid worries gruelling summer temperatures will exacerbate shortages.

inventories at state government-owned utilities, which account for a third of all coal-fired plants, have slipped to 22% of mandated quantity, the lowest this year. Inventory levels below 25% are considered "critical".

State-run Coal India, which accounts for more than 80% of domestic output, has slashed supplies to the non-power sector - which includes aluminium smelter and steel mills - to 275,000 tonnes a day, according to an internal company note seen by Reuters, 18.3% lower than February and 29.8% below March 2021.

told Reuters that its supplies to the non-power sector were in line with its average over the "past few years", without elaborating.

Among other measures to tighten supply, the federal coal ministry has put on hold a plan to conduct three coal auctions for utilities over the next three months and will organise one auction for the quarter instead, saying the methodology to conduct three auctions was "under process".

South Eastern Coalfields, a unit of Coal India, has extended the due date for payment for auctions conducted on March 11, thereby delaying supply, and also cancelled another auction scheduled for March 21, according to notices on its website.

Production and dispatch by typically drop from April and taper further from June until September due to the annual monsoon season that curbs output in some areas.

"Given the prevailing low coal stocks, and the steadily rising coal demand, would need to increase production significantly ... to avert a domestic coal shortage," said Jayanta Roy, Senior Vice-President at Moody's unit ICRA.

The world's largest coal miner said it expects to boost output and does not foresee a coal crisis for the power sector.

The federal coal ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but said on Saturday companies could consider imports to deal with the shortfall.

RECORD LOW IMPORTS, HIGH COAL PRICES

But high global prices of coal would mean an additional financial burden for companies looking to import the fuel. That would also translate into higher input costs for power producers and debt-laden state government-owned distribution firms.

Senthil Balaji, electricity minister of the southern state of Tamil Nadu, said high global coal prices could push power purchase costs to as much as 9 Indian rupees ($0.1190) a unit, over 2.4 times the average procurement cost during the year ended March 2021.

Coal inventories at state government-run power plants have fallen despite record production by Coal India in 2021, as the company prioritised supply to federal government-run NTPC Ltd, power ministry data showed.

Inventories have also been hit as India's coal imports fell to a nine-year low in 2021 due to a jump in global prices.

Non-power sector consumers such as aluminium smelters and steel firms have stepped up lobbying in recent days, asking Coal India to hike supplies as they look to capitalize on its cheap coal and boost exports at competitive prices.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India and the UK are committed to delivering a comprehensive and balanced (FTA) by the end of this year along with an interim deal for early gains, Foreign Secretary said on Wednesday.

Addressing the First India-UK Strategic Futures Forum, Shringla said the Roadmap 2030 launched by both countries details comprehensive plans for the relationship over the next 10 years and also serves as a useful instrument to actively monitor and pursue agreed priorities.

"The potential for a transformative change is most evident in our economic relationship. India and the UK are the 5th and 6th largest economies in the world that enjoy huge complementarities and offer tremendous opportunities for growth on both sides," Shringla said.

A major step in this direction was taken last year when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Boris Johnson launched the India-UK Enhanced Trade Partnership that aims to more than double bilateral trade by 2030.

"Bilateral trade negotiations that began early this year have been put on a fast track. Two rounds have already taken place with the last round in mid-March witnessing good progress. Both sides are committed to delivering a comprehensive and balanced by the end of this year along with an interim deal for early gains," Shringla said.

"We are also building a strong financial partnership with closer cooperation in fintech, market regulation, and sustainable and green finance," he said.

Noting that defence and security is another key element of the India-UK renewed partnership, Shringla said the focus is on research and innovation and joint industrial cooperation to develop advanced defence capabilities and strengthen collaboration in tackling new threats in the cyber, space, counter-terrorism and maritime domains.

"We are keen to overcome legacy issues and engage in a robust dialogue to promote greater alignment on defence and strategic issues, including in the context of the Indo-Pacific," he said.

India welcomes the UK's Indo-Pacific strategy and its desire to deepen engagement in the region as reflected in the deployment of the Carrier Strike Group to the Indo-Pacific last year, he said.

This interest of the UK has the potential to contribute to regional stability and support shared prosperity, he added.

"Our interests are also aligned in securing trusted and resilient supply chains for strategic technologies like 5G," Shringla said.

He noted that as the world faced a pandemic of unprecedented proportions, India and the UK joined hands in bringing in game-changing solutions.

A notable success was the collaboration between Oxford Astra Zeneca and the Serum Institute of India, he said.

"We are partners in the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Initiative (CEPI) that has an ambitious 100-day plan to develop vaccines to deal with future pandemics and strengthen global preparedness," Shringla said.

In today's highly charged international security situation, India and the UK have worked closely in the UN Security Council to address global challenges that threaten international peace and security, he said.

"We also work together on other areas of interest in the multilateral arena, including sustainable development, protecting the environment, blue economy and maritime security, health etc.," he said.

This mutual cooperation defines our modern partnership and has allowed India and the UK to take leadership in tackling global challenges in areas like climate change, clean energy and global health, Shringla said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Military operations in Ukraine, sale of Russian crude, rupee-ruble denominated payment method, arms deals are a few issues which Russian foreign minister will discuss during the first high-level visit to India since Russia went to war with Ukraine.

Lavrov is arriving on a two day visit to India on March 31. "The Russian Foreign minister will pay an official visit to New Delhi on March 31-1 April 2022," the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Rupee-ruble payment method

Following the US-led sanctions and a few Russian banks being removed from the SWIFT messaging system, Lavrov will deliberate on the rupee-ruble denominated payment method for crude which Russia has offered to India.

New Delhi is not averse to buying Russian oil at a discounted rate. The government recently informed Parliament that it is examining offers from that country to buy cheap crude and an inter-ministerial committee is working on an alternate payment plan.

It is also stated that Reserve Bank of India senior officers are meeting their Russian counterparts to discuss the rupee-ruble payment.

Since the start of the war, India has been facing pressure from the West and its allies to take a stronger stand against Russia.

Defence deals

The war between Russia and Ukraine will cost India's military capabilities dearly with the delivery of many platforms like a nuclear powered submarine, Grigorovich class frigates, fighter jets, Triumf S-400, AK 203 assault rifles and others expected to be delayed. Indian leaders will hold discussions with Lavrov on the issue.

As soon as the war began on February 24, both India and Russiamaintained there would be no delays with respect to deliveries of critical platforms but with sanctions imposed and the possibility of the war continuing for long, it would have a major impact.

India decided to upgrade its military infrastructure when the country was locked in a major face-off with China along the Line of Actual Control in July 2020. The threat of a two-front war -- from China and Pakistan -- has made India go for large scale arms deals and Russia is still one of India's largest arms suppliers.

India's defence ministry has recently reviewed the status of the current deals with Russia and how the war is going to impact the military capabilities.

In December 2021, India and Russia signed more than two dozen deals across a variety of sectors and had also inked a 10-year defence cooperation pact.

One of the deals with Russia is for the Triumf S-400 air defence system. India signed a $5 billion deal with Russia in October 2018 to buy five units of the S-400 surface to air missile system. Russia has stated that it will deliver on time however the war will delay the same.

The Indian Army had also inked a deal with Russia to jointly develop the AK 203 assault rifle worth Rs 5000 crores. In 2019, India signed a $ 3 billion deal with Russia for leasing a nuclear-powered submarine. The Chakra III, Akula class submarine is expected to be delivered by 2025 for a period of 10 years. The deal to get four Grigorovich class frigates was signed between Russia's state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport and Goa Shipyard Ltd in 2018. Two frigates for the Indian Navy worth $ 1 billion were to be manufactured in Russia and the other two in Goa. The deliveries were supposed to start within four years of the signing of the contract.

The arms and ammunition deals with Russia also includes procurement of additional 21 MiG-29 for the Indian Air Force (IAF), up-gradation of existing 59 MiG-29 aircraft at an estimated cost of Rs 7,418 crore and purchase of 12 Su-30 MKI aircraft for Rs 10,730 crore to be built at state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister on Wednesday hailed the Cabinet decision to approve a World Bank-assisted Rs 6,062 crore funding programme for the small and medium businesses, saying the government is taking many steps to add new energy into the MSME sector and support local enterprise.

"The MSME Sector is crucial for India's economic progress. Our government is taking many steps to add new energy into the sector and support local enterprise. Today's Cabinet decision is a step in this direction," he tweeted.

The Union Cabinet approved a World Bank-assisted Rs 6,062 crore funding programme for the small and medium businesses to help improve their access to market and credit.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Modi, approved the Rs 6,062.45 crore or USD 808 million 'Raising and Accelerating MSM Performance' (RAMP) for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), an official release said.

RAMP will commence in FY23, it said.

Of the total outlay under the programme, Rs 3,750 crore (USD 500 million) will come from World Bank loan, and the remaining Rs 2,312.45 crore will be funded by the central government.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a significant move, the prime minister-led Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Wednesday approved the procurement of 15 indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) at a cost of Rs 3,887 crore.

The defence ministry said 10 helicopters will be for the Indian Air Force and five will be for the Indian Army.

"The CCS has approved procurement of 15 (LCH) Limited Series Production at the cost of Rs 3,887 crore along with infrastructure sanctions worth Rs 377 crore," it said.

Limited Series Production (LSP) is an indigenously developed combat helicopter containing around 45 per cent indigenous content by value which will progressively increase to more than 55 per cent.

The state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) produces the helicopter.

The decision to procure the helicopters came in the midst of the three services focusing extensively on enhancing their overall combat capabilities in view of India facing myriad security challenges including along the borders with China.

The LCH is equipped with requisite agility, manoeuvrability, extended range, high altitude performance and all-weather combat capability to perform a range of roles including combat search and rescue (CSAR), destruction of enemy air defence (DEAD) and counter-insurgency (CI) operations, according to the ministry.

It said the helicopter can also be deployed in high altitude bunker-busting operations, counter-insurgency operations in the jungle and urban environments and for supporting ground forces.

The helicopter can also be used against slow-moving aircraft and remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs) of adversaries.

The ministry said it would be a potent platform to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army.

"State of the art technologies and systems compatible with stealth features such as reduced visual, aural, radar and IR signatures and crashworthiness features for better survivability have been integrated into the LCH for deployment in combat roles catering to emerging needs for the next three to four decades," the ministry said in a statement.

"Several key aviation technologies like a glass cockpit and composite airframe structure have been indigenised. The future series-production version will consist of further modern and indigenous systems," it said.

The ministry said India is continuously growing in its capability to indigenously design, develop and manufacture advanced cutting edge technologies and systems in the under the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan'.

"The manufacturing of the LCH by the HAL will give a further push to Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and boost indigenisation of defence production and the defence industry in the country," it said.

"The production of LCH will reduce import dependence for combat helicopters in the country. Light Combat Helicopters are already in the import embargo list. With its versatile features built-in for combat missions, LCH has the export capability," the ministry said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The country's largest private sector lender on Wednesday said the elevated stress on unsecured loan assets noticed during the COVID-19 pandemic is over, and the bank is upbeat about the segment now.

The book for the bank includes and personal loans.

According to HDFC Bank's country head for consumer Parag Rao, the next two years present an interesting opportunity to grow in the segment, which is otherwise considered a bit risky.

Acknowledging that his bank also witnessed some elevation in asset quality woes from the unsecured segment during the pandemic, Rao clarified that the same was never at worrying levels.

"A large portion of the issues of the pandemic are gone," he said, adding that customers seeking loans now are relatively better from the risk perspective.

Developments in the overall economy, where consumption is growing, make this a "good phase", and the bank looks at it as a good time to grow in this segment over the next 18-24 months.

Speaking at the launch of a co-branded credit card in association with retailer Shoppers Stop, Rao said the bank is targeting to increase the contribution of co-branded cards in its business over the medium term.

In terms of spends, it is targeting to almost double the share from co-branded cards to up to 30 per cent in the next three years from the present 15 per cent. In terms of the number of cards, the share of co-branded cards is likely to go to over 35 per cent from the current 12 per cent, Rao said.

He said the bank is in talks with a number of players for partnerships, which include a multi-portfolio conglomerate, a telecom player, and exclusively digital offerings with dining and local mobility player.

At a time when the BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later) trend is growing, especially fuelled by the fintechs, Rao said the exclusively digital credit card offering would be like the same.

He, however, said that BNPL's efficacy for the bank will be limited to acquiring new customers, and it cannot be a tool to build a book.

Rao explained that a two-three month loan product like BNPL, which is driven by consumers' impulsive buying behaviour, cannot be helpful in growing a book.

At present, the bank has 16 million credit cards, and is growing with the addition of around 5 lakh each month, Rao said, adding that it is on track to achieve its goals stated at the time of restarting credit card issuances after the RBI lifted its regulatory ban.

He said it will take about 6-9 months for the numbers to reflect the gains it is making, and claimed that internal data available to him suggests that they are on the way to achieve the targets on market share by number of cards and spends.

About the deal between Axis Bank and Citi, in which the third largest domestic lender is taking over the consumer business of the American lender, Rao opined that it will not change things much for the .

About the bank's partnership with Shoppers Stop, Rao said that his bank is targeting to sell 1 million cards in the next three years. The retailer has 9 million consumers who can be the prospective users of the co-branded .

Launched in two variants, one of the cards comes with the annual charge of Rs 5,000, which also offers many freebies.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ukrainian peace negotiators planning to met with Russian representatives have been told not to eat or drink anything, after the Russian oligarch, Roman Ambramovich, and two Ukrainian peace negotiators were reported to be suffering from what is suspected to be the effects of poisoning.

Details of how the poisoning occurred have not been confirmed  and Abramovich is back in negotiations, but investigative journalism group Bellingcat said the symptoms included eye and skin inflammation and piercing pain in the eyes, consistent with chemical poisoning.

It doesnt augur well for the future of peace talks, which will hinge on the degree of trust that both sides have in each other and in mediators. The issue of good and bad faith and the failure of trust between Russia and  and between Russia and Nato members, especially those on Russias borders  have been key to the unfolding of this crisis. Being able to rebuild that trust will be crucial for bringing the crisis to an end.

So its interesting to consider the part trust and distrust has played in the war and the roles they may have in ending it.

Having been part of the Soviet Union until 1991, Ukraines relations with Russia have ebbed and flowed over the years. In 1994, Russia was a signatory to the Budapest Memorandum, which guaranteed Ukraines sovereignty and in 1997 the two countries signed the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership. This reinforced the Budapest Memorandum, in its recognition of the inviolability of existing borders between and Russia.

The treaty expired on March 31, 2019 at Ukraines instigation. The two sides were at loggerheads over Russias annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the ongoing conflict in the Donbas in eastern Ukraine. Moscow criticised the decision, claiming that Kyiv had itself violated the treaty by building closer ties to the west.

During Russias massive troop build-up on Ukraines borders through 2021, Putin and his top diplomats continued to insist that Russia did not intend to invade . But as we know, in the early hours of February 24, Putin gave the lie to this assurance when he sent his military into Ukraine.

Distrusting the out-group

It is with this history of distrust and betrayal that negotiations must proceed. From a psychologists perspective, this will be very problematic. Any lasting peace will depend on both sides trusting that the other will abide by the conditions of a settlement. But according to the social identity theory of psychology, which holds that people distinguish between in-groups (us) and out-groups (them), this will be difficult as each side will naturally distrust the other.

This can be seen in the statements each side has made about the other. Ukrainians have expressed the view that Putin is a madman or mentally unstable. Russia says Ukrainians persecuted citizens of Russian descent and supported neo-Nazis. Its easy for supporters of both side to believe this out-group labelling and distrust naturally flows from that.

Since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, psychologists have been trying to work out how to bring these two groups closer together. They have found that rigid national identities tend to undermine the peace process whereas focusing on broader and more inclusive identities such as the commonality of language and history between the two countries are factors that facilitate the peace process.

But the continuing violence in the Donbas and the regular breaches of ceasefire agreements have undermined peace talks.

For an agreement to be reached, trust must be reciprocal  but distrust tends to be reciprocal too. Distrust also promotes retaliation and in a situation where both sides are launching daily attacks on each other, the mutual distrust is contributing to a spiral of aggression.

Meanwhile people trying to escape war zones need to place their trust in the human corridors apparently guaranteed by Russia, which requires a major leap of faith given Russian targeting of refugees. Refugees also need to trust the promises that theyll be safe away from their homes in either a different part of Ukraine or another country altogether.

Social capital theory views trust as a quality that binds individual members of a community together. But victims of war tend to demonstrate lower social capital than most people. They tend to be less willing to trust others, have lower levels of trust in institutions and are more pessimistic about the honesty and morality of politicians. It has also been found that children exposed to combat during the second world war before they turned six demonstrated lower levels of trust and social engagement when they reached adulthood.

These findings suggest that the trust of future generations of Ukrainians will be adversely affected by the war. Specifically, young children from Ukraine who are exposed to the violence now are likely to hold less trust in others, institutions and politicians when they grow up.

Road to peace

Assuming that Ukraine remains an independent state, how will the people rebuild their country and what relationship will it have with Russia? The distrust created by this war will make it hard, certainly for Ukraine, to agree to some version of then 1997 friendship treaty and the threat of war is likely to continue to loom over both countries. And Putins actions have thrown the system into disarray, which is unlikely to improve any time soon.

But more immediately, distrust between Russia and Ukraine is going to be a big hurdle in the way of a peaceful resolution. Weve seen the way distrust was a problem in securing peace in Northern Ireland, as well as peace between Israel and its Arab neighbours. Mediation could help  but the success of mediation depends on ensuring that the mediator is trusted by both parties something we saw with the work of John Mitchell in Northern Ireland.

Ken Rotenberg, Professor in Psychology, Keele UniversityAnd now, we see that being a peace negotiator itself will involve a high degree of trust  something that might prove hard if Abramovich and the two Ukrainian negotiators really have been poisoned.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, China on Tuesday reported 1,629 new cases, the National Health Commission's Wednesday report showed.

Out of 1,629 infections, 1,565 were locally transmitted cases and 64 were imported COVID-19 cases, reported Xinhua.

Of the new local infections, 1,150 were reported in Jilin, 326 in Shanghai, 26 in Henan, and 16 in Heilongjiang.

The rest of the cases were reported in 15 other provincial-level regions, according to the commission.

A total of 64 imported COVID-19 cases were reported Tuesday, said the commission. It added that two suspected cases arriving from outside the mainland were reported in Shanghai and no new deaths from COVID-19 were reported on the day.

Meanwhile, China's much-publicised 'zero-covid' strategy that the government credited for bringing the country out of the pandemic till recently is falling apart as the rapidly mounting cases are again forcing mass lockdowns like those seen in 2020.

Amid growing resentment over the stringent measures towards the zero-COVID policy by the authorities, the Chinese public has been taking to social media platforms to express their frustration and discontentment.

Netizens have been complaining that excessive measures such as the imposition of complete lockdown and frequent and expansive tests have been causing widespread suffering, including financial/economic loss, reported local media.

China has clung to a zero-tolerance approach to the virus that relies on stringent lockdowns, mass testing and quarantine in government facilities.

Earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that Beijing will stick to its "zero Covid-19" policy, days after National Health Commission (NHC) released new guidelines easing its control measures.

NHC had uploaded a new document on its website. Titled the Novel Diagnosis And Treatment Plan, it was the ninth revision to a document setting out the COVID-19 policy for the country of 1.4 billion.

China's zero-COVID policy is pushing cash-strapped local governments to the brink amid rising health care costs and efforts to control debt.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China on Wednesday acceded to Pakistan's request to rollover a whopping $4.2 billion debt repayment to provide a major relief for its all-weather ally, which is reeling under major economic crisis.



Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in his meeting with Pakistan counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the 3rd meeting of the 'Foreign Ministers of Neighbouring Countries of Afghanistan' in China's eastern Anhui province has conveyed Beijing's decision to rollover the debt.



In a video message, Qureshi said Wang has conveyed China's decision to rollover Pakistan $4.2 billion to enable Islamabad to tide over the current economic crisis.



"I am immensely happy to share that the Chinese FM has given a nod of approval on the rollover of commercial loan as well," Qureshi was quoted as saying by Pakistan daily Dawn.



The USD 4.2 billion debt, which was maturing this week, has been rolled over providing major financial relief to Pakistan, the daily reported.



"The procedural formalities are being completed by relevant authorities. An announcement will be made as soon as they're sorted," Qureshi said.



The request for rollover was reportedly made by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping here last month to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics.



Pakistan continues to undergo a huge economic crisis despite heavy investment by China in the $60 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In addition to Pakistan, Sri Lanka, a major recipient of Chinese loans and investments, too has asked China to reschedule its debt as it is going into a crippling financial crisis.

China is considering a fresh request from Sri Lanka for a loan of USD one billion and a credit line of USD 1.5 billion, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong told the media in Colombo last week. He, however, was silent about Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's request for rescheduling of debt repayments.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China's ambitions to have a major hand in Afghanistan's stability and development under the Taliban, while boosting its own stature, will be on display at a pair of multinational meetings it is hosting starting Wednesday.

China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are expected to send representatives to the main meetings involving neighboring states.

A separate meeting of the Extended Troika" will be held concurrently among special envoys for from China, the United States and Russia, China's Foreign Ministry said.

China, the U.S., Russia and Pakistan are all countries with significant influence on the Afghan issue," ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said of the Troika meeting at a daily briefing Tuesday.

The talks will echo positively with the third meeting of foreign ministers of the Afghan neighboring countries, to further cement the consensus of all parties ... to help achieve peace, stability and development at an early date," Wang said.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi will represent and Taliban-appointed foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, will do so for at the regional meeting. Qatar and Indonesia will representatives as guest attendees.

Special Representative for Afghanistan Tom West will represent the U.S. at the Extended Troika talks, a State Department spokesperson said Tuesday on routine condition of anonymity. Pakistan will also attend and is believed to have also invited representatives, the spokesperson said.

The group's interests are aligned on the need for the to live up to its commitments to build a truly inclusive government, not provide a safe haven for terrorism, remain stable, rebuild its economy and respect human rights, women's rights and the rights of minorities, the spokesperson said.

hasn't recognized Afghanistan's new hard-line government but has refrained from the harsh criticism made by the U.S.

The meetings are being held in Tunxi, an ancient town in Anhui province, possibly because of the relative ease of maintaining a bubble separate from the general population. That would allow the attendees to avoid the 21-day coronavirus quarantine required of travelers to the capital Beijing and other major Chinese cities.

A month before the took power, Wang hosted a high-powered delegation from the group for a July 28, 2021, meeting in the Chinese port city of Tianjin. Wang referred to the group as pivotal" force important to peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan.

On that and other occasions, Chinese have pushed the Taliban for assurances it will not permit operations within its borders by members of China's Turkic Muslim Uyghur minority intent on overthrowing Chinese rule in their native region of Xinjiang.

Wang also made a surprise stop in Kabul last week to meet Taliban leaders, even as the community fumes over the hard-line movement's broken promise a day earlier to open schools to girls beyond the sixth grade.

China has studiously avoided mentioning the limits on girls' education and other human rights abuses, particularly those targeting women, while keeping its Kabul Embassy open.

Wang's Kabul visit bore all the signs of a formal government-to-government exchange, reinforcing that the ultimate carrot that Beijing can offer through hosting conferences like these is the prospect of the Taliban receiving diplomatic recognition from China and other neighbors," said Australia-based political risk and Asia affairs analyst Henry Storey.

China is counting on such outreach to deflect accusations from Muslim nations about its treatment of its Muslim minorities.

China's other major concern is pursuing opportunities in exploiting Afghanistan's vast, undeveloped resource deposits, especially the Mes Aynak mine that is believed to hold the world's largest copper deposit.

Successive Afghan governments have seen the country's mineral riches, estimated to be worth USD 1 trillion, as the key to a prosperous future, but none have been able to develop them amid the continual war and violence.

Now, multiple countries, including Iran, Russia and Turkey are looking to invest, filling the vacuum left in the wake of last year's chaotic U.S. withdrawal that led to the departure of aid groups, the freezing of Afghan assets and the economy's virtual collapse.

At this week's gatherings, China will seek to position itself as the leading champion for humanitarian assistance and economic development projects in Afghanistan and will openly call for the U.S. to unfreeze the Afghan government's assets and accounts, said Columbia University political scientist Alexander Cooley, an expert on Central Asia.

China is quietly asserting itself as the leading external power in the region," Cooley said. In doing so, it will position itself as both critic of United States regional policy and as an alternative leader of a humanitarian coalition comprised of Afghanistan's neighbours.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hosting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the first high level Russian official to visit Beijing after the Ukraine war, on Wednesday said cooperation between the two allies has no ceiling to resist hegemony.

Lavrov arrived in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, for the third meeting of foreign ministers on Afghanistan, Russia's official news agency Tass reported on Wednesday.

"There is no ceiling for China- cooperation, no ceiling for us to strive for peace, no ceiling for us to safeguard security and no ceiling for us to oppose hegemony, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here when asked to describe the limits of China- relations.

Commenting on the most recent round of negotiations between and Ukraine in Turkey's Istanbul, Wang Wenbin noted "positive signals" demonstrated by both parties.

"We have always believed that a dialogue and negotiations are the only correct way to achieve the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis," he said.

Asked by a reporter from Russia's official Tass news agency whether as the permanent member of the UN Security Council can be a guarantor for any agreement between Russia and Ukraine, Wang Wenbin said encourages all sides for peaceful resolution of the crisis.

We support all diplomatic efforts towards that end, he said.

Later Lavrov in his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Russia is interested in building relations with China in a stable and consistent manner.

"We are interested in our relations with China developing steadily and consistently, our leaders - President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of China Xi Jinping agreed upon this. Today, as you have said, we will consider concrete steps to ensure that all those agreements are consistently implemented," the top Russian diplomat stated.

Putin and Xi met here in February on the side-lines of the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games where they firmed up their strategic alliance against the US and its alliance.

"I am very pleased to talk to you, dear friend, especially in another beautiful province. I have already visited many provinces of China, and all of them are truly exquisite," Lavrov told Wang Yi as they met in Tunxi, Tass reported.

While the purpose of Lavrov's visit to China is to take part in the meeting on the Foreign Ministers of the neighbouring countries on Afghanistan, significance is attached to his visit as Beijing, a close ally of Moscow has backed Russia's war on Ukraine even though it walked a fine-line calling for peaceful resolution while highlighting Russia's security concerns relating to NATO expansion.

This is the first visit by a top Russian official to China after Moscow launched a war on Ukraine on February 24.

Significantly, the US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns will be attending the troika meeting of the special envoys of China, Russia and the US of Afghanistan being held on the side-lines.

It is not clear yet whether Burns will be meeting Lavrov.

The troika meeting will be held on the side-lines of the third meeting of the foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries being held on Wednesday and Thursday.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will chair the meeting to be attended by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan or their representatives.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also met Wang Yi in Tunxi.

The two foreign ministers exchanged views on bilateral strategic, economic and security cooperation; COVID-19 pandemic; peace, stability and development in Afghanistan; and regional and issues of mutual interest, Pakistan's state-run news agency APP reported.

He highlighted that the leaders' consensus was translating into high-quality development of CPEC (China, Pakistan Economic Corridor) Phase-II, and burgeoning cooperation in diverse areas of cooperation like industrial development, agricultural modeCHINA-LAVROV-VISITrnisation and information technology.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Kate Abnett and Susanna Twidale

BRUSSELS/LONDON (Reuters) - Fears of a Russian gas supply crunch prompted some European countries on Wednesday to ask people to consume less energy in a move that could potentially yield big results.

Despite months of soaring energy prices and tight supplies most governments have avoided taking a step they fear could be unpopular but with concerns growing that could turn off the taps, the message in some capitals is starting to shift.

"Every kilowatt-hour counts," German Minister Robert Habeck said on Wednesday as Germany declared an "early warning" of a possible gas supply emergency.

The Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris agrees that when done on a large scale, small behavioural changes can significantly reduce gas and oil demand.

It estimates that turning down thermostats in buildings across the European Union by 2 Celsius would save 20 billion cubic metres of gas, worth about $28 billion at current prices.

That's also about 13% of the 155 billion cubic metres the 27-nation bloc buys each year from Russia, which is in turn about 40% of the EU's total gas consumption.

The Dutch government followed Germany on Wednesday saying it would launch a campaign this weekend asking citizens and businesses to use less gas while France's regulator asked citizens to collectively try to reduce their consumption.

Simone Tagliapietra, senior fellow at think-tank Bruegel, said governments should have urged citizens to curb energy use months ago to help manage the supply crunch but politicians resisted because such a message "smells of austerity".

"Each billion cubic metre of gas we don't consume, it's important. That gas is very expensive, and we need now to start filling up the storage ahead of next winter," he said.

IT'S YOUR CHOICE

Rather than calling on consumers to cut their energy use, governments have so far mostly been looking for ways to cap utility bills and find alternative sources of fuel.

Sweden, France, Itay, Germany and Britain also announced measures to make petrol cheaper this month after crude hit its highest price since 2008, drawing criticism from campaigners who say the measures are fossil fuel subsidies.

But since invaded Ukraine last month, Brussels has declared a mission to cut the EU's Russian gas imports by two-thirds this year and to end the use of Russian gas by 2027.

Cutting demand could reduce the impact of any supply crunch if were to cut exports, which has become more of a worry since Moscow said last week that countries should start paying for gas in roubles.

A detailed EU plan to wean itself off Russian fossil fuels is due in May, but a blueprint published this month showed Brussels would boost non-Russian gas imports, expand renewable energy faster, swap millions of gas boilers for heat pumps and renovate buildings to use less energy.

Those solutions will take time, however, and the European Commission has already suggested that consumers could help dent demand immediately.

"Your choices in how much energy you consume co-decide how strong we are in our reaction to Russia," EU climate policy chief Frans Timmermans said.

Temporarily cutting demand would also help countries build up gas storage for next winter and provide a stop-gap while governments secure lasting options to replace Russian fuel - such as building wind and solar farms, renovating buildings, or securing more non-Russian gas.

"There are tracks for immediate energy savings measures that remain unexplored," said Adeline Rochet, policy expert at climate think-tank E3G.

If they stick, energy-saving habits such as turning off lights and appliances or using less air conditioning where convenient, could also help bring down carbon dioxide emissions.

MOVE TO THE SLOW LANE

Christina Demski, an expert on consumer energy behaviour at Cardiff University's School of Psychology, said soaring energy bills and a desire to show solidarity with Ukraine may mean Europeans are receptive to such messages.

"People are more likely to make a behavioural change if you are asking to do something that reflects their values," she said, adding that requests to change behaviour should not target vulnerable households who lack the flexibility to adapt their consumption, or who are already struggling with bills.

Only a few countries have broached the idea of ways to reduce oil consumption, despite the fact Russia, which calls its action in Ukraine a special military operation, providing 27% of the EU's oil imports.

Denmark is looking at a proposal to temporarily reduce highway speed limits. Ireland's transport minister Eamon Ryan, who also the environment portfolio, suggested driving slower could save fuel when announcing a cut in petrol duty this month.

The IEA last week published options it said could lower oil demand in advanced economies by 2.7 million barrels per day (bpd) within four months, equivalent to the combined demand of every car in China.

Most options would require consumers to change their behaviour.

Lowering speed limits by 10 km per hour in advanced economies could save 290,000 bpd from cars and 140,000 bpd from trucks. Working from home three days a week would cut 500,000 bpd while fuel-saving practices such as car-sharing could save 470,000 bpd, the IEA said.

Some governments are resistant. Britain, which is no longer an EU member, rejected the IEA's ideas. The country plans to replace the 8% of oil imports it gets from Russia with alternative supplies this year.

"There is absolutely no need to apply this guidance in the UK," a government spokesperson said.

(Reporting by Kate Abnett and Susanna Twidale; Additional reporting by Padraic Halpin and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Editing by David Clarke)

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least five people were killed in a shooting attack on Tuesday evening in a suburb of Tel Aviv in the third such attack in over the last seven days, bringing the total number of Israeli deaths to eleven in the recent attacks.

In a stern message following the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett vowed to deal with such attacks with an "iron fist", prompting the Israeli police to go to the highest level of alert.

" is facing a wave of murderous Arab terrorism...The security forces are at work. We will fight terrorism with persistence, diligence and an iron fist", Bennett said in a statement.

"They will not move us from here. We will prevail," the Israeli PM vowed.

A police spokesman said that the shooting took place in two different areas in Bnei Brak near Tel aviv.

One of the victims is said to be a police officer who was trying to stop the attacker, while the rest were civilians.

Footage from the scene showed the assailant entering a convenience store armed with an assault rifle and firing at a young man, who is seen escaping into a nearby building.

The shooter then aimed his rifle at another person riding on a bike, but missed, and then opened fire at a passing car. The car came to a stop after the initial fire, at which point the assailant came closer to it and fired through the window at the driver, who was killed.

Police said that the assailant was shot at the scene by a police officer.

The shooter was named as Diaa Hamarsheha, a 26-year-old Palestinian from Ya'bad, near Jenin, in the West Bank. He had apparently been in illegally.

He is said to have been arrested by Israel in 2013 for security offenses and also served a six-month sentence.

Israeli Police were looking for other suspects amid warning by Ramat Gan Mayor, Carmel Shama-Hacohen, to the city's residents not to leave their homes if not absolutely necessary.

There have been two more attacks in Israel in the southern city of Beersheba and the northern city of Holon over the past one week.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz convened a situational assessment with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) chief of staff, the head of the Shin Bet security service, the head of military intelligence and the head of the military's operations division.

The Israeli security cabinet will hold a meeting on Wednesday regarding the attack.

An official for Islamic Hamas in the Gaza Strip said that the organization "welcomes the heroic operation, which is a natural response to the crimes of the occupation against the Palestinian people."



"This is also a swift response to the shameful summit that was held in the south", he said referring to the Negev Summit in which Israel hosted a number of Arab foreign ministers.

No group has yet taken responsibility for the shooting.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the attack, saying that killings of both Israeli and Palestinian civilians might lead to escalation, at a "time in which we are striving for stability" ahead of Ramadan, Passover and Easter.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
To her 1.4 million followers on social media, Vica Li says she is a life blogger and food lover who wants to teach her fans about so they can travel the country with ease.

Through my lens, I will take you around China, take you into Vica's life! she says in a January video posted on YouTube and Facebook.

But that lens may be controlled by CGTN, the Chinese-state run TV network where she has regularly appeared in broadcasts and is listed as a digital reporter on the company's website.

While Vica Li tells followers she created all of these channels on her own, her Facebook account shows at least nine people manage her page.

That portfolio of accounts is just one tentacle of China's growing influence on US-owned social media platforms, an Associated Press examination has found.

As continues to assert its economic might, it is using the global social media ecosystem to expand its already formidable influence.

The country has built a network of social media personalities who parrot the government's perspective in posts, operating in virtual lockstep as they promote China, deflect criticism of its human rights abuses and advance Beijing's talking points on world affairs like Russia's war against Ukraine.

Some of China's state-affiliated reporters have posited themselves as trendy Instagram influencers or bloggers. The country has also hired firms to recruit influencers to deliver carefully crafted messages that boost its image to social media users.

And it is benefitting from a cadre of Westerners who have devoted YouTube channels and Twitter feeds to echoing pro- narratives on everything from Beijing's treatment of Uyghur Muslims to Olympian Eileen Gu, an American who competed for China in the most recent Winter Games.

The influencer network allows Beijing to proffer propaganda to social media users around the globe. At least 200 influencers with connections to the Chinese government or its state media are operating in 38 different languages, according to research from Miburo, a firm that tracks foreign disinformation operations.

You can see how they're trying to infiltrate every one of these countries, said Miburo President Clint Watts, a former FBI agent. If you just bombard an audience for long enough with the same narratives people will tend to believe them over time.

Russia's war with Ukraine is but one example.

While the invasion was being condemned as a brazen assault on democracy, Li Jingjing presented a different narrative to her 21,000 YouTube subscribers, posting videos that echoed Russian propaganda and promoted misleading claims including that the US and NATO provoked Russia's invasion.

On YouTube, Li Jingjing says she's a traveller, storyteller and "journalist". But she does not reveal in her segments that she's a reporter for CGTN, articulating views that are not just her own but also familiar Chinese government talking points. Neither Vica Li nor Li Jingjing responded to questions from AP.

The AP identified dozens of similar accounts, which collectively have more than 10 million followers and subscribers.

The profiles often belong to Chinese state media reporters who have transformed their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube accounts platforms largely blocked in China and begun identifying as bloggers, influencers or non-descript journalists.

They clearly have identified the Chinese lady influencer' is the way to go, Watts said of China.

Foreign governments have long tried to exploit social media to stealthily influence users, including during the 2016 US election.

In response, tech companies like Facebook and Twitter promised to better alert American users to foreign propaganda by labelling state-backed media accounts.

But the AP review found most of the Chinese influencer social media accounts are inconsistently labelled as state-funded media. The accounts, like those belonging to Li Jingjing and Vica Li, are often labeled on Facebook or Instagram, but aren't flagged on YouTube or . Vica Li's account is not labelled on Twitter. Last month, Twitter began identifying Li Jingjing's account as Chinese state-media.

CGTN did not respond to interview requests. CGTN America, which is registered as a foreign agent with the Justice Department and has disclosed having commercial arrangements with news organisations including the AP, CNN and Reuters, did not return messages. A lawyer who has represented CGTN America did not respond either.

A spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, said, Chinese media and journalists carry out normal activities independently, and should not be assumed to be led or interfered by the Chinese government.

China's interest in social media influencers became evident in December when filings with the Justice Department revealed the Chinese Consulate in New York paid $300,000 to New Jersey firm Vippi Media to recruit influencers to post messages to Instagram and followers during the Beijing Olympics.

Vipp Jaswal, Vippi Media's CEO, declined to share with AP details about the posts.

English-speaking influencers have also cultivated a niche by promoting pro-Chinese messaging on YouTube and Twitter.

Last April, CGTN invited English speakers from around the world to join a months-long competition that would end with jobs as social media influencers in London, Nairobi, Kenya or Washington.

British video blogger Jason Lightfoot raved about the opportunity in a YouTube video and has accrued 200,000 subscribers with headlines like The Olympics Backfired on USA Disastrous Regret and Western Media Lies about China.

The video topics are in sync with those of other pro-China bloggers like Cyrus Janssen, a US citizen in Canada. During the Olympics, Janssen and Lightfoot shared identical images on the same day of Gu in posts celebrating her three-medal win and blasting the US.

Janssen told AP he's never accepted money from the Chinese government. But when pressed for details about some of his partnerships with Chinese tech firms, Janssen responded only with questions about an AP's reporter salary.

YouTubers Matthew Tye, an American, and Winston Sterzel, who is from South Africa, believe, in many cases, China is paying for content.

They were included last year on an email pitch to numerous YouTube influencers from a company that identified itself as Hong Kong Pear Technology.

The email asked them to share a promotional video for China's touristy Hainan province on their channels. Pear Technology followed up in another email with a pitch for them to post a propaganda video that asserted COVID-19 originated from North American white-tailed deer, not China.

Sterzel and Tye didn't hear anything further after they requested the company provide evidence to support that claim.

There's a very easy formula to become successful, Sterzel said in an interview. It's simply to praise the Chinese government, to praise China and talk about how great China is and how bad the West is.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Imran Khan-led Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government received a major blow by the key ally and the main coalition partner Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) after it struck a deal with the opposition Peoples Party (PPP).

"The united opposition and MQM have reached an agreement. Rabta committee MQM and PPP CEC will ratify the said agreement. We will then share details with the media in a press conference tomorrow IA. Congratulations Pakistan," tweeted PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

The PTI government lost the majority in the lower house of the parliament following the late-night development ahead of the no-confidence motion against on March 31.



The joint opposition has 177 members of the national assembly after the ruling coalition partner MQM-P decided to part ways with the Imran Khan-led government that has left with 164 MNAs.

Notably, in order to make the no-confidence motion against the prime minister successful, the joint opposition requires the support of 172 MNAs.

Meanwhile, after alleged that some people are trying to topple his government with the help of foreign funds, federal minister Asad Umar claimed that the PM is ready to show a letter to the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial to back his claims.

PM Imran had said during his rally, "Attempts are being made through foreign money to change the government in Pakistan. Our people are being used. Mostly inadvertently, but some people are using money against us. We know from what places attempts are being to pressure us. We have been threatened in writing but we will not compromise on national interest.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister on Wednesday announced that India will provide USD 1 million to the 'Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) secretariat to increase its operational budget.

Addressing the fifth BIMSTEC Summit virtually, PM Modi said, "India will provide the (BIMSTEC) secretariat 1 million US dollars to increase its operational budget. It is important to strengthen the capacity of (the BIMSTEC) secretariat. I suggest the Secretary-General create a roadmap for the same."

He made the announcement in the backdrop of making early progress on the proposal of the BIMSTEC free agreement (FTA) to enhance mutual business.

"We should also increase exchanges between entrepreneurs and startups of our countries. Along with this, we should also try to adopt norms in the field of Facilitation," said PM Modi.

He said that the time has come to make the Bay of Bengal the bridge of connectivity, prosperity and security.

He said, "Make the Bay of Bengal a bridge of connectivity, a bridge of prosperity, a bridge of security as the region is facing challenges of health and economic security and stressed the need for solidarity and cooperation."

"I call on all BIMSTEC nations to dedicate themselves to working with new enthusiasm to achieve the goals we achieved together in 1997," said PM Modi.

Talking about the recent developments in Europe regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, he said, "The recent developments in Europe have raised questions about the stability of the order. In this context, it has become a greater priority to have regional cooperation."

He also announced adopting the BIMSTEC charter to develop institution architecture for the group.

"We are working on extending and expanding the scope of the BIMSTEC scholarship program offered by the Nalanda University. We are also signing a treaty on mutual legal assistance on criminal matters," said PM Modi.

Emphasizing the BIMSTEC Center for Weather and Climate, Prime Minister said, "The BIMSTEC Center for Weather and Climate is an important organization for cooperation on disaster management, especially disaster risk reduction. I would like your cooperation to make this more active. India is ready to contribute USD three million dollars to restart the work of this centre," he said.

To strengthen BIMSTEC regional cooperation, he said, "Our region has not remained untouched by today's challenging global scenario. Our economies, our people, are still suffering the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic."

Meanwhile, Bhutan Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering thanked PM Modi for providing COVID-19 vaccines to the nation.

"I would like to thank PM Modi for sharing COVID-19 vaccines with us, it provided the much-needed protection from COVID-19. More than 90 per cent of our citizens are vaccinated, protection of everyone is still our priority," said Tshering at the 5th BIMSTEC Summit.

PM Modi also said that the outcome of this landmark summit will write a golden chapter in the history of BIMSTEC as this year marks the 25th year of its establishment of BIMSTEC.

The 'Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)' is a regional multilateral organisation. Its members lie in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal, constituting a contiguous regional unity. The members include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President has announced that he will host a special summit of the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian countries here this spring, indicating the importance he attaches to his Indo-Pacific policy amidst China's aggressive moves in the strategically vital region.

Biden made the announcement during a joint news conference with the visiting Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the White House on Tuesday.

"As we look toward the future, Prime Minister Lee and I share a commitment to and its centrality in all of what we do. And I'm looking forward to hosting the leaders here in Washington, DC for a special summit this spring, Biden told reporters.

The exact dates of the special summit have not been announced yet, but it is expected to be held soon.

Biden did not give any other details about the special summit, but the announcement during his meeting with Prime Minister Lee reflects the significance he attaches to his Indo-Pacific policy.

Singapore and the United States are both committed to freedom of navigation as well as the unimpeded flow of maritime commerce in the South China Sea, Biden said.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, established in 1967, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee welcomed the decision.

We welcome his intention to host an ASEAN-US special summit here soon. It's a strong affirmation of American commitment to Southeast Asia and to centrality. The President and I discussed the importance of the US growing both its strategic and economic stakes in the Asia Pacific, Lee said.

Biden said the US and Singapore are working to uphold a rules-based order supporting the founding principles of the United Nations and advance a future for the Indo-Pacific that is both free and open.

We also discussed a wide range of concerns for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. That includes ensuring that all nations in the region, including China, uphold the principles that enable a free and open region. Singapore and the United States are both committed to freedom of navigation as well as an unimpeded flow of maritime commerce in the South China Sea, he said, amidst China's aggressive actions in the region.

Beijing claims almost all of the 1.3 million square mile South China Sea as its sovereign territory. China has been building military bases on artificial islands in the region also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Beijing has impeded commercial activity like fishing or mineral exploration by countries like Vietnam and the Philippines, claiming that the ownership of territory belonged to China for hundreds of years. The vast region is rich in fish stocks and undersea minerals. It has key sea lanes through which nearly USD 5 trillion in global trade travels annually.

Singapore is the second largest Asian investor in the US, and the US is the largest investor in Singapore. Singapore's investments in the US and US exports to Singapore support over a quarter million American jobs. On the defence front, Singapore is a major security cooperation partner of the US, in fact, the only country with this status, he said.

Lee said it is important to advance a positive economic agenda that's open, inclusive, up to date, and flexible. We therefore welcome America's proposed Indo-Pacific economic framework which will strengthen America's engagement in the evolving, regional, economic architecture. I discussed with the President his recent visit to Europe and the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, he said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Wednesday she will vote to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, giving Democrats at least one Republican vote and all but assuring that Jackson will become the first Black woman on the Supreme Court.

Collins met with Jackson a second time after four days of hearings last week and said Wednesday that she possesses the experience, qualifications, and integrity to serve as an associate justice on the Supreme Court.

I will, therefore, vote to confirm her to this position, Collins said.

Collins' support gives Democrats at least a one-vote cushion in the 50-50 Senate and likely saves them from having to use Vice President Kamala Harris' tie-breaking vote to confirm President Joe Biden's pick.

Senate Democratic leaders are pushing toward a Senate Judiciary Committee vote on the nomination Monday and a final Senate vote to confirm Jackson late next week.

White House chief of staff Ron Klain tweeted that he was grateful to Collins for giving fair, thoughtful consideration to Jackson and to other lower court nominees she has supported.

Jackson, who would replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer, would be the third Black justice, after Thurgood Marshall and Clarence Thomas, and the sixth woman. She would also be the first former public defender on the court.

It is expected that all 50 Democrats will support her, though one notable moderate Democrat, Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, hasn't yet said how she will vote.

Collins was the most likely Republican to support Jackson, and she has a history of voting for Supreme Court nominees picked by presidents of both parties, as well as other judicial nominations.

The only Supreme Court nominee she's voted against since her election in the mid-1990s is Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who was nominated by then-President Donald Trump after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the weeks before Trump's election defeat to Biden in 2020.

Collins, who was up for reelection that year, said she voted against Barrett because of the accelerated six-week timeline.

It's not a comment on her, Collins said of Barrett at the time.

In her statement supporting Jackson, the Maine senator said she doesn't expect that she will always agree with Jackson's decisions.

That alone, however, is not disqualifying, Collins said.

Indeed, that statement applies to all six justices, nominated by both Republican and Democratic presidents, whom I have voted to confirm.

Collins said she believes the process is broken as it has become increasingly divided along party lines. When Collins first came to the Senate, Supreme Court confirmations were much more bipartisan.

Breyer, who will step down this summer, was confirmed on an 87-9 vote in 1994.

In my view, the role the Constitution clearly assigns to the Senate is to examine the experience, qualifications, and integrity of the nominee, Collins said. It is not to assess whether a nominee reflects the ideology of an individual senator or would rule exactly as an individual senator would want.

In Jackson's hearings, several Republican senators interrogated her on sentencing decisions in her nine years as a federal judge and in child pornography cases in particular.

The senators, several of whom are eyeing a run for president, asked the same questions repeatedly in an effort to paint her as too lenient on sex criminals.

Jackson told the committee that nothing could be further from the truth and explained her sentencing decisions in detail. She said some of the cases have given her nightmares and were among the worst that I have seen.

Collins said that in her meetings with Jackson, we discussed in depth several issues that were raised in her hearing. Sometimes I agreed with her; sometimes I did not.

It is unclear if any other GOP senators will vote for Jackson. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell set the tone for the party last week when he said he cannot and will not support her, citing the GOP concerns raised in the hearing about her sentencing record and her support from liberal advocacy groups.

Jackson is still making the rounds in the Senate ahead of next week's votes, doing customary meetings with Democratic and Republican senators.

On Tuesday she met with Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, who said afterward that he was undecided about supporting her.

Romney said he had an excellent meeting and found Jackson to be intelligent, capable and charming.

I enjoyed our discussion a great deal, the Republican senator told reporters. I haven't made a decision. When I do, I'll let you know. Probably not until the day of the vote.

Romney voted against Jackson last year, when she was confirmed by the Senate as a federal appeals court judge. Collins, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham were the only three Republicans to support her at the time.

Graham and Murkowski have indicated they might vote against her now. Murkowski said in a statement before the hearings that "I've been clear that previously voting to confirm an individual to a lower court does not signal how I will vote for a Supreme Court justice.

Graham was one of several Republicans on the Judiciary panel who pressed Jackson on the child pornography cases, and he has been vocal in his frustrations that Biden chose Jackson over his preferred candidate, a federal judge from South Carolina.

He also aired past grievances in the hearing, asking Jackson about her religion and how often she goes to church, in heated comments that he said were fair game after unfair criticism of Barrett's Catholicism.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The says there was no breakthrough in the latest round of talks with Ukraine.

spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday it was a positive factor that Ukraine submitted its written proposals, but added that we can't say there has been something promising or any breakthroughs.

He emphasised in a call with reporters that there is still a lot of work ahead following Tuesday's talks in Istanbul.

On Tuesday, Ukraine set out a detailed framework for a peace deal under which the country would remain neutral but its security would be guaranteed by a group of third countries, including the US, Britain, France, Turkey, China and Poland.

It said it would also be willing to hold talks over a 15-year period on the future of the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.

Peskov said Russia's chief delegate in the talks, Vladimir Medinsky, has reported their results to President Vladimir Putin.

The spokesman didn't discuss details of the negotiations. Asked about the Ukrainian offer of talks over the status of Crimea, he said there is nothing to discuss because Crimea is part of Russia under the country's constitution.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
clawed back heavy losses to rise more than 2% on Wednesday on supply tightness and the growing prospect of new Western sanctions against Russia even as signs of progress emerged from peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv. Brent crude futures were up $2.48, or 2.3%, at $112.71 by 1003 GMT, reversing a 2% loss in the previous session.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose $2.72, or 2.6%, to $106.96 a barrel, erasing a 1.6% drop on Tuesday.

"We would see an additional 1 million barrels per day of Russian production at risk if relations with Europe worsen and an oil embargo is put in place, although we still see this as unlikely," consultancy JBC Energy said in a note.

"The United States and its allies are planning new sanctions on more sectors of Russia's economy that are critical to sustaining its invasion of Ukraine, including military supply chains."

The market saw a sharp sell-off in the previous session after Russia promised to scale down military operations around Kyiv, but reports of attacks continued.

Russia's top lawmaker on Wednesday warned the European Union that oil, grain, metals, fertiliser, coal and timber exports could soon be priced in roubles, having previously demanded that "unfriendly" countries pay in roubles for its gas.

Commonwealth Bank analyst Tobin Gorey said in a note that the price recovery "suggests the oil market, at least, has a strong degree of scepticism about any 'progress'."

Market focus has turned to tight supply after the American Petroleum Institute industry group reported crude stocks fell by 3 million barrels in the week ended March 25, triple the decline that 10 analysts polled by Reuters had expected on average. [API/S]

Keeping the market tight, major oil producers are unlikely to boost output above their agreed 400,000 barrels per day when the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia, together called OPEC+, meet on Thursday, several sources close to the group said.

However, face pressure from weakening demand in China owing to tightened mobility restrictions and COVID-19-related lockdowns in multiple cities including the financial hub of Shanghai.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Oil prices climbed on Wednesday, erasing losses from the previous session, on hopes of progress in peace talks between and and providing a fresh reminder supply remains tight as data showed U.S. crude stocks fell sharply last week.

Brent crude futures touched a high of $112.78 shortly after opening and were up $1.35, or 1.2%, at $111.58 at 0005 GMT, reversing a 2% loss in the previous session.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures jumped $1.29, or 1.2%, to $105.53 a barre, erasing a 1.6% drop on Tuesday.

The focus turned to supply tightness after the American Petroleum Institute industry group reported crude stocks fell by 3 million barrels in the week ended March 25, according to market sources. [API/S]

That was triple the decline that 10 analysts polled by Reuters had expected on average.

The market had dropped about 2% in the previous session after promised to scale down military operations around Kyiv and another city, more than a month after the invasion of that Moscow calls a "special operation" to disarm its neighbour.

However, reports of attacks continued, and although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said there were promising signs from peace talks held in Istanbul on Tuesday, he was looking for concrete results.

"We can say the signals we are receiving from the talks are positive but they do not drown out the explosions of Russian shells," Zelenskiy said in a late-night address.

Commonwealth Bank analyst Tobin Gorey said in a note that "The (price) recovery suggests the oil market, at least, has a strong degree of scepticism about any 'progress'."

Keeping the market tight, major oil producers are unlikely to boost output above their agreed 400,000 barrels per day when the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia, together called OPEC+, meet on Thursday, several sources close to the group said.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, key members of OPEC+, said the group would not look to take action against for its invasion of Ukraine, saying the producers' group was only to stabilise the market and not to engage in politics.

(Reporting by Sonali Paul. Editing by Gerry Doyle)

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Top Indian-American US advisor and a key architect of Washington's punitive economic sanctions against Moscow, Daleep Singh, will visit India on March 30 and 31 to discuss the "consequences" of Russia's unjustified war against and the development of an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the White House has announced.

Singh's trip coincides with the visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov who is likely to arrive in India either on Thursday evening or Friday morning after concluding a two-day trip to China.

Deputy National Security Advisor for Economics Singh will be in New Delhi on March 30 and 31, the White House said on Tuesday. Singh will consult closely with counterparts on the consequences of Russia's unjustified war against and mitigating its impact on the global economy, said Emily Horne, spokesperson of the National Security Council of the White House.

Horne said the top official will also discuss priorities of the Biden administration, including the promotion of high-quality infrastructure through Build Back Better World and the development of an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.

In New Delhi, Singh will continue the US administration's ongoing consultations with India, and advance a range of issues in the US-India economic relationship and strategic partnership.

He will meet Indian officials to deepen cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and prosperity, and a free and open Indo-Pacific, Horne said.

The preparations for the upcoming '2+2' foreign and defence ministerial dialogue in Washington next month are also likely to figure during Singh's visit. The dialogue is likely to take place around April 11.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will travel to Washington to hold talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin. The crisis is likely to be the main focus of the US official's visit to India, people familiar with the development said on Tuesday in New Delhi.

Singh, 46, is the great-grandson of Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian-American elected to the Congress. He has a Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Administration in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Harvard Kennedy School. During the Obama administration, he was deputy assistant secretary of the Treasury for affairs and acting Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Markets in the Obama administration.

Singh is said to be the architect of economic sanctions against Russia under the Biden administration. The sanctions, so far, have had a punitive impact on the Russian economy.

Singh's planned trip to India comes in the midst of a flurry of high-profile visits to the country which included British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and German Foreign and Security Policy Advisor Jens Plotner. While Truss will visit India on March 31, Plotner will pay a day-long trip to New Delhi on Wednesday.

Unlike many other leading powers, India has not yet criticised Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and it abstained from the votes at the UN platforms in condemning the Russian aggression.

However, last Thursday, India abstained on a resolution pushed by Russia on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, which was seen as reflective of its neutral position on the conflict.

India has been pressing for the resolution of the crisis through diplomacy and dialogue. Last week, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said in Parliament that India's position on the Ukraine conflict has been "steadfast and consistent" and that it has been seeking immediate cessation of violence.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russian President and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron held a phone conversation to continue discussions of the situation in Ukraine, shortly after a new round of Moscow-Kiev peace talks ended in Istanbul, Turkey.

Putin and Macron paid particular attention to humanitarian issues in Ukraine, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a Kremlin statement.

Putin informed Macron of measures being taken by the Russian military to provide emergency humanitarian assistance and ensure the safe evacuation of civilians, including from the eastern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol.

Putin stressed that in order to resolve the difficult humanitarian situation in Mariupol, "Ukrainian nationalist militants must stop resistance and lay down their arms," the statement said.

The presidents also touched upon Russia's decision to shift to payments in rubles for its natural gas supplied to "unfriendly" countries and regions, particularly to the European Union, according to the statement.

Russia and Ukraine concluded their latest round of face-to-face peace talks in Turkey's largest city of Istanbul Tuesday.

--IANS

int/shs

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russian President and Ukrainian President are likely to meet only after an agreement is ready for signing, Vladimir Medinsky, the head of Russia's negotiation team, said on Tuesday.

Before the discussion of a possible meeting of the presidents, a treaty must be prepared and approved by the negotiators, and then endorsed by the foreign ministers, explained Medinsky, also an aide to the Russian President.

This will be not simple especially because the meeting could be a multilateral one with the participation of state guarantors of peace and security to Ukraine, he was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

--IANS

int/shs

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russian forces pounded areas around Kyiv and another Ukrainian city overnight, local officials said Wednesday, just hours after Moscow pledged to scale back military operations in those places. The shelling further tempered optimism about possible progress in talks aimed at ending the punishing war.

Russia did not spell out what exactly a reduction in activity would look like, and while the promise initially raised hopes that a path toward ending the bloody war of attrition was at hand, Ukraine's president and cautioned that the commitments could merely be bluster.

Moscow, meanwhile, reacted coolly Wednesday to Kyiv's proposed framework for a peace deal, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying it was a positive factor that Ukraine has submitted its written proposals but adding that he saw no breakthrough.

The British Defence Ministry said heavy losses have forced some Russian units to return to Belarus and Russia to regroup but that Moscow would likely compensate for any reduction in ground maneuvers by using mass artillery and missile barrages. And the Russian military reported a new series of missile strikes on Ukrainian arsenals and fuel depots over the past 24 hours.

As the war unleashed five weeks ago by Moscow ground on, so, too, did the fallout beyond Ukraine's borders. The United Nations said the number of refugees fleeing the country has now surpassed a staggering 4 million, while European industrial powerhouse Germany issued a warning over its natural gas supplies amid concerns that Russia could cut off deliveries unless it is paid in rubles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted with scepticism to Russia's announcement at talks in Istanbul on Tuesday that it would reduce military activity near the capital and the northern city of Chernihiv.

We can call those signals that we hear at the negotiations positive, he said in his nightly video address to the Ukrainian people. But those signals don't silence the explosions of Russian shells.

That scepticism appeared well placed by Wednesday morning.

The so-called reduction of activity in the Chernihiv region, was demonstrated by the enemy strikes including air strikes on Nizhyn, and all night long they were shelling Chernihiv, said the regional governor, Viacheslav Chaus.

"Civilian infrastructure facilities, libraries, shopping centres, many houses were destroyed in Chernihiv.

Oleksandr Pavliuk, the head of the Kyiv region military administration, said Wednesday that Russian shells targeted residential areas and civilian infrastructure in the Bucha, Brovary and Vyshhorod regions around the capital.

They weren't the only attacks by Moscow.

Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Maj Gen Igor Konashenkov said Wednesday that the military targeted fuel depots in two towns in central Ukraine with air-launched long-range cruise missiles. Russian forces also hit a Ukrainian special forces headquarters in the southern Mykolaiv region, he said, and two ammunition depots in the eastern Donetsk region.

Donetsk is in the eastern industrial heartland of Donbas, where the Russian military says it has shifted its focus. Top Russian military officials have said twice in recent days that their main goal now is the liberation of Donbas, where Moscow-backed rebels have been battling Ukrainian forces since 2014.

Some analysts have suggested that the Kremlin's apparent lowering of its aims and the pledge to reduce activity around Kyiv and Chernihiv may merely reflect the reality on the ground: Its ground troops have become bogged down and taken heavy losses in their bid to seize the capital and other cities.

Still, the outlines of a possible deal to end the war came into view at the latest round of talks Tuesday in Istanbul.

Ukraine's delegation offered a detailed framework for a peace deal under which a neutral Ukraine's security would be guaranteed by a group of third countries, including the US, Britain, France, Turkey, China and Poland. Among other things, the Kremlin has demanded all along that Ukraine drop any hope of joining NATO.

Russian delegation head Vladimir Medinsky said negotiators would take them to Russian President Vladimir Putin and then Moscow would provide a response, but he did not say when.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said Moscow would in the meantime fundamentally...cut back military activity in the direction of Kyiv and Chernihiv to increase mutual trust and create conditions for further negotiations.

The talks had been expected to resume on Wednesday, but with what Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called meaningful progress made, the two sides decided to return home for consultations.

Despite the apparent signs of progress, Zelenskyy warned the world and his own people not to get ahead of themselves.

Ukrainians are not naive people," he said. "Ukrainians have already learned during the 34 days of the invasion and during the past eight years of war in the Donbas that you can trust only concrete results.

Western countries also expressed doubts about Russia's intentions.

We judge the Russian military machine by its actions, not just its words, British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab told Sky News on Wednesday. "There's obviously some scepticism that it will regroup to attack again rather than seriously engaging in diplomacy.

He added that of course the door to diplomacy will always be left ajar, but I don't think you can trust what is coming out of the mouth of Putin's war machine.

An assessment from Britain's Ministry of Defence said Russia's focus on the Donbas region is likely a tacit admission that it is struggling to sustain more than one significant axis of advance.

Russian units suffering heavy losses have been forced to return to Belarus and Russia to reorganise and resupply, the ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

Such activity is placing further pressure on Russia's already strained logistics and demonstrates the difficulties Russia is having reorganising its units in forward areas within Ukraine.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the US has detected small numbers of Russian ground forces moving away from the Kyiv area, but it appeared to be a repositioning of forces, not a real withdrawal.

In response to Moscow's pledge, US President Joe Biden and his secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said they would wait to see what Russia's actions are.

Blinken added that Russian indications of a pullback could be an attempt to deceive people and deflect attention.

It wouldn't be the first time. In the tense buildup to the invasion, the Russian military announced some units were loading equipment onto rail cars and preparing to return to their home bases after completing exercises. At the time, Putin signaled interest in diplomacy. But 10 days later, Russia launched its invasion.

Western officials say Moscow is now reinforcing troops in the Donbas in a bid to encircle Ukraine's forces there. And Russia's deadly siege in the south continues, with civilians trapped in the ruins of Mariupol and other devastated cities.

The latest satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies showed hundreds of people waiting outside a grocery store in besieged Mariupol amid reports of food and water shortages.

Even as negotiators gathered Tuesday, Putin's forces blasted a gaping hole in a nine-story government administration building in a strike on the southern port city of Mykolaiv, killing at least 14 people, emergency authorities said.

It's terrible. They waited for people to go to work before striking the building, said regional governor Vitaliy Kim. I overslept. I'm lucky.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces says the Russian withdrawal pledge is designed to mislead, BBC reported.

In a daily operational update posted to Facebook, the general staff said the Russian units were continuing to move away from both Kyiv and Chernihiv. has already said it will now focus on operations in the eastern Donbas region.

Ukraine's military believes the withdrawals "are probably a rotation of individual units" aimed at misleading Ukraine's military leadership and creating a "misconception" about the meaning of their deployment, BBC reported.

The update echoes statements made by Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, who said the threat to Kyiv remained despite Russian troop movements away from the city.

Additionally, the update noted that the enemy continued to "fire and storm" near Donetsk, in the east.

"Ukrainians aren't naive", Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, reacting to Russia's promise that it would scale down military operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv.

The pledge came after peace talks began on Tuesday between and in Istanbul.

But a sceptical Zelensky said that while initial signs from the talks were "positive", they do not "drown out" the explosions of Russian shells. Other countries also reacted with caution.

US President Joe Biden said, "I don't read anything into it until I see what their actions are." US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there was a difference between what says and does.

Leaders from the UK, France, Germany and Italy too have urged the West not to drop its guard against Russia.

"They agreed there could be no relaxation of Western resolve until the horror inflicted on is over," they said, according to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office, BBC reported.

--IANS

san/dpb

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russia's lead negotiator at talks with said on Wednesday that Kyiv had stated a willingness to meet core Russian demands, but that Moscow's position on the Donbas region and annexed Crimea remained unchanged.

Vladimir Medinsky said on Russian television that had said in writing it was willing to give up its ambition of joining NATO, adopt 'non-bloc' status, renounce nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction and commit not to host foreign troops or military bases on its soil.

Medinsky also said had agreed not to conduct military exercises with foreign armies except by agreement with state guarantors including Russia.

"Ukraine has declared its readiness to fulfil those fundamental requirements that Russia has been insisting on over the past years. If these obligations are met, then the threat of creating a NATO bridgehead on Ukrainian territory will be eliminated," Medinsky said.

"This is the essence, meaning and importance of the document preliminarily agreed upon at a ... high level by Ukraine.

However, work continues, negotiations continue." Medinsky was speaking a day after talks in Istanbul where Russia said it would significantly reduce military operations near Kyiv and the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv to promote trust, a commitment that drew scepticism from Kyiv and Western governments.

He said Russia was not giving up its insistence that Ukraine recognise the loss of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, and the independence of the two self-proclaimed breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine that make up the Donbas region.

"I want to emphasise separately that our country's position on principle regarding Crimea and Donbas remains unchanged," Medinsky said.

That is a major sticking point for Ukraine, which says it will not make any concessions on its territorial integrity.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is now in its second month. More than a thousand people have died and nearly 3.6 million have fled the war-torn nation.

Turkish President Recep on Tuesday hosted negotiators from Kyiv and Moscow in Istanbul for talks to end the conflict. Russia's chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky called the talks with Ukraine 'constructive', adding a meeting between President and his counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy will happen 'as soon as the agreement is prepared.'

What is Russia's stand on Ukraine?

Russia, which launched a "special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24 to uproot "neo-Nazi nationalists", on Tuesday announced it will sharply cut down its military operations in Kyiv and Chernihiv. However, Moscow made no mention of other areas that are witnessing very heavy fighting, including Mariupol, Sumy, and Kharkiv. While Moscow launched its attack on Ukraine to stop the nation's 'military action', the civilian death toll in the war-hit nation has reached 1,119 as the Russian troops have repeatedly targeted residential areas, schools, and hospitals.

Ukraine's stand on Russian invasion

Reacting with skepticism, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said, "Ukrainians are not naive people," as the nation's armed forces general staff said Moscow's promise to curtail military operations in some areas was "probably a rotation of individual units and aims to mislead."

Zelenskyy earlier agreed with Russia's demand that Ukraine will not seek to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). However, neither Russia's aggression in Ukraine has slowed down, nor the diplomatic talks have yielded any results yet.

US thinks Russia 'rearranging troops', not withdrawing

Soon after Moscow's announcement, US President said he was not convinced that Russia will pull back its troops. Hours later, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said that Russia is "repositioning" its troops around Kyiv, not withdrawing them.

To stop Russia's attack in Ukraine, Biden has imposed several sanctions on Moscow and has also put NATO troops on alert. But Putin's intentions for Ukraine have remained undeterred.

Britain will take a very skeptical view towards Russia and its pledge to scale down military operations around Kyiv, with Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab saying London will judge Moscow on its actions not words.

India wants a 'purposeful engagement' in talks

India, an ally of both Russia and the US, has taken a neutral stand. India has abstained from voting on resolutions against Moscow in the thrice. It once abstained from Russia's resolution on Ukraine. T S Tirumurti, India's permanent representative to the UN, on Tuesday, called for a purposeful engagement by Russia and Ukraine in the ongoing talks and expressed hope for immediate de-escalation of tensions.

(With inputs from agencies)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in on Wednesday to take part in the third meeting of the foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries being organised by Beijing, amid the Ukraine crisis.

Lavrov arrived in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, for the third meeting of foreign ministers on Afghanistan, Russia's official news agency Tass reported on Wednesday.

While the purpose of Lavrov's visit to is to take part in the meeting on Afghanistan, significance is attached to his visit as Beijing, a close ally of Moscow has backed Russia's war on Ukraine even though it walked a fine-line calling for peaceful resolution while highlighting Russia's security concerns relating to NATO expansion.

This is the first visit by a top Russian official to after Moscow launched a war on Ukraine on February 24.

Significantly, China is also organising a meeting of the Special Representatives for the Afghan issue comprising the US, and Pakistan on the sidelines of the two-day Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Neighbouring Countries of starting from Wednesday.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Muhammad Quereshi is also attending the meeting.

On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told the media that as agreed upon by all sides, the extended meeting of the China-US- consultation mechanism on the Afghan issue will be held on the sidelines of the Foreign Ministers meeting.

He said China, the US, and Pakistan are countries with important influence on the Afghan issue.

We hope to seek synergy between this meeting and the third Foreign Ministers' Meeting among the Neighbouring Countries of Afghanistan, further build consensus on the Afghan issue, encourage regional countries and the community to step up support for peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan, and help the country achieve peace, stability and development at an early date, he said.

China is hosting both the meetings as Beijing along with its all-weather ally Pakistan seeks to firm up its influence in the war-torn country ruled by the Taliban interim government.

Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will chair the meeting to be attended by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan or their representatives, Wang told the media on Monday.

The spokesman said, on the sidelines of the meeting, Wang Yi will also host a dialogue between the foreign ministers and the acting Foreign Minister of the Afghan interim government Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Foreign Ministers of Indonesia and Qatar have been invited to the meeting as guests, Wang said.

Pakistan, which along with China and Russia kept its embassy opened in Kabul after the Taliban took over, held the first meeting of the foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries on September 8 last year, a day after the Afghan Taliban announced the formation of an interim government.

The second meeting was held in Tehran in October last year.

The announcement by China to hold the third meeting of the neighbours conference came after Wang Yi while visiting Pakistan last week made a surprise visit to Kabul, on March 24, the first visit by the Chinese foreign minister since the change of government in in August 2021.

Though yet to formally recognise the Taliban interim government, China and Pakistan followed a coordinated policy backing the Afghan militant group's efforts to secure recognition.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A key partner of the ruling coalition in on Wednesday said it will support Opposition's no-confidence motion in the National Assembly, in a major blow to embattled Prime Minister who has now effectively lost majority in Parliament.

Addressing a press conference here, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement- (MQM-P), a key ally of the Tehreek-e-Insaf-led coalition government, formally announced that it was joining the opposition ranks.

"We want to make a new beginning for politics of tolerance and true democracy," said MQM-P chief Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.

The Khan government effectively lost majority after the MQM-P with its seven members decided to join the opposition.

Another ally of the ruling coalition, the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) with five members in the lower house had announced on Monday that it had "accepted the opposition's invitation" to vote against Khan.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said that Prime Minister Khan will address the nation on Wednesday evening and discuss the prevailing political situation.

Briefly talking to the media after a special session of cabinet, which was chaired by the premier, Rashid said Khan also shared the threatening letter with the cabinet colleagues, who in return expressed complete trust in him.

To a question if Khan would announce his resignation in his speech, Rashid said: "No way. He will fight till the last ball."



The minister also said that Khan himself or foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi may also brief the parliament in-camera about the threatening letter.

Pakistan plunged into uncertainty on March 8 after the combined opposition submitted the motion with the National Assembly, which will convene on Thursday to debate the motion.

Prime Minister Khan, who needs 172 votes in the house of 342 to foil the Opposition's bid to topple him, is facing his toughest political test since assuming office in 2018 as defections in his party and cracks in the ruling coalition appeared to have made his position fragile.

Geo News earlier reported that MQM-P lawmakers Farogh Naseem and Aminul Haque, serving as federal ministers, submitted their resignations to the prime minister.

Khan, 69, is heading a coalition government and he can be removed if some of the partners decide to switch sides. The PTI has 155 members in the 342-member National Assembly and needs at least 172 lawmakers to retain power.

Khan is facing a rebellion by his about two dozen lawmakers and allied parties.

No prime minister in Pakistan's history has ever been ousted through a no-confidence motion, and Khan is the third premier to face the challenge.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Khan strictly directed his party lawmakers to either abstain or not attend the National Assembly session on the day of voting on the no-confidence motion against him, which is likely to be held in the first week of April.

Khan came to power in 2018 with promises to create a Naya Pakistan' but miserably failed to address the basic problem of keeping the prices of commodities in control, giving air to the sails of opposition ships to make war on his government.

No Pakistani prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term in office.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said that his government is in talks with partners over the supplies of fuel to Ukraine, the Interfax- news agency reported.

"We are negotiating with global companies and foreign countries over the supplies," Shmyhal was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

has undertaken a series of measures to ensure stable supplies of fuel to the army and to the farmers who conduct the sowing campaign, he added.

On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Russian media that Russian forces carried out attacks on fuel depots in amid the sowing campaign.

Later, Zelensky said that Ukraine would get fuel from Azerbaijan for its agricultural needs.

--IANS

int/shs

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The on Tuesday (local time) said that Russia's bombardment of Ukraine's cities and critical infrastructure has created one of the fastest-growing humanitarian crises.

"Russia's ceaseless bombardment of Ukraine's cities and critical infrastructure has created one of the fastest-growing humanitarian crises in recent decades. Russian forces have laid siege to cities like Mariupol, where citizens have been left without food, water, heat, or electricity in the depths of winter," US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said at UN Security Council (UNSC).

Sherman said that the impacts of Russian President Vladimir Putin's war are being felt far beyond Ukraine's borders, as well - with some of the most immediate and dangerous implications for global food security.

"As has been said, Ukraine and are both major agricultural producers. Thirty percent of the world's wheat exports typically come from the Black Sea region, as does 20 percent of the world's corn and 75 percent of sunflower oil," she said.

She continued saying that has bombed at least three civilian ships carrying goods from Black Sea ports to the rest of the world, including one chartered by an agribusiness company.

"The Russian Navy is blocking access to Ukraine's ports, essentially cutting off exports of grain. They are reportedly preventing approximately 94 ships carrying food for the world market from reaching the Mediterranean. It's no wonder many shippers are now hesitant to send vessels into the Black Sea, even to Russian ports, given the danger posed by Russian forces," Sherman said.

She highlighted that already, food prices are skyrocketing in low- and middle-income countries as chokes off Ukrainian exports.

"Across the Middle East and Africa, already-high prices for staple commodities, including wheat, have risen between 20 and 50 percent so far this year. We are particularly concerned about countries like Lebanon, Pakistan, Libya, Tunisia, Yemen, and Morocco, which rely heavily on Ukrainian imports to feed their populations," she added.

Sherman said that Russia must abide by its obligations under humanitarian law on the protection of civilians, including those who are fleeing conflict and those who are providing humanitarian assistance.

"We hope that Putin will commit seriously to the peace talks underway. But we are focused on what Russian forces do, not what Russia says. Not what Putin says. And ultimately, the only way to end this humanitarian catastrophe is through a durable ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory and away from Ukraine's borders," she said.

"Putin started this war. He created this global food crisis. And he is the one who can stop it," Sherman added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ukraine reacted with skepticism to Russia's promise in negotiations to scale down military operations around Kyiv and another city as some Western countries expected Moscow to intensify its offensive in other parts of the country.

Talks took place in an Istanbul palace more than a month into the largest attack on a European nation since World War Two that has killed or injured thousands, forced nearly 4 million to flee abroad and pummelled Russia's economy with sanctions.

The invasion has been halted on most fronts by stiff resistance from Ukrainian forces who have recaptured territory even as civilians are trapped in besieged cities.

"In order to increase mutual trust and create the necessary conditions for further negotiations and achieving the ultimate goal of agreeing and signing (an) agreement, a decision was made to radically, by a large margin, reduce military activity in the Kyiv and Chernihiv directions," Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin told reporters.

He made no mention of other areas that have seen heavy fighting, including around Mariupol in the southeast, Sumy and Kharkiv in the east and Kherson and Mykolaiv in the south.

"Ukrainians are not naive people," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said late on Tuesday.

"Ukrainians have already learned during these 34 days of invasion, and over the past eight years of the war in Donbass, that the only thing they can trust is a concrete result." The general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said that Russia's promise to curtail military operations in some areas was "probably a rotation of individual units and aims to mislead."

The Russian military accused Ukrainian forces in cities under attack of using ceasefires to restore their combat readiness and set up firing points in hospitals and schools, Interfax news agency said.

Russia has started moving very small numbers of troops away from positions around Kyiv in a move that is more of a repositioning than a retreat or a withdrawal from the war, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

"We all should be prepared to watch for a major offensive against other areas of Ukraine," spokesman John Kirby told a news briefing. "It does not mean that the threat to Kyiv is over."

Britain's Ministry of Defence in an intelligence update said: "It is highly likely that Russia will seek to divert combat power from the north to their offensive in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east."

Reuters could not immediately verify the claims made by either side.

The Moscow-backed self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine may consider joining Russia once it controls all of Ukraine's Donetsk region, its leader was quoted as saying. Kyiv has said any such move would have no legal basis.

Russia calls its assault a "special operation" to disarm and "denazify" Ukraine. The West says it launched an unprovoked invasion.

Some analysts noted that Russia's promise to reduce fighting mostly covered areas where it has been losing ground.

U.S. troops in Poland are "liaising" with Ukrainian forces as they hand over weapons to them and a total of 10 F-18 aircraft and more than 200 troops are being deployed to NATO member and Russian neighbour, Lithuania, said Kirby.

PROPOSALS

Ukrainian negotiators said that under their proposals, Kyiv would agree not to join alliances or host bases of foreign troops, but would have security guaranteed in terms similar to "Article 5", the collective defence clause of the transatlantic NATO military alliance.

They named Israel and NATO members Canada, Poland and as countries that may give such guarantees. Russia, the United States, Britain, Germany and Italy could also be involved.

The proposals, which would require a referendum in Ukraine, mentioned a 15-year consultation period on the status of Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014.

The fate of the southeastern Donbass region, which Russia demands Ukraine cede to separatists, would be discussed by the Ukrainian and Russian leaders.

Kyiv's proposals also included one that Moscow would not oppose Ukraine joining the European Union, Russia's lead negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said. Russia has previously opposed Ukrainian membership of the EU and especially of NATO.

Medinsky said Russia's delegation would study and present the proposals to President Vladimir Putin.

To prepare a peace agreement, Medinsky later told the TASS news agency, "We still have a long way to go".

U.S. President Joe Biden discussed with allies more financial aid of up to $500 million for Ukraine, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters.

MARIUPOL DEATH TOLL

On the ground, reports of attacks continued.

A shell hit a temporary Russian military camp near the border with Ukraine late on Tuesday, Tass news agency said and cited a source as saying preliminary data showed it had been fired from the Ukrainian side.

Tass issued the report shortly after a senior local official reported a series of explosions outside the Russian city of Belgorod, close to the border with Ukraine. Reuters could not immediately verify the details.

In Ukraine's besieged seaport Mariupol, thousands of civilians may have died, the head of the United Nations human rights mission in the country told Reuters on Tuesday.

Those who remain are suffering.

"We are eight people. We have two buckets of potatoes, one bucket of onions," said Irina, an engineer, in her apartment where windows had been blasted out.

Elsewhere, Ukrainian forces have made advances, recapturing territory from Russian troops on the outskirts of Kyiv, in the northeast and in the south.

In the southern city of Mykolaiv, a missile blasted a hole through the main administrative building. Authorities said at least 12 people were killed and 33 injured.

(Reporting by Gleb Garaninch in the KYIV OUTSKIRTS, a Reuters journalist in MARIUPOL and Pavel Polityuk in LVIV and Reuters bureaux; Writing by Costas Pitas; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Ukrainian forces struck a target inside Russia, according to multiple publications, as Russian forces bombarded the outskirts of Kyiv and a besieged city in northern on Wednesday, a day after promising to scale down operations there in what the West dismissed as a ploy to regroup by invaders taking heavy losses.

In an overnight address, Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made clear he took nothing Moscow said at face value. Ukrainians are not naive people, he said. Ukrainians have already learned during these 34 days of invasion, and over the past eight years of the war in Donbas, that the only thing they can trust is a concrete result.

The Kremlin on Wednesday also played down hopes of a breakthrough following peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegates in Istanbul a day earlier.

We cannot state that there was anything too promising or any breakthroughs, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. There is a lot of work to be done.

In the missile attack 19 kilometres from the Russia- border, four Russian soldiers were injured, according to Russian news agency Tass.

and its Western allies on Wednesday dismissed a Russian military pullback from near Kyiv as a ploy to refit troops after heavy losses, even as invading forces bombard cities elsewhere and pressed on with the obliteration of besieged Mariupol.

We all should be prepared to watch for a major offensive against other areas of Ukraine, spokesman John Kirby said. It does not mean that the threat to Kyiv is over.

Ukrainian presidential advisor Oleksiy Arestovych said Moscow was shifting some forces from northern Ukraine to the east, where it was trying to encircle the main Ukrainian force there. Some Russians would stay behind near Kyiv to tie Ukrainian forces down, he said.

Nearly five weeks into an invasion in which it has failed to capture any major cities, said it would curtail operations near Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv to increase mutual trust for peace talks. But intensified bombardment could be heard in Kyiv on Wednesday morning. The capital itself was not hit, but windows rattled from the relentless artillery on its outskirts.

Chernihivs Mayor Vladyslav Astroshenko said Russian bombardment of that city had intensified over the past 24 hours, with more than 100,000 people trapped inside with just enough food and medical supplies to last about another week.

Russian forces also struck a Red Cross facility in the besieged and destroyed southern Ukraine port city of Mariupol, Kyiv said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he saw positive signals from the peace talks between and .

"The signals we hear from the negotiating platform can be called positive," Zelensky said in a video address published on his official Telegram channel.

At the same time, Zelensky said is "aware of all the risks" and will trust only "concrete results", Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ukrainian and Russian delegations held their latest round of peace talks in Turkey's city of Istanbul, the fifth since launched a special military operation in on February 24.

Following the negotiations on Tuesday, David Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, said Kiev has proposed signing a new treaty on security guarantees in an attempt to end the conflict in Ukraine.

--IANS

int/shs

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The is a proud member of the and the relationship that it has with the nations in that region is an enduring relationship, US Vice President said Tuesday.

The is a proud member of the Indo-Pacific, and the relationship that we have with the nations in that region and with Singapore is an enduring relationship, Harris said in her joint media appearance with the visiting Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore.

It is a relationship we value and we prioritize for many reasons, including the shared principle that we have about what is important in terms of world order and norms and standards, she said in the Vice President's Ceremonial Office of the White House.

Harris told reporters that she and the prime minister discussed the issue of Russia and Ukraine.

We in the spirit of our work together being global, discussed our support for the people of Ukraine and also the importance of acknowledging the economic costs that Singapore levied as a result of our shared concern about the advancement that Russia and and the aggression that Russia has taken, and the threat that it has posed to an issue that we hold dearly -- and I'll speak for the United States, and I know that we share this concern -- about upholding the importance of sovereignty and territorial integrity, she said.

But the bigger issue is not only about what we must do to maintain and fight for, for the United States, European security, but what we must do as a matter of principle and priority for our nation in standing up to the importance of rules and norms and rules and norms -- again, in this case, as it relates to sovereignty and territorial integrity, Harris said.

Harris had travelled to Singapore last August.

Lee said that the US has played an important and constructive role in the Asia Pacific for nearly eight years. Singapore has consistently supported a strong US presence in the region, both through words and actions. And our two countries enjoy close economic relations, he said.

Our US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement signed in 2004, nearly 20 years ago, was the US's first FTA with an Asian country. Singapore is home to nearly 5,500 US companies, and US FDI stock in Singapore exceeds US investments in China, India, and the Republic of Korea combined, he added.

Singapore is also the second-largest Asian investor in the US. So, Singapore's investment in the US and US exports to Singapore support more than a quarter million US jobs.

Our security and defense ties go back many decades. We're a major security cooperation partner of the US. Our Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation, signed in 1990 and renewed recently in 2019, provides the US military with access to Singapore's air and naval bases, Lee said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The ongoing war in Ukraine has implications for the Pacific, Prime Minister of said Tuesday cautioning the community that there are potential flashpoints and contentious issues in the region as well.

The war in the Ukraine has implications for the Asia-Pacific, Lee told reporters during a joint news conference with President Joe Biden of the United States at the White House.

There are potential flashpoints and contentious issues in our region too, which if not managed well could escalate to open conflict, he said, soon after holding a bilateral meeting with Biden.

Countries with interests in the region need to pursue all efforts to settle disagreements through peaceful means so that we can avoid reaching a point of no return. It is important therefore to keep open channels of dialogue between countries, including at the highest level, Lee said.

This, he said, will help to manage developments in order to avoid conflict and prevent misreading each other's intentions.

"We also need to create inclusive constructs to bridge differences and encourage cooperation and interdependence in the Asia-Pacific. For example, the APEC leaders meeting and the proposed Indo-Pacific economic framework, Lee said.

The US, he said, has enduring strategic interests in the Pacific and many friends in the region who want the US to stay actively and consistently engaged. And I'm confident that within this regional context, Singapore's own relationship with the US will continue to grow from strength to strength, said the prime minister.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Equity surged on Wednesday putting brakes to last weeks volatility as they added on to their meagre gains of the last two sessions. The rose 740 points to 58,683 levels, while the Nifty50 climbed 172 points closing nearly 17,500 mark. With this, the two indices have logged in gains of 1,300 and 360 points, respectively, since Friday.

Wednesdays sharp recovery came on the back of hopes that the end of the Russia-Ukraine war may be on the horizon as Russia on Tuesday said it would cut down its military operation in Ukraine.



ALSO READ: Inverted US yield curve no more a worry for markets

On top of that, Brent Crude prices have yet again slipped from recent highs amid expectations of slump in demand, which has lent further support to investors.

Among sectors, the prospects for financials - leading banks, leading housing finance companies, the fintech leaders and select NBFCs - appear bright for FY23 and their valuations are fair, said V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services.



"Pharma, housing related segments and telecom majors can lend support to the rally. But the upside to the rally is likely to be capped by profit taking and concerns arising from the hawkish Fed", he added.

Meanwhile, here are the factors in detail that have raised investor sentiment this week:

Cues on Russia-Ukraine truce: After a number of unfruitful deliberations over the last month, the two sides held face-to-face talks on Tuesday in Turkey, and paved the way for an end to the deadlock. Russia pledged to pull back troops from Ukraines capital Kyiv and northern city of ccc in hopes of building mutual trust to advance the peaceful dialogue. This lifted spirits of global overnight as US, and European indices closed firmly highly on Tuesday. Ukraine, on the other hand, laid out a framework, agreeing to adapting a neutral status, but also demanding security guarantees from NATO allies.

Meanwhile, the US is still wary of Russias claims of de-escalation, as it believes this could only be an attempt at diverting attention. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was also quoted as saying that the country will not keep down its guard. Whether Russia's claims of pulling out troops turn out to be true or not remains to be watched.

F&O monthly expiry: Ahead of the monthly F&O expiry on Thursday, investors lapped up heavyweights in the financial and auto space. From these, Bajaj twins, Maruti, M&M, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank and HDFC were the top winners that surged between 1-4 per cent.



PODCAST: FY23 to set new IPO fundraise record

Portfolio rejig ahead of FY23: Moreover, the equities have registered firm gains with the end of fiscal year 2022 (FY22) in sight. Hence, market participants are rejigging their portfolios before the beginning of the new financial year. The frontline indices  the S&P and the 50  are set to post a double digit return for the second consecutive financial year in 2021-22 (FY22) with a gain of 16 per cent and 18 per cent respectively, but it is the small-caps where all the action was concentrated in the year gone by. Read about it here

Slight ease in Crude prices: Prices of Brent Crude, which has so far been one of the major worries for economies across the world, have come off from their recent highs, registering a sharp fall of around 9 per cent on Monday to $110 a barrel levels. This came amid expectations of ease in demand from China, the second largest crude importer, as the countrys financial hub Shanghai has been put under covid-19 related curbs till around April 5.
The key benchmark indices are likely to start trade with strong gains amid hopes of an end to the Ukraine war. Russia on Tuesday promised to scale down military operations around Kyiv and northern Ukraine as a confidence-building step, in the most tangible sign yet of progress towards negotiating an end to the war.

Global rallied overnight, and taking cues from the same, the SGX Nifty as of 07:00 AM, hinted for a strong gain of more than 200 points on the NSE Nifty 50 benchmark at the opening bell. Meanwhile, here are the stocks to focus in trade on Wednesday.

ONGC: The government will sell 1.5 per cent stake in the oil producer through an offer for sale (OFS) on Wednesday, a move thats expected to shore up the centres divestment receipts by over Rs 3,000 crore. OFS for non-institutional investors opens on Wednesday, whereas the offer to sell an additional 94.3 million or 0.75 per cent would open for retail investors on Thursday. The floor price for the sale has been set at Rs 159, at about 7 per cent discount to the stocks closing price of Rs 171 on Tuesday. READ MORE

Hero MotoCorp: The income tax (I-T) department is learnt to have found that two-wheeler maker made over Rs 1,000 crore in bogus expenses and an unexplained cash transaction of Rs 100 crore involving a property allegedly owned by a promoter of the company.

Meanwhile, the company has said it plans to increase prices of its motorcycles and scooters by up to Rs 2,000 from April 5, to offset the rise in commodity prices. READ MORE

Tata Consumer Products: The company on Tuesday announced reorganisation of its India and overseas businesses. The company also proposed to purchase of a 10.15 per cent minority interest in its UK subsidiary, TCP UK, from Tata Enterprise (Overseas), Switzerland, (TEO). READ MORE

IL&FS: The resolution from the IL&FS group is expected at Rs 61,000 crore of the total debt of Rs 99,355 crore, which is almost 62 per cent, said Uday Kotak, who was appointed the non-executive chairman of the company in October 2018 by the government after superseding the board at that time. READ MORE

Adani Group: The Gautam-Adani led Group has concluded financing for the first phase of Navi Mumbai international airport project by raising Rs 12,770-crore loan from the State Bank of India. It plans to commission the airport in 2024.

IndiGo: The low-cost airline has named Gaurav Negi as its chief financial officer and is giving additional responsibilities to chief strategy and revenue officer Sanjay Kumar following two senior level exits. Negi takes over from Jiten Chopra who is leaving the airline to pursue other interests, he is the third CFO at the airline in as many years. READ MORE

SBI Life: Canda Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) on Tuesday sold 0.56 per cent stake in the company for Rs 597 crore. It sold 5.58 million shares at Rs 1,068.35 apiece. Among the buyers were Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund, Avendus, ICICI Prudential MF, Singapore's GIC and Goldman Sachs.

L&T Technology Services (LLTS): The pure play engineering services unit of the L&T Group is betting big on Meta. The company is setting up a Centre of Excellence for Metaverse as well as creating a business unit for Meta. The CoE will be launched by July-August. READ MORE

IDBI Bank: The private sector lender will offload its balance 25 per cent stake in Ageas Federal Life Insurance Company (AFLI) to Ageas Insurance International NV. The board of directors has approved to sell IDBI Banks entire stake of 200 million equity shares in AFLI to Ageas pursuant to exercise of Call Option by Ageas. In December 2020, IDBI Bank had sold a 23 per cent stake in an insurance joint venture to Ageas Insurance International JV for Rs 507 crore.

Further, IDBI Bank plans to raise capital up to Rs 3,000 crore through additional tier I (AT-1) bonds in 2022-23 (FY23) to meet regulatory norms and business growth. It will also raise up to Rs 1,000 crore via infrastructure bonds to fund projects and affordable housing.

Punjab National Bank: The state-run banks board has approved a proposal to raise Rs 12,000 crore through issuance of bonds to fund business growth. The board approved raising of capital through issue of Basel III compliant AT-1 bonds up to Rs 5,500 crore and Tier II bonds up to Rs 6,500 crore, in one or more tranches, PNB said in a filing.

Stocks in F&O ban: PVR, Sun TV and Vodafone Idea are the only stocks in the F&O ban period on Wednesday.


Aurionpro Solutions was locked in 5% upper circuit at Rs 322.35 on the BSE after the company announced order wins from large banks in Singapore.

Integro Technologies (Integro), an Aurionpro subsidiary based in Singapore, has won orders from the two large banks in Singapore.

The orders, together valued more than 3 million Singapore dollars, are for the upgradation & enhancement of the existing Smart Lender system. The contract would be executed over next two quarters.

Shekhar Mullatti, president & global head - banking, Aurionpro, stated: We are delighted to announce these wins. Both the leading banks are our long-time customers and we remain their preferred partners over these years which in itself is a mark of approval of our offerings. We are foreseeing increased traction in coming quarters.

Aurionpro Solutions is a global technology solutions leader that helps enterprises accelerate their digital innovation, securely and efficiently. It combines core domain expertise, thought leadership in innovation, security and leverages industry leading IP to deliver tangible business results for global corporations.

The company reported a 108% jump in consolidated net profit to Rs 17.9 crore on a 28.2% rise in net sales to Rs 129.5 crore in Q3 FY22 over Q3 FY21.

On the BSE, 20,108 shares were traded in the counter so far compared with average daily volumes of 13,431 shares in the past two weeks. Over 78% of the total traded quantity was marked for delivery.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bharat Electronics has signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence, Govt. of India for Instrumented Electronic Warfare Range (IEWR) for the Indian Airforce on 29 March 2022.

The contract is a significant step towards enhancing the capabilities of IAF to prepare for future warfare. The overall cost of the contract is estimated to be Rs 1109 crore.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital Editor
Hero MotoCorp: Hero MotoCorp will make an upward revision in the ex-showroom prices of its motorcycles and scooters, with effect from 5 April 2022. The price revision has been necessitated to partially offset the impact of increasing commodity prices.

ONGC: The government proposes to sell more than 9.43 crore equity shares (0.75% of total paid up equity) through offer for sale on March 30 and March 31. The government also has an option to sell another lot of more than 9.43 crore equity shares via OFS, collectively representing 1.5% stake. The floor price for the offer has been fixed at Rs 159 per share.

State Bank of India (SBI): The Executive Committee of Central Board (ECCB) has given approval for buying the entire stake ie. 13.82% in SBI Global Factors, from existing shareholders SIDBI, Bank of Maharashtra and Union Bank of India.

RSWM: The company has entered into definitive Business Transfer Agreement (BTA) towards sale/transfer of Private Freight Terminal (PFT) at an aggregate consideration of Rs.33 crore.

RVNL: RVNL has entered into an MoU with Jaykaycem (Central), wholly owned subsidiary of J. K. Cement, for development of approx. 50 km. new Railway line between Devendra Nagar and Puraina in West Central Railway in Madhya Pradesh through SPV mode.

Coastal Corporation: The company's board has given its approval for fund raising up to Rs 50 crore through rights issue.

Lemon Tree Hotels: The company has signed a License Agreement for 132 room hotel project at Rishikesh in Uttarakhand under the company's brand Aurika Hotels & Resorts - Luxury by Lemon Tree Hotels. The hotel is expected to be operational by March, 2025.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo) said that Jiten Chopra, chief financial officer of the company, has resigned from the post of chief financial officer on 28 March 2022, effective immediately.

The board of directors of the company, at their meeting held on 29 March 2022, has approved the appointment of Gaurav Negi as the chief financial officer of the company with effect from 29 March 2022.

Gaurav Negi has more than two decades of diverse exposure in the field of finance, corporate governance and business operations. A chartered accountant and certified six sigma blackbelt, he has held senior management responsibilities across various industries and worked in multiple countries.

Prior to joining the company, Gaurav Negi spent twenty-two years with General Electric Company, where he was part of their Global Leadership programs in finance and executive management. In his last role with GE, he was the CFO for On Shore Wind (segment of GE Renewable Energy headquartered in Paris, France), APAC & non-executive director, GE Transmission & Distribution (GE T&D) India.

IndiGo is amongst the fastest growing low-cost carriers in the world. As of 31 December 2021, fleet comprised 283 aircraft including 56 A320 CEOs, 140 A320 NEOs, 52 A321 NEOs and 35 ATRs; a net increase of 4 aircraft during the quarter.

The company had reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 129.79 crore in Q3 December 2021, compared with net loss of Rs 620.14 crore in Q3 December 2020. Revenue from operations was at Rs 9,294.8 crore for the quarter, an increase of 89.3% against a 50.3% increase in capacity compared to same period last year.

The scrip was currently trading 0.65% higher, at Rs 1976 on the BSE.

It is currently trading 16.9% below its 52-week high of Rs 2,379 hit on 16 November 2021. It is trading 31.5% higher, from its 52-week low of Rs 1,502.90 recorded on 20 April 2021.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rail Vikas Nigam rose 1.05% to Rs 33.60 after the company announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Jaykaycem (Central) for the construction of new railway line in Madhya Pradesh.

The EPC company said it entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Jaykaycem (central), a wholly owned subsidiary of J. K. Cement, for development of new railway line between Devendra Nagar and Puraina in West Central Railway in Madhya Pradesh through SPV mode. The length of the railway line is approximately 50 kilometers.

In a separate announcement, Rail Vikas Nigam also said that it has finalized a Memorandum of Understanding with Bharat Electronics for leveraging strength and capabilities through collaboration.

Rail Vikas Nigam (RVNL) is an organization associated with Indian Railways involved in building rail infrastructure required by the railways. As of 31 December 2021, the Government held 78.2% stake in the company.

The company's consolidated net profit rose 4.3% to Rs 293.01 crore on a 35.3% jump in net sales to Rs 5,049.24 crore in Q3 FY22 over Q3 FY21.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The barometer indices rallied in morning trade, boosted by gains in auto, financial services and bank scrips. At 10:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex rose 520.52 points or 0.90% at 58,464.17. The Nifty 50 index gained 137.50 points or 0.79% at 17,462.80.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index added 0.72%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index rose 1.22%.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. On the BSE, shares 2,326 rose and 776 shares fell. A total of 104 shares were unchanged.

Economy:

Domestic ratings agency ICRA, on Tuesday, slashed India's FY23 real GDP growth estimate by 0.8% to 7.2%, primarily driven by the fallout of Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty Auto index rose 1.63% to 10,585.95. The index lost 0.05% in the past trading session.

Hero MotoCorp (up 2.73%), Maruti Suzuki India (up 2.22%), Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) (up 2.15%), TVS Motor Company (up 2.02%) and Bharat Forge (up 1.80%) were the top gainers in the Auto segment.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Tata Consumer Products jumped 4.39% while Tata Coffee soared 11.72%. Tata Consumer Products (TCPL) on Tuesday announced the merger of all businesses of Tata Coffee with itself as part of a reorganisation plan in line with its strategic priority of unlocking synergies and efficiencies. The plantation business of Tata Coffee (TCL) will demerge into TCPL's wholly-owned arm TCPL Beverages & Foods (TBFL). The remaining business of TCL, consisting of its extraction and branded coffee business, will be merged with TCPL, the company said in a statement.

The demerger will happen as the first step and the merger will happen as the immediate second step, both being proposed through a composite scheme of arrangement. On effectiveness of the scheme, the shareholders of TCL (other than TCPL) as on the record date will receive an aggregate of 3 equity shares of TCPL for every 10 equity shares held by them in TCL. This will be carried out through the issuance of 1 equity share of TCPL for every 22 equity shares of TCL in consideration for the demerger. For the merger, 14 equity shares of TCPL will be issued for every 55 equity shares of TCL.

Rail Vikas Nigam gained 0.60%. The company announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Jaykaycem (Central) for the construction of new railway line in Madhya Pradesh. The EPC company said it entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Jaykaycem (central), a wholly owned subsidiary of J. K. Cement, for development of new railway line between Devendra Nagar and Puraina in West Central Railway in Madhya Pradesh through SPV mode. The length of the railway line is approximately 50 kilometers.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tata Consumer Products (TCPL) on Tuesday announced the merger of all businesses of Tata Coffee with itself as part of a reorganisation plan in line with its strategic priority of unlocking synergies and efficiencies.

The plantation business of Tata Coffee (TCL) will demerge into TCPL's wholly-owned arm TCPL Beverages & Foods (TBFL). The remaining business of TCL, consisting of its extraction and branded coffee business, will be merged with TCPL, the company said in a statement.

The demerger will happen as the first step and the merger will happen as the immediate second step, both being proposed through a composite scheme of arrangement.

On effectiveness of the scheme, the shareholders of TCL (other than TCPL) as on the record date will receive an aggregate of 3 equity shares of TCPL for every 10 equity shares held by them in TCL.

This will be carried out through the issuance of 1 equity share of TCPL for every 22 equity shares of TCL in consideration for the demerger. For the merger, 14 equity shares of TCPL will be issued for every 55 equity shares of TCL.

This will enable the consolidation and 100% ownership of the branded, extractions & plantations business of TCL into TCPL and its wholly owned subsidiary.

Through this transaction, TCL shareholders will get access to multiple growth engines and participation in a larger and fast growing FMCG business. TCPL shareholders are expected to benefit from better synergies and business efficiencies going forward.

Additionally, the board of TCPL has approved the purchase of 10.15% minority interest in its UK subsidiary, TCP UK, from Tata Enterprise (Overseas) AG, Switzerland (TEO). As consideration, TCPL will issue 74,59,935 equity shares i.e. 0.80% stake (computed on post preferential issue basis) to TEO, by way of preferential issue in accordance with the applicable regulations. The above transactions, along with future reorganization, will help unlock value for both TCPL and TCL shareholders who are expected to benefit from the resulting efficiencies and operational, administrative and financial synergies.

Commenting on the announcements, Sunil D'Souza, MD & CEO, TCPL said "The restructuring initiative is in line with Tata Consumer Products' strategic priorities - to unlock synergies and create a future ready organization. This exercise will enable us to better leverage our supply chain, create customer focused business verticals, and accelerate decision making & execution. This will be a stepping-stone for further simplification initiatives with a view to achieving recurring operational, administrative and financial synergies. We are confident that this will create significant value for all our stakeholders."

Tata Consumer Products is a focused consumer products company uniting the principal food and beverage interests of the Tata Group under one umbrella. The Company's portfolio of products includes tea, coffee, water, RTD, salt, pulses, spices, ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat offerings, breakfast cereals, snacks and mini meals. Tata Consumer Products is the 2nd largest branded tea company in the world.

Tata Coffee is a subsidiary of TCPL with 57.48% of TCL's equity share capital held by TCPL. Tata Coffee holds the majority stake in the Eight O' Clock Coffee business, the 4th largest Roast & Ground coffee brand is the USA. Tata Coffee is one of the largest integrated coffee companies as well as one of the largest exporters of Instant Coffee in Asia. Its business span Coffee including Pepper and Tea plantations and instant coffee/extractions business in India and Vietnam. It also has roast and ground facilities for 'Tata Coffee Grand' which is marketed by TCPL.

Shares of Tata Consumer Products jumped 3.85% to Rs 771.90.

Shares of Tata Coffee surged 8.51% to Rs 212.95.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The wants to fight and win polls everywhere on basis of its ideology, programmes, leadership's popularity and performance of the government, and not by unleashing violence against rivals, Home Minister said on Wednesday.

Replying to the debate over the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, in Lok Sabha, Shah said the wants to form government everywhere and that is why it fights polls.

"Why did you go to Goa, why are you going to Tripura. You have the right to go, I don't say don't go, every party must go with their ideology, programmes, performance to all places, this is the beauty of democracy," Shah said in an apparent response to remarks made by TMC MP Saugata Roy.

Only those who are afraid of losing power can have an objection to it, not the proponents of democracy, he added.

"I want to say that on the basis of our programmes, ideology, popularity of leadership and the performance of our government, we want to fight polls and win everywhere. But we don't want to grab power by killing workers of rival parties, carrying out series of murders, by raping wives and daughters of (rival) party workers. This is not our culture," Shah said in an apparent reference to West Bengal and the ruling TMC there.

He also took a swipe at the Congress and the TMC, saying they are parties run for families and don't hold internal polls for years.

"First hold polls in your party, then talk about country," Shah said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The on Wednesday permitted Karnataka Congress leader D K Shivakumar, who is on bail in connection with a money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate, to travel to United Arab Emirates to attend an event.

Justice Asha Menon allowed the application filed by Shivakumar, and said, "the applicant is allowed to travel to Dubai and Abu Dhabi between March 31 and April 6".

The judge clarified that the Congress leader shall intimate the investigating officer upon his return.

In the application, Shivakumar, who was represented by lawyer Mayank Jain, said that his presence is required in Dubai for an event organised in which he is the special guest.

In October 2019, the high court had granted bail to Shivakumar, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate, while imposing the condition that he would not leave the country without the permission of the court concerned.

In the bail order, the court had said that he was "entitled" for grant of bail as no material has been shown to indicate that he was a flight risk.

Shivakumar, a 7-time MLA in Karnataka, was booked along with Haumanthaiah -- an employee at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi-- and others for alleged offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The case was based on a charge sheet filed by the Income Tax Department against them last year before a special court in Bengaluru on charges of alleged tax evasion and 'hawala' transactions worth crores or rupees.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi on Wednesday taunted Nitish Kumar, her successor, with a remark that he should swap posts with his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath, since his ally BJP was raving about the latter's model of governance and wanted to replicate it here.

The RJD leader made the comment while lambasting the current dispensation for alleged failure to maintain law and order and effectively implement prohibition despite claims of double engine government, implying that the NDA was ruling both the state and the Centre.

Who has stopped them from bringing the Yogi model to Bihar? Let go to UP and let Yogi come here as his replacement, snapped the ex-CM who was a demure housewife until the imprisonment of her husband, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, in fodder scam cases made her take the political plunge in the 1990s.

The clamour for the Yogi model has been seen in the BJP camp in Bihar ever since the monk-turned-politician created history by returning to power for a second consecutive term in UP which has for long been associated with political volatility.

On Wednesday, BJP MLA Vinay Bihari caused a flutter by expressing a personal opinion that his party should now have its own CM since Nitish Kumar, who was "spirited like Yogi when he first assumed power in 2005", was past his prime.

It is my personal opinion. The decision has to be taken by our leadership. But it is natural for BJP members to wish that they had their own CM. After all, we are the largest party in the assembly, said Bihari.

In the 2020 assembly polls, the BJP won 74 seats, one less than the opposition RJD but many more than the chief minister's JD(U) which put up its worst-ever performance and ended up with a tally of less than 30.

Recently, all three MLAs of the Vikassheel Insaan Party floated by former Bollywood set designer Mukesh Sahni joined the BJP, raising the party's strength to 77, making it, for the first time in the history of the state, the largest in terms of numerical strength in the assembly.

The rise in the BJP's clout vis-a-vis has had many fallouts.

Although the septuagenarian is serving his fourth term in office and has become the longest-serving CM of Bihar, his party now has fewer cabinet berths than the BJP, which has also for the first time clinched the crucial post of the Speaker.

Besides, former Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, known as a confidant of Kumar despite having been a BJP member all through, has been shifted to the Rajya Sabha and the post is now shared by two saffron party leaders Tarkishor Prasad and Renu Devi.

Bihari was also of the view that 66-year-old Prasad, who is representing the Katihar assembly seat for the fourth time on the trot, could be a good choice (for the CM's post) given his experience and track record.

Sources in the BJP headquarters, however, frowned upon Bihari's outspokenness and pointed out that the decision to continue with Kumar as the CM was taken following the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Facing criticism over the liquor ban, the government has decided to introduce the Liquor Prohibition Bill 2022 in the state Assembly on Wednesday.

Under the amendment, there is a provision for the first time offenders to get bail from the duty magistrate after depositing a fine. In case the offender is not able to deposit the fine, he/she is liable to face one month jail.

There is also a provision that when an offender is nabbed by the police for the ban violation, the accused has to disclose the name of the person from where liquor was obtained.

The government seeks to pass the Bill in the Vidhan Sabha smoothly and has distributed the copies of the amendment Bill to every MLAs to read it.

The Chief Minister imposed a liquor ban in April 2016 in the state through the Prohibition and Excise Act. After the ban, a large number of people have been lodged in jails only for liquor consumption. The majority of the violators belong to economically weaker sections and the poor people. Even hearing for bail in simple cases is taking one year time in the courts.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) N.V. Ramana had said last year that the decisions like liquor ban of Bihar government in 2016 have put huge burden on courts. "There are three lakh cases pending in the courts. People are waiting for justice for a long time and now the excessive cases related to liquor violations put an additional burden on courts," the CJI had said.

--IANS

ajk/dpb

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
West Bengal Chief Minister on Wednesday sought to know from the Centre what academic measures would be taken for students who have returned from war-torn .

She said that it was the duty of the central government to take "full care of the students".

"I will request the Prime Minister to tell us what measures are being taken for the Ukraine-returned ... the 17,000 students. What about their studies? Is it not the duty of the government to take full care of these students?" Banerjee told reporters here.

The CM is on an official tour to the northern districts of the state.

Banerjee also asserted that her government was ready to help the Ukraine-returned students with their academics, unlike the Centre.

"I met 400 students who returned to Bengal. We are ready to extended education-related help to them free of cost, she added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government on Wednesday approved issuance of the 20th tranche of electoral bonds that will open for sale from April 1 to 10.

Electoral bonds have been pitched as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of efforts to bring transparency in political funding. However, Opposition parties have been raising concerns about alleged opaqueness in funding through such bonds.

"State Bank of India (SBI), in the 20th phase of sale, has been authorised to issue and encash electoral bonds through its 29 authorised branches with effect from April 1 to April 10, 2022," the finance ministry said in a statement.

The 29 specified SBI branches are in cities such as Lucknow, Shimla, Dehradun Kolkata, Guwahati, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Patna, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Srinagar, Gandhinagar, Bhopal, Raipur, and Mumbai.

According to provisions of the scheme, electoral bonds can be purchased by any Indian citizen or entities incorporated or established in the country. Registered political parties that have secured not less than 1 per cent of the votes polled in the last election of Lok Sabha or legislative assembly are eligible to receive electoral bonds.

Assembly elections are due in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh later this year while polls for five states -- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Goa-- concluded earlier this month.

The 19th tranche of bond sale took place from January 1 to January 10, 2022. The sale of the first batch of electoral bonds took place from March 1-10, 2018.

SBI is the only authorised bank to issue such bonds.

An will be valid for 15 days from the date of issue. No payment would be made to any political party, if the bond is deposited after expiry of the validity period, as per the statement.

The bond deposited by any eligible political party into its account would be credited on the same day.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], March 30 (ANI/NewsVoir): Biesse India, a global manufacturing company, set up its India office back in 2006 with just a team of 13 employees today successfully exports almost 85 per cent of their units to more than 70 countries across the world. As the company recently marked its 15 years of establishment in India, it began its operations in a small shed of just 1000 square metres in Yeshwantpur, now has two production units in Bengaluru spread across 30,000 square metres with more than 700 employees.

In a span of 15 years, Biesse in India has been able to manufacture 10,000 machines, of which 70 per cent have been exported to nations across 6 continents, including the USA, EU, Middle East, East Asia, Russia, Australia and many more. The firm has developed itself into one of the global leaders in designing and manufacturing advanced woodworking machinery and over the years, it has also diversified its offering by adding machinery and systems for the glass and advanced materials processing sector.

Biesse India is Biesse Group's first production site outside Italy. This strategic investment in India was an insightful decision to develop an advanced production plant that would create employment opportunities in the country and at the same time cater quality machines needs of the small to medium sized companies across the globe. The expansion of Biesse India's export network to 70+ countries has had a significant impact on the 'Make in India' mission. The company has also been proactively engaged in CSR activities over the years by supporting schools, emancipation through specialised courses at the Institute of Wood Science & Technology (IWST) and KIET Group of Institutions, setting up libraries, RO Water Plants, borewells, plantation drives and numerous other activities for the benefit of the society.

Commenting on the combined efforts of the organisation, Sayeed Ahmed, CEO, Biesse India said, "Our constant strive for product excellence as per International standards has been well received and appreciated across continents." Adding further on their core values, "Biesse India has always believed in empowering the local community by hiring local talent and onboarding local suppliers. We also try to create a progressive and encouraging working environment for everyone."

The global manufacturing company also invests 4 per cent of its yearly revenues in R & D, boasting over 200 registered patents. The R & D center has previously developed a software to augment user experience and is committed to bring transformative concepts for automation in manufacturing.

The initial years were true of great rigour and perseverance as the company took 7 years to reach a total production of 2000 machines. However, Biesse India's team including their leadership, with continuous support from its investors and top management in Biesse Italy, bolstered their operations and as of today has reached a production capacity of 1800 machines per annum. A growth of more than 100X compared to where the company started from. Biesse India now offers 6 product lines in 100 different configurations. There is also an experience centre where 15+ machines are available for live demonstrations.

Biesse Group is a multinational leader in technology for processing wood, glass, stone, plastic, and metal. Biesse India is a direct subsidiary of Biesse Group and also the only production site of Biesse Group outside Italy. Biesse Group designs, manufactures and distributes machines, integrated systems, and software for manufacturers of furniture, door/window frames, and components for the construction, shipbuilding, and aerospace industries.

The company invests 4 per cent of its annual revenue in research and development and has registered over 200 patents. It operates through 12 industrial sites, 39 branches, 300 agents, and selected dealers, exporting 85 per cent of its production. Biesse India itself exports to more than 70 countries across continents. Founded in Pesaro in 1969 by Giancarlo Selci, Biesse Group has been listed in the STAR segment of the Italian Stock Exchange since June 2001. It currently has 4000 employees around the world.

This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 30 (ANI/NewsVoir): CASHe, India's preferred AI-driven financial wellness platform today announced the appointment of Naresh Karia as its Non-Executive Non-Independent Director, of its systematically important NBFC arm.

Naresh Karia, a rank-holder Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary and Cost Accountant, brings over 21 years of CXO-level industry experience in banking, NBFC and financial services domain, apart from the last 4 years as an independent business owner and investor.

Previously, Karia served as the CFO at RBL Bank for over 7 years till early 2018 where he was involved in the transformation of the bank into a mainstream, mid-sized listed bank. Prior to RBL Bank, Naresh served with Citigroup India for over 10 years where he held senior-level positions including Controller at Citibank N.A. India and earlier as Financial Controller & CS of Citicorp Finance India Ltd.

"We welcome Mr. Karia to our Board," said Joginder Rana, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of CASHe. "I am confident his broad-based industry expertise and strategic insights will add value to our Board and our operations. We look forward to his contribution at our Board discussions."

This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi [India], March 30 (ANI/PNN): Patience pays off; delayed by a year or 355 days due to the COVID outbreak, author Deeba Salim Irfan's latest novel 355 Days, launched and awarded in The Significant League's award granting ceremony at the Press Club, New Delhi.

The event was organised by Nissim International in association with Reuel International and Authorspress. Chaired by author and theatre personality, Lalit Magazine, the event has also witnessed the presence of many prominent writers and speakers from the world of literature, including Dr Koshy AV, Dr Santosh Bakaya, Dr Vinita Narula, Satbir Chadha, and Sunita Singh.

355 Days: Pursuit of Freedom by Deeba Salim Irfan received overwhelming response and reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, and Flipkart when LiFi Publications released it digitally a year ago. While shedding light on the subject of the book, Deeba Salim said, "355 Days shows you how a life of imprisonment can affect a person in jail and the immediate family, especially when the person is innocent. It all starts with media passing fallacious judgements based on their sources just to gain viewership. This may further deceive anyone who is watching to believe something that is not entirely true, causing irreparable damage to lives involved."

After felicitating the author with Excellence in Writing Award, Satbir Chadda of Nissim International said, "The author has sensibly expressed the pain and pathos of imprisoned people. At times the book directs the reader's attention to some sensitive issues like mental and physical harassment, sexual assault, bribing, and bloody skirmishes, she never tried to sensationalise these issues. Even at the lowest moments, readers find something worth holding onto. 355 Days is a story of love, faith, hardships and greater lessons behind all the adversities of life."

Speaking on the uniqueness of 355 Days, Ramesh Mittal, LiFi Publications, said, "This novel is not just a crime fiction, but also a spiritual read. It's very rare to find a book that brings together crime and spirituality and Salim's book does exactly that. While spirituality isn't the main centre of the book, the purpose of the soul finds a significant place in the novel. Life has so many struggles, but there is always a brighter future we are moving towards. It is an intoxicating read."

Sunil Gupta, ex-legal advisor of Delhi Jails endorses 355 Daysin the following words, "An emotional journey with an in-depth research on Tihar life.

This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi [India], March 30 (ANI/PR Newswire): A book that gives a credible, detailed, and accessible account of Chinese intelligence agencies, about which next to nothing is known.

Non-fiction/ Paperback// INR 699

Releasing on April 1, 2022 | Pre-order here: (https://www.amazon.in/dp/9354892388)

"There is enough mystery, intrigue, and history in this book to make it one of the most fascinating narratives of Chinese history from the days of Mao to the present administration, and the contribution of intelligence services to China's growth and national ambition during the period."-Vikram Sood, Former Chief, Research and Analysis Wing (R & AW)

ABOUT THE BOOK

In 1920s Shanghai, Zhou Enlai founded the first Chinese communist spy network, operating in the shadows against nationalists, Western powers, and the Japanese. The story of Chinese spies has been a global one from the start.

Using previously unseen papers and interviewing countless insiders, Roger Faligot's astonishing account reveals nothing less than a century of world events shaped by Chinese spies. Working as scientists, journalists, diplomats, foreign students and businessmen, they have been everywhere, from Stalin's purges to 9/11. This murky world has swept up Ho Chi Minh, the Clintons and everyone in between, with the action moving from Cambodia to Cambridge, and from the Australian outback to the centres of Western power.

In the twenty-first century, the Chinese intelligence services, an umbrella term that includes several organizations, rival the largest in the world: the American CIA, the Israeli Mossad, the Indian R & AW, the French DGSE, Britain's MI6, and of course the other intelligence services in the region, such as the Taiwanese MJIB and the Japanese Naicho.

This fascinating narrative exposes the sprawling tentacles of the world's largest intelligence service, from the very birth of communist China to Xi Jinping's absolute rule today.

Author Roger Faligot says, "Over the last forty years, as an investigative reporter, I have researched information on China and her intelligence services. Travelling extensively in Asia and elsewhere, I have been able to obtain numerous testimonies and confidential documents showing how, after the fall of the USSR, Chinese spies have been broadening their scope from a regional to a worldwide focus. Under Xi Jinping, the Ministry of State Security (Guoanbu) and People's Liberation Army secret services have become as active as the CIA, the MI6, the R & AW or the Russian GRU and SVR. I am glad to know that a wide readership in India will get a chance to read these facts in my book, Chinese Spies. The more so because, from the point of view of the Beijing spy chiefs, India is one of their most important targets".

Swati Chopra, Executive Editor, HarperCollins India, says, "At a time when several books have been written about China and its relationship with India, virtually nothing is known about Chinese espionage agencies. Roger Faligot's monumental book, Chinese Spies, amply fills this lacuna with a comprehensive examination of a hundred years of Chinese espionage, covering all major events from the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 to the COVID pandemic of 2020. No other book comes close to the range and depth of Faligot's brilliant investigation into the shadow world of Chinese spies, and we at HarperCollins are delighted to bring it to Indian readers."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Roger Faligot is an investigative journalist and author of many books on European and Asian intelligence, including The Chinese Mafiain Europe and La Piscine, the first history of France's secret services. He has been a correspondent for The European, and Far East correspondent for Intelligence Online (1993-2018).

For reviews, interviews, excerpts, and more information, please contact Vandana Rathore at (mailto:vandana.rathore@harpercollins-india.com)

HarperCollins India publishes some of the finest writers from the Indian Subcontinent and around the world, publishing approximately 200 new books every year, with a print and digital catalogue of more than 2,000 titles across 10 imprints. Its authors have won almost every major literary award including the Man Booker Prize, JCB Prize, DSC Prize, New India Foundation Award, Atta Galatta Prize, Shakti Bhatt Prize, Gourmand Cookbook Award, Publishing Next Award, Tata Literature Live! Award, Gaja Capital Business Book Prize, BICW Award, Sushila Devi Award, Sahitya Akademi Award and Crossword Book Award. HarperCollins India also represents some of the finest publishers in the world including Harvard University Press, Gallup Press, Oneworld, Bonnier Zaffre, Usborne, Dover and Lonely Planet. HarperCollins India is now the recipient of five Publisher of the Year Awards - In 2021 and 2015 at the Publishing Next Industry Awards, and in 2021, 2018 and 2016 at Tata Literature Live. HarperCollins India is a subsidiary of HarperCollins Publishers.

Logo: (https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1249409/HarperCollins_Publishers_India_Logo.jpg)

This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PR Newswire)

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Matrubhumi" - India's First Projection Mapping Show on the ramparts of Red Fort on all days of the festival and throughout the year now

New Delhi [India], March 30 (ANI/NewsVoir): A testimony to the oldest living civilisation in the world, (https://eventsatredfort.org) Red Fort Festival - Bharat Bhagya Vidhata's Projection Mapping Show 'Matrubhumi' is receiving an overwhelming response at the cultural extravaganza that runs until April 3rd from 11 am to 10 pm which has made it a permanent fixture that will run throughout the year.

For the very first time in India, a grand spectacle using light, sound and music has been created through 'Matrubhumi' with state-of-the-art technology. The projection mapping show highlights the specialness of India through its long, amazing, and chequered history and stirs numerous emotions of patriotism to instil pride among our great nation's citizens.

As a part of the government's Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate 75 years of Indian independence, Bharat Bhagya Vidhata has already earned its place as the greatest cultural melange in the country and possibly, the world. With 'Matrubhumi', the Ministry of Culture & Tourism, in association with Monument Mitra, Dalmia Bharat Limited, are collaboratively highlighting India's rich history and heritage to newer generations through engaging interactive sequences projected at Red Fort itself!

Dignitaries from across the nation have already visited the festival. The inauguration ceremony was graced by Smriti Irani, Minister of Women and Child Development of India and "Monument Mitra", Dalmia Bharat Limited's Managing Director, Puneet Dalmia. Commissioner of Police Rakesh Asthana who inaugurated the projection mapping show at the Red Fort. Govind Mohan, Secretary, Ministry of Culture was also present on the opening night.

Beautifully conceptualised, scripted and executed, this 30-minutes show is a one-of-its-kind visual and cultural treat. The projection at Red Fort Festival - Bharat Bhagya Vidhata takes place until April 3rd and is free for all!

Timelines are as follows:

March 29th - March 31st - 7:30 pm - 8:00 pm

April 1st & April 2nd - 8:30 pm - 9:00 pm

April 3rd - 7:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Worried that you can't make it to the festival for the projection show? Don't worry as the overwhelming response to the grandeur projection at the festival has now made a permanent place at the Red Fort! So, after the 10-day festival is over the show will be continued throughout the year.

Website - (https://eventsatredfort.org).

This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi [India], March 30 (ANI/SRV): The Indian multi-service professional firm, Venture Care, which already had a global serving reputation and experience, is now spreading its wings in the United States and Canadian markets. With the promising rate that the company has shown growth in the last 6 years of its commencement, it is extremely likely to take dominance over many key businesses in its niche in the USA and Canada within a few months of operations.

Founded in 2016 By CS Abhishek Kumar, the company has shown promising results and has catered to the business needs of 3000+ clients in India and globally. Venture Care specialises in providing Finance, Strategy, Digital, Legal & Fundraising services for startups and SMEs. Owing to its huge positive reputation in the professional services industry, Venture Care has already carved its way into the global approach. Today, the company earns most of its revenue from foreign clients and businesses. Around 70 per cent of revenue is generated from international clientele.

The impeccable service range

Venture Care is quite industry-agnostic. Currently, the company caters across 50+ industries and sectors, stages and geographies like fin-tech, edtech, telecom, healthcare and numerous others. They also address business planning, strategy and fundraising for further developments. With expertise in intricate business matters like Valuation assistance and planning, the experience-rich team of Venture Care consists of many able professionals from diversified fields like Strategists, Business Planners, Chartered Accountants, Technocrats, Corporate Lawyers, Brand Experts, Senior Bankers, Marketing marvels, Company Secretaries, Taxation Experts and Industrial subject matter experts. This diverse team works tirelessly to provide standard customised business solutions according to diverse client needs. This is the greatest value generator for the company.

Venture Care values the time and effort of its clients. That is why one can avail world-class professional services with best in class pricing and international standardised timely delivery.

Adding to the value creation, The USA incorporated entity Venture Biz Care LLC is also promoting two new platforms for mobilising easy business-related solutions. One is the Safal Startup which will be a platform for founders to be focused to provide Ease of Market access and funds access the second on Venture Care's list is the StartUp Next; which is in development to become a crowdfunding platform for emerging businesses.

Challenges and opportunities

The biggest opportunity that was identified by the company was the lack of standardisation and timely meeting client requirements in professional services. CS Abhishek Kumar, CEO of Venture Care understood that the market needs a single window for professional services. So, he developed the hub to suit the possible business needs of all kinds; especially startups and SMEs. Today, the Indian entity Venture Care Services (P) Ltd is the one-window solution for businesses to avail services across four different verticles viz Strategy, Finance, Digital and Legal.

The Market growth and opportunity in the USA are huge. Expected growth rates are somewhere between the existing USD 5.85T to the projected USD 6.1T. The Canadian market also seems quite bullish towards the professional services industry, with over 140,000 working professionals and an overall market cap of USD 260B.

Abhishek adds, "Changing forms into the newer market is not a big challenge for us. We've done all this in India, and we're set to disrupt the professional service market again in the Canadian & American markets. With our newer ventures like Safal Startup and StartUp Next, We will embark on newer ways of professional service in these markets, and that will give the clients an edge over existing services." He also adds that " We've incorporated and acquired office spaces in the US and Canada. We're also appointing working professionals from across the two countries" On business ways, he said, "We're adopting a new stance on the identity and will cater for the two markets with USA Incorporated entity Venture Biz Care LLC."

The company, with its record, has become a blend of consultancy and multi-service. Thus the clients will have an edge over the market with the expertise of Venture Care. With a fresh approach, existing professionalism and experienced backbone, Venture Care is set to hit the US and Canadian market with the revolution that it is known to bring with it.

To know more, please visit: (https://www.venture-care.com)

This story is provided by SRV Media. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/SRV)

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India has finally inked free-trade agreement with a country after a yawning gap of over a decade. The fine print of the pact -- signed with the United Arab Emirates last month and released this Sunday -- threw another surprise. Delhi has extended national treatment status to UAE firms in bidding for central government tenders. So, what does opening of central government procurement market for UAE firms mean for Indian companies and why it has raised concerns in several quarters? Domestic industry is indeed staring at competition from UAE firms operating in free trade zone. Let us now move on to the domestic industry. In an interview with Business Standards Nivedita Mookerji, Anshuman Magazine of CB Richard Ellis South Asia Pvt Ltd shares why he sees robust growth for the sector which was hit hard by the pandemic. Analysts are turning cautious on stocks of companies due to soaring input costs.

Meanwhile, ITC stock which remained comatose for months at a time when the markets were reaching for the stratosphere has finally started to move. If analysts are to be believed, there is more headroom in this counter. Check out how fundamental and technical analysts see ITC do over the next few months. After Dalal Street, let us have a birds eye view of the drone industry. During the recent Beating the Retreat ceremony, over 1,000 drones not just lit up the dark Delhi sky with various formations, but also the mood of the audience. The government has said that it was just the beginning of things to come  it wants to make India a global drone hub by 2030. Promoting the drone-as-a-service model is one of the ways to achieve this target. Let us know more about it in this episode of the podcast.
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement or between India and the United Arab Emirates, which aims at increasing the bilateral non-oil trade to $100 billion in five years from $45 billion now, has many firsts.

These include chapters on digital trade and intellectual property rights. But India seems to be effecting a significant change in its trade policy stance by opening its central government procurement market to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after keeping the subject out of free trade agreements so far.

This will give national treatment status to UAE companies while bidding for central tenders, which means such companies will be treated on par with Indian companies for procurement.

Public procurement as a percentage of GDP is estimated to be about 20%. For a $3 trillion economy, this amounts to public procurement to the tune of $600 billion annually. Central public sector enterprises are a major contributor to the public procurement of works, goods and services.

In June 2020, the government barred global tenders from government procurement up to Rs 200 crore. Even for tenders above this threshold, the government can choose not to invite foreign suppliers.

The government wont enjoy this discretion with UAE anymore. The clause however comes with its own limitations to safeguard the domestic industry.

Public procurement of goods and services, including construction services above Rs 200 crore by 34 designated central government ministries, will be opened up.

However, procurements by all central public sector enterprises, autonomous bodies, and regulators are not covered under the deal. Procurements related to construction projects or any infrastructure projects, procurements relating to the health care sector, procurements of agricultural products for food aid programmes are also not covered under the deal.

Recognising the important contribution that MSMEs can make to economic growth and employment, the agreement allows both parties to apply a preferential procurement policy for their MSMEs.

What are the larger implications of Indias move?



Known for its cautious approach toward FTAs, India is currently in negotiations with the UK, Canada, Australia and the Gulf Cooperation Council. The government procurement clause in the deal with UAE could very well set a precedent and open the floodgates for similar demands from other nations in ongoing talks. India's existing free trade partners could also demand a review of the agreements. The move also sends confusing signals to local suppliers just as India is in the midst of the Atmanirbharta initiative to strengthen domestic manufacturing.




The death toll from a building collapse in Changsha, Hunan province, has reached 53. Search and rescue efforts ended early Friday after 10 people were pulled from the rubble. The 10th survivor was saved on Thursday, after spending over 130 hours trapped. Several people have been arrested by the local authorities, who are continuing to investigate the disaster

May 06, 2022 04:15 PM
Photo: The Canadian Press Filomena Tassi, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, along with Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, and representatives from the federal government hold a press conference in Ottawa on Monday, March 28, 2022, to announce next steps in the competitive procurement process for the 'Future Fighter Capability Project.' Defence experts say there have been both costs and benefits to Canadas long journey in choosing a new fighter jet, which resulted this week in the launch of negotiations for the purchase of F-35s.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Then-defence minister Peter MacKay climbed into a fake F-35 cockpit before smiling for the cameras and flashing a thumbs up. The date was July 16, 2010, and MacKay had just announced that Canada was planning to buy a fleet of the stealth fighters.

Fast-forward to Monday and the scene was very different. There was no fake cockpit, no smiles or thumbs up as Procurement Minister Filomena Tassi and Defence Minister Anita Anand made virtually the same announcement: Canada was going with the F-35.

In many ways, it seemed there was little to celebrate after 12 years of political controversy and mismanagement. Yet while there is no denying the cost to taxpayers, the military and Canadas reputation, experts say that doesnt mean there hasnt been some benefit.

Defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute says the clearest benefit is that the F-35 is now flying actual missions for the U.S. and other allies, which wasnt the case more than a decade ago.

There hadn't been all that many aircraft that had been produced back in 2010, and we're now into the hundreds and thousands of flight hours, Perry said. Basically, it is much more advanced and mature than it was in 2010.

Queens University procurement expert Kim Nossal agrees, saying Canada managed to skate around many of the development issues that are still being ironed out on the F-35s, which only became fully operational for the U.S. in 2016.

Nossal is also hopeful that the past 12 years have had another benefit: reducing the level of political interference in military procurement, which he blames for the fact Canada will still be flying its aging CF-18s through 2032.

The real question is whether or not the political parties, mainly the Liberals and the Conservatives, have learned from what happens when you decide to play politics with a major military procurement, he said.

In particular, he says MacKay and other members of Stephen Harpers Conservative government tried to rush the purchase of 65 F-35s by failing to do their due diligence, including running a competition.

Justin Trudeau continued that trend, Nossal said, by making the rash and untenable promise in 2015 not to buy the F-35 while also promising to hold an open and fair competition to replace the CF-18s.

The Liberal government spent a good five years trying to find ways to square what was an unsquareable promise, he said. And only recently, did they finally get around to doing it in such a way as to get the decision that they came down with yesterday.

University of Manitoba military expert Andrea Charron said that has been part of a trend.

I don't think there's any one person or one party that can be blamed, she said. It's consistent, persistent Canadian issues with procurement. We tend to make the decisions very partisan ones. Were loath to spend lots of money on defence.

Tassi made a point Monday of describing the competition that led to the decision to launch negotiations with U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin for the purchase of F-35s as non-political, saying the decision was based on facts rather than best guesses.

Still, even if that is true, experts say there is no denying the costs incurred. They include the investment of billions of dollars to keep the CF-18s in the air while the military waits for new fighter planes.

Public and political faith in the military procurement system has also been shaken, particularly after the scathing 2012 auditor generals report that identified major concerns with how the F-35 file was managed, and as the procurement system continues to experience delays.

Beyond that, the fact that we could not make a decision to buy new airplanes and replace others that are 40 years old has caused some reputational harm to Canada amongst our allies, added Perry.

And then there are the questions left over from Mondays announcement, which the government said will be ironed out during the negotiations with Lockheed Martin: When will the F-35s start to arrive? And how much will they actually cost?

Perry noted what ultimately led to the Conservatives pushing reset on their plan in 2012 to buy the F-35 without a competition was concerns about the high cost of the aircraft, with estimates pegging the price tag at more than $45 billion over 40 years.

I didn't hear any numbers yesterday about what the lifecycle cost of these jets is going to be, he said.

In 2010, 2011, and 2012, that was a front-page crisis about whether or not there was the right number for lifecycle cost."

Nossal, meanwhile, noted that things can still go sideways if the negotiations with Lockheed Martin go awry.
Photo: Jeremy Hainsworth Vancouver's Roller Girl is headed to provincial court to fight a rollerblading ticket on constitutional grounds.

Vancouver street icon Roller Girl is heading to provincial court to fight a traffic ticket for rollerblading, on human rights grounds.

Roller Girl, less known by Angela Dawson, claims Vancouver police put her in danger when they stopped her at Main and Keefer on April 20, 2021 while rollerblading behind a truck.

Dawson was charged with unlawfully coasting/sliding with apparatus on a street. She made her second appearance on the charge in Robson Square Provincial Court on March 29.

She told the justice of the peace the ticket was a violation of her human rights, of her right to freedom of expression.

Im a rollerblader, she said.

Thats when the court asked if Dawson wanted to pursue a Charter of Rights and Freedoms challenge on the ticket.

Dawson agreed.

The case now moves before a provincial court judge. Dawsons next court appearance is set for April 7.

Dawson rollerblading in the area of Main and Hastings has been a common sight for almost two decades. She directs traffic while on wheels in her trademark bright pink attire. She's also known to direct traffic at Commercial and Broadway and Main and 14th.

"I love it," she said. "I love preventing death. I like to enhance society."

As for being stopped and charged, Dawson said it made her feel "very marginalized."

She told Glacier Media she thinks the situation is police harassment, adding it took the officer half an hour to give her the ticket.
Photo: Brendan Kergin Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is due to visit a Williams Lake residential school on March 30.

Tsilhqotin chiefs say they want a meaningful role in the investigation into a Williams Lake residential school but wont meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when he visits March 30.

Trudeau and Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Marc Miller are due to visit St. Josephs Mission, which opened in 1891 and closed in 1981.

At least one priest was jailed for sexual abuse at the school.

In a 2015 Truth & Reconciliation Commission report, student Rick Gilbert remembered the school as a loveless place.

When you got hurt or got beat up or something, and you started crying, nobody comforted you. You just sat in the corner and cried and cried till you got tired of crying then you got up and carried on with life, he said.

Now, local First Nations are investigating the site.

This site investigation has already caused so much trauma in our communities, said Chief Joe Alphonse, T?ilhqotin National Government Tribal Chair.

It only adds to the trauma when we are treated like bystanders to a process that affects our families and our communities so deeply. Nobody speaks for our nation but us.

What the Tsilhqotin want is a greater role in the site investigation to promote healing for Tsilhqotin survivors and families.

We are asking for a meaningful planning role in this process so that our protocols, our leadership and our ceremonies are respected and honoured, Alphonse said.

But, as Trudeau and Miller visit the site, the chiefs wont be there.

Instead, they're calling on Ottawa to establish a planning committee for the St. Josephs site investigation  one that includes the chiefs, along with leadership from all affected First Nations.

The chiefs want the planning committee to guide this sensitive work in a way that respects the culture and protocols of each nation."

Alphonse further called on the federal and provincial governments to recognize the special significance of the St. Josephs Mission grounds and take steps to secure these lands on behalf of all affected Nations as a sacred historical site.

St. Joseph's was the main residential school for the six Tsilhqotin communities as well as Nuxalk, Southern Dakelh, Northern Secwepemc and others.

The Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) said last year it would use ground-penetrating radar and other technologies to look for graves at the site.

At the time, WLFN manager of title and rights Whitney Spearing told Glacier Media while the school is gone, other buildings still stand on the now-private property.

Some would like to see them burned down or returned to Indigenous ownership, Spearing said. There is definitely a sense of urgency, she said.

But its essential not to disturb the property until investigations take place to protect the integrity of that work, Spearing added.

For immediate assistance to those who may need it, the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day at 1-866-925-4419.
Photo: The Canadian Press NDP MP Jenny Kwan.

Afghan interpreters who helped the Canadian military say the federal government has lied to them about bringing family members to Canada, and that people have died waiting for paperwork to be processed.

At a press conference today organized by the NDP, interpreters say they plan to hold a hunger strike Thursday in protest.

They say their loved ones are fleeing from house to house to evade door-to-door searches by the Taliban and are burning documents showing links to Canada

Ghulam Faizi, a former Afghan interpreter who is now a Canadian citizen, says Afghans who have applied for passports to leave the country, following Canadian government instructions, have been interrogated by the Taliban.

Others have waited so long for Canada to process their papers in neighbouring countries, such as Pakistan, their visas are expiring and they face deportation back to Afghanistan and Taliban persecution.

New Democrat MP Jenny Kwan says the government should treat families of Afghan interpreters the same as Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, and process their papers once they are safe in Canada.
Re.: David Bucknas letter Trying to take back the flag (Castanet, March 29)

I find it interesting you liken the use of the Canadian flag by the "freedom" protesters to Hitlers use of the swastika.

Hitler poisoned the German people against Jews by claiming they were dirty, disease-ridden and a threat to the German people. (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau has claimed that the unvaccinated are racist, hold unacceptable views and said should we tolerate them.

Anyone who is not vaccinated is deemed selfish and uncaring. The protesters are vaccinated and unvaccinated, which no one will acknowledge.

Anyone who cares to find out the truth about the vaccines can do it. Go to Pfizers website or Modernas and look up adverse reactions. Yet governments are making (vaccines) mandatory for certain sectors. The exemptions have all but been eradicated. Doctors are not allowed to decide what is best for their patients based on the patients medical histories.

There was a health care crisis before COVID-19 but the response was to mandate vaccines (for health care workers and other public sector employees) and fire anyone who did not comply? Yet COVID-positive nurses could be required to work because of staffing issues.

You are obviously are not paying attention to what the federal government is trying to do to in Canada. One of the items going through right now is a universal basic income. That sounds good on paper but where will the money come from? And what is expected of you once you get it? Think Chinas social credit system where your watched 24-7. The same goes for the digital ID it is trying to roll out.

(The Canadian government) has a bill which would censor the mediaaside from the government-funded media which (I feel) is already censored.

The freedom protesters are still fighting because nurses, doctors, firefighters, police and other healthcare professionals were fired for (not taking) a vaccine that may pose a risk to those taking it, either now or in the future.

They are fighting against vaccination of the children because researchers have shown it may increase their chances of hospitalization (in some cases).

I am sorry but the flag belongs to all Canadians, not just those who choose to judge everyone else. Freedoms once lost are not easily returned and its your children and grandchildren who will pay the price and it is not a price I am willing to (pass onto them) without a fight.

Cheryl Rice
Photo: The Canadian Press House damaged by an Iranian ballistic missile attack in Irbil, Iraq.

The United States sanctioned Iranian defense companies Wednesday after a spate of ballistic missile attacks on targets in Iraq and the Gulf.

The U.S. and Iran's neighbors blame that country for a March 13 strike on Irbil, Iraq, and for repeated missile strikes into Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates by Iranian-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen.

On Friday, a Houthi missile strike set ablaze a Saudi Aramco oil storage site, prompting warnings from angry Saudi leaders that the attacks threatened the stability of the world oil market.

Even as the U.S. carries out indirect negotiations with Iran for reviving limits on Iran's nuclear program, it will keep up penalties against those involved in Iran's ballistic missile production, Treasury Undersecretary Brian Nelson said in announcing the sanctions.

We will also work with other partners in the region to hold Iran accountable for its actions, including gross violations of the sovereignty of its neighbors, Nelson said in a statement.

The Treasury Department said Wednesday's sanctions target an Iran-based procurement agent and his companies, which helped acquire propellant-related materials for the missile research program of Iran's Revolutionary Guard; an Iranian defense company; and an Iranian intermediary who also helped in the development of missile propellant.

The sanctions were authorized under an existing executive order targeting producers and supporters of weapons of mass destruction. The penalties allow the U.S. to block the assets of the sanctioned people and entities, and to prosecute others who do business with them.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been at war against Iranian-backed Houthi fighters who have seized much of northern Yemen. Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for the March 13 strike on Erbil, and alleged it was targeting an Israeli strategic center there.
Photo: Daniel and Melissa Mundall/Facebook A prescribed burn in Lytton, B.C., on March 24, 2022.

On June 30, 2021, Ivan Machelle was at home with his wife and two children when they caught the first whiff of smoke.

The father, a 42-year-old member of the Lytton First Nation, rushed into the town of Lytton, B.C., to see what was going on. As he got closer, Machelle was confronted with a creeping wall of wildfire that would soon consume the village.

It just hit the town bridge and most of the town had been engulfed already, he said. I raced home.

It was to the point where you didnt think anything was going to survive.

In a mad dash, the family packed their neighbours car, propped a sprinkler on the roof of the house, and raced up the valley toward the neighbouring town of Lillooet.

His daughter, eight-year-old Leah, gazed at the dark cloud of smoke gathering in the sky.

It was just so traumatic, said the father. She couldn't stop watching it as we drove off.

HOW CLIMATE-DRIVEN DISASTER CAN AFFECT MENTAL HEALTH

Like any disaster, research has found the shocks of wildfire can lead to long-term psychological trauma. After the deadly June 2021 North American heat wave killed nearly 600 people in Canada, researchers found British Columbians anxiety over climate change had climbed 13 per cent.

In another study published in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists (also known as the three minutes to midnight group), a daughter-father team of Canadian researchers note children, older adults, women, first responders and those with preexisting mental health problems or fewer economic resources tend to be more affected by climate-related disasters.

Since my daughter and I wrote this, the problem has only gotten worse, said co-author Robert Gifford, a University of Victoria (UVic) professor of psychology and the environment.

According to the study, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) makes adults more likely to suffer anxiety, depression and substance abuse. In some cases, symptoms spiral into violence and often lead those suffering from the disorder to destroy personal relationships and lose jobs.

PTSD can also show up in children through depression and aggressive behaviour; social withdrawal and clinginess has also been documented, and those symptoms are likely to last longer than in adults, writes Gifford.

In tornado-prone areas, residents have developed pathological fears of extreme weather events, to the point where they feared leaving their homes. And after Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in 1992, 38 per cent of children were found to be experiencing PTSD symptoms, writes Gifford; 10 months later, 18 per cent still showed symptoms.

Climate change-related heat waves have also been linked to increases in aggressive behaviour, leading to higher rates of homicide, suicide and spousal abuse. For those facing mental health challenges, rising heat has also led to increased hospital admissions.

Even relatively slow climate-driven changes, like that seen in the landscapes in northern Canada, can trigger environmental depression or distress, leading to dramatic reactions, such as a loss of appetite, sleeplessness and panic attacks, studies have shown.

Glacier Media has recently learned climate distress has pushed some in B.C. to attempt suicide. And researchers worry that for every degree of temperature rise, those rates will only go up.

It's not yet clear just how much last years devastating heat wave, wildfires, drought, and flooding contributed to climate distress among British Columbians.

But as this year's prescribed burning season gets underway, families like the Machelles are learning just how paralyzing wildfire can be months later.

COULDNT STOP CRYING

For almost two months, the Machelle family was evacuated from one town to the next, bouncing from recreation centres in Merritt, then Chilliwack, and later to motels in Surrey and Abbotsford.

On a few occasions, a generous stranger put them up. Other days they spent in shared spaces with hundreds of people. More often they would be alone in a small rented room.

Machelle remembers having to stop on the highway at one point because he couldnt stop crying. He says the panic wouldnt go away and he caught himself yelling at his children.

The father was already suffering from depression before the evacuation. Some of that Machelle attributes to long, unhealed wounds, such as losing his dad to suicide when he was seven years old and an uncle to the Fraser River more recently. As a forest firefighter, he has also struggled with the trauma of an accident that broke two of his colleague's legs.

Someone I trained on a chainsaw ended up falling a tree and it damn near killed him, he said.

As the evacuation dragged on, Machelle says he went for a month without any counselling. The father says he let his depression go. He stopped taking his medication. He ended up drinking more.

It was only when his wife left him that he looked for help. Machelle is now seeing a family and addictions councillor and taking antidepressant and anxiety medication.

At one point, he tried going back to work as a firefighter. But when he came across burned-out skeletons of houses, all he could think about was did these people make it? He fled the job without collecting his last paycheque and has been out of work ever since.

It just all builds up. Im single now. I'm raising my kids alone and Im in counselling, said Machelle, fighting back tears.

The fire brings up complicated emotions for the father. On the one hand, remembering those moments of panic still scare him; on the other, when he thinks back to the evacuation, Machelle remembers being together with his wife and children.

Today, shes visiting the kids and its really hard, he told Glacier Media Tuesday.

I just want to hug her.

Photo: Contributed Ivan Machelle and his two children. Planned burns in recent weeks have triggered fears in Leah, 8, buried since last summer's devastating wildfire and evacuation.

SMOKE TRIGGERS OLD FEARS

Several residents of the Lytton area have reported smoke from prescribed burns in recent weeks. Many say it has reawakened old fears kindled during the June fire.

The BC Wildfire Service has two prescribed burns planned in the area. But fire information officer Aydan Coray confirmed neither had begun as of March 29.

Its kind of play it by ear and make sure everything is lined up before it goes ahead, said Coray, pointing to the right conditions that would allow smoke to dissipate.

But according to the B.C. governments Open Fire Tracking System, which tracks burn permits in the province, and posts on social media, several prescribed fires conducted by individuals were set last week.

When Machelle smelled smoke last week, he ran outside thinking his house was on fire. At first, he noticed a haze.

And then all of a sudden you could see ashes start landing around us, he said.

Machelle says he didnt see a warning posted to Facebook that the burn would go ahead until after it had begun. Coray confirmed such burns dont usually require the permit holders to notify anyone.

In the nine months since the June wildfire, Machelle says his eight-year-old daughter was only just settling down into a predictable rhythm after remote schooling in the fall, a recent COVID-19 outbreak at school, and spring break meant limited access to in-person schooling.

The smoke from last weeks prescribed burn instantly brought back old memories for the eight-year-old. When the ashes started falling, Machelle says Leah cowered in fear, and as he pulled her in close, she had tears in her eyes.

I didn't know what to do, he said. I just held her, told her what it was and she said, Im still scared.

Leah stayed close to the window, close enough to see if the fire would come for them.

You can see the facial expressions on their face. It's almost like it was yesterday sometimes, said the father.

So far, Machelles five-year-old son appears to be coping, he says.

But he worries the trauma of the evacuation, of the fire, could come out later in his sons life.

That's what scares me the most. He's so young that one day it'll hit him and he won't know what it is.

MORE SUPPORT FOR KIDS IN DISTRESS

A spokesperson for Emergency Management BC told Glacier Media the province has partnered with the Canadian Red Cross (CRC) to provide assistance to people affected by the 2021 fires. That includes financial support and ongoing help with interim housing and living expense.

The CRC provides additional supports through a case-management approach that can support planning for a return home, understanding insurance and community resources and financial assistance to access mental health service, wrote the spokesperson.

Some of those supports are provided at a pop-up relief centre at a school in town.

But UVic researcher Gifford says the government and other institutions providing counselling services are only just starting to get their head around mental health in an age of climate change. Many, he says, are so busy it's hard to convince them to add another layer of training.

I dont know how to solve this problem when we cant even find family physicians, he said.

Machelle says few mental health supports have trickled down to his children after the fire. Until now, theres been nothing outside of school, he says, and he worries there are a number of other children suffering who dont even know it.

They could set a program up at a gym or something where they can go in, colour and talk about what fire is and what happened, he said.

You know, get them back to playing and being kids without the feeling that something bad is gonna happen.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Call 1-800-784-2433 or visit www.crisiscentrechat.ca.
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God

7 Morning Prayers you need to ...
Holcim to exit Russian cement market

30 March 2022

Holcim will leave the Russian market. It is the latest western company to quit the country following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Holcim operates three intergrated grey cement plants in Russia consisting of OJSC Volskcement, Kolomna Cement and the Ferzikovo plant. It also has white cement production at Kolomna Cement.

"The Holcim Board of Directors has decided to initiate the process to exit the Russian market in line with the company's values to operate in the most responsible manner," the Swiss company said in a statement.

"This decision to divest the Russian business follows Holcim's previous announcement to suspend all capital investments in the market," Holcim added.

Holcim generates around one per cent of its sales and operating profit in Russia, where it employs around 1500 people. It is now looking for a buyer for the business.

The company initially kept its operations running, saying it was supplying essential building materials.

"The Board expresses its heartfelt concern about the tragic human suffering unfolding across the region and is fully committed to supporting affected people, families and communities," Holcim added.

Published under
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.
This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions
The Hamilton County Health Department on Tuesday reported four new positive COVID-19 cases, down from 21 on Monday. The total number of cases in the county now stands at 98,352.

There were no more deaths reported on Tuesday by the Health Department, for a total of 1,115.

The Health Department is currently conducting data cleaning on a number of backlogged cases from the Omicron surge. This process will result in an increase in the total number of cases. However, the daily case counts will still reflect the actual number of new cases received by the Health Department on that day.



The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations is 21 in Hamilton County, down from 24 on Monday. Five more are hospitalized with suspected COVID. There are four Hamilton County inpatients and four patients are in ICU, no change from Monday.

The number of those who have recovered from coronavirus in Hamilton County is 97,153, which is 99 percent. There are 84 active cases, compared to 85 on Monday.
The Chattanooga Fire Department rescued a man who suffered serious injuries after a fall at Greenway Farms in Hixson on Tuesday afternoon.

The call came out at 4:36 p.m. to the park in the 4900 block of Gann Store Road. The man was walking a trail when he said the loose ground gave way. He slipped and fell off the bluff (approximately 30 feet).

He landed partially on the rocks and partially in the water below. He suffered trauma to his chest and his side and firefighters needed to get him out of the woods, which was not an easy task.

Squad 19 (Green Shift) went down the steep trail to get to the injured man, assessed him and started treating him. Squad 7, Ladder 19, Special Operations and Battalion 2 went down and set up a rope system to bring him up and out. They set up a high angle system and once the man was in a Stokes Basket, they used the rope system to bring him out.

Quint 10 brought a UTV to the scene and they got the man out of the woods so he could be loaded into an ambulance. He was taken to the hospital by Hamilton County EMS.





Officials said, "The CFD has worked multiple rescues at this location where people have been badly hurt and first responders have had to conduct dangerous, labor intensive rescue operations. We ask visitors and hikers to be mindful of the dangers of walking trails at all times. Please be aware of your surroundings when hiking with the possibility of loose rock and dirt on the terrain. Wear proper footwear for hiking. Make sure you have a cell phone to call for help if needed."
Citizens on Tuesday told members of the City Council their redistricting process excluded the public and violated the Sunshine Law.

Speakers said the council should restart the process with full citizen involvement.

Councilwoman Carol Berz, who headed a three-member redistricting committee, said citizen input was gained from individual council members holding district meetings and getting feedback.

She said the process used by the council "followed the law."

She added at a public input session at City Hall at 6 p.m.,"Everything we've done has been on the website."

Everlena Holmes said the council discussed redistricting on Sept. 21, then six months later they announced that the nine district lines had been drawn.

She said, "There was a lack of transparency and openness. That creates a lack of public trust."

Theresa Turner of the Voters Council said the city process was in contrast to the county's that was "very open with perfect transparency." At the city, she said, "There was a total absence of public engagement."

She said the council needed to "restart the redistricting process and allow public input at the end of each meeting."

Helen Burns Sharp said there was a violation of the Sunshine Law and said the process "needs to start all over."

She said the process consisted of a three-person committee working with the mayor's staff."

She added, "The public confidence has suffered. It may be a good plan, but it lacked active public input."

Eric Atkins said a decade earlier the City Council held six public engagement sessions on redistricting. He said the current process was "flawed, insufficient and inadequate."

He said, "Openness and transparency are hallmarks of the democracy that we fight for."

The City Council has not yet voted to approve the final draft of the redistricting, but is expected to do so soon.

Councilwoman Berz said current districts remain in place. She said the new lines do not take effect until the time of the city's 2025 election.
An employee at Hobby Lobby, 2288 Gunbarrel Road, told police that a man came into the store a few minutes prior to closing. She said the man walked inside and was talking on the phone for approximately two-three minutes before picking up a bench and leaving the store without paying. The bench the man took was valued at $214.98. The employee was able to obtain pictures and video footage of the theft, but due to the quality of the footage, there is no suspect

information.

* * *

A man on Renaissance Court told police that sometime between midnight and 6 a.m. someone entered his 2014 Ford F-150 and rifled through the center console. He said he normally locks his vehicle, but found no damage and thinks he may have failed to lock it. He says several items may have been taken, but he will have to inventory his property before he can tell what all was taken. He says once done, he will call police back to add his property to the report.

* * *



A caller told police there was a suspicious female standing near the Extended Stay America, 6240 Airpark Dr., talking to herself. Police located the woman, who identified herself. She was checked and not wanted for any outstanding warrants. She said she was just kicked out of the hotel and was waiting on a ride. She told police she was fine and did not need their assistance. The woman said she would leave the area and wait for her ride down the road.

* * *

A single vehicle collision with no injury was reported at 400 Wauhatchie Pike. Upon arrival police found there was no collision. The vehicle in question had turned towards the right and was stuck on the railroad track. United Wrecker arrived and pulled the vehicle off the tracks. The driver drove the vehicle away and train operations resumed as normal.

* * *

A man on Willcrest Drive told police he has received a letter from the SBA requesting that he complete a police report regarding a loan taken out in the amount of $9,000. He said the loan was taken out online under the name Stephen Green Tow Truck. He said he was notified by his ex-wife when the first statement went to her address in Minnesota. He said he contacted the SBA at that time and they told him they would handle it. He said now they are wanting a police report stating that he did not make the loan. The man is clear that since he has not suffered a financial loss. The SBA will be listed as the victim.

* * *

While police were sitting in a parking lot at Vance Road, an employee of EPB pulled up and said that he found two sets of car keys on the side of the road at 7400 Vance Road. Police turned the keys into Property.

* * *

The owner of a business at 411 W 21st St. told police that a man had been on his property breaking glass windows. Police spoke with the man, who said that he thought he could break glass at the location. The owner just wanted documentation that the man would not return to the property. The man agreed and cleaned up the remaining glass.



* * *

The office staff at the Waterford Place Apartments, 6220 Shallowford Road, conducted their routine tagging of abandoned cars with expired tags. Police ran the VIN to a Kia and were notified the vehicle was stolen. The Kia has been parked in the apartment complex for some months.

Farmers Insurance now owns the car. The car was removed from NCIC and towed to Mostellers Towing #3.

* * *

An employee of AT&T told police that someone cut off 1,000 feet of AT&T's pole wire from the Cummings Highway area. He said 1,000 feet of wire was taken in Marion County also, and he will make a report with the sheriff's office there. He said the wire costs $2 per foot.

* * *

A man on Foust Street reported vandalism to his house. Police observed multiple busted

windows and damage to the front door. The man had no suspect information, but believed his brother to have done the damage, due to previous incidents between the two.
New Study Reveals Most Evangelical Protestants Are Using Christian Media in Various Forms

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Infinity Concepts

March 30, 2022



EXPORT, Penn., March 30, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- Newly released research shows the vast majority of evangelical Protestants in the US access "specifically Christian" content through various media forms. However, evangelical use of individual media types is fragmented.



The findings are detailed in Media Matters: Evangelicals and Media. The study of over 1,000 American evangelical Protestants was released today by Infinity Concepts and Grey Matter Research.



Evangelicals were asked to distinguish between content that is specifically Christian  not just "clean" or "family friendly"  and content which is not specifically Christian. Almost every study participant reported consuming both specifically Christian content and that which is not specifically Christian (called "mainstream" in the report). The proportion of content that is specifically Christian differs substantially from one media type to the next.



Three media types  broadcast radio, podcasts, and books  have evangelicals relying on specifically Christian content for the majority of what they consume. All the rest (television, streaming video, magazines, and websites) have the typical evangelical reporting the majority of the content they consume is not specifically Christian.



The study found consumption of specifically Christian media content tends to be higher among three types of evangelicals:

Those with greater overall spiritual engagement (more frequent churchgoers, more frequent Bible readers, are part of a small group for Bible study or prayer)



Those who are charismatic or Pentecostal (reporting having personally spoken in tongues)



Those in the lowest income group (below $30,000 household income, compared to mid-level and high-income evangelicals who tend to use less Christian media)

The study also explores which media evangelicals prefer to use for specifically spiritual purposes, such as Bible teaching, study, or prayer. The average evangelical Protestant uses 3.4 different media types for spiritual purposes, with the most popular being printed books (43%), television (38%), and websites (36%). Significant proportions also use streaming video (29%), mobile apps (28%), broadcast radio (23%), and podcasts (20%).



Mark Dreistadt, founder and president of Infinity Concepts, notes that media use for spiritual purposes varies quite a bit by age. "As we would expect, younger evangelicals are especially likely to use newer forms of media, such as satellite radio, Internet radio, apps, and podcasts. But substantial proportions of younger evangelicals also use more traditional media, such as television and printed books, as part of their faith practices. Younger evangelicals use a wider variety of different media than their older counterparts."



Ron Sellers, president of Grey Matter Research, explains that this effect is relatively common. "We've seen this in many other areas  something new is introduced and it's predicted to be the quick death of something traditional," Sellers explains. "For instance, we saw it with e-readers, which were quickly predicted to kill off printed books. Instead, what often happens is consumers adopt the new along with the old rather than instead of the old, depending on specific needs." Sellers and Dreistadt point to evangelicals under age 40 as an example of this: while 36% of evangelicals under age 40 use mobile apps for spiritual purposes, the same proportion still use printed books.



CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL REPORT - https://www.infinityconcepts.com/media-matters/



For interviews contact:

Ron Sellers, Grey Matter Research: ron@greymatterresearch.com, 602-684-6294, or



Darrell Law, Infinity Concepts: darrell@infinityconcepts.com, 724-930-2801

Definition of "Evangelical Protestant"

This study uses the definition of "evangelical" favored by the National Association of Evangelicals, based on four key spiritual beliefs.



The Authors:

Infinity Concepts has served clients worldwide for twenty years as America's premier Christian brand communications and fundraising agency.



Grey Matter Research is a marketing research and consumer insights company with extensive experience serving the charitable and faith-based sectors.



SOURCE Infinity Concepts



CONTACT: Ron Sellers, Grey Matter Research, 602-684-6294, ron@greymatterresearch.com;

Darrell Law, Infinity Concepts, 724-930-2801, darrell@infinityconcepts.com;


Hamilton County Mayoral candidates Sabrena Smedley and Weston Wamp will meet for a Republican Primary forum, which will be aired for public viewing on WTCI - PBS and WUTC 88.1, Thursday, April 14, at 8 p.m. EST, a non-profit coalition announced today. All candidates who qualified to be on the ballot in the Republican primary were invited to participate.

A spokesperson for the Matt Hullander campaign said, "We agreed to four events at the beginning of the campaign and have two - Newschannel 9 on April 7 and WRCB/TFP on April 11 remaining. Matts schedule was already set when we received the invitation and, in looking at the hosts, we noted that Matt has met with the Chamber (twice) and is meeting with CHA 2.0 right now. CHA 2.0 is a host at the upcoming debate along with the Chamber of Commerce and many others who weve either met with or are meeting with in the coming days. We continue to meet with civic groups, non-profits, and voters every single day. We appreciate the opportunity; however, with limited time we have going into April, we are extremely focused on voter outreach and just couldnt change the schedule to make this work. "





Partnering organizations include the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, Chattanooga 2.0, the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the United Way of Greater Chattanooga, and Venture Forward. WTCI-PBS and WUTC are presenting media partners.





The Republican Primary forum will be moderated by Ray Bassett, host of Scenic Roots on WUTC 88.1 FM. After brief introductory statements are made by each candidate, the debate will follow a standard format in which candidates will have up to two minutes to respond to questions, followed by up to one minute of response from the opposing candidate.





At the Foundation, we believe that creating opportunities for sharing information and building relationships is as crucial as our monetary investments in the community," says Dwayne Marshall, Community Foundation VP of Community Investment. "We are excited to work with our partners to create space for shared learning and informed decision-making this May and August as part of the Hamilton County government election cycle.





Viewers and listeners should expect candid discussions about the candidates experiences, priorities, and opportunities for the future of Hamilton County. The focus will remain on substantial issues and solutions for the community.





WTCI understands the value of an informed community. It is mission-focused work. A candidate forum is an opportunity for those on the ballot to communicate their vision for our community. Working with our partners, it is imperative that we offer multiple platforms for this important programming, says Bob Culkeen, president and CEO of WTCI-PBS.





The candidates will respond to questions submitted by the coordinating partners. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.




Cleveland High School recognized their 2021-2022 Graduates of Distinction Tuesday evening. The Graduates of Distinction program was created to honor Cleveland High School seniors who are graduating as a Raider Scholar Honor graduate while maintaining a 4.0 grade point average. This program also signals the start of the graduation season of events.

Each senior is asked to pick one educator from the Cleveland City Schools system to recognize as their most influential teacher. The teacher must still be employed by Cleveland City Schools or they can be a retired educator.

Dr. Russell Dyer shared this about the program, We are so proud of these distinguished graduates and are thankful to have the opportunity to recognize their achievements. It is such a special event because the students get to share the moment with a teacher that has made a difference in their lives. This makes it one of my favorite programs of the school year.

Congratulations to the Graduates of Distinction: Alexandra Carroll, Caroline Clark, Gavin Davis, Maddox Earnest, Hannah Elkins, Lane Estrada, Ethan Gallaher, William Harden, Leah Hargis, Stephanie Lakatosh, Grace Longley, Ryan Lovelace, Tate OBryan, Danielle Payne, Victoria Price, Gabriel Randolph, Rishi Soni, Anna Stewart, and Paige Wenger.
The Chattanooga Area Food Bank is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a drop-in celebration on Thursday at the Food Bank, 2009 Curtain Pole Road. This free celebration is made possible by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, and will be from 8-10 a.m.

For five decades, the Food Bank has worked to build stronger communities by providing healthy and nutritious food, promoting better nutrition, and most importantly serving hope to those in need in Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia, said officials.

Mayor Tim Kelly and County Mayor Jim Coppinger will be in attendance and speaking at 9 a.m.

"Its an honor and privilege to serve our community, says Melissa Blevins, president and CEO of the Food Bank. This is an incredible milestone, we are proud of the work we have done, but we have more to do, and we are energized to come alongside our community to provide nourishing food and hope to individuals, children, and families all over Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia for as long as we are needed.

The Food Bank works with over 250 community partners to build stronger communities by providing nutritious food, and hope, to the 161,770 individuals, families, and children who are facing hunger.

The work and impact of the Food Bank is only possible because of the generosity of many donors, supporters, and volunteers. Everyone is invited to come by and celebrate 50 years.






The Lee University Symphonic Band visited Baltimore, Md. where they served the City of Refuge, a faith-based organization created to help individuals and families transition out of crisis into better living situations.

Helping out with a ministry like the City of Refuge is something I don't get to do enough of, said Justus Dennis, junior music and worship major and Symphonic Band chaplain. Volunteering with a ministry thats all about reaching people who feel hopeless, not loved, seen, or heard is really important and powerful to me. To indirectly work with these people to give them hope and let them know theyre loved is an absolute honor and privilege for me and the Symphonic Band.

As part of the service opportunity, the Symphonic Band prepared 500 bags of groceries for the City of Refuges food bank and assisted in various projects on site that needed to be accomplished. That evening, the Band also performed for the community at the Pathway Church in Baltimore.

Students received eight hours of service learning, a specific requirement for all Lee students. According to Dr. Mark Bailey, professor of music and Band conductor, several students were deeply moved by the experience.

Serving at the City of Refuge allowed me to connect my future career with serving the Kingdom, said Rebekah Oaks, senior pre-med major and Band officer. Becoming a doctor to help those in need took on more meaning than I ever realized after serving with this group. Seeing the work that City of Refuge is doing and the progress that they are making in their community made me finally understand how deeply my career intersects with service. I greatly look forward to returning in the future to see the continued progress made in a community that desperately needs it.

The City of Refuge was established in Baltimore with the mission of confronting the poverty and crime in the area. Pastor Billy Humphrey, Baltimore native, decided to make a difference by developing a city of refuge for the people who live in poverty. At the age of 17, Mr. Humphrey dreamed about pastoring his home church, not in a church building, but in a warehouse. Thirty years later, his vision culminated in the City of Refuge, which currently offers help to the community through holistic poverty relief, food bank/markets, and job training, among other strategies.

Throughout the years, the Lee Symphonic Band has done much to minister to others through our missions trips to 16 nations around the globe, by providing music lessons to students who would otherwise not receive them, and in ventures like ministering at the City of Refuge, said Dr. Bailey. It was a great honor for us to be with Pastor Humphrey.

This coming Sunday, the Lee University Symphonic Band will be ministering at the North Cleveland Church of God at 10:30 a.m.

For more information about the City of Refuge, visit cityofrefugebaltimore.org/.
TL;DR:

Kate Middleton recently completed a royal tour of the Caribbean with Prince William.

The Duchess of Cambridge wowed fans  and created a little controversy  with her wardrobe choices.

But with her bold fashion choices, she also paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth.

Prince William and Kate Middleton | Samir Hussein/WireImage

Kate Middleton has been on a royal tour of the Caribbean with Prince William this past week. And, of course, fans cant stop talking about the 40-year-olds style. The Duchess of Cambridge has wowed fans  and even caused a bit of controversy  with her fashion choices during her visit to Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Belize. She also subtly paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth on a daily basis.

Kate Middleton paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth with her vibrant wardrobe

During her recent royal tour, Middleton opted for a colorful wardrobe each day with vibrant shades of orange, pink, yellow, and blue. According to stylist Hanna Eichler, Middletons fashion choices during the trip have been a subtle, intentional nod to Her Majesty.

As royal fans know, Queen Elizabeth has a history of wearing colorful outfits and bright hues during public appearances because they allow her to stand out in a crowd.

Whether its orange for optimism, blue for confidence, red for love, or yellow for warmth, Kate has followed the Queens cue by using color to invoke powerful feelings of energy amongst herself and her subjects  a key tool when visiting new countries and engaging with those around her, Eichler told The Daily Mail.

The Duchess of Cambridges wardrobe has one crucial difference from Her Majesty

William and Kates Caribbean tour is part of Queen Elizabeths year-long Platinum Jubilee celebration. Which marks her 70th year on the throne. Eichler noted that the duchess has been dressing to impress lately in shades of blue, red, khaki, and now yellow.

Bright colors have long been favored by the royal family but no one has championed the look more so than the queen herself, Eichler said. From yellow, blue, pink, and orange every shade of the rainbow has made its way into the wardrobe of the matriarchy. As a lover of color herself, the duchess has paid homage to the queen during her tour this week.

The stylist noted that there is one crucial difference between how Middleton approaches her colorful wardrobe compared to Queen Elizabeth  she doesnt include a matching hat.

Negating a hat gives the Duchess a modern, more relaxed feel which is suitable for a younger member of the royal family while respecting the Queens signature aesthetic, Eichler explained.

Kate Middleton is on-trend, but one fashion choice is causing controversy

Celebrity fashion expert Miranda Holder agreed with Eichler, saying that Middleton has swept the world off its feet with her immaculate style during her royal tour.

She positively glows in her bold and beautiful color choices which look even more striking in the Caribbean sunshine, Holder said. She hits the sartorial sweet spot, achieving the perfect balance between on-trend brights and color blocking, and the timeless elegance for which she is known and loved.

However, when Middleton departed the Bahamas in a sunshine yellow eighties-inspired dress from Alessandra Rich, she ended up causing some controversy among royal fans. The Duchess of Cambridges final appearance on the tour saw her in sophisticated button-down design, with exaggerated puffed sleeves and a peplum frill.

The outfit was definitely something that Princess Diana would have worn in the 1980s. But some royal fans didnt think it was the right look for 2022.

I almost never say this about Kates outfits, but I dont like it. Its too much, one fan commented on social media. Another added, Im picturing Diana in the 80s!

There is way too much going on, the ruffles, the bow, the belt, the pattern. I dont see her in that dress. Not her style at all, a third fan shared.

RELATED: Queen Elizabeth Made a Subtle Hint About Prince William and Kate Middletons Future in The Firm at Remembrance Sunday  and She Wasnt Even There
Oscar Isaac plays multiple characters in Moon Knight on Disney+, including Marc Spector, Steven Grant, and Mr. Knight. Juggling all those characters and being an executive producer on the Marvel Cinematic Universe show must have been a lot of work. Thankfully, Oscar Isaac had his brother help him out during the production of Moon Knight.

[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from Moon Knight Episode 1, The Goldfish Problem.]

Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant | Marvel Studios

Michael Hernandez is a journalist and Oscar Isaacs brother

Oscar Isaac, who was born Oscar Isaac Hernandez Estrada in Guatemala City, has two siblings  an older sister named Nicole Hernandez Hammer and a younger brother named Michael Hernandez. Nicole is a climate scientist, and Michael is a journalist. To put it mildly, their family is quite successful.

Although Michael is a journalist, Oscar Isaacs brother has been known to dabble in acting from time to time. And he actually played a significant role in Isaacs new Marvel Disney+ series, Moon Knight.

Hes the one youll see coming. See Marvel Studios #MoonKnight, an Original series streaming March 30, only on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/YQ31oubmpc  Moon Knight (@moonknight) March 23, 2022

How was Oscar Isaacs brother involved in Moon Knight?

While speaking with Vanity Fair at the Moon Knight premiere, Oscar Isaac revealed that his brother had a role in Moon Knight. The Marvel production needed to hire a stand-in for Isaac to act opposite of when he was sharing scenes with himself. And Isaac knew the perfect person for the job  his brother, Michael.

It was wild to have him on set and to play off of, the actor shared. Hes a great actor, and we share DNA, so he was very helpful. I couldnt have done this with anyone else. It was technically challenging to show up and decide which character I was going to play first, and then try to block that out and give my brother notes, and then do the scene, and then switch characters. But he really knows me so well, so we improvised sometimes together. It was so much fun.

But Moon Knight wasnt the first time Oscar Isaac and his brother acted together. They also shared the screen in the 2020 short film, The Letter Room.

The actor is proud of the way Moon Knight handles mental illness

As the series premiere teases, Moon Knights titular character has dissociative identity disorder. Marc/Stevens mental illness explains why Oscar Isaac plays multiple characters and why Marvel hired his brother for the series.

Im really proud that our show gives this real, honest look at what its like to deal with mental health illness in an empathetic way, Isaac told Vanity Fair. Its still shockingly taboo to talk about mental health problems and the struggles that a lot of people have to deal with. To feature a character having mental illness in this big world that is the MCU, I think we really had a rare and unique opportunity to bring awareness and try to destigmatize mental health illness.

The actor added, What makes our show different from other MCU movies is that youre not sitting back and just watching the story unfold. You are within the eyes of Steven and experiencing these unpredictable events that are happening to him. Its terrifying and true to the psychological horror of not knowing whats happening and the slow revelations of the truth.

The way that we approached the show was making everything about what its like to deal with a mental health crisis, Isaac concluded. That was the way to respect it, and completely dive into it, and orient the whole story around somebody experiencing this mental crisis, and make the journey one of healing and integration.

New episodes of Moon Knight air Wednesdays on Disney+.

RELATED: Moon Knight Star Ethan Hawke Describes Arthur Harrow as a Bad Steve Jobs
Hulus The Girl From Plainville tells the story of Michelle Carter and Conrad Roy III. Roy died by suicide in 2014, and text evidence showed Carter encouraged him to remain in a running truck to die of carbon monoxide poisoning. Now, Elle Fanning, who joined The Girl From Plainville cast as Michelle Carter, is talking about the show. And she reflected on whether she thinks Carter will watch.

Elle Fanning joined The Girl From Plainville cast as Michelle Carter

Elle Fanning as Michelle Carter | Steve Dietl/Hulu

Who is The Girl From Plainville based on? While the Hulu miniseries shares the story of Michelle Carter and Conrad Roy III, the title references Carter. Carter hails from Plainville, Massachusetts, about 35 miles from where Roys hometown. They met each other while on separate family vacations in Florida. They met up only a few times in person while maintaining communication via text.

Elle Fanning plays high-school-aged Michelle Carter in The Girl From Plainville cast. She spoke to Collider about taking on the role and the care she took with playing the woman who was villainized by the media.

We really wanted to not sensationalize the story in any way and show more to all of these characters, to both families, to just not do what the media did, which was kind of blanket it in one way and not show the facts or the details behind it all, Fanning explained.

Elle Fanning talked about Michelle Carter possibly watching the miniseries

Colton Ryan as Conrad Roy and Elle Fanning as Michelle Carter | Steve Dietl/Hulu

Elle Fanning joined The Girl From Plainville cast with the intention of sharing a more well-rounded example of who Michelle Carter really is or couldve been. But she doesnt know if Carter will watch the miniseries.

Of course you think about her watching it, because how can you not? Fanning told Vanity Fair. I can understand that, not wanting to relive it.  I hope that it at least does something that the media didnt do for her.

Im not taking a side on what happened, but I feel a great deal of empathy for the fact that this young woman was thrust into the spotlight in this way, co-creator Patrick Macmanus added. I hope that we did no harm and that she recognizes that we really were not trying to sensationalize her journey in life.

Michelle Carter will be 25 years old in 2022. While she may never make any public statements about the series, her probation ends in August 2022. She may be more apt to say something after it ends.

What did Michelle Carter get charged with?

JUST IN: Michelle Carter, convicted for encouraging boyfriend's suicide, is heading to jail https://t.co/nhxzIZeLJO pic.twitter.com/LO5GhYt8Sd  CBS News (@CBSNews) February 11, 2019

So, what did Michelle Carter get charged with, and how much time did she spend in jail? According to Esquire, she was indicted for involuntary manslaughter in February 2015. The case moved forward in June 2017 after a number of appeals. She was ultimately convicted of involuntary manslaughter and given a prison sentence of two and a half years. The sentence was later reduced to 15 months.

Carter only served 12 out of the 15 months due to good behavior. Ms. Carter has been a model inmate in Bristol County, Jonathan Darling, a spokesperson for the Bristol County Sheriffs Office, said at the time. She has attended programs, had a job inside the jail, has been polite to our staff and volunteers, has gotten along with other inmates, and weve had no discipline issues with her whatsoever.

As stated before, Carters probation ends on Aug. 1, 2022.

How to get help: In the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741-741 to speak with a trained crisis counselor at the free Crisis Text Line.

Check out Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Facebook!

RELATED: Elle Fanning Says This Movie Distinguished Her from Her Sister, Dakota
Hulus new miniseries, The Girl From Plainville, takes a deep dive into Michelle Carter and Conrad Roy IIIs relationship prior to Roys death. Roy died by suicide in 2014 following texts between him and Carter where Carter encouraged him to die. So, where is The Girl From Plainville filmed? Heres everything to know about the locations.

Where is The Girl From Plainville filmed?

Elle Fanning and Colton Ryan | Steve Dietl/Hulu

As the title of the miniseries suggests, Michelle Carter is from Plainville, Massachusetts. Conrad Roy was from Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. Variety reports Roy lived and died in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. However, the two of them didnt meet by living roughly 35 miles away from each other.

So, how did Conrad Roy meet Michelle Carter? According to Decider, they met each other when their families were both visiting Florida. While on vacation, they bonded and got each others phone numbers. They began texting afterward and only met in person a few times.

With both Carter and Roy hailing from Massachusetts, where was The Girl From Plainville filmed? HITC reports most of the series was filmed in Georgia, particularly the Savannah Metropolitan Area, Jesup, and Mableton. Filming took place from August 2021 to December 2021 in the peach state.

Colton Ryan said he drove around Conrad Roys hometown prior to filming

Conrad Roy, portrayed by Colton Ryan | Steve Dietl/Hulu

Colton Ryan joined The Girl From Plainville cast to play Conrad Roy. While filming took place in Georgia, Ryan wanted to understand more about where Roy came from. He traveled to Fairhaven, Massachusetts, which was only a few hours from his home, to get a sense of where Roy lived and died, Variety reports.

I live in New York City, so I was it was a three-hour drive, Roy explained. I went there to get a sense of, environmentally, how this has resonated with people. It was really interesting.

While exploring the town Roy lived in, Ryan noted he wanted to learn more about Roys entire essence and not just his tragic death. This boy has been seen by a lot of people, but, like, 80 or 90% of his life, of who he was, is not known, Ryan noted. I really wanted to just know what the other parts of the days looked like  the times with his mom and sisters, the guys in the boat talking about how hes funny, imaginative, whip-smart, sarcastic. He sent memes back and forth to his mother. Things that are just full of joy, full of lightness.

When does The Girl From Plainville come out on Hulu?

Elle Fanning as Michelle Carter and Colton Ryan as Conrad Roy | Steve Dietl/Hulu

Hulu released the first three episodes, Star-Crossed Lovers and Things Like That, Turtle, and Never Have I Ever on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. When does the rest of The Girl From Plainville release?

According to HITC, episode 4 releases on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. A new episode releases every Tuesday after that until the finale, episode 8, on May 3, 2022. Because its a limited series, we dont anticipate the show having future seasons.

How to get help: In the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741-741 to speak with a trained crisis counselor at the free Crisis Text Line.

Check out Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Facebook!

RELATED: The Girl From Plainville: Elle Fanning Talks Michelle Carter Possibly Watching the Show
Jerry Bigfeather swabs a pallet jack handle June 12, 2020, at the Cherokee Nation Food Distribution site in Tahlequah. The tribe may soon relax COVID guidelines based on the number of new cases within the reservation.
The President of the Metis community, Cassidy Caron and Mitchell Case, left, Community-based historian and educator and Region 4 Councillor, Metis Nation of Ontario, show to journalists a pair of traditional Metis pointed-toe style moccasin as a gift to Pope Francis in Rome, Monday, March 28, 2022. A Canadian indigenous delegations is scheduled to have a week of meetings with Pope Francis at the Vatican.
Civil society has continued to express its concerns about violations of childrens rights in Botswana. A group of NGOs, the UPR NGO Working group, says these violations prove that the principle of the best interest of the child is not respected in Botswana. The group decried that no measures are in place to ensure the care and rehabilitation of survivors, as well as perpetrators. According to the Project Support Officer at Ditshwanelo Lame Moreeng, Botswana Police Service (BPS) registered 2033 cases of defilement of persons under the age of 18 for the year 2021 as compared to 1825 cases reported in 2020, saying the rate of increase in cases is a cause for concern. She also stated that they urge the Botswana Police Service to rigorously enforce the law when dealing with all cases of gender- based violence, defilement of minors and sexual crimes, in order to ensure investigation of the offence, punishment of offenders and redress for the minors.
What does a healthy partnership between organizations look like? Is it possible for a partnership to thrive across huge differences like culture or economic status, or are development and humanitarian organizations self-deceptive when they refer to groups as partners?

I asked questions like these in a study of the cross-cultural interactions between a network of house churches outside of Havana, Cuba, and their North American partners. Here are three things I am learning, based in organizational theory and the studys findings:

Partners can co-evaluate the health of their organizational partnership.

Partnerships can exhibit traits along a continuum of exploitative to transformative. Not all partnerships need to be transformative. However, co-examining ten elements - outcomes, goals, decision-making, resources, conflict, identity formation, power, significance, satisfaction, change for the better, could be an informative part of ongoing learning between organizations.

In so doing, partners may find their traits are asymmetric. For example, the Cubans I studied described their partnerships as creating transformative change for the better overall, even while they chafed at how some decisions were made for program activities, such as the structuring of health clinics. A framework for evaluating partnerships can measure what matters in order to better collaborate.

Partnership relationships are sometimes created to more effectively accomplish tasks.

Just as important, partnerships can create shared tasks with the goal of growing relationships. In an interview with John Perkins, Mark Labberton recalled the mayor of Berkley describing social services in the city that provided catchments for those who needed support. The complex programs amounted to, in his words, an elaborate scheme in creating friendship.

In order for lasting social change to take place, tending to the craft of growing relationships is central, and doesnt equate to sentimentality. Research increasingly points to both the inherent and instrumental value of relationships. Large-scale studies at organizations such as Google point to relational elements like trust and psychological safety as the first element needed for effectiveness. Wise leaders will use tasks to build relationships and relationships to accomplish tasks.

Partnerships grow according to the habits of the people involved in them.

Scholars recommend organizational leaders pay attention to small things, in particular in cross-cultural environments where certain groups may feel excluded and inequities exist. Much of this growth takes place in tiny, often overlooked exchanges that form interaction patterns between people. These exchanges are often reinforced, forming the shared culture of the partnership. They become a social script for the partners. On the negative side, these micro-interactions can reinforce hierarchies or can subtly signal that someone is an outsider. More positively, they can serve as a bridge when language is not shared or demonstrate solidarity despite differences.

Most have heard of micro-aggressions, both through hostile committing and omitting acts of welcome. Just as possible are micro-affirmations, tiny acts that go beyond kindness to empower people to flourish where they might otherwise feel invisible or dispensable. The greeting rituals which seemed silly at firstthe traditional kissing and hugging, along with broken attempts to speak one anothers languagesbond the groups and symbolize a new community being formed between the two.

Jamie Goodwin is associate professor at the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College, which offers a M.A. in Humanitarian & Disaster Leadership and a Trauma Certificate. To learn more and apply, visit our website

Partnerships at Campo Amor often begin when the groups arrive from the airport, visiting for the first time. Often they are tired from the journey, unaccustomed to the heat, and wary of the new environment. Luz mentioned that especially at the beginning, when the visitors are not familiar with the Cubans, they appear to be a little unwell.

We want them to feel their best as if they were at home. Right away we try to get them involved with us, and treat them as though they are already a part of the family.

When you come here, she said (speaking to me as a representative of the North Americans), we say some little words that we know in English, like Hello or What's your name? She described hugging and kissing visitors without knowing them and laughed. We don't know how they will react, but so far they have reacted very well, they adapt very well to us.

Another interviewee agreed, Sometimes they arrive and they are a little more serious or they are not very talkative, but when they leave here they are another Cuban. They talk, laugh, playthey are one more family member. This is how we do with all who come.

Jamie Goodwin, Assistant Professor of Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership at the Humanitarian Disaster Institute, is earning a Doctor of Philosophy Philanthropic Studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Her research focuses on international philanthropy and civil society, with a focus on faith-based organizations and immigrant groups.
Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson made waves last week with her refusal to provide a definition for the word woman. Responding to Senator Marsha Blackburn, Jackson sidestepped the question, stating, Im not a biologist. Senator Ted Cruz returned to the line of inquiry by asking who Jackson would include in a gender-based discrimination lawsuit. Jackson again deferred, citing the fact that such cases are currently making their way through the lower courts.

Conservatives quickly memed Jackson, portraying her refusal to answer the question as clear indication of progressive nonsense. After all, anyone should be able to define what a woman is. The only problem with this, of course, is that weve struggled to define what a woman is for thousands of years.



Whether it was the ancient Greeks who saw woman as a mutilated male or church fathers who did not believe women were made in the image of God as men were, the record of history shows people not quite knowing what to make of women. Even within our own countrys past, women have struggled to gain those inalienable rights that are ostensibly the birthright of every human being and endowed by their Creator.



In her 1947 essay The Human-Not-Quite-Human, Christian apologist and scholar Dorothy Sayers reflects on the inadequacy of our working definitions of woman:

The first task, when undertaking the study of any phenomenon, is to observe its most obvious feature.  It is here that most students of the Woman Question have failed, and the Church more lamentably than most, and with less excuse.  No matter what arguments are used, the discussion is vitiated from the start, because Man is always dealt with as both Homo [human] and Vir [male], but Woman only as Femina [female].

For Sayers, an accurate definition of the word woman must include both her femaleness and her humanity, with human acting as the noun and female, the adjective. After all, many things are femalecats, birds, even some treesbut a womans rights and responsibilities stem from her common humanity, not her sex. Female cats do not have civil rights. Female trees do not have civil rights. Female humans do.



In other words, unless we have a working definition of women as image bearers in their own rightand not simply as whatever is the opposite of menwe can end up failing the question too.

Admittedly, it may appear that Sayers is highlighting a different dilemma from the one our society is currently facing. After all, the question behind Senator Blackburns inquiry is whether transgender female athletes can participate in womens sports.

Can transgender women legally claim to be women? Are they part of the class protected from gender-based discrimination? Unlike Sayers, who is arguing for the individual personhood of women, we are struggling to define who can claim membership in the class of woman.



But I believe Sayerss underlying formulation is still relevant because by failing to protect womens human rights, we unwittingly created a context that requires the concept of female to take on political dimensions. Lacking a category for woman as Homo [human], Femina [female] must do all the work.

Indeed for the last century, women have had to rally around their femaleness to fight for their human rights so that in this current momentand to Judge Brown Jacksons pointthe question of Who is a woman? has profound legal and political ramifications.

But this is where that question Who is a woman? gets especially dicey for conservatives: Insofar as we have leaned hard on definitions of womanhood that emphasize femaleness and deemphasize our shared humanity with men, weve minimized the very category that is the source of civil rights.



In other words, conservatives will struggle to argue convincingly that they are fighting to protect womens rights in the current debates if their working definitions of woman do not include the assumption of rights to begin with. This is especially true of those who have resisted reform movements, who minimize sexual harassment and abuse as locker room talk, and who have historically opposed legal categories that protect women on the basis of sex.



I cant help but wonder how todays conversation would be different had we spent the last 100 years establishing legal precedent for defining womannot as a special-interest group based in gender but as a biological human reality. How would todays conversation unfold had we spent the last century seeing women as the image bearers they are?



But what-ifs are no match for what is. And as a society, we are now struggling to agree on something as fundamental as what makes us who we are. How should we respond to the chaos of the current moment?



First, I think we must acknowledge the flaws in our own working definitions of womanhow often they are not based in the imago Dei and instead amount to whatever is not a man. We do not need to exchange female for human, as these categories are different and one cannot replace the other. We need both. But we must develop a robust understanding of women as being made in Gods image because it is from this space that we derive corresponding rights and responsibilities.



Instead of beginning our theories of male and female in Genesis 2 or Ephesians 5, we must root them in Genesis 1, affirming our shared humanity as the context in which our differences play out. Our differences are real and true, but sexual differentiation cannot answer what makes us human. And insofar as maleness has become the default definition of what it means to be human in our subcultures, we must repent.

Article continues below

Second, we need to recognize the vulnerability of this moment. How people conceive of gender and even biological sex is rapidly changing. So rapidly, in fact, that many experience it as an escalation that must be checked before it overwhelms them. And while this moment certainly has cultural power, Id argue that were actually seeing the weakness of modern categories on displaynot just about gender but about personhood and the limitations of self-creation.

The conversation is changing rapidly in the same way a wave changes rapidly when it is about to crest and break. Sayers addressed this phenomenon in her 1942 essay Why Work?, noting that society has built-in cycles of self-correction that often end in cataclysmic ways:

People who would not revise their ideas voluntarily find themselves compelled to do so by the sheer pressure of the events which these very ideas have served to bring about.  The root causes of conflict are usually to be found in some wrong way of life in which all parties have acquiesced, and for which everybody must, to some extent, bear the blame.

If this is the case, principled leaders need to carefully consider how they respond to this moment. They must identify the true loci of the debate and avoid perpetuating the conditions that created itincluding our failure to honor the humanity of women.



And finally, we must pursue a process of questioning and inquiry that honors the humanity of our interlocutors as well as our own. While you may think the answer to Who is a woman? is a simple one, your neighbor increasingly does not. Living at peace with all people means learning to navigate such differences with grace and truth, affirming the humanity not simply of those who agree with us but also of those who disagree.



In the current moment, this may seem impossible. And if youre taking your cues from politicians, it is improbable. But for those who are being actively transformed into the likeness of Christ, whose very humanity is being redeemed and fulfilled through union with him, such a posture will be the most natural thing in the world.

Hannah Anderson is the author of Made for More, All Thats Good, and Humble Roots: How Humility Grounds and Nourishes Your Soul.

[ This article is also available in espanol. ]
Should parents read books to their children that feature disobedient characters? How can Christians engage in public service when they are concerned about the trajectories of both major political parties? Are Christians called to admit all of their sins to fellow believers or can they just confess to God?

Russell Moore addresses all of these listener questions and more on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. Listen in for nuanced responses to inquiries such as:

What happens to a Christian marriage if one spouse cannot participate in sexual intimacy for medical reasons? If this information is known during engagement, should the couple still get married?

If a Christian woman is dating a non-Christian man and becomes pregnant with his child, should she marry him?

Should churches fly the American flag?

How do we remind ourselves that God forgives us even when we dont feel like it, and how much should Christians share their past sins with each other?

Should I read Surprised by Hope by N. T. Wright if Im not sure that I know enough theologically to identify where I agree or disagree with him?

How should parents handle reading with their children when their children's school is banning books?

What should someone who feels both a clear call to vocational public service and deep disenchantment about the direction of both major political parties do?

How should Christians think about their rights in light of the fact that Scripture says to give up our rights?

Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to questions@russellmoore.com.

The Russell Moore Show is a production of Christianity Today

Chief Creative Officer: Erik Petrik

Executive Producer and Host: Russell Moore

Director of Podcasts: Mike Cosper

Production Assistance: CoreMedia

Coordinator: Beth Grabenkort

Producer and Audio Mixing: Kevin Duthu

Associate Producer: Abby Perry

Theme Song: Dusty Delta Day by Lennon Hutton
Helsinki district court judges have dismissed hate speech charges against a Finnish politician who tweeted out Bible verses and the bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission who published a pamphlet on gender roles.

In a unanimous decision, the judges ruled on Wednesday that Paivi Rasanen, a parliamentarian who faced a potential sentence of 120 daily fines, said things that were partly offensive, but not hate speech.

In a related decision, Bishop Juhana Pohjola, who faced a potential 60 daily fines, was found not culpable for the publication of Rasanens 23-page booklet, Male and Female He Created Them.

The ruling is being hailed as a victory for free speech and freedom of religion by Rasanen and her supporters.

I greatly appreciate that the court recognized in its ruling the importance of free speech. I hope that this ruling will help prevent others from having to go through the same ordeal, she said. This has been my honor.

The judges found that the purpose of Rasanens writing was not to insult or harm LGBT people but to defend what she believed to be the biblical concepts of family and marriage. In its decision, the court said that Rasanens comments included both value judgments and factual statements that might be considered offensive, but the statements did not amount to incitement to hatred, and should thus be considered legal.

Significantly, the court also stated in its decision that it is not its job to interpret biblical concepts. Under Finnish law, the judges said, they are not able to determine whether a particular interpretation of a scriptural passage is correct.

Though both the prosecutor and judges stated from the outset that the trial was about rights and freedomsnot biblical interpretationthe Bible played a prominent role in the courtroom.

According to Finnish media, both parties cited biblical texts so frequently that the courts chairman had to remind them that the judges would decide the case on the basis of Finnish law and not Christian Scripture.

The Evangelical Lutheran Mission is independent from the national church. It formed in 2013 and has about 2,000 members. Most Finns are members of the national church, though membership has declined from nearly 90 percent of the population to about 67 percent in 2020. The No. 1 stated reason for leaving in recent years has been conservative statements about homosexuality and same-sex marriage.

More than 70 percent of Finns support same-sex marriage, which has been legal in the country since 2017. Many see defending the dignity of LGBT people as the critical civil rights issue of the day.

Rasanen has warned the ruling could set a precedent across Europe and around the globe, as many nations consider whether the human rights of minorities require new restrictions on free speech and limits on freedom of religion. She urged the court to carefully consider the interrelationship between different fundamental freedoms.

LGBT advocates were more equivocal about the verdicts significance, on the day it was handed down. It is not yet clear, they say, how the courts rulings will be used to evaluate the harm done by religious speech.

Kerttu Tarjamo, secretary general of the LGBT rights organization Seta, was encouraged that the court agreed that Rasanens public opinions regarding gay people are deeply offensive to many persons belonging to sexual minorities.

According to Tarjamo, the trial signaled that hate speech against LGBT people is being taken more seriously in Finland and the courts decision does not mean that freedom of expression or freedom of religion can be freely used to justify discrimination or hate speech.

Not all hate speech is punishable under Finnish law, Tarjamo said, but offensive statements can be considered harassment and the national non-discrimination act could be revised to include statements that target groups of people, and not just individuals.

Despite the unanimous verdict, prosecutors may go to a higher court. Speaking to reporters, prosecutor Mantila said it is highly probable that the case submitted to the Court of Appeals.

Rasanen and Pohjola, though they are celebrating today, have said they expect the fight for the right to express their beliefs will have to go all way to the European Court of Human Rights.
Former Botswana Unified Revenue Services Commissioner General Ken Morris has been detained. It is believed his detention is linked to his role in the illegal importation and subsequent clearance of What is believed to be arms of war into the country. The Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services has confirmed with Gabz FM that they have invited Morris to help in ongoing investigations. The DISS Spokesperson Edward Robert said Morris is detained in a police facility.
Finnish MP, bishop cleared of hate crime charges for views on homosexuality

Correction Appended

A Finish court has dismissed all hate speech charges filed against Member of Parliament Paivi Rasanen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland over their religious beliefs that marriage is a union between one man and one woman.

A three-judge panel on the Helsinki District Court determined in a unanimous ruling Wednesday that the government should not be interpreting biblical concepts.

The court reasoned that statements made by the former interior minister and Christian Democratic Party leader didnt constitute hate speech even though they may have offended members of the LGBT community.

The court ordered the prosecution to pay the legal costs associated with the trial.

Rasanen said she felt a weight lifted off her shoulders after being acquitted. She hopes the ruling will prevent others from having to go through the same ordeal.

Im relieved. Im happy and grateful to God and to all the people that have supported me, Rasanen proclaimed at a press conference Wednesday.

Alliance Defending Freedom International, which is representing Pohjola and Rasanen, said in a statement Wednesday that the district court upheld the right to free speech.

Rasanen and Pohjola faced prosecution for their roles in creating and publishing a 2004 pamphlet titled Male and Female He Created Them: Homosexual relationships challenge the Christian concept of humanity.

The indictment accused Rasanen and Pohjola of incitement to hatred against a group. The bishop explained at a press conference last year that the charges fall under the section of war crimes and crimes against humanity. He said they were accused of sharing opinions and allegations defaming and insulting homosexuals as a group based on their sexual orientation.

In addition to the pamphlet, Rasanen faced criminal charges for a 2019 tweet criticizing the leadership of the Finnish Lutheran Church for supporting LGBT pride month and sharing her beliefs about homosexuality in a radio show appearance that same year.

Rasanen could have faced two years in prison and a fine if convicted.

Paul Coleman, the executive director of ADF International, praised the courts ruling as an important decision, which upholds the fundamental right to freedom of speech in Finland.

He described the ability for people to share their beliefs without fear of censorship as the foundation of every free and democratic society.

Criminalizing speech through so-called hate-speech laws shuts down important public debates and poses a grave threat to our democracies, Coleman said.

Rasanen said that the ruling was not what she expected.

Not for a second did I believe that I had committed anything illegal in my writings and statements, she said.

She believes that the prosecutors will likely appeal the ruling.

If it happens, Im ready to defend freedom of speech and religion in all necessary courts, also in [the] European Court of Human Rights if needed, Rasanen said.

The lawmaker praised the international outcry she received after being charged last year.

I have received thousands of supporting messages through different channels, letters, she said. Still, every day, I get messages from many countries about how people are praying for me and praying for Finland and several churches, congregations and Christian communities have expressed their concern for the situation.

She said the international interest in her case comes from the surprise to many that the questioning of free speech is possible in a country like Finland, which has a good reputation internationally. She believes many worldwide believe that if such a prosecution could happen in Finland, the same is possible anywhere.

While she lamented the ordeal she has had to go through for nearly three years, she acknowledged that she felt great joy about being able to speak about the Gospel and the atonement of Jesus during these couple of years.

My writings and statements under investigation are all linked to the Bibles teaching on marriage, living as a man and a woman, as well as the Apostle Pauls teaching on sin, she said. The points of view over which I stood accused do not deviate from so-called classical Christianity and nor does my view on marriage deviate from the official policy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

She believes her prosecution has made some people afraid of the consequences of expressing their faith and convictions in public.

Coleman quoted from the Helsinki District Courts 28-page decision, where the three-judge panel ruled that the district court considers that the purpose of Rasanens writing was not to insult or offend homosexuals but to defend the concept of family and marriage between a man and a woman according to Rasanens religious beliefs.

Coleman said the judges also ruled that all Rasanen did during her radio appearance was answered questions that were posed and tried to justify her opinions as part of the debate.

Rasanens answers have represented the view of the faith, Coleman said, translating the ruling written in Finnish. There must be an overriding social reason for interfering with and restricting freedom of expression.

Sam Brownback, who formerly served as the U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, stressed in a tweet that the case "should never have gone this far."

"It is a scandal that this case was prosecuted in the first place," Brownback tweeted.

Correction:Wednesday, March 30, 2022

This article has been corrected to state that Bishop Juhana Pohjola is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland, not the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.
Pro-life groups demand answers after exposing freezer full of aborted babies body parts at university

UPDATED APRIL 1 at 10:00 AM ET:

A group of pro-life activists have discovered human fetal remains in a freezer at the University of Washington, leading to calls for institutions involved in such research on babies to face accountability.

On March 9, leaders of pro-life groups, including the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising, Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust, Pro-Life San Francisco and Rehumanize International obtained access to what the organizations described as the largest and most active fetal organ bank in the nation located at the University of Washington in Seattle in a statement. The groups obtained a photograph of a walk-in freezer at the university's Birth Defects Research Laboratory that contains aborted babies' body parts.

The American people must be made aware of the mass dehumanization of these unborn children who are violently killed and thrown into a freezer, whose body parts are then portioned out to researchers in pursuit of federal funding, said Terrisa Bukovinac, founder and executive director of Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising. It is my hope that this photograph reminds us all that there are real victims being lethally oppressed by UW and traded like property. Fetal trafficking is abhorrent and it must end.

???????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????:

Pro-Life Groups Discover Freezer of Human Fetuses at the University of Washington



On March 9th at 6:30pm, Anti-Abortion activists from groups including PAAU, @TheSurvivors , @prolifesf, & @RehumanizeIntl gained access to the largest & pic.twitter.com/CQM4Sakuri  PAAU (@PAAUNOW) March 24, 2022

They know that they are engaged in practices that are likely leading to a failure to uphold the Born Alive Infant Protection Act and that they are not in compliance with federal law as it relates to their records, said Bukovinac in an interview with The Christian Post. The activist added that she was one of four pro-life leaders to address the Board of Regents at UW, where they demanded transparency and that the university comply with federal law.

We would like to see full transparency from the university to find out exactly what theyre engaged in, force them to comply with the law and then ultimately to be held accountable for their crimes.

The Regents, during these public comment sessions, do not comment or react to the statements being made," she added.

While the members of the UW Board of Regents did not react verbally as the pro-life activists confronted them during a public comment session, Bukovinac said they did seem surprised and several of them seemed interested, concerned, just based on their demeanor and the looks on their faces.

Weve had our eye on Seattle for a while, knowing that it is an abortion stronghold," Bukovinac continued. "We know that [UW] have failed to give records as they relate to their fetal tissue research program. We know that the university is the largest fetal tissue bank in the country.

While UW declined to comment on the allegations that they were violating the Born Alive Infant Protection Act and not in compliance with federal law relating to records requests in ongoing litigation, the university provided this statement to The Christian Post:

The photograph is of a locked cold room at the University of Washington School of Medicine. The cold room contains specimens of fetuses with birth defects and other anomalies donated to UW School of Medicine scientists starting in the 1960s to help advance research into and education about devasting birth defects. Previously preserved in formaldehyde, several years ago the specimens were removed from the original, degrading containers. They were evaluated for continued scientific and educational importance, then placed in new containers that are stored inside bags in the cold room. During this process we determined that these specimens were no longer of scientific or educational importance and are to be respectfully cremated. We must take certain regulatory steps before cremation and have for some time been in the process of taking those steps so that the respectful cremation can occur. This process is common when an institution considers the continuing educational or scientific value of its historical collections. The UW is a leader in research into birth defects and other devastating conditions that can affect the health of fetuses, all with the goal of improving the health and well-being of babies and their mothers. We commend the families that even in their grief over losing a baby sought to further advance the health of others by donating to UW scientists studying birth defects.

Bukovinac is not the only pro-life activist seeking more information about UWs fetal tissue research.

Documents made available as a result of public records requests from the group Indiana Right to Life gave Bukovinac and the other pro-life leaders all the information they needed to find the freezer full of fetal tissue, organs and other body parts.

One document, a 2013 invoice for fetal brains addressed to the University of Indiana, listed the location of the UW Birth Defects Research Laboratory as 1959 NE Pacific Street, Health Sciences Bldg., Room RR 346, Seattle, WA 98195-6320.

Bukovinac said she and other pro-life activists were able to easily access the freezer and did not encounter security in the building: It didnt take too long to locate the freezer. We saw it. At first, we were trying to look inside and shine a light because there was a small window to look through, but we soon realized that there was a light switch on the outside and when we flipped it on, we could see everything that you see in the photograph.

Similarly, David Daleiden of the Center for Medical Progress, a pro-life group that gained notoriety for releasing undercover videos of Planned Parenthood officials discussing their profiting off the sale of aborted baby body parts, sued UW as he sought to release information about its purchase of fetal body parts. In November 2016, a federal judge issued an order preventing Daleiden from naming UW officials involved in fetal tissue research. A panel on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision.

In addition to pro-life activists, UWs research involving aborted baby parts has also caught the attention of Congress. A 2016 report compiled by a select investigative panel on the U.S. House of Representatives Energy & Commerce Committee revealed that the university had received fetal tissue from over a dozen clinics in the preceding five years and charged recipients of the tissue a flat fee of $200 regardless of the nature of the tissue researched.

The Panels independent research found that UW deploys doctors to outside abortion clinics and that numerous physicians on the staffs of those clinics hold faculty positions at UW, the report noted. Additionally, the UW Birth Defects Research Laboratory received $600,000 in taxpayer funding from the National Institutes of Health in 2015.

The University of Washington is not the only public university that has dabbled in fetal tissue research and established relationships with abortion clinics. The 2016 report detailed relationships between other public universities and nearby abortion clinics, including the University of New Mexico, the University of Minnesota, Colorado State University, the University of California at San Francisco, Washington University, University of Wisconsin and the University of Michigan.

Last month, The White Coat Waste Project, which describes itself as a taxpayer watchdog group representing more than 2 million liberty-lovers and animal-lovers who all agree: taxpayer dollars shouldnt be forced to pay over $20 billion every year for wasteful and cruel experiments on dogs, cats, monkeys, and other animals, released a report outlining the use of taxpayer dollars to fund research using aborted babies body parts. The investigation determined that the National Institute of Health was spending $27 million on fetal tissue research.

The White Coat Waste Project report identified the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases as the NIH agency that has received the largest share of the taxpayer dollars allocated to fetal tissue research. The funding was then dispersed to public universities, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which used the money to create humanized mice from aborted fetal tissue.

Last year, the pro-life group Students for Life of America, held a rally outside the NIH headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, to demand the firing of NIAID head Dr. Anthony Fauci over his agencys role in bankrolling similar research at the University of Pittsburgh. In undercover video footage published by the Center for Medical Progress, Planned Parenthood officials discussed how they supply the university with the fetal tissue that they use to conduct their research.

While Bukovinac selected those dates to go to Seattle because we knew the regents were meeting, confronting the UW Board of Regents constituted just one part of her trip. We decided that we wanted to come to Seattle to host a training event there, which we did, she said.

There was also a Rise Up for Abortion Rights protest there on that Tuesday, and so we wanted to counter that, which we did. It was definitely one of the most violent pro-abortion events weve done. Everyone in our group was assaulted during that protest.

In the days following their trip to Seattle, Bukovinac and the other pro-life activists traveled to Zuckerberg General Hospital in San Francisco, which also engages in fetal tissue research: We called out to the staff explaining exactly why we were there, our demand that it stop immediately their unethical fetal organ harvesting practices. Then a hospital administrator, along with the San Francisco Sheriffs Office then arrested us, held us for about an hour, probably 45 minutes and then cited and released us.

Bukovinac, who describes herself as a liberal atheist, said although we expected people to descend upon our social media calling us liars, the March 23 social media post showing a picture of the UW freezer resulted in absolute silence, adding, Were being completely ignored by the Left. Theyre ignoring this entirely. It doesnt seem to be something that they actually want to confront or acknowledge at all.
So. Baptist group hosts 32 charity projects in Mississippi: 'The Church is not a club for perfect people'

A Southern Baptist relief organization recently hosted several aid efforts in Mississippi, including one church that helped oversee a free dental care event.

Central Baptist Church of Meridian hosted a dental care clinic on March 18-19, with an estimated 175 people in need coming to get dental care, including fillings and extractions.

The event was just one of 32 projects held in the Meridian area organized by Send Relief, a charity group overseen by the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board.

John Maxey of the Lauderdale Baptist Association, to which Central Baptist belongs, told The Christian Post on Tuesday that the events were part of a seven-stop tour by Send Relief.

The multi-state service tour is being held in partnership with local churches, city leaders and schools that have identified tangible needs within their communities, Maxey said.

While this was the first time that Central Baptist hosted a dental clinic, The Lauderdale Baptist Association had previously hosted a similar clinic at another partnering congregation, Calvary Baptist Church.

In my opinion, both events were a success and accomplished the purpose of having the event, said Maxey. Because of it being one less day than the previous one, we didn't see as many clients this year. With the assistance of local volunteers and the Mississippi Department of Oral Health, we intend to have another dental mission next year.

Other projects that were part of the tour included landscaping at local schools, delivering meals to nurses who work the night shift, building beds for children in need and constructing huts for the homeless.

I hope we were able to express the love of Jesus through meeting both the physical and spiritual needs of those coming to receive assistance, Maxey added.

Central Baptist is a wonderful congregation that desires to meet and build relationships with individuals in their community. The Church is not a club for perfect people, but rather a place where imperfect people will be loved, encouraged and cared for by other imperfect people.

In addition to meeting local needs in Mississippi, Send Relief is also helping efforts in Poland to care for refugees from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

According to an IMB press release from earlier this month, Send Relief is working with the Polish Baptist Union and others to help house as many as 1,000 Ukrainian refugees.
16-y-o miraculously survives deadly Texas tornados, says God gave me another chance

A 16-year-old boy whose truck was flipped over by last weeks tornado in Texas, which killed a 73-year-old woman and injured dozens, said God gave me another chance and recounted his experience in a media interview after a video showing his ordeal went viral.

The teen, Riley Leon, was returning home after a job interview in his red 2004 Chevrolet Silverado when he was caught in the tornado in Elgin, Texas. The viral video shows his truck being picked up and thrown on its side like a piece of paper.

I honestly didnt know what to do, to grab onto the steering wheel or to start praying, the teen told NBC 5. On the video, it looks like I drove off but in reality I didnt. I landed in the center of the road and I was just driving to get off the road.

He said hes grateful Im here.

[Im] grateful God gave me another chance because better things are going to come in the future. Never let small things bring you down because bigger things are going to come, he told KTBC-TV.

It was my first time being in a tornado, and hopefully my last time, Fox7 quoted him as saying.

The news outlet added that Leon was surprised in Fort Worth with a new car and a generous gift to his family.

Chevrolet, in collaboration with Bruce Lowrie Chevrolet of Fort Worth, gifted him a brand new 2022 Chevrolet Silverado. Lowrie also gave a $15,000 check to his family.

A GoFundMe page started for Leon has raised over $42,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.

Riley is so lucky and blessed to have made it out of this terrifying incident," the page reads. "His truck was totaled, but for the most part, he is doing ok. Unfortunately, he has begun to experience body aches and severe back pain, as one would expect after this type of accident.

Leon is a lovely, bright student making plans to graduate next year and could genuinely use some love from our community and anyone else who may have viewed this video and prayed for the passengers, said Bianca Jaimes, one of his teachers at IDEA Rundberg in Austin, Texas.

When the accident happened, the teen was on his way back home from a job interview at Whataburger, which has now offered him the job.

In Jacksboro, Texas, the principal of an elementary school thanked God for protecting more than 500 students and 50 staff who survived the tornado last Monday.

We are just so blessed that God had His hand God gave wisdom and courage to the adults, Michael Qualls, the principal of Jacksboro Elementary School, said, adding that even the kids were not panicked.

Jacksboro High Principal Starla Sanders told Fox4 she was alerted about the storm turning severe about an hour before it hit. She allowed the 300 high schoolers who could drive to leave early, but the bus riders and all staff had no option but to take shelter.

Even as crews are now working through the rubble, the First Baptist Church, Fort Richardson Masonic Lodge and the Parish of Jacksboro are housing Pre-K through third-graders for up to a month, Texomas reported.

What we are currently doing now is, we are gathering the materials that are useable at the elementary and putting them in totes and getting them over here to the Baptist Church so that this weekend the teachers can set up their classrooms, Qualls was quoted as saying.

One of the survivors, 10-year-old Kenadee Sell, told News6, Things happen, I know, but God saved us. God made this miracle happen; He saved our lives.

Near the school, a 90-year-old woman, Francis Wilson, recalled how she survived after hunkering down inside a shower as the tornado destroyed the back half of her home, including the roof above her head.

God had a hand in it; thats the way I look at it, Wilson told News6. He had a hand over me because I shouldnt have made it out of here.

In North Texas, the tornado injured several people and destroyed homes, schools and businesses. The tornado caused extensive and widespread damage, particularly in Jack and Montague counties.
A Christian rebuttal to AOC on socialism

Democrat representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York recently imitated President Biden by whispering a secret into the microphone that most people dont really know what capitalism is. She added:

Most people dont even know what socialism is. But most people are not capitalists, because they dont have capitalist money. Theyre not billionaires. Do you think people should die because they cant afford insulin? Do you think that fossil fuel CEOs should decide whether the planet gets set on fire? Me neither.

AOC is right that most U.S. citizens dont know what capitalism or socialism is and we can thank government financed public education for that massive ignorance. But neither does AOC understand capitalism, despite her economics degree during which her professors tried to explain it to her.

Based on her whisper, she seems to assume that capitalism is what capitalists do and people are capitalists only if they are billionaires. That is a modern Marxist definition of capitalism. But allowing Marxists to define capitalism is like asking atheists to define Christianity. One reason that people are confused about capitalism is that Marxists like AOC fabricate false definitions to confound people. To confuse and exploit others is one of their tactics.

So, what is capitalism? Many capitalists assume it is a system of government developed by the great Adam Smith and expounded in his classic book, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Smith gave the clearest expression of that system at the time in his book, but as he admits, he got the principles of his system of natural liberty from the Dutch. The Dutch received them from theologians associated with the University of Salamanca, Spain, during the Reformation, who distilled them from the Bible.

The main principle of capitalism is the right of individuals to life, liberty and property. All other principles flow from those rights. For instance, government cannot violate those rights and it must be limited to punishing those who violate the rights of others, including the state. The state must treat all citizens equally. It will give no preferences to the nobility nor any race.

Property is the heart of capitalism. The eighth of the Ten Commandments found in Exodus chapter 20 says, You shall not steal. The positive version would be, You shall respect the property of others. It sanctifies private property. Theologians often argue that private property doesnt exist because God owns everything. Its true that God can take whatever he wants without stealing because everything belongs to him. But the command to not steal doesnt apply to our relationship to God. It applies to our relationship with other human beings. We cant take the property of others any more than we can claim something belongs to us and not to God.

The ninth and tenth commandments reinforce the prohibition of theft by barring even the desire for the property of others. They read, You shall not covet your neighbors house. You shall not covet your neighbors wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Property rights require that the owner be free to buy and sell his property as he wishes. So, markets must be free except for the prohibitions of theft and fraud. For without them, property doesnt exist. For a more complete explanation of capitalism, see my book God is a Capitalist: Markets from Moses to Marx.

Most people think the U.S. is capitalist today, but its not. Its closer to fascism-lite. For reasons, see this article: The U.S. is not Capitalist.

AOC doesnt want Christians to know that modern socialism came from atheists in the early 1800s in France (Henri de Saint-Simon, not Karl Marx) who insisted, contrary to the Bible, that property was the greatest evil of mankind because it made good people to turn bad. The original socialists believed they could perfect human nature by ridding the world of property. They intended socialism to be anti-Christian in every way, including morals. Socialism elevates envy to a virtue.

If AOC were honest, she would allow capitalists to define capitalism, not Marxists. Then U.S. citizens wouldnt be as confused as she is.
New York pastor warns parents about demonic content in Disney movie Turning Red'

The senior pastor of New York Citys V1 Church, Mike Signorelli, has gone viral for warning parents of the demonic content in Disney Pixars Turning Red in a video that has since been removed from YouTube and Facebook.

Turning Red tells the story of a teen who transforms into a giant red panda based on her mood swings in the midst of puberty.

Signorellis Christian review of the animated film, now streaming on Disney Plus, was initially uploaded to his YouTube channel but has since been taken down. He believes his video was removed from social media because it featured scenes from the film.

The video has already been banned on YouTube in all countries, which was kind of to be expected, he said. I took a risk. I just felt like I had a responsibility to share a theological perspective on this.

His review video was titled Pastor Reacts To Turning Red - Is It DEMONIC? and garnered over 100,000 views. The caption read, Christian Review: should your kids watch Pixars new movie Turning Red? In the video, Signorelli, who holds an English degree and has taught journalism, uses clips from the Pixar film when describing the film as unbiblical.

I believe that every parent  not just a pastor, but a parent  has a mandate to actually screen material because every single device you have in your home is a portal, either a window into the things of God or, unfortunately, things that I believe are demonic, Signorelli said in an interview with CBN News.

The pastors video condemned the spiritual practices of ancestral worship and what he said looked like satanic rituals in Turning Red. Beyond the spiritual aspect of the animations, Signorelli pegged the themes in the film as a secular humanistic worldview that says there is no wrong or right anymore.

We know in Hebrews 9:27, its appointed once to live and then to die, and we face judgment, and its strictly forbidden, in the Christian context, to communicate with the dead, he continued. And so, even within the first eight minutes, you have chanting, communication with ancestors, and immediately a red flag should start to go off. Do I want my kid to be exposed to this as a gateway and into maybe future adult interactions and beliefs with something that the Christian faith condemns?

Signorelli insisted that he in no way wanted to become a viral meme of the Christian whos trying to cancel Disney. The father of two noted that he recognized the amount of hate that would come his way in his video.

Signorelli slammed a line at the end of the film when the 13-year-old main character says, My Panda, My Choice, mimicking the pro-abortion mantra my body, my choice.

Theres definitely a tipping point, and theres a moment where youre like, Theyve gone too far, Signorelli stated. Now, if you extract the spiritual aspect of this movie, just on the basis of the content being about menstruation and this coming of age, its not appropriate for children.

Turning Red celebrates rebellion against parents, inappropriate dancing where the main character tells her mother she enjoys gyrating, and the film encourages children to embrace their bad stuff by making room and living with it, the pastor asserted.

I think what happens is were so desensitized that, over time, things that used to be offensive to Christians, unfortunately, I think that weve become accepting of them, Signorelli maintained. And we ignore it, and thats really why I felt a burden to put the word out about this movie.
Hillsong pastors say they warned Brian Houston about Carl Lentz's immoral behavior, were ignored

Former Hillsong pastors Zhenya and Vera Kasevich allege that Hillsong founder Brian Houston was made aware of Carl Lentzs immoral behavior, yet refused to address his actions due to the church's culture of "secrecy."

Months after Lentz, the former pastor of Hillsong NYC, was fired, a leaked audio call between Houston and the Hillsong leadership made its rounds online. In the audio clip, Houston said up until that point, he had never heard of any moral" issues during Lentz's tenure as pastor.

The new Discovery Plus docuseries, Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed, however, tells a different story. The Kasevichs, who previously led a Hillsong church in Kyiv, Ukraine, claimed they warned Houston about some of Lentzs immoral behavior from the start.

"The audio from Brian did not just pop up, Vera Kasevich said in the documentary. If you want people to know something, you find a way how to bring this narrative and how to groom people.

In the leaked audio clip, Houston, who at the time was Hillsong's global senior pastor, said, I can honestly say, before God, the first time I ever heard any moral complaint against Carl was when Tolu contacted me.

Lentz was fired from Hillsong after Tolu Badders, executive pastor at Hillsong East Coast, found text messages on the pastor's computer between him and his mistress. In a statement sent to The Christian Post by Hillsong at the time, Houston revealed that Lentzs termination was due to leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures.

Lentz owned up to the affair in an Instagram post after his firing from Hillsong. The church then launched an investigation after additional details of his affair with a Muslim designer were made public.

Vera Kasevich said Houston should not have been surprised about Lentz and suggested the leaked audio was his own doing to control the media narrative.

"Brian probably wanted people to know that he did not know. But he knew because I told him so personally, she maintained.

Zhenya Kasevich recalled how the couple saw red flags with Hillsong as early as 2010.

"We were senior pastors of Hillsong Church in Kyiv for 17 years. We left Hillsong in 2014, he revealed. New York started about 2010 [and] we saw some things even back then.

Lentz led all Hillsong campuses across the East Coast and was often pegged as a celebrity pastor in mainstream media. His friends and congregants included A-list stars such as Justin and Hailey Bieber, Kevin Durant, Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner and others.

"I saw some inappropriate behavior and I saw some even immoral behavior, Vera Kasevich said of Lentz in the documentary.

The former Hillsong Kyiv leader later clarified that she trusted many of the people around Lentz during her time at Hillsong. She said a source told her that they witnessed Lentz behaving in an unpastorly manner, including smoking and drinking.

Zhenya Kasevich explained that his wife was brave enough to go to the General Manager in Sydney and say, 'This is what we hear[d]. We need [to] deal with it because this is going to get ugly for all of us.'

Yet, Vera Kasevich shared that "no one paid attention, and they were shut down.

"There were double standards in this situation, and it was like this with Carl for sure, she said.

Producers of the series spoke with two former volunteers of the popular church who brought multiple reports of sexual impropriety against Lentz to Hillsong leadership in 2017. The sources alleged that they were accused of fabricating the accusations and were dismissed from their positions in the church.

According to the docuseries, Houston claimed church leadership looked into the allegations against Lentz and found no evidence to substantiate those claims.

"Church leadership needs to take responsibility for their decisions and for their mistakes, Vera Kasev declared. Covering up and dealing in secrecy  it's a pattern for Hillsong Church, and that's why we've got so many scandals.

The Discovery Plus three-episode docuseries contends how the Australia-based global Evangelical church network has toed the fine line between cult and culture.

With more than 150,000 global members, Hillsong has recently been entangled in scandal. Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed will profile numerous ex-members of the church who have come forward to share harrowing allegations of the trauma, abuse, financial and labor exploitation that created a culture of chaos within the church, the synopsis of the project reads.

Houston, who co-founded Hillsong in 1983, resigned last week after it was revealed that two women made serious complaints of misconduct against him in the last 10 years. His resignation also followed a series of misconduct scandals involving other Hillsong Church leaders in the U.S. and Australia.
Matt Chandler says Christianity is only religion that handles suffering honestly: 'God's at work in the mess'

Village Church Pastor Matt Chandler told his congregation that, for Christians, suffering is normal and stressed that only Christianity  not the secular world or other religions  handles suffering, trials and pain honestly.

Christianity doesnt pretend that suffering is not real. It doesnt pretend that its fair. It doesnt pretend that its not really there. It doesnt do that. Nor does it pretend that it doesnt have meaning, the 47-year-old pastor said in a March 20 sermon titled What Well Face.

The pastor told those gathered at the churchs Flower Mound, Texas, campus that Gods at work in the mess. He said God strengthens and refines and calls into Himself, and grants life with and empowers through not the good times, but through the difficult times that expose our idols, shows us as weak and makes us desperate for His presence.

Chandler said suffering is not abnormal because humans have been experiencing trials throughout history. But amid this reality, Jesus is good, he said, citing 1 Peter 3:18-22.

Jesus pathway of suffering is the path to glory. Its not a life of ease and comfort thats the path to glory. We see in the suffering of Jesus Christ that once and for all He broke the back of sin.

Jesus Christ went to the cross, Chandler said, and absorbed Gods wrath toward all of humanitys sin.

He hands to you His righteousness so that when God sees you, when the just Judge of the universe sees you, He sees the righteousness of Christ, which is why He delights in you and rejoices in you and celebrates you if you put your faith in His saving work, Chandler said.

He doesnt come with new law. He doesnt come with a new set of rules, he added, referring to John 3:17, which says Jesus will return not to condemn but to save.

Jesus has saved humans from sin and death, Chandler noted.

I dont know where I would be if He didnt get me. ... I know what happens to us if God didnt intervene, the pastor elaborated.

When he looks at his wife, his children, his relationship with his church congregants and how God has healed him, Chandler realizes God is good even amid suffering.

Like King David, He lifted me out of the muck and mire, and He set my feet on a rock. Hes good. And Ive had brain cancer and a difficult marriage and all sorts of other issues and Hes good, Chandler said.

For nothing else, but He saved me. He rescued me, opened my eyes, he continued.

Earlier in his sermon, Chandler shared how Christians can exist and thrive as they face the kind of suffering resulting from living in a world that is hostile to their faith.

We are a nuisance. We can kind of feel that, he posited. The predominant culture kind of sees us as a hurdle to get to the utopia that they have in view, our sexual ethic, our belief about marriage. ... If you guys would just get over your archaic backward, historically abusive trauma-causing nonsense, we could get to the utopia of where were trying to go.

Chandler emphasized that Christians should submit to God's moral law to reveal His wisdom, beauty, and glory through suffering. On top of that, he said Christians should live a life of boldness.

How are we to live?  You live lives of beauty. Gods moral law matters. We pursue goodness. We live lives of beauty. We let the Word of God conform our lives into something that will be beautiful to those who will be saved and will be indicting and rage-causing for those who will not, Chandler said.

The Explicit Gospel author warned parents that it is vital to not only point their children to Jesus as they go through trials, but its also essential to refrain from enabling their children as they face struggles.

What service do we do to our children when we coddle their disappointments? he asked. Im not talking about comforting. Please comfort them. Life is brutal. Youre mom and dad. Youre meant to comfort them. But if you save them and treat them like candles, you are setting them up.

If all were perpetually doing is saving them from disappointment, youre treating them like a candle. ... Thats on us to teach them fortitude; to let them own some of the pain that comes from dumb mistakes, to not constantly rescue, he stressed.

Chandler told the congregation that they are stronger than they believe they are.

You are not that candle easily extinguished in the wind, the pastor said. Youre a bonfire. The wind makes you stronger, makes you burn hotter, it makes you brighter. So dont always shield yourself from the wind.  Your growth as a person, it happens not in comfort but at the edge of your growth, where it feels stressful and painful. And thats when youre growing as a person.
Texas AG investigating whether pharma companies deceptively advertised puberty blocking drugs

The attorney general of Texas is demanding documents from the manufacturers of puberty-blocking drugs as part of an investigation probing whether they have engaged in practices that violate state law.

Last week, the office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton released a statement announcing that it had issued Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs) to AbbVie Inc. and Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

The demands are part of an investigation to "determine whether these manufacturers of puberty-blocking drugs deceptively advertised and promoted hormone blockers for unapproved uses without disclosing the potential risks to children and their parents.

Companies should never promote or supply puberty blockers for uses that are not intended or approved, Paxton said. I will not allow Big Pharma to misleadingly promote these drugs that may pose a high risk of serious physical and psychological damage to Texas children who cannot yet fathom or consent to the potential long-term effects of such use.

The attorney generals office contends that the medications at issue  Supprelin LA and Lupron Depot  have approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat children with Central Precocious Puberty, a condition in which puberty comes early for a child.

While Lupron has also been prescribed for palliative treatment of prostate cancer, neither drug has been approved as a treatment for gender dysphoria by the FDA.

Steven Robinson, the chief of the Consumer Protection Division at the attorney generals office, wrote the letters to AbbVie Inc. and Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

The Division believes that you are in possession, custody, or control of documentary material relevant to the subject matter of an investigation of actual or possible violations of the [Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act] sections 17.46(a) and 17.46(b) related to the advertising, marketing, promotion, sale and distribution of prescription hormone blockers for off-label usage, Robinsons letter reads.

Both companies have until April 14 to provide the state with the documentary material requested.

Robisons letters stressed that any person who attempts to avoid, evade, or prevent compliance, in whole or in part, with this directive by removing, concealing, withholding, destroying, mutilating, altering, or by any other means falsifying any documentary material may be guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000.00 or by confinement in the county jail for not more than one year, or both.

The documentary material requested of the drug manufacturers includes documents sufficient to identify all hormone blocker products that you sell, market, or distribute or have sold, marketed, or distributed from January 1, 2019, to the present.

The state also seeks all documents related to the marketing and promotion of hormone blockers in Texas, including all branded and unbranded marketing materials, advertising, and educational materials, that contain information regarding the usage of hormone blockers, and/or off-label uses of hormone blockers.

Additionally, the state is asking the drug manufacturers to provide all evidence of any investigations and lawsuits filed against them because of representations made by you about the safety or effectiveness of your hormone blocker products or hormone blockers generally for the treatment of gender dysphoria.

Other documents sought as part of the demands include correspondences with healthcare providers in Texas regarding the drugs, marketing and sales plans, and training materials for their employees.

The letters also asked for the production of all peer-reviewed articles that in any way relates to any of your hormone blocker products and all documents concerning misuse, adverse events, side effects, and/or injury from your hormone blocker products.

The demand letters are the latest action taken by the Texas Attorney Generals Office and the state government expressing disapproval of puberty-blocking drugs and promoting gender transitions for minors.

Paxton first indicated his intention to investigate AbbVie Inc. and Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act late last year. That move came not long after the Texas Department of Family Services characterized genital mutilation of a child through reassignment surgery as child abuse following a request from the states Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.

Last month, Paxton issued a formal opinion asserting that certain sex-reassignment procedures and treatments can legally constitute child abuse under several provisions of chapter 261 of the Texas Family Code.

As Paxton unveiled the opinion, Gov. Greg Abbott issued a directive ordering the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation of any reported instances of these abusive procedures taking place in the state.

A state appellate court judge struck down the directive earlier this month, and Paxtons office has filed a request for emergency relief with the Texas Supreme Court in an effort to reverse the lower court decision.

The debate about puberty blockers has received increased attention in recent years, particularly after 60 Minutes aired a segment featuring testimony from detransitioners, those who began to transition from one gender to the other only to regret doing so later.

The young adults on the panel interviewed by CBS correspondent Lesley Stahl agreed that they were rushed into hormones and surgery without completely understanding the long-term impacts of taking that course of action.

The conservative American College of Pediatricians has warned that the use of puberty-blocking drugs for gender identity purposes on children can cause infertility. Critics claim providing such drugs to children struggling with their gender identity would sterilize otherwise physically healthy children.

Opponents argue that since the drug is not approved by the FDA for such a purpose, prescribing puberty blockers to children struggling with gender dysphoria should be seen as experimental.

However, the left-leaning American Academy of Pediatrics has voiced support in the past for the surgical and hormonal transition of transgender children and adolescents.
Electricity tariffs will not be increasing on Friday the 1stApril. Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA) confirmed with Gabz FM News that the authority will not award Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) its proposed 5% tariff adjustment for the financial year 2022/23. BERA CEO Rose Seretse said the decision was made after careful consideration

and having taken all economic factors into account. BPC had made the proposal to BERA last year, saying that the tariff increase would help the corporation meet its operating, maintenance and financing costs.
Evangelical Lutheran Church sues pastor over sale of $2M NYC parsonage apartment

NEW YORK  The Metropolitan New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has sued one of its pastors for signing a contract to sell a $2 million Manhattan cooperative apartment he was given to use as a parsonage more than 30 years ago.

The synod is now asking the Supreme Court of New York to block a transfer of the title in that sale to prevent untold damage.

Money damages alone will not repair the damage that would be done if defendants transfer title to the apartment, the Synod argues in a complaint filed in the Supreme Court of New York on March 22.

Listed as defendants in the lawsuit are Pastor Gregory Fryer, the longtime leader of Immanuel Lutheran Church in New York City; the cooperative identified as East 82 Corporation; Douglas Elliman Property Management, the residential real estate firm; Brown Harris Stevens, and John Doe and Jane Doe.

The complaint contends that Fryer, who has been the pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church since 1991, began living in the pre-war apartment, unit 7C at 108 East 82 Street on Manhattans Upper East Side, in 1993.

A real estate listing shows that the apartment has three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a formal dining room, custom made built-in bookshelves, high beamed ceilings and pristine hardwood floors.

The pet-friendly doorman building, which also features a planted roof deck, is located right off Park Avenue and blocks from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The monthly maintenance is also almost $4,000.

It was argued in the complaint, however, that Fryer and Immanuel Lutheran Church broke a state law that requires the sale of religious properties to get a special approval to be valid. The complaint says that in 1993, East 82 Corporation issued stock certificate number 183 to Fryer, representing ownership of 220 shares of stock in the corporation and the proprietary lease for the apartment.

Upon information and belief, defendants Fryer and Immanuel entered into an agreement for the title to the Apartment to be in the name of defendant Fryer, despite the fact that the real and beneficial owner of the Apartment is Immanuel and that upon the sale of the Apartment, part or all of the consideration for the sale would be given to Immanuel, the complaint says.

The Agreement was in violation of Religious Corporations Law  12 and Not-for-Profit Corporation Law [sections] 511 and 511-a, which require that New York religious corporations seeking to sell, mortgage or lease for a term exceeding five years any of its real property must first receive the approval of the Attorney General or the New York State Supreme Court, and is void as against public policy.

The synod notes that even if Fryer or Immanuel have sought approval for the sale under the law, they cannot establish that the purposes of defendant Immanuel nor the interests of its members will be promoted by the sale, lease or exchange of the apartment. The defendants say the suit also cannot establish that the synod, the ecclesiastic governing body, has consented to the transaction.

Representatives of Immanuel Lutheran Church were not immediately available for comment when contacted by The Christian Post Wednesday.

However, the synod led by Bishop Paul Egensteiner told CP in a statement: In the State of New York, a religious organization may not sell, mortgage, or lease for five years or more any of their real estate unless they have obtained approval from the NYS Attorney General and (or) the NYS Supreme Court  a step that has not been undertaken.

Defendants Fryer and Immanuel have ignored and continue to act in defiance of the Religious Corporations and Not-for-Profit Corporation Laws, their own Constitution, their covenants with the Church and the Synod and their covenant with their members, the complaint argues.

Plaintiff, Synod, prays this Court: (a) issue a permanent injunction enjoining defendants Fryer and Immanuel from transferring title to the Apartment; and (b) issue an order for such other and further relief as this Court may deem just and proper.
Biden says the US will welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees

The United States will accept up to 100,000 refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, President Joe Biden said Thursday as European nations welcome millions who have been displaced by the war.

This is not something that Poland or Romania or Germany should carry on their own, Biden said during a news briefing in Brussels, Belgium. This is an international responsibility.

In a Fact Sheet released Thursday, the Biden administration said that in addition to accepting Ukrainians after already taking in thousands of evacuees from Afghanistan, the U.S. will give $1 billion in humanitarian aid to European countries that are taking in and caring for an estimated 3 million war refugees.

While we expect many Ukrainians will choose to remain in Europe close to family and their homes in Ukraine, today, the United States is announcing plans to welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russias aggression through the full range of legal pathways, including the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, the Biden administration said.

In particular, we are working to expand and develop new programs with a focus on welcoming Ukrainians who have family members in the United States.

The administration went on to note that the United States and the European Union are also coordinating closely to ensure that these efforts, and other forms of humanitarian admission or transfers, are complementary and provide much-needed support to Ukraines neighbors.

Bethany Christian Services, a global nonprofit centered on providing aid to children and their families, released a statement on Thursday celebrating the announcement.

This decision allowing the United States to welcome our neighbors affected by the violence is encouraging and will provide hope for those who have experienced unfathomable trauma and loss, said Chris Palusky, president and CEO of Bethany Christian Services.

Bethany remains committed to serving vulnerable children and families in the U.S. and around the world as we work to help them find the support, security, and care they deserve.

In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. has taken various measures to aid the invaded Eastern European nation and punish Russia for its aggression.

Last month, Biden announced that he would reinstate sanctions he previously lifted against various entities in Russia, with them being expanded as the ground war began.

We have purposefully designed these sanctions to maximize the long-term impact on Russia and to minimize the impact on the United States and our allies, Biden said at the time.

Many of these measures are set to take effect on Saturday but do not include gas and oil imports made between Russia and the U.S., as well as European nations.

On Thursday, the White House announced that the U.S., along with the EU were going to add additional sanctions on various figures in Russia, including measures aimed at several Russian elites, members of Russia's Legislature, the Duma, and defense companies.

"Our sanctions on Russia are unprecedented  in no other circumstance have we moved so swiftly and in such a coordinated fashion to impose devastating costs on any other country," stated the White House.
Most voters say Hunter Biden's laptop story is important: Rasmussen poll

A majority of likely voters believe the story about Hunter Biden's laptop and its contents is important, according to a recent Rasmussen Reports poll that also found nearly half believe that efforts to discredit the story impacted the 2020 presidential election.

On Thursday, a Rasmussen poll found that 66% of likely U.S. voters said they believe the story about Hunter Bidens laptop was important, including 48% who said they think the story is very important.

By contrast, 31% of respondents believed the story was not important, including 15% who said they believed it was not at all important.

Additionally, Rasmussen found that nearly half of the respondents (48%) said they think that if the media had fully reported the story about Hunter Bidens laptop before the 2020 election, its unlikely Joe Biden would have been elected president.

For their report, Rasmussen drew from a poll conducted on March 21-22 of 1,000 likely U.S. voters, with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

In October 2020, shortly before the 2020 presidential election, the New York Post published a story that reported Hunter Biden had his father, former Vice President Joe Biden, meet with an executive at the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma shortly before the elder Biden pressured officials in Ukraine to fire a prosecutor investigating the company.

To back up its story, the New York Post referenced emails they reviewed that came from the hard drive of Hunter Bidens laptop, which had been dropped off at a shop in Delaware and later seized by the FBI. A copy of the data was provided by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

The laptop also reportedly included embarrassing images and videos of Hunter Biden, as well as details of questionable business dealings Hunter had with communist China.

Many major media outlets gave little to no attention to the story, claiming among other things that they found the source for the emails to be suspect.

National Public Radios Kelly McBride argued in a newsletter back in 2020 that there were many, many red flags in that New York Post investigation and that the claims of the story dont amount to much.

Intelligence officials warn that Russia has been working overtime to keep the story of Hunter Biden in the spotlight. Even if Russia cant be positively connected to this information, the story of how Trump associates Steve Bannon and Rudy Giuliani came into a copy of this computer hard drive has not been verified and seems suspect, wrote McBride.

And if that story could be verified, the NY Post did no forensic work to convince consumers that the emails and photos that are the basis for their report have not been altered.

Social media giants like Twitter and Facebook censored posts about the Hunter Biden laptop story in advance of the election, with Twitter going as far as to take down the New York Posts account for 16 days, claiming that they do not allow hacked material to be tweeted.

These responses, though they came in a fast-moving and confusing situation, were heavy-handed and arguably ill-judged, acknowledged Vox in a recent report. Its also fair to be skeptical of whether social media companies would have responded so strongly if a Trump family member had been the victim of a suspected hack that October.

Groups like the conservative fact-checking website NewsBusters argued that mainstream media outlets devoted far too little time to the controversy surrounding the Hunter Biden laptop.

Although left-leaning news media largely ignored the story in 2020, more conservative outlets like Fox News devoted considerable time to the story in advance of the election.

Media Matters, a liberal fact-check website, argued at the time that Foxs focus on the Biden laptop was part of a massive smear campaign in the final weeks before Election Day.

That effort, led by the New York Post and amplified by Foxs megaphone, has sought to bury Joe Biden with a blizzard of dubious and bad-faith allegations related to his son Hunter Bidens business interests, stated Media Matters in October 2020.

Last week, the New York Times ran a piece about ongoing investigations into Hunter Bidens business dealings, saying that the emails from the laptop were likely valid.
Biden and the perils of geezerspeak

President Biden has set the world aflame with his declaration regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin: For Gods sake, this man cannot remain in power!

The Russian bear is growling, politicians are wailing, pundits are moaning, and people everywhere are aghast.

Yet Bidens impromptu utterance did confirm the warning the Apostle James sounded in the Bible: Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark ... the tongue also is a fire, a world of evil ... set on fire by hell (James 3:6).

You can best understand Bidens sometimes strange statements if you know that the president often is talking in Geezerspeak. It takes one to know one. So, to be honest, at age 80, I find myself slipping into Geezerspeak, though not with the tremulous impact as that of President Biden.

Here are some insights into Geezerspeak, a language in which I have high proficiency:

1. Many Geezers (and the occasional Geezerette) believe they have a right (even a duty) to provide the final word on everything.

The hoary (gray) head is a crown of glory; it is found in the way of righteousness, says Proverbs 16:31.

When Geezers dont walk in the way of righteousness they become smug as they compare the abundance of their life experience with others and believe their gray-white hair gives them a license to talk about anything and everything when they need to listen.

2. The older we get the more the filters come down and the rawer the speech.

Without the controlling power of the Holy Spirit and the righteousness referred to in Proverbs 16:31, some Geezers assume they can drop filters, forget decorum, be contemptuous of their audience, and say whatever they wish  the more shocking the better.

3. Some Geezers often lose the ability to separate passion from polemic.

President Biden, for example, said his statement about Putin was due to a sudden surge of moral outrage.

St. Paul writes, in Ephesians 4, Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

This requires spiritual and emotional, as well as physical sobriety in the lives of those who hold hefty powers.

4. When it comes to cause and effect, geezers own the hill.

We older folk have lived through so much and seen so much tragedy, witnessed (and committed) so many errors that we sometimes cannot imagine why others dont get it.

Frustration over watching younger generations make the same mistakes that will result in the same predictable outcomes erupts into the hoary persons psyche, causing him or her to give an inappropriate response, intensifying tensions rather than steadying the situation.

5. Geezers were born and raised in the commonsense era and are impatient when people ignore the obvious.

Geezers get terribly irritated and grouchy when those around them fail to understand what should be so clear.

6. Geezers need to show they shouldnt be written off and be taken seriously.

Vladimir Putin, at 69, is at the threshold of Geezerhood and is already asserting the need of being taken seriously. I will thrash him, he said of young Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who, like Putin likes to be regarded as being in top physical condition, and, again, like Putin, has allowed himself to be photographed in his muscular glory, showing that he is a tough guy who, though youthful, should not be pushed aside.

7. Presidents, including those as young as John F. Kennedy, all develop a preoccupation concerning their legacy, and the older the president the more intense the pressure.

Life is short, the clock is moving fast, and legacies can sink in the deep swells of crisis. This tempts a chief executive to forget caution and rush forward, often into disaster. Lyndon Johnson wanted a legacy as a peacemaker who ended the Vietnam War and pursued what some regarded as a reckless course, resulting in his not running again for the presidency and disaster in Vietnam.

On a trip with President Nixon to a vote-rich state in the critical year 1972, I was assigned to corral a certain senator from that state who earnestly wanted to be photographed with Nixon  something the White House just as passionately did not want because the senator was deep into Geezerhood and frequently made embarrassing comments from which the president wanted to dissociate himself.

Keep Senator (anonymous) away from the president! I was ordered.

As President Nixon descended the steps of Air Force 1, the senator lunged from my clutches to make the grand entrance with Nixon. I had to gently lay hold on his arm or even try to get in front of him.

All this came to mind when I read President Bidens declaration about Vladimir Putin. Every political leader  especially presidents in the Geezerhood season  need managers strong and credible enough to restrain executive impulse of speech and action.



Presidents and their handlers are, after all, human, though on a large scale and holding the power to do much harm through words unfitly spoken.
What are women for?

Our culture has long struggled with the realities of sexual difference, or gender. While first-wave and second-wave feminism generally asserted that women were equal in value to men, transgenderism now asserts that women are interchangeable with men. Notice the underlying assumption: in order for men and women to have equal value, they have to be the same thing.

Yielding to this fallacy has been a disaster, not just for the concept of gender, but also for the concept of human dignity. Its as if many think theres not enough of it to go around.

The Church should be able to offer clarity. Christians must insist that men and women are real. We must also insist that fact doesnt compel competition. There is no hierarchy of human dignity.

Unfortunately, Christians over the centuries have made some big mistakes in this area. At times, roles that men and women fill have been prioritized over the goodness of their God-given design. More often, roles have been conflated with design. For example, Christians have generally understood that the Bible does not permit women to pastor churches. Some have taken that further to suggest that women must lack the intellectual capacity or curiosity to study the Bible and learn theology. Thats demonstrably false.

Because of the real physical differences between men and women, and the different things children need from mothers and fathers, men have historically performed the breadwinning work for their families. Some Christians have wrongly assumed that this means women lack the ability, talent, or calling to pursue any kind of work unrelated to motherhood. Yet the Bible is full of stories of women who contributed to their families, communities, and the kingdom of God in ways other than through motherhood or marriage.

Another mistake some Christians make, which may be in response to modern feminism or critical theory, is to suggest that when women contribute something positive to society  a scientific breakthrough, or an impressive career  its because of their inherent superiority to men. Conversely, when women contribute something negative  they commit a crime or mistreat others  the fault is the patriarchal systems that oppress them. That way of thinking robs women of moral agency.

In response, some Christians talk about the moral imperative for women to bear responsibility for what is wrongly considered exclusively female sins  such as immodesty or even abortion. Often, these Christians are unwilling to expect positive contributions from women outside the roles of wife and mother.

In other words, Christians ought not to react to the rejection, erasure, or confusion of gender, by merely retreating to roles. We must begin where the Bible does, with design.

Both men and women were made by God in His image. How we live out our calling to fill and cultivate the creation will be marked, in both physical and non-physical ways, by our maleness or femaleness. At the same time, women who serve as wives and mothers are neither contributing more nor less than women who arent in those roles.

In other words, the primary calling of both men and women is to glorify God. How we do that in particular times and places, and in particular seasons of our life, will differ.

Too often, while Churchs ministry to men is about cultivating admirable Christian virtues such as bravery and courage, too much of the Churchs ministry to women is only about how to be feminine. To think about Christian women only in relation to men is to paint an incomplete picture. In other words, we ought not leave the impression that Christian women are not also called to be brave and courageous, or well-studied and theologically grounded. And, Christian men are also called to be gentle, meek, and slow to speak.

If, as Jesus told the Sadducees, we will neither marry nor be given in marriage in the New Heavens and New Earth, how we will serve and glorify God in the age to come will not be as fathers and husbands or mothers and wives. When Jesus said that in order to be His disciples, we must take up our crosses and follow Him, He was speaking to both men and women.

Therefore, we should expect women to take responsibility for their sins, just as we should with men. And, we should expect profound contributions to the kingdom of God from women, as women, as much as we do from men. This has been the defining vision and approach of the Strong Women podcast.

In a culture so lost on gender, one which now suggests that women dont really exist, Christians must stubbornly ground ourselves in Gods good, created design of His imago dei. If we can get this right, well have much to offer our confused age.

Originally published at BreakPoint.
What the Bible says about grumbling may surprise you

Spiritual conversion involves saying Yes to Jesus as the Holy Spirit works the miracle of the new birth, (John 1:13; 3:5-6), while spiritual maturity involves consistently saying No to ungodliness and worldly passions (Titus 2:12). Christians are saved by grace through faith, (Ephesians 2:8) and Christians grow as God works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose (Philippians 2:13).

The Israelites often committed the ugly sin of grumbling. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites (Numbers 14:26-29).

Grumbling is a wicked way to deal with our frustrations. Rather than helping our situation, it only worsens our attitude and decreases our trust in God. Therefore, Scripture instructs us: Do everything without complaining or arguing (Philippians 2:14).

In the Old Testament, the Lord dealt as severely with the sin of grumbling as He did with the sin of sexual immorality. We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did  and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did  and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did - and were killed by the destroying angel (1 Corinthians 10:8-10).

C.S. Lewis said, Hell begins with a grumbling mood, always complaining, always blaming others.

It is impossible for a Christian to please the Lord or grow into spiritual maturity if grumbling is a regular habit. Instead, believers are called to give thanks continually (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Grumbling is the exact opposite of how the Lord wants us to live. Billy Graham put it this way: Grumbling and gratitude are, for the child of God, in conflict. Be grateful and you wont grumble. Grumble and you wont be grateful.

In addition to grumbling, two other signs of spiritual immaturity are quarreling and jealousy. The Apostle Paul addressed these specific sins in one of his letters to the church in Corinth: Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly  mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? (1 Corinthians 3:1-4).

It was jealousy that led Josephs brothers to plot against him, throw him into an empty well, and then sell him into slavery (Genesis 37:1-36). Jealousy is a terrible vice that produces resentment, distrust, paranoia, and can even lead to violence. The Bible describes how Rachel became jealous of Leah (Genesis 29 & 30), and how King Saul became jealous of David (1 Samuel 18). Jealousy causes havoc within your soul.

The ultimate example of jealousy is when Lucifer became jealous of God receiving all the praise, honor, and glory (Ezekiel 28:11-19). Lucifer wanted the angels to worship him instead of the Lord, and his pride and jealousy got him kicked out of Heaven. Jesus said, I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven (Luke 10:18). Lucifer chose to stop finding contentment in doing the will of his Creator. And a similar thing happens today to those who become disillusioned with serving God.

It is natural to desire something that someone else has been given. But such longings, if unchecked, can leave a person with the miserable mindset of jealousy. Much can be learned from the Apostle Paul on this matter, who wrote, I have learned the secret of being content whatever the circumstances. And Jerry Bridges wisely said, The cure for the sin of envy and jealousy is to find our contentment in God.

Quarreling, like jealousy, is a corrupt offense that stems from our sinful nature. James wrote, What causes fights and quarrels among you? Dont they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but dont get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God (James 4:1-3).

Paul wrote, The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21). That is to say, those who live for sin rather than for Christ are not saved, justified, redeemed, born again, or forgiven.

Spiritual conversion happens first and is instantaneous. Spiritual maturity develops second and is a lifelong process. Justification takes place on the front end of your relationship with God. Sanctification, on the other hand, develops in the lives of those who have already been saved, redeemed, born again, justified, and forgiven. Just as a child must be born before he or she can mature, a person must be born again (John 3:7) through faith in Christ before he or she can start maturing in their relationship with God.

The author of Hebrews addressed the issue of spiritual infancy: Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of Gods Word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:12-14).

While grumbling, quarreling, and jealousy reveal spiritual immaturity, Christians are free to say No to these temptations. And when we fall short of the mark, we can go to our Savior and say, Lord Jesus, wash me in your precious blood. And help me resist temptation the next time it comes knocking at my door."
Bible researchers decipher earliest Hebrew inscription known as curse tablet The inscription is also the earliest mention of the name of God, archaeologist claims

Biblical researchers say they have decoded an ancient Hebrew inscription, known as a curse tablet that predates by centuries any known Hebrew inscription from ancient Israel. The inscription was found on Mt. Ebal, the mountain of the curse, mentioned in Deuteronomy 27 and Joshua 8.

Cursed, cursed, cursed  cursed by the God of YHWH, you will die cursed, cursed you will surely die, cursed by YHWH cursed, cursed, cursed, reads the earliest proto-alphabetic Hebrew text recovered on a small, folded lead tablet, the Associates for Biblical Research announced at a press conference at the Lanier Theological Library in Houston, Texas, on Thursday.

I believe the amulet dates to the Late Bronze II age, or as early as 1400 BC, Scott Stripling, ABRs director of excavations, told The Jerusalem Post.

He added, This is earlier than many skeptics believe the Bible existed, making this the earliest appearance of the word YHWH in Israel and it was found at a covenant site. The implications are enormous and will reverberate for many years to come.

The amulet, known as a defixio or curse tablet, came to light in December 2019 when Stripling, also the director of the Archaeological Studies Institute at the Bible Seminary went with his team to wet sift the discarded material from excavations conducted in 1982-1989 in the West Bank

Those excavations were conducted by the late Haifa University archaeology professor Adam Zertal who discovered the altar of Joshua on Mount Ebal near the city of Nablus in the West Bank.

This amulet and its inscription do not predate the Bible, Stripling said. We believe it coincides with the biblical events. We talk about verisimilitude, a consistency between what we read in the text and what we find in the material culture. If the text were true, this is what you would anticipate finding, and indeed, it is what we found.

Haifa University professor Gershon Galil told The Times of Israel, This is a text you find only every 1,000 years.

Some have raised concerns about the claims, with one unnamed academic telling The Times of Israel, The fact that they are publishing it in the news before being published scientifically is a bit off."

The Associates for Biblical Research said an academic, peer-reviewed article will be published later this year. The researchers include: Stripling, Galil, Ivana Kumpova, Jaroslav Valach, Pieter Gert van der Veen, Daniel Vavrik and Michal Vopalensky.

According to the Bible, Mount Ebal was the mountain from which the curses were called out for those who broke Gods law when the children of Israel made a covenant with God before entering the land of Israel.

Deuteronomy 11:29 reads, When the Lord your God has brought you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim on Mount Gerizim the blessings, and on Mount Ebal the curses.
Muslims spray acid on family for accepting Jesus: You deserve death

Radical Muslims in eastern Uganda sprayed acid on their family members during an argument over their conversion from Islam to Christianity and were told, You deserve death. The family survived but remain in the hospital where they're being treated for burns.

Reports surfaced last week that Muslim relatives had sprayed acid on three new converts  Juma Waiswa, 38, his 32-year-old wife, Nasimu Naigaga, and their 13-year-old daughter, Amina Nagudi  in Intonko village of Namutumba District, to punish them for putting their faith in Christ, according to Morning Star News.

One of the victims, Waiswa, said they converted to Christianity when a pastor visited their home and shared the Gospel on Feb. 17. When the relatives came to know about their conversion, they called them for a meeting with other clan members on March 8, he said.

During the meeting, we were asked about our salvation, and we affirmed to them that we had believed in Jesus and converted to Christianity, Waiswa was quoted as saying. They told us to renounce Jesus, but we stood by the newly founded faith in Jesus.

He continued: When we refused to recant our faith in Jesus, my father, Arajabu, recited some Quranic verses, and after that they forcefully started beating us with sticks as prescribed in the Quran, claiming that we were apostates. As this was not enough, my father went inside the room and picked up a bottle of acid and began spraying it on us while the group started shouting, Allah Akbar [Allah is greater], you deserve death, and then disowned us.

The three victims didnt realize initially that they had been sprayed with acid. But as we were fleeing for our lives, we started feeling some serious itching that continued until the pain intensified, Waiswa said. A nearby Christian neighbor called the pastor, who arrived immediately and took us to hospital in Mbale, but our daughter was seriously affected and was referred to a hospital in Jinja.

On March 9, their home was burned to the ground.

Four days later, in a separate incident, radical Muslim villagers attacked a former mosque leader, identified as Swaleh Mulongo of Bugobi village, for putting his faith in Christ after being evangelized by a pastor in January.

It was around 8 a.m. when four Muslims stopped me and began asking me so many questions regarding Christianity, but I did not respond, Mulongo was quoted as saying. Then the men started beating me up with blows and sticks, but thank God when they saw some people approaching, they fled away.

Mulongo suffered deep head wounds and his wrist was broken.

The radical Muslims then killed goats and chickens that were owned by the pastor who had led Mulongo to Christ.

Acid can disfigure a victim for life and has been used in revenge attacks mostly by men and particularly in Pakistan, India, the United Kingdom and Uganda, for various reasons, from disloyalty to saying no to a romantic relationship, according to the London-based Acid Survivors Trust International.

Under Ugandan law, the assailant in an acid attack can be sentenced up to seven years in prison, but perpetrators are rarely charged, said Linnet Kirungi, founder and director of the nonprofit Hope Care Rescue Mission, according to Chimp Reports.

"Of the over 200 acid attack survivors with whom I have worked in Uganda, only 20 percent of their perpetrators were charged or had any legal consequences for perpetrating the attack, she told the outlet.

While most people in Uganda are Christian, some Eastern and Central regions in the country have higher concentrations of Muslims.

The Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Project estimates that about 11.5% of Ugandas population is Muslim, mostly Sunni. Armed attacks and murders of converts are not uncommon in the region.

Radical Islams influence has grown steadily, and many Christians within the majority-Muslim border regions are facing severe persecution, especially those who convert from Islam, a Voice of the Martyrs factsheet notes.

Despite the risks, Evangelical churches in Uganda have responded by reaching out to their neighbors; many churches are training leaders how to share the Gospel with Muslims and care for those who are persecuted after they become Christians.
Nigeria: Fulani kidnap 46 Christians in ambush attack days after killing 32 civilians

Suspected Fulani herdsmen ambushed and kidnapped 46 Christians and an unknown number of their children three days after killing 32 civilians in predominantly Christian areas in northern Nigerias Kaduna state, according to reports.

On March 17, heavily armed terrorists, suspected to be radical jihadist Fulani herdsmen, attacked Agunu Dutse village in Kachia County shortly after midnight, abducting at least 46 Christians along with their children. In a separate attack two days later, more than 100 herdsmen and Islamist terrorists killed 32 civilians in Kagoro town in Kaura County, Morning Star News reported.

Among those abducted in Agunu Dutse village, 16 are men and 30 women.

They trooped into our village in large numbers and began shooting indiscriminately at anyone on sight, a resident named Philip John was quoted as saying, according to Morning Star News.

In the second attack in Kagoro, two soldiers were killed, a woman was believed to have been abducted and around 200 houses, and 32 shops were destroyed apart from all of the killings in the Tsonje, Agban, Katanga and Kadarko areas of Kagoro.

At least seven others were injured.

My mums family houses were all razed down, and one of my cousins was burned to death in their house, area resident Violet Peter was quoted as saying. We havent been able to reach some of our relatives. Lord please, this is too much for us.

The Rev. John Joseph Hayab, chairman of the Kaduna state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, said in a statement that Christians were grieving the continued killings, kidnappings, banditry, and the unimaginable evil going on in our state unabated without any substantial action by the government and security forces.

He added: Kaduna state citizens are tired of the governments rhetorical responses without concrete action taken to protect lives and property. Accordingly, we want to hear and see the killers and kidnappers arrested, as the governments usual media condemnation whenever there is havoc is not good enough.

Security analysts say kidnapping for ransom has become a lucrative industry in Nigeria as weapons are becoming available to militants in Nigeria by way of war-torn Libya, and in Nigerias northeast, Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have killed thousands and displaced millions.

The U.S.-based persecution watchdog group International Christian Concern warns that the Nigerian government continues to deny any religious motivation behind the attacks and has recently convinced the U.S. Department of State to do the same.

Many have raised concerns about what they perceive as the governments inaction in holding terrorists accountable for the rising number of murders and kidnappings, which some groups warn has escalated to a genocide.

Last November, however, the Biden administration removed Nigeria from the U.S. State Departments list of countries of particular concern, a designation reserved for the countries that tolerate or engage in some of the world's worst violations of religious freedom. Nigeria was added to the CPC list in December 2020 during the final months of the Trump administration. ICC identified the African country as one of its 2021 Persecutors of the Year.

Nigeria is one of the deadliest places on Earth for Christians, as 50,000 to 70,000 have been killed since 2000, the ICC Persecutor of the Year report states.

According to Open Doors USAs 2022 World Watch List report, at least 4,650 Christians were killed between Oct. 1, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2021, up from 3,530 the previous year, and more than 2,500 Christians were kidnapped, up from 990 a year earlier.
The cats whiskers: an important sculpture from Ancient Egypt

A fine and well-provenanced example, this Egyptian bronze cat was made as a votive offering to the goddess Bastet, and is one of the largest examples to survive from antiquity

This 2,300-year-old bronze cat from Egypt is so lifelike it feels like you have a feline friend in the room with you, says Hannah Fox Solomon, Christies Specialist and Head of Department for Ancient Art and Antiquities. Whereas some examples can be angular, or tall and lanky, this one has great proportions and a lifelike, naturalistic feel. The cat is a star lot of the Antiquities auction at Christies New York on 12 April. The sale also includes more than 130 Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Byzantine, and Near-East objects, including a very rare Sasanian square sardonyx cameo with a bust of King Narseh, who ruled the Sasanian Empire from AD 293 to 302. The cat sits upright with its tail curled around its paws, its head held proudly and its ears standing to attention. Its feline form is brought to life by precise, naturalistic modelling and the inclusion of fine details such as incised tufts of hair on its ears. The superb hollow-cast bronze was made during the Ptolemaic period, circa 332-30 BC. This dynasty takes its name from Ptolemy I Soter, a general who served under Alexander the Great and who seized Egypt following the death of the Macedonian conqueror. The last of the Ptolemaic rulers was Cleopatra VII, lover of Julius Caesar and later Mark Antony. It would have been given as a votive offering to Bastet, the cat-headed goddess of protection, good health and fertility. A mummified cat would originally have been inserted into the body cavity of the sculpture, which has long been lost. At just under 15 in tall, the cat is a far from typical offering to Bastet. It is among a small group of near-lifesize Egyptian feline bronzes to survive from antiquity. Only a handful of museums have similar excellent examples, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the British Museum in London, which is home to the Gayer-Anderson Cat (named after the British soldier who donated it) from Saqqara.

Fine decorative details also add to the sculptures appeal. Holes in the cats ears indicate that it would once have worn earrings, probably made of gold, and its eyes would have been embellished with inlaid stones or glass. Incised lines decorate the animals chest to create two necklaces: a multi-strand broad collar and a cord with a wadjet-eye pendant. The wadjet represents the eye of the god Horus, which was injured but then restored to health, so was a symbol of protection and wellbeing. This is definitely a fancy cat, says Solomon. Its pretty remarkable if you think about the wealth the patron would have had to make such a high-quality offering as this. Bronze was more expensive than other materials such as wood or stone, and a piece this size would have been costly. The Egyptians reverence for cats can be traced back more than 5,000 years, when felines were credited with protecting early pharaohs from snakes and scorpions. Their dexterity at hunting mice and other vermin led to their domestication during the Middle Kingdom (around 2030-1650 BC). Bastet was probably the best known of Egypts feline deities and was a benevolent counterpart to Sekhmet, the lion-headed goddess of destruction. Together they illustrate the complex nature of cats that the Egyptians so admired: on the one hand they could be graceful, vigilant and fertile; on the other, they could be aggressive, destructive and ruthless. While early depictions of Bastet show her as a lioness, she later took the form of a domestic cat or cat-headed woman. Widely popular throughout Egypt, the centre of her cult was the city of Bubastis, just north of present-day Cairo. Thousands of worshippers would journey there each year for a festival in her honour, where more wine was drunk than in a whole year besides, according to the Greek historian Herodotus.
While the Ukrainian developers of an NYC-based startup were building street barricades, their app was being removed from Shopify, one of Americas largest e-commerce platforms. The reason? The startups co-founder, a recent immigrant to the U.S., was a Russian citizen. Shopify had recently joined the list of western companies introducing sanctions of their own.

It took two years and around $200K in personal investment for the mixed Ukrainian-Russian team to develop their e-commerce app, Pocketfied. The product entered the U.S. market this January. Just a few months later, the new venture went up in the flames of war.

We are absolutely devastated, said Aleksandr Iurev, serial entrepreneur and Pocketfied co-founder, who now lives in New Jersey.

Every morning, as soon as I wake up, I check if my team in Ukraine is still alive. Now it seems that my nationality has cost us our business.

Related: What You Can Do To Help Ukraine

The apps Shopify account was opened by Iurev back in Russia and initially registered with his ID information. After its launch in the U.S., Pocketfied resubmitted documents under a new U.S. legal entity. But Shopify hadnt updated their registration by the time the war broke out. They removed the app based on Iurevs passport details.

Another Pocketfied co-founder, Ukraine native Timur Khamzin, who escaped Ukraine shortly before the invasion, also submitted his documents in an attempt to restore the companys account. The app developers suggested taking selfies with barricades in the background.

Luckily, after 150 tickets and countless requests, the platform finally promised that Pocketfied would be re-uploaded to their app store. A week later, Iurev and Khamzin say theyre still waiting.

Related: What The Invasion of Ukraine Really Means For Business

Tech on the frontline

Many Ukrainian tech professionals have joined the fight against the invading force, and not just on the frontline. Our developers volunteered with the Ukrainian IT army, which has recruited over 200,000 people now, said Andriy Lazorenko, CEO at IdeaSoft, part of the Swedish IT consulting group Sigma. Various groups are also pushing Western businesses to put pressure on Russia.

The startups employees were fortunate and managed to escape early. Nobody really believed Russia would attack, so it was a very unlikely scenario, Lazorenko explained. But the company prepared an emergency plan just in case. Now, he says, Im glad we had that plan in place.

In Kharkiv, where IdeaSofts headquarters are based, the bombing started around 5 a.m. There was no warning. Employees rushed to the office with their families, where they boarded company buses for evacuation. We took around 80 employees and their family members to western Ukraine on the first day of war, Lazorenko said. The rest of the team we relocated over the next few days.

Later, calls from business partners and ordinary people started coming in too. They were disoriented and didnt know how to get out. So Lazorenko turned his company buses into an ad hoc car caravan, evacuating people from Kharkiv, delivering humanitarian aid on the way back.

IdeaSoft clients have been incredibly helpful as well, and many have paid three to four months in advance, Lazorenko added. By now, hes evacuated more than 6,000 civilians at his companys expense. Recently Lazorenko joined forces with other IT entrepreneurs to launch the fund Help Kharkiv. The initiative is providing fuel for drivers, food, medical supplies for the wounded, warm clothing for those remaining in Kharkiv basements and more.

Related: Fortnite raises $36 million in humanitarian aid for Ukraine in a single day

Productivity at war

Hanna Zubko, Miami-based co-founder of tech company IntellectEU, said shes been preparing her employees for the possibility of war since December.

Weve conducted multiple webinars on how to evacuate and pack an emergency bag, she said. Zubko was inspired by the story of 9/11. Companies that developed emergency evacuation plans and ran regular practice drills, as it turned out, were able to rescue more people when the time came.

Zubko, who traveled to the U.S. as an exchange student and launched her company at the age of 19, said she received her intelligence from open sources. Articles in the NYT and the WashPost alarmed her, although officials in Ukraine asked people to remain calm. She, too, managed to evacuate her team to western Ukraine, as well as the company offices in Belgium and Portugal.

IntellectEU now has around 265 team members, with 96 remaining in Ukraine. Our employees are now supporting their extended families, many of whom lost their livelihoods when the war began, Zubko added. Several team members have ten or more dependents: weve become a lifeline for them.

According to Zubko, productivity remains high despite the war. Our people were very responsible, even taking work calls from the bomb shelters in the first days of war, she said. The majority were online and working by the beginning of March. But we had to introduce a number of roles outside Ukraine to make sure our clients business wasnt disrupted.

Loathing

According to Lazorenko, the sentiment in Ukraine is clear: no business with Russians anymore. We dont have Russian clients for now, and if we did, we would cancel contracts, Lazorenko said. He added, however, that a few of his former Russian clients donated to the fund he created in support of Ukraine.

The war has had a devastating impact on personal relationships within many mixed teams, too. As the weeks wear on, Putins propaganda wears down trust between relatives, friends, and colleagues, leaving many with a sense that theyve been betrayed by people they thought they knew.

When Russian forces attacked Europes largest nuclear plant in southeastern Ukraine, one of Pockefieds developers warned his colleague in Russias Voronezh about the fire. He urged him to leave the city due to the risk of radiation leakage. His work friend didnt believe him, not even bothering to acknowledge the messages.

The city of Kyiv, where the IntellectEU team was based, has a substantial Russian-speaking population  more than 13% at the last census. Reflecting the citys demographics, the company has many Russian-speaking employees too, explained Zubko.

Language or ethnicity has never been an issue for our team, she said. Everybody understands its not a war between them. Zubko added she is confident that, as a team, they will come out stronger. Were all together, and there are some incredible stories of bravery coming from Ukraine every day.

Related: 5 Ways to Support Ukrainians Using Blockchain

Copyright 2022 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
This article, Facebook Reportedly Paid GOP Firm for Anti-TikTok Campaign, originally appeared on CNET.com.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has reportedly hired a Republican consulting firm to run a media and lobbying campaign to disparage rival social media platform TikTok.

As TikTok grows in popularity, now at more than 1 billion monthly active users, Meta is paying the GOP-linked firm Targeted Victory to paint the short-form video sharing app as dangerous and "the real threat," The Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing internal emails.

The campaign reportedly includes op-eds in major regional outlets, promoting "promoting dubious stories" about TikTok to reporters and pushing local politicians to be critical of TikTok. The firm is reportedly aiming to attribute harmful, teen-targeted social media challenges, such as "devious licks," to TikTok, even though they also appeared on other social networks. Targeted Victory in October pushed local news to cover a purported "Slap a Teacher" TikTok challenge, The Washington Post reported, but the challenge didn't exist on the app.

"We are deeply concerned that the stoking of local media reports on alleged trends that have not been found on the platform could cause real world harm," TikTok said in a statement.

Facebook previously worked with Targeted Victory on its Community Boast roadshow and ad transparency efforts, TechCrunch reported in 2018. In a statement on Wednesday, Targeted Victory CEO Zac Moffatt said the firm has worked with Meta for years.

"It is public knowledge we have worked with Meta for several years and we are proud of the work we have done," Moffatt said.

Lawmakers have accused both TikTok and Meta of endangering children's welfare. In August, TikTok bulked up its safety features for teen users, and earlier this month Meta announced new parental controls for Instagram.

A Meta spokesperson said the company "believes all platforms, including TikTok, should face a level of scrutiny consistent with their growing success."
I don't believe for a minute that Will Smith's "slap" of Chris Rock at the Academy Awards on Sunday night was real. No way. No how. No evidence to the contrary  no matter how compelling  can persuade me to abandon my world view that "elites lie, my own research is always better."

The Academy  a cabal of Hollywood scum with a penchant for drinking the blood of children  is clearly seeking to improve the Oscars broadcast's sagging ratings and disappointing crowd size. They tried to make the show move faster by not televising certain awards. They included categories for top "fan-favorite movies" and "cheer moments" in an attempt to appease Real Americans (TM) who prefer superhero movies and are fed up with the virtue signaling in indie movies.

And because Tom Hanks has finally been jailed for his crimes, they needed something to distract us from their degeneracy. Enter the "slap heard around the world," an event I am about to expose as the biggest hoax perpetrated by our elites since they brainwashed millions of Americans into believing the moon landing was real.

Let's start with the joke that prompted the "slap." Smith can clearly be seen laughing at Rock remarking that he will soon be seeing Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, in a "G.I. Jane" sequel on account of her bald head.

What's that you say? Pinkett Smith is clearly not laughing? And it's possible that she said something to her husband, who then felt compelled to defend his wife's honor? And that he'd be particularly compelled after feeling shame for laughing at a joke at her expense?

Well first, Id say that if Smith is incapable of feeling shame for After Earth, hes incapable of feeling shame for anything. Furthermore, there's no way she could have had the time to say something that'd prompt him to leap on stage with such haste. Look at how quickly Smith is on stage after the joke's conclusion! It's inconceivable that she'd have the time to say anything persuasive enough to get him to confront Rock.

Oh, I already know what you're going to say next. "She didn't have to say anything," you say. "She could have conveyed her displeasure with one look, and Smith would know what she meant," you continue.

"She's been open about her struggles with alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss, and Will Smith has been open about feeling guilt over not defending his mother against his verbally and physically abusive father. Furthermore, the pair's relationship has been turbulent and it's possible Smith  who already has beef with Chris Rock over jabs at his wife  lost it in that moment after catching her glare."

You say all of this, with citations and all, as I stand next to my Charlie Day wall. Undeterred, I ask you the simple question, "If it was real, why did it look so fake?" You, a normie social media user, reply with this slow-motion video of the "slap" that does make it look as if Smith made contact.

Me, a savvy user of everything ranging from Twitter to 8kun, knows how to spot a deepfake when I see one. I also know that Smith smirked as he walked away, and no, it's definitely not possible that Smith's smirk can be attributed to him feeling satisfaction over slapping his wife's tormenter. Not possible at all.

Perhaps you're one of the more reasonable useful idiots our elites employ, in which case, you might be willing to cede some ground. You'd say, "I understand how some might have believed the slap was staged right after it happened, but I'm not sure how you can still believe that after the immediate aftermath, Smith's tearful and chaotic acceptance speech, the fallout from the incident, and the reactions of those in the crowd."

But I already told you how this story ends. No amount of facts, logic, reason, video evidence or an intervention by my closest friends and family can persuade me of your position. And because me harboring such beliefs doesnt ever lead to negative societal consequences, I kindly suggest that we agree to disagree.
BEULAH -- The Benzie County Community Chest has announced it has recently distributed grants to several Benzie County organizations to help further its mission to improve the quality of life for Benzie County residents by promoting health and wellness.

To do this, the group helps support programs furthering its mission.

The agencies and programs to recently receive grant funds from community chest are as follows:

 Benzie Area Christian Neighbors received $12,000 to provide nutrient-dense food to clients through their food pantry;

 Benzie County Child Abuse Prevention Councils program, Benzie Cares for Kids, received $5,000 to nurture and support families to successfully raise healthy children;

 Benzie Senior Resources received $10,000 to support the Senior Essential Needs Fund. The fund brings peace of mind to seniors and disabled adults in desperate need of shelter repairs, utilities, transportation repairs and medical needs;

 Blessings in a Backpack received $4,000 to provide local students, living in food insecure homes, with weekend food snacks;

 Child and Family Services of Northwestern Michigans program, Third Level Youth Services 24/7, received $3,000 to provide a crisis line for assessment and management, long-term intensive support and safe shelter to resolve personal, family or suicidal emergencies;

 Habitat for Humanity Benzie County was granted $9,000 to build an affordable, energy-efficient home to a qualified family;

 Mills Community House received $15,000 toward a new elevator which is the core transportation system for elderly and mobility challenged to maneuver between the three floors of the community house;

 Northwest Michigan Supportive Housing received $2,500 to increase housing stabilization through permanent supportive housing for those who struggle with mental illness;

 Remain in Touch received $1,000 for an ongoing literacy program targeting incarcerated parents and assisting the parents to stay connected with their children through reading and recording books; and

 The Baby Pantry, at St. Philips Episcopal Church, received $5,000 to expand community outreach for family basic needs of formula, food, diapers and equipment.

"Benzie County Community Chest will continue to work toward building a healthy and strong community  one person at a time," a press release from community chest read. "We thank everyone for making a special effort to reach out and make a difference in the lives of the folks who reside right here in Benzie County."

Anybody who wants to help with Community Chest's mission and thinks they have the skills to be an ambassador is asked to contact Brooke Trentham Popp, executive director, at 231-882-6604 or benziecommunitychest@gmail.com.

ALICE households

ALICE is Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed. In Benzie County, 10% of residents qualify for federal assistance and another 32% of Benzie County households are considered ALICE households that earn above the federal poverty level, but not enough to afford basic household necessities.

According to a release from Benzie County Community Chest, this situation has been affected by increased property values, which displace families, and decreased full-time employment opportunities, forcing many youths and young families to leave the area. ALICE households have been further affected by government policies, a decrease in social insurances and welfare programs and the increase in social and economic inequality.

Until a diversified economy exists in Benzie County, which includes agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, health services and the digital economy, Benzie County Community Chest will continue to support many partner agencies.
Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images

A jury has found a former H-E-B employee guilty of fatally shooting his co-worker nine times and injuring others in a 2016 shooting at the San Antonio-based grocery chain. Raul Lopez, a 31-year-old Mission man, has been in custody since November 28, 2016, when he fired 19 shots into a break room at H-E-B in Palmview in Hidalgo County, according to the Brownsville Herald.

Four H-E-B employees were hit by the gunfire.
WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden said Wednesday he would meet with the parents of the Texas veteran who has been detained in Russia since August 2019.

Trevor Reed is an ex-Marine who was detained in August 2019 on questionable grounds, according to news reports, United States diplomats and Texas members of Congress. Since then, his parents, Joey and Paula Reed, have pleaded for his release.

Biden told a CNN reporter Wednesday that he would meet with Reeds parents, who were protesting in front of the White House to bring awareness to his case.

Reed traveled to Russia in the summer of 2019 to learn the language of his Russian girlfriend. Russian authorities arrested him that August for public drunkenness and took him to a jail.

Trevor was initially detained for public intoxication, but when the Russian Federal Security Service discovered that he was a U.S. Marine, they upped the charges and accused him of endangering the lives of police officers, Republican U.S. Rep. August Pfluger of San Angelo told The Texas Tribune in 2021. The accusation, and the lack of evidence to support it, was so ridiculous that even the Russian judge erupted in laughter during his trial.

The case has taken on new urgency in recent months with Russias invasion of Ukraine, and escalating tensions as the U.S. has issued sanctions on the former Soviet nation.

Pfluger and several Republican Texans in Congress expressed anger at Biden earlier this month for traveling to the state and not meeting with the Reeds. Biden discussed Reeds status in a 2021 summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The U.S. House passed a 2021 resolution calling for the Reeds release.

Reed is one of two known Texans in Russian custody. In February, Russian authorities detained WNBA star Brittney Griner, claiming she was in possession of cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage.

We cant wait to welcome you in person and online to the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival, our multiday celebration of big, bold ideas about politics, public policy and the days news  all taking place just steps away from the Texas Capitol from Sept. 22-24. When tickets go on sale in May, Tribune members will save big. Donate to join or renew today.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

President Joe Biden has very bad approval rating numbers right now, so it shouldn't be a surprise that a new Harvard CAPS-Harris poll finds him trailing former President Donald Trump in a hypothetical matchup.

The poll, conducted among 1,990 registered voters March 23 and 24, finds that Trump has support of 47% voters, Biden has 41% support and 12% of voters are undecided. In the 2020 presidential election, Biden won the popular vote over Trump 51.3% to 46.9%. The fact that Trump's vote share in the poll is identical to his 2020 vote share is interesting, as it may suggest that while many Biden voters now disapprove of his performance, that doesn't necessarily mean they're flocking to Trump as an alternative.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
A 16-year-old child, displaced from the Al-Ghab Plain in the northwestern countryside of Hama, was shot dead by the Turkish gendarmerie, while trying to enter Turkey from the countryside of Idlib. He is the second victim at the hands of the gendarmerie within a day, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Shortly before that, a young displaced man from the town of Talmans in Idlib countryside was shot dead by the Turkish gendarmerie, while trying to enter Turkey from the Khirbet al-Jouz area in the western countryside of Idlib.

Thus, the number of civilians who have been killed by the Turkish border guards gendarmerie forces since the beginning of 2022, within separate Syrian areas located near and at the border with Turkey, has risen to 10, including 3 children, and 16 civilians, including 3 children, were also wounded by the gendarmeries bullets.

T/S

ANHA
Express Entry: Canada invites 919 PNP candidates to apply Immigration minister Sean Fraser has hinted at a work permit extension for PGWP holders. Shelby Thevenot Alexandra Miekus Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

Sans Font Size A

A

Canada invited 919 Express Entry candidates to apply for permanent residence on March 30.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) only invited Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates in the new invitation round. To be invited, candidates needed to have a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) of at least 785. The minimum score was relatively high because PNP candidates get an automatic 600 points added to their score when they receive their nomination. Without the nomination, the lowest-scoring candidates would have had 185 base points.

Invited candidates now have 60 days to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

In the previous round of invitations, IRCC invited a total of 924 PNP candidates to apply for Canadian immigration.

Minister hints at PGWP extension or similar provision

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser attended the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration meeting on March 24 to answer questions on the state of the immigration system.

In response to when draws for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates would resume, Fraser once again said there was no specific date. Express Entry draws for CEC candidates have been paused since September 2021. As a result, potential CEC candidates in Canada have not been able to apply and some are facing the end of their work permit validity. Without an Express Entry draw, these temporary workers, oftentimes holding a non-extendable Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), will not be able to get a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) and extend their stay. Instead, they may have to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-supported work permit, quit their jobs, or even leave Canada.

So far, IRCC has not made any official announcements to prevent otherwise qualified CEC or Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) candidates from having their status expire. However, Fraser suggested there may be an opportunity to extend PGWPs, or introduce a similar measure.

It is my intention to do what I can to allow people to stay by extending post-graduate work permits or some proxy that will have the same result that may be as effective, Fraser said at the committee meeting.

We have to finalize a little bit of policy work before we can roll out the kinds of changes that Im talking about, but our goal is to allow those who are here working to stay and to continue working until they may have an opportunity to complete the PR process, whether its through a federal skilled worker or CEC draw.

FSWP candidates have not been invited to apply since December 2020. There has been no communication since then as to when draws for FSWP candidates will resume, except in public records that are available by access to information requests.

IRCCs strategy in 2021 to admit as many in-Canada candidates as possible created a giant backlog in the FSWP. IRCC estimates it could take 36 months to process some FSWP applications with the current inventory. In order to get the processing time back to the six-month standard, IRCC has continued its pause on Express Entry draws for FSWP candidates. Internal briefing notes suggest that it will take the first six months of 2022 to clear the backlogs. Fraser has previously suggested draws will resume in the spring.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is the application management system for three Canadian immigration programs: the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. PNP candidates in the Express Entry pool have already qualified for one of these programs.

Express Entry uses a points-based system, the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), to rank candidates profiles. The top-scoring candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), and can then apply for permanent residency.

After the candidate applies, an IRCC officer reviews the application and makes a decision. The officer will ask for biometrics and may set up an interview or request more documents.

If the application is approved, IRCC issues a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR). Approved permanent residents can then complete the landing process. If they are outside Canada, they can access pre-arrival services to help them with the first steps for settling in Canada.

Who was invited?

The following is a hypothetical scenario of someone who could have been invited in the new Express Entry draw.

Anh is 32, holds a masters degree and has been working as a software engineer for five years. She wrote the IELTS and scored an 8 in each category. Anh has never worked or studied in Canada. She entered the Express Entry pool as a Federal Skilled Worker with a score of 462. After receiving a provincial nomination from Ontario, Anh saw her CRS score increase to 1062. She then received an ITA in the new Express Entry draw.

Get a Free Express Entry Assessment

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
Ukrainians aged 14-17, and those over 60 are among the groups who can now complete their biometrics upon arriving to Canada.

IRCC eases overseas biometrics requirement for some Ukrainians Ukrainians aged 14-17, and those over 60 are among the groups who can now complete their biometrics upon arriving to Canada.

IRCC eases overseas biometrics requirement for some Ukrainians Ukrainians aged 14-17, and those over 60 are among the groups who can now complete their biometrics upon arriving to Canada.

IRCC eases overseas biometrics requirement for some Ukrainians Ukrainians aged 14-17, and those over 60 are among the groups who can now complete their biometrics upon arriving to Canada. Kareem El-Assal Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

Sans Font Size A

A

Effective immediately, certain Ukrainians looking to move to Canada will no longer need to submit their biometrics at Visa Application Centres (VACs) overseas.

In an email to CIC News this morning, Immigration Minister Sean Frasers office explained:

Biometrics are currently a requirement before arrival in Canada for the majority of Ukrainian nationals. IRCC relies on biometrics for identity management and to ensure the integrity of Canadas visa programs. The collection of biometrics is an essential component of the security screening process to protect the safety and security of Canadians and Ukrainian nationals when they arrive on Canadian soil.

However, IRCC has identified 3 cohorts of individuals that are low risk and therefore biometric screening can be eased to expedite processing. IRCC is easing requirements for three cohorts of people, including:

clients aged 14-17

clients over 60

clients with previous Canadian visas and no derogatory immigration history, who hold supporting documents

Biometrics are not required for children under age 14.

This decision was made with the upmost caution for Canadian citizens and Ukrainians fleeing the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The easing of biometrics will ensure Ukrainian nationals are arriving in Canada as quickly and as safely as possible.

Two weeks ago, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) launched the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) and introduced a three-year open work permit. These are among the variety of Canadian immigration measures available to assist Ukrainians amid the war with Russia.

IRCC had required that Ukrainians submit their biometrics overseas before being able to come to Canada. This has posed logistical challenges since demand among Ukrainians to submit their biometrics exceeds the number of appointments available at VACs. Minister Fraser has been asked by the likes of the media, civic groups, and opposition parties if the federal government could waive the visa requirement altogether or at least waive the overseas biometrics requirement and have Ukrainians submit them upon arrival to Canada. Critics have argued such requirements are slowing Canadas ability to help Ukrainians. The minister, however, has explained this would make it difficult for the federal government to identify potential security threats looking to use the CUAET to enter Canada.

The new announcement that the overseas biometrics requirement is being eased for certain groups is a recognition by IRCC that these groups pose less of a security risk than other cohorts.

Certain foreign nationals are required to submit their biometrics at VACs before entering Canada. This includes submitting your fingerprints and a photo. The purpose of biometrics is to make the identification of travellers more efficient and to expedite entry into Canada for low-risk travellers.

Learn about Canadas special immigration measures for Ukraine

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
Russian corporations believe they can replace software from Western vendors such as SAP with solutions they have developed themselves. Meanwhile, thousands of IT specialists are leaving the country.

After several major software vendors including Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP announced they were shutting down their operations in Russia, Russian companies are apparently now looking to switch to homegrown solutions. For example, Mikhail Oseyevsky, president of the state-controlled Russian telecommunications company Rostelecom, believes that domestic IT companies could replace SAPs products with adequate government support.

We are clear that with government support, cross-cutting projects in IT will also be launched and we will be able to overcome global challenges, for example, substituting SAP, Oseyevsky said, according to the the German newspaper Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung (RNZ), which cited a meeting with various international media.

Rostelecom is one of the largest telecommunications companies in Russia with more than 140,000 employees. The group, whose chief executive maintains close ties with Russian strongman Vladimir Putin, announced a cooperation with SAP in 2017 and has since been working with human capital management (HCM) solutions from SuccessFactors, the cloud provider acquired by SAP.

At that time, Nikita Cherkasenko, responsible for human resources development at Rostelecom, was still singing the praises of the SAP solution: We want to help build a new digital Russia and know that a company as large as ours cannot be flexible and agile enough without the best HCM solutions on the market. With the help of SAP SuccessFactors solutions, he said, they are now able to recruit the top talent with the digital skills Rostelecom needs.

IT specialists leave Russia

However, recruiting IT talent may soon be a thing of the past for the Russian telco group. Thousands of specialists are currently leaving Russia. In March alone, 50,000 IT specialists are said to have turned their backs on the country, reported Sergey Plugotarenko, director of the Russian Association of Electronic Communications (RAEC). About 150 IT companies are members of the industry association, including Russian IT providers such as the security specialist Kaspersky, but also Russian representatives of foreign companies such as Microsoft, Apple and Samsung.

Plugotarenko expects the IT exodus to continue in April. The sanctions imposed by the West and the withdrawal of large Western IT groups from Russia are responsible for this, he said. This is likely to make it difficult to line up the developer resources needed to build complex business systems. RAEC officials did not say a word about Russias war of aggression on Ukraine. The Russian power apparatus threatens all those who speak of invasion and war with draconian punishments.

SAP CEO Christian Klein condemned Russias attack on Ukraine: Like the rest of the world, we are watching the war in Ukraine with horror and condemn the invasion in the strongest possible terms. An act as inhumane and unjustified as this is an attack on democracy and humanity. Its consequences affect us all.

In early March, he announced that he would shut down business in Russia. In a blog post, he wrote: We are stopping business in Russia and Belarus aligned with sanctions and, in addition, pausing all sales of SAP services and products in Russia and Belarus. Existing customers not covered by the sanctions, however, would continue to be served under contractual agreements, the German software company said.

Volodymyr Zelensky: There must be no half decisions

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently sharply criticized this support and called on SAP to completely stop supporting its software in Russia. Now can be no half decisions or halftones! wrote Zelensky on Twitter. There is only black and white, good or evil! You are either for peace or support the bloody Russian aggressor to kill Ukrainian children and women. Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, stop supporting your products in Russia, stop the war!

In an interview with RNZ, SAP CEO Klein had shown understanding for Zelensky, but at the same time defended his strategy. For example, he said, hospitals, supermarkets and companies that are important for vaccine production and distribution are operated with SAPs software. If we shut all that down, it wont stop the war, the CEO said. SAP doesnt want to presume to know better than politicians and experts. Thats why the company has taken this path, he said.

Editors Note: This story originally appeared on CIO Germany.
Wilkes Barre, PA (18701)

Today

Rain likely. High near 55F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Rain likely. Low 49F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
The aerial targeting was renewed on the areas where ISIS mercenaries are hide in the Syrian desert, that Damascus government helicopters took turns targeting sites where ISIS mercenaries are likely to hide in Al-Rahjan desert in eastern Hama countryside.

No information has been received about deaths or injuries so far, according to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

And that Russian warplanes launched about 270 air raids on Syrian desert during the month of March, and that the Russian raids on Syrian desert have significantly decreased from previous months, as a result of its military action in Ukraine.

Sh-S

ANHA
Raspunsul la criza refugiatilor: Apel de propuneri, lansat de MAD-Aid in parteneriat cu Camera de Comert Britanica din Moldova
Concurs privind ocuparea functiilor vacante: Manager de proiect, Coordonator tehnic al proiectului, Coordonator financiar, Asistent de proiect, Ofiter de comunicare
The CCNI is the regulator for charities in Northern Ireland

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI) has published guidance for charities that includes information on their new annual reporting requirements.

A new piece of legislation, The Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, is about to come into force. This reinstates the requirement for charities to compile accounts for their first full financial year after 1 April 2022.

New legislation was necessary to resolve an issue that had invalidated much of CCNIs work.

This week, CCNI has published a series of documents setting out what charities need to know.

All registered charities are now required to submit their accounts and report to the regulator, whereas previously those that were registered before May 2019 were not required to.

CCNI has set out a table explaining when the different reporting deadlines are for those who now have to report.

Another document sets out charities right to appeal CCNI decisions.

In a blog on CCNIs website, Marin Ireland, head of charities team, DfC engaged communities voluntary and community division, urged charities to ensure their contact details were up to date.

He said: Currently awaiting Royal Assent, the new Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 will bring with it a number of important developments for charity regulation, developments which the trustees of all charities in Northern Ireland, regardless of their size, work or location, should be aware of.

sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector,
Charity Book Club started by accident in 2019. Yasmin tweeted a photo of the books she was reading, Ellie replied with a book club idea which Yasmin thought was a joke - little did she know that Ellie had got Rebecca involved and Charity Book Club was born.

Charity Book Club is a community of people who work in or for charities who like reading, chatting about books and meeting other people in the sector.



Our vision has resolutely been to inspire people to think big and think differently; we want our members to read books that broaden our horizons, challenge our thinking and open our minds to issues, realities and stories beyond our own.

Networking without having to network

We were keen to create a space that was inclusive and informal; enabling anyone from across the charity and not-for-profit sector to join or dip in-and-out as they wished. We wanted members to be able to chat to other sector people without it having to feel like networking, and its been really exciting to see these connections flourish as the community has grown.

Our events started off in London pubs and during the pandemic we moved online. We were nervous about how the transition would play out and its been heartening to see members that have been attending since 2019 alongside people from across the country that are joining online. It is our aspiration to get back to in-person events, but we also acknowledge that weve built a strong online community too and so we are exploring a hybrid approach.

Diverse range of books

We alternate fiction and non-fiction and select our books carefully. We choose themes that resonate with our members, or the current political climate, or social campaigns. For example, during the rise of the BLM movement we chose several books about race, and as the pandemic entered into its second year in 2021, we selected Zadie Smiths collection of essays written during lockdown.

We are really proud of the diverse selection weve been able to cover so far and want to push ourselves to ensure were always reading books that open minds and break boundaries. Many of the choices have come through recommendations and votes with our members, enabling us to read books we may not have come across or that match our usual tastes. It can be extremely rewarding.

At each event, we discuss how the book resonated with each of us and what the themes that jumped out where. We also talk about our least favourite bits too! We give each book a score out of 10, and a one-word review, which is shared on our Twitter and Linked In.

Author Q&As

We have been lucky to host two author Q&As for Charity Book Club members:

Magid Magid - The Art of Disruption

Katie Colombus - How to Listen

It was a privilege to host these authors and the events were a resounding success, with lots of questions and food for thought. Magid challenged us all to consider how we can bring activism into our everyday lives, and Katie brought the Samaritans principles of listening and being present to life for us.

A screenshot from the Charity Book Club's online Magid event

We are excited to host more events like these as we continue to grow and welcome input from our members and people across the sector for ideas.

Charity Book Club is free to join and we welcome anyone who works in/for charities and not-for-profit organisations. We hold an event every other month. Please follow our Twitter and LinkedIn for updates on our next events, to join the conversation on our next book choice and see what were up to!

The Charity Book Club List:

The Optician of Lampedusa by Emma Jane Kirby

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Invisible Women by Caroline Criado-Perez

Why Im No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo

Twas the Nightshift before Xmas by Adam Kay

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

Intimations by Zadie Smith

The Art of Disruption by Magid Magid

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri

How to Listen by Katie Colombus

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

The Descent of Man by Grayson Perry

Drowned World by JG Ballard

Sway by Pragya Agarwal

About the founders

Yasmin, Rebecca and Ellie are passionate about the sector and creating a meaningful community in Charity Book Club. Yasmin is digital engagement strategy partner at Action for Children, Ellie is senior product manager at William Joseph, and Rebecca is head of communications at Austica UK.

Charity Book Club is hosted by William Joseph, a creative agency that works with charities and universities. They help solve problems by better understanding their audiences' needs. Working across digital, print and branding, they create content that people can actually understand and engage with. William Joseph kindly supplied pizza and drinks (essential items for book clubs!) for our in-person events and, since moving online, they have made donations to a charity linked to each book.

Our next events are:

Civil Society Voices is the place for informed opinion, and debate about the big issues affecting charities today. Were always keen to hear from anyone, working or volunteering at a charity, who has something to say. Find out more about contributing and how to get in touch. is the place for informed opinion, and debate about the big issues affecting charities today. Were always keen to hear from anyone, working or volunteering at a charity, who has something to say.
Yesterday, staffers at Conde Nast announced that they are forming a company-wide union with the NewsGuild of New York, covering more than five hundred staffers across a dozen titles. Staffers at The New Yorker, Wired, Pitchfork, and Ars Technica are not covered as they are unionized already; bosses recognized those units voluntarily, but would not initially commit to doing the same with the company-wide push, pledging only to learn more via productive and thoughtful conversations. The new union is demanding better pay, conditions, and job security, as well as greater commitments to diversity and equity, with organizers claiming that around 80 percent of eligible staffers already support the effort. Christina Chaey, a senior editor at Bon Appetit, told the Washington Posts Elahe Izadi that the era of a million girls would kill for that job is quickly coming to a close, a reference to The Devil Wears Prada, which was written by a former assistant to the Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Jaime Archer, a Web producer at Vanity Fair, said that the impetus behind the new union comes down to prestige doesnt pay the bills.

Also yesterday, across town, unionized staffers at BuzzFeed News voted to authorize a strike. They formed their union three years ago following massive layoffs; bosses recognized it a few months later, but they have still not agreed on a new contract, a fact that already led staffers to walk off the job last year as BuzzFeed prepared to become a public company. Last week, Jonah Peretti, the CEO, announced that BuzzFeed would be slashing its news division via voluntary buyoutstargeted at the teams covering investigations, science, politics, and inequalityand pursuing profitability by prioritizing the areas of coverage our audience connects with the most; the union responded with outrage, accusing management of illegal union-busting tactics, pledging to file a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, and writing in a statement that bosses are still learning a fundamental truth about their newsroom: now that we have our union, the era of them making unilateral decisions that affect our work and our lives is over. Following yesterdays votewhich will allow staffers to halt work, even if they do not intend to do so right awayAddy Baird, the chair of the union, told the Daily Beast that her colleagues are fucking pissed at the moment and called Peretti, who did not show up at the bargaining table yesterday, a coward. (BuzzFeed said that the sooner the union agrees to a package that allows BuzzFeed News to be financially sustainable, the faster it can get to solid ground.)

ICYMI: CNNs ambitious, uncertain leap into streaming

The two developments illuminated different steps in the unionization process and broader fight for media workers rightsefforts that have become increasingly common across the media landscape in recent years, born of the poor financial conditions of the industry and accelerated by the pandemic and fight against racism in newsrooms, among other factors. Its pretty much ongoing nonstop, Hamilton Nolana journalist for CJR and others who spearheaded the Gawker union drive, which set a precedent for other digital media shops, in 2015told Steven Greenhouse for Nieman Reports recently. There was a time when in every conversation about organizing, people felt they were taking a big leap and they were really going out on a limb, but that has been mitigated to a large degree. Last year, a slate of candidates standing for the council of the Writers Guild of America, East, argued that so many digital-media properties had organized with it recently as to sap resources from the unions initial focus on screenwriters. A rival slate that included Nolan insisted that organizing digital media should remain a key objective. Nolans entire slate was elected.

The media-unionization trend has not been limited to digital shops, of course; indeed, since I last wrote at length about it last year, outletsbig and small, old and relatively new, thriving and not so muchhave moved along in the process. New unions at The Atlantic and Politico were voluntarily recognized; bosses at MSNBC and Washingtonian refused to do likewise with new unions in their newsrooms, though employees at both subsequently won votes supervised by the NLRB. US-based journalists with the Financial Times moved to unionize in a bid to secure the sort of input already enjoyed by their colleagues in the UK. Numerous Gannett newspapers moved to unionize amid reports of aggressive pushback from management. Unionized staffers at New York reached agreement on a new contract; following a byline strike, unionized staffers at the Buffalo News did likewise. The union for Wirecutter, a product-review site owned by the New York Times, staged a strike over the busy Thanksgiving shopping season before it, too, reached a deal. In a particularly contentious process, Times management also refused to recognize a union formed by tech workers at the company, forcing it to an eventual vote that saw the union ratified by a wide margin.

Even against this busy backdrop, yesterdays news stands out. Even though several of its individual publications were already unionized, the company-wide push at Conde Nast is a significant developmentdue to the sheer number of employees involved, Condes iconic status, and, in particular, the recent trajectory of the company. The unions diversity and equity demands follow a longer-term reckoning over a culture that many employees described as a difficult place for people of color to succeed and content that has in the past elevated a Eurocentric standard of beauty, as the Times has put it, while its complaints about unsustainable and inequitable pay and conditions come as the company attempts to pivot toward a digitaland profitablefuture. Industry pivots, of course, often leave workers behindeven though, as the new union noted yesterday, being on the cutting edge of media should mean prioritizing workers. Conde, the union said, describes itself as a media company for the future. And the future of media is unions.

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

Staffers at BuzzFeed News have endured numerous pivotsand cutsover the years. The present moment feels borderline existential, even if its important, as staffers have noted, not to talk about how great BuzzFeeds news output was when the companys remaining journalists are still fighting every day to sustain it. (Full disclosure: I interned at BuzzFeed in 2017.) The union is at the vanguard of that fight, with its particularly high stakes. Having a union is not a guarantee of fair treatment, as weve so often seen. But its certainly a key bulwark. BuzzFeed News now cannot legally implement its latest planned cuts without reaching an agreement with workers first. With their talk of voluntary buyouts, bosses are framing this as benevolent that theyre not laying everyone off, Baird said, when in fact theyre literally just not breaking the law.

Last summer, unionized staffers at The New Yorker, who had long been bargaining for a contract without reaching an agreement, threatened to go on strike. One evening, many of them demonstrated outside Wintours home in Manhattan; Wintour does not oversee The New Yorker, but Natalie Meade, a union leader, said that she serves as a proxy for Conde Nast, noting to the Times that whats happening at The New Yorker is not necessarily happening in a vacuum. Protesters chanted Bosses wear Prada, workers get nada and held up signs in The New Yorkers iconic font, one of which read, You cant eat prestige. The following week, the union, along with those at Pitchfork and Ars Technica, reached a deal with management.

Below, more media labor and business news:

They dont deserve us: For The Nation, Rachel Sanders, a former BuzzFeed News staffer and union representative, makes the case that the companys treatment of its journalists makes it undeserving of their excellent work. Management has always seemed outraged and mystified by the very existence of the News union, unable to accept that some of their employees are no longer cooperative board game pieces they can shuffle around at will. And as far as Im aware, theyve been equally disdainful toward the union at HuffPost, which BuzzFeed acquired in November 2020 before promptly laying off a third of its staff, Sanders writes. But whether they understand this new reality or not, theyre going to have to negotiate this time.

For The Nation, Rachel Sanders, a former BuzzFeed News staffer and union representative, makes the case that the companys treatment of its journalists makes it undeserving of their excellent work. Management has always seemed outraged and mystified by the very existence of the News union, unable to accept that some of their employees are no longer cooperative board game pieces they can shuffle around at will. And as far as Im aware, theyve been equally disdainful toward the union at HuffPost, which BuzzFeed acquired in November 2020 before promptly laying off a third of its staff, Sanders writes. But whether they understand this new reality or not, theyre going to have to negotiate this time. Lee way: In recent months, Lee Enterprises, a newspaper chain, has been fending off a hostile takeover bid by Alden Global Capital, a hedge fund. Alden is notorious for making deep cuts at its media properties, leading many media observers to cheer for Lees cause, but Sara Fischer and Kerry Flynn report, for Axios, that Lee itself has recently laid off at least eight staffers across at least five of its newsrooms. Journalists at Lee-owned papers across the US say that at this point, they dont know whether staying independent or a hedge fund takeover is worse, Fischer and Flynn write. One former editor said that if Alden is a cancer on journalism, Lee is covid , mrsa , and sars .

In recent months, Lee Enterprises, a newspaper chain, has been fending off a hostile takeover bid by Alden Global Capital, a hedge fund. Alden is notorious for making deep cuts at its media properties, leading many media observers to cheer for Lees cause, but Sara Fischer and Kerry Flynn report, for Axios, that Lee itself has recently laid off at least eight staffers across at least five of its newsrooms. Journalists at Lee-owned papers across the US say that at this point, they dont know whether staying independent or a hedge fund takeover is worse, Fischer and Flynn write. One former editor said that if Alden is a cancer on journalism, Lee is , , and . On the subject of Axios: The site has acquired the SF Minute, a newsletter based in San Francisco, as it continues to expand its local-news coverage nationally. The SF Minute will rebrand as Axios San Francisco, but Nick Bastone, its founder and editor, is staying on as a coauthor. Running a newsletter is like running a small business. Its exciting, but theres tons of behind the scenes stuff (from marketing to bookkeeping) that takes up valuable time, Bastone writes. Why it matters: Joining Axios will let me focus on writing and reporting and making the newsletter the best it can be.



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: BuzzFeed and the demands of being public

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
Anti-Abortion Activists to Traverse West Virginia to Call on Senator Joe Manchin to Vote Against Jackson for Supreme Court

Senator Manchin, protect our families!



NEWS PROVIDED BY

Randall Terry,

March 30, 2022



MEDIA ADVISORY, March 30, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- Senator Joe Manchin has consistently declared that he is "pro-life," and "pro-family."



Conversely, Supreme Court nominee Judge Jackson is an ardent support of abortion on demand.



Furthermore, she has also tipped her hand that she is a "transgender" judicial activist, by declaring that she could not define what a woman is.



A Judge of this degraded character is unworthy of a seat on our nation's highest Court.



Randall Terry states:

"Senator Manchin has a moral obligation to unborn babies, to God (who he professes to serve), and to the voters and families of West Virginia. If Senator Manchin votes to confirm Judge Jackson, he will have betrayed all three. We have always believed he was a better man than this. What good is it to say you are pro-life and pro-family if you won't protect babies and families with your vote?"

Pro-lifers from four states (including West Virginia) will travel to six stops at the following times and locations, holding signs that declare:

Senator Machin - Don't Betray Babies!



Senator Manchin - Don't be a Judas.



Senator Manchin - Defend the Family!



Vote AGAINST Jackson!

Thursday, March 31st

Martinsburg - 9AM

Senator Manchin's Martinsburg Office

261 Aikens Center, Ste. 305

Martinsburg, WV 25404



Morgantown - 1PM

Morgantown City Hall,

389 Spruce St,

Morgantown, WV 26505



Wheeling - 3:15 PM

Federal Courthouse

1125 Chapline Street

Wheeling, WV 26003

Friday, April 1

Fairmont - 9AM

Senator Manchin's West Virginia Office

230 Adams Street

Fairmont, WV 26554



Charleston - 12PM

Senator Manchin's Charleston Office

900 Pennsylvania Ave., Ste. 629

Charleston, WV 25302



Huntington - 2PM

Huntington City Hall

800 5th Ave,

Huntington, WV 25701

SOURCE Randall Terry



CONTACT: 904-687-9806



Related Links



www.RandallTerry.com


The people of Al-Qanayeh district in the western countryside of Kobani are marching on the occasion of the birth of the leader Abdullah Ocalan, at 11:00 (photos and videos are attached).

A member of the defense committee of the leader Abdullah Ocalan, lawyer Khaled Omar, explained that the prevention of meetings with the leader Ocalan is a violation of the detainees' rights, and pointed out that the Committee against Torture did not undertake its task, and stressed that the people in Nowruz had expressed their support for the leader Ocalan this year. (Pictures attached).

Politics

The spokesman for the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria reiterated the administration's readiness for dialogue with the Damascus government, but criticized the latter's evasion, and stressed that the proper solution to the Syrian crisis is a pluralistic, decentralized system of government. (photos and video attached).

Kurdistan

"When we do not work to spread the ideology of the resistance of the Kurdistan freedom movement, we feel that we are betraying the land of Kurdistan. The voice of the resistance of the martyr Agid formed a strong will and determination among the Kurds." With these words, the national figure Ali Omar expressed his connection to the struggle of the Kurdistan Workers' Party.

Jubeir Sheikh Suleiman believes that the conspirators against the will of the Yazidi community want to place Shingal in a siege, and separate it from northern and eastern Syria, in a scheme targeting the Yazidis' gains, stressing that Turkey is the one planning and the Iraqi government and the PDK are implementing it. (Pictures attached).

The families of the martyrs in the Euphrates region expressed their categorical rejection of the complicity of the Kurdistan Democratic Party with the Turkish occupation state, and warned of dire consequences as a result of this complicity. (photos and video attached).

woman

Violence is everything that harms the human being in terms of inhuman and other violations and practices, whether physical, verbal, sexual, or economic violence, and that practiced on the basis of gender.

World

During the past years, Erdogan has worked to exploit the Palestinian cause to achieve his political goals. But recently, the truth of his political discourse on the issue has been revealed, so how did Erdogan use the Palestinian issue as a card in his hand to achieve his goals?

The area called de-escalation has recently witnessed military developments, including targeting of military sites belonging to the Turkish occupation before the forces of the Damascus government, in addition to Russian bombing of the area. The Syrian researcher, Dr. Ahmed Al-Darzi, considers these developments warning messages from Russia to Turkey, confirming its ability to move The Syrian file, and the restoration of the occupied areas by Turkey and its mercenaries.

ANHA
A Philadelphia psychiatrist and his wife agreed to pay $3 million to resolve allegations that they billed the federal workers compensation program for services that were not performed, US Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams office announced.

Federal prosecutors accused Dr. Harry Doyle and his wife, Sonya, of violating the False Claims Act by submitting bogus bills, as well as billing twice for the same service and billing for more expensive services than were actually performed.

The settlement is the largest recovery from a psychiatrist in the history of the Office of Workers Compensation Programs, according to a press release by the US attorneys office. Under the agreement, the Doyles also agreed to be excluded from federal health care programs for 25 years. The couple did not admit wrongdoing.

The US attorneys office said an attorney referred federal employees to Doyles practice for mental health services that were purportedly needed because of an initial physical injury covered by the federal workers compensation program. Sonya Doyle was the doctors office assistant and sole employee of his mental health practice.

The Doyles allegedly billed for cancelled and no-show appointments as if they actually occurred and billed for more therapy time than was actually spent with the patient, the office said. Dr. Doyle also allegedly falsified treatment records to reflect the false billing that was submitted.

False bills were submitted from January 2013 through April 2021, according to the settlement agreement.

The alleged falsified documentation Dr. Doyle created and submitted to OWCP compromised the agencys ability to monitor claimant care and ensure that injured federal workers received the services they needed, Williams said in a press release.

Syretta Scott, special agent in charge for the Labor Departments Office of Inspector General, said the agreement will deter others from committing fraudulent billing schemes.

The settlement agreement requires the Doyles to cooperate with the federal investigation into false billings. The $3 million payment agreed to includes $1,763,709 in restitution.

Pennsylvania Medical Board records show that Doyle has been a licensed physician since 1972. He treats patients at his home in Philadelphia, according to the settlement agreement.
A Los Angeles federal judge on Tuesday signed off on Activision Blizzard Incs $18 million settlement of a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit alleging widespread sex discrimination, over the objections of a California agency that says the deal could derail its own case against the video game maker.

During a hearing, U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer said she would give final approval to the settlement after Activision and the EEOC made various tweaks she requested last week.

Reuters watched a livestream of the hearing.

Fischer also rejected a renewed bid by Californias Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which sued Activision for alleged violations of state anti-bias laws several months before the EEOC filed its lawsuit, to intervene in the case.

DFEH did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Activision chief executive Bobby Kotick in a statement said the settlement reflected the companys commitment to ensuring a safe and equitable workplace.

Our goal is to make Activision Blizzard a model for the industry, and we will continue to focus on eliminating harassment and discrimination from our workplace, Kotick said.

EEOC spokeswoman Nicole St. Germain said the agency was pleased that Fischer said she would approve the settlement. She said that in addition to the payout, the deal requires Activision to take steps to prevent and address discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

In a 2021 complaint, the EEOC had accused Activision of failing to take corrective and preventive measures on sexual harassment complaints, discriminating against women in pay and promotions, and discriminating against pregnant workers. Activision denied violating anti-bias laws, but has said it will make changes to how it addresses workplace complaints.

Jahan Sagafi of Outten & Golden, who represents DFEH, told Fischer on Tuesday that federal law requires the EEOC to defer to state agencies, and that the commission lacked the authority to sue Activision because DFEH had filed its own case. DFEH had not previously made that argument in the Activision case.

Fischer in December rejected DFEHs initial motion to intervene in the case, and the agency has asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse that ruling. The 9th Circuit on Monday denied DFEHs motion to stay the district court proceedings pending the outcome of the appeal.

On Tuesday, Fischer told Sagafi that his new argument was untimely, and unnecessary because of the pending appeal.

DFEH in its earlier motion to intervene said Activision workers who take a payout from the EEOC settlement would be required to waive their ability to participate in the state agencys case.
Florida has reached more than $878 million in settlements with CVS Health Corp and three drug companies to resolve claims and avert a trial next month over their roles in fueling an opioid epidemic in the third most populous state.

CVS will pay $484 million, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd will pay $194.8 million, Abbvie Incs Allergan unit will pay $134.2 million and Endo International Plc will pay $65 million, Floridas attorney general Ashley Moody said in a statement on Wednesday.

Most of the money will be spent on opioid abatement. Teva will also provide $84 million of its generic Narcan nasal spray, which can temporarily reverse the effects of opioid overdoses.

The four companies denied wrongdoing in agreeing to settle. Endos accord had been reached in January.

Moody said pharmacy chain Walgreens WBA.N is the only remaining defendant in Floridas opioid litigation, with jury selection scheduled to begin on April 5.

pWalgreens said its 2012 opioid-related settlement with Florida covered the states latest claims, and that it will defend against unjustified attacks on its pharmacists.

CVS and Teva said they would defend against other opioid lawsuits, and Teva said it is actively negotiating a national settlement of similar claims. Allergan said its settlement also covers claims for generic opioids it sold to Teva in 2016.

Endo did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Florida announced the settlements nine days after Rhode Island reached similar accords with Teva and Allergan valued at $107 million.

More than 500,000 people have died from opioid overdoses in the past two decades nationally, including 75,673 in the year ending April 2021, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

On Feb. 25, Johnson & Johnson and drug distributors AmerisourceBergen Corp, Cardinal Health Inc. and McKesson Corp. reached final settlements worth $26 billion over their roles in the nationwide epidemic.

State, local and Native American tribal governments in the United States have filed more than 3,300 lawsuits accusing drugmakers such as OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma of fueling opioid abuse, including by downplaying the risks of addiction.
SALEM, Ore. (AP)  The man who allegedly drove into a homeless encampment in Salem, Oregon, killing four people, had roughly double the legal limit of alcohol in his blood, prosecutors said Monday.

Enrique Rodriguez Jr., 24, was ordered jailed without bail by a judge on Monday after being charged with four counts of first-degree manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless driving and driving while under the influence of intoxicants.

The 2 a.m. Sunday crash left a scene of chaos, with people trapped under the car. Two people died at the scene and two died at the hospital, police said. After the dead and injured were taken away, flattened tents, an overturned shopping cart and a deeply scarred tree marked the scene. Mourners left bouquets of flowers at the base of the tree.

My friends are dead and I dont know what to say, Mike Wade, who came to the camp on Sunday after hearing about the crash, told the Salem Statesman Journal newspaper.

Authorities identified those killed as Jowand Beck, 24; Luke Kagey, 21; Joe Posada III, 54; and Rochelle Zamacona, 29.

Derrick Hart, 43, and Savannah Miller, 18, were seriously injured, police said.

Rodriguez had 0.15% or more alcohol in his blood, according to a charging document filed with the Marion County Circuit Court. A blood alcohol level of 0.08%. or higher constitutes driving under the influence, according to Oregon law.

The Salem Police Department said on Sunday alcohol may have been a contributing factor in the crash. Judge Jennifer Gardiner appointed a public defender to represent Rodriguez. The attorney, Aaron Jeffers, didnt immediately return a call seeking comment.

The crash happened on a small triangle of trees and grass near the Willamette River and near a new mens shelter and a program that offers emergency housing assistance, showers, food and other services for the homeless.

On March 3, the city of Salem cleared dozens of homeless people from a makeshift campsite located just a block away, at Marion Park. City officials had posted notices about the pending action, and community providers walked through the camp offering to connect them with services, the Statesman Journal reported.

A new law that takes effect next year restricts how cities and counties  including Marion County, where Salem is located  can react to homeless camps.

In 2021, Gov. Kate Brown signed a bill passed by the Legislature to protect homeless campers in public spaces from being removed. It mandates that any city or county law must be reasonable if it regulates sitting, lying, sleeping or keeping warm and dry outdoors on public property.

Under the measure, a homeless person charged with violating a ban on camping or loitering would have an affirmative defense against a law that is not objectively reasonable.

The Marion County Board of Commissioners opposed it, however, saying the measure would limit local control of the homeless crisis facing Oregon.

Becky Straus, staff attorney with the Oregon Law Center, said the law will force local governments to review their camping and related ordinances in a way that recognizes the reality of Oregons rising rates of homelessness.

The law takes effect July 1, 2023.

About the photo: Debris is strewn in the area after a vehicle crashed into a homeless camp, killing several people, near Front Street Northeast, Sunday, March 27, 2022, in Salem, Ore. (Abigail Dollins/Statesman-Journal via AP)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Russian hypersonic missiles are fast enough to zip through most modern air defenses of most modern nations. It is all about traveling faster than the supersonic speed at Mach 5+ plus or more. One advantage of these hyper-fast missiles is that they can travel to their target at high velocity and strike targets.

Undetectable Hypersonic Missiles of Russia

Since using these missiles, the news has caused a wave of outrage and global discontent in equal measure. It's probably the first time a government has used a hypersonic weapon in combat against another, causing a Russia-Ukraine confrontation to intensify, reported The Eurasian Times.

These missiles can also avoid intercepting rockets that travel at slower speeds and make minced meat of defense used on conventional missiles. Any national armed force could be comfortable with this edge, and arming a nuclear warhead makes it more deadly.

Only a few countries have this technology: Russia, China, India, and maybe North Korea; one of the first is the Russian S-500 Prometey or Prometheus. The missile is a surface-to-air missile capable of sensing hypersonic missiles and other air threats.

As said by the RAND Corporation, a US policy think tank, hypersonic missiles are a brand-new type of weapons capable of maneuvering and flying at supersonic speeds of almost 5000 kilometers per hour, noted 6Park News.

Moscow's Military Capabilities

Since the start of the war, Russia has been explicit about its goals and intentions, making it plain that no tolerance will be allowed in the face of a danger to its national security and interests. It's conceivable that Russian hypersonic missiles are intended to indicate such intent.

Read also: Vladimir Putin Net Worth 2022: Does Anyone Know Russian President's Hidden Wealth?

To be more precise and straightforward, Moscow is seeking to polish its image as a nuclear-weapons state and is in the spirit to showcase military power to send a message to its other major rivals, such as the United States. The US version of hypersonic armaments falls well short of the Russian and Chinese versions.

A Congressional Research Service Memo states that Russia, China, and the US have this weapon; other nations like Australia, India, France, Germany, and Japan are developing their own. Technologies needed to develop hyper-fast missiles like hypersonic wind tunnels and glide vehicles are part of India's thrust.

In June 2019 and September 2020, it officially joined the elite club of nations that tested the innovation with its Mach 6 scramjet. The Defence Research and Development Organisation conducted the test, as mentioned in Indian Express.

While disagreements over the weapon's moral purpose will remain in the international arena, this action will offer Russia an edge in its viciousness with the US-led NATO.

The use of these new arms has shaken the US and how geopolitics is changing fast. India, an ally of Russia, can learn from its steps.

Russia claims these advanced missiles have fuel up to 1,000 kilometers. An article in Military says it flies so fast with plasma gas forming in front of the missile's nose cone that cancels radar systems, becoming invisible before striking. Only Russia has this capability compared to NATO.

Russian hypersonic missiles can make quick work of their targets as they did in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin found what he needed to keep the West on its toes.

Related Article: Putin Sends Disguised Transponder Decoys To Confuse Ukrainian Defense Allowing Missiles To Hit Targets

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
US President Joe Biden's approval rating is dropping like there is no end after it was thought his efforts to rally the allies just went and was a failure. It is sinking like the Titanic but worse as his hopes were dashed despite his new drive that did not connect.

People say he is a loose cannon that could not stop doing and saying the wrong things that even Brussels has distanced itself.

Biden's Approval Rating Hits Lowest Ever

Biden did not pan out when other world leaders got their people's approval. Instead, the 45th president got nothing, and a poll number showed it, as reported by Express UK.

British PM Boris Johnson got extra points after the Partygate scandal. The polling expert Matthew Goodwin posted on social media that Johnson is having a good war.

However, the US leader is allegedly gaffing repeatedly, giving his people sweaty palms. Both the voters and officials see a reveal that could spell disaster for the United States.

The latest NBC poll shows that Biden's approval rating is worse, from 33 percent to 40 percent. That is so sad to look at, and the Democrats are not happy with a few months left until the November mid-term elections. Comments by the station said that it's gotten to the worst since the numbers dipped so low.

About 55 percent, which is more than half of the survey respondents, do not want him to be the president how he's been deficient.

A staunch critic, Niles Gardiner, a foreign policy analyst and former aide to Margaret Thatcher, posted a scathing response on social media, mocking US President Joe Biden as sinking faster than the Titanic.

Read also: Vladimir Putin Net Worth 2022: Does Anyone Know Russian President's Hidden Wealth?

No one thinks the Democrat president has what it takes to deal with the ongoing conflict with skill; instead, allies are more worried each time he opens his month.

It cannot be denied that 71 percent call Biden less than competent and don't think it's the end of more problems for him, cited the Hill.

On the other hand, only 28 percent said they thought the president did well.

Biden's Response to the Russian Invasion

How America has been dealing with the Ukraine incursion of Russia is one error after another which has kept the White House on its toes. Recently asked by the media if he'll accuse Vladimir Putin of war crimes, the president said no.But recently, he called the Russian leader a war criminal after a question from the press.

In Poland, he went off-script when it shouldn't have been done, saying that Russia needed a regime change in one shot. What was said was on tape, but the White House made a spin of the gaffe-ridden president; said it was not ousting Putin but was still forcing him out of office. Moments later, the White House was forced to clarify that Biden was not referring to Russia's "regime change" in Russia.

Emmanuel Macron and Josep Borell of the EU criticized what the US leader said, calling it a go signal for a nuclear war.

The media poll says that the US president stays at home and does not deal with problems abroad. NBC's polling reveals Americans suggested Biden focus more on matters at home, not abroad instead. The poll reveals 68 percent said the economy should be a concern, while 29 percent favored stopping the Russia-Ukraine war.

Related Article: Russian Regime Change Gaffe Recoils the European Union from Supporting US President Whose Inflammatory Rhetoric Might Goad Putin Further

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
According to Pentagon press secretary John Kirby, the Russian military has begun to redeploy some of its forces in Ukraine away from Kyiv to locations elsewhere in the country, marking the first hint of a strategic change in Russia's month-long invasion Ukraine.

Russian army convoys "had been stalled in the north" surrounding the city, he added, while initial Russian progress in the south has also "stalled out." Kirby stressed, however, that the troop moves do not equate to a retreat, as some observers had anticipated.

Russian Defense Ministry Decides To Reduce Military Activity in Kyiv

Kirby said a few hours after a member of the Russian negotiation team in Istanbul said the Ministry of Defense had agreed to radically, at times, reduce military activity in the Kyiv and Chernikyiv direction.

The reduced military activity was announced to increase mutual trust and create the necessary conditions for further negotiations, according to a Kremlin official. Markets rose early Tuesday on the news of the reduced military activity, hoping that Russia's announcement meant the brutal and costly invasion would soon be over.

Officials rapidly disregarded the concept that Putin and the Kremlin were behaving in good faith on both sides of the Atlantic. Biden made the comments during a phone discussion with the presidents of Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France on Tuesday morning to discuss Ukraine.

Following the call, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he didn't believe Russia's claim that it would reduce strikes in the Kyiv region, CNBC reported. Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry probably responded to these defeats on Tuesday that activities near Kyiv and Chernihiv would be substantially reduced.

The force reductions were announced as Kyiv and Moscow resumed peace negotiations in Istanbul, where Vladimir Medinsky, Putin's adviser and the Russian delegation's leader, hailed the troop reductions as two measures toward de-escalation of the conflict.

But the declaration was met with skepticism by Western officials, with many pointing out that Moscow appeared to be pledging de-escalation mainly in places where they were already losing territory. According to Reuters, a US source described Russian force moves surrounding Kyiv as a redeployment, not a withdrawal, and warned that other parts of Ukraine could expect to be shelled as well.

Even as Russian officials trumpeted their ostensible military retreat on Tuesday, the administrative building of Mykolaiv was hit by Russian missile fire, killing at least nine people and injuring 28 others, according to local authorities. Russian military assaulted an airstrip in Starokonstantinov in the Khmelnytskyi district. Hours later, however, no injuries were reported, according to The Daily Beast.

Read Also: North Korea Vows To Develop More Powerful Attacks; Analysts Claim Kim Jong Un Lies About Missile Launch After Seeing Discrepancies

Russia Lost 7th Commander in War Against Ukraine

Another big setback to Putin's army has been the loss of a seventh colonel since the start of the combat. Colonel Denis Kurilo, commander of Ukraine's 200th independent motorized rifle brigade, was eliminated in severe battle near Kharkiv, the country's second largest city.

A photo of the commander with a red cross across it was released by the Ukrainian news agency unian.net, indicating his death. He is the latest in a long line of high-ranking Russian officials slain in Ukraine since the invasion began on February 24.

According to the Ukrainian army's press office, the 200th brigade sustained significant losses during a so-called "special military operation" in Ukraine's east.

The 200th's two battalion tactical groups were annihilated, with a total loss of around 1,500 soldiers. On day 34 of the battle, Kurilo was declared dead after at least seven of Putin's generals were killed in the nation, as per The Sun.

Related Article: Russia-Ukraine War: Cruel Video of Ukrainian Soldiers Shooting Russian Prisoners Surfaces, Sparks "Immediate Investigation"

@YouTube

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert and the chief medical adviser to the White House, warned Americans on Sunday that there could be a possibility of COVID-19 restrictions returning in the United States due to a potential new outbreak.

The medical professional made the remarks during an interview and argued that US residents should be prepared for the possibility of COVID-19-related restrictions coming back. The presenter, Sophie Raworth, asked the expert if a new infectious coronavirus variant could lead to potential lockdowns and mask mandates.

Return of Restrictions?

Fauci said that he was not a fan of using the term "lockdowns" because it has a "charged element" to it. However, he said Americans should keep an eye on the pattern of what was happening in the country regarding infections. But he also noted that the country was slowly moving forward into normalcy.

The medical expert also noted that a new variant could be coming along in the future and warned that if such a strain caused an increase in the number of cases of hospitalization, authorities could decide to implement restrictions once again. However, he noted that these mandates would most likely be temporary and include wearing masks, as per Fox News.

Fauci's warnings come as the international community is beginning to see an uptick in coronavirus infections due to the new BA.2 subvariant of the Omicron strain. The latest ONS infection survey in England, which is considered the gold standard in assessing the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community, estimated that there were roughly one in 16 people infected.

Read Also: 2nd COVID-19 Booster Decreases Death Rate; Americans Over 50 Could Soon Get It

In Mar., UK hospital admissions also saw a surge, going up to 2,227, which is still roughly half of that seen at the peak of the second of the pandemic in January last year, which was 4,580. Fauci added that the recent surge did not appear to include any increase in severity in the form of increased hospitalizations.

According to Yahoo News, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson lifted all of England's coronavirus-related restrictions last month as the Westminster government has now started to use a "living with COVID" approach. Next week, more than 600,000 people will be invited to get booster shots.

BA.2 Subvariant

When asked what the next winter would look like, Fauci said the situation was completely unpredictable. He noted that the coronavirus had fooled authorities so often, arguing that no one was certain about what would happen next.

The situation comes as the BA.2 subvariant has become the dominant version of the coronavirus in the United States, based on data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The subvariant now accounts for roughly 55% of all coronavirus infection samples that have undergone genetic sequencing.

The BA.2 subvariant is believed to be 75% faster in transmission compared to the original Omicron variant. The new strain is also driving the newest outbreak in China, which has become the worst surge in the country since 2020, CNBC 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.
Former United States President Donald Trump may have used "burner phones," which are disposable mobile devices, to communicate with other people during the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot as documents show a seven-hour gap in the phone logs during the insurrection.

The House Select Committee, which is responsible for investigating the details and events leading up to the violent protest, acquired internal White House records from the day of the attack. However, the gap in the documents, which was seven hours and 37 minutes, was missing and includes the time when Trump supporters assaulted the Capitol building.

Missing Phone Logs

The missing timeframe means there was a lack of official White House notation of any calls placed to or by Trump from 11:17 a.m. to 6:54 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021. The time included the moments when supporters of the former president overwhelmed Capitol police and stormed the building, forcing lawmakers, including former Vice President Mike Pence, to flee for their safety.

The documents were 11 pages long and included records of the president's official daily diary and the White House switchboard call log. They were handed over by the National Archive earlier this year after Trump's attempts to block the move were rejected, as per CBS News.

The House Select Committee has now started its investigation of determining whether or not the records they have of phone calls are complete. Part of the probe includes finding out if former President Trump used backchannels, phones of aides, or burner phones, to avoid having his conversations recorded.

Read Also: Trump Most Likely Committed Crime in 2020 Elections by Blocking Vote Counting, Federal Judge Says

The acquired records already showed that the Republican businessman was active on the phone for the better part of the day, with documented conversations with at least eight people in the morning and 11 others in the evening. The seven-hour gap also comes in contrast to extensive public reporting that he was on the phone with several of his allies during the Jan. 6 attack.

According to the Washington Post, the list of individuals Trump called at the time includes Utah Sen. Mike Lee, an attempt to communicate with Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, and a phone conversation with White House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California.

Trump's Futile Attempts

Investigators who have looked into the records have not found evidence that the call logs were tampered with or deleted. The former president is widely known for routinely using his personal cell phone and those of his aides to talk with other aides, congressional allies, and outside confidants.

Three former officials who worked under the Trump administration said that the Republican businessman mostly used the switchboard operator for outgoing calls whenever he was in the residence. They said that he would occasionally use it from the Oval Office but would more often make calls through the assistants sitting outside the office.

People who wanted to communicate with Trump sometimes had to call the cellphone of Scavino Jr. Despite the missing timeframe within the call logs, the documents show how personally involved the former president was in his last-ditch attempt to remain in office, the New York Times reported.



Related Article: Ex-Prosecutor Claims Trump Is Guilty of 'Numerous Felonies' Amid Probe of Former Presidents' Family Business

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Amid Russia's savage assault on Ukraine, Donald Trump made it a top priority on Tuesday to press Vladimir Putin to hand over any records he may have on Hunter Biden's ties with Russian oligarchs.

According to an excerpt from a recent interview, the ex-president was particularly interested in a purported $3.5 million payment from the widow of a former mayor of Moscow to a firm co-founded by Hunter Biden.

Trump Requests Putin To Release Dirt About Hunter Biden

Trump was referencing a Senate Republican report from 2020 that said Yelena Baturina, a Russian wealthy tycoon, donated the money to Rosemont Seneca Thorton as part of a consultancy deal.

After Trump, along with a slew of other US officials, including his son Hunter and Hillary Clinton, sanctioned by Moscow earlier this month, Trump accused Biden of having a "conflict of interest." Hunter Biden is a co-founder of Rosemont Seneca Advisors although it's unclear whether the two firms have any ties. Hunter's father was a vice president at the time when the Russian oligarch paid him.

President Joe Biden was likewise cleared of any misconduct in the September 2020 Senate investigation, which was issued just weeks before the presidential election. That hasn't stopped Trump from accusing his Democratic opponent of being swayed by foreign interests, according to Daily Mail.

Hunter Biden was a co-founder and CEO of Rosemont Seneca Advisors; but according to his attorney George Mesires, Joe Biden has no ties to Rosemont Seneca Thorton, and it's unclear what, if any, ties the two firms have.

Trump has regularly sought foreign aid to harm his political foes. He publicly demanded that Russia's government produce emails that he said Hillary Clinton was concealing to prevent the discovery of embarrassing information about her in July 2016. Nearly three years later, Trump is claimed to have tried to get Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to launch a bogus investigation into Hunter Biden's participation on the board of Ukrainian oil giant Burisma.

Zelensky's military forces were fighting Russian-backed rebels in Eastern Ukraine at the time, and the newly-elected Ukrainian president requested that Trump supply Ukraine with additional Javelin anti-tank missiles counter Russian tanks.

In truth, then-Vice President Biden at that time was following out the wishes of the Obama administration, as well as the EU and the IMF, by pressuring Mr. Shokin to resign, even though he was generally viewed as corrupt. A whistleblower eventually exposed Trump's effort at blackmail to Congress, resulting in the first of his two impeachment proceedings, Independent reported.

Read Also: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' Alleged Conflict of Interest Puts Democrats in Terrible Bind; Wife Faces Pressure To Testify

Lawmakers Allege Hunter Biden Received $1 Million From Chinese Companies

Meanwhile, Senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson released new bank documents on Tuesday, revealing President Biden's son Hunter Biden got millions of dollars from communist Chinese regime-linked enterprises as late as 2017. The transactions, which were discovered during the two senators' probe, raise worries about the Biden family's influence peddling and the risk of jeopardizing the administration's policy toward Beijing.

In 2020, Democrats disregarded evidence of Hunter Biden's shady business transactions as Russian misinformation. After left-leaning news sites have accepted the legitimacy of damaging emails and data found on Hunter Biden's abandoned laptop computer during the 2020 presidential campaign, the evidence is receiving a second look.

Senators discovered records of three bank transfers that reveal a $1 million payment from a Chinese corporation involved in a US investigation of international bribery and money laundering to Hunter Biden's company, as per Washington Times.

Related Article: Biden's Comment Regarding 'Regime Change' in Russia as the EU Is Prompted To Stay Away From US

@YouTube

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
An episode of the acclaimed PBS series "Now Hear This" focused on American composer Aaron Copland that was filmed during last year's Colorado College Summer Music Festival will air on PBS on Friday, April 22. Conductor and festival artist Scott Yoo is also the host of "Now Hear This," a show that merges music, storytelling, travel, and culture as Yoo chases the secret histories of some of the greatest music ever written. Yoo is a renowned violinist, conductor of the Mexico City Philharmonic, and music director at Festival Mozaic in California.

Pulitzer-, Grammy- and Oscar-winning composer Aaron Copland created a distinctively American sound in both his classical compositions and film scores. Like Copland did for much of his career, host Scott Yoo and fellow musicians spend time working with students at the Colorado College Summer Music Festival to strengthen their auditioning skills and better understand Coplands music. To discover Coplands inspiration, Yoo travels to New York to explore the Jewish music Copland was raised with as well as modernist music through performances by Cantor Daniel Mutlu, violinist Steven Copes, cellist Mark Kosower, festival music director and pianist Susan Grace, and more. Later, Yoo becomes the student and learns from pianist and Copland enthusiast John Novacek about how the composer developed his signature sound, now so familiar to us all.
Democrats in the Colorado legislature passed a bill Tuesday to ban colleges and universities from withholding diplomas or transcripts because of a student's unpaid debt.

The state Senate approved House Bill 1049 in a 20-13 party-line vote, with Democrats in support and Republicans in opposition. The bill now heads to the House to confirm changes made by the Senate, and then, if approved, to Gov. Jared Polis for final consideration.

House Bill 1049 is about the Colorado value of opportunity, said bill sponsor Sen. Jeff Bridges, D-Greenwood Village. Three-quarters of all jobs in Colorado require some kind of education beyond high school. And when you apply for those jobs, oftentimes, they want proof. Too many institutions of higher education right now are holding transcripts for ransom.

If enacted, the bill would prohibit all higher education institutions from refusing to provide transcripts or diplomas to students who have unpaid fees, parking tickets or other minor costs. If a student owes tuition, financial aid or room and board fees, institutions couldnt withhold transcripts or diplomas if the student needs them to apply for a job, credit transfer, financial aid or post-secondary opportunities, such as joining the military.

Opponents said the bill would encourage students not to pay their debts and could result in colleges and universities raising tuition fees to make up for the funds lost by not being able to withhold diplomas and transcripts.

During the 2019-20 school year, higher education institutions in Colorado recouped approximately $242 million in student debt through transcript withholding, according to the Colorado Department of Higher Education.

Theres really a personal responsibility element that enters into this, said Sen. Paul Lundeen, R-Monument. Youre increasing the burden of higher education on everyone to protect a limited few who are choosing not to interact in a meaningful client-business relationship with the institution of higher education and paying off the obligation that they have.

Supporters of the bill said the relief would allow students the ability to earn the money needed to pay back their debt. Nationally, 6.6 million students owe approximately $15 billion in unpaid debt, according to the Colorado Department of Higher Education.

This is a simple step that we can take here in Colorado to make sure that students who are lower income are able to reduce those barriers, get a job quicker and pay down their debts, said bill sponsor Sen. Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood.

The bill would also prohibit institutions from charging a higher fee or providing less favorable treatment to a transcript or diploma request because a student owes debt. Students from outside of the United States would be exempt from the prohibition.
Twenty-one states filed a lawsuit on Tuesday, demanding that a federal rule requiring passengers to wear masks on aircraft, buses, subways, and other forms of public transportation be repealed immediately.

The initiative proposed by primarily Republican-led states is the most recent attempt to repeal the requirement, which was enacted in February 2021, just after President Biden assumed office. This month, the mandate will be extended until April 18th. The lawsuit names the directors of the CDC, the Transportation Security Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Homeland Security as plaintiffs.

Biden Administration's Transportation Mask Mandate Infringes States' Freedom

In recent weeks, the CDC changed its masking recommendations and states have generally abandoned masking restrictions in public places. One of the most high-profile federal pandemic-related laws remaining in force is the mask requirement for transportation settings. The American Public Transportation Association also wrote to the White House earlier this month, urging the government to reconsider the mask policy.

It claims that the requirement infringes on states' freedom to create their regulations and that governments have been obliged to spend resources to enforce it or face fines. The lawsuit also claims that the CDC did not examine lesser alternatives while adapting the mandate, as per The Washington Post via MSN.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), whose state is leading the multi-state case, claimed that the federal mandate was not based on any science during a press conference. In a statement, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (R) said that the mask mandate was robbing citizens of their rights.

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia are the states interested in the case. The CDC declined to comment on ongoing lawsuits, according to The Hill.

The Transportation Security Administration has also stated that it will not comment on ongoing legal proceedings. The news comes after US airlines launched a similar campaign earlier this month to repeal the federal mask rule, which they claim has forced their staff to become enforcers of the law.

Read Also: COVID-19 in the US: Experts Warn Potential Start of New Coronavirus Wave in New York, Other States

Americans Are Deemed To Be Confused of the Federal Mask Mandate

As more Americans have gotten immunizations and booster doses, the number of COVID-19 cases has decreased. The virus, though, continues to be a menace. As of this week, approximately 27,000 new cases each day have been documented, with nearly 700 individuals dying each day from COVID-19.

Many states and localities have already repealed COVID-19 limitations, citing a decrease in incidence and hospitalizations in their communities. Last Monday, CEOs from all major US airlines urged Biden to repeal the federal transportation mask rule as well as the international COVID-19 pre-departure testing requirement

The lawsuit says that the Biden administration continues to apply a faulty interpretation of quarantine legislation, that the regulation is arbitrary and capricious, and that it goes beyond the CDC's jurisdiction. Florida sued the Biden administration in October over a COVID-19 vaccination requirement for government contractors.

Local litigation over school mask rules and a legal dispute against Norwegian Cruise Line for forcing passengers to produce proof of COVID-19 immunization also implicated the state, WUWM reported.

Related Article: China Imposes Largest Citywide Lockdown Since Start of Pandemic After Recent COVID-19 Wave

@YouTube

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday.
Are you a current print subscriber to Columbia Gorge News? If so, you qualify for free access to all content on columbiagorgenews.com. Simply verify with your subscriber id to receive free access. Your subscriber id may be found on your bill or mailing label.
United States President Joe Biden has made history after signing the first law that marks lynching as a federal hate crime after more than 200 attempts in the last century to get the bill to the president's desk.

The legislation is crucial because the absence of such a law has allowed the vast majority of perpetrators to go unpunished in cases of nearly documented 6,500 racial terror lynchings from 1865 to 1950. Under the bill, a crime would be prosecuted as a lynching when death or serious bodily injury results from a conspiracy to commit a hate crime.

Lynching as a Federal Hate Crime

The new bill would result in up to 30 years of imprisonment for any individual convicted of lynching. Lawmakers named the legislation in honor of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old Black boy who was brutally tortured and murdered in 1955 in Mississippi. His death helped spark the civil rights movement.

Many see the signing of the bill as a step forward and is believed to be the United States coming to terms with how lynching was used to enforce a racial social order at the risk of violence against people of color, as per Axios.

In a statement at the White House, Biden said that his signing of the "Emmett Till Antilynching Act" was a first in American history. The Democrat said that lynching was an act of pure terror to enforce the lie that not everyone belonged in America or was created equal. Biden considered the act to have systematically undermined hard-fought civil rights.

Read Also: Trump May Have Used 'Burner Phones' at Jan. 6 Riot as Phone Logs Show 7-Hour Gap During the Insurrection

Vice President Kamala Harris, who co-sponsored previous anti-lynching legislation at the time that she was still a senator, said that the act was a stain on the history of the United States. She said that thousands of people across the nation were tortured and murdered by vigilantes.

According to Yahoo News, many lawmakers are rejoicing in the signing of the bill, including Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush, who has been an advocate of the measure for several years. On Mar. 7, the bill was unanimously passed in the Senate after it was blocked in 2020. Rush was among those who stood behind President Biden when he was signing the bill.

Repeatedly Futile Efforts

Legislation to criminalize lynching was first introduced in 1900 and again the following years but has repeatedly been blocked, especially by Southern senators during the Jim Crow era. Harris was joined by Democratic Sen. Cory Booker sponsored the newest legislation last year.

However, the vice president also praised South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and Rush, both of whom have spent years trying to get the bill to pass. Biden and Harris both gave credit to Ida B. Wells, a Black journalist who previously fought against lynching in the last 19th and early 20th centuries. She became one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

On Tuesday, one of Wells' descendants, Michelle Duster, spoke at the event, saying that the late journalist carefully chronicled names, dates, locations, and excuses used to justify lynchings. She was believed to have written articles and pamphlets and made speeches about the horrific atrocities, the New York Times reported.



Related Article: Sen. Mitt Romney Mocks Colleagues on Ketanji Brown Jackson's Nomination, Says He's Still Undecided on His Vote

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
As travel returns to pre-pandemic norms, how and why employees travel for work is expected to change dramatically, according to a recent study from American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) and CULTIQUE, a business strategy firm.

The study posits that after two years of fragmented workforces, closed offices, and disconnected employees, business travel will become critical to reestablishing company culture through in-person interaction and collaboration. Reconnecting employee ties to their company will mean travel to offices to become familiar with colleagues and managers and for collaborating on projects.

The role of a traditional travel manager within an organization is already being expanded to include interaction with corporate real estate departments, sustainability officers, human resources, talent retention and recruitment, and employee-experience officers.

We see companies saying if we can save money on real estate because were more virtual, well need to reinvest that money into travel, mobility and experiences for our team members to keep them engaged, said Evan Konwiser, executive vice president of product and strategy at Amex GBT.

Amex GBT even created a new term to describe a new corporate position: Chief Journey Officers, whose responsibility would extend beyond just employee travel; it would include how office visits are conducted once employees are on site to ensure key people get the most of their time there.

Its not just about where people need to go and how theyre going to get there. Its also about the experience they have once theyre there, Konwiser said. Thats why travel is going to be more intertwined with other corporate teams.

Global business travel activity has begun a rebound from the sharp downturn brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago, according to the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA)  the worlds largest business travel group. Business travel plummeted 53.8% in 2020, generating just $661 billion in revenue  down from $1.43 trillion in 2019. That figure rose to $754 billion last year, and is expected to top $1 trillion in 2022.

Travel is now expected to return to pre-pandemic levels in 2024, with revenues topping $1.48 trillion, according to the GBTAs Business Travel Index (BTI) report released in November.

Even as revenues rebound, however, business travel is expected to look very different in the years ahead. Organizations that have gotten used to saving money because few people were going anywhere are likely to place an emphasis on travel sustainability  where employees are encouraged to bundle visits to multiple clients or events into a single trip.

Theres a real drive toward that by global corporations  so, trips may be fewer, but they may be longer, said Suzanne Neufang, CEO of the GBTA, which claims more than 9,000 members. So, theyre able to get that quarters meetings with fewer trips overall.

Mark Cuschieri, global head of travel at financial services firm UBS, said his company is focused more on making informed choices. We are already seeing that sustainability will be an essential component of our program," he said in a statement. "It will drive a change in mindset as to the purpose and reasons for why we need to travel. The ROI conversation about travel will be different. We need to work out how culture will figure in the future ROI conversation.

Amex GBT surveyed 700 travel managers around the world last year  all without exception expect corporate travel guidelines or policies to change in the next 12 months.

The top policies cited were real-time updates and alerts on potential travel risks (54%) and pre-trip vaccination requirements (51%). Travel managers can give travelers assurance by using technology and tools to keep them informed at every stage  as they plan and book a trip, before they go, and while theyre on the move  putting all the information they need at their fingertips, the report said.

Travel managers can also learn from travelers, gathering feedback through wellbeing questions in employee and post-trip traveler surveys. Those insights can then be harnessed by travel managers, HR, finance, and other relevant partners across the business to improve the overall employee experience and ensure travel programs and policies align with peoples expectations.

Historically, corporate travel was divided into internal versus external trips  with external travel being about networking, creating and sustaining customer and vendor relationships, and completing a business transaction.

While Konwiser believes external travel will remain key to revitalizing past business relationships after the pandemic, internal travel is where the organizations will experience bigger change.

Historically, internal travel was seen as more discretionary and I think now with a more distributed workforce  where youve taken away the office [as] a culture and collaboration driver  I think internal travel will be one way to fill that void, Konwiser said.

Internal corporate travel will be less frequent than a daily commute  perhaps once a month or quarter  and it will be more focused on achieving specific goals. In other words, outcomes will be thought of as an investment in existing talent, as well as a strong recruiting tool, Konwiser argued, because it will be part of an overall employee quality experience.

We a have customer where any new hire who works remotely gets an internal travel budget to spend time at the office monthly or quarterly and to go and spend time with their new boss, Konwiser said. Not only is it a nice thing on an offer letter to say you get a budget to get to do that, but now the new employee gets to build an interpersonal relationship with their new boss in the first few weeks of their job. Thats a massive advantage for that company in culture building and setting up a first right step for that employee. And thats a massive competitive advantage.

Chief Journey Officers would also be focused on ensuring travel is enjoyable. For example, was the employee able to get to their destination non-stop, and did they stay at a quality hotel where they could unwind?

All of those experiences now become part of the competitive landscape for talent, Konwiser said.

One Amex GBT customer is giving away vacations to all their employees as part of a wellness program to help workers unwind, Konwiser said.

Companies want to make sure employees have a positive, destressing experience as part of a wellness program, Konwiser said. Again, this is something that at this point very few [companies] do, but its a competitive advantage. These programs youll see more and more of as companies compete for talent.

Chief Journey Officers would also be responsible for helping to reduce a companys carbon footprint, which could boost demand for greener travel options. Travel and meetings can also drive progress in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The bottom line, according to Amex GBT and CULTIQUE report, is that travel should no longer be seen as a commodity but as an investment in long-term profitability and culture.

Thinking like a Chief Journey Officer underscores the integral role travel should play in a distributed workforce. Its a powerful way to differentiate, Sarah Unger, partner and co-founder of CULTIQUE, said in a statement. To better relate to new employee desires and societal expectations, companies need to shift their business travel mindset from automated to intentional.
If your business uses Gmail, G Suite, Office 365, Microsoft Exchange, or Outlook for email, you may have already come across Boomerang, a tool that augments your email with a variety of features that can make you more productive.

What is Boomerang?

One of my favored triptych of useful productivity solutions, Boomerang already lets you automate email send times, schedule reminders, warn you if an email request hasnt been responded to, and schedule meetings.

The developers have now extended the latter tool with a useful addition to take the pain out of setting up a meeting with multiple people.

What does the new tool help you achieve?

Everybody has a different schedule. Typically, when attempting to set up a meeting, someone will contact everyone required, usually by email, and then engage in a lengthy game of call and response as all participants try to identify the optimal time for the meeting to occur.

When organizing larger meetings, this becomes a time-consuming task, fraught with frustration, sucking time and focus from everybodys day as they must respond to these scheduling emails.

Who can forget that frequently cited University of California study claiming it takes over 20 minutes to refocus after an interruption? Or that people spend over a third of their office (or hybrid office) hours on email? In these contexts, removing friction, automating interruption, and making email more effective make sense.

What is Bookable Schedule?

Boomerangs new Bookable Schedule aims to make it much easier to set up a meeting, but rather than doing so in some cold, impersonal, automated way, it also aims to make the interaction more human.

Its a good illustration of the emerging wisdom for human/AI co-working, in that rather than replacing a human, the automation aims to augment and enhance it. The idea is that Boomerang Schedule works to take all the annoying email exchanges out of meeting scheduling and replace them with something more person-focused.

We thought deeply about how to make a feature that lets you schedule efficiently without losing your humanity," said company co-founder and CEO Aye Moah in a statement. "Movements like 'The Great Resignation' are a clear signal that weve exhausted ourselves and our social capital for the sake of efficiency at work.

Navigating power dynamics and subtext is at the core of this exhaustion. Bookable Schedule makes meeting scheduling as seamless and easy for those being invited as it is for the host, levelling the power dynamic.

How does Scheduler work?

Sounds good, so how does Scheduler work?

Effectively, the system lets users create a schedule of available meeting availability that can be shared with others. Senders can also customize this availability for each recipient, depending on their needs.

The feature works with the sender's calendar, and the Magic Live Calendar feature Boomerang provides. That feature will update the sender's schedule as new meeting times become available or as slots are booked by other parties - meaning your availability is always up-to-date in real time.

Bookable Schedule will also overlay the recipient's calendar over that of the person sending one out. This makes it much easier to check for conflicts and prevent double bookings. Once a time is agreed, Schedule can also automatically import details and add meeting links from Zoom or Google Meet into the calendar invite.

The idea is that the first email reflects human contact while the tedium of arranging the best meeting time is removed.

The idea is that the first email is reflects the human contact while the tedium of engaging in an endless torrent of increasingly frustrating email chats while arranging the best meeting time is removed.

While you need to be a Boomerang Schedule user to set this up, recipients dont need to be using the system. Boomerang does not have iCloud integration yet, but plans to add this to its iOS App soon."

Your robot collaborator

Scheduler seems a useful addition to Boomerangs other email productivity power tools, including Inbox Pause, Schedule Send, and Recurring emails.

When combined with the also recently updated Otter.ai, its a good illustration of what happens when automation and AI are used to augment tasks humans do, rather than threaten or replace them.

As robotics pioneer Duke University Professor Mary Cummings puts it: The sweet spot is a collaboration between humans and machines.

After all, the big promise of these tools is that they enable users to stay focused on the interesting tasks, while removing some of the pain points of the mundane. Boomerang works hard to achieve just that.

This is just the latest in a slew of recent enterprise-related Apple-slanted introductions, including Slacks iPad app, Ciscos AirPlay support for Webex devices, news that Managed Apple IDs will integrate with Google Workspace, and new solutions for Apple-wielding business users from Jamf. Meanwhile the accelerating momentum of the space is evidenced in the steady emergence of new Apple admin events, including this weeks UK MacAD conference.

Please follow me on Twitter, or join me in the AppleHolics bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe.
The growing strength and capabilities of China's military have alarmed military officers and policymakers in the United States and throughout the world.

The People's Liberation Army of China is the world's largest active-duty military. It has the world's largest fleet and the world's third largest aviation force when its air force and navy are combined. It continues to develop long-range missiles, grow its fighter aircraft force, and build warships.

China's Military Remains Untested

Despite its new and formidable weapons, the PLA has yet to be tested in large-scale military operations, according to Harry Harris, a retired US Navy admiral who oversaw the US Indo-Pacific Command from 2015 to 2018.

Harris compared the Chinese military's experience with that of the US military, which has waged operations of various severity for much of the past 20 years, speaking at West Conference. While PLA soldiers have clashed with Indian troops along their disputed border, Chinese troops have not been "tested writ large like US ground forces and the Marine Corps," according to Harris, who was also the US ambassador to South Korea from 2018 to 2021.

While China's military is growing its foreign footprint and investing in logistical skills, Harris believes the PLA's capacity to send its soldiers to the point of necessity is severely constrained. Although the US pullout from Afghanistan was a debacle, Harris believes China would be unable to evacuate 120,000 people from the nation in a few weeks with little warning.

China's military services lack combat experience, but the US military's service divisions have been honing their combined operating capability for decades. When China attacked northern Vietnam in 1979, it was the country's final major conflict. Although the fight only lasted a few weeks, China's performance was highly criticized.

Beijing's casualties are estimated to be between 7,900 and 26,000 troops dead and 23,000 to 37,000 injured. During the brief conflict, China's air force and navy likewise played no part in combat operations, according to Business Insider.

Read Also: Biden's Comment Regarding 'Regime Change' in Russia as the EU Is Prompted To Stay Away From US

US Conducts 100+ Military Drills Near China in 2021

Through publicly accessible statistics, the United States conducted 95 military exercises in and near the South China Sea in 2021, but the article claims that the true number is over 100. The remaining 81 drills were combined exercises with other countries including Japan, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, and Canada.

Aside from that, Washington flew at least 1,200 close-in reconnaissance sorties with big spy planes over the South China Sea and performed 419 ship days of marine surveys. According to Song Zhongping, a Chinese military analyst, the US is creating new war ideas because it recognizes that all of its existing military sites, including those in South Korea and Japan, are no longer secure and that it requires more bases.

The US is attempting to legitimize parts of its war concepts by acknowledging Beijing's air and maritime superiority within the first island, citing US papers on the Indo-Pacific Strategy. The United States is developing new technologies including long-range hypersonic weapons, precision strike, and missile defense systems, new maritime warfare systems, directed energy weapons, antiballistic missile technology, and next-generation nuclear-powered attack submarines and destroyers, Republic World reported.

Meanwhile, in a fiery speech confirming that the Solomon Islands has drafted a security agreement with China, the island nation's leader said the agreement was ready for signing on Tuesday and slammed Australia's and New Zealand's fears that the treaty may jeopardize the region's security.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare spoke to Parliament for the first time on the security agreement document that was leaked last week. The document sparked alarm in an area where fears about China's influence have been increasing for years. It was circulated by opponents of the pact and validated as authentic by the Australian government.

According to the proposal, Chinese warships might enter the country or Chinese forces could interfere domestically on the island in times of crisis, putting them on the doorstep of Australia and New Zealand, as per New York Times.

Related Article: North Korea Vows To Develop More Powerful Attacks; Analysts Claim Kim Jong Un Lies About Missile Launch After Seeing Discrepancies

@YouTube

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
03/30/2022

Photo source: Keystone RV Keystone RV Company is recalling 39,240 model year 2022 Keystone Arcadia, Carbon, Alpine, Avalanche, Cougar, Fuzion, High Country Montana, Hideout, Impact, Montana, Outback, Passport, Raptor, Springdale, and model year 2021-2022 Sprinter and Bullet fifth wheels and travel trailers.

The solar controller may be incorrectly wired, causing certain components and safety alarms, such as carbon monoxide and propane gas detectors, to become inoperable.

Inoperable safety alarms increase the risk of injury.

What to do

Dealers will inspect voltage readings and correct the wiring -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on May 2, 2022.

Owners may contact Keystone customer service at (866) 425-4369. Keystone's number for this recall is 22-423.
Lxxyyl.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 4 Jul 2014, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the lxxyyl homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the lxxyyl homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the lxxyyl homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if lxxyyl has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the lxxyyl homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the lxxyyl homepage on Twitter + the total number of lxxyyl followers (if lxxyyl has a Twitter account).

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE ||| DESCRIPTION 18656335188 KEYWORDS , ,  OTHER KEYWORDS xy, us , news, product, product, lxxyyl,



CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE GB2312 DETECTED LANGUAGE SERVER Microsoft-IIS/7.5 (ASP.NET) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 R2

The language of lxxyyl.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Type of server and offered services. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for lxxyyl.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The URL of the found Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who like website Facebook page.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
Carrier Transicold has named Transport Refrigeration of South Dakota Inc. and Chiles TCC Equipamientos SPA winners of its 2021 Dealer of the Year Awards for North America and Latin America, respectively.

In 2021, our dealer network demonstrated the power of teamwork to meet and exceed customer expectations in the face of ever-changing challenges and position us to nimbly adapt to continued changing conditions in 2022, said Mike Noyes, Vice President and General Manager, Truck Trailer Americas, Carrier Transicold. We applaud their continued success in providing exceptional service to our cold chain customer base.

Owned and operated by the Keizer family of companies, Transport Refrigeration of South Dakota is located in Sioux Falls.

Being named Dealer of the Year was a wonderful surprise, said Shane Keizer, President and son of the late Jim Keizer, who founded the business in the 1970s with a tool kit, a pickup truck and the motto, I will come to you.

That legacy of personal service excellence transcends to todays team at Transport Refrigeration of South Dakota and contributed to its latest recognition, Keizer said.

Having joined the Carrier Transicold dealer network in 2018, Santiago-based TCC Equipamientos focuses on truck refrigeration products that support Chiles diverse cold chain operations.

Under the leadership of General Director Paulo Castelli, the TCC Equipamientos team has done an extraordinary job of growing its business, building customer satisfaction and expanding the reputation of Carrier Transicold as the leading brand throughout Chile, said Alejandro Genera, Director of Sales, Latin America Operations, Carrier Transicold.

In a first, Carrier Transicold awarded two recipients of its Extra Mile Award for exemplary customer service: Central Transport Refrigeration, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Southern States Utility Trailer Sales Inc., Richland, Mississippi. In total, Carrier Transicold recognized 59 of its more than 200 dealerships throughout the Americas with 94 awards for achievements in customer satisfaction, growth, business investment and service proficiency during the prior year.

For 2021, six individuals from five dealerships were recognized for outstanding performance:
Danfoss hosted the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of one of the worlds most energy-efficient supermarkets.



The Smart Store supermarket will be filled with the latest and most energy-efficient refrigeration and heating technology.



Instead of allowing the heat produced by cooling cabinets and freezers to go to waste, it will be captured and reused to provide heating for the supermarket and the local community through district energy. The cooling system in the new supermarket will also run on carbon dioxide - a natural refrigerant - which helps to reduce the overall climate impact.



Kristian Strand, President, Refrigeration & A/C Controls, Danfoss Climate Solutions says:



This ground-breaking - a much awaited event  is more important than ever. The origins of this project go back a long time, but the new energy-efficient Smart Store supermarket that we are starting to build today has only grown in relevance. The goal of the project is to show how easy and profitable it is to decarbonize our economy and ensure reliable and sustainable energy use. Heating and cooling are the largest energy consumers in supermarkets. The solutions we are building here today represent the core of Danfoss solutions and will showcase how we can approach zero energy use in food retail together.



The state-of-the-art supermarket is situated right next to Danfoss headquarters and will lead the way for how supermarket chains around the world can build climate-friendly and sustainable stores with the technologies that already exist today. The supermarket will be completed in the summer of 2023.



Additionally, this site will serve as an Application Development Center where Danfoss will work together with partners to co-develop new technologies and explore interfaces in the energy system surrounding energy storage.



The supermarket will be the focal point for a new part of our campus, where all buildings will be energy-efficient and meet special sustainability requirements. Our aim is to boost the green transition with concrete evidence of how far we can go with energy efficiency. We want to demonstrate to customers and partners how energy saving solutions work in real life. We want to show the greenest energy is the energy we dont use or reuse. Thats why visits to supermarkets will be one of the major attractions when the IEA delegates arrive in Denmark in June for the 7th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency, Jurgen Fischer, President, Danfoss Climate Solutions adds.



BALS, Brugsen for Als and Sundeved, Denmarks largest independent supermarket association, will rent the building from Danfoss and will install a COOP 365discount supermarket. BALS, which works together with COOP, has a total of 13 stores in the area around Snderborg in Denmark and since 2015 has consistently reduced the consumption of energy in its stores. So far, they have cut 44 percent of their total CO2 emissions. Therefore, it was a natural next step that BALS became a partner in the project.



Lars G. Andersen, managing Director of BALS, says:



We already have a lot of experience, but the energy price spikes have put further pressure on the need for change. Our 13 supermarkets have been modernized and we have nearly no cost for heating in the stores because the heat comes from our freon-free refrigeration systems, solar cells, and heat pumps. It is an advantage with the current energy prices, and it reduces our CO2 emissions. We are proud to be part of one of the most energy-efficient supermarkets in the world and test the solutions that can help buildings become climate neutral.



Showroom for customers

Danfoss is establishing a showroom in a part of the supermarket building, where all installations are visible to visitors and customers. Danfoss' solutions for heating and cooling such as CO2 as a refrigerant, heat recovery and the interaction between installations will thus be experienced while they are in operation.



Our new Smart Store shows what is possible with today's technology, such as our Alsense software. The integration of hardware and software tools into this store underscores the growing importance digitalization has for the green transition. BALS is the perfect partner because their employees, neighbors and customers will contribute to this important experience, says Tuuli Sarvilinna, Senior Vice President Electronic Controllers and Services, Danfoss.



The service part of the building will be handled by Ohmia Retail, a Norwegian partner responsible for the operation and monitoring of all installations.



The supermarket will be connected to Nordals Fjernvarmevrk and will be able to supply surplus heat to the local district heating network.


China, US, Russia, Pakistan to hold talks on Afghanistan - China, US say

A top US diplomat will meet this week in China to discuss issues in Afghanistan with his Chinese, Russian and Pakistani counterparts, the Chinese foreign ministry and the State Department said on Tuesday.













A member of Taliban security forces stands guard in a street in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sept 4, 2021. (File photo: Reuters)



The United States understands that China has invited Taliban representatives to the talks in Tunxi, a State Department spokesperson said.



Chinese special envoy for Afghanistan Yue Xiaoyong will host the meeting, said Wang Wenbin, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman.



Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has arrived in Tunxi for the talks, Interfax news agency cited a ministry spokeswoman as saying late on Tuesday.



Tom West, the US special representative for Afghanistan, will attend the talks of the so-called Extended Troika: the three world powers plus Pakistan, the State Department spokesperson said.



The talks come against the backdrop of Russia-Ukraine crisis and as Afghanistan suffers an economic and humanitarian crisis worsened by a financial aid cutoff following the Taliban takeover as US-led troops departed in August.



They also come amid widespread condemnation of the Taliban's U-turn last week on allowing girls to attend public high schools, which has sparked consternation among funders ahead of a key aid donors conference, a U.N. official said on Tuesday.



The retention of the ban prompted US officials to cancel talks in Doha with the Taliban and a State Department warning that Washington saw the decision as "a potential turning point in our engagement" with the militants.



The United States believes that it shares with other Extended Troika members an interest in the Taliban making good on commitments to form an inclusive government, cooperate on counterterrorism and rebuild the Afghan economy, the State Department spokesperson said.



The meeting takes place while foreign ministers from Afghanistan's neighbors meet on Wednesday and Thursday in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui, Wang said.



That meeting will be chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and attended by Afghan acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, and diplomats from Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Tajikstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Qatar.
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong met with United States President Joe Biden at the White House on Tuesday and argued that international peace and prosperity was "at-risk" due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The two officials are set to discuss Indo-Pacific security, the war between Russia and Ukraine, and investment between the countries. The talks come as Lee began a week-long visit to the United States starting on Saturday.

Singapore and the U.S.

During Biden's introduction and welcoming remarks to Lee, he said that he was proud of the partnership between Singapore and the United States and argued that it was at its strongest it has ever been. The Democrat said that the two nations were working together to uphold a rules-based international order that supports the founding principles of the United Nations.

The U.S. president and the Singaporean prime minister shared a commitment to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) moving forward with international policies. Biden added that he was looking forward to hosting the ASEAN leaders in Washington, D.C., for a special summit later this spring, as per CNBC.

Following their meeting, Biden and Lee issued a joint statement noting that the risk to the peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region comes as it faces many complex challenges. The statement added that the two nations need to work together to address the challenges of the 21st century.

Read Also: Solomon Islands PM Plans Expansion of Security Deal With China, Calls Backlash 'Insulting'

Lee said that Singapore was a staunch supporter of international law and the UN Charter, which prohibits acts of aggression against sovereign states. The prime minister said this was the reason why his government "strongly condemned" the unprovoked war by Russia on its neighboring nation.

According to ChannelNewsAsia, Singapore chose to impose sanctions on Russia by controlling exports and were based on principles that are fundamental to the nation's survival and existence as an independent sovereign nation. Lee said that the decisions were made because the invasion of Ukraine had implications for the Asia-Pacific region.

International Relationships

In a statement to reporters, Biden said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine was "unacceptable" worldwide. He noted it was an attack on the "core international principles" that support peace, security, and prosperity everywhere.

The meeting between the two leaders comes as the United States continues to threaten China with "consequences" if the Asian nation offers support to Russia. The Biden administration also announced the Indo-Pacific strategy in February and committed to more diplomatic and security resources for the region.

The move aims to counter what the United States sees as China's attempts to create a regional sphere of influence. During the Tuesday event, Biden added that he wanted to make sure that the region could remain "free and open."

The United States government claims that China plans to dominate international trade routes and expand its influence. Lee said that closer ties between the U.S. and ASEAN would help the West be present in the Asia-Pacific and could deepen its relationship with allies while also strengthening strategic interests in the region, Aljazeera reported.



Related Article: China Rapidly Ramps Up Military Forces as US Troops Held Over 100 Drills Near Beijing in 2021

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Continue Reading Below Advertisement Karla Homolka, who helped her then-husband rape and murder several teenage girls in the early 90s, was released after 12 years in prison in 2005 and married her lawyers brother shortly thereafter, but being one of the most hated people in Canada hasnt made post-prison life easy (it takes a lot for those people to hate). She tried working at a Montreal hardware store, but her boss doxxed her to the media, and volunteering at her childrens school, but community outrage put the kibosh on that, too.

Related:

10 Charles Ponzi (Boston Library/Wikimedia Commons) Continue Reading Below Advertisement After he was released from prison and deported to Italy in 1934, the man with his own scheme named after him kept right on scheming, according to one account that he conned his way into a lucrative job with Mussolinis government and then fled with the cash. He might have also gone legit in the airline business with the help of a relation who had connection to the Italian Air Force and Mussolini, later teaching English and French and doing translation work after World War II. Either way, Mussolini was involved.
Last week, Ukraine's prosecutor general, Iryna Venediktova, revealed in a Facebook post that Russian troops had slain an unarmed man and then raped his wife repeatedly. The White House expressed worry over new claims of sexual abuse in Ukraine a few days later.

Then on Monday night, the woman's horrifying testimony was reported in The Times of London. She informed a reporter, using the alias Natalya, that she was at her house in a town near Kyiv, Ukraine's capital when she heard footsteps and heard a gun. The husband was found dead outside her front door moments later, and two Russian troops stood by her side, one with a pistol to her head.

Russia Refutes Allegations That Russian Troops Sexually Abuse Women

Dmitri S. Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, dismissed Venediktova's claim, telling reporters in Moscow last week that "we don't believe it at all." Venediktova said that a Russian soldier is wanted for arrest on suspicion of violating the rules and customs of war.

Since Russia's invasion began on February 24, Ukrainian officials claim that several incidences of rape and sexual assault have occurred throughout the nation. On Sunday, Maria Mezentseva, a Ukrainian member of parliament, told Sky News about the woman's story and that there were many more victims.

She didn't go into detail about how she found out about the other attacks or how she found out about them, but she said she expected them would surface once the victims were ready to talk.

Rape and other types of sexual abuse have long been associated with armed conflicts, and they can be considered war crimes and crimes against humanity. In past wars, Russian military and Moscow-backed armed groups have been accused of sexual abuse, most notably with captives in eastern Ukraine, New York Times reported.

Read Also: India Supports Russia Despite Biden's Comment on Putin, Chooses Energy Security Over Western Sanctions

Ukraine Official Confirms Russian Troops Commit in Sexual Violence

On Thursday, Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko informed the media that there were allegations of Russian forces sexually assaulting elderly people on the outskirts of Kyiv who were unable to evacuate when Russian equipment came into their cities. President Volodymyr Zelensky allowed Vasylenko and four other female MPs special permission to leave Ukraine during the fighting.

The minister asked for a special tribunal to investigate and punish Russian officials for their troops' actions, claiming that international law is the only instrument of civilization and that, in the end, all those who made this conflict possible be brought to account.

Ukrainian women are allegedly being sexually assaulted by the invaders, according to claims made after a video surfaced showing a Russian soldier seized by Ukrainian forces with a stack of condoms. The video was shared on the 'Find Your Own' website's official telegram channel, an effort launched by Ukraine's interior ministry to allow Russian families to identify slain, injured, and detained servicemen.

Dmitrii Alekseevich Paramoshkin, a Russian soldier, is shown laying on the ground while his Ukrainian captors question him and grab his identification. When the soldier from St. Petersburg opened his pockets, a set of what seemed to be condoms in gold wrapping fell to the ground, sparking suspicions that he was about to abuse Ukrainian citizens.

In late February, Anton Herashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs, stated that the ministry had established a humanitarian project to assist Russians in locating family members who had been dispatched to fight in Ukraine, according to Daily Mail.

Related Article: Russia Repositions Troops Away From Kyiv; Pentagon Refuses To Buy Idea of Withdrawal

@YouTube

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Israeli police gunned down a Palestinian gunman who fatally shot five people, including two fathers and one police officer, using an M16 assault rifle in a suburb of Tel Aviv on Tuesday night, the latest in a series of deadly attacks in the region in the last few days.

The brutal incident in Bnei Brak, which is a predominantly ultra-Orthodox city, has become one of the worst terrorist attacks in Israel in the last few years. It also comes as authorities have warned of a potential resurgence of violence ahead of Ramadan, a holy Muslim month.

Fatal Tel Aviv Shooting

In a statement released on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said that the nation was facing a new wave of murderous Arab terror. The remarks come after two Palestinian citizens of Israel on Sunday shot and killed two police officers in the northern city of Hadera.

The attack coincided with a summit between Israeli and Arab diplomats that was held in the Negev desert. The Islamic State group, which is responsible for only a handful of attacks in the region, quickly claimed that they were the ones who conducted the shooting, as per the Washington Post.

Authorities later identified the gunman of the most recent incident as a 26-year-old resident of Ya'bad, near Jenin in the northern West Bank. officials believe the suspect was working at a building site in Bnei Brak and has previously served a short sentence inside an Israeli prison for a security offense.

Read Also: China Plane Crash 2022: 2nd Black Box Containing Recorded Data Recovered at Boeing 737 in Mountainside

The week following the shooting was considered one of the bloodiest in the history of the region and prompted fears that the Islamic State was plotting violence on a massive scale. Many believe that two previous attacks, carried out in Hadera and Beersheva, were conducted by the terror group's sympathizers.

According to The Guardian, witnesses at Bnei Brak said that the gunman suddenly began shooting at apartment balconies in the area and later pointed at people on the streets and one vehicle. During his rampage, Israeli police responded and fatally shot him. Video footage of the incident showed a black-clad slim man walking into a street while wielding an assault rifle as a bicycle rider made a miraculous escape.

Victims of the Incident

Israeli authorities also identified three of the victims, 32-year-old police officer Amir Khoury, 36-year-old Yaakov Shalom, and 29-year-old Avishai Yehezkel. The other two victims were reportedly foreign workers who have not yet been identified by Wednesday morning.

Khoury was found to be an Arab Israeli who hailed from the northern town of Nof Hagalil and served on the Bnei Brak police station's motorcyclist responders team. He was among a team of two motorcycle officers who caught up with the suspect and fatally shot him.

The shooting between the suspect and authorities resulted in Khoury being hit and later succumbing to his injuries after being rushed to the Beilinson Medical Center. After the incident, Israel Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai spoke with the victim's father. Khoury's father said they were a police family and that he himself was a veteran of the Tel Aviv police department, the Times of Israel reported.



Related Article: Russia-Ukraine War: Cruel Video of Ukrainian Soldiers Shooting Russian Prisoners Surfaces, Sparks "Immediate Investigation"

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The latest images captured by the Maxar Technologies satellite reveal the massive destruction suffered by the central Mariupol in Ukraine.

Satellite photos, the first visual update from non-Russian propaganda, show destroyed entire city blocks. It confirms NASA's earlier report that dozens of explosions happened in the surrounded Ukrainian city as seen from outer space.

The region east of the drama theater blasted by Russian forces, where 300 people were reportedly killed, is in ruins, as images show, CNN reported.

The roofs are either missing or severely damaged on practically every building captured in the Ukraine satellite images. Including one residential neighborhood in eastern Mariupol. Every house in the vicinity of two separate apartment complexes has been demolished.

A satellite image shows apartment buildings and homes destroyed on east Mariupol, Ukraine March 29, 2022. Satellite image 2022 Maxar Technologies/Handout via REUTERS pic.twitter.com/PT9RSYMlXS  Phil Stewart (@phildstewart) March 29, 2022

Survivors of the devastation brought by the Russia Ukraine war can also be seen in pictures. Some images show hundreds of people are gathered in lines outside the Metro store in western Mariupol, ready to enter the facility with a damaged roof.

Russian Forces Continues Shelling Ukrainian Cities Despite Pledge To Scale Back Attacks

Russian forces bombarded areas surrounding Kyiv and another Ukraine city, as local officials reported on Wednesday. The attacks occurred hours after Russia pledged to decrease military strikes in the region. However, Moscow did not specify how it would scale back its attacks.

Russia's announcement may sound positive. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed skepticism about Russia's commitment, saying in his video address that Moscow's "signals don't silence the explosions of Russian shells."

According to Regional Governor Viacheslav Chaus, the "so-called reduction of activity" in the Chernihiv region of Ukraine was conducted by Russian attacks on Nizhyn. He added that "all night long," their enemies were "shelling" the area.

"Civilian infrastructure facilities, libraries, shopping centers, many houses were destroyed in Chernihiv," Chaus said.

The shelling dampened hopes for a breakthrough in peace talks aimed at ending the grueling conflict going on for more than a month.

In response to Russia's pledge to reduce military attacks, as per Yahoo! News, United States President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted they have to see Russia's actions and warned that indications of a pullback might be a diversionary tactic and to "deceive people."

Read Also: Hunter Biden's Foreign Deals: Donald Trump Demands Vladimir Putin To Release Any Details on US President Son's Transaction With Russian Oligarchs

Russia Rules Out Nuclear Weapons in Its Attack on Ukraine

Amid the continued bombardment of Russian forces on Ukraine, Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia is not considering using nuclear weapons in its invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian official underscored that the usage of such weapons would only be necessary when there is a "threat to existence." in an interview with PBS, Peskov said that nobody is considering using a nuclear weapon and points out that Russia's conflict with Ukraine does not involve any threat to the existence of Moscow, as Newsweek reported.

Peskov was asked to clarify remarks made by former President Dmitry Medvedev, who outlined situations in which Russia reserves the right to deploy nuclear weapons if it encounters an existential threat. According to Medvedev, Russia has roughly 6,000 nuclear warheads, and the country's nuclear policy does not require an enemy to use such weapons first.

Meanwhile, the United Nations reported that refugees leaving the country are now more than 4 million.

Related Article: Reports Increase About Russian Troops Sexually Abusing Ukrainian Women, Shooting Civilians Hiding in Basements

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

WATERBURY  A Rhode Island couple accused of keeping their two young children in squalor while they were on the run from authorities have been charged with child abuse offenses in Connecticut.

Jesueily Sanchez, 25, and Tyshaun Peete, 28, were arrested in Waterbury this week by local police and members of the U.S. Marshals Rhode Island and Connecticut Violent Fugitive Task Force.

Authorities learned they were staying at a third-floor apartment in Waterbury, according to incident reports from their arrests obtained Wednesday by Hearst Connecticut Media Group. Law enforcement used a battering ram to break open the apartment door after Sanchez refused to identify herself or open the door, the report stated.

Authorities said the apartment was in unlivable conditions, with numerous open containers that appeared to be filled with urine, rotting garbage strewn about the kitchen, piles of dirty dishes, piles of clothing, a single air mattress, no crib or children's bed, one officer wrote in the report. Investigators also found a room with two dogs with the floor covered in feces, according to the report.

In the kitchen, the stove was covered in dirty pans and what appeared to be old food, the officer wrote in the report.

Another detective wrote that a smell of urine took over the whole house and that Sanchez and both the children were naked, the report stated.

The report did not indicate the ages of the children, but U.S. Marshals described them as toddlers.

According to the report, one of the children had never been seen by a doctor. Both were evaluated by health care workers for signs of abuse, according to the report.

Connecticut court records show Waterbury police charged Sanchez with two felony counts of risk of injury to a child and two counts of negligent cruelty to a child, a misdemeanor offense. Peete was charged with a single count each of risk of injury to a child and negligent cruelty to a child. Sanchez is being held at the York Correctional Institution in Niantic, while Peete is being held in the New Haven Correctional Center, records show.

The children were placed in the custody of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, officials said.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals Rhode Island office said it was unclear if they were renting the apartment or if someone else was allowing them to stay there. No other adults were found in the apartment.

Rhode Island State Police began investigating Sanchez in October after a complaint was filed by the state Department of Children and Family Services alleging medical neglect, the reports state.

The complaint alleged Sanchez had removed one of the children from Hasbro Childrens Hospital in Rhode Island, where the child was being treated for an open tuft fracture to one of her fingers. The complaint alleged Sanchez refused medical treatment for the child.

U.S. Marshals said the agency began a fugitive investigation last December.

Marshals said one of the couples children had previously been classified as missing and endangered in Rhode Island and a court order had granted custody to the state Department of Children, Youth and Families. The U.S. Marshals Rhode Island office said they could not comment on the Department of Children, Youth and Families investigation. Rhode Island state police also declined to comment on the case, citing the ongoing investigation.

Peete was wanted by Rhode Island authorities for failing to show up in court for charges related to an incident in October when he was allegedly found in possession of a handgun.

In that incident, a Rhode Island state trooper pulled over Peete in Providence for a motor vehicle violation and claimed to smell marijuana from inside the car, according to the incident report. When the trooper ordered Peete out of the car and began to handcuff him, the officer said the man used his right elbow to strike his abdomen and attempted to flee from the scene on foot, the report stated.

Peete was eventually taken into custody after the trooper used a Taser on him, the report stated. When state police searched the Jeep Peete had been driving, they found a fanny pack containing a 9mm handgun and a gram of marijuana, the report stated.

He was charged with carrying a carrying a pistol without a license, resisting arrest and driving without a license.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to soon approve a fourth COVID vaccine dose for people 50 and older, but Art Caplan said he wont be the first in line if that authorization happens.

I dont think its smart to just run out and get that fourth shot, said Caplan, a Ridgefield resident and founder of the bioethics department at NYU Langone. Im not going to go get one yet. Im going to wait to see if the rates start to rise or if a new variant starts to manifest.

The authorization could come as early as next week, The New York Times reported, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention following shortly thereafter with its own permission.

Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist for Hartford HealthCare, said he believes the decision is out of concern for BA.2, the omicron subvariant being blamed for COVID spikes in Europe and Asia. Yale researcher Nathan Grubaugh said last week that BA.2 is about 40 percent more transmissible than omicron.

According to the CDC, BA.2 comprised 55.4 percent of all tested samples as of March 19.

I think theyre worried about BA.2, Wu said. Thats basically what theyre basing their decision on.

While Wu said immunity from vaccines may be waning, particularly for people who have not received a third dose, the bigger concern for health experts is that immunity may decrease from the fourth dose while COVID is at an ebb in Connecticut.

You dont want to waste the booster, Caplan said.

Will you be able to get a fifth shot? Will protection from a fourth shot, will that wane rapidly? Wu asked. Will a fifth shot be less effective? We dont know that.

The best data supporting a fourth dose is out of Israel, where fourth shots were administered in January.

Wu would be eligible to get a fourth dose, should the FDA and CDC authorize it, but he said he will base his own decision  and his advice to his health system  on COVIDs spread throughout the community.

It depends where we are with the epidemiology, he said. Ill probably have to make a decision for the health system as well. A lot of it involves predicting. If I think that the curve is flattened and the numbers are going to drop, I will probably not, and I will wait.

However, Wu added: If I think that the numbers are going to stay up, I will certainly consider it.

The state reported Monday that 1,014 additional COVID cases had been identified out of 33,065 reported tests for a positivity rate of 3.07 percent through the weekend.

The number of patients in Connecticut hospitals fighting a COVID-19 infection increased by two on Monday for a total of 97.

The FDAs authorization for fourth vaccine doses would come prior to meetings of both the CDC and FDAs advisory boards, which Caplan called a political decision.

I find the whole thing disappointing, he said. Part of the push here is because other countries are doing things.

Caplan said hes hoping the FDA will not simply authorize the fourth vaccine dose, and instead offer some guidance on who should get the second booster and when they should receive it.

Caplan also questioned if the fourth dose could be considered a booster or the fourth in a series of doses, or even an annual or semiannual vaccine like the flu. The same questions were left unanswered after the third dose was authorized.

The third shot was clearly necessary to fight a new variant, Caplan said. The fourth shot might be necessary to fight a new variant. I dont think theyre explaining themselves well. All of that is left unanswered. It breeds confusion. I think the FDA has been making a muddle of the whole booster issue.

Wu said any move toward making COVID vaccines a regular occurrence, like every other commonly used vaccine, would be premature.

They cant yet. They dont know. You cant establish a routine until you actually know what the routine is, he said. They have to do it piecemeal.
WESTON  Officials are working to remove the chemicals found in the towns drinking water, as well as possibly find the cause of it  just one of several unknowns around the fairly recent contaminants.

Per-and polyfluoroakyl substances, or PFAS, were found in the wells that serve the schools and town office buildings in December and again in January.

Bottled water has been provided to people in those buildings for drinking and to the school cafeterias for cooking in the meantime. A filtration system is also currently being tested and reviewed to see if it addresses the problem and will continue to be monitored once its brought online, officials said at a public information meeting Monday.

We dont know yet where the source is coming from, First Selectwoman Samantha Nestor said. Right now, were immediately focused about providing the bottled water and remediating.

She and many of the officials at the state and local level called Westons response proactive.

Well 3, which doesnt serve the drinking system, had 47 parts per trillion in December and 44 parts per trillion in January. Well 4, which does serve the system, had 33 parts per trillion in December and 13 parts per trillion in January.

And while officials stressed the amounts detected were below the 70 parts per trillion levels the state and Environmental Protection Agency use, some of the wells had amounts that exceeded the limits neighboring states have for the chemicals.

Each state has its own approach, largely because the EPA has yet to set a standard. Some states have set levels for specific PFAS chemicals, others set the limits for a combined amount. Within New England, New York and New Jersey, they tend range from about 10 to 20 parts per trillion, according to Mondays meeting.

Weston officials told residents on Monday that they want to get the levels as low as possible, aiming to be under those limits set by nearby states. State officials also said Connecticut will likely lower its levels for PFAS too.

In the Northeast where were more similar, at least in bedrock, were looking to set our numbers lower than what we have today, said Lori Mathieu, with the state Department of Public Health.

PFAS are a family of man-made chemicals that are strong and take a long time to break down, earning them the nickname forever chemicals. They are found in many everyday items including fabric softener, food packaging, non-stick cookware, cosmetics, stain resistant carpets, water proof clothing, lotions and firefighting foam, officials said.

Its a very large group, said Shannon Pociu, with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The count is now over 9,000 chemicals.

The prevalence might also mean there isnt any one reason for those in Westons water, officials cautioned.

We may not be chasing a single source of pollution here, said Ray Frigon, with DEEP. It may just be part of the fabric of our environment and the many uses of PFAS.

If there is one source, then DEEP will work with the party involved to address it, he said.

Patricia Bisacky, with DPH, said the department received a lot of inquiries from people who live near the schools after the announcement that PFAS were found in the towns water tests.

A number of at-home tests are available for $250 at the Aspetuck Health District, which serves Weston, Westport and Easton. Staff are also on hand to answer any questions.

Mark Cooper, director of the health district, cautioned people be careful when doing the test because its very easy to cross contaminate considering how common these chemicals are. He also encouraged anyone who completes these tests to send the district the results so officials can map it, much like it did with the arsenic program.

Were here to help anybody and everybody, he said, adding the majority of Westons residents have private wells.

Bisacky said PFAS cant be boiled out like other water issues, but there are ways to address the problem if they are found.

The good news is it is treatable. It can be removed with standard equipment, she said, adding its important to work with a water professional on a course of action.

While theyve been around for decades, the negative aspects associated with them have only recently come to light, including how long they take to break down in the environment and their toxicity in low levels. The health affects on humans are still unknown with a lot of the health data coming from studies on animals in laboratories.

Humans break down PFAS slowly and so repeat exposure to them can cause them to build up. They can affect development and reproduction. Exposure at high levels can increase cholesterol levels, liver and thyroid problems, and risk for testicular and kidney cancer, according to DEEP.

PFAS are already found in peoples bodies. Cheryl Fields, with DPH, said she wouldnt expect residents in the area to have levels that fall outside of the normal range given these exposures.

Testing is also not widespread yet, though the state Department of Public Health is now recommending public water systems test for them. Since PFAS arent regulated, the state cant require the tests, officials said.

December was the first time Weston had ever tested for PFAS. Town officials were looking to upgrade the water system and decided to test the quantity and quality of the water before investing a lot of money into improvements.

Officials said there wasnt enough data for Weston yet to try and figure out why the levels may or may not be changing.

The state is already making some changes concerning PFAS beyond encouraging public systems to test for it.

The state banned municipal fire departments from using the foam with PFAS last year, collecting more than 18,000 gallons of the foam from departments ahead of the new law. This included about 200 gallons collected in Weston, though Frigon said on Monday he wasnt sure how long the foam had been in town or how many departments it was from.

Mathieu said the state is also adding equipment at the state laboratory so it can test for the chemicals, as well as increasing money for testing in vulnerable communities.
A new incentive agreement with Sikorsky reveals Gov. Ned Lamonts administration is doubling down on an earn-as-you-go philosophy that avoids borrowing money, but carries the risk of other states poaching prized manufacturers with deals that promise cash up front.

If approved by the General Assembly, Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin would receive $75 million in sales-tax exemptions and tax credits, subject to ongoing audits to ensure compliance with jobs and baseline expenditures on its Connecticut suppliers. That would be on top of the $220 million awarded the company in 2016, as it prepared to produce a new helicopter fleet for the U.S. Marine Corps.

Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin are vying with the Texas-based Bell, a subsidiary of Textron Industries, on a future replacement for the Sikorsky Black Hawk utility helicopter. Sikorsky is teaming with Boeing on the Defiant-X, while Bell is offering the V-280 Valor, featuring tilt-rotor technology it pioneered with the V-22 Osprey.

The Defiant-X is designed to improve on the maneuverability of the nimble Black Hawk, but will not hit the cruising speed of the Bell V-280, which swivels its wing-mounted rotors to fly like an airplane. The Pentagon has yet to give any indication whether it could choose both the Defiant-X and the V-280 Valor, which would give field commanders extra mission flexibility  while providing steady work for Sikorsky and Boeing as well as Bell.

The hope is that the next-generation Black Hawk is the Defiant-X, and you have that same ... 50-year run that the Black Hawk had, David Lehman, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, said in an interview Tuesday. In that case, this will be one of the best investments Connecticuts ever made.

Sikorsky and Bell are also bidding to produce a new armed scout helicopter for the U.S. Army. Sikorskys Raider-X prototype is a smaller version of the Defiant-X, while Bell is proposing Invictus, a modernized take on traditional helicopter design.

Sikorsky has about 8,100 employees across its Connecticut facilities at a Stratford headquarters plant, a Bridgeport factory, offices in Shelton and Trumbull, and a North Haven warehouse. Under the 2016 deal, the company agreed to have about 8,500 workers as of 2032.

The new incentives target is set at 7,750 additional jobs if Sikorsky wins both contracts, or 500 fewer if the company receives only one of the bids. The deal sets a baseline of 7,000 jobs in every year of the agreement if Sikorsky wins contracts for both helicopters, and 6,000 jobs if the company only receives one of them.

The deal also includes a commitment by Sikorsky to spend more than $1.1 billion over the next decade with its nearly 250 suppliers dotting Connecticut, including in Bridgeport, Stamford, New Haven, Hartford, Danbury, Middletown, Torrington and New London.

Wider spending by the company and workers under the agreement would support 30,000 jobs in all, according to estimates by Hickey & Associates, generating some $70 billion in economic activity from payrolls, capital expenses, taxes and other spending.

Lockheed Martin would max out the full Connecticut incentives only if the Pentagon chooses Sikorsky as the winning bidder on both the Black Hawk replacement and the armed scout helicopter. The Connecticut deal drops to $50 million if the manufacturer only gets one, according to Lehman.

If theres a delay by the Department of Defense initiating production, DECD would have the option to extend the window of time that Lockheed Martin would be eligible to claim incentives.

Lehman said the Lockheed Martin pact marks a departure for Connecticut, by awarding incentives that are contingent on a specific contract award. He added he envisions the deal could serve as a model for similar packages, lessening the states need to borrow to support incentives to companies adding jobs.

I think this is new, Lehman said. If they win the contract, the agreement would be in place.

Former Gov. Dannel Malloy suggested in 2016 that Lockheed Martin considered numerous states to build CH-53K King Stallion helicopters for the U.S. Marines, prompting Connecticut to offer the $220 million incentive package.

To date, Lockheed Martin has tapped less than $45 million of that amount, as it slowly ramps up production of the King Stallion. The Pentagon wants as many as 200 of the cargo helicopters for the Marines. Lockheed Martin also envisions international sales of the King Stallion over time, starting with the Israel Defense Forces.

The new $75 million package remains sizable by national standards. Wavteq noted just a dozen larger state incentive packages of more than 2,200 it recorded nationally as reported in February by Site Selection.

But other states have been willing to increase cash grants to land the most sought-after new factories, most notably Tennessee, which last year extended $500 million in grants as part of an $884 million package to win a Ford electric vehicle plant that will support nearly 6,000 jobs.

While Lockheed Martin committed to keeping Sikorsky in Connecticut through 2042, there is no contractual obligation to do so, Lehman confirmed Tuesday. Should another state dangle a massive package to support construction of a new Defiant-X factory, Lockheed Martin would have the option of paying Connecticut back for any incentives it had earned and leave the state.

There is recent precedent for that in the Northeast. After General Electric took a 2016 package to move its headquarters to Boston from Fairfield, the company returned millions of dollars to Massachusetts after scaling back its staff projections.

Lehman said he does not envision any such scenario with Lockheed Martin, considering the companys continued investment in Stratford and its experienced cadre of Sikorsky workers who might be reluctant to move.

You have a sticky capital investment and a work force, which is doing very specialized things, Lehman said. We are significant to Lockheed, and broadly in defense, which I think is a real strength of the state.

The data backs that up. In the federal fiscal year ending in September 2020, the Department of Defense spent $4.1 billion under contracts awarded Lockheed Martin installations in Connecticut. At nearly $48 billion, Texas was the only state with a larger piece of Lockheed Martin revenue from DOD in fiscal year 2020.

But Texas continues to rack up wins, landing a $17 billion Samsung plant last year to be built outside Austin with the support of $677 million in incentives  the biggest deal in its state history, though largely in the form of property tax breaks over time and only $27 million in the form of grant funding.

Dan Haar contributed to this report.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
The Los Angeles Lakers are now on the outside of the postseason picture, after falling to No. 11 in the Western Conference, as the Dallas Mavericks crushed them on Tuesday's game for a 128-110 victory.

During the play, The Lakers only managed to narrow the margin to 18 points after a thrashing. On the night, Russell Westbrook had 25 points and Malik Monk had 28 points, shooting a combined 19-33 from the field. However, the clear issue was not one of scoring, but rather one of defense and effort.

The Dallas Mavericks' 82-point first half set a franchise record for most points allowed in a half since the team relocated to Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Lakers are one slot below the play-in line, tied with the San Antonio Spurs in the loss column, and are almost guaranteed to win their tiebreaker due to their superior conference record.

With only seven games remaining, the Lakers are desperate to get their star players back, and there appears to be some positive news on that front.

For a detailed read see LatinPost: LeBron James-Less Lakers Drop to 11 in West Standings After Ugly Loss to Mavs, Now out of Play-in Picture

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
BRIDGEPORT  A Bridgeport club closed early Saturday after officials found several fire and liquor violations, according to the Bridgeport Police Department.

An investigation also revealed that the club, the VIP Lounge on Pembroke Street, had been acting as an after-hours club and that narcotics were being dealt within the business, according to Bridgeport Police Capt. Kevin Gilleran.

The immediate area of the club has been plagued with police calls for service related to noise complaints, felony assaults, narcotics violations and homicide, according Gilleran.

Members of the police department, the Bridgeport Fire Marshals Office and the Liquor Control Division served a search warrant at the VIP Lounge around 2:30 a.m. Saturday. When police arrived, the lounge had about 100 patrons inside who started to rush to the front door making it difficult to detain everyone, Gilleran said.

Police did arrest a security guard, 40-year-old Michael Gaines of Bridgeport, as he had an active domestic violence arrest warrant, according to Gilleran.

The Liquor Control Division cited Alexander Soto, 47, of Stamford, the liquor permit holder for the establishment, with several violations. The Bridgeport Fire Marshals Office also noted violations of the fire code.

Soto cannot reopen the lounge until he corrects the violations and forwards a copy of the liquor permit to the city, according to Gilleran.

Police found two firearms within the lounge. Though the firearms were abandoned, Gilleran said police will conduct additional forensic tests to attempt to identify the person or people who left them behind. Police also seized more than $2,200 from the lounge, Gilleran said.

In October, police charged two men with the murder of Jonathan DaSilva. Police said DaSilva was shot during an altercation outside of the VIP Lounge.
Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media

BRIDGEPORT  A 22-year-old Bridgeport man was charged Tuesday with trafficking firearms, some of which were provided to gangs, according to federal prosecutors.

Brannon Winston, 22, is accused of purchasing firearms in Georgia, where he lived at times, and providing them to customers in Connecticut. The U.S. Attorneys Office said Winston personally purchased at least 18 firearms in Georgia,, and he had others purchase additional firearms on his behalf.
SEYMOUR  Investigators are continuing to probe an apparent murder-suicide at a local home late Tuesday, according to police.

The department said on Wednesday morning that officers responded to a 911 call just before 10 p.m. Tuesday to a Manners Avenue home for a report of two dead elderly individuals at their home.

The police department identified the individuals as a husband and wife, but have yet to release their names. They were 78 and 80 years old, police said.

Identifications have been made. Next of kin (have) been notified, Deputy Chief Michael Fappiano said.

Police said there have been no recent domestic calls made from that address. A firearm was recovered, police said.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, said First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis.

Officers met with the male caller who said he drove to the home after he was unable to reach his parents and was concerned. He said when he found them both dead, he called 911.

Officers responded to the scene and determined that there was no danger to the public and this death investigation is likely a domestic-related murder-suicide, police said.

The investigation is ongoing, with Connecticut State Police Major Crime Squad aiding local police in collecting and processing evidence.

All authorities have since cleared from the scene.

While the incidents appear unrelated, this was the second emergency call for the neighborhood that day.

Around 2 p.m. Tuesday, residents were asked to avoid the intersection of Maple and Pearl streets as crews dealt with a reported gas leak and explosion. There was no immediate update on this incident Wednesday.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Those in domestic violence situations in need of help or resources can call or text 888-774-2900 or visit CTSafeConnect.org to chat live or email with an advocate.

Anyone who has thoughts of harming themselves can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.

In Connecticut, residents can call 211 or text CT to 741741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
Genshin Impact 2.7 is rumored to come to players this May.

HoYoverse (previously miHoYo) just recently launched Genshin Impact 2.6 that went live on Wednesday, March 30. However, Genshin fans are already looking forward to the release of the title's version 2.7.

Here's everything players need to know about it.

Genshin Impact 2.7

In Genshin Impact, after Kamisato Ayato was revealed, players will have two new characters to look forward to, Kuki Shinobu and Yelan. It is planned that the two characters will be made available through the gacha banner system in Genshin Impact Version 2.7.

HoYoverse announced the Yelan and Kuki Shinobu art characters through their official Twitter account just before the Genshin Impact 2.6 was out. Genshin is known for this pattern of releases as a way to communicate directly to its loyal user base.

The marketing campaign taking place just before the release of Version 2.6 confirms that both characters will be included in Version 2.7.

According to Dualshockers, Yelan is a completely new five star character with the ability to utilize a Hydro bow while Kuki Shinobi is a four star female ninja that uses Electro and a kunoichi.

In addition, Kuki Shinobi naming follows the same Japanese convention as the majority of Inazuma characters: Kuki is her family name, and Shinobu is her given name. Shinobu is employed by Itto and is a member of the Arataki Gang.

Currently, the release date for the Genshin Impact 2.7 Update is expected to be on Wednesday, May 1. However, this date may be subject to change depending on development time and the decision made by miHoYo.

Furthermore, It is also speculated that in Genshin 2.7, Yelan's banner will be first released and Kuki Shinobu will be in the second half.

Genshin Impact Yelan and Kuki Shinobu

Genshin Impact 2.7 have been confirmed by HoYoverse (miHoYo)

Genshin Impact official Twitter account posted the art noted the following the art banner:

Yelan:

Valley Orchid  Hydro  Umbrabilis Orchis

According to Genshin, Yelan is "A mysterious person who claims to work for the Ministry of Civil Affairs"

miHoYo also revealed that "Yelan's identity has always been a mystery. Like a phantom, she often appears in various guises at the center of events, and disappears before the storm stops."

I'd like to suggest that you treat her as an ordinary person, but if you do, it's easy to lose control over negotiations.  Yanfei



 Yelan

 Valley Orchid

 A mysterious person who claims to work for the Ministry of Civil Affairs

 Hydro

 Umbrabilis Orchis#GenshinImpact pic.twitter.com/DZ1j3PyshW  Genshin Impact (@GenshinImpact) March 28, 2022

Genshin Impact also posted Kuki Shinobu in their official Twitter account.

Kuki Shinobu 

"Mender of Tribulations  Electro  Tribulatio Demptio" "Deputy Leader of the Arataki Gang."

I am writing to introduce a talented person to you.  Kujou Sara



 Kuki Shinobu

 Mender of Tribulations

 Deputy Leader of the Arataki Gang

 Electro

 Tribulatio Demptio#GenshinImpact pic.twitter.com/48q4sY0IP5  Genshin Impact (@GenshinImpact) March 28, 2022

Read Also: AMC Stock Surges to 117%: What's Next for the Theater Chain?

Genshin Impact Redeem Codes (April 2022)

It has been confirmed from both Sportskeeda and Dexerto that these two Genshin Impact Codes are still valid as of March 29, 2022.

Genshin Impact gives its players numerous redeemable codes to get useful gifts for their adventures; and here are two valid Genshin Impact redeem codes for April 2022:

GENSHINGIFT 50 Primogems and 3 Hero's Wit

ZSPDKSC3V8V5 60 Primogems and 5 Adventurer's Experience

GENSHINGIFT is a unique code since it is permanent and does not expire. Due to the nature of the Redeem Code, it is likely that the majority of Genshin Impact players have already used it. If the player attempts to rent the Redeem Code, they will receive an error notice or email indicating that they have already used it.

However, the second code awards 60 Primogems and five Adventurer's Experiences to the user. Notably, ZSPDKSC3V8V5 has been available since February 16, 2022. Players should note that this code will soon expire.

Related Article: Loop Hero Developers: Russian Players, You Can Pirate Our Game




By Lee Hae-rin







Seung Myung-ho, the chairman of The Korea Times and Dongwha Group, has been elected as the 34th president of Korea University's Alumni Association.







"I am glad and honored to assume such a heavy responsibility," Seung said in an acceptance speech during the inaugural ceremony at Korea University's Seoul campus on Monday. "I will do my best to treasure and further develop the association's tradition," Seung said.







Seung will lead the association for three years. The association's previous president was LS Group chairman Koo Ja-yeol.







After the nomination committee of the association unanimously recommended Seung for the position, the association's delegates confirmed his presidency during the general meeting that day.







Seung, 66, entered university as a commerce and trade major in 1974. As a graduate, Seung has made several donations to his alma mater.







Seung joined Dongwha Group in 1983 and took the helm as the group's chairman in 2011. The company expanded its business area to the media industry following its acquisition of Korean daily newspaper Hankook Ilbo and The Korea Times in 2015. From 2016 to this January, Seung led the alumni's federation of Korean industries as president.







The university decided to honor Seung's term in office by naming one of its lecture halls "Hankook Ilbo Hall" and establishing the Seung Myung-ho Entrepreneurship Education Center at the Business School, also named after its donor.







The Korea University Alumni Association was established in Jan. 1907 and has over 350,000 members.







"The association has played a significant role in nurturing global leaders and contributed to the country's academic, economic and democratic development," Euh Yoon-dae, the former president of the university told The Korea Times, Monday, "The association believes the president's role is to create the right environment in which the alumni can contribute to the country and the world," Euh added.


Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong speaks alongside U.S. President Joe Biden in the East Room of the White House, March 29. AP-Yonhap





U.S. President Joe Biden and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called on North Korea to engage in serious dialogue Tuesday, reaffirming their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.







The call comes after a series of North Korean missile tests that included Pyongyang's first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch in over four years.







"The leaders reaffirm a shared commitment to the goal of the complete denuclearization and the establishment of a permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula," they said in a joint statement.







"Both leaders call on the DPRK to engage in serious and sustained diplomacy and emphasize the importance of full implementation of relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions," they added.







DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.







North Korea launched an ICBM Thursday (KST), ending its self-imposed moratorium on long-range missile testing that had been in place since late 2017.







Biden said he and Lee shared concerns over North Korea's destabilizing activities.







"We shared our concerns about the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and their destabilizing ballistic missile launches ... which are clearly in violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions," the U.S. president said in a joint press conference with Lee at the White House.







"And we both urge North Korea to refrain from further provocations and return to the negotiation table for serious and sustained diplomacy," Biden added.







Pyongyang has so far staged 12 missile launches this year, including seven in January that marked the largest number of missile tests by the North in a single month.







North Korea continues to avoid talks with the U.S. despite numerous overtures from the Biden administration that took office in January 2021.







North Korea and the U.S. last held denuclearization talks in late 2019. (Yonhap)


People line up for a COVID-19 test at a screening center in Seoul Station Plaza, March 30. Yonhap



Korea's new daily COVID-19 cases rose to over 420,000 Tuesday amid concerns over the continued rise in seriously ill patients and deaths with the fast spread of the highly transmissible "stealth omicron" subvariant.



The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 424,641 infections, including 42 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 12,774,956.



The daily count shifted to an upturn Monday after five days of a constant slide, though the health authorities have said the Omicron-driven virus wave peaked last week. The number of daily infections soared to as high as 621,197, March 17.



High infections have pushed up COVID-19 deaths and serious cases.



The country added 432 deaths Tuesday, which is the second-largest daily figure ever after 469 reported last Thursday, for a fatality rate of 0.12 percent.



The number of critically ill patients rose by 86 to an all-time high of 1,301, the KDCA said. The previous record was set Monday when the figure came to 1,273.



Serious cases rose to above 1,000 earlier this month and have been above that level since. The KDCA said the number of deaths and serious cases could grow further in the coming weeks.



The health authorities have also been leery of a possible upturn, as the even more transmissible BA.2 "stealth Omicron" subvariant became the dominant strain in the country and continued to spread fast.



The strain accounted for 56.3 percent of total infections last week.



As of Tuesday, 32.69 million people out of the total population, or 63.7 percent, had received booster shots. The number of fully vaccinated people came to 44.48 million, representing 86.7 percent, the KDCA said.



Starting Thursday, the government will begin administering COVID-19 vaccine shots to children aged between 5 and 11. Around 3.15 million are in this age group.



A growing number of local clinics are expected to provide face-to-face treatment for COVID-19 patients, as the government began accepting applications at smaller clinics for the medical service Wednesday.



The move aims to better support patients being treated at home and to move on to a fresh medical response system to handle the prolonged pandemic, the KDCA said.



Currently, the government has designated 279 clinics across the country as facilities reserved for "at-home" patients, but calls have grown for an expansion in line with the surge in total infections and the subsequent rise in patients staying at home.



Eyes are on the government's planned announcement of its decision Friday on whether to adjust current social distancing rules.



The government has relaxed some social distancing rules in efforts to regain normalcy and support small businesses hit hard by the pandemic.



Currently, the government enforces an eight-person cap on private gatherings and an 11 p.m. business curfew  curbs that are set to expire Sunday. (Yonhap)




At first glance, the temptation is surely to cheer the news that Russia has said it will 'drastically reduce' its combat operations around the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv.

Certainly, that is the view of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been hosting face-to-face talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul.

Erdogan hailed Russia's announcement yesterday in the wake of these talks  along with proposals mooted by Ukraine to become a 'neutral state'  as 'the most significant progress' towards peace since Vladimir Putin launched his horrific invasion five weeks ago.

I have no doubt that the luckless residents of both Ukraine's besieged capital and of Chernihiv  where tens of thousands are trapped without running water and electricity  will welcome this development.

President Recep Erdogan, of Turkey, speaks at peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul. He hailed Russia's announcement has said it will 'reduce' combat operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv as 'the most significant progress' yet

Sadly, however, I would also firmly caution against pinning too much hope on these announcements.

Words, after all, are cheap: and it is actions on the ground the matter.

Russia's apparent climbdown must be seen in the context of Putin's long-held wider ambitions for Ukraine.

He wants to weaken his democratic neighbour, prevent it from joining Nato and ensure that it can never escape from Russia's 'sphere of influence'.

The first step in executing these ambitions was his 2014 annexation of Crimea and the occupation of parts of the Donbas region by Russian separatist groups.

Emergency personnel work at the site of the regional government headquarters in Mykolaiv, Ukraine. Dr Neil Melvin urged 'caution against pinning too much hope' on pronouncements of peace

These strategies only succeeded in driving Ukraine further towards the West.

The second step has been unfolding in recent weeks before the world's horrified eyes: a full-scale invasion, initially intended to seize Kyiv and depose President Zelensky under the absurd guise of 'de-Nazifying' Ukraine.

As we know, the Russian despot failed in this planned lightning strike.

Some 10,000 Russian troops now are dead, several initial gains have been lost, the Russian economy has been crippled by sanctions and its international reputation destroyed.

Putin knows he has badly over-reached  and must now see that the victory he imagined is beyond his grasp.

That is the crucial background to yesterday's claims of progress in negotiations between the warring countries.

Despite overtures towards peace, Vladimir Putin still wants to win in Ukraine, writes Dr Melvin

Putin knows that if he is to remain in power, he cannot be seen to have failed.

As such, he may well be using the veil of diplomacy to achieve his goals: buying time so that his forces can regroup and resupply while he plots his next move.

That is not to say that these latest developments are bogus or mere propaganda.

I have no doubt that Erdogan is sincere when he speaks of his hopes that they may be a prelude to peace.

Yet whatever common ground has been found on the shores of the Bosphorus, this is definitively not a peace agreement - nor even a ceasefire.

Russia may be pulling back from two cities, but in the centre and south of Ukraine, the bloodshed goes on. Putin still wants to win  indeed, believes he must win.

Yes, there is a flickering of hope. But this war has a long way to run.

Dr Neil Melvin is Director of International Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute
When the Metropolitan Police fined revellers at a lockdown-breaking house party in Mayfair last spring, top brass were shouting about it from the proverbial rooftops.

Within hours, a press release announced that 34 people had been discovered at an address on Dover Street, opposite the Ritz, at 00.52 on the morning of Sunday April 11.

Theyd each got a fixed penalty notice, it revealed, while the organiser was reported for a 10,000 fine.

A rather sanctimonious comment from the Superintendent accused miscreants of jeopardising the progress that has been made by the majority of people who have followed the rules.

Fast forward almost 12 months and Londons Covid cops seem oddly reluctant to trumpet similar achievements.

Yesterdays announcement that 20 fixed penalty notices have been issued to subjects of the Partygate investigation failed to contain even the most basic information about when or where the offences took place.

When the Metropolitan Police fined revellers at a lockdown-breaking house party in Mayfair last spring, top brass were shouting about it from the proverbial rooftops

The amount of the fines was also kept secret.

There was no crowing quotation to shoehorn into news reports and (unlike the previous announcements) no tab on the Press release to click to share details via social media.

Released on the morning of Prince Philips memorial service  a good day, a cynic might say, to bury news  the PR announcement seemed designed to generate as little interest as possible.

Which, given the already-contentious history of the Partygate probe, may very well have been the point.

Its now 64 days since the ill-fated Dame Cressida Dick performed a clattering U-turn, telling the London Assembly that  having spent weeks insisting the Met would never retroactively investigate Covid breaches  her scandal-ridden police force now intended to do precisely that.

Ever since, the probe has been mired in entirely predictable controversy.

Dame Cressida established Operation Hillman, an investigation by Scotland Yards Special Enquiry Team, to look at a number of events at Downing Street and Whitehall that may have involved the most serious and flagrant type of breach of lockdown regulations.

All of which was highly contentious, not least since it forced civil servant Sue Gray to make only minimal references to those events in her long-awaited report, which was due to be published days later.

Eight senior officers were promptly assigned to the Special Enquiry Team, which is known as the Celebrity Squad and was formed about 20 years ago to investigate sensitive and confidential inquiries involving high-profile subjects and politically exposed persons.

In charge was one Commander Catherine Roper.

She has what one might call a mixed track record of handling delicate policing operations, having last year decided that officers under her control ought to break up a vigil on Clapham Common to Sarah Everard  a woman raped and murdered by a serving Met officer  due to Covid rules.

The 20 whose fines were announced yesterday are not believed to have offered any defence

A couple of weeks ago, the High Court ruled that the move had breached the human rights of the organisers.

Ropers team has grown considerably in size in the nine weeks since it was formed, though the Met refuses to say exactly how many officers are working on the inquiry.

What no one can possibly dispute, however, is that Operation Hillman will chew up a huge amount of public money and police resources after a record year for teenage killings in the capital, with 30 deaths in 2021.

The force is also battling an epidemic of knife crime and violence against women and girls, with sexual offences up 38 per cent in the year to February compared to the previous 12 months.

Perhaps not helping things on the cost front are the tactics of investigating officers.

Despite being in possession of Grays purportedly forensic report  along with 500 documents and 300 CCTV images relating to the 12 events in question  their method of investigation is extraordinarily labour-intensive.

It involves emailing potential suspects from Downing Street and the Civil Service a questionnaire asking about a dozen questions including (according to a copy leaked to ITV) did you participate in a gathering?, what was the purpose of your participation? and did you interact with, or undertake any activity with, other persons present?

Recipients are invited to offer a reasonable excuse as to why they shouldnt be sanctioned.

The 20 whose fines were announced yesterday are not believed to have offered any defence.

They will learn of their fate in the coming days, when a fixed-penalty notice drops onto their doormat.

Some suspects may then be invited to attend an interview, a part of the process that didnt even get underway until last week.

And on most occasions when questionnaires are sent back to detectives or they complete an interview, fresh names are discovered who need to be sent their own questionnaire.

Meanwhile, the imminent departure of Dame Cressida Dick, pictured attending the memorial service for the Duke of Edinburgh, has added to the sense of drift

More than 100 have so far been sent out.

The whole thing has created a bureaucratic monster, is how one Downing Street expert puts it.

People are getting these weird emails asking why they had a glass of wine one evening a year ago. If they deny wrongdoing, for example by saying they were discussing work with colleagues at their desks, the police then have to go off and try to reconcile their response with that of the colleagues.

That may be bad news for the Government, adds the insider. Theres now every sign that this thing will drag on for months, with a new batch of fines announced every few weeks. Boris wants it over and done with. The last thing he wants is for it to drag on later in the year, especially if bad news stories such as the cost-of-living crisis overtake the war in Ukraine as the top story.

The expectation when Operation Hillman launched was that the first fines would be sent by the end of February and the whole thing ought to last no more than a year.

Now the timeframe is anyones guess.

Meanwhile, the imminent departure of Dame Cressida has added to the sense of drift.

Her caretaker replacement, Sir Stephen House hardly inspires confidence.

Currently Dame Cressidas second in command, hes best known as the chief constable of Police Scotland who was dogged by controversy including the deaths of Lamara Bell and John Yuill who languished injured and dying in their car for three days following a crash on the M9 in 2015.

As to the overall cost, one modern precedent, the Blair-era cash for honours probe, took 16 months and ate up 1.4million.

For that sort of outlay to be even remotely justified, Operation Hillman needs to see large numbers of high-profile rule-breakers fined.

But that puts detectives in a bind: For if just one of those fines is successfully challenged in court, the whole operation will be an expensive PR disaster.

Given how much is therefore at stake, its perhaps no wonder that the perennially-troubled force is no longer shouting from the rooftops about Covid probes.
Can you imagine a forceps delivery so violent it shatters a babys skull? Or a woman in the agonies of labour being told shes pathetic and lazy?

Or relatives of a deceased mother being told that it was partly that mothers fault because she clearly did not complain very much?

Sounds like something out of the Dark Ages, does it not?

And yet this is the state of maternity care in modern 21st century Britain. And it is nothing short of shameful.

The inquiry into the deaths of mothers and babies at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, published yesterday, has unearthed a catalogue of horrors almost too gruesome to contemplate.

Over 200 babies and nine mothers dead, 94 children brain damaged as a result of neglect, incompetence and, in many cases, what can only be described as an astonishing level of malice on the part of the medical practitioners.

The inquiry into the deaths of mothers and babies at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, published yesterday, has unearthed a catalogue of horrors almost too gruesome to contemplate

Their job was to care for these pregnant women. But instead  as we read from accounts of witnesses  they seemed to take an almost perverse delight in making them suffer. And that may well be just the tip of the iceberg: 600 cases involving the Shrewsbury Trust are currently being investigated by the police.

One grieving parent, Richard Stanton, whose daughter Kate died soon after being born in 2009, expressed the hope that the report would result in prosecutions. Donna Ockenden, the senior midwife in charge of the inquiry, which took five years to complete, has said she feels ashamed of what went on.

We have seen families that have been split apart, families where relationships have been broken, cases of trauma and PTSD that have persisted for years after the event as well as terrible, terrible sadness. At times, after meeting families, I went back to my hotel room and I cried, she said.

Such a catastrophic failure, on such a scale, is hard to understand. It seems impossible that someone, somewhere, would not have noticed what was going on, that a situation so clearly appalling could have been allowed to persist for so long without some authority stepping in or asking questions.

In truth, though, to mothers everywhere, a lot of the behaviour and attitudes that have transpired from this report will feel depressingly familiar.

At the heart of this scandal lies an extreme ideology that has turned motherhood into a toxic political battleground. A rigid dogma that resulted in disastrous misjudgements which, ultimately, cost the lives of innocent women and children.

Over 200 babies and nine mothers dead, 94 children brain damaged as a result of neglect, incompetence and, in many cases, what can only be described as an astonishing level of malice on the part of the medical practitioners. Rhiannon Davies (left) is pictured embracing Kayleigh Griffiths

Im talking about the NHSs obsession  central to this report on Shrewsbury and universally acknowledged as a major factor  with so-called natural childbirth, almost at any cost. An aversion to the idea of medical intervention during labour and a particular horror of caesarean sections.

One that, in my experience and in the experience of many women Ive spoken to over the years about this, is shared across all maternity services, and especially in the midwife community.

Of course there have always been a number of natural-childbirth advocates around. But around the end of the Nineties the movement gained momentum, and the notion of good and bad childbirth really seemed to take hold.

And the truth is, the NHS  run by managers, as it is, rather than doctors  had every incentive to encourage it.

A caesarean section generally costs considerably more than a natural birth. Bodies such as the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) made it clear that they were not in favour of medical intervention during childbirth. Mother Nature knows best was the mantra  even though, of course, maternal death rates before modern medicine would strongly suggest otherwise.

Nevertheless, childbirth became less of a clinical issue and more of a moral one. Women who were unable to give birth naturally were suddenly seen as cowards and failures, too posh to push, somehow inadequate for going against the natural order of things.

Even asking for pain relief was considered a cop-out. Breathing exercises, we were told, was all real women needed. There was an awful lot of baloney bandied about about how empowering vaginal delivery was, how it would flood your body with magical hormones, and make you feel like the ultimate feminine goddess.

This in turn fed into the obsession with breastfeeding, and the instant chastisement of any mother who ever eyed up a tub of Aptamil formula milk in the supermarket.

When I had my first child in 2003, I clearly remember such attitudes prevailing. At my NCT antenatal classes at the local hospital, instructed by midwives, the first thing we were told was that a vaginal birth  described as normal, the clear implication being that anything else was abnormal  was the desirable outcome.

We were shown endless slides of Native American women squatting in forests (I kid you not), and told that epidurals would numb the beautiful experience of childbirth (when I put my hand up and pointed out that I thought numbing was the whole point of them, I was met with a very stern stare).

Caesareans were the devils work, a measure of last resort, and entirely avoidable provided we, as mothers, trusted in our midwives. Ah, trust in the midwife. I did that, and it almost ended in disaster.

One grieving parent, Richard Stanton, whose daughter Kate died soon after being born in 2009, expressed the hope that the report would result in prosecutions. Donna Ockenden, the senior midwife in charge of the inquiry, which took five years to complete, has said she feels ashamed of what went on

When I eventually went into labour with my first, I did exactly as I was told. I waited until my contractions were however many minutes apart they should have been (I cant honestly remember now), and then I went to hospital. When I got there, I was examined, told my labour was progressing nicely, and given a room.

A few hours in, and something clearly wasnt quite right. I was examined again and told that my labour had stalled. I was given drugs to speed up the process, and then began an agonising night. By the time the obstetrician came to do her rounds the following morning, I had progressed to no further than 4cm dilation (you need 10cm), was struggling to breathe  and my daughter was in distress.

The obstetrician took one look, said something furiously under her breath to the attending midwife (one of several that came and went) and rushed me to the theatre. After a day and a half in labour, I underwent an emergency caesarean, and my daughter was born safely.

At every turn the midwives made me feel stupid, lazy and inadequate for not progressing with my labour. All they seemed to care about was making sure I did things their way. And yet their way was not exactly exemplary.

My daughter was posterior presented, meaning she was face up in the birth canal instead of face down  a position that makes it very hard for the cervix to dilate sufficiently to allow a vaginal birth.

But not one of the midwives present had identified this. Had they done so, it might have been possible to turn her. But such was their incompetence  or neglect  that by the time the problem had been identified, it was too late. She had to come out, fast.

Had I been left in their hands  or had the hospital had a no caesarian policy  who knows what would have happened. Maybe they would have tried to remove her with forceps; maybe she would have been brain damaged, like so many of the poor babies in this case. I consider both of us very lucky.

There are many lessons that must be learned from the appalling failures at Shrewsbury. Some of the families affected have been financially compensated. They will no doubt still seek proper justice, and rightly so.

But if any good is to come out of this tragedy, surely it must be a change in attitudes towards childbirth. As well as an acknowledgement on the part of the medical professionals involved that no mother, or baby, should ever be a pawn in the political games of others.
Angus Cloud has become one of Euphoria's biggest breakout stars.

Portraying Fezco, a slow speaking, drug dealer with a sensitive side on the HBO hit series, the 23-year-old actor snuck his way into all our hearts both on screen and off.

In addition to his laidback and charming disposition, Angus is one of the best-dressed actors on the show. And that's saying a lot when you're starring next to Zendaya.

His secret? He wears jewelry. Daily Mail gets the scoop on the little-known fine jewelry brand Angus accessorizes with IRL and on the show called Her Children by Jack Broadnax.

Angus Cloud has become one of Euphoria's biggest breakout stars. Portraying a slow speaking, drug dealer with a heart of gold on the HBO hit series, the 23-year-old actor snuck his way into all our hearts both on screen and off

Similar to his character, Angus has a unique sense of style. His signature look - both on the show and IRL - is made complete with Her Children fine jewelry by Jack Broadnax

'I would describe Angus and Fez's style as super 90s/early 2000s influenced,' said Jack whose jewelry company is based in New York City.

'Incorporating lots of Coogi knits, Ralph Lauren Polos and Adidas tracksuits, it's very baggy and relaxed.'

But like a true fashion star, Angus isn't afraid to mix it up.

'He also has a very elevated style at events and runway shows wearing the latest designer collections.'

Since season two of Euphoria premiered, Angus has been popping up just about everywhere serving major looks.

'I would describe Angus and Fez's style as super 90s/early 2000s influenced,' said Jack whose jewelry company is based in New York City. 'He also has a very elevated style at events and runway shows wearing the latest designer collections'

The fan-favorite actor first got his hands on the Her Children collection from his manager Diomi Cordero, a friend of Jack's.

'I think my jewelry fits his style because its timeless, it mixes well with casual outfits but can also be dressed up for events, premiers and fashion shows,' said the jeweler.

Using the jewelry as a form of self expression, Angus incorporates his personal collection of baubles into his character's wardrobe.

'Angus owns all the jewelry that he wears from Her Children to events, music videos and on the show,' Jack revealed.

'He is often seen wearing a Cuban Necklace, which is my brand's signature piece. 'It's solid .925 silver handmade in New York City's Diamond District.'

All the pieces in the Her Children collection are named after New York City streets and are great for layering or wearing on there own.

For the brand's first campaign, Deon Hinton photographed the actor on the streets of New York and wearing casual separates in neutral colors brought to life by Her Children jewelry

'Angus owns all the jewelry that he wears from Her Children to events, music videos and on the show,' revealed Jack

'When I design a link or an essential piece, I think of someone like Angus who can really pull off any look and what style would be versatile in his wardrobe,' shared Jack.

'My pieces are all handmade, they are made of quality materials that will last generationally and are perfect for everyday wear.'

While many men are tempted by the prospect of wearing jewelry, they may not know how to pull it off.

Jack recommends starting with one essential piece, like a necklace, bracelet or ring.

'A great beginner piece is a Cuban necklace or bracelet and a classic signet ring.

'Wear it confidently and know that it will always elevate an outfit,' he declares.

The jeweler suggests playing with different metals to see what looks best against your skin and fits your style.

In real life, 'he is often seen wearing a Cuban Necklace which is my signature piece for my brand'

Signature Cuban Link Chain, $975; her-children.com

Left: Bond Bracelet, $450; her-children.com. Handmade Cuban Link Bracelet, $500; her-children.com

Left: Silver Sapphire Signet, $995; her-children.com. Right: Jane Bracelet, $425; her-children.com

Why many men are tempted by the prospect of wearing jewelry, they may not know how to pull it off. Jack recommends starting with one essential piece, like a necklace, bracelet or ring

After falling in love with the Her Children collection, Angus has since starred in the label's first campaign.

Deon Hinton photographed the actor on the streets of New York and at The Roxy Hotel Tribeca wearing casual separates in neutral colors brought to life by the brand's Signature Cuban Link Chain necklace.

He can also be seen wearing a few Cuban Link Bracelets and the Silver Sapphire Signet Ring in several photos.

His affinity for polos (Angus has admitted to owning more than 200) also got him a modelling gig with Ralph Lauren.

The collared shirts are a favorite of Fezco's, too!
A new documentary examining moral campaigner Mary Whitehouse has divided opinion after revealing how she predicted the corrosive impact of online pornography.

Banned! The Mary Whitehouse Story, which aired last night on BBC, detailed how the former Midlands housewife raged against an increasingly permissive society in the 1960s and 70s.

Whitehouse was a Christian fundamentalist who harbored various bigoted views, campaigning against social liberalism, feminism and the gay liberation movement throughout her career.

However viewers were surprised at how modern the campaigner's views were when it came to pornography - considering erotic material 'a male commodity, made by men' to 'exploit' women.

While several felt there was no way of 'rehabilitating' the image of someone with such extreme views, others were surprised at how 'valid' her views were when it came to 'pornography, exploitation and exposure to minors'.

Mary Whitehouse was a Christian fundamentalist who harbored bigoted views, campaigning against social liberalism, feminism and the gay liberation movement throughout her career

Banned! The Mary Whitehouse Story, which aired last night on BBC, detailed how the former Midlands housewife raged against an increasingly permissive society in the 1960s and 70s

In the early 80s, during a debate held by the Cambridge Union, Whitehouse called pornography 'a male commodity, made by men, for men we must consider the effects of porn on women and children.'

'Insightful Mary Whitehouse prog,' said one viewer. 'To my mind, mostly her own set of misguided morals, but good work for protection of children, women, & abuse elsewhere. '

'The BBC Mary Whitehouse documentary is fascinating. In one recording she tells the Cambridge Union that pornography is made by men for men and degrades women. All the patrician liberals are shown smirking in a knowing fashion: yet today it is she that sounds like the feminist', wrote another.

A third said: 'Anyone see the programme about Mary Whitehouse last night? It was interesting, she was a complete religious nutjob but her stance on pornography, exploitation and exposure to minors was valid.'

By 1963, Mary had set out on a mission to halt the liberal agenda, with the BBC and their new modern agenda her first target. She is pictured in 1981

In 1960, Whitehouse was working as an art teacher at a secondary school in Telford and was married to Ernest Raymond Whitehouse, who she met at a Christian meeting.

One of Mary's former pupils, Lorraine, recalled a sex education lesson led by the teacher, revealing: Sex was never mentioned. It was never regarded as something you did until you were married. She stuck to what it said in the bible basically'.

Gyles Brandreth, who worked alongside Whitehouse on an inquiry on pornography led by Lord Longford, shed some light on the increasing sexual liberation arising in the 1960s.

'I senses that exciting things were beginning to happen naughty things were beginning to happen', he said. 'Sex was reaching the highest places in the land.

'I was really quite sympathetic to the end of censoring plays, I was for the publication of Lady Chatterley's Lover I was hang loose, be free. I wasn't a hippy but I was happy that some people were'.

By 1963, Mary had set out on a mission to halt the liberal agenda, with the BBC and their new modern agenda her first target.

Viewers were surprised at how modern the campaigners views were when it came to pornography - considering erotic material 'a male commodity, made by men' to 'exploit' women

Journalist Mary Kenney explained: 'She was alarmed by the new agenda of the BBC, what they called the new morality. I think she did understand how powerful television was.'

Former Chairman of the BBC Michael Grade added: 'As the 60s sex drugs and rock and roll began to roll out across the world, Hugh Greene, the director general of the BBC, was really smart in latching on to this mood change'.

'BBC's programmes started to reflect the real world rather than the cozy, middle-class world'.

In January 1964, the Mary's Clean Up TV campaign was born and she held their first public meeting that May at Birmingham Town Hall where she launched a manifesto against the BBC.

Within months of the meeting, a parody character mimicking Whitehouse had been created on BBC comedy drama Swizzlewick, called Mrs Smallgood.

Kenney said: 'She was regarded by the BBC as a rather provincial housewife. 'Who does she think she is?' The people who run the BBC were what were called the Metropolitan elite.

'These were people who went to Oxford and Cambridge my dear, they weren't going to be told what was what by some Birmingham housewife'.

The tide began to turn for Mary when Conservative Lord Hill was appointed as BBC chairman - granting her her first television appearance two months after his arrival in 1967.

In 1960, Whitehouse was working as an art teacher at a secondary school in Telford and was married to Ernest Raymond Whitehouse, who she met at a Christian meeting

Whitehouse soon turned her attention to pornography, appalled at the rise in underground magazines targeted at young people. She is pictured in Soho in 1981

Shortly after her appearance Whitehouse began campaigning against the BBC for planning to play the song I Am The Walrus by the Beatles - horrified by the lyrics 'you've been a naughty girl, you let your knickers down'.

Despite her protests, Greene decided to air the song and decided not to listen to Lord Hill's request of editing out the offending lyrics - something described as a 'final breach' for the director general.

Green retired from the post of director general in 1969 and according to Curator Dr Sarah Demelo, who examined Mary's records for the documentary, was so irate about his departure, he commissioned a painting of Whitehouse naked with five breasts as 'revenge'.

Whitehouse often claimed to speaking on behalf of the British public, with author Ben Thompson, who wrote biography Ban This Filth! in 2013, said the campaigner painted herself as an 'avenging angel of middle England'.

'She would present herself as the voice of people who don't have a voice and in doing that she identified, with quite a large measure of strategic brilliance, a constituency that would later be mobilised for Margaret Thatcher, Brexit, in America Trump. That way of saying 'I speak for the people who are ignored for the elite'.

Whitehouse soon turned her attention to pornography, appalled at the rise in underground magazines targeted at young people - including one which featured a cartoon of Rupert Bear with an erection.

'The idea of innocents being corrupted to be part of a sick counter cultural tableau was pretty much as bad as it got for Mary', said Thompson.

By the 1970s 'girly' magazines were freely available to buy, with Mary actively campaigning to have them removed from shelves.

Mary Whitehouse arriving with Polly Bennett (L) and Nancy Crooke to deliver to Buckingham Palace letters signed by 20,000 people regretting the Queen's decision not to broadcast a Christmas Day message in 1969

Along with Catholic Labour peer Lord Longford, Whitehouse launched an independent inquiry into the dangers of pornography in 1972.

Former MP Gyles, aged just 22, was roped into the report and travelled with Lord Longford to Copenhagen to 'explore the alien porn' - remaining in close touch with Mary Whitehouse throughout.

'We went to one dingy club and I remember sitting there and the artists were naked and one of them was coming very close to Lord Longford with a whip in her hand', said Gyles.

'I think Lord Longford said he wanted to get up and go. He'd seen more than enough for science.'

The same week, Whitehouse had travelled to Rome, armed with examples of British pornography, to meet with the pope, with Gyles revealing: 'I began to feel Mary and Lord Longford were going too far.

'They were too dogmatic. They wanted to close the wall completely and so I fell out with them and left the commission.'

At a computer industry technology conference in Rome in November 1975, the anti-pornography campaigner warned the audience against technology becoming out of control

'May I first share my fear that technology is overstepping itself,' she said. 'It does seem, to the lay mind, that the power of computer technology can reach a point where man is incapable of arresting the forces which he has released.'

Speaking of pornography on another occasion, she said: 'When you start on this slippery slope, the lack of love and respect for one another, there the exploitation can then permeate and go into the realms of violence'.

In January 1964, the Mary's Clean Up TV campaign was born and she held their first public meeting that May at Birmingham Town Hall where she launched a manifesto against the BBC

Mary campaigned avidly against the showing of erotic film The Last Tango in Paris in 1973, following a Widowed man who travels to Paris and embarks on a clandestine relationship with a young woman.

The movie features a rape scene, with actress Maria Schneider revealing in 2007 that the scene wasnt in the original script and directors had told her about it just before they began filming.

Film critic Peter Bradshaw said: 'There is a moral case against The Last Tango in Paris now. In my naivety I thought look it's a fiction, everybody is in on it.

'I thought that blurring of consent existed fictionally, but I'm not sure it did now. It existed in fact and if the ghost of Mrs. Whitehouse was around now she would say "How naive of you, this is exactly what i've been talking about all along, that these things have a moral dimension in the real world".'

Gyles added: 'I realise now there was a liberal intellectual group think at the time which said anything goes and I'm a little bit ashamed I left the porn commission now.

'I think I left because it was unfashionable, I felt I was associating myself with the repressors and I wanted to be seen as a liberal person'.

Banned! The Mary Whitehouse Story is available on BBC iPlayer
Transition committee Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo, right, shakes hands with U.S. Embassy Charge d'Affaires Christopher Del Corso at the committee's office in Seoul, March 30. Yonhap





Transition committee Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo called for a more robust alliance with the United States, Wednesday, as he met with U.S. Embassy Charge d'Affaires Christopher Del Corso.







Ahn also said the Korea-U.S. alliance faces many challenges amid heightened tensions in the region.







"The Moon Jae-in government failed to properly conduct foreign relations because of its weak policy on North Korea," he said during the meeting at his office.







"The fact that we are entering an era of a diplomatic paradigm shift is also a big reason the (incoming) government's diplomatic strategy must be different from that of the previous government," he said.







Ahn said he has witnessed the convergence of science and technology, foreign relations, business and security.







"That is why it is time for us to discuss ways to expand the Korea-U.S. alliance from a military alliance to an economic alliance, a scientific and technological alliance in a mutually beneficial manner," he said.







Ahn went further to note that in the current times global events such as the Ukraine-Russia war impact Korea's economy.







"At times like these, cooperation between Korea and the U.S. and within the international community is ever more important," he said.







Del Corso recalled his earlier meeting with Yoon and Ahn, saying he came away with the strong conviction that there is nothing the two countries cannot achieve together for their people.







He added that he believes the two sides will be able to overcome various challenges, such as COVID-19, climate change and threats to the rules-based international order, upon the foundation of their alliance and their global partnership. (Yonhap)






A 'beauty scientist' who used to pick her chronic acne as a teenager has outlined a detailed skincare routine using products that retail for $20 or less.

Michelle Wong, from Lab Muffin Beauty Science, said for more than a decade she struggled finding the perfect routine and products to suit her skin type.

In her latest YouTube video, Ms Wong outlined the steps she would take to banish her acne if she was a teenager again.

'It took me about 15 years to figure out a good skincare routine - we didn't have as much skincare info on the internet back then,' she said.

When choosing products, it's best to consider what's right for you and your skin.

Scroll down for video

Beauty scientist Michelle Wong from Lab Muffin Beauty Science outlined her list of product suggestions for those who have acne-prone skin

Before she began listing products, Ms Wong said you should never have a magnifying mirror and set of tweezers on your desk where you work or study.

This is because you'll likely procrastinate by popping your pimples, which can lead to scarring.

'I have a few dented scars on my nose and between my eyebrows if you look closely, and those are from digging blackheads out of my face when I was 14,' she said.

'It is just too easy to procrastinate by picking at your skin if you have a mirror in the place where you tend to procrastinate the most.'

1. Cleansers

Ms Wong's cleanser recommendations: The Ordinary Squalene Cleanser Simple Micellar Cleansing Water Heimish All Clean Balm Advertisement

Ms Wong highlighted the importance of cleansers and cleansing your skin properly to remove makeup, dirt and impurities from the day.

Cleansing is often overlooked or undervalued because the product isn't on the skin for a long period of time.

For those with acne-prone skin, Ms Wong recommends avoiding harsh cleansers as this can strip the skin of its natural oils and cause irritation.

Alternatively she suggested using gentle cleansers, such as the The Ordinary Squalene Cleanser, or the Simple Micellar Cleansing Water.

Prior to cleansing, ensure to remove your makeup first with a cleansing oil or balm - Ms Wong recommends the Heimish All Clean Balm.

Ms Wong highlighted the importance of cleansers and cleansing your skin properly to remove makeup, dirt and impurities from the day

2. Acne Treatments

Ms Wong's acne treatment suggestions: Benzoyl Peroxide - Benzac AC 5% Wash - Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser Mask Salicylic acid (beta hydroxy) - Revolution 2% Salicylic Acid Toner - Paula's Choice 2% BHA Daily Pore-Refining Treatment Azelaic Acid - AZClear Azelaic Acid 20% Medicated Lotion - Finacia Azelic Acid 15% Gel Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) - The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution - The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5/10% Serum Pimple patches - CosRX Clear Fit Master Patch - Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch Advertisement

First, Ms Wong spoke of the 'most famous acne ingredient' - benzoyl peroxide - which is renowned for being incredibly effective at killing the bacteria that causes acne.

'Benzoyl peroxide can be harsh on skin, so use a gentle cleanser and moisturiser with it; it does tend to work better when you use it all over your face preventatively rather than as a spot treatment,' she said.

Ms Wong's favourite product is a benzoyl peroxide cleanser - though the product can be known to stain fabrics.

She also recommends salicylic acid (beta hydroxy) which acts as an exfoliant to remove dead skin cells.

But unlike other suggested products, salicylic acid tends to be a bit more expensive.

The 'cheapest' products Ms Wong found were the Revolution 2% Salicylic Acid Toner, priced at $20 and the Paula's Choice 2% BHA Daily Pore-Refining Treatment.

A suitable alternative for salicylic acid that may work better for your skin is azelaic acid.

If over-the-counter products don't seem to be working to stop the acne, it's best to speak to a dermatologist or professional as underlying issues may be causing the breakouts.

The one product Ms Wong's wishes she knew about when she was a teenager was pimple patches - which act in a similar way to bandaids to prevent bacteria interfering with the skin.

She recommends the brands CosRX, Hero Cosmetics and Skin Control.

Among the list of acne treatments, Ms Wong recommends Benzoyl Peroxide, Salicylic acid (beta hydroxy), Azelaic Acid, Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) and pimple patches

If over-the-counter products don't seem to be working to stop the acne, it's best to speak to a dermatologist or professional as underlying issues may be causing the breakouts (stock image)

3. Sunscreen

Ms Wong said sunscreen can help prevent post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).

'This is where after your skin has been traumatised, such as after a pimple, it starts to pump out extra brown pigment and so you get this little patch of brown [or] a dark spot that can take months to go away,' she said.

In Australia you can purchased sunscreens with an SPF rating of 15 up to 50, and Ms Wong recommends using a product containing at least SPF 30.

While there's an array of products on the market to choose from, she recommends Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ and Bondi Sands Fragrance-Free Sunscreen.

Your morning skincare routine: 1. Cleanser 2. Toner 3. Serums 4. Eye cream 5. Spot treatments 6. Moisturiser 7. Face oil 8. Sunscreen Source: Cosmopolitan Advertisement
More than 1,500 guests packed into Westminster Abbey yesterday to remember the Duke of Edinburgh, including members of the Queen's extended royal family, but one notable absentee was her former daughter-in-law, the Duchess of York.

Fergie's disgraced ex-husband Prince Andrew, who continues to live with the Duchess at their home of the Royal Lodge in Windsor, played a starring role by arriving with the Queen, despite the Epstein scandal that has de-railed his royal life.

And given her steadfast closeness to her ex-husband, the attendance of her two daughters and a warm relationship with the Queen, royal watchers might have expected to see the Duchess among the congregation.

However, Sarah, 62, and Philip had a frosty relationship and she has been excluded from royal celebrations for many years since divorcing Andrew.

While Philip regarded their daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, with affection, he is thought to have viewed the Duchess of York as 'simply beyond the pale' after a series of scandals.

However, the feud did appear to thaw somewhat towards the end of the Duke's life, and he attended Princess Eugenie's wedding and appeared alongside the Duchess in the official wedding portrait.

Sarah Ferguson Ferguson was notably absent from the Duke of Edinburgh's memorial service at Westminster Abbey. Though reason for her absence is unknown, Sarah and Philip had a frosty relationship before his death at the age of 99 last April.

Her Majesty and Prince Andrew arrive for a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey this morning

Fergie was the only member of her immediate family missing from the service this morning. Pictured, Sarah's two daughters Beatrice and Eugenie with their spouses Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank

Despite Philip's reported disliking for Fergie at the end of his life, the Duchess was actually regarded as a royal favourite during the early days of her marriage to Prince Andrew.

Growing up in close proximity to the Royal family - Fergie's father was Prince Charles and Philip's polo manager, meaning she developed an interest in most things liked by the Queen and Philip, including horse-riding and piloting a plane.

The monarch and her husband were so taken with the then Duchess of York that in 1987, Vanity Fair posed the question: 'Is Fergie's Fizz Leaving Di Flat?'

Fergie was so popular with the Royal Family that the Queen would invite her for private supper, a privilege not extended to many even inside the Firm.

Despite Philip's reported disliking for Fergie at the end of his life, the Duchess was actually regarded as a royal favourite during the early days of her marriage to Prince Andrew

Sarah, 62, continues to live with the Duke of York at their home of the Royal Lodge in Windsor and while he shares a close bond with his mother - Fergie has been excluded from royal celebrations for many years since their divorce

However royal favour began to run out in the early 90s, with frequent reports suggesting that Prince Andrew and Fergie's marriage was in trouble.

And the Duke decided 'enough was enough' when photos appeared in a daily newspaper of Sarah topless and having her toes sucked by a lover in the South of France.

Images of Sarah with her 'financial advisor' John Bryan, taken at her holiday villa in St Tropez showing the pair kissing and embracing left the Duke of Edinburgh beyond furious.

The toe-sucking sandal that cast Fergie out of the Royal Family Until his death in April, Philip had fervently avoided Fergie since newspaper disclosed details of her affair with American 'financial adviser' John Bryan. Sarah and Prince Andrew tied the knot in 1986 and announced their separation in March 1992. But five months later, compromising photographs of the Duchess on holiday in St Tropez were released. The intimate images showed Sarah and her 'advisor' embracing and kissing. One picture showed Bryan sucking the Duchess' toes and the arch of her foot. According to the Daily Mail's Richard Eden, Fergie was staying at Balmoral on the day that paparazzi photos were published. Advertisement

Royal insider Gyles Brandreth said that while Her Majesty had tea with Sarah from time to time after her separation from Andrew - Philip was resolute in his desire never to see Fergie again.

In the years to come Philip would describe the Duchess as 'odd' and said he didn't see the 'point' in seeing her, and would even ask for her to leave Balmoral, the royal estate in Scotland, during holidays before he arrived.

However Sarah reportedly never attempted to build bridges with the Duke over the years, sending him a 'a handsome dinner service' on his 80th birthday - to which Philip responded with a note signed 'With love from Pa.

The Duke reportedly could not fathom her continuing closeness to ex-husband Prince Andrew, with the couple continuing to live together even now.

As a royal source once told The Sun: 'He cannot understand why she's living under the same roof as Andrew after all these years.'

The Duke of Edinburgh is also said to have prevented other members of the Royal Family from bailing her out during periods of financial difficulties.

Sarah and Philip reportedly went years without speaking due to their ongoing feud - however reunited as they posed for Princess Eugenie's official wedding portrait before she tied the knot to to Jack Brooksbank in 2018.

The Duchess of York was said to be a bag of nerves at meeting Philip, who because of protocol was stood alongside Philip in the portrait.

Since Philip's death at the age of 99 last April, Fergie has been allowed somewhat back into the fold - visiting the Queen's Scotland retreat Balmoral with her ex-husband in August last year.

The Duchess has been invited to the Deeside castle in previous years, but has stayed for just a few days until the Duke of Edinburgh joined the Queen.

The decision for Sarah not to attend the memorial service comes despite Andrew's close bond with his mother, the Queen, who chose to travel with the Duke of York from Windsor Castle to Westminster Abbey.

Royal commentators said the surprise move was the 95-year-old monarch's way of 'very clearly stating that he has a role at family occasions' and that 'many people will now accept the Queen's word and judgment'.

The decision for Sarah not to attend the service comes despite Andrews close bond with the Queen, evident from her decision to have the Duke ride in the car with her on the way to the service

The Queen's decision to have Andrew accompany her comes despite him paying up to 12million earlier this month to settle a US civil sexual assault case  and it will be seen as a major signal of support to her second son

Front and centre of the high profile occasion was the Duke of York, despite Andrew paying millions out of court earlier this month to settle a civil sexual assault case and losing his 'HRH'

The Queen's decision to have Andrew accompany her comes despite him paying up to 12million earlier this month to settle a US civil sexual assault case  and it will be seen as a major signal of support to her second son.

Royal expert Angela Levin told MailOnline of William and Charles: 'They would have been very disappointed and uneasy about Andrew's presence but they would have known that this was the Queen's decision.

'I'm sure they were probably thinking something very different inside but Charles and William have always known that the Queen has a soft spot for Andrew and if she wants her favourite son with her, she would be entitled to do that.

Following the poignant 40-minute service, Her Majesty was driven the 22-miles back to Windsor Castle with the Duke of York beside her after her first major public engagement for approaching six months.

Both of Sarah's daughters attended the service, which paid tribute to the Duke's dedication to 'family, nation and Commonwealth', his contribution to public life and his steadfast support to his charities.

Princess Eugenie, 32, who was comforted by husband Jack Brooksbank , 35, cut a stylish figure in a floral midi dress by British fashion designer Erdem worth 1,695.

Meanwhile, Princess Beatrice, 33, stepped out in a burgundy dress with coordinating heels and a black coat, alongside her polished husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 38.

Her Majesty stands to sing surrounded by her family with the Duke of York also on the front row. From left to right, front row: Queen Elizabeth II, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of York, The Earl of Wessex, the Countess of Wessex, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and Viscount Severn. (Second row left to right) The Duke of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, the Duchess of Cambridge, Peter Phillips, Isla Phillips, Savannah Phillips, Mia Tindall, Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall. Other notable attendees include Princess Beatrice; Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi; Princess Eugenie; Jack Brooksbank; David Armstrong-Jones; Margarita Armstrong-Jones; Richard, Duke of Gloucester; Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester; Edward, Duke of Kent

Queen Elizabeth II, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. (second row left to right) The Duke of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, the Duchess of Cambridge during a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of the Duke of Edinburgh

Senior royals in attendance at the memorial included Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, Zara and Mike Tindall and Peter Phillips. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were the only senior royals not in attendance.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte joined parents Prince William and Kate Middleton at the service. Savannah, 11, and Isla Phillips, 10, the daughters of Prince Philip's eldest grandson Peter, were in attendance at the memorial, as well as Zara and Mike Tindall's eight-year-old daughter Mia.

The service was also be attended by around 30 foreign royals, including Prince Albert of Monaco, Denmark's Queen Margrethe, King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway, and Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.

Princess Margaret's daughter Sarah Chatto, Viscount Linley, Freddie and Sophie Windsor and Prince Michael of Kent were also in attendance at the service.

Queen sheds a tear for beloved Philip: Emotional monarch wears green in tribute to late husband at Westminster Abbey memorial attended by Kate, Wills, Charles and Camilla... a year after sitting alone at his funeral at height of the pandemic

The Queen shed a tear for Prince Philip at an extraordinary service in remembrance of his remarkable life of service to Britain and his wife today.

Her Majesty stood in Westminster Abbey where she had personally ensured her beloved husband's final wishes were fulfilled after his covid-hit funeral left her sat alone without the rousing hymns and guests he loved so much.

The 95-year-old monarch used a stick as she was walked to her seat by her disgraced son the Duke of York to give her 'strength and stay' Philip the final farewell he had wanted. The service was attended by the Royal Family and his relatives, friends and people who benefitted from his charities. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were the only senior royals not there.

Despite battling mobility problems, she stood to pray and sing anthems during a 40-minute service that her husband of 73 years had helped plan for before his death last April. But in a controversial decision she chose Prince Andrew to support her as she arrived and left the church, clutching his elbow with one hand and a walking stick with the other.

The Queen had stood with tears in her eyes as the 1,800-strong congregation sang Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer before the bells of Westminster Abbey rang out to mark the end of the memorial service for the Duke of Edinburgh.

After she leant on Andrew as she walked back out of the church, the Queen appeared to grimace as she walked to the car hunched over with the Duke of York at her side guiding her towards the Bentley.

She appeared to be holding tightly to her stick and appeared to be making a great effort to get to the vehicle, concentrating very hard in taking each step. Once inside the car she appeared to be back to her normal composed self as the car slowly drove away. She waved to onlookers as she arrived and left the service.

The Queen and the packed abbey had listened as the Dean of Windsor paid tribute to Philip's intellect, work ethic, sense of humour and devotion to his family.

The Right Reverend David Conner described the duke as a 'remarkable man' who was committed to 'a host of down-to-earth enterprises'. He pointed out that the duke could be 'abrupt', and suggested that at times he could forget 'just how intimidating he could be'.

Princess Beatrice was seen to give a small chuckle as the Dean remarked: 'He could be somewhat sharp in pricking what he thought to be bubbles of pomposity or sycophancy.' But then appeared to break down in tears, covering her face with the order of service.

The Queen, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Princess Royal were all dressed in dark green in a subtle tribute to Philip, whose livery colour was Edinburgh Green. A number of others throughout the congregation also wore the shade, including Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award holder Doyin Sonibare who delivered a special tribute about the effect Philip's youth scheme had on her life.

Flowers at today's service are a patriotic red, white and blue, at Her Majesty's request. They included dendrobium orchids, which also featured in the Queen's wedding bouquet, and eryngium - or sea holly - echoing the duke's career in the Royal Navy and lifelong affection for the sea. There were also multiple tributes to his intellect, work ethic, sense of humour and devotion to his family and his country.

The Queen stood and shed a tear for her husband today at an extraordinary service in remembrance of his life

The Queen closed her eyes in prayer as she joined senior royals to pay tribute to Prince Philip at his memorial at Westminster Abbey. When she opened her eyes they appeared moist

Her Majesty stands to sing surrounded by her family with the Duke of York also on the front row.From left to right, front row: Queen Elizabeth II, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of York, The Earl of Wessex, the Countess of Wessex, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and Viscount Severn. (Second row left to right) The Duke of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, the Duchess of Cambridge, Peter Phillips, Isla Phillips, Savannah Phillips, Mia Tindall, Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall

Princess Beatrice was overwhelmed by the service. Stood behind the Queen she cried and covered her face with the order of service as her grandmother removed her glasses

Her Majesty walked with the help of a stick but stood without support sat next to Charles, Camilla, Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. Across the aisle was Prince Andrew

Prince Andrew travelled with the Queen to Westminster Abbey and appeared to escort her to her seat before taking his own

Prince Andrew was sat next to Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex during today's memorial service at Westminster Abbey

Queen Elizabeth II is helped into her car by her son Prince Andrew, right, after attending a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip

She spoke to her son inside the car and waved to the crowds outside the service in London, which ended this afternoon

The Queen as she left Westminster Abbey in her Rolls-Royce today, wearing a regal purple and golden brooch

Prince Andrew, Duke of York, who last month agreed to settle his sex assault lawsuit, left the service in a car with his mother the Queen

A sombre Prince Charles leaves the church with his wife Camilla, who also looked moved by the celebration of Prince Philip's life

Charles was seen wiping his eyes at the service where he could say goodbye to his father after a pared back funeral last year. Prince Andrew looked serious as he waited to leave with his mother

Prince William rests a hand on the back of his son Prince George, at the end of the memorial service for Prince Philip

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge left the Abbey with two of their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte

The Cambridges departing the Service of Thanksgiving for the Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey

The Duchess of Cambridge smiled out of the window of her car as she left the Abbey with Prince William after the service

The Queen sits alone at Philip's pared-down funeral last April - in stark contrast to today's celebration. It was one of the defining photos of the pandemic, where many Britons were forced to mourn their loved ones in small ceremonies, sometimes alone

Queen, Camilla and Anne all wear green for their beloved Prince Philip It was a touching tribute to a much-missed Duke of Edinburgh as the Queen and senior royal women stepped out in Edinburgh Green for Philip's memorial service. All wearing the same shade, the monarch, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Princess Royal sat in the front row of royal seats in Westminster Abbey, united in remembrance of Philip. The duke's official dark green livery colour was known as Edinburgh Green. It was used for his staff liveries - the duke's page at the coronation wore dark green and silver - and private cars. The monarch's brooch was another nod to her late husband of more than 70 years. She chose her yellow gold, ruby and diamond scarab brooch, designed by Andrew Grima, which was a personal gift from Philip in 1966. Camilla wore her Rifles brooch in recognition of the moment when her father-in-law handed over his role as colonel-in-chief of the regiment to her in 2020. Others in the congregation also wore dark green, including Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award holder Doyin Sonibare, who delivered a special tribute about the effect Philip's youth scheme had on her life. The Duchess of Cambridge opted for a high-necked black dress with white polka dots and a textured wide-brimmed black hat. Advertisement

Her Majesty had arrived at the side door of the church, allowing her to walk a shorter distance from Poets' Corner to the front where she was surrounded by her children and grandchildren. She stood at various points in the service, despite her own admission recently that she is struggling to move.

Westminster Abbey was completely packed today to celebrate the 99-year life of Prince Philip as Her Majesty battled mobility issues and fought off covid to be there to say goodbye to her husband after 73 years of marriage.

The event, attended by most of the Duke of Edinburgh's family and many of Europe's most senior royals, is in the starkest of contrasts to his pared back funeral at Windsor last April when Her Majesty said goodbye to her strength and stay after 73 years of marriage.

The Queen finally decided to attend today's service in Central London around two hours before but the coverage of the Service of Thanksgiving was dominated by her extraordinary decision to travel with her disgraced son Prince Andrew from Windsor Castle to Central London.

Her Majesty was determined to be amongst the 1,800 guests despite the 95-year-old's mobility problems that have prevented her doing a major public engagement away from Windsor Castle in nearly six months. The Tindalls were the first close family to arrive, followed Princess Anne, the Wessexes, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla and then the Cambridges, who were with their children George and Charlotte. The Queen was the last to arrive with Andrew.

It was a move that royal watchers believe may have upset her son Prince Charles and grandson Prince William  both instrumental in the decision to take away the Duke of York's 'HRH'.

The Queen chose her second son to join her in the back of her royal car for the 22-mile journey and he was also given a front row in the church, right next to his other siblings at the service just weeks after he paid millions to one of Jeffrey Epstein's sex slaves, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who accused him of having sex with her three times when she was trafficked to London aged 17.

The Queen's state limousine arrived at Poets' Yard entrance with Andrew sat beside her. As they walked through the famous section of the abbey towards her seat, in a small procession, the monarch held onto her son's elbow with her left hand and had a walking stick in her right.

They walked at a slow but steady pace both looking ahead, and at the end of the aisle they separated - with Andrew giving a last glance to his mother as she turned right. After the first hymn, Charles, who was sat next to her mother, could be seen leaning over to speak to the Queen seated next to him - but it is not clear what was said. The Queen then delved into her black Launer handbag for her glasses to read the order of service.

After the 40 minute service, Her Majesty was escorted out of the abbey by the Duke of York. As the monarch stopped to greet Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award holder Doyin Sonibare, Andrew stood back and at one point broke into a smile.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were the first to leave Westminster Abbey alongside the abbey's chapter.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge followed. All four royals waved at the crowd outside as they were driven away in black cars.

Despite her frailty, Queen Elizabeth II stands during a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of the Duke of Edinburgh, at Westminster Abbey today

The congregation takes its place ahead of the service. The Queen made the final decision to attend this morning, hours before she was due to travel the 22 miles from Windsor Castle to Central London. She held Andrew's elbow

The royal family paying an emotional tribute to Prince Philip at today's service at Westminster Abbey

Her Majesty listens to the various eulogies to her husband at the Service of Remembrance held almost a year after his funeral

The Queen, 95, fought frailty to be in the church with her family at an event she had helped plan for her husband

The Queen stands for the first hymn at the service in remembrance of her beloved husband Prince Philip

Prince Andrew walked his mother up the aisle after she arrived via a side door rather than the main entrance to shorten the distance

The Queen has been 'actively involved' in plans for the service 'with many elements reflecting Her Majesty's wishes'

Prince Andrew was sat next to Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex during today's memorial service at Westminster Abbey

The royals, led by the Queen despite her recent health issues, join the congregation in singing hymns during today's service

The royals ahead of the service: In the front row are The Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Princess Anne and Timothy Laurence. The Cambridges are in the second row while Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, along with their husbands, are among the royals in the third row

She left as she arrived, being supported by her son Andrew - reputedly her favourite

The Queen remained seated during the service with aides taking special measures to ensure her comfort after recent heath issues

Princess Charlotte and Prince George sit with the mother the Duchess of Cambridge during today's service at Westminster Abbey

Prince Charles and Camilla were greeted by clergy as they arrived ahead of today's service of celebration for Prince Philip

A serious looking Prince William sits down next to his wife, George and Charlotte to say goodbye to his grandfather

The Queen sat beside Andrew, the royal who lost his HRH just weeks ago over his links to Epstein and civil case

Crowds piled outside Westminster Abbey to pay tribute to Prince Philip as the service in his memorial continued

Thousands of supporters gathered outside the Service Of Thanksgiving For The Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey

Today the monarch ensured that her beloved husband's final wishes are fulfilled after his Covid-hit funeral left her sat alone without the rousing hymns and guests he loved so much. Her Majesty has been 'actively involved' in every element of his service of thanksgiving that will see Westminster Abbey packed to the rafters.

Even the smallest of touches have been overseen by the Queen, including the use of orchids that formed part of her 1947 wedding bouquet being used in small posies of flowers.

Prince Philip's beloved Sea Cadets and young people who have taken his Duke of Edinburgh awards are centre stage at the service that will see the Abbey reverberate with the sound of hymns including Guide me, O thou great Redeemer.

All Prince Philip's family chose to attend apart from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. On Prince Andrew's left is his brother the Earl of Wessex and Edward's family the Countess of Wessex and their children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.

Across an aisle on his right is the Princess Royal, her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince of Wales and the Queen.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte also attended with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and be sat behind the Queen. Behind Andrew and Edward's family were Peter Phillips, and Zara and Mike Tindall and their daughters.

The Duke of Edinburgh's intellect, work ethic, sense of humour and devotion to his family were celebrated in an address by the Dean of Windsor.

The Right Reverend David Conner paid tribute to Philip as a 'remarkable man' who was committed to 'a host of down-to-earth enterprises'.

He pointed out that the duke could be 'abrupt' and suggested that at times he could forget 'just how intimidating he could be'.

Addressing the congregation in Westminster Abbey, Mr Conner said: 'He was practical, wanting to put flesh upon his dreams, and (acknowledging the limitations of living in this so-called 'real world') he devoted his astonishing intellectual and physical energy, his enormous capacity for sheer hard work, to a host of down-to-earth enterprises.

'These included the equipping of young people to face tomorrow's challenges, the encouragement of respect and care for the natural order, and his pioneering work in facilitating conversation between representatives of the different world faiths.

'Through his passionate commitment, he drew others to himself in admiration and respect and, in the case of those who lived and worked most closely to him, genuine love.'

Mr Conner added: 'He would hate to think that I should paint a picture of him as a 'plaster saint'; someone without the usual human foibles and failings.

'He was far too self-aware ever to be taken in by flattery. Of course, it must be said that his life bore the marks of sacrifice and service.

'Certainly, he could show great sympathy and kindness. There is no doubt that he had a delightfully engaging, and often self-deprecating, sense of humour.

'It is quite clear that his mind held together both speculation and common sense. Moreover, nobody would ever doubt his loyalty and deep devotion to our Queen and to their family.

'Yet, there were times when he could be abrupt; maybe, in robust conversation, forgetting just how intimidating he could be.

'A kind of natural reserve sometimes made him seem a little distant. He could be somewhat sharp in pricking what he thought to be bubbles of pomposity or sycophancy.

'On the other hand, we should not forget that he himself was sometimes wounded by being unfairly criticised or misunderstood.'

Concluding his address, the dean said: 'As we give thanks for the life of a remarkable man, perhaps our greatest tribute to him, most especially in these far too troubled times, will be for us to accept the challenge, implicit in his life, to rekindle in our hearts something of that call, and to pray (as I think he did) for the inspiration and the guidance to play our part, however small, in working for a kinder future.

Queen Elizabeth II is driven in to attend a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey

The Cambridges arrived at the church hand in hand with their children Charlotte and George. Louis stayed at home

The Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte arrive at today's service of Thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip

Charles shook hands with the clergy as they entered the church just before Midday

Prime Minister Boris Johnson attends the Thanksgiving service for the Duke Of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey today

Princess Eugenie (left) and Princess Beatrice (right) pictured arriving at a service of thanksgiving for late Prince Philip

Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice arriving at the poignant Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip

Peter Phillips with Isla Phillips and Savannah Phillips (right) arriving for a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of the Duke of Edinburgh

Timothy Laurence and Anne, Princess Royal, arriving ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip

Princess Royal arriving for a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of the Duke of Edinburgh and greeting Duke of Edinburgh award recipients

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, arrive at Westminster Abbey

Prince Andrew (left) leaves Windsor Castle with the Queen (right) today ahead of the service to remember Prince Philip

The Queen leaves Windsor Castle to travel to Westminster Abbey this morning, with her son Prince Andrew sat on her right

While the Queen's arrival at Westminster Abbey was mentioned in the order of service, a final decision on her attendance was only confirmed two hours before because of her frailty.

The Princess Royal arrived at Westminster Abbey. Wearing a long green dress and hat, Anne arrived alongside her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

Peter Phillips' children Savannah and Isla were sitting next to their cousin Mia, daughter of Zara and Mike Tindall. The girls were dressed in navy with their hair fixed back with headbands.

Once inside Westminster Abbey, guests were escorted to their seats, with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and their husbands smiling at members of the Abbey's chapter, or governing body, standing by the great West Door, as they walked in. The Earl and Countess of Wessex and their children also smiled warmly at the welcoming clergy.

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and her daughter, Lady Louise, smiled and chatted to each other after taking their seats in the Abbey.

The Duke's family ahead of the service: In the second row is Peter Philips with daughters Savannah and Isla. Next to them is Mia Tindall with parents Zara Philips and Mike Tindall. In the front row are Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex with children Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn

The Cambridges arrived shortly after Prince Charles and Camilla ahead of today's memorial service for Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey

Kate Middleton arrives at Westminster Abbey for the memorial service to Prince Philip today. She was joined by Prince William and her children George and Charlotte

The Tindalls were the first senior British royals to arrive, holding one of their daughter Mia's hands

Lady Louise Windsor arriving at the Westminster Abbey service for Prince Philip today. The Service will pay tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh's contribution to public life and steadfast support for the over 700 charitable organisations

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex attends the Thanksgiving service for the Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey today

Peter Phillips attended the service with his children Savannah and Isla

Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Princess Beatrice file into the main church

Prince Michael of Kent and Princess Michael of Kent attend the memorial service for the Duke Of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey

The Queen leaves Windsor Castle in a car this morning with her disgraced son Prince Andrew to travel to London

Prince Andrew (left) leaves Windsor Castle with the Queen (right) this morning ahead of the service of thanksgiving for Philip

Lady Susan Hussey, the Queen's lady-in-waiting, arrives with her foot in a brace and on crutches at Westminster Abbey today

Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma arrives at Westminster Abbey for the service this morning

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick (left) and Formula One driver Sir Jackie Stewart (right) arrive today

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (left) and Home Secretary Priti Patel (right) arrive at Westminster Abbey this morning

Guests walk into Westminster Abbey and take their seats ahead of this morning's service to remember Prince Philip

Chancellor Rishi Sunak (left) and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (right) at Westminster Abbey today

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer (left) and Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England (right), arrive this morning

Guests arrive for Prince Philip's memorial service at Westminster Abbey in London this morning

Guests arrive for Prince Philip's memorial service at Westminster Abbey in London this morning

Members of the congregation queue at Westminster Abbey today ahead of the service of thanksgiving for the life of Philip

Guests arrive to attend the service of thanksgiving for the life of the Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey this morning

Earlier today, royal commentator Robert Jobson, author of Prince Philip's Century, told GB News: 'I think that Prince Andrew may play a more prominent role than we think earlier on. My understanding is that someone has to support the Queen and he may well be by her side. I think Charles will probably be with Camilla.'

Overnight, royal aides revealed the Queen has been 'actively involved' in plans for the service 'with many elements reflecting Her Majesty's wishes' as the order of service was unveiled at midnight.

It includes several elements the Duke had planned for his funeral at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in April last year but which were forbidden by Covid restrictions at the time.

Among them is the involvement of Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) gold award winners and Sea Cadets, his expressed wish for the congregation to sing the rousing hymn Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, and for clergy from the royal estates of Windsor, Sandringham and Balmoral to play a special part.

His funeral at St George's Chapel in Windsor was limited to just 30 mourners in the midst of the pandemic and mass singing was banned, with the Queen sitting alone in a mask.

Around 1,800 guests are due at today's service, including British and European royalty, representatives of the many charities of which the duke was patron or president, Boris and Carrie Johnson, and Sir David Attenborough.

Prince Harry faces 'lifetime of regret' for missing memorial to his beloved grandfather Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle could 'regret' not attending the memorial service for his grandfather Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey today - and the Queen is likely to be 'very upset' but cannot change his mind, royal experts say. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to remain at home in Montecito, California, while the rest of the Royal Family gather in London for the poignant event. Harry last returned to the UK eight months ago to unveil the statue of his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales in London on July 1 with his brother Prince William. The Duke - one of the Queen and Philip's eight grandchildren  is the only top-level royal not attending today's service which was organised by the monarch. Royal author Phil Dampier told MailOnline: 'It's very sad that Harry and Meghan won't be at Prince Philip's memorial service and I think one day Harry might regret it. He has said that he doesn't feel safe without Scotland Yard security but to me that sounds like an excuse not to come back to the UK and indicates the rift with his blood family is still bad. 'Harry was always very fond of his grandfather and was deeply honoured when he took over from him as Captain General of the Royal Marines, but sadly that didn't last long. The pair attended some Remembrance Day events together and there was always a rapport between them, both being serving military men who had seen active service.' Mr Dampier said that Harry 'loved' Philip's sense of humour and praised him in interviews, adding that this makes his non-attendance 'all the more mystifying and strange'. Advertisement

But the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not returning from the US for the service.

While the Queen's arrival was mentioned in the order of service, it is understood that a final decision on her attendance was not made until first thing this morning.

She has recently been forced to pull out of a string of engagements because of ill health and old age. She was unable to attend the Commonwealth Day service this month because of concerns about her mobility and comfort.

Palace and Abbey aides are thought to have taken steps to ensure that the service is less taxing for the Queen.

Instead of arriving at the usual West Entrance to the Abbey, which would involve steps and a long walk down the Nave in front of the cameras, the Queen could be driven around the side of the building and enter away from public view via the 'Poet's Entrance'.

She would then have a far shorter walk down the South Transept to her seat. It is likely she would walk with the aid of a stick.

The service will gave thanks for the duke's dedication to family, nation and Commonwealth and recognise the importance of his legacy in creating opportunities for young people, promoting conservation, and supporting the Armed Forces.

One of the elements planned for the funeral which has now been included in the service will see nine Gold Award holders from The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, plus representatives from UK Cadet Force Associations, line entry routes into Westminster Abbey.

Philip, who died in April last year aged 99, launched the DofE Award in 1956 and was Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Cadet Force, a role he first took up in 1953.

A tenth DofE gold award holder, Doyin Sonibare, 28, from London, will give a tribute to His Royal Highness's legacy, recognising the impact of the Award on young people across the globe.

The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster, will conduct the service and describe the duke in the Bidding as 'a man of rare ability and distinction' who 'ever directed our attention away from himself.'

He will say: 'He put privilege to work and understood his rank as a spur to service. Working at pace, with so many claims on his attention, he encouraged us to focus, as he was focussed, on the things that matter.

'His was a discipline and character that seized opportunity and overcame obstruction and difficulty. We recall, with affection and respect, the sustained offering of a long life lived fully.'
Sarma Melngailis has accused Netflix of 'mocking' the alleged psychological abuse she suffered at the hands of her scammer ex-husband Anthony Strangis and making her look like a 'glamorized villain' in the documentary 'Bad Vegan: Fame, Fraud, Fugitives.'

The four-episode series directed by Chris Smith chronicles the downfall of the vegan chef and her celebrity-loved restaurant Pure Food and Wine due to her relationship with Strangis, whom she claimed manipulated her into swindling nearly $2 million from investors and stiffing unpaid employees before going on the run with him.

'There are more important things going on in the world than the misrepresentation of *my* story, but I'll continue to speak out in objection to the mocking of psychological abuse by Netflix and the misportrayal of these kinds of stories in general,' Melngailis, 49, wrote in her latest Instagram post.

Sarma Melngailis slammed Netflix on Instagram, claiming the streaming series made her look like a 'glamorized villain' to 'sensationalize' her story in 'Bad Vegan: Fame, Fraud, Fugitives'

The vegan chef, who participated in the series, accusing the streaming site of 'mocking' her scammer ex-husband Anthony Strangis' alleged 'psychological abuse'

She shared side-by-side photos of herself looking beguiling while eating a salad on a 'Bad Vegan' billboard and her crying with black mascara running down her face, admitting the images are 'fresh raw meat for those who say Im "playing the victim."'

'Me looking like a glamorized villain eating a cash salad is not me,' she insisted. 'It may help Netflix sensationalize the story, but at my expense, and at the expense of a greater understanding of the larger issues, including #coercivecontrol #narcissisticabuse #cultmindcontrol and more.

'I will make my story honest and useful, even if Netflix and Chris Smith did not,' she added, ending her post with the hashtag #igotout.

Melngailis also shared a link in her bio to a blog post she wrote railing against the controversial ending of the Netflix docuseries, claiming it was 'staged.'

The final episode concluded with her and Strangis laughing and joking during a phone call that was said to be recorded in 2019 after they both got out of prison.

'There is controversy over the ending of Bad Vegan. Ive written something to address that. Its long. I need to shorten it, and I havent had time,' she wrote.

'The main point is that the call at the end was a staged call, recorded for the documentary, a small slice of which was misused to represent something thats the opposite of true.'

Melngailis included an angry letter that she claimed to have written Strangis in 2016, titling the post 'Dear Mr. Fox'a nod to his various aliases.

'This letter is among the first bits of content I sent to director Chris Smith when he was considering this project,' she wrote. 'This letter had turned out to be a useful summary of what happened. Most of what I wrote hereif not all of itwould eventually be corroborated by loads of source materials.'

Melngailis detailed the downfall of her restaurant Pure Food and Wine following her relationship with Strangis in the Netflix docuseries, which was released earlier this month

They disappeared with nearly $2 million of her restaurants money in 2015. They were caught a year later after Strangis ordered Domino's using his real name, and they both served jail time

Melngailis had co-founded Pure Food and Wine with her then-boyfriend, chef Matthew Kenney, in 2004, attracting a number of A-list fans, including Alec Baldwin, Chelsea Clinton, Tom Brady, Owen Wilson, and Woody Harrelson.

After her personal and professional split from Kenney, she took control of the entire company and its $2 million debt with the help of investor Jeffrey Chodorow.

She also opened One Lucky Duck, a vegan juice bar and takeaway, next door to her raw food restaurant and published two vegan cookbooks.

Melngailis said she was lonely when she connected with Strangis on Twitter in 2011 and naively trusted him because of his interactions with Baldwin, wrongly assuming they were friends.

She married Strangis in December 2012, but the mysterious circumstances surrounding their marriage have led to speculation that there might have been some blackmail involved.

The relationship surprised many, with even Strangis' own stepmother wondering what the successful, attractive businesswoman saw in her son, who was overweight and an alleged gambling addict.

Melngailis brought him on board as a manager at her restaurant in 2013.

She claimed that Strangis conned her into funneling her restaurant's funds to him by promising to expand her food empire and also make her beloved dog, a pit bull rescue named Leon, immortal.

Melngailis said Strangis would warn her that if she did not pass certain tests to prove her loyalty, such as giving him money or performing oral sex while blindfolded, forces controlled by his brother would 'gut' him and come for her.

Melngailis had co-founded Pure Food and Wine with chef and her then-boyfriend Matthew Kenney (second from left) in 2004, attracting a number of A-list fans, including Woody Harrelson (far left) and Jason Lewis (far right)

The New York restaurant was a night life hotspot that was beloved for its raw food vegan recipes

Melngailis said she was lonely when she connected with Strangis on Twitter in 2011 and naively trusted him because of his interactions with Alec Baldwin, wrongly assuming they were friends

Strangis had gained weight since they met and dealing with his obesity was allegedly also another test.

In a Vanity Fair article from 2016, a source close to the former restaurateur claimed that Strangis resorted to cult-like techniques such as gaslighting, sleep deprivation, and sexual humiliation to control her.

The same source added that he convinced Melngailis her computer had been hacked in order to get her passwords for all her devices, including e-mails, phone, and bank accounts.

Strangis refuted the claims through his lawyer at the time.

From January 2014 to January 2015, Melngailis transferred more than $1.6 million from the business accounts to her personal bank account.

Trouble began at the restaurant at the start of 2015 when 60 staff members said they weren't being paid and subsequently staged multiple walkouts and protests.

In May 2015, she and Strangis disappeared with the money and the restaurant closed permanently in July of that year.

They were caught by authorities on May 12, 2016, after Strangis used his real name to order a non-vegan cheese pizza and buffalo wings from Dominos to their hotel room in Sevierville, Tennessee.

Melngailis explained in her latest blog post that she was out on bail and riding the subway when she wrote her letter to Strangis as an attempt to process her feelings, saying she didn't have any 'intention to send it.'

Baldwin, 63, famously met his wife, Hilaria Baldwin nee Thomas (pictured), at Pure Food and Wine in 2011. Melngailis admitted in the documentary to having 'a little bit of regret' that she didn't pursue a relationship with the actor

Melngailis married Strangis in December 2012, but the mysterious circumstances surrounding their marriage have led to speculation there might have been some blackmail involved

She claimed Strangis conned her into funneling her restaurant's funds to him by promising to expand her food empire and also make her beloved dog, Leon (pictured), immortal

'Why? Why why WHY? How could you? I need to know. Im afraid Ill never know. And Im pretty sure I wont ever know. Also, I will never send this, of course. Or, maybe one day I will. I know it wont matter,' she wrote.

'Either way, I have to write this. I cant help writing this. I cant help wanting you to know how things are for me now. Now that its over, and everythings gone. You won, you destroyed me. I really wish I knew why. Can I at least have that?

'Everything is gone  the restaurant, the brand, my home, my work, my employees, my customers, even all my things: clothes, papers, files, photos, everything. Also, my integrity. And scariest of all for me: my independence.'

How Sarma Melngailis went from 'plant food Queen' to 'Vegan Bernie Madoff' 2004: Sarma Melngailis opens Pure Food and Wine in New York 2005: She opens One Lucky Duck, a juice and takeaway next to the restaurant 2011: Melngailis meets Anthony Strangis on Twitter December 2012: Melngailis and Strangis and get married in New York 2013: She brings Strangis in as a manager at her restauration business. January 2015: Pure Food and Wine and One Lucky Duck staff walk out en-masse due to Melngailis's failure to pay employees for a month Melngailis tells her staff the delay in payments is due to changing banks February 2015: Melngailis claims in an interview the delay in wages were actually caused by the restaurant's debts and the cost of ingredients May 2015: Newspapers report the restaurateur has vanished with $2 million July 2015: Staff walk out of the restaurant again, and it is permanently closed May 2016: Melngailis and Strangis are arrested in Sevierville, Tennessee November 2016: Melgngailis claims she was under the control of Strangis May 2017: Melngailis pleads guilty to stealing more than $200,000 from an investor and scheming to defraud, as well as criminal tax fraud charges June 2017: Former restaurateur is jailed for four months May 2018: She files for divorce from Strangis March 2022: 'Bad Vegan: Fame, Fraud, Fugitives' is released on Netflix Advertisement

Melngailis said she was 'grossly humiliated both publicly and privately,' admitting it was her fault for letting him into her life.

'How do I explain that a big fat guy convinced me nothing is real. No one understands that. No one understands any of it. I dont understand most of it. You did this on purpose. WHY?' she asked.

'People are asking me and I dont know how to answer, things like: I dont get it, why didnt you call the police? And even better: How could you have been so stupid? Thats a favorite.

'How do I explain? Do I tell them what you told me, over and over, for YEARS? "Don't worry baby, it'll all be like a bad dream. You'll wake up and everything will be back like before, except better."

'That was your line. Your cruel and awful lie. Meanwhile sucking me dry. Berating me. Making me do awful s**t. Making me humiliate myself to you and others, now the world. For what? What did you get out of all this?'

Melngailis accused Strangis of making her 'drunk with false hope' by claiming to be her 'savior,' saying he'd help her grow her brand with 'everlasting youth' and her dog by her side 'forever.'

'You figured me outwhat would work on me. You reeled me in, then got me trapped by borrowing money youd promise to repay. Only a little at first, but that was the hook,' she wrote. 'I wanted to be repaid, so Id let you back in. Id let you back into my home when Id resolved to have nothing to do with you again because you were telling me you had cash to pay me back.

'Then somehow youd pull some insane mind-f***ery and would end up borrowing more. How that happened, I dont even know. Why did I give you more? How did that happen? How did you do that?'

Melngailis berated Strangis for allegedly conning her mother out of $400,000 by using the same tactics, saying she was in debt 'when she should be retiring.'

She also claimed in the letter that he had controlled her Gmail account and deleted all of their emails, as well confiscated her old phones.

When she finally got the password to her account back, she said she was confronted with all of the emails Strangis allegedly sent in her name.

'What you wrote to Jeffrey Chodorow? Alec f**king Baldwin? Alec!? Begging Alec for a few thousand dollars as ME? Writing all that s****y and beyond humiliating stuff from MY email, so these people think theyre talking to me?'

Melngailis had touched upon her relationship with Baldwin in the first episode of 'Bad Vegan,' recalling how they had an immediate connection.

'I met Alec Baldwin at the restaurant,' she said in the series. 'We talked a lot on the phone and via email. Sometimes when you meet somebody, and you feel like you already knew them, it kind of felt like that with him.'

In a recent blog post, she shared an angry letter that she had allegedly written Strangis in 2016 while she was out on bail but had never sent

Strangis allegedly convinced her that if she did not pass certain tests to prove her loyalty, such as performing oral sex while blindfolded, forces controlled by his brother would come for her

Melngailis detailed Strangis' alleged sexual abuse in the letter, comparing it to rape

While their relationship remained platonic, journalist Allen Salkin felt the actor had a romantic interest in her.

'My understanding of her relationship with Alec Baldwin is that he was a regular customer at the restaurant, and that, like a lot of the gentlemen who went there, he had a bit of a crush on Sarma,' he said in the documentary.

'When Alec was talking to her about wanting to have somebody important in his life, she would, instead of offering herself as that potential person, um, suggest that maybe he should adopt a dog.'

Baldwin famously met his wife, Hilaria Baldwin nee Thomas, at the chef's New York restaurant Pure Food and Wine in 2011, and they married a year later.

Melngailis detailed Strangis' alleged sexual abuse in the letter, saying he was always 'rancid smelling' and their interactions were the 'grossest part' of their relationship.

'Thinking back now, I suppose you concocted this f**ked up routine because it was the only way Id have sex with you, while you got fatter and fatter. Your stinky fat meat suit. F**king gross,' she wrote. 'So much I cant remember but unfortunately I remember that first time, back at that s**t-hole dump of a dark and awful apartment you made me move intoyou said you had to do it, and it would be only one time.

'I remember being afraid of you in a different way that night. I remember very well thinking afterwards, well, now I kind of, sort of, know how people who are raped feel.

'Now I have an idea of what that feels like,' she continued. 'I remember the way you pushed me and ordered me aroundpurposely making me humiliate myself, like you were staging some dark f**ked up porn film. At least you had the mercy to blindfold me, but it only made it more surreal.'

In her blog post, she apologized for the 'fat insults' in the letter, insisting she normally wouldn't 'ever shame someone in that way,' but she felt it was the only way she could insult her ex-husband.

Melngailis (pictured with fellow restaurateur Tobyn Britt in 2009) transferred more than $1.6 million from the business accounts to her personal bank account from 2014 to 2015

'You reeled me in, then got me trapped by borrowing money youd promise to repay. Only a little at first, but that was the hook,' she wrote to her ex in the letter

Trouble began at the restaurant at the start of 2015 when 60 staff members said they weren't being paid and subsequently staged multiple walkouts and protests

'Was it fun to watch me cry? Did that get you off? Gratify your rotted and dark soul?' she asked in the letter. 'The only reason I don't kill myself is because then you win. And my father needs his bail money back.'

She admitted that she also couldn't kill herself because of the stories he told her about people whose 'souls get stuck in purgatory' when they take their own lives, saying they still 'linger in [her] brain.'

Melngailis questioned what Strangis got out of manipulating her and taking her on the run when he spent all of the money and ended up in jail.

'Why didnt you just dump me somewhere and go get on a plane to Mexico?' she asked. 'At least that would make more sense than dragging me around on that road trip from hell. For what? What was the end game?'

At the end of the letter, she claimed that she no longer worried about walking alone late at night or being attacked because she had nothing left to lose.

'Way back in the past Id worry. What if someone attacks me, rapes me, murders me? I don't know. I just don't care anymore because what do I have to lose? I dont care anymore. F**k it,' she wrote. 'I remember so long ago I used to always feel paranoid on the subway platform.

'Anytime a train was coming I'd hang back against the wall, or casually hug a pole. Because the idea of getting pushed in front of an ongoing train was terrifying. And not an irrational fear because that s**t happens. Anyway.

'Now its different. Now I can just freely stand where I want, up close to the edge of the platform as the train comes whooshing towards me and all the people. Because go ahead crazy person, go ahead and push me. You'd be doing me a favor. It wouldn't be so bad at all. It would be a relief.'

In May 2017, Melngailis pleaded guilty to stealing more than $200,000 from an investor and scheming to defraud, as well as criminal tax fraud charges.

In 2015, Melngailis and Strangis disappeared and spent a year on the run. After her arrest, she pled guilty to stealing from an investor, scheming to defraud, and criminal tax fraud charges

Melngailis was sentenced to four months in New York's notorious Rikers prison. As part of her punishment, she was also ordered to repay $1.5million in restitution payments.

Melngaili claimed in another recent blog post that the ending of the series was 'disturbingly misleading, insisting she was 'not in touch' with her ex-husband

She was sentenced to four months in New York's notorious Rikers prison. As part of her punishment, she was also ordered to repay $1.5 million in restitution payments.

Strangis pleaded guilty to four counts of grand larceny in the fourth degree. He was sentenced to one year in jail and five years probation and had to repay $840,000 to investors

He walked free having already spent a year behind bars at Rikers.

Melngailis filed for divorce from Strangis in May 2018, and a year later, she said she wanted to get her brand back, but had no plans as to how to make this a reality.

She explained in another recent blog post that she had received payment for her participation in the 'Bad Vegan' documentary that went directly to her former employees, but she did not personally profit from it.

'Its standard practiceto say nothing of journalistic integritythat subjects do not get paid for participation in documentaries, at least not the reputable ones,' she wrote.

'In my case, however, and at my insistence, the producers made an exception so that I could pay the total amount my former employees were owedamounts that accrued after my disappearance in 2015. Of all the harm and the many debts resulting from my downfall, this portion weighed heaviest.'

Melngailis also pointed out what she the documentary had supposedly gotten wrong, saying, 'The ending of Bad Vegan is disturbingly misleading; I am not in touch with Anthony Strangis and I made those recordings at a much earlier time, deliberately, for a specific reason.

'Theres a lot Bad Vegan gets right, but its hard not to get stuck on the things that arent right or leave an inaccurate impression,' she added. 'Later, Id like to clear up more.'
Elliot Page has revealed that his 'Umbrella Academy' character Vanya Hargreeves will come out as transgender and be known as Viktor Hargreeves in the upcoming third season of the Netflix superhero series.

The 35-year-old actor announced the news on his Twitter and Instagram accounts on Tuesday, sharing a first-look photo of himself on the show with the caption: 'Meet Viktor Hargreeves.'

Page came out as transgender in December 2020, and Variety reported that Viktor will also use he/him/his pronouns in the new season, which will debut on June 22.

Elliot Page has revealed that his 'Umbrella Academy' character Vanya Hargreeves will come out as transgender and be known as Viktor Hargreeves on the Netflix show's third season

'Meet Viktor Hargreeves.' the 35-year-old actor captioned the first-look photo

The 'Juno' star played Vanya  a cisgender woman with the ability to harness sound and convert it into energy  in the show's first two seasons.

Netflix confirmed that he would continue to star in 'The Umbrella Academy' after he came out, but sources told Variety at the time that there weren't any plans to change his character's gender.

The streaming site celebrated the introduction of Viktor on social media on Tuesday, writing: 'Welcome to the family, Viktor  were so happy youre here.'

The news comes just a few weeks after the release of the long-awaited first trailer for show's third season.

Page's character was still being referred to as Vanya in the teaser, making the actor's post the first allusion to the upcoming transition storyline.

Page's character was still being referred to as Vanya in the new season three teaser, making the actor's post the first allusion to the upcoming transition storyline

The second season of the show ended with the Hargreeves having stopped the apocalypse after traveling back in time to 1963, only to return in 2019 to find that they have significantly altered their timeline.

In the altered timeline, Sir Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) had not founded The Umbrella Academy, but instead The Sparrow Academy.

The new season will follow the Sparrows as they 'immediately clash with the Umbrellas in a violent face-off that turns out to be the least of everyones concerns,' according to the description.

'The Umbrella Academy' was renewed for a third season back in November 2020, but production was delayed due to COVID-19.

Page's introduction of Viktor comes just a few days after he returned to the Oscars on Sunday to celebrate the 15th anniversary of his beloved movie 'Juno.'

Page played Vanya, a cisgender woman with the ability to harness sound and convert it into energy, in the show's first two seasons

Netflix also celebrated the introduction of Viktor on social media on Tuesday

He joined his 'Juno' co-stars Jennifer Garner and J.K. Simmons on stage at the 94th Academy Awards, with all three of them paying tribute to the indie flick.

Page's portrayal of Juno MacGuff, a pregnant teenager who offers to give her baby up for adoption to a local couple, landed him an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

However, he was secretly struggling with gender pressures during his rise to stardom following the success of the film.

'I remember it felt so impossible to communicate with people how unwell I was because obviously there is so much excitement,' he told Oprah Winfrey for Apple TV+'s The Oprah Conversation in May 2021.

'The film unexpectedly became a big hit, I became quite known, all these things and I felt I couldn't express just the degree of pain I was in.'

Page, who came out as transgender in December 2020, attended the Oscars just a few days before the announcement

Page added that he could not look at himself in the vintage Jean-Louis Scherrer dress he wore to the Oscars when he was nominated for Best Actress.

Since coming out as trans and transitioning, he said that, for the first time in his life, he has been able to feel happy in his own body.

Before arriving at the Oscars on Sunday, Page took a moment to advocate for transgender rights on his Instagram account.

He shared a series of posts about the Trans Week of Visibility + Action, a digital campaign to fight anti-trans legislation across the U.S.

Page has become an outspoken advocate for transgender rights, using his own experiences to highlight the importance of support for trans youngsters the world over.

Page reunited with his 'Juno' co-stars Jennifer Garner and J.K. Simmons on stage at the awards show to pay tribute to the indie flick

Before heading out on-stage, he snapped a quick selfie backstage, which he posted on his Instagram Stories

During his interview with Winfrey last year, he also opened up about his 'life-changing' top surgery,' saying it 'completely transformed [his] life.'

The procedure to remove breast tissue is typically performed on transgender men who have started undergoing hormone therapy.

'Getting out of the shower and the towel's around your waist and you're looking at yourself in the mirror and you're just like, "There I am,"' he said, getting choked up.

'And I'm not having the moment where I'm panicked. I'm not having all these little moments that used to be  just being in a T-shirt. It's being able to touch my chest.'

He also stressed the need to demonstrate to others just how important this surgery can be  particularly 'because there is such an attack on trans health care right now, when already there is such a lack of access or trans people who don't even want to go to the doctor.'
An Australian sun-loving model has shared a photo of the tiny, cancerous mole doctors found underneath her foot, warning others to remember sunscreen in the less obvious skin spots.

Dominique Elissa, 26, who is often spotted on Sydney's most famous Bondi Beach to Bronte coastal walk of a morning, had a freckle cut out of her skin on Tuesday after doctors' highlighted its abnormalities.

'So I put on my Instagram Story that I can't train strenuously for the next three weeks... the reason for this is that about two weeks ago I got my skin checked and they checked all my spots,' she said on Wednesday.

Dominique Elissa, 26, who is often spotted on Sydney's most famous Bondi Beach to Bronte coastal walk of a morning, had a freckle cut out of her skin on Tuesday after doctors' highlighted its abnormalities

'They were all fine and then there was the tiniest one under my foot. Honestly it was the size of a little freckle like that and it was of concern,' she explained, pointing to a mark on her forearm.

'So yesterday they had to remove it. I had to get two stitches so I can't walk properly for three weeks. I can't do intense training which yes, is an inconvenience for me.

'However, I'm so grateful that I caught it early and I'll get my results in a week. I just wanted to say, go and get your skin checked. Wear sunscreen on your hands and under your feet.

'Just be careful in the sun because it's not worth it at the end of the day.'

While the young model doesn't yet know what type of early stage cancer it could be, it has certainly been a stark reminder of how powerful the sun is Down Under (pictured showing the size of the spot)

While the young model doesn't yet know what type of early stage cancer it could be, it has certainly been a stark reminder of how powerful the sun is Down Under.

Melanoma is the most common cancer for the 20 to 39 age group to get in Australia, partly because of our outdoor lifestyle and harsh climate.

It happens after the DNA in skin cells is damaged (typically due to harmful UV rays) and then not repaired so it triggers mutations that can form malignant tumours.

Dominique isn't the only woman who has opened up about their brush with cancer.

Melanoma is the most common cancer for the 20 to 39 age group to get in Australia, partly because of our outdoor lifestyle and harsh climate

A lifestyle blogger who lost her father to melanoma in 2019 issued a warning about the deadly disease after finding a tiny cancerous spot on her own leg a year later.

Louise Hay visited Bondi Junction's Skin Cancer Clinic in Sydney for a routine check of her moles only to be told that one very insignificant-looking freckle was actually a dangerous cancer.

'This time last year I lost my dad to melanoma, so ever since then I've been super vigilant about getting my skin checked,' she said in an Instagram Story at the time.

'Last week was my one year check up and they found a little mole on my leg which they removed and sent off to get checked, to find out what it was, and yesterday I found out it was a melanoma.'

Louise Hay visited Bondi Junction's Skin Cancer Clinic in Sydney three months ago for a routine check of her moles only to be told that one very insignificant-looking freckle was actually a dangerous cancer

Louise was told the spot was graded a 'stage zero', meaning it's just on the surface of her skin and can easily be removed. She had caught it early (pictured)

Louise was told the spot was graded a 'stage zero', meaning it's just on the surface of her skin and can easily be removed. She had caught it early.

'This is great, they can just cut it out and it will be fine. I just got it removed today. I just wanted to take this opportunity to remind everyone to get their skin checked,' she said.

'I never would have thought it would happen to me until my dad was diagnosed and it's crazy to think I would never have gone for a skin check and found the melanoma that I did had my dad not gotten sick.'

Louise's father Donald Hay, who built the company Hayco into one of the world's largest brush makers, died on July 17 from melanoma at the age of 76.

Louise's father Donald Hay (pictured with his daughter), who built the company Hayco into one of the world's largest brush makers, died on July 17 from melanoma at the age of 76

Louise shared the cut doctors had to make in her leg to remove the freckle on Instagram

His daughter believes he is still 'looking after me' from 'up there' after her own brush with cancer became a story of survival and awareness.

On her social media page Louise posted an image of what the mole looked like on June 5, and later, the large cut doctors had to make to remove it.

'I know everyone thinks they are invincible and it'll never happen to them but... just go and get your skin checked. Put a date in the diary once a year with your girlfriends,' she said.

After posting the images the Sydney socialite was inundated with messages of gratitude, with many of her followers booking in their own skin checks as a result.

'So many of you have gone and booked skin checks,' she acknowledged in a separate post.

'This was my annual check up... where they found the mole that looked funny. I didn't see that there was anything wrong with that mole, it just looked like a freckle to me, honestly it was so small. It looked completely normal.'

Louise encouraged her fans to follow the page Call Time On Melanoma, which works to dispel some of the myths about sun protection and how much sunscreen you need to apply to be safe.

She encouraged her fans to follow the page Call Time On Melanoma , which works to dispel some of the myths about sun protection and how much sunscreen you need to apply to be safe

While most people believe the hole in the ozone layer above Australia is the sole cause of our high rates, it's actually got more to do with migration.

Most Australians have the wrong type of skin for their environment. Our country has been populated by people with fairer skin types whose ancestors come from much less sunny climates, like the United Kingdom.

Having less protective pigmentation leaves our skin cells vulnerable to the DNA-damaging rays from the sun, cancerwa reported.
The bigger the bag, the smaller the woman  or so the mantra goes.

A mega-bag slung over one shoulder, fashionistas have long held, will render women thinner and even taller, drawing the eye away from frailties of the flesh and covering a multitude of sins.

If that's the case, then this season's substantial offerings will create a world of size eight women overnight.

Not only that, but a world of women soon to be crippled with hunched backs that wouldn't look out of place in the square of Notre Dame. For if there's one thing that is hard-wired into a woman's DNA it is that she will fill whatever bag she is carrying  regardless of its size.

True, the models sporting today's styles look languidly elegant  the beautiful creature carrying the 39.99 H&M shoulder bag that could easily house a small child still has perfect posture  but we all know the bags they're shouldering for the fashion shoots are empty apart from the price tag tucked inside.

How different the reality is.

Spacious: 52 at Dorothy Perkins, left, and woolly-trimmed tote, 25.50, from asos.com, right

Only yesterday, heading for a long stint in the office, I grabbed my now almost vintage Jamin Puech, a glorious rainbow of orange and yellow French leather, and began my daily pack.

Make-up, money, mobile, glasses, lipstick, keys . . . wasn't even the half of it.

Oh, and a spare pair of shoes, a fresh shirt for the evening, an overflow make-up bag the size of a lunch box, perfume, sunglasses whatever the weather, hand sanitiser, hand cream, hairspray, BaByliss hairdryer, bottle of Evian, spare tights, a large ring-bound notepad, mobile charger, 6 in make-up magnifying mirror, collapsible umbrella. And a banana.

All white on the night: Chanel chic at Paris Fashion Week

By the time I'd got to work on the Tube, my handbag occupying an entire seat of its own, I was bent over sideways and my shoulder and back were wincing with pain. A level of discomfort not helped by the fact I was also wearing high heels  which, by the way, fashionistas also say make us look taller and slimmer.

Far from being an elegant fashion statement, I looked like an exhausted labourer carrying sacks of bricks on a building site.

The question is, will any of the current crop of handbags-cum-brick-hods make me look or feel feminine?

Fringe benefit: For 2,895, the folded rug look from Balmain

First class: Gabriela Hearst delivers the postie style for a mere 1,690

Granted, the enormous Dorothy Perkins leather-look bag (52) has a pretty bow in the centre of the strap  presumably to remind yourself that you're a woman, not a donkey  and you could always use the colossal, faux-fur shoulder bag from Cos (48.30) as a pillow if your load gets too much.

For the younger bag lover, hot new label Opening Ceremony, whose receptacles are guaranteed to be half your daughter's height, could easily double as a tent if she finds herself without canvas at a festival this summer. While the Hobbs Hobo bag (159) does exactly what it says on the tin.

So when is a woman's BMI  that's Bag Mass Index  too much?

Scientists have yet to give us the exact ratio of what proportion of your body should be covered by bag without rendering you ridiculous. But I think it's safe to say Balmain is already in the danger zone with its humongous Wild West, tanned, tasselled maxi. Yours for 2,895. Horse extra.

Faux-fur, 48.30, in the Cos sale, left, and right, roomy with a view, H&M bag for 39.99

Mega-bag, 423, at shop.patkas-berlin.com

Even Chanel  home of the compact classic so loved by the late Princess Diana  is going large, with a series of supersized hold-alls at their Spring/Summer show that threatened to put their long-legged models in the shade.

And yet I'll be the first to admit that small bags are just as tormenting as big ones.

I was aghast when a boyfriend gave me a miniature Dior one Christmas  you know those dinky ones with the long chain strap. All I could think while faking handbag delight was how little he knew me, believing I could fit my life into it or think I would even try.

So, work on your upper body strength, ladies. Big bags are back.

Picture research: Claire Cisotti
The Federal Government has been slammed for ignoring the country's most deadly cancer after failing to fund a lung screening program in the Federal Budget.

The decision to ignore pleas for the funding could cost 12,000 Australians their lives over the next ten years, according to the Lung Foundation.

And it is just another blow for cancer sufferers like Lana Mackenna who were hoping they could share their own stories to raise awareness for the importance of early detection of the disease.

The 33-year-old told FEMAIL she was disappointed but not surprised by the government's decision not to fund the program.

'I feel like it is a budget appealing to the Liberal base, focusing on the is issues of right now without any long term planning of what Australian actually need,' she said.

33-year-old Lana Mackenna pictured with her partner Mitch before she was diagnosed with Australia's 'deadliest' cancer

'Like better wages, secure work, better childcare and an address on climate change. Or tackling the biggest cancer killer.'

Lana, who has previously admitted she never imagined being on a cancer journey in her 30s, wants funding for lung cancer nurses, the screening program, cancer support for remote communities and funding for research into the disease.

The sentiment is echoed by the doctors at Lung Foundation Australia and their Chief Executive Officer Mark Brooke who have been working hard to highlight the importance of a screening program.

The foundation noted a lot of work had gone into assessing suitability of a lung cancer screening program, which was ultimately recommended by Cancer Australia only for it to be 'blatantly ignored' by Scott Morrison's government.

Last year's budget allocated $6.9million to the project which makes the new allocated amount of $0 even harder to bear.

The young woman thought her thirties would be the best years of her life - she didn't imagine she would be fighting cancer (right, after an operation on her brain to remove a tumour

'There is undeniable evidence for this screening program that has already had initial investment into scoping, but this lack of funding means progress will stall, and thousands of lives will be lost as a result,' he said.

'(There is a ) deep disappointment that the government has stalled progress by not funding a national lung cancer screening program, again reiterating the stark inequity in funding between lung cancer and other leading cancers,' he added.

Lana initially shared her story in the hope that funding for early screening could help others.

When she visualised her thirties she imagined they would be the best years of her life.

What she didn't expect was a terminal lung cancer diagnosis, a 'fried and foggy' brain from the treatment and a collapsed lung.

But for the 33-year-old from the Gold Coast, this has been her reality for three years despite leading a healthy lifestyle.

Lana and Mitch are both adventurous and love being outdoors so try to make the most of their time between her chemotherapy sessions

Lana was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer at 30, a disease which made her infertile following harsh treatments and stole her independence including the ability to drive.

Poll Do you think the government should have budgeted for the lung cancer early screening program? Yes, 12,000 lives are on the line! No, they can't fund everything! Do you think the government should have budgeted for the lung cancer early screening program? Yes, 12,000 lives are on the line! 45 votes

No, they can't fund everything! 10 votes Now share your opinion





Lana spoke to FEMAIL about how she went from being a fit, healthy young woman filled with excitement about life to trying to stay positive and survive for as long as possible despite a terrible five-year forecast.

'I had the best 18 months of my life before I was diagnosed with cancer. I had been exploring Melbourne, falling in love and I was looking forward to being taken seriously as a woman,' she said.

Now she has epilepsy, crippling brain fog, seizures and will likely be on chemotherapy for the rest of her life.

And it all started with bad back pain that 'wouldn't go away'.

'I tried everything, I went to the doctor who told me to take painkillers, I went to physios, osteopaths, chiropractors and even tried acupuncture,' she said.

'But nothing fixed it.'

Her GP told her to 'practice mindfulness' to help with the pain explaining it was 'probably just stress related'.

Lana, pictured with her husband Mitch, says she experienced symptoms six months before she was diagnosed including persistent back pain

Lana knew something was wrong but didn't know where else to turn after exhausting every medical avenue she could think of and being turned away by her GP.

'He told me there was no need to do an X-ray, he didn't want to put me through that much radiation, which is funny because now my brain's been fried by it,' she said.

No stranger to cancer, the then 30-year-old was part-way through getting her breasts removed after finding she carried the BRCA 2 breast cancer gene.

'I had been proactive about cancer, the gene was in my family so I was tested and said straight away let's do this,' she said.

When she wasn't healing from her breast surgery doctors became concerned and drained her lymphatic system.

When Lana stated getting short of breath, doctors drained 800ml of liquid from her lungs which caused one to collapse.

The 33-year-old is trying to remain positive and says she hopes to beat the disease despite being told it is terminal

The couple eloped after calling off their big wedding in case they needed the money to pay for experimental treatments

The medical error ended up exposing her lung cancer which was the cause of her sore back, inflammation and inability to heal as quickly as she should.

'Before the doctors worked out it was cancer they had told me not to worry because it definitely wouldn't be cancer,' she said.

What should I look out for? 1 - Persistent respiratory symptoms including breathlessness 2 - Coughing, especially if there is blood 3 - Pain that won't go away or that wakes you up at night 4 - A family history of the disease 5 - Fatigue of 'the feeling of being really tired for no reason' 6 - Not feeling 'as fit as usual' 7 - Unexpected weight loss 8 - Headaches or 'weird' vision abnormalities like floaters Source: Lung Foundation Australia lung specialist, Associate Professor Lucy Morgan Advertisement

'When the nurse came into tell me I cried, I didn't expect her to tell me it was cancer but I was scared and I knew whatever it was would change my life forever.'

The diagnosis came six months after Lana first noticed symptoms, leaving her frustrated that it wasn't picked up earlier.

Lana said her partner, Mitch, has been a critical part of her journey. She never thought she would have children, get married or get swept off her feet by love, especially not with a man she met on Tinder.

'The moment we started hanging out I knew, and a few weeks before I was diagnosed with cancer we agreed we both could see ourselves with kids,' she said.

'Everything was exciting and wonderful with him. We saw a life we had never believed in when we were together.'

With Mitch's support Lana jumped straight into chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery, attacking the disease from every angle.

'I told myself I didn't care what my prognosis was, that I would get through this and live as authentically as possible at the same time,' she said.

'We struggled through the realisation we couldn't have kids but have a ragdoll cat now instead. It is hard to put all of this on someone you love so much but he says he will always stand by me.

'I am three years into this journey and I hope I have many more to come.'

Despite Lana's positive mindset, the journey hasn't been smooth with the first round of treatments leaving her tired and emotional. However it appeared to clear the cancer 'from the neck down'.

Treatments included radiation on her entire brain after spots kept appearing on scans

From May 2021 Lana didn't have any visible signs of cancer showing up on scans but by July everything changed.

'I started getting really bad headaches every day, I was anxious which isn't me at all and I had furious mood swings,' she said.

'My oncologist thought it could just be a delayed emotional response from everything I had been through, and told me not to worry.'

But the cancer specialist ordered a CT scan 'to be sure', and it revealed spots forming on Lana's brain.

The spots were secondary cancers from the original growth in Lana's lungs.

'They also found a huge tumour in the front left of my brain,' she said.

Doctor cut the growth out just before Victoria, where she was living at the time, went into lockdown.

Lana said that she had the best time of her life over the 18 months before she was diagnosed with cancer

She said Mitch has been there through all the struggles including finding out they will never have children

'I woke up and the nurses told me we were in lockdown and that I had 25 staples in my head,' she said.

'It was a wild time, my mum and sister came down and did hotel quarantine just to be with me.

At the end of 2021, Lana and Mitch moved to Queensland to be closer to her family.

Every six weeks checkups reveal more spots on Lana's brain.

'They grow faster than the checkups come around,' she said.

Lung specialists reveal the symptoms to look for and call for an early screening program Lung Foundation Australia lung specialist, Associate Professor Lucy Morgan wants there to be a national screening program for lung cancer to help increase survival rates and early detection of the disease Lung Foundation Australia lung specialist, Associate Professor Lucy Morgan told FEMAIL she wants to see lung cancer screening programs in Australia to help catch early cases and give people a better chance of survival. The professor said lung cancer is Australia's deadliest cancer with less than 20 per cent of people diagnosed with the disease making it past the five-year mark. 'That is of all cases, from early stage to late stage,' she said. 'If you only look at the early stage cases then it is higher but 80percent of lung cancer is found in the later stages. 'That's why I am so passionate about developing a screening program so we can find the disease in its early stages.' Smoking used to be considered the main cause of the disease but researchers have found it isn't the only cause, it can be environmental or hereditary. 'The main risk factor to lung cancer is now considered to be having lungs,' the professor said. The clinician compared the disease to breast cancer - which can be checked for at home and with screening programs. 'We can get to know our own breasts but we can't feel for lumps in out lungs,' she said. 'Something as simple as a chest X-ray or CT scan could pick up abnormalities.' Lung cancer can happen to anyone of any age, according to the doctor. She believes a screening program would identify thousands of Australians who are living with early stages of the disease. 'If we find it early, when it is tiny, we can just cut it out and treat it,' she said. She also addressed the issue with misdiagnosis and said it is important for people to go with their gut when they are feeling off. 'It is so frustrating when people come to us and tell us they went to doctors months or years before and felt like their worries had been dismissed. 'It adds an awfulness to an already difficult diagnosis - so I want to tell people to follow that instinct and ask their doctor to check again.' Lung cancer impacts men, women and children but the professor said women often complain their symptoms are ignored. She explained many of the symptoms look similar to those that could be explained by menstrual cycles, pregnancy and stress related to having a family. But the professor insists people with persistent symptoms should continue to go to their GP until they get answers. 'Go back to the same doctor and tell them you want more tests that things haven't gotten any better. 'We have excellent GPs in this country, they are well meaning and well trained and should look into it further. 'If you go to a new doctor they might just come to the same initial conclusion and not look further.' Advertisement

Doctors used radiation therapy on her entire brain including the healthy sections to put a stop to the cancer.

After the treatment, Lana and Mitch decided to elope in case further tests revealed she would need expensive, experimental treatments.

'That would mean we would have to pay for that instead of a wedding, so we just got married and it was perfect.'

Lana says treatment is difficult, with every round of chemotherapy knocking her flat for a few days before she can recover and have 'two good weeks'

She then went through seven rounds of chemotherapy until her scans finally showed the cancer was stable.

Now Lana has three weeks between chemotherapy sessions.

'I get knocked by it for a few days then I bounce back and I am just tired for a few days, then I have two good weeks,' she said.

'That's when we go on adventures or I hit the gym and do the stuff I love to do.'

Lana is telling her story as part of an initiative by the Lung Foundation Australia to raise awareness about the disease and push for a national screening program to prevent scenarios like her own.
An Australian makeup artist has shared her best tip for achieving an all-over glow using one skincare product, with her fans calling it an 'amazing' transformation.

Mum and beauty pro Chloe Morello, 31, shared a before and after image of her face after applying the $110 Chanel Les Beiges Water Fresh Tint.

The change in her complexion was immediate and fans of the brunette beauty were quick to say they 'needed to same glow ASAP'.

Lightweight, hydrating and instantly refreshing, the ultra-light formula is composed of 75 per cent water.

Mum and beauty pro Chloe Morello, 31, shared a before and after image of her face after applying the $110 Chanel Les Beiges Water Fresh Tint

The change in her complexion was immediate and fans of the brunette beauty were quick to say they 'needed to same glow ASAP'

It has been created with 'micro fluidic technology', micro-droplets of encapsulated pigments melt into the skin on contact creating a radiant bare-skin effect, the Chanel website read.

A blurring and smoothing effect unifies the complexion and a lightweight, sheer coverage allows the skin texture to show through.

Earlier Chloe shared a now-viral Reel that showed how she 'dots' her cream blush, concealer, foundation and contouring stick onto her face before seamlessly blending it out to reveal smooth, made-up skin.

'I'm so sick of cakey makeup looks so I've been using this technique and I'm obsessed,' she told her more than one million fans on Instagram.

'All at once apply all of your cream products just like this,' she demonstrated.

Mum and beauty pro Chloe Morello, 31, shared a now-viral Reel on February 12 that showed how she 'dots' her cream blush, concealer, foundation and contouring stick onto her face before seamlessly blending it out

'The key is to use a setting mist, like this one from Rare Beauty, because this stops the creams from drying out so you can blend it. It also infuses the makeup with the setting powder.

'Now I start blending. Start with the concealer because it's the lightest colour, foundation, blush and contour. Feel free to mist your face as you go. This is technically a single layer of makeup even though it's five different products.

'It looks so natural and it stays all night.'

Her followers were bowled over by the outcome and were keen to test it out for themselves.

'Wait what!!!!! It looks amazing! I need to try this,' one woman commented.

Her followers were bowled over by the outcome and were keen to test it out for themselves

'This looks so good and you make it look so easy. I feel like mine would end up a mess all mixed together on my face,' said another.

Chloe, who works in the beauty industry, has more than 91 products in her collection from luxury brands such as La Mer, Eve Lom and Kate Somerville.

The mum previously showed off how she colour coordinated each of the four shelves, with pink on top followed by blue, gold and silver.

Chloe acknowledged the extravagance of her elaborate cupboard, writing: 'This is absolutely not practical. But it's pretty and very satisfying.'

Beauty vlogger Chloe Morello's envy-inducing skincare cabinet (pictured) which contains 91 products from luxury brands including La Mer, Eve Lom and Lancome

The Australian YouTuber (pictured) to Instagram to showcase her elaborate collection

Among the most expensive items are a $455 Lancome face cream infused with gold and a $169 Eve Lom cleanser, as well as a $265 moisturiser and a $300 serum from La Mer.

Chloe also keeps a stash of pricey Dermalogica treatments, Caudalie cleansers and reusable makeup removers from her own brand, Face Halo.

Her aesthetic organisation, which has racked up 11,850 'likes' since it was uploaded online on Sunday, sparked a wave of envious praise.

'Wish my cabinet looked like that,' one woman replied, while a second said: 'Too satisfying, wish I had your collection!'

A third added: 'Ok this is happening to my bathroom cabinet.'

The mum-of-one (pictured) colour coordinated each of the four shelves, with pink on top followed by blue, gold and silver

Chloe's tips for clearing blackheads and clogged pores 1. Occasional $4.99 Biore strips or extraction. 2 Occasional derma stamper - Chloe says she loves this for improving skin texture and the appearance of visible pores. 3. AHA toner applied with Face Halo - Chloe says she puts her finger in her nose to flex the pores, and puts her tongue behind the crease below her lip/above chin: 'Weird but works'. 4. Physical exfoliant at least three times per week in the shower. Advertisement

In 2021 Chloe celebrated the biggest milestone of her life so far when she welcomed her first child, son Santino, with husband Sebastian 'Seba' Mecha.

The influencer revealed her bub's name was inspired by her love of the Francis Ford Coppola-directed film, The Godfather.

Chloe said Santino will go by the name Sonny for short.

In the hit 1972 blockbuster, there is a fictional character named Santino 'Sonny' Corleone, who is the son of mobster Don Vito Corleone.

Earlier this year Chloe celebrated the biggest milestone of her life so far when she welcomed her first child, a son named Santino (pictured), with husband Sebastian 'Seba' Mecha

The influencer (pictured) revealed her bub's name was inspired by her love of the Francis Ford Coppola-directed film, The Godfather

Chloe said she won't be sharing too much about her son online for the sake of his privacy, but explained: 'I didn't necessarily see the need in sharing his name but I don't want to worry and always have to be always cautious about slipping up So I am excited to tell you our beautiful son's name is Santino!'

'I've always wanted a son with this name, and YES it's from the Godfather lol,' she said.

'I have loved it since I was a teenager after reading the books and seeing the movie often with my Dad. Luckily Seba loves it too, and the nickname 'Sonny'' is adorable.'
An Australian mum-of-two has revealed how her husband spiralled under the influence of meth and became a 'psychotic and abusive' stranger.

Speaking to Zoe Marshall on 'The Deep' podcast, Sally cried as she recounted the past six years spent trying to save her husband from the insidious drug.

It started in 2014 as an 'innocent pick-me-up' used by her partner during long night shifts after the couple built their own business during the day.

A mum-of-two has revealed how her soul mate turned into a drug addict after taking ice to 'stay awake' through night shift

Sally was pregnant with their first child, overjoyed to start a family and naive to the true nature of the unnamed drug her partner was taking.

He assured her it was under control, that he wasn't addicted and would stop if she wanted him to.

But before too long she learned the drug was meth and her partner had much less control than he once promised.

By August 2020 when Sally fled the relationship the man she loved was 'no where to be found'.

'I think he is fully gone and I don't know if he is ever coming back

The man that had replaced him was psychotic, irrational and had a $3000-per-week ice habit.

The separation sparked her husband's final spiral, he lost his job, ran their business into the ground, lost their home and became so terrifying courts stepped in with protection orders for Sally and the two young girls.

Sally admitted her heart has continued breaking since the breakup as she watched her ex husband's fall from grace and said she fears he has not yet hit rock bottom.

'Doctors say it is like there is someone wearing his skin but he is there somewhere deep inside, hiding,' she cried.

'But I think he is fully gone and I don't know if he is ever coming back,' she said.

Sally explained how she suffered through psychotic drug-induced episodes where he would shake the door and demand to be let in so he could accuse her of cheating or becoming a sex worker.

'He would spend hours trawling through the websites accusing me of looking like the women on there,' she said.

He woke her up at night to go through her phone and was convinced she had spare sim cards and mobile phones to speak to her other lovers.

'He would come in at night yelling at me for having someone over because he had seen someone getting into their car as he drove up our street,' she said.

Sally's ex husband used to smoke the drug and developed a $3000-per-week addiction

'He would call people, in front of me, to make sure I wasn't having an affair with them and had all of the dating apps to try to catch me out using them.'

He also became vindictive and would act out when she tried to make him get clean for the sake of their family.

At one point she found nude images on his phone that he had sent women on Ashley Martin, the dating site for married cheaters.

He defended his actions saying he had done it because she asked him to see a psychologist for his deteriorating mental health.

But with every bad cycle there was a sweet one, where everything would be perfect and Sally would remember how desperately in love she was with her husband.

These happy periods could last hours or months but the grip of the addiction was too strong.

Sally said her in-laws have been hugely supportive through the whole ordeal and are just as heartbroken as she about what has happened to their son.

'He lost our business, doesn't have a job and is fully into the drug scene,' she said.

'He hasn't made an effort to talk to his daughters. The eldest one blames herself and thinks he doesn't love her and the younger one has no memory of him at all.'

The last straw was when we were sitting and watching the kids and I looked at him and just knew he was back on it

Sally was the one to leave the family home in the end, only going back to clean up after her ex-husband defaulted on the mortgage.

She said her ex and his 'junkie girlfriend' had managed to transform the once tranquil four-bedroom home into a certified drug den.

Off drugs the man had no appetite for work, she claimed, he was a great husband but just wanted to be home with his family.

Then when bills built up he would take drugs again so that he could bear to get through a night's work and the cycle would continue.

The couple went to see psychologists and her husband went to rehab three times but in the end he refused to change.

'The last straw was when we were sitting and watching the kids and I looked at him and just knew he was back on it,' she said.

What are the effects of ice? Ice produces an intense rush that can make a person feel confident and energetic. They may have increased sex drive, itching and scratching, enlarged pupils, fast heartbeat or dry mouth. The person may grind their teeth or sweat excessively. The effects can last for up to 12 hours. It can be hard to sleep for a few days after taking ice. People who are 'coming down' may have difficulty sleeping, headaches, paranoia or hallucinations, or feel very irritable and sad. SHORT TERM PROBLEMS People who use ice can suffer from paranoia, hallucinations, memory loss and difficulty sleeping. Frequent high doses can cause ice psychosis with paranoid delusions, hallucinations and unusual, aggressive or violent behaviours. This can last a few days. People who take a large amount or a strong batch are at risk of overdose. The signs of overdose include: An overdose can lead to a cardiac arrest, unconsciousness or death. LONG TERM PROBLEMS People who use ice repeatedly can develop physical problems including extreme weight loss, poor sleep, dental problems, regular colds, trouble concentrating, stiff muscles, heart problems, kidney problems, depression or stroke. People who use ice regularly may look much older than they should. They can find everyday activities less enjoyable, have rapid mood swings and become depressed and easily stressed. They are also susceptible to social, work and financial problems. Snorting the ice can cause nosebleeds, sinus problems and damage to the nose. Sharing needles increases the risk of tetanus, infections, vein damage, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. Advertisement

He denied it but Sally ended the relationship and found somewhere else to live.

Her lawyers advised she take some of their savings out and luckily she did because hours later she was shut out of all of their accounts, her car insurance cancelled and her mobile plan cancelled.

'Even now I defend him and say he wouldn't do something and then he does and I am shocked,' she said.

She also revealed her husband had been tracking her for the last few years of their relationship to prove she was cheating.

She said this continued when they broke up and included him accessing all of her online services and watching where her car was at all times.

During the very raw interview Sally alluded to the fact she is still in love with the man her husband was when they got married and said she 'doesn't hate him'.

'I just hate the choices he has made,' she said.

She is now contemplating living her life alone and says she is thoroughly turned off by men following the tumultuous relationship.

For domestic violence support call 1800respect. For drug and alcohol support call Lifeline's 24/7 crisis support line on 13 11 14. In an emergency call 000.
An Australian social media star has shared one of the 'scariest experiences of her life' after a strange man tried to pry open her front passenger door while driving.

Rory Eliza, who lives in Newcastle, NSW, explained that she was in a 'dodgy' street at the time driving no more than 30km/h when she encountered the 'man in hi-vis'.

'I just experienced one of the scariest things I've probably ever experienced,' she said at the start of a TikTok video, looking terrified.

'Suddenly, a guy in a fluorescent vest ran out in front of me and tried to open my side door to get in my car.

Rory Eliza, who lives in Newcastle, NSW, explained that she was in a 'dodgy' street at the time driving no more than 30km/h when she encountered the 'man in hi-vis'

@roryeliza LOCK YOUR CAR DOORS!!!!! A few years ago I was parked on a curb and A man tried to get into my car aswell but thankfully my car was locked. I cant believe I experienced this again. GOD BLESS  original sound -  

'He timed my car perfectly. He ran out just in front of me just as I was getting to him - he timed this and it scared the hell out of me.'

Rory, who mentioned this isn't the first time a man has tried to get into her car at night, locked her doors immediately and drove faster, dodging the mystery stranger as she did.

'It was so quick but I'm so lucky I dodged him. Girls, lock your car,' she said.

'It is the one thing I can tell you. I need to learn to auto-lock my car. But girls, just look out for yourself, men look out for yourself, there are scary people out there.'

Her six million fans were deeply worried by the incident and encouraged her to speak to local police.

Her six million fans were deeply worried by the incident and encouraged her to speak to local police

'I'm so sorry this has happened to you for the second time. Take care of yourself,' one woman commented.

It comes after a woman in Brisbane posted online about her extensive 'in case of an emergency stash', revealing she can't keep money in her car for fear of vandals breaking in.

'Little teen criminals keep smashing the windows and stealing anything in the car. I got hit in August 2020,' she said.

An Australian mum has revealed exactly what she has packed in the back of her car for emergencies - including food, water and blankets for herself and her baby

The mum's huge supply haul includes a first aid kit, water, snacks and spare clothes as well as tape, a torch and plastic bags.

She has a spare change of clothes for herself and her son, baby supplies, tampons and a toiletries bag.

The mum also packed towels and blankets as well as bug spray in case the family ended up stranded somewhere overnight.

And her efforts were congratulated by other parents who agreed having an emergency stash of essentials in the car could be handy.

One woman suggested the mum carry a small knife for cutting things like tape and fruit. One woman from the SAS suggested Glad Wrap as it can even be used as a bandage in an emergency.

'I would have a plastic dinner set which is always handy for an unexpected meal when out and about,' one woman said.

WHAT'S IN THE EMERGENCY CAR KIT? A change of clothes for each person Two blankets Two towels Antibacterial wipes Wet wipes Toilet Paper Feminine products Nappy sacks Nappies First aid kit (with scissor, tweezers, painkillers, antihistamines, heartburn medicine, nausea medicine) Antiseptic solution Hand sanitiser Baby powder Bug spray Sunscreen Vomit bags Microfibre cloth Large plastic bag Several medium zip lock bags Matches Lantern/Torch Tape Lunch Box (with long lasting nut bars, crackers, mints) Water Cap/hat Toiletries bag (with shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, deodorant Spare undies Advertisement

Another laughed and said she rarely remembers her car keys and 'could never be this well prepared'.

Others said having an emergency first aid kit was ridiculous, as the car gets too hot for most medications.

'Wouldn't it just be easier to nip into Coles or a chemist,' one said.

According to Budget Direct Insurance everyone should have an emergency kit in their car so they are 'ready for the unexpected'.

The insurance giant says a torch, fully-stocked first-aid kit and a high-vis vest are all musts.
U.S. abuse of sanctions inflicts sufferings on citizens of foreign countries

18:03, March 29, 2022 By Xin Yue ( People's Daily Online

On March 10, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said in internal e-mails that it would allow its users to publish posts using violent language directed towards Russians on the two platforms during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Reuters reported.

With the U.S. government having already set an example by abusing sanctions, the bullying actions of U.S. social media platforms  arbitrarily imposing sanctions and instigating confrontations under the guise of democracy and human rights  is not something that is new.

For a long time, the U.S., relying on its dominant position in the global financial system and its technological advantages, has abused long-arm jurisdiction over other countries and exercised coercive diplomacy with them.

The U.S. has hurled sanctions at whoever disagrees with it. The use of sanctions by the Americans has increased tenfold over the past 20 years. The previous U.S. administration instituted more than 3,900 sanctions, which equates to wielding the stick of sanctions three times per day on average. By the end of fiscal year 2021, the U.S. had imposed sanctions on 9,421 entities and individuals, up 933 percent from 2000.

Washington has "become addicted to sanctions" like a 5-year-old child who "is addicted to candy," an article published on the Newsweek of the U.S. pointed out.

Is the world a better place because of those sanctions imposed by the U.S.? Will European security be better guaranteed thanks to the U.S. sanctions on Russia? As a matter of fact, the abuse of sanctions by the Americans has not helped solve existing problems, but instead has created new problems.

The illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction imposed by the U.S. have violated international law and the basic norms that govern international relations. The U.S. puts its national laws above international laws, having issued domestic laws such as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, and the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.

The ambiguous rules contained in these acts and executive orders, such as the minimum contacts principle and effects doctrine, are in fact a willful expansion of the jurisdiction of U.S. domestic laws.

These acts and executive orders make it possible for the U.S. to abuse its domestic channels to pursue prosecutions of and exercise long-arm jurisdiction over entities and individuals in other countries, constituting a gross violation of international law and the basic norms of international relations.

Since 2011, the U.S. has imposed more than 100 sanctions on Russia. The U.S. administration, in collaboration with its European allies, has ramped up containment and suppression against Russia, imposing blanket sanctions against Russia, and launching a diplomatic war through the expulsion of Russian diplomats.

With regards to issues such as the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project, the U.S. has not hesitated to sanction concerned parties, including even its European allies. The U.S.-led response to Russia has been hysterical in the Western world, with even the cats, dogs, and trees of Russia having become targets of sanctions.

Has the Ukraine issue resolved itself thanks to the U.S. sanctions on Russia? The answer is clearly no as far as we know.

The ratcheting up of unilateral sanctions, as imposed by some countries in the West, including the U.S., have caused severe difficulties for relevant countries economy and their peoples livelihoods, while disturbing the operations of the global economy and global industry chains.

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to escalate, Western countries have shifted their focus on sanctions against Russia from the domain of finance to the domain of oil, resulting in drastic oil price fluctuations and pushing international oil prices to reach their highest level in 14 years.

In 2018, the U.S. government announced its unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and soon after resumed and expanded sanctions against Iran. The sanctions regime struck a heavy blow to Irans economy, with the Iranian government even being unable to import enough medical products. As a result of the U.S.-imposed sanctions, the Iranian people, especially those from lower-income groups, have led a more difficult life, and their rights to life and health have been greatly threatened.

Over the past more than 60 years, the U.S., by ignoring resolutions passed by the United Nations General Assembly, has imposed a systematic trade embargo, economic blockade, and financial sanctions against Cuba.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said that the U.S. chose to continue imposing the embargo and sanctions against Cuba even in the face of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, causing huge losses to the Cuban economy and society, while the Cuban people meanwhile have had to suffer from the harm caused by this extremely inhumane act.

As a self-claimed beacon of human rights, the U.S. in fact never shed light on itself, a bigtime violator of human rights. The U.S. is a culprit of the Afghan crisis. It occupied Afghanistan for 20 years and then retreated back home after leaving the Afghan people in disarray. Some 22.8 million Afghans now face acute food insecurity and 3.2 million children under the age of five are expected to suffer from malnutrition. Instead of compensating the Afghans, the U.S. arbitrarily froze their assets and imposed unilateral sanctions against Afghanistan, furthering aggravating the humanitarian crisis in the country.

Facts have proven that sanctions are never fundamentally an effective means to solve problems, and regional hotspot issues should be resolved through dialogue and consultation. War and sanctions are not the only options.

As Alice Weidel, leader of the Alternative for Germany in the Bundestag, said in public remarks, sanctions will not be able to end the war in Ukraine. All parties should not pour fuel onto the fire, but should instead help solve regional conflicts as soon as possible through dialogue and negotiation, so as to gradually build a balanced, effective and sustainable global and regional security architecture.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Defense Minister Suh Wook / Yonhap





South Korea successfully test-fired a solid-fuel space rocket Wednesday, the defense ministry said, following North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch last week.







The state-run Agency for Defense Development conducted the test at a testing site in Taean, 150 kilometers southwest of Seoul, to confirm capabilities of a locally developed space launch vehicle, according to the ministry.







The launch came after the North's 12 known missile tests this year, including what the North claimed to be "reconnaissance satellite" development tests.







Defense Minister Suh Wook and top military officials attended the event, which the ministry said marked an "important milestone" in enhancing South Korea's independent space-based reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities.







"(The test) came at a very grave juncture in which North Korea has recently breached its moratorium and launched an ICBM," the defense ministry said, referring to the North's voluntary suspension of nuclear and ICBM testing.







"Regarding space as a core realm that significantly affects national security, (the South) will strengthen space defense capabilities based on inter-service cooperation at an early date," it added.







Wednesday's test was aimed at verifying the projectile's performances, including pairing separation and the upper-stage attitude control features, according to the ministry.







The launch came less than a year after Seoul and Washington agreed to lift the "missile guidelines" restrictions that had barred South Korea from developing or possessing ballistic missiles with a maximum range greater than 800 kilometers.







It also followed a successful combustion test of a solid-propellant engine for a space rocket in July.







Space rocket technologies can be transferred to the private sector in the future to promote the development of the space industry, the ministry said. (Yonhap)






A Woolworths employee has issued a plea for shoppers to stop leaving unwanted supermarket items in the wrong place in stores.

The worker slammed customers on Reddit outlining how their jobs become far more difficult when people pick and choose where they leave unwanted items.

The staffer claims to have found a 3L bottle of juice placed in the baby supplies section of the store.

'Please stop doing this. I work in replenishment at Woolies, it is disgusting,' the worker wrote on Reddit.

Other customers and workers have seen fresh fish from the deli dumped among packets of potato chips and prawns abandoned among weekly special items.

A Melbourne Woolworths worker has slammed customers online for leaving unwanted items in random spots in stores. The staffer claims to have found a 3L bottle of juice placed in the baby supplies section of the store (pictured)

A number of frustrated Aussies commented on the thread, with many detailing what they too have also found on supermarket shelves that should not have been there.

'I worked at a supermarket and one time there was this foul smell in the snacks aisle,' one person wrote.

'Took me 10 minutes of searching, but eventually I found a wrapped fish from the deli shoved on top of the chips.

'Some d***head obviously couldn't be bothered walking back to the deli and saying they didn't want it anymore and left it to rot instead. Love that.'

'Worked at Coles while I was at Uni. Found both a used nappy and a used pregnancy test on shelves. Both big nopes on a Supermarket wage,' another added.

'Worst find I had working night fill was a mostly eaten whole roast chicken,' a third commented.

Another person said they ice coffee cartons that had been drunk and 'tossed' at the back of shelves.

'I saw this the other day in ALDI, some s***stain left a whole tray of prawns in with the random weekly special items. F***ing PRAWNS,' an outraged customer wrote.

Other customers and workers alike have seen fresh fish from the deli dumped among packets of potato chips and prawns abandoned among weekly special items (stock image)

Woolworths has encouraged shoppers to respect others when browsing the aisles.

'As a fresh food retailer, we have high standards for cleanliness and hygiene across our stores and are disappointed by all reports of littering,' a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

'Our stores are cleaned by professional cleaners daily and our team members conduct spot checks across the store several times a day.

'The vast majority of customers do the right thing and are respectful of our stores.

'As our team members work hard to serve our customers and replenish stock, we ask that customers be mindful of their impact and take any rubbish with them.'

Waste bins can be found in all Woolworths stores, predominantly at the entrance or exits of the stores.

Daily Mail Australia understands Woolworths prioritise the health and safety of team members by providing appropriate cleaning kits and gloves.
Advertisement

This is the emotional moment Princess Beatrice broke down after she caught sight of her father Prince Andrew walking the Queen to her seat at the service of thanksgiving in memory of her grandfather Prince Philip.

Beatrice, 33, began to tear up as she watched her father the Duke of York accompanied the monarch down the aisle at Westminster Abbey, seemingly overcome by the significance of the moment.

To the shock of many in the congregation, including, apparently, Beatrice, the shamed royal, 62, escorted his mother, 95, all the way down to her front-row position  in full view of the live broadcast cameras - after travelling with her from Windsor.

It had been expected that the Dean of Westminster would take the Queen to her seat, with Andrew behind. The decision to have Andrew walk her down the aisle instead is being interpreted as an 'endorsement' by Her Majesty.

Shortly after laying eyes on her father and the Queen, Beatrice covered her face with the order of service. She then stood mutely while others around her sang, apparently trying to hold in tears.

The emotion would have also been driven by the personal loss she felt at the death of her beloved grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh, with whom she shared a close relationship.

As Camilla Tominey noted in the Daily Telegraph: 'The very personal nature of such a public commemoration hit home when Beatrice, 33, started sobbing upon sight of her grandmother and father, arm in arm, covering her tearful face with her order of service.'

This is the emotional moment Princess Beatrice broke down in tears (right) as she caught sight of her father Prince Andrew walking the Queen to her seat (left) during the Service of Thanksgiving in memory of her grandfather Prince Philip

To the shock of many in the congregation, including, apparently, Beatrice, the shamed royal, 62, escorted his mother, 95, all the way down to her front-row position  in full view of the live broadcast cameras - after travelling with her from Windsor

The princess then reached into her handbag for a tissue.

It's been a difficult period for Beatrice, who royal commentators have previously said has been 'devastated' by accusations by Virginia Giuffre that the Duke of York sexually assaulted her. Prince Andrew has categorically denied the accusations.

Beatrice and her mother Sarah Ferguson were said to have been among the key figures pressing Andrew to go ahead with the disastrous BBC interview in November 2019 about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

But the Princess, with the benefit of hindsight, was left mortified that she did not do more to stop the interview going ahead - and it also left her and younger sister Eugenie in a difficult position as members of the Royal Family.

One of the most infamous moments of the interview, which saw Andrew deny sleeping with then 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre, included how had spent the day in question with Beatrice at a Pizza Express in Woking.

The Duke of York had a front row seat at the service, sitting close to his other siblings, with his daughters Princess Eugenie and Princess also in attendance  but there was no sign of his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York.

The Duke of York accompanied the Queen into Westminster Abbey (above), reportedly to the dismay of other senior royals

Surprise move: Senior royals had 'reluctantly' accepted Andrew would travel with the Queen to London because they live so close to each other. But they had hoped 'common sense' would prevail and that Andrew would not seek to play a prominent role in his first public appearance since he struck the out-of-court settlement with Epstein victim Mrs Giuffre, 38

The moment which left Beatrice in tears: The Queen held onto Andrew's elbow with her left hand and had a walking stick in her right at Westminster Abbey today

Princesses Beatrice wept today as she attended the Service of Thanksgiving in memory of their grandfather Prince Philip

The mother-of-one, 33, was in floods of tears as the event began, reaching into her handbag for a tissue and at one stage covering her face with a service sheet to hide her tears

Princess Eugenie appeared concerned for her sister and could be seen glancing over as the service began

The Queen's decision to have Andrew accompany her comes despite him paying up to 12million earlier this month to settle a US civil sexual assault case  and it will be seen as a major signal of support to her second - and some say 'favourite' - son.

The Daily Mail revealed today that senior royals had 'reluctantly' accepted Andrew would travel with the Queen to London because they live so close to each other.

But they had hoped 'common sense' would prevail and that Andrew would not seek to play a prominent role in his first public appearance since he struck the out-of-court settlement with Epstein victim Mrs Giuffre, 38.

A family source said that senior royals  including Prince Charles and the Duke of Cambridge  were 'dismayed' by events and that Andrew's decision to put himself 'front and centre' of the service had caused 'consternation'.

After Prince Andrew walked the Queen to her seat, Princess Beatrice could be seen brushing a tear away from her eyes

While others appeared to be singing around her, Beatrice appeared to be looking up into the roof of the building as she tried to stop the tears

Princess Eugenie looked sombre as she joined the congregation in singing as part of the tribute to her grandfather

'It would be a great shame if the service was overshadowed by all of this. There is a strong sense of regret that this has happened,' they said.

Meanwhile, Royal experts suggested The Queen's decision to give Andrew a front-and-centre role at the service was a sign of 'endorsement' in her disgraced son.

Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told The Express: 'This was her way of quietly showing "OK, he messed up really badly, this was a disgrace, but he is my son".'

Peter Hunt, another ex-royal correspondent for the broadcaster, said it was a sign of the Queen 'endorsing' Andrew, adding: 'It didn't happen by chance. He could have sat in the congregation with others, with his relatives, but they actively decided that he would have this role of supporting her.

'She's very clearly stating that he has a role at family occasions. It's one thing to accept that he should attend his father's memorial service, it's quite another thing to then give him quite a prominent role so it was an active choice to give him such a prominent role.'

Princess Eugenie, 32, and husband Jack Brooksbank , 35, arrived at the Service of Thanksgiving in memory of Prince Philip alongside Princess Beatrice, 33, and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 38

Princess Beatrice looked stylish in a burgundy dress and coordinating heels, alongside her dapper husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 38, as they entered Westminster Abbey

Another source told the Daily Telegraph: 'Given that nothing happens by accident when it comes to the Royal family, the Duke of Yorks supporting role allowed him to both slip in and out of the Abbey by the side door and send a thinly disguised message that as far as the Queen is concerned he still has a role to play.

Princess Eugenie, 32, who was comforted by husband Jack Brooksbank, 35, cut a stylish figure in a floral midi dress by British fashion designer Erdem worth 1,695.

She teamed the look with a cropped black jacket and matching headband that swept her hair off her face.

Meanwhile, Eugenie stood on the other side of their cousin with a sombre expression as she attempted to join the congregation with singing.

They sat behind the Queen, Prince Charles, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Anne at the service that was packed with European royals among attendees.

Prince Philip, who was seen as the patriarch of the family, showed support for his granddaughters by attending both of their weddings.

Despite having officially retired in August 2017, he made a rare public appearance at Beatrice's wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020.
Royal fans noted Prince George is the spitting image of his maternal grandfather as he attended the memorial service for Prince Philip yesterday.

The eight-year-old Prince accompanied his parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and his sister Princess Charlotte, six, at Westminster Abbey yesterday, to pay their respect to the late Duke of Edinburg, who died on April 9 last year.

As photos of the event circulated online, royal watchers rushed to point out how much the blonde royal looked like Michael Middleton, 72.

One commented that George 'is a mini Michael Middleton.'

Royal fans noted Prince George, eight, is the spitting image of his maternal grandfather Michael Middleton, 72, as he attended the memorial service for Prince Philip yesterday in Westminster

'Prince George looks like a blonde version of Michael Middleton,' another said.

'George is so much like his grandfather - Michael Middleton,' a fellow foyal fan added.

'In my opinion, George favours Earl Spencer and Michael Middleton in looks,' another said, adding that his sister Princess Charlotte looks more like Prince William, 39.

Another agreed he was 'all Papa Middleton,' while another said he has the looks of his grandfather and the height of his father the Duke of Cambridge.

Royal fans were quick to spot how similar to his maternal grandfather George looked yesterday

Regardless of who he takes his looks from, George made an impression on royal fans yesterday.

The well-behaved prince and his sister impressed with their quiet composure at yesterday's service.

George - dressed as his daddy's double in a suit and tie - looked sombre, perhaps because he understood the gravity of the situation.

The future king kept a straight face as he walked by his father's side and was on his very best behaviour throughout the service.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made the decision to bring their two eldest children to Westminster Abbey so they could pay their respects to their great-grandfather Prince Philip.

The service marks one of the important outings to date for the two young royals, both of whom enjoyed a close relationship with Prince Philip before his death at the age of 99 last April.

In contrast her eight-year-old brother George - dressed as his daddy's double in a suit and tie - looked far more sombre, perhaps because he had a better understanding of the gravity of the situation

Prince George looked serious in his navy suit (left) while Princess Charlotte was smiling at the people she passed

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge held their children's hands as they made their way out of Westminster Abbey

George and Charlotte were both on their best behaviour and kept hold of their orders of service as they listened to people pay tribute to their great-grandfather and his extraordinary life.

Princess Charlotte wore a tartan dress, navy blue coat and black patent leather shoes for the service, and had a pretty ribbon in her hair.

George, who has made a number of outings with his parents to major sporting events in recent months, was his father's double in a navy blue suit and tie.

The Queen has 12 great-grandchildren, 10 of whom were born before the Duke of Edinburgh's death last April.

The Duke of Edinburgh 's other great-grandchildren are Princess Charlotte, six, Prince Louis , three, Lena Tindall, also three, and her one-year-old brother Lucas, Princess Eugenie's one-year-old son August Brooksbank and Princess Beatrice's daughter Sienna Mapelli Mozz, who was born in September last year.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children, Archie, two, and Lilibet, nine months, remain with the couple in California.

Seven of the couple's eight grandchildren were also in attendance. Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, the Duke of Cambridge, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, all stepped out for a rare joined appearance. The only grandchild missing was the Duke of Sussex, who remained in California.
The Queen has paid tribute to her mother on the 20th anniversary of her death, the day after she remembered her husband's extraordinary life at his service of thanksgiving.

The Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, died in her sleep at the Royal Lodge, Windsor, on March 30, 2002, at the age of 101.

Her service to her husband King George VI, daughter the Queen and more than 350 patronages was celebrated in a lengthy Instagram post marking the milestone anniversary of her death.

The Queen has paid tribute to her mother on the 20th anniversary of her death, the day after she remembered her husband's extraordinary life at his service of thanksgiving

The Queen shared photos from the Queen Mother's life, including this photo from the Coronation, featuring the King George VI, the Queen Mother and Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret

The Queen Mother's service to her husband King George VI, daughter the Queen and more than 350 patronages was celebrated in a lengthy Instagram post marking the milestone anniversary of her death

It comes a day after the Queen paid tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh at the service of thanksgiving. She walked through Westminster Abbey arm-in-arm with Prince Andrew

It was accompanied by a slideshow of photos documenting the Queen Mother's life.

It reads: 'Today marks 20 years since the death of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Her Majesty inspired great affection from the public which her daughter The Queen spoke of as, 'the special place she occupied in the hearts of so many.'

'Born on 4 August 1900, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon married The Duke of York in 1923.

'In 1936 they became King and Queen Consort, and were crowned in Westminster Abbey at a Coronation attended by their daughters Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.

'Her Majesty's life spanned an entire century of history and change. Famously, she refused to leave London during WWII, saying, 'I won't leave the King. And the King will never leave.'

The Queen Mother's life spanned an entire century of history and change. Famously, she refused to leave London during WWII, saying, 'I won't leave the King. And the King will never leave'. She and the King visited bomb-damaged areas during the Blitz

Following the death of King George VI in 1952 and The Queen's Accession to the throne, The Queen Mother supported her daughter's work (pictured)

'She and the King visited bomb-damaged areas during the Blitz, and Buckingham Palace itself was bombed whilst Their Majesties were in residence.

'Following the death of King George VI in 1952 and The Queen's Accession to the throne, The Queen Mother supported her daughter's work in addition to carrying out her own public duties.

'Queen Elizabeth was Patron or President of some 350 organisations and completed more than 40 overseas tours and visits as Queen Mother.'

Yesterday the Queen was joined by members of her family and almost 2,000 guests as she paid tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh.

The service of thanksgiving saw around 1,800 people gather at Westminster Abbey, including many representatives of the hundreds of charities that Prince Philip championed, including the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

Queen Elizabeth was Patron or President of some 350 organisations and completed more than 40 overseas tours and visits as Queen Mother (pictured)

It was in marked contrast with his funeral last year, when Covid restrictions meant only 30 people could attend and the Queen was forced to sit alone and masked as she mourned.

The monarch, 95, had been determined to make her appearance at yesterday's service in honour of the man she described as her 'strength and stay'.

But her recent ill health and increasing frailty meant that it was confirmed by Buckingham Palace only yesterday morning. It was the Queen's first major official engagement outside one of her homes for nearly six months. She last appeared to open the Welsh Senedd in Cardiff on October 14.

The Queen listened intently yesterday as the Dean of Windsor paid tribute to Philip's intellect, work ethic, sense of humour and devotion to his family.

The Right Reverend David Conner pointed out that the duke could be 'abrupt', and suggested that at times he could forget 'just how intimidating he could be'.
Wheelchair users have criticised a royal commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live's Breakfast after they suggested the 95-year-old Queen wouldn't want to be seen using a mobility aid for fear of not looking 'capable and functional'.

The interview with monarchist Anita Atkinson, which featured as part of the broadcaster's coverage ahead of Prince Philip's memorial service at Westminster Abbey yesterday, was hosted by journalist Rachel Burden and discussed the Queen's recent health and mobility issues.

Burden asked Atkinson, who's editor of the Weardale Gazette, whether the British public was going to have to get used to 'seeing the Queen with a bit of assistance, whether that might be a stick or a wheelchair or a buggy?'

After the royal commentator replied that the Crown needed to be seen as 'well and capable' and she thought it was unlikely the Queen would ever be seen using a wheelchair, listeners tweeted that the conversation suggested wheelchair use was still associated with stigma by some in society.

Scroll down for video

The Queen pictured with a walking stick in Westminster Abbey yesterday; a conversation broadcast on Radio 5 Live Breakfast about whether Her Majesty, 95, would use a wheelchair at future public events sparked controversy on social media after monarchist Anita Atkinson said she thought the public wouldn't 'ever, ever' see the Queen using one

Responding to Burden's probing on whether the Queen would have to rely on mobility aids to continue carrying out public events, Atkinson had said: 'I don't think we're ever, ever going to see the Queen in a wheelchair. We've already seen her with a walking stick, we've never seen her use it.'

She added: 'Having studied the monarchy for over 40 years, the Crown has to be seen to be fit and well and capable - just functional. That's what the Queen is desperate to show.'

Self-confessed royal superfan Atkinson's comments were swiftly condemned on Twitter, with many saying such conversations fuelled the stigma that wheelchair users often feel.

Wheelchair user @AnnaSeverwright wrote: 'Just heard on the radio 'I don't think we'll ever see the Queen in a wheelchair' she wouldn't give in. Can we all (including the media) stop this idea that using a wheelchair is giving in or so awful that we couldn't possibly see a 95-year-old use one if she needed?'

Queen Elizabeth stands during a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of the Duke of Edinburgh on March 29th. Disability rights campaigners suggested on Twitter that Atkinson's comments that the Queen wanted to be seen as 'fit and capable' so wouldn't use a wheelchair for mobility issues were unhelpful

The show's presenter, Rachel Burden, responded saying that she felt some 'responsibility' for Atkinson's comments after asking the initial question.

She wrote: 'This may have been a conversation on our show this morning. I feel responsible for leading the conversation this way. Thank you for making me think.'

@AnnaSeverwright responded that it was Atkinson's comments she'd had a problem with, saying she'd 'fought' against using a wheelchair but that the mobility aid had given her back her freedom.

@RednorthUK penned: 'The implication that people who do use wheelchairs aren't tough enough or lack resolve is sickening.'

@zenrhe added their own situation had been vastly improved by a wheelchair: 'Have a chat with some wheelchair folk. My choice to get a wheelchair allowed significant improvement in my quality of life. Walking was stealing so much of my life. I don't think a sense of pride should hinder the use of aids and reduce suffering. I'm proud to use my chair for me.'

@PhillipaJC responded that she could relate to Atkinson's comments, saying: 'Im trying my best not to give in; but only because Im a proud, stubborn woman and feel that my disability would deteriorate if I used a chair. Having to use a sparkly walking stick is bad enough, but thats just me.'

@FlorenceHRScott suggested 'mobility aids and monarchy have coincided before with no trouble' posting a photo of St Mary's church in Hook, where an image of Queen Victoria sees the monarch in a wheelchair.

At Tuesday's memorial service to the life of Prince Philip, the Queen opted for a low-key entrance, arriving at Westminster Abbey via a side door as she tried to avoid too many steps.

Her Majesty appeared inside the front of the iconic chamber and was part of a small procession that saw her guided to her seat by her disgraced son Prince Andrew.

Earlier she made the 22-mile trip from Windsor Castle to Buckingham Palace, before swapping cars and travelling on to Westminster.

The Queen was making her first public appearance in five months as she joined the rest of the Royal Family and other dignitaries at a memorial service in honour of her husband Prince Philip, who died last year.

The Duke of Edinburgh, who was by his wife's side for more than seven decades, passed away at Windsor Castle in April, two months shy of his 100th birthday.
Guests were there to pay tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh at yesterday's service of thanksgiving, but some didn't miss an opportunity to show off their outfits on Instagram.

Prince Charles' goddaughter India Hicks, granddaughter of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, shared several photographs, including ones taken at St George's Chapel, Windsor, following the London service.

Flora Ogilvy, who is the Queen's cousin, also shared a photo of her outfit as she set off from home, crediting designer Emilia Wickstead and milliner Rachel Trevor Morgan for her outfit.

Strike a pose: Prince Charles' goddaughter India Hicks, granddaughter of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, shared several photographs

Fashion post: Flora Ogilvy, who is the Queen's cousin, also shared a photo of her outfit as she set off, crediting designer Emilia Wickstead and milliner Rachel Trevor Morgan for her outfit

Setting off: Zenouska Mowatt, granddaughter of the Queen's cousin Princess Alexandra of Kent, also shared a pre-service photograph, showing off her navy blue A-line skirt, fitted blazer, hat and blue and white shoes

Zenouska Mowatt, granddaughter of the Queen's cousin Princess Alexandra of Kent, also shared a pre-service photograph, showing off her navy blue A-line skirt, fitted blazer, hat and blue and white shoes.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh's extended families rallied to support the monarch at the Westminster Abbey service yesterday.

India, who served as bridesmaid at the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, was among the earliest guests to arrive at the event yesterday.

She wore a lengthy blue coat dress which featured a dramatic thigh slit for the occasion, which she paired with a matching fascinator.

India stopped to capture a photograph of a memorial brass to the Earl and Countess Mountbatten of Burma that lies inside Westminster Abbey

Following the service, India and David made the journey to St George's Chapel, Windsor, for 'reflection and prayer'. She stopped to pose for a photograph inside the chapel

India was joined at the event by her husband, David Flint Wood, pictured at their London hotel

Many members of the Queen and Prince Philip's extended families came to pay their respects at Westminster Abbey. Above, a family tree of some of the Queen's cousins

India was joined at the event by her husband, David Flint Wood, and brother Ashley Hicks. Notably absent was their mother, Lady Pamela Hicks, 92, Lord Mountbatten's youngest daughter and the Queen's former Lady-in-Waiting.

India stopped to capture a photograph of a memorial brass to the Earl and Countess Mountbatten of Burma that lies inside Westminster Abbey.

Following the service, India and David made the journey to St George's Chapel, Windsor, for 'reflection and prayer'.

Meanwhile Flora Ogilvy, granddaughter of Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, attended the service with her husband Timothy Vesterberg, a Swedish financier.

Prince Charles' goddaughter India wore a grey dress with a thigh-high slit for the service

India opted for a muted grey polo neck dress which she perfectly complemented with a matching fascinator

Her cousin Miss Mouwatt travelled to the service with her cousin Edward Windsor, Lord Downpatrick, grandson of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.

Meanwhile the Queen's cousin Prince Michael of Kent arrived hand in hand with his wife, who looked elegant in a white dress, which she wore with an open black coat.

The Duchess of Gloucester was also among the people in attendance, wearing a navy blue coat and a light blue hat for the occasion.

Flora Ogilvy arrived with her husband Timothy Vesterberg. She cut a sober figure in a midi black dress, while he looked dapper in a navy suit

Lady Gabriella Windsor arrived with her husband Thomas Kingston in tow. She was wearing a tasteful navy blue ensemble tied at the waist and watchin swede blue heels.

Lady Amelia Windsor also attended, wearing a demure buttoned up jacket and trousers, her blonde locks cascading down her back.
Viewers expressed their concern over how he would adjust to modern life

Despite difficulties, contestant Kevin confessed he was enjoying life on farm

They were staying on a 40-acre farm with no phones or technology

24 Britons headed to Devon to live with an Amish family of five off the grid

Viewers of The Simpler Life have gone wild over a contestant who said he was 'the happiest he's ever been' in the Amish experiment - but some expressed 'concern' over how he might adjust to modern life at the end of the show.

The Channel 4 programme follows technology-obsessed city-dwellers give up all the luxuries of modern life to live off the grid on a 40-acre farm in Devon with the help of an Amish family.

At the start of the experience, Kevin, 25, from Wigan, said he would experience a lot of pain with colitis and lacked self-confidence.

But on last night's show, he described how after months of living on the farm, he had become 'the happiest he'd ever been'.

Many viewers were blown away by the transformation, with one writing: 'Loving the change in Kevin but as the days go on and he finds himself, I do worry about what will happen at the end and the return to modern life.'

Viewers of The Simpler Life have gone wild over Kevin, 25, from Wigan, who said he was 'the happiest he's ever been' in the Amish experiment (pictured)

Meanwhile another commented: 'Kevin melts even the coldest of hearts. The world needs more of him.'

'Kevin's journey just makes me smile', a third commented.

The 24 contributors include a social media content creator, a Norfolk rapper, a former soldier, twin brothers from South London and a gay couple  one of whom is head of nursing operations across three NHS hospitals and the other an ex-army media  with their two adopted children.

The community lived off-grid on a 40-acre farm complete with a lake and a wood but without their phones, any form of technology, mains electricity or gas.

Many viewers were blown away by the transformation - but some expressed concern over how he might adjust to life outside the experiment

They were required to raise a barn and build a pig ark for the impending arrival of their livestock in addition to harvesting over three acres of hay  all in the traditional Amish way, without mechanisation.

WHAT IS ULCERATIVE COLITIS? Ulcerative colitis is a long-term condition, where the colon (the bowel) and rectum become inflamed. It affects around one in every 420 people living in the UK. Small ulcers can develop on the colon's lining, and can bleed and produce pus. Symptoms include recurring diarrhoea, which may contain blood, mucus or pus, abdominal pain and needing to empty your bowels frequently. People may also experience fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss. (Information via NHS) Advertisement

The community also needed to travel into the local town via horse and cart for supplies and to trade or sell results of the cottage industries they have started.

The Amish family offered the community advice on the day-to-day lifestyle as well as guidance on how to live simply  and ultimately how to find happiness with a more humble existence.

The project was overseen by world renowned psychologist, Barry Schwartz who, in his bestselling book, The Paradox of Choice, argued that rather than bringing us happiness, the choices available to us in modern life only make us feel more stressed and that too much choice makes us unhappy.

Filmed over a six-month period, a team of British scientists monitored and evaluated changes in the wellbeing of the community across the filming period  both on the farm and when they return to their normal, modern lives.

Before they left for the farm, they completed a series of interviews and psychological tests, measuring mood, anxiety, depression, wellbeing, gaging their personal choice.

The measures were tracked throughout the programme to see how the volunteers were changed after leaving modern life behind.

And there was one contestant in particular whom viewers felt was perfectly adjusting to Amish life.

At the start of last night's programme, Kevin could be seen working hard in the fields on the community's crops.

After finding little success at the pop up shop, Kevin travelled to a local farmers market in the horse and cart

He then took the fresh organic vegetables down to a roadside pop up shop.

He explained: 'My dad has an allotment...my mum and dad separated when I was quite young so I don't think he knows me completely.

'When I leave here, I want to go and help my dad a bit on the allotment. And even if he thinks, "He's a good worker our Kev."

'I want my dad to think I'm a hard worker.'

After finding little success at the pop up shop, Kevin travelled to a local farmers market in the horse and cart.

During last night's programme, the former waiter drove the cart down into the local town for the group to sell their local produce

He said: 'I'm a pretty good driver of the car, so hopefully I'll pick it up quickly. I can't even describe how happy I feel.'

At the farmers market, Kevin described how the group had an abundance of vegetables.

He said: 'The cool thing is, I didn't have this knowledge before so now I've got a bit of knowledge. To be able to share that with other people, it just makes me feel great.'

The group made 52 from the stall, with Kevin adding: 'I really wanted us to sell out and I was a bit disappointed we didn't.'

The 25-year-old said driving the cart down the local high street was 'the happiest' he'd felt in years

After limited success selling their produce, the drive was on to raise their income and the group went on to look for a wholesaler.

The potential deal could be key for the community becoming self-sufficient.

With the wholesaler coming to inspect the produce, Kevin lead the group in making sure all the crop on offer was of a high quality.

Kevin said: 'A year ago I was in such a low place, being ill and being in pain. I cried floods of tears in the hospital bed because I thought my life was over in a sense.

After agreeing a price for the produce with a local wholesaler, Kevin said he felt 'awesome' and a huge sense of accomplishment

'One year later, I'm probably the happiest I've ever been in my entire life. It's just amazing.'

After the wholesaler and Kevin agreed a price for their vegetables, he said: 'I don't think I've ever experienced accomplishment like this ever in my life. It's a really awesome feeling.

'When you've done something like that, you should be able to enjoy it. I'm going to allow myself to feel really proud tonight because today's been a great day.'
Stephanie Hirst has revealed a doctor warned her against transitioning from male to female when she was a teenager because it would affect her relationships and ability to have a 'successful life'.

The BBC Radio Leeds host, 47, who announced that she was going through gender reassignment in 2014, explained to the Loose Women panel the challenges she faced before being given the opportunity to transition.

She claimed to have known from the age of three that she was in the wrong body, but it wasn't until she was a teenager that she spoke to a doctor about having gender reassignment surgery.

Revealing the medic warned her not to go ahead because she would 'lose family, friends and not have a successful life, viewers took to Twitter to praise Barnsley-born Stephanie for going ahead with transitioning decades later.

Stephanie (pictured) said her mother brushed her desire to be a female 'under the carpet' and thought it would go away

Stephanie spoke candidly to the panel about her experience of wanting to change gender, while not having any reference points because the internet wasn't around at the time.

Stephanie said: 'I knew from at least three or four because when you're at school they put all the girls on one side of the classroom and all of the boys on the other. I would just default and go and sit with the girls.

'They were like, "No you belong over there", so they would do it again and my natural default was just to go sit with the girls.

'This became a bit of a problem and was raised to my mum, but there was no internet or reference points.

'I think the kids at school worked out that I was different before I worked it out myself to be honest. I was quiet, short, very effeminate, liked Shakin' Stevens. There was probably a lot of things. I'm still a Shakin' fan.

'The kids saw a vulnerability in me. I didn't walk out the school gates with everybody else, I used to stay behind in the library just reading books.

Stephanie Hirst (pictured) revealed a doctor advised her not to transition from male to female during a panel discussion on ITV's Loose Women

'I saw something one day, and it was a little paragraph and it had the words "believe, achieve" in it.

'I use to say that to myself all the time, "believe, achieve", while tapping my forehead on believe and pointing on achieve.

'That drove me, that helped me, because I always wanted to be on the radio. I think radio is one of your first freedoms in life.

'When you get your first radio you tune around and you can go anywhere.

'It's like when you get your first bike you go to the end of your street then you get a bit braver and you go straight ahead. You feel like you've been on holiday. '

Stephanie admitted it was difficult to discuss her gender identity with her mother because she didn't understand her desire to be female.

Stephanie said: 'I think she brushed it under the carpet a little bit, she just thought it would go away. I think a lot of mums did that because there was no information.

Stephanie said she experienced suicidal thoughts before coming out with her plans for gender reassignment in 2014. Pictured: Stephanie (left) before transitioning with Stephen Nolan

'The internet for good or bad has changed a lot of things. It's made us feel more connected and it surely did that for me when I was growing up and got the internet.'

Reflecting on her teen years, she continued saying: 'I remember I had just past my driving test, you get a bit of courage.

'I went to see [the doctor] and I told him how I felt, he said something along the lines of 'I strongly recommend you don't take this path in life. You'll lose family, friends and you won't have a successful life'.

'I remember getting back in my car and just crying my eyes out. That was the point I went, "Right, radio, that's it, because I was working at my local radio station from the age of 12 making tea for DJs.

'At this point I decided radio and music are the only thing that makes it go away. It was the sticking plaster. I decided in my Vauxhall Nova in that car park, radio, that's the thing that makes it go away.

'I threw myself into my career and had an incredible career, it was amazing.'

Stephanie explained that she decided to be open about her desire to be a woman in 2014 because living in the wrong body was making her feel suicidal.

She said: 'I got to a point where I couldn't continue any longer and I was constantly thinking about it. I did the biggest breakfast show outside London, huge show with lots of people listening but I was going into work everyday feeling traumatised.

Stephanie (pictured) said her friend since college Kate, was the one who encouraged her to go see the doctor again

'I was on my way home and there would be a certain point on the M1 where the carriageway near where I live is higher than the other carriageway. I would want to turn my car into the central reservation, I kid you not, every day for over a decade.

'I got to a point one day where literally one arm was pulling it the other way and the other is pulling it the other. I ended up going out to lunch with a friend of mine Kate, who I told when I was 17 just after I went to the doctor for the first time.

'She brought it up weirdly in conversation and we had not spoken about for years. I told her "I just couldn't live I want to die, I can't do this any longer, I'm living a lie. This is wrong".

'But I've got this incredible career, the radio station I was working for was pumping six-figures into the bank and there's an Aston Martin sat on the driveway, all of these trinkets.

'But that's not authenticity. We all need to be authentic and it was Kate that pushed me to go to the doctors.

'I went to the doctors and I guess in some respect I was very lucky because when I was seen by my gender identity clinic I was referred within about nine weeks.

Stephanie (pictured second from right) told the Loose Women panel it took just nine weeks for a referral

'Whereas now if you go to your doctors and you're referred to a gender identity clinic it's between three and five years because the system is simply not set up.

'Someone may be watching today and saying,"I feel like that". Well trust me if you do feel like that it will be ok it really will be.'

Sharing advice, Stephanie added: 'You have to be authentic, you have to be prepared to jump through some hoops of fire. If you are going to go through something like this.

'It shouldn't be automatically easy that you can just all of a sudden decide that you're changing your gender and that's it self ID instantly.

'But you know get the right people, get the right help and the right professionals. Talk, speak to people. Psychotherapy worked wonderfully for me because that helped me to make the right decision.'

Panelist Janet Street-Porter asked if having money in the bank was helpful for her journey in comparison to those who want to have gender reassignment on the NHS.

Stephanie responded: 'I lost everything. Financially there had been cash coming in and I wasn't crazy with it. I had always been saving because I knew that I was going to do this one day.

Stephanie (pictured) said she saved as much money as possible before going ahead with gender reassignment surgery

'I was trying to save as much as I could. I know people that have transitioned without having a lot of money in the bank or anything like that and they've done it wonderfully.

'The one thing I've tried not to do is be a victim. We all should be authentic, we all should be allowed to be our true authentic selves and just get on with our lives.

'Biology sometimes I see it, it gets a little bit drunk and puts things in the wrong order. My soul and my brain formed opposite to what I came out looking like.'

Stephanie's appearance on the panel left viewers moved with some calling for her to be a permanent addition.

One person wrote: 'Big fan of @StephanieHirst. Wonderfully honest, reachable & clear. Great chat on @LooseWomen for anyone who feels they were born into the wrong body. So moving to hear her talking about her dark days & coming out the other side.'

Another said: 'Stephanie is so engaging and speaks with incredible articulation. Maybe a potential new panelist? I wouldn't be made at that #LooseWomen'

A third added: '@StephanieHirst absolutely loving your interview on #LooseWomen. Such a brave person throughout your life and you look absolutely amazing'
Jenna Bush Hager has recalled how she and her twin sister Barbara Bush got busted for underage drinking when their father, former President George W. Bush, was in office, saying he ended up apologizing to her for telling her she could be 'normal.'

The Today star, 40, was discussing the paperback release of her book 'Everything Beautiful in Its Time: Seasons of Love and Loss' with her co-host Hoda Kotb, 57, on Tuesday's show when she opened up about her father's surprising reaction to her citation.

In 2001, Jenna was a college student at The University of Texas at Austin when she was cited for possession of alcohol as a minor and using a fake ID to purchase alcohol within a five-week period.

'Barbara and I were together. I think we were like 19 and a half, maybe 20, close enough but not allowed [to drink],' she said of them trying to buy alcohol at a restaurant.

Scroll down for video

Jenna Bush Hager, 40, shared her father George W. Bush's surprising reaction to her getting busted for underage drinking when he was in office in 2001 on the Today show on Tuesday

The Today host recalled that when she called her father (pictured in 2001) to tell him about the citation, he ended up apologizing to her for telling her she could be 'normal'

'The fact that we thought we could do that just speaks to how [our parents] were like, "Oh, you can be normal, it's OK,"' she added, admitting it was a 'stupid' thing for her and her sister to do as public figures who were underage.

'When I called my dad to say, "I'm really sorry... I got this ticket for drinking underage," he said, "No, I'm sorry." We did embarrass [our parents], but they never would say that,' she explained. 'He said, "I'm sorry, I told you [that] you can be normal, and you can't. You can't order margaritas."'

Jenna was first picked up by police in April of 2001 for drinking a beer in a club and pleaded no contest to a charge of possessing alcohol underage that same month.

She was ordered to pay $51.25 in court costs while serving eight hours of community service, and she also had to attend an alcohol awareness class.

The next month, Barbara, who was a student at Yale University, was visiting her sister in Austin when they were arrested for attempting to purchase alcohol at Chuy's, a Mexican chain restaurant.

That came after the manager notified authorities from the restaurant to report that a group of individuals who did not look 21 were ordering alcoholic beverages.

Barbara had already been served by the time police arrived and was charged with underage possession, while Jenna was rejected for using an ID that belonged to someone else who was of legal drinking age.

Jenna said her father told her: 'I'm sorry, I told you [that] you can be normal, and you can't. You can't order margaritas'

In 2011, Jenna was a student at The University of Texas at Austin when she was cited for using a fake ID to purchase alcohol while out with her twin sister Barbara Bush (pictured in 2004). The incident came five weeks after Jenna was cited for possession of alcohol

The incident landed the two on the cover of weekly magazines.

'We embarrassed [our parents]  although they never said it  on the world stage. We got in trouble with the law!' Jenna told Hoda of their public infraction.

Jenna has previously opened about the incident to her co-anchor, telling Hoda in 2020 that she was 'crying' when she phoned her father to tell him about her brush with the law.

'The first time I had a public failure, I called my dad, and I was crying and I apologized to him,' she recalled. 'I got a minor in possession of alcohol when I was 19. And I felt embarrassed, and I felt really badly for him because I thought this is going to make him look bad.'

In her 2017 memoir, Sisters First, which she co-authored with twin Barbara, Jenna admitted that she 'corrupted' her sibling by taking her out to the restaurant where they tried to order alcoholic drinks - recalling how she attempted to use an ID that had been given to her by an older student at the University of Austin.

'One of the big things to do at the University of Texas at Austin... was for older girls, who had already turned 21, to give the younger ones their IDs. Of course, the reason why you might want an ID before you were 21 was to drink alcohol,' she wrote, according to Radar Online.

'When you're a college student, you are more preoccupied with who's having a party or who's playing beer pong than if your fake ID will land you in the tabloids.

'I never stopped to consider, "Oh, wait a minute, now that my dad is president, people are going to recognize me."'

Jenna said the fact that they thought they could act like normal college students was a testament to how her parents raised them

'We embarrassed [our parents], although they never said it, on the world stage. We got in trouble with the law!' said Jenna (pictured with her father and sister in 2005)

She explained that she and Barbara had gone out to Chuy's with a group of friends, recalling how 'everyone was ordering margaritas', prompting the twin sisters to do the same.

When asked for ID, Jenna produced the one that belonged to another student at her college - 'naively' failing to realize that the staff at the restaurant would immediately recognize her and know that the ID wasn't hers.

'Yes, I was actually that naive. Knowing me back then, I had probably requested the table for Jenna Bush, party of three,' she wrote in her book.

'Even Barbara, the Ivy Leaguer in our group, didn't stop to consider how much more recognizable we were as our twin selves, two together rather than one.'

Earlier this week, the Today stars kicked off Jenna's latest book tour with a discussion in front of a live audience in New York City on Monday evening.

They both posted photos from the event on Instagram, with Jenna thanking Hoda for her love and support.

'So grateful to work with the most giving, dearest friend! Thanks to all of you and @hodakotb who came out on a freezing Monday to celebrate my book out in paperback,' she wrote.

Hoda praised her co-star in her Instagram post, writing: 'Beautiful night with my dear @jennabhager. She walks this earth with her heart on the outside for all to see. #everythingbeautifulinitstime.'

She shared a similar sentiment on the Today show on Tuesday, saying it was 'so beautiful' to watch Jenna talk about her grandparents on stage.

Jenna admitted to Hoda Kotb that it was 'stupid' for her and her Barbara to try to buy alcohol when they were public figures and underage

The Today stars kicked off Jenna's tour for the the paperback release of her book 'Everything Beautiful in Its Time: Seasons of Love and Loss' in New York City on Monday evening

Jenna wrote the book after suffering the loss of three of her grandparents. She explained on the Today show that penning the book was an important part of her 'grieving process'

'I wrote this book before the pandemic, before our world was changed in so many ways, and it was about this period in my life where I lost my three remaining grandparents,' she explained.

'But I also found out I was pregnant with Hal. I got this job to sit next to you. It was this really beautiful year in my life, but it was filled with both the beauty and then also loss.'

Jenna's paternal grandmother, former First Lady Barbara Bush, died in April 2018, at age 92. Her paternal grandfather, former President George H.W. Bush, passed away in November of that year at age 94, less than eight months after his wife.

In 2019, she also lost her maternal grandmother and namesake, Jenna Hawkins Welch, the mother of former First Lady Laura Bush. She was 99 when she died.

'I recommend anybody who's dealing with grief. Write it down, and explore who these people are to you,' Jenna advised on Tuesday's show. 'That's what I did.

'I just thought about my grandparents. I wrote about their funerals, about memories with them, and it was such an important part of my grieving process. I think I really grieved.'
The Countess of Wessex has has been named as the new Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers, a role previously held by her father-in-law Prince Philip.

Sophie, 57, met with Master General REME Lieutenant General Paul Jaques CB CBE and Colonel REME Colonel Jason Phillips ADC this morning to formally receive the honorary title.

The royal was appointed by the Queen, who is head of the Armed Forces, with the decision announced the day after Philip's memorial service.

The Duke of Edinburgh served as Colonel-in-Chief of the Corps for more than 50 years.

He took over the role in 1969 from Princess Marina, The Duchess of Kent, and visited the Corps many times over five decades.

The Countess of Wessex has has been named as the new Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers, a role previously held by her father-in-law Prince Philip

Sophie, 57, met with Master General REME Lieutenant General Paul Jaques CB CBE and Colonel REME Colonel Jason Phillips ADC this morning to formally receive the honorary title.

The royal was appointed by the Queen, who is head of the Armed Forces, with the decision announced the day after Philip's memorial service

Sophie - who is married to the Queen's youngest son Prince Edward - holds other positions in the military and she meets troops whenever possible.

In 2007 she became Royal Colonel of 5th Battalion The Rifles and is also Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Corps of Army Music and of Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps.

She's also held the position of Sponsor of HMS Daring since 2006 and been Honorary Air Commodore of Royal Air Force Wittering since 2008.

Yesterday, Sophie was among the seniors royals mourning Prince Philip as The Firm approaches the one-year anniversary of his death aged 99.

Sophie joined her husband Prince Edward and children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn as she arrived at the Duke of Edinburgh's memorial service.

The mother-of-two was demur in a 2950 velvet gown by Suzannah London as she joined more than 30 foreign royals, Philip's family and friends and 500 representatives from charities and organisations of which he was patron at Westminster Abbey.

Prince Philip is pictured in 2016 visiting speaks to soldiers in a hangar with weapons on a desk in front of him during a visit the new home of REME to be named 'The Prince Philip Barracks' at at MOD Lyneham in Wiltshire

Sophie Wessex joined her husband Prince Edward and children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn as she arrived at the Duke of Edinburgh's memorial service yesterday

The Wessex family, who live at Bagshot Park, just a few miles from Windsor Castle, enjoyed a close relationship with the Duke, and were among the 30 guests at his funeral in April.

Sophie, who has often been referred to as one of Her Majesty's favourite family members, cut an elegant figure in a dark blue, buttoned coat dress which she paired with an elegant headpiece and silver floral brooch.

The mother recycled a Sophie Habsburg clutch bag and pair of 2,950 white gold, knot-shaped earrings by G.Collins and Sons.

The dress, which is currently out of stock, features a circular skirt with hidden side seam pockets and a level hem with a signature silhouette taking inspiration from a vintage hunting coat.

The Countess wore her blonde tresses swept up in a tidy up-do and opted for a low-key make-up look as she attended the service this morning. She teamed her understated outfit with elegant silver droplet earrings.

Formed in 1942, the Reme is responsible for maintaining all the equipment the British Army operates from tanks and helicopters to weapons and communications equipment.

The Royal Family said on Twitter how the Corps combined the duke's 'enduring support of the Forces, and keen interest in engineering'.

Sophie held an audience with the Reme Master General Lieutenant General Paul Jaques and Colonel Jason Phillips on Wednesday to formally receive the title.

Lt Gen Jaques said the countess's appointment would build on the legacy left by the duke.

'I am very much looking forward to welcoming the countess to the home of the Corps in MoD Lyneham to meet more of our amazing soldiers, see the technical training facilities and to discuss the Corps' support to all those in the Reme Family - Cadets, regular soldiers, reserve soldiers, veterans and their families,' he said.

'His Royal Highness The Prince Philip served for more than 50 years as Colonel-in-Chief of the Corps of Reme, and always took a very keen interest in the Corps' business.

'We look forward to a long and happy association with the countess, building on the legacy that the late Duke of Edinburgh leaves, in 'keeping the punch in the Army's fist'.'

Last week, during a visit to the headquarters of 5th Battalion The Rifles, Sophie met Reme soldiers currently attached to the Battalion, to hear about their work supporting the unit.
Transition Committee Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo / Yonhap





Transition Committee Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo said Wednesday he will not serve in the incoming government's Cabinet, officially withdrawing himself from consideration as the first prime minister of incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol.





Ahn, a key Yoon ally who dropped out of the presidential race to back Yoon, said he had decided to stay out of the Cabinet to open up room for Yoon to make his choices. Instead, Ahn said he will focus on expanding the support base of the soon-to-be ruling party ahead of June's local elections.





"I determined that after drawing up a blueprint and setting the direction for a good picture for the next government as chairman of the transition committee, not participating directly in the Cabinet would actually ease the burden on President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol," he told reporters at the transition team's office.





Ahn said he delivered his decision to Yoon, Tuesday, and the president-elect expressed his understanding.



Yoon has begun reviewing candidates for prime minister and is expected to announce his pick as early as early next week.





Given Yoon's emphasis on rescuing small businesses from the COVID-19 crisis, one of the strongest contenders for the job is thought to be former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.





Han is a trade expert and a former ambassador to the United States.





Considering Yoon's emphasis on promoting national unity, some other of the strongest contenders are former Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Han-gil and former Vice Assembly Speaker Park Joo-sun. (Yonhap)


Queen Maxima of the Netherlands looked delighted today as she attended the launch of a mental health foundation in Rotterdam.

Maxima, 50, was pictured looking upbeat at the appointment, dressed in a chic all-brown ensemble.

MIND Us is an organisation which supports the mental health of young people aged 12 and 27.

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, 50, stepped out in a chic all-brown ensemble today, as she attended the launch of MIND Us in Rotterdam (pictured)

The royal opted for a caramel midi dress paired with leather knee high boots, and a suede clutch in the same colour

During the event, Maxima was photographed on stage, putting together a giant jigsaw featuring MIND Us' logo

The Queen donned a belted caramel midi-dress, featuring long lantern sleeves, and an A-line skirt, with knee high leather boots while a suede clutch bag complemented her clothing.

A gold ring on each hand, as well as gold earrings and a watch, matched the buttons on her dress.

The royal opted for her classic understated make-up look, pairing a light, fresh base, with peach blusher, brown eye shadow, and a natural lip. However, she made a statement with her nail polish, opting for a dark red colour.

Her look was finished off a casual hair style with her loose blonde locks tumbling over her shoulders in bouncy waves.

During the visit today, the royal was pictured on stage giving a speech, as well as putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle with MIND Us' logo on it.

Classic: Maxima opted for her traditional pared-back make-up look, pairing a light base with eye shadow, and natural lips

During the launch event, Maxima (pictured, centre) posed with MIND Us officials and representatives for photographs

The royal was pictured looking passionate while giving a speech at the event (pictured), which is no surprise given her track record of mental health advocacy

Engaged: As well as speaking, Maxima listened to presentations during today's visit. She was snapped looking thoughtful and engrossed during one speech

She was also snapped listening to another speaker at the event, looking pensive and engaged during the presentation.

Maxima's attendance at the event today comes as no surprise: the royal has spoken out on mental health issues on several occasions.

Earlier this year, during 'Blue Monday' (the third Monday of January, often considered to be the most depressing day of the year) she took to Twitter to share a positive message.

While her outfit and make-up classic, Maxima opted to make a statement with her nail polish, which was a deep red colour

As well as giving and listening to presentations, the royal was snapped chatting with a range of people during today's launch

Overwhelmed: Queen Maxima looks emotional as she is handed a bouquet of flowers during her appearance in Rotterdam today

Revealing that she was taking a long walk, as exercise is good for mental health, she urged other people to engage in a healthy activity too.

And last April, she spoke during an online conference with MIND about the impact of the Covid pandemic on mental health.

Maxima's appearance at today's event comes one day she attended the London memorial of Prince Philip, alongside other members of European royalty.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured yesterday by No10) has changed Covid rules

Workers with Covid symptoms will no longer need to take a test from Friday as England tries to get back to normal after the pandemic.

Anyone who feels unwell with symptoms such as a high temperature and a cough will be advised to stay at home.

The guidance, issued by Health Secretary Sajid Javid, is part of the Government's plan to treat Covid like other respiratory illnesses.

People with symptoms and those who have tested positive are urged to wear a mask, avoid close contact with vulnerable people and swerve crowded areas if they must leave home.

But hospitals and care home patients and staff will still be able to request free Covid tests, as will those at risk of serious illness. Others must pay.

Most visitors to care homes, hospitals and prisons will no longer have to take a test.

And free parking for NHS staff, introduced during the pandemic, is coming to an end tomorrow.

Mr Javid said: 'Thanks to our plan to tackle Covid we are leading the way in learning to live with the virus.

Who will still get FREE Covid tests? Free lateral flow tests will be scrapped for everyone except NHS workers, care home staff and vulnerable patients from Friday in England. It will only continue in settings where infection can spread rapidly while prevalence is high. FREE SYMPTOMATIC TESTING WILL STILL BE GIVEN TO: Patients in hospital, where a PCR test is required for their care and to provide access to treatments and to support ongoing clinical surveillance for new variants;

People who are eligible for community Covid treatments because they are at higher risk of getting seriously ill;

People living or working in some high-risk settings. For example, staff in adult social care services such as homecare organisations and care homes. Advertisement

'We have made enormous progress but will keep the ability to respond to future threats including potential variants.

'Vaccines remain our best defence and we are now offering spring boosters to the elderly, care home residents and the most vulnerable.'

Although coronavirus infections have risen in recent weeks, more than 55 per cent of hospital patients who have tested positive do not have Covid as their primary diagnosis.

The Test and Trace programme cost taxpayers more than 15.7billion in 2021-22.

The guidance, which comes into effect on April 1, advises people with symptoms of a respiratory infection and a high temperature, or those who feel unwell, to stay at home and avoid contact with others until they feel better and their temperature returns to normal.

Anyone with a positive Covid test result will be advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with others for five days when they are most infectious.

Children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people where possible.

They can return to school, college or childcare when they no longer have a high temperature and are well enough.

Free symptomatic testing will be provided for patients in hospital, where a PCR test is required for their care and to provide access to treatment, as well as supporting clinical surveillance for new variants.

Testing will also be available for people who are eligible for community Covid treatments because they are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill.

This group will be contacted directly and sent lateral flow tests to keep at home if they have symptoms and told how to reorder tests.

Those living or working in high-risk settings including care homes, hospices and prisons will receive free tests.

And people will be tested before being discharged from hospital into care homes, hospices, shelters and refuges.

'Vaccines remain our best defence'

UK's lateral flow shortage sees sales soar FIVE-FOLD in a week at High St pharmacists as Brits scramble to get free tests before they're scrapped on Friday... so how much WILL chains sell them for?

Britain's scramble for the last remaining free supplies of lateral flow tests has seen sales of the rapid devices soar five-fold in a week at High Street pharmacies.

LloydsPharmacy is already selling the Covid tests, despite free ones being available on the Government's website until Friday.

But scores of Britons have complained about being unable to get hold of any kits through the official ordering channel over the past fortnight.

Struggles accessing the devices  which formed a major part of the UK's Covid-fighting strategy  have allowed major retailers to cash in.

LloydsPharmacy told MailOnline sales in the week ending March 28 were 400 per cent up on the previous seven-day spell.

It also announced it was slashing the price of lateral flows, reducing the price of a pack of five rapid swabs by 20p to 9.29  or 1.86 each  making it the cheapest on the market.

A single test sold on its own from the company will cost people 1.89, compared to 1.99 at rival Superdrug and 2 at Boots.

Meanwhile Boots is selling its five-packs for 9.80 and Superdrug is offering them for 9.79.

High street chains have been undercutting each other since February 23, just days after Boris Johnson announced mass public lateral flows would be abandoned on April 1.

Rapid tests will be rationed to hospital and care home patients and staff as part of the final stage of No10's living with Covid strategy.

Experts have repeatedly described the move to end free testing for those no longer qualifying for them as 'worrying' amid rising cases.

Lateral flow tests will be rationed to the elderly and vulnerable people as part of the final stage of No10's living with Covid strategy  leading to fears people have been stockpiling the remainder of the free swabs in the meantime. Users have been unable to order tests on the Government's site today

High street pharmacists today continued their war of prices ahead of free lateral tests being scrapped from next week. Graphic shows: Different price options at Boots, Superdrug and LloydsPharmacy

LloydsPharmacy dropped its price for a pack of five rapid tests to 9.29  costing 1.86 each. At the end of February, they were priced at 9.49 for the pack

Ahead of the move, a LloydsPharmacy spokesperson told MailOnline the company would be lowering its price for lateral flows slightly on previous plans.

They said: 'From April 1 in line with the latest Government changes, lateral flow tests are no longer free across the UK.

'LloydsPharmacy will continue to help keep the public safe and at the moment we offer lateral flow test kits in a selection of quantities to suit customer needs.

'This includes single tests for just 1.89 or up to a pack of five for just 9.29  1.86 per test  available in store and online now at LloydsPharmacy.com.

'You can find further information about our range of tests on our website, and up-to-date coronavirus information on the coronavirus page on the Government website.'

Boots has been offering its tests since the end of last month and Superdrug is also currently selling its tests online.

When the Omicron wave was collapsing in February, Boris Johnson announced that free testing would be scrapped from April.

The announcement was widely seen as a way to appease Tory backbenchers who at the time were threatening to hand in letters of no confidence in the PM following the Partygate scandal.

But in recent weeks the UK has seen a resurgence in Covid infections and hospital admissions, driven by the even more infectious BA.2 variant, which has led many experts to call for free tests to stay.

SAGE has previously warned ending the scheme, which cost up to 2bn a month, would leave the country in the dark to a fresh wave and said poor people will be hit hardest.

Experts told said pushing through with the move could leave some of the most vulnerable people in society at risk.

Professor Denis Kinane, an immunologist and founding scientist at Cignpost Diagnostics, said: 'I am concerned that the decision to end free tests from April 1 could leave some vulnerable groups at risk, particularly the immuno-suppressed.

'This is worrying with the recent spike in case numbers and hospital admissions.'

Covid cases have been on the rise since the start of the month, following all restrictions being eased on Freedom Day on February 24.

Hospital admissions have also been increasing, jumping 16 per cent in a week to 2,380 on Tuesday, the latest date data is available for.

It was the highest daily total since the peak of the Omicron wave in January, with 2,386 recorded on January 10.

People trying to get tests have reported struggling to access them for weeks as the Government started rationing the kits ahead of the cut-off date amid fears people would stockpile them.

Professor Kinane added: 'Recent stories about shortages of lateral flow tests shows demonstrate that large numbers of people still want to get tested to reassure themselves or protect their families.

'Alongside this, the testing played a vital role in preventing transmission for those working in settings where they would come into contact with a large number of people.

'Many sectors will be wondering if this will prevent more people from safely returning to their place of work as we begin to live with the virus.'
A mother has claimed having a facial saved her life after her beautician spotted a suspicious mark which turned out to be cancerous.

Jillian Murray, from Cairns in Australia, went to see doctors about the discoloured area above her right breast in June last year  but was told it was nothing to worry about.

However, during a pampering session three months later the 62-year-old childcare centre owner was told to get it checked again 'as soon as possible'.

Beautician of six years Leigh Murphy, 41, who runs the Rejuvie Skin Therapy salon, said she 'didn't like' the mark which now resembled a 'red bruise'.

After an appointment with a skin specialist a week later, Ms Murray was diagnosed with stage 2 skin cancer in her chest. Doctors also spotted skin cancer on her nose, which neither Ms Murray or her beautician noticed.

She underwent two operations to remove the cancerous cells, and said if it had been left any longer it could have reached her blood and spread around her body.

Ms Murray said: 'It's amazing for a beautician to find it when a doctor missed it first. She's worth her weight in gold.

'I'm a very lucky lady. Without her expertise I wouldn't be here and my doctor said I won the lotto with her.'

Jillian Murray, 62, spotted a mark on her chest (circuled) last June but doctors told her not to worry. But after her beautician told her to get a second opinion, Ms Murray went to the doctors again where she was diagnosed with cancer on her chest and her nose

Mother-of-one pictured after the operation to remove the skin cancer from her chest and nose

Ms Murray pictured with her beautician Leigh Murphy, 41, who runs the Rejuvie Skin Therapy salon in Cairns, Australia. Ms Murray said: 'It's amazing for a beautician to find it when a doctor missed it first. She's worth her weight in gold.'

At the breakthrough doctor's appointment in October Ms Murray was diagnosed with stage 2 melanoma on her chest.

This is when the cancer has spread through the first and second layers of skin, and is at risk of reaching the lymph system  a circulatory system similar to the blood  and spreading around the body.

Doctors also detected basal cell carcinoma on her nose, a different type of skin cancer which is completely unrelated to melanomas.

Neither Ms Murray or her beautician had spotted any signs on her nose that it might also have cancer.

Symptoms of basal cell carcinoma include a shiny, skin-coloured bump and a flat scaly patch on an area of skin.

Catching and removing skin cancer before it spreads to other parts of the body is crucial to maximising the chances of a patient surviving.

About 98 per cent of melanoma patients live for five years or more if the cancer is caught at stage 1 or 2  when it is still in the skin.

But this drops to 63 per cent when it makes it to the circulatory system  stage 3  and 15 to 20 per cent when it reaches other areas of the body  stage 4.

Basal cell carcinomas rarely spread to other areas of the body, and almost everyone diagnosed with it in the early stages survives. But this is reduced if it spreads to other areas.

Ms Murray underwent her first operation to remove both cancers at the end of November.

But the cancer in her chest had gone so deep that a second operation was needed two weeks later, where doctors cut 4cm deep into her chest to remove it.

Describing the moment her beautician spotted the cancer, Ms Murray said: 'I was getting my skin cleaned and she said she didn't like the mark on my chest.

Ms Murray continued receiving treatment at the salon after her operation to help her skin heal over. But she said there will always be a scar

Ms Murray's chest pictured after the operation with the wound almost completely healed, and after it had healed over on both her chest and nose

'It looked like a red bruise. As soon as she saw it, she said I need to get it looked at as soon as possible.

'Prior to that, about six months before, I saw another doctor and they told me to put a cream on it and said nothing to worry about, it's fine.

'I've been seeing Leigh for a few years. She went over me like a fine-tooth comb. She told me on a Friday that the mark needed to be looked at so I booked in the following week.

'When I tell her she's saved my life, she gets goosebumps, she's overwhelmed and she's so pleased that her training has taught her what to do.'

Ms Murray said after the operations she was in 'ridiculous' pain, and several months later the feeling still hasn't returned in her right breast or chest.

When it was first diagnosed, she said that she was 'shaking' and 'thought her life was over' and that it 'would be in the blood system'.

'I didn't know the extent of how horrific it was. It was really bad. If it gets in your bloodstream, it's bad.

'(But) I was just outside of the margin so they didn't have to take my lymph nodes out and I have to be checked out every three months.'

Ms Murray and husband Paul, 58, (left). The couple run a childcare centre together in Cairns, Australia. She is pictured right with her daughter Hayley, 32

Talking about her recovery, she said: 'I looked disgusting but I'm healing now.

'My face is good but make up covers it, my chest is pretty bad. I'm still scarred and I will be forever.'

Ms Murray and Ms Murray have now become good friends, with Ms Murray saying she is always raving about the Rejuvie Skin Therapy salon.

Online it is described as a 'small, family-owned' business in Australia. It has one five-star Google review from a customer saying they have visited for more than a year, and more than 1,500 followers on Instagram.

Ms Murphy said: 'I'm so happy I was able to help my friend as the oncologist advised that if it was left any longer it would've gone into her lymph nodes.'

Ms Murray runs a childcare centre with husband Paul, 58. She also has a daugher Hayley, 32, who has helped her mother with her recovery.
Advertisement

More Covid shots are on the way for Americans, even as daily infections remain near pandemic lows and mortality from the virus continues to crater, leading to many in the United States wanting to move on from the pandemic all together.

Dr Peter Marks, who leads the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), making him the top vaccine regulator in the agency, said during a conference call Tuesday that he believes all Americans will need a fourth vaccine shot as soon as this fall.

The remarks come the same day that the FDA approved second booster doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for all Americans 50 and older, and made immunocompromised people 12 and older eligible as well.

The move came as Covid cases and deaths continue to recede. America is averaging 31,090 cases per day, a flat figure over the past week. Deaths are plummeting in the U.S. as well, with the nation recording an average of 802 per day, a 22 percent drop over the past seven days.

While America's virus situation seems to be improving, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the world suffered 45,000 Covid deaths last week, a 40 percent increase week-over-week, though much of that rise comes from a change in how the organization tallies case figures.

'It would not be surprising if there is a potential need for people to get an additional booster in the fall along with a more general booster campaign if that takes place,' Marks told reporters.

'It may be that a decision is made that rather than the vaccines we currently have, which are called vaccines against the prototype virus, that we will move to a vaccine that is either against one of the variants or something else.'

Dr Peter Marks (pictured), the FDA's top vaccine regulator, said that he expects all Americans to need a fourth shot of a COVID-19 vaccine this fall

The agency has scheduled an advisory committee meeting on April 6 to discuss the future of booster shots in America, including the fourth shots and beyond.

Marks said that a study out of Israel found that the fourth dose reduced risk of hospitalization or death caused by the virus, though other studies found that it did little to protect younger adults - who rarely face hospitalization or death from the virus anyways.

Not all experts believe the shot is necessary either.

Dr Anna Durbin is an international public health expert at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and has been a critic of Pfizer, Moderna and the White House's insistence to roll out COVID-19 booster shots before they are needed. Last week, she told ABC that she does not believe many Americans will benefit from additional shots.

'There are very few, if any, people who, in my opinion require a fourth dose,' she said.

In August, when the White House was laying out plans to roll out the first batch COVID-19 booster shots, Durbin was also a critic, telling DailyMail.com that there was little science backing up the decision.

'In general, it's too early to recommend a fourth dose, except for those who are immune compromised,' Dr Paul Goepfert, professor of medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told ABC.

The additional shots were approved partly out of fear of the BA.2 'stealth' variant that is gaining ground in the U.S.

The CDC reports that the more infectious BA.2 'stealth' lineage (light pink) of Omicron is now dominant in the U.S. The Omicron variant makes up every single sequences Covid case in the U.S.

The strain, which earned the moniker from its ability to avoid detection through some sequencing methods, is believed to be the most infectious version of Covid yet - but is just as mild as the BA.1 version of Omciron that took over the world last last year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported Tuesday that it now makes up 55 percent of active Covid cases in the U.S., taking the mantle from BA.1 as the nation's dominant strain.

As a whole, Omicron is still the dominant variant and makes up every single case sequenced by the CDC, the agency reports.

There are fears that this strain will cause another surge of cases in America, like it did in other parts of the world in recent weeks.

The WHO has warned that case rises in Europe, Africa and Asia during March that reversed a month's long trend of falling cases was only the start of the BA.2 surge.

This week, the organization reported that Covid deaths are starting to rise around the world, though case figures are trending downwards once more.

About ten million new COVID-19 infections and more than 45,000 deaths were reported worldwide over the past week, following a 23 percent drop in fatalities the week before.

The jump in reported deaths, up from 33,000 last week, was due mainly to an accounting change; WHO noted that countries including Chile and the United States altered how they define COVID-19 deaths.

In addition, more than 4,000 deaths from Maharashtra state in India that initially weren't included among the COVID-19 death toll were added last week, according to the WHO.

WHO has said repeatedly that COVID-19 case counts are likely a vast underestimate of the coronavirus' prevalence.

The agency cautioned countries in recent weeks against dropping their comprehensive testing and other surveillance measures, saying that doing so would cripple efforts to accurately track the spread of the virus.

'Data are becoming progressively less representative, less timely and less robust,' WHO said.

'This inhibits our collective ability to track where the virus is, how it is spreading and how it is evolving: information and analyses that remain critical to effectively end the acute phase of the pandemic.'
A baby born with two heads, three arms and two hearts has left doctors stunned in India.

Shaheen Khan and her husband Sohail were expecting two fully formed twins, but were shocked when she gave birth to what appeared to be a baby with two heads on March 28 in Ratlam, in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

The condition is known as dicephalic parapagus - where two infants are joined by one torso - and often results in a stillbirth.

But the miracle conjoined twins have so far survived and have been admitted to a hospital in the nearby city of Indore to be monitored by doctors.

Shaheen remains in the district hospital in Ratlam.

The conjoined siblings (pictured), born on March 28 in Ratlam in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, also have three arms and two hearts

The condition is known as dicephalic parapagus - where two infants are joined by one torso - and often results in a stillbirth. (Pictured: X-ray of conjoined twins)

The miracle babies (pictured) have so far survived and have been admitted to a hospital in the nearby city of Indore to be monitored by doctors

What are conjoined twins with dicephalic parapagus? The prevalence of conjoined twins has been previously estimated to be one in 50,000 to 100,000 births, according to the American Journal of Medical Genetics. Of this, around 11 per cent are dicephalus parapagus twins, according to a historic review in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery. The most common type of conjoined twins are joined at the chest or abdomen. Dicephalus parapagus twins are joined side to side at the pelvis and part or all of the abdomen and chest, but with separate heads. The twins can have two, three (tribrachius) or four (tetrabrachius) arms and two or three legs. Conjoined twins are caused by a fertilised egg beginning to split into two embryos a few weeks after conception, but the process stops before it is complete. Separation surgery success depends on where the twins are joined. Doctors can only tell which organs the siblings share, and therefore plan surgery, after they are born. At least one twin survives 75 per cent of the time, according to University of Maryland Medical Center. Advertisement

One of the doctors, Dr. Lahoti, said: 'These kinds of cases are rare and the condition of babies remains uncertain, especially in the initial days.

'Due to this, we have kept them under observation.

'We have not planned for any surgery on the patient.'

Twins born with two heads, but sharing one body, are known as dicephalic parapagus  an extremely unusual form of conjoinment which is said to affect only one in a million births.

It comes after a 21-year-old woman delivered a baby with two heads and three arms in 2019, also in India.

Babita Ahirwar and her husband Jaswant Singh Ahirwar said they were shocked when she delivered the infant on November 23 of that year.

Mr Ahirwar said: 'We are shocked. It is unbelievable.

'Everyone is shocked to see them. We cannot believe our child has two heads.'

Mr and Mrs Ahirwar, from Basauda village in Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh, a state in central India, were initially devastated.

The couple had married 18 months prior and were eagerly awaiting their first child.

According to local reports, they were told to expect conjoined twins around the 35th week of pregnancy.

But after a C-section they welcomed a 'baby with two heads'.

Mrs Ahirwar told a local news agency: 'It was a mixed feeling when the nurses handed over the baby to me.

'Initially, I thought it was a twin, but when the nurses removed the towel, I was shocked to see our firstborn with two heads and three hands.

'All we wanted was a normal and healthy baby, but the almighty wanted to punish us this way. I don't know why.'

Babita Ahirwar and her husband Jaswant Singh Ahirwar (pictured together) were expecting their first child in 2019 when they also gave birth to conjoined twins, which they thought was a punishment from God

Mrs Ahirwar said all she wanted was a 'healthy baby'. The twins had to be placed under round the clock care

They later vowed to raise the baby the best that they could.

It came after two boys who were also born with the condition, again in India, in 2017, died just 24-hours after birth.

They had been immediately placed on a ventilator but doctors warned the parents that their chances of survival were 'hopeless'.

The siamese twins, weighing 3.7kg (8.15Ib), shared a liver and a pair of limbs but had separate lungs and hearts.

Medics revealed that the mother and father begged them to save their children but they said 'such kids do not survive'.

They also explained that had they lived, there would have been no possibility of separation surgery.

Dr Sanjay Bansode, head of the gynaecology department, said the twins were born in healthy condition but doctors knew they had no chance of survival.

'The babies were a case of dicephalic parapagus or two-headed twins, which are often stillborn.

Two boys who were born with the condition (pictured), also in India, in 2017, died just 24-hours after birth

'It is extremely rare and happens just one in a lakh [equal to one hundred thousand] and chances of dicephalic parapagus twins are of around 10 per cent of such births.

'Their condition was very critical and they were put on ventilator support. However, a day after birth they died.'

Other experts have estimated this type of conjoined twin to be even rarer.

Medics said the couple, who were already parents to three daughters and a son, were shocked to find their newborn had two heads.

'They were extremely poor and were nervous after the child's birth,' said Dr Sanjay Bansode.

'The mother did not know she was carrying conjoined twins until the 32nd week of pregnancy.'

'They asked us to do anything to save the babies but such kids do not survive.

'There is no possibility of surgery either as they share most of their body parts and in this case had just one pair of limbs.'
Using antibiotics for extended periods of time can harm a middle-aged woman's brain, and even increase their risk of developing Alzheimer's a new study finds.

Researchers from Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Rush University, in Chicago, Illinois, found that women who took antibiotics for at least two consecutive months during their 50s consistently scored worse on cognitive tests.

Scoring included measures of processing speed, brain functioning, attention and memory capacity.

The researchers write that the use of antibiotics aged women by around three to four years compared to their peers, and even raised their risk of developing devastating cognitive conditions down the line.

Women in their 50s who use antibiotics for at least two months are at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's and also score worse off on cognitive tests (file photo)

Researchers, who published their findings last week in PLOS, gathered data from over 14,000 women who took part in the biennial Nurses' Health Study II.

As part of the study, the women would report if they had used medication over the past two year period, and if they were suffering any health related issues - along with other questions.

In 2009, when many of the participants had reached their 50s, a question on antibiotics was included in the survey.

In 2016, seven years later, the women were given a cognitive exam to determine a variety of cognitive factors.

Women who reported at least two consecutive months of antibiotic usage universally performed worse than their peers.

There was also a clear sign of cognitive degradation over time, as women who were further away from their middle-age antibiotic usage tested even more poorly.

The exact mechanism causing antibiotics to have such a terrifying effect on the brain can not be pin-pointed, but experts have one potential hunch.

Researchers point to the gut-brain axis for the cognitive decline experienced by women.

A person's gut has more control over their body and brain than they may believe, and previous studies have even found that the gut microbiome could determine a person's personality.

Past studies have also found that gut health is tied to cognitive conditions like Alzheimer's and others in both humans and animals.

Experts have long known that antibiotics can affect cognitive process as the body's gut microbiome has large control over processes across the body, and the bacteria in the microbiome is hurt by the drugs

The gut microbiome is affected by antibiotics, that can kill and change the population of the body's stomach.

As far back as Hippocrates in 400 BC have humans known that there was some link between internal body processes and outward displays of personality and other cognitive functioning.

In 2016, researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that antibiotic treatments could alter a person's gut microbiome, and as a result harm people suffering from psychiatric disorders.

'More research is needed, but ours suggests that if we can prevent infections and minimize antibiotic treatment in people with mental illness, then we might be able to prevent the occurrence of manic episodes,' Dr Robert Yolken, a researcher at the Baltimore, Maryland, school, wrote.

Why the microbiome has so much control over the body has not yet been determined, but it has been under investigation from experts for decades.
LV members have been urged to vote against executive pay policies at the mutual as the backlash intensified over a 1million 'reward for failure' for its bungling boss.

The 179-year-old insurer handed Mark Hartigan a 511,000 bonus for 2021 on top of his annual salary of 435,000.

Alongside pension contributions and other benefits he was paid more than 1million for a year that saw his plans to sell LV to US private equity voted down by members.

Undeserving: LV handed Mark Hartigan (pictured) a 511,000 bonus for 2021 on top of his annual salary of 435,000

They now have the opportunity to vote against Hartigan's pay  and have been urged to oppose it.

Tory MP Kevin Hollinrake branded the bonus 'ludicrous'. The lavish package emerged this week in the LV annual report, less than four months after the mutual's 1.2m members scuppered Hartigan's plans to sell it to Bain Capital.

The board said bonuses were based on 'underlying business measures', with no relation to the botched 530million sale.

But Hartigan spent a lot time trying to convince members to sell to the US buyout firm. The deal could have seen him earn even more while at the same time stripping LV members of their mutual ownership.

And the report revealed LV spent 33million on public relations advisers, lawyers and bankers to push the deal through.

The plan was voted down in December in a member revolt after a Daily Mail campaign to save it from private equity.

It cost chairman Alan Cook his job but only after he picked up 201,000 from LV for 2021. The nine board members, including Hartigan and Cook, were paid a total of 2.3million last year.

At the LV annual general meeting last September the remuneration report for 2020 was approved by 94 per cent of those voting. It is thought members will use this year's, expected in September, to voice anger.

This could lead to much stronger opposition to the remuneration report, though the vote will be non-binding.

Andrew Speke, from the High Pay Centre think-tank, said: 'It is farcical to see a chief executive awarded such a huge bonus on a record of failure.

When members vote on it in September, they should know that the reputation of LV is at stake, and oppose the bonus package with every fibre of their being.'

Hollinrake, a Treasury committee member, said: 'I would urge members to vote against this ludicrous bonus.'

Labour MP Gareth Thomas, chairman of Parliament's all-party group on mutuals, said: 'If Mr Hartigan hasn't left by the AGM, I have no doubt members will express anger at this shocking bonus.

I'm astonished the board didn't take the opportunity of the annual report to apologise for going ahead with the ill-fated Bain deal and wasting so much money.'
The largest commercial lab in Europe is set to be built in Londons Canary Wharf.

Canary Wharf Group has teamed up with Dutch developer Kadans Science Partner to build the 750,000 square foot property, which will contain both labs and office space.

Spread over 22 floors, it will be built on an undeveloped site in Londons Docklands area, and will cost at least half a billion pounds, according to sources quoted by the FT. It will be connected to the Tube network through a new station.

Canary Wharf Group has teamed up with Dutch developer Kadans Science Partner to build a 750,000 square foot property, which will contain both labs and office space

The building is scheduled to be completed in 2026 and is expected to be the first phase in plans to create a new health and life sciences hub.

Canary Wharf is trying to create a more mixed neighbourhood and move away from its status as a hub for banks and other financial institutions.

Covid has also caused the landlord to reassess its model of signing long leases on large buildings to corporations after the pandemic sparked a boom in home working and allowed many companies to downsize their office spaces.
Deliveroo founder Will Shu was given a massive bonus worth more than 100million when his company floated on the London Stock Exchange 12 months ago.

The food delivery firm was valued at 7.6billion when it listed a year ago today, with its shares priced at 390p each.

Shu was handed 27m shares, worth almost 106million at the time of the initial public offering (IPO).

IPO misery: Deliveroo founder Will Shu's bonus was worth more than 100m a year ago but is worth 33m now after shares slumped 70%

His total pay last year topped 106million once his pay and perks of 542,000 were included, according to yesterdays annual report.

But the company was quickly branded Flop-eroo as the share price tumbled. The slump means the shares Shu was handed are now worth just 33million, while his stake is valued at 141million.

The share price, which fell 3.9 per cent, or 4.9p to 120p yesterday, means it is valued at just 2.1billion. It has been dubbed the worst IPO in Londons history.

Before floating, Deliveroo hoped to be valued as high as 8.8billion, setting it up to be Londons biggest listing for a decade.

It was even endorsed by Chancellor Rishi Sunak and has high- profile backers including Next chief executive Lord (Simon) Wolfson, who has a 0.2 per cent stake and is on the board.

But major investors stepped back, denouncing its working practices and governance, and when trading began shares crashed by as much as 31 per cent, leaving tens of thousands of small investors out of pocket.

And the slide has continued, with the shares dropping 70 per cent.

Shus bumper payout was revealed in Deliveroos annual report for 2021, another year of thumping losses. It lost 289million in 2021, more than its 213million loss in 2020.

But sales grew 57 per cent from a year earlier to 1.8billion, while orders jumped 73 per cent to 300.6million.

Deliveroo is ploughing money into marketing and investment to expand its share of the cut-throat delivery market where it faces deep-pocketed competitors including Uber Eats, Just Eat, Getir and Gorillas.

In a letter to investors within the report, Shu said the listing was necessary as it raised 1billion to invest in growth.

Since the IPO, our share price performance has been poor and thats disappointing to me not just because Im the CEO, but because Im the largest individual shareholder, he said.

My interests are aligned with shareholders over the long term and I will continue to do my best to improve long-term shareholder value.

Shu founded Deliveroo in 2013 in London. It operates in 11 countries, with over 180,000 riders.
Queen Elizabeth II is the oldest and longest-reigning monarch in British history. In recent years, the spry 95-year-old has dialed back her official Royal appearances abroad in deference to her age, but it seems like nothing  including a case of coronavirus  will stand in the way of her celebrating her Platinum Jubilee this year.

The milestone Jubilee marks 70 years since her accession to the throne on February 6, 1952, following the death of her father, King George VI. Although celebrations of her Platinum Jubilee have already begun, the true nationwide festivities celebrating her long reign will take place during a four-day bank holiday called the Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend from June 2 to June 5, 2022.

Queen Elizabeth II is pictured at Sandringham House in a portrait celebrating the start of her Platinum Jubilee year in February 2022, celebrating the remarkable 70 years she's been on the throne  so far.

Despite the Queen's seemingly never-ending endurance, her age and the passage of time cannot be denied. So it's with this in mind that government and Buckingham Palace officials have been working on plans and official protocols to follow for the sad day when Her Majesty does eventually pass away.

According to leaked official documents, the plan is known by the code name 'Operation London Bridge.' Variations of the plan have been drafted as far back as the 1960s and it has been built upon and refined throughout the decades since then.

What is Operation London Bridge?

Operation London Bridge is the codename for the UK government's plan of action for what to do when Queen Elizabeth II dies, and in the days immediately following her passing. Although bits and pieces of the procedure have surfaced over the years, the plan wasn't well-known until September 2021 when comprehensive details were leaked to the media following updates made during the Coronavirus pandemic.

According to the leaked top secret documents, the government will activate a 10-day plan upon Queen Elizabeth II's death. The phrase that will reportedly set off the cavalcade of carefully laid out arrangements is: 'London Bridge is down.'

Included among the plans is how government officials will be notified about the Queen's death, when Prince Charles will make his first public address via television as King, plans for him to tour the UK as the new monarch and how to go about lowering all Whitehall flags to half-mast within ten minutes of Queen Elizabeth II's death to avoid public ire.

Operation London Bridge also contains information about a pre-planned 'spontaneous' memorial service to be held at St Paul's Cathedral for cabinet ministers, how the Royal Family website and social media accounts will react, and the timing of the Queen's state funeral.

What happens if Queen Elizabeth II dies while she is not at Buckingham Palace?

When in London, Queen Elizabeth II resides at Buckingham Palace, but she has several other royal residences that she stays at throughout the year, including her private estate, Sandringham House, in Norfolk; Balmoral Castle in Scotland, and Windsor Castle in Berkshire  the Queen's official residence as of March 2022.

If Queen Elizabeth II dies while staying at one of her residences outside London, it's expected that a royal train will transport her body back to London's St. Pancras station, where her coffin will be met by the prime minister and cabinet ministers. If it's not possible for her body to travel via royal train, her coffin will be brought to London by plane.

Queen Elizabeth II (in green) and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (in beige), are pictured arriving via Royal Train at Runcorn Station in Cheshire in June 2018.

In the increasingly unlikely event that Queen Elizabeth II is not in the UK when she dies, a Royal Air Force plane carrying a coffin and royal undertakers will be sent to wherever she is in the world to bring her body back to England.

What happens if Queen Elizabeth falls ill and her death is expected?

It's likely that Buckingham Palace will release a brief bulletin if the Queen's death is imminent, just as it has been historically done. However, Queen Elizabeth II's doctor will be in control of who goes in and out of her sickroom and when the information about her death should be made public, according to reports.

Two days before Queen Victoria's death, on January 22, 1901, her physician announced that 'The Queen is suffering from great physical prostration, accompanied by symptoms which cause much anxiety.'

Newly-minted Queen Elizabeth II is pictured arriving in London on a flight from Kenya on February 7, 1952, the day after her father, King George VI died. She and husband Prince Philip had flown back from Africa upon learning of the King's death.

On January 20, 1936, King George V's doctor announced at 9.30pm that 'The King's life is moving peacefully towards its close,' before injecting him with 750mg of morphine and a gram of cocaine to help ease the King's suffering  and so that he would die before the next day's edition of The Times' printing press midnight deadline.

How will the government be notified that Queen Elizabeth is dead?

According to the leaked Operation London Bridge plans, a 'call cascade' will be triggered in the wake of the Queen's death. The people receiving the calls are expected to include the prime minister, the cabinet secretary and other very senior ministers and government officials.

The Queen's private secretary will give the prime minister the news of her death and will also be responsible for sharing the news with the Privy Council Office, which is responsible for coordinating with the government on behalf of the Queen.

Queen Elizabeth II broke tradition when she wore the George IV State Diadem crown (pictured) instead of the three-pound Imperial State Crown when she read the Queen's Speech during the State Opening of Parliament in October 2019.

It's been said that the code to inform the prime minister that the Queen has died will be: 'London Bridge is down.' Meanwhile, the phrase that departmental permanent secretaries should use to tell their ministers the news is, 'We have just been informed of the death of Her Majesty The Queen,' and that ministers should be told that 'discretion is required.'

Operation London Bridge also called for ministers and senior civil servants to receive an email from the cabinet secretary revealing the news. The draft of this email states, 'Dear colleagues, It is with sadness that I write to inform you of the death of Her Majesty The Queen,' according to reports.

The Foreign Office's Global Response Centre is reported to be responsible for informing Commonwealth governments and the leadership of 36 select non-Commonwealth countries of the Queen's passing.

How will the public be notified that the Queen has died?

It's expected that the first public announcement of Queen Elizabeth II's death will be released to the Press Association  a global news agency  after which worldwide media will be alerted. There will also be an activation of the UK's Cold War-era Radio Alert Transmission System  aka RATS  signaling the Queen has died.

Per tradition, a Buckingham Palace footman, dressed in mourning clothes, will pin a black-edge notice of the Queen's death to the gates outside the palace.

The prime minister will be the first government official to make a statement about the Queen's death, after which other members of the government will be free to comment on her passing.

Prince Charles is seen making a speech at the opening of the new Royal College of Music in London on December 2, 2021.

The BBC will spread the news of the Queen's death through its various channels, pausing all programming to switch over to a news feed, read by black-clad presenters, from BBC One. They, like other news organizations, will start rolling out obituaries, interviews with royal experts and various pre-prepared coverage. Meanwhile, radio stations will break into their regularly scheduled broadcasts and switch to the news.

At 6pm on the night of the Queen's death, her son, Prince Charles, will address the nation as its new King for the first time ever.

How will the Queen's death be revealed on official websites and social media?

The Royal Family's website is expected to be changed to a solitary black screen with a brief statement confirming the Queen's death.

GOV.UK  the UK government's official website  will have a black banner added to the top of its homepage. All government social media accounts will also have black banners added to them and all profile pictures will be changed over to departmental crests.

Leaked Operation London Bridge documents revealed that only urgent content would be allowed to be published on government websites in the immediate wake of the Queen's death  and that retweets will be strictly forbidden unless given the go-ahead by the government's head of communications.

Will Prince Charles become King?

As the eldest of Queen Elizabeth II's children, Charles, Prince of Wales, has been heir apparent to the British crown since the day he was born in 1948. Upon his mother's death, he will instantly become King, as well as Head of the Commonwealth  a non-hereditary role that was confirmed during a 2018 vote.

In a February 2022 speech kicking off her Platinum Jubilee year, Queen Elizabeth II revealed that Prince Charles' wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, would be known as Queen Consort  as opposed to Princess Consort, as originally expected  when Prince Charles ascends to the throne.

Prince Charles (right) is the longest-serving heir apparent in British history. When he takes the throne, his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (left), will become Queen Consort. The couple are pictured at the State Opening of Parliament in London in May 2015.

Will Prince Charles become King Charles III?

Upon Queen Elizabeth II's death, the Accession Council will officially declare Prince Charles as the successor to the throne. The new King will then be able to pick his 'regnal' name.

The most obvious choice would be King Charles III, but it's been speculated that he may opt to use one of his other given names as his regnal title instead, considering the less than flattering memories associated with previous British kings named Charles  Charles I was executed for treason, while the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London occurred during Charles II's reign.

Prince Charles' full name is Charles Philip Arthur George. Royal watchers have said that he could chose to become King George VII, which would allow him to pay tribute to his grandfather, King George VI  who spent the first 40 years of his life being called Prince Albert.

What happens to the Royal Line of Succession?

When the Queen dies and Prince Charles becomes King, the Royal Line of Succession will change. Prince Charles' first-born son, Prince William, will become the heir apparent and first in line to inherit the throne upon his father's death or in the unlikely event of his abdication.

Prince William's three children with wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge  Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis  will all move up a position, to second, third and fourth in line for the throne, respectively.

All others in the Line of Succession will also move up a spot.

When Prince Charles becomes King, Prince William (second left) will become heir apparent and his children - (L to R) Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Prince George - will all move up a place in the Royal Line of Succession. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are pictured with their children in their children during a trip to Jordan in 2021.

Will the Queen have a state funeral?

According to Operation London Bridge, Queen Elizabeth II will have a state funeral and, as a 'Day of National Mourning,' the day of the funeral will be considered an unofficial bank holiday if it falls on a weekday.

The state funeral is expected to be attended by heads of state from around the world and be coordinated by the UK government and its armed forces.

It's expected that London will be jam-packed with visitors during this time  with all hotels and bed & breakfasts filled to capacity  as the city is deluged with people hoping to take part in some way in mourning the Queen who has reigned for most of their lives.

When and where will the funeral be held?

The funeral is expected to be held 10 days after Queen Elizabeth II's death, with the Royal Family making the announcement about her funeral plans.

The Queen's funeral ceremony will be held at Westminster Abbey and there will be a two-minute silence across the UK at noon, according to the leaked Operation London Bridge documents. Following the funeral, the Queen's body will be traveled to Windsor Castle for a committal service at St. George's Chapel.

Queen Elizabeth II is expected to have her funeral at Westminster Abbey, but many previous Royals have had their ceremonies at St. George's Chapel in Windsor. Prince Philip's coffin is pictured being carried ahead of his funeral procession to the chapel on April 17, 2021.

Previous British monarch have a history of having funerals held on Windsor Castle grounds. Queen Victoria's state funeral was held at St. George's Chapel and her body then spent two days lying-in-state, before she was buried besides her husband, Prince Albert, in the Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore in Windsor Great Park in 1901.

King George V, meanwhile had his lying-in-state in Westminster Hall, where his body was guarded by the Vigil of the Princes his four sons, Edward, Albert, Henry and George, on horseback  on the night before his funeral. George V funeral and interment took place at St. George's Chapel in 1936.

Queen Elizabeth II's father, King George VI died at Sandringham in 1952. His body was taken to the estate's St. Mary Magdalene Church for two days, before traveling to London for lying-in-state at Westminster Hall from 11 February. His body was then transported to St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for his funeral and he was buried in the Royal Vault, before being moved to the King George VI Memorial Chapel in 1969.

The Vigil of the Princes was repeated when the Queen Mother  Queen Elizabeth II's mother  died in 2002. For twenty minutes, grandsons Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Viscount Linley, stood watch by her coffin while it was in-state in Westminster Hall. Princes William and Harry were there, as well.

Queen Elizabeth II will have a state funeral. She will lie in state for three days for public viewing before her funeral. Prince Charles (left) and Prince Andrew (right) are shown standing vigil around the Queen Mother's coffin during her lying-in-state in April 2002.

It's unclear if there will be another Vigil of the Princes held during her funeral, but Queen Elizabeth II does have two sons and grandsons who could carry out the somber tradition.

How many days will the Queen's mourning period be?

There will be a 12-day mourning period for Queen Elizabeth II, following her death. During this time, preparations will be made for her state funeral. And Parliament will suspend business for 10 days.

Prior to her funeral, Operation London Bridge calls for the Queen to lie in state at the Palace of Westminster for three days. Her coffin will be placed on a catafalque in the middle of Westminster Hall and be available for public viewing for 23 hours each day.

Where will the Queen be buried?

After her funeral, Queen Elizabeth II will be taken from London to Windsor Castle for a committal service in St. George's Chapel.

The Queen will then be buried in the castle's King George VI Memorial Chapel  alongside her mother, Queen Elizabeth and her father King George VI.

Prince Philip, who died on April 9, 2021, was buried in the Royal Vault, but it's expected that he will be moved to the King George VI Memorial Chapel when Queen Elizabeth II dies so that they can be side by side in their final resting places.

What are the Royal Vault and the George VI Memorial Chapel?

Located on the grounds of Windsor Castle, St. George's Chapel is the final resting place of 25 British Sovereigns to date  ten former British Royal Family kings and queens are buried within the Chapel itself.

When Queen Elizabeth II dies, she will be buried in the King George VI Memorial Chapel (pictured) in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Her father, King George VI, and mother, the Queen Mother, and the ashes of Princess Margaret are buried there already.

King Henry VIII and Charles I are buried in the Chapel's Quire, while Edward IV, Henry VII and Queen Alexandra are buried in the Quire Aisles. Edward VI, George V and Queen Elizabeth's father, George VI, were originally buried in the Royal Vault beneath the Chapel, which had been built by George III between 1804 to 1810. But, their bodies were moved to the specially-built annex in the Chapel  called the King George VI Memorial Chapel  in 1969.

The George VI Memorial Chapel is where the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret  Queen Elizabeth II's younger sister  were also buried in 2002.

Other members of the Royal Family have been buried in locations including a mausoleum at Frogmore in Windsor Great Park, where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are buried, and at Westminster Abbey in London, where 16 former kings and queens were laid to rest, including King George II.
Ahn Cheol-soo, the chairman of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's presidential transition committee, speaks during a press conference at the committee's office in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap



Ahn keeps options open for PPP leader position, won't run in June local elections



By Kang Seung-woo



Ahn Cheol-soo, the chairman of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's transition team, has taken himself out of consideration for the prime minister position in order to "ease the burden" on the incoming president.



Ahn, who also dropped out of the presidential election to endorse Yoon, said that he is committed to finding qualified candidates for the Cabinet, while doing things that will help cement the support base of the party and stabilize the new administration.



The 60-year-old physician and software mogul had been one of the most likely candidates for prime minister, as Ahn and Yoon had earlier promised to launch a coalition government through their agreement to field a unified candidate. That decision raised speculation that he would use the chairmanship of the transition team as a stepping stone for the prime minister's post.



"I believe that drawing up the blueprint and setting the direction for the next government as the transition committee chairman, rather than participating in the Cabinet, will ease the burden on the president-elect," Ahn said during a press conference at the transition committee's office.



"I came to the conclusion that would be of help to the president-elect in setting the overall direction for state affairs that he plans," he added.



Ahn said he delivered his decision to Yoon, Tuesday, which the president-elect accepted.



Following his withdrawal, there is speculation that Ahn will focus on the People Power Party's (PPP) primary to select its leader next year, as he did not rule out that possibility. Currently, Ahn's People's Party and the PPP are discussing a merger.



Should Ahn take charge of the PPP next year, he will be able to secure the nomination right ahead of the general election in 2024 and tighten his grip on the party, which will then serve as a springboard for another presidential run, according to political watchers.



"PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok's term ends next year, so I do not have it in mind to run for chairman at this point," Ahn said.



"A year is a long time from now, and many things will happen in the meantime. I will make a decision when the time comes because a long-term plan in politics does not run like clockwork."



However, Ahn said he will not run in the local elections, scheduled for June 1. He had been rumored to be considering a run for governor of Gyeonggi Province or mayor of Busan. Ahn is from Busan.



Instead, Ahn said he will take time off to refresh himself as campaigning during both the presidential election and last year's Seoul mayoral by-election have taken a toll on him.



PM nomination possible in early April



Meanwhile, the selection process for Yoon's first prime minister is expected to gain speed with Ahn taking himself out of the prime minister candidate pool. The president-elect is expected to announce his pick at the start of next week at the earliest.



"Ahn delivered his decision to the president-elect yesterday, so the process will pick up speed," Yoon's spokesperson, Kim Eun-hye, said during a press briefing.



"The announcement will be made by early April at the latest," she added.



Yoon is said to prefer a candidate who can handle both economic and security issues, the two most urgent issues that the nation faces.



In that respect, former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo seems to lead the pack of candidates, as the 72-year-old served as the deputy prime minister for economic affairs and ambassador to the United States under the previous governments.



In addition, given that Han, a native of Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, worked for former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, there is speculation that it would not be easy for the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) to oppose him strongly. The two former heads of state were from predecessor parties of the DPK, and North and South Jeolla provinces are traditional liberal strongholds.



Kim Han-gil, a former DPK chief who chairs the transition committee's national unity division, and Park Joo-sun, a former parliamentary vice speaker who leads the presidential inauguration preparation committee, are also under discussion for the prime minister's post.




The union representing workers at an Alabama social justice advocacy group are protesting over claims that management is forcing mostly black workers to return to the office while white managerial staffers can continue to work from home.

Members of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) Union held a picket on Monday outside the civil rights group's Montgomery headquarters to protest alleged racial disparities in the organization's return-to-office policies.

The SPLC Union claimed that management is forcing a unit of the nonprofit that's responsible for bringing in revenue - the mailing and donations departments that are staffed primarily by black women - to return to the office while allowing higher-paid, white employees the option of remote work.

Lisa Wright, who is the corporate gifts coordinator for the organization and a steward of the union, said there are 'seven of us who are among the most marginalized employees at Southern Poverty Law Center have processed over $200 million in donations over the last two years,' but who are now being mandated to return to the office.

'Staff in more highly regarded job classifications and who are higher-paid employees are given the flexibility to work remotely, while women, black, brown, and lower paid employees are forced back into the office regardless of our work, our needs and our advocacy for more inclusive treatment,' SPLC Union said in a release on Monday.

It's unclear exactly what positions the white employees hold. The SPLC staff is made up of nearly 400 people, and it identified nine percent of employees - approximately 36 people - whose positions 'require them to be in the office,' the organization said.

Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the organization since 2020, told The Montgomery Advertiser that the SPLC had created a flexible work model that allowed staff in certain, eligible roles to work entirely remotely.

Huang said that model determined that a small percentage of workers, which happened to be the unit made up of mostly black, female employees, needed to return to the office to effectively complete their work duties.

'We have nearly 400 employees and have identified only 9 percent of employees whose positions require them to be in the office, performing activities such as processing legal mail and donor contributions,' Huang said in a statement.

The protest comes as the union has been in contract negotiations with the SPLC management for over a year.

'Black women, many of whom have been working at this organization for decades in positions with little or no opportunities for advancement are four times more likely to be denied telework and/or remote work than white women and are seven times more likely to be denied telework options than white men at the Center,' the SPLC Union added in their statement.

On Monday members of the Southern Poverty Law Center Union held a picket outside the civil rights group's Montgomery headquarters (pictured) to protest alleged racial disparities

About half a dozen union members were photographed outside the headquarters on Monday holding signs calling for 'equality'

The protest comes as the union has been in contract negotiations with the SPLC management for over a year

Wright said they had discussed options such as working remotely 'months ago' but that she could not get information on why the donor team that she's a part of had to return to the office.

'We should be trusted to make the decision that are best for us, our work, and our families.

'We should all be able to be treated exactly the same,' Wright added.

About half a dozen union members were photographed outside the headquarters on Monday holding signs calling for 'equality.'

One sign read: 'Return to office = more policing & surveillance,' while another said: 'Practice what you preach.'

One union member also held up a sign that read: 'Stop policing people of color.' Another sign said: 'The pandemic is not over. We do not feel safe.'

Members of the SPLC Union protested alleged racial disparities in the organization's return to office policies on Monday

Lisa Wright of the SPLC Union protests unfair working conditions outside the Southern Poverty Law Center headquarters in Montgomery with a sign that reads 'Stop union busting'

The Southern Poverty Law Center is a decades-old group that advocates for social justice in the South and elsewhere. The Alabama-based organization was founded in 1971 and over the years has advocated for expanding voting access, protections for immigrants, and equal rights for members of the LGBTQ community.

Some people online pointed out the irony of the social justice group being accused of racism by its own employees.

'The Southern Poverty Law Center, which is best known for its extensive list of hate groups, is racist, according to its employees. SPLC Union members protested outside of their employer's office Monday. (I'm amused, but not surprised at all),' one person tweeted.

Someone else tweeted: 'The Southern Poverty Law Center's union is claiming that the Southern Poverty Law Center is racist for requiring black female employees to return to work. I'm not making this up'

The group has been mired in controversy in recent years.

In 2019, Morris Dees, the founder of the organization, was fired; at the time, the organization didn't detail why but said they must act when conduct by staff members doesn't meet its standards. The organization's president, Richard Cohen, then resigned. Other staffers also left, and the organization's employees voted to unionize in December 2020.
The FBI raided a Detroit home after receiving threats to both the judge and a pair of defense lawyers involved in the Governor Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping conspiracy trial.

Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker, together with lawyers Josh Blanchard and Christopher Gibbons, have all received death threats over their participation in the high-profile trial, which has just entered its third week.

The threats led FBI agents to a home in Hazel Park, just south the city, that was raided on Friday.

Jonker, 62, is the presiding judge in the trial with the attorney's Blanchard and Gibbons representing the accused ringleaders of the plot - Barry Croft and Adam Fox - who face life in prison if convicted of kidnapping conspiracy.

Death threats were aimed at Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker

Defense lawyers Christopher Gibbon, left, and Josh Blanchard, right, have had death threats

Jonker has served on the federal bench since 2007 after being nominated by President George W. Bush.

The raid raised issues over the security of those involved in the high-profile prosecution.

'Unfortunately, it's become far too common a thing in society today,' Detroit defense attorney Michael Bullotta, a former federal prosecutor, told the Detroit News. 'It comes with the territory in a high-profile case.'

Bullotta says that he does not believe it will have much affect overall 'because we hear about death threats all the time.'

'I feel like defense attorneys are more vulnerable, in many ways, to threats and violence in the criminal justice system, because they don't have the protection and law-enforcement backing. To the extent they are representing dangerous and violent people, those clients expect certain things to happen in their favor. And when those things don't happen, they can blame the defense attorneys,' Bullotta explained.

Whitmer, a Democrat, rarely talks publicly about the case. She has blamed former President Donald Trump for fomenting anger over coronavirus restrictions and refusing to condemn right-wing extremists like those charged in the case

'FBI Detroit will work closely with other FBI field offices and with our law enforcement partners across the country to identify the source of any threat made to anyone involved with the ongoing prosecution in Grand Rapids,' FBI spokeswoman Mara Schneider explained in a statement.

'Individuals found responsible for making threats in violation of state and/or federal law will be referred for prosecution in the appropriate jurisdiction.'

It is not known if any new security measures have been put in place in response to the threats against the judge or defense lawyers.

So concerned was the judge about security that he ensured the names of the jurors were withheld from the public.

'I want to have jurors identified in court only by number to give them some greater confidence that they are not going to have their privacy unduly invaded in the process,' Jonker said.

The two defense lawyers representing Adam Fox (left) and Barry Croft Jr (right), who have been described as leaders of the group's plans, received death threats

Daniel Harris, left, Brandon Caserta, right, are also charged with conspiring to kidnap Whitmer

Federal prosecutors are poised to finish their case on Wednesday, which will be the 13th day of trial in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

They're trying to show in the final stretch that the men charged with conspiring to kidnap Whitmer were firmly committed to a plan without influence by informants or undercover FBI agents.

Barry Croft Jr., a 46-year-old trucker from Bear, Delaware, regularly vented on Facebook about government and public officials in 2020 when governors were issuing stay-home orders, requiring masks and making other rules during the early leg of the pandemic.

'Which governor is going to end up dragged off and hung for treason first?' Croft wrote on Memorial Day 2020. 'It's really a spin-the-bottle match at this point and I'm sure a few mayors are in the running!!! God bless the constitutional republic!!!'

A few days later, Croft posted about seizing state Capitols and 'putting these tyrants addresses out here for rioters.'

The FBI said that message was 'liked' on Facebook by Fox.

Defense lawyers deny there was an actual plan to snatch Whitmer, claiming the men were induced by agents and informants and exchanged wild talk while smoking marijuana.

Men carry rifles near the steps of the State Capitol building in Lansing, Michigan in April 2020. Whitmer was one of the more high-profile targets of political violence when prosecutors say a group of men who were angry about pandemic restrictions plotted to kidnap her. But the case didn't surprise many women lawmakers or people who track such attacks

Attorney Joshua Blanchard has accused the FBI of targeting Croft because agents didn't like his strident views. He referred to a meme posted by Croft of ammunition with the message, 'Oh, look, 30 votes that count.'

'A little tongue in cheek? A little bit funny?' Blanchard asked FBI agent Thomas Szymanski.

'I didn't laugh when I saw this meme,' the agent replied.

Whitmer, a Democrat, rarely talks publicly about the kidnapping plot, though she referred to 'surprises' during her term that seem like 'something out of fiction' when she filed for reelection on March 17.

She has blamed former President Donald Trump for fomenting anger over coronavirus restrictions and refusing to condemn right-wing extremists like those charged in the case.

Whitmer has said Trump was complicit in the January 6 Capitol riot.
Pictured: Blake Hucker, who tragically took his life in March

The family of a young man who took his own life have revealed his tragic downward spiral after he was preyed on as a teenager - as they pledge to help fight the stigma surrounding male mental health.

Blake Hucker, 22, died in the backyard of his family home in Geelong, southwest of Melbourne, on March 22 - seven years after he was allegedly groomed and sexually assaulted during his horticulture apprenticeship at the age of 15.

'There was a ten-year age gap between them,' his older brother Jordan Hucker, 24, told Daily Mail Australia.

'This man was also into horticulture and he took Blake to shows and things - they had a lot of similar interests and he posed himself as a supportive colleague.'

Two years after the alleged abuse began, a colleague saw an incident between the pair and reported it to HR, and eventually to the police.

Blake's family said a police report was filed but there was insufficient evidence of grooming or sexual assault, so the man was never charged and the teenager tried to persevere in the workplace - with his alleged abuser.

The teenager went from being a 'happy and loveable' boy to someone who was angry, aloof and deeply sad - who would punch walls in frustration and self-harm to cope with the awful things that happened to him.

His brother and aunt Renee Schwidlewski want to share Blake's story to try and help others who have been sexually abused, or struggle with mental health.

'If Blake's story can help even one person, then sharing his situation is worth it,' Mr Hucker said.

Blake Hucker was allegedly groomed and sexually assaulted when he was 15. He is pictured with his younger cousin

Blake Hucker's mother Vanessa (pictured together) tried everything she could to keep her son alive

'There's a massive health stigma in males and a culture that tells you to be tough - that men deal with issues themselves - if you need help, you're not a man.

'I think that's changing now, but mental health still isn't widely talked about, and I think my brother felt ashamed.'

Ms Schwidlewski said her nephew felt weak and tried to compensate by obsessively going to the gym, 'he thought it might help protect him from future attacks,' she added.

She added: 'Reach out, talk about it, don't be ashamed. Mental health is not biased.'

Blake's battle began when he left school at 15 to pursue his dream of a career in horticulture - his dyslexia, a learning disability, made it hard for him to keep his grades up in class, and plants were his passion.

But the teenager's excitement turned to terror when one of his co-workers allegedly started grooming and sexually abusing him in 2015.

Jordan Hucker (pictured with his brother Blake and mother Vanessa) said Blake was quiet about his struggles and could 'flick a switch' and convince everyone he was OK

Pictured, left to right: Blake's mother Vanessa, his grandfather, Blake, his grandmother, and his aunt Renee.

From there, Blake's life spiralled out of control.

He was diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder and had to leave his dream job behind for a new role at a water company - but he was distracted, traumatised, and couldn't hold down a job.

His parents Scott and Vanessa Hucker took him to therapy while Ms Schwidlewski, who works in disability care, booked him in to see psychiatrists and sexual assault experts.

His family believe the treatments helped, but Blake was notoriously quiet about his struggles because he didn't want to 'burden' anyone else with his issues.

The young man became obsessed with the gym and he began to self-medicate.

Blake (pictured as a baby with his father) was a happy child who struggled at school. He loved horticulture and left school 15 to pursue his dream

Blake is pictured as a teenager with his cousin, Ari. He later developed a drug addiction and an obsession with going to the gym

'He fell in with the wrong crowd,' Ms Schwidlewski said.

'He got into steroids - he bulked up and became really fit, but steroids don't leave you in a good headspace, and he started on hard drugs when he was about 18.'

What began as recreational drug taking as a way of forgetting about his alleged abuse quickly became a full-blown methamphetamine addiction - which tragically evolved into drug-induced schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder.

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness where the sufferer experiences hallucinations and delusions. Frequent drug use can trigger schizophrenia in people who are already susceptible to the condition.

Borderline personality disorder impacts the way people think and feel about themselves and others, and can cause problems managing emotions. Some sufferers experience paranoia, along with risky and impulsive behaviour.

Mr Hucker, Blake's older brother, said he realised the teen was having hallucinations when they were at home alone together one afternoon while their parents were out.

Blake (pictured holding his cousin Ari) tried to hide his struggles from his family because he didn't want to 'burden' them

'Blake told me there were people watching him from a stake-house in the estate across from us, and then he described a place that did not look like the estate across from us,' he recalled.

'It was scary and delusional, so after that he worked extensively with a psychiatrist and and took anti-psychotic medication until the end.'

His family stressed that Blake was never violent towards anyone aside from himself - both during the height of his addiction, and while he dealt with his mental health struggles when he sobered up after going to rehab.

He decided to become a drug and alcohol counsellor to help others in his position but, even with a promising career in sight, he couldn't undo the damage.

Blake's mental health issues were manageable but would be a life-long problem, and he owed enormous amounts of money to banks, loan operators and - terrifyingly - drug dealers and bikie gangs.

Blake's family would like to set up an organisation to help other people who are struggling with their mental health

Mr Hucker and Ms Schwidlewski were unsure about the exact amount owed, but they estimated it to be significantly higher than the $20,000 loan his parents took out to pay everyone back.

'He became obsessed with jewellery and war memorabilia, he wanted to make it and sell it, and he would go on spending sprees buying things for everyone with money he didn't have,' Ms Schwidlewski said.

Mr Hucker added: 'He took out large and unsecured personal loans to help pay off family members who he borrowed money from, had IOUs with drug dealers and used our parents' credit card to buy things.'

Even after he died, the family were receiving packages of jewellery that he ordered weeks ago.

To help cover Blake's debts, the family set up a Go Fund Me campaign.

His mother Vanessa (pictured together on his 21st birthday) made him promise that he wouldn't hurt himself

While he largely kept his struggles to himself, he did frequently tell his mother that he didn't 'want to live anymore'.

'His goal was to live to 22, but his parents wanted to push him out further,' his aunt said.

At one stage, Blake's mother said to her youngest son: 'Promise me you won't take your life.'

He replied: ''I love you too much, Mum. I would never want to hurt you like that.'

Ms Schwidlewski believes her nephew intended to keep that promise, and says his mother tried everything she could to keep him alive, but his internal struggles were too much.

When Ms Schwidlewski was asked whether she believes her nephew's mental health would have deteriorated if he hadn't allegedly been abused, she said: 'No. I don't.'

On March 22, Blake bought a carton of cigarettes, ordered some jewellery, and asked his mother for $40 via text.

Blake's family want to encourage anyone who is strugglign with their mental health to reach out to someone. Blake is pictured with his mother

Blake Hucker loved horticulture and had a greenhouse full of exotic plants. He took his life next to the greenhouse (pictured)

Mrs Hucker usually finished work, went home, gave Blake a hug and asked about his day - but on that Tuesday, she told him she was going to be late.

That evening, the Huckers called Blake downstairs for dinner - but he didn't come.

His father went to check on him, but knew something was wrong when he saw his son's extensive jewellery collection placed neatly on his bed.

When Mrs Hucker heard her husband scream from the backyard, she ran outside and saw the father-of-two fruitlessly trying to save their son's life - but he was already gone.

Ms Schwidlewski recalled: 'At 10.09pm, I got a text from his dad that said: "He's done it, Renee."

'By the time we got there, he was covered in a blanket and police were everywhere. We sat with him, and we held his hand - which was cold.'

They remembered Blake as a loving person who did his best to look out for the people around him.

'Even when he hid his struggles from everyone - that was his way of looking out for us all,' his aunt said.

'He never stopped caring about the people around him - even through his struggle with mental illness.'

In memorial of Blake, the family are looking at creating an organisation to help people in need.

Ms Schwidlewski said she would like to encourage people with mental of physical impairments to contact the National Disability Insurance Scheme for financial support.

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue 1300 224 636

MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78
Scott Morrison has awkwardly fended off accusations from one of his own female senators that he's a 'bully' and an 'autocrat' in a tense interview on morning radio.

Ben Fordham grilled the Prime Minister after Concetta Fierravanti-Wells laid into Mr Morrison during a late night appearance on the Senate floor on Tuesday evening, hours after the Budget was handed down.

Asked for his response on Fierravanti-Wells' claims he was 'not fit to lead the country', Mr Morrison suggested she was disgruntled after losing the NSW Senate pre-selection.

'I know Connie is disappointed that on the weekend 500 members of the Liberal party went to a pre-selection and they didn't select Connie,' he told 2GB on Wednesday.

Scott Morrison has awkwardly rubbished claims by Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells that he made racist remarks when entering Parliament as a member for Cook

'I know there are many disappointments in political life, and when you are prime minister, people hold you to responsible for many things.'

Senator Fierravanti-Wells' also claimed when Mr Morrison entered Parliament as a member for Cook he said we cant have a Lebanese person in Cook.'

Mr Morrison emphatically denied making the racist remark, dismissing it as 'rubbish'.

'That's not true,' he said.

The Prime Minister also rejected the senator's claims her NSW pre-selection loss was due to a factional fix courtesy of his allies.

Brushing off all the accusations, the Prime Minister claimed he was 'not the only one' who had been on the receiving end 'of those sorts of comments' from Connie'.

'I wish her the best, and if she would like to make an official complaint, we have specific party processes to do so.'

Senator Fierravanti-Wells (pictured) made the bombshell claim Mr Morrison said: "we cant have a Lebanese person in Cook"

Mr Morrison said he was unrattled by the bombshell claims that shocked Parliament on Tuesday and overshadowed the fiscal announcement.

'I was focused on the budget last night Ben, I wasn't focused on those issues,' he said.

'As Prime Minister, there are a lot of people who disagree with you, lots of people who say all sorts of things about you.'

Speaking under the protection of parliamentary privilege, Ms Fierravanti-Wells said: 'He (the Prime Minister) is adept at running with the foxes and hunting with the hounds, lacking a moral compass and having no conscience.

The senator's speech was an unwelcome surprise for Prime Minister Scott Morrison (above, watching Josh Frydenberg's Budget speech)

'In my public life, I have met ruthless people. Morrison tops the list, followed closely by (party powerbroker and Immigration Minister Alex) Hawke.

'Morrison is not fit to be Prime Minister and Hawke is certainly not fit to be a minister.'

Ms Fierravanti-Wells was recently dropped to an unwinnable spot on the Coalition's Senate ticket for the Federal election.

The election date is expected to be announced in days, meaning her 17-year parliamentary career is rapidly coming to an end - at least for now.

During her spray, the senator claimed Liberal supporters are despairing at the party's prospects, 'and they blame Morrison for this'.

'It is his way or the highway - (he's) an autocrat, a bully who has no moral compass,' she said.

The outgoing Liberal also told Parliament Mr Morrison made racist comments during his preselection for the seat of Cook in 2007.

'I'm advised that there are several statutory declarations to attest to racial comments made by Morrison at the time that we "can't have a Lebanese person in court".'

Ms Fierravanti-Wells also claimed there is a 'putrid stench of corruption emanating from the NSW division' of the party.

She alleged Mr Morrison and Mr Hawke had deliberately contrived a crisis in the NSW branch of the Liberal party for the past year so they could have their own candidates installed.

Senator Fierravanti-Wells' Senate spray cast a pall over the government on an evening where the

'I am appalled (party president Philip Ruddock) has allowed Morrison to bully his way to a situation where the next election has been put at risk all to save Hawke's career.'

Mr Hawke was facing a preselection challenge for his own seat of Mitchell but was re-endorsed.

Tasmanian Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson was left stunned by the MP's evening tirade. 'Holy smokes,' he said.

Earlier this week, Senator Fierravanti-Wells took aim at the 'Liberal sisterhood' for failing to speak out against toxic parliamentary culture.

She referenced the death of Labor senator Kimberley Kitching to a heart attack at age 52 and how she was ostracised by Labor's so-called 'mean girls'.

'We both had factional enemies who desperately wanted to see us defeated and they worked very hard at it,' she said.

'We were both outspoken and not constrained by prevalent groupthink within our political parties.'
A millionaire stock trader received a reduced sentence Tuesday for his role in the fiery death of a man who was helping him secretly dig tunnels for a nuclear bunker under a home outside of Washington, D.C.

Daniel Beckwitt, 30, initially was sentenced in 2019 to nine years in prison after being convicted of second-degree 'depraved heart' murder and involuntary manslaughter in the September 2017 death Askia Khafra.

Khafra, 21, had been found burned beyond recognition in the tunnels after a fire broke out at Beckwitt's Bethesda, Maryland home just above where he was working to help Beckwitt to dig the tunnels. He later died from smoke inhalation and the heat injuries he sustained.

Beckwitt was described by a prosecutor as a skilled computer hacker who had a paranoid fixation on a possible nuclear attack by North Korea.

He had Khafra work in the tunnels for days at time, eating and sleeping there and urinating and defecating into a bucket that Beckwitt lowered down to him.

A state appeals court overturned Beckwitt's murder conviction in January 2021, saying his conduct did not demonstrate 'an extreme disregard for human life reasonably likely to cause death.'

But in January 2022, the Maryland Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, subsequently upheld Beckwitt's involuntary manslaughter conviction.

The court concluded that Beckwitt's failure to provide Khafra with a reasonably safe workplace in the tunnels constituted gross negligence.

Prosecutors said the extreme hoarding conditions in the home prevented him from escaping. The assessed value of the house in 2019 was $495,700, according to a state tax database.

Daniel Beckwitt, 30, was convicted of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the September 2017 death Askia Khafra. Above, he is seen posing in the secret bunker and tunnel network under his home that he started to build in fear over nuclear attacks from North Korea

Askia Khafra, 21, was found burned beyond recognition in the tunnels under Beckwitt's Bethesda, Maryland home after a fire broke out just above where he worked with Beckwitt

At trial, Montgomery County prosecutor Marybeth Ayres said Beckwitt sacrificed safety for secrecy and created 'death trap' conditions in the house.

'The behavior was grossly negligent on so many levels,' Ayres said Tuesday. 'It wasn't just one thing.'

The two men met online and Beckwitt had invested money in a company Khafra was trying to launch as he helped Beckwitt dig the network of tunnels.

Beckwitt went to elaborate lengths to keep the project a secret, prosecutors said. He tried to trick Khafra into thinking they were digging the tunnels in Virginia instead of Maryland by having him don 'blackout glasses' before taking him on a long drive.

Beckwitt also used internet 'spoofing' to make it appear they were digging in Virginia, according to prosecutors.

A hole in the concrete basement floor led to a shaft that dropped down 20 feet (6 meters) into tunnels that branched out roughly 200 feet (60 meters) in length. Investigators concluded the blaze was ignited by a defective electrical outlet in the basement.

Khafra died from smoke inhalation and the heat injuries he sustained in September 2017

Firefighters found Khafra's naked, charred body in the basement of the trash-filled house

Prosecutors said the extreme hoarding conditions in the home prevented him from escaping

Daniel Beckwitt, 30, initially was sentenced in 2019 to nine years in prison after being convicted of second-degree 'depraved heart' murder

The court concluded that Beckwitt's failure to provide Khafra with a reasonably safe workplace in the tunnels constituted gross negligence.

Beckwitt already has been incarcerated for nearly three years and is statutorily eligible for parole because he has served more than a quarter of his sentence.

Noting that Beckwitt could be released soon, Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Margaret Schweitzer also sentenced him to five years of supervised probation after his release and ordered him to perform 250 hours of community service.

'I hope this is your opportunity to give back to our community,' she said. 'I hope you do what you can do, which is use your intelligence for good.'

Beckwitt, who has been imprisoned since his April 2019 trial conviction. He didn't testify at his trial, but he apologized to Khafra's parents before Schweitzer sentenced him in June 2019.

On Tuesday, Beckwitt described Khafra as a good friend and said he still mourns him 'to this day.'

Khafra, 21, was burnt beyond recognition as the result of a fire that broke out above the tunnels in September 2017

'Not a day goes by that I don't think about all the great things Askia should have gone on to do,' he said. 'The world needs more people like Askia Khafra, not fewer.'

Dia Khafra, Askias father, expressed frustration with Beckwitt's 'light' sentence and said he feels as if his family has been 'stabbed with the knife of victimization all over again.'

'I feel that as a victim, all that mattered to the system were rules, procedures, legalese - not the overarching fact that my son, my dear son's life, had been deliberately terminated,' he told the judge before she handed down Beckwitt's new sentence.

Khafa's father Dia said that the court's recent ruling was 'illustrative of a flawed judicial system' and believed that Beckwitt's initial nine-year sentence was already considered to be too lenient

Defense attorney Robert Bonsib told jurors that Beckwitt screamed for help from neighbors and risked his own safety in a failed attempt to rescue his friend.

'This was an accidental death, pure and simple, and it wasn't intended,' Bonsib told the judge on Tuesday.

The judge said she believes that Beckwitt's 'intellectual arrogance' misled him to believe that everything would go as he planned at the house.

She expressed sympathy for Khafra's family and said she understood why his father is frustrated.

'Please do not equate the number of years (in prison) to the value of the victim's life in this case,' Schweitzer said. 'It just can't happen.'

Bonsib, the defense attorney, said he expects Beckwitt to be released from prison within a couple of months 'at most.'
A shoving match caught on video in the Grand Central subway station quickly escalated into fisticuffs during the Monday morning's rush hour in New York City, sending sleepy commuters fleeing every which way.

The recording, posted on the Instagram feed Subway Creatures, shows straphangers jostling to avoid two men duking it out on the packed escalator as it rises steeply out of the 7 train station.

The viral video exploded on line as Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams have said controlling crime in the subway is key to the city's economic recovery.

'Please stop, please, please!' someone says as a man who looks to be holding a sleeping bag muscles his way up the escalator.

The man in the tan coat seen in the center of this photo appears to be punching the other man who is trying to muscle his way up the escalator

The fight seems to have started with some shoving and quickly escalated from there

The sleepy Monday morning commute was disrupted by the fracas on the Grand Central station escalator

The two men appear to tumble down the escalator still locked in combat and others jump out of their way

A woman wearing a ski cap and surgical mask gets her tote bag temporarily caught in the melee before yanking it loose and climbing the stairs to avoid being further entangled.

A man in a tan jacket appears on the recording on a higher step seeming to try to halt the forward progress of the man with the sleeping bag and looks to be striking him with his fists.

The two men appear to be grappling for a moment and then suddenly the man in the tan coat gets flipped around and tumbles backward 10 or 15 feet down the conveyor as morning workers jump out his way.

One man leaps onto the space that separates the up escalator from the down escalator and several women can be seen hot-footing down the stairs to avoid the human bolder headed their way.

A man holding a cup of coffee moves to the side and watches the two men rolling down the up escalator.

The woman riding the down escalator looks on nervously and winces as the two men tumble back down the escalator

Overall crime in the city is up more than 45 percent since the same period last year

A woman on the nearly empty down escalator winces as a thud can be heard of the man hitting the sharp steel step on his way down.

It was shocking considering the time and location, the man who recorded the fight told the New York Post. I could see the helpless fear from the people considering there was nowhere to go.

He told the paper that the two men appeared to be homeless.

People started to run back down in terror, he said. Some hopped onto the median.

New York's latest plan to tackle both crime and homelessness in subways was launched in February but Dailymail.com still witnessed many homeless people riding the city's trains for shelter (pictured)

One of the men was bleeding from the head as he told police officers in the station what happened, the witness told the Post.

The NYPD said that no complaint was filed from the incident and no arrests were made.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has authority over the subway, and city Mayor Eric Adams have tried to crack down on violence and homelessness that have plagued the underground system.

In January, Deloitte analyst Michelle Go was shoved to her death in front of a subway train by a Martial Simon, a homeless man with a history of mental illness.

Cleaning up the system hasn't been easy for the mayor.

In February, after he enlisted the NYPD to roust homeless people sleeping on subway cars, six commuters were stabbed on the system in a 48 hour period.

More than a 1000 homeless people use the New York City subway system for housing, according to the mayor's office.

Hochul promised to fund mental health professionals to reach out to homeless in the subway system and commit to more hospital beds for the mentally ill.

Elected officials and the city's business community see the subway as a key component to New York's economic recovery after the pandemic.

The safer subway is hoped to encourage workers and tourists to return to the city.

New York City is experiencing a major crime surge, with the NYPD's February crime statistics showing an almost 60 percent increase in felonies compared to the same time last year.

A shocking 73.3 percent increase in underground incidents during the same period - including 182 in February alone.
Tornado warnings were in place in parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama in the early hours of Wednesday, as severe weather warnings left 55 million people bracing for storms.

While the tornado-battered South was expecting heavy thunderstorms and possibly more twisters, and the Northeast told to wrap up against snow and hail.

More than 55 million people were at risk for some type of severe weather on Wednesday, the Storm Prediction Center said.

Residents of Dallas, Texas, were among those told to ready for heavy thunderstorms and potential tornadoes.

On Thursday, 20 million people could see severe weather.

Warnings on Tuesday night were issued from Iowa to Texas, with severe thunderstorms predicted.

Sabrina Bates, a meteorologist in Oklahoma City, tweeted: 'Severe risk for TONIGHT.

'Storms develop in western Oklahoma off the dryline, then form into a line pretty quickly.

'Ping pong ball sized hail & up to 70mph gusts for the strongest storms. Low tornado threat as well.'

Adding to the complications, dry conditions across the Southern Plains means that wildfires are a risk - spurred by the strong winds.

A wildfire near Fort Hood in Texas had burned through more than 33,000 acres as of Tuesday night.

The Crittenberg Complex fire is seen on Tuesday in Texas, burning near Fort Hood

Firefighters in Texas are pictured battling the Crittenberg Complex on Tuesday

The Crittenberg Complex, which consists of three wildfires in Coryell County, Texas, was 55 percent contained, the Texas A&M Forest Service said.

About 80 people have been assigned to fight the fire, but no homes have been evacuated so far.

The fire is believed to have been sparked by live ammunition fired during training exercises on the military bases.

In southwestern Kansas and the Texas panhandle, the risk of wildfires was deemed 'extreme'.

Yet on the East Coast, record cold snaps were felt.

In New York City on Monday, high temperatures were 15 to 30 degrees colder than average.

Record low maximum temperatures were set on Monday at all six of the New York City climate sites, with Central Park peaking at 33 degrees. The unseasonable chill is expected to last through the week.

On Wednesday, the focus of concern will shift south, with the Deep South at risk of intense weather.

Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are all considered at risk of thunderstorms.

'Residents in portions of the South still reeling from last week's bout of destructive weather may find themselves in the path of Mother Nature's wrath once again this week,' said Mary Gilbert, an AccuWeather meteorologist.

The Storm Prediction Center said: 'All severe hazards are possible, including significant gusts over 75 mph and strong (EF2+) tornadoes.'

An EF2 tornado has wind gusts of 111 to 135 mph.

The City Hall fountain in New York City is pictured on Monday, frozen due to the unseasonally cold weather

Flash flooding will also be a concern on Wednesday, with the situation exacerbated by already high water levels in rivers.

'There could be a continuation of severe storms from this system in the East on Thursday in one or two rounds,' Weather.com said.

'Damaging wind gusts would be the primary concern from any severe storms that develop from portions of the mid-Atlantic into the Southeast.'

The east coast will see temperatures soar on Thursday, bringing the threat of thunderstorms.

The warnings come as the South is still reeling from a tornado last week, which ripped through parts of New Orleans and its suburbs a week ago.

Other tornadoes spawned by the same storm system hit parts of Texas and Oklahoma, killing one person and causing multiple injuries and widespread damage.

In Texas, at least 47,000 were left without power last Monday.

More than 13,000 homes remained without power in three parishes around New Orleans.

A video taken by a local television station showed a large black funnel visible in the darkened sky looming among the buildings in the eastern part of New Orleans.

The tornado appeared to start in a New Orleans suburb and then move east across the Mississippi River into the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans and parts of St. Bernard Parish - both of which were badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina - before moving northeast.

People walk in front of a damaged building after a tornado struck in the Arabi neighborhood, St. Bernard Parish, New Orleans

At least one person died and multiple others were injured after the tornado moved through New Orleans

A tornado tore through parts of New Orleans and its suburbs last Tuesday night, ripping down power lines and scattering debris

A video taken by a local television station showed a large black funnel visible in the darkened sky looming among the buildings in the eastern part of New Orleans

Authorities survey damage in the Lower 9th Ward, Tuesday, March 22, 2022, in New Orleans, after strong storms moved through the area

A general view of a destroyed building in the aftermath of a tornado in Arabi, Louisiana on March 22

The tornado moved through the New Orleans suburb of Arabi, where there was a strong smell of natural gas

A car lies overturned among debris in the Arabi neighborhood after a large tornado struck New Orleans, Louisiana on March 22

In the New Orleans suburb of Arabi, there was a strong smell of natural gas in the air as residents and rescue personnel stood in the street and surveyed the damage.

Some houses were destroyed while pieces of debris hung from electrical wires and trees. An aluminum fishing boat in front of one house was bent into the shape of a C with the motor across the street.

Power poles were down and leaning over, forcing emergency workers to walk slowly through darkened neighborhoods checking for damage.

Debris is strewn across the ground in the Arabi neighborhood after a large tornado struck New Orleans on March 22

High winds uprooted trees in Ridgeland, Mississippi, as a possible tornado passed the Jackson-area city Tuesday afternoon, but there were no immediate reports of any injuries or serious damage to buildings.

Campus police at Mississippi State University, in Starkville, shared a photo of a large hardwood tree lying across a street.

Many schools were closing early or canceling after-school activities Tuesday in parts of Louisiana and Mississippi to allow students to get home before the weather deteriorated.

Shelters opened for residents who needed a place to stay while the storms traveled through.

Debris is seen inside a damaged room after a tornado from the devastating storm system touched down in Round Rock. High speed winds ripped a hole out of one of the walls of the domicile

Homes in the small Texas town saw their walls and roofs stripped clean off the houses' foundation by high-speed winds seen Monday night

Officials say multiple tornadoes ripped through parts of Texas and Oklahoma on Monday

The system dumped heavy rain, downed trees and prompted multiple tornado warnings as it moved into Alabama last Tuesday evening.

The roofs of several homes were damaged in Toxey, Alabama, after a storm preceded by tornado warnings passed through the area, the National Weather Service tweeted.

Louisiana's federal and state authorities reminded thousands of hurricane survivors living in government-provided mobile homes and recreational vehicle trailers to have an evacuation plan because the structures might not withstand the expected weather.

More than 8,000 households live in such temporary quarters, officials said.

In Texas, several tornadoes were reported Monday along the Interstate 35 corridor, particularly in the Austin suburbs of Round Rock and Elgin, as well as in northern and eastern Texas and southern Oklahoma.

In Elgin, broken trees lined the rural roads and pieces of metal - uprooted by strong winds hung from the branches.

Residents stepped carefully to avoid downed power lines as they worked to clean the remnants of broken ceilings, torn down walls and damaged cars.

The tornadoes came on a wild weather day in Texas - wildfires burned in the west and a blizzard warning was issued for the Texas Panhandle, where up to nine inches of snow fell.
Infowars host Alex Jones offered to pay $120,000 per plaintiff to resolve a lawsuit by relatives of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims, with all nine rejecting the offer and saying he defamed them by asserting the massacre never happened, according to court filings Tuesday.

Lawyers for the families rejected the settlement offer within a few hours, saying in court filings that it was a 'transparent and desperate attempt by Alex Jones to escape a public reckoning under oath with his deceitful, profit-driven campaign against the plaintiffs and the memory of their loved ones lost at Sandy Hook.'

A Connecticut judge found Jones, 48, liable for damages in November, and a trial is planned to determine how much he should pay the families.

The plaintiffs said they have been subjected to harassment and death threats from Jones's followers because of the hoax conspiracy promoted on his show, Infowars.

The court filings posted online said: 'Mr. Jones extends his heartfelt apology for any distress his remarks caused.'

Last week, Jones defied a court order to attend a deposition near his home in Austin, Texas, to provide testimony ahead of the trial.

Jones said he was ill. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday on a request by the plaintiffs to sanction and arrest Jones for not cooperating.

Infowars host Jones (pictured) has offered to pay $120,000 per plaintiff to resolve a lawsuit by relatives of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims who said he defamed them by asserting the massacre never happened

All nine families rejected the offer, calling it a 'desperate attempt' to escape accountability for his alleged role in the harassment they've received

On December 14, 2012 gunman Adam Lanza, 20, killed 20 first-graders and six teachers in Newtown, Connecticut.

Lanza fatally shot his mother at their home before going to the school, and later killed himself as police arrived.

The families of eight of the victims and an FBI agent who responded to the school sued Jones, Infowars and others in Connecticut over the hoax conspiracy.

The shooting was portrayed on Jones' Infowars show as a 'giant hoax' and the families involved were all 'crisis actors' hired to perpetuate a government agenda to increase gun control. Jones has since acknowledged the school shooting did occur.

Adam Lanza, who authorities said opened fire inside the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., killing 20 first-graders, six educators and himself in December 2012. On Infowars, Jones had portrayed the tragedy as a 'giant hoax'

The massacre claimed the lives of 20 first-grade students and six educators (pictured)

Jones was also found liable for damages in similar lawsuits filed in Texas by relatives of Sandy Hook victims, and also faces trial later this year.

He missed both days of deposition Wednesday and Thursday in Austin citing a health problem, including vertigo and eventually revealing that it was a sinus infection on Friday.

After the 48-year-old failed to show up to court on Wednesday on the advice of one pf his doctors, Connecticut Judge Barbara Bellis instead ordered him to appear Thursday, noting he hadn't been hospitalized and appeared healthy enough in his in-person on his show on Tuesday.

'The plaintiffs subjected themselves to hours and hours of painful questioning Mr. Joness lawyers  and Mr. Jones plays sick when it is his turn to tell the truth under oath,' Alinor Sterling, one of the families' lawyers, wrote in the motion.

Connecticut State Police lead a line of children from the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on Friday, December 14, 2012 after the shooting

People gather at the scene of a mass school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut

A superior court judge in Connecticut made the ruling on Monday morning because Jones refused to turn over documents ordered by the courts to back up his defense, including financial records, according to the New York Times.

His conviction is a sweeping victory for the parents of eight people killed in the Newtown massacre.

Jones has disputed the families' claims that he defamed them, but failed to turn over documents and financial records to support his stance after ordered todo so in court.
More than half of Americans sided with Will Smith over Chris Rock in the now-infamous Oscars-slapping incident, according to a new poll that asked 'Who do you think was more in the wrong?'

Blue Rose Research, a Democratic pollster, surveyed 2,162 Americans online regarding the heated moment at Sunday's Academy Awards between Rock and Smith, with 52.3 percent of people saying Rock deserved what he got after he joked about Smith's wife's shave head.

While the comedian continued his bit, Will Smith abruptly went on stage and walked up to Rock and slapped him across the face, and then telling him from his seat, 'Keep my wife's name out your f***ing mouth,' which stunned the crowd at the Dolby Theatre.

While Smith has received the lion's share of public criticism and faces possible discipline from the Academy over the slap, data revealed a majority of Americans are on Team Smith, according to Blue Rose Researcher David Shor.

The poll comes ahead of an emergency meeting of the Academy's board scheduled for Wednesday that will if Smith will suffer any punishment for his actions.

Out of 2,162 Americans surveyed about the incident, more than half believed that Chris Rock was more in the wrong and that Will Smith was justified in slapping him

A majority of those 18 to 64 years old and those making less than $100,000-a-year agreed that Rock was more in the wrong. About 56.5 percent of women also put the blame on Rock, but 52.4 percent of men disagreed and said Smith was to blame

Smith (right) strutted to Rock at the Oscars on Sunday night when the comedian made a joke about Smith's wife's shaven head, which was due to a medical condition

The actor slapped Rock in the face, initially stunning audiences, some of whom cheered. While both actors faced criticism over the incident, most appear to be on Smith's side

Those surveyed were given the following question: 'Last night, there was an incident at the Academy Awards show you may have heard about. The host, comedian Chris Rock, made a comment about Jada Pinkett Smith's hair loss, joking that she should be cast in a movie as G.I Jane.

'In response, her husband, actor Will Smith, stormed on the stage and slapped Rock across the face. Who do you think was more in the wrong?'

According to the results, the majority of those between 18 and 64 years old believed Rock was in the wrong, while about 51.8 percent of those 65 and older thought Smith was the one who crossed the line.

Men and women were divided on the issue, with 56.5 percent of women agreeing that Rock was most at fault while 52.4 percent of men thought Smith was the one to blame.

In terms of income, the majority of those who made less than $100,000-a-year blamed Rock while the majority of those who made more blamed Smith.

About 51.1 percent of white people thought Rock was at fault, as did 56 percent of black people and 55.7 percent of Hispanics and Native Americans. Asians were split down the middle, according to the poll.

When lining up the issue with how people voted in the 2020 presidential election, about 50.1 percent of Joe Biden voters put the blame on Smith while 50.8 percent of Donald Trump voters blamed Rock.

The majority of those who backed another candidate or did not vote also blamed Rock.

The poll also found that the majority of people who agreed that spanking a child was 'sometimes necessary' for discipline believed Rock was at fault while the majority of those who disagreed with the statement faulted Smith.

Shor also displayed the results in a presidential electoral map, demonstrating that if people voted with how they perceived the slapping incident, Smith would sweep the with 470 electoral votes to Rock's 68.

If people voted with how they perceived the slapping incident, Smith would sweep with 470 electoral votes to Rock's 68, according to Blue Rose Research's poll

The incident appeared to over shadow Smith's Best Actor victory, becoming only the fifth black man in history to win the award (above)

The slap that stunned the Oscars has left many picking sides and commenting on who was truly in the wrong.

Comedian Katherine Ryan defended Rock and criticized Smith for being unable to 'take a joke', following the quip about his wife Jada's shaved head.

Jada has been dealing with alopecia, an autoimmune condition that causes the loss of hair, since 2018, but Chris has said he wasn't aware she suffered from it.

Ryan wrote in a tweet: 'Yes, [Smith] has to sit and watch his wife be insulted, yes that's the point of the celeb monologue. Can't take a joke, stay home.'

Craig Melvin, host of the Today Show, also condemned Smith, for fueling 'this long-held perception that men of color can't control their rage and anger.'

'It was really disappointing,' Melvin said on Monday. 'If you're rearing a boy, especially in this country, you spend so much time talking to our kids about keeping your hands to yourself and this long health perception that man of color can't control their rage and their anger and to see someone who's been that beloved for decades - it was troubling on so many levels.'

Benedict Cumberbatch, a fellow Best Actor nominee, as well as Best Director nominee Paul Thomas Anderson and actress Maya Rudolph, were some of the stars who stood for Smith

Actor and comedian Jim Carrey slammed the audience at Sunday's Academy Awards for giving Will Smith a standing ovation following his now infamous slap of Chris Rock

Whoopi Goldberg doubled down on her promise to punish Will Smith during Tuesday's show, saying, 'There are consequences. There are big consequences because nobody is OK with what happened. Nobody, nobody, nobody'

Later on Monday morning, The View co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro also slammed Smith, calling his shocking outburst 'immature and childish.' But co-host Whoopi Goldberg stepped in with a different take.

'I think he overreactedI think he had one of those moments where it was like G.D. it, just stop,' Goldberg said. 'I get it, not everybody acts the way we would like them to act under pressure. And he snapped.'

Goldberg, who is also a member of the Academy board of governors, said she believes Smith will be able to keep his Oscar but will face 'big consequences because nobody is OK with what happened.'

Smith has since apologized over the incident, which overshadowed his Oscar win for Best Actor.

Actor and comedian Jim Carrey also believed Smith crossed the line and slammed members of the Academy for clapping after he slapped Rock.

'I was sickened by the standing ovation,' he said, referring to when Smith took home the Best Actor award not long after the slap incident. 'I felt like Hollywood is just spineless en masse. It really felt like this is a clear indication that we're not the cool club anymore.'

Benedict Cumberbatch, a fellow Best Actor nominee, as well as Best Director nominee Paul Thomas Anderson and actress Maya Rudolph were some of the stars who stood for Smith's win. Venus and Serena Williams, whose father was portrayed by Smith in King Richard, also stood.

'You do not have the right to walk up on stage and smack somebody on the face because they said words,' Carrey said.
Republicans are furiously asserting that the White House 'intentionally' engaged in a 'cover up' by not turn over materials to the Judiciary Committee on a child pornography case where Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson significantly broke from the probation office recommendation.

'Not only does this case, which Judge Jackson left off her list of child abuse cases, undercut her argument that she followed the probation office's recommended sentences, but it also underscores the perils of moving too quickly in the vetting process,' a Republican Judiciary Committee aide told Fox News.

'Committee Republicans only just got the sentencing transcript for this case on Friday, after the hearing had ended,' the GOP aide said. 'Clearly, the White House either didn't thoroughly vet the nominee, or were aware of the record and the intentionally left it out in hopes that the nominee would be confirmed before the full record could be uncovered and reviewed.'

In response to the report, Republican Judiciary member Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina tweeted: 'The Senate should be provided all relevant information before voting on this nomination.'

'When we first highlighted her record on child porn cases, the White House leaked information to their friends in the media and Democrats on the Judiciary Committee,' GOP Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri told Fox. 'They hid it from the public despite knowing Judge Jackson gives lenient sentences to criminals. The White House is still refusing to be transparent about Judge Jackson's record.'

Graham and Hawley are two Republican members who were most harsh on Jackson, specifically regarding her sentencing history of child porn offenders.

In late February, President Joe Biden announced that he was nominating Judge Jackson to replace liberal Justice Stephen Breyer, who is retiring at the end of this term over the summer.

Democrats are hoping to vote on Jackson's nomination by April 8, when the Senate breaks for its spring recess.

Republicans claim that the White House 'intentionally left out' of a packet of materials a case where Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson broke from probation office recommendations in sentencing in a child pornography case

Republican senators, including Ted Cruz (pictured), Lindsey Graham and Josh Hawley, tore into Jackson for what they said was an insufficient sentencing record in child pornography cases

In response to the report, Republican Judiciary member Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina tweeted: 'The Senate should be provided all relevant information before voting on this nomination.'

During questioning last week, Republicans tore into the judge for her sentencing record in child pornography cases  taking that as the main attack line against President Biden's liberal nominee.

A specific case, U.S. v. Cane, involved 'over 6,500 files depicting children appearing to be of elementary, middle and high school ages, engaged in sexual acts or posing sexually.'

The case in question, U.S. v. Cane, involved 'over 6,500 files depicting children... engaged in sexual acts'. While the probation office recommended a 84-month sentence fir Social Studies teacher Lucas Cane, Jackson sentenced the defendant to 60 months in prison, which is the mandatory minimum

While the probation office recommended a 84-month sentence, Jackson sentenced the defendant to 60 months in prison, which is the mandatory minimum.

The case was not turned over to the Judiciary Committee before the four-days of hearings last week and some Republicans are raising questions on whether the administration 'intentionally left it out' of the materials.

The sentencing came less than a year ago, just as Jackson was about to be elevated to the D.C. Circuit Court as a Biden nominee.

Last week, Jackson faced two days of grilling from the 22 members of the Judiciary panel in the upper chamber.

All members and the nominee gave opening remarks last Monday, followed by Tuesday's questioning where each senator got 30 minutes to interact with Jackson  and on Wednesday each member got an additional 20 minutes.

On Friday, experts testified as to whether Jackson should be confirmed or not.

By appearing last Monday, Jackson made history by being the first black woman to ever appear before the committee as a nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Advocates rally outside the Supreme Court to voice support for the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

'The transcriptsthe only public material to address sentencing in this caseconfirm that the probation office recommended a longer sentence than the minimum term imposed by Judge Jackson,' a Republican Judiciary Committee aide told Fox.

'They also reveal the government's arguments for enhancing the penalty, which suggests interest in a sentence longer than the term Judge Jackson handed out.'

'The White House is pointing to a sealed document to support their unverified claim about a case that was mysteriously excluded from information they provided to Democrats, but not Republicans ahead of Judge Jackson's hearing. It's clear from the sentencing transcript that the probation office, which Judge Jackson repeatedly referenced to justify her sentences, wanted a longer sentence in this case,' the GOP aide continued.

'Moreover, Judge Jackson even pointed to a case, where she imposed the shortest possible sentence despite the prosecutor's higher recommendation, to justify her sentence in this case.'

The White House insisted that the Cane case was mistakenly left out of the list given to the panel, according to Fox. The packet given to the Senate committee compared Jackson's sentencing record to probation office recommendations in 14 child abuse cases.

'This case, in which Judge Jackson sentenced the defendant to the term of imprisonment recommended by the government, proves to an even greater extent that in the large majority of her decisions involving child sex crimes, the sentences Judge Jackson imposed were either consistent with or above what the government or the U.S. Probation Office recommended,' White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement to Fox.

'The Cane case further undermines smears that a small number of Republican Senators have made  and which moderates members in both parties have rejected,' Bates continued.

Brown made history by being the first black woman ever nominated to the Supreme Court of the United States. Pictured: Biden nominating Jackson to the post on February 25, 2022

'Fact checkers at multiple mainstream outlets have highlighted that the specific Senators who made these attacks have voted for Trump-nominated judges who sentenced defendants for the same crimes in the same way, both in terms of giving sentences below guidelines that are widely considered to be out of date across the judiciary and below timelines sought by the prosecution.'

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, as well as other Republican senators, grilled Jackson last week about her child porn sentencing standards compared to what was recommended by the government in given cases.

'This is a cover-up by the Biden White House and Senate Democrats,' Article III Project founder Mike Davis told Fox.

'They're covering up her record. They intentionally omitted this case from less than a year ago because it did not fit their political narrative.'
Ahn Cheol-soo, the chairman of the presidential transition committee, speaks during a press conference on policy recommendations for the government's COVID-19 response measures, held at the committee's office in Seoul, Wednesday. Joint Press Corps



Transition team suggests gov't push back curfew on multiuse facilities to midnight



By Lee Hyo-jin



The presidential transition committee urged the government to review lifting COVID-19 restrictions such as limits on operating hours of multiuse facilities, Wednesday, once it is determined that the current Omicron wave has passed its peak.



"If the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters confirms that infections have entered a downward trend, social distancing measures should be relaxed," Shin Young-hyun, a spokeswoman of the committee, said during a briefing.



"In particular, we have recommended the government to remove limits on operating hours (of multiuse facilities), which do not seem very effective (in curbing the virus spread)," she added. The committee suggested that the government extend the limit on operating hours for businesses to midnight and increase the cap on gatherings to 10 people.



Under the current distancing measures, up to eight people are allowed to hold private gatherings, while multiuse facilities such as cafes and eateries may receive sit-in customers until 11 p.m. As these measures are set to end on April 2, the health ministry will announce the next set of measures on Friday.



Earlier in the day, the committee unveiled its set of policy recommendations for the government's COVID-19 response policies.



Ahn Cheol-soo, the chairman of the transition committee, who concurrently heads the subcommittee on COVID-19 response, criticized the government for continuously relaxing quarantine rules even before the current wave had reached its peak.



"Unlike other countries where the distancing measures were eased after passing the peak, our government lifted measures too early, before seeing the peak. This was wrong," he said during a press conference held at the committee's office in Seoul.









Ahn's remarks came as the country continues to grapple with unrelenting numbers of infections and deaths.



The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 424,641 new infections for Tuesday, with the number of patients in critical condition hitting an all-time high of 1,301. The agency added 432 COVID-19-related deaths, the second-highest number of daily fatalities.



Ahn also called for the government preemptively to introduce response measures for the surging number of critical patients and deaths.



In addition, he reiterated his earlier stance that the government should postpone a planned ban on the use of disposable plastic cups at coffee shops and restaurants, which the Ministry of Environment seeks to reinstate on April 1.



As part of its efforts to reduce plastic waste, the government has restricted cafes and eateries from using single-use plastic cups for sit-in customers since August 2018. However, the measure was lifted temporarily following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.



"As I have said earlier, the outright ban on the use of plastic cups should be pushed back until the virus situation is stabilized, in order to minimize the burden on small businesses that are already struggling due to the pandemic," he said.



Ahn added that the environment ministry is "positively reviewing" the committee's proposal.





People wait to undergo COVID-19 testing at a screening center near Seoul Station, Wednesday. Yonhap
ereaved families of Covid victims heckled attendees with shouts of 'off to another party are we?'

Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove were among those seen arriving

Tory ministers were heckled by bereaved families of Covid victims shouting 'off to another party are we?' as they attended a dinner held by Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a luxury central London hotel.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove were among those to arrive at the Park Plaza near Westminster Bridge shortly before 8pm last night.

It came after the Metropolitan Police earlier confirmed 'partygate' investigators will begin handing out 20 fines over gatherings held across Whitehall during Covid measures.

Dozens of grief-stricken relatives who lost loved ones during the pandemic lined up outside the entrance to boo guests as they arrived in cars and on foot.

Tory ministers were heckled by bereaved families of Covid victims shouting 'off to another party are we?' as they attended a dinner held by Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a luxury central London hotel

Dozens of grief-stricken relatives who lost loved ones during the pandemic lined up outside the entrance to boo guests as they arrived in cars and on foot

The Tory politicians are reported to have dined on salmon tart, chicken thighs and a chocolate praline dessert, washed down with fine wines

Shouts of 'shame on you' and 'off to another party are we?' were directed at the Conservatives

Shouts of 'shame on you' and 'off to another party are we?' were directed at Mr Gove and Brexit opportunities minister Jacob Rees-Mogg as they turned up to the venue, where a penthouse costs up to 653 a night.

The Tory politicians are reported to have dined on salmon tart, chicken thighs and a chocolate praline dessert, washed down with fine wines.

Former MP and writer Gyles Brandreth was expected to deliver an after-dinner speech, according to The Mirror.

June Newbon, who lost her husband to the virus, branded the evening 'disgusting' in light of the Met's conclusion that it believes laws were broken at the heart of Government.

She said holding a lavish dinner was especially inappropriate given the cost-of-living crisis hitting millions of people and the war in Ukraine.

'I think it's disgusting,' she said outside the hotel.

'No-one else can afford to do this given the prices going up, and the war as well.'

Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove were among those to arrive at the Park Plaza near Westminster Bridge shortly before 8pm last night

Also in attendance at the Park Plaza hotel were former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith and Minister for Crime and Policing Kit Malthouse

Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency in the Cabinet Office Jacob Rees-Mogg leaves the Park Plaza Hotel, south London

Ms Newbon and her daughter Ellie said Conservative politicians would be better placed attending the candlelit procession to mark the first anniversary of the National Covid Memorial Wall, a planned event near the hotel on Westminster Bridge.

Hundreds of bereaved relatives turned up to the walk on Tuesday to commemorate their loved ones and call for the mural to be made permanent.

'I think someone should make their presence known down at the bridge today instead,' Ms Newbon said.

'I think that's the respect they owe us,' Miss Newbon added.

'We haven't had an apology from Boris and I don't feel we're going to have one tonight.'

Downing Street has denied Mr Johnson misled Parliament over the goings-on in Whitehall during the pandemic.

Pressed over Mr Johnsons view, his spokesman said: 'It's for the Met to make that judgment, rather than the Prime Minister.'

There was a heavy police presence surrounding the hotel and the Prime Minister is thought to have gained access to the building through a different entrance.
'We are hearing positive signals from the negotiating table... but positive signals do not silence the explosions of Russian bombs,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his latest video address last night.

Russia announced yesterday amid renewed peace talks that it would reduce its military presence in and around Kyiv and Chernihiv, in what appears to be its first concession since the war began just over one month ago.

But the same day that Russia's Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin said his nation would 'fundamentally scale back' its operations to 'increase trust', a Russian missile blasted a gaping hole in a government administration building in Mykolaiv, killing eight, while the decimated city of Mariupol endured further bombardment.

In yesterday's presidential address, Zelensky brushed off the shift in tactics as nothing more than a forced retreat in the face of strong Ukrainian resistance rather than any attempt at approaching a ceasefire.

'The Russian military command allegedly decided ''to reduce hostilities in the directions of Kyiv and Chernihiv'' - as if Russian planes just decided to fly less and military vehicles to drive less,' the President quipped sarcastically.

'Our full-scale defence is coming to an end. A successful defence... It is the brave and effective actions [of our defenders] who force the enemy to retreat.'

US and UK intelligence did identify movements in Kremlin Battalion Tactical Groups around the capital yesterday evening, but attributed this largely to the defensive efforts of Ukrainian forces.

Security officials believe the move is an acknowledgement of Russia's failure to encircle and capture Kyiv in a matter of days, as had been planned at the onset of the invasion.

'We are hearing positive signals from the negotiating table... but positive signals do not silence the explosions of Russian bombs,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his latest video address last night.

Russia announced yesterday amid renewed peace talks that it would reduce its military presence in and around Kyiv (pictured) and Chernihiv, in what appears to be its first concession since the war began just over one month ago

But the same day that Russia's Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin said his nation would 'fundamentally scale back' its operations to 'increase trust', a Russian missile killed eight in Mykolaiv, while the decimated city of Mariupol endured further bombardment (three year old boy wounded in shelling of Mariupol pictured today)

This satellite image distributed by Maxar Technologies shows destroyed apartment buildings and houses east of Mariupol, Ukraine on March 29, 2022

US and UK intelligence did identify movements in Kremlin Battalion Tactical Groups around the capital yesterday evening, but attributed this largely to the defensive efforts of Ukrainian forces

Firefighters scramble to extinguist a huge fire at a fuel base located near Ukraine's western settlement of Klevan in the Rivne region and supplying fuel to Kyiv for the Ukrainian army, which was hit with high-precision air-launched cruise missiles by Russia, on March 28, 2022

A Russian missile blasted a gaping hole in a government administration building in Mykolaiv yesterday, killing eight and wounding over 30

Zelensky also last night declared that Ukraine is ready to negotiate a ceasefire, but said there would be no compromise over Ukraine's 'sovereignty and territory'.

'There must be real security for us, for our state, for sovereignty, for our people,' he said.

'Russian troops must leave the occupied territories - Ukraine's territorial integrity must be guaranteed. There can be no compromise on sovereignty. And there will not be any.

'Ukrainians have already learned during these 34 days of invasion and eight years of war in the Donbass that only a concrete result can be trusted.'

Zelensky's address went on to cover the launch of a new government scheme which aims to provide compensation to individuals and families whose property or land has been damaged amid the war.

Details of the scheme will be released in the coming days, the President said, before stressing to viewers that the state will compensate 'for every lost metre of real estate'.

Zelensky also discussed an address he made earlier in the day to the Danish parliament, and said Denmark was interested in helping Ukraine with rebuilding projects in the aftermath of the war.

Meanwhile, Western leaders were warned against dropping their guard after Russia announced its planned scale back of military operations near Kyiv and Chernihiv, with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson declaring Putin may still look to 'twist the knife' and inflict more damage.

Western officials have remained highly suspicious of Russia's true intentions, arguing that Russian attacks have continued despite the Kremlin's promise to scale back troops in major urban centres (Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu pictured)

One Western security official speaking on condition of anonymity said: 'Nothing that we have seen so far has demonstrated to us that President Putin and his colleagues are particularly serious about [scaling back]. It is more of a tactical exercise playing for time.

'Even if they do do what they say they are going to do that is not in any shape or form a cessation of hostilities... I think we can continue to see continued death and destruction [in the Donbass].'

And although there was positivity surrounding yesterday's peace talks in Istanbul, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had not seen anything to indicate that negotiations were progressing in a 'constructive way,' speculating Russia's pullback is likely an attempt to 'deceive people and deflect attention'.

'There is what Russia says and there is what Russia does, and were focused on the latter,' Blinken said yesterday.

'And what Russia is doing is the continued brutalisation of Ukraine.'

At first glance this is a progress towards peace. But words are cheap... it's action on the ground that counts, writes Dr NEIL MELVIN



At first glance, the temptation is surely to cheer the news that Russia has said it will 'drastically reduce' its combat operations around the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv. Certainly, that is the view of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been hosting face-to-face talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul. Erdogan hailed Russia's announcement yesterday in the wake of these talks  along with proposals mooted by Ukraine to become a 'neutral state'  as 'the most significant progress' towards peace since Vladimir Putin launched his horrific invasion five weeks ago. I have no doubt that the luckless residents of both Ukraine's besieged capital and of Chernihiv  where tens of thousands are trapped without running water and electricity  will welcome this development. President Recep Erdogan, of Turkey, speaks at peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul. He hailed Russia's announcement has said it will 'reduce' combat operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv as 'the most significant progress' yet Sadly, however, I would also firmly caution against pinning too much hope on these announcements. Words, after all, are cheap: and it is actions on the ground the matter. Russia's apparent climbdown must be seen in the context of Putin's long-held wider ambitions for Ukraine. He wants to weaken his democratic neighbour, prevent it from joining Nato and ensure that it can never escape from Russia's 'sphere of influence'. The first step in executing these ambitions was his 2014 annexation of Crimea and the occupation of parts of the Donbas region by Russian separatist groups. Emergency personnel work at the site of the regional government headquarters in Mykolaiv, Ukraine. Dr Neil Melvin urged 'caution against pinning too much hope' on pronouncements of peace These strategies only succeeded in driving Ukraine further towards the West. The second step has been unfolding in recent weeks before the world's horrified eyes: a full-scale invasion, initially intended to seize Kyiv and depose President Zelensky under the absurd guise of 'de-Nazifying' Ukraine. As we know, the Russian despot failed in this planned lightning strike. Some 10,000 Russian troops now are dead, several initial gains have been lost, the Russian economy has been crippled by sanctions and its international reputation destroyed. Putin knows he has badly over-reached  and must now see that the victory he imagined is beyond his grasp. That is the crucial background to yesterday's claims of progress in negotiations between the warring countries. Despite overtures towards peace, Vladimir Putin still wants to win in Ukraine, writes Dr Melvin Putin knows that if he is to remain in power, he cannot be seen to have failed. As such, he may well be using the veil of diplomacy to achieve his goals: buying time so that his forces can regroup and resupply while he plots his next move. That is not to say that these latest developments are bogus or mere propaganda. I have no doubt that Erdogan is sincere when he speaks of his hopes that they may be a prelude to peace. Yet whatever common ground has been found on the shores of the Bosphorus, this is definitively not a peace agreement - nor even a ceasefire. Russia may be pulling back from two cities, but in the centre and south of Ukraine, the bloodshed goes on. Putin still wants to win  indeed, believes he must win. Yes, there is a flickering of hope. But this war has a long way to run. Dr Neil Melvin is Director of International Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute

By Dr Neil Melvin
Ministers are preparing for a backlash if the Government agrees on proposals to double onshore wind power by 2030.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng is pushing to relax planning laws that have led to an effective moratorium on wind farms since 2015.

But some Cabinet ministers have warned that Mr Kwarteng risks putting the Government on a collision course with backbenchers over the unpopular plan.

As well as increasing turbines, the minister has also proposed tripling the number of solar panels  but sources last night said no decisions had been made. Experts claim onshore wind farms are the only way to increase renewable energy output quickly  but MPs are gearing up to rebel against the plan, fearing a backlash from rural constituents.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng is pushing to relax planning laws that have led to an effective moratorium on wind farms since 2015

Tory former energy minister Sir John Hayes said last night: It would be deeply unpopular  and the Government would risk just such unpopularity  if it imposes onshore wind turbines.

Mr Kwarteng hopes to increase onshore wind capacity from 15 gigawatts to 30GW, and increase offshore wind from 11GW to 50GW, reported The Financial Times.

It comes as the Governments energy security strategy was delayed again this week, following Treasury concerns about the cost of a massive push for nuclear power. Boris Johnson wants to expand the nuclear sector at warp speed in response to the Ukraine crisis. He wants the UK to generate 25 per cent of its electricity from nuclear by 2050, up from 16 per cent now.

Sources have claimed that the plan may finally be published next week.
Ministers will get new powers to veto the release of Britains most heinous criminals, under plans unveiled today to reform the parole system.

And victims will be able to take part in Parole Board hearings for the first time.

Murderers, rapists, terrorists and violent criminals convicted of causing a childs death will be forced to stay in jail until their release is signed off by ministers.

The plans will grant Justice Secretary Dominic Raab the final say on the release of about 660 offenders a year. Victims will get rights to attend Parole Board hearings in full and ask questions. They will also be entitled to receive more detailed information from the boards officials.

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab will be able to prevent particularly dangerous criminals from being released with new powers that are set to be introduced

There was public upset over the ruling to release Black cab rapist John Worboys (pictured), before a legal challenge overturned the decision

The measures will shake up the way the board operates, tipping the balance away from criminals rights and more in favour of victims and protecting the public.

Parole Board officials will be told their only priority will be making sure a prisoner poses no risk to the public.

And, in a victory for openness, parole hearings will also be opened to the Press for the first time, Mr Raab pledged.

Child killer Colin Pitchfork (pictured) was released for less than three months before being recalled to jail

If successful, the proposals could mark a turning point after decades of progressive policies chipping away at the principles of law and order. The Parole Boards critics claim it is packed with do-gooders who are too sympathetic towards criminals rights.

Mr Raab said: Keeping the public safe is governments first duty, and the British people expect us to keep dangerous criminals behind bars for as long as necessary to protect them. I am not satisfied our approach is as robust as it needs to be.

Dozens of killers, rapists and paedophiles released from prison have gone on to get second life sentences after committing another serious crime.

The board faced widespread criticism over its handling of the case of Black Cab rapist John Worboys  a serial sex offender convicted in 2009 for attacks on 12 women. A decision to release him was overturned after a legal challenge.

Last year the board allowed the release of Colin Pitchfork, who raped and murdered two 15-year-old girls in the 1980s. He was recalled to jail less than three months later after displaying concerning behaviour.
A confused Midwestern politician is facing public ridicule after claiming schools were leaving litter trays out for children who identify as cats.

Bruce Bostelman, a conservative Republican in the Nebraska legislature, made the claim during a videotaped debate on education funding that racked up more than half-a-million views on social media within hours.

Bostelman said he was 'a little shocked' over stories that children were dressing up in cat and dog costumes, with teachers condoning and even accommodating the trend by leaving litter boxes in bathrooms.

'It's something called furries. If you don't know what furries are, it's where school children dress up as animals - cats or dogs - during the school day,' Bostelman said during Monday's debate.

Nebraska state Sen. Bruce Bostelman has apologized after he cited a persistent but debunked rumor alleging that schools were placing litter boxes in school bathrooms

The debunked rumor about pupils identifying as cats appeared on a Facebook messageboard

'They meow and they bark and they interact with their school, with their teachers in this fashion. And now schools are wanting to put litter boxes in the schools for these children to use. How is this sanitary?'

The unfounded rumor has persisted in a private Facebook group, 'Protect Nebraska Children,' and also surfaced last month in an Iowa school district, forcing the superintendent to write to parents that it was 'simply and emphatically not true.'

Bostelman had said that he planned to discuss the issue with the CEO of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

He also alleged that schools were not allowing kids to wear flag pins, but didn't give specific examples.

In 2016, Lincoln's public school district briefly asked students not to fly American flags from their vehicles after one flag was pulled from its holder, but school officials later apologized.

Bostelman, a conservative Republican claimed that it was to accommodate children who self-identify as cats. Pictured, furry enthusiasts, a subculture whose followers express an interest in anthropomorphic, or half-human, half-animal, creatures in literature, cartoons, pop culture, or other artistic contexts

The false claim that children who identify as cats are using litter boxes in school bathrooms has spread across the internet since at least December, when a member of the public brought it up at a school board meeting for Midland Public Schools northwest of Detroit.

The claim was debunked by the district's superintendent, who issued a statement that said there had 'never been litter boxes within MPS schools.'

Still, the baseless rumor has spread across the country, and become fuel for political candidates, amid the culture wars and legislative action involving gender identification in schools.

The furor over public school restrooms comes as a growing number of conservative states seek laws to ban transgender students from using bathrooms that match their gender identity.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes a 'furry' is someone who has a keen interest in, or dresses up as, animal characters with human personalities, such as those seen in comics, video games and cartoons.

Many furries are inspired by iconic pop culture figures such as Sonic the Hedgehog or the rabbits from 1972 novel Watership Down - although they typically role-play in characters they have made up themselves

Furries describe themselves as anthropomorphic actors and the movement has its roots in science fiction and fantasy genres going back to the 1980s

WHAT ARE FURRIES? HOW PEOPLE CREATE 'FURSONAS' IN THE ANIMAL COSTUME COMMUNITY Furries are people who dress up as animals and identify as the chosen animal, often as a sexual fetish. Furry fandom encompasses much more than just the 'therians'  or, people who feel as though they're spiritually connected to animals, according to FurScience. Furries represent fans of media featuring anthropomorphic animals, and may include artists, writers, gamers, and role players. Most create a 'fursona,' or anthropomorphized animal character for themselves, to interact with the community. The demographics: More than 75% of furries are younger than 25 About 84% identify as male, while 13% are female, and 2.5% are transgender Most furries (83.2%) are white About one-third identify as 'exclusively heterosexual,' but research has shown furries 'are about five times more likely to identify as exclusively homosexual than the general population' Advertisement

Children aren't typically members of the subculture, which sometimes incorporates sexual aspects including erotic art and furry-themed cybersex.

Many furries are inspired by iconic pop culture figures such as Sonic the Hedgehog or the rabbits from 1972 novel Watership Down - although they typically role-play in characters they have made up themselves.

'Many furries create their own animal character, known as a fursona, which functions as their avatar within furry communities,' the medical website WebMD says.

Bostelman's comments prompted widespread mockery, but also an angry response from the furry community and its allies, who pointed out that adherents go to the toilet the same way as everyone else.

'That's not what furries do AT ALL. And litter boxes? Dude, they're humans and know they're humans,' one Twitter user seethed.

The debunked rumor is a surreal twist in the heated debate in the United States around transgender students and their rights to use bathrooms matching their gender and participate in school sports.

Various versions of the story concerning school districts in several midwestern states have circulated in recent months, all of them false.

Bostelman said he was planning to bring up the issue with Nebraska health authorities, even offering an anecdote about a student who defecated on the floor after teachers refused to provide a litter box.

Hours after his remarks, Bostelman backtracked and acknowledged that the story wasn't true.

He said he checked into the claims with state Senator Lynne Walz, a Democrat who leads the Legislature's Education Committee, and confirmed there were no such incidents.

Social media users relished the opportunity to mock Bostelman's comments

'It was just something I felt that if this really was happening, we needed to address it and address it quickly,' Bostelman said.

'My soul left my body,' his Democratic colleague Megan Hunt said, recalling the moment Bostelman brought up the topic.

Hunt reported on Twitter that the lawmaker retook the floor after a lunch break to say he had reached out to some schools and had come to realize his information was inaccurate.

'He apologizes to furries,' Hunt said.
Zac Goldsmith yesterday hit out at the theatrics of wearing masks against Covid-19  and branded the dumping of them as catastrophic.

The environment minister said discarded face coverings were harming nature and wildlife and should no longer be worn.

The peer tweeted: More than 26,000 tons of the billions of plastic masks weve used have leaked into and are now choking life in the ocean.

Thats equal to 2,000 double-decker buses.

Zac Goldsmith said he is genuinely pained to see people complaining about mask wearing and other Covid rules being loosened as he believes the masks are 'largely pointless' and 'nature-ruining'

Discarded face masks (pictured) have added more than 26,000 tons of plastic to the ocean, Lord Goldsmith tweeted

It is catastrophic and unforgivable. Covid theatrics are costing the Earth.

It genuinely pains me to see so many people  including committed environmentalists  bemoaning the loosening of restrictions on these largely pointless and entirely nature-ruining masks. Enough now. Please.

Official government guidelines still suggest wearing a mask in crowded or enclosed places.

Lord Goldsmith has endorsed litter-picking drives including the Daily Mails Great British Spring Clean, which runs until April 10.

A study from the University of Portsmouth found mask litter increased by 9,000 per cent in the first seven months of the pandemic and could have led to further spread of the virus.

Readers who want to help stamp out the scourge of litter are urged to sign up at gbspringclean.org.
The Tory plot to oust Boris Johnson evaporated last night as his critics admitted removing him now would play into Vladimir Putins hands.

Sir Roger Gale, the first MP to publicly declare he had sent a letter of no confidence in the PM, said he should stay through the Ukraine crisis.

He said: Now is not the time to change our leader. We are in the middle of an international crisis. We have to stand together and get this sorted, it is more important than anything.

Andrew Bridgen, who had called for Mr Johnson to resign, said: If there were a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister tomorrow Id have to vote for him because of the international situation. Getting rid of him would play into Putins hands.

There may well be a day of reckoning for Partygate, but it is not now and it is not for the foreseeable future.

Mr Bridgen withdrew his letter of no confidence a fortnight ago.

Matt Hancock toured the TV studios yesterday to shore up support for Mr Johnson.

Sir Roger Gale, pictured, the first MP to publicly declare he had sent a letter of no confidence in the PM, said he should stay through the Ukraine crisis.

The former health secretary resigned from Cabinet after he was found to have broken lockdown guidance.

But he said he believed the PM should stay.

He told BBC News: Now is not the moment. Youve got to think about who should be leading the country... especially with Vladimir Putin doing what hes doing in Ukraine. The Prime Ministers personal relationship you can see with Volodymyr Zelensky is very strong.

Asked if Mr Johnson could remain as PM, Mr Hancock responded: Yes he can, and he should. He has apologised, hes By Deputy Political Editor acknowledged the problems and made changes in Downing Street.

But one of Mr Johnsons allies warned: The biggest problem is not whether he attended parties, but whether he misled the Commons about them taking place.

But Labours deputy leader Angela Rayner said: After over two months of police time, 12 parties investigated and over 100 people questioned under caution, Boris Johnsons Downing Street has been found guilty of breaking the law.

Dominic Cummings, Mr Johnsons embittered former adviser, said he still believed his days were numbered.

He wrote on his blog: Yes, [I] still think hell go this year  think Cabinet will fall apart and probably MPs will boot him.

MPs will panic when they see scale of economic horrors and that No 10 has no plan, cant do anything, just carries on taling s**t to media every day.

And of course the party horrors will return for him... and pics...
All Australians could soon be told to get a fourth Covid vaccination as cases across NSW and Victoria hit their highest levels in weeks.

Up to five million Australians have already been instructed by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) to get a second booster before winter hits with the country bracing for a potentially tough coronavirus and flu season.

Australians over 65, indigenous people over 50, the immunocompromised, aged care residents and those living with a disability are eligible for the jab.

Infectious diseases expert Paul Griffin told Daily Mail Australia it was likely the same advice would be given to the rest of the population before the end of this year, or even sooner if new variants emerge.

Up to five million Australians have already been instructed by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) to get a second booster before winter hits - with the country bracing for a horror coronavirus and flu season. Pictured: A woman receives a vaccination at a Co-health pop-up vaccination clinic at the State Library Victoria, in Melbourne

Infectious diseases expert Paul Griffin (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia it's likely the entire population will be told to get a fourth jab before the end of this year, or even sooner if new variants emerge

Who is currently recommended to get a fourth dose? 1. Residents aged over 65. 2. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged over 50. 3. Immunocompromised residents. 4. People living with a disability. 5. Residents living in aged care facilities. Advertisement

'It is impossible to predict when a fourth dose might be rolled out to the broader population but I suspect it's probably likely to happen some time in the second half of this year,' he said.

'A key factor will be what happens with new variants or sub variants. If we see another spike in cases in the future that may play a role in when we expand that out.'

The physician said ATAGI would watch carefully over the risky winter period to see what happened with cases and severity.

'We need more data on how long protection from that third dose lasts,' Dr Griffin said.

'But if we start to see protection from severe disease decline and that results in increased admissions to hospital, that may be something that would prompt us to intervene with another booster.'

Across the globe a fourth dose has also been introduced for some sections of the population in Israel, Chile, Sweden, Germany, South Korea, and the UK.

ATAGI will be watching carefully over the risky winter period, to see what happens with case numbers and severity. Pictured: A masked shopper in Sydney's Bondi

New data from a preliminary study published on Wednesday showed the benefits of getting a second booster.

The New England Journal of Medicine report found fourth doses in Israel since their introduction in December boosted 'neutralising antibodies' that help fight off the disease.

Dr Griffin said the older you are, the more beneficial a fourth jab is likely to be.

'Age is a risk factor for severe disease,' he said.

'So the older you are the more likely you are to progress to the severe manifestation of severe infection.

'We also know that when you age your immune response declines, so they have likely responded less well to their previous vaccine shots.'

Despite over 95 percent of the population over 16 now double-jabbed, there were 22 deaths recorded across the two states with 15 in NSW and seven south of the Murray River. Pictured: Customers sit outside a cafe at Bondi Beach in Sydney

Covid cases in both NSW and Victoria, reached their highest levels in weeks on Wednesday with 25,235 and 11,749 transmissions respectively.

Despite over 95 per cent of the population over 16 now double-jabbed, there were 22 deaths recorded across the two states with 15 in NSW and seven south of the Murray River.

There are 1,301 Covid patients in hospitals across NSW, with 46 people needing intensive care.

Victoria has 280 infected in hospital with 18 in the ICU.

Covid cases in both New South Wales and Victoria, reached their highest levels in weeks on Wednesday with 25,235 and 11,749 transmissions respectively. Pictured: A healthcare worker collects a Covid-19 swab at the Showgrounds testing site in Melbourne
More than 400,000 people could miss out on an early cancer diagnosis over the next ten years due to persistent failures to address shortages in the NHS, charities warn today.

Patients in England face the deeply worrying prospect of survival rates going backwards unless the lack of staff and equipment is addressed, the head of Cancer Research UK said.

They say by 2032, 78 per cent of people should have their cancer diagnosed at stage one or stage two. Its calculations reveal that, if we don't improve to meet that target, 440,720 people may be diagnosed late over the next decade  which can limit treatment options and reduce chances of survival.

Its calculations reveal that 440,720 people may be diagnosed late over the next decade  which can limit treatment options and reduce chances of survival.

The charity is leading calls for an improved cancer strategy in a letter signed by more than 50 cancer organisations.

More than 400,000 people could miss out on an early cancer diagnosis over the next ten years due to persistent failures to address shortages in the NHS, charities warn today (file photo)

They also call for workforce and equipment shortages to be addressed and cancer waiting times targets to be met.

The letter is being submitted following a call for evidence from the Department of Health and Social Care. It will help form the Governments ten-year cancer plan for England.

Last night CRUK chief executive Michelle Mitchell said: The numbers are clear  without leadership and more action, too many people with cancer will continue to be diagnosed late, when their chances of survival are much lower.

Governments persistent failure to address chronic shortages in NHS staff and equipment means people are waiting too long.

On top of this, following the disruption of the pandemic, we now face the deeply worrying prospect of survival going backwards.

This month, figures revealed that in January the proportion of patients seeing a specialist within two weeks if their GP suspects cancer fell to its lowest level on record at 75 per cent.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: We know the pandemic has had a serious impact on people living with cancer, and were are investing record amounts in the NHS to tackle the treatment backlog.

We want to lead the world in cancer care and will set out a 10-Year Cancer Plan later this year with a renewed focus on early diagnosis and innovative treatment.

We want to hear views from people from every background to help us shape this vital work and ensure that fewer people face the heartache of losing a loved one to this horrible disease.
Rumbling along a residential street in besieged Mariupol, this Russian tank is a sitting duck.

And seconds later astonishing footage shows the T-72B being hit by a British-supplied NLAW weapon.

The missile fails to completely immobilise the tank  daubed with the sinister letter Z  and it is able to continue. It is thought the missile did not travel far enough to fully arm and only skimmed its target.

However a burst of flame suggests the tank may have suffered some damage.

Target: The Russian T-72B tank rolls past window

Shoot!: A Ukrainian soldier fires at it with an NLAW, weapon and far left

The footage shows the missile about to hit the tank

Blast: The missile strikes a glancing blow with a burst of flame

Escape: The tank carries on after suffering only limited damage

The last image shows fire on the ground where the tank was blasted

The Ukrainian soldier who launched the attack from a first-floor window shouts afterward Glory to the Azov Battalion, bitch!  referring to the ultranationalist unit helping defend the city.

The weapon will work in urban environments but its harder to get good shots as all anti-tank weapons require distance to arm, former UK tank commander Justin Crump told The Times

. NLAWs were developed by Swedish defence firm Saab and manufactured in Britain by the French company Thales.

The UK has provide 4,000 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine.

Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces member holds an NLAW anti-tank weapon, in the outskirts of Kyiv

The 12.5kg single-use weapon costs about 20,000 and has a combat range of 20m to 800m.

Britain has provided shoulder-launched NLAWs to Ukraine as part of a package of 4,000 anti-tank weapons.

Ukrainian soldiers have shouted God Save the Queen! when firing the missiles.

About 40% of Russian tanks destroyed in the conflict have been attacked with NLAWs, it has been claimed.
First lady Kim Jung-sook, right, poses for a selfie with an Indian student at Eivom Theater in Seoul's Gangnam District in July 2018. On Kim is a leopard brooch that some claimed was a Cartier product worth 200 million won, but which Cheong Wa Dae confirmed was not. Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae



By Ko Dong-hwan



Cheong Wa Dae has refuted rumors that first lady Kim Jung-sook had used public funds allotted for the presidential office's special activities to purchase clothes she wore during public events, including state visits.



Cheong Wa Dae deputy spokesperson Shin Hye-hyun told journalists on March 29 that the rumors are false and that Kim had purchased her personal clothes with her own money.



"She never touched any national coffers, including Cheong Wa Dae's budget for special activities, to buy her own clothes," Shin said.



Shin said that Cheong Wa Dae decided to address the matter because the rumors regarding Kim's wardrobe scandal had not died down since being stirred up a few days ago. If the rumors had been left unexplained, President Moon Jae-in's administration could face embarrassment as its end is drawing near, according to Shin. Moon's term ends on May 10 with President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration.



Cheong Wa Dae protocol secretary Tak Hyun-min also defended Kim on Wednesday while making a guest appearance on a news show of local radio station CBS. He reiterated what the deputy spokesperson had said, that not a penny from any government budget had been spent to purchase Kim's clothes.



"She even bought food for the dogs (the ones the first couple has been raising inside Cheong Wa Dae) with her own money," Tak said. "It's just so amazing that people could come up with the idea that the first lady used Cheong Wa Dae's special activities fund to buy her clothes."



Some members of the public and lawmakers from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) have been demanding that Cheong Wa Dae disclose detailed transaction records under the presidential office's special activities budget to prove that no money was spent on Kim's wardrobe. PPP floor leader Kim Jae-won said on a different CBS radio show on March 29 that Cheong Wa Dae must stop hiding the truth and disclose detailed transaction records under its special activities budget "to avoid a criminal penalty."



Tak rejected such demands in his own radio appearance on Wednesday.



"The country has no laws regarding (the purchase of) a first lady's clothes, so Cheong Wa Dae's special activities budget doesn't contain any official categories or sections regarding it," Tak said. "Besides, if they want to keep claiming Kim used public funds to buy her clothes, they must show some evidence."





Cheong Wa Dae protocol secretary Tak Hyun-min, right, talks to National Security Director Suh Hoon inside Cheong Wa Dae, June 2021. Korea Times
South Dakota's attorney general will not be impeached after he killed a man in a hit-and-run - and then told authorities he thought he slammed into a deer - because officials said there was not sufficient grounds to remove him from office.

Jason Ravnsborg, 45, avoided being censured a year-and-a-half after killing Joseph Boever, 55, on September 12, 2020 while Boever was walking along a highway near the small city of Highmore.

The Republican prosecutor told 911 dispatchers that he thought he hit a deer and only found out it was a man after returning to the scene the next morning.

On Monday, a special investigative committee of the South Dakota House of Representatives held a closed-door meeting to discuss whether or not to impeach Ravnsborg, which would have been the first impeachment trial in the states history.

The committee decided it did not have sufficient grounds to remove him from his post, with six out of the eight members voting against impeachment. The six-to-two vote was along party lines.

'The Select Committee finds under a clear and convincing standard that Attorney General Ravnsborg did not commit misdemeanor in office, as he committed no crime or other wrongful act involving moral turpitude by virtue or authority of his office,' it said on Monday, according to the Daily Beast.

The full South Dakota House of Representatives will meet on April 12 to decide if it accepts the committee's report.

Jason Ravnsborg, 45, (pictured) was not impeached on Monday, a year and a half after killing Joseph Boever, 55, on September 12, 2020 in a hit-and-run. On Monday, a special investigative committee of the South Dakota House of Representatives held a closed-door meeting and returned saying it did not have sufficient grounds to remove him from post, with six out of the eight members voting against impeachment

Boever (pictured) was walking along a highway near the small city of Highmore. Ravnsborg told 911 dispatchers that he thought he hit a deer and only found out it was a man after returning to the scene the next morning.

The AG didn't know he hit Boever until he saw his body on the side of the road next morning when he was driving Sheriff Mike Voleks car back to him, despite Boever's glasses being found in the car

Governor Kristi Noem, a fellow Republican, slammed the decision, stating: 'Jason Ravnsborg killed a man, lied to investigators about the events of that night, and attempted to cover it up, Noem said. Joseph Boevers family deserves justice.'

Talk of Ravnsborg's impeachment began in February after Noem released the video of the AG stumbling through an interview with investigators. He was charged with three misdemeanors, pleading no contest to two counts of reckless driving. He paid two $500 fines and $3,000 in court fees. He also had to take part in a district driving education.

He also settled out-of-court with the Boever family. Widow Jenny Boever and Ranvsborg confirmed their agreement in February without revealing any terms of amounts.

'They have reached a settlement with the insurance company and Mr. Ravnsborg,' said Mike Deaver, Ravnsborg's spokesman.

The car the AG was driving showed significant damage where Boever's body was hit

Relatives Nick and Victor Nemec surveyed the area after the crash. Nick said on Tuesday he was 'disappointed' and called the ruling a 'party-line vote'

'It happened fairly quickly. So there won't be any kind of civil suits or anything else, as it was an accident.'

Ravnsborg was driving home to Pierre, 49 miles west of Highmore, from a political fundraiser when he hit Boever on US 14.

A toxicology test taken 15 hours after the accident found no alcohol in his system and no one at the event saw him drinking, NPR reported. Prosecutors have said Ranvsborg was cooperative in the investigation.

They also said Ravnsborg was on his phone roughly a minute before the crash, but phone records showed it was locked at the moment of impact.

Ravnsborg told investigators that the last thing he remembered before impact was turning off the radio and looking at his speedometer.

The attorney general told 911 dispatchers that he only realized Boever was a man and not a deer when he found his body at the site of the crash the next morning after he went to return Sheriff Mike Voleks car.

The video shows detectives suggesting that Boever's body hit Ravnsborg's windshield so hard that part of Boever's eyeglasses ended up in the backseat.

'They're Joe's glasses,' an investigator said, according to Sioux City station KMEG.

Ravnsborg replied: 'I wondered, worried, wondered about that.'

'So that means his face came through your windshield,' the investigator said.

He apologized to the victim's family in August, releasing a statement saying he was 'very sorry Joe Boever lost his life in this accident. I am sorry to the entire family for the loss of their loved one' and that he wished they had met 'under different circumstances.'

He then talked about his accomplishments while in office. The AG is up for reelection in November.

Governor Kristi Noem (pictured in February) is calling for Rovnsborg's resignation and she was also the one who released video footage of the AG talking to investigators

The state's House of Representatives (pictured) are set to confirm the committee's ruling on April 12

'I do not know all the Lord has in store for me, but I trust in Him. As I continue my service as your attorney general, Ill keep fighting for you, just as I have since the day I took office. May God bless each of you, and may God continue to bless South Dakota,' he said at the time.

The family is now supporting the governor's calls from Ravnsborg to resign.

'Im disappointed,' Nick Nemec, the victim's cousin who was with Jenny at the time of the crash, told the Daily Beast on Tuesday. 'I was hoping some of the Republicans on the committee would vote for impeachment. But it was a straight party-line vote.'

Nemec also said he expected the House to move forward with the committee's recommendation

'Im not hopeful at all,' he told the Daily Beast.

The AG's attorney Tim Rensch called his client an 'honorable man' in September and said the case was 'not a homicide case, and it's not a manslaughter case.'

'Accidents happen, people die. It should not happen. No one wants anybody to die,' he said.
A monument to a famous abolitionist could be removed due to an alleged connection to the slave trade.

A statue to David Livingstone, the anti-slavery missionary and explorer, in Glasgow was identified in a 119-page report identifying a series of sites in Glasgow with links to slavery.

The monument was identified due to Livingstone's 'defence' of cotton masters having worked in a cotton mill from age 10 which had 'likely' used West Indian cotton.

The list also features Glasgow City Council's headquarters due to investment in a company which later trafficked slaves.

A statue to David Livingstone, the anti-slavery missionary and explorer, in Glasgow was identified in a 119-page report identifying a series of sites in Glasgow with links to slavery

Livingstone condemned slavery as the greatest meanness ever perpetrated but regarded cotton masters as benevolent and paternalistic.

The Glasgow Slavery Audit, commissioned by the council and led by historian Dr Stephen Mullen of Glasgow University, focused on individuals from the city and elsewhere involved in Atlantic slavery between 1603 and 1838.

It was commissioned in September 2019. a year before the Black Lives Matter resurgence in June 2020 which saw the statue of slaver Edward Colston in Bristol torn down and dumped in Bristol Harbour by activists.

Some of the individuals shaped the city, while others are memorialised in eight statues erected around Glasgow.

The Glasgow Slavery Audit was commissioned nine months of the Black Lives Matter resurgence in June 2020 which saw the statue of slaver Edward Colston in Bristol torn down and dumped in Bristol Harbour by activists

Other figures named in the report include Colin Campbell, William Gladstone, John Moore, James Oswald and Robert Peel Junior. Buildings on the list include Pollok House, Aikenhead House, Haggs Castle, Linn House and Glasgow Academy.

Street names such as Buchanan Street and Glassford Street, both named after tobacco lords, also feature on the list.

Last night, sociologist Dr Stuart Waiton, of Abertay University, said it was difficult to work out what the benefit of the exercise would be.

He added: I suppose it allows some Glasgow officials to virtue signal and allows some woke warriors to feel awash with self-righteousness but what it does to resolve or even identify racism is far from clear.

Council leader Susan Aitken said: We should apologise fully and unreservedly to the descendants of enslaved people and the nations they came from for the citys significant role in Atlantic slavery.

Last night, Sir Tom Devine, Scotlands leading historian, said: The report is a very competent and thorough piece of work as one would expect from a trained historian.

Glasgows approach in hiring a scholar to do the work on the citys slavery past is therefore to be commended.

Sir Tom added he would love to see the reports findings become one of the bases of a Glasgow Museum of Slavery and Empire.

Robert Poll, of Save Our Statues campaign group, said: This is a prime example of how history is being distorted through disproportionate emphasis on anything even remotely related to slavery.

Criticising David Livingstone  one of historys great anti-slavers  for once working in a cotton mill is truly perverse.

The report also found Glasgow Town Council invested around 4million in todays money in the Company of Scotland in 1696, which later trafficked slaves

The report also found Glasgow Town Council invested around 4million in todays money in the Company of Scotland in 1696. The companys ships later trafficked slaves from Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.

Monuments to Livingstone, James Watt and King William III are all highlighted. King William was a shareholder in the Royal African Company, while engineer James Watt was involved with colonial commerce in the 1750s and 1760s.

The report also highlighted the supposed way in which Glasgow had not reckoned with its slave-trading past as much as other UK cities.

It beckoned the city to apologise for its past associations with the abhorrent practice.

A spokesperson from the Glasgow City Council said that despite the council leader's apology on behalf of the local authority, that they are not proposing to remove any statues as a result of the audit yet.
It's the worst of all possible outcomes. Nearly two months into the ill-judged police inquiry into Partygate, Scotland Yard has announced an initial tranche of 20 fixed penalty notices to Downing Street staff deemed to have broken Covid rules.

Officers won't say who they're being sent to. Those being fined have not yet been informed. And, most depressingly of all, this is only the first stage of the investigation.

As usual when the police venture into politics, they have lost all sense of proportion. God alone knows how long this pointless fiasco will take  and how much it will cost.

Met Police have announced they will issue 20 fines over Downing Street parties that breached lockdown rules, but they have not revealed who has been fined

Legally, they are dealing with trivial matters. Yet the Met treats it like some sort of major corruption inquiry, squandering endless man hours and precious resources on offences akin to parking violations.

Of course, the Mail doesn't condone rule-breaking. But these were mainly young people working closely under intense pressure to cope with the worst health and economic crisis in living memory.

Meanwhile, as the police faff around in Downing Street, a knife-crime epidemic runs riot in our major cities, detection rates atrophy and burglars go about their business virtually uncontested.

To the BBC and much of the Westminster bubble, Partygate is a dog-whistle issue. For the rest of us it is yesterday's news.

Every day the police dawdle is another day of delay for the publication of the Sue Gray report into the culture and conduct that allowed these imprudent gatherings.

That will tell us all we need to know and finally allow us to move on from this interminable affair.

Precious monarchy

A year on from his sad passing, the Duke of Edinburgh finally received the farewell he deserved.

In contrast to his scaled-back funeral, when the Queen sat in lonely isolation to comply with Covid regulations, his memorial service was thronged.

Tears were shed. But this was a celebration of a remarkable life  long and well-lived.

Prince Philip changed countless lives for the better and was the embodiment of duty and patriotism. He was also a model consort to the Queen, subsuming personal ambition to public service.

At 95, Her Majesty inevitably grows frailer. Some wonder whether this will prove to be her last major public engagement.

But, dutiful and dignified, she still unites the nation as no other. With questions being asked about the monarchy's future, she reminds us what a precious institution it is  and what we stand to lose without it.

Twisted priorities

They have fled Putin's bombs and bullets with virtually nothing. Yet traumatised, displaced Ukrainians are forced to jump through hoops to reach safety in Britain.

Visa forms, biometrics, security checks the hurdles the exhausted evacuees must overcome to get sanctuary verge on callous. So far, just 2,000 have been given permission to stay with host families.

Compare that with the 3,000 Channel migrants who reached our shores in March alone. Overwhelming healthy young men seeking a new life where work and benefits are easier to obtain, they were immediately put up in hotels at taxpayers' expense.

Isn't it time the Government prioritised genuine refugees over economic migrants?
Western leaders have been warned against dropping their guard after Russia announced yesterday it intends to 'fundamentally scale back' military operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv.

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace quickly slapped down the claims of a withdrawal, declaring: 'Russia must think we were born yesterday. Putin wants to crush Ukraine, it's what he's said.'

Wallace, speaking in Norway where he is visiting troops at Bardufoss - a cold weather training base for Royal Air Force, British Army and Royal Navy helicopter crews - told The Sun: 'I think the Russians are looking for an off-ramp but they're trying to package their position of weakness as a position of strength.

'Judge Russia on actions, not words, because there's a big gulf between the two.'

The Kremlin's Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin said yesterday the change on the battlefield was meant to increase trust at peace talks, suggesting that the foundations of a ceasefire could be in play.

His superior Sergey Shoigu meanwhile said Russian forces will now concentrate on the 'liberation' of the eastern Donbass region rather than attacking major Ukrainian cities, which represents a major tactical shift in the face of bitter resistance.

But the announcement was met with skepticism in Europe and the US, with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson declaring Putin could still seek to 'twist the knife' as the war enters a new phase.

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace (centre left) quickly slapped down Russia's claimsit intends to withdraw forces from around Kyiv and Chernihiv, declaring: 'Russia must think we were born yesterday. Putin wants to crush Ukraine, it's what he's said.' Boris Johnson meanwhile (centre right) said the Russian President may still seek to 'twist the knife'

Western officials have remained highly suspicious of Russia's true intentions, arguing that Russian attacks have continued despite the Kremlin's promise to scale back troops in major urban centres (Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu pictured)

The Kremlin's Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin (L) said the change on the battlefield was meant to increase trust at peace talks, suggesting that the foundations of a ceasefire could be in play. His superior Sergey Shoigu (R) meanwhile said Russian forces will now concentrate on the 'liberation' of the eastern Donbass region rather than attacking major Ukrainian cities

In yesterday's presidential address, Zelensky brushed off the shift in Russia's tactics as nothing more than a forced retreat in the face of strong Ukrainian resistance rather than any attempt at approaching a ceasefire.

'The Russian military command allegedly decided ''to reduce hostilities in the directions of Kyiv and Chernihiv'' - as if Russian planes just decided to fly less and military vehicles to drive less,' the President quipped sarcastically.

'Our full-scale defence is coming to an end. A successful defence... It is the brave and effective actions [of our defenders] who force the enemy to retreat.'

Western officials meanwhile remain highly suspicious of Russia's true intentions, arguing that Russian attacks have continued despite the Kremlin's promise to scale back troops in major urban centres.

One official speaking on condition of anonymity said: 'Nothing that we have seen so far has demonstrated to us that President Putin and his colleagues are particularly serious about [scaling back]. It is more of a tactical exercise playing for time.

'Even if they do do what they say they are going to do that is not in any shape or form a cessation of hostilities... I think we can continue to see continued death and destruction [in the Donbass].'

Western skepticism to Russia's supposed de-escalation of the conflict emerged as Russian and Ukrainian negotiators met in Istanbul yesterday for their first face-to-face talks in two weeks, in a further attempt to see if they can find sufficient common ground to end the fighting.

Deputy Defence Minister Fomin's promise to reduce the Kremlin's military presence near the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Chernihiv following the talks appears to be the first major concession that Russia has made since the beginning of their invasion in Ukraine more than a month ago.

The outcome of the face-to-face talks in Istanbul, at which Fomin himself was present, raised hopes that the conflict in Ukraine could soon be brought to an end, while the Ukrainian military's general staff said earlier it had noted troop withdrawals around the two cities in question.

But London and Washington immediately cast doubt on Russia's words and, on the ground, Ukraine said seven people were killed by a Russian strike on a government building in the city of Mykolaiv.

The Russian pullback is being offered as a goodwill tactic, but there are suspicions it is simply a way of saving face, given the invader's heavy losses of troops, tanks and armoured vehicles.

A spokesman for Boris Johnson said: 'We will judge Putin and his regime by his actions and not by his words,' before saying the British government and armed forces were looking at 'all possible options' to ensure the Ukrainians had the equipment they needed while avoiding any 'escalatory effects'.

Though there was positivity surrounding the peace talks in Istanbul, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had not seen anything to indicate that negotiations were progressing in a 'constructive way,' speculating Russia's pullback is likely an attempt to 'deceive people and deflect attention.'

Russia's Deputy Defence Minister Colonel-General Alexander Fomin leaves after a meeting with Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul, Turkey March 29, 2022

The Russian pullback is being offered as a goodwill tactic, but there are suspicions it is simply a way of saving face, given the invader's heavy losses of troops, tanks and armoured vehicles (A Ukrainian soldier inspects a damaged Russian tank)

A Ukrainian serviceman walks near a damaged Russian army tank in the northeastern city of Trostianets, on March 29, 2022

'There is what Russia says and there is what Russia does, and we're focused on the latter,' Blinken said in Morocco. 'And what Russia is doing is the continued brutalisation of Ukraine.'

Even as negotiators from the two sides assembled in Istanbul, Putin's forces hit an oil depot in western Ukraine late Monday and blasted a gaping hole Tuesday morning in a government administration building in Mykolaiv.

While peace talks between Russia and Ukraine were conducted in Istanbul, US President Joe Biden consulted with Johnson and the leaders of France, Germany and Italy to discuss a potential new multimillion-dollar aid package to help Ukraine in light of the invasion.

Biden spoke by phone for nearly an hour with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at 9.15am (1.15pm GMT), the White House said, though it was not immediately clear whether progress was made.

Elsewhere, the Russian-backed self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine announced yesteday that it may consider joining Russia officially once it controls all of Ukraine's Donetsk region.

Even as negotiators from the two sides assembled in Istanbul, Putin's forces hit an oil depot in western Ukraine late Monday and blasted a gaping hole Tuesday morning in a government administration building in Mykolaiv (pictured)

'There is what Russia says and there is what Russia does, and were focused on the latter,' US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. 'And what Russia is doing is the continued brutalisation of Ukraine.'

Head of the Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin (L) walks in downtown of Donetsk, Ukraine, 26 March 2022

'As for joining the Russian Federation, as for the wish and aspiration, they have been clearly traced since 2014 - the desire to be in Russia,' DPR leader Denis Pushilin was quoted by the Donetsk News Agency as saying.

'But now the main task is to reach the constitutional borders of the republic. Then we will determine that,' he said.

The comments come two days after the leader of the other Russian-backed eastern Ukrainian rebel region Luhansk said it may hold a referendum on joining Russia.

Kyiv said any such vote would have no legal basis and would trigger a stronger international response.

Three days before ordering the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin recognised the breakaway territories in Luhansk and Donetsk as independent states, though the rest of the world considers them part of Ukraine.

Ukraine, which says it is fighting for its existence against what it casts as an imperial-style land grab by Russia, has repeatedly said it will never agree to Russia's annexation of its territory - the hardest part of peace talks with Moscow.
The Department of Justice has endorsed antitrust bills that would block Big Tech giants, such as Google, Apple, Amazon and Facebook parent company Meta from giving preferential treatment to their own products.

The federal authority wrote a letter to bipartisan lawmakers issuing support for the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which the Senate's judiciary panel passed in January. A companion bill currently awaits full House approval.

'If enacted, we believe that this legislation has the potential to have a positive effect on dynamism in digital markets going forward,' acting Assistant Attorney General Peter Hyun wrote in the letter, which was obtained by the Wall Street Journal.

'Our future global competitiveness depends on innovators and entrepreneurs having the ability to access markets free from dominant incumbents that impede innovation, competition, resiliency, and widespread prosperity.'

The letter is the Biden Administration's most direct endorsement of the legislation, which analysts allege indicates the Justice Department believes antitrust laws can be enforced and will help boost U.S. tech competition.

'The fact that the DOJ's regulatory goals are consistent with the Hill show the seriousness of the DOJ's antitrust concerns in the technology sector,' attorney Jeffrey Jacobovitz, told Axios on Tuesday.

Big Tech titans Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, Google's Sundar Pichai and Apple's Tim Cook have heavily lobbied against the legislation

'If enacted, we believe that this legislation has the potential to have a positive effect on dynamism in digital markets going forward,' acting Assistant Attorney General Peter Hyun (pictured) wrote in the letter

The letter was sent to top members of the House and Senate Judiciary committees and the antitrust subcommittees and alleged the rise of dominant online platforms is 'presenting a threat to open markets and competition, with risks for consumers, businesses, innovation, resiliency, global competitiveness, and our democracy.'

The department also argued that dominant position of big tech firms gives them unchecked power to influence the success of other businesses.

'Discriminatory conduct by dominant platforms can sap the rewards from other innovators and entrepreneurs, reducing the incentives for entrepreneurship and innovation,' Hyun penned.

'Even more importantly, the legislation may support the growth of new tech businesses adjacent to the platforms, which may ultimately pose a critically needed competitive check to the covered platforms themselves.'

The bill would also supplement America's existing antitrust laws by offering clarity on what kinds of conduct Congress views as anticompetitive and illegal which, according to the letter, 'would enhance the ability of the DOJ and [the Federal Trade Commission] to challenge that conduct.'

The Department of Justice wrote a letter to bipartisan lawmakers issuing support for the American Innovation and Choice Online Act

Relatively small tech companies, including Yelp, Sonos and Basecamp, have backed the proposal, arguing it serves as a way to level the market.

However, big tech giants and other industry groups have heavily lobbied against the legislation, alleging it is discriminatory and would hurt privacy and security.

They also claim it is fair for e-marketplaces, search engines and app stores to profit off the popularity of their creations.

Furthermore, opponents argue the bill could have the unintended consequence of taking away services that consumers enjoy.

'With the midterms looming, we know that voters aren't pining for Democrats to break Amazon Prime or Google's search results,' Adam Kovacevich, CEO of pro-tech group Chamber of Progress, told Axios.

Despite having advanced out of committees with bipartisan support, the fate of the antitrust bill remains uncertain.

During January's vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee lawmakers who had voted in favor of the legislation's advancement raised concerns about the bill. They want changes to be made before they will support the proposal on the floor.

Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.) and Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa), are reportedly working with their colleagues to craft a version of the bill that will pass.

Daniel Francis, former deputy director of the FTC competition bureau and a lecturer at Harvard Law School, argued Tuesday that despite the Justice Department's backing, the bill still may not pass.

'It's always helpful to know where the DOJ stands on competition legislation, but it's not obvious that this letter will change the legislative dynamics in Congress around the bill,' he argued.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address Australia's parliament about what the country can do to support his government against Russia.

The former actor turned hero political leader is expected to address the House of Representatives at 5.30pm AEDT on Thursday via video conference.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese will make opening remarks before Mr Zelensky speaks and senators will be invited to the lower house to listen.

The speech will likely overshadow Mr Albanese's budget reply - taking place just two hours before the Opposition leader is set to blast the Morrison Government's spending plan.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured) will address Australian parliament on Wednesday afternoon

Scott Morrison arrives on Wednesday morning in the prime minister's courtyard after delivering his federal budget on Tuesday (pictured)

Australia has been among a network of countries seeking to pressure Russia to abandon its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

The country has donated $91million in military aid to Ukraine and put aside 70,000 tonnes of thermal coal for the European nation's power stations in an effort to prop up its resistance.

In addition to heavy sanctions against Russia and dozens of billionaire oligarchs, Australia has also pledged $30million in humanitarian assistance to protect displaced Ukrainian women and children.

We are in regular contact with the president and the prime minister (of Ukraine),' Mr Morrison said last week.

'We would welcome any opportunity for him to speak to the Australian people.'

Mr Zelensky will speak to parliament about ongoing support in his country's conflict with Russia after its unprovoked invasion on February 24 (pictured: a local in the destroyed Ukrainian city of Mariupol walks his dog on Tuesday)

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese (pictured) will deliver his federal budget reply just two hours after Mr Zelensky speaks

Australia has also issued 5000 'normal' visas for Ukrainians, 750 of whom have since arrived in the country, the prime minister said.

The temporary visas allow the holder to access Medicare, work and for children to go to school.

While MPs from both parties have previously said they would look forward to Mr Zelensky speaking in parliament, his speech will likely pull attention from Labor's budget reply.

The Morrison Government's big spending budget released on Tuesday was described as 'more of a pamphlet than a plan' by Labor despite a better-than-expected bottom line.

Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers branded the budget, which includes tax handouts and cuts to the fuel excise, as a 'desperate political ploy'.

'Scott Morrison is only pretending to care about the costs of living because he has to call an election in the next fortnight, and he's running out of time,' he said.

'If this budget wasn't ruined by rorts and weighed down by waste and mismanagement, there'd be more room to support families and pensioners and invest in the future.'

Australia has allocated temporary and 'normal' visas to Ukrainian refugees with the UNHCR estimating more than 3million have fled their homes (pictured: Julia, 34, cries as she speaks to reporters next to her daughter Veronica, 6, in Kyiv)

Australia has supplied both military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine (pictured: the wreckage of a Russian tank lies blown up on the outskirts of Kyiv on Monday)

A one-off tax break of $420 will go to more than 10 million Australians earning up to $126,000 a year. The government will also cut the fuel excise in half to 22.1 cents for the next six months.

Relief at the bowser will take up to two weeks to flow through, but the excise cut is projected to save a family with two cars around $30 a week - or $700 in total.

Six million welfare recipients, veterans, pensioners, eligible self-funded retirees and concession card holders will get a $250 cost of living payment in April.

But Dr Chalmers says the budget papers conceal $3 billion worth of 'secret cuts' that wouldn't be revealed until after the election.

They include $916.6 million in 2023/24, $1.17 billion in 2024/25 and $892 million in 2025/26 listed under 'payment measure decisions taken but not yet announced'.

He also cast doubt on the projected wage growth, with the budget predicting a tight labour market will accelerate wages growth from its current rate of 2.3 per cent to 3.25 per cent in 2022/23 and 2023/24, before edging even higher to 3.5 per cent beyond that.

'Having failed to hit 52 of their 55 wage growth targets, Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg want you to believe this time they really mean it,' the shadow treasurer said.

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg with the 2022 Budget papers at National Press Club address in the Great Hall of Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday (pictured)

'Its defining features are pay that won't keep up with prices and almost nothing to show for a trillion dollars in debt. Australians need a pay rise not a patch job that leaves them $26 a week worse off.'

The Greens also criticised the budget for the amount of taxpayer funds spent on fossil fuels.

'There is $1.6 billion for renewables, $2 billion for disaster recovery, and more than $38 billion in subsidies to coal, oil and gas,' leader Adam Bandt said.

'It's an insult to every flood victim that the prime minister is spending more than 10 times more on coal, oil and gas as he is on protecting us from climate floods.'

Mr Bandt also criticised the government for providing temporary relief for pensioners.

'We need to permanently boost the pension by almost $250 a fortnight, not $250 an election,' he said.
Labor has branded the coalition's big-spending budget as nothing more than a desperate re-election bid, despite a better-than-expected bottom line.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said the federal government 'might as well staple cash to how-to-vote (cards)' for people as they enter polling booths this May.

'It all disappears once the election is over and done with, that's the problem with this budget,' he told the Seven Network on Wednesday.

Scott Morrison says the government's planned infrastructure spending shows it has a long-term plan

The big spending federal budget 'all disappears once the election is over', Anthony Albanese says.

'It's a cynical ploy to get the government through an election, not a plan for a better future for Australia.'

The government announced a one-off tax break of $420 for more than 10 million Australians earning up to $126,000 a year.

The fuel excise will also be cut in half to 22.1 cents for the next six months.

Relief at the bowser will take up to two weeks to flow through, but the excise cut is projected to save a family with two cars around $30 a week - or $700 in total.

Six million welfare recipients, veterans, pensioners, eligible self-funded retirees and concession card holders will get a $250 cost of living payment in April.

Yet shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers branded the budget an 'act of political desperation'.

He said Australians will see through the short-term measures in the budget.

'Australians know the government has just got the shovel out because they have to call an election in the next week or two,' he told ABC Radio on Wednesday.

'(Labor is) always up for a conversation about cost of living relief - the missing part of this budget is a plan that goes beyond May.'

Dr Chalmers also said the budget papers conceal $3 billion worth of "secret cuts" that will not be revealed until after the election.

They are listed in the documents under 'payment measure decisions taken but not yet announced'.

He also cast doubt on the projected wage growth, with the budget predicting a tight labour market will accelerate wages growth from its current rate of 2.3 per cent to 3.25 per cent in 2022/23 and 2023/24, before edging even higher to 3.5 per cent beyond that.

'This government - before last night - made 55 wage forecasts and got it wrong 52 times, they are notorious for over-promising and under-delivering on wages,' he said.

The Greens also criticised the budget over the taxpayer funds to be spent on fossil fuels.

'It's an insult to every flood victim that the prime minister is spending more than 10 times more on coal, oil and gas as he is on protecting us from climate floods,' leader Adam Bandt said.

Mr Bandt also criticised the government for providing only temporary relief for pensioners.

'We need to permanently boost the pension by almost $250 a fortnight, not $250 an election,' he said.
Half of police forces will record suspected rapists as their preferred gender identity, such as female, if they no longer wish to identify as a man.

A total of 24 out of 47 forces said the record of a suspect arrested or convicted of rape or sexual assault will not have to include their sex at birth.

But campaigners reacted with fury to the figures  released under a freedom of information request as part of an LBC investigation  accusing police of putting the feelings of a perpetrator of a sexual crime ahead of their victims.

The Home Office Counting Rules, which provide a national standard for the recording of crime, do not contain any advice on the issue and practices differ among forces.

Out of 47 forces in the UK, 39 responded to the request, but many had different policies.

West Midlands and Kent Police said they would record both the perceived and self-identified gender of the person.

Half of police forces will record suspected rapists as their preferred gender identity, such as female, if they no longer wish to identify as a man. A total of 24 out of 47 forces said the record of a suspect arrested or convicted of rape or sexual assault will not have to include their sex at birth (file photo)

Other forces, including Cumbria Constabulary, Gloucestershire Constabulary, and West Yorkshire Police, said although they would usually record the preferred gender identity of an individual, rape would be an exception as the legal definition of the offence under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 requires the offender to have a penis.

The findings come after Police Scotland launched a review of their policy allowing male rapists to identify as female following an outcry from womens organisations.

In December Harry Potter author JK Rowling tweeted in response to the forces stance: War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. The Penised Individual Who Raped You Is a Woman.

Richard Garside, director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, told LBC: Rape is defined in law as an offence that only males can commit.

It makes absolutely no sense for the police to corrupt and undermine important national statistics by wrongly recording male crimes as female crimes.

But some trans rights campaigners have pointed out that rape is not a purely male crime.

Joint enterprise laws allow accomplices of crimes to be charged with the same offences as the actual perpetrators.

As such, there are rare instances when a woman can be charged with rape.

Writer and campaigner Jane Fae said: Rape doesnt require a penis. In statute it refers to the use of a penis, however there is a thing known as joint enterprise, or accomplice rape.

Maya Forstater, executive director of campaign group Sex Matters, said: The most shocking thing about all of this is that the police will take the feelings of a perpetrator of a sexual crime ahead of the reality of the victim.

This could be about domestic abuse, it could concern cases of child sexual abuse. Imagine being the victim of that kind of crime and hearing the police and the courts calling your abuser a woman when you know that the person that assaulted you was a man.

The police just shouldnt be doing this.
A pizzeria owner and his father were stabbed 10 times after dashing to save a 61-year-old woman being robbed outside their restaurant in Queens.

Louie Suljovic, 38, a U.S. Military veteran and owner of Louie's Pizzeria in Elmhurst, said he was working behind the counter on Saturday night when he suddenly heard his father, Cazim, 68, yell out for help.

Suljovic told ABC 7 that his father had seen three men stab and attack the elderly woman outside the pizzeria.

'So he went after them and yelled my name,' Sulgovic said. 'Once I heard my name, we both chased them down the block.'

Despite Suljovic being stabbed in the back and his father being stabbed nine times, with both suffering punctured lungs, the heroic men held down two of the three suspects until police arrived, with the third fleeing the scene.

They then walked over with police to the nearby Elmhurst Hospital, where they and the victim, a woman who has yet to be identified, are being treated.

Louie Suljovic, 38, a U.S. military veteran and owner of Louie's Pizza in Elmhurst, Queens, was behind the counter when his father alerted him that a woman was being assaulted

Cazim Suljovic, 68, saw a 61-year-old woman being stabbed and attacked outside his son's pizzeria on Saturday night. The elderly man ran ahead and, together, they apprehended two of the three robbers despite being stabbed multiple times

The older Suljovic was stabbed nine times while his son was stabbed once in the back. Both men suffered punctured lungs and are recovering from their injuries

Surveillance cameras near the area shows the three men (left) tailing the victim

The NYPD called Suljovic and his father local heroes, noting that the restaurateur had also donated meals to Elmhurst Hospital staff and emergency workers during the pandemic.

'He and his father are among the very best New York has to offer. We thank them for their bravery and wish them a speedy recovery,' the NYPD's 110th Precinct said in a statement.

Security cameras near the scene of the incident shows the three men who were following the victim that night.

The woman, who only speaks Korean, told ABC 7 that she remembers being pushed from behind and knocked to the ground as the thieves stole her bag and stabbed her.

Robert What, 30, and Supreme Gooding, 18, were arrested and charged with robbery, assault and criminal possession of a weapon. What was additionally charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.

The third robber remains on the loose as police continue to investigate the incident.

While recovering in the hospital, Suljovic said that he was suffering from pains caused by his stabbing, but added that his father, who was stabbed nine times, refuses to complain.

'Trying to take a breath, but it's hard to take a real breath, and you feel like a bubbling inside,' Suljovic told ABC 7.

'My dad's a bull, like old-school men. They don't make them like they used to.'

Suljovic said it was still painful to breath but that he and his father were recovering well

The incident took place outside their restaurant in Elmhurst, New York

The restaurant is currently closed while the father and son recover. A GoFundMe page has raised more than $85,000 as of Tuesday night

A GoFundMe page set up to help the two men and their medical expenses has raised more than $85,000 as of Tuesday night.

The restaurant remains closed while Suljovic and his father continue to recover.

The crime took place a day before New Mayor Eric Adams said the spike in violence across New York City has made the Big Apple a 'laughingstock' in need of a 'wartime general' to tackle the ongoing problem.

Adams, speaking at the annual NYPD Holy Name Society communion Mass and breakfast on Sunday, condemned the lawlessness throughout the city and blamed petty crime and homelessness as contributing factors to the widespread 'dysfunction.'

He called on the nearly 500 police offers in attendance to reclaim the streets of NYC, arguing the 'people want their city back'.

His push to combat crime also comes as the NYPD's February crime statistics showed an almost 60 percent increase in felonies compared to the same time last year and a recent poll of more than 9,000 employees revealed that 40 percent of those working in Manhattan wanted to move away due to rising crime. About 48 percent of those working in the other four boroughs agreed.

Yet crime in the Big Apple doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon.

New Mayor Eric Adams said the spike in crime across New York City has made the Big Apple a 'laughingstock' in need of a 'wartime general' to tackle the ongoing problem

New York City workers said they were fed up with the rise in crime and homelessness in the city, according to a recent poll of more than 9,000 employees. Of those polled, 84 percent said conditions in the city have worsened in the last two years

Overall crime in the city is up more than 45 percent since the same period last year

The New York subway has been ground zero, after an alarming 73.3 percent increase in underground incidents - including 182 in February alone.

Hate crimes also have doubled since last year  with anti-Asian attacks more than tripling and anti-Semitic attacks complaints up by a whopping 54 percent over the same time last year, from 134 to 207 incidents.

Overall crime in the city is up more than 45 percent since last year, with 4,736 felony assaults reported so far this year compared to 4,003 last year, a more than 18 percent spike.

Robberies saw the largest uptick with 3,351 cases report so far, a 45.6 percent rise from last year.

Rapes have also seen a dramatic spike with 360 cases reported compared to 247 during the same time last year, a nearly 31 percent jump.

The number of shooting victims continues to go up as 284 cases were reported so far this year, a 17.4 percent increase.
Australia's east coast will be battered by wild weather for at least another month after Sydney had its wettest March on record.

Forecasters have no real idea when the deluge will stop and admitted it would drag on 'right throughout April' and potentially into May.

Towns in northern NSW are flooding for a second time after they were completely submerged with locals winched to safety from roofs just a few weeks ago.

A dozen flood evacuation orders have been issued across NSW even as residents are nowhere near cleaning up from the first drenching.

For the second time this month Lismore's flood levee is broken and rain water is once again flooding homes and businesses (pictured)

The city of Lismore had its flood levee breached for the second time in weeks on Wednesday, as the Wilsons River peaked above 10.65m, with floodwaters and mud spilling into the city centre.

'When you have a look at the rainfall, no one could have predicted some of the amounts we have seen,' NSW Acting Premier Paul Toole said.

'Four weeks ago these communities were impacted no one could have predicted that we would be back here again.'

The acting premier said renewed flooding had come just as many people were returning to their homes and businesses.

The flooding in Lismore came just as many were finally able to return to their homes after the devastating deluge just a few weeks ago

The areas suffering the most impact were Lismore, Ballina, Byron, Coraki and Woodburn, he said.

Mr Toole said harsh, wet conditions were expected to continue, with a very wet April in prospect.

'We may be in this situation, coming back in a week's time,' he said. 'When you have a look at the ground it is saturated.

'You only have to see a small amount of rainfall landing in these areas (for further flooding).'

Sydney recorded it's wettest March on record with 527.4mm of rain with two days to go, following on from the state's wettest November last year.

Acting Premier Paule Toole said 'no one could have predicted' flooding would be back in Lismore so soon (pictured)

Flood Recovery Minister Steph Cooke said the state had faced many natural disasters over recent years.

'Whether it's droughts or bushfires, and now floods,' she said.

'We know this wet weather is likely to continue for quite some time, right throughout April and potentially beyond that.

'I know for many of you it must feel that this flooding emergency will never end, but I can assure you that there is light at the end of the tunnel.'

Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg told AAP he had heard reports the Wilsons River had begun to tip over the top of the levee shortly before confirmation arrived from the Bureau of Meteorology.

'Everyone's exhausted,' he said. 'Evacuation orders started at four o'clock yesterday afternoon and then got cancelled before the phones started ringing again.

'(People are) running on no sleep at the moment.

'It's hard to put into words. You're feeling angry as well because the messaging hasn't been what it should have been.'

Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg said most in the area had lost many of their valuables in the first few weeks of flooding

The NSW SES warned people against driving through the floodwaters and to stay away from floodwater environments

Mr Krieg said most people in the area had lost the bulk of their valuables in the first inundation.

'The hardest thing for these people is they have spent weeks and weeks cleaning and getting rid of all the flood mud, sanitising and addressing the mould issue.

'Now you've got to virtually start all of that process from the start again.'

A small but intense low off the coast of Evans Head produced intense thunderstorms and remarkably heavy rainfall on Tuesday night, Dean Narramore from the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Communities from Evans Head to Byron Bay were hit with 200 to 300mm of rain within a few hours, causing significant and destructive flash-flooding, Mr Narramore said.

Numerous rivers in the Lismore area are experiencing major flooding, including the Wilsons - which continues to rise after breaking its levee on Wednesday morning.

In Coffs Harbour, Dorrigo and Bellingen, falls between 200 and 300mm were recorded overnight and major flooding is also occurring on the Bellinger River.

Lismore is inundated once again with entire streets completely submerged for the second time in March

The NSW SES has undertaken more than 40 flood rescues in the last 24 hours, many of which were for people attempting to drive through flood waters, NSW SES Acting Commissioner Daniel Austin said.

'We ask for people not to drive through flood waters and to stay away from these environments,' he said.

Some 12 evacuation orders are in place across NSW, with an additional six issued on Wednesday morning.

The new orders are for Urunga CBD and Bellinger Keys, East Bellingen, Coraki and New Italy, Broadwater, Wardell and Cabbage Tree Island, and Newry Island.
Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo speaks during a meeting at Korea International Trade Association's office in Seoul's Gangnam District in February 2022 about the country's importers-exporters amid the Russian invasion to Ukraine. Newsis





By Ko Dong-hwan







Two ministries are at loggerheads over which one will be the country's key trade authority, as the incoming Yoon Suk-yeol administration drafts its blueprint. The presidential transition committee said the dispute is inappropriate as the transition committee hasn't even finished structuring the incoming government under President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol.







The conflict is between the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy which has the authority currently, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which argues it should hold the authority.







Officials from the foreign ministry said diplomacy and trade cannot be separated, referring to the recent emergence of the concept of "national economic security."







An official said, "With the country's trade authority on the energy ministry's side, there are so many things we cannot do. It's like we are running a race with our hands tied."







The line between trade and diplomacy has been thinning in recent years, which allowed the energy ministry to wield authority over the country's trade and perform diplomacy-related activities. The foreign ministry said this trend has deprived it of its core diplomatic tools.







The energy ministry argued that a ministry that knows better industrial policies must hold the authority over trade. But the foreign ministry refuted that argument, saying the energy ministry, which mainly handles manufacturing, cannot balance the diverse interests of different ministries delicately.







"When the country comes to free trade discussions with other countries, it involves the interests of not just the manufacturing sector but also the agriculture, service and the fisheries industries as well," a foreign ministry official said. "Can the energy ministry maintain meticulous balancing acts for all those sectors? I doubt it."







The foreign ministry official added that the ministry had the trade authority during previous administrations even before the 1998-2003 Kim Dae-jung administration. The ministry had maintained trade authority until the time of the 2008-13 Lee Myung-bak administration.







The transition committee said on March 30 that it needed more time to finalize which ministry will be given the trade authority. "We have just begun brainstorming about the new government's organization charts," the committee's spokesperson Won Il-hee said. "Nothing has been finalized yet."







The daily Hankook Economy aroused the ire of the foreign ministry by reporting on March 29 that a senior-level official from the U.S. government had informed the Korean government that Washington didn't like the idea of the incoming government transferring the trade authority to the foreign ministry. The foreign ministry condemned the energy ministry for "trying to win a domestic fight with a foreign ally at its back."







The transition committee plans to release a draft of the new government's blueprint in early May.






The first trial on US soil of the alleged ISIS 'Beatle' dubbed 'Jihadi George' will begin in earnest today, with the prosecutors and defense lawyers crossing swords for the first time.

El Shafee Elsheikh, 33, is standing trial in Alexandria, Virginia, accused of being involved in the murders of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and relief workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller.

Elsheikh, who is also charged with lethal hostage-taking, is believed to have been one of the four British ISIS militants belonging to the 'Beatles' cell - nicknamed for their UK roots and accents.

Spanish journalist Javier Espinosa, who was kidnapped by the ISIS cell and spent three months as a hostage, said Elsheikh - dubbed 'Jihadi George' - was the 'most brutal' of the terrorists.

'George was the most crazy one,' the El Mundo journalist said of his former captor Elsheikh.

Espinosa said whilst it was another Beatles member, Mohamed Emwazi, who carried out the executions of prisoners, he was 'just muscles' and Elsheikh was 'the one who was leading the others'.

'[Elsheikh] was the most brutal in the sense that he was deciding who was going to be beaten,' Espinosa said.

Another former hostage, French journalist Nicolas Henin, said Elsheikh would frequently work himself up into a rage.

It comes as prosecutors and Elsheikh's lawyers will battle against each other for the first time in federal court on Wednesday, the day after the selection of 18 jurors, including six alternates.

El Shafee Elsheikh, 33, is standing trial in Alexandria, Virginia, accused of being involved in the murders of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and relief workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller

Spanish journalist Javier Espinosa, who was kidnapped by the ISIS cell and spent three months as a hostage, said Elsheikh was the 'most brutal' of the terrorists. Pictured: Espinosa running to hug his son as he arrived in Madrid, Spain, after he was released from ISIS captivity

The 'Beatles' cell, of which Elsheikh is believed to be a member, was allegedly involved in the abductions of at least 27 people in Syria. The US does not have jurisdiction to prosecute him on all the accusations.

The hostages, some of whom were released after their governments paid ransoms, were from at least 15 countries, including the US, Denmark, France, Japan, Norway and Spain.

The 'Beatles' allegedly tortured and killed their victims, including by beheading, and ISIS released videos of the murders of Foley, Sotloff, Mueller and Kassig - among several other victims.

Two of the cell's four members, Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey, were captured in January 2018 by Kurdish forces in Syria while trying to escape to Turkey.

They were turned over to US forces in Iraq and flown to Virginia, US, in October 2020 to face charges of hostage-taking, conspiracy to murder US citizens and supporting a foreign terrorist organization.

Ringleader Mohammed Emwazi, a British citizen who oversaw the executions known as 'Jihadi John', died in a drone strike in 2015. Aine Lesley Davis, the fourth member of the group, was convicted in Turkey on terrorism charges and jailed.

Kotey pleaded guilty in September 2021 and is facing life in prison. Under his plea agreement, Kotey will serve 15 years in jail in the US and then be extradited to Britain to face further charges.

The charges against Elsheikh carry a potential death sentence, but U.S. prosecutors have advised British officials that they will not seek the death penalty against Elsheikh or Kotey. He faces an unconditional sentence of life imprisonment.



Pictured left: James Foley while covering the civil war in Aleppo, Syria. Pictured right: US aid worker Peter Kassig - otherwise known as Abdul-Rahman Kassig - in Syria

Left: US freelance journalist Steven Sotloff. Right: Kayla Mueller is shown after speaking to a group in Prescott, Arizona. Both were killed in Syria by ISIS

Alexanda Amon Kotey, left, and El Shafee Elsheikh, who were allegedly among four British jihadis who made up a brutal Islamic State cell dubbed 'The Beatles,' speak during an interview with The Associated Press at a security center in Kobani, Syria

Kotey, known as 'Ringo' by the hostages, and Elsheikh, dubbed 'George,' allegedly supervised detention facilities for hostages and coordinated ransom negotiations, according to the US authorities.

The pair were also accused of engaging in a 'prolonged pattern of physical and psychological violence against hostages,' which included waterboarding, electric shocks and mock executions.

Ricardo Garcia Vilanova, a Spanish photographer held captive for six months in 2014, said that 'torture and murder were daily occurrences' in an atmosphere of 'sadism.'

Several former European hostages are expected to testify at the trial along with a Yazidi woman detained with Mueller, a humanitarian worker who was abducted in Syria in 2013. Over the course of the trial - that will likely last a whole month - 60 witnesses will give evidence.

Mueller's parents say she was tortured before being handed over to Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who allegedly raped her repeatedly before killing her.

'Beatles' Ringleader Mohammed Emwazi, a British citizen who oversaw the executions known as 'Jihadi John', died in a drone strike in 2015

A Kurdish security officer escorts Alexanda Amon Kotey, left, and El Shafee Elsheikh, who were allegedly among four British jihadis who made up a brutal Islamic State cell dubbed 'The Beatles,' for an interview with The Associated Press, March 30, 2018

According to the indictment, Elsheikh was born in Sudan and moved to Britain when he was a child.

After becoming radicalized, he went to Syria in 2012 and joined ISIS.

Throughout his trial, four rows of seats will be reserved for former hostages and their relatives.

Diane Foley, the mother of James Foley, and Bethany Haines, the daughter of British hostage David Haines, intend to occupy them.

'This has been a long time coming,' Diane Foley said.

'Accountability is essential if we're ever going to stop hostage-taking,' said Foley.

Britain stripped Kotey and Elsheikh of their UK citizenship but held up their transfer to the United States until the US authorities assured London the death penalty would not be sought for the two men.

Elsheikh was born in Sudan in 1988 but moved to Britain as a child. His father left the family when he was seven years old, according to the non-profit Counter Extremism Project (CEP).

Elsheikh studied mechanical engineering at Acton College in London, according to CEP, and was stabbed in a fight with a gang member when he was 19.

He married an Ethiopian woman in Canada when he was 21, CEP said, but was not allowed to bring her to Britain, deepening his anger at the British government.

'He had this hate for the Western world and for Westerners deep inside him, even if he grew up in England,' Espinosa said.

Elsheikh became increasingly radicalized and took part in a 'Muslims Against Crusades' demonstration outside the US Embassy in London on September 11, 2011, according to the US indictment.

He traveled to Syria in 2012, the indictment says, to 'wage violent jihad on behalf of radical Islamic groups,' first joining an Al-Qaeda affiliate there and then IS.

Between 2012 and 2015, Elsheikh and the others seized numerous hostages and administered torture including electric shocks, waterboarding and mock executions, the indictment says.

In an interview with The Washington Post after his capture, Elsheikh denied ever torturing captives but acknowledged he did not always show them 'compassion.'

He said he was just a subordinate in the group, only responsible for collecting information about the hostages such as email addresses so the captors could be in touch with their families to discuss ransoms.

But Espinosa, the El Mundo reporter and former hostage, strongly disputed those claims.

'He was very happy to have the power of deciding the life of people,' Espinosa said. 'Who was going to die and who was going to live.'
A dozen flood evacuation orders have been issued across NSW as politicians warn severe weather conditions are expected to continue for several weeks.

The city of Lismore had its flood levee breached for the second time in weeks on Wednesday, as the Wilsons River peaked above 10.65 metres, with flood waters and mud spilling into the city centre.

Lismore on Wednesday morning (pictured) was again inundated by floodwaters weeks after record floods

FLOOD EVACUATION ORDERS IN PLACE NSW EVACUATION ORDERS: Lismore, Urunga CBD, Bellinger Keys, Newry Island, Little Rock MODERATE TO MAJOR FLOOD WARNINGS: Coraki, Bungawalbyn, Woodburn, Grafton, Thora, Bellingen, Repton, Kyogle, Tumblegum FLOOD AFFECTED: Byron Bay, Ballina, Mullumbimby, Lennox Head Advertisement

'When you have a look at the rainfall, no one could have predicted some of the amounts we have seen,' NSW Acting Premier Paul Toole said.

'Four weeks ago these communities were impacted  no one could have predicted that we would be back here again.'

The acting premier said renewed flooding had come just as many people were returning to their homes and businesses.

The areas suffering the most impact were Lismore, Ballina, Byron, Coraki and Woodburn, he said.

Mr Toole said harsh, wet conditions were expected to continue, with a very wet April in prospect.

'We may be in this situation, coming back in a week's time," he said. "When you have a look at the ground it is saturated.

'You only have to see a small amount of rainfall landing in these areas (for further flooding).'

Flood Recovery Minister Steph Cooke said the state had faced many natural disasters over recent years.

'Whether it's droughts or bushfires, and now floods,' she said.

'We know this wet weather is likely to continue for quite some time, right throughout April and potentially beyond that.

'I know for many of you it must feel that this flooding emergency will never end, but I can assure you that there is light at the end of the tunnel.'

Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg told AAP he had heard reports the Wilsons River had begun to tip over the top of the levee shortly before confirmation arrived from the Bureau of Meteorology.

'Everyone's exhausted,' he said. "Evacuation orders started at four o'clock yesterday afternoon and then got cancelled before the phones started ringing again.

'(People are) running on no sleep at the moment.

'It's hard to put into words. You're feeling angry as well because the messaging hasn't been what it should have been.'

Mr Krieg said most people in the area had lost the bulk of their valuables in the first inundation.

'The hardest thing for these people is they have spent weeks and weeks cleaning and getting rid of all the flood mud, sanitising and addressing the mould issue.

'Now you've got to virtually start all of that process from the start again."

A small but intense low off the coast of Evans Head produced intense thunderstorms and remarkably heavy rainfall on Tuesday night, Dean Narramore from the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Communities from Evans Head to Byron Bay were hit with 200 to 300mm of rain within a few hours, causing significant and destructive flash-flooding, Mr Narramore said.

Numerous rivers in the Lismore area are experiencing major flooding, including the Wilsons - which continues to rise after breahing its levee on Wednesday morning.

In Coffs Harbour, Dorrigo and Bellingen, falls between 200 and 300mm were recorded overnight and major flooding is also occurring on the Bellinger River.

The Lismore McDonald's which was entirely underwater in the floods at the beginning of March was again at risk of flooding (pictured)

The NSW SES has undertaken more than 40 flood rescues in the last 24 hours, many of which were for people attempting to drive through flood waters, NSW SES Acting Commissioner Daniel Austin said.

'We ask for people not to drive through flood waters and to stay away from these environments,' he said.

Some 12 evacuation orders are in place across NSW, with an additional six issued on Wednesday morning.

The new orders are for Urunga CBD and Bellinger Keys, East Bellingen, Coraki and New Italy, Broadwater, Wardell and Cabbage Tree Island, and Newry Island.
An inquest into the death of Hannah Clarke and her three children has heard that Ms Clarke told a Brisbane domestic violence worker that her husband Rowan Baxter, had strangled her during sex in November, but they did not inform police.

Hannah Clarke, 31, her children - Aaliyah, six, Laianah, four, and Trey, three - were killed when estranged husband Rowan Baxter doused their family in car in petrol and lit it on fire in suburban south Brisbane on February 19, 2020.

Baxter did not die in the initial fire but jumped out of the burning car - with burns to 80 percent of his body - and stabbed himself with a knife.

Hannah Clarke, 31, her children - Aaliyah, six, Laianah, four, and Trey, three - were killed when estranged husband Rowan Baxter torched their family in a car on a suburban Brisbane street in 2020

On the worker's risk assessment of the case she recorded that Ms Clarke said Baxter had 'put his hands around Hannah's neck during sex without her consent and would not remove them'.

However the worker did not inform police because 'most women' she is in contact with have been strangled by their partner and she assumed they would already be aware.

'So unfortunately, this sort of information wouldn't be something I'd usually share with police,' she said.

'I knew Hannah had been in regular contact with police. I think this information would have been information I assumed that the police would know as well.'

An anonymous Brisbane domestic violence worker said Ms Clarke told her on December 9, 2019, that her husband, Rowan Baxter (above), had strangled her during sex in November

However the inquest heard Ms Clarke had not informed police of her non-lethal strangulation and that it was a missed sign she was at extreme risk.

'Again I think it really depends on the situation and I'm just making an assumption here  sometimes in those sort of situations where it's sexual and there hasn't been any pressure used, they might not consider that strangulation,' the worker said.

The worker said in a recent separate case a young person had choked their mother but no action was taken by police.

'Unfortunately DV services and police aren't always as linked in as we would want them to be,' the support worker said.

'Sometimes I've had police that have been able to respond really well and go above and beyond.

The worker did not inform police because 'most women' she is in contact with have been strangled by their partner and she assumed they would already be aware

'But other times I've had experiences where I've had to advocate and unfortunately a breach hasn't been taken seriously.

'I've had experiences where it hasn't been so great.'

The worker said it took about six weeks for her to complete Ms Clarke's risk and safety assessment due to an overload of victims seeking help from the service.

'So in that situation I believe I had completed the risk and safety assessment (RASA) with Hannah and it was pending allocation to a case manager,' she said.

'Hannah had reached out with some concerns with the respondent using technology abuse and I was able to provide that bit of case management before she was allocated her actual case manager.

'We get a range of high-risk situations, we might get a call where someone has been strangled that day and the RASA needs to be completed so unfortunately I think it was a situation where we didn't have the manpower to complete it in that week when I initially wanted to complete it.'

The non-lethal choking had been highlighted in Ms Clarke's risk and safety assessment because the worker felt it was important for other people working on the case to know

Domestic violence service workers had not moved Hannah Clarke to emergency accommodation because they believed she was safe staying with her parents Sue and Lloyd Clarke (above)

The worker also said the only training she had received for her position was a handover period from the last worker.

She said she received no training on how to share information with police or signs that indicate a lethal relationship.

The non-lethal choking had been highlighted in Ms Clarke's RASA because the worker felt it was important for other people working on the case to know.

The worker also said she was unaware of times where her case RASAs had been given to police and agreed that women contacting DV support services often have trouble getting police to charge their perpetrators.

Rowan Baxter killed Hannah Clarke and their three children after dousing them in petrol while inside their family car and setting it alight

A second domestic violence worker told the inquest two police officers had paid Ms Clarke a 'short visit' on January 8, 2020.

'So my role in this particular instance was to follow up with Hannah to see if she required any wrap around support, ongoing support  whatever that might be,' she said.

'She did indicate that she would like to have support or be linked in with, I guess, a family law lawyer and counselling.'

She said a 'red flag' to her at the time was that Baxter had abducted four-year-old Laianah on Boxing Day.

'Just the fact that her estranged husband had taken, abducted, the middle child, which alerted us. I mean, that's a huge red flag,' she said.

A domestic violence support worker said there was no reason in the months before her death for Ms Clarke to be categorised as being in 'imminent risk'

'It's not normal behaviour  it's just, who does that?'

Despite this, the worker said there was no reason at the time for Ms Clarke to be categorised as being in 'imminent risk'.

'If we assessed an aggrieved was at imminent risk in our absence if we were on annual leave we would hand it over to another case worker,' she said.

'I didn't believe Hannah was at imminent risk because the police were involved, we were involved. I know she had left her estranged husband. I didn't realise she was living with her parents but I did know her parents were there as a social support.

'There was nothing glaring for me that I could assess her as being at imminent risk.'

A third DVS worker said she had been in contact with Ms Clarke just days before her death and she seemed positive about her future.

A domestic violence worker said she had talked to a hopeful Ms Clarke over the phone on January 29 and they met on February 4, prior to her death on February 19 when Baxter set the family car on fire

She said she had talked to Ms Clarke over the phone on January 29 and they met on February 4, prior to her death on February 19.

'I can recall that she was upbeat, she was looking forward to sort of moving on with her life,' she said.

'She was very forward focused.'

However, Ms Clarke did tell the worker that Baxter's behaviour had escalated and disclosed he had injured her arm while visiting her parents house with private photos spread on the back seat of his car.

The worker had agreed it was an escalation in behaviour and recommended Ms Clarke's parents collect her kids from school but did not feel she needed to be moved to emergency accommodation.

'What I keep in mind in this situation was that Ms Clarke identified that she was feeling supported living with her family and that's where she felt best,' she said.

'In Hannah's scenario, yes, there was absolutely a risk, and a high risk there  and I don't deny that,.

'But the system was working as it should have been.'
A bodyboarder was attacked by a great white shark in central California on Christmas Eve and died within minutes, official reports have concluded.

Tomas Abraham Butterfield, 42, was bitten on the head, chest and shoulder in the Morro Bay attack and died from 'complications of multiple penetrating blunt force traumatic injuries,' according to a coroner's report, The Tribune of San Luis Obispo County reported.

A piece of what appeared to be a shark's tooth was found on his body, the Tribune said, citing a report by a sheriff's detective that was among documents released to the paper under a public records request.

The size or age of the shark wasn't estimated, but the radius of one bite mark was as large as 16 inches, according to the detective's report.

The attack is believed to be the first fatal shark attack in San Luis Obispo County in 18 years.

Tomas Abraham Butterfield, 42, was bitten in the head, chest and shoulder in the Morro Bay attack and died from his injuries

The fatal shark attack took place off of Morro Strand State Beach on Christmas Eve last year

Butterfield was attacked on December 24 while bodyboarding about 100 yards off the shore of Morro Strand State Beach, just north of Morro Rock. The Sacramento man had been visiting his mother and brother for the holidays.

Butterfield's bodyboard was spotted in the waves by a surfer who paddled towards it. She 'tugged on it and felt weight' and soon saw Butterfield face down in the water, still tethered to his bodyboard,' Morro Bay Harbor Director Eric Endersby said.

The surfer managed to pull Butterfield to the beach, where Butterfield was pronounced dead.

His uncle, Grant Butterfield, 74, told The LA Times: 'It's a terrible loss, at 42, with him getting his surf together and starting to make something of himself.'

He added the family 'is going to do OK, but even at that, it's a tough time holding it together'.

Pictured: A sign warns of the shark attack on the Californian beach on December 24 2021

Butterfield was attacked on December 24 by a great white shark (file photo) while bodyboarding about 100 yards off the shore of Morro Strand State Beach, just north of Morro Rock

In the coroner's report, a pathologist noted that Butterfield had a fractured skull, crushed ribs and other injuries, including to the inferior vena cava, a large vein that carries blood from the torso and lower body to the heart.

Dr. Joye Carter said Butterfield died within minutes.

A DNA sample taken during the autopsy confirmed that the injuries were from a great white shark, according to Mike Harris of California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which assisted in the investigation.

It wasn't clear whether the shark attacked just once or made several lunges.

Morro Bay is about 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Los Angeles.

Great white sharks are the largest predatory fish on Earth and can grow up to 20 feet in length and weigh over 5,000 pounds.

Although frequently portrayed as 'mindless killers' - mainly due to blockbuster movies like Steven Spielberg's Jaws - great white sharks are actually very sensitive, intelligent creatures which have little interest in eating humans.

According to National Geographic, great whites are highly adapted predators, and their mouths are lined with up to 300 serrated, triangular teeth arranged in several rows, and they have an exceptional sense of smell to detect prey.

The great white sharks have such a strong sense of smell that they can detect a colony of seals two miles away.

They even have organs that can sense the tiny electromagnetic fields generated by animals. Their main prey items include sea lions, seals, small toothed whales, and even sea turtles, and carrion.

Despite their huge size, they are listed as a vulnerable species due to overfishing and poor regulation.
Las Vegas police shot and wounded two young men in a car in a high school parking lot after they struck a student with their vehicle and ignored orders to stop, authorities said Tuesday.

Western High School, located at 4601 W Bonanza Road, was letting out about 2:15pm when cops got a call about a fight involving someone in a car with a weapon in the parking lot, according to Clark County School District Police Lt. Bryan Zink.

Students were boarding school buses and getting picked up when the officers arrived and saw a car traveling at a 'high rate of speed' into the eastern parking lot.

The officers ordered the car to stop, but it kept going southbound through the lot then pulled a U-turn, heading back toward the officers.

Student were forced to flee for cover as the vehicle sped through the crowded lot, clipping a female student who was trying to get out of the way.

'The vehicle struck the student, who I am happy to say is not injured seriously,' Zink said during a press conference.

Seeming to ignore the commands to stop, the car and driver charged on through the lot toward the officers, prompting one of them to open fire on the two young men.

Clark County School District Police Lt. Bryan Zink said officers ordered the car to stop, but the driver refused and cops fired on the vehicle, wounding the boys

Wester High School, pictured here, was letting out when the violence erupted. The parking lot was full of students boarding buses and catching rides home

Clark County School District Police taped off cars in the eastern parking lot, shown here, where the police involved shooting occurred

The young men were wounded when they sped out of the high school parking lot and fled the scene. Police, shown here, are investigating the police use of force

'The vehicle continued at a high rate of speed toward the police officers, they gave orders for the car to stop,' Zink said. 'One of the officers pulled his service weapon and fired rounds at the car.'

Still, the car did not stop and continued to speed out of the lot.

A dramatic police emergency dispatch recording catches the frantic officer at the scene.

'Shots fire, shots fired,' he says, describing the car as a black Ford Fusion with Arizona plates fleeing eastbound from the high school.

Later, the boys' relatives took them to Sunrise Hospital and University Medical Center, where they are expected to survive their wounds, police said.

The boys, whose name and ages were not made public, are not believed to be Western High School students.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Force Investigation Team will investigate the shooting and report back to the school district police in 72 hours.

The name of the of the officer who fired at the boys was not revealed.

A briefing on the shooting for the public is expected on Monday.
A flamingo that escaped a Kansas zoo during a storm 17 years ago was spotted off the coast of Texas earlier this month.

An environmental activist captured footage of the African flamingo, identified as No. 492 by the number on its leg band, walking along a pier near at Rhodes Point in Cox Bay near Port Lavaca on March 10.

No. 492 and another flamingo escaped from the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita on a stormy night in June 2005. Employees had not yet clipped the birds' wings to prevent them from flying, which facilitated their getaway.

Wildlife officials claim No. 492 has been spotted several times in Wisconsin, Louisiana and Texas.

A flamingo that escaped a Kansas zoo during a storm 17 years ago was spotted off the coast of Texas earlier this month

No. 492 was brought from Africa to the Sedgwick County Zoo in Kansas in 2004. The bird escaped in June 2005 and has since been spotted in various locations across the U.S.

The Coastal Fisheries division of Texas Parks and Wildlife was apparently excited about the latest sighting of No. 492.

'Looks like Pink Floyd has returned from the "dark side of moon!"' the organization wrote on Facebook Friday, sharing the video footage from the activist.

No. 492 is seen walking along the pier, which served as host for various birds.

The flamingo has been spotted on numerous occasions interacting with other wild flamingos, the wildlife authority reported.

Officials said it had been a year or two since the legendary bird was last seen in Texas.

An environmental activist captured footage of the African flamingo, identified as No. 492 by the number on its leg band, walking along a pier near at Rhodes Point in Cox Bay near Port Lavaca on March 10

Officials said it had been a year or two since the legendary bird was last seen in Texas. Zoo officials have never made plans to recapture No. 492, despite the numerous sightings, saying there is no easy way to do so without disturbing other wildlife

However, No. 492 seems to be a repeat visitor to the Lavaca Bay area.

In June 2018, an Coastal Fisheries intern captured photos of the flamingo soaring through the sky and socializing with other birds near the coast.

'What's pink and white and likes to spend time in Texas? An escaped African flamingo from a Kansas zoo!' the wildlife organization posted at the time, noting that No. 492 had 'been living its "bird" life ever since' its escape from the zoo.

'A treat for avid bird watchers, it makes an appearance every few years in Texas,' Coastal Fisheries added.

Zoo officials have never made plans to recapture No. 492, despite the sightings, saying there is no easy way to do so without disturbing other wildlife.

In June 2018, an Coastal Fisheries intern captured photos of the flamingo socializing with other birds near the coast

The intern also captured the bird soaring through the sky

No. 492 and its missing companion were born in Africa before being shipped to Kansas in 2004 along with 39 other flamingos.

The birds escaped from the zoo on June 27, 2005, during an evening storm with strong winds, The Wichita Eagle reported.

The pair were spotted together later that summer, before they got separated.

Sedgwick County Zoo officials believe that while No. 492 traveled to the Gulf Coast, its companion headed north. The other flamingo has not been seen since August 2005.

The zoo claims the gender of No. 492 was never determined because the facility didn't retain the bird long enough to undergo a blood test.

However, they estimate the bird to be approximately 27 years old, standing at four to five feet tall. Flamingos in the wild have a life expectancy of up to 30 years.
China has taken a brutal swipe at what it claims is Australia's disrespectful 'colonialist mentality toward South Pacific island countries'.

Beijing was incensed by a fringe independent article calling on Canberra to invade the Solomon Islands over its worrying new security arrangement with China.

Although the call for regime change in Honiara only came from one former gold trader who now writes for his own economic publication Macrobusiness, Chinese state media said claimed exposed Australia's 'hysterical and ugly face'.

David Llewellyn-Smith declared that Scott Morrison should 'force a direct confrontation' with the communist superpower over the Solomons using 'any and all means necessary' to drive Beijing out of the region.

The editorial also described the situation as 'Australia's Cuban missile crisis' and said 'there is no way that Australia can allow this deal to proceed.'

Scribes for the propaganda mouthpiece argue it's 'ridiculous' for Australia to condemn Russia's bloody invasion of the Ukraine on one hand while its 'elites' call for military forces to capture Guadalcanal.

China's President Xi Jinping inspects People's Liberation Army soldiers at a barracks in Hong Kong on June 30, 2017

State released images show Solomon Islands and China police officers using the QBZ-95 assault rifles, they say are 'replicas' in a training exercise

The program is part of a greater effort from the Communist nation to spread its influence in the region and move to building infrastructure on Australia's doorstep

WHY DOES CHINA THINK ONE FRINGE ARTICLE REPRESENTS ALL OF AUSTRALIA? In the authoritarian nation all media is tightly controlled by Xi Jinping's Politburo with any unflattering news stories about The Party censored. To make sure the propaganda rolls out smoothly political lackey's are appointed to prominent editorial positions at state-run media outlets like The Global Times. A major part of their job is to heap praise on their President-for-life and spew disinformation about democratic countries with a free press. So when Chinese readers and journalists see any independent Australian article - even one published on a fringe website - they assume it must have been green-lighted by Canberra. Sadly, for many Chinese citizens it's almost incomprehensible for them to fathom the concept of a free press and how news stories do not always represent the view of the government. Advertisement

'Canberra has carried out much military cooperation with the US, including signing the AUKUS deal that will help it acquire nuclear-powered submarines. Don't Canberra's actions pose a greater threat to China?' the Global Times article reads.

Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Center at East China Normal University was quoted as saying: 'This shows the hypocrisy and double standards of Australia's frantic elites.'

Australian leaders argue it's an apples to oranges comparison given Russia and China are both non-democratic, authoritarian powers with appalling human rights records and a history of debt-trap diplomacy.

'We don't believe it's in the best interest of the Indo-Pacific and of peace and stability,' Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton said

'This does cause significant concern particularly when you see the very close relationship between Russia and China an extension of that power block into the Indo-Pacific is very concerning.'

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin sounded off on Monday saying Australia's attempt to 'disrupt and undermine' the security arrangement would be 'doomed to fail'.

The draft security deal between the Solomon Islands (pictured) and China was leaked online and includes a possible navy base in the on the Pacific Island nation

'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,' he said.

'Why are some individuals concerned about China-Solomon Islands cooperation when the government and the people of Solomon Islands genuinely welcome it?'

The explosive leaked document last week revealed Beijing's intention to set up a permanent military and police presence in the Solomon Islands.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare later confirmed that China and the Solomon Islands were working together to pen the controversial security deal, just months after massive anti-China riots broke out in the capital.

'I would like to make it abundantly clear that Solomon Islands' security agreement with Australia remains in place and intact,' he said.

'It is clear that we need to diversify the country's relationship with other partners, and what is wrong with that?

A crowd gathers at Naha Police Station as they defy the lockdown in the capital. The island nation erupted in anti-Chinese riots so severe Australia has decided to send in troops and police officers

A fireman walks past a torched hardware store in Honiara. Rioters have targeted shops and businesses in the Chinatown part of the Honiara

'We find it very insulting to be branded as unfit to manage our sovereign affairs, or [to] have other motives in pursuing our national interests.'

The agreement says Solomon Islands, east of Papua New Guinea, could 'request China to send police, armed police, military personnel and other law enforcement and armed forces' to the country.

It further states China may 'make ship visits, to carry out logistical replenishment in, and have stopover and transition in Solomon Islands'.

Tensions have been simmering in Solomon Islands since Prime Minister Sogavare broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan in favour of Beijing in September 2019.

The move angered many locals who fear the country's natural resources - mainly fishing, palm oil and logging - are being fleeced by the authoritarian power.

Tensions have been simmering in Solomon Islands since Prime Minister Sogavare broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan in favour of Beijing in September 2019. Pictured: Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare (right) and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing

An explosive leaked document (pictured) has revealed that Solomon Islands could soon have a Chinese military presence in the Pacific nation

A building prominently displaying three Taiwanese flags (pictured) was left untouched while other shops and businesses were torched in the Solomon Islands as protests rage over the nation's decision to switch diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China

Beijing handed over about $730 million to the Solomon Islands government after the diplomatic switch was made.

Public sentiment is that this money was paid in exchange for a piece of their sovereignty including access to politicians and backdoors to ownership of both public and private businesses.

Opposition politicians also claim the Chinese Government funded Mr Sogavare's political campaign at the last election and gifted him a personal slush fund to win the votes of fellow MPs.

In the wake of anti-Beijing riots in November that left almost every building in Chinatown smouldering, Mr Sogavare called on Australian Police and military to send a peacekeeping force.

In the weeks that followed, a contingent of Chinese police officers were also deployed to Solomon Islands to work with local authorities to maintain order and guard Chinese interests.

China's growing presence in the region has them attempting to base themselves on Australia's doorstep
Police in New York City are hunting for a woman with bright orange hair who smashed the window of a yellow taxi with a cinder block to steal an iPhone and $40 in cash.

The brazen broad-daylight theft happened on Thursday, in midtown Manhattan.

The driver of the yellow taxi had parked his car on West 37th Street, between Ninth and 10th avenues, and left it to use the restroom.

Security camera footage showed the woman approach the car carrying the cinder block.

The woman, with bright orange hair, can be seen carrying the cinder block with both hands towards the parked taxi

The woman walked past a white parked vehicle to get to the taxi, then smashed the window

The woman heaved the heavy block above her head before smashing it into the window

The woman then climbed through the window to grab the phone and cash

She hurled it at the drivers' side window, and then clambered through the broken window to steal the phone and cash.

She then ran away.

The robbery comes amid a dangerous crime wave in the once-safe city.

In February there was a 60 percent spike in incidents when compared to the same period last year.

The city's latest crime figures show there were 9,138 incidents last month, as opposed to 5,759 in February 2021 - with double-digit surges in nearly every major category.

There were 32 murders in February - three more than the same month last year.

Multiple other categories saw spikes, including car theft, which soared by nearly 105 percent; grand larceny, which jumped nearly 80 percent over the previous year; robberies, which surged 56 percent; a 44 percent bump in burglaries and a 22 percent spike in assaults.

Rapes also saw a 35 percent rise.

During the month of February, the NYPD reported a 58.7 percent increase in total crime

Overall crime in the city is up more than 45 percent since the same period last year

Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday said the spike in crime across New York City has made the Big Apple a 'laughingstock' in need of a 'wartime general' to tackle the ongoing problem.

Adams, speaking at the annual NYPD Holy Name Society communion Mass and breakfast, condemned the lawlessness throughout the city.

He blamed petty crime and homelessness as contributing factors to the widespread 'dysfunction.'

'Anything goes in the City of New York,' Adams said.

'The most important city on the globe has become the laughingstock of the globe.

'And the dysfunctionality of our city has cascaded throughout the entire country.'
Video of a person lowering a dangerous nail bomb over a fence before the device exploded and seriously injured a man has been released by police as the search for the perpetrator continues.

Security footage captured the bucket being lifted over the fence at Kingston, south of Brisbane, and carefully lowered into position.

The bomb was placed behind an SUV parked in the driveway of the home about 1.15am on March 24.

Scroll down for the video.

Security footage captured a bucket bomb being lifted over a south Brisbane fence and carefully lowered into position

A hooded jumper hides the suspect's head, with his face covered by a mask.

The device exploded as 52-year-old Andrew Doyle moved the bucket about 5:30pm, not realising the danger.

Mr Doyle suffered concussion injuries and severe shrapnel wounds to his chest, abdominal region and limbs. He later underwent surgery in Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Police believe the explosion was a targeted attack, downplaying any risk to the broader community.

The device exploded as 52-year-old Andrew Doyle moved the bucket about 5:30pm, severely injuring him

Detectives are calling for witnesses or drivers who may have captured dash-cam footage in Kingston Road, Juers Street, and Jacaranda Avenue between midnight and 6am on March 24

Detectives are calling for witnesses or drivers who may have captured dash-cam footage in Kingston Road, Juers Street, and Jacaranda Avenue between midnight and 6am on March 24, to contact the police.

A police spokesperson said last week that Mr Doyle was lucky he didn't sustain worse injuries from the attack.

'I think it's a really lucky event that he hasn't had any more significant injuries,' they said.

Police reported damage to the nearby fence and vehicle on Mr Doyle's property but have ruled out the possibility of a second bomb

'We do believe that it could possibly be a targeted event. We don't hold any concern for the wider community.'

Police also reported damage to the nearby fence and vehicle on Mr Doyle's property but have ruled out the possibility of a second bomb.

'Definitely no second explosion, our investigations reveal just a single explosion, I don't know how those noises would have penetrated across the suburb though,' the spokesperson said.

However a neighbour told Nine News they'd heard a second bomb.

After the explosion police briefly enacted an emergency declaration but revoked it once determining there was no threat to other community members

'After maybe three, four, five minutes, then the second explosion, it was very loud so we just ran away. It was really loud,' they said.

After the explosion police briefly enacted an emergency declaration under the Public Safety Preservation Act but revoked it once it was determined there was no threat to other community members.

Members of the public were told to avoid the area and those within the exclusion zone were asked to remain indoors until further notice.
Former Donald Trump national security advisor John Bolton refuted the ex-president's claim that he doesn't know what a 'burner phone' is, saying the two had 'several discussions' in the past about 'how people have used burner phones to avoid having their calls scrutinized.'

White House call logs obtained by The Washington Post show a more than seven-hour gap in Trump's phone use - from 11:17 a.m. to 6:54 p.m. - on the day the Capitol was stormed, suggesting that he either didn't communicate with anyone by phone as the chaos unfolded or he used a different phone.

The House select committee investigating the insurrection is looking into whether or not Trump used a 'burner phone' to talk to advisers and Republican lawmakers that day.

The former Commander-in-Chief denied that he used a disposable phone, claiming he doesn't know what a 'burner phone' is.

'I have no idea what a burner phone is, to the best of my knowledge I have never even heard the term,' he told the Post.

But Bolton, who had a falling out with Trump after the foreign affairs diplomat was called to testify for the second impeachment trial, told the Post that the two had 'several discussions' about burner phones.

Bolton, who penned a tell-all about his time in the White House, says he and Trump discussed 'burner phones' before

The January 6 Capitol riot was aimed at blocking Congress from certifying the election win for Joe Biden and resulted in five deaths and the second impeachment of Trump

Former national security adviser John Bolton undermined former President Trump's assertion that he's never heard of a 'burner phone'

President Donald Trump made several calls on the morning of January 6 and in the evening, but there is a seven and a half hour gap in telephone activity that day, during which the siege on the Capitol took place

Eleven pages of records leaked to the paper indicate that the former president spoke with his adviser Steve Bannon, Rudy Giuliani, former vice president Mike Pence, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Fox News commentator Sean Hannity and others.

The House panel probing the January 6 Capitol attack voted Tuesday evening to hold Steve Bannon (pictured) in contempt for refusing to testify

None of the men spoke to the Washington Post about their calls.

The last call that he placed in the morning at 11:17 was not identified in the call logs.

Trump attend the infamous rally that proceeded the charge on the Capitol Building and was back at the White House by 1:21 p.m.

He recorded a video for social media at 4:03 trying to quell the unrest.

'Go home,' he said. 'We love you. You're very special.'

The Washington Post identified two calls placed during the riot, one to Congressman Mike Lee (Utah-R) and another to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (California-R), that do not appear on the call logs, but have been documented elsewhere, suggesting he used another phone.

Trump's phone activity picks back up again shortly before 7 p.m. when he calls White House aide Daniel Scavino Jr.

He also spoke to White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Kayleigh McEnany moments later.

He made several other calls to Republican advisors and White House staff and capped the night with a call to the presidential personnel director John McEntee.
President Moon Jae-in speaks during a ceremony to honor the inauguration of Ven. Seongpa in Seoul, March 30. Yonhap





President Moon Jae-in attended a ceremony to honor the inauguration of Ven. Seongpa as spiritual leader of the Jogye Order, Korea's largest Buddhist sect, Wednesday.







Ven. Seongpa was elected as the 15th Supreme Patriarch of the Jogye Order in December last year and started his five-year term last week.







This was the first time that a sitting president has attended a Buddhist ritual for the Supreme Patriarch, Cheong Wa Dae officials said.







The Supreme Patriarch, or "Jongjeong" in Korean, is the highest authority in the Buddhist sect but does not oversee its administration. (Yonhap)






Advertisement

Floodwaters near Lismore are forecast to peak at a height of 12m tonight as more than 400mm of rain falls on the area in just 24 hours.

Meanwhile, there are grave fears for a 55-year-old aged care nurse believed to be missing in raging waters after the regional city had its levee breached for the second time in weeks.

A search and rescue operation has been underway since about 9.50pm on Tuesday night after she called police, saying she was trapped in floodwaters while driving.

Police spent several hours searching for both the driver and her SUV, but have been unable to find her.

The tourist town of Byron Bay was today submerged, the front of one of its most expensive resorts - the Elements of Byron - seen underwater on Instagram.

Meanwhile, the Wilsons River is expected to match previous flood level records from 1954 and 1974, hitting about 12metres at some point this evening.

People walk through floodwater on March 30, 2022 in Byron Bay, northern New South Wales

A man has posted on Instagram that he can't believe the Northern Rivers region is being hit with floods (pictured) again

On Instagram, one resident posted that he can't believe the Northern Rivers region is being hit with floods again.

'It's not fair after what they've just been through,' he said, and also asked people to donate to the Red Cross.

In Lismore the Wilsons River breached its levee at 9am on Wednesday - sending floodwaters cascading through city streets for the second time in a month.

Lismore's local flood siren, which is supposed to trigger when the levee is breached, did not sound because it malfunctioned.

Ballina is also under water, with rainfall in the seven days to 9am reaching nearly 920mm - almost half of which fell in the previous 24 hours.

Flooding has also hit the village of Mullumbimby, where one resident described the area as 'a disaster site', with thousands of homes left without power.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued severe weather warnings in the lead-up to the flooding, but Byron locals were furious there were no evacuation notices.

The Northern Rivers region of New South Wales (pictured) has been flooded for the second time in weeks

Byron Bay resort Elements of Byron (pictured) has been inundated with floodwater

A man and his dog walk through floodwater on March 30, 2022 in Byron Bay, Australia. Evacuation orders have been issued for towns across the NSW Northern Rivers region

Flooded scenes in Jonson St Byron Bay, NSW, where on Wednesday residents a hotel woke to a sea of water

'To my knowledge, no one in Byron or Ballina received any evacuation notices at all. They just woke up to flash flooding,' Jacqui Lewis said.

Acting NSW Premier Paul Toole said 'no one could have predicted' the torrential rain that triggered the floods.

'Over the past 24 hours we've seen torrential rainfall that is continuing to land in the Northern Rivers area,' he said on Wednesday.

'This has landed in an area that is already saturated from recent rainfall. This has been an extremely difficult time for these communities.'

Rainfall in the past 24 hours to 9am Alstonville 431mm Tuckmobil 352mm Tuckurimba 330mm Byron Bay 282mm Ballina Airport 282mm Advertisement

Dozens of people have been rescued in the past 24 hours, many of whom were attempting to drive through floodwaters, NSW SES Acting Commissioner Daniel Austin said on Wednesday.

The service received 902 calls for help and carried out 52 rescues in the past 24 hours.

Some 16,000 people have been told to leave their homes in NSW, with 13 evacuation orders active on Wednesday, seven issued as rain continued to fall during the morning.

NSW State Minister for Emergency Services Steph Cooke said her 'worst fear had been realised' and that 3,600 houses were without power in the region.

'Unfortunately overnight, our worst fears have been realised with significantly heavy rainfall across already saturated landscapes, particularly across the Northern Rivers region and the Mid North Coast,' she said.

'It's a special reminder and call out to communities to be very careful as you move about.

'We encourage you not to move unless you really need to at this time. We should be treating all powerlines as if they are live.'

Lismore's Mayor confirmed locals are turning to Facebook for information, describing the flooding as 'unprecedented'.

The Wilsons River in Lismore has again overflowed sending floodwater surging through the town's streets (pictured)

'You can't rely on the SES and the Bureau at the moment,' Mayor Steve Krieg told Ben Fordham on 2GB.

Just after 9am on Wednesday morning local MP Justine Elliot announced the Wilsons River at Lismore was set to burst its levee, hitting major flood levels of 10.6m.

'Sirens will not sound - there is a malfunction. You must get out now,' Ms Elliot said.

The SES said everyone in the Lismore CBD should leave immediately.

'The levee in and around Lismore has started to overtop, and that will lead to additional flooding, compounding what we saw overnight,' NSW SES Acting Commissioner Daniel Austin said in today's press conference.

'There will be inundation in Lismore CBD, Lismore basin and in low lying areas in east Lismore and Girards Hill,' the SES said.

'The water will be fast flowing and you must evacuate now before roads are cut and you are trapped.'

He also defended a decision to allow Lismore residents to return to their homes on Tuesday afternoon only to be given another evacuation order hours later.

A man rides his bike through floodwater on March 30, 2022 in Byron Bay, northern NSW

Musician Paul Dillon sings as he stands in floodwater on March 30, 2022 in Byron Bay

'If we had a crystal ball, then you may make different decisions,' he said.

'You make your decisions based on the information that you have... and the information we had was that the rivers were falling, and that the conditions that we expected were no longer going to present.

'What we have seen in Byron and Ballina is the result of flash flooding [which] by its very nature is unpredictable, fast and exceptionally hard to forecast and to predict.

'We have been warning for a number of days that there was a chance of... flash flooding... This is not something new. We have been warning of this as we have gone.'

Fears for missing Lismore woman A woman is believed to be missing in floodwaters in Lismore, after the regional city had its levee breached for the second time in weeks. The Wilsons River peaked above 10.65 metres on Wednesday, with floodwaters and mud spilling into the city centre. A search operation is underway after emergency services were told a woman had become trapped in her vehicle in floodwaters at Monaltrie, south of Lismore, about 9.50pm on Tuesday. Officers said they spent several hours looking for the woman and her vehicle but neither were found. A multi-agency search is now underway, as Police Rescue, Water Police and the NSW SES hunt for the woman's white Holden Captiva station wagon. Advertisement

A cafe in Lismore with water lapping at its doors early on Wednesday as the Lismore levee overtopped (pictured)

Nearby Ballina was also underwater on Wednesday (pictured) with many homes destroyed

A map showing the torrential rain hitting the areas of Lismore, Byron Bay, Ballina and Mullumbimby (pictured)

HAPPENING NOW: THE LISMORE LEVEE IS ABOUT TO OVERTOP.



****NOTE: SIRENS WILL NOT SOUND - THERE IS A MALFUNCTION.****



You MUST get out now. pic.twitter.com/IaFBp4r6x9  Justine Elliot, your local Labor MP (@JElliotMP) March 29, 2022

FLOOD EVACUATION ORDERS IN PLACE NSW EVACUATION ORDERS: Lismore, Urunga CBD, Bellinger Keys, Newry Island, Little Rock MODERATE TO MAJOR FLOOD WARNINGS: Coraki, Bungawalbyn, Woodburn, Grafton, Thora, Bellingen, Repton, Kyogle, Tumblegum FLOOD AFFECTED: Byron Bay, Ballina, Mullumbimby, Lennox Head Advertisement

The BoM said Wilsons River floodwaters could rise further this afternoon.

'Within the system there will be bands of very localised heavier rainfall which will also affect the catchment,' senior meteorologist Neil Bennett said.

'Everything's falling apart in Lismore at the moment,' Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg told the Nine Network on Wednesday morning.

'Our river is normally about eight metres lower... we're estimating in about half an hour to an hour that's going to come up over the levee and the Lismore CBD... will be inundated with water again.

'So, second time in a month.

'I'm going to jump in my car and get to higher ground.'

On Wednesday morning a caravan was seen floating down the Lismore CBD while offices in Byron Bay were under a metre of water that had flowed indoors.

Ballina's mayor said it had been a 'wild night' of rain and that flash flooding had cut off roads in and out of the town.

'It's really not safe for people to go out. Everyone needs to stay put,' mayor Sharon Cadwallader said earlier.

More than 100mm of rain was recorded in Lismore in the previous 24 hours, while a similar total fell on Coffs Harbour further south.

More than 527.4mm of rain has now been recorded this month, marking the wettest March in history with two days to spare.

How much rain has fallen? The Bureau of Meteorology's 24-hour rainfall totals to 9am Wednesday show: Alstonville between Lismore and Ballina was drenched with 421mm. Byron Bay and Ballina Airport both recorded 282mm. Over the last week Ballina has had 919mm of rain. In comparison Sydney just recorded its wettest ever March with 527.4mm over the four weeks. Advertisement

A local resident's cleanup efforts after the last flooding event were washed away (pictured)

Byron, the owner of a petrol station in Murwillumbah said his business was flooded in the last catastrophic event in the Northern Rivers.

'It came up to like two metres (high) in the shop and we've lost everything,' he said.

The most recent floods had broken the business' petrol pumps, ovens and fridges which had all since been replaced.

Some six evacuation orders are in place across northern NSW for areas including the Lismore CBD, Lismore Basin, low lying areas of East Lismore, North Lismore and Girards Hill, Riverside Caravan Park Coraki, Tumbulgum, Low lying parts of Kyogle, parts of South Lismore and Bellinger River Tourist Park on the north coast.

People walk through floodwater on March 30, 2022 in Byron Bay. It is the second major flood event for the region this month

People are pictured walking through floodwater in Byron Bay. Flash flooding expected as heavy rainfall continues

The flooding could seriously affect those in the middle of a long clean-up from the recent flooding catastrophe, University of Sydney mental health professor James Bennett-Levy told AAP on Tuesday.

'There is extreme distress because what it does is re-trigger and re-traumatise people who have already been severely traumatised.'

Dr Bennett-Levy, who directs the Centre for Rural Health in Lismore, said 'very high levels' of post-traumatic stress disorder are expected.

'It is not just people directly affected, there is collective trauma because just about everyone in the community knows ... multiple people ... whose houses have been inundated,' he said.

In a study conducted after the 2017 floods, Dr Bennett-Levy along with other researchers found 50 per cent of people displaced for more than six months in the same region had PTSD.
Scott Morrison has backed out of a high profile television interview with Leigh Sales just hours before he was scheduled to appear.

Ms Sales, the host of ABC's flagship current affairs program 7.30, tweeted about midday Wednesday that Mr Morrison would be the guest on tonight's show.

An hour later, she said he had dropped out.

'The Prime Minister has withdrawn from tonight's planned interview and will instead join me next Tuesday night,' Ms Sales said.

A spokesperson for Mr Morrison said he cancelled the interview because he needed to travel to a memorial service for Australian cricket great Shane Warne

'In order to arrive on time for this evening's Shane Warne memorial, the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition need to leave Canberra earlier than originally planned,' the spokesperson said.

The memorial service will be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from 7pm Wednesday night with up to 50.000 people expected to be in attendance.

Warne died of a heart attack while on holiday in Koh Samui, Thailand on March 4.

The ABC's Leigh Sales (pictured) revealed Mr Morrison had backed out of an interview with her hours before it was scheduled to go ahead

Mr Morrison's decision also coincides with an announcement that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will address Australian parliament at 5.30pm AEDT.

Mr Zelensky will speak to both the Lower House and Senators about Australia's ongoing support of Ukraine amid an unprovoked invasion launched by Russia on February 24.

The currently under fire Mr Morrison, who has fallen to level ground with Labor's Anthony Albanese as preferred PM in the latest Newspoll, on Tuesday handed down his federal budget.

The budget has promised ten million Australians will get up to $1,500 back in their next tax return and another six million will get a $250 cash handout.

Australians earning less than $126,000 will from July 1 get an existing tax offset of up to $1,080 plus a bonus $420 to help manage the rising cost of living in a $4.1billion policy.

Meanwhile, a one-off payment of $250 will hit the accounts of pensioners, welfare recipients and veterans in April in a $1.5billion splash of taxpayer money.

Amid soaring petrol prices, the Government is spending $3billion to slash fuel duty in half for six months  saving an average household $300 over six months and families with two cars $700.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in parliament on Wednesday afternoon (pictured)

But Labor has branded the coalition's big spending budget 'more of a pamphlet than a plan' despite a better-than-expected bottom line.

Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers branded the budget, which includes tax handouts and cuts to the fuel excise, as a 'desperate political ploy'.

'Scott Morrison is only pretending to care about the costs of living because he has to call an election in the next fortnight, and he's running out of time,' he said.

'If this budget wasn't ruined by rorts and weighed down by waste and mismanagement, there'd be more room to support families and pensioners and invest in the future.'
A Russian state TV host called on the U.S. to remove President Joe Biden and reinstate former President Donald Trump days after Biden made his own call for a regime change aimed at Vladimir Putin in an off-scripted remark.

On Tuesday, The TV host of Russia's 60 Minutes show, Evgeny Popov, urged America to quickly replace Biden with Trump, whom he called a 'partner' to the Russian state.

'It's time for us, our people, to call on the people of the United States to change the regime in the U.S. early, and to again help our partner, Trump, to become president,' Popov said.

His statement comes after Biden condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine in an impassioned speech in Poland on Saturday where he went off-script and made his own shocking declaration for Russians to push out Putin.

'For God's sake this man cannot remain in power,' Biden said.

Russia's 60 Minutes show host Evgeny Popov (center), urged Americans to quickly replace president Joe Biden with former-President Donald Trump

Popov's statement mirrors Biden's statement on Saturday, calling on Russian's to remove Vladimir Putin from power over the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine

Popov had called Trump (right), a 'partner' to the Russian state. Trump is pictured meeting with Putin at a G-20 summit in Japan in June 2019

On Saturday, Biden (pictured) went off-script and made a shocking declaration where he said Putin should not be allowed to stay in power

Biden then made a U-turn and told reporters the following day 'no,' when asked about whether or not he wanted Putin to be removed from power.

White House officials went into damage control and said in a statement: 'The President's point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He was not discussing Putin's power in Russia, or regime change.'

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken quickly walked back his President's comments, explaining that his boss was likely referring to Putin's influence outside of his country - including Moscow's bloody and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine which has now spanned over a month.

'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,' Blinken said according to multiple reports.

France's President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday also warned against an escalation 'in words and action', following Biden's speech, saying it could risk hampering vital humanitarian efforts, including hopes of evacuating the devastated Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov quickly denounced Biden, 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.'

During his speech, Biden also took a cue from Arnold Schwarzenegger - who released a video message to Russians that went viral - and spoke directly to the Russian people.

'I'm telling you the truth. This war is not worthy of you the Russian people,' he said. 'Putin can and must end this war. The American people will stand with you and the brave citizens of Ukraine that want peace.'

And he warned Putin's aggression could bring 'decades of war' to Europe.

'It's nothing less than a direct challenge for the order established since the World War II and it threatens to return to decades of war that ravage Europe before the international rule-based order was put in place. We cannot go back to that,' Biden said.

Trump has not been shy to join in on the latest back-and-forth between the White House and the Kremlin after he called on Putin to hand over any documents he may have about Hunter Biden's alleged dealings with Russian oligarchs on Tuesday.

Trump (above) has not been shy to join in on the latest back-and-forth between the White House and the Kremlin after he called on Putin to hand over any documents he may have about Hunter Biden's alleged dealings with Russian oligarchs

A wrecked tank is seen near a damaged building in Mariupol on Saturday as civilians are being evacuated along humanitarian corridors from the Ukrainian city under the control of Russian military and pro-Russian separatists

The ex-president said he was particularly interested in an alleged $3.5 million payment from the former mayor of Moscow's widow to a company co-founded by Hunter Biden, according to an excerpt from a new interview with Just The News.

'Why did the mayor of Moscow's wife give the Bidens - both of them - $3.5 million? That's a lot of money,' Trump in a 30-second clip on the Voice of America program.

'She gave him $3.5 million. So now I would think Putin would know the answer to that. I think he should release it. I think we should know that answer.'

Trump was referring to a 2020 report by Senate Republicans that claimed Yelena Baturina, one of Russia's billionaire oligarchs, gave the hefty sum to a company called Rosemont Seneca Thorton as part of a 'consultancy agreement.'

Earlier this month, Trump accused Biden of a 'conflict of interest' after the president was sanctioned by Moscow along with a host of other US officials, as well as his son Hunter and Hillary Clinton.

Although the Trump has received support over his digs against Biden, he's also received criticism for supposedly being soft on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, which the former president touted as a 'genius' move by Putin.

'He's taken over a country for $2 worth of sanctions, I'd say that's pretty smart,' Trump said of Putin last month at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

'He's taking over a country - a vast, vast location, a great piece of land with a lot of people - just walking right in. This never would have happened and I know him very well.'
Pauline Hanson has called Scott Morrison a 'bully' in a speech backing up a Liberal senator who criticised the prime minister last night.

'This is not a prime minister for the people, he's a bully,' the One Nation leader told the Senate on Wednesday afternoon.

'And I back the senator up completely with that. He is a bully because I have experienced it myself.

'He's a man where ''you do it my way or there's no way'', and it's a shame.'

Pauline Hanson has called Scott Morrison a 'bully' in a speech backing up a Liberal senator who criticised the Prime Minister last night

Outgoing Liberal Concetta Fierravanti-Wells laid into the prime minister during a fiery late-night parliamentary speech last night.

The senator, who lost preselection for her NSW upper house seat at the weekend, claimed Mr Morrison was 'not fit to be prime minister' hours after the federal budget was revealed.

'He is adept at running with the foxes and hunting with the hounds, lacking a moral compass and having no conscience,' she told the Senate.

'In my public life, I have met ruthless people. Morrison tops the list followed closely by (Immigration Minister Alex) Hawke. Morrison is not fit to be prime minister, and Hawke certainly is not fit to be a minister.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks during House of Representatives Question Time at Parliament House on Wednesday

Mr Morrison brushed aside the allegations, saying being criticised goes with the territory.

'As prime minister, there are lots of people who will disagree with you, there are lots of people who will say all sorts of things about you,' he told Sydney radio 2GB on Wednesday.

'It comes with the job. You've got to have a thick skin and you've got to be able to focus on the things that matter most to Australians.'

Senator Fierravanti-Wells also labelled Mr Morrison an 'autocrat', adding that other members of the Liberal Party share a similar view.

'They have lost faith in the party, they want to leave. They don't like Morrison and they don't trust him,' she said.

Senator Fierravanti-Wells was been relegated to an unwinnable spot on the Liberals' NSW Senate ticket.

Scott Morrison defends bullying allegations by Fierravanti-Wells The PM said: 'I understand that Connie is disappointed. 500 members of the Liberal Party came together on Saturday and they made their choice. I wasn't there. 'And they made their choice about who they wanted to be on their Senate ticket, and Marise Payne is number one on that ticket, and Jim Molan was the second one selected. 'And, you know, in previous times, Connie has had very strong support, but you know, when she's been disappointed, I know my predecessors have also felt those sorts of remarks and, you know, politics has its disappointments. 'So I know she's feeling about that. So I tend to just get on with the job.' Advertisement

'I know Connie's disappointed that on the weekend 500 members of the Liberal Party went to a preselection and they didn't select Connie,' Mr Morrison said.

'I understand that and I understand that there are many disappointments in political life.

'When you are prime minister, people hold you responsible for many, many things and there are decisions taken over your life as prime minister that can lead to disagreements.'

In her Tuesday night speech, Senator Fierravanti-Wells also accused Mr Morrison of making racist comments during his preselection battle for the NSW lower house seat of Cook in 2007.

'I'm advised that there are several statutory declarations to attest to racial comments made by Morrison at the time that 'We can't have a Lebanese person in (the federal seat of) Cook',' she said under parliamentary privilege, referring to an alternative candidate who was also seeking Liberal preselection.

Mr Morrison said her claim was 'rubbish'.

Pressed on the issue, he said: 'It's not true'.
A man jailed for just 14 months after he dragged an NYPD detective in a stolen car, leaving him paralyzed, has been caught once again after leading cops on a chase in a stolen car - while being out on bail for a separate car chase.

Justin Murrell, 20, led officers from the Port Authority on a chase in a stolen car at John F. Kennedy Airport in February.

The stolen car was found days later and was linked to him through surveillance video, which captured him allegedly stealing cars at both New York's LaGuardia and JFK airports.

Murrell was arrested on Monday as he left a courthouse in Brooklyn.

Justin Murrell, 20, led Port Authority officers on a stolen car chase at JFK. He is pictured here during an earlier arrest in 2017 when he was 15

Murrell pictured last year, was out on bail for a previous car chase in May 2021, sparked after running a light

After being charged with criminal possession of stolen property and other offenses, he was then released under New York's lax bail reform laws.

The latest car chases around JFK and his previous pursuit in May 2021 were similar to the one that altered Detective Dalsh Veve's life forever.

Veve had been responding to reports of gunshots in June 2017 when he questioned Murrell, who was 15 at the time of the incident.

Murrell slammed the gas pedal and dragged Veve down the street for two blocks at speeds of up to 60mph.

Incredibly, Veve survived but was left wheelchair-bound and unable to speak.

At Murrell's trial, a jury found him guilty of assault rather than attempted murder on which prosecutors were hoping for a conviction. He was given a sentence of 1 to four years at a juvenile detention center.

Det. Dalsh Veve is accompanied by his wife Esther daughter Dashi as he leaves a rehab facility

New York City Police Detective Dalsh Veve's life was changed forever after Murrell dragged him down the street with his car, at speeds of up to 60mph. He was left paralyzed

Officer Veve is pushed into court for the sentencing of Justin Murrell in 2019. Murrell was tried as an adult for the crime, but was sentenced as a juvenile to 1-1/3 to four years in detention for the incident

'This attempted cop-killer represents everything that is wrong with our justice system right now,' Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said Tuesday in a statement.

'We tried to warn the city what would happen when he was set free. Every moment he spends free is not only an insult to our hero brother and his family - it is a real danger for New Yorkers.'

Murrell, a purported gang member, was freed in March 2020 and completed his parole in June 2021.

Prior to completing his parole, he has inolved in a car crash in Brooklyn when police attempted to stop him at a red light in East New York. Murrell crashed into three parked cars.

Despite pleading guilty to felony assault, Murrell was freed on $25,000 bail. He will be sentenced on May 27.

New York's Mayor, Eric Adams said he wants to see changes in bail reform laws

New York Mayor Eric Adams said he wants to see changes in bail reform laws and other criminal justice measures, claiming they will bring down crime rates in the city and reduce gun violence.

In February, Adams, who campaigned last year on getting people back to work amid the COVID pandemic and cleaning up the crime-ridden subway system, outlined his plans for city bail laws, which can allow for suspects to roam the streets often within hours of an arrest.

'Let's remove the cash bail system, because one should not be able to get out of jail just because you can pay bail. Let's take that away. Judges should look at the case in front of them and say, 'This person has two gun arrests, and he's continually saying to the people of the city that I don't care about the safety of you,'' the mayor said.

'That judge should have the right to make the discretion that this person just be held.'

Changes to the system may not be too far off. New York Governor Kathy Hochul is set to propose reforms to the city's bail laws amid crime spikes in both New York City and the state as a whole.

A proposed 10-point plan will make more crimes bail eligible and give judges greater discretion to lock up criminals based on whether or not they're repeat offenders.

Hochul, who faces election in 2022 after replacing the disgraced Andrew Cuomo last August, is going to attempt to include the plan in the state's budget, which is due on Friday.

Perpetrators of gun crimes, as well as subway and transit crimes would become eligible to be detained and held for bail if the plan is enacted.

Shootings are up 9 percent in New York City and overall crime is up a whopping 45 percent through mid-March.

The laws would allow cops and judges to bypass Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, who has been widely criticized for his soft-on-crime stance, which involves only applying cash bonds in the most serious cases.
Three men have been charged over the 'particularly gruesome' killing of a man with links to an organised crime syndicate.

NSW Police were investigating criminal syndicates in the state in June 2021 when they uncovered the disappearance and suspected murder of Malaysian national, 'Jacky' Chong Kai Wong.

The 24-year-old, who moved to Sydney in 2016, last spoke to his family overseas on December 28, 2020.

It is believed he was murdered more than a year ago after becoming involved with a drug cartel.

A search for his remains at a rural property at Killongbutta, about 40 kilometres north-west of Bathurst began on Tuesday.

'We know Jacky was working for a criminal enterprise involved in the cultivation of cannabis in regional NSW around the time of his alleged murder,' Drug and Firearms Squad Commander Detective Superintendent John Watson said.

Officers are searching for human remains at a remote property in Killongbutta, about 40 kilometres north-west of Bathurst in western NSW

'Jacky' Chong Kai Wong (pictured) is believed to have been murdered in December 2020

'The circumstances of his death are particularly gruesome.'

Mr Wong was in Australia on a holiday visa, but was in reality working as a 'crop sitter' for a south-east Asian crime group growing commercial amounts of marijuana, police said.

A crop sitter monitoring the marijuana plants onsite. Police say he was looking after up to 1,000 plants.

Police have also raided properties in Sydney and arrested three men who were allegedly involved in the murder.

A 33-year-old man was arrested last week at a property in Berala in Sydney's west, where officers seized cash, electronic devices and documentation.

The man was charged with murder, concealing a serious indictable offence, knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group, deception, cultivating a prohibited plant and other offences.

He was formally refused bail at Parramatta Bail Court and will reappear at Bathurst Local Court on May 23.

There were two further arrests on Tuesday, of a 22-year-old man from the Sydney suburb of Auburn and a 28-year-old from the Sydney suburb of Marsden.

A 33-year-old man was arrested last week at a property in Berala in Sydney's west, where officers seized cash, electronic devices and documentation

A remote property where drugs were allegedly being cultivated in Killongbutta, about 40 kilometres north-west of Bathurst in western NSW

The 22-year-old has been charged with murder, cultivating and supplying a prohibited drug and other offences.

The 28-year-old man has been charged with concealing a serious indictable offence, participating in a criminal group, cultivating and supplying a prohibited drug and other offences.

Both were refused bail to appear at Hornsby Local Court.

Police will allege in court all three men were involved in the murder of 'Jacky' Chong Kai Wong in Killongbutta between December 25, 2020, and January 8, 2021.

Part of a property where drugs were allegedly being cultivated in Killongbutta, about 40 kilometres north-west of Bathurst in western NSW

'These criminal groups are known for targeting young individuals with the promise of easy money, which often leads to them working in illegal grow houses on remote properties,' Det Supt Watson said.

'This is a sad reminder of the reality of these operations.

'They are run by dangerous criminals who care only about a quick profit and have no dignity or regard for human life.'
Brian Houston has issued a grovelling apology to his wife and opened up about his battle with booze as he resigns over 'indiscretions' towards women.

The embattled Hillsong chief described his wife Bobbie as 'Christ-like' and told church members he was 'deeply sorry' in an email obtained by The Eternity on Wednesday.

'Let me start with the words I want and need most to say - I am so deeply sorry,' the letter reads.

Embattle Hillsong founder Brian Houston (pictured) has issued a grovelling apology to his wife and church members after resigning amid 'indiscretions' towards women

'To those impacted directly by my actions, I am sorry for the pain I have caused you.

'To my wonderful, forgiving and gracious family who I love more than anything, I hate hurting you.'

Houston also apologised to his wife, saying: 'In my eyes you are the most Christ-like, beautiful, loyal and faithful person alive today.

In his apology Mr Houston describes his wife Bobbie (pictured) as a 'Christ-like beautiful, loyal and faithful person'

'It crushes me to see your heart breaking as we navigate this season, letting go of so much that is precious to you.

'I love my family and it pains me deeply to see you navigating these waters,' he added.

Houston quit as the worldwide leader of the megachurch last Wednesday, just days after he admitted he 'broke its moral code'.

The megachurch said it had been sorting through 'two complaints made against Pastor Brian' over the past 10 years.

One complaint was made after a church employee claimed to have been sent 'inappropriate' texts, and the second was Houston entering a woman's hotel room in 2019 at a conference.

He is also fighting criminal charges that he covered up claims his father Frank sexually abused numerous boys in Australia and New Zealand from 1965 to 1977.

In his apology, Houston admitted his personal turmoil over his 'father's evil' had driven him to use alcohol to cope throughout the years.

'Many people have asked  'How do you continue to get up, cope, and keep going?' And now we know the answer,' he wrote.

Hillsong said it had been sorting though 'two complaints made against Pastor Brian' over the past 10 years involving two women (pictured, Houston and his wife Bobbie)

'I haven't coped very well at all. I openly admit that alcohol has been no friend and I am determined to relegate it to my past.

'Please be assured, I accept full responsibility for my actions and I have no one to blame but myself for the position I find myself in.'

He added he and his wife Bobbie are still unified and believe this year will be a time of 'respite and restoration of our souls'.

'I still have a sense of bright hope for the future and I know God is not finished with me yet,' he said.

'We have no intention of retiring. As Bobbie would say, "the final chapters of our lives are not yet written".'

In August 2021, police charged the 68-year-old over concealing his dead father's sexual abuse of a seven-year-old boy, after learning of the allegations in 1999.

Houston told Hillsong worshippers in January 2022 he would immediately step down temporarily so he could be 'fully committed' to 'setting the record straight'.

Houston admitted to using booze to cope with his person turmoil over his 'father's evils' in the apology letter released on Wednesday

In March Pastor Phil Dooley, who took leadership of the church after Houston stepped down, revealed 'indiscretions' during a Zoom meeting with some 800 staff.

Pastor Dooley explained that the first of the two alleged incidents involved Mr Houston allegedly sending a female staff member an 'inappropriate' text message.

'It was along the line of 'if I was with you, I'd like to give you a kiss and a cuddle or a hug', words of that nature,' Pastor Dooley told the meeting, according to Crikey.

Hillsong said the incident took place a decade ago.

The woman complained and was later paid 'a couple of months' salary' as compensation, according to the report.

The second incident occurred during the church's famous conference held at Qudos Bank Arena in 2019, which Prime Minister Scott Morrison opened.

Despite the scandalous claims his wife Bobbie has defiantly backed her husband

Pastor Dooley explained that Mr Houston met a woman, who was not a church member, in the foyer of the Pullman Hotel. He had been drinking in a group and allegedly 'ended up knocking on the door to the (unnamed) woman's room.'

He entered, the pastor reportedly said, and 'the truth is we don't know what happened next'.

Despite the scandalous claims his wife Bobbie has defiantly backed her husband, insisting she knew the real man better than anyone after 45 years together.

'Thank you for lovely comments and love. It's seen. And felt. And appreciated,' she wrote on her Instagram with a reply to an earlier post made before her husband's resignation was announced.

'I'm okay. It's been a very cruel week - but I will forever stand alongside the man I have loved and walked with for 45 years.

'I know his nature and character and integrity more than ANYONE.'

Hillsong was founded in 1983 in the Hills district of Sydney and has expanded to an international organisation with more then 100 churches and a global weekly attendance of 150,000.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has again personally blocked the bid for freedom of Charles Manson cultist and murderer Leslie Van Houten, against the recommendations of the parole panel that she be freed after spending half a century in prison.

Newsom said in his parole review that Van Houten, 72, who was part of the cult that murdered pregnant actress Sharon Tate, 'currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from prison at this time', rejecting her release for a fifth time.

In his rejection letter, Newsom noted that Van Housen had undergone therapy, earned educational degrees and taken self-help classes in prison and had shown 'increased maturity and rehabilitation.'

But Van Houten also has 'gaps in insight' that continue to make her a danger to society, Newsom said.

Leslie Van Houten in a Los Angeles jail in March 29, 1971, two years after the murders of Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary.

Leslie Van Houten attended a parole hearing at the California Institution for Women in Corona on Sept. 6, 2017. The board recommended her release but was blocked by then California Governor Jerry Brown.

Van Houten was just 19 when she helped Manson and other members of the cult brutally stab Los Angeles grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary, to death in August 1969, smearing their blood on the walls in a murderous frenzy.

The slaying came the day before other Manson followers, not including Van Houten, broke into the Los Angeles mansion of pregnant actress Sharon Tate while she and her four friends were sleeping and stabbed them all to death. It was one of the most shocking and notorious crimes of the 20th century.

Van Houten was arrested in October 1969 and is serving a life sentence for the murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. She will stay in jail after the governor's decision, although her attorney, Rich Pfeiffer, has said he will appeal.

Pfeiffer accused Newsom of rejecting Van Houten's parole because he is worried about 'his political future' and noted that Van Houten has a spotless prison disciplinary record.

'We're not fighting (over) Leslie being a good person. She's proven that through her actions for half a century,' he said.

Leno LaBianca was a grocery store owner, and Rosemary was also a successful business woman. They lived in the Los Angeles suburb of Los Feliz.

Van Houten, 72, was 19-years-old when she and other cult members stabbed to death wealthy Los Angeles grocer Leno LaBianca, left, and his wife, Rosemary, right, in 1969

Van Houten has had 21 parole hearings since 1982. Most parole boards denied her bid for freedom. Since 2016 five panels have recommended her release, saying she had expressed remorse and was no longer a threat to public safety, but each time they have been rejected.

Newsom rejected a recommendation made last November. He previously reversed parole recommendations in 2019 and 2020. In February, the California Supreme Court refused to hear Van Houten's appeal of the 2020 rejection.

Previous Gov. Jerry Brown rejected Van Houten's parole in 2016 and 2018.

Charles Manson was the leader of a group of cultists who engaged in a frenzy of killing in the summer of 1969, culminating in the murder of the actress Sharon Tate and her unborn child. He died of natural causes not long after this photo was taken

Charles Manson followers, from left: Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten, shown walking to court to appear for their roles in the 1969 cult killings of seven people, including pregnant actress Sharon Tate, in Los Angeles, Calif., Aug. 20, 1970.

It is over half a century since the 1967 Summer of Love, when Leslie Van Houten and her boyfriend ran away to San Franciscos Haight-Ashbury District when she was 17.

She was traveling along California's coast when friends introduced her to Charles Manson, who was living at an abandoned movie ranch on the outskirts of Los Angeles.

There he recruited what he called a 'family' to survive what he predicted would be a race war that he planned to start by committing a series of random, terrifying murders.

Manson formed the cult in 1967, after being discharged from prison on prostitution charges, comprising mainly young women from California. Together they became known as the 'Manson Family.'

They did drugs, such as LSD and magic mushrooms, and eventually many of the young girls began to believe Manson's claims that he was Jesus and his prophecies of a race war.

Manson was influenced not only by the drugs, though, but also by works of art and music from the time, most notably The Beatles song 'Helter Skelter' from the 1968 White Album.

Paul McCartney has said that the playground slide in the song was a metaphor for the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Manson, however, interpreted the lyrics as incitation to begin a race war. He turned to the album and lyrics to justify his scheme and guide his followers to murder.

Sharon Tate was murdered on August 9, 1969 in the Los Angeles home she shared with Roman Polanski when she eight-and-a-half months pregnant, as reported in Elle.

On the night of the murders, she had three friends round her house for a dinner party: hairstylist Jay Sebring, Polanskis friend Wojciech Frykowski and his partner, the coffee heiress Abigail Folger. Quincy Jones was meant to also attend, but the invite slipped his mind.

The motivation behind the murder was that Manson was rejected by a music producer who had lived in the house, but Terry Melcher had left the property long ago. When the cult arrived at the house, caretaker Steven Parent was seen and subsequently shot to death.

After they entered the house, the cult members attacked the dinner party guests while they were sleeping and stabbed them multiple times.

By 1971, he was convicted of first-degree murder for directing the Tate and the LaBiancas murders, and was sentenced to death, which was automatically commuted to life in prison after California's Supreme Court invalidated all death sentences prior to 1972.

Manson died in 2017 of natural causes at a California hospital while serving a life sentence.
Just because a drunk woman can't remember sex with former NRL player Tristan Sailor does not mean she didn't consent to it, his lawyer has told a jury.

Sailor is accused of having sex with the woman while she was either unconscious or too intoxicated to consent after a night out in Sydney with friends in October 2020.

The woman has told the court she remembers returning to her apartment, taking two sips of her drink and little else before waking the next morning, naked and bleeding in urine-soiled sheets.

NRL player Tristan Sailor's lawyer has accused rape trial witness of being a 'LIAR' (Pictured: Sailor outside the NSW District Court)

Sailor, 23, has pleaded not guilty to two rape charges and maintains the sex was consensual.

The woman was conscious and engaging the entire time they were having sex, he has told the District Court trial.

In summing up his case on Wednesday, Sailor's barrister Richard Pontello rubbished the complainant's evidence, saying she was uncooperative and less than forthcoming.

The woman gave evidence that she had never found Sailor attractive nor did she want to have sex with him.

But Mr Pontello argued those assertions contradicted her behaviour at Bondi's Beach Road Hotel with Sailor earlier on the evening, where she admits to passionately kissing him.

'There's over 60 instances ... of the complainant initiating or starting some kind of physical contact with Mr Sailor,' he said.

'Now why would that attitude have changed back at the apartment?'

Either she's a 'complete fraud or trickster' who was leading Sailor on, or she was indeed attracted to him.

Sailor, 23, has pleaded not guilty to two rape charges and maintains the sex was consensual (Pictured: Sailor with his mother Tara Sailor)

Mr Pontello also accused her of exaggerating the influence of alcohol.

She had consumed 11 drinks, but over a period of six hours, and seemed 'perfectly normal' in CCTV footage captured over the night.

'You don't even have to take anyone's word for it really, just watch the CCTV ... there's no wobbling whatsoever,' Mr Pontello said, contradicting the prosecutor's claims she stumbled at least twice.

He also pointed to evidence given by two experts that the woman's blood alcohol level would have peaked at around 0.13 per cent - a level more than double the drink drinking limit, but still one at which people can perform complex tasks.

Mr Pontello similarly told the jury to discard the evidence of her friend, who said she found the alleged victim lying naked on the floor of her room after Sailor left, before putting her to bed and cleaning up her vomit.

'She's just a liar. I can't put it any more bluntly than that.'

Even if the jury does accept that the alleged victim blacked out, vomited and wet the bed, those things do not prove she was substantially intoxicated, he said.

Likewise, accepting the alleged victim blacked out does not mean she did not consent.

The complainant could have appeared to be conscious, coherent and fully alert during sex and yet have no memory of it the next day, he said.

Sailor (pictured) was a man of good character and had asked three times for her consent, Mr Pontello said

Sailor was a man of good character and had asked three times for her consent, Mr Pontello said.

'What else is he supposed to do? Get her to sign a memorandum of understanding witnessed by a lawyer?'

The woman had simply subsequently convinced herself she hadn't given consent after waking up with no memory of the sex.

'She believes it to be true, but she's wrong,' Mr Pontello said.

The Crown prosecutor on Tuesday argued it was Sailor's evidence that the jury should disregard, saying it is 'fundamentally at odds' with other evidence in the trial.

The jury is expected to retire to consider its verdict on Thursday.
Essex Police has suspended two top officers over claims of sexual misconduct.

One of those facing investigation is a senior policeman accused of having sex on duty in the force control room with a younger civilian worker. He denies the allegations.

The other is another high-ranking figure who is facing claims of sex assaults on a junior officer. He is believed to be contesting the claims, the Sun reports.

Essex Police has suspended two top officers over claims of sexual misconduct

DCC Andy Prophet who oversees the Essex Police Professional Standards Department said: 'Our officers and police staff catch criminals and keep people safe. I expect the highest standards, that's what the people of Essex deserve.

'If anyone raises a concern then we listen, we act quickly to investigate and if something is amiss, we put it right.'

The force is also understood to have referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, the police watchdog.




South Korea successfully test-fired a solid-fuel space rocket Wednesday, the defense ministry said, following North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch last week.







The state-run Agency for Defense Development conducted the first such test at a testing site in Taean, 150 kilometers southwest of Seoul, to confirm the capabilities of the homegrown space launch vehicle, according to the ministry.







The launch came after the North's 12 known rounds of missile and other launches this year, including what the North claimed to be "reconnaissance satellite" development tests.







Defense Minister Suh Wook and top military officials attended the event, which the ministry said marked an "important milestone" in enhancing South Korea's independent space-based reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities.







"(The test) came at a very grave juncture in which North Korea recently breached its moratorium and launched an ICBM," the defense ministry said, referring to the North's voluntary suspension of nuclear and ICBM testing.







"Regarding space as a core realm that significantly affects national security, (the South) will strengthen space defense capabilities based on inter-service cooperation at an early date," it added.







Wednesday's test was aimed at verifying the projectile's performances, including fairing separation and the upper-stage attitude control features, according to the ministry.







The space rocket is designed to put a small satellite into a low Earth orbit for surveillance operations. Compared to liquid-fuel space vehicles, solid-based ones are usually simpler and more cost-effective to launch.







The ministry said it plans to launch an actual satellite mounted on the rocket in the future following additional development procedures.







The ADD and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute are also working together to explore the possibility of developing a new rocket combining both liquid- and solid-fuel engines to improve cost-efficiency and its capacity to carry a heavier payload.







The launch came less than a year after Seoul and Washington agreed to lift the "missile guidelines" restrictions that had barred South Korea from developing or possessing ballistic missiles with a maximum range greater than 800 kilometers.







It also followed a successful combustion test of a solid-propellant engine for a space rocket in July.







Space rocket technologies can be transferred to the private sector in the future to promote the development of the space industry, the ministry said. (Yonhap)


Scott Morrison has been accused of bribing Australians with an $8.6 billion cash splash to vote for him at the federal election.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg unveiled measures including cutting petrol excise in half as well as a $250 cash handout for the low paid and $420 tax relief to counter the rising cost of living.

However, during the PM's radio blitz the morning ato spruik Tuesday night's Budget, ABC AM host Sabra Lane asked Mr Morrison if it was just aimed at buying votes.

'One-off cash handouts to pensioners and welfare recipients happen next month. The cut in fuel excise is for six months. How is this anything but an electoral bribe for a government in deep trouble on the eve of the election?' she said.

Scott Morrison (pictured) has been accused of bribing Australians with an $8.6 billion cash splash to vote for him at the federal election.

During the pM's radio blitz the morning after Tuesday night's federal Budget, ABC AM host Sabra Lane (pictured) asked him if it was just to buy votes

Mr Morrison stuck to his guns, comparing the handouts to the hundreds of billions given away during the pandemic to offset Covid lockdowns.

'The cost of living pressures that are being faced by Australians are real. They're caused by the terrible events that we're seeing in the war in Europe,' he said.

'What we're doing is giving Australians a shield to protect themselves against those cost of living pressures right now with real packages.

'So it's responsible, because we've been able to strengthen the economy to pay for it. It's targeted, because we're dealing with the pressures that exist right now, and we're showing the same responsibility that we did through the pandemic.'

Lane pointed out that that less than a month ago he said it was inadvisable to cut fuel excise, and now he was doing just that.

'What are voters to make of your change of heart? And what changed your mind?' she said.

Mr Morrison replied: 'As the prices continued to go up, and as the situation in Ukraine continued to deteriorate.

Scott Morrison (pictured) stuck to his guns, comparing the handouts to the hundreds of billions given away during the pandemic to offset Covid lockdowns

'The cost of fuel flows through everything because we're a big country. The transport, logistics costs. All of this means it puts pressure on the price of groceries.

'So Australians know that they're feeling those cost of living pressures and this Budget is delivering on that, and it's doing it responsibly.'

The government announced a one-off tax break of $420 for more than 10 million Australians earning up to $126,000 a year.

The fuel excise will also be cut in half to 22.1c for the next six months.

Relief at the bowser will take up to two weeks to flow through, but the excise cut is projected to save a family with two cars around $30 a week - or $700 in total.

Six million welfare recipients, veterans, pensioners, eligible self-funded retirees and concession card holders will get a $250 cost of living payment in April.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said the federal government 'might as well staple cash to how-to-vote (cards)' for people as they enter polling booths this May.

'It all disappears once the election is over and done with, that's the problem with this budget,' he told the Seven Network on Wednesday.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg (pictured) unveiled measures including cutting petrol excise in half as well as a $250 cash handout for the low paid and $420 tax relief to counter rising costs

Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers branded the budget an 'act of political desperation'.

He said Australians will see through the short-term measures in the budget.

'Australians know the government has just got the shovel out because they have to call an election in the next week or two,' he told ABC Radio on Wednesday.

'(Labor is) always up for a conversation about cost of living relief - the missing part of this budget is a plan that goes beyond May.'

Dr Chalmers also said the budget papers conceal $3 billion worth of "secret cuts" that will not be revealed until after the election.

They are listed in the documents under 'payment measure decisions taken but not yet announced'.

He also cast doubt on the projected wage growth, with the budget predicting a tight labour market will accelerate wages growth from its current rate of 2.3 per cent to 3.25 per cent in 2022/23 and 2023/24, before edging even higher to 3.5 per cent beyond that.

'This government - before last night - made 55 wage forecasts and got it wrong 52 times, they are notorious for over-promising and under-delivering on wages,' he said.
Roman Abramovich asked 'are we dying?' after being poisoned with a chemical agent at the Ukraine-Russia peace talks, it has emerged.

The Chelsea owner was suffering severe symptoms after coming into contact with World War One chemical warfare agent Chloropicrin or a low dosage of Novichok, experts have said.

Investigative journalist Christo Grozev, who led research into the shocking incident, said a team of experts agreed the wartime chemical was the most likely one used in the attack.

It has since emerged the billionaire felt so unwell that he asked the scientist examining him if he was dying, reported the New York Times.

Abramovich and other peace negotiators suffered debilitating symptoms including temporary blindness on a mission in early March to Kyiv seeking an end to the war.

Roman Abramovich was poisoned with World War One chemical warfare agent Chloropicrin or a low dosage of Novichok, experts have said (pictured at talks in Turkey yesterday)

Investigative journalist Christo Grozev (left), who led research into the shocking incident, said a team of experts all agreed the wartime chemical was the most likely one used

Abramovich required hospital treatment in Istanbul after flying to Turkey from the talks in Ukraine.

One theory for the alleged poisoning is that hardliners close to Vladimir Putin wanted to disrupt peace moves and prolong the war.

In a new interview, Grozov spoke in Russian to tell Popular Politics YouTube channel that all the experts had agreed the most likely source of their symptoms was Chloropicrin, a chemical warfare agent used in World War One and stockpiled in World War Two.

'All the experts who communicated with them, studied their photographs and carried out personal examinations,' he said.

The experts 'all said this was not a coincidence, not food poisoning, not an allergy'.

He said: 'They suggested this [hlorpicrin] and other war agents.

The Chelsea owner required hospital treatment in Istanbul after flying to Turkey from the talks in Ukraine (pictured yesterday)

The attack also affected Ukrainian MP Rustem Umerov (pictured) who was also seen at talks in Turkey yesterday

Chloropicrin: The chemical warfare agent which may have been used to poison Roman Abramovich Chloropicrin appears as a colourless to faintly yellow oily liquid and is used in agriculture as a soil fumigant. It has also been used as a chemical warfare agent and a riot control agent. It was used in large quantities during World War I and was stockpiled during World War II. However, it is no longer authorised for military use - at least in the US. Chloropicrin is an irritant with characteristics of a tear gas and has an intensely irritating odor. Inhalation of 1 ppm causes eye irritation and can warn of exposure. Methods of dissemination: Indoor/outdoor Air: Chloropicrin can be released into the air as a liquid spray (aerosol). Water/food: Chloropicrin can contaminate water or food. Agricultural: If chloropicrin is released as a liquid spray (aerosol), it has the potential to contaminate agricultural products. Chloropicrin can be absorbed systemically through inhalation, ingestion, and the skin. It is severely irritating to the lungs, eyes, and skin. Source: cdc.gov Advertisement

'They agreed on one of them and disagreed on the others.

'They also all agreed that the only way to detect the agent was to bring these people to a laboratory, or to send their blood sample to a laboratory with means to detect war agents.'

He was asked: 'Which agent did they all agree on?'

Grozev replied: 'hlorpicrin - this is the agent giving nearly all of the detected symptoms.

'The only minus of that hypothesis was that Chlorpicrin usually emits quite a strong smell, which means it is quite hard to give it without it being noticed.

'But then one of the specialists said there were developments of this agent - without smell.

'Other suggestions even included a low dosage of Novichok, which could have led to these symptoms according to one really knowledgeable expert.'

Novichok was used in the poisoning of GRU double agent Sergei Skripal at his home in Salisbury, England, which also hospitalised his daughter Yulia.

The attack was seen as being by the GRU - Russian military intelligence.

Novichok was also deployed to poison Vladimir Putin foe Alexei Navalny in Siberia.

He needed life saving medical treatment in Germany before returning to Russia where he was jailed.

Grozev said that it had not been possible with Abramovich and the other victims to carry out sufficiently deep tests on the cause of the poisoning.

'During the following weeks the symptoms were gradually disappearing, and since the group was indeed engaged in negotiations, flying from one place to the other, it was very hard to find a day when they could get to a European capital with high-quality laboratory,' he said.

'So sadly by the moment it was possible, the metabolic processes made it impossible to detect the agent.

'Sadly it will remain a big mystery

'But it was an absurd period when these people were responsible for finding some peaceful solution in the war.

Novichok was used in the poisoning of GRU double agent Sergei Skripal at his home in Salisbury, England, which also hospitalised his daughter Yulia

'In any other situation they would have flown where they were told to understand what it was, but in that situation they prioritised negotiations above their health.

'Possibly we will never learn.'

Grozev hit out at the US for initially claiming that 'environmental' factors had led to the Abramovich poisoning, and also Ukraine which downplayed the poisoning.

He told the YouTube channel: 'To answer your question on why people lie [about poisoning] - they lie for many different reasons.

'The Ukrainian authorities can be lying because they don't want this information to become public, not to spike the process of negotiations.

'Quite possibly this is the same reason why Americans came out with this absurd and honestly offensive statement that it wasn't poisoning, but some environmental factors.

'This resembles Kremlin's explanations that Navalny had issues with glucose.'

Grozev - who is linked to British investigative outlet Bellingcat and independent Russian media platforms - said he had been called in around 3 March to examine the case because he had knowledge of previous poisonings.

He contacted other experts who wished to remain anonymous for their security.

They had not intended to go public with it, but details of the poisoning began to leak, he said.

'We didn't want to write about it until  somebody started to leak it.'

He said: 'What we know: three representatives had almost identical symptoms - strong pain in the eyes, red spots around the eye, peeling skin.'

A Russian political analyst Konstantin Kalachev made the extraordinary suggestion that the poisoning may have been an attempt by Abramovich to gain sympathy in Britain where his interests have been damaged by sanctions.

'Abramovich is a flexible, sane and, of course, cunning person,' he said.

'I even expressed the opinion that he staged the recent alleged poisoning in Kyiv himself.

'It appeared on the front pages of British newspapers, he began to look as if he had suffered from 'hawks' in Vladimir Putin's circle..'

The negotiators who suffered medical problems had reportedly only eaten chocolate and drunk water.

'This could be someone [in the Kremlin] who thinks he [Abramovich] has betrayed them by trying to pursue peace,' one source was quoted as saying.

The sanctioned billionaire's sight was said to have 'completely disappeared' and he was treated in hospital after leaving Kyiv for Istanbul.

Chloropicrin is used in agriculture as a soil fumigant and is banned for military use.

It can be released into air by liquid spray or can contaminate water or food.

It can be absorbed through inhalation, ingestion, and the skin.

The agent is 'severely irritating to the lungs, eyes, and skin'.
New pictures show an elite female sniper who killed 40-plus people but has been captured by Ukrainians in a major blow to Vladimir Putin.

Irina Starikova, 41, is codenamed Bagheera, after Rudyard Kipling's black panther in The Jungle Book, but there have been misleading accounts of her true identity.

She is shown in new images relaxing between her 'kills'.

An elite female Russian sniper who killed 40-plus people but is now captured by Ukrainians is seen in new pictures relaxing between her kills (second right)

Irina Starikova, 41, is codenamed Bagheera, after Rudyard Kipling's black panther in The Jungle Book

The mother-of-two was found wounded on a battlefield in Ukraine, but she is not from Serbia as some accounts say, nor was she a nun-turned-sniper.

Similar identities explain the confusion due to another female sniper with the same codename from Serbia, although she is not believed to be engaged in fighting in Ukraine at the moment.

The captured sniper is originally from Donetsk and has two daughters - Valeria, 11, and Yulia, nine.

Her fate is now in Ukrainian hands but what has happened to her is unknown amid claims she had 'the blood of at least 40 people on her hands, including civilians'.

The mother-of-two was found wounded on a battlefield in Ukraine, but she is not from Serbia as some accounts say

The captured sniper is originally from Donetsk and has two daughters - Valeria, 11, and Yulia, nine

Anyone 'who kills peaceful people on our land can expect retribution, said the Kyiv military.

There are claims she was abandoned by her Russian protectors.

'Knowing that I was injured and having the opportunity to pick me up, they simply decided to leave me there, hoping I would die,' she is quoted as saying.

In a devastating criticism of the Russian war tactics, she said: 'They abandoned me.'

She wed fighter Alexandr - code name Gorynych, from Belarus - after meeting near the village Schastye.

Her fate is now in Ukrainian hands but what has happened to her is unknown amid claims she had 'the blood of at least 40 people on her hands, including civilians'

The female sniper with 40 kills to her name has reportedly been captured in Ukraine after being wounded in a battle with Kyiv

The Ukraine armed forces released photos of Starikova (pictured) after she was captured

Soviet Russia famously deployed female snipers during the Second World War while other countries preferred to restrict women to factories or farming.

The most successful, Lyudmila Pavlichenko, was born near Kyiv and had 309 confirmed kills, giving her the nickname 'Lady Death'.

A wound in 1942 stopped her active service and she became a celebrity and propagandist for the regime.

Most sharpshooters were graduates of the Central Women's School For Sniping Training, near Moscow, commanded by female Spanish Civil War veterans. The combined efforts of the instructors and graduates are believed to have taken down 12,000 German troops during the war.

Another Russian female sniper, Yelizaveta Mironov, was only 17 when Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.

Local media claimed the sniper, who is said to be a mother-of-two and divorcee, is responsible for 'killing 40 Ukrainians including civilians'

Born in Moscow, she had just finished high school when she volunteered to join the Red Army. Mironov fought in the sieges of Odessa and Sevastopol and had at least 34 kills to her name, although some sources claim she had more than 100.

Her comrades were particularly impressed with her exploits during five days of fierce fighting at Goryachiy Klyuch in October 1942 when the teenager is said to have killed more than 20 Germans. But she was seriously injured in the battle for Novorossiysk and died at the age of only 19.

Around 800,000 women served the Soviet Union during the war, including in roles such as pilots and machine gunners.

The activities of female Soviet fighters were also documented by Nobel Prize winner Svetlana Alexievich in her book The Unwomanly Face of War written in 1985.
A man has died in hospital following a brawl in the food court at Crown Melbourne Casino.

Emergency services were called to the casino at 12.20am on Sunday after a fight erupted between three men.

A 29-year-old man from the Melbourne suburb of Mentone was rushed to Alfred Hospital by paramedics after suffering critical head injuries during the brawl.

A man has died in hospital following a brawl in the food court at Crown Melbourne Casino (pictured) on Sunday, launching a homicide investigation

He died in hospital on Tuesday night.

A homicide squad is investigating the circumstances of the man's death.

A 26-year-old Highton man was arrested and charged by police on Sunday for recklessly causing injury.

He was given bail and is due to appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court on August 31.

A 29-year-old Colac man was also arrested by police but was later released pending further enquiries.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has other information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000

Emergency services were called to the casino at 12:20am on Sunday as a fight erupted between three men. (Pictured: One of the restaurants in the casino's food court)
An eighth Russian colonel has been killed in Ukraine in another devastating blow to Vladimir Putin's faltering invasion which has seen the loss of many high-ranking officers.

Kyiv said it had 'eliminated' Colonel Denis Kurilo, commander of the 200th separate motorised rifle brigade, who led Russia's bloody assault in Kharkiv where he was killed in battle.

The brigade had suffered massive losses in the fierce fighting, the Ukrainian army's press office said.

Kyiv said it had 'eliminated' Colonel Denis Kurilo (pictured), commander of the 200th separate motorised rifle brigade, in fighting near Kharkiv

The brigade had suffered massive losses in the fierce battle near Ukraine's second biggest city

A picture of Kurilo was shared with a red X through it to announce his death.

Two battalion groups in the 200th brigade were destroyed, with a staggering loss of 1,500 servicemen, Ukraine has claimed.

The colonel is the latest in a long line of slain Russian military leaders, which experts say betray the Kremlin's blundering tactics in the brutal invasion.

It has also been revealed today that Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Dormidontov was killed last week as his funeral was held in Russia today.

A source in the Tatarstan region of Russia said: 'Commander of the rocket artillery division, Lt-Col Dmitry Pavlovich Dormidontov, died while on duty,' said an account.

A picture of Kurilo was shared with a red cross through it to announce his death

Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Dormidontov was killed last week as his funeral was held in Russia today

'An enemy mine hit exactly in his dugout, where there were three officers: a division commander, a battalion commander and an aircraft controller.'

Another loss was Lt-Col Igor Zharov who was buried in Kirzhach town, Vladimir region.

'He died during a military operation to demilitarise and deNazify Ukraine,' said an obituary which revealed he had been honoured by Putin.

Local MP Igor Igoshin said: 'Igor Zharov was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage.

'Since childhood, he had wanted to become a military man. He studied at the famous Kirzhach School of the Army.'

There are now a total of eight colonels and seven generals who have been killed by defiant Ukrainian forces in the month-long war.

Igor Zharov (left) was buried in Kirzhach town, Vladimir region, and was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage. Colonel Dmitry Dormidontov (right) was hit by an enemy mine

Russia has acknowledged 1,351 deaths, widely seen as a wild underestimate of true losses which are believed to be in the region of up to 15,000.

Colonel Nikolay Ovcharenko, chief of the Western Military District engineer troops, was killed in an ambush that left a total of 18 Russians dead by a pontoon bridge over the Siverskyi Donets River.

Colonel Alexei Sharov, commander of the 810th Guards Separate Order of Zhukov Brigade in the Russian Marines, was killed in Mariupol last week.

Colonel Sergei Sukharev, of the 331st Guards Parachute Assault Regiment from Kostroma, was 'liquidated' according to Ukraine in fighting earlier this month.

'Commander of the Kostroma Airborne Regiment, Colonel Sergei Sukharev got lost in the '[military] exercises', but returned home the right way,' said the Ukrainian statement.

His deputy Major Sergei Krylov was killed alongside him, said the report.

Colonel Andrei Zakharov was killed in an ambush near Kyiv in the opening days of the war, while Colonel Konstantin Zizevsky who led air assault troops died in the south of Ukraine.

Russian brigade commander Colonel Yuri Medvedev was even run down with a tank by his own mutinous troops.

Colonel Sergei Sukharev (pictured), of the 331st Guards Parachute Assault Regiment from Kostroma, was 'liquidated' according to Ukraine in fighting earlier this month

Colonel Nikolay Ovcharenko (left), chief of the Western Military District engineer troops, was killed in an ambush, while Colonel Alexei Sharov (right), commander of the 810th Guards Separate Order of Zhukov Brigade in the Russian Marines, was killed in Mariupol last week

Pictured: A still grab from a video allegedly showing Russian Colonel Yuri Medvedev being stretchered into a hospital after suffering severe injuries to his legs

A Western official claimed the commander had been killed by his own troops, 'as a consequence of the scale of losses that had been taken by his brigade'.

'We believe he was killed by his own troops deliberately,' the official said, noting he was 'run over'.

He added it was a further sign of 'morale challenges that Russian forces are having'.

'They really have found themselves in a hornet's nest and they're suffering really badly,' the official said.

Colonel Sergei Porokhyna is another high-profile casualty among Putin's forces.

On top of the colonels, at least seven Russian generals have been killed in fighting, more than during the entire 10-year brutal Soviet campaign in Afghanistan in the 1980s where five generals died.

Damaged Russian tanks are seen in the town of Trostsyanets, with much of the equipment captured by Ukraine

And last week, Russian Army Commander General Vlaislav Yershov, of the 6th Combined Arms Army, was sacked by Putin due to the heavy losses and strategic failures.

The latest to die, Lieutenant General Yakov Rezanstev, was a commander of Russia's 49th Combined Arms Army in its southern military district, the official disclosed.

Among the others said to have been killed is General Magomed Tushaev, of the Chechen Special Forces deployed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine.

Another is believed to have been Lieutenant General Yakov Rezantsev, 48, commander of the army's 49th combined arms division, who became the fifth general to be killed after being taken out in a strike by the Ukrainian armed forces.

Rezantsev, who bragged on just the fourth day of the war that it would be over in a matter of hours, was apparently killed after the Ukrainian army destroyed the commanding post of the 49th Russian Army in southern Ukraine.

Major-General Oleg Mityaev, 47, commander of the army's 150th motorised rifle division, died fighting in the besieged city of Mariupol while Major General Vitaly Gerasimov, 45, was killed on March 7 outside the eastern city of Kharkiv.

The number of both rank-and-file Russian troops and senior officers allegedly killed in the month-long war has shocked Western military and security officials

Meanwhile Major-General Andrey Kolesnikov, Commander of the Guards Tank Kantemirovskaya Division, was also killed in fighting on March 11.

Major-General Andrei Sukhovetsky, 47, was killed during a special operation by a sniper on March 3.

The number of both rank-and-file Russian troops and senior officers allegedly killed in the month-long war has shocked Western military and security officials.

It has been blamed in part on communications and logistics issues, leading senior officers to use unencrypted channels which has exposed them to Ukrainian forces.

Putin is thought to have planned for a short and sharp invasion lasting only a few days, aimed at decapitating the government and installing a puppet regime. Instead he has found himself sucked into a hugely demanding war of attrition.
Police chief constables across the country have admitted that their forces have a toxic culture and problems with racism, homophobia and violence, the head of a watchdog has warned.

Sir Tom Winsor, HM chief inspector of constabulary, praised the majority of officers but said that some who have a 'fondness of violence' and of abusing their power need to be rooted out.

His words come after the Metropolitan Police faced a barrage of criticism recently.

The force's reputation has been hit by a series of disturbing cases including the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer, two constables who shared pictures of the bodies of murder victims Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry on WhatsApp, the highly offensive Charing Cross messages and most recently an inspectorate report that revealed 2,000 warrant cards have gone missing.

However, Sir Tom revealed that a northern police force's chief constable recently told him they have 'the same problem'.

Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Tom Winsor says more needs to be done to tackle toxic culture in police forces

These are MailOnline mock-ups of WhatsApp conversations that were published in the IOPC report showing shocking texts between Charing Cross officers. Warning: Graphic language

The force's reputation has been hit by a series of disturbing cases including the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer

Sir Tom told Times Radio: 'There are parts in policing, where the culture is toxic and we saw the appalling WhatsApp messages in Charing Cross police station.

'A northern force's chief constable recently said to me, 'Yes, we have the same sort of problem,' and I expect that if there were an investigation, that we would find more of that kind of thing.'

The Charing Cross scandal saw the exposure of violently racist, misogynist and homophobic messages exchanged by officers based at the central London police station.

Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick quit the Met Police over the incident, following public outcry and growing pressure.

Discussing the Met and other forces, Sir Tom praised the bravery of police officer but said: 'The people who have these attitudes of racism, homophobia, misogyny, a fondness of violence, a fondness of exercise of power over their fellow citizens and so on - those people need to be rooted out and thrown out.'

He also called for fellow officers to report bad behaviour from their colleagues.

Sir Tom is set to step down as Chief Inspector of Constabulary this week and carry out a formal inquiry into how Dame Cressida came to be forced out of her job by London mayor Sadiq Khan.

The review will look at 'whether due process was followed' by the Labour politician.

The timing and nature of the inquiry are likely to mean Sir Tom will have more flexibility to make politically-sensitive criticisms of the London Mayor.

Dame Cressida announced her resignation in February after Mr Khan's aides indicated that he had no confidence in her ability to shake-up her force after a series of scandals, including murder of Sarah Everard by serving officer Wayne Couzens.

The embattled Police Commissioner will step down for good in April and be succeeded by Deputy Commissioner Sir Stephen House, who is expected to take over the Partygate probe into events in Westminster during lockdown.

She has faced a string of controversies during her reign as Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

Further mock-ups of messages sent by a male officer during another shocking conversation on WhatsApp

The embattled Police Commissioner (left) will step down for good in April and be succeeded by Deputy Commissioner Sir Stephen House (right)

In April 2019, Extinction Rebellion protesters brought London to a standstill over several days with the Met powerless to prevent the chaos.

Dame Cressida said the numbers involved were far greater than expected and used new tactics but she admitted police should have responded quicker.

In September that year, her role in the setting up of a shambolic probe into alleged VIP child sex abuse and murder was revealed but she declined to answer questions.

In February 2021, Lady Brittan condemned the culture of 'cover up and flick away' in the Met and the lack of a moral compass among senior officers.

The same month, a freedom of information request revealed an extraordinary spin campaign to ensure Dame Cressida was not 'pulled into' the scandal over the Carl Beech debacle.

In March last year the Met faced severe criticism for its handling of a vigil for Sarah Everard, where officers arrested four attendees. Miss Everard was killed by Wayne Couzens, a serving Met officer.

Last June, a 20million report into the Daniel Morgan murder branded the Met 'institutionally corrupt' and accuses her of trying to block the inquiry. Dame Cressida rejected its findings.

A month later, the police watchdog revealed three Met officers were being probed over alleged racism and dishonesty.

In January, she faced a barrage of fresh criticism for seeking to 'muzzle' Sue Gray's Partygate report by asking her to make only 'minimal' references to parties the Met were investigating.

And in February, details of messages exchanged by officers at Charing Cross Police Station were revealed, which included multiple references to rape, violence against women, racist and homophobic abuse.
A teenage crusader dedicated to helping motorists avoid unnecessary speed camera fines has been hailed a national hero.

Beau Jackson, 17, spends his spare time standing on the side of roads on the NSW Central Coast north of Sydney warning drivers about approaching mobile speed cameras hidden out of sight.

Rain, hail or shine, Beau can be seen before and after work most days across the region on the lookout for 'unfair' mobile speed camera sites collecting revenue from unsuspecting drivers.

He stands on the side of back roads next to his motorbike with a handwritten sign warning drivers there's a speed camera ahead.

Beau Jackson (left) is regarded as a hero by many motorists on the NSW Central Coast

Passing motorists express their gratitude by beeping their horns and yelling out messages of support.

'I want to look out for people as it's a pretty hard time right now,' Beau told A Current Affair.

'I don't want people getting a fine. I've been saving them heaps in the month I've been doing it.

'People can cop a $170 fine for just going four kilometres over the limit and right now people are struggling so I just want to help them.'

Beau says he has checked with the police to ensure what he was doing what he was doing wasn't illegal.

'They think I'm doing the community a service as I'm actually making people slow down,' he added.

Beau says he's saved money for hundreds of motorists unaware of hidden speed cameras

Beau, who insists he's never been fined, agrees motorists who are 'dramatically' over the speed limit should be punished.

'I'm doing it for those who are done four or six kilometres over because they also park at the bottom of a hill,' he explained.

'If it was in a school zone or on a stretch of road where people are speeding I wouldn't warn anyone.

'But they are often set up to ping people going a few kilometres over the speed limit at the bottom of a hill and that's unfair.'

'If they want to save lives, then have signs here warning people, along with signs on the front and back of the car.'

Beau says he has the support of police who tell him he's doing the community a service

Dan Jackson admitted he was reluctant to support his young son when he first raised the idea.

'My first reaction was 'do you really want to that?' and he was like 'Yeah!' the proud father told the program.

'A lot of kids his age are out doing things mainly for themselves and here is Beau doing something for the community ... and that's nice.'

'As long as he's safe and not doing anything illegal.'

Motorists declared Beau as a national hero.

'He's great at it, saving all our licenses,' one man said.

Others have pulled over to offer Beau drinks and chocolate while a local tyre business showed their appreciation by giving him new tyres for his motorbike.

Beau's vigilante efforts sparked a mixed response from viewers.

'Good on him to help others out in trying times, traffic fines are a profit milking cow and nothing to do with safety whatsoever,' one viewer commented.

But not everyone agreed.

'I think his efforts are misguided. Whats wrong with motorists following the rules and obeying the speed limits? Take responsibility for your own actions and dont rely on someone else.especially a 17 year old to do what you should be doing yourself,' one wrote.
Ex-Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt today claimed the results of a damning probe into baby deaths at the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust are 'worse' than he could have imagined.

Two hundred babies might have survived had better care been provided, a landmark report into the NHS's worst ever maternity scandal is expected to reveal.

Dozens more suffered life-changing injuries because of the poor care provided over almost two decades. At least 12 mothers died while giving birth.

Mr Hunt originally ordered the inquiry into practices at the Shropshire trust in 2017 when he was in charge of the Department of Health.

Speaking ahead of the long-awaited report's publication, he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme the scale of the scandal was shocking, given there were just 23 cases of concern originally.

'I think it is important to say at the outset that the NHS facilitates the birth of nearly 600,000 babies every year and the vast majority are totally safe, and its getting safer,' he said.

'But this report, from what Ive been able to glean, I havent seen it myself, is very, very shocking and sobering reading.'

Ex Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says maternity scandal at Shrewsbury was 'worse' than he imagined after ordering the inquiry in 2017. The report due out today is expected to reveal 201 babies died as a result of poor care in the worst NHS's worst ever maternity scandal

Rhiannon Davies from Ludlow, Shropshire, pictured with her daughter Kate moments after she was born on March 1, 2009 at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust. Kate died just six hours later

The report is set to reveal that three hundred babies died or were left brain damaged because the hospital trust was fixated on encouraging 'natural' deliveries (pictured: the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital)

The history of investigating the Shrewsbury maternity scandal A 2013 investigation commissioned by local NHS managers into maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust concluded services were safe, meaning failings were allowed to continue. The study, ordered by Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Telford and Wrekin CCG following 'concerns over an increased incidence of serious clinical adverse events' and the safety of maternity care, said the trust had a 'robust approach to risk management'. The report, written by Dr Josh Dixey, then secondary care consultant on Shropshire CCG Board, found some issues but concluded 'Shropshire has a maternity service to be proud of and that the model of service provision is safe and robust'. It covered the period from April 1, 2012, to March 31, 2013, and included the point at which an inquest jury ruled the death of baby Kate Stanton-Davies could have been avoided. Dr Dixeys report said: 'There is a robust approach to risk management, clinical governance structures and learning from incidents which suggests a "learning organisation".' It added that the trusts clinical outcomes data 'paints a picture of a unit with a comprehensive set of clinical policies and guidelines in place and which reviews and audits its standard of care on a regular basis.' The report referred to the trusts high level of 'normal deliveries' and a lower than average rate of Caesareans, describing this as a 'positive' outcome. It said the philosophy of care at the midwife-led unit was based on the view that pregnancy and birth were normal physiological processes and women were supported to embrace this perspective. However, after this report was published, many more women and babies would go on to suffer poor care at Shrewsbury. In 2017, after being contacted by families, then health secretary Jeremy Hunt ordered an independent inquiry. In her reports, inquiry chairwoman Donna Ockenden noted Shrewsbury had for a long time been intent on keeping its Caesarean section rate low, with many women denied Caesareans or persuaded to have natural births  sometimes with catastrophic results. Advertisement

He said he hopes the report is 'a wake up call' into the need for the health service to deal with instances of poor care better.

'Is it morally right that we need families to have to campaign over decades to get to the truth as to why their child died, rather than the NHS itself being really hungry to learn from mistakes, to put them rights, to make sure that processes are changed so these tragedies dont happen again?', he said.

'Even in this inquiry, doctors, midwives nurses at Shrewsbury and Telford said they were silenced, they were told that there would be professional consequences if they co-operated with the inquiry and we have to get rid of that blame culture and make it easy for people to speak openly and transparently when something goes wrong.'

Mr Hunt added said that NHS staffing was 'a very important issue' with the health service is short of thousands of midwives.

'I believe Donna Ockenden is going to say some very strong words about that,' he said.

'And Im extremely disappointed that today the Government looks at to vote down an amendment to the Health Bill, which has come back from the House of Lords, which would make sure that we didnt have these kinds of staffing shortfalls.'

Asked if he had considered doing an NHS-wide review into maternity services, he said: 'I think it would be wrong to say the progress hasnt been made.

'The number of baby deaths over the last decade has gone down by more than a third, and so the NHS is getting safer and maternity units are getting better at learning from mistakes.

'But we have still got a long way to go. I think this is a very, very sobering wake-up call and my biggest concern is that even the process of doing this investigation, which Donna Ockenden has done with incredible thoroughness, even that was hampered because people in the trust concerned were scared to speak openly, and thats what we have to tackle.'

The devastating independent report comes with trust having paid out more than 58million in clinical negligence damages and costs since 2000.

Midwife Ms Ockenden, who led the five-year inquiry into maternity services at the trust, has already revealed that there were 'numerous opportunities for the system to wake up and realise that there was a problem'.

She has described her report as 'a blueprint for safe maternity care'.

It will conclude that 201 babies might have survived had better maternity care been provided, the BBC reported. Of those, 131 were stillbirths and 70 'neonatal deaths', when a baby dies in the first 28 days of life. Most happened between 2000 and 2019.

Her inquiry revealed that many babies were left with fractured skulls or broken bones.

Others were starved of oxygen and suffered life-changing brain injuries as mothers endured traumatic births after being denied caesarean sections.

By 2002 the trust had the lowest caesarean rate in the country at 11 per cent. An interim report into the first 250 cases was published 15 months ago.

It found that staff sometimes blamed the mothers for their babies' deaths.

One mother whose baby died as a result of poor care was Rhiannon Davies from Ludlow, Shropshire who on March 1 2009 gave birth to her daughter Kate.

Kate Stanton-Davies lived for only a few hours due to a failure of Shrewsbury midwives to recognise the baby needed emergency care.

Donna Ockenden (pictured), is the former senior midwife who has lead the independent inquiry into baby deaths at scandal-hit Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

Among mothers taking legal action against Shrewsbury is the Reverend Charlotte Cheshire, 44, from Newport, Shropshire. Her son Adam looked unwell after his birth in 2011, but her concerns were dismissed by staff at the trust, she alleges

The Shropshire baby deaths: The harrowing stories that informed the inquiry Investigator Donna Ockendens team has recorded the harrowing stories of children and mothers dying at the hands of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust. In some cases, women were blamed for losing their babies, while others had their concerns and complaints dismissed, compounding their grief at losing a child. Families were often treated unkindly  echoed in womens medical records, in documents provided to the inquiry by the trust and families, and in letters sent to families by the trust. In her interim report in December 2020, Ms Ockenden described how, in 2011, a woman was in agony but was told that it was 'nothing', while staff were dismissive and made her feel 'pathetic'. One obstetrician was abrupt and called her 'lazy'. In a 2013 case investigated by the inquiry, a woman was left in great pain after delivery and screamed for hours before staff realised there were problems that needed intervention. In 2009, despite a woman having known risk factors, her care was not escalated to more senior staff, and errors were made in monitoring the baby during labour. Even after birth, the baby was not monitored despite clear warning signs, and was transferred, too late, to a specialist unit where it died. Other cases recorded by Ms Ockendens team are equally distressing, with one baby dying in 2016 after the mother was not adequately monitored due to the unit being 'busy'. In this case, the baby was delivered in a very poor condition having suffered a brain injury due to inappropriate care. Then in 2017, a woman suffered a catastrophic haemorrhage and later died. Her family stated that there had not been an explanation of the risks of birth in the midwifery-led unit, nor information on the need for transfer if complications arose. In a significant number of cases, Ms Ockendens review team found that the clinical care and decision-making of midwives at the trust did not demonstrate the appropriate level of competence, and there were failures to escalate issues to senior staff. In some cases, there was also poor consultant oversight of mothers with high-risk pregnancies, and they either remained under midwifery-led care or were managed by obstetricians in training. In 2011, a new mother died after delays treating her severe high blood pressure. Following delivery, there was a further delay in seeking senior clinical advice. She subsequently died in another hospital. In one 2016 case investigated by Ms Ockenden, a pregnant woman with known large uterine fibroids was not referred to an obstetrician as she should have been. Errors were made in recording the babys growth and it died on the day of birth from a severe hypoxic (low oxygen) birth injury. Another baby died in 2006 after the mother was given oxytocin in labour, despite it not being recommended for a breech baby. This baby was born in very poor condition and died a few days later. Ms Ockendens review further noted there were cases where women were given drugs inappropriately despite abnormal scans. As a result, some babies were born with brain injury, cerebral palsy, or were stillborn or died soon after. In other errors, midwives recorded the mothers heart rate instead of the babys, with serious consequences and one baby death. This was as recently as 2015. Also in 2015, despite a mother requesting a Caesarean following a previous one, her request was denied. After a complicated natural birth, the baby died a few days later from hypoxic brain injury and complications of shoulder dystocia (where the babys head is born but one of the shoulders becomes stuck). A subsequent investigation failed to acknowledge omissions in care. Ms Ockendens reports have said there were many opportunities to learn from incidents, but these did not happen. In 2015, a woman in labour at the midwife-led birth centre was not adequately monitored. When problems were eventually identified in labour there was a delay in transferring her to the labour ward, where her baby was delivered in very poor condition and suffered brain damage. The baby subsequently died. The review team also found evidence of repeated attempts at vaginal delivery with forceps, sometimes using excessive force. It said there was clear evidence that obstetricians were not following established local or national guidelines for safe deliveries of this type. In one case, in 2007, repeated attempts at forceps delivery left a baby with multiple skull fractures. It subsequently died. In another case, a woman known to have a big baby was refused her request for a Caesarean. She had a forceps delivery and the baby had shoulder dystocia and suffered a fracture. One baby in 2017 died following a traumatic forceps delivery by two doctors, while another woman had repeated forceps, leading to the baby having skull fractures and developing cerebral palsy. Ms Ockenden said in her interim report that some of these deliveries were undertaken by consultant obstetricians, which was 'particularly concerning'. Advertisement

Ms Davies had suffered complications in the last month of her pregnancy due to a rare condition which means blood leaks from the foetus and into the mother.

An independent review  commissioned by NHS England following complaints lodged by the Davies family  found the original probe into Kate's death was 'poor' and had 'multiple inaccuracies'.

Among mothers taking legal action against the trust is the Reverend Charlotte Cheshire, 44, from Newport, Shropshire. Her son Adam looked unwell after his birth in 2011, but her concerns were dismissed by staff at the trust, she alleges.

After it was finally discovered that he had Group B Strep infection, he spent almost a month in intensive care. Adam, now 11, has been left with multiple health problems.

She said: 'What Im ultimately hoping is that all of the families get some answers.'

'And then, in our individual cases, about how its possible for there to be such systemic failings over so many years, with seemingly either no-one noticing them, or potentially them being covered up.

'So Im hoping first of all for answers, but secondly, Im hoping, as a result of Ockenden, there are genuine learnings.

'Not the sort of, "oh, well learn and get back to you", but genuine learnings to improve maternity safety  primarily first of all at Shrewsbury and Telford, but secondly across the country as a whole.

'I dont want any other family to have to go through what weve gone through.'

An interim report from the inquiry, published in December 2020 and covering 250 reviews, found a string of failings over two decades.

There was an unwillingness by Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust to learn lessons from its own inadequate investigations, leading to babies being born stillborn, dying shortly after birth or being left severely brain damaged.

Ms Ockendens team of investigators found some families were wrongly blamed when their babies died, were locked out of inquiries into what happened, and were treated without compassion and kindness.

She also noted the trust pursued a strategy of keeping Caesarean section rates low, despite the fact this led to poor care and severe consequences for some families.

In the interim report, Ms Ockenden noted that for around 20 years the Caesarean section rate at the trust was consistently 8 per cent to 12per cent below the English average  something that was held up regionally and nationally as a good thing.

The review team were left with the clear impression 'there was a culture' within the trust to keep Caesarean section rates low, because this was perceived as the essence of good maternity care, the study said.

The NHS is reported to have already paid millions of pounds in clinical negligence claims against the trust.

Detective Chief Superintendent Damian Barratt, of West Mercia Police, said an investigation into the deaths at Shrewsbury was ongoing.

'We launched an investigation in 2017 to explore whether there is evidence to support a criminal case against the trust or any individuals involved and this investigation remains ongoing,' he said.

'This is a highly complex and very sensitive investigation that has required us to speak to a large number of people to gather as much information as we can.

'We are also consulting with a number of medical specialists to ensure our investigation is thorough and that the best possible investigation is completed for the families involved.

'No arrests have been made and no charges have been brought, however we are engaging with the Crown Prosecution Service as our inquiries continue.

'Our thoughts remain with the families affected, and we can reassure the community that when there is an update on our investigation we will share this with the families involved first and foremost, and then to the wider public.'

Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust  which is ranked as inadequate by regulators  has accepted responsibility for the failings and apologised for the hurt it caused.

It insists most of the changes recommended in the interim report had already been made.

In her previous reports Ms Ockenden noted that Shrewsbury had been intent on keeping its Caesarean section rate low, with many women denied Caesareans or persuaded to have natural births  sometimes with catastrophic results.

But it wasn't alone, with the culture in some other NHS trusts at the time also based around women delivering naturally and reducing the rate of Caesareans.

In 2007, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), signed a 'normal birth consensus statement'.

They said: 'With appropriate care and support the majority of healthy women can give birth with a minimum of medical procedures

'Procedures used during labour which are known to increase the likelihood of medical interventions should be avoided where possible.'

A later 2015 inquiry into failings at Morecambe Bay NHS trust  where 11 babies and one mother suffered avoidable deaths  found a group of midwives overzealous pursuit of natural childbirth had 'led at times to inappropriate and unsafe care'.

Two years later, in 2017, the RCM dropped its 'normal birth' campaign and removed advice for midwives from its website.

The RCM removed its 'top 10 tips for a normal birth' and said the campaign would be dropped in favour of a better births plan.

For its part, the RCOG has recently apologised on Twitter for signing up to the 'normal birth consensus statement' in 2007.

It said this 'may have mistakenly given the impression that targets around childbirth could take priority over safety. This is something we acknowledge and sincerely regret'.

Health leaders have also warned that babies and mothers are still being put at risk in England over a shortage of midwives.

NHS and midwifery chiefs told the Guardian they fear that a growing shortage of maternity staff might mean trusts are unable to meet any new standards set out in the Ockenden report.

The number of midwives employed in the NHS in England has fallen to 26,901 according to figures published last month.

This is down from 27,272 a year ago, with the RCM warning it adds to an existing shortage of 2,000 staff.

RCM chief executive Gill Walton said: 'I am deeply worried when senior staff are saying the cannot meet the recommendations of the Ockenden review which are vital to ensuring women and babies get the safest possible maternity care.'

Experts have warned the shortage of midwifery staff is being driven by a failure to attract new staff and existing midwives leaving the NHS due to being overworked.

Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust serves nearly half a million people in Shropshire and consists of two hospitals, the Royal Shrewsbury and the Princess Royal in Telford, as well as a number of smaller community hospitals and maternity units.
A British Airways steward is suing the airline for 50,000 after he was run over by a drinks trolley while working on a flight.

James Searcy, 52, from Ealing, west London, was knocked over backwards by the Buy On Board service trolley on a flight in 2017, after its wheels went over a stray item of luggage in the aisle causing it to become 'wobbly' and its brakes to 'fail'.

Mr Searcy got his leg stuck inside in the trolley, which was being pushed by a colleague, before going over backwards, suffering injuries to his knees, buttock, ankle and shoulder in his fall.

He was forced to have shoulder surgery and says he has been left with ongoing problems which have affected his ability to work.

Mr Searcy is now suing British Airways PLC, claiming compensation of up to 50,000.

James Searcy, 52, from Ealing, west London, is suing British Airways PLC, claiming compensation of up to 50,000

Central London County Court heard that Mr Searcy was working as cabin crew on a BA flight from Munich to London Heathrow on 28 September 2017 when the accident happened.

He had been doing the rounds with the drinks trolley with a colleague, pulling it as she pushed, when a stray item of luggage in the aisle sparked a disastrous chain of events.

In papers lodged with the court, his lawyers explain what happened, saying: 'The claimant was pulling the buy on board trolley with his back to the passengers whilst his colleague was pushing the trolley.

'He noticed an obstacle in the aisle and motioned to his colleague to stop the trolley and attempted to stop the movement of the trolley himself by applying the brake so that the obstacle could be moved with his right foot. However the brake failed and the trolley continued moving.

'The wheels of the trolley went over the object causing the trolley to wobble.

He said he was forced to have shoulder surgery and says he has been left with ongoing problems which have affected his ability to work

'As a result the trolley pushed the claimant backwards and he was now balanced on his left leg only.

'His right leg became trapped in the trolley brake compartment and he fell backwards, landing on his left hand side.'

Mr Searcy's lawyers go on to say that he has been left with a legacy of numerous injuries, including shoulder problems which have required surgery.

They also say in court papers that the airline have admitted liability for Mr Searcy's accident through their insurers via an email on 20 June 2019, guaranteeing him a payout.

The case will now go forward to a trial to decide the level of damages Mr Searcy will be awarded unless the case is settled out of court beforehand.
A globetrotting carpenter and Sussex University professor are among 117 Insulate Britain activists charged over road-blocking protests between September and November last year.

Charges have been issued by the Metropolitan Police, Kent Police and Essex Police in recent weeks.

They include 146 charges of causing a public nuisance, 137 of wilful obstruction of the highway, and 10 of criminal damage.

Among those charged are Cameron Ford, 31, a carpenter from Cambridge, who appeared at several protests despite going on globetrotting trips abroad on two occasions.

He went on a 10,000 mile four month trip across the Atlantic and around Canada - then just months later on a 2,000 mile plus jaunt across much of Europe in an old diesel van.

Also charged is Nick Till, 66, a Sussex University professor from London.

Insulate Britain said it is 'likely these numbers will rise as we understand that further charges are still being issued'.

At least 25 plea hearings are scheduled to take place at magistrates' courts in Crawley, Chelmsford and Stratford in April and May.

Some 174 people were arrested a total of 857 times during the protests.

Insulate Britain said some who repeatedly returned to the roads were arrested '10-15 times during 18 days of roadblocks'.

Some 117 Insulate Britain activists have now been charged over its road-blocking protests (Pictured: Eco-mob stages a demonstration and blocks the roads around Parliament Square in central London, on November 4 last year)

Among those charged are Cameron Ford, 31, a carpenter from Cambridge, who appeared at several protests despite going on globetrotting trips abroad on two occasions

Insulate Britain said it is 'likely these numbers will rise as we understand that further charges are still being issued'

A climate protestor is arrested during Insulate Britain's illegal road block around Parliament Square on November 4, 2021

Insulate Britain began a wave of demonstrations last September which included blocking the M25 and other roads in London, including around Parliament, as well as roads in Birmingham, Manchester and Dover in Kent. (Pictured: Sit-down in Essex last September)

Nine Insulate Britain eco zealots were jailed at the High Court after admitting breaching an injunction on protesting

How Insulate Britain made a mockery of the law over two months September 13 - 78 Insulate Britain protesters arrested after blocking junctions 3, 6, 14, 20 and 31 of the M25 September 15 - More than 50 protesters arrested after targeting junctions 1, 8, 9 and 23 of the M25 September 17 - 48 protesters arrested after targeting junctions 3, 9 and 28 of the M25, as well as the M3 September 20 - 29 protesters are arrested after blocking the M25 at junctions 4 and 18, as well as the A1 September 21 - Protesters risk death by running into moving traffic to block the carriageway near Junction 10. Some 38 arrests are made. National Highways obtains an injunction against further protests on the M25 September 22 - Protesters burn copies of the injunction outside the Home Office, blocking the road outside the ministry. No arrests are made September 24 - 39 protesters arrested after blocking roads at three locations in Dover. They are all released under investigation. National Highways obtains a second injunction covering Dover. September 27 - 53 protesters are arrested for blocking a slip road at Junction 14 of the M25. They are all released under investigation. September 28 - National Highways says it is taking 'legal advice' over how to enforce its injunction September 29 - 27 protesters are arrested for blocking a roundabout at Junction 3 of the M25 on two occasions September 30 - Protesters return to junction 30 at Thurrock in Essex, and nine are arrested October 1: The group block the M4 at junction 3, the M1 at junction 1 and M25 at junction 25. Some 39 arrests October 2: Third injunction bans them from obstructing traffic and access to motorways and major A roads in and around London October 4: 38 arrests after protesters block three major roads in London - the Blackwall Tunnel, Wandsworth Bridge and A40 and North Circular at Hanger Lane. October 8: 19 arrested over protest at Old Street roundabout and a further 16 on the M25 at junction 24. Transport for London gets a High Court injunction to ban them from obstructing traffic in 14 locations in London. October 13: Protesters return to the M25 at junction 31 and a nearby industrial estate, with 35 people arrested. October 25: Activists target areas around Southwark Bridge, Canary Wharf and Liverpool Street station. Some 53 are arrested. October 27: Protesters blockade the A40 in North Acton, West London, and a major roundabout next to the Dartford Crossing in Kent. Kent Police arrested 32 protesters, while the Metropolitan Police detained 17. October 29: 10 activists are arrested after walking onto the M25 between junctions 28 and 29 in Essex November 2: Police arrest 20 activists before they can even get onto the M25 at junction 23 for South Mimms, but other actions take place on the M56 in Manchester, with 11 arrests, and the A4400 in Birmingham November 4: Some 62 protesters sit down at Parliament Square in Westminster November 17: Nine of the protesters are jailed at the High Court for between three and six months Advertisement

Prior to the wave of charges, activists had only faced civil action.

Fourteen were jailed for breaking injunctions banning protests on the M25.

Insulate Britain said public nuisance prosecutions can result in a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and an unlimited fine.

Cameron Ford, 31, a carpenter from Cambridge who is summoned to appear at Crawley Magistrates' Court on April 4, said: 'The CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) undertaking these mass prosecutions is an attempt by our Government to ignore and avoid addressing the biggest dangers facing people right now.

'By not insulating Britain's leaky homes they are knowingly condemning millions more families to live in fuel poverty and thousands and thousands of our elderly to die in frozen homes next winter.'

Nick Till, 66, a university professor from London who is due to appear at the same court on April 6, said: 'As an academic, my duty is to find and tell the truth, and civil disobedience is now the only way of getting the truth out there.

'I do not regret my actions. Even though I regret the inconvenience caused to many of my fellow citizens by my actions, it is nothing compared to what is coming down the line for those same people and their loved ones if we fail to do anything.'

Insulate Britain began a wave of demonstrations last September which included blocking the M25 and other roads in London, including around Parliament, as well as roads in Birmingham, Manchester and Dover in Kent.

A series of High Court injunctions against its road blockades were granted to National Highways and Transport for London to prevent their disruptive protests.

Those who breach them could now be found in contempt of court and face a maximum penalty of two years in prison or an unlimited fine as well as seizure of assets.

The offshoot from the Extinction Rebellion is calling on the UK Government to implement policy and funding for a national home insulation programme starting with all social housing.

The group wants the UK government to promise to fully fund and take responsibility for the insulation of all social housing in Britain by 2025.

It is demanding 'a legally binding national plan to fully fund and take responsibility for the full low energy and low carbon whole-house retrofit, with no externalised costs, of all homes in Britain by 2030 as part of a just transition to full decarbonisation of all parts of society and the economy'.

It comes as Insulate Britain, and a number of other protest groups, threatened to conduct raves around the M25 last month - before postponing the planned chaos until April 2.

There are four demos planned at unknown locations, which are set to take aim at the cost of living crisis as well as the country's reliance on fossil fuel energy.

One party named 'Staying Alive on the M25' has been organised by campaigner Gabriella Ditton, 27, from Norwich, with more than 500 already signed up to attend.

Ms Ditton already received a suspended sentence in February after blocking part of the M25 in a protest.

An event page on Facebook brands it the 'biggest party of 2022...bigger than 2020 Downing Street'.

An event page on Facebook brands it the 'biggest party of 2022...bigger than 2020 Downing Street'.

Listing its justifications for bringing roads to a standstill, it adds: 'Cost of Living Crisis, Electricity and gas bills go up 54% a year in April, 200 'discount' you gotta pay back later, People dying in their homes...Boris Johnson can shove it up his a**e.

'U shoulda insulated Britain I reckon' [SIC].

Conservative MP Jonathan Gullis said last month: 'Yet again, a minority of the crusty Wokerati are willing to endanger others.

'These middle class hippies are hell-bent on imposing green extremist ideals on people regardless of how hard-up that will make working people.'
By Kang Hyun-kyung





The late Chun Doo-hwan (1931-2021) had a lesser-known, yet disgraceful nickname that he earned during his presidency. Back in the 1980s, some college students called the military general-turned-president, "Mr. Today," a nickname they coined to ridicule his domination of the news headlines. His wife, Lee Soon-ja, also had a nickname. Hers was "Mrs. Meanwhile."



The odd-sounding titles for the presidential couple arose against the backdrop of political instability and authoritarianism in the 1980s. Chun rose to power through a military coup, weeks after former President Park Chung-hee was assassinated in October 1979 by his own security chief, Kim Jae-gyu, the director of the KCIA. To maintain the presidency and power they had seized, Chun and his aides relied on censorship of the media, especially with regards to TV.



Every night, prime-time news started with the news show hosts' narration of the news headlines, beginning with, "Today, President Chun" Most of the time, Chun dominated the top news; hence his nickname, "Mr. Today." The stories that followed were about his wife. They usually began with, "Meanwhile, first lady Lee" It's thus pretty easy to see how she got the nickname, "Mrs. Meanwhile."



Such sarcastic nicknames that college students gave the authoritarian couple are the byproducts of Korea's dark past. They are the relics of daily life in a dictatorship.



While following the stories of President Moon Jae-in's first meeting with President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol after their initial one-on-one meeting was cancelled earlier this month, I felt that there seemed to be a similarity between what happened in the 1980s and now, and that this similarity is something inherent to the nature of political power itself, rather than a reflection of the maturity of a nation's political system.



I think the two cases are both triggered by human nature that seeks attention from others. College students' derisive nicknaming of the presidential couple in the early 1980s offers a clue for rulers who constantly seek attention from the public, as they like to be covered extensively by the media. I think the brief strained relationship between outgoing President Moon and incoming President-elect Yoon, which continued until their meeting took place, in what Yoon's chief of staff described was a "a cordial atmosphere" on Monday, is also a reflection of that human desire that drives them to want to be at the center of attention.



In a country like Korea, where the balance of power is tipped in favor of the president in relation to the legislature and judiciary branches, it is easier for the president to grab attention from citizens. Depending on their personality traits, some presidents seem to like the idea of living a life in the public eye, while others do not. But one thing that I am certain of is that five years are long enough to train those who are in the top job of government to feel comfortable about living a public life.



A seismic change seems to occur in the public's incessant attention to those who are in power when a new leader is elected. With the media frenzy suddenly shifting to the president-elect, the outgoing president is reminded of the chilling reality that his or her days in the top job are numbered. With the clock ticking toward the end of their presidency, they feel the fleetingness of life and know that their time as president will be over one day.



Around the time when the president-elect's Presidential Transition Committee kicks off, replacing the nation's epicenter of breaking news, Cheong Wa Dae becomes "as quiet as a temple" as elder Koreans might say to refer to an awkward silence that comes after something has passed its peak, because of power rapidly shifting from Cheong Wa Dae to the transition team.



The period of presidential transition is the perfect time for the sitting president to prepare for a farewell to his fellow citizens. Instead of being concerned about or fretting over the president-elect or his transition team's domination of the news headlines, I think that a wise leader should accept that his or her time in the much-coveted position will eventually end.



There was a time when the sitting president was at the center of the world. But those old days are gone, as the successor gears up to ascend to the throne.



Just like the outgoing president, the next president will realize the same thing when his term ends five years later: time flies. When your term ends, it's the successor's turn to shine. I think it's absurd if you try to steal the show and regain the public's attention. It will soon be their time, not yours.





The writer (hkang@koreatimes.co.kr) is politics and city editor of The Korea Times.
A beautician was killed by her boyfriend who crashed his BMW at high speed as they raced to the shops to buy Christmas presents for each other.

Natalia Kulik, 30, suffered multiple injuries after the BMW 320d she was a passenger in ploughed through roundabout railings and plunged onto a pedestrian walkway below.

Boyfriend Peter Clarke had been driving the 149mph high-performance vehicle at twice the speed limit after he offered to take her shopping on a Sunday afternoon and buy gifts for each other for Christmas.

Ms Kulik was cut from the wreckage but went into cardiac arrest and died in hospital shortly afterwards.

Clarke, 34, was left fighting for life after the crash with multiple fractures but made a miraculous recovery. He cannot explain why he was driving so fast and claims to not recall the tragedy.

A police accident report estimated he was travelling at between 73 to 83mph in the moments before the impact.

Natalia Kulik, 30, (pictured) suffered multiple injuries after the BMW 320d she was a passenger in ploughed through roundabout railings and plunged onto a pedestrian walkway below

Peter Clarke has been jailed for three years and four months after admitting causing death by dangerous driving. Clarke crashed his BMW while speeding at up to 83mph on a shopping trip

At Manchester Crown Court, Clarke admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for three years and four months.

He was banned from driving for four years which will start when he is freed from jail.

Miss Kulik's family from Poland refused to cooperate with the prosecution after insisting her death was a tragic accident.

The couple had been dating for 18 months and were said to have been in a 'happy and loving relationship' with each having a child from previous relationships.

Tragedy struck when the pair from Kearsley, near Bolton, ventured out at 12.30pm on October 27, 2019 to go shopping in Manchester city centre.

Clarke left the A6 in Salford but accelerated along a slip road as he approached Pendleton Island roundabout and lost control when he clipped the kerb.

The couple had been dating for 18 months and were described as being in a loving relationship

Natalia (pictured with Clarke) was alive when she was pulled from the car but died in hospital

After ploughing through the railings the BMW hit a stone wall before landing on the passenger side where Miss Kulik had been sitting in the front seat.

Police later recovered dashcam footage from another car which showed the BMW hurtling past at high speed. The speed limit is 40mph on the A6, and 30mph on the slip road.

One eyewitness thought the BMW was driving so fast that it was being chased by police, while another described how it was 'flying' down the road.

'It was going really fast and I knew it was not going to stop,' said one bus driver who witnessed the crash.

Robert Dudley prosecuting said: 'The car landed on the passenger side with the defendant dangling from his seat belt. Fortunately no-one was walking past at the time.

'Ms Kulik was alive when the fire service cut off the vehicle's roof to get to her but she died at Salford Royal Hospital a short time later.

Police taped off the railings where Clarke's BMW broke through and fell to the path below

Police at the scene of the crash near the Broad Street roundabout in Pendleton, Salford

Natalia Kulik, 30, pictured, was killed after her boyfriend crashed his BMW while speeding

'The defendant was also badly injured, including suffering a fractured spine, spent more than two weeks in hospital and many more months recuperating.'

The court heard Clarke had bought the car a week earlier from his father.

In mitigation, defence counsel Nicola Gatto, said her client had a clean driving licence and could not remember anything of the collision.

'This tragedy was down to no more and no less than excessive speed. He says up to that point it was a happy day.

'They were travelling into Manchester and he remembers they were going to go Christmas shopping.

'Miss Kulik was his partner and his grief is immeasurable and it is clear her family accept they had a very loving and caring relationship.

Clarke (pictured with partner Natalia) was also badly injured in the crash and spent two weeks in hospital after fracturing his spine and many more months recuperating, the court heard

Clarke (with Natalia) was jailed for three years and four months at Manchester Crown Court

'They accept that he is devastated at the loss of Ms Kulik, as they are too.

'She was a young woman who he very much cared for and loved. Since she died he has had no substantial relationships because he is still grieving. He describes his relationship with Miss Kulik as effortless.

'It is clear that he feels significant guilt and significant remorse and this is something that is likely to remain with him for the many years to come.

'This is an ordinary man who has led a law-abiding life. This is a tragedy for all concerned. What sentence is passed isn't going to bring Miss Kulik back.

'There isn't a day that doesn't go by when he doesn't think of her and when he doesn't regret his actions on that day.'

Sentencing Clarke, Judge Suzanne Goddard QC told him: 'There is no explanation for the speed you were travelling that day and what motivated you to drive at such a high speed in what was, to me, very obviously dangerous circumstances.

'Nevertheless it is of course a fact that Natalia Kulik lost her life, and her son lost his mother, because of your actions that day. For that, you must be punished.'
Advertisement

Russian units are suffering such heavy losses in Ukraine that they have been forced to flee home and to neighbouring Belarus.

The Kremlin has yet to capture any major city in its month-long invasion of its neighbour, and yesterday promised to 'radically' reduce military operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv.

But experts said the pledge mostly covered areas where Putin has been losing ground or had been stalled for weeks, and the vow did not even last long with Chernihiv shelled 'all night long', its governor said.

Britain's defence ministry said today: 'Such activity is placing further pressure on Russia's already strained logistics and demonstrates the difficulties Russia is having re-organising its units in forward areas within Ukraine.'

But Russia is likely to continue to compensate for its reduced ground manoeuvre capability through mass artillery and missile strikes, the ministry added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also scoffed at the idea Russia would be scaling back its barbaric assaults after peace talks were hailed by some yesterday as 'major progress', despite the lack of any concrete steps towards a ceasefire.

Russian units are suffering such heavy losses in Ukraine that they have been forced to flee home and to neighbouring Belarus. Pictured: An abandoned Russian military vehicle in Trostianets

Residents walk past a damaged Russian tank in the northeastern city of Trostianets yesterday amid heavy Kremlin losses

The Kremlin has yet to capture any major city in its month-long invasion of its neighbour

'We are hearing positive signals from the negotiating table... but positive signals do not silence the explosions of Russian bombs,' he said in a video address last night.

Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin said the offer to reduce some military operations was a confidence building step for the ongoing negotiations with Ukrainian officials in Istanbul.

'In order to increase mutual trust and create the necessary conditions for further negotiations and achieving the ultimate goal of agreeing and signing (an) agreement, a decision was made to radically, by a large margin, reduce military activity in the Kyiv and Chernihiv directions,' Fomin said.

But he made no mention of other areas that have seen heavy fighting, including around Mariupol in the southeast, Sumy and Kharkiv in the east and Kherson and Mykolaiv in the south.

Russia announced yesterday amid renewed peace talks that it would reduce its military presence in and around Kyiv (pictured) and Chernihiv, in what appears to be its first concession since the war began just over one month ago

'We are hearing positive signals from the negotiating table... but positive signals do not silence the explosions of Russian bombs,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his latest video address last night.

'Ukrainians are not naive people,' Zelensky said late on Tuesday.

'Ukrainians have already learned during these 34 days of invasion, and over the past eight years of the war in Donbass, that the only thing they can trust is a concrete result.'

He also brushed off the shift in tactics as nothing more than a forced retreat in the face of strong Ukrainian resistance rather than any step towards peace.

'The Russian military command allegedly decided ''to reduce hostilities in the directions of Kyiv and Chernihiv'' - as if Russian planes just decided to fly less and military vehicles to drive less,' the President quipped sarcastically.

'Our full-scale defence is coming to an end. A successful defence... It is the brave and effective actions [of our defenders] who force the enemy to retreat.'

But the same day that Russia's Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin said his nation would 'fundamentally scale back' its operations to 'increase trust', a Russian missile killed eight in Mykolaiv, while the decimated city of Mariupol endured further bombardment (three year old boy wounded in shelling of Mariupol pictured today)

This satellite image distributed by Maxar Technologies shows destroyed apartment buildings and houses east of Mariupol, Ukraine on March 29, 2022

Firefighters scramble to extinguist a huge fire at a fuel base located near Ukraine's western settlement of Klevan in the Rivne region and supplying fuel to Kyiv for the Ukrainian army, which was hit with high-precision air-launched cruise missiles by Russia, on March 28, 2022

A Russian missile blasted a gaping hole in a government administration building in Mykolaiv yesterday, killing eight and wounding over 30

Zelensky also last night declared that Ukraine is ready to negotiate a ceasefire, but said there would be no compromise over Ukraine's 'sovereignty and territory'.

'There must be real security for us, for our state, for sovereignty, for our people,' he said.

'Russian troops must leave the occupied territories - Ukraine's territorial integrity must be guaranteed. There can be no compromise on sovereignty. And there will not be any.

'Ukrainians have already learned during these 34 days of invasion and eight years of war in the Donbass that only a concrete result can be trusted.'

Zelensky's address went on to cover the launch of a new government scheme which aims to provide compensation to individuals and families whose property or land has been damaged amid the war.

Details of the scheme will be released in the coming days, the President said, before stressing to viewers that the state will compensate 'for every lost metre of real estate'.

Zelensky also discussed an address he made earlier in the day to the Danish parliament, and said Denmark was interested in helping Ukraine with rebuilding projects in the aftermath of the war.

Meanwhile, Western leaders were warned against dropping their guard after Russia announced its planned scale back of military operations near Kyiv and Chernihiv, with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson declaring Putin may still look to 'twist the knife' and inflict more damage.

Western officials have remained highly suspicious of Russia's true intentions, arguing that Russian attacks have continued despite the Kremlin's promise to scale back troops in major urban centres (Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu pictured)

One Western security official speaking on condition of anonymity said: 'Nothing that we have seen so far has demonstrated to us that President Putin and his colleagues are particularly serious about [scaling back]. It is more of a tactical exercise playing for time.

'Even if they do do what they say they are going to do that is not in any shape or form a cessation of hostilities... I think we can continue to see continued death and destruction [in the Donbass].'

And although there was positivity surrounding yesterday's peace talks in Istanbul, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had not seen anything to indicate that negotiations were progressing in a 'constructive way,' speculating Russia's pullback is likely an attempt to 'deceive people and deflect attention'.

'There is what Russia says and there is what Russia does, and were focused on the latter,' Blinken said yesterday.

'And what Russia is doing is the continued brutalisation of Ukraine.'

At first glance this is a progress towards peace. But words are cheap... it's action on the ground that counts, writes Dr NEIL MELVIN



At first glance, the temptation is surely to cheer the news that Russia has said it will 'drastically reduce' its combat operations around the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv. Certainly, that is the view of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been hosting face-to-face talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul. Erdogan hailed Russia's announcement yesterday in the wake of these talks  along with proposals mooted by Ukraine to become a 'neutral state'  as 'the most significant progress' towards peace since Vladimir Putin launched his horrific invasion five weeks ago. I have no doubt that the luckless residents of both Ukraine's besieged capital and of Chernihiv  where tens of thousands are trapped without running water and electricity  will welcome this development. President Recep Erdogan, of Turkey, speaks at peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul. He hailed Russia's announcement has said it will 'reduce' combat operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv as 'the most significant progress' yet Sadly, however, I would also firmly caution against pinning too much hope on these announcements. Words, after all, are cheap: and it is actions on the ground the matter. Russia's apparent climbdown must be seen in the context of Putin's long-held wider ambitions for Ukraine. He wants to weaken his democratic neighbour, prevent it from joining Nato and ensure that it can never escape from Russia's 'sphere of influence'. The first step in executing these ambitions was his 2014 annexation of Crimea and the occupation of parts of the Donbas region by Russian separatist groups. Emergency personnel work at the site of the regional government headquarters in Mykolaiv, Ukraine. Dr Neil Melvin urged 'caution against pinning too much hope' on pronouncements of peace These strategies only succeeded in driving Ukraine further towards the West. The second step has been unfolding in recent weeks before the world's horrified eyes: a full-scale invasion, initially intended to seize Kyiv and depose President Zelensky under the absurd guise of 'de-Nazifying' Ukraine. As we know, the Russian despot failed in this planned lightning strike. Some 10,000 Russian troops now are dead, several initial gains have been lost, the Russian economy has been crippled by sanctions and its international reputation destroyed. Putin knows he has badly over-reached  and must now see that the victory he imagined is beyond his grasp. That is the crucial background to yesterday's claims of progress in negotiations between the warring countries. Despite overtures towards peace, Vladimir Putin still wants to win in Ukraine, writes Dr Melvin Putin knows that if he is to remain in power, he cannot be seen to have failed. As such, he may well be using the veil of diplomacy to achieve his goals: buying time so that his forces can regroup and resupply while he plots his next move. That is not to say that these latest developments are bogus or mere propaganda. I have no doubt that Erdogan is sincere when he speaks of his hopes that they may be a prelude to peace. Yet whatever common ground has been found on the shores of the Bosphorus, this is definitively not a peace agreement - nor even a ceasefire. Russia may be pulling back from two cities, but in the centre and south of Ukraine, the bloodshed goes on. Putin still wants to win  indeed, believes he must win. Yes, there is a flickering of hope. But this war has a long way to run. Dr Neil Melvin is Director of International Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute

By Dr Neil Melvin
Kim Jong Un faked the 'monster missile' launch from his Top Gun-inspired propaganda clip, according South Korea and the US.

North Korea claimed last week it had successfully test-fired a Hwasong-17 missile, a long-range ballistic missile which analysts say may be capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

But after consulting satellite images and weather forecasts, Seoul and Washington analysts agree the weapon in the video was really a Hwasong-15, a smaller and less powerful missile first paraded five years ago.

Flop Gun: Kim claims the Hwasong-17 is a 'new type' of missile - but hasn't test-launched it

Kim posed for pictures with military officials at the carefully choreographed shoot last week

He then watched the staged launch last Thursday from an observation window at a safe range

Kim's viral clip was an attempt to compensate for the failed launch of the Hwasong-17 earlier this month, military officials added.

The Hwasong-17: North Korea's largest - and deadliest - ICBM Potential altitude: 3,850 miles Potential range: At least 8,100 miles Warhead: Up to four nuclear weapons Warhead weight: Up to 7,700 lbs. Missile weight: Up to 330,000 lbs. Missile length: 85 feet Diameter: 9.5 feet Advertisement

Debris from the rocket reportedly rained down on the capital after Pyongyang's prized possession burst into flames mid-air on March 16, minutes after take-off.

North Korea's state media ignored the flop test - and widely shared the Supreme Leader's subsequent, carefully scripted footage released on March 24.

News agency KCNA described the faked test as a 'striking demonstration of great military muscle,' while Kim said it was a 'miraculous' and 'priceless' victory by the Korean people.

He also vowed his military would acquire 'formidable military and technical capabilities unperturbed by any military threat and blackmail and keep themselves fully ready for long-standing confrontation with the U.S. imperialists.'

Pyongyang claims the Hwasong-17, first unveiled at a parade in 2020, can reach a maximum altitude of 3,905 miles, compared to the Hwasong-15's more modest 2,800 miles.

That range would enable North Korea to strike any part of the U.S. mainland.

A South Korean defence ministry official told AFP: 'US and South Korean intelligence has determined that what was fired on March 24 was a Hwasong-15.'

Seoul-based NK News reported a reddish ball of smoke zigzagged across the sky during the failed March 16 test.

The Hwasong-17 was first unveiled at a military parade in Pyongyang two years ago

North Korea claimed the missile fired last week is a Hwasong-17 - but analysts remain doubtful

President Biden and Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, pictured at the G7 summit in Brussels last Thursday, condemned the launch but believed it to be genuine

South Korean MP Ha Tae-keung of the People's Power Party said the acrimonious false start might have damaged Kim's standing among North Koreans.

'Pyongyang residents must have been shocked', he added.

South Korea's military responded to news of the launch with live-fire drills of its own missiles, underscoring a revival of tensions as diplomatic ties remains frozen.

Washington also imposed fresh sanctions against five entities and individuals located in Russia and North Korea over transferring sensitive items to the North's missile program, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said.

Thursday's test was North Korea's 12th round of weapons launches this year and was thought to be the most provocative test since President Biden took office.
This is the moment a group of young Russian soldiers conscripted to fight on the frontlines in Ukraine finally lose it.

In a clip shared on Twitter and in pro-Ukraine Telegram channels, a group of ten student soldiers in oversized helmets wielding AK-47s from the 1940s complain they've been 'thrown into the s**t'.

One complains: 'Know the truth! The Russian Ministry of Defence has no idea about us, or what were doing here.

One boy soldier (left), 18, is seen wielding an AK-47 rifle first issued to Soviet soldiers in 1947

The Russian army's terrifying initiations, including torture and rapes, contribute to low morale as seen in the widely-shared clip. The soldiers say Moscow 'doesn't know what they're doing'

Another lad complains their antique weapons 'don't f***ing fire' as they're being transported

'Weve been thrown into the s**t!'

Another adds: 'Our rifles are from the 1940s! They dont f***ing fire! Theyre sending f***ing ordinary students into war', according to The Times.

Russia's war casualties Major General Andrei Kolesnikov: Commander of the 29th Combined Army Army Major General Vitaly Gerasimov: First deputy commander of Russia's 41st army who took part in operations in Syria and Crimea Major General Andrei Sukhovetsky: Deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army of the Central Military District killed during a special operation by a sniper Major General Andrei Kolesnikov of the 29th Combined Arms Army was killed last week Major General Vitaly Gerasimov (left) was killed last week and was the first deputy commander of Russia's 41st army. Major General Andrei Sukhovetsky (Right), 47, was deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army of the Central Military District Colonel Andrei Zakharov: Killed in a Ukrainian ambush near Kyiv Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Safronov: Leader of marine brigade killed after Ukrainian forces recaptured Chernihiv Lieutenant Colonel Denis Glebov: Leader of air assault troops killed in Chernihiv Colonel Konstantin Zizevsky: Leader of air assault troops killed in the south of Ukraine Lieutenant Colonel Denis Glebov (left) and Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Safronov (right) died in a battle in Chuhuiv and Colonel Konstantin Zizevsky (left), who led air assault troops died in the south of Ukraine and Captain Alexey Glushchak (right), of the GRU intelligence service, who died fighting near Mariupol Advertisement

The boys, who are reportedly members of the 15th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, filmed themselves in the back of a lorry near Sumy, close to the border with Russia.

One lad in a Russian army helmet too big for his head points to himself and says, 'I'm 18 years old.'

He then holds up his AK-47 machine gun - first issued to Soviet soldiers in 1947 - and complains, 'Weve been given automatic rifles to take on Grads, artillery, mortar shells.

'We're asking you to spread this.'

Sumy has been the scene of intense fighting in recent days, with chilling drone footage showing the sheer scale of destruction.

President Putin vowed not to send young, untrained conscripts to the frontlines of the war in Ukraine - but has since broken his promise.

One quarter of Russia's army is made up of conscripts aged 18-27, disproportionately from poorer backgrounds where families are unable to obtain legal letters or doctors' notes excusing their sons from battle.

Earlier this month, a group of Russian conscripts captured by Ukraine said they were deceived into believing the war was a military training exercise and apologised for behaving 'like fascists'.

Moscow youngster Aleksandr Morozov, 22, said: 'Ukrainians are a strong people, they fight like beasts.

'Their aircraft shatters our columns utterly. Our side suffers great losses: technicians, sergeants, officers, soldiers. And we want to stop that.

'I want to apologize to the whole of Ukraine for coming here. I do not want violence in this country. I am very ashamed.'

New conscripts are often tortured and even raped as part of brutal initiations dating back hundreds of years.

The army's culture of hazing (known as 'dedovshchina') involves using physical and psychological abuse to 'toughen' young recruits.

In 2019 alone there were 51,000 recorded cases of human rights violations among young conscripts - and 9,890 sexual assaults, according to the Russian defence ministry.

In addition to morale-drained Russian forces, Putin has drafted in mercenary Wagner fighters from Syria and Africa in an effort to 'turn the tide' in Ukraine.

Russian army messages intercepted by the Ukrainian army also suggest Russian forces are fighting low morale, with many suffering from frostbite and supply shortages.

One Pentagon document described soldiers simply parking their vehicles and walking away from the war into woods.

Russia admitted last week that 9,861 Russian troops had been killed and 16,153 injured.

Kyiv estimates the Russian death toll to be closer to 17,000.

Around 15,000 Russian troops died during the Soviet Union's ten-year war in Afghanistan following the 1979 invasion.

Meanwhile, Kyiv's ministry of defence said yesterday Russia has been forced to withdraw units surrounding the capital after major losses.

The withdrawal has 'significantly decreased' the intensity of the advance on the city as Putin's troops regroup in Belarus, deputy defence minister Hanna Malyar said.

Those still trying to advance on Kyiv are still trying to seize major roads and settlements in the northeast and northwest of the city, but are being held back.

Malyar added: 'As of today, the enemy is regrouping its forces, but they cannot advance anywhere in Ukraine.'

Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin said the offer to reduce some military operations was a confidence building step for the ongoing negotiations with Ukrainian officials in Istanbul.

'In order to increase mutual trust and create the necessary conditions for further negotiations and achieving the ultimate goal of agreeing and signing (an) agreement, a decision was made to radically, by a large margin, reduce military activity in the Kyiv and Chernihiv directions,' Fomin said.

But he made no mention of other areas that have seen heavy fighting, including around Mariupol in the southeast, Sumy and Kharkiv in the east and Kherson and Mykolaiv in the south.

The conscripts say they're just 'ordinary students' and have no business being on the frontline

The fear in the eyes of the Russian conscripts is clear, even as they bravely question orders

'Ukrainians are not naive people,' President Zelensky said in a video address late on Tuesday.

'Ukrainians have already learned during these 34 days of invasion, and over the past eight years of the war in Donbass, that the only thing they can trust is a concrete result.'

'Our full-scale defence is coming to an end. A successful defence... It is the brave and effective actions [of our defenders] who force the enemy to retreat.'
A Louisiana soldier has been charged with raping a college student in her dorm room after they met at a drunken party.

Photo of Desmond Saine, 22, taken from prison. Saine, from Little Rock, an army soldier based at Fort Polk, is alleged to have raped a drunk college student at her LSU dorm room after meeting her at an off-campus party

Desmond Saine, 22, from Little Rock, denies sexually assaulting the Lousiana State University student he met at an off-campus party on March 13.

Saine exchanged social media details with the victim at the party, who admitted to police that she had been drinking heavily.

Directly after the party, Saine is alleged to have contacted the victim to ask if they could hang out, and from there he went to her dorm room.

The police report says that Saine asked if he could kiss the victim, to which she refused, and he then proceeded to take her clothes off and rape her.

The victim told friends what had allegedly happened immediately afterwards and the friends told the investigating police officers that the victim had been 'distraught'.

Lousiana State University Police arrested Saine at a Fort Polk, military training base in Vernon Parish on Thursday and charged him with third degree rape.

File picture of Louisiana State University campus in Baton Rouge. Saine exchanged social media details with the victim at the party, who admitted to police that she had been drinking heavily. They agreed to hang out and he went to her dorm room, where it is alleged that he raped her after she refused to kiss him

Saine denied the allegation when under police interview but he did allegedly admit that the victim had said she did not want to kiss him.

He has been remanded in custody and has not yet entered a plea to the charge against him.

The Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk is shown November 14, 2002 in Louisiana.. Saine was arrested at his military base by Lousiana State University Police, who charged him with third degree rape

Since the incident another rape was reported at Louisiana State University, on March 24.

LSU police have been teaching self-defense classes to female students in response to the alleged rapes and the department extended its crisis hotline hours.
A frustrated son who violently attacked his infirm father while struggling to care for him during lockdown has been spared jail.

Civil engineer Shaun Jenner, 39, punched his sick father, Shaun Sr, twice for leaving their home in the market town of Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester a mess, before sharing a picture of him with blood pouring from his face.

Mr Jenner, 61, was then rushed to hospital, where he was found to have a fractured cheekbone, bruising and swelling to his face and other injuries after the assault.

Following the attack, Shaun sent a grief-stricken message to a friend saying he had 't****** my dad', before adding: 'He kicked off me with first though'.

The pair were said to have been drinking heavily and 'bickering' in the days leading up to their feud, with Jenner even complaining about the 's**t' his ill father was leaving 'all over the place' and threatening to 'cut his ears off'.

Jenner could have spent five years behind bars after admitting causing grievous bodily harm, but was spared jail and handed a suspended sentence at Minshull Street Crown Court after apologising and admitting he was 'ashamed of himself'.

Civil engineer Shaun Jenner, 39, punched his sick father twice for leaving their home in the market town of Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester a mess, before sharing a picture of his victim with blood pouring from his face on social media

Shaun Jenner Sr, 61, was then rushed to hospital, where he was found to have a fractured cheekbone, bruising and swelling to his face and other injuries after the assault

The attack occurred on October 17, 2021 when Jenner had moved back in with his father to care for him after spending much of the lockdown period on furlough.

Inquiries later revealed that prior to the assault Jenner had sent furious text messages to friends saying: 'My dad leaves s*** all over the place. I'm sat here now being sick.

'I tried to help get him from the front room to the bedroom and he lost his temper. I told him to 'f*** off' but he said he would smash my nose in. I told him if he said anything like that to me again, I will cut his ears off.'

Geoff Whelan prosecuting said: 'That day he sent messages to a friend complaining about his father's beahviour and having to care for him before there was a five hour break before admitting to assaulting him.

'Police called by the family, attended at the house but initially the door was not opened. When they continued knocking the defendant answered the door and asked what all the banging was about.

'Once inside the house he led police to the front room and officers saw Mr Jenner lying on the sofa bleeding from his head with blood covering most of his torso.

'The defendant sat on the sofa opposite his father and told police he had fallen the night before and that he did not know why he was bleeding so much. He said he had been asleep and was woken up by police banging on the window.

'It seems his father did not know what had happened to him but told officers he thought his son might have assaulted him. 'There was no suggestion of any violence used against the father on previous occasions.'

Jenner (pictured) could have spent five years behind bars after admitting causing grievous bodily harm, but was spared jail and handed a suspended sentence at Minshull Street Crown Court after apologising and admitting he was 'ashamed' of the attack

The pair were said to have been drinking heavily and 'bickering' the in the days leading up to their feud, with Jenner even complaining about the 's**t' his ill father was leaving 'all over the place' and threatening to 'cut his ears off'. Pictured: Shaun Jenner Sr

Mr Jenner Snr suffered a seizure whilst he was being treated in hospital and he was discharged two weeks later.

Pleading guilty, Jenner admitted he and his father had been drinking heavily at the time of the attack and added: 'My recollection of the evening is poor.

'As far as I can remember we are arguing and my father started being aggressive towards me. I accept that I punched him twice to the face which was totally unnecessary. I regret what I have done and I am ashamed of myself.'

Following the attack, Shaun Jenner (pictured) sent a grief-stricken message to a friend saying he had 't****** my dad', before adding: 'He kicked off me with first though'

Inquiries revealed Jenner (above) had sent furious text messages to friends saying: 'My dad leaves s*** all over the place. I'm sat here now being sick'

In mitigation, defence counsel Stuart Duke said: 'His father isn't in particularly good health and the defendant as he himself stated is very ashamed of himself as he should be in acting in such a fashion towards his father.

'He is a civil engineer and was on furlough during the period he was living with his father.

'They habitually bicker in any event and this defendant said the pressures of lockdown coupled with his own anxiety and depression has led to this unpleasant, spontaneous and short lived incident.'

During sentencing, Mr Recorder Michael Smith told Jenner: 'You had lived with your father for some time during the periods of lockdown when you were on furlough and it is clear the pair of you had a difficult relationship.

'You got on well in some respects but you would also wind each other up and you drank to unsafe and unhealthy levels. Unfortunately alcohol made both of you aggressive, cantankerous and difficult.

'I accept that on occasions and including this occasion, your father behaved in a way towards you which was potentially aggressive and certainly provocative.

'But that is of course no excuse for what you did which went well beyond any sensible, justifiable response to the situation you found yourself in.

'You have demonstrated some degree of remorse immediately after the event in the face of messages and given what you have said since, I accept that remorse is genuine.

'You have shown some degree of insight into your situation, your feelings for your father and concerns for the future.

'But this was an abuse of a position of trust towards your father who by reasons of his age and infirmity was a vulnerable person. Some people think suspended sentences are an easy option. They are not.

'It seems there are underlying factors which require you to have help and that can better addressed in the community rather than prison. I hope this will enable you to turn the corner and enable you to rebuild your relationship with your father.'

Jenner was also ordered to complete a nine month alcohol treatment programme, ten Rehabilitation Requirement Days and 120 hours unpaid work.

Mr Jenner Snr who did not give a victim personal statement will now be asked whether he wants a restraining order against his son.
A teacher was killed by a female colleague and her nieces after a relative dreamt she had insulted the Prophet Mohammed, Pakistan police said today.

The two students and a teacher ambushed Safoora Bibi yesterday at the main gate of the all-girls school and attacked her with a knife and stick, officers said.

'She died after her throat was slit,' police official Saghir Ahmed said.

The two girls told police a relative had dreamt the dead woman 'had committed blasphemy' against the Prophet Mohammed, officers said, adding they were also investigating if the main suspect, Umra Aman, had a personal grudge.

Aman is a colleague who planned the crime with her two nieces studying at the Jamia Islamia Falahul Binaat school, police said.

Azeem Khan, another police official, confirmed the details.

The incident took place Tuesday in Dera Ismail Khan in the country's ultra-conservative northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan.

A teacher was killed by a female colleague and her nieces outside an all-girls school after a relative 'dreamt' she had insulted the Prophet Mohammed, Pakistan police said today. Pictured: Female students queue outside a school in Pakistan (file photo)

The killing is the latest in the country related to the hugely sensitive issue of blasphemy. Few issues in Pakistan are as galvanising, and even the slightest suggestion of an insult to Islam can supercharge protests and incite lynchings.

Known as madrassas, religious schools have long served as vital lifelines for millions of impoverished children in Pakistan, where social services are chronically underfunded.

But critics say students can be brainwashed by hardline clerics who prize rote learning of the Koran over core subjects such as maths and science.

Rights groups say Pakistan's blasphemy laws are often wielded to settle personal vendettas.

Pictured: The remains of a damaged vehicle in Sialkot is seen on December 3, 2021 after police confirmed that a Sri Lankan factory manager was beaten to death and set ablaze by mob, in an incident local media reported was linked to alleged blasphemy

Last year, a Sri Lankan factory manager working in Pakistan was beaten to death and set ablaze by a mob after being accused of blasphemy.

In February, a man was stoned to death in a remote village in eastern Pakistan for allegedly desecrating the Koran.

The custodian of local mosque said he saw Mushtaq Ahmed, 41, burning the Muslim holy book inside the mosque on Saturday evening and informed the police. The subsequent violence took place in a village in Punjab province.

An in January, a Muslim woman was sentenced to death for sending caricatures of Prophet Muhammad over WhatsApp, a court said.

Aneeqa Ateeq, 26, was arrested in May 2020 and charged with posting 'blasphemous material' as her WhatsApp status, according to court documents.

The Centre for Social Justice - an independent group advocating for the rights of minorities - says at least 84 people were accused of committing blasphemy last year, and three people were killed by lynch mobs over similar allegations.
A barrister who was sanctioned over a tweet claiming Muslims played a 'central role' in the 'dying' of free speech has won an appeal against the 500 fine he received.

Jon Holbrook complained that he had been 'cancelled' after he was sacked from his chambers and investigated over a string of controversial posts on Twitter.

At a previous tribunal, Mr Holbrook received the sanction for his tweet to a Muslim journalist, in which he claimed 'free speech is dying and Islamists and other Muslims are playing a central role'.

Now following his appeal, the senior public law barrister's 500 fine and warning have been overturned, with a panel ruling his tweet about Muslims was not serious enough to warrant sanction.

He has since launched criticism at what he called 'wokesters' and at his regulator, the Bar Standards Board [BSB], for investigating him, claiming they are a 'playground bully'.

Mr Holbrook, who was called to the bar in 1989, claimed his career 'ended' in 2021 when he was sacked from Cornerstone Barristers over his tweets.

Barrister Jon Holbrook has had his sanction lifted after tweeting that Muslims were playing a 'central role' in the dying of free speech

The Bar Tribunals & Adjudication Service (BTAS) appeal hearing was told Mr Holbrook had faced disciplinary action over 18 tweets, 17 of which he was cleared over.

In one of these 17 cleared posts, Mr Holbrook called Ruby Williams a 'stroppy teenager of colour' after she was awarded an 8,500 settlement by her Church of England school amid claims it discriminated her due to her afro hairstyle.

However, he was sanctioned over his response in October 2020 to a tweet calling for French magazine Charlie Hebdo to be shut down, the day after French teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded by an extremist in Paris.

Mr Holbrook said: 'Free speech is dying and Islamists and other Muslims are playing a central role. Who will lead the struggle to reinstate free speech as the foundation of all other freedoms?'

At the previous tribunal in August last year, an independent panel [IDP] ruled the tweet would 'not only cause offence but cause hostility towards Muslims as a group'.

It also ruled an 'ordinary reasonable reader' would 'understand the tweet to mean that the Muslim community was to blame for curtailing free speech'.

At his latest appeal hearing, Mr Holbrook claimed he was 'sanctioned for his philosophical beliefs' and that the panel 'set the bar too low' for a sanction.

The tweet which led to Mr Holbrook's original sanction, which has now been overturned on appeal

He also claimed, in law, Muslims have 'no right to be protected from political criticism' and that his tweet was 'purely political'.

He won his appeal, with the panel ruling that the tweet was not serious enough to breach the threshold.

The tribunal report, published today, said: 'Mr Holbrook states that his centre-right, pro-assimilation and pro-free speech views which "came together to inform" the tweet in question are expressions of a "philosophical belief".

'The IDP's finding that the tweet would cause offence fell short of establishing the type of conduct necessary for a breach when the right to freedom of expression was engaged.

'The panel was also satisfied that the IDP's finding 'could promote hostility', expressed conditionally, fell short of the seriousness of offensive or discreditable conduct indicated by the case law...

'The panel find that the IDP erred in law by applying too low a threshold in reaching its conclusion that the tweet breached [the rules].

'The IDP did not conclude that the relevant tweet was seriously offensive or seriously discreditable within the terms of [the rules].

'And, given the protection afforded to freedom of speech, the panel does not consider that it was reasonably open to the IDP to conclude that [the rules] were breached...'

In a subsequent tweet, Mr Holbrook said he was 'delighted' to have won his appeal

Mr Holbrook's warning was set aside and the 500 fine, as well as a 100 administration fee, must be repaid to him.

Speaking after his victory, Mr Holbrook said he was delighted and claimed regulators should be 'on guard' for what he called 'woke practitioners of cancel culture who offer up their thin skins'.

He said: 'Without free speech there is no democracy. But in the professions, it is frequently curtailed by regulators and wokesters who seek to censor through cancellation.

'Because these right thinking people claim to know better, they use their status to prevent the public from hearing a broad spectrum of political views - particularly on culture war issues that pit the left against the majority of ordinary people.

'As these regulators well know, for every person sanctioned or cancelled, there are countless others who are chilled into not speaking their mind. This process erodes democracy.'

He also accused the BSB of deliberately trying to sanction him for 'crimes against a woke ideology'.

He said: 'The BSB no doubt hoped I would quietly accept the sanction, which the public was not supposed to know about, and thereafter conform to the regulator's boundaries on political speech, as determined at Islington dinner parties.

'But I didn't. I went public and forced the BSB to hold my appeal hearing in public.'
British judges were today dramatically pulled from Hong Kong's court of final appeal as ministers slammed the 'systematic erosion of liberty and democracy'.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said it was 'no longer tenable' for them to serve in the former UK territory due to the behaviour of the Beijing-backed regime.

The decision that a 'tipping point' had been reached was taken following discussions with Justice Secretary Dominic Raab and Supreme Court President Lord Reed.

A 'national security law' imposed by China two years ago banned views being expressed on independence and restricted the media from criticising the regime, with people facing extradition to the mainland.

It sparked huge protests on Hong Kong and condemnation from the international community, with the UK offering refuge to thousands.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said it was 'no longer tenable' for them to serve in the former UK territory due to the behaviour of the Beijing-backed regime

The decision that a 'tipping point' had been reached was taken by Ms Truss following discussions with Justice Secretary Dominic Raab and Supreme Court President Lord Reed

Lord Reed and deputy president Lord Hodge have both now quit as non-permanent judges at the Hong Kong court.

UK judges had continued to sit in the Court of Final Appeal since the territory was handed back to China in 1997.

Ms Truss said today: 'We have seen a systematic erosion of liberty and democracy in Hong Kong.

'Since the national security law was imposed, authorities have cracked down on free speech, the free press and free association.

'The situation has reached a tipping point where it is no longer tenable for British judges to sit on Hong Kong's leading court, and would risk legitimising oppression.

'I welcome and wholeheartedly support the decision to withdraw British judges from the court.'

The Supreme Court president said: 'The courts in Hong Kong continue to be internationally respected for their commitment to the rule of law.

'Nevertheless, I have concluded, in agreement with the Government, that the judges of the Supreme Court cannot continue to sit in Hong Kong without appearing to endorse an administration which has departed from values of political freedom, and freedom of expression, to which the justices of the Supreme Court are deeply committed.'

Mr Raab said: 'Since 2020 and the introduction of the national security law, our assessment of the situation in Hong Kong is that it has shifted too far from the freedoms that we hold dear  making free expression and honest critique of the state a criminal offence.

'This flies in the face of the handover agreement we have had with China since 1997 and, having discussed at length with the Foreign Secretary and the President of the Supreme Court, we regretfully agree that it is no longer appropriate for serving UK judges to continue sitting in Hong Kong courts.

'I thank our judges for being a bastion of international rule of law in Hong Kong over the past 25 years.'
Scott Morrison was greeted with a frosty reception when he arrived at the state memorial service for Shane Warne.

A Who's Who of Australian society joined more than 50,000 fans on Wednesday to say goodbye to Warne, who died aged 52 during a boy's trip on March 4.

As host Eddie McGuire welcomed the Prime Minister to the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the stadium erupted boos.

The moment has divided social media users as to whether it was appropriate to boo the Prime Minister during a memorial service.

Scott Morrison has been greeted with a frosty reception while arriving at the state memorial service for Shane Warne

One Twitter user wrote: 'Ha, Boos when Eddie Maguire acknowledged Scott Morrison's attendance at Shane Warne's memorial service. Nice touch.'

Another Tweeted: 'I wouldn't oppose booing Morrison in most places but really they should leave it out here. I don't think it's something Warnie would have endorsed.'

'Yeah, I'm cool with him (or any politician) being booed most places but not at a memorial service,' added a third.

Fans usually boo the Prime Minister at major sporting events with Mr Morrison previously describing it as 'a great tradition'.

'I would be disappointed if they didn't,' Mr Morrison told reporters in 2019. 'Bob Hawke and everyone else got the same treatment at games.'

Mr Morrison and Labor leader Anthony Albanese had travelled to Melbourne together for the service.

The Prime Minister appeared solemn as he arrived to the ceremony on Wednesday evening.

He wore a black suit and tie for the sad occasion, as he walked through the crowd to say goodbye to the iconic Australian for the final time.

Mr Morrison was scheduled to appear on ABC's 7:30 report with Leigh Sales to pitch his pre-election budget to voters.

As host Eddie McGuire welcomed the prime minister to the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday night, the stadium erupted boos (pictured)

However, the ABC host informed viewers on Wednesday night that Mr Morrison had withdrawn and is due to appear next week.

The Prime Minister's Office said Mr Morrison's plans were changed so he could attend Warne's memorial service.

'In order to arrive on time for this evening's Shane Warne memorial, the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition need to leave Canberra earlier than originally planned,' it said.


By Tatsujiro Suzuki





Military attack against civilian nuclear power plants by Russian forces have raised serious safety concern over nuclear facilities worldwide. Apparently, it is a violation of international law and those actions should be stopped immediately.



But, we also need to consider possible short- and medium-term implications of this incident for global nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear security and safety. The following are some important implications and possible actions to take.



Enhancing legal protection of nuclear facilities: Protocol Additional to Geneva Convention Article 56 has been widely quoted as one of the few examples to prohibit such violent actions.



According to Article 56, along with dams and dikes, "nuclear electrical generation stations shall not be made the object of attack." It should be noted that such protection "shall cease if it is used for other than its normal function and in regular, significant and direct support of military operations."



So it is critically important that nuclear power plants are used exclusively for peaceful purposes and under international safeguards. However, it is also important to point out that the above article is not applicable to non-power generating facilities, such as research reactors or, more significantly, fuel cycle facilities, including uranium enrichment, reprocessing facilities and spent fuel storage facilities.



In particular the latter two facilities could release substantial radioactivity, if attacked. Aware of this fact, in 1987 the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference adopted a resolution regarding protection of nuclear installations against armed attacks.



While this resolution has established an international norm among IAEA members, it certainly lacks enforcing power. It is important thus that legal protection of nuclear facilities against military attacks be enhanced to include non-power generation facilities, especially reprocessing plant and fuel-storage facilities.



Enhancing nuclear security, especially over sensitive facilities and materials: While nuclear security measures do not assume military attacks, there are some important lessons learned from the Ukrainian nuclear crisis. Russia attacked and captured nuclear facilities, claiming that Ukraine tried to develop nuclear weapons despite the fact that there is no evidence for such claim.



Furthermore, Ukraine does not have any uranium enrichment or reprocessing facilities or fissile materials, namely highly enriched uranium or plutonium. It is possible that heavily armed terrorists could attack or capture a nuclear facility. If such an attack happened in a country with those sensitive facilities and fissile materials, its potential risk could be much worse.



It may be necessary to enhance nuclear security measures against such attacks especially for sensitive nuclear facilities and materials. It is also important that stockpiles of such materials should be minimized and eliminated as soon as possible.



Preparing for supply disruption of nuclear fuel and technology: Russia is a major supplier of uranium enrichment services (about 30 percent of the global market) as well as reactors, and also provides a service to accept spent fuel from the reactors it exports. Supply disruption by Russia could cause a serious impact on the global nuclear industry market.



Although nuclear reactors could sustain operation without a new fuel supply for a certain period of time (typically up to one year or so) and reactor operators often have a fuel stockpile of one or two years, it is important to prepare for possible long-term interruption of nuclear fuel supply and other services provided by Russia.



In particular, countries that import nuclear reactors from Russia have much higher dependence on Russia. Western countries with less dependence on Russia could help to provide an alternative fuel supply or possible maintenance services. Stockpiling of natural and enriched uranium could be an effective measure against future supply disruptions.



Re-examining nuclear exports: According to the IAEA Power Reactor Information Systems, as of March 2022, 51 reactors are now under construction in 17 countries. Excluding those countries that manufacture their own nuclear reactors (China, Republic of Korea, India, Russia, Japan, the United States and France), the rest (Turkey, the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Brazil, Belarus, Iran, Slovakia and Argentina) are the countries that import reactors.



Considering the potential risk that nuclear reactors could be involved in military conflicts, it would be wise not to export nuclear reactors to countries in regions where potential military conflicts are possible. As well, bilateral cooperation agreements should clarify the condition that civilian nuclear facilities should not be attacked by military forces.



All countries that own nuclear facilities, especially sensitive facilities and fissile materials, and countries that are planning to introduce nuclear power and considering exporting nuclear reactors should re-examine the potential risks of nuclear power. At the same time, the international community also must consider strengthening the international law to protect nuclear facilities where possible military conflicts could arise.





Dr. Tatsujiro Suzuki is vice director at the Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Nagasaki University (RECNA). He served as vice chairman of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission cabinet office from 2010 to 2014. He is also a member of the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (APLN). His article is published in cooperation with the APLN (www.apln.network).


Advertisement

AT A GLANCE: KEY POINTS FROM THE OCKENDEN REPORT The inquiry, which examined cases involving 1,486 families mostly from 2000 to 2019, found 'repeated errors in care' which led to injury to either mothers or their babies

Maternity expert Donna Ockenden, who led the review, said the trust 'failed to investigate, failed to learn and failed to improve'

Some 201 babies and nine mothers could have - or would have - survived if the trust had provided better care

Staff were frightened to speak out about failings amid 'a culture of undermining and bullying'

Medics were advised by trust managers not to take part in a 'staff voices' initiative set up to assist the investigation into what went wrong

Issues were also identified with staffing levels, the management of patient safety, patient and family involvement in care and investigations, and the complaints processes

The review team identified 15 'immediate and essential actions which must be implemented by all trusts in England providing maternity services'

Ms Ockenden said it is absolutely clear that there is an urgent need for a robust and funded England-wide maternity workforce plan starting right now, without delay, and continuing over multiple years Advertisement

Police probing a brutal mother-blaming hospital trust at the centre of the biggest ever maternity scandal to strike the NHS are now investigating 600 cases, Sajid Javid announced today.

A damning five-year inquiry, published today, revealed 201 babies and nine mothers died needlessly during a two-decade spell of appalling care at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.

The landmark probe found mothers were blamed for their own deaths and their 'poor outcomes'.

Babies suffered skull fractures, broken bones or developed cerebral palsy after traumatic forceps deliveries, while others were starved of oxygen or experienced life-changing brain injuries. In one case, cleaners binned vital information which was stored on Post-it notes  causing 'tragic consequences for a newborn and her family'.

Donna Ockenden, the senior midwife behind the scathing probe into almost 1,600 incidents, ruled that the organisation 'failed to investigate, failed to learn and failed to improve'.

She added: 'This resulted in tragedies and life-changing incidents for so many of our families.'

Ms Ockenden also revealed families were still coming forward with examples of poor care suffered at the hands of the trust as recently as 2021, and that one case dated back to the 1970s.

Staff were found to be frightened to speak out about errors due to the 'culture of undermining and bullying', while bosses ignored parents who raised concerns about how they were treated.

There were issues with staffing, the management of patient safety, patient and family involvement in care and investigations, as well as the complaints processes.

Medics also discouraged C-sections as part of a drive to push up natural birth rates, which Ms Ockenden claimed 'resulted in many babies dying during birth or shortly after'.

External health authorities failed to adequately investigate serious incidents with families themselves denied access to reviews of their care.

Ex-Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who originally ordered the probe back in 2017 to examine just 23 cases of poor care, said the scale of the failures shown in report was 'beyond his darkest fears'. He said a 'natural birth ideology' had pressured mothers to avoid C-sections even when 'that might have been the safer option'.

Mr Javid, currently in charge of the Department of Health, called the findings of the Ockenden report 'tragic' and 'harrowing' with poor care turning what should have been moments of joy and happiness for families into 'unimaginable trauma'.

He told MPs today that a 'number' of staff involved in the scandal have already been suspended or struck off, and that around 600 cases are actively being investigated by police under an investigation named 'Operation Lincoln'. Mr Javid also said the individuals responsible for the serious and repeated failures will be 'held to account'.

West Mercia Police, the force carrying out the probe, said no arrests had yet been made but that it would examine whether a criminal case could be brought against either the trust or individuals involved.

Meanwhile, Richard Stanton, whose daughter Kate Stanton-Davies died shortly after being born under the Trust's watch in 2009, described the report as a 'watershed moment' for the NHS. He added: 'I hope the police will now have sufficient evidence to present to the CPS for a prosecution.'

Another parent of a child who died said 'for every baby, justice is coming'.

Trust chief executive Louise Barnett today apologised for the pain the affected families had endured. But another grieving parent, Kayleigh Griffiths, said the organisation's 'words aren't going to be enough'.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the House of Commons: 'Every woman giving birth has the right to a safe birth and my heart therefore goes out to the families for the distress and suffering they have endured.'

Rhiannon Davies and Richard Stanton with a copy of the Donna Ockenden Independent Review into Maternity Services at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust. Mr Stanton hopes that police now have enough evidence to prosecute those responsible for his daughter's death

Rhiannon Davies from Ludlow, Shropshire, pictured with her daughter Kate moments after she was born on March 1, 2009 at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust. Kate died just hours later

Rhiannon Davies (left) embraces Kayleigh Griffiths, both women were instrumental in campaigning for an inquiry into poor maternity care at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust which led to then health secretary Jeremy Hunt ordering one in 2017

Rhiannon Davies (left) embracing midwife Donna Ockenden (right)on the release of the report into maternity services which released its findings today after a five year investigation which was delayed on multiple occasions

Ms Ockenden (centre left) standing alongside the families of those whose loved ones died or suffered life changing injuries as result of poor Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

Midwives' missed chances to save baby Pippa from deadly infection Pippa Griffiths could still be alive today had midwives realised she was suffering a deadly infection Pippa Griffiths could still be alive today had midwives realised she was suffering a deadly infection. The little girl was born at home in Shropshire in April 2016, but died just 31 hours later from a Group B Streptococcus infection. A coroner ruled her death was avoidable and blamed a string of unforgivable errors by midwives. The inquest heard medical staff missed a crucial opportunity to save Pippa when her mother Kayleigh rang a midwife with concerns about her baby's feeding. A second chance to save Pippa's life was missed when her mother rang hours later to report bloody mucus, a sign of a serious bacterial infection which could have been treated with urgent hospital treatment. Advertisement

Mr Stanton, whose daughter Kate Stanton-Davies died shortly after being born under the trust's watch in 2009, said: 'SaTH was a horrendous case but they were not an isolated trust.

'You only have to look in East Kent and Nottingham where hundreds more families are coming forward to express concern about the care they received.'

His wife, Rhiannon Davies, gave birth in a midwife-led unit run by Shrewsbury trust which had no doctors.

Ms Davies said she recalled 'the midwives encouraged us to go there to 'keep their numbers up'.'

Her pregnancy was wrongly classified as being low-risk and she should have given birth at a hospital where doctors could be on hand.

Kate Stanton-Davies was born 'pale and floppy' and died just a few hours after she was born.

Ms Davies had suffered complications in the last month of her pregnancy due to a rare condition which means blood leaks from the foetus and into the mother.

An independent review  commissioned by NHS England following complaints lodged by the Davies family  found the original probe into Kate's death was 'poor' and had 'multiple inaccuracies'.

Campaigning by Kate's mother alongside another woman Mrs Griffiths, whose daughter Pippa also died as a result of inadequate care in 2016, led to Mr Hunt ordering the independent inquiry.

Publishing its findings today, the inquiry found Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust presided over catastrophic failings for 20 years  and did not learn from its own inadequate investigations  which led to babies being stillborn, dying shortly after birth or being left severely brain damaged.

Mothers FORCED to have natural births

Several mothers died after failings in care, while others were forced to have natural births despite the fact they should have been offered a C-section.

Some babies suffered skull fractures, broken bones or developed cerebral palsy after traumatic forceps deliveries, while others were starved of oxygen and experienced life-changing brain injuries.

Mother said she'd lost fluid but was told she'd probably wet the bed... but had a stillbirth Charlotte Jackson raised concerns with staff that she had lost fluid and her baby's movement had reduced when she was 37 weeks pregnant Charlotte Jackson raised concerns with staff that she had lost fluid and her baby's movement had reduced when she was 37 weeks pregnant. Workers told her she had likely just wet herself, but he son - Jacob Harris - was was stillborn in November 2018 at Telford hospital. The then 29-year-old from Bridgnorth got lawyers involved and the hospital trust admitted liability and agreed a settlement. She told the Shropshire Star: 'I was quite worried and upset. Jacob had always been a very active baby so when I noticed that his movements were reduced I had a gut feeling that something was not right. 'However, I was shocked when I was told that it was a one off and I'd probably wet the bed.' Advertisement

A total of 29 incidents where babies suffered brain injuries were found as well as 65 cases where poor care resulted in cerebral palsy.

The damning report examined cases involving 1,486 families, mostly covering 2000 to 2019, and reviewed 1,592 clinical incidents.

It found there were 'repeated errors in care which led to injury to either mothers or their babies'.

A review of 498 stillbirths found one in four had 'significant or major concerns' over the maternity care given, which, if managed appropriately, might, or would have, resulted in a different outcome.

There were also significant or major concerns in the care given to mothers in two thirds of cases where the baby had been deprived of oxygen during birth.

Furthermore, nearly a third of neonatal deaths (fatalities within the first seven days of life) had 'significant or major concerns' over care which might have resulted in a different outcome.

The report said staff were 'overly confident' in their ability to manage complex pregnancies or where abnormalities were noted in pregnancy, and there was a reluctance to involve more senior staff.

There was also a culture of 'them and us' between midwives and obstetricians which meant some midwives were scared to involve consultants.

In one example of shocking failure, detailed by Mr Javid today in the House of Commons, critical information regarding a patient was written on post-it notes which cleaners then swept into the bin.

Mothers blamed for their OWN deaths

The report also detailed how mothers themselves were frequently blamed for their own deaths.

In one incident in 2011 a husband was told his wife's death had been due to her 'size'.

'[it was] difficult for the midwives to listen to baby's heart beat due to her size,' he was told.

In another case, this time in 2002, trust documentation into the death of a mother noted: 'She must have been responsible for some of that because she clearly did not complain very much and tended to ignore many of her symptoms.'

Ms Ockenden said: 'Throughout our final report we have highlighted how failures in care were repeated from one incident to the next.'

'In many cases, mother and babies were left with life-long conditions as a result of their care and treatment.

'The reasons for these failures are clear. There were not enough staff, there was a lack of ongoing training, there was a lack of effective investigation and governance at the trust and a culture of not listening to the families involved.

Midwife Donna Ockenden found that an obsession with natural births at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust led to the deaths of 201 babies and left a hundred more with brain damage

Ms Ockenden paid tribute to the families of those who lost babies as a result of poor care at the trust, saying it would create a 'legacy of safety'

Donna Ockenden claims families were still coming forward LAST YEAR about maternity safety issues at Shrewsbury trust Donna Ockenden has claimed that families were still coming forward with concerns over Shrewsbury's maternity service last year, even as the trust was under severe pressure to improve. The senior midwife who led the investigation said her team looked at 1,592 clinical incidents involving mothers and babies at the trust over the two decades to 2019. But speaking at a press conference today she warned families were getting in touch throughout 2020 and 2021 raising concerns over the care they received. She said: 'Some of these recent families contacted us with reports they wanted to share with us. 'We haven't been able to include them fully within the review but what we have seen is that the themes within their reports seem to echo concerns we have previously seen during this review. 'Seeing these repeated themes is a cause for grave concern. 'It is clear that there are a number of areas of maternity care where the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust still has significant learning to undertake.' Speaking about the report, she said 'so many' patients had repeatedly tried to raise concerns but were not listened to. There were 'repeated errors in care', she said, 'which led to injury to either mothers or to their babies'. In the report, of the 12 cases of mothers who lost their lives giving birth at the trust, nine were cases with 'significant or major concerns in the care provided'. 'Unfortunately, and overall, our report describes that a significant number of mothers and babies received care that fell way below the standards expected and this continued throughout the whole period of the review.' Ms Ockenden added that there was evidence of 'significant' under-reporting of incidents in the trusts maternity unit, and there were cases that should have been investigated but were not. She said: 'During the period this review looks at we are aware of eight external bodies who inspected, visited, assessed, or checked upon the trust. 'This was a trust with significant problems and, while independent and external reports often indicated that the maternity service should improve its governance and investigatory procedures, this did not happen. 'The trust was of the belief that its maternity services were good. They were wrong.' Advertisement

'There was a tendency of the trust to blame mothers for their poor outcomes, in some cases even for their own deaths.

'What is astounding is that for more than two decades these issues have not been challenged internally and the trust was not held to account by external bodies.'

She added the inquiry highlighted the need for systematic change on a local and national level to ensure women and babies received professional and compassionate care.

'Going forward, there can be no excuses,' she said.

Ms Ockenden also claimed that families were still coming forward with concerns over Shrewsbury's maternity service last year, even as the trust was under severe pressure to improve.

'Some of these recent families contacted us with reports they wanted to share with us,' she said.

'We haven't been able to include them fully within the review but what we have seen is that the themes within their reports seem to echo concerns we have previously seen during this review.

'Seeing these repeated themes is a cause for grave concern.'

She also said maternity care failures had been identified as far back as the 1970s with one family coming forward with a case from 1973.

In releasing the report today Ms Ockenden praised Kate and Pippa's families for their role in bringing poor care to light.

'Kate's and Pippa's parents have shown an unrelenting commitment to ensuring their daughters' short lives make a difference to the safety of maternity care,' she said.

She added that the legacy of the report and its recommendations should be for a maternity service in England which is 'appropriately funded, well-staffed, trained, motivated and compassionate and willing to learn from failings in care.'

Ex Health Secretary says scale of scandal is 'beyond his darkest fears'

Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt, who originally ordered the inquiry , said the scale of the maternity scandal at Shrewsbury hospitals was 'beyond his darkest fears' with initial scope of the investigation concerning just 23 cases.

'We have heard the same themes in maternity scandals again and again: an obsession with 'normal birth' that puts ideology above safety, and a toxic blame culture that forces staff to close ranks and attempt to silence bereaved families rather than openly learn from mistakes,' he said.

Mr Hunt, who now chairs the Health and Social Care Committee, said it was unbelievable the Government was not doing more to help mothers and babies safe in the wake of the Ms Ockenden's report.

'It beggars belief that despite this urgent need for more doctors and midwives to deliver safe maternity care, later today the Government is set to reject an amendment to the Health and Care Bill that would permanently end the ongoing crisis in workforce numbers,' he said.

'Many of the recommendations made by Donna Ockenden today are described as immediate and essential actions.

'It is therefore imperative that the Government acts urgently to give mothers confidence that measures are in place to give them a safe birth.'

Sajid Javid promises appalling failings won't happen again

Mr Javid told MPs in the House of Commons today that: 'This report paints a tragic and harrowing picture of repeated failures in care over two decades, which led to unimaginable trauma for so many people rather than moments of joy and happiness.'

'The cases in this report are stark and deeply upsetting.

NHS bosses given 15 areas for 'immediate and essential action' The report recommended 15 areas for 'immediate and essential' action to improve maternity services across England. They are listed below: All maternity units must receive 'multi-year' funding packages to ensure they can maintain minimum staffing levels, to be agreed nationally or locally. A portion of the budget must be 'ring-fenced' for training midwives; When maternity unit staffing levels fall below the 'minimum' level, senior management teams should be alerted immediately; In cases where staff are concerned over expectant mother's care, there should be a clear process for escalating this; All maternity services should be monitored by hospitals senior managers; When there is an 'incident' during a birth, such as the death of a baby, the resulting investigation must be 'meaningful for families' and staff must learn lessons in a 'timely manner'; When a mother dies during or after a birth, a postmortem must be carried out by a pathologist who is an expert in maternal physiology; Midwives must train together, and regular compulsory training compulsory training should be offered; Women with pre-existing medical problems such as heart disease and diabetes who are trying to get pregnant must have access to care. Women who are pregnant with twins or triplets must also receive specialist care; All trusts must ensure systems are in place for women who are at a high risk of a pre-term birth; When a woman chooses to give birth outside a hospital, midwives must give them 'accurate' advice on average transferral times to hospital units should this be required; In cases where women suffer physical or mental harm during birth, treatments must be available; Women who are re-admitted to wards after birth must have a 'timely' consultant review; Women who have suffered a loss during pregnancy must have access to 'appropriate' bereavement services; All trusts must raise the number of neonatal critical care cots they have available; The mental health and wellbeing of mothers, their partners and families as a whole must be 'integral' to maternity services. Midwives must engage with the community to ensure their services are what families say they need from care. Advertisement

'This report is a devastating account of bedrooms that are empty, families that are bereft and loved ones taken before their time. We will act swiftly so that no families have to go through the same pain in the future.'

He added the Government will be accepting the report's 84 recommendations in full and be working with the NHS regarding their implementation.

'The failures of care and compassion that are set out in this report have absolutely no place in the NHS,' he said.

Of these, 66 are for Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, 15 for the wider NHS, and three for the Department of Health.

Mr Javid also said the Government has already taken steps to invest in maternity services.

Last week, ministers announced they were investing 127million into growing the maternity workforce and improving neonatal care.

He also outlined how a number of health professionals involved in the poor care of mothers and babies at the trust have now either been suspended or struck off.

Mr Javid insisted those responsible for poor care would be held to account.

'I know that Honourable Members and those families who have suffered would want reassurances that the individuals who are responsible for these serious and repeated failures will be held to account,' he said.

He also paid tribute to the families on their campaign for answers.

'I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been for them to come forward and to tell their stories and this report is a testament to the courage and the fortitude that they have shown in the most harrowing of circumstances,' he said.

Some midwives have already been struck off or sanctioned by the professional regulator the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

One these was Claire Roberts, who was involved in the care of Pippa Griffiths.

Ms Roberts was struck off the NMC's register just a few weeks ago.

Trust apologises for 'pain and distress' endured by victims

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust's chief executive Louise Barnett, who came into the post in 2019, apologised for the pain and distress caused to families by failures.

'Today's report is deeply distressing, and we offer our wholehearted apologies for the pain and distress caused by our failings as a trust,' she said.

'We have a duty to ensure that the care we provide is safe, effective, high quality, and delivered always with the needs and choices of women and families at its heart.'

She added the trust had already implemented some of the changes from an earlier report from Ms Ockenden's team and it will continue to make improvements.

The trust has already paid out more than 58million in clinical negligence damages and costs since 2000.

Detective Chief Superintendent Damian Barratt, of West Mercia Police, said the investigation into the deaths at Shrewsbury was ongoing.

'We have been liaising closely with the Ockenden Review and are, of course, aware of the release of the report today,' he said.

Chief Executive for The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust Louise Barnett ,who came into the post in 2019, apologised for the pain and distress caused to families by poor care

Ex Health Secretary says scale of scandal is 'beyond his darkest fears' Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said the scale of the maternity scandal at Shrewsbury hospitals was 'beyond his darkest fears'. Mr Hunt was the minster who ordered the independent inquiry back in 2017 when he was in charge of the Department of Health. Reacting to today's publication of the report, he told the House of Commons the findings were 'beyond my darkest fears'. At the time Mr Hunt ordered the inquiry it was originally tasked to look at just 23 cases of poor care at the trust. In comments made earlier he said the scale of the scandal at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust was 'shocking'. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think it is important to say at the outset that the NHS facilitates the birth of nearly 600,000 babies every year and the vast majority are totally safe, and it's getting safer. 'But this report, from what I've been able to glean, I haven't seen it myself, is very, very shocking and sobering reading.' He said it was a 'wake-up call' into the need for the health service to deal with instances of poor care better. Mr Hunt added: 'Is it morally right that we need families to have to campaign over decades to get to the truth as to why their child died, rather than the NHS itself being really hungry to learn from mistakes, to put them to rights, to make sure that processes are changed so these tragedies don't happen again?' Advertisement

'Our investigation, named Operation Lincoln, was launched in 2017 to explore whether there is evidence to support a criminal case against the Trust or any individuals involved. This investigation remains ongoing and very much active.'

'This is a highly complex and very sensitive investigation that has required us to speak to a large number of people to gather as much information as we can.'

He added that officers are consulting with medical specialists as part of the investigation but said no one has been charged as yet.

'No arrests have been made and no charges have been brought, however we are engaging with the Crown Prosecution Service as our inquiries continue,' he said.

'We will be fully reviewing the findings of the report and feeding appropriate elements into our investigation.'

Mr Barratt said the police do not underestimate the ongoing impact on the families involved as they wait for results of the investigation.

'Our thoughts remain with them, and we can reassure the community that when there is an update on our investigation we will share this with the families involved first and foremost and then to the wider public,' he said.

One of the mothers taking legal action against Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust is the Reverend Charlotte Cheshire, 44, from Newport, Shropshire.

Her son Adam looked unwell after his birth in 2011, but her concerns were dismissed by staff at the trust, she alleges.

After it was finally discovered that he had Group B Strep infection, he spent almost a month in intensive care.

Adam, now 11, has been left with multiple health problems.

She said: 'What I'm ultimately hoping is that all of the families get some answers.'

'And then, in our individual cases, about how it's possible for there to be such systemic failings over so many years, with seemingly either no-one noticing them, or potentially them being covered up.

'So I'm hoping first of all for answers, but secondly, I'm hoping, as a result of Ockenden, there are genuine learnings.

'Not the sort of, 'oh, we'll learn and get back to you', but genuine learnings to improve maternity safety  primarily first of all at Shrewsbury and Telford, but secondly across the country as a whole.

Midwife struck off at scandal-hit NHS trust Parents Colin and Kayleigh Griffiths earlier this month welcomed the decision of a misconduct panel to strike of midwife whose failings contributed to the death of their one-day-old baby. Claire Roberts, working at the scandal-hit Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust, failed to recognise their daughter Pippa's need for urgent medical attention. She effectively tried to cover up that failing in a late-night phone call with a colleague, the hearing ruled, and had not engaged with the disciplinary process. Mrs Griffiths, from Myddle, Shropshire, said: 'We think what was decided is fair given that one has clearly, very clearly, lied and been dishonest and is still a continued risk to patients.' The Nursing & Midwifery Council said Roberts' actions would be 'regarded as deplorable by fellow practitioners'. Pippa's mother, Kayleigh, had given birth at the family home in Myddle, near Shrewsbury, Shropshire, and had spoken with midwives to raise concerns that her daughter was not feeding and had brought up brown mucus. The charges considered by the NMC related to two separate conversations midwives with Mrs Griffiths on April 27. The panel found Ms Roberts had effectively tried to cover up over her actions during a 2am call with Mrs Griffiths. The latest stage of the hearing saw panel chair, David Evans, conclude that Roberts' actions had amounted to misconduct, serious in some cases, and that her fitness to practise is impaired. NMC solicitor Julian Norman said in light of the findings she requested that Roberts - who has not engaged with the process or attended any hearings - is struck off. Mr Evans said the 'only possible explanation' for her actions over the inaccurate record of a conversation with Mrs Griffiths had been to 'protect yourself from disciplinary action'. Advertisement

'I don't want any other family to have to go through what we've gone through.'

Reverand Cheshire added she was aware some might describe her a lucky as her son lived when so many others did not.

'But in a different way it's changed my life forever, and it's changed his  because he is hearing-impaired, visually impaired and has violent, challenging behaviour,' she said.

'Although he turned 11 on Friday, mentally he's about four. The odds of that changing to a significant degree are highly unlikely.

'When he's happy, when he's calm, he's gorgeous, he's a delight and he's wonderful, and all of the things you'd expect a mother to say.

'But when he's overwhelmed, I wear the bruises.'

Julie Rowlings, whose daughter Olivia died after 23 hours of labour following a consultant's use of forceps, said she wanted somebody from the trust to talk to her face to face about her case.

'I would like somebody from the trust to sit face to face with me, and talk to me. They've never done that,' she said.

'They've apologised, via media, they've apologised to all the families via media, but they've never sat down with the families.

'I want them to apologise face to face for what they put us through.

'I'd like them to apologise for ignoring what we were trying to tell them at the time. It would go a long way.'

She added that with report's publication she felt her daughter 'finally had a voice', adding that justice for the babies who died was coming.

'For every family out there, every family that's come forward, this is for them.

'Justice is coming. For every baby, justice is coming.'

NHS England's chief midwifery officer Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent and Matthew Jolly, the national clinical director for maternity and women's health, said in a joint statement: 'The findings of this important report highlight the clear failings endured by families when they should have been protected and cared for at the most special time in their lives; our thoughts are with all those who have been put through this devastation and we are sorry for the loss and the pain they have experienced.'

NMC chief executive Andrea Sutcliffe welcomed the report's findings, saying each case was tragedy.

'My heart goes out to all the women, babies and families whose lives have been so terribly impacted by these shocking failings in care,' she said.

She said the NMC would continue to consider any referrals regarding midwives' appropriately.

'Where referrals are made to us, we'll always consider these carefully, taking account of the wider context when deciding the appropriate action to take in relation to individuals,' she said.

MP reveals she was denied a cesarean due to 'sexism' An MP claims the NHS has a 'systemic problem of sexism', as she told the Commons about being denied a Cesarean. Alicia Kearns, the Conservative MP for Rutland and Melton, said: 'I'm afraid that as an MP I have concluded that NHS bureaucracy has a systemic problem of sexism. 'I ask that he (Sajid Javid) keeps an eye on this nationally because I remember 36 hours in labour having already been rushed to the operating theatre being denied a C-section and then being rushed an hour later for a C-section only because my husband noticed that my son's heart rate had plummeted to almost non-existent. 'We must also prevent the unforgiveable and unscientific locking out of loved ones across all health services because that compromises care. It is still happening in hospitals around this country across different types of care.' Mr Javid replied: 'She's absolutely right to emphasise this point that the NHS is there caring for everyone regardless of their gender. 'But when it comes to women in particular, I hope she agrees with me this is precisely why the Government is right to want to set out, and we will do so shortly, a very detailed for the first time ever, a Women's Health Strategy.' Advertisement

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) welcomed the report echoing calls for changes must be made to ensure no family suffers the same as the Shrewsbury victims.

RCPCH registrar Steve Turner said: 'As a College, our hearts go out to all the families involved, and while nothing can change the ordeal they faced, or bring back the loved ones they lost, we hope the report conveys the overwhelming need for change and improvements in care, so that no other families have to go through similar ordeals.'

He added the college will now be considering the report in full detail.

NHS Providers deputy chief executive Saffron Cordery said the report must signal a turning point in maternity care in the health service.

'As the report rightly highlights, one of the keys to delivering better outcomes for women and babies is developing the right culture  shifting from blame to one of learning and listening,' she said.

'This would better encourage proactive approaches to safety and more open conversations, and bring a more patient centred approach to managing maternity care.'

She also highlighted how the report endorses an NHS Providers estimate that annual funding boost of between 200million and 350million is needed to address maternity staffing shortages.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust is not alone in having its maternity services scrutinised, with reports expected from both Nottingham and East Kent.

An independent thematic review of maternity incidents, complaints and concerns is currently under way at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH).

The review, looking at data from 2006, when the trust was formed, until mid October 2021, has been initiated for several reasons, but mainly due to families raising concerns about their cases, according to the review's website.

It is expected to be completed by November 2022.

Meanwhile, an independent review into maternity and neonatal services at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust in the period since 2009 is also under way.

Colin and Kayleigh Griffiths (left), Rhiannon Davies and Richard Stanton (right) with a copy of the Donna Ockenden Independent Review into Maternity Services today. Both families were left devastated by the death of their babies due to failings at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

Both former health secretary Jeremy Hunt (left) and Sajid Javid (right) have said care failings highlighted by a report into at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust must never happen again

Revealed: Shrewsbury maternity scandal was investigated in 2013 but local NHS bosses said services were SAFE Shrewsbury's maternity services were first investigated in 2013, but found to be 'safe' and of 'good quality'. Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Telford and Wrekin CCG ordered the internal review following concerns over an 'increased incidence of serious clinical adverse events'. It covered the period from April 1, 2012, to March 31 the following year, including the period when an inquest ruled the death of baby Kate Stanton-Davies could have been avoided. She was cold and floppy after being born and died six hours later. Mother Rhiannon warned in the days before the birth that her baby was moving less. The report was completed by Dr Josh Dixey, then a secondary care consultant at Shropshire CCG. He concluded that the trust had a 'maternity service to be proud of' and that the service is 'safe and effective'. The report added: 'There is a robust approach to risk management, clinical governance structures and learning from incidents which suggests a 'learning organisation'.' It also referred to the trust's high level of 'normal deliveries' and lower than average rate of C-section but described this as a 'positive'. At the unit, it noted the philosophy of care at the midwife-led unit was based on the view that pregnancy and birth were normal processes. Many more babies died at the trust's maternity unit after the report was completed. Advertisement

The review, which aims to complete its terms of reference by autumn 2022, is taking place following concerns raised about the quality and outcomes of maternity and neonatal care.

Last year East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust was fined 733,000 over serious failures that led to the death of baby Harry Richford.

At the inquest into Harry's death in January 2020, coroner Christopher Sutton-Mattocks listed a series of errors he found with the care given.

He gave a narrative conclusion that Harry's death was contributed to by neglect and had been 'wholly avoidable'.

NHS bosses warn maternity staff shortage mean problems can never be fixed

Health leaders have also warned that babies and mothers are still being put at risk in England over a shortage of midwives.

NHS and midwifery chiefs told the Guardian they fear that a growing shortage of maternity staff might mean trusts are unable to meet new standards set out in the wake of Ockenden report.

The number of midwives employed in the NHS in England has fallen to 26,901 according to figures published last month.

This is down from 27,272 a year ago, with the RCM warning it adds to an existing shortage of 2,000 staff.

Royal College of Midwives (RCM) chief executive Gill Walton said: 'I am deeply worried when senior staff are saying the cannot meet the recommendations of the Ockenden review which are vital to ensuring women and babies get the safest possible maternity care.'

Experts have warned the shortage of midwifery staff is being driven by a failure to attract new staff and existing midwives leaving the NHS due to being overworked.

In her previous reports Ms Ockenden noted that Shrewsbury had been intent on keeping its C-section section rate low, with many women denied C-section or persuaded to have natural births  sometimes with catastrophic results.

But it wasn't alone with other NHS trusts at the time also encouraging women to deliver their babies naturally and reduce the rate of C-sections.

In 2007, the RCM, the National Childbirth Trust and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, signed a 'normal birth consensus statement'.

Among mothers taking legal action against Shrewsbury is the Reverend Charlotte Cheshire, 44, from Newport, Shropshire. Her son Adam looked unwell after his birth in 2011, but her concerns were dismissed by staff at the trust, she alleges

They said: 'With appropriate care and support the majority of healthy women can give birth with a minimum of medical procedures

'Procedures used during labour which are known to increase the likelihood of medical interventions should be avoided where possible.'

Two years later, in 2017, the RCM dropped its 'normal birth' campaign and removed advice for midwives from its website.

The RCM removed its 'top 10 tips for a normal birth' and said the campaign would be dropped in favour of a better births plan.

For its part, the RCOG has recently apologised on Twitter for signing up to the 'normal birth consensus statement' in 2007.

It said this 'may have mistakenly given the impression that targets around childbirth could take priority over safety. This is something we acknowledge and sincerely regret'.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust serves nearly half a million people in Shropshire and consists of two hospitals, the Royal Shrewsbury and the Princess Royal in Telford, as well as a number of smaller community hospitals and maternity units.

Timeline: How the Shrewsbury maternity scandal unfolded 2002 A parliamentary report highlights how Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust (SaTH) has one of the lowest caesarean rates in country, at just 10 per cent of births. 2007 A leading number of maternity organisations sign a 'normal birth consensus statement' discouraging medical interventions like caesareans where possible. At this time then health regulator, the Health Care Commission warns SaTH there were issues in how staff were monitoring foetal heart rates after incidents where babies were injured. 2009 Kate Stanton-Davies dies just hours after being born while under the care of Shrewsbury staff. Her parents begin to campaign for an investigation into what went wrong. 2013 Pictured: A file photo showing the entrance to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in Shropshire Shrewsbury's maternity services faced an internal investigation in 2013, but it concluded it was 'safe' and of 'good quality'. 2015 An inquiry into failings at Morecambe Bay NHS trust  where 11 babies and one mother suffered avoidable deaths  found a group of midwives' overzealous pursuit of natural childbirth had 'led at times to inappropriate and unsafe care'. It said the entire NHS should learn from the failings observed. 2016 Pippa Griffiths dies shortly after being born while being cared for by Shrewsbury staff. Her parents join forces with Kate Stanton-Davies's mother and father in calling for an investigation into maternity services at the trust. A birdseye view shows the sprawling Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in Shropshire on the outskirts of the town from above 2017 Then health secretary Jeremey Hunt orders an inquiry into the trust which will eventually be headed by midwife Donna Ockenden. The original scope of the inquiry encompasses just 23 cases. 2018 Former health secretary Matt Hancock said the Ockenden review is being expanded to include hundreds of cases. Also in this year the trust is rated inadequate for safety by health watchdog the Care Quality Commission. 2020 Pictured: A general view of The Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, Shropshire, which is also part of the scandal-hit trust Ms Ockenden announces the investigation is now looking at cases involving 1,862 families and releases early recommendations ahead of the full report. 2021 The inquiry findings are delayed to 22 March 2022 due to an influx of new information from Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust. The final report was originally due in December 2021. 2022 The report is delayed again this time by a few weeks due to 'parliamentary processes'. Today's final report detailing the harrowing scale of deaths and injuries among babies and women over two decades of the trust's care is published. Advertisement

The little girl whose deadly infection was ignored by midwives... just one of the hundreds of heart-breaking tragedies from the NHS maternity scandal that saw 201 babies and nine mothers lose their lives

Devastated parents who lost children during the NHS's worst ever maternity scandal have shared heartbreaking stories of the scandal at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust that turned their lives upside down.

Mothers and fathers revealed how their sons and daughters were stillborn, left with skull fractures or brain injuries due to the incompetence of staff at the sites in Shropshire.

It comes as an independent inquiry into the scandal found some 201 babies and nine mothers could have - or would have - survived if they were provided with better care.

It presided over catastrophic failings for 20 years - and did not learn from its own inadequate investigations - which led to families leaving the hospitals without their newborn babies.

Some suffered skull fractures, broken bones or developed cerebral palsy after traumatic forceps deliveries, while others were starved of oxygen and experienced life-changing brain injuries.

Meanwhile several mothers were made to have natural births despite the fact they should have been offered a Caesarean. Here, the parents tell of their traumatic experiences:

Midwives' missed chances to save baby Pippa from deadly infection:

Pippa Griffiths could still be alive today had midwives realised she was suffering a deadly infection. The little girl was born at home in Shropshire in April 2016, but died just 31 hours later from a Group B Streptococcus infection.

A coroner ruled her death was avoidable and blamed a string of unforgivable errors by midwives.

The inquest heard medical staff missed a crucial opportunity to save Pippa when her mother Kayleigh rang a midwife with concerns about her baby's feeding.

A second chance to save Pippa's life was missed when her mother rang hours later to report bloody mucus, a sign of a serious bacterial infection which could have been treated with urgent hospital treatment.

Mrs Griffiths wipes her eyes as she holds the Ockenden report at The Mercure Shrewsbury Albrighton Hotel in Shropshire

The couple (pictured with their baby) lost Pippa a day after she was born in 2016 due to midwives failing to spot the serious infection Group B Strep - even though Kayleigh warned them

Pippa was born at 8.34am and a midwife was supposed to have gone to the family home for a check-up later in the afternoon.

But the inquest heard she failed to turn up. Pippa developed a purple rash later that night and eventually stopped breathing. Emergency services managed to get her breathing again, but she later died.

The trust accepted that chances to save Pippa's life were missed. Following the conclusion of the inquest, Mrs Griffiths said: 'We've fought for her and fought for the truth and ultimately she could have been saved.'

Mother said she'd lost fluid but was told she'd probably wet the bed... but had a stillbirth

Charlotte Jackson raised concerns with staff that she had lost fluid and her baby's movement had reduced when she was 37 weeks pregnant.

Workers told her she had likely just wet herself, but he son - Jacob Harris - was was stillborn in November 2018 at Telford hospital.

The then 29-year-old from Bridgnorth got lawyers involved and the hospital trust admitted liability and agreed a settlement.

She told the Shropshire Star: 'I was quite worried and upset. Jacob had always been a very active baby so when I noticed that his movements were reduced I had a gut feeling that something was not right.

'However, I was shocked when I was told that it was a one off and I'd probably wet the bed.'

She later added: 'Giving birth to Jacob was absolutely horrific. It's almost impossible to put into words the emotion of it all, knowing your baby had already died.'

Workers told her she had likely just wet herself, but he son - Jacob Harris - was was stillborn in November 2018 at Telford hospital. Pictured: The baby's grave

Reverend said her son looked unwell after being born - but was dismissed by staff:

The Rev Charlotte Cheshire, 44, from Newport, Shropshire, said her son Adam, now 11, looked unwell after his birth in 2011 but her concerns were dismissed by staff at the trust.

When it was finally discovered he had Group B Strep infection, he was rushed to intensive care where he stayed for almost a month.

Ms Cheshire, who is suing the trust, said her son has been left with multiple, severe health problems and should have received treatment much earlier.

Ms Cheshire, who is suing the trust, said her son has been left with multiple, severe health problems and should have received treatment much earlier for Adam (pictured)

The Rev Charlotte Cheshire, 44, from Newport, Shropshire, said her son Adam, now 11, looked unwell after his birth in 2011 but her concerns were dismissed by staff at the trust

She said: 'What I'm ultimately hoping is that all of the families get some answers.

'And then, in our individual cases, about how it's possible for there to be such systemic failings over so many years, with seemingly either no-one noticing them, or potentially them being covered up.

'So I'm hoping first of all for answers, but secondly, I'm hoping, as a result of Ockenden, there are genuine learnings.

'Not the sort of, 'oh, we'll learn and get back to you', but genuine learnings to improve maternity safety - primarily first of all at Shrewsbury and Telford, but secondly across the country as a whole.'

She added: 'I don't want any other family to have to go through what we've gone through.'

Jack Stephen Burn died 11 hours after being trapped in the birth canal for four minutes. His mother Hayley Matthews (pictured) had been told that nothing was wrong with her pregnancy but later found out that Jack had been distressed for 20 minutes before delivery

Baby boy died 11 hours after being trapped in birth canal for FOUR MINUTES:

Jack Stephen Burn died 11 hours after being trapped in the birth canal for four minutes.

His mother Hayley Matthews had been told nothing was wrong with her pregnancy but later found out Jack had been distressed for 20 minutes before delivery.

He had also contracted group B streptococcus, the lethal infection carried by one in five women.

Jack died in March 2015 at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, hours after another baby, Oliver Smale, died following similar complications. Oliver's death was later deemed avoidable.

Although Jack's death was not deemed avoidable, it was later considered part of the investigation.

Miss Matthews, from Chirbury, west Shropshire, previously said: 'We would have both been in the hospital at the same time and there are so many parallels between the two cases.

'As with this poor boy, Jack got his shoulder stuck during delivery.

'They just left his head hanging while they went off to get someone to do something about it.'

A post mortem examination revealed that Jack had been starved of oxygen and had an infection on the lung and pneumonia caused by strep B.

Miss Matthews is campaigning for routine screening of strep B, which is not NHS policy. She said: 'If I'd have been tested for strep B during my pregnancy they might have picked up on it and given me antibiotics at an earlier stage and this means that Jack might still be alive today.'

Jack Stephen Burn (pictured) died 11 hours after being trapped in the birth canal for four minutes

Rhiannon Davies had raised fears over reduced movement in the womb

Staff ignored mother's warnings and said she was 'low-risk' despite daughter being born 'pale and floppy':

Kate Stanton-Davies died six hours after she was born because midwives failed to spot tell-tale signs of her deteriorating health.

Her mother Rhiannon Davies had raised fears over reduced movement in the womb, but was ignored by midwives who failed to properly monitor her pregnancy and wrongly deemed it low-risk.

Kate, who had anaemia, was born pale and floppy at Ludlow Community Hospital in Shropshire in March 2009. She was airlifted to Birmingham's Heartlands Hospital but died.

A report published in February 2016 concluded her death was avoidable and identified a litany of failings and shoddy record-keeping at the Shrewsbury and Telford trust.

Two midwives were deemed responsible for the errors, which included changing Kate's observation notes after her death.

Mrs Davies said: 'You would think losing Kate would be the worst event in my life but the continual need to revisit the trauma of that day as we fight to get the truth means my distress is ongoing.

'How many other baby deaths were avoidable, how many other investigations were not fit for purpose, how many other families have been betrayed, and how many other opportunities for learning have been lost?'

Kate Stanton-Davies died six hours after she was born because midwives failed to spot tell-tale signs of her deteriorating health

Katie Wilkins' baby girl died at Shrewsbury Hospital after midwives left her in a side room for 48 hours and failed to properly monitor her. Miss Wilkins pictured with partner Dave Jackson, 45

'My girl was still born after I was left in a side room':

Katie Wilkins' baby girl died at Shrewsbury Hospital after midwives left her in a side room for 48 hours and failed to properly monitor her.

Miss Wilkins was 15 days overdue when she arrived at the hospital to be induced in February 2013.

There were no beds available on the busy labour ward and Miss Wilkins, 24, claims she was 'forgotten' in the room for two days and visited by staff just a handful of times.

When a midwife did come to check on her progress they realised her baby's heartbeat could not be found. Maddie was delivered stillborn in the early hours of the following day.

Hospital bosses later admitted the baby would have been born alive had they treated her in a more 'timely' manner.

Miss Wilkins said: 'Maddie's death was recorded as unexplained but we know why she died  because the midwives didn't do their jobs properly.

'I'd had a perfectly normal pregnancy and didn't expect any problems with the birth. But I was left for hours at a time. The hospital was very busy and I felt like they simply forgot about me.

'Giving birth to my stillborn daughter was heartbreaking. I should have been taking her home with me, but instead she had to stay at the hospital in a Moses basket. It was awful.'

Maddie was delivered stillborn in the early hours of February 21. The results of a post-mortem examination said the 6lbs 14oz baby girl's death was unexplained.

In a letter to Miss Wilkins, Cathy Smith, head of midwifery at the hospital, apologised and admitted: 'Had your induction occurred more timely, Maddison would likely to have been born alive.' She added that practices at the hospital had now changed.

Miss Wilkins  who has since had a son and daughter with her partner Dave Jackson, 45,  is sceptical. She said: 'We were told that changes would be made and women would be properly monitored, but now it seems that never happened. The hospital think they can say sorry and we should move on, but we can't.'

Staff told her she was not suffering an abruption despite severe pains... when she was

Steph Hotchkiss from Telford started to suffer severe pains in September 2014 when she was nearly 31 weeks pregnant and asked if she was having an abruption.

Staff told her she was not, but they were wrong and baby Sophiya passed away just 32 hours later. Steph told the Shropshire Star she still suffers flashbacks of the trauma, caused by a ruptured placenta.

The then 28-year-old had similar issues when her son Kyan was born in 2013, and then had an emergency caesarian.

But she said staff refused to listen to her during her daughter's birth, with her having told Royal Shrewsbury Hospital staff what she thought was happening.

She said: 'I can't put into words how painful this is for us. It was just so frustrating not to be listened to when I had previously had a difficult pregnancy involving a similar thing.'

Steph Hotchkiss from Telford started to suffer severe pains in September 2014 when she was nearly 31 weeks pregnant and asked if she was having an abruption

Encouraged to give birth naturally before baby got stuck and had to have emergency caesarean

Kamaljit Uppal was on the way to having her third child in 2003 but was told it would have to be delivered by caesarean because of how he was lying.

But staff at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital encouraged her to give birth naturally and she went through 18 hours of labour.

The baby got stuck and Kamaljit had to have an emergency caesarean. She said: 'I'm still coming out of my general anaesthetic and she said 'he's died' and that's it. They plonked the baby in my arms and said say goodbye.

'I didn't know how to say goodbye, I gave him a kiss and that was it. Once I came around a bit more they put me in a ward where there were babies.'

Kamaljit Uppal was on the way to having her third child in 2003 but was told it would have to be delivered by caesarean because of how he was lying. Pictured: She still keeps the baby's unworn clothes

Lost one of her twins during labour:

Debbie Greenaway lost one of her twin babies during labour at the trust and said the report 'doesn't change what's happened for 20 years'.

She told This Morning: 'To begin with, we thought it was just us, we had no idea until they started the report that exactly the same story has happened to so many people.

'There were so many similarities I wanted to tell my story and raise that awareness and give women a voice.'

'Consultants came and went, there was no communication, I didn't know what drugs I was being given or why, one consultant - I learnt afterwards was trying to take a foetal blood sample from John - which basically they cut his head to find his oxygen level, but they never explained what they were doing. I thought she was delivering them

Debbie Greenaway lost one of her twin babies during labour at the trust and said the report 'doesn't change what's happened for 20 years'

'[At the start of my pregnancy] a c-section delivery was straight away brushed off with 'we have the lowest caesarean rate in the country, we're proud of it, there's no reason for you not to have a natural birth'...'

She had an emergency caesarean, with Debbie saying, 'When I woke up, all I remember was my husband handing me Daniel, I went, 'Where's John?' and again, another doctor I'd never seen before said, 'There's nothing we can do, we need to turn the life support off'... and before I could react to that he walked off and came back carrying John.

'And in my just come round state, I thought 'Oh I got that wrong, he's here, he's fine' and when he was handed to me I actually thought he was alive.'

Following a post mortem, she said: 'All of the time frame was between me going in with two healthy babies with absolutely no issues and an awful long time from when he was brain damaged to delivery'

We lost our only child at 4 days

Katie Anson's son Kye died after just four days of life due to failures at the scandal-hit trust.

The baby was starved of oxygen in birth at Princess Royal Hospital, Telford, in 2015, but a coroner later heard he may have lived if staff had acted differently.

Miss Anson, 39, and partner Matthew Hall, 34, from the town, were unable to have another child due to unexplained infertility.

Katie Anson and her partner Matthew Hall

Kye died at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton. A 2016 inquest heard some heart rate recordings of the unborn baby had not been taken.

Shrewsbury coroner John Ellery said his death 'could have been prevented'. The couple struggled to get pregnant for two years before Kye. They have just had their sixth failed attempt at IVF.

Miss Anson said: 'To have had our only child taken away from us so tragically... makes it all the more difficult to swallow.'
China has delayed any possible invasion of Taiwan for at least four years following Russia's disastrous foray into Ukraine, intelligence chiefs have claimed.

President Xi Jinping will now reportedly analyse Vladimir Putin's failures before making any moves on the self-ruled island.

According to Chen Ming-tong, head of Taiwan's national security bureau, the East Asian superpower will now not launch an attack for the remainder of Tsai Ing-wen's presidential term, which ends in 2026.

'The lesson of Ukraine for Beijing is that it should not easily wage a war,' Chen told the Times.

'Beijing will study Russia's deficiencies and improve the People's Liberation Army.

'Should it launch a war, it would be a comprehensive one, and Taiwan must assess Beijing's intentions with the broadest scope of possibilities.'

President Xi Jinping will now reportedly analyse Vladimir Putin's failures before making any moves on the self-ruled island. (Pictured together during a meeting on February 4, 2022)

According to Chen Ming-tong, head of Taiwan's national security bureau, the east Asian superpower will now not launch an attack for the remainder of Tsai Ing-wen's presidential term, which ends in 2026. (Pictured: Soldiers of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) fire a mortar during a live-fire military exercise in Anhui province, China May 22, 2021)

Referring to Taiwan's recent build up of defences, Chen added: 'We are not here waiting passively and sitting idly.'

Fears of a Chinese takeover have been brewing for years, particularly as an emboldened China continues to expand its military capability and is increasingly challenging the US's global hegemony - including by ramping up military drills and alleged 'land grabs' in the South China Sea.

It is also believed to have increased its nuclear arsenal in recent years after building a silo complex in the desert in Xinjiang province, spanning some 800sqkm.

Most recently, it emerged on Tuesday that it was looking into a high-speed 'missile train' capable of transporting Beijing's nuclear weapons around the country, making them harder to track and destroy.

Following the Ukraine invasion, Taiwan says it will extend compulsory military service beyond the current four months in a bid to improve its defences.

Beijing wants Taiwan firmly back under China's control by 2050, and has shrugged off comparisons with Ukraine, arguing that Taiwan is a 'domestic affair' while Ukraine is a sovereign nation that is already recognised internationally.

Leading Republican on the US Senate intelligence committee, Marco Rubio, is today expected to warn: 'Beijing's military might, ideological challenge to democracy, technological ambitions and influence over the global market pose an even more serious and systematic threat than the Soviet Union ever did.'

In early January, soldiers from two platoons in Taiwan faced off in a simulated battle against a Chinese invasion, firing at each other from houses and sandbag barricades as tanks rolled down a street in a mock-up town complete with signs for pharmacies and beer brands

Urban warfare has become an increasingly key training subject for the Taiwanese military (Pictured: Taiwanese soldiers break a door for an assault against enemies , during an Army Preparedness Enhancement Drill in January 2022)

He previously said China had launched a campaign of economic espionage by infiltrating American institutions, telling The New York Times: 'It does us no good to pretend they're not an adversary. Their goal is to rise at the expense of the United States.'

Chen believes the US will respond if China moves on Taiwan, adding: 'If the US can be involved to such a degree without a relations act with Ukraine, the US will only be more involved with its Taiwan Relations Act.'

The security pact is an agreement in which the US will supply Taiwan with sufficient hardware and technology to fight against a mainland invasion.

However, news that an attack has been postponed is supported by claims made by a Russian FSB whistleblower earlier this month.

The unnamed individual had written a letter to Vladimir Osechkin, a Russian dissident based in France, in which they claimed President Xi had been planning to 'take over Taiwan', before adding: 'Now, after the Ukrainian events, this window of opportunity has been closed to him.'

Wu Qian, a spokesman for China's defence ministry, said: 'Recently, [the Taiwan authority] is using the Ukraine situation... to try to hype the mainland threats, heighten the confrontation across the Taiwan Strait, and even agitate for a war. Such acts are hurting Taiwan and will only push Taiwan into the abyss of a disaster.'

As tensions mount, western allies are ramping up their security.

Australia announced today that it will be doubling the size of its electronic spy agency to fight against increasing cyberattacks.

The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) will hire almost 2,000 more staff while the government also committed to increasing the country's commitment to the to the Five Eyes intelligence sharing network involving the UK, the US, Canada and New Zealand.

It will also bolster another agreement with the UK and the US in a bid to counteract the rising threat from China.
Russia and China have condemned 'illegal sanctions' against Moscow as foreign ministers Sergei Lavrov and Wang Yi met in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui today.

The key allies spoke of their joint plans for a 'just, democratic world order' in a sign of strengthening ties during a period of heightened global tensions after Putin's savage Ukraine invasion.

Russia is looking to China for support and partnerships as it becomes ever more isolated from global financial systems and supply chains.

China is hosting two days of meetings on Afghanistan but the ministers instead slammed sanctions and spoke about the situation in Ukraine.

The invasion is viewed as a bellwether on China's stance towards Taiwan, which like Ukraine is considered highly vulnerable to an attempted land grab from its superpower neighbour.

Sergei Lavrov elbow bumps his fellow foreign minister Wang Yi at a meeting in China today where they discussed strengthening ties between the two countries

The key allies spoke of their joint plans for a 'just, democratic world order' in a sign of strengthening ties during a period of heightened global tensions after Putin's savage Ukraine invasion., Pictured: a residential building in Luhansk today

The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement today: 'The ministers had a thorough exchange of views on the situation around Ukraine.

'The head of the Russian foreign ministry informed his Chinese counterpart about the progress of the special military operation... and the dynamics of the negotiation process with the Kyiv regime.

'The sides noted the counterproductive nature of the illegal unilateral sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and its satellites.'

The ministry said the two ministers had agreed that Russia and China would continue to strengthen their strategic partnership and to speak on global affairs 'with a united voice'.

The invasion is viewed as a bellwether on China's stance towards Taiwan, which like Ukraine is considered highly vulnerable (file image)

'It was agreed to further strengthen foreign policy coordination and to widen cooperation on the bilateral track and in various multilateral formats,' the ministry said.

Lavrov said the world was 'living through a very serious stage in the history of international relations'.

At the end of this reshaping of global relations 'we, together with you, and with our sympathisers will move towards a multipolar, just, democratic world order', Lavrov said.

The two foreign ministers were shown on Chinese state TV in face masks bumping elbows in front of their national flags ahead of the meeting.

Russia is looking to China for support and partnerships as it becomes ever more isolated from global financial systems and supply chains

Russian failures 'prompt China to delay Taiwan invasion' China has delayed any possible invasion of Taiwan for at least four years following Russia's disastrous foray into Ukraine, intelligence chiefs have claimed. President Xi Jinping will now reportedly analyse Vladimir Putin's failures before making any moves on the self-ruled island. According to Chen Ming-tong, head of Taiwan's national security bureau, the East Asian superpower will now not launch an attack for the remainder of Tsai Ing-wen's presidential term, which ends in 2026. 'The lesson of Ukraine for Beijing is that it should not easily wage a war,' Chen told the Times. 'Beijing will study Russia's deficiencies and improve the People's Liberation Army. 'Should it launch a war, it would be a comprehensive one, and Taiwan must assess Beijing's intentions with the broadest scope of possibilities.' Advertisement

Wang said Chinese and Russian relations had 'withstood the test of international turbulence' and there was an increased willingness by them to develop relations that had 'grown resiliently', China's Phoenix TV reported.

'There is no limit to China-Russia cooperation, no limit to our efforts to achieve peace, safeguard security and oppose hegemony,' a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman told a media briefing in Beijing.

'China-Russia relations are non-aligned, non-confrontational and not targeted at any third party,' the spokesman said.

Lavrov, who on Monday said Russia's relations with China were at their strongest level ever, had arrived earlier in China for talks hosted by Wang that were set to include representatives from Afghanistan's ruling Taliban as well as Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

But Russia's bloody assault on Ukraine is likely to loom large over proceedings.

Unlike many Western nations, Beijing has refused to condemn the invasion and has provided a level of diplomatic cover for an increasingly isolated Russia.

US officials have accused China of signalling 'willingness' to provide military and economic aid to Russia, while US President Joe Biden has compared Russia's invasion of Ukraine to China's crushing of protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

China and Russia have become closer in recent years, with Putin notably attending the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics last month, days before the invasion of Ukraine.

The strongman leader and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping declared the relationship between their two countries knew 'no limits' while signing energy deals worth billions of dollars.
Chilling footage has emerged showing Rowan Baxter shopping for the tools he used to kill his wife and their three children.

Baxter, 42, doused his estranged wife Hannah Clarke, 31, and three children Aaliyah, six, Laianah, four, and Trey, three, in petrol before setting their family car alight in Brisbane's south in February 2020.

Baxter died at the scene from self-inflicted knife wounds while Ms Clarke died in hospital a few hours later after suffering burns to 97 per cent of her body.

An inquest into the killings has been shown footage of Baxter shopping for a fuel can, plastic zip ties and a container of surface cleaner two days before he murdered his family.

Chilling footage has emerged showing Rowan Baxter (pictured) shopping for the tools he used to kill his wife and their three children

In the CCTV footage, Baxter can be seen walking through a Bunnings store wearing a singlet and shorts.

He looks at different jerry cans before deciding on a 5L green plastic container.

The following morning he bought fuel from a Caltex service station, as well as lollies and three Kinder Surprises.

That night he had a video call with his children where he sobbed the entire time.

Ms Clarke later text her friend about how she felt sorry for Baxter and shared how things could have been different, the NCA NewsWire reported.

The inquest heard how on the day Baxter went to Bunnings to buy the murder tools Ms Clarke had successfully applied to have her name removed from the lease of the home she shared with Baxter.

He was then informed that he would be solely responsible for the rent and that the rent is in arrears.

Baxter had to borrow $1,000 from a friend to 'clear his debts'.

The inquest also heard audio of Baxter complaining to a mens support line a day just a day before the murders.

During the call he complained that Ms Clarke was dictating when he could see the children.

'I never thought my wife was capable of doing this  it got worse and worse and worse,' he said during the call.

Hannah Clarke, 31, and three children Aaliyah , six, Laianah, four, and Trey, three, died after they were doused in petrol and set alight by Baxter in February 2020 (pictured, Hannah Clarke and her two daughters Laianah and Aaliyah)

Ms Clarke (pictured) died in hospital a few hours after the attack, suffering burns to 97 per cent of her body

Ms Clarke was leaving her parents' home in Camp Hill to take her children to school when Baxter got into the car, poured fuel inside and set it alight on February 19, 2020.

Baxter, 42, then stabbed himself with a knife, dying nearby.

Ms Clarke died later the same day in hospital.

The inquest continues.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

Lifeline 13 11 14
An ex-restaurant boss who got so drunk on a Jet2 flight that he vomited over himself and could not open his bag to get his passport has been jailed.

Ali Ozdemir, 49, was slumped in his seat and threw up during the trip to Birmingham Airport from Turkey on October 19 last year, Birmingham Crown Court heard.

Syed Ahmed, representing Ozdemir, said he had two glasses of wine at the airport and made regular trips to Turkey. On this occasion the defendant had been to an engagement party, he added.

The former manager, who ran Italian restaurant Cielo in the West Midlands, earlier admitted to being drunk on an aircraft and was sentenced to three months in prison.

Ali Ozdemir (pictured above), 49, was slumped in his seat and threw up during the trip to Birmingham airport from Turkey on October 19 last year, Birmingham Crown Court heard

Andrew Wallace, prosecuting, said police were called to Birmingham airport following a report of an intoxicated passenger on a Jet2 plane.

He told the court: 'The defendant had vomited on himself and on aircraft seats on the airplane. He was removed from the aircraft.

'He was observed to have been slumped on his seat, smelt of vomit and liquor and had red eyes.'

Passing sentence, Judge Simon Drew QC said: 'On October 19 last year it is perfectly clear from witness statements that you were very drunk, even when you got on the plane, but how drunk it is impossible for me to know.

'It was noticeable to the passengers on the plane and very quickly became noticeable to the stewards and stewardesses and cabin crew who saw that you were slumped on your seat and that you had vomited not only on yourself but the adjacent seats.

'You were on a lengthy flight from Turkey back to this country. When asked for your passport you were simply unable to produce that from your bag which revealed the state that you were in.

'You did not offer any aggression to anybody on the plane nor is it the case that you were rude to them.

'The fact is that people who are drunk on an aircraft present a serious risk to anyone on the aircraft.

The former manager, who ran Italian restaurant Cielo (file photo above) in the West Midlands, earlier admitted to being drunk on an aircraft and was sentenced to three months in prison

'There is always the danger that because of your drunken state your behaviour will become out of control and endanger the lives of those on the aircraft [who] cannot get away.'

Mr Ahmed, defending, said Ozdemir's behaviour had not caused any concern, he had not been aggressive and nobody had been obliged to move seats. He said his head had been resting against the window and he had fallen asleep.

He said he believed that some of what happened on the aircraft was due to an upset stomach and that he had also been under stress as a result of getting divorced.

Mr Ahmed added: 'He was remorseful from the outset and has no previous convictions. He is a divorcee and was the manager at Cielo in Brindley Place which has recently shut down.'

He said Ozdemir was currently unemployed but looking for work in the catering industry.
Advertisement

Economic sanctions helping to cripple the Russian economy should not be lifted until Crimea is returned to Ukrainian control, Boris Johnson suggested today.

The Prime Minister told senior MPs he wanted the economic blockade of the Putin regime tightened until 'every single one of his troops is out of Ukraine'.

And he said the UK was 'certainly looking at going up a gear in our support for the Ukrainians as they defend themselves' from the Russian attack.

Mr Johnson told Cabinet yesterday he is looking at providing 'more lethal' equipment to help Ukraine's campaign. The Times said there was speculation that could mean the army's Vickers AS90 Braveheart howitzers - although that is considered fairly old kit.

The support would recognise what British commanders believe it a 'new phase' in the war, with Volodymyr Zelensky's troops attempting to retake territory rather than just repel the invaders.

Facing senior backbenchers on the Liaison Committee today, Mr Johnson said a ceasefire would not be enough to ease pressure on oligarchs and the Russian war machine.

'In my view, we should continue to intensify sanctions with a rolling programme until every single one of his troops is out of Ukraine,' he said.

Asked if that included Crimea, he added: 'As I said, every single one of these troops is out of Ukraine.'

The Black Sea peninsula has been in Russian hands since an invasion and annexation in 2014.

Mr Johnson also questioned attempts by French President Emmanuel Macron to talk peace directly with Putin. He said the question of 'the value of those of those negotiations (with Putin) is an open one', adding: 'My view is that, that Putin is plainly not to be to be trusted.'

Facing senior backbenchers on the Liaison Committee today, Mr Johnson said a ceasefire would not be enough to ease pressure on oligarchs and the Russian war machine.

Mr Johnson told Cabinet yesterday he is looking at providing 'more lethal' equipment to help Ukraine's campaign. The Times said there was speculation that could mean the army's Vickers AS90 Braveheart howitzers (pictured)

Wrecks of a Russian Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) and military vehicles are seen on the front line near Kyiv yesterday

Ministers earlier warned that Russia's claims to be abandoning the assault on Kyiv cannot be trusted. Deputy PM Dominic Raab said the Kremlin should be 'judged by its actions, not its words' and there was a risk that forces would merely 'regroup to attack again'.

The Kremlin has yet to capture any major city in its month-long invasion of its neighbour, and yesterday promised to 'radically' reduce military operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv.

But experts said the pledge mostly covered areas where Putin has been losing ground or had been stalled for weeks, and the vow did not even last long with Chernihiv shelled 'all night long', its governor said.

In its latest assessment, the Ministry of Defence said today: 'Such activity is placing further pressure on Russia's already strained logistics and demonstrates the difficulties Russia is having re-organising its units in forward areas within Ukraine.'

But Russia is likely to continue to compensate for its reduced ground manoeuvre capability through mass artillery and missile strikes, the ministry added.

Mr Johnson is voiced fears at Cabinet yesterday that Putin would seek to 'twist the knife' and become more 'unpredictable', playing down the idea that a settlement between the sides is close.

Mr Zelensky has scoffed at the idea Russia would be scaling back its barbaric assaults after peace talks were hailed by some yesterday as 'major progress', despite the lack of any concrete steps towards a ceasefire.

Ukrainian soldiers stand on top of a Russian artillery vehicle they captured during fighting outside Kharkiv yesterday

Boris Johnson (left) told Cabinet yesterday he is looking at providing 'more lethal' equipment to help Ukraine's campaign. Dominic Raab (right) said that Russia's words should not be trusted

US and UK intelligence did identify movements in Kremlin Battalion Tactical Groups around the capital yesterday evening, but attributed this largely to the defensive efforts of Ukrainian forces

Residents walk past a damaged Russian tank in the northeastern city of Trostianets yesterday amid heavy Kremlin losses

'We are hearing positive signals from the negotiating table... but positive signals do not silence the explosions of Russian bombs,' he said in a video address last night.

Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin said the offer to reduce some military operations was a confidence building step for the ongoing negotiations with Ukrainian officials in Istanbul.

'In order to increase mutual trust and create the necessary conditions for further negotiations and achieving the ultimate goal of agreeing and signing (an) agreement, a decision was made to radically, by a large margin, reduce military activity in the Kyiv and Chernihiv directions,' Fomin said.

But he made no mention of other areas that have seen heavy fighting, including around Mariupol in the southeast, Sumy and Kharkiv in the east and Kherson and Mykolaiv in the south.

Russia announced yesterday amid renewed peace talks that it would reduce its military presence in and around Kyiv (pictured) and Chernihiv, in what appears to be its first concession since the war began just over one month ago

'We are hearing positive signals from the negotiating table... but positive signals do not silence the explosions of Russian bombs,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his latest video address last night.

The Kremlin has yet to capture any major city in its month-long invasion of its neighbour

'Ukrainians are not naive people,' Zelensky said late on Tuesday.

'Ukrainians have already learned during these 34 days of invasion, and over the past eight years of the war in Donbass, that the only thing they can trust is a concrete result.'

He also brushed off the shift in tactics as nothing more than a forced retreat in the face of strong Ukrainian resistance rather than any step towards peace.

'The Russian military command allegedly decided ''to reduce hostilities in the directions of Kyiv and Chernihiv'' - as if Russian planes just decided to fly less and military vehicles to drive less,' the President quipped sarcastically.

'Our full-scale defence is coming to an end. A successful defence... It is the brave and effective actions [of our defenders] who force the enemy to retreat.'

But the same day that Russia's Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin said his nation would 'fundamentally scale back' its operations to 'increase trust', a Russian missile killed eight in Mykolaiv, while the decimated city of Mariupol endured further bombardment (three year old boy wounded in shelling of Mariupol pictured today)

This satellite image distributed by Maxar Technologies shows destroyed apartment buildings and houses east of Mariupol, Ukraine on March 29, 2022

Firefighters scramble to extinguist a huge fire at a fuel base located near Ukraine's western settlement of Klevan in the Rivne region and supplying fuel to Kyiv for the Ukrainian army, which was hit with high-precision air-launched cruise missiles by Russia, on March 28, 2022

A Russian missile blasted a gaping hole in a government administration building in Mykolaiv yesterday, killing eight and wounding over 30

Russian units are suffering such heavy losses in Ukraine that they have been forced to flee home and to neighbouring Belarus. Pictured: An abandoned Russian military vehicle in Trostianets

Zelensky also last night declared that Ukraine is ready to negotiate a ceasefire, but said there would be no compromise over Ukraine's 'sovereignty and territory'.

'There must be real security for us, for our state, for sovereignty, for our people,' he said.

'Russian troops must leave the occupied territories - Ukraine's territorial integrity must be guaranteed. There can be no compromise on sovereignty. And there will not be any.

'Ukrainians have already learned during these 34 days of invasion and eight years of war in the Donbass that only a concrete result can be trusted.'

Zelensky's address went on to cover the launch of a new government scheme which aims to provide compensation to individuals and families whose property or land has been damaged amid the war.

Details of the scheme will be released in the coming days, the President said, before stressing to viewers that the state will compensate 'for every lost metre of real estate'.

Zelensky also discussed an address he made earlier in the day to the Danish parliament, and said Denmark was interested in helping Ukraine with rebuilding projects in the aftermath of the war.

Meanwhile, Western leaders were warned against dropping their guard after Russia announced its planned scale back of military operations near Kyiv and Chernihiv, with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson declaring Putin may still look to 'twist the knife' and inflict more damage.

Western officials have remained highly suspicious of Russia's true intentions, arguing that Russian attacks have continued despite the Kremlin's promise to scale back troops in major urban centres (Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu pictured)

One Western security official speaking on condition of anonymity said: 'Nothing that we have seen so far has demonstrated to us that President Putin and his colleagues are particularly serious about [scaling back]. It is more of a tactical exercise playing for time.

'Even if they do do what they say they are going to do that is not in any shape or form a cessation of hostilities... I think we can continue to see continued death and destruction [in the Donbass].'

And although there was positivity surrounding yesterday's peace talks in Istanbul, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had not seen anything to indicate that negotiations were progressing in a 'constructive way,' speculating Russia's pullback is likely an attempt to 'deceive people and deflect attention'.

'There is what Russia says and there is what Russia does, and were focused on the latter,' Blinken said yesterday.

'And what Russia is doing is the continued brutalisation of Ukraine.'

At first glance this is a progress towards peace. But words are cheap... it's action on the ground that counts, writes Dr NEIL MELVIN



At first glance, the temptation is surely to cheer the news that Russia has said it will 'drastically reduce' its combat operations around the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv. Certainly, that is the view of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been hosting face-to-face talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul. Erdogan hailed Russia's announcement yesterday in the wake of these talks  along with proposals mooted by Ukraine to become a 'neutral state'  as 'the most significant progress' towards peace since Vladimir Putin launched his horrific invasion five weeks ago. I have no doubt that the luckless residents of both Ukraine's besieged capital and of Chernihiv  where tens of thousands are trapped without running water and electricity  will welcome this development. President Recep Erdogan, of Turkey, speaks at peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul. He hailed Russia's announcement has said it will 'reduce' combat operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv as 'the most significant progress' yet Sadly, however, I would also firmly caution against pinning too much hope on these announcements. Words, after all, are cheap: and it is actions on the ground the matter. Russia's apparent climbdown must be seen in the context of Putin's long-held wider ambitions for Ukraine. He wants to weaken his democratic neighbour, prevent it from joining Nato and ensure that it can never escape from Russia's 'sphere of influence'. The first step in executing these ambitions was his 2014 annexation of Crimea and the occupation of parts of the Donbas region by Russian separatist groups. Emergency personnel work at the site of the regional government headquarters in Mykolaiv, Ukraine. Dr Neil Melvin urged 'caution against pinning too much hope' on pronouncements of peace These strategies only succeeded in driving Ukraine further towards the West. The second step has been unfolding in recent weeks before the world's horrified eyes: a full-scale invasion, initially intended to seize Kyiv and depose President Zelensky under the absurd guise of 'de-Nazifying' Ukraine. As we know, the Russian despot failed in this planned lightning strike. Some 10,000 Russian troops now are dead, several initial gains have been lost, the Russian economy has been crippled by sanctions and its international reputation destroyed. Putin knows he has badly over-reached  and must now see that the victory he imagined is beyond his grasp. That is the crucial background to yesterday's claims of progress in negotiations between the warring countries. Despite overtures towards peace, Vladimir Putin still wants to win in Ukraine, writes Dr Melvin Putin knows that if he is to remain in power, he cannot be seen to have failed. As such, he may well be using the veil of diplomacy to achieve his goals: buying time so that his forces can regroup and resupply while he plots his next move. That is not to say that these latest developments are bogus or mere propaganda. I have no doubt that Erdogan is sincere when he speaks of his hopes that they may be a prelude to peace. Yet whatever common ground has been found on the shores of the Bosphorus, this is definitively not a peace agreement - nor even a ceasefire. Russia may be pulling back from two cities, but in the centre and south of Ukraine, the bloodshed goes on. Putin still wants to win  indeed, believes he must win. Yes, there is a flickering of hope. But this war has a long way to run. Dr Neil Melvin is Director of International Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute

By Dr Neil Melvin
Dominic Raab today vowed to seek to block the release of Baby P's mother Tracey Connelly, after a Parole Board decided she was fit to be freed from prison.

The 40-year-old, who was jailed over the death of her 17-month-old son Peter, was today successful in her fourth bid for freedom and could be back on the streets within weeks.

Describing the case as 'harrowing', the Justice Secretary told the Commons he plans to appeal against the Parole Board decision. He was backed by Shadow justice secretary, Steve Reed, who described Connelly's release as 'disturbing news'.

Connelly had been imprisoned indefinitely with a minimum term of five years in 2009 for causing or allowing her son's death.

Peter, who was publicly known as Baby P, died in north London in August 2007 at the hands of his mother, her lover Steven Barker and his brother Jason Owen.

He suffered more than 50 injuries, including a snapped spine and eight broken ribs, despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over the final eight months of his life.

Connelly was released in 2013 on a lifelong licence, but recalled to jail in 2015 after she breached its terms by selling nude photographs of herself on the internet.

She was subject to a specific length of term in prison, but had to wait until the Parole Board - which considers cases roughly every two years - deemed her fit for release.

She had bids for freedom turned down in 2015, 2017, and 2019, when the board refused to release or move her to an open prison. In 2020, she lost another appeal.

But today, more than seven years after she was recalled to jail, the board found she does not pose a risk to the public, and could therefore be free within weeks.

Tracey Connelly, who was jailed in 2009 following the death of her 17-month-old son Peter, was today told she had been successful in her fourth bid for freedom

Peter, who was initially named in the press as Baby P, died after suffering more than 50 injuries including a snapped spine and eight broken ribs

Connelly, pictured in 2013, when she was released on licence in 2013 before being ordered back to jail

Baby P: A timeline of the tragedy that shocked Britain March 1, 2006: Peter Connelly (Baby P) is born August 3, 2007: 17-month-old Baby P is found dead in cot November 11, 2008: Peter's mother, Tracey Connelly, boyfriend Steven Barker and brother Jason Owen are convicted of causing his death November 13, 2008: Ed Balls orders an inquiry into the role of the council, health authority and police December 1, 2008: An independent review declares Haringey's child protection services 'inadequate' December 8, 2008: Haringey Children's Services boss Sharon Shoesmith is sacked with immediate effect May 22, 2009: Connelly is jailed indefinitely, Barker gets a life term and Owen is given an indeterminate sentence for public protection October 7, 2009: Shoesmith launches a High Court case against Balls to seek compensation for her dismissal September 15, 2010: Shoesmith tells MPs she is sorry about what happened but refuses to accept any blame, saying she had no involvement in the care of Baby P May 27, 2011: The Court of Appeal rules in favour of Shoesmith, saying her dismissal was 'tainted by unfairness' October 8, 2013: Connelly is recommended for release by the Parole Board February 14, 2015: Connelly is back behind bars after sending nude pictures to male fans December 29, 2015: The Parole Board rejects Connelly's first bid for freedom November 28, 2017: The Parole Board rejects Connelly's second bid for freedom January 6, 2019: The Parole Board rejects Connelly's third bid for freedom March 30, 2022: Connelly is recommended for release by the Parole Board Advertisement

In response, Mr Raab said this afternoon he will apply to the Parole Board asking it to reconsider the plans.

Mr Raab was backed by Shadow Justice Secretary Steve Reed, who described the news as 'disturbing' and said he 'fully supports' efforts to seek a review.

Since being recalled to prison, Connelly has taken part in a 'very intensive' treatment programme from the Ministry of Justice and the NHS over three years and is 'now able to work openly and honestly with professionals', a report added.

The Parole Board said it was satisfied Connelly is suitable for release after hearing she is now considered to be at 'low risk of committing a further offence' and that her probation officers and prison officials support the plan.

Mr Raab was represented throughout the review and his representative 'confirmed that this recommendation was accepted', the report said.

Connelly will be subject to restrictions on her movements, activities and who she contacts, and faces 20 extra licence conditions.

They include living at a specified address, being supervised by probation, wearing an electronic tag, adhering to a curfew and having to disclose her relationships.

Her use of the internet and a phone will be monitored and she has been told she cannot go to certain places to 'avoid contact with victims and to protect children'.

A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: 'We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Tracey Connelly following an oral hearing.

'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.

'Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.'

The case was so 'emotive' that parole bosses demanded more information on her psychological assessments before a decision was reached, a source told the Sun.

She would have faced another two years behind bars if the board rejected her bid.

Peter, who was publicly known as Baby P, died in north London on August 3 2007 at the hands of his mother, her lover Steven Barker and his brother Jason Owen.

He suffered more than 50 injuries, which included a snapped spine and eight broken ribs, despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over the final eight months of his life.

Living with killers: The little boy who never stood a chance Tracey Connolly, who covered up the abuse of her son Baby Peter, was living with Steven Barker and Jason Owen when little Peter died. Barker was a sadistic neo-Nazi who raped a two-year-old girl, tortured his own grandmother and is suspected of sex attacks on other children. Their 'lodger' and his brother Owen was a crack cocaine addict and convicted arsonist who was accused of raping a girl of 11. The full horror of what they put Peter through only emerged after he was found dead in his cot, his emaciated body covered with 22 separate injuries. At the time of his death, Peter and his three sisters were sharing a four-bedroom house with their mother, her boyfriend Barker, his paedophile brother Owen and his four children, plus Owen's 15-year-old girlfriend. Three of the children - Peter and two of his siblings - were on Haringey's Child Protection Register because of fears they were being neglected by their mother. Social workers, health visitors and doctors saw the family 60 times before 17-month-old Peter died from his horrific injuries, which included a snapped spine and eight broken ribs. Advertisement

Steven Barker was jailed in 2009 for a minimum of 32 years for torturing the 17-month-old to death and Owen received a six year jail sentence for allowing the toddler to die.

Peter and three other children were sharing the four-bedroom house with their mother, her boyfriend and his brother when he died.

A series of reviews identified missed opportunities for officials to save the toddler's life had they reacted properly to warning signs.

Three of the children, including Peter, were on Haringey's Child Protection Register because of fears they were being neglected by the mother.

Connelly, who covered up the abuse of her son, was jailed in 2009 for a minimum of five years after admitting causing or allowing the death of her son Peter.

She was then freed on licence in 2013 but later recalled to prison in 2015 after it was found she had sent indecent images of herself to people obsessed with her notoriety.

The Parole Board considered her case for a third time in November 2019, following previous reviews in 2015 and 2017, and refused to either release her or move her to an open prison.

In 2019, the convict launched a bid to be freed from prison so she could try to spend Christmas with her lover.

She became besotted with a 37-year-old insurance salesman named Paul and told fellow prisoners she want to move in with him in Reading.

The abuser said she believed she was ready to leave prison a 'changed woman'.

Connelly insisted her relationship was genuine because she had known him for many years.

Today's decision came as Mr Raab insisted the case for reform of the parole system is 'clear and made out'.

Baby P, was tortured to death in 2007 by Connelly's lover Steven Barker (left) and his brother Jason Owen (right) at their home in Tottenham, north London

Catflap rapist, child killer and sex predators: High profile criminals sent BACK to jail after being released or sent to open prison by parole board John Worboys The board faced widespread criticism over its handling of the case of the Black Cab rapist  a serial sex offender convicted in 2009 for attacks on 12 women. He was recommended for release in 2018, but just weeks later, the decision was overturned after it was challenged by two of his victims. Colin Pitchfork Last year the board allowed the release of Pitchfork, who raped and murdered two 15-year-old girls in the 1980s. However, he was recalled to jail less than three months later after he was caught 'approaching young women'. Steven Ling The farm worker was jailed for life in December 1998 after admitting murdering 29-year-old Joanne Tulip in Stamfordham, Northumberland on Christmas Day 1997. The Parole Board recommended earlier this year that he be transferred to a lower security jail, however this was overruled by Justice Secretary Dominic Raab. Paul Robson Robson was given two life sentences in August 2000 after he broke into a 23-year-old woman's house in Oxford through a cat flap and sexually assaulted her while holding a knife to her throat. He fled an open prison in Boston, Lincolnshire earlier this year and was on the loose for four days, which led to the MoJ insisting Mr Raab will have more control over the transfer of prisoners in the most high-risk cases. Advertisement

Setting out his review of the parole system, he said: 'Our reforms will ensure that those offenders who present the highest risk to public safety are reviewed more rigorously with additional ministerial oversight.

'Protecting the public is the Government's top priority. The proposals in this review will enforce public safety.'

He added: 'Following the review we have conducted and published today, I believe the case for reform is clear and made out.'

Mr Raab also said a ministerial check would be introduced in cases which involve 'those who have committed the most serious crimes'.

He said: 'I believe the focus in this critical decision-making has become adrift from its original moorings. So this Government will anchor Parole Board decision-making back to the cardinal principle of public protection.

'When it comes to assessing the risk to victims and public safety, we will introduce a precautionary principle to reinforce public confidence in the system and in cases which involve those who have committed the most serious crimes, we will introduce a ministerial check on release decisions exercised by the secretary of state for justice.

'The package of reforms published today will strengthen the focus on public protection at every stage.'

Outlining his plans further, Mr Raab said: 'It is striking that as of last year only 5% of all Parole Board panel members come from a law enforcement background.'

He added: 'But I do point to what I believe is a significant deficit. I believe it is wrong and that our reforms will ensure that those who we charge with making finely balanced assessments of future risk have greater first hand operational experience of protecting the public from serious offenders.

'So we will change this imbalance by mandating the Parole Board to recruit more members with operational or enforcement experience.'

Shadow justice secretary Mr Reed said: 'It's crucial that public protection is paramount and that victims are right at the heart of the criminal justice system.

'Currently too many victims feel their views are not taken sufficiently into account either in parole decisions or in sentencing and this leads directly to public safety concerns that must be taken more seriously.

'Labour will put public safety at the core of our contract with the British people, sadly the same can't be said of this Government.'

He added: 'Labour wants victims to have a right to make a new personal statement saying how they would feel if the prisoner is released.

'We would like any assessment of the risk to the public to include the risk of re-traumatising their victim and prevent released prisoners from living near their victim if that's against the victim's wishes.'

Parole shake-up will give ministers power to BLOCK prison release of UK's worst criminals

Ministers will get new powers to veto the release of Britain's most heinous criminals, under plans unveiled today to reform the parole system.

And victims will be able to take part in Parole Board hearings for the first time.

Murderers, rapists, terrorists and violent criminals convicted of causing a child's death will be forced to stay in jail until their release is signed off by ministers.

The plans will grant Justice Secretary Dominic Raab the final say on the release of about 660 offenders a year.

Victims will get rights to attend Parole Board hearings in full and ask questions.

They will also be entitled to receive more detailed information from the board's officials.

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab will be able to prevent particularly dangerous criminals from being released with new powers that are set to be introduced

The measures will shake up the way the board operates, tipping the balance away from criminals' rights and more in favour of victims and protecting the public.

Parole Board officials will be told their 'only priority' will be making sure a prisoner poses no risk to the public.

And, in a victory for openness, parole hearings will also be opened to the Press for the first time, Mr Raab pledged.

If successful, the proposals could mark a turning point after decades of 'progressive' policies chipping away at the principles of law and order.

The Parole Board's critics claim it is packed with 'do-gooders' who are too sympathetic towards criminals 'rights'.

Mr Raab said: 'Keeping the public safe is government's first duty, and the British people expect us to keep dangerous criminals behind bars for as long as necessary to protect them.

'I am not satisfied our approach is as robust as it needs to be.'

Dozens of killers, rapists and paedophiles released from prison have gone on to get second life sentences after committing another serious crime.

The board faced widespread criticism over its handling of the case of Black Cab rapist John Worboys  a serial sex offender convicted in 2009 for attacks on 12 women.

A decision to release him was overturned after a legal challenge.

Last year the board allowed the release of Colin Pitchfork, who raped and murdered two 15-year-old girls in the 1980s.

He was recalled to jail less than three months later after displaying 'concerning behaviour'.
More than four million Ukrainians have now fled the country, 90 percent of them women and children, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

UNHCR, the UN's refugee agency, said 4,019,287 Ukrainians had fled the 'senseless war' across the country's borders since the February 24 invasion, with more than 2.3 million having headed west into Poland alone.

'Refugees from Ukraine are now four million, five weeks after the start of the Russian attack,' UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi said on Twitter.

Pictured: Ukrainian refugees arrive at Amsterdam Central station by train from Berlin, on March 28, 2022. More than four million Ukrainians have now fled the country, 90 percent of them women and children, the United Nations said Wednesday

'I have just arrived in Ukraine. In Lviv I will discuss with the authorities, the UN and other partners ways to increase our support to people affected and displaced by this senseless war,' he added.

The number of refugees has now surpassed UNHCR's initial estimate that the war could create up to four million.

The agency says the speed and scale of the displacement is unprecedented in Europe since World War II.

Thousands of people are also believed to have been forcibly evacuated to Russia, particularly from southern cities such as Mariupol, which has been all-but razed by Russian forces by medieval artillery bombardments.

Women and children account for 90 percent of those who have fled the country. Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 are eligible for military call-up and cannot leave.

The UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that in addition to Ukrainian refugees, close to 200,000 non-Ukrainians living, studying and working in the country have also left.

And as of March 16, some 6.48 million people were estimated to be internally displaced within Ukraine, according to an IOM representative survey.

Ukrainian evacuees queue as they wait for further transport at the Medyka border crossing, after they crossed the Ukrainian-Polish border, southeastern Poland, on March 29, 2022

Two young girls look out from in back of a barrier as they wait in a queue after fleeing the war from neighbouring Ukraine, at the border crossing in Medyka, southeastern Poland

'They need urgent life-saving aid,' the organization said Wednesday.

'In response to the war in Ukraine, IOM has scaled up its effort to prevent the trafficking of persons both in the country and among those moving throughout the region,' it added.

Number of Ukrainian refugees entering neighbouring countries Data from the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) says that more than 4 million refugees have now fled Ukraine. Poland : 2,336,799

2,336,799 Romania : 608,936

608,936 Moldova : 387,151

387,151 Hungary : 364,804

364,804 Russia : 350,632*

350,632* Slovakia : 281,17

281,17 Belarus: 10,902 *Ukraine has accused Moscow of forcible evacuating its citizens across the Russian border Advertisement

Before Russia's February 24 invasion, Ukraine had a population of 37 million in the regions under government control, excluding Russia-annexed Crimea and the pro-Russian separatist regions in the east.

Some 20,000 people are believed to have been killed in the conflict so far, according to Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, though the number of casualties could not be independently verified.

On Tuesday a Russian missile strike on the southern town of Mykolaiv left at least 12 dead and 33 wounded, Ukrainian officials said.

There was also no progress for the estimated 160,000 people still trapped with little food, water or medicine in the devastated southern port city of Mariupol.

Russian forces have encircled the city and their steady and indiscriminate bombardment has killed at least 5,000 people, but possibly as many as 10,000, according to one senior Ukrainian official.

France, Greece and Turkey have been trying to organise a mass evacuation of civilians from the city, but talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and Putin ended Tuesday without a deal.

Aid groups have called regularly for access to Mariupol, decrying hellish conditions, and Ukrainian officials have accused Russian troops of forcibly deporting residents to Russia. Civilians who have managed to escape Mariupol describe a place with 'death everywhere'.

And as of March 16, some 6.48 million people were estimated to be internally displaced within Ukraine, according to an IOM representative survey. Pictured: Damaged buildings are seen as civilians are being evacuated along humanitarian corridors from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol under the control of Russian military and pro-Russian separatists, on March 26, 2022

A view of the destruction of the city of besieged Mariupol in Ukraine on Saturday March 26

On Tuesday, the International Committee of the Red Cross urged Ukraine and Russia to agree on safe evacuation of civilians from the besieged city and other frontline areas, where vitals are running out, and on delivery of aid.

Asked about Ukrainian accusations of forced deportation of Mariupol residents to Russia, ICRC director-general Robert Mardini told Reuters his agency had no direct information and would not participate in such as it violated the rules of war.

With Russia causing global shock for shelling residential areas, the ICRC issued a statement on Tuesday reminding the warring sides of international obligations to protect civilians and target only military objectives.

Russia calls its mission a 'special operation' to disarm and 'denazify' Ukraine.

Russia on Tuesday promised to scale back its military activity around Chernigiv and the capital Kyiv after more than a month of war.

But Ukraine and Western powers have cast doubt on Russia's pledge, made during face-to-face talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul.

The doubt appeared justified on Wednesday when Ukraine accused Russia of shelling Chernigiv.

'The enemy has demonstrated its 'decrease in activity' in the Chernigiv region with strikes on Nizhyn, including air strikes,' regional governor Vyacheslav Chaus wrote on social media. 'Chernigiv was shelled all night,' he said.

Reporters on Wednesday said they could also hear frequent explosions coming from the direction of the suburban town of Irpin to the northwest of Kyiv.

Meanwhile, the British government said on Wednesday it had issued 25,500 visas to Ukrainians under schemes set up to bring in refugees after Russia invaded Ukraine last month.

Women and children account for 90 percent of those who have fled. Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 are eligible for military call-up and cannot leave. Pictured: A Ukrainian soldier is seen in a trench north of Kyiv on Tuesday

Data from the Home Office showed that 22,800 visas had been given under the Ukraine family scheme that allows applicants to join family members in the UK, while 2,700 were offered under the sponsorship scheme which permits refugees with a named sponsor to enter.

The data on Wednesday also showed that 28,300 had applied for the sponsorship scheme, while the overall applications stood at 59,500.

With the number of people fleeing from the war currently running at over 4 million, the government has been under pressure to do more to take in refugees.

'We are starting to see progress ... we need to do more and will be making further improvements to bring people to the UK as quickly as possible,' refugees minister Richard Harrington said in a statement.

Britain's transport minister Grant Shapps said last week he had arranged to take in a family of Ukrainian refugees through the sponsorship scheme.

Britain has insisted on security checks and pre-entry visas to maintain control over who is entering the island, while the European Union, which shares land borders with Ukraine, has taken a less restrictive approach.
A former celebrity photographer who launched a campaign of harassment against his sister and her family left her feeling 'traumatised' and 'like killing herself', a court heard.

Leon Lecash, 70, sent a series of 'vicious' emails to members of the Rinkoff dynasty of Jewish bakers, including his 64-year-old sister Esther, nieces Deborah and Jennifer, and brother-in-law Ray Rinkoff.

Lecash denied his messages were harassment and claimed it was part of a technique for a documentary on the Rinkoff family. He also insisted he was researching details for an autobiography he was working on called 'John Lennon Made Me Toast'.

But Lecash was convicted last month as the presiding judge determined that he had operated a 'campaign of revenge' against the Rinkoffs in sending a torrent of abusive messages.

He was also found guilty of breaching a non-molestation order against his ex-partner by continuing to send her emails and will be sentenced in May.

At Westminster Magistrates Court today, Esther Rinkoff said the abuse from her brother was a culmination of the difficulties she had had with him over the years.

Leon Lecash, 70, pictured leaving Westminster Magistrates Court following an earlier hearing

She stated: When the latest vicious campaign and emails of harassment started in 2019 I was extremely troubled.

I broke down in front of my youngest daughter and I felt like killing myself. She was distraught by my outburst and I became extremely anxious. My psoriasis became out of control.

I am petrified that he will continue to pursue me if this does not go his way. I do not sleep as well as I used to. The whole episode has traumatised me.

I try every day to put on a brave face but my stomach is in constant knots. I have been physically sick from the stress.

I do not deserve to be so constantly and vilely harassed for such a long period of time.

Rinkoff's, established in 1911 by Ukrainian Jewish refugee Herman Rinkoff, is a family-run business based in the heart of the East End.

Lecash denied harassing the family and argued he was trying to obtain information as a filmmaker for a documentary called 'Bagels and Cynaide' on the Rinkoff baking empire and an autobiography he was working on called John Lennon Made Me Toast

Others named in the harassment charges include lifestyle manager Sarah-Jane Adler and former friend, bakery supplier Geoffrey Kluman.

In a victim impact statement read to the court Ms Adler said: Leons actions have caused me enormous emotional distress.

To receive these constant emails saying such awful things about my family and myself. I struggle to sleep and have required sleeping pills from my GP.

It was incredibly draining and a huge relief when he had to stop communicating with us.

Lecash denied harassment claiming he was entitled to exercise his rights to Freedom of Expression, under Article 10 of the Human Rights Act, but was convicted last month.

Leon Paul LeCash was convicted of sending letters and emails to members of the Rinkoff baking dynasty including his 64-year-old sister Esther, Debora, Jennifer and Ray Rinkoff

He is credited with being the photographer on a number of iconic album covers from the Eighties, including Rod Stewart's Body Wishes LP, Barry Manilow's Paradise Cafe, Jermaine Jackson's Dynamite and Crimes of Passion by Pat Banetar.

LeCash also worked with David Bowie and Jefferson Airplane before becoming a TV and film producer.

He explained that the book would involve family members and some or all of the allegations that have been put to them in the emails.

One of the documentaries Follow the Gr$d was about the death of bankrupt property tycoon Scot Young who died after he plunged to his death onto railings from his penthouse flat in 2014.

Lecash is credited with being the photographer on a number of iconic album covers. He also worked with David Bowie and Jefferson Airplane before becoming a TV and film producer

The second documentary was called Bagels and Cyanide, he said. I had taken a hiatus from work for five years to single-handedly raise my daughter.

The only way I could see of trying to make a living was to restart my TV company. I needed to somehow make a living.

I was looking for ways to make documentaries with information that was already in my head. The point of sending emails was to get a response.

I never got an email being sent back to me as blocked.

Asked why he persistently emailed and didnt stop when he received no response, he said: Thats my technique, I dont take no for an answer.

Lecash was also convicted of breaching a non-molestation order, the court heard.

He continued to contact his ex-partner, Jennifer Lawler, by sending her emails several months after the order was imposed in January 2021 which prohibited him from doing so.

Rinkoff's, established in 1911 by Ukrainian Jewish refugee Herman Rinkoff, is a family-run business based in the heart of the East End

Rinkoff's bakery was established in the heart of London's East End in 1911 by master baker Hyman Rinkoff who fled the pogroms in Kiev, Ukraine. It's most recent invention was the 'crodough' (pictured), a blend between a croissant and a doughnut

Ms Lawler said: These emails make me feel embarrassed and humiliated and fearful of what he will do next.

I check the locks and I worry about cars late at night. I feel more emotionally vulnerable from it.

I worry about my friends and daughters friends and how they will perceive me because of what he writes.

Prosecutor Sudara Weerasena said: 'He is contacting her on a daily basis while he is subject to bail conditions.'

He breached the order yesterday knowing that he would be in court today. If that does not deter him then I dont know what will.

Ms Weerasena asked the judge to remand Lecash to be remanded in custody but he told the court: None of my emails were threatening, I am not going to do it anymore. My life is turning around, with my business, and obviously if I went to jail I would lose everything.

Judge Briony Clarke told Lecash: Let me be absolutely clear, I am minded not to send you to prison, and that is not a promise, but if you show disrespect to me and the court by breaching this order again then I will.

Lecash, of Chelsea Cloisters, Chelsea, southwest London, denied but was convicted of six offences of harassment without violence.

He was bailed ahead of sentence on May 10.
Ikea is to close its Tottenham superstore, putting 450 jobs at risk, as the Swedish furniture retailer plans to open a mini shop on Oxford Street's former Topshop site.

The retailer said the decision comes as part of a 1 billion overhaul of its London stores and follows the opening of its first smaller format site in Hammersmith last month - around a quarter of the size of its traditional stores.

Ikea plans to open a similar store in Oxford Street by autumn 2023 after purchasing the former Topshop flagship site for 378 million last October - part of efforts to increase its high street presence.

It is not immediately clear when its Tottenham superstore will close, but bosses have said they hope to find positions elsewhere in the capital for the sites 450 employees.

The Ikea store in Tottenham, north London, putting 450 jobs at risk. The retailer claims it is trying to find alternative positions in the capital for the affected employees

Ikea bought the former Topshop flagship store on London's Oxford Street in October last year. The latest mini store is set to open by autumn 2023

Pritesh Patel, Hammersmith store manager and Natalia Petelina, Livat Hammersmith meeting place manager, cut the ribbon to officially open Ikea Hammersmith on February 24

The homewares giant bought the former Topshop flagship shop on London's Oxford Street for 378million last October

How Tottenham Ikea stores midnight opening in 2005 ended in a riot, after shoppers behaved like animals with one man was stabbed and six in hospital Ikea's Tottenham store first opened its doors in February 2005, but faced ugly scenes as a midnight opening descended into violence just 30 minutes in. Around 6,000 shoppers came to the store with the promise of time-limited bargains but fights broke out, cars were abandoned and customers were injured in heavy crushes. A man in his 20s was stabbed and would-be bargain-hunters suffered heat exhaustion as crowds in their thousands forced the superstore to close. Six people had to be taken to hospital, with Ikea blaming the chaos on 'an unforeseen volume of customers' trying to cram into the site. Tottenham MP David Lammy said Ikea should have known offering cheap prices in a deprived area would cause such a rush. The store had to remain closed for a period of time while safety issued were addressed and damaged doors repaired. An Ikea spokesperson said: 'I think it's fair to say we misjudged it and maybe were a bit naive, but some shoppers behaved like animals and started shoving and pushing everyone else. There's not much we can do to stop that.' Advertisement

The closure follows an 'extensive assessment' of its UK stores 'in line with changing shopping behaviours'.

Last year, online sales represented half of Ikea's total purchases amid increasing demand for different services and a desire for accelerated deliveries, a statement added.

As a result, the Swedish furniture giants are also opening a new fulfilment centre in Dartford, Kent, in December later this year - allowing it to provide a 24-hour delivery service across the capital.

It comes as Ikea has tweaked its strategy in recent years towards adding inner-city store formats besides its giant out-of-town warehouse stores to reflect changing shopping behaviour.

It opened its first inner-city full-range store in Paris in 2019.

But a store on Tottenham Court Road, named the 'Ikea Planning Studio' which specialised in kitchens and bedrooms,, opened in October 2018 before closing permanently in July 2021 after 'careful evaluation'.

The retailer is now entering a consultation period with the 450 employees affected by the closure of the Tottenham store, but claims it is 'committed to retaining as many as possible'.

More than 600 vacancies will be created in London before the proposed closure, a statement added, priority for which will be given to the employees.

Peter Jelkeby, Country Retail Manager and Chief Sustainability Officer, IKEA UK & Ireland said: 'Taking care of our co-workers is our highest priority and we will lead with respect and compassion throughout the process.

'The decision to propose closing the Tottenham store has not been taken lightly but we believe it is the right thing to do for our customers and business as we strengthen our position for the future.

'We will do everything we can to support the co-workers affected and our hope is that as many as possible will continue their career journey with us.'

IKEA has five other London stores - in Croydon, Greenwich, Hammersmith, Lakeside and Wembley.

The Tottenham site will remain open with normal opening hours until further notice.

A statement today added: 'IKEA UK has today announced the proposed closure of its Tottenham store in Edmonton, North London, as part of the business transformation plan for the Capital.

'The decision comes as the retailer commits to investing more than 1bn in London over the next three years to better meet the needs of its customers.

'As part of the retailers move to strengthen its long-term position, a new, smaller format store opened in Hammersmith, West London, in February this year.

'Moving forward, the retailer will open a new fulfilment centre in Dartford in December 2022, expanding its fulfilment capacity and unlocking 24-hour deliveries in London.

'In Autumn 2023, IKEA UK will open their long-awaited store on Londons Oxford Street.'

Ikea's Tottenham store first opened its doors in February 2005, but faced ugly scenes as a midnight opening descended into violence just 30 minutes in.

Around 6,000 shoppers came to the store with the promise of time-limited bargains but fights broke out, cars were abandoned and customers were injured in heavy crushes.

A man in his 20s was stabbed and would-be bargain-hunters suffered heat exhaustion as crowds in their thousands forced the superstore to close.

Six people had to be taken to hospital, with Ikea blaming the chaos on 'an unforeseen volume of customers' trying to cram into the site.

Tottenham MP David Lammy said Ikea should have known offering cheap prices in a deprived area would cause such a rush.

The store had to remain closed for a period of time while safety issued were addressed and damaged doors repaired.

An Ikea spokesperson said: 'I think it's fair to say we misjudged it and maybe were a bit naive, but some shoppers behaved like animals and started shoving and pushing everyone else. There's not much we can do to stop that.'

Thousands of people pictured at the Tottenham Ikea store in February 2005, when the shop was forced to close just 30 minutes into its grand midnight opening

An injured person is stretchered away by paramedics following the opening of the Ikea store in north London in February 2005

Police pictured at the entrance to the store, where a man was stabbed and bargain hunters suffered heat exhaustion following the midnight opening of the store 17 years ago

Customers queuing at the Ikea Tottenham store in Edmonton, north London, on the first day of its reopening on June 1, 2020, when Covid restrictions were loosened

A member of staff wearing a mask at Ikea's store in Tottenham following its reopening in June 2020

Plans to open a smaller store follows the grand opening of a mini shop in Hammersmith, west London, last month.

The Hammersmith store, which opened on February 24, is around one quarter of the size of a traditional Ikea site, with 4,000 product lines on display and 1,800 available to take away on the same day.

The shop, set across two floors, focuses on home accessories and soft furnishings, while larger furniture items will are display and can be ordered for home delivery or delivery to nearby collection points.

It also features a Swedish delicatessen serving hot and cold traditional delicacies for dine-in and takeaway, including Smorrebrod open sandwiches, Nordic Chicken Caesar and Swedish Mazarin - a popular type of tart.

There are also variations of Ikea's traditional meatballs, including plant balls. The deli - located on the edge of the site - opens an hour earlier than the main store, to allow commuters to 'grab and go'.

In October last year, Ikea agreed to buy the iconic former flagship store of fashion chain Topshop in Oxford Circus from the administrators of bankrupt owner Arcadia Group, as part of its push to open inner-city outlets.

Krister Mattson, head of the investment arm of Ingka Group which owns most Ikea stores, said at the time that three floors of the Oxford Street building would be turned into an Ikea store due to open in the summer or autumn of 2023.
Pic story of forest rangers of Mangshan Mountain in Beijing

Xinhua) 08:25, March 30, 2022

Song Bao (front) and Song Chen return to the watchtower after cleaning the snow in its yard on Mangshan Mountain in Beijing, capital of China, March 19, 2022.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Aerial photo taken on March 19, 2022 shows Song Chen up for work at the watchtower on Mangshan Mountain in Beijing, capital of China.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Li He)

Song Bao (L) and Song Chen prepare dinner at the kitchen in the watchtower on Mangshan Mountain in Beijing, capital of China, March 18, 2022.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Song Bao observes the forest on the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in Beijing, capital of China, March 19, 2022.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Song Chen has his finger accidentally slashed by a snow shovel while cleaning the snow in the yard outside the watchtower on Mangshan Mountain in Beijing, capital of China, March 19, 2022.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Li He)

Song Chen (L) checks his cellphone while Song Bao watches television at the dormitory in the watchtower on Mangshan Mountain in Beijing, capital of China, March 18, 2022.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Li He)

Aerial photo taken on March 19, 2022 shows the watchtower blanketed with snow on Mangshan Mountain in Beijing, capital of China.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Li He)

Aerial photo taken on March 19, 2022 shows the watchtower perched on Mangshan Mountain in Beijing, capital of China.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Li He)

Song Bao (front) waves goodbye to Song Chen as he departs for patrolling the forest at the watchtower on Mangshan Mountain in Beijing, capital of China, March 19, 2022.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Song Bao cleans the snow in the yard outside the watchtower on Mangshan Mountain in Beijing, capital of China, March 18, 2022.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Song Chen (1st R) shows tourists the way in front of the watchtower on Mangshan Mountain in Beijing, capital of China, March 19, 2022.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Li He)

Song Chen cleans the snow in the yard outside the watchtower on Mangshan Mountain in Beijing, capital of China, March 19, 2022.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Li He)

Photo taken on March 18, 2022 shows the night view of the watchtower on Mangshan Mountain in Beijing, capital of China.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Song Bao walks back to the watchtower on Mangshan Mountain after patrolling the forest in Beijing, capital of China, March 19, 2022.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Song Chen (R) writes a log at his dormitory in the watchtower on Mangshan Mountain in Beijing, capital of China, March 18, 2022.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Li He)

Song Bao patrols the forest on Mangshan Mountain in Beijing, capital of China, March 19, 2022.

Coming from the same village in Yixian County of Baoding City in Hebei Province, Song Chen and Song Bao are currently working as forest rangers stationed at the watchtower of Mangshan Mountain in the forest adjacent to the Ming Tombs, a major tourist site in Beijing's suburb.

The two forest rangers, grown up as childhood friends, are now work partners since they landed on this job a few years ago. They are collaboratively responsible for maintaining the 886.7 hectares of national key non-commercial forest.

Working and living in the mountain all the time, Song Chen and Song Bao need to take turns to buy food and other daily supplies by riding an electric motorcycle down the hill. After work, they entertain themselves mainly with television and smartphones. They are also happy to chat with tourists who occasionally pop in at the observation tower.

As the fire prevention and control work should never be taken lightly, Song Chen and Song Bao stay vigilant on guard all the time against any potential risks threatening the safety of the forest resources. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

(Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun)
Time to do more to protect rights of the disabled



Lee Jun-seok, chairman of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), has triggered controversy by repeatedly attacking a disability advocacy group whose members have been organizing rush-hour subway protests. In his Facebook posts, Lee urged the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SADD) to stop the protests he said are holding millions of Seoul citizens hostage.



SADD has been holding the protests since late last year, demanding measures to improve the mobility rights of the disabled and a separate budget for a disability rights initiative. The protests often caused delays in subway services during rush hours as some of its members used their wheelchairs to prevent trains from departing.



Lee's attacks have sparked widespread accusations. "We have waited 21 years on the issue of accessibility rights," said Park Kyoung-seok, co-head of SADD, during a meeting with members of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's transition team Tuesday. Kim Ye-ji, the nation's first visually impaired PPP lawmaker, even joined the protest at Gyeongbokgung Station Monday morning and knelt down before the disabled to apologize on Lee's behalf.



While it's possible to denounce the disabled protesters on the basis that their methods cause inconvenience to the public, it's doubtful whether it's right for Lee, who will begin leading the next ruling party with the inauguration of Yoon on May 10, to confront an organization of disabled people  one of the marginalized groups in our society  at a time when he should be embracing them in order to address honoring their rights. He should have tried his best to understand what motivated the disabled to hamper subway operations at the risk of causing inconvenience to other passengers instead of criticizing them unilaterally.



Certainly, Lee's stubbornness will frame the PPP as a party turning a blind eye to the plight of the underprivileged. The undeniable fact is that Korea still has a long way to go when it comes to the welfare of the disabled. Lee should be more forthcoming about national integration and put more effort into protecting the rights of the disabled.


A new treatment for glaucoma that promises to control the debilitating eye condition for years without many of the ill-effects of surgery is being introduced in the UK.

The pioneering method involves implanting a tiny strip of sponge into the corner of the eye to soak away excess fluid that causes the condition.

About 700,000 people in Britain have glaucoma, which is caused when the optic nerve is damaged by pressure built up by the trapped fluid. Restoring lost vision is not yet possible.

Doctors have a range of treatments to prevent it getting worse, though each has drawbacks.

New treatment which involves implanting a tiny strip of sponge into the corner of the eye to soak away excess fluid could tackle glaucoma (file photo)

Patients with primary open angle glaucoma  the most common form of the condition which leads to progressive loss of peripheral vision  are usually given eye-drop drugs to start with.

If these fail, laser surgery is used to widen the natural channels that drain fluid from the eye. But the benefits of laser surgery can be modest, or wane over time, at which point many sufferers go for traditional surgery. This often involves drainage channels being opened further and the creation of an artificial reservoir for the excess fluid.

But recovery can take more than a month, with some patients suffering debilitating side effects that include dry, gritty eyes.

The new method involves implanting a 5mm strip of high-density sponge, which is less than a millimetre thick, called a MINIject. It collects and then drains the excess eye fluid into a natural chamber called the supraciliary space, from where it is absorbed by the body.

Chrys Dimitriou, a consultant eye surgeon at the Colchester Eye Centre, recently implanted MINIject devices into eight NHS patients  the first to receive them.

He said: 'It's working with the natural structure of the eye. With some patients they can even go swimming a week after having it implanted.'

About 700,000 people in Britain have glaucoma, which is caused when the optic nerve is damaged by pressure built up by the trapped fluid (file photo)

Recent trial data indicates that the procedure has a long-lasting effect, with eye pressure, on average, more than a third lower after two years compared with before implantation of the sponge. There was also no sign of damage to the back of the cornea  an issue with previous implants of this type.

Mr Dimitriou said MINIject could also be used for patients whose glaucoma had not been controlled by traditional surgery, holding out hope of retaining good vision for longer.

The sponge was designed by iSTAR Medical, a Belgian firm which specialises in 'minimally invasive glaucoma surgery'.
Sir John Bell, a medical expert at the University of Oxford, said he is not convinced the Government is 'going to learn any major lessons', warning that 'no action' has been taken so far to 'make things better next time'

The UK appears to have learned nothing from the Covid crisis and has taken 'no action' to prepare for the next pandemic, a former top Government scientific adviser warned today.

Oxford University's Sir John Bell, who served as Boris Johnson's testing tsar, praised the effort of scientists over the last two years but was highly critical of his old employers.

He said the Government's pandemic preparedness and public health capacity 'was poor' and as a result the first six months of Britain's Covid response was 'pretty bad'.

Professor Sir John claimed that despite spending 'two years in the trenches' trying to get the systems up to speed, 'no action' has been taken to 'make things better next time' there is an outbreak of a novel virus.

The lack of preparedness meant the UK was stung by exorbitant fees for protective gear, did not have sufficient testing capabilities during the first wave and delayed implementing Covid restrictions in March 2020.

Addressing a medical conference today, Sir John said ministers still do not know how well restrictions such as lockdowns and mask-wearing worked.

The Canadian scientist also said getting politicians to understand the science underpinning the crisis was 'a problem' and slammed the NHS for its poor contribution to testing.

But in sharp contrast to Sir John's claims, Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser, today claimed British scientists were looking at how well lockdowns and other Covid curbs worked in the UK and globally to create a playbook for future pandemics.

Speaking at a Royal Society conference in London on the science of Covid, Sir John said the UK should 'not pay ourselves too hard on the back' for its pandemic response  despite being one of the freest countries in the world.

Sir John also criticised the NHS's contribution to testing as being at 'the heart of many issues' and 'not a stunning display of competence'.

'I am not sure we are going to learn any major lessons and take action,' he said.

So far 'no action has been taken to make things better next time', Sir John added.

But he noted that the UK got parts of its response right.

Decisions at start of the pandemic were made knowing they would 'probably prove to be scientifically wrong', Whitty admits Decisions were taken in the early days of the Covid pandemic which experts knew were likely to be 'scientifically wrong', Sir Chris Whitty said today. A lack of information on the virus when it hit the UK meant choices had to be made before experts knew all the facts, England's chief medical officer told at a Royal Society conference on the science of Covid. He said British experts had 'very limited information about the virus' during the first wave in March 2020. This included a lack of accurate data on how many cases there were in the community, how fast it was spreading and which areas were worst affected, Sir Chris said. All available data was from other countries that have different healthcare systems and scientific strengths, he noted. The top scientist said this proved to be a 'very substantial problem' that forced experts to refit established science 'to a completely new problem'. 'We knew many decisions we were taking would probably prove to be scientifically wrong,' he said. But the UK now has access to tools to tackle the virus, including vaccines and drugs, which mean Covid has been 'derisked to a very high degree', Sir Chris added. Advertisement

He said scientists were 'instrumental in containing the pandemic', with Sir Chris Whitty, England's chief medical adviser, and Sir Patrick coordinating experts in the UK for a better response than other nations.

Sir John also hailed the 'speed and quality of vaccine development', with the first Pfizer jab being administered in the UK less than a year after the virus was first detected in the country.

He noted that there were 400 Covid vaccines in development but only seven 'made it across the finish line'.

Oxford-based AstraZeneca's vaccine, one of the successful contenders which has been administered 2.82billion times worldwide, has a 'really powerful effect' against severe illness and death, Sir John said.

And the gathering and sharing of data in the UK, such as the 'stunning' Office for National Statistics infection survey, helped leaders make 'good, sensible decisions', he added.

The surveillance study, which swabs hundreds of thousands of Britons every fortnight to estimate infection levels across the UK, is one of the most accurate methods of measuring the current Covid situation.

Latest results have shown that infections and hospitalisations have surged in the UK since Freedom Day, when all restrictions were dropped and Britons were urged to 'live with the virus'.

The comments come as Sir Patrick today revealed that experts are exploring what parts of Covid restrictions worked best in the UK and globally.

Speaking to MPs on the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, Sir Patrick suggested harsh restrictions could play a part in outbreaks to come.

He said: 'I do think it is now going to be incredibly important to look internationally and nationally to try to dissect which components of restrictions are the ones that were the most important.

The world should learn from this so there is an advice handbook for the future and also to take into account the different characteristics of viruses.'

Earlier, a member of No10's Covid nudge unit hinted Britons are not changing their behaviours now despite rising cases and hospital rates because they are less scared.

Professor Ann John, who co-chairs SAGE's behavioural subgroup, told MPs people are mixing more than when infections were at similar levels as Omicron surged in December.

She admitted the Spi-B group advised Government on how to use fear to change how people behave earlier in the pandemic but said the tactic of fearmongering was ditched soon after.

Sir Patrick Vallance admits UK needs a lockdown handbook for future pandemics as No10 adviser hints Covid cases are now rising because ministers ditched 'Project Fear'

Officials are already drawing up a lockdown handbook for future pandemics, Sir Patrick Vallance revealed today.

The Government's chief scientific adviser told MPs that experts are exploring what parts of Covid restrictions worked best in the UK and globally.

Speaking to MPs on the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, Sir Patrick suggested harsh restrictions could play a part in outbreaks to come.

He said: 'I do think it is now going to be incredibly important to look internationally and nationally to try to dissect which components of restrictions are the ones that were the most important.

The world should learn from this so there is an advice handbook for the future and also to take into account the different characteristics of viruses.'

Earlier, a member of No10's Covid nudge unit hinted Britons are not changing their behaviours now despite rising cases and hospital rates because they are less scared.

Professor Ann John, who co-chairs SAGE's behavioural subgroup, told MPs people are mixing more than when infections were at similar levels as Omicron surged in December.

She admitted the Spi-B group advised Government on how to use fear to change how people behave earlier in the pandemic but said the tactic of fearmongering was ditched soon after.

Infections and hospitalisations have surged in the UK since Freedom Day, when all restrictions were dropped and Britons were urged to 'live with the virus'.

No10's advice handbook for future pandemics should include all the best 'components of restrictions', Sir Patrick Vallance claimed today

We cannot have vaccines every four months, Sir Patrick Vallance insists Covid vaccines are likely to be taken once a year by vulnerable people in a similar way to flu, Sir Patrick Vallance predicted today. The Government's chief scientific adviser insisted jabs cannot be dished out every four months. He claimed research needs to be done to ensure future vaccines offer more durable protection so people do not need top-ups as regularly. And he suggested experts need a better understanding of which vaccines will be needed against future variants. Speaking at the Science and Technology Committee, Sir Patrick said: 'I think what it will probably look like, will be annual vaccines for a certain part of the population as we have for flu. 'What we need to move to, though, is better understanding of how to predict, which vaccine is required each year. 'Messenger RNA vaccines and indeed viral vector vaccines have been incredibly useful because they've been quick to get off the ground and relatively easy to dial up the design of them. 'They may be the right ones to given annual vaccine, [but] they may not.' He added: 'What we now need to think about is what gives you a durable response. 'Because what isn't credible is to start having vaccines every four months for everybody. 'That's just not a way that this can work. We have to move to a sensible, annual cycle in my view.' Advertisement

Later in the committee, Sir Patrick suggested the removal of curtailments may not last forever, with future pandemics likely to require some sort of lockdown.

He said 'numerous papers' have been published on the effectiveness of restrictions, but it is difficult to discern which ones were beneficial.

Sir Patrick dismissed a controversial paper from John Hopkins University economists that claimed lockdowns only reduced deaths by 0.2 per cent.

The paper claimed the stay-at-home order (2.9 per cent), school closures (4.4 per cent) and business closures (10.6 per cent) were individually more effective.

But some experts accused the researchers of 'cherry-picking' information, claiming the paper is limited because it brings together different restrictions imposed in different places at different times.

Sir Patrick said future lockdown advice will have to take into account what virus the world is facing or what strain of Covid has taken over.

He said: 'The transmissibility associated with Omicron is different to the transmissibility associated with Alpha or Wuhan strain, and probably the measures would make a different effect as well.

So I think a sophisticated look back at the specific actions in lockdown and which ones had the biggest effect on transmission and circumstances is an important piece of work to do.

Earlier in the session, Professor John suggested people's reaction to rising cases has diminished now that Government messaging has been toned down.

She said: 'It feels like common sense that where you get rising infections or where there is mandated behaviour, that people's behaviour follows and sometimes they did but sometimes they didn't.

'I think the "pingdemic" was really effective in terms of changing people's behaviours and the way they mixed.

'We're seeing much less of a response at the moment to rising levels of infection and hospitalisations.'

She admitted that one of 11 papers first submitted to SAGE by the Spi-B group advocated for a fear-based approach.

Minutes from the group's March 22, 2020, meeting said: 'The perceived level of threat is to be increased amongst those who are complacent by using hard-hitting emotional messaging.'

But she claimed the psychiatrists, sociologists, anthropologists and ethicists advising Government communications abandoned the advice later on.

Professor John said: 'We never advised on upping the levels of fear. I think it was presented as part of the evidence base in terms of the pandemic.

And after that, if you look at all our papers  we absolutely advise that fear does not work. Now in terms of communications, we did provide underlying principles.

Messages should be simple, rationales should be explained, consistency was important. There were core principles  fear was not one of them.'
A brave schoolgirl who survived a terrifying attack that saw her model mother stabbed to death only managed to escape after playing dead when the killer turned on her.

Charles Byrne 25, was jailed for life at Worcester Crown Court after admitting the manslaughter of Christina Rowe and the attempted murder of her child

Musician Charles Byrne, 25, stabbed Christina Rowe, 28, and stuffed her corpse into a suitcase before turning on her young daughter during a fight at her Worcester home.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had stirred from her sleep after the argument broke out, and came downstairs where she discovered her mother's body in a suitcase.

Byrne, who was jailed for life at Worcester Crown Court last week for the gruesome killing, throttled the schoolgirl before smashing her head into the floor.

She only managed to survive the terrifying attack after 'playing dead' and paranoid schizophrenic Byrne dumped her in the bath before disposing of Ms Rowe's body in the River Severn.

The evil killer then returned to Miss Rowe's home in Worcester with a shovel which he planned to use to bury her daughter.

Mercifully, when he discovered the little girl had survived he fled the property, saying to himself he would 'rather go to jail', and was arrested days later following a manhunt.

Miss Rowe's grief-stricken family have revealed her daughter has been left traumatised by the ordeal and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

A family member said: 'She suffers from PTSD and vivid nightmares and is scared that someone will hurt her again.

'She sobs and sobs, such raw sobs. It has caused her immense trauma and she no longer trusts men.'

A court heard Byrne met the mother-of-one 14 months earlier on Tinder and moved into her home, only to leave months later when the relationship fell apart.

Aspiring model Christina Rowe, 28, was stuffed into a suitcase before Byrne dumped her body in the River Severn

But in February last year he returned to the Worcester property and talked his way inside, where he then attacked Miss Rowe before placing her body in the suitcase he had brought with him.

A heart-rending victim impact statement from her foster carer described how the child wanted to become a doctor so she could help her mother to recover.

The court heard cannabis user Byrne then left the property to dispose of Miss Rowe's body but returned to discover her daughter was still alive - and decided to spare her.

At the time of the attack, Byrne lived nearby with his mother, who worked as a director of a cathedral community outreach programme.

Mr Burrows said Byrne - who played guitar in a band during his teenage years - had a history of drink and drug abuse. The defendant told doctors he consumed up to one litre of rum a day and smoked 'strong skunk' (cannabis) two days before the killing.

The court heard cannabis user Byrne then left the property to dispose of Miss Rowe's body but returned to discover her daughter was still alive - and decided to spare her. Pictured: Forensics search a bin as part of the investigation

The child told police: 'I saw she was in a suitcase lying down.

'He (Byrne) caught me by the neck and just started strangling me...He put me on the floor and said something about (being) sorry.

'I think I fell asleep for a while...I woke up again and he was still on me but then he stopped....I think he thought I was probably passed away, so he put me in the bathtub.'

The court heard the child was left locked in the Worcester house but was rescued by police and the landlord of the property after she called her grandfather and said 'mummy's dead'.

The court later heard how Byrne met Miss Rowe, a former model from the Philippines, on a dating app but she ended the relationship a few months later.

On the day of the killing he went to Ms Rowe's home because of his delusional belief that she was a 'transgender paedophile' who was 'harbouring a young child'.

After stabbing her to death, Byrne stamped on her so hard he left a shoe imprint before attempting to murder her daughter who was woken by her screams.

Sentencing Byrne to life with a minimum sentence of 16 years, Mr Justice Pepperall told the defendant he would be sent back to Ashworth high-security hospital for treatment for his paranoid schizophrenia.

He will then be moved to a regular prison if he sufficiently recovers from his condition.
Police have launched a murder investigation after a man was shot and killed at an inner-city car wash yesterday.

The 21-year-old man, who hasn't been named, was killed in a car after a gunman opened fire at the Diamond Car Hand Wash, in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, at 6.45pm.

A blue BMW 3 Series with bullet hole marks in its windscreen and car bonnet was visible at the scene, on Burngreave Road, north of the city centre.

Police believe the suspects left the scene in a white Ford Fiesta that was later found burned out three miles away from incident.

A blue BMW 3 Series was hit with at least six rounds of ammunition  two bullets going through the windscreen and four hitting the bonnet

Police are at the scene and a murder investigation has been launched. They sealed off the road this morning

Police found a burned out white Ford Fiesta in Darnall and believe it was used by suspects to flee the scene on Burngreave Road, after the shooting

There were believed to be two bullet holes through the BMW's windscreen and four on the bonnet.

Armed police have sealed off the road this morning, while other officers continued their inquiries.

The area was cordoned off overnight for forensic specialists to begin examining the scene, following the shooting.

The car was found at the Diamond Car Hand Wash, in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The area was cordoned off last night for forensic teams to examine the scene

Officers are searching for the gunman who shot an unnamed man last night at around 6.45pm

Detective Chief Inspector Mick Hakin, senior investigating officer, said: 'This incident will understandably cause shock and concern in the local community.

'I want to reassure residents that a dedicated team of officers will be working around the clock to piece together the circumstances of what has happened and trace those responsible.

'In the meantime, patrols have increased in the local area and I'd encourage anyone who is worried to speak to these officers  they are there to help you feel safe.'

Detective Chief Inspector Hakin confirmed that the victim was sat inside the blue BMW, parked at the Diamond Car Wash when the car was shot.

'The offenders are believed to have left the scene in a white Ford Fiesta,' he said. 'The Fiesta was later found burned out in Darnall.

'I'm now eager to hear from anyone who has information about what happened, or who may have CCTV or dashcam footage which would be helpful to the investigation team.

'If you know something  I urge you to tell us. A family has lost a son.'

Detective Chief Inspector Hakin said that police are determined to get answers for the family at this 'horrendous time'.

Emergency services were called to the car wash at 6.45pm yesterday evening following reports that shots had been fired.

The man was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead a short time later. His family have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained officers.

Police appealed for anyone with information relating to the murder to call 101 quoting incident number 774 of 29 March.

The victim was taken to hospital by emergency services but was pronounced dead a short time later. Police are investigating at the scene of the shooting

The Burngreave Road car wash was cordoned off overnight for forensic specialists to begin examining the evidence

This is the second time the police have cordoned off the hand car wash following an attack at its premises.

In May 2017, witnesses reported seeing a group of men using metal bars to attack a man and smash up cars, leading South Yorkshire police to launch an investigation.

A male witness, who wished to remain anonymous, said at the time: 'A Seat in the car wash was smashed up, and another car looked like it had tried driving off but had smashed into someone else's car.'
Russian forces struck a Red Cross facility in the besieged city of Mariupol, Ukraine said today, where officials have warned of an unfolding humanitarian disaster.

But despite the dire situation, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned shelling of the city would only end when Ukrainian troops in the city surrender.

'In Mariupol, the occupiers aimed at the building of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC),' Ukrainian ombudswoman Lyudmyla Denisova said in a statement, adding the building 'marked with a red cross on a white background' was targeted by aircraft and artillery.

An ICRC spokeswoman confirmed that images circulating across social media of a destroyed building were warehouses belonging to the organisation in Mariupol. They showed a building with huge holes in the roof - and a red cross.

'We do not have a team on the ground so we have no other information, including on potential casualties or damage,' the spokeswoman said, adding that all aid stored there had been distributed.

The attack came a day after the ICRC urged Ukraine and Russia to agree on the delivery of aid and safe evacuation of civilians from the city where vitals are quickly running out. It is feared 160,000 people are still trapped inside the city.

Earlier, apocalyptic drone footage showed the level of destruction in Mariupol, where they mayor's office today claimed Putin's troops have abducted 70 women and medics from a maternity hospital and taken them to Russia.

Mariupol has been all-but razed by Moscow's forces, and the shocking aerial video shows the sheer scale of the destruction of what was a picturesque port city home to 400,000 people before Putin's invasion on February 24.

Now, more than 20,000 of the city's residents have been taken 'against their will' to Russia, where their identity documents were confiscated and before they were moved 'to Russian cities far away,' the mayor's office said on its Telegram channel.

Pictured: Aerial drone footage shows destroyed buildings in Mariupol stretching as far as the eye can see. Today, Kyiv accused Russian forces of striking a Red Cross facility in the city

Pictured: A still from drone footage released by Ukraine's military showing a red cross building damaged Russian airstrikes

'More than 70 people, women and medical personnel from maternity hospital No. 2 from the left bank district were taken by force by the occupiers,' the office said.

The information could not be independently verified as Mariupol has been under a month-long siege and intense bombardment, with communication largely cut off.

Another maternity hospital in Mariupol was struck by Russian bombardment on March 9, sparking international condemnation.

At least three people including one child died in the attack.

Russian officials both dismissed the attack as being staged by Ukraine and justified it by claiming the hospital was being used by extremist Ukrainian forces and that all medical personnel and patients had long been gone.

In recent days, France, Greece and Turkey have been trying to organise a mass evacuation of civilians from Mariupol, but talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and Putin ended Tuesday without a deal.

The proposal was rejected by the Russian leader, who said 'nationalists' in the city must surrender before the 'difficult humanitarian situation' is resolved, effectively scuppering the proposed relief mission.

His comments came after aerial drone footage showed destroyed buildings stretching as far as the eye can see. Just one building seemingly remains unscathed amongst the rubble - the city's stunning Russian orthodox Cathedral.

Mariupol has been all-but razed by Moscow's forces, with the shocking aerial video (pictured) showing the sheer scale of the destruction of what was a picturesque port city home to 400,000 people before Putin's invasion on February 24

The footage shows the ruins of the city's theatre that was destroyed in an airstrike on March 16. At the time, it was being used as a civilian shelter, and was attacked despite the word 'children' being written in large letters outside. As many as 300 are feared dead

Russian forces have encircled the city and their steady and indiscriminate bombardment has killed at least 5,000 people, but possibly as many as 20,000, according some estimates

Just one building seemingly remains unscathed amongst the rubble - the city's stunning Russian orthodox Cathedral (pictured at the top of this still image from drone footage)

Commentators have said this is yet more proof that the attacks carried out by the Kremlin's forces on the surrounding civilian buildings have been deliberate, as it appears that they have been able to avoid striking the historic building.

The footage also showed the ruins of the city's theatre that was destroyed in an airstrike on March 16. At the time, it was being used as a civilian shelter, and was attacked despite the word 'children' being written in large letters outside.

Estimates of the number of people inside the theatre have varied, with initial reports suggesting as many as 1,300 people were taking shelter.

Russian shelling has meant officials have not been able to get close enough to the theatre to assess full scale of the destruction, but as many as 300 people are believed to have been killed.

Wednesday's strike on the Red Cross building came after ICRC director-general Robert Mardini on Tuesday said that the Ukrainian branch in Kropyvnytskyi was attacked.

An ICRC spokesperson later said that an angry person had confronted Red Cross workers and physically attacked the office, causing some damage but no injuries.

Asked about Ukrainian accusations of forced deportation of Mariupol residents to Russia, Mardini said yesterday that he had no direct information and would not participate in such as it violated the rules of war.

Damaged buildings are seen as civilians are being evacuated along humanitarian corridors from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol under the control of Russian military and pro-Russian separatists, on March 26, 2022

Mariana Vishegirskaya stands outside a maternity hospital that was damaged by shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022

'People are caught and trapped in the line of fire. And it is happening unfortunately in many places today in Ukraine, not only in Mariupol,' Mardini said at ICRC headquarters in Geneva five weeks after Russia launched its invasion.

'What we expect and what is needed for civilians is that there is a clear and explicit agreement by the two sides on safe evacuations of civilians.'

With Russia causing global shock for shelling residential areas, the ICRC issued a statement on Tuesday reminding the warring sides of international obligations to protect civilians and target only military objectives.

Russia calls its mission a 'special operation' to disarm and 'de-Nazify' Ukraine.

Mardini said that there was an 'outrageous' disinformation campaign against the ICRC on social media and politicisation of humanitarian work that was raising risks for aid workers.

The ICRC was in talks to open an operational base in Rostov-on-Don in Russia as part of its regional scale up, but it should not be misconstrued as being linked to deportations, Mardini said.

Mardini also urged Ukraine and Russia to let the ICRC visit prisoners of war, as it does worldwide in line with the Geneva Conventions, and return remains of the dead.

'It's always sensitive but I think there is also a humanitarian imperative for detainees, for families, to have news of their loved ones,' he said.

A view of the destruction of the city of besieged Mariupol in Ukraine on Saturday March 26

This satellite image distributed by Maxar Technologies shows destroyed apartment buildings and houses east of Mariupol, Ukraine on March 29, 2022

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday called the Russian siege of Mariupol a 'crime against humanity'.

The president said some 20,000 people are believed to have been killed in the conflict so far, though the number of casualties could not be independently verified.

Negotiations between Russian and Ukraine saw little progress for the estimated 160,000 people still trapped with little food, water or medicine in Mariupol.

Russian forces have encircled the city and their steady and indiscriminate bombardment has killed at least 5,000 people, but possibly as many as 20,000, according to one Ukrainian official.

Aid groups have called regularly for access to Mariupol, decrying hellish conditions, and Ukrainian officials have accused Russian troops of forcibly deporting residents to Russia.

Civilians who have managed to escape Mariupol describe a place with 'death everywhere'.

'We buried our neighbours, we saw death everywhere and even my children saw it,' said Mariia Tsymmerman, who fled to Zaporizhzhia two weeks ago but is now making the perilous journey back to deliver supplies and help others leave.

'I know a woman who killed her own dog to feed her children,' she said.
Advertisement

Devastated parents who lost children during the NHS's worst ever maternity scandal have shared heartbreaking stories of the scandal at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust that turned their lives upside down.

Mothers and fathers revealed how their sons and daughters were stillborn, left with skull fractures or brain injuries due to the incompetence of staff at the sites in Shropshire.

It comes as an independent inquiry into the scandal found some 201 babies and nine mothers could have - or would have - survived if they were provided with better care.

It presided over catastrophic failings for 20 years - and did not learn from its own inadequate investigations - which led to families leaving the hospitals without their newborn babies.

Some suffered skull fractures, broken bones or developed cerebral palsy after traumatic forceps deliveries, while others were starved of oxygen and experienced life-changing brain injuries.

Meanwhile several mothers were made to have natural births despite the fact they should have been offered a Caesarean. Here, the parents tell of their traumatic experiences:

Midwives' missed chances to save baby Pippa from deadly infection:

Pippa Griffiths could still be alive today had midwives realised she was suffering a deadly infection. The little girl was born at home in Shropshire in April 2016, but died just 31 hours later from a Group B Streptococcus infection.

A coroner ruled her death was avoidable and blamed a string of unforgivable errors by midwives.

The inquest heard medical staff missed a crucial opportunity to save Pippa when her mother Kayleigh rang a midwife with concerns about her baby's feeding.

A second chance to save Pippa's life was missed when her mother rang hours later to report bloody mucus, a sign of a serious bacterial infection which could have been treated with urgent hospital treatment.

Pippa Griffiths could still be alive today had midwives realised she was suffering a deadly infection

Mrs Griffiths wipes her eyes as she holds the Ockenden report at The Mercure Shrewsbury Albrighton Hotel in Shropshire

The couple (pictured with their baby) lost Pippa a day after she was born in 2016 due to midwives failing to spot the serious infection Group B Strep - even though Kayleigh warned them

Pippa was born at 8.34am and a midwife was supposed to have gone to the family home for a check-up later in the afternoon.

But the inquest heard she failed to turn up. Pippa developed a purple rash later that night and eventually stopped breathing. Emergency services managed to get her breathing again, but she later died.

The trust accepted that chances to save Pippa's life were missed. Following the conclusion of the inquest, Mrs Griffiths said: 'We've fought for her and fought for the truth and ultimately she could have been saved.'

Mother said she'd lost fluid but was told she'd probably wet the bed... but had a stillbirth:

Charlotte Jackson raised concerns with staff that she had lost fluid and her baby's movement had reduced when she was 37 weeks pregnant.

Workers told her she had likely just wet herself, but he son - Jacob Harris - was was stillborn in November 2018 at Telford hospital.

The then 29-year-old from Bridgnorth got lawyers involved and the hospital trust admitted liability and agreed a settlement.

Charlotte Jackson raised concerns with staff that she had lost fluid and her baby's movement had reduced when she was 37 weeks pregnant

She told the Shropshire Star: 'I was quite worried and upset. Jacob had always been a very active baby so when I noticed that his movements were reduced I had a gut feeling that something was not right.

'However, I was shocked when I was told that it was a one off and I'd probably wet the bed.'

She later added: 'Giving birth to Jacob was absolutely horrific. It's almost impossible to put into words the emotion of it all, knowing your baby had already died.'

Workers told her she had likely just wet herself, but he son - Jacob Harris - was was stillborn in November 2018 at Telford hospital. Pictured: The baby's grave

Reverend said her son looked unwell after being born - but was dismissed by staff:

The Rev Charlotte Cheshire, 44, from Newport, Shropshire, said her son Adam, now 11, looked unwell after his birth in 2011 but her concerns were dismissed by staff at the trust.

When it was finally discovered he had Group B Strep infection, he was rushed to intensive care where he stayed for almost a month.

Ms Cheshire, who is suing the trust, said her son has been left with multiple, severe health problems and should have received treatment much earlier.

Ms Cheshire, who is suing the trust, said her son has been left with multiple, severe health problems and should have received treatment much earlier for Adam (pictured)

Among mothers taking legal action against Shrewsbury is the Reverend Charlotte Cheshire, 44, from Newport, Shropshire. Her son Adam looked unwell after his birth in 2011, but her concerns were dismissed by staff at the trust, she alleges

The Rev Charlotte Cheshire, 44, from Newport, Shropshire, said her son Adam, now 11, looked unwell after his birth in 2011 but her concerns were dismissed by staff at the trust

She said: 'What I'm ultimately hoping is that all of the families get some answers.

'And then, in our individual cases, about how it's possible for there to be such systemic failings over so many years, with seemingly either no-one noticing them, or potentially them being covered up.

'So I'm hoping first of all for answers, but secondly, I'm hoping, as a result of Ockenden, there are genuine learnings.

'Not the sort of, 'oh, we'll learn and get back to you', but genuine learnings to improve maternity safety - primarily first of all at Shrewsbury and Telford, but secondly across the country as a whole.'

She added: 'I don't want any other family to have to go through what we've gone through.'

Jack Stephen Burn died 11 hours after being trapped in the birth canal for four minutes. His mother Hayley Matthews (pictured) had been told that nothing was wrong with her pregnancy but later found out that Jack had been distressed for 20 minutes before delivery

Baby boy died 11 hours after being trapped in birth canal for FOUR MINUTES:

Jack Stephen Burn died 11 hours after being trapped in the birth canal for four minutes.

His mother Hayley Matthews had been told nothing was wrong with her pregnancy but later found out Jack had been distressed for 20 minutes before delivery.

He had also contracted group B streptococcus, the lethal infection carried by one in five women.

Jack died in March 2015 at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, hours after another baby, Oliver Smale, died following similar complications. Oliver's death was later deemed avoidable.

Although Jack's death was not deemed avoidable, it was later considered part of the investigation.

Miss Matthews, from Chirbury, west Shropshire, previously said: 'We would have both been in the hospital at the same time and there are so many parallels between the two cases.

'As with this poor boy, Jack got his shoulder stuck during delivery.

'They just left his head hanging while they went off to get someone to do something about it.'

A post mortem examination revealed that Jack had been starved of oxygen and had an infection on the lung and pneumonia caused by strep B.

Miss Matthews is campaigning for routine screening of strep B, which is not NHS policy. She said: 'If I'd have been tested for strep B during my pregnancy they might have picked up on it and given me antibiotics at an earlier stage and this means that Jack might still be alive today.'

Jack Stephen Burn (pictured) died 11 hours after being trapped in the birth canal for four minutes

Rhiannon Davies had raised fears over reduced movement in the womb

Staff ignored mother's warnings and said she was 'low-risk' despite daughter being born 'pale and floppy':

Kate Stanton-Davies died six hours after she was born because midwives failed to spot tell-tale signs of her deteriorating health.

Her mother Rhiannon Davies had raised fears over reduced movement in the womb, but was ignored by midwives who failed to properly monitor her pregnancy and wrongly deemed it low-risk.

Kate, who had anaemia, was born pale and floppy at Ludlow Community Hospital in Shropshire in March 2009. She was airlifted to Birmingham's Heartlands Hospital but died.

A report published in February 2016 concluded her death was avoidable and identified a litany of failings and shoddy record-keeping at the Shrewsbury and Telford trust.

Two midwives were deemed responsible for the errors, which included changing Kate's observation notes after her death.

Mrs Davies said: 'You would think losing Kate would be the worst event in my life but the continual need to revisit the trauma of that day as we fight to get the truth means my distress is ongoing.

'How many other baby deaths were avoidable, how many other investigations were not fit for purpose, how many other families have been betrayed, and how many other opportunities for learning have been lost?'

Kate Stanton-Davies died six hours after she was born because midwives failed to spot tell-tale signs of her deteriorating health

Rhiannon Davies from Ludlow, Shropshire, pictured with her daughter Kate moments after she was born on March 1, 2009 at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust. Kate died just hours later

Katie Wilkins' baby girl died at Shrewsbury Hospital after midwives left her in a side room for 48 hours and failed to properly monitor her. Miss Wilkins pictured with partner Dave Jackson, 45

'My girl was still born after I was left in a side room':

Katie Wilkins' baby girl died at Shrewsbury Hospital after midwives left her in a side room for 48 hours and failed to properly monitor her.

Miss Wilkins was 15 days overdue when she arrived at the hospital to be induced in February 2013.

There were no beds available on the busy labour ward and Miss Wilkins, 24, claims she was 'forgotten' in the room for two days and visited by staff just a handful of times.

When a midwife did come to check on her progress they realised her baby's heartbeat could not be found. Maddie was delivered stillborn in the early hours of the following day.

Hospital bosses later admitted the baby would have been born alive had they treated her in a more 'timely' manner.

Miss Wilkins said: 'Maddie's death was recorded as unexplained but we know why she died  because the midwives didn't do their jobs properly.

'I'd had a perfectly normal pregnancy and didn't expect any problems with the birth. But I was left for hours at a time. The hospital was very busy and I felt like they simply forgot about me.

'Giving birth to my stillborn daughter was heartbreaking. I should have been taking her home with me, but instead she had to stay at the hospital in a Moses basket. It was awful.'

Maddie was delivered stillborn in the early hours of February 21. The results of a post-mortem examination said the 6lbs 14oz baby girl's death was unexplained.

In a letter to Miss Wilkins, Cathy Smith, head of midwifery at the hospital, apologised and admitted: 'Had your induction occurred more timely, Maddison would likely to have been born alive.' She added that practices at the hospital had now changed.

Miss Wilkins  who has since had a son and daughter with her partner Dave Jackson, 45,  is sceptical. She said: 'We were told that changes would be made and women would be properly monitored, but now it seems that never happened. The hospital think they can say sorry and we should move on, but we can't.'

Staff told her she was not suffering an abruption despite severe pains... but she was:

Steph Hotchkiss from Telford started to suffer severe pains in September 2014 when she was nearly 31 weeks pregnant and asked if she was having an abruption.

Staff told her she was not, but they were wrong and baby Sophiya passed away just 32 hours later. Steph told the Shropshire Star she still suffers flashbacks of the trauma, caused by a ruptured placenta.

The then 28-year-old had similar issues when her son Kyan was born in 2013, and then had an emergency caesarian.

But she said staff refused to listen to her during her daughter's birth, with her having told Royal Shrewsbury Hospital staff what she thought was happening.

She said: 'I can't put into words how painful this is for us. It was just so frustrating not to be listened to when I had previously had a difficult pregnancy involving a similar thing.'

Steph Hotchkiss from Telford started to suffer severe pains in September 2014 when she was nearly 31 weeks pregnant and asked if she was having an abruption

Encouraged to give birth naturally before baby got stuck and had to have an emergency caesarean:

Kamaljit Uppal was on the way to having her third child in 2003 but was told it would have to be delivered by caesarean because of how he was lying.

But staff at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital encouraged her to give birth naturally and she went through 18 hours of labour.

The baby got stuck and Kamaljit had to have an emergency caesarean. She said: 'I'm still coming out of my general anaesthetic and she said 'he's died' and that's it. They plonked the baby in my arms and said say goodbye.

'I didn't know how to say goodbye, I gave him a kiss and that was it. Once I came around a bit more they put me in a ward where there were babies.'

Kamaljit Uppal was on the way to having her third child in 2003 but was told it would have to be delivered by caesarean because of how he was lying. Pictured: She still keeps the baby's unworn clothes

Lost one of her twins during labour:

Debbie Greenaway lost one of her twin babies during labour at the trust and said the report 'doesn't change what's happened for 20 years'.

She told This Morning: 'To begin with, we thought it was just us, we had no idea until they started the report that exactly the same story has happened to so many people.

'There were so many similarities I wanted to tell my story and raise that awareness and give women a voice.'

'Consultants came and went, there was no communication, I didn't know what drugs I was being given or why, one consultant - I learnt afterwards was trying to take a foetal blood sample from John - which basically they cut his head to find his oxygen level, but they never explained what they were doing. I thought she was delivering them

Debbie Greenaway lost one of her twin babies during labour at the trust and said the report 'doesn't change what's happened for 20 years'

'[At the start of my pregnancy] a c-section delivery was straight away brushed off with 'we have the lowest caesarean rate in the country, we're proud of it, there's no reason for you not to have a natural birth'...'

She had an emergency caesarean, with Debbie saying, 'When I woke up, all I remember was my husband handing me Daniel, I went, 'Where's John?' and again, another doctor I'd never seen before said, 'There's nothing we can do, we need to turn the life support off'... and before I could react to that he walked off and came back carrying John.

'And in my just come round state, I thought 'Oh I got that wrong, he's here, he's fine' and when he was handed to me I actually thought he was alive.'

Following a post mortem, she said: 'All of the time frame was between me going in with two healthy babies with absolutely no issues and an awful long time from when he was brain damaged to delivery'

Had to waited EIGHT HOURS too long for C-section surgery:

Nikita Hose's son Caleb died last January in the county but it was not covered by today's inquiry due to it coming after the interim report in December 2020.

She went into hospital on January 8, 2021, when doctors found her waters had broken just over 27 weeks.

Two days later she told medics she was concerned after getting a fever and suffering from blurred vision. They told her to take her pyjamas off.

She was later told she needed a C-section but was waiting for surgery for hours. When Caleb was born he was unwell and died the next day.

Ms Hose told the Independent: 'I felt like they weren't really listening to me ... I did mention I didn't feel [Caleb] moving a few times.'

A probe by the trust found if he had been born eight hours earlier - when he was supposed to have been - he would have lived.

Ms Hose added: 'I still cry about it now, nearly every day. It's something that you'll never ever get over  ever.

'No matter how much counselling, medication, [nothing] will get you over what's happened because there's no words for it. There are just no words.'

201 babies and nine mothers died in biggest ever NHS maternity scandal: Damning five-year inquiry into Shrewsbury trust - where women were blamed for their OWN deaths - uncovers two decades of repeated failures as victims demand justice

Key points from the damning inquiry into the hospital trust: Here are the main points from the independent review of maternity services at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust: The inquiry, which examined cases involving 1,486 families mostly from 2000 to 2019, found 'repeated errors in care' which led to injury to either mothers or their babies.

Maternity expert Donna Ockenden, who led the review, said the trust 'failed to investigate, failed to learn and failed to improve'.

Some 201 babies could have - or would have - survived if the trust had provided better care.

Most of the neonatal deaths occurred in the first seven days of life, with nearly a third of all incidents reviewed (27.9%) identified as having significant or major concerns in the maternity care which might or would have resulted in a different outcome.

498 cases of stillbirth were reviewed and graded, and one in four cases were found to have significant or major concerns in care which if managed appropriately might, or would have, resulted in a different outcome.

There were 12 maternal deaths reviewed and in nine of the 12 cases (75%) the review team identified significant or major concerns in the care received.

Ms Ockenden said staff were frightened to speak out about failings amid 'a culture of undermining and bullying'.

Staff also claimed they were advised by trust managers not to take part in a 'staff voices' initiative set up to assist the investigation into what went wrong, according to Ms Ockenden.

The review team identified 15 'immediate and essential actions which must be implemented by all trusts in England providing maternity services'.

These include matters such as workforce funding, planning and sustainability, safe staffing, escalation and accountability, leadership, investigations of incidents and complaint handling, learning from the deaths of mothers, multidisciplinary training, complex antenatal care, pre-term, labour and birth at term, obstetric anaesthesia, post-natal care, bereavement care, neonatal care and supporting families.

Ms Ockenden said it is absolutely clear that there is an urgent need for a robust and funded England-wide maternity workforce plan starting right now, without delay, and continuing over multiple years. Advertisement

Devastated families whose babies died or were left brain dead during the country's worst ever maternity scandal have said a damning report on the NHS's failings was a 'bittersweet' victory.

Mothers and fathers whose children passed away shortly after being born at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust said the findings were 'really difficult to comprehend'.

Some of them added they hope the police now have enough evidence to prosecute the medical staff responsible for the hundreds of deaths up until 2019.

Some 201 babies and nine mothers could have - or would have - survived if an NHS trust had provided better care, the independent inquiry into the UK's biggest maternity scandal has found.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust saw catastrophic failings for 20 years - and did not learn from its own inadequate investigations - which led to babies being stillborn, dying shortly after birth or being brain damaged.

Some babies suffered skull fractures, broken bones or developed cerebral palsy after traumatic forceps deliveries, while others were starved of oxygen and experienced life-changing brain injuries.

Several mothers were made to have natural births despite the fact they should have been offered a Caesarean, the report concluded.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust's chief executive Louise Barnett today apologised for the pain and affected families had endured.

The victims' families gave mixed reactions as they responded to the shocking findings, with some calling for police to launch prosecutions.

Kayleigh Griffiths said: 'It's really difficult to comprehend.' Her partner Colin Griffiths added: 'It's bittersweet. It's an accomplishment, but it didn't need to happen.

'It shouldn't have happened in the first place.' Kayleigh added: 'We visited Pippa this morning before we came, and we said 'this is what we've done for her'.

'It's just heartbreaking. There's so many stories, so many families here today.' Colin said: 'Everyone's come together for this result.'

The couple lost Pippa a day after she was born in 2016 due to midwives failing to spot the serious infection Group B Strep - even though Kayleigh warned them.

Mrs Griffiths added: 'This is 200-odd pages of harmed families. It's a disgrace that they haven't learned when we've told them what the issues were.

'It's really important, and it's really important that maternity services up and down the country read this and listen to what families have gone through and the impact that's had on people's lives.'

Meanwhile Richard Stanton, whose daughter Kate Stanton-Davies died after just six hours in 2009, called for police to launch prosecutions against those responsible.

He said on Tuesday morning: 'I hope the police will now have sufficient evidence to present to the CPS for a prosecution.'

Julie Rowlings, whose daughter Olivia died after 23 hours of labour following a consultant's use of forceps, said she wanted somebody from Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust to talk to her face to face about her case.

Rhiannon Davies (left) embraces Kayleigh Griffiths, both women were instrumental in campaigning for an inquiry into poor maternity care at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust which led to then health secretary Jeremy Hunt ordering one in 2017

Colin and Kayleigh Griffiths, Rhiannon Davies and Richard Stanton are pictured with a copy of the Donna Ockenden Independent Review today

The Shropshire baby deaths: The harrowing stories that informed the inquiry Investigator Donna Ockenden's team has recorded the harrowing stories of children and mothers dying at the hands of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust. In some cases, women were blamed for losing their babies, while others had their concerns and complaints dismissed, compounding their grief at losing a child. Families were often treated unkindly  echoed in women's medical records, in documents provided to the inquiry by the trust and families, and in letters sent to families by the trust. In her interim report in December 2020, Ms Ockenden described how, in 2011, a woman was in agony but was told that it was 'nothing', while staff were dismissive and made her feel 'pathetic'. One obstetrician was abrupt and called her 'lazy'. In a 2013 case investigated by the inquiry, a woman was left in great pain after delivery and screamed for hours before staff intervened. In 2009, despite a woman having known risk factors, her care was not escalated to more senior staff, and errors were made in monitoring the baby during labour. Even after birth, the baby was not monitored despite clear warning signs, and was transferred, too late, to a specialist unit where it died. Other cases recorded by Ms Ockenden's team are equally distressing, with one baby dying in 2016 after the mother was not adequately monitored due to the unit being 'busy'. In this case, the baby was delivered in a very poor condition having suffered a brain injury due to inappropriate care. Then in 2017, a woman suffered a catastrophic haemorrhage and later died. Her family stated that there had not been an explanation of the risks of birth in the midwifery-led unit, nor information on the need for transfer if complications arose. In 2011, a new mother died after delays treating her severe high blood pressure. Following delivery, there was a further delay in seeking senior clinical advice. She subsequently died in another hospital. In one 2016 case a pregnant woman with known large uterine fibroids was not referred to an obstetrician as she should have been. Errors were made in recording the baby's growth and it died on the day of birth from a severe hypoxic (low oxygen) birth injury. Another baby died in 2006 after the mother was given oxytocin in labour, despite it not being recommended for a breech baby. This baby was born in very poor condition and died a few days later. Ms Ockenden's review further noted there were cases where women were given drugs inappropriately despite abnormal scans. As a result, some babies were born with brain injury, cerebral palsy, or were stillborn or died soon after. In other errors, midwives recorded the mother's heart rate instead of the baby's, with serious consequences and one baby death. This was as recently as 2015. Also in 2015, despite a mother requesting a Caesarean following a previous one, her request was denied. After a complicated natural birth, the baby died a few days later from hypoxic brain injury and complications of shoulder dystocia (where the baby's head is born but one of the shoulders becomes stuck). A subsequent investigation failed to acknowledge omissions in care. Ms Ockenden's reports have said there were many opportunities to learn from incidents, but these did not happen. In 2015, a woman in labour at the midwife-led birth centre was not adequately monitored. When problems were eventually identified in labour there was a delay in transferring her to the labour ward, where her baby was delivered in very poor condition and suffered brain damage. The baby subsequently died. The review team also found evidence of repeated attempts at vaginal delivery with forceps, sometimes using excessive force. It said there was clear evidence that obstetricians were not following established local or national guidelines for safe deliveries of this type. In one case, in 2007, repeated attempts at forceps delivery left a baby with multiple skull fractures. It subsequently died. In another case, a woman known to have a big baby was refused her request for a Caesarean. She had a forceps delivery and the baby suffered a fracture. One baby in 2017 died following a traumatic forceps delivery by two doctors, while another woman had repeated attempted forceps delivery, leading to the baby having skull fractures and developing cerebral palsy. Advertisement

She said: 'I would like somebody from the trust to sit face to face with me, and talk to me. They've never done that.

'They've apologised, via media, they've apologised to all the families via media, but they've never sat down with the families.

'I want them to apologise face to face for what they put us through.

'I'd like them to apologise for ignoring what we were trying to tell them at the time. It would go a long way.'

The Rev Charlotte Cheshire, 44, from Newport, Shropshire, said her son Adam, now 11, looked unwell after his birth in 2011 but her concerns were dismissed by staff at the trust.

When it was finally discovered that he had Group B Strep infection, he was rushed to intensive care where he stayed for almost a month.

Ms Cheshire, who is suing the trust, said her son has been left with multiple, severe health problems and should have received treatment much earlier.

She said: 'What I'm ultimately hoping is that all of the families get some answers. And then, in our individual cases, about how it's possible for there to be such systemic failings over so many years, with seemingly either no-one noticing them, or potentially them being covered up.

'So I'm hoping first of all for answers, but secondly, I'm hoping, as a result of Ockenden, there are genuine learnings.

'Not the sort of, 'oh, we'll learn and get back to you', but genuine learnings to improve maternity safety - primarily first of all at Shrewsbury and Telford, but secondly across the country as a whole.

'I don't want any other family to have to go through what we've gone through.'

The damning report, led by maternity expert Donna Ockenden, examined cases involving 1,486 families, mostly from 2000 to 2019, and reviewed 1,592 clinical incidents.

A review of 498 stillbirths found one in four had 'significant or major concerns' over the maternity care given, which, if managed appropriately, might, or would have, resulted in a different outcome.

Some 40 per cent of these stillbirths were never investigated by the trust. There were also 'major' concerns over the care given to mothers in two-thirds of cases where the baby had been deprived of oxygen during birth.

Overall, there were also 29 recorded cases where babies suffered severe brain injuries and 65 cases of cerebral palsy.

Furthermore, nearly a third of neonatal deaths had 'significant or major concerns' over care. Yet the trust had only looked at 43 per cent of these.

Overall, 12 deaths of mothers were investigated, none of whom received care in line with best practice at the time. In three-quarters of these cases, care 'could have been significantly improved'.

Some women were blamed for their own deaths, the report found, while incidents that should have triggered a serious incident investigation were 'inappropriately downgraded' by the trust to its own series of 'high risk' case reviews, which were 'apparently to avoid external scrutiny'.

Ms Ockenden's report said this 'meant that the true scale of serious incidents within maternity services at the trust went unknown over a long period of time'.

But she added there were still 'persistent failings in incident investigations as late as 2018-2019'. The report said midwifery staff were 'overly confident' in their abilities, and there was a reluctance to involve more senior staff.

There was also a culture of 'them and us' between midwives and obstetricians, which meant some midwives were scared to involve consultants.

Ms Ockenden's team found families were locked out of reviews when things went wrong and were often treated without compassion and kindness.

The trust, which is currently ranked inadequate, was also found to have repeatedly failed to adequately monitor babies' heart rates, with catastrophic results, alongside not using drugs properly in labour.

Rhiannon Davies (left) embracing midwife Donna Ockenden (right)on the release of the report into maternity services which released its findings today after a five year investigation which was delayed on multiple occasions

Midwife Donna Ockenden found that an obsession with natural births at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust led to the deaths of 201 babies and left a hundred more with brain damage

Both former health secretary Jeremy Hunt (left) and Sajid Javid (right) have said care failings highlighted by a report into at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust must never happen again

Revealed: Shrewsbury maternity scandal was investigated in 2013 but local NHS bosses said services were SAFE Shrewsbury's maternity services were first investigated in 2013, but found to be 'safe' and of 'good quality'. Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Telford and Wrekin CCG ordered the internal review following concerns over an 'increased incidence of serious clinical adverse events'. It covered the period from April 1, 2012, to March 31 the following year, including the period when an inquest ruled the death of baby Kate Stanton-Davies could have been avoided. She was cold and floppy after being born and died six hours later. Mother Rhiannon warned in the days before the birth that her baby was moving less. The report was completed by Dr Josh Dixey, then a secondary care consultant at Shropshire CCG. He concluded that the trust had a 'maternity service to be proud of' and that the service is 'safe and effective'. The report added: 'There is a robust approach to risk management, clinical governance structures and learning from incidents which suggests a 'learning organisation'.' It also referred to the trust's high level of 'normal deliveries' and lower than average rate of caesareans  but described this as a 'positive'. At the unit, it noted the philosophy of care at the midwife-led unit was based on the view that pregnancy and birth were normal processes. Many more babies died at the trust's maternity unit after the report was completed. Advertisement

Leaders and midwives were determined to keep Caesarean section rates low - consistently 8 per cent to 12 per cent below the English average - despite the fact this repeatedly had severe consequences.

Ms Ockenden noted the leadership 'up to board level' at the trust was in a constant state of 'churn and change'.

She said the trust was focused on other clinical areas and there was 'significant turnover' at board and management level, which meant maternity issues remained 'largely unseen'.

In a briefing, Ms Ockenden said the review team found evidence of 'significant' under-reporting of harm and a prevailing belief services were safe, despite the fact eight external bodies 'inspected, visited, assessed, or checked upon the trust'.

Ms Ockenden said 'so many parents' had tried to raise concerns but were not listened to.

Boris Johnson told the House of Commons: 'Every woman giving birth has the right to a safe birth and my heart therefore goes out to the families for the distress and suffering they have endured.'

Tory MP Jeremy Hunt, who ordered the inquiry in 2017 when he was health secretary, said the numbers are 'worse' than he could have imagined and he hopes the report will be 'a wake-up call'.

Mr Stanton and Rhiannon Davies, who have campaigned for years over the poor care, lost their daughter Kate hours after her birth in March 2009.

The trust noted her death but described it as a 'no harm' event, although an inquest jury later ruled Kate's death could have been avoided. The trust still insisted its care had been in line with national guidelines.

In her report, Ms Ockenden said there was evidence of poor investigation of three baby deaths in similar circumstances (Kate Stanton-Davies and babies Joshua and Thomas) within the same year.

She said there was a lack of transparency and a 'lost opportunity' to prevent further baby deaths occurring.

Ms Ockenden also pointed to 'significant staffing and training gaps', while 'medical staff rotas have been overstretched throughout'.

One employee described the maternity service as the 'Republic of Maternity, where, often, the maternity service seemed to consume its own smoke, and didn't like having oversight by the corporate team'.

Another couple who have led the campaign for safer care are Mr and Mrs Griffiths, whose daughter Pippa died in 2016 from a Group B Strep infection. A year later, a coroner ruled her death could have been avoided.

A criminal investigation into what happened at the trust is being carried out by West Mercia Police.

Louise Barnett, chief executive at the trust, said improvements have been made and are continuing, adding: 'Today's report is deeply distressing and we offer our wholehearted apologies for the pain and distress caused by our failings as a trust.'
Officials are already drawing up a lockdown handbook for future pandemics, Sir Patrick Vallance revealed today.

The Government's chief scientific adviser told MPs that experts are exploring what parts of Covid restrictions worked best in the UK and globally.

Speaking to MPs on the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, Sir Patrick suggested harsh restrictions could play a part in outbreaks to come.

He said: 'I do think it is now going to be incredibly important to look internationally and nationally to try to dissect which components of restrictions are the ones that were the most important.

The world should learn from this so there is an advice handbook for the future and also to take into account the different characteristics of viruses.'

Earlier, a member of No10's Covid nudge unit hinted Britons are not changing their behaviours now despite rising cases and hospital rates because they are less scared.

Professor Ann John, who co-chairs SAGE's behavioural subgroup, told MPs people are mixing more than when infections were at similar levels as Omicron surged in December.

She admitted the Spi-B group advised Government on how to use fear to change how people behave earlier in the pandemic but said the tactic of fearmongering was ditched soon after.

Infections and hospitalisations have surged in the UK since Freedom Day, when all restrictions were dropped and Britons were urged to 'live with the virus'.

No10's advice handbook for future pandemics should include all the best 'components of restrictions', Sir Patrick Vallance claimed today

We cannot have vaccines every four months, Sir Patrick Vallance insists Covid vaccines are likely to be taken once a year by vulnerable people in a similar way to flu, Sir Patrick Valance predicted today. The Government's chief scientific adviser insisted jabs cannot be dished out every four months. He claimed research needs to be done to ensure future vaccines offer more durable protection so people do not need top-ups as regularly. And he suggested experts need a better understanding of which vaccines will be needed against future variants. Speaking at the Science and Technology Committee, Sir Patrick said: 'I think what it will probably look like, will be annual vaccines for a certain part of the population as we have for flu. 'What we need to move to, though, is better understanding of how to predict, which vaccine is required each year. 'Messenger RNA vaccines and indeed viral vector vaccines have been incredibly useful because they've been quick to get off the ground and relatively easy to dial up the design of them. 'They may be the right ones to given annual vaccine, [but] they may not.' He added: 'What we now need to think about is what gives you a durable response. 'Because what isn't credible is to start having vaccines every four months for everybody. 'That's just not a way that this can work. We have to move to a sensible, annual cycle in my view.' Advertisement

Later in the committee, Sir Patrick suggested the removal of curtailments may not last forever, with future pandemics likely to require some sort of lockdown.

He said 'numerous papers' have been published on the effectiveness of restrictions, but it is difficult to discern which ones were beneficial.

Sir Patrick dismissed a controversial paper from John Hopkins University economists that claimed lockdowns only reduced deaths by 0.2 per cent.

The paper claimed the stay-at-home order (2.9 per cent), school closures (4.4 per cent) and business closures (10.6 per cent) were individually more effective.

But some experts accused the researchers of 'cherry-picking' information, claiming the paper is limited because it brings together different restrictions imposed in different places at different times.

Sir Patrick said future lockdown advice will have to take into account what virus the world is facing or what strain of Covid has taken over.

He said: 'The transmissibility associated with Omicron is different to the transmissibility associated with Alpha or Wuhan strain, and probably the measures would make a different effect as well.

So I think a sophisticated look back at the specific actions in lockdown and which ones had the biggest effect on transmission and circumstances is an important piece of work to do.

Earlier in the session, Professor John suggested people's reaction to rising cases has diminished now that Government messaging has been toned down.

She said: 'It feels like common sense that where you get rising infections or where there is mandated behaviour, that people's behaviour follows and sometimes they did but sometimes they didn't.

'I think the "pingdemic" was really effective in terms of changing people's behaviours and the way they mixed.

'We're seeing much less of a response at the moment to rising levels of infection and hospitalisations.'

She admitted that one of 11 papers first submitted to SAGE by the Spi-B group advocated for a fear-based approach.

Minutes from the group's March 22, 2020, meeting said: 'The perceived level of threat is to be increased amongst those who are complacent by using hard-hitting emotional messaging.'

But she claimed the psychiatrists, sociologists, anthropologists and ethicists advising Government communications abandoned the advice later on.

Professor John said: 'We never advised on upping the levels of fear. I think it was presented as part of the evidence base in terms of the pandemic.

And after that, if you look at all our papers  we absolutely advise that fear does not work. Now in terms of communications, we did provide underlying principles.

Messages should be simple, rationales should be explained, consistency was important. There were core principles  fear was not one of them.'
Union chiefs have railed against plans to end free hospital parking for NHS staff, warning healthcare workers may quit in response.

NHS staff working at hospitals have been given a two-year parking charge reprieve during the Covid pandemic.

The policy was introduced in March 2020 as a temporary perk for health staff working at a time of huge influx of Covid cases, travel disruption due to lockdowns and increased pressure on the NHS.

But in a move that has riled union chiefs, Health Secretary Sajid Javid last night revealed that the benefit will end on Friday.

Union bosses have labelled the move a 'sick joke' and warned staff could quit the NHS as a result.

Commenting on the announcement, Unison's head of health, Sara Gorton, said: 'This is no way for the NHS to hang on to staff in the current job market.

'Parking charges will add hundreds of pounds to the massive cost pressures already facing health staff and reduce their morale even further.

Union chiefs have railed against plans to end free parking for NHS hospital staff, warning health care workers may quit the service in response

in a move that has riled union chiefs, Health Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured right) last night revealed that the benefit is set to end on Friday. Union bosses (pictured left: General Secretary of TUC Frances O'Grady) have labelled the move a 'sick joke'. And they have warned staff could quit the NHS as a result.

'Those already on the brink of leaving the NHS may well see this as the final straw and head for the exit, just as the service needs experienced staff the most.'

Free lateral flow tests will be scrapped for EVERYONE in England except frontline health and care home staff from Friday  but vulnerable patients with Covid-like symptoms will be eligible Free lateral flow tests will be scrapped for everyone except NHS workers, care home staff and vulnerable patients from Friday in England, ministers announced tonight. The general public will be told there is no need to take a test even if they are symptomatic, though they will be advised to isolate until they feel better. Rapid Covid tests are being massively scaled back on April 1 as part of the final phase of the Government's 'living with Covid' strategy. Asymptomatic tests will only be free for frontline NHS, social care and hospice staff during 'periods of high prevalence'. Lateral flows will also be funded for patients with Covid-like symptoms in hospital or who are eligible for antivirals because they have an underlying health conditions. People in 'high risk settings' will also be eligible for free tests if they are symptomatic, including prison officers or staff in homeless shelters. But routine tests for care home and hospice residents will no longer continue and will only be provided in the event of an outbreak or a resident being admitted. And visitors to hospitals and social care settings will 'no longer be required to take a test' upon arrival. Advertisement

Meanwhile, Rachel Harrison, national officer for the GMB union, also hit out at the move.

She said: 'Charging the NHS staff who've risked their lives during the pandemic to park at work is a sick joke.

'After the years of Tory cuts NHS trusts are struggling, we know. But scrabbling the money back off hard up workers is not the answer.

'The Government must now legislate for free hospital staff parking once and for all.'

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady added: 'Our amazing NHS key workers put their lives on the line to get us through this pandemic.

'Scrapping free car parking in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis is a lousy way to repay that service.

'The Government should be giving health staff a proper pay rise - not adding to their bills.

'And it should be funding our NHS properly so that hospitals don't have to rely on car parks for income.'

It comes after Health Minister Sajid Javid said that the free parking policy would end on Friday.

In an update on Covid-19, Mr Javid wrote: 'Free parking in hospital car parks for NHS staff introduced during the pandemic will also come to an end on 31 March.

'However, over 93 per cent of NHS trusts that charge for car parking have implemented free parking for those in greatest need, including NHS staff working overnight.'

He added: 'On behalf of the Government, I would like to record my thanks to everyone who has worked tirelessly to keep people safe over the last two years and whose efforts have enabled us to move to the next stage of the Covid-19 response.'

The parking charge was introduced in March 2020, at a point when NHS staff faced a huge influx of Covid cases and deaths. Travel was also disrupted, with public transport in some areas dramatically scaled back during lockdowns.

On March 25, 2020, the Department of Health and Social Care released a statement which said: 'The Government will cover the costs of providing free car parking to NHS staff working in hospitals during this unprecedented time.

The parking charge was introduced in March 2020, at a point when NHS staff faced a huge influx of Covid cases and deaths. A person walks past images of National Health Service (NHS) workers displayed on hoardings outside a temporary field hospital at St George's Hospital. Library image

'It comes as the Local Government Secretary has agreed local councils will also offer free car parking to all NHS workers and social care staff during the coronavirus outbreak.

Britain's daily Covid cases fall again: Infections drop 15% in a week amid testing slow down - as hospital admissions and deaths continue to creep upwards Daily Covid cases in the UK continued to fall again today as another 80,930 Britons tested positive  but hospital admissions and deaths continue to steadily increase. Yesterday's case figure marks a 14.5 per cent drop compared to the tally last week in a growing sign that Britain could be past its latest peak. It comes after there was a 5 per cent fall in cases over the weekend. However, deaths have continued to rise with 303 reported yesterday, a rise of 21.2 per cent on last week. The number of infected people admitted to hospital is also on the up with 2,150 recorded on March 25  the latest day UK-wide data is available for. This is a 14.4 per cent rise compared to the figure for March 18. Due to the lag in the time it takes for a patient to fall ill enough with Covid to need hospital care, the latest figures are a reflection of the infections that occurred weeks ago. NHS data suggests more than half of Covid 'patients' are not primarily there for the coronavirus, meaning the rise in hospital pressure may be a reflection of rising cases rather than a surge in severe disease. The decreasing case numbers  seemingly partly driven by a downturn in swabs being carried out  comes just days before the end of free lateral flow and PCR tests in England. The tests will remain available in Scotland until May and in Wales until the end of June. Experts have repeatedly called on ministers not to end the universal swabbing offer, warning it will leave them in the dark over major outbreaks in parts of the country. Advertisement

'In the face of this global pandemic it is essential NHS and social care staff are able to carry out their vital work without worrying about paying for car parking.

'Government is rightly committing to providing the financial backing NHS Trusts need to make this a reality in hospitals for the duration of this viral outbreak.'

The Government also introduced a scheme with the Local Government Association meaning local councils in England would voluntarily offer free car parking to all NHS workers, social care staff and NHS volunteer responders.

But that scheme was withdrawn in June last year. Most local authorities stopped accepting the paper parking passes following the announcement.

Meanwhile, the Government continued its scheme to allow NHS staff to receive free parking in hospital car parks. However, with the Government now pushing its 'living with Covid' strategy, the policy will now be withdraw.

This is despite a recent rise in Covid cases, hospitalisations and Covid-related deaths.

The move will not impact on free parking for NHS staff on night shifts. Under current rules, which will remain unchanged, staff working night shifts will continue to receive free parking for the duration of their shift.

It comes as free lateral flow tests will be scrapped for everyone except NHS workers, care home staff and vulnerable patients from Friday in England.

The general public will be told there is no need to take a test even if they are symptomatic, though they will be advised to isolate until they feel better.

Rapid Covid tests are being massively scaled back on April 1 as part of the final phase of the Government's 'living with Covid' strategy.

Asymptomatic tests will only be free for frontline NHS, social care and hospice staff during 'periods of high prevalence'.

Lateral flows will also be funded for patients with Covid-like symptoms in hospital or who are eligible for antivirals because they have an underlying health conditions.

People in 'high risk settings' will also be eligible for free tests if they are symptomatic, including prison officers or staff in homeless shelters.

But routine tests for care home and hospice residents will no longer continue and will only be provided in the event of an outbreak or a resident being admitted.

And visitors to hospitals and social care settings will 'no longer be required to take a test' upon arrival.

Free lateral flow tests for all Britons are set to be scrapped in England on Friday for the vast majority of people

Several scientists have expressed concern about the timing of the move, with cases quite high. But there are signs the latest surge may have already peaked

Mr Javid said: 'Thanks to our plan to tackle Covid we are leading the way in learning to live with the virus.

'We have made enormous progress but will keep the ability to respond to future threats including potential variants.

'Vaccines remain our best defence and we are now offering spring boosters to the elderly, care home residents and the most vulnerable  please come forward to protect yourself, your family, and your community.'

More details about exactly who will be eligible for tests is to be set out this Friday, the Department of Health said.

It stressed ministers have a stockpile of lateral flow tests that it can roll out en masse again if a new variant of concern emerges.

For the rest of the public, the advice is to 'try to' stay home and avoid contact with others for five days if they have a high temperature or 'feel unwell'.

Those who are positive, or have symptoms, and need to leave home will be urged to wear masks, avoid crowded places and stay away from people with weakened immune systems.

The law to self-isolate after a positive test expired on February 24 in England.

Dame Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, warned the pandemic was not over.

She said: As we learn to live with Covid, we are focusing our testing provision on those at higher risk of serious outcomes from the virus, while encouraging people to keep following simple steps to help keep themselves and others safe.

'The pandemic is not over and how the virus will develop over time remains uncertain.

'Covid still poses a real risk to many of us, particularly with case rates and hospitalisations on the rise.

'That is why it is sensible to wear a mask in enclosed spaces, keep indoor spaces ventilated and stay away from others if you have any symptoms of a respiratory illness, including Covid.'

From 1 April, those working in adult social care services will also continue to receive free personal protective equipment (PPE).

The quarantine time of entire care homes after a Covid case is also being shortened from 14 to 10 days.

Britain's scramble for the last remaining free supplies of lateral flow tests has seen sales of the rapid devices soar five-fold in a week at High Street pharmacies.

LloydsPharmacy is already selling the Covid tests, despite free ones being available on the Government's website until Friday.

But scores of Britons have complained about being unable to get hold of any kits through the official ordering channel over the past fortnight.

Struggles accessing the devices  which formed a major part of the UK's Covid-fighting strategy  have allowed major retailers to cash in.

LloydsPharmacy told MailOnline sales in the week ending March 28 were 400 per cent up on the previous seven-day spell.

It also announced it was slashing the price of lateral flows, reducing the price of a pack of five rapid swabs by 20p to 9.29  or 1.86 each  making it the cheapest on the market.

A single test sold on its own from the company will cost people 1.89, compared to 1.99 at rival Superdrug and 2 at Boots.

Meanwhile Boots is selling its five-packs for 9.80 and Superdrug is offering them for 9.79.

Meanwhile, free parking for NHS staff working in hospitals in England will end on Friday, the Health Secretary said.

Parking fees were waived during the Covid-19 pandemic, but Mr Javid said that the benefit would end on Friday.

High street pharmacists today continued their war of prices ahead of free lateral tests being scrapped from next week. Graphic shows: Different price options at Boots, Superdrug and LloydsPharmacy

Lateral flow tests will be rationed to the elderly and vulnerable people as part of the final stage of No10's living with Covid strategy  leading to fears people have been stockpiling the remainder of the free swabs in the meantime. Users have been unable to order tests on the Government's site today

In a written statement, he said: 'Free parking in hospital car parks for NHS staff introduced during the pandemic will also come to an end on 31 March.

'However, over 93% of NHS trusts that charge for car parking have implemented free parking for those in greatest need, including NHS staff working overnight.'

He added: 'On behalf of the Government, I would like to record my thanks to everyone who has worked tirelessly to keep people safe over the last two years and whose efforts have enabled us to move to the next stage of the Covid-19 response.'

Rachel Harrison, national officer for the GMB union, told the PA news agency: 'Charging the NHS staff who've risked their lives during the pandemic to park at work is a sick joke.

'After the years of Tory cuts NHS trusts are struggling, we know.

'But scrabbling the money back off hard up workers is not the answer.

'The Government must now legislate for free hospital staff parking once and for all.'

The Department of Health and Social Care said that the perk was 'temporary' and introduced in July 2020 'for the duration of the pandemic'.

It said that the scheme had cost around 130 million over the past two years.
The epicentre of Australia's flood disaster is set to endure more devastation as river levels continue to rise with wild weather expected to last for another month.

Residents in Northern NSW are enduring floods for the second time in a matter of weeks.

Flash floods submerged Byron Bay on Wednesday, with floodwaters reaching metres-high in the town centre.

In Lismore the Wilsons River breached its 10.6-metre levee by 9am sending floodwaters through the regional city.

Residents in Northern NSW are enduring floods for the second time in a matter of weeks as more than 400mm of rain was dumped in 24 hours across the region (pictured, Lismore suffers through major flooding on March 30)

Authorities were expecting the river to peak at 12metres or higher by Wednesday evening.

Forecasters have no real idea when the deluge will stop and admitted it would drag on 'right throughout April' and potentially into May.

Acting premier Paul Toole said renewed flooding had come just as many people were returning to their homes and businesses.

The region is experiencing its second bout of flooding in a matter of weeks (pictured, flood-affected homes in Lismore on March 30)

Pictured: Residents walk through floodwaters in Byron Bay on Wednesday

Pictured: Jonson St in Byron Bay was inundated with floodwater on Wednesday

Pictured: A man rides his bike through floodwater in Byron Bay on March 30

He said the areas hit the hardest were Lismore, Ballina, Byron, Coraki and Woodburn, and the relentless floods could strike the region again next month.

'We may be in this situation, coming back again, in a few weeks' time,' Mr Toole said on Wednesday. 'April is expected to be quite wet in many parts of the state.'

He added the ground was already waterlogged from above-average rainfall and that it would not take much rain for rivers to burst their banks.

Pictured: A car is swept away in floodwaters in Lismore on March 30

'When you have a look at the ground, it is saturated,' he said.

'We only have to see a small amount of rainfall landing in some of these areas...

'It doesn't take much rainfall to see those rivers running again, encroaching their banks, seeing riverine flooding, flash flooding within those communities.'

Major flood warnings are issued for the Wilsons, Richmond, Clarence, Orara and Bellinger rivers, with moderate warnings for the Kalang, Nambucca and Macleay rivers.

There are 16 evacuation orders in place and seven evacuation warnings, impacting over 28,000 residents.

Flooded scenes on the Bruxner Highway on the outskirts of Lismore on Wednesday

The flooding in Lismore came just as many were finally able to return to their homes after the devastating deluge just a few weeks ago

SES Acting Commissioner Daniel Austin said 55 flood rescues were conducted in the last 24 hours, while bad weather in the states north had stopped rescue aircrafts from taking off.

'We've seen conditions (on Wednesday) that have stopped our aviation assets getting into the air,' he said

'That in itself should be a warning to the community that these are very, very dangerous conditions moving forward.

A desperate search is underway to locate Anita Brakel, 55, (pictured) an aged care nurse believed to be missing in floodwaters overnight

Anyone who sees a 2017 white Holden Captiva station wagon (pictured), with NSW registration YHS 51F, in the greater Lismore area is urged to contact police immediately

'We still have a number of days to go before we come through this.'

Meanwhile, a desperate search is underway to locate Anita Brakel, 55, an aged care nurse believed to be missing in floodwaters overnight.

A search and rescue operation commenced 9.50pm on Tuesday near Wyrallah Road after she called police, saying she was trapped in floodwaters while driving.

Police describe Ms Brakel as being of Asian appearance, thin build, 150cm to 160cm tall with long hair dyed black and red.

Anyone who sees a 2017 white Holden Captiva station wagon, with NSW registration YHS 51F, in the greater Lismore area is urged to contact police immediately.

More than 100mm of rain was recorded in Lismore in the previous 24 hours, while a similar total fell on Coffs Harbour further south.

Both Byron Bay and Ballina Airport recorded nearly 300mm of rain in the same 24-hour period.

In Sydney, more than 527.4mm of rain has now been recorded this month, smashing records of the wettest March in history.

Heavy overnight rain has again forced the evacuation of residents in Lismore in northern NSW

Pictured: Floodwaters wreak havoc on Jonson St Byron Bay on Wednesday

Flood Recovery Minister Steph Cooke said the state had faced many natural disasters over recent years.

'Whether it's droughts or bushfires, and now floods,' she said.

'We know this wet weather is likely to continue for quite some time, right throughout April and potentially beyond that.

'I know for many of you it must feel that this flooding emergency will never end, but I can assure you that there is light at the end of the tunnel.'

Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg told AAP he had heard reports the Wilsons River had begun to tip over the top of the levee shortly before confirmation arrived from the Bureau of Meteorology.

'Everyone's exhausted,' he said. 'Evacuation orders started at four o'clock yesterday afternoon and then got cancelled before the phones started ringing again.

'(People are) running on no sleep at the moment.

'It's hard to put into words. You're feeling angry as well because the messaging hasn't been what it should have been.'

Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg said most in the area had lost many of their valuables in the first few weeks of flooding

The NSW SES warned people against driving through the floodwaters and to stay away from floodwater environments

Mr Krieg said most people in the area had lost the bulk of their valuables in the first inundation.

'The hardest thing for these people is they have spent weeks and weeks cleaning and getting rid of all the flood mud, sanitising and addressing the mould issue.

'Now you've got to virtually start all of that process from the start again.'

To add to local's anxiety Lismore's local flood siren - which is supposed to trigger when the levee is breached - malfunctioned and failed to send out warnings across the regional city of 27,000 people.

Flooding also hit the village of Mullumbimby, where one resident described the area as 'a disaster site', after thousands of homes were left without power.

The BoM issued severe weather warnings in the lead-up to the flooding, but Byron locals were furious there were no evacuation notices.

'To my knowledge, no one in Byron or Ballina received any evacuation notices at all. They just woke up to flash flooding,' Jacqui Lewis said.

Dean Narramore from BoM said a small but intense low off the coast of Evans Head had produced intense storms and remarkably heavy rainfall on Tuesday night.

Towns from Evans Head to Byron Bay were hit with 200 to 300mm of rain within a few hours, causing significant and destructive flash-flooding, Mr Narramore said.

Numerous rivers in the Lismore area are experiencing major flooding, including the Wilsons - which continues to rise after breaking its levee on Wednesday morning.

In Coffs Harbour, Dorrigo and Bellingen, falls between 200 and 300mm were recorded overnight and major flooding is also occurring on the Bellinger River.

Lismore is inundated once again with entire streets completely submerged for the second time in March
Two people are in critical condition and five others injured after a possible tornado damaged buildings and downed power lines in Northwest Arkansas.

The Deep South is now bracing for severe weather and possible 80 mph winds after multiple storms struck Springdale, Arkansas, located about 145 miles northwest of Little Rock, on Wednesday morning, Springdale Police confirmed.

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, said all of Mississippi and parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee were at the greatest risk for severe weather as of mid-week.

More than eight million people live in the area at greatest risk, which includes the cities of Memphis, Tennessee; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Jackson, Mississippi, and Montgomery, Alabama.

Authorities said the Springdale area was hit with a ton of damage, including downed trees, debris on roadways, downed power lines and multiple structures that have been damaged.

Scroll Down For Video:

George Elementary School in Springdale was heavily damaged, including the school's gym and cafeteria

Multiple homes across Springdale could be seen with portions of roofs torn off

Emergency personnel works on George Elementary School after it was damaged by powerful storms on Wednesday morning

Multiple homes across Springdale could be seen with portions of roofs torn off while George Elementary School's gym and cafeteria were totally destroyed by the powerful winds.

The damage led the Springdale School District, the largest in Arkansas, to cancel all classes Wednesday.

'At this time, we can confirm George Elementary School in Springdale, Arkansas, was damaged by a potential tornado in the early morning of Wednesday, March 30,' the Springdale School District said in a statement to Weather.com.

'The gymnasium was destroyed and the kitchen and cafeteria were severely damaged,' the statement added.

'The school district is closed today. Maintenance staff are assessing damage in all buildings throughout the Springdale School District.'

High impact winds form Wednesday mornings storm caused major structural damage in Northwest Arkansas

A reporters stands beside downed powerlines after a possible tornado ripped through Springdale, Arkansas Wednesday morning

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, said all of Mississippi and parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee were at the greatest risk for severe weather Wednesday

Thursday the weather will shift from the southeast from Florida all the way up to the northeast

The worst weather in the Deep South was expected in the afternoon Wednesday - unlike last week's New Orleans tornado, which struck overnight and killed a man.

A tornado watch was issued for most of Arkansas, Northern Louisiana, Southern Missouri, Southeastern Oklahoma and Northeast Texas through early Wednesday afternoon.

In the next 24 hours, a line of severe storms are expected to approach Alabama and are expected to bring winds of up to 80 mph that could lead to strong tornadoes and possible hail.

Also expected is one to two inches of rain and possible flooding throughout the state, as well as thunderstorms.

Residents are advised to secure loose objects that could be blown away by strong winds and to prepare for possible power outages.
Japan cannot hide truth about wartime atrocities



Japan has again come under strong criticism for distorting historical facts about its wartime atrocities. This criticism came Tuesday when the Japanese education ministry announced the results of its screening of textbooks for use by second- and third-year high school students starting in 2023.



Textbook publishers were forced to delete the expression "forced mobilization" which was used to describe Koreans forced into hard labor during Japan's 1910-45 occupation of Korea. Instead, they had to use "mobilization" or "conscription" in the government-censored textbooks. Many of the books were also found to have remove the word "wartime" from "wartime comfort women" when referring to Korean sex slaves for frontline Japanese soldiers during World War II.



The deletion of such expressions demonstrates that the Japanese government has forced publishers to distort history in the process of screening textbooks. Its move is nothing but an attempt to erase the coercive nature of its past atrocities and misdeeds. The publishers seemed to have no other choice but to water down the expressions and descriptions of forced labor and sex slavery in the face of government censorship.



At the same time, the Tokyo government has reinforced its claim over Dokdo, a set of volcanic islets in the East Sea. The textbooks reflected the Japanese government's assertions that Dokdo belongs to Japan, and that South Korea is occupying the islets illegally. Such a claim is nonsense because Dokdo is part of Korea's territory historically, geographically and under international law.



The harder Japan tries to gloss over its shameful history, the more it will lose from its blatant disregard of the truth. Japan should face up to history squarely. Forced labor and sex slavery are crimes against humanity. The country should not forget the landmark "Kono statement" that was issued in 1993 by then-Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono who acknowledged and apologized for forced mobilization of Asian women as wartime sex slaves for Japan's military.



However, Japan has been trying to ignore the statement, particularly since 2012 when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took power. Ties between Seoul and Tokyo reached their lowest level since the 1965 diplomatic normalization due to Japan's refusal to honor a South Korean Supreme Court ruling in 2018 that its firms should pay compensation to the surviving South Korean victims of wartime forced labor.



Japan's distortion of history is the main culprit behind the soured bilateral relationship. The Moon Jae-in government has failed to mend ties with Tokyo. Incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol is pledging to improve relations with Tokyo to strengthen trilateral cooperation between the U.S. and its two Asian allies. However, it is difficult for Seoul to forge better ties with Tokyo unless the latter has a correct understanding of history.



Yoon needs to hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishda as early as possible after his inauguration set for May 10. The two leaders should pool their wisdom to resolve historical disputes and forge a future-oriented partnership. Yet true reconciliation and forgiveness will not come without sincere repentance and apology for wartime atrocities.










A three-month-old baby girl mauled to death by an 'out-of-control' husky died from head and neck wounds, an inquest heard today.

Kyra Leanne King died on March 6 at Ostler's Plantation, near Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire, the hearing in Lincoln was told.

The provisional cause of death was given in a statement by coroner's officer Jacqui Foxlow after a post-mortem examination.

A probe into the mauling remains 'live', Temporary Detective Inspector Calley Murray told assistant coroner Paul Cooper.

A 40-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of being in charge of an out-of-control husky and remain under investigation.

A couple lay flowers near a tree at Ostler's Plantation, Lincolnshire, following the death of a three-month-old baby

Police say the fatal incident took place in the car park area of the Lincolnshire beauty spot

A man and a woman have been released under investigation on suspicion of being in charge of a dog that was out of control

The horrific incident happened at Ostler's Plantation, near to Woodall Spa, Lincolnshire, at about 11.15pm on March 6

'Detectives are keeping an open mind as they investigate the circumstances,' he added.

The dog remains in isolation at a secure kennels, with officers due to seek an order to put it down, the court was told.

Mr Cooper described Kyra's death as a sad case with tragic consequences.

He adjourned the hearing to a date yet to be fixed.

In the wake of the tragedy earlier this month, a number of locals left flowers at the scene.

Dog walker James Carter, 31, said: 'We came back today because we stood and saw it yesterday with all the tape, I felt bad.

'We walked in the back way as we couldn't get into the car park. When we got here we could see the square van and tape and various officers.

'We felt very bad so we came here today to place flowers. It's awful.'
Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson have the receipts, they claim, that connect Hunter Biden with a firm tied to the Chinese government, as they resurrected their investigation this week into the foreign financial entanglements of the Biden family.

Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican, said Monday on the Senate floor that the documents add to the proof that Hunter Biden 'used his father's position and name to enrich himself and his family.'

Grassley, an Iowa Republican, shared two images that showed an August 2017 $100,000 wire transfer from the state-controlled Chinese energy company CEFC through Wells Fargo Clearing Services that stated 'further credit to Owasco,' a Hunter Biden firm.

Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley (pictured) and Ron Johnson have the receipts, they claim, that connect Hunter Biden with a firm tied to the Chinese government. This week they resurrected their investigation into the foreign financial entanglements of the Biden family

Sen. Ron Johnson, standing next to a Hunter Biden financial document, said Monday on the Senate floor that the newdocuments add to the proof that Hunter Biden 'used his father's position and name to enrich himself and his family'

Sen. Chuck Grassley tweeted out financial documents Monday that showed an August 2017 $100,000 wire transfer from the state-controlled Chinese energy company CEFC through Wells Fargo Clearing Services that stated 'further credit to Owasco,' a Hunter Biden firm

'Just gave a speech on the senate floor showing the financial link btwn communist Chinese Govt & Hunter Biden & James Biden / Sen Johnson & I will be sharing more soon STAY TUNED,' Grassley said in a Monday night tweet, sharing the documents.

Both senators discussed the investigation on the Senate floor Monday.

'Sen. Johnson and I will produce new records to show additional connections between the Biden familiy and the communist Chinese regime,' Grassley announced. 'Our report exposed extensive financial relationships between Hunter and James Biden and Chinese nationals connected to the communist regime.'

Grassley and Johnson released two reports into Hunter Biden's (pictured) foreign business dealings in 2020, but those were largely characterized as partisan attacks during a presidential election year

Grassley and Johnson previously produced two reports, one in September 2020, before the election, and one in November 2020, after President Joe Biden had been elected, that revealed 'millions of dollars in questionable financial transactions between Hunter Biden and his associates and foreign individuals with ties to the Chinese Communist Party and Russian government.'

At the time, the reports were largely characterized as a partisan takedown during an election year.

The reports were made public around the same time The New York Post reported the existence of Hunter Biden's laptop, which the Biden campaign labeled Russian propaganda.

The laptop included emails connected to Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings.

Earlier this month, The New York Times said the contents of the laptop - which was left at a Delaware computer store - had been 'authenticated.'

DailyMail.com had authenticated the contents of the laptop a whole year before.

Johnson mostly used his time on the floor to blast his Democratic colleagues and journalists for not taking the 2020 reports seriously, calling it a 'classic media cover-up.'

'When it comes to our investigation into the vast web of foreign financial entanglements of the Biden family, those attacks have had one goal in mind: to cover up the extent President Biden might be, and almost certainly is, compromised,' Johnson claimed.

Johnson said he and Grassley remain undeterred.

'Over the next few days, Sen. Grassley and I will come to the floor to present additional evidence that has not yet been made public,' Johnson said. 'These records show extensive connections between the Biden family and elements of the Communist Chinese regime - we're talking high-dollar transactions.'

Johnson said some of the material was already highlighted in the two 2020 reports. 'But our speeches will introduce new financial documents into the record for all to see,' he said.

'Now, we expect Democrats and the media to continue to use their power to smear us and cover up for the Bidens, but the truth has a power of its own and we intend to continue to reveal the truth,' Johnson added.

The two Republican senators aren't the only ones looking into Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings, as prosecutors from the U.S. attorney's office in Delaware are doing so as well, as the first son's tax accounting is under legal scrutiny.

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that case is picking up steam, with a number of Hunter Biden's business associates and witnesses testifying before a grand jury including on his Burisma business deal in Ukraine.

The Journal reported that one witness was asked extensively about Hunter Biden's cocaine and drinking habits, and on his mental state.

The Burisma deal is the most famous, as it was central to President Donald Trump's first impeachment.

Hunter Biden was being paid about $50,000 a month from 2014 to 2019 to sit on the Ukrainian energy company's board - something Trump brought up repeatedly, noting the first son's lack of expertise.

Sensing now President Joe Biden could be a formidable 2020 foe, Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in July 2019 to announce an investigation into Hunter and Joe Biden over Hunter's Ukraine-based business dealings.

Trump pressured Zelensky by holding up $400 million in Congressionally-approved military aid, impeachment backers said.

Trump was impeached in the House, but acquitted in the Senate, where there was a Republican majority.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appears poised to continue to splash the cash on big projects in the Empire State's budget, with the possibility of three new casino licenses - including one catering to the wealthy in the heart of Manhattan.

The governor and the leaders of the Democrat-controlled State Senate and Assembly are expected to hammer out a fast-tracked deal that could see a number of different bids for New York City-based gaming, including a Monaco-style casino for high rollers open atop Saks Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, according to The New York Times.

The deal would allow gaming licenses to be rushed through as part of the state's budget - due on Friday, April 1, with Hochul's fellow Democrats suggesting a $1 billion price tag for the permits.

Currently, only three of the state's 25 casinos are 'downstate' - one in Queens, one in Yonkers and a third on Long Island.

Betting companies have spent about $300,000 a month to try and bring the casinos to Manhattan, arguing that New York loses billions to neighboring states by not having the gambling dens in some of its ritziest areas.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul may hammer out a deal with legislative leaders that could see a number of different bids for New York City-based gaming, including a casino for high rollers open atop Saks Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan

The huge main store of fashion chain Saks Fifth Avenue is located next to St. Patrick's Cathedral

Resort World Casino is New York City's lone casino in Ozone Park, Queens

But not only do the corporations want movement on the issue: the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, which endorsed Hochul's re-election bid, are also lobbying hard for the jobs those casinos would create for its nearly 10,000 unemployed members.

'These are jobs that pay $36 an hour, have free family health care and have a pension plan,' said union boss Richard Maroko. 'So they are in dire straits because many of them have been out of work for two years without any immediate prospect of comparable employment.'

The union has given more than $880,000 in campaign contributions to Democrats in Albany since 2020.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams also appears to be in favor of the plan, as his chief of staff Frank Carone recently met with Robert Goldstein, the CEO of Las Vegas Sands.

Adams - who himself was spotted in Monaco last summer - wants at least two of the three licenses in his city rather than on Long Island, a spokesperson told The Times.

MGM and Genting, the operators of the two racetrack and casino complexes in Yonkers and Queens, appear favorites to get those potential billion-dollar licenses.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams appears to want the gaming licenses to come to his city rather than Long Island

State Senator Liz Kreuger, an Upper East Side Democrat, said there are several bidders on the third license, including what she called 'a fancy Monaco-like casino on the top floor of Saks'

State Senator Liz Kreuger, an Upper East Side Democrat, said there are several bidders on the third license, and that she 'likes the storyline' of what she called 'a fancy Monaco-like casino on the top floor of Saks.' There aren't renderings for any such proposal yet.

Kreuger, who previously opposed gaming, told The Times she felt a casino could work if it was targeting the wealthy, rather than working class Manhattanites.

In a statement to DailyMail.com, Kreuger noted the several hurdles that would need to be cleared.

'It is critical that any plan to site casinos in New York City must move through standard city land use approvals including [land use review] and zoning, and get support from the local government and Community Boards,' she said.

'There may be support in some parts of the city for siting a casino; I'm not so sure that my district in Manhattan would be open to one.'

Other Manhattan Dems, including Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, remain firmly in the 'no' column, seeing building just one casino in Manhattan as a slippery slope.

'I think a casino would have a harmful effect on the whole atmosphere in the area surrounding it,' Gottfried told The Times. 'I find it hard to believe that once there is one casino in Manhattan, there wouldn't be strong pressure to have more.'

Empire City Casino in Yonkers is one of three downstate casinos in New York

If one of the ritzier bids were to go through, a casino would be located across the street from St. Patrick's Cathedral

Some of the ideas put forth have included a 'Monaco-style' casino at Saks, across the street from the famous St. Patrick's Cathedral, as well as a Hard Rock casino in Times Square and a potential spot with a view of the East River, according to The New York Times.

New York has laws on the books preventing liquor licenses from being granted within 500 feet of a church, though no similar gambling license law exists.

At least one company, Bally's, has said that the challenges of building in Manhattan might prove too great and have suggested sites like the open land near Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, in Flushing, Queens.

One of the main hurdles would be the state's assembly Democrats, which have not included the provision for the licenses in their state budget and would need to be negotiated by the governor.

Hochul, who faces re-election in 2022, has already promised $850 million in public money to the NFL's Buffalo Bills for a new stadium.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Hochul, Adams, St. Patrick's Cathedral and the hotel workers' union for comment.
The woman accused of harassing Apple CEO Tim Cook with pleas for sex and other crude suggestions before showing up at his Silicon Valley home in a threatening manner last October has agreed to stay away - at least 200 yards - for the next three years.

Julie Lee Choi, 45, agreed to the deal negotiated with Apple during an appearance in front of Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Erik Johnson on Tuesday. Cook, Apple's CEO for the past decade, wasn't present at the proceeding led in San Jose, California.

Choi, who appeared without a lawyer, declined to comment after the hearing while angrily waving off two reporters taking her picture outside the courthouse. An Apple lawyer also declined to discuss the agreement.

The court order requires Choi to refrain from coming within 200 yards, or 600 feet, of Cook, 61, during the next three years, and prohibits her from attempting to communicate with him through any electronic means, including on Twitter accounts or emails. If she violates the terms, Choi could face criminal charges and potentially be imprisoned.

The bizarre case traces back to late 2020 when Choi began emailing Cook - who came out publicly as gay in 2014 - begging him to have sex with her and attaching images of handguns that she insisted he had made her buy, according to evidence that Apple submitted to obtain a temporary restraining order against her in January.

In October, Choi even showed up outside Cook's home in her Porsche SUV on two separate occasions and warned she 'could get violent' if he didn't meet her, according to court documents.

Choi had been living in McLean, Virginia, before she drove to Cook's home in Silicon Valley in her Porsche Macan. After searching her car for weapons, police noticed the woman's driver license had expired, which led to vehicle being towed.

The Virginia native also claimed that Cook is the father of her twin children, although her Twitter bio suggests that both have 'died.' She changed her name to Julia Lee Cook on social media.

Documents also revealed that Choi had set up a series of bogus companies trying to connect her to Cook, sometimes listing an Apple office as the headquarters.

Julie Lee Choi waves off reporters outside Santa Clara Superior Court in San Jose, California, on March 29

Choi - accused of harassing Apple CEO Tim Cook with pleas for sex and other crude suggestions before showing up at his Silicon Valley home last autumn and suggesting she could become violent - agreed to stay away from him for the next three years under an agreement approved on Tuesday

The alleged stalker showed up on two separate occasions to Apple chief Tim Cook at his home in 2020 and claimed she could get violent if he didn't meet her

Choi even claimed that Cook was the father of her twins despite the Apple boss previously coming out as gay and sent pictures of armed weapons to him

Over time, she sent the wealthy CEO, who has an estimated net worth of $2.1 billion, more than 200 emails.

'I can't live like this anymore,' Choi wrote in one email to Cook sent from an iPhone. 'I want sex with you, please, please.'

Cook has publicly said he is a gay man, but even after Choi acknowledged knowing that, her entreaties to him continued.

'Tim, if we are destined for our lives, any circumstance we can meet each other,' Choi wrote in a December 2010 email that also told him where she was staying in San Jose at that time.

When police were notified and went to the address, they realized it was an Airbnb and saw that Choi wasn't present.

Apple took legal action after Choi told Cook in September that she intended to apply to become his 'roommate' at his condominium located in Palo Alto, California - about 15 miles from Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California.

The tech giant has also alleged that Choi set up fake companies with 'highly offensive corporate names,' in California, Virginia and New York, enlisting Apple's address and registering Cook as a corporate officer, director or agent in attempts to meet the Apple boss.

On social media, Virginia native Choi changed her name to Julia Lee Cook and her bio says that the twins she claims to have had with Cook have 'died'

Then, in another December email, Choi told Cook she would forgive him for $500 million in cash.

A few weeks after that, Apple sought its temporary restraining order in a request that contended Choi 'may be armed' after she sent pics of the weapons to the tech chief executive and that she 'intends to return to Apple's CEO residence or locate him otherwise in the near future.'

Apple paid more than $630,000 for security measures designed to protect Cook last year, according a required company disclosure to shareholders.

Choi has reportedly sent 200 emails to Cook and regularly replied to his tweets, tagging Cook's Twitter handle, as her first signs of online activity trace back to October 2020,
A series of peculiar objects have appeared on the shores of Moolooaba Beach in Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

It's the latest mysterious discoveries at a Sunshine Coast beach after a man found a strange animal at Cotton Tree beach - roughly 4km away - earlier this month.

Local resident Snjezana Ahlgren crossed paths with the odd phallic-shaped objects while going for a walk at Mooloolaba on Thursday.

A series of peculiar objects have appeared on the shores of Moolooaba Beach in Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Local resident Snjezana Ahlgren crossed paths with the odd phallic-shaped objects while going for a walk at Mooloolaba on Thursday

She snapped photos of the find before posting them to social media to ask others online what the fleshy things were.

'These were everywhere, what are they?' she wrote.

It didn't take long for social media users to come back with a range of responses.

Many guessed the objects could be fish innards that had been thrown into the sea by trawlers, while another believed it might be a unique saltwater clam known as a Geoduck clam.

One user commented that the objects could be from an adult store from south Queensland or northern NSW that have been carried north due to the recent flooding that has devastated the region.

Others made more crude responses that referenced the object's penis-like shape.

'I think I read a book on puberty in the 5th grade. I feel like that's where I've seen these,' said a follower.

One joked that it came from a 'cheating husband'.

Many guessed the objects could be fish innards that had been thrown into the sea by trawlers, while another believed it might be a unique saltwater clam known as a Geoduck clam

The find comes as pastor Alex Tan found a mysterious, alien-like creature at Cotton Tree beach earlier this month during his morning walk.

Cotton Tree beach is roughly only 4km from where Snjezana crossed paths with the phallic objects.

The creature that Alex, 28, found appears to have a reptilian-like skull, flabby limbs -likely from bloating, a long tail and claws.

He shared a video of his encounter with the unknown animal to his Instagram page and began to provide a guess as to what it could be.

A mysterious, alien-like creature has washed up on a beach on the Sunshine Coast, leaving locals stunned

'I've stumbled across something weird,' he said to the camera. 'This is like one of those things you see when people claim they've found aliens.'

As Alex provides a glimpse of the creature on camera, flies can be seen crawling on top of it and buzzing around it.

'It looks like a de-haired possum, but different to anything I've seen,' Alex continued before labelling it 'extraterrestrial'.

Those who have reacted to the clip on social media believe it could be either a joey kangaroo or wallaby due to its features and small size.

The strange creature appears to have a reptilian-like skull, flabby limbs, a long tail and claws

Local resident Alex Tan (pictured) first discovered the animal on the shore of Maroochydore beach during his morning beach walk

Those who have reacted to the clip on social media believe it could be either a joey kangaroo or wallaby due to its features and small size

Only a month before that, a brain-like creature was discovered at Warriewood Beach on Sydney's Northern Beaches.

The creature had left locals mystified, before being identified as a wandering sea anemone.

After stumbling across the bizarre blob-like critter the woman uploaded a photo to Facebook in hopes someone could identify it.

'Hey anyone know what this is? Washed up at Warriewood Beach this morning? Approximately 15cm x 10cm,' she captioned the image.

A mysterious brain-like creature (pictured) was discovered last month at Warriewood Beach on Sydney 's Northern Beaches.

The peculiar red and green animal was spotted by a local during a walk on Warriewood Beach (pictured) on Sydney's Northern Beaches last month

Budding wildlife experts were quick to share their thoughts on the brain-like creature with some comparing its consistency to kidney or baked beans.

One commenter finally identified the mysterious blob as a 'wandering sea anemone' also known as a 'swimming anemone' or 'brain anemone'.

The species is the largest of the anemone family and is commonly spotted inside rock pools across Sydney due to the its ability to move about freely.

The anemone can crawl along the seafloor or drift with the current but is most likely to be found attached to rocks or algae.
Advertisement

Chris Rock has arrived at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston ahead of Wednesday night's comedy show, with fans hoping that the 57-year-old standup may for the first time address Will Smith slapping him during Sunday's Oscars - as the Academy formally apologized to him, and said Smith refused to leave the auditorium.

Tickets for the show have soared in price following the debacle, with seats for the sold-out show now being traded online for thousands of dollars.

Shortly after his arrival, the Academy announced it had launched 'disciplinary procedures' against Smith, and confirmed he ignored their request for him to leave his seat.

Smith was asked to leave by David Rubin, the president of the Academy, and CEO Dawn Hudson, TMZ reported.

Two sources told the site Rubin and Hudson were 'furious' at Smith, and there was plenty of 'yelling' and 'heated conversations' backstage with his reps after the incident.

One source said the Academy officials were 'apoplectic.'

The Academy said: 'Mr. Smith's actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television.

'Mr. Rock, we apologize to you for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience in that moment.'

They continued: 'The Board of Governors today initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violations of the Academy's Standards of Conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy,' their statement said.

'Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, [but] we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently.'

Smith will receive 15 days notice of a vote as well as an opportunity to be heard by written response.

At the next board meeting - scheduled for April 18 - the Academy may take action that could include 'suspension, expulsion, or other sanctions permitted by the Bylaws and Standards of Conduct.'

Smith apologized to Rock on Monday night in an Instagram post, but Rock is yet to respond. He has declined to press charges against Smith.

Chris Rock is pictured on Wednesday evening arriving at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston ahead of his sold-out show

The 57-year-old did not say anything to the waiting reporters as he arrived at the venue

Rock looked downbeat amid the drama, which overshadowed the Oscars and deeply divided Hollywood. Smith apologized to him on Monday night, but Rock is yet to respond

Many expressed support for the South Carolina-born comedian, saying that Smith was out of order when he marched onto stage and hit Rock for joking about his wife's alopecia

Others have condemned Rock for joking about Jada Pinkett Smith's condition, which is when the autoimmune system attacks the scalp and causes hair loss

Rock's appearance in Boston comes as the Academy revealed Wednesday that it had asked Smith to leave the Dolby Theatre after the shocking incident but the actor refused.

The Academy's statement in full The Board of Governors today initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violations of the Academy's Standards of Conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy. Consistent with the Academy's Standards of Conduct, as well as California law, Mr. Smith is being provided at least 15 days' notice of a vote regarding his violations and sanctions and the opportunity to be heard beforehand by means of a written response. At the next board meeting on April 18, the Academy may take any disciplinary action, which may include suspension, expulsion, or other sanctions permitted by the Bylaws and Standards of Conduct. Mr. Smith's actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television. Mr. Rock, we apologize to you for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience in that moment. We also apologize to our nominees, guests and viewers for what transpired during what should have been a celebratory event. Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated. While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently. Advertisement

On Tuesday, a leaked letter from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences revealed that leaders are 'outraged and upset' at Smith's behavior, and that it could take weeks to dish out punishment for the actor.

The letter, obtained by CNN just hours before the Academy was expected to hold a meeting to discuss the incident, states the altercation 'overshadowed' what was meant to be a celebration of the film community.

But Smith could still face punishment from the Academy, who condemned Smith's actions and launched a 'formal review' of the incident.

'The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night's 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.'

In the letter leaked Tuesday night, signed by Academy president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson, states that the 'Academy's Board of Governors will now make a determination on appropriate action for Mr. Smith.'

The group's Board of Governors are also planning an emergency meeting Wednesday evening to discuss the incident and possible punishments.

Smith faces a range of outcomes, including forcing him to hand back his Oscar to the most severe punishment - suspension from the Academy - which would put Smith among the ranks of Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby, who were both expelled for sexual misconduct.

Ticket prices for Rock's 'Ego Death' World Tour soared into the thousands as demand for seats spiked after Smith march on stage during the live show Sunday and smacked the stunned comedian across the face.

Tickets on Stubhub are listed between $125 and $399.

On Vividseats, tickets are listed between $244 and $1,150.

And on TickPick, tickets are listed between $307 and $1,463.

After arriving in Boston on Tuesday, Rock was seen again later that night leaving Boston Hotel with his entourage, as he exited through a side door and immediately got into his waiting vehicle. He was thought to be headed to the Wilbur theater for rehearsals ahead of now sold-out shows.

Rock will perform six shows at the Wilbur this week at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., Wednesday through Friday.

Tickets for all shows are sold out, but tickets through third party distributors reportedly are available.

TickPick sold more tickets overnight following the Oscars than they did in the past month combined, TickPick said wrote in a statement to the Boston Globe.

Ticket prices for the shows skyrocketed 600 percent overnight, they added.

The cheapest ticket was sold for $46 on March 18 - and now the lowest price is about $300.

When announcing the tour in February, Rock said on his Instagram: 'Ego Death World Tour 2022 all new material introspective very personal and very funny. Can't wait to show you.'

Attendees will be hoping that he has updated material by the time the first show on Wednesday comes around to address Sunday night's drama.

Chris Rock stayed tight lipped Tuesday when he was spotted in public for the first time since he was slapped by actor Will Smith on stage at the Oscars Sunday night when he made a joke about Smith's wife Jada

The comedian kept his head down under a ball cap as he arrived in Boston around 6 p.m. Tuesday and quickly got into a waiting vehicle refusing to answer questions about Sunday's incident

Rock is scheduled to perform tonight at his sold-out show where tickets have soared into the thousands

Read the full letter sent to members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Dear Members, Sunday's telecast of the 94th Oscars was meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year. We are upset and outraged that those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior on stage by a nominee. To be clear, we condemn Mr. Smith's actions that transpired Sunday night. As outlined in our bylaws, the Academy's Board of Governors will now make a determination on appropriate action for Mr. Smith. As governed by California law regarding members of nonprofit organizations like the Academy, and set forth in our Standards of Conduct, this must follow an official process that will take a few weeks. We will continue to update you on any developments, but we also ask that you respect your Board, Academy staff and the process as this unfolds so it can work in the considered way it was intended and mandated. Please trust that the Board of Governors will conduct this process in a manner that is both expedient and respectful of all involved while maintaining the standards of the Academy. Thank you, David Rubin, PresidentDawn Hudson, CEO Advertisement

Smith - who just minutes later won the best actor award for his role in 'King Richard' - shocked the crowd and viewers at home on Sunday when he walked onto 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, can't 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 wife's name out your f****** mouth.'

His words echoed clearly throughout the Dolby, though broadcaster ABC cut the audio for about 15 seconds.

Within 45 minutes, Smith won best actor. During his acceptance speech, Smith apologized to the academy.

Smith on Monday also issued an apology to Rock, saying his behavior was 'unacceptable and inexcusable' and left him 'embarrassed'.

'I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris,' he wrote.

'I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be.

'There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.'

Rock, who had not been seen until Tuesday, told the Los Angeles Police Department that he does not want to press charges.

A source told TMZ on Monday that after the slapping incident, he went backstage to his dressing room and has not spoken to Smith.

But Smith could still face a misdemeanor charge for battery should Rock have a change of heart.

More than half of Americans sided with Will Smith over Chris Rock in the now-infamous Oscars-slapping incident, according to a new poll that asked 'Who do you think was more in the wrong?'

Blue Rose Research, a Democratic pollster, surveyed 2,162 Americans online regarding the heated moment at Sunday's Academy Awards between Rock and Smith, with 52.3 percent of people saying Rock deserved what he got after he joked about Smith's wife's shave head.

While Smith has received the lion's share of public criticism and faces possible discipline from the Academy over the slap, data revealed a majority of Americans are on Team Smith, according to Blue Rose Researcher David Shor.

The poll comes ahead of an emergency meeting of the Academy's board scheduled for Wednesday that will decide if Smith will suffer any punishment for his actions.

Rock, 57, declined LAPD's offer to file a police report against Smith after being slapped in the face at Oscars

Rock was later seen leaving Boston Hotel with his entourage, as he exited through a side door and got into his waiting vehicle

Rock was thought to be headed to Wilbur theater for rehearsals ahead of his sold-out show Wednesday

Ticket prices for Rock's 'Ego Death' World Tour soared into the thousands as demand for seats spiked after the incident

Out of 2,162 Americans surveyed about the incident, more than half believed that Chris Rock was more in the wrong and that Will Smith was justified in slapping him

A majority of those 18 to 64 years old and those making less than $100,000-a-year agreed that Rock was more in the wrong. About 56.5 percent of women also put the blame on Rock, but 52.4 percent of men disagreed and said Smith was to blame

According to the results, the majority of those between 18 and 64 years old believed Rock was in the wrong, while about 51.8 percent of those 65 and older thought Smith was the one who crossed the line.

Men and women were divided on the issue, with 56.5 percent of women agreeing that Rock was most at fault while 52.4 percent of men thought Smith was the one to blame.

In terms of income, the majority of those who made less than $100,000-a-year blamed Rock while the majority of those who made more blamed Smith.

About 51.1 percent of white people thought Rock was at fault, as did 56 percent of black people and 55.7 percent of Hispanics and Native Americans. Asians were split down the middle, according to the poll.

When lining up the issue with how people voted in the 2020 presidential election, about 50.1 percent of Joe Biden voters put the blame on Smith while 50.8 percent of Donald Trump voters blamed Rock.

The majority of those who backed another candidate or did not vote also blamed Rock.

The poll also found that the majority of people who agreed that spanking a child was 'sometimes necessary' for discipline believed Rock was at fault while the majority of those who disagreed with the statement faulted Smith.

Shor also displayed the results in a presidential electoral map, demonstrating that if people voted with how they perceived the slapping incident, Smith would sweep the with 470 electoral votes to Rock's 68.

If people voted with how they perceived the slapping incident, Smith would sweep with 470 electoral votes to Rock's 68, according to Blue Rose Research's poll

The Academy plans to meet Wednesday night, where Smith's fate could be decided.

A post-Oscars board meeting is always held to discuss the ceremony and address any concerns, but does not usually happen this soon, the Hollywood Reporter learned.

The decision to hold the meeting was made after the Academy met for an emergency call Monday night about the incident and released a statement announcing a launch of a formal review.

'The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night's 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.'

Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars on Sunday, after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. On Monday, Smith apologized

Pictured: Chris Rock holds a hand to his face after he was slapped by Will Smith while presenting an award at Sunday night's Oscars ceremony in Hollywood

O.J. Simpson also chimed in on the slapdown on Tuesday, saying he felt the same way when 'every comedian in the country had an OJ routine.'

'Look, I understood the feeling,' said the acquitted double-murder suspect in a video posted to Twitter on Tuesday.

'In my life, I've been through a lot of crap when I was raising two young kids and every comedian in the country had an O.J. routine, and don't think I wouldn't want to [b**ch] slap a couple of them, but you got to accept that it's human.'

Simpson, 74, who ended up being convicted for armed robbery in Las Vegas in 2008 before being paroled in 2017, said he felt sympathetic toward Smith. But the disgraced NFL great nicknamed Juice still said the actor was wrong to hurt the comedian over a 'semi un-funny joke.'

'Hey, look, it was unfortunate. I think Will was wrong.'

Simpson went on to say that 'after what happened to me in Las Vegas,' authorities would have put him in prison. He was convicted after attempting to steal back what he claimed was his own memorabilia at gunpoint at a hotel on The Strip. He was sentenced to 33 years in prison before being paroled.

'If I would have done that in front of a billion people watching around the world, they would have given me life without [parole], I'm just saying.'

Simpson is now a 'completely free man' after being granted an early discharge from parole by the Nevada Parole Board. He was granted good behavior credits and discharged from parole effective December 1,

'Mr. Simpson is a completely free man now,' said Malcolm LaVergne, Simpson's lawyer in Las Vegas.

The Juice said he felt sympathetic toward Smith, but still said the actor was wrong to hurt the comedian over a 'semi un-funny joke'

Simpson wasn't the only one to condemn Smith's actions, with podcast giant Joe Rogan, 54, saying on his podcast that the Men in Black actor only got away with it because of his big name.

'It's a rare instance that someone so enormously famous and successful like Will Smith that they literally still allowed him to not just win the Academy Award, but also go up and accept it and give a speech after he assaulted a small comedian on stage,' he said.

He also worried that 'dumb people' will now have license to start attacking comedians after Smith stormed the Dolby Theatre stage Sunday and assaulted Rock.

'It sets a terrible precedent in so many different ways,' Rogan said on his podcast on Tuesday. 'It sets a terrible precedent for comedy clubs. Like, are people going to decide to go on stage and smack a comedian now.'

Fellow actor Jim Carrey, 60, also said he was 'sickened by the standing ovation' after Smith won his award.

'I felt like Hollywood is just spineless en masse. It really felt like this is a clear indication that we're not the cool club anymore,' he said on CBS Morning News.

Benedict Cumberbatch, a fellow Best Actor nominee, as well as Best Director nominee Paul Thomas Anderson and actress Maya Rudolph were some of the stars who stood for Smith's win.

Venus and Serena Williams, whose father was portrayed by Smith in King Richard, also stood.

Carrey, who briefly overlapped with Rock in the early 90s on Fox's In Living Color, claimed Rock didn't file charges about the slap because he 'didn't want the hassle' and suggested Smith should have been arrested.

'I'd have announced this morning that I was suing Will for $200 million because that video's gonna be there forever. It's gonna be ubiquitous. That insult is gonna last a very long time,' Carrey said.

The Mask actor seemed to indicate that expressing disapproval of the joke, saying something on Twitter or even yelling from the audience wasn't beyond the pale - but what Smith ended up doing crossed the line.

Jim Carrey and Will Smith during Nickelodeon's 16th Annual Kids' Choice Awards 2003

Actor and comedian Jim Carrey slammed the audience at Sunday's Academy Awards for giving Will Smith a standing ovation following his now infamous slap of Chris Rock

'You do not have the right to walk up on stage and smack somebody on the face because they said words,' Carrey said.

The Ace Ventura star suggested that something was 'going on' inside of Smith that caused him to do that, and that he acted selfishly.

'It didn't escalate, it came out of nowhere because Will has something going on inside him that's frustrated and I wish him the best, I really do,' Carrey said. 'I don't have anything against Will Smith, he's done great things.

'It cast a pall over everybody's shining moment, a lot of people worked really hard to get to that place,' The Truman Show star added.

'It is no mean feat to go through all the stuff you have to go through when you get nominated for an Oscar. It's a gauntlet of devotion. It was just a selfish moment.'

Carrey's comments come as The View host Whoopi Goldberg, who is also a member of the Academy board of governors, said she believes Smith will be able to keep his Oscar but will face 'big consequences because nobody is okay with what happened.'

Whoopi Goldberg doubled down on her promise to punish Will Smith Tuesday, saying on daytime talk show The View: 'There are consequences. There are big consequences because nobody is OK with what happened. Nobody, nobody, nobody'

'There are consequences,' she said during a taping of The View Tuesday. 'There are big consequences because nobody is OK with what happened.'

'Nobody, nobody, nobody,' she added.

She said that criticism of the stunned crowd was out of line because of the chaotic moment unfolding in real time.

The reason people went over to Smith, she said, is because 'people thought Oh my god, is he having a break? Do we need to get him out? What do we need to do?'

The incident continues to be a national conversation and Goldberg added Tuesday that she hopes people begin to ask: 'What could have triggered this?'

'What's happening is people are now starting to calm down and say, 'Wait a minute, what could have triggered this?' Could have been the four years ago, could have been anything.'

The 'four years ago' is in reference to Rock making jokes about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, at a another awards show.

Pinkett Smith, 50, finally broke her silence on Tuesday with an Instagram post that read, 'This is a season for healing and I'm here for it.'

Pinkett Smith posted the words on a pink background, but did not share a caption. She has remained quiet since the dramatic events unfolded Sunday night.

Pinkett Smith has broken her silence after the incident between her husband and Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about her shaved head. She has been open about her struggle with alopecia on social media
Sen. Susan Collins will vote to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, essentially sealing the judge's fate.

Collins, of Maine, is the first Republican to announce her support for the D.C. Court of Appeals judge.

'After reviewing Judge Ketanji Brown Jacksons extensive record, watching much of her hearing testimony, and meeting with her twice in person, I have concluded that she possesses the experience, qualifications, and integrity to serve as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court,' the moderate Republican said in a statement.

The senator said she had been assured that Jackson would not be 'bending the law to meet a personal preference.'

Collins expressed that she was unfazed by GOP attacks on Jackson's child porn sentencing record, gender, critical race theory and the judge's time as a public defender of detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

'In recent years, senators on both sides of the aisle have gotten away from what I perceive to be the appropriate process for evaluating judicial nominees,' she told the New York Times. 'In my view, the role under the Constitution assigned to the Senate is to look at the credentials, experience and qualifications of the nominee. It is not to assess whether a nominee reflects the individual ideology of a senator or would vote exactly as an individual senator would want.'

Sen. Susan Collins, left, will vote to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson, right, to the Supreme Court , essentially sealing the judge's fate

Collins, of Maine , is the first Republican to announce her support for the D.C. Court of Appeals judge

Jackson, 51, was likely to be confirmed even without Collins' vote, as no Democrats have expressed any deal-breaking criticisms of her record. But Collins' vote likely eliminates the need for Vice President Kamala Harris to serve as a tie-breaking vote in the split Senate.

Collins met with Jackson for about 90 minutes before last week's hearings and had another hour-long sit-down on Tuesday where the pair hashed out issues that had come up during the Judiciary Committee hearings.

It is not yet clear if any Republicans will join Collins in voting yes - moderate Sens. Mitt Romney, Utah, and Lisa Murkowski, Ala. Jackson also met with Romney on Tuesday.

Some Republicans, even ones who were seen as potential 'yes' votes to Jackson's confirmation, expressed concerns that during the hearings she refused to provide an answer on her opinion of packing the Supreme Court.

'I don't understand that, because it's not an issue that will come before her in the court, so she should as a nominee be able to talk about it,' Senator Rob Portman, Republican of Ohio, said Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press. 'And I'm concerned that she's not been willing to do that.'

Collins said that Jackson during her meeting on Tuesday assured her she would 'forever stay out of that issue.'

Republicans, particularly Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., seized on a legal brief Jackson filed on behalf of terrorism detainees at Guantanamo Bay that accused President George W. Bush's administration of 'war crimes' when they tortured detainees.

Collins said that Jackson assured her that she did not mean to accuse Bush personally of being a war criminal but used a common template for such cases.

Collins was one of three in her party to vote for Jackson's confirmation to the court of appeals, along with Murkowski and Graham.

The Maine Republican is often seen as a gettable vote in contentious Supreme Court clashes - she's voted for six of the nine sitting Supreme Court justices.

'I have no doubt that, if Judge Jackson is confirmed, I will not agree with every vote that she casts as a Justice. That alone, however, is not disqualifying,' Collin said in a statement. She's said before that presidents should have leeway in who they choose for the court.

Jackson also met with Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, on Tuesday

President Biden reportedly called Collins three times about the Supreme Court vacancy, including on the day he made his selection. Judiciary Chair Sen. Dick Durbin, Ill., reached out just after Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement.

Collins did not vote for Justice Amy Coney Barrett, citing the proximity to the 2020 election. Collins herself was up for reelection that year with a tough progressive challenger with wide national support, and moderate voters who supported her had worried she was too close to Donald Trump. She did not announce her 'no' vote until after Romney had announced he would vote yes.

Maine Democrats said that Collins had gotten a 'hall pass' from GOP leader Sen. Mitch McConnell to vote no after he was sure he'd have enough votes to confirm without her.

Two years earlier in 2018, she voted to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

McConnell is likely none too sore at Collins this time around either as Sen. Joe Manchin, W. Va., a key moderate Democratic vote, has already announced he'll vote in favor of Jackson.
This is the jaw-dropping moment a judo fighter pinned down a thief in a choke hold after he snatched her phone on the street.

The woman, whose name has not been released, was filmed detaining the suspected thief in the city of Manaus in the Brazilian state of Amazonas on March 24 at around 5pm.

The suspect snatched the woman's phone while she was waiting for a ride share cab, according to local reports.

The suspected thief is believed to have snatched the woman's phone from her hand while she was waiting for a cab in the city of Manaus in the Brazilian state of Amazonas on March 24

After grabbing her phone, the thief legged it down the street but the fighter chased after him and pinned him down.

The woman, who practises judo, was able to detain the suspect on the ground with a martial arts rear choke hold, according to local media.

She held the suspect at the scene until officers arrived to take him to the police station.

In the video, she is seen sitting calmly on the ground while holding the topless suspect in a neck lock.

The woman, whose name has not been released, was filmed detaining the suspected thief on the ground

The suspect is then handcuffed and the woman shoves him away from her in disgust and gets to her feet as onlookers clap and cheer.

An onlooker appears kicks the suspect as he lies on his front on the tarmac.

There have been no further updates on the investigation.

It's not the first time a suspected thief in Brazil has been tackled by a female martial arts expert.

An aspiring flight attendant from Brazil took matters into her own hands and prevented a cell phone thief from escaping by placing an arm-bar on him for almost 20 minutes before cops arrived to make the arrest

In 2018 mugger Magdeel da Silva, 18, was left screaming after Sabrina Leites, 22, placed him in an arm-bar while they lay on the street waiting for police to arrive.

Da Silva could be heard crying 'no more, no more' while Leites gave herself a thumbs up at one point during the viral cell phone video.

Leites, who had been practising jiu-jitsu for four years, was standing outside her family home in Manaus, Brazil when da Silva and an accomplice suddenly pulled up on a motorcycle and demanded her cell phone.

Leites, a white belt in the mixed martial arts sport, decided to defend herself since four cell phones had already been stolen in home invasions, according to Brazilian news outlet D24AM.

Da Silva was arrested and charged with attempted robbery.
A two-year-old boy has died of his injuries two days after being mauled by his family's three 'Rottweiler dogs' at a property in Worcestershire.

The boy was injured by the' out-of-control' dogs at an address in the hamlet of Egdon on Monday and suffered a cardiac arrest.

West Mercia Police confirmed the boy died this morning of his injuries.

The dogs involved have been 'secured' by police and removed from the house. They are not believed to be breeds banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

The boy was injured by two out-of-control dogs at an address in Egdon today. He remains in critical condition at Worcestershire Royal Hospital

What is the Dangerous Dogs Act? WHAT IS THE DANGEROUS DOGS ACT? The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 bans or restricts certain types of dogs and makes it an offence to allow a dog of any breed to be dangerously out of control. It was introduced 30 years ago by Home Secretary Kenneth Baker 'to rid the country of the menace of these fighting dogs' after a string of attacks. WHICH DOGS ARE BANNED IN THE UK? It is illegal to own four breeds of dogs without an exemption from a court. They are: American Pitbull Terriers;

Japanese tosas

Dogo Argentinos;

Fila Brazileiro The law also criminalises cross-breeds of the above four types of dog - meaning that whether a dog is prohibited will depend on a judgement about its physical characteristics, and whether they match the description of a prohibited 'type'. Staffordshire Bull Terriers look similar to Pitbull Terriers, but they're legal and common pets. WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE'S A DOG ATTACK? You can get an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to six months if your dog is dangerously out of control. You may not be allowed to own a dog in the future and your dog may be destroyed. If you let your dog injure someone you can be sent to prison for up to five years or fined. If you deliberately use your dog to injure someone you could be charged with 'malicious wounding'. And if you allow your dog to kill someone you can be sent to prison for up to 14 years or get an unlimited fine. WHY IS THE ACT CONTROVERSIAL? Both the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the British Veterinary Association have protested against the ban, insisting there is no scientific evidence that all individuals of a breed are dangerous. However, Met Police data suggests that in incidents involving 'dangerously out of control dogs', banned breeds account for about a fifth of offences. Advertisement

After the attack, family attempted to take him to hospital themselves, but stopped at Worcester Countryside Centre on the advice of the ambulance service.

He was taken from there to Worcestershire Royal Hospital by ambulance, before being transferred to Birmingham Children's Hospital.

One neighbour claimed: 'I've seen the owners of the cottage before, they have Rottweilers.

'You can hear them barking from the fields. I used to see them walking the dogs, one time they got out onto the main road.

'It's all secluded so you don't really see anyone, everyone is kind of hidden away.

'I walk my dog here a lot because of the route and you can hear the dogs barking, lots of barks.'

A resident, who walks his own dog nearby, said: 'Everyone keeps themselves pretty private around here and no one asks many questions.

'I think people are a bit intimidated by the family with those dogs. We call them 'the beasts' because they are always making such a racket.

'My wife refuses to walk our dog anywhere near there in case they get out. Everyone is so sad for the little lad who died. It's an absolute tragedy.'

West Mercia Police Superintendent Rebecca Love, local policing commander for South Worcestershire, said: 'We have been informed this morning that the young boy who was injured in an incident on Monday in Egdon, Worcestershire has sadly passed away.

'Officers responded to a report of a 2-year-old child in cardiac arrest at approximately 11.20am on Monday 28 March.

'It was quickly established the child had suffered injuries as a result of being bitten by a dog at the address in Worcestershire.

'The child was transferred from Worcestershire Royal Hospital to Birmingham Children's Hospital, and despite medical treatment, he has died as a result of his injuries.

'This is a truly tragic incident and our thoughts are with the family at this very difficult time.

'Three dogs have been removed from the property and are currently being housed securely. I am unable to confirm the breed of the dogs at this time, but we do not believe they are banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

'An investigation continues, and I would ask for your respect for the family's privacy at this very distressing time.'
The family of 18-year-old Naomi Irion - who has been missing since March 12 - said the ex-convict who has been arrested on suspicion of kidnapping the Nevada teen is refusing to talk while in custody.

Troy Driver, 41, was apprehended last Friday in connection with Irion's disappearance. The search for the 18-year-old continues and the FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to her safe return.

Irion's brother, Casey Valley, wrote on his Facebook page, where he has been sharing updates on the case, that his family 'dont have any reason to believe that Naomi is not alive.'

Driver, who previously served 12 years in California state prison for his role in a methamphetamine dealer's murder, is scheduled appear at Canal Township Justice Court in Fernley, Nevada, later on Wednesday.

Irion, the daughter of a US State Department staffer, was last seen when a masked man wearing a hooded sweatshirt got into her vehicle outside a Walmart store in Fernley, which is 30 miles east of Reno.

'I've been assured that there is no reason to believe Naomi has been harmed or is not alive, so we still have hope in our family,' Valley, who has been coordinating the search for his sister, told Fox News Digital. 'We still have hope in our family.

Scroll down for video

Troy Driver, 41, faces kidnapping charges in the March 12 disappearance of Irion in Fernley, Nevada. Driver was arrested on Friday and booked into the Lyon County Jail

The family of missing Nevada woman Naomi Irion, 18, say the man suspected in her kidnapping is not talking, but they have no reason to believe she has been harmed

'We feel that Naomi is alive, and she's still out there somewhere. And she wants to come home, and we want her to come home. There's a lot of people making a lot of speculative comments.'

In a Facebook post on Monday, Valley stressed that Driver's safety was 'very important' to his family until his sister is located, and he would not want to see any harm come to him.

'This man is the only person that I know about that can give information that can help bring Naomi home safe,' he wrote.

Criminal records show that Driver, who previously lived in California, was convicted in 1997 of accessory to a murder after the fact in relation to the killing of 19-year-old Paul Steven Rodriguez.

Driver's rap sheet in California also includes convictions on charges of second-degree robbery and burglary.

Naomi Irion still has not been located and search for the Nevada teen continues

This article published in the Ukiah Daily Journal in 1997 recorded Driver's arrest in connection of a 19-year-old meth dealer's murder in California

An unidentified man in a hoodie was caught on video approaching Naomi's car in the Walmart parking lot after circling the area on March 12

Naomi is seen buying snacks at a gas station convenience store on her way to a her factory job

The Ukiah Daily Journal reported that in April 1997, Rodriguez, who was a methamphetamine dealer from Willits, California, was shot in the head by his 17-year-old girlfriend, Alissa Marie Moore.

Driver, who was 17 years old at the time, and 19-year-old Carl Herbert Dulinksy helped Moore dispose of Rodriguez' body and hide his torched car in a nearby forest.

The trio of suspects were arrested after the victim's remains were discovered two weeks after the killing.

Driver's sister, Sharla Driver Cassidy, was also implicated in his crimes after she admitted to driving the car used to lure Rodriguez to his death. She also acted as the getaway driver in her brother's robberies, which he claimed to have committed to help his sister buy plane tickets to Italy.

Four months later, Driver pleaded guilty to the accessory charge related to the murder. He also admitted to robbing a convenience store and a service station, and to breaking into a hardware store.

Driver was sentenced to 15 years in state prison but was released after 12 years.

Since regaining his freedom more than a decade ago, Driver settled in Nevada, living in Elko County, and, more recently, in Lyon County, and working in construction.

According to his LinkedIn page, Driver is currently employed as project superintendent at Ledcor, a construction company operating throughout the US and Canada.

A spokesperson for Ledcor confirmed Driver's employment status to DailyMail.com.

'Ledcor is fully cooperating with the FBI and law enforcement officials in their investigation,' the company representative said in a written statement. 'We have also encouraged employees who might have information that could help with the investigation to immediately contact the authorities. We hope for the safe return of Naomi Irion to her family.'

Naomi is seen walking before a man got into her car and drove off with her. It is unclear if she knew her alleged kidnapper

The man in the hoodie is seen walking in the Walmart parking lot. Police have not said whether Driver is the man in the video

Police said they located and impounded the Chevrolet Silverado High Country truck that was 'possibly involved' in the crime and searched it for evidence

Police have not said whether or not they believe Driver is the man seen in surveillance footage from before Irion's disappearance.

In the clip, Irion can be seen parking her car in the Walmart lot and sitting in the driver's seat while she waited for a company shuttle to take her to her job at Panasonic. An unidentified man wearing a hoodie was filmed approaching Naomi's car after circling the area.

It's unclear if she was in the store at the time he broke into the vehicle or if she was in the car, but footage shows the pair driving off with the man in the driver's seat.

The pair then drove out of the lot with the man behind the wheel. Her abandoned car was found less than a mile away on March 15 but there has been no sign of Naomi since then.

Police said there was 'evidence of a crime' inside the car, but did not reveal what they found.

Police have not confirmed if Driver is the man seen in surveillance or confirmed if Driver knew Irion.

Irion's family said the teen went on a date with an unknown man the day before she vanished and had complained about being sexually harassed at work.

Panasonic knew about the harassment and had handled it 'internally,' according to Naomi's brother.

Naomi's father Herve Irion works for the State Department. When she was around 13, the family moved to Moscow, then they went to Frankfurt and finally settled in South Africa

Irions brother, Casey Valley (right), said that the family were excited by Driver's arrest and 'very curious'

Her distraught family revealed to DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview last week that the 18-year-old was exploring life as a free, young American woman after growing up in sheltered communities in Russia, Germany and South Africa - a result of her father's job with the State Department.

Irion moved to America last year to live with her older brother Casey Valley, an Apple employee who served in the Navy as a nuclear machinist from 2009 to 2016. She wanted to learn how to drive, get a job, go on dates and attend community college.

Fernley, where she was living with her brother, is a safe area where the residents are stunned by what has happened.

The day before she vanished, Naomi went on a date with a man who has not been named in Reno. It's likely they met on a dating app but her family does not know which one. She had accounts on Tinder, Hinge and Bumble.

Her family does not think he is involved in her disappearance but say law enforcement is aware of him. Before she was taken, Naomi was enjoying living in America after years of being sheltered, they said.

'She really wanted to experience life in America being an American kid. Most kids get to learn how to drive a car and go on dates and get some freedom but in the diplomatic community overseas, you can't have that. You can't learn how to drive a car. You can't really go on dates safely.

'You have to be secure and there's a lot of security that keeps us safe. She hadn't experienced life without that yet.

'She really wanted to explore herself as a free American young woman and what that looked like for her.'

'She was so excited to move back to America,' her mother, Diana, told DailyMail.com on Tuesday after flying in to Nevada from South Africa, where she still lives with her husband and their three younger sons.

Naomi's family say she had accounts on Hinge, Bumble and Tinder. She had been meeting people online and at work, and was a 'member of the LGBTQ community', her family said

Diana's husband, Naomi's father Herve Irion, works for the foreign service and has held posts in Moscow, Frankfurt and Pretoria. He is now in Nevada with his wife Diana and their three Ukrainian-born adopted sons to join the search for Naomi.

Until this year, Naomi had never driven nor gone on dates freely. She was meeting people 'online' and at work, just like other teenagers and adults, her family said.

She was excited about having a car, a job in the Panasonic factory in Reno, where she was making friends. She moved to Fernley to live with her older brother and his long-term girlfriend Nikki last year after graduating from the American school in South Africa.

Her plan was to use her brother's safe home as a launchpad for her own life, saving up enough money from her job at Panasonic to afford her own place, and enrolling in community college.
From left are Samsung Electronics' zoned storage technology-based solid state drive (SSD) and Western Digital's zoned storage SSD. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics



By Baek Byung-yeul



Samsung Electronics joined hands with U.S.-based data storage company Western Digital to develop a next-generation storage technology called zoned storage targeting the data center and enterprise markets that need to process large amount of data, the company said Wednesday.



The Korean tech giant said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. company to promote the standardization of zoned storage technology. The two companies also plan to collaborate to develop and promote software for products featuring zoned storage technology.



Samsung said the new technology enables a more efficient operation of storage at data centers and enterprises by enabling users to save data in several different zones.



"Using zoned storage technology, storage space is divided into zones. By storing data having the same use and same use cycle in the same area, data can be stored more efficiently than existing solid state drives (SSDs) that distributes and stores data," a Samsung spokesman said.



Samsung and Western Digital have been cooperating since last year. In June, 2021, Samsung developed the industry's first ZNS SSD using the zone storage technology. Samsung accounts for the largest share of the SSD market, while Western Digital has the third-largest stake as of 2021.



The two companies have also been leading the development of zoned storage-related technology working together in organizations such as the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) and the Linux Foundation. SNIA is a non-profit, storage-related standardization organization established in December 1997 and consists of 110 member companies.



Zoned technology is expected to help customers reduce costs and improve the quality of service, while the establishment of an ecosystem for next-generation, large-capacity storage products through cooperation between the two companies will lead to the production of more uniform products, Samsung said.



"This collaboration is a testament to our relentless effort to exceed customers' needs now and in the future, and holds special meaning in how we anticipate it will actively grow into a larger basis of engagement for zoned storage standardization," Han Jin-man, executive vice president and head of Memory Sales & Marketing at Samsung, said.



Robert Soderbery, executive vice president of Western Digital, also said, "We are excited to bring these contributions to this joint initiative with Samsung in facilitating wider adoption of zoned storage for users and application developers."


More than 300,000 people in England have signed a petition to keep lateral flow tests free ahead of them being scrapped on Friday.

Ministers last night announced only NHS workers, care home staff and vulnerable patients will be eligible for the free swabs from April 1, as part of the Government's 'learning to live with Covid' strategy.

A change.org petition calling the decision 'learning to die with Covid' rather than returning the country to normal post-pandemic has received more than 335,000 signatories since it was launched.

The appeal  organised by a retired doctor  says the move will fall heaviest on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged within society.

School staff, immunosuppressed people and parents are among the signees. If the petition reaches 500,000, it will be one of the most signed on the website.

Alison Morrison, one of the signatories, said: 'I work in a primary school and have Covid right now. Would you want me putting your children and in turn your family at risk?'

As part of the move to get England back to normal after the pandemic, workers with Covid symptoms will no longer need to take a test from Friday.

Anyone who feels unwell with symptoms such as a high temperature and a cough will be advised to stay at home.

The guidance, issued by Health Secretary Sajid Javid, is part of the Government's plan to treat Covid like other respiratory illnesses.

More than 300,000 people in England have signed a petition keep lateral flow tests free ahead of No10's decision to ditch them for almost everybody from Friday

Who will still get FREE Covid tests? Free lateral flow tests will be scrapped for everyone except NHS workers, care home staff and vulnerable patients from Friday in England. It will only continue in settings where infection can spread rapidly while prevalence is high. FREE SYMPTOMATIC TESTING WILL STILL BE GIVEN TO: Patients in hospital, where a PCR test is required for their care and to provide access to treatments and to support ongoing clinical surveillance for new variants;

People who are eligible for community Covid treatments because they are at higher risk of getting seriously ill;

People living or working in some high-risk settings. For example, staff in adult social care services such as homecare organisations and care homes. Advertisement

But ditching tests as part of that plan has been met with harsh criticism from experts, as well as the public.

Many are worried it will lead to those who can't afford tests avoiding them because of costs, potentially passing on the virus to vulnerable people.

Ms Morrison said: 'It's an awful disease to have. I need to test before I return to keep children safe.

'Should I have to pay for that privilege. I'm a TA on just above minimum wage and no holiday pay.'

Danielle Harding, who is immunosupressed, said: 'I feel let down, like we don't matter.

'We can't assume everyone will think about our safety when they make decisions about how to live with Covid.'

Dr John Puntis, a retired consultant paediatrician and co-chair of campaign group Keep Our NHS public who launched the petition, said: 'Both common sense and science dictate that now is not the time to scrap PCR test centres, free lateral flow tests, self-isolation or collection of coronavirus surveillance data.

'To imagine that wishful thinking can end the pandemic is both delusional and dangerous, and puts many more lives at risk.

'This is not "learning to live with Covid" but learning to die with it. As usual, the burden will fall heaviest on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged within society.'

Despite opposition in some quarters, Mr Javid has continued to push ahead with the plans.

People with symptoms and those who have tested positive are urged to wear a mask, avoid close contact with vulnerable people and swerve crowded areas if they must leave home.

But hospitals and care home patients and staff will still be able to request free Covid tests, as will those at risk of serious illness. Others must pay.

Most visitors to care homes, hospitals and prisons will no longer have to take a test. And free parking for NHS staff, introduced during the pandemic, is coming to an end tomorrow.

Sir Patrick Vallance admits UK needs a lockdown handbook for future pandemics Officials are already drawing up a lockdown handbook for future pandemics, Sir Patrick Vallance revealed today. The Government's chief scientific adviser told MPs that experts are exploring what parts of Covid restrictions worked best in the UK and globally. Speaking to MPs on the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, Sir Patrick suggested harsh restrictions could play a part in outbreaks to come. He said: 'I do think it is now going to be incredibly important to look internationally and nationally to try to dissect which components of restrictions are the ones that were the most important. The world should learn from this so there is an advice handbook for the future and also to take into account the different characteristics of viruses.' Earlier, a member of No10's Covid nudge unit hinted Britons are not changing their behaviours now despite rising cases and hospital rates because they are less scared. Professor Ann John, who co-chairs SAGE's behavioural subgroup, told MPs people are mixing more than when infections were at similar levels as Omicron surged in December. Advertisement

Mr Javid said: 'Thanks to our plan to tackle Covid we are leading the way in learning to live with the virus.

'We have made enormous progress but will keep the ability to respond to future threats including potential variants.

'Vaccines remain our best defence and we are now offering spring boosters to the elderly, care home residents and the most vulnerable.'

Although coronavirus infections have risen in recent weeks, more than 55 per cent of hospital patients who have tested positive do not have Covid as their primary diagnosis.

The Test and Trace programme cost taxpayers more than 15.7billion in 2021-22.

The guidance, which comes into effect on April 1, advises people with symptoms of a respiratory infection and a high temperature, or those who feel unwell, to stay at home and avoid contact with others until they feel better and their temperature returns to normal.

Anyone with a positive Covid test result will be advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with others for five days when they are most infectious.

Children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people where possible.

They can return to school, college or childcare when they no longer have a high temperature and are well enough.

Free symptomatic testing will be provided for patients in hospital, where a PCR test is required for their care and to provide access to treatment, as well as supporting clinical surveillance for new variants.

Testing will also be available for people who are eligible for community Covid treatments because they are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill.

This group will be contacted directly and sent lateral flow tests to keep at home if they have symptoms and told how to reorder tests.

Those living or working in high-risk settings including care homes, hospices and prisons will receive free tests.

And people will be tested before being discharged from hospital into care homes, hospices, shelters and refuges.

'Vaccines remain our best defence'

UK's lateral flow shortage sees sales soar FIVE-FOLD in a week at High St pharmacists as Brits scramble to get free tests before they're scrapped on Friday... so how much WILL chains sell them for?

Britain's scramble for the last remaining free supplies of lateral flow tests has seen sales of the rapid devices soar five-fold in a week at High Street pharmacies.

LloydsPharmacy is already selling the Covid tests, despite free ones being available on the Government's website until Friday.

But scores of Britons have complained about being unable to get hold of any kits through the official ordering channel over the past fortnight.

Struggles accessing the devices  which formed a major part of the UK's Covid-fighting strategy  have allowed major retailers to cash in.

LloydsPharmacy told MailOnline sales in the week ending March 28 were 400 per cent up on the previous seven-day spell.

It also announced it was slashing the price of lateral flows, reducing the price of a pack of five rapid swabs by 20p to 9.29  or 1.86 each  making it the cheapest on the market.

A single test sold on its own from the company will cost people 1.89, compared to 1.99 at rival Superdrug and 2 at Boots.

Meanwhile Boots is selling its five-packs for 9.80 and Superdrug is offering them for 9.79.

High street chains have been undercutting each other since February 23, just days after Boris Johnson announced mass public lateral flows would be abandoned on April 1.

Rapid tests will be rationed to hospital and care home patients and staff as part of the final stage of No10's living with Covid strategy.

Experts have repeatedly described the move to end free testing for those no longer qualifying for them as 'worrying' amid rising cases.

Lateral flow tests will be rationed to the elderly and vulnerable people as part of the final stage of No10's living with Covid strategy  leading to fears people have been stockpiling the remainder of the free swabs in the meantime. Users have been unable to order tests on the Government's site today

High street pharmacists today continued their war of prices ahead of free lateral tests being scrapped from next week. Graphic shows: Different price options at Boots, Superdrug and LloydsPharmacy

LloydsPharmacy dropped its price for a pack of five rapid tests to 9.29  costing 1.86 each. At the end of February, they were priced at 9.49 for the pack

Ahead of the move, a LloydsPharmacy spokesperson told MailOnline the company would be lowering its price for lateral flows slightly on previous plans.

They said: 'From April 1 in line with the latest Government changes, lateral flow tests are no longer free across the UK.

'LloydsPharmacy will continue to help keep the public safe and at the moment we offer lateral flow test kits in a selection of quantities to suit customer needs.

'This includes single tests for just 1.89 or up to a pack of five for just 9.29  1.86 per test  available in store and online now at LloydsPharmacy.com.

'You can find further information about our range of tests on our website, and up-to-date coronavirus information on the coronavirus page on the Government website.'

Boots has been offering its tests since the end of last month and Superdrug is also currently selling its tests online.

When the Omicron wave was collapsing in February, Boris Johnson announced that free testing would be scrapped from April.

The announcement was widely seen as a way to appease Tory backbenchers who at the time were threatening to hand in letters of no confidence in the PM following the Partygate scandal.

But in recent weeks the UK has seen a resurgence in Covid infections and hospital admissions, driven by the even more infectious BA.2 variant, which has led many experts to call for free tests to stay.

SAGE has previously warned ending the scheme, which cost up to 2bn a month, would leave the country in the dark to a fresh wave and said poor people will be hit hardest.

Experts told said pushing through with the move could leave some of the most vulnerable people in society at risk.

Professor Denis Kinane, an immunologist and founding scientist at Cignpost Diagnostics, said: 'I am concerned that the decision to end free tests from April 1 could leave some vulnerable groups at risk, particularly the immuno-suppressed.

'This is worrying with the recent spike in case numbers and hospital admissions.'

Covid cases have been on the rise since the start of the month, following all restrictions being eased on Freedom Day on February 24.

Hospital admissions have also been increasing, jumping 16 per cent in a week to 2,380 on Tuesday, the latest date data is available for.

It was the highest daily total since the peak of the Omicron wave in January, with 2,386 recorded on January 10.

People trying to get tests have reported struggling to access them for weeks as the Government started rationing the kits ahead of the cut-off date amid fears people would stockpile them.

Professor Kinane added: 'Recent stories about shortages of lateral flow tests shows demonstrate that large numbers of people still want to get tested to reassure themselves or protect their families.

'Alongside this, the testing played a vital role in preventing transmission for those working in settings where they would come into contact with a large number of people.

'Many sectors will be wondering if this will prevent more people from safely returning to their place of work as we begin to live with the virus.'
Nicola Sturgeon will force Scottish shoppers to wear masks for three more weeks as she announced only a 'phased' removal of Scotland's tough face covering laws

From Monday the laws will be replaced by guidance to cover up in churches and at weddings, she told Holyrood this afternoon.

But the restrictions will remain mandatory for retailers and public transport until April 18 amid record Covid hospitalisations.

Scotland has reported a further 9,610 new cases of Covid-19, as well as 34 new deaths.

Scottish Government figures also showed that 2,344 people were in hospital in Scotland on Tuesday, down from a record 2,383 the previous day.

Ms Sturgeon told Holyrood today that while the daily coronavirus numbers are still 'very high', they may be stabilising.

She stressed her government will 'continue to encourage the wearing of face coverings in certain indoor places, especially where significant numbers of people are present'.

She added: 'This phased approach strikes a sensible balance between our desire to remove this one remaining legal measure and the common sense need for continued caution - not least for the sake of the NHS - while this wave of infection subsides.

From Monday the laws will be replaced by guidance to cover up in churches and at weddings, she told Holyrood this afternoon.

Tory leader Douglas Ross accused her of constantly moving the goalposts.

Ms Sturgeon was pictured maskless at the Service of Thanksgiving for the Duke of Edinburgh in London yesterday - were ruled have already been eased

'I recognise that face coverings are an inconvenience. However, given all the sacrifice of the past two years and in view of the current pressure on the NHS, I believe the vast majority of people will accept that for a further two weeks this is a proportionate precautionary measure while we pass the peak of this latest wave.

'It also provides some further protection to those who are most at risk from the virus.'

But Tory leader Douglas Ross accused her of constantly moving the goalposts.

'We believe that anyone who wants to keep wearing a face mask should keep doing so, particularly if it will protect vulnerable friends and relatives,' he said.

'But it should be down to individual choice. 'We should leave it up to people and businesses to decide what's best for them, based on public health advice.

'Nicola Sturgeon has to start trusting the people of Scotland.

'Covid case rates in Scotland are now far higher than the rest of the UK, so the First Minister's strategy is clearly failing.

'And because of her failing strategy, she is keeping restrictions in place in Scotland weeks after they have been removed elsewhere.

'This isn't just an inconvenience, it's really holding some people back. Retaining face masks in schools and businesses is damaging young people's education and limiting the Scottish economy.'

The hospital total includes 20 people who were in intensive care on Tuesday with recently confirmed Covid-19.

The latest deaths take the total number of people who had died within 28 days of contracting coronavirus in Scotland to 11,393.

Meanwhile, 4,353,991 people have received their first dose of Covid vaccine, 4,092,791 have received two doses, and a total of 3,451,131 have had three doses.

Mr Sturgeon told MSPs: 'The most recent ONS Covid infection survey, for the week ending March 20, indicated that one in 11 people in Scotland had Covid.

'That is the highest level of infection so far recorded by this weekly survey and it does reflect the impact of the highly infectious BA.2 subvariant of the virus.

'The daily case numbers also show a very high, though perhaps stabilising, level of infection.

'Today, 9,610 new cases identified through PCR or lateral flow tests will be reported.'

She said there was 'cautious optimism' that the latest wave of coronavirus may have peaked.

It came after an infections expert said that maintaining a legal requirement on Scots to wear face masks while on public transport and shopping is now 'too big a force'.

Dr Christine Tait-Burkard said cases of the BA2 Omicron subvariant had peaked about two weeks ago. And while the number of Scots in hospital with the virus has reached record highs in recent days, she said these figures 'look like they are starting to drop'.

The Edinburgh University expert told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: 'I think recommendations for people to wear masks in high risk environments is the right course of action, it doesn't need that legal enforcement any more.'
Advertisement

It's the calm after the storm.

Trostianets in north-eastern Ukraine, a 25,000-strong town just 20 miles from the border with Russia, was one of the first places greeted by invading tanks early on Thursday, February 24.

After a week-long battle between the elite Russian 4th Guards Division and the small but mighty 93rd Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Army, Putin's army had won control of the town.

Yet following 25 days of brutal occupation in which civilians were reportedly killed by Russian hand grenades, Ukraine successfully repelled the Russian captors and reclaimed the town on Saturday, March 26.

According to the Ukrainian ministry of defence, the invading regiment commander shot himself when he was told 90% of his force's tanks were unusable.

But now, all the signs left to show Trostianets was ever invaded - and bravely fought back - are the carcasses of Russian military vehicles sent to conquer Ukraine.

That doesn't mean it's a happy ending for Trostianets just yet.

Food is more scarce than ever and water hard to find.

The local economy, to the extent that it still exists, has been gutted by Russia's invaders.

Trostianets is now safe enough for a semblance of daily life to resume, as evidenced by these striking photographs captured by AFP and European Press Agency photographers on the ground.

Ukrainian rescue workers emerged in the formerly occupied town just 20 miles south of the Russian border. Trostianets was one of the first towns hit by Russian military action after Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, February 24.

A cyclist pushes his bike along a makeshift road by a wrecked tank on March 29, three days after his town was snatched back from Russian invaders. Though it was one of the first towns to fall, Trostianets was also one of the first to reclaim its freedom.

Destroyed Russian tanks and armoured vehicles littered across Trostianets' streets are a constant reminder of the week-long war for control of the town - and the 25-day occupation which followed it. Residents must now do their best to restart life.

A tank is pointed menacingly at a passerby in the north-eastern town, which has a population of just 25,000. Trostianets was also invaded and occupied during World War Two, with Nazi forces deporting the town's Jews to death camps in Poland.

A Ukrainian serviceman walks calmly by a Ukrainian flag-coloured train riddled with bullet holes. Though he has a Kalashnikov rifle hanging from his hip, the soldier can be confident he won't need to use it against Russian invaders anymore.

Residents have queued outside local churches for emergency food supplies brought from elsewhere. Two locals who protested the Kremlin's invasion were killed after Russian troops allegedly threw hand grenades into the unruly crowd.

Trostianets' transport links including roads and rail have been gutted by weeks of violent conflict over the past 34 days. Though there is now peace and quiet in the small town between Sumy and Kharkiv, a long and costly reconstruction begins.

A Ukrainian 'babushka' looks on with a grimace as she surveys the immense damage done to her town by invading Russian forces. Mud tracks are all that remain in Trostianets - but many residents have been able to keep their bikes in good keep

Emblazoned with the infamous 'Z' symbol signifying ownership by the invading Russian army, this armoured truck which carried soldiers and weapons into Ukraine is a rusty corpse of a failed occupation. A Ukrainian soldier walks past yesterday.

Ukrainian soldiers of all ages have volunteered to fight back as their country faces an existential threat. If Trostianets is a symbol for Ukraine's fate in the war so far, there may be good news for the country as a whole - but the recovery will be hard

Not all tanks are destroyed: Ukrainian servicemen ride through Trostianets with smiles on their faces on Monday, just two days after Russian forces fled the town and Ukraine reclaimed it. The small border town was the scene of fierce fighting

Locals have gathered at churches and community centres to distribute emergency aid donated from around the world. With the town's local economy in tatters and infrastructure needing urgent repairs, Trostianets is on the brink of severe shortages
Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman hopes the Supreme Court will intervene on his behalf when his legal defense team files an appeal next month, alleging that the jailed cartel boss is being tortured in prison.

Mariel Colon told Mexican network Milenio this week that the 64-year-old kingpin's rights have been violated by the staff at ADX Florence, the super-maximum security prison in Florence, Colorado, where he is serving his life sentence.

'They don't take him out into the open air, they don't take him out for a single day,' Colon claimed. 'We've had a lot of problems because they don't treat him medically if he gets sick. The requests are ignored.'

The high-profile lawyer, who also represented El Chapo's wife Emma Coronel before she pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in prison in November 2021, said the Sinaloa Cartel co-founder has been denied access to water and dental treatment for his molars.

'He can't have two 15-minute calls a month, he can't talk to his partner,' Colon added. 'The government claims that they need to have him under those restrictions because he can pass some message.'

Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman will be taking his case to the Supreme Court in April. His lawyers will argue that the jailed co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel is being tortured by prison staff at ADX Florence, the Florence, Colorado, super maximum security prison where he is serving his life sentence

El Chapo is allowed to spend only one hour outside the concrete jail cell where he is spending the rest of his life. However, his lawyers told Mexican network Milenio that his rights as an inmate are being violated

ADX Florence in Florence, Colorado, is considered the most secure penitentiary in the United States. It is home to Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman and other notorious criminals, including Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; Richard Reid, the airliner 'show bomber;' and Ted Kaczynski, 'The Unabomber'

While El Chapo is only allowed to receive visits from the 10-year-old twin daughters he has with Coronel, all visits to the high security penitentiary are under suspension as a result of COVID-19 preventive measures.

It's unknown if he can even have phone contact with his former beauty queen wife, who is behind bars in Texas. DailyMail.com reached out to ADX Florence for comment.

Colon said her client remains positive and 'won't give up' despite the alleged mistreatment he has been exposed to.

The Supreme Court motion is expected to be filed before April 30.

No prisoner has ever escaped from ADX Florence, the super maximum security prison located in Florence, Colorado

Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman is among the high profile convicted criminals being held at ADX Florence

A move to seek a new trial was rejected by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan on January 25.

The court dismissed claims that some of the jurors followed the case outside the court chambers during the three-month trial.

El Chapo's lawyers argued that at least five members of the jury followed media coverage of the trial and lied about not doing so.

It also rejected the argument that the condition at ADX Florence was deplorable and that the United States government made Guzman a target for prosecution.

It's not the first time El Chapo's lawyers have raised issue with over his handling at ADX Florence.

Emma Coronel, the wife of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman is serving a three-year sentence at a prison in Texas

In a 2019 interview with Univision, Colon revealed that Guzman's eyesight had worsened within the two months that he had been holed up in the prison complex that also houses Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; Richard Reid, the airliner 'show bomber;' and Ted Kaczynski, 'The Unabomber.'

Guzman also complained about the strict conditions that he encountered in jail following his extradition from Mexico to the United States in January 2017.

Up until the end of his trial, he spent his entire time at the Manhattan Metropolitan Center and grumbled over drinking tap water and requested bottled water. He also complained that the cell was too cold.
The teenager who claims he was sexually assaulted by Tory MP Imran Ahmad Khan in his bunkbed said he felt 'scared, vulnerable, numb, shocked and surprised', a court heard.

The Conservative MP for Wakefield, 48, is accused of groping the 15-year-old in his bed after a party in Staffordshire in January 2008.

The complainant detailed the alleged sex assault to police in a video played to jurors at Southwark Crown Court on the second day of the trial.

He described how Khan, then 34, watched him doing pull ups, then says he struck minutes after he went to bed, reaching through the wooden bars of the top bunk to touch his feet.

The complainant said the 'slow caressing' continued as Khan 'worked his way around the bed' and 'up my leg' despite him telling the MP to 'stop'.

Conservative MP for Wakefield, Imran Ahmad Khan, arrives at Southwark Crown Court to stand trial over sexual offence claims

'His breathing was getting quite heavy and I kept pushing his hand away and pushing it back and it would keep coming,' he said.

He described Khan as 'quite a small fellow', who was 'quite stout' with 'quite bulgy eyes' and 'pouty with his lips', who spoke with a deep 'posh' voice.

The alleged victim said it was 'like a lightbulb on the top of his head' when Khan realised he could reach over the bunkbed bars, coming within 'a hair's breadth' of his privates.

'It was like pouncing, there was no more subtlety,' he said. 'I was scared, vulnerable, numb, shocked, surprised.

'I didn't think it was real for a lot of it and it felt like it was going very, very quickly and very, very slowly at the same time.

'When he got to my groin and was about to touch my testicles it was sheer panic.'

Mr Khan, who was first elected in 2019, has denied the sexual assault claims against him

The complainant said he 'froze', adding: 'I freaked out and jumped out of the bed and ran as fast as I could.'

The court has heard that he was 'distraught' when he reached his parents.

Police were called to the house and the boy reported the incident, telling officers Mr Khan had asked him to 'show me some porn', 'started trying to play-fight' and told him he was a 'good-looking boy', the jury was told.

The 15-year-old did not want to take it any further and the allegation was not pursued at the time, but the complainant went back to police after finding out Khan was standing as an MP.

The 'blue wall' MP was born in Wakefield, where he attended the independent Silcoates School.

The MP worked for the UN as a special assistant for political affairs in Mogadishu before entering Parliament

He went to university at the Pushkin Institute in Russia and graduated from King's College in London with a bachelor's degree in war studies.

The MP worked for the UN as a special assistant for political affairs in Mogadishu before entering Parliament.

Dressed in a suit and sitting at the back of the court, Khan listened to the video with his arms crossed.

The court also heard evidence recorded in the pocketbook entry of the officer who came to the family home the day after the incident.

The entry recorded the complainant saying: [Mr Khan] kept saying to me, Show me some porn, and slapped me on the back.

Started trying to play fight with me and told me I was a good-looking boy and very intelligent.

He said that we would have a chat later and he made me promise not to tell anyone.

The complainant was asked about such content in a police interview that took place in 2021.

Asked to elaborate on the play fighting, the complainant said Khans smack was aggressive.

He meant it as a pat on the back but it was a proper sort of smack.

It was an aggressive thing of Im more powerful.

Mr Khan denies sexual assault and the trial continues.
Grant Shapps today vowed a new law to ban P&O Ferries from British ports if crew are not paid minimum wage.

The Transport Secretary told the Commons he wanted to impose the tough rules 'as quickly as possible' amid the bitter row over the firm's mass sackings.

But Mr Shapps conceded that the measure cannot be brought in immediately, saying he was urging ports to act before it is formally on the statute books.

He also said the UK is looking at doing deals with other countries to guarantee enforcement of minimum wages across jurisdictions.

These include plans to create 'minimum wage corridors' on ferry routes between the UK and other countries.

And he repeated his call for P&O Ferries chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite to quit, revealing he has written to the Insolvency Service complaining he is 'unfit to lead a British company'.

Making a statement to angry MPs, Mr Shapps said he was moving 'as quickly as possible' to change the law.

'Where new laws are needed, we will create them. Where legal loopholes are cynically exploited, we will close them. And where employment rights are too weak, we will strengthen them,' he said.

Grant Shapps told the Commons he wanted to impose the tough rules 'as quickly as possible' amid the bitter row over the firm's mass sackings

Two P&O Ferries moored at the Port of Dover in Kent yesterday

P&O Ferries sacked its crews and replaced them with agency workers on March 17.

The minimum wage in the UK for people aged 23 and over is 8.91 per hour.

Mr Hebblethwaite, whose basic annual salary is 325,000, told MPs on March 24 that the average pay of the agency crew is 5.50 per hour, but insisted this was permitted under international maritime laws.

He also admitted that his company broke the law by not consulting with trade unions before sacking workers.

Mr Shapps today said the government will 'give British courts new statutory powers to refuse access to regular ferry services, which do not pay their crew the national minimum wage'.

He went on: 'We will achieve this through primary legislation to amend the Harbours Act 1964. And it means that if companies like P&O Ferries want to dock in ports, such as Dover and Hull and Liverpool, they will have no choice but to comply with this legislation.

'Crucially, it means that P&O Ferries can derive no benefit from the action that they have disgracefully taken.'

Conceding that this process would take time, he added: 'We're legally-bound to consult with the sector on any changes  and unlike P&O, we take that consultation seriously.

'So legislative changes will not be possible overnight.'

But Mr Shapps said he will be writing to all ports in the UK explaining the Government's plan, adding: 'But in the meantime instructing them not to wait. I want to see British ports refusing access to ferry companies who don't pay a fair wage as soon as practicable.

'This will have the full backing of the Government and I've instructed the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to get behind this action too, and they've indicated that they will.'

The Transport Secretary added of the proposals: 'It'll send a clear message that if you are using British waters and British ports to ply your trade then you must accept British laws.'

Laying out another element of his nine-point plan, Mr Shapps said: 'We will take action to prevent employers who have not made reasonable efforts to reach agreement through consultation from using fire and rehire tactics.

'So new statutory code will allow a court or employment tribunal to take the manner of dismissal into account, and if an employer fails to comply with the code, impose a 25% uplift to a worker's compensation.'

Earlier in his statement, he described the sacking of 800 seafarers as 'shameful' and said 'no British workers should be treated in this way, devoid of dignity and respect'.

He said maritime workers 'deserve far better than to be dismissed via a pre-recorded Zoom in favour of cheaper overseas labour'.

He said: 'In response, we urged P&O Ferries to reconsider. These calls have fallen on deaf ears.'

P&O Ferries has accused the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) of operating with 'an unprecedented level of rigour' after it detained two of its ships.

European Causeway was held in Larne, Northern Ireland, on Friday, while Pride Of Kent was detained in Dover, Kent, on Monday.

Both ships failed inspections of emergency equipment, crew training and documentation.

Mr Shapps repeated his call for P&O Ferries chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite (pictured) to quit, revealing he has written to the Insolvency Service complaining he is 'unfit to lead a British company'

The inspections are being carried out after P&O Ferries sacked nearly 800 seafarers on March 17 and replaced them with cheaper agency workers.

Trade unions and MPs have expressed fears that the controversial decision threatens safety.

A spokesman for P&O Ferries said: 'It is clear that  following interventions by ministers and MPs  the MCA inspections have reached an unprecedented level of rigour, and we have been told that our ships will also now be required to pass further inspections by the flag state and classification society respectively.

'We welcome this additional scrutiny and would reiterate that the safety of our passengers and crew is our foremost priority.

'Any suggestion that it is being compromised in any way is categorically false and we look forward to all of our ships welcoming tourist passengers and freight customers again as soon as all mandatory safety tests have been passed.'

An MCA spokeswoman said: 'Our top priority is safety of shipping.

'We inspect without fear or favour every foreign flagged ship in exactly the same robust way under the regulations set out in Port State Control regime.

'Detentions under the Port State Control regime require that the flag state and operator put right any deficiencies before the MCA is invited to reinspect.'
A twisted food blogger has told police he filmed himself as he brutally killed a porn star whose dismembered body was found in bin bags by the side of a road in Italy this month.

Davide Fontana, 43, kept the camera on his phone rolling as he battered victim Carol Maltesi, 26, with a hammer while she was naked and tied up to a stripper pole with a bag on her head before he slit her throat.

He then told shocked officers he waited a day before trying to burn the mother-of-one's face to disguise her identity and then buying a saw to dismember her body into 15 pieces.

Fontana, who also works in a bank, then bought a deep freezer from Amazon and kept her body in four bin bags at his home before dumping it on a verge.

The remains of Carol, who turned to pornography during the pandemic to support her child, were found earlier this month by a passer-by at Borno near Brescia who was shocked to find her severed hand inside.

The dismembered body of Carol Maltesi, 26, was found in binbags in Brescia, Italy, earlier this month

Davide Fontana, 43, kept the camera on his phone rolling as he battered the victim with a hammer before slitting her throat

She was identified after police revealed details of her distinctive tattoos and she was recognised by people who had seen her adult work on Only Fans.

Carol was last seen in January, but Fontana carried on using her phone and sending messages to give the impression she was still alive, even paying the rent of the flat where she lived nextdoor to him in Rescaldina near Milan.

ANPR cameras saw him using Carol's car near Borno earlier this month when he dumped her body.

He then went to police to try and throw them off the scent by giving them 'information' about her disappearance.

But officers became suspicious of him and arrested him.

He later broke down and admitted he had killed Carol, who also went by the screen name Charlotte Angie, as they made a violent porn film together.

Carol, who had previously worked in a perfume store, had turned to pornography during lockdown to make ends meet and support her six-year-old child

In his leaked confession Fontana said: 'We were supposed to make two films, with the second one being more violent. It was the morning of the January 10 or 11 and we were in her house.

'We finished the first film and then we went to the bedroom where there is a lap dancing pole. I tied her wrists to the pole and put a plastic bag over her head.

'She was completely naked and I also tied her feet up. I had a hammer and started hitting her on her body, not hard, starting from her legs.

'Then as I worked my way up I started to hit harder until I got to her head.

'I don't know why I did it, I don't really know what happened. She was still moving her head but I carried on hitting her.

'Then I suddenly realised what I was doing. I took the bag off her head, I thought she was dead, there was a lot of blood and she was badly hurt.

'I didn't know what to do so I grabbed a kitchen knife and slit her throat. It was an act of kindness; I could see she was suffering.'

Carol's remains were found earlier this month by a passer-by at Borno near Brescia who was shocked to find her severed hand inside

Fontana told cops he had deleted the videos from his phone but forensic experts are examining it's memory card to try and recover the gruesome images.

Carol, who had previously worked in a perfume store, had turned to pornography during lockdown to make ends meet and support her six-year-old child.

Colleagues told local media: 'We knew what she did but she wasn't ashamed. She had made her own mind up and wasn't coerced. It was her private life.'

One neighbour said: 'Her and Davide were an item for a while but then split up. They seemed to get on well afterwards.

'She had split up from the father of her child, he lived elsewhere and he had their son, but the little one would come and stay every now and then.

'My child and him would play together in the courtyard. No-one can believe what's happened.

'I know she had family in Holland because she had told me and she had gone there for Christmas.

'She had even spoken about moving there but nothing had come of it. She was a lovely, kind gentle woman and a devoted mother.'

Fontana is currently in custody and due to appear in front of an investigating magistrate accused of aggravated murder as well as mutilating and hiding a corpse.

A police spokesperson said: 'This is a shocking case and some of the officers themselves have been left very upset at the details they have heard.'
Louisiana Master Trooper Chris Hollingsworth admitted he held down black motorist Ronald Greene in May 2019 and bashed him in the head repeatedly with a flashlight, just days before his own death in a car crash, newly released audio reveals.

The clip, first published by The Associated Press on Wednesday, comes from an interview that took place just six days before Hollingsworth, 46, died on September 22, 2020, following a single-vehicle highway crash that happened just hours after he learned he would be fired from the force.

Hollingsworth walked into a secure room deep inside State Police headquarters, swore an oath and told investigators he was a victim - a far cry from the man who bragged on camera that he 'beat the ever-living f--k' out of Greene, 49, before his 2019 death along a rural roadside in Northeast Louisiana.

Greene was seen on body camera footage being bashed and dragged by troopers on May 10, 2019 after he eluded a stop for a traffic violation and led the officers on a high-speed chase near Monroe with speeds topping 115 mph.

In the two-hour interrogation, Hollingsworth said he feared for his life even as graphic footage played over and over of white troopers swarming Greene's car after a high-speed chase, jolting him with stun guns, punching him in the face and dragging him by his ankle shackles as he screamed: 'I'm your brother! I'm scared! I'm scared!'

'I was scared,' Hollingsworth says in the never-before-released recorded interview. 'He could have done anything once my hold was broke off him - and that's why I struck him.'

Hollingsworth did not participate in any investigation until 496 days after Greene's death. The inquiry could not be used to charge Hollingsworth but would determine whether he kept his badge.

Hollingsworth's story changed significantly during the interview, the audio reveals. He initially told detectives he struck Greene with 'a closed fist.' Then he claimed he couldn't remember whether he struck him with an object.

Finally, after the investigators replayed the video and pointed out Hollingsworth's flashlight, he conceded to hitting Greene with it, even using his water bottle to demonstrate how he swung with the rounded edge down.

Louisiana Master Trooper Chris Hollingsworth admitted he held down black motorist Ronald Greene in May 2019 and bashed him in the head repeatedly with a flashlight

Newly-released audio shows Chris Hollingsworth, the Louisiana trooper blamed for death of black motorist Ronald Greene, admit hitting Greene with his flashlight during arrest

This image from video from Louisiana state police state trooper Dakota DeMoss' body-worn camera, shows troopers holding up Ronald Greene before paramedics arrived on May 10, 2019, outside of Monroe, La

Video that was released in May 2021 shows troopers bashing and dragging Greene, who is heard screaming: 'I'm scared!' This image shows Trooper Kory York standing over Greene lying on his stomach

Detectives then showed Hollingsworth autopsy photos and asked him to describe several cuts on Greene's head.

'Theyre like a little half-moon,' Hollingsworth says.

'You dont think your flashlight caused those cuts?'

'It could have,' the trooper says.

Detectives weren't buying it, describing the repeated flashlight blows to Greenes head as unjustified while peppering the 46-year-old veteran trooper with questions.

A re-examined autopsy commissioned by the FBI last year rejected the crash theory and attributed Greenes death to 'physical struggle,' troopers repeatedly stunning him, striking him in the head, restraining him at length and Greenes use of cocaine.

When asked to justify his use of force, Hollingsworth repeatedly exaggerates Greene's threat and resistance.

'I did fear that he was much bigger than I was and much stronger,' he says in the interview. 'He had already kept two troopers from being able to handcuff him, and I was in fear at that time of him getting control of me or headbutting me.'

Race did not come up in the interrogation, but Hollingsworth opined on the subject decades earlier in a 2002 essay at the Louisiana State Police Training Academy, writing that 'white police officers have to prove they are not racist on every complaint and in every court case involving blacks.'

'Today, the first concern is if the officer is white and the suspect is black. ... Race is the issue and not the crime.'

As for troopers' initial account that blamed Greene's death on injuries from a car crash - fueling allegations of a cover-up - Hollingsworth says he didn't see such injuries himself but adds, 'I'm not a doctor.'

A federal investigation has been launched into the death of black Louisiana motorist Ronald Greene in May 2019. Greene died after being arrested by white troopers

Nearly three years after Greene's May 10, 2019, death, still no one has been criminally charged.

Though his death was ruled accidental, Hollingsworth's early morning, off-duty crash into a highway guardrail in Monroe prompted widespread speculation that the trooper might have taken his own life.

Hollingsworth was sober, not wearing a seatbelt and was a state police driving instructor traveling on an interstate he had patrolled for decades. Crash reconstruction experts who reviewed case reports for The AP agreed that the circumstances were suspicious and the probe by local police was inadequate.

'Its definitely consistent with a suicide but I don't have enough information to say he didn't fall asleep,' said Jonathan Cherney, a California-based crash reconstructionist. 'But I'll tell you what, you have a hard time falling asleep when you're doing 100 miles per hour.'

Scott Wolleson, the lawyer who accompanied Hollingsworth to the interview and now represents his widow in a civil suit brought by Greene's family, declined to comment.

This undated photo provided by the family of Ronald Greene via the Baton Rouge chapter of the NAACP in September 2020 shows injuries on his body

Col. Lamar Davis, superintendent of the Louisiana State Police

This undated photo provided by the family of Ronald Greene in September 2020 shows Greene's vehicle after it was released by the Louisiana State Police

Intentional or not, Hollingsworth's death has complicated ongoing federal and state investigations and was particularly painful for Greenes mother, Mona Hardin, who says it robbed her of any hope for full justice while the trooper was allowed to be buried with full honors despite his misconduct.

'It hurts me to the core that Hollingsworth isn't here,' Hardin said.

'He was front and center and they gave him all the bells and whistles on his burial. They overlooked what he did, what he confessed to.'

Troopers initially told Greene's relatives the 49-year-old died from a crash at the end of the chase, despite his car showing little damage. It was only later that state police acknowledged there had been a struggle.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, 55

It took a total of 474 days for state police to launch an internal inquiry and officials from Gov. John Bel Edwards on down refused to release body camera video for more than two years.

Of particular interest to federal investigators is why the state police failed to arrest Hollingsworth, a veteran trooper who can be seen on the video stunning Greene and was later recorded boasting to a colleague that he choked Greene.

'I beat the ever-living f--- out of him, choked him and everything else trying to get him under control,' Hollingsworth told a fellow officer in a phone call picked up on his body-camera mic. 'All of a sudden he just went limp... I thought he was dead.'

Greene died before his ambulance reached the hospital. Hollingsworth was photographed there with flecks of Greenes blood dotting his blue uniform and brass badge.

Trooper Kory York (pictured) was seen on camera dragging Greene on his stomach

Bloodstains are seen on the shield and uniform of Hollingsworth after Greene's arrest

The governor later told police commanders to investigate Hollingsworth's role in the deadly arrest. Edwards' top lawyer, Matthew Block, told AP the then-head of the state police informed him when the decision was finally made to fire Hollingsworth. Edwards has since come to describe the actions of the troopers in Greene's arrest as criminal and racist.

Asked late last year whether he feels any responsibility for the loss of public trust in state police, a spokesperson for Edwards told AP: 'The troopers on the scene - particularly Trooper Hollingsworth - are responsible for what happened the night of Mr. Greenes death, period.'

Federal prosecutors have been considering for months whether to charge the other troopers, including Kory York, who remains on the force after dragging Greene face down by his ankle shackles.

The FBI also is investigating whether state police brass obstructed justice in part by rebuffing the detectives who pushed for criminal charges. One supervisor recently told a state legislative committee probing the case that his bosses instructed him not to give prosecutors the body-camera footage of Greene's arrest.

That was consistent with an AP investigation last year that found Greenes was among at least a dozen cases over the past decade in which state police troopers or their bosses ignored or concealed evidence of beatings, deflected blame and impeded efforts to root out misconduct.

Hollingsworth himself seemed to recognize his legal risk, refusing to provide any statement to the detectives conducting the criminal investigation in the days after Greenes death.

This combination of photos provided by the Ouachita Correctional Center and Franklin Parish Sheriff's Office shows Louisiana State Police Troopers Jacob Brown, left to right, Randall Dickerson, George Harper and Dakota DeMoss. New court filings show Louisiana State Police troopers joked in a group text about beating a Black man after a high-speed chase
Advertisement

A 192ft and 38 million superyacht seized in Canary Wharf is owned by a Russian mobile network tycoon who is not on the UK sanctions list, it has been revealed.

Officials boarded 38million Phi - named after the mathematical concept - in Canary Wharf on Tuesday. The vessel is the first to be detained in Britain under sanctions imposed due to the war in Ukraine.

Initially, the owner's name wasn't revealed and he was described as a businessman with an 'infinite wine cellar' and fresh-water swimming pool.

However, he has now been named as Vitaly Vasilievich Kochetkov, the founder of Motiv Telecom, a mobile phone network in the mineral-rich Urals region of Russia.

He owns the superyacht through Portsmouth Maritime, a Kitts & Nevis company that controls a Malta-registered yacht charter business, Hexagon Yachting Limited.

The Russian businessman also owns two other superyachts, named Aurelia and Phi Phantom, which are currently moored at Porto di Imperia in Italy, according to documents seen by the Financial Times.

The government said it had seized the vessel under the Russian sanctions regime, although Kochetkov is not currently on any sanctions list.

In fact, Kochetkov appears to be at odds with Vladimir Putin, with Russian police opening a tax evasion criminal investigation into the parent company of Motiv Telecom, Yekaterinburg-2000, in 2021.

Phi made her maiden voyage last year after being built in the Netherlands. The vessel was in London for a superyacht awards ceremony and was due to depart at noon today.

Captain Guy Booth later wrote online: 'This is a government overreach and nothing more than a publicity stunt.' Booth, a New Zealander based in Brighton was made 'build captain' of the yacht in 2019, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Tuesday: 'Today we've detained a 38 million superyacht and turned an icon of Russia's power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to Putin and his cronies.

'Detaining the Phi proves, yet again, that we can and will take the strongest possible action against those seeking to benefit from connections to Putin's regime.'

UK officials boarded 38million Phi - named after the mathematical concept - in Canary Wharf on Tuesday. The vessel is the first to be detained in Britain under sanctions imposed due to the war in Ukraine

Phi made her maiden voyage last year after being built in the Netherlands. The vessel was in London for a superyacht awards ceremony and was due to depart at noon today

Mr Shapps said: 'Today we've detained a 38 million superyacht and turned an icon of Russia's power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to Putin and his cronies'

Captain Guy Booth (pictured), a New Zealander based in Brighton, was made 'build captain' of the yacht in 2019, according to his LinkedIn profile. He wrote online: 'This is a government overreach and nothing more than a publicity stunt'

The Transport Secretary posted a picture of himself, above, stood in front of the yacht on Twitter, writing: 'This Government will continue to take robust action against anyone benefiting from connections to Putin's regime'

The Department for Transport (DfT) said it worked with the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Border Force Maritime Investigation Bureau to identify and detain the vessel.

It initially refused to reveal the name of her owner, stating that he is 'a Russian businessman'. The department described Phi's ownership as 'deliberately well hidden'.

It follows two private jets belonging to Eugene Shvidler, a billionaire oil businessman, being seized by UK authorities on Saturday after he was sanctioned over ties with his business partner Roman Abramovich.

Phi's owner is not currently subject to UK sanctions. But, under present regulations, a ship owned, controlled, chartered or operated by persons connected with Russia may be subject to a detention direction by the Transport Secretary.

Intelligence work by the Cell - supported by colleagues from Border Force Maritime Intelligence Bureau - identified the ultimate owner of the vessel.

The information was passed to Mr Shapps who today ordered the first ever detention of a superyacht in UK waters. As a result NCA officers issued the notice of detention.

Andy Devine, of the NCA, said: 'Today's activity demonstrates the NCA's ability to react at pace.

'We have surged officers to establish the Combatting Kleptocracy Cell, and the results of this are already bearing fruit.

Mr Shapps (above) said: 'It was here for refit, won't be going anywhere, and it's just another indication that we will not stand by whilst Putin's cronies are allowed to sail around the world in these kinds of yachts and people in Ukraine are suffering'

The Department for Transport (DfT) said it worked with the National Crime Agency and the Border Force Maritime Investigation Bureau to identify and detain the vessel

She is registered to a company based in the Caribbean dual-island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and carries a Maltese flag

'The NCA plays a vital role in targeting suspect assets, pursuing enablers of illicit wealth and supporting government partners in the delivery of the response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.'

Phi - a vibrant bright blue super-yacht - is 192ft long and features what is described as an 'infinite wine cellar' and a freshwater swimming pool. She is double the size of the other boats docked around it at Canary Wharf.

She is registered to a company based in the Caribbean dual-island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and carries a Maltese flag 'to hide its origins'.

The DfT said it is 'looking at a number of other vessels' and hopes its 'strong stance sends an example to international partners'.

Mr Shapps said: 'Now the ship is being held, it won't be going anywhere.

'It was here for refit, won't be going anywhere, and it's just another indication that we will not stand by whilst Putin's cronies are allowed to sail around the world in these kinds of yachts and people in Ukraine are suffering.

Phi - a vibrant bright blue super-yacht - is 192ft long and features what is described as an 'infinite wine cellar' and a freshwater swimming pool. She is double the size of the other boats docked around it at Canary Wharf

Phi's owner is not currently subject to UK sanctions. But, under current regulations, a ship owned, controlled, chartered or operated by persons connected with Russia may be subject to a detention direction by the Transport Secretary

'When you see what he's doing to Ukraine, when you see what he's doing to people's lives, it can't be right to have a yacht like this here in London, able to just sail away and that is why we've impounded it, and denied it ability to go anywhere right now, and it's another indication of how seriously we take these matters.'

The move comes after Italian police seized the world's biggest sailing yacht, the 470-foot Sailing Yacht A, from Russian billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko, the prime minister's office said on March 12.

Triesete, designed by Philippe Starck and built by Nobiskrug in German, was mentioned in Winston Churchill's Iron Curtain speech of March 5, 1946, when the war time leader outlined the front line of the Cold War.

A spokesperson for Melnichenko, Alex Andreev, said the businessman had 'no relation to the tragic events in Ukraine. He has no political affiliations'.

Russian oligarch Igor Sechin also saw his 289-ft 'Amore Vero' - meaning 'True Love' - seized by French custom officers near Marseille after being sanctioned by the European Union.

The move comes after Italian police seized the world's biggest sailing yacht, the 470-foot Sailing Yacht A, from Russian billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko (pictured right, with Abramovich), the prime minister's office said on March 12

Russian oligarch Igor Sechin (pictured above) also saw his 289-ft 'Amore Vero' - meaning 'True Love' - seized by French custom officers near Marseille after being sanctioned by the European Union

The Solaris is not as large as the Eclipse, a 533ft vessel. Abramovich has previously owned at least five other colossal yachts, with 162ft Sussurro the most recent to change hands around 2017

Meanwhile, fellow oligarch Abramovich saw one of his superyachts arrive safely in Montenegro earlier this month, where it is beyond the reach of UK, EU or US authorities.

His biggest yacht, Eclipse, slipped through the Strait of Gibraltar at 1.30pm, ensuring it remained outside the territory's waters.

Abramovich cannot sell any of his UK assets including Chelsea FC without a special licence that can only be granted by ministers and the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI).

Any cash he holds in the UK is frozen in accounts if he has not been able to transfer funds abroad, while his shares on the London Stock Exchange cannot be sold and will pay no dividends.

But despite these serious allegations, the law doesn't allow ministers to take away Chelsea, properties, yachts, planes, shares and cash.

Currently, the Government has powers to freeze UK assets like houses, but it cannot seize them and put them to a different use. The rules in place prevent oligarchs from renting out or selling property they own, hiring someone to clean it or even paying a power company to connect it to the electricity supply or pay a bill.
Ex-US Marine Trevor Reed has gone on hunger strike in a Russian prison after his jailors locked him away in solitary confinement, refusing him medical treatment while it is feared that he has tuberculosis, his parents have said.

Reed, 30, from Texas, is serving a nine year jail sentence in a penal colony 217 miles east in Mordovia after being convicted in a Russian court of endangering the lives of two policemen while drunk on a visit to Moscow in 2019, in a trial the US called a 'theatre of the absurd'.

The hunger strike comes at a time when Reed's health is believed to be in peril due to being placed in a cell with a prisoner carrying tuberculosis. Despite deteriorating health, the prison authorities have refused to test him for the disease.

Trevor Reed standing inside a defendants' cage during a court hearing in Moscow on March 11, 2020. He has been in the IK-12 gulag in Mordovia for over two years. He was arrested on the night of August 16, 2019, after a night of drinking and celebrating. Russian officials say that he grabbed the arm of an arresting officer as he was driving Trevor to the police station, causing the car to swerve and 'endangering the lives of two policemen'

Trevor Reed standing inside a defendants' cage during a court hearing in Moscow in July 30, 2020. His parents, Joey and Paula Reed, reported earlier in March that their son had been couching up blood

The parents protested in Lafayette Square near the White House on March 30 2022, after having failed to gain an audience with Joe Biden to discuss the release of their son from a Russian gulag

The Reed family provided this undated photo of Trevor Reed with his mother Paula when he was stil serving in the US Marines. He travelled to Russia in the summer of 2019 to visit his Russian girlfriend and study Russian

His parents, Joey and Paula Reed, reported earlier in March that their son had been couching up blood. He was moved to a prison hospital for ten days but was then returned to his cell 'meaningful medical care beyond an X-ray which was taken incorrectly', they said.

'Trevor's Mordovian lawyer was able to see him (on Tuesday) and confirmed that Trevor began a hunger strike... to protest being sent back to solitary while injured and having TB,' the parents said in a statement.

'Soon after he returned, Trevor asked authorities at the IK-12 gulag to return to the hospital. Instead, authorities returned him to solitary confinement,' they said.

Reed's family revealed that Reed had previously spent time in solitary confinement for refusing to do hard labor.

Trevor had been spending the summer of 2019 in Russia, visiting his girlfriend and studying Russian. However, just days before his return to the US a night out in Moscow sent everything spinng into chaos.

According to the Russian version of events, on the night of August 16, Reed was arrested after he got drunk and allegedly grabbed the arm of an officer as he was being taken to a station to be booked, causing the vehicle to swerve and 'endangering the lives of officers'.

At the time, the US ambassador dismissed the allegation as 'preposterous' and noted that video evidence showed no swerving.

He currently resides in a cell in the penal colony, in extremely poor conditions, according to the family, who say his cell does not even include a toilet and that he did not receive any items that had been brought to him by U.S. ambassador John Sullivan.

Joey and Paula Reed pose with a portrait of their son Marine veteran and Russian prisoner Trevor Reed at their home in Fort Worth, Texas, on February 15, 2022

Trevor Reed posing for a photo at the Moscow Zoo during the summer of 2019 in happier times before his arrest and incarceration

Joey and Paula Reed have been protesting outside the White House to raise awareness of their son's plight, for which they regard him as being used as a 'political bargaining chip' by the Kremlin in future negotiations with the US.

President Biden is aware of Trevor Reed's situation and has already pledged his commitment to the former marine's parents to 'do everything he can to bring their son home, to stay in close touch with them through his national security team and to finding a time to meet in person,' according to a White House official.

So far though the president has failed to find time to meet with Trevor Reed's parents.

This is the second hunger strike Reed has staged, coming on the heels of the one last year, which was motivated by his unjust incarceration and alleged human rights abuses he had suffered at the hands of the Russian penal system in his gulag.

He called it off almost a week later having lost weight. Russia's prison authority denied he had been refusing food or that his rights were being violated.
A plant near the Ambatovy nickel mine in Madagascar is seen in this file photo. Courtesy of Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corp.





By Park Jae-hyuk







The incoming government is facing growing calls to help Korean firms secure natural resources from other countries to stabilize the supply of important raw materials at home, according to energy industry analysts.







Amid the global supply bottlenecks of key minerals  in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine  energy experts have called on President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol to resume the so-called "resources diplomacy" that has been virtually suspended over the past 10 years.







"Korea's exploration of natural resources overseas should not be swayed by each administration's policies anymore. It should be pursued consistently from a long-term perspective," Korea Industry Alliance Forum (KIAF) Chairman Jung Ma-ki said in an online seminar, March 23. "Considering the risks inherent in the exploitation of resources overseas, the government should play its role in subsidizing companies and training experts to make up for market failures."







Under the presidencies of Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun and Lee Myung-bak, Korea was aggressive in securing natural resources abroad.







However, falling raw material prices in the early 2010s, which caused significant losses to state-run enterprises dealing with natural resources, prompted the Park Geun-hye administration to halt such efforts and lawmakers to start investigating corruption allegations involving her immediate predecessor's resources diplomacy.







The incumbent Moon Jae-in administration even described Lee's resources diplomacy as a "deep-rooted evil," forcing the state-run Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corp. (KOMIR) to sell its stakes in 26 mines in other countries to improve its financial soundness.







As a result, KOMIR sold off its stakes in 11 overseas mines under Moon's presidency.







What reversed the trend was the recent "weaponization" of natural resources.







Following the global supply chain crisis, China, Russia and several developing countries rich in resources have been adopting protectionist policies lately to maximize their profits and exercise a stronger influence in the international community.







As Korean businesses and consumers began suffering from raw materials shortages and their skyrocketing prices, the government decided to reconsider its plan to sell the remaining stakes in overseas mines, although the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has yet to suspend the sale procedures.







"If public institutions' overseas assets are considered important in terms of supply chain, it must be reviewed whether it is appropriate to sell them from the viewpoint of the national interest," Moon said on Feb. 14, during an economic and security strategy meeting on international issues.







At this moment, it is impossible for the government to retract the sale procedures or make additional investments in mines overseas, because the Act on KOMIR specifies "divestment from mining projects overseas" as one of the state-run company's business purposes.







POSCO Group's demonstration plant near the Salar del Hombre Muerto salt lake in Argentina is seen in this file photo. Courtesy of POSCO Chemical









The private sector has already resumed aggressive investments in natural resources abroad.







POSCO Group Chairman Choi Jeong-woo met with Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez at the latter's office in Buenos Aires, March 21, two days before the Korean company broke ground for a new brine lithium plant near the Salar del Hombre Muerto salt lake located at an altitude of 4,000 meters in the South American country's province of Salta.







"By securing a large amount of lithium used for cathode materials, POSCO Group has been able to strengthen the entire value chain of secondary battery materials," Choi said during the groundbreaking ceremony.







The group plans to make additional investments in Argentina for the new factory to have an annual capacity of 50,000 tons by 2024.







"POSCO Lithium Solution's factory in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, will start producing 43,000 tons of lithium in 2023," a POSCO Chemical official said. "In 2024, POSCO Group will be able to supply the entire 91,000 tons of lithium we need for our annual capacity of 225,000 tons of cathode materials."







POSCO International, which formed a consortium with KOMIR and STX in 2006 to buy a 4 percent stake in the Ambatovy nickel mine in Madagascar for 346.9 billion won ($283 million), is also said to be reconsidering its plan to sell the stake, although the company has reiterated that nothing has been confirmed regarding this issue.







LX International, which was rebranded from LG International last year with the launch of LX Group, indicated its intention to accelerate efforts to acquire a nickel mine in Indonesia.







"We will accelerate investment in mining nickel, the core material for secondary batteries," LX International CEO Yoon Chun-sung told shareholders in their general meeting on March 24.







Energy & Mineral Resources Development Association of Korea Managing Director Lee Churl-gyu emphasized that the government should be more practical in supporting the private sector's efforts.







He pointed out that the government has mainly focused on lending money to companies exploiting natural resources overseas, while failing to provide sufficient financial support for technical development, personnel training and information system construction.







"The government should reform the special loan system and reintroduce tax incentives to revitalize the nation's exploitation of resources overseas," Lee said. "It should also expand the projects to train experts in natural resources."











The president-elect has yet to express a specific opinion about resources diplomacy, although he promised to focus on stabilizing the supply chain of core materials.







"Securing raw materials has been important, and the global supply chain's paradigm has shifted focus to stability from efficiency," his election manifesto reads.







In addition, the presidential transition committee reportedly discussed the supply chain crisis with the trade ministry, during a policy briefing on March 24.







The committee, however, has been urged to take more tangible measures, such as including the exploitation of overseas resources as one of the incoming government's major projects.


From driving on a revoke license, to calling the widely-popular Ukrainian leader a 'thug,' to accusing his fellow Republicans of doing drugs and hosting orgies, Rep. Madison Cawthorn might be self-sabotaging. At least, that's what his primary challengers are hoping.

'You know, just really bizarre comments, his irresponsible behavior that we've seen over the course of the last few months, it continues to show his immaturity,' Michele Woodhouse, a one-time ally and self-proclaimed 'big supporter' of Cawthorn told DailyMail.com.

Woodhouse said she expects a number of sitting lawmakers to soon officially break from Cawthorn and back her in the race.

The pair have a history - when Cawthorn jumped ship from his 11th district to run in the 13th under North Carolina's new redistricting map, he called Woodhouse, then the GOP chair and encouraged her to run for his seat. But when that map got struck down and Cawthorn came back to run in the 11th again, Woodhouse did not back down, and their relationship soured. Despite Cawthorn's name recognition and incumbency, Woodhouse is betting he can run himself into the ground.

'He lost the incumbency when he abandoned the 11th district,' she said. 'What he quickly realized on the ground was that the people of Western North Carolina are no one's second choice.'

When Cawthorn left the 11th district to run in the 13th, he called then-GOP chair Michele Woodhouse to encourage her to run for the seat he would be vacating

When the redistricting map got struck down in court, Cawthorn returned to the 11th district, but Woodhouse refused to back down

Elected at only 24 years old, the North Carolina Republican real estate agent-turned-congressman quickly became a rising star within the conservative movement and drew the favor of former President Trump.

But after a number of left-field remarks, attention-grabbing antics and run-ins with the law, the young GOP lightning rod has slowly poked at the nerves of fellow Republicans in Congress.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has repeatedly said the only incumbent whose reelection bid he won't support is Rep. Liz Cheney. That assertion could well be in question after Cawthorn's most recent meeting with McCarthy where he was admonished for the orgy claims.

'He's lost my trust is gonna have to earn it back. And I laid out to everything that I find is unbecoming,' McCarthy told reporters after the meeting. He said there 'very well could be' more action taken beyond the stern warning during the meeting.

'This is unacceptable,' he said of claims Republicans do drugs and take part in orgies. 'He did not tell the truth  thats unacceptable.'

But that might not even be his biggest trouble.

North Carolina lawmakers drew up a new congressional map that left the 11th district, the one he currently represents, more moderate than Cawthorn felt comfortable with. The congressman moved to run in the 13th district, encompassing the Charlotte area, but then the courts struck down the redistricting map and eliminated the district he left to run in. On Feb. 23, Cawthorn returned to his 11th district race, but the problem was he'd already crowned a successor to run for his seat.

President Trump endorsed Cawthorn last March

Woodhouse said she expects a number of sitting lawmakers to soon officially break from Cawthorn and back her in the race

When Cawthorn left the 11th district, he called Woodhouse, then the chair of the District 11 GOP, and told her to run for his seat. He even presented her name to Trump, essentially to take over the endorsement he'd won from the former president.

Cawthorn donated $1,000 to Woodhouse twice, once in August and once in October.

In December, Cawthorn released 'Congressman Cawthorn's Plan for North Carolina,' a graphic which Woodhouse described as a 'child's coloring placemat,' a roadmap telling each Republican where to run in North Carolina under the new redistricting (he broke House Ethics rules by using his official Congressional seal on the map.) His name and photo were placed by the 13th district, Woodhouse's by the 11th.

And when he got back into the race after the court threw out the new map on Feb. 23, Woodhouse said Cawthorn left her a voicemail only moments before hitting send on a press release announcement.

Woodhouse declined to drop of our the race now that the incumbent was back. So did six other Republicans running in the May 17 primary.

'What I'm hearing from constituents is his utter and complete disappointment in his abandonment,' Woodhouse said. 'Not only did he leave the district to run somewhere else, he also closed three of his four constituent services offices.'

Woodhouse says that after Cawthorn's announcement, she was inundated with calls from members of Congress in D.C. telling her: 'You've got to stay in the race.'

'We need strong, stable leadership coming out of the 11th congressional district and with each and every misstep that Congressman Cawthorn continues to have he's put himself in a position now where he is unelectable,' Woodhouse claimed D.C. lawmakers told her. She refused to name names, but said that she's gotten calls from lawmakers in the North Carolina delegation and beyond.

Cawthorn donated $1,000 to Woodhouse twice, once in August and once in October

'I think you'll start to see probably over the course of the next few days, some names that are going to come out,' Woodhouse told DailyMail.com.

Cawthorn's latest claims that fellow Republicans have invited him to orgies and done cocaine in front of him may have been the straw that broke the camel's back.

He said during an interview with the Warrior Poet Society: 'The sexual perversion that goes on in Washington ... being kind of a young guy in Washington where the average age is probably 60 or 70, I look at all these people - a lot of them who I've looked up to throughout my life ... then all of a sudden you get invited to like, 'well hey we're going to have kind of a sexual get together at one of our homes. You should come,' like, what did you just ask me to come to? And then you realize they're asking you to come to an orgy.'

'There's some of the people that are leading the movement to try and remove addiction in our country and then you watch them doing, you know, a key bump of cocaine in front of you and it's like wow, this is wild.'

'There seems to kind of be a thread that we've seen since he was elected: shock and disappointment,' Woodhouse said.

Of the claims: 'The question becomes, is it true or is it a publicity stunt?'

North Carolina Sens. Thom Tillis and Richard Burr have already expressed their frustration.

'I thought about the statement, if it's true, then he's got a lot of information to reveal. If it's not true, then he's guilty of being untruthful,' Tillis said, according to CNN. 'I thought it was a silly statement and it's not the first one.'

Tillis then hinted that he thought North Carolinians in Cawthorn's 11th district should vote him out.

'At the end of the day, people in the district are going to have to vote for him and I would ask them to look at his record and ask what has he done since he's been here,' Tillis said. Asked what he thought Cawthorn has accomplished, Tillis said: 'Not a lot in my opinion.'

Burr, the senior Republican senator from North Carolina, was asked by CNN about Cawthorn's job performance.

'Thats for his constituents to figure out but clearly he's been an embarrassment at times,' Burr replied.

Before the orgy comments, Cawthorn made headlines for calling Volodymyr Zelensky a 'thug.' And at the same time, it was revealed that Cawthorn is awaiting court dates in three counties for speeding and driving around on a revoked license. In January he cleaned his gun on camera during a Veterans' Affairs hearing on toxci burn pits and last July, he was stopped by airport police in Asheville for trying to board a plane with a gun.

On four separate occasions, Cawthorn was accused of bringing a knife onto school property during schoolboard meetings.

Woodhouse said these instances are why she's staying in the race. 'That's why we're staying in this, right? Because we need a solid conservative who's going to do the work and he proves over and over again, it's not him.'

She said the biggest difference between her and Cawthorn, the two 'America First' candidates in the race, are 'maturity' and 'stability.'

'Who's going to be the adult in the room? Who's going to be the one who's going to go there and do the work based on the America First policies in a mature way? Who's going to do the heavy lifting rather than work on their Instagram profile?' she questioned.
New York gubernatorial hopeful Andrew Giuliani said he was going to be the last guy in a long time 'to look under his baby daughter's hood' and 'she's gonna stay a woman' at a campaigning rally in Long Island.

The son of embattled Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani made the comments, branded distasteful and transphobic on social media, at an event over the weekend organized by the far-right group Long Island Loud Majority (LILM).

'So I have changed the diapers. I have looked under the hood. She's a woman. I'm gonna be the last guy in a long time that looks under the hood right there.

'But guess what? She was born a woman and she's gonna stay a woman, it's that simple,' he said outside the LIRR Bellmore train station.

Giuliani added that he would be his four-month-old daughter's 'only boyfriend' until she is 25 years old.

The 36-year-old, who served as a special assistant for Trump, was in Long Island making yet another bid for the state's highest office, with school-board groups in attendance to the event.

His comments come at a time of extreme political turmoil in the US over polarizing commentary and policies on transgender issues in schools.

Giuliani and his Lithuanian business executive wife Zivile Rezgyte welcomed daughter Grace Jusefa Giuliani in November after the couple wed in 2017.

New York gubernatorial hopeful Andrew Giuliani made remarks branded distasteful and transphobic at an event over the weekend organized by the far-right group Long Island Loud Majority (LILM)

Giuliani said he was going to be the last guy in a long time 'to look under his baby daughter's hood' and 'she's gonna stay a woman' at the campaigning rally

'Grace Juzefa Giuliani gave Zivile and I the greatest joy we could ever imagine when she was born to us yesterday,' the new father tweeted in November.

'Happy Birthday to our little Angel and thank you to all the family and friends who have prayed for us and have welcomed our wonderful baby Grace into the world!'

Over the weekend, Giuliani said about his daughter: '[She] made a promise to me on the first day, right? My wife was sleeping, and Im holding her [my daughter] in my arms.

'And I get emotional thinking about it, but she made a promise with me. She shook my hand and I said, "Im the only boyfriend till youre 25 years old, shake hands."

The rally was organized by the far-right group LILM, which has hosted school-board meetings screaming matches, and admitted to taking 300 of its members to the US Capitol on January 6.

None of the members entered the building or were on the premises of the Capitol at the time of the riot.

Giuliani and his Lithuanian business executive wife Zivile Rezgyte welcomed daughter Grace Jusefa Giuliani in November after the couple wed in 2017

He revealed he had welcomed a baby daughter in November. Over the weekend, he also said baby Grace would not be allowed to date 'until she is 25'

Giuliani's father, Rudy, was mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001 and joined former President Donald Trump 's personal legal team in 2018 and helped argue claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election

Giuliani first announced his bid for the Republican primary in May 2021, but received zero votes in a June straw poll. However, the younger Giuliani was not deterred by the lack of support and has continued to rally across the state.

He'll either need to receive 25 of the weighted vote at this year's GOP nominating convention or get thousands of petition signatures to get on to the ballot before June.

Giuliani's father, Rudy, was mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001 and joined former President Donald Trump 's personal legal team in 2018 and helped argue claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

Rudy Giuliani has said that his son is a natural governor because 'he was born knowing how to fight crime.'

The younger Giuliani's bizarre comments over the weekend are not the first controversy the younger Giuliani has faced.

In June 2021, he was caught in a cringe-worthy spat with a TikTok personality known as 'Crackhead Barney' over his stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Giuliani and his Lithuanian business executive wife Zivile Rezgyte welcomed daughter Grace Jusefa Giuliani in November after the couple wed in 2017

Rudy Giuliani, who is facing a plethora of legal charges over alleged attempts he aided Trump to overthrow the election, has said that his son is a natural governor because 'he was born knowing how to fight crime'

'I'm running for governor. I'm standing for Israel today,' Giuliani said.

'Are you gonna be like your daddy?' the TikTok star asked.

'I want to see a New York where you have Israel that is respected,' Giuliani said.

'I hate your father, I f***ing hate him!' retorted Crackhead Barney.

'That's okay,' responded Giuliani while those around him appeared to take offense.

Giuliani's entourage then proceeded to shout 'F*** you!' at the TikToker while the candidate managed to remain calm throughout.

'You want to know the beautiful thing about the United States of America?' Giuliani asked. 'You can stand and say that. Unfortunately in Palestine you can't. You'd be beheaded.'

The younger Giuliani said in early 2021 that he felt confident he'd run as a GOP candidate against now-disgraced former governor Andrew Cuomo.

A young Andrew Giuliani is seen with his father Rudy Giuliani and family

Instead, Trump ally Lee Zeldin led the way with 85 percent of the vote in a June straw poll, while 2014 candidate Rob Astorino received 5 percent, according to Democrat & Chronicle.

While the straw poll doesn't eliminate Giuliani from consideration, it gives him an uphill climb to force a primary with Zeldin.

The junior Giuliani served for four years as a White House aide to Trump and became outspoken after his father's New York City apartment was raided by the FBI to seize laptops and cellphones related to an investigation against him.

Giuliani's campaign website explains of his time in the White House: 'He then joined the Trump administration as Associate Director of the Office of Public Liaison in 2017.

'In 2019, he was promoted to Special Assistant to the President. His role consisted of working with high-level business leaders and CEOs to help President Trump and his Cabinet Secretaries craft policy, specifically including the 2017 tax cuts, the deregulation of businesses of all sizes, and was proud of his work on the Opioid task force.'

Giuliani's campaign website explains of his time in the White House: 'He then joined the Trump administration as Associate Director of the Office of Public Liaison in 2017

'In his final year at the White House,' his bio continues, 'Andrew was directly involved with several initiatives that saved millions of American jobs amid the coronavirus pandemic.

'He collaborated with the Department of Treasury and business leaders to craft the Paycheck Protection Program and worked to vet and shape President Trump's Great American Reopening Committee.'

The candidate said the gubernatorial race will be another 'Fight of the Century', and is confident he can knock out veteran GOP competition in Representative Lee Zeldin and current three-term incumbent Democrat Governor Cuomo.

A Republican has not won a statewide election in New York since the mid-1990s, when George Pataki denied the current governor's father, Mario Cuomo, a fourth term as New York governor. Pataki served three terms until 2006.
Travellers hoping for a relaxing spring getaway have slammed British Airways when a 'technical issue' caused dozens of flights across Europe to be cancelled or delayed.

Customers were met with huge queues at check-in desks and were unable to access any boarding information at Heathrow's Terminal 5 on Wednesday.

Passengers who landed at the London terminal were also met with headaches as they claimed they were made to wait up to two hours to disembark.

At least two flights were diverted mid-air from Heathrow to London Gatwick, more than 40 miles away.

Knock-on effects from the tech outage were due to stretch into Thursday with planes in the wrong place and passengers whose flights were cancelled yesterday scrambling to rebook.

Some travellers who spoke with MailOnline were told that there had been a 'major IT system failure' and that the backup system had 'also failed'.

Natalie Stimson, who has waited for almost two hours at Heathrow after landing from Prague, said staff appeared 'clueless' as to the IT problem.

Zjelko and Helena Ivos were due to fly on the 9.25pm flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, but arrived to discover the flight had been delayed until 11am today.

Helena, from Loughton, Essex, told MailOnline: 'It is appalling. We cannot speak to anyone and have just been given a leaflet.

'We have to find a hotel and now have to get PCR tests as the ones we had will have expired by the time the flight leaves.

'It is just dreadful and there is no one from the airline who can help. There must be thousands of people trying to get through on the phone. No one has given us any information.'

Another passenger on a flight from Northern Ireland to London told MailOnline: 'We are stuck on the tarmac at Belfast City airport on the plane.

'The pilot told us all BA flights suspended due to massive IT issue. None allowed to take off. And sounds like they can't land at Heathrow.

'We have no idea what is happening. One passenger next to me said there is more information coming out of Putin's bunker than BA.

'No one, including pilots, has a clue what's going on. It's utter chaos. Fellow passengers are convinced it's a major cyber attack.'

Businessman Simon Nayyar meanwhile told MailOnline he was forced to make a dash for the Eurostar after BA told him his flight from Brussels was cancelled 33 minutes after it was meant to take off.

'By the time [they cancelled the flight] we were already in a taxi, desperately trying to get back to Brussels Midi to catch the last Eurostar,' said Simon, who forked out 245 for a last minute ticket home.

'We all appreciate the tremendous challenges that great British companies like BA are facing post-Pandemic.

'But keeping faith with its loyal, high-spending leisure and business customers when things go wrong could just be a sensible recipe for BA.'

Traveller Charlotte told MailOnline that she was meant to be flying to Barcelona from Heathrow at 4.40pm, but that the flight has been repeatedly pushed back and she still does not have an answer.

'The lack of information is appalling, the queue for information is huge,' she said. 'BA staff in the business lounge are telling passengers that call centres are rebooking people if their flight is cancelled so not to speak to the guest services desk here.

She later added that a staff member told her the system was 'up and going again' but the backlog means 'there are still all these issues'.

'It's a shambles, god knows when Ill fly or when Ill arrive.'

Flight disruption was also reported by customers waiting to depart on flights from Copenhagen, Paris and Nice bound for the capital.

One eyewitness claimed that staff onboard one BA flight were seen using their personal mobile phones in an attempt to reach the office.

Customers were reportedly met with huge queues at check-in desks and were unable to access any boarding information at Heathrow Airport on Wednesday

Passengers who landed at the London terminal were also met with headaches as they claimed they were made to wait up to two hours to disembark. Pictured: Huge queues at Heathrow departure gates on Wednesday

A departures board at Heathrow earlier today showed dozens of flights being cancelled, with passengers told to go to customer services to check if they could get a rebook

Some travellers who spoke with MailOnline were reportedly told by BA staff that there had been a 'major IT system failure' and that the backup system had 'also failed'

Flight disruption was also reported by customers waiting to depart on flights from Copenhagen, Paris and Nice on Wednesday

There was no luggage in sight for some BA customers Heathrow on Wednesday

Businessman Simon Nayyar was forced to make a dash for the Eurostar after BA told him his flight from Brussels was cancelled - 33 minutes after it was meant to take off

Several BA flights initially scheduled for Heathrow have now been diverted to London Gatwick almost 40 miles away

Pensioner Doros Partasides (left), 76, said BA's passengers were left stranded on the tarmac at Larnaca Airport in Cyprus for two hours

Danny Johnson 34, was due to fly to Nice but was told his flight was cancelled.

He said: 'How come this keeps on happening to BA. They must have the worst IT system out of any airline. With the long queues at immigration this airport is a bit of a joke.'

ITV's former top footballer commentator Clive Tyldesley also posted about being impacted by the fault: 'Heathrow is er not working at all.'

Another customer said they had been left waiting for more than two and a half hours and were unable to check in.

Big Jet TV, which soared to mainstream fame after livestreaming during Storm Eunice last month, tweeted: 'We're live at Heathrow and hearing British Airways IT systems are down.'

Pensioner Doros Partasides, 76, said BA's passengers were left stranded on the tarmac at Larnaca Airport Cyprus for two hours. 'The captain told us the IT glitch in London Heathrow T5 means no planes are allowed in or out,' he said.

Gavin Megaw, crisis consultant and host of White Swan podcast, who is presently stuck on a plane on the tarmac in Belfast said: 'It appears to be a significant IT failure and many are already speculating about the possibility of a cyber attack.

'It has seemingly caught BA off guard, highlighting a likely gap in the crisis communications plans BA has in place for such problems.

'The pilot and crew are doing everything possible to look after customers, but it's clear they are not receiving the information they need from their HQ to make and communicate decisions.'

Customers were reportedly met with empty check-in desks, unable to access boarding information and huge queues at Heathrow Airport on Wednesday. Flight disruption was also reported by customers waiting to depart on BA services from Copenhagen and Nice

British Airways travelers hoping for a relaxing spring getaway were plunged into chaos today as thousands were left in the lurch after a 'technical issue' caused flights to be delayed. [File image]

A BA spokesman said: 'We experienced a technical issue for a short time this afternoon which affected our operation at Heathrow Terminal 5. This has now been resolved and we're resuming flight operations. We've apologised to those customers who have been inconvenienced.'

Reacting to the delays, Michael Foote, personal finance expert and editor of Quotegoat.com, said: 'If your flight is cancelled, you should be asked whether you want a full refund or to re-book on an alternative flight.

'BA should cover the cost of transport if you need to travel from a different airport to catch your replacement flight.'

Wednesday's technical glitch marked the latest in a string of high-profile gaffes that have already plagued the airline this year.

Last weekend, almost 200 BA flights were disrupted, with passengers left queuing for more than an hour to check in their bags and others forced to return home without their luggage.

And in February, passengers were also hit by chaos from BA as more than 500 flights were cancelled or delayed after the airline suffered its biggest IT meltdown for years.

In an internal message to staff, chief executive Sean Doyle admitted passengers and employees are 'fed up' with the recent issues, which included IT issues and staff shortages.

BA said flights would have to be cancelled over the next few weeks, through the Easter holidays and until the end of May.

The issues have come at the worst time for BA, with bookings at their highest levels since the start of the pandemic after the UK and most European countries ditched Covid traveller tests for fully vaccinated holidaymakers.

Over the weekend, passengers at Heathrow said there were 'not enough staff to explain what was going on' and a lot of the desks looked 'unmanned' at the baggage check-in at Terminal 5.
A Christian masseur, who sexually assaulted women while giving them massages at a lido recreation centre, was facing time behind bars until until he pleaded guilty to several counts today.

A judge heard that the 49-year-old Toshihide Nukui engaged in unconsented sexual behaviour on several women as he carried out his profession as a masseur.

Nukui had been due to stand trial accused of a string of nine charges when he appeared at Reading Crown Court on Monday but after engaging in plea bargaining with the prosecution, he admitted sexually assaulting multiple women.

Toshihide Nukui, 49, admitted sexually assaulting multiple women as he carried out his profession as a masseur the Thames Lido in Reading and once as a private masseur at The Therapy Centre

Nukui pleaded guilty to four incidents of sexual assault while he was working at the Thames Lido in Reading (pictured)

He also confessed to penetrating a client's genitals while he was working as a private masseur at a local swimming pool and spa resort.

The incidents happened over a 11-month period and began when Nukui sexually assaulted a female client by touching her inappropriately during an appointment at the Thames Lido in Reading, Berkshire, in November 2018.

Judge Kirsty Real heard that the same happened again with a different woman customer in December 2018, July 2019 and September 2019.

The genitalia of the victim in the September incident was touched six times by the masseur.

Nukui, of Oaklands, Reading, Berkshire, admitted four counts of sexual assault in relation to these incidents, which all happened at the renovated pool and treatment centre on Napier Road, Reading.

He also admitted assault by penetration after he digitally penetrated the genitalia of a client when he was working as a private masseur at The Therapy Centre in October 2019.

The Crown Prosecution Service accepted guilty pleas to four counts of sexual assault and one count of assault by penetration.

Lisa Jane Judge, defending, told Judge Real: 'This is a man who has never undertaken actions such as this. He comes from a Christian family and it is clear to me this is out of his normal behaviour.'

The judge agreed to adjourn Nukui's sentencing until July 12 so a pre-sentence report could be compiled.

She released Nukui on bail until this date, but warned him: 'You should not read into that any promise about an outcome other than custody.'
A great hornbill's life has been saved by a team of veterinarians, dermatology experts and other staff members at a zoo in Florida following a successful surgery to replace the bird's cancerous beak with a 3D-printed prosthetic one.

Animal caretakers at ZooTampa were fearful for 25-year-old Crescent's life after the colorful bird - generally found in Southeast Asia - developed squamous cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer that often proves to be fatal for the species but not for humans, at the top of its beak - also known as a 'casque.'

Despite the grim diagnosis, Crescent's caregivers refused to give up. They sought consultation from medical experts in a bid to extend the hornbill's life, although they were warned that the median survival time for birds once they catch the disease is 357 days, according scientific research.

From there, it became a race against time to save Crescent's life.

ZooTampa contacted veterinarians from all across the country, as well as several human doctors specializing in dermatology, with many agreeing to volunteer in the process - much to the zoo's surprise.

'We asked ourselves, if this was a human, what would we do?' said Dr. Summer Decker, vice chair for research and innovation at the University of South Florida's Department of Radiology.

'So, we began to plan how to fix Crescent's casque using the technology we use every day on our human patients  3D printing,' she added.

Dental acrylic and titanium screws were implanted to Crescent's upper bill as part of the 3D-printed replacement casque. The surgery to replace Crescent's beak was the first operation of its kind in the U.S. on a hornbill and only the second around the world.

Crescent, a 25-year-old great hornbill at Zoo Tampa, was diagnosed with a form of skin cancer earlier this year before becoming the first bird in the U.S. and only the second in the world to receive a 3D-printed prosthetic beak

The great hornbill had a form of skin cancer, called squamous cell carcinoma, on her casque located on top of her beak before surgery

The 25-year-old bird seen after surgery with her new 3D-printed prosthetic beak in her aviary

RACE AGAINST TIME: The median survival time for birds diagnosed with skin cancer is 357 days

Associate Veterinarian Dr. Kendra Baker, who works at the zoo, said in a news release that continuous talks with oncologists and imaging scientists were 'an all-in effort.'

A medical imaging technique known as a computerized tomography (CT) scan all but confirmed that removing the tumor from Crescent's casque would offer the hornbill its best chance of survival.

But doctors and veterinarians warned that common surgery for this type of procedure would not be performed, or it would leave the bird's sinuses exposed to bacteria.

'This tumor is typically found near the front of the casque in hornbills, but hers was in the back,' Baker said of Crescent's condition in a statement.

Crescent was not eligible for typical skin cancer removal surgery as it would have left her sinuses (in red) exposed to potential bacteria infection

Vets, biomedical engineers, physicians and actual human doctors teamed up to remove the tumor (pictured) and replace it with a prosthetic 'replacement beak' made by Formlabs, which is a private biomedical laboratory that specializes in manufacturing 3D printing solution

ZooTampa caregivers seen performing surgery on Crescent, who was put asleep, while vets operated on her casque

The 3D-printed prosthetic (in white) was screwed on the the hornbill's peak, protecting her sinuses from bacterial exposure

Rebuffing suggestions to not operate on the bird, experts found an innovative way to kill the the tumor and protect her sinuses from bacterial infection.

ZooTampa disclosed that a team of veterinarians, physicians, biomedical engineers and specialists worked together to create a new 3D-printed prosthetic before they surgically removed the tumor from the affected area of Crescent's casque.

Formlabs, a private biomedical laboratory that specializes in manufacturing 3D printing solutions, contributed to the surgery.

'Formlabs donated the material, and the USF Health Radiology 3D team printed the surgical guide and new casque on a Formlabs 3D printer developed for healthcare use,' ZooTampa said.

Crescent is now cancer-free, but is being closely watched after, as she recovers from surgery in her aviary

ZooTampa Associate Veterinarian Dr Kendra Baker (pictured) described the entire process as an 'an all-in effort.'

Since being released from surgery, the zoo says the hornbill has been recovering well and that her caretakers have not noticed any signs of behavioral change.

Despite Crescent now being cancer-free, she is still closely monitored after being restored inside her aviary.

'An unexpected benefit came when Crescent began preening within hours after surgery,' ZooTampa said.

'The Formlabs resin happened to be compatible with the yellow preening oils secreted from the glands above her tail, giving the new casque the same bright glow as her original one.'

The great hornbill, also called the concave-casqued hornbill, great Indian hornbill or great pied hornbill, is one of the the largest of the hornbill family. They are often found in Southeast Asia, noticeably in Indian, Nepalese, Bhutanese and Thai forests.

They often make 'whooshing' noise when they are flying due to a shortage of feathers under their wings that is typically found in other birds.

The birds are registered as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, due to the ongoing problem of deforestation.

Hornbills are protected in certain parts of West and Northeast India and Thailand, with their population currently estimated to be between 23,000 to 71,000.
A university trade union could formally 'congratulate' a group which helped to oust a feminist professor over her views on gender.

Kathleen Stock quit her job at the University of Sussex in October after what she described as a 'bullying and harassment' campaign by students demanding her sacking over her beliefs.

Her resignation also came after the Sussex branch of the University and College Union (UCU) - a group that represents lecturers and academic staff - called for an investigation into 'transphobia' at the university.

Just weeks before her resignation, Professor Stock, 48, a philosopher and writer, said her own union's comments had 'effectively ended' her career.

Now the national UCU is set to hear a motion at its congress in June calling for the Sussex branch to be 'congratulated' for what it describes as the group's 'solidarity' with students protesting against 'gender critical views'.

Sharing the motion on Twitter, Professor Stock wrote: 'My former trade union has a motion at congress proposing to 'congratulate Sussex UCU for their solidarity with student protests against "gender critical views".'

Kathleen Stock (pictured) quit her job at the University of Sussex in October after what she described as a 'bullying and harassment' campaign by students demanding her sacking over her feminist views

Her resignation also came after the Sussex branch of the University and College Union (UCU) - a group that is represents lecturers and academic staff - called for an investigation into 'transphobia' at the university. Pictured: Her tweet today

Now the national UCU is set to hear a motion calling for the Sussex branch to be 'congratulated'. The praise is for the group's 'solidarity' with students protesting against 'gender critical views'. Pictured: The UCU congress list on trans rights

In her Tweet, Professor Stock, who in November took a new job at the University of Austin, also included a screenshot image of the congress agenda on LGBTQ+ rights.

In her own words: What does Kathleen Stock believe about gender and trans issues? Kathleen Stock explained her views on trans issues in written evidence to Parliament in November 2020 here: Womanhood and manhood reflect biological sex, not gender or gender identity;

The claim 'transwomen are women' is a fiction, not literally true

Sexual orientation (being gay, being lesbian) is determined by same-sex attraction, not attraction to gender identity

Spaces where women undress and sleep should remain genuinely single-sex, in order to protect them;

Children with gender identity disorders should not be given puberty blockers as minors. Advertisement

Under the headline: 'Defend trans and nonbinary people's rights, LGBTQ+ members standing committee, it said: 'The congress resolves to, congratulate Sussex UCU for their solidarity with protests against "gender critical views".

The congress also resolved to: 'Develop resources to support branches to oppose "gender critical" views and transphones promoting 'gender ideology'.

Professor Stock has always denied being transphobic, saying it is her belief that gender identity is not more important than biological sex, 'particularly when it comes to law and policy'.

Despite this, she quit her job at the University of Sussex in October after what she described as a 'bullying and harassment' campaign from students to oust her from her position over a row about transgender rights.

Professor Stock had been branded a 'transphobe' by some outraged students who called for her to be fired.

Posters put up in the tunnel from Falmer station to the university's campus last summer claimed Professor Stock 'makes trans students unsafe' and that 'we're not paying 9,250 a year for transphobia'.

Banners saying 'Stock Out' had also been held alongside burning flares and scores of people were criticising her online under the Twitter hashtag #ShameOnSussexUni.

The University's Vice Chancellor Adam Tickell strongly defended her 'untrammelled' right to 'say what she thinks', whilst more than 200 academics from other universities signed a letter calling out alleged abuse from 'trans activist bullies'.

But in October Professor Stock announced on Twitter that she was 'sad to announce' she was leaving her position.

In October last year Ms Stock announced on Twitter that she was leaving her position, and said she hoped 'other institutions can learn from this'

In a letter to staff, Sussex's Vice Chancellor Adam Tickell said in a statement that they had 'vigorously' defended her right to 'exercise her academic freedom and lawful freedom of speech, free from bullying and harassment of any kind'

Posters put up in the tunnel from Falmer station to the university's campus last year said Ms Stock 'makes trans students unsafe' and 'we're not paying 9,250 a year for transphobia'

Following her resignation, in a letter to staff, Sussex's Vice Chancellor Adam Tickell said that the university had 'vigorously' defended her right to 'exercise her academic freedom and lawful freedom of speech, free from bullying and harassment of any kind.'

But he added: 'We had hoped that Professor Stock would feel able to return to work, and we would have supported her to do so.

'She has decided that recent events have meant that this will not be possible, and we respect and understand that decision.

'We will miss her many contributions, from which the University has benefited during her time here.'

He also said that Professor Stock had made 'vital' contributions to the field of philosophy and that the 'intolerance' directed at her would 'always' be 'in direct opposition to even the most basic principles of academia'.

'I would like to make it very clear that it is unlawful to discriminate against someone on the grounds of sex and of philosophical belief. Her departure is a loss to us all,' he added.

'We will of course reflect on Professor Stock's experiences and it will form part of how the University learns from this and moves forwards - together.'

Professor Stock said in her tweet that she was 'sad to announce' she is leaving.

'This has been a very difficult few years, but the leadership's approach more recently has been admirable and decent.

'I hope that other institutions in similar situations can learn from this.

'Am particularly glad to see University emphasising that bullying and harassment anyone for their legally held beliefs is unacceptable in their workplace.'

She added: 'This has been an absolutely horrible time for me and my family. I'm putting it behind me now. On to brighter things soon, I hope.'

Professor Stock previously said she was 'at odds' with a large section of academics because she believes gender identity is not more important than facts about biological sex, 'particularly when it comes to law and policy'.

Banners saying 'Stock Out' had also been held alongside burning flares and scores of people were criticising her online under the Twitter hashtag #ShameOnSussexUni

Earlier that month, Professor Stock accused a union branch of 'effectively' ending her career after it called on her employer to take a 'strong stance' against transphobia.

In a statement, the Sussex branch of the University and College Union (UCU) said all trans and non-binary members 'now more than ever should receive the unequivocal support' of the University of Sussex.

Professor Stock has repeatedly insisted in the past that she is not a transphobe, but attention on her views has intensified since her book Material Girls came out in May.

She has written and spoken extensively about sex and gender identity - arguing that womanhood and manhood reflect biological sex, not gender or gender identity.

Professor Stock also claims trans women are not women; and sexual orientation is determined by same-sex attraction, not attraction to gender identity.

And she wants a ban on transgender women in women's changing rooms, saying in 2018 that 'many trans women are still males with male genitalia'.

But she has been blasted on Twitter as a 'Terf' amid a huge amount of criticism.

After the posters were put up calling for her to be sacked, Sussex Police launched an investigation into whether Professor Stock was a victim of harassment.

Kishwer Falkner, the head of the UK's Equality and Human Rights Commission, was among those who slammed the attacks on the academic.

She wrote to The Times to denounce the bullying behaviour of a minority of students who 'disagree with someone's entirely lawful expert views'.

In her public letter, the equality watchdog chief agreed that 'trans rights must be protected', but reiterated the importance of academic integrity and freedom of expression on university campuses across the UK.

Professor Stock had also spoken out, telling her 46,000 Twitter followers: 'If you work where I do, and you know what's happening to me at the moment (which I'll discuss at later date), this is the time to say something about it.

Attention on her views has intensified since her book Material Girls came out in May

'Not for me, but for you. What kind of future does a university have where intimidation determines what is said or taught?'

The group which led the protests against her was an anonymous collective called 'Anti Terf Sussex', which described itself as an 'unaffiliated network of queer and trans students'. 'Terf' means a 'trans-exclusionary radical feminist'.

It was the term levelled at JK Rowling over her response to an article about 'people who menstruate'.

The author had tweeted last year: 'I'm sure there used to be a word for those people', suggesting that word was 'women'.

In his earlier defence of Professor Stock, Professor Tickell told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'It's absolutely clear that all of our staff have an untrammelled right to say and believe what they think. So we take it very seriously if people try to prevent that right from being exercised.

'I have to say I am really concerned that we have masked protesters, putting up posters, calling for the sacking of somebody for exercising her rights to articulate her views, and it is a matter of real concern.'

More than 200 of her fellow academics also backed Professor Stock in a letter to the Sunday Times.

It was signed by figures including Cambridge economist Sir Partha Dasgupta and physicist Sir Michael Pepper.

Under the heading 'We will not bow to trans activist bullies on campus', the letter stated: 'This is not just an issue of freedom of expression. It is also an issue of harassment and discrimination.

'Universities are creating an intimidating and hostile environment for staff and students who recognise that sex matters.

'Most of the victims are female, and many are gay, lesbian or bisexual.'

A University of Sussex spokesman said after Professor Stock announced her resignation: 'Over the past several weeks, the University of Sussex has vigorously and unequivocally defended Professor Kathleen Stock's right to exercise her academic freedom and lawful freedom of speech, free from bullying and harassment of any kind.

'These freedoms and protections apply to and benefit us all, and we will defend them today and in the future.'

He added: 'There were no substantive allegations of wrongdoing made against her.

'Professor Stock leaves the University of Sussex with our gratitude for her significant contributions as a teacher and academic.'

MailOnline has contacted UCU for a comment.
Russian state media have been banned from mentioning Roman Abramovich in their coverage of the Ukraine peace negotiations, it was claimed today.

The move to write the Chelsea owner, 55, out of TV and news agency reports comes after the billionaire was 'poisoned' with a suspected chemical warfare agent in Kyiv early March, leaving him fearing for his life.

The media ban on Abramovich - for years seen as having links to Vladimir Putin, 69, and sanctioned by Britain and the EU over the war - was revealed by Russia's leading female opposition politician Ksenia Sobchak, who is also a prominent journalist.

The compliant state media in Russia is often issued orders from the Kremlin about what it can and cannot report.

'The pro-Kremlin media were forbidden to mention the role of businessman Roman Abramovich in the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine,' said Sobchak's Telegram channel.

'This information was confirmed to our editorial office on condition of anonymity by representatives of Moskva-24, TASS and another major pro-government telegram channel.

The compliant state media in Russia are often issued orders from the Kremlin about what they can and cannot report. (Pictured: Vladimir Putin in a meeting with the head of the Republic of Ingushetia on March 30, 2022)

Roman Abramovich attends the peace talks between delegations from Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkey on March 29, 2022

The Chelsea owner required hospital treatment in Istanbul after flying to Turkey from the talks in Ukraine (pictured yesterday)

'One of the sources said that on March 30, the following order came from the authorities: "We no longer mention that Abramovich is participating in the negotiations."'

The tycoon, 55, stopped being mentioned on state media outlets at around 1pm Moscow time on Tuesday.

Abramovich - whose maternal grandparents were from Kyiv - was involved in yesterday's talks in Istanbul to end the war.

In Western reports, Abramovich has been portrayed as a key figure in the negotiations as someone who is able to build bridges, even if there is a suspicion that he was seeking to preserve his sanctions-hit fortune.

The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky pleaded with the US not to sanction him due to his intermediary role.

Until now, the Russians have said he is not part of their official delegation but is involved in negotiations with Kyiv.

He is said to have met both Putin and Zelensky personally in his shuttle missions.

Ostorozhno Novosti reported: 'The ban on mentioning the billionaire in the context of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine is confirmed by the fact that there was not a single mention of Abramovich's name in news agencies after 13:00 on March 29.

Roman Abramovich was poisoned with World War One chemical warfare agent Chloropicrin or a low dosage of Novichok, experts have said (pictured at talks in Turkey yesterday)

Investigative journalist Christo Grozev (left), who led research into the shocking incident, said a team of experts all agreed the wartime chemical was the most likely one used

'In addition, the evening news broadcasts on Channel 1 and Rossiya 1 [the main state controlled channels], where the negotiations were the main topic, did not say a word about Abramovich either.'

Putin recently hit out at 'cancel culture' in the West - but appears to have cancelled his own ally Abramovich, unless this is a sophisticated game of double bluff.

Reports today suggested that Abramovich and other negotiators were poisoned in early March on a trip to Kyiv.

Experts have said this was World War One chemical warfare agent Chloropicrin or a low dosage of Novichok.

The Chelsea owner required hospital treatment in Istanbul after flying to Turkey from the talks in Ukraine.

Investigative journalist Christo Grozev, who led research into the shocking incident, said a team of experts agreed the wartime chemical Chloropicrin was the most likely one used in the attack.

It has since emerged the billionaire felt so unwell that he asked the scientist examining him: 'Are we dying?', reported the New York Times.

In an interview, Grozov spoke in Russian to tell Popular Politics YouTube channel: 'All the experts who communicated with them, studied their photographs and carried out personal examinations.

The attack also affected Ukrainian MP Rustem Umerov (pictured) who was also seen at talks in Turkey yesterday

'The experts all said this was not a coincidence, not food poisoning, not an allergy'.

He said: 'They suggested this [hlorpicrin] and other war agents.

'They agreed on one of them and disagreed on the others.

'They also all agreed that the only way to detect the agent was to bring these people to a laboratory, or to send their blood sample to a laboratory with means to detect war agents.'

He was asked: 'Which agent did they all agree on?'

Grozev replied: 'hlorpicrin - this is the agent giving nearly all of the detected symptoms.

'The only minus of that hypothesis was that Chlorpicrin usually emits quite a strong smell, which means it is quite hard to give it without it being noticed.

Chloropicrin: The chemical warfare agent which may have been used to poison Roman Abramovich Chloropicrin appears as a colourless to faintly yellow oily liquid and is used in agriculture as a soil fumigant. It has also been used as a chemical warfare agent and a riot control agent. It was used in large quantities during World War I and was stockpiled during World War II. However, it is no longer authorised for military use - at least in the US. Chloropicrin is an irritant with characteristics of a tear gas and has an intensely irritating odor. Inhalation of 1 ppm causes eye irritation and can warn of exposure. Methods of dissemination: Indoor/outdoor Air: Chloropicrin can be released into the air as a liquid spray (aerosol). Water/food: Chloropicrin can contaminate water or food. Agricultural: If chloropicrin is released as a liquid spray (aerosol), it has the potential to contaminate agricultural products. Chloropicrin can be absorbed systemically through inhalation, ingestion, and the skin. It is severely irritating to the lungs, eyes, and skin. Source: cdc.gov Advertisement

'But then one of the specialists said there were developments of this agent - without smell.

'Other suggestions even included a low dosage of Novichok, which could have led to these symptoms according to one really knowledgeable expert.'

One theory for the alleged poisoning is that hardliners close to Vladimir Putin wanted to disrupt peace moves and prolong the war.

However, the motive remains unclear.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: 'This is part of the information panic, part of the information sabotage, information war.

'These reports [of poisoning] are not true  it is necessary to strongly filter the flow of information.'

Russian political analyst Konstantin Kalachev made the extraordinary suggestion that the poisoning may have been an attempt by Abramovich to gain sympathy in Britain where his interests have been damaged by sanctions.

'Abramovich is a flexible, sane and, of course, cunning person,' he said.

'I even expressed the opinion that he staged the recent alleged poisoning in Kyiv himself.

'It appeared on the front pages of British newspapers, he began to look as if he had suffered from 'hawks' in Vladimir Putin's circle..'

The negotiators who suffered medical problems had reportedly only eaten chocolate and drunk water.

'This could be someone [in the Kremlin] who thinks he [Abramovich] has betrayed them by trying to pursue peace,' one source was quoted as saying.

Sobchak, 40, is a former presidential election candidate, coming fourth in 2018, in a poll widely seen as rigged in Putin's favour.

Sobchak has known Putin since she was a child, and he attended her baptism.

Her late father Anatoli Sobchak was Putin's law professor in Leningrad, and his mentor.

Later, after Putin quit as a KGB spy, Anatoli Sobchak appointed him as his deputy as mayor of Leningrad, soon to be renamed as St Petersburg.

Putin subsequently smuggled Anatoly Sobchak out of Russia to get medical treatment in the West.

Ksennia Sobchak - one of Russia's best known faces - stood against Putin in the 2018 election, but only after a mysterious private conversation with him.

Her mother Lyudmila Narusova, a senator, launched a scathing attack on Putin's war in Ukraine.

Narusova accused Putin of 'shameless lies' in state TV war coverage.

She accused him of failing to arrange the return home of bodies of slain soldiers which, she alleged, were gnawed by stray dogs.
Advertisement

Britain's daily Covid cases fell again today and hospital admissions now appear to be slowing down as Sir Patrick Vallance said the latest wave of infections had peaked.

Another 87,188 infections were confirmed in the last 24 hours, according to Government dashboard data, marking a 15 per cent fall on the figure last Wednesday.

Daily cases have fallen week-on-week since Friday after rocketing at the start of March, which was attributed to the release of restrictions on Freedom Day and the rise of a more infectious version of Omicron.

Sir Patrick, the Government's chief scientific adviser, told MPs earlier today that 'infections are beginning to turn so we may be quite close to, or at, the peak and it may start coming down shortly'.

In another promising sign, the recent uptick in Covid hospital admissions appears to be slowing. A further 2,075 people were admitted with the virus on March 26, the latest date, up just 3 per cent on the previous week.

Daily admissions are now running at about half the level of the second peak in January 2021, but the milder Omicron strains, better NHS testing and wider immunity means around half of Covid patients are not primarily being treated for the virus now.

Covid deaths have crept up only marginally in the last month despite sky-high case rates, with another 213 registered today  up nearly 10 per cent in a week. On average there are 153 Covid fatalities per day.

Speaking to MPs on the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, Sir Patrick said admissions and deaths could continue to increase for some weeks because of the lag between infection and severe illness.

He also revealed that officials are drawing up a lockdown handbook for future pandemics, suggesting that harsh restrictions could play a part in outbreaks to come.

Sir Patrick, the Government's chief scientific adviser, told MPs earlier today that 'infections are beginning to turn so we may be quite close to, or at, the peak and it may start coming down shortly'

Sir Patrick said: 'I do think it is now going to be incredibly important to look internationally and nationally to try to dissect which components of restrictions are the ones that were the most important.

'The world should learn from this so there is an advice handbook for the future and also to take into account the different characteristics of viruses.'

Vallance admits UK needs a lockdown handbook for future pandemics Officials are already drawing up a lockdown handbook for future pandemics, Sir Patrick Vallance revealed today. The Government's chief scientific adviser told MPs that experts are exploring what parts of Covid restrictions worked best in the UK and globally. Speaking to MPs on the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, Sir Patrick suggested harsh restrictions could play a part in outbreaks to come. He said: 'I do think it is now going to be incredibly important to look internationally and nationally to try to dissect which components of restrictions are the ones that were the most important. The world should learn from this so there is an advice handbook for the future and also to take into account the different characteristics of viruses.' Earlier, a member of No10's Covid nudge unit hinted Britons are not changing their behaviours now despite rising cases and hospital rates because they are less scared. Professor Ann John, who co-chairs SAGE's behavioural subgroup, told MPs people are mixing more than when infections were at similar levels as Omicron surged in December. She admitted the Spi-B group advised Government on how to use fear to change how people behave earlier in the pandemic but said the tactic of fearmongering was ditched soon after. Infections and hospitalisations have surged in the UK since Freedom Day, when all restrictions were dropped and Britons were urged to 'live with the virus'. Advertisement

Earlier, a member of No10's Covid nudge unit hinted Britons are not changing their behaviours now despite rising cases and hospital rates because they are less scared.

Professor Ann John, who co-chairs SAGE's behavioural subgroup, told MPs people are mixing more than when infections were at similar levels as Omicron surged in December.

She admitted the Spi-B group advised Government on how to use fear to change how people behave earlier in the pandemic but said the tactic of fearmongering was ditched soon after.

Meanwhile Sir Patrick warned that a reduction in testing will lead to a 'decrease in precautionary behaviours' which could drive up transmission of the virus.

Free universal testing is due to end on Friday in England, with only NHS workers, care home staff and vulnerable patients will be eligible for Government-funded lateral flows from April 1.

More than 300,000 people in England have signed a petition to keep them free for everyone beyond that date, calling the decision 'learning to die with Covid' rather than 'learning to live with Covid'.

School staff, immunosuppressed people and parents are among the signees.

It came as a former top Government scientific adviser warned that ministers have taken 'no action' to prepare for the next pandemic.

Oxford University's Sir John Bell, who served as Boris Johnson's testing tsar, praised the effort of scientists over the last two years but was highly critical of his old employers.

He said the Government's pandemic preparedness and public health capacity 'was poor' and as a result the first six months of Britain's Covid response was 'pretty bad'.

Professor Sir John claimed that despite spending 'two years in the trenches' trying to get the systems up to speed, 'no action' has been taken to 'make things better next time' there is an outbreak of a novel virus.

The lack of preparedness meant that the UK was stung by exorbitant fees for protective gear, did not have sufficient testing capabilities during the first wave and delayed implementing Covid restrictions in March 2020.

Addressing a medical conference today, Sir John said ministers still do not know how well restrictions such as lockdowns and mask-wearing worked.

The Canadian scientist also said getting politicians to understand the science underpinning the crisis was 'a problem' and slammed the NHS for its poor contribution to testing.

It comes after ministers announced on Tuesday that free lateral flow tests will be scrapped for everyone except NHS workers, care home staff and vulnerable patients from Friday in England.

The general public will be told there is no need to take a test even if they are symptomatic, though they will be advised to isolate until they feel better.

Rapid Covid tests are being massively scaled back on April 1 as part of the final phase of the Government's 'living with Covid' strategy.

Asymptomatic tests will only be free for frontline NHS, social care and hospice staff during 'periods of high prevalence'.

Lateral flows will also be funded for patients with Covid-like symptoms in hospital or who are eligible for antivirals because they have an underlying health conditions.

People in 'high risk settings' will also be eligible for free tests if they are symptomatic, including prison officers or staff in homeless shelters.

But routine tests for care home and hospice residents will no longer continue and will only be provided in the event of an outbreak or a resident being admitted.

And visitors to hospitals and social care settings will 'no longer be required to take a test' upon arrival.
President Joe Biden, 79, said the country was facing a 'new moment' in the pandemic  as he rolled up his sleeve for a second booster shot and urged Congress to provide billions in new funding or risk running out of critical treatments.

'Covid 19 no longer controls our lives, thats what it means,' Biden said as he offered remarks at the White House.

He rolled out a new covid.gov web site and got his second Pfizer booster, before fielding a series of questions while he got his shot.

'Bottom line: No longer will Americans have to scour the internet to find vaccines, treatment tests or masks. Its all there,' Biden said of the web resource.

He pleaded with Congress to pass more money to fight the pandemic, after billions fell out of an omnibus bill to fund the government.

He warned that treatments like those using monoclonal antibodies 'risk running out fall.'

'It took months to ramp up testing capacity,' Biden said, warning this too, could suffer.

Biden fielded a handful of questions while getting the shot. He didn't reveal much when asked about a report that Russian President Putin isn't getting good information from his advisors about the setback-filled Ukraine invasion.

'I'm reluctant on that,' he said. He said he wouldn't comment on declassified information Putin didn't trust his advisors.

Asked about extending Title 42, which the government sites to turn away would-be migrants at the border, Biden said: 'We'll have a decision on that soon.'

He didn't engage with other questions about the foreign vaccination campaign and what happened on his call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

'I've always thought that it discourages people getting the vaccination when they watch people get the needle in their arm. So I apologize for discouraging. But it didn't hurt a bit. And I was able to roll my sleeve up and thank you all,' he said.

Biden got his second COVID-19 booster shot Wednesday afternoon after the Food and Drug Administration approved a fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines for Americans over age 50.

On Tuesday, the FDA announced it had authorized another round of shots for the 50-plus, along with saying that immunocompromised individuals over 12 could get a fourth Pfizer dose and those 18 and older were eligible for a fourth Moderna shot.

Biden received his original Pfizer booster shot in late September, rolling up his sleeve in front of reporters at the White House complex's South Court Auditorium.

President Joe Biden, 79, will receive his second COVID-19 booster shot Wednesday afternoon after the Food and Drug Administration approved a fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines for Americans over age 50

Biden received his original Pfizer booster shot in late September, rolling up his sleeve in front of reporters at the White House complex's South Court Auditorium

A second booster is to be given out four months after the first.

He'll receive his fourth dose of vaccine at the same venue Wedesnday - after delivering to the nation a COVID update.

Biden has been getting tested for COVID-19 more frequently due to last week's overseas travel to Belgium and Poland.

At the same time, several high profile members of his staff have recently tested positive for the virus.

Press secretary Jen Psaki announced she tested positive for COVID-19 a second time on March 22, getting tested so she could go abroad with her boss.

Then, principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tested positive on March 27, after returning from Europe.

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff tested positive for COVID on March 15.

He was back attending events at the White House Tuesday, seated in the Rose Garden for the signing of the Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act of 2022.

Then President-elect Joe Biden receives his first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on December 21, 2020, just weeks after it was approved

Then President-elect Joe Biden received his second dose of the Pfizer vaccice on January 11, 2021 - nine days before being sworn-in as president. He got the shot at a hospital in Newark, Delaware

On Tuesday, communications director Kate Bedingfield gave the White House press briefing, with Psaki and Jean-Pierre both out.

Bedingfield told reporters the decision for Biden to receive a second COVID booster would come from consultation with his doctor.

'I will check on the Vice President. I dont know,' she added.

Vice President Kamala Harris is 57.

Bedingfield also called the FDA's approval of a fourth jab a 'good thing' and a 'straightforward thing.'

'The CDC and the FDA are now allowing and will make available booster shots - a fourth shot - for people over 50, for the - and for the immunocompromised,' she said. 'This is - we have plenty of supply to ensure that those populations can receive these shots.'

She also used the opportunity to make a plea to Congress to approve additional COVID-related funds.

'But what I would say is that if it - at some point, it becomes recommended that the full - the full population requires a fourth shot, we're going to need additional funding,' she added. 'We're going to need the additional funding we've requested of Congress to be able to provide - to provide those shots for the broader population.'
President Joe Biden had a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Wednesday  their first connection since Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin 'cannot remain in power.'

The two men spoke for a bit less than an hour, according to the White House, on a day when Zelensky renewed his push for powerful defensive weapons.

According to a White House readout, the two men spoke 'about the ongoing work by the United States and its allies and partners to deliver military, economic, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and to impose severe costs on Russia for its brutal aggression against Ukraine.'

'The leaders discussed how the United States is working around the clock to fulfill the main security assistance requests by Ukraine,' it said  amid domestic political pressure for Biden to do even more.

They also spoke about 'the critical effects those weapons have had on the conflict, and continued efforts by the United States with allies and partners to identify additional capabilities to help the Ukrainian military defend its country.'

Biden told his counterpart the US would provide $500 million in direct budgetary aid, which appears to be in addition to a recently announced $1 million in humanitarian aide, and an $800 million batch of military aid.

'President Zelenskyy updated President Biden on the status of Ukraines negotiations with Russia,' it said.

Biden held talks in Warsaw Saturday with Ukraine's defense and foreign affairs ministers during his trip to Belgium and Poland.

He capped off his trip with a speech where he denounced Putin and sought to rally allies to support Ukraine.

But Zelensky and his top advisors have continued to push the U.S. and allies to do even more  including through calls to 'close the skies' over Ukraine and provide fighter jets. Zelensky pleaded in a speech to NATO allies for nations to spare just 1 per cent of their tanks and planes.

Even as Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken were meeting with Zelensky's team, a top aide demanded more 'bravery' from NATO allies who are arming Ukraine.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke to President Joe BIden Wednesday morning for about an hour

'The [NATO] Alliance is taking decisions as if there [were] no war,' Zelensky chief of staff Andriy Yermak told Atlantic Council over the weekend.

Zelensky addressed the Norwegian parliament on Wednesday, where he called for allies to provide more weapons and defenses. He called for Harpoon rockets, anti-ship missiles, and air defenses.

'All weapons you can help us with will be used only to protect our freedom, your freedom,' he said. Harpoon rockets are long distance anti-ship missiles.

The call comes as a U.S. official said Putin was being misled by his top advisors, amid indications he was not fully aware of the battlefield losses and logistical nightmares Russia's forces have encountered since the start of their Feb. 24 invasion.

'We have information that Putin felt misled by the Russian military,' leading him to distrust leaders, said a U.S. officials who discussed declassified information on the condition of anonymity.

President Joe Biden delivers a speech about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, at the Royal Castle, Saturday, March 26, 2022, in Warsaw, where he concluded in a flourish where he said Putin must not remain in power

President Joe Biden participates in a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, second from left, and Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov in Warsaw

A man with belongings walks past a completely destroyed vehicle and a building after Russian shelling in Sviatoshinsky district of Kyiv, Ukraine on March 30, 2022

The city market is seen damaged by night shelling in Chernihiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 30, 2022. Ukrainian officials say Russian forces pounded areas around Kyiv and another Ukrainian city overnight. The attacks come hours after Moscow pledged to scale back military operations in those places

'Putin didnt even know his military was using and losing conscripts in Ukraine, showing a clear breakdown in the flow of accurate information to the Russian president," the official said, Reuters reported.

Biden on Monday tried to clarify his comments about Putin, insisting he was expressing his outrage at the Russian leader's brutality in Ukraine rather that unveiling a new U.S. policy.

'Number one, I'm not walking anything back,' he said.

'The fact of the matter is, I was expressing the moral outrage I felt toward the way Putin is dealing ... and the actions of this man, which is just brutality.'

Biden, 79, said he was not concerned that his comments would escalate tensions over the war in Ukraine.

'This is just stating a simple fact, that this kind of behavior is totally unacceptable,' he said.

Zelensky, for his part, has said he is open to direct talks with Putin  and in a recent interview signaled he was open to Ukrainian 'neutrality,' but said any change in status must be decided in a referendum after the removal of Russian troops.
Karl Song, vice president of Huawei's Corporate Communications, is seen on the screen as he speaks online at a press conference held by its Korean unit at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul



By Baek Byung-yeul



Huawei will keep increasing its expenditures in research and development activities despite the external business environment, as the Chinese IT company is still impeded by U.S. sanctions, the firm's communication director said Tuesday.



"The harder things get, the more we are investing in the future. In 2021, we increased our R&D investment to $22.4 billion, representing 22.4 percent of our total revenue. Both our R&D expenses and R&D expense ratio reached a 10-year high in 2021 and Huawei ranked second in the 2021 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard," Karl Song, vice president of Huawei's Corporate Communications, said at a press conference held by its Korean unit in Seoul.



"Moving forward, we will continue investing heavily in R&D to strengthen our innovation in systems engineering and drive fundamental changes in three areas: fundamental theories, architecture and software."



The Chinese networking equipment giant held its annual press conference in China on March 28. At the event, the company reported its net profit in 2021 increased by 75.9 percent to 113.7 billion yuan ($17.8 billion) compared to the same period of 2020, though its revenue decreased year-on-year by 28.6 percent to 636.6 billion yuan.



"Despite a revenue decline in 2021, our ability to make a profit and generate cash flow is increasing, and we are more capable of dealing with uncertainty," said Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei. The event was her first public appearance after returning to China. Meng, who is also the daughter of the company's founder Ren Zhengfei, was detained in Canada for almost three years since 2018 due to a U.S. extradition request, and returned to her country in September 2021.



In 2019, the U.S. also imposed a trade ban on the Chinese company, citing national security concerns. The sanctions prohibited the company from using Google's Android operating system in its new smartphones, severely damaging the company's smartphone business.



Revealing the company's future strategy, Song said Huawei will work on helping companies in various areas achieve digitalization through its products.



"Over the past year, together with our carrier customers and partners, we have supported the digital transformation of more than 20 industries, including ports, manufacturing, coal mining, steel production and chemicals. To date, we have signed more than 3,000 commercial contracts for industrial 5G applications worldwide," he said.



Eco-friendly power generation, which has emerged as a global trend, is also considered one of the growth engines for Huawei, which has improved energy efficiency with long-standing innovative technologies, the vice president said.



"Green development has become a globally recognized mission. As a leader in the ICT industry, we have been developing innovative green technologies that make ICT products more energy efficient. By the end of 2021, we had helped carriers in more than 100 countries and regions deploy green site solutions. These solutions have helped save roughly 84.2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and reduce CO2 emissions by about 40 million tons," he said.



Huawei Korea CEO Sun Luyuan said the Korean unit will cooperate with local companies and strengthen its efforts to cultivate talented people to help them achieve digitalization and carbon neutrality.


Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Wednesday questioned why Republicans were 'shocked' by Rep. Madison Cawthorn's claims that he's been invited to orgies by fellow members of Congress and watched them do cocaine.

'Not sure why Republicans are acting so shocked by Cawthorn's alleged revelations about their party,' the New York Democrat wrote on Twitter. 'One of their members is being investigated for sex trafficking a minor and they've been pretty OK w/ that. They issued more consequences to members who voted to impeach Trump.'

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., is currently being investigated for sex trafficking allegations amid rumors of cocaine-fueled benders and prostitutes.

Ocasio-Cortez was quoting comments from Cawthorn's fellow North Carolinian Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who was irate at the lawmaker's orgy claims. 'I thought about the statement, if it's true, then he's got a lot of information to reveal. If it's not true, then he's guilty of being untruthful.'

Tillis went further in his criticism: 'I thought it was a silly statement and it's not the first one.'

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Wednesday questioned why Republicans were 'shocked' by Rep. Madison Cawthorn's claims that he's been invited to orgies by fellow members of Congress and watched them do cocaine

Cawthorn, 26, was asked during an interview with the Warrior Poet Society how closely his experience on Capitol Hill aligns with the Netflix series, specifically its elements of 'corruption, power, money and perversion'

Tillis then hinted that he thought North Carolinians in Cawthorn's 11th district should vote him out.

'At the end of the day, people in the district are going to have to vote for him and I would ask them to look at his record and ask what has he done since he's been here,' Tillis said. Asked what he thought Cawthorn has accomplished, Tillis said: 'Not a lot in my opinion.'

Cawthorn, 26, was asked during an interview with the Warrior Poet Society how closely his experience on Capitol Hill aligns with the Netflix series, specifically its elements of 'corruption, power, money and perversion.'

Cawthorn said that the her once heard a former president say the only thing that was unrealistic about the show was that Congress would ever be able to pass a piece of legislation that quickly, and he agreed with the sentiment.

'The sexual perversion that goes on in Washington ... being kind of a young guy in Washington where the average age is probably 60 or 70, I look at all these people - a lot of them who I've looked up to throughout my life ... then all of a sudden you get invited to like, 'well hey we're going to have kind of a sexual get together at one of our homes. You should come,' like, what did you just ask me to come to? And then you realize they're asking you to come to an orgy.'

'There's some of the people that are leading the movement to try and remove addiction in our country and then you watch them doing, you know, a key bump of cocaine in front of you and it's like wow, this is wild,' he said.

The young congressman, a staunch conservative not known for his friends across the aisle, is seemingly accusing his fellow Republicans of the illicit behavior.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., is currently being investigated for sex trafficking allegations amid rumors of cocaine-fueled benders and prostitutes

Cawthorn was spotted leaving House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy's office Wednesday, one day after the California Republican said he would talk with Cawthorn about the remarks.

Politico reported Tuesday that Cawthorn's Republican colleagues stood up and aired their grievances during a closed-door House GOP conference meeting earlier in the day, complaining that the North Carolina Republican made party members out to be sexual deviants and drug users.

CNN reported that colleagues wanted Cawthorn to name names because his comments could otherwise unfairly malign the whole party.

The 65-year-old Arkansas Rep. Steve Womack told the group that he rarely speaks up during the weekly meetings, but did so Tuesday because he's getting questions from constituents about Cawthorn's claims of orgies and drug use, Politico said.

Womack remarked that many lawmakers go to bed at 9 p.m. and use flip phones and fax machines, calling it inappropriate that Cawthorn would paint his Congressional peers with a broad brush.

Sen. Richard Burr, the senior Republican senator from North Carolina, was asked by CNN about Cawthorn's job performance.

'Thats for his constituents to figure out but clearly he's been an embarrassment at times,' Burr replied.

Meanwhile, the investigation into Gaetz, 39, includes lurid allegations made by his friend that the congressman snorted cocaine and had sex with an escort, who was paid taxpayers money for a separate role that involved no work.

The existence of the investigation first became public last March, when The New York Times reported that investigators were examining whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old in 2019 and paid for her to travel with him.

The inquiry had been underway for several months before it became public.

Gaetz first came to investigators' attention because of his his friendship with a former Florida tax collector, Joel Greenberg, described as his 'wingman', who last year pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud and sexual offenses.

Greenberg told investigators that Gaetz and at least two other men had sexual contact with a 17-year-old girl.

He has told them that they both gave women cash and gifts in exchange for sex.

Greenberg pleaded guilty to identity theft, stalking, wire fraud, conspiracy to bribe a public official and sex trafficking of a minor.

He also reportedly revealed that Gaetz paid prostitute Megan Zalonka after a cocaine-fueled party at a Trump fundraiser.

The escort and amateur Instagram model was Gaetz's date in October 2019 at the Trump Defender Gala in Orlando.

She is said to have been paid up to $15,000 of taxpayers money by Greenberg after he hired her for a social media manager job in Seminole County, Florida, that did not require Zalonka to do any work, a new report claims.

After the gala, an after-party was held in Gaetz's hotel room, The Daily Beast reported.
A policeman who illegally used the force's national computer to search details of women he was having affairs with was told by a judge today that he faces an immediate jail sentence when he appears before a High Court judge.

Disgraced Oliver Perry-Smith today admitted charges against him despite earlier denying any wrongdoing whilst employed by Thames Valley Police.

The 38-year-old appeared before Judge Heather Norton at Reading Crown Court where he admitted having inappropriate relationships with women he was investigating, as well as using the Police National Computer to search about them.

Now sacked PC Perry-Smith stood wearing a white shirt, crisp suit and red tie in the dock and confessed that he had twice used the police's vast database to search for the details of women.

Oliver Perry-Smith, 38, admitted having inappropriate relationships with women he was investigating, as well as using the Police National Computer to search about them during a hearing at Reading Crown Court

The court heard that on one occasion he used his login to find out the details of the owner of a car and on another occasion to find out information about a woman.

Perry-Smith had arrived at the court wearing a large black beanie hat and mask to cover his face before dashing into the building and avoiding questions from reporters.

During an earlier hearing, which can now be reported for the first time, Perry-Smith admitted misconduct in a public office by having inappropriate relationships with four women, known as E, G, D and F.

Bobble-hatted bobby Perry-Smith stood wearing a white shirt, crisp suit and red tie in the dock and confessed that he had twice used the police's vast database to search for the details of women

Police Constable Perry-Smith, who had served with Thames Valley Police, whose patch covers 2,200 square miles across three counties, was first identified in an investigation carried out by the police's independent watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

After the completion of the two-year investigation, a spokesman for IOPC said: 'Following a referral from TVP in November 2019 we began an investigation which was completed in June 2021.'

Perry-Smith, of Denman Drive, Newbury, Berkshire, admitted three counts of misconduct in a public office as well as two counts of mis-using a police computer, all of which took place between September 2014 and November 2019.

Today, Judge Norton decided she would not sentence the former officer, although she warned him that he was facing time in prison for his crimes.

Instead, she ordered the disgraced officer to return to court on April 29 when he will be sentenced by High Court Judge Mr Justice Bryan.
Detectives investigating the disappearance of a 14-year-old boy in London ten days ago have released new video clips and images as they appeal for clues over his whereabouts.

Rashid Elsafi-Bakkar vanished from Wembley, northwest London, on the evening of Sunday, March 20, leaving his family 'distraught' and 'desperately worried'.

The Met Police say they are now 'extremely concerned' for the youngster's safety as his disappearance is described as 'highly out of character'.

The investigation has been taken over by the Met's Specialist Crime Command.

Detective Superintendent Pete Wallis said: 'Rashid's family have been updated about this development and we're continuing to support them as well as we can at this desperately worrying time.

'We have informed them at this stage this remains a missing persons investigation.

'But, ten days since the last known sighting of him, we are extremely concerned for Rashid's welfare.'

The first video shows Rashid walking with a rucksack near his home address in Beresford Avenue, Wembley in the direction of Alperton.

The first video shows Rashid walking with a rucksack near his home address in Beresford Avenue, Wembley in the direction of Alperton

The footage was captured at around 9.45pm on Sunday, 20 March. He was last seen at home around the same time.

The second video shows Rashid walking on Sunleigh Road at around 22:10hrs. He is then captured in Mount Pleasant going towards Ealing Road at around 22:15hrs. This is the last sighting police have at this time.

Detectives believe he was wearing a grey hooded top, dark coloured jacket and trousers, distinctive blue Nike trainers with a white tick and carrying a light coloured rucksack.

It is not known where he was going. He hasn't been seen or heard from since he was reported missing at about 5.30pm on Monday, 21 March. It was thought he had gone to school but it is confirmed that he didn't attend.

Police have also released an image of Rashid captured from an appointment he had at the dentist on the afternoon of Friday, March 18, in which he is seen wearing the same distinctive blue trainers.

Police have also released an image of Rashid captured from an appointment he had at the dentist on the afternoon of Friday, March 18, in which he is seen wearing the same distinctive blue trainers

'Our colleagues in the North West Command Unit continue to support us and we're utilising a number of resources from across the Met in our efforts to trace him.

'While our work to establish all the facts is ongoing, there is still no clear reason for his going missing.

'We're working closely with Rashid's school, Ark Elvin Academy in Wembley, where staff and his fellow pupils are hugely worried about him. They have also appealed for any information that will help us find him safe and well.

'Now is the time for anyone who has not yet spoken to us to come forward. Anyone who knows Rashid, or who he associates with, is urged to call us immediately. Any information, no matter how insignificant it might seem, could be vital.

'This young man is missing, his family are distraught, and we need the community to help us find him.

Detectives have released three new video clips and an image of missing 14-year-old Rashid Elsafi-Bakkar, ten days on from his disappearance

'The distinctive blue trainers we have shown today will be recognisable to people. If they jog your memory and you think you have seen someone matching Rashid's description, you must contact us.

'I am asking local residents and people who were driving in the area at the time this footage was captured to please check their doorbell cameras and dashcams to see if they may have captured any sightings of Rashid.

'I'd also like to appeal to local shop and business owners in the area who may have caught him walking past.

'Lastly, I again want to reiterate previous appeals directly to Rashid. You are not in any trouble at all.

'Our only concern is for your safe return and to get you home where you belong. Please contact us and let us know you're OK.'

Any video and images that could help officers can be uploaded directly to police here.

Anyone who sees Rashid or has any information regarding his whereabouts is urged to contact police, with any immediate sightings to be reported by calling 999. To report other information about where he may, call 101 quoting 22MIS009512.

Information can also be given to the incident room via 020 8358 0100.

To remain 100 per cent anonymous, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A woke New York City assemblywoman has been starving herself for over a week to protest any proposed changes to the state's controversial bail reform laws.

Latrice Walker, 42, a Democrat who represents one of New York City's most dangerous neighborhoods - Brownsville in Brooklyn, started her hunger strike on March 20 after Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed changes to the laws in her budget proposal.

'I am prepared to go on a hunger strike to make sure that this does not happen,' she told Gothamist that day. 'When our rights are under attack, what are we going to do? Stand up and fight back.'

At issue to Walker is the governor's plan to give judges greater discretion to lock up criminals based on whether or not they're repeat offenders - claiming that it is 'dangerous' to once again allow judges to assess the danger that certain defendants pose to others, even as crime rates in the Big Apple rise nearly 45 percent.

She explained her motivations in a Facebook Live on Monday, saying that one of her cousins died while being incarcerated, and noting: 'It's too dangerous for us to allow a judge to look at young people, predominantly from our communities to be able to say "You're dangerous, and you're not, so you need to be incarcerated, reprimanded and you don't."'

Walker also called the judicial discretion proposal 'racially bias and discriminatory,' and has organized rallies at the Capitol opposing it.

Judges currently may only set bail to ensure the accused returns to court for trial.

But supporters of judicial discretion note that prior to the bail reform laws being passed in 2019, judges had using bail to detain those they consider a public safety risk though the law did not explicitly allow it.

Since then, they argue, crime rates have only increased - with the New York Times reporting that the number of people who were facing violent felony charges, were released to await trial and then were charged with committing another violent felony rose to 320 in the first quarter of 2021 - compared to 259 in 2020 and 160 in 2019.

New York City's crime rate has spiked over the last few years. The New York City Police departments stats show that felony crime jumped almost 60 percent in February since the same time last year.

Mayor Eric Adams complained that crime in the city is out of control and hampering the city's economic recovery after the pandemic.

'The most important city on the globe has become the laughingstock of the globe. And the dysfunctionality of our city has cascaded throughout the entire country,' he said earlier this week.

Adams was one of the first politicians to propose rolling back criminal justice reforms instituted before the pandemic.

Brownsville, Brooklyn Assemblywoman Latrice Walker has been on a hunger strike for a week, protesting changes in bail reform that she spearheaded in 2019

Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to allow judges to consider a defendant's risk to the community's public safety in setting bail, a standard that is allowed in most states and in federal law

Walker was one of the key architects of the state's bail reform law, telling the Gotham Gazette in 2018 she believed the criminal justice system punished poor people - and saying bail should not be part of the picture.

'Bail is supposed to just ensure a person's return to court,' she said. 'We know that the Constitution declares that it's not supposed to be cruel, unusual and it's not supposed to be punishment. And I think that's the term many people forget about New York's bail system.'

She added: 'It bewilders me when I see attorneys, judges and the like say to me, even across the state of New York "Well there has to be some system or something put in place that will ensure bad people didn't get put back into the streets."

'But that's not what bail is about, and that's why I'm here.'

She said that she would continue on her hunger strike as long as 'dangerousness' is included in Hochul's criminal justice changes.

'My ultimate stance is with respect to dangerousness,' she told Pix 11 News. 'If we can have a conversation to remove that, we can go back to business as usual.'

Besides allowing judges to consider the public safety risk of the defendant being free until trial, Hochul has also proposed extending the deadline for when and how much evidence prosecutors must turn over to defense lawyers.

The governor also wants minors charged with gun possession to be tried as adults and expand the use of involuntary commitment for mental health reasons. Some offense that have been handled with police summonses will be handled with arrest and criminal prosecution.

Walker, a former aide to Congresswoman Yvette Clark (D-Brooklyn), won her seat in the state legislature after her successor William Boyland Jr. was convicted of bribery charges and forced to resign.

Born and raised in Brownsville herself, Walker beat out seven other Democratic candidates, including Ineisha Williford, who was backed by then-Borough President Eric Adams.

She failed to garner the endorsement of the labor-backed Working Families Party.

She sits on the board of the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators, a charity with the mission to dole out scholarships to needy students. In 2019, it was found that the group spent $500,000 on lavish parties and networking events, but went two years without giving out any tuition money, the New York Post reported.

The group also failed to file tax returns that year.

Walker also chairs the state Assembly Election Law Committee, which oversees the scandal-scarred New York City Board of Elections, despite having close ties to at least four employees there.

She, she admitted to having one relative on the board, but denied the connection to the others to the New York Post.

'They're Republicans,' her spokesman told the paper. 'She would in no way assist Republicans.'

The governor's reform has been rolled into the annual budget and will be voted on Friday.

She told Pix 11 News that she's been feeling light-headed lately because of the lack of nourishment and took the train to the state capital to avoid driving.

'My spirits are still high,' she said. 'I do a lot of praying and fasting. I check my blood pressure. My blood pressure is still great, so my fight will continue.'
A farm worker who inflicted an 'appalling catalogue of injuries' on his baby daughter while being monitored by social services was convicted of manslaughter today.

Christopher Easey, 31, and his ex-wife Carly, 36, had been accused of repeatedly inventing excuses to explain bruises on their newborn baby Eleanor.

Norwich Crown Court heard how the 14-week-old girl had been fed custard cream biscuits, lemon cheesecake, given squash to drink and left alone at Norwich home.

She died from a head injury which was said by doctors to be 'characteristic of abuse rather than non-accidental trauma.'

There were three separate bleeds on her brain, and she had 31 fractures in her body.

Christopher Easey (left), 31, and his wife Carly (right), 36, were said to have invented excuses to explain away bruises on their newborn Eleanor while living in Morton on the Hill, Norfolk

Baby Eleanor (pictured before her death in an image released by police) died at 14-weeks-old with three separate bleeds on her brain, and 31 fractures in her body. She was poorly nourished and significantly underweight

Timeline of Eleanor Easey's death and her parents being charged December 18, 2019 : Eleanor Easey is taken to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital after becoming unresponsive at home

: Eleanor Easey is taken to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital after becoming unresponsive at home December 20, 2019 : Eleanor dies at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge after being moved there

: Eleanor dies at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge after being moved there September 15, 2020 : Christopher Easey and Carly Easey are charged with murder and appear at Norwich Magistrates' Court via videolink

: Christopher Easey and Carly Easey are charged with murder and appear at Norwich Magistrates' Court via videolink September 16 : The Easeys appear at Norwich Crown Court via videolink

: The Easeys appear at Norwich Crown Court via videolink October 13 : The Easeys plead not guilty to murder via videolink

: The Easeys plead not guilty to murder via videolink March 30, 2022 : Christopher convicted of manslaughter and child cruelty. Carly Easey convicted of cruelty Advertisement

Mr Easey of Little Thetford, Cambridgeshire, had initially claimed that she could have been injured in her car seat when he braked suddenly while driving home.

During his trial, he admitted responsibility for her death, saying that he had dropped her while feeding her, and she had possibly hit her head on a table.

Giving evidence, he claimed that she may have suffered her head injury accidentally when he shook her violently while he tried to resuscitate her.

But prosecutor Sally Howes QC told the court that his account was a 'pack of utter lies'.

She said he 'must have intended to cause at least really serious harm to that infant because he's aware of what he's doing'.

Ms Howes added that Mrs Easey had been aware of the risk to her baby and 'failed to protect Eleanor' by leaving her with her husband.

Elizabeth Marsh QC said that Eleanor had suffered 'no injuries attributable to Carly' who had 'witnessed nothing' and there was 'no evidence to suggest she did'.

Mr Easey was convicted of manslaughter and neglect, but cleared of murder after a ten week trial.

Pub worker Mrs Easey of Chedburgh, Suffolk, was found not guilty of allowing the death of her daughter, but was convicted of neglect. Both had denied all the charges.

Mr Easey showed no emotion as the verdicts were announced after 20 hours deliberation while his former wife, who divorced him after Eleanor's death, appeared tearful in the dock.

He was remanded in custody by Mr Justice Murray while Mrs Easey was bailed before their sentencing on April 29.

Hospital staff had earlier raised safeguarding fears about Eleanor over concerns that Mrs Easey had 'concealed' her pregnancy.

They also feared that she had was not bonding normally with her baby in the days after her birth at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn, Norfolk.

Paramedics were called at 8.25pm on December 18, 2019, to reports that Eleanor was 'struggling to breathe' at their home in Morton on the Hill near Norwich, Norfolk.

They found her pale, floppy and lethargic with her eyes half open, a low heart rate and erratic breathing.

Doctors ruled she had a catastrophic brain injury which was incompatible with life and her life support was withdrawn two days later, said prosecutor Sally Howes QC.

Mr Easey was convicted of manslaughter and neglect, but cleared of murder. Mrs Easey was convicted of neglect but cleared of allowing the death of her daughter. Above, at their wedding in 2016

A post mortem found that Eleanor also had older head and neurological injuries, 31 rib fractures and five fracture sites on her limbs, and was poorly nourished, leaving her significantly underweight.

Ms Howes said that Eleanor had died of a non-accidental injury involving 'accelerated movement, in other words some form of shaking' and an impact to the head.

The couple married after meeting in July 2016. Mrs Easey had a miscarriage in November 2018, and became pregnant again, but she did not 'acknowledge her condition and appeared to be in denial', said Ms Howes.

She was taken to hospital by her husband on September 12, 2019, after complaining of severe stomach cramps, but she insisted that she did not think she was pregnant.

Mrs Easey began bleeding and was given an emergency caesarean. Eleanor was found to be around two weeks premature and weighed 2.57kgs.

Staff noticed that she was 'anxious about coping with the demands of being a parent' and were concerned that she did not want her baby to be brought to her bedside, leaving bottle feeding up to staff.

Mr Easey also lied to a midwife that he was a vet when he was a cattle stockman, said Ms Howes.

She added: 'A picture appeared of a couple who would only accept what they wanted to accept and had a worrying tendency to live in their own self-deluded way.'

Mrs Easey declined mental health treatment when she was released from hospital on October 18, 2019, and appeared to 'want to go back to her life before'.

Eleanor remained in neo-natal intensive care, but staff noted that her parents 'did not visit her very much'.

Hospital staff referred the family to social services as a safeguarding case due to Mrs Easey having a concealed pregnancy.

Neither parent attended a meeting with a health visitor at the hospital on September 21, 2019, said Ms Howes.

Mr Easey claimed later in a phone call how 'annoying and unnecessary it was for social services to be involved in the family at all.'

Eleanor was said to be in a healthy condition before she was allowed home on September 26, 2019.

Norfolk County Council social worker Faye Kimber visited the couple later the same day and 'noted little communication or interaction' between them and Eleanor.

Social workers and health visitors saw Eleanor multiple times before her death. She was also taken to a GP and to the paediatric ward at Queen Elizabeth Hospital where she was examined by three doctors and a staff nurse. Above, her parents on their wedding day

A health visitor noted on several occasions that Eleanor has red marks and scratches on her face, but Mrs Easey insisted the injuries were caused by her baby's fingernails.

She also blamed a bruise on her daughters cheek on the poorly fitting strap of her car seat when they had driven down a bumpy road.

As a result of the injury, the couple were told to take Eleanor to their GP, as is the procedure for an injury in a non-mobile baby.

The couple took her the next day to the surgery in Grimston, Norfolk, where the GP found a second bruise behind her right ear.

Eleanor was then taken to the paediatric ward at Queen Elizabeth Hospital where she was examined by three doctors and a staff nurse found two marks on her jaws and two near her ears.

The couple once again explained that the injuries had been caused by her slipping in the outsize car seat, and the doctors accepted their story was 'plausible', said Ms Howes.

Mr Easey was said to have explained away a third set of injuries when his daughter was found to have a 'a yellowish bruise' to her hairline.

He told his employer that it was caused by a dog jumping up at Eleanor's carry car seat at a Pets at Home store when he was buying a dog cage.

But police recovered CCTV images of him going to the store which showed no evidence of a dog jumping up.

Mr Easey drove his wife to work on the afternoon of December 18, claiming that he had Eleanor with him in his car.

But during the return home, he claimed he had to make an emergency stop when a car pulled out in front of him, meaning Eleanor's head was jerked back in the car seat.

Mr Easey claimed that he tried to perform CPR on his daughter at his home after he dropped her.

Eleanor Easey died at Addenbrook's Hospital in Cambridge (pictured) after being transferred there from Norwich

He called an ambulance and later told paramedics on the way to hospital that he was used to performing CPR on cows, but had never done so on a human.

In later interviews with police, he claimed that he may have been over vigorous when doing chest compressions on her.

Mrs Easey also told officers about how she used to bounce around her daughter in a 'horse game' which she seemed to enjoy.

But Ms Howes said that police had spoken to other people who had expressed concern about the way the couple looked after their daughter, saying it was 'wholly inappropriate' for 'a baby of her age and vulnerability'.

Detective Inspector Lewis Craske of the Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team, said: 'My thoughts today, as they have been throughout this investigation and will always be, are with little Eleanor.

'She was only 14 weeks old when she died yet had 31 fractures to her fragile body and three separate bleeds on her brain.

'Eleanor's parents, the very people who should have protected and loved her above everything and everyone else, failed her on an unimaginable scale from the moment she was born.

'She was neglected for much, if not all, of her short life. She deserved so much better.

'This has been a desperately sad, incredibly complex and highly emotive investigation for me and all those who have worked so very hard on bringing this case to court. I am extremely proud of and grateful for their dedication and commitment.'
The last surviving member of the ISIS terror cell which killed 130 people in the November, 2015 Paris attacks claims he didn't detonate his suicide vest not out of 'fear' but because he 'didn't want to'.

Salah Abdeslam, 32, is on trial for his part in the Friday 13 attacks and faces multiple life sentences for charges of murder, attempted murder and hostage taking.

The legal proceedings represent the biggest trial in French history and are expected to conclude in the summer.

Abdeslam courted outrage when he accused the court of trying to 'make an example' of him

Abdeslam fled to Brussels after the Paris attacks. He was finally caught in March 2016

Abdeslam allegedly dropped brother Brahim at the Bataclan, where he shot dozens of people before blowing himself up.

He is also accused of ferrying three terrorists to the Stade de France, where one died.

Abdeslam told a French court today: 'I didn't go all the way. I abandoned triggering my belt, not out of cowardice, not out of fear, but I just didn't want to.

Salah Abdeslam, 32, is facing multiple life sentences for charges including murder, attempted murder and hostage taking

'I was ashamed of not going all the way. I was afraid of the looks from the other jihadists. I was 25 years old.

'There you go, it's that I was ashamed, as simple as that.'

The defendant sat in silence for two hours before answering questions put to him by lawyers for the prosecutors and plaintiffs.

He caused outrage last month by claiming he 'didn't kill or wound anyone' and said he was just being 'made an example of'.

Abdeslam said last month: 'In the future, when someone gets into an underground train or a bus with a suitcase stuffed with 50 kilogrammes of explosives, and at the last minute decides "I'm not doing this," he will know that he can't, because otherwise he will be locked away or killed.'

After surviving the attack, Abdeslam fled to the Molenbeek district of Brussels where he grew up, but was captured in March 2016.

Abdeslam's escort car arriving at the Palace of Justice last month, where testimony resumed

Alongside Abdeslam, co-defendants are answering charges including providing logistical support, planning the attacks and supplying weapons.

Days after Abdeslam's arrest in March 2016 - which followed a four-month manhunt that ended in a shootout in Brussels - suicide bombers alleged to be part of the same cell struck at Brussels airport and on the city Metro, killing 32 and injuring hundreds.

Abdeslam has already been sentenced in Brussels to 20 years in prison for the shootout that accompanied his arrest.
Two Russian planes that violated Swedish airspace earlier this month were equipped with nuclear weapons, it has emerged.

The flyover near the island of Gotland on March 2 was a deliberate act designed to intimidate Sweden, according to Swedish news channel TV4 Nyheterna.

A total of four planes had taken off from the Russian air base of Kaliningrad.

They consisted of two Sukhoi 24 attack planes, which were escorted by two Sukhoi 27 fighter jets.

It was the two attack planes which were, according to TV4 Nyheter sources, equipped with nuclear weapons.

Two Russian aircrafts SU 27 and two SU 24 are pictured after violating Swedish airspace east of Gotland, over the sea March 2, 2022. It has now been claimed two were armed with nuclear weapons

Two Russian aircrafts SU 27 and two SU 24 are pictured after violating Swedish airspace east of Gotland

The violation of Swedish territory lasted for about a minute.

The country's air force deployed two JAS 39 Gripen which took pictures of the intruders.

It was then, say Swedish media, that it was confirmed the Russian planes were equipped with nuclear warheads.

'This is a signal to Sweden that we have nuclear weapons and we could also consider using them,' military strategic expert Stefan Ring told TV4 Nyheter.

'We assess it as a conscious action. Which is very serious especially as [Russia] is a warring country,' added Air Force Chief Carl-Johan Edstrom.

'I can not rule out incorrect navigation, but everything indicates that it was a deliberate act. That they violated Sweden's borders.'

The incident came days after Russian President Vladimir Putin had threatened military action against Sweden and neighboring Finland should either join NATO.

The countries had been conducting joint military exercises at the time.

'In light of the current situation we are very concerned about the incident,' Swedish Mr Edstrom said following the incident.

'This is unprofessional and irresponsible behavior from the Russian side.'

Swedish fighter jets were scrambled and took photographs of the Russian jets, the statement said.

After the end of the Cold War, Sweden slashed military spending. It was only after Russia's annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014 that parliament agreed on a turnaround.

Sweden reintroduced mandatory military service in 2017 and reopened its garrison on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea in January 2018.

In October, it bumped up defence spending by 40 percent with an extra 27 billion Swedish kronor ($2.8 billion, 2.5 billion euros) to be added to the defence budget from 2021 to 2025.

Sweden is not a NATO member, but cooperates closely with the alliance.

However, like in neighboring Finland, the debate around NATO membership has been reignited in recent weeks.

According to a poll by public broadcaster SVT in April, support for joining NATO is historically high in Sweden at 41 percent.
A killer who strangled his grandmother to death before twice having sex with her corpse will remain in hospital indefinitely, the Old Bailey heard.

Donovan Miller, 31, choked 76-year-old Phyllis Grant and beat her over the head with a vase at their shared home in Kent Street, Plaistow, east London.

The depraved attacker then had sex with her body, the court heard. The judge sentenced Miller to an indefinite hospital order with restrictions.

Described as a 'matriarch of the community' and regular churchgoer by neighbours, Ms Grant had recently been released from hospital after recovering from covid.

Police arrived at the address after 10pm on March 25 last year after Miller called police saying he had killed his grandmother the night before.

Donovan Miller, 31, (pictured) choked 76-year-old Phyllis Grant and beat her over the head with a vase at her home in Kent Street, Plaistow, east London

Ms Grant (pictured) was a regular churchgoer who neighbours described as a 'matriarch of the community' and a 'lovely' woman

He told paramedic the night of his arrest: 'I raped her as well for what it's worth, yesterday and today.'

Miller confirmed he had sex with his grandmother's corpse after she had died.

He told police he was dependent on cocaine but had no mental health issues.

The grandson denied murder but admitted manslaughter and sexual penetration of a corpse.

Three psychiatric reports were written, and it was agreed by three experts that Miller was suffering from 'an abnormality of mind' at the time of the attack.

Dr John McAnallen, consultant forensic psychiatrist, reported that Miller was likely to have been suffering from symptoms of schizophrenia exacerbated by cocaine use.

All doctors involved agreed that this was not a drug induced psychosis.

The Recorder of London, Judge Mark Lucraft, QC, said: 'From all that I have heard and read she was greatly loved and admired by her many friends and family.

The incident took place at her home in Kent Street, Plaistow, east London in March last year

'It is said what you did to your grandmother will never rightly leave you.

'The events of March 24 were quite terrifying and appalling.

'I'm satisfied that assistance in treatment is key.'

Ms Grant was a mother to five children and a beloved grandmother. She worked for most of her life in London hospitals.

Neighbours described her as a 'bubbly, cheerful and smiling person'.

Her daughter and Miller's mother, Paulette Jean-Morgan, said Ms Grant was 'a kind and caring lady who would do anything for her family and others'.

Prosecutor Caroline Carberry, QC, said: 'On the evening of March 25 last year he made a 999 call.

'He told the operator that he would like to report the murder of a family member.

'He said the person who had been murdered was his grandmother, Phyllis Grant, and that he had killed her the previous night by choking her while she was asleep.

'He said there had been a tussle and that he strangled her for a while and then had to use a vase to knock her out.'

Ms Grant had been released from hospital after recovering from Covid prior to her killing in March last year

Miller told the operator that he had hit his grandmother 'a few times on the head' with a vase.

When asked what brought this on, he said: 'I'm just going to say the truth. I've come a long way on my journey and enough is enough.'

Police and paramedics arrived just after 10.30pm.

'The defendant opened the door and came out with his hands raised,' Ms Carberry said.

He was arrested and did not resist.

Miller told police at the scene: 'I don't know if this is worth anything I did rape her as well for what it's worth.

'Yesterday and today.'

He was further arrested for sexual penetration of a corpse.

An officer found Ms Grant in the unlit living room underneath a blanket.

'She was positioned kneeling against the side of the bed, face down, with her chin resting on the side of the bed and her arms outstretched,' Ms Carberry said.

'There was a large amount of blood around her head, on the bed and on the floor.

'Life was formally pronounced extinct at 10.43pm.'

The broken vase was found in a bin at the front of the house.

A search of the home found a writing pad in Miller's bedroom.

The prosecutor said: 'The front cover reads: "It's time to go."

'Writing on very many pages inside is largely incoherent and contains references to Jesus, a cult, a child sex ring, ambush and kidnapping children.

'The defendant in those writings refers to himself as an alien and says that he will leave this life to go back home soon.

Miller's sister, Patrice, said her brother was known in the family as 'junior'. He had been their grandmother's main carer

'On one page he has written the following in the form of a list: "Action is process, clear out, wrap body, deep clean, focus on how to move forward, integrity."'

The scene had 'clearly' been cleaned, Ms Carberry added.

Miller's sister, Patrice, said her brother was known in the family as 'junior'. He had been their grandmother's main carer.

Ms Miller believed her brother took good care of their relative.

'On March 25 Patrice Miller was working from home when the defendant called her and asked to come over,' Ms Carberry said.

'This must be at a time after the killing.

'He said that he just needed to cool off.

'When he arrived, he helped her with a delivery of a new bed.

'He stayed for lunch with her and her flatmate.

'She recalls that he had a little grumble about their grandmother being a hoarder and delaying her Covid vaccine.

Kerim Fuad, QC, for Miller, said: 'The defendant is full of regret and sadness over his actions of just over a year ago. Pictured: Police on the scene in Plaistow, east London, last year

'She noticed that he had a fresh cut on one of his fingers and she put a plaster on for him.

'She said to her there was nothing in his behaviour which caused her concern.

'She received a text from her brother later that evening to say that he loved her.'

Ms Carberry then took the court through a catalogue of injuries suffered by Ms Grant including a 'gaping' laceration to her left scalp and numerous abrasions to her face.

She also suffered three large sites of bruising on her scalp, 12 separate sites of bruising on her neck, bruising on her tongue, as well as fractures to two ribs.

The cause of death was 'compression of the neck and blunt force scalp wounds'.

Kerim Fuad, QC, for Miller, said: 'The defendant is full of regret and sadness over his actions of just over a year ago.

'From the moment he picked up the telephone and rang emergency services and confessed to them and police his crimes in such detail that act marked the beginning of what may be a long journey to understanding himself that he was mentally ill at the time.

'And that from that moment on he had to fully embrace and engage with psychiatric teams' help and take the medication they prescribed.'

Mr Fuad said over time and treatment, the defendant could again become 'the normal peaceful citizen that is usually Donovan Miller'.

He will be placed on the sex offenders' register for an indefinite period.

Miller, of Kent Street, Plaistow, admitted manslaughter and sexual penetration of a corpse.

He has been given an indefinite hospital order with restrictions.
Is Prince Andrew really so cretinous and conniving that he would allow his mother to risk her impeccable reputation to aid his delusional fantasies of a comeback?

Sadly, the answer is, absolutely, without any doubt.

Yesterday, in front of the world's media, the disgraced Duke of York used a frail 95-year-old to return to the public stage where he is convinced he belongs  and I wasn't even slightly surprised.

After all, in the days after his father Prince Philip's death a year ago, I revealed how he immediately began plotting to use the tragedy to take the spotlight and then did appear in front of the TV cameras, ignoring the wishes of his relatives and royal courtiers.

It takes a uniquely twisted individual to use the bereavement of a parent to plot a resurgence.

Is Prince Andrew really so cretinous and conniving that he would allow his mother to risk her impeccable reputation to aid his delusional fantasies of a comeback? Sadly, the answer is, absolutely, without any doubt. Pictured: The Duke of York walks The Queen into Westminster Abbey yesterday

But sadly I knew a desperate Andrew posed a risk for the Queen, physically ailing in her twilight years and looking to her favourite son and next-door neighbour for support.

That's why just six weeks ago, following his settlement with Virginia Giuffre that finished off any hopes of a respectable return to public life, I wrote a column for MailOnline warning that the Queen 'must resist any attempt from Andrew to worm his way back'.

'Do not put it past Andrew, either, to try and manipulate his mother,' I added ominously.

And look at what's happened less than two months later.

Let me be very clear: I disagree with the Queen's decision to place Andrew centre stage at what was an otherwise pitch perfect service for the late Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey, but I do not blame her for putting loyalty to her family first.

The Queen has earned trust and respect over her seven decades of service.

My impeccably placed royal sources insist the Queen made the decision for Andrew to be her 'walker' and intends for him to play the same role at other similar private events in the future - although crucially not at state occasions.

Just six weeks ago, following his settlement with Virginia Giuffre that finished off any hopes of a respectable return to public life, I wrote a column for MailOnline warning that the Queen 'must resist any attempt from Andrew to worm his way back. Pictured: Andrew with Virginia Roberts-Giuffre in a photo believed to have been taken at Ghislaine Maxwell's London home

A royal insider explained: 'The Queen demonstrated her stubbornness with the decision to travel with Andrew but as a Christian woman she has a strong belief that if she showed forgiveness then maybe other people will follow.

'She still loves Andrew and realises he is a broken man. There was also the practical matter of the fact that by walking in the side door of the Abbey with her, he could avoid the bank of photographers.'

I've been told Andrew still harbours hopes of being part of at least some of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June.

Now that he's played such a central role in the memorial service with the Queen's overwhelming approval, Andrew knows there's at least a chance he could still return to the Buckingham Palace balcony if his mum gives him the nod.

The royal source added: 'The Queen certainly wants Andrew by her side at private events, possibly even the Epsom Derby and Royal Ascot as her walker, but not at formal state occasions. And when you get a request from the Queen, you can't say no.'

But I disagree.

If Andrew had a single shred of decency left he would have said no, knowing full well that riding in the same car as the Queen to the service and walking her to her seat for such an anticipated event would lead to unnecessary criticism of the monarch.

'I'm sorry mummy, but for your sake, I'm going to travel alone and sit next to my daughters at the service, and let Charles or Edward help you to your seat,' he should have told her.

But Andrew cannot be trusted to look out for anyone other than himself  we know that much now.

He's used his proximity to the Queen to manipulate her.

Like the day after his car crash Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis that effectively finished him off as a senior royal, where he attended church with Her Majesty and assured her it had been 'a great success'.

So the blame lies with the royal courtiers and senior members  notably Prince Charles and Prince William  who shrugged off the decision for Andrew to travel with the Queen to the service and ludicrously believed he would do the decent thing and allow a member of the clergy to guide the Queen to her seat - as if!

You only have to look at Andrew's recent track record to know there was more chance of him doing the decent thing than Harry and Meghan choosing duty over Hollywood big bucks.

Charles and William have proven that when they stage a genuine intervention with the Queen  and do so with some purpose  she will listen.

That's how they convinced her that Prince Andrew must step down as a senior royal in the first place.

After the unfairly negative global headlines about Prince William's tour of the Caribbean last week, he should have been acutely aware how much optics matter.

And the optics of this event have made it obvious that Andrew cannot and will not simply be erased from royal life because he won't allow that to happen.

In the days after his father Prince Philip's death a year ago, I revealed how he immediately began plotting to use the tragedy to take the spotlight and then did appear in front of the TV cameras, ignoring the wishes of his relatives and royal courtiers

My royal source said: 'Prince Charles and William were not happy with the arrangements. William in particular did not think it should happen and Charles thought they needed to protect Andrew from himself.

'But they both accepted it was the Queen's decision to make.

'Now, though, after the last 24 hours of negative headlines, the knives are out for Andrew in a way you can't believe, especially among the men in grey suits at the Palace.'

The time has come for Prince Charles - who is in many ways already starting to implement his vision of a slimmed down monarchy - and Prince William to play the role of enforcers when it comes to Andrew, before he does the Queen any more damage.

Now, Charles may well believe his brother's denials regarding Giuffre. I understand that her story is full of holes and Andrew has never been found guilty.

But he had multiple opportunities to clear his name  by cooperating with the FBI or facing down his Australian accuser in court  and he failed to take the chance.

By making that decision, he threw away his opportunity for public redemption.

Charles and William know that and so, while they might choose to maintain a positive private relationship, their job is to shore up the shaky foundations of the Royal Family as it prepares to exit the second great Elizabethan era.

It's time for them to speed up their plans by bringing forward moves to banish Andrew.

Right now, the British monarchy is scoring too many own goals  Andrew as the Queen's walker simply cannot be countenanced.
Boris Johnson hit out at UK exporters today, saying the only thing holding them back after Brexit was a lack of ambition.

The Prime Minister told senior MPs there was 'no natural impediment' to firms wanting to sell goods and services abroad, after more than a year of post-Brexit complaints from businesses.

His remarks to the Liaison Committee this afternoon came as Downing Street said it is reviewing plans to introduce checks on imports in the summer, amid fears it would badly affect supply chains.

The FT reported ministers are exploring whether to postpone for a fourth time checks on goods entering Britain from the EU.

Mr Johnson was asked by Treasury Committee chairman whether the UK was becoming a more 'closed economy' due to Brexit and a failure to quickly secure a large number of major international trade deals.

He replied that the UK was a 'global trading nation', adding: 'I do want to see much more of an export drive.'

He then cited ex-international trade secretary Liam Fox, who said UK firms 'could sell a lot more overseas'.

'There is no natural impediment to our exports, it is just will and energy and ambition,' the Prime Minister continued.

Shadow international trade secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said: 'The Prime Minister's remarks treat British exporters with contempt.

The Prime Minister told senior MPs there was 'no natural impediment' to firms wanting to sell goods and services abroad, after more than a year of post-Brexit complaints from businesses

Mr Johnson was asked by Treasury Committee chairman whether the UK was becoming a more 'closed economy' due to Brexit and a failure to quickly secure a large number of major international trade deals.

British businesses attempting to export their goods to the EU have faced a string of headaches since Britain's exit from the trading bloc.

'Instead of insulting British businesses, the UK Government should be standing alongside them, offering the help and support they need to thrive.'

British businesses attempting to export their goods to the EU have faced a string of headaches since Britain's exit from the trading bloc.

Companies have bemoaned torrents of extra paperwork, increased costs and repeated rejected deliveries as they have attempted to reach European customers.

Food and drink exporters have particularly struggled with new requirements for expensive animal and plant health certificates.

Marks & Spencer blamed supply chain problems linked to Brexit for the closure of 11 stores in France last year.

And on imports, pore than 230 billion of products  including more than a quarter of Britain's food supplies  are brought in from the EU each year.

Since Brexit the UK has waived safety and security checks on all goods, and physical checks on food and plant arrivals.

According to the Financial Times, Brexit Opportunities Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg is said to have suggested that checks due to come in on July 1 be postponed, given the war in Ukraine and the burgeoning cost of living crisis.

The idea was welcomed by former Brexit minister Lord Frost, who suggested the checks be scrapped entirely.

'The remaining import controls are due to be introduced from July this year as previously announced, so what we are doing is keeping this under careful review,' the PM's spokesman told reporters today.

The idea was welcomed by former Brexit minister Lord Frost, who suggested the checks be scrapped entirely.

He tweeted: 'I predicted it would be necessary and I am fully supportive of Jacob Rees-Mogg in pushing it.

'But...we should end the fiction of a delay. Stop pretending we must do what the EU does and get right such limited controls as we do need.

'Just as we don't have to impose the same tariffs ourselves as those our exporters face, so we don't have to impose the same paperwork.

'It makes no sense to impose burdens on our own economy just because others impose them on theirs.'
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, right, shakes hands with Madam Le Thi Thu Thuy, Vingroup vice chair and VinFast global CEO, during VinFast's North Carolina electric vehicle assembly plant announcement in Raleigh, N.C., Mar 29. AP-Yonhap





A Vietnamese automaker announced plans Tuesday to build a plant in North Carolina to manufacture electric vehicles, promising to bring 7,500 jobs and ending the state's streak of near-misses for landing carmakers.







VinFast will build its first North American plant in Chatham County southwest of Raleigh, with production expected to start in 2024. It expects to employ 7,500 by 2027 with average salaries of $51,000, according to the state Commerce Department.







''VinFast's transformative project will bring many good jobs to our state, along with a healthier environment as more electric vehicles take to the road to help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions,'' Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement.







The company is expected to invest $4 billion in building the plant on a nearly 2,000-acre (800-hectare) site about a 30-minute drive southwest of Raleigh. The plant is planned to be able to manufacture 150,000 cars per year. The state has agreed to use job development grants to reimburse $316 million over 32 years if it hits job-creation and investment goals. The state is also planning to provide as much as $450 million for site preparation, road improvements and other infrastructure work.







A release from the state Commerce Department said the manufacturer considered sites in 12 states before narrowing its search to North Carolina and a site in Savannah, Georgia. The release said the workforce, incentives and site preparation were key factors in its choice.







''North Carolina's strong commitments in building a clean energy economy, fighting climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in transportation make it an ideal location for VinFast to develop its premium, smart and environmentally friendly EVs,'' VinFast Global CEO Le Thi Thu Thuy said in a statement.







The United Auto Workers union has plans to organize workers at the new VinFast plant, as well as other electric vehicle and battery factories that are locating in Southern states, union President Ray Curry said Tuesday. The union has funding available now to start organizing efforts, Curry told the Automotive Press Association in Detroit.







The union, he said, already has a presence in North Carolina.







''We believe that we are the preferred union,'' Curry said. ''We are the auto workers, and our goal would be to be able to represent any auto work assembly that would take place in the country, especially EVs that are transforming right now.''







The UAW also will try to organize Ford and General Motors battery plants in Kentucky and Tennessee, as well as factories run by Tesla and electric vehicle startup Rivian. Both have plants that were represented by the union under previous owners. Such campaigns, depending on their duration, could cost tens of millions of dollars, he said.







Landing the car manufacturing plant is considered a major accomplishment for Cooper, legislative leaders and economic recruiters following a series of disappointments stretching back decades.







In the early 1990s, North Carolina lost out to South Carolina for BMW's first full-service factory outside of Germany, then later to Alabama, which landed Mercedes-Benz's SUV plant. More recently, the state fell short in competing for new plants by Tesla and Rivian Automotive.







Freightliner already operates truck production plants in North Carolina, and Volvo Trucks' North America headquarters is based in Greensboro.







The VinFast plant acquisition is the latest in a string of significant economic victories for the state over the past 12 months.







Apple announced plans last April to build its first East Coast campus in Research Triangle Park between Raleigh and Durham, creating 3,000 new jobs over the next decade.







Toyota revealed in December it will build a $1.3 billion battery plant near Greensboro that will employ at least 1,750 people and help fulfill the automaker's plans to drastically increase electric vehicle sales in the U.S.







And Boom Supersonic announced in January that Greensboro would be the home for its first full-scale manufacturing facility for next-generation supersonic passenger jets. That also comes with a goal of more than 2,400 new jobs by 2032.







The VinFast VF e36 is shown at the AutoMobility LA auto show in Los Angeles, Nov. 18, 2021. VinFast announced plans to build a plant in North Carolina to manufacture electric vehicles, promising to bring 7,500 jobs, March 29. AP-Yonhap





VinFast is part of Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, which is providing capital to expand electric vehicle sales in the U.S. and eventually Europe. The company already is selling vehicles with internal combustion engines and electric powertrains in Vietnam.







In November, the company introduced the VF e35 midsize and VF e36 large electric SUVs at the Los Angeles Auto Show, but it did not reveal prices.







The company's former chief executive said last year that VinFast plans to start taking orders in the spring and delivering vehicles in the U.S. in the fall. Initially the SUVs would be built at a new factory in Vietnam, but VinFast was planning to build a U.S. factory that would start producing in the second half of 2024.







VinFast, with a U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles, plans to sell vehicles through its own network of stores, with much of the order process done online. Already the company has plans for 60 stores in California alone. It also will have some service centers and mobile service. (AP)






Dr Oz has accused his leading rival in the Pennsylvania Republican Senate primary of relying on money from 'Clinton-loving Democrats' - but now faces accusations of hypocrisy after raising hundreds of thousands of dollars with the help of a billionaire friend of Bill Clinton.

The fight for the Republican nomination has turned increasingly bitter as the television doctor faces off with former hedge fund CEO David McCormick.

Both are vying for the endorsement of Donald Trump. Both face accusations that their connections with Hollywood and Wall Street respectively mean they are out of touch with the party base.

And both have lobbed accusations at the other that they are cozy with the Clintons.

The latest fusillade emerged with a report that sugar billionaire Pepe Fanjul hosted a $250,000-a-ticket event in support of Mehmet Oz at his Palm Beach farm.

Fanjul is a prominent Republican donor, but is also known to be close to the Clintons and his name appeared in pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's notorious 'black book' of contacts.

McCormick's supporters cried hypocrisy.

A Trump world source said: 'Like the hypocritical fraud he truly is, Oz has repeatedly attacked McCormick for receiving donations from former work colleagues who aren't registered Republicans, but who do you see when you look behind Oz's curtain?

'Anti-Trump Hollywood left-wingers, mega donors to Hillary Clinton and associates of Jeffrey Epstein

'There isn't a single thing about Oz that doesn't raise major red flags for republican voters.'

TV doctor Mehmet Oz (left) and former hedge fund CEO David McCormick are front runners in the GOP Pennsylvania Senate primary. But ties to Hollywood and Wall Street have seen them try to portray the other as members of an elite that doesn't understand the Republican base

Jose 'Pepe' Fanjul (center in sunglasses) and his brother Alphonso (second from right) entertained former President Bill Clinton (right) on their yacht in September

Pepe Fanjul was an associate of Jeffrey Epstein and was pictured in 2006 with the late pedophile's accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell

The mega-donor brothers who fled Fidel Castro and built a sugar empire in Florida worth billions of dollars Alphonso and Jose 'Pepe' Fanjul are worth at least eight billion dollars The Fanjuls were born into pre-revolution Cuba's aristocracy, entertaining the upper crust at their mansion in Havana paid for by their father's sugar business on the Caribbean island - including throwing parties for the abdicated British King Edward VIII and his wife Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor. The brothers are believed to have inspired the fictional Rojo brothers, the wealthy sugar tycoons in Carl Hiassen's 1993 crime novel Strip Tease - which was later made into a 1996 movie starring Demi Moore. The family fled when Fidel Castro took power and their properties were seized. But they managed to rebuild their empire in Florida, buying up 187,000 acres of farmland in Palm Beach County and importing thousands of mostly Jamaican laborers. Their companies, which include Domino Sugar, Florida Crystals and ASR Group, now give the Fanjuls an estimated wealth of $8.2 billion according to Bloomberg, and reportedly comprise 40% of the sugar refining industry in the state. While Pepe is a major Republican donor, Alphonso has donated to Democratic candidates over the years. Advertisement

Bill Clinton was spotted hanging out with Fanjul - whose real name is Jose - and his brother Alphonso in September last year.

The former president was photographed disembarking from their yacht in the tony town of Sag Harbor, New York.

Both Clinton and the younger Fanjul appeared in Epstein's black book of contacts.

And Pepe Fanjul was in 2006 photographed in the company of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's associate who was last year convicted of child sex trafficking and other offenses.

But by 2011 he had distanced himself from the disgraced financier. A spokesman for his company Florida Crystals told the Palm Beach Daily News that he and Epstein 'obviously knew each other and had some contact in the past. But there isn't any ongoing business or social relationship with Mr. Epstein.'

The brothers are thought to be worth more than $8 billion from their sugar businesses, which include Domino Sugar, Florida Crystals and ASR Group.

Although Alphonso is known to give money to Democratic causes, his brother has been a wealthy backer of Republicans including Trump and Sen. Marco Rubio.

But his connection to the former president offers ammunition to critics of Dr Oz, who has used the Clinton name to attack his rival.

'David is trying to buy the Pennsylvania Senate seat with money from his best friends Never Trumpers and Clinton-loving Democrats,' Dr Oz said in a video posted to Twitter.

'Just follow the money.'

Brittany Yanick, communications director for Dr Oz for Senate, said there was nothing hypocritical in taking money from Fanjul and threw the accusation back at McCormick's campaign.

'Pepe Fanjul is a major donor to President Trump and other America First Republicans,' she said.

'That's quite the contrast from the Never Trumpers and liberal Democrats funding Wall Street insider David McCormick's campaign.'

Supporters of Dr Oz back their claims with publicly available details of donors to Honor Pennsylvania, a political action committee backing McCormick.

They have also 'supported some of the most liberal Democrats in Congress, and Hillary Clintons 2016 presidential campaign,' is how the Philadelphia Inquirer put it.

'One of them worked in Bill Clintons White House.'

They include Arjun Gupta, who styles himself 'chief believer' at TeleSoft partners - the venture capital firm he founded - who gave $100,000. His other donations are almost exclusively to Democrats, including to Ro Khanna, one of the most progressive members of the House of Representatives.

And $50,000 was given by Joel Klein, who was Bill Clinton's deputy White House counsel.

Supporters of Dr Oz say McCormick (pictured at a campaign event) is backed by Democratic donors, who have supported liberal politicians

Former President Donald Trump has yet to endorse a candidate after his preferred runner Sean Parnell dropped out following a contentious divorce battle

But Dr Oz has his own Clinton problem, having for years praised her record. His opponents dismiss him as a 'Hollywood liberal.'

In 2008, he described his support for her over Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential primary.

'She's a very very smart woman,' he told the National Review of Medicine.

'Her healthcare plan was probably the best. I have confidence that Senator Obama would also make a superb president.

'I suspect that Senator Clinton would be more effective, not because shes a better person, but because she has more experience.'

In the same year, he described her as 'one of the smartest people' he had ever met during a healthcare event at New York University.

The two are the front-runners in a crowded GOP primary contest. Republicans will decide on May 17 who will go forward to the election to replace retiring GOP Sen. Pat Toomey in a battle that could help decide who controls the Senate.

Republican insiders said the tussle between the two candidates reflected the way the Republican Party had changed. And that each realized they were vulnerable to charges of coming from outside the party base, from one elite or another.

Particularly damaging if you were chasing the Trump endorsement.

Dr Oz was spotted at Trump's winter headquarters at Mar-a-Lago in Florida last week.

But McCormick has reportedly hired a bunch of Trump White House alumni, including Cliff Sims and Stephen Miller, while an allied super PAC is working with Kellyanne Conway.

Mark Foley, a former U.S. Representative based in Palm Beach, said both sides were intent on painting the other as beholden to special interests.

'The Republican Party has changed so much, he said. 'Before it was bankers, lawyers, Wall Street types; now it's plumbers, pipe fitters, police, firefighters, business owners,' he said, adding that it was a staple of campaigns to lob cheap shots at the opposition.

'They try to identify someone and make the analogy that somehow they're bought or sold by a specific interest.'
More than two dozen New Jersey pre-kindergarten students were rushed to the hospital after drinking from milk cartons that were actually filled with sanitizer.

Twenty-five pre-k students ages three and four from the Early Childhood Development Center in Camden were taken to a local hospital on Wednesday out of an abundance of caution after they consumed 'non-toxic consumable sanitizer,' the Camden City School District said in a statement.

According to school officials, staff became concerned after they noticed a chemical smell coming from or near the milk, CBS Philadelphia reported.

The school district said that the milk cartons were filled with the sanitizer, sealed and shipped out with the milk. The sanitizer usually runs through the vendor's machines to clean them, prior to milk being sealed in, the district said.

'Unfortunately, many cartons were filled with the sanitizer, sealed and then shipped out with the milk. We pulled all milk today and NO milk will be served until the investigation is completed,' the district said.

It was unclear what company had provided the milk to the school, how many cartons might be affected or if the sanitizer had been sent to other schools, as well.

Several children were seen on Wednesday being escorted to a children's emergency room

25 pre-k students from the Early Childhood Development Center were taken to a hospital after they consumed 'non-toxic consumable sanitizer'

The district said no children were currently ill and that emergency teams were dispatched to the school.

Several children were seen on Wednesday being escorted to a children's emergency room.

'This morning, we investigated a possible contamination of milk today at our Early Childhood Development Center,' the district wrote in a statement.

'It was determined that the substance found in the cartons is a non-toxic consumable sanitizer that runs through the vendor machines prior to milk.

'Emergency teams were dispatched to the school,' the district added. 'No students are currently ill but were sent to the hospital as a precaution.'

DailyMail.com reached out to the school district for comment.

Several people were outraged at the news, asking how something like this could happen.

'How does something like this occur? The entire quality system is in question,' one person commented on the district's Facebook page.

'Omg, what is wrong with these Companies now they trying to kill our children it's always something but thank God nobody is sick,' another person wrote.

While others just reacted in shock, commenting: 'How just how!' and 'What is going on???!!!'
A mother-of-four from Chicago was among the 20 people who were massacred during a cartel-linked gunfight at a clandestine cockfighting venue in the western Mexico state of Michoacan on Sunday.

Melissa Silva, 36, was one of the three women who were shot dead after attackers raided the locale, which was located in the municipality of Zinapecuaro.

She leaves behind four children, aged 10, 12, 17 and 18.

Her sister, Arleth Silva, 16, was wounded in the shooting and is fighting for her life, Univision reported.

She suffered a gunshot wound in one of her lungs and was struck once in reach league, her sister Yalitza Silva told the network.

'And they told my mom that she was going to need eight screws in the spine,' she said.

Melissa Silva, a 36-year-old mother to four children from Chicago, was one of the 20 people who were massacred at a clandestine cockfighting venue in Michoacan, Mexico, on Sunday. Her 16-year-old sister, Arleth Silva, was seriously wounded

Arleth Silva, 16, also suffered a gunshot wound to one of her lungs and was also shot in both of her legs. The office of Illinois Democratic Congressman, Chuy Garcia, confirmed to DailyMail.com on Wednesday that they have been in contact with the family to help them arrange her return home and to repatriate her sister's remains

Members of the National Guard and soldiers of the Mexican Army patrol the surroundings of a venue where illegal cockfights take place after 20 people were murdered Sunday in Michoacan

Yalitza Silva said that her sisters were vacationing with their mother in the family's home state, despite a U.S. Department of State travel advisory for Michoacan due to crime and kidnapping.

'I did not imagine that it was going to be one of my sisters,' Yalitza Silva said. 'Melissa couldn't, I mean, she was too strong.'

Their mother was in their hotel when she heard the gun shots and rushed to the venue, fainting when she discovered Melissa Silva's lifeless body.

'She found (Melissa) dead in the middle of the ring and the other one (Arleth) about three feet fighting for her life,' said Alex Silva, who traveled to Michoacan to assist with the arrangement to repatriate the body of his slain sister and wounded sibling.

A GoFund account created by Melissa and Arleth's sister to cover hospital and funeral expenses had raised at least $10,000 as of Wednesday.

"Anything helps us get through this tragic moment in our lives, thanks and God bless," Yalitza Silva wrote.

Arleth Silva, of Chicago, was wounded Sunday night when gunmen stormed into an illegal cockfighting venue in Michoacan, Mexico, and opened fire

Melissa Silva, of Chicago, was among the 20 people who were massacred at an illegal cockfighting venue in Michoacan, Mexico, on Sunday

The cockfighting venue in western Mexico became the scene of intense gun violence Sunday

A spokesperson for Illinois Congressman Chuy Garcia confirmed to DailyMail.com that they have been in contact with the family to provide them assistance.

The attackers apparently planned the attack, and entered in a stolen truck owned by a snack food company, according to prosecutors.

'The snack food company truck arrived, and several armed people in camoflauge clothing got out,' the Michoacan State Office of the Attorney General said. 'At the same moment, a bus that was outside the building was used as a blockade,' apparently to prevent victims from escaping or calling for help, it said.

The federal Public Safety Department attributed the massacre to a 'confrontation between criminal groups.'

It added that a team of federal investigators had been sent to the scene.

The Michoacan State Office of the Attorney General investigators recovered 100 7.62 caliber bullet casings.

The also found 15 vehicles that apparently belonged to the victims, one of which bore stickers with the logo of a criminal gang.

Sixteen men and three women were shot dead when intense crossfire began, authorities said

Michoacan has been the scene of a longstanding turf battle between local cartels and the Jalisco cartel, from the neighboring state of Jalisco. The fighting has included the use of bomb-dropping drones, landmines and home-made armored cars.

Cock fighting, while illegal in many areas, remains a popular pastime in parts of Mexico, though the fights are usually held clandestinely.

Many towns across western Mexico have cockfighting rings.

In 2018, six were killed when masked attackers fired at an assembled crowd in Chihuahua.
A British ISIS jihadist meted out 'unrelenting and unpredictable' torture to his hostages, including giving 'going away beatings' and beating one captive 25 times after learning it was his 25th birthday, prosecutors said at his federal terror trial in Virginia.

El Shafee Elsheikh, 33, is accused of being involved in the murders of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and relief workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller.

Elsheikh, who is also charged with lethal-hostage taking, is believed to be one of four British ISIS terrorists belonging to the 'Beatles' cell - nicknamed for their UK roots and accents - that operated in Iraq and Syria.

He played a leadership role in keeping at least 27 Western hostages captive between 2012 and 2015 whilst inflicting torture on his victims using brutal methods such as waterboarding, prosecutors told the court in Alexandria on Thursday.

Prosecutor John Gibbs said Elsheikh - dubbed as 'Jihadi George' - was known by his captives not only for his British accent, but for his unusual penchant for brutality even within a terrorist group known for its cruelty.

As the victims' families stared down Elsheikh in the courtroom, Gibbs described the ISIS propaganda videos showing Foley, Sotloff and Kassig being beheaded, and how Mueller was forced into slavery and raped repeatedly by the ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi before being killed.

Throughout opening statements of the trial, which is expected to last at least three weeks, Elsheikh sat stiff, avoiding eye contact with the jury while Gibbs described the atrocities inflicted on hostages.

When Elsheikh and the other militants learned that a European hostage was marking his twenty-fifth birthday, they ensured they inflicted exactly 25 blows, Gibbs said.

Only two members of the cell, Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey, will be prosecuted in the US. The third, Mohammed Emwazi, a British citizen who oversaw the executions known as 'Jihadi John', died in a drone strike in 2015. Aine Lesley Davis, the fourth member of the group, was convicted in Turkey on terrorism charges and jailed.

El Shafee Elsheikh, 33, is accused of being involved in the murders of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and relief workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller. He is believed to be one of four British ISIS terrorists belonging to the 'Beatles' cell - nicknamed for their UK roots and accents - that operated in Iraq and Syria

Paula (left) and Ed Kassig (second left), the parents of beheaded US relief worker Peter Kassig walk towards the Alexandria federal court house after a break for the trial of ISIS member El Shafee Elsheikh on Wednesday

Diane and John Foley, the parents of James Foley, an American journalist beheaded by the ISIS cell known as the 'Beatles', arrive at the court case for the US terror trial of Elsheikh on Wednesday

Bethany Haines, the daughter of Briton David Haines, who was beheaded by the ISIS 'Beatles' cell, arrives at the courthouse in Alexandria on Wednesday. While Elsheikh has not been charged in America over Mr Haines' death due to America lacking jurisdiction, Haines wanted to come face-to-face with her father's alleged killer

Pictured left: James Foley while covering the civil war in Aleppo, Syria. Pictured right: US aid worker Peter Kassig - otherwise known as Abdul-Rahman Kassig - in Syria

Left: US freelance journalist Steven Sotloff. Right: Kayla Mueller is shown after speaking to a group in Prescott, Arizona. Both were killed in Syria by ISIS

Bethany Haines, the daughter of David Haines (pictured) - a British aid worker kidnapped and beheaded by the ISIS 'Beatles' cell - also arrived at the courtroom in Virginia

The families of the four US victims attended the trial on Wednesday, with Foley's parents Diane and John as well as Kassig's parents Paula and Ed pictured arriving at the courtroom.

But for Mueller's mother Marsha the emotion was too much and she wiped a tear from her eye as Elsheikh walked into court - before her husband Carl put his arm around her to comfort her.

Bethany Haines, the daughter of David Haines - a British aid worker kidnapped and beheaded by the ISIS 'Beatles' cell - also arrived at the courtroom in Virginia, as she said she wanted to come face-to-face with the man accused of kidnapping and torturing her father.

While Elsheikh, who was stripped of his British citizenship, has not been charged in America over Mr Haines' death due to America lacking jurisdiction, Haines wanted to have some sense of closure by attending the US trial.

Elsheikh and Kotey are accused of inflicting electric shocks with a taser, forcing hostages to fight each other, 20-minute beatings with sticks and waterboarding.

Surviving hostages will testify that Elsheikh and Kotey were more likely than day-to-day guards to hand out beatings, Gibbs said.

Families of four Americans killed by ISIS terrorist stare him down in court The families of four Americans allegedly killed by an ISIS terrorist stared him down in court as he faced trial for their kidnap and murder. Relatives of James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff and Peter Kassig glared at El Shaffe Elsheikh at the federal court in Alexandria, Virginia But for Mueller's mother Marsha the emotion was too much and she wiped a tear from her eye as Elsheikh walked into court - before her husband Carl put his arm around her to comfort her. Prosecutors claim Elsheikh was part of an infamous ISIS cell called The Beatles which captured dozens of Westerners in Syria between 2012 and 2015. The group paraded their victims in orange jumpsuits in gruesome videos shared online which showed them being beheaded. Relatives of James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff and Peter Kassig glared at El Shaffe Elsheikh at the federal court in Alexandria, Virginia. Pictured: Paula and Ed Kassig arrive at court on Wednesday Elsheikh has denied any role in the kidnapping of the Americans and his trial is due to last four weeks - with relatives of his alleged victims expected to be in court every day. For the opening statements Foley's mother Diane and father John sat in one of the benches of the courtroom in Alexandria, Virginia. John Foley at times closed his eyes while Diana Foley took notes, only pausing when the prosecution described her son's execution. James Foley, a journalist, 40, from New Hampshire, was seized by ISIS in 2012 while reporting on the conflict in Syria. Two years later the group released a video showing Mohammed Emwazi, the leader of The Beatles known as 'Jihadi John' , beheading him. For the opening statements Foley's mother Diane and father John (pictured arriving at court) sat in one of the benches of the courtroom in Alexandria, Virginia, as they heard details of their son's execution by the ISIS 'Beatles' cell Sotloff, 31, from Miami, Florida, also a journalist, was kidnapped on the way to Aleppo in 2013 and was executed by Emwazi in a sick video released the following year. In court were his father Arthur and mother Shirley. Kassig, 26, an aid worker and former Army ranger who converted to Islam and changed his name to Abdul-Rahman, was captured in Syria in 2013 while delivering food and medical supplies to refugees in eastern Syria. He was beheaded in 2014 after being held in captivity. Kassig's parents Edward and Paula were in court - Paula sat taking notes throughout the opening arguments. Mueller, from Prescott, Arizona, was kidnapped in 2013 while leaving a hospital in Aleppo and, in an appalling turn of events, was repeatedly raped by the former ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Her death was confirmed in 2015. Her parents sat in the second row and stared intently on the first day of the case. They had spoken movingly at the Republican National Convention in 2020 about their daughter's captivity. At the RNC Carl said: 'Kayla was mostly held in a 12-by-12 cell in solitary confinement. It was cold and dirty. ISIS terrorists shined bright lights in her face. They shaved her head. They beat her and tortured her. The leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, raped her repeatedly'. At the RNC the Muellers criticized the Obama administration for failing to bring their daughter back alive, and praised Donald Trump under whose administration the operation to kill Baghdadi was successfully carried out. Carl said: 'The operators named themselves 'Task Force 814' after Aug. 14, Kayla's birthday. And they named the mission Operation Kayla Mueller. To those soldiers: thank you. Kayla was looking down on you. 'The Trump team gave us empathy we never received from the Obama administration. The Obama administration said it was doing everything it could. The Trump administration actually is'. Also present in court was Bethany Haines, the daughter of British aid worker David Haines, another alleged victim of The Beatles. Bethany, who had flown from Scotland to be at the trial, shook her head in disgust as Elsheikh walked into court. Advertisement

The hostages 'all experienced brutal mistreatment at the hands of the British men they called the Beatles,' prosecutor John Gibbs said Wednesday as part of his opening statement.

He said Elsheikh, who was known as 'Ringo' and 'George', had 'knowingly conspired' to take Westerners hostage.

The ISIS militants 'were utterly terrifying' to the hostages, Gibbs said. The physical abuse they dished out was 'unrelenting and unpredictable' and they 'seemed to get satisfaction from physically abusing the hostages'.

If the Britons came into contact with hostages, they were supposed to kneel down, face the wall and avoid eye contact at all times.

'If a hostage looked at any of the three men, they would be beaten,' Gibbs said. 'In fact, they did not have to do anything to be beaten.'

Even hostages about to be released after paying a ransom were given 'going-away beatings' by the British men, Gibbs said.

Among specific murders the prosecution alleges Kotey and Elsheikh were involved in was that of Mueller, who was seized and detained by Islamic State militants in August 2013.

The indictment says that beginning about October 2014, Mueller was sexually abused by the late Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi while held captive in Syria.

Mueller's family received an email from Islamic State fighters in February 2014, confirming her death in Syria, the indictment says.

FBI Director Christopher Wray said Islamic State is still trying to radicalize people in the United States and elsewhere.

'Their goal is to motivate people to launch attacks against Western targets wherever they are, using any means available,' Wray said.

Wray and Demers said the support of the British government was critical to moving the investigation and prosecution forward.

The families of Foley, Kassig, Mueller and Sotloff welcomed the news.

'James, Peter, Kayla and Steven were kidnapped, tortured, beaten, starved, and murdered by members of the Islamic State in Syria,' they said in a joint statement.

'Now our families can pursue accountability for these crimes against our children in a US court.'

Spanish journalist Javier Espinosa, who was kidnapped by the ISIS cell and spent three months as a hostage, said Elsheikh - dubbed 'Jihadi George' - was the 'most brutal' of the terrorists.

'George was the most crazy one,' the El Mundo journalist said of his former captor Elsheikh.

Espinosa said whilst it was another Beatles member, Mohamed Emwazi, who carried out the executions of prisoners, he was 'just muscles' and Elsheikh was 'the one who was leading the others'.

Interestingly, the prosecutor referred only to three British nationals  Elsheikh, Alexanda Kotey, and Mohammed Emwazi, who frequently carried out the role of executioner and was known as 'Jihadi John'.

Together, the men were nicknamed 'The Beatles' by their captives, in part because of their accents and in part because the hostages felt the need to be surreptitious when talking amongst themselves because they risked punishment to be openly discussing their captors, Gibbs said.

Among them, Elsheikh was known specifically as 'Ringo', Gibbs said.

Usually, public discussion has centered on four captors known as 'the Beatles.' The fourth, Aine Davis, is serving a prison sentence in Turkey.

Emwazi was killed in a drone strike, and Kotey was captured alongside Elsheikh and also brought to Virginia to face trial. Kotey pleaded guilty last year in a plea bargain that calls for a life sentence.

Defense attorney Edward MacMahon highlighted the discrepancy about the number of Beatles as he argued for his client's innocence, saying Elsheikh was not a 'Beatle' but a simple Islamic State foot soldier.

MacMahon said there was 'no dispute' about the horror of the captives' fate. But, he said, while there was 'no doubt' that Elsheikh had gone to Syria and fought with IS, there also was no evidence he was one of the 'Beatles.'

MacMahon said surviving hostages have different recollections about each of the Beatles and their characteristics, and about whether there were three or four.

He noted that the British speakers were careful to always wear masks, making identification difficult.

'The former hostages will give you different versions of whom the Beatles were, you will hear very, very different stories,' he said, arguing that the evidence 'will fail to prove' that Elsheikh was involved.

MacMahon also said Elsheikh's numerous admissions in media interviews about his role in the hostage-taking scheme should be disregarded.

They were made while he was in custody of the Syrian Democratic Forces, and he was fearful of being transferred to Iraq, where he heard rumors that detainees were being summarily executed after 10-minute trials, the attorney said.

Admitting that he was a 'Beatle' was a way to ensure transfer into Western custody, MacMahon said.

Diane Foley, James Foley's mother, attended the trial on Wednesday and said it was important to her that the judicial process be carried out.

'I think we must do the opposite of what was done. That to me is the huge contrast,' she said, referring to the treatment of her son and the other hostages.

She said she was 'surprised' by the defence's opening statement.

Elsheikh is standing trial in Alexandria, accused of being involved in the murders of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and relief workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller

Spanish journalist Javier Espinosa, who was kidnapped by the ISIS cell and spent three months as a hostage, said Elsheikh was the 'most brutal' of the terrorists. Pictured: Espinosa running to hug his son as he arrived in Madrid, Spain, after he was released from ISIS captivity

ISIS victim David Haines's daughter tells how she wanted his killers from terror gang 'the Beatles' to be 'hung from a tree' The daughter of David Haines came face-to-face with the man accused of kidnapping and torturing her father for the first time, as she said she wanted his killers to be 'hung from a tree'. Bethany Haines is present in Virginia this week for the trial of El Shafee Elsheikh, who is accused of being involved in the murders of Americans James Foley, Steven Sotloff, Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig. While Elsheikh has not been charged in America over Mr Haines' death due to America lacking jurisdiction, he is believed to have participated in the kidnapping, torture and beheading of 27 British, American and other foreign hostages in Syria. Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph, the daughter of Mr Haines - the former RAF engineer and aid worker who was 44 he was captured by ISIS in 2013 and beheaded the following year - said that she never thought Elsheikh would be caught, let alone stand trial. 'That we have got to this point feels like a miracle,' she told the newspaper earlier this week before she travelled to Virginia from her home in Perthshire. The 24-year-old has prepared a victim impact statement which she plans to read in court. Giving the Telegraph a preview, she said it would say that Elsheikh's alleged killings had nothing to do with his religion. 'No matter what you say, this was not about religion, you brutally murdered good and innocent people, and now you have to live with that for the rest of your life,' Ms Haines plans to tell him, she said. Ms Haines says that as much as she wants to see Elsheikh see justice, she is also hoping that he will finally reveal the location of her father's body. Her letter will implore him to give up the location not for her, but for her son. 'Don't do it for me, do it for my son, who can finally say goodbye to his grandad,' she told the newspaper, reading from her draft. Advertisement

A former Danish soldier later took the witness stand to tell how he had negotiated for months to secure the release of a Danish photographer, Daniel Rye Ottosen.

He read emails to the young man's family demanding ever higher ransoms.

'You are negotiating for the life of your only son and time is a factor,' they wrote to the parents, accompanying their words with photos or videos of executed hostages.

In pretrial arguments, defense lawyers sought unsuccessfully to have Elsheikh's confessions to interrogators and journalists tossed out, saying they were made under duress.

The judge said the evidence was overwhelming that Elsheikh's confessions were given freely.

Gibbs told jurors that they will hear from numerous witnesses who will provide evidence of Elsheikh's guilt, including from captives who spent time with the slain Americans as well as family members who received ransom demands.

The first witness to testify was terrorism expert Bruce Hoffman, a professor at Georgetown University, who walked the jury through the origins of the Islamic State group as an offshoot of al-Qaeda.

Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey, were captured in January 2018 by Kurdish forces in Syria while trying to escape to Turkey.

They were turned over to US forces in Iraq and flown to Virginia, US, in October 2020 to face charges of hostage-taking, conspiracy to murder US citizens and supporting a foreign terrorist organization.

Ringleader Mohammed Emwazi, a British citizen who oversaw the executions known as 'Jihadi John', died in a drone strike in 2015.

Aine Lesley Davis, the fourth member of the group, was convicted in Turkey on terrorism charges and jailed.

Kotey pleaded guilty in September 2021 and is facing life in prison.

Under his plea agreement, Kotey will serve 15 years in jail in the US and then be extradited to Britain to face further charges.

The charges against Elsheikh carry a potential death sentence, but U.S. prosecutors have advised British officials that they will not seek the death penalty against Elsheikh or Kotey.

He faces an unconditional sentence of life imprisonment.

Alexanda Amon Kotey, left, and El Shafee Elsheikh, who were allegedly among four British jihadis who made up a brutal Islamic State cell dubbed 'The Beatles,' speak during an interview with The Associated Press at a security center in Syria in 2021

A Kurdish security officer escorts Alexanda Amon Kotey, left, and El Shafee Elsheikh, who were allegedly among four British jihadis who made up a brutal Islamic State cell dubbed 'The Beatles,' for an interview with The Associated Press, March 30, 2018
The Washington Post has finally admitted Hunter Biden's laptop is real, nine months after first receiving a copy and a full year after DailyMail.com authenticated it.

The Post had cyber forensics experts validate material on the abandoned laptop hard drive, using similar methods that experts hired by DailyMail.com used back in March 2021.

After months of publishing articles suggesting the laptop could be Russian disinformation, the analysis published by the newspaper on Wednesday marks a startling u-turn.

Its admission also follows the New York Times, which quietly noted 1,200 words into a long story published earlier this month that it had also validated material from the laptop.

The Washington Post is the latest news publication to admit the contents of Hunter Biden's abandoned laptop are indeed genuine, a year after DailyMail.com authenticated its contents, which included more than 2,000 photos (pictured)

DailyMail.com published dozens of a stories based on the scandalous contents of Hunter Biden's abandoned laptop - including a cache of 103,000 text messages, 154,000 emails, more than 2,000 photos (pictured) - that were verified by top forensics experts. Pictured above: A selfie of Joe and Hunter

The Macbook Pro fell into the hands of news organizations in October 2020 after the president's son left the device at a repair shop in Wilmington, Delaware in April 2019 and never returned for it

Neither newspaper acknowledged that DailyMail.com had authenticated its contents with a forensic analysis by top cyber experts a year earlier, and has been regularly publishing revelations based on that material ever since.

In its Wednesday piece, the Post claimed it tried to get hold of a copy in October 2020 but failed, and didn't get its hands on the laptop drive until June 2021, when Jack Maxey gave them a copy.

Maxey, a former co-host of ex-Donald Trump advisor Steve Bannon's podcast the War Room, also gave DailyMail.com a copy in February last year  and has been doggedly trying to get the US's two most prestigious papers to investigate its contents ever since.

The Post accidentally deleted their first copy and had to get Maxey to fly out to their Washington DC office with a new one in October last year, he said.

'I'm not going to disclose the details of our conversations, but I gave them a copy of it in June. I personally delivered it to their offices and met with senior editors,' Maxey told DailyMail.com.

'I had to go a second time in October because they broke the first copy.

'They haven't done anything [until now]. They're not just late to the party, they didn't even show up.'

Photos provided by Maxey show him at the newspaper's offices, and a copy of the laptop hard drive lying on the Post's boardroom table.

The Post spent months ignoring stories arising from the laptop and prominently reporting claims that it was 'Russian disinformation'.

Photos provided by Maxey show him at the newspaper's offices last October, and a copy of the laptop hard drive lying on the Post's boardroom table

Jack Maxey, a political activist and former Steve Bannon podcast co-host, who gave DailyMail.com the laptop, said he also provided the Washington Post with a copy last summer

An 'explainer' piece published in October 2020 played down major revelations including that Joe Biden met with Hunter's business partners, but has since been updated to reflect the paper's new position  admitting that at least some of the material on the laptop is real.

A story based on the laptop's contents published by the newspaper on Wednesday focuses on the millions of dollars Hunter and his uncle, Joe Biden's brother Jim, received from their partnership with a Chinese government-linked oil behemoth CEFC.

The story, which has been previously reported by DailyMail.com and others, includes documents showing Hunter was paid a $1million retainer in 2017 to represent his business partner Patrick Ho, who was being prosecuted by the US government.

Other documents show CEFC wired the Biden family a total $5million.

One startling email among those now validated by the Post indicates the president could have been involved in Hunter's business dealings with the Chinese.

In September 2017 Hunter was planning to open a new office for his multi-million-dollar joint venture with CEFC at the House of Sweden, a Georgetown building home to the Swedish embassy.

He wrote to a building manager: 'please have keys made available for new office mates: Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Jim Biden, Gongwen Dong (Chairman Ye CEFC emissary).

DailyMail.com previously reported Hunter's was paid a $1million retainer in 2017 to represent his business partner Patrick Ho, who was being prosecuted by the US government

A $100,000 wire transfer from Chinese company CEFC to Hunter's firm Hudson West in 2017

In September 2017 Hunter was planning to open a new office for his multi-million-dollar joint venture with CEFC at the House of Sweden, a Georgetown building home to the Swedish embassy and wrote to building manager requesting keys for 'new office mates'

'I would like the office sign ton [sic] reflect the following: The Biden Foundation, Hudson West (CEFC US).'

'We are very excited and honored to welcome your new colleagues!' the manager replied.

Biden Foundation board member Jeffrey Peck told the Post: 'There was never any thought  like zero thought or consideration  given to that building.'

The House of Sweden said they made the keys but Hunter never picked them up.

The Post's admission, hot on the heels of that of the New York Times, coincides with an apparent growing momentum in Hunter's federal prosecution over reported tax fraud, money laundering and illegal foreign lobbying allegations.

The New York Times reported that material from the laptop is part of the FBI's evidence in the case.

Prosecutors have subpoenaed several of Hunter's associates, including a former employee Lunden Roberts, with whom he fathered a baby.

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz grilled the assistant director of the FBI's Cyber Division over the whereabouts of the laptop in a House Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday.

After a battle with Democrats on the committee, Gaetz then entered a copy of the laptop drive as evidence, and tweeted calling for the president's son to be subpoenaed.

This week, Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley (pictured) and Ron Johnson revealed they have the receipts that they claim connect Hunter Biden with a firm tied to the Chinese government.

Sen. Chuck Grassley tweeted out financial documents Monday that showed an August 2017 $100,000 wire transfer from the state-controlled Chinese energy company CEFC through Wells Fargo Clearing Services that stated 'further credit to Owasco,' a Hunter Biden firm

Hunter abandoned his laptop at a Delaware computer store in 2019. John Paul Mac Isaac, the store owner, gave a copy of its hard drive to Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani in September 2020, after handing over the original to the FBI the previous year.

Giuliani reportedly leaked documents and photos from the drive to the New York Post, and also gave a whole copy of the drive to Bannon and his podcast co-host Maxey.

The New York Post published excerpts of emails and photos from the laptop ahead of the 2020 election, but without authentication they were widely dismissed as fake or 'Russian disinformation'.

In spring last year DailyMail.com hired Brad Maryman, an expert who founded the FBI's cyber forensics unit, and his firm Maryman & Associates to analyze the laptop.

Their report showed the laptop was real. From then on, DailyMail.com began to reveal its sordid and potentially incriminating contents over the following year.

Using the same forensic tools as federal and state law enforcement in criminal investigations, Maryman & Associates found a total of 103,000 text messages, 154,000 emails and more than 2,000 photos on the hard drive.

Hunter Biden fathered a child with former employee Lunden Roberts who is pictured leaving a courthouse in Wilmington, Delaware, after testifying before a federal grand jury about Biden's financial affairs

The now-infamous photo of Hunter lying in bed with a crackpipe in his mouth was among the files found on his device

The New York Post had published excerpts of emails and photos from the laptop ahead of the 2020 election, but without authentication they were widely dismissed as fake or 'Russian disinformation'. Pictured: Photos recovered from the computer

The Washington Post hired Matt Green, a Johns Hopkins University security researcher who specializes in cryptography, and Jake Williams, a forensics expert and former National Security Agency operative who once hacked the computers of foreign adversaries, to conduct two separate analyses.

According to the Post, they found 286,000 'individual user files', but were only able to verify 22,000 of the emails on the drive using cryptographic signatures in the headings of the messages.

Williams found '36,000 images, more than 36,000 iMessage chat entries, more than 5,000 text files and more than 1,300 videos.'

The Post did not mention that other devices including Biden family members' iPhones and iPads had been backed up to Hunter's laptop, creating other points of validation for its contents.

The sheer volume, interconnectedness and consistency of the data was a major factor in Maryman & Associates coming to their conclusion over its authenticity.
A barrister for former Irish soldier Lisa Smith has told her trial that a person in the geographical area of the so-called Islamic State is not 'prima facie a terrorist'.

Michael O'Higgins, defence counsel for Ms Smith, told the Special Criminal Court in Dublin that there must be a distinction made between the territory of Syria and the terrorist organisation Isis.

The Co Louth woman, 39, has pleaded not guilty to charges of membership of ISIS and providing funds to benefit the group.

Smith left the Irish military in 2011 after she converted to Islam, before travelling to a IS-controlled region in Syria where she married Sajid Aslam, the court heard.

The prosecution says her husband, a UK national, carried out 'border patrol' work for ISIS, and that he 'had done a snipers course on her advice.'

Delivering his closing speech following a nine-week trial, O'Higgins told the three-judge, non-jury court that a decision by an individual to travel to the ISIS-controlled territory has been closely linked as an act of support for Isis.

He said, however, that support for the terrorist organisation does not make an individual one of its members.

Former member of the Defence Forces Lisa Smith arriving at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin where she is facing terror-related charges. Picture date: Wednesday March 30, 2022

Smith left the Irish military in 2011 after she converted to Islam, before travelling to a IS-controlled region in Syria where she married Sajid Aslam, the court heard

Former member of the Defence Forces Lisa Smith leaving the Special Criminal Court in Dublin where she is facing terror-related charges. Picture date: Tuesday March 29, 2022

The court was told that thousands of people from across the world travelled to Syria following a calling by terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Mr O'Higgins said that one 'of the thorns in the case' is that the territory of Syria, the secretariat and the terrorist organisation are terms that have been used interchangeably, which he said the court 'cannot do'.

'It must see a distinction and cannot simply say anyone in the geographical boundaries is prima facie a terrorist,' he added.

'It is not a safe basis to impose criminality liability.'

Mr O'Higgins said that mental element associated with the crime must be 'teased out'.

'The mental element involves the following: I want to be a member. It's not a subsumed status, the organisation who admits members must agree you are a member.

'It's not quite as precise as an offer and consideration, it must be an assessment of whether that person is accepted as a member. It is not something that is conferred and that is what is missing in this case.

'Taking the prosecution at its height, the indicia are matters which, at a stretch, could be of some form of assistance, could be coterminous of membership.'

He said the only 'positive act' cited by the prosecution of Ms Smith assisting Isis is by cooking and cleaning for her husband, a UK national who the prosecution claims undertook 'border control' for Islamic State.

He said that prosecuting counsel Sean Gillane reproduced evidence from Dr Florence Gaub, an expert on Middle Eastern conflicts, that Isis fighters did not live in barracks and had to be brought home to be fed and looked after.

He said this was 'sobering' and something the court should take into consideration.

He said the assertion portrayed by the prosecution that the thousands of Muslims who travelled to Syria were turned into 'robots' must be 'cast as far away as possible'.

'The court should note (Ms Smith) is not a robot and is entitled to express views, and she is entitled to give an explanation and is entitled to full consideration of that,' Mr O'Higgins added.

The prosecution says her husband, a UK national, carried out 'border patrol' work for ISIS, and that he 'had done a snipers course on her advice.' The Co Louth woman, 39, has pleaded not guilty to charges of membership of IS and providing funds to benefit the group

Ms Smith, from Dundalk, travelled to Syria in 2015.

Mr O'Higgins was also critical of expert evidence given by Dr Gaub, particularly on her assessment that Muslims who travelled to Syria were given preferential treatment over native Syrians.

She previously told the court that they had better access to house and received more security.

Mr O'Higgins said the underpinning of Dr Gaub's opinion was 'woolly' and did not stand up to the high level to impose criminality liability on someone.

Mr O'Higgins said that Ms Smith was not a person who had a lot of money.

He said she had 25,00 euro, but that went towards doing up her parents' separate homes.

He said there is 'no doubting that she is a generous person with a good heart'.

Mr O'Higgins concluded his closing speech.

The three-judge panel is to consider a further legal matter next week before retiring to consider their ruling.

Yesterday, in his closing speech, prosecuting counsel Sean Gillane told the three-judge, non-jury court that the 'element of buyer's remorse' asserted was not a defence.

'Ms Smith is not being prosecuted for believing in Islam or following Islam, or for believing in a caliphate or a caliph,' Mr Gillane added.

'It's important to resist any attempt to conflate the nomenclature, she is being prosecuted for joining a terrorist group.

'There are many straw men in the case that obscure the real issue. To ask the court to consider the merits, legitimacy of a caliphate is about as valid as asking the court to pronounce on the existence of heaven or hell.'

Former member of the Defence Forces Lisa Smith arriving at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin where she is facing terror-related charges. Picture date: Tuesday January 25, 2022

Gillane continued: 'The fact that followers of a religion do not have a monopoly on sincerity of belief, it hardly needs to be expressed.

'Belief is neither here nor there for the purposes of what is to be assessed.

'The suggested sincerity with which she holds those beliefs, her sincerity or otherwise is besides the central point.

'The self-declared caliphate is not a country, it is not a nation state, it is a proto-state created by an illegal organisation, a gang, which exists solely through its members with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared leader of that organisation.'

The prosecutor said that Ms Smith's decision to travel to ISIS territory in 2015 did not 'involve some missing of a target on an otherwise lawful and wholesome journey'.

'It is not a case of a simple or innocent act of travel or near presence at a place in an unfortunate point in time,' Mr Gillane added.

'An element of buyer's remorse has been asserted, it is understandable, but that is not a defence.

'It is the case on the evidence that Ms Smith specifically addressed, assessed, analysed and ultimately answered the call to migrate to this place controlled by ISIS, and this is the Hijrah referred to in the context of the case.'
A majority of voters have said they would support a political candidate who backs funding the police and expanding U.S. energy production, a new poll released on Wednesday shows.

The two issues rank at the top of a list of attributes that would sway Americans to vote for a candidate, as reflected in a new NBC News survey less than eight months until November's midterm elections to decide which party controls Congress.

Asked if they were more or less likely to back 'a candidate who supports funding the police and providing them the resources and training they need to protect our communities,' 75 percent of respondents said it would boost their chances. Just 11 percent said it would be a turn-off.

At the very bottom of the list is the issue of defunding the police -- 73 percent said they're less likely to support a candidate echoing the progressive call and 17 percent said it would help win their vote. That's a sizeable net difference of 56 percent.

And support for expanding domestic oil and gas production would make 69 percent of voters more likely to back a candidate, while 17 percent said they would be less inclined to do so.

It comes as gas prices in the U.S. and Europe skyrocket amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, exacerbating fuel costs that were already rising due to a sudden surge in demand as the economy transitions out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The poll suggests Americans are sympathetic to the conflict as well -- 31 percent more people said support for aiding Ukraine with more weapons would make a candidate more favorable than those who said it would detract.

The revealing new poll shows that hyper-partisan issues like defunding the police and overturning Roe v. Wade serve to alienate more voters than attracting them

But what could be bad news for Democrats, is that both the issues of funding police and ramping up domestic energy production are widely seen as being championed by Republicans.

Defunding the police, however, is not even a popular rallying point for the left-wing. Fifty-nine percent of Democrat voters said they're more likely to support a candidate who wants to better equip law enforcement.

Fifty-one percent of the same group said that calls to defund the police would make them less likely to support someone running for office.

The third most popular attribute listed in the poll is support for President Joe Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure deal -- which was pushed by moderate Democrats and Republicans. Progressives had tried to stymie the bill when Democrat leaders split it from a larger social and climate spending agenda known as Build Back Better.

Sixty-three percent of respondents said backing the bipartisan deal would make them more enamored with a candidate, and 13 percent said the opposite.

Other issues with a net positive voter rating are support for lowering healthcare and prescription drug costs and for preserving abortion rights enshrined in Roe v. Wade.

Meanwhile, a 58 percent majority of respondents would be turned off by a candidate who wanted the landmark Supreme Court case overturned.

Americans also appear largely unmoved -- and in some cases, even repelled -- by endorsements from national figures in both parties.

In what could perhaps be a curveball for 2022 Congressional hopefuls, more voters told NBC they were less likely to vote for a candidate with either Donald Trump or President Joe Biden's endorsement.

Forty-two percent of people said they were less likely to vote for a Biden-backed candidate while 47 percent said the same of Trump.

However, slightly more people said they would be inclined to vote for a Trump-endorsed politician -- 33 percent -- than the 30 percent who said Biden's approval could get them on board.

Even fewer people said they would be swayed to vote for a candidate who believes Trump's 2020 election fraud claims. Just two out of every 10 voters said the belief that the ex-president won the last election would push them toward a candidate, compared to a 58 percent majority who said it would do the opposite.

Newer, more partisan figures in Washington are even more polarizing.

Endorsements of national Republican and Democratic figures -- including firebrand Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) -- are also more likely to detract from a potential candidate

Only 22 percent of survey respondents said an endorsement from 'Squad' member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) would make them support a candidate, while 39 percent said it would detract from their appeal.

The gap is even wider when it comes to an endorsement from pro-Trump firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).

Twenty-seven percent more people would be less likely to vote for a candidate backed by her than those who see it as a plus, with a margin of 34 percentage points to seven.

Among Democrats, Ocasio-Cortez is more popular. Fifty-five percent of Democrat primary voters said her endorsement would make them more likely to vote for her.

Greene fails to win that kind of favor from members of her own party. Sixteen percent of Republican voters said they see her endorsement as a positive, and 17 percent see it as a negative.

The least favored endorsement, however, is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's.

A whopping 48 percent of people said they'd be less likely to vote for a McConnell-backed candidate while just 10 percent said it would be a boost -- a telling sign for the future of the GOP, at a time when establishment figures are battling for influence over the pro-Trump faction of the party.
The U.S. intelligence community has concluded that President Vladimir Putin is being misinformed about how poorly his troops are performing in Ukraine, officials revealed on Wednesday.

The result is tension between the Russian leader and his Ministry of Defense, according to newly declassified intelligence.

Details emerged on day 35 of Putin's invasion of Ukraine, where the main Russian advances have been stalled for weeks.

But Putin has been oblivious that his armed forces were using and losing conscripts, according to the official.

'We have information that Putin felt misled by the Russian military, which has resulted in persistent tension between Putin and his military leadership,' said White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield, confirming an earlier briefing by an unnamed official.

'We believe that Putin is being misinformed by his advisers about how badly the Russian military is performing and how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions because his senior advisers are too afraid to tell him the truth.'

White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said Wednesday that President Vladimir Putin is being misinformed about how poorly his troops are performing in Ukraine

Officials said that Putin felt that he had been 'misled' by the Russian military, triggering tension between him and his Ministry of Defense over the war in Ukraine

Ukrainian fighters have developed effective tactics to halt Russia's armored advance. Ukrainian soldiers patrol next to a destroyed Russian tank in Lukianivka near Kyiv

Ukrainian soldiers are operating in small, mobile groups with anti-tank weapons to launch hit and run attacks that have so far been effective in stopping the Russian advance

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby also confirmed the broad findings but said he would not discuss intelligence.

'We would concur with the conclusion that that Mr. Putin has not been fully informed by his ministry of defence at every turn over the last month,' he told reporters.

'Now, I want to caveat that we don't have access to every bit of information that he's been given or every conversation that he's had.'

But he said it was 'disconcerting' to think that Putin was not being kept in the loop.

'It's his military. It's his war. He chose it,' he said.

'And so the fact that he may not have all the context, that he may not fully understand the degree to which his forces are failing in Ukraine, that's a little discomforting.'

That might make finding a negotiated settlement more difficult, he added.

'If he's not fully informed of how poorly he's doing, then how are his negotiators going to come up with an agreement that is enduring?'

Putin's state of mind and grasp of the unfolding situation have been a constant source of speculation as his long-planned invasion appeared to sputter.

The spirit of Ukrainian resistance has surprised senior U.S. officials and prevented Russian troops from taking the capital in a lightning assault.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said it was 'disconcerting' to think that Putin was not being told the truth and that it would undermine the prospect of negotiating an enduring peace

This week, Moscow said it was scaling back military operations around Kyiv and another northern city in a move that analysts warned might be less a climbdown than a chance to reorganize its forces.

But Russian forces shelled Kyiv and Chernihiv on Wednesday.

'It's not true,' Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a video address to EU regional officials.

'The whole night we listened to sirens, to rocket attacks and we listened to huge explosions east of Kyiv and north of Kyiv.'

Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked about the latest intelligence during his visit to Algeria.

'One of the Achilles heels of autocracies is that you dont have people in those systems that speak truth to power or have the ability to speak truth to power, and I think thats what were seeing in Russia,' he told reporters.

Meanwhile, Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the U.S. was sending another $500 million in direct aid for his government.
Child hackers posing as law enforcement officials were able to dupe Meta and Apple into handing over customer information, according to a new report.

The now-defunct hacker gang dubbed Recursion Team is believed to consist of minors in the US and UK, including the suspected teen mastermind behind the Lapsus$ cybercrime group, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.

Using compromised email accounts from law enforcement organizations, the hackers sent 'emergency data requests' for subscriber information to Apple and Facebook's parent company.

Though such request normally require a court order, that standard doesn't apply to so-called 'emergency' requests and in several cases the companies handed over customer information, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.

The website of defunct hacker gang Recursion Team, also known as Infinity Recursion, is seen above. The group impersonated cops to make data requests to Apple and Facebook

This profile photo from a Telegram account shows a rendering of a 16-year-old boy from England who is believed to be the mastermind behind the hacking group LAPSUS$. He is also said to have been involved in the earlier hijinks by Recursion Team

The hackers ran the scam last year and were able to obtain subscriber addresses, phone numbers and IP addresses, according to the report.

Cybersecurity experts believe the information was used to harass victims and carry out financial crimes through identity theft.

In a statement to DailyMail.com, Facebook spokesman Andy Stone said: 'We review every data request for legal sufficiency and use advanced systems and processes to validate law enforcement requests and detect abuse.'

'We block known compromised accounts from making requests and work with law enforcement to respond to incidents involving suspected fraudulent requests, as we have done in this case,' the statement added.

An Apple spokesman referred a request for comment to the company's law enforcement guidelines, which state that the supervisor of an agent submitting a request 'may be contacted and asked to confirm to Apple that the emergency request was legitimate.'

Most major tech companies operate a dedicated law enforcement portal for data requests, but many still also accept requests through email, if the emails are from official government accounts.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The company says that it is working with law enforcement on the incident and blocks requests from known fake accounts

Apple CEO Tim Cook. The company has guidelines for responding to law enforcement requests and says it may check the requests with a supervisor

Such accounts are easily compromised and credentials are sold on the dark web for as little as $10, cybersecurity experts say.

Recursion Team, also known as Infinity Recursion, is believed to be defunct, but many former members are thought to continue their activities with the infamous Lapsus$ gang, responsible for breaches of tech heavyweights Microsoft and Nvidia.

One of the minors involved in Recursion is believed to be the British teenager suspected of masterminding Lapsus$, Bloomberg reported.

Cybersecurity experts hired by victim companies said that they have been able to trace the breaches to a teen living near Oxford, who goes by the online monikers 'White' and 'breachbase.'

Bloomberg, which first reported on these revelations, did not identify the 16-year-old because he is a minor.

BBC described the suspect as autistic and attending a special education school in Oxford, and reported that he was alleged to have earned a jaw-dropping $14million through his hacking activities.

Lapsus$ has stunned and baffled cybersecurity experts in equal measure with its combination of juvenile antics and high-level access to some of the biggest companies in the world.

Microsoft confirmed last week that LAPSUS$ hackers had gained 'limited access' to its source code and compromised one account. LAPSUS$ previously claimed responsibility for hacking Nvidia, which designs graphics processing units for the gaming industry

The group uses a variety of methods, including bluffing, trickery, and bribes to steal passwords, Microsoft said in a blog post last week.

British authorities recently announced that seven people - aged 16 to 21 - had been arrested at some unspecified point in the past and then later released.

The authorities gave few other details but it was around that time that Lapsus$ told its fans "a few of our members" were going on holiday.

Nevertheless, the gang of hackers bounced back and claimed late Tuesday that it broke into software services firm Globant SA and stole 70 gigabytes of source code from the company's customers.

On its Telegram channel, Lapsus$ posted a screenshot of more than two dozen folders containing what it said was customer source code, including from well-known tech companies.

The authenticity of the screenshot could not immediately be ascertained.

'We are officially back from a vacation,' the group said as it announced the Globant breach.
The younger sister of accused Sarah Lawrence cult leader Larry Ray's 'wife' broke down on the stand and wept as jurors were shown video of alleged victims in happier days, before they say they descended into prostitution, extortion and mental collapse.

Yalitza Rosario, 32, testified Wednesday afternoon. She sat dry eyed when the court was shown video of her, all but catatonic, while Ray bombarded her with questions about her mental state.

Yet when US Assistant Attorney Danielle Sassoon played footage of Rosario with her brother, Santos, Ray's daughter Talia, Daniel Levin and Isabelle Pollok happily enjoying the Holidays together in January 2012 she pulled her glasses from her face and wept.

The Columbia graduate explained, 'I felt like I had a group of friends I didn't have [elsewhere].'

Ray's Upper East Side apartment had, she said, been a 'refuge' with Ray at its center, a 'paternal figure' when she was first introduced to the group by her brother in 2011.

The younger sister of Sarah Lawrence 'cult leader' Lawrence Ray's 'wife' Felicia Rosario broke down on the stand today. Yalitza Rosario, 32, testified Wednesday afternoon and wept as jurors were shown video of 'cult' members in happier days

The doorman of the Upper East Side apartment building out of which Sarah Lawrence, 'sex cult leader,' Lawrence Ray operated took the stand today. Carlos Pagan told jurors how, 'shaking and disheveled,' alleged member, Felicia Rosario, asked him to have sex with her outside and claimed that Ray told her to

In a now familiar pattern Rosario told how she had shared her history of depression, struggles with body image and relationship anxieties with Ray who, at first, appeared only to want to help.

She said, 'I felt like he could help me feel better [and that] he knew how to live in a healthy way, and I trusted him.'

Her trust was, the prosecution allege, betrayed in the worst possible way. Rosario was the fourth 'cult' member to testify for the prosecution.

Across her dealings with Ray, she told how she came to believe she suffered from borderline personality disorder and that develop suicidal thoughts that led to two suicide attempts.

Her first came in April 2013, her second in October that same year.

She confessed to 'crimes' she had not committed  to stealing expensive watches and poisoning Ray, his daughter and others  and she became fixated on the need to make amends and fearful that Ray would send her to jail.

Like her sister who completed her testimony yesterday, Rosario traveled to Ray's stepfather's property in Pinehurst, North Carolina in 2013.

She went, she said, because Ray had convinced her that her sister was unraveling mentally and needed her.

When she saw Felicia, Rosario said, 'Her voice was childlike, she was very different, she looked wide-eyed, confused and distractable.'

Rosario described her time at Pinehurst at 'hell' and a period that took her to her lowest ebb. She attempted suicide while there and when she finally ran away back to New York, she said, it was with the intention of attempting suicide again.

She said, 'I felt like my options were dire and life was just awful.'

Rosario continued to exist in this nightmarish state until the summer of 2016 when, she told the court, she broke off all contact with Ray.

She explained, 'I just couldn't take it anymore.' According to Rosario she is still suffering the effects of her time under Ray's thrall and is unable to work.

But rising to cross-examine the witness Allegra Glasshauser pointed out that Rosario's struggles with mental health pre-dated her relationship with Ray by many years.

'You had thoughts of suicide when you were just a child,' she said, 'You wrote a suicide note when you were eleven.'

Rosario conceded that she had and that she had taken a medical leave of absence from her studies at Columbia in 2010, the year before meeting Ray.

According to Rosario, Isabella Pollok (left) was Ray's primary partner. Pollok and Ray's daughter Talia (pictured right with her father) have been named co-conspirators in the sex trafficking case

The doorman of the Upper East Side apartment building out of which Larry Ray operated has told jurors how, 'shaking and disheveled,' alleged member, Felicia Rosario, asked him to have sex with her outside and claimed that Ray told her to.

Carlos Pagan was giving testimony at the end of a morning during which the prosecution had pivoted from Ray's campaign of coercion, sexual exploitation and extortion to expose the scope of the 'criminal enterprise' that allegedly underpinned it.

Ray is facing charges of tax evasion, racketeering and money laundering as well as multiple counts of sex-trafficking and force labor.

According to prosecutors Ray parlayed funds garnered predominantly from the prostitution into which victim Claudia Drury claims she was forced, into a web-domain portfolio in a money laundering scheme that could have realized more than $17million in profit.

The court heard how Ray held between 6 and 8,000 domain names bought on GoDaddy.com and were guided through financial charts and summaries by forensic accountant Mark Luvin.

Jurors saw details of accounts held in Claudia Drury, Felicia Rosario and Isabella Pollok. Ray's name was notably missing as the man whom the prosecution allege was the kingpin did not have any bank accounts in his name.

Instead, cash deposits  sometimes to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars  PayPal transfers and wires were moved between Drury's account and into those of Ray's 'wives' Rosario and Pollok, who is charged as his co-conspirator.

Between July 2015 and April 2019, the court heard that more than $600,000 had flowed from one of Claudia Drury's accounts and into Rosario and Pollok's.

All of Drury's incoming funds came from clients in the form of PayPal payments, credit card, cash, Venmo and wire transfers.

A GoDaddy account held in Ray's name across that period showed domain purchases totaling $992,991  all funds that, the government allege, he gleaned from Drury's earnings and 'reparations' made by other students whom he had convinced owed him money.

The names bought included claudiadrury.com and santosrosario.com as Ray purchased websites and threatened to post compromising material of the students online if they didn't do as he asked.

Rosario told Assistant US Attorney Mollie Bracewell this week on the stand that she remained 'terrified' of Ray and alleged that, following Ray's arrest, his biological father, Lawrence Grecco 'Pappi,' threatened her as she tried to 'disentangle' herself from the Ray family.

In recorded audio of a conversation between Rosario and Grecco played in court, the older man can be heard stating: '[If] somebody turned on my son you don't want to know me. I got nothing to lose.'

'I'm 82 years old, they can lock me up afterwards for ten or twenty years. I don't care.'

Rosario told the court she perceived this as a threat. For his part, she said, Ray had physically beaten her  punching her in the eye with a closed fist and the stomach and kicking her in the legs  just two weeks before his arrest.

But under cross examination, defense attorney Marne Lenox attempted to paint Rosario as a woman scorned, one whose relationship had simply collapsed.

'You thought you were going to marry Larry, didn't you?' she asked. Rosario admitted: 'Yes.'

'You called him your husband and he called you his wife?' Again Rosario replied: 'Yes.'

Lenox attempted to reframe all that the government presented as sinister pointing out that Rosario was a grown woman, many years graduated, living alone on the West Coast and working full time at the time when she alleged Ray began his campaign of coercion that robbed her of her sanity.

The jury was shown a disturbing video in which Rosario can be seen wearing her graduation cap, which she testified was a repeated humiliation tactic of Ray who would make her wear it and mock her as stupid and a failure

Lenox pointed out that Ray sent Rosario erotica only after eight months during which they were in a relationship and had declared love for each other.

And as far as Rosario's claims that Ray had forced her into having sex with strangers, Lenox presented her as a woman who had an ability to make her own choices and chose to behave accordingly.

As for Ray's 'abuse' of the students, Lenox suggested that this was, in fact, 'Aggressive Encounter Therapy'  popularized in the 60s and 70s  and that, by putting them in uncomfortable situations, Ray was trying to 'help'.

She suggested: 'Just like a method actor  Larry would do that and embody a person or a situation that would trigger or elicit that negative personal memory or experience [in order to purge it].'

Rosario conceded only that Ray 'said that was his purpose.'

In testimony that echoed that of alleged cult member Claudia Drury, 31, Rosario told jurors Monday how Ray set her challenges and asked her to have sex with strangers and record it for him.

She also told how he would ask her to go to the mall, not wearing underwear with a short skirt and shop for shoes, and to flash the shoe salesman when he assisted her.

'He made these demands basically every weekend. Eventually he was so insistent, threatening to break up with me and leave me that I started to comply,' Rosario said.

Ray's alleged campaign of control is said to have escalated during the summer of 2013, when Drury and several others travelled to Pinehurst, North Carolina, to help with yardwork at Ray's stepfather's property (pictured)

Pictured: Larry Ray outside his stepfather's home in Pinehurst, North Carolina

Rosario said she first had sex with a stranger for Ray in the summer of 2012, by which time she had left the west coast and moved in with Ray at his Upper East Side apartment.

She told the court Ray and Pollok shared a bed and that all three slept naked together.

Rosario said she 'wasn't happy' but that Ray convinced her he was doing this to 'help' Pollok, just as he was 'helping' the other students overcome their mental and emotional issues.

In time, she said, Ray demanded that she perform sex acts on both him and Pollok.

'He called it the BPD Camp', Rosario said, explaining it stood for borderline personality disorder or, 'Bad Parenting Disorder', as Ray called it.

The court saw disturbing video in which Ray filmed Rosario apparently asleep and with a black eye.

Ray ultimately ingratiated himself with his daughter Talia's friends, Santos Rosario (left) Daniel Levin, Felicia Rosario (right) and Isabella Pollok

Pictured: Alleged cult victims Claudia Drury (left) Dan Levin (right) in evidence photos submitted to the court

Sarah Lawrence College is an elite liberal arts college in Bronxville, just north of New York City

She can be seen wearing her graduation cap, a repeated humiliation tactic of Ray when, she testified, he would make her wear it and mock her as stupid and a failure.

In audio played in court, Ray can be heard instructing another student to 'buy a pacifier' for Rosario because she is acting 'like a child' and 'subhuman.'

On another occasion, Rosario told jurors he had Pollok buy diapers and put them on her, forcing her to sit on the floor and watch cartoons while wearing only them and a T-shirt.

Rosario is one of at least five alleged victims of Ray's 'sex cult', which came about after the ex-convict ingratiated himself with his daughter Talia's friends - Claudia Drury, Daniel Levin, Santos Rosario, and Pollok - at the elite liberal arts college in Bronxville, just north of Manhattan.

Ray is charged with sex-trafficking, extortion, money laundering, violent crime in aid of racketeering, racketeering conspiracy and forced labor.




By Lee Kyung-min







The local data transfer solution firm Allink said Wednesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Global Financial Technology (GFT), the operator of Oman's super app Lamma, to enter the Middle East's mobile services market.







Allink, which specializes in near-field communication (NFC) tag-based information transfer services, said the MOU with GFT, the subsidiary of Oman's largest telecommunications company, Omantel, will help expand its business in the Middle East mobile services market.







The agreement comes two weeks after the two met at MWC 2022 in Barcelona.







Allink said the two will collaborate on in-store mobile NFC payments for Lamma users, driven by the strong expertise of GFT, the leading payment service provider in Oman. Also helpful will be its experience in operating Lamma, a unified communication platform and eWallet service.







"We instantly recognized the value of Allink's technology in its ability to provide an elegant payment experience far superior to QR and enabling it without requiring heavy software integration," said Abdulaziz Al Rawahi, GFT's software engineer-turned-CEO.







"With Allink's technology, Lamma users can make in-store contactless payments even with their iPhones and merchants can accept NFC payment without having to invest in costly EMV terminals."







The two firms plan to expand their collaboration further to launch other mobile services such as entry/access, mobility/transit and event ticketing to solidify Lamma's position as the superior app in Oman.







Allink founder and CEO Kim Kyung-dong said that his firm could not have found a better partner for its first entry into overseas markets.







"Lamma shares with us the vision of using technology to provide the ultimate user experience in a variety of mobile services, all powered by Allink," he said.






Two people have been shot dead in a Dutch McDonald's after reports a gunman 'ordered food and sat down before opening fire' inside the crowded restaurant.

Police and local media report the incident took place at around 6pm today at a branch in the city of Zwolle, in the northeast of the country.

According to witnesses the men who were shot were having a meal when the gunman walked in and shot them in an apparent 'targeted' attack.

Dutch police have tweeted that two people have since died and they are still searching for the person responsible.

Police have cordoned off the outside of the McDonald's restaurant in the Dutch city of Zwolle after two people were shot dead

Shocked bystanders could be seen consoling each other in the aftermath of the incident this evening

They are urging people to stay away from the restaurant in question, which has been cordoned off while investigations take place.

RTV Oost reports that the victims are 'allegedly influential businessmen of Turkish descent'.

It added witnesses saw the gunman walk into the McDonald's and order food, before sitting down at a table and shooting the men next to him.

'There was massive panic among the patrons who all tried to flee outside,' the broadcaster said.

The assailant then fled.

Police and ambulances rushed to the scene where rescue workers tried to resuscitate one of the wounded victims, who later died.

Police said they were looking for witnesses and the search for the gunman continued.

The incident took place at around 6pm today, and police say they are still searching for the person responsible

They did not give details for a possible motive or the identities of the two victims, who were said to be of a Turkish-Dutch background.

Video images from the scene showed the area cordoned off with police tape while a helicopter circled overhead.

Shocked bystanders and relatives of the victims could also be seen consoling each other.

In a tweet Overijssel Police said: 'Two people were killed in the shooting earlier this evening.

'The area surrounding the McDonald's in Zwolle-Noord has been closed as a crime scene for investigation.

'Have you seen anything but haven't spoken to the police yet? Call 0900-8844.'
The ex-convict who has been accused of kidnapping 18-year-old Naomi Irion - who has been missing since March 12 - made his initial court appearance in Nevada on Wednesday as the search for the teenager continued.

Troy Driver, 41, appeared before Canal Township Justice Court Judge Lori Matheus, who ruled that his bail will remain at $750,000.

If Driver is able to post bail, he will be required to wear a GPS monitor as a condition of his release. He also must stay away from Fernley. Nevada, where Irion's kidnapping took place.

Driver appeared in court via video conference from Lyon County Jail. He is due back in court on April 5.

Following Driver's initial court appearance, Irion's brother, Casey Valley, who has been coordinating the search efforts, made a statement to the press, saying in part of the suspected kidnapper: 'he's the only one that can help us bring Naomi home. He is the only one that we know about.'

Valley also said he feels 'pretty neutral' about the possibility that Driver will be released on bail.

Driver was apprehended last Friday in connection with Irion's disappearance. The search for the 18-year-old continues and the FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to her safe return.

Irion's brother, Casey Valley, wrote on his Facebook page, where he has been sharing updates on the case, that his family 'dont have any reason to believe that Naomi is not alive.'

Irion, the daughter of a US State Department staffer, was last seen when a masked man wearing a hooded sweatshirt got into her vehicle outside a Walmart store in Fernley, which is 30 miles east of Reno.

'I've been assured that there is no reason to believe Naomi has been harmed or is not alive, so we still have hope in our family,' Valley, who has been coordinating the search for his sister, told Fox News Digital Wednesday. 'We still have hope in our family.

Driver is a convicted felon and previously served 12 years in California state prison for his role in a methamphetamine dealer's murder.

Scroll down for video

Troy Driver, 41, made his initial court appearance from a Nevada jail on Wednesday via Zoom. His bail was kept at $750,000 in connection with the kidnapping of Naomi Irion

The family of missing Nevada woman Naomi Irion, 18, say the man suspected in her kidnapping is not talking, but they have no reason to believe she has been harmed

If Driver is able to post bail, he will be required to wear a GPS monitor and stay away from Fernley, Nevada

'We feel that Naomi is alive, and she's still out there somewhere. And she wants to come home, and we want her to come home. There's a lot of people making a lot of speculative comments.'

In a Facebook post on Monday, Valley stressed that Driver's safety was 'very important' to his family until his sister is located, and he would not want to see any harm come to him.

'This man is the only person that I know about that can give information that can help bring Naomi home safe,' he wrote.

Criminal records show that Driver, who previously lived in California, was convicted in 1997 of accessory to a murder after the fact in relation to the killing of 19-year-old Paul Steven Rodriguez.

Driver's rap sheet in California also includes convictions on charges of second-degree robbery and burglary.

Naomi Irion still has not been located and search for the Nevada teen continues

This article published in the Ukiah Daily Journal in 1997 recorded Driver's arrest in connection of a 19-year-old meth dealer's murder in California

An unidentified man in a hoodie was caught on video approaching Naomi's car in the Walmart parking lot after circling the area on March 12

Naomi is seen buying snacks at a gas station convenience store on her way to a her factory job

The Ukiah Daily Journal reported that in April 1997, Rodriguez, who was a methamphetamine dealer from Willits, California, was shot in the head by his 17-year-old girlfriend, Alissa Marie Moore.

Driver, who was 17 years old at the time, and 19-year-old Carl Herbert Dulinksy helped Moore dispose of Rodriguez' body and hide his torched car in a nearby forest.

The trio of suspects were arrested after the victim's remains were discovered two weeks after the killing.

Driver's sister, Sharla Driver Cassidy, was also implicated in his crimes after she admitted to driving the car used to lure Rodriguez to his death. She also acted as the getaway driver in her brother's robberies, which he claimed to have committed to help his sister buy plane tickets to Italy.

Four months later, Driver pleaded guilty to the accessory charge related to the murder. He also admitted to robbing a convenience store and a service station, and to breaking into a hardware store.

Driver was sentenced to 15 years in state prison but was released after 12 years.

Since regaining his freedom more than a decade ago, Driver settled in Nevada, living in Elko County, and, more recently, in Lyon County, and working in construction.

According to his LinkedIn page, Driver is currently employed as project superintendent at Ledcor, a construction company operating throughout the US and Canada.

A spokesperson for Ledcor confirmed Driver's employment status to DailyMail.com.

'Ledcor is fully cooperating with the FBI and law enforcement officials in their investigation,' the company representative said in a written statement. 'We have also encouraged employees who might have information that could help with the investigation to immediately contact the authorities. We hope for the safe return of Naomi Irion to her family.'

Naomi is seen walking before a man got into her car and drove off with her. It is unclear if she knew her alleged kidnapper

The man in the hoodie is seen walking in the Walmart parking lot. Police have not said whether Driver is the man in the video

Police said they located and impounded the Chevrolet Silverado High Country truck that was 'possibly involved' in the crime and searched it for evidence

Police have not said whether or not they believe Driver is the man seen in surveillance footage from before Irion's disappearance.

In the clip, Irion can be seen parking her car in the Walmart lot and sitting in the driver's seat while she waited for a company shuttle to take her to her job at Panasonic. An unidentified man wearing a hoodie was filmed approaching Naomi's car after circling the area.

It's unclear if she was in the store at the time he broke into the vehicle or if she was in the car, but footage shows the pair driving off with the man in the driver's seat.

The pair then drove out of the lot with the man behind the wheel. Her abandoned car was found less than a mile away on March 15 but there has been no sign of Naomi since then.

Police said there was 'evidence of a crime' inside the car, but did not reveal what they found.

Police have not confirmed if Driver is the man seen in surveillance or confirmed if Driver knew Irion.

Irion's family said the teen went on a date with an unknown man the day before she vanished and had complained about being sexually harassed at work.

Panasonic knew about the harassment and had handled it 'internally,' according to Naomi's brother.

Naomi's father Herve Irion works for the State Department. When she was around 13, the family moved to Moscow, then they went to Frankfurt and finally settled in South Africa

Irions brother, Casey Valley (right), said that the family were excited by Driver's arrest and 'very curious'

Her distraught family revealed to DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview last week that the 18-year-old was exploring life as a free, young American woman after growing up in sheltered communities in Russia, Germany and South Africa - a result of her father's job with the State Department.

Irion moved to America last year to live with her older brother Casey Valley, an Apple employee who served in the Navy as a nuclear machinist from 2009 to 2016. She wanted to learn how to drive, get a job, go on dates and attend community college.

Fernley, where she was living with her brother, is a safe area where the residents are stunned by what has happened.

The day before she vanished, Naomi went on a date with a man who has not been named in Reno. It's likely they met on a dating app but her family does not know which one. She had accounts on Tinder, Hinge and Bumble.

Her family does not think he is involved in her disappearance but say law enforcement is aware of him. Before she was taken, Naomi was enjoying living in America after years of being sheltered, they said.

'She really wanted to experience life in America being an American kid. Most kids get to learn how to drive a car and go on dates and get some freedom but in the diplomatic community overseas, you can't have that. You can't learn how to drive a car. You can't really go on dates safely.

'You have to be secure and there's a lot of security that keeps us safe. She hadn't experienced life without that yet.

'She really wanted to explore herself as a free American young woman and what that looked like for her.'

'She was so excited to move back to America,' her mother, Diana, told DailyMail.com on Tuesday after flying in to Nevada from South Africa, where she still lives with her husband and their three younger sons.

Naomi's family say she had accounts on Hinge, Bumble and Tinder. She had been meeting people online and at work, and was a 'member of the LGBTQ community', her family said

Diana's husband, Naomi's father Herve Irion, works for the foreign service and has held posts in Moscow, Frankfurt and Pretoria. He is now in Nevada with his wife Diana and their three Ukrainian-born adopted sons to join the search for Naomi.

Until this year, Naomi had never driven nor gone on dates freely. She was meeting people 'online' and at work, just like other teenagers and adults, her family said.

She was excited about having a car, a job in the Panasonic factory in Reno, where she was making friends. She moved to Fernley to live with her older brother and his long-term girlfriend Nikki last year after graduating from the American school in South Africa.

Her plan was to use her brother's safe home as a launchpad for her own life, saving up enough money from her job at Panasonic to afford her own place, and enrolling in community college.
The White House on Wednesday ripped former President Donald Trump for soliciting dirt on the Bidens from Vladimir Putin while the Russian President's forces were executing a brutal invasion of Ukraine.

'What kind of American, let alone an ex-President, thinks that this is the right time to enter into a scheme with Vladimir Putin and brag about his connections to Vladimir Putin?' said White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield when asked about Trump's comments.

'There is only one and it's Donald Trump,' she said.

She made the comment a day after Trump appeared to once again solicit information from Putin, this time during an interview with 'Just the News.'

Trump brought up Hunter Biden's lucrative business dealings, then raised an allegation he brought up in the 2020 campaign accusing Hunter of taking money from the wife of the late mayor of Moscow, Yury Luzhkov.

White House Director of Communications Kate Bedingfield blasted former President Donald Trump for asking Russia to release information he said it might have on Hunter Biden

She gave him $3.5 million so now I would think Putin would know the answer to that. I think he should release it, Trump told journalist John Solomon in an interview at his own Mar-a-Lago home. 'I think we should know that answer,' Trump said.

Trump doubled down on his request for information  even after being called out for past public requests for information from Russia.

'Russia, if you're listening,' Trump famously said in his 2016 presidential campaign, where he asked Russia to find Hillary Clinton's missing emails.

He also infamously phoned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asking Ukraine to dig up dirt on the Bidens. Both efforts featured in his first impeachment.

'I hear that VERY low-rated Morning Joe and his psycho wife, Mika, think that I should not be asking Russia what the $3.5 million that Hunter and Joe got from the Mayor of Moscows wife was for,' Trump said in a statement Wednesday. 'In time, Russia may be willing to give that information.'

'I would think Putin would know the answer': Trump in an interview called on Vladimir Putin to release dirt on Hunter Biden. He previously asked Russia to release Hillary Clinton's emails and asked the president of Ukraine for dirt on the Bidens

'What kind of American, let alone an ex President, thinks that this is the right time to enter into a scheme with Vladimir Putin,' said Bedingfield

Trump made the ask during an interview with 'Just the News' from his Mar-a-Lago club

There is no evidence that Joe Biden benefitted from alleged arrangement, which Hunter Biden's lawyer has denied.

Then, Trump defended his comment calling Putin a 'genius'  saying he was not referring to the invasion that has resulted in millions of refugees and thousands of deaths.

He said he was only referring to Putin's decision to put 200,000 troops on the border to encircle Ukraine.

'The Fake News is also saying I called Putin a genius, when actually, and to be precise, I called his build-up on the Ukraine Border before the war started genius because I assumed he would be easily able to negotiate a great deal for Russia,' Trump said.

'The U.S. and NATO would agree to give Russia what they wanted. Unfortunately, and tragically, Putin went too far, acting on the WEAK Foreign Policy of the Biden Administration. The Fake News said I called him a genius during the war. No, I was describing the great negotiating posture he had prior to the unfortunate decision to enter Ukraine and fight. There was nothing genius about that!

Trump raised the allegation about the $3.5 million payment, which he also raised during the 2020 campaign and which was raised in a report by Senate Republicans before the election, following reports in the Wall Street Journal and CNN that an investigation of Hunter Biden's taxes and business dealings is advancing.

The 2020 Republican report claimed Yelena Baturina, one of Russia's billionaire oligarchs, gave the sum to Rosemont Seneca Thornton as part of a 'consultancy agreement.' Hunter Biden helped set up Rosemont Seneca Partners. Biden's lawyer has claimed he wasn't an owner of Rosemaont Seneca Thornton and wasn't paid $3.5 million.
Concerns are growing for the future of Byron Bay as destructive flash flooding continues to wreak havoc in the popular holiday town.

The flood emergency continues to unravel across northern NSW with residents rushing to salvage anything they can in the famous tourist town.

The weather event has dumped up to 400mm of rain within a 24-hour period on the region, with floodwaters engulfing entire homes and businesses on Wednesday morning.

Terrifying footage of Byron's CBD shows waist-deep brown water spilling into cafes, chemists and popular restaurants usually packed with holidaymakers.

While the area is known to be flood-prone, residents and business owners were caught off guard when the giant rain bomb erupted over the town.

Concerns are growing for the future of Byron Bay as destructive flash flooding continues to wreak havoc in the popular holiday town (pictured, people walk through floods on Wednesday)

Terrifying footage of Byron's CBD shows waist-deep brown water spilling into cafes, chemists and popular restaurants usually packed with holidaymakers (stock image of Byron Bay)

Locals are angry the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) didn't notify them of the worsening conditions or appropriately prepare for the catastrophic weather event.

The BoM issued severe weather warnings in the lead-up to the flooding, but residents in Ballina remain frustrated there were no evacuation notices.

The SES gave residents no warning flash flooding could occur in the area with evacuation centres only made available to stranded locals a few hours after the city centre flooded.

Jonson Street, a popular main road in Byron's CBD, has been completely inundated as residents flee the area known to many as coastal paradise.

Power remains out in the CBD as clean-up efforts begin with entire homes being swallowed by floodwaters in the nearby Hinterlands and Suffolk Park.

Byron Bay is known to many as a piece of coastal paradise (pictured in 2014) but it is prone to flooding

The flood emergency continues to unravel across northern NSW with weary residents rushing to salvage anything they can in the famous tourist town (pictured, floods in Byron's CBD)

NSW State Minister for Emergency Services Steph Cooke said her 'worst fear had been realised' and that 3,600 houses were without power in the region.

'Unfortunately overnight, our worst fears have been realised with significantly heavy rainfall across already saturated landscapes, particularly across the Northern Rivers region and the Mid North Coast,' she said on Wednesday.

Byron Bay's former Mayor, Simon Richardson, said the town's fate had been sealed by poor city planning 100 years ago and cast doubts on Byron Bay's future.

'It's actually below the waterline in a wetlands - you wouldn't build a town there now for quids,' he told the Guardian. 'The water gets captured in Byron like in a wok.'

He said the local council had repaired damaged roads knowing they wouldn't endure another flood emergency.

'Because we wouldn't have been funded by the state government if we improved the roads and made them more resilient,' Mr Richardson said.

Jonson Street, a popular main road in Byron's CBD, (pictured) has been completely inundated as residents flee the area known to many as coastal paradise

Cafes, pubs, chemists, banks and restaurants have been inundated with floodwaters in Byron and nearby Lismore as thousands are evacuated from their homes

Ballina's current mayor Sharon Cadwallader said it had been a 'wild night' of rain and that flash flooding had cut off roads in and out of the town.

Acting NSW Premier Paul Toole said 'no one could have predicted' the torrential rain that triggered the floods.

'Over the past 24 hours we've seen torrential rainfall that is continuing to land in the Northern Rivers area,' he said on Wednesday.

'This has landed in an area that is already saturated from recent rainfall. This has been an extremely difficult time for these communities.'

In welcome news for Byron Bay, heavy rain is set to ease on Thursday after the area was pounded with 300mm in just 24 hours.

Authorities will turn their attention to instead battling strong winds and landslides with fears trees in saturated ground could be unearthed.

Floodwaters inundate a road in Lismore where swathes of residents have been forced to evacuate their homes for the second time in a month

Forecaster Jackson Browne from the Bureau of Meteorology said weather conditions would improve on the weekend and bring some reprieve from the heavy rain (pictured, Ballina)

Forecaster Jackson Browne from the Bureau of Meteorology said weather conditions would improve on the weekend and bring some reprieve from the heavy rain.

He said the low pressure system was moving southward to Gippsland and South Hunter where there was a slight chance of rain over the next few days.

'The rainfall has eased more offshore and there's quite a bit of southerly wind on the western side of the low,' the meteorologist told Daily Mail Australia.

'It will bring showers and possibly some storms to the weekend for the area, but nothing like the magnitude of the rainfall we've seen on the east coast.'

Mr Browne explained that with colder air masses there was usually less rain, meaning forecasters weren't so concerned about flood potential in southern NSW.

Meanwhile 50km southwest in Lismore, fears are growing for a woman who went missing in floodwaters after the area was overwhelmed with heavy rain.

Ballina's current mayor Sharon Cadwallader said it had been a 'wild night' of rain and that flash flooding had cut off roads in and out of the town

Fears for missing Lismore woman as search enters second day A woman is believed to be missing in floodwaters in Lismore, after the regional city had its levee breached for the second time in weeks. The Wilsons River peaked above 10.65 metres on Wednesday, with floodwaters and mud spilling into the city centre. A search operation is underway after emergency services were told a woman had become trapped in her vehicle in floodwaters at Monaltrie, south of Lismore, about 9.50pm on Tuesday. Officers said they spent several hours looking for the woman and her vehicle but neither were found. A multi-agency search is now underway, as Police Rescue, Water Police and the NSW SES hunt for the woman's white Holden Captiva station wagon. Advertisement

The Wilsons River breached its 10.6-metre levee at 9am on Wednesday - sending floodwaters flowing through city streets for the second time in a month.

Floodwaters rose to 14.4m in Lismore only weeks ago.

To add to anxieties, Lismore's local flood siren - which is supposed to trigger when the levee is breached - malfunctioned and failed to send out warnings across the regional city of 27,000 people.

Thousands of residents in the Northern Rivers region and the Mid North Coast remain unable to return to their homes on Thursday.

Twenty evacuation orders remain in place in both regions with the NSW minister for emergency services warning of a tough 24 to 36 hours ahead on Wednesday.

Lismore's Mayor Steve Krieg confirmed locals were turning to Facebook for information, describing the flooding as 'unprecedented'.

'You can't rely on the SES or the Bureau at the moment,' he told 2GB's Ben Fordham.

A map showing the torrential rain hitting the areas of Lismore, Byron Bay, Ballina and Mullumbimby on Wednesday (pictured)

In welcome news for Byron Bay, (pictured) heavy rain is set to ease on Thursday after the area was pounded with 300mm in just 24 hours

Just after 9am on Wednesday morning local MP Justine Elliot announced the Wilsons River had breached the levee.

'Sirens will not sound - there is a malfunction. You must get out now,' Ms Elliot said.

On Wednesday morning a caravan was seen floating down the Lismore CBD while office rooms in Byron Bay were under a metre of water.

The damage was done by a low pressure system sitting off the NSW coast that will continue to bring showers along the coast including to Sydney, the Bureau of Meteorology's Jonathan How said.

'As the system moves south it will become windy across the state's eastern coastline, becoming strongest on Friday with the potential to bring down trees and power lines, he said.

'Thankfully though, this rain event won't be quite as long-lasting as the previous rain event so we will see conditions really ease towards the latter part of the week.'

More than 527.4mm of rain has now been recorded this month in Sydney, marking it the wettest March in history with two days to spare.

The Wilsons River near Lismore (pictured) breached its 10.6-metre levee at 9am on Wednesday - sending floodwaters flowing through city streets for the second time in a month
A top cop has vowed to investigate whether police 'could have done more' after a young mother was allegedly murdered by her ex-boyfriend days after he was released from jail.

Mackenzie Anderson, 21, was allegedly stabbed to death in front of her two-year-old son inside their Mayfield home, in Newcastle, on Friday night by Tyrone Thompson, 22.

Thompson allegedly broke into her home in breach of an apprehended violence order taken out for Ms Anderson's safety, prompting the young mum to report him to police.

Between the final phone call and police arriving minutes later, Ms Anderson had allegedly been stabbed 20 times, leaving her son covered in her blood.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb described the 'tragic' case as 'heartbreaking'.

Mackenzie Anderson, 21, was found dead at her apartment in Mayfield, Newcastle, NSW on Friday

Tyrone Thompson allegedly broke into her home in breach of an apprehended violence order taken out for Ms Anderson's safety, prompting the young mum to report him to police

'To think that this young woman in the prime of her life was allegedly murdered in that way with a child present in the home at the time, it doesnt get much worse than that really,' she said, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Ms Webb, the state's first female police commissioner, has vowed to launch a review into how the case was handled by police.

'We always review cases like this, could we have done more, and Ill certainly ask that question of that case and others like it,' she said.

'Could we have done more what else can we do? In those circumstances where there is an AVO, it doesnt have to be a person subject to the AVO that rings the police, or Triple-0.'

Commissioner Webb said the force will do anything to protect people who have taken out AVOs, and urged members of the public to use reporting services like Crimestoppers or dialling Triple 0 if they had concerns for someone's safety.

The commissioner has been vocal about her ambitions to improve the state's handling of domestic violence, including implementing better support for victims of child abuse, sexual assault, assault, and domestic violence.

In November, when she was revealed as the state's new top cop, Ms Webb said she wanted support for abuse victims to be part of the legacy of her tenure, and flagged the possibility of placing specialised officers in local police commands.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb (pictured) has vowed to review whether police could have done more to help Ms Anderson

Tributes have poured in online for Ms Anderson as devastated friends and relatives mourn the beloved young mother, affectionately known to loved ones as 'Max'.

'She was such a beautiful soul, such a kind and sweet mama,' one friend said.

Another said Ms Anderson would be 'the best angel' looking over her son.

Thousands of Australians stormed the streets of Newcastle on Tuesday night calling for an end to domestic violence in the wake of Ms Anderson's alleged murder.

Thompson and Ms Anderson were known to each other and had previously been in a romantic relationship, but separated late last year. He was not the father of her child.

The young mum had recently embarked on a new relationship and was hopeful for the year ahead after separating with Thompson.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Thompson and Ms Anderson had spent Friday together drinking at her Crebert St home.

Thousands of protesters hit the streets of Newcastle on Tuesday to rally against domestic violence

He allegedly left the property but returned later that night where he allegedly broke into her home and allegedly stabbed her multiple times.

On Sunday afternoon he was formally charged with murder, enter with intent and breaching an apprehended domestic violence order.

He spent several nights in hospital for a busted up hand which he suffered during the alleged attack, but was released into custody on Monday morning.

Thompson briefly appeared via video link before Newcastle Local Court on Monday. He did not enter a plea, nor did he apply for bail. It was formally refused.

He will reappear before the court in May.

Ms Anderson's son was not injured during the alleged attack and is now in the custody of relatives.

Loved ones have now set up a GoFundMe appeal to help cover ongoing expenses relating to the care of Ms Anderson's son.

If you or anyone you know is a victim of domestic violence contact 1800 RESPECT.
An unprecedented coalition of broadcasters and publishers has called on Boris Johnson to urgently tackle the harmful effect technology giants are having on British media.

Leaders from across the industry have come together to stress the 'vital importance' of bringing the UK's tough new digital regulator into law within the next parliamentary session.

The Digital Markets Unit was launched last year to tackle the dominance of the world's biggest technology firms such as Google and Facebook in a bid to help other players, including news publishers, in digital markets.

Ministers said the watchdog would have the authority to block or reverse alleged anti-competitive behaviour in advertising and investigate algorithms that discriminated against popular news websites.

Boris Johnson has been urged to tackle the harmful effect technology giants are having on British media

It is also expected to have powers to make technology giants pay a fair price for the news content they use.

But with legislation still required for the regulator to exercise these powers, there are fears that unless the Government moves swiftly this progress could be delayed by at least another year.

An open letter coordinated by the News Media Association, which represents national and regional publishers in Britain, has urged the Prime Minister to include it in the Queen's Speech in May.

Among the signatories were the BBC, ITN and Channel 4, plus representatives of commercial news and magazine companies, radio outlets and publishers of books, journals and online content.

It said: 'By moving quickly and including the legislation in the Queen's Speech in May, you will not only take the first step toward ensuring a healthy future for independent media, but you will position the UK as a world leader in tackling the imbalance of power between media providers and the tech platforms which threatens to deprive the public of the trusted news and information they require.

'Any delay to the legislation risks the UK slipping behind other jurisdictions. We welcome the efforts of government to date on this vital issue, but our sectors cannot afford any further delay to this critical legislation.'

The Digital Markets Unit was launched last year to tackle the dominance of the world's biggest technology firms such as Google and Facebook

The DMU, which has been established within the Competitions and Markets Authority, was launched in April last year.

Proposals for giving it statutory powers were then put forward, with the consultation ending on October 1.

The Government has 'committed to legislating when parliamentary time allows'  but there has been no announcement since.

The letter said that the Government had played a 'leading role in identifying the harm caused to many businesses and consumers by the dominance of a small number of large tech platforms'.

It continued: 'We believe the DMU can tackle the root causes of large platforms' market power, rebalancing the relationship between platforms and creators of trusted and much-loved content.

'This will be critical in ensuring the sustainability of the UK's vibrant media sector, ensuring fair value and treatment for creators of content, and ultimately benefiting audiences.'
Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) admitted his claims that colleagues had invited him to orgies and taken cocaine were 'exaggerated,' House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said on Wednesday.

McCarthy told reporters that he may take further action over Cawthorn's comments, which caused an angry outcry among Hill Republicans.

The row erupted when Cawthorn, at 26 one of the youngest and most controversial House members, claimed he had seen evidence of 'sexual perversion' in Washington during an interview with John Lovell for the 'Warrior Poet Society.'

McCarthy said he had had a tense meeting with Cawthorn.

'I just told him he's lost my trust, he's gonna have to earn it back, and I laid out everything I find is unbecoming,' McCarthy told Axios and other outlets.

'And, you can't just say "You can't do this again."

'I mean, he's, he's got a lot of members very upset.'

And McCarthy said Cawthorn admitted he had exaggerated his claims.

'In the interview, he claims he watched people do cocaine. Then when he comes in he tells me, he says he thinks he saw maybe a staffer in a parking garage from 100 yards away,' McCarthy said.

'It's just frustrating. There's no evidence behind his statements.

'And when I sit down with him ... I told him you can't make statements like that, as a member of Congress, that affects everybody else and the country as a whole.'

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (pictured) plans to sit down with 26-year-old GOP Rep. Madison Cawthorn to talk about claims he made including that he was invited to orgies and cocaine use was rampant in Washington, D.C.

Cawthorn, 26, was asked during an interview with the Warrior Poet Society how closely his experience on Capitol Hill aligns with House of Cards, specifically its elements of 'corruption, power, money and perversion'

Cawthorn said that he once heard a former president say the only thing that was unrealistic about the Netflix show was that Congress would ever be able to pass a piece of legislation that quickly, and he agreed with the sentiment

Politico reported Tuesday that Cawthorn's Republican colleagues stood up and aired their grievances during a closed-door House GOP conference meeting earlier in the day, complaining that the North Carolina Republican made party members out to be sexual deviants and drug users.

CNN reported that colleagues wanted Cawthorn to name names because his comments could otherwise unfairly malign the whole party.

The 65-year-old Arkansas Rep. Steve Womack told the group that he rarely speaks up during the weekly meetings, but did so Tuesday because he's getting questions from constituents about Cawthorn's claims of orgies and drug use, Politico said.

Womack remarked that many lawmakers go to bed at 9 p.m. and use flip phones and fax machines, calling it inappropriate that Cawthorn would paint his Congressional peers with a broad brush.

Sen. Richard Burr, the senior Republican senator from North Carolina, was asked by CNN about Cawthorn's job performance.

'Thats for his constituents to figure out but clearly he's been an embarrassment at times,' Burr replied.

Cawthorn was asked during the interview about how much D.C. resembles of Netflix show House of Cards, specifically its elements of 'corruption, power, money and perversion.'

The North Carolina Republican replied that the 'sexual perversion' and drug use is just like what people saw on television.

'The sexual perversion that goes on in Washington ... being kind of a young guy in Washington where the average age is probably 60 or 70, I look at all these people - a lot of them who I've looked up to throughout my life ... then all of a sudden you get invited to like, "well hey we're going to have kind of a sexual get together at one of our homes. You should come," like, what did you just ask me to come to?

'And then you realize they're asking you to come to an orgy.'

'There's some of the people that are leading the movement to try and remove addiction in our country and then you watch them doing, you know, a key bump of cocaine in front of you and it's like wow, this is wild.'

Cawthorn in December announced the he and his wife of eight months were filing for divorce.

Cawthorn, a staunch conservative not known for his friends across the aisle, is seemingly accusing his fellow Republicans of the illicit behavior. He has recently sparked controversy for calling House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and 'alcoholic' and Ukrainian President Zelensky a 'thug'

Cawthorn in December announced the he and his wife of eight months were filing for divorce

The young congressman, a staunch conservative not known for his friends across the aisle, is seemingly accusing his fellow Republicans of the illicit behavior.

The 'former president' Cawthorn seemingly referred to was Democratic President Bill Clinton.

In 2015, actor Kevin Spacey, the lead on House of Cards, said that he and Clinton were close friends and play poker together. Spacey told Gotham Magazine at the time that Clinton had told him the show was accurate.

'Kevin, 99 percent of what you do on that show is real. The 1 percent you get wrong is you could never get an education bill passed that fast,' Clinton told Spacey, according to the actor's comments to the magazine.

Earlier this month Cawthorn suggested that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is an alcoholic.

Cawthorn said of the California Democrat at a campaign event: 'I'll tell you I have to work with her every single day so please do pray for me. The theories of alcoholism are very true and it's very sad,' he said, according to video posted by Patriot Takes.

His line got chuckles during the event.

Pelosi, 81, doesn't drink, and hasn't for years.

Her daughter Christine attacked prior slurs about her mom's alleged alcoholism in 2019, tweeting: 'Republicans and their conservative allies have been pumping this despicable fake meme for years! Now they are caught.

'#FactCheck: Madam Speaker doesn't even drink alcohol!'

Also last month a video surfaced showing Cawthorn calling Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky a 'thug'. He said his government was 'corrupt, incredibly evil' and 'pushing woke ideologies'.

He appeared to be discussing the US sending military aid to Ukraine before lashing out at leaders in Kyiv -- who refused to flee the country despite reports that many are on a Russian 'kill list' including Zelensky and his family.

In December 2021, Cawthorn announced that he and his CrossFit athlete wife Cristina Bayardelle were getting a divorce after just eight months together.

'When Cristina and I were engaged, I was not a member of Congress. I felt called to serve and we both agreed that I should run. Our victory was unprecedented, but overnight our lives changed,' he said in a statement posted by his spokesman.

'That change has been both hectic and difficult, it's neither the pace nor the lifestyle we had planned for.'
The spy chief also said the Russian leader was being lied to by his closest aides

Advertisement

The director of GCHQ has launched an unprecedented attack on Vladimir Putin, claiming his bungled 'personal war' in Ukraine has backfired badly.

In an excoriating verdict on the 'failing' invasion, Sir Jeremy Fleming said the command and control of Russia's campaign was in 'chaos' in his first public statements on the invasion.

Highlights of Sir Jeremy's speech 'Were now seeing Putin trying to follow through on his plan. But it is failing. And his Plan B has been more barbarity against civilians and cities.'i 'It increasingly looks like Putin has massively misjudged the situation. Its clear he misjudged the resistance of the Ukrainian people. He under-played the economic consequences of the sanctions regime.' 'He over-estimated the abilities of his military to secure a rapid victory. Weve seen Russian soldiers  short of weapons and morale - refusing to carry out orders, sabotaging their own equipment and even accidentally shooting down their own aircraft.' Advertisement

The spy chief revealed new intelligence showing that ill-prepared Russian soldiers are refusing to carry out orders, sabotaging their own equipment and even accidentally shooting down their own aircraft.

He also claimed Putin's own advisors are lying to him about Russia's startling losses, speaking to the despot's isolation and authoritarian approach.

Sir Jeremy said Putin's 'misjudgments,' had forced him to adopt plan B  'barbarity against civilians and cities'.

The head of Britain's eavesdropping intelligence agency also warned China not to be 'too closely aligned' with a country that wilfully breaks all the rules and 'norms for a new global governance'.

His unprecedented public rebuke of a foreign leader came as US officials said Putin had 'lost faith' in his top brass, who are too afraid to tell him the truth about the war.

'We're now seeing Putin trying to follow through on his plan but it is failing. And his Plan B has been more barbarity against civilians and cities,' Sir Jeremy said during a speech in the Australian capital Canberra.

'It increasingly looks like Putin has massively misjudged the situation. It's clear he misjudged the resistance of the Ukrainian people.

'He underestimated the strength of the coalition his actions would galvanise. He under-played the economic consequences of the sanctions regime.

'He over-estimated the abilities of his military to secure a rapid victory.'

He added: 'We've seen Russian soldiers  short of weapons and morale  refusing to carry out orders, sabotaging their own equipment and even accidentally shooting down their own aircraft.

In an excoriating verdict on the 'failing' invasion, Sir Jeremy Fleming said the command and control of Russia's campaign was in 'chaos' as he launched an unprecedented attack on Vladimir Putin's 'personal war'

The spy chief revealed new intelligence showing that ill-equipped Russian soldiers are refusing to carry out orders, sabotaging their own equipment and even accidentally shooting down their own aircraft. Pictured: A destroyed Russian tank near Kyiv

Sir Jeremy said President Putin's 'misjudgments' had forced him to adopt plan B  'barbarity against civilians and cities'

Don't get cosy with Kremlin, China told China was warned not to become 'too closely aligned' with Russia last night. GCHQ chief Sir Jeremy Fleming suggested Beijing was 'not well served' in cosying up to a nation which wilfully ignores the rules of 'global governance'. The spy chief spoke out just hours after a meeting in China between foreign minister Wang Yi and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov. Pictured: Russian and Chinese foreign ministers Lavrov and Wang Yi The latter declared the two nations were moving toward creating a new 'just, democratic world order,' in a video released by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From the Kremlin's point of view, it regards China in the current crisis as a supplier of weapons, a provider of technology, a market for its oil and gas and a means to circumvent sanctions. Sir Jeremy said China also stood to gain cheap energy and an ally in its opposition to the United States, but he warned the strategic alliance could backfire. Speaking at the Australian National University in Canberra, he said: 'There are risks to them both, and more for China, in being too closely aligned and it is equally clear a China that wants to set the rules of the road  the norms for a new global governance  is not well served by close alliance with a regime that wilfully and illegally ignores them all.' Advertisement

'Even though we believe Putin's advisers are afraid to tell him the truth, what's going on and the extent of these misjudgments must be crystal clear to the regime.'

Speaking during a visit to Australia to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Australian Signals Directorate, GCHQ's Australian equivalent, the spy chief said: 'We know Putin's campaign is beset by problems  low morale, logistical failures and high Russian casualty numbers.

'Their command and control is in chaos. We've seen Putin lie to his own people in an attempt to hide military incompetence.'

Sir Jeremy continued: 'It all adds up to the strategic miscalculation that Western leaders warned Putin it would be. It's become his personal war, with the cost being paid by innocent people in Ukraine and increasingly by ordinary Russians too.

'The great irony is that through his actions, Putin has brought upon himself exactly what he was trying to avoid  a Ukraine with a renewed sense of nationhood, a Nato that is more united than ever, and a global coalition of nations that condemn his actions.'

In a rare public address in Canberra, Sir Jeremy warned that Putin was planning to use a shadow branch of the Russian military known as the Wagner Group as 'cannon fodder to try to limit Russian military losses'.

His candid remarks came as Western intelligence revealed Putin 'didn't even know his military was using and losing conscripts... showing a clear breakdown in the flow of accurate information'.

A US official said: 'We have information that Putin felt misled by the Russian military.

'There is now persistent tension between Putin and the MOD, stemming from Putin's mistrust in MOD leadership.'

Russia has lost as many as 15,000 troops as well as more than 2,000 military vehicles.

Moscow pledged yesterday to withdraw troops from Kyiv and Chernihiv in what it said was an effort to build trust in 'constructive' peace negotiations.

Ukraine said it could see no significant withdrawal of Russian forces.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the signs were positive 'but those signals do not drown out the explosions or Russian shells'.

There are hopes now that Russia will finally observe a planned local ceasefire in and around Mariupol, which has endured a sustained bombardment for a month.

The Russian defence ministry announced yesterday that its forces will observe a local ceasefire on Thursday to allow civilians to be evacuated from the southern port city which has been under siege from Putin's forces since shortly after the invasion began.

A humanitarian corridor from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia, via the Russian-controlled port of Berdiansk, would be opened from 10am (7am GMT), the ministry said on Wednesday.

'For this humanitarian operation to succeed, we propose to carry it out with the direct participation of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross,' the ministry statement said.

The Russian ministry asked Kyiv to guarantee the 'unconditional respect' for the ceasefire through written notification to the Russian side, the UNHCR and ICRC before 6am (0300 GMT) on Thursday.

But the announcement was met with huge skepticism, after Russian forces on several occasions violated similar ceasefire arrangements and attacked humanitarian corridors from Mariupol and other cities.

Prior to the ceasefire being declared, Putin himself said that shelling of the besieged city will only end when all the Ukrainian troops there surrender.

The despot made the comments during an hour long phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, with whom he has spoken on a number of occasions since the start of the invasion, on Tuesday night, the Kremlin said in a statement.

It came as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that Britain could send armoured cars to help evacuate 160,000 citizens still trapped in Mariupol.

There are hopes now that Russia will finally observe a planned local ceasefire in and around Mariupol, which has endured a sustained bombardment for a month

A Ukrainian serviceman fires with a mortar, as Russia?s attack on Ukraine continues, at a position in Kyiv region, Ukraine March 30, 2022

The city has been under Russian bombardment since shortly after the start of Putin's invasion of Ukraine

Nurse Svetlana Savchenko, 56, stands next to the building, destroyed during Ukraine-Russia conflict, where her apartment was located in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine March 30, 2022

The Prime Minister is considering 'going up a gear' in support for Ukraine and wants to target the 'human catastrophe' in Mariupol.

'The question is, can we help the Ukrainians relieve Mariupol?' he told the Commons liaison committee.

'Would armour, would APCs [armoured personnel carriers] be useful for them [or] armoured Land Rovers? We are certainly looking at that.'

A Government source said later: 'We're open to sending them armoured vehicles if useful and if practicable to get them there, although the view is that will be difficult.

'At a briefing last night it sounded like we're not sure Mariupol can hold out much longer anyway.'

It comes as satellite images emerged yesterday showing a clearly marked Red Cross building with holes in its roof reportedly after Russian airstrikes.

According to the Kremlin, Putin previously said he would only stop bombardment of the city when all Ukrainian troops had surrendered.

While relief efforts stumbled, 70 women and medics were reportedly kidnapped from a bombed maternity hospital in Mariupol and taken to Russia.

Sir Jeremy Fleming's full speech

Good morning and thank you Rory for the introduction.

And thanks to the National Security College for hosting this event in this fabulous building. I cant tell you how good it is to be back in Australia and especially, to see friends and colleagues here in Canberra.

Now, its stating the obvious to point out that the World has changed since my last visit: the pandemic, the profile and dominance of technology and cyber, the role of China, the end of the Afghan campaign and now Putins invasion of Ukraine.

Any one of these could be viewed as a historic shift. Taken together, they add up to a period of generational upheaval. The economic, societal and geo-political consequences are still playing out  and will do for decades to come.

And thats obviously the case in the world of National Security too. Here, the threats we face and our approaches to their mitigation are changing rapidly.

Theres much talk of the need to design a new global security architecture. My contention is that it is already happening. It is already different.

And I know that you feel that here. This weeks announcement of major increases in defence and intelligence spending shows that Australia gets this new reality.

So, Im in Canberra to talk about these themes and to understand how youre thinking about the challenges we face.

But Im also here because tomorrow marks the 75th anniversary of ASD. Their history is long and illustrious  theyve played a major role in keeping Australia safe. I congratulate the generations who have delivered this critical mission.

I thank them for their partnership. For at times like this, it is more obvious than ever that we stay together. We owe the people of ASD a debt for their service and we are humbled in GCHQ to be able to count on their friendship.

Im keen to leave plenty of time to chat with Rory and take your questions, so Im going to press on with a few of the themes and have a stab at a some implications for our sovereign and allied response.

Firstly, the pandemic. Of course, we have a way to go until we declare its over. The human costs are horrendous. But the amazing work of the scientists and medics leave us in a much better place. And the experience has helped us to learn some painful  and I believe useful - lessons about national security.

Perhaps most importantly, we now have a much better understanding of national resilience.

Before 2020, who here would have realised that the global supply chain for face masks would be such a critical dependency? Or that a grounding of a containership in the Suez would cause such chaos? Or even, that semi-conductor availability would be so fragile it would affect everything from smart phone to washing machine availability?

The pandemic has made clear that we are interconnected and dependent in ways we hadnt fully understood. Weve had to wake up to the reality of what that means for our economies and our security.

And weve seen how vital technology is to stay connected, to keep our economies going and to change the way that we workeven in the national security community.

Yet its also shown how vulnerable our nations are to cyber threats and how quickly our adversaries adapt to take advantage.

The lesson, for me, that our cyber security isnt good enough and we need to invest in making it better.

The second area I want to talk about is Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Believe it or not, its only 36 days since Vladimir Putin launched an unprovoked and premeditated attack on Ukraine. Its been shocking in every sense of the word. But it wasnt surprising. Weve seen this strategy before. We saw the intelligence picture building. And were now seeing Putin trying to follow through on his plan. But it is failing. And his Plan B has been more barbarity against civilians and cities.

Clearly, he plays by different moral and legal rules. Far too many Ukrainians and Russians have already lost their lives. And beyond this toll, many, many more have had their lives shattered. The UN estimate that in just over a month, more than ten million people have already fled their homes. Its a humanitarian crisis that need never have happened. And its not over yet.

That said, it increasingly looks like Putin has massively misjudged the situation. Its clear he misjudged the resistance of the Ukrainian people. He underestimated the strength of the coalition his actions would galvanise. He under-played the economic consequences of the sanctions regime. He over-estimated the abilities of his military to secure a rapid victory. Weve seen Russian soldiers  short of weapons and morale - refusing to carry out orders, sabotaging their own equipment and even accidentally shooting down their own aircraft.

And even though we believe Putins advisers are afraid to tell him the truth, whats going on and the extent of these misjudgements must be crystal clear to the regime.

This week, the Russian MOD stated publicly that they will drastically reduce combat operations around Kyiv and a city in the North. It looked like they have been forced to make a significant change.. But then they proceeded to launch attacks in both of those places. Mixed messages or deliberate misinformation  well have to see how it unfolds.

It all adds up to the strategic miscalculation that our leaders warned Putin it would be. Its become his personal war, with the cost being paid by innocent people in Ukraine and increasingly, by ordinary Russians too.

The great irony is, of course, that through his actions, Putin has brought upon himself exactly what he was trying to avoid  a Ukraine with a renewed sense of nationhood, a NATO that is more united than ever, and a global coalition of nations that condemn his actions.

Just over a month in, it is far too early to confidently draw out all the implications of this crisis. But Im going to outline a few aspects that really stand out to me.

Ill start with the prominence of the information front.

Russia wrote the hybrid warfare book. State media, on-line media and agents of influence are all used to obfuscate motivations and justify military actions. Weve seen them use this playbook in Syria and many other theatres. Their aim is to promulgate disinformation. To sow mistrust in the evidence and to amplify false narratives. Its also to make sure that the real picture of whats going on doesnt get exposed inside Russia.

And thats where the most dangerous disinformation war is being waged. We know Putins campaign is beset by problems  low morale, logistical failures and high Russian casualty numbers. Their command and control is in chaos. Weve seen Putin lie to his own people in an attempt to hide military incompetence.

And all of that means, he seeks brutal control of the media and access to the internet, he seeks the closing down of opposition voices, and hes making heavy investment in their propaganda and covert agencies.

But here again, its clear that Putin has miscalculated. President Zelenskys information operation has shown itself to be extremely effective. Its agile, multi-platform, multi-media and extremely well-tailored to different audiences. One only has to look at the way Ukraines flag - a field of sunflowers under a sky of blue  to see it flying everywhere, including outside GCHQ, to see how well the message has landed.

And its a message supported by information campaigns all over the World. In the UK, its focused in a new Government Information Cell which identifies and counters Kremlin disinformation targeted at UK and international audiences. It brings together expertise from across government to challenge false narratives. It deals in facts, not falsehoods; making sure that the truth is told well.

And increasingly, many of those truths come from intelligence. It is already a remarkable feature of this conflict just how much intelligence has been so quickly declassified to get ahead of Putins actions.

From the warnings of the war. To the intelligence on false flag operations designed to provide a fake premise to the invasion. And more recently, to the Russian plans to falsely claim Ukrainian use of banned chemical weapons.

On this and many other subjects, deeply secret intelligence is being released to make sure the truth is heard. At this pace and scale, it really is unprecedented.

In my view, intelligence is only worth collecting if we use it, so I unreservedly welcome this development.

Of course, other aspects of this confrontation play out in cyber space.

There has been commentary expressing surprise that we havent seen the Russians deploy a major cyber-attack as part of their campaign.

I think a lot of this misses the point. Whilst some people look for cyber Pearl Harbours, it was never our understanding that a catastrophic cyber-attack was central to Russians use of offensive cyber or to their military doctrine. To think otherwise, misjudges how cyber has an effect in military campaigns.

Thats not to say that we havent seen cyber in this conflict. We have  and lots of it.

Through the National Cyber Security Centre, a part of GCHQ, weve seen sustained intent from Russia to disrupt Ukrainian government and military systems. Weve seen what looks like some spill over of activity affecting surrounding countries. And weve certainly seen indications which suggests Russias cyber actors are looking for targets in the countries that oppose their actions.

So just as we pay tribute to the Ukrainian militarys brave actions, we should pay tribute to Ukrainian cyber security too. We and other allies will continue to support them in shoring up their defences. And at home, we are doing all we can to ensure sure that businesses and Government urgently follow through on plans to improve basic levels of cyber resilience. I know your ACSC is doing the same here in Australia.

Now my third observation of this conflict is the extent to which non-state actors are involved and have a say in its outcome.

Some of this is on the battlefields in Ukraine. Its clear Russia is using mercenaries and foreign fighters to augment its forces. This includes the Wagner group which has been active in Ukraine since Russias illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The group works as a shadow branch of the Russian military, providing implausible deniability for riskier operations.

Recently, we have seen that Wagner is looking to move up a gear. We understand that the group is now prepared to send large numbers of personnel into Ukraine to fight alongside Russians.

They are looking at relocating forces from other conflicts and recruiting new fighters to bolster numbers. These soldiers are likely to be used as cannon fodder to try to limit Russian military losses.

But its not just in the military sphere that we see the influence and potential of other actors. Weve seen cyber hacking and ransomware groups pledging allegiance to both sides. Weve seen businesses all over the world distance themselves from the Russian economy. Weve seen technology providers step up to make sure that Ukraine can stay connected, or to address disinformation.

It's all making the space very complicated, and in some ways, way beyond the control of Governments. Its another reminder of the interconnectedness of the World today. And as no single entity holds the whole solution, it highlights a need for global institutions effectively working in coalition.

Putins aggression has certainly galvanised NATO. The war has triggered an unprecedented international response - 141 countries condemned it at the UN General Assembly. All over Europe countries are overturning decades long approaches to their defence policy; investing more too. And further afield, including in this region, countries like Australia and Japan are leaning in. Its also showing, in stark relief, those countries that choose to either support Putin or abstain from making a choice.

And those choices will affect the global order and our national securities for decades to come.

And of course, here in this region, the most concerning issues relate to the choices China makes as it thinks about its interests in the longer term.

Now, Russias position on this is clear. It has made a strategic choice to align with China as China has become more powerful and in direct opposition to the United States. In the current crisis, Russia sees China as a supplier of weapons, as a provider of technology, a market for its hydro-carbons and as a means to circumvent sanctions.

We know both Presidents Xi and Putin place great value on their personal relationships. But Xis calculus is more nuanced. Hes not publicly condemned the invasion, presumably calculating that it helps him oppose the US. And, with an eye on re-taking Taiwan, China doesnt want to do anything which may constrain its ability to move in the future.

Its also the case that China believes Russia will provide additional impetus and support to its digital markets and its technology plans. We can see China is seizing the opportunity to purchase cheap hydro-carbons from Russia at the moment, to meet its needs too.

But there are risks to them both (and arguably more for China) in being too closely aligned. Russia understands that long term, China will become increasingly strong militarily and economically. Some of their interests conflict; Russia could be squeezed out of the equation.

And it is equally clear that a China that wants to set the rules of the road - the norms for a new global governance  is not well served by close alliance with a regime that wilfully and illegally ignores them all.

Now this comes into particularly sharp focus when we think about the future of technology eco-systems and the norms and governance that guide their use.

And for me, this as much about values as it is about technology. And both are vital to the competitive edge of a country.

Thats why its also increasingly the focus for geopolitical competition.

Historically, technology development was largely driven and owned by the West. Shared values amongst involved nations meant industry standards for emerging technologies tended to be global. Investment in technology brought status, wealth and security.

Today, we are in a different era. We can see that significant technology leadership is moving East. Its causing a conflict of interests. Of values. Where prosperity and security are at stake.

Now obviously, China is a sophisticated player in cyberspace. It has increasing ambition to project its influence beyond its borders and a proven interest in our commercial secrets.

It also has a competing vision for the future of cyberspace and its increasingly influential in the debate around international rules and standards. Chinas bringing all elements of state power to control, influence design and dominate technology, if you like, the cyber and the fibre.

As Ive said previously, without action it is increasingly apparent that the key technologies on which we all rely on for prosperity and security wont be shaped and controlled by the West in the future.

If we dont act  with our allies, with our partners and with the private sector  we will see undemocratic values as the default for vast swathes of future tech and the standards that govern it. There is no doubt that democratic nations are facing a moment of reckoning.

Now these are all pretty big themes. And they have big stakes.

Whether were building on the lessons from the pandemic, understanding the implications of Russias invasion, or grappling with the implications of Chinas rise, its clear that we must step up.

There are many ways for us to do that, but it seems to me that two things are very important.

The first is that we have to find new ways to collaborate and cooperate with partners. For those of us in National Security, thats about ensuring the health of existing relationships. Its about securing our alliances, like the Five Eyes, NATO and in this region, ASEAN. And its about working with businesses in new and truly collaborative ways. And to do this we need to make sure that our counteroffer  to states who havent yet decided which way they should jump  is persuasive and coherent. Too often its not.

And the second is that in whatever we do, we must make sure that we stay true to our values, those that have made our systems and democracies so successful and will do so in the future too.

I spoke at the beginning about how against a backdrop of historic shifts, a new global security architecture was emerging. And all of this change will take decades to resolve. But what I can be clear on now is that how we approach these challenges will be as important as what our response is.

And all of us in this room today must play our part in following that through.

Thank you
Britain could send armoured vehicles to help evacuate 160,000 citizens still trapped in Mariupol, Boris Johnson said yesterday.

The Prime Minister is considering 'going up a gear' in support for Ukraine and wants to target the 'human catastrophe' in the besieged port city.

'The question is, can we help the Ukrainians relieve Mariupol?' he told the Commons liaison committee.

'Would armour, would APCs [armoured personnel carriers] be useful for them [or] armoured Land Rovers? We are certainly looking at that.'

Dima, a three-year-old boy who was wounded during the shelling of Mariupol, lies in a bed in children's ward of the hospital, in Zaporizhzhia. Britain could send armoured vehicles to help rescue people trapped in the beleaguered city

Among those that could be sent are the British Army Foxhound armoured vehicle (left) and military Land Rovers (right)

A Government source said later: 'We're open to sending them armoured vehicles if useful and if practicable to get them there, although the view is that will be difficult.

'At a briefing last night it sounded like we're not sure Mariupol can hold out much longer anyway.'

It comes as satellite images emerged yesterday showing a clearly marked Red Cross building with holes in its roof reportedly after Russian airstrikes.

French president Emmanuel Macron has tried to convince Vladimir Putin to stop his bombardment so France can conduct a mass evacuation with Turkey and Greece.

But the Kremlin said Putin told him during a one-hour phone call on Tuesday that he would stop only when all Ukrainian troops had surrendered.

While relief efforts stumbled, 70 women and medics were reportedly kidnapped from a bombed maternity hospital in Mariupol and taken to Russia.

The Azov regiment says Russian occupiers deliberately targeted a building of the International Red Cross

Boris Johnson told the Commons liaison committee he is considering 'going up a gear' in support for Ukraine

The city council said their identity documents were confiscated before they were loaded into vehicles and taken 'to Russian cities far away'.

At least three people died in the hospital bombing on March 9 and it is feared Russia could force the medics to spread its propaganda that the atrocity was fake news.

More than 20,000 civilians have so far been taken away against their will, according to Ukrainian officials.

The strikes on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) building in Mariupol were deliberately targeted, Ukrainian commissioner for human rights Lyudmyla Denisova said yesterday.

'Enemy aircraft and artillery fired on a building marked with a red cross on a white background, indicating the presence of wounded people or civilian or humanitarian cargo,' she added.

Moscow 'using banned landmines' Russia is using banned landmines that can detect footsteps and kill or injure anyone within a 50ft radius, a report has found. Human Rights Watch said POM-3 anti-personnel mines that failed to deploy were discovered in the besieged Ukrainian city of Kharkiv despite international treaties outlawing their use. The campaign group said the 'Medallion' mines have been deployed by Vladimir Putin's invading forces. Footage online reportedly shows armoured vehicles firing dozens of them into Kharkiv from 9 miles away. The devices descend by parachute before burying or fixing themselves into the ground. A 'seismic detector' inside senses if someone is approaching and launches an explosive charge, sending shrapnel flying. The use of landmines is prohibited by the 1997 international Mine Ban Treaty. Russia is not among the 164 signatories but Ukraine is. Stephen Goose, director of the group's arms division, said: 'These weapons do not differentiate between combatants and civilians and leave a deadly legacy.' Advertisement

It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties.

Russia is carrying out a campaign of terror on the city, which is estimated to have been 90 per cent flattened by bombardment.

In an atrocity two weeks ago, a strike on Mariupol's theatre killed an estimated 300.

There are still 160,000 people trapped in the city and drone footage has revealed the level of destruction in the idyllic port city once home to 450,000.

Only one building seemingly remains unscathed amid the rubble  the city's stunning Russian Orthodox Cathedral.

It suggests the attacks have been targeted as they have managed to avoid the historical building while destroying others such as the theatre where 1,300 were sheltering.

Civilians who have fled Mariupol have described it as a city with 'death everywhere'.

One refugee, Mariia Tsymmerman, said: 'I know a woman who killed her own dog to feed her children.'

The Ukrainian ministry of defence claimed last night that Russian troops in Mariupol repeatedly raped a woman in front of her six-year-old son and that she died later of her injuries.

It said: 'Russian occupiers took turns raping a woman for several days.' Highlighting the reality of 'rape, violence, murder', it added: 'This is not a horror movie.'

France, Greece and Turkey are appealing to Putin to let them carry out a mass evacuation of the city but he told Mr Macron the bombardment would continue until defending soldiers surrendered.

French officials later claimed the Russian president had agreed to consider their plans.

ICRC director-general Robert Mardini said: 'People are caught and trapped in the line of fire.

'What we expect and what is needed for civilians is a clear and explicit agreement by the two sides on safe evacuations of civilians.'
A masked burglar has broken into the Beckham family home in West London and made off with thousands of pounds' worth of valuables.

The thief forced their way into a spare upstairs bedroom at the 40m mansion in Holland Park and ransacked the place while David, Victoria and 10-year-old daughter Harper relaxed downstairs completely unawares.

The break-in, on February 28, was not discovered until 17-year-old Cruz returned home from a night out and stumbled upon the upturned bedroom and spotted broken glass from a window on the floor.

David, 46, reportedly called 999 and set about searching the mansion for the burglar with Cruz, while Harper remained with Victoria, 47, and waited for the police.

The burglar is thought to have been part of a gang which targeted at least two other houses in the area on the same night.

The Met confirmed it is investigating and that no arrests have been made.

A masked burglar has broken into the Beckham family home in West London and made thousands of pounds' worth of valuables (David and Victoria pictured)

The Beckhams' home in Kensington, pictured today, following a burglary at the property last month

David, 46 (right), reportedly called 999 and set about searching the mansion for the burglar with Cruz (left), while Harper (centre right) remained with Victoria, 47, and waited for the police (Brooklyn centre left)

A source close to the family told The Sun: 'Sadly the Beckhams were the victims of some fairly professional thieves who have been operating in the area.

'Fortunately the criminals only made it as far as one bedroom before they ran off.'

The family are said to have been 'shaken up' by the burglary, but no one was hurt.

Cruz Beckham breaks social media silence after raid Cruz Beckham was the first member of the Beckham family to return to social media after their West London home was burgled. The thief forced their way into a spare upstairs bedroom at the 40m mansion in Holland Park and ransacked the place while David, Victoria and 10-year-old daughter Harper relaxed downstairs completely unawares. The break-in, on February 28, was not discovered until 17-year-old Cruz returned home from a night out and stumbled upon the upturned bedroom and spotted broken glass from a window on the floor. Cruz took to his Instagram Stories hours after the news emerged and shared a playful TikTok video of himself relaxing in a grey hoodie. This was followed quickly by his older brother Romeo who shared a snap of himself sporting a black printed T-shirt, grey tracksuit bottoms and a pair of sunglassses. Neither David nor Victoria have broken their silence yet on the burglary. Advertisement

The intruder reportedly climbed over the gate at the front of the house, shimmied his way up the property and then broke in through the spare bedroom window. Police are said to be reviewing CCTV footage.

The thief made off with thousands in designer clothes, accessories and electric goods stored in the room - but did not hang around for more.

Two other properties were also targeted, including a neighbouring house which thieves found was empty once inside, and another home on the same street into which burglars were unable to force entry.

A Met spokesman said: 'Police were called at 00.37 hours on Tuesday, March 1 to reports of a burglary at a residential address in the W11 area of Kensington.

'The burglary is believed to have taken place between 20.30 and 23.30 on Monday, February 28.

'A number of items were reported stolen. No arrests have been made. Inquiries continue.'

The raid comes just weeks after Posh and Becks won planning permission to overhaul their Holland Park mansion, parts of which had been sealed off as it had began to crumble.

Pictures of the property exclusively obtained by MailOnline show that the Grade II-listed property is held up by supports before work gets underway.

The couple were granted permission by Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to repair their historic rear terrace and stairs, which had become too dangerous to use.

Beckham's design and access statement revealed their plans to 'reinstate the terrace, which is considered structurally unsound, on a like for like basis.'

The statement also says the family no longer use the terrace which has structural damage is due to age, water ingress, cracking and spalling due to frost.

Work: David and Victoria Beckham have won planning permission to repair their 'crumbling' 31.5 million west London mansion (pictured) after parts of the property were sealed off

'Crumbling': Pictures of the propertly exclusively obtained by MailOnline show that the Grade II-listed property terrace is held up by supports before work gets underway (pictured)

Out of use: The statement also says the family no longer use the terrace which has structural damage is due to age, water ingress, cracking and spalling due to frost

Props and timber bearers have been installed to provide temporary support to prevent collapse and any loss of the buildings original features - including damage to the original cast iron railings.

The statement reads: 'A structural engineer has inspected the terrace and recommended repairs and renewal works on a like for like basis.'

From photos attached to the application, the roof terrace, which is crumbling in parts, is being supported by metal poles to stop it from collapsing.

The project is being overseen by Soho House architect Michael Ergatoudis, who was also in charge of the previous renovations at the home and their Cotswolds retreat.
Hyundai Glovis employees work on strengthening the company's customized fire response system for vehicles shipped to overseas destinations on a cargo ship, March 30. Courtesy of Hyundai Glovis



By Kim Jae-heun



Hyundai Glovis has strengthened a customized on-board response system to respond to fires that may occur during sea transportation of electric automobiles, the company said Wednesday.



Hyundai Glovis is a logistics company headquartered in Seoul, South Korea and part of the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group.



Due to the increase in global demand for electric vehicles (EVs), the volume of sea transportation for EVs has also increased. Hyundai Glovis established the fire response system through research with the Korean Register of Shipping and others.



Furthermore, it plans to take preemptive measures to secure the safety of sailors and to prevent major disasters at industrial sites.



Vehicles shipped in the car carrier are tightly packed, which can lead to fires. In particular, when an electric vehicle catches fire, suitable equipment is required because the fire suppression method is different from that of an internal combustion engine vehicle.



Hyundai Glovis will sequentially place special equipment for extinguishing fires in vehicles such as "fire cover" and "water mist lance" on operating car carriers.



The fire cover is a device that employs a specially coated cloth that is placed over a burning vehicle to prevent oxygen inflow, put out the fire and contain heat and smoke. It was developed in Norway in 2014 and has been proven to be effective in preventing the spread of fires in electric vehicles and is being used by fire departments among others.



This version of the cover the Hyundai Glovis carriers are equipped with is a new improved product to better suit the shipping environment.



Above all, the fire cover is effective in preventing a fire from spreading to adjacent vehicles if it is used on the first vehicle to ignite, even if the vehicles on board are densely loaded. Considering that the sizes of the shipped vehicles vary, Hyundai Glovis plans to deploy a fire cover that can cover even large sport utility vehicles.



The metal-framed water mist lance is fire-extinguishing equipment which consists of pipes and nozzles that can directly spray water on areas where a fire breaks out by penetrating enclosed spaces such as iron doors and concrete interiors. It is expected to be effective in controlling fires by inserting a long tube of more than 1 meter into the car and spraying water close to the bottom of the car.



"We have established a system to understand the changing trend of the automobile industry and to preemptively meet the needs of shippers. We will continue to lead the global market by introducing differentiated capabilities," a Hyundai Glovis official said.


None of the bosses in charge at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust were named and shamed in today's devastating report  despite presiding over decades of needless mother and baby deaths.

Families have previously accused executives, many of whom resigned for lucrative new roles, including jobs in the NHS, of being 'rewarded for failure.'

But today Health Secretary Sajid Javid insisted individuals responsible for the 'serious and repeated failures' would be held to account.

West Mercia police are investigating whether any criminal offences, including corporate manslaughter, have taken place and their inquiry is likely to be stepped up now Donna Ockenden's report has finally been published.

Simon Wright, former CEO of Shrewbury Hospital, resigned from his 160,000-a-year post in July 2019 as the scale of the scandal emerged

The Daily Mail understands that just two midwives  Heather Lort and Claire Roberts  have been struck off and banned from working, while another two have been cautioned.

Lort, was disciplined in 2018 over her failings leading to the death of newborn Kate Stanton-Davies nine years earlier, and the stillbirth of Maddison Jackson-Wilkins in February 2013.

Roberts, was only dealt with earlier this month  six years after the death of the baby in the case.

Cathy Smith the former Head of Midwifery at Shrewsbury Hospital is now programme manager at a Sustainability and Transformation Partnership, to coordinate care between councils and the NHS.

Pippa Griffiths died of a Group B Strep infection just 31 hours after being born at home in Myddle, Shropshire.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council heard Roberts failed to carry out a triage assessment or realise the 'urgency' of medical attention needed, after Mrs Griffiths called staff for help.

Many other bosses were allowed to leave without sanction and walk into other lucrative jobs within the health service or work as consultants for private companies with multi-million pound contracts with the NHS.

Former chief executive Simon Wright resigned from his 160,000-a-year post in July 2019 as the scale of the scandal emerged.

Former director of nursing Deirdre Fowler has moved jobs several times and is now at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston, where she currently works as chief nurse and midwife

During his four years in charge services were rated inadequate, with the A&E and maternity units put into special measures.

Accountant and chairman of the hospital board Ben Reid, 67, followed Mr Wright out of the Trust a year later.

The former Co-op executive admitted the Trust delayed publishing the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' critical report and even sent a delegation of staff to London to persuade the authors to write a more positive addendum, delaying publication by 12 months.

His admission prompted cries of a 'cover-up'.

Ex-head of midwifery Cathy Smith, 62, was criticised for having a 'defensive attitude' and being unwilling to learn from mistakes following the death of baby Kate.

In 2019 it was reported she had left the Trust to take up a part-time role as a programme manager at a Sustainability and Transformation Partnership, to coordinate care between councils and the NHS.

Director of nursing Deirdre Fowler, 55, was paid up to 125,000 a year from April 2017 until she left her role in March 2019.

She left to join Bedford Hospitals NHS Trust as director of nursing, but insisted she was leaving to take up a job closer to home and that her resignation was not related to the maternity investigation.

Peter Herring resigned as chief executive in 2015 after three years at the helm of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust

However, a year later she moved to South Teeside Hospital, before jumping nine months later to University Hospitals Bristol and Weston, where she currently works as chief nurse and midwife.

She is also a visiting professor at the University of the West of England.

Peter Herring resigned as chief executive in 2015 after spending three years at the helm of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust.

During that time he was found guilty of 'maladministration' by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman for rejecting pleas from Kate's grieving parents to investigate her death.

Neil Taylor, the former head of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust, narrowly avoided jail after he was found to have lied about his qualifications to land the job

Another chief executive Neil Taylor narrowly avoided jail after hospital bosses discovered he had lied to get the top job.

Mr Taylor, 59, had run the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for four years when he produced a fake degree certificate in a bid to land the 112,000 chief executive role at the new Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust when it merged with the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford in 2003.

In reality, he had just one or two A-levels and admitted obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception.
Jacqui Lambie has become the third female senator to label Scott Morrison a bully, saying she has 'no doubt' because she has 'dealt with him one on one'.

The independent Tasmanian backed up claims by outgoing Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.

'I have no doubt that he is a bully, I've dealt with him one on one,' she told the Today show on Wednesday.

Senator Fierravanti-Wells shocked the nation on Tuesday when she savaged Mr Morrison in a speech just hours after the federal Budget was handed down.

She called the Prime Minister a ruthless autocrat with no moral compass or conscience, declaring he 'is not fit to be Prime Minister'.

Senator Hanson backed her up on Wednesday, telling the senate: 'He is a bully because I have experienced it myself.

'He's a man where ''you do it my way or there's no way'', and it's a shame.'

Mr Morrison has brushed off Senator Fierravanti-Wells' allegations, claiming she is just bitter because she was dumped from a winnable spot on the NSW Liberal senate ticket during pre-selection at the weekend.

Scott Morrison at Shane Warne's memorial

Frontbench Liberal Jane Hume played down Lambie and Hanson's attacks, saying they were to be expected from political opponents.

She said she had never witnessed bullying.

Mr Morrison denied ever bullying anyone, saying the allegations are 'completely without foundation'

'I've worked constructively with people. You know, as Prime Minister... you make decisions which people disagree with, and they're disappointed when you do that,' he told Perth radio 6PR.

Senator Fierravanti-Wells, a prominent conservative, was Minister for International Development under Malcolm Turnbull but resigned when Mr Morrison took power.

Senator Lambie claimed she had been overlooked for a top job since then 'because she wouldn't stand and nod (to the Prime Minister)'.

'What annoys me is, I don't care if you've got personal issues with someone on the same team,' she said.

'If they're the best person for the job you should put the country first and put them in the job.'

'Good for her honestly, good for her. It's been a long time coming.'

'I don't care what anybody says, he's an absolute bully,' Senator Lambie said.

In her shocking speech on Tuesday, Senator Fierravanti-Wells said the PM 'is adept at running with the foxes and hunting with the hounds, lacking a moral compass and having no conscience.

'In my public life, I have met ruthless people. Morrison tops the list followed closely by (Immigration Minister Alex) Hawke. Morrison is not fit to be prime minister, and Hawke certainly is not fit to be a minister.'

The Prime Minister during House of Representatives Question Time at Parliament House on Wednesday

She also labelled Mr Morrison an 'autocrat', adding that other members of the Liberal Party share a similar view.

'They have lost faith in the party, they want to leave. They don't like Morrison and they don't trust him,' she said.

Senator Fierravanti-Wells was been relegated to an unwinnable spot on the Liberals' NSW Senate ticket.

Mr Morrison brushed aside the allegations, saying being criticised goes with the territory.

'As prime minister, there are lots of people who will disagree with you, there are lots of people who will say all sorts of things about you,' he told Sydney radio 2GB on Wednesday.

'It comes with the job. You've got to have a thick skin and you've got to be able to focus on the things that matter most to Australians.'
Look, Maxym tells me: We got another of those orcs. He holds up a Russian passport open at the ID page and the face of Ensign Andrei M stares out at me.

Orcs  the humanoid monsters in JRR Tolkiens Lord Of The Rings  is the name often given by Ukrainian soldiers to their Russian invaders.

Andrei M (we are not publishing his full name in case his family have yet to be informed) looks altogether nondescript. But his is now a face from the grave.

On Tuesday the Kremlin announced it is to drastically reduce combat operations in the Kyiv and Chernihiv areas in order to boost mutual trust during ceasefire negotiations.

I have been in touch with Maxym, a lieutenant in Ukraines territorial defence units, for almost a month now. He is one of a number of volunteers from Ireland who have returned to the land of their birth to fight

Well, that is one way to describe humiliating retreats and the necessary regrouping and resupply of battered formations. The licking of wounds.

For as these images  exclusive to the Daily Mail  show, Russias repositioning on the frontlines around this city is already taking place. And it is largely a result of Ukraines unexpected battlefield successes.

We also have first-hand evidence that, as they withdraw from towns and villages, the Russian forces are burning, looting and leaving behind them a deadly legacy of mines and booby traps.

And in their wake they are also leaving their dead.

I have been in touch with Maxym, a lieutenant in Ukraines territorial defence units, for almost a month now.

He is one of a number of volunteers from Ireland who have returned to the land of their birth to fight. Before the war he was a forklift truck operator at a meat-packing plant in rural County Laois.

Much attention has been focused on the recapture of the satellite towns of Irpin and Makariv, to the north and west of Kyiv.

But Maxym, 27, and other volunteers from the Emerald Isle  who wear the green, white and gold tricolour on their combat fatigues  have been taking part in the less widely reported Ukrainian counter-attack to the east of the capital.

Along that frontline they have pushed the Russians back a considerable distance.

As a new series of photographs and videos sent to us by Maxym show, his unit  the Bratstvo [Brotherhood] Battalion  was the spearhead of a Ukrainian advance on Sunday that recaptured the village of Rudnytske.

It lies approximately 40 miles from central Kyiv and 30 miles east of the once frontline town of Brovary where a column of Russian tanks was battered by Ukrainian artillery three weeks ago.

Maxym, 27, and other volunteers from the Emerald Isle  who wear the green, white and gold tricolour on their combat fatigues  have been taking part in the less widely reported Ukrainian counter-attack to the east of the capital

The devastating barrage was captured by a drone and seen around the world.

In one piece of footage sent to the Mail yesterday, Maxym can be seen examining a tripwire that the retreating Russians had attached to a hand grenade beside a track on the edge of the village.

Brothers, we liberated Rudnytske, but before they fled the (Russians) set up a lot of tripwires and booby traps, he says. They are everywhere here. And of course everything is burnt and destroyed.

He also examines a crude Russian dugout, which he likens to a henhouse for all the protection that it would afford, and films discarded Russian ration and ammunition boxes.

They were defeated once again, he says. This is just another small victory. But soon the whole of Ukraine will be liberated.

One of the pictures shows Maxym carrying a Panzerfaust 3 anti-tank weapon of a type supplied to the Ukrainians since the invasion by the German and Dutch governments.

The taking of Rudnytske was possible after Maxyms unit helped destroy a Russian armoured column and position in the neighbouring settlement of Lukyanivka. That is where Ensign Andrei M met his end. The soldier came from a tiny village of a few dozen residents in the shadow of the Ural mountains. He was probably a member of the Udmurt people  an ethnic minority that makes up a disproportionately large percentage of Russias armed forces.

He was killed in recent days more than 1,000 miles from home, in another village, in northern Ukraine.

Apart from the video that shows Maxym holding Ensign Andreis passport, he sent a number of other videos filmed at the scene of that battle, in which he and his comrades can be seen walking among the smoking wreckage of armoured vehicles, including at least one main battle tank.

In another film of the aftermath, one of Maxyms comrades tells the camera, in English: Hi guys, here you see the former Russian checkpoint which has been destroyed by our battalions Irish unit.

So here you see there was a battle, 48 hours ago, and our soldiers destroyed several tanks here and other military machinery and killed about 40 or 50 Russian soldiers.

Other Western-supplied anti-tank weapons were used in the battle. One photograph shows a soldier carrying a Swedish AT-4 rocket launcher.

Another picture shows what Maxym said was a Russian T-80 tank that had been captured.

My Irish team is still intact, said Maxym, who had fought Russian separatists in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine before moving to Ireland two years ago. No one is injured. But they are still novices and have to be deployed carefully.

He was cynical about the Kremlins announcement of a major drawdown in operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv.

Its the result of what we have done to them, rather than their own choice, he said. We counter-attacked and they cant handle it.

And the promised drastic reduction of Russian military activities here? Kyiv was hit by at least one rocket strike overnight and the city again woke to the rumble of artillery. As I write this, the sirens are sounding once more.

There is widespread cynicism here that the Russian offer is nothing more than words; a sop to world opinion while the Kremlins military rests between rounds.

Too late, though, for Ensign Andre M and the thousands of other orcs who have perished so far in Vladimir Putins calamitous adventure.
A Briton accused of being a member of the torture and murder squad known as The ISIS Beatles finally went on trial in America yesterday.

El Shafee Elsheikh is accused of taking part in a brutal hostage-taking scheme in which journalists and aid workers were kidnapped and beheaded.

The court in Virginia heard that Elsheikh, from west London, played a central role in the operation in Syria and subjected the victims to unrelenting torture. He has been described as the most brutal member of the gang and the chief guard of hostages.

Those who were not released were murdered by another Briton  Mohammed Emwazi, dubbed Jihadi John  in propaganda videos posted online.

El Shafee Elsheikh, 33, is accused of being one of four ISIS militants belonging to a cell that operated in Iraq and Syria, which members were nicknamed 'the Beatles' for their British accents

Among the 26 victims the group captured or killed was Alan Henning, 47, a Manchester cabbie who was working as a humanitarian worker when he was murdered in 2014.

David Haines, 44, a former RAF worker from Perth in Scotland who was also doing aid work, was beheaded a month earlier. In court among the grieving relatives was his daughter Bethany, 24, who was 17 when he was executed. She shook her head in disgust when Elsheikh, said to be the George of the terror group, walked in.

The 33-year-old was captured in Syria in 2018 and later transferred to the US to stand trial. Britain agreed to help the prosecution once Washington said it would not seek the death penalty.

John Gibbs, prosecuting, told the jury the gang, dubbed The Beatles because of their British accents, were utterly terrifying. The physical abuse they dished out was unrelenting and unpredictable and they seemed to get satisfaction from physically abusing the hostages.

Alan Henning (pictured) was beheaded by the group in 2014 while working as a humanitarian worker

Fellow aid worker David Haines (pictured) was also killed in 2014 by the torture and murder squad

Elsheikh was born in Sudan but moved to Britain as a child, the court was told. He became disillusioned with the West and travelled to Syria to join Islamic State. There he met up with Emwazi and 38-year-old Alexanda Kotey, two old friends from London.

Alexanda Kotey (left) and El Shafee Elsheikh

Elsheikh is on trial for  and denies  the abduction and killing of four Americans between 2012 and 2015.

Kotey has pleaded guilty to eight charges and is likely to be transferred to a prison in the UK after 15 years. The fourth alleged member of the gang, Aine Davis, 37, was jailed in Turkey in 2017 for terrorism offences. Emwazi, 27, was killed in a drone strike in 2015.

Edward MacMahon, defending, said that Elsheikh was a simple IS fighter and was not a member of The Beatles and not involved in the kidnapping, torture and deaths of any of these individuals.

The trial, which is scheduled to last four weeks, continues.
Eight Russian oligarchs sanctioned over their links to Vladimir Putin had been handed 'golden visas' to live and work in the UK, the Government has admitted.

The individuals, who ministers said have 'blood on their hands', were among 900 Russians given 'red carpet' access to the UK if they invested as little as 1million here.

The visas also granted a fast-track route to citizenship, despite warnings they allowed dirty money to flow into Britain unchecked.

Campaigners last night demanded the release of the names of the eight oligarches given 'golden visas' to live and work in the UK. The list is believed to include sanctioned Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich (pictured)

Campaigners last night demanded the release of the names of the eight, saying the list was the 'tip of the iceberg' of corrupt individuals.

It came as ministers announced new powers to ban maintenance on luxury jets and yachts owned by sanctioned oligarchs, and the owner of the 38million superyacht Phi held in London this week was revealed to be Vitaly Vasilievich Kochetkov, a telecoms magnate.

Mr Kochetkov is not on sanctions lists, and Russian agencies last year began probing him for tax evasion, according to media reports.

It came as ministers announced new powers to ban maintenance on luxury jets and yachts owned by sanctioned oligarchs, including the 38million superyacht Phi in London's Canary Wharf

Friends of the multi-millionaire told the Financial Times he held citizenship of an EU country.

The eight are likely to include sanctioned Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who held a golden visa from the 2000s until 2018.

Layla Moran, foreign affairs spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, which requested the information, said: 'For too long the Government has rolled out the red carpet for Putin's cronies. These people should never have been able to buy their way into the UK with ill-gotten wealth.'

Susan Hawley, of Spotlight on Corruption, said: 'Today's revelations are just the tip of the iceberg. The Government must come clean about who exactly these eight sanctioned individuals are.'
One of the UK's rarest butterflies has been saved from extinction thanks to the restoration of its woodland habitat, experts reveal.

Results from the annual UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS) show populations of the endangered heath fritillary (Melitaea athalia) have increased 112 per cent at monitored sites over the past decade.

The heath fritillary has historically been found in woods that have been coppiced, giving it the nickname of the 'woodman's follower'.

It's distinguished by its dusky wing colours and is restricted to a few specialised habitats where it flies close to the ground.

Sadly, it is now one of our rarest butterflies but has been saved from the brink of extinction by the concerted action of conservationists.

The species relies on the right woodland management for its habitat and has been the focus of long-term intensive conservation efforts in Kent, Essex and Somerset.

Butterflies overall had a 'poor year' in 2021, according to the UKBMS, but there have been some 'positive signs' of recovery for some species due to conservation work.

Good year: Populations of the heath fritillary (Melitaea athalia, pictured) have increased 112 per cent at monitored sites over the past decade

Bad year: Green-veined white butterfly (Pieris napi). Results from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme show that, with a chilly April and one of the coldest, wettest Mays on record, especially in England and Wales, many common and widespread species had a poor year

Good year: The stunning silver-studded blue (Plebejus argus) butterfly, found mainly in heathland

THE HEATH FRITILLARY The heath fritillary has historically been found in woods that have been coppiced, giving it the nickname 'woodman's follower'. It's distinguished by its dusky wing colours and is restricted to a few specialised habitats where it flies close to the ground. Sadly, it is now one of our rarest butterflies but has been saved from the brink of extinction by the concerted action of conservationists. UK populations have increased 112 per cent at monitored sites over the past decade. Source: Butterfly Conservation Advertisement

UKBMS is organised and funded by Butterfly Conservation, the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, the British Trust for Ornithology and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Butterfly populations fluctuate naturally from year to year as a result of the weather, but long-term declines are being driven by human activity, such as land management and climate change.

Conservation efforts are therefore making a significant difference to local numbers, Butterfly Conservation said.

Heath fritillary had its second-best year in the last decade, which makes it feel like a good year, although it is still well down on its long-term figures due to sever declines in the previous decades.

'We're delighted to be seeing some positive signs for species such as the heath fritillary, especially when the general long-term picture for UK butterflies is one of great decline,' said Dr Richard Fox, Butterfly Conservation's associate director of recording and monitoring.

'It reinforces the importance of managing and restoring habitat in a way that supports the survival of our butterflies.

'While the heath fritillary remains a priority for conservation, these successes demonstrate what can be achieved through dedicated long-term conservation effort.

'There are grounds for cautious optimism in the results of many other threatened species that are the focus of conservation action, especially given that 2021 wasn't a good year for butterflies in general.'

Good year: Brown hairstreak (Thecla betulae). This species is found in the southern half of England and Wales, and also around the Burren in Ireland

Good year: Dingy skipper (Erynnis tages) is found in Britain and Ireland but becoming increasingly rare

Bad year: Large white (Pieris brassicae) is 'the bane of allotment holders all over the British Isles', says UK Butterflies

Good year: Adonis blue (Lysandra bellargus). The males have brilliant sky-blue wings, while the females are chocolate brown and far less conspicuous

Good year: Glanville fritillary (Melitaea cinxia) has cream and orange bands and black marks on the underside of its wings

After three good years in a row, 2021 was a below average year for UK butterflies, and the worst since 2017.

Results from UKBMS show that, with a chilly April and one of the coldest, wettest Mays on record, especially in England and Wales, many common and widespread species had a poor year.

2021 ranked 28th out of all 46 years of the national survey, which involves thousands of sites being surveyed for butterflies on a weekly basis from April to September.

GOOD YEAR - Heath fritillary (Melitaea athalia) - Silver-studded blue (Plebejus argus) - Black hairstreak (Satyrium pruni) - Brown hairstreak (Thecla betulae) - Glanville fritillary (Melitaea cinxia) - Dingy skipper (Erynnis tages) - Adonis blue (Lysandra bellargus) - Chalk hill blue (Lysandra coridon) Advertisement

BAD YEAR - Common blue (Polyommatus icarus) - Large white (Pieris brassicae) - Small skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris - Green-veined white (Pieris napi) - Large skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus) - Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) - White admiral (Limenitis camilla) Advertisement

The green-veined white (Pieris napi) had its fourth worst year on record, and the large skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus) its fifth worst.

Meanwhile, the common blue (Polyommatus icarus), large white (Pieris brassicae) and small skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) all had a poor year.

Even some widespread species that have seen long-term increases fared badly in 2021, such as the ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus), which recorded its lowest numbers since 2012.

Bad year: Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) butterfly recorded its lowest numbers since 2012

Bad year: The large skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus) butterfly had its fifth worst year on record

2021 was a good year for the black hairstreak (Satyrium pruni) butterfly. It is found only in thickets of Blackthorn in woodlands on heavy clay soils between Oxford and Peterborough in the East Midlands of England

More promisingly, the silver-studded blue (Plebejus argus), which is classed as vulnerable to extinction in Britain, has also benefited from conservation work on its heathland and grassland habitats and saw its best year since 1996 last year.

Its numbers have increased by 70 per cent since the 1970s, the conservation organisations behind the survey said.

2021 was a good year for both black hairstreak (Satyrium pruni) and brown hairstreak (Thecla betulae), and for the Glanville fritillary (Melitaea cinxia), dingy skipper (Erynnis tages), Adonis blue (Lysandra bellargus) and chalk hill blue (Lysandra coridon), all of which had numbers above their long-term averages.

Good year: Chalkhill blue butterfly (Lysandra coridon), which is restricted to chalk and limestone grassland

Bad year: Common Blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus). Butterfly populations fluctuate naturally from year to year as a result of the weather, but long-term declines are being driven by human activity, such as land management and climate change

But many species still show major long-term declines, such as the white admiral (Limenitis camilla), which recorded their third worst year since 1976 at monitored sites, with all three worst years occurring in the last decade.

Climate change is affecting butterflies in different ways, with some expanding their range as temperatures rise but also increasing the risk of being out of sync with food plants.

There is significant pressure from commercial and agricultural development, the loss of key habitats, and intensification of farm management.

Dr Marc Botham, butterfly ecologist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UK CEH), said the scheme had received 476,000 records from more than 2,900 sites, despite 2021's challenges for data-gathering and conservation activities.

Records from volunteers enabled scientists to measure how butterflies are faring and assess the health of the countryside.

'The UKBMS data are vital in assessing the effectiveness of government policies and progress towards the UK's biodiversity targets,' Dr Botham said.

UKBMS has published a list of all 59 butterfly species that are considered 'resident or regular migrants to the UK', along with their annual and long-term population changes (although experts were unable to report trends for three of them last year).
NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei has returned to Earth following a four-hour journey from the International Space Station (ISS) alongside two Russian comonauts.

Despite ongoing tensions with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, NASA claimed that the trio are 'working professionally together without tension'.

Vande Hei and Russia's Pyotr Dubrov spent a total of 359 days on the orbiting observatory after blasting off to space on April 5 last year.

The pair, along with cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, undocked from the ISS on board a Russian Soyuz capsule at 03:21 EDT (08:21 BST) today, and landed on the steppe of Kazakhstan at 07:28 EDT (12:28 BST).

The landing zone lies roughly 250 miles (400 km) to the northeast of Russia's space launch facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

'The crew is feeling good after landing, according to rescuers,' Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin wrote on Telegram messenger.

A livestream shows the Soyuz MS-19 space capsule landing back to Earth with the trio on board

NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei (pictured) has returned to Earth following a four-hour journey from the International Space Station (ISS) alongside two Russian comonauts

The trio undocked from the ISS on board a Russian Soyuz capsule at 03:21 EDT (08:21 BST) today, and landed on the steppe of Kazakhstan at around 07:28 EDT (12:28 BST)

NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei (left) and Roscosmos cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov (centre) and Pyotr Dubrov (right) returned to Earth in the Soyuz MS-19 crew ship

Longest spaceflights in history Duration Crew Country Station 437.7 days Valeri Polyakov[27] Russia Mir 379.6 days Sergei Avdeyev[28] Russia Mir 365.0 days Vladimir Titov Soviet Union Mir 365.0 days Musa Manarov Soviet Union Mir 359 days Pyotr Dubrov Russia ISS 359 days Mark T. Vande Hei United States ISS 340.4 days Mikhail Kornienko Russia ISS 340.4 days Scott Kelly United States ISS 328.6 days[30][31] Christina Koch[31] United States ISS 326.5 days[32] Yuri Romanenko[32] Soviet Union Mir 311.8 days[33] Sergei Krikalev[33] Soviet Union Mir 289.2 days[34] Peggy Whitson[34] United States Mir 271.5 days[35] Andrew R. Morgan United States ISS Advertisement

Vande Hei, 55, completes his second ISS mission, and has logged a US space-endurance record of 359 consecutive days in orbit.

This surpasses the previous 340-day record set by astronaut Scott Kelly in 2016, according to NASA.

The all-time world record for longest single stay in space was set by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov who spent more than 14 months aboard the Mir space station, returning to Earth in 1995.

Dubrov, 40, who launched to the ISS with Vande Hei last April from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, completes his first spaceflight, sharing 5,680 Earth orbits and more than 150 million miles in space with Vande Hei, NASA said.

Shkaplerov, 50, who ends his rotation as the latest ISS commander, is a veteran of four missions to the orbital outpost, accumulating 708 total days in space, far exceeding Vande Hei's 523-day career tally, according to NASA.

Shkaplerov began his latest space station stint last October.

The joint US-Russian return flight from ISS was closely watched for signs that escalating tensions between Moscow and Washington over the Russian invasion of Ukraine have spilled over into longtime cooperation in space between the two former Cold War adversaries.

Announcing US economic sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin's government on February 24, US President Joe Biden ordered high-tech export restrictions against Moscow that he said were designed to 'degrade' Russia's aerospace industry, including its space programme.

Dmitry Rogozin, director-general of Russian space agency Roscosmos, then lashed out in a series of Twitter posts suggesting the US sanctions could 'destroy' ISS teamwork and lead to the space station falling out of orbit.

The joint US-Russian return flight from ISS was closely watched for signs that escalating tensions between Moscow and Washington over the Russian invasion of Ukraine have spilled over into longtime cooperation in space between the two former Cold War adversaries

The following week, state-run Russian news agency RIA Novosti posted a video spoof depicting cosmonauts waving farewell to Vande Hei before Russia's ISS module detaches from the space station and flies away without him to the applause of Russian officials at mission control, leaving the rest of the station sinking lower in orbit.

The clip, described by RIA Novosti as 'comic,' plays out to the Russian-language love ballad 'Goodbye,' by Russian vocalist Lev Leshchenko.

At about the same time, Rogozin announced that Russia would stop supplying or servicing Russian-made rocket engines used by two US aerospace NASA suppliers, suggesting US astronauts could use 'broomsticks' to get to orbit.

The Soyuz MS-19 crew ship is pictured between the Cygnus space freighter and the Soyuz MS-21 crew ship during a spacewalk on March 23, 2022

The three returning ISS crew were replaced on the space station by three cosmonauts who flew to orbit on March 18, joining the three remaining US colleagues of Vande Hei and a German astronaut from the European Space Agency.

Russia's space agency later dismissed Western media reports suggesting the newly arrived Russian cosmonauts had chosen to wear yellow flight suits with blue trim - the colors of Ukraine's national flag, in support of Ukraine.

They were greeted warmly, with hugs and handshakes.

'Sometimes yellow is just yellow,' Roscosmos's press service said on its Telegram channel.
Dyson has created a bizarre set of headphones that include a purifying visor designed to help people avoid polluted air in cities.

Called the Dyson Zone, the wearable device combines noise-cancelling over-ear headphones and a visor that sits just in front of the nose and mouth, delivering filtered air.

In tests, Dyson Zone successfully filtered two virus types from the air, although it wasnt tested on SARSCoV2, the virus that causes Covid.

The British technology firm said the device has been created in response to growing concerns about air and sound pollution in urban areas.

Dyson Zone  the firm's first wearable  will go on sale in the autumn, although a price is yet to be confirmed.

Dyson Zone is the company's first wearable device combining noise-cancelling headphones with a unique air-purifying system that projects filtered air to the use

Jake Dyson, the company's chief engineer and son of company founder James Dyson, tests Dyson Zone on the London Underground

HOW DOES IT WORK? Compressors in each ear draw air through built-in filters, which capture ultrafine particles such as allergens and brake dust. A potassium-enriched carbon layer, also in the ear caps, captures city gas pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide. The compressors then project two streams of purified air to the wearer's nose and mouth through the visor. Advertisement

'Air pollution is a global problem  it affects us everywhere we go,' said Jake Dyson, the company's chief engineer and son of company founder and billionaire entrepreneur Sir James Dyson.

'In our homes, at school, at work and as we travel, whether on foot, on a bike or by public or private transport.

'The Dyson Zone purifies the air you breathe on the move. And unlike face masks, it delivers a plume of fresh air without touching your face, using high-performance filters and two miniaturised air pumps.

Dyson said the device takes inspiration from 'the shape and design of a horses saddle', by distributing weight over the sides of the head, rather than on the top.

The firm says: 'A saddle typically curves over the horses spine distributing the load through contact with the areas left and right of the backbone  a format used for the central cushion on the headband.'

Compressors in each ear draw air through built-in filters, which capture ultrafine particles such as allergens and brake dust.

The filters capture 99 per cent of particles as small as 0.1 microns, including pollen, dust and bacteria, as well as viruses.

According to Dyson, the filters have been successfully tested on two viruses  MS2 bacteriophage and H1N1 influenza  but not with coronaviruses such as SARSCoV2.

A potassium-enriched carbon layer, also in the ear caps, captures city gas pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide.

The compressors then project two streams of purified air to the wearer's nose and mouth through the visor, which doesn't touch the face like traditional face masks.

Unlike face masks, it delivers a plume of fresh air without touching the face, using high-filters and two miniaturised air pumps

Not your standard face mask! Dyson Zone will go on sale in the autumn, although a price is yet to be confirmed

The Dyson Zone comes with a detachable visor which, when attached, streams purified air to the wearer's nose and mouth

The firm said developing a non-contact solution was a must for its engineers, to avoid the discomfort and irritation often associated with masks that touch the face.

Also, the visor can be lowered when the wearer is speaking or detached completely when not in use.

The headphones, which mark Dyson's first foray into the world of audio, are the result of six years' development and more than 500 prototypes.

They were originally a 'snorkel-like' clean air mouthpiece paired with a backpack to hold the motor and inner workings.

In tests, Dyson engineers used a breathing manikins fitted with medical-grade mechanical lungs and sensing equipment, to 'inhale' pollution replicating human breathing patterns.

The headphones, which mark Dyson's first foray into the world of audio, are the result of six years' development and more than 500 prototypes

In tests, Dyson engineers used a breathing manikins fitted with medical-grade mechanical lungs and sensing equipment, to 'inhale' pollution replicating human breathing patterns

They then measured the pollution level within the nose and throat to determine the filtration efficacy of those particles which would otherwise end up in Franks artificial lung.

Dyson warns that the worlds urban population continues to grow, resulting in a poorer quality of air to breathe as soon as we step out our homes.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), nine in 10 people globally breathe air that exceeds its guidelines on pollutant limits.

In January 2022, people living in London were advised not to exercise outdoors due to high levels of pollution.

Also, around 100 million people in Europe are also said to be exposed to long-term noise exposure above its recommended level.

It's estimated that more than 100 million people, around 20 per cent of the European population, are exposed to long-term noise exposure above WHO guidance.
You might think that parking your car under a bright street light would discourage a thief from trying to break into it, but in fact the opposite may be true.

A new study has found that vehicles are twice as likely to be broken into on a road that is well lit all night than on one where lights are switched off after midnight.

The study also found that switching off the lights on one street led to an increase in vehicle crime on nearby streets, where the lighting remained on all night.

This suggests some criminals are actively choosing to target cars on better-lit streets.

You might think that parking your car under a bright street light would discourage a thief from trying to break into it, but in fact the opposite may be true

STREETLIGHTS 'KILL OFF INSECTS' Eco-friendly light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs used in streetlamps produce more light pollution and are killing off insects, a study shows. Researchers found LED streetlights kill off nocturnal moth caterpillar populations by 50 per cent, compared to areas without the lights. Despite being seen as environmentally friendly, LED lights are even more harmful for insect populations than the traditional yellow sodium bulbs. Read more: LED streetlights kill off insect populations by half, study finds Advertisement

The study team, led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and UCL, examined crime data from Thames Valley Police, together with data on changes to street lighting in the local authorities in Oxfordshire, Reading, West Berkshire from April 2004 to September 2013.

In contrast to previous studies, the changes to street lighting involved reducing rather than increasing lighting provision.

'The reason we did this research is because many local authorities in the UK have introduced part-night lighting on quiet, urban residential roads and rural roads, which have very little use after midnight, to save energy costs and reduce carbon emissions,' said Dr Phil Edwards from LSHTM, who led the study.

'However, safety concerns about this policy have been raised.

'Our previous research showed that switching off street lights at night does not increase crime. This new study suggests switching off street lights between midnight and 6am may actually reduce some types of crime.'

Over the ten-year study period there were 283,275 crimes, of which 79,000 (28 per cent) were vehicle crimes.

After controlling for the underlying long-term and seasonal trends in crime, the team found that theft from vehicles considerably reduced on roads with part-night lighting (PNL), where street lights are switched off between midnight and 5am.

Car break-ins decreased from an average of 12 per street per month before PNL to 6 per street per month after PNL was introduced.

For street segments with dimmed lighting there was also evidence of a reduction in night-time vehicle crime relative to day-time crime, although the effect was less robust than for PNL.

There was no evidence that white lighting was significantly associated with changes in any type of night-time crime examined by the researchers.

The decrease in car break-ins on roads with with PNL coincided with a similarly significant 1.5-times increase in vehicle crime on nearby streets where the lighting remained on all night.

Car break-ins decreased from an average of 12 per street per month before part-night lighting (PNL) to 6 per street per month after PNL was introduced

However, fewer crimes were 'displaced' to these nearby locations, meaning there was an overall net reduction in crime. Thefts of vehicles was also reduced but this was not statistically significant.

There was no evidence that lighting changes were associated with changes to the levels of violence, robbery or residential burglary.

'The study findings suggest that energy saving street lighting adaptations have not increased crime in the streets studied,' said Dr Lisa Tompson, who conducted the research at UCL but is now based at The University of Waikato, New Zealand.

'This is very encouraging but it is important to note that it does not mean that this will be the case under all conditions, and so changes to lighting should be managed carefully.'

The study did not set out to find the reasons for the observed changes, but Dr Edwards suggested that offenders may consider that the costs of committing a crime outweigh the benefits.

For example, they may think that using a torch could raise suspicion among residents.

'When lighting is switched off after midnight the streets are likely to be in near darkness, which means that any would-be offenders may find it challenging to see if there are any valuable goods left unsecured in vehicles, so offenders may choose to move elsewhere to fulfil their intentions,' he said.

Researchers suggest that criminals may think that using a torch could raise suspicion among residents

The authors acknowledge limitations of the study, including that the findings reported are for only one of the 43 UK police force areas and so the findings may not be generalisable to the national level.

Also, for some crime reports the exact time of an offence was unknown, so some vehicle crimes may have occurred either before the lights were switched off, or after they were switched on again.

'The way people use spaces is complex and multifaceted.

'This report looks at part of the picture and its valuable findings are just one piece of a bigger jigsaw. However, this should not be seen as a "one-size-fits-all" solution.

'The report also did not mention the impact that lack of lighting had on the elderly and more vulnerable in society  their fear of crime and their reluctance to leave their homes at night.'

The LANTERNS project was commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), and was published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology.
Many people count down to the day they can finally pack in their job and settle down to retire.

But if you're an extrovert, a new study may cause you to be more wary about giving up work.

Scientists from Kasetsart University in Bangkok have found key links between different personality traits and reaction to retirement.

Their findings suggest that extroverts tend to find it harder to cope after exiting the workforce, while conscientious people are more likely to enjoy packing it in early.

Extroverts tend to find it harder to cope after exiting the workforce, while conscientious people are more likely to enjoy packing in work early (stock image)

People over 60 are now the 'greenhouse bad guys' While millennials often get a bad rep, a new study suggests that when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, it's baby boomers who are the 'bad guys'. Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have revealed that people over 60 are now responsible for a third of global greenhouse gas emissions and are likely at the top of the emissions ladder. 'Older people used to be thrifty. The generation that experienced World War II was careful about how they used resources. The "new elderly" are different,' said Professor Edgar Hertwich, an author of the study. Read more Advertisement

Previous studies have focused on how different exit paths  such as mandatory or voluntary retirement  are linked to subsequent life satisfaction.

However, until now, little research has been done on how these associations may vary depending on people's personality traits.

In their new study, the team analysed data from a survey of more than 2,000 British adults aged 50-75.

The survey questions were designed to assess their levels of the 'Big Five' personality traits - extroversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism.

They were also asked about their exit path from their job, their life satisfaction after leaving, and whether or not they planned to work again.

An analysis of the results revealed that people who scored highly for conscientiousness were more likely to say they were satisfied with their life after early retirement.

Conversely, people who scored highly for extroversion were more likely to say they were dissatisfied with their life, income and leisure after retiring.

The researchers suggest that conscientiousness may act as a 'psychological buffer', with people who scored highly for this trait being more proactive at finding new ways to fulfil their lives.

Extroverts, on the other hand, might miss social relationships they had at work, according to the researchers.

The researchers hope the findings could be used to develop interventions and policies to boost the wellbeing of ageing adults.

In their study, published in PLOS ONE, the researchers, led by Dusanee Kesavayuth, wrote: 'Our study uncovered associations between the routes people took to exit their jobs and their subsequent satisfaction with life, income, and leisure.

'These associations varied according to people's personality traits.

'Conscientious individuals were more proactive in finding new fulfilling life patterns.'

The researchers suggest that conscientiousness may act as a 'psychological buffer', with people who scored highly for this trait being more proactive at finding new ways to fulfil their lives (stock image)

The study comes shortly after researchers claimed that early retirement is bad for your health.

Researchers at Germany's Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science found that working up to the age of 67, when most Americans retire, slows their cognitive decline and can help against diseases such as Alzheimer's and other diseases that can negatively impact a person's cognitive functions.

Remarkably, the findings show that a person will benefit working longer, regardless of their gender, education level or level of job complexity.

'Our study suggests that there may be a fortuitous unintended consequence of postponed retirement,' the study's co-author, Angelo Lorenti, said.
Pipes at the landfall facilities of the "Nord Stream 2" gas pipeline are pictured in Lubmin, northern Germany, Feb. 15. The German government said Wednesday it was triggering the early warning level for gas supplies amid concerns that Russia could cut off supplies unless it is paid in rubles. AP-Yonhap





Russian gas deliveries to Europe on three main pipeline routes were stable Monday morning, with the Yamal-Europe pipeline continuing to flow eastwards from Germany into Poland.







Flows to Germany through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline across the Baltic Sea were at 71,025,104 kilowatt hours per hour (kWh/h) on Monday morning, slightly down from 73,133,575 kWh/h in the early hours of the morning, data from the pipeline operator showed.







Eastbound flows into Poland from Germany along the Yamal-Europe pipeline were at 1,471,327 kWh/h at the Mallnow border point, data from operator Gascade showed, slightly up from Sunday.






Modern military operations, whether it be combat, medical or disaster relief, require complex decisions to be made very quickly, and AI could be used to make them.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) launched a new program aimed at introducing artificial intelligence into the decision making process.

This is because, in a real world emergency situation, that might require instant choices between who does and doesn't get help, the answer isn't always clear and people disagree over the correct course of action - AI will make a quick decision.

The latest DARPA initiative, called 'In the Moment', will involve new technology that could take difficult decisions in stressful situations, using live analysis of data, such as the condition of patients in a mass-casualty event and drug availability.

It comes as the U.S. military increasingly leans on technology to reduce human error, with DARPA arguing removing human bias from decision making will 'save lives'.

The new AI will take two years to train, then another 18 months to prepare, before it is likely to be used in a real world scenario, according to DARPA.

'AI is great at counting things,' Sally A. Applin, an expert in the interaction of AI and ethics, told Washington Post, adding 'I think it could set a precedent by which the decision for someone's life is put in the hands of a machine.'

Modern military operations, whether it be combat, medical or disaster relief, require complex decisions to be made very quickly, and AI could be used to make them. Stock image

According to DARPA, the technology is only part of the problem when it comes to switching to AI decision making, the rest is on building human trust.

'As AI systems become more advanced in teaming with humans, building appropriate human trust in the AI's abilities to make sound decisions is vital,' a spokesperson for the military research organization explained.

'Capturing the key characteristics underlying expert human decision-making in dynamic settings and computationally representing that data in algorithmic decision-makers may be an essential element to ensure algorithms would make trustworthy choices under difficult circumstances.'

DARPA announced the In the Moment (ITM) program earlier this month, with the first task to work with trusted human decision makers, to explore the best options to take when there is no obvious agreed upon right answer.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) launched a new program aimed at introducing artificial intelligence into the decision making process. Stock image

'ITM is different from typical AI development approaches that require human agreement on the right outcomes,' said Matt Turek, ITM program manager.

'The lack of a right answer in difficult scenarios prevents us from using conventional AI evaluation techniques, which implicitly requires human agreement to create ground-truth data.'

For example, algorithms used by self-driving cars can be based on ground truth for right and wrong driving responses - based on traffic signs and rules of the road.

When the rules don't change, hard coded risk values can be used to train the AI, but this won't work for the Department of Defense (DoD).

Fully autonomous Black Hawk helicopter takes to the skies without a pilot for the first time A fully autonomous Black Hawk helicopter has taken to the skies over the US without a human pilot on board for the first time. A partnership between Lockheed Martin Sikorsky and the Defence Armed Research Projects Agency (DARPA), it took off from Fort Campbell in Kentucky on February 5. Without anyone on board, the UH-60A Black Hawk completed a 30 minute flight above the US army installation, with a second flight held on February 7. It comes with an optionally piloted cockpit, that has to be switched from pilot, to autonomous mode - allowing an onboard computer brain to control the vehicle. During the flight the Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) autonomous pilot was presented with a series of simulated obstacles to overcome. It had to execute a series of pedal turns, maneurvers and straightaways before carrying out a perfect landing back on the Fort Campbell runway - without any human intervention. The autonomous helicopter could be used to deliver supplies to dangerous war zones, or recover soldiers without risking a pilot. Advertisement

'Baking in one-size-fits-all risk values won't work from a DoD perspective because combat situations evolve rapidly, and commander's intent changes from scenario to scenario,' Turek said.

'The DoD needs rigorous, quantifiable, and scalable approaches to evaluating and building algorithmic systems for difficult decision-making where objective ground truth is unavailable.

'Difficult decisions are those where trusted decision-makers disagree, no right answer exists, and uncertainty, time-pressure, and conflicting values create significant decision-making challenges.'

To solve the problem, DARPA is taking inspiration from the medical imaging analysis field.

In this area, techniques have been developed for evaluating systems even when skilled experts may disagree.

'Building on the medical imaging insight, ITM will develop a quantitative framework to evaluate decision-making by algorithms in very difficult domains,' Turek said.

'We will create realistic, challenging decision-making scenarios that elicit responses from trusted humans to capture a distribution of key decision-maker attributes.

'Then we'll subject a decision-making algorithm to the same challenging scenarios and map its responses into the reference distribution to compare it to the trusted human decision-makers.'

The program has four technical areas, covering different aspects of research.

The first looks at creating decision-maker characterization, that aims to identify key attributes of humans tasked with making decisions in the field.

The second will be to create a score between a human decision-make and an algorithm - with the goal of creating algorithm decisions that humans can trust.

The third will be to create a program, based on these scores, that can be evaluated, and the fourth will be to create policy and practice for its use.

It will be three and a half years before the final stage is reached, according to DARPA, with the first two years spent building a basic AI and testing it on different scenarios.

The second half, covering the final 18 months, will involve expanding the capabilities of the AI and testing it on more complex events with multiple casualties.

NATO are also working to create AI assistants, that can help with decision making, in this case a triage assistant in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University.

Colonel Sohrab Dalal, head of the medical branch for NATO's Supreme Allied Command Transformation, told Washington Post triage could do with a refresh.

This is the process where clinicians visit soldiers to asses how urgent there care is, and hasn't changed much in the past 200 years.

His team will use NATA injury data, alongside casualty scoring systems, predictions and input on a patients condition to pick who should get care first.

'It's a really good use of artificial intelligence,' Dalal, a trained doctor, said. 'The bottom line is that it will treat patients better [and] save lives.'
Manchester United are reportedly looking into including Anthony Martial to help fund a move for Tottenham star Harry Kane.

Frenchman Martial joined Sevilla on loan in January after becoming frustrated with his game time at Old Trafford but the Spanish side do not have an option to buy him.

The 26-year-old could still be one of a few departures in attack this summer with United looking to revamp their forward line in the transfer window.

ESPN claim Old Trafford chiefs are monitoring England captain Kane, but that his price tag exceeding 100million is a insurmountable stumbling block.

Manchester United are reportedly looking into including Anthony Martial (L) to help fund a move for Tottenham star Harry Kane (R)

Martial joined Sevilla on loan in January after becoming frustrated with game time at United

But the report adds there is hope Martial moving to north London - either in a completely separate deal or as a makeweight in a Kane deal - would help reduce the financial outlay.

The same outlet states Tottenham have enquired about Martial's availability in recent seasons but that the player's preference - if he does leave Old Trafford permanently this summer - is a move to Serie A or for another stint in LaLiga.

Martial - who joined United in 2015 in a 36m move from Monaco - has scored one goal in eight appearances on loan at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.

United are hoping to sweeten any potential transfer with Spurs by including Martial in the deal

But the France international could be among a number of attackers to depart Old Trafford this summer, with veteran forward Edinson Cavani set to leave on a free transfer.

There are also doubts about Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford's futures, which could lead to a major attacking shake-up once the new permanent manager is put in place.

Benfica striker Darwin Nunez has been linked as a potential incoming, but he will reportedly only join if United manage to finish in the top four this season.

Martial - who has a contract at United until 2024 with the option of another year - has scored 79 goals in 269 appearances across all competitions for the club.
Advertisement

A 200-year-old Chinese mansion in Bangkok's heart isn't an obvious place for a scuba school, but in a city relentlessly demolishing its architectural heritage the business is helping preserve the historic home.

Dive instructor Poosak Posayachinda's family has owned the traditional teak-walled So Heng Tai for eight generations, but it lives on thanks largely to his decision to convert it into a scuba academy.

The survival of the building, originally built as a home and office for the family business trading birds' nests with China, is a rare success story in a city that harbours little sentiment  or legal protections  for historic architectural gems.

Dive instructor Poosak Posayachinda owns this 200-year-old Chinese mansion in Bangkok's heart - and a scuba school is helping to preserve the historic home

Dive instructor Poosak Posayachinda's family has owned the traditional teak-walled So Heng Tai for eight generations

In 2004 Poosak installed a four-metre-deep pool (above) in the So Heng Tai courtyard, subsequently teaching more than 6,000 students

'It's because people want to make more money  that's the bottom line,' Bangkok-based American architect Bill Bensley told AFP.

The city's breakneck reinvention over recent years has seen gleaming malls and flashy condos fly up, and buildings like the art deco Scala movie theatre and 1920s British embassy come down.

Thai law only protects properties over 100 years old and there is limited political enthusiasm for safeguarding old architecture at the expense of profitable development.

For families with historic properties, the annual costs of maintenance can be a huge liability, according to historian and archaeologist Phacha Phanomvan.

'We don't have a lottery fund or trust body that comes in to save heritage,' she said.

The diving school has helped pay the bills on the property's upkeep, which Poosak estimates at up to $25,000 (19,000) a year, but maintenance is a struggle, he says

For families with historic properties, the annual costs of maintenance can be a huge liability, according to historian and archaeologist Phacha Phanomvan

'On a rainy day you find lots of water spots. Sooner or later we will have to do the whole roof again and that's a lot of money,' Poosak told AFP. Pictured above is scuba diving student Pijitra Siriaiyara plunging into Poosak's courtyard pool

So in 2004 Poosak installed a four-metre- (13ft-) deep pool in the So Heng Tai courtyard, subsequently teaching more than 6,000 students.

The diving school has helped pay the bills on the property's upkeep, which Poosak estimates at up to $25,000 (19,000) a year, but maintenance is a struggle.

'On a rainy day you find lots of water spots. Sooner or later we will have to do the whole roof again and that's a lot of money,' Poosak told AFP.

While the culture ministry keeps a national heritage database, Phacha said many properties are not registered and fall through the cracks.

'For individual owners without state assistance... it's better for them to sell the property. Sell the individual building and then sell the (land),' she said.

Dive instructor and property owner Poosak Posayachinda is pictured above, standing on the steps of the So Heng Tai mansion's courtyard

A portrait of Thailand's former King Rama I hangs above family pictures at the So Heng Tai mansion in the Talad Noi neighbourhood of Bangkok

Adding to the challenge is a growing collectors' market for teak from Thai wooden houses, she said  some are even dismantled, relocated, and reassembled to become boutique hotels elsewhere.

'You want to keep these properties where they are... You're essentially robbing Bangkok of its (history),' she said.

Photographer Ben Davies spent five years documenting neighbourhoods for his book Vanishing Bangkok, an experience that left him despondent.

'Something like [30 to 40 per cent] of the buildings and communities I photographed had either disappeared or changed virtually beyond recognition,' he told AFP.

And in the rush to develop, Davies says it is unclear how much of Bangkok's heritage will remain in a decade.

'I have a horrible feeling that one day Bangkok will be, outside of its temples and few palaces, (a) unrecognisable but (b) have lost so much of its identity and character so it will look like any other megacity around Asia,' he said.

Photographer Ben Davies spent five years documenting neighbourhoods for his book Vanishing Bangkok, and says in the rush to develop it is unclear how much of Bangkok's heritage will remain in a decade. Pictured above is a visitor sitting outside the entrance to the So Heng Tai mansion

Elsewhere in the region offers Thailand possible solutions, notably Singapore, which has won praise since the late 1980s for its heritage protection efforts.

Its strategy examines the entire city-island holistically with conservation going hand-in-hand with planning, says Yeo Kang Shua, an architectural history expert at the Singapore University of Technology and Design.

Underpinning the scheme is the 'three R' principles: maximum retention of buildings, sensitive restoration and careful repair.

'In the 1980s a lot of owners deemed it a death sentence for their properties to be given conservation status, but today because of the rarity of such buildings in Singapore, the real estate prices are... enormous,' he told AFP.

Despite the challenging environment, there are some signs of change in Bangkok.

Pictured above is the juxtaposition of old and new in the Talad Noi neighbourhood of Bangkok

In recent years a prominent Sino-Thai business family renovated dilapidated Chinese 1850s warehouses, turning them into the Lhong 1919 'riverside heritage destination'.

It now houses a shrine and has become a space for exhibitions, concerts, pop-ups, cafes and food vans  and there are plans for a wellness resort.

Back at So Heng Thai, Poosak takes his students through their paces.

Channelling the attitude of his ancestors  who came to Thailand with 'one pillow and one mattress'  he's determined to save his family home.

'If someone comes to give me an offer, the answer is no, simple as that, no matter how much it is,' he said.
Advertisement

With a two-kilometre (2,023m, 6,637ft) span between its towers, the '1915 Canakkale Bridge' in Turkey has become the world's longest suspension bridge.

It connects the European and Asian shores of the Dardanelles Strait - a key waterway - from Gelibolu on the European side of Turkey's northwestern province of Canakkale, with the town of Lapseki on the Asian side.

The bridge allows travellers to cross the Dardanelles - which connects the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara - in just six minutes compared to the previous 90 minutes by ferry, a journey that including waiting times could extend to five hours.

With a two-kilometre (2,023m, 6,637ft) span between its towers, the '1915 Canakkale Bridge' in Turkey has become the world's longest suspension bridge

The bridge allows travellers to cross the Dardanelles - which connects the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara - in just six minutes compared to the previous 90 minutes by ferry

The bridge's architecture is awash with symbolism. Its central span of 2,023 metres is in recognition of the year 2023, when Turkey celebrates the centenary of the founding of the Turkish Republic following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire

The '1915 Canakkale Bridge' cost 2.5billion euros ($2.7billion/2.1billion) to build but Turkey will save 415million euros ($458million/348million) per year from a reduction of fuel consumption and carbon emissions. The bridge's toll will be 200 Turkish lira ($13.60/10.30).

The bridge's architecture is awash with symbolism. Its central span of 2,023 metres is in recognition of the year 2023, when Turkey celebrates the centenary of the founding of the Turkish Republic following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.

The height of the bridge's towers is 318 metres (1,043ft) - a nod to March 18 (or 3/18), when Turkey commemorates soldiers killed during the Gallipoli sea and land battles.

The height of the bridge's towers is 318 metres (1,043ft) - a nod to March 18 (or 3/18), when Turkey commemorates soldiers killed during the Gallipoli sea and land battles

The '1915 Canakkale Bridge' cost 2.5billion euros ($2.7billion/2.1billion) to build but Turkey will save 415million euros ($458million/348million) per year from a reduction of fuel consumption and carbon emissions

Speaking at the inauguration, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said: 'The 1915 Canakkale Bridge (pictured above) will leave this history of collision and conflict behind and will be a bridge between East and West, starting a new era of peace and prosperity'

The World War I Gallipoli campaign by the Entente powers - Britain, France and Russia - aimed to secure a naval route from the Mediterranean Sea to Istanbul through the Dardanelles, and take the Ottoman Empire out of the war. The April 25, 1915, Gallipoli landings marked the start of a fierce battle that lasted for eight months. Around 44,000 Allied troops and 86,000 Ottoman soldiers died in the fighting.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on March 18, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: 'Turkey has overtaken Japan, which has the longest bridge in the world in terms of the midspan, and has taken the first place.'

The inauguration was timed to coincide with the 107th anniversary of Turkey's World War I naval victory over the joint British and French fleet attacking the Dardanelles. The failure of the naval campaign led to the ill-fated 1915 landings on the Gallipoli peninsula by the allies, led by Britain and France, along with troops from Australia and New Zealand.

The bridge was built by a consortium of Turkish and South Korean companies, and South Korean Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum also attended the inauguration.

He said the bridge would strengthen the bonds between Turkey and South Korea, adding: 'The 1915 Canakkale Bridge will leave this history of collision and conflict behind and will be a bridge between East and West, starting a new era of peace and prosperity.'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, pictured above speaking at the opening ceremony in March, said: 'Turkey has overtaken Japan, which has the longest bridge in the world in terms of the midspan, and has taken the first place'. South Korean Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum is seen here to the left of the Turkish President
Two high-profile Aussie influencers have admitted they cheated on their exes when they first started dating.

Mikaela Testa, 22, and boyfriend Atis Paul, 21, were both seeing other people when they secretly began hooking up about two years ago.

OnlyFans star Mikaela spoke about the early days of their romance during a Q&A with her 155,000 Instagram followers last week.

Scandalous: High-profile Aussie influencers Mikaela Testa and Atis Paul have admitted they both cheated on their exes when they first got together

A fan asked if the couple had 'cheated on your ex's [sic] with each other?'

Mikaela responded with a photo of herself in a bikini while kissing Atis in the ocean, and simply wrote: 'Yes.'

The genetically blessed pair, who live on the Gold Coast, are two of Australia's most successful - and controversial - influencers.

Atis, a 'crypto bro' who is reportedly worth millions, is the brother of fellow influencer Anna Paul, who, like Mikaela, has a huge following on OnlyFans.

Hard questions: OnlyFans star Mikaela, 22, revealed during an Instagram Q&A last week she and Atis were dating other people when secretly began hooking up about two years ago

Mikaela, who makes about $160,000 a month selling X-rated content on OnlyFans, only just returned to Instagram after a previous ban.

She had her hugely popular account suspended for posting raunchy content, but has since started a new one that has amassed more than 100,000 followers.

According to Instagram's terms of service, accounts that violate the platform's community guidelines may be permanently banned without warning.

Racy: The genetically blessed pair, who live on the Gold Coast, are two of Australia's most successful - and controversial - influencers. (Pictured left: Atis Paul; and right: Mikaela Testa)

There is no way to retrieve an account once it has been permanently banned.

Mikaela was banned from TikTok in 2020 for breaching 'multiple community guidelines'.

Her content, which includes videos of sexual acts, is not censored on OnlyFans.
She is known for her famous figure and lyrical prowess.

But Iggy Azalea also has a talent for horse riding, and showed off her skills during a lesson at a ranch in Malibu on Tuesday.

The Fancy rapper, 31, certainly looked the part in a colourful polo shirt and jodhpurs, which drew attention to her curvy derriere.

Giddy up! Iggy Azalea showed off her horse riding skills at a ranch in Malibu on Tuesday

Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a fishtail plait, and she opted for natural-look makeup for her session.

Iggy also donned a safety helmet and riding boots to complete her outfit.

After a few circuits of the ranch, she slowed to a trot then returned the horse to the stables.

Bootylicious: The Fancy rapper, 31, certainly looked the part in a colourful polo shirt and jodhpurs, which drew attention to her curvy derriere

In action: Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a fishtail plait, and she opted for natural-look makeup for her session

Done for the day: After a few circuits of the ranch, she slowed to a trot then returned the horse to the stables

Iggy recently announced she was taking a break from music for 'a few years' to focus on 'other creative projects'.

She said last year her most recent album, End of an Era, would be her last for a while.

'End of an Era is so special to me because after I drop my album next month I am going to take a few years to focus on other creative projects and things Im feeling passionate and inspired by, beyond music,' she tweeted.

Happy days: Iggy recently announced she was taking a break from music for 'a few years' to focus on 'other creative projects'

Time out: She said last year her most recent album, End of an Era, would be her last for a while

She's a natural! Iggy also donned a safety helmet and riding boots to complete her outfit

'Im excited for you guys to see different sides to me in the future.

'Shifting my energy and focus to what Im most excited about is what is right for me and I hope youll continue to support whatever creative projects Im out here doing!

'I really love this album and I just want my fans to enjoy this with me.'

She went on to release a makeup line which has been popular with consumers.

When she's not working on creative pursuits, Iggy is busy being a mum to 16-month-old son, Onyx, whom she shares with ex-boyfriend Playboi Carti.

Changing: 'Im excited for you guys to see different sides to me in the future,' she said last year
Married At First Sight star Ella Ding has reacted to news her co-star Olivia Frazer lost her job at a prestigious Sydney school because of her nasty behaviour on the show.

The beautician, 27, who is friends with Olivia's arch rival Domenica Calarco, said the former teaching assistant only had herself to blame for the professional setback.

Ella told Yahoo that while she felt bad for Olivia, who claims she is too afraid to leave her house due to the fierce public backlash, she could have made things easier for herself by apologising to Domenica for how she treated her in the experiment.

Having her say: MAFS star Ella Ding (left, with Selina Chhaur) has reacted to news her co-star Olivia Frazer lost her job at a prestigious school because of her nasty behaviour on the show

Olivia became MAFS' most-hated villain this season after uncovering a nude photo of Domenica, 29, and sharing it among the cast, outing her as an OnlyFans model.

'I wouldn't wish it upon anyone to not feel safe to leave their house, and I have heard that Olivia feels that way,' Ella said.

She added that viewers were particularly angry at Olivia because anyone who has been bullied or shamed is 'putting themselves in Dom's shoes'.

Spitting facts: Ella (right), who is best friends with Olivia's arch rival Domenica Calarco (left), said the former teaching assistant only had herself to blame for the professional setback

Ella then suggested things wouldn't have been so bad for Olivia if she had just said sorry to Domenica on the show or during an interview.

But instead she doubled down on her actions, and even claimed she felt 'no empathy' for her rival.

'She could have apologised when it aired. She could have apologised in interviews. There have been plenty of opportunities for her to just say, "You know what, I'm actually sorry," and it would probably help her and make her look like the bigger person,' Ella said.

She's not wrong! Ella told Yahoo that while she felt bad for Olivia, who claims she is too afraid to leave her house due to the fierce public backlash, she could have made things easier for herself by apologising to Domenica for how she treated her in the experiment

Feud: Olivia (pictured) became MAFS' most-hated villain this season after uncovering a nude photo of Domenica, 29, and sharing it among the cast, outing her as an OnlyFans model

She also noted the window of opportunity for Olivia to make a proper apology to Dom was getting smaller by the day, adding: 'You can't really apologise a year later.'

It comes after Olivia told 2Day FM's Hughesy, Ed & Erin on Tuesday the last few weeks had 'been hell', admitting she'd lost her job 'as a direct result of this show'.

She was previously a teaching assistant at the prestigious King's School in North Parramatta, which bills itself as Australia's oldest independent school.

She now claims she is too afraid to leave the house and has completely removed herself from social media because of the hostile public reaction.

Not happy: It comes after Olivia told 2Day FM's Hughesy, Ed & Erin on Tuesday the last few weeks had 'been hell', admitting she'd lost her job 'as a direct result of this show'

But when asked by the radio hosts if she 'regretted' going on MAFS, she replied: 'I don't as I've got some beautiful girlfriends from it... and I don't, as I've got Jackson.'

Olivia and her on-screen 'husband' Jackson Lonie agreed to stay together at their final vows, which aired on MAFS on Monday night.

The couple are still together months after filming wrapped.

The bright side: Olivia and her on-screen 'husband' Jackson Lonie (right) agreed to stay together at their final vows, which aired on MAFS on Monday night

Married At First Sight hit new levels of drama this month when Domenica smashed a wine glass in anger after clashing with Olivia at the couples' retreat.

This altercation led to an even bigger scandal a few episodes later when Olivia got her revenge by 'outing' Dom as an OnlyFans model.

She reportedly asked her friends to 'dig up dirt' on Dom, which resulted in the discovery of a nude photo she had posted on Twitter in early 2021.

Domenica had shared the image on her public Twitter profile to promote her OnlyFans account, which has since been deleted.

Explosive: Married At First Sight hit new levels of drama this month when Domenica, 29, smashed a wine glass in anger (pictured) after clashing with Olivia, 28, at the couples' retreat

The photo quickly spread through the MAFS cast via WhatsApp, and was addressed at the first dinner party following the couples' retreat.

Domenica was humiliated to learn her co-stars knew about her OnlyFans account and had seen her naked, and eventually broke down in tears.

Olivia refused to apologise for uncovering and sharing the photo.

While the distribution of the image was described by many viewers as 'revenge porn', it does not appear to meet this legal definition because the nude photo was posted publicly on social media.

Regardless, the matter is subject to an ongoing NSW Police investigation after a complaint was made to Inner West Police on March 19.

Scandal: This altercation led to an even bigger scandal a few episodes later when Olivia got her revenge by 'outing' Dom as an OnlyFans model. She reportedly asked her friends to 'dig up dirt' on Dom, which resulted in the discovery of a nude photo she'd posted on Twitter in 2021

Following the nude photo scandal, the pair's feud deepened when Olivia made hurtful comments at the final dinner party about Domenica's sex life.

She claimed Dom had told the other brides early in the experiment her 'husband' Jack Millar suffered from premature ejaculation, which understandably hurt his feelings.

'In week two, when you were in my apartment, in front of all us girls, you said Jack can't f**k you right because he c**s too quickly,' Olivia said spitefully.

Clash: Following the nude photo scandal, the pair's feud deepened when Olivia (right) made hurtful comments at the final dinner party about Domenica's (left) sex life

'Saying all those awful things about your husband is completely wrong,' she added, as Jack's face fell at the news.

'I do not appreciate that it was brought up in a public setting after all this time,' he said.

Dom argued her comments had been taken out of context, as the women had been discussing intimacy with their partners that week.

Married At First Sight continues Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine and 9Now
More than eight decades after gracing the silver screen, one of the more recognizable prop pieces from The Wizard Of Oz has sold in auction.

The Tin Man's oil can from the 1939 classic film was just bought, via Kruse GWS Auctions, by one lucky bidder for $250,000.

The highly sought-after can had been predicted to snag around $200K, but in the end it brought in an extra $50K, according to TMZ.

Hollywood history: One lucky bidder bought the Tin Man's oil can from the classic 1939 film The Wizard Of Oz for $250,000 during auction, via Kruse GWS Auctions

The prop is a real oil can, and among the five cans that were used during filming, according to the product description page; although other experts have maintained there were actually three of them.

Initially, Jack Haley, the actor that played the iconic role of the Tin Man in the film got to take home an oil can once the shoot for the film wrapped.

Sadly, this particular oil can is one of the only original pieces left from the Tin Man's iconic costume, as the rest of the outfit has gone missing.

For all to see: The oil can is currently on display at the Academy Of Motion Pictures Museum in Los Angeles through November 2022

The piece of Hollywood memorabilia only just went up for sale for the first time ever earlier this year, which would explain why it was in such high demand.

The oil can is currently on display at the Academy Of Motion Pictures Museum in Los Angeles through November 2022.

According to Kruse GWS Auctions, the museum is interested in letting the winning bidder keep the golden prop at the gallery after the loan agreement ends.

Iconic: The prop is real oil can, and among the five cans that were used during filming of The Wizard Of Oz, according to the product description page; although other experts have maintained there were actually three of them

Along with Haley (Tin Woodman/Kansas farmhand Hickory), the iconic musical starred Judy Garland in the lead role of Dorothy Gale, alongside the likes of Frank Morgan (The Wizard Of Oz), Ray Bolger (Scarecrow/Kansas farmhand Hunk), Bert Lahr (Cowardly Lion/Kansas farmhand Zeke), Billie Burke (Glinda the Good Witch of the North) and Margaret Hamilton (Wicked Witch of the West/Miss. Almira Gulch).

The ensemble cast also included Charley Grapewin (Uncle Henry), Pat Walshe (Nikko the Winged Monkey King, Clara Blandick (Aunt Em) and Mitchell Lewis (the Winkie Guard Captain), among others.

Lost over time: Sadly, this particular oil can is one of the only original pieces left from the Tin Man's iconic costume, as the rest of the outfit has gone missing

The film, which was an adaption of L. Frank Baum's 1900 children's fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz and directed by Victor Fleming, was only moderately successful upon its release in August 25, 1939.

But it went on to receive critical success, and was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It would win two Oscars for Best Original Song for Over The Rainbow and Best Original Score by Herbert Stothart.

According to the Library of Congress, The Wizard Of Oz is the most seen film in movie history.
Zoe Kravitz shared her thoughts about Will Smith's slap seen 'round the world on Tuesday in dueling Instagram posts.

The 33-year-old star of The Batman called out the Academy Awards ceremony in her captions, where she said 'we are apparently assaulting people on stage now.'

The actress  who avoided mentioning either Smith or his target Chris Rock by name  was in attendance at Sunday's shocking show.

Sharing her mind: Zoe Kravitz, 33, initially posted a photo of her gorgeous pink Oscars outfit before calling out Will Smith for slapping Chris Rock in her caption on Tuesday

Zoe's post initially looked as if it was a fairly standard way for her to show off her gorgeous pale pink Saint Laurent off-the-shoulder dress, which featured a large bow in front of one shoulder, but she made her point in her caption.

'here's a picture of my dress at the show where we are apparently assaulting people on stage now,' she wrote matter-of-factly.

To make sure there wasn't any confusion about her target, she quickly followed it up with a second post, which featured her stunning side profile in a backless white Saint Laurent dress that hugged her curves and featured a high neck.

'And here is a picture of my dress at the party after the award show -where we are apparently screaming profanities and assaulting people on stage now,' she added in her second caption.

No questions: 'And here is a picture of my dress at the party after the award show -where we are apparently screaming profanities and assaulting people on stage now,' she added in a second post featuring her Vanity Fair Oscars party look

Fury: Smith derailed the Oscars ceremony when he slapped presenter Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife's shaved head, which was a response to her alopecia; seen Sunday

It's unclear if Zoe was actually in the audience at the moment that Smith slapped Rock, as attendees were rotated in and out of the theater throughout the evening.

However, she did find herself in even closer contact with the King Richard star when she attended the Vanity Fair Oscars Party later in the evening.

Rather than looking contrite, Smith seemed to be having the time of his life as he danced with family and his famous friends while brandishing his new Oscar.

He was so care free that he reportedly sang along with his 1998 hit Gettin' Jiggy Wit It.

After his slap at the Oscars, Smith won the Best Actor prize for King Richard. In his rambling, tearful acceptance speech, he spoke about defending his family and apologized to the Academy and his fellow nominees, but not Rock.

On Monday, he shared an apology statement to Instagram that included the comedian.

Close call: Zoe found herself in closer contact with the King Richard star when she attended the Vanity Fair Oscars Party later in the evening; seen Sunday

Party time: Rather than looking contrite, Smith seemed to be having the time of his life as he danced with family and his famous friends while brandishing his new Oscar

'Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last nights Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jadas medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally,' he wrote.

'I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.'

Zoe's former stepfather Jason Momoa, who has separated from her mother Lisa Bonet, was at the Oscars ceremony to represent his film Dune and to join his costar Josh Brolin as a presenter.

He had a front-row view of Smith's slap and also addressed it while chatting with People, though he was far more equivocal.

'I was pretty shocked,' he said at the Vanity Fair party. 'I don't know. You just never know where people are at, you know? There's a tipping point for everyone, right? I've had my places.

'He can ask for forgiveness. Sometimes you're just sensitive. We're all sensitive. I'm not walking in his shoes, [but] I've definitely been in places like that,' he said.'
Claire Sweeney has revealed that she made just 5,000 last year due to the pandemic.

The Brookside actress, 50, explained that coronavirus had 'decimated' her industry and prevented her from getting work in 2021.

However, the soap icon sold her holiday villa in 2019 for 804,000 and was fortunately able to 'sit it out comfortably' despite the taxes she paid on the sale.

'It broke my heart': Claire Sweeney has revealed that she made just 5,000 last year due to the pandemic

Asked how much she earned in 2021, Claire told The Sunday Times: 'Under 5,000. Our industry was decimated. Thankfully I'd sold a house in Spain, in 2019, so I was blessed that I could sit it out comfortably.

'It was a big house in Mallorca that I'd bought in 2004 for 690,000 (580,000). It broke my heart to sell but it was in its own grounds, and my little boy didn't want that - he wanted to be with other kids.

'I sold it for 950,000 (804,000), but I had to pay Spanish taxes and English taxes.'

Funds: The Brookside actress, 50, explained that coronavirus had 'decimated' her industry and prevented her from getting work in 2021

Bank balance: However, the soap icon sold her holiday villa in 2019 for 804,000 and was fortunately able to 'sit it out comfortably' despite the taxes she paid on the sale (pictured with her six-year-old son Jaxon)

It comes after Claire revealed her weight loss secrets ahead of starring in Cabaret All Stars in April.

She opened up about her plans to look her 'physical best' as she is set to wear a 'fabulous catsuit' in the show.

The theatre star recently confessed the upcoming show is 'out of her comfort zone' despite having appeared in Chicago and 9 To 5 The Musical.

New show: Claire revealed her weight loss secrets ahead of starring in Cabaret All Stars in April (pictured this month)

Claire said in an interview with Closer: 'This show has got a really raunchy feel to it, laced with lots humour.

'I wear a fabulous catsuit! I find it really liberating that I'm going to get completely outrageous and I am going to sing the song Light My Fire with a big band arrangement - and I think they're actually going to set fire to me while I'm doing it.'

The mother-of-one added: 'This does all mean that I want to look my physical best. So the plan is to start going to the gym and hot yoga five days a week, because it's amazing for weight loss and strengthening my core.'
Firefighters work at the site of a shelling attack in the Kirovsky District, southwestern Donetsk, on March 30. AP-Yonhap



Russian forces pounded areas around Kyiv and another Ukrainian city overnight, local officials said Wednesday, just hours after Moscow pledged to scale back military operations in those places. The shelling further tempered optimism about possible progress in talks aimed at ending the punishing war.



Russia did not spell out what exactly a reduction in activity would look like, and while the promise initially raised hopes that a path toward ending the bloody war of attrition was at hand, Ukraine's president and others cautioned that the commitments could merely be bluster.



Moscow, meanwhile, reacted coolly Wednesday to Kyiv's proposed framework for a peace deal, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying it was a "positive factor" that Ukraine has submitted its written proposals but adding that he saw no breakthrough.



The British Defense Ministry said heavy losses have forced some Russian units to return to Belarus and Russia to regroup but that Moscow would likely compensate for any reduction in ground maneuvers by using mass artillery and missile barrages. And the Russian military reported a new series of missile strikes on Ukrainian arsenals and fuel depots over the past 24 hours.






The acclaimed Amazon Prime Video series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is back up shooting the fifth and final season in New York City.

And on Tuesday the show's star, Rachel Brosnahan, was spotted shooting some streets scenes along the sidewalk and at a bus stop.

Later, the actress flashed big beaming smiles while in character as the perky Miriam 'Midge' Maisel, as she sat out front of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Midtown Manhattan.

... And action!: Rachel Brosnahan, 31, was back in character as Miriam 'Midge' Maisel while shooting season five of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in New York City on Tuesday

Set in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Brosnahan, was the picture of retro fashion decked out in a striking red ensemble, consisting of a plaid skirt and cropped jacket.

Knowing that Mrs. Maisel has a keen eye for detail and color-coordinating her outfits, the costume department also included a pair of perfectly matched leather gloves and heels.

The accessories also included a red purse under her arm and a red hat over her dark brown tresses that were styled with plenty of soft curls, albeit 1960 retro.

Her overall look was rounded out with off-white stockings and of course, Mrs. Maisel's trademark glowing and infectious smile.

Making the NYC rounds: One of the sets for this particular episode of the Amazon Prime Video series was out in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Midtown Manhattan

Lunch: The Wisconsin native enjoyed one of New York's famous deli sandwiches on the set

Break in action: : Wasting little time, the actress dug into her sandwich and pickle on the stairs

Not messing around: The actress got playful and flashed her version of a more serious face

At one point during the shoot, the actress could bee seen enjoying a classic New York City deli sandwich during her afternoon rest on a stairway, which is a short walk from the city's famed Rockefeller Plaza.

Filming for the fourth season of the period comedy-drama series was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, it would take just over two years and two months between seasons three and four.

Less than a week after its latest debut this past February 11, the show was renewed for a fifth and final season.

Scene meal: It appears as though the sandwich may have been used for the scene

Laughs: It didn't take long before the actress burst out into laughter

'Take five': The crew for the acclaimed series appeared to be getting set up for the next scene after the direct yelled: 'Cut'

NY deli: The show has often used delis as backdrops for scenes in the first four seasons

Upon the news that Midge's story will soon coming to an end, Brosnahan took to Instagram to share her feelings about the decision, which she called 'bittersweet.'

'A few days ago we started shooting Season 5 (!) of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel,' she began in the February 17 post.

'It's bittersweet. The band is back together again and we can't wait to share season 4 with you starting tomorrowit's also going to be our last rodeo. Rest assured our t**s are up and it's going to be a hell of a final chapter. Stay tuned.'

Break: After working with the crews, Brosnahan sat back and waited until filming resumed

Season five underway: The actress also shot some street scenes for the episode, which will be part of season five

Along with Bronahan, the series stars Alex Borstein (Susie Myerson), Tony Shalhoub (Abe Weissman, Midge's father), Marin Hinkle, Michael Zegen Joel Maisel (Midge's estranged husband), Kevin Pollack (Moishe Maisel, Joel's father), Caroline Aaron (Shirley Maisel, Joel's mother), and Luke Kirby (Lenny Bruce).

The show has garnered a strong fan base and widespread critical acclaim throughout its run.

During its first three seasons it has won numerous awards, including Primetime Emmys and Golden Globes for the series, costumes, and individual acting nods for Brosnahan, Borstein, Shalhoub, among others.

End in sight: Brosnahan called the news of the show ending after season five: 'Bittersweet'
Sean Penn was spotted out in London on Tuesday night as he dined with his estranged wife Leila George.

The 61-year-old actor and Leila, 30, were seen leaving Scott's restaurant in Mayfair after recently returning from a charity trip to the Ukraine border together.

Sean has been filming a VICE documentary on Russia's invasion of Ukraine in recent weeks.

It takes two: Sean Penn was spotted out in London on Tuesday night as he dined with his estranged wife Leila George

Sean and Leila married in July 2020 after four years of dating but last October she filed for divorce, seemingly marking the end of Sean's third marriage.

On Tuesday night, the pair were reunited though with Penn looking dapper in his charcoal suit, which he dressed with with a grayblue sweater.

Following steps behind him was Leila, who looked chic in a tan trench coat.

Looking good: Sean and Leila married in July 2020 after four years of dating but last October she filed for divorce, marking the end of Sean's third marriage

Covered up: On Tuesday night, the pair were reunited though with Penn looking dapper in his charcoal suit, which he dressed with with a grayblue sweater

Both she and Sean were seen wearing black masks to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has been surging in the UK due to the BA.2 subvariant, which is even more transmissible than the Omicron variant.

After stepping out of the upscale restaurant, which specializes in seafood, Sean and Leila got into a waiting car.

Also leaving the restaurant around the same time was Ex Machina star Alicia Vikander, though it wasn't clear if she had been dining with Penn and his companion.

She stood out in the evening with her gray-and-white checkered tweed jacket, which she wore unbuttoned over a simple white shirt.

Low key: The pair kept their distance from one another on the walk to the car

Safety first: Both she and Sean were seen wearing black masks to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has been surging in the UK due to the BA.2 subvariant

Woman in white: Also leaving the restaurant around the same time was Ex Machina star Alicia Vikander. She stood with her gray-and-white checkered tweed jacket, which she wore unbuttoned over a simple white shirt

Black and white: The brunette beauty contrasted the outfit with her dark jeans, and she rounded it out with white sneakers and a black overcoat that she draped over one arm

Sean's sighting with Leila comes after he was seen reuniting with his estranged wife earlier in the month in Los Angeles.

The pair have also both been sharing Instagram posts from their joint trip to Ukrainian refugee camps in recent days.

Leila has been working with CORE, Sean's charity, confirming she has now travelled to Poland in a Wednesday Instagram post.

The actor and director confirmed that he had married George in July 2020 via a civil ceremony over zoom, but she filed for divorce in October of last year.

At the time of their LA reunion, Sean had just returned to the US following a brief trip to war-torn Ukraine.

Working together: The pair have also both been sharing Instagram posts from their joint trip to Ukrainian refugee camps in recent dayy

Back on the border: Leila has been working with CORE, Sean's charity, confirming she has now travelled to Poland in a Wednesday Instagram post

On the ground: On Monday, Sean shared a clip of himself driving around Ukraine. 'I was in Lviv, Ukraine today with CORE Co-Founder and CEO @annyounglee and our team, strategizing with local governance & NGO's to scale up our in-country programs,' he wrote

The Milk star said on Twitter that both he and his film crew decided to abandon their car and move on foot toward the Polish border after seeing thousands of Ukrainian residents fleeing for safety, which left lines of vehicles stretching for miles.

He described passing cars filled with women and children, with their only possession of value being the vehicle they were traveling in.

Later in March, he returned to Poland to set up a center in the country for his CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) charity to distributed supplies to refugees.

On Monday, he shared a short clip of himself in an SUV as he drove around Ukraine.

'I was in Lviv, Ukraine today with CORE Co-Founder and CEO @annyounglee and our team, strategizing with local governance & NGO's to scale up our in-country programs. Had a very good meeting with Gov. Maksym Kozytskyy,' he wrote.

On Saturday, Sean urged the Academy Awards to have Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speak remotely at the ceremony, and he urged viewers to boycott if Zelensky wasn't featured to speak about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

He also claimed he would 'smelt' his Oscars once he returned to the US if Zelensky wasn't featured.

It's unclear if Penn, who appears in an acclaimed role in Paul Thomas Anderson's Oscar-nominated film Licorice Pizza, will follow through, as Zelensky didn't make an appearance during the show.
Jim Chapman has married his fiancee Sarah Tarleton.

Sharing the surprise news with his followers on Instagram, the model and YouTuber revealed he tied the knot for the second time in a low-key ceremony at Santa Barbara Courthouse on Monday.

Jim, who welcomed his first child with Sarah in September, also shared he and Sarah decided to get legally married ahead of their wedding celebration in Spain, and they had the 'loveliest evening' marking the occasion with their loved ones.

Wedding bells! Jim Chapman has married his fiancee Sarah Tarleton. The model and YouTuber revealed he tied the knot for the second time at Santa Barbara Courthouse on Monday

In a joint post Jim and Sarah shared a trio of snaps from their wedding, including one of their first kiss as husband and wife.

Another image showed the pair proudly posing with their baby daughter, with Sarah sporting a chic white collared dress for her nuptials.

Jim and Sarah captioned their post: '28.3.2022, Santa Barbara Courthouse, Mr and Mrs Chapman.

Romantic: In a joint post Jim and Sarah shared a trio of snaps from their wedding, including one of their first kiss as husband and wife

'Before our wedding celebration in Spain we decided to do the paperwork and get hitched. The happiest day together and the loveliest evening celebrating with friends and family in LA.'

In September Jim and Sarah revealed they'd welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Margot Grace Alba.

Sharing the first picture of their baby girl, Sarah wrote on Instagram: 'Margot Grace Alba Chapman. 5/9/2021. Special. Thankyou to my midwives Aika and Sarah - you are superwomen.'

Adorable: Another image showed the pair proudly posing with their baby daughter, with Sarah sporting a chic white collared dress for her nuptials

Jim and Sarah got engaged in July 2020, 16 months after the influencer announced his split from wife Tanya Burr.

The couple confirmed they were expecting a baby in March 2021 in an exclusive interview with MailOnline.

At the time, the vlogger insisted he wanted to 'shout the news from the rooftops' and said the update had already brought them 'unmeasurable joy.

Sweet: In September Jim and Sarah revealed they'd welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Margot Grace Alba

Jim told MailOnline: 'We're super excited to finally share our news. I've wanted to shout it from the rooftops since Sarah took the pregnancy test!

'The joy this little person has brought us already is immeasurable. We can't wait to proudly show our baby off to friends and family, and when we're ready, the world.'

Jim went public with Sarah in June 2019, three months after announcing his split from YouTuber Tanya Burr, 32, who he was with for 12 years, and married for three.

Getting married! Jim and Sarah got engaged in July 2020, 16 months after the influencer announced his split from wife Tanya Burr

In November 2020, actress Tanya spoke of her split from Jim for the first time, saying there was 'no drama' and she hoped to always be in his life.

She said: 'I've been there, where I've seen someone saying, "Ooh, have you heard so-and-so and so-and-so have split?" and then thought, "Let me look that up," it's what people do.

'I'm not angry with anyone. People are just being people. It's hard and horrible. I'll never google myself again.

'All that matters is what Jim and I think, it's boring  he's still my best friend. We've been best friends for 12 years, people will want some drama from it. We're always going to be in each other's lives, hopefully.'

Tanya and Jim had been in a relationship since December 2006 after meeting at sixth form college in Norwich.

They got engaged in 2012 in New York, before tying the knot at Babington House, Somerset, in September 2015.

The former couple were last pictured together at The British Fashion Awards in 2018, before announcing their separation a year later.
Dressed in suitably Edwardian attire, Amara Okereke hopes we will soon grow accustomed to her face.

For the rising star has landed the part of Eliza Doolittle in a West End production of My Fair Lady and celebrated by posing for the latest Tatler.

Miss Okereke, 25, has already played Cosette in Les Miserables, Laurey in Oklahoma! and Polly in The Boy Friend.

Amara Okereke has landed the part of Eliza Doolittle in a West End production of My Fair Lady and celebrated by posing for the latest issue of Tatler magazine

The 25-year-old has already played Cosette in Les Miserables, Laurey in Oklahoma! and Polly in The Boy Friend

But it is a dream come true to be the West Ends first black Eliza.

She takes on the role, made famous by Julie Andrews on stage and Audrey Hepburn in the 1964 film, at the London Coliseum in May.

Miss Okereke, who grew up in Yorkshire, tells Tatler: Id watched clips of Julie Andrews in the original since I was a child. I felt like I knew the part inside out.

She added: I can appreciate the seriousness of being the first black person to ever play a role and appreciate the seriousness of telling peoples stories, but I still need to see the thing as a whole. Musicals are meant to bring people joy.

Miss Okereke also compared Eliza to climate activist Greta Thunberg.

Both of them have fire inside them, she said.

Miss Okereke, who grew up in Yorkshire, will become the first black Eliza when she stars in the show at the London Coliseum in May

Just because older, male politicians are calling Greta names, it doesnt mean she changes her opinion or the things shes fighting for are invalid.

'Eliza is like that too - she questions everything. Shes a fighter.

My Fair Lady tells the story of Cockney flower girl Eliza, who is turned into a lady with the help of phonetics professor Henry Higgins.

Broadway director Bartlett Sher, who chose Miss Okereke to play the titular role, said: It was a huge search to find our Eliza.

The role was made famous by Julie Andrews on the stage and Audrey Hepburn in the 1964 film (pictured)

It took three or four months, and we went through a lot of people. It was only at the very last minute Amara came in and we instantly knew we had the one.

Id seen everybody and Amara was easily the best. But her casting does create different resonances for the piece, making it about race as well as class, so its time to explore them.

The West End production will see Higgins, played by Downton Abbey star Harry Hadden-Paton, and his mother, Mrs Higgins, played by Dame Vanessa Redgrave.

The May issue of Tatler is available on newsstands from tomorrow and via digital download.
George Clooney was seen behind the camera directing the film adaptation of Daniel James Brown's 2013 novel The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

While on set of his latest project in London, England, on Monday, the 60-year-old actor sported a padded black jacket and a pair of dark-wash jeans.

He paired his laid-back look with a neon green safety vest with grey stripes and his blue-tinted aviator sunglasses perched on top of his head.

Working hard: George Clooney was seen behind the camera directing the film adaptation of Daniel James Brown's 2013 novel The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

The two-time Oscar winner, who is serving as both a producer and director on the movie, also wore a N95 respirator amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

He will be directing a star-studded cast, which includes Joel Edgerton, Jack Mulhern, Sam Strike, Luke Slattery, Thomas Elms, Tom Varey, Bruce Herbelin-Earle, Wil Coban, and Hadley Robinson.

Additionally, Callum Turner will be involved.

Behind the camera: While on set of his latest project in London, England, on Monday, the 60-year-old actor sported a padded black jacket and a pair of dark-wash jeans

Handsome: He paired his laid-back look with a neon green safety vest with grey stripes and his blue-tinted aviator sunglasses perched on top of his head

Browns best-selling novel is about the true story behind the University of Washingtons rowing team that traveled to the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin to represent the United States.

The athletes ultimately brought home gold.

Like the book, the film will also follow the men's financial struggles during the Great Depression.

Fascinating: The project is focused on the University of Washington's rowing team during the 1930s from their beginnings to winning the gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

Deadline describes the plot as one about a 'triumphant underdog story.'

Last month, Clooney was spotted on the set of his new romantic comedy, Ticket To Paradise in Australia.

Ticket To Paradise is due for release in October this year, with high expectations for its success because of the reuniting of George and Julia Roberts after box-office successes Ocean's Eleven and Ocean's Twelve in the early 2000s.

Popular: Ticket To Paradise is due for release in October this year, with high expectations for its success because of the reuniting of George Clooney and Julia Roberts (right) after box-office successes Ocean's Eleven and Ocean's Twelve in the early 2000s

The plot of Ticket To Paradise sees Clooney and Roberts star as a divorced couple who, on hearing their daughter plans to get married in Bali, race to the island to stop her from 'making the same mistake they once made'.

The movie also stars Billie Lourd as Dever's best friend, who travels with her to Bali where she decides to marry a local.

Writer-director Parker formerly created The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
Married At First Sight star Olivia Frazer has had to endure public scorn and even lost her job during her time on the hit reality show.

But even more heartbreak could be in store for the former teaching assistant, based on an explosive new trailer for the two-part MAFS reunion special.

The promo for the finale, which airs on Sunday and Monday, appears to show Olivia and 'husband' Jackson Lonie don't go the distance as a couple.

On the rocks? Married At First Sight star Olivia Frazer (right with groom Jackson Lonie) has had to endure public scorn and even lost her job during her time on the hit reality show. But even more heartbreak could be in store

Jackson and Olivia are seen sitting next to each other on the couch as a man is heard asking, 'Do you want to share the big news?'

Expert Mel Schilling then asks, 'Who ended the relationship?'

A visibly shocked Samantha Moitzi says to Al Perkins, 'Theyre breaking up,' while groom Jack Millar removes his glasses and gasps, 'Oh no.'

While the trailer suggests it's Jackson and Olivia who split up, it could just be a case of clever editing as all other evidence points to them still being together.

Shook: A visibly shocked Samantha Moitzi says to Al Perkins, 'Theyre breaking up,' while groom Jack Millar (left, with bride Domenica Calarco) removes his glasses and gasps, 'Oh no'

Ruse? While the trailer suggests it's Jackson and Olivia who split up, it could just be a case of clever editing as all other evidence points to them still being together

The apparent bombshell comes after star Ella Ding reacted to news Olivia had lost her job at a prestigious Sydney school because of her nasty behaviour on the show.

The beautician, 27, who is friends with Olivia's arch rival Domenica Calarco, said the former teaching assistant only had herself to blame for the professional setback.

Ella told Yahoo that while she felt bad for Olivia, who claims she is too afraid to leave her house due to the fierce public backlash, she could have made things easier for herself by apologising to Domenica for how she treated her in the experiment.

Having her say: MAFS star Ella Ding (left, with Selina Chhaur) has reacted to news Olivia lost her job at a prestigious school because of her nasty behaviour on the show

Olivia became MAFS' most-hated villain this season after uncovering a nude photo of Domenica, 29, and sharing it among the cast, outing her as an OnlyFans model.

'I wouldn't wish it upon anyone to not feel safe to leave their house, and I have heard that Olivia feels that way,' Ella said.

She added that viewers were particularly angry at Olivia because anyone who has been bullied or shamed is 'putting themselves in Dom's shoes'.

Spitting facts: Ella (right), who is best friends with Olivia's arch rival Domenica Calarco (left), said the former teaching assistant only had herself to blame for the professional setback

Ella then suggested things wouldn't have been so bad for Olivia if she had just said sorry to Domenica on the show or during an interview.

But instead she doubled down on her actions, and even claimed she felt 'no empathy' for her rival.

'She could have apologised when it aired. She could have apologised in interviews. There have been plenty of opportunities for her to just say, "You know what, I'm actually sorry," and it would probably help her and make her look like the bigger person,' Ella said.

She's not wrong! Ella told Yahoo that while she felt bad for Olivia, who claims she is too afraid to leave her house due to the fierce public backlash, she could have made things easier for herself by apologising to Domenica for how she treated her in the experiment

Feud: Olivia (pictured) became MAFS' most-hated villain this season after uncovering a nude photo of Domenica, 29, and sharing it among the cast, outing her as an OnlyFans model

She also noted the window of opportunity for Olivia to make a proper apology to Dom was getting smaller by the day, adding: 'You can't really apologise a year later.'

It comes after Olivia told 2Day FM's Hughesy, Ed & Erin on Tuesday the last few weeks had 'been hell', admitting she'd lost her job 'as a direct result of this show'.

She was previously working as a teaching assistant in Sydney's Western Suburbs, which bills itself as Australia's oldest independent school.

She now claims she is too afraid to leave the house and has completely removed herself from social media because of the hostile public reaction.

Not happy: It comes after Olivia told 2Day FM's Hughesy, Ed & Erin on Tuesday the last few weeks had 'been hell', admitting she'd lost her job 'as a direct result of this show'

But when asked by the radio hosts if she 'regretted' going on MAFS, she replied: 'I don't as I've got some beautiful girlfriends from it... and I don't, as I've got Jackson.'

Olivia and her on-screen 'husband' Jackson Lonie agreed to stay together at their final vows, which aired on MAFS on Monday night.

The couple are still together months after filming wrapped.

The bright side: Olivia and her on-screen 'husband' Jackson Lonie (right) agreed to stay together at their final vows, which aired on MAFS on Monday night

Married At First Sight hit new levels of drama this month when Domenica smashed a wine glass in anger after clashing with Olivia at the couples' retreat.

This altercation led to an even bigger scandal a few episodes later when Olivia got her revenge by 'outing' Dom as an OnlyFans model.

She reportedly asked her friends to 'dig up dirt' on Dom, which resulted in the discovery of a nude photo she had posted on Twitter in early 2021.

Domenica had shared the image on her public Twitter profile to promote her OnlyFans account, which has since been deleted.

Explosive: Married At First Sight hit new levels of drama this month when Domenica, 29, smashed a wine glass in anger (pictured) after clashing with Olivia, 28, at the couples' retreat

The photo quickly spread through the MAFS cast via WhatsApp, and was addressed at the first dinner party following the couples' retreat.

Domenica was humiliated to learn her co-stars knew about her OnlyFans account and had seen her naked, and eventually broke down in tears.

Olivia refused to apologise for uncovering and sharing the photo.

While the distribution of the image was described by many viewers as 'revenge porn', it does not appear to meet this legal definition because the nude photo was posted publicly on social media.

Regardless, the matter is subject to an ongoing NSW Police investigation after a complaint was made to Inner West Police on March 19.

Scandal: This altercation led to an even bigger scandal a few episodes later when Olivia got her revenge by 'outing' Dom as an OnlyFans model. She reportedly asked her friends to 'dig up dirt' on Dom, which resulted in the discovery of a nude photo she'd posted on Twitter in 2021

Following the nude photo scandal, the pair's feud deepened when Olivia made hurtful comments at the final dinner party about Domenica's sex life.

She claimed Dom had told the other brides early in the experiment her 'husband' Jack Millar suffered from premature ejaculation, which understandably hurt his feelings.

'In week two, when you were in my apartment, in front of all us girls, you said Jack can't f**k you right because he c**s too quickly,' Olivia said spitefully.

Clash: Following the nude photo scandal, the pair's feud deepened when Olivia (right) made hurtful comments at the final dinner party about Domenica's (left) sex life

'Saying all those awful things about your husband is completely wrong,' she added, as Jack's face fell at the news.

'I do not appreciate that it was brought up in a public setting after all this time,' he said.

Dom argued her comments had been taken out of context, as the women had been discussing intimacy with their partners that week.

Married At First Sight continues Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine and 9Now
She attended the chaotic Oscars ceremony on Sunday to present a tribute to Juno with her costars Elliot Page and J.K. Simmons.

And Jennifer Garner looked as if she was taking it easy on Tuesday as she recovered from the ordeal while spending some quality time with her son Samuel around Los Angeles.

The 49-year-old actress was seen taking a stroll in the city's tony Brentwood neighborhood as she and her 10-year-old  whom she shares with her ex-husband Ben Affleck  held hands.

Motherson bonding: Jennifer Garner, 49, held hands with her son Samuel Affleck, 10, as they took a stroll through Los Angeles' tony Brentwood neighborhood on Tuesday

Jennifer was a master of casual style as usual, and she looked relaxed in a white shirt, which she left partially unbuttoned while rolling up the sleeves.

She had on a gray T-shirt underneath it, and she paired the items with a set of relaxed-fit blue jeans, plus casual black sneakers.

The 13 Going On 30 star wore her long brunette locks parted down the middle and fanned across her shoulders to frame her sunglasses, and she brought along a thick brown bag slung over her shoulder.

Samuel was dressed in a green polo shirt with khaki pants, green-and-white sneakers and a navy hoodie tied around his waist.

No fuss: Jennifer looked casual and relaxed in a gray T-shirt, white button-up blouse, relaxed-fit jeans and black sneakers. She was also seen on a lengthy phone call while strolling in Santa Monica

He sported shaggy blond hair and wore a mask to protect against Covid-19, though his mother went without.

Earlier in the day, Jennifer was spotted father west in Santa Monica as she took a lengthy phone call while strolling around the coastal city.

Although she was as casual as could be on Tuesday, the actress set temperatures soaring on Sunday when she walked the Oscars red carpet in Hollywood in a gorgeous red Brandon Maxwell custom off-the-shoulder dress.

She was on hand both to present the award for Best Original Screenplay and also to look back on Juno with Elliot Page and J.K. Simmons.

Woman in red: Although she was as casual as could be on Tuesday, the actress set temperatures soaring on Sunday when she walked the Oscars red carpet in Hollywood in a gorgeous red Brandon Maxwell custom off-the-shoulder dress

On stage: She announce Best Original Screenplay and paid tribute to Juno with Elliot Page and J.K. Simmons, though some fans were angered that the Academy cut out some categories from the broadcast in favor of tributes to years-old films; seen Sunday

However, the segment angered some viewers who criticized the Academy for cutting out several awards from the live broadcast, only to fill the freed-up time with tributes to years-old films like Juno.

After the ceremony, Jennifer made a splash at the Netflix Oscars after-party, which also featured appearances from Maggie Gyllenhaal and her husband Peter Sarsgaard, along with Benedict Cumberbatch, who lost out on the Best Actor trophy to Will Smith.

The ceremony was plunging into chaos after Smith marched up to the stage and slapped Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith's hair, which she had shaved to cover up bald spots due to her alopecia.
Ashlee Simpson enjoyed a Los Angeles stroll this Tuesday with her six-year-old daughter Jagger Snow Ross.

The 37-year-old sister of Jessica Simpson put an affectionate arm around her little girl, whom she shares with her husband Evan Ross.

For her latest outing Ashlee warded off the chill by wrapping a boyfriend fit black blazer over a matching t-shirt.

Baby mine: Ashlee Simpson enjoyed a Los Angeles stroll this Tuesday with her six-year-old daughter Jagger Snow Ross

She pulled on a pair of fashionably frayed and faded jeans and rounded off the ensemble with a pair of open-toed sandals.

Slinging a multicolored satchel from one bag, she accessorized with a glimmering necklace and a pair of hoop earrings.

Ashlee let her luxurious blonde hair tumble freely over her shoulders and shielded her eyes from the California rays with a pair of bronze-tinted shades.

She and Evan also share a one-year-old son called Ziggy, in addition to whom she has a son named Bronx, 13, by her ex-husband Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy fame.

Family time: The 37-year-old sister of Jessica Simpson put an affectionate arm around her little girl, whom she shares with her husband Evan Ross

Off she goes: For her latest outing Ashlee warded off the chill by wrapping a boyfriend fit black blazer over a matching t-shirt

Just two nights earlier she was swanking about at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party with Evan, whose mother is Diana Ross.

Ashlee was decked out in a sparkling Cucculelli Shaheen 'iridescent medallions dress' that flashed her cleavage and showed off her taut midriff.

The frock came with a matching pair of opera gloves, turning up the glam factor as she posed up a storm for the shutterbugs.

Mover and shaker: Ashlee let her luxurious blonde hair tumble freely over her shoulders and shielded her eyes from the California rays with a pair of bronze-tinted shades

She and Evan did not attend the Oscars, where Will Smith marched onstage and slapped Chris Rock for making a bald joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, who shaved her head because she has alopecia.

Will was seen initially laughing at the joke, but Jada grimaced and then he took to the stage to give Chris a smack across the face.

Then Will flounced back to his seat and repeatedly screamed at Chris: 'Keep my wife's name out of your f***ing mouth!'

Less than an hour after his violent outburst, Will was awarded the best actor Oscar and received a standing ovation for his tearful speech in which he called himself a 'vessel of love' and a protector of his family.

Showbiz families: Just two nights earlier she was swanking about at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party with Evan, whose mother is Diana Ross
They got their happily ever after on Tuesday's episode of Married At First Sight.

And Domenica Calarco, 29, and Jack Millar, 26, appeared to confirm they're still together during a radio interview on Wednesday ahead of the reunion next week.

Speaking on Hit WA's Allan & Carly show, the duo said they had 'nothing but love' for each other and were 'as strong as ever' - before breaking their silence on Dom's rival Olivia Frazer losing her job following the now infamous naked photo scandal.

Still going strong! Domenica Calarco and Jack Millar (pictured) appeared to confirm they're still together during a radio interview on Wednesday, ahead of the reunion show next week

The Sydney-based makeup artist said: 'Last night, Jack and I were holding each other watching it like, "Oh my God, this is magical". It was just incredible re-living that moment.'

Host Carly Portch cheekily quipped: 'That was a huge spoiler Dom, you said you were holding each other as you watched it, so safe to say you're still together? I was a little bit nervous as this was filmed a while ago...'

'Look, so much has happened between then and now, but Jack and I are as strong as ever and you'll see at the reunion - there's a bit to come,' Dom replied.

'But I think people are going to pleasantly... they're going to be happy with everything. Jack and I love each other so, so much.'

Rival: The pair were then asked about Olivia Frazer (pictured) losing her job at a prestigious Sydney school a 'direct result' of her appearance on the show

'Look at these bombs being dropped!' Jack chimed in. 'There is nothing but love for this girl, I tell you that right now.'

The pair were then asked about Olivia losing her job at a prestigious Sydney school a 'direct result' of her behaviour on the show.

Olivia, 28, became MAFS' most-hated villain this season after uncovering a nude photo of Domenica and sharing it among the cast, outing her as an OnlyFans model.

'I don't condone any of the hate messages or the comments, but I think bigger picture is that the Australian public has seen what's going on and they're not putting up with it,' Domenica said, in response to whether the sacking was 'justified'.

'At the end of the day, the large majority of people in the experiment really had no backbone or no balls to stand up and have an opinion.'

High road: 'I don't condone any of the hate messages or the comments, but I think bigger picture is that the Australian public has seen what's going on and they're not putting up with it,' Domenica said in response to whether Olivia's (pictured) sacking was 'justified'

Jack added: 'At the end of the day, we're only hearing what you guys are hearing. We're not in contact with Olivia or Jackson.

'Regardless of the actions that were taken - there has to be some level of accountability held, and a sorry really hasn't been given even to this day.

'In terms of the hate and stuff like that - no one deserves that.'

Police are currently investing a complaint made to Inner West Police on March 19 surrounding 'the alleged distribution of an image without consent'.

Domenica was pictured alongside her lawyer last Monday at Newtown police station, where she was believed to have spoken to officers about her nudes being leaked and shared among her castmates during filming last year.

Legal advice: Speaking of the paparazzi photos, Domenica said: 'I will say that I have sought legal advice, and it is in the police's hands. They have made their own statement and I guess that's out there now'

Speaking about the paparazzi photos, Domenica said: 'I will say that I have sought legal advice, and it is in the police's hands. They have made their own statement and I guess that's out there now.

'More than anything, I think it's resonated with the wider community and people are really - this has happened to so many women.

'I've received hundreds of messages from women on my Facebook, I cannot tell you how many. People saying, "Stand up for yourself Domenica, don't let this define you".

'The narrative that I'm doing OnlyFans and this whole story is still continuing. The fact is, I literally did OnlyFans in 2020. We are in 2022 right now.

'Last year when the show filmed, my OnlyFans wasn't out there. This was a photo that was circulating on the internet already.

Incident: Domenica smashed a glass on the table in rage during a heated altercation with Olivia - a pinnacle moment for the pair's rivalry

'Let's put that to bed - she didn't get the image from OnlyFans. There was no OnlyFans. She got it from either Reddit or Twitter - I still don't know to this day, and that's about all I can say on that.'

Dom concluded: 'She's got a lot of self-reflection to do, and I truly hope that she can.'

Married At First Sight hit new levels of drama this month when Domenica smashed a wine glass in anger after clashing with Olivia at the couples' retreat.

This altercation led to an even bigger scandal when Frazer got her revenge by 'outing' Calarco as an OnlyFans model.

Frazer reportedly asked her friends to 'dig up dirt' on Calarco, which resulted in the discovery of a nude photo she had posted on Twitter on January 2, 2021.

Enemies: Frazer reportedly asked her friends to 'dig up dirt' on Calarco, which resulted in the discovery of a nude photo she had posted on Twitter on January 2, 2021

Calarco had shared the image on her public Twitter profile to promote her OnlyFans account, which has since been deleted.

The photo quickly spread through the MAFS cast via WhatsApp, and was addressed at the first dinner party following the couples' retreat.

Calarco was humiliated to learn her co-stars knew about her OnlyFans account and had seen her naked, and eventually broke down in tears.

Frazer refused to apologise for discovering and sharing the photo.

While the distribution of the image was described by many viewers on Twitter at the time as 'revenge porn', it does not appear to meet this legal definition because the nude photo was posted publicly on Twitter by Calarco for promotional purposes.

Married At First Sight continues Sunday at 7:00pm on Channel Nine and 9Now
Katie Holmes bundled up in tweed when she was spotted out and about in New York City, where she lives, this Tuesday.

The 43-year-old, who shares her daughter Suri, 15, with her ex-husband Tom Cruise, was in Los Angeles just two nights prior attending the Vanity Fair Oscar Party.

When she was seen out in New York this week she cut a fashionable figure in a snappy coat thrown over a pale turtleneck.

Off she goes: Katie Holmes bundled up in tweed when she was spotted out and about in New York City, where she lives, this Tuesday

Katie pulled on a pair of light blue jeans and rounded off the ensemble with a pair of green high-heeled boots that appeared to be made of suede.

Sweeping her luxurious dark hair into a high ponytail, she warded off the rays with a large pair of brown sunglasses.

Slinging a bulging black leather purse from one arm, she carried a paper shopping bag in the other hand while making her way around the city.

Two nights prior she slipped her enviably svelte frame into a plunging black peekaboo gown by Chloe for the Vanity Fair party.

Jet setter: The 43-year-old, who shares her daughter Suri, 15, with her ex-husband Tom Cruise, was in Los Angeles just two nights prior attending the Vanity Fair Oscar Party

Her gown allowed her to flash a bit of cleavage and also played up her enviably trim midriff as she posed up a storm for the shutterbugs.

Katie exuded Old Hollywood glamour as she mingled with other celebs, including Goldie Hawn's daughter Kate Hudson and X-Men heartthrob James Marsden.

James and Katie have professional history together, having co-starred in the 1998 teen horror movie Disturbing Behavior.

Despite being at the Vanity Fair party she does not have appear to have attended the Oscars themselves, where the movie CODA won best picture.

Kicks: Katie pulled on a pair of light blue jeans and rounded off the ensemble with a pair of green high-heeled boots that appeared to be made of suede

CODA takes its name from the acronym meaning Children Of Deaf Adults, and its victory was greeted by applause in sign language.

The movie is not to be confused with a 2019 film called Coda in which Katie starred alongside Patrick Stewart, who played a classical pianist stricken with stage fright.

Katie also missed the extraordinary moment when Will Smith marched onstage and slapped Chris Rock for making a bald joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, who shaved her head because she has alopecia.

Only the best: Two nights prior she slipped her enviably svelte frame into a plunging black peekaboo gown by Chloe for the Vanity Fair party

Swanking about: Her gown allowed her to flash a bit of cleavage and also played up her enviably trim midriff as she posed up a storm for the shutterbugs

Will was seen initially laughing at the joke, but Jada grimaced and then he took to the stage to give Chris a smack across the face.

Then Will flounced back to his seat and repeatedly screamed at Chris: 'Keep my wife's name out of your f***ing mouth!'

Less than an hour after his violent outburst, Will was awarded the best actor Oscar and received a standing ovation for his tearful speech in which he called himself a 'vessel of love' and a protector of his family.
Li urges stronger action on abductions

By Xu Wei (China Daily) 08:29, March 30, 2022

A man named only as Xiaojie (second right) is reunited with his parents in Shenyang, Liaoning province, in June last year, 26 years after being abducted at age 7 in his hometown of Guiyang, Guizhou province. LI HAO/FOR CHINA DAILY

He says human trafficking is outrageous and offenders must be brought to justice

Premier Li Keqiang called on Tuesday for thorough investigation of cases involving the abduction of women and children and urged timely measures to enable their rescue, rehabilitation and return to their families.

In an instruction issued to a national teleconference of the State Council, China's Cabinet, on cracking down on human trafficking, Li highlighted the need to offer more care to the victims of human trafficking and better protect their privacy.

Li said in the instruction that human trafficking is an outrageous act, and such offenders must be brought to justice.

He called for different departments to bolster their coordination and assume full responsibility, saying that those who treat public interest issues with indifference must be held accountable.

The premier highlighted the need to refine the mechanism used to fight human trafficking, saying that crackdowns and preventive measures must be coordinated to protect the rights of women and children and uphold social justice.

Zhao Kezhi, State Councilor and Minister of Public Security, said at the teleconference that human trafficking cases must be investigated more stringently and offenders brought to justice as quickly as possible.

It is important to build a community-based work system and crime prevention network in fighting such offenses, and relevant laws, regulations and policies need to be further refined, he said.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, by the end of last year, 10,932 missing and abducted children had been found in China, thanks to a system known as Reunion, which was launched in May 2016.

The interministerial joint conference came after a high-profile case in Fengxian county, Jiangsu province, came to light. A video of a middle-aged woman being confined in a brick shack went viral on social media in late January, triggering widespread public outrage.

An official investigation found Xiaohuamei, a mother of eight children and later diagnosed with mental illnesses, had been the victim of human trafficking in the late 1990s.

The police later detained the women's husband for illegal detention and a couple for human trafficking. Another 17 officials in the county were punished for wrongdoing, including dereliction of duty, in connection with the case.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
A Merlion statue with the business district of Singapore in the background, Sep. 21, 2019. Abdul Kahar Othman, 68, who had been on death row for drug trafficking was hanged March 30, in the first execution in the city-state in over two years, rights activists said. AP-Yonhap





A Singaporean man on death row for drug trafficking was hanged Wednesday in the first execution in the city-state in over two years, rights activists said.







Singapore, which has harsh anti-drug laws, had halted executions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and last meted out capital punishment in November 2019.







Abdul Kahar Othman, 68, was hanged early Wednesday, anti-death penalty activist Kirsten Han said. The execution occurred despite pleas from rights activists, including the U.N. Human Rights office, to commute Kahar's sentence to life imprisonment. Han and several others held a small vigil outside the prison late Tuesday for Kahar.







Kahar, who came from a poor family and had struggled with drug addiction since he was a teenager, spent more time behind bars than as a free man, Han said. He was released from prison in 2005 after a decade of preventive detention. In 2013, Kahar was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to death two years later.







Kahar's incarcerations without proper rehabilitation had made it difficult for him to walk new paths, Han said.







Han, along with the U.N. and other rights groups, have expressed concerns that executions might be accelerated in the city-state after a two-year halt.







Transformative Justice Collective, a group working for the reform of Singapore's criminal justice system, said the families of seven other death row prisoners have recently received execution notices. Their cases were postponed due to legal appeals.







A Malaysian man with a mental disability may be next in line after he lost a final appeal Tuesday against his death sentence.







Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam has been on death row since 2010 for trying to smuggle less than 43 grams (1.5 ounces) of heroin into Singapore. At an earlier court hearing, his IQ was revealed to be 69  a level internationally recognized as an intellectual disability, but the court ruled Nagaenthran knew what he was doing by violating Singapore's harsh anti-drug laws.







Rights groups have urged Singapore President Halimah Yacob to pardon Nagaenthran or commute his sentence. Malaysia's leader, European Union representatives and global figures such as British business magnate Richard Branson have also joined calls for Nagaenthran's life to be spared. (AP)






Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen have made no secret of whose side they're on after Will Smith sensationally slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars in Los Angeles on Sunday.

In a series of posts on Instagram Stories on Wednesday, Isla, 46, made it clear she was 'Team Chris', sharing photos of the comedian.

Posting a publicity photo of the 57-year-old, Isla tagged Chris and included the hashtag: '#comedylegend'.

Picking sides: Isla Fisher (pictured at the the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in LA on Sunday) and Sacha Baron Cohen have made no secret of whose side they're on after Will Smith sensationally slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars in LA on Sunday

A second post uploaded to Isla's Instagram Stories shortly afterwards showed Chris with her husband of 12 years, Sacha, 50.

Isla simply captioned the photo of the two comedians with a red love heart.

It comes after fellow funnyman Jim Carrey claimed he would've sued Will, 53, 'for $200million' if he'd slapped him.

Support: In a series of posts on Instagram Stories on Wednesday, Isla, 46, made it clear she was Team Chris, sharing photos of the comedian. Pictured, Chris Rock in a photo posted to Isla's Instagram

Friends: A second post uploaded to Isla's Instagram Stories shortly afterwards showed Chris with her husband of 12 years, Sacha Baron Cohen (right)

'I was sickened. I was sickened by the standing ovation,' Jim, 60, told CBS Mornings on Tuesday of the crowd's reaction when Will won his Oscar after the attack.

'Hollywood is just spineless en masse and it really felt like this is a really clear indication that we aren't the cool club anymore.'

Jim said the incident 'cast a pall over everybody's shining moment', and described it as 'such a selfish moment'.

Smackdown: Will Smith (right) stunned the star-studded audience and movie fans alike when he walked onto the stage and smacked Chris, who was presenting the award for Best Documentary

Will stunned the star-studded audience and movie fans alike when he walked onto the stage and smacked Chris, who was presenting the award for Best Documentary.

The comedian had made a joke about Will's wife of 25 years, actress Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head. He reportedly was not aware that the actress suffered from alopecia.

'Jada, I love ya. G.I. Jane 2, can't wait to see ya,' Chris told the crowd, referring to the 1997 film, G.I. Jane, which starred Demi Moore with a shaved head.

History: Isla simply captioned the photo of the two comedians with a red love heart. Pictured, Isla and Sacha talking to Chris at a Golden Globes reception in LA in January 2007

As Will turned and made his way back down to his seat in the front row, a shell-shocked Chris told the audience: 'Oh, wow. Will Smith just smacked the s**t out of me.'

After sitting down again, a furious Will repeatedly warned Chris to 'keep my wife's name out of your f**king mouth', as the audience sat in stunned silence.

A happier Will later returned to the stage to accept the award for Best Actor for his role in King Richard, in which he portrayed Venus and Serena Williams' father.

Speaking out: It comes after fellow funnyman Jim Carrey (pictured at a screening in LA in February 2020) claimed he would've sued Will, 53, 'for $200million' if he'd slapped him

The tearful actor apologised for his earlier behaviour without directly addressing Chris in his acceptance speech.

'I want to apologise to the Academy. I want to apologise to all my fellow nominees. This is a beautiful moment and I'm not crying for winning an award,' he began.

He added: 'I'm being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people.

'I was sickened. I was sickened by the standing ovation,' Jim, 60, told CBS Mornings on Tuesday of the crowd's reaction when Will won his Oscar after the attack. Pictured with Will at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in LA in 2003

'I know to do what we do, you got to be able to take abuse. You got to be able to have people talk crazy about you.

'In this business you got to be able to have people disrespecting you. And you got to smile and you got to pretend like that's okay.'

Will addressed the attack on Instagram a day later, where he issued an apology to Chris and admitted he was 'embarrassed' by his behaviour.

Storming the stage: The comedian had made a joke about Will's wife of 25 years, actress Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head. He reportedly was not aware that the actress suffered from alopecia

'Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behaviour at last night's Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable,' he wrote.

'Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada's medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.

'I would like to publicly apologise to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be.'

'I would also like to apologise to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world,' Will later said

He added: 'There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.'

The Aladdin actor then went on to apologise to The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which hosts the Oscars.

Will also acknowledged that his actions had 'stained' the prestigious awards show.

What just happened? As Will turned and made his way back down to his seat in the front row, a shell-shocked Chris told the audience: 'Oh, wow. Will Smith just smacked the s**t out of me'

'I would also like to apologise to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world,' he continued.

'I would like to apologise to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behaviour has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us.'

He added: 'I am a work in progress.'

Winner: A happier Will later returned to the stage to accept the award for Best Actor for his role in King Richard, in which he portrayed Venus and Serena Williams' father

Meanwhile, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said they would launch a formal review into the incident amid speculation Will could be stripped of his Oscar.

'The Academy does not condone violence of any form,' The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences wrote on Twitter on Monday.

'Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world.'
The Foo Fighters have cancelled all upcoming tour dates, including shows in Australia and New Zealand, following the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins from a suspected overdose.

The band made the announcement on Wednesday, saying that the death of Hawkins at the age of 50 was a 'staggering loss'.

Hawkins was found dead in his Four Seasons hotel room in Bogota, Colombia, on Friday.

'Let's take this time to heal': The Foo Fighters have cancelled all upcoming tour dates, including shows in Australia and New Zealand, following the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins from a suspected overdose

The band was set to tour Australia and New Zealand in November and December.

'It is with great sadness that Foo Fighters confirm the cancellation of all upcoming tour dates in light of the staggering loss of our brother Taylor Hawkins,' the statement read.

'We're sorry for and share in the disappointment that we won't be seeing one another as planned.'

Tragic: Hawkins was found dead in his Four Seasons hotel room in Bogota, Colombia, on Friday

'It is with great sadness that Foo Fighters confirm the cancellation of all upcoming tour dates in light of the staggering loss of our brother Taylor Hawkins,' the band's statement read

It finished: 'Instead, let's take this time to grieve, to heal, to pull our loved ones close, and to appreciate all the music and memories we've made together. With love, Foo Fighters.'

The rockers were set to play shows later this year in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney and Perth, before heading to New Zealand. Refunds will be given to ticketholders.

Initial results released by the Colombian Attorney General's Office over the weekend reported ten different drugs in Hawkins' urine, including opioids, marijuana and benzodiazepines, a class of psychoactive drugs used to combat anxiety and insomnia, when he died.

Suspected overdose: Initial results released by the Colombian Attorney General's Office over the weekend reported ten different drugs in the rock icon's urine, including opioids, marijuana and benzodiazepines, a class of psychoactive drugs used to combat anxiety and insomnia

Hawkins' heart also weighed at least 600 grams, double that of a typical man of his age, according to the early findings reported by Colombian weekly magazine, Semana.

Concerns about the drummer's health first arose on Friday night when he began complaining of chest pains prior to a sell-out gig in Bogota.

Hotel staff called emergency services but Hawkins was unresponsive by the time security reached his room. Efforts to revive him by a private doctor and city emergency responders failed.

Hawkins was recruited by the Food Fighters in 1997 after Dave Grohl saw him playing drums for Alanis Morissette.

Scouted: Hawkins was recruited by the Food Fighters in 1997 after Grohl saw him playing drums for Alanis Morissette

No stranger to wild drug abuse, Hawkins suffered a heroin overdose in London in 2001 that left him in a coma for around a week.

In an interview last year he admitted: 'Everyone has their own path and I took it too far. I was partying in London one night, and I mistakenly did something and it changed everything.

'I believed the bull***t myth of live hard and fast, die young.

'I'm not here to preach about not doing drugs, because I loved doing drugs, but I just got out of control for a while and it almost got me.'
Carla Zampatti's daughters Bianca and Allegra Spender are yet to agree on a listing for the designer's $25million Woollahra property, almost one year after her death.

According to Realestate.com.au, the title of the 1928 Italianate-style home remains in Carla's name.

Real estate agent Georgia Cleary is advising the family on the future of the property as they decide on its next steps.

Decisions: Uncertainty over Carla Zampatti's (pictured) $25million Woollahra home as her children decide on the next steps - almost one year after her fashion designer's tragic death

However, it's believed the home won't be on the market anytime soon until Australian Fashion Week and the federal elections are over.

Carla and her ex-husband John Spender purchased the home in 1975 for $220,000 and lived there until 1986.

The designer moved back into the property after the couple split in 2009.

Next steps: According to Realestate.com.au, the title of the 1928 Italianate-style home remains in Carla's name. Real estate agent Georgia Cleary is advising the family on the future of the property as they decide on its next steps. Pictured Carla and daughter Bianca Spender

Carla, 78, died on April 3, days after a fall at an outdoor opera performance.

The mother-of-three and grandmother of nine had spent a week in hospital after the accident.

Born in Italy in 1942, Zampatti migrated to Australia with her parents in 1950 at age nine, and set up her fashion famous label at 24.

History: Carla and her ex-husband John Spender purchased the home in 1975 for $220,000 and lived there until 1986. The designer moved back into the property after the couple split in 2009

Her designs have been worn by some of Australia's most influential women, including Princess Mary of Denmark, Australia's first female prime minister Julia Gillard, Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman and Ms Berejiklian.

The trailblazing fashion designer was farewelled at a state funeral at Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral.

Carla was named Australian Designer of the Year in 1994, awarded the Australian Fashion Laureate in 2008 and a year later was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia, Australia's highest civilian honour.
Jeff Bridges said he is feeling 'terrific' as he is in remission in his battle with lymphoma.

The Big Lebowski star, 72, chat with reporters on Tuesday in promotion of his new FX show The Old Man, after production stopped for 15 months amid his health battle.

'I went through a year-and-a-half of this bizarre dream and then came back,' the Oscar winner said, according to Deadline. 'It was great to be back with the gang.'

The latest: Jeff Bridges said he is feeling 'terrific' as he is in remission in his battle with lymphoma. The actor, 72, chat with reporters on Tuesday in promotion of his new FX show The Old Man. He was snapped in 2019 in Burbank, California

The Hollywood veteran, of films such as Crazy Heart, The Last Picture Show and True Grit, revealed he was battling the blood cancer in October of 2020, and said last autumn that he was in remission.

Bridges appeared in the virtual news conference alongside his co-stars on the action thriller, including Amy Brenneman, 57, and John Lithgow, 76.

Bridges said he adapted to the series role remembering advice from his late father, actor Lloyd Bridges, who he said filmed six series in his career.

'Hes my teacher,' Bridges said of his late father, who died in 1998. 'I resist everything. Each assignment has a unique quality. This one was going to have a lot of physicality.'

The Hollywood veteran revealed he was battling the blood cancer in October of 2020, and said last autumn that he was in remission. He was snapped in LA in October of 2019

The Old Man, which is based on Thomas Perry's novel, casts Bridges as a former CIA operative named Dan Chase who finds himself hunted by a hitman. He was pictured in LA in 2019

The Old Man production has started and stopped twice, once due to the coronavirus pandemic and once to Bridges' health battle. The actor on Tuesday credited his collaborators for their consideration and support amid the tough time.

'As far as Im concerned, FX and all of the team were so considerate and gave me all of the time I needed to heal and all the support I needed,' Bridges said, according to The Wrap. 'The protocols - we were still in COVID - made me feel very safe and eager to get down to business and play.'

Brenneman credited Bridges for 'always [being] available,' as well as his upbeat candor amid the health crisis.

She said when she asked him about his recovery, he would say, 'It was weird but it was interesting - it was cool!'

Lithgow opened up about how Bridges was helpful to his older brother David, who 'was diagnosed with something very, very similar to what Jeff suffered from.

'And as soon as I told him about my brother, he immediately got in touch with him, sent him information, he never met the man. Jeff is the most big-hearted person. Its not like you are working with an actor at all. Its like you are working with a friend.'

The Old Man, which is based on Thomas Perry's novel, casts Bridges as a former CIA operative named Dan Chase who finds himself hunted by a hitman, played by Gbenga Akinnagbe.

The show also features Alia Shawkat, Bill Heck, Seem Lubany and EJ Bonilla. It is slated to debut on FX June 16.
Abbie Chatfield has come out swinging in a rant about fellow reality TV star Sam Frost.

Chatfield, 27, described Stellar magazine's decision to put Frost, 32, on their cover, as 'disgusting' during an episode of her It's A Lot podcast on Tuesday.

Abbie took exception to Sam's comparison of restrictions on the unvaccinated to 'segregation' in her tearful Instagram video back in October.

Not impressed: Abbie Chatfield (pictured) has come out swinging in a rant about her fellow reality TV star Sam Frost

'Why are they acting like she, I dont know, stood up for a feminist issue that was seen extreme at the time but now everyones like, "Yes she was right"?' wondered the radio host.

'The more time that goes on, the more proof there is that she was wrong. So why are we now giving her a Stellar cover?'

'Her publicist must be working overtime, like, how did she get that?'

Nemesis: Chatfield, 27, described Stellar magazine's decision to put Frost, 32, (pictured) on their cover, as 'disgusting' during an episode of her It's A Lot podcast on Tuesday

Frost, who quit Home and Away in December but is now believed to be fully vaccinated, addressed the 'disgusting bullying' that the unvaccinated have been subjected to in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph's Stellar magazine.

The reality TV star-turned-actress reflected on being 'torn to f***ing pieces' when she compared restrictions on the unvaccinated to 'segregation' in her tearful Instagram video in October, and stated that she's 'in no way an anti-vaxxer'.

'The bullying of unvaccinated people was disgusting. Friends I'd had for years stopped talking to me,' Sam told Stellar.

'I never said I didn't want to get it. I'm not an anti-vaxxer  are you kidding me? But I feel it's quite unreasonable to assume that everyone's going to think exactly the same way and that people are going to come to the exact same conclusion in the same time frame.'

Speaking out: Abbie took exception to Sam's comparison of restrictions on the unvaccinated to 'segregation' in a tearful Instagram video that actress posted back in October

The former Bachelorette also revealed she's only had 'good intentions'.

'I got torn to f***ing pieces. That was someone in a very vulnerable position talking about their struggles with mental health,' she said.

Sam, who joined Home and Away as Jasmine Delaney in 2017, quit the Channel Seven soap in December, two months after revealing she hadn't had the vaccine.

Seven Productions has a policy requiring all cast and crew be vaccinated against Covid; however, sources said last year Sam's exit was unrelated to the mandate.

Speaking out: In her interview, Frost revealed she's only had 'good intentions'. 'I got torn to f***ing pieces. That was someone in a very vulnerable position talking about their struggles with mental health,' she said

Sam filmed her last scenes for the soap in December at Sydney's Eveleigh Studios.

The actress sparked backlash last year when she revealed she hadn't had the Covid jab and also compared restrictions on the unvaccinated to 'segregation'.

She said in a tearful Instagram video: 'I was really hesitant about doing a video or even speaking up about this sort of thing, but I feel like it's getting to a point now in the world where there's a lot of segregation.

'There's a lot of harsh judgement and opinions being thrown around a lot and it's taking its toll on my mental health for sure, and I know people around me are struggling - particularly if they're on the side of they don't want to get vaccinated, for whatever reason.

Exit: Sam, who played nurse Jasmine Delaney on Home and Away since 2017, quit the Channel Seven soap in December, two months after revealing she she hadn't had the vaccine

'There are lots of different reasons why people are not getting vaccinated and it might be because of their medical history, their concerns, they might have family history, it could be religious reasons.'

Sam then said she hadn't been vaccinated, but claimed she had spoken to her medical doctor as well as a psychologist about her decision.

She added tearfully: 'It's a really hard time to be in society right now and you feel like you are less of a human and you feel like people judge you.

The door is open: Her former co-star Lynne McGranger (right) told Nova's Fitzy & Wippa in January that Sam was now fully vaccinated, meaning she could potentially return to the show

'And you're too scared to talk about your opinion or your feelings and part of you wants to go, "Well it's none of your damn business why I'm not! And there's good reasons why I'm not and I don't want you to judge me."'

After facing criticism for her video, Sam deactivated her main Instagram account and blocked all comments on the account for her mental health charity Believe. She has since reactivated her accounts.

Channel Seven later announced Sam's exit from Home and Away in December.

While a vaccine mandate is in place for Home and Away cast and crew, a network source said her departure was not related to this policy.
She wasn't up for any awards, but it was still a busy evening on the party front on Oscar's night for Alessandra Ambrosio.

The longtime supermodel attended no less than two bashes on Sunday, which of course prompted the fashionista to make a wardrobe change.

While the Brazilian beauty made the pages of many decked out in a plunging bodysuit and a sheer mesh skirt combination, she also hit an after party in a blue-patterned sequin that she showcased with a series of photos and a video on her Instagram page.

Sparkling: Alessandra Ambrosio, 40, showed off her fab figure in a blue-patterned sequin dress at an after party on Oscars night Sunday

With an opening along the left side of the sparkling number, Ambrosio was able to put on a leggy exhibition during the shoot that took place outside on a small patio of the establishment.

That long opening, which started from the top of her back and stretched all the way down her left leg, was stylishly held together with matching string.

In all, she dropped three photos she posted on Instagram, simply writing, 'Starry night #theafterparty #oscar2022,' in the caption.

The legendary catwalk queen gave her statuesque 5ft9.5in figure a boost in black strappy heels, and had her dark brown tresses styled with a wet look, complete with plenty of curls and a part on the left.

Revealing: The stylish number had a long opening, which started from the top of her back and stretched all the way down her left leg, held together with matching string

Glistening: The longtime supermodel had her long brown tresses styled with a wet look

She would turn her back to the camera to put the emphasis on her derriere for one of the other pictures.

There's also a photo where the longtime Victoria's Secret Angel stood face-forward with her arms out across the railing behind her, all while she flashed a seductive smile.

Ambrosio would follow up an hour later by posting a quick video of herself posing on patio and add a clip of DJ Khaled's song Shining featuring Beyonce.

'Shining #oscar2022,' she gushed in the caption, in a double meaning with the dress and the catchy tune.

Working it: Ambrosio also posted a quick video of herself posing on the outdoor patio decked out in the sparkling number with the caption: 'Shining #oscar2022

They're shining; In keeping with the 'Shining' reference, she also shared a clip of DJ Khaled's song of the same name featuring pop superstar Beyonce

Mesmerizing: The Gal Floripa co-founder also flashed a seductive look or two during the shoot

The longtime supermodel went with a completely different look when she was among the seemingly endless list of celebrities to attend the Vanity Fair Oscar Party at the Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills on Sunday.

The Brazilian-born beauty pulled her long locks into a bun when she slipped into her bodysuit-sheer mesh skirt number with dramatic sleeves that fell to the floor.

She added a pair of glitzy heeled sandals to further elongate her gams and accessorized with an embellished choker, an oversized acrylic charm and a blingy belt.

Show-stopping: Alessandra Ambrosio commanded attention in a dramatic plunging bodysuit and sheer skirt combination at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills on Sunday
The end is near for Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) and Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney) in the new trailer for the final seven episodes of Netflix's Ozark.

The streaming service split the highly-anticipated fourth and final season into two halves, with the first seven episodes debuting in late January.

Now the first footage reveals Marty is battling his conscious, as the end of their duplicitous journey nears its end, with the final episodes streaming April 29.

End is near: The end is near for Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) and Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney) in the new trailer for the final seven episodes of Netflix's Ozark

Two halves: The streaming service split the highly-anticipated fourth and final season into two halves, with the first seven episodes debuting in late January

The trailer begins with Marty pouring a drink and telling his wife, 'I'm just sick of having blood on my hands, Wendy.'

Wendy starts pouring a drink herself as Marty asks her, 'Doesn't it bother you?' as she says, 'You're so desperate to be the good guy.'

The trailer cuts to a funeral as Ruth Langmore (Julia Garner) stands up in a black dress and walks to a casket.

'She's lost her whole family because she met us,' Marty says, as Ruth reaches down for a fistful of dirt to toss on the grave... but she just drops it and walks away.

Sick: The trailer begins with Marty pouring a drink and telling his wife, 'I'm just sick of having blood on my hands, Wendy'

Back at their hotel, Wendy asks her husband, 'Why do you choose everyone else over your family? Don't back out on me when we're almost done. Don't do that to me.'

The trailer features a shot of Javi Elizonndro (Alfonso Herrera), with Marty saying, 'Javi dies, everything we've worked for just falls apart,' as we see Ruth in her car staring at a gun in the passenger seat.'

Marty was saying that last line to Ruth, who looks at him coldly and says, 'Welcome to my f***ing world.'

Dirt: 'She's lost her whole family because she met us,' Marty says, as Ruth reaches down for a fistful of dirt to toss on the grave... but she just drops it and walks away

Ruth: Ruth is seen wearing a hoodie and walking calmly up to Javi and shoots him twice, while Marty and Wendy are seen in a car as Marty tells her he's 'scared'

Ruth is seen wearing a hoodie and walking calmly up to Javi and shoots him twice, while Marty and Wendy are seen in a car as Marty tells her he's 'scared.'

He is then seen with FBI Special Agent Maya Miller (Jessica Frances Dukes), telling her, 'We're in a lot of danger,' but she replies, 'That's your choice. You're just another criminal to me now,' while Wendy is shown photographs of her in a car.

He's then seen meeting with Omar Navarro (Felix Solis), telling him he can, 'go to Mexico and reestablish your control.

Control: He's then seen meeting with Omar Navarro (Felix Solis), telling him he can, 'go to Mexico and reestablish your control

Chose: The trailer winds down with a number of dramatic shots that ends with Wendy telling Marty, 'You suggested this life,' though Marty adds, 'We... we chose this together,' but Wendy says, 'You were a good salesman,' as the trailer comes to an end

Marty is also seen talking with Ruth again who asks him, 'Do you really think all that you do is to protect your family?' while another shot shows her screaming in a car and giving two middle fingers to an SUV in the rain.

The trailer winds down with a number of dramatic shots that ends with Wendy telling Marty, 'You suggested this life,' though Marty adds, 'We... we chose this together.'

But Wendy says, 'You were a good salesman,' as the trailer comes to an end.

The drama stars Bateman as a financial advisor turned money launderer for a ruthless Mexican drug cartel.

Story: The drama stars Bateman as a financial advisor turned money launderer for a ruthless Mexican drug cartel

Plot: He moves his family, including two teenaged kids, from Chicago to rural Missouri where they've become enmeshed with local criminals, including Garner's Ruth Langmore

Success: Coming off, arguably a strong season three, Ozark has received a total of 32 Primetime Emmy nominations during its run, including two for Outstanding Drama Series

He moves his family, including two teenaged kids, from Chicago to rural Missouri where they've become enmeshed with local criminals, including Garner's Ruth Langmore.

Coming off, arguably a strong season three, Ozark has received a total of 32 Primetime Emmy nominations during its run, including two for Outstanding Drama Series.

Plus, Garner has also been recognized with an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series and Bateman grabbed an Emmy for Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series.

Following the news that the fourth season would be split into two parts, Jason said: 'A super-sized season means super-sized problems for the Byrdes. I'm excited to end with a bang(s)'.
Madeleine West was overcome by emotion after learning her house in the NSW Northern Rivers was 'about to flood' on Wednesday.

In a video posted to Instagram, the 41-year-old Neighbours actress revealed she was stranded at Sydney Airport because Ballina Airport was 'closed'.

Growing emotional, a wide-eyed Madeleine added that she'd also just found out her house was 'about to flood'.

Under water: Madeleine West was overcome by emotion after learning her house in the NSW Northern Rivers was 'about to flood' on Wednesday

Madeleine went on to criticise the Australian government's response to the ongoing flood crisis, which had left her 'bewildered'.

'This isn't a pity party. So many people have lost so much, but I'm just bewildered,' she continued.

'We're talking about the budget and where all the money's going to go, and meanwhile thousands of would-be politicians across the country are spending millions on campaigns and promotion.

Stuck: In a video posted to Instagram, the 41-year-old Neighbours actress revealed she was stranded at Sydney Airport because Ballina Airport was 'closed'

Emergency: Growing emotional, a wide-eyed Madeleine added that she'd also just found out her house was 'about to flood'. Pictured, the flood waters in Lismore on March 30

'I just have to wonder, is this the country that we imagined when we designed our constitution? Because I just don't think it is.'

Captioning the post, Madeleine wrote: 'REALITY BITES. To all my Northern Rivers neighbours. Stay safe, we will rebuild again... To Australia. Be the change you want to see. Make your vote count.'

Madeleine has been openly critical of the government, and announced her plans to run as an independent at the 2023 NSW elections earlier this month.

Aftermath: Madeleine went on to criticise the Australian government's response to the ongoing flood crisis, which had left her 'bewildered'. Pictured during the flood clean-up earlier this month

'I'm not agitating to see change anymore, I want to be change. And so today I'm formally announcing that I intend to run for state parliament at the NSW Elections next year,' she told Studio 10.

In a post on Instagram shortly afterwards, Madeleine said she was determined to make a difference after floods 'ravaged' her area.

'I dropped into @studio10au today to bring awareness to the #floods which have ravaged my region, and expressed my frustration at the cataclysmic failure of those at the top to deploy an adequate, timely response capable of ensuring the safety, lives and livelihoods of the very people who put them there,' she wrote.

'We're talking about the budget and where all the money's going to go, and meanwhile thousands of would-be politicians across the country are spending millions on campaigns and promotion,' she said

'My region needs a strong voice on the parliamentary floor. Australia needs a guarantee this will never happen again. We've talked about it enough and now is the time for action.

'I've spent many years agitating for change and now I want to BE the change. We are ready and we deserve it. Be the change you want to see. It's never too late to change everything.'

It was reported on Wednesday that Byron Bay's normally bustling CBD was underwater following heavy rainfall in the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast regions.

'I'm not agitating to see change anymore, I want to be change. And so today I'm formally announcing that I intend to run for state parliament at the NSW Elections next year,' she told Studio 10 earlier this month

Meanwhile, in Lismore the Wilsons River breached its 10.6-metre levee at 9am, sending floodwaters flowing through city streets for the second time in a month.

The Bureau of Meteorology predicted the water could reach 12 metres by late Wednesday evening, after floodwaters rose to 14.4 metres in Lismore only weeks ago.

To add to residents' anxiety, Lismore's local flood siren - which is supposed to trigger when the levee is breached - malfunctioned and failed to send out warnings across the regional city of 27,000 people.

Climate crisis: In Lismore (pictured on Wednesday), the Wilsons River breached its 10.6-metre levee at 9am, sending floodwaters flowing through city streets for the second time in a month

Nearby Ballina is also under water, with rainfall in the seven days to 9am reaching nearly 920mm - almost half of which fell in the previous 24 hours.

Flooding has also hit the village of Mullumbimby, where one resident described the area as 'a disaster site', with thousands of homes left without power.

Meanwhile, acting NSW Premier Paul Toole said 'no one could have predicted' the torrential rain that triggered the floods.
Filming for the upcoming season of The Block could be delayed for 'months' due to an unfortunate building permit delay for the South Gisborne 'farmlet' project.

The Channel Nine series, which this year is set in the Mount Macedon Ranges, Victoria, has hit a major snag which could see the show filmed throughout winter.

While the delay itself was recently reported, Woman's Day claimed on Wednesday that the delay might be a much lengthier process than first imagined - saying production might been pushed back 'by at least several weeks - if not, months.'

Delay: Filming for the upcoming season of The Block could be delayed for 'months' due to an unfortunate building permit delay for the South Gisborne 'farmlet' project. Pictured: Host Scott Came (centre) with the 2021 teams

The Block's executive producer Julian Cress told the publication that it's 'not council related, but more like plan of subdivision stuff, where you just have to sit and wait.'

'Whenever we take on something, it always comes with challenges, but we love a challenge,' he said.

For the first time in the show's history, the upcoming series will see contestants making a 'treechange' - meaning that they will be building in bushlands rather than the city.

The simple life: Next year's show will centre around a 'treechange', and will be filmed in Victoria's Macedon Ranges rather than Melbourne

It comes just weeks after host Scott Cam, 58, revealed that the 2022 contestants are already locked in and ready to build.

While he normally oversees the projects, Scott will also renovate one of the properties on the upcoming season.

A series of promo photos for the next season shows the veteran TV star exploring the site of the next build.

Tools down: The Block's executive producer Julian Cress told the publication that it's 'not council related, but more like plan of subdivision stuff, where you just have to sit and wait' Pictured: Judges Darren Palmer, Shaynna Blaze and Neale Whitaker

Last years the show was rocked by a major cheating controversy, with contestant Tanya Guccione at the centre of the scandal.

In December, the stylist made a return to reality TV with a small cameo on The Real Housewives of Melbourne.

However, The Block wasn't the Melbourne stylist's first taste of the limelight.

Tensions: The Block's Georgia Caceres (right, with husband Ronnie) went head to head with Tanya and Vito Guccione last season

In November 2021, Tanya revealed on The Kyle and Jackie O Show she was once a contestant on the popular talent show Popstars in 2001.

Jackie 'O' Henderson was a judge on the series - which birthed short-lived pop band Scandal'us - at the time, and even Kyle Sandilands made a brief appearance.

'I was 19 - I remember you guys from all the way back then,' Tanya told the radio hosts. 'You were awesome then, and awesome now.'
Eddie Redmayne enjoyed a red carpet date with wife Hannah Bagshawe at the Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore premiere in London on Tuesday.

The actor, 40. who plays the heroic wizard Newt Scamander in the Harry Potter spin-off series, cut a dapper figure as he embraced his wife, who looked stunning in a powder blue strapless gown.

The dress featured an elegant ruffled skirt and was paired with edgy studded black boots.

Wow: Eddie Redmayne enjoyed a red carpet date with wife Hannah Bagshawe at the Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore premiere in London on Tuesday

Her tresses were styled in soft waves and she sported a radiant palette of make-up.

The pair have been married since 2014 and share two children - Luke and Iris.

Fantastic Beasts' release has been marred by a string of controversies in recent months including Johnny Depp being dropped from the film in the wake of his legal woes, writer JK Rowling facing heavy criticism for her comments about the transgender community, and star Ezra Miller's arrest at a bar in Hawaii.

The third film in the Fantastic Beasts series sees Newt Scamander assemble a motley crew of wizards and witches to try and save the world.

Style: The dress featured an elegant ruffled skirt and was paired with edgy studded black boots

The team Newt and Dumbledore have put together to include Newt's brother Theseus Scamander (Callum Turner), professor Eulalie 'Lallie' Hicks (Jessica Williams), Minerva McGonagall (Fionna Glascott), and Muggle baker Jacob (Dan Fogler).

The motley crew will be joining forces to take on the powerful dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald, who seeks domination over the wizarding world.

In December, Rowling was once again forced to deny that she is transphobic as she argued for sex, not gender identity, to be the 'basis of decisions on safeguarding'.

Last week, Rowling also accused Labour of cancelling women on International Women's Day after their Shadow Equalities Minister refused to give the Party's definition for 'female'.

Anneliese Dodds said it 'depends on what the context is' when asked for the definition by BBC presenter Emma Barnett on Woman's Hour.

Reacting to the comments, Rowling, 56, posted: 'Someone please send the Shadow Minister for Equalities a dictionary and a backbone. #HappyInternationalWomensDay'

She continued in a series of tweets: 'Apparently, under a Labour government, today will become We Who Must Not Be Named Day.'

Power couple: The pair have been married since 2014 and share two children - Luke and Iris

Alongside criticising Dodds' comment, Rowling also tweeted a picture of SNP MP Joanna Cherry alongside the caption: 'This is what a woman who owns a dictionary and a backbone looks like.'

Mads Mikkelsen has taken over the villainous role of Grindewald after replacing Johnny Depp.

It was announced in 2020 that the 56-year-old Danish actor would be replacing Johnny, 58, as the dark wizard after he was denied permission to appeal his libel loss in the High Court, after they found a story that he assaulted ex-wife Amber Heard to be 'substantially true.'

Masrecently admitted he regrets not speaking to Johnny before taking over the role, adding that he didn't know if his treatment had been fair.
Australian entertainer Ernie Carroll, best known as the puppeteer behind Hey Hey It's Saturday's Ossie Ostrich, has died at the age of 92.

He passed away of natural causes on Wednesday surrounded by his family in his unit at a retirement village in Victoria.

Carroll is survived by his partner of almost 50 years Miffy Marsh, his daughter Lynne, and son Bruce.

Australian entertainer Ernie Carroll dead at 92: Puppeteer behind Hey Hey It's Saturday's Ossie Ostrich dies peacefully surrounded by his family. Pictured Daryl Somers and and Carroll

Hey Hey It's Saturday host Daryl Somers shared a heartbreaking tribute to Ernie on social media.

'It is with overwhelming sadness I announce the passing of my beloved friend and mentor Ernie Carroll,' he wrote.

'I am so grateful for Ernie's early guidance of my career. He auditioned me for the hosting role on Cartoon Corner back in early 1971.'

Tragic: He passed away of natural causes on Wednesday surrounded by his family in his unit at a retirement village in Victoria

He continued: 'He was a man of few words with a quiet countenance but when he did speak he imparted great wisdom... I loved him very much. Rest in peace Ern. Forever in my heart.'

Other fans also shared their heartbreak on Twitter, with one writing: 'Just received word that Ernie Carroll has left us at 92. My heart is very heavy right now. Farewell to a very smart, funny, and kind man.'

'Sad to hear of the passing of Ernie Carroll. A true pioneer and legend who reaches across the early days of TV to the golden years of GTV-9. He will be remembered and missed,' another wrote.

'I'm so grateful': Hey Hey It's Saturday host Daryl Somers shared a heartbreaking tribute to Ernie on social media: Pictured Daryl Somers and Ossie Ostrich

Carroll played the puppeteer and voice of Ossie from 1971 until December 1994.

He reprised his role in 2009 with the Hey Hey reunion special and later returned in 2010 after a deal was signed for at least 20 new episodes.

Carroll also worked at Geelong's 3GL radio station in the 1950s before joining a Melbourne television station as a producer for children's television in 1956.
Lizzie Cundy put on a very busty display at a recent charity event where she turned heads in a plunging denim mini dress.

The 53-year-old joined fellow stars James Argent, 34, and Kieran Hayler, 35, at London jewellers Rankins, to help raise money for the brands K9 foundation.

Lizzie looked sensational in the denim ensemble, with a plunging neck that revealed a glimpse of a black lace bralet.

Gorgeous: Lizzie Cundy, 53, put on a very busty display at a recent charity event where she turned heads in a plunging denim mini dress in London

With large gold button detail and a belted nip waist, Lizzie displayed her fantastic figure for the cameras.

The FUBAR radio host, added to the look with a pair of pointed thigh high suede boots.

Accessorising with simple jewellery and a chic pair of square rimmed silver framed sunglasses.

Stars: Lizzie joined fellow stars James Argent, 34, and Kieran Hayler, 35, at London jewellers Rankins, to help raise money for the brands K9 foundation.

Lizzie opted for a glamorous palette of make-up for the event, with a shimmering bronzed completion and a chic rose rip.

TOWIE's James looked smart in in a slate double breasted blazer with a crisp white suit and dark tie.

The star, who has recently lost a significant amount of weight followings surgery, beamed for the cameras.

Gorgeous: Lizzie looked sensational in the denim ensemble, with a plunging neck that revealed a glimpse of a black lace bralet

Fab: The star, who has recently lost a significant amount of weight followings surgery, beamed for the cameras, his auburn hair neatly parted (pictured with DJ Dr Fox)

Smart: With a smart black shirt open at the collar, the reality star wore jeans with rip detail along with a pair of smart monochrome trainers

Kieran cut a more casual casual figure, in an all black ensemble, as he posed for the cameras.

With a smart black shirt open at the collar, the reality star wore jeans with rip detail along with a pair of smart monochrome trainers.

Former Pop Idol judge Neil Fox posed with his terrier as did reality star Kieran, while Lizzie jokingly posed for the camera in a thick leather collar.

Star studded: The star-studded fund raiser which helped raise money for animals, with a range of diamond en cursed collars and broaches. Included many of the celebrities four legged friends

Posing: Kieran posed with his black Labrador who was overly excited to be there

Collared: A collar bound Lizzie poses with a female friend and her dog at the event

Famous friends: James posed with two female friends at the event

This comes after Lizzie threw her support behind Caprice Bourret following the backlash the model received over stripping naked to support the victims in Ukraine, earlier this month.

Caprice received backlash after she shared a slew of snaps of her without a stitch of clothing, and with the words 'F U WAR' written across her chest and back.

But TV personality Lizzie, 53, told MailOnline that if a cause needs her to 'wear less clothes in order to grab attention', then she is more than happy to do it.

LOL: This comes after Lizzie threw her support behind Caprice Bourret following the backlash the model received over stripping naked to support the victims in Ukraine, earlier this month (pictured posing with a friend)

Glamour: Lizzie shared a sweet snap with pal Maisie Smith on Instagram on Wednesday

Support: This comes as Lizzie threw her support behind Caprice Bourret following the backlash the model received over striping naked to support the victims in Ukraine

Lizzie took to Instagram to share a sexy photo of herself with the caption: 'Make love not war. #peace #love #saynotowar #poweroflove'.

Sitting on her bed with a copy of the self help book The Secret, the star also quoted the anti war song Imagine made famous by John Lennon.

Speaking to Mail Online Lizzie said: 'I'm backing Caprice as I feel we should promote peace in any way we can and if it means wearing less clothes and it gets attention then that's what I'm going to do'.

'I feel like we should all be doing our bit to protest about the war in our own way and which will get the most attention'.
Jesinta Franklin (nee Campbell) looked stunning when she stepped out to attend the Dior Boutique reopening in Sydney on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old hard-working model was elegant in a beige strapless gown which accentuated her svelte frame and sun-kissed decolletage.

The gown also featured two thigh-high slits, which drew attention to her slender pins.

Gorgeous: Jesinta Franklin, 30, (nee Campbell) looked stunning when she stepped out to attend the Dior Boutique reopening in Sydney on Wednesday

She complemented her ensemble with a pair of black pointy-toe stilettos while her brunette hair was tied up.

Jesinta kept her beauty look simple, accentuating her lips with a pop of nude lipstick.

She finished her look carrying a baby blue Christian Dior saddle bag.

Stylish: The gown also featured two thigh-high slits, which drew attention to her slender pins

Stylish: She complemented her ensemble with a pair of black pointy-toe stilettos while her brunette hair was tied up

Former Victoria's Secret model Georgia Fowler was also in attendance.

The 29-year-old New Zealand born beauty showed off her slender physique in a black mini dress that featured a bow tie.

Georgia opted for a Sixties-style makeup palette - wearing smokey eyes for the outing.

Turning up the heat: Former Victoria's Secret model Georgia Fowler was also in attendance

Stunning: The 29-year-old New Zealand born beauty showed off her slender physique in a black mini dress that featured a bow tie

She complemented her look wearing strappy black heels that featured a transparent front while carrying a green coloured Dior handbag.

The stunner went to the event with her partner Nathan Dalah, director and co-founder of Fishbowl.

Nathan looked casual smart in a black button-up shirt which he teamed up with beige suit pants and leather shoes.

Elegant: She complemented her look wearing strappy black heels that featured a transparent front while carrying a green coloured Dior handbag

Company: The stunner went to the event with her partner Nathan Dalah, director and co-founder of Fishbowl

Billionaire pub baron Justin Hemmes and his girlfriend Madeline Holtznagel were also in attendance.

The 49-year-old looked cool in a button up shirt which he teamed up with a black blazer and matching pants.

Madeline meanwhile set pulses racing in a sleeveless vest which featured a plunging neckline and matching trousers.

Cute: Billionaire pub baron Justin Hemmes and his girlfriend Madeline Holtznagel were also in attendance

Classy: Madeline meanwhile set pulses racing in a sleeveless vest which featured a plunging neckline and matching trousers

Stunning: She wore a full face of makeup which consisted of dewy foundation, red coloured lipstick and lashings of mascara

Madeline wore a full face of makeup which consisted of dewy foundation, red coloured lipstick and lashings of mascara.

The blonde stunner wore her long tresses in a messy ponytail.

She completed her look carrying a black handbag and heels.

Wow: Actress Tess Haubrich looked chic in a tailored black suit

Done up! For makeup, she kept it simple with bronzed cheeks, red pink lips and mascara

Australian actress Tess Haubrich looked chic in tailored black suit.

The 31-year-old elevated her outfit with a pair of white strappy heels.

For makeup she kept it simple with bronzed cheeks, red pink lips and mascara.
Zoe Kravitz's condemnation of Will Smith appears to have backfired as fans flocked to Twitter to slam the star for a historic comment about the actor's son Jaden.

After Will Smith, 53, stormed on stage during Sunday night's Oscars ceremony and smacked comedian Chris Rock following a joke he made about his wife's alopecia, Zoe hit out at the star's actions on social media.

Taking aim at Will following the attack, Zoe, 33, captioned an Instagram picture of her awards dress: 'Here's my dress at the show where we are apparently assaulting people on stage now.'

Awkward: Zoe Kravitz's condemnation of Will Smith appears to have backfired as fans flocked to Twitter to slam the star for a historic comment about the actor's son Jaden

However Twitter was quick to remind Zoe of her own murky past and brought up creepy comments she had previously made about the King Richard actor's son, now 23, when they starred in After Earth together when he was aged 14 and she was aged 24.

When asked about Jaden during an interview with V Magazine for their June 2013 issue, Zoe said: 'There were moments that I was hanging out with Jaden and thinking, I can't believe you're 14, I have to check myself, like what I say to you.'

'He has so much personality and so much swag, he is so much cooler than I am. And he's so handsome, I was always like, when you're older, you know, we'll hang outNope, that's inappropriate, you're 14.'

Problematic: However Twitter was quick to remind Zoe of her own murky past and brought up creepy comments she had previously made about the King Richard actor's son, now 23, when they starred in After Earth together aged 14 (pictured at the time)

Online users were horrified by the inappropriate remarks and branded Zoe a 'hypocrite' as they suggested she was in no position to criticise the screen star.

Another person said: 'I love Twitter for exposing these f-ing hypocrites like Jim Carret, Judd Apatow, Zoe Kravitz.

'They want to judge Will Smith (a man who's been a class act for 30 years) for one mistake, as if they haven't done worse. Get them all.'

Hitting out: Zoe, 33, captioned an Instagram picture of her awards dress: 'Here's my dress at the the show where we are apparently assaulting people on stage now'

With one person saying: 'Zoe Kravitz is also not having a good day. They really should just not even comment. Nobody is perfect. Did they really think their own dirt wouldn't be brought out too?

'Hollywood is full of hypocrites and narcissits.'

One person said: 'We're looking at Zoe Kravitz for being weird with a 14 year-old boy.'

Shocking: After Will Smith, 53, stormed on stage during Sunday night's Oscars ceremony and smacked comedian Chris Rock following a joke he made about his wife's alopecia, Zoe hit out at the star's actions on social media

A second person added: 'No way am I seeing Zoe Kravitz thirsting over 14 year-old Jaden Smith...'

Another said: 'Zoe Kravitz liking a 14-year-old... very interesting.'

One other commented on how quickly she has been cancelled, writing: 'Zoe Kravitz has the quickest rise and fall on this app lol.'

One other said: 'Nothing will ever beat how quickly the internet will switch up on someone. Yesterday Zoe Kravitz was the sexiest woman ever and today she has to beat predator allegations.'

Speaking out: Zoe also previously said of her After Earth co-star Will that he was 'sweet' and 'down to earth' after starring in the film with the Fresh Prince of Bel Air actor

Breakout role: Jaden Smith and Will Smith pictured togeher in After Earth still

A different person joked: 'Zoe Kravitz just mad at Will Smith for telling he to stay away from his son that's why she said all that.'

Another person brought up the fact that she refused to work for Essence - which has a black readership - because it wasn't 'her audience'.

The Twitter user claimed: 'Zoe Kravitz is funny. Will never forgetting working at essence and us trying to book her for interviews/covers/events etc and her team declining bcuz we "aren't her audience".

Zoe also previously said of her After Earth co-star Will that he was 'sweet' and 'down to earth' after starring in the film with the Fresh Prince of Bel Air actor.

Reaction: Online users were horrified by the inappropriate remarks and branded Zoe a 'hypocrite' as they suggested she was in no position to criticise the screen star

One other commented on how quickly she has been cancelled, writing: 'Zoe Kravitz has the quickest rise and fall on this app lol'

She told Elle in 2013: 'He's one of the kindest people I've ever met. Watching him and Jaden together, it was cool to see so much love in their father-son dynamic. He's a superstar but he's the sweetest, most normal, down-to-earth person ever.'

Zoe and Jaden, then 15, were seen walking the red carpet at the Divergent premiere together in 2015.

While the two haven't really been linked since, their families appear to have stayed close, as Will shared a snap of his daughter Willow braiding Zoe's hair.

He wrote: 'Something about this pic gets me every time! Willow Smith braiding Zoe's hair. Lenny Kravitz took this shot in Paris. The sisterly love is on [100 emoji].

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is holding an emergency board meeting to discuss disciplinary action against the star for slapping Rock.

The Twitter user claimed: 'Zoe Kravitz is funny. Will never forgetting working at essence and us trying to book her for interviews/covers/events etc and her team declining bcuz we "aren't her audience"

The Academy, which condemned Will's actions, said it was reviewing the episode but the inquiry is expected to take a few weeks, sources familiar with the matter said.

It comes after View host Whoopi Goldberg, who is also a member of the Academy, said she believes Smith will be able to keep his Oscar following the controversy but he will still face some form of punishment for the on-stage assault.

'There are consequences,' Whoopi said. 'There are big consequences because nobody is OK with what happened. Nobody, nobody, nobody.'

Speaking out: It comes after View host Whoopi Goldberg, who is also a member of the Academy, said she believes Smith will be able to keep his Oscar

Whoopi defended Smith on Monday, saying 'sometimes you behave badly' and that she believed he 'snapped.'

If the group determines Will violated its standards of conduct, members could expel the actor from the organization, revoke his Oscar, or make him ineligible for future awards.

Meanwhile wife Jada Pinkett Smith, 50, finally broke her silence on Tuesday with an Instagram post that read, 'This is a season for healing and I'm here for it.'

Will released an apology, saying his behavior was 'unacceptable and inexcusable' and left him 'embarrassed'.

Breaking her silence: Meanwhile wife Jada Pinkett Smith, 50, finally broke her silence on Tuesday with an Instagram post that read, 'This is a season for healing and I'm here for it'
He's the former Home and Away hunk who's just signed on to play colourful Sydney identity John Ibrahim in the upcoming mini-series Last King of the Cross.

And on Wednesday night, Lincoln Younes turned heads when stepped out onto the red carpet for the reopening of the Dior boutique in Sydney.

The 30-year-old old spunk ensured all eyes were on him in a white T-shirt, black blazer and matching snug trousers.

Dashing: Lincoln Younes looked suave in black suit at the reopening of the Dior boutique in Sydney on Wednesday

He capped off the dashing but casual look with a pair of black sneakers with white trim - and what looked like a fresh beard.

The talented young actor accessorised his ensemble with a leather wrist band with silver clasp.

Lincoln, who is known for his sense of fashion, wore his luscious thick black hair swept back and made the most of his smiley good looks.

Cool: The 30-year-old old spunk ensured all eyes were on him in a white T-shirt, black blazer and matching snug trousers

Suave: He capped off the dashing but casual look with a pair of black sneakers with white trim - and what looked like a fresh beard

After an exhaustive search spanning almost two years, it's understood Younes - who is half Australian and half Lebanese - beat out a number of other actors vying to play Ibrahim in the book-turned-mini-series Last King Of The Cross

Sources close to the production say that John Ibrahim - who was 'very particular' about who will play him - was impressed with Younes' acting ability and his similarly dark complexion and light eyes.

Production on the multi-part series is due to start in Sydney in the coming weeks.

Memories: Lincoln (left) shot to fame as Casey in Home and Away

Ibrahim was born in Tripoli, Lebanon and emigrated to Australia in the early '70s before making his way in Sydney's nightlife scene - a rise which will form the backdrop of the upcoming series.

Younes, meanwhile, was born and raised in Australia by his single mother but his biological father hails from Lebanon.

While still just 30 years old, Younes is something of a small screen veteran in Australia and has appeared in string of popular shows including Home and Away, Tangle, Doctor Doctor, Love Child and the US TV series Grand Hotel.
Katie Price was seen flaunting the results of her new boob job as she showcased her huge surgically-enhanced assets in a floral bikini top while away in Thailand.

The pictures were taken during a holiday with ex-boyfriend Carl Woods before they were forced to come home so the Essex native could appear in court over 'abusive and threatening behaviour' charges.

Carl, 33, has since reportedly dumped the glamour model by sending her a string of angry text messages calling her 'a cheat and a player' as he accused her of infidelity.

Wow! Katie Price was seen flaunting the results of her new boob job as she showcased her huge surgically-enhanced assets in a floral bikini top while away in Thailand

In the images, Katie could be seen sporting the swimwear and shorts before hopping on a motorbike, while Carl was nowhere to be seen at the time.

The skimpy ensemble showcased the full results of her various cosmetic surgeries as well as her tanned skin and newly tattooed arms.

The mother of five went make-up free and wore her blonde hair in two braids, while also sporting a pair of eye catching blue fluffy slippers on her feet.

Surgically-enhanced: The pictures were taken during a holiday with ex-boyfriend Carl Woods before they were forced to come home so the Essex native could appear in court over 'abusive and threatening behaviour' charges

It's over: Carl, 33, has since reportedly dumped the glamour model by sending her a string of angry text messages calling her 'a cheat and a player' as he accused her of infedelity

A source claimed Carl ended his 11-month engagement to Katie as he could no longer trust her, adding to The Sun: 'Carl believes Katie went behind his back with another man.

'He lashed out in a series of texts and accused her of lying to him and using her pals to hide the phone number of the man he thinks she's been seeing. He feels he can no longer trust her and it's the end of the road.'

The reported split came just a day after Katie ditched the engagement ring which Carl gave her, while he has now deleted all trace of their romance from his social media account.

Flaunting: In the images, Katie could be seen sporting the swimwear and shorts before hopping on a motorbike, while Carl was nowhere to be seen at the time

Sources told The Sun: 'Katie and Carl have decided to split up. It's been a difficult couple of months and their ongoing court cases have just added even more stress to the situation.

'It really seems to be over for now and they are both very sad about it. But of course no one would be surprised if they got back together.'

While Carl deleted all photographs of the pair, he and Katie still follow each other on the social media platform.

Quirky look: The mother of five went make-up free and wore her blonde hair in two braids, while also sporting a pair of eye catching blue fluffy slippers on her feet

Charges: It comes after Carl appeared before Colchester Magistrates' Court on Wednesday after being charged with 'abusive and threatening behaviour'

The news came days after Carl appeared before Colchester Magistrates' Court after being charged with 'abusive and threatening behaviour'.

The court case was referenced in the comments section of one of Carl's social media posts, as one follower questioned: 'Thought you said you didn't hit her? But up in court today.'

While Carl, who was charged with threatening behaviour, replied: 'Why don't you read what the charge is ACTUALLY for.'

One fan who was heavily defensive of Carl, wrote: 'He's in court for being threatening, not violence. Price admitted she lied about the bruise and getting punched. She should be charged for lying and wasting police time.

'It's disgusting to falsely accuse a man (or woman) of domestic violence, makes a mockery of the whole system and genuine victims.

They added: 'I feel sorry for Carl Woods he has been tangled into such a horrible mess. If he leaves her, we all know how vindictive she is and she could lie again to the police.

High spirits: Katie flashed her bright white veneers

Reaction: The court case was referenced in the comments section of one of Carl's posts, as one follower questioned: 'Thought you said you didn't hit her? But up in court today'

'If he stays, it's a permenant reminder of being with the person who falsely accued you and dragged your name through the mud.

'People are even questioning his dog owning skills because of HER track record with animals, even though it's clear he looks after Sid very well.

'Guilt by association and all that. Wouldn't want to be in his shoes, I tell you.'

Appearing to appreciate the supportive comments, Carl tagged the user and posted a couple of praising hands emojis.

Sunnies! Katie carried a pair of sunglasses in her hand in case she needed to shield from the sun

Ride or die! Katie carried the keys to the motorcycle in her hand

Carl was arrested last year after Katie was allegedly punched in the face on August 22, 2021.

He was subsequently charged under Section 4 of the Public Order Act following an incident at his home in Little Canfield, Essex last year.

The maximum sentence he faces is up to six months.

The court heard that the charge followed a row that spilled over into the street, disturbing neighbours. At one stage Carl was seen trying to force open a door, the court heard.

Drying off: Katie was seen folding a green hotel towel

Comfy! After folding the towel she placed it on the seat of the motorbike

Carl denied using 'threatening words and behaviour' following a row at his Essex home, with Mark Davies, defending, saying that Carl's argument would be that the incident was 'nothing more than a squabble'.

He spoke just to confirm his date of birth and address before answering 'not guilty' when asked to enter a plea to the public order charge.

Katie sat in the public gallery and watched her fiancee during the short session, while he smiled towards her from behind the reinforced glass of courtroom four.

Flying solo? Katie appeared to be without Carl during this stage of the holiday

Carl was granted unconditional bail and the case was adjourned for trial on June 16 at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court.

The car mechanic earlier accused others of creating a 'storyline' - insisting he and Katie only had an argument in public.

Carl claims he 'didn't lay a finger' on the glamour model and said he had 'black and white proof' to clear his name after he was charged with using threatening and abusive behaviour towards her in an incident at their house in Essex.

Maincured: Katie was sporting a fresh white polish manicure on her hands and feet

Gearing up: Katie perched on the back of the two-wheeled vehicle

Where's it gone? A day before their split was reported, Katie 's engagement ring was nowhere to be seen as she took to Instagram to post a series of videos

The mother-of-five could be seen as she showed off some sweets to her followers, without the glitzy ring on her left hand.

In a later post to her Story, her engagement ring returned, but the video appeared to be a pre-recorded advertisement, though it is unclear when this was filmed.

day before their split was reported, Katie's engagement ring was nowhere to be seen as she took to Instagram to post a series of videos.

Ticket to ride! Katie perched on the bike in the carpark

Toot toot! Katie was sat on the bike
EastEnders has been snubbed in the soap category at the BAFTA TV Awards taking place next month.

The BBC show failed to get a nod despite strong storylines, including Gray Atkins' murders which have drawn in viewers throughout the year, however Holby City - which aired its final episode this week - did get a nod.

Other notable snubs include an omission for Kate Garraway's emotional documentary Caring For Derek.

Oh no: EastEnders has been snubbed in the soap category at the BAFTA TV Awards taking place next month (pictured is Steve McFadden from the soap)

Hollyoaks was also snubbed in the Soaps category - which has been running on Channel 4 since 1995. Holby City is up against Casualty, Coronation Street and Emmerdale in the category.

Comedian, presenter and star of The IT Crowd Richard Ayoade will host the Virgin Media Bafta TV Awards ceremony for the third consecutive year as it returns to London's Royal Festival Hall on May 8.

Sadly for the BBC cast, this isnt the first time that EastEnders has been left out of the running in recent years.

Success: However Holby City (pictured) - which aired its final episode this week - did get a nod and is up against Casualty, Coronation Street and Emmerdale

Exactly the same happened in 2020 when Casualty, Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Holby City entered into fierce competition.

While Emmerdale was snubbed the following year in 2021 - just a year after they took home the gong.

It comes after Holby City fans were left devastated on Tuesday night as the Casualty spin-off came to a dramatic conclusion in the final episode after 23 years on the BBC.

The medical drama finale focused on Jac Naylor, played by Rosie Marcel who has appeared in the show since 2005, after she awoke from a life-or-death operation led by Elliot Hope (Paul Bradley) and the team to remove her brain tumour.

Stars: Hollyoaks (pictured) was also snubbed in the category - which has been running on Channel 4 since 1995

Jac asked Adrian 'Fletch' Fletcher (Alex Walkinshaw) to write her a do-not-resuscitate order, despite Elliot telling the team that he wanted to do another operation.

Fletch said: 'I just hate the thought of you giving up,' as Jac replied: 'Let me tell you about giving up. Letting this thing take control. Wipe out my mind. Leaving me delirious and doubly incontinent - that's giving up.

'I have never been clearer about anything in my life. Please do this one thing for me.'

Soon after, Jac suffered a stroke and was left braindead forcing Fletch to tell Elliot, Sacha Levy (Bob Barrett) and Max McGerry (Jo Martin) about the Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment (ADRT).

Sad: It comes after Holby City fans were left devastated on Tuesday night as the Casualty spin-off came to a dramatic conclusion in the final episode after 23 years on the BBC

And viewers were quick to take to social media, with many raging against the broadcasting giant.

One tweeted: 'I know theres bigger things going in in the world right now, yet for me, axing #Holby is the worst decision the BBC has ever made. Complete disregard for its customers & wider stakeholders. Im guessing inner politics is at play. Ridiculous!'

Another commented: 'I still cannot believe #HolbyCity was axed when viewing figures were so high & it's fanbase so loyal. I've spent 23 years of my life watching & all involved are done a great disservice by the cancellation. They didn't even get an extended episode to send it off!'

A third said: '@BBC cant believe you spent 87 million on Albert Square #Eastenders a show dying in the ratings, but you killed off #HolbyCity that was well loved and had so many stories left to be told.'

Drama: BBC . The medical drama finale focused on Jac Naylor, played by Rosie Marcel who has appeared in the show since 2005, after she awoke from a life-or-death operation led by Elliot Hope (Paul Bradley) and the team to remove her brain tumour

Elsewhere in Wednesday's BAFTA TV Award nominations, there was a notable snub for Kate Garraway's documentary Caring for Derek.

GMB star Kate has made two moving documenatries over the past two years following her husband Derek's battle with the ongoing effects of Covid.

Kate's 2021 documentary Finding Derek won a BAFTA last year but her recent follow-up Caring for Derek, following the family's adjustments after Derek returned home, failed to pick up a nod on Wednesday.

BBC favourite Line Of Duty also didn't receive any nominations despite its popularity with viewers.

Snubbed: Elsewhere in Wednesday's BAFTA TV Award nominations, there was a notable snub for Kate Garraway's documentary Caring for Derek (pictured with children Darcey, 15, and Billy, 12)

The sixth series finale, which aired in May 2021 was the most-watched episode of any drama (excluding soaps) since modern records began in 2002, with 12.8 million tuning in.

The show did receive three nominations at the Bafta TV Craft Awards in the categories for editing of a fictional programme, original music and sound on a fictional programme.

The second most viewed drama of the year, BBC1's Vigil, did receive a nod in the Best Drama category but lead Suranne Jones was overlooked for a Leading Actress nomination.

Fan favourite: BBC favourite Line Of Duty also didn't receive any nominations despite its popularity with viewers

Love Island was not nominated for reality and constructed factual shows, with Channel 4 rival Married At First Sight UK included in the category instead.

While David Thewlis was nominated for his performance in true Landscapers, Oscar nominee Olivia Colman was not.

Channel 4 series It's A Sin leads the nominations at the Bafta television awards where it is in the running for 11 gongs.

Hoping for a win: Channel 4 series It's A Sin leads the nominations at the Bafta television awards where it is in the running for 11 gongs

Landscapers has received seven nominations while Channel 4's acclaimed pandemic-set drama Help, starring Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham has earned six nods.

Another Stephen Graham led drama Time has also received six nods as has the comedy We Are Lady Parts.

There are five nominations for Sex Education and four for A Very British Scandal

The Bafta TV Awards will take place on May 8.
Amanda Holden looked typically stylish as she stepped out in a pink trouser suit on Wednesday.

The presenter, 51, displayed a hint of her cleavage in a red vest top, paired with a candyfloss hued blazer.

She slipped on flared trousers and a matching pair of stiletto heels.

Chic: Amanda Holden looked typically stylish as she stepped out in a pink trouser suit on Wednesday

Amanda wore her locks in a stylish updo and sported stylish shades.

The stylish outing comes after Amanda revealed her daughter Lexi, 16, will finish her education first before she embarks on her burgeoning modelling career.

The Britain's Got Talent judge revealed earlier this month that her eldest daughter has signed with Storm modelling agency as she follows in her mother's showbusiness footsteps.

Style parade: The presenter, 51, displayed a hint of her cleavage in a red vest top, paired with a candyfloss hued blazer

Having fun? Amanda cracked up laughing as she walked down the street

Pose: The star couldn't resist striking a pose as she headed to a cab

Hues: Charlotte Hawkins also opted for pink as she strode down the road

Speaking to The Sun, Amanda, revealed Lexi wants to balance her modelling career with university and has 'so many ambitions'.

She said: 'Lexi was approached last year and obviously we were waiting until she was 16 to sign anything. It's something she actually wants to do, so I'm taking the lead from her.

'She's a very quiet girl but she knows her own mind. She's very bright and wants to continue her studies.

'There's no pressure and we'll just see what happens. But finishing her education is very much her plan, she'll have our support whatever she decides to do.'

It comes after Amanda, who is also mother to Hollie, 10, with husband Chris Hughes, 49, previously spoke to MailOnline about Lexi signing with Storm, the agency that represented Kate Moss for 28 years.

Future: The stylish outing comes after Amanda revealed her daughter Lexi, 16, will finish her education first before she embarks on her burgeoning modelling career

Career: The Britain's Got Talent judge, 51, revealed earlier this month that her eldest daughter has signed with Storm modelling agency

She said: 'They came after her and they're very lovely and nurturing and it will be a soft, slow thing and she won't do anything until she's 18 but they want her and that's what she wants to do.

'I have to say there was quite a number of them and there's such a different mindset to how you might think modelling agencies look after the young, but they are very nurturing and very caring, all of them.

'They came after her and they're very lovely and nurturing and it will be a soft, slow thing and she won't do anything until she's 18 but they want her and that's what she wants to do.

'I have to say there was quite a number of them and there's such a different mindset to how you might think modelling agencies look after the young, but they are very nurturing and very caring, all of them.'

She said: 'Lexi was approached last year and obviously we were waiting until she was 16 to sign anything. It's something she actually wants to do, so I'm taking the lead from her'

Lexi's beautiful looks have been inherited from her TV star mum, who says maintaining her glamorous appearance even now she's in her 50s is 'part of her DNA.'

She said: 'It's rare that I've not got any makeup on.

'It's self-preservation, dignity, pride in how you look, and I've never knowingly been understated in any situation. Whenever I have been photographed or on a run or anything like that, I will always have mascara and a lip on, if not a lash, always.

'When I'm on holiday I will strip it back a little bit but even then I'll have a tinted moisturiser on and some sort of shimmery body lotion so I still look half decent while I'm roasting in the sunshine, which I love.

'I don't get sick of it it is part of my DNA I have to say that.'
She's known for her fantastic sense of style.

And Wednesday was no exception as Angelina Jolie cut an elegant figure as she got caught in the rain in Rome, Italy.

The 46-year-old looked stunning in a figure hugging wool dress, with a chic boat neck.

Gorgeous: Angelina Jolie, 46, cut a chic figure in a form-fitting dress as she got caught in the rain in Rome on Wednesday

The gorgeous slate ensemble clung to the Tomb Raider stars fantastic figure, falling just above the knee.

Wrapping up from the bad weather the Oscar winner wore an oversized black coat with extenuated collar and button detail.

Her long, glossy brown hair cascaded in loose curls past her shoulders as she made her way through the historic city.

Chic: The gorgeous slate ensemble clung to the Tomb Raider stars fantastic figure, falling just above the knee

Rainy days: The Maleficent enjoyed a personal tour of ancient buildings on a rare outing without any of her and ex-husband Brad Pitt's six children

The Maleficent Actress enjoyed a personal tour of ancient buildings on a rare outing without any of her and ex-husband Brad Pitt's six children.

Accessorising the look with a simple gold anklet and a pair of smart pointed fawn heels.

Her guide held out a black umbrella for the star, as they both wore face masks, making their way through the heavy rain.

Beautiful: Accessorising the chic look with a simple gold anklet and a pair of pointed fawn heels

Her outing comes after appearing on NBC Nightly News last week to talk about the recently renewed Violence Against Women Act.

On the segment, she spoke to Kate Snow about how the law's passing was 'a long time coming' as the system currently in place to protect survivors is 'unbelievably broken' and needs serious reform

'I think, I think this country doesn't recognise what a serious domestic violence and child abuse problem it really has,' she said. 'And I think, I think there is a reality that when somebody harms a child, if it's a stranger, the way the law looks at it, the way the law responds, it's quite strong.'

Wow: Her outing comes after appearing on NBC Nightly News last week to talk about the recently renewed Violence Against Women Act

'When it's somebody within a family, within a home, it is responded to less. And if you can imagine for the child in fact, that's, that's in many ways worse.'

She added: 'I think once you're exposed to this system, whoever you are, once you're exposed to it and you realize how unbelievably broken this system is, you have to do something to improve it.'

Jolie said the bill was 'personal to everyone' and has had her own experience with the family court system after accusing her former spouse of verbally and physically assaulting one of their six kids on a private plane in 2016.

Praise: Angelina Jolie lauded the recently renewed Violence Against Women Act, a federal law first established in 1994 and reauthorized under President Joe Biden on Tuesday as part of a $1.5 trillion spending bill which also prevented a government shutdown

'It is personal to everyone,' Jolie said. 'Everyone who cares about family, everyone who cares about children, everyone who cares about their own safety and the health of their community.'

He was cleared of any wrongdoing after an investigation by both the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services and the FBI.

'My children's health is my priority at this moment,' she added. 'And my focus for the last few years has been to help my family and  to focus on helping change laws to protect other families and other women and focus on their stories.'

Talk about it: The longtime human rights activist told Kate Snow and NBC Nightly News on Wednesday that the law's passing was 'a long time coming' as the system currently in place to protect survivors is 'unbelievably broken' and needs serious reform

Angelina and Brad began dating in 2004 after meeting on set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith and married in 2014.

She filed for divorce two years later, though, in 2016 citing 'irreconcilable differences' and it was finalised in 2019.

They've continued battling in court for custody of four of their six children who are still legally minors, and a host of properties acquired throughout their marriage.

Ruth Glenn of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Glenn spoke about the significance of the reauthorization, saying, 'Many, many survivors who have not had their needs addressed previously will now have their needs addressed.'

In addition to funding for Pell Grants and other programs, the act was also part of a bill which provided billions in emergency aid to Ukraine.
Delilah Belle Hamlin showed off her model credentials as she stepped out in West Hollywood to walk her dog, named Love, on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old model, whose father is actor Harry Hamlin and mother is Lisa Rinna, looked effortlessly stylish dressed head to toe in PrettyLittleThing.

She ditched her bra underneath a paper thin white crop top that boasted asymmetrical buttons and flaunted her toned abs underneath.

Stunning: Delilah Belle Hamlin proved her model credentials as she stepped out in West Hollywood to walk her dog, Love, on Wednesday

The beauty, who split from boyfriend Eyal Booker earlier this year, teamed the vest with a pair of multicoloured marble-print trousers.

Holding an iced coffee in one hand, she strolled down the street in a pair of white trainers, while her French Bulldog trotted along beside her.

Keeping the cold at bay, she also wore a brown jacket off her shoulders, and added a chunky necklace and silver hoop earrings.

Fashion forward: The 23-year-old model, whose father is actor Harry Hamlin and mother is Lisa Rinna looked effortlessly stylish dressed head to toe in PrettyLittleThing

Her blonde locks were swept up in a messy ponytail, while she hid her eyes behind burgundy glasses.

Her latest outing comes after Delilah announced joyfully on her Insta Stories last month: 'I'm six months sober!'

Last year the elder sister of Amelia Hamlin suffered from a Xanax dependency.

Looking good: She ditched her bra underneath a paper thin white crop top that boasted asymmetrical buttons and flaunted her toned abs underneath

Delilah posted a half-hour Instagram video at the start of November where she asserted that the Xanax trouble began after she got her COVID-19 vaccine.

She clarified she is 'in no way an anti-vaxxer' but claimed that the jab 'flared up and triggered certain autoimmune diseases that I didn't know I had.'

Among other issues she began having panic attacks, she said, and she has accused a psychiatrist of overprescribing her Xanax to deal with them.

Relaxed: Holding an iced coffee in one hand, she strolled down the street in a pair of white trainers, while her French Bulldog trotted along beside her.

Delilah said she 'got dependent on Xanax' as a result, adding that on account of her high blood pressure she was also put on the beta blocker propranolol.

She said that she 'overdosed' and 'ended up in the hospital' after taking Benadryl in combination with the propranolol.

Although she did not reveal that she had weaned herself off Xanax entirely at the time, she did say that she had reduced her use of it.

Meanwhile her younger sister Amelia, who was one of Scott Disick's string of teenage girlfriends, has been candid about past struggles with anorexia.

One trend: Keeping the cold at bay, she also wore a brown jacket off her shoulders, and added a chunky necklace and silver hoop earrings
Jon Moss has been pictured for the first time since he accused his former Culture Club bandmate and ex-lover Boy George of plotting to defraud him of 188,000.

The drummer, 64, was seen out in Hampstead, London, on Wednesday after filing a legal challenge against the band, which also includes Roy Hay and Michael Craig.

Jon was wearing a black polo shirt with jeans and a navy wax jacket as he walked his dog through the streets of the leafy village.

Out and about: Jon Moss has been pictured for the first time since he accused his former Culture Club bandmate and ex-lover Boy George of plotting to defraud him of 188,000

He is bringing the challenge after he was allegedly 'expelled' by their manager in September 2018 following 37 years of 'service'.

Jon argues he is owed an 'outstanding balance' of 188,000 ($246,000) under the terms of a band agreement reached over the operation of its 2018 Life Tour.

Details of the ongoing case emerged in a remotely held High Court hearing before a judge, Deputy Master Marc Glover, on Monday.

Stepping out: The drummer, 64, was seen out in Hampstead, London, on Wednesday after filing a legal challenge against the band, which also includes Roy Hay and Michael Craig (pictured with Boy George in 1985)

The members of Culture Club, best known for hits such as Do You Really Want To Hurt Me and Karma Chameleon, did not appear on the video-link during the proceedings.

During a three-hour hearing, the judge granted an application by Moss's barrister Celia Rooney to amend details of his claim and to join two companies linked to Boy George to the case.

Boy George, Craig and Hay are yet to file an amended defence to Moss's new claims, but it is understood from draft court documents that they dispute his claim to the outstanding money.

Dressed down: Jon was wearing a black polo shirt with jeans and a navy wax jacket as he walked his dog through the streets of the leafy village

Woes: Jon (pictured) is bringing the challenge after he was allegedly 'expelled' by their manager in September 2018 following 37 years of 'service'

According to a draft court document, the agreement between the band members - dubbed the 'deal memo' - meant each would receive a fee of 458,000 ($600,000) for up to 80 concerts on the Life Tour.

Moss originally launched litigation seeking a court declaration that the outstanding balance money was being held for him by the Agency for the Performing Arts (APA), acting as his agent.

Rooney said in written arguments that the band's booking agent had agreed not to release it without Moss's agreement or a court order.

Claims: Jon argues he is owed an 'outstanding balance' of 188,000 ($246,000) under the terms of a band agreement reached over the operation of its 2018 Life Tour

Culture Club: Boy George, Jon Moss, Roy Hay and Mikey Craig pose for a joint portrait to promote Culture Club's reunion tour on April 29, 1998

But she explained that Moss later learnt the outstanding funds were released to a US company, You Give Me Life, Inc (YGML), following the settlement of legal proceedings in America in January 2021.

YGML and another English company, Other Places Drama LLP (OPD), had brought proceedings against APA in California claiming to be entitled to the money it held, Rooney said.

Rooney said this was a 'direct breach of reassurances' given by APA and that Moss had not been involved in the US proceedings.

Documents: According to a draft court document, the agreement between the band members - dubbed the 'deal memo' - meant each would receive a fee of 458,000 ($600,000) for up to 80 concerts on the Life Tour

She told the court on Monday that Boy George was was the only 'officer' of YGML and one of two 'designated members' of OPD over which he has 75 per cent of voting rights over.

Rooney argued that the US proceedings involving these 'personal service companies' could only have been brought with Boy George's knowledge or by people acting on his behalf.

In written submissions, she said this meant Moss had was 'effectively forced' to re-plead his case where Boy George is alleged to 'have conspired to defraud the claimant of nearly a quarter of a million dollars which are the subject of these proceedings'.

She noted that the knowledge Craig and Hay had over the US proceedings issue was unknown.

Moss is now seeking to claim that Boy George, YGML and/or OPD, were allegedly in breach of the 'deal memo' previously reached over the the Life Tour, allegedly acted dishonestly in relation to the US settlement and allegedly entered into a conspiracy to defraud Mr Moss over the money he still believes is owed to him.

Rooney explained that as part of the High Court litigation, the band previously settled a dispute over whether there was a 'continuing partnership' since the formation of Culture Club before a trial listed in December last year, with Boy George, Hay and Craig conceding there was until Moss's alleged 'expulsion'.

Earlier on Monday, Lawrence Kelly, representing the three bandmates facing Mr Moss's legal challenge, unsuccessfully applied for the hearing to be adjourned.

He told the court he was unable to give 'helpful answers' over the case as he needed to 'get up to speed', having only been instructed by Boy George, Craig and Hay since Friday.

Rooney opposed a delay to the hearing suggesting it could be a 'tactical decision' and arguing there was no explanation over the timing and why the three band members had changed from their previous law firm Russells Solicitors.

Rejecting the bid for an adjournment, the judge said it came at the '11th hour' and noted that the previously instructed law firm had previously appeared not to have opposed the applications sought by Moss's lawyers on Monday.

A spokesperson for Boy George told MailOnline: 'My former band member Jon Moss has made the most unfounded and hurtful allegations against me in legal proceedings in the UK.

'Needless to say, his allegations that I conspired to defraud him are entirely untrue and will be defended in the High Court in London. Culture Club supported Jon from the beginning in 1981 till his departure in 2018.

'I can only assume that his personal attack on me is designed to damage my reputation or to pressurise me into agreeing some kind of financial settlement. I will stand firm against the bullying allegations made against me and will welcome the opportunity to see Jon Moss give evidence on oath about what he allegedly contributed to the success of Culture Club.'

A further preliminary hearing in the case is due to be held on May 3.

Dispute: Moss argues he is owed an 'outstanding balance' of 188,000 ($246,000) under the terms of a band agreement reached over the operation of its 2018 Life Tour

Boy George and Moss dated in the Eighties but kept their romance private, with the Culture Club frontman later saying in his tell-all book, Take It Like A Man, that his lover was ashamed of their relationship - a claim Moss vehemently denied.

Boy George later told The Daily Mail, 'I've realised that, actually, some things are my own business. I don't have to put everything in the public domain.

'I've learned the hard way that some things are private, and I'm probably going to save myself a lot of heartache.

'Had I known that years ago, and not been such a foghorn about it, I probably could have had a healthy relationship with Jon.

'You learn over the years that some things are sacred, and that's why I'm glad I have a decent relationship with Jon now, otherwise it would rubbish everything we had.'

Happier times: Boy George and Moss dated in 1981, with the Culture Club frontman later saying in his tell-all book, Take It Like A Man, that his lover was ashamed of their relationship - a claim Moss vehemently denied (pictured in 2014)

He added: 'We do love each other, but it's not like a sexual love or desire love. I care about him and would be really sad if anything happened to him, and I'm glad he's in my life. I wouldn't have said that ten years ago.'

Speaking to The Independent in 1999, Boy George said of their relationship: 'It's not like I ever really got what I needed from Jon. I loved him more than anything in the world, but in hindsight, it was a very dysfunctional relationship.'

Jon added: 'It was the band that kept us together, plus the sexual relationship, but we didn't really get on. Though I was obviously gay because I was with George, I wasn't gay in inverted commas.

'When we'd watch television, he'd say, "Oh, he's cute," and I'd say, "Why can't we just watch the programme?" That was the difference. There's never been a feeling of closure. I think ours is the great unresolved romance of the century.'
Jessica Alves has said she is getting bum implants because she wants to 'be a women with curves like Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez'.

The social media star, 38, spoke about her latest procedure and how it was an 'important day', ahead of the cosmetic surgery on Wednesday.

Jessica also revealed it has been one year and three months since she had been operated on cosmetically, before detailing having her bloods done at the hospital.

Surgery pending: Jessica Alves has said she is getting bum implants because she wants to 'be a women with curves like Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez' (pictured ahead of the surgery)

The Only Fans influencer has been living a healthy lifestyle by going to the gym to prepare for todays surgery.

Jessica exclusively told MailOnline her implants will include an injection of 700ccs of solid silicone.

Speaking to her 4.7million Instagram followers, she said: 'I want to be a women with curves like Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez.

'Today is a very important day because I'm having surgery and its been one year and 3 months that I haven't had procedures.

Bootylicious: The social media star, 38, spoke about her latest procedure and how it was an 'important day', ahead of going under the knife on Wednesday

'In this time I have been going to the gym and living a healthy lifestyle and preparing myself for todays surgery. '

The reality star flashed her legs in a thigh high split lilac midi dress and a pair of pink ballet pumps as she discussed the implants with the doctor.

Ahead of the surgery, Jessica decided to ditch her 'blonde platinum' wig for 'dark, chocolate blonde' extensions because they are easier to manage.

Preparing: Jessica also revealed it has been one year and three months since she had been operated on cosmetically, before detailing having her bloods done at the hospital

Curvy: Speaking to her 4.7million Instagram followers, she said: 'I want to be a women with curves like Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez'

Jessica explained how 'excited' she was for the hair makeover before removing her eye-catching blonde tresses and revealing her short natural dark locks.

The star first showed off her natural hair without extensions, before revealing the glamorous final look.

She said: 'I've never been a brunette before as you can see this is my natural hair which I don't like so lets just get started.'

The reality star revealed earlier this year, she is considering having voice feminisation surgery, after undergoing sex reassignment surgery at the start of 2021, having come out publicly as transgender in 2020.

She said: 'I think that it is the only thing that gives away the fact that I am a transgender.

'My body and looks are very feminine but when a guy chats to me at a bar, or gym the third question is "are you trans?".

New look: Jessica transformed her blonde locks to brunette for the procedure which she exclusively told MailOnline her implants will include an injection of 700ccs of solid silicone

'I say, "yes I am", then the guy walks away. It is very frustrating.

'Also, when I answer the phone people refer to me using male pronouns and that feels like a knife in my heart.'

The reality star said she is dealing with her feelings by going to therapy.

She explained: 'When I dream sometimes I see my former self and my former image causes me discomfort and distress, I am unable to see images of my former self or watch a video of my former self without getting angry and agitated.

'The therapy helps to erase the image but not the experiences and the moments that I lived as Rodrigo Alves.'
Kourtney Kardashian has formed an intense bond with each of Travis Barker's kids since the couple began dating more than a year ago and became engaged in October.

The 42-year-old Poosh blogger made sure to send birthday wishes to his oldest stepdaughter, Atiana De La Hoya, on her 23rd birthday Tuesday with a few sweet snaps shared to Instagram.

Kourtney and Atiana  who's mother is Shanna Moakler and father is Oscar De La Hoya, and was also lovingly raised with Barker  looked ready to hit the slopes in a few throwback shots posted to her 166million followers.

Birthday girl: The 42-year-old Poosh blogger made sure to send birthday wishes to his oldest stepdaughter, Atiana De La Hoya, on her 23rd birthday Tuesday with a few sweet snaps shared to Instagram

Kourtney and Atiana looked ready to ride as they zipped up matching jackets and donned helmets in one pic.

The gorgeous redhead basked in the sunlight while waiting to snowboard with her family as Kourt admitted the eldest of the kids was the 'sweetest in all the land.'

Travis and Kourtney's union brings together a total of six children. She has three kids with her ex, Scott Disick  Mason, Penelope and Reign  while he has Alabama, Landon from his previous marriage to Shanna Moakler which ended in 2008.

Good times: Kourtney and Atiana  who's mother is Shanna Moakler and father is Oscar De La Hoya, and was also lovingly raised with Barker  looked ready to hit the slopes in a few throwback shots posted to her 166million followers

Proud Papa: Atiana's biological father, Oscar De La Hoya, shared a gorgeous snap of his daughter and wrote: Happy birthday to my beautiful daughter. I love you! I'm so proud of you & I believe in you always!'

What a time: Shanna wrote that she was Atiana's age when she was pregnant with her first born

Atiana's biological father, Oscar, shared a gorgeous snap of his daughter and wrote: Happy birthday to my beautiful daughter. I love you! I'm so proud of you & I believe in you always!'

Shanna noted that she was Atiana's age when she was pregnant with her first born, and posted a few stunning shots of her daughter to accompany a throwback from her childhood.

'My gift from God. No words will ever describe how proud of the beautiful soul you are,' she wrote. No matter time or space I love you more then life. Have a beautiful bday I love you.'

Alabama, Travis and Shanna's youngest daughter who just turned 16 in December, posted a beautiful black and white snap, and wrote: 'Happy birthday to my sweet sister I love you.'

Back in the day: Shanna posted a carousel of images with her daughter, including a throwback snap from when she was just a little girl

Family forever: Alabama, Travis and Shanna's youngest daughter who just turned 16 in December, posted a beautiful black and white snap, and wrote: 'Happy birthday to my sweet sister I love you'

Kravis alert: Travis and Kourtney made their Oscars debut on Sunday night at the 94th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre before he performed on the drums as part of the house band

Travis and Kourtney made their Oscars debut on Sunday night at the 94th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre before he performed on the drums as part of the house band.

Though many of the Kardashian-Jenners have attended after parties throughout the years, Kourtney is the first to ever walk the red carpet and attend the actual Oscars ceremony.

In usual Kravis fashion, the pair could barely keep their hands off each other and packed on the PDA while she showed off a strapless vintage Thierry Mugler midi gown featuring a knee-high split.

He matched his fiancee, and wore an all-black ensemble complete with his signature Prada shades, patent leather shoes and a diamond brooch.

The Blink-182 drummer was part of an all-star band, which included Sheila E, pianist Robert Glasper, and musical director Adam Blackstone.
She's known for her picture perfect social media snaps.

But Michelle Keegan went vintage as she struck a chic pose for some disposable camera shots on Tuesday.

The 34-year-old posted the results to her 5.6million followers, as she cut a classy figure in a 60s style black velvet dress, with an a-line cut and cap sleeve detail.

Hollywood: Michelle Keegan cuts a chic figure in a velvet dress and knee-high boot ensemble as she posed for disposable snaps on Tuesday

Disposable: Admitting that she sometimes prefers a blast from the past, the beauty captioned her post: 'We have allll the best phones and cameras but still nothing beats a disposable pic'

Michelle added to her retro Hollywood look with a pair of thigh high black boots, offering a glimpse at her toned physique.

The Our Girl actress pulled her brunette tresses into a high bun, framing her face with some soft curls grazing her jaw.

The beauty donned a glamorous makeup look, highlighting her structured complexion in the radiant snaps.

Exciting! The post comes as Michelle is currently working on her 3.5million dream home with husband Mark Wright, as the pair get set to move

As she struck a pose for the camera, Michelle showed off her Cartier bangle and diamond-clad selection of rings.

Admitting that she preferred the photography blast from the past, the beauty captioned her post: 'We have allll the best phones and cameras but still nothing beats a disposable pic'.

The post comes as Michelle is currently getting ready to move into her 3.5million dream home with husband Mark Wright, as the pair finish their renovation.

Nearly there! The couple have a home account on Instagram, named 'wrightyhome', as they share their home's progress to the page after purchasing the original property for 1.3million in October 2019

Impressive! 35-year-old Mark gave fans an insight into the pair's lavish pad on Tuesday as he showed off their new enormous home bar

35-year-old Mark gave fans an insight into the pair's lavish pad on Tuesday as he showed off their new enormous home bar and fake wood fireplace.

The couple have a home account on Instagram, named 'wrightyhome', as they share their home's progress to the page after purchasing the original property for 1.3million in October 2019.

The pair are now just waiting for their sweeping driveway to be installed before the property will be complete and ready for them to move into.

Heating up: Mark also showed off the wooden parquet flooring and unveiled a new fireplace boasting fake logs in the living room

They won planning approval for the colossal building project back in January 2020 - and it has been over two years while the couple waits to move in.

Construction experts have estimated the demolition and rebuild of the home will have cost around 3.5million.

The five-bed mansion is set to feature a bar, gym, granny annexe and outdoor swimming pool.
Justice League and The Flash actor Ezra Miller has been accused of threatening a couple and stealing their belongings on Monday night just hours after they bailed the actor out of jail following an arrest at a karaoke bar in Hawaii.

The couple, who have not been named, filed a temporary restraining order against Miller, who is non-binary, on Tuesday in Hilo's Third Circuit District Court, according to PEOPLE.

Miller, 29, was reportedly staying at the home of the couple who filed the petition, and broke into their bedroom on Monday night. Miller then allegedly threatened the male victim by saying 'I will bury you and your sl*t wife.'

The actor, who briefly dated The Batman star Zoe Kravitz in 2010, was arrested on Sunday at a karaoke bar in Hilo where Miller was said to have been harassing a number of patrons with belligerent behavior, and charged with disorderly conduct and harassment.

Mug shot: Ezra Miller was arrested on Sunday night after an incident at a karaoke bar in Hawaii. Now the couple who reportedly bailed the actor out of jail have filed a retraining order

The couple claimed Miller stole 'personal belongings, including a social security card, wallet, passport, driver's license and bank cards,' a criminal complaint reads.

'The respondent is famous and wealthy,' the document stated. 'This makes access to weapons much easier; as well as sending associates to harass the petitioner.'

Radar reported that Miller had been staying with the couple after previously meeting the actor at a local farmers' market.

The local couple were also the ones who had bailed Miller out of jail on a $500 bond on Monday following the arrest.

Miller was last the subject of controversy in April 2020 when a video circulated that allegedly showed them choking a woman while at a bar in Iceland, as reported by Variety.

Variety confirmed in 2020 that the altercation was not staged and that Miller was escorted out of the bar by security.

In the disturbing video, Miller grabs the woman by the throat and attempts to throw her to the ground.

'Woah, bro. Bro,' the person filming says.

A source told Variety the incident took place after 'pushy fans' approached Miller and he lost his temper.

Miller has never publicly addressed the incident.

Amid the recent scandal, a video resurfaced on Twitter of Miller appearing to choke a woman at a bar in Reykjavik, Iceland

Miller has enjoyed a successful Hollywood career including a starring role in the 2017 film Justice League

The karaoke bar incident happened on Silva Street in Hilo, where Miller was reportedly hurling obscenities at a 23-year-old woman singing, where Miller also tried to grab the microphone away from the woman.

Later on in the night, Miller, who uses they/them pronouns, allegedly lunged at a 32-year-old man who was playing darts at the bar.

The bar owner reportedly asked them to calm down numerous times, and authorities were called to the bar at around 11:30 PM and placed Miller under arrest and took them into custody.

Miller's violent outburst comes on the heels of Zoe Kravitz's condemnation of Hollywood stars who resort to violence after Will Smith stormed on stage during Sunday night's Oscars ceremony and smacked comedian Chris Rock.

Taking aim at Smith following the attack, Kravitz, 33, captioned an Instagram picture of her awards dress: 'Here's my dress at the show where we are apparently assaulting people on stage now.'

Miller and Kravitz dated briefly in 2010 while they were costars on Beware the Gonzo.

Miller's violent outburst comes on the heels of his ex-girlfriend Zoe Kravitz's condemnation of Hollywood stars who resort to violence after Will Smith stormed on stage during Sunday night's Oscars ceremony and smacked comedian Chris Rock

Kravitz, 33, captioned an Instagram picture of her awards dress: 'Here's my dress at the the show where we are apparently assaulting people on stage now'

This isn't Miller's first brush with the law, or controversy, with the actor having been arrested for drug possession in June 2011.

The actor was the passenger in a vehicle in Pittsburgh, when they were pulled over and cops discovered 20 grams of marijuana.

A judge would later drop the drug possession charge, but they were charged with two citations of disorderly conduct and ordered to pay a fine of $600.

The actor found themselves in hot water once again in April 2020 when a video surfaced of them appearing to choke a woman and slam her to the ground in Reykjavik, Iceland.

A bar employee identified the person in the video as Miller and they were removed from the premises.

He also made headlines this past January, when they posted a video on Instagram that was later deleted, where they threatened members of the Ku Klux Klan operating in Beulaville, North Carolina.
She's currently touring the US on her Future Nostalgia tour.

And Dua Lipa put on a peachy display in her latest Instagram photo-dump, as she posted a slew of behind-the-scenes snaps from the tour on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old songstress showed off her assets in the first snap, as she lay front-down on the stage - donning a glittering cowgirl look.

Assets: Dua Lipa put on a peachy display in a space cowgirl ensemble as she shared a slew of snaps from her Future Nostalgia tour on Wednesday

Dua sported an embellished silver bodysuit, going bare-legged with a pair of matching cowboy boots, as she accessorised with a shimmering pink cowboy hat.

The hitmaker shared that she was 'livin in a dream world' in the post caption, as she has completed 27 shows of the tour so far.

The cowgirl ensemble was one of the many looks that Dua has been taking to the stage in as she wows the US crowds.

Pose: The London-native also shared a short video in another one of her stage looks, as she knelt to the floor while striking a pose over her shoulder as many cameras flashed in front of her

Having fun: The hitmaker shared that she was 'livin in a dream world' in the post caption, as she has completed 27 shows of the tour so far

Gorgeous: The look featured an all-in-one neon lace catsuit and matching elbow-length gloves

The London-native also shared a short video in another one of her stage looks, which features an all-in-one neon lace catsuit and matching elbow-length gloves.

In the video, Dua knelt to the floor as she struck a pose over her shoulder as many cameras flashed in front of her.

The star showed off her Angel tattoo, which is written in black typography and decorates her shoulder.

Up close: The photo-dump, which was posted to her 82.5million fans, also featured two close up shots of the brunette beauty

Cat eye: The zoomed in snaps gave fans a closer look at Dua's stage makeup look - which is made up of a black winged liner and nude lip, with a subtle yet radiant base

The photo-dump, which was posted to her 82.5million fans, also featured two close up shots of the brunette beauty.

The zoomed in snaps gave fans a closer look at Dua's stage makeup look - which is made up of a black winged liner and nude lip, with a subtle yet radiant base.

She accessorised with a pair of emerald green drop earrings and a dainty rook ear piercing.

High energy: She's been taking the tour by storm, sharing a video of herself on stage which showed an energetic performance

Work it: Dua flashed her muscles before flipping her hair in a dramatic fashion during the performance

She's been taking the tour by storm, sharing a video of herself on stage which showed an energetic performance as she flipped her hair in a dramatic fashion.

While it's been a busy time for the Levitating songstress, she showed that there is some time for fun too.

Dua was snapped playing an old-school arcade game as she enjoyed a rest from stage, with a green light dominating the off-guard picture.

Time off: Dua showed that there is some time for fun too as she was snapped playing an old-school arcade game

The myriad of pictures also included one of Dua's toned midriff in a body selfie, as she donned a pair of black tailored trousers and a matching waistcoat.

A gold belly chain wrapped around her bare torso in the snap, showing off her slim figure.

Dua's tour kicked off in Miami, as she headed to Portland on Tuesday for her second last show in the states.

The tour is promoting her most recent studio album, Future Nostalgia, which featured hits such as Don't Start Now and Levitating.

She will head to Canada on Friday April 1, before heading home to kick off the UK leg of the tour in Manchester.
Her Instagram grid is never short of sultry content.

And living up to the expectation, Demi Rose paraded her sensationally curvaceous figure in a Christion Dior leopard catsuit on Wednesday as she hit the slopes in the French Alps ski resort of Courchevel.

The stunning model gave a peek of her snowy surroundings - and her pert derriere - as she posed for a series of getaway snaps.

'Snow angel': Demi Rose flaunted her wild side in a Christian Dior leopard catsuit as she hit the slopes in the French Alps on Wednesday

Captioning the album, 'snow angel,', Demi, 26, ensured she worked all of her angles as she showed off the catsuit in all its finery.

The global star let her blonde curls cascade down her back and she went all out with her makeup palette to give her that extra glow.

Demi rounded off her ski attire with classic snow boots which complemented her jaw-dropping outfit.

Curvy: The stunning model, 26, gave a peek of her snowy surroundings - and her pert derriere - as she posed for a series of getaway snaps

Posey: Captioning the album, 'snow angel,', Demi ensured she worked all of her angles as she showed off the catsuit in all its finery

Demi loves to show off her incredible assets when given any opportunity.

And she certainly didn't disappoint as she sizzled in another Instagram post on Friday during her trip to St. Lucia.

The influencer flaunted her very peachy posterior in a sun-face printed thong bikini as she sipped on a drink from a coconut tiki mug.

Wow! Demi loves to show off her incredible assets and she certainly didn't disappoint as she sizzled in another Instagram post on Friday during her trip to St. Lucia

The model looked incredible as she displayed her derriere in the sizzling snap whilst posing against a colourful wall on the stunning Island.

The Instagram sensation, who enjoyed all the benefits of the beach, looked stunning as her long mane of curly hair tumbled down her back as her blonde face-framing highlights added to her glam look.

Demi looked radiant as she accentuated her striking features with a light dusting of makeup as she quenched her thirst.
Amanda Bynes has been spotted for the first time enjoying a life of freedom for the first time in nearly a decade now that a judge has officially terminated her conservatorship.

The 35-year-old former actress appeared relaxed as she stepped out with her fiance Paul Michael in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Bynes was released from her conservatorship last week after a California judge granted her petition for freedom after nine long years.

Free! Amanda Bynes has been spotted for the first time enjoying a life of freedom for the first time in nearly a decade now that a judge has officially terminated her conservatorship

Heading out on a sunny spring day, Amanda looked casual in army print pants leggings and a white sleeveless cotton T-shirt with white high top sneakers.

Bynes had her hair up in a high bun with face framing fringe and a pair of dark sunglasses. She carried a vape-style pen with her and seemingly went into a coughing fit after using it.

Her fiance trailed not fair behind in a plaid jacket with a mismatched pair of plaid shorts, high white socks and white slip-on loafers.

The couple has been gearing up for their new life together with plans to finally cohabitate for the first time in their relationship.

Low key: Heading out on a sunny spring day, Amanda looked casual in army print pants leggings and a white sleeveless cotton T-shirt with white high top sneakers

It's her time: Bynes had her hair up in a high bun with face framing fringe and a pair of dark sunglasses

Too much? She carried a vape-style pen with her and seemingly went into a coughing fit after using it

Bynes and Paul are finally able to take their romance to the next level now that a judge released the former All That star from a court conservatorship.

Following a mental breakdown, Amanda's parents were put in control of her life, controlling medical and financial decisions for her.

'The court determines that the conservatorship is no longer required and that grounds for establishment of a conservatorship of the person no longer exist,' the judge wrote in his ruling.

He added that Bynes had demonstrated competency to manage her own affairs, including her mental health and other medical treatment.

Happy couple: Her fiance trailed not fair behind in a plaid jacket with a mismatched pair of plaid shorts, high white socks and white slip-on loafers

Lovebirds: Bynes and Paul are finally able to take their romance to the next level now that a judge released the former All That star from a court conservatorship

The She's The Man star has dealt with significant mental health issues in recent years, and she was previously diagnosed with both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

In 2012 Bynes was arrested in Los Angeles for DUI and the following year she was again arrested and faced charges of reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence and criminal possession of marijuana.

A year later she suffered a breakdown that led to her being placed under a 5150 psychiatric hold.

She said yes: Amanda and Paul are currently planning a big move and a wedding, he popped the question with a three-stone diamond ring

A year after her conservatorship began  with her parents assuming control of her affairs  Amanda raised concerns when she tweeted that her father had been 'verbally and physically' abusive to her during her childhood years.

She also accused him of being 'incestuous' toward her.

Her parents denied the allegations, and Amanda quickly changed her tune with an equally concerning tweet.

'My dad never did any of those things,' she tweeted. 'The microchip in my brain made me say those things but he's the one that ordered them to microchip me.'

In 2019, Bynes checked into a mental health facility following a relapse.

The former child star had planned a Hollywood comeback in 2018, and that decision contributed to her relapse, it was reported at the time.

The former young 'it girl' hasn't appeared in anything since she starred opposite Emma Stone in 2010's Easy A.

It seems, however, that things are looking up for the starlet. 'She's doing very well and looking forward to moving into her new property with Paul. They're actively searching for furniture and she's excited about all of it,' Bynes' lawyer, David Esquibias, told People on Friday.

'The court determines that the conservatorship is no longer required and that grounds for establishment of a conservatorship of the person no longer exist,' the judge wrote in his ruling

Her story: Following a mental breakdown, Amanda's parents were put in control of her life, controlling medical and financial decisions for her; her parents both supported her petition to lift the legal protection

The former child and teen star has had the support of her parents through her effort to gain more personal freedom, agreeing that she's made 'significant progress' in managing her bipolar disorder, according to Esquibias.

'She's ecstatic to receive her parents' full love and support behind her decision to terminate the conservatorship,' he added.

Moments after her legal victory, and her plans to move in with her fiance now a reality, Bynes took time out to 'thank my fans for their love and well wishes during this time.'

In a statement to People, via Esquibias, the former star went on to thank her lawyer and parents 'for their support over the last nine years.'

Knowing the long road it took to get to this moment, the actress-turned-fashion student seems to have her priorities in order, as she moves forward with her life

'In the last several years, I have been working hard to improve my health so that I can live and work independently, and I will continue to prioritize my well-being in this next chapter,' she said in a statement through her attorney, adding, 'I am excited about my upcoming endeavors  including my fragrance line  and look forward to sharing more when I can.'

Just days before the ruling, Esquibias told TMZ his client had planned to move into a new and modern rental, described as being in a very private neighborhood close from the ocean.
He joined forces with a string of famous faces on Tuesday night to raise money for Ukraine.

And busy bee Ed Sheeran showed his support to another venture on Wednesday as he attended a private view of artist Jelly Green's new exhibition Burn at Noho Studios.

The accoladed pop star, 31, rocked a quirky look in a jumper splashed with graphics of a starfish, alien and dinosaur to name a few.

Art appreciation: Ed Sheeran donned a quirky jumper as he attended a private view of art exhibition in London - after helping to raise 13.4million in ITV's Concert For Ukraine

He teamed the eye-catching garment with black joggers and garish Nike Air Jordans.

Jelly Green - a New Zealand painter who defines her work by her passion for the natural world - joined the Bad Habits hitmaker for a photograph as she smiled proudly in the gallery hosting her work.

Jelly splits her time between between her studio in Suffolk and London and has been mentored by artist Maggi Hambling since she was 16.

Exhibition: The accoladed pop star, 31, showed his support for another venture on Wednesday as he attended a private view of artist Jelly Green's new exhibition Burn at Noho Studios. (pictured with artist Jelly Green)

Say cheese: Jelly Green - a New Zealand painter who defines her work by her passion for the natural world - joined the Bad Habits hitmaker for a photograph

Along with Ed, Camila Cabello and Anne-Marie were among stars gracing the stage for ITV 's Concert For Ukraine on Tuesday, raising 13.4million to help those suffering in the war-torn country.

Thousands of fans gathered at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham to see an array of performers for the telethon, hosted by Emma Bunton, Marvin Humes and Roman Kemp.

ITV first announced their star-studded Concert For Ukraine earlier this month in the hope of raising funds for the The DEC which is helping the millions of people who are being forced to leave their lives in Ukraine and flee to other countries.

Sensational: Camila Cabello and Ed stole the show during ITV's Concert For Ukraine on Tuesday, with the pair performing their new song Bam Bam together for the first time

Ever the showman, Ed took to the stage to perform two songs, Perfect and his recent hit Bad Habits, earning a thunderous reception from the fans in attendance.

Dusting off his loop pedal station, but briefly had to pause his performance when he realised he was performing with the 'wrong guitar,' quipping 'live television eh?'

'Thank you so much for coming for such an important cause,' he told the crowd.

Stellar: Thousands of fans gathered at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham to see an array of performers for the telethon, with Camila and Ed headlining a star-studded lineup

Dynamic duo! The Havana hitmaker revealed that she and Ed would be performing their new song Bam Bam together for the first time

Oops! Dusting off his loop pedal station, but briefly had to pause his performance when he realised he was performing with the 'wrong guitar,' quipping 'live television eh?'

Soon after Camila herself took to the stage with her own version of Coldplay's hit track Fix You, stunning in an electric blue suit with a matching metallic bralet, leaving many viewers in tears with the emotional song.

She told the crowd: 'We're all praying tonight for the peace and safety of the people of Ukraine. Thank you so much for being part of this super important fundraiser and please donate anything you can.'

The Havana hitmaker then revealed that she and Ed would be performing their new song Bam Bam together for the first time, and got much of the crowd out of their seats with the energetic song.
Love Is Blind star Shayne Jansen has set the record straight on claims that he was using drugs - specifically cocaine - during the filming of the popular dating show.

The reality TV star, 32, made an appearance on The Viall Files on Wednesday and clarified that though he has used drugs in the past, it was not the case while he was filming the second season of the series.

'People thought I was doing cocaine. I'm mic'd up the whole time. Everyone would have heard me do it. It's wild to think that I was carrying cocaine on me, and I was snorting lines and doing all this kind of stuff in the bathroom when I'm mic'd up,' he explained.

Setting the record straight: Love Is Blind star Shayne Jansen, 32, has denied the claims that he was using drugs during the filming of the popular dating show

'Have I [used drugs]? Yes. On the show I did not,' The Wisconsin native stated firmly.

'I have experience with a few of them. Nothing that's been injected into my body, but I think we've all had our times in our lives where we've done certain things,' Jansen went on.

The blonde star - who was left at the alter by fiancee Natalie Mina Lee at the end of the show - sparked concerns among fans due to his erratic behavior and jittery mannerisms.

False: The reality TV star made an appearance on The Viall Files on Wednesday and clarified that though he has used drugs in the past, it was not the case while he was filming the show

However, during the podcast with the Bachelor alum, he went on to explain why it would have been almost impossible for him to have been using drugs in the house.

'They can literally hear you whispering. Every word you say. How could they not hear me do it?' he added.

Jansen also said that he was 'sick' of people commenting snowflake emojis - to signify cocaine - under his social media posts.

No drugs: 'Have I [used drugs]? Yes. On the show I did not,' The Wisconsin native stated firmly, after he sparked concerns among fans due to his erratic behavior and jittery mannerisms

Wild theory: 'It's wild to think that I was carrying cocaine on me, and I was snorting lines and doing all this kind of stuff in the bathroom when I'm mic'd up,' he explained

'I'm not naive to say I haven't done it before in my past, like no, but not in the show, I'm not stupid. I'm not going to risk everything for that on the show,' he said.

As for the real cause for his nervous mannerisms, he revealed that he has 'severe ADHD' and that his five-shots-of-espresso a day habit doesn't help.

'I have severe, severe ADHD, and you're sitting in this tiny, little room for like three hours. It's not 30 minutes. It's like three hours, and you have cameras here, cameras here, staring at you while you're confessing your love and you're talking about all your deep emotions.'

'It's a very uncomfortable situation, right? You don't get used to it,' he explained.

Uncomfortable: He revealed that the real cause for his nervous mannerisms on the show was his 'severe ADHD' and anxiety, as well as lack of sleep

'I'll be the first to admit, I don't help my anxiety. I drink...this is five shots of espresso right here,' he said, picking up his coffee cup and adding that he usually has five shots of espresso in morning, three at night, as well as a pre-workout drink.

Jansen then explained that his jittery appearance on the show had a lot to do with his anxiety and lack of sleep.

'My wedding day where I looked like I was coked out of my mind, I didn't sleep for two days straight because I had no idea what she was going to say at the altar, no idea,' he continued.

'My mom was in town, my whole family was in town. I was so embarrassed, my anxiety was going crazy,' he stated.
Kate Garraway has been forced to take the tough decision to shutter her husband's firm after it racked up debts of almost 200,000 when he was struck down with Covid.

Derek Draper's once successful psychotherapy company, Astra Aspera Ltd, owes 184,000  including 125,000 in taxes.

A liquidator was appointed on Tuesday to break up the firm's assets.

'It's terribly sad, but Derek can't work and has no prospect of being able to do so in the near future, so Kate thought it best to close it down,' one of her friends told the Daily Mail.

Garraway, 54, was appointed director last year after Draper, also 54, was hit hard with Covid in 2020.

The television presenter revealed last month that she had accompanied him to Mexico for a medical assessment by a U.S. doctor who may be able to reverse the damage Covid did to his body.

Derek Draper's psychotherapy company, Astra Aspera Ltd, owes 184,0000  including 125,000 in taxes

Garraway, 54, was appointed director last year after Draper, also 54, was struck down with Covid in 2020

They hired a specialist nurse to care for Draper on the 16-hour flight. He will return this month for a 28-day stay so doctors can monitor his brain, liver and lungs.

'Covid has devastated him,' she said last year. 'His digestive system, his liver, his heart, his nervous system. We're pretty sure the inflammation did pass through his brain. He is in a terrible state.'

The star had kept her worries about the business a secret despite making two emotionally charged documentaries about life with her husband, including one last month called Caring For Derek.

The star had kept her worries about the business a secret despite making two emotionally charged documentaries about life with her husband

She recently became host of ITV's Life Stories while also caring for the couple's children, Darcey, 15, and William, 12. But she also has to fund the round-the-clock care for her husband, whom she married in 2005.

Astra Aspera's name is a take on the Latin phrase 'ad astra per aspera', which means 'to the stars through hardship'. Its estimated 'deficiency for creditors' is reported in a statement of affairs signed off by Garraway earlier this month.

Draper, who set up the business in 2011, had enjoyed a money-spinning year before being hit by Covid, raking in close to 1 million.

The Mail on Sunday reported earlier this month that Garraway had been determined to save the former Labour Party spin doctor's company, but eventually accepted that the firm would have to fold.
Nothing was going to rain on Sam Frost's parade as she continued to promote her new book Believe on Wednesday.

The former Home and Away star made sure to keep her pristine pink Fifties-style dress dry as she left an interview on Channel Seven's The Morning Show.

A publicist held an umbrella over the actress as she dashed from Seven's Martin Place studios in Sydney to an awaiting car.

Pretty in pink! Nothing was going to rain on Sam Frost's parade as she continued to promote her new book Believe on Wednesday

The 32-year-old boosted her height with a pair of beige strappy heels and she wore her blonde locks in a chic chignon.

She accessorised with drop earrings and carried a beige designer bag.

During her interview, Sam revealed she does not regret posting a now-infamous video on Instagram about her Covid vaccine hesitancy in October.

The star did, however, admit she could have 'handled it differently' in hindsight, during an interview on The Morning Show.

'I could have changed my language and things that I had said but I think there's been a great lesson that has been learnt from that,' Sam said, seemingly referring to her use of the word 'segregation' when speaking about restrictions on the unvaccinated.

VIP service! The former Home and Away star made sure to keep her pristine pink Fifties-style dress dry as she left an interview on Channel Seven's The Morning Show. A publicist held an umbrella over the actress as she dashed from Seven's Martin Place studios to an awaiting car

Sam explained the video 'served its purpose' by giving a voice to Australians who were were hesitant about the vaccine.

'I think [those] people... needed to know they weren't alone. So I think it served its purpose,' she told hosts Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies.

Referring to her mental health at the time she posted the video, Sam said 'a lot of things [were] compounding each other' during lockdown.

Gorgeous: The 32-year-old boosted her height with a pair of beige strappy heels and she wore her blonde locks in a chic chignon

Reflection: During her interview, Sam revealed she does not regret posting a now-infamous video on Instagram about her Covid vaccine hesitancy in October

'I knew there were quite a few people who felt the same way but they were too nervous to speak out about it,' she added.

Sam concluded by saying she didn't think she fell into the category of people who have been 'cancelled' for their views.

It comes after Sam claimed unvaccinated Australians had faced 'disgusting bullying' in an interview with Stellar magazine over the weekend.

Job done? Sam explained the video (above) 'served its purpose' by giving a voice to Australians who were were hesitant about the vaccine

Sam reflected on being 'torn to f**king pieces' when she compared restrictions on the unvaccinated to 'segregation' in her tearful Instagram video last October.

'The bullying of unvaccinated people was disgusting. Friends I'd had for years stopped talking to me,' she said.

She clarified she wasn't an 'anti-vaxxer' and never said she didn't want to get it.

'Torn to f**king pieces': It comes after Sam claimed unvaccinated Australians had faced 'disgusting bullying' in an interview with Stellar magazine over the weekend

'I'm not an anti-vaxxer  are you kidding me? But I feel it's quite unreasonable to assume that everyone's going to think exactly the same way and that people are going to come to the exact same conclusion in the same time frame,' she said.

Sam, who joined Home and Away as Jasmine Delaney in 2017, quit the Channel Seven soap in December, two months after revealing she hadn't had the vaccine.

Seven Productions has a policy requiring all cast and crew be vaccinated against Covid; however, sources said last year Sam's exit was unrelated to the mandate.

She is now fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Exit: Sam, who played nurse Jasmine Delaney on Home and Away since 2017, quit the Channel Seven soap in December, two months after revealing she she hadn't had the vaccine

Sam filmed her last scenes for the soap in December at Sydney's Eveleigh Studios.

The actress sparked backlash in October when she revealed she hadn't had the Covid jab, and also compared restrictions on the unvaccinated to 'segregation'.

She said in a tearful Instagram video: 'I was really hesitant about doing a video or even speaking up about this sort of thing, but I feel like it's getting to a point now in the world where there's a lot of segregation.

'There's a lot of harsh judgement and opinions being thrown around a lot and it's taking its toll on my mental health for sure, and I know people around me are struggling - particularly if they're on the side of they don't want to get vaccinated, for whatever reason.

There are lots of different reasons why people are not getting vaccinated and it might be because of their medical history, their concerns, they might have family history, it could be religious reasons.'

The door is open: Her former co-star Lynne McGranger (right) told Nova's Fitzy & Wippa in January that Sam was now fully vaccinated, meaning she could potentially return to the show

Sam then said she hadn't been vaccinated, but claimed she had spoken to her medical doctor as well as a psychologist about her decision.

She added tearfully: 'It's a really hard time to be in society right now and you feel like you are less of a human and you feel like people judge you.

'And you're too scared to talk about your opinion or your feelings and part of you wants to go, 'Well it's none of your damn business why I'm not! And there's good reasons why I'm not and I don't want you to judge me.''

After facing criticism for her video, Sam deactivated her main Instagram account and blocked all comments on the account for her mental health charity Believe. She has since reactivated her accounts.

Channel Seven later announced Sam's exit from Home and Away in December.

Her former co-star Lynne McGranger told Nova's Fitzy & Wippa in January that Sam was now fully vaccinated, meaning she could potentially return to the show.
A 190 feet superyacht named Phi was recently detained in UK's financial district Canary Wharf in London, as part of the sanctions on Russia imposed on account of the Russia- Ukraine War. The 38 million ($50 million) boat was the first yacht detained in the UK, after many other yachts were seized or detained in Spain, Italy and France.

A BIT OF BACKGROUND

The Russia-Ukraine War has changed the way the world operates and perceives a normal life. This has led to many unnecessary consequences for countries on both sides of the war. Russia's attack on Ukraine is causing Russia to deal with the loss of international brands who have walked out of the country. Meanwhile Western nations like the US, UK, and EU, have been forced to impose sanctions on Russia as a way to stand in solidarity with Ukraine.

As part of their sanctions, Western countries are targeting Russian oligarchs and imposing sanctions by way of restricting travel, freezing assets, stopping trade and even seizing Russian superyachts.

Photo: Getty Images

Till date, though 15 yachts have been linked to the Russian oligarchs, at least 8 have been seized by authorities in France, Italy and Spain. Now the UK too has joined these ranks and detained a superyacht, suspected to belong to a Russian oligarch.

WHAT HAPPENED

A gorgeous 192 ft bright blue yacht named Phi was detained in London's Canary Wharf recently by the UK Department of Transport. The yacht was identified on March 13, but was only seized recently, since the yacht's ownership was 'deliberately well-hidden'. Maltese flags and a registration under a company in the Caribbean islands of St Kitts and Nevis hid the origins of the yacht's owner.

The vessel was in London for a superyacht awards ceremony and was due to depart at 12 noon on March 29. But the Department of Transport, the National Crime Agency and the Border Force Maritime Investigation Bureau worked together to detain the yacht before it left UK shores.

The yacht is owned by an undisclosed and as-yet unsanctioned Russian businessman who is closely connected to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

THE YACHT

The yacht is named after the mathematical concept Phi, or the 'Golden Ratio' and is meant to symbolise 'magnificently sensuous'. The ship was built in The Netherlands and features an "infinite wine cellar", a freshwater swimming pool and a penthouse apartment on the upper deck.

Superyacht Phi. Photo: Twitter

CAN THE UK DO THIS?

The yacht has been detained under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 which allows a country to detain a ship. But this can also be contested by the yacht owner in court under human rights law, as people have the right to enjoy their possessions. If the yacht owner wins the case, this could be costly for London as the compensation they might have to pay would be around 2,50,000 a week.

Welwyn Hatfield MP and Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps tweeted on March 29 that he was working closely with UK's National Crime Agency and UK Border Force's Maritime Investigation Bureau to detain the Russian superyacht. He wrote, "This Government will continue to take robust action against anyone benefiting from connections to Putin's regime."

?BREAKING: Russian superyacht detained. I have worked closely with @NCA_UK & the @UKBorders Maritime investigation Bureau to intercept the 38m - Phi. This Government will continue to take robust action against anyone benefiting from connections to Putins regime. pic.twitter.com/enp9M2tmBB  Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) March 29, 2022

WHY THIS MATTERS

In the pre-Russia-Ukraine War period, owning a superyacht or a megayacht was a show-stopping purchase for the super-rich Russians. They installed all sorts of luxury comforts in their yachts and flaunted it unabashedly. You name it and they had it - the helicopter launchpads, mini-subs, freshwater swimming pools, a fully-staffed ship and everything.

Not only were those status symbols, but also floating assets or stores of value. Now, detaining these Russian-owned superyachts in another country represents a symbolic blow to the ultra-rich lifestyle of the Russian oligarchs. But it also brings up another question for the UK folks: What do you do to a confiscated yacht that is going to cost millions of pounds annually in maintainence?

For instance, Roman Abramovich's two immense yachts, Eclipse and Solaris, are in Turkey - safe from the sanctions imposed on him in the UK and EU.
In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. This Privacy Policy (Policy) sets out our data collection and processing practices and your options regarding the ways in which your personal information is used.

This Policy contains important information about your personal rights to privacy. Please read it carefully to understand how we use your personal data. We may update this Policy from time to time without notice to you, so please check it regularly.

The provision of your personal data to us is voluntary. However, without providing us with your personal data, you will be unable to (as appropriate): contact us; subscribe to our mailing list; subscribe to any of our publications; or receive information about In Defence of Marxism.

We collect information about you:

(1) When you give it to us DIRECTLY

You may give us your personal data in order to subscribe to a newsletter or publication, when you contact us by phone, email or post, when you sign a petition / statement, and/or when you donate money to us.

(2) When you give it to us INDIRECTLY

Your information will also be provided to us when you follow us or otherwise interact with on or via Twitter, when you like and/or join our page on Facebook or interact with us in other ways on or via Facebook.

(3) When you give permission to OTHER ORGANISATIONS to share it or it is AVAILABLE PUBLICLY

We may combine information you provide to us with information available from external publicly available sources. Depending on your privacy settings for social media services, we may also access information from those accounts or services. We use this information to gain a better understanding of you and to improve our communications and fundraising activities.

(4) When you visit our WEBSITE

We use cookies to identify you when you visit our website. Please refer to our Cookies Policy for details on the way our use of cookies affects your personal data.

What information do we collect?

We may collect, store and use the following kinds of personal data:

(1) We will typically hold your name and contact details, including telephone number, location, and e-mail address. However, we may request other information where it is appropriate and relevant, for example:

Your bank details or debit/credit card details (if making a donation).

(2) any communication preferences you give;

(3) information about your computer and about your visits to and use of this website including your IP address, geographical location, browser type, referral source, length of visit and number of page views; and/or

(4) any other information shared with us as per clause 1.

Do we process sensitive personal information?

Applicable law recognises certain categories of personal information as sensitive and therefore requiring more protection, including political opinions and trade union membership. In limited cases, we may collect sensitive personal data about you. We would only collect sensitive personal data if there is a clear reason for doing so; and will only do so with your explicit consent.

How and why will we use your personal data?

Personal data, however provided to us, will be used for the purposes specified in this Policy or in relevant parts of the website.

We may use your personal information to:

(1) Enable you to subscribe to our hard copy publications;

(2) Send you information about our work, campaigns, organisations and any other information, products or services that we provide (this will not be done without your consent);

(3) Provide you with the services, products or information you have requested;

(4) If you request, put you in touch with other supporters in your area (who have also provided such consent);

(5) Handle the administration of any donation or other payment you make via credit/debit card, cheque, standing order or BACS transfer;

(6) Collect payments from you and send statements and/or receipts to you;

(7) Conduct research into the impact of our activity / campaigns;

(8) Deal with enquiries and complaints made by you relating to the website or us in general;

(9) Make petition submissions to third parties, where you have signed a petition and the third party is a target of the campaign to which the petition relates; and/or

(10) Audit and/or administer our accounts.

Supporter Analysis

Google Analytics

We may use some of your personal information to analyse our digital performance, for example to see how our website can be improved to help us achieve the purposes set out in section 9 below, to record how you are using our website or to assess the popularity of different articles / campaigns.

For more information on how we use your personal information in relation to Google Analytics, please view our cookie policy by clicking this link cookies policy



You can opt-out of the collection of information for such purposes here: http://www.aboutads.info/choices

Communications, updates, fundraising

Where you have provided appropriate consent, we will contact you by telephone and e-mail, with targeted communications to let you know about our events and/or activities that we consider may be of particular interest; about the work of In Defence of Marxism; and to ask for donations or other support.

Donations and other payments

All financial transactions carried out on our website are handled through either:

PayPal (Europe) S.a r.l. (PayPal), a third party payment services provider. We recommend that you read PayPals privacy policy (available at https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full?locale.x=en_GB ) prior to effecting any transactions with us through PayPal; or

GoCardless Ltd (GoCardless), a third party payment services provider. We recommend that you read GoCardlesss privacy policy (available at https://www.gocardless.com/legal/privacy) prior to effecting any transactions with us through GoCardless.

We will provide your personal data to PayPal / GoCardless only to the extent necessary for the purposes of processing payments for transactions you enter into with us. We do not store your financial details.

Childrens data

We do not knowingly process data of any person under the age of 16. If we come to discover, or have reason to believe, that you are 15 and under and we are holding your personal information, we will delete that information within a reasonable period and withhold our services accordingly.

Security of and access to your personal data

We endeavour to ensure that there are appropriate and proportionate technical and organisational measures to prevent the loss, destruction, misuse, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or of access to your personal information.

Your information is only accessible by appropriately trained staff and volunteers.

We may also use agencies and/or suppliers to process data on our behalf. We may also merge or partner with other organisations and in so doing transfer and/or acquire personal data.

Please note that some countries outside of the EEA have a lower standard of protection for personal data, including lower security requirements and fewer rights for individuals. We may transfer and/or store personal data collected from you to and/or at a destination outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Such personal data may be processed by agencies and/or suppliers operating outside the EEA. If we transfer and/or store your personal data outside the EEA we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the recipient implements appropriate measures to protect your personal data.

Otherwise than as set out in this Privacy Policy, we will only ever share your data with your informed consent.

Your rights

Where we rely on your consent to use your personal information, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This includes the right to ask us to stop using your personal information for direct marketing purposes or to be unsubscribed from our email list at any time. You also have the following rights:

(1) Right to be informed  you have the right to be told how your personal information will be used. This Policy and any other policies and statements used on our website and in our communications are intended to provide you with a clear and transparent description of how your personal information may be used.

(2) Right of access  you can write to us to ask for confirmation of what information we hold on you and to request a copy of that information. Provided we are satisfied that you are entitled to see the information requested and we have successfully confirmed your identity, we have 30 days to comply.

(3) Right of erasure  as from 25 May 2018, you can ask us for your personal information to be deleted from our records.

(4) Right of rectification  if you believe our records of your personal information are inaccurate, you have the right to ask for those records to be updated.

(5) Right to restrict processing  you have the right to ask for processing of your personal data to be restricted if there is disagreement about its accuracy or legitimate usage.

(6) Right to data portability  to the extent required by the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) where we are processing your personal information (i) under your consent, (ii) because such processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are party or to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contact or (iii) by automated means, you may ask us to provide it to you  or another service provider  in a machine-readable format.

To exercise these rights, please send a description of the personal information in question using the contact details in section 15 below. You can also unsubscribe from our email list by sending a blank email to news-unsubscribe@marxist.com

Where we consider that the information with which you have provided us does not enable us to identify the personal information in question, we reserve the right to ask for (i) personal identification and/or (ii) further information.

Lawful processing

We are required to have one or more lawful grounds to process your personal information. Only 4 of these are relevant to us:

Personal information is processed on the basis of a persons consent Personal information is processed on the basis of a contractual relationship Personal information is processed on the basis of legal obligations Personal information is processed on the basis of legitimate interests

(1) Consent

We will ask for your consent to use your information to send you electronic communications such as newsletters and and fundraising emails, and if you ever share sensitive personal information with us.

(2) Contractual relationships

Most of our interactions with supporters are voluntary and not contractual. However, sometimes it will be necessary to process personal information so that we can enter contractual relationships with people. For example, if you subscribe to one of our publications, or purchase merchandise online.

(3) Legal obligations

Sometimes we will be obliged to process your personal information due to legal obligations which are binding on us. We will only ever do so when strictly necessary.

(4) Legitimate interests

Applicable law allows personal information to be collected and used if it is reasonably necessary for our legitimate activities (as long as its use is fair, balanced and does not unduly impact individuals rights).

We will rely on this ground to process your personal data when it is not practical or appropriate to ask for consent.

Achieving our purposes

These include (but are not limited to) promoting socialist policies

Governance

Internal and external audit for financial or regulatory compliance purposes

Statutory reporting

Publicity and income generation

Conventional direct marketing and other forms of marketing, publicity or advertisement

Unsolicited messages, including campaigns, newsletters, and fundraising appeals

Analysis, targeting and segmentation to develop and promote or strategy and improve communication efficiency

Personalisation used to tailor and enhance your experience of our communications

Operational Management

Maintenance of suppression files

Processing for historical, scientific or statistical purpose

Purely administrative purposes

Responding to enquiries

Delivery of requested products or information

Communications designed to administer existing services including subscriptions, administration of petitions and financial transactions

Thank you communications and receipts

Maintaining a supporter database and suppression lists

Financial Management and control

Processing financial transactions and maintaining financial controls

Prevention of fraud, misuse of services, or money laundering

Enforcement of legal claims

Reporting criminal acts and compliance with law enforcement agencies

When we use your personal information, we will consider if it is fair and balanced to do so and if it is within your reasonable expectations. We will balance your rights and our legitimate interests to ensure that we use your personal information in ways that are not unduly intrusive or unfair in other ways.

Data retention

The length of time each category of data will be retained will vary depending on how long we need to process it for, the reason it was collected, and in line with any statutory requirements. After this point the data will either be deleted, or we may retain a secure anonymised record for research and analytical purposes.

In the event that you ask us to stop sending you direct marketing/fundraising/other electronic communications, we will keep your name on our internal suppression list to ensure that you are not contacted again.

Policy amendments

We keep this Privacy Policy under regular review and reserve the right to update from time-to-time by posting an updated version on our website, not least because of changes in applicable law. We recommend that you check this Privacy Policy occasionally to ensure you remain happy with it. We may also notify you of changes to our privacy policy by email.

Third party websites

We link our website directly to other sites. This Privacy Policy does not cover external websites and we are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any external websites you visit via links on our website.

Updating information

You can check the personal data we hold about you, and ask us to update it where necessary, by emailing us at webmaster@marxist.com

Contact

We are not required by law to have a Data Protection Officer  however we have a Data Protection Manager.

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
Canadas immigration programs have assisted in building a neighbourhood of citizens valued throughout the world. Immigration inspires Canada's growth, affluence, and diversity. Canada benefits from the ability, knowledge, and energy of immigrants, whether they are experienced workers, business people, refugees, loved ones of Canadian citizens and residents, overseas students, temporary workers, or others.

All motivate financial growth and enhance Canada's social and intellectual life. Immigration has helped to make Canada one of the world's richest countries, and the country is mostly free of racial stress. To increase the trained labour pool in Canada, the government has also begun legislation to make it easier for immigrants to enter the country. Canada is one of the best countries to live in and settle with your family, the lifestyle and quality of life, upgraded infrastructure, world-class medical facilities, free education, and many other benefits are the top reasons for people to migrate to Canada.

Immigration to a different country involves a complex procedure, guidelines, and timelines to be followed, which is not always to fulfilled with a desirable outcome, there and then a consultants experience & expertise makes everything easier. With over 10 years of experience, Countrywide Visas carry a simple yet fast process to make sure that they complete all your PR visa processing and you are ready to fly to your dream Country.

Why it is the right time to apply for a Canadian Permanent Resident Visa?

It is now or never, an applicant must think of migrating to Canada using different stream of programs right now, based on the eligibility criteria of age, We're Not Getting Any Younger, hence, the right time to apply for Canada Immigration and obtain a PR visa for Canada is right now. Amid covid, In the year 2021, 405,000 new immigrants landed in Canada.

Scope of Canada Immigration in 2022-2023

Canada is looking to welcome more than 431,000 immigrations in 2022, higher than the numbers they announced, and 447,055 in 2023. The IRCC is expected to resume all its program draws to invite candidates under Federal Skilled Worker Program, Province Nomination Programs, and other categories. Furthermore, Canada has lifted all the bans from international flights and has been easing the measures taken during Covid 19 outbreak. Hence the year 2022 is possibly a great year if one is thinking to migrate to Canada.

Advantages of applying your PR Visa for Canada through an ICCRC registered consultant

> Countrywide Visas is associated with a registered member of Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC), The Director of Countrywide Visas' Ms. Ekta Saluja is also listed as a registered agent in the records of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

> The advantages of hiring an ICCRC registered consultant are multifaceted. A registered and licensed consultant will have the reliability of providing genuine, accurate, and authentic information.

> These are the professionals who have the latest updates on visa rules, regulations, changes in programs, and the expertise to handle an application in a professional manner.

> By hiring a licensed consultant, you make sure that your application is in good hands and you are protected against fraud consultants.

> They assist you from scratch with your application till you land in Canada.

> There are many advantages of hiring a licensed or registered consultant, they provide tiny little information with could be crucial at an important stage in the processing of an application.

What are the eligibility criteria to apply for a PR visa for Canada?

To immigrate to Canada, the basic eligibility is to be 18 years or older, have at least 2 years of experience, hold valid educational credentials, proficient language skills, along with other factors which are not limited if you have lived, studied, or worked in Canada previously. Moreover, there are different streams through which an applicant can migrate, and eligibility criteria differ from one another.

It will be a great choice to hire a licensed/registered ICCRC consultant to get the required knowledge of the criteria that gets followed. Countrywide Visas carry out an extensive assessment of an applicant's profile and makes sure that desired outcomes are obtained. Countrywide Visas offers its Immigration Advisory Services for more than 7 programs for Canada along with many other programs in Australia for Skilled Migrant Categories.

Countrywide Visas comprises a team of registered immigration experts that help you to choose the right and genuine path of Canada Immigration. Whether its for study or travel purposes, we make sure that your immigration to Canada is as smooth and easy as you always wanted it to be. For further information related to immigration to Canada or any other assistance, you can get in touch with Countrywide Visas anytime.

If you are looking for an expert guidance for your desired foreign country, it is the right time to Choose Countrywide Visas.

For more information, you may call at +917303889347 or drop an email at info@countrywidevisas.com to start your immigration process with Countrywide Visas.

All you need to do is fill out an assessment form and let our immigration experts assist you over the phone call or by meeting you in person and giving you the best available options to fulfil your dreams of settling abroad.

Disclaimer: No Deccan Chronicle Chronicle journalist was involved in creating this content. The group also takes no responsibility for this content.
The IIT is currently accepting applications for the MPP program and interested students were asked to complete the application process before April 18, 2022. (Representational Image/ PTI)

Tirupati: The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology-Tirupati (IIT-T) is introducing a Post-Graduate Program in Public Policy for candidates interested in policy analysis and contemporary

governance.

According to the management, the two-year Master of Public Policy (MPP) program aims to provide an interdisciplinary outlook to prospective students and professionals so that they can contribute effectively to policy processes in India and beyond.

The MPP offers three streams of specialisations namely Science and Management of Sustainability, Data Science, and Sustainability and Engineering. The program enables students to work closely with both public as well as private-sector agencies involved in policy-making. It focuses on imparting both qualitative and quantitative skills to its students while also developing their understanding of social and institutional processes that inform administrative decision-making and political practices.

The IIT is currently accepting applications for the MPP program. Interested students were asked to complete the application process before April 18, 2022.

Candidates with an undergraduate degree in any field can apply for the program.
The increase is in accordance with the accepted formula, which is based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission. (Representational Image/ DC File)

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday hiked Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) by 3 per cent to 34 per cent to compensate for the price rise, benefitting over 1.16 crore central government employees and pensioners.

The additional installment will be effective from January 1, 2022, said an official release after the Cabinet meeting.

"The Union Cabinet...has given its approval to release an additional installment of DA to central government employees and DR to pensioners w.e.f. January 1, 2022, representing an increase of 3 per cent over the existing rate of 31 per cent of the Basic Pay/Pension, to compensate for price rise," an official statement said.

The increase is in accordance with the accepted formula, which is based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission, it added.

The combined impact on the exchequer on account of both Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief will be Rs 9,544.50 crore per annum.

This will benefit about 47.68 lakh central government employees and 68.62 lakh pensioners, the release said.

In October last year, the Cabinet had hiked the two allowances by 3 per cent to 31 per cent. It was effective from July 1, 2021.

Before that in July, the government had restored the dearness allowance and dearness relief and increased the rate of allowance from 17 per cent to 28 per cent.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the central government had frozen the three additional installments of the DA and DR, which were due on January 1, 2020; July 1, 2020; and January 1, 2021.
HYDERABAD: It has been nightmarish for Hyderabad students who are stranded in Ukraine following the Russian Armys invasion for a few days. As many as eight students from Warangal and Hyderabad have taken shelter under the bunkers that were provided by locals just five kilometres away from Ukraine's capital of Kyiv.

Sai Naik, a native of Warangal, pursuing third-year MBBS in the Bogomolets National Medical University located at Tarasa Shevchenko Blvd, said they were facing a terrible situation taking shelter in the bunker near Kyiv city. Bombing intensity had gone up after the Russian Army captured the entire locality and took control of the area.

The MBBS student said students from Hyderabad Jatin Reddy, Shafi, Shekar Reddy, Sameer, Rohit and others had been stranded and they needed immediate help. "We have arranged food and water for five days. Suddenly, some more Telugu students and other students of the same university joined them. The entire locality is blocked and no transportation is provided," Naik said.

Meanwhile, the students had a tough time walking at least 15 kilometres crossing the Ukraine border to Poland to get flights. After shifting at least 490 students to India, the Indian Embassy officials in Kyiv made arrangements for shifting stranded students to India. The students said that officials had taken measures in shifting students stuck in western Ukraine localities as the location was not affected badly.
Medical students are worried they may lose some PG and super specialty seats for want of faculty in medical colleges after the ongoing transfers. (Representational Image/ DC File)

Vijayawada: The controversy over the ongoing transfer of government doctors who completed five years of service at one station refuses to die down. Medical students are meanwhile expressing concern over the likely loss of several PG and super specialty seats for want of adequate faculty in the medical colleges in AP.

AP has 28 medical colleges, of which 11 are in the government sector with nearly 2,300 PG seats apart from the 135-150 seats for various super specialty courses.

As per National Medical Commission norms, the presence of a professor in a department fetches two PG seats. For one associate professor, one PG seat is sanctioned. In case a medical college completes 10 years of its functioning, the post of a professor there fetches it three PG seats. As for super specialty courses, the post of a professor helps in the sanctioning of one student seat.

This rule being clear and the state governments direction on transfers with a 30 per cent cap state-wide, and not department-wise, senior faculty members from several departments in medical colleges are getting transferred. This is resulting in some departments becoming totally vacant and nobody is coming in as replacement.

For instance, a professor and an associate professor from the department of nephrology in KGH in Visakhapatnam have been transferred to Guntur Medical College. This resulted in the department remaining fully vacant. There is no immediate replacement for them due to non-availability of faculty from the same department.

Similarly, in Kurnool Medical College, there is no professor in the department of biochemistry. In Sri Venkateswara Medical College, the post of associate professor in the same department is lying vacant. So is the case in several medical colleges for want of suitable faculty members.

Medical students are worried they may lose some PG and super specialty seats for want of faculty in medical colleges after the ongoing transfers. They say that the NMC takes up surprise inspection of medical colleges with no intimation given to any authority in AP. As per the norm, there must be a minimum of 30 per cent faculty in each department.

If it is found that several departments functioned with partial faculty members while some with no faculty at all, it may cancel both the PG and super specialty seats for the next year.

A PG medical student said, We fear some 100 to 150 PG and super specialty seats may be lost in AP if the same trend on transfers continues mainly because of non-availability of suitable faculty members to fill the vacancies that arise due to transfers.

However, the state government is doing fresh recruitment of doctors and giving promotions to serving doctors. This would give some relief to students as some vacancies get filled and as a result the medical seats get saved.

Moreover, a senior specialist doctor can earn three to five lakh rupees per month if he or she chooses to work in corporate hospitals, over and above what they get from private practise. Hence, such doctors prefer to go on long leave to stay put at their present work place after accepting the transfer order. They get nearly Rs 1.5 lakh while working in government sector.

Two professors shifted to Kurnool with no replacement so far

No professor has been posted in the departments of psychiatry and general medicine after the existing faculty members have been transferred from the Government Medical College in Anantapur.

Professor Endluri Prabhakar has been transferred to Kurnool Medical College though there are non-PG seats in the college. Moreover, no professor has been posted in place of Endluri Prabhakar and there was no filling up of vacancy for the post of associate professor in the Government Medical College in Anantapur so far.

Sources revealed that at least 80 medical professionals including professors, doctors and nursing staff have been transferred from Anantapur to Kurnool, Kadapa and even to Srikakulam. A majority of them are expected to go on long leave after submitting their joining reports.

The post of professor in general medicine in GMC, Anantapur, remains vacant as the existing professor has been shifted to Kurnool.

Meanwhile, services at several medical colleges and government general hospitals have been hit in recent days for want of specialist doctors.
The minister also said that approximately 12 crore senior citizens (both reserved and unreserved) availed concession in passenger fare during 2019-20 and revenue foregone due to concession on this account for the same period was approximately Rs 1,667 crore. (Representational Image/ DC File)

New Delhi: Nearly seven crore senior citizens travelled by trains without availing concessions over the last two years since the Railways suspended the facility in March 2020, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday.

He also said that the ministry has no plans of restoring the concessions at present.

In a written reply to a query in the Lok Sabha, Vaishnaw said that between 20 March, 2020 and 31 March 2021, 1.87 crore senior citizens travelled by trains while between April 1, 2021 and February 2022, 4.74 crore availed rail services.

The minister also said that approximately 12 crore senior citizens (both reserved and unreserved) availed concession in passenger fare during 2019-20 and revenue foregone due to concession on this account for the same period was approximately Rs 1,667 crore.

"Since age of unreserved senior citizen passengers in unreserved ticketing system (UTS) is not captured and concession to this category were withdrawn from 20.03.2020, data for unreserved senior citizen passenger is not available for the mentioned period.

"Since age of unreserved senior citizen passengers is not captured and some of the senior citizen passengers do not avail concessions, actual saving cannot be determined," Vaishnaw said on the Railways' savings from the suspension of the facility.

In view of the pandemic and Covid protocol with effect from March 20, 2020, the Railways has continued concession to only four categories of Divyangjan, 11 categories of patients, and students.

"Due to challenges posed by COVID-19, total passenger revenue generated during 2020-21 is less in comparison to the year 2019-2020 pre-Covid period. Cost of granting concessions weigh heavily on Railways, hence extending the scope of concessions to all categories of passengers including senior citizens is not desirable at present," he added.
Consumption of electricity in Telangana is increasing with each passing day, with consumers setting new records of power usage daily. (Representational Photo:PTI)

HYDERABAD: With soaring demand for power, top officials from TS Genco, TS Transco and the Discoms attended a meeting at the Chief Ministers Office on Tuesday to review the power supply situation in the state.

Consumption of electricity in Telangana is increasing with each passing day, with consumers setting new records of power usage daily. On Tuesday, unrestricted demand for power in the state climbed to 14,160 megawatts (MW), a new record for Telangana, breaking Mondays record consumption of 13,857 megawatts. This year, the first power consumption record was broken on March 26 when peak consumption hit 13,742 megawatts.

Officials now expect that power consumption in the state could shoot past the 15,000 MW in a single day soon, adding that they were geared up for supplying up to 16,000 MW of electricity without any difficulty.

Meanwhile, power officials started imposing "unofficial power cuts" on the agriculture sector to meet increased power demand for domestic, commercial and industrial sectors.

Complaints are pouring in from farmers in all districts about unofficial power cuts. Farmers complain of receiving only nine hours of power supply during daytime since March 26 against 24x7 power supply being provided since January 2018.

With this, farmers are concerned about losing rabi crops. They say at least 15 hours of power supply is needed to save rabi crops in summer as they are totally dependent on bore-wells for irrigation.

Moreover, paddy crop was sown in 35 lakh acres in ongoing rabi season in the state despite the state government asking farmers not to sow paddy in rabi and opt for alternate crops. Paddy crop requires huge water. As the paddy crop reached harvesting stage, there is an increased demand for power. Farmers fear paddy crops drying in the fields due to power cuts.

Farmers are already a worried lot with no clarity on paddy procurement for MSP in rabi with both the state government and the Centre having been engaged in a row on this issue since November last. Now, the power cuts have added to their woes.

However, the higher officials of TS Transco remain tight-lipped on the issue. The Transco officials in districts claim that they are imposing power cuts to agriculture on the instructions of higher officials from Hyderabad.

"We have been getting WhatsApp messages from higher-ups at 5 pm every day since March 26 asking us to impose power cuts to agriculture at night. Power is supplied from 8 am to 5 pm. Power cuts are imposed from 5 pm to 8 am. We are being informed that there is unprecedented demand for power from domestic, commercial and industrial sectors and to meet this demand, restricting power supply to agriculture is a must," a Transco official in Nirmal district said.

Farmers in undivided Nizamabad, Medak, Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar, Adilabad, Karimnagar, Khammam and Warangal districts are facing hardships due to power cuts. If power cuts are unavoidable, the farmers want power supply at night instead of daytime.

"Due to higher temperatures, it's difficult to operate motors during daytime. The heat conditions are damaging motors, wires and electrical equipment. It's better if they supply power at night," said A. Nagaraju, a farmer in Karimnagar district.
Vijayawada: A delegation of Mulk Holdings led by its international chairman Nawab Shaji ul Mulk met Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at the camp office here on Tuesday and discussed their business plan in Andhra Pradesh.

Mulk Holdings has come forward to set up a manufacturing hub at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore which will provide employment opportunities to 1,000 people directly and another 2,000 people indirectly, at EMC Kopparthi in YSR district.

The company said it would set up units for manufacturing of aluminum coils, high performance paints used for coil coating, aluminium coil coating production lines, film manufacturing unit, mineral cores production lines, aluminium composition panels and metal composite materials production lines.

Mulk Holdings, headquartered in the UAE, had signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government in the presence of the now-deceased IT minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy in Dubai.

Company vice-chairman Adnan ul Mulk, Zulfi Ravdjee, the state government special representative in the Middle and Far East, industries special chief secretary Karikal Valaven, J.V.N Subramanyam, managing director and vice-chairman of the AP Industries Infrastructure Corporation and other officials.
Hyderabad: The political heat between the BJP and the TRS over various issues is showing no sign of abating, with the BJP continuing to hit back at the TRS over an allegation that the central government is not allowing the state to implement SC/ST reservations and not purchasing paddy from the state.

On Tuesday, Union Minister and BJP MP from Secunderabad, Kishan Reddy said reservations are implemented by the state government and the Centre will have no objection if quotas are raised as per population strengths. In Manipur and Mizoram, the state governments are taking such a decision, and Telangana can as well do this.

He said Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao and the TRS leaders have begun raising the issue of rice and paddy purchases after the regional partys defeat at the hands of the BJP in the Huzurabad assembly by-poll. Andhra Pradesh has no issue with paddy procurement, but Telangana has. The chief minister has a habit of blaming everything on the Centre, he said.

The Union minister said the state, instead, should take up the issues of paddy purchase from this season and of the processing of parboiled rice with rice millers. The state must take responsibility for the purchase of broken rice. It entered into an agreement before the Huzurabad bypoll but changed its tune after the loss in the byelection. Why were the farmers not told about the agreement before the bypoll, Kishan Reddy asked.

On TRS allegation that the Centre is not granting any new medical college to the state, the central minister said the state did not send proper proposals.
The chief minister will host a lunch/dinner party to his present cabinet colleagues and will explain his strategy for the YSRC win in the 2024 general elections. (File photo)

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is likely to hold the last meeting of the present Cabinet on April 7 and clear the air on a cabinet reshuffle. The new cabinet is likely to have one member from each of the 26 districts.

According to sources, oral instructions were given to heads of government departments to prepare proposals that would form the agenda for the cabinet meeting.

The chief minister plans to meet Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan the day after the cabinet meeting to explain about the cabinet reshuffle and seek a time for the swearing-in of the new ministers. The new cabinets swearing-in will likely be held at 11.31 am on April 11.

The formation of new districts is in the final stage and the functioning of these entities will start from April 4.

The CM plans to induct one legislator from every district into the cabinet, giving representation to all districts.

The chief minister will host a lunch/dinner party to his present cabinet colleagues and will explain his strategy for the YSRC win in the 2024 general elections. He will ask the outgoing set of ministers to work for the party and strengthen it in their districts. This will give them a chance to return to the post-poll 2024 cabinet.

The CM decided to appoint the outgoing ministers as party coordinators to lead the party and resolve issues in the respective constituencies and districts. Several heads will roll. Below ten per cent of the present cabinet will have the chance to retain the berths in the cabinet reshuffle.

Ministers like Balineni Srinivas, Kodali Venkateswara and Botcha Satyanarayana have made it clear they will abide by the decision of CM Jagan as to what they should do in future.

Jagan is considering two options under which the first option is taking the resignations from ministers. The second option is submitting a letter to the governor as cabinet head, proposing a change of ministers and giving names of new ministers.

Meanwhile, several ministers continue their efforts to remain in the cabinet.
HYDERABAD: The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) preferred to maintain silence over the letter written by Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to the Chief Ministers of non-BJP states, calling for a united fight against the 'oppressive rule' of the BJP-led government at the Centre. None of the top party leaders in the TRS reacted on this issue.

Party sources said Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao did not receive any letter from Mamata in this regard so far and that he would take a call on the future course of action after receiving the letter.

However, the Chief Minister planned a sudden trip to Delhi on Wednesday morning which was subsequently cancelled by evening. His sudden Delhi trip proposal triggered speculations that it was aimed to meet non-BJP Chief Ministers to discuss holding a meeting of non-BJP parties as sought by Mamata.

The Chief Minister had repeatedly announced in recent months holding a non-BJP parties conclave either in Delhi or in Hyderabad to launch a united fight against the BJP-led government at the Centre. Against this backdrop, Mamata writing a letter to Chief Ministers of all non-BJP states on Tuesday and Chandrashekar Rao planning to visit Delhi a day after on Wednesday heated up the political atmosphere in the state.

Meanwhile, the TRS members on Wednesday staged a walkout from both the Houses of the Parliament demanding the Centre conduct a caste-based census. As soon as the session commenced, the TRS MPs moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha seeking discussion on the caste-based census. The adjournment motions were, however, rejected by the Speaker and Chairman of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively.

Registering protest over rejecting adjournment motions, the TRS MPs staged a walkout from both the Houses raising slogans demanding caste-based census.

Later, speaking to media personnel, TRS MPs lashed out at the BJP-led government at the Centre for ignoring caste-based census despite there is a strong demand from several political parties and caste organisations across the country in this regard. They said caste-based census was conducted in the country 92 years ago and since then none of the subsequent governments took measures to conduct caste-based census.

TRS floor leader in Lok Sabha Nama Nageswara Rao said with no exact figures on caste-based population in the country, it became difficult for the governments at the Centre and the states to devise suitable and effective schemes for the welfare and development of vulnerable sections and also to enhance reservations for these sections in proportionate to their population.
The barbarity of Bogtui, near Rampurhat in West Bengals Birbhum district, is not just unacceptable, it is an instance of the use of violence to settle political scores going totally out of control. That is not to argue that the use of controlled and targeted violence is either acceptable or excusable in the competitive politics of electoral democracies.

Yet, violence and murderous attacks are routinely used, especially in West Bengal, against political competitors as a mode of settling scores and signalling their relative positions, and this has unfortunately been the practice for decades.

The winner or defender establishes himself as the reigning local oligarch and political power centre. There is a hierarchy within which these oligarchs and power centres manage to operate.

And then there is the politics of victimhood. The CPI(M), which had ruled the state for 34 years, had played it against the Congress, and the Congress played it against the CPI(M). Mamata Banerjee has played it against both, at different times. The BJP, as the newbie in the states politics, mulched it before and after the May 2021 elections. The recent scuffle between the BJPs Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and his colleagues and Trinamul Congress legislators in the West Bengal Assembly has become almost routine for almost all state Assemblies and even Parliament for some time. The difference is that it happened in West Bengal and went viral. The BJP is clearly working hard, albeit taking shortcuts, to underline its victim status to highlight the TMCs practice of using violence to settle political scores.

To disconnect herself from the out-of-control hierarchy of political power centres and local oligarchs engaged in murderous competition, Mamata Banerjee has adroitly shifted her public communications from being dismissive on the one hand and constructing an alternative narrative of conspiracy on the other. She has done so to underline her position as the only power centre, the fountainhead of all political and government authority, fully accountable to the people and responsible for delivering justice and compensation to victims. She has made herself the embodiment of the rule of law, reiterated her familial connection with the people, especially women, as the Didi and announced that a hotline will be set up for oppressed and fearful people to complain to her directly.

This version of hotline politics is a strategic move. Used effectively on the eve of the 2021 state Assembly elections, the hotline between Didi and the individual aggrieved voter revived the direct link that had got frayed in 2019, resulting in heavy losses for the Trinamul Congress in the Lok Sabha elections and fuelling the BJPs meteoric rise to challenger status.

Regaining control in a ramshackle organisation, where discipline is low and control is loose and sporadic, is definitely a challenge. Ms Banerjee has been aware of the internal conflicts and has in the aftermath of May 2021 repeatedly warned her party that she will not tolerate activities that damage the TMCs reputation. Her warnings pre-Bogtui went unheeded, even after she pointedly spoke out during and after the recent statewide municipal elections.

The challenge for Ms Banerjee is to whip the party and her government, especially the police, into a semblance of order, to restore confidence in her leadership. To do that, the chief minister has, grudgingly, welcomed the investigation into the Bogtui incident by the Central Bureau of Investigation even though she had set up a Special Investigation Team led by the top brass of the West Bengal police. By gracefully conceding space to the CBI in Bogtui, Ms Banerjee has sidestepped the snare that Narendra Modi had placed in her way by offering all support from the Centre. For a leader who has consistently opposed the encroachment of the Centre on state matters, especially on law and order and authority over the police, Mamata Banerjees overt message of cooperation with the CBI is a tactical move that will give her room to manipulate the narrative after the investigation is over.

As a populist leader in an elected democracy, Mamata Banerjee is fully conscious that her mandate has to be frequently validated though the popular vote. However authoritarian her style may be, and that was on full display at Bogtui when she ordered the arrest of a TMC district leader because voters in Bogtui blamed him for the atrocities, she knows that voter support is essential for her survival and her ambitions to play a role in national politics in 2024 and beyond.

Deplorable as it may be, it is pointless to try and trace the origins of why West Bengals politics is more prone to violence than other states. Violence is used to defend local political turf, which means it reinforces the prevailing power equations. Violence is used as a signal of aggressive expansion by the local power centre aiming to enlarge his territory. Violence is a performance designed to deliver multiple messages to locals who interpret and make sense of it in their own ways.

Participation in political violence in West Bengal is part of the rites of initiation and a marker of status, especially for the non-elites in urban and rural areas. The participant then becomes either a local hero, a go-to person for people on the margins trying to access government services and benefits, entry into the local informal economy, get relief, or the local thug, who is best avoided.

There is a social sanction for the use of violence in politics and for settling disputes, even family conflicts.

And then there was Mamata Banerjee, who as a victim of violence against her person, became a symbol of all victims. On her political journey to power in 2011, Ms Banerjee fought back, acquired the status of a hero and the reputation of a street fighter. Her brand image was a fearless leader who fought on the front lines.

Ms Banerjees response to the Bogtui killings marks her transition from streetfighter and victim. As chief minister, as a possible aspirant for the prime ministership in 2024, if the unborn alliance of anti-BJP parties becomes a reality, Mamata Banerjee cannot afford to alienate a small pocket of voters in Bogtui because she is aware that voters aggrieved by her partys local oligarchs and power centres across West Bengal will decipher her response and read meanings in them that may jeopardise the Trinamul Congress popularity and her brand as its supreme leader. She needs to establish control, over a politically corrupt administration and a dysfunctional party to position herself as a wholesome alternative to a toxic incumbent.
By Shruti Srivastava and Vrishti Beniwal

The Centre is considering a proposal from Russia to use a system developed by the Russian central bank for bilateral payments, according to people with knowledge of the matter, as the Asian nation seeks to buy oil and weapons from the sanctions-hit country.

The plan involves rupee-rouble-denominated payments using Russias messaging system SPFS, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing confidential deliberations. No final decision has been taken and the matter will probably be discussed when Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrives in India for a two-day visit Thursday.

Russian central bank officials are likely to visit India next week to discuss the details, the people said. The Reserve Bank of India regularly meets with executives from its banking system to discuss matters including exposure to Russia and the risk of sanctions, another person said.

Read | Kremlin says nothing 'promising' from Russia-Ukraine talks

A finance ministry spokesman wasnt immediately available for comment. An email to the RBI wasnt immediately answered.

India is keen to continue bilateral trade due to its dependency on Russian weapons and the prospect of buying cheaper oil as global prices surge. Prime Minister Narendra Modis government has been pushing back against pressure from Western nations by arguing that arms purchases from Russia are needed to counter Chinas growing military assertiveness.

Under the proposal, roubles will be deposited into an Indian bank and converted into rupees and the same system will work in reverse, one of the people said. Undecided elements include whether the exchange rate will be fixed or floating.

Russia also wants India to link its Unified Payments Interface with their MIR payments system for seamless use of cards issued by Indian and Russian banks after Visa Inc. and Mastercard Inc. suspended operations, one of the people said.

The US, along with the European Union, cut off seven Russian banks from SWIFT -- the Belgium-based cross-border payment system operator -- including state-controlled VTB, Bank Rossiya and Bank Otkritie. Following the sweeping sanctions, Russia has been looking for alternate mechanisms to continue its trade hit by its war in Ukraine.

India has not outright condemned Moscows attack on its neighbor, saying only that Russia and Ukraine should end hostilities and seek a diplomatic solution through dialog. However, New Delhi is under pressure from fellow members of the Quad grouping, which includes the US, Australia and Japan, to take a stronger stand against Russia as the US and its allies try to isolate Moscow.

Watch latest videos by DH here:
In the early part of the 2010-20 decade, the Hangouts chat feature was an integral part of Google+, an alternative to MySpace and Facebook, and other emerging social media platforms. But, unfortunately, Google Plus did not appeal to internet users. Later the search engine giant slowly disintegrated it and made Hangouts, a standalone app.

Again, the Hangouts app was overshadowed by WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat. Now, almost a decade later, Google has killed the Hangouts app. It has taken down the application from both the Play Store for Android and Apple App Store for iPhones and iPads.

In the coming weeks, the Hangouts app, which is already installed on the devices will be replaced with Google Chats.

Already, desktop versions users are seeing the banners asking them to move to Google Chats.

Now that the Hangouts app is going to the history books, many people wonder why Google despite being a technology giant, has failed to bring products both hardware (read Pixel phones) and software that appeals to consumers.



Google Chat will soon replace the Hangouts app. Credit: Google



Another instance is Google Stadia. It was launched with so much grandeur in 2019 and was touted to give a stiff challenge to established players such as Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's PlayStation platforms, but the company has lost focus in continuing it. Google Stadia has a low stock of exclusive games and now that, Xbox and PlayStation have reduced the prices of the subscription, Stadia has no more takers.

Only the Search app, Google Lens, Maps, Google Assistant, and Google Camera app have prospered not just on Android but also on iOS devices too. With Pixel phones, Google can still turn things around for good. Also, we are hearing, we may see the first-ever Pixel Watch later this year in October. It is expected to challenge the Samsung Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch series, which have become popular for improving fitness regimes.

If Pixel Watch manages to match Apple Watch's potential life-saving capability to alert users of heart conditions and hard fall to get immediate medical help, Google can improve its brand image as more than just a search engine.

Coming back to the topic at hand; Google Chat standalone app is now available on Play Store and Apple App Store. Also, if users happen to have installed Gmail, then, they can use the integrated chat feature, and no need to install a separate app.

We are very curious to know how the Google Chat app will appeal to the users and how well it will compete with WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal.

Get the latest news on new launches, gadget reviews, apps, cybersecurity, and more on personal technology only on DH Tech.
Returning home from his five-day visit to the United Arab Emirates, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday sought to blunt the oppositions criticism of his visit which was dubbed a leisure trip by declaring that his government will very soon realise the Rs 6,100 crore investment pledged by industrialists in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Stalin said he has instructed officials from the Industries Department and Guidance Bureau to follow up regularly on the investments pledged during the visit and ensure that the industries are set up well before the time agreed upon during their signing.

Addressing a press conference at the Chennai Airport, immediately after he arrived from Abu Dhabi in the wee hours of Tuesday, Stalin termed his UAE trip successful and said he would visit other countries too if the need arises in the future. Though Stalins visit created excitement, it was also mired in controversy, with opposition parties questioning his flying in a special aircraft and the presence of his family members, who have interests in several businesses and the film industry, during the official visit.

Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami and Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai had criticised Stalins foreign visit calling it a leisure trip with family members. Even as Stalin was in the UAE, the government was forced to clarify that the expenses incurred for the chartered flight would be borne by the DMK and that the Chief Ministers intention was just to attract investments to the state.

They are opposition parties. They will only do such thingsI am not bothered. The trip was so successful that six MoUs with a value of Rs 6,100 crore that will provide employment to 14,700 people was signed. These MoUs will not be just paper boats like they were during the erstwhile AIADMK government. We will monitor closely, Stalin told reporters.

The Chief Minister said the progress of the investments pledged during the UAE visit will be monitored by his office and added to the CM dashboard. Besides garnering fresh investments, I also met with business and government representatives in the UAE to hard sell Tamil Nadu. I told them that the investment climate in Tamil Nadu is excellent and asked them to invest more in our state, Stalin said.

The Guidance Bureau has also been asked to continue with its efforts to seek fresh investments from foreign countries, he said.

While LuLu Group International will invest Rs 3,500 crore in setting up two malls in Chennai and Coimbatore and a food processing unit in Tamil Nadu, Nobel Steels has pledged an investment of Rs 1,100 crore. The White House and Transworld Group will invest Rs 500 crore and Rs 100 crore, and Aster Healthcare will invest Rs 500 crore.

Check out the latest videos from DH:
Karnataka Beary Sahitya Academy President Rahim Uchil on Tuesday said that 'halal' is a rule applicable only for Muslims. Making non-Muslims eat halal meat was akin to making them undergo dharma bhrashta, he said.

It is not right on their part to make non-Muslims eat 'halal' meat by hiding the truth of 'halal'. 'Halal' is an integral part of Islam, which has been in practice for the last 1,400 years. Muslims across the world consume the meat that is cut after offering prayers and according to the 'halal' practice. This practice is not applicable to non-Muslims, Uchil said.

Also Read | Bajrang Dal 'bans' Muslims from Shivamogga fair, mandates display of saffron flags at stalls

He suggested that if non-Muslims disagreed with 'halal' meat, they could voluntarily buy and consume the same from shops owned by non-Muslims.

Leaders of two religions should discuss and take an amicable solution for the 'halal' issue. No one should use the issue for political advantage. Further, he said it is the duty of the Muslim society to inform non-Muslims the practices pertaining to 'halal', the words used during the prayers while performing 'halal' and its meaning. It is not right to conduct business by hiding the truth on 'halal', he added.

On the ban on Muslim merchants in Hindu temples, he said that such restrictions among Hindus and Muslims would be sorted out.

Check out the latest DH videos here:
A leading academic has stated that the Executive at Stormont must stop failing Derry and the North-West and make good on its promises to the region ahead of any potential post-united Ireland 'yes-vote' poll victory.

Professor Colin Harvey, who teaches human rights law at Queen's University and is a board member of the Ireland's Future Organisation, insisted it was  absolutely essential that issues and promises regarding higher education, rail provision and job investment and so on, were sorted out and delivered on long before any constitutional change.

The former St Columb's pupil who grew up in the Carnhill area of Derry, stated that such issues needed to be resolved and measures implemented so that the city and the North-West did not feel the same disconnect with the Dail in Dublin, post-unity, as it currently does with Stormont in Belfast.

He said: Derry and the North-West has been categorically failed in the here and now  that's my strong view  and that needs to be addressed in the here and now through the tools and mechanisms and the promises that have already been made.

I think the treatment of Derry and the people of the North-West remains scandalous  including in relation to higher education. That needs to be dealt with now.

But ultimately, the North-West and Derry has been failed by the current constitutional arrangement. So if things were to change on this island, it's absolutely essential that the needs of the North-West of this island  including Derry  are put front and centre of that conversation.

The current arrangements are seriously failing the people of Derry and the people of the North-West.

I think that the evidence that I can see is that the division and separation that has been brought on by the partition of this island  particularly in a post-Brexit context  has failed Derry.

In fact it has failed many areas around the border across Northern Ireland so the evidence that I've seen and everything that I've read suggests that the North-West and Derry stands a better chance acknowledging the failures now.

But none of that should neglect the reality and the difficulties that Derry is facing  and that of the North-West including Co. Donegal  need to be dealt with and tackled in the here and now.

Promises have been made to Derry in particular around higher education and university provision and my view is that those promises need to be delivered now.

One reason why it is imperative for the above issues to be resolved and measures implemented would be to ensure that Derry and the North-West enter a unified Ireland from a strong position.

Questions still remain how strong the city and region's voice will be in Dublin. While Stormont has had its critics, it has served as a vocal point for the North as a whole which might disappear if a unified Ireland centralises everything in the Republic's capital city.

Would Derry and the North-West have to abide with such a scenario or should the push for a devolved, federalised structure begin now ahead of a unity poll?

Professor Harvey added: One of the reasons why I've placed such a focus on advanced preparation and planning is that if there are referendums on the island, there has to be clarity about what a united Ireland actually means.

So it's a great question to ask  what is the model of a united Ireland that is being advanced? Are you talking about a highly-centralised unitary model or are you thinking of a more devolved unitary model or are you heading in the direction of a quasi-federal arrangement?

That's why, in my view, these discussions need to be clarified in the here and now. The Good Friday Agreement does frame that, to some extent, in terms of the values and principles.

But I think that puts the onus very strongly on those who are proposing constitutional change  to spell out in precise terms what model is being proposed.

Or, if a model isn't proposed, what's the mechanism for arriving at a model? What I mean by that, for example, are people suggesting something like a constitutional convention that would happen after the referendums? To sit down and draft a new constitution or will all that be available in advance of the referendums taking place?

It's an excellent question and one that needs to be addressed urgently.

Preparing for a prospective united Ireland has drawn a lot of unwelcome attention towards Professor Harvey in the media coming from former Labour MP Kate Hoey and fringe Loyalists on social media sites.

Professor Harvey though insists he will not be deterred from his work and has thanked all who have publicly come out to support him from such attacks.

He said: First of all, I would just welcome the expressions of solidarity and support and note, for example, of statements from UN special rapporteurs of support and I very much appreciate that.

I think myself and a range of people have become a focus for sharpened attention over a number of years for entering this space and this discussion. Personally, I won't be derailed or distracted .

My strong view is that the planning and preparation work needs to be done. Academics and others have a central role in doing that work. You could say that we have almost a responsibility to undertake that advanced planning and not repeat the mistakes that were made in the Brexit referendum in order to get things right on this island.

I welcome the solidarity and support. But I'm really saddened by some of the highly-personalised attacks that have been made against me. They are wildly irresponsible in the current climate.

But I will not be deterred, I won't be derailed and I will press on with the work that needs to be done in advance of these referendums taking place.

I would also like to take the opportunity to express complete solidarity with journalists here as well. Journalists themselves have also become a focus for much of this.

Doing journalism in a post-conflict society is a difficult job. I'm an academic and I'm a strong supporter of robust, democratic and peaceful dialogue and debate. But that dialogue and debate needs to be well-informed, it needs to be evidence-based and it needs to be accurate.

We all have a responsibility in that respect but primarily at the moment, I want to  as an academic who has found himself to be somewhat of a lightening rod for some of us  express my solidarity with journalists who find themselves very often under attack.

This is a very febrile, post-conflict society that we're all trying to do our jobs in.
Loughs Agency is set to welcome Europes top marine scientists to the North-West for the European Tracking Network (ETN) Annual Meeting, with delegates from across the continent attending the three-day event in Derry.

The conference, which is funded by the EUs COST Action programme, will take place in the City Hotel Derry from April 5 to 7, with a range of informative workshops and activities scheduled for attendees.

Loughs Agency is a member of ETN, an initiative devoted to furthering knowledge and management of aquatic species around Europe.

The Network has six strategically placed large marine fish counters, known as arrays, situated across the continents waters, with various member organisations involved in the long-term project.

Delegates will discuss a range of issues, including the current status of the project, new funding opportunities, key species for research and new projects in the pipeline.

Those in attendance will also be invited to embark on site visits to Lough Foyle and rivers in the Foyle catchment area.

During the course of these visits, they will be able to observe the Agencys Vaki fish counters as well as estuary arrays which are deployed as part of SeaMonitor, the Loughs Agency-led project which has been described as Europes largest fish counter.

Sharon McMahon, Loughs Agency Acting CEO, said: We are delighted to have the opportunity to welcome so many esteemed scientists, academics and environmentalists from across Europe to the Foyle catchment area in Irelands scenic North-West.

The Agency is proud of the incredible work carried out by our Science Function on a daily basis, and as lead partner on the SeaMonitor project, we are fortunate to be right at the cutting edge of fish tracking technology.

Through continuous collaboration with our European colleagues, this ETN Annual Meeting will enable us to increase our knowledge of aquatic species, which in turn will help us preserve marine life throughout Europe.

Dr Jan Reubens, Coordinator of ETN, added: ETNs mission is to track aquatic animals across Europe to better understand, protect and manage them. This meeting is an important milestone to boost our objectives by creating network opportunities, strengthening collaborations, sharing knowledge and advancing the science.

To find out more about the work of ETN, visit: www.europeantrackingnetwork.org/en
A local council has passed a motion calling on the Stormont Executive's immediate recall to address the rise in energy and fuel costs.

The motion, moved by Cllr Catherine Elattar at last week's full meeting of Mid Ulster District Council, also called on Westminster to act by scrapping VAT on domestic energy bills.

However, UUP councillor Trevor Wilson argued that due to the NI Protocol, this was only possible on an all-island basis.

This notice of motion is a bit rich from a party that supported the largest rates increase of all the councils in Northern Ireland, along with the SDLP, he began.

While agreeing with parts, I would refer the proposers to Article 8 of the NI Protocol.

The United Kingdom may apply to the supply of goods taxable in Northern Ireland VAT exemptions and reduced rates that are applicable in Northern Ireland in accordance with the provisions listed in Annex 3 of this Protocol.

That suggests that VAT exemptions and reduced rates can only be applied in Northern Ireland if they are also applied in the Republic.

It is pushing individual families to the brink. While welcoming the emergency fuel payment scheme and the 200 energy payment, I would hope the Minister for Communities should explore extending it beyond March 31 and adjust the criteria to ensure more households are eligible.

There is no doubt energy providers are making an absolute fortune as people are really struggling to make ends meet, and more pressure should be put on the energy providers to do more to help.

DUP councillor Paul McLean accused Sinn Fein of electioneering.

While we are all too aware that the rising costs are crippling working families and causing much heartache and pain to individuals across out district, he said.

However, Sinn Fein have used this as a bit of an election stunt. Had the two central elements of the motion been omitted, there would have been anonymity across the room.

Following the meeting, Cllr Elattar said a 'lack of leadership' from the DUP had left Ministers unable to fully help citizens.

People here need support now and it is the responsibility of all political parties to work together to provide that support, she said.

The cost of living crisis is impacting all residents and businesses in the Mid Ulster area and placing a severe burden on their financial resources and personal lives.

The high cost of fuel is particularly hard on people living in rural areas, with poor access to public transport and on community nursing and caring staff, who have to travel big distances to provide vital services to vulnerable and sometimes very ill people.

The high cost of electricity is also having a negative impact on those people relying on medical equipment at home.

Those people needing oxygen therapy and cpap machines, as well as other devices that are run by electricity, have seen prices rocket. Many are reliant on these devices to stay alive

The 5p reduction from Rishi Sunak on fuel duty goes nowhere near enough to help struggling families.

The British government decision to remove red diesel from non agriculture industries will further increase costs for businesses, which will be passed on to consumers.

This lack of leadership and action, along with the DUP withdrawing from the executive, is hindering Ministers from being able to fully help citizens, she added.
Minister Byrne welcomes Croatias State Secretary for Europe Metelko Zgombic

Press release

Minister of State, Thomas Byrne, T.D., today met for consultations with his Croatian colleague, State Secretary for Europe, Ms. Andreja Metelko Zgombic, who is paying a working visit to Ireland.

I am delighted to welcome my good colleague, State Secretary Metelko Zgombic, to Dublin and look forward to discussing the war against Ukraine arising from Russias unjust aggression as well as other important current issues on the EU agenda.

Croatia is an important EU partner with whom we enjoy excellent bilateral relations and like-minded with us in seeking to advance the Enlargement prospects of countries in the Western Balkans so this will also be another important topic in our discussions.

In addition to bilateral relations and the respective support efforts underway to help Ukraine at this time, Minister Byrne and State Secretary Metelko Zgombic will also review the overall situation in the Western Balkans with particular reference to recent developments in Bosnia-Herzegovina while Minister Byrne will also update on EU-UK relations, including the Northern Ireland Protocol.

State Secretary Metelko-Zgombics visit comes just days after a St. Patrick's Day visit to Croatia by Minister of State with responsibility for Skills and Further Education Niall Collins, T.D. and helps to build on the already strong relationship between our two countries.

ENDS

Press Office

30 March 2022

 Previous Item | Next Item 
The company will be launching the Redmi Note 11 Festival Edition at this event.

Xiaomi will be holding the Mi Fan Festival 2022 soon. This years event marks the celebration of the companys 8 year anniversary in India. It shared this news with its fans through a tweet from its official handle without revealing the date of the event. However, while announcing the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G, the Redmi 10 5G and Note 11S 5G in the European market, the Xiaomi Fan Festival was revealed to be taking place on April 6. Now, it is not clear that whether the Indian event will coincide with the global one.

Here's some incredible news for you Mi Fans- we're celebrating 8 glorious, fun years of #Xiaomi India!



So, we're opening the gates to the #MiFanFestival on https://t.co/D3b3Qt5s8T soon.



More surprises coming your way, stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/QNqOnSiQKC  Xiaomi India (@XiaomiIndia) March 30, 2022

Not only that, Xiaomi is going to unveil yet another variant of Redmi Note 11 carrying a Festival Edition surname. You can check out the device below:

Redmi Note 11 Festival Edition

As you can see, it flaunts a blue shade with special branding at the back, just above the Redmi logo.

Being a special edition phone, Xiaomi is offering a unique look to its packaging and is also bundling custom stickers. We also get to see the in-box contents like a 33W charger, cable, case, and paperwork.

We dont know if this new Redmi Note 11 will be making its way to India. In any case, here are the regular Redmi Note 11s specifications:

Redmi Note 11 Specs and Features (Standard Indian Variant)

On the front, Redmi Note 11 has got a 6.43-inch AMOLED screen with an FHD+ resolution, 90Hz refresh rate, and 1000nits peak brightness.

The selfie camera is of 13-megapixels and resides within a central punch hole. The back cameras include a 50MP main sensor, an 8MP ultrawide snapper, a 2MP macro and a 2MP depth shooter.

The processor at work is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 SoC along with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.2 storage. There is also a 5000mAh battery with 33W fast charging support in the mix.

Lets see if this new Redmi Note 11 Festival Edition shares the same specifications or not. And more importantly, if it lands in India.

For other news, reviews, feature stories, buying guides, and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.
Subscriber content preview

BOSTON (AP)  Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said Tuesday a compromise has been reached with restaurant owners in the city's North End over a $7,500 fee for the right to offer outdoor dining on neighborhood streets this summer.

Many restaurants had balked at the fee, even threatening a lawsuit, calling it discriminatory because eateries in other areas of the city were not required to pay it.





. . .
Sound Transit's OMF East wins national AGC construction award

Image from AGC of America [enlarge] OMF East was finished last year by Hensel Phelps.





The Associated General Contractors of America yesterday bestowed a top construction honor on Hensel Phelps for its work on the $450 million Sound Transit Operations and Maintenance Facility East project in Bellevue.

Hensel Phelps won the Construction Risk Partners Build America Award for the best design-build civil project. The OMF East project was one of 24 winners of a top category award. A STEM teaching facility at Michigan State University won the Grand Award. The AGC also handed out 15 Merit Awards at its annual convention in Grapevine, Texas.

Completing a project like this requires a special combination of skill, tenacity, innovation and finesse,said Bob Lanham, the association's president and president of Williams Brothers Construction Co in Houston, in a news release.While every construction project has its own unique challenges, getting this project completed required far more from the contractor than a typical project.

The Sound Transit project included the design and construction of two major buildings: the Maintenance of Way Building and the Operations and Maintenance Building. Hensel Phelps constructed a run-around track that serves the building and a mainline track to provide access from the south and future access to the north. The project also included roadway work, urban improvements, significant stormwater improvements, landscaping, replacement of a King County regional sewer line, and interim trail improvements on the Eastside Rail Corridor.

The Hensel Phelps team completed the project on time and within budget to meet LEED gold certification. Other team members included VIA Architecture and Granite Construction.

Two other Pacific Northwest projects won Build America Awards at the convention, both built by Advanced American Construction of Portland. These were: Willamette Falls Fishway repair in West Linn, Oregon, for environmental enhancement; and Port of Newport Dock 5 pier replacement in Newport, Oregon, for highway and transportation renovation (under $10 million).

The AGC says a panel of judges evaluated an impressive number of submissions this year, assessing each project's complexity, use of innovative construction techniques and client satisfaction, among other criteria. The awards are considered by many to be the most prestigious recognition of construction accomplishments in the U.S.




Shanghai releases measures to support businesses

By ZHOU WENTING in Shanghai (China Daily) 08:32, March 30, 2022

Residents select vegetables at a grocery store in Changning district, Shanghai, on Tuesday. GAO ERQIANG/CHINA DAILY

Shanghai released a 21-point document on Tuesday to assist businesses in the city and promote development while it fights its worst COVID-19 outbreak.

The document sets out tax rebates and reductions, fee reductions, rent reductions and exemptions, financial subsidies, and measures to stabilize employment, which are all part of the city's latest effort to help businesses through the challenging period in sectors including catering, retail, tourism, transportation and exhibitions.

Official estimates showed that the tax-related measures alone can reduce the financial burden on related industries and businesses by 140 billion yuan ($22 billion) this year.

"The measures were issued under the principle of planning pandemic control and socioeconomic development as a whole, as we've continued to strive to achieve the best pandemic prevention and control effect at the least cost," said Ruan Qing, deputy director of the Shanghai Development and Reform Commission.

He said the measures in Shanghai came after the release of similar national policies in mid-February, and these were updated to offer stronger support to businesses in the city.

For example, the national policy stipulated that retail and catering enterprises are given subsidies of no less than 50 percent of the cost of employees' nucleic acid tests. In Shanghai, this has been increased to 100 percent.

Zhang Guohua, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commerce Commission, explained that this policy applies to workers selling and processing imported cold-chain food at malls, supermarkets, farmers markets and catering enterprises, as well as logistics and delivery employees with e-commerce platforms.

Also, while the national policy stipulated that small and microsized enterprises in the service sector would benefit from rent reductions and exemptions, Shanghai has expanded this to all sectors.

"All such enterprises and self-employed people renting real estate from State-owned enterprises for production and business activities will be exempted from rent for three months in 2022," said Chen Dong, chief economist with the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Shanghai.

"Those located in medium- or high-risk regions or those whose business activities are severely affected by pandemic control measures can be exempted from rent for a total of six months this year," he said.

In terms of tax reductions, Pang Wei, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Tax Service, said the related measures in the document are expected to especially benefit small and micro-sized businesses in the city.

Mei Guodong, general manager of Shanghai Lanqin Travel Agency, said that small businesses welcomed such policies, as many have coped with difficulties since 2020 and were eager to continue their operations.

Shanghai reported having 4,477 new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections on Monday, including 96 confirmed cases.

A total of 8.26 million residents in the regions east of the Huangpu River and key areas west of the river received nucleic acid tests on Monday as the municipality kicked off a new round of testing among its residents.

Those regions will be locked down from 5 am Monday to 5 am Friday. From 3 am Friday to 3 am on April 5, other regions west of the river will be locked down while residents are tested.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Staff at a Drogheda distillery are helping to plant 2,000 trees as part of a groundbreaking sustainability drive. Family-run drinks firm Boann is getting into the environmental spirit with a major green initiative to offset the use of wooden barrels to age its whiskey.

A total of 1,000 oak and 1,000 native broadleaf trees are being grown in Meaths Preston estate, whose family have historic links to the world famous Prestons of Drogheda, Co Louth  operators of a whiskey bonding business for almost a century from 1886. And the planting is set to become an annual initiative.

Only three to four barrels can be made from a suitable tree and Boann lays down 6,000 barrels annually to allow its whiskey to mature.

"We choose to work only with coopers that source their wood from sustainable sources, said Sally Anne Cooney, co-founder and sustainability lead at Boann Distillery. Cask maturation is an essential part of the whiskey making process.

We cask our newmake spirit into oak barrels from around the world and this new planting of trees will contribute to close the loop on our barrel sustainability programme in the new circular economy, while also helping to reduce our carbon footprint into the future. This is the start of ongoing plans to make a more sustainable distilling future for Irish Whiskey. We are a family business and look to the long term in everything we do, protecting the environment for the next generation is paramount.

The distillery aims to plant a further 2,000 trees annually in the coming years, all of which will be protected and allowed to grow to maturity. Boann has already been rewarded for its environmental activities  becoming the first distillery in Ireland to be awarded Bord Bia Origin Green Gold member status in 2020. Reducing water usage, moving to exclusively renewable energy sources, rainwater harvesting and supporting local grain supply are some of the key measures it is adopting to promote sustainability within the industry.
Lisa Smith, a former soldier who denies membership of Isis, chose to travel to an area controlled by the "demonic" terrorist organisation having rejected peace and integration to embrace what is militant and violent, a barrister has told her trial.

Sean Gillane SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, has delivered his closing speech in the trial, telling the three-judge, non-jury court that Ms Smith did not embark on a "lawful and wholesome journey" to answer a religious calling but, having addressed and analyzed the call by terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, she migrated to Isis controlled territory where she engaged in a reciprocal relationship with the Islamic State and then moved with Isis as it lost territory following the fall of Raqqa in 2016.

He described Ms Smith's journey to Syria as the "ultimate act of allegiance" to the terrorist organisation and said that those who travelled there provided the "life blood" of Isis.

Before traveling, Mr Gillane said the accused had watched and justified videos of Isis drowning men in cages or firing on them using rocket launchers.

Counsel said Ms Smith is not being prosecuted for believing in Islam or in a caliphate, but for joining a terrorist group.

Michael O'Higgins SC, for Ms Smith, told the court that his client did not travel to Syria to take part in combat.

She was vulnerable, brittle, suicidal and depressed, he said, and as a recent convert to Islam she could not have known whether the caliphate announced by al-Baghdadi was legitimate.

He said tens of thousands of Muslims answered al-Baghdadi's call and if the prosecution is correct, all of them were subjected to "mass hypnotism" that turned them into zombies and robots who "descended on the area and immediately set about becoming members of a terrorist organisation."

Ms Smith (40), from Dundalk, Co Louth travelled to Syria in 2015 after al-Baghdadi called on all Muslims to travel to the Islamic State he had created.

She has pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful terrorist group, Islamic State, between October 28th, 2015 and December 1st, 2019. She has also pleaded not guilty to financing terrorism by sending 800 in assistance, via a Western Union money transfer, to a named man on May 6th, 2015.

Mr Gillane said that a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 is an organisation which commits criminal offences to intimidate a population.

Isis, he said, is undoubtedly a terrorist organisation under Irish law.

He added: "There can be no rational dispute that it engaged in an unremitting campaign of orchestrated and theatrical violence, the purpose of which was at least to intimidate and cow populations and to force submission to its totalitarian view. Its violence was wedded to its aim to seize and hold territory to create a state-like dominion."

Membership of an organisation in Irish law, he said, denotes belonging or adhering to that group and in considering membership the court can draw inferences from a person's conduct, their associations or state of mind.

Their adherence can be declared through acts of allegiance or pledges of loyalty, he said.

Regarding the charge of funding terrorism, Mr Gillane said it is an "inescapable inference" that Ms Smith intended the e800 to be used to help Isis fighter John Georgelas get back on his feet and become operative again following an injury he suffered while fighting in Aleppo.

Mr Gillane said the accused converted to Islam in 2011, shortly after al-Baghdadi took over Isis.

She left the Irish army and started speaking online with Georgelas.

In 2013 Ms Smith travelled to Turkey to meet Georgelas and from there went to Syria where she married a Tunisian member of the Army of Mohammad who was fighting against the Assad regime.

She returned to Ireland in September 2014 without her husband.

In January 2014 Isis took control of Raqqa and in June that year al-Baghdadi declared himself the caliph of a new caliphate with global authority over all Muslims.

His caliphate was based on what Mr Gillane described as a "bigoted interpretation of Islam" which divided the world into two groups; there were those who were within the Isis fold and those without, against whom violence was justified.

He added: "The prosecution says this was the context and background through which Ms Smith's decision to travel and join the Islamic State is to be assessed."

He said Ms Smith was not being prosecuted for believing in Islam or the caliphate but for joining a terrorist group.

The self-declared caliphate was not a country or nation state but a proto-state created by an illegal organisation. Mr Gillane added:

"The criminal circularity of the declaration and enforcement is obvious: It is that we are Muslims and we declare Baghdadi to be the caliph and if you do not accept that, you are kafir, non-Muslim, apostate and you deserve death. It is no more complicated than that."

There was, counsel said, no good Islamic State that she could have been travelling to in 2015 and this was not an otherwise "lawful and wholesome journey" or "innocent act of travel near a place at an unfortunate point in time".

He said that Ms Smith may have felt "buyer's remorse" after the fact but that is not a defence.

He added: "Ms Smith specifically addressed, assessed and analyzed and ultimately answered the call to migrate to this place controlled by Isis."

Her journey, or "hijrah", to Syria, counsel said, was the "ultimate act of allegiance".

Such acts were vital to the survival of the terrorist organisation as they were the "life blood of the group".

Those making hijrah to Isis territory provided not just fighters but also "sustenance and vitality" to help the group achieve its aims.

Counsel said that such an act of hijrah identifies a person as a member of Isis and it "can't be ignored that she travelled thousands of miles to this place at that time and in the light of what she undoubtedly knew about the prevailing circumstances."

Mr Gillane said there was evidence going back as far as 2012 that Ms Smith was interested in the political side of Islam, was prone to talking about Al Qaeda, jihad as holy war and justifications for suicide bombings.

One witness told the trial that Ms Smith wanted a husband who would die as a martyr to Islam.

Mr Gillane reminded the court that Tania Joya, Georgelas' ex wife, told the trial that Ms Smith wanted to die as a martyr when they visited Syria in 2013 and said that if Georgelas had not radicalised Ms Smith, someone else would have.

Mr Gillane said it is also instructive to look at the "gallery of confederates" with whom Ms Smith was associated, including Georgelas, an Australian jihadist known as Robert Cerantonio and another Isis sympathiser also based in Australia.

Her social media interactions with those men, counsel said, show the "durability and persistence" of her views and state of knowledge and "give the lie to any suggestion that she had been led to some misinterpretation of the reality of Isis and what they were about."

In those social media posts, Mr Gillane said Ms Smith did not demur from a comment that there is nothing wrong with killings carried out by Isis.

In one exchange Georgelas condones the random shooting of young men by Isis, saying "we are commanded to strike fear into our enemies" and later said he has no problem cutting the heads of Shias.

Ms Smith's response, counsel said, was: "I get what you are saying."

In July 2014 she told the group that she wanted her husband to pledge loyalty to Baghdadi and said that "whether Baghdadi is good or bad doesn't matter, he has fulfilled his responsibilities."

After posting an article in which Islamic scholars rejected al-Baghdadi's caliphate, Ms Smith said:

"What have the scholars done for Muslims, at least al-Baghdadi did something" and "people love to talk but no-one wants to walk the line."

Mr Gillane said there is evidence that once in Syria Ms Smith did not want to leave and that she had made a pledge of loyalty.

She also sent a message to her sister saying: "We are in war and I won't be back." In a later message she said she was "well looked after" and on Feb 2, 2016 said "heaven doesn't come cheap". All this, Mr Gillane said, was "consistent with the philosophy of martyrdom".

Before travelling to Syria, Mr Gillane said Ms Smith had seen videos of men being drowned in a cage, fired on by rocket launchers and discussed them in detail.

He said she "rationalised and justified" what she had seen. Following an attack on tourists in Tunisia, he said the group described as a liar a scholar who wrote about integration and peace and one member said "may God destroy him" to which Ms Smith said, "Amen".

Mr Gillane said it is important to note that Ms Smith rejected integration and peace and "what's embraced is what's militant and violent".

Mr Gillane said Ms Smith called on Muslims to pledge loyalty to the caliphate, to "unite under one banner and fight the enemy instead of splitting into more sects".

Mr Gillane said that the accused reacted to the burning of a Jordanian pilot by saying, "he dropped bombs on innocent Muslims".

Counsel said Ms Smith had made choices with a full understanding of what she was doing.

Responding, Mr O'Higgins said one of his principle objections to the prosecution case is the "endless speculation".

He added: "In terms of hard evidence, it's not there but the prosecution doesn't have the good grace to concede that and instead makes grand statements."

He said that he was going to focus on the evidence and asked the court to do the same.

He said that at the time Ms Smith converted to Islam she was depressed, suicidal and looking for something.

She tried Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, fortune tellers and "fairies" and when she found Islam, it "turned her life on its head".

She fell in, counsel said, with a "pure and strict" sect of Islam in a mosque in Dundalk where she was told that "everything is forbidden" including music and other basic things.

She learned about conspiracy theories regarding the 9/11 attacks on America and then met Georgelas online.

She found out that making hijrah to get away from non-believers was a religious obligation for all Muslims and believed she would burn in hell for eternity if she failed to do so.

A belief in hell, Mr O'Higgins said, was once a norm for people in Ireland and such a belief would not be surprising to any Irish person aged over 40.

He said that his client was vulnerable and brittle, sometimes naive, but also at times showed a "startling" resilience and independence.

He said that her social media exchanges before she left for Syria showed that she had already accepted that there was to be no fighting role for her.

They also showed that she was thinking and that she could not understand how people being drowned in cages or fired on by rockets could be justified in Islam.

He compared the justification she was presented with to Christians talking about "an eye for an eye" and asked how evangelicals would react if a soldier was captured who had dropped bombs on their community.

Mr O'Higgins said that Islamic scholars differed on the legitimacy of al-Baghdadi's caliphate and added: "If the scholars can't agree, what hope has a revert [convert to Islam] like Lisa Smith."

Mr O'Higgins pointed to the evidence of Professor Hugh Kennedy who said that while most said the caliphate was not legitimate, there were respected voices who said it was and there was debate within the Islamic community.

Mr O'Higgins added: "This idea that you can brush aside the caliphate as some form of Arabic mafia simply doesn't stack up."

Within the Islamic State, Mr O'Higgins said women were of little value other than as homemakers.

On arrival in Syria Ms Smith was left in a women's home for six months before Georgelas got her out and she married an English Islamist soon afterwards.

The only services she supplied, Mr O'Higgins said, was to do washing, laundry, cooking and cleaning. He said the prosecution is trying to assert that by maintaining her husband in that way she became a member of Isis or that by having children she was providing soldiers for some future battlefield.

He pointed out that she is not accused of supporting or providing assistance but of actual membership because she supported her husband. Mr O'Higgins asked the court to imagine the wife of a member of an unlawful organisation being charged in this jurisdiction on the grounds that she was "cooking, cleaning and maintaining a good house for her husband".

Mr O'Higgins questioned the expertise of a prosecution witness, Dr Florence Gaub, who Mr O'Higgins said did not go to Syria during the conflict and never met anyone who was there.

She relied entirely on second and third hand information, Mr O'Higgins said, and her claims that westerners were given preferential treatment by Isis were not backed up by the sources she herself had quoted.

He questioned her assertion that joining the Islamic State and joining Isis were the same thing by comparing membership of Sinn Fein to membership of the IRA.

Mr O'Higgins will continue his speech to the court today.
Dundalk Institute of Technology were absolutely delighted to support the virtual book launch of Unmasked: Experiences of nursing students during COVID-19 which is a unique and heartfelt insight into the experiences of nursing students during such unpredictable and unprecedented times.

This publication demonstrates the unbelievable resilience of nursing students during their placements, and this book has allowed their phenomenal empathy to be captured in the written word.

The collection was created and curated by Lucy Bolger, a final year General Nursing student. Lucy graduated from DkIT in October 2021 and is now a staff nurse at Beaumont Hospital.

During the pandemic, Lucy was inspired to gather the stories of her fellow students to encapsulate individual student nurses work experiences in this exceptional moment in time.

Lucy contacted her classmates and put out several calls on social media, she got an amazing response and receive extraordinary stories from nursing students across Ireland and beyond.

With the help of Head of Department, Dr Myles Hackett and the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, Lucy has edited an ebook that brings together 17 stories, poems and experiences, written by nursing students.

The collection includes a foreword by Grainne Gallenagh, nurse, model and former Miss Universe Ireland.

This initiative was supported by funding from the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learnings 2019 Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement (SATLE) fund.

As Dr Myles Hackett remarks:

"The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nursing and midwifery education has been immense. This collection of student reflections and poetry captures the challenges students faced, the contribution they made to patient care and health care delivery and the learning they took from very difficult situations during the pandemic."

The book was launched during a virtual ceremony at lunchtime on Monday, 28th of March. This launch was opened by DkIT Vice President for Academic Affairs and Registrar, Dr Sheila Flanagan and was addressed by Head of School of Health and Science, Dr Edel Healy.

The contributors, their family, friends, DkIT staff and students came together to celebrate this remarkable achievement.

You can read the collection here https://eprints.dkit.ie/id/eprint/786
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.

Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.

If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .

Support our mission and join our community now.
Just over 99,000 in funding has been announced today for eight local swimming pools in Louth. The government funding has been approved by Sport Ireland and Ireland Active as part of a 3.2 million national funding package for swimming pool operators across the country.

The swimming pools in Louth receiving the funding are:

4Fit Leisure Club Louth - 9,756.20

Aura Drogheda Leisure Centre Louth - 15,986.06

Aura Dundalk Leisure Centre Louth - 15,986.06

Carrickdale Leisure Centre Louth - 15,398.34

DkIT Sport Leisure Centre Louth - 7,757.94

Felda Health Fitness & Spa Louth - 11,166.74

Gym Plus Drogheda Louth - 11,401.83

Integral Fitness and Leisure Drogheda Louth - 11,754.46

Sharing the news this afternoon, Fergus O'Dowd TD said, "Swimming pool operators have been adversely affected over the last two years by Covid and whilst they are benefitting from a return to normal operations this funding will provide an additional layer of stability in 2022.

Pools are expensive amenities and with concerning increases in energy costs, many pool operators have been hit hard so this funding whilst modest will offset some of these increases.

Swimming is an excellent past time to not only maintain general fitness but pools across the country also provide much needed swimming lessons to all age groups across all levels. These lessons provide essential skills to people of all ages and reduces their risk in and around water.

Im delighted to see our local swimming pools benefiting again from this funding stream since it was first introduced in December 2020 in response to Covid.
The prosecution evidence against former soldier Lisa Smith, who denies membership of Isis, falls short of what is required, a defence barrister has told her trial.

Ms Smith (40) has been on trial for nine weeks at the Special Criminal Court. The trial finished today but the three judges of the non-jury court have not yet indicated when they will deliver a verdict.

The case will be mentioned again next Thursday (April 7) and Ms Smith's barrister Michael O'Higgins SC today (WED) said that he may have further submissions to make at that stage.

Ms Smith from Dundalk, Co Louth travelled to Syria in 2015 after Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called on all Muslims to travel to the Islamic State he had created.

The accused has pleaded not (NOT) guilty to membership of an unlawful terrorist group, Islamic State, between October 28th, 2015 and December 1st, 2019.

She has also pleaded not (NOT) guilty to financing terrorism by sending 800 in assistance, via a Western Union money transfer, to a named man on May 6th, 2015.

Mr O'Higgins finished his closing speech to the judges this morning.

He began by saying that the methodology used by prosecution witness Dr Florence Gaub was flawed and he is concerned that the prosecution is relying on her.

Dr Gaub, a social scientist and expert on Middle Eastern conflicts, told the trial that anyone who travelled to Isis-controlled territory and engaged with the state became a member of the terrorist organisation.

She said that those who travelled engaged in a reciprocal relationship whereby they provided the tools for state-building and in return got preferential treatment when it came to food and services, including internet access and housing.

Mr O'Higgins said Dr Gaub, in her report for the court, had used inaccurate language that described everyone who travelled to the Islamic State as a "foreign fighter" regardless of what role they actually played.

He said there was no factual basis for her claim that all food distribution in the area was controlled by Isis or for the claim that westerners received preferential treatment.

Dr Gaub conceded she had not been to Syria during the conflict and Mr O'Higgins questioned how she could have concluded that people who worked as nurses or teachers were guilty of Isis membership but not taxi drivers.

He compared her description of the reciprocal relationship between Islamic State and those living there to the situation of residents of Republican-controlled areas of Belfast.

Mr O'Higgins said that whether they approved or not, they benefitted from the local transport networks created by the IRA or from their efforts to curb anti-social behaviour by knee-capping or beating joy-riders and others.

He added: "No-one in their right mind would say that reciprocal benefit would mean that if you stayed there you were a member of an illegal organisation.

The logic underpinning the entire opinion is woolly in the extreme and doesn't stand up to the high level of evidence required to impose criminal liability on someone."

He questioned why her report did not conclude that religion was a major motivator for those traveling to the Islamic State.

Mr O'Higgins said "religious fervour is at the heart of this" and questioned the quality of her evidence given that she placed so little importance on it.

Professor Hugh Kennedy, who was called by the defence, told the trial that there were respected voices within the Islamic community saying that the caliphate announced by al-Baghdadi was legitimate.

Mr O'Higgins said that given the debate within Islam, those outside would have "little or no hope in puzzling it out and the fact it drew in such a large number of people from so many sources tells its own story."

He said that the court cannot simply say that everyone who was inside the geographical boundary of Isis-controlled territory is "prima facie a terrorist".

To be a member, he said, requires the mental element of deciding that you want to be a member and the organisation must agree that you are a member.

He said the prosecution case against Ms Smith at its height "might at a stretch be argued as some form of assistance" but could not equal membership.

The only positive act the prosecution could point to, Mr O'Higgins said, is that Ms Smith kept a home for her husband.

He said the UN High Commission had condemned Iraqi courts for convicting on similar grounds, adding: "If they condemned it there, I'm at a loss as to how the Director of Public Prosecutions on Parkgate Street can say it."

Counsel said the interviews conducted by gardai with his client were unfair in that he said the detectives did not properly answer Ms Smith when she asked if she was being accused of doing something wrong by going to the Islamic State or for something she did while there.

Going through her interviews with gardai, Mr O'Higgins said she maintained that she went out of a religious obligation and had a fear of hellfire if she failed to live up to her obligation.

She said she did not join any group and told gardai that she would "never join a group like that".

Before leaving she said she didn't know what to believe about the atrocities being carried out by Isis and felt she couldn't "sit back and do nothing while Muslims are being slaughtered" by the Syrian Assad regime.

Mr O'Higgins asked the court to consider whether Ms Smith would have travelled to Syria had al-Baghdadi not declared a caliphate to which she felt an obligation to travel. He said the likely answer is no.

Mr O'Higgins said prosecution barrister Sean Gillane SC had spoken with "a degree of fervour about the disgusting nature" of the videos of Isis atrocities that Ms Smith viewed before traveling to Syria.

While counsel accepted the videos were disgusting, he said the last public execution using a guillotine was carried out in 1939 in front of a "raucous crowd", some of whom dipped their handkerchiefs into the blood of the deceased to keep as a souvenir. Counsel said he didn't want to engage in "whataboutery" but, he said, there are about 6,000 deaths attributed to Isis while the Assad regime is said to have killed some 200,000.

He questioned why Mr Gillane would think such acts would make Ms Smith change her behaviour given that Saudi Arabia in recent weeks beheaded 81 people.

He added: "Does anyone here believe we will buy one less barrel of oil from Saudi Arabia or that the Americans will cancel one arms deal?"

He asked how many trophies Chelsea will hand back given what has become known about Roman Abramovich.

He said the barbarism of Isis is not to be justified or minimized by comparison with others but asked the court to put it in its correct place.

He concluded that the prosecution case "falls short of what is required to establish membership".

On the funding charge, the defence is relying on submissions made during an earlier application in which Mr O'Higgins said Ms Smith did not intend the 800 to be used by a terrorist organisation but was solely for the personal use of the recipient.
Four green start-ups selected to join the Green Star Venture programme in Jordan

Start-ups will benefit from tailored advisory services to improve performance and enhance long-term sustainability

Programme will contribute to the green transformation of EBRD economies

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has launched a new programme  Green Star Venture  aimed at enhancing the competitiveness and sustainable growth of Jordanian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups, contributing to the green transformation in the country and the wider southern and eastern Mediterranean region.

Jordan is the first economy in the EBRD regions to pilot the programme. Four enterprises were selected from Jordans start-up scene to join Green Star Venture, following a rigorous selection process. The companies come from a broad range of sectors, including robotics, hydroponic farming technology, artificial intelligence and sustainable cosmetics.

Green Star Venture, an extension of the EBRDs existing Star Venture programme, mobilises international experts, mentors and local advisers to work with selected start-ups to improve their performance and long-term sustainability. The young companies will also benefit from access to technical assistance, mentoring and advice on financing mechanisms to help them enter international markets and grow, contributing to the global climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.

The Green Star Venture programme in Jordan is supported by the Netherlands via the High-Impact Partnership on Climate Action (HIPCA).

Philip ter Woort, EBRD Director for the Eastern Mediterranean region, said: We are proud to launch the Green Star Venture programme in Jordan today and we look forward to supporting our first four start-ups in the cohort. SMEs and start-ups can be a catalyst for a greener economy by offering innovative green products and services. They are key to supporting the decarbonisation and climate adaption goals of the international community, and we are proud to be able to support their growth in Jordan through this programme.

The EBRD is a leading investor in Jordan. To date the Bank has invested 1.6 billion in 64 projects, supporting private sector development, promoting sustainable energy and infrastructure, and enhancing the delivery of public services. Supported by the European Union, the Banks Advice for Small Businesses programme has helped transform more than 450 SMEs in Jordan.

Read in Arabic
A dangerous driver who, according to a judge, should never be allowed behind the wheel on a public road again after his vehicle crashed into oncoming traffic during a truly scandalous overtaking manoeuvre has failed in his bid to have his conviction quashed.

When Martin Feehans Citroen Berlingo van struck the vehicle 40-year-old Brid Hallihan was a passenger in head on, she suffered a broken pelvis and spent months in hospital as she recovered from serious injuries sustained in the multiple-vehicle pile-up on the main Mallow-to-Cork road at Granagh, Co Cork, on February 16, 2015.

Prosecutors claimed Feehan had been driving too fast when the overtaking lane he was travelling in merged with a slower lane and as a result he lost control of his vehicle, which then careered across the carriageway and into traffic travelling in the opposite direction.

Feehan (42) of Killaltanagh, Banagher, Co Galway, was later charged with dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, contrary to Section 53 of the Road Traffic Act 1961  a charge he had denied.

A jury, however, found him guilty and he was given a three-year suspended sentence and a 20-year driving ban by Judge Sean O Donnabhain following a trial at Cork Circuit Criminal Court in February 2020.

Sentencing Feehan, Judge O Donnabhain said: His misreading of the event was all but total. I think the public would be better served by a driving ban. It is my view that he should never drive on a public road again.

Feehan later launched an appeal against the conviction on the grounds the judge had erred in law in his explanation to the jury of the difference between dangerous driving and careless driving.

It was further claimed the judge had erred in fact and in law in failing to summarise the factual matters on relevant issues and had erred by in law in refusing the appellants application for a direction in the case.

But the appeal has been dismissed on all grounds.

In a written judgement delivered on Tuesday, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy stated that although Judge O Donnabhain had been criticised for his colloquial or homely answer to the jurys questions, it was clear to the appellate court he had been plainly attempting to further explain the level of fault required to prove the charge.

The claim the judge had erred in his summary of factual matters was similarly dismissed after the court noted that Judge O Donnabhain was not required to accept counsels version of the evidence.

Regarding the issue the defence had with the judges refusal of the appellants application for a direction to acquit, Mr Justice McCarthy noted that this ground related to availability of dashcam footage from another vehicle involved in the crash.

The footage could not be viewed because the device which had recorded the material had become corrupted and the images could not be downloaded with the technology available to gardai, he observed.

Rejecting this ground, Mr Justice McCarthy stated: Even if usable footage was recovered, what it might or might not show (if examined by a suitable expert) is entirely speculative.

An appeal against Feehans driving ban and suspended sentence will be heard at a later date.
MARY Aikenheads life began on January 19, 1787 in Daunt Square.

The first-born child of Dr David Aikenhead, a wealthy Protestant apothecary, and Mary Stacpole, who hailed from a wealthy merchant family, Mary was fostered out to the Rourkes on Easons Hill for the first few years of her life.

Baptised a Protestant, Mary began to mix with the poorer Catholics in the Shandon area  a portion of society she would have been cut off from had she spent these formative years with her aristocratic birth parents. However, at the age of six, her parents brought her home to live with them and she was sent to a nearby school for the daughters of Protestant gentlemen, where she was to be prepared for life in genteel society.

Marys life changed again at the age of 12 when her aunt, Rebecca Gorman, returned from a convent in Bruges, where she had been leading a religious life.

Rebecca was to have a huge influence on Mary, lending her religious books and bringing her along to mass.

On one of these occasions, Mary heard a sermon by Dr Florence McCarthy, coadjutor bishop of Cork, at the South Parish Church. It was about the parable of Dives and Lazarus, in which an uncaring rich man ends up in a place of torment while a poor man inherits paradise. Having lived amongst both the rich and the poor, Mary felt called to act.

Poverty was widespread in Ireland in the 19th century. Many people were unable to afford shelter, food, health-care or education, and children were frequently abandoned and left to fend for themselves.

At this time, Dr Daniel Murray was hoping to establish a congregation of religious sisters who would visit the poor in their own homes, similar to the French Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul. To Marys surprise, he proposed that since she had a great heart and a willing mind she should lead this new venture as the first mother superior of the new congregation.

Her claims of inexperience and a lack of training in the religious life were dismissed, and in 1812, Mary and her companion Alicia Walsh entered the Bar Convent in York belonging to the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary took the name Sister Mary Augustine and three years later, Mary and Alicia (now Sister Mary Catherine) returned to Ireland where Dr Murray had prepared their first convent on North William Street in Dublin.

The two women immediately set to work making the walking nuns a reality and in 1816 Pope Pius VII gave his approval to the establishment of the congregation.

Though very short of funds and constantly relying on the rich bank of Gods providence, in 1819 Mary opened a second convent on Stanhope Street. As the number of novices grew, Mary and the sisters, with the help of the Society of Friends and the Christian Brothers, opened new schools for the education of the poor on Gardiner Street (in 1830) and in Sandymount (1831).

However, whilst visiting the sick poor, several of the young sisters picked up illnesses from which they eventually died, and it was Mary who nursed them day and night.

To every challenge and struggle, Marys constant response was, Gods will. Amen!

At the age of 44, Marys health began to fail and she spent most of the last 30 years of her life either in a wheelchair or on a couch, crippled with spinal problems, dropsy (heart or organ failure) and eventually paralysis.

She directed her sisters in their heroic work during cholera epidemics in 1832 and 1833 and the famine in the 1840s. She undertook the establishment of new institutions, including a refuge for sex workers on Townsend Street. She sent sisters to Australia in 1838 and to England in 1840, and continued to play a very active role. It has been said she did her best work from her sickbed  an inspiring feat in itself.

Her belief that just because it has never been done before, there is no reason why it should not be done now was regularly put into practice.

From her own experience helping the sick poor, the majority of whom were Catholic, Mary began to recognise an urgent need for a hospital where Catholic doctors and nurses could be trained. Even though the Act of Catholic Emancipation had been passed in 1829, Catholics were still excluded from positions of trust, including posts in public hospitals and schools of medicine.

Appealing for donations to start a hospital for the most needy, she wrote 4,000 letters from her sickbed, where she also hand-made bolster slips and pillowcases for the hospital.

In January, 1434, her dream was realised when she opened St Vincents Hospital in St Stephens Green, Dublin. It was the first Catholic hospital in Ireland since the Reformation and the first to be run by religious sisters. It was recorded that the first operation at the hospital was performed on a little boy who lay in Mary Aikenheads lap throughout the procedure.

In 1845, Mary moved to a house in Harolds Cross, Dublin, where she spent the last 13 years of her life before dying on July 22, 1858.

Such was her impact on the poor and working people of Ireland that a deputation of Dublin workmen requested that they might be allowed to carry her coffin to the grave, and a farmer wrote in a letter to his cousin: In her, Irelands poor have lost their best friend. No other woman ever did so much for them.

NEXT MONTH: On April 27, we feature Margaret Bulkley, aka Dr James Barry - Pioneering Surgeon
Theres a lot of negative feelings about capitalism right now, said Kris Lin-Bronner who is the strategic advisor of Dr. Bronners. Her words are indicative of the wide scale erosion of trust between companies and consumers. It seems that time and again we unearth ugly truths behind the products weve come to love and trust. Ive been fascinated with this is for a while now. Is this a result of capitalism itself or is it the way in which capitalism has evolved?

I am first and foremost a documentary filmmaker, my latest film Island Earth examines the cozy ties between agrichemical companies and the food we eat. But Im also an entrepreneur, I work as a storyteller for Guayaki Yerba Mate and I founded a edible sunblock company. I learned about B Corp certification through Chris Cohen, a lawyer friend of mine working for Sustainable Law Group. I was telling him about the business I was planning to start and he suggested I look into creating a benefit corporation and applying for B Corp certification. He said something like this

Say you have a great idea for a businessits unique and youre committed to positive social and environmental impact. The sad truth of capitalism in America today is that if you take money from an investor to help implement your vision, the legal framework surrounding this investment can seriously compromise the original intent of your vision.

To back up, when you incorporate your company you are handing over a large degree of control to your investors to which you have a fiduciary responsibility. Ever since the Revlon Ruling in 1986, this responsibility has shifted away from maintaining the health of the company to maximizing shareholder value often regardless of social or environmental impacts. So quarter by quarter we see companies making decisions that compromise the efficacy of their intentions.

A benefit corporation offers refuge from this system. It allows the founders to essentially bake in their vision and give their higher minded goals the legal armor to weather capital raises, and leadership changes. Then, through the B Corp certification processwhich is open to all businesses that meet certain standards, and not just benefit corporationsthese companies can quantify and communicate their impact to their stakeholders, adding an additional layer of accountability and transparency. It seems to be working, according to B Labs community manager Andy Fyfe, there are now more than 2,000 certified B Corps internationally. His hope is that a tipping point will be reached as literacy grows and big multi-national corporations will be pressured to adopt this framework to hold themselves accountable to a more responsible standard of operation.

In the end only time will tell if capitalism is an inherently flawed system. But Im excited to participate in evolving the current paradigm before starting from scratch. Working at Guayaki, a twenty-one year old company that has stewarded the restoration of over one-hundred thousand acres of rainforest in South America while cultivating empowering relationships with local growers, Ive seen first hand the potential for business to steer industry towards a more sustainable future. My hope is that this short film will create more awareness around the red circled B logo that is printed on the back of products for both customers trying to make informed buying decisions as well young entrepreneurs such as myself wary of falling into the trappings of modern business.



To learn more about Benefit Corporations visit bcorporation.net.

EcoWatch is proud of its standing as a Certified B Corporation.
Environmental activists, science educators and the Athens Ohio City Council are teaming up against a controversial new proposal by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife (ODNRDOW) to open a bobcat trapping season in the southeastern part of the state, The New Political reported Wednesday.

The Athens City Council passed a resolution opposing the measure Monday night, citing concerns that bobcats were taken off the states threatened and endangered species list less than four years ago and that not enough research has been done to determine if the newly-growing populations can sustain a trapping season, according to a copy of the resolution obtained by EcoWatch. The city council also looked to prevent similar proposals in the future, urging the State of Ohio to declare the bobcat a protected species and ban all hunting and trapping of this wonderful animal for all Ohioans now and in the future.

The resolution notes that bobcats do not overpopulate.

I like the idea that theres wild animals in the woods, Athens City Councilman Jeff Risner told The Post. Theyre worth more to me alive than they are dead.

The resolution further notes that the trapping proposal contradicts the ODNRDOWs own research plans.

In an October 2017 report, the department wrote, Little is known about the density and distribution of bobcats in Ohio, as well as the population trajectory, and which areas act as source populations. Such information is critical before decisions are taken on opening a trapping season and the maximum yearly take.

The ODNR entered into a contract with the Ohio University in August 2017 to conduct such a study, which will take four years to complete.

So why the rush and sudden turn-around??, Heather Cantino, an environmental educator and vice chair of the Buckeye Forest Council board who drafted the council resolution, asked in The Athens News Readers Forum. Politics and pressure from the Ohio Trappers Association seem to be trumping the DOWs own recent science-based plan to protect Ohios top native predator species, she wrote.

Chapter 1501:31-16 of the Ohio Revised Code values a bobcat at $500.

Bobcats are making a comeback in Ohiothere were 499 verified sightings in 2017, The Columbia Dispatch reported. Were confident the population is secure, ODNR wildlife management and research executive administrator Mike Reynolds told The Dispatch.

The proposed trapping season would last from November 2018 to January 2019 and end once a maximum of 40 bobcats are trapped in the east and 20 in the south, where Athens is located, The Dispatch reported.

But Cantino pointed out that each verified sighting does not necessarily correspond to a different animal and that the increase in sightings might be due to the increase in trail cameras installed in the past years, which the ODNRDOW itself suggested in its Ohio Bobcat Management Plan. Further, she expressed concerns that the hunting licenses themselves will be unlimited and sell for $5, meaning hunters might go over the proposed quota before the state can enforce it. Finally, not enough research has been done to determine if the quota amounts are really safe for the existing populations.

Assistant professor of conservation biology at Ohio University and the lead researcher on the bobcat study told The Dispatch he did not yet have enough information to make that call.

I would love to have a solid answer, but its a tough question, Popescu told The Dispatch.

Public outcry by individuals like Cantino and groups like Save Ohio Bobcats II has persuaded the ODNRDOW to extend the online commenting period until March 31 and push back the dates planned for the public hearing and vote. The Ohio Wildlife Council, a board of 8 that decides all ONDRDOW proposals, will hold a public meeting on April 11 and vote on May 9.

In her letter, Cantino pointed out that the council is composed entirely of sportspeople and does not have a biologist, though one member is a veterinarian.

Only a massive outcry will defeat this dangerous, greedy, and ill-considered plan, she wrote.






FrieslandCampina and DSM take major step to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from dairy cattle





FrieslandCampina achieved an "European first" with a large-scale pilot project to gain practical experience with Bovaer, DSM's innovative feed additive that consistently reduces methane emissions from cows by around 30%, DSM announced.

Following the EU approval for the additive's use in February 2022, the parties have decided to launch this pilot immediately. Dutch feed supplier Agrifirm will supply the feed additive to the participating farmers. Through innovations like this, Dutch dairy farmers can build on sustainability improvements of recent years and contribute to a sustainable food production system.

The Bovaer pilot collaboration between Dutch companies FrieslandCampina, DSM, and Agrifirm marks an important step forward in increasing the sustainability of the dairy sector.

Some 200 FrieslandCampina dairy farms in the Netherlands will take part in the pilot in the second half of 2022. Providing the results are positive, the use of Bovaer will be further upscaled from 2023.

Hein Schumacher, chief executive officer of Royal FrieslandCampina, said: "Our ultimate goal is for all of our dairy products to be climate neutral. Though we can't achieve this overnight, we're working toward it.

"In addition to solutions like switching to green energy  preferably generated by our members  reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of our cows is one of the routes towards reaching our climate goal. This requires innovation  and now Bovaer, a truly innovative feed additive from DSM that significantly reduces cows' methane emissions, is part of the solution.

"We know that our members are always open to innovation and improvements in our sustainability performance, and with this pilot, we will be the first dairy company in Europe to gain valuable practical experience with Bovaer."

Dimitri de Vreeze, co-CEO of Royal DSM, said: "There's no time to lose when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Cutting methane emissions is the fastest way to combat global warming, as was underlined during the most recent UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow.

"I'm proud that we, FrieslandCampina and DSM, can offer dairy farmers a solution that will help to make a major contribution toward tackling one of the greatest challenges of our time. Collaboration, new ways of thinking and pioneering innovations are crucial to making dairy farming more sustainable. It's important that dairy farmers are rewarded for their sustainability performance."

Together with its member dairy farmers, FrieslandCampina aims to achieve a 33% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on its farms by 2030. To this end, the dairy cooperative is working on various solutions, such as generating sustainable energy on farms, using guaranteed deforestation-free soy in cattle feed, and with this project, reducing cow methane emission using Bovaer.

Previous tests with Bovaer at the Dairy Campus in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, showed an average reduction in methane in enteric emissions per kilogramme of milk of 30%. This leads to a reduction of approximately 10% in CO2 footprint.

During the pilot, the participating dairy farms will feed Bovaer to their cattle for a period of six months. It will be added to the feed by Agrifirm.

Additionally, there will be talks with other feed suppliers in the follow-up phase.

Dick Hordijk, CEO of Royal Agrifirm Group, said: "As an agricultural cooperative, we are constantly working on feed solutions that help to improve food production and hence enable us to continue to feed future generations in a responsible manner. This additive is one of the solutions that will help to reduce emissions, so we're very enthusiastic about it."

During the pilot, the results and experiences of farmers will be gathered through workshops and surveys.

The economic aspects, together with the costs and benefits, will be considered as well.

FrieslandCampina will ensure that every dairy farmer receives fair payment for the supplied milk and reward for the sustainability efforts they make on their farm.

- DSM
Along a 50 km stretch of the Baltic Coast in Poland, 29 wind turbines are under construction. Their tall, white towers overlook picturesque hillsides populated by moose, deer and rabbits. When theyre completed, theyll supply enough clean electricity to power 138 000 Polish homes.

Im very proud of the way our wind farm shows that nature and electricity generation can exist side by side, says Diana Kazakevic, head of the Poland region for Ignitis Group, the Lithuanian energy company listed in Vilnius and London thats building the wind farm. In Poland, electricity has so often not been good for nature.

The Ignitis wind farms in Pomerania are part of a new move towards clean energy in Poland, a country that still obtains almost all its energy from polluting coal. The European Investment Bank signed three Polish wind farm loans in 2020 and a solar power deal, too. Poland is under some pressure, because of climate change, says Roland Schulze, managerial advisor for low-carbon energy technologies in the European Investment Banks renewable energy division. The European Investment Bank is at the forefront in helping Poland transform its energy sector.

Renewable energy became a more attractive investment in Poland two years ago, when the government changed the legislation for energy contracts. Under the new law, companies make their bid based on the price at which they propose to sell electricity. If the market price drops, theyre guaranteed that price. If it goes higher, they pay the difference to the government.

New Poland renewable energy deals

The Ignitis project was one of the first deals to be made under the new law. Poland is becoming almost a trendy country for renewable energy investment, says Kazakevic. Financing from the European Investment Bank, which loaned almost 60 million to the project, showed that we have partners with a green sustainability agenda, she adds. The loan is backed by the guarantee of the European Fund for Strategic Investments, the financial pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe.

The Bank also signed renewable energy deals in 2020 across Poland for:
A Dutch foundation has hit Apple with a lawsuit over the App Stores developer fees, seeking 5.5 billion euro in damages for what it alleges is monopolistic behavior. In a press release , the Dutch Consumer Competition Claims Foundation stated it was filing a "collective claim" for damages, on behalf of any iPhone or iPad owners in the EU who have downloaded a paid app or made purchases within an app.

Suing Apple for its app store policies on behalf of consumers instead of developers  might seem like an unusual move on the Dutch foundations part. Most of the scrutiny over the tech giants so-called Apple tax has focused on its deleterious impact on the profits of developers . Just this past January, Apple agreed to settle a class-action settlement by US developers for $100 million.

The Consumer Competition Claims Foundation alleges that Apples developer fees were passed on to consumers, in the form of higher prices. App developers are forced to pass on to consumers the increased costs caused by Apples monopolistic practices and unfair terms, wrote the foundation in its press release.

The foundation is asking EU consumers who purchased an app in Apples App Store or made an in-app purchase since September 2009 to join its complaint. The lawsuit is set to be filed in the Amsterdam District Court.

This isnt the first time Apple is taking heat from Dutch authorities. Apple has yet to comply with a January order from Dutch regulators that requires the company to offer third-party payment options for dating app customers. The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) is fining Apple 5 million for every week it doesnt follow through with the order. Dutch regulators have already fined Apple more than 50 million and counting.
Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak in March, 2020, Microsoft's annual Build conference for developers, engineers and IT professionals has been held online. But after two years of lockdowns, and nearly 15 months since the release of effective vaccines, Build 2022 will once again be hosted online, from May 24th through 26th.

While the conference is largely geared towards professionals, plenty of consumer-facing tech has emerged from previous years' events, from advances to Microsoft Teams to the "next generation" of Windows. This year, attendees will "experience market-specific content and connection opportunities for France, Germany, Japan, Latin America, and the UK in Regional Spotlights," according to the conference's launch site, in addition to the standard slate of keynotes, workshops, and networking opportunities.

Registration for the conference opens in late April and will be free. You can check out the event agenda at the Build 2022 homepage.
Moda

Olga Moreno, el extravagante look con el que ha sorprendido en la Feria de Abril: "Estoy como una tabla"
Russian forces have repeatedly attacked Ukrainian medical facilities, with at least 34 assaults independently documented by The Associated Press -- part of an effort by the AP and Frontline to track evidence of potential war crimes.
Thousands of people have fled to Uganda, the country's Red Cross says, amid renewed violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo by the M23 rebel group.
A strange thing happened in my social life during the past two awkward years of pandemic times: Three couples in my circle got divorced.

All have kids my kids ages. All our kids went to the same elementary school. All three announcements took me by surprise because I had known the couples for years and they all seemed happy. (Maybe that just shows how good I am at reading social situations.)

Anyway, thats not even the weirdest part.

The weirdest part is this: They all get along super well now that they are divorced. They show up at the same parties; they express great affection and even love for each other. Usually they even say they get along better after the divorce as friends than they did as married couples. This is wild! It seems anomalous but is definitely great and preferable for everyone since they have kids and share many friends.

What does this have to do with money and business, you ask? Ill tell you.

At the start of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, San Antonio-based family law attorney Lauren Smyth of Carrington Smyth PLLC and her husband, Jeremy Smyth, launched a law-tech firm called Uncontested.com to address this very situation: couples who do not intend to fight over kids or money and simply want a fast and affordable way to file for divorce. None of the three divorcing couples in my life used Uncontested.com but all agreed it pretty much fit their situation.

Heres how it works: One side of a divorcing couple goes to Uncontested.com and answers a series of in-depth personal and financial questions, enough to provide all the data to prepare divorce documents. With Carrington Smyth PLLC as the law firm of record and Lauren Smyth as the attorney, technically the client is the person who filled out the online questionnaire. The other person in the couple also needs to sign the agreement.

Disruptively inexpensive

Ordinarily, the going rate for a totally simple all-parties-agree-on-everything divorce is from $2,500 to $3,500. Uncontested.com offers a bare-bones, just-the-documents service for $500, plus an additional $500 for the legal work of filing the divorce, for an all-in cost of $1,000. This is a disruptively inexpensive option for people who dont want to fight about anything.

We want to reward clients who can come to an agreement with a cheaper, hitherto unavailable option by giving them the limited legal services they need to complete their legal matters, Jeremy says.

About 12 percent of users choose the documents only option, while the vast majority opt for the full documents, filing and final hearing service.

Kate McConnico is a Houston-based attorney certified in family law. Her specialty is representing one side in contested, complex divorces. She says her cases often cost from $20,000 to $60,000 to resolve. Even contested cases without extraordinary assets cost from $7,000 to $14,000. I mention this just to note that, ordinarily, the legal fees for getting a divorce are really expensive.

As McConnico says of her clients, The No. 1 thing they want out of their life is their lawyer. I tell my clients all the time You need to get rid of me, and Ill tell you how to do it.

I was curious whether McConnico thought Uncontested.com at $1,000 made sense. She went through the online questionnaire and agreed absolutely.

This fits a niche for people who dont have enough money for in-person litigation but dont qualify for pro bono, McConnico said. For technology-savvy people this will fill a need.

She estimated 30 percent of divorces are filed uncontested in Texas, suggesting a very large market.

Expansion plans

Carrington Smyth PLLC is based in San Antonio. To date, 74 percent of its clients have come from the local area although Uncontested.com works in all Texas counties. A few counties in Texas require physical appearances, which means clients would need to use the $500 documents only service.

Jeremy told me Uncontested.com has ambitions to expand to both the U.K. (where he is from and where Lauren is already licensed) and additional states as soon as next year. Family law  and requirements for an online divorce document template  varies by state and country. But a coalition of 35 states will synchronize their statutes in 2023, making a law-tech solution potentially easier to expand, using one template.

I went through the website template and found it took less than 10 minutes to initiate the process. I did not press the button to hire Uncontested.com for the $500 docs only or $1,000 full service, as I would hate to accidentally get divorced in the course of doing research. That would be a shock!

Divorce can be one of the most financially traumatic life events. Engaging in an uncontested divorce, with a very low-cost solution like Uncontested.com, may be the savviest financial choice to make in an otherwise difficult situation.

One final thought: One of my newly divorced friends had another idea for the next big financial technology to help with divorce: the divorce registry. Its like a wedding registry but friends can buy preselected gifts for the divorcee who needs new household items.

This incredible business idea is for free, folks. Just remember where you heard it first.

Michael Taylor is a columnist for the San Antonio Express-News, author of The Financial Rules for New College Graduates and host of the podcast No Hill For A Climber. michael@michaelthesmartmoney.com | twitter.com/michael_taylor
Employees at a second Starbucks location in San Antonio are seeking to unionize.

Workers at the coffee chains store at 200 E. Houston St. downtown filed in mid-March with the National Labor Relations Board to hold a union election.

Starbucks Workers United, a union representing Buffalo, N.Y. employees and helping other stores organize, shared a letter on Twitter that the employees sent to President and CEO Kevin Johnson about their plan to form a union.

Time and time again, we find that corporate is out of touch with what we partners, the heart of the Starbucks experience, need to simply survive and succeed, let alone be inspired and nurtured, they wrote. As Starbucks has seen increased earnings in the midst of this pandemic, it has been at the cost of our health, safety and sanity.

They cited insufficient staffing, unattainable expectations, abuse from uncaring customers and not feeling heard by those with the power to make pivotal decisions.

Sarah Wayment, an employee at the store who signed the letter, had been watching the growing campaign among Starbucks workforce to unionize and the letters penned by employees at other stores resonated with her.

Starbucks employees across the U.S. have struggled with extreme staffing and safety issues, and our voices were not being heard, Wayment said in an email.

But as as a ten year partner I have known for a long time that you don't talk about unions if you want to keep your job, she said.

Wayment and her coworkers also doubted that a Texas store would ever unionize. Then workers at the Loop 410 and Vance Jackson Road location filed in February to hold a union election.

It really inspired us, Wayment said. I know that by standing in solidarity together we can build the better Starbucks we partners all hope for.

Workers at two Starbucks locations in Austin have also petitioned for an election, according to the NLRBs website.

We are listening and learning from the partners in these stores as we always do across the country, a Starbucks spokesperson said Tuesday. From the beginning, weve been clear in our belief that we are better together as partners, without a union between us, and that conviction has not changed.

After organizers submit a petition showing the support of at least 30 percent of employees in a workplace, NLRB agents investigate to confirm the board has jurisdiction, the union is qualified and there are no factors that would prevent an election, according to the board.

The employer must post a notice about the petition in conspicuous places. If an election happens and a majority of workers vote to unionize, the company must bargain with the union over wages, benefits and working conditions.

madison.iszler@

express-news.net
Friday is going to be a big night at the Guadalupe Latino Bookstore & Gift Shop.

The shop, which is part of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, is kicking off its monthly Texas Author Series with Reyna Grande, who will be reading from her new novel, A Ballad of Love and Glory.

The community gallery adjoining the bookstore will be having an opening reception for Still Here: Transitions from the West Side, an exhibit of a print portfolio by art students at Lanier High School. They worked with artists Ashley Mireles and Jennifer Arce on the project. The exhibit is the first community show in the space.

Because of the side-by-side events, Grande will read in the Guadalupe Theater, then she and her audience will cross the street to the shop for a signing.

On ExpressNews.com: Susan Orlean, Emma Straub and other big names slated for the SA Book Festival

The bookstore is the key to revitalizing the Guadalupes literary program, said Executive Director Cristina Balli.

Texas Author Series What: Reyna Grande will read from "A Ballad of Love and Glory." When: 6 p.m. Friday. Where: Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St. Details: Free. guadalupeculturalarts.org See More Collapse

I know in the past, the Guadalupe had some strong literary programs and festivals and all kinds of things, said Balli, who has been with the Guadalupe for five years. Were going to take it slow. Were building it up little by little as we bring in the authors. We want this to be the cornerstone of a literary program.

Building that program is just part of whats going on at the Guadalupe these days. Among other things, the center is continuing to bring back live editions of its signature programming, which went on hold or online early in the pandemic. It also is strengthening bonds to other West Side nonprofits. And it is making long-term plans, an effort made easier by a $1 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott last summer.

After two years of not being able to go full tilt, it feels good to get back to more regular programming, Balli said.

The nice thing has been the response, she said. Everybody is so ready to get out. All of the events  not just us, not just the Guadalupe, all of the arts organizations, everybodys saying how events are being so well-attended because everybodys so happy to get back out and connect with community.

One of the biggies coming up at the Guadalupe is the Tejano Conjunto Festival, which will be in person for the first time sinct the start of the pandemic. Its slated to run May 16-22 at Rosedale Park.

The phones dont stop ringing, Balli said. Our audience is still very low-tech, and so they call. They call and want to know when are the tickets going to come on sale and what are the dates.

This year marks the festivals 40th anniversary, so the Guadalupe team is going all out. In addition to the music, it will include a mini-film festival, a panel discussion about the state of conjunto music and an exhibit of works by musician and artist Cande Aguilar.

CineFestival, another big signature event, will take place July 6-10.

The theater program also has some offerings planned, including a swap with Su Teatro Cultural Arts Center in Denver. The Guadalupe is sending Carmen From Mexico, Anna de Lunas solo show based on her mothers journey from Mexico to the United States, to Denver. And Su Teatro will send Interview with a Mexican here.

Guadalupe Latino Bookstores programming kicks off with Grandes reading Friday. Eventually, the plan is to offer a range of events, including poetry jams and readings by self-published and unpublished writers to encourage them to stick with it.

Literary curator Tony Diaz sees the Texas Authors Series as an important step toward putting the shop on the radar of readers all over the state.

What the series is doing is to help convey that this is a site that the whole state can enjoy and be proud of and perhaps other cities can emulate, said Diaz, a writer and activist based in Houston.

Grandes book, which Publishers Weekly described as a worthy old-fashioned epic of romance and war, digs into Texas history. It is set during the Mexican-American War and follows the romance between a Mexican nurse and an Irishman who serves in the Mexican Army as part of the real-life Batallon de San Patricio.

On ExpressNews.com: SA writer Naomi Shihab Nyes new book is a promise kept to young readers

Texas Author readings will take place on the first Friday of every month. The May 6 outing will spotlight Mouthfeel Press, a bilingual publisher based in El Paso; the June 3 event will feature Texas Poet Laureate Lupe Mendez, who will read from his collection Why I Am Like Tequila.

As all of the Guadalupes programming moves forward, groundwork also is being laid for a capital campaign to fund much-needed repairs and renovations to all of the properties on the Guadalupe campus. That includes the Cesar Chavez building catty-corner to the shop, which serves as a storage and maintenance facility; the gallery, which also is where the music and ballet folklorico programs are based; and the Guadalupe Theater.

The theater, which dates back to 1940, needs repairs to its electrical system, its plumbing and its foundation, as well as an upgrade to its tech equipment. The city sent engineers to assess the theater last summer, and they found it was in need of about $3 million worth of repairs.

The capital campaign likely will range somewhere between $10 to $15 million, Balli said.Scotts donation will provide seed money.

Were going to hire an architecture planning firm to help us really thoroughly think through what we want to do with the entire campus and then raise money to do it, she said. We can actually do a proper plan. We dont have to wait for grant funding  were ready to go. Thats what were working on right now.

Jessica Phelps /Express-News staff

The bookshop, which is in the Progreso building across from the theater, is still evolving a bit. The inventory is being built up, and eventually, items by local artists and vendors will be sold there.

One corner soon will be dedicated to the shops role as a visitor center for El Mero Weso, the West Side Cultural Arts District.

Besides the Guadalupe, the district includes SAY Si, the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures, the Avenida Guadalupe Association, San Anto Cultural Arts, American Indians in Texas and the Esperanza Peace and Justice Centers Museo del Westside, which just broke ground.

We dont have yet much of a marketing infrastructure, but we certainly have the history, Balli said. Were all right here. And this is the epicenter of it.

dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Boerne Independent School District trustees approved a $291,000 purchase for 19 acres in the prestigious Springs of Cordillera Ranch neighborhood, where they are considering building an elementary school.

The district has seen considerable growth in the area east of Boerne near Bergheim in Kendall County. A demographer predicts growth in that area will continue and extend to the southern part of Kendall County and Boerne, Superintendent Thomas Price said.

District officials are in the market for land sites in several areas in anticipation of increased enrollment, Price said.

We continue to work on a comprehensive plan to manage the growth in our district, and this land purchase is a large part of that plan, Price said. We have been excellent stewards of our taxpayers dollars, and because we were so diligent and saved money on our last bond, we have the opportunity to be proactive and purchase sites ahead of time for if and when the time comes for a new school in those areas.

Required Reading: Get San Antonio education news sent directly to your inbox

Voters approved a $175 million bond in 2016 to fund construction of two elementary schools, a middle school and other improvements across district facilities. That year, the district had 7,900 students.

Now, Boerne ISD serves more than 9,600 students across 12 campuses.

If a school is built on the land at FM 3351 and Cordillera Springs, it would serve families of the upscale and booming community in the Texas Hill County. Almost 900 homes have been built and another 1,300 lot sales exist on the 8,700 acres.

Cordillera Ranchs location within Boerne ISD has attracted many families with school-aged children to become full-time residents, said Charlie Hill, president of DH Investments, the developer of Cordillera Ranch.

Boerne ISD has earned an A grade from the Texas Education Agencys accountability rating system two years in a row. This year, it earned an H-E-B Excellence in Education award in the Best Small School District in Texas category.

Krista Torralva covers several school districts and public universities in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Krista, become a subscriber. Krista.Torralva@express-news.net | Twitter: @KMTorralva
: WangLimin (), : NewYork

 : CRIMINALS in NYC Police Uniform --- My Daughter Abducted

: CHILD SEDUCTION AND ABDUCTION,HUMANSCUMS,Police Body Camera Video,CRIMINALS IN UNIFORM

: BBS  (Tue Mar 29 22:11:42 2022, )

[Preface: I am still in writing up the first draft. I expect its finish

before April 05, 2022, 10:00 AM "hearings", because I want to email this

long writing to both "courts". I demand THE HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN EVIL

SYSTEM IMMEDIATELY END THEIR VICIOUS LIES AND ABDUCTION AND ENDANGERMENT ON

MY DAUGHTER ALEXANDRIA WANG. NO MATTER WHAT, THE AES EVIL WILL BE EXPOSED TO

THE WORLD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.]







CRIMINALS in NYC Police Uniform in Their Own Videos Display --- My Daughter

Alexandria Wang Being Seduced and Abducted by HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN

EVIL SYSTEM

by Limin Wang

March 29, 2022



The two cop's-body-camera videos, uploaded to Facebook and shown in the

weblinks below, were shared by "Rachel Radomski", Esq., attorney for New

York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS), through a

weblink in an email to me on March 08, 2022. Only the filenames shown from

the clicking of that weblink tell the two cops' real or fake names, the

Glassesed one is POM Thomas Christel (969586) and the Bearded one is SGT

John Valentino (924577). The police were arriving at my being-eviction-

threatened-

rental-apartment on the night of Sept. 24-25, 2021, Fri - Sat. I was the ONE

who called 911 TWICE that night because my daughter, seventeen-and-a-half-

years-young then, was coming back home LATE at around 11:15 pm and, while

eating her DINNER, once again telling me that she had already been arranged

by OUTSIDE HUMANSCUMS, including the ones in Bronx High School of Science,

to LEAVE the parents and LIVE away in a "friend's" --- but NOT her "old

friend" Rita's at 142-02 Negundo Ave, Queens, NY 11355 --- basement which

has up to this date been a real SECRET AND "FORBIDDEN" LOCATION kept by the

American Evil System from the parents.



That Friday night, Alexandria was claiming that she was called suddenly that

day by her summer job employer World Ice Arena to fill in somebody's sudden

absence. Beyond this suspected LIE, Alexandria also RUTHLESSLY INFURIATED

ME by claiming ALL MY SERIOUS INJURIES from the PREMEDITATED AND COORDINATED

MURDER-ATTEMPTS by many walks of HUMANSCUMS of THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM ARE

ONLY MY DELUSION! The HUMANSCUMS as "teachers" and "guidance counselors" and

"social workers" at NYC public schools such as Bronx High School of Science

(BS) have NOT "educated" or "guided" or "serviced" my children the right

knowledge, intelligence, skills, or resources at all, but these "public

servant" WASTES must have well misled, insulted, and even assaulted my

daughters, and then shift the "education" burden on parental tutoring, and

on

my children, keep FOOLING my daughters as their VICIOUS TOOLS to RUIN MY

FAMILY, INCLUDING THE DAUGHTERS THEMSELVES. Honestly administered nation-

wise exams such as SAT, SAT Subjects, AP tests can verify the TRASHY "

education", and I the parent, a former student prodigy, can also verify!



During that altercation, I asked what the fxxx she had claimed to the

humanscums at BS about this new round of BS-originated "child neglect" and

ACS annoyance. --- Separate but comprehensive posts of facts and evidence

about BS and ACS will be included in this series of My Daughter Alexandria

Wang Being Seduced and Abducted by Humanscums of the American Evil System. -

-- Alexandria could only bring up two "events" to me. One was that she and

her elder sister, when both elementary school youngsters, went home on their

own after I told them to stay on Main St and I went into a Chinese grocery

store to see if any ice cream On Sale. None, so I came out in SECONDS

practically. SHOCKINGLY, I could not see my daughters in front of the store

or anywhere nearby! Nearby people claimed they did not see such young girls.

I then found they had already ARRIVED AT HOME. The kids claimed that they

COULD NOT FIND ME so then they walked the several blocks to home! Alexandria

labelled such an event as me the father's "verbal abuse". The still too

young child

apparently still does not realize what AMERICAN EVIL SHADOW has cast on the

father from that shocking. I now truly believe that the AES HUMANSCUMS have

for so many long years INFLUENCED or "educated" my children how to LIE AND

BETRAY! The other thing Alexandria could ever claim is that I beat her

when she broke her slippers many years ago. I absolutely have NO

RECOLLECTION of such a "thing". Her current slippers at home were partially

broken, and so were some of her current shoes, and while the family's

overall situation has gone a lot worse over the years and my daughters,

especially Alexandria, have WILLINGFULLY helped me to cut expendings and

earn incomings, and while I have currently bought NEW shoes for my daughters

, I do not think I could ever "beat" my daughter because of a pair of dollar

-store slippers! If under whatever then circumstances, she felt she had been

really "beaten", I would say sorry for her long memory of such a hurting.

Anyway, NONE of such was ever mentioned in the MOSTLY, VICIOUSLY, AND

PERVERTLY FABRICATED WRITTEN "ALLEGATIONS" BY THE HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN

EVIL SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY CYNICALLY, THE NYC "ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN'S

SERVICES".



So, at that outraged night of Sept. 24-25, 2021, I said you wanted to do

things in my back and leave, then leave. To me the father, Alexandria has

NEVER shown that kind of SUBMISSIVE attitude to the COPS; she is more and

more often behaving like the AES' ruining garbage. Alexandria then really

packed some of her things, including her laptop, into her school backpack

and went outside of the apartment. Then, I called Alexandria to stop for me

to call

911 for the American Evil System to at least have her DESERTION in its "

RECORD", if again the cops would NOT help on family union. Because her

biological mother, Li Li, shown in these two videos too, was deserting the

family twice in year 2014, and the cops in NYC, and particularly in the same

Precinct 109, claimed that adult Li Li was a NORMAL and FREE woman, and

they COULD NOT FIND Li Li FOR MONTHS upon my immediate or quick reports to

police, but the POLICE HUMANSCUMS WERE PLOTTING AND CARRYING OUT A REAL OR

FAKE DEATH OF LI LI ONTO ME THE HUSBAND BACK THEN. Li Li did not die, but

the HUMANSCUMS have "cultivated" Li Li on this family's bankmoney (joint

accounts closed by American Evil System, and money all funneled to Li Li's

new accounts, at Citibank) into a PSYCHIATRIC WOMAN who only stays at home

with absolute NO INTENTION to earn any money from any probable job but with

many NEW PSYCHOPATHIC "CLAIMS" and "HABITS", and almost everyday

SPORADICALLY starts her psychiatric, sometimes hysterical, episodes. Her

spousal relationship to me and maternal one to the daughters have since

almost all gone wreck.



My first 911 call that night started at ~11:53 PM, Sept. 24, 2021. In that

~two-minutes-long call, the male receptionist was ONCE AGAIN PLAYING

THE AES EVIL TRICKS BY CLAIMING HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND ME WELL, WHILE HE

ABSOLUTELY PROFESSIONALLY TWISTED WORDS AND MATTERS AND EVEN MY ADDRESS.

Although the AES HUMANSCUMS have the technique POWER to manipulate or even

destroy my electronic devices and files, for example my computers, phone,

phone record, files, I still have many of my own RECORDINGS and RECORD. I

would soon release many of the RECORDINGS AND RECORD TO SHOW THE WORLD WHAT

THE GOVERNMENTAL AND "PROFESSIONAL" HUMANSCUMS IN THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM

REALLY SAY AND DO IN THEIR REAL LIVES TO THE OPPRESSED PEOPLE LIKE ME.



The second 911 I placed that night started at ~00:11 AM, Sept. 25, 2021, Sat

., and it last about four minutes. By this time, NO 911 personnel had shown

up to this address yet. The police's body-camera videos indicate they

arrived at ~00:37 AM, Sept. 25, 2021! Precinct 109 is only a short drive

distance away. Many facts, many specifics, including those shown in the

police-SOURCED videos provided SO LONG AFTER the ACTUAL HAPPENING, can

support my ANGRY ACCUSATION THAT POLICE IS OFTEN HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN

EVIL SYSTEM

TOO.



For those who can UNDERSTAND WHY THE 911 and THESE TWO COPS SAID WHAT AND

DID WHAT, PLEASE SHARE MY POST AND THE VIDEOS AS BROAD AS POSSIBLE. I WANT

JUSTICE AGAINST THE HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM. For those who

can not understand well yet, please keep checking for my updates on the

explanations and annotations.



The two videos uploaded to Facebook FINALLY:

https://www.facebook.com/100034901027923/videos/pcb.717772422729452/

368519905197507

https://www.facebook.com/100034901027923/videos/pcb.717772422729452/

655458998874188



Here comes my first round of Explanations and Annotations along these two

cops-body-camera videos.



1) These two videos must have been EDITED, i.e., DOCTORED, by the American

Evil System before they were shared to me by the SHAMELESSLY, PREMEDITATEDLY

, AND COORDINATEDLY ACCUSING AND PERSECUTING SIDES. You can COMPARE what the

two cops have said in these two videos. For example, at video XG031391Q,

the

Bearded & Unmasked Cop at time point ~01:18:40 AM said "this is ridiculous!"

after he had called for a BUS (police slang for Ambulance) at ~01:10 AM and

waited impatiently and then checked for ETA (estimated time of arrival) over

the radio; however, at video XG033673A, this audio segment was REPLACED

with a snorting sound clip. When the Glassesed cop looked at his watch to

fill in the police report time, the XG031391Q video showed time as 01:01 AM,

but the police report was written as 01:03. Also, after the marked

ambulance arrived at ~01:23:30 AM, the Bearded & Unmasked Cop came into my

rental apartment's hallway, took a turn at the staircase base, and brought

Li Li inside the hallway

because he appeared to want to know which door for him to knock, and then he

knocked my apartment door, and looked at the HANDWRITTEN NOTE I taped on

the apartment door about the EVICTION, and then talked with me for moments,

and then walked away, and then I followed and talked more, and I needed to

try my best to PERSUADE Li Li to go together onto the ambulance to stay

along with Alexandria because my daughter could be HARMED by the American

Evil System further under its so-called "children's services" or "medical

service". LI LI WAS

PSYCHOPATHICALLY REFUSING TO GO FOR HER OWN DAUGHTER! Anyway, Li Li yielded

to the Police's swaying and then went outside the hallway! I DEMAND THE COPS

-BODY-CAMERA VIDEO OF THE MINUTES FROM WHERE THESE TWO VIDEOS WERE

TERMINATED TO WHEN THE AMBULANCE ACTUALLY LEFT THIS RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. IT'

S VERY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM'S HUMANSCUMS HAVE

DISTORTED MANY MANY MANY MANY ... THINGS, FOR THEIR PREMEDITATED AND

COORDINATED EVIL PURPOSE OF DESTROYING ME AND MY FAMILY.



2. These two cops may seem so decent, polite, and mostly peaceful in the

videos, but they ABSOLUTELY represent the PROFESSIONAL MALICIOUSNESS from

the HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM. These two NYC policemen,

PARTICULARLY THE BEARDED & UNMASKED

COP, not only CONTROLLED the conversations with me the life-experienced

adult, but also REPETITIVELY TWISTED my ARTICULATED words and meanings into

THEIR VICIOUS "REPHRASING", but also intentionally DISSIPATED THE AES

HUMANSCUMS' MALICIOUS LIES among my family members being deliberately KEPT

ISOLATED from each other, but also MANIPULATED and MISLED the conversations

with my YOUNG & NAIVE daughter, for their PREMEDITATED current-stage goal of

seduction and abduction of my daughter Alexandria Wang away from home.



Devote a paragraph to LISTING OUT ALL THE VERBAL EVIL OF THE BEARDED COP'S

HYPNOSIS OF FEAR, DESPERATION, FREEDOM ONTO MY YOUNG DAUGHTER, AND HIS

DELIBERATE DISTORTION OF MY WORDS, INTERRUPTION OF MY TALKING, AND SPREADING

OF HIS LIES.



While both cops sound certainly like native English-speakers, their MISUSE

of he/him or she/her at multiple time-points is most likely PROFESSIONALLY

INTENTIONALLY VICIOUS, based on the context of what else these two cops have

said and done.



Nobody had told the Bearded & Unmasked PO of Alexandria Wang's age before he

STARTED to keep saying Alexandria's age of SEVENTEEN. Verbally, it's mainly

this BEARDED & UNMASKED police officer of the two that kept MANIPULATING

AND BRAINWASHING my young minor teenage daughter for "FREEDOM", "FEAR", "

PHYSICAL INJURY", "SUICIDE", "FRIEND'S HOUSE" and ways to BREAK AWAY. This

humanscum cop so meticulously AVOIDED ME BRINGING UP MANY OF THE UNDERLYING

ISSUES IMPOSED ONTO THIS FAMILY AS A WHOLE OR THROUGH EACH MEMBER, AND ONLY

KEPT STATING HIS TWISTED IDEA OF THAT THE DAUGHTER IS MAINLY HAVING

UNRECONCILABLE DIFFICULTIES WITH THE FATHER, while the reality is Alexandria

Wang is MAINLY BOTHERED by her almost-daily-psychiatric or -psychopathic

mother Li Li since Li Li's return in year 2015 after LL's twice desertions

in 2014

SEDUCED AND COERCED AND AIDED AND ABETTED BY HUMANSCUMS, INCLUDING NYC

POLICE, INCLUDING SOME IN PRECINCT 109, OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM. To my

understanding of Alexandria Wang, she is only misled by HUMANSCUMS to go

away from me so I THE FATHER COULD NOT KNOW THE FAILURES THE HUMANSCUMS OF

THE AES HAVE MADE ONTO HER! and so she COULD easily "enjoy" the PROSPERITY

of THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM'S "JEFFERY EPSTEIN'S" or his like's. It's so sad

and mad that Alexandria for her own such "needs" that she had DISTORTED

events and ELEVATED levels AGAINST ME while I the father have been the one

providing the care and support for her and her elder sister all the way up

to their current age. The Bearded & Unmasked HUMANSCUM COP INTENTIONALLY

prevented from the beginning that the father and the daughter could see and

hear each other during the cops' intervention, but his "permission" for the

mother to talk with the daughter and vice versa BOTH got the COLD "NO"! Are

these two cops IDIOTS? I think these two cops are INTENTIONALLY EVIL,

particularly the Bearded & Unmasked cop. I have not imposed any unreasonable

demands on my daughters beyond the high expectations that they both grow

into healthy, reasonable, knowledgeable, skillful, and as happy and

successful as possible adults. Before the Sept. 20, 2021 of the NYC

Administration for Children's Services HUMANSCUMS started to ruin me again,

the father-daughter relationship on both girls had still been quite GOOD. It

's the AES HUMANSCUMS that CONTROL AND STOP AND EVEN RUIN my children and my

family! Many facts will be brought up.



When my YOUNG daughters have been FOR LONG YEARS BRAINWASHED by the

HUMANSCUMS in the New York public "education" system and online "sources"

and social "friends" to SHOW NO UNDERSTANDING OF THE REAL ADULT LIFE'S

PREVALENT SUFFERINGS, EVEN OF THEIR OWN PARENTS, why isn't it an EVIL CRIME

when the so-called LAW ENFORCEMENT of the "Rule of Law" so meticulously

avoids the real issues and even furthers the real sufferings of the victims?

Why the American Evil System keeps avoiding the premeditated and

coordinated attempted-murders on me at the slavery workplaces and then at

the government agency (NYS WCB) -authorized "diagnosing and treating" "

medical" clinics or facilities in NYS WCB case G2029240? Why the American

Evil System keeps avoiding THEIR DECADE-long TORT, TORTURE, THREAT at this

136-09 59th Ave, Flushing, NY 11355, illegally converted dungeon "ground-

floor rear apartment" in eviction case LT-304213-21/QU? Why the American

Evil System turns a wife/mother into a prostitute, into a deserter, and then

into a PSYCHIATRIC JOB-WILLINGLESS RETURNER/PLAYER to harm, torture, and

destroy my children, me, and my family? Why the AES HUMANSCUMS still have

NOT HANDLED with the PSYCHIATRIC or PSYCHOTIC Li Li to SAVE my family as

much as possible? Why the AES HUMANSCUMS are so VICIOUS instead to plot and

abduct my almost-18-yr-old daughter and to COERCE my 20-yr-old daughter into

keeping DISTANCE from her parents in "child neglect case" NN-09918-21? SO

CYNICAL WHENEVER I HEAR THE

HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM BRANDISH THE "RULE OF LAW"! BECAUSE

THE HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM ARE OFTEN THE PERPETRATORS

THEMSELVES! AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM MUST DIE, AND THE HUMANSCUMS OF AMERICAN

EVIL SYSTEM MUST GO OUT OF POWER, FOR ANY REAL TRUTH AND JUSTICE TO SURVIVE

AND EVEN THRIVE.



The most-of-the-time masked East-Asian-looking cop seemed to have a LONG

moment to take a form for "Domestic Incident Report". While I do not know

yet whether NYC Police has a SPECIFIC form to report domestic incident

directly related with a minor, the DIR form this cop used is ABSOLUTELY

MEANT for ADULTS! It's SO SICKENING when he read out the form's ADULT

questions to an APPARENT CHILD GIRL with "threatened to kill you or your

children?", "beaten you while you were pregnant?", "is suspect capable of

killing you or children?", "Is suspect violently and constantly jealous of

you?" If the well blood-fed NYC Police can not even design and have an

APPROPRIATE POLICE REPORT FORM, why do not get the FUCK away from your blood

-thirst people-murdering "public servant" "jobs" and let people take many

matters into their own hands with their real "freedom" for example of

Amendments 1 & 2? My daughter Alexandria Wang was so FOOLED by the American

Evil System that she does NOT even RESPONSE with any sense of AMERICAN

PERVERSION.



In written, the Glassesed white male police was FABRICATING THE TWO PINK

PAGES OF New York State DOMESTIC INCIDENT REPORT to MALICIOUSLY HARM ME,

Limin Wang, via their "Record". On sheet A, the "Occurred Date (MM/DD/YYYY)"

and "Time (24 hours)" were handwritten as "9 24 2021" and "2353", which was

MY FIRST 911 call that night WHILE ALEXANDRIA WANG WAS AUDIABLY AGAINST MY

CALLING TO 911, BECAUSE IN HER UNDERSTANDING OF HER OBSERVANCES, MY SO MANY

911 CALLS IN THE PAST HAVE NEVER BROUGHT ANY GOOD RESULTS BUT REAL DANGERS

FROM THE HUMANSCUMS IN POLICE UNIFORMS. I had NOT witnessed Alexandria Wang

had ever called 911 that night. MYSTERICALLY, THE COP HANDWROTE "I called",

two words only, in the two and a half lined subsection of "What were the

first words that VICTIM said to the Responding Officers at the scene

regarding the incident". FROM BOTH COPS' BODY-CAMERA VIDEOS, ALEXANDRIA WANG

ABSOLUTELY DID NOT SAY "I CALLED" IN THE BEGINNING OR IN THE BEGINNING

MINUTES. IT'S THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM'S PREMEDITATED AND COORDINATED "RULE

OF LAW" TO TORT, TORTURE, AND MURDER ME, AGAIN AND AGAIN. That can WELL

EXPLAIN why THE HUMANSCUM THUGS in NYC Police Uniform and in other "

governmental agencies" or their affiliated DEADLY-CORRUPT "businesses" want

to PEN AND PAINT me as the villain or suspect. In reality, I have long been

the INJURED VICTIM of the many walks of HUMANSCUMS of THE AMERICAN EVIL

SYSTEM, including slavery employers, "medical professionals" in the Workers'

Compensation Case G2029240, NYC cops, thugs from the same rental

building, and even my "wife", and now my DAUGHTERS. My family members have

been SEDUCED by the HUMANSCUMS of THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM to BETRAY AND

HARM ME!!! Ukrainian or any men, you ever really TRUST the AMERICAN EVIL

SYSTEM'S HUMANSCUMS with your own WIVES AND CHILDREN???



After the Glassesed cop apparently had RECITED the six questions in the "

Prior History" Section and ticked the six "Yes" or "No" according to my

young daughter's DELUDED answeres, he went to tick two "yes" boxes for "Was

DIR given to the Victim at the scence?" and "Was Victim Rights Notice given

to the Victim?" in DIR page B, he was SOMEHOW MYSTERICALLY GOING BACKWARD,

most probably via the radio beeps and/or the Bearded cop's hand signaling

and the Glassesed cop's hand response, and thus asking Alexandria, "and this

is not the first time he is being verbally abusive", Alexandria whined the

"No." Then the Glassesed cop was PONDERING about "CREATIVE" phrase, and the

Bearded cop was apparently body-languaging and WHISPERING HIS MALICIOUS LIE

of "saying he is constantly verbally abusive", and then the Glassesed wrote

down "constantly verbally abusive".



While NONE or NOWHERE in the minutes before the two cops giving Alexandria

Wang these pink sheets was talking about, the entries of "(1) P2 does not

work", and "(4)P2 hangs out at home" were INTRIGUINGLY handwritten down by

the COP in the largely empty section of "Incident Narrative" with an

instruction line of "Briefly describe the circumstances

of this incident:".



After the Glassesed cop signed his name apparently as "PO Christel China

969586" ---the March 08, 2022 email from "Rachel Radomski" indicates his

rank and name as"POM Christel, Thomas (969586)"---, the Bearded passed my

driver license to his partner and enticed my young daughter to write up the

section of "STATEMENT OF ALLEGATIONS/SUPPORTING DEPOSITION". The Bearded cop

's mind molesting on the young girl was so "PSYCHIATRIST-PROFESSIONAL" and "

SUCCESSFUL" by offering it as a nonobligatory "OPTION", but repeating the "

writing" several times and with handwriting movements, and strongly

SUGGESTING her to write "WHATEVER, you know, YOU WANT", "two to five

sentences" and then the

Glassesed

echoing such an "opportunity" too. When my naive daughter got on the hook,

the Bearded cop humanscum then gave a big sigh of relief and claimed to go

back to the apartment. FOR WHAT? FOR CARRYING OUT THE MURDER OF ME BY

MURDERERS IN POLICE UNIFORMS! For what reason he can not wait there for my

daughter's writing of "two to five sentences"? For what purpose he forgot to

bring my driver license back to me? The Glassesed cop talked to him to

bring my driver

license back. Once again, the Bearded cop's beeper beeped twice, as some

signaling. It's so sickening to see at this point that the PSYCHIATRIC Li Li

was standing facing AWAY from the daughter and the cops! I was standing at

the building's entrance keeping watching Alexandria and the cops. Did and do

the HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM STILL DENY THAT LI LI HAS SEVERE

PSYCHIATRIC ISSUES AND SHE HAS AN ABSOLUTELY ABNORMAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HER

OWN BIOLOGICAL DAUGHTER ALEXANDRIA WANG? Li Li was still standing like a

mummy with her back due on her own daughter who was on a point to a very

treacherous path and "future", when the Bearded cop went past her and back

to expect the "creative writing" from my own DEAR DAUGHTER.



The Bearded cop had just told me to go back

into my apartment, and said "we are going up to finish up with that, and

then send him back." Once again, I heard he said the thought-"wrong" pronoun

"him", and I kindly took his spoken "him" as his probably-meant "her", ie,

my dear daughter Alexandria Wang. Before I have the access to these two

videos and

examine them, I have almost once again TRUSTED SUCH PROFESSIONAL AND LEGAL

MURDERERS IN NYC POLICE UNIFORM as possibly the good helpers out of the evil

heaps. And I bowed to such a "nice" cop. Now, from these two videos and the

DIR "police report", this Bearded cop is ABSOLUTELY a METICULOUS HUMANSCUM

and a SOPHISTICATED MURDERER in the NYC POLICE. The Bearded cop had no real

GOODWILL point coming back to me at that time point, it is now so clear. His

only real intention at that point was to send me, not Li Li too, back into

my apartment, and the AES absolutely knows I would be the ONLY ONE in my

apartment then and out of Alexandria's and Li Li's sight! Then, this

HUMANSCUM COP talked so kindly to Li Li to LEAVE this apartment for a "

FRIEND'S" place. Since I had been fooled by his "kindness" and gone back

into the apartment, and the HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM HAVE

ABSOLUTE KNOWLEDGE HOW THEIR PSYCHIATRY PRODUCT LI LI WOULD BE SO RECKLESS

ON THE WELFARE OF THE FAMILY'S SAFETY AND HER OWN SAFETY, so the HUMANSCUM

THUG BEARDED COP DARED TO BRING UP HIS DIFFERENT LIES TO LI LI about ten

feet away and a minute later to me. The thug cop was claiming they or

Alexandria herself had the power or right so Alexandria would NOT return

home! Li Li subconsciously and practically still put the responsibility to

me, so when Li Li questioned whether the father had agreed to such a

DIFFERENT VICIOUS LIE FROM SUCH A COP, the Bearded had no hesitation to LIE

AGAIN by claiming I had "agreed" for my daughter to go to her "friend's"

house for the night! Then the MURDEROUS COP acted to care about Li Li's "

safety" against me. So sadly, Li Li had not shown or said the "FEAR" the

AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM'S HUMANSCUMS HAVE ALWAYS WANTED! although the THUG COP

was hypnotizing Li Li into fear and desertion again!!!!! His following

HYPNOSIS and LIES with his "RIGHT" tones went EXACTLY as quoted here, "This

has been a long going-on issue? [Pause for Li Li's answer, but no answer] He

said she is worried about going to college and she is not focusing on her

study." While Li Li said in a very DOCILE tone and turned her head to the

site of in front of 136-13 where the Glassesed cop had brought Alexandria to

, "you can ask her", the Bearded cop shifted to ask again, "Are you OK?" Li

Li's talking and shaking off shoulders were CLEAR, "I am fine, I am fine,

but I mean, I could

not do any help." In reality, Li Li is the malignant tumor cultivated and

then embedded by the AES HUMANSCUMS to this family, and she has been so

DAILY-FREQUENTLY PSYCHOPATHIC and the MAIN SOURCE of the family interior

turmoil and the MAIN REAL REASON Alexandria Wang thought, under HUMANSCUMS'

TOXIC INFLUENCING WITHOUT THE FATHER'S KNOWLEDGE, unilaterally leaving home

for a "friend's" basement in her HIGH-SCHOOL senior year would be a "good"

idea. Li Li is not fine, but she is NOT what the AES HUMANSCUMS have LONG

WANTED to frame as "DOMESTIC VIOLENCE" victim woman! and Li Li should be

able to help the FAMILY by just CONTROLLING her own behavior just like in

front of the Firearms-Carrying COPS! It's so DISGUSTING to see the SO-DOCILE

CHICKEN-LIKE BEHAVIOR OF LI LI in front of the HUMANSCUM THUG COP. Then the

Bearded Humanscum Cop claimed, "Awo, yeah, obviously, if he is here. This

has been happening long time?" The Bearded THUG COP does NOT want her "I am

fine", but wanted "her sufferings"! So Li Li's nodding would be DISTORTED by

the AES HUMANSCUMS like this cop as he said, "Ok, I am going to show her,

Ok?" His word "her" here would be meticulously twisted for the real meant "

him". Then he wanted Li Li out of the police's PLOTTED CRIME SCENE while he

started to show his leading of his own moving away from the spot, by saying,

"All right, Miss, are you going to wait out here for her friend to pick her

up? She is going to her friend's house though." Li Li as a biological

mother still caring about Alexandria, "Uhhhh. She would be back soon?" The

Bearded Thug Cop acted as if he has the power to rip my daughter away but no

responsibility to return the child back home, "Uhm, I don't know. Uhm, I

mean, otherwise, here is the deal. 'cause here is the deal. if she is all

right, you should go to stay at her friend's house tonight? Or she goes back

inside, but here the thing is, if she goes back inside, you know, we are

obviously. I will tell him not to interact with her all night." Li Li showed

doubt and interrupted to tell her concern again, "So, what time she will be

back?" The Bearded cop, "I mean, once again, she, you know, if she stays at

her "FRIEND'S" house, it's up to their friends. Um, what I would say is,

she may, she just doesn't feel comfortable here, wants to go to her friend's

house. So, um, I mean, I guess she will tell you about the details of that.

Otherwise, if you want her to stay here, [police BEEPS signal again!], we

will just stay here and listen. But, stay away from everybody tonight. Once

again, it's up to you. We will talk to her, and we will have a talk to you,

and whatever you guys should, Ok?" Li Li was fooled by "her" "FREEDOM OF

CHOICE" the cop promised, and answered, "All right." The Bearded Thug Cop

actually did NOT leave, so continued the BRAINWASHING AS A BLATANT & ILLEGAL

THREAT, "The last thing you

want to do is, you know, obviously, we can't sit there, and sit there in

your house all night, and watch them both and make sure they don't argue.

But, you know, that's what we have tried to give you advice to, just. [he

immediately shifts to his real evil "advice".] IF YOU HAVE A FRIEND, GO TO

YOUR FRIEND'S HOUSE FOR TONIGHT. And if you don't want to, because she is

seventeen, that's completely up to you. Uh, and it's weekend. [Li Li looks

ASTONISHED AND BAFFLED.] Uh, and if you do not want to, that's fine, we will

just have to stay here and, uh, you know, we will talk to him, and we will

talk to it all, 'cause if we have to come back, we do not want him to come

back and there is something more. [Note: The THUG was saying "him", me Limin

Wang. THIS MURDEROUS THUG AS A UNIFORMED POLICE REVEALED TO LI LI THE

INTENTION OF REMOVING ME LIMIN WANG!!!!!!!!! If it's "her", why the

HUMANSCUMS OF AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM do NOT want ALEXANDRIA BACK INTO THIS

FAMILY??????????] So we do not want to arrest anybody because the family in

strifles. So, I don't want to get this. We will talk to her, we will have a

talk to you, you just figure it out. OK?" During his such THREATENING, his

radio had blurry woman voice loud. Li Li was so QUIET, because she knows if

she DISAGREES TO THESE AES HUMANSCUMS she will be in peril. If Li Li had

shown 1% of her such "respect" to THIS FAMILY, the whole FAMILY WOULD HAVE

NEVER BEEN IN MANY OF THE DIRE SITUATIONS. The Bearded Thug Cop had another

big SIGH when he walked toward his partner and Alexandria, because he should

have noticed that Alexandria had finished her writing.



Right before this round of mind-manipulation on Li Li, Li Li was still

facing AWAY the daughter, not at me either, to the EMPTINESS. The

psychiatric Li Li could do such wasting of her "life" hours a time by

staring into the backyard in daytime over the PSYCHIATRIC YEARS. AES

HUMANSCUMS, what you have done to a vulnerable Chinese woman when she was

working outside on odd jobs and when she was on her twice aided and abetted

desertions? The Bearded thug must have thought my young daughter Alexandria

would have been brainwashed by MULTIPLE WALKS OF HUMANSCUMS, including the

Bearded cop right then, to be SO INSANE and write down outlandish fabricated

craps onto their "police report" as "solid evidence", and then both THUGS

AS COPS would come in or storm in to arrest me or shot me to death instantly

. They LOOKED so KIND! so DIFFERENT to some of the OPENLY VICIOUS COPS. And

they had turned their marked police SUV's engine and lights OFF. They came

almost 45 minutes after my first 911 call at around 11:53 PM. Very few

people would walk by, drive by, or stay up to watch. NO POLICE SIREN WAS

EVER BLARING. In the way early morning hours of Sept. 25, 2021, before I

woke up at ~7 a.m., my phone had a missed call from "Private number". No

voice message from it. It's often from the NYC Police or District's

Attorneys when in the past I picked up such incoming calls which might also

show as "Unknown number". Later, I believe the cops were trying to find an

excuse to contact me while I was ALONE, and then these thugs would shoot me

to death, and then they would put up their usual lies how their murder

victim had caused the shooting or committed suicide.



After Alexandria finished her written deposition, the Glassesed cop must

have been so disappointed with the content, and then was questioning

UNRELATED things from my daughter, a MINOR, about the social media I use,

and even my accounts names. The American Evil System has constant

surveillance on me and absolutely knows my online accounts, and the AES

humanscums have (temporarily) closed some accounts and opened some blog

accounts while I have NO access to them. These AES THUGS would later post on

these accounts some fake posts such as "suicide notes". Anyway, the

youngsters have never been taught of the "RIGHTS" from the American

schooling, and of course, too young and too unexperienced to understand the

REAL EVIL OF the American System. The Glassesed cop then asked, "And where

does she normally hang out? Stay home? Go out?" He was clearly saying

pronoun "she", and his immediate suggestions to my daughter were only "stay

home" or "go out". Thus, the cops FRAMED their questions for what they had

already known from their surveillance and other sources, for instance, if

they had ever looked into the "legal documents" in the AES HUMANSCUMS

CONTROLLED AND LAUNDRIED "record" of the NYS Workers' Comp Case G2029240.

Then, so revealing is that Bearded THUG COP, who had just come over to them,

STATED, "Oh, he doesn't work, drive, face, social media." They have not

asked any member of my family about (vehicle, assumed) driving. They just

SELECTED something they had already known to write down. In the section of "

Incident Narrative", the instruction line prints as "Briefly describe the

circumstances of this incident:", look at the ORDER of the EXTRA lines below

the BIG EMPTINESS,

(1) P2 does not work

(2) P2 does not drive

(3) P2 has Facebook Limin Wang

(4) P2 hangs out at home



Then, TRULY OBVIOUSLY, the Glassesed cop was following the Bearded cop's

instructions! And the index numbers were added later, obviously to my

judgment, by the Bearded THUG COP. Then, the Bearded cop was eager to look

at "my child's" written "deposition". While the Glassesed Cop was still

writing, the Bearded cop's EXACT saying to the Glassesed Cop was,

"You got. Did you write anything or no?"

The Glassesed Cop, a young one, apparently NOT IMMERSED MUCH BY THE AMERICAN

EVIL SYSTEM YET, immediately said while flipping the clipboard to hand over

the page B, "Yeah, SHE did."

Then, the Bearded cop's beeper beeped four notes.

Then the Glassesed cop asked Alexandria, "Uh, you've never got a pink slip

like this before, have you?"

Alexandria mumbled, "I do not know what it is."

Glassesed Cop, with hand signaling, "From, from police."

Alexandria shook her head.

Glassesed Cop, "No."

The Bearded cop looked for half a minute, and at the end, even flipped the

duplex to look at the pink back! Obviously, his overall expression,

including a shake of the sheet, and some kind of sniffing, said about his "

DISAPPOINTMENT"! Then, his radio started to talk again, and he re-looked at

Alexandria's written deposition, this Bearded EVIL THUG started to spread

VICIOUS LIES to my young innocent Alexandria, "Have you ever met, Miss, she

said, a lot of this is over. Studying stuff. She said she is worried about

you folks in school. Would you say that what?"

Young Alexandria was fooled by this HUMANSCUM Cop, and interrupted with her

annoyance, and apparently interpreting his "she" as "he", the father, "Oh,

bullshit."

Then the Bearded HUMANSCUM COP sensed the fish on the bait, "Would you say

that's what. What's that?" The HUMANSCUM apparently wanted to add stuff to

the "deposition".

Alexandria repeated clearly, "Bullshit," and started to cry.

Then, the Bearded HUMANSCUM COP as a PROFESSIONAL PSYCHIATRIC HUMANSCUM,

SOFTENED his tone, "Ok."

Alexandria sobbed in murmuring, "All he do is start his own argument, and

blame on me."

The Bearded HUMANSCUM cop twisted, "If it's. Obviously it's difficult,

especially, you know, he fell om lonely [AUDIENCE, PLEASE HELP ME CHECK HIS

EXACT SAYING. I HAVE SENSED FROM SOME STRANGERS ON STREET WHILE I WAS

SELLING THE USED GOODS, AN OLD MS. DU APPEARING AS A "FRIEND" WAS ENTICING

ME TO SAY SOME ENGLISH NAMES OF SOME "MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS" AND A LAW FIRM,

AND THEN THE WORD OF "SEPTEMBER", AND A LINE SHE SAID HER BOSS WROTE ABOUT

HER NYS WORKERS' COMP CASE, WHICH STATES THE WOMAN HAD A S/P AT HOME AND

INJURED HER WRIST. I am worried the AES HUMANSCUMS would do the tailoring of

sound bytes and images and videos to DISTORT almost everything. Here, the

Bearded HUMANSCUM COP was sounding CLOSE to "I fell home lonely"! My fall

from B.Q. Wide Auto Body Parts Supply, Inc. on January 16, 2018 was the AES

HUMANSCUMS' another attempted MURDER, because the HUMANSCUMS HAVE ASSEMBLED

A TRAP 8-FT aluminum stepladder where the right bracelet, with its PERFECT

RIVET STILL ON, was completely detached from the right front rail which has

a PERFECT undamaged hole. While they continued their murder attempts on me,

the AES HUMANSCUMS, including Precinct 109 thugs as cops, DENY their

numerous attempted murders and even injuries on me.] he was trying to come

back, then he was having issues trying to find work. So usually that leads

to people getting frustrated. I am not saying to defend it all. I am trying

to give him an easy out either. But obviously what I suggest is. [This

PROFESSIONAL PSYCHIATRIST HUMANSCUM AS A COP stops here and shifts to play

the FEAR. Because the AES HUMANSCUMS KNOW THAT IT'S ACTUALLY THE PSYCHIATRIC

LI LI THAT DRIVES ALEXANDRIA WANG INSANE, AND SOMETIMES, PHYSICAL VIOLENT

WITH LI LI.] How is your mom? Is she OK? Is she getting."

Alexandria quietly shook her head and swept her arm to indicate "No".

The Bearded cop's radio voice was going on again.

The Bearded cop continued with his EVIL INTENTION TO GET Alexandria AWAY, "[

some indiscernible word(s)], if you can, you are still seventeen, a child,

so legally you, do whatever you can to make them happy, play the game, as

they say, play the game, and when you get eighteen, get out of here. At

eighteen, you will be an adult. You can legally leave, do whatever you want.

You can live alone. You can live with your friends in an apartment. Do

whatever you got to do. You have a job now?"

Once again, the AES HUMANSCUMS know the background information and also very

likely have surveillance over Alexandria and even put her into such TRAPS

to blackmail her, and the Bearded Cop wanted to REMIND Alexandria of HER

BELIEF that SHE IS ALREADY MORE CAPABLE THAN HER POOR FATHER. Alexandria now

whispered, "Aha."

The Bearded HUMANSCUM cop said superfast, "What do you do?" so it sounds

more

like "Rita", a DEADLY-"friend" of Alexandria, whose parents have a house at

142-02 Negundo Ave. In around Aug. 2021, Alexandria went to her house,

spending most of the day there, and back home, Alexandria told me these two

were painting their faces and dressing themselves as CRACKOS, and also

showing the CRACKOS behavior to the pass-byers from the balcony and into

some pictures and videos!!! I immediately told Alexandria she could later

been hurt by humanscums twisting her as a narcotic! so she must tell Rita

not to share such images and videos to anyone, and so she should always be

careful about the need of EXPLANATION, and she should NEVER do such a STUPID

thing again.

Alexandria slurred while sobbing, "I work at the ice rink."

The Bearded cop, "Ok, ice rink, ok."

The bearded radio and beeper kept signaling, "Where is that?"

Alexandria slurred, with finger point west down 59th Ave, [actually wrong

pointing], "O ice arena."

The Bearded cop, "What's that?"

Alexandria slurred again, "World Ice Arena."

Bearded cop, "Ok, ok."

People know how the AMERICAN EVIL PSYCHOLOGY works now. The BEARDED

HUMANSCUM COP first made the young Alexandria feel independent (with a job)

about herself. Then, he shifted the topic for Alexandria to leave home NOW,

by saying, "so, yeah, so you have, you have friends to go over to visit now?

Aha?"

Alexandria still sobbing, "Yeah."

Bearded cop, "Where they live?"

Alexandria said clearer while waiving her finger, "142, 02."

Then, the STILL-ACTING-IN-WORKING-ON-THE-DIR-REPORT Glassesed injected, "

Negundo."

Bearded cop acted to be surprised,"Oh, Negundo."

Alexandria, "yeah".

Bearded cop, "Are they, can I pick you up?"

Alexandria voice saddened, "No." Alexandria must have heard as the BEARDED

HUMANSCUM was saying "can THEY pick you up?" THIS HUMANSCUM COP WAS THINKING

TO USE HIS FIREARM POWER AND POLICE VEHICLE TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER AWAY VIA

THE POLICE CAR!!!

Beard cop, what a HUMANSCUM,"can you walk there?" He had sounded like he

knew where Negundo Ave in Flushing is by only hearing the word "Negundo."

Now, he came up with such a CHILD-ENDANGERING idea for my such a young

daughter to WALK at around 1 AM in the midnight so far away! This HUMANSCUM

COP SHOULD BE JUSTICED. Sadly, I know the AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM only takes "

care" of its own THUGS, not "we the people" at all! The ones with the

resources should help on this.

Alexandria could have been very tired, and thus apparently heard wrong, "

They don't. They are too young to drive."

Bearded cop, "OK. Are you staying overnight?"

Alexandria sounded worried, "Yeah."

The Bearded Thug Cop spread his lies again, "All right, while I was talking

to your mom, here is the deal. Legally you are seventeen years old. So, so

we can't, can't really tell you go anyway. So, I will talk to your mom,

figure out what you guys want to do. We will be here for the next five to

ten minutes. If it turns out that Mom wants you to stay, and you have to

stay. We will talk to Dad, and, and we will say stay away from him for the

night. OK? If it doesn't happen. [His radio talks again, and he jumps topic.

] You guys living in separate rooms?"

Alexandria sounded weeping again, "No, I live in."

Bearded cop, "What?"

Alexandria continued, "one room. They live." I seriously question the

authenticity of the sound tracks of these two videos from COPS via ACS.

Alexandria has definitely lived in a SEPARATE room since she and her elder

sister were still relatively young. The parents sleep in the "living room"

next to the kitchen, with no door separation from the kitchen. Either the

humanscums have fabricated or pasted audio pieces or have long manipulated

Alexandria into WRONG BELIEVING. Has the AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM provided me

the resources for me to earn enough income like this thug cop's online-shown

-annual-earning of >$100K?????????? Beyond SLAVERY, the AES HUMANSCUMS have

SERIOUSLY INJURED ME through their numerous attempted murders. If the AES

can render justice, all the NEEDED COMPENSATION for all the INJURIES to my

WHOLE FAMILY may be able to rent the SPACIOUS TWO- or EVEN THREE-bedrooms

apartment, instead of an illegally converted and LEASED ground floor REAR

apartment. Check out the house floor maps from the open or governmental

resources, and the Precinct 109 cops had been to this apartment MULTIPLE

TIMES over the years. HUMANSCUM THUG AS AN NYC COP, WHY YOU HAVE SUCH OF

YOUR OWN PERVERSION ONTO MY YOUNG DAUGHTER?

The Bearded HUMANSCUM COP interrupted, just looking for any point he the

PERVERT HUMANSCUM can distort and mislead Alexandria to FEAR, and then to

DESERTION! This Bearded HUMANSCUM COP, named from the video file name as Sgt

John Valentino, is a SHEER HUMANSCUM. FBI, would it do anything about

HUMANSCUMS COPS like this in NYC? "What, you have your bedroom?"

Alexandria nodded her head.

THE PERVERT HUMANSCUM JOHN VALENTIO then brought up this PERVERT QUESTION,

mostly out of the PREVALENT AND PERVASIVE AMERICAN PROSTITUTION REALITY, "

You can lock your door?" The same PERVERSION was also reflected in the

writing by HUMANSCUM "ATTORNEY" OF ACS, NAMELY "Rachel Radomski", in her

February 2022 fabrication or Alexandria's real-being-drugged-by-AES-

HUMANSCUMS, of "4. Alexandria Wang has reported seeing faces as night when

she goes to sleep for the past three years. Approximately three weeks ago,

Alexandria reported seeing faces while on the bus coming home from school.

Alexandria reported being scared. " Note, exact quote, "as night." I was

probably around the beginning of 2022 to start LIVE BROADCAST those AES

HUMANSCUMS' Sham and Shame "hearings", with the camera blocked. Please check

out the "as night" AUDIOS on AES.

Alexandria started to whine about this, "He has the key. I don't even have

the key to my own bedroom." Alexandria had the key to the bedroom when the

ridiculous BS finally started the in-school "learning". In previous years

somewhat since my injuries on January 16, 2018, I took back the apartment

keys from the daughters, because HUMANSCUMS at BRONX HIGH SCHOOL OF SCIENCE

were apparently involved in my Workers' Compensation Case G2029240 by

bringing up troubles over my elder daughter the day RIGHT AFTER the first (

Mar. 12, 2018) NYS WCB "hearing". People, check out what THOSE HUMANSCUMS as

"JUDGE" or "TEACHER" were "deciding" or "claiming." While the school-

lockers' LOCKS of my daughters' were UNREASONABLY CLIPPED, and my children

would leave the keys away from themselves during school! Check out from my

other posts what the BS and NYC ACS have CRAPPED as "claimed". The schools

have done a lot of EVIL to my daughters, and I will tell their FULL "it is

what it is." The bedroom also has been used as office room for the WHOLE

family. Also, during the "covid-19" "pandemic" time, Alexandria chose to

STAY HOME for the "remote learning" instead of to have a "choice" on the

BOGUS BS survey and to go back to THE BS for in-school learning! Sometimes,

I found Alexandria was NOT learning but actually DRAWING or PLAYING on the

electronic devices, in the bedroom CLOSED or LOCKED by herself! Surely, the

AES HUMANSCUMS find online resources to CONSCIOUSLY AND SUBCONSCIOUSLY

MISLEAD my young daughters! Even the social media app they were addicted to

is named "DISCORD", and they told me that the BS high school all used it for

"communication"! Then, I often told both daughters to keep the "bedroom"

door open if possible, so I could walk in to witness whether they were

actually studying or playing games or social media. AES HUMANSCUMS, you ever

want the explanation and the truth about the apartment keys?

The Bearded Pervert Cop thought he got the "golden" piece, "Oh, look, here

is the deal, it is what it is. Lock, lock the door. The police just said,

don't talk to you. Don't talk to anybody for else now."

Alexandria said a sentence here I could NOT discern. Anybody can help on

this?

Bearded cop continued with his VICE, "Wo, you know what, it is what is, you

have to keep coming back here. All right, if it arises to the level to break

the law, then we have to do what we have to do. But at this point, arguing

with your parents, arguing with you kids, unfortunately, this is not much

we can do." HUMANSCUM PERVERT COP, your "unfortunately" is your "unfortunate

" for your PERVERT WANT of my family's breaking-up and even my death, so my

children would be so hopeless in this AMERICAN PROSTITUTION SYSTEM.

My daughter murmured some words I could not discern, apparently quite

exhausted.

Bearded cop continued his EVIL onto my kid, "I am sorry. I wish we could do

more." Where is your HUMANSCUM "sorry" ever needed here???

This PERVERT COP's MIND-MOLESTING on my young daughter made her "sense" some

"danger" but "hopeless" or "helpless".

Then the Bearded humanscum cop acted as if he had not known the background

information of my whole family and Alexandria, by asking, "Where you go to

school?"

My poor daughter recalled the TERRIBLE THINGS the HUMANSCUMS as "teachers",

"guidance counselor", and "social worker" OF Bronx High School of Science

had in recent days inflicted onto her, so instead of answering the

supposedly superior "Bronx High School of Science", she started to BREAK

DOWN! and asked that HUMANSCUM cop such a HEARTBREAKING question, "What it

takes to get arrested?"

The PERVERT THUG COP must have thought my poor daughter was going to send

her innocent poor father into this EVIL'S CONTROL, so he said in his EVIL

tone of expectation, "Oh, to commit a crime."

My poor daughter then said with crying, "Can I commit a crime?"

The PERVERT THUG COP sounded so surprised, "YOU want to commit a crime?"

My hypnotized-miserable young daughter confirmed with a crying voice, "I do.

Just get me out of here." Then she cried LOUD, made arm swings, and fainted

apparently, and her right forearm hit the nearby parked vehicles trunk.

While Alexandria showed her desperate desire of desertion, the two cops

showed NO CONCERN of whatsoever. The Bearded cops beeper beeped thrice

here, and he then said, Well, once again, well be friends. we talk to

Mom. We talk to Mom. If you can, go to your friends house to have him pick

you up, if thats what you want. Thats it. The Bearded HUMANSCUM COP

is so MALICIOUSLY GOOD at manipulating INEXPERIENCED YOUNGSTERS PSYCHOLOGY

. While the American Evil System already definitely knows that Rita at 142-

02 Negundo Ave is a SHE, and my daughters from this SYSTEM-oppressed & -

persecuted family do NOT have many social friends, and these two cops

had been told by Alexandria its NOT possible for her friend(s) to

drive and pick her up, particularly at such a WEE HOUR time, the Bearded

HUMANSCUM Cop said THAT to make Alexandria feel ASHAMED of herself with no

helping friend(s).

Alexandria was crying with her right hand over her masked face, and

seemingly said, The house doesnt agree. She absolutely knows that

NEITHER parent, no matter how diagonally different they are, would agree her

desertion from home. Its also so OBVIOUS to these two cops, especially to

the BEARDED HUMANSCUM COP, that NEITHER parent would want the daughter to

leave home!

The Glassesed stopped acting his writing on the police report, and asked

Alexandria, Does Mom drive?

Alexandria replied, No, none of them drive.

Then the Bearded cop said, Nobody drives.

At the time mark of 2021-09-25 01:03:27 -0400 of axon body camera 3

X6031391Q, ITS THEN THE BEARDED HUMANSCUM COP THAT FIRST BROUGHT UP THE

NEXT STAGE OF SEDUCTION AND ABDUCTION, DO YOU WANT TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL

NOW? While the young Alexandria did not understand the adult humanscum cop

s REAL MEANING of go to the hospital, she replied with the continuing

cry, I just want to get away. The Bearded Humanscum Cop WANTED the WORDS

HE FIRST MALICIOUSLY BROUGHT OUT to be said by the young Alexandria, Hold

on, do, do you want to go to the hospital? Do you feel, do you feel you

might need a sleep service for the moment? Alexandria still crying, Yeah

. After he got the yeah, the Bearded Humanscum Cop rephrased, Do you

want to go to the hospital tonight? Young Alexandria of course would NOT

be able to sense what she was answering, and so simply followed with another

Yeah.

The Bearded Cop, Yeah?

Alexandria still dry-crying and wavering, Please, just get me away here.

The Bearded Cop wanted to SEDUCE my YOUNG DAUGHTER to SAY THE WORDS THIS

KIND OF HUMANSCUMS WITHIN THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM for the AESs so-called

TESTIMONY or EVIDENCE, Ok, ok, are you are, all right, so, whats

wrong?

Alexandria, dry crying and wavering, I dont think (a few indiscernible

words to me, sounding to me like he cares. He is.). Get me away.

Alexandria has been feeding herself DELUSION and LIES originated from

HUMANSCUMS OF the American Evil System. I the father DEFINITELY has been

caring about her.

The Bearded Humanscum Cop still only WANTING what the AES HUMANSCUMS want

from the YOUNG naive girl, All right, uh, Miss, you, you have, uh,

whats going on?

Alexandria still could only answer with the SICK DEMAND that the AES

HUMANSCUMS had brainwashed her, I can (or cant) do this. Please get

me away from them. Alexandrias them is supposed to mean both parents

. The AES HUMANSCUMS have brainwashed Alexandrias mind to draw the equal

sign between the still-caring father and the almost daily psychiatric or

psychotic mother. If Alexandria was saying I can do this, she very

likely meant to commit a crime, which very likely would be on her

PSYCHIATRIC mother. In these two videos, Alexandria mentioned about a 

December, which very probably meant the December 17, 2020, when her

elder sister was supposed to arrive home from college, but Alexandria

staying at home due to the American Evil Systems so-called COVID-19

pandemic and remote learning UNCONTROLLABLY WANTED AN ARGUMENT, EVEN

AT A POINT HOLDING A KITCHEN KNIFE, WITH THE PSYCHIATRIC LI LI. SOON, THEIR

ARGUMENT SPREAD TO BECOME THE ARGUMENT BETWEEN ALEXANDRIA AND ME, because

Alexandria was demanding why the self-claimed HEALTHY and up to this age,

have not done any bit thing wrong, or said any bit thing wrong Li Li could

NOT go for WORK. Then, the HUMANSCUM PROSTITUTE Li Li claimed she needed to

QUIETLY tell Alexandria by whispering to her ear. When I demanded Li Lis

answer on this question from Alexandria, Alexandria said Li Li just claimed

that SOMEBODY was trying to murder her on bed at night in this rental place!

Since the HUMANSCUM PROSTITUTE LI LI has said and done so many outrageous

treacherous things to me over the decades, and I am certainly suspecting the

PROSTITUTE HUMANSCUM LI LI was INSULATING HER VICIOUS LIE to her own

daughter Alexandria that the father were the one! So, I demanded from both

Li Li directly and Alexandria indirectly WHOM the fuck the HUMANSCUM Li Li

was referring to as the murderer! Since I have long suspected the

HUMANSCUMS of the AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM have used the PROSTITUTE LI LI to

create or fabricate things for the American State Terrorists to legally

persecute me, I wanted their answers to be RECORDED! When I used the phone

to do the recording, Alexandria, once again claiming privacy violated as

brainwashed by the AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEMs HUMANSCUMS for the decades,

angrily swiped my phone, and the phone dropped, and its screen shattered!

Then, the PROSTITUTE HUMANSCUM LI LI wanted to act as if a NORMAL AND

HELPFUL adult to OUTSIDERS by manually shoving all the heavy snow on the

front yards parking lot, after the landlord side had only machine-cleaned

a narrow, about a foot wide, path over the walkway. The front yards

parking lot was only used by the VICIOUS HUMANSCUMS renting the actual

second floor! And Alexandria stormed out in the early night, and I

immediately asked Li Li to go after Alexandria! So, when the elder daughter

Rosila came back, I was the only one at home waiting. I then asked Rosila to

connect with Alexandria and to go outside to bring her back. From that

December event, honest human beings, you try to understand what BAD THINGS

Alexandria had been brainwashed by AES HUMANSCUMS to ADD to this trauma-

stricken family, and to verify Alexandrias intention to paint that

December event as her fathers fault or whatever! FYI, THE HUMANSCUMS

OF THE NYC ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDRENS SERVICES HAVE VICIOUSLY

FABRICATED IN THEIR WRITTEN ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD NEGLECT BY

SHAMELESSLY CLAIMING THAT ROSILA WERE NOT COMING HOME SINCE YEAR 2019! THE

AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM IS RIDDLED WITH WAY TOO MANY VICIOUS HUMANSCUMS. MANY

INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COUNTRIES FALL VICTIM TO THE AES HUMANSCUMS.

Whether the young girl STUPIFIED BY THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM can tear down

all the surveillance camera all over in New York City, including at the

schools? Whether she can snatch and smash the body cameras from the NYC cops

? I have strongly urged Alexandria to RECORD the interactions with whoever

involved in this child neglect case NN-09918-21, but she still

stubbornly goes by her EDUCATED STUPIDITY and trusts the AES

HUMANSCUMS. Then, Alexandria would learn, if ever possible, the HARD,

TERRIBLE, OR EVEN DEADLY WAY ABOUT THE TRUTH OF THE AES HUMANSCUMS. THE AES

HUMANSCUMS WOULD ONLY DRUG AND BRAINWASH MY FAMILY MEMBERS TO BLAME, HATE,

AND HURT EACH OTHER, AND EVEN TO BRING UP MURDERS TO THIS FAMILY.

Back to the two videos, the Bearded cop said, Ok, do you, do you want to

go to the hospital? The Bearded cop turned toward the Glassesed, and the

Glassesed looked at him, while their beepers made signals at here.

Alexandria kept gliding her right hand over her left arm, and whined, Yeah

.

The Bearded cop echoed, Yeah?

Alexandria went on her PSYCHOTIC NEED OF DESERTION, Yeah, yeah, anywhere,

ANYWHERE.

While the Glassesed Cop still kept his quietness but looked quite concerned

AT THE BEARED COP, the Bearded HUMANSCUM COP sounded so irresponsibly, Ok,

no problem. Then, the Bearded cop raised his hand, and continued, I

will just call for a (the word indiscernible to me, sounding like navy)

 While the Bearded HUMANSCUM Cop walked away from Alexandria seemingly

toward Li Li, he said apparently to the Glassesed Cop, Just state she

wants to go to the hospital. The Glassesed Cop apparently did NOT

fabricate such a statement onto the police report! The Bearded HUMANSCUM COP

immediately turned back, and WANTED HIS MALICIOUS WORDS FROM MY YOUNG

DAUGHTER ALEXANDRIA WANG by asking, Do you suffer from anxiety like that?

Miss.

Alexandria sobbed and answered, I dont know. I never been checked out.

The Bearded EVIL Cop got HE WANTED, Ok. Then, he took a step or two away

, and then turned back, while making a BLURRY cops communication, Hold

on, 9, Adam 1. Thats what sounds to me. People, if you can hear better

and understand what his signal codes meant, please help and tell me. Then, a

woman voice and a man voice came from the Bearded Cops device talking

about Charlie, and NO 31. Meanwhile, Alexandria was still having her

dry crying!

At this moment, the two cops once again slightly turned and looked at the

138th St direction up the 59th Ave. While a short sleeved man with shorts

walked down the parking lane of the 59th Ave on the opposite side, in front

of the big building 136-20&-22, and some male voice apparently was heard by

them from the street in that direction, the Bearded Cop once again

deliberately moved something over to his body camera and thus a SIGNIFICANT

PORTION of his body-camera view was DELIBERATELY BLOCKED. Its ABSOLUTELY

NOT ACCIDENTALLY blocked by something over his chest. People can also check

the Glasseseds body camera video about this kind of DELIBERATE action from

a COP. The Bearded cop said 9, Adam while his beeper beeped, and then a

female voice replied, 109, Adam. Then, at around 2021-09-25 01:05:00 of

video 3 X6031391Q, the Bearded Cop said, May I get a bus to my location,

please? Uh, for a female, she does she wants to see ambulance. And his

beeper again beeped twice. At this moment, he was facing and walking toward

the 136th St direction, ie, away from his partner cop and my daughter, and

pulled and snapped the blocking piece to block a big part of camera view

while a dark SUV was passing down 59th Ave. Li Li was still standing in the

front yard of 136-09, looking toward them, BUT the Bearded Cop simply turned

around, to avoid Li Li, and to avoid recording that past-by SUV. NO HUMAN

VOICE WAS EVER HEARD COMING FROM THE DISPATCH END! WHAT A PREMEDITATED

SCHEME OF AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEMS SEDUCTION AND ABDUCTION OF MY YOUNG

DAUGHTER ALEXANDRIA WANG. MANY OTHER TALKS AND ACTS FROM MANY HUMANSCUMS OF

THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM CAN CORROBORATE THAT ITS THE PREMEDITATED AND

COORDINATED STATE TERRORISM FROM HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM

AGAINST MY WHOLE FAMILY.

Then, the Glassesed cop pointed at the bottom of the police report and asked

the Bearded cop, Uhm? This here? The Bearded cop WHISPERED, You have

his (a few words indiscernible to me). Over the radio, now a woman voice

was talking about Charlie, and a male voice was saying some normal

sentences, and 31. The Glassesed Cop, while pointing to the police

report, probably to indicate ITS WRONG FOR THE BEARDED THUG TO VICIOUSLY

MISLEAD MY YOUNG DAUGHTER ONTO A DESTRUCTION PATH, said to the Bearded Cop,

She already, found a job. The Bearded HUMANSCUM Cop slurred, Yeah, she

ever (some indiscernible words, sounding like needs to repeat though)?

Yeah, thats pretty much shit. People, may you judge whats SHIT and

whats TRUTH or JUSTICE to this kind of HUMANSCUM as an NYC COP? He then

simply walked away a little, and then turned back and SLURRED, To see if

the bus has to say it may be Ok for her to go home? To see (some

indiscernible words rapidly slurred, sounding like what is going on right

now). That will be it. OF COURSE, THE BEARDED HUMANSCUM COP, NAMED AS

JOHN VALENTINO ACCORDING TO THE SYSTEMS RECORD SENT OVER TO ME, HAS

NEVER SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING WANTED MY FAMILY STAY UNITED!

Then, the Bearded Humanscum Cop continued, but with a CLEAR voice, to young

Alexandria, All right, Miss, ambulance going to be here shortly. They will

be, check you out. Uhm, if you, obviously, if you feel like you need to go

to the hospital, they will take you to the hospital. You know, if it is, you

have any mental issues, Miss? You take medicine for anything? The Bearded

Humanscum Cop WANTED MENTAL ILLNESS FROM MY DAUGHTER! Without knowing

what kind of destructive path she would soon be on, Alexandria said, No, I

never been checked out. Then the Bearded cop said, All right, all right

, no problem. Then he continued, All right, do you want to talk to Mom

quick? This METICULOUSLY EVIL COP ABSOLUTELY KNOWS, AT LEAST BY NOW, THAT

ALEXANDRIA AND HER MOTHER LI LI DO NOT HAVE THE NORMAL DAUGHTER-MOTHER

RELATIONSHIP AT ALL, BUT THIS HUMANSCUM COP DELIBERATELY INCURRED ALEXANDRIA

S DETEST, HATRED, AND FEAR TOWARD THE HOME-STAYING MOTHER SO THE DESERTION

THOUGHT WOULD BE HARDENED IN THE YOUNG GIRLS MIND!

The view blocker on the Bearded Cops body camera was in place and soon the

view blocker blocked Alexandrias FACE. Alexandria obviously body-

languaged her rejection of such a seemingly-nice idea, and said, No, I don

t. The Bearded Cop verified, No? Alexandria exhaustively pleaded in

weak voice to the EVIL Cop, Please. You guys cant get me out of here?

The Bearded Cop verified, Whats that? Alexandria brought up some

strength to her volume, You guys cant get me away from here? The

Bearded Humanscum Cop now TALKED as if HE COULD NOT HELP THE YOUNG GIRL

S DESERTION, after this BEARDED EVIL COP JOHN VALENTINO HAD METICULOUSLY

MANIPULATED THE PARENTS AND BRAINWASHED THE CHILD FOR THE HUMANSCUMS OF THE

AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM TO CARRY OUT THE DE FACTO SEDUCTION AND ABDUCTION OF A

FEMALE CHILD AWAY FROM A MISERABLE IMMIGRANT FAMILY OPPRESSED, PERSECUTED,

AND MURDER-ATTEMPTED BY THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM. The Bearded Cop 

marvelously said, Uh, once again, you are a minor. No, we really cant

do much. But you said you want to see an ambulance. Maybe you go to the

hospital. Thats the par. If thats the case, thats the CASE. Well

have you. Well talk to the ambulance. See whats going on. And other than

that, (a few slurred quick words), thats OK? Alexandria started to sob

again during his HUMANSCUMMY talking. The Bearded Thug Cop continued, But

the best way you do, stay away from, Dad. Alexandria cried with a bursting

expiration. The Bearded Humanscum Cop continued the psychiatric trauma, 

Does Mom drive you crazy too? Alexandria, showing her face in the view,

turned her body slightly and swung her left arm as if toward the home, and

claimed, This is such a small house. I cant do anything. Its always

him in there. His grieves. Ah, you guys havent seen the way he acts.

Alexandria showed pretty much only despise, no understanding, no sympathy,

to her father, and she pretended she had all forgotten her NUMEROUS

HYSTERICAL AND EVEN PHYSICAL ARGUMENTS with the PSYCHIATRIC or PSYCHOTIC

MOTHER Li Li! The Bearded Cop acted, All right, Miss, uhm, we will talk to

Mama, but, is it ok? When Mama will be at her friends house, well walk

when the ambulance come over here. His beeper beeped twice at this moment.

He spread his own vicious LIE to Alexandria about Li Lis move, and he

did NOT go to talk with Li Li, who was still standing and waiting at the

front yard of the rental residence 136-09. Then his beeper beeped twice, and

he turned around and walked back to the Glassesed cop, who then pointed to

the bottom of the police report and said, Uh, this one. The Bearded

Cop, What? The Glassed Cop, Uhm, the middle one. They were most

probably talking about the bottom row of Offense on page A of New York

State Domestic Incident Report. These HUMANSCUM COPS WANTED to FRAME 

offense on me the father! The Bearded Thug Cop could not get ANY from that

night, so he WANTED to get some INSIGHT from the possible past, by

saying, What if. Uh, do we have a history over here? The Glassed Cop

said, No. The Bearded Cop then asked Alexandria, Have you guys ever

called 911 before? Alexandria slightly turned her body and pointed her

finger toward the home area, He called a lot of times. Alexandria

absolutely meant the him as me the father Limin Wang.

WHATS SO REVEALING OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM IS THAT THE GLASSESED COP

INTERJECTED DURING ALEXANDRIAS HONEST ANSWER ON THIS, THEY NEVER GOT, UH

, ONE OF THESE. He was flipping to show the pink copy. How the Glassesed

Cop had already known THEY had NEVER GOT a police report? Especially

WHEN the almost-18-yr-old girl clearly and AGAIN told the father had

called 911 MANY TIMES in the past. The only real explanation is that the

HUMANSCUMS as NYC Cops have also been among the ones carrying out the STATE

TERRORISM torture, threats, and murder-attempts on my family, particularly

on me! Where is the bit of credibility of the NYC Police and their police

report?

The Bearded Cop rapidly slurred with some further leads while browsing

over his cellphone, No? Never gone into arrest or concern before? After

a moment of no answer from neither the Glassesed Cop nor Alexandria, he

continued, Ok. Then signals and voices came out of his police radio. The

Glassesed Cop briefly used the trunk of the nearby dark passenger car, then

torn the pink copy off from the top two white copies, and said to

Alexandria, Like I said before, keep this, for yourself, because you haven

t got one before. This is yours. Everyone is here. You got a copy. Thats

for you. Then he reached for the page B of the Domestic Incident Report

 the Bearded Cop was holding, and asking, Good to go with that? The

Bearded Cop answered, Uhmm, all right, lets double check. After a

second or so, the Bearded Cop pulled out a pen and said, All right, what

s going to happen over here. Were going to put down the phone number. We

need, sign here. The Bearded Cop then slid over his phone screen very

briefly and wrote down (718) 321-2279 in the section of Prior History,

subsection of If the Victim answers yes to any questions in this box

refer to the NYS Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline at 1-800-942-6906 or

Local Domestic Violence Service Provider: ( ) ______. His handwriting

is quite different from the Glassesed Cops. The Glassesed Cop was holding

his flashlight on for his superior. The Bearded Cop continued, So if you

have any questions about anything, you call them. All right. Thats going

to settle from us. Then, the Glassesed Cop took over and signed and dated

the page B, and added two 2s to Page _ of _. Meanwhile, the cops

beeper beeped twice, AND THEY CHECKED ON THEIR CELLPHONES, VERY PROBABLY

FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEMS UPPER LEVELS. SO

, IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS, THE BEARDED HUMANSCUM COP STARTED HIS BRAINWASH OF

THE SUICIDE IDEA, BY ASKING ALEXANDRIA, MISS, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU

HARMING YOURSELF? Alexandria then murmured, I already have. The

Bearded Cop asked, What? Alexandria only went on, Back in Freshmen

year, Sophomore year, and then Junior year. The Bearded Cop wanted a 

full statement, Whatd you mean? You feel like harming yourself, like

you want to commit suicide or anything? Alexandria was MUFFLING some word,

probably, Please. The Bearded Cop wanted a clarification from

Alexandrias mouth, What? Alexandria then started to audibly cry. Then,

the Bearded Humanscum Cop offered the HYPNOTIC word, Yes? Then

Alexandria followed the bait, Yeah. THEN THE BEARDED HUMANSCUM COP

FINALLY GOT WHAT THE HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM WANTED AT THAT

MOMENT FROM THE BRAINWASHED YOUNG GIRL ALEXANDRIA, SO HE ONLY INDIFFERENTLY

SAID, OK. THATS HIS RESPONSE, OK. The humanscums of the American

Evil System have for long years via various means influenced their victims,

my young daughters, onto the WRONG, SELF-DESTRUCTING, FAMILY-DESTRUCTING,

path, but they have also taught my daughters to keep the secrets as

the privacy. My daughters, or their friends like the HOMO-LIKE 

friend Rita of Alexandrias, or the HUMANSCUMS as staff or teachers from

Bronx High School of Science, had NEVER told or revealed to me that

Alexandria had ever attempted self-harming or even so-called suicide

over the YEARS until this almost-all-pervertly-fabricated child neglect

case NN-09918-21 started on Sept. 20, 2021! Back years ago, probably the

time before the elder daughter Rosila went to college, I saw a kind of pink

line mark over Alexandrias inner wrist. Although I observed it as a mark

from a mark pen or its like, I asked Alexandria about it over the dinning

table. Neither Alexandria nor Rosila was telling me anything even remotely

about self-harming or even suicide! Since this TRASHY case NN-09918-21, the

HUMANSCUMS have claimed the severity! Its practically all MANIPULATED

AND FABRICATED BY THE HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM, AGAINST THE

ONLY STILL STANDING PARENT, THE FATHER, WHO HIMSELF HAS SUSTAINED A SERIES

OF SERIOUS INJURIES FROM THE AES!

To corroborate my conclusion that ITS THE PREMEDITATED AND COORDINATED

STATE TERRORISM THAT HAS INFLICTED ALL KINDS OF ATROCITY AGAINST MY FAMILY,

I here bring up the suicide story fabricated by the AES HUMANSCUMS onto

my elder daughter Rosila. After the HUMANSCUM as a JUDGE, Anthony

Goldberg, made its METICULOUSLY MURDEROUS decision on the March 12, 2018

pre-hearing conference, PARTICULARLY ABOUT ITS PHRASING AND

AVOIDANCE ABOUT MY SERIOUSLY INJURED NECK, a HUMANSCUM, namely Patricia

Nunez-Hernandez, a SPANISH LANGUAGE TEACHER, according to her email address,

from Bronx High School of Science immediately started on March 13, 2018 or

even later the day of March 12, 2018 to claim that some UNDISCLOSED peer 

friend of Rosilas in BS was reporting to BS that a Facebook friend,

a young man, of Rosilas, was so upset with that Rosila had unfriended him,

and then threatened to commit HIS suicide if Rosila did NOT accept HIM

as a friend again! Afterschool, Rosila revealed to me that its an

online friend, self-identified as a Korean young man living with a 

DOMESTIC ABUSIVE father and blahblahblah that kind of BRAINWASHING TRASH

as a reality. I told Rosila to stay away from this kind of BRAINWASHING

TRASH, then I emailed to this BS HUMANSCUM teacher Nunez that I did not want

to follow her advice to report such a thing to the HUMANSCUMS NYC COPS (due

to their intentional murderous performances over Li Lis twice

desertions in year 2014 and return in 2016), and I clearly stated if the

young man wanted to commit suicide or they wanted to report to police, its

up to themselves. Nunez never replied to that email. METICULOUSLY, in the

current child neglect case NN-09918-21 TRASH about my younger daughter

Alexandria, THE HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERCIAN EVIL SYSTEM STILL WRITTENLY

BROUGT UP THEIR FABRICATED STORIES ABOUT ROSILA, HOWEVER, THESE EVIL

HUMANSCUMS DISTORTED FURTHER BY CLAIMING I THE FATHER WOULD NOT EVEN CARE

ABOUT MY DAUGHTER ROSILAS SUICIDE! The AES HUMANSCUMS have said and

done many many many many EVIL things, even during the so-called legal

proceedings and on court, and thats why I decry THE AMERICAN EVIL

SYSTEM MUST DIE, AND ITS HUMANSCUMS MUST GO, FOR THE HUMANS TO STAY ALIVE.





Alexandria, just like her elder sister Rosila, have been long-years

brainwashed by the American Evil Systems EDUCTION to PRATICAL IDIOTS

AND COWARDS who can NOT and will NOT observe, face, and deal with the

CURRENT REALITY still prevalently and pervasively happening in the U.S.A.

The youngsters have NOT learned the sciences and scientific thinking at all,

and so they have been FOOLED by the SYSTEMATIC CRAPS such as behavior is

GENETIC, Communism has strict censorship. If my children, not too

young now, ever had the GUTS and BRAIN to look at New York City and its

SYSTEMATIC HUMANSCUMS, such as the ones involved in this familys multiple

SERIOUS ISSUES, my children should have not followed the AES HUMANSCUMS

wands to destroy themselves and this family! ASK YOURSELF, HOW THE PARENTS

HAVE BEEN TURNED INTO SUCH MENTALITIES IN RECENT YEARS? WHY THE CYNICAL 

FREE WORLD SYMBOLIZED BY NEW YORK CITY OR U.S.A. WOULD REQUIRE SO MANY

ARMED FORCES DOMESTIC AND ABROAD? BECAUSE THE HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN

EVIL SYSTEM HAVE TO BRUTALLY FORCE THEIR VICIOUS LIES ONTO WE THE PEOPLE

AND OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. Alexandria seems to be much better on

the arts courses such as English language, but she would very much get

an F if she wrote out some of her genuine thoughts about the American

Evil System.

Back to the two cops body-camera videos. The Bearded Humanscum Cop clearly

BETRAYED HIS OWN MIND by saying, Ok. All right, Miss, Were going to.

Once again. NOW YOU SAID THAT. WE WILL DEFINITELY GET YOU, GET YOU CHECKED

OUT, OK? The STUPIFIED young Alexandria agreed, Nhm. The Bearded

Humanscum Cop continued, You know what, I understand you, your feeling. I

UNDERSTAND YOUR THOUGHTS, YOUR PARENTS, but you know, you shouldnt have to

kill yourself. All right? Alexandria seemed to have a sigh. The Bearded

Humanscum Cop continued, All right, once again. Weirdly, he stopped

himself his PROFESSIONAL PSYCHIATRIC MANIPULATION ON A YOUNG INEXPERIENCED

GIRL, all but certainly due to the certainness that HIS VICTIM GIRL HAD BEEN

FIRMLY ON THE HOOK!

Soon, the Bearded Cop went on radio, 109, Adam. The receptionist female

responded, Uhhh? The Bearded Cop said the signal code, Have an ETA on

a bus. The blurry female voice answered, probably as, You will soon have

someone.

Then, the Glassesed Cop asked the still-sobbing Alexandria, You are a

senior at school? Yeah? The female voice on the cop radio said clearly, 

109, Charlie. The Glassesed Cop continued, Do you do anything else at

school? Clubs? Sports? Alexandrias answer was so indirect, but so

disturbing to me the father, I stay as long as possible away from this

house. I absolutely doubt the REAL WHEREABOUT OF ALEXANDRIA FROM THE

AFTERSCHOOL BEGINNING TO THE AROUND 11:15 PM OF THAT SEPTEMBER 24, 2021.

Alexandria claimed she had been suddenly called to fill in some coworkers

vacancy that night at World Ice Arena. She could have actually stayed at her

friends like Ritas house and then lied to the parents again! The

NYC Cops do not follow the news about the HUMANSCUMS such as NYC PUBLIC

SCHOOLS teachers? I believe that question is only another PSYCHIATRIC

MANIPULATION on Alexandria, because the cops clearly said themselves in the

two videos that the (in-school) school had just started, and Alexandria was

relatively social active and self-progressive so that she INITIATED AND

HOSTED a digital drawing ONLINE afterschool club registered and monitored by

BS during the still remote-learning semester of Spring 2021, and

Alexandria revealed her embarrassment to me that the online club later kind

of had only herself and the other co-host Rita. Alexandria had applied to

some BS sports team and clubs, but nothing came out, even the music and

instrument she had supposedly learned for YEARS at elementary and middle

schools. Additionally, whats the any goodwill point for a cop to ask about

her afterschool club involvement at the beginning of a high school student

s SENIOR year when the LIFE-PATH-SIGNIFICANT COLLEGE APPLICATIONS ARE

SUPPOSEDLY TO BE DEALT WITH SERIOUSLY BY A SERIOUS STUDENT? Alexandria had

demonstrated to the Glassesed Cop before that SHE WAS REALLY NOT PUTTING THE

RIGHT EFFORTS ON THE RIGHT THINGS AT THE ONCE-IN-A-LIFE-TIME STAGE. ITS A

DESPERATE DISAPPOINTMENT TO ME THE FATHER, AND ITS A FURIOUS POINTING TO

THE AES HUMANSCUMS WHO HAVE LONG MISLED MY DAUGHTERS.

The Glassesed Cop now talked pretty much like the Bearded Cop, So you do,

you do clubs and that. Get you, get you out of the house longer, right?

The EVIL-POSSESSED Alexandria kept alleging the father, instead of direct

picking up the conversation, Yeah. Nothing really stops it. (Some of

her words were blurred by the cops beeper twice beeping.) Narrate his

whole day. Play his hoardy long, (ONLY A COUPLE OF indiscernible words to me

, but ABSOLUTELY NOT ABOUT ALEXANDRIA HERSELF).

THEN, ONCE AGAIN, THE BEARDED HUMANSCUM COP FIRST BROUGHT UP THE AESS

MANIPULATION AND FABRICATION WHILE ALEXANDRIA OR LI LI OR LIMIN WANG HAD

NOWHERE IN THESE TWO COPS BODY-CAMERA VIDEOS EVER CLAIMED TO THEM THAT

ALEXANDRIA HAD EVER HURT HER OWN ARM(S) BEFORE! ITS JUST ANOTHER SOLID

EVIDENCE THAT THE HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM MALICIOUSLY

INTENTIONALLY MANIPULATE A YOUNG DAUGHTER INTO A PSYCHOPATH! THIS IS THE

BEARDED HUMANSCUM COP STARTED AS IF LI LIS WORDS, SHE SAID, IN THE PAST

, YOU HURT YOUR ARM? DID YOU DO THAT ON PURPOSE? Alexandria was so

stupidly trusting the harmlessness or helpfulness by this kind of

EVIL HUMANSCUM COPS, Yeah. While the cops radio still had the blurry

voices, the Bearded Cop lightly and perhaps delightfully said, Ok. Then,

he only turned to look at the Glassesed Cop and said something not so clear

in the videos, Thats what we are going to do. Needed. The Glassesed

Cop agreed, Yeah. Alexandria had been gliding her right hand up and down

around her left elbow, while wearing only a T-shirt and a shorts as shown.

IN THE WELL LIT STREETSIDE, WITH THE COPS FLASHLIGHTS AVAILABLE, WHERE THE

FUCK WAS THE ANY MARK OF HER SELF-HURTING ON THE ARM? WHERE IS THE ANY BIT

OF VERIFICATION BY THE NYC HUMANSCUMS AS COPS? HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS

SO-CALLED SUICIDAL ALMOST 18-YR-OLD GIRL NOW PSYCHOTICALLY WANTING A

DESERTION FROM HOME HAD NOT HARMED HERSELF ANYWHERE OR HER ARM RECENTLY? IS

HER GLIDING OF ONE HAND OVER THE OTHER ARM A SELF-HURTING? HOW IS IT

POSSIBLE THAT ALEXANDRIA WOULD NOT HAVE ANY DEMONSTRATABLE INJURY SIGNS IF

HER FAMILY HAD BEEN SO UNBEARABLE OR VIOLENT TO HER? LATER, WHEN THE

AMBULANCE CAME, WHAT ANY BIT THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL HUMANSCUMS SAID OR

DONE TO ALEXANDRIA? NONE, NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, BECAUSE THE

HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM HAVE DONE THEIR HUMANSCUMS RULE OF

LAW THIS WAY SINCE THE VERY EVIL FOUNDATION!!!!!!!!!!!! THE AES HUMANSCUMS

ONLY RELY ON THE AES HUMANSCUMS MURDEROUS LIES TO RULE AND RUIN THEIR

VICTIMS!!!!!!!!! THIS IS THE IT IS WHAT IT IS, AND THEY ARE WHAT THEY ARE:

HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM!!!!!!! HUMAN BEINGS, HAVE YOUR GUTS

AND BRAINS TO BE HUMAN BEINGS, WITH THESE TWO COPS BODY-CAMERA REAL-LIFE

VIDEOS IN YOUR KNOWLEDGE NOW, CHECK OUT THE AES UPPER LEVELS HUMANSCUMS

ABOUT THEIR CLAIMS OF CARING ABOUT UKRAINE AND UKRAINIANS!!!!!!!!!!! ITS

NOT BECAUSE OF RUSSIA OR RUSSIANS; ITS BECAUSE OF THE HUMANSCUMS OF

AMERICAN OR ITS LIKE EVIL SYSTEM.

Around this moment, I came out of my apartment into the hallway, because it

had been SO LONG A WAITING for me to see the AMERICAN DREAM that the cops

have persuaded my daughter Alexandria to come back home. Instead, I did

not see the cops or Alexandria, other than Li Li, in front of this building

136-09 at all. I was mad at Li Lis PSYCHIATRIC OR PSYCHOPATHIC

INDIFFERENCE TO HER OWN BIOLOGICAL DAUGHTER even under such a dire situation

. Anyway, the two HUMANSCUMS COPS had DELIBERATELY SEPARATED the three

members of this family! But, its so sick to hear from the videos now that

Alexandria was only taking my unhappy tone, and deliberately loud volume for

Alexandria to hear what I was saying, as evidence to the cops, since

she said, See. After a sigh of relief from the burden of presenting

the evidence, Alexandria continued, He starts to show his true colors.

The Bearded Humanscum Cop only lightly responded, Alright. I was urging

Li Li to go CLOSER to Alexandria and the two cops so she would be able to

HEAR WELL AND SEE BETTER WHATS GOING ON! Li Li was saying, You see by

yourself, and clearly, I can not hear. I clearly said to Li Li, The

police. The police dont want me to go over there. Of course, the EVIL

MASTER COP INSTRUCTED THE GLASSESED COP, CLOSE THE DOOR. SHE DOES NOT HAVE

TO HEAR IT. The she meant Alexandria, and he further meant to

Alexandria, Thats fine. Then, the Bearded Humanscum Cop murmured,

mostly to himself, Still on the ETA of the bus. I greeted yes, sir,

hoping to talk with the approaching Glassesed Cop, but he came over to only

close the iron gate which he had moved the bucket of water to keep open,

saying, I am just to close this. All right? I put this use. Let the bugs

in. I then had to go back into the apartment, because I, after the January

16, 2018 fall injuries to my central nervous system, absolutely could not

even hear anything from Alexandria and the two cops staying in front of two

houses up in front of 136-13. So, people, be a witness, see how the

Glassesed Cop ALMOST ALL ALONE wrote up a police report/Domestic

Incident Report WITHOUT ANY MEANINGFUL TALK WITH ME, THE FATHER, A LIFE-

EXPERIENCED ADULT, THEIR SUSPECT, OR LI LI, THE THEN SELF-CONTROLLABLE

ADULT, THE MOTHER, THEIR OTHER INTENTED VICITIM!!!!!! WHERE IS THE COPY

OF SUCH A CYNICAL POLICE REPORT TO ME THEIR SUSPECT? ABSOLUTELY

NOWHERE! THE WHOLE LEGAL PROCEEDING OF ALL STEPS OF THE SO-CALLED

AMERICAN RULE OF LAW IS SUCH A DISGUSTING BUT MURDEROUS AND SYSTEMATIC

FRAUD!

On the videos, at ~01:12:30 AM, Sept. 25, 2021, after the Glassesed Cop

walked back and apparently tapped something, the Bearded Cop called his

radio, 109, Adam. A woman voice blurrily said, 109, emergency, 1:17.

The Bearded Cop responded, Cool, and looked at his cellphone screen,

while the Glassesed Cop checked the time on his wrist watch.

Alexandria still made the audible sobbing. The Glassesed Cop talked, You

talked to anybody else whats going on? and gave a hint, School?

Teachers? Alexandria started to murmur, I started to talk to a school

counselor. The Glassesed Cop wanted to TWIST the word, School therapist?

Yeah? Like the school psychologist. Or the guidance counselor? Alexandria

had NO idea of exactly whom they are, and at this moment had NO idea of

that the Glassesed Humanscum Cop was FRAMING UP a PRIOR HANDLING of a 

SYCHIATRIC ISSUE onto her, so lightly said, Pretty much. The Glassesed

Cop asked, Yeah? Are they helpful? Alexandria said, They were, they

help me get ACS involved. Thats cool. This INFAMOUS ACS ironically

abbreviates for Administration for Childrens Services. What the fuck

SPECIALIZED Bronx High School of Sciences Guidance Counselor Ms. Darby

McHugh or Social Worker Danielle Heckman-Perez did to the PARENTS?

These NYC Public School magots had NEVER contacted the PARENTS before they

went on their ROUTINE SYSTEMATIC CHILDREN TRAFFICKING via the so-called 

ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDRENS SERVICES! Separate and Systematic

REVELATIONS about EACH LOOP of THE SYSTEMATIC CHILDREN TRAFFFICKING will be

presented by me the victim parent, including publicly online, because THE

AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM ITSELF IS THE ROOT OF ALMOST ALL THE PROBLEMS, and THE

AES HUMANSCUMS ARE THE GENERATORS OF ALMOST ALLTHE PROBLEMS! Years of

traumatic experiences have proven that it and they will NOT mitigate or

solve or prevent the PROBLEMS, instead, they QUELL or SOLVE the

QUESTIONERS. The Glassesed Cop said, Ok, all right. Mhm. [pause] Has, has

ACS been to the house? Call the house? Alexandria said, Oh, they tried

multiple times. Then the Glassesed Cop beeper beeped thrice! Alexandria

continued, But my dad would never let them in. The Glassesed Cop

interrupted, Ok, Mom hasnt spoken to them? Alexandria replied, No.

When they called him, he only answered once, and he started to scream at

them. Rant they are humanscums. So thats pretty much they have to leave.

The SYSTEM-STUPEFIED Alexandria, why dont you honestly and bravely

question yourself: Why you so lightly brushed aside the REAL LIFE-

THREATENING DANGER you and your brainwashers had brought to your father? The

two ACS negros, a thin man and a short woman, both relatively young, came

to this rental residence in the afternoon of Sept. 22, 2021, and I came to

tell them clearly that I needed my time to handle the Sept. 24, 2021 hearing

about the American Evil Systems EVICTION CASE onto me and my family, so

they should come back AFTER Sept. 24, 2021 about the TRASHY allegations of

child neglect. The negro man was thinly-veiled threatening to bring 

long term solution from other agency or agencies. After my VIDEO

RECORDED minutes-long talking with them, I went back into my apartment. Soon

, a SWARM of COPS were coming, calling, BREAKING THROUGH THE PREMEDITATEDLY

FAULTY IRON GATE, and banging my APARTMENT DOOR, threatening to BREAK IN AND

ARREST ME! I sensed the REAL IMMINENT DEATH DANGER from these Precinct 109

HUMANSCUMS COPS, who had taunted and murder-attempted me many times before,

mostly about Li Lis DESERTIONS AND PSYCHOSES, also about the rental

issues, the being ID-thefted Kohls shopping card, the injuries I have

sustained from the slavery warehouse and then the medical providers. I

then went to the backyard, and shouted AS LOUD AS POSSIBLE, to tell ANYONE

WHO WAS WILLING TO CARE ANY BIT OF ANYTHING ABOUT ANY STRANGER, OF

WHATS GOING ON, AND WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS FROM HUMANSCUMS OF

THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM TO ME AND MY FAMILY. Some police came to the

backyard surroundings, about to storm or shoot! About ten minutes later, I

came out to the front. The Chinese-looking male cop was touching me with his

left hand to hold my swinging left hand and with his right hand to hold my

left shoulder. I HAD DONE MY BEST TO GUARD MY BEST WAY AGAINST THESE

DOMESTIC AMERICAN STATE TERRORISTS NAMELY AS COPS, BY NOT INITIATING ANY

REACTION TO IT. Then the cop stopped touching me. I was mainly but briefly

talking to a White Uniformed White Cop, who said the two ACS negros brought

them here due to psychiatric issues. I told the white officer that I had

told the two ACS negros to hold until Sept. 24, 2021, the first hearing

about the EVICTION. The white officer deemed me as a normal person, so the

swarm of cops left. Alexandria neither asked me directly, nor wanted to hear

from me directly, about this EXTRA TRAUMA of child neglect case.

HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM, BE HONEST TO WHAT YOU HAVE SAID AND

DONE TO MISLEAD A YOUNG GIRL ONTO A PATH OF SELF-DESTUCTION AND FAMILY-

DESTRUCTION? YOU ARE SHEER EVIL!

Alexandria continued her muffling, So, now I, they assign me a new lady,

again, that new lady is supposed to help me. The Glassesed Cop Hmmed.

The Bearded Cop turned to look up 59th Ave toward the 138th St for a coming

dark sedan car, and responded with an Alright, and then checked on his

cellphone. The Glassesed Cop asked, Have you been in contact with them?

Alexandria, Yes. The Glassesed Cop, They called you? Alexandria, 

Yes. The Glassesed Cop, Are they helpful too? Alexandria, Uhmm, uh,

its only been a few days. The Glassesed Cop interjected, Someone. It

s only have been a few days. Alexandria, Since they got called in, to

this. THEN, THE GLASSESED COP QUICKLY GAVE HIMSELF AN EXPLANATION FOR HIS

OWN AND THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEMS VICIOUS WRITTEN OR SPOKEN LIE OF 

CONSTANTLY VERBAL ABUSE OR WHATEVER THEY WANT, OK, BECAUSE SCHOOL JUST

STARTED, RIGHT? Alexandria simply followed with a right, and the

Glassesed Cop came up with an Ok.

The Bearded Cop was on his cellphone, paying attention to the passing-by

sedan turning right to 136 St., now picked up the conversation, Yeah,

buddy, you know, whats the best is at this point, like you said, if you

guys get into argument, how much we can do. But, uhm, what we do is,

obviously, you know, uhm, the road we can feet tonight: you got to go see an

ambulance. First that. You talk to them. Obviously, you, you know, you said

, hey, you say what you said to us, we want to make sure you ok.

Alexandria weakly mhmed. Meanwhile, the beeper beeped once, and the woman

voice sounded on the radio, 109, Adam. The Bearded Cop continued, Uhm,

so we will get you checked out, OK? Alexandria stayed silent. On their

radio, some male voice was talking in sentences, and a siren was wailing. It

s pretty much what the Bearded Thug Cop had brainwashed my young daughter

and put his own WANTS AND WORDS as facts and my daughters words

and needs!

The Glassesed Cop then picked up, Like I said, keep that, thats the

report. Has made. Its documented, we know, only helps your case if things

get worse. Alexandria sounded very exhausted, ok. The Glassesed Cop,

who FABRICATED MUCH of the WRITTEN POLICE REPORT, now FAKED the 

SYMPATHY to young Alexandria, But, yeah, unfortunately, just, this, this

is what we can do tonight. Alexandria opened the pink sheets folded

horizontally half by the Glassesed Cop, glimpsed down at her arms distance

, closed the sheets, slightly turned herself to hand-language refer to the

home, and weakly said, When the ambulance comes. THE BEARDED HUMANSCUM

COP MUST HAVE THOUGHT THAT ALEXANDRIA HAD AWOKEN FROM HIS HYPTONIZED NEED OF

DESERTION, SO HE QUICKLY INTERRUPTED, WE WILL WAIT FIVE MINUTES.

Alexandria continued, he might, he might try to stop me. THE BEARDED

HUMANSCUM COP CLEARLY AND AUTHORATIVELY ASSERTED, WOH, IT DOESNT MATTER,

BECAUSE YOU TOLD US YOU WANT TO KILL YOURSELF. SO THAT SUPERCEDES ANYTHING

ELSE THAT HAPPENS. THE BEARDED HUMANSCUM COP, A RIGHT-HAND PHONE-USER,

SNAPPED HIS LEFT-HAND FINGERS TO MAKE A TRIGGER CLOCKING SOUND HERE, AND THE

GLASSESED COP WAS STANDING TO HIS LEFT. THE FINGER-SNAPPING SHOWS AT ~01:14

:58-59. EXACTLY, WHICH HUMANSCUM HAS TAUGHT AND TOLD ALEXANDRIA OF THE

SUICIDE????????????IN THESE TWO COPS BODY-CAMERA VIDEOES, ITS

CLEARLY THE BEARDED HUMANSCUM COP, WHOM THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE SYSTEM

IDENTIFIED ONLY IN THE VIDEO FILENAME AS SGT JOHN VALENTINO, THAT HAD

THE PERVERT DESIRE TO ABDUCT ALEXANDRIA WANG AWAY FROM MY FAMILY AND THUS

HAD TRIED MULTIPLE LIES, WAYS, AND TIMES. ALEXANDRIA APPARENTLY KNEW NOTHING

of WHAT STATE TERRORISTS LIKE SUCH UNIFORMED COPS OF THE AMERICAN EVIL

SYSTEM WAS SIGNALING, AND PROBABLY DUE TO THE AES HUMANSCUMS LONG-YEARS

BRAINWASHING SHE WOULD NOT EVEN CARE ABOUT HER FATHERS BEING MURDERED BY

THE AES HUMANSCUMS UNIFORMED AS COPS. IF MY DAUGHTERS HAD NOT BEEN

BRAINWASHED FOR DECADES BY THE AES HUMANSCUMS, MY DAUGHTERS AT THEIR CURRENT

AGES WOULD HAVE SHOWN ENOUGH UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR PARENTS, PARTICULARLY

MY, SUFFERINGS FROM THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM. BECAUSE WHAT THE HUMANSCUMS

OF THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM HAVE SAID AND DONE TO AN ALMOST-18-YR-OLD NORMAL

ALEXANDRIA, AND BECAUSE THE AES HUMANSCUMS ONLY INTEND TO RUIN THIS FAMILY

ALTOGETHER, THE AES HUMANSCUMS WOULD CARRY OUT SOPHISTICATED PERMANENT HARM

OR EVEN MURDER SCHEME DIRECTLY ON ALEXANDRIA WANG HERSELF. SO, THE AES

HUMANSCUMS CLAIM OF ALEXANDRIAS SUICIDE ATTEMPTS OR SUICIDAL

THOUGHTS IS ONLY A METICULOUS MALICIOUS LIE FOR THEMSELVES TO GET AWAY

FROM THEIR MURDER AND TO BLAME MY DAUGHTERS MISERY ONTO THE PARENTS,

PARTICULARLY, ONTO THE FATHER WHO FIGHTS BACK AGAINST THE HUMANSCUMS OF THE

AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM.

Alexandria continued, with her desire of desertion, Can you get me out of

here? THE BEARDED HUMANSCUM COP SLURRED EAGERLY, YEAH YEAH YEAH, I WILL

GET YOU OUT OF HERE, OBVIOUSLY. Meanwhile, the cops beeper had four

consecutive beeps. Then the Bearded Cop continued, you, you know where you

are going to left for tonight, right? and walked toward my rental

apartment only a couple of steps and then returned, and DURING THIS

SEEMINGLY INNOCENT MANEUVER, NOW HIS BLOCKER WAS HANDPICKED TO DIAGNONALLY

BLOCK HALF OF HIS BODY-CAMERA VIEW THROUGH THE CENTER! AND HE SIGHED! I

WOULD TAKE THIS FURTHER-BLOCKING-VIEW AS HIS PREMEDITATED MOVE FOR HIS LONG-

PREMEDITATED MURDER-ATTEMPT ON ME. THE VIEW WAS METICULOUSLY BLOCKED BY THE

COIL-WIRE OF HIS RADIO WHICH HE PUT TO THE UPPER-LEFT DIRECTION OF HIS BODY-

CAMERA, OVER HIS UPPER LEFT CHEST. THE BODY-CAMERA WAS OVER THE CENTER OF

HIS CHEST. METICULOUSLY, THE BEARDED COP MULTIPLE ROUNDS STUFFED HIS HANDS

UNDERNEATH HIS BULLETPROOF VEST ONTO HIS CHEST. AND ONLY UPON HIS DELIBERATE

HAND MOVES, MOVED THE COIL-WIRE CAMERA-BLOCKER. OTHERWISE, WHEN THE BEARDED

COP WALKED, OR PARTIALLY SQUATTED OR LUNGED DURING AROUND 01:16:22 TO :32

ON HIS PARTNERS BODY-CAMERA VIDEO 3 X6033673A, HIS OWN BODY CAMERAS VIEW

SHIFTED BUT THE VIEW BLOCKER STAYED FIRMLY. Li Li was still standing on

the front yard of the rental apartment though. Apparently, when the

HUMANSCUMS COPS could not sway her into fear of her husband and a third

desertion, neither of these two cops showed the interest in getting any 

info from either PARENT! Young Alexandria was the cops EASY TARGET of

their SCHEME.

The Glassesed Cop then said to Alexandria, You want to come sit?

Alexandria weakly answered, still with a kind of weep, No. The Glassesed

Cop furthered, On, on the brick over here? On the steps. Yeah?

Alexandria very weakly murmured with a weak hand-raising, Its ok, and

did NOT move at all from her long standing. The Bearded Cop then checked his

cellphone, All right. Two minutes. It should be two minutes out.

Meanwhile, the Glassesed Cop checked the watch-time on his left wrist.

After staring a while up 59th Ave toward the 138th St., the Glassesed Cop

talked to Alexandria, You thinking about school? College? No answer.

Then he continued, After high school, where you would want to go?

ALEXANDRIA WANGS ANSWER WAS, NOT EVEN SURE ABOUT THAT. The Glassesed

Cop got it, No? Then he offered her the DESERTION idea here, Just want

to get far, right? Alexandria weakly nodded. Alexandria often used

studying as a cover for non-studying, and this familys terrible situations

as her despise to this family. While I have only urged her to do her best

learning something real, and get the best college offer possible to her and

to this family, I have NEVER put on any specific or out-of-the-question 

goal such as AWARDS OR IVY LEAGUE. While the HUMANSCUMS, including the NYC

public schools and their teachers, of the American Evil System may have

taught many American-Dream-Coming-True stories, MY DAUGHTERS ANSWER OF 

NOT EVEN SURE ABOUT THAT REFLECTS WHAT?????? In March 2022, I got some

PRECIOUS text-messages from Alexandrias phone number, telling her

EXCITEMENT about getting an offer and a scholarship of ~$38K from Pratt

Institute, because she got the idea that school is the top 1 arts college in

New York State. When I didnt agree with it, her text messages only took

my opinion on Pratt Institute and her Obsession With Arts Only as my

GENERAL NON-PRIDE OF HER! In April 2022, when the results of her college

applications are supposed to come out, I COULD NOT GET ANY ANSWER FROM MY

DAUGTER ALEXANDRIA ABOUT HER COLLEGE APPLICATIONS, COURSES, HEALTH, NEEDS,

OR ANY OTHER THINGS. HER ELDER SISTER ROSILA SAID SHE KNEW SOME OF

ALEXANDRIAS OFFERS, SUCH AS A SUNY OFF NYC, A CUNY OFF QUEENS, AND A

TOTALLY NEW SCHOOL CALLED PARSON SCHOOL, ETC. When Alexandria finally

answered my phone on April 9, 2022, her voice and attitude were somewhat

like some of those shown in these two cops videos, weak and passive.

Alexandria claimed she had JUST got an offer to a very competitive top-tier

school, but so far, she would never tell me WHICH SCHOOL it ever is! The

HUMANSCUMS, titlely guidance counselor or teachers or social

worker or any staff, of Bronx High School of Science (BS), have even

stopped sending me the parent the GENERAL EMAILS since the March 17, 2022

email exchange about the so-called VIRTUAL Parent-Teacher-Conference,

leaving alone ANY particular, sincere, meaningful communication or response

from the BS about Alexandrias health, study, or college applications.

Outrageous, Alexandrias college application was done completely WITHOUT my

involvement or even KNOWLEDGE. Nobody, not even Alexandria herself, would

tell or answer me that what (tiers of) colleges/universities she had applied

to, and what the results are by now the end of April 2022. I had written to

Alexandria multiple times about the need of learning sciences well and the

attention points of her college applications. THE HUMANSCUMS OF THE AMERICAN

EVIL SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY HERE OF THE BRONX HIGH SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AS WELL

AS THE NYC ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDRENS SERVICES, ARE SHEER HUMANSCUMS

IN THE RULING POSTS RUINING FAMILIES ACROSS GENERATIONS! While the AMERICAN

EVIL SYSTEM AND ITS HUMANSCUMS HAVE KEPT TALKING ABOUT OTHER SYSTEMS OR

COUNTRIES GENOCIDES, THE AES HUMANSCUMS SHOULD LOOK HONESTLY TO

THEMSELVES AND GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM THE RULING POSTS ALTOGETHER! I PRAY

HEROES WITH RESOURCES WIPE OUT THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM AND ALL ITS

HUMANSCUMS! MAY GOD HELP ME AND THEM! This piece and elsewhere of the Earth

land can be a lot BETTER WITHOUT the AES and its Humanscums, so NO MORE

GENOCIDES OR SLAVERY.









What an EVIL PSYCHIATRIST COP John Valentino IS! This humanscum cop from the

American Evil System knows that my daughters were still most of the times

following me the fathers advice, but these two cops, particularly the

Bearded Humanscum Cop, kept avoiding the talking with me, exaggerating that

nights dispute between the father and the daughter as long and

irreconcilable, passing their vicious lies to this familys different

members while being deliberately separated, and even urging me way early

back into my apartment with HIS LIE of bringing him back! THE AMERICAN

EVIL SYSTEMS HUMANSCUMS CAN NOT ALLOW THE DIRECT COMMUNICATION AMONG

FAMILY MEMBERS, INSTEAD, THE AES HUMANSCUMS ALWAYS DECEIVE THEIR VICTIMS,

AND THEREFORE, THE YOUNG OR STUPID ONES ARE MORE VUNERABLE TO THE AES

HUMANSCUMS.







THIS KIND OF METICULOUSLY MALICIOUS HUMANSCUMS, REPRESENTED BY NYC PRECINCT

109 COP JOHN VALENTINO, FROM THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM CAN NOT BE ERADICATED

BY THE AMERICAN EVIL SYSTEM ITSELF. ONLY DOMESTIC REVOLUTION OR FOREIGN

OVERCOME MAY ACHIEVE SO.





After a couple of extra rounds of hypnotic seduction of go to the

hospital, even claiming sleeping service from a hospital, the Bearded

Humanscum Cop wanted to frame the need of go to the hospital onto

Alexandria herself, by asking, So, all right, whats wrong? Alexandria

was so vulnerably wrong and cried for her wrong, potentially deadly, need,

Please just get me away.







It's so heart-breaking and

FURIOUS to see such a PERVERT HUMANSCUM MAN as an NYC POLICE keeping

committing HIS OWN HEINOUS CRIMES TO MY DAUGHTER AND MY WHOLE FAMILY, since

soon the BULLSHIT
Courtesy of the Bexar County Sheriffs Office

A bicyclist who was killed near Alamo Quarry Market and the drive accused of being intoxicated when she struck him have been identified.

Emilian Josiah Ramirez, 18, was riding his bicycle in the 300 block of Basse Road at about 10:30 p.m. on March 22 when a Toyota Camry hit him, San Antonio police said.
U.S. Army North said Wednesday it had ended its COVID-19 military support of civilian hospitals around the United States, bringing home the last of 68 medical response teams that it deployed since August 2021.

The teams had 1,275 military personnel supporting 62 hospitals in 59 cities across 30 states and the Navajo Nation. The final one worked at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City.

Army North is headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. It had dispatched the help at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Pentagon.

Altogether, 5,800 military medical providers from the Army, Air Force, and Navy worked alongside civilian health care providers in non-DoD hospitals across the country. That support was in addition to the approximately 5,000 service members from the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy who administered vaccinations at state-run, federally supported vaccination centers in the fight against COVID.

Army North also helped with federal vaccination efforts starting in early February. Operating in 25 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the commands teams administered around 5 million vaccines before ending that mission June 21.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio-based Army North sends COVID medical teams to Michigan, New Mexico

The commands mission to support another wave of COVID hospital patients across the nation resumed in mid-August.

As the omicron variant sparked a sharp increase in coronavirus cases nationwide, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Dec. 30 approved the activation of 1,000 military medical personnel to support the federal response. Roughly half of them were made available to support requests on Jan. 15, while the other half became available at the end of that month.

The San Antonio command ordered military medical personnel to civilian hospitals across the country to cope with COVID surges. As the year ended, Army North had sent four teams consisting of 65 medical specialists to hospitals in Arizona, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

It has deployed more than 10,000 troops in all to help civilian health care providers since the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020.

While we adjust our support to the lead federal agency and the whole-of-government response to the pandemic, we remain poised to respond to this or any man-made or natural disaster as we continue to defend the homeland,  Lt. Gen. John R. Evans Jr., U.S. Army North commander, said in a statement.

sigc@express-news.net
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

San Antonio police on Wednesday arrested two teenagers after a botched robbery ended in a fatal shooting outside a Northwest Side restaurant in January.

Kevin Luna, 18, and Derrick Sentmore, 17, were charged with capital murder in connection with the death of 27-year-old Patrick Zavala.

Luna, the suspected shooter, mumbled to reporters on Wednesday afternoon as he was taken to a police SUV from the Public Safety Headquarters downtown.

On Jan. 3, police were called to Pancake Joes restaurant, 6703 Ingram Road, just after midnight in response to a vehicle accident. When officers arrived, they found Zavala in the vehicle with a gunshot wound.

Zavala was taken to University Hospital, where he died.

On ExpressNews.com: Man dead after shooting southwest of San Antonio near Monarch Highway

Surveillance footage showed Zavalas vehicle leaving Pancake Joes, and as he was exiting, the vehicle slowed and hit a concrete wall, according to an affidavit supporting Sentmores arrest. Police believe Zavala slowed the vehicle because he was being robbed at gunpoint.

Investigators said Zavala was shot while driving, causing him to crash. Seconds after the crash, two males, later identified as Sentmore and Luna, exited the vehicle and ran with Zavalas cellphone.

Detectives canvased the area and found security camera footage of the two after the shooting, in which Luna was heard saying that he had left some property on the passenger floorboard in Zavalas vehicle. Investigators later found Lunas fingerprints on the property, but they did not say what it was.

Detectives also found a fingerprint in a fenced-off area near the crime scene.

When investigators ran the prints, they matched those belonging to Luna, who was in the database as a runaway. Police were able to identify Sentmore after a tipster informed them that the 17-year-old was possibly involved in the fatal shooting.

On ExpressNews.com: Off-duty NISD officer involved in shooting at West Side home

After learning the name of one of the suspects, detectives obtained a warrant to search Lunas social media account.

Investigators found an audio message on one of Lunas accounts saying that he had shot a man in the chest after a situation went wrong and that he left something in the vehicle, the affidavit said.

The suspects did not know the victim before the incident, nor did he know them, San Antonio police spokeswoman Jennifer Rodriguez said.

Police do not know why the three had arranged to meet.

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway
Writer Maud Newton went on National Public Radio this week to talk about her ancestral ties to slaves, of being related to those who owned them.

Its a history too many others would rather not discuss.

In Ancestor Trouble: A Reckoning and a Reconciliation, she writes about relatives who believed slavery was benevolent and a good institution for everyone involved.

It reminded me of the white woman I met at the Alamo years ago who said with genuine sincerity that Anglos had to take lands away from Mexicans because they wouldnt have known what to do with it.

Newtons white supremacist father was from the Mississippi Delta, but she told NPR that her research led to Massachusetts and ancestors who founded a town and even one that went on trial accused as a witch.

On the same day as the broadcast, President Joe Biden signed the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act.

It was Tuesday  122 years after anti-lynching legislation was first introduced in Congress. In that interim, lawmakers attempted to pass similar laws more than 200 times.

The Senate unanimously passed the bill, and only three representatives in the House, all Republicans, voted against it. One of them was Chip Roy, who represents parts of San Antonio and Austin.

The new law is the first to classify lynching as a federal hate crime. It defines lynching, which isnt only hanging, as any conspiracy to commit a hate crime that results in death, serious bodily injury, kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse and attempted aggravated sexual abuse.

Such crimes will be punishable by up to 30 years in prison. The law amends the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act signed by President Barack Obama.

Byrd, a black Texan, was brutalized and dragged to his death in Jasper in 1998. That same year, Shepard, who was white and gay, was beaten, tortured and left to die near Laramie, Wyo.

The new l aw is named for Emmett Till, a Black teen who was kidnapped, tortured, mutilated and killed in 1955. He was accused of whistling at a white woman.

Had it been in place, the law could have been used in Tills case and in so many others, including the 1918 Porvenir massacre in South Texas in which the Texas Rangers and U.S. Cavalry soldiers conspired with white ranchers to get a group of people of Mexican descent off the land on which they lived.

The soldiers, Rangers and ranchers together killed 15 boys and men. It wasnt just a crime of hate and racism but one of terrorism.

The law could have applied to the race riot and massacre of at least 20 Chinese Americans in Los Angeles Chinatown in 1871, accounting for 10 percent of that population at that time.

About 500 white and Latino men and boys and white police officers were responsible.

The new law would cover what are called modern-day lynchings, such as the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia in 2020, in which three white men stalked the young black man trying to run from them.

Experts say the three convicted men, regardless of their individual roles, could have been charged with lynching under the new Emmett Till law on top of existing state and federal law.

On the U.S. timeline, the law marks another point of hope in a racist, violent history and another official attempt to reckon with it.

Its what author Newton is doing with her own story in the hopes of owning a past that will help her family live better in the present.

It all helps a nation to atone.

In Massachusetts, she hoped to uncover a better story than in Mississippi.

It didnt turn out that way. One of her ancestors, an accused witch, went on trial and beat the charges. But when the accusations resurfaced, she changed the narrative and orchestrated charges against another woman, who was Black and ultimately sentenced to lashes.

That same side of Newtons family was complicit in displacing indigenous people in Northampton, Mass., she said, a town an ancestor founded.

Newton realized its all over my family, she told NPR, a personal history overlaid on top of the countrys, over stolen land, over slavery and racism.

Some of these stories are in archives hidden from view. Some of those involved benefited directly and indirectly from that ugly past.

A little more than 150 years ago, my ancestors were enslaving people, Newton said.

In this moment, she added, The power of making things personal is really important.

Its a time of talking and reckoning, no matter how long ago, no matter how shameful or painful.

eayala@express-news.net
Nelson Wolffs enduring legacy as county judge is that he wielded county government as a tool for big, ambitious capital projects: The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, the River Walk Mission Reach, the expansion of the University Health system and San Pedro Creek Culture Park.

County judge hopeful Peter Sakai, who faces state Rep. Ina Minjarez in a May 24 Democratic runoff, is advocating a more modest platform.

In recent interview, Sakai calls for a leaner, more austere approach to county government.

I may not be so big on legacy-type programs that obviously the county had the ability to do at one time. Ill be honest with you, were going to have to tighten up the belt, so to speak, Sakai said Monday on the Express-News Puro Politics podcast.

Were going to have to watch and be very careful with our tax dollars. Obviously, weve got to protect our seniors with the property values and the property-tax issues.

Sakai said the countys ability to take on massive projects has diminished since the COVID-19 pandemic struck in early 2020. He said the explosive spike in property appraisals and the economic challenges the pandemic has brought to local families is reason enough for the Commissioners Court to reexamine its priorities.

While Wolff showed a willingness to invest in projects whose benefits were primarily cultural or aesthetic, Sakai tends to emphasize basic infrastructure needs.

The county is mandated to balance its budget. The bottom line is the county, prior to COVID, had the opportunity to go with big legacy programs, the former District Court judge said.

Obviously, those are ongoing programs that need to be finished and Im committed to make sure that those big legacy-type projects are done. I perhaps, on the other hand, will be more focused on the infrastructure that deals directly with children and families. Thats why the broadband Wi-Fi issue to me is going to be a big-ticket item that I want to see done.

In addition to his proposal for expanding broadband access, Sakai also has championed investment in multi-modal transportation to relieve traffic congestion.

Sakai praised county commissioners for last week approving a $5,000 homestead exemption, a proposal introduced by new Commissioner Marialyn Barnard, the lone Republican on the Commissioners Court. Its an idea that Sakai has championed throughout his campaign for county judge.

The issue of tax relief is a tricky one for local governments in Texas. The systemic causes of high property taxes in this state are stubbornly outside the control of city or county elected officials.

The underlying problem is that the state Legislature has historically shirked the responsibility of adequately funding Texas public schools, which places a heavy burden on the property taxes collected by local schools districts.

Small cuts in city or county tax rates cant possibly address the fact that roughly half of our property tax dollars are going to school districts.

Theres also the fact that home appraisals in Bexar County are rising so fast that they overwhelm the impact of tax-rate cuts.

Last September, county commissioners debated the wisdom of a tax cut championed by then-Commissioner Trish DeBerry.

This decrease in the tax rate took $1.7 million of revenue away from the county, but offered the average household in Bexar County only $4 in annual tax relief. Even with that bit of relief, all of our property tax bills continue to rise, because our appraisals are going up.

That point was addressed last week when commissioners approved the homestead exemption, which will save homeowners about $15 a year.

Even with the $6.5 million in lost annual revenue from the homestead exemption, the county projects a net $8.5 million gain in property tax revenue, purely because of surging appraisals.

With this, I will have voted for eight tax cuts in seven years, Commissioner Tommy Calvert said last week. But when I go to a neighborhood association and tell the voters that Ive done that, I ask them, But do you feel it?

And the answer is no. They dont feel it, because its not necessarily Bexar County that is the burden. It is the Legislature. So we have to work together.

Commissioner Justin Rodriguez made a similar point during last Septembers budget discussion. Rodriguez noted that the countys property tax rate has been reduced by roughly 20 percent since the mid-1990s, but everyones tax bills have gone up anyway.

Bexar Countys current budget benefits from $389 million in federal funds provided by the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act. But that funding is only a short-term boost.

Sakai senses that property tax stress has Bexar County voters in no mood for grand adventures. Hes promising a government that will scale back  and make every dollar count.

ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
As a columnist, I pay attention to what politicians say and do. And I keep the receipts.

The politicians hate that. They prefer to live in the moment and not have their words or actions recited back to them in ways that reveal them to be inconsistent, dishonest or hypocritical.

Now, as I reflect on the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, Im having trouble reconciling the law-and-order talk by Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee with the GOPs ambiguous record on crime and punishment.

Republicans who consider Jackson soft on crime point to one case in particular. In 2013, while serving as a U.S. District Court judge, she decided the fate of a young man named Wesley Hawkins. Then 19 years old, Hawkins was convicted of uploading videos of boys engaged in sex acts, emailing pornography, and being in possession of more than 30 pornographic videos and images of boys on his phone and laptop.

Federal sentencing guidelines called for eight to 10 years. Prosecutors wanted two years. A U.S. probation officer recommended a year and a half.

Jackson handed down a prison term of just three months, followed by three months of home detention and six years of supervision.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., termed the sentence a slap on the wrist and repeatedly pummeled Jackson for not imposing a harsher sentence.

I support Jacksons nomination. I also supported the nominations of all three Supreme Court justices put on the bench by former President Donald Trump. A president gets to pick judges; senators dont.

Still, in the Hawkins case, I agree with Hawley. Three months in prison is absurdly lenient for someone guilty of what Jackson acknowledged was a very serious and, in many ways, heinous crime, one that capitalizes on the victimization of the most vulnerable members of our society.

But, as the son of a retired cop, I can argue with a straight face for being tough on crime and imposing harsher penalties on criminals.

The GOP cant. The party is compromised by a history of using kid gloves to deal with offenders, lawbreakers and outlaws who are part of their tribe.

Ive written about the immigration debate for more than 30 years, and one of the best examples of Republican leniency is their hear-no-evil, see-no-evil, speak-no-evil approach to U.S. employers who flout the law by knowingly hiring illegal immigrants. Republicans in Congress  for whom campaign contributions are like oxygen  would rather build walls than bite the hands that feed them.

Republicans are also quite forgiving of criminals with connections.

Former President George W. Bush  the last grownup Republican to occupy the White House  pardoned, commuted or rescinded the convictions of 200 people. They included Lewis Scooter Libby, former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, who in June 2007 was convicted of perjury in connection with the leak scandal involving the outing of CIA officer Valerie Plame. Libby was sentenced to 30 months in prison, but his sentence was commuted by Bush.

Former President Donald Trump, who may yet need a Get Out of Jail Free card of his own, pardoned, commuted or rescinded the convictions of 237 people. They included ex-lawman turned outlaw Joe Arpaio. The former sheriff of Arizonas Maricopa County was convicted of contempt of court for refusing to end the practice of profiling and rounding up those he suspected were undocumented immigrants. Arpaio was awaiting sentencing when Trump pardoned him in August 2017.

In making the case that Republicans are soft on certain types of crime, Exhibit A is the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Normally tough-talking Republicans like former Attorney General William Barr downplay the event as a riot that got out of hand. Republicans have fought the congressional investigation into alleged criminal conspiracies to overtake the Capitol and overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Then there is the hooey about the GOP supposedly being pro-law enforcement. Got it. Because nothing says Back the Blue like going soft on domestic terrorists who attacked Metro DC and U.S. Capitol police officers, including at least one who shouted: Kill him with his own gun!

Senate Republicans who claim they oppose the nomination of Jackson to the Supreme Court because shes soft on crime need to come up with a better excuse. Why not just admit that their opposition to Jackson is all about politics, or race, or right-wing ideology?

Never mind. No admission needed. Republicans, we see you  and the clown car you drove up in.
The arc of Madeleine Albrights life spans disruption and mass slaughter in Eastern Europe in the 20th century and disruption and mass slaughter in Eastern Europe in the 21st century.

In the years separating World War II from the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, Albright embarked on a career devoted to diplomacy and foreign policies designed to prevent and stop such wars, and ensure a more stable world.

Albright, who died last week at 84, made history in 1997 when President Bill Clinton named her this countrys first female secretary of state. She was in the vanguard of the first generation of women who occupied the highest and most visible diplomatic and security posts in the U.S. government.

Albright not only brought to her position a deep, scholarly knowledge of world affairs, and the tumultuous politics that ensnares them, she also brought real-life experience.

On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: Bring Griner, Reed and Whelan back home from Russia

Albrights and her familys experiences were shaped by the upheaval, dislocation and violence of World War II. Her understanding of the threat of murderous autocracies and the promise of democracy defined Albrights life and work. Nazism and communism drove her family from Czechoslovakia.

Albright was born in Prague in 1937, the daughter of a diplomat. Raised as a Catholic, Albright wouldnt learn until she was 59 that she was Jewish, both of her parents having been born and raised in Jewish families. Her parents converted to Catholicism out of fear of anti-Jewish persecution.

Albright would also learn that several members of her family, including three of her grandparents, were murdered in the Holocaust. When Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia in 1939, Albrights father, as a high-ranking government official, was targeted for execution. He took his family to London, and Albright would never forget hiding under metal tables as German bombs fell during the London Blitz in 1940 and 1941.

After the war, the family returned to Czechoslovakia, but when the Communist Party took over the government in 1948, they fled again, this time to the United States.

During Clintons first term, he appointed Albright as ambassador to the United Nations, only the second woman to hold that position, following Jeane Kirkpatrick who served under President Ronald Reagan. When Albright was named secretary of state, she became fourth in line to the presidency, making her, at the time, the highest-ranking woman in government in the nations history.

Its also worth noting that since the glass ceiling-breaking ascensions of Kirkpatrick and Albright, its now routine for the positions of U.N. ambassador and secretary of state to be held by women.

On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: Cyberattack threat is real; keep digital doors locked

In 2012, President Barack Obama awarded Albright the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nations highest civilian honor.

On Feb. 23, one month before she died, Albright wrote an op-ed about Russian President Vladimir Putin. Published in the New York Times, it was titled Putin is Making a Historic Mistake. As she watched him amass troops on the Ukrainian border, Albright recalled meeting him for the first time in 2000 and noting, Putin is embarrassed by what happened to his country and determined to restore its greatness.

She ended her essay by writing, Ukraine is entitled to its sovereignty, no matter who its neighbors happen to be. In the modern era, great countries accept that, and so must Mr. Putin. That is the message undergirding recent Western diplomacy. It defines the difference between a world governed by the rule of law and one answerable to no rules at all.

The next day, Putin invaded Ukraine.

Albright dedicated her life to building a more humane world governed by the rule of law in which nations are entitled to sovereignty. That work is perpetual and far from complete, but Albright left a legacy of helping to make such a world possible.
A battle came to a head this week over who should represent the Medical Center area  a major economic catalyst  on the San Antonio City Council.

The Medical Center currently sits at the southern edge of District 8, which stretches from the far Northwest Side and stops just before hitting 410. Councilman Manny Pelaez represents the area.

But District 7 representatives were accused this week of trying to take the major regional center from District 8 as a redistricting advisory committee works on a new City Council map.

We should refuse maps that are based on looting shiny objects because its exactly what we were asked not to do, said Laura Garza, who sits on the redistricting committee and is the district and zoning director for Pelaez. We made a promise to do this for the legally permissible reasons. If we focus on shiny object looting, this process becomes political.

Ultimately, the committee voted 15 to 4 to keep certain Medical Center voting precincts in District 8  the committees first concrete decision since it began drawing a new City Council map earlier this year. Committee members said they were forced to vote because the argument between Districts 7 and 8 was halting their progress.

Frances Gonzalez, appointed by District 7 Councilwoman Ana Sandoval, said it was inaccurate to think that splitting up the Medical Center between Districts 7 and 8 would be a political move or illegal.

District 8 needs to lose people in this process because it is the most populated district, and its still growing  it contains the booming Northwest Side from the Medical Center to La Cantera and the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Gonzalez had proposed moving about 16,000 people in the Medical Center area to the neighboring district. Around 39,000 people live in the Medical Center area, according to a 2019 city plan.

We didnt draw for bricks and mortar, said Gonzalez, a former assistant city manager who also used to work for Julian Castro. We drew to meet the definitions of the law; we drew for people.

While the committee takes into consideration plenty of neighborhood demographics, its main task is to balance population among City Council districts to account for population changes seen in the 2020 Census, a process that only happens once every decade.

Federal law requires districts to be roughly equal in population so that everyones vote has a chance to count toward their preferred representative. A new map also cannot dilute the voting power of racial and ethnic groups.

Committee members have not agreed on a draft map since they began redrawing boundaries in February. Outside attorneys drew two example maps that have been released. But the committee hopes to reach some consensus next week on what to recommend for a City Council vote this summer.

The committee is a new attempt to separate elected officials from the process of choosing their voters.

Garza referenced that intended independence in asking that the Medical Center remain in District 8. Splitting it off into District 7, she said, would allow politics into this room, something we all committed we would not allow to happen based on our guiding principles.

Pelaez said he instructed his team to focus on population only, concerned that anything else delegitimizes and cheapens this process.

City Councilwoman Sandoval has not made a secret out of this, Pelaez said. I dont like that District 7 doesnt have employment centers. (But) she saw this as an opportunity to manufacture one. Im not going to be a participant in that.

Sandoval said she has let her appointees sit at the table while she tries to keep a distance from redistricting.

This is inherently a political process because were drawing political boundaries, Sandoval said. But are we letting electeds dip their hands and manage this to their convenience?

Given that District 8 needs to lose population, Sandoval said her appointees were shocked when they learned District 8 was not willing to negotiate around the Medical Center.

Amy Kastely, a District 5 appointee, was one of the four votes against keeping the Medical Center in District 8. The districts will have to move north as the population does, she said, and she questioned why District 8 wanted to hold onto its southern edge.

Its really about what becomes a gerrymandered map because of this desire of districts to hold on, Kastely said. I dont think that makes much sense. We have to move with the population. And your population is moving north. You may lose some of the southern part of the district as a result.

Rebecca Viagran, former District 3 councilwoman who sits on the redistricting committee, agreed with Kastely. She also voted against keeping the Medical Center in District 8.

I wouldnt be a proponent of splitting it, but keeping it so far south also carries a narrative of gerrymandering, Viagran said.

Gonzalez said she will continue conversations with Garza and District 8 because of the border they share. She said shes ready to get past Garzas comments, which she found unnecessary, perhaps even inappropriate.

So, I was disappointed in that. But at the end of the day, the committee made a decision, Gonzalez said.

San Antonios redistricting advisory committee will meet at 1 p.m. Monday at the Igo Library, 13330 Kyle Seale Parkway. Learn more about the committee and past and future meetings online at sabexarcountmein.org/Committee/Redistricting.

megan.stringer@express-news.net
UPDATE AT 5:56 PM:

We reached out to the White House regarding the cancellation of Senator Daines meeting with Judge Jackson and were told the meeting was not canceled but rescheduled.

Deputy White House Press Secretary Andrew Bates sent Montana Right Now the following statement:

This is false. Senator Daines meeting was rescheduled - not cancelled - and his office had already agreed to a new time on Tuesday. Weve offered the opportunity for any Senator who would like to meet the judge to do so and she has had numerous sit-downs every day that the Senate is in session. Before her hearing, she met with all members of the Judiciary Committee. And both before and after, has met with any Senator who is interested, honoring the Senates advice and consent role. Because of volume and coordination, at times meetings need to be adjusted.

Sen. Daines' team sent this as a response:

The White House cancelled the meeting this week and offered to reschedule for next week at a time when the votes were to already have begun. We even then agreed to meet after the votes begun next week and never received final confirmation from the White House, Katie Schoettler said.

Previous coverage:

HELENA, Mont. - Senator Steve Daines sent a statement Wednesday after a scheduled meeting between him and Supreme Court nominee, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was canceled.

A release from Sen. Daines says he was set to meet with Judge Jackson on Tuesday, March 29, but the White House canceled the meeting and asked if there would be an opportunity to meet next week after the votes on her nomination began.

The following is a statement from Sen. Daines:

Its very disappointing that Bidens White House cancelled the meeting between myself and Judge Jackson this week, taking away the opportunity to ask the Supreme Court nominee important questions about her record ahead of the first votes on her nomination. I planned to meet with Judge Jackson to give her a chance to address my concerns on behalf of Montanans, like her views on the limited role of the judiciary and separation of powers, her willingness to uphold the Constitution and not serve as a political arm of Bidens woke White House, her stance on the Second Amendment, and her record of being soft on crime, Daines said. Its clear that the Biden administration is not looking to build a more robust bipartisan consensus for this nomination, and its inexcusable that they would not allow the voices of all Montanans to be heard. I will be voting no on Judge Jacksons nomination.
The government has announced a series of measures to assist farmers with the availability of fertilisers for the coming growing season amid unprecedented costs and tightening supplies.

Defra has today (30 March) made announcements on key issues affecting farmers, particularly the rising cost and dwindling availability of fertiliser - a consequence of the Ukraine war.

Changes to the use of urea fertiliser will be delayed by at least a year, the department confirmed, to help farmers manage costs and give them more time to adapt.

In its consultation on reducing ammonia pollution, the government had previously described a ban on solid urea fertilisers as its preferred option.

But todays announcement states that urea fertiliser will not be banned at this point, instead new measures will be introduced to limit pollution from urea fertiliser.

Farmers will be allowed to continue to use urea within an accreditation scheme, audited by Red Tractor.

Guidance on Farming Rules for Water has also been revised to allow autumn manure spreading, and new slurry storage grants will be made available this year.

Defra said it will publish statutory guidance to clarify how the Environment Agency should apply the rules when it comes to spreading of organic manures in autumn and winter.

Farmers and growers had raised significant concerns for some time about how the regulations were being interpreted.

Announcing the measures, Defra Secretary George Eustice said that while they were "not the whole solution", they would help farmers "manage their nitrogen needs in the year ahead".

"The significant rise in the cost of fertiliser is a reminder that we need to reduce our dependence on manufacturing processes dependent on gas," he added.

Many of the challenges we face in agriculture will require a fusion of new technology with conventional principles of good farm husbandry."

The government has also published further details of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) today.

Given current fertiliser prices, the SFI's priority must be to "pioneer new technologies" to manufacture more organic-based fertiliser products.

Defra said the industry must also "rediscover techniques", such as using nitrogen fixing legumes and clovers as an alternative to fertiliser.

Another measure is that the newly established fertiliser roundtable will soon be launched, which will look at the impact of reduced supply of fertiliser and seek alternatives.

The industry roundtable will be chaired by the Defra farming minister Victoria Prentis and will meet for the first time on Thursday 1 April.

NFU President Minette Batters said that many of the measures were 'positive' for farmers: "This is what the NFU has been asking for and Id like to thank government for making these changes.

We will look at the guidance closely and we are continuing to engage with government on the importance of fertiliser and about ways it can ensure stability and confidence in the food supply chain.

Responding to the new guidance for Farming Rules for Water, NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw said it would provide 'much needed clarity' for the industry.

Over the past year the NFU has played an important role bringing together the industry, Environment Agency and Defra to agree that organic manures can be spread in the autumn, so crops are receiving the vital nutrients they require.

"This new guidance will enable farm businesses to plan with confidence and importantly, drive improvements that benefit soil and plant health as well as water quality.

Defra also announced that there would be a farming industry self-regulation approach to the use of solid urea fertilisers, a move welcomed by the NFU.

Mr Bradshaw said: We put forward a strong case to Defra for a robust and pragmatic industry-led approach, without which would have meant a ban on the use of solid urea fertilisers.

We are pleased that Defra has agreed to our calls for a delay to the roll-out by a year until 2023 due to current market conditions.

Todays announcement means farmers can keep using a vital product, to help grow sustainable climate-friendly food, while at the same time significantly cutting ammonia emissions.
Those who illegally dump rubbish in rural areas need to be hit with higher fines and longer prison sentences, measures which could end Scotland's "fly-tipping shame once and for all'.

Thats the message from Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) and Keep Scotland Beautiful today as the Scottish government consults on its litter and fly-tipping strategy which closes this week.

The organisations are also calling for support for the victims of fly-tipping, including farmers and other landowners to help cover the costs of cleaning up the mess, which often includes hazardous waste.

Currently farmers and landowners may be issued with a warning notice to remove hazardous fly-tipped waste within 7 days at their own expense despite being the victim of a crime.

New legislation must also be introduced. The proposed timeline from the government needs to "move more urgently" to deal with the most immediate concerns and enable practical initiatives to be put in place.

Relevant organisations and public bodies should work together on a central fly-tipping database to show the full extent of the problem across Scotland.

Many incidents of fly-tipping are currently not reported and instead the victims just quietly clean it up, according to SLE and Keep Scotland Beautiful.

And a campaign should be created to educate the public about how to legally get rid of their unwanted waste and how to spot unscrupulous, illegal waste removers.

Simon Ovenden, policy adviser at SLE said: The tidal wave of builders rubbish, household junk and toxic waste engulfing our beautiful countryside must be stopped.

"We believe greater public education regarding the true impact of fly-tipping is needed as well as tougher prison sentences, significantly higher fines, scrapping the offenders vehicle and making the polluter pay for the clean-up."

Keep Scotland Beautifuls CEO, Barry Fisher said that the impacts of fly-tipping on farmers, landowners, and the environment were 'wide ranging'.

"The litter and fly-tipping strategy for Scotland is a step forward towards tackling some of the issues which impact us all, but sadly much more needs to be done.

Enforcement is a key part of the solution to the criminal activity leading to our fly-tipping problem, alongside provision and good access to waste disposal facilities, education initiatives and campaigns.

"We all need to do much more to tackle this waste disposal crisis.
Exports of beef from the UK to Japan were worth 1.78 million in January  almost a fifth of the total value last year, in just one month.

The latest figures from HMRC show that 334 tonnes of beef were exported to Japan in the first month of the year, up from 24 tonnes in the same period last year.

It comes after an incredibly strong year for beef exports to Japan, with volumes up 48% in 2021 compared to the previous year  adding over 9.7m to the sector.

Japan has been identified as a key target market for the UKs red meat sector, with the country being one of the worlds largest beef importers.

Figures show that 585,000 tonnes of fresh and frozen beef was imported by the country last year, worth 2.7 billion.

Japan opened its doors to imports of UK beef in January 2019 following its 1996 bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) ban.

A series of visits and negotiations between UK and Japanese officials culminated in an inspection of beef production systems in 2018  hosted by AHDB, Defra and wider industry.

AHDB head of Asia Pacific, Jonathan Eckley said Japan was proving to be an 'incredibly important' market for UK beef exports, with January alone bringing a strong financial boost to the UK beef sector.

AHDB has made Japan one of the key target markets for exports, showcasing the UKs beef, pork and lamb products to businesses across the country," he said.

Japan is a complex and competitive market to establish new business and restrictions on international travel as a result of Covid created further challenges for our exporters.

However, we are confident that AHDB will continue our work in flying the flag in support of the UKs red meat sectors and building on these already impressive export figures in the year ahead.

In total, UK red meat exports were worth more than 1.45 billion in 2021  up 33 million on pre-pandemic levels despite a challenging year for exporters.

Many markets increased imports of UK red meat, in particular in Asia, despite a number of factors impacting trade last year.
Only subscribers with PAID Print or E-Edition subscriptions please enter here to gain access. If you are not already a Paid subscriber do not go through this portal. Please return to the subscription page to purchase one of our offers. Thank you!
Warrenton, VA (20186)

Today

Rain likely. Thunder possible. High 63F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Rain likely. Thunder possible. Low 48F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall possibly over one inch.
CAIRO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Tuesday expressed Egypt's "unwavering support" for Libya to hold presidential and parliamentary elections, said the Egyptian presidency.

The Egyptian leader made the remarks during a meeting with Mohamed al-Menfi, head of the Libyan Presidential Council, during which they discussed the latest developments of the Libyan crisis.

Sisi expressed "Egypt's unwavering support for the Libyan state institutions to undertake their responsibilities and role, leading to holding the presidential and parliamentary elections," said Egyptian presidential spokesman Bassam Rady in a statement.

The Egyptian president also stressed his country's support for the efforts to achieve Libya's greater interests and preserve its territorial integrity.

For his part, al-Menfi praised Egypt's "vital role" and tireless efforts to restore security and stability in Libya by supporting comprehensive reconciliation efforts among the Libyans and reunifying Libya's state institutions.

He also appreciated Cairo's support for the implementation of the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya in order to preserve Libya's unity, security, and sovereignty.

The talks came amid rising tensions between Libyan political forces, which have led to the indefinite postponement of the general elections that were supposed to be held in late 2021.

Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of its late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with mercenaries and foreign fighters reportedly operating for years in the country.

On Feb. 10, the Libyan parliament unanimously voted for Fathi Bashagha as the country's new prime minister, replacing Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah who vowed that his government will remain in office until the general elections are held. 
Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release

SubCategory Select Sub-Category
Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt have been the talk of the town, as their April wedding rumours spread like wildfire. One of the most awaited weddings of the Bollywood fraternity, Ranbir-Alia have been a fan favourite ever since they started dating in 2018. Previously in an interview with a leading journalist, the actor opened up about how he wanted to tick-mark the marriage goal very soon in his life.

The couple was recently in Varanasi, shooting the last schedule of their upcoming film Brahmastra. Ranbir is currently caught up with the promotions of Sharmaji Namkeen, which is his late father Rishi Kapoors last film. While in an interview with a leading publication, the actor said, "I won't give out a date during a media interaction. But Alia and I have all the intentions of getting married soon, so yes, hopefully soon." Fans speculate that they could be getting married as early as April this year.

To get more clarity on the rumours, media reached out to Ranbirs aunt Rima Jain. When asked about the alleged April wedding, Jain responded Nothing that I know of as yet. They will get married but I dont know when. They will decide and then suddenly you'll all get to know.

Alia has been having a successful year, with the release of box-office hit Gangubai Kathiawadi and RRR. She will also be seen in Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, Darlings, and in Jee Le Zara. Ranbir and Alia will be co-starring in Brahmastra which is scheduled to release on 9th September 2022. Ranbir will also be starring in Shamshera, Animal, and Luv Ranjans untitled next.
The 94th Academy Awards will always be remembered as one where Oscar-winner Will Smith hit comedian Chris Rock. The infamous incident is making rounds on the internet, with multiple memes going viral. Following the incident, Will Smith issued a public apology on his Instagram account. His Instagram post read, I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness. However, Rock hasnt made a public statement or apologized to Jada for his insensitive humor.









This incident however resulted in Rock seeing a huge surge in the sale of tickets for his upcoming stand-up show. According to a leading international publication, Chris will be performing six shows at Bostons Wilbur Theatre from March 30 to April 1. On April 2, he will begin his Ego Death World Tour. He will be traveling to over 30 North American cities and 38 date schedules for this tour. This includes New York, Las Vegas, Toronto, Seattle, and Chicago. He will be ending the tour at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, which is the same venue where the Oscar incident took place.

The online ticketing marketplace TickPick tweeted "We sold more tickets to see Chris Rock overnight than we did in the past month combined." According to TickPick PR, the price of the cheapest ticket before the show on March 18 was $46, which is now raised to $411. The show is sold out on Ticketmaster.
Company Continues To Expand Its Products And Services To Key Markets Across Europe In 2022

DUBLIN and LONDON and TORONTO and NEW YORK, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Clearco, the world's largest ecommerce investor and the company revolutionizing the way founders grow their businesses, today announced that it is continuing to build on its commitment to democratize access to capital and expand into growing global markets with the introduction of its signature equity-free capital funding product to Irish founders and entrepreneurs. The company plans to invest 100 million into digital-first Irish businesses, as it continues to support the 15+ % growth predicted in the Irish economy in 2022*. Clearco also plans to expand its products and services within its current European operations and into new key markets across the continent in 2022 - with plans including expansion into Western Europe, Central Europe and the Nordic region. Currently the company operates in The US, Canada, Australia, The UK, Ireland and The Netherlands.

As part of the company's continued growth and expansion, an International sales and business development hub has been created in Dublin to help bolster and enable Clearco's growth plans across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific in 2022. This facility currently has 75 team members and the company plans to add 125 employees in future.

Clearco is currently a global leader and pioneer of the 'revenue-based funding' sector. The company's technology combines AI and data science to offer fast and affordable funding in the form of non-dilutive capital for ecommerce businesses without personal guarantees, as well as other services beyond capital. An alternative to traditional venture capital, the company also provides inventory funding and access to a global founder community, as well as insights and valuation tools to ensure its founders are successful.

Founded by tech entrepreneur and star of the Canadian edition of "Dragon's Den" Michele Romanow and Andrew D'Souza, Clearco has invested more than US$3.2 billion globally into 7000+ businesses across three continents.Ireland is the fourth international market for Clearco, and the creation and development of its sales and business development team is key to serving as many founders as possible internationally.

Clearco is having an undeniable impact on the global world of business as it literally "changes the face" of investing. With proprietary algorithms that are gender-, race-, and location-agnostic, Clearco is unique globally in its commitment and ability to fuel entrepreneurship outside of traditional networks and startup hubs. Current data and insights from Clearco underscore its commitment to addressing underserved communities. Today Clearco funds 25x more women when compared to traditional VC's. Currently a staggering 50% of the businesses in the company's global portfolio is led by women.

At Clearco UK, 70% of businesses that have been funded are located outside of London. In the US market, Clearco has funded businesses in all 50 states, but well over half of the company's funding goes to businesses outside of California, New York, Illinois and Massachusetts which received almost 70% of all funding. In the Irish marketplace, Clearco is confident that its investment in the marketplace will see the same trends and hope to be able to help to fund traditionally underserved communities.

Co-Founder and CEO of Clearco Michele Romanow commented "Clearco is excited to bring our revenue-based funding model to Irish founders.Ireland has one of Europe's strongest economies and a dynamic start-up sector. We are confident that we will have a meaningful impact on the Irish ecommerce economy. Clearco is excited to establish this International Sales hub in Ireland to support our growth in the EMEA region. We're impressed by the talent and tech skills here and I look forward to building the team to serve our growing customer base."

Ruma Bose, Chief Growth Officer of Clearco said "We are excited to help democratize founder funding to support the many exceptionally talented and innovative businesses in Ireland and across the globe. We are proud that our technology removes inherent biases that can impact funding decisions. We look forward to continuing to work with European founders of all ages, genders, races and regions to furnish them with access to capital and data and insights to help them grow their businesses."

An Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD said "It's a pleasure to welcome Clearco to Ireland and I'm really happy the team has chosen Dublin as the company's location for its new Global Sales Hub. We pride ourselves on the environment we have created to help ambitious multinationals like Clearco thrive and I'm sure the team will feel at home here. The creation of 125 new jobs is a real boost too. Congratulations to the team and the very best of luck with the expansion."

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath TD who met with the company CEO in Dublin said "Today's announcement by Clearco is yet another vote of confidence in Ireland's financial services sector which has performed remarkably well in recent years. It is also a vote of confidence for the wider Irish economy and I am delighted to see that the company plans to invest 100 million in digital-first Irish businesses. Clearco's decision is further evidence of Ireland's continued ability to attract foreign direct investment by global leaders across a range of sectors . Ireland has a well-educated and entrepreneurial workforce which makes it an ideal location for this kind of investment. I wish Clearco the very best in this exciting new endeavour and I would also like to commend IDA Ireland for its outstanding work in promoting Ireland around the world."

Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland said "The arrival of Clearco, a leader in revenue based funding, is a great addition to the vibrant international financial services sector in Ireland.Ireland is an ideal location from which the company can grow and expand its products and services in Europe and new markets. I wish them every success here."

About Clearco

Clearco is the world's largest e-commerce investor providing equity free capital solutions to e-commerce businesses. Clearco's gives founders real-time access to a global network of partners in addition to insights and data tools to help support them scale their business.

Clearco has advanced more than $3.2 billion to more than 7000 brands, including Vanity Planet, Glamnetic, Public Goods, Soludos, and Monos. For more information visit clear.co and @getClearco.

For more information visit clear.co and @getClearco.

*Davy Jan 2022 forecast for growth in Irish GDP for 2022

https://www.davy.ie/market-and-insights/insights/marketwatch/2022/outlook-2022/irish-economic-outlook-2022.html

Notes to editors

Clearco currently offers an industry-leading suite of performance financing products and services tailor-made to help founders retain ownership including:

ClearCapital: ClearCapital provides up to $20m in equity-free capital for eCommerce companies looking to scale their marketing and grow their business.

ClearInventory Capital - ClearInventory equity-free capital can be used to buy your inventory, then you pay it back as it sells through. This allows founders to pay as they grow their revenue.

ClearMatch -- is Clearco's leading benchmarking & insights technology freemium service. This technology is unique in the growth capital space, and is based on the more than 25,000 companies that have connected with Clearco to date. It allows Clearco's customers to view and compare their performance across more than 20 key metrics, allowing them to compare themselves to competitors in their own industry and verticals.

Insights and Valuation -- Clearco's Insights & Valuation tools help founders identify where they stand in their category across 20+ sales and marketing performance metrics, as well as the total value of their company.

Media enquiries, and interview requests:

Scott Morris, Head of International PR | +1 (404) 804-2519 | scott@clearco.com

Nick Rosen-Wachs, Head of Global PR | + 1 (914) 391-8218 | nick.rosen-wachs@clearco.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1776247/2.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1776248/1.jpg
GX Talks ignites discussion surrounding the evolution of government services in the face of rapid digitisation and the evolution of consumer demand

DUBAI, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Government Services (GX) Talks, an initiative powered by the GX program, held an exclusive session on the 29th of March as part of the World Government Summit at Expo 2020 Dubai. The GX Talks was initiated by the Emirates Government Service Excellence Program (EGSEP) at the Prime Minister's Office in the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs in the UAE.

The GX Talks dialogue series was created to forge a platform uniting government decision-makers, global practitioners, and renowned innovators, united in the quest to reimagine and redefine the way governments design and deliver services.

Mohammed Bin Taliah, Chief of Government Services of the UAE Government stated, "GX Talks has established itself a transformational arena for education, debate, and collaboration with the goal of elevating the customer experience. This year's global thought leaders from public and private sectors convened to present exciting ideas, including AI, accelerated innovation, metaverse, and predictive futures, all key components unified in shaping our culture and communities in the years to come."

He added; "This year's edition welcomed iconic leaders and visionaries, sharing diverse views, from a global perspective. The diversity of speakers, in both geographies and thinking, facilitated an unprecedented opportunity for discussion, as they shared their experiences, and vision, in reimagining the future of government services for decades to come."

Through a series of activations, both virtual and in-person, GX Talks involved larger audiences to share ideas and topics that shape the future of communities, cities, and cultures. One of the overarching topics that was touched upon by speakers this year is the impact that technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented, virtual, and mixed reality might have on the way governments work, and how they are naturally steering many governments to reconsider the way their services are rendered to citizens.

A focal point of discussion centered around the hyper-personalization of government services for citizens who have very high, and constantly increasing, expectations, assessing how such expectations intersect with government policies, as well as emerging technologies.

The speakers this year in GX Talks included Cevat Yerli CEO, The TMRW Foundation (Germany); Dr. Daniel Kraft, Physician, Scientist & Healthcare Innovator, Chair, XPRIZE Pandemic & Health Alliance (USA); Dr. Jonathan Reichental, Founder, Professor & Author (USA); Siim Sikkut, Former Government CIO and Partner at Digital Nation (Estonia); Guy-Phillipe Goldstein, Cyberpower Lecturer with EGE, Advisor on Cyberdefense & Future Studies (France); and Ronald Menzel, Co-Founder of Dreamscape (USA). They were joined from the United Arab Emirates by Fuad Mansoor Sharaf, Managing Director, Shopping Malls, Majid Al Futtaim Properties, and Rashed Harib Al Falahi, Government Communications Expert, Futurist and Storytelling Scientist.

The World Government Summit (WGS), launched under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in 2013, is a global platform bringing together world leaders, ministers, senior officials, and policymakers to share experiences and ideas contributing to the development of future governments and discuss the latest trends and innovative solutions for global challenges. The WGS 2022 convened this year welcoming 4000 participants and 500 speakers, who are shaping the next decade of governments.

Contact:

Joann Joseph

+971 58 257 5490

joann.joseph@instinctif.com
LOLC Finance, has won the 'Most Trusted Financial Services Brand' and 'Most Innovative Financial Services Brand' in Sri Lanka for the year 2021. The ceremony will be held at the Palm Jumeirah - Waldorf Astoria in 2022 in Dubai.

LONDON, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Brand Awards is an annual event held by Global Brands Magazine. The award aims to recognise brands achieving excellence in performance across a broad range of sectors. LOLC Finance was evaluated based on customer service, satisfaction, digital innovation, strategic relationships and new business development.

Commenting on LOLC Finance winning the awards, ShivKumar (CEO) of Global Brands Magazine said, "Only a few brands can be as successful as LOLC is. Despite the pandemic, LOLC has worked against all odds and still delivered to their customers."

Conrad Dias, Director and CEO of LOLC Finance PLC, stated, "Amidst an adverse global pandemic, we are truly honored to be the winner of not just one but two grand titles. At this point of business, this recognition evidently signifies the consistency and innovativeness of our trusted financial solutions, rooting from the past decades, shooting for a splendid future. We will reinforce the reliance and confidence of our esteemed clientele and the devoted staff members. These two awards will become the hallmarks of excellence in the NBFI sector in Sri Lanka and will upkeep to improve the inclusive economic situation in the country".

About LOLC Finance

LOLC Finance PLC is a premier licensed finance company in Sri Lanka with its own unique identity. As one of the flagship entities of LOLC Group, the company has remained focused on bridging the gap between aspiration and achievement.

LOLC Finance PLC is the largest Non-Banking Financial Institute with the largest Fixed Deposit and Savings Deposit base among the Registered Finance Companies. LOLC Finance has carefully tailored financial solutions to a diverse customer base ranging from grass root level entrepreneurs to multinational organisations and believes in delivering products that enhance lives, make dreams come true, fulfil long-held aspirations and empower our communities.

Check out our social media shout outs by clicking the links below:

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3tMCQCn

Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3tKR9rc

Twitter: https://bit.ly/3K1oKCE

Instagram: https://bit.ly/35oT0bS

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1770076/GBM_2021_Logo.jpg
TOKYO, Mar 30, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu has successfully developed the world's fastest quantum computer simulator capable of handling 36 qubit quantum circuits on a cluster system featuring Fujitsu's "FUJITSU Supercomputer PRIMEHPC FX 700" ("PRIMEHPC FX 700")(1), which is equipped with the same A64FX CPU(2) that powers the world's fastest supercomputer, Fugaku.The newly developed quantum simulator can execute the quantum simulator software "Qulacs"(3) in parallel at high speed, achieving approximately double the performance of other significant quantum simulators(4) in 36 qubit quantum operations. Fujitsu's new quantum simulator will serve as an important bridge towards the development of quantum computing applications that are expected to be put to practical use in the years ahead.Based on this breakthrough, from April 1, 2022, Fujitsu and Fujifilm Corporation(5) (hereinafter Fujifilm) will start joint research on quantum computing applications in the field of materials science.Moving forward, Fujitsu will accelerate its efforts to develop quantum computers with the aim of developing a 40 qubit simulator by September 2022 and conduct joint research and development of quantum applications with customers in fields including finance and drug discovery.Vivek Mahajan, Corporate Executive Officer, CTO, Fujitsu Limited, comments: "We stand now at the edge of a new age in computing technology. Fujitsu has successfully developed the world's fastest quantum simulator by applying its world-leading expertise in computing technologies cultivated over many decades' most recently we put this knowledge to use to work with RIKEN to design the supercomputer Fugaku, which has remained the world's fastest for the past two years. Moving forward, we aim to leverage this new quantum simulator for our customers to accelerate the development of quantum applications and ultimately contribute to a sustainable world by solving a range of issues facing society."New 36 qubit quantum simulator delivers world's fastest processing speedFujitsu has developed a parallel and distributed quantum simulator for a cluster system consisting of 64 nodes on Fujitsu's PRIMEHPC FX 700.The PRIMEHPC FX 700 is equipped with the same A64FX CPU that powers the supercomputer Fugaku and can perform theoretical peak performance of 3.072 teraflops (TFLOPS) in double-precision floating-point format calculations. It further features 32 GB of memory with a high bandwidth of 1,024 gigabytes (GB) per second, and speeds of 12.5 GB per second by connecting nodes via InfiniBand(6).The new quantum simulator utilizes "Qulacs," one of the world's fastest quantum simulator software developed by Osaka University(7) and QunaSys Corporation(8), and the performance of memory bandwidth was maximized by executing multiple calculations simultaneously using SVE (Scalable Vector Extension) instructions(9) when ported to the A64FX.MPI (Message Passing Interface)(10) enables parallel and distributed execution of Qulacs and realizes a data transfer that maximizes network bandwidth by overlapping calculation and communication. Fujitsu has further developed a new method to efficiently rearrange the qubit states deployed in the distributed memory on the cluster according to the progress of the quantum circuit and its calculation that helps to reduce communication costs. The new system is also compatible with other quantum simulator software besides "Qulacs".Qiskit(11), one of the major development tools for quantum computer software, is available for Fujitsu's quantum simulator and offers quantum software developers a highly convenient development environment. Collaborating with QunaSys(12), Fujitsu plans to provide the company's quantum chemical calculation software Qamuy(13) on the new quantum simulator to provide the resources to execute a wide variety of high-speed quantum chemical calculations.Outline of the joint research project with FujifilmAdditionally, Fujitsu and Fujifilm will start joint research on quantum applications in the computational chemistry field to realize innovative material design methods. The joint research will leverage Fujitsu's newly developed quantum simulator to study and evaluate algorithmsspecific to quantum computing in molecular chemical reaction calculations.1. Period: April 1, 2022 to March 31, 20232. Purpose: Utilization of quantum computing technology in computational chemistry3. Research contents: Examination and evaluation of quantum computing specific algorithms in chemical reactions of molecules, etc.4. Roles and responsibilities:Fujitsu:- Provision of quantum simulator, analysis of calculation results and examination of improvement methodsFujifilm:- Implementation of quantum chemical calculations, analysis of calculation results and examination of improvement methodsFuture PlansMoving forward, Fujitsu will work to improve its technologies including its quantum gate fusion technology which is able to perform calculation for multiple quantum gates simultaneously to realize quantum simulators on a larger scale and at higher speeds. Fujitsu further aims to develop a 40 qubit simulator for application in the fields of finance and drug discovery by September 2022. Fujitsu will apply its accumulated knowledge of quantum applications developed on quantum simulators in the development of quantum computers, with the aim of achieving early solutions to social issues using quantum technology.Comment from Prof. Keisuke Fujii, Division of Advanced Electronics and Optical Science, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University:High-speed simulators using supercomputers are of ever-increasing importance in the development of the quantum software and quantum applications on which the performance of quantum computers depends. Qulacs, an open source software used by developers worldwide, and the technology at the heart of the supercomputer "Fugaku," have been combined to realize the world's fastest quantum simulator, which we are confident will greatly accelerate the future development of quantum software.Comment from Yukihiro Okuno, Senior Researcher, Analysis Technology Center, Fujifilm:Quantum computers have the potential to perform highly accurate calculations in the computational chemistry field, which cannot be performed by classical computers. Fujifilm will conduct this joint research as a feasibility study to utilize quantum computers in material sciences.(1) PRIMEHPC FX 700: Supercomputer manufactured by Fujitsu that utilizes a high-performance ARM architecture equipped with the CPU A64FX used in the supercomputer "Fugaku".(2) A64FX: The world's first processor to implement the Scalable Vector Extension (SVE), an extension of the Armv8.2-A instruction set architecture for supercomputers. It has 48 operation cores, delivering a theoretical peak performance of maximum 3.3792 TFLOPS for double-precision floating-point calculations. In addition, single precision/half precision floating-point arithmetic and 8 bit/16 bit integer arithmetic can be performed with high throughput by SIMD of 512 bit width, which is highly effective in AI and other processing.(3) Qulacs: Open source quantum circuit simulator software mainly developed by the Fujii Laboratory, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University; development of new functions and maintenance by QunaSys. (Paper)(4) Other major quantum simulators: Intel Quantum Simulator (Intel-QS), Forschungszentrum Julich's "JUQCS", IBM's Qiskit-Aer(5) Fujifilm Corporation: Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan; President and CEO: Teiichi Goto.(6) Infiniband: A network mainly used in supercomputers to connect servers. Used to provide a bidirectional serial connection communication system capable of realizing a high-speed band by using a plurality of channels in a bundle.(7) Osaka University: Location: Suita City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan; President: Shojiro Nishio.(8) QunaSys Co., Ltd.: Headquarters: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; CEO: Tien Yang.(9) SVE (Scalable Vector Extension) Instruction: A CPU instruction that executes multiple operations in parallel with a single instruction.(10) MPI (Message Passing Interface): Communication API that describes communication processing for achieving parallel processing on a supercomputer.(11) Qiskit: Quantum software development tool developed by IBM and released as open source.(12) Partnering with QunaSys: "Quantum Computer Venture QunaSys Raises $1.24 billion Series B" (March 28, 2022 QunaSys press release)(13) Qamuy: Quantum chemical calculation software provided by QunaSys. The input of quantum chemical calculation is translated into a quantum circuit, and calculation on a simulator or an actual machine can be performed seamlessly.About FujitsuFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 126,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$34 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com.Source: Fujitsu LtdCopyright 2022 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Kinarus AG / Key word(s): Agreement/Financing

Kinarus Announces Signing of a Transaction Agreement with Perfect Holding



30.03.2022 / 07:00



Transaction Agreement anticipates the acquisition of Kinarus by Perfect Holding by way of a share exchange, and subsequent listing of Kinarus on SIX Swiss Exchange. Basel, Switzerland, March 30, 2022. Kinarus AG ('Kinarus') today announced the signing of a Transaction Agreement with Perfect Holding SA (SIX: PRFN; 'Perfect Holding') regarding Perfect Holding's planned acquisition of Kinarus by way of a share exchange. The transaction contemplated by this agreement is the acquisition of all, or a qualified majority of the shares in Kinarus, by way of the issuance of new shares in Perfect Holding to the shareholders of Kinarus against contribution, in kind, of the shares in Kinarus in a capital increase of Perfect Holding. New shares in Perfect Holding shall be issued in exchange for each share in Kinarus on the basis of an exchange ratio of approx. 5.7 to 1. This exchange ratio was agreed between the parties after completion of the respective due diligences and the issuance of a dedicated valuation report ("fairness opinion") by an independent expert, confirming the fairness of the agreed exchange ratio. As a result, 153 new shares in Perfect Holding will be issued in exchange for each existing share in Kinarus. Perfect Holding is preparing, in accordance with applicable regulation, a prospectus for the issuance of such new shares in view of their planned listing on SIX Swiss Exchange. This transaction will enable Kinarus to become a publicly traded company on SIX Swiss Exchange, allowing Kinarus access to capital markets and expanding the investor base of the company. The transaction allows Perfect Holding to enter the biopharmaceutical sector which offers a higher growth potential than the prior business activities of the Group. Kinarus (www.kinarus.com) is a privately owned clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in Basel, Switzerland in 2017. Managed by experienced pharmaceutical executives, Kinarus is focused on developing novel treatments for patients suffering from serious viral, respiratory, and ophthalmic diseases. The company's unique and innovative combination therapeutic candidate, KIN001, has the potential to address multiple therapeutic indications such as COVID-19 (currently in Phase 2 clinical trials), wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The closing of the transaction is subject to the fulfilment of specific conditions, including the approval by SIX Swiss Exchange of the listing of the new shares to be issued to the shareholders of Kinarus, and the approval of the envisaged transaction by the shareholders of both companies. Upon successful closing of the transaction, the name of Perfect Holding will change to Kinarus Therapeutics Holding AG. Contact Kinarus AG, Hochbergerstrasse 60C, 4057 Basel (CH), Tel +41 61 633 29 71; www.kinarus.com Perfect Holding SA, Avenue de Florimont 3, 1006 Lausanne (CH), Tel +41 21 552 60 16, www.perfect.aero Legal disclaimer THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NEITHER CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL NOR AN INTIMATION TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL FOR THE ACQUISITION OF SECURITIES OF KINARUS AG OR PERFECT HOLDING SA. THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, INTO OR WITHIN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DISTRIBUTE THIS PRESS RELEASE.

End of Media Release


Today, Beter Bed Holding N.V..



During the AGM, BBH will look back on the results achieved over 2021, and update the shareholders on the current developments. 2021 began and concluded with temporary store closures, however the impact has been managed in the remainder of the year and BBH has been able to show growth in sales, EBITDA, EBIT and net profit for the 2021 financial year. This put the Company in a strong starting position for 2022.

John Kruijssen, CEO, comments:

"I am proud of how our organisation performed in 2021. Through the pandemic, we were always open for business - even with our stores closed - successfully connecting with people in new ways, and serving our growing customer base with our innovative range of sleep solutions.

The strategic developments in 2021 contributed to our strong financial results, reflecting the underlying strength of our strategic transformation and putting us in a good starting position for 2022. Our company is in good commercial and financial shape. As a result of our solid financial position and strong results, we will propose a dividend payout of  0.15 per ordinary share at the AGM, a strong signal of confidence in our future.

We are set to ramp up investments in accordance with our 2025 Strategy and continue to build on our 'Sleep better, live better' purpose, with the aim to attain our ambitious growth targets."

Update first quarter 2022

Despite the mandatory store closures for the first two weeks of 2022 in the Netherlands, which has already started in the second half of December 2021, BBH started the year strongly. Year to date we show a solid performance. Currently, all stores are open without COVID-19 restrictions and order intake is well above pre-COVID level.

Although measures have eased, COVID-19 is still present: it limits availability of staff, commodity prices are high and supply chain issues persist. We are closely monitoring recent developments in Europe, which could have an impact on the global economy. Our thoughts go out to the people in Ukraine. At present, we see limited impact in our supply chain, but we continue to be in close contact with our partners, have re-addressed certain commodity sources, and deliberately maintain safety stock levels to minimise potential impact on deliveries to our customers. We anticipate that the current disruptions will take some time to normalise and we continue to retain focus on cost control, disciplined capital spend and strict cash flow management.

Despite this turbulent environment, the implementation of our 2025 Strategy is in full swing and the Company is in a good shape. We will further increase our CAPEX in 2022 to attain our ambitious growth targets towards 2025.





Further update

BBH will publish its Q1 trading update on 22 April 2022.





AboutBeterBedHolding

Beter Bed Holding (BBH) is the Netherlands' leading sleep specialist in retail, wholesale and B2B.

Our mission is simple. Webelievethatthebetterwesleep,thehappier,healthierandmoreproductiveweare.Andwewon'trestuntileveryonegetsthehigh-qualitysleeptheydeserve.

Listed on Euronext Amsterdam, BBH operates the successful retail brands Beter Bed, Beddenreus, the new subscription brand Leazzzy and the digital organisation LUNEXT. In addition, through its subsidiary DBC International, BBH has a wholesale business in branded products in the bedroom furnishings sector, which includes the well-known international brand M line.

With 4 distribution centres, a fleet of 80 vehicles, 134 stores, a fast-growing online presence, and a wholesale company our team of over 1,000 dedicated employees generated  214.2 million revenue in 2021.

Providing expert sleep advice is at the very heart of our strategy, and thanks to our revolutionary 'Beter Slapen ID' tool, our sleep consultants help customers to get the perfect night's sleep. BBH is proud that M line is the official sleep supplier of AFC Ajax, TeamNL, Jumbo-Visma, NOC*NSF and the KNVB.



For more information

Press enquiries: Uneke Dekkers / CFF Communications

T +31





For the Pdf version of the press release please click on the link below. Press photos can be downloaded here .





Attachment
LAGOS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- An official in Nigeria's northern state of Kaduna confirmed Tuesday that eight passengers were killed and 26 others sustained injuries in the attack on the Kaduna-Abuja train by gunmen.

Samuel Aruwan, the commissioner for internal security and home affairs in the state, who confirmed the figures in a statement, disclosed that the manifest received from the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) showed 362 passengers were validated as having bought tickets.

According to Aruwan, the passengers' manifest excluded NRC staff and security officials aboard the train, adding that several passengers were unaccounted for.

He said investigations were still ongoing to ascertain the status of the passengers who were riding the train and remain unaccounted for as of this update.

On Monday night, a passenger train en route to Kaduna from Abuja, the Nigerian capital, was attacked by yet-to-be-identified gunmen in Rijana, a town in Kaduna. The terrorists had planted explosive devices along the rail track, and when the Abuja-Kaduna bound train approached the point, the device exploded, causing the train to derail.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday strongly condemned the bombing of the passenger train, describing it as a matter of grave concern. 
Paris, Amsterdam, March 30, 2022

Press release

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield presents path to 2024 and beyond

Leading European pure play with an unrivalled portfolio of assets in best cities

Stabilised European retail NRI and Group EBITDA to reach pre-COVID levels on a run rate basis in 2023 with full effect in 2024

Growing new revenues from media advertising, brand experience and data

Maximising asset values by unlocking mixed-use development opportunities with significant residential potential

On track to achieve ambitious Better Places 2030 ESG targets and will announce enhanced commitments in 2023

AREPS guidance of 8.20 to 8.40 confirmed for 2022

Sustainable dividend to be reinstated from fiscal year 2023

The Management Board of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield ("URW" or "the Group") will today share with the market its path to 2024 and beyond, a plan which will strengthen the Group's core business, generate new revenues and unlock asset value.

Following the completion of its comprehensive deleveraging program, which includes the radical reduction of financial exposure to the US in 2022 and 2023, URW will emerge as a European pure play with a portfolio of high-quality, high-performing assets located in the continent's wealthiest cities and catchment areas.

European retail NRI will represent the vast majority of URW income and is expected to return to pre-COVID levels on a run rate basis in 2023 with full effect in 2024. This, together with the recovery of Convention & Exhibition activity and the delivery of URW's committed pipeline, will support the return of Group EBITDA for Europe to 2019 levels in 2024. URW will reinstate a sustainable dividend from the fiscal year 2023 in line with the company's disciplined capital allocation framework.

URW's unrivalled European portfolio also provides a unique platform to generate significant new revenues from advertising, brand experience and data by turning URW's 2021 footfall of 550 million annual visits into qualified audiences highly valued by brands. URW's investments in media assets and data capabilities will generate 75 Mn in annual net revenues1 by 2024, a 45 Mn increase compared to 2021, with strong growth potential beyond the plan horizon.

URW will unlock untapped asset value through targeted, sustainable mixed-use development, with an emphasis on residential opportunities. This includes the delivery of 2.0 Bn2 of the committed pipeline by the end of 2024 that will generate a stabilised NRI of 125 Mn3. URW has also identified up to 2.4 million sqm4 of development opportunities, with the target of adding 1 Bn5 to the Group's controlled pipeline by 2024. URW will retain full flexibility about how and when to launch these new projects and will deploy limited predevelopment expenses in the coming three years.

URW confirmed that it is on track to meet the industry-leading commitments in its Better Places 2030 ESG strategy and will announce an update in 2023, with the aim of enhancing the Group's decarbonisation commitments.

Jean-Marie Tritant, Chief Executive Officer of URW, said: "By 2024, we will have successfully reshaped the business to capture future growth, centred on our portfolio of Flagship destinations in the wealthiest cities and catchment areas in Europe.

Physical stores are a vital part of leading brands' omnichannel and drive-to-store strategy, a role reinforced and validated by the post-pandemic recovery. Our top 50 retailers in Europe6 have increased their GLA and MGR with us since 2019, while in many cases streamlining their store portfolios elsewhere. This dynamic will support a full recovery of our European retail NRI and Group EBITDA on a stabilised basis to pre-COVID levels.

Our platform of shopping and lifestyle destinations in Europe presents a powerful opportunity to grow media advertising and brand experience revenues by converting our European footfall of 550 million visits in 2021 into qualified audiences. We are building the capabilities to market URW's pan-European platform to advertisers by creating a dedicated business division, powered by new data intelligence. These strong foundations will generate 75 million in annual net revenues by 2024, with significant upside potential.

We will deliver 2 billion in projects from our committed pipeline by 2024, generating 125 million of stabilised NRI, and will add 1 billion in densification development opportunities to our controlled pipeline.

This is the beginning of an exciting journey for URW that will reshape the business to focus on our core strengths in Europe, create a new media platform and unlock value from our asset portfolio to generate sustainable growth by 2024 and beyond."

The company's plan will be presented by URW's Management Board at an investor event today starting at 10:30 CET. Please follow the link (https://onlinexperiences.com/scripts/Server.nxp?LASCmd=AI:4;F:QS!10100&ShowUUID=01AA4F2D-6E66-4B13-A073-CB21DFE8B2A6&Referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.urw.com%2F) to watch the webcast.

(https://onlinexperiences.com/scripts/Server.nxp?LASCmd=AI:4;F:QS!10100&ShowUUID=01AA4F2D-6E66-4B13-A073-CB21DFE8B2A6&Referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.urw.com%2F) A full presentation is also available on the Investor Relations page of the URW website link (https://www.urw.com/2022-Investor-Day)

URW's path to 2024 and beyond

Strengthen our core business

Complete radical reduction of financial exposure to the US and finalize European deleveraging programme ~40% LTV ratio7 Emerge as a focused European pure play with Retail NRI and Group EBITDA back to pre-COVID levels8 2023-2024 expected timeline to reach stabilised 2019 levels Build on strong ESG track-record to drive enhanced environmental, social and financial value 2023 unveiling step-change evolution of strategy

Build new revenue platforms

Increase media advertising and brand experience revenue by turning footfall into a qualified audience 75 Mn 2024 European net revenues Build data capabilities to generate new revenues with retailers and brands

Maximise the value of our assets

Deliver European committed pipeline with tight CAPEX control 2.0 Bn by 2024 Unlock development opportunities embedded in our assets to refuel controlled pipeline 1.0 Bn new projects added by 2024

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

DELEVERAGING PROGRESS & IMPACT

URW's comprehensive deleveraging program is on track. The Group is positioned to execute the radical reduction in financial exposure to the US over the course of 2022 and 2023, supported by the quality of its US assets, of which 95% are in the A-category9, as well as the strength of the recovery which is driving occupancy and rental growth for long term leases.

In Europe, URW will secure the remaining 1.5 Bn of its 4 Bn disposal programme by the end of 2022. This process combines the full sale of non-core assets as well as the disposal of stakes to institutional investors, where URW will receive asset and property management fees going forward.

Once completed, URW's LTV, is expected to be below or around 40% including the Group's hybrid bonds.



RETURN OF RETAIL NRI & GROUP EBITDA

Following completion of the deleveraging process, URW will be a European pure play with a 41 Bn portfolio10 of high-quality and well-located assets. 95% of the Group's European retail assets are in the A-category9.

These assets generate higher sales intensity for retailers, as well as increased value given the role of the physical store as part of their omnichannel and drive-to-store strategy.

Key retailers are increasing their footprint with URW. Between 2019 and 2021, the Group's top 50 retailers in Europe, who account for 29% of total MGR, increased their GLA by an average of 7% for an average MGR increase of 6%.

URW expects tenant sales to return to pre-COVID levels in 2022, occupancy and variable income in the course of 2023, and retail NRI on a run rate basis in 2023, with full effect in 2024. In 2024, the Group forecasts Retail NRI of 1.56 Bn and EBITDA of circa 1.9 Bn for its streamlined European portfolio.

The Group's Convention and Exhibition business is expected to further recover in 2022 and return to normalised levels in 2023, ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. URW's Offices business will benefit from the full letting of recently completed projects as well as new deliveries.

GROWTH OF NEW REVENUES

URW has created a dedicated division to generate increased revenues from advertising, brand experience and data services.

The new division will generate 75 Mn in annual net revenues by 2024 with 23 Mn in additional CAPEX11 to support this growth. This investment will be split between upgrading and increasing the Group's 1,700 in-mall advertising screens, and the roll out of fully GDPR-compliant technology to qualify footfall at URW's Westfield-branded malls.

UNLOCKING VALUE THROUGH MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT

URW will continue to maximise the value of its assets through targeted mixed-use development, capitalising on its established position in the most valuable European real estate markets with high barriers to entry.

By 2024, URW will deliver 2 Bn of its committed pipeline which will generate 125 Mn in stabilized NRI. In addition, URW will unlock further development opportunities embedded in its assets during the plan horizon, with a potential 1 Bn in projects to add to its controlled pipeline, with limited predevelopment expenses.

Underpinned by the Group's disciplined capital allocation approach, URW will focus on densifying its flagships with office, hotels and residential, as well as repurposing retail space and, where appropriate, extending to add high-growth alternative uses.

BUILDING ON ESG LEADERSHIP

URW launched its ambitious, industry leading Better Places 2030 ESG strategy in 2016 and has consistently ranked in the top-quartile on ESG performance. URW's comprehensive approach addresses all stakeholders and the Group's carbon reduction targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative and are consistent with levels required to meet the Paris agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 C.

URW is on track to meet all Better Places 2030 commitments, including cutting carbon emissions across its value chain by 50% between 2015 and 2030. The Group has also made good progress in energy efficiency and green energy usage. 90% of URW assets in Europe have received Outstanding or Excellent ratings from the BREEAM IN-USE certification, the world's leading sustainability assessment method, compared to 30% for the European Retail Real Estate sector as a whole.

URW is committed to contributing to global carbon neutrality and will present a step-change update to its plan in 2023 with a view to establishing new commitments.

CAPITAL ALLOCATION & DIVIDEND

URW outlined its disciplined capital allocation framework that balances continued investment in future growth with maintaining a strong balance sheet.

URW will continue to sell mature assets that do not meet its return criteria or that do not fit its destination strategy. URW will continue to invest in projects and acquisitions on an opportunistic basis, looking at the expected Internal Rate of Return, the level of risk and any balance sheet constraints. URW will resume the payment of sustainable dividend from fiscal year 2023.

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations

Maarten Otte

+33 7 63 86 88 78

Maarten.Otte@urw.com

Media Relations

Cornelia Schnepf - Finelk

+44 7387 108 998

Cornelia.Schnepf@finelk.eu

About Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield is the premier global developer and operator of Flagship Destinations, with a portfolio valued at 54.5 Bn as at December 31, 2021, of which 86% in retail, 6% in offices, 5% in convention & exhibition venues and 2% in services. Currently, the Group owns and operates 85 shopping centres, including 53 Flagships in the most dynamic cities in Europe and the United States. Present on two continents and in 12 countries, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield provides a unique platform for retailers and brand events and offers an exceptional and constantly renewed experience for customers.

With the support of its 2,800 professionals and an unparalleled track-record and know-how, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield is ideally positioned to generate superior value and develop world-class projects.

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield distinguishes itself by its Better Places 2030 agenda, that sets its ambition to create better places that respect the highest environmental standards and contribute to better cities.

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield stapled shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Paris (Euronext ticker: URW), with a secondary listing in Australia through Chess Depositary Interests. The Group benefits from a BBB+ rating from Standard & Poor's and from a Baa2 rating from Moody's.

For more information, please visit www.urw.com

Visit our Media Library at https://mediacentre.urw.com

Follow the Group updates on Twitter @urw_group , Linkedin @Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and Instagram





1 At 100% share

2 URW Total Investment Cost excluding Triangle (delivery in 2026)

3 Excludes Hotel Pullman Montparnasse, delivered in December 2021

4 At 100%

5 URW Total Investment Cost

6 In terms of MGR

7 IFRS LTV including hybrid

8 2019 retail NRI and EBITDA on stabilised European portfolio

9 In terms of GMV

10 As at December 31, 2021, based on European portfolio only, excluding any remaining US exposure.

11 At 100%







Attachment
MillTechFX, the FinTech affiliate of Millennium Global Investments, has expanded into Europe following the success of its multi-bank foreign exchange (FX) marketplace in the UK and North America.

Over the past year, the FX marketplace has been accumulating client business from asset managers and corporates across the globe. Its clients have already traded tens of billions of US dollars and usage is continuing to grow.

The firm has selected Paris for its European hub and is now ready to hit the ground running across the EU after receiving regulatory approval from both French financial authorities the Financial Markets Authority (AMF) and the Prudential and Resolution Control Authority (ACPR).

Asset managers and corporates have had little choice but to suffer from significantly overpaying1 for their currency execution and hedging requirements as well as the operational burden of implementing and managing multiple relationships to seek best execution.

MillTechFX is looking to change this by revolutionising the FX market with its multi-bank FX marketplace which allows asset managers and corporates to significantly reduce both FX costs and the operational burden associated with FX execution and rolling hedging requirements. Its independent end-to-end currency solution provides direct access to wholesale FX rates from up to 10+ counterparty banks and transparent best execution.

MillTechFX aims to deliver a fairer, more transparent and cost-effective FX execution and hedging solution, building on decades of experience from Millennium Global which manages over $19.5bn in institutional currency mandates*.

Eric Huttman, CEO of MillTechFX, said: "Over the past 12 months we have seen terrific growth in terms of clients onboarded and volumes transacted on our FX marketplace. This success indicates that asset managers and corporate treasurers are actively moving away from traditional FX processes and partnerships in favour of cost-effective, efficient and transparent multi-bank solutions. As a firm with global ambitions, we look forward to extending the benefits of our marketplace to European corporates and asset managers via our hub in Paris."

Stephanie Aufan, Directeur General of MillTechFX Europe, said: "Paris is one of the top tech cities in Europe, boasting a deep pool of talent as well as excellent transport links to London and the rest of Europe. From our Paris hub, we will open the door to more transparent, efficient and cost-effective access to multi-bank FX execution, levelling the playing field for asset managers and corporates across Europe."

END

About MillTechFX

MillTechFX is an independent, comparative multi-bank FX marketplace explicitly designed for fund managers, institutional investors, and corporate treasurers, with a pinpoint focus on reducing their FX execution costs and operational burden.

It harnesses the purchasing power of Millennium Global, one of the world's largest specialist currency managers with 25 years of FX expertise, USD 760bn in annual FX volume and USD 19.5 bn assets under management.

Clients get direct access to institutional-grade FX rates from up to 10+ counterparty banks, enabling best execution with full cost transparency. Its clients have already traded billions of USDs through MillTechFX, with volume growing every month.

Headquartered in London, the world's largest FX hub, MillTechFX is authorised and regulated by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), registered with the USA's National Futures Association (NFA) and Canada's Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre (FINTRAC).

*The AUM, managed by Millennium Global Investments Ltd (MGIL) as at 31st December 2021, is a combination of USD 19,361 million in notional AUM for unfunded managed accounts, and USD 148 million AUM in funded vehicles.

The 2021 annual traded volume refers to all Millennium Group activity. Millennium Group comprises Millennium Global Investments Limited, Millennium Global (Europe) SAS and Millennium Global Treasury Services Limited.

Important Disclosures

This document, including the information provided herein, is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to subscribe to or purchase any of the products or services mentioned.

The information contained is intended for Professional Clients (or elective professional clients only). MillTechFX does not target retail clients as the products offered by MillTechFX are not suitable for or made available to retail clients.

The information herein is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, accounting, legal or tax advice or investment recommendations. You should consult your investment, tax, legal accounting or other advisors.

1 https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WP/Issues/2019/05/07/Discriminatory-Pricing-of-Over-the-Counter-Derivatives-46686

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005009/en/

Contacts:

Nick Murray-Leslie

Chatsworth Communications

+44 (0)207 440 9780

Milltechfx@chatsworthcommunications.com
Iktos, a company specialized in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for new drug design today announced a collaboration agreement with Ono Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., a leading pharmaceutical company based in Japan with a focus on innovative medicines dedicated to the fight against disease and pain.

Under the agreement, Iktos will apply its de novo ligand and structure-based generative modelling technologies and software Makya, its AI-based retrosynthesis analysis and planning tool Spaya, and know-how complementing Ono's drug discovery capabilities to expedite the identification of potential pre-clinical candidates and to identify additional novel chemical matter with suitable properties for undisclosed Ono's drug discovery programmes. ONO will acquire exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize small molecule compounds discovered in the collaboration. Iktos will receive research funding plus milestone payments based on achievement of certain milestones. Ono scientists will benefit from direct access to Iktos Makya and Spaya software platforms as part of the collaboration.

Iktos's AI technology, based on deep generative models, helps to bring new insights and directions into the drug discovery process based on a comprehensive data-driven chemical structure generation technology. The technology automatically designs virtual novel molecules with all the characteristics of a successful drug molecule. This approach, validated through multiple collaborations, is a novel solution to one of the key challenges in drug design: rapid identification of molecules that simultaneously satisfy multiple parameters, such as potency, selectivity, safety, and project-specific properties. This approach uniquely enables the exploration of chemical space and produces innovative molecule designs with optimized properties. Iktos makes its AI technology available to its customers both through research collaborations and through direct access to its SaaS platforms Makya for de novo design and Spaya for synthesis planning.

"We are very pleased to collaborate with Ono, a leading pharmaceutical company based in Japan, and proud to announce our first collaboration deal with a Japanese pharma company," said Yann Gaston-Mathe, Co-founder and CEO of Iktos. "Our ultimate objective is to expedite drug discovery and achieve time and cost efficiencies for our collaborators by using Iktos's proprietary AI platform and know-how. We are confident that together we will be able to identify promising novel chemical matter and solve complex multiparametric optimisation problems for Ono's drug discovery programmes. We are committed to tackle challenging problems alongside our collaborators where we can demonstrate value generation for new and on-going drug discovery projects."

"Iktos has excellent artificial intelligence technology and platform in drug discovery," said Toichi Takino, Senior Executive Officer Executive Director, Discovery Research of Ono. "Through this drug discovery collaboration, we are excited to work with Iktos to identify and develop the next generation of innovative treatments, leading to further expansion of our development pipeline."

About Iktos

Incorporated in October 2016, Iktos is a start-up company specializing in the development of artificial intelligence solutions applied to chemical research, more specifically medicinal chemistry and new drug design. Iktos is developing a proprietary and innovative solution based on deep learning generative models, which enables, using existing data, the design of molecules that are optimized in silico to meet all the success criteria of a small molecule discovery project. The use of Iktos technology enables major productivity gains in upstream pharmaceutical R&D. Iktos offers its technology both as professional services and as a SaaS software platform, Makya. Iktos is also developing Spaya, a synthesis planning software based upon Iktos's proprietary AI technology for retrosynthesis.

More information on: http://www.iktos.ai/

About Ono Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.

Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., headquartered in Osaka, is an R&D-oriented pharmaceutical company committed to creating innovative medicines in specific areas. Ono focuses its research on the oncology, immunology, neurology and specialty research with high medical needs as priority areas for discovery and development of innovative medicines. For further information, please visit the company's website at https://www.ono-pharma.com/.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005128/en/

Contacts:

Yann Gaston-Mathe (CEO) contact@iktos.com +33 6 30 07 99 26
MassChallenge Switzerland, part of MassChallenge's global network of innovators, is happy to announce its partnership with Enterra Solutions, the leading cognitive computing company pioneering Autonomous Decision Science, the next wave of analytical innovation beyond data science. Enterra Solutions joins the community in a senior advisory role in the field of advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence.

Established in 2009, MassChallenge has helped start-ups across the world match with leading corporations that contribute expertise, mentors and resources to help them scale up and develop. Enterra Solutions will help MassChallenge identify high impact start-ups and match them to appropriate expertise and scaling partners, as well as advise start-ups and the MassChallenge community on their utilization of data and AI.

MassChallenge and Enterra Solutions believe that together they can help start-ups and add value to the MassChallenge community of partner companies. Enterra is leveraging its long-standing relationships and growing presence with businesses and investors based in Switzerland, to invest in the regional innovation ecosystem by assisting MassChallenge in identifying and providing guidance to leading emerging technologies in the Swiss marketplace.

"We are delighted to have Enterra Solutions as a new partner that brings know-how in the critical area of data science and AI. I'm excited to see how we can bring this knowledge and expertise to create more value both to start-ups and partners across the Global MC community," said Ian Roberts, President of MassChallenge Switzerland.

"We've only just scratched the surface of what's capable with advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence and the future is bright," said Stephen DeAngelis, CEO of Enterra Solutions."Our partnership with MassChallenge demonstrates our commitment to continuing the advancement of these technologies and the entrepreneurs that are looking to grow them. We're eager to help the businesses and entrepreneurs of MassChallenge Switzerland to disrupt the status quo and help the world tap into the full potential of data and AI."

About Enterra Solutions

Enterra Solutions is the leading cognitive computing company providing data-enabled prescriptive analytics and insights for companies across a broad range of industries. Enterra Solutions automates a new way of problem-solving and decision-making, going beyond advanced analytics to answer queries and generate insights instantly. This powerful capability allows clients to uncover and understand inter-relationships that lead to innovative new product development and innovation, heightened consumer understanding, enhanced supply-chain execution, and more efficient and targeted consumer marketing. Enterra's analytics and insights help the world's leading brands and organizations operate smarter by finding higher meaning in their data.

For more information visit: www.enterrasolutions.com

About MassChallenge

MassChallenge is the global network for innovators. Headquartered in the United States with seven locations worldwide, MassChallenge equips bold entrepreneurs to disrupt the status quo and create meaningful change. Since launching in 2009, more than 2,928 MassChallenge alumni have raised more than $8.6B in funding, generated more than $3.6B in revenue, and created more than 186,000 total jobs.

For more information visit: www.masschallenge.org/programs-switzerland

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005270/en/

Contacts:

Media: Elodie Waquet, elodie@masschallenge.org

Press: Emma Gielata, egielata@matternow.com
-HubSpot Elite Solutions Partner, Huble Digital, expands its European business with the acquisition of Munich-based HubSpot Diamond Solutions Partner, bubblebridge interactive adding to its business entities in UK, USA, Germany, Singapore and South Africa -

LONDON, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- International digital business & CRM consultancy, Huble Digital Group, has today acquired one of the top German HubSpot Solutions Partners, bubblebridge interactive GmbH, based in Munich, Germany.

bubblebridge interactive GmbH, joins the Huble Digital Group officially on 31st March 2022 and will bring the Group's headcount up to almost 150 people. Amy Dwyer and Anthony O'Connor,Joint Managing Directors of bubblebridge interactive, will join the Board of Huble Digital Group as Chief Solutions Officer and Chief Growth Officer, respectively.

Huble Digital Group was launched in March 2020 as a result of the merger of HubSpot Elite Solutions Partner, The B2B Marketing Lab, and HubSpot Diamond Solutions Partner, MPULL, at that time, two of the largest HubSpot Software Solutions Partners in EMEA. Since then the business has grown significantly, becoming one of the largest HubSpot Solutions Providers worldwide, employing over 100 people and being the first to become accredited for ISO/IEC 27001:2013 security compliance in all five of its international business locations. Adding HubSpot Diamond Solutions Partner, bubblebridge interactive, brings together three of the most successful HubSpot Partners as one international team.

HubSpot Chief Executive, Yamini Rangan, comments, "We are delighted to see some of our key Partners joining together to establish truly international businesses that can better support our HubSpot customers around the world. Huble Digital sets a great example of how to organise and manage a growing international consulting business which is focused on supporting HubSpot customers, wherever they are. Congratulations to Huble and bubblebridge on this Partnership."

Chief Executive of Huble Digital Group, Bob Dearsley, comments: "Adding highly experienced and multilingual senior management to our Board, through a new CGO - Chief Growth Officer and a new CSO - Chief Solutions Officer, will help us to grow and scale our international business over the next few years. This team adds a good depth of German language support to our repertoire as well as strengthening our HubSpot support consultancy."

New Chief Solutions Officer, Amy Dwyer, comments, "Joining the Huble Digital Group will allow us to expand and extend our business in the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland). It will provide a broader range of services, as well as more in-depth HubSpot support to our customer globally. Huble adds more than 100 people to our team and the range of services we can provide in-house is now second to none in Europe!"

New Chief Growth Officer, Anthony O'Connor, comments, "Joining up with Huble is a giant leap for us into the future and the next evolutionary step of our company. I am so excited about being part of a truly international team and working with some incredible talents."

Revenues in the current year for both companies combined are estimated to be in excess of 10 Million and the Group is forecasting strong growth in 2022. Huble Digital Group supports more than 250 customers on the HubSpot Platform and also manages some of the largest HubSpot implementations in Europe and the USA. The major strength of the business is its ability to support businesses to the same level of care and with the same process and methodology in the UK, Europe, North America and APAC.

Details of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Huble Digital Group

Huble Digital is a digital business consultancy helping companies acquire, retain and grow customers through digital transformation, by providing CRM solutions and strategic consultancy across marketing, sales, service and business operations.

Accredited for ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Security Compliance in each of its five international businesses, its 100+ employees work with larger enterprises across the UK, USA, EMEA & APAC. Huble Digital has +250 successful CRM implementations and over 10 years of experience in expertly steering its clients through their digital transformation journeys.

About bubblebridge

Based in Munich, bubblebridge interactive is an award-winning B2B marketing & sales agency and HubSpot Diamond Partner. bubblebridge's international team focuses on defining, implementing, optimizing and sustainably managing inbound strategies for businesses of all sizes on the German and wider European markets. Combining in-depth HubSpot knowledge with many years of experience, the bubblebridge team develops clever, creative solutions that help companies to achieve their goals, eliminate problems, generate and nurture leads and, ultimately, convert them into long-term customers.
EGHAM, England, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Essential Pharma, an international speciality pharma group focused on maintaining access to well-established, "at risk" products essential to patients across multiple therapeutic areas, announces the appointment of Andrew Webb as General Counsel, EVP Legal and Compliance in the UK.

Steen Vangsgaard, CEO commented: "I am thrilled to welcome Andrew as our new General Counsel and look forward to leveraging his knowledge of global markets as we accelerate our commercial efforts. Andrew's proven operational and commercial expertise will be invaluable to the senior management team as we scale-up and further expand our product portfolio with the potential to substantially improve the lives of patients."

Andrew joins the senior management team in the UK as General Counsel, with significant global pharmaceutical corporate and mergers and acquisitions experience. Prior to joining Essential Pharma, Andrew spent over 3 years at Accord Healthcare where he worked as UK & Ireland General Counsel and Associate Vice President of Legal Transactions for EMENA. Starting his career at Linklaters, a leading multinational law firm, Andrew spent over 11 years managing numerous global transactions both at home and abroad in the pharmaceutical sector.

During his time at Linklaters, his global knowledge of the life science industry was established, including during over 9 months in Switzerland working with Novartis on secondment and approximately 2 years in Linklaters' New York office. Andrew has a BA in Law from the University of Oxford and is a trustee for the charity London Playing Fields Foundation.

"Essential Pharma is at a pivotal time in its development as it further expands its product portfolio and looks to grow to new international patient populations," added Andrew Webb. "The company has built a compelling portfolio of products and continues to gather momentum to provide therapies where there is a high unmet medical need. I very much look forward to working with the team to capitalise on business opportunities and deliver value to patients, payers and our business owners."

About Essential Pharma

Essential Pharma is an international speciality pharmaceutical group dedicated to maintaining access to well-established, "at risk" products essential to patients across multiple therapeutic areas. The group has been an important and valued partner to healthcare providers for over 20 years by giving patients access to medicines that otherwise would not be available.

Essential Pharma operates globally in more than 20 countries, supplying a portfolio of over 150 essential medicines across multiple therapeutic areas. Essential Pharma's growth strategy is based around identifying and acquiring mature, at-risk products from larger pharmaceutical groups looking to streamline their product portfolios.

It is a trusted partner to multiple pharma companies of all sizes, with a proven history of integrating assets, managing complex technology and product transfers while ensuring continual and sustainable supply to patients.

Essential Pharma maintains strong relationships with partners at ten manufacturing sites across the EU and US in order to ensure the continuing manufacture of its products to the highest regulatory standards.

Essential Pharma's growth strategy is backed by Gyrus Capital, an investment firm dedicated to transformational investments in sectors with long term sustainable growth, including healthcare.

For more information, please visit essentialpharmagroup.com

CONTACTS

Essential Pharma

Steen Vangsgaard, CEO

Tel: +44(0)1784 477 167

Email: info@essentialpharmaceuticals.com

MEDiSTRAVA Consulting (for Essential Pharma)

David Dible, Frazer Hall, Evelyn McCormack

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3928 6900

Email: Essentialpharma@medistrava.com
1 million grant will support first-in-human clinical trials of H-Guard

GLASGOW, Scotland, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Invizius Limited ("Invizius"), a biotechnology company developing treatments to suppress unwanted innate immune responses, today announces that it has been awarded a 1 million grant to bring H-Guard, its proprietary priming solution, designed to reduce the life-threatening inflammatory effects of haemodialysis, to the clinic. The funds will be used towards H-Guard's First-in-Man safety study commencing in 2022.

There are currently 3.3 million haemodialysis patients worldwide who receive treatment multiple times a week. Dialysis treatment can reduce life expectancy by two thirds and almost half of patients die from cardiovascular complications, in part caused by the immune system reacting to components of the dialysis apparatus.

The H-Guard Priming Solution comprises a novel protein that lines the inside of the dialysis filter and helps dialysis to take place undetected by the body's immune system. This suppresses the blood's foreign body response preventing a repetitive, hostile inflammatory reaction that increases the risk of cardiovascular complications.

Richard Boyd, Chief Executive Officer of Invizius, said: "We are delighted to have been awarded this grant by the Biomedical Catalyst to bring our potentially lifesaving treatment to the clinic to improve outcomes and the quality of life of haemodialysis patients. Being one of the 17 award recipients selected out of 302 applicants is an honour and validates the potential of our cutting edge technology to solve a huge unmet need for haemodialysis patients. We are initially targeting patients with high innate immune response to dialysis, where the worldwide market for H-Guard is estimated to be worth over 1.5 billion."

Invizius is supported by a strong syndicate of investors including Mercia, Downing Ventures, Old College Capital, Scottish Enterprise, Solvay Ventures, Calculus Capital and experienced life science entrepreneur and investor, Dr Jonathan Milner. The Company has established the regulatory pathway for H-Guard in North America and the potential for coincident approval in Europe.

About Invizius

Invizius Limited is a late pre-clinical-stage biotechnology company developing treatments to suppress unwanted innate immune responses, focused initially on reducing the life-threatening inflammatory effects of dialysis. Founded in 2017, the University of Edinburgh spin-out is developing its proprietary H-Guard Priming Solution, comprising a novel protein that lines the inside of the dialysis filter and helps dialysis to take place undetected by the body's immune system. This suppresses the blood's foreign body response, thereby preventing a hostile inflammatory reaction. The technology can also be used with other devices or treatments such as continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), cardiopulmonary bypass, organ transplants and immunomodulating therapeutics. The company is looking to expand its product pipeline into other, high-value indications.

For more information on Invizius, please visit: www.invizius.com

About the Biomedical Catalyst

The Biomedical Catalyst (BMC) is a unique partnership between the MRC and Innovate UK, providing responsive and effective support to the most innovative life sciences opportunities regardless of scientific approach. The BMC aims to de-risk innovative science and commercialise ideas arising out of academia and industry helping UK SMEs to develop into competitive and sustainable organisations. This accelerates the progress of novel products to market, facilitates onward investment and bridges "the valley of death." For further information please visit: https://mrc.ukri.org/funding/science-areas/translation/biomedical-catalyst/

Innovate UK

Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government. Innovate UK drives productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas, including those from the UK's world-class research base. They connect businesses to the partners, customers and investors that can help them turn these ideas into commercially successful products and services, and business growth. For more information please visit www.innovateuk.org.
Hyundai Commission, a key part of the unique partnership between Hyundai Motor and Tate, to unveil a new site-specific work by Cecilia Vicuna in Tate Modern's Turbine Hall this October

Vicuna, known for the way she explores pressing concerns about ecology, community and social justice, to create the next Hyundai Commission

SEOUL, South Korea and LONDON, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor Company and Tate Modern today announced that Chilean artist and poet Cecilia Vicuna will create the next Hyundai Commission for Tate Modern's Turbine Hall. Hyundai Commission: Cecilia Vicuna will open to the public from October 13, 2022 to April 16, 2023.

The annual Hyundai Commission offers artists an opportunity to create new work for Tate Modern's Turbine Hall, a space that has hosted some of the world's most memorable and acclaimed works of contemporary art. This year's Hyundai Commission by Cecilia Vicuna will be the seventh in this series of extraordinary works.

Cecilia Vicuna (b.1948) is perhaps best known for her radical textile sculptures, combining natural materials and traditional crafts. A prolific multi-disciplinary artist, Vicuna explores the pressing concerns of ecology, community, and social justice. Born and raised in Santiago, Vicuna went into exile during the early 1970s after the violent military coup against former Chilean President Salvador Allende. This sense of impermanence, and a desire to preserve and pay tribute to the country's indigenous history and culture have characterized her career, spanning half a century.

Vicuna's ephemeral and environmentally conscious work combines the tactile ritual of weaving with assemblage, poetry, performance, and painting. Her creations include the ongoing series Precarios, tiny sculptures combining feathers, stone, plastic, wood, wire, shells, cloth and other human-made detritus, and Quipus, hanging textile installations which draw on an ancient Andean method of communication through knotting-colored strings.

"Cecilia Vicuna's work explores generations of memory and history from a wider perspective, attending to the world around us," said Thomas Schemera, Global Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Customer Experience Division of Hyundai Motor Company. "We look forward to seeing how the seventh Hyundai Commission with Vicuna invites audiences to think about their role in a broader conversation about our present and future."

More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at:

http://worldwide.hyundai.com or http://globalpr.hyundai.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1774694/Image_1.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1774695/Image_2.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1774696/Image_3.jpg
The integration of GA Drilling PLASMABIT technology with Nabors' industry-leading drilling operations is another bold step toward unlocking geothermal anywhere

HAMILTON, Bermuda and BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nabors Industries Ltd. ("Nabors" or the "Company") (NYSE: NBR) adds to its clean energy portfolio with a USD $8 million investment in GA Drilling, a.s. ("GA Drilling"). This strategic investment expands Nabors' commitment to deep-drilling technologies tapping super-hot, ultra-deep rock reservoirs.

GA Drilling, a geothermal technology company with headquarters in Bratislava, Slovakia, is a pioneer in plasma drilling. By integrating its innovative, contactless PLASMABIT drilling tool into Nabors' industry-leading automated and lower-emission drilling operations, the collaboration aims to accelerate field commercialization and eliminate traditional economic barriers of ultra-deep projects to expand global access to geothermal energy. This agreement complements the pre-series investment round recently concluded by GA Drilling, with the total value of those new investments exceeding USD $20 million.

Nabors has continued to implement its energy transition strategy targeted at high growth potential, lower-carbon energy markets. Through its investments in multiple clean energy ventures, Nabors has started to establish several ecosystems of complementary technologies that can benefit from synergies with Nabors' existing operations and competencies.

GA Drilling joins Nabors' geothermal ecosystem, which is comprised of three other prior venture investments in geothermal companies. These technologies were purposefully assembled to help make geothermal energy widely accessible across geographies, while reducing cost per unit of energy generated to match the cost of other energy sources.

Meeting Decarbonization Goals

Geothermal energy is one of the only clean, renewable and reliable baseload energy sources; however, due to the limited geographical distribution of high-temperature gradients and high legacy drilling costs, its full potential remains largely untapped. PLASMABIT is engineered to enable ultra-deep drilling in high-temperature hard formations at a cost comparable to unconventional horizontal drilling. Using an electric arc with a chemically assisted plasma pulse, this laboratory-proven bit aims to penetrate crystalline rock at high penetration rates, at depths exceeding 10 km (6.2 miles). Clean electricity is generated by producing water heated in the earth's crust and converting it to power at the surface. Building on a common technology ecosystem and infrastructure, and the ability to access geothermal almost anywhere, this solution should speed up and expand the availability of carbon-free fuel options for power generation.

Management Comments

Anthony G. Petrello, Nabors Chairman, CEO and President said: "Now is the time to invest in innovative and bold geothermal solutions that have the potential to unlock terawatts of clean, renewable and reliable energy on a truly global scale. Given the expected sharp growth in global energy consumption over the next decades, the world will require an even sharper growth in sustainable energy supply. I am convinced that geothermal energy will be a key contributor to the necessary increase in clean energy generation. With our unmatched portfolio of drilling, automation and digitalization technologies, Nabors intends to become a key player in the upcoming expansion of geothermal energy. We look forward to leveraging the GA Drilling Centre of Excellence and integrating their technologies into our ecosystem."

Igor Kocis, Founder and CEO of GA Drilling, said: "We welcome Nabors not only as an investor but also as a strategic partner. The present agreement will allow us to move faster through the final stages of PLASMABIT development, leveraging the synergies to integrate this revolutionary drilling tool into the systems of the rig. Nabors will introduce European high-technology capacities into the U.S. market. Together, we will work toward meeting imminent demand to rapidly diversify the global energy mix. With this collaboration, we have made another big step toward delivering on our promise of 'Geothermal Anywhere'."

About Nabors Industries

Nabors Industries (NYSE: NBR) is a leading provider of advanced technology for the energy industry. With operations in more than 15 countries, Nabors has established a global network of people, technology and equipment to deploy solutions that deliver safe, efficient and responsible energy production. By leveraging its core competencies, particularly in drilling, engineering, automation, data science and manufacturing, Nabors aims to innovate the future of energy and enable the transition to a lower-carbon world. Learn more about Nabors and its energy technology leadership: www.nabors.com .

About GA Drilling

GA Drilling, with its patented PLASMABIT technology, offers a solution for a local and independent source of electricity, heating, clean water, and food production in an unstable world. The company will provide scalable, modular, solutions to zero-carbon emissions energy production. Geothermal energy is the only renewable source of clean and baseload energy, available 24/7/365. It works regardless of weather conditions or the day-night cycle. PLASMABIT brings a significant reduction in operational time and cost savings, drilling faster, deeper, and cheaper through any material, including hard rock and steel. The technology is the result of years of R&D, with 23 registered patents, supported by a full-time team of over 50 engineers and researchers, industrial funding, investors, some 20 EU research grants, and strategic technology development partnerships with drilling industry leaders from Europe, US, and Asia: www.gadrilling.com.

Media Contacts:

Brian Brooks

+1 281-775-4370

brian.brooks@nabors.com

Igor Kocis

CEO, GA Drilling

+421 2 2092 0100

igor@gadrilling.com

Investor Contacts:

William C. Conroy

+1 281-775-2423

william.conroy@nabors.com
CELEBRATING THE DELIVERY OF VISTAJET'S 10th,

AND BOMBARDIER'S 100th, GLOBAL 7500 BUSINESS JET IN ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR THE INDUSTRY FLAGSHIP

VistaJet now owns 10% of the world's Global 7500 fleet

A milestone moment: VistaJet now offers a fleet of 10 Global 7500 business jets following Bombardier's 100 th delivery of the aircraft;

delivery of the aircraft; VistaJet continues to expand its fleet globally, and now manages 10% of all the world's Global 7500 aircraft;

Celebration marks the strong relationship between two pillars of business aviation who are providing unparalleled aircraft to a growing client base;

Bombardier's Global 7500 expands VistaJet's ultra-long haul fleet and reinforces its confidence in the outlook for business jet travel in 2022 and beyond.

Montreal, March 30, 2022: VistaJet, the first and only global business aviation company, and leading aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier, celebrated a milestone delivery of the industry flagship Global 7500 aircraft.

The celebration, taking place at Bombardier's Laurent Beaudoin Completion Centre in Montreal on March 29, marks Bombardier's 100th delivery of the ultra-long-range smooth-flying jet, and VistaJet's 10th, making it the largest operator of Global 7500 aircraft in the world. The event underscores the long-time relationship between the two brands and demonstrates the success of this unparalleled business jet. VistaJet plans to welcome up to a total of 17 Global 7500 aircraft into its fleet by the end of 2022.

Thomas Flohr, VistaJet's Founder and Chairman comments: "We are extremely proud of this landmark moment with Bombardier, as we grow our Global 7500 fleet and meet the growing demand for ultra-long-range solutions. VistaJet is committed to a sustainable aviation future and supporting the global business industry with this expansion. Our enhanced product offering onboard the Global 7500 also guarantees that our clients, whether business or leisure travelers, are given the best and most seamless flying experience. We look forward to welcoming more Members and supporting the business world as our growing fleet of Global 7500 aircraft opens a new era for long-haul private travel."

Eric Martel, Bombardier's President and Chief Executive Officer adds: "I am thrilled to celebrate the 100th delivery of the Global 7500 aircraft with our valued customer, VistaJet. VistaJet recognized early on that this aircraft would transform the business jet industry, and the enormous success of Bombardier's Global 7500 in transforming the private aviation industry. I would like to thank our teams in Montreal, Toronto and Wichita for designing, building and testing this amazing feat of technology. It's thanks to their talent and dedication that this aircraft has raised the bar for excellence in this sector."

With an industry-leading range of over 7,700nm, the Bombardier Global 7500 aircraft opens up global access in long haul private travel. VistaJet's unparalleled network gives the Global 7500 business jet the space to operate at its peak and opens an extended world of non-stop possibilities for its Members. With VistaJet, passengers can travel long-haul on the Global 7500 to 187 countries worldwide, unlocking access to 96% of the world and some of the most hard-to-reach areas in a single flight

VistaJet's Global 7500 fleet has already completed a number of incredible non-stop flights, including Sao Paulo to the Maldives (15 hours 43 minutes flight time), Los Angeles to Hong Kong (14 hours 50 minutes), St Maarten to the Seychelles (14 hours 45 minutes), Phuket to Vancouver (13 hours 50 minutes), Liege to Jakarta (13 hours 30 minutes), Honolulu to Helsinki (13 hours 30 minutes) and many from the Middle East - including Abu Dhabi to Washington DC (13 hours 50 minutes), Abu Dhabi to Sydney (13 hours 30 minute flight time) and Abu Dhabi to New York (13 hours 10 minutes).

Bombardier's Global 7500 aircraft is the first business jet with an Environmental Product Declaration, offering complete transparency on its performance. It flies at a higher altitude (up to 51,000ft) than commercial jets, where the air is thinner, thus allowing the aircraft to fly faster while burning less fuel. This aligns with VistaJet's commitment to become the first carbon neutral business aviation company by 2025.

To virtually experience the Global 7500 business jet click here.

-Ends -

Press enquiries

Jennifer Farquhar | VistaJet | press@vistajet.com

Anna Cristofaro | Bombardier | anna.cristofaro@aero.bombardier.com

About VistaJet

VistaJet is the first and only global business aviation company. On its fleet of over 80 silver and red business jets, VistaJet has flown corporations, governments and private clients to 187 countries, covering 96% of the world.

Founded in 2004, the company pioneered an innovative business model where customers have access to an entire fleet whilst paying only for the hours they fly, free of the responsibilities and asset risks linked to aircraft ownership. VistaJet's signature Program membership offers customers a bespoke subscription of flight hours on its fleet of mid and long-range jets, to fly them anytime, anywhere.

VistaJet is part of Vista Global Holding (Vista) - the world's first private aviation ecosystem, integrating a unique portfolio of companies offering asset-light solutions to cover all key aspects of business aviation.

More VistaJet information and news at vistajet.com

About Bombardier

Bombardier is a global leader in aviation, focused on designing, manufacturing and servicing the world's most exceptional business jets. Bombardier's Challenger and Global aircraft families are renowned for their cutting-edge innovation, cabin design, performance and reliability. Bombardier has a worldwide fleet of approximately 5,000 aircraft in service with a wide variety of multinational corporations, charter and fractional ownership providers, governments and private individuals. Bombardier aircraft are also trusted around the world in special-mission roles.

Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Bombardier operates aerostructure, assembly and completion facilities in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The company's robust customer support network includes facilities in strategic locations in the United States and Canada, as well as in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, the UAE, Singapore, China and an Australian facility opening in 2022.

For corporate news and information, including Bombardier's Environmental, Social and Governance report, visit bombardier.com. Learn more about Bombardier's industry-leading products and customer service network at businessaircraft.bombardier.com. Follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.

Bombardier, Global and Global 7500 are registered or unregistered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

VistaJet Limited is a European air carrier that operates 9H registered aircraft under its Maltese Air Operator Certificate No. MT-17 and is incorporated in Malta under Company Number C 55231. VistaJet US Inc. is an Air Charter Broker that does not operate aircraft. VistaJet and its subsidiaries are not U.S. direct carriers. VistaJet-owned and U.S. registered aircraft are operated by properly licensed U.S. air carriers, including XOJET Aviation LLC.

Attachment
China steps up social credit system for financial market

(Global Times) 08:43, March 30, 2022

China released a document on building a high-quality social credit system on Tuesday, in a bid to promote the efficiency of supply-demand connection, optimize the allocation of resources and build a sound business environment.

The document includes regulations to guide the financial market. For instance, China will follow the principle of strict supervision, investigate and prosecute serious cases of fraudulent stocks issuance, false statements, market manipulation, and insider trading.

The role of credit will be given full play in financial risk identification, monitoring, management and disposal.

Meanwhile, China will improve market exit mechanisms and explore a compulsory delisting system. Enterprises that are insolvent may go through bankruptcy reorganization or liquidation according to law.

The compulsory delisting rules shall be strictly implemented to establish a virtuous cycle of "survival of the fittest" for listed companies. China will also consolidate the information disclosure responsibility of relevant subjects and enhance market transparency, read the document.

The strict implementation of delisting rules will accelerate the elimination of low-quality and shell companies, which will improve the environment of the capital market, Wang Peng, an assistant professor at the Gaoling School of Artificial Intelligence at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The document has clarified the credit system in relation to scientific research; intellectual property rights protection; cooperation and connection with international credit systems; promoting finance to serve the real economy through the credit system, and methods of supervision and implementation.

This is a top-level design of China's credit system construction, which defines the scope of the credit system, and stipulates the rights, responsibilities and obligations of relevant subjects, Wang said.

According to the document, China will explore credit concepts and methods to solve difficulties that restrict economic activities.

For example, China will encourage the use of credit tools to unleash consumption potential in medical care, elder care, housekeeping, tourism, shopping and other fields.

"The construction of the social credit system is conducive to the improvement of economic and social operation efficiency, and has a supportive role in economic recovery and development," said Wang.

China's securities regulator has revised the delisting mechanism for listed companies, effective from July 2018.

In January 2021, China's two major bourses - the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange - released revised delisting rules in a zero-tolerance approach for the world's second-largest stock market, after a one-month public opinion solicitation.

As a result, the number of delisted companies from 2019 to 2021, excluding absorption merger delistings, stood at 10, 16 and 20, respectively.

The number of delisted companies in those three years accounted for 31 percent of the total number of delisted companies in the A-share market, according to an analysis of Haitong Securities.

China vows to strengthen international two-way investment and credit construction for international cooperation, which includes the implementation of the Foreign Investment Law, the improvement of the negative list system, and the protection of the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investment.

China will step up international cooperation on intellectual property protection, and maintain and enhance its attractiveness to foreign investment.

Also, China will actively participate in international credit governance. It will implement multilateral and bilateral economic and trade agreements reached with other countries, and advance the revision of laws and regulations in accordance with the requirements of further opening-up and China's needs.

"The construction of the social credit system must be integrated with digitalization and intelligence in the future. Technical security is very important as providing enterprise services, personal services and government services requires big data risk control and credit investigation," said Wang.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
People enter a COVID-19 testing site in Sydney, Australia, March 16, 2022. (Photo by Hu Jingchen/Xinhua)

An expert said the Omicron sub-variant, coupled with a host of other infectious diseases, has the potential to put states' hospital systems under pressure as Australia heads into winter.

SYDNEY, March 19 (Xinhua) -- As Australia adapts to living with the COVID-19 pandemic and opens its borders, the Omicron sub-variant BA.2 has begun to trouble authorities as the most transmissible variant of the pandemic.

Professor Robert Booy, infectious diseases paediatrician from the University of Sydney told Xinhua on Wednesday that early studies show the new sub-variant is "at least 30 to 40 percent more transmissible" than the original Omicron strain.

"It's proving to be the case because it's supplanting in many countries BA.1, the original Omicron variant, which itself was highly transmissible," said Booy.

In recent weeks health authorities in New South Wales (NSW), Australia's most populous state, have flagged the variant as "very concerning" and have expected it to overtake the original Omicron strain as the dominant strain and for daily cases to more than double in the next six weeks.

Since the beginning of March, daily cases in NSW have climbed from under 10,000 to more than 15,000, representing a slow but steady increase.

On Thursday, NSW recorded 20,087 new positive cases.

A woman wearing a face mask waits to cross a street in Sydney, Australia, on Feb. 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)

Health authorities in the state of Victoria have also seen an upward trend in daily infections, with 9,752 new cases recorded on Thursday. They said the new sub-variant BA.2 had been found in half of all wastewater tests in the state, suggesting it's quickly becoming the dominant COVID-19 strain in the state.

While there is now strong evidence that the BA.2 sub-variant is the most transmissible strain yet, the scientific jury remains out on whether it may be more severe.

Among the experts whom Xinhua spoke to, some said there are early reports that BA.2 could be more severe while others said it could be less, but they all agreed that more data collection and research would be needed to find a conclusive answer.

They also suggested that before a better understanding of the whole picture was made, people should continue to stick to some necessary protective measures, especially given that southern hemisphere countries including Australia are entering colder months.

"Although we don't have any indication that the BA.2 is more severe than BA.1, the more people that get it, the more chance we're going to have severe cases," Nancy Baxter, head of the University of Melbourne's School of Population and Global Health, told Xinhua.

A pedestrian wearing a face mask walks on a street in Sydney, Australia, on Feb. 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)

Late last month the NSW government scrapped its mask mandate for most indoor spaces including shops, offices and hospitality venues. The topic of mask mandates has sparked heated debates across the Australian society.

"I know that masks are unpopular amongst our politicians, and I can understand that. It's kind of a constant reminder of the pandemic," said Baxter.

"But masks are effective against any variant. They're not variant specific. So indoors, encouraging mask wearing is very important, and the highest quality mask that's available; so N95, P2 masks are definitely what I'd recommend."

Booy said that as Australia heads into winter, the new variant, coupled with a host of other infectious diseases, has the potential to put states' hospital systems under pressure.

"As winter approaches, there's a real concern that another variant will arise as well," he said.

"(The) uplifting of travel restrictions, winter viruses will spread around the world from the north to the south, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), influenza and other respiratory viruses will spread and become a problem."

Baxter said despite the fact that Australia's winters were mild when compared to countries in the northern hemisphere, behavioural changes in winter could have a major impact.

A flight from Sydney, Australia touches down at Auckland International airport, New Zealand on Feb. 28, 2022. (Photo by Zhao Gang/Xinhua)

"There's a number of things converging to result in us probably having another significant wave of Omicron."

She said that it would be very important to maintain the quality of the air in indoor spaces and continue mask wearing as people spend more time in enclosed spaces.

The experts agreed that the way forward would be continuing to push the community to take booster shots. Australia's booster uptake has lagged with just under 50 percent of its eligible population having received the booster.

In NSW, the worst-hit state in the pandemic, health authorities data showed more than 330,000 people aged over 60, and more than 836,000 people under 30s are yet to receive the booster jab, said report of local newspaper Sydney Morning Herald.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), the country's peak advisory group on immunisation, is currently weighing offering up a fourth shot, or second booster, and has already begun issuing them to severely immunocompromised individuals.

Adrian Esterman, chair of Biostatistics and Epidemiology in the University of South Australia, told Xinhua on Wednesday as case numbers rise, it would be an important extra barrier for those with waning immunity.

"Importantly, it is the elderly and those with underlying health conditions who now have little protection against infection from Omicron after their third dose. These should be a priority for a fourth dose." 
VistaJet now owns 10% of the world's Global 7500 fleet

A milestone moment: VistaJet now offers a fleet of 10 Global 7500 business jets following Bombardier's 100th delivery of the aircraft;



VistaJet continues to expand its fleet globally, and now manages 10% of all the world's Global 7500 aircraft;

Celebration marks the strong relationship between two pillars of business aviation who are providing unparalleled aircraft to a growing client base;

Bombardier's Global 7500 expands VistaJet's ultra-long haul fleet and reinforces its confidence in the outlook for business jet travel in 2022 and beyond.



MONTREAL, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VistaJet, the first and only global business aviation company, and leading aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier, celebrated a milestone delivery of the industry flagship Global 7500 aircraft.

The celebration, taking place at Bombardier's Laurent Beaudoin Completion Centre in Montreal on March 29, marks Bombardier's 100th delivery of the ultra-long-range smooth-flying jet, and VistaJet's 10th, making it the largest operator of Global 7500 aircraft in the world. The event underscores the long-time relationship between the two brands and demonstrates the success of this unparalleled business jet. VistaJet plans to welcome up to a total of 17 Global 7500 aircraft into its fleet by the end of 2022.

Thomas Flohr, VistaJet's Founder and Chairman comments: "We are extremely proud of this landmark moment with Bombardier, as we grow our Global 7500 fleet and meet the growing demand for ultra-long-range solutions. VistaJet is committed to a sustainable aviation future and supporting the global business industry with this expansion. Our enhanced product offering onboard the Global 7500 also guarantees that our clients, whether business or leisure travelers, are given the best and most seamless flying experience. We look forward to welcoming more Members and supporting the business world as our growing fleet of Global 7500 aircraft opens a new era for long-haul private travel."



Eric Martel, Bombardier's President and Chief Executive Officer adds: "I am thrilled to celebrate the 100th delivery of the Global 7500 aircraft with our valued customer, VistaJet. VistaJet recognized early on that this aircraft would transform the business jet industry, and the enormous success of Bombardier's Global 7500 in transforming the private aviation industry. I would like to thank our teams in Montreal, Toronto and Wichita for designing, building and testing this amazing feat of technology. It's thanks to their talent and dedication that this aircraft has raised the bar for excellence in this sector."

With an industry-leading range of over 7,700nm, the Bombardier Global 7500 aircraft opens up global access in long haul private travel. VistaJet's unparalleled network gives the Global 7500 business jet the space to operate at its peak and opens an extended world of non-stop possibilities for its Members. With VistaJet, passengers can travel long-haul on the Global 7500 to 187 countries worldwide, unlocking access to 96% of the world and some of the most hard-to-reach areas in a single flight.

VistaJet's Global 7500 fleet has already completed a number of incredible non-stop flights, including Sao Paulo to the Maldives (15 hours 43 minutes flight time), Los Angeles to Hong Kong (14 hours 50 minutes), St Maarten to the Seychelles (14 hours 45 minutes), Phuket to Vancouver (13 hours 50 minutes), Liege to Jakarta (13 hours 30 minutes), Honolulu to Helsinki (13 hours 30 minutes) and many from the Middle East - including Abu Dhabi to Washington DC (13 hours 50 minutes), Abu Dhabi to Sydney (13 hours 30 minute flight time) and Abu Dhabi to New York (13 hours 10 minutes).

Bombardier's Global 7500 aircraft is the first business jet with an Environmental Product Declaration, offering complete transparency on its performance. It flies at a higher altitude (up to 51,000ft) than commercial jets, where the air is thinner, thus allowing the aircraft to fly faster while burning less fuel. This aligns with VistaJet's commitment to become the first carbon neutral business aviation company by 2025.

To virtually experience the Global 7500 business jet, click here .

Press enquiries

Jennifer Farquhar | VistaJet | press@vistajet.com

Anna Cristofaro | Bombardier | anna.cristofaro@aero.bombardier.com

About VistaJet

VistaJet is the first and only global business aviation company. On its fleet of over 80 silver and red business jets, VistaJet has flown corporations, governments and private clients to 187 countries, covering 96% of the world.

Founded in 2004, the company pioneered an innovative business model where customers have access to an entire fleet whilst paying only for the hours they fly, free of the responsibilities and asset risks linked to aircraft ownership. VistaJet's signature Program membership offers customers a bespoke subscription of flight hours on its fleet of mid and long-range jets, to fly them anytime, anywhere.



VistaJet is part of Vista Global Holding (Vista) - the world's first private aviation ecosystem, integrating a unique portfolio of companies offering asset-light solutions to cover all key aspects of business aviation.

More VistaJet information and news at vistajet.com

About Bombardier

Bombardier is a global leader in aviation, focused on designing, manufacturing and servicing the world's most exceptional business jets. Bombardier's Challenger and Global aircraft families are renowned for their cutting-edge innovation, cabin design, performance and reliability. Bombardier has a worldwide fleet of approximately 5,000 aircraft in service with a wide variety of multinational corporations, charter and fractional ownership providers, governments and private individuals. Bombardier aircraft are also trusted around the world in special-mission roles.



Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Bombardier operates aerostructure, assembly and completion facilities in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The company's robust customer support network includes facilities in strategic locations in the United States and Canada, as well as in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, the UAE, Singapore, China and an Australian facility opening in 2022.

For corporate news and information, including Bombardier's Environmental, Social and Governance report, visit bombardier.com . Learn more about Bombardier's industry-leading products and customer service network at businessaircraft.bombardier.com . Follow us on Twitter @Bombardier .



Bombardier, Global and Global 7500 are registered or unregistered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

VistaJet Limited is a European air carrier that operates 9H registered aircraft under its Maltese Air Operator Certificate No. MT-17 and is incorporated in Malta under Company Number C 55231. VistaJet US Inc. is an Air Charter Broker that does not operate aircraft. VistaJet and its subsidiaries are not U.S. direct carriers. VistaJet-owned and U.S. registered aircraft are operated by properly licensed U.S. air carriers, including XOJET Aviation LLC.
PN-21-001 - 12.4 Metres 0.82% Ni, 0.36% Cu, 0.09% Co, 0.69gPd, 0.14g Pt

PN-21-004 - 3.6 Metres 1.05% Ni, 0.35% Cu, 0.07% Co, 1.08gPd, 0.28g Pt

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 30, 2022 / Power Nickel Inc. (the "Company" or "Power Nickel") (TSX-V:PNPN)(OTCQB:CMETF)(Frankfurt:IVVI) and Critical Elements Lithium Corporation ("Critical Elements") (TSX-V: CRE) (USOTCQX: CRECF) (FSE :F12) are pleased to announce results from the third and final set of drill holes from its recent drill program at its "NISK" Nickel Sulphate project near James Bay. These drill results confirm the presence of high-grade Nickel Mineralization in the eastern and central deep portions of the Nisk Main mineralized lens. In addition to the historic and previously released assays, these new results (PN-21-001 and PN-21-004) continue to demonstrate a good grade and thickness continuity. (Current holes are in Bold in Table below)

*UTM NAD83, Zone 18N

**True widths are estimated to be 70 to 90% of core length

The illustration below details the current location of drill holes covered in this release, as well as the previous releases dated March 1 and March 14, 2022.

"These results are another positive indication that Nisk is a very exciting Nickel Sulphate discovery. Our objectives in this initial drill program conducted by Power Nickel were to produce enough drilling to allow us to establish a new NI 43-101 compliant resource to confirm and replace the historical resource, and to extend the known Nickel mineralization. We believe we have established the latter and expect to be able to deliver a NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate in Q2. Further, these results have made us confident enough to commence execution of an additional fully funded 5,000-meter drill program which we would expect to start later in Q2 after breakup.", commented Power Nickel's CEO Terry Lynch.

The existing resource estimates at the Nisk project are of historic nature and the Company's geology team has not completed sufficient work to confirm a NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource. Therefore, caution is appropriate since these historic estimates cannot, and should not be relied on. For merely informational purposes see Table 1.

Table -1: Historical Resource Estimate figures for respective confidence categories at the NISK-1 deposit, After RSW Inc 2009: Resource Estimate for the NISK-1 Deposit, Lac Levac Property, Nemiscau, Quebec.

The information regarding the NISK-1 deposit was derived from the technical report titled "Resource Estimate for the NISK-1 Deposit, Lac Levac Property, Nemiscau, Quebec" dated December 2009. The key assumptions, parameters and methods used to prepare the mineral resource estimates described above are set out in the technical report.

The 3D geological model developed by 3DGeo Solution Inc. ("3DGS") identified a prospective set of targets that the Company feels will give the best potential to expand the Nisk historical deposit. The image below is a view of the mineralization projected from the surface of the area we refer to as Nisk Main.

"Nisk has four distinct target areas covering over 7 Kilometres of strike length. Our focus this round was on the Nisk Main target. Historically, we know globally these types of deposits typically have multiple pods. We are encouraged by what we see on Nisk Main and feel we can continue to build commercial tonnage there but we are also looking forward to exploring Nisk West and the two wildcat targets in subsequent drilling in Q2", commented Power Nickel's CEO Terry Lynch.

ABOUT NISK

Nisk is located south of James Bay as illustrated in the area map below. This region is the site of a number of mining projects and improving infrastructure.

Nisk has historically had some very high-grade Nickel intercepts as shown below. The Grade-Thickness iso-contours are representative of the nickel distribution only.

Analysis and QAQC Procedures

All samples were submitted to and analyzed at ALS Global ("ALS"), an independent commercial laboratory located in Val-d'Or, Quebec for both the sample preparation and assaying. ALS is a commercial laboratory independent of Power Nickel with no interest in the Project. ALS is an ISO 9001 and 17025 certified and accredited laboratory. Samples submitted through ALS are run through standard preparation methods and analyzed using ME-ICP61a (33 element Suite; 0.4g sample; Intermediate Level Four Acid Digestion) and PGM-ICP27 (Pt, Pd, and Au; 30g fire assay and ICP-AES Finish) methods. ALS also undertake its own internal coarse and pulp duplicate analysis to ensure proper sample preparation and equipment calibration.

Power Nickel's QA/QC program includes the regular insertion of CRM standards, duplicates, and blanks into the sample stream with a stringent review of all results. Historic holes were assayed by various accredited laboratories.

About Power Nickel Inc.

Power Nickel is a Canadian junior exploration company focusing on high-potential copper, gold, and battery metal prospects in Canada and Chile.

On February 1, 2021, Power Nickel (then called Chilean Metals) completed the acquisition of its option to acquire up to 80% of the Nisk project from Critical Elements Lithium Corp. (CRE:TSXV)

The NISK property comprises a large land position (20 kilometers of strike length) with numerous high-grade intercepts. Power Nickel, formerly Chilean Metals is focused on confirming and expanding its current high-grade nickel-copper PGE mineralization historical resource by preparing a new Mineral Resource Estimate in accordance with NI 43-101, identifying additional high-grade mineralization, and developing a process to potentially produce nickel sulphates responsibly for batteries to be used in the electric vehicles industry.

Power Nickel (then called Chilean Metals) announced on June 8th, 2021 that an agreement has been made to complete the 100% acquisition of its Golden Ivan project in the heart of the Golden Triangle. The Golden Triangle has reported mineral resources (past production and current resources) in total of 67 million ounces of gold, 569 million ounces of silver and 27 billion pounds of copper. This property hosts two known mineral showings (gold ore and magee), and a portion of the past-producing Silverado mine, which was reportedly exploited between 1921 and 1939. These mineral showings are described to be Polymetallic veins that contain quantities of silver, lead, zinc, plus/minus gold, and plus/minus copper.

Power Nickel is 100-per-cent owner of five properties comprising over 50,000 acres strategically located in the prolific iron-oxide-copper-gold belt of northern Chile. It also owns a 3-per-cent NSR royalty interest on any future production from the Copaquire copper-molybdenum deposit, recently sold to a subsidiary of Teck resources Inc. Under the terms of the sale agreement, Teck has the right to acquire one-third of the 3-per-cent NSR for $3-million at any time. The Copaquire property borders Teck's producing Quebrada Blanca copper mine in Chile's first region.

About Critical Elements Lithium Corporation

Critical Elements aspires to become a large, responsible supplier of lithium to the flourishing electric vehicle and energy storage system industries. To this end, Critical Elements is advancing the wholly-owned, high-purity Rose lithium project in Quebec. Rose is the Corporation's first lithium project to be advanced within a land portfolio of over 700 square kilometers. In 2017, Critical Elements completed a feasibility study on Rose for the production of spodumene concentrate. The internal rate of return for the project is estimated at 34.9% after-tax, with a net present value estimated at C$726 million at an 8% discount rate. In Critical Elements' view, Quebec is strategically well-positioned for US and EU markets and boasts good infrastructure including a low-cost, low-carbon power grid featuring 93% hydroelectricity. The project has received approval from the Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change on the recommendation of the Joint Assessment Committee, comprised of representatives from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the Cree Nation Government; Critical Elements is working to obtain similar approval under the Quebec environmental assessment process. Critical Elements also has a good, formalized relationship with the Cree Nation.

For further information on Power Nickel Inc., please contact:

Mr. Terry Lynch, CEO

647-448-8044

terry@powernickel.com

For further information, readers are encouraged to contact:

Power Nickel Inc.

The Canadian Venture Building

82 Richmond St East, Suite 202

Toronto, ON

For further information on Critical Elements, please contact:

Patrick Laperriere

Director of Investor Relations and Corporate Development

514-817-1119

plaperriere@cecorp.ca

www.cecorp.ca

or

Jean-Sebastien Lavallee, P. Geo.

Chief Executive Officer

819-354-5146

jslavallee@cecorp.ca

www.cecorp.ca

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Terry Lynch & CEO terry@powernickel.com

Qualified Person

Kenneth Williamson, Geo (OGQ #1490), M.Sc., Senior Consulting Geologist, and Matthew DeGasperis, Geo (OGQ #2261), B.Sc., Consulting Geologist, from 3DGeo Solution Inc. are the independent qualified persons pursuant to the requirements of NI 43-101, and have reviewed and approved the technical content of this press release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statement

This news release may contain certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that PNPN expects to occur, including details related to the proposed spin-out transactions, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this document include statements regarding current and future exploration programs, activities, and results. Although PNPN believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration success, continued availability of capital and financing, inability to obtain required regulatory or governmental approvals, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Power Nickel Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/695199/Power-Nickel-Continues-Extension-of-Mineralization-at-Nisk-and-Readies-for-New-Fully-Funded-5000-Metre-Drill-Program-in-Q2
Independence from fossil fuels is key for climate protection and is of relevance for security policy in light of Russia's war in Ukraine. Europe must make enormous strides towards renewable energies in order to achieve climate targets and ensure security of supply. At The smarter E Europe Europe's largest platform for the energy industry 1,450 exhibitors will present innovative products and solutions to 50,000 trade visitors over an exhibition area of 132,000 m2 from May 11 to 13 in Munich.

Rising electricity and gas prices and dependence on Russian gas are giving the energy transition a tailwind. The transition is urgently needed, and possible: photovoltaics (PV) have been successful for two decades, the energy storage industry has been gaining traction for ten years, and electromobility and charging infrastructure are booming. The solutions for an independent energy supply are ready now it is time to deploy them sustainably. Renewable energy, decentralization, digitalization, sector coupling, smart and networked energy systems as well as smart charging systems and e-mobility are the focus of The smarter E Europe 2022. Another key topic is green hydrogen. At the exhibition, the "Green Hydrogen Forum Expo" will provide important impetus for bringing hydrogen, fuel cells, electrolysis and power-to-gas technology to the markets at an accelerated pace.

Focus on energy and mobility transition

The smarter E Europe includes four energy exhibitions: Intersolar Europe, ees Europe, Power2Drive Europe and EM-Power Europe. At Intersolar Europe, companies will present cell concepts and modules as well as inverters and solutions for building-integrated PV, agri-PV (simultaneous land use for agriculture and electricity production using PV systems) and floating PV systems. However, solar power alone does not make an energy transition; rather, what is needed is integrated solutions for a full supply of renewable energy 24/7 and across all seasons. The focus of ees Europe 2022 will therefore be on storage technologies, and in particular battery storage and green hydrogen.

Renewable energy and interconnected energy systems are closely linked to the goal of climate neutrality and the need to reassess security of supply. EM-Power Europe will therefore present smart grid solutions, smart buildings and neighborhoods, and digital business models for municipal utilities and energy providers. Power2Drive Europe will demonstrate the interconnectedness of new energies and mobility and explore everything related to the mobility of the future. This includes in particular intelligent charging solutions, vehicle-to-grid technologies, solar charging infrastructure and e-vehicles.

On May 10 the day before the exhibition opens visitors to the accompanying specialist conferences will discover all facets of the new energy world. In the evening, the industry innovation drivers will be honored with the Intersolar AWARD, the ees AWARD and The smarter E AWARD. Exhibition forums and workshops will bring visitors together with key industry representatives.

The smarter E Europe, which encompasses the four individual exhibitions will take place from May 11-13, 2022, at Messe Munchen.

www.TheSmarterE.de

The original source-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the source-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220329005519/en/

Contacts:

Contact:

Solar Promotion GmbH PO Box 100 170 75101 Pforzheim

Horst Dufner Tel.: +49 7231 58598-0 Fax: +49 7231 58598-28

dufner@solarpromotion.de

Press contact:

fischerAppelt, relations Otl-Aicher-Str. 64 80807 Munich

Felizia Rein| Tel. +49 89 74 74 66 40

felizia.rein@fischerappelt.de
SENS ANNOUNCEMENT

(the "Notice" or "Announcement")

ISSUER

ZCCM INVESTMENTS HOLDINGS PLC ("ZCCM-IH")

[Incorporated in the Republic of Zambia]

Company registration number: 119540000771

Share Code: ZCCM-IH

ISIN: ZM0000000037

Authorised by: Chabby Chabala - Company Secretary

SPONSOR

Stockbrokers Zambia Limited

[Founder Member of the Lusaka Securities Exchange]

[Regulated and licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zambia]

Contact Number: +260-211-232456

Website: www.sbz.com.zm

APPROVAL

The captioned Notice or Announcement has been approved by:

the Lusaka Securities Exchange ("LuSE") the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") Stockbrokers Zambia Limited ("SBZ")

RISK WARNING

The Notice or Announcement contained herein contains information that may be of a price sensitive nature.

Investors are advised to seek the advice of their investment advisor, stockbroker, or any professional duly licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zambia to provide securities advice.

ISSUED: 30 March 2022

ZCCM INVESTMENTS HOLDINGS PLC

[Incorporated in the Republic of Zambia]

Company registration number: 771

Share Code: ZCCM-IH

ISIN: ZM0000000037

["ZCCM-IH" or "the Company"]

FURTHER CAUTIONARY ANNOUNCEMENT

Shareholders of ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc ("ZCCM-IH") are referred to the announcement dated 23 May 2019 concerning ZCCM-IH filing a petition in the High Court of Zambia for the winding up of Konkola Copper Mines PLC ("KCM") on 21 May 2019 (the "Petition") and the appointment by the Court of Mr. Milingo Lungu as provisional liquidator of KCM (the "Provisional Liquidator") and to the announcement dated 23 June 2021 regarding ZCCM-IH's application for leave to appeal against the decision of the Court of appeal which stayed the liquidation proceedings and referred the parties to Arbitration.

Shareholders are also referred to the announcement regarding the fact that ZCCM-IH had appealed against the said decision of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court on 7 September 2021. ZCCM-IH wishes to inform the market that the Supreme Court in a Ruling dated 22 March 2022 declined to hear the appeal. The decision was based on the fact that the matters that ZCCM-IH sought to have the Supreme Court hear and determine had already been dealt with in the Partial Final Award delivered on 7 July 2021 in Arbitration. By the Ruling of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal's decision staying the liquidation proceedings and referring the parties to Arbitration remains unvacated.

Shareholders are also informed that on 17 March 2022, Mr. Milingo Lungu, resigned as Provisional Liquidator. By operation of law, the Official Receiver, Mrs. Natasha Kalimukwa, has assumed the role of Provisional Liquidator.

ZCCM-IH will provide details on this matter in due course.

In the meantime, Shareholders of ZCCM-IH are advised to exercise caution when dealing in securities of the Company until further information is published.

By Order of the Board

Chabby Chabala

Company Secretary

Issued in Lusaka, Zambia on 30 March 2022

Lusaka Securities Exchange Sponsoring Broker T | +260-211-232456



E | advisory@sbz.com.zm



W | www.sbz.com.zm



Stockbrokers Zambia Limited (SBZ) is a member of the Lusaka Securities

Exchange and is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zambia

First Issued on 23 May 2019

------------------------

This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ".

- SECURITY MASTER Key:

lJhuaJZnk2bJl3ByZ8qammhra2qWlGmYaGjLlpabaJ3GnZyWlZtna52cZnBknGlp

- Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com.

------------------------



 Copyright Actusnews Wire

Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free

Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-73743-zccm-ih-further-cautionary-announcement-kcm-sens-29032022.pdf
Purchase sees MGID strengthen native advertising offering in the market

MGID, the global advertising platform, today announces it has acquired a majority stake in Metup Native S.r.l., a leading native advertising network in Italy previously owned by MetUp. This deal marks the latest step in MGID's global expansion plans.

MGID entered the Italian market by partnering with Metup in 2019. Leveraging the technology, data, and expertise of Metup has enabled MGID to enhance its native offering for advertisers and publishers in Italy. So far, the collaboration has enabled MGID to grow reach in the region to over half (55%) of Italy's digital audience, through partnerships with premium publishers such as liberoquotidiano.it, ilfattoquotidiano.it, ilfoglio.it, iltempo.it, and gds.it.

MGID's CEO, Sergii Denysenko, commented: "This is our first acquisition, but definitely not our last. We are in constant search of the leading adtech companies that can complement our product offering in local markets. Our purchase of Metup Native was an easy decision to make as not only does the company share the same values as MGID, but their market knowledge and presence is hugely impressive. We are looking forward to continuing our work in the Italian market and further developing our client partnerships."

Shahram Bahadori, CEO of Metup Native S.r.l., said: "Joining MGID is a big milestone for Metup. We look forward to enhancing MGID's current standing in Italy through our expert team, market knowledge and differentiated product offering, to deliver an unrivaled service for our publisher and advertiser partners."

About MGID

MGID is a global advertising platform helping brands reach unique local audiences at scale. It uses privacy-first, AI-based technology to serve high-quality, relevant ads in brand-safe environments. The company offers a variety of ad formats, including native, display and video to deliver a positive user experience. This enables advertisers to drive performance and awareness, and publishers to retain and monetize their audiences.

Every month, MGID reaches 900 million unique readers, with 200 billion ad impressions, across 25 thousand trusted publishers. For more information, please visit: www.mgid.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220329005942/en/

Contacts:

Josh Puttock

josh.puttock@teamgingermay.com
New funding takes Builder.ai's total raise to $195M, accelerating growth and enhancements of its human-assisted AI app development platform that empowers every business and entrepreneur

LONDON, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Builder.ai today announced an investment of $100 million in a Series C funding round led by Insight Partners, a New York-based global venture capital and private equity firm. The round, which brings the company's total funding to $195 million across three total rounds, includes participation from existing investors in combination with new individual and institutional names that include the IFC & Jeffrey Katzenberg's WndrCo.

Established in 2016, Builder.ai is a leading AI-powered low-code/no-code app development platform that builds software and apps up to 6x faster and up to 70% cheaper than traditional human teams, without users needing to speak tech. Builder.ai has increased its revenue by over 300% and deployed more than 40,000 features to happy customers within the last year. The recent raise will support Builder.ai's continued focus on helping organisations and entrepreneurs unlock their creativity and potential with digital transformation. Builder.ai will invest the capital in AI and automation capabilities, rapidly develop its proprietary low-code/no-code platform, scale product development on core systems, including its conversational AI, named "Natasha", for improved self-service, and expand global operations. For its next chapter, Builder.ai will stay focused on pushing the boundaries - both technically and in go-to-market; whether its knowledge graph-powered code synthesis or expanding to cities across the continental United States and United Kingdom.

Of the new round, Sachin Dev Duggal, Chief Wizard & Co-Founder of Builder.ai, said, "We believe that everyone, every business should be empowered to unlock their human potential, whether it's creating new ideas or digitally transforming their business, and because of this, our choice of investor for this round was very deliberate; we wanted someone who had deep insight and immense courage to let us think and do differently. This led us to the only natural choice - Jeff Horing and Insight Partners. This is so much more than just capital - it's a round for our customers, all the tinkerers, the people that never accepted "no" for an answer, the small businesses that said "we shall prevail" and the entrepreneurs who never blinked for a second."

Key company milestones over the past 12 months include:

Headcount increased from 265 in March 2021 to 450 by March 2022

to 450 by Revenue from Builder Studio has grown by 18x since April 2020

Deepening partnerships by introducing new marketplace partners to customers to add logistics and payments to their apps

"Builder.ai has spearheaded a new category in the low-code/no-code industry with an innovative business model and clarity of vision, fueling its 300% growth in the last year," said Jeff Horing, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Insight Partners. "I've been speaking with Sachin from the early days of Builder.ai and have witnessed how he and the team have built something very special. By truly democratizing access to complex software, Builder.ai is set to disrupt the core of how applications are built."

Builder.ai further welcomes key business leaders, such as WndrCo. and Nikesh Arora, as investors and mentors to help make Builder.ai into a generational business. Builder.ai's investor base provides access to network, capital and acute wisdom as it expands and continues to disrupt the disruptors of low code/no-code.



"Builder.ai gives businesses large and small the superpower of building custom apps quickly and easily. WndrCo is excited to invest again and to partner with Sachin and team on accelerating growth in the US and beyond." ChenLi Wang, Partner, WndrC.

"Builder.ai is one of those rare companies that has entered a brand new category; with technology that has a disruptive impact to the world around us; especially as companies continue the move to being digital first. In Builders' team and Sachin we see what great tech founders are about: a vision to build incredible technology achievements, steadfast humility & best of all 10x revenue growth since we invested!" said Klaus Hommels, Founder and Chairman, Lakestar.



Guggenheim Securities, LLC. acted as exclusive financial advisor and Goodwin Procter LLP acted as legal advisor to Builder.ai. Wilkie Farr Gallagher LLP acted as legal advisor to Insight Partners.



About Builder.ai:

Builder.ai is an AI-powered low-code/no-code app development platform that allows customers to order apps for every business and entrepreneur. The AI-powered assembly line fuses together Lego- like reusable features, using Building Blocks automation to reduce human effort, leveraging a verified network of experts to vastly extend development capabilities, and producing apps at almost zero failure rate that are multitudes cheaper and faster than traditional software development.

Led by serial entrepreneur Sachin Dev Duggal, Builder.ai is reshaping how software is built and operated with a suite of products and services, including BUILDER STUDIO, BUILDER CLOUD, BUILDER CARE, BUILDER NOW, BUILDER HIVE, STUDIO STORE and STUDIO RAPID. In 2021, Builder.ai was awarded 'Hottest AI Startup' at the Europas for Europe's successful tech start-ups and made the 'Inc 5,000 list of Fastest Growing Companies in America' and awarded Visionary' in the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Multi-experience Development Platforms. Builder.ai is headquartered in London, supported by employees and hubs in Delhi NCR, Singapore, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and Dubai. For more information, visit www.builder.ai .

BUILDER.AI and BUILDER are trademarks of Engineer.ai Corp. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners.

About Insight Partners:

Insight Partners is a global software investor partnering with high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. As of February 24, 2022, the closing of the firm's recent fundraise, Fund XII, brings Insight Partners' regulatory assets under management to over $90B. Insight Partners has invested in more than 600 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO. Headquartered in New York City, Insight has offices in London, Tel Aviv, and Palo Alto. Insight's mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with practical, hands-on software expertise to foster long-term success. Insight Partners meets great software leaders where they are in their growth journey, from their first investment to IPO. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit insightpartners.com or follow us on Twitter @insightpartners.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1439888/Builder_ai_Logo.jpg
Turin,30thMarch2022. IVECO, a brand of Iveco Group N.V. (MI: IVG) and a pioneer in the commercialisation and manufacturing of vehicles powered by alternative fuels, announced today that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Enel X, the Enel Group company dedicated to developing and selling innovative energy services and solutions for the electrification of consumptions and mobility.

Under the terms of the non-binding MoU, IVECO and Enel X plan to explore a possible collaboration that will unlock the potential of e-mobility for commercial vehicles in Europe, with a focus on light commercial vehicles, heavy-duty vehicles and buses. The two companies will assess how IVECO electric trucks can support the transition of Enel's fleet to zero emission vehicles, while examining new joint opportunities in other transport segments.

The collaboration also aims to develop a joint offer addressing the e-mobility of commercial fleets, including but not limited to recharging infrastructure for light and heavy commercial vehicles. IVECO and Enel X will leverage on their impressive Research & Development and technical expertise to evaluate the interoperability of the Enel X charging infrastructure with IVECO e-vehicles, and the potential joint development of advanced services (e.g., smart charging and V2G, Vehicle-to-Grid).

"We have embarked on a path towards zero CO 2 emissions, where electrification is a fundamental enabler for achieving the objectives of the entire commercial vehicle sector," commented Luca Sra, President Truck Business Unit, Iveco Group. "We are fully committed to this path, and the MoU that we are signing today with Enel X marks the beginning of a strategic collaboration for IVECO with one of the most advanced players in the energy sector. We are confident that this will create opportunities to further accelerate the energy transition we are driving."

"Enel X aims to support the decarbonization of Cities through innovative and sustainable solutions based on two pillars: electrification and digitalization. We have played an active role for more than a decade, in particular in public transport electrification, offering value added services for more than 3,000 electric buses," commented Valerio Vadacchino, Global Head of e-Bus in Enel X. "Partnerships like this one with Iveco Group - a global leading clean vehicles' producer - are key for us to accelerate energy transition of transport sector that still provides a large contribution of emissions in urban areas."

Iveco Group N.V.

Media Contacts:

Francesco Polsinelli, Tel: +39 335 1776091

Fabio Lepore, Tel: +39 335 7469007

E-mail: mediarelations@ivecogroup.com

Enel X Global Retail is Enel Group's global business line offering services that accelerate innovation and drive the energy transition. A global leader in the advanced energy solution sector, Enel X Global Retail manages services such as demand response for 7.7 GW of total capacity at global level and 195 MW of storage capacity installed worldwide, as well as around 245,000 electric vehicle charging points made available around the globe2. Through its advanced solutions, including energy management, financial services and electric mobility, Enel X Global Retail provides each partner with an intuitive, personalized ecosystem of tech platforms and consulting services, focusing on sustainability and circular economy principles in order to provide people, communities, institutions and companies with an alternative model that respects the environment and integrates technological innovation into daily life. Each solution has the power to turn decarbonization, electrification and digitalization goals into sustainable actions for everyone, in order to build a more sustainable and efficient world together.

Media Contats:

Tel: +39 06 8305 5699

E-mail: ufficiostampa@ene.com - gnm@enel.com

enelx.com

Attachment
Oslo, 30 March 2022: Ultimovacs ASA ("Ultimovacs") (OSE ULTI), a clinical stage leader in immune stimulatory vaccines for cancer, will host Investor Days 2022: Meet the Team events in several cities. The events are open to investors, business and collaboration partners, and friends and supporters of the company.



The Investor Days 2022 are starting in Oslo on April 20, 2022 from 16:00 to 18:00.

The events will feature presentations by management after which there will be an opportunity for dialogue with members of the Ultimovacs team. Light refreshments will be served. Registration deadline for the Investor Day in Oslo is April 15, 2022.

Similar events are planned to follow in Bergen, Gothenburg, Stavanger, Stockholm and Trondheim, based on interest.

For registration of interest and further details of the Investor Days 2022: Meet the Team, please go to www.ultimovacs.com or register here:

https://ultimovacs.typeform.com/meet-the-team22

About Ultimovacs

Ultimovacs is developing immune-stimulatory vaccines to treat a broad range of cancers. Ultimovacs' lead universal cancer vaccine candidate UV1 targets human telomerase (hTERT), present in 85-90% of cancers in all stages of tumor growth. By directing the immune system to hTERT antigens, UV1 drives CD4 helper T cells to the tumor to activate an immune system cascade and increase anti-tumor responses. With a broad Phase II program, Ultimovacs aims to clinically demonstrate UV1's impact in multiple cancer types in combination with other immunotherapies. Ultimovacs' second technology approach, based on the proprietary Tetanus-Epitope-Targeting (TET) platform, combines tumor-specific peptides and adjuvant in the same molecule and entered Phase I studies in 2021.

For further information, please see www.ultimovacs.com or contact:

Carlos de Sousa, CEO

Email: carlos.desousa@ultimovacs.com

Phone: +47 908 92507
TOKYO, Mar 30, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - Mazda Motor Corporation's production and sales results for February 2022 are summarized below.I. Production1. Domestic ProductionMazda's domestic production volume in February 2022 decreased 16.7% year on year due to decreased production of passenger vehicles.[Domestic production of key models in February 2022]CX-5: 30,074 units (up 12.3% year on year)MAZDA3: 8,139 units (down 14.0%)CX-9: 5,791 units (up 4.4%)2. Overseas ProductionMazda's overseas production volume in February 2022 increased 11.7% year on year due to increased production of passenger vehicles.[Overseas production of key models in February 2022]CX-30: 11,142 units (up 12.8% year on year)MAZDA3: 6,000 units (up 50.1%)MAZDA2: 4,770 units (down 2.6%)II. Domestic SalesMazda's domestic sales volume in February 2022 increased 2.5% year on year due to increased sales of passenger vehicles.Mazda's registered vehicle market share was 7.6% (up 2.0 points year on year), with a 1.6% share of the micro-mini segment (down 0.4 points) and a 5.2% total market share (up 1.0 points).[Domestic sales of key models in February 2022]CX-5: 3,593 units (up 38.8% year on year)MAZDA2: 3,060 units (up 14.3%)CX-8: 2,885 units (up 12.7%)III. ExportsMazda's export volume in February 2022 decreased 6.9% year on year due to decreased shipment to Europe, Oceania and other regions.[Exports of key models in February 2022]CX-5: 31,631 units (up 19.4% year on year)MAZDA3: 8,320 units (up 6.1%)CX-9: 6,023 units (up 2.7%)IV. Global SalesMazda's global sales volume in February 2022 decreased 4.2% year on year due to decreased sales mainly in China and other regions.[Global sales of key models in February 2022]CX-5: 31,552 units (up 5.8% year on year)CX-30: 15,971 units (down 7.7%)MAZDA3: 15,834 units (down 5.1%)Source: MazdaCopyright 2022 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.




Original-Research: wallstreet:online AG - von GBC AG



Einstufung von GBC AG zu wallstreet:online AG



Unternehmen: wallstreet:online AG

ISIN: DE000A2GS609



Anlass der Studie: Research Note

Empfehlung: BUY

Kursziel: 38.60 EUR

Letzte Ratinganderung:

Analyst: Marcel Goldmann, Cosmin Filker



FY 2021 closed with jump in revenues and significant expansion of fintech business; planned optimisation of brokerage business model with the help of own smartbroker cloud platform should significantly increase growth rate and earnings power; forecast and price target raised; rating Buy

Business development in the past financial year 2021



On 07/03/2022, wallstreet:online AG (wallstreet:online) announced its preliminary business figures for the 2021 financial year. According to these, the group continued its dynamic growth course in the past financial year and recorded another record year. Compared to the previous year, revenues jumped by 82.0% to EUR 51.4 million (previous year: EUR 28.2 million).



At the earnings level, EBITDA adjusted for customer acquisition costs of EUR 13.1 million for Smartbroker increased by 45.0% to EUR 17.5 million (previous year: EUR 12.0 million). Due to considerable investments in the development and expansion of the brokerage business (Smartbroker brand), which, in addition to development costs incurred, primarily affected the marketing and personnel areas, the EBITDA after customer acquisition costs fell significantly to EUR 3.9 million (previous year: EUR 7.5 million) compared to the previous year.



The company thus met both its turnover and earnings guidance. Our turnover forecast (EUR 49.10 million) was slightly exceeded and our earnings estimate (EBITDA: EUR 5.70 million) was not reached due to higher costs for the expansion and development of the brokerage business.

The dynamic increase in group turnover resulted primarily from the significantly higher business volume in the transaction business area. In this business field, segment revenues were massively increased to EUR 15.93 million compared to the previous year (previous year: segment revenue GBCe: EUR 1.20 million). This jump in turnover reflects the successful investments in the expansion of the smart broker client base.

The company was able to more than double the number of securities accounts opened and the assets under management in the brokerage business segment in the past financial year. According to the company, a total of around 246,000 securities accounts were managed as at 31 December 2021, of which around 200,000 were attributable to the smart broker. The neobroker of the wallstreet:online group thus grew by 120,000 securities accounts compared to the previous year, which corresponds to an increase of 140.0%.

Parallel to this, the assets under custody grew significantly by 105% to EUR 8.8 billion (previous year: EUR 4.3 billion). This results in an average custody account volume of approximately EUR 36,000, whereby this figure is significantly higher than the values of well-known competitors. Accordingly, the company has a particularly valuable client base compared to its competitors. In terms of client assets under management, the wallstreet:online group has, thus, according to its own statements, risen to become the largest neobroker operator in Germany within a very short time.



In addition, segment revenues in their traditional business (media/portal business) also increased significantly by 32.0% to EUR 35.47 million (previous year: EUR 26.87 million) compared to the previous year. In our opinion, increased user numbers and advertising revenues contributed to this positive development. Page impressions in the portal business as of 31 December 2021 rose significantly by 16.0% to 3.90 billion (31 December 2020: 3.40 billion) compared to the previous year's reporting date.

Outlook of the wallstreet:online group for the financial year 2022

In view of the dynamic course of business and the record financial year achieved, the company's management expects the growth course to continue in the current financial year 2022. For the current financial year 2022, the company expects sales revenues in a range of EUR 62.0 million to EUR 67.0 million and thus a sales increase of around 25.0%. At the earnings level, an adjusted EBITDA (operational EBITDA) after customer acquisition costs in a range of EUR 10.0 million to EUR 12.0 million should be achieved.

With regard to customer acquisition, the company expects marketing costs of EUR 6.0 million for the current financial period and thus an adjusted EBITDA before customer acquisition costs of EUR 16.0 million to EUR 18.0 million. The significant decrease in customer acquisition costs compared to the previous year is the result of a strategic decision to concentrate all efforts on the planned introduction and implementation (probably in the second half of 2022) of the company's own 'Smartbroker Cloud Platform'. Following the market launch of the new 'Smartbroker 2.0', however, the acquisition of new customers is to be stepped up significantly again, with the company expecting 55,000 new custody account customers in the current financial year. In January and February of this year, more than 13,000 new securities accounts were already opened, which already corresponds to 24.0% of the annual plan.



With the introduction of its own Smartbroker Cloud platform, the company expects a significant improvement in its existing brokerage business model and anticipates positive effects both in terms of revenue and earnings. For example, wallstreet:online assumes that new target groups can be addressed through the implementation of its own IT infrastructure and that customer acquisition costs can be reduced in parallel. In addition, the new IT platform should cover all digital channels and thus significantly increase the number of transactions per custody account and at the same time reduce the costs per transaction execution on the part of the company. The overall increase in the degree of internationalisation should lead to additional cash flows and economies of scale in costs.



GBC assessment and evaluation



Based on the company's positive outlook and the currently very convincing corporate performance, we are raising our previous revenue estimates for the financial years 2022 and 2023. We now expect revenues of EUR 62.33 million for the current financial year (previously: EUR 61.35 million) and revenues of EUR 84.02 million in the following year 2023 (previously: EUR 72.55 million). In the following financial year 2024, sales revenues should increase further to EUR 98.57 million.



In view of the fact that we expect higher expansion and development costs for the brokerage business (Smartbroker) in the future than was previously the case, we have adjusted our previous earnings forecasts for the financial years 2022 and 2023 downwards. For the 2022 and 2023 financial periods, we now expect EBITDA of EUR 10.04 million (previously: EUR 20.02 million) and EUR 14.05 million (previously: EUR 28.15 million), respectively. In the following financial year 2024, we expect EBITDA to increase to EUR 28.73 million.



Overall, we believe that the wallstreet:online group is well positioned in both business segments (Media, Brokerage) to continue to grow very dynamically in the future and to further increase profitability. The planned introduction of our own brokerage platform (Smartbroker 2.0) should significantly improve the current business model in the transaction business and thereby enable significantly stronger growth and a disproportionate increase in earnings through expected economies of scale. In addition, we expect that the increased combination of the synergetic media and brokerage business activities will additionally boost the profitable growth course of the wallstreet:online group.

Based on our new estimates, we have determined a new price target of EUR 38.60 per share within the framework of our DCF valuation model and thus slightly raised our previous price target (previously: EUR 37.70). Our price target increase results primarily from the first-time inclusion of the 2024 financial year in the concrete estimation period and the associated higher starting level for the continuity phase of the valuation model. In view of the current share price level, we continue to assign a Buy rating and see significant upside potential.



Die vollstandige Analyse konnen Sie hier downloaden:

http://www.more-ir.de/d/23695.pdf



Kontakt fur Ruckfragen

GBC AG

Halderstrae 27

86150 Augsburg

0821 / 241133 0

research@gbc-ag.de

++++++++++++++++

Offenlegung moglicher Interessenskonflikte nach  85 WpHG und Art. 20 MAR Beim oben analysierten Unternehmen ist folgender moglicher Interessenkonflikt gegeben: (5a,5b,11); Einen Katalog moglicher Interessenkonflikte finden Sie unter: http://www.gbc-ag.de/de/Offenlegung

+++++++++++++++

Datum und Zeitpunkt der Fertigstellung der Studie: 30.03.2022 (10:27 Uhr) Datum und Zeitpunkt der ersten Weitergabe: 30.03.2022 (11:00 Uhr) Gultigkeit des Kursziels: bis max. 31.12.2022



ubermittelt durch die EQS Group AG.

Fur den Inhalt der Mitteilung bzw. Research ist alleine der Herausgeber bzw. Ersteller der Studie verantwortlich. Diese Meldung ist keine Anlageberatung oder Aufforderung zum Abschluss bestimmter Borsengeschafte.




Abdirahman Meygag (L), UN World Food Program (WFP) representative to Uganda, and Zhang Lizhong, Chinese ambassador to Uganda, attend a handover certificate signing ceremony in Kampala, Uganda, on March 29, 2022. China's food donation through the UN World Food Program (WFP) has reached thousands of people including school-going children in drought-stricken northeastern Uganda, the UN's food aid agency said Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Gaiping)

KAMPALA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- China's food donation through the UN World Food Program (WFP) has reached thousands of people including school-going children in drought-stricken northeastern Uganda, the UN's food aid agency said Tuesday.

At a handover certificate signing ceremony, Abdirahman Meygag, WFP country representative, said the donation by China last year has reached over 130,000 children through the school feeding program and 70,000 individuals through targeted food assistance to improve food security of vulnerable households.

Zhang Lizhong, Chinese ambassador to Uganda, said the donation was critical, especially for keeping children in school.

He said China is discussing with the Ugandan officials to see how the Asian country can assist Uganda in using agriculture to fight poverty.

The humanitarian agency said the food situation in the region, also known as Karamoja, is dire, with over 50 percent of the population likely to be food insecure this year.

The situation is likely to worsen because of the ongoing cattle rustling, which cannot allow people to farm.

Meygag said while the world is focusing on the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis, other crises like the food security situation in northeastern Uganda need attention. 
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French stocks fell on Wednesday after having seen strong gains in the previous session on hopes for a breakthrough in Russia-Ukraine peace talks. Ukraine reacted with skepticism to Russia's promise in negotiations to scale down military operations while the United States warned the threat isn't over. U.S President Joe Biden asked whether the Russian announcement was a sign of progress in the talks or an attempt by Moscow to buy time to continue its assault. The benchmark CAC 40 index fell 70 points, or over 1 percent, to 6,722 after climbing 3.1 percent on Tuesday. Banks lost ground, with BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole and Societe Generale falling 2-3 percent. Automaker Renault slumped as much as 4.1 percent. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.


H-25 Gas Turbine

TOKYO, Mar 30, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Power, a power solutions brand of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has received an order for two H-25 gas turbines with capacity of 32-megawatt (MW)/unit for a natural gas-fired cogeneration plant being built in Tashkent, the capital of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The two units will take an important role as core equipment for the facility, which will be operated by JSC Tashkent HPP, a cogeneration business operator in the city. Turkish firm Calik Enerji has been appointed the project contractor for engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC), with the gas turbine (equipment) supplied through that company, and the plant is scheduled to start operations in 2024. This is the second order for this plant, following an order for an H-25 gas turbine and heat recovery steam generator in the adjacent existing No. 1 facility(1), which has been in operation since 2013.This project is supported by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which provided a yen loan (JICA power sector loan). The H-25 gas turbine will be manufactured at MHI's Hitachi Works in Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan.The H-25 is a heavy-duty gas turbine(2) with outstanding reliability confirmed by its record of long operating hours. Since the initial order in 1987, Mitsubishi Power has established a solid track record of operating performance, selling 30 units in Japan and 160 overseas including this latest order. The high temperature of the exhaust gas is suitable for cogeneration, contributing to the high-efficiency and CO2 reduction of the plant compared to a conventional boiler type cogeneration plant.Since independence, Republic of Uzbekistan has maintained steady economic growth backed by its abundant production of natural gas and other energy resources. A stable supply of power and heat is essential for sustained economic development. Mitsubishi Power has supplied gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) equipment used in other facilities throughout the country, including Navoi 1&2 Power Plant, Talimarjan Power Plant, Turakurgan Power Plant, and Sirdarya Power Plant, and have supported the energy supply for the country's economic development. This project will also provide the country with a high-efficiency cogeneration facility utilizing its own natural gas, and will contribute to a stable power and heat supply and energy efficiency for Uzbekistan.Going forward, Mitsubishi Power will maintain and further develop a positive working relationship with Uzbekistan's state-run power company group, support the widespread adoption of environmentally friendly heat and power energy generation technologies with GTCC and other high-efficiency equipment, and contribute to the economic development of Uzbekistan and a sustainable world.(1) Equipment supplied through Tohoku Electric Power Co., Inc. as part of an energy saving model project conducted by New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and the government of Uzbekistan.(2) Heavy-duty gas turbines are designed to maintain steady output over long-term, continuous operation, providing exceptional reliability, as well as easier and less frequent maintenance.About MHI GroupMitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world's leading industrial groups, spanning energy, logistics & infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com.Source: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Experian's solutions will enable Black Opal to make real-time credit offers and mitigate fraud

To help increase financial access for consumers who have recently come to the U.S., Experian today announced the integration of Experian's PowerCurve and CrossCoreTM platforms into Black Opal's credit decisioning process. This process will be used on the new Black Opal credit card, which is available now.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005306/en/

Black Opal is dedicated to helping U.S. immigrants build credit so they can integrate into society and improve their financial health. Experian's capabilities will enable Black Opal to make real-time credit decisions and manage identity verification and fraud prevention.

"We understand that many expatriates, professionals and immigrants lack access to traditional credit," said Robert Boxberger, Experian's President of Decision Analytics, North America. "That's why we're proud to work with Black Opal to incorporate our data, advanced analytics and technology to enable real-time decisions while also mitigating fraud risks. Experian is committed to driving financial inclusion and providing clients with data-driven solutions that enable effective, secure decisioning in today's dynamic environment."

Black Opal provides a range of essential services to people who've moved to the United States, namely the Black Opal credit card for expatriates. "As an Australian, I'm passionate about driving financial inclusion because I know first-hand how hard it is to develop a credit history in a new country," said Matthew Holden, Founder and CEO of Black Opal. "Black Opal's mission is to help our customers who have moved to the United States. We chose Experian because of its extraordinary breadth and depth of tools that enable Black Opal to make better decisions and make a real difference for our customers."

Experian's integrated digital identity and fraud risk platform, CrossCore, will help Black Opal respond to fraud risks. It combines risk-based authentication, identity proofing and fraud detection into a single cloud platform. With flexible decisioning orchestration and advanced analytics, CrossCore enables clients to reduce fraud losses while maintaining a frictionless experience for the consumer.

Experian's credit decisioning solutions powered by PowerCurve include Prequalification, which is a robust data gathering and decisioning offering that prequalifies consumers for loan products in real-time, prior to loan application. It's initiated by the consumer and, if criteria are met, provides them with credit options. Prequalification is a soft inquiry and doesn't affect a consumer's credit score. Once the consumer chooses to move forward, Instant Credit helps determine, in real time, if a consumer meets lending criteria so a lender can make decisions about opening new credit products or line increases for customers.

To learn more about Experian's PowerCurve decision management suite, please visit: https://www.experian.com/strategy-management/powercurve-video. To learn more about Experian's CrossCore platform, please visit: https://www.experian.com/decision-analytics/crosscore-fraud-prevention-platform.

About Experian

Experian is the world's leading global information services company. During life's big moments from buying a home or a car to sending a child to college to growing a business by connecting with new customers we empower consumers and our clients to manage their data with confidence. We help individuals to take financial control and access financial services, businesses to make smarter decisions and thrive, lenders to lend more responsibly, and organizations to prevent identity fraud and crime.

We have 20,000 people operating across 44 countries, and every day we're investing in new technologies, talented people and innovation to help all our clients maximize every opportunity. We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

Learn more at www.experianplc.com or visit our global content hub at our global news blog for the latest news and insights from the Group.

Experian and the Experian trademarks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Experian and its affiliates. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

About Black Opal

Black Opal Inc. was founded in Sydney, Australia and moved to the United States in 2017. Black Opal is a proptech/fintech startup that offers credit cards, international foreign exchange, and international savings/funds in Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Germany and other countries. Black Opal has offices in the United States, Australia and India.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005306/en/

Contacts:

Annie Russell

Experian Public Relations

949 683 5243

annie.russell@experian.com

Matthew Holden

Black Opal Inc.

415 500-5867

matt@blackopal.ai
Paris, Amsterdam, March 30, 2022

Press release

UNIBAIL-RODAMCO-WESTFIELD AND CLEAR CHANNEL FRANCE SIGN NEW AGREEMENT

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) today announced the extension of its media contract with Clear Channel France. Clear Channel is the operator of URW's over 600 digital out-of-home media screens including large format screens, digital and print totems throughout its 20 French shopping centres, which welcome more than 185 million customer visits each year.

The 8-year agreement will increase URW's income through an improved revenue share and new innovative solutions as URW takes back ownership of some of its advertising assets at French centres. These assets will continue to be managed by Clear Channel, the global-leading outdoor advertising company which operates in more than 20 countries, with Clear Channel France being the Group's largest market in Europe.

With more than 1,700 digital screens across its European centres, URW owns one of the largest digital out-of-home advertising platforms on the continent.

As announced at the company's 2022 Investor Day today, URW will further drive new revenue leveraging the high-value audience of customers at its centres through media advertising, brand experience and data monetization.

Chief Customer Officer, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Caroline Puechoultres, said: "Our partnership with Clear Channel France is an important part of our plan to create unique opportunities for brands looking to connect with the millions of people that visit our shopping centres every year. The combination of our digitally-connected network of Flagship destinations and unrivalled European audience of 550 million annual customer visits creates a unique and powerful out-of-home advertising offering. We will leverage it to reinforce our relationship with brands and media agencies and maximise new revenue streams."

Chief Executive Officer, Clear Channel France, Boutaina Araki, said: "We are absolutely thrilled to have been chosen once more by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield as their media partner. We aim to deliver together a compelling value proposition on the market to establish their unique shopping centres as a true 360 communication platform. Clear Channel France, with a weekly audience of 18 million shoppers reached through more than 2,000 screens over 200 malls, offers a powerful platform for brands to advertise in the biggest and busiest shopping venues in France."



The partnership between URW and Clear Channel France started 20 years ago, and has transformed, innovated and expanded ever since, setting the benchmark for premium digital advertising in shopping malls.

# # #

For further information please contact:

URW Investor Relations

Maarten Otte

+33 7 63 86 88 78

Maarten.Otte@urw.com

URW Media Relations

Natalie Feld

Cornelia Schnepf (International Media)

+44 7387 108 998

Cornelia.Schnepf@finelk.eu

Clear Channel France

Caroline Meriaux

+33

About Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield is the premier global developer and operator of Flagship Destinations, with a portfolio valued at 54.5 Bn as at December 31, 2021, of which 86% in retail, 6% in offices, 5% in convention & exhibition venues and 2% in services. Currently, the Group owns and operates 85 shopping centres, including 53 Flagships in the most dynamic cities in Europe and the United States. Present on two continents and in 12 countries, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield provides a unique platform for retailers and brand events and offers an exceptional and constantly renewed experience for customers. With the support of its 2,800 professionals and an unparalleled track-record and know-how, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield is ideally positioned to generate superior value and develop world-class projects. Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield distinguishes itself by its Better Places 2030 agenda, that sets its ambition to create better places that respect the highest environmental standards and contribute to better cities. Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield stapled shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Paris (Euronext ticker: URW), with a secondary listing in Australia through Chess Depositary Interests. The Group benefits from a BBB+ rating from Standard & Poor's and from a Baa2 rating from Moody's.

For more information, please visit www.urw.com

Visit our Media Library at https://mediacentre.urw.com

Follow the Group updates on Twitter @urw_group, Linkedin @Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and Instagram

About Clear Channel France

Clear Channel France is a player in cities and a media anchored in the streets, enabling brands and landlords to communicate in an inclusive, democratic and responsible way to more than 33 million citizen-consumers.

Thanks to our network enabling to communicate both in print or digital, in a shopping mall, a metro, a district, a city, a region or the whole of France, we innovate in how citizens and consumers interact and engage with us. We are a full-fledged player in the "Smart society", driven by strong values of proximity, creativity and fairness, revolutionizing outdoor communication thanks to editorialized content as well as new citizen services.

Our Mission is to create the future of media. Transforming our estate, to the benefit of all our stakeholders, through data-driven innovations and infrastructure.

Our Purpose is to provide both a Platform for Brands and a Platform for Good. Delivering advertisers' media objectives whilst having a positive impact on the world around us.

Clear Channel France is a subsidiary of Clear Channel Europe

About Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc.

Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCO) is one of the world's largest outdoor advertising companies with a diverse portfolio of approximately 500,000 displays in 22 countries across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia, reaching millions of people monthly.

Comprised of two business divisions - Clear Channel Outdoor Americas (CCOA), the U.S. and Caribbean business division, and Clear Channel International (CCI). Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings (CCOH) employs approximately 4,800 people globally.

Find out more on www.investor.clearchannel.com, www.clearchannelinternational.comet https://clearchanneloutdoor.com/

Attachment
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks were little changed in choppy trade Wednesday as the Russia-Ukraine peace talks continued in Istanbul. The United States said it believes the withdrawal of Russian troops around Kyiv and Chernigiv is a repositioning, not a real withdrawal. Meanwhile, U.K. shop prices increased at the fastest pace in more than a decade in March, data released by the British Retail Consortium showed earlier today. The shop price index advanced 2.1 percent on a yearly basis in March, following a 1.8 percent rise in February. This was the fastest increase since September 2011. Non-food prices were up 1.5 percent. The benchmark FTSE 100 was marginally higher at 7,539 after rising 0.9 percent in the previous session. Miners rallied, with Anglo American and Glencore gaining around 3 percent each. Banks fell, with Barclays and Lloyds Bank losing 1.8 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively. Savannah Resources, a lithium development company, rose over 1 percent after it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Swiss technology major ABB Ltd. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Pearson PLC (PSO, PSON.L) issued a statement as response to announcement from Apollo Global Management, Inc. and its subsidiaries that it is no longer evaluating a cash offer for Pearson. Pearson's Board is confident that the direct to consumer, lifelong learning strategy set out by Management in March 2021 will create sustainable, long-term value for the company's stakeholders. The Board of Pearson unanimously rejected the third proposal from Apollo as it significantly undervalued the company and its future prospects. The third proposal valued the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Pearson at 870 pence per share. Under Apollo's proposal, eligible Pearson shareholders would also be entitled to receive the previously announced fiscal 2021 dividend of 14.2 pence per share which, when taken together with the proposal price, represented a total value of 884.2 pence per share. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Spatial tracking uses EYEfi's SPARC technology onboard a drone's sensors and cameras or in the drone's control device

Real-time, covert geo-targeting application without the use of triangulation, internet or post processing

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 30, 2022 / EYEfi Group Technologies Inc. (CSE:EGTI)(OTC PINK:EGTTF) ("EYEfi") is pleased to announce that EYEfi has created a geospatial and location tracking solution that can track a drone's precise location.

SPARC uses a set of patented specialized algorithms and a spatial database that runs either on the drone or in the flight control device such as a laptop or custom controller making it portable and lightweight and operable without internet connectivity. If there is internet connectivity, then the live geo-targets such as a specific location, a fire front, a landmark etc can also be shared with colleagues, authorities and others via EYEfi Cloud.

SPARC can identify the geo-location of anything that can be seen in the real world, simply by pointing a camera at it, in real-time and over long distances. The technology can be utilized using cameras on fixed, mobile, airborne and Smartphone devices.

SPARC unlocks entirely new capabilities for UAV and drone operators by strengthening aircraft management systems and informing ground personnel with real-time long-distance intelligence gathering and situational awareness. The technology can be used in a wide range of government and industry applications, such as emergency management, incident response, asset and infrastructure management, search and rescue operations, and any other use-case requiring real-time air-to-ground geo-target information.

EYEfi CEO Simon Langdon recently visited the US demonstrating EYEfi's technology to drone manufacturers and said "We are excited by the prospects for the use of EYEfi's technology in drones and unmanned vehicles, and are developing several opportunities in the US with manufacturers".

---- end ---

About EYEfi in detail:

EYEfi is connecting the world's people and devices with the world around them, in real-time and in ways not previously possible.

EYEfi is a software and electronics engineering company that has developed, patented and commercialized an innovative spatial technology; spatial, predictive, approximation and radial convolution (SPARC) and an associated product suite, that turns sensors, cameras and smartphones (fixed, mobile, airborne, portable or handheld) into geo-target co-ordinate acquisition devices.

EYEfi has also developed IIoT sensor hardware and associated cloud software, as a second pillar within its product offering. EYEfi Cloud is a next generation cloud platform that provides a secure and centralized environment where customers can manage their EYEfi product deployments and applications.

On behalf of the board of directors of

EYEFI GROUP TECHNOLOGIES INC.

"Simon Langdon"

Simon Langdon, CEO

For more information contact:

Simon Langdon

Chief Executive Officer

EYEfi Group Technologies Inc.

Email: info@eyefi.com.au Mark van der Horst

Investor Relations

EYEfi Group Technologies Inc.

Telephone: +1 (604) 760 7604

Email: mark@galecapital.com

THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE. NO SECURITIES COMMISSION OR OTHER REGULATORY AUTHORITY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN.

FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information.

The forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, opinions and analyses of management made in light of its experience and perception of historical trends in the delivery of services through its Cloud, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors management of EYEfi believes are appropriate, relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made. All of these assumptions, estimates and opinions will necessarily be subject to change due to future events and other circumstances outside the control of EYEfi, including the effect of the Covid 19 virus. EYEfi has based the forward looking information on various material assumptions, including: despite the threat of the Covid 19 virus, EYEfi will sustain or increase profitability although on a slower projection then previously planned, and will be able to fund its operations with existing capital and projected revenue from its current agreements with its Channel Partners; EYEfi will be able to attract and retain key personnel in future if required; the general business, economic, financial market, regulatory and political conditions in which EYEfi operates will remain positive as its services can be provided in EYEfi's Cloud although deliver of its hardware may be affect by supply chain disruptions; that the general regulatory environment will not change in a manner adverse to the business of EYEfi; the tax treatment of EYEfi and its subsidiary will remain constant and EYEfi will not become subject to any material legal proceedings; the economy generally; competition, and anticipated and unanticipated costs.

Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, timelines and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors, assumptions and exclusions is not exhaustive.

The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws or the Canadian Securities Exchange. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

SOURCE: EYEfi Group Technologies Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/695229/EYEfi-Develops-Geospatial-and-Location-Tracking-Solution-for-Drone-Market


HANOVER (dpa-AFX) - TUI AG (TUIFF.PK), a German travel and tourism company, Wednesday said it is returning the first part of the credit lines of around 700 million euros provided during the pandemic on April 1.



Regarding its outlook, the company said it expects a stable business development for 2022, especially for the main months of the summer season. In the morning trading in Germany, the shares were losing around 3 percent.



The financial resources were made available by the German government and private banks in the framework of the three stabilisation packages. The company said the state credit lines granted were a safety buffer during the pandemic and lockdown.



The pandemic aid from the state was mostly interest-bearing credit lines, and it already stopped using the state credit lines in recent weeks with the recovery of the business.



Fritz Joussen, CEO TUI Group, said, 'The worldwide travel restrictions, especially at the beginning of the pandemic, almost completely deprived us of our business basis. That is why temporary aid was important and right. Thanks to the credit lines from the German federal government and from the private banks and the contribution of our shareholders, we have steered TUI safely through its most serious crisis.'



The company added that the KfW RCF credit line, which was still drawn at around 500 million euros at the beginning of February, could be reduced to zero at today's date due to the expected good operational performance.



TUI further said it is well positioned for growth in the post-Corona period with travel restrictions largely lifted and sustained stable business development.



Demand for holidays and booking momentum remains strong. Summer 22 is currently at 80% of Summer 19 bookings, compared to 72% at the first quarter beginning of February.



With 2.8 million additional bookings since the end of January, the total number currently stands at 8.9 million for Winter 21/22 and Summer 22 combined.



The company expects to close the Winter 21/22 programme as expected with capacity in the low to mid-range of assumed range of 60% to 80% of pre-crisis levels.



In Germany, TUI shares were trading at 2.87 euros, down 2.62 percent.







Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

TUI-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
Elderly people are seen in a park in Ankara, Turkey, on March 29, 2022. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya / Xinhua)

Turkey's number of people aged over 65 in 2021 increased by 24 percent from 2016 to reach 8.25 million, or 9.7 percent of total population. The aging demography could affect Turkey's economic growth in the years ahead.

by Burak Akinci

ANKARA, March 30 (Xinhua) -- As a country once boasted one of the youngest populations in Europe, Turkey has been aging fast in recent years, which is slowly dragging its economy down.

The number of people aged over 65 in Turkey has increased significantly from 6.65 million in 2016 to 8.25 million in 2021, up 24 percent, according to figures released last week by the Turkish Statistical Institute.

Meanwhile, the proportion of the elderly in Turkey's total population is 9.7 percent in 2021, up from 8.3 percent in 2016.

"The aging demography will eventually create a lack of demand as older people tend to spend less, and therefore Turkey's growth rate will drop in the years ahead," Baki Demirel, associate professor at the economy department of Yalova University, told Xinhua.

Elderly people walk by a shop in a street in Ankara, Turkey, on March 29, 2022. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya / Xinhua)

Under the current official population projections, the proportion of the elderly population is expected to be 10.2 percent in 2023, 12.9 percent in 2030 and 16.3 percent in 2040.

Another problematic area is the labor market where less people are expected to enter and those will be forced to support with their taxes and social security premiums a growing population of state pensioners, he said.

Despite attempts by the government to incentivize having larger families, Turkey's fertility rate will likely continue to decline -- weighing down its economy with older and more expensive workers, higher health care costs, and weaker buying power for younger citizens, the economist added.

Elderly people walk in a street in Ankara, Turkey, on March 29, 2022. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya / Xinhua)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is an ardent advocate of population increase and has called for families to have more children.

The Turkish leader has regularly urged Turkish women to have as many as three children, saying the country needs "bigger numbers for our population as a nation."

But despite all those policies, the growth rate of Turkey's population has not accelerated, and on the contrary, is on a downward path.

Murat Seker, director at the Istanbul University Center for Urban Policy Research, stressed that economic conditions play a significant role in the decline in the fertility rate.

Elderly people are seen in a street in Ankara, Turkey, on March 29, 2022. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya / Xinhua)

Turkey needs to develop policies for the aging population, particularly social security policies, as 20 years from now it will need more health institutions than primary schools, he told Hurriyet Daily News.

Meanwhile, immigration may offer relief for the labor shortfall in the future, as Turkey is hosting nearly 4 million Syrians, whose average age is just over 22, according to official data.

However, Turkey should prioritize reversing the brain drain of its qualified workers to western countries, a worrying phenomenon for the local labor market in recent years, he stressed. 
The Micro:bit Educational Foundation alongside partners Nominet and the Scottish government will donate 57,000 BBC micro:bits across UK primary schools

Support from the Scottish government will see every primary school in Scotland receives devices

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, priority will be given to the schools that need additional support the most

With many secondary schools now using BBC micro:bits in the classroom, the project aims to boost support for younger children and provide essential teacher resources

The Micro:bit Educational Foundation, the organisation behind the pocket-sized BBC micro:bit computer, has announced plans to help even more primary school children take their first steps into digital creativity and computing. In partnership with Nominet and the Scottish government, 57,000 BBC micro:bit devices will be donated to UK primary schools, alongside comprehensive teaching resources and online Continuing Professional Development courses.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005448/en/

Children developing important digital skills together with a micro:bit device. (Photo: Business Wire)

As digital literacy and computing become increasingly important core skills, this major boost to teaching these subjects will see approximately 3,000 UK primary schools receive around 20 devices each. Support from the Scottish government will see every primary school in Scotland receive 20 devices, with the Foundation and Nominet working with primary schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to prioritise 22,000 devices to those that need additional support the most. Delivery of devices will begin from April onwards.

Having launched in 2016, today there are 6 million BBC micro:bits being used by children all over the world, including most UK secondary schools. The Foundation has also seen growing adoption and demand from primary schools to teach 8 11-year-olds with the devices. With this major project, the Micro:bit Educational Foundation aims to boost usage in primary schools even further, providing the devices and resources to help teachers make coding exciting, accessible, and something they can teach confidently to younger children.

Teaching digital skills from a young age has impressive results and understanding computational thinking can greatly enhance a child's creativity and life chances. However, research underpinning the project from the Micro:bit Educational Foundation and Nominet found that 61% of UK primary teachers responsible for teaching computing have no background in the subject, 3 in 5 also cite lack of resources as a barrier to teaching computing and digital skills.

Gareth Stockdale, CEO of the Micro:bit Educational Foundation, said: "Digital literacy and computational thinking are critically important not only to the future of our society, but to the future of children who will one day shape that society. They are increasingly important core skills, and we know that the earlier you learn them, the better. The BBC micro:bit has become an essential tool that teachers and students alike have come to love. We've seen fantastic adoption in secondary schools, and we're delighted to support and empower even more teachers to unlock children's creative potential at primary level."

Roll-out of the micro:bits will also complement a three-phase research programme, as the Foundation looks to assess, monitor and address the challenges, concerns and successes UK primary teachers experience improving digital literacy and in bringing micro:bits into the classroom.

Interested teachers and schools can visit the Micro:bit Educational Foundation website for more information.

Adam Leach, CTO, Nominet, said: "We are so pleased to see the continued roll-out of micro-bit in classrooms across the UK, enabling so many more primary school children to explore and develop their skills in digital creativity and computing. It's exciting to think about the potential passion for technology this programme could set alight. On a practical level, it is really important that access to learning these essential skills is provided to children who might not otherwise have the opportunity to discover, experiment and master them. Each one of the 57,000 devices will impact on developing children's core digital skills as citizens of a digitalised world and perhaps even put some of them on a pathway to help fill the digital skills gap in the UK's digital workforce of the future."

ENDS

About Micro:bit Educational Foundation

The Micro:bit Educational Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation founded in the UK in 2016, with the aim of inspiring every child to create their best digital future.

We do this by:

developing hardware and software that inspires young people to get excited about technology and the opportunities it presents for them

creating free, user-friendly educational resources to support teachers in delivering engaging and creative lessons

working with like-minded partners to deliver high-impact educational programmes across the globe.

About Nominet

Nominet is a public benefit company, driven by a commitment to use technology to improve connectivity, security and inclusivity online. For 25 years, Nominet has run the .UK internet infrastructure, developing an expertise in the Domain Name System (DNS) that now underpins sophisticated threat monitoring, detection, prevention, and analytics that is used by governments to mitigate cyber threats. Our social impact programme provides funding, support and opportunities to help tackle some of the most important digital issues facing young people in the UK today. www.nominet.uk

Note to editors

The micro:bit launched in the UK in 2016 by giving free devices to every year 7 student as part of BBC's Make it Digital, an unprecedented and highly ambitious project. It is now not only being used in most secondary schools to teach 11 14-year olds but is also popular with primary school teachers for 8 11-year olds.

The Foundation has donated micro:bits to key institutions, including the National Centre for Computing Education's schools lending scheme in England, Digital Xtra Fund in Scotland, Ulster Universities and Libraries NI in Northern Ireland. Through these schemes, approximately 30,000 devices were donated directly to schools, libraries and NGO's.

The Foundation offered up to 5,000 micro:bits to families in the UK wanting to continue learning at home during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Following a single tweet, the Foundation received 8,500 requests in 13 hours.

A key aim of the Micro:bit Educational Foundation was to bring the benefits of the micro:bit to children and teachers around the globe, and is being used in projects across Africa, Asia, Australasia, the Americas and Europe.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005448/en/

Contacts:

Lucy Horsman, Tyto PR, lucy.horsman@tytopr.com
The new device has an efficiency of up to 98.6% and a European efficiency of up to 98.1%. It features up to two maximum power point tracking (MPPT) inputs, with MPPT voltage ranging from 140-1,000V.Chinese inverter maker Growatt has launched a new inverter series for residential applications. "The new series was originally launched in China in February and is now being launched on the European market," a spokesperson from the company told pv magazine. Called MOD 3-10KTL3-XH, the new product is available in eight different versions with nominal power of 3kW to 10kW. Their efficiency ranges from ...

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield or URW, an operator of Flagship Destinations, announced Wednesday the extension of its media contract with outdoor advertising company Clear Channel France. Clear Channel France, affiliated to Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings Inc. (CCO), is the operator of URW's over 600 digital out-of-home media screens including large format screens, digital and print totems throughout its 20 French shopping centres. URW said its 8-year agreement will increase its income through an improved revenue share and new innovative solutions as the company takes back ownership of some of its advertising assets at French centres. These assets will continue to be managed by Clear Channel. As announced earlier, URW will further drive new revenue leveraging the high-value audience of customers at its centres through media advertising, brand experience and data monetization. Chief Customer Officer, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Caroline Puechoultres, said, 'The combination of our digitally-connected network of Flagship destinations and unrivalled European audience of 550 million annual customer visits creates a unique and powerful out-of-home advertising offering. We will leverage it to reinforce our relationship with brands and media agencies and maximise new revenue streams.' Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Citigroup Inc. (C) on Wednesday announced that it has reached an agreement with India's Axis Bank Limited for the sale of Citi's consumer businesses in India for a cash consideration of approximately $1.6 billion. The transaction is expected to result in the release of approximately $800 million of allocated tangible common equity. The deal forms part of Citi's global exit from its consumer banking franchises in 13 markets across Asia and EMEA that is expected to release approximately US$7 billion of allocated tangible common equity over time. The sale is expected to close in the first half of calendar year 2023. The deal involves the sale of consumer banking businesses of Citibank India -credit cards, retail banking, wealth management and consumer loans- and consumer business of Citi's non-banking financial company, Citicorp Finance (India) Limited (asset-backed financing business, commercial vehicle and construction equipment loans and personal loans portfolio). The sale, however, excludes Citi's institutional client businesses in India. Citi's Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory Group is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Citi in respect of the transaction. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - CMS Energy (CMS), an electric and natural gas utility, and its primary business, Consumers Energy, Wednesday said they aims to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions from the company's entire natural gas production and delivery system, including customers and suppliers, by 2050. As a next step on its path to net zero by 2050, the company will partner with customers to reduce their emissions by 20 percent by 2030. According to the company, achieving net zero emissions means eliminating the impact of emissions traced to the burning of natural gas by customers and greenhouse gas emissions caused by natural gas suppliers who produce and transport natural gas to Consumers Energy's system. CMS Energy said it is already implementing plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These include modernizing its natural gas system to achieve net zero methane emissions from its operations by 2030, and ending coal use and boosting renewable energy fuel sources to achieve net zero carbon emissions from its electric operations by 2040. The company is also pledging to power 1 million electric vehicles in the communities it serves by 2030. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 30, 2022 / Skeena Resources Limited (TSX:SKE)(NYSE:SKE) ("Skeena" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed a binding agreement with QuestEx Gold & Copper Ltd. ("QuestEx") whereby Skeena will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of QuestEx, pursuant to a plan of arrangement (the "QuestEx Transaction") for share and cash consideration. The consideration will consist of C$0.65 cash and 0.0367 of a common share in the capital of Skeena (each whole share, a "Skeena Share") for each one QuestEx common share (the "Arrangement Consideration"), representing total consideration of approximately C$48.6 million, or approximately C$1.20 per QuestEx share based on Skeena's 5-day VWAP ending March 29, 2022, on the TSX.

Skeena has signed a concurrent binding agreement with Newmont Corporation (NEM),(NGT) ("Newmont") to vend certain QuestEx properties to Newmont via an asset purchase agreement (the "Newmont Transaction") on completion of the QuestEx Transaction for approximately C$27 million. The cash proceeds from the Newmont Transaction are expected to be sufficient to cover the cash portion of the aggregate Arrangement Consideration payable by Skeena. The net Arrangement Consideration (after subtracting the QEX shares already owned by Skeena and Newmont) will be payable through the issuance of approximately C$15 million in Skeena Shares. Skeena will also assume QuestEx's outstanding options and warrants.

Benefits to Skeena:

Expansive Land Package in BC's Prolific Golden Triangle: Following the closing of the QuestEx Transaction and the Newmont Transaction, Skeena's land package will increase nearly sevenfold, and the Company will (based on publicly available information) have one of the largest land positions held for mining in British Columbia's Golden Triangle, totalling 84,889 hectares.

Following the closing of the QuestEx Transaction and the Newmont Transaction, Skeena's land package will increase nearly sevenfold, and the Company will (based on publicly available information) have one of the largest land positions held for mining in British Columbia's Golden Triangle, totalling 84,889 hectares. Exploration Synergies and Potential: The proximity of QuestEx's KSP and Kingpin properties to Skeena's Eskay Creek and Snip projects provides opportunities for exploration synergies. The Company believes that the combined portfolio offers significant exploration potential (refer to map at the end of this release).

The proximity of QuestEx's KSP and Kingpin properties to Skeena's Eskay Creek and Snip projects provides opportunities for exploration synergies. The Company believes that the combined portfolio offers significant exploration potential (refer to map at the end of this release). Minimal Dilution to Skeena Shareholders: The combination of cash and shares minimizes dilution to Skeena shareholders to less than 2%, while the cash component is expected to be entirely offset by the proceeds of the Newmont Transaction.

Walter Coles, President & CEO of Skeena commented, "We are excited to announce these transactions, which will add over 74,000 hectares to Skeena's land holdings and give us one of the largest land positions held for mining in the prolific Golden Triangle. The KSP and Kingpin properties are proximal to our Eskay Creek and Snip projects and appear to have the same geological hallmarks that have hosted other large gold systems in the area. Involving Newmont on these transactions has allowed Skeena to acquire these strategically important land packages while minimizing share dilution. We are excited to explore these new mineral claims as we continue to advance Eskay Creek."

Transaction Details

QuestEx Transaction

Under the terms of the binding agreement dated March 29, 2022, between Skeena and QuestEx (the "Arrangement Agreement"), each of QuestEx's issued and outstanding common shares will be exchanged for C$0.65 cash and 0.0367 of a Skeena Share, representing total consideration of approximately C$1.20 per QuestEx share based on Skeena's 5-day VWAP ending March 29, 2022, on the TSX.

Pursuant to the Arrangement Agreement, the QuestEx Acquisition will be carried out by way of a court approved plan of arrangement and will require the approval of at least 66 2/3% of the votes cast by (a) shareholders of QuestEx, voting as a single class and (b) shareholders, option holders and certain warrant holders of QuestEx, voting as a single class, in each case that are present in person or by proxy at a special meeting expected to be held in May of 2022 (the "QuestEx Meeting") and, pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), a simple majority of the votes cast by shareholders of QuestEx present in person or by proxy after excluding any votes of "related parties" and "interested parties' and other persons required to be excluded under 61-101 (including Skeena and Newmont), all at a special meeting to consider the Transaction. The Arrangement Agreement includes customary deal-protection provisions, including non-solicitation provisions, a right to match in the event of a superior proposal and a termination fee or expense reimbursement payable under certain circumstances (and which is subject to a sharing arrangement with Newmont). Full details of the QuestEx Acquisition will be included in the management information circular of QuestEx to be mailed in respect of the QuestEx Meeting. Completion of the QuestEx Transaction is subject to the fulfillment of each of the conditions precedent to the Newmont Transaction that are capable of being fulfilled prior to the closing of the QuestEx Transaction.

The Board of Directors of each of Skeena and QuestEx have unanimously approved the Arrangement Agreement. Certain significant shareholders of QuestEx and the directors and senior officers of QuestEx (together, the "Supporting Shareholders") have entered into voting support agreements pursuant to which each has agreed to vote all of their QuestEx securities in favour of the QuestEx Acquisition. Collectively, the Supporting Shareholders own approximately 27% of the outstanding common shares of QuestEx.

Newmont Transaction

Skeena and Newmont have entered into a binding asset purchase agreement dated March 29, 2022, pursuant to which Newmont will purchase 100% of Skeena's rights, titles, and interests, on completion of the QuestEx Transaction, in and to the Heart Peaks, Castle, Moat, Coyote, and North ROK properties, currently owned by QuestEx, in exchange for cash consideration of approximately C$27 million. The consideration payable to Skeena pursuant to the Newmont Transaction will be set off against the Arrangement Consideration payable and issuable to Newmont pursuant to the QuestEx Transaction, with the remaining amount payable by Newmont under the Newmont Transaction being sufficient to cover the cash portion of the aggregate Arrangement Consideration payable pursuant to the QuestEx Transaction.

Completion of the Newmont Transaction is subject to completion of the QuestEx Transaction.

Closing

Subject to QuestEx shareholder approval, regulatory approval (including TSXV and TSX) and the fulfillment of other customary closing conditions, the Company expects to close the QuestEx Transaction and Newmont Transaction on or about June 2, 2022.

Advisors and Counsel

Agentis Capital Mining Partners is acting as financial advisor to Skeena with regard to both the QuestEx and Newmont Transactions. Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP is acting as legal counsel to Skeena.

About Skeena

Skeena Resources Limited is a Canadian mining exploration and development company focused on revitalizing the past-producing Eskay Creek gold-silver mine located in Tahltan Territory in the Golden Triangle of northwest British Columbia, Canada. The Company released a Prefeasibility Study for Eskay Creek in July 2021 which highlights an open-pit average grade of 4.57 g/t AuEq, an after-tax NPV5% of C$1.4B, 56% IRR, and a 1.4-year payback at US$1,550/oz Au. Skeena is currently completing both infill and exploration drilling to advance Eskay Creek to a full Feasibility Study in 2022.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Skeena Resources Limited,

Walter Coles Jr.

President & CEO

Contact Information

Investor Inquiries: info@skeenaresources.com

Office Phone: +1 604 684 8725

Company Website: www.skeenaresources.com

The scientific and technical information in this press release was approved by Paul Geddes, P.Geo., a Qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 and Vice President, Exploration and Resource Development for the Company.

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements

Certain statements made and information contained herein may constitute "forward looking information" and "forward looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. These statements and information are based on facts currently available to the Company and there is no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking statements and information may be identified by such terms as "anticipates", "believes", "targets", "estimates", "plans", "expects", "may", "will", "could" or "would" and, in this press release, include, without limitation: statements regarding the QuestEx Transaction and Newmont Transaction, including the closing thereof and the timing and receipt of approvals and fulfillment of the conditions therefor, and the source of reimbursement for the cash portion of the Arrangement Consideration; the expected synergies arising from the QuestEx Transaction; and the exploration potential and geological hallmarks of the QuestEx properties to be retained by Skeena. Forward-looking statements and information contained herein are based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the closing of the QuestEx Transaction and the Newmont Transaction, including the receipt of approvals and fulfillment of the conditions therefor, that the purchase price pursuant to the Newmont Transaction will be sufficient to reimburse Skeena for the cash portion of the Arrangement Consideration, that the Company will recognize the expected synergies from its acquisition of QuestEx, that the Company will be able to realize the exploration potential of the QuestEx properties it intends to retain, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and other matters. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks which may cause actual results to vary significantly from the results implied by forward-looking statements, including, that the Company may not close the QuestEx Transaction or the Newmont Transaction, on the timeline anticipated, or at all; that the purchase price payable pursuant to the Newmont Transaction may not be sufficient to fund the cash portion of the Arrangement Consideration, and the Company may be required to utilize funds from treasury to fund the outstanding cash required; that the Company may not be able to realize upon the expected synergies arising from the completion of the QuestEx Transaction, or the exploration potential of the QuestEx properties it intends to retain, and the other risks and uncertainties set out in the Company's most recent annual information form, which is available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Note that for acquisition accounting purposes, the shares issued to acquire QuestEx will be valued at the date of close. While the Company considers its assumptions to be reasonable as of the date hereof, forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue importance on such statements as actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

Neither TSX nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States of America. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. Securities laws.

SOURCE: Skeena Resources Limited

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/695210/Skeena-Announces-Acquisition-of-QuestEx-Gold-Copper-Ltd-and-Concurrent-Sale-of-QuestEx-Assets-to-Newmont-Corporation
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 30, 2022 / Skeena Resources Limited (TSX:SKE, NYSE:SKE) ("Skeena") reports that, on March 29, 2022, it entered into an arrangement agreement (the "Arrangement Agreement") with QuestEx Gold & Copper Ltd. ("QuestEx") whereby Skeena agreed to acquire, subject to the terms and conditions thereof, ownership and control of all of the issued and outstanding Common Shares of QuestEx (the "Common Shares") not owned by Skeena from the shareholders of QuestEx pursuant to an arrangement undertaken in accordance with the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the "Arrangement").

Except with respect to the consideration payable to Newmont Corporation ("Newmont") which will be satisfied pursuant to the issuance of a promissory note (as discussed below), in consideration for the acquisition of each Common Share not held by Skeena, Skeena will pay $0.65 in cash and issue 0.0367 Skeena common shares (the "Consideration"). Based on the 5 day volume-weighted average price of the Skeena common shares on the TSX for the 5 day period ending March 29, 2022, the Consideration payable for each Common Share not owned by Skeena is approximately $1.20.

In respect of the Consideration payable and issuable to Newmont Corporation ("Newmont"), Skeena will issue to Newmont a promissory note representing its entitlement to the Consideration instead of issuing Skeena common shares and paying cash to Newmont on the closing of the Arrangement.

Assuming no Common Shares are issued prior to the closing of the Arrangement, and taking into account the promissory note issuable to Newmont, Skeena will pay $18,474,588.60 and issue 1,043,103 Skeena shares on the closing of the Arrangement, less any fractional shares rounded down pursuant to the provisions of the Arrangement Agreement.

On the date hereof, Skeena owns 5,668,642 Common Shares, representing 14.0% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares of QuestEx. Upon completion of the Arrangement, Skeena will own all of the issued and outstanding Common Shares of QuestEx. Assuming no Common Shares are issued prior to the closing of the Arrangement, Skeena will acquire 34,807,205 Common Shares on the closing of the Arrangement.

Skeena is acquiring QuestEx in order to increase its land package in British Columbia's "Golden Triangle" region and to unlock potential synergies and opportunities presented by QuestEx's property portfolio. If the Arrangement is completed, QuestEx will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Skeena, under the control of Skeena, and Skeena will apply for QuestEx to cease being a reporting issuer in Canada and for the Common Shares to cease trading on the TSX Venture Exchange.

Concurrently with the execution of the Arrangement Agreement, Skeena entered into an asset purchase agreement (the "Asset Purchase Agreement") with an affiliate of Newmont (the "Purchaser"), pursuant to which, conditional on the Arrangement becoming effective, the Purchaser will acquire, indirectly from Skeena, all beneficial and legal right, title and interest to the Castle, North ROK, Heart Peaks, Moat and Coyote properties in northwestern British Columbia and certain related assets, which are assets that are currently owned by QuestEx.

If the Arrangement is not completed, Skeena will continue to hold its Common Shares for investment purposes.

QuestEx's head office is located at Suite 500, 666 Burrard Street Vancouver, BC V6C 3P6.

To obtain a copy of the early warning report filed under applicable Canadian securities laws in connection with the transactions hereunder, please see QuestEx's profile on the SEDAR website www.sedar.com .

About Skeena

Skeena Resources Limited is a Canadian mining exploration and development company focused on revitalizing the past-producing Eskay Creek gold-silver mine located in Tahltan Territory in the Golden Triangle of northwest British Columbia, Canada. The Company released a Prefeasibility Study for Eskay Creek in July 2021 which highlights an open-pit average grade of 4.57 g/t AuEq, an after-tax NPV5% of C$1.4B, 56% IRR, and a 1.4-year payback at US$1,550/oz Au. Skeena is currently completing both infill and exploration drilling to advance Eskay Creek to a full Feasibility Study in 2022.

For further information and to obtain a copy of the early warning report, please contact:

Investor Inquiries: info@skeenaresources.com

Office Phone: +1 604 684 8725

Company Website: www.skeenaresources.com

SOURCE: Skeena Resources Limited

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/695216/Skeena-Files-Early-Warning-Report-in-Respect-of-Questex-Gold-Copper-Ltd-Acquisition
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 30, 2022 / Fabled Copper Corp. ("Fabled Copper" or the "Company") (CSE:FABL)(FSE:XZ7) announces the results of their 2021 surface field work on it's Muskwa Copper Project comprised of the Neil Property and the Toro Property in British Columbia. The Company also holds rights to the Bronson Property. See Figure 1 below.

Figure 1 - Location Map

Peter Hawley, President, CEO reports; A total of 19 specific areas were mapped and prospected during the 2021 field season and we started the New Year by reporting our findings on the Lady Luck occurrence in the south end of the Neil Property, followed by the Mac; the 8A, Harris, the 2a and 2b, the Creek, Keays south, Belcher Creek, the Magnum Mine UAV Done Mission, the Magnum copper deposit and now the Neil Vein UAV Drone Mission." See Figure 2 below.

Figure 2- Neil Property, Neil Copper Occurrence Location

The Neil copper occurrence hosts two styles of high-grade copper mineralization which is found in the Neil vein and the adjoining mineralized quartz sulfide breccias over 1,000 meters vertically and 1,500 meters along strike. Widths vary from a few meters to 30 meters in width. See Photo 1 below.

Photo 1 - Surface Expression of Neil vein, Neil Property

Figure 3 - Neil Vein Target UAV Drone Survey Area

As part of the 2021 exploration project, 5 selected areas were surveyed by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and a photogrammetry survey was conducted over the Harris, Eagle, Neil and Magnum veins by Drone North, See Figure 3 above for Neil survey area.

The purpose of the UAV photogrammetry surveys were to:

(i) Generate high resolution photogrammetry datasets for the vein target to better understand bedrock controls on copper mineralization.

(ii) Generate high resolution Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) to assist with 3D modelling of the targets.

(iii) Generate baseline imagery to record current state of surface disturbance at sites that will be actively explored in coming years.

The equipment used to carry out UAV photogrammetry surveys consisted of a DJI Phantom 4 Pro v2.0 optical 20 megapixel camera drone with both a mechanical shutter and an upgraded rover L1/L2 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver. A multi - frequency Sunnav G10 base station was set to allow for PPK corrections of the UAV rover receiver location information. See Figure 4 below.

Figure 4 - UAV Drone Survey Area

Ground control point (GCP) data were acquired during surveying. Twenty-seven terrain-following missions were completed to survey the Magnum target with a total of 4,720 photographs acquired during surveying and the final GSD's (resolution) were 4.92 cm for theorthomosaic and 19.70 cm for the digital surface model (DSM). See Figure 5 below.

Figure 5- UAV Neil Target Survey Data Points

Data products generated include 3-23 cm resolution colour orthophoto mosaics, Digital Surface Models (DSM) and Digital Terrain Models (DTM). Hillshade models were also generated for each target area. Survey grade accuracy (1-3 cm) ground control point data was also acquired at the time of the UAV survey. See Figures 6, 7 below.

Figure 6- Color Orthophoto Digital Model

Figure 7- Hill Shade Digital Model

The data generated was used for in-field targeting of visual copper occurrences on the color orthophoto due to the 3 cm resolution which lead to field examination of the mineralized unit to sampling of the Magnum vein where a total of 20 samples were collect as a first pass evaluation. See Figures 8, below. Press link here to view Neil Vein drone flight mission.

Figure 8 - 2021 Neil Sample Locations Plotted On 3-D Tilt Digital, Yellow Line Vein / Breccia Trace

Going Forwards

Using the results of the data gathered by the UAV drone in the 2021 field season the field crew will further sample in further detail and complete mapping the extensive Neil vein / breccia.

An additional release on the sampling and results of the Neil vein / breccia deposit will be forth coming in the following weeks.

QA QC Procedure

Analytical results of sampling reported by Fabled Copper Corp represent rock samples submitted by Fabled Copper Corp staff directly to ALS Chemex, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. Samples were crushed, split, and pulverized as per ALS Chemex method PREP-31, then analyzed for ME-ICP61 33 element package by four acid digestion with ICP-AES Finish. ME-GRA21 method for Au and Ag by fire assay and gravimetric finish, 30g nominal sample weight.

Over Limit Methods

For samples triggering precious metal over-limit thresholds of 10 g/t Au or 100 g/t Ag, the following is being used:

Au-GRA21 Au by fire assay and gravimetric finish with 30 g sample.

Ag-GRA21 Ag by fire assay and gravimetric finish.

Fabled Copper Corp. monitors QA/QC using commercially sourced standards and locally sourced blank materials inserted within the sample sequence at regular intervals.

About Fabled Copper Corp.

Fabled Copper is a junior mining exploration company. Its current focus is to creating value for stakeholders through the exploration and development of its existing copper properties located in northern British Columbia. The Muskwa Project comprises a total of 76 claims in two non-contiguous blocks and totals approximately 8,064.9 hectares, located in the Liard Mining Division in northern British Columbia.

Mr. Peter J. Hawley, President and C.E.O.

Fabled Copper Corp.

Phone: (819) 316-0919

peter@fabledcopper.org

For further information please contact:

info@fabledcopper.org

The technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Peter J. Hawley, P.Geo. President and C.E.O. of Fabled, who is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events and that the Company obtains any required regulatory approvals.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: impacts from the coronavirus or other epidemics, general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and globally; industry conditions, including fluctuations in commodity prices; governmental regulation of the mining industry, including environmental regulation; geological, technical and drilling problems; unanticipated operating events; competition for and/or inability to retain drilling rigs and other services; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; volatility in market prices for commodities; liabilities inherent in mining operations; changes in tax laws and incentive programs relating to the mining industry; as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com . The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law.

SOURCE: Fabled Copper Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/695196/Fabled-Copper-Reports-on-the-Neil-Copper-Occurrence-UAV-Drone-Mission-Survey
Microdose Psychedelic Insights is opening the doors of early stage investing in Psychedelic Companies

Powered by Mission Club, PsyCap Deal Board allows Psychedelic Capital virtual event attendees ability to take part in early stage investments

Psychedelic Capital virtual event attendees ability to take part in early stage investments The first investment opportunity is now open with Med Plant Science Ltd

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 30, 2022) - Microdose Psychedelic Insights, the leading guide to the business of psychedelics launches PsyCap Deal Board, a vehicle through which all levels of investors are able to take part in early stage investments.

To learn about and participate in their first investment opportunity, please visit: https://microdose.buzz/deal/med-plant-science-initial-financing-round/.

'Over the last 18 months of hosting the Psychedelic Capital virtual event series, we've seen an ever-increasing desire for attendees to be able to take part in early stage investments. Today, we're excited to announce that our attendees' dreams have become a reality through PsyCap Deal Board, Powered by Mission Club,' - said Patrick Moher, President, Microdose Psychedelic Insights

"By bringing investments directly to the people, we want individual investors to feel as appreciated as family offices. With no minimum financial commitment required, we're opening the doors of early stage investing to just about everyone," - Connor Haslam, CEO.

The first investment opportunity is now open with Med Plant Science Ltd. Med Plant Science is a biotech company focused on the research and development of medicines based on psychedelic substances. The company is licensed to grow, process, extract, and export psychedelic compounds from plants and mushrooms. Med Plant Science is innovating rapid onset psychedelic medications using patented nano encapsulation technology. This novel approach empowers clinicians to work with more patients and secure better outcomes.

Med Plant Science Initial Financing Round Med Plant Science is raising funds to leverage its research and development licence to develop rapid onset psychedelic medications using patented nano-encapsulation technology. The company is looking to raise $1.8M CAD.

For more information on the deal and to participate please visit: https://microdose.buzz/deal/med-plant-science-initial-financing-round/.

The next investment opportunity will be announced during Psychedelic Capital May on Thu, May 26. More details and registration, can be found on the Psychedelic Capital conference website at the following link: https://microdose.buzz/pressrelease.

###

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Microdose Psychedelic Insights:

Microdose Psychedelic Insights is your guide to the psychedelic medicine industry. With a vision to shift the world's perception of psychedelic medicine, we distribute and create the most compelling content, financial analysis, engaging events, and groundbreaking education to drive the psychedelics industry to the forefront of modern medicine.

About Psychedelic Capital:

This bi-monthly online event programming is dedicated to providing investment grade information for the nascent psychedelic sector and presents a curated group of CEOs, financial experts, thought leaders and investment luminaries from around the globe. Presentations are 30 minutes in length, with 10 minutes always allocated to a one-on-one Q&A's session with the audience. Psychedelic Capital features the top companies, latest IPOs, newest opportunities and deepest insights into the emerging psychedelic space.

Event Contact:

Microdose Psychedelic Insights

kristina@microdose.buzz

About Med Plant Science Ltd

Med Plant Science is a biotech company focused on the research and development of medicines based on psychedelic substances. The company is licensed to grow, process, extract, and export psychedelic compounds from plants and mushrooms. Med Plant Science is innovating rapid onset psychedelic medications using patented nano encapsulation technology. This novel approach empowers clinicians to work with more patients and secure better outcomes.

About Mission Club

Mission Club brings together founders who are building solutions for mental health and climate change, and communities that want to help build a better future. Mission Club is bridging the inner and the outer world. This is the mission.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/118544
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 30, 2022) -SURENANO SCIENCE LTD. (CSE: SURE) (the "Company" or "SureNano") is pleased to announce that it will be speaking at the Delta 8 Expo and Delta 9 Expo in partnership with the CBD Expo TOUR on March 30 to April 1, 2022, in Dallas, Texas at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown Dallas. The Company will be exhibiting at booth #145 by the Extraction Stage.

The event will bring together 80+ exhibitors presenting and sampling some of the latest Delta 8, Hemp-Derived Delta 9, and CBD products out in the market. Expected attendance at the B2B-focused show is expected to be over 3,000. Panel discussions will be held hourly on two days of the event discussing cannabinoid science, entrepreneurship, marketing, lifestyle medicine, neuroscience, and extraction equipment innovations.

Mark Scott, director of SureNano, will be speaking at the CBD Expo to a crowd of industry leaders in the extraction and purification of the federally legalized hemp industry. He will be presenting on the Extraction Stage at 12:30 PM on Thursday, March 31. He will be outlining the strategic value of nano emulsions, such as those that are made with our exceptional SureNanoTM emulsifier, in creating sustainable margins and revenues in a time of widespread commoditization and price erosion for extractors.

Mr. Scott will be highlighting the surging consumer demand for products which feature attributes that can only be powered by nano emulsions. Attributes like being reliably fast-acting or having consistently predictable dosing. He will introduce the abundant opportunities for brand differentiation that can result from leveraging the commercial power of nano emulsions, and the importance to be first-to-market leaders in segments with excellent long-term potential that currently contain no competition at all.

About SureNano Science Ltd.:

The business of SureNano Science Ltd. is the sale and distribution of the SureNano surfactant, which is a ready-to-mix food grade compound that provides the base for high performance nano-emulsions to create incredibly homogeneous and stable products while maximizing bioavailability, clarity, and taste. The Company has an exclusive license to distribute the SureNanoTM surfactant within Canada and Colorado, USA.

ON BEHALF OF SURENANO SCIENCE LTD.

"Charles MaLette"

CEO, President, Director & Secretary

T: 604-428-5171

E: info@surenano.com

Forward-Looking Information:

This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of SureNano. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of SureNano. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "will," "may," "would," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "could" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this press release include that (a) The event will bring together 80+ exhibitors, (b) Expected attendance at the B2B-focused show is expected to be over 3,000, (c) Panel discussions will be held hourly on both days of the event, (d) Mark Scott, director of SureNano, will be speaking at the CBD Expo, (e) Mr. Scott will be presenting on the Extraction Stage at 12:30 PM on Thursday, March 31, (f) Mr. Scott will be outlining the strategic value of nano emulsions, and (g) Mr. Scott will be highlighting the surging consumer demand for products which feature attributes that can only be powered by nano emulsions. Although SureNano believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because SureNano can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct.

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/118589
UNITED NATIONS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was saddened by the deaths of eight peacekeepers in a helicopter crash in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Tuesday.

The secretary-general was deeply saddened to confirm the deaths of eight peacekeepers onboard a Puma helicopter that crashed in North Kivu province of the DRC, Stephane Dujarric, Guterres' spokesman, said in a statement.

The helicopter was on a reconnaissance mission in Tshanzu, where there have been clashes between the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group and the DRC military in recent days, it said, adding that an investigation is underway.

Guterres expressed his sincere condolences to the bereaved families and the governments of Pakistan, Russia and Serbia, the peacekeepers' home countries.

He is deeply concerned by the resurgence of M23 activities in the Rwanda-DRC-Uganda border area and the ongoing impact of violence involving armed groups on civilians, said the statement.

The secretary-general reiterated the UN's commitment to supporting the Congolese government and people in their effort to bring peace and stability to the eastern provinces of the country, it said.

The DRC military said Tuesday that the UN helicopter was shot down by M23 rebels, which is yet to be confirmed by the United Nations. 


MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) - Ukraine said Russia has violated its pledge to reduce military activity in Kyiv and Chernihiv by continuing to attack both the battlefronts.



After the latest round of ceasefire talks between the two delegations in Istanbul Tuesday, Russia's Defense Ministry said it will 'drastically reduce military activity' on the two Ukrainian cities.



Russia's Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin told reporters that the decision to ease the invasion was taken in response to Ukraine's proposal in Tuesday's three-hours-long talks to become a neutral and non-nuclear state in exchange for security guarantees.



Russia's offer was met with skepticism by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other western leaders. Zelensky called for tighter sanctions against Russia. He said the besieged southern port city of Mariupol is almost completely destroyed.



The Pentagon cautioned that troop movement near Kyiv is a repositioning, not a real withdrawal. 'we all should be prepared to watch for a major offensive against other areas of Ukraine,' Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby told reporters.



'Russia has failed in its objective of capturing Kyiv,' he said. 'It's failed in its objective of subjugating Ukraine. But they can still inflict massive brutality on the country, including on Kyiv. We see that even today in continued airstrikes against the capital city.'



Kirby said it's unclear now what actions Russia will take next in Ukraine, or what their ultimate goals there have metastasized into. 'Briefings from the Russian Ministry of Defense have been misleading and amount to efforts to recast recent missteps as intermediary steps to its ultimate goals'.



The White House Director of Communications Kate Bedingfield echoed this sentiment at a press briefing. 'Everyone should expect that we're going to continue to see attacks across Ukraine,' she told reporters.



Chernihiv governor Viacheslav Chaus said on the Telegram messaging app that Russia had been bombarding Chernihiv and the city of Nizhyn 'all night long.'



Chernihiv was shelled and rockets were being shot down in Kyiv, according to Vadym Denysenko, an adviser to Ukraine's Interior Minister.



Meanwhile, the United Nation's nuclear watchdog chief has arrived in Ukraine to hold urgent talks with the government about the safety of the country's nuclear facilities.



'Just crossed the border into Ukraine to start the IAEA's mission to ensure the safety and security of the country's nuclear facilities,' Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), wrote on Twitter. 'We must act now to help prevent the danger of a nuclear accident,' he added.



There are concerns over the safety of Ukraine's largest nuclear power plant, Zaporizhzhia, and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which are currently under the control of Russian forces.







Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
The combination of J.S. Held and Ocean Tomo uniquely presents experts on complex technical, scientific, and financial matters across all assets and value at risk.

JERICHO, New York, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- J.S. Held, a global consulting firm, announced today that it has acquired Ocean Tomo LLC, an expert advisory firm specialized in Intellectual Property (IP) and other intangible assets; corporate accounting investigations; regulatory and reporting obligations; solvency and restructuring; and contractual or competition disputes.

Established in 2003, Ocean Tomo is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with offices throughout the United States. Ocean Tomo's team is composed of industry-leading experts in IP and intangible asset valuations and disputes, financial forensics, risk and regulatory compliance, patent analytics, investment advisory, innovation management consulting, and transaction brokerage.

"The addition of Ocean Tomo strengthens our ability to address the unique needs of organizations around the world facing high-stakes situations involving intellectual property and other intangible assets," said Jonathon C. Held, Chief Executive Officer of J.S. Held. "We are very excited about this partnership, which brings more than 80 of the most well-respected professionals in the industry to our firm."

Collectively, Ocean Tomo's experts have completed more than 1,000 engagements across a wide diversity of industry segments. They have consulted and provided expert testimony in some of the highest profile IP matters over the past two decades - spanning state, federal, and international courts. Their clients include businesses, law firms, investors, artists, designers, creators, researchers, educational institutions, and government agencies.

"We are thrilled to join J.S. Held. Together we can uniquely provide integrated technical, scientific, and financial expertise to our clients," said James E. Malackowski, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Tomo. "The diverse skills and experience of J.S. Held's experts allows us to address complex matters involving tangible and intangible assets. Importantly, J.S. Held shares our core values for excellence and professional development, making for a strong and exciting partnership."

Ocean Tomo employee shareholders have invested into J.S. Held as part of the announced transaction. J.S. Held's acquisition provides an exit for Ocean Tomo institutional investors Bow River Capital (Denver) and Sinofaith IP Group (Shanghai). "Facilitating the growth of market leaders is a key part of Bow River's investment strategy, and we are especially pleased with the outcome at Ocean Tomo," said Bo Sutton, a Director at Bow River. "We are extremely proud of our successful partnership with Ocean Tomo and believe the team is well positioned for continued success as part of J.S. Held."

Houlihan Lokey served as financial advisor to Ocean Tomo in connection with the transaction. Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP served as legal counsel to Ocean Tomo. Vedder Price served as legal counsel to Ocean Tomo executives. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP advised J.S. Held in connection with the transaction.

About J.S. Held

J.S. Held is a specialized global consulting firm whose professionals serve as trusted, expert advisors to organizations facing high-stakes events that demand urgent attention, exceptional knowledge, staunch integrity, and clear-cut analysis and advice. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of technical, scientific, financial, and technology advisory services that enable clients across the spectrum of industries to navigate complex, contentious, and often catastrophic situations with precise analysis, reliable insights, and confidence.

About Ocean Tomo

Established in 2003, Ocean Tomo provides Financial Expert, Management Consulting, and Advisory services related to intellectual property (IP) and other intangible assets; corporate accounting investigations; regulatory and reporting obligations; solvency and restructuring; and contractual or competition disputes. Practice offerings address economic damage calculations and testimony; accounting investigations and financial forensics; technology and intangible asset valuation; strategy and risk management consulting; mergers and acquisitions; debt and equity private placement; and IP brokerage. Subsidiaries of Ocean Tomo include Ocean Tomo Investments Group, LLC, a registered broker dealer.

J.S. HELD MEDIA CONTACT:

Monica Christopher

Chief Marketing Officer, J.S. Held LLC

mchristopher@jsheld.com

+1 516 621 2900

OCEAN TOMO MEDIA CONTACT:

Kristi L. Stathis

Chief Marketing Officer, Ocean Tomo, LLC

kstathis@oceantomo.com

+1 773 294 4360

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1774904/JS_Held_Logo.jpg
SALT LAKE CITY, UT / ACCESSWIRE / March 30, 2022 / Motos America Inc. (OTC PINK:WECT) is pleased to announce the acquisition of three motorcycle dealerships in Oregon, USA.

Effective March 1, 2022 the Company consummated the purchase of 100% of the membership interests in two Oregon LLCs: CASCADE MOTO EUGENE, LLC, and CASCADE MOTO PORTLAND, LLC, which companies are the owners of three dealerships. The dealerships acquired by the company are BMW Motorcycles of Portland, BMW Motorcycles of Eugene and Triumph Portland. No real estate was included in this transaction, but the Company has entered into lease agreements whereby it will continue to operate from the seller's current facilities.

The total purchase price was $4,196,841.00. This purchase price was paid from cash on hand in the amount of $676,887.00, together with flooring lines and unsecured working capital lines of credit obtained by the Company from BMW Financial Services and other institutional lenders in the amount of $3,019,954.00. The Company also issued 250,000 shares of its common voting shares, valued at $2.00 per share to complete this transaction. This is a related party transaction, as the seller is a Director and the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Vance B. Harrison.

"We are proud to have added these great dealerships to our network," said Vance Harrison,CEO of Motos America. "These three stores fit perfectly into our core business plan of acquiring powersports dealerships selling European luxury motorcycle brands. The synergy of buying three rooftops in a single market will further enhance our strategy of adding profitability through bulk buying, experiential marketing and professional management." as Motos America meets an age of evolution where consumers are purchasing motorcycles online."

These purchases are part of the Company's continued growth strategy. Motos America Inc. believes that motorcycle dealership consolidation will result in the same benefits of scale seen in auto-dealer consolidations. Since November, when it changed its name from Weconnect Tech International, Motos America Inc. has raised approximately $2.7 million in equity and convertible debt from private investors. The Company has also added key leadership last month with the hiring of Kris Odwarka, a 29-year veteran in European motorcycle and automotive manufacturing.

The Company is currently investigating the acquisition of additional retail locations of BMW, Triumph, and Ducati motorcycle dealerships across the United States.

About the Company

Motos America Inc., is a premium European motorcycle dealership consolidation company. In November, 2021 the Company changed its name from "Weconnect Tech International, Inc." to "Motos America Inc." Concurrent with the name change, the Company adopted a new business model. The Company intends to buy and operate powersports dealerships, with a primary interest on European luxury motorcycle brands, including BMW Motorcycles, Triumph Motorcycles and Ducati Motorcycles. In the view of the Company, this industry is ripe for consolidation, similar to what has occurred in the automotive dealership niche. The Company believes that consolidation in this niche will bring about the same advantages of scale associated with auto-dealer consolidations, namely better operating results flowing from professional management, branding and marketing opportunities, and volume purchasing.

For more information please contact:

Motos America Inc.

Cal Jones, Investor Relations

510 So. 200 West #110

Salt Lake City, UT 84101

cal@motosamerica.com

https://motosamerica.com

(801) 386-3700

(801) 403-8609 - Cell

This Press Release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, among other things, statements regarding our business strategy, future revenues and anticipated costs and expenses. Such forward-looking statements include, among others, those statements including the words "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "believes" and similar language. Our actual results may differ significantly from those projected in the forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this report. We undertake no obligation to publicly release any revisions to the forward-looking statements or reflect.

SOURCE: Motos America Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/695184/Motos-America-Inc-Acquires-Three-Dealerships-in-Oregon
The German Online Games Publisher and Developer of Popular Titles Such As Swords of Legend Online, and OGame, Tasks Stein with Spearheading its New Games Initiative

KARLSRUHE, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / March 30, 2022 / Today, Gameforge, online games publisher and developer of popular titles such as AION, NosTale, Metin2, Swords of Legends Online, and OGame, announced the appointment of Peter Stein as its new Director of Business Development. He will be reporting directly to the company's Chief Product Officer, Tomislav Perkovic, and leading the company's new games initiative, which is set to explore progressive takes on genre, gameplay, and mechanics, as well as exciting partnerships, diverse target audiences, and innovative technologies.

A senior professional with over ten years of experience in tech and games, Stein's notable tenures include co-founding the award-winning tech start-up Bcon as COO, and driving the licensing business at Craze Toys, working on global IPs at one of the fastest-growing toy companies in Germany. Stein began his career at Gameforge as a Sourcing Manager in 2012, responsible for finding and contracting new games development partners around the world.

"This is an exciting opportunity, as Gameforge is taking the leap to commit serious effort into exploring new games genres. I feel honored to be given the chance to help direct and guide this effort with the support of Thomas Scholtzel and Benjamin Janson from the BizDev team," said Peter Stein. "The company's growth mindset, their value-driven company culture, and the great leadership team make me confident that together we'll continue to deliver great new games over the course of the next few years."

In all of his roles, Stein has been at the forefront of exploring and executing business development strategies, resulting in hands-on experience with companies, business models, and tools in gaming and tech, and partnerships with major brands and boutique studios. His breadth of experience made him the ideal candidate to lead Gameforge's new games initiative.

"Our Business Development team plays a major role in building the future of Gameforge," said Tomislav Perkovic, Chief Product Officer at Gameforge. "Their main task is to bring us new games and other business opportunities. We started our journey into single-player games with Trigon: Space Story, and will continue with other titles to follow soon. Of course, we are looking to broaden our portfolio not only in the amount of games, but also in different business models and platforms."

To stay up to date on all Gameforge news, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin, and visit gameforge.com.

A full press kit can be found here: https://uberstrategist.link/Gameforge-Corporate-PressKit

About Gameforge

Founded in 2003, Gameforge is a leading Western publisher and operator of widely acclaimed Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) and Browser-based game titles. Gameforge builds highly active and enduring global communities by supporting players through the greatest quality LiveOps, provision of localized content, engaging community management, and frequent delivery of meaningful updates.

Gameforge's diverse portfolio of highly successful gaming brands provides different worlds with engaging experiences for players from all walks of life: core MMORPG titles Swords of Legends Online, AION, Runes of Magic, and Metin2, beloved anime MMOs Elsword and NosTale, strategy-focused browser games like OGame and Ikariam, along with indie titles such as Trigon: Space Story.

More information is available on gameforge.com

PRESS CONTACT

Lisa Mior, Michael Hruby, and James Robinson

UberStrategist Inc.

+1 646-844-8388

pr@uberstrategist.com

SOURCE: Gameforge

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/695082/Gameforge-Hires-Peter-Stein-as-Director-of-Business-Development
For Immediate Release

30 March 2022

ROGUE BARON PLC

("Rogue Baron" or "The Company")

SHINJU Whisky, Official Spirit of Bloomaroo Cherry Blossom Festival

Rogue Baron (AQSE: SHNJ) is very pleased to announce that Shinju Japanese Whisky and Washington DC's premier waterfront destination, The Wharf, have partnered for Bloomaroo festival centered around the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC. In celebration of the Cherry Blossom Festival and just in time for the summer season, Shinju Japanese Whisky was selected as the official spirit of the Cherry Blossom season.

Until April 3, thousands of people will enjoy the Bloomaroo festivities, commemorating the Mayor of Tokyo's gift of 3,000 cherry blossom trees to the American people in 1912. Housed on 24 acres of land and 50 acres of water, The Wharf's piers and waterside promenades not only offer tourist and locals alike one of a kind views of these beautiful gifts from Japan but also opportunities to enjoy leisurely riverfront strolls, fine dining and a real connection to DC's water front, a principal tourist attraction in the Nation's Capital, that has historically attracted over 45,000 unique visitors per day on the weekends during the Cherry Blossom season and well over 10 million visitors throughout the year.

Shinju Japanese Whisky-crafted cocktails will be featured at multiple locations through The Wharf including: Kaliwa, Intercontinental Hotel-Moon Rabbit, Kirwan's at the Wharf, Canopy by Hilton -Whiskey Charlie/Canopy Central, Hyatt House - H Bar and Cantina Bambina. This year The Wharf has partnered with Belly Full's effort to support World Central Kitchen in providing meals in areas of need around the world, particularly their current efforts in the Ukraine. Bloomaroo will donate $1 USD for every Shinju Cocktail sold during the festival to support this important global relief program.

The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement.

For further information, please contact:

The Company

Ryan Dolder

rdolder@roguebaron.com

AQSE Corporate Adviser:

Peterhouse Capital Limited

Guy Miller +44 (0) 20 7469 0936

AQSE Corporate Broker:

Peterhouse Capital Limited

Lucy Williams +44 (0) 20 7469 0936
The robo cyber security firm from Vitoria-Gasteiz ( Spain ) is once again leading an investigation involving international experts on the importance of security in the Robot Operating System (ROS) and the DDS communications middlware

The participants in the study have discovered more than a dozen of dangerous vulnerabilities present in more than 650 devices online today, very common in the Industrial field, the University, and even in Hospitals and Military Agencies

Alias Robotics' research has been cited and published by the United States Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency, which reflects the importance of the conclusions set forth.

To mitigate these vulnerabilities, Alias Robotics has contributed to SROS2, a series of developer tools to detect insecurities in ROS 2 and DDS

VITORIA, Spain, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A team of researchers led by the Spanish firm Alias Robotics - specialized in robotic cybersecurity - together with cybersecurity experts from several multinationals and cybersecurity professionals from various governments, have discovered about fifteen dangerous vulnerabilities, some critical, in the Robot Operating System (ROS) and the DDS communications protocols that affect industrial systems and robots that, if used by cybercriminals, could have "devastating consequences. In turn, they have detected that these vulnerabilities are present in almost 650 different devices exposed on the Internet and used not only in industry, but also in healthcare or in the military field.

Robotics and IT security professionals from the firm Alias Robotics in Spain have collaborated in recent months with security experts from around the world in the detection of security vulnerabilities in the Robot Operating System (ROS) and in the software communications middleware DDS ("Data Distribution Service"), present in many systems (autonomous cars, industrial robotic arms, aerospace systems, military equipment, critical infrastructure, ), as well as in industrial robots.

In particular, the vulnerabilities affect DDS, an 'intermediate software' (called middleware) that is the main communication bus between different robotic devices, that is, the core of ROS 2 (Robot Operating System ), which is used by the majority of robotics engineers for all types of present or future industrial robots, with applications in the business world, in the industrial field, but also in the world of health, as is the case of surgical robots. As per Victor Vilches studies suggests that the use of ROS will grow significantly over the next few years and that by 2024, 55% of commercialized robots will use ROS.

From Alias Robotics -specialized in robot cyber security- it is considered that "DDS is a middleware still largely insecure communications technology , used in areas where security is very important, so investment in cybersecurity is needed immediately". They also consider that the response times of the DDS manufacturers are too long, "which greatly exposes these systems to cyber-attacks," according to Victor Mayoral-Vilches, a leading robot cybersecurity researcher from Alias Robotics and founder of the startup.

In his opinion, " cybercriminals could today use these vulnerabilities to paralyze robots and critical infrastructures all over the world leveraging DDS". The company from Vitoria warns that it is necessary for robotics and automation companies to invest in cybersecurity and cooperate "with qualified groups in robot cybersecurity".

Summary of results

The results of this research derive from the collaboration of several researchers including Victor Mayoral-Vilches (Alias Robotics), Federico Maggi, Mars Cheng, Patrick Kuo , Chizuru Toyama, Rainer Vosseler, and Ta-Lun Yen (Trend Micro and TxOne) and Erik Boasson (ADLINK Labs).

Its impact in robotics has been led by Alias Robotics and a good part of these vulnerabilities "have not been patched or mitigated by the manufacturers serving robotics companies today".

The team of researchers has come to detect up to 13 security vulnerabilities (some classified as "critical" by cybersecurity experts), which could affect both workers and users who handle industrial robots that include this DDS software. Based on the security-immaturity of DDS, the appearance of new vulnerabilities affecting DDS in the coming months is not ruled out.

One of the conclusions is that these vulnerabilities are present in almost 650 different devices used in across areas of application around the world. From Alias Robotics they have detected devices affected by these vulnerabilities in organizations such as NASA, but also in global data centers (Huawei Cloud Service), large industrial multinationals (Siemens), as well as hospitals, banks and universities in 34 countries, affecting 100 organizations through 89 Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

Key vulnerability findings

These detected vulnerabilities could lead to the loss of control of the robotic device, its complete loss of security, the denial of services through brute force, the possibility of facilitating access to the device through the exploitation of remote services, problems in the supply chain or the fact that attackers abuse the security protocols themselves to create an efficient command and control channel.

The authors of the study, have found that many of these security vulnerabilities - some even with the source code (proprietary) exposed to the public - have been open "for a long time, even years, so today cybercriminals could use them to paralyze critical infrastructure around the world" , according to Victor Mayoral-Vilches.

In his opinion, "many still robotic device manufacturers prioritize their business development and continue to ignore cybersecurity." Mayoral-Vilches emphasizes that many of the manufacturers refuse to solve the problems "because if they did they would not comply with the DDS standard/specification". This is a problem of magnitude" - emphasizes the founder of Alias Robotics - "since the revision of the DDS standard may take years to be properly revised".

The report, which has been recently cited and published by the United States Agency for Security and Cybersecurity Infrastructure , was presented during 2021 in various forums including 'Black Hat 2021' from Las Vegas, the world's largest annual cybersecurity forum - but also at the ROS-Industrial Conference 2021 and more recently at a session organized by the European Commission on safety, security and performance . His research will continue to be presented throughout 2022 at new conferences and industry forums.

Tools to identify ROS 2 and DDS vulnerabilities

In order to mitigate the threats found and train robotics engineers in security matters, the Alias Robotics team has led a second research effort that has contributed and released a series of extensions to tools under an open source license that allow detecting these vulnerabilities in ROS 2 and DDS.

The results of this effort have been summarized in the article " SROS2: Usable Cyber Security Tools for ROS 2 " which has been sent to the International Conference on Robots and Systems (IROS 2022).

Aliases Robotics was founded in 2018 by Victor Mayoral-Vilches and has become an international leader in cybersecurity solutions for robots. His team is the creator of the first Immune Robot System (RIS), an intelligent antivirus that protects bots from cybercriminals from the inside out. RIS is incorporated into robots to protect them as it evolves and adapts like the human immune system.

Alias Robotics is made up of renowned robotics engineers, scientists and security researchers with more than 10 years of experience. Its clients include large automation companies, government institutions and users of industrial robots www.aliasrobotics.com

? Communication inquiries :

Victor Mayoral-Vilches

Phone: 616 151561

e-mail: victor@aliasrobotics.com

Vitoria, Alava, Spain

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1776779/Alias_Robotics_Logo.jpg
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 30, 2022 / Perk Labs Inc. (CSE:PERK)(OTCQB:PKLBF)(FKT:PKLB) ("Perk" or the "Company"), the digital franchise company helping businesses transition to the digital economy, is pleased to announce it has entered into agreements with several leading marketing firms to assist with investor communication, online marketing and content creation as Perk Labs continues to achieve important milestones and grow its investor base.

"Our digital dine-in software solution is now ready for prime time and as we begin to scale up the number of digital franchisees and restaurants subscribing for our software, now is also the time to invest in market awareness" said Jonathan Hoyles, CEO of Perk, "We've engaged top tier marketing firms that provide complementary services to amplify our sales and marketing communication, raise investor awareness, and highlight our growth through a coordinated social, digital, and broadcast tv marketing push."

MarketOne Media

The Company has engaged Market One Media Group Inc. ("MarketOne") to provide its marketing and social media expertise to support Perk's marketing initiatives. Market One is a multi-platform media solution for the capital markets operating in print, digital, and broadcast television. The media message, either by video interview or professional journalists is broadcast and posted online and televised through Bell, and Postmedia on platforms such as the Financial Post and Business News Network (BNN Bloomberg). Under the terms of the engagement, MarketOne has been retained for a 9-month period.

Stockhouse Publishing Ltd.

The Company has engaged Stockhouse Publishing Ltd. ("Stockhouse") to provide Perk with their full suite of marketing tools that include 30 different services around brand awareness. Stockhouse is a financial portal with one of the largest communities of active investors in North America. It provides financial news, tools and information that enable its investor community to uncover and share opportunities on high growth investment sectors, market trends, small-cap stocks and more. Under the terms of the engagement, Stockhouse has been retained for a 12-month period.

Proactive Investors

The Company has engaged Proactive Investors ("Proactive") to provide marketing services including comprehensive coverage of officially released news and other developments at the Company, plus interviews in video and written formats, with all content to be featured on Proactive websites and further distributed through Proactive's multinational network of syndication partners. Under the terms of the engagement, Proactive has been retained for a 12-month period.

Conversionly

The Company has engaged Conversionly.io as a lead management partner to qualify leads and set appointments for both its digital franchising program and for restaurant lead generation.

Some of the proceeds from the closing of the initial tranche of the Company's previously announced private placement were used to pay for engaging the services of MarketOne, Stockhouse and Proactive.

About MarketOne

MarketOne is Canada's leading marketing agency for public companies. They boast over 60 collective years of capital markets experience, a Google-certified team, award-winning journalists and savvy digital marketers to support their clients' marketing efforts.

About Stockhouse

Stockhouse is a leading financial media company that serves public companies, financial institutions, media publishers, and brand advertisers. Stockhouse members have access to a wide range of world-class products and tools including portfolio managers, subscription-based expert newsletters, Stockhouse Bullboards, blogs, and social networking tools to help navigate their investment options. With over nine million unique visitors annually, Stockhouse is Canada's #1 financial portal and one of North America's largest small-cap investor communities.

About Proactive

Proactive is a leading multimedia news organization, investor portal and events management company with offices in Toronto, Vancouver, New York, London and Sydney. It operates financial websites providing breaking news, commentary and analysis on hundreds of listed companies, and syndicates content across a broad range of financial and general news portals. Perk Labs articles and video interviews can be accessed at www.proactiveinvestors.com.

About Conversionly

Conversionly helps businesses set appointments to close more deals and scale faster. Conversionly helps businesses put a client acquisition system in place that ensures they have more quality appointments with potential clients in their calendar.

About Perk Labs Inc.

Perk Labs Inc. (CSE:PERK)(OTCQB:PKLBF)(FKT:PKLB) is the owner of Perk Hero, the mobile commerce platform on a mission to empower business owners with the digital tools to provide their customers with experiences that are more engaging, convenient and rewarding. Perk Hero is growing through a unique community-driven digital franchise business that is available to entrepreneurs at an attractive start-up price.

For more information about Perk Labs, please visit www.perklabs.io. Visit Perk Hero at www.perkhero.com.

For more information on a Perk Franchise, visit www.perkfranchise.com.

For more information contact:

Jonathan Hoyles

CEO

Perk Labs Inc.

(833) 338-0299 investors@perklabs.io

Jules Gagnon

Director of Investor Relations & Community

(833) 338-0299 investors@perklabs.io

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: "may", "believe", "thinks", "expect", "exploring", "expand", "could", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "pursue", "potentially", "projected", "should", "will" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. These forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, relate to, among other things, the discussion of the Company's business strategies and its expectations concerning future operations, including statements regarding the growth and scaling up of the number of digital franchises and restaurants subscribing for the Company's software, growth of investors, and achievement of Company milestones. Although the Company considers these forward-looking statements to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking statements in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Undue reliance should not be placed on such forward-looking information, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions, or expectations upon which they are based will occur.

SOURCE: Perk Labs Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/695211/Perk-Labs-Announces-New-Sales-and-Market-Awareness-Campaign
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - U.S. ADP private payrolls data for March is set for release at 8:15 am ET Wednesday. Ahead of the data, the greenback traded mixed against its major counterparts. While it fell against the pound, it held steady against the rest of major counterparts. The greenback was worth 121.76 against the yen, 1.1134 against the euro, 1.3157 against the pound and 0.9270 against the franc at 8:10 am ET. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
PARIS, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Traditional auction houses have been playing a launchpad role in NFT trading, but they could provide greater stability for this growing market. By providing valuation estimates, they synthesize the current state of supply and demand; by selling an NFT, they provide a reference price that is independent of the prices practiced on peer-to-peer platforms (like Opensea, Nifty Gateway, SuperRare, etc.). In other words, with their expertise and their temporization of the market, the auction houses may well have a stabilizing effect on the effervescent NFT market.

thierry Ehrmann, CEO and Founder of Artmarket.com and its Artprice department: "By preparing a sale, publishing a catalog several weeks in advance and by giving a range of estimates and guaranteeing the information long after adjudication, the auction house actually 'moderates' the NFT market. This does not prevent prices from soaring if demand is stronger than expected".

Despite the transparency of blockchain technology, there are plenty of anomalies on major NFT marketplaces. Whether it's fake accounts (like those that appeared around Takashi Murakami) or arbitrage opportunities (offered to those who manage to integrate the whitelists of the most coveted projects), NFT sales platforms have seen a large number of highly aggressive strategies contributing to price volatility and a degree of instability.

Takashi Murakami's 'overly' anticipated NFTs

Since the announcement of his Flowers NFT project, Japanese artist Takashi Murakami (ranked 105th in our global ranking of artists by 2021 auction turnover, all periods of creation combined) has been the subject of numerous fraud attempts using Instagram and Twitter accounts with deliberately similar names, such as murekemi.flower2022. By inciting you to mint NFTs as quickly as possible (as most NFT drops do), these fake projects try to make you buy instantly, without checking the legitimacy of the creator.

It is clear that Murakami's NFT project is attracting interest from both traditional collectors and from the crypto community. However, it is looking increasingly likely that his Flowers NFTs will not be launched until around the time of his solo show at the Gagosian in New York, scheduled for May 2022. We will therefore have to wait a little longer than was initially expected to buy into Murakami's digital Flowers.

https://gagosian.com/exhibitions/2022/takashi-murakami/

Unfortunately, the lack of clarity that currently exists on NFT marketplaces as well as on social media is generating a large number of scams. Almost all of today's most famous NFT projects have replicas circulating in large numbers on Opensea. This situation could be improved by a more active presence of stabilizing agents such as auction houses in the NFT ecosystem.

At last a genuine reference price

Of the 10,000 items in the World of Women collection, only one copy went to public auction. Estimated between $400,000 and $665,000 by Christie's, Woman #5672 was sold on 1 March 2022 in London for $600,000 (to which a 26% buyer's fees was added, bringing the total purchase price to $755,000).

The value of this work fitted perfectly with the estimate provided by the auction house Christie's. However, the price of this NFT has been very volatile: barely six months ago, Woman #5672 was acquired for $117,000 (37.95 eth) on the OpenSea platform, and the best offer for this NFT is today $70,000 (20 eth).

https://opensea.io/assets/0xe785e82358879f061bc3dcac6f0444462d4b5330/5672

Because it was outside the blockchain, data relating to Christie's sale does not appear in the work's activity log on OpenSea. On the other hand, the identity (or rather the pseudonym) of the buyer of Woman #5672 has been revealed by Opensea: it is the moonpay.eth account. In this way, the OpenSea platform and Christie's auction house both provide two complementary bits of information.

Image: [https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2022/03/image1-Abdoulaye-Barry-Globule-Blanc-2022.jpg]

Copyright 1987-2022 thierry Ehrmann www.artprice.com - www.artmarket.com

Don't hesitate to contact our Econometrics Department for your requirements regarding statistics and personalized studies: econometrics@artprice.com

for your requirements regarding statistics and personalized studies: econometrics@artprice.com Try our services (free demo): https://www.artprice.com/demo

Subscribe to our services: https://www.artprice.com/subscription

About Artmarket:

Artmarket.com is listed on Eurolist by Euronext Paris, SRD long only and Euroclear: 7478 - Bloomberg: PRC - Reuters: ARTF.

Discover Artmarket and its Artprice department on video: www.artprice.com/video

Artmarket and its Artprice department was founded in 1997 by its CEO, thierry Ehrmann. Artmarket and its Artprice department is controlled by Groupe Serveur, created in 1987.

See certified biography in Who's who :

Biographie_thierry_Ehrmann_2022_WhosWhoInFrance.pdf

Artmarket is a global player in the Art Market with, among other structures, its Artprice department, world leader in the accumulation, management and exploitation of historical and current art market information in databanks containing over 30 million indices and auction results, covering more than 770,000 artists.

Artprice by Artmarket, the world leader in information on the art market, has set itself the ambition through its Global Standardized Marketplace to be the world's leading Fine Art NFT platform.

Artprice Images allows unlimited access to the largest Art Market image bank in the world: no less than 180 million digital images of photographs or engraved reproductions of artworks from 1700 to the present day, commented by our art historians.

Artmarket with its Artprice department accumulates data on a permanent basis from 6300 Auction Houses and produces key Art Market information for the main press and media agencies (7,200 publications). Its 5.4 million ('members log in'+social media) users have access to ads posted by other members, a network that today represents the leading Global Standardized Marketplace to buy and sell artworks at a fixed or bid price (auctions regulated by paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article L 321.3 of France's Commercial Code).

Artmarket with its Artprice department, has been awarded the State label "Innovative Company" by the Public Investment Bank (BPI) (for the second time in November 2018 for a new period of 3 years) which is supporting the company in its project to consolidate its position as a global player in the market art.

Artprice by Artmarket's 2020 Global Art Market Report published in March 2022:

https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-art-market-in-2021

Artprice's 2020/21 Contemporary Art Market Report by Artmarket.com:

https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-contemporary-art-market-report-2021

Index of press releases posted by Artmarket with its Artprice department:

serveur.serveur.com/Press_Release/pressreleaseEN.htm

Follow all the Art Market news in real time with Artmarket and its Artprice department on Facebook and Twitter:

www.facebook.com/artpricedotcom/ (over 5.5 million followers)

twitter.com/artmarketdotcom

twitter.com/artpricedotcom

Discover the alchemy and universe of Artmarket and its artprice department https://www.artprice.com/video headquartered at the famous Organe Contemporary Art Museum "The Abode of Chaos" (dixit The New York Times): https://issuu.com/demeureduchaos/docs/demeureduchaos-abodeofchaos-opus-ix-1999-2013

 L'Obs - The Museum of the Future: https://youtu.be/29LXBPJrs-o

 www.facebook.com/la.demeure.du.chaos.theabodeofchaos999 (4.5 million followers)

 https://vimeo.com/124643720

Contact Artmarket.com and its Artprice department - Contact: Thierry Ehrmann, ir@artmarket.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1776809/Artmarket_NFT.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1009603/Art_Market_logo.jpg
30 March 2022

MediaZest Plc

("MediaZest", the "Company" or the "Group"; AIM: MDZ)

Result of AGM

MediaZest (AIM: MDZ), the creative audio-visual company, is pleased to announce that all resolutions were duly passed at the Group's Annual General Meeting ("AGM") which was held earlier today.

The results of the proxy voting for the AGM are set out below:

Resolution

(*Special resolution) Total Shares Voted Shares % For Against For Against One 368,218,156 368,218,156 0 100 0 Two 368,218,156 368,218,156 0 100 0 Three 368,218,156 368,218,156 0 100 0 Four 368,218,156 367,377,819 840,337 99.8 0.2 Five 368,218,156 365,266,511 2,951,645 99.2 0.8 Six* 368,218,156 366,377,819 1,840,337 99.5 0.5

Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, which was incorporated into UK law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, until the release of this announcement.



Enquiries: Geoff Robertson

Chief Executive Officer

MediaZest Plc 0845 207 9378 David Hignell/Adam Cowl

Nominated Adviser

SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP 020 3470 0470 Claire Noyce

Broker

Hybridan LLP 020 3764 2341

Notes to Editors:

About MediaZest

MediaZest is a creative audio-visual systems integrator that specialises in providing innovative marketing solutions to leading retailers, brand owners and corporations, but also works in the public sector in both the NHS and Education markets. The Group supplies an integrated service from content creation and system design to installation, technical support, and maintenance. MediaZest was admitted to the London Stock Exchange's AIM market in February 2005. For more information, please visit www.mediazest.com
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 30, 2022) - Northern Graphite Corporation (TSXV: NGC) (OTCQB: NGPHF) (FSE: ONG) (XSTU:ONG) (the "Company" or "Northern") is pleased to provide shareholders and investors with a summary and analysis of a number of important developments with respect to the critical minerals industry in the Province of Ontario. The Company believes that its Bissett Creek graphite deposit is the most advanced critical minerals development project in Ontario and accordingly, that it is well positioned to benefit. Graphite is the largest component in a lithium ion battery ("LiB") and supply is currently dominated by China.

In mid March, the Ontario government announced the launch of a Critical Minerals Strategy, setting a five year roadmap to establish the province as a reliable global supplier of responsibly sourced critical minerals. The six pillars of the strategy include "growing domestic processing and creating resilient local supply chains" as well as "investing in critical minerals innovation, research and development." This strategy seeks to leverage Ontario's wealth of raw materials, close proximity to manufacturing plants and markets, and green hydroelectric power to facilitate the production of products with high ESG standards and low carbon footprints. These competitive advantages will enable the province to play a significant role in the development of a North American supply chain that isn't dependant on raw materials from China.

On March 23 Stellantis and LG Energy Solution announced they will establish Canada's first ever large scale production lithium-ion battery plant in Windsor, Ontario, investing over $5 billion dollars in the joint venture. The new Windsor plant will require approximately 60,000 tonnes per year ("tpy") of natural graphite to reach its projected production capacity of 45 gigawatt hours ("GWH") per year.

This news followed the announcement on March 16 that Honda will invest $1.4 billion to upgrade its Alliston, Ontario plant, with the 2023 Honda CR-V hybrid among the first models to be built. Honda plans to sell only zero emission vehicles in North America by 2040 and it will upgrade its other plants over the next 20 years.

LG Energy Solution recently announced two new projects in Michigan, just across the US border from Ontario. It is investing $1.7 billion to expand its LiB cell plant in Holland, Michigan and has a third joint venture with GM to build a $2.5 billion cell plant in the City of Lansing and Delta County, Michigan. Combined with the investment in Ontario, LG will have a collective LiB production capacity of 200 GWH in North America, requiring 250,000 tpy of graphite.

Bissett Creek is the nearest graphite deposit to these megafactories which provides the Company with a unique opportunity to deliver a secure, local, responsibly sourced supply of graphite. Testing has indicated that graphite from Bissett Creek is very well suited for the manufacture of high capacity, durable, long life lithium ion batteries. Bissett Creek is projected to produce 20,000 tonnes of graphite per year in phase 1 of development and has the resources to increase production to approximately 100,000 tpy as demand grows. Canada's graphite production in 2020 was estimated to be only 10,000 tonnes.

"The move towards a green economy has been called a once in a lifetime opportunity and jurisdictions around the world are competing for the investment that is required and the jobs that will be created," said Northern Graphite CEO, Greg Bowes. "Financial support from the Ontario government has been critical to attracting these EV and battery manufacturing plants to the province and it is essential that investment also flows into the mineral projects needed to supply them," he added.

About the Bissett Creek Project

An independent study has rated Bissett Creek the highest margin graphite project in the world, including existing producing mines. This is due to its very high percentage of valuable large flake graphite, simple metallurgy and favorable location which provides ready access to equipment, supplies, labor, grid power, natural gas and markets.

The Bissett Creek deposit is located in the southern part of Canada between the cities of North Bay and Ottawa and 15 kms from the Trans Canada Highway. A full Feasibility Study has been completed for the construction of a graphite mine producing 20,000 tpy of concentrate. Measured and indicated resources are sufficient to support a much higher rate of production and the Company is re-evaluating its development plans in light of the substantial growth in EV/battery markets. The results of this process are expected to be announced in the coming months.

About Northern Graphite

Northern Graphite is a Canadian company, listed on the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"), that is focussed on becoming a world leader in producing natural graphite and upgrading it into high value products critical to the green economy including anode material for LiBs/EVs, fuel cells and graphene, as well as advanced industrial technologies.

Northern recently announced it had entered into binding purchase agreements to acquire the natural graphite division of Imerys SA (the "Transaction"). This includes the producing Lac des Iles graphite mine in Quebec and the Okanjande graphite deposit/Okorusu processing plant in Namibia. Closing of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions including final approval of the TSX-V and completion of $60 million in related financings. Completion of the Transaction will result in Northern becoming the only North American and the world's third largest non-Chinese graphite producing company with 50,000 tpy of capacity. In addition, Bissett Creek and Okanjande are two large scale development projects that have the combined potential to produce over 200,000 tpy of high quality flake graphite. Both are located close to infrastructure in politically stable jurisdictions and will enable the Company to significantly expand future production to meet rapidly growing demand from EV and battery markets.

For additional information

Please visit the Company's website at http://www.northerngraphite.com/investors/presentation/, the Company's profile on www.sedar.com, contact the Company at (613) 241-9959 or info@northerngraphite.com, or visit our Social Channels.

LinkedIn

YouTube

Twitter

Facebook

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward- looking statements and information are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "potential", "possible" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "will", "could", or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding, among others: the Company's intention to complete the Transaction and the related financings and the timing thereof; the Company's market position and production rates post-Transaction and the future demand for graphite. All such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by management based on their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors they believe are appropriate in the circumstances. However, these statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected including, but not limited to, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of other parties to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; unexpected failure or inadequacy of infrastructure and the failure of ongoing and contemplated studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued studies, development or operations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements.

Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on what management believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/118602
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Croatia's retail sales declined in February, data from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics showed on Wednesday. Retail sales in volume terms dropped by a working day and seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent year-on-year in February, after a 1.9 percent increase in January. On a monthly basis, retail sales rose 0.9 percent in February, after a 3.2 percent decrease in the preceding month. The retail trade turnover volume increased 1.6 percent monthly in February and rose 0.3 percent from a year ago. In value terms, retail sales increased 8.1 percent annually in February and rose 2.4 percent from a month ago. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
PRINCTON, N.J., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SimpleStats (www.SimpleStats.ai) is designed to help Pharmaceutical/Biotech industries to automate statistical analysis and reporting of clinical data!

Symbiance announced the launch of its Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered product SimpleStats. This launch reflects Symbiance's focus to address the industry's time-consuming and manual process challenges by leveraging the power of AI.

This announcement follows the last year's launch of Symbiance's ZYLiQ product that performs scientific writing, which helps medical writers.

SimpleStats is an application to automate statistical analysis and reporting for clinical research. The tool generates Tables, Listings and Graphs (TLG) in a rapid but structured way, using AI. The uniqueness of the tool is that it can work with any sponsor/biostatistician's TLG mock shells.

Built with an efficient framework for accelerating the TLG generation process in just 3 simple steps.

1. Upload TLG mock shell & ADaM or Derived dataset

2. Review and confirm or annotate TLG mock shell annotation with ADaM variables.

3. Generate reports & download stand-alone programs for the corresponding TLG

It generates TLGs simply by uploading the TLG mock shell and ADaM datasets. The SimpleStats AI engine will then automatically annotate TLG mock shell with ADaM variables. Users can review and finalize annotations based on ADaM Data. The application automatically generates reports in minutes and provides a stand-alone program per TLG.

"Symbiance has over 30-year history of providing quality CRO services for pharmaceutical/biotech industry. We have been at the forefront of innovation and adoption of cutting-edge technologies to provide feature-rich products/software to solve process challenges within the industry. We are very excited with the launch of SimpleStats and are looking forward to seeing our customer benefit from such automation," says Ilango Ramanujam the President & CEO of Symbiance.

About Symbiance:

Symbiance Inc., headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey is a global CRO founded in 1992 with extensive clinical research expertise and global reach. Symbiance leverages the power of artificial intelligence; is focused on innovating solutions that are technically and architecturally substantiated. It also ensures that the customers embrace a platform approach, which will result in efficient process and ultimately driving improvements in their business performance.

Please direct all enquiries to Chandra Shekar Gambiraopet at shekarg@symbiance.com
VACAVILLE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 30, 2022 / Athena Gold Corporation (OTCQB:AHNR)(CSE:ATHA) ("Athena" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that field operations have commenced for the previously announced 5,000+ foot reverse circulation ("RC") drill program (the "2022 Drill Program") at its Excelsior Springs project (the "Excelsior Springs Project" or the "Project") in Esmeralda County, Nevada (see news releases dated March 8, 2022 and February 9, 2022). The 2022 Drill Program is expected to consist of RC drill holes on both the patented and unpatented mining claims comprising the Project.

The 2022 Drill Program is designed to expand known mineralization at the Excelsior Springs Project and further substantiate that the Project is a regional-scale, intrusion-related, gold-bearing, hydrothermal system.

John Power, Athena's President & CEO commented, "Our maiden RC drill program at the Excelsior Springs Project commenced on March 24, 2022 and is progressing as planned. We are very fortunate to have a team of excellent consulting geologists and technical advisors that have worked hard to formulate our plans for this program, and we look forward to its successful conclusion."

Figure 1. RC Rig Drilling at Excelsior Springs Project, March 27, 2022

About the Excelsior Springs Project

The Excelsior Springs Project mining claims cover an area of 3.5 km2 including the historic Buster mine, which had estimated historical production of 18,000 tonnes (T) at 37.3 grams gold per tonne (g Au/T) gold to a maximum depth of 70 m. The Excelsior Springs Project is located in the Walker Lane tectonic zone of southern Nevada, which hosts a number of large historic gold mines. Total gold production from the Walker Lane tectonic zone has exceeded 20 million ounces (Moz) including notable deposits by Goldfields (5 Moz), Bullfrog (2 Moz), Tonopah (2 Moz), Mineral Ridge (1.5 Moz) and Comstock (8 Moz Au, 200 Moz Ag).

The reports of past production on the Excelsior Springs Project are historical in nature and may not accurately indicate the extent or grade of mineralization present at the Excelsior Springs Project. Although the Company believes the source of the historical information to be generally reliable, such information is subject to interpretation and cannot be verified with complete certainty due to limits on the availability and reliability of raw data and other inherent limitations and uncertainties. Readers are cautioned that the Company has no interest in or right to acquire any interest in any of the above-mentioned properties, other than the Excelsior Springs Project, and that the mineral deposits, and the results of any mining thereof, on adjacent or similar properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Excelsior Springs Project or any potential exploitation thereof.

From the mid-1980s through 2011, several exploration companies conducted drilling programs at the Excelsior Springs Project, primarily on the patented claims, that began to define the near-surface Buster Mine gold zone. Gold mineralization at the Excelsior Springs Project occurs within an east-west trending zone that is 200 to 400m wide and at least 3 km long.

Gold mineralization discovered at the Excelsior Springs Project to date occurs in quartz vein stock-works and silicified zones in hornfels and calc-silicate altered country rock and is generally close to porphyry dykes. The best mineralization (grade and thickness) is found in altered sediments immediately above porphyry dykes that have intruded along existing east- and east-northeast trending faults. The mineralized stock-work vein zones are shallow and have a relatively flat plunge, making them amenable to open pit mining methods.

Most historical exploration at the Excelsior Springs Project has focused on a 2.5 km long section in the central part of the Buster zone where mineralization is at or near the surface. Surface mapping and an Induced Polarization (IP) geophysical survey conducted by Zonge International Inc identified multiple zones of silicification that correlate well with the known mineralization. Many of the silicified zones defined by the IP (resistivity highs) surveys have not been tested by drilling and remain targets for future exploration.

Qualified Person

John Hiner, Licensed Geologist and Registered Member of SME (Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration), a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed the scientific and technical information that forms the basis of this press release and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Hiner is not independent of the Company as he is a director of the Company and holds stock options in the Company.

About Athena Gold Corporation

Athena is engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets. Its objective is to locate and develop economic precious and base metal properties of merit and to conduct its exploration program on the Excelsior Springs Project, located in Esmeralda County, Nevada, approximately 45 miles southwest of Goldfield, Nevada.

For further information about Athena Gold Corporation and our Excelsior Springs Gold project, please visit www.athenagoldcorp.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

John Power

Chief Executive Officer and President

Contact:

Phone: John Power, 707-291-6198

Email: info@athenagoldcorp.com

Cautionary Statement to U.S. Investors

This press release references NI 43-101, which differs from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators that establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects.

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") permits mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can legally extract or produce. Pursuant to SEC Industry Guide 7 under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, a "final" or "bankable" feasibility study is required to report reserves. Currently Athena has not delineated "reserves" on any of its properties. Athena cannot be certain that any deposits at its properties will ever be confirmed or converted into SEC Industry Guide 7 or any successor rule or regulation compliant "reserves". Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the historic Buster Mine gold zone will ever be confirmed or converted into reserves or that it can be economically or legally extracted.

The SEC has adopted amendments to its disclosure rules to modernize the mineral property disclosure requirements for issuers whose securities are registered with the SEC under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These amendments became effective February 25, 2019, with compliance required for the first fiscal year beginning on or after January 1, 2021, and historical property disclosure requirements for mining registrants that were included in SEC Industry Guide 7 will be rescinded from and after such date.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the completion of the 2022 Drill Program, future results from exploration, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believes", "will", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "potential", "scheduled", or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this press release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that there will be investor interest in future financings, market fundamentals will result in sustained precious metals demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the future exploration and development of the Company's projects in a timely manner, the availability of financing on suitable terms for the exploration and development of the Company's projects and the Company's ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws.

The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, operating and technical difficulties in connection with mineral exploration and development activities, actual results of exploration activities, the estimation or realization of mineral reserves and mineral resources, the inability of the Company to obtain the necessary financing required to conduct its business and affairs, as currently contemplated, the timing and amount of estimated future production, the costs of production, capital expenditures, the costs and timing of the development of new deposits, requirements for additional capital, future prices of precious metals, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities, lack of investor interest in future financings, accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, including the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, title disputes, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents, approvals or authorizations, including of the Canadian Securities Exchange, the timing and possible outcome of any pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, and other factors and risks that are discussed in the Company's periodic filings with the SEC and disclosed in the final long form prospectus of the Company dated August 31, 2021.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this press release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law.

SOURCE: Athena Gold Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/695188/Athena-Gold-Commences-Drilling-Operations-at-Excelsior-Springs-Gold-Project-Esmeralda-County-Nevada
Traditional auction houses have been playing a launchpad role in NFT trading, but they could provide greater stability for this growing market. By providing valuation estimates, they synthesize the current state of supply and demand; by selling an NFT, they provide a reference price that is independent of the prices practiced on peer-to-peer platforms (like Opensea, Nifty Gateway, SuperRare, etc.). In other words, with their expertise and their temporization of the market, the auction houses may well have a stabilizing effect on the effervescent NFT market.

Image: [ https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2022/03/image1-Abdoulaye-Barry-Globule-Blanc-2022.jpg ]

Abdoulaye Barry, Globule blanc (2022). Paper print + NFT. Estimated 500 - 800, sold 1,080 by FauveParis auction house in Paris on 10 March 2022

thierry Ehrmann, CEO and Founder of Artmarket.com and its Artprice department: "By preparing a sale, publishing a catalog several weeks in advance and by giving a range of estimates and guaranteeing the information long after adjudication, the auction house actually 'moderates' the NFT market. This does not prevent prices from soaring if demand is stronger than expected".

Despite the transparency of blockchain technology, there are plenty of anomalies on major NFT marketplaces. Whether it's fake accounts (like those that appeared around Takashi Murakami) or arbitrage opportunities (offered to those who manage to integrate the whitelists of the most coveted projects), NFT sales platforms have seen a large number of highly aggressive strategies contributing to price volatility and a degree of instability.

Takashi Murakami's 'overly' anticipated NFTs

Since the announcement of his Flowers NFT project, Japanese artist Takashi Murakami (ranked 105th in our global ranking of artists by 2021 auction turnover, all periods of creation combined) has been the subject of numerous fraud attempts using Instagram and Twitter accounts with deliberately similar names, such as murekemi.flower2022. By inciting you to mint NFTs as quickly as possible (as most NFT drops do), these fake projects try to make you buy instantly, without checking the legitimacy of the creator.

It is clear that Murakami's NFT project is attracting interest from both traditional collectors and from the crypto community. However, it is looking increasingly likely that his Flowers NFTs will not be launched until around the time of his solo show at the Gagosian in New York, scheduled for May 2022. We will therefore have to wait a little longer than was initially expected to buy into Murakami's digital Flowers.

https://gagosian.com/exhibitions/2022/takashi-murakami/

Unfortunately, the lack of clarity that currently exists on NFT marketplaces as well as on social media is generating a large number of scams. Almost all of today's most famous NFT projects have replicas circulating in large numbers on Opensea. This situation could be improved by a more active presence of stabilizing agents such as auction houses in the NFT ecosystem.

At last a genuine reference price

Of the 10,000 items in the World of Women collection, only one copy went to public auction. Estimated between $400,000 and $665,000 by Christie's, Woman #5672 was sold on 1 March 2022 in London for $600,000 (to which a 26% buyer's fees was added, bringing the total purchase price to $755,000).

The value of this work fitted perfectly with the estimate provided by the auction house Christie's. However, the price of this NFT has been very volatile: barely six months ago, Woman #5672 was acquired for $117,000 (37.95 eth) on the OpenSea platform, and the best offer for this NFT is today $70,000 (20 eth).

https://opensea.io/assets/0xe785e82358879f061bc3dcac6f0444462d4b5330/5672

Because it was outside the blockchain, data relating to Christie's sale does not appear in the work's activity log on OpenSea. On the other hand, the identity (or rather the pseudonym) of the buyer of Woman #5672 has been revealed by Opensea: it is the moonpay.eth account. In this way, the OpenSea platform and Christie's auction house both provide two complementary bits of information.

Image: [ https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2022/03/image1-Abdoulaye-Barry-Globule-Blanc-2022.jpg ]

Copyright 1987-2022 thierry Ehrmann www.artprice.com - www.artmarket.com

Don't hesitate to contact our Econometrics Department for your requirements regarding statistics and personalized studies: econometrics@artprice.com

Try our services (free demo): https://www.artprice.com/demo

Subscribe to our services: https://www.artprice.com/subscription

About Artmarket:

Artmarket.com is listed on Eurolist by Euronext Paris, SRD long only and Euroclear: 7478 - Bloomberg: PRC - Reuters: ARTF.

Discover Artmarket and its Artprice department on video: www.artprice.com/video

Artmarket and its Artprice department was founded in 1997 by its CEO, thierry Ehrmann. Artmarket and its Artprice department is controlled by Groupe Serveur, created in 1987.

See certified biography in Who's who :

Biographie_thierry_Ehrmann_2022_WhosWhoInFrance.pdf

Artmarket is a global player in the Art Market with, among other structures, its Artprice department, world leader in the accumulation, management and exploitation of historical and current art market information in databanks containing over 30 million indices and auction results, covering more than 770,000 artists.

Artprice by Artmarket, the world leader in information on the art market, has set itself the ambition through its Global Standardized Marketplace to be the world's leading Fine Art NFT platform.

Artprice Images allows unlimited access to the largest Art Market image bank in the world: no less than 180 million digital images of photographs or engraved reproductions of artworks from 1700 to the present day, commented by our art historians.

Artmarket with its Artprice department accumulates data on a permanent basis from 6300 Auction Houses and produces key Art Market information for the main press and media agencies (7,200 publications). Its 5.4 million ('members log in'+social media) users have access to ads posted by other members, a network that today represents the leading Global Standardized Marketplace to buy and sell artworks at a fixed or bid price (auctions regulated by paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article L 321.3 of France's Commercial Code).

Artmarket with its Artprice department, has been awarded the State label "Innovative Company" by the Public Investment Bank (BPI) (for the second time in November 2018 for a new period of 3 years) which is supporting the company in its project to consolidate its position as a global player in the market art.

Artprice by Artmarket's 2020 Global Art Market Report published in March 2022:

https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-art-market-in-2021

Artprice's 2020/21 Contemporary Art Market Report by Artmarket.com:

https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-contemporary-art-market-report-2021

Index of press releases posted by Artmarket with its Artprice department:

serveur.serveur.com/Press_Release/pressreleaseEN.htm

Follow all the Art Market news in real time with Artmarket and its Artprice department on Facebook and Twitter:

www.facebook.com/artpricedotcom/ (over 5.5 million followers)

twitter.com/artmarketdotcom

twitter.com/artpricedotcom

Discover the alchemy and universe of Artmarket and its artprice department https://www.artprice.com/video headquartered at the famous Organe Contemporary Art Museum "The Abode of Chaos" (dixit The New York Times): https://issuu.com/demeureduchaos/docs/demeureduchaos-abodeofchaos-opus-ix-1999-2013

L'Obs - The Museum of the Future: https://youtu.be/29LXBPJrs-o

www.facebook.com/la.demeure.du.chaos.theabodeofchaos999 (4.5 million followers)

https://vimeo.com/124643720

Contact Artmarket.com and its Artprice department - Contact: ir@artmarket.com

------------------------

This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ".

- SECURITY MASTER Key:

yGdtlsZtY2acl51qZsuYZmhlb22Tx5TFapebyWNolpqUbp1jm5yWa8aXZnBknGlv

- Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com.

------------------------



 Copyright Actusnews Wire

Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free

Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-73749-artmarket-com-auction-market-builder-buffer-for-nft-market.pdf
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 30, 2022 / Pampa Metals Corp. ("Pampa Metals" or the "Company") (CSE:PM)(FSE:FIRA)(OTCQB:PMMCF) is pleased to announce that A. Paul Gill, CEO of Pampa Metals Corp., will present at 7 am PST (10 am EST), March 30th at the Emerging Growth Conference. Please register here to ensure you are able to attend the conference and receive any updates that are released.

If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available on EmergingGrowth .com , and Pampa Metals will also publicize a link after the event.

"Pampa Metals invites individual and institutional investors as well as advisors and analysts, to attend its real-time, interactive presentation at the Emerging Growth Conference to discuss the Company's very active exploration campaign. Pampa Metals has one project being drilled by JV partner Austral Gold and based on recent results, Block 4 is the immediate focus for Pampa Metals to start its own, new drilling program.", stated A. Paul Gill, CEO.

Block 4 Discovery

Pampa Metals completed six trenches totalling 2.3 km, of which 5 trenches successfully exposed bedrock, at its Buenavista target on its Block 4 project in November-December 2021 (see news release dated February 8, 2022). The trenching was directed towards improving exposures of porphyry type quartz veinlets and copper oxide occurrences associated with a poorly exposed central porphyritic intrusion, which is spatially coincident with a magnetic anomaly detected by Pampa Metals' ground magnetics survey. The magnetic anomaly directly led to the discovery of the stockwork veined porphyry intrusion by careful follow-up geological fieldwork. The area investigated by trenches at Buenavista measures approximately 700m north-south and 900m east-west, and the core porphyry and quartz-veinlet stockwork zone has not been trenched or drill tested historically. Encouraging assay results from the trenching program were recently published (see news release dated March 15, 2022), with highly anomalous copper, moly, and gold values.

Recent Private Placement

Pampa Metals closed the first tranche of a private placement offering of 3,786,700 units ("Units") at a price of $0.30 per Unit for gross proceeds to the Company of $1,136,100. The Company will continue to raise funds with a total funding target of $4.0 million by issuing a total of 13,333,333 Units. Proceeds of the Private Placement will be used for the ongoing work programs on the Company's Chilean projects, including drilling, and for general corporate purposes.

About the Emerging Growth Conference

The Emerging Growth Conference is an effective way for public companies to present and communicate their new products, services and other major announcements to the investment community in the convenience of their office, in a time efficient manner.

The Conference focus and coverage includes companies in a wide range of growth sectors, with strong management teams, innovative products & services, focused strategy, execution, and the overall potential for long term growth. Its audience includes potentially tens of thousands of individual and institutional investors, as well as investment advisors and analysts.

All sessions will be conducted through video webcasts and will take place in the Eastern time zone (EST).

About Pampa Metals

Pampa Metals is a Canadian company listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE: PM) as well as the Frankfurt (FSE: FIRA) and OTC (OTCQB: PMMCF) exchanges. Pampa Metals owns a highly prospective, wholly owned, 62,000-hectare portfolio of eight projects for copper and gold located along proven mineral belts in Chile, one of the world's top mining jurisdictions. The Company is actively progressing four of its projects, including completed and planned drill tests, and has two additional projects optioned to Austral Gold Ltd., with Austral already drill testing its first target on Pampa Metals' ground. The Company has also recently signed an agreement with VerAI Discoveries Inc. giving Pampa Metals access to the latest in artificial intelligence technology in relation to mineral exploration, as well as a further 18,700 hectares of highly prospective terrain in the core of the highly productive mineral belts of northern Chile.

The Company has a vision to create value for shareholders and all other stakeholders by making a major copper or gold discovery along the prime mineral belts of Chile, using the best geological and technological methods. For more information, please visit Pampa Metals' website www.pampametals.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

A. Paul Gill | Chief Executive Officer

INVESTORS CONTACT

Ioannis (Yannis) Tsitos | Director

investors@pampametals.com

www.pampametals.com

Neither the CSE nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Pampa Metals expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "indicate" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. These include statements regarding our future exploration plans and results of existing plans. These statements are subject to various risks, including that results will not be as anticipated, or that timing may be impacted by restrictions on travel and work imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Although Pampa Metals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: Pampa Metals Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/695259/Pampa-Metals-Presents-At-Emerging-Growth-Conference-March-30-2022
Hg will become a significant minority investor, in a transaction valuing IFS and WorkWave at $10bln USD .

. EQT to remain the majority shareholder, with TA as a significant minority shareholder.

EQT, Hg, and TA will form a trio of world-class investors with decades of software experience, backing IFS and WorkWave for their next wave of growth.

LONDON, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- IFS, the global cloud software company, today announced that Hg, a leading software and services investor, has agreed to become a significant minority shareholder in IFS and WorkWave.

Long-term investor EQT remains the majority shareholder, with Hg and TA Associates as significant minority shareholders. The transaction values IFS and WorkWave at $10bln USD and sets both companies up to further grow their position as leading players in growing sectors.



IFS is the software vendor for organizations who want to differentiate on service. The IFS Cloud platform is fully composable, with a broad industry depth, and packed with innovation so that companies can be their best when it matters to their customers - at the Moment of Service. With thousands of the world's most respected brands as customers, IFS is a recognized provider across multiple sectors including Service Management (both Field Service Management and Enterprise Service Management), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).



WorkWave's suite of products empower service-oriented companies in its target verticals to reach their full potential through scalable, cloud-based software solutions that support every stage of a business life cycle, including marketing, sales, service delivery, customer interaction and financial transactions.

Following consecutive years of consistent growth at both IFS and WorkWave, the combined investment from EQT, TA and Hg, an investor with over 20 years' focus on software business across Europe and North America, will help the companies further accelerate growth organically and inorganically through acquisition.

Darren Roos, CEO of IFS and Chairman of WorkWave, said: "We're proud to have built two amazing software brands - and we continue to go from strength-to-strength. We are structured to scale, we have outstanding technology, and our people and partners remain obsessed with our customers' success. These have been the foundations of our success at both IFS and WorkWave, and now with the additional backing and software expertise of Hg alongside EQT and TA, we have the ability to accelerate even faster."



Nic Humphries, Senior Partner and Head of the Saturn funds at Hg, said: "We have spent well over 20 years with a strong focus on enterprise software. As a result we have followed IFS' success for several years and recognize it as a very high-quality cloud business. Its consistent performance and growth are a result of a compelling and differentiated proposition, built by a strong management team led by Darren. Both IFS and WorkWave offer very strong cloud products in verticals which are growing rapidly and we therefore see clear runway for sustained growth for the business."

Johannes Reichel, Partner at EQT added: "IFS is well positioned to take advantage of several global thematic trends, including customers wanting to digitalize their core operations enabling them to deliver even better service to their customers as well as more sustainable usage of their resources and assets. We believe there are long-term growth opportunities that IFS can capitalize on, especially with the combined support of EQT, Hg and TA helping fuel growth."

Naveen Wadhera, Managing Director at TA, said: "As industries and enterprises push to digitize and streamline their core operations, it presents even greater opportunity for innovative software leaders. We have been impressed by IFS' and WorkWave's strategic response to this market opportunity and believe the companies are well positioned for sustainable, accelerated growth, with a focus on strengthening product capabilities and expanding in targeted industry verticals. We are thrilled to continue supporting the development journey of IFS and WorkWave, together with Darren and the management team, EQT and now Hg."

The transaction is subject to customary conditions and approvals and is expected to close during Q3 2022.

Arma Partners acted as exclusive financial adviser to the sellers on this transaction alongside White & Case (legal), Kirkland & Ellis (legal) and PwC (financial and tax).

CONTACT:

IFS Press Contacts:

MEA& APJ: Adam Gillbe

Corporate Communications

Email: press@ifs.com

Phone: +44 7775 114 856

USA: Mairi Drysdale

Corporate Communications

Email: press@ifs.com

Phone: +1 520 396 2155

Europe: Marie-Christin Hansen

Corporate Communications

Email: press@ifs.com

Phone: +44 755 306 1878

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/ifs/r/hg-joins-eqt-and-ta-associates-as-investors-in-ifs-and-workwave,c3535619

The following files are available for download:
VANCOUVER, WA / ACCESSWIRE / March 30, 2022 / Adaptive Ad Systems, Inc. (OTC PINK:AATV) has released the Company's annual report for the period ending on December 31, 2021, reporting yet another profitable year. Adaptive provides Dynamic Digital Ad Insertion (DDAI) via its streaming media hardware and proprietary processing software for all U.S. cable T.V. markets, with a particular focus on underserved rural markets and High Speed Fixed Wireless Internet Service (WISP) via its network of Hybrid Access Points and Micro POPs.

The Company's 2021 gross revenue is the second-largest amount for any non-presidential election year and the third largest for any year since 2014. Despite nearly every industry sector experiencing a decrease in revenue due to the Pandemic, during 2021, Adaptive was able to continue the expansion of ad insertions on its proprietary platforms throughout its cable television networks and WISP services. Thus, the Company can again report sufficient revenue for 2021 to produce another profitable year for the eighth year in a row.

More specifically, many television advertising operations in the U.S. were negatively affected by the unprecedented impact of the Pandemic during 2021. Add to this that the Company typically experiences reduced advertising revenue during non-election years, especially directly following a national election year, such as 2020. Accordingly, though Adaptive's $5,640,267 in sales for the year ending December 30, 2021, was lower than the sales for the same period in 2020, as expected, Adaptive was still able to generate a net profit of approximately $860,000. The Company also was able to increase its cash position by approximately $1.9 million to a total of $6,318,153, while total assets increased by approximately $860,000, with assets surpassing its liabilities by $13,716,853.

Revenue $5,640,267

Net Profit $859,237

Cash $6,318,153

Assets $16,426,488

The continued profitability resulted in a significant cash position, allowed the Company to install additional proprietary digital ad insertion systems, acquire a television station in Reno, Nevada and accelerate its innovative technology development. With its focus on providing valuable and affordable digital advertising and broadband services for underserved U.S. markets, the Company consistently expands its footprint in the U.S. cable T.V. markets, establishing a solid business basis for launching its new technology.

CEO J. Michael Heil states: "2021 was a solid year for revenue and profitability. Our focus on underserved Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets in the U.S. has provided us with a constantly expanding customer base, and we anticipate that demand for our services will continue to increase. The upcoming launch of our new technology that is currently being developed will capture an important new segment of the constantly evolving digital T.V. ad sector. We expect this new market segment to increase our revenues, further developing a more balanced performance in future years. Revenues during the first three months of 2022 are on track to further improve our financial performance with the expectation of a stellar 2022.

ABOUT ADAPTIVE

Adaptive Ad Systems Inc. is a digital media and video communications company. Together with its subsidiaries and manufacturing suppliers, the Company provides Dynamic Digital Ad Insertion (DDAI) services and develops and deploys streaming media hardware and proprietary processing software for the Cable T.V., Satellite, IPTV markets. Via its subsidiary Adaptive Broadband (ABB), the Company provides High Speed Fixed Wireless Internet Service (WISP) to residences and small offices via a network of Hybrid Access Points and Micro POPs. The Company's DDAI and WISP services target the often-over-looked 2nd and 3rd Tier cable T.V. and rural WIFI markets and now also Tier 1 markets across the U.S. Adaptive's proprietary software and hardware, installed in scores of cable television systems across the United States, creating a "network" of linked cable tv system. This allows advertisers to purchase ads across the nationwide Adaptive network, generating significantly more ad impressions than traditional ad insertion technologies in individual systems. Adaptive Ad Systems has established an innovative revenue share agreement with each cable tv system and manages all ad-related activities. Currently, the Company serves over seventy-five designated marketing areas in over forty states. The Company's Adaptive Broadband network system provides services. For additional information, please visit: www.aatv.co.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, financial projections, statements regarding the plans and objectives of management for current and future operations, the development, regulatory approvals, and commercialization of the Company's products, or any of the Company's proposed services, systems, services, licensing arrangements, joint ventures, partnerships, or acquisitions. Such forward-looking statements are not meant to predict or guarantee actual results or performance, which may differ considerably. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any projections may include, without limitation, delays in the Company's development of its products and services, the inability to obtain requisite financing, the impact of significant new or changing government regulations on the industry, existing or increased competition, results of arbitration or litigation, stock volatility and illiquidity, and possible general failure to implement the Company's business plans or strategies effectively. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

Adaptive Ad Systems, Inc.

4400 NE 77th Avenue Suite 275

Vancouver, Washington 98662

310-321-4958

info@aatv.co

www.aatv.co StockWatchIndex

San Diego, California

442-287-8059

info@stockwatchindex.com

www.stockwatchindex.com

www.swiresearch.com

SOURCE: Adaptive Ad Systems, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/695180/Adaptive-Ad-Systems-Releases-Annual-Report-for-2021-Reports-Another-Record-Profitable-Year
Demonstrates 700 Volt threshold in the Company's lab as part of vertical GaN device development

New U.S. Patent issued - Validating novelty and establishing protection of the Company's vertical GaN device designs

ITHACA, NY / ACCESSWIRE / March 30, 2022 / Odyssey Semiconductor Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB:ODII), a semiconductor device company developing innovative high-voltage, vertical power switching components based on proprietary Gallium Nitride ("GaN") processing technology, today announced it has reached a technology milestone in its development of the world's most advanced vertical GaN power field-effect transistors (FETs).

Global sustainability trends require new technologies and approaches for power conversion in electric vehicles, solar and wind turbines, data centers and industrial motors. The trend to depart from traditional silicon-based transistors has been underway for over a decade - silicon can no longer meet the voltage and conversion efficiency demanded. Gallium-Nitride (GaN), deployed as lateral (or parallel) conduction FETs, provides efficiency improvements but fail to provide the voltage rating. Silicon Carbide (SiC) provides the voltage rating but falls short on efficiency. However, until Odyssey's recent innovation in vertical GaN, the performance and reliability of these new, predominant approaches have been insufficient.

Odyssey was founded to commercialize vertical GaN FETs. FETs that can provide the conversion efficiency of GaN with the higher voltage rating of SiC. The approach will lead to breakthrough performance for the most demanding applications.

Odyssey has now validated its approach at a 700 V rating while also providing industry-leading efficiency with and remarkably low on-resistance approaching 1mOhm-cm2. These devices also exhibit very low gate leakage and can be operated in a mode where they are normally "off". Technology validation can begin on these 700 V devices while an extension of the same architecture to the next milestone of a 1200 V rating or better is completed.

Odyssey, with global headquarters in Ithaca, New York is developing this technology in their own manufacturing facility. As the U.S. needs to strengthen domestic semiconductor manufacturing, Odyssey is showing its commitment with its own wafer fabrication facility. This also streamlines the technology and product development processes with close collaboration between R&D and the fab.

The Company is also announcing today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office recently approved U.S. Patent 11,251,295, which issued February 15th, 2022, with respect to key aspects of Odyssey's vertical GaN technology. The Patent is entitled "Vertical field effect transistor device and method of fabrication" and relates to a method of fabricating a high voltage switching device using GaN layers and materials. Odyssey Semiconductor now has two issued U.S. patents, and has filed many other related claims for the vertical GaN device and related technology.

CEO Commentary

"This 700 V milestone validates our industry-leading efficiency and remarkably low on-resistance. Odyssey is on-track to deliver 1200 V vertical GaN FETs in 2022 for a handful of customers who have already requested engineering samples. We are thrilled the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted our U.S. patent. This strengthens Odyssey Semiconductor's leadership position in vertical GaN devices and related technology," said Rick Brown, co-founder, interim CEO, CTO, and Board member. "Our patent is one of many that will help protect Odyssey's key aspects on our GaN devices."

"Our goal is to fully protect our GaN devices using both patent rights and trade secrets," concluded Brown.

About Odyssey Semiconductor Technologies, Inc.

Odyssey Semiconductor Technologies, Inc. (www.odysseysemi.com), has developed a proprietary technology that is designed to allow for GaN to replace SiC as the leading high-voltage power switching semiconductor material. Based in Ithaca, NY, the Company owns and operates a 10,000 sq. ft. semiconductor wafer manufacturing facility complete with a mix of class 1,000 and class 10,000 clean space as well as tools for advanced semiconductor development and production. Odyssey Semiconductor also offers a world-class semiconductor device development and foundry service.

Investor Relations Contacts:

Darrow Associates

Jeff Christensen

(703) 297-6917

jchristensen@darrowir.com

SOURCE: Odyssey Semiconductor, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/695191/Odyssey-Semiconductor-Announces-Technology-Development-Milestones
Facial recognition and proprietary software allow the AGX-verified customers to purchase Cannabis, Alcohol, CBD, and More

Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - March 30, 2022) - American Green, Inc. (OTC Pink: ERBB) announced today that it has signed a binding letter of intent to acquire VenWeb, the company that has been the supplier of American Green Xpress (AGX) vending machine with facial recognition and over age 21 ID verification which allows the purchase of age-restricted products. VendWeb has been in the vending business for over 10 years. American Green has already secured the binding letter of intent with a cash deposit and will announce the final agreement details including Vendwebs financial information upon final board approval in early April of this year.





Cannot view this video? Visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv2FNLSnvw4

American Green's president, David G. Gwyther adds, "VendWeb has been a fantastic company to work with over the last 5 years. American Green has been working directly with Lindel Creed, the founder, and president, and is very excited about the acquisition as it will bring another strategic asset to American Green. ERBB has already identified a very promising business opportunity in the 21 and over age identification and verification vertical and will be expanding its American Green Xpress AGX vending business after the acquisition is complete. VendWeb gives American Green a competitive advantage for expansion and also gives it control over the manufacturing process which includes software development, integration, and the design and build process of the American Green Xpress AGX machines."

The addition of VenWeb also produces a synergy that allows American Green to increase revenue, productivity, and its customer base through VendWeb's current clients all while reducing manufacturing costs.

According to Lindel Creed, VendWeb's owner, "I am excited that I will be a part of the team to ensure the smooth transition of VendWeb into American Green. VendWeb has been instrumental in the manufacturing of the AGX including the development and integration of American Green's proprietary software with the Jumio custom-engineered facial recognition software. This process works in conjunction with biometrics to verify and identify people over the age of 21, allowing them to purchase age-restricted products such as alcohol and cannabis from one of the most technologically advanced vending machines available."

Read more about American Green's newest division VendWeb here

Video Demonstration of the AGX Age Identification and Age Verification Vending Machine

Subscribe to our newsletter and be the first to get our press releases after they have been officially submitted.

There are also archives of hundreds of hours of footage from our Sweet Virginia Grow operation that can also be found on the American Green YouTube Channel

Shareholders and interest holders may also stay current with American Green Updates:

American Green's Main Website at www.americangreen.com

American Green's CBD store at www.americangreencbd.com

Live Sweet Virginia Grow Footage https://americangreen.com/live/

Twitter: @American__Green (two underscores), or

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/americangreenusa

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americangreenusa/

About American Green, Inc.

In 2009, American Green, Inc. became America's second publicly traded company in the cannabis sector. American Green now, with its more than 50,000 certified beneficial shareholders, is one of the largest (in shareholder count) in the cannabis sector. American Green's mission is to lead the cannabis and premium CBD industry.

Leveraging our team of professionals in cultivation management, manufacturing, extraction, wholesale, retail, and community outreach, we strive to develop sustainably initiatives in the cannabis-adjacent and CBD industries, laser-focused on adding company and shareholder value.

For more information -

Contact:

American Green, Inc.

Investor Relations

2902 W. Virginia Ave

Phoenix, AZ 85009

480-443-1600 X555

investor@americangreen.com

NOTES ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Except for any historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission reports and filings. Certain statements contained in this release that are not historical facts constitute forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created by that Act. Reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements because they involve unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or

achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as estimates, anticipates, projects, plans, expects, intends, believes, be should, and similar expressions and by the context in which they are used. Such statements are based upon current expectations of the Company and speak only as of the date made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which they are made.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/118582
PETAH TIKVA (dpa-AFX) - Teva Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (TEVA) and its affiliates, on Wednesday has reached an agreement with the Attorney General of Florida that settles the state's and its subdivisions opioid-related claims. The settlement will provide Florida $177 million over 15 years, as well as life-saving medicine generic Narcan (naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray), valued at $84 million over 10 years. This settlement with the state of Florida is another critical step forward in getting life-saving treatments to people suffering from opioid addiction. Teva noted that this settlement agreement is not an admission of any liability or wrongdoing, and the Company will continue to defend itself in court in states where we have not reached terms of a settlement agreement. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
With the addition of resources to expand OWIT's product offering and support new customers, the modern office space will cultivate the company culture in a fun and safe environment.

OWIT Global (OWIT), a provider of insurance-specific microservices software solutions for the global insurance industry, is pleased to announce the opening of an office in West Hartford, Conn. With OWIT's continued growth in 2021, the new office will provide a location for U.S. resources to support the acceleration of products and new customers.

"Having a great company culture to collaborate and engage in social interaction in an office-environment was pivotal when we started the company. We saw the benefits of having offices in both our U.K. and India locations," said Wendy Aarons-Corman, CEO of OWIT Global. "We were planning on opening a U.S. office pre-COVID but waited to understand the impact of the pandemic."

According to Aarons-Corman, the move into the new office accompanies the continued growth of OWIT's products, as well as its base of employees.

"Our team members understand the long-term benefits of reporting into an office to continue fostering our goals and providing in-person learning and mentoring to our onboarding team members," continued Aarons-Corman. "We decided to adopt a hybrid model combining remote work with office work. Our office design is modern and fun and will allow us to continue the development of our company culture. We are excited to be a part of the West Hartford community and look forward to leveraging the area's diverse talent pool."

To learn more about OWIT Global CLICK HERE.

About OWIT GLOBAL

OWIT Global (OWIT) is an insurance technology company specializing in solutions built on a unique suite of reusable insurance-specific microservices. OWIT's solutions include Bordereaux and Binder Management, Business to Business/Consumer Portals, User and Point of Sale Portals, Rating, Document-lite Generation, Insurance Data Transformation, and Policy Administration. Each OWIT solution is built on a collection of microservices that allow for unprecedented reusability to deliver an array of additional solutions to solve pressing pain points for both immediate and longer-term business benefits. OWIT's solutions can be deployed standalone or integrated with a Broker's, Carrier's or MGA's existing environment to maximize investments. To see the power and flexibility of the OWIT catalog of cloud-based microservices, visit www.owitglobal.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005095/en/

Contacts:

Media:

Gilda Migliore

gilda@owitglobal.com

1-833-GET-OWIT X708
New agency is founded by world's most-awarded creative team Zampa Zaro

Today marks the launch of AKQA Bloom, an autonomous new agency that will deploy vibrant thinking and bold ideas to help respond to the challenges of our time.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005134/en/

(L-R) Founders and Executive Creative Directors of AKQA Bloom, Fernando Pellizzaro and Jean Zamprogno. (Photo: Business Wire)

Bloom's mission is to protect our planet, open minds and enrich lives by inspiring companies to make an impact that goes beyond communication. Bloom's hope is that cross-disciplinary collective action will help to spark an industry-wide shift in attitudes and contribution through our shared humanity and societal responsibility.

Led by Founders and Executive Creative Directors Jean Zamprogno and Fernando Pellizzaro (Zampa Zaro) the new agency is launched in Miami, Florida.

Zaro said: "We founded Bloom from a realization that we have the platform and opportunity to respond to multiple problems with new energy and determination. By applying fearless creativity, exceptional craft, and love, we aspire to encourage brands to satisfy societal needs in positive and meaningful ways."

Zampa said: "A very legitimate skepticism is rising as people begin to see the gap between the purpose-led rhetoric that some companies preach and a corporate reality that's severely lacking in substance. Every enterprise has the power and potential to harness their enormous influence as a force for social good, with sustainable growth that serves the community, workers and environment, aligning interests for all stakeholders."

Zampa Zaro have cultivated a reputation for being agents of change by catapulting iconic, award-winning creative that drives conversation around issues impacting LGBTQ+ communities, renewable energy, clean food, and education on health initiatives, like blood donation and vaccine access.

AKQA's Chief Executive Officer, Ajaz Ahmed,is equally certain there's no better talent than the dynamic creative team to lead the new agency, saying: "Zampa Zaro's loyalties and worldview are resolutely focussed to the present and the future. Their visionary ideas break the rules and change the way people think by sharing astonishing stories and amplifying stunning voices outside the consensus. Zampa Zaro's striking ingenuity reminds us that difficulties are not inevitable, challenges are not insurmountable and creative expression infused with meaning will help confront the obstacles that face a world built on fragile foundations that's in constant change."

Ahead of their springtime debut, Bloom is already hard at work on large-scale collaborations with organisations.

Based in Miami and working internationally, AKQA Bloom will collaborate with brands working at the intersection of culture and purpose, finding the right balance between brand love and brand trust. With its blossoming neighbourhoods, entrepreneurial network, highly collaborative creative community and drive, Miami presents the ideal conditions and flourishing ecosystem to help AKQA Bloom to thrive. Miami is an emerging technology hub that benefits from a diverse population, a rapidly growing startup scene, and an attractive climate to encourage work-life balance.

For more information and to stay up-to-date on Bloom visit www.akqabloom.com.

About Zampa Zaro

Fernando Pellizzaro and Jean Zamprogno are Founders and ECDs at AKQA Bloom. With 15 years of experience in the US, Brazil, Portugal, and Argentina, they have won recognition from all major festivals, including 44 Cannes Lions (4 GP 1 Titanium), 53 Clios, 50 One Show Pencils, and 28 D&ADs, including a Black pencil.

Business Insider selected them as one of the 35 Rising Stars revolutionizing advertising in 2018, they were named to Adweek's Creative 100 in 2019, and in 2021, they were Creative Directors of The Year nominees by Ad Age's A-list.

Cannes Global Creative Report ranked them #1 most awarded Creative Directors (2020/2021) and #8 Creative Directors in 2019. They were also ranked #1 Group Creative Directors at the One Show in 2020. And, according to The Drum Global Creative Ranking, they were #1 Creative Directors in the World in 2022.

In recent years, they worked on 6 Super Bowl ads and global projects for brands such as Burger King, Budweiser, Cutwater, Coca-Cola, Corona, and Mondelez, bringing to life some iconic campaigns in the industry such as Moldy Whopper, Stevenage Challenge, Eat Like Andy, This Coke is a Fanta, Try Not to Hear This, Bigger Picture, and others.

Before AKQA, they led DAVID Miami's office as ECDs, helping the agency to be nominated for Agency of the Year at the One Show, Clios, and D&AD. On WARC 2021, the most relevant ranking in the advertising industry, their work led David Miami to be nominated for the most awarded agency globally, featuring the #1 and #2 most awarded campaigns.

Zampa Zaro have created multiple purpose-led, values-oriented assignments during their careers and have now decided to focus the entirety of their efforts on this work by launching AKQA Bloom.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005134/en/

Contacts:

PR

AKQA

Haley Hammerling

Haley.Hammerling@akqa.com

+1 (973) 747 4484
Strategic marketing and communications consultancy begins 2022 with further expansion into healthcare, cybersecurity and financial services

Magnitude today announced a series of client acquisitions, extending its entry to high-growth markets such as technology, healthcare, energy, and financial services. In its first year of operations, the firm doubled its forecast revenues and expanded into the Bay Area and United Kingdom.

Magnitude's client and revenue growth were broad, including new verticals in healthcare, media and music, and deepening relationships in financial services across hedge funds and asset management. The firm has emerged as a go-to partner for high-growth businesses, as well as strategic business units in multinational companies seeking to accelerate growth and differentiate their brands.

As part of Magnitude's growth, the firm landed new accounts in cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence and dispute consulting. Magnitude forecasts additional growth in financial services, including technology platforms that support a host of services, ranging from payments to cryptocurrency trading and clearing.

The firm has also become an attention-driving partner to cybersecurity firms, building integrated marketing and communications solutions on behalf of vendors and consulting and research firms.

"We're impressed with Magnitude's deep relationships and capabilities; in particular, how quickly they shape the seeds of ideas into stories that resonate," said Elaine Dzuba, Director of Content Marketing at Area 1 Security. "We're thankful for their partnership, and congratulate them for this new stage of growth."

"Magnitude is committed to partnering with companies to not only tell their story but create the right strategies and mechanisms required to ensure those messages reach buyers," said Founder and CEO Scott Krady. "Our business is people-driven, and by serving as an extension of internal teams we are driving the development of relationships that create long-term value to companies, investors and shareholders."

Magnitude's team boasts decades of experience running marketing and communications campaigns, handling crises, developing and implementing digital strategy, and serving as reporters at leading business and trade publications. The team's experience includes financial services, technology, healthcare, music, real estate, not-for-profit and professional services.

In 2022, the firm expects to continue its growth across strategy and advisory services across all aspects of the marketing and communications mix. "We've been marketing and communications leaders, and we understand the challenges our clients face. We're committed to leveraging our resources in service of their goals." As part of this growth, the firm expects to expand its team further, particularly in areas such as operations, content development and strategy.

"The past year has truly exceeded expectations," said Krady. "Our business model and core vision on what an external firm can and should be is resonating in the market. We are incredibly proud of what we've achieved, but as they say, we've only just begun."

About Magnitude

We are a full-service marketing and communications consulting firm, but one that is different. Our results-driven model is designed to solve the most complex issues that impact growth. We do so by getting to the heart of pain points and creating smart, meaningful programs and relationships that drive new business opportunities for companies ranging from start-ups to multinationals and everyone in between. The common theme is a shared commitment to client success and an approach designed to deliver measurable ROI. Our teams have on average 15+ years of experience and have been in the trenches of leading digital, content, sales and experiential programs. We prioritize relationships over transactional agreements.

Connect with us: connect@magnitude-growth.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005570/en/

Contacts:

Scott Krady

scott@magnitude-growth.com

connect@magnitude-growth.com
The Alternative Credit Council (ACC), the Loan Syndications and Trading Association (LSTA) and the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) are joining forces to align lenders and private equity sponsors to support material and consistent ESG data disclosure within the credit markets.

This effort was kicked off last year by the PRI which is supported by the United Nations and represents signatories with over $120 trillion AUM to standardise ESG information shared during the investment process. The PRI worked extensively with a group of signatories to develop an ESG pre-investment due diligence template for target portfolio companies. The template maps the many existing ESG standards and frameworks rather than adding to them. Through this work, the PRI has been able to highlight common questions and synergies across different frameworks.

The template is in its final stages and the PRI will release it later this spring, once feedback from PRI signatories, LSTA and ACC has been incorporated. It is 'one size' but investors can use it to fit their needs, depending on their role in the investment chain.

Today the PRI, LSTA and ACC are announcing an additional step to develop a harmonised ESG reporting tool for creditors. This tool will enable the consistent collection of data from sponsored and non-sponsored borrowers across the private and broadly syndicated credit markets.

This project is ambitious, and its success will require collaboration across all market stakeholders. The PRI, ACC and LSTA invite more organisations to join this endeavour to promote long-desired industry convergence in company reporting.

Carmen Nuzzo and Peter Dunbar, Head of Fixed income and Private Equity, respectively, at PRI commented: "We are pleased to see that the collaborative work that we initiated last year is coming to fruition and encouraging industry convergence. One of the main issues around monitoring and reporting in private markets is that there are multiple competing frameworks. We are at a tipping point and call on the owners of those frameworks to work with us, the LSTA and the ACC to drive harmonisation."

Tess Virmani, Executive VP and Head of ESG at LSTA, said: "The LSTA is thrilled to be working with our partners on this important project. The broad uptake of the LSTA's ESG Due Diligence Questionnaire demonstrates that participants in the credit markets recognize the need and are ready for ESG reporting. Harmonization is the critical next step in improving the availability of consistent, reliable ESG information."

Jiri Krol, Global Head of the Alternative Credit Council, commented: "ESG data availability and consistency is a key challenge for private credit managers and we hope that, through this open and collaborative process, we will be able to create a global platform to support this growing segment of private markets. We are extremely pleased to be partnering with the LSTA and UN PRI on this vital initiative and hope to work closely with other interested parties."

About Principles for Responsible Investment:

The Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) is the world's leading proponent of responsible investment. Supported by the United Nations, it works to understand the investment implications of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors and to support its international network of investor signatories in incorporating these factors into their investment and ownership decisions. The PRI acts in the long-term interests of its signatories, of the financial markets and economies in which they operate and ultimately of the environment and society as a whole. Launched in New York in 2006, the PRI has grown to more than 4,800 signatories, managing over $120 trillion AUM. For more information visit www.unpri.org.

About the LSTA:

The LSTA is a not-for-profit trade association that is made up of a broad and diverse membership involved in the origination, syndication, and trade of commercial loans. The 575 members of the LSTA include commercial banks, investment banks, broker-dealers, hedge funds, mutual funds, insurance companies, fund managers, and other institutional lenders, as well as service providers and vendors. The LSTA undertakes a wide variety of activities to foster the development of policies and market practices designed to promote just and equitable marketplace principles and to encourage cooperation and coordination with firms facilitating transactions in loans. Since 1995, the LSTA has developed standardized practices, procedures, and documentation to enhance market efficiency, transparency, and certainty. For more information, visit www.lsta.org.

About the ACC:

The Alternative Credit Council (ACC) is a global body that represents asset management firms in the private credit and direct lending space. It currently represents 250 members that manage over US$600bn of private credit assets. The ACC is an affiliate of AIMA and is governed by its own board which ultimately reports to the AIMA Council. ACC members provide an important source of funding to the economy. They provide finance to mid-market corporates, SMEs, commercial and residential real estate developments, infrastructure as well the trade and receivables business. The ACC's core objectives are to provide guidance on policy and regulatory matters, support wider advocacy and educational efforts and generate industry research with the view to strengthening the sector's sustainability and wider economic and financial benefits. For more information, visit www.lendingforgrowth.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005590/en/

Contacts:

Media:

PRI

Rojin Kiadeh

Acting Head of Press

rojin.kiadeh@unpri.org

Profile Advisors for LSTA

Rich Myers

rmyers@profileadvisors.com

AIMA

Drew Nicol

Associate Director, Research and Communications

dnicol@aima.org
TOKYO, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- At the Retail Tech JAPAN 2022 exhibition held in Tokyo, Japan from March 1 to March 4, the demonstration of a cashier-less store called "CO-URIBA" unveiled by Hitachi Ltd. caught the attention of many people.

The "CO-URIBA" service, which was also aired on Japan's leading broadcasters such as NHK, TV Asahi, and Nippon TV, implements a cashier-less store where users can shop, select products, and pay for them with only their facial recognition and without a wallet or smartphone payment function. Users register their face photos or credit card information in advance, and verify their identity by projecting their face on a special screen installed in the store. After authentication, users' payment is automatically performed when they leave the store with a product from one of the store's display stands in their hands. This system completes the purchase procedure so users can select products and leave the store quickly and easily without having to use their wallet or smartphone to make a payment.

The core of this service is the 3D LiDAR (hereinafter referred to as TOF) sensor of Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as HLDS, Co-Presidents MIN BYUNG HUN and TSUJIURA TAKASHI) that can accurately detect 3D information about an object within a distance of about 10 meters in real time. The sensor detects the movement of customers in the store, instantly identifies which products have been sold, and accurately determines whether a customer returns a product once held in their hand or when multiple customers select a product at the same time.

Multiple sensors are used in the configuration of such a cashier-less shop. HLDS has internally developed a "stitching" technology that maps 3D data so that it can operate as one sensor by connecting the 3D data of multiple sensors, thus providing a more accurate tracking technology.

TOF sensors also provide a variety of information that can be used for marketing in smart stores, including checking the number of customers in many stores, tracking movements, and analyzing customers' dwell time. The information is visualized in various ways through HL-DP, a cloud-based, enterprise-grade IoT operation platform newly unveiled by HLDS. It is expressed simply as a number, but it can also be viewed through a heat map, real-time imaging, or a time series graph. These data are used as customer analysis data in conjunction with various types of data (gender, age, sales, etc.) along with dwell time and Hand Touch (tracking the customer's reach) information based on movement information.

Based on the LwM2M (IoT device management) standard, the HL-DP platform provides not only the display of data collected from sensors, but also various user-friendly features, including remote sensor device monitoring and control. Through HL-DP, users can operate the device with simple controls without visiting the site by using the fine adjustment feature such as adjusting the angle of the sensor, and can also save maintenance costs through fault monitoring, self-diagnosis, and FOTA (Firmware Over-The-Air).

Another strength of the HL-DP platform is that it provides a platform with interworking API features that enable management by the integration of multiple sensors. In addition to the TOF sensors currently used as a smart store solution, it can be managed by connecting to temperature, dust, and humidity sensors. In particular, when interworking with face recognition-based devices that are scheduled to be released by HLDS, a strong synergy effect is expected as types of customer information can be secured and connected.

HLDS sensor solutions for smart retail stores are already being commercialized through collaboration with major retailers. HLDS solutions are being provided to large convenience stores in Korea and Japan to implement new cashier-less stores, and smart retail solutions are being applied and piloted in various types of retail stores. These sensors are in the spotlight because of their high accuracy and relatively low investment and maintenance costs compared to existing technology for cashier-less stores.

HLDS is a joint venture between Hitachi Ltd. of Japan and LG Electronics of Korea and is a leader in optical drives, such as DVD and Blu-ray players for PCs. HLDS has developed a variety of 2D and 3D sensors utilizing the high-precision optical technology used in these optical drives, and recently, with the commercialization of cashier-less stores, these sensors are once again in the spotlight. Recently, innovative convergence products such as SAFE PASS PLUS, which converges digital signage and face recognition access control devices, are attracting attention.

For inquiries about HLDS products: marketing@hlds.co.kr

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1775362/Retail_Tech_Japan_2022_Tokyo_March.jpg
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 30, 2022) - Nepra Foods Inc. (CSE:NPRA) (FSE: 2P6) (OTCQB: NPRFF) (the "Company" or "Nepra"), creator of nutritious plant based and allergen-free food, is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced overnight marketed public offering of 10,000,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.45 per Unit (the "Offering Price") for aggregate gross proceeds of $4,500,000 (the "Offering"). All references to currency in this news release are to Canadian dollars.

Each Unit consists of one common share (a "Common Share") in the capital of the Company and one Common Share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.70 for 36 months from the Closing Date (as defined below). If the volume weighted average trading price of the Common Shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (or such other stock exchange on which the Common Shares are then listed or quoted) is greater than $1.40 for a period of 10 consecutive trading days, the Company may, within 10 business days of the occurrence of such event, accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by giving written notice (the "Warrant Acceleration Notice") to the holders of the Warrants and issuing a concurrent press release, and, in such case, the expiry date of the Warrants shall be the date specified by the Company in such Warrant Acceleration Notice, provided such date shall not be less than 30 trading days following delivery of such Warrant Acceleration Notice. The Warrants are expected to commence trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol "NPRA.WT" on March 30, 2022.

The Offering was conducted on an underwritten basis by Canaccord Genuity Corp. (the "Underwriter"), pursuant to an underwriting agreement between the Company and the Underwriter.

The Company has granted the Underwriter an option (the "Over-Allotment Option"), exercisable, in whole or in part, at the sole discretion of the Underwriter by giving notice to the Company at any time and from time to time up to 30 days following the closing of the Offering, to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 Units at the Offering Price to cover over-allotments, if any, and for market stabilization purposes.

As consideration for their services in connection with the Offering, the Company has paid to the Underwriter (i) a cash fee of $288,792 and (ii) 641,760 non-transferable warrants (the "Underwriter's Warrants"). Each Underwriter's Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Unit at an exercise price equal to the Offering Price for 36 months following closing of the Offering.

The proceeds raised from the sale of the Units under the Offering are expected to be used by the Company for increasing production capacity, new product development, the launch of the additional products in the foodservice industry and retail stores, marketing and general working capital, as more particularly set out in the Company's final short form prospectus dated March 24, 2022 (the "Prospectus"), available under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com.

Alex McAulay, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, purchased 220,000 Units under the Offering. His participation is considered to be a "related party transaction" as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Such participation is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the securities issued to insiders nor the consideration for such securities exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The Company did not file a material change report 21 days prior to closing of the Offering as the details of the participation of insiders of the Company in the Offering had not been confirmed at that time.

The Units, Common Shares and Warrants being offered have not been, nor will they be registered under the U.S. Securities Act and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, "U.S. persons" or persons in the "United States" (as those terms are defined in Regulation S under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act")) absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. The Units may be offered and sold in the United States to "qualified institutional buyers" (as defined in Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act) pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and pursuant to any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States. Any Units offered and sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons shall be issued as "restricted securities" (as defined in Rule 144(a)(3) under the U.S. Securities Act).

This news 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 jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Nepra Foods

Nepra Foods is grounded in a passion for food. We believe eating healthy shouldn't be difficult. Everybody deserves food options that are truly nutritious and taste good. Food shouldn't contain allergens that might prevent everybody in the family from enjoying it together. People shouldn't have to compromise quality and taste in what they eat even if they are trying to cut down on carbs, don't tolerate gluten or dairy very well, or don't want to eat food produced from animals. Nepra Foods is on a mission to make healthy, enjoyable food for everybody.

For further information contact:

Investor Relations

investors@neprafoods.com

1-844-566-1917

David Wood, CEO

david.wood@neprafoods.com

(720)-729-8500

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements and information that, to the extent that they are not historical fact, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect.

Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, but not limited to, the statements relating to the Company's financial performance, business development, results of operations, those listed in the Prospectus and the other filings made by the Company with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities (which may be viewed at www.sedar.com). Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking information. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company's management to predict all of such factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on the Company's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking information to reflect information, events, results, circumstances or otherwise after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law including securities laws.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/118619
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 30, 2022) - Los Andes Copper Ltd. (TSXV: LA) ("Los Andes" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Queen's Road Capital Investment Ltd. (TSXV: QRC) ("Queen's Road Capital") whereby Queen's Road Capital will invest US$4,000,000 in Los Andes by the way of convertible debenture (the "Convertible Debenture").

The Convertible Debenture will have a five-year term, carry an eight percent coupon and will be convertible into common shares in the capital of the Company ("Common Shares") at a share price of C$ 19.67. The interest is payable quarterly, five percent in cash and three percent in shares, at the 20-day volume weighted average price prior to the interest payment date.

The proceeds received from this investment will be allocated towards the completion of the Vizcachitas project ("Vizcachitas" or the "Vizcachitas Project") pre-feasibility study and for general corporate purposes.

Closing of the financing is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including but not limited to TSX Venture Exchange approval and the completion of definitive documentation. Closing is expected to occur the first week of April, 2022.

R. Michael Jones, CEO of Los Andes, commented:

"We are very pleased that Queen's Road Capital is making this follow-on investment, which demonstrates its continued confidence in Los Andes Copper. The stalwart support of Queen's Road is a testament to their long-term support of their mining companies. We are at a very exciting time in the Company with significant pending drilling results and a pre-feasibility study in our milestones in the months ahead. This modest capital raise allows the company to complete the milestones we set out for 2022."

Warren Gilman, Chairman and CEO of Queen's Road Capital, commented:

"Queen's Road Capital is pleased with the progress to date to daylight the value and potential of Los Andes Copper. The further investment in Los Andes is in exact alignment with our strategy to be a financier of choice for mining companies with world class assets."

About Queen's Road Capital Investment Ltd.

Queen's Road Capital is a leading financier to the global resource sector. The Company is a resource-focused investment company, making investments in privately held and publicly traded resource companies.

It is intended that the Company will acquire and hold securities for both long-term capital appreciation and short-term gains, with a focus on convertible debt securities and resource projects in advanced development or production located in safe jurisdictions.

Queen's Road Capital Investment Ltd. is listed on the TSX-V under the ticker: QRC.

About Los Andes Copper Ltd.

Los Andes Copper Ltd. is a development company with a 100% interest in the Vizcachitas Project in Chile. The Company is focused on progressing the Vizcachitas Project, which is located along Chile's most prolific copper belt, into production.

Vizcachitas is a copper-molybdenum porphyry deposit, located 120 km north of Santiago, Chile, in an area of good infrastructure. The National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") compliant report titled "Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Vizcachitas Project" (the "PEA"), dated June 13, 2019, prepared by Tetra Tech, highlights that the Vizcachitas Project has a post-tax NPV (8% discount rate) of approximately USD$1.8 billion and an IRR of 20.77%, based on a USD$3 per pound copper price. The Vizcachitas Project has a Measured Resource of 254.4 million tonnes at a grade of 0.439% copper and an Indicated Resource of approximately 1.03 billion tonnes at a grade of 0.385% copper. The PEA can be found on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

The PEA is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized.

Los Andes Copper Ltd. is listed on the TSX-V under the ticker: LA.

Qualified Persons

Antony Amberg CGeol FGS, the Company's President and CEO, is the qualified person under NI 43-101 who have reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

For more information please contact:

R. Michael Jones , P.Eng CEO

rmj@losandescopper.com

Tel: +44 203 4407982

BlytheRay, Financial PR

Megan Ray

Rachael Brooks

Tel: +44 207 138 3203

E-Mail: info@losandescopper.com or visit our website at: www.losandescopper.com

Follow us on twitter @LosAndesCopper

Follow us on LinkedIn Los Andes Copper Ltd

Certain of the information and statements contained herein that are not historical facts, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the Securities Act (British Columbia), Securities Act (Ontario) and the Securities Act (Alberta) ("Forward-Looking Information"). Forward-Looking Information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend"; statements that an event or result is "due" on or "may", "will", "should", "could", or might" occur or be achieved; and, other similar expressions. More specifically, Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such Forward-Looking Information; including, without limitation, Spinnaker's ability to raise capital, target and attract institutional and retail investors and focus on developing and expanding the network of investors, analysts and financial intermediaries who are interested in Los Andes. Such Forward-Looking Information is based upon the Company's assumptions regarding global and Chilean economic, political and market conditions and the price of metals and energy, and the Company's production. Among the factors that have a direct bearing on the Company's future results of operations and financial conditions are changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, a change in government policies, competition, currency fluctuations and restrictions and technological changes, among other things. Should one or more of any of the aforementioned risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from any conclusions, forecasts or projections described in the Forward-Looking Information. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise Forward-Looking Information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/118622
NORDIC PHARMA, a SEVER Life Sciences company, announced today the submission of a New Drug Submission to Health Canada for its methotrexate auto-injector, Nordimetfor the treatment of severe disabling active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and symptomatic control of severe, recalcitrant, disabling psoriasis in adults who are not adequately responsive to other forms of therapy. Methotrexate is considered a cornerstone therapy for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with well-established safety and efficacy profiles and support in international guidelines.

For over a decade, NORDIC PHARMA has successfully built its therapeutic portfolio in Rheumatology around Europe. Its continuous collaboration with patient and physician associations has enabled it to focus its efforts closely on the expectations of patients and physicians for the past 10 years. A successful submission in Canada would mark the continued commitment of the Nordic group to address unmet medical needs.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the leading cause of pain and disability in North America.4 Its prevalence is estimated at 0.24% of the population globally1. At present, patients still face unpredictable outcomes for their disease, with a gradual deterioration of their quality of life1,2

The past decade has brought about important advances in the understanding of RA, its management, and treatment. Methotrexate (MTX) has been used for RA treatment since the '80s. Today, MTX is known to be the anchor drug in RA treatment. MTX is a highly effective agent both as monotherapy and in combination with glucocorticoids, other conventional synthetic DMARDs, biological DMARDs, and targeted synthetic DMARDs.3 The subcutaneous route has been recognized to be the best treatment option from the outset, in terms of risk-benefit ratio, compared with the oral route.3 Subcutaneous administration of MTX is to be considered for optimizing RA treatment.

About Nordic Pharma Inc.

NORDIC PHARMA is a privately-owned pharmaceutical company created in 1995 in Sweden. With its pan-European presence and operations in over 17 countries, the group's major corporate entity focuses on the development and commercialization of niche hospitals, retail, and orphan products to respond to unmet medical needs. Nordic Pharma Americas, Asia, Pacific (AAP) is the newest affiliate of NORDIC PHARMA and the first outside of Europe. With its establishment in 2020, Nordic Pharma AAP is seeking to establish its strong presence in Canada through the commercialization of its innovative products in rheumatology as well as in gynecology, anesthesia, hematology, and oncology.5

REFERENCES

1. Cross M et al. The global burden of rheumatoid arthritis: estimates from the Global Burden of Disease 2010 Study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2014;73:1316-22.; 2. Rheumatoid Arthritis. Arthritis Research UK. www.arthritisresearchuk.org; 3. Smolen JS, et al. EULAR recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis with synthetic and biological disease modifying antirheumatic drugs: 2016 update. Ann Rheum Dis 2017;0:1-18. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-210715; 4. Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System (CCDSS) data, August 2019; 5.www.nordicpharma.ca

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220329005932/en/

Contacts:

Corporate Media and Communication, Nordic Pharma

Sophia KAZOGLOU

Email: sophia.kazoglou@nordicpharma.com
RIYADH, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The Yemeni peace talks held the opening ceremony on Wednesday at the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Saudi's capital Riyadh, while the Iran-backed Houthi militia did not join the talks.

During the ceremony, GCC Secretary-General Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf stressed the importance of the talks to end the Yemeni crisis, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The GCC and United Nations-backed talks started with a closed-door meeting on Tuesday and is expected to continue until April 7.

The talks, which cover six topics, including military, political, humanitarian, social stability, opening humanitarian corridors and general security needs, come as part of the efforts to end the Yemeni crisis through political solutions.

On Tuesday, Al-Hajraf urged the Saudi-led coalition involved in a war in Yemen and all Yemen parties to stop military operations in Yemen to pave the way for the talks. He also renewed the invitation to Ansar Allah, known as the Houthis, to attend the talks to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people.

The coalition responded by announcing a ceasefire from Wednesday morning for better outcomes of the talks.

All previous talks failed to achieve consensus between the parties in dispute to end the civil war in Yemen. 
Dieppe, New Brunswick--(Newsfile Corp. - March 30, 2022) - Colibri Resource Corporation (TSXV: CBI) ("Colibri" or the "Company") reports that its option partner Tocvan Ventures has reported drilling results from the Company's Pilar Gold & Silver Project in Sonora, Mexico. Results for the first three drill holes, totaling 513.3 meters, all completed in the Main Zone (see Figure 1) are provided in this release.

A total of 1,540 meters of Phase III drilling have been completed in nine drill holes providing key information across the Main Zone and 4-T Trend. Drill hole JES-22-58 intersected 21.7-meters of 0.94 g/t Au, including 4.0 meters of 4.3 g/t Au and 7 g/t Ag. JES-22-58 was a diamond drill hole drilled to confirm host rock and structure intersected in drill hole JES-20-36 which was a Reserves Circulation ("RC") hole and which intersected 24.4 meters of 2.5 g/t Au and 73 g/t Ag, including a high-grade interval of 1.5 meters of 33.4 g/t Au and 1,090 g/t Ag.

Tocvan is currently in its 3rd year of a 5-year agreement to earn an initial 51% of Colibri's Pilar Gold & Silver Project located in the prolific gold producing state of Sonora in Mexico. For full details of Colibri's agreement with Tocvan please see the Company's news release dated September 24th, 2019.

Tocvan Reports: (March 30th, 2022)

Drill Highlights

JES-22-58 (Core)

33.3m at 0.63 g/t Au and 2 g/t Ag, from 85.6 meters Including 21.7m at 0.94 g/t Au Including 4.0m at 4.3 g/t Au and 7 g/t Ag



JES-21-57 (RC)

6.1m at 0.51 g/t Au and 8 g/t Ag, from 6.1-meters downhole depth

JES-22-60 (Core)

5.5m at 0.64 g/t Au and 10 g/t Ag, from 5.4-meters downhole depth

"Core drilling continues to demonstrate the continuity and strength of oxide gold-silver mineralization at Pilar", commented Brodie Sutherland, CEO. "Intersecting another broad low-grade zone with a high-grade core is extremely encouraging as we look to advance our understanding of the Main Zone and move the project towards the next stage of development. With more results pending we look forward to outlining the next steps for expansion at Pilar."

Discussion of Significant Results

As part of the Phase III program, nine drill holes have been completed totalling over 1,540 meters (Figure 1). Drilling looked to expand the Main Zone through 25, 50 and 100-meter step-outs to the southeast in a gap zone that has seen little drilling focused on the main trend between hole JES-20-32 (94.6m at 1.6 g/t Au) and hole JES-21-50 (39.7m at 0.96 g/t Au). Drilling also covered the 4-T Trend testing below trench T-21-3, which returned 19.5 meters at 0.61 g/t Au.

Confirmation of host rock and structure through the Main Zone was completed with core drilling, targeting key areas where past RC drilling has intersected significant gold-silver mineralization. Drill hole JES-22-58 was successful in intersecting a significant zone of oxide gold with broad mineralization in a silicified brecciated andesite host (33.3 meters of 0.63 g/t Au, including 21.7 meters of 0.94 g/t Au). The intersection included a high-grade center of intensely silicified breccia vein grading 4.3 g/t Au and 7 g/t Ag over 4.0 meters. This breccia vein correlates with the high-grade mineralization seen in RC hole JES-20-36, which returned 1.5 meters at 33.4 g/t Au and 1,090 g/t Ag.





Figure 1. Map of Phase III Drill Holes.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4269/118625_18d80dc0c4460b5d_001full.jpg.



Table 1. Summary of Phase III Drill Results.



To view an enhanced version of Table 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4269/118625_table%201%20colibri.jpg.

About the Pilar Property

The Pilar Gold-Silver property is interpreted as a structurally controlled low-sulphidation epithermal project hosted in andesite rocks. Three zones of mineralization have been identified in the north-west part of the property from historic surface work and drilling and are referred to as the Main Zone, North Hill and 4-Trench. Structural features and zones of mineralization within the structures follow an overall NW-SE trend of mineralization. Over 24,200 m of drilling have been completed to date. Significant results are highlighted below:

2021 Phase II RC Drilling Highlights include ( all lengths are drilled thicknesses ): 39.7m @ 0.96 g/t Au, including 1.5m @ 14. g/t Au 47.7m @ 0.70 g/t Au including 3m @ 5.6 g/t Au and 22 g/t Ag 29m @ 0.71g/t Au 35.1m @ 0.66 g/t Au

2020 Phase I RC Drilling Highlights include ( all lengths are drilled thicknesses ): 94.6m @ 1.6 g/t Au, including 9.2m @ 10.8 g/t Au and 38 g/t Ag; 41.2m @ 1.1 g/t Au, including 3.1m @ 6.0g/t Au and 12 g/t Ag ; 24.4m @ 2.5 g/t Au and 73 g/t Ag, including 1.5m @ 33.4 g/t Au and 1,090 g/t Ag

17,700m of Historic Core & RC drilling. Highlights include: 61.0m @ 0.8 g/t Au 16.5m @ 53.5g/t Au and 53 g/t Ag 13.0m @ 9.6 g/t Au 9.0m @ 10.2 g/t Au and 46 g/t Ag



ABOUT COLIBRI RESOURCE CORPORATION:

Colibri is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company listed on the TSX-V (CBI) and is focused on acquiring and exploring prospective gold & silver properties in Mexico. The Company has six exploration projects of which five currently have exploration programs being executed in 2022. (1) The flagship Evelyn Gold Project is 100% owned and explored by Colibri, (2) the Pilar Gold & Silver Project (optioned to Tocvan Ventures), (3) the El Mezquite Gold & Silver Project , (4) the Jackie Gold & Silver Project, and (5) the Diamante Gold & Silver Project. 3,4, and 5 are subject to earn-in agreements by Silver Spruce Resources).

For more information about all Company projects please visit: www.colibriresource.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains "forward-looking statements". Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be accurate.

For information contact: Ronald J. Goguen, President, Chairperson and Director, Tel: (506) 383-4274, rongoguen@colibriresource.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/118625
Shared positive final Phase 3 results for Tedopi in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in secondary resistance after failure with second-line checkpoint inhibitor treatment.

Received an 8 million milestone payment upon initiation of the expansion phase of the Phase 1 trial of anti-SIRPa BI 765063 (CD47/SIRPa pathway) in advanced solid tumor patients being conducted with partner Boehringer Ingelheim, after positive dose escalation results.

Received a 5 million milestone payment upon initiation of a Phase 2 trial with OSE-127/S95011 in Sjogren's syndrome with partner Servier, the sponsor of the trial.

Received a 7 million milestone payment upon signature of a license agreement with Veloxis Pharmaceuticals Inc. for FR104, anti-CD28, in transplant indications; an additional 5 million milestone payment was made in early 2022 upon acceptance of the Investigational New Drug (IND) application obtained in the U.S.

Reporting a total of 26 million turnover linked to the Company's pharmaceutical partnerships and 33.6 million available cash as of December 31, 2021 versus 29.4 million as of December 31, 2020.

Regulatory News:

OSE Immunotherapeutics SA (ISIN: FR0012127173; Mnemo: OSE) (Paris:OSE) reported its consolidated annual financial results for 2021 and provided an update on key achievements, as well as the Company's outlook for 2022 for its immunotherapies in immuno-oncology and immuno-inflammation.

Dominique Costantini, Chief Executive Officer of OSE Immunotherapeutics, comments: "The company has a diversified product portfolio and relies on several partnership agreements, which are a very important assets providing a foundation for our planned clinical advances in multiple indications. We are very proud of the progress achieved by OSE with, first of all, the results of the Phase 3 Tedopi trial which showed significant survival benefits versus chemotherapy treatment. Importantly, the non-small cell lung cancer patients included in this trial had failed second-line checkpoint inhibitor treatments and represent a hard-to-treat patient population with high medical need. Based on these results, we are preparing an early access dossier to be proposed to regulatory Agencies in 2022. We will also present a project of additional Phase 3 trial in patients with secondary resistance after failure with a checkpoint inhibitor, this one in first line treatment, as this is also an indication that has become the most frequent and with high medical need.

We also announced the clinical advancements, funded by our partner Boehringer Ingelheim, of the anti-SIRPa product BI765063 in an ongoing expansion trial in solid tumors. This follows promising results from the Phase 1 study conducted with BI 765063 as monotherapy and in combination with our partner's anti-PD1 product.

The Phase 2 of anti-IL-7R OSE-127 in Sjogren's disease is also advancing, via our partner Servier, being made in parallel to the Phase 2 trial being conducted by OSE in ulcerative colitis.

We also received a 5 million milestone payment triggered by an IND authorization allowing our recent partner Veloxis to initiate the U.S. clinical development of anti-CD28 FR104 in transplantation.

With regards to our epitope platform, we have shared data verifying that CoVepiT, a multi-target COVID vaccine candidate, induced positive long-term memory T response in a clinical study, and we plan to optimize the most relevant peptides to be ready for any new pandemic crisis with a novel variant of concern.

The combination of these clinical development advances and financial results strengthens our confidence for the future. We have new "First-in-Class" innovation projects in R&D and we will pursue our licensing agreement strategy which ensures broad development and recurring revenue."

2021 MAJOR FINANCIAL RESULTS

As of December 31, 2021, the turnover amounted to 26 million mainly due to the license agreements and associated milestone payments.

R&D expenses represent 75% of the Company's total expenses.

Available cash amounted to 33.6 million (versus 29.4 million as of December 31, 2020). Considering its current clinical development and R&D programs, this cash should give a financial visibility until Q1 2023 to finance the Company's activities, without including additional revenues from new license agreements and the research tax credit.

2021 KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

MAJOR CLINICAL PROGRESS

Tedopi,a 10 neoepitope combinationto induce specific T-lymphocyte activation: Shared positive final results for Phase 3 clinical trial in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in secondary resistance, after failure with second-line treatment with checkpoint inhibitors;

Initiated two Phase 2 clinical trials in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, sponsored by investigator groups.

Positive final results from the 'Atalante-1' Phase 3 study of Tedopi presented at the 2021 ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology) conference. The secondary resistance data have shown a significant improvement in overall survival versus a chemotherapy (docetaxel /pemetrexed), a favorable risk/benefit ratio and a good quality of life in NSCLC patients after secondary resistance to second-line immune checkpoint inhibitors.

presented at the 2021 ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology) conference. The secondary resistance data have shown a significant improvement in overall survival versus a chemotherapy (docetaxel /pemetrexed), a favorable risk/benefit ratio and a good quality of life in NSCLC patients after secondary resistance to second-line immune checkpoint inhibitors. In August, the first patient was randomized in the 'TEDOVA' Phase 2 trial in ovarian cancer , sponsored and conducted by the cooperative oncology group ARCAGY-GINECO. This trial evaluates Tedopi as a maintenance treatment, alone or in combination with anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor Keytruda (pembrolizumab), versus best supportive care in patients with first or second platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer with controlled disease after platinum-based chemotherapy and who have already received both bevacizumab and a PARP inhibitor.

, sponsored and conducted by the cooperative oncology group ARCAGY-GINECO. This trial evaluates Tedopi as a maintenance treatment, alone or in combination with anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor Keytruda (pembrolizumab), versus best supportive care in patients with first or second platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer with controlled disease after platinum-based chemotherapy and who have already received both bevacizumab and a PARP inhibitor. In November, the first patient was randomized in the Phase 2 in NSCLC , sponsored and conducted by the Italian oncology Foundation FoRT. This trial evaluates Tedopi in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitor Opdivo (nivolumab), or Tedopi plus chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone as second-line treatment in patients with metastatic NSCLC after first-line chemo-immunotherapy.

, sponsored and conducted by the Italian oncology Foundation FoRT. This trial evaluates Tedopi in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitor Opdivo (nivolumab), or Tedopi plus chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone as second-line treatment in patients with metastatic NSCLC after first-line chemo-immunotherapy. Ongoing 'TEDOPaM' Phase 2 in pancreatic cancer , sponsored by the cooperative oncology group GERCOR: the trial resumed in Q2 2021 with an amended protocol comparing Tedopi in combination with FOLFIRI chemotherapy versus FOLFIRI, after treatment with FOLFIRINOX after accrual of new patients had been temporarily suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and after reviewing data collected and based on the initial protocol (Tedopi in combination with Opdivo or alone versus chemotherapy with FOLFIRI).

, sponsored by the cooperative oncology group GERCOR: the trial resumed in Q2 2021 with an amended protocol comparing Tedopi in combination with FOLFIRI chemotherapy versus FOLFIRI, after treatment with FOLFIRINOX after accrual of new patients had been temporarily suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and after reviewing data collected and based on the initial protocol (Tedopi in combination with Opdivo or alone versus chemotherapy with FOLFIRI). New patents further strengthening global intellectual property portfolio for Tedopi

- September 2021: notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a patent application protecting the administration schedule of Tedopi for inducing early T-lymphocyte memory response in HLA-A2 positive patients with NSCLC.



- October 2021: notice of allowance from the European Patent Office for a patent application protecting a method for manufacturing a ready-to-use peptide emulsion of Tedopi for its use in the treatment of cancers in HLA-A2 positive patients.



- January 2022: notice of allowance from the Japanese Patent Office for a new patent for use of Tedopi after failure with PD-1 or PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment in HLA-A2 positive cancer patients.

BI 765063 (OSE-172), a myeloid checkpoint inhibitor being developed in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim: Phase 1 clinical trial: promising data from the ongoing dose escalation and expansion phase

Data from the dose escalation (Step 1) of the Phase 1 trial presented at ASCO in June 2021 and ESMO in September 2021 indicated that BI 765063 monotherapy or in combination with ezabenlimab was well tolerated and showed promising activity, including one durable partial response in monotherapy and three partial responses in combination in heavily pre-treated solid tumor patients.

In September, first patient has been dosed in the expansion phase of the Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating BI 765063 in combination with ezabenlimab, an anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody (BI 754091) in patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) advanced endometrium or colorectal cancer. Dosing of this first patient triggered a 8 million milestone payment from Boehringer Ingelheim to OSE Immunotherapeutics.

OSE-127/S95011, a monoclonal antibody antagonist of the interleukin-7 (IL-7) receptor, developed in partnership with Servier: Initiation of a Phase 2 trial in Sjogren's syndrome (sponsor: Servier); Advancement of the ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial in ulcerative colitis (sponsor: OSE) after the interim futility analysis end of December 2021

In August 2021, the first patient was enrolled in a Phase 2 trial of OSE-127/S95011 in Sjogren's syndrome (sponsor Servier). Enrollment of this first patient triggered a 5 million milestone payment from Servier to OSE Immunotherapeutics.

In December 2021, following the trial's Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) planned safety and efficacy assessment for futility of the Phase 2 clinical trial in ulcerative colitis patients, and recommended continuation of the study (sponsor OSE Immunotherapeutics).

First preclinical data on anti-leukemic efficacy of OSE-127 in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of B-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (BCP-ALL) were presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting held in December 2021.

FR104, a monoclonal antibody antagonist of CD28: Licensing agreement with Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., in transplantation; IND for a clinical trial and a fast-track designation

In April 2021, OSE Immunotherapeutics signed a global license agreement granting Veloxis worldwide rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize FR104 for all transplant indications. Under this agreement, OSE can receive up to 315 million in potential milestones, including a 7 million upfront, and tiered royalties on sales. OSE retains the rights in autoimmune indications.

In January 2022, Veloxis obtained acceptance of the Investigational New Drug (IND) from the Food Drug Administration (FDA) for a clinical trial with VEL-101/FR104. This trial will be sponsored and conducted by Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in the United States. Based on the global license agreement signed in April 2021, this first milestone triggered a 5 million payment from Veloxis to OSE Immunotherapeutics.

In February 2022, Veloxis has obtained Fast Track Designation from the U.S. Food Drug Administration (FDA) for VEL-101/FR104 being developed for prophylaxis of renal allograft rejection in recipients of kidney transplants.

CoVepiT, prophylactic vaccine candidate against COVID-19: Long-term positive analysis of the immune T response

In April 2021, OSE initiated a Phase 1/2 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of CoVepiT vaccine. Due to a limited number of Grade 1 and one Grade 2 adverse events, the Company decided to voluntarily pause dosing and assess the evolution of these nodules before determining the best way forward for this product and its target population.

In March 2022, positive data from analysis of the long-term immune T cell responses induced by CoVepiT showed positive immunological results obtained at 6 months on T cell memory response in the vaccinated subjects. In parallel, the resolution of local indurations related to T cell mechanism of action and the good safety profile were confirmed.

OSE's strategy is now to select the most relevant peptides allowing an easier industrial scale-up to be ready for any new pandemic crisis with a novel variant of concern, in particular for immunocompromised patients with a poor antibody response.

New data reflecting expansion and progress on three early-stage programs developed in Immuno-Oncology and Immuno-Inflammation presented at the 2021 AACR (American Association of Cancer Research) and SITC (Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer) annual meetings

New myeloid checkpoint target CLEC-1 (a C type lectin receptor) and first monoclonal antibody antagonists of CLEC-1 blocking the "Don't Eat Me" signal

AACR: Data shared illustrate that CLEC-1 broadly inhibits tumor-cell phagocytosis and synergizes with tumor-targeted cytotoxic monoclonal antibodies in both solid and hematological tumors and hampers dendritic cell antigen cross-presentation.

SITC: OSE Immunotherapeutics and Dr Elise Chiffoleau's research team* reported results from their collaborative program, and for the first time highlighted significant preclinical efficacy of CLEC-1 antagonist antibodies in vivo and in monotherapy in an hepatocarcinoma tumor model in immunocompetent mice.

*Center for Research in Transplantation and Immunology, UMR1064, INSERM, Nantes University at Nantes University Hospital (CHU).

BiCKI-IL-7, a novel bispecific therapy combining anti-PD-1 and the cytokine IL-7

AACR: data presented validate the strong therapeutic potential of providing IL-7 signals to strengthen PD-1 therapy and prevent immuno-resistance by sustaining T cell response and overcoming Treg suppression. The bispecific BiCKI IL-7 mutein can preferentially deliver and activate the IL-7 pathway on tumor reactive T cells, limiting the risk of immunotoxicity resulting from combination immunotherapies.

SITC: New data show that, interestingly, targeting IL-7 on PD1 tumor-specific T cells has shown to have a unique property in selectively inducing the proliferation and survival of TCF1 (T Cell Factor 1) stem-like CD8 T cells in vitro in human T-cell exhaustion model and in vivo in mouse tumor model, avoiding exhaustion of stem tumor-reactive T cells and hence providing long-term anti-tumor memory.

OSE-230, novel monoclonal antibody agonist therapy triggering resolution of chronic inflammation

An article published in Science Advances is the first peer-reviewed publication to describe an agonist monoclonal antibody (OSE-230) that triggers pro-resolutive mechanisms in macrophages and neutrophils in chronic inflammatory condition. This breakthrough discovery opens the development pathway of OSE-230 in various chronic inflammations such as inflammatory bowel diseases, lung or kidney inflammatory diseases, arthritis and type 1 diabetes. Moreover, the data presented at the AACR meeting revealed for the first time a therapeutic potential of triggering the pro-resolutive pathways using anti-ChemR23 agonistic monoclonal antibodies to limit chronic inflammation in the tumor microenvironment and inhibit metastasis development.

MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE

In January 2022, Dominique Costantini was appointed Chief Executive Officer of OSE Immunotherapeutics following the departure of Alexis Peyroles.

In February 2022, Alexandre Lebeaut was appointed by cooptation as an independent Director of the Company, replacing Alexis Peyroles who resigned as a Board member.

2021 FINANCIAL RESULTS

A meeting of the Board of Directors of OSE Immunotherapeutics was held on March 30, 2022. Following the Audit Committee opinion, the Board approved the annual and consolidated financial statements prepared under IFRS on 31 December 2021.

The key figures of the 2021 consolidated annual results are reported below (and presented in the attached tables):

In K December 31, 2021 December 31, 2020 Current operating result (16,625) (18,989) Operating result (16,625) (18,989) Net result (16,850) (16,555) Available cash* 33,579 29,368 Consolidated balance sheet 101,876 96,973

As of December 31, 2021, the Company's available cash* amounted to 33.6 million, versus 29.4 million as of December 31, 2020, providing financial visibility to Q1 2023.

In 2021, OSE secured:

10 million payment corresponding to the first tranche of the financing granted by the European Investment Bank as part of a loan agreement of 25 million.

8 million milestone payment as part of the global license agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim.

7 million upfront payment as part of the global license agreement with Veloxis;

5.6 million via Bpifrance to finance the development of CoVepiT;

5 million milestone payment as part of the license option agreement with Servier;

1.3 million via Bpifrance as part of the collaborative program EFFIMab on OSE-127/S95011.

This available cash will be reinforced in Q1 2022 by:

5 million milestone payment upon the U.S. IND obtained by Veloxis for FR104 in transplantation.

And in the coming months by:

A 4.3 million research tax credit;

Additional payments expected from our partners, according to the advancement of the programs.

This available cash will enable the Company to support clinical development and R&D costs for earlier stage products.

During 2021, the Company recorded a consolidated operating loss of 16.6 million. Current operating expenses were 42.9 million (versus 29.4 million in 2020) of which 75% related to R&D. R&D expenses amounted to 30.6 million.

*Available cash and cash equivalents

ABOUT OSE Immunotherapeutics

OSE Immunotherapeutics is an integrated biotechnology company focused on developing and partnering therapies to control the immune system for Immuno-Oncology and Immuno-Inflammation. Its balanced first-in-class clinical and preclinical portfolio has a diversified risk profile:

Immuno-Oncology first-in-class products

Tedopi (innovative combination of neoepitopes): the company's most advanced product; positive results for Phase 3 trial (Atalante 1) in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer patients in secondary resistance after checkpoint inhibitor failure.

Other ongoing combination trials sponsored by cooperative clinical research groups in oncology:

Phase 2 in pancreatic cancer (TEDOPaM), sponsor GERCOR.

Phase 2 in ovary cancer, in combination with pembrolizumab (TEDOVA), sponsor ARCAGY-GINECO.

Phase 2 in non-small cell lung cancer in combination with nivolumab, sponsor Italian foundation FoRT.

BI 765063 (OSE-172, anti-SIRPa mAb on CD47/SIRPa pathway): developed in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim in advanced solid tumors; positive Phase 1 dose escalation results of BI 765063 in monotherapy and in combination with ezabenlimab (PD-1 antagonist); ongoing expansion Phase 1.

OSE-279, anti-PD1 advanced preclinical stage.

BiCKI: bispecific fusion protein platform built on the key backbone component of anti-PD1 combined with a new immunotherapy target (for example: BiCKI-IL7, preclinical stage) to increase anti-tumor efficacy.

Immuno-Inflammation first-in-class products

OSE-127/S95011 (humanized monoclonal antibody antagonist of IL-7 receptor): developed in partnership with Servier; positive Phase 1 results; ongoing Phase 2 in ulcerative colitis (sponsor OSE) and ongoing Phase 2a in Sjogren's syndrome (sponsor Servier).

FR104 (anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody): licensing partnership agreement with Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in transplantation; ongoing Phase 1/2 in renal transplant (sponsored by the Nantes University Hospital); US IND obtained by Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for a clinical trial; Phase 2 planned in an autoimmune disease indication.

OSE-230 (ChemR23 agonist mAb): preclinical stage therapeutic agent with the potential to resolve chronic inflammation by driving affected tissues to tissue integrity.

CoVepiT: a prophylactic second-generation vaccine activating cytotoxic T lymphocytes against COVID-19, developed using optimized epitopes from SARS-CoV2 viral proteins, epitopes non impacted by multi-variants. Shows good tolerance and very good level of T cell immune response. In clinical testing, a long-term memory response was confirmed at 6 months.

For more information: https://ose-immuno.com/en/

Click and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn

Forward-looking statements

This press release contains express or implied information and statements that might be deemed forward-looking information and statements in respect of OSE Immunotherapeutics. They do not constitute historical facts. These information and statements include financial projections that are based upon certain assumptions and assessments made by OSE Immunotherapeutics' management in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate.

These forward-looking statements include statements typically using conditional and containing verbs such as "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "target", "plan", or "estimate", their declensions and conjugations and words of similar import. Although the OSE Immunotherapeutics management believes that the forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, the OSE Immunotherapeutics' shareholders and other investors are cautioned that the completion of such expectations is by nature subject to various risks, known or not, and uncertainties which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of OSE Immunotherapeutics. These risks could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied or projected by the forward-looking statements. These risks include those discussed or identified in the public filings made by OSE Immunotherapeutics with the AMF. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. This press release includes only summary information and should be read with the OSE Immunotherapeutics Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on 15 April 2021, including the annual financial report for the fiscal year 2020, available on the OSE Immunotherapeutics' website. Other than as required by applicable law, OSE Immunotherapeutics issues this press release at the date hereof and does not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information or statements.

APPENDICES

CONSOLIDATED PROFIT LOSS

P&L IN K December 31, 2021 December 31, 2020 Turnover 26,306 10,418 Other operating income 0 13 Total Revenues 26,306 10,432 Research and development expenses (30,550) (22,355) Overhead expenses (8,608) (4,783) Expenses related to shares payments (3,773) (2,283) OPERATING PROFIT/LOSS CURRENT (16,625) (18,989) Other operating products (badwill) 0 0 Other operating expenses 0 0 OPERATING PROFIT/LOSS (16,625) (18,989) Financial products 267 31 Financial expenses (856) (288) PROFIT/LOSS BEFORE TAX (17,213) (19,246) Income Tax 364 2,692 NET PROFIT/LOSS (16,850) (16,555) Of which consolidated net result attributable to shareholders (16,850) (16,555) Net earnings attributable to shareholders Weighted average number of shares outstanding 18,154,978 15,556,046 Basic earnings per share (0.93) (1.06) Diluted earnings per share (0.93) (1.06)

IN K 2021 2020 NET RESULT (16,850) (16,555) Amounts to be recycled in the income statement: Unrealized gains on securities available for sale, net of tax Currency conversion difference (55) (4) Amounts not to be recycled in the income statement: 25 (3) Other comprehensive income in the period (29) (7) GLOBAL PROFIT/LOSS (16,879) (16,561)

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

ASSETS IN K December 31, 2021 December 31, 2020 Acquired R&D costs 51,122 52,600 Tangible assets 926 947 Right-of-use assets 4,513 2,848 Financial assets 936 581 Differed tax assets 173 165 TOTAL NON CURRENT ASSETS 57,670 57,141 Trade receivables 772 1,074 Other current assets 9,854 9,390 Tax accounts receivables 0 0 Current financial assets 0 0 Cash and cash equivalents 33,579 29,368 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 44,206 39,832 TOTAL ASSETS 101,876 96,973 EQUITY LIABILITIES IN K December 31, 2021 December 31, 2020 SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Stated capital 3,705 3,597 Share premium 38,778 38,622 Merger premium 26,827 26,827 Treasury stock (160) (93) Reserves and retained earnings (4,411) 8,966 Consolidated result (16,850) (16,555) TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 47,890 61,364 NON-CURRENT DEBTS Non-current financial liabilities 30,801 16,552 Non-current lease liabilities 3,965 2,318 Non-current deferred tax liabilities 1,748 2,080 Non-current provisions 710 531 TOTAL NON-CURRENT DEBTS 37,224 21,481 CURRENT DEBTS Current financial liabilities 1,611 50 Current lease liabilities 756 594 Trade payables 9,607 10,286 Corporate income tax liabilities 14 2 Social and tax payables 3,724 2,108 Other debts and accruals 1,050 1,088 TOTAL CURRENT DEBTS 16,761 14,128 TOTAL LIABILITIES 101,876 96,973

CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT

In K December 31, 2021 December 31, 2020 CONSOLIDATED RESULT (16,850) (16,555) Depreciation, amortization and provision expenses 2,337 424 Amortization on "right-of-use" 687 457 Shares based payments (1) 2,944 1,787 CASH FLOW BEFORE TAX (10,881) (13 888) Financial charges 634 273 Income tax expenses (364) (2,692) Tax paid (332) (50) Working capital variation (2) 1,025 (2,920) CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES (A) (9,919) (19,277) Tangible assets increase (472) (210) Financial assets variation 0 0 Mutual finds units accounted in current financial assets 0 0 Loans and advances variation (355) (294) CASH FLOW FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES (B) (827) (504) Capital increase (including share premium) 265 17,427 Own shares transactions Warrant subscription Loan subscription 15,281 6,960 Loan repayment (40) (325) Lease debt repayment (3) (549) (482) Financial charges (273) CASH FLOW FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES (C) 14,957 23,306 Currency translation transactions (D) 0 CASH VARIATION E (A B C D) 4,211 3,526 CASH OPENING BALANCE (F) 29,368 25,842 CASH CLOSING BALANCE (G) 33,579 29,368 DIFFERENCE: E (G-F) 0 0

(1) Warrants and free shares awards granted in 2021 and valuated for 2,944 K

(2) Mainly explained by:

- Decrease of trade receivable for 302 K

Increase of other current assets for 464 K

- Decrease of trade accounts payable for 679 K

- Increase of social and tax payable for 1,616 K

- Decrease of other debts for 38 K

(3) Explained by IFRS16 application, which corresponds to reimbursement of lease debt for 549 K

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005619/en/

Contacts:

OSE Immunotherapeutics

Sylvie Detry

sylvie.detry@ose-immuno.com

+33 153 198 757

Investor Relations

Thomas Guillot

thomas.guillot@ose-immuno.com

+33 607 380 431

Media

U.S. Media: LifeSci Communications

Darren Opland, Ph.D.

darren@lifescicomms.com

+1 646 627 8387

Guillaume van Renterghem LifeSci Advisors

gvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com

+41 76 735 01 31

French Media: FP2COM

Florence Portejoie

fportejoie@fp2com.fr

+33 607 768 283
THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTAINS INFORMATION THAT QUALIFIES OR MAY HAVE QUALIFIED AS INSIDE INFORMATION WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 7(1) OF THE EU MARKET ABUSE REGULATION.

AMSTERDAM, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pegasus Acquisition Company Europe B.V. ("Pegasus Europe"), the special purpose acquisition company focused on opportunities in the European financial services industry, today published its annual report for the year 2021.

The full report can be downloaded from the Investor Relations section of the Pegasus Europe website via the following link: https://www.pegasuseurope.com/images/uploads/documents/Annual_Report_2021.pdf

Pegasus Europe has also convened its Annual General Meeting to be held on May 11, 2022 at 15:00 hours CEST. The convening notice and corresponding documents can also be found on the Pegasus Europe Website via the following link:

https://www.pegasuseurope.com/investor-relations/pace

Pegasus Acquisition Company Europe B.V.

Investor Relations: ir@pegasuseurope.com

Media Relations

Robin Haddrill / Cornelia Schnepf: +44 7920 016 203 / +44 7387 108 998

General Enquiries: info@pegasuseurope.com

About Pegasus Europe

Pegasus Europe is a special purpose acquisition company focused on the European financial services sector, founded by Tikehau Capital, Financiere Agache and two of Europe's most experienced bankers. Pegasus Europe is targeting businesses in the European financial services industry, with a primary focus on scalable platforms offering strong growth potential that could be accelerated with access to capital and strategic guidance.

Jean Pierre Mustier and Diego De Giorgi are Operating Partners and Sponsors, combining their unparalleled operational and deal making financial sector experience, as well as long-term managerial, risk and governance expertise.

Pegasus Europe draws upon the deep resources of Tikehau Capital and Financiere Agache, who both bring extensive investment, due diligence, operational, regulatory and capital raising experience to support our business combination partner and help it to achieve long-term success as a public company.

More information about Pegasus Europe, including Pegasus's IPO prospectus dated 29 April 2021, which was approved by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets, the AFM, can be found on the Pegasus Europe website - www.pegasuseurope.com/investor-relations

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION

This announcement and Pegasus's interim financial report for the first half of 2021 referenced in this announcement may include forward-looking statements, which are based on Pegasus's current expectations and projections regarding a Business Combination, the business, the economy and other future conditions of Pegasus and speak only as of the date hereof. These forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms 'believes', "aims", "forecasts", "continues", 'estimates', 'plans', 'projects', 'anticipates', 'expects', 'intends', 'may', 'will' or 'should' or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans, objectives, goals, future events or intentions. Forward-looking statements may and often do differ materially from actual results. Any forward-looking statements reflect Pegasus's current view with respect to future events and are subject to risks relating to future events and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to Pegasus's business, results of operations, financial position, liquidity, prospects, growth or strategies. Forward-looking statements speak only as at the date at which they are made and Pegasus undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
Press release - March 30, 2022

Progress report at the end of March 2022

DOLFINES, an independent specialist in engineering and services in the renewable and conventional energy industry, offers a progress report at the end of March 2022 on its two strategic axes.

In January and February 2022 alone, the DOLFINES Group generated revenue of 1.3 million, higher than in January and February 2019 and at a level not reached since 2016, confirming the acceleration of development mentioned when the arrival of new expertise on the two strategic axes of renewable and conventional energies was announced at the end of January.

Conventional energy activity

A context of multiple crises that translates into rising oil prices

The creeping oil shock observed in 2021, linked to the recovery of global economic activity, is currently amplified by the consequences of the war in Ukraine, where DOLFINES has no activity, nor in Russia.

As a result, around $110/bbl currently, a growth of nearly a factor of 6 since the first half of 2020 when they fell to less than $20/bbl, Brent oil prices have thus practically returned to the historical levels of the years 2013 / 2014. There is currently no reason to anticipate an inflection of this trend in a context where many producing countries (Angola, Nigeria, Libya in particular) are struggling to meet their production targets and where the underinvestment of the industry as a whole dates back to 2015.

The context is therefore very encouraging for large oil and gas operators, and especially the independent, more mobile, to intensify their production investments to take full advantage of this situation.

Intensification of DOLFINES' conventional energy activities at the beginning of the financial year

Led by Factorig S.A., now a wholly owned subsidiary of DOLFINES S.A., the conventional energy activities are fully benefiting from this rise in oil prices. At the end of February 2022, revenue from these activities stood at 0.8 million, compared to 0.4 million at the end of February 2021 and 1.0 million at the end of February 2019.

In the 1st quarter of 2022 not yet completed, the activity intensified with the signature and execution of two semi-submersible inspection contracts in Latin America, inspections requiring a higher number of inspection days with inspectors with particular High Tech expertise.

In addition, commercial activity is also increasing sharply with a number of tenders received whose overall value exceeds one million US dollars per month.

Renewable energy activities

In France, participation in offshore wind farm projects

The two major offshore wind farm projects in Saint-Nazaire "Banc de Guerande" (Loire-Atlantique) and Fecamp (Seine-Maritime), among others, reflect the ambition of the objectives of developing renewable energies in France, which should represent 32% of its final energy consumption by 2030.

The "Banc de Guerande" project, France's first offshore project, consists of 80 offshore wind turbines with a unit capacity of 6 MW for a total capacity of 480 MW. The wind turbines will be located between 12 and 20 km off the Loire-Atlantique, at depths ranging from 12 to 25 m. The planned production is equivalent to covering the equivalent of 20% of the electricity consumption of the Loire-Atlantique.

DOLFINES, through 8.2, participated in the inspection of turbines and nacelles during their manufacture and continues to support the project during the offshore installation campaign through a commissioning monitoring mission by mobilizing more resources.

DOLFINES / 8.2 is already mobilized to be present on the next projects, helped in this by its expertise and the accumulation of its references.

These projects highlight the ability of French companies to combine their expertise to develop France's energy sovereignty. They are thus in line with the intervention of Prime Minister Jean Castex of 14 March last, calling for the development in France of the industrial sector of floating wind power.

Development of technologies in offshore wind turbines

As mentioned in the press release of 29 October, DOLFINES has developed a tool for the maintenance of floating wind turbines at sea, which is currently at the stage of presentations to major wind farm operators already in place, several of them having already expressed strong expressions of interest.

The objective is to be able to carry out heavy maintenance of floating wind turbines of 15 MW and more on site (blade change, intervention on the turbine in particular) by means of a telescopic tool fixed on the support of the wind turbines.

This system significantly reduces maintenance investments by avoiding the repatriation of complete equipment to shore and reducing production interruptions.

Waiting for construction of the first floating wind farms, the system can also be implemented on installed wind farms with the same operational and economic benefits.

This major innovation confirms the company's strategy, which is, among other things, to add value by combining the expertise of DOLFINES' teams in floating engineering and that of 8.2 France in turbine engineering.

Finally, detailed calculations continue on the TrussFloat@15 project, extrapolation of the Trussfloat@6 for future 15 MW turbines.

Euronext Growth TM

DOLFINES is listed on Euronext GrowthTM - Code ISIN: FR0014004QZ9 - Mnemo: ALDOL

DOLFINES is eligible to PEA-PME

Contacts :

DOLFINES: Delphine Bardelet Guejo, CFO - delphine.bardelet@dolfines.com

ACTIFIN: Loris Daougabel, Media Relations - + 33 (0) 1 56 88 11 16 - ldaougabel@actifin.fr

COMALTO: Jean-Francois Carminati, Shareholders Relations - + 33 (0) 6 63 87 57 60 - jfcarminati@comalto.com

About Dolfines: www.dolfines.com

Founded in 2000, DOLFINES is an independent specialist in engineering and services in the renewable and conventional energy industry. Faced with the challenges of decarbonizing the energy sector and capitalizing on its strong expertise, DOLFINES wants to play a key role in this energy transition by designing and providing innovative services and solutions for the exploitation of renewable energy sources onshore and offshore, above and below sea level. Respecting the highest standards of quality and safety, DOLFINES is labelled an innovative company certified ISO 9001 for its technical assistance, auditing, inspection and engineering activities.

------------------------

This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ".

- SECURITY MASTER Key:

x2+bZ8mckmmbyppvl8uYaGaXbpmWlGLHlpbJm2mcmJqbbmppnJppbZmZZnBknGpq

- Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com.

------------------------



 Copyright Actusnews Wire

Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free

Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-73754-dolfines_pr_progress-report_march2022.pdf
Major Step Forward in Sustainability Includes Global Climate Risk Assessment

AGCO (NYSE: AGCO), a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology, this week released its 2021 Sustainability Report.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005681/en/

AGCO releases 2021 Sustainability Report. Farmer with tablet examines wheat crop. (Photo: Business Wire)

"In 2020, we established AGCO's sustainability strategy and have made meaningful progress in 2021 against our goals," said Eric Hansotia, AGCO's Chairman, President and CEO. "These early results have confirmed that our commitment to precision agriculture innovation places us on the right path to addressing sustainability."

The report shares insights into our sustainability transformation as we drive action across our four strategic priorities of advancing soil health and soil carbon sequestration through smart solutions; decarbonizing our operations and products; elevating employee health and safety; and prioritizing animal welfare in food production. It represents a significant step forward in measuring and demonstrating our progress against our goals and commitments set in 2020, including:

Completing a global climate risk assessment and disclosing against the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework in inaugural TCFD report.

13% reduction in GHG emission intensity (scope 1 and 2)

52% renewable electricity use, up from 40% and 32% renewable energy use, up from 27%.

"Our 2021 Sustainability Report shows AGCO is committed to accelerating progress in sustainability into our design, manufacturing, and distribution of smart agricultural solutions across the entire value chain," said Roger Batkin, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Chief ESG Officer, and Corporate Secretary. "Moreover, we are committed to helping farmers adopt tools and practices that are as good for the planet as they are for their businesses."

For more information on ACGO's sustainability approach, please visit https://www.agcocorp.com/commitment/sustainability.html

About AGCO

AGCO (NYSE:AGCO) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology. AGCO delivers customer value through its differentiated brand portfolio including core brands like Challenger, Fendt, GSI, Massey Ferguson and Valtra. Powered by Fuse smart farming solutions, AGCO's full line of equipment and services help farmers sustainably feed our world. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, USA, AGCO had net sales of $11.1 billion in 2021. For more information, visit www.AGCOcorp.com. For company news, information and events, please follow us on Twitter: @AGCOCorp. For financial news on Twitter, please follow the hashtag AGCOIR.

Please visit our website at www.agcocorp.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005681/en/

Contacts:

Press contact

Aryn Drawdy

Corporate Communications Director

aryn.drawdy@AGCOcorp.com
Acquisition complements First Eagle Investments' multi-asset lineup and enhances capabilities offered to clients, including opportunistic credit.

Napier Park to function as an autonomous, wholly owned unit of First Eagle Investments.

No changes to Napier Park's investment approach, business focus or client service.

NEW YORK, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- First Eagle Investments ("First Eagle") today announced a definitive agreement to acquire Napier Park Global Capital ("Napier Park"), a leading alternative credit manager with approximately $18.7 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2021, predominantly for institutions through credit funds, US and European collateralized loan obligations, and real assets. As an autonomous, wholly owned unit of First Eagle Investments, Napier Park will go to market as "Napier Park, a First Eagle Investments Company" and maintain its investment approach, business focus and client service.

First Eagle Investments is an independent, privately owned investment firm with approximately $110.5 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2021. The acquisition of Napier Park significantly broadens First Eagle's capabilities in the large and diverse alternative credit market, enabling it to offer clients exposure to opportunistic US and European credit, US mortgages and consumer debt, US municipal debt and equipment leasing. It also enhances the size and scope of the firm's CLO footprint, including the addition of European CLO management.

"First Eagle over time has deliberately sought to nurture an investment-led culture, supported by a set of core investment tenets, that encourages philosophical autonomy among our portfolio management teams," said Mehdi Mahmud, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Eagle Investments. "We believe Napier Park's capabilities are a strong complement to those of our existing Global Value, Small Cap and First Eagle Alternative Credit teams, and our clients will be better served by having access to all through a single platform. The transaction has no impact on First Eagle Alternative Credit, which will continue under its current leadership and operate independently from Napier Park."

An employee-owned partnership with offices in New York, London and Switzerland, Napier Park differentiates itself through world-class infrastructure, creativity and decades of specialized expertise among its 47 investment professionals, which has enabled it to produce a strong performance record across its strategies. Jim O'Brien and Jon Dorfman-who serve as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, respectively-will continue to run Napier Park as Managing Principals, reporting to Mahmud. No changes will be made to Napier Park's investment philosophy or processes as a result of the acquisition, nor are any personnel changes expected. Key Napier Park employees will sign long-term agreements and continue in their current roles.

"We are excited to leverage First Eagle Investments' established global institutional distribution structure to amplify the momentum we've built in our business over the years," said O'Brien. "We look forward to introducing our differentiated lineup of alternative credit vehicles to a wider base of investors seeking incremental returns from credit and liquidity risk premia."

"First Eagle's investment-centric culture and commitment to client outcomes are a good fit with the environment we've sought to nurture at Napier Park," said Dorfman. "Furthermore, the firm's belief in maintaining Napier Park's investment and operating autonomy was extremely attractive and enabled us to reach this acquisition agreement."

Approvals

The transaction has been approved by First Eagle's board of directors and Napier Park's partners, and is expected to close in the coming months, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Advisors

Goodwin Procter acted as legal counsel and UBS Investment Bank acted as financial advisor to First Eagle. Davis Polk acted as legal counsel and Houlihan Lokey acted as financial advisor to Napier Park.

About First Eagle Investments

First Eagle Investments is an independent, privately owned investment management firm headquartered in New York with approximately $110.5 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2021. Dedicated to providing prudent stewardship of client assets, the firm focuses on active, fundamental and benchmark-agnostic investing, with a strong emphasis on downside mitigation. With a heritage dating back to 1864, First Eagle has helped its clients avoid permanent impairment of capital and earn attractive returns through widely varied economic cycles-a tradition that is central to its mission today. The firm's investment capabilities include equity, fixed income, alternative credit and multi-asset strategies. For more information on First Eagle, please visit www.firsteagle.com.

About Napier Park Global Capital

Napier Park is a leading alternative credit manager with approximately $18.7 billion in assets under management, as of December 31, 2021, across credit funds, CLOs and real assets predominantly within the US and European markets. Napier Park differentiates itself through its decades of specialized credit expertise, world-class infrastructure and creativity, providing effective solutions to a broad range of institutional clients. Napier Park has offices in New York, London and Switzerland. For more information visit www.napierparkglobal.com.

Media Contacts

For First Eagle Investments:

Kekst CNC

Ross Lovern

212.521.4800

ross.lovern@kekstcnc.com

For Napier Park:

Prosek Partners

Ben Howard

914.552.4281

bhoward@prosek.com

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements contained herein may include prospects, statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements herein are made only as of the date of this press release, and the company assumes no obligation to update any information or forward-looking statement contained herein, except as required to be disclosed by law.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1777032/First_Eagle_Investments_Logo.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1777033/Napier_Park_Blue.jpg
The Company announces the acquisition of the leader in Drone Cinematography to further Accelerate the Delivery of is Unmanned Aircraft Solutions to Key Customers and the Deployment of the FlightGDN Technology Platform.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC / ACCESSWIRE / March 30, 2022 / Cyberlux Corporation, (OTC:CYBL), an advanced digital technology platform company leading the digital transformation evolution across industries including advanced Unmanned Aircraft Solutions (UAS), announced that the Company has acquired Catalyst Machineworks, LLC, a leader in the highly technical cinematography drone market with established product lines that address the high-end military-grade market, the specialized drone racing market and the high-volume consumer market. Based in Texas, Catalyst Machineworks (CMW) is a leading United States-based drone hardware manufacturer with the intellectual property, technology know-how and production capabilities to deliver true military-grade and law enforcement drone solutions as 100% Made-In-America.

As a result of this transaction, Cyberlux Corporation owns 100% of Catalyst Machineworks, LLC in a transaction comprised of both investment capital and a three year earn-out of shares of common stock with an expected value between $0.05 and $0.25, with the cash component being paid out over an eighteen month investment cycle, including certain equity incentives for continued revenue growth levels, technology and intellectual property development milestones, worldwide customer acquisition objectives and FlightEye solutions implementation milestones over the next four years. CMW brings to Cyberlux an entire UAS hardware technology platform, existing customers and incremental revenue. As a result, the Unmanned Aircraft Solutions business unit will deliver an expected annualized revenue of $22 million USD with an expected growth to over $67 million in revenue by 2024.

With the acquisition of CMW, Cyberlux is accelerating its UAS strategy with an immediate focus on the UAS hardware and software offerings with immediate demand and market scale. The Company is now positioned to build the future of UAS technology and create enormous growth in revenue and profit over the coming years by providing solutions that meet the significant demand for U.S.-manufactured, high-capability drones across U.S. government agencies, law enforcement, and across significant commercial markets such as Cinematography, Oil and Gas, Construction and Real Estate. Cyberlux intends to make ongoing strategic investments in UAS hardware and software development under the FlightEyeGDN platform and to make working capital investments to drive faster global UAS business expansion. A featured sample of Cyberlux UAS products.

CATALYST MACHINEWORKS, LLC BACKGROUND

Founded in 2015 by well-known industry leaders Neill Whiteley and Rick Tucker, Catalyst Machineworks (CMW) has become the leading brand in both Cinematography and Racing drones, which have also met the stringent requirements for Military and Law Enforcement needs. Operating out of Spring, Texas, the CMW drone product lines are highly specialized for performance and mission capabilities, with each drone being built by the best drone builders in the industry to UAS industry-leading quality standards. Over the last seven years, CMW has developed a technology leadership position within the complex, highly competitive Unmanned Aircraft Systems industry and are now recognized as leaders in the First Person View (FPV) Cinematography, Drone Racing and Law Enforcement segments. Driven by their Texas-born entrepreneurial spirit, the CMW Founders have relentlessly focused on creating the best possible drone capabilities by developing the most substantial intellectual property around drone flight, maneuverability, custom engineering and manufacturing, all while delivering best-in-class performance across the entire CMW product line. As one of the very few 100% U.S.-based drone manufacturers, CMW supplies the best FPV Cinema drones in the world to all major movie studios, is a Department of Defense (DoD) UAS supplier, and also a Texas law enforcement drone supplier.

As a result of the acquisition structure, Catalyst Machineworks, LLC is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cyberlux Corporation. Founder Neill Whiteley has been appointed Director of Engineering and CTO, and Founder Rick Tucker has been appointed Director of Operations and COO of the Cyberlux UAS business unit, reporting directly to Cyberlux Executive Vice President and UAS General Manager Larson J. Isely.

Cyberlux Executive Vice President and GM of the UAS business unit Larson J. Isely commented:

"For the last six months, Cyberlux has searched for the very best UAS technologists and our high bar was exceeded when we met the Catalyst Machineworks team. We found an outstanding opportunity with CMW to force-multiply our UAS business strategy with our government, commercial and now, retail customers. I am truly excited and gratified to have Neill and Rick join Cyberlux as our senior leaders of UAS Engineering and Operations. Having designed guidance and flight control systems for both manned and unmanned aircraft, I believe we now have a rare opportunity to create breakthrough UAS hardware, software and solution technology, expand our FlightEyeGDN technology platform, and deliver sustainable product leadership in this exponentially growing UAS industry. With core capabilities CMW's technology brings, with robust intellectual property and driven personnel, plus the experience and know-how that Rick and Neill bring to our team, we will dramatically accelerate our route to market, our technology development and further leverage our strategic partnerships to drive the Cyberlux UAS competitive advantage, positioning our Company as a leader in the UAS industry."

Neill Whiteley, CMW Founder and now UAS business unit Director of Engineering and CTO:

"From the first time we meet Larson and discussed the Cyberlux UAS vision, strategy, and business objectives, we immediately saw a future in which our company could accelerate and scale in ways we never imagined. We're incredibly excited to start this next stage of our UAS design and development journey with leadership roles on the Cyberlux UAS team. Not only do we have the products available now to solve the immediate Cyberlux customer demands, we have the designs and capabilities that will open the biggest market opportunities to our collective team. There is literally no limit to what we will accomplish in the UAS market!"

Rick Tucker, CMW Founder and now UAS business unit Director of Operations and COO:

"Over the last seven years, we have built CMW into the Made-in-the-USA drone powerhouse in our selected markets of Cinematography, Racing and DoD. By joining forces with the Cyberlux team, we can now address all the other market segments we know we can dominate with our CMW know-how, technology and Cyberlux UAS IP. The resources that Cyberlux and Mr. Isely bring to the team allow us to meet major customer needs which our industry has previously left unsolved. Working with a legitimate rocket scientist, our team is now locked, loaded and ready to launch!"

Paul "Nurk" Nurkkala, Cyberlux UAS Chief Test Pilot and DRL 2018 World Champion:

"I have worked hand-in-hand with both Neill and Rick over the last 5 years to help develop the most robust, highest performing cinematography and racing drones on the planet. These guys have more knowledge on how to build winning drone products than anyone else in the UAS industry, and I have worked with the best of the best! I can't wait to see what they do with the incredible capability and resources of the Cyberlux UAS team. I have used Catalyst products almost exclusively for my highest-performance drone needs and could see the fit the moment I realized how serious Cyberlux is about pushing the envelope in the UAS space. The combination of CMW and Cyberlux UAS is truly epic and may certainly be the biggest industry news in 2022."

Cyberlux CEO Mark Schmidt commented:

"With our acquisition of Catalyst Machineworks, LLC, Cyberlux now has the full capability to fulfill our UAS mission and create a long-term competitive advantage in the UAS market, where we expect the market size to grow at CAGR of over 53% and more than double in the next four years from $36 billion in 2022 to $85 billion in 2025," Schmidt stated. "We are extremely excited to have the CMW Founders, Neill Whiteley, Rick Tucker and their whole team join Cyberlux. With Larson's executive leadership driving the UAS business unit and now having two remarkable Founders like Rick and Neill join the UAS team, we will drive our growth objectives at full speed and push our Operation Alpha plans further and faster. With this amazing team in place, I fully expect to accomplish new, significant growth milestones and have our UAS business unit propel Cyberlux to over $100 million in revenue in this vast, rapidly growing market."

The FlightGDN Technology Platform

Cyberlux has introduced the FlightGDN, a global UAS capabilities framework to harness the future of UAS capabilities. FlightGDN is a proprietary technology platform to support compact, high-performance, next-generation military-grade UAS products and UAS solution packages. Encompassing both proprietary Cyberlux and third-party technologies, including LED lighting, infrared night vision capability, thermal sensor technology, "eye-in-the-sky" monitoring capabilities, LiDAR mapping and advanced VR/AR perception technologies, the FlightGDN platform will provide a seamless, scalable UAS solution for both military and commercial UAS command and control operations.

Going forward, the Cyberlux UAS business unit will leverage its core technology capability to provide next-generation performance, industry-focused capability and consumer-focused UAS products. The UAS business unit is immediately focused on existing commercial markets and significant Department of Defense (DoD) requirements, with a research and development focus on geofencing capabilities, "observe and monitor" alert systems, collision avoidance capabilities, beyond-line-of-sight operations, urban area operations, operating system support for multiple drone operation and traffic management, and other critical priorities such as weight optimization and energy efficiency. Cyberlux Corporation is actively pursuing partnerships with UAS technology companies and drone service providers. Moving forward, Cyberlux is harnessing the future through fundamental organic growth, through acquisitions and joint ventures, and through the commercialization of future technology developments.

About Cyberlux Corporation

Cyberlux Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: CYBL) is "Harnessing the Future" by leading digital transformation across global industries, driving operational growth through an accelerated acquisitions and joint ventures strategy, and continuously fueling growth with current and future technology developments, including fundamental organic growth from the Company's four business units - Digital Platform Solutions, Unmanned Aircraft Solutions, Advanced Lighting Solutions, Infrastructure Technology Solutions, targeting U.S. government agencies, commercial markets and international opportunities. For more information, please visit www.cyberlux.com. For investor information, please contact: ir_cybl@cyberlux.com

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

This press release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by terminology such as "believes," "expects," "potential," "plans," "suggests," "may," "should," "could," "intends," or similar expressions. Many forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results implied by such statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, our ability to continue to enhance our products and systems to address industry changes, our ability to expand our customer base and retain existing customers, our ability to effectively compete in our market segment, the lack of public information on our company, our ability to raise sufficient capital to fund our business operations, our ability to continue as a going concern, and a limited public market for our common stock, among other risks. Many factors are difficult to predict accurately and are generally beyond the company's control. Forward-looking statements speak only as to the date they are made, and we do not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.

SOURCE: Cyberlux Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/695305/Cyberlux-Corporation-OTC-CYBL-Announces-Acquisition-of-Catalyst-Machineworks-LLC-to-Accelerate-its-Unmanned-Aircraft-Solutions-Platform-within-the-US-Department-of-Defense-Government-Agencies-Law-Enforcement-and-Global-Commercial-Markets
BLACKROCK SMALLER COMPANIES TRUST PLC

LEI: 549300MS535KC2WH4082

Director Declaration

As announced on 13 July 2021, Ms Helen Sinclair joined the Board of BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust plc as a non-executive Director of the Company with effect from 1 March 2022.

As at the date of joining the Board on 1 March 2022, Ms Sinclair held directorships of the following publicly quoted companies in the last five years:

Non-Executive Director and Chairman British Smaller Companies VCT plc

Non- Executive Director - WH Ireland Group plc

Non-Executive Director - Shires Income plc

Non-Executive Director and Interim Chairman - Gresham House Strategic plc (resigned)

Non-Executive Director - The Income and Growth VCT plc (resigned)

Non-Executive Director - Mobeus Income & Growth 4 VCT plc (resigned)

As at 1 March 2022, Ms Sinclair held 988 shares in the Company.

There are no further details or disclosures required under Listing Rule 9.6.13R in respect of Ms Sinclair.

Ms S Beynsberger

For and on behalf of BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited

Company Secretary



Date: 30 March 2022
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 30, 2022) - Wealth Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: WML) (OTCQB: WMLLF) (SSE: WMLCL) (FSE: EJZN) (the "Company" or "Wealth"), announces it has retained Glogauer & Company Communications GmbH (GAC) to give investor relations advice to the Company in Germany (the "Agreement"). The partnership extends the global communication of Wealth to Europe's largest economy which is also the center of capital markets and media on the European continent. This new partnership is designed to effect a sustained increase in the awareness and reputation of Wealth's brand and management, as well as share information about Wealth with all major target groups in the capital markets, such as institutional and private investors. Further target groups for this partnership include media outlets, politics groups as well as the broader public.

GAC is a long-established consultancy and full-service agency for Strategic Communications, Investor Relations, Media Relations and CEO Positioning. The owner and CEO of GAC, Dr. Walter Glogauer, will be in personal charge of the Wealth account. Before founding GAC, Dr. Glogauer held senior communication management positions, such as Head of Communication of Coca-Cola Germany and BMW Group AG, where he was Head of Global Corporate Communication and Investor Relations.

Henk van Alphen, CEO of Wealth, comments, "With this new partnership we are starting a new chapter in the global communications roll out of Wealth. We highly appreciate to have won GAC's support and are looking forward to cooperating in favor of our image and reputation in Germany." Dr. Glogauer adds, "We welcome Wealth and the Management team under Henk's leadership as a new engagement. Being one of the leading players in green energy business and the electric vehicle markets, Wealth is a project we are enthusiastic to give additional thrust to in Germany now."

The Agreement is subject to the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Agreement provides that GAC will make available its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Walter Glogauer, to provide investor relations services to the Company, for which the Company will pay to GAC a monthly cash fee of EUR15,000. Additionally, Wealth will grant to GAC 500,000 share purchase options valid for two years at an exercise price of $0.30. The term of the Agreement is 12 months.

About Wealth Minerals Ltd.

Wealth is a mineral resource company with interests in Canada, Mexico and Chile. The Company's main focus is the acquisition and development of lithium projects in South America.

The Company opportunistically advances battery metal projects where it has a peer advantage in project selection and initial evaluation.

Lithium market dynamics and a rapidly increasing metal price are the result of profound structural issues with the industry meeting anticipated future demand. Wealth is positioning itself to be a major beneficiary of this future mismatch of supply and demand. In parallel with lithium market dynamics, Wealth believes other battery metals will benefit from similar industry trends.

For further details on the Company readers are referred to the Company's website (www.wealthminerals.com) and its Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of

WEALTH MINERALS LTD.

"Hendrik van Alphen"

Hendrik van Alphen

Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please contact:

Marla Ritchie or Henk van Alphen

Phone: 604-331-0096 Ext. 3886 or 604-638-3886

E-mail: info@wealthminerals.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and US securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement, timing and cost of exploration programs, anticipated exploration program results, the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves, the Company's expectation that it will be able to enter into agreements to acquire interests in additional mineral projects, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the state of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities, the state of the commodity markets generally, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required, including TSXV acceptance, for its planned activities, the inability of the Company to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's latest interim Management Discussion and Analysis and filed with certain securities commissions in Canada. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/118658
HONG KONG, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Although Hong Kong's economy is under short-term pressure amid the fifth wave of COVID-19 infections, the business sector believes that Hong Kong's future development is limitless due to the unique advantages given by "one country, two systems" and the vast mainland market.

Yang Yuchuan, a professor with the Hong Kong Financial Services Institute, said that "one country, two systems" has helped Hong Kong become a two-way platform. Overseas companies and investors enter the Chinese mainland market through Hong Kong, and mainland companies use Hong Kong in expanding their operations overseas.

Eden Wong Yi-dung, president of CPA Australia Greater China Division, said that as an international financial center, Hong Kong is a main fund-raising platform for mainland and overseas enterprises.

In recent years, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) has reformed the listing system, allowing companies with weighted voting rights structure and pre-revenue biotech companies to be listed in Hong Kong, and allowing China concept stocks to come to Hong Kong for the secondary listing.

The new listing regime for special purpose acquisition companies introduced by the HKEX earlier this year will continue to enhance the attractiveness of Hong Kong's financial market to Chinese and foreign enterprises and investors, Wong said.

Hong Hao, managing director and chief strategist at BOCOM International, said that with its unique advantages from geographical location and "one country, two systems," Hong Kong has a strong link with the country's strategic development pattern and will not be easily shaken by short-term external shocks such as the epidemic.

"We will prevail over the epidemic. In the long run, Hong Kong's business prospects remain vibrant," Hong said.

Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) Stephen Phillips said that data and exchanges between InvestHK and enterprises have shown that the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong has not caused foreign investors to leave Hong Kong.

Phillips said that the number of overseas and mainland companies in Hong Kong rose to a record high of more than 9,000 last year, while the number of start-ups set up in Hong Kong by local, international and mainland companies also reached a record high.

Yang said that implementation of the national security law and improvement of the electoral system in Hong Kong have eliminated the direct impact of disruptive forces on the development of Hong Kong.

Moreover, sound and sustained development of the mainland economy has provided strong impetus and space for Hong Kong's development, and made Hong Kong more attractive to international capital, Yang said.

A survey released by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong earlier this year showed that American companies in Hong Kong are much more confident about Hong Kong's business prospects than they were last year, and many of the chamber's members have been planning expanding investment.

A recent survey by CPA Australia revealed that the majority of members interviewed said their companies or employers were "very confident" and "confident" about overcoming the fifth wave of COVID-19, indicating the resilience of Hong Kong businesses in the face of adversity.

Wong said that with the support of the central authorities and the concerted efforts of all sectors in Hong Kong to fight COVID-19, Hong Kong's economy is expected to rebound significantly after the epidemic comes under control.

In addition, the business sector generally believes that Hong Kong's further integration into the national development landscape will provide a steady stream of business opportunities for various enterprises operating in Hong Kong.

"I am having absolute and resolute confidence in Hong Kong's economic prospect," Paul Chan, financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said in his blog recently.

Chan stressed that by having a precise assessment on the overall development trend, and acting decisively to capitalize on the development of and support from the country, Hong Kong will overcome any short-term challenges and move forward. 
PRESS RELEASE

Paris, 30 March 2022

Le Groupe La Poste publishes its 2021 Universal Registration Document

The 2021 Universal Registration Document has been filed with the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorite des Marches Financiers) on 21 March 2022 under number n D 22-0128.

This Universal Registration Document includes notably :

the annual financial report;

the Board of Directors report on corporate governance; as well as

the management report including the non-financial performance statement.

It is made available to the public free of charge under the conditions set out by the regulations in force and may be consulted and downloaded from le groupe La Poste website (www.groupelaposte.com) on the  Investors / Publications / 2021 / Universal registration document .

Copies of the Universal Registration Document are also available from the group's registered office, located at 9, rue du Colonel Pierre Avia, 75015 Paris.



______________________________

About La Poste group

La Poste is a state-owned public limited company, a subsidiary of Caisse des Depots and the French State. La Poste group is divided into four business units: Services-Mail-Parcels, Retail Customers and Digital Services, GeoPost and La Banque Postale, which, with its subsidiary CNP Assurances, is the 11th largest European banking and insurance company.

Every year, La Poste delivers over 18 million items worldwide (letters, printed advertising media and parcels), 6 days a week. Committed to its regional coverage, the group has 17,000 retail outlets (post offices, local postal agencies, retail pickup points) and 18,000 postal service access points (Pick-Up, business centres, lockers and parcel drive collection service).

In 2021, La Poste group generated 34.6 billion in revenue (41% outside France) and had a headcount of almost 245,000, in 63 countries over 5 continents, of which 193,000 in France.

As a mission-led company since June 2021 and a leader in environmental transition and green finance, La Poste aims to achieve "zero net emissions" by 2030. Through is strategic plan "La Poste 2030, committed to you", the company has set itself the goal of becoming the leading European platform for links and exchanges, providing digital, people-oriented, green and socially-responsible services for the benefit of its customers and the transformation of society as a whole.

CONTACT PRESSE

Tel: +33 1 55 44 22 37

service.presse@laposte.fr

CONTACT INVESTISSEURS

Stephane Dalla Sartora

Tel: +33 7 87 39 58 80

stephane.dalla-sartora@laposte.fr

------------------------

This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ".

- SECURITY MASTER Key:

yZpqZJqZZmvGyJtul5qXb2OZb2uXx2HGa5XLxGGemMrFmZ5nl2pqZ8nJZnBknGtp

- Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com.

------------------------



 Copyright Actusnews Wire

Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free

Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-73763-la-poste-groupe-mise-a-disposition-du-universal-registration-document-2021.doc-ve.pdf
Highlights

Located in British Columbia, Canada

Property is over 28,830 acres in size

Grab samples obtained values up to 133.9 g/t gold

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 30, 2022) - Advance United Holdings Inc. (CSE: AUHI) (FSE: 9I0) (the "Company", or "Advance United" or "AU") is pleased to announce the signing of a confidentiality Letter of Intent and Preliminary Term Sheet Agreement with Orex Minerals Inc. ("Orex") for the purpose performing due diligence for acquisition of the Jumping Josephine Property (the "Property") in British Columbia, Canada.

Orex is the 100% owner of the Property, consisting of twenty-four (24) exploration claims totalling 28,8300 acres and stores a structurally controlled system hosting gold mineralization in the Blueberry-Paulson summit area in the West Kootenay region of south-eastern British Columbia, Canada (Figures 1).

Advance United is performing the necessary due diligence on the Project for the purpose of entering into a Definitive Agreement and transaction with Orex to acquire the Project, the form of which transaction will be subject to negotiation and agreement (the "Proposed Transaction"). All claims are in good standing until April 2025 and Advance United will not require a work commitment to maintain them.

The main Jumping Josephine deposit was discovered by prospecting by Kootenay Gold in the 1980s. Drilling was carried out on the property and resulted in a NI 43-101 Technical Report completed by APEX Geoscience in 2011 which defined an Inferred Resource of 363,000 tonnes at a grade of 2.95 g/t gold for 34,000 ounces and an Indicated Resource of 448,000 tonnes at a grade of 2.08 g/t gold for 30,000 ounces.

Subsequent work by the current owner including trenching and over 8,000 m of drilling on the main deposit and other areas of the property returned trench values including 7 metres at 80.18 g/t gold, 4 metres at 25.24g/t gold, and 8 metres at 7.38 g/t gold.

Gold mineralization at the main prospect is hosted within auriferous quartz veins comprising a quartz stockwork vein system within an apparent shear zone hosted by mid-Jurassic intrusive. Surface samples from the main showing have returned gold values up to 133.91g/t gold, and show a general Pb-Ag-Sb-As association and to a lesser extent Hg-Cd-Cu.

Elsewhere on the property, gold is similarly hosted within quartz veins and stockwork vein system hosted by intrusive rocks and/or older volcanic rocks. Veins are most often seen as laterally extensive, locally lensoid to tabular or sheeted bodies with minimal adjacent wall rock alteration. There is some evidence supporting Granville Mountain-type veins as en-echelon style extension veins associated with dextral faulting/shearing along north-south trending structures.





Figure 1

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8072/118659_589455f30474ca25_001full.jpg





There is an extensive history of exploration and small-scale mining on and around what is now the Jumping Josephine Property. Most of the historical work was focussed on base and precious metal-bearing quartz veins within the Granville Mountain Camp in the southern part of the property, which saw small scale production of gold and silver, as well as some copper, lead, and zinc, from several workings up to 1940. These areas of mineralization are now found as Crown Grants.





Figure 2

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8072/118659_589455f30474ca25_002full.jpg





The Jumping Josephine Property is in an area with several significant gold (and other metal) deposits that straddle the British Columbia - Washington border known as the "Boundary District." The Boundary District is host to several different styles of gold mineralization that appear to be related to extensional volcanism and magmatism in the Eocene. Currently, the most advanced of the deposits in the district is the Buckhorn Mountain deposit (Kettle River Operations) owned and operated by Kinross Gold Corporation where gold production commenced in 2008.









Figure 3

To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8072/118659_589455f30474ca25_003full.jpg





About Advance United Holdings Inc.

Advance United brings an entirely different approach to the mining industry. We don't mine. Rather, we've acquired a portfolio of undervalued gold properties and are increasing their value through the application of modern technology. We have a growing pipeline of similar properties that we are looking to acquire. And now we've launched the Au Marketplace. A first of its kind digital platform that connects owners of mineral commodities and deposits with developers and producers.

We are involved exclusively in the acquisition and advancement of past projects - with no intent to bring them back into production or to mine them ourselves. Our expertise is in identifying and acquiring undervalued properties with significant historical work, which were uneconomic at the time, but we believe have economic value at today's prices.

We fund the development of re-working historic data and applying modern technology to underwrite new qualified reports, document quantifiable resources and reserves to current standards, thereby recognizing the current value.

Our purpose is to bring immediate and long-term value to our partners and shareholders while seeking to eliminate exploration risk, so that we can all advance united in the shortest possible time frame.

For additional information about us, our projects, or to find out how you can list your project in the Au Marketplace, visit www.advanceunited.ca.

Advance United, headquartered in Toronto, Canada, is traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange in Canada under the symbol "AUHI" and the Borse Frankfurt Stock Exchange in Germany under the symbol "9I0".

Contact Information

James Atkinson, P. Geo., CEO

Email: jim.atkinson@advanceunited.ca

Tel: (647) 278-7502

Qualified Person

James Atkinson M.Sc., P. Geo., a Qualified Person ("QP") as such term is defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the geological information reported in this news release. The Qualified Person has not completed sufficient work to verify the historic information on the Property, particularly with regards to historical sampling, drill results, and technical work provided by Orex, APEX Geoscience, and others. The Qualified Person assumes that sampling and analytical results were completed to industry standard practices. The information provides an indication of the exploration potential of the Property but may not be representative of expected results.

Forward-Looking Information and Cautionary Statements

This news release may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the trading of the Company's securities and the focus of the Company's business. Any such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "contemplates", "believes", "projects", "plans" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the Company's ability to increase the value of its current and future mineral exploration properties and, in connection therewith, any long-term shareholder value, the Company's ability to mitigate or eliminate exploration risk, and the Company's intention to develop a portfolio of historic gold properties. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that the Company will continue its business as described above. Readers are encouraged to refer to the Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis and other periodic filings made by the Company with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances or actual results unless required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/118659
Following years of explosive growth and a $400M investment from SoftBank Vision Fund 2, the activewear unicorn valued at $4B begins its global expansion

Today, Southern California inspired activewear brand Vuori launches in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Australia, and Canada, marking the initial steps of a global rollout announced late last year. Consumers in these countries now have access to the popular apparel brand through e-commerce, and in select markets Vuori will soon be sold at a variety of leading wholesale partners including Selfridges, Brown Thomas, Cotswold Outdoor, Barry's Bootcamp and Bever.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005777/en/

Vuori makes premium performance apparel inspired by the active Coastal California lifestyle; an integration of fitness, surf, sport, and art. Breaking down the boundaries of traditional activewear, Vuori is a new perspective on performance apparel. (Photo: Business Wire)

Established in 2015 by Founder and CEO Joe Kudla, Vuori has grown to unicorn status thanks to its differentiated, versatile perspective on performance apparel. In October 2021, Vuori was valued at $4 billion by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, which invested $400 million in the brand. Both the investment and valuation are believed to be among the largest in history for a non-public apparel company.

"We are proud to announce Vuori's first-ever expansion outside of the U.S.," said Joe Kudla, Founder and CEO at Vuori. "We are infinitely grateful for our team, who has helped bring this shared vision to life, and are thrilled to bring Vuori's new perspective on performance apparel to these markets. 2022 is going to be Vuori's biggest year yet, and we look forward to sharing much more in the weeks and months ahead."

Shoppers in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Australia, and Canada can now browse Vuori's entire collection of men's and women's apparel at their country's respective web addresses below. In the United Kingdom, Vuori products will soon be carried by Selfridges (all four locations and online, men's product only), Cotswold Outdoor (20 locations and online), and in the retail shops at all 11 of the country's Barry's Bootcamp locations. This year, the brand intends to open its U.K. flagship store in the city of London. Ireland's Brown Thomas will offer Vuori (two locations and online) as will Netherlands-based outdoor retailer Bever (20 locations and online). For more details on locations and availability, please visit www.vuoriclothing.com.

United Kingdom: www.vuoriclothing.co.uk

France: www.vuoriclothing.fr

Germany: www.vuoriclothing.de

Ireland: ie.vuoriclothing.com

Netherlands: www.vuoriclothing.nl

Australia: www.vuoriclothing.com.au

Canada: www.vuoriclothing.ca

As it reaches new markets around the globe, Vuori is working to continue expanding its product offering, make key investments in infrastructure and people, and open both a U.K. distribution hub as well as an innovation center in Taiwan. The company, which through partnerships with organizations such as Climate Neutral and CleanHub is offsetting its carbon and plastic footprints while taking steps to eliminate 80% of plastics from its shipping and supply chain this year, will continuously invest in its sustainability efforts. Profitable since 2017, Vuori is backed by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and Norwest Venture Partners.

About Vuori

Launched in 2015, Vuori merges technical clothing with a West Coast aesthetic that looks and feels great. When creating Vuori, Founder Joe Kudla didn't have to look far for inspiration; headquartered in the aspirational beach community of Encinitas, CA, the brand is a natural extension of its home environment where active, conscious and creative people inspire those around them every day. In addition to a thriving e-commerce business and physical stores in Berkeley, Boulder, Cherry Creek, Del Mar, Encinitas, La Jolla, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Newport Beach, San Francisco, San Jose, Scottsdale, Studio City, and Venice Beach, Vuori is also sold in most Nordstrom and REI stores. Please visit www.vuoriclothing.com for more information.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005777/en/

Contacts:

Press Contact: Casey McDonald casey@theleadpr.com 212.584.5668
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil prices climbed higher on Wednesday after data showed a drop in inventories, and amid skepticism over progress in Russia-Ukraine peace talks following Russia continuing to attack some areas in Ukraine despite its promise to scale down military operations. Ukrainian authorities said that attacks continued overnight around Chernihiv and Kyiv, despite Russia's pledge to scale back some military operations. U.S President Joe Biden asked whether the Russian announcement was a sign of progress in the talks or an attempt by Moscow to buy time to continue its assault. Data showing a bigger than expected drop in U.S. crude stockpiles last week contributed as well to the jump in oil prices. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for May ended higher by $3.58 or about 3.4% at $107.82 a barrel. Brent crude futures were up $3.01 or 2.79% at $110.72 a barrel a little while ago. Oil futures had posted losses in the previous two sessions amid signs of progress in Russia-Ukraine peace talks, on concerns about a possible drop in energy demand due to fresh lockdowns in Shanghai. Data released by U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) this morning showed U.S. crude stockpiles fell by a bigger-than-expected 3.4 million barrels last week, cutting inventories to 410 million barrels, the lowest levels since September 2018. Crude stockpiles were expected to drop by about 1 million barrels last week. Gasoline stocks were up by 785,000 barrels last week, as against expectations for a 1.7 million-barrel drop, while distillate stockpiles increased by 1.4 million barrels. Investors also noted a report that said OPEC's Joint Technical Committee has revised its estimates for first-quarter oil supply and demand. In the Committee's estimation, the supply surplus has shrunk to 600,000 bpd, versus its previous estimate of 1 million bpd. OPEC's Joint Technical Committee had a meeting on Wednesday to review oil market developments ahead of the OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting, scheduled to take place tomorrow. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
DGAP Voting Rights Announcement: QIAGEN N.V.

QIAGEN N.V.: Release according to Article 40, Section 1 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] with the objective of Europe-wide distribution



30.03.2022 / 22:02

Dissemination of a Voting Rights Announcement transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



The AFM (the Netherlands Authority For the Financial Markets has informed us on March 28, 2022 that a notification related to our institution has been released by the AFM. The following notification has been disclosed in the relevant register on the AFM website: Date of transaction: 23 mar 2022

Person obliged to notify: Goldman Sachs Group Inc., The

Issuing institution: Qiagen N.V.

Registration Chamber of Commerce: 12036979

Place of residence: VENLO Distribution in numbers Type of share Number of shares Number of voting rights Capital interest Voting rights Manner of disposal Settlement Ordinary share 1.002.905,00 1.002.894,97 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs International Physical Delivery Convertible bond 880.773,00 880.773,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs International Physical Delivery Ordinary share 503.636,00 503.630,96 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC Physical Delivery Option 3.863.782,00 3.863.782,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC Physical Delivery Swap 9.892,00 9.892,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC In cash Ordinary share 5.235,00 5.234,95 Real Real Indirectly - United Capital Financial Advisers, LLC Physical Delivery Ordinary share 39,00 39,00 Real Real Indirectly - Folio Investments Inc. Physical Delivery Swap 152.217,00 152.217,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs International In cash Ordinary share 231,00 231,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE Physical Delivery Warrant 35.741,00 35.741,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE In cash Ordinary share 14.757,00 14.756,85 Real Real Indirectly - The Goldman Sachs Trust Company of Delaware Physical Delivery Ordinary share 43.554,00 43.553,56 Real Real Indirectly - Goldman Sachs International Physical Delivery Ordinary share 107.990,00 107.988,92 Real Real Indirectly - Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC Physical Delivery Ordinary share 7.275,00 7.274,93 Real Real Indirectly - Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE Physical Delivery Ordinary share 1,00 1,00 Real Real Indirectly - Goldman Sachs Bank AG Physical Delivery Distribution in percentages Type Total holding Directly real Directly potential Indirectly real Indirectly potential Capital interest 2,87 % 0,00% 0,00% 0,08% 2,79% Voting rights 2,87 % 0,00% 0,00% 0,08% 2,79% QIAGEN N.V. is not responsible for the accuracy and correctness of the notification above. The content has

been taken from the relevant register of the AFM:

https://www.afm.nl/en/professionals/registers/meldingenregisters/substantiele-deelnemingen/details?id=122222

30.03.2022 The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.dgap.de


Ermenegildo Zegna N.V. (NYSE: ZGN) ("Zegna Group" or "the Company") today announced that it will publish its financial statements for the full year 2021 on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, after market close. On Thursday, April 7, 2022, at 8:00 a.m. ET (2:00 p.m. CET), the Company plans to host a webcast and conference call to discuss its 2021 financial results, as well as trends and guidance for 2022.

Management will refer to a slide presentation during the call, which will be made available on the day of the call. To view the presentation, please visit the "Events Presentations" tab on the Investor Relations section of the Company's website. A live webcast of the conference call will also be available on the Company's website at ir.zegnagroup.com.

The Company is also pleased to announce that a Capital Markets Day has been scheduled for 17 May, 2022. Details of the event will be posted on the "Events Presentations" tab on the Investor Relations section of the Company's website.

To participate in the call, please dial:

Italy dial-in number (Local): 39 069 450 0327

United States: 1 844 200 6205

United States (Local): 1 646 904 5544

United Kingdom (Toll Free): 44 808 189 6484

All other locations: +1 929 526 1599



Access code: 512734

An online archive of the broadcast will be available on the website shortly after the live call and will be available for twelve months.

About Ermenegildo Zegna Group

Founded in 1910 in Trivero, Italy, by Ermenegildo Zegna, the Zegna Group designs, creates and distributes luxury menswear and accessories under the Zegna brand, as well as womenswear, menswear and accessories under the Thom Browne brand. Through its Luxury Textile Laboratory Platform which works to preserve artisanal mills producing the finest Italian fabrics the Zegna Group manufactures and distributes the highest quality fabrics and textiles. Zegna products are sold through over 500 stores in 80 countries around the world, of which 284 are directly operated by Zegna as of June 30, 2021 (239 Zegna stores and 45 Thom Browne stores). Over the decades, Zegna Group has charted Our Road: a unique path that winds itself through era-defining milestones that have seen the Group grow from a producer of superior wool fabric to a global luxury group. Our Road has lead us to New York, where the Group has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange on December 20, 2021. And while we continue to progress on Our Road to tomorrow, we remain committed to upholding our founder's legacy one that is based upon the principle that a business's activities should help the environment. Today, the Zegna Group is creating a lifestyle that marches to the rhythm of modern times while continuing to nurture bonds with the natural world and with our communities that create a better present and future.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005699/en/

Contacts:

Investor Relations

Francesca Di Pasquantonio

francesca.dipasquantonio@zegna.com

+39 335 5837669

Media

Ermenegildo Zegna Group

Domenico Galluccio

domenico.galluccio@zegna.com

+39 335 538 7288

Brunswick Group

Brendan Riley Alessandro Iozzia Marie Jensen

briley@brunswickgroup.com aiozzia@brunswickgroup.com mjensen@brunswickgroup.com

+1 (917) 755-1454 +39 335 718 7205 +33 (0) 6 49 09 39 54
LAGOS, Nigeria, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nigerian farmers have every reason to be optimistic of a bumper harvest at the beginning of a new planting season with the launch of a novel crop balance nutrient fertilizer brand into the Nigerian market. Known as Geo Fertilizer, it comes in two variants: the Geo Plus (NPK 24-10-10+ trace elements) and Geo Green Urea (Urea 46-0-0+ trace elements). In addition to the basic elements (NPK and Urea) contained in the fertilizer, Geo Fertilizer contains micronutrients of iron, zinc, copper , magnesium and nickel which are known as trace elements which provide balance nutrients for the crops.

Speaking at the launch in Kano on Tuesday March 29, the Chief Marketing Manager of Buma Resources Nig. Ltd, Mr. Bello Zubairu said that after several field trials and laboratory analyses by reputable agricultural establishments, research institutes and universities such as the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with Niger State Agricultural and Mechanisation Development Authority, Department of Soil Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Department of Agronomy/Soil Science, Cross River State University of Technology, Calabar, among others, it has been established that Geo Fertilizer contains micronutrients that makes it superior to the ordinary fertilizer currently in use by farmers.

According to Mr. Zubairu, one 50g sachet of Geo Fertilizer increased crop yield of 150% in comparison to 50kg of conventional fertilizer. He said five 50g sachet of Geo Fertilizer is applied per hectare, as against nine bags of 50kg of the traditional fertilizer. Besides, the products in sachets of 50g makes it very portable and easy to move to farm unlike the 50kg bag of the conventional fertilizer. It is also the cheapest fertilizer of its kind in Nigeria. Explaining further the benefits of Geo Fertilizer, Zubairu said rain and flood do not pose risks of soil leaching or the fertilizer being washed away from the soil because the fertilizer is applied directly on the leafs.

Chairman of the launch, Senator Mohammed Alkali Gumel said that from the reports of farm trials, laboratory analyses and testimonial of farmers, Geo Fertilizer is a catalyst that will ensure food security for Nigeria and prosper the farmers because of its high crop yield per hectare. He urged the Kano State government and other state governments and institutions to buy large quantity of Geo Fertilizer and resell to farmers at subsidized price as a form of empowerment and hence creating prosperity for the famers and their families.

Presenting a paper on "Performance of Geo Fertilizer on Wheat Production in Nigeria," Dr. Gbenga Olabanji, Former Executive Director, Lake Chad Research Institute, Maiduguri and Team Leader, Wheat Value Chain in Nigeria, said the result of trial of Geo Fertilizer on wheat production was excellent as "the trend and the better performance of wheat with Geo Fertilizer over the control and conventional fertilizer recommendation proves the suitability of this fertilizer in wheat production."

Over 1000 farmers of several farmer associations: rice, onions , wheat, maize, tomato, vegetables, etc., drawn from the 44 local government areas of Kano State and other top technocrats, academics and international partners in the agriculture value chain attended the launch of Geo Fertilizer in Kano.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1777234/GEO_Fertiliser.jpg
MCLEAN, Va., March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global engineering and defense technologies provider HII (NYSE:HII) announced today its advanced unmanned underwater vehicle, REMUS 300, was selected as U.S. Navy's next generation small UUV (SUUV) program of record. REMUS 300 technology was designed to advance distributed maritime operations by conducting critical underwater missions.



The initial phase of the program includes the production and testing of REMUS 300 UUVs over the next year.

"HII is proud of our longstanding partnership with the U.S. Navy and now, to lead in this important direction on behalf of our customer," said Chris Kastner, president and CEO of HII. "This program demonstrates the value of our investment in autonomous and unmanned systems, and our customer familiarity. We are confident that these technologies will both support the Navy mission and enhance effectiveness for the all-domain force."

"I am very proud of our talented team and see this as an important milestone in supporting the Navy's and allies' unmanned strategy now and into the future," said Andy Green, executive vice president of HII and president of HII's Mission Technologies division. "The REMUS 300 is the most advanced small UUV on the market and will provide capabilities that are essential to the Navy mission."

The vehicle incorporates advanced modularity and open architecture into a compact, man-portable design.

"REMUS UUVs have been extending the capabilities of the warfighter since they were first used in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003," said Duane Fotheringham, president of the unmanned systems business group in HII's Mission Technologies division. "We've been enhancing, maturing and refining this technology since then, and are pleased the REMUS 300 meets needs for the Navy's next generation UUV program."

The SUUV program, also called Lionfish, is the next generation Mk18 Mod 1 Swordfish program, which also utilizes HII's REMUS technology. The selection follows a two-year rapid prototyping effort involving multiple user evaluations and spiral developments to refine the REMUS 300 design. The acquisition was facilitated by the Department of Defense's Defense Innovation Unit and their commercial solutions opening process via the other transaction authority.

A photo accompanying this release is available at: https://newsroom.huntingtoningalls.com/file/remus-300-lionhead.

HII is a global engineering and defense technologies provider. With a 135-year history of trusted partnerships in advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities ranging from the most powerful and survivable naval ships ever built, to unmanned systems, ISR and AI/ML analytics. HII leads the industry in mission-driven solutions that support and enable a networked, all-domain force. Headquartered in Virginia, HII's skilled workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information, visit:



HII on the web: https://www.hii.com/ (https://www.hii.com/)

HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII (https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII)

HII on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/wearehii (https://www.twitter.com/wearehii)

HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearehii (https://www.instagram.com/wearehii)

Contact:
"The criminal defense team at the Sparks Law Firm ensures each client's case gets the attention it deserves."

FORT WORTH, TEXAS / ACCESSWIRE / March 30, 2022 / Justin Sparks and the Sparks Law Firm pride themselves on using the proactive and not reactive method; they get to work right away rather than sit back until forced to make a decision.

According to Justin Sparks, "If someone's arrested and charged with a crime, the government is the one that files that lawsuit. They're the ones being proactive in filing it. And sometimes, you get other criminal lawyers on a defense team that sits back and plays a waiting game. I think that's a terrible idea. I believe that if there is an opportunity to be proactive and it gets someone a better result, then we need to do it. I think putting it off and waiting for a court date or waiting for the other side to make the first move is not only lazy but also not what we're called to do as criminal lawyers. If we know what we're charged with, and we know what result we want, then let's go get it. Let's not sit around and wait and just hope for the best."

The lawyers and legal team at Sparks Law Firm have over 100 years of combined experience. Their qualifications are one of the things that set them apart from other law firms. Also, at least two experienced attorneys work on every client's case, that way, nothing slips through the cracks, and the client is always informed on what is happening or what the next steps are. This is what Justin Sparks has to say regarding this; "We have multiple attorneys on every case to bring more sets of eyes and ears on it. When someone hires us, this isn't a one-man show; this is a team approach. I want all of us on it, not only to analyze it and issue spot, but also with all of us having prosecutor experience, and experience being in a courtroom, there's some judges or prosecutors that one of us knows or another one of us might know more, or there may be a situation that better suits one of us. So what we like to do is take that team approach and really try to maximize the unique strengths we each bring. That gets us the best result."

The team at Sparks Law Firm understands that a criminal defense case can be stressful, so they treat every client with dignity and respect. They are personally committed to fighting for every one of their clients.

"We also get experts involved as soon as possible. There's no reason to wait until the eve of trial to go find experts for a certain issue whose professional opinion might make our case stronger. Let's start engaging those experts right away. Maybe we will find that there's not a need for trial. Maybe we can get that dismissal. Maybe we can get a better result, the one we're looking for. Let's not get expert information two years later. Let's get it right away, so we have all the information needed to know the best route forward."

About The Sparks Law Firm

Justin Sparks has been defending clients across Fort Worth and Dallas for over a decade. The Sparks firm helps clients through the criminal process, from investigation to appeals. They also offer free consultations for all new cases.

Contact Details:

Name: Justin Sparks

Company Name: Sparks Law Firm

Address: 603 East Belknap Street Fort Worth, TX 76102

Phone Number: (817) 334-0300

Company email: info@sparkslawfirm.com

URL: https://www.sparkslawfirm.com/

SOURCE: The Sparks Law Firm

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/695328/Justin-Sparks-the-Owner-of-Sparks-Law-Firm-Shares-His-Methods-on-How-He-is-Proactive-Not-Reactive-When-Serving-the-Fort-Worth-Community-and-How-that-Brings-the-Best-Possible-Results-for-his-Clients
A fresh round of face-to-face peace talks between Russia and Ukraine is held in Istanbul, Turkey, March 29, 2022. (Xinhua)

MOSCOW/KIEV, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Russian and Ukrainian delegations held "constructive" negotiations in Turkey on Tuesday, raising the curtain on concrete efforts of both sides to broker a solution to the current conflict.

During the fifth round of talks, or the fourth face-to-face meeting, which lasted for about three hours in Istanbul, the two sides finally clinched some progress in exploring possible ways out of the tensions. Local media reported that consultations will continue via video link.

Some analysts believe that as talks between the two countries continue, the scale and intensity of the military conflict may well decrease gradually, while there is still "a long way to go" before a complete settlement.

STEPS TOWARDS DE-ESCALATION

Vladimir Medinsky, Russian presidential aide and head of Russia's negotiation team, said following the talks that Moscow is taking two steps towards the de-escalation of the conflict, both militarily and politically.

Russia will significantly reduce military activities in the Kiev and Chernihiv directions to increase mutual trust and create the necessary conditions for further negotiations, said Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, who participated in the Istanbul talks.

In the political sphere, Moscow offered a possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky simultaneously with, not necessarily after, the initialing of a peace treaty by their foreign ministries.

For the Ukrainian side, Kiev proposed to sign a new international treaty on security guarantees, which enshrines obligations for the guarantor countries to provide Ukraine with military assistance in the event of an attack, a member of the Ukrainian delegation David Arakhamia said.

Another member of the Ukrainian delegation Mykhailo Podolyak said that Ukraine also proposed to add a clause to the security guarantee treaty that fixes the positions of Kiev and Moscow regarding Crimea for another 15 years, during which Ukraine and Russia will not use armed forces to resolve the Crimean issue, while negotiations will be underway.

"We received proposals for consideration from the Ukrainian side, a clearly formulated position, which could be included in the agreement. These proposals will be considered soon, reported to the (Russian) president. We will deliver our response," Medinsky said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu viewed the Istanbul meeting as the most meaningful progress since the start of the negotiation process between the two countries.

"LONG WAY TO GO"

While the talks have been "constructive," Medinsky admitted that there is still "a long way to go" before reaching an agreement with mutually acceptable terms.

A gradual military de-escalation around Kiev and Chernihiv is not equal to a ceasefire, he underscored, adding that the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces will soon announce "what the slowdown or the de-escalation of the conflict in the two directions will mean exactly."

Russian troops have achieved the goals set for the first stage of the special military operation in Ukraine and will now focus on "the liberation of Donbass," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday during a meeting with top defense officials.

Andrey Kortunov, director general of the Russian International Affairs Council, predicted that Russia will place more emphasis on Donbass and fighting will continue within the borders of Donetsk and Lugansk.

"There are still issues that require an approval ... Nevertheless, the process is underway and that's a relief," said Alexey Chepa, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs. 


SANTA MONICA (dpa-AFX) - A federal judge has okayed video game publisher Activision Blizzard's (ATVI) settlement deal with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or EEOC after the later found significant evidence of sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination and related retaliation at the company.



The settlement is expected to reduce risk as Microsoft will acquire Activision Blizzard for a sum of $68.7 billion in what's being touted as the largest technology acquisition to take place in the US till date.



In September, the company had first announced the settlement with EEOC. Two months prior to that, the California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing had filed a suit against Activision, saying that it underpaid women and had a 'frat boy culture' and that it's a 'breeding ground for harassment and discrimination against women.'



Judge Dale Fischer, of the US District Court for California's Central District, signed off on the EEOC consent decree late on Tuesday. Fischer had denied the California agency's motion to get involved in the EEOC's case. The California agency had appealed to the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, which on Monday struck down its emergency stay motion in the EEOC case.



In a media briefing on the case on Wednesday, Anna Park, regional attorney for the EEOC's Los Angeles district office, said, 'No one is automatically entered into the claim. People can apply for claims of sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination or related retaliation they experienced from September 2016 to the present. People can wait for the California agency's case, which would only apply in California, to play out or file individual cases if they wish.'



Park said that if anyone is of the opinion that the funds isn't large enough should know that Fischer, the judge, ruled that the provisions of the consent decree are adequate.



Three female claimants who declined to provide their names described during Wednesday's briefing their alleged experiences at the company.



In a statement issued earlier, Activision Blizzard reiterated its commitments in the EEOC settlement. It agreed to form an $18 million fund to compensate claimants and allocate any remaining money to certain non-profit organizations focused on the advancement of women in video games and technology, or to awareness of sexual harassment and gender equality.



A company spokesperson said, 'We apologize to any victims who suffered as a result of conduct that did not live up to our values.'



Activision Blizzard said that it has already quadrupled the size of its ethics and compliance team, removed mandatory arbitration for sexual harassment and discrimination claims for incidents that happened after October 28, 2021, tightened its alcohol policies, and brought about a zero-tolerance policy on harassment and discrimination.



The EEOC is entitled to file a motion in court if the company doesn't comply. Lawyers said that said possible outcomes include an extension of the current three-year decree term and penalties.







Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

ACTIVISION BLIZZARD-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
IQVIA (NYSE:IQV), a leading global provider of advanced analytics, technology solutions and clinical research services to the life sciences industry, today announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has awarded a contract to Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam to provide analytics services to the DARWIN EU Coordination Centre which IQVIA was selected to support. IQVIA will also work alongside the University of Oxford, Synapse, The Hyve, and Odysseus Data Services.

The Coordination Centre for the Data Analysis and Real World Interrogation Network, or DARWIN EU, will develop and manage a network of real-world healthcare data sources across the EU to conduct scientific studies requested by medicines regulators and eventually as requested by other stakeholders. The centre will accelerate access to high-quality real-world evidence for the use, safety and effectiveness of drugs across the EU in support of the EMA's regulatory decision-making.

By establishing a pan-European network, the DARWIN EU will set standards for federated data analysis using a common data model to support the deeper integration of secondary data into regulatory decision-making as a complement to prospective clinical trials. This approach will respond to the increasing need for faster multi-country real-world solutions, as demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and will provide regulators, health technology assessment bodies and payers with a deeper understanding of diseases and therapies, as well as more tailored guidance to help clinical trials sponsors accelerate decision-making.

IQVIA will contribute technical expertise and information management solutions to enable regulatory-quality analytics of healthcare data gathered from different sources across Europe. IQVIA will contribute to a two-year design plan, as well as three years of pharmacovigilance data network management and analysis services, with the first datasets already onboarded this year. This will give EMA and national regulatory agencies access to richer and more standardized datasets, enabling agency analysts to use the capabilities of real-world technologies to produce more comprehensive insights from the data.

The Coordination Centre was selected in a competitive bidding process involving leading real-world research organizations from across Europe, and the award was based on the group's depth of experience and knowledge of technology solutions.

About IQVIA

IQVIA (NYSE:IQV) is a leading global provider of advanced analytics, technology solutions, and clinical research services to the life sciences industry. IQVIA creates intelligent connections across all aspects of healthcare through its analytics, transformative technology, big data resources and extensive domain expertise. IQVIA Connected Intelligence delivers powerful insights with speed and agility enabling customers to accelerate the clinical development and commercialization of innovative medical treatments that improve healthcare outcomes for patients. With approximately 79,000 employees, IQVIA conducts operations in more than 100 countries.

IQVIA is a global leader in protecting individual patient privacy. The company uses a wide variety of privacy-enhancing technologies and safeguards to protect individual privacy while generating and analyzing information on a scale that helps healthcare stakeholders identify disease patterns and correlate with the precise treatment path and therapy needed for better outcomes. IQVIA's insights and execution capabilities help biotech, medical device and pharmaceutical companies, medical researchers, government agencies, payers and other healthcare stakeholders tap into a deeper understanding of diseases, human behaviors, and scientific advances, in an effort to advance their path toward cures. To learn more, visit www.iqvia.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005901/en/

Contacts:

Nick Childs, IQVIA Investor Relations (nick.childs@iqvia.com)

+1.973.316.3828

Tor Constantino, IQVIA Media Relations (tor.constantino@iqvia.com)

+1.484.567.6732
CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Japan is on Thursday scheduled to release February figures for industrial production and housing starts, setting the pace for a busy day in Asia-Pacific economic activity. Industrial output is expected to rise 0.5 percent on month and fall 0.2 percent on year after slipping 1.3 percent on month and 0.5 percent on year in January. Housing starts are tipped to add an annual 1.1 percent after gaining 2.1 percent in the previous month. Australia will see February numbers for building permits and private sector credit. Building permits are expected to rise 10.0 percent on month after plummeting 27.9 percent in January. Private sector credit was up 0.6 percent on month and 7.6 percent on year in January. South Korea will provide February data for industrial production and retail sales. Industrial output is expected to be flat on month and gain 4.5 percent on year after adding 0.2 percent on month and 4.3 percent on year in January. Retail sales dropped 1.9 percent on month and gained 4.5 percent on year a month earlier. China will see March results for its manufacturing, non-manufacturing and general PMIs from the National Bureau of Statistics; in February, their scores were 50.2, 51.6 and 51.2, respectively. Hong Kong will provide February data for retail sales; in January, the value of sales rose 1.7 percent on year. Thailand will release February figures for retail sales, current account and its coincident index. In January, sales jumped 11.5 percent on year, the current account deficit was $2.2 billion and the score on the coincident index was 129.5. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
DGAP-News: Hot Chili Limited

Hot Chili Delivers Next Level of Growth



31.03.2022 / 00:57

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



Highlights  Mineral resources at Hot Chili's Costa Fuego copper-gold hub in Chile have been materially upgraded with a 67% increase in the total Indicated Resource and a 53% increase in the high grade Indicated Resource: Total Resource1,2  Indicated - 725Mt grading 0.47% CuEq for 2.8Mt Cu, 2.6Moz Au, 10.5Moz Ag & 67kt Mo  Inferred - 202Mt grading 0.36% CuEq for 0.6Mt Cu, 0.4Moz Au, 2.0Moz Ag & 13kt Mo High Grade Resource1,2 (Reported +0.6% CuEq)  Indicated - 156Mt grading 0.79% CuEq for 1.0Mt Cu, 0.85Moz Au, 2.9Moz Ag & 24kt Mo  Inferred - 11Mt grading 0.93% CuEq for 0.1Mt Cu, 0.04Moz Au, 0.3Moz Ag & 1kt Mo  Resource upgrade cements Costa Fuego's position as a top-ten copper development project (S&P 2022, based on criteria of active, PFS level or greater and low operating risk) with one of the shortest timeframes to potential first production amongst senior copper development projects globally  Over 80% of Costa Fuego's global resource estimate is now classified as Indicated (previously 56%), providing a strong platform to deliver a combined Pre-feasibility Study with a large ore reserve in Q3 2022  High grade Indicated resources (+0.6%CuEq) account for one third of contained copper and gold (previously 20%)  Three drill rigs in operation ahead of the planned Pre-Feasibility Study resource upgrade later this year  First assay results from 2022 drilling are expected to be announced shortly Hot Chili's Managing Director Christian Easterday said: 'I would like to thank our entire team who have delivered this very strong result on-time and within guidance - elevating Costa Fuego's position amongst the largest undeveloped copper projects in the world. The world is hungry for advanced, low-risk, senior copper developments with near-term production potential. Copper prices are driving higher and new meaningful copper supply is fast becoming a mirage. Hot Chili is well positioned to deliver into this forecast supply gap and contribute to the decarbonisation super cycle, particularly due to Costa Fuego's lower economic hurdle resulting from its low elevation location and proximity to existing infrastructure; including abundant grid power with high renewables contributions. We are fully funded for 18 months and on-track to deliver our next resource upgrade and PFS later this year as we transform Costa Fuego into one of the world's next material copper mines.' 1 Reported on a 100% Basis - combining Mineral Resource estimates for the Cortadera, Productora and San Antonio deposits. Figures are rounded, reported to appropriate significant figures, and reported in accordance with CIM and NI 43-101. Metal rounded to nearest thousand, or if less, to the nearest hundred. Total Resource reported at +0.21% CuEq for open pit and +0.30% CuEq for underground 2 Copper Equivalent (CuEq) reported for the resource were calculated using the following formula: CuEq% = ((Cu%  Cu price 1% per tonne  Cu_recovery)+(Mo ppm  Mo price per g/t  Mo_recovery)+(Au ppm  Au price per g/t  Au_recovery)+ (Ag ppm  Ag price per g/t  Ag_recovery)) / (Cu price 1% per tonne). The Metal Prices applied in the calculation were: Cu=3.00 USD/lb, Au=1,700 USD/oz, Mo=14 USD/lb, and Ag=20 USD/oz. For Cortadera and San Antonio (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=56%, Mo=82%, and Ag=37%. For Productora (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=43% and Mo=42%. For Costa Fuego (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=51%, Mo=67% and Ag=23%. Hot Chili Limited (ASX: HCH) (TSXV:HCH) (OTCQB: HHLKF) ('Hot Chili' or 'Company') is pleased to announce a major resource upgrade for its coastal range, Costa Fuego copper-gold project in Chile. Costa Fuego comprises the Cortadera, Productora and San Antonio deposits, all of which have updated Mineral Resource Estimates ('MRE' or 'resource') and lie proximal to one another at low-altitude elevations (800m to 1,000m), 600km north of Santiago. The resource upgrade follows 18 months of material investment, including completion of 52,000 metres of additional resource drilling at Cortadera, purchase of 100% of the Cortadera copper-gold porphyry discovery and execution of an offtake agreement with Glencore for future concentrate production (60% for the first 8 years). The Cortadera MRE has delivered the majority of resource growth for Costa Fuego. Cortadera is defined by over 92,000m of drilling and contains an Indicated resource of 471Mt grading 0.46% CuEq (previously 183Mt grading 0.49% CuEq) and an Inferred resource of 108Mt grading 0.35% CuEq (previously 267Mt grading 0.44% CuEq). Cortadera's Indicated resource has grown by 134% and is now able to be studied for conversion into ore reserves in the Company's Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS), forecast for Q3, 2022. The Productora MRE has been re-estimated following review of the 2016 MRE, completion of underground mine development and exploration drilling in 2021. The review and subsequent resource re-estimation has resulted in a material increase in high grade Indicated resources reported above 0.6% CuEq. High grade open pit resources from Productora are a key focus for the combined PFS and are expected to feature prominently in the early mine schedule for Costa Fuego. A maiden San Antonio MRE has also been added to the Costa Fuego Hub. San Antonio was historically exploited by small-scale underground mining of high grade copper. The maiden resource estimate utilised an underground drone survey (increasing the spatial confidence of historic mining activities) and 4,922 metres of drilling undertaken by Hot Chili in 2018. The Company is encouraged by the initial Inferred resource of 4.2Mt grading 1.2% CuEq. The high grade, shallow nature of San Antonio provides an additional open pittable deposit for Costa Fuego's potential early mine schedule. Further resource upgrade drilling is planned at San Antonio and the nearby Valentina high grade deposit in the coming months. 1 Reported on a 100% Basis - combining Mineral Resource estimates for the Cortadera, Productora and San Antonio deposits. Figures are rounded, reported to appropriate significant figures, and reported in accordance with CIM and NI 43-101. Metal rounded to nearest thousand, or if less, to the nearest hundred. Total Resource reported at +0.21% CuEq for open pit and +0.30% CuEq for underground 2 Copper Equivalent (CuEq) reported for the resource were calculated using the following formula: CuEq% = ((Cu%  Cu price 1% per tonne  Cu_recovery)+(Mo ppm  Mo price per g/t  Mo_recovery)+(Au ppm  Au price per g/t  Au_recovery)+ (Ag ppm  Ag price per g/t  Ag_recovery)) / (Cu price 1% per tonne). The Metal Prices applied in the calculation were: Cu=3.00 USD/lb, Au=1,700 USD/oz, Mo=14 USD/lb, and Ag=20 USD/oz. For Cortadera and San Antonio (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=56%, Mo=82%, and Ag=37%. For Productora (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=43% and Mo=42%. For Costa Fuego (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=51%, Mo=67% and Ag=23%. Table 1. Costa Fuego Copper-Gold Project Mineral Resource Estimate, March 2022 1 Reported on a 100% Basis - combining Mineral Resource estimates for the Cortadera, Productora and San Antonio deposits. Figures are rounded, reported to appropriate significant figures, and reported in accordance with CIM and NI 43-101. Metal rounded to nearest thousand, or if less, to the nearest hundred. Total Resource reported at +0.21% CuEq for open pit and +0.30% CuEq for underground 2 Copper Equivalent (CuEq) reported for the resource were calculated using the following formula: CuEq% = ((Cu%  Cu price 1% per tonne  Cu_recovery)+(Mo ppm  Mo price per g/t  Mo_recovery)+(Au ppm  Au price per g/t  Au_recovery)+ (Ag ppm  Ag price per g/t  Ag_recovery)) / (Cu price 1% per tonne). The Metal Prices applied in the calculation were: Cu=3.00 USD/lb, Au=1,700 USD/oz, Mo=14 USD/lb, and Ag=20 USD/oz. For Cortadera and San Antonio (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=56%, Mo=82%, and Ag=37%. For Productora (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=43% and Mo=42%. For Costa Fuego (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=51%, Mo=67% and Ag=23%. Cortadera Mineral Resource Upgrade The Cortadera MRE upgrade follows an additional 52,000m of Diamond (DD) and Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling since the maiden resource was released in October 2020. This resulted in a 134% increase in Indicated metal tonnes in comparison to the maiden resource at the same cut-off grade. The additional drilling also enabled the delineation of high grade copper and gold domains within Cuerpo 3 (Figure 2), resulting in improved grade continuity and metal tonnes above 0.4% CuEq. Continuity of grade and geology is controlled by the emplacement of mineralised porphyry intrusions into shallow dipping host stratigraphy. While these porphyry intrusions have a reasonably consistent pipe-like geometry, grade distribution also extends into the host stratigraphy. Table 2 and Figures 2 and 3 below outline the upgraded Cortadera MRE. Table 2. Cortadera Deposit Mineral Resource Estimate, March 2022 1 Reported on a 100% Basis - combining Mineral Resource estimates for the Cortadera, Productora and San Antonio deposits. Figures are rounded, reported to appropriate significant figures, and reported in accordance with CIM and NI 43-101. Metal rounded to nearest thousand, or if less, to the nearest hundred. Total Resource reported at +0.21% CuEq for open pit and +0.30% CuEq for underground 2 Copper Equivalent (CuEq) reported for the resource were calculated using the following formula: CuEq% = ((Cu%  Cu price 1% per tonne  Cu_recovery)+(Mo ppm  Mo price per g/t  Mo_recovery)+(Au ppm  Au price per g/t  Au_recovery)+ (Ag ppm  Ag price per g/t  Ag_recovery)) / (Cu price 1% per tonne). The Metal Prices applied in the calculation were: Cu=3.00 USD/lb, Au=1,700 USD/oz, Mo=14 USD/lb, and Ag=20 USD/oz. For Cortadera and San Antonio (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=56%, Mo=82%, and Ag=37%. For Productora (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=43% and Mo=42%. For Costa Fuego (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=51%, Mo=67% and Ag=23%. Mineralisation models have been generated using over 92,000m of drilling and an improved understanding of geological controls on mineralisation. Each metal has been independently optimised, resulting in improved continuity of higher and moderate grade copper, gold, silver and molybdenum within each of Cortadera's three Cuerpos. These models correlate well with higher A + B porphyry vein percentages and other key porphyry datasets. Extensive test work was completed to determine an optimal estimation approach and ensure the model was representative of the underlying porphyry mineralisation controls. The updated Cortadera MRE utilises a probabilistic estimation approach (Categorical Indicator Kriging (CIK)), within each mineralisation domain. This approach enabled the spatial and chronological aspects of the multiple phases of mineralisation to be better represented, resulting in higher metal tonnes above a 0.5% CuEq cut-off grade. Productora Mineral Resource Update The Productora MRE was updated following an extensive review of the 2016 resource estimate. Since 2016, copper prices have increased and underground mine development by lease miners (2020 and 2021) have reported materially higher copper grades than had been previously estimated. The review of the 2016 MRE suggested the spatial continuity of mineralisation was not being represented sufficiently, with local-scale ductile characteristics in underground mine development not able to be accurately reflected using traditional wireframing and estimation methods. This had resulted in significant mineralised zones being excluded from the earlier resource estimation within the breccia-hosted copper deposit. Extensive drilling and data collection by Hot Chili at Productora between 2010 and 2017 have allowed a comprehensive review of various mineralisation styles and structural complexities present within the host tourmaline breccia unit. The review determined that probabilistic techniques (CIK) were most suitable for resource estimation following analysis of all available geological, structural, alteration, assay (33 element ICP-OES analysis), geometallurgical and geotechnical information. Using the same dataset as the 2016 MRE, the CIK approach optimised the estimations of copper, gold, molybdenum, cobalt, iron, aluminium, potassium and sulphur at Productora. Exploration drilling completed in early 2022 on the edges of the Productora resource tested the updated model, with results suggesting the new estimation approach was suitably predictive. The updated Productora MRE is considered to be more robust than the earlier 2016 MRE and has resulted in an increase in high grade (+0.6% CuEq) Indicated material, as well as improved spatial continuity of mineralisation. High grade open pit resources from Productora are a key focus for the combined PFS and are expected to feature prominently in the early mine schedule for Costa Fuego. Table 3 and Figures 4 and 5 below outline the upgraded Cortadera MRE. Table 3. Productora Deposit Mineral Resource Estimate, March 2022 1 Reported on a 100% Basis - combining Mineral Resource estimates for the Cortadera, Productora and San Antonio deposits. Figures are rounded, reported to appropriate significant figures, and reported in accordance with CIM and NI 43-101. Metal rounded to nearest thousand, or if less, to the nearest hundred. Total Resource reported at +0.21% CuEq for open pit. 2 Copper Equivalent (CuEq) reported for the resource were calculated using the following formula: CuEq% = ((Cu%  Cu price 1% per tonne  Cu_recovery)+(Mo ppm  Mo price per g/t  Mo_recovery)+(Au ppm  Au price per g/t  Au_recovery)+ (Ag ppm  Ag price per g/t  Ag_recovery)) / (Cu price 1% per tonne). The Metal Prices applied in the calculation were: Cu=3.00 USD/lb, Au=1,700 USD/oz, Mo=14 USD/lb, and Ag=20 USD/oz. For Cortadera and San Antonio (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=56%, Mo=82%, and Ag=37%. For Productora (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=43% and Mo=42%. For Costa Fuego (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=51%, Mo=67% and Ag=23%. Maiden Mineral Resource for San Antonio Hot Chili is pleased to announce a maiden MRE for the San Antonio copper deposit. Hot Chili completed a drone survey of the shallowly developed historic underground mine in 2021. This enabled increased spatial confidence of the historic mining activities at San Antonio and the ability to complete an initial Inferred resource estimate. Void models previously established from historical documentation were subsequently updated, including revisions to rotation and grid transformations. The underground survey supported the Company's geological interpretation of multiple sub parallel lodes at San Antonio. In 2018, Hot Chili completed 4,922m of first-pass RC drilling at San Antonio, confirming significant extensions to the high grade underground mine. Hot Chili's drilling also validated historical underground drilling and channel sampling results. Importantly, the average grade estimated within the void model shows strong alignment to historical and lease mining production reports. Copper mineralisation at San Antonio is fault-hosted and dips moderately towards the east within a sequence of volcanic-sedimentary units that were intruded by a series of diorite and andesite dykes. High grade copper is related to chalcopyrite and bornite mineralisation in association with strong epidote alteration. San Antonio is an important addition to the Costa Fuego resource inventory, representing the first high grade, satellite deposit outside of Cortadera and Productora. Further drilling is planned to upgrade San Antonio to Indicated classification this year. Resource drilling is also planned this year at the proximal Valentina high grade underground mine to follow up several significant drilling intersections recorded by Hot Chili in 2018. Initial results recorded 12m grading 1.5% copper from 28m down-hole depth (including 6m grading 2.7% copper) in drill hole VAP0001 and 8m grading 2.0% copper from 124m down-hole depth (including 2m grading 4.8% copper) in drill hole VAP0003 (see ASX announcement dated 5th September 2018). San Antonio and Valentina are an exciting addition and will feature in a planned PFS resource upgrade later this year. Both deposits are expected to provide high-grade open pit deposit for Costa Fuego's early mine schedule. Table 4 and Figures 6 and 7 below outline the maiden San Antonio MRE. Table 4. San Antonio Deposit Mineral Resource Estimate, March 2022 1 Reported on a 100% Basis - combining Mineral Resource estimates for the Cortadera, Productora and San Antonio deposits. Figures are rounded, reported to appropriate significant figures, and reported in accordance with CIM and NI 43-101. Metal rounded to nearest thousand, or if less, to the nearest hundred. Total Resource reported at +0.21% CuEq for open pit 2 Copper Equivalent (CuEq) reported for the resource were calculated using the following formula: CuEq% = ((Cu%  Cu price 1% per tonne  Cu_recovery)+(Mo ppm  Mo price per g/t  Mo_recovery)+(Au ppm  Au price per g/t  Au_recovery)+ (Ag ppm  Ag price per g/t  Ag_recovery)) / (Cu price 1% per tonne). The Metal Prices applied in the calculation were: Cu=3.00 USD/lb, Au=1,700 USD/oz, Mo=14 USD/lb, and Ag=20 USD/oz. For Cortadera and San Antonio (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=56%, Mo=82%, and Ag=37%. For Productora (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=43% and Mo=42%. For Costa Fuego (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=51%, Mo=67% and Ag=23%. This announcement is authorised by the Board of Directors for release to ASX and TSXV. For full report please visit www.SEDAR.comQualifying Statements Competent Person's Statement- Exploration Results Exploration information in this Announcement is based upon work compiled by Mr Christian Easterday, the Managing Director and a full-time employee of Hot Chili Limited whom is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG). Mr Easterday has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a 'Competent Person' as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves' (JORC Code). Mr Easterday consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears. Competent Person's Statement- Costa Fuego Mineral Resources The information in this report that relates to Mineral Resources for Cortadera, Productora and San Antonio which constitute the combined Costa Fuego Project is based on information compiled by Ms Elizabeth Haren, a Competent Person who is a Member and Chartered Professional of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Ms Haren is a full-time employee of Haren Consulting Pty Ltd and an independent consultant to Hot Chili. Ms Haren has sufficient experience, which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and types of deposits under consideration and to the activities undertaken, to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code of Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Ms Haren consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on her information in the form and context in which it appears. For further information on the Costa Fuego Project, refer to the technical report titled "Resource Report for the Costa Fuego Technical Report", dated December 13, 2021, which is available for review under Hot Chili's profile at www.sedar.com. Reporting of Copper Equivalent Copper Equivalent (CuEq) reported for the resource were calculated using the following formula: CuEq% = ((Cu%  Cu price 1% per tonne  Cu_recovery)+(Mo ppm  Mo price per g/t  Mo_recovery)+(Au ppm  Au price per g/t  Au_recovery)+ (Ag ppm  Ag price per g/t  Ag_recovery)) / (Cu price 1% per tonne). The Metal Prices applied in the calculation were: Cu=3.00 USD/lb, Au=1,700 USD/oz, Mo=14 USD/lb, and Ag=20 USD/oz. For Cortadera and San Antonio (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=56%, Mo=82%, and Ag=37%. For Productora (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=43% and Mo=42%. For Costa Fuego (Inferred + Indicated), the average Metallurgical Recoveries were: Cu=83%, Au=51%, Mo=67% and Ag=23%. About Hot Chili Hot Chili Limited is a mineral exploration company with assets in Chile. The Company's flagship project, Costa Fuego, is the consolidation into a hub of the Cortadera porphyry copper-gold discovery and the Productora copper-gold deposit, set 14 km apart in an excellent location - low altitude, coastal range of Chile, infrastructure rich, low capital intensity.The Costa Fuego landholdings, contains an Indicated Resource of 391Mt grading 0.52% CuEq (copper equivalent), containing 1.7 Mt Cu, 1.5 Moz Au, 4.2 Moz Ag, and 37 kt Mo and an Inferred Resource of 334Mt grading 0.44% CuEq containing 1.2Mt Cu, 1.2 Moz Au, 5.6 Moz Ag and 27 kt Mo, at a cut-off grade of 0.25% CuEq.The Company is working to advance its Costa Fuego Project through a preliminary feasibility study (followed by a full FS and DTM), and test several high-priority exploration targets. Certain statements contained in this news release, including information as to the future financial or operating performance of Hot Chili and its projects may include statements that are "forward-looking statements" which may include, amongst other things, statements regarding targets, estimates and assumptions in respect of mineral reserves and mineral resources and anticipated grades and recovery rates, production and prices, recovery costs and results, and capital expenditures and are or may be based on assumptions and estimates related to future technical, economic, market, political, social and other conditions.These forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Hot Chili, are inherently subject to significant technical, business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results reflected in such forward-looking statements. Hot Chili disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or release any revisions to any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, circumstances or results or otherwise after the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, other than as may be required by law. The words "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "indicate", "contemplate", "target", "plan", "intends", "continue", "budget", "estimate", "may", "will", "schedule" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Contact Details Investor Relations Graham Farrell +1 416-842-9003 Graham.Farrell@harbor-access.com Investor Relations Jonathan Paterson +1 475-477-9401 Jonathan.Paterson@harbor-access.com Managing Director Christian Easterday admin@hotchili.net.au Company Website https://www.hotchili.net.au/investors/

News Source: News Direct



31.03.2022 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.dgap.de


Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 30, 2022) - NINE MILE METALS LTD. (CSE: NINE) (the "Company" or "Nine Mile") announces that it has granted 2,600,000 stock options to various directors, officers, consultants and an employee of the Company. The options will vest immediately and may be exercised at an exercise price of CAD $0.18 per common share, for a period of 5 years from the date of issuance or earlier in accordance with the Company's incentive stock option plan.

Following the grant of stock options, the Company now has a total of 3,250,000 stock options representing 7.5% of the outstanding common shares of the Company.

About Nine Mile Metals Ltd.:

Nine Mile Metals Ltd. is a Canadian Public Mineral Exploration Company focused on VMS (Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag and Au) exploration in the world-famous Bathurst Mining Camp. The Company's primary business objective is to explore its two properties located in Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada: 100% owned Canoe Landing Lake West and 50% owned Nine Mile Brook. Nine Mile is focused on exploration of Minerals for Technology (MFT), positioning for the boom in EV and Green Technologies requiring copper, silver, lead, and zinc, and a hedge with Gold.

ON BEHALF OF NINE MILE METALS LTD.

"Charles MaLette"

CEO, President, Director & Secretary

T: 604-428-5171

E: info@ninemilemetals.com

Forward-Looking Information:

This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of Nine Mile. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of Nine Mile. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "will," "may," "would," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "could" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Although Nine Mile believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because Nine Mile can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct.

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/118676
Brightside Health, a San Francisco, CA-based telemedicine platform that offers fast access to personalized treatment, expert providers, and ongoing support for a range of mental health concerns, raised $50m in Series B funding.

The round, which brought total funding to date to $75m, was led by ACME Capital and Mousse Partners, with participation from existing investors Bullpen Capital, Triventures, and Trousdale Ventures.

Led by Brad Kittredge, founder and CEO, Brightside Health is a telemedicine platform focused on developing and delivering a new standard of mental health care. By pairing empathy and expertise with innovative technology, the company provides a personalized treatment experience for every member through video visits, unlimited messaging, ongoing support, and medication delivery. Its care model encompasses precision-psychiatry, a clinically-proven approach to therapy, and continuous care monitoring from a network of providers.

Brightside Health treats the full spectrum of symptom severity, including people with complex conditions, and offers timely appointments from home, available in as little as 24 hours. With convenient access to treatment through video visits, unlimited messaging, ongoing support, and medication delivery, Brightside Health helps people feel better faster, and stay that way longer. The platform adheres to evidence-based approaches, guided by a world-class network of psychiatric providers and licensed therapists who utilize innovative support tools and follow structured, clinically-proven protocols to deliver effective care at scale. Members track progress through online check-ins that are also monitored by providers, ensuring the efficacy of personalized treatment plans and enabling rapid intervention should a need arise.

FinSMEs

29/03/2022
Collectors Holdings, Inc., a Santa Ana, Calif.- based global leader in authentication and management of collectibles, raised $100m in new funding at a $4.3 billion valuation.

The new funding was raised from existing investors.

The company intends to use the funds to grow the business further and invest in new technology that further improves the experience for hobbyists.

Led by CEO Nat Turner, Collectors provides solutions for the authentication and management of collectibles. The company, which has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo and Paris, provides hobbyists and alternative asset investors with products, tools and services that power the collectibles industry. Collectors brands include:

authentication and grading services PSA (trading cards and memorabilia),

PCGS (coins and currency),

WATA (video games and pop culture), as well as

Goldin, an online collectibles marketplace.

Collectors is also announcing the launch of a secure vault platform and collection management service. Available this summer, the vault service will enable collectors to submit their items for authentication and grading by PSA and transfer those items directly to a secure, 11,000-square-foot Delaware facility. Collectors can then digitally manage their collection through Collectors.com by adding new items to the vault at any time or by offering items for sale through the Goldin marketplace.

The company was acquired last year by an investor group led by Turner, D1 Capital Partners L.P., Cohen Private Ventures, LLC and TCG Capital Management, L.P.

FinSMEs

31/03/2022
Modern Treasury, a San Francisco, CA-based software platform for companies of all sizes to move money, raised $50m in the second close of its Series C funding round with a valuation of more than $2 billion.

Backers included SVB Capital and Salesforce Ventures, as well as new investors Artisanal Ventures and NewView Capital.

The company, which has raised an $85m first close in October, intends to use the funds to continue to expand operations and its business reach.

Founded in 2018 by Dimitri Dadiomov, CEO, Modern Treasury provides payment operations software for companies, enabling teams to move and track money, and automate the full cycle of money movementfrom payment initiation, through approvals, to reconciliation. The company offers an API into the banking system, as well as software to support finance and treasury teams. This automation enables companies to build and scale innovative products, manage payments via dashboard or API, and automatically reconcile cash across multiple bank accounts. Customers now reconcile more than $2.8 billion per month using the platform.

The company serves companies in the most important sectors of the economy, such as healthcare, real estate, and finance. Customers include fast-growing companies such as Gusto, TripActions, and Marqeta.

FinSMEs

30/03/2022
Polaris, a Quimper, and Paris, France-based foodtech company, raised 5M in funding.

The round was led by Seventure Partners, via its Health for Life Capital fund.

The company intends to use the funds to:

continue its international expansion,

strengthen its position in nutraceutical industry and specialized nutrition (children, sports, pregnancy), and

expand its sustainable production unit in Brittany, France.

Led by CEO Dominique Taret, Polaris is a leader in the Foodtech sector producing high-quality Omega3 oils, rich in EPA and DHA, from fish historically, and microalgae since 2017, with a content of up to 800 mg / g. All products are manufactured in a production unit in France.

The companys strategic objective is to develop sustainable, eco-responsible Omega-3 solutions with a full range of oils and powders from plant sources: 100% vegan, highly purified, GMO-free and allergen-free, with the aim of offering high-end Omega-3 products with increased stability.

The team of 50 employees, is now supported by a board with highly complementary profiles: Isabelle de Cremoux Seventure Partners  Jean-Pierre Rivery, industrial expert in the food industry, Board of Directors  Jean-Gerard Galvez, Franco-American entrepreneur recognized in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors  Dominique Taret, Chief Executive Officer of Polaris of Polaris.

Polaris already operates in Japan, South Korea and recently the United States.

FinSMEs

30/03/2022
Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov via video link in Beijing, capital of China, March 30, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng Wednesday met with Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov via video link, calling for enhanced cooperation in specific fields, including natural gas, security, and people-to-people exchanges.

Calling China and Turkmenistan strategic partners working for win-win results based on mutual respect and trust, Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said with personal care of the two countries' leaders, China-Turkmenistan relations have realized leapfrog development, and cooperation in various fields has attained a historical high.

China is willing to work with the Turkmen side to promote comprehensive cooperation for more new achievements, Han added.

Han proposed China and Turkmenistan take collaboration on natural gas as the priority of pragmatic cooperation to elevate natural gas cooperation to a new high and actively expand cooperation in developing renewable energy such as wind and solar power. He also called for enhanced cooperation in agriculture, transportation, finance, and other fields.

The two sides should deepen security cooperation to enhance the capacity of guarding against and responding to significant security incidents and work to promote people-to-people exchanges.

China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Turkmenistan in COVID-19 response, including in vaccines, to jointly build the immunity barrier, Han added.

Noting Turkmenistan attaches great significance to the Turkmenistan-China strategic partnership, Meredov said the Turkmen side is willing to maintain close contact with China and constantly promote pragmatic cooperation to a new high. 

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov via video link in Beijing, capital of China, March 30, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)
Chinese envoy warns of consequences of indiscriminate sanctions over Ukraine conflict

Xinhua) 08:44, March 30, 2022

UNITED NATIONS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday warned that indiscriminate sanctions over the Ukraine conflict will bring about new humanitarian problems.

"The ever-escalating sweeping and indiscriminate sanctions have hit global energy, food, economics and trade, and financial markets, and will continue to do so, affecting the lives and livelihoods of the general public, and giving rise to new humanitarian problems," Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, told a Security Council meeting on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

Developing countries, which make up the majority of the world, are not parties to this conflict, and should not be drawn into the confrontation and forced to suffer the consequences of geopolitical clashes and sparring among major powers, he said.

Right now, global food security is being seriously challenged, which warrants due attention. Sanctions and economic blockades will only artificially exacerbate food shortages and price distortions, further disrupt food production and food supply chain across the world, push up food prices, and put burdens on developing countries, he said.

"We call for enhanced international coordination to stabilize food supply and food prices, refrain from unjustified export restrictions, keep the market working in a stable manner, and ensure global food security."

The United Nations, the World Food Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Trade Organization and other agencies should actively contribute to coordinating food production and trade among countries, and helping developing countries tide over the shocks, said Dai.

As the conflict in Ukraine is persisting, effectively protecting civilian lives and meeting their humanitarian needs is a must. China calls for respect for international humanitarian law to avoid civilian casualties, protect civilian facilities, provide safe passage for evacuation and humanitarian access, and ensure a continuous supply of basic necessities. Protection of vulnerable groups such as women and children must be strengthened, he said.

If the crisis continues and escalates, further damage is on its way, a situation not in the interests of any party. The most conclusive way toward a cease-fire to end hostilities is dialogue and negotiation, he said.

The international community should encourage and support continued direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine until a positive outcome is achieved and peace is restored, he said.

Security is indivisible. Seeking absolute security by pitting one bloc against another is the recipe for insecurity. The United States, NATO and the EU should also engage in dialogue with Russia, accommodate the legitimate security concerns of all parties, and build a balanced, effective and sustainable regional security architecture. China will continue to work toward and play a constructive role in easing the situation and resolving the crisis, he said.

(Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun)
SHANGHAI, March 30 (Xinhua) -- China's economic hub Shanghai on Tuesday announced 21 measures to help enterprises affected by COVID-19 emerge from the pandemic gloom.

Preliminary estimates show that tax-related measures alone can reduce the burden on related industries and enterprises in Shanghai by about 140 billion yuan (about 22 billion U.S. dollars) in 2022.

"The introduction of the measures aims to fully implement China's relevant policies to assist pandemic-hit companies. The measures also aim to provide stronger support for those affected by Shanghai's latest virus resurgence," said Ruan Qing, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission.

The measures concerning tax rebates target businesses with operating fund shortages. "Last year, more than 3,000 enterprises in Shanghai enjoyed tax rebates, and that number is expected to reach 250,000 this year," said Pang Wei, deputy head of the Shanghai municipal tax service.

Thanks to these measures, small and micro enterprises and self-employment businesses in all sectors could be exempted from part of their rents in 2022.

In rendering the support, priority has been given to retail, catering and other industries that were hit hard by the latest resurgence. 
Our world never runs short of images and stories that reflect the cruelty and misery that humans are capable of inflicting upon one other.

According to the United Nations, 84 million world citizens have been forcibly displaced from their homes and are suffering from the desperation of life as refugees. In Afghanistan a million children under the age of 5 could die of starvation by the end of the year. China has forced 2 million people into concentration camps, has subdued Hong Kong and threatens to invade Taiwan.

Around 25,000 people die of hunger every day. Child labor, slavery, forced marriages and honor killings are common in parts of the world. In many places, homosexuality is a crime with severe penalties. Tribalism and autocracy are on the rise.

In short, despite humanitys significant advances, our world resides on an unstable, semi-civilized crust that is in constant danger of cracking beneath us and exposing what Tennyson called the natural world, red in tooth and claw.

And this is what were seeing in Ukraine: A democratic country is being attacked by a brutal dictator who is completely unrestrained by scruples over atrocities against civilians.

The war is testing Ukraines capacity to absorb the heartbreaking brutality of modern warfare. Old people, children, even pregnant women, are being indiscriminately targeted by Russian rockets and artillery.

But if one follows the war in Ukraine closely, everything begins to reflect through its lens.

Heres an example: On March 12, Saudi Arabia staged a mass execution. The details are sketchy, but its very likely that the 81 victims were beheaded, possibly in a public event. Saudi Arabia does not decapitate with the comparatively humane guillotine of the French Revolution. Instead, victims are beheaded with a sword  if theyre lucky  or with a knife. Its a brutal, grisly, painful process.

Critics of this mass decapitation argue that many of its 81 victims were executed for political offenses rather than for violent crimes. Allegedly some were tortured and tried in secret. A disproportionate number were Shiites, suggesting a sectarian bias among the Sunni executioners. Due process was undoubtedly in short supply.

But despite these judicial failures, its the image of the grisly decapitation of 81 human beings that should stun us.

This is the sort of violence that reminds us that our culture, whatever its flaws, is better than the autocracies of Saudi Arabia, Russia or China. Since the end of World War II, the United States has been the essential champion of a liberal world order (with a small l) that aspires to advance the most civilized values that humanity has developed so far: democracy, individual rights, free elections, equality before the law, inclusion, tolerance, maybe even compassion.

The war in Ukraine and the mass execution in Saudi Arabia remind us of how fragile these values are. Russias attack is a belligerent expression of the philosophical conflict between the liberal world order and the brutality that lies just beneath the surface.

So why are we still executing people in our country? Considerable evidence indicates that capital punishment has no deterrent effect, weve never figured out how to apply it without regard to race or economic class and undoubtedly we sometimes execute innocent people.

But in a larger framework, it should concern us that we are the last country in the West that carries out state-sanctioned killings, traveling in the dubious company of autocracies such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and China. Certainly, we dont commit such savageries as beheadings, but several states still use the electric chair and four states permit execution by firing squad. In some states, hanging is still legal.

The war in Ukraine represents a clash between savagery and a superior liberal world order. The United States is on the right side of this conflict, and its a distinction between two world views that is worth fighting for.

But democracy and its values require constant recommitment and renewal. We could begin by refusing to allow the state to put people to death on our behalf.

John M. Crisp, an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service, lives in Georgetown, Texas, and can be reached at jcrispcolumns@gmail.com.

Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhua) -- China will intensify efforts toward cultivating intellectual property (IP) talent, the country's top IP regulator said Wednesday, adding that the country plans to achieve the goal of having more than 1 million IP professionals by 2025.

Talent is the most basic and key element for building a strong IP power, said Feng Zhaolong, a first-class inspector of the National Intellectual Property Administration, at a press conference.

The official added that the number of IP professionals in China has reached 690,000, and more than 50 universities nationwide have established IP colleges, providing strong support for the industry's development.

Education is necessary for rapid talent growth. Sun Wei, an official in charge of IP training, said nearly 2 million students from 1,400 primary and middle schools in China have received IP-related education.

A total of 165 schools have been identified as national level IP pilot schools, Sun added, noting that there are thousands of trained full- and part-time teachers nationwide and several relevant textbooks have been published.

Highlighting the use of online learning platforms, Sun said the administration has developed 24 online platforms to offer more than 570 courses, receiving over 9 million visits.

To further promote online education, the administration will work with Chinese social media platforms to popularize IP knowledge and introduce high-quality foreign courses for the young Chinese, Sun added. 
People visit a Chinese Year of the Tiger exhibition in Brussels, Belgium, March 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Pan Geping)

BRUSSELS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- An exhibition of 40 artworks around the theme of the Chinese Year of the Tiger (2022), selected from the Global Zodiac Design Competition, was opened Tuesday at the China Cultural Center in Brussels.

The works feature themes of the 2022 Year of the Tiger and Spring Festival customs, as well as other creative designs, such as depictions of Beijing's Old Summer Palace, also known as Yuanmingyuan Park.

The 30-odd guests attending the opening ceremony included Bernard Dewit, president of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

"The Zodiac exhibition is very interesting. It includes works by mature artists and young artists," Dewit said. "It combines traditional culture with modern techniques... I hope the Cultural Center will hold more events like this."

According to Ge Yiyou, director of the China Cultural Center, such exhibitions help foster cultural exchanges between China and Europe.

The center also plans to exhibit other outstanding works from the Belgian Year of the Tiger Zodiac Design Competition.

The exhibition will be open until June. 

A visitor takes photos at a Chinese Year of the Tiger exhibition in Brussels, Belgium, March 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Pan Geping)
Data-driven citizen science changes the way communities deal with flooding

Vulnerable communities around the world could soon be able to use a new mobile phone app to help prevent disastrous floods thanks to a South American citizen science pilot.

The new app which is launched today is one of the key developments of the Waterproofing Data Project, created in partnership with researchers at the University of Glasgow and the University of Warwick in the UK; Heidelberg University in Germany, along with the National Centre for Monitoring Natural Disasters Alerts (Cemaden) and the Getulio Vargas Foundation in Brazil.

The Waterproofing Data app  Dados a Prova DAgua  has been tested by teachers, students, Civil Defence agents and residents in more than 20 local municipalities in Brazil.

While developed in Brazil, the research team hope to roll out this model globally to engage citizens around the world to generate flooding and rainfall data in their own countries that can be used to tackle the global climate crisis.

The app came out of a collaborative design process where community members actively shaped how the app works. It creates a citizen scientist monitoring network by enabling them to generate data about rainfall and local flood impacts while showing them a visualisation of all the data, including those from official sources.

Professor Joao Porto de Albuquerque, Deputy Director of the Urban Big Data Centre, University of Glasgow, and project lead, said: "The Waterproofing Data project reached a milestone today with the release of a mobile application and school model curriculum, after successfully testing them with more than 300 school students and professionals working in civil protection in nine cities in Brazil.

The mobile app draws on research results obtained by a transdisciplinary international research team in Brazil, Germany and the UK in co-production with flood-prone communities and institutional stakeholders in Brazil. It will enable schools and communities throughout Brazil to work with our partners at Cemaden (the National Centre for Disaster Monitoring and Early-Warning) to combine citizen science and urban analytics to adapt to climate extreme events and prevent the devastating impacts of flooding which have happened year after year in Brazil.

The research also discovered clear educational benefits to young people in at-risk communities. Students learnt how to make rainfall gauges with plastic bottles and to use the Waterproofing Data mobile app to record their rainfall measurements and the impacts on their neighbourhood. They also learnt to use digital mapping tools such as OpenStreetMap. Empowering them to become citizen scientists helped them understand flooding risks and the effect of climate change on their neighbourhoods while also generating valuable data for flood management agencies.

The app and curriculum - initiatives developed in collaboration with the communities at risk - make flood data accessible, raise awareness of flood risks, and encourage participation in the design of new initiatives to reduce disaster risks.

Climate change is causing extreme weather events to become more frequent and more severe, devastating communities with high poverty levels, such as deprived areas of Brazil and Latin America. These neighbourhoods are often more vulnerable to natural hazards due to rapid urbanisation, location within flood-prone areas, and a lack of durable housing, water and sanitation infrastructure, or natural drainage. 8.3 million people in Brazil are estimated to live in these at-risk areas. Lack of sufficient data about rainfall and floods - alongside the varying physical and social characteristics of neighbourhoods - can make it difficult to predict when floods may occur.

Improving the capacity of these communities to cope with these risks can make cities more resilient to extreme weather events and reduce the social and economic impacts of these disasters, which the World Bank estimates have cost Brazil R$ 336 billion (48 billion) from 1995 to 2019.

The Waterproofing Data (WPD) project explored how to build resilience by encouraging communities to generate the data used to predict when floods will occur.

The Waterproofing Data App

Download the Dados a Prova DAgua (Waterproofing Data) App

The Waterproofing Data Project

The Waterproofing Data Project was financially supported by the Belmont Forum and NORFACE Joint Research Programme on Transformations to Sustainability, which is co-funded by DLR/BMBF, ESRC (ES/S006982/1), FAPESP, and the European Commission through Horizon 2020 under grant agreement No 730211. The UKRI GCRF Translation Award project (EP/T015683/1) is a UKRI Collective Fund Award supported by EPSRC and the Global Challenges Research Fund.

The Urban Big Data Centre (UBDC)

The Urban Big Data Centre (UBDC) is a research centre and national data service jointly funded by the University of Glasgow and the Economic and Social Research Council. The Centre promotes the use of big data and innovative research methods to improve social, economic and environmental well-being in cities. UBDC recently launched a new research theme on Urban Sustainability & Participation. This research is led by Professor Joao Porto de Albuquerque and is concerned with inclusive data innovations for urban sustainability that support climate action and enable progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Photo taken on March 29, 2022, shows people walking on the Tamale interchange in Tamale, Ghana. (Xinhua)

The Chinese-built Tamale interchange project that has been commissioned is expected to greatly improve traffic conditions in Tamale, Ghana's third-largest city.

ACCRA, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday commissioned an interchange project constructed by a Chinese company in Tamale, the third-largest city in Ghana.

The interchange project undertaken by Sinohydro Corporation Limited, which included a 684-meter-long main bridge, is expected to significantly improve the traffic condition in the city center.

Addressing the sod-cutting ceremony, Akufo-Addo commended the project for providing prime urban space for the benefit of Ghanaians, saying it is a good example of the excellent relations between Ghana and China.

Locals celebrate the commissioning of the Tamale interchange project on March 29, 2022. (Xinhua)

Lu Kun, the Chinese ambassador to Ghana, expressed his appreciation to the Chinese company for its arduous work in the past three years despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to the Ghanaian government's support.

Describing the project as another milestone of China-Ghana economic cooperation, the ambassador said the Chinese government has been devoted to the development of Ghana's economy and the well-being of the Ghanaian people for years in various ways.

The interchange project commenced in April 2019, which is a signature project in the Master Project Support Agreement between the Ghanaian government and the Chinese company. 
Return of stolen items to Nepal

Friday 18 March saw the repatriation of cultural artefacts to Nepal at the Embassy of Nepal, London. The Metropolitan Police returned a 16th Century carved wooden Torana and a carved stone sculpture from the 18th Century, both of which had been stolen from temples in the Kathmandu Valley in the 1980s and found in a private gallery.

Photographs of the artefacts were found on the gallery website by the cultural repatriation activist, Lost Arts of Nepal, which tweeted of their discovery and the post was flagged to our Dr Emiline Smith.

Emiline played a vital role in the repatriation process and was thanked for her hard work by the Ambassador, Gyan Chandra Acharya. Emiline said: 'Nepal has shown great commitment to pursuing repatriation of its foreign-held cultural objects. Civil activism has played a key role in effecting this: the efforts of many, among which Lost Arts of Nepal and the Nepal Heritage Recovery Campaign, have created global awareness for the need for looted Nepali cultural objects to be returned to their rightful home.'

'I am deeply committed to support Nepali efforts in protecting and repatriating its rich cultural heritage, and hope we can all continue to fight to reinstate access, agency and power over their living heritage to the Nepali people.'

Emiline also spoke to Newsfirst Sri Lanka on the illegal export and trafficking of Sri Lanka's cultural heritage and has written a piece for Hyperallergic on The Ongoing Looting of Sri Lankas Cultural Heritage.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cryptocurrency exchange business Bybit has received in-principle approval to conduct a full spectrum of virtual assets business in Dubai, the firm announced today at a joint press conference with the UAE Ministry of Economy at the World Government Summit 2022. Bybit also announced that it plans to set up its global headquarters in Dubai, offering a full suite of products and services globally, under the Emirates test-adapt-scale virtual assets market model.

Bybit stressed it was fully committed to supporting the regulatory efforts of the UAE government and is looking to share its in-depth industry knowledge, experience and insights with all stakeholders. Bybit has a key role to play in educating retail investors and the wider public in how to use virtual assets in a safe and responsible manner, helping the UAE manage risks within a framework for responsible growth.

Bybits decision to open its global headquarters in Dubai is a milestone in our efforts to position the UAE as a global digital hub," said H.E. Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade and Minister in Charge of Talent Attraction and Retention. Virtual assets such as cryptocurrency and blockchain have changed finance forever. To stay ahead in this fast-changing industry, we are building a business-friendly ecosystem with robust regulations to attract, retain and enable high-growth companies  this is paying dividends in terms of the next generation FDI we are seeing coming in. This will create jobs and investment opportunities and consolidate our position as one of the world's most attractive places to live and work for those in virtual assets and web 3.0 industries.

Bybit looks forward to contributing to the virtual assets innovations of the Emirates vibrant economy and having our global headquarters in Dubai. I believe we could help further stakeholders understanding of this complex industry as the virtual assets space continues to rapidly mature. This in-principle approval is an extraordinary opportunity for Bybit to support the UAE and the wider regions ambition to become a global virtual assets technology hub, said Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit.

Led by a sophisticated management team with talent from fintech, IT, virtual assets, investment, and legal background, Bybit is one of the fastest growing virtual assets platforms with its peak daily trading volume of US$76 billion in May 2021. It is the third most digitally visited virtual assets business in the world.

Bybits new headquarters office is expected to commence operations in as early as April 2022 and it has started the process of hiring talent and transferring existing teams and operations to their new home in Dubai.

The UAEs new Dubai Virtual Asset Regulation Law was announced earlier this month. It aims to establish a regulatory framework for the sector designed to boost the industry providing robust guardrails that protect investors, facilitate cross-border transparency, and assure global market integrity.

About Bybit

Bybit is a virtual assets platform established in March 2018 that features an ultra-fast matching engine, excellent customer service and multilingual community support. The company provides innovative online spot and derivatives trading services, mining and staking products, an NFT marketplace as well as API support, to retail and institutional clients around the world, and strives to be the most reliable platform for the emerging virtual assets class. Bybit has recently become the Principal Team Partner of Formula One racing team, Oracle Red Bull Racing.

For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com

For more information please visit: https://www.bybit.com/

For updates, please follow Bybit's social media platforms on Discord, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, Telegram, TikTok, Twitter, Youtube.

Attachment
Boston, MA, March 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (via Blockchain Wire) Cryptocurrency has long been a target of criticism for climate activists because of the large amount of energy required for mining currencies such as Bitcoin, most of which relies on traditional fossil fuels such as oil and coal, resulting in a massive carbon footprint. However, in recent years, many ecologically-inclined crypto enthusiasts have moved their operations to grids that utilize clean, renewable energy such as hydroelectric, solar, or wind to offset emissions, or even run carbon-neutral operations. This environmentally-conscious spirit has, even more recently, reared its head on the Ethereum Network in the form of a new project, known as FrogCoin.





FrogCoin, which launched on March 26th, on the Ethereum Network, is still a somewhat small project with one great, noble goal: to harness the enthusiasm of cryptocurrency to save the rainforest.

Its more than just a case of trying to use the masters tools to dismantle the masters house, explains project manager, Nathan Start, from his home in England. Cryptocurrency has become a multi-trillion dollar endeavor over the past few years, and at the same time, theres been something of a sea-change in the attitudes of traders and developers. People are looking to mitigate and repair the damage that large swaths of the crypto market have done, but they also want to continue to use crypto. We believe, and we think others will, too, that the best solution is to use this unstoppable momentum to put funds directly into environmental conservation.

The Amazon rainforest has historically been the largest carbon sink on the planet, but within the past few years, ecologists have come to a startling conclusion: what once served as a net-negative for carbon emissions, has become a source of emissions, due to deforestation and massive forest fires. In order to combat this trend, FrogCoin imposes a 5% tax on buying and selling, which is, in turn, donated to The Rainforest Foundation. Within the first few days of launch, FrogCoin has already donated $13,000 USD to the organization, where the funds are dispersed to community-based deforestation efforts on the ground in Panama, Guyana, Brazil and Peru.

Thats only the beginning, assured Start, were already on the verge of signing a co-venture agreement thatll make the partnership between FrogCoin and The Rainforest Foundation much more official. Its all moving very fast, which is absolutely incredible, considering that now, more than ever, this is the most urgent issue regarding life on this planet.



Aside from this news, Start points to even more exciting things en route for FrogCoin, including a collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) produced in collaboration with indigenous artists from the regions in which The Rainforest Foundation operates, the goal being to divert even more resources directly to the communities charged with conservation, while showcasing their talents to a global audience. Our short-term goal is to do whatever we need to position FrogCoin as THE green token on the crypto market. Right now, we have a 5% tax going to marketing to build awareness, but as we grow, well progressively divert more of those funds toward donations. Were showing people were here for the long-haul however we need, be it through audits, or burning the liquidity pools to show our level of commitment. After a beat, Start smiled and quipped, at FrogCoin, well burn LP before we ever burn a tree.

Purchase of FrogCoin is now available on the FrogCoin website, and made possible through UniSwap Exchange. Follow FrogCoin on Twitter for updates and news, or connect with the FrogCoin community through Discord and Telegram. FrogCoin can also be identified by its CA: 0xBC4138C99081A960D6AFe0A5cA4f16d7d626505D



Disclaimer: All investment strategies and investments involve the risk of loss. Nothing contained in this article should be construed as investment advice. Any reference to an investment's past or potential performance is not, and should not be construed as, a recommendation or as a guarantee of any specific outcome or profit.
NEW ORLEANS, March 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until May 3, 2022 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against C3.ai, Inc. (C3 or the "Company") (NYSE:AI), if they purchased the Companys securities between December 9, 2020 and February 15, 2022, inclusive (the Class Period) and/or purchased or otherwise acquired the Companys shares pursuant to the Companys December 2020 initial public offering (the IPO). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.



Get Help

C3 investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-ai/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

C3 and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period and/or in the Registration Statement and Prospectus issued in conjunction with the initial public offering, violating federal securities laws.

The alleged false and misleading statements and omissions include, but are not limited to, that: (i) the Companys partnership with Baker Hughes was deteriorating; (ii) the Company was employing a flawed accounting methodology to conceal the deterioration of its Baker Hughes partnership; (iii) the Company faced challenges in product adoption and significant salesforce turnover; (iv) the Company overstated, inter alia, the extent of its investment in technology, description of its customers, its total addressable market, the pace of its market growth, and the scale of alliances with its major business partners; and (v) as a result of the foregoing, the Companys statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

The case is The Reckstin Family Trust v. C3.Ai, Inc., et al., No. 22-cv-01413.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.
NEW ORLEANS, March 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until April 25, 2022 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Gatos Silver, Inc. (NYSE: GATO), if they purchased the Companys securities between October 28, 2020 and January 25, 2022, inclusive (the Class Period) and/or purchased or otherwise acquired the Companys shares pursuant to the Companys October 2020 initial public offering (the IPO). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado.



Get Help

Gatos Silver investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-gato or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

Gatos Silver and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period and/or in the Registration Statement and Prospectus issued in conjunction with the initial public offering, violating federal securities laws.

On January 25, 2022, post-market, the Company revealed errors in the technical report entitled Los Gatos Project, Chihuahua, Mexico' with an effective date of July 1, 2020 . . . , as well as indications that there is an overestimation in the existing resource model and that on a preliminary basis, the Company estimated a potential reduction of the metal content of its CLG's mineral reserve ranging from 30% to 50% of the metal content remaining after depletion.

On this news, shares of Gatos Silver fell $7.02 per share, or approximately 68.9%, to close at $3.17 per share on January 26, 2022.

The case is Bilinsky v. Gatos Silver, Inc., et al., No. 22-cv-453.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.
Concord, ON, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Good ventilation and air filtration are critical for reducing the chances of spreading COVID-19. However, improving air quality is important for overall public health for reasons besides the presence of viruses and other pathogens.

Better air quality has been shown in numerous studies to offer significant advantages to people of all ages. For example, one study that was conducted in London found that improving air quality can lead to a decrease in hospital admissions for respiratory problems by up to 15 percent. In addition, people with asthma often experience improved breathing and reduced symptoms when air quality is improved.

Camfils resource covers:

Why is poor indoor air quality harmful to children?

The benefits of improving indoor air quality in Canadian schools

Recommendations for ventilation and filtration from the World Health Organization

Recommendations for ventilation and filtration from the Centers for Disease Control

Expert-approved air filtration solutions for classrooms and public schools

Role of HEPA-grade air purifier.

Camfil, one of the worlds leading air filtration manufacturers and researchers, recommends the following supplemental air filtration systems for schools. The recommendation described below are standalone systems, which means that they work independently of the spaces HVAC system. It may be possible to upgrade your HVAC systems air filtration; however, before doing so, it is important to contact your local Camfil Canada air filtration specialist to find out which options are right for your building. Installing filters with a higher efficiency could lessen airflow throughout the building and defeat the benefits of higher ventilation rates. To avoid these problems, consult an air filtration expert.

Camfils City M Air Purifier

The City M Air Purifier is a very quiet device that includes a HEPA-grade particulate filter and a molecular filter that work in conjunction with one another to remove dust, contaminants, harmful VOCs and odors for healthier indoor air. The City M Air Purifier consumes 50% less energy than units of similar size.

Related Post: HOW CAN SCHOOL OFFICIALS RESPOND TO INDOOR AIR QUALITY CHALLENGES AS ONTARIO SCHOOLS REOPEN? RESOURCE BY CAMFIL, CANADA

About Camfil Clean Air Solutions

For more than half a century, Camfil has been helping people breathe cleaner air. As a leading manufacturer of premium clean air solutions, we provide commercial and industrial systems for air filtration and air pollution control that improve worker and equipment productivity, minimize energy use, and benefit human health and the environment. We firmly believe that the best solutions for our customers are the best solutions for our planet, too. Thats why every step of the way  from design to delivery and across the product life cycle  we consider the impact of what we do on people and on the world around us. Through a fresh approach to problem-solving, innovative design, precise process control, and a strong customer focus we aim to conserve more, use less and find better ways  so we can all breathe easier.

The Camfil Group is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and has 31 manufacturing sites, six R&D centers, local sales offices in 35+ countries, and about 5,200 employees and growing. We proudly serve and support customers in a wide variety of industries and in communities across the world. To discover how Camfil Canada can help you to protect people, processes and the environment, visit us at

https://www.camfil.com/en-ca/

Media Contact:

Berni Baier

Camfil Canada Air Filters

T: +1 (905) 660-0688

E: berni.baier@camfil.com

F: Friend Camfil Canada on Facebook

T: Follow Camfil Canada on Twitter

Y: Watch Camfil Canada Videos on YouTube

L: Follow Camfil Canada LinkedIn Page

Via KISS PR Distribution - Media Contact: Az@kisspr.com





Attachment
CELEBRATING THE DELIVERY OF VISTAJETS 10th,

AND BOMBARDIERS 100th, GLOBAL 7500 BUSINESS JET IN ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR THE INDUSTRY FLAGSHIP

VistaJet now owns 10% of the worlds Global 7500 fleet

A milestone moment: VistaJet now offers a fleet of 10 Global 7500 business jets following Bombardiers 100 th delivery of the aircraft;

delivery of the aircraft; VistaJet continues to expand its fleet globally, and now manages 10% of all the worlds Global 7500 aircraft;

Celebration marks the strong relationship between two pillars of business aviation who are providing unparalleled aircraft to a growing client base;

Bombardiers Global 7500 expands VistaJets ultra-long haul fleet and reinforces its confidence in the outlook for business jet travel in 2022 and beyond.

Montreal, March 30, 2022: VistaJet, the first and only global business aviation company, and leading aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier, celebrated a milestone delivery of the industry flagship Global 7500 aircraft.

The celebration, taking place at Bombardiers Laurent Beaudoin Completion Centre in Montreal on March 29, marks Bombardiers 100th delivery of the ultra-long-range smooth-flying jet, and VistaJets 10th, making it the largest operator of Global 7500 aircraft in the world. The event underscores the long-time relationship between the two brands and demonstrates the success of this unparalleled business jet. VistaJet plans to welcome up to a total of 17 Global 7500 aircraft into its fleet by the end of 2022.

Thomas Flohr, VistaJets Founder and Chairman comments: We are extremely proud of this landmark moment with Bombardier, as we grow our Global 7500 fleet and meet the growing demand for ultra-long-range solutions. VistaJet is committed to a sustainable aviation future and supporting the global business industry with this expansion. Our enhanced product offering onboard the Global 7500 also guarantees that our clients, whether business or leisure travelers, are given the best and most seamless flying experience. We look forward to welcoming more Members and supporting the business world as our growing fleet of Global 7500 aircraft opens a new era for long-haul private travel.

Eric Martel, Bombardiers President and Chief Executive Officer adds: I am thrilled to celebrate the 100th delivery of the Global 7500 aircraft with our valued customer, VistaJet. VistaJet recognized early on that this aircraft would transform the business jet industry, and the enormous success of Bombardiers Global 7500 in transforming the private aviation industry. I would like to thank our teams in Montreal, Toronto and Wichita for designing, building and testing this amazing feat of technology. Its thanks to their talent and dedication that this aircraft has raised the bar for excellence in this sector.

With an industry-leading range of over 7,700nm, the Bombardier Global 7500 aircraft opens up global access in long haul private travel. VistaJets unparalleled network gives the Global 7500 business jet the space to operate at its peak and opens an extended world of non-stop possibilities for its Members. With VistaJet, passengers can travel long-haul on the Global 7500 to 187 countries worldwide, unlocking access to 96% of the world and some of the most hard-to-reach areas in a single flight

VistaJets Global 7500 fleet has already completed a number of incredible non-stop flights, including Sao Paulo to the Maldives (15 hours 43 minutes flight time), Los Angeles to Hong Kong (14 hours 50 minutes), St Maarten to the Seychelles (14 hours 45 minutes), Phuket to Vancouver (13 hours 50 minutes), Liege to Jakarta (13 hours 30 minutes), Honolulu to Helsinki (13 hours 30 minutes) and many from the Middle East  including Abu Dhabi to Washington DC (13 hours 50 minutes), Abu Dhabi to Sydney (13 hours 30 minute flight time) and Abu Dhabi to New York (13 hours 10 minutes).

Bombardiers Global 7500 aircraft is the first business jet with an Environmental Product Declaration, offering complete transparency on its performance. It flies at a higher altitude (up to 51,000ft) than commercial jets, where the air is thinner, thus allowing the aircraft to fly faster while burning less fuel. This aligns with VistaJets commitment to become the first carbon neutral business aviation company by 2025.

To virtually experience the Global 7500 business jet click here.

Ends 





Press enquiries

Jennifer Farquhar | VistaJet | press@vistajet.com

Anna Cristofaro | Bombardier | anna.cristofaro@aero.bombardier.com

About VistaJet

VistaJet is the first and only global business aviation company. On its fleet of over 80 silver and red business jets, VistaJet has flown corporations, governments and private clients to 187 countries, covering 96% of the world.

Founded in 2004, the company pioneered an innovative business model where customers have access to an entire fleet whilst paying only for the hours they fly, free of the responsibilities and asset risks linked to aircraft ownership. VistaJets signature Program membership offers customers a bespoke subscription of flight hours on its fleet of mid and long-range jets, to fly them anytime, anywhere.

VistaJet is part of Vista Global Holding (Vista)  the worlds first private aviation ecosystem, integrating a unique portfolio of companies offering asset-light solutions to cover all key aspects of business aviation.

More VistaJet information and news at vistajet.com

About Bombardier

Bombardier is a global leader in aviation, focused on designing, manufacturing and servicing the world's most exceptional business jets. Bombardiers Challenger and Global aircraft families are renowned for their cutting-edge innovation, cabin design, performance and reliability. Bombardier has a worldwide fleet of approximately 5,000 aircraft in service with a wide variety of multinational corporations, charter and fractional ownership providers, governments and private individuals. Bombardier aircraft are also trusted around the world in special-mission roles.

Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Bombardier operates aerostructure, assembly and completion facilities in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The companys robust customer support network includes facilities in strategic locations in the United States and Canada, as well as in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, the UAE, Singapore, China and an Australian facility opening in 2022.

For corporate news and information, including Bombardiers Environmental, Social and Governance report, visit bombardier.com. Learn more about Bombardiers industry-leading products and customer service network at businessaircraft.bombardier.com. Follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.

Bombardier, Global and Global 7500 are registered or unregistered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

VistaJet Limited is a European air carrier that operates 9H registered aircraft under its Maltese Air Operator Certificate No. MT-17 and is incorporated in Malta under Company Number C 55231. VistaJet US Inc. is an Air Charter Broker that does not operate aircraft. VistaJet and its subsidiaries are not U.S. direct carriers. VistaJet-owned and U.S. registered aircraft are operated by properly licensed U.S. air carriers, including XOJET Aviation LLC.





Attachment
New York, NY, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, today named Jack J. Dongarra recipient of the 2021 ACM A.M. Turing Award for pioneering contributions to numerical algorithms and libraries that enabled high performance computational software to keep pace with exponential hardware improvements for over four decades. Dongarra is a University Distinguished Professor of Computer Science in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at the University of Tennessee. He also holds appointments with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Manchester.

The ACM A.M. Turing Award, often referred to as the Nobel Prize of Computing, carries a $1 million prize, with financial support provided by Google, Inc. It is named for Alan M. Turing, the British mathematician who articulated the mathematical foundation and limits of computing.

Dongarra has led the world of high-performance computing through his contributions to efficient numerical algorithms for linear algebra operations, parallel computing programming mechanisms, and performance evaluation tools. For nearly forty years, Moores Law produced exponential growth in hardware performance. During that same time, while most software failed to keep pace with these hardware advances, high performance numerical software didin large part due to Dongarras algorithms, optimization techniques, and production-quality software implementations.

These contributions laid a framework from which scientists and engineers made important discoveries and game-changing innovations in areas including big data analytics, healthcare, renewable energy, weather prediction, genomics, and economics, to name a few. Dongarras work also helped facilitate leapfrog advances in computer architecture and supported revolutions in computer graphics and deep learning.

Dongarras major contribution was in creating open-source software libraries and standards which employ linear algebra as an intermediate language that can be used by a wide variety of applications. These libraries have been written for single processors, parallel computers, multicore nodes, and multiple GPUs per node. Dongarras libraries also introduced many important innovations including autotuning, mixed precision arithmetic, and batch computations.

As a leading ambassador of high-performance computing, Dongarra led the field in persuading hardware vendors to optimize these methods, and software developers to target his open-source libraries in their work. Ultimately, these efforts resulted in linear algebra-based software libraries achieving nearly universal adoption for high performance scientific and engineering computation on machines ranging from laptops to the worlds fastest supercomputers. These libraries were essential in the growth of the fieldallowing progressively more powerful computers to solve computationally challenging problems.

Todays fastest supercomputers draw headlines in the media and excite public interest by performing mind-boggling feats of a quadrillion calculations in a second, explains ACM President Gabriele Kotsis. But beyond the understandable interest in new records being broken, high performance computing has been a major instrument of scientific discovery. HPC innovations have also spilled over into many different areas of computing and moved our entire field forward. Jack Dongarra played a central part in directing the successful trajectory of this field. His trailblazing work stretches back to 1979, and he remains one of the foremost and actively engaged leaders in the HPC community. His career certainly exemplifies the Turing Awards recognition of major contributions of lasting importance.

Jack Dongarra's work has fundamentally changed and advanced scientific computing, said Jeff Dean, Google Senior Fellow and SVP of Google Research and Google Health. His deep and important work at the core of the world's most heavily used numerical libraries underlie every area of scientific computing, helping advance everything from drug discovery to weather forecasting, aerospace engineering and dozens more fields, and his deep focus on characterizing the performance of a wide range of computers has led to major advances in computer architectures that are well suited for numeric computations.

Dongarra will be formally presented with the ACM A.M. Turing Award at the annual ACM Awards Banquet, which will be held this year on Saturday, June 11 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.

SELECT TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTIONS

For over four decades, Dongarra has been the primary implementor or principal investigator for many libraries such as LINPACK, BLAS, LAPACK, ScaLAPACK, PLASMA, MAGMA, and SLATE. These libraries have been written for single processors, parallel computers, multicore nodes, and multiple GPUs per node. His software libraries are used, practically universally, for high performance scientific and engineering computation on machines ranging from laptops to the worlds fastest supercomputers.

These libraries embody many deep technical innovations such as:

Autotuning: through his 2016 Supercomputing Conference Test of Time award-winning ATLAS project, Dongarra pioneered methods for automatically finding algorithmic parameters that produce linear algebra kernels of near-optimal efficiency, often outperforming vendor-supplied codes.

Mixed precision arithmetic: In his 2006 Supercomputing Conference paper, Exploiting the Performance of 32 bit Floating Point Arithmetic in Obtaining 64 bit Accuracy, Dongarra pioneered harnessing multiple precisions of floating-point arithmetic to deliver accurate solutions more quickly. This work has become instrumental in machine learning applications, as showcased recently in the HPL-AI benchmark, which achieved unprecedented levels of performance on the worlds top supercomputers.



Batch computations: Dongarra pioneered the paradigm of dividing computations of large dense matrices, which are commonly used in simulations, modeling, and data analysis, into many computations of smaller tasks over blocks that can be calculated independently and concurrently. Based on his 2016 paper, Performance, design, and autotuning of batched GEMM for GPUs, Dongarra led the development of the Batched BLAS Standard for such computations, and they also appear in the software libraries MAGMA and SLATE.

Dongarra has collaborated internationally with many people on the efforts above, always in the role of the driving force for innovation by continually developing new techniques to maximize performance and portability while maintaining numerically reliable results using state of the art techniques. Other examples of his leadership include the Message Passing Interface (MPI) the de-facto standard for portable message-passing on parallel computing architectures, and the Performance API (PAPI), which provides an interface that allows collection and synthesis of performance from components of a heterogeneous system. The standards he helped create, such as MPI, the LINPACK Benchmark, and the Top500 list of supercomputers, underpin computational tasks ranging from weather prediction to climate change to analyzing data from large scale physics experiments.

Biographical Background

Jack J. Dongarra has been a University Distinguished Professor at the University of Tennessee and a Distinguished Research Staff Member at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory since 1989. He has also served as a Turing Fellow at the University of Manchester (UK) since 2007. Dongarra earned a B.S. in Mathematics from Chicago State University, an M.S. in Computer Science from the Illinois Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from the University of New Mexico.

Dongarras honors include the IEEE Computer Pioneer Award, the SIAM/ACM Prize in Computational Science and Engineering, and the ACM/IEEE Ken Kennedy Award. He is a Fellow of ACM, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the International Supercomputing Conference (ISC), and the International Engineering and Technology Institute (IETI). He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a foreign member of the British Royal Society.

About the ACM A.M. Turing Award

The A.M. Turing Award is named for Alan M. Turing, the British mathematician who articulated the mathematical foundation and limits of computing, and who was a key contributor to the Allied cryptanalysis of the Enigma cipher during World War II. Since its inception in 1966, the Turing Award has honored the computer scientists and engineers who created the systems and underlying theoretical foundations that have propelled the information technology industry.

About ACM

ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the worlds largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting computing educators, researchers, and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources, and address the fields challenges. ACM strengthens the computing professions collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.

###

Attachments
JERUSALEM, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Ministry of Energy announced Wednesday an increase in gasoline prices from April 1, resulting in the highest price since July 2014.

The maximum price for unleaded 95-octane gasoline, which is supervised by the Israeli government, is set at 7.44 shekels (2.34 U.S. dollars) per liter, up 0.39 shekels from March.

According to historical data published by the ministry, the price will be at its highest level since July 2014, when it was fixed at 7.62 shekels per liter.

These prices are for self-service refueling, while the price per liter in full service at the gas stations increased from 7.26 shekels to 7.65 shekels.

The recent price rise was mainly caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict that led to a drop in oil supply, Gad Lior, a senior analyst for the Yedioth Ahronoth daily newspaper, told Xinhua.

In addition, the global exit from the COVID-19 crisis led to an increase in oil demand, he added. 
English Finnish

Fingrid Oyj

Stock Exchange Release 30 March 20122 at 12:55 EET



Fingrid Oyjs Annual General Meeting was held in Helsinki today, on 30 March 2022. The Annual General Meeting approved the financial statements for 2021, reviewed the Remuneration Report 2021 and discharged the members of the Board of Directors and the CEO from liability. The Annual General Meeting elected Fingrid Oyjs Board of Directors for the term that ends at the close of the next Annual General Meeting. Hannu Linna was elected as the Chair of the Board of Directors and Paivi Nerg was re-elected as the Deputy Chair of the Board. Further, Sanna Syri was re-elected as a Board member, and Sami Kurunsaari and Jukka Reijonen were elected as new Board members. A more detailed presentation of the Board members is available on the companys website.

The Annual General Meeting decided to pay a dividend of max. EUR 52,500.00 for each Series A share and max. EUR 19,200.00 for each Series B share, totaling max. EUR 133,037,400.00. The first dividend instalment of EUR 35,000.00 for each Series A share and EUR 12,800.00 for each Series B share, totaling EUR 88,691,600.00, shall be paid on 4 April 2022. In addition, the Annual General Meeting authorised the companys Board of Directors to decide on the payment of a possible second dividend instalment after the half-year report has been confirmed, when the Board of Directors has assessed the companys solvency, financial position and financial development. The second instalment shall be a maximum of EUR 17,500.00 for each Series A share and a maximum of EUR 6,400.00 for each Series B share, totaling max. EUR 44,345,800.00. The authorisation remains valid until the next Annual General Meeting.

PricewaterhouseCoopers Oy, which appointed Martin Grandell, APA, as the principal auditor, was elected as the auditor of the company.





Further information:





Jukka Ruusunen, President & CEO, Fingrid Oyj, tel. +358 30 395 5140 or +358 40 593 8428

Jussi Pohjanpalo, Acting Chief Financial Officer, Fingrid Oyj, tel. +358 30 395 5176 or +358 503448534
Dublin, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Smart Container Market (2021-2026) by Offering Type, Technology Type, Vertical Type, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Global Smart Container Market is estimated to be USD 4.3 Bn in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 9.8 Bn by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 17.9%.



Market Dynamics

The Global Smart Container Market is driving because of increasing adoption of new advanced and innovative technologies like Internet of Things (IoT) by various companies such as shipping, freight forwarding, transportation, logistics, and supply chain companies for collecting and transferring a large amount of data during operations/processes.

Also, temperature deviation rising the Concern related to food and medical products wastage which can be managed by putting temperature sensors and temperature control containers. Additionally, the growing need for operational efficiency and safety of containers are significant factors driving the market's growth. On the other hand, the high cost associated with the implementation of smart containers and applications, Concerns related to data privacy and security will restrict the market's growth.



Furthermore, the lack of standards for consistent communication and networking are challenges in the market. However, increasing technological investment for containers management and rising environmental awareness associated with the focus on sustainability by shipping industries will create opportunities for the market to grow.



Market Segmentation

The Global Smart Container Market is segmented further based on Offering Type, Technology Type, Vertical Type, and Geography.

By Offering Type, the market is classified into Hardware, Software, and Services.

By Technology Type, the Smart Container market is classified into Global Positioning System (GPS), Cellular, Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRa WAN), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and Others.

By Vertical Type, the Smart Container market is classified into Food & Beverages, Pharmaceutical, Oil & Gas, Chemicals, and Others.

By Geography, Europe is projected to lead the market.

Company Profiles

Some of the companies covered in this report are Ambrosus, CSK Corporation, Globe Tracker, Maersk Group, Nexxiot AG, Orbcomm, Philips Connect Technologies, Robert Bosch GmbH, Traxens, and Zillion Source Technologies, etc.



Countries Studied

America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas)

Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe)

Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA)

Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific)

Competitive Quadrant

The report includes a Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.



Why buy this report?

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Smart Container Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.

The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry.

The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report.

The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.

The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's competitive positioning tool.

Key Topics Covered:



1 Report Description



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Market Influencers

4.1 Drivers

4.1.1 Growing Need for Operational Safety and Efficiency Enhancement

4.1.2 Rising Concern related to Food and Medical Wastage

4.1.3 Growing Adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) Devices

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 Security and Privacy Concerns

4.2.2 High Implementation Costs

4.3 Opportunities

4.3.1 Growing Focuses on Environment Sustainability

4.3.2 Increasing Technological Investment for Container Management

4.4 Challenges

4.4.1 Lack of Standards for Uniform Communication



5 Market Analysis

5.1 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.2 Impact of COVID-19

5.3 Ansoff Matrix Analysis



6 Global Smart Container Market, By Offering Type

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Hardware

6.2.1 Sensors

6.2.1.1 Temperature Sensors

6.2.1.2 Pressure Sensors

6.2.1.3 Humidity Sensors

6.2.1.4 Gas Sensors

6.2.1.5 Other Sensors

6.2.2 Connectivity Devices

6.2.3 Telematics and Telemetry Devices

6.3 Software

6.4 Services



7 Global Smart Container Market, By Technology Type

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Global Positioning System (GPS)

7.3 Cellular

7.4 Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRa WAN)

7.5 Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)

7.6 Others



8 Global Smart Container Market, By Vertical Type

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Food & Beverages

8.3 Pharmaceutical

8.4 Oil & Gas

8.5 Chemicals

8.6 Others



9 Global Smart Container Market, By Geography



10 Competitive Landscape

10.1 Competitive Quadrant

10.2 Market Share Analysis

10.3 Strategic Initiatives

10.3.1 M&A and Investments

10.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations

10.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements



11 Company Profiles

11.1 Ambrosus

11.2 AT&T, Inc

11.3 Berlinger & Co AG

11.4 Broadcom, Inc

11.5 China International Marine Containers (Group) Co Ltd

11.6 Clock Logistics Systems

11.7 CMA CMG S.A

11.8 CSK Corporation

11.9 D2iQ, Inc

11.10 Digi International, Inc

11.11 Emerson Electric Co

11.12 Globe Tracker

11.13 Hapag-Lloyd AG

11.14 Identec Solutions AG

11.15 International Business Machines Corporation

11.16 Loginno

11.17 Maersk Group

11.18 Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A

11.19 Mirantis, Inc

11.20 Monnit Corporation

11.21 Nexxiot AG

11.22 Orbcomm

11.23 Philips Connect Technologies

11.24 Raytheon Technologies Corporation

11.25 Robert Bosch GmbH

11.26 Savvy Telematic Systems AG

11.27 SecureSystem GmbH

11.28 Shenzhen Joint Technology Co Ltd

11.29 SkyCell

11.30 Traxens

11.31 Zillion Source Technologies

11.32 ZIM Integrated Shipping Services



12 Appendix



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ufzqjr

Attachment
Dublin, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Diabetic Footwear Market, by Product Type, by Distribution Channel, by End User, and by Region - Size, Share, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2021 - 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Diabetes is a disorder caused due to the lack or low levels of insulin in the body. Diabetic footwear helps address various diabetic conditions such as inadequate circulation of blood to the legs and in turn, helps cure various foot ulcers and other foot-related complications. Diabetes shoes, also known as therapeutic shoes, are specially created and manufactured for diabetic patients to reduce the chance of developing numerous skin diseases.

The primary goal of diabetic footwear is to prevent complications such as ulcers, strains, and amputations in diabetes patients. Customized and specially designed diabetic shoes with specific key features like raw material and comfort are becoming popular among the diabetic patients across the world as it helps in minimizing the risk of skin breakdown in diabetic patients with pre-existing food disease. Increasing innovation activities by key players to develop fashionable and customized footwear to meet up with the recent trend, fashion primarily coming from the woman population is playing an important role in the growth of the diabetic footwear market.



The Asia Pacific was the largest market for diabetic footwear in 2020 and is expected to retain its dominance during the forecast period. The high number of diabetics globally is expected to result in an increase in demand for diabetic footwear, thus leading to the growth of the global diabetic footwear market. The high population of diabetics in India and China is a major driving factor for the market growth in the Asia Pacific. This can be attributed to the changing lifestyles and increasing urbanization in these countries.



The diabetic shoe segment leads the market, as diabetic shoes give the most comfort for diabetes patients when compared to sandals and slippers. The increased sales of diabetic shoes are aided by the availability of many types of diabetic care products on the market. To encourage diabetic patients to purchase diabetic footwear through online platforms, major participants in the diabetic shoe industry are increasingly focusing on improving the online shopping experience through various techniques such as targeted marketing and effective online education. Consumers are increasingly buying diabetic shoes and other diabetic products online, owing to the availability of an excellent online platform by significant businesses and expanding internet penetration.



Key features of the study:

This report provides an in-depth analysis of global diabetic footwear market, and provides market size (US$ million) and compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) for the forecast period (2021-2028), considering 2020 as the base year

It elucidates potential revenue opportunity across different segments and explains attractive investment proposition matrix for this market

This study also provides key insights about market drivers, restraints, opportunities, new product launches or approvals, regional outlook, and competitive strategies adopted by key players

It profiles key players in the global diabetic footwear market based on the following parameters - company overview, financial performance, product portfolio, geographical presence, distribution strategies, key developments and strategies, and future plans

Key companies covered as a part of this study include Podartis S.r.l., Aetrex Worldwide Inc., Orthofeet Inc., Etonic Shoes, Drew Shoe, Dr. Comfort, DARCO International, Duna S.r.l, Hong Kong Grace Shoes, and Dr. Zen Product, Inc.

Insights from this report would allow marketers and management authorities of companies to make informed decision regarding future product launches, technology up gradation, market expansion, and marketing tactics

The global diabetic footwear market report caters to various stakeholders in this industry including investors, suppliers, diabetic footwear manufacturers, distributors, new entrants, and financial analysts

Stakeholders would have ease in decision-making through various strategy matrices used in analyzing the global diabetic footwear market

Key Topics Covered:



1. Research Objectives and Assumptions

2. Market Purview

3. Market Dynamics, Regulations, and Trends Analysis

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Restraints

PEST Analysis

PORTER's Five Forces Analysis

Market Opportunities

Regulatory Scenario

Key Developments

Industry Trend

4. Global Diabetic Footwear Market - Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

Overview

Factors Affecting Diabetic FootwearMarket - COVID-19

Impact Analysis

5. Global Diabetic Footwear Market, By Product Type, 2017-2028 (U$$ Million)

Introduction

Market Share Analysis, 2020, 2024, and 2028 (%)

Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2021 - 2028

Segment Trends

Sandals

Introduction

Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2021 - 2028, (U$$ Million)

Shoes

Introduction

Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2021 - 2028, (U$$ Million)

Slippers

Introduction

Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2021 - 2028, (U$$ Million)

6. Global Diabetic Footwear Market, By Distribution Channel, 2017-2028 (U$$ Million)

Introduction

Market Share Analysis, 2020, 2024, and 2028 (%)

Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2021 - 2028

Segment Trends

Online Stores

Introduction

Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2021 - 2028, (U$$ Million)

Supermarket

Introduction

Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2021 - 2028, (U$$ Million)

Hypermarkets

Introduction

Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2021 - 2028, (U$$ Million)

Specialty Stores

Introduction

Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2021 - 2028, (U$$ Million)

Others

Introduction

Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2021 - 2028, (U$$ Million)

7. Global Diabetic Footwear Market, By End User, 2017-2028 (U$$ Million)

Introduction

Market Share Analysis, 2020, 2024, and 2028 (%)

Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2021 - 2028

Segment Trends

Male

Introduction

Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2021 - 2028, (U$$ Million)

Female

Introduction

Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2021 - 2028, (U$$ Million)

Kids

Introduction

Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2021 - 2028, (U$$ Million)

8. Global Diabetic Footwear Market, By Region, 2017-2028 (U$$ Million)

9. Competitive Landscape

Heat Map Analysis

Market Share Analysis (3x3 Matrix)

Company Profiles

Podartis S.r.l

Company Overview

Product Portfolio

Recent Developments/Updates

Orthofeet Inc.

Company Overview

Product Portfolio

Recent Developments/Updates

Etonic Shoes

Company Overview

Product Portfolio

Recent Developments/Updates

Drew Shoes

Company Overview

Product Portfolio

Recent Developments/Updates

Dr. Comfort

Company Overview

Product Portfolio

Recent Developments/Updates

Darco International

Company Overview

Product Portfolio

Recent Developments/Updates

Duna S.r.I

Company Overview

Product Portfolio

Recent Developments/Updates

Hong kong Grace Shoes

Company Overview

Product Portfolio

Recent Developments/Updates

Aetrex Worldwide Inc.

Company Overview

Product Portfolio

Recent Developments/Updates

Dr. Zen Product Inc.

Company Overview

Product Portfolio

Recent Developments/Updates

10. Section

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/z80w8c

Attachment
Dublin, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Extended Warranty Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global extended warranty market reached a value of US$ 121.5 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach a value of US$ 182.3 Billion by 2027 exhibiting a CAGR of 6.70% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



An extended warranty, or a service contract, refers to a policy that extends the warranty period offered to consumers on new items. It generally covers the costs of repair or replacement of the product if the damage is caused due to manufacturing defects or poor quality. It is usually provided by manufacturers, retailers, or third-party service providers for automobiles, electronics, and electrical appliances. While these goods typically come with a one-year manufacturer's warranty, an extended warranty can provide coverage against various product defects or normal wear and tear after the expiration of the initial warranty. In recent years, extended warranty solutions have gained traction due to their cost-effectiveness and additional protection, such as the mechanical and electronic breakdown of products that are not covered by the original warranty.



Extended Warranty Market Trends:

Nowadays, extended warranty plans cover routine maintenance and accidental damages, including liquid spillage, thefts, or cracked screens. As a result, the rising concerns among consumers regarding the safety of their electronic devices after the original warranty has expired represent the primary factors driving the market growth. Besides this, the growing number of value-conscious customers and shifting consumer preferences toward a hassle-free post-sales experience are augmenting the demand for extended warranty solutions.

Additionally, the surging sales of high-end vehicles and consumer electronics, such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, and wearables, are accelerating the product adoption rate. Furthermore, the leading players are offering value-added services, such as hassle-free replacements and on-site services, and digitizing extended warranty processes for faster claim settlements, which is catalyzing the market growth. Other factors, including the escalating demand for prolonged life and value of goods, inflating consumer disposable incomes and high repair and maintenance costs, are also creating a positive market outlook.



Key Market Segmentation:

The publisher provides an analysis of the key trends in each sub-segment of the global extended warranty market, along with forecasts at the global, regional and country level from 2022-2027. Our report has categorized the market based on coverage, application, distribution channel and end user.



Breakup by Coverage:

Standard Protection Plan

Accidental Protection Plan

Breakup by Application:

Automobiles

Consumer Electronics

Home Appliances

Mobile Devices and PCs

Others

Breakup by Distribution Channel:

Manufacturers

Retailers

Others

Breakup by End User:

Individuals

Business

Breakup by Region:

North America

United States

Canada

Asia-Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Australia

Indonesia

Others

Europe

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Italy

Spain

Russia

Others

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Others

Middle East and Africa

Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Allianz SE, American International Group Inc, AmTrust Financial, Assurant Inc., Asurion LLC, Axa S.A., Carchex, CarShield LLC, Chubb Limited, Edel Assurance LLP, Endurance Warranty Services LLC, and SquareTrade Inc (The Allstate Corporation).



Key Questions Answered in This Report:

How has the global extended warranty market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global extended warranty market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the coverage?

What is the breakup of the market based on the application?

What is the breakup of the market based on the distribution channel?

What is the breakup of the market based on the end user?

What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?

What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry?

What is the structure of the global extended warranty market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Extended Warranty Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Coverage

6.1 Standard Protection Plan

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Accidental Protection Plan

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Application

7.1 Automobiles

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Consumer Electronics

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast

7.3 Home Appliances

7.3.1 Market Trends

7.3.2 Market Forecast

7.4 Mobile Devices and PCs

7.4.1 Market Trends

7.4.2 Market Forecast

7.5 Others

7.5.1 Market Trends

7.5.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Distribution Channel

8.1 Manufacturers

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2 Retailers

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Market Forecast

8.3 Others

8.3.1 Market Trends

8.3.2 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by End User

9.1 Individuals

9.1.1 Market Trends

9.1.2 Market Forecast

9.2 Business

9.2.1 Market Trends

9.2.2 Market Forecast



10 Market Breakup by Region



11 SWOT Analysis



12 Value Chain Analysis



13 Porters Five Forces Analysis



14 Price Analysis



15 Competitive Landscape

15.1 Market Structure

15.2 Key Players

15.3 Profiles of Key Players

15.3.1 Allianz SE

15.3.1.1 Company Overview

15.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.1.3 Financials

15.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.2 American International Group Inc

15.3.2.1 Company Overview

15.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.2.3 Financials

15.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.3 AmTrust Financial

15.3.3.1 Company Overview

15.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.3.3 Financials

15.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.4 Assurant Inc.

15.3.4.1 Company Overview

15.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.4.3 Financials

15.3.4.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.5 Asurion LLC

15.3.5.1 Company Overview

15.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.6 Axa S.A.

15.3.6.1 Company Overview

15.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.6.3 Financials

15.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.7 Carchex

15.3.7.1 Company Overview

15.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.8 CarShield LLC

15.3.8.1 Company Overview

15.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.9 Chubb Limited

15.3.9.1 Company Overview

15.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.9.3 Financials

15.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.10 Edel Assurance LLP

15.3.10.1 Company Overview

15.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.11 Endurance Warranty Services LLC

15.3.11.1 Company Overview

15.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.12 SquareTrade Inc (The Allstate Corporation)

15.3.12.1 Company Overview

15.3.12.2 Product Portfolio



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/uqlhwk

Attachment
New York, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Veterinary Vaccines Market Report 2022-2032" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06248497/?utm_source=GNW



The Veterinary Vaccines Market Report 2022-2032: This report will prove invaluable to leading firms striving for new revenue pockets if they wish to better understand the industry and its underlying dynamics. It will be useful for companies that would like to expand into different industries or to expand their existing operations in a new region.



Increase in Zoonotic Diseases



The number, frequency, and variety of zoonotic disease outbreaks have increased dramatically during the last century. These occurrences, which are caused by infections spilling from animal hosts to humans, may have increased by more than thrice in the previous decade, with the incidence of novel zoonotic illnesses infecting humans quadrupling within the same time period. Currently, zoonotic illnesses account for 60% of all new infectious diseases in humans. Animal viruses can infect people directly or indirectly, depending on whether they come into touch with wild or farmed animals. These intermediary hosts function as mixing vessels, allowing diseases to evolve genetically and infect humans. And, in recent times, human-to-animal interaction has expanded substantially, increasing the potential of zoonotic disease epidemics. Growing zoonotic diseases has boosted the demand for veterinary vaccines globally.



DNA Vaccine Represents New Frontier In Vaccine Technology



Vaccines based on DNA represent a new frontier in vaccine technology. This technique has a significant use in the veterinary field. DNA vaccines have already made inroads into several areas of veterinary medicine. However, while creating DNA vaccines for animals, numerous critical concerns must be addressed, including whether the vaccine is efficacious and cost effective in comparison to already available alternatives. Another key topic to address is how to utilise this new technology in a variety of scenarios, from the domestic pet to individual fish in fisheries with thousands of animals, to wildlife disease management programmes. In certain situations, DNA vaccines offer an intriguing alternative for immunisation, but in others, the current methods are not enough. A variety of veterinary diseases and the development being made using DNA vaccine technology. Moreover, DNA vaccines can be used for simultaneous immunizations against many pathogens and are relatively less expensive to manufacture and store. Hence, in near future DNA vaccines are expected to witness a significant growth.



What Are These Questions You Should Ask Before Buying A Market Research Report?

 How is the veterinary vaccines market evolving?

 What is driving and restraining the veterinary vaccines market?

 How each veterinary vaccines submarket segment will grow over the forecast period and how much revenue will these submarkets account for in 2032?

 How will the market shares for each veterinary vaccines submarket develop from 2022 to 2032?

 What will be the main driver for the overall market from 2022 to 2032?

 Will leading veterinary vaccines markets broadly follow the macroeconomic dynamics, or will individual national markets outperform others?

 How will the market shares of the national markets change by 2032 and which geographical region will lead the market in 2032?

 Who are the leading players and what are their prospects over the forecast period?

 What are the veterinary vaccines projects for these leading companies?

 How will the industry evolve during the period between 2022 and 2032? What are the implication of veterinary vaccines projects taking place now and over the next 10 years?

 Is there a greater need for product commercialisation to further scale the veterinary vaccines market?

 Where is the veterinary vaccines market heading? And how can you ensure you are at the forefront of the market?

 What can be the best investment options for new product and service lines?

 What are the key prospects for moving companies into a new growth path? C-suite?



You need to discover how this will impact the veterinary vaccines market today, and over the next 10 years:

 Our 444-page report provides 310 tables and 290 charts/graphs exclusively to you.

 The report highlights key lucrative areas in the industry so you can target them  NOW.

 Contains in-depth analyse of global, regional and national sales and growth

 Highlights for you the key successful trends, changes and revenue projections made by your competitors



This report tells you TODAY how the veterinary vaccines market will develop in the next 10 years, and in-line with the variations in COVID-19 economic recession and bounce. This market is more critical now than at any point over the last 10 years.



Forecasts to 2032 and other analyses reveal the commercial prospects

 In addition to revenue forecasting to 2032, our new study provides you with recent results, growth rates, and market shares.

 You find original analyses, with business outlooks and developments.

 Discover qualitative analyses (including market dynamics, drivers, opportunities, restraints and challenges), cost structure, impact of rising veterinary vaccines prices and recent developments.



This report includes data analysis and invaluable insight into how COVID-19 will affect the industry and your company. Four COVID-19 recovery patterns and their impact, namely, V, L, W and U are discussed in this report.



Global Veterinary Vaccines Market (COVID Impact Analysis) by Companion Animal

 Dogs

 Cats



Global Veterinary Vaccines Market (COVID Impact Analysis) by Technology

 Live Attenuated Vaccines

 Inactivated Vaccines

 Toxoid Vaccines

 Recombinant Vaccines

 Other Technology



Global Veterinary Vaccines Market (COVID Impact Analysis) by Type

 Porcine Vaccines

 Poultry Vaccine

 Livestock Vaccine

 Companion Animal Vaccine

 Aquaculture Vaccines

 Other Type



Global Veterinary Vaccines Market (COVID Impact Analysis) by Livestock

 Cattle

 Pigs

 Poultry

 Other Livestock



In addition to the revenue predictions for the overall world market and segments, you will also find revenue forecasts for 4 regional and 20 leading national markets:



North America Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Outlook

 U.S. Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Canada Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Mexico Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis



Europe Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Outlook

 Germany Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Spain Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 United Kingdom Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 France Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Italy Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Rest of Europe Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis



Asia Pacific Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Outlook

 China Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Japan Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 India Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Australia Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 South Korea Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Rest of Asia Pacific Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis



LAMEA Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Outlook

 Brazil Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Turkey Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Saudi Arabia Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 South Africa Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 UAE Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Rest of Latin America, Middle East and Africa



The report also includes profiles and for some of the leading companies in the Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032, with a focus on this segment of these companies operations.



Leading companies and the potential for market growth

 Zoetis Inc.

 Virbac Pharmaceutical

 Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health

 Elanco Animal Health Incorporated

 Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd

 Merck Animal Health

 Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL)

 Phibro Animal Health Corporation (Phibro)

 Biogenesis Bago SA

 Hester Biosciences

 Hipra Pharmaceutical Company



Overall world revenue for Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 in terms of value the market will surpass US$xx million in 2022, our work calculates. We predict strong revenue growth through to 2032. Our work identifies which organizations hold the greatest potential. Discover their capabilities, progress, and commercial prospects, helping you stay ahead.



How the Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market report helps you?



In summary, our 444+ page report provides you with the following knowledge:

 Revenue forecasts for Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market include forecasts for companion animal, technology, type, livestock each forecasted at a global and regional level discover the industrys prospects, finding the most lucrative places for investments and revenues

 Revenue forecasts to 2032 for 4 regional and 20 key national markets  See forecasts for the Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 market in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and LAMEA. Also forecasted is the market in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, France, UK, Italy, China, India, Japan, and Australia among other prominent economies.

 Prospects for established firms and those seeking to enter the market including company profiles for 12 of the major companies involved in the Veterinary Vaccines Market, 2022 to 2032 Market.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06248497/?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.



__________________________
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Golden Sky Minerals Corp. (AUEN.V) (the Company or Golden Sky) is pleased to announce the results of the 2021 soil program conducted on its 100% owned Rayfield Property (the Property) in British Columbia. The program consisted of 1,337 B-horizon soil samples that encompassed an area of 26 km2 (~4km x 6.5km). This program was designed to create a comprehensive database for surficial geochemistry and to outline any soil anomalies on a regional scale. In addition to the soil samples, a total of 27 rock samples were collected and submitted for both geochemical and lithogeochemical analysis.



This first-pass soil program successfully delineated a large copper-in-soil anomaly (>100 ppm Cu) that extends >3.0 kilometres (north to south) and up to ~1.0 kilometre wide (east to west). Within this anomaly are several soil samples that assayed up to ~4,000 ppm Cu (0.400% Cu) (Figure 1).

We are very pleased with the early success of this extensive soil program on the Rayfield Property, stated Cameron Dorsey, VP Exploration of Golden Sky. A broad copper-in-soil anomaly has now been defined with similar geological, geochemical, and geophysical characteristics that are commonly associated with other alkalic porphyries in the Quesnel Terrane. We are very excited to get boots back on the ground for exploration in 2022.

The Rayfield Project is located in the Quesnel Trough, British Columbias primary copper-producing belt, which hosts Teck Resources Highland Valley Mine, Imperial Metals Mount Polley Mine, Centerra Golds Mount Milligan Mine, and Kodiak Coppers MPD Project (see Figure 2). The Rayfield Copper-Gold Project is located approximately 20 kilometers east of the Town of 70 Mile House, British Columbia, and is accessible year-round by well-maintained service and logging roads extending from BC Highway 97.

Figure 1: Assay values for copper in the 2021 soil program overlaying airborne geophysical magnetic survey (TMI) results. Copper assays become elevated above and adjacent to two magnetic anomalies. Surficial geology, occurring as thicker blanket till on the plateau and colluvium along the margins of the canyon, is likely affecting the copper values. Intermittent copper assays may be indicating an extension of copper mineralization to the northwest and southeast within thick till cover.

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eb8f2d08-236c-448d-b81f-04c75fe77fe7

Figure 2: Rayfield Copper-Gold Project in relation to major projects in the Quesnel Trough.

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6101907c-05df-4882-ba50-5e3b4364af25

Rayfield Property 2021 Fieldwork Highlights:

Elevated copper-in-soil anomalies were identified adjacent to, and overlying, several geophysical magnetic and radiometric anomalies (Figure 1). These geophysical characteristics are similar to those signifying other alkalic copper-gold porphyry systems in the Quesnel Terrane. The elevated copper grades from the 2021 soil program may indicate a mineralized porphyry system at depth.

Surficial geology varies across the property, with a thick till blanket on the plateau and colluvium along the canyon margins. As the till is typically quite thick, slight increases in pathfinder mineral abundances are therefore crucial in vectoring towards a target zone. Several elements, including copper (Cu), silver (Ag), bismuth (Bi), arsenic (As) and zinc (Zn) are closely correlated here, and are commonly associated with porphyry deposits. The overlap of these pathfinder elements defines a Cu-Ag-Bi-Zn-Pb anomaly that extends approximately 1.8 kilometres (north-south) by 1.5 kilometres (east-west), centered on a magnetic anomaly (Figure 3).

Geological and alteration mapping delineated several zones of intense sheeted and stockwork quartz veining (up to 20% of rock volume) and localized brecciation (Figure 4). Potassic alteration occurs commonly as halos bounding quartz veinlets. The most abundant sulphide minerals observed were bornite and chalcopyrite, associated with malachite and azurite. Native copper was also present. A total of 27 rock grab samples were collected in 2021, with assays up to 0.45% Cu. Copper mineralization was mainly constrained to quartz vein margins but were also present as disseminations within intrusions of intermediate composition. The highest-grade samples were collected near the northern limits of the 2021 soil program in a zone that was never tested by historic drilling.



The highest-grade samples were collected near the northern limits of the 2021 soil program in a zone that was never tested by historic drilling. Sheeted quartz vein orientations strike northwest and dip moderately-steeply northeast. In zones of stockwork quartz veining, however, veins strike east-west and dip shallowly-moderately to the north (Figure 4). Both sets of quartz veins are mineralized, commonly with trace amounts of bornite and/or chalcopyrite.



The soil sampling program also revealed that low-moderate gold values are commonly associated with copper-in-soil anomalies. Although the threshold for anomalous gold-in-soil is established as >10 ppb Au, three samples assayed from ~250-500 ppb Au (0.25-0.50 g/t Au) (Figure 5). These higher-grade results are in close proximity to the Rayfield River canyon, which may be the surface expression of a fault zone that may have acted as a conduit for hydrothermal fluids enriched in gold. The Vidette Mine area, located about 20 km to the southeast, is marked by high-grade gold-bearing epithermal quartz veins. These quartz veins were mined in the 1930s, with an average grade of 30-45 g/t Au. A similar system of epithermal quartz veins enriched in gold may explain the gold-in-soil anomalies outlined in the 2021 program.



John Newell, President and CEO of Golden Sky Minerals, states, We are very pleased with this initial soil work at our Rayfield project, as we prepare the property for further exploration in 2022. Golden Sky is well funded and will continue to explore and build upon its geological database for our district-sized, ~11,000-hectare Rayfield property. We are encouraged that this work is just the beginning to help us reveal the propertys potential to host a copper gold porphyry system.

Rayfield Property 2021 Fieldwork Highlights:

In 1989, a 34 line-kilometer Induced Polarization (IP) survey on the Rayfield Property outlined several chargeability high zones, which were subsequently tested by drilling programs in 1989, 1990, and 2008. Interestingly, many of the chargeability high zones trend east-west within an overall northwest-southeast trend, very similar to the orientation of the magnetic highs and the observed quartz vein orientations (Figure 5). Importantly, due to the shallow response of the survey (limited to ~125m depth), these anomalies are interpreted to remain open to depth. Golden Sky believes that, with modern exploration methods, there is significant potential to discover additional mineralized zones at depth.



Exploration drilling on the property from the 1970s to the early 2000s comprised just 60 holes (7,774.2 metres), with the majority of the holes being shallow percussion holes typically <60 m in depth. Historic drilling outlined a broad footprint (~450m x 2,100m) of low-grade copper mineralization and hydrothermal alteration indicating potential for a copper-gold porphyry system. Further drilling is warranted to determine if historic drilling on the Rayfield Property intersected the higher-grade core of the porphyry system.

1970 Exploration Program: 31 percussion holes totalling 1,748 m

Drillhole highlights include: 0.42% Cu over 6.1m 1989 Exploration Program: 8 diamond drillholes totalling 1,141 m Drillhole highlights include: 0.18% Cu and 71 ppb Au over 33.9 m; 0.14% Cu and 30 ppb Au over 66.7 m 1990 Exploration Program: 14 diamond drillholes totalling 3,337 m Drillhole highlights include: 0.13% Cu and 35 ppb Au over 164 m 2008 Exploration Program: 7 diamond drillholes totalling 1,548.2 m Drillhole highlights include: 0.13% Cu and <10 ppb Au over 67 m

Further drilling is warranted to determine if historic drilling on the Rayfield Property intersected the higher-grade core of the porphyry system. The Rayfield Property is located within the Quesnel Trough, a major mineralogic belt hosting major alkalic porphyry deposits.

Figure 3: Pathfinder element plots for copper mineralization encompassing the defined copper-in-soil anomaly and also extending potential mineralization up to 1km to the south. There is a thick till blanket covering most of the plateau, masking underlying bedrock element distribution.

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b28aeb8c-560e-40c7-b8a3-ee990d9286e1

Figure 4: Rock grab samples with radiometric and magnetic geophysical surveys. Outcrop is rare due to till cover but was well exposed near the Rayfield River canyon margin. Potassic halo alteration commonly occurs with radiometric potassium anomalies that also coincide with magnetic high features.

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b7d625d9-a5aa-41cc-9a52-4ef7c7f7d130

Figure 5: Gold-in-soil results from 2021 program overlying Cu soil contours, and magnetic survey (1VD). Lower-grade gold associated with copper is typical of Cu-Au porphyry systems. Higher-grade gold along linear trends may be related to epithermal quartz vein systems similar to the Vidette gold mine, ~20km to the southeast.

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0134e943-9be0-472c-a649-b51c0ad98e07

Figure 6: Historical induced polarization survey (IP) from 1989 with several selected 1970 and 1989 drillhole assays. Most holes were drilled with a vertical dip except for those drilled in 2008. The chargeability IP anomalies correlate well with the copper anomalies of the 2021 soil sampling program, extending from the canyon onto the plateau, indicating the thick till may be obscuring mineralized bedrock. Importantly, the IP survey was limited to ~125m of depth and the chargeability anomalies remain open to depth.

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e33bd97c-4973-4ed3-9a41-d4925bc1e99f



About Golden Sky Minerals Corp.

Golden Sky Minerals Corp. is a well-funded junior grassroots explorer engaged in the acquisition, assessment, exploration, and development of mineral properties located in highly prospective areas and mining-friendly districts. Golden Skys mandate is to develop its portfolio of projects to the mineral resource stage through systematic exploration.

The drill-ready projects include Hotspot, Bullseye, and Lucky Strike, all in Yukon, Canada. In addition, the recent purchases of the Rayfield Copper-Gold Project in southern British Columbia, and the staking of the Eagle Mountain Gold Project in the Cassiar Gold District in northern British Columbia, add to the companys substantial early-stage Canadian project pipeline.

The company was incorporated in 2018 and is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

More information can be found at the Companys website at www.goldenskyminerals.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

John Newell, President and Chief Executive Officer

Carl Schulze, P. Geo., Consulting Geologist with Aurora Geosciences Ltd, is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 for Golden Skys British Columbia exploration projects, and has reviewed and approved the technical information in this release.

For new information from the Company's programs, please visit Golden Sky's website at www.GoldenSkyMinerals.com or contact John Newell by telephone (604) 568-8807 or by email at info@goldenskyminerals.com or john.newell@goldenskyminerals.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively, Forward-Looking Information) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be identified by the use of words and phrases such as anticipates, expects, understanding, has agreed to or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results would, occur or be achieved. Although Golden Sky has attempted to identify important factors and risks that could affect Golden Sky and may cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-Looking Information, there may be other factors and risks that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including, without limitation: inherent risks involved in the exploration and development of mineral properties; the uncertainties involved in interpreting drill results and other exploration data; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities; the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with Golden Skys expectations; accidents, equipment breakdowns, title and permitting matters; labour disputes or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in operations; fluctuating metal prices; unanticipated costs and expenses; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, including to fund any exploration programs on its projects; that Golden Sky may not be able to confirm historical exploration results and other risks set forth in Golden Sky's public filings at www.sedar.com. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, Golden Sky has applied several material assumptions, including the assumption that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner. There can be no assurance that Forward-Looking Information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required by law, Golden Sky does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Dublin, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Data Center Chip Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global data center chip market reached a value of US$ 9.56 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach a value of US$ 14.11 Billion by 2027 exhibiting a CAGR of 6.40% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end use industries. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



A data center is a centralized facility that organizations use for retrieving, storing, and processing physical and virtual data. It consists of power distribution units, switches, servers, chips, and firewalls. Graphics processing unit (GPU), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), central processing unit (CPU), and field-programmable gate array (FPGA) are some of the commonly used data center chips. The data center chip is an essential component that is usually found in the server area within a data center. It assists in improving energy efficiencies, redundancy, and flexibility, while enhancing operations and productivity. As a result, data center chips are widely used across various industries, such as manufacturing, transportation, information technology (IT) and telecommunication, and banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI).



Data Center Chip Market Trends:

The increasing deployment of cloud computing and data storage solutions across organizations is creating a positive outlook for the market. With the continuous transfer of data from private servers and the integration of connected devices, such as autonomous vehicles, virtual reality (VR) systems, and personal computers (PCs), there is an increasing need for data centers to manage the large amounts of data generated.

Moreover, rapid technological advancements in memory chips and programmable solutions are significantly improving access to large amounts of data and enhancing performance in connected devices and data centers, which, in turn, is providing an impetus to the market growth.

Additionally, the advent of fourth generation (4G) and fifth generation (5G) networks, along with the large-scale integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) technology is also favoring the market growth. In line with this, the rising demand for smart computing devices, such as utility meters, home security, and navigation systems, is positively impacting the market growth. Other factors, including significant improvements in the telecommunication infrastructure and the implementation of various government initiatives regarding the localization of data centers, are anticipated to drive the market toward growth.



Key Market Segmentation:

The publisher provides an analysis of the key trends in each sub-segment of the global data center chip market, along with forecasts at the global, regional and country level from 2022-2027. Our report has categorized the market based on chip type, data center size and industry vertical.



Breakup by Chip Type:

GPU

ASIC

FPGA

CPU

Others

Breakup by Data Center Size:

Small and Medium Size

Large Size

Breakup by Industry Vertical:

BFSI

Manufacturing

Government

IT and Telecom

Retail

Transportation

Energy and Utilities

Others

Breakup by Region:

North America

United States

Canada

Asia-Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Australia

Indonesia

Others

Europe

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Italy

Spain

Russia

Others

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Others

Middle East and Africa

Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Achronix Semiconductor Corporation, Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Arm Limited, Broadcom Inc., Fujitsu Limited, GlobalFoundries Inc., Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Intel Corporation, Marvell Technology Inc., Nvidia Corporation and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited.



Key Questions Answered in This Report:

How has the global data center chip market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global data center chip market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the chip type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the data center size?

What is the breakup of the market based on the industry vertical?

What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?

What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry?

What is the structure of the global data center chip market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Data Center Chip Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Chip Type

6.1 GPU

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 ASIC

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast

6.3 FPGA

6.3.1 Market Trends

6.3.2 Market Forecast

6.4 CPU

6.4.1 Market Trends

6.4.2 Market Forecast

6.5 Others

6.5.1 Market Trends

6.5.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Data Center Size

7.1 Small and Medium Size

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Large Size

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Industry Vertical

8.1 BFSI

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2 Manufacturing

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Market Forecast

8.3 Government

8.3.1 Market Trends

8.3.2 Market Forecast

8.4 IT and Telecom

8.4.1 Market Trends

8.4.2 Market Forecast

8.5 Retail

8.5.1 Market Trends

8.5.2 Market Forecast

8.6 Transportation

8.6.1 Market Trends

8.6.2 Market Forecast

8.7 Energy and Utilities

8.7.1 Market Trends

8.7.2 Market Forecast

8.8 Others

8.8.1 Market Trends

8.8.2 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by Region



10 SWOT Analysis



11 Value Chain Analysis



12 Porters Five Forces Analysis



13 Price Analysis



14 Competitive Landscape

14.1 Market Structure

14.2 Key Players

14.3 Profiles of Key Players

14.3.1 Achronix Semiconductor Corporation

14.3.1.1 Company Overview

14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.2 Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

14.3.2.1 Company Overview

14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.2.3 Financials

14.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.3 Arm Limited

14.3.3.1 Company Overview

14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.4 Broadcom Inc.

14.3.4.1 Company Overview

14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.4.3 Financials

14.3.4.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.5 Fujitsu Limited

14.3.5.1 Company Overview

14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.5.3 Financials

14.3.5.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.6 GlobalFoundries Inc.

14.3.6.1 Company Overview

14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.6.3 Financials

14.3.7 Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.

14.3.7.1 Company Overview

14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.8 Intel Corporation

14.3.8.1 Company Overview

14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.8.3 Financials

14.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.9 Marvell Technology Inc.

14.3.9.1 Company Overview

14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.10 Nvidia Corporation

14.3.10.1 Company Overview

14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.10.3 SWOT Analysis

14.3.11 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited

14.3.11.1 Company Overview

14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/rjwq46

Attachment
Dublin, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Data Center Cooling Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global data center cooling market reached a value of US$ 11.4 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach US$ 26.5 Billion by 2027, exhibiting at a CAGR of 14.4% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end use industries. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



Data center cooling refers to equipment, techniques and processes employed for maintaining an ideal operating temperature within a data center facility. It assists in transferring heat energy into the external atmosphere and enhancing the overall performance of these facilities by reducing downtime caused by overheating. Moreover, as it is cost-effective, energy-efficient and environment-friendly, data center operators across the globe are adopting these cooling systems. Some of the technologies employed for data center cooling include evaporative cooling, immersion systems, free cooling, calibrated vector cooling (CVC), chilled water systems, direct-to-chip cooling and liquid cooling.



With the rising data center density, numerous organizations are introducing innovative ways for cooling computer systems to improve efficiency and maximize uptime. For instance, Google is employing seawater to maintain the temperature in one of its data centers in Hamina, Finland. This system does not create carbon emissions as it uses cold water for cooling the devices and equipment. Similarly, Facebook is using captured rainwater for cooling data centers.

Moreover, AdeptDC, a smart assistant, depends on machine learning to read CPU and GPU temperatures and aids data center managers in knowing when and how much cooling is needed. Furthermore, governments in various countries are mandating environmental regulations concerning the emission and power consumption efficiency of data center operations. This, in turn, is resulting in the rising demand for eco-friendly data center cooling solutions around the world.



Key Market Segmentation:

The publisher provides an analysis of the key trends in each sub-segment of the global data center cooling market, along with forecasts at the global, regional and country level from 2022-2027. Our report has categorized the market based on solution, services, type of cooling, cooling technology, type of data center and vertical.



Breakup by Solution:

Air Conditioning

Chilling Units

Cooling Towers

Economizer Systems

Liquid Cooling Systems

Control Systems

Others

Breakup by Services:

Consulting

Installation and Deployment

Maintenance and Support

Breakup by Type of Cooling:

Room-Based Cooling

Row-Based Cooling

Rack-Based Cooling

Breakup by Cooling Technology:

Liquid-Based Cooling

Air-Based Cooling

Breakup by Type of Data Center:

Mid-Sized Data Centers

Enterprise Data Centers

Large Data Centers

Breakup by Vertical:

BFSI

IT and Telecom

Research and Education Institutions

Government and Defense

Retail

Energy

Healthcare

Others

Breakup by Region:

North America

United States

Canada

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Australia

Indonesia

Others

Europe

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Italy

Spain

Russia

Others

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Others

Middle East and Africa

Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined with some of the key players being Airedale International Air Conditioning, Asetek, Black Box Corporation, Climaveneta Climate Technologies, Coolcentric, Emerson Electric, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Netmagic, Nortek Air Solutions, Rittal, Schneider Electric, STULZ GmbH and Vertiv, etc.



Key Questions Answered in This Report

1. What is the expected growth rate of the global data center cooling market?

2. What are the key factors driving the global data center cooling market?

3. What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global data center cooling market?

4. What is the breakup of the global data center cooling market based on the solution?

5. What is the breakup of the global data center cooling market based on the services?

6. What is the breakup of the global data center cooling market based on the type of cooling?

7. What is the breakup of the global data center cooling market based on the cooling technology?

8. What is the breakup of the global data center cooling market based on the vertical?

9. What are the key regions in the global data center cooling market?

10. Who are the key players/companies in the global data center cooling market?



Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Data Center Cooling Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Solution

6.1 Air Conditioning

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Chilling Units

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast

6.3 Cooling Towers

6.3.1 Market Trends

6.3.2 Market Forecast

6.4 Economizer Systems

6.4.1 Market Trends

6.4.2 Market Forecast

6.5 Liquid Cooling Systems

6.5.1 Market Trends

6.5.2 Market Forecast

6.6 Control Systems

6.6.1 Market Trends

6.6.2 Market Forecast

6.7 Others

6.7.1 Market Trends

6.7.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Services

7.1 Consulting

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Installation and Deployment

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast

7.3 Maintenance and Support

7.3.1 Market Trends

7.3.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Type of Cooling

8.1 Room-Based Cooling

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2 Row-Based Cooling

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Market Forecast

8.3 Rack-Based Cooling

8.3.1 Market Trends

8.3.2 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by Cooling Technology

9.1 Liquid-Based Cooling

9.1.1 Market Trends

9.1.2 Market Forecast

9.2 Air-Based Cooling

9.2.1 Market Trends

9.2.2 Market Forecast



10 Market Breakup by Type of Data Center

10.1 Mid-Sized Data Centers

10.1.1 Market Trends

10.1.2 Market Forecast

10.2 Enterprise Data Centers

10.2.1 Market Trends

10.2.2 Market Forecast

10.3 Large Data Centers

10.3.1 Market Trends

10.3.2 Market Forecast



11 Market Breakup by Vertical

11.1 BFSI

11.1.1 Market Trends

11.1.2 Market Forecast

11.2 IT and Telecom

11.2.1 Market Trends

11.2.2 Market Forecast

11.3 Research and Educational Institutes

11.3.1 Market Trends

11.3.2 Market Forecast

11.4 Government and Defense

11.4.1 Market Trends

11.4.2 Market Forecast

11.5 Retail

11.5.1 Market Trends

11.5.2 Market Forecast

11.6 Energy

11.6.1 Market Trends

11.6.2 Market Forecast

11.7 Healthcare

11.7.1 Market Trends

11.7.2 Market Forecast

11.8 Others

11.8.1 Market Trends

11.8.2 Market Forecast



12 Market Breakup by Region



13 SWOT Analysis



14 Value Chain Analysis



15 Porters Five Forces Analysis



16 Competitive Landscape

16.1 Market Structure

16.2 Key Players

16.3 Profiles of Key Players

16.3.1 Airedale International Air Conditioning

16.3.1.1 Company Overview

16.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.2 Asetek

16.3.2.1 Company Overview

16.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.2.3 Financials

16.3.3 Black Box Corporation

16.3.3.1 Company Overview

16.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.4 Climaveneta Climate Technologies

16.3.4.1 Company Overview

16.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.5 Coolcentric

16.3.5.1 Company Overview

16.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.6 Emerson Electric

16.3.6.1 Company Overview

16.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.6.3 Financials

16.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.7 Fujitsu

16.3.7.1 Company Overview

16.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.7.3 Financials

16.3.7.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.8 Hitachi

16.3.8.1 Company Overview

16.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.8.3 Financials

16.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.9 Netmagic

16.3.9.1 Company Overview

16.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.10 Nortek Air Solutions, LLC

16.3.10.1 Company Overview

16.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.11 Rittal

16.3.11.1 Company Overview

16.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.12 Schneider Electric

16.3.12.1 Company Overview

16.3.12.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.13 STULZ GmbH

16.3.13.1 Company Overview

16.3.13.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.14 Vertiv

16.3.14.1 Company Overview

16.3.14.2 Product Portfolio

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1lf0ht

Attachment
Toronto, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Everist Inc. (Everist), the next-gen beauty brand built for eco-optimists, has been accelerating the waterless beauty space since launching in February 2021 with their patent-pending, 3x concentrated shampoo and conditioner pastes. Having set the bar high within the emerging category, the company is on a trajectory to further propel its growth after winning numerous accolades, launching into the adjacent body care category, and securing strategic retail partnerships across North America. As the brand enters its second year in market, the industry disruptor is backed by a strategic commercial plan, expanding product portfolio and a mission to make eco mainstream.

In 2021 we moved mountains to bring Everist to market and 2022 will be a step-change in our growth and expansion, said Jessica Stevenson, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Everist. Were tuned in to the urgency of our global environmental crisis and want to offer consumers solutions that make going eco easier. The recent Environment International study demonstrating microplastics found in the human bloodstream highlights the extent of the environmental and waste crisis we are facing and the importance of accelerating the adoption of new, more eco-conscious formats across all consumer categories, beauty being a key contributor to the tune of 77 billion units of plastic packaging annually.

Waterless, concentrated beauty products provide solutions in multiple ways  theyre smaller and lighter to ship, resulting in a smaller carbon footprint, said Jayme Jenkins, Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Everist. The formulas can also be very clean and free of added preservatives, and in our case, they are packaged in infinitely recyclable aluminum tubes to avoid single-use plastic. You simply activate a little bit of the paste with the water youre already using in your shower. Waterless, concentrated beauty is not a trend, its the future. Were so encouraged to see the interest and engagement in this format.

Award-Winning Formulas

Within a year of launching, Everist has been setting a new standard in the eco-beauty space and is recognized for forging fresh ideas that shake up beauty routines for the sake of our health and the planets. Everist has accumulated accolades from top-tier publications, industry tastemakers, and recently been nominated for an EarthShot Prize for 2022  one of the worlds most prestigious environmental prizes launched by The Royal Foundation and The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge  a testament to the brands sustainability credentials. In addition, TIME Magazine recognized Everists innovative and novel products as one of the 100 Best Inventions of 2021 internationally, and recently, Fast Company announced they are one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in North America. Multiple beauty awards, including ones from Elle, Cosmopolitan, Mens Health and Popsugar prove that eco is no longer a niche, its mainstream and customers and beauty editors alike are ready for truly sustainable options, especially when they dont sacrifice on performance or convenience.

Continuous Innovation

Putting a premium on staying connected to its community of eco-optimists and listening to customer feedback, Everist continues to work on new, category-defining innovations and recently optimized the formula and packaging of its Waterless Conditioner Concentrate. The new formulation now contains hyaluronic acid - an ingredient typically seen as a hydration hero in skincare products. Following the highly successful Waterless Hair Care Concentrates debut, Everist also launched the Waterless Body Wash Concentrate & Compostable Konjac Sponge in October 2021. The skin-conditioning, plant-based, vegan, and cruelty-free formula is proof that sustainable beauty products can also be high-performing and uniquely sensorial. Aligned to its brand promise of offering ultra-clean, low-waste formulas and packaging, Everist intends to further build on its thoughtful product array, offering more eco-beauty essentials to meet the needs of the modern beauty customer.

Growing Retail Presence

Launching first as an online direct-to-consumer brand, Everist quickly secured strategic distribution deals across North America, including with Credo Beauty (May 2021), Indigo (January 2022), Thrive Market (March 2022), SSENSE (March 2022), The Detox Market (April 2022), Anthropologie (April 2022) and Urban Outfitters (April 2022), among others. The waterless and concentrated beauty category continues to explode  an indicator of the momentum of these new formats and a preview of where the beauty industry is headed.

Were focused on continuing to raise awareness on how we can empower forward-thinking beauty customers and retailers to choose better and do better, shared Jessica Stevenson, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Everist. Were more motivated than ever to continue developing award-winning innovative products and making them accessible to as many people as possible. We want to continue being an agent of change and helping customers make small changes that add up to big impact.

About Everist

Launched in 2021 by beauty industry veterans Jayme Jenkins and Jessica Stevenson, Everist is a beauty company driven by innovation and the mission to prove that eco products can be an upgrade. Built with the goal of creating as little waste as possible, Everists waterless concentrates are 100% plant-based, single-use plastic-free, vegan, cruelty-free and are packaged in infinitely recyclable aluminum tubes. The brand is Climate Neutral Certified Carbon Neutral as well as a 1% for the Planet member. Everist encourages imperfect environmentalism and welcomes all eco-optimists to embrace the small changes that add up to big impact.

For More Information on Everist:

Website: helloeverist.com

Instagram: @helloeverist

Facebook: @helloeverist
BROOMFIELD, Colo., WASHINGTON, and DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vita Inclinata (Vita), developer and producer of helicopter and crane load stabilization and precision hardware, today announced ALEC Engineering and Contracting (ALEC) piloted the companys Vita Lifting System in Q4, 2021. ALEC selected Vita Inclinata's Lifting System for field trial after a comprehensive evaluation. The Vita system was initially inspected in the UAE by Astron Certification, in accordance with International and UAE lifting standards.



As a leading construction company in the GCC, ALEC owns and operates its own equipment including 33 cranes, 122 pieces of heavy plant equipment, and 8 hoists. The company has successfully delivered over 100 complex projects across diverse sectors including airports, retail spaces, hotels & resorts, high-rise buildings, and themed projects. The company's focus on pioneering digital technologies enables ground-breaking innovation, increased efficiency, and collaboration with buildingtechnology partners such as Vita. The Vita partnership enables ALEC to gather data on lift speed, ease of placement, time savings, and safety/reduced risk capabilities.

Dubais construction projects are constantly challenged with extreme heat and wind conditions that often create significant safety hazards and extended timelines, said Caleb Carr, Vita Inclinata CEO. We are honored ALEC selected our lift system for evaluation and excited to see that our technology performed so well in these high-profile evaluations.

After a brief training and certification program, ALEC took control of the Vita Load Pilot (VLP) and conducted a multi-week field trial on two separate sites in the UAE. Although the smallest of Vitas industrial systems, the VLP was pushed to its functional limits and performed flawlesslyproviding remote, precision load control without taglines at heights over 200m, traversing or walking around corners, and in high-wind conditions.

As a multi-disciplinary company, ALEC has built a reputation for solving problems by using innovation to help execute complex projects on time, on budget, and safely, said Imad Itani, Innovation Manager for ALEC. We were impressed by the Vita Lifting Systems rugged, easy-to-use, semi-automated load control technology that will improve operations by improving efficiency, reducing downtime caused by high winds, minimizing risk to load and life on the worksite, as well as driving bottom-line savings.

About ALEC

ALEC Engineering and Contracting LLC (ALEC), part of the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD), is a large construction company with related businesses operating in the GCC with a presence in Africa. ALEC has consistently evolved and grown over the last 20 years to become a trusted partner for the execution of complex and iconic construction projects. The company builds and provides construction solutions to exceed our clients expectations for quality, safety, functionality, and aesthetics. We have received numerous awards for excellence, quality, safety, reliability, and sustainability and are recognized as a leading contractor in the region. For more information, visit www.alec.ae

About Vita Inclinata

A friends death during a rescue operationwith a helicopter close but unable to stabilize due to weather and terrainwas the genesis of Vita Inclinata. Founded in 2015 as a way to solve a real problem, Vita today controls chaotic swinging and spin and adds safety and precision for rotor-wing and fixed-wing aircraft and cranes. With the mission of Bring them home, every time, Vitas technology changes the narrative while saving lives, time, and money across industries, including search and rescue, military, firefighting, public safety, construction, wind energy, and oil and gas. The company is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, with offices in Washington, DC, and Huntsville, Alabama. For more information, please visit www.vitatech.co .

For more information, contact:

Betsey Rogers

BridgeView Marketing

603-821-0809

betsey@bridgeviewmarketing.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/94d125ca-41e8-4266-ab2a-7586af06767f
The owner of a warehouse of wheat and grains displays Ukrainian wheat in Hasbaya, southern Lebanon, on Feb. 28, 2022. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua)

Sanctions and economic blockades will only artificially exacerbate food shortages and price distortions, further disrupt food production and food supply chain across the world, push up food prices, and put burdens on developing countries, a Chinese envoy said.

UNITED NATIONS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday warned that indiscriminate sanctions over the Ukraine conflict will bring about new humanitarian problems.

"The ever-escalating sweeping and indiscriminate sanctions have hit global energy, food, economics and trade, and financial markets, and will continue to do so, affecting the lives and livelihoods of the general public, and giving rise to new humanitarian problems," Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, told a Security Council meeting on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

Developing countries, which make up the majority of the world, are not parties to this conflict, and should not be drawn into the confrontation and forced to suffer the consequences of geopolitical clashes and sparring among major powers, he said.

Right now, global food security is being seriously challenged, which warrants due attention. Sanctions and economic blockades will only artificially exacerbate food shortages and price distortions, further disrupt food production and food supply chain across the world, push up food prices, and put burdens on developing countries, he said.

"We call for enhanced international coordination to stabilize food supply and food prices, refrain from unjustified export restrictions, keep the market working in a stable manner, and ensure global food security."

A man checks prices of sunflower oil at a supermarket in Istanbul, Turkey, on March 7, 2022. Turkish people have been flocking to groceries and supermarkets to buy sunflower oil, as there is talk that the supplies are running out and the prices going up. (Xinhua/Shadati)

The United Nations, the World Food Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Trade Organization and other agencies should actively contribute to coordinating food production and trade among countries, and helping developing countries tide over the shocks, said Dai.

As the conflict in Ukraine is persisting, effectively protecting civilian lives and meeting their humanitarian needs is a must. China calls for respect for international humanitarian law to avoid civilian casualties, protect civilian facilities, provide safe passage for evacuation and humanitarian access, and ensure a continuous supply of basic necessities. Protection of vulnerable groups such as women and children must be strengthened, he said.

If the crisis continues and escalates, further damage is on its way, a situation not in the interests of any party. The most conclusive way toward a cease-fire to end hostilities is dialogue and negotiation, he said.

The international community should encourage and support continued direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine until a positive outcome is achieved and peace is restored, he said.

Security is indivisible. Seeking absolute security by pitting one bloc against another is the recipe for insecurity. The United States, NATO and the EU should also engage in dialogue with Russia, accommodate the legitimate security concerns of all parties, and build a balanced, effective and sustainable regional security architecture. China will continue to work toward and play a constructive role in easing the situation and resolving the crisis, he said. 
KAMLOOPS, British Columbia, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PATTISON Outdoor Advertising, Canadas largest Out-of-Home provider, is proud to welcome Kamloops Airport (YKA) to its airport advertising portfolio. PATTISON is the leader in Western Canada for airport advertising and the addition of Kamloops Airport brings the nationwide airport total to 16, with 5 of those in the province of British Columbia (BC).



Kamloops Airport is an important regional connector in Western Canada, owned by the Kamloops Airport Authority Society and operated by Kamloops Airport Limited (KAL). Business travelers and tourists visiting attractive leisure destinations are contributing to a growing numbers of passengers to YKA. PATTISON Outdoors extensive reach, paired with its experienced and energetic local sales force, will provide local and regional businesses opportunities to reach the many thousands of business and leisure travelers passing through YKA every month, says Ed Ratuski, Managing Director at Kamloops Airport Limited.

Kamloops is a very important market to PATTISON and with this acquisition and partnership we predict a significant impact with our sales teams, their clients and in our position in the Out of Home advertising business with respect to airport advertising, says Trevor Hughes, Leasing & Operations Manager, BC Interior & Island at PATTISON Outdoor. With new and updated creative in all the displays, this partnership will add a new feel and overall experience as you arrive and depart from Kamloops Airport. We are extremely excited to start this venture with KAL and we are really excited to get to work.

Passengers will see a refreshed and current advertising program that highlights local and regional services as well as the incredible regional destinations and activities available to visitors to the area, Ratuski says. With a variety of static advertising products throughout the terminal and at entrances and exits, advertisers will have flexibility in choosing the ideal spot for reaching their customers.

The addition of Kamloops Airport adds to PATTISONs existing static and digital billboard inventory in Kamloops and strengthens an existing roster of BC airports that includes Prince George Airport, Kelowna International Airport, Victoria International Airport and Comox Valley Airport.

About PATTISON Outdoor Advertising

PATTISON Outdoor Advertising, a division of The Jim Pattison Group is Canadas largest Out-of-Home advertising company. PATTISON Outdoor helps brands and businesses harness the power of Out-of-Home advertising by providing the most comprehensive range of products, markets, insights and customer support services. With its roots reaching back to 1908, PATTISON has been providing innovative solutions for Out-of-Home advertising opportunities with products ranging from traditional billboards to transit, digital, airport, residential, office, and street level formats. PATTISON is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario and includes over 25 sales offices across the country, providing advertisers unmatched reach and coverage with products available in over 200 markets coast to coast.

For more information contact:

Trevor Hughes

Leasing Manager, BC Interior & Island

PATTISON Outdoor Advertising

250.212.9074

thughes@pattisonoutdoor.com

About Kamloops Airport Limited

Kamloops Airport is owned by the Kamloops Airport Authority Society (KAAS). The airport is operated by Kamloops Airport Limited (KAL) under a long-term lease agreement with KAAS. KAL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vantage Airport Group, an industry-leading investor, operator and developer of airports around the world, providing the opportunity for Kamloops Airport to take part in and benefit from the global networks best practices.

For more information contact:

Ed Ratuski

Managing Director

Kamloops Airport Limited

Ed_ratuski@kamloopsairport.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/61ff374a-5a31-4093-ac6f-14e519f21a8d
Dublin, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Smart Pills Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global smart pills market reached a value of US$ 3.9 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach US$ 6.3 Billion by 2027, exhibiting at a CAGR of 7.8% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end use sectors. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



Smart pills are ingestible medical devices comprising sensors, cameras, patches, and trackers to record various physiological measures. They help in accurate therapy and better diagnostics and monitoring while eliminating the need for invasive procedures. Presently, several manufacturers are coming with innovative variants with advanced batteries and onboard memory. They assist in remote patient monitoring and telemedicine, providing wireless transmission of information in real-time and measuring the effects of the medication.



Smart Pills Market Trends:

A considerable rise in the prevalence of cancer and malignant gastrointestinal (GI) disorders represents one of the primary factors driving the demand for smart pills over conventional diagnostic techniques, such as endoscopy. Endoscopy devices are inserted into the patient's esophagus for diagnosis of GI disorders. However, the risk of infection transmission and esophageal tearing is usually high with endoscopes. Consequently, smart pills are widely utilized as they provide multidimensional pictures of the internal parts of the body non-invasively.

Moreover, the growing pediatric population, which is relatively more vulnerable to targeted diseases, along with the emerging trend of minimally invasive surgeries (MIS), is promoting the adoption of smart pills to diagnose and treat chronic diseases. Apart from this, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and the consequent rise in the demand for telemedicine technologies for remote patient visits are contributing to market growth.

Furthermore, they are employed in the defense and allied industries to monitor the core body temperature of soldiers in real-time. Besides this, market players are investing in research and development (R&D) projects that focus on effective localization, steering, and control of pills. This is projected to expand the applications of smart pills in the future.



Key Market Segmentation:

The publisher provides an analysis of the key trends in each sub-segment of the global smart pills market, along with forecasts at the global, regional and country level from 2022-2027. Our report has categorized the market based on target area, disease indication, application and end user.



Breakup by Target Area:

Esophagus

Small Intestine

Large Intestine

Stomach

Breakup by Disease Indication:

Esophageal Diseases

Small Bowel Diseases

Colon Diseases

Others

Breakup by Application:

Capsule Endoscopy

Drug Delivery

Patient Monitoring

Breakup by End User:

Hospitals

Diagnostic Centers

Research Institutes

Breakup by Region:

North America

United States

Canada

Asia-Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Australia

Indonesia

Others

Europe

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Italy

Spain

Russia

Others

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Others

Middle East and Africa

Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being CapsoVision Inc., Check-Cap Ltd., General Electric Company, IntroMedic Co. Ltd., Jinshan Science & Technology (Group) Co. Ltd., Koninklijke Philips N.V., Medtronic plc, Olympus Corporation and PENTAX Medical (Hoya Corporation).



Key Questions Answered in This Report:

How has the global smart pills market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global smart pills market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the target area?

What is the breakup of the market based on the disease indication?

What is the breakup of the market based on the application?

What is the breakup of the market based on the end user?

What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?

What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry?

What is the structure of the global smart pills market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology

3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Smart Pills Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Target Area

6.1 Esophagus

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Small Intestine

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast

6.3 Large Intestine

6.3.1 Market Trends

6.3.2 Market Forecast

6.4 Stomach

6.4.1 Market Trends

6.4.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Disease Indication

7.1 Esophageal Diseases

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Small Bowel Diseases

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast

7.3 Colon Diseases

7.3.1 Market Trends

7.3.2 Market Forecast

7.4 Others

7.4.1 Market Trends

7.4.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Application

8.1 Capsule Endoscopy

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2 Drug Delivery

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Market Forecast

8.3 Patient Monitoring

8.3.1 Market Trends

8.3.2 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by End User

9.1 Hospitals

9.1.1 Market Trends

9.1.2 Market Forecast

9.2 Diagnostic Centers

9.2.1 Market Trends

9.2.2 Market Forecast

9.3 Research Institutes

9.3.1 Market Trends

9.3.2 Market Forecast



10 Market Breakup by Region



11 SWOT Analysis



12 Value Chain Analysis



13 Porters Five Forces Analysis



14 Price Analysis



15 Competitive Landscape

15.1 Market Structure

15.2 Key Players

15.3 Profiles of Key Players

15.3.1 CapsoVision Inc.

15.3.1.1 Company Overview

15.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.2 Check-Cap Ltd.

15.3.2.1 Company Overview

15.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.2.3 Financials

15.3.3 General Electric Company

15.3.3.1 Company Overview

15.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.3.3 Financials

15.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.4 IntroMedic Co. Ltd.

15.3.4.1 Company Overview

15.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.4.3 Financials

15.3.5 Jinshan Science & Technology (Group) Co. Ltd.

15.3.5.1 Company Overview

15.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.6 Koninklijke Philips N.V.

15.3.6.1 Company Overview

15.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.6.3 Financials

15.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.7 Medtronic plc

15.3.7.1 Company Overview

15.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.7.3 Financials

15.3.7.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.8 Olympus Corporation

15.3.8.1 Company Overview

15.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.8.3 Financials

15.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.9 PENTAX Medical (Hoya Corporation)

15.3.9.1 Company Overview

15.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/7ysk2l

Attachment
Detroit, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The DTE Energy Foundation today announced it has awarded $1 million to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to fund several significant environmental programs throughout Michigan that will preserve, protect and enhance the states treasured natural habitats and species. This latest grant to TNC will be used to fund the Healthy Cities program in Detroit, wetlands restoration efforts at Erie Marsh Preserve in southern Michigan and whitefish research and restocking in west and northern Michigan.

The DTE Foundation understands the importance of doing everything we can to protect the wonderous natural beauty in our home state through our long-standing partnership with The Nature Conservancy and its forward-thinking programs, said Lynette Dowler, president, DTE Foundation. We have seen the impact of the TNCs work firsthand over the years and are grateful for their efforts to preserve our home states environment, benefitting our communities for generations to come. As Michiganders, we are all fortunate to have The Nature Conservancy working on our behalf; their vision will ensure the vitality of our states natural heritage.

The Foundation has funded The Nature Conservancy since 2011, enabling the organization to advance its environmental programs throughout Michigan. The initiatives covered in this latest round of funding will be carried out over the next three years.

The support we have received from the DTE Energy Foundation has been instrumental in helping us address long-standing environmental challenges in Michigan, said Helen Taylor, state director in Michigan for The Nature Conservancy. The sheer scope of their financial commitment will allow us to protect and enhance natural attributes in our cities, rivers and lakes, and it will provide educational opportunities for the next generation of conservationists. We are fortunate to have such a supportive partner who is clearly focused on a sustainable future.

GRANT DETAILS

Healthy Cities

The Healthy Cities program is designed to integrate environmental programs into Michigans urban setting. TNC will work with well-established community groups and residents in the Eastern Market area in Detroit to develop green stormwater infrastructure that will benefit water quality. The work will include:

Establishing a residential repair program and resources to support local residents. Developing a community engagement plan for the Eastern Market area that guides long-term support for residents and community-based organizations that will benefit food providers and business community members in the area.



Fisheries

Over the next three years, TNC will work with project partners  including the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources  to pilot an experimental effort to restore whitefish in the rivers that flow into Lakes Michigan or Huron. Working with its partners, TNC will conduct surveys on Lake Michigan tributaries and test egg rearing methods at tribal hatcheries to develop methods for possible future stocking efforts in the rivers suitable for whitefish populations. The partnership plans to begin an experimental stocking in 2023 to pilot possible restoration efforts. Candidate rivers include the Muskegon River, the Jordan River, the Carp River and the Bear River.

Erie Marsh Restoration

TNC plans to complete the final phase of its wetland restoration at Erie Marsh, reestablishing the natural habitat in the remaining 198 acres of the project. To date, DTE Foundation and TNC have joined forces to restore more than 750 acres of wetlands habitat at Erie Marsh. The support of the DTE Foundation has been critical to this project over the past decade, recently helping to raise over $200,000 from private donors as well as nearly $500,000 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for this final phase.

Fellowship Support

The DTE Foundations support will enable TNC to extend its two-year Conservation Fellowship program to a recent graduate, engaging them in an immersive, career-building experience that also brings valuable capacity to TNCs conservation work.

The DTE Foundation is dedicated to cultivating diverse, inclusive, and equitable communities and supports initiatives focused on arts and culture, community transformation, economic progress, education and employment, environment and human needs.

###

About the DTE Energy Foundation

The DTE Foundation is the philanthropic arm of DTE Energy, continuing the legacy of community support and involvement of its electric and natural gas utilities, which serve 2.3 million electric customers in Southeast Michigan and 1.3 million natural gas customers in Michigan. In 2021, the DTE Energy Foundation provided more than $18.9 million in grant support where the company has a business presence with a focus on driving positive, meaningful change on three key areas: jobs, equity and the environment. As one of Michigan's leading corporate citizens, DTE aspires not only to be the best in the world, but the best for the world, serving as a force for growth and prosperity in the communities across Michigan. Visit DTEFoundation.com to learn more.

About The Nature Conservancy

Founded in 1951, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. In over 70 countries and territories and all 50 United States, TNC works with partners from all sectors to address the planets biggest, most important challenges, from the needs of a growing global population to a changing climate, to the rapid loss of biodiversity. Here in Michigan, our global priorities drive us to act locally. For decades, TNC in Michigan has worked with the people of this Great Lakes state to protect the rivers, lakes and lands that are its natural heritage. We continue to pursue strategies that will help ensure the vitality of Michigans people, places and wildlife for generations to come. Visit nature.org/michigan to learn more.
LAS VEGAS, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BoxScore Brands, Inc (OTC Pink Current: BOXS) (BoxScore, the Company) a U.S.-based renewable energy company focused on the extraction, refining, manufacturing, and distribution of precious technical minerals, announced today that they have retained RESPEC Company LLC as its Geotech, Engineering and Resource Management partner to assist in the exploration and development of its Lisbon Valley properties.

As announced on December 14, 2021, BoxScore obtained a technical report summarizing high lithium potential wells in our focus area. With that encouraging information, we began developing detailed plans to verify and demonstrate the presence of high potential brines. We spoke with several leading and experienced Geotech firms, ultimately providing our detailed scope and requirements to two top industry organizations. After reviewing for scope, timelines, costs, and interviewing subject matter experts and qualified persons in not only this field but also those familiar with the western United States, we enthusiastically selected RESPEC. It was also helpful that members of the BoxScore technical team have had prior experience with RESPEC on other comparable projects, stated Andrew Boutsikakis, CEO of BoxScore Brands, Inc.

RESPEC provides services to the mining and energy industries from grassroots exploration to operating mine-settings. They provide geological services, drill program design, full procurement drilling and well completion to various brine and disposal projects. With more than 50 years of experience in service to the mining and oil and gas market worldwide, RESPEC provides unequaled experience for developing the Lisbon Valley properties. Their team in Grand Junction, Colorado is close to the project area and has performed extensive geological and engineering work in the Paradox Basin stratigraphy.

BoxScore believes that there is substantial long-term demand for specific commodities, referred to as tech minerals related to battery and new energy technologies. In partnering with RESPEC, the Company is now well-prepared and engaged towards its goal of becoming the lowest cost, most efficient, and technologically advanced company producing tech minerals and other correlated metals from high potential brines.

Leveraging the expertise of RESPEC, BoxScore is now focused on several initiatives, including:

Advancement of Geotech, engineering, geology, and fieldwork to complete Technical Reports on the Lisbon Project.





Understanding Lisbon Valley brines, on and around owned leases.





Develop a well plan to re-enter, sample, and test the Superior Well that has a historical lithium concentration of 730 ppm (parts per million).





Enter other prospective plugged and abandoned wells, taking brine samples and performing hydrological testing at each identified high potential zone to evaluate the properties of the clastic formation.





As information is advanced, prepare technical reports following the NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, initially a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) and longer term, a Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS).





Test the collected brines for lithium, but also for previously identified high value elements such as cobalt, manganese, magnesium, and suites of metals in the alkaline earth metals, transition metals, and halogens group.





Potentially, due to high demand, an assessment of Lanthanides and Actinides element series from the extensive historical information from oil and gas, potash, copper, uranium, and recent lithium investigations.





Based on the results of the Superior well, develop area resource estimates.



We anticipate a strategy of employing advanced brine extractive technology methodologies and have been in talks with numerous extraction providers. As expressed in many industry publications, we believe that selective extraction, from the area brines, is clearly the most cost-effective approach. Technologies are being developed that can extract the desired minerals and metals, without removing the salts. Thus, we will pump high volumes of brine, extract, then re-inject the brines. We have provided them with analytical results from the technical reports, but will soon provide current results, analytical, Geotech modeling, aquifer modeling, recharge, flows, and depths, Boutsikakis added.

With the historic and fresh brine sample results, we can send this to top selective extraction companies, so they can design more specifically for our area based on, approach, depths, brine volumes, target minerals and metals, total dissolved solids, brine handling, re-injection and more.

ABOUT RESPEC

Founded in 1969, RESPEC is a global leader in integrated technology solutions and consulting for mining, minerals, and energy. RESPEC has 28 offices throughout 13 US States and 2 Canadian provinces. RESPECs unique team of distinguished experts in geoscience, engineering, and technology offers mining and mineral clients the expertise to maximize project returns while respecting the economic, social, and environmental well-being of a community. RESPECs Mining clients include mining companies, investment banks, and law firms, as well as U.S. state and federal regulatory agencies and foreign governments, creating projects around the world. For more information, visit: www.respec.com

ABOUT BOXSCORE BRANDS, INC.

BoxScore Brands Inc., based in Las Vegas, Nevada, is a U.S.-based renewable energy company focused on the extraction, refining, manufacturing, and distribution of precious technical minerals. The company is committed to utilizing technologically advanced solutions to meet the highest ESG government standards. For more information, visit: www.boxscore.com

Company Contact:

BoxScore Brands, Inc.

Investor Relations

Tel: (800) 998-7962

Email: ir@boxscore.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, regarding, among other things our plans, strategies, and prospects -- both business and financial. Although we believe that our plans, intentions, and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or realize these plans, acquisitions, intentions, or expectations. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this news release may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "should," "planned," "will," "may," "intend," "estimated," and "potential," among others. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements we make in this news release include market conditions and those set forth in reports or documents that we file from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements attributable to BoxScore Brands, Inc. or a person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary language.
New York, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PHI Group, Inc. (www.phiglobal.com, PHIL), a diversified holding company currently engaged in PHILUX Global Funds (a group of Luxembourg bank funds), the Asia Diamond Exchange project (ADE) in Vietnam, mergers and acquisitions and investing in special situations (www.CO2-1-0.io), is pleased to announce that CO2-1-0 (CARBON) CORP., a subsidiary of the Company, has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Indonesia-based SEI BALAI GREEN ENERGY (SBGE) to cooperate in a new disruptive carbon mitigation program through worldwide environmentally sustainable projects.



According to the Agreement, CARBON and SBGE will cooperate in acquiring carbon credits from Biogas Power Plant and other renewable energy projects and developments as facilitated, managed, invested, owned and operated by SBGE. Carbon credits will be digitalized into Carbon Tokens using blockchain-crypto technology, Internet of Things, and deploy Six Sigma methodology.

Mr. Gerard Simon Stuurman, CEO of SEI BALAI GREEN ENERGY, stated: We are very proud and thrilled with todays news. CO2-1-0 (CARBON) CORP and PHI Group, Inc. are global key leaders in the carbon credit solutions transition, leveraging blockchain-crypto technology, and we look forward to partnering and supporting them as we help position our company and Indonesia to lead the energy transition to a low carbon future.

Mr. Choky YF Simanjuntak, CEO and Founder of CARBON, added: We are very happy and enthusiastic to partner with SEI BALAI GREEN ENERGY, which own the first modern and integrated tapioca factory in Indonesia. Our carbon credits solution with blockchain-crypto technology, IoT, and Six Sigma deployment will energize several Biogas Projects of SBGE in Indonesia and in the region in order to assist SBGE in particular and Indonesia in general to reach net zero carbon target accordingly. This MoU is also embracing the coming of the Earth Day 2022 and at the same time the IEO of our token: April 22nd, 2022.

About CO2-1-0 (CARBON) CORP.

CO2-1-0 (CARBON) CORP. (www.CO2-1-0.io) aims to provide a solution in disruptive new carbon market system using blockchain-crypto technology, IoT, and enhanced with Six Sigma methodology which will be empowering environmentally sustainable projects (renewable energy/ waste/ agriculture/ forestry/ many more) starting in USA, Vietnam, Indonesia, other ASEAN countries, and worldwide. It has a clear and systematic product development roadmap, and the ultimate milestones of the products. The solution, methodology, and improved TACCC (transparent, accurate, consistent, complete, and comparable) business process originally introduced by CO2-1-0 (CARBON) will bring full impact to better environment and life of millions.

CARBON (CO2) is the most environmentally sustainable crypto on earth, developed under BEP-20 (BSC Mainnet) and has passed CertiK audit, which is #1 security audits for blockchain protocols, wallets, DApps, and smart contracts.

About PT. SEI BALAI GREEN ENERGY

PT. SEI BALAI GREEN ENERGY (www.sbge.co.id) is a Indonesia-based corporation specializing in agri-food processing in Indonesia. SBGE is a joint venture of shareholders from the Netherlands, India and Indonesia, based in Kisaran, North Sumatra.

SBGE owns and operates a starch factory in Sei Balai, North Sumatera, Indonesia. Our factory designed to be energy neutral and waste free. This is part of our Corporate Social Responsibility policy (CSR-policy).

About PHI Group

PHI Group (www.phiglobal.com, PHIL) primarily focuses on advancing PHILUX Global Funds, a group of Luxembourg bank funds organized as Reserved Alternative Investment Fund (RAIF) (www.philux.eu), and building the Asia Diamond Exchange (ADE) in Vietnam. The Company also engages in mergers and acquisitions and invests in select industries and special situations that may substantially enhance shareholder value.

Safe Harbor Act and Forward-looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as may, future, plan or planned, will or should, expected, anticipates, draft, eventually or projected, which are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors.

Contact:

CO2-1-0 (CARBON) CORP.

Email: contact@CO2-1-0.io

Phone: +1-714-642-0571

PT. SEI BALAI GREEN ENERGY

Email: info@sbge.my.id

Phone: +62-623-3441388

PHI Group, Inc.

Email: info@phiglobal.com

Phone: +1-714-793-2977
New York, NY, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM), in collaboration with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), has announced that the 2022-24 Jeremiah A. Barondess Fellowship in the Clinical Transaction is awarded to Danielle Clark, MD, Associate Program Director and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center (UCMC). The two-year, $50,000 fellowship will enable Dr. Clark to implement an educational initiative at UCMC aimed at improving patient-centered bedside rounds in the COVID-19 era. The AGCME will recognize Dr. Clark at its Annual Educational Conference, to be held virtually from March 30-April 1.

The Barondess Fellowship is awarded annually to a junior faculty member in internal medicine to enhance medical students and residents' training in the clinical transaction, a fundamental element of clinical care. The fellowship aims to improve the patient experience by innovating and strengthening the critical skills that characterize the clinical transaction, including communicating with patients, conducting the physical exam, and applying clinical reasoning.

By working to improve resident education and patient-centered communication at the bedside, Dr. Clark is addressing a key factor in providing high quality, equitable care for all patients. NYAM is pleased to continue our partnership with the ACGME on the Barondess Fellowship, which supports our mission of advancing health equity through its focus on medical education initiatives that center the voices of patients in their care and their health, said NYAM President Judith A. Salerno, MD, MS.

At the University of Cincinnati Medical Center (UCMC), an institution that provides care to an underserved population, the Internal Medicine residency program stresses patient-centered care and effective communication skills, including through bedside rounds. With the support of the Barondess Fellowship, Dr. Clark will lead UCMCs efforts to teach residents how to conduct rounds in a patient-centered way in the pandemic era, and to teach faculty members how to educate at the bedside in a way that maintains psychological safety for both patients and trainees. Dr. Clark will expand on her prior work to ensure that patient-provider communication is the focus, engaging faculty, residents, students, and most importantly, patients, in this project.

The ACGME is proud to present The Barondess Fellowship, in partnership with The New York Academy of Medicine, to Dr. Clark. Understanding and delivering patient-centered care is crucial to the development of residents and fellows, especially in the midst of the pandemic, and we are eager to see Dr. Clarks vision implemented," said ACGME President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas J. Nasca, MD, MACP.

I am thrilled to receive the Barondess Fellowship, said Dr. Clark. While the University of Cincinnati Internal Medicine department has a longstanding history of bedside rounds, our process has decayed in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Barondess award will provide the support to reevaluate the patient-provider relationship in the setting of patient-centered bedside rounds. I am grateful for the support of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, The New York Academy of Medicine, and the ACGME.

Dr. Clark graduated from Lake Forest College and earned an MD from New York Medical College. She joined the University of Cincinnati in 2014 for Internal Medicine training and became chief resident. The following year, she joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an IMSTAR medical education fellow, where she continued to develop and use evidenced-based learning techniques. As a result of her demonstrated commitment to developing her skills as a leader, innovator and scholar in medical education, Dr. Clark was offered the role of Associate Program Director for Inpatient Innovations within the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Clark has a longstanding interest in the patient experience; she has previously developed a health literacy and communication curriculum, which is taught during a fourth-year medical student elective, and she leads UCMCs Patient-Centered Rounds Improvement Group, which was formed in the spring of 2021.

About The New York Academy of Medicine

The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) tackles the barriers that prevent every individual from living a healthy life. NYAM generates the knowledge needed to change the systems that prevent people from accessing what they need to be healthy such as safe and affordable housing, healthy food, healthcare and more. Through its high-profile programming for the general public, focused symposia for health professionals, and its base of dedicated Fellows and Members, NYAM engages the minds and hearts of those who also value advancing health equity to maximize health for all. To learn more, visit www.nyam.org.

About the ACGME

The ACGME is a private, non-profit, professional organization responsible for the accreditation of approximately 11,700 residency and fellowship programs and the approximately 850 institutions that sponsor these programs in the United States. Residency and fellowship programs educate approximately 140,500 resident and fellow physicians in 181 specialties and subspecialties. The ACGME's mission is to improve health care and population health by assessing and advancing the quality of resident physicians' education through accreditation.

Attachment
Toronto, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), many immigrant women resort to downplaying their credentials when job searching, risking career stagnation and persistent underemployment.

That is among the findings from a new study by the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC). The study has laid bare immigrants bumpy career transition in Canada, where businesses are reeling from pandemic shocks amid labour shortages. Research shows that immigrant women, on average, earn less than immigrant men and the Canadian-born population. They also face a higher unemployment rate.

Over the last decade, more than one million female immigrants have landed in Canada as permanent residents, with many settling in Toronto, ranked by Bloomberg as the worlds top city for working women. Yet many immigrant women in the GTA, despite their advanced degrees and international work experience, struggle in the labour market due to employer biases, gender-based barriers and other factors.

According to the study, titled Bridging the Gap: Immigrant Women and Their Labour Market Experiences in the GTA, two in five respondents were in lower-level jobs than they last held before immigrating. Some reported truncating their names, altering accents or changing appearances to try to fit perceived cultural expectations.

Drawing on data from nearly 400 immigrant women with roots in more than 80 countries, the study offers a snapshot of their career journey in a country where immigration is expected to drive economic prosperity. These women, aged 25 to 54, arrived in the GTA between 2011 and 2020. The study also surveyed more than 600 hiring managers and included in-depth interviews with 19 immigrant women.

Nearly two-thirds of the immigrant women respondents had at least a masters degree. On average, they came to Canada with eight years of work experience. Reflecting their growing economic status and autonomy, about half of respondents were principal applicants under the economic immigrant category.

Nevertheless, the TRIEC study shows that close to 90% of respondents found the job search process in the GTA difficult. The primary barrier, according to respondents, was the emphasis employers and recruiters place on Canadian work experience. To partly compensate for that, nearly two-thirds of respondents pursued further studies in Canada.

On the world stage, Canada champions gender equality and womens empowerment. Yet immigrant womens career setbacks are eroding gains they made in their previous countries, Sugi Vasavithasan, the Research and Evaluation Manager at TRIEC and the author of the study, argued in a Toronto Star op-ed earlier this month.

The majority of respondents hailed from professional occupations such as business and finance, law and public services and natural and applied sciences. Among them, the top three countries of birth were India, Nigeria and China.

The reasons behind their career predicaments are many, including employers discounting of international experience and education, childcare responsibilities and gender-based stereotypes. During TRIEC interviews, some survey respondents recounted experiences of removing qualifications to secure entry-level positions. Others were advised by employment counsellors to hide their PhDs during job search.

The underemployment of immigrant women not only undermines their dignity but also incurs a cost to the Canadian economy, says Debroy Chan, TRIECs interim CEO. Canada attracts the brightest and the smartest through its points-based immigration system. Lets make sure their talents are recognized and they are given the opportunity to contribute.

After admitting a record number of permanent residents last year, Canada plans to increase yet again its immigration targets. More than half of the immigrants are expected to be admitted under the economic categorya cohort of highly skilled newcomers.

Despite job entry barriers, the TRIEC study shows that some immigrant women managed to make headway in their careers, a testament to their resilience and Torontos dynamic economy. Meanwhile, the provincial and federal governments have vowed to bolster womens career, through promises of better childcare and investments in skills-based support for racialized newcomer women.

Still, many women have yet to break the glass ceiling. According to the study, there are few racialized women in senior leadership positions, with inclusion efforts failing to take into account multiple marginalizing identities.

For some, the feeling of despondence is palpable. One lawyer from Nigeria told TRIEC that dumbing down her resume was disheartening but necessary to land an entry-level administrative job. You get to a point where you want a job because you need to survive, she said, When the desirable is not available, the available becomes desirable.
SILICON VALLEY, Calif., March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innovation Minds, based in Silicon Valley, has announced an incredible celebration in honour of World Creativity and Innovation Week in April, in the form of Spring Forward 2022 grants for selected enterprises, academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).



The grants, valued at $50,000 (fifty thousand dollars) each, will provide technology and facilitation of innovation sprints to help these organizations tackle capacity, organizational, and community challenges. These sprints aim to provide up to a 5x increase in employee experience, innovation capacity, and productivity.

Innovation Minds will offer up to twenty of these grants to qualifying organizations, investing a total of up to one million dollars into the worlds innovation capacity. The program supports both organizational and social innovation challenges, applying best practices in Silicon Valley innovation to organizational improvements and social innovation.

Rosemary Rein, SVP of Product at Innovation Minds, who is spearheading this process, says: Imagine creating a breakthrough solution to an organizational or community challenge in only sixty days! Innovation is a core competency today, and we want to help build that muscle.

Rein points out that the well-known difficulty of creating and sustaining innovation in any organization is not easy to overcome. So how is Innovation Minds achieving this result?

To start with, our team has an incredible wealth of experience in both innovation and human resources in some major companies I think youve heard of  LinkedIn, Microsoft, Pay Pal, eBay, to name a few. And our team of international facilitators living and working all over the world have combined years of experience I cant even enumerate.

The CEO and Founder of Innovation Minds, Bala Balasubramaniam, adds that Rein herself was previously Director of Learning, Education, and Knowledge Management at United Way Worldwide, Wikipedia, and No Bully. He also points out the most recent pilot of the Innovation Minds Sprints in partnership with the US Embassy in Suriname was a blazing success.

Our program is much more than the typical sprint, Balasubramaniam says. We aim to provide a place and space to build the capacity for leaders to create real community impact, in every organization we touch. In short, to make innovation a core competency forever. In shorter  to make innovation as easy as breathing!

The grant is made possible by an Innovation Minds partnership with the AI Societies at both UC Davis and UC Berkley. The grant provides access to Innovation Minds proprietary artificial intelligence and machine-learning-driven technology for six months, extending far beyond the period of the sprint, to allow the projects to begin to be implemented.

Using Innovation Minds technology made things so much easier for our innovators, says Ashna Mahepal, the organizer of the Suriname project. It is really next level and cutting-edge, bringing together the best practices in both innovation and experience, and it is going to allow our innovators to really make their projects have an impact in our society and our nation.

At the end of each sprint, participants pitch the top ideas they have generated to sponsors and investors in a Sharkathon format. This helps bring the best ideas to the top from the sprint process and keeps the intellectual property bubbling up from within the organization.

We extract great ideas from YOUR people, says Michael Lee, author of the upcoming book Everything is Innovation, and one of the mentors in the Suriname project. Thats what makes Innovation Minds process really different, and what makes it so great. We dont swoop in like those big-name consultancies and dictate to you what will work best at your own organization.

The goal, Rein adds, is to take your team through the whole innovation cycle, from identifying the challenges, through idea generation, convergence, to developing and pitching their solutions  and finally bringing their ideas to life. To help you Create Tomorrow, Today.

Challenges eligible for the grant program range from employee experience to hybrid work to tackling social impact areas of health and wellbeing, environment, community and capacity building, diversity and inclusion, and education.

Applicants can apply for the grant by writing to Innovation Minds at the contacts below with a brief summary of the challenges they are facing and what they intend to accomplish.

Applicants should note that this grant covers all basic expenses of the program but any special customizations the applicant requests may involve additional cost components.

We can make innovators out of anybody, Balasubramaniam boldly declares. As long as they are willing to play.

The grant application deadline is April 15, the launch of World Creativity and Innovation Week 2022, with grant winners announced on April 21, World Creativity and Innovation Day.

World Creativity & Innovation Week is thrilled and honoured that Innovation Minds has chosen to celebrate creativity in this way, adds Dr. Jim Friedman, the Chief Steward of the World Creativity and Innovation Week host organization. Too many talk about the importance of innovation but Innovation Minds is putting action behind their ideas. That is what we need for creative leadership.

World Creativity and Innovation Day is a global United Nations holiday celebrated on April 21st to raise awareness around the importance of creativity and innovation with respect to advancing the UN sustainable development goals. The purpose of the day is to encourage creative multidisciplinary thinking at the individual and group levels which, according to a special report on the creative economy by UNESCO, UNDP, and UNOSSC, has "become the true wealth of nations in the 21st century."

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Rosemary Rein, SVP Products & Outreach, Innovation Minds. +1 239 666 8054, rosemary@innovationminds.com

Bala Balasubramaniam, CEO, Innovation Minds. +1 408 605 8471, bala@innovationminds.com
Adevinta to sell its 76.2% stake in InfoJobs Brazil to Redarbor, through its subsidiary Computrabajo, a company controlled by David Gonzalez Castro

Transaction is part of Adevintas new Growing at Scale strategy focused on driving sustainable growth across core European markets

David Gonzalez Castro to become the main shareholder of the combined business (Computrabajo and InfoJobs Brazil)



Oslo, 30 March 2022  Adevinta ASA (ADE) has today announced the completion of the sale of its 76.2% stake in InfoJobs Brazil, the largest jobs marketplace in Brazil, to Redarbor, the leading company in job marketplaces in Latin America with the purpose of connecting companies to top talent across the region.

The sale of InfoJobs Brazil to Redarbor is part of Adevintas Growing at Scale strategy, announced in November 2021. Adevinta is focusing its portfolio to drive growth in its five core European markets and accelerate innovation across its products and services.

InfoJobs Brazil was launched in 2004 as Infoemprego by David Gonzalez Castro, and relaunched as Infojobs Brazil in 2007 by the joint venture then formed with Schibsted. It is the most-used employment website in Brazil, with more than 44 million candidates registered across the platform and an average of 12 million unique monthly visitors in 2021.

Founded in 2013 by David Gonzalez Castro, Redarbor, the main shareholder of Computrabajo, is the leading provider of integrated job solutions that helps bring together companies with talented candidates, using technology to optimise the job search process. The business is well-established in Latin America with presence across 25 countries and over 35 million monthly active users.

The combined Computrabajo and InfoJobs Brazil business will create a regional leader in online job marketplaces, with a significant base of regular active users. Bringing the two companies together connects an even larger pool of candidates to potential employers looking to find the best talent across Latin America. Following the transaction, David Gonzalez Castro will be the main shareholder of the combined business.

Rolv Erik Ryssdal, CEO of Adevinta, said: InfoJobs Brazil has seen incredible growth in recent years, developing into the leading jobs marketplace in the country. The sale to Redarbor will also enable Adevinta to focus on the next stage of our growth, as we continue to build momentum in our five core European markets. I am confident that under David Gonzalezs leadership it will continue to flourish.

David Gonzalez Castro, CEO and Founder of Redarbor, said: With this operation, Redarbor, adding Infojobs Brazil to Computrabajo, consolidates its leading position in job marketplaces in Latin America. I am very confident in the success of this acquisition because of the great potential I see in Infojobs Brazil, together with Computrabajo and our software HR solutions. I want to thank Schibsted, Adevinta and Rolv Erik for all these years of enriching partnership.

-END-



NOTES TO EDITORS

Media Contacts

Adevinta

Melodie Laroche

Head of Corporate Communications

+33 (0) 6 84 30 52 76

melodie.laroche@adevinta.com

Redarbor

Isabel Brugada

Senior Communications Manager

+ 34 669 630 796

Isabel.brugada@redarbor.net

About Adevinta

Adevinta is a leading online classifieds specialist, operating digital marketplaces in 15 countries. The company provides technology-based services to connect buyers with sellers and to facilitate transactions, from real estate to motors, and consumer goods.

Adevintas portfolio spans more than 40 digital brands, covering one billion people and attracting approximately three billion average monthly visits. Leading brands include top-ranked leboncoin in France, Germany's leading classifieds sites mobile.de and eBay Kleinanzeigen, Marktplaats in the Netherlands, fotocasa and InfoJobs in Spain, and 50% of fast-growing OLX Brasil. Adevinta employs around 7,500 people committed to supporting users and customers daily. Find out more at Adevinta.com.

About Redarbor

Redarbor is an international company with headquarters in Barcelona, leader in job marketplaces in Latin America with a presence in more than 25 countries. Founded in 2013 by the entrepreneur David Gonzalez Castro, Redarbor has become the third online employment group in the world and the first in Latin America, with the job boards Computrabajo and Bestjobs. The company also has software HR products for talent acquisition such as the ATS SherlockHR and Shermind Partners, and HolmesHR, for talent management. The company has 7 offices worldwide and more than 430 employees.



About InfoJobs Brazil

With an average of 12 million unique monthly users and 44 million candidates registered, InfoJobs is the leading job marketplace in Brazil. The site was founded by David Gonzalez Castro in 2004. In 2011, after a major product refresh in combination with a successful marketing campaign, InfoJobs became the most used employment website in Brazil. The sites mission is to help people improve their professional careers and enable companies to find the best talent.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act


Washington, D.C., March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Liver Institute (GLI), a patient-led liver health nonprofit operating globally, today announced the launch of its global Liver Health is Public Health (LHPH) initiative with a special feature in the 2022 Your Liver supplement in the Guardian. Liver conditions continue to be misunderstood, mischaracterized, and stigmatized, resulting in under-diagnosis, under-treatment, and unnecessarily poor outcomes. This multi-year program will look to address these ongoing challenges, and shift the conversation on liver health.

GLI's president and CEO, Donna R. Cryer, JD, shared, "There are half a billion people in the world living with liver diseases, including me. Liver conditions are stigmatized, underdiagnosed, and often untreated in part because most people lack basic knowledge about their liver. It is imperative that people learn what steps they can take to prevent liver disease, and health systems need to organize themselves in a way to better diagnose and care for liver patients."

It has long gone unrecognized that since everyone has a liver, everyone is at risk for or already has some degree of liver disease. With this in mind, over the past several decades, liver diseases have risen to become one of the leading causes of death and illness worldwide.

Globally:

2 million deaths per year

1 in 4 people are impacted by Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Of those, 1 in 5 people living with NAFLD will develop the more advanced liver condition, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

75 million people are at risk of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD)

Liver transplantation is the second-most common solid organ transplantation, yet less than 10 percent of global transplantation needs are met at current rates.

Viral Hepatitis (hepatitis B (HBV) and C virus (HCV)) impacts more than 360 million people worldwide

In the United States:

Cirrhosis impacts 633,000 people

Liver cancer impacts 42,000

HBV impacts 2.2 million

HCV impacts 3.5 million

NAFLD impacts around 76 million

NASH impacts anywhere from 4.9 million to 19 million

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) impacts 19 million people.

This initiative will urge the medical field globally to consider holistic liver health as an integral part of public health from nutrition, activity, prevention, early diagnosis and management of risk factors to education, support, optimized clinical pathways, and policy for children, adults, and seniors.

Through the development of workgroups specializing in the intersectional fields of public health, medicine, advocacy, and patient experience, LHPH will shift the conversation on liver health by:

Assessing the state of liver health globally

Developing educational resources for diverse audiences, and

Empowering a global cohort of liver health advocates.

If you are interested in learning more about LHPH or in joining a workgroup to guide the creation of educational materials, please reach out to Erik Soto at esoto@globalliver.org in the United States; contact Giacomo Donnini if you are outside the United States at gdonnini@globalliver.org.

This initiative is made possible in the United States thanks to the support of Salix Pharmaceuticals and, globally, thanks to the support of Sanofi.

About Global Liver Institute

Global Liver Institute (GLI) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in the belief that liver health must take its place on the global public health agenda commensurate with the prevalence and impact of liver illness. GLI promotes innovation, encourages collaboration, and supports the scaling of optimal approaches to help eradicate liver diseases. Operating globally, GLI is committed to solving the problems that matter to liver patients and equipping advocates to improve the lives of individuals and families impacted by liver disease. Follow GLI on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Attachment
UNITED NATIONS, March 30 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy called on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to strengthen governance in the eastern part of the country and enhance security through development.

China is gravely concerned about the deteriorating security situation in eastern DRC, with violence by armed groups becoming more active and attacks on civilians more frequent, said Sun Zhiqiang, counselor of the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations, on Tuesday.

The causes for the prolonged turbulence in eastern DRC are intricate and complex and will not be rooted out by military means alone. China supports the DRC government in strengthening governance; promoting reforms in key sectors; implementing the disarmament, demobilization, community reintegration and stabilization program; and exercising effective control of its eastern region, he told the Security Council.

"It is important to value the role of development in enhancing security, and make use of the advantages in natural resources to create jobs, improve livelihoods, and eliminate poverty, so as to break the vicious cycle of violence," he said.

Maintaining political stability in the DRC is essential to ensure peace and development. China welcomes the commitment of President Felix Tshisekedi to hold free, democratic and transparent elections. China welcomes the adoption by the Independent National Electoral Commission of the electoral roadmap and calls on all political leaders to overcome differences and finalize the country's electoral calendar and budget, said Sun.

The humanitarian and development needs of the DRC must not be ignored. Although today's world is confronted with hot-spot issues, the DRC and other Africa-related agenda items must not be marginalized. He said that China strongly calls on the international community to ramp up its assistance to the DRC and other African countries. 
English French

Press Release

Paris, 30 March 2022

Oranges Board of Directors proposes Jacques Aschenbroich as a Director and future Group Non-Executive Chairman

The Board of Directors of Orange, at its meeting on 30 March 2022, proposed Jacques Aschenbroich as a new Director of the Group and, from 19 May, as Chairman of the Board. The nomination of Jacques Aschenbroich as a Director will be submitted to the Annual General Meeting of shareholders that will take place on 19 May, following which the Board would meet to elect him as its Non-Executive Chairman.

The Board of Directors expresses its thanks to the Groups Governance and Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility committee, which oversees appointments, along with the lead independent Director, for conducting a rigorous selection process.

The Board is also proposing to modify the Companys statutes in order to allow a Chairman reaching 70 years of age during his mandate to complete his term of office, the duration of Directors mandates at Orange being four years. All other rules with regard to age limits will remain unchanged.

The Board passed two other resolutions in respect of the Groups governance. Firstly, it proposed the nomination as Director of Valerie Beaulieu-James, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer and Executive Committee member of the Adecco Group. She will succeed Helle Kristoffersen who is leaving the Board after 11 years and during which time she has taken part in its work with tireless application and has brought to its deliberations throughout her mandate her considerable expertise, in particular in the domain of technology.

The Board also resolved, following a proposal by Christel Heydemann who takes up her role as Chief Executive Officer of Orange on 4 April 2022, to renew the mandate of Ramon Fernandez as Delegate CEO, his current mandate ending on 4 April in the context of the separation of roles. In this role, he will continue to bring his expertise and experience to the Group.

Stephane Richard, Chairman and Chief Executive of Orange commented: I wish every success to the tandem formed by Christel Heydemann and Jacques Aschenbroich which will be proposed to shareholders at the next AGM. Two experiences and two sources of energy serving the responsible development of this magnificent Group that I am happy to have served with passion these past twelve years.

Christel Heydemann, Board member and Oranges future Chief Executive Officer, said: I am delighted at the decision of the Board to propose Jacques Aschenbroich as the Chairman of Orange. Im sure that his long experience on matters of governance will bring much of value to the Group and Im certain that his international experience and profound knowledge of industry will allow us to write a new chapter in Oranges rich history together.

Jacques Aschenbroich

Jacques Aschenbroich is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Valeo. Prior to this he was the Chief Executive Officer of the Valeo Group from March 2009 to February 2016, then Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until January 2022. His extensive experience has been gained in senior roles in major industrial groups, in France and internationally, and also in senior roles in the French public administration.

Prior to joining Valeo, having graduated as an engineer from the Corps des Mines, he held a number of roles in the French public administration and served in the Prime Ministers office in 1987 and 1988. He then pursued his career at the Saint-Gobain group between 1988 and 2008. After heading the groups businesses in Brazil and Germany, he became Managing Director of the Compagnie de Saint-Gobains Flat Glass division (Saint-Gobain Vitrage) of which he became Chairman in 1996. Then, as Senior Vice President of the Compagnie de Saint-Gobain from October 2001 to December 2008, he managed the flat glass and high-performance materials sectors from January 2007 and, as the Vice-Chairman of Saint-Gobain Corporation and General Delegate to the United States and Canada, he led the companys US operations from 1 September 2007.

Jacques Aschenbroich is a former Board member of Veolia Environnement and is currently a Board member of BNP Paribas and of TotalEnergies. He is also the Chairman of the Board of the Ecole Nationale Superieure Mines ParisTech and Co-President of the Franco-Japanese Business Club.

About Orange

Orange is one of the worlds leading telecommunications operators with sales of 42.5 billion euros in 2021 and 140,000 employees worldwide at 31 December 2021, including 78,000 employees in France. The Group has a total customer base of 271 million customers worldwide at 31 December 2021, including 224 million mobile customers and 23 million fixed broadband customers. The Group is present in 26 countries. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies under the brand Orange Business Services. In December 2019, the Group presented its new "Engage 2025" strategic plan, which, guided by social and environmental accountability, aims to reinvent its operator model. While accelerating in growth areas and placing data and AI at the heart of its innovation model, the Group will be an attractive and responsible employer, adapted to emerging professions.

Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN).

For more information on the internet and on your mobile: www.orange.com, www.orange-business.com or to follow us on Twitter: @orangegrouppr.

Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited.

Contacts presse :

Sylvain Bruno ; sylvain.bruno@orange.com ; +33 6 86 17 88 89

Tom Wright ; tom.wright@orange.com ; +33 6 78 91 35 11

Attachment
Las Vegas, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Associa Nevada South team member, June Heydarian, was recently named On-site Manager of the Year at the Community Associations Institute (CAI) Nevada chapters annual gala and awards event.

CAI Nevadas annual awards gala honors local Homeowners Association (HOA) board members, CAI-Nevada chapter volunteers, association managers, and management companies who exhibit high standards of excellence within the homeowner association industry.

Ms. Heydarian has served the Nevada community association industry for 23 years. As a supervising community association manager, she is passionate about providing resources and education to community managers and executive board members. Ms. Heydarian currently serves as chair of the CAI Southern Nevada education committee and is a former vice president of the Nevada Association of Community Managers. She is also a CAI Nevada Educated Business Partner (NVEBP), CAI Nevada Dedicated Community Association Leader (DCAL), and a Nevada Real Estate Division (NRED) approved lecturer who has authored and coauthored 19 education classes. Previously, Ms. Heydarian was named CAI Nevadas 2019 Business Partner of the Year and received the CAI Nevada 2020 Presidents Award.

June is an exceptional leader both on our team at Associa Nevada South, and in the Nevada community management space, stated Tiffany Dessaints, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, Associa Nevada South president. Her recognition from CAI Nevada speaks to her passion for our industry and the clients we serve every day. Her service to the residents of Veer Towers, a premiere Associa Nevada South client community, is outstanding, and we look forward to celebrating this accomplishment with her.

About Associa

With more than 200 branch offices across North America, Associa is building the future of community for nearly five million residents worldwide. Our 10,000+ team members lead the industry with unrivaled education, expertise, and trailblazing innovation. For more than 43 years, Associa has brought positive impact and meaningful value to communities. To learn more, visit www.associaonline.com.

Stay Connected:

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/associa

Subscribe to the Blog: https://hub.associaonline.com/

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/associa

Join us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/associa

-30-
English French

TORONTO, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At a time when the worldwide number of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) is at an 80-year high, Right To Play is renewing its longstanding commitment to refugee education with the launch of a new program that will increase access to quality, play-based education to close to 40,000 internally displaced children in Mali.



Funding for the project was announced by The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development, in Ottawa on Wednesday, at the opening session of the Canada-led Together for Learning: Engaging Displaced Youth to Transform Education Summit attended by government officials, civil society and youth leaders from around the world.

Ongoing social and economic unrest in central and northern Mali is aggravating an existing education crisis and worsening gender inequality in the country. More than 2 million children between 5 to 17 are out of school, and more than half of Malis young people aged 15-24 are unable to read (UNICEF, 2021). The closure of schools due to violence has resulted in more than 365,000 children being forced out of the education system and outside a protective environment. COVID-19 has only made things worse. Mali is also among the 10 lowest ranked countries in the 2021 Global Gender Gap Index (149 out of 156), which has led to significant disparities between men and womens literacy rates and girls and boys enrollment in primary school.

Right To Plays 4.5-year EMPOWER program, funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, will improve literacy and life skills for children aged 6 to 12, especially girls and children living with disabilities. It will do so by supporting IDP-led organizations to leverage the transformational power of play to give children the tools and confidence they need to tackle harmful practices that violate their rights, and to rally community support for quality education.

Right To Play has been working with local partners in Mali for 20 years to protect children and ensure they can access education, said Susan McIsaac, CEO of Right To Play International. Right To Play welcomes Canadas continued leadership on increasing access to inclusive, equitable and quality education for the worlds most marginalized children, including girls, refugees and children living with disabilities. We are committed to using this project funding to continue to support children in Mali by empowering local IDP-led organizations to improve childrens literacy and life skills so they can thrive in the future.

We are living through the largest refugee crisis in history. Around the world, millions of children have been forced from their homes and pulled out of school, putting them at greater risk of abuse and neglect, and limiting their future potential, said Minister Sajjan. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting refugee and internally displaced children to access quality education through programs like Right To Plays EMPOWER, which will use the transformational power of play to support children to learn, thrive, and claim their rights.

The Minister made the funding announcement at the Together for Learning: Engaging Displaced Youth to Transform Education Summit, which brings together youth delegates, policymakers, government officials and civil society from more than 30 countries on March 30 and 31 to learn from the experiences of refugee and displaced youth and engage with them as problem solvers and decision-makers. According to Education Cannot Wait, one in four school-aged children and youth live in countries affected by crisis. Right To Play joins civil society in welcoming Canadas policy leadership at the Summit and hopes to build on this momentum to see the shared commitment to the rights of refugee and displaced learners, including much needed financial investments, is fully realized.

Media contact: Allison Love, Communications Manager, Right To Play Canada, alove@righttoplay.com, 647-429-0506

Right To Play is a global organization that protects, educates and empowers children to rise above adversity using the power of play. We reach 2.3 million children each year in some of the most difficult and dangerous places on earth, helping them to stay in school and graduate, resist exploitation, overcome prejudice, prevent disease and heal from the trauma of war. We do this by harnessing play, one of the most fundamental forces in a child's life, to teach children the critical skills they need to dismantle barriers and embrace opportunities, in learning and in life. Visit www.righttoplay.com for more information.
St. Helena, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- St. Helena, California -

Trevor Codington, an attorney, and partner at Reidy Law Group, based in St. Helena, CA, has represented Joel Gott Wines in its purchase of Napas historic Edge Hill property from Rudd Estate. This particular transaction is just one of the many recent real estate deals where he used his legal expertise to assist his client in the negotiations and in closing the deal. Real estate transactions have become some of the most successful and important work Trevor has done to date.

The real estate deal included 25 acres of land, a retrofitted three-story Edge Hill winery that was constructed in 1876, the Edge Hill name, and current inventory. Joel Gott Wines, which is partnering with Trinchero Family Estates in this project, plans to produce red wine from the Edge Hill estate vineyard.

"This property is one of the most important wineries in Napa," said Gott Wines proprietor Joel Gott, according to WineSpectator.com. "We are all very excited about bringing it back to life, [and] honoring the direction that the Rudd family started."

The newly-acquired Edge Hill property adds to Joel Gotts vineyard holdings, which include around 200 acres of vines planted in the Sierra Foothills and Sonoma. The Edge Hill property is the oldest three-level gravity-fed winery in the Napa Valley.

Trevor Codington works as a transactional attorney, specializing in assisting businesses with transactions including sales, mergers, acquisitions, and real estate. Their legal knowledge can be helpful with agreements and contracts, especially with regard to large business and real estate transactions.

About Reidy Law Group:





The Reidy Law Group offers comprehensive legal services for developing and protecting brands, including copyright law, trademark law, content licensing, brand sales and acquisitions, publicity rights law, dispute resolution, and business contracts. The firm primarily represents the food, beverage, and hospitality industries. The firm also handles all business, real estate, and financing matters.

###

For more information about Reidy Law Group, contact the company here:



Reidy Law Group

Trevor Codington

415-233-0434

trevorcodington@gmail.com

1230 Spring Street



Saint Helena, CA 94574
Dallas, Texas, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- North American Cannabis Holdings, Inc. (OTC Pink: USMJ) is a cannabis ecommerce business  see www.USMJ.com . The companys ecommerce experience could be priceless, in the event marijuana is legalized federally, said USMJ CEO Steven Rash.

The House is expected to vote this week on marijuana legalization .

We now have years of experience in the ecommerce business and federal legalization opens the door to massive expansion opportunities that can be built on our ecommerce experience, said USMJ CEO Steven Rash. We have the technology and the operations experience in the cannabis space that puts us ahead of the crowd. Think about home delivery to consultation, all from an online portal. Given USMJs relationship with Priority Aviation, Inc. (OTC Pink: PJET], dont forget, let alone underestimate, the resources we have there to tap into PJETs smart technology. The companys ecommerce experience could be priceless, in the event marijuana is legalized federally.

Puration, Inc. (OTC Pink: PURA), PJET and USMJ are all controlled by the same majority shareholder, ACI Conglomerated. Steven Rash is the senior manager of ACI in addition to serving as the interim CEO of PJET following PJETs business focus realignment into the student life market.

Yesterday, USMJ published a shareholder update highlighting the companys recent opportunity to become a licensed marijuana cultivator and distributor:

USMJ Details $20 Million Marijuana and CBD Sales Growth Plan In Shareholder Update

Visit the companys ecommerce site now and bookmark the site to watch for more coming announcements and updates: www.USMJ.com

Contact:

USMJ

Steven Rash

info@aciconglomerated.com

+1 (800) 861-1350

Disclaimer/Safe Harbor: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act. The statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Among others, these risks include the expectation that Alkame will achieve significant sales, the failure to meet schedule or performance requirements of the Company's contracts, the Company's liquidity position, the Company's ability to obtain new contracts, the emergence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive pricing. In the light of these uncertainties, the forward-looking events referred to in this release might not occur. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Columbus, Ohio, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northwest State Community College (NSCC), which serves over 77,000 Northwest Ohio families, is engaged in a $3.3M Energy Project with Veregy. The project scope includes solar, HVAC, LED lighting, and building automation components. It is guaranteed to save the College $239,237 in energy costs in the first year and expected to maintain similar savings for years to come. In addition, this project is estimated to generate $37,461 in operations and maintenance cost-savings annually.

At a community college, where leadership must be strategic to stretch a limited budget, these savings mean more available funds to be allocated to what matters most  providing students with a quality education. Furthermore, because the project will be self-funded through cost savings, Northwest States capital budgets will be unaffected, making this a sound financial decision for the College.

Beyond the significant cost-savings, this investment of resources demonstrates the colleges commitment to advancing green initiatives, enhancing learning conditions for students, and improving operational performance. A 1 megawatt ground-mounted solar array system will be installed, without reducing green space, in a paved area on the northwest side of campus. In addition to generating power for the facilities, this array, containing over 2,500 solar panels, will serve as a tool for STEM students to engage in hands-on curriculum related to renewable energy sources.

The project scope also includes upgrades to more efficient LED lighting systems, including the replacement of lamps, ballasts, and more than 2700 existing fixtures. Over 400 emergency light fixtures will also be converted to LED. NSCC is thrilled as they have already started noticing positive results. A significant portion of the LED lighting installation was completed on March 10. In the following week, NSCCs utility monitoring dashboard revealed a noticeable dip in their energy consumption.

HVAC upgrades will also take place to improve efficiency and enhance the comfort of students and staff. These upgrades include rebuilding an existing air handling unit with a new variable frequency drive, as well as replacing outdated equipment such as a chiller, air handling unit, and boiler with more efficient models. In addition, Veregy is conducting a retro-commissioning study of the existing building automation system to uncover other opportunities to fine-tune and optimize the performance of the campus facilities. NSCC will also benefit from Veregys Digital Services offerings, including ongoing monitoring-based commissioning through Facility Conductor and automated utility data and analytics through Energy Master.

Northwest State and Veregy are committed to supporting the community by partnering with local vendors and subcontractors. All of the mechanical and electrical work will be completed by firms in Northwest Ohio and its surrounding areas, and the solar panels will be manufactured by a firm headquartered just a few miles from the College.

Kevin Gerken, NSCC Director of Plant Operations, Construction, and Renovation, commented on the project, After many years of keeping NSCC as efficient as possible, the next step to save the college money was to turn to a renewable energy source, and solar was the best option. We have taken part in many rebate programs and have been inspected by numerous energy efficiency companies. The findings of the audits revealed that we were running at near peak efficiency. Another selling point in the installation of the solar array is that the learners will be able to view how the array is working and how much electricity it will be producing at any given time. We really can't wait to see the future savings through the next phases of the construction.

NSCCs Mission: To serve by providing access to excellent and affordable education, training, and services that will improve the lives of individuals and strengthen communities. Northwest State accomplishes their mission of remaining both excellent and affordable by making strategic investments in initiatives, such as this energy project, that improve the campus while preserving funds.

About Northwest State Community College

Northwest State Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1969. Northwest State is committed to providing a quality, affordable education with personal attention and small class sizes. The College offers associate degrees with numerous transfer options, short-term certificate programs, and workforce training programs designed to meet the needs of local businesses and industries. Their accreditation allows them to offer degree and certificate programs in the fields of arts & sciences; business & public services; nursing & allied health; and STEM and industrial technologies. To learn more about NSCC, visit their website at visit www.NorthwestState.edu

About Veregy

Veregy is a full-service Energy Services Company with a strong local presence in Ohio as well as offices in 16 locations across the country. The national firm has over 33 years of industry experience and has delivered $1.7B+ in energy savings projects. Energy conservation projects may include building automation, fine-tuning & retro-commissioning, HVAC efficiency upgrades, LED lighting, building envelope, renewable energy, and indoor air quality improvement. Veregy also has extensive experience in construction manager at-risk projects, as well as delivering healthy building solutions to public entities in across the nation. The company is one of only thirteen Energy Service Providers accredited by the National Association of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO). To learn more about Veregy, visit their website at www.veregy.com.

# # # #

Attachment
SAN FRANCISCO, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nothing beats a steaming hot bath on a cold winter day. Located in Southwest China, Guizhou is the kingdom of sedimentary rocks and karst landscapes recognized by geologists around the world. To let more people know about China's Guizhou Province, the People's Daily Online West USA Inc specially launched the "Magic Guizhou" series.

Its unique and complex geological features contribute to a very favorable hydrogeological condition for the formation and storage of hot springs. There are over 200 hot spring resources distributed in the province.

Shiqian Hot Spring

A historic hot spring has quietly sat on the bank of the Longchuan River for centuries, quietly existing alongside the changes and transformations the world underwent over time. Shiqian Hot Spring is one of China's oldest hot springs. The construction of the facility began during the 34th year under the rule of Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty (1606 AD). The hot spring has over 400 years of history and is the only natural mineral hot spring in China that can be used for both bathing and drinking.

A "secret paradise on earth" is hiding at the tip of the magnificent peak of Foding Mountain, which is 1,869 meters above sea level. There is a small town with a tranquil natural environment and gentle spring water. The hot spring resort was created based on the National 5-Star Hot Spring standards, providing visitors with over 40 hot spring ponds in different styles inside the forest.

Jianhe Hot Spring

The goddess Yang Asha, venerated by the Miao people, was born in Jianhe. Her hometown is endowed with a unique atmosphere of tenderness and romanticism thanks to its hot springs.

Jianhe Hot Spring is a natural mineral thermal spring with a flow rate of over 5,000 tons per day at 50. Jianhe Hot Spring is also renowned as the "Holy Water of Miao Village."

In Jianhe Hot Spring Town, the hot spring culture is infused with the unique cultural elements from the Miao and Dong cultures through the architectural style of the traditional blue brick walls and wooden corridors.

Sinan Hot Spring

"Watch over the ancient town and Wujiang River from the mountain top, where we bathe in the holy water under the endless skies"  these are the words of a poet to describe this place of rest and beauty. Using hot springs to promote wellness has been an idea passed down from ancient times. The Cliff Hot Spring, especially, will be a thrilling experience visitors do not want to miss.

In addition to Shiqian Hot Spring, Jianhe Hot Spring, and Sinan Hot Spring, there are many more hot spring spots distributed all over the magical land of Guizhou, including Xifeng Hot Spring and Wanxiang Hot Spring. Together, they contribute to a traveling route that covers eight major hot spring destinations in total. These natural endowments have helped Guizhou to lay a solid foundation for becoming a "national hot spring province" and developing the hot spring tourism industry.

Travelers are invited to come to Guizhou to enjoy a warm winter in the steaming hot springs.

CONTACT:

Amy Zhou

Phone: 919.564.8043

Email: usawest@people.cn

Related Images











Image 1

















Image 2

















Image 3

















Image 4

















Image 5

















Image 6

















Image 7









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
SAN FRANCISCO, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In Southwest China, there is a hidden paradise on earth, where the "water originates from the Yangtze River and the mountains extend from Kunlun," as the saying goes. To let more people know about China's Guizhou Province, the People's Daily Online West USA Inc specially launched the "Magic Guizhou" series.

On this land, countless rivers, both big and small, run through the ravines of the steep and lush mountains. This remarkable land is home to a variety of ethnic groups. For thousands of years, the people here have been maintaining a respectful and harmonious relationship with nature. This is Guizhou, the place of wonders and colors.

In the hinterland of Guizhou live the Miao people who migrated to Guizhou 4,000 years ago.

Sharp and loud gunshots breaking through the morning quiet start each day for the Miao people living on Yueliang Mountain. Yisha in Congjiang County is home to the last riflemen's group in China.

When distinguished guests arrive in the village, the men fire gunshots into the air in a welcoming salute. The riflemen hold the utmost respect for nature. The Miao people in Yisha are spiritually bound to their designated trees.

There are three trees in each person's life. When one is born, adults plant a tree in the child's name to guard them throughout their lifetime. The person worships and pays homage to that tree on the new year or on any major festival. When the person dies, the tree will be cut down to make the casket.

Before every child enters adulthood at 15 years old, a well-respected figure in the village assigns a tree to the child. The tree is called "Xiaozaishu" (meaning "tree that prevents bad fortune"). From childhood to adulthood, the boy or the girl has to frequently worship and pay homage to their tree. The people here believe that everything in nature has a spirit and humans have to be respectful and grateful to nature, instead of trying to exploit or possess it.

The third tree in life is called "Changqingshu" (meaning "evergreen"). The tree is planted right above the burial site after someone passes away, signifying that life continues in another form after death into another cycle.

In Yisha, people connect with life through their trees and with their ancestors through their hair. For men in Yisha, having a haircut is a tremendous event. The hair-shaving ceremony seems simple, but it embodies deeply rooted bonds between people and their ancestors. The braid on a man's head also symbolizes a tree. For that reason, the "wild grass"(means the hair around the braid) has to be mown every once occasionally to guarantee better growth of the "tree."

Guizhou is blessed with rich and colorful cultures and customs. They are embroidered into garments, blended into songs. These cultures and customs are both tangible and intangible assets deeply rooted in this land, where they continue to thrive and shine with their uniqueness.

CONTACT:

Amy Zhou

Phone: 919.564.8043

Email: usawest@people.cn

Related Images











Image 1

















Image 2

















Image 3

















Image 4

















Image 5

















Image 6

















Image 7

















Image 8









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
English French

AMHERST, Nova Scotia, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In recent weeks, Atlantic Canadians have been faced with a string of bad news stories about wild birds: an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (including, recently, a great black-backed gull in Riverview, N.B.), sea birds coated in oil from a tanker spill off the coast of Newfoundland, and more than 130 common eiders found dead on a beach on New Brunswicks Grand Manan Island.



The eider die-off is a blow to a species already in decline and remains under investigation, though testing has ruled out highly pathogenic avian influenza. Aerial surveys done by the Province of New Brunswick show numbers of breeding common eider in the Bay of Fundy are declining about three per cent a yearand no ones sure why. Add to that the reality that the Gulf of Maine, one of the eiders primary habitats, is warming faster than 96 per cent of the worlds oceans.

But as overwhelming as bad environmental news can be, conservation experts at Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) note that these tragedies can teach us why continued conservation efforts are so important for these birds.

Ducks Unlimited Canadas habitat investments have helped ensure the stability and population growth of many waterfowl species and our continued support is necessary to maintain these trends, says Adam Campbell, DUCs manager of provincial operations in Atlantic Canada. Despite the success story associated with many ducks, some, like eider are not doing so well. We need to gain a better understanding of the challenges leading to their decline so that actions can be implemented to help. We are committed to working with partners to develop and implement conservation solutions based on sound science.

Were taking action for eiders

For nearly a decade, DUC has partnered with Acadia University, the Canadian Wildlife Service, Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forestry, and more recently with several new Canadian and American partners, on research projects that track and study breeding eiders and their migration patterns along the Eastern Seaboard. This information will make it easier to figure out what threats, either from human activities or predators, the eiders might be running into so we can adapt our conservation efforts to alleviate them.

What you can do to help eiders (and other migratory waterfowl)

Eiders today face an ever-growing list of human-made and environmental threats, from habitat loss to climate change. Thats why our collective efforts to support eider populations now and for the future have never been more important. Heres a few things you can do to help:

Help birds keep their distance  One thing biologists know for sure is that wild birds tend to get sick more often when they congregate in large numbers. The pandemic has taught humans how easily disease can spread when big groups of people gather; its the same thing for birds. Our wetland conservation work means theres more space for these birds to socially distance while theyre foraging on crustaceans below the waters surface.



In general, feeding waterfowl not only increases the chances of negative human-wildlife encounters and can make them dependent on people for food, it can also make them sick. The food that people typically feed ducks isnt as nutritious as what the birds would find for themselves. Feeding waterfowl also encourages congregation around food sources and can increase risk of disease transmission like highly pathogenic avian influenza, or avian cholera which affected common eiders in the mid-2000s.



Learn more about eiders  Did you know common eiders, the largest duck in North America, eat mostly mollusks like mussels and clams, and can dive up to 20 metres to forage them? Did you know hens dont eat during their 26-day incubation period and can lose up to 45 per cent of their body mass as a result? Or that males dont grow breeding plumage until theyre three years old? Find out more about these striking sea ducks, what habitats they call home, how far they migrate, and where you might be lucky enough to spot one, on DUCs website.



Encourage youth to get involved  Getting outdoors to explore natural spaces is one of the best ways to engage young people and connect them to wildlife and the value of conservation. DUC offers activities and resources online that can help to inspire and empower them.



Support research and conservation  Your donation will support the research needed to better understand what actions we need to take to help declining eider populations.



Sign up to receive our monthly enewsletter  Become informed about conservation efforts and opportunities in Atlantic provinces and across Canada.



Volunteer  Don't underestimate the power of individual actions to help an iconic species like the eider. Look for opportunities to volunteer your time with a local habitat conservation organization like DUC. In Atlantic Canada, were always looking for volunteers, from Land Guardians, to event planners, to nest-box stewards. Get in touch!

Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is the leader in wetland conservation. A registered charity, DUC partners with government, industry, non-profit organizations, Indigenous Peoples and landowners to conserve wetlands that are critical to waterfowl, wildlife and the environment. To learn more about DUCs innovative environmental solutions and services, visit www.ducks.ca.

Media contact:

Chelsea Murray

Communications Specialist

media@ducks.ca

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/07f87376-9905-4c26-becd-7913820bab6c
PHILADELPHIA, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 1Digital Agency is a group of eCommerce experts who help companies in a variety of industries boost their online presence. Their team has managed a wide variety of search engine optimization campaigns for both nationwide and local businesses. Their local SEO methods are tailored to attract target demographics and enhance website traffic so that businesses can generate more leads and sales from their websites.

Having a professional eCommerce agency like 1Digital on their side is a great way for local businesses to ensure that their websites are operating effectively and assisting in their growth. Digital marketing has never been more vital than it is now, as more and more local businesses are moving towards an eCommerce or partly eCommerce-based business model.

Businesses in local marketplaces tend to face fierce competition both online and offline. Local SEO services are a great way to stand out from the competition when potential customers turn to search engines. 1Digital Agency's local SEO services for businesses tend to primarily be concerned with generating leads for a local business, but SEO campaigns can be as flexible as the businesses they are designed around. In addition to generating leads, 1Digital Agency's campaigns can also help businesses generate both local traffic and customers for the eCommerce products or services they provide.

These flexible marketing strategies entail identifying keywords for certain industries that consumers in a given geographic area are searching. Then their team utilizes those keywords to create blog posts and backlinks to business websites in order to increase their domain authority. When consumers in their area are looking for certain products and services, they are usually going to select businesses that are ranking higher in the search engine results.

Not only can 1Digital Agency's local SEO campaigns assist businesses looking to improve their local search rankings, but national eCommerce SEO campaigns are also a perfect option for companies interested in selling the products or services they offer their local customers nationwide through their eCommerce site.1Digital Agency's staff has designed world-class campaigns to help their clients increase online sales.

Their team includes designers, web developers, and other eCommerce experts who can consistently execute unique work on their clients' websites in addition to providing local SEO services. Many of their clients use 1Digital for their marketing expertise and then turn to them again for future projects after experiencing just how effectively they work.

For businesses interested in working with a local SEO agency, the specialists at 1Digital are ready to offer them world-class results. Contact their eCommerce experts by calling 888-982-8269 or sending an email to info@1DigitalAgency.com to get started with an SEO audit.

Related Images











Image 1: A local SEO campaign can help a business generate substantial local visibility.





Local SEO campaigns can be a significant investment in digital marketing that will improve both the quality and volume of local leads.









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
For decades, tensions and conflicts have been running high in DR Congo's Ituri province, where many people had no choice but to flee their homes and take refuge in IDP camps scattered across the province.

Survivors of bloodshed are battling trauma and weaving life in camps for internally displaced people (IDP) in Ituri, northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, following decades-long conflicts.



BUNIA, DR Congo, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of thousands of people, all survivors of bloodshed and militia attacks, are battling trauma and weaving life in camps for internally displaced people (IDP) in Ituri, a northeastern province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), following decades-long conflicts.

For decades, tensions and conflicts have been running high in this part of the country, where hundreds of thousands of people had no choice but to flee their homes and take refuge in IDP camps scattered across Ituri.

According to a report released Monday by the United Nations, some 1.9 million people are displaced within Ituri, accounting for one-third of all people displaced in this central African country.

An aerial photo taken on Feb. 4, 2022, shows a camp for internally displaced people (IDP) in Ituri, a northeastern province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Photo by Alain Uaykani/Xinhua)

Buma Annie, a 36-year-old girl who has been internally displaced since last year, now resides in the Kigonze camp in Bunia, capital of the Ituri province. Born and raised in a small village of the Djugu territory, home to the country's largest number of IDP, she recalled the day when she escaped by the skin of their teeth.

"During the attacks in my village, the militiamen first raped me and then massacred the members of my family", she told Xinhua at the Kigonze IDP camp, located on the outskirts of Bunia. In trauma, she managed to crawl his away out despite her legs both brutally amputated.

After months of medical treatment by humanitarian workers, Buma Annie is now able to move on her two knees, noting that battling the trauma now becomes the biggest hurdle of her life.

"It is difficult for me to live with this trauma that remains permanently in my head after what the militia did to me. I have always felt alone in the absence of my family who has all perished in this situation of insecurity which unfortunately still does not end," confessed Annie.

Photo taken on March 17, 2022, shows a view of a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ituri province, northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Photo by Alain Uaykani/Xinhua)

"The militiamen coldly killed my two children with machetes during the attack. These children meant everything to me," said Bernadette Ngadjoy, a 62-year-old mother, who lost both of her children in the attack, adding that she now needs to refind the strength to live in the IDP camp.

Since the beginning of 2022, the escalation in violence in Ituri has led to the killing of an estimated 400 civilians and the displacement of over 83,000 people, said Monday the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

As some 80 civilians have been murdered in the second week of March alone, OCHA claimed to have observed an increase in attacks on IDP sites and in areas where displaced people are seeking shelter.

In a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua, Lieutenant-General Johnny Luboya, Ituri's military governor noted that the recent flare-up of violence against civilians mirrors the pressure of the military operations by the DRC authorities, which would last "until the effective restoration of peace".

Soldiers are seen on a military vehicle during a joint military operation against armed forces in Beni territory, northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dec. 11, 2021. (Photo by Alain Uaykani/Xinhua)

"It is indeed the results of the pressure that our forces are exerting against the militiamen. This pressure will continue permanently until the effective restoration of peace," he said, calling on the population to be patient and trust the military operations in progress.

Alongside the ongoing military operations in Ituri, the DRC presidency has also initiated dialogue with the cooperative group for the development of Congo (CODECO), who has been active in Djugu, in an attempt to try to find a peaceful solution.

"We know the challenges are huge on many fronts, but we remain optimistic about the future of this province. We are appealing to our people to trust our ability to restore peace, and we will get there," said the military governor. 
SAN FRANCISCO, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Guizhou has two types of sour soup - white sour soup and red sour soup. If the white sour soup makes the best duo with beef, then the red sour soup is a perfect match for fish. To let more people know about China's Guizhou Province, the People's Daily Online West USA Inc specially launched the "Magic Guizhou" series.

The fog is starting to fade in the early hours of the morning. Wang Qihong and his wife, who live right next to Leigong Mountain, are already up and heading to the rice paddies with their baskets. They are going to catch some fish with their bare hands, a skill of the Miao people. The fish, which live in the rice paddies and feed on the rice flowers, are known for their fragrant flesh with a rich texture. Paired with the tomato-based red sour soup, the fish's flavor is elevated to near perfection. As soon as the thick and juicy fish slices completely absorb the flavor-packed soup, it is the best time to enjoy it. Served directly in the boiling hot soup, this dish is a household name is Guizhou  Sour Soup Fish, or Suantangyu in Chinese.

The endless rice fields stretch across Guizhou, contouring the province's glorious natural landscape.

Endless rice fields stretch across Guizhou, contouring the province's glorious natural landscape. Naturally, rice is an essential part of Guizhou's food culture. The golden hulls are now being removed from the rice inside the stone grinder. Starting from here, the rice grains will turn into a variety of dishes. In Dong cultural custom, the morning starts with a bowl of aromatic oil tea. And the very essence is the chewy rice crunch served together with the drink. The Buyi people use rice and natural plant-based dyes in a dish called Five-Color Rice, giving this everyday ingredient a poetic, larger-than-life touch. On Chinese New Year or any other major holiday, the steaming-hot "Ciba" rice cake is a must-have dessert on the table. In addition, rice noodles are also a popular dish available on every single street often served as a hearty breakfast.

In Guizhou, food is so much more than a sensation on the tastebuds. Here, food is the embodiment of culture and emotions. The slightly bitter "Baicao" Soup added into the hotpot is probably the physical manifestation of the powerful spiritual bond between the Miao people and nature. The diverse fillings and complex wrapping technique of Siwawa, also perfectly illustrate how seriously people take their food here. Food is for the body. How it is prepared is culture. Here in Guizhou, food carries a cultural legacy.

CONTACT:

Amy Zhou

Phone: 919.564.8043

Email: usawest@people.cn

Related Images











Image 1

















Image 2

















Image 3





Wang Qihong and his wife, who live right next to Leigong Mountain, are already up and heading to the rice paddies with their baskets. They are going to catch some fish with their bare hands.

















Image 4

















Image 5

















Image 6





The Buyi people use rice and natural plant-based dyes in a dish called Five-Color Rice, giving this everyday ingredient a poetic, larger-than-life touch.

















Image 7

















Image 8









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
BOSTON, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BOSTONTo celebrate a strong performance in 2021, its 75th Anniversary, and remarkable teamwork and commitment throughout the pandemic CDM Smith is sharing the success with 100% of its full-time eligible employees by awarding them cash bonuses for their dedication and hard work. Additional recognition was provided to field and construction teams for keeping essential infrastructure moving forward while much of the rest of the world worked from home. This cash reward is just one action of many the firm is taking to recognize staff, bolster the company for unprecedented growth and prepare the next generation of STEM professionals.

Over the past 2 years, CDM Smith employees have made personal sacrifices and significant contributions to support the firm and seamlessly continue delivering for clients. In celebration of the firm's 75th Anniversary and in acknowledgement of successfully navigating the global pandemic, CDM Smith will recognize eligible employees with a cash BRAVO award, which is in addition to their regular compensation.

"Our core value of Shared Commitment is not just to survive the bad patches, but to share in the rewards of good times, too. Performance matters and because of our employees' unwavering efforts through 2021 we can proudly recognize their hard work," said Timothy B Wall, CDM Smith Chairman of the Board and CEO. "The focus and support from our amazing community of employees resulted in remarkable outcomes for our clients, which allowed for a strong and successful 2021 and sets us up for future success." Employees will receive the award in April.

CDM Smith is taking many other actions to move the firm, clients and industry beyond the pandemic. We continue to grow our investment in employee career development through programs like the Technical Specialist Development, Research and Development Incubator and the launch of our Leadership Academy. It was with great pride and excitement this year that we expanded our cadre of industry leaders by graduating the two classes from our Leadership Academys Inspire and Elevate programs while inducting the next two classes of each.

To help clients address their pressing needs, CDM Smith is aggressively growing with plans to hire more than 900 professionals across the firm. During the pandemic, the firm made significant investments to protect its employees. The company implemented a plan for no COVID-related furloughs or layoffs, made no salary or recognition compensation reductions or freezes, and honored every intern, new graduate and experienced offer to keep staff employed and secure. And In 2022, the firm is projecting to continue its industry leading growth across all of its markets, including the recently launched digital company Trinnex. Candidates can easily apply online.

Developing the next generation of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) professionals is very important to CDM Smith and the firm annually awards four $5,000 scholarships to assist undergraduate and graduate college students pursuing an eligible STEM program or major. In celebration of the 75th anniversary, scholarship amounts are increased to $7,500 and the number of available scholarships double to eight! In 2022, the four new scholarships are for STEM education for disadvantaged communities and under-represented minorities. The 2022 application period is open and will close on April 13, 2022. Learn more and apply.

The internship experience at CDM Smith is not just a job; it is a paid working experience where interns learn valuable skills, become important members of our diverse culture and make real contributions that help drive the firms mission to be the best, brightest and boldest in the industry, explains Wall. I started my career at CDM Smith as a co-op student and Im still here after 31 years. To make a difference for the current and future generations, we must lead by action, and Im proud of how leadership and our staff are setting the standard in our industry. We proudly say we hire for careers, not jobs. Its that spirit and commitment that sets CDM Smith apart.

CDM Smith is a privately owned engineering and construction firm providing legendary client service and smart solutions in water, environment, transportation, energy and facilities. Passionate about our work and invested in each other, we are inspired to think and driven to solve the world's environmental and infrastructure challenges.
Chicago, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Ariztons latest research report, the Group II & III base oil market will grow at a CAGR of 7% during the forecast period 2022-2027. The global market for group II & III base oil is intensifying due to the need for low sulfur content, low viscosity, and a higher saturation of chemical bonds that effectively meet the current market trends of reducing carbon footprint and improving fuel economy.



The growing trends towards better fuel economy, increasing engine oil durability, vehicle emission standards, and reduced pollution levels drive the demand for group II & group III base oils.

Group II & III Base Oil Market Report Scope

REPORT ATTRIBUTES DETAILS MARKET SIZE $30 billion MARKET SIZE (UNIT SHIPMENT) 40 Million Tons CAGR 7% BASE YEAR 2021 FORECAST YEAR 2022-2027 MARKET SEGMENTS Technology (Hydrocracking, Hydrotreating, Catalytic Dewaxing) and Application (Automotive oil, Industrial oil, Process oil, and others) GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS North America, Europe, APAC, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa COUNTRIES COVERED US, Canada, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Rest of APAC, Germany, Russia, France, UK, Spain, Rest of Europe, Brazil, Mexica, Rest of Latin America, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, and Rest of Middle East & Africa KEY VENDORS Chevron Corporation, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Hyundai and Shell Base Oil Co., Petro-Canada Lubricant, and Saudi Arabian Oil Co.

Click Here to Download the Free Sample Report

Increasing Demand For Imo-Compliant Marine Fuel

High antioxidant properties, low sulfur content, enhanced viscosity control, and low volatility are the key characteristics of group II and group III base oils. The evolvement of marine regulations such as IMO-2020 to reduce emissions is driving the high growth of group II and group III base oils.

There are fewer manufacturing plants for group II and group III base oils in Europe. As local demand shifted toward high-quality base oils, Europe transitioned from an exporter to a significant importer of base oils. Several marine companies are moving to Group II marine lubricants after detecting considerable changes in performance after using group II base oils in combination with high-viscosity naphthenic base oils.

Key Offerings:

Market Size & Forecast by Revenue| 20212027

Market Dynamics  Leading trends, growth drivers, restraints, and investment opportunities

Market Segmentation  A detailed analysis by technology, application, and geography

Competitive Landscape  5 key vendors and 15 other prominent vendors

Group II & III Base Oil Market Segmentation Analysis

Market Segmentation by Technology

Hydrocracking

Hydrotreating

Catalytic Dewaxing

Others

Market Segmentation by Application

Automotive Oil

Industrial Oil

Process Oil

Others

For free sample click: https://www.arizton.com/request-sample/3300

Catalytic Dewaxing Technology to Reach $6 Billion By 2027

Catalytic dewaxing technology is in high demand as it provides high-quality base oil. Installation of a catalytic dewaxing unit is inexpensive, provides excellent performance at low temperatures, and produces both lubricant base stock and light distillates. As a result, demand for catalytic dewaxing technology for group II and III base oils increases.

Key players such as Shell, Pure Performance, and Resolute Oil use catalytic dewaxing technology to produce group II & III base oil at the refineries. Moreover, the Indian Oil Corporation is building its second catalytic dewaxing unit at the Haldia refinery in India. The unit is expected to be completed by April 2023.

North America  Best Region to Invest

The Group II & III base oil market in North America is expected to reach $11 billion by 2027. In North America, the US and Canada are the major markets for Group II & III base oil. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) reforms have forced US-based auto manufacturers to use North American manufactured tools to boost their supply chain. Under the new deal, automobile companies are required to produce at least 75% of the car parts in Canada and the US. Such developments in the automobile manufacturing sector drive the demand for Group II & III base oil in the region.

Market Segmentation by Geography

North America US Canada

Europe Germany Russia France UK Spain Rest of Europe

APAC China India Japan South Korea Rest of APAC

Latin America Brazil Mexica Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa Saudi Arabia UAE Iran Rest of the Middle East & Africa





Explore our chemicals & material profile to know more about the industry.

Click Here to Download the Free Sample Report

Read Some of the Top-Selling Reports:

About Arizton:

Arizton Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.

We offer comprehensive market research reports on industries such as consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare, and life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals and materials, IT and media, logistics and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts.

Arizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered in generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.

Click Here to Contact Us

Call: +1-312-235-2040

+1 302 469 0707
LAS VEGAS and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC. (CSE: TAAT) (OTCQX: TOBAF) (FRANKFURT: 2TP) (the Company or TAAT) is pleased to announce that it has accepted an invitation from multinational investment bank Jefferies Group (Jefferies) to present at the Jefferies Cannabis Summit on Thursday, June 2, 2022 (revised from the original date of Wednesday, March 2, 2022). Taking place at the InterContinental Barclay in New York City, the Jefferies Cannabis Summit is a one-day live event with global virtual attendance options in which cannabis industry players will deliver their respective corporate presentations and engage in one-on-one meetings. The Jefferies Cannabis Summit is an invitation-only event, attended exclusively by Jefferies clients who are mostly institutional equity investors. Although TAAT is primarily positioned in the USD $812 billion global tobacco industry, its use of hemp in the tobacco-free and nicotine-free Beyond Tobacco base material qualifies the Company for attendance at this event.



In 2021, Jefferies initiated coverage of seven cannabis companies in the United States, placing a Buy rating on each, describing this as a potential generational wealth opportunity in a report to its clients. At the same time Jefferies estimated that the U.S. cannabis sector will grow at a 14 percent rate from 2020 to 2030. Jefferies stated that it believes a limiting factor on the valuation of U.S. cannabis companies is the lack of institutional support. By its estimations, Jefferies calculated institutional ownership of shares of U.S. cannabis companies at 4% compared to 15% for the Canadian cannabis space1.

For more information about Jefferies, please visit the following website: http://jefferies.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/58757a27-ddb9-4a3f-9e2f-c330c0f0d73f

On Thursday, June 2, 2022, TAAT will be presenting at the Jefferies Cannabis Summit; an invitation-only event for clients of Jefferies (a multinational investment bank), who are mostly institutional equity investors. Following the delivery of the Companys investor presentation, individual attendees can engage in one-on-one meetings with TAAT to learn more about the Company and its journey towards capturing market share in the USD $812 billion global tobacco industry. The current version of the TAAT investor presentation can be accessed by clicking here .

Readers using news aggregation services may be unable to view the media above. Please access SEDAR or the Investor Relations section of the Companys website for a version of this press release containing all published media.

TAAT Founder Joe Deighan commented, We are grateful that we were invited to the Jefferies Cannabis Summit in New York City, because it validates us as a prominent name in a space about which Jefferies is clearly very enthusiastic. The scope of the cannabis industry is immense, and our novel approach to leveraging hemp as a base material for a nicotine-free and tobacco-free alternative to tobacco cigarettes is a testament to just how versatile of a biomass it is. I consider this to be a very unique opportunity for us, as institutional investors comprise a significant portion of the shareholder base of major tobacco companies (e.g., over 75% of shares in Philip Morris International are held by more than 2,400 different institutions2), and putting TAAT in front of an institutional investor audience could be extremely beneficial for us as we seek to grow and fortify our profile in the capital markets.

Sources

1 - https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/jefferies-initiates-coverage-on-u-s-pot-opertors-with-bullish-view-on-u-s-market-1.1626287

2 - https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/PM/holders?p=PM (data from Tuesday, March 29, 2022)

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company,

TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC.

Setti Coscarella

Setti Coscarella, CEO and Director

For further information, please contact:

TAAT Investor Relations

1-833-TAAT-USA (1-833-822-8872)

investor@taatglobal.com

THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE (CSE) HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE, NOR HAS OR DOES THE CSES REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER.

About TAAT Global Alternatives Inc.

The Company has developed TAAT, which is a tobacco-free and nicotine-free alternative to traditional cigarettes offered in "Original", "Smooth", and "Menthol" varieties. TAAT's base material is Beyond Tobacco, a proprietary blend which undergoes a patent-pending refinement technique causing its scent and taste to resemble tobacco. Under executive leadership with "Big Tobacco" pedigree, TAAT was launched first in the United States in Q4 2020 as the Company seeks to position itself in the $812 billion1 global tobacco industry.

For more information, please visit http://taatglobal.com .

References

1 Statista: Consumer Markets - Tobacco Products

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking information and information can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, estimates, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur, or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding the anticipated performance of TAAT in the tobacco industry, in addition to the following: Occurrence of the June 2, 2022 Jefferies Cannabis Summit event, TAATs attendance of the event (whether virtually or live), potential outcomes from the Companys presentation and presence at the Jefferies Cannabis Summit. The forward-looking information reflects managements current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed timeframes or at all. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include: (i) adverse market conditions; (ii) changes to the growth and size of the tobacco markets; and (iii) other factors beyond the control of the Company. The Company operates in a rapidly evolving environment. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Companys management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Companys business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

The statements in this news release have not been evaluated by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As each individual is different, the benefits, if any, of taking the Companys products will vary from person to person. No claims or guarantees can be made as to the effects of the Companys products on an individuals health and well-being. The Companys products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This news release may contain trademarked names of third-party entities (or their respective offerings with trademarked names) typically in reference to (i) relationships had by the Company with such third-party entities as referred to in this release and/or (ii) client/vendor/service provider parties whose relationship with the Company is/are referred to in this release. All rights to such trademarks are reserved by their respective owners or licensees.

Statement Regarding Third-Party Investor Relations Firms
Purcellville, VA, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), the largest homeschool advocacy group in the United States, will send two Spanish-speaking educational consultants Karim Morato and Clarisa Loparo, along with HSLDA attorney Thomas J. Schmidt to keynote a groundbreaking Hispanic homeschool conference this spring. Taking place April 12, 2022 at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Miami Airport in Miami, Florida, Teach By Design 2022 (Educa Por Diseno 2022), is a national homeschool convention and one of the first to be conducted in Spanish for Hispanic families.

Were excited to see unprecedented growth in Hispanic homeschooling communities, and were delighted to help this new thriving homeschool organization make homeschooling possible by coming alongside with Spanish-speaking staff, encouragement, guidance, and practical resources, said HSLDA President Mike Smith.

Hosted by TransitionED, the event will walk parents through topics including:

How to start homeschooling

Common challenges homeschooling families face

College readiness for homeschool students

Homeschooling children with special needs

The Hispanic homeschooling community is one of the fastest-growing homeschooling groups in America today, says Ana Maria Bagnuoli, founder of TransitionED. Were so appreciative that HSLDA has made supporting Hispanic communities on their homeschool journey a key priority, developing free resources and tools in Spanish as well as providing bilingual consulting to homeschooling parents.

Registration for the conference can be found at: https://www.transitioneducation.net/conferencia2022

About HSLDA

Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is Americas largest and oldest homeschool advocacy group. Founded in 1983 with the mission to make homeschooling possible for all families, the organization has helped empower millions of homeschooling parents and students. As a membership organization for families homeschooling their children, HSLDA provides a myriad of resources from legal advice to educational consultants to support member families through every step of their homeschool journey. Learn more about HSLDA at https://hslda.org/

About TransitionED

Ricardo Bagnuoli and Ana Maria are the founders of TransitionED, an organization established in the United States in 2017 to train and equip Hispanic families to transform their homes into the best and first place of learning. Ana and Ricardo believe that education is a design and a tool to discover, nurture, and promote the purpose of life given by God for children in the home. https://www.transitioneducation.net/
English French

MONTREAL, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rogers Sugar Inc. (the Corporation) (TSX: RSI) announced today it welcomes the decision by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to maintain anti-dumping and countervailing duties on excess and subsidized sugar imported into Canada.



Earlier in the day, the CBSA issued a notice of the conclusion of its re-investigation concerning dumped sugar from the United States (US), Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (UK) and subsidized sugar from the European Union (EU). The purpose of the re-investigation was to update the rates of anti-dumping and countervailing duties following the Canadian International Trade Tribunals finding last year that these measures continue to be necessary to protect the Canadian sugar industry ( https://www.cbs a -asfc.gc.ca/sima-lmsi/ri-re/sug2021/sug2021-nc-eng.html ).

The CBSA determined that anti-dumping duties will continue to apply to imports of dumped sugar from the US, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. The CBSA also ruled that a countervailing duty will continue to apply to imports of subsidized EU sugar.

We welcome the CBSAs decision to protect Canadian producers from unfair competition by maintaining duties on dumped and subsidized sugar from abroad, said Mike Walton, President and CEO of Rogers Sugar. The high-quality sugar produced by our Rogers Sugar and Lantic brands is an integral part of the Canadian food supply chain and needs to be adequately safeguarded.

About Rogers Sugar Inc.

Rogers is a corporation established under the laws of Canada. The Corporation holds all of the common shares of Lantic and its administrative office is in Montreal, Quebec. Lantic operates cane sugar refineries in Montreal, Quebec and Vancouver, British Columbia, as well as the only Canadian sugar beet processing facility in Taber, Alberta. Lantics sugar products are marketed under the Lantic trademark in Eastern Canada, and the Rogers trademark in Western Canada and include granulated, icing, cube, yellow and brown sugars, liquid sugars and specialty syrups. Lantic owns all of the common shares of TMTC and its head office is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. TMTC operates bottling plants in Granby, Degelis and in St-Honore-de-Shenley, Quebec and in Websterville, Vermont. TMTCs products include maple syrup and derived maple syrup products and are sold under various brand names, such as L.B. Maple Treat, Great Northern, Decacer and Highland Sugarworks

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Jean-Sebastien Couillard

Vice-President Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary

(514) 527-8686 Ext. 3463

jscouillard@lantic.ca
NEW YORK, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. (New Oriental or the Company) (NYSE: EDU) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and docketed under 22-cv-01876, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons who purchased New Oriental American Depository Shares (ADSs) between April 24, 2018 and July 22, 2021, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), seeking to pursue remedies under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) against New Oriental and certain of the Companys senior officers and directors.



If you are a shareholder who purchased or otherwise acquired New Oriental ADSs during the Class Period, you have until April 5, 2022 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com . To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

New Oriental provides educational programs, services, and products to students across the Peoples Republic of China (China or the PRC) and delivers online courses through its online learning platforms. In the early 2000s, the Company entered the K-12 after-school tutoring sector. Moreover, in 2005, New Oriental commenced its online education services through its Koolearn platform. The Company now provides comprehensive online education services through its subsidiary, Koolearn Technology Holding Limited.

In February 2018, the Chinese government released a set of regulations aimed at reining in excessive tutoring fees and limiting the perceived societal harm resulting from the ubiquity of for-profit tutoring programs such as those offered by New Oriental. Among other changes, the regulations prohibited after-school tutoring institutions from providing courses more advanced than the syllabus and curricula applicable to the respective primary and secondary school students, providing courses designed to enhance exam-taking skills, and linking school enrollment with tutoring results. Overall, the regulations were aimed at reducing disparities in school performance between relatively affluent students able to afford after-school tutoring and those that could not.

Because New Oriental operates in a highly regulated industry within China, the impact of new laws and regulations impacting the Chinese tutoring industry and the Companys compliance with the Chinese regulatory framework and government prerogatives are of material importance to investors. In fact, New Oriental acknowledged the material importance of maintaining strict compliance with Chinese laws, regulations, and government prerogatives. In New Orientals Form 20-F filed with the SEC on September 16, 2020, New Oriental stated that the Company was continuously making efforts to comply with the requirements under these regulations and implementations governing after-school tutoring businesses imposed by the Chinese government, and any failure to do so could materially and adversely affect [New Orientals] business and results of operations.

The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Companys business, operations, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) New Orientals revenue and operational growth was the result of deceptive marketing tactics and abusive business practices that flouted Chinese regulations and policies and exposed the Company to an extreme risk that more draconian measures would be imposed on the Company; (ii) New Oriental had engaged in misleading and fraudulent advertising practices, including the provision of false and misleading discount information designed to obfuscate the true cost of the Companys programs to its customers; (iii) New Oriental had falsified teacher qualifications and experience in order to attract customers and increase student enrollments; (iv) New Oriental had defied prior government warnings against linking school enrollments with the provision of private tutoring services; (v) as a result of the foregoing, New Oriental was subject to an extreme undisclosed risk of adverse enforcement actions, regulatory fines and penalties, and the imposition of new rules and regulations adverse to the Companys business and interests; (vi) the new rules, regulations, and policies to be implemented by the Chinese government following Chinas annual Two Sessions parliamentary meetings were far more severe than represented to investors by Defendants and in fact posed an existential threat to the Company and its business; and (vii) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants positive statements about the Companys business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and lacked a reasonable factual basis.

On April 25, 2021, media reports revealed that the City of Beijing had fined four online education agencies, including the New Oriental subsidiary Koolearn, the maximum fine of 500,000 yuan (approximately $80,000) each for misleading customers with false advertising regarding course pricing.

On May 12, 2021, news reports revealed that an impending crackdown by the Chinese government on the private tutoring sector would be further reaching and more drastic than previously publicly known, including that regulators had already taken adverse actions against New Oriental and other for-profit tutoring companies.

On this news, New Orientals ADS price fell $2.77 per ADS, or 19.4%, over the following two trading sessions to close at $11.51 per ADS on May 13, 2021.

On June 1, 2021, Chinese regulators announced that they had fined fifteen off-campus training institutions, including New Oriental, for illegal activities such as false advertising and fraud.

On this news, New Orientals ADS price fell $1.77 per ADS, or 16%, over the following two trading sessions to close at $9.32 per ADS on June 3, 2021.

Then, on July 23, 2021, China unveiled a sweeping overhaul of its education sector, banning companies that teach the school curriculum from making profits, raising capital, or going public, effectively ending any potential growth in the for-profit tutoring sector in China.

On July 25, 2021, New Oriental published an update on the new regulations, which stated that the Company will comply with relevant rules and regulations when providing educational services and expects such measures to have material adverse impact on its after-school tutoring services related to academic subjects in Chinas compulsory education system.

On this news, New Orientals ADS price fell $4.46 per ADS, or nearly 70%, over the following two trading sessions to close at $1.94 per ADS on July 26, 2021.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com
SHANGHAI, March 30 (Xinhua) -- China's economic hub Shanghai is conducting a new round of screening using both nucleic acid and antigen testing to contain the latest resurgence in COVID-19 infections, a municipal health official told a press conference on Wednesday.

As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, around 9.1 million residents had undergone nucleic acid testing in many areas of the city including those on the east of the Huangpu River that are under temporary closed-off management, said Wu Qianyu, an official with the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission.

Meanwhile, some 10.87 million residents had taken antigen testing to screen for COVID-19 infections by Wednesday morning.

The megacity with a population of over 24 million on Monday began enforcing temporary closed-off management in two phases to track possible infections and curb the spread of the virus.

Starting from Wednesday, Shanghai will carry out a large-scale disinfection lasting one month in key places, such as office buildings, construction sites, transport vehicles, farm markets and residential communities, according to the press conference. 
Guanyu Zhou lost a lot of time in the pit lane during the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix due to a miscommunication from his team. A first penalty was not properly executed, after which the Chinese received a second penalty and eventually did not move beyond eleventh place.

Bad luck for Zhou

Zhou debuted in Formula 1 in Bahrain with a points finish and could possibly have finished in the points in Saudi Arabia as well, but things went wrong during his race. On lap five, the Alfa Romeo driver passed Alexander Albon, but did so by cutting off part of the first corner. Zhou did not give the spot back and this earned him a five-second penalty.

At the next pit stop, Zhou therefore had to stop for five seconds first, but not everyone on the pit stop team was aware of this. Due to a problem with the communication equipment, the 'front jackman' did not know about the penalty. With the jack, he touched the car to lift it, but this is not allowed by the rules.

Blunder by Alfa Romeo

After touching the car, the front man realized his mistake and immediately dropped the car. However, when the tires had to be changed, he could not get the car up. The reserve front man had to take over to perform the tire change.

All this cost the team more time than a normal pit stop with a five second penalty. According to head of trackside engineering Xevi Pujolar, the team lost an additional six seconds here, he told The Race. Because the car had been touched during the pit stop, Zhou received a second penalty, despite all the time lost in the pits. The Chinese received a Drive Through Penalty and thus had to go through the entire pit lane one more time. Ultimately, this extra penalty stopped him finishing in the points for the second time.

Read more RB18 of Verstappen and Perez no less than ten kilograms too heavy
Red Bull Racing has entered into a new partnership with bicycle brand BMC. The Swiss company has been announced by the team in an official press release as Team Partner of Red Bull.

Red Bull Racing and BMC Switzerland are joining forces. BMC will become an official partner of the Formula 1 team with a multi-year agreement. It is mainly about a technical cooperation, where both parties hope to benefit mutually from the available knowledge. The collaboration between the two parties already began in 2018, but it is now being scaled up.

Read more Mercedes comes for Australian Grand Prix already with new rear wing

Red Bull to partner with bike brand

As the team's official partner, BMC is now taking the next step in the collaboration, where the bike brand will also provide the bikes for on and around the track as well as for the Red Bull campus. The new partnership will also include activities for Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and other athletes of the brand.

''This new agreement takes an already hugely successful collaboration to a new level. We have been working closely with BMC for almost four years and the application of Formula One technologies to performance cycling has yielded some impressive results. Now we are building on that success to encompass a new partnership that will increase visibility, enhance engagement and connect fans of cycling and motor sport in new and exciting ways,'' Christian Horner said in Red Bull's press release.

Read more RB18 of Verstappen and Perez no less than ten kilograms too heavy
An Afghan boy sells Samosa near the Sakhi Shrine during the celebration of annual Nawroz festival in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, March 21, 2022. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

Afghans said the U.S. sanctions on Afghanistan have badly undermined businesses and worsened the country's already fragile economy.

KABUL, March 30 (Xinhua) -- "Scores of people including 50 women worked in my firm to produce pickle in the past, but nowadays only two persons are working with me," female Afghan entrepreneur Nafas Gul Jami said with a sigh.

Putting on display her products in a stall at a three-day Agricultural Products Exhibition which opened here on Saturday, Jami said the U.S. sanctions on Afghanistan have badly undermined businesses and worsened the country's already fragile economy.

"The female Afghan businesspersons are in need of economic support and encouragement, and we need to find markets for our products to boost our businesses," she said.

The 45-year-old woman pointed to an increasing poverty, a high rate of unemployment, isolation of Afghanistan and freeze of 7-billion-U.S. dollar assets of the war-torn country by the United States following the U.S. military defeat and troop withdrawal from the Central Asian nation in August last year.

An Afghan woman waits for customers at the Art Bazaar in Bamiyan city, central Afghanistan, on March 19, 2022. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

In a decree issued in February, U.S. President Joe Biden allocated 3.5 billion U.S. dollars from the frozen Afghan assets to the 9/11 victims' families and earmarked another 3.5 billion U.S. dollars as humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.

The decision, which has further exacerbated Afghanistan's economic woes, has been widely condemned in Afghanistan.

More than 22 million Afghans out of the country's some 35-million population, according to aid agencies, are facing acute food shortages and the war-torn country would face a humanitarian catastrophe if not assisted.

"I am the owner of a bee farm in the central Daykundi province but I had no activity over the past six months due to economic miseries," said businesswoman Zahra Naemi.

Naemi, 30, who has hired 10 people including six women in her farm, collected 1,000 kg honey in past years but her products reduced to 400 kg so far this year.

Afghans stand in line to leave the country at Islam Qala, a town along the border with Iran in the western Herat province of Afghanistan, March 3, 2022. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua)

"The purchasing power of people has been reduced almost to zero and they can't afford to buy honey and that was why I have sold 400 kg at half price," Naemi complained.

She assumed that like her, many businesspersons suffered due to lack of market, economic hardships and sanctions imposed on Afghanistan.

Mohammad Hamid Samadi, an Afghan businessman who runs a saffron producing company, told Xinhua that he exported saffron to 25 countries in the past years but his company's income has drastically reduced due to the shattered economy.

"Freezing of Afghan assets has led to capital outflow and eventually to a worsening economy and an increase in poverty in the country," Samadi said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister of the Afghan caretaker government Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said the country is committed to supporting farmers and the agricultural sector. 
Tax professional standards statement

This content supports Grant Thornton LLPs marketing of professional services and is not written tax advice directed at the particular facts and circumstances of any person. If you are interested in the topics presented herein, we encourage you to contact us or an independent tax professional to discuss their potential application to your particular situation. Nothing herein shall be construed as imposing a limitation on any person from disclosing the tax treatment or tax structure of any matter addressed herein. To the extent this content may be considered to contain written tax advice, any written advice contained in, forwarded with or attached to this content is not intended by Grant Thornton LLP to be used, and cannot be used, by any person for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code.



The information contained herein is general in nature and is based on authorities that are subject to change. It is not, and should not be construed as, accounting, legal or tax advice provided by Grant Thornton LLP to the reader. This material may not be applicable to, or suitable for, the readers specific circumstances or needs and may require consideration of tax and nontax factors not described herein. Contact Grant Thornton LLP or other tax professionals prior to taking any action based upon this information. Changes in tax laws or other factors could affect, on a prospective or retroactive basis, the information contained herein; Grant Thornton LLP assumes no obligation to inform the reader of any such changes. All references to Section, Sec., or  refer to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has scheduled a hearing on March 29 to consider a tax treaty with Chile.The treaty was originally signed in 2010, but languished for years unratified over objections from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., along with tax treaties for Hungary and Poland and four tax treaty protocols. The Senate finally overcame Pauls objections and ratified the four protocols in 2019, but the three treaties were held up due to complications arising from the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.The treaties need reservationstext or statements addressing non-compliance on certain provisionsto account for the enactment of the base-erosion and anti-abuse tax since they were written. Reservation language has been drafted for the treaty with Chile, though it remains unclear if there is enough Senate support for ratification. The tax treaties for Hungary and Poland would also need reservations, and the Foreign Relations Committee has not scheduled either for consideration.PartnerWashington National Tax Office+1 202 861 4104PartnerWashington National Tax Office+1 202 521 1509Managing DirectorWashington National Tax Office+1 202 861 4144
WFP says China's food aid reaches thousands in drought-stricken NE Uganda

Xinhua) 09:07, March 30, 2022

Abdirahman Meygag (L), UN World Food Program (WFP) representative to Uganda, and Zhang Lizhong, Chinese ambassador to Uganda, attend a handover certificate signing ceremony in Kampala, Uganda, on March 29, 2022. China's food donation through the UN World Food Program (WFP) has reached thousands of people including school-going children in drought-stricken northeastern Uganda, the UN's food aid agency said Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Gaiping)

KAMPALA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- China's food donation through the UN World Food Program (WFP) has reached thousands of people including school-going children in drought-stricken northeastern Uganda, the UN's food aid agency said Tuesday.

At a handover certificate signing ceremony, Abdirahman Meygag, WFP country representative, said the donation by China last year has reached over 130,000 children through the school feeding program and 70,000 individuals through targeted food assistance to improve food security of vulnerable households.

Zhang Lizhong, Chinese ambassador to Uganda, said the donation was critical, especially for keeping children in school.

He said China is discussing with the Ugandan officials to see how the Asian country can assist Uganda in using agriculture to fight poverty.

The humanitarian agency said the food situation in the region, also known as Karamoja, is dire, with over 50 percent of the population likely to be food insecure this year.

The situation is likely to worsen because of the ongoing cattle rustling, which cannot allow people to farm.

Meygag said while the world is focusing on the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis, other crises like the food security situation in northeastern Uganda need attention.

(Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun)
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, plants a tree during a tree-planting activity in Daxing District of Beijing, capital of China, March 30, 2022.

The activity was also attended by other leaders including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Participating in Beijing's tree planting activity on March 30, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, President of the People's Republic of China and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, said that he had participated in such activities for 10 consecutive years. "I want to do my bit for the Beautiful China initiative, and also to sow the seeds of ecological conservation in the entire society, among the Chinese youth in particular," he stressed. Xi said that he intends to call on all Chinese people to act as participators and promoters in the endeavor for ecological conservation. "With perseverance and accumulated efforts, we will be able to make our country's sky bluer, mountains lusher, waters clearer and the environment more beautiful," he said.

Spring has come and everything takes on a fresh look. At 10:30 in the morning, Party and state leaders including Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan arrived at a tree planting site in Huangcun Town, Beijing's Daxing District, and joined volunteers from the capital city to plant trees.

The trees were planted in an urban recreation park in the southern district, which covers an area of about 1,500 mu (100 hectares). The site was originally a reservoir mudflat, but is now designed as an urban park. Upon completion, it will become an ecological space for the residents nearby to relax and get close to nature.

Seeing the general secretary's arrival, those who were planting trees greeted him warmly. Xi waved to them, picked up a shovel and walked to the planting site. Then he got down to work along with the leading officials of the Beijing Municipality and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, as well as officials, members of the public and Young Pioneers from the capital.

Digging holes with a shovel, building soil berms, watering the trees...Xi planted saplings of Chinese pine, flowering peach, magnolia, crab apple and Chinese ash. While working on the trees, he inquired about the children's study and living conditions, telling them to attain a well-rounded development in terms of moral grounding, intellectual and physical ability, aesthetic sensibility, and work skills. In particular, the role of work skills cannot be underestimated. Xi told them to cultivate the awareness of work, environmental protection and thriftiness from childhood, not to shy away from good deeds no matter how small they seem, and work hard step by step to become the talent needed by the Party and the people. In an atmosphere full of liveliness and vigor, all the participants worked together and had cordial exchanges.

During the break, Xi stressed to all on the site that to achieve sustainable development of the Chinese nation has always remained a goal of ours. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Party has united and led the people from all ethnic groups in nationwide greening programs, made historic achievements and created impressive ecological miracles. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, adhering to the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, we have taken comprehensive steps to advance ecological conservation, promoted afforestation and improved the urban and rural living conditions. Beautiful China has been becoming a reality. Meanwhile, we must also be aware that protecting and restoring the ecosystem and fundamentally improving the environment cannot be accomplished at one stroke, but still requires consistent and arduous efforts, so we must work hard and long without letup.

Xi noted that forests have the capacity to conserve water, bring in economic benefits, and boost grain production, and now serve well as a carbon sink. Forests and grasslands are of fundamental and strategic significance for our country's ecological security; when forests and grasslands flourish, the environment thrives. Now China's ecological conservation endeavors have entered a crucial moment when environment protection is progressing from quantitative to qualitative changes. We must apply the new development philosophy and follow a path of prioritizing ecological conservation and pursuing green development. We will protect and manage our ecosystems involving mountains, rivers, forests, farmland, lakes, grasslands and deserts with a holistic approach, carry out greening programs systematically, and increase both quantity and quality of forest and grassland resources. All these will help consolidate and enhance the carbon absorption capacity of ecosystems, and make greater contributions to global environmental and climate governance as well as achieving China's modernization featuring harmony between humanity and nature.

Planting trees, protecting forests, and embracing nature are traditional Chinese virtues, Xi stressed. We will carry forward the spirit of Saihanba, a model in afforestation, and continue to launch nationwide initiatives to plant trees. We will create new ways, improve publicity and communication, and carry out tree planting activities in a systematic, economical, and practical manner. Leading officials at all levels should remain committed to greening programs and all other ecological conservation efforts to ensure that our people live on a land of beauty, charm and fortune.

Members of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, members of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and State Councilors in Beijing also attended the activity. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, holds a shovel as he attends a tree-planting activity in Daxing District of Beijing, capital of China, March 30, 2022.

The activity was also attended by other leaders including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, plants a tree during a tree-planting activity in Daxing District of Beijing, capital of China, March 30, 2022.

The activity was also attended by other leaders including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with the officials, people and school children on-site during a tree-planting activity in Daxing District of Beijing, capital of China, March 30, 2022.

The activity was also attended by other leaders including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)
The Danish developer of renewable energy European Energy and Denmarks largest inland port, Port of Aalborg, signed a letter of intent that secures European Energy an option for a 25-hectare area at the Eastern Port in Aalborg, which is planned to be the location for a new electrolysis plant with a capacity of 120 MW and an associated e-methanol plant.

The plant is set to be ready for use as early as 2025 and will produce 75,000 metric tons of e-methanol per year.

The so-called e-fuels such as e-methanol will play a crucial role in the green transition with major players such as Maersk and Circle K already in the process of building a solid demand in the market. Therefore, it is crucial that we build up a large production capacity, which is why we have worked for a period of time with various projects to be able to establish a plant in Aalborg, which has a unique value chain within Power-to-X. We greatly appreciate a very constructive dialogue with Port of Aalborg, which has been decisive for us now being ready to enter the next phase. Emil Vikjr-Andresen, Head of Power-to-X at European Energy

In recent years, we are investing heavily in creating an optimal framework for innovative environments and clusters that bring Aalborg into the world elite within the technologies of the future. With a new, large Power-to-X facility, Aalborg will truly consolidate itself as a world-leading hub for modern and green energy technology, which will strengthen our ability to attract even more investments and players from both home and abroad. Lasse Frimand Jensen, Chairman of the Board, Port of Aalborg

The green power for the plant will primarily come from new renewable energy plants with European Energy currently having a significant pipeline of projects in Denmark towards 2025. Furthermore, European Energy also hopes to get permission to establish solar parks in the immediate area of the new Power-to-X plant.

With a goal of production already in 2025, it is crucial that work on the project starts this year. Next step will be the further technical planning of the project, which will form the basis for a regulatory handling.

Vikjr-Andresen says that with the newly established business consortium CCUS Fyrtarn Nordjylland, which consists of a number of public players and 27 companies, the parties will apply for support for the project. Earlier in March, a broad majority in the Danish Parliament reached an agreement to allocate DKK 1.25 billion (US$186 million) for investment in Power-to-X technology.

China-based Geely has begun test runs of green e-methanol vehiclestwo sedans and a heavy-duty truckin Aalborg.
Berlin-based Theion, a developer of lithium-sulfur cathode technology, appointed Dr. Ulrich Ehmes as CEO and announced the upcoming commercial availability of its Crystal Battery for applications, beginning with the aerospace sector. Dr. Ehmes, who has a long track record of industrializing battery production at companies such as Leclanche, will lead the commercialization of Theions innovative lithium-sulfur cathode technology, which is targeting triple the range and usage time compared to conventional lithium-ion cells.

Dr. Ehmes also serves on the Board of major battery research clusters funded by the German Ministry of Research and Education, and is a member of European and German battery associations.

I joined Theion because I am convinced that selecting the right battery active materials and processing these materials in a way that best leverages the materials storage property, will disrupt the battery industry to another level. With 16 patents pending, our process innovations are scalable, and will bring a new dimension of mobility, range, usage time and sustainability. Dr. Ulrich Ehmes, Theion CEO

Theions patented production process combines sulfurs crystal material properties with carbon nanotubes and a proprietary solid electrolyte. Theion grows a pure sulfur wafer by a Direct Crystal Imprinting (DCi) method (no slurry coating, no solvents, no water, no drying) directly from molten sulfur in a few seconds. Because of the flexibility of the process, the company can grow any geometrical shape of wafer adapted to a customers product shape; Theion suggests a hexagonal shape for space-efficiency reasons.

Theion removes nearly all volumetric fluctuation of sulfur at wafer level by a special conversion process; the cathode is able to work at low porosity. By adding conductive paths, the company maximizes the use of the active material to achieve a high energy density.

A proprietary solid-state polymer electrolyte operates in the voids of the sulfur wafer. In Gen 1 and Gen 2 Crystal cells, Theion will use lithium metal foil as anodes. Further anode designs are in the companys Technology Roadmap (up to Gen 4).

The battery technology is compatible with a bipolar cell arrangement to maximize energy and power content. The cell stack is then assembled into a housing which geometrically best fits the customers application to maximize module-pack-system energy content.

Targeted performances are:

Gravimetric energy density  1, 000 Wh/kg (Gen 4)

Volumetric energy density  1,500 Wh/l

Power capability  12.000 W/kg

Cycle life  1,000 at 1 C

Operational temperature -20 C to 60 C

The company will be shipping material later this year, first to aerospace customers, as part of the qualification stage, then aircraft, air taxis, drones, mobile phones and laptops, before servicing the electric flight and automotive sectors in 2024.

Theion operates three locations within Berlin, specializing in cell design, prototyping and testing. Theion is expanding by adding manufacturing facilities to accelerate its mass production roadmap, beginning in Berlin. Locations for later gigafactories are not determined yet, but will be located close to the customers. Thus, production sites are envisioned In Europe, Asia and the US.
Vietnam-based VinFast and the government of North Carolina signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the establishment of VinFasts first North American manufacturing plant. The company intends to invest up to $2 billion in the projects phase 1.

VinFasts factory will create a major manufacturing center in Chatham Countys Triangle Innovation Point megasite, covering an area of 800-hectares, with 3 main areas: electric car and bus production and assembly, EV battery production and ancillary industries for suppliers.

Construction for phase 1 of the factory will start in 2022 after a construction permit is granted and production is expected to start in July, 2024. The capacity of phase 1 is expected to be 150,000 vehicles per year. According to the MOU, VinFast will continue to invest in this factory in future phases.

Vehicles to be produced at the site include the VinFast VF 9, a 7-passenger all-electric Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) and the VinFast VF 8, a 5-passenger, all-electric mid-size SUV.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce coordinated the states recruitment of VinFast, which also involved state, regional, and local organizations.

Automotive assembly plants are incredible engines for economic growth, due to the positive ripple effects they create across a regions economy. Im so pleased that VinFast has decided to launch their North America manufacturing operations from our state, and well work hard to make sure they find the skilled workforce theyll need to grow and thrive in North Carolina. North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Hanoi, VinFast has a vehicle production facility in Haiphong, Vietnam, that will have the capacity to produce 950,000 vehicles per year by 2026.

VinFast has established global operations in the US, Canada, Germany, France and the Netherlands. The company currently provides an ecosystem of EV products in its home country of Vietnam, including e-scooters, electric buses and electric cars, charging station system and green energy solutions.

The project in North Carolina affirms VinFasts commitment in investing and developing business in its international markets in general and the US in particular. It will also ensure VinFasts self-reliance in global manufacturing, the company said.

VinFast is the only premium Vietnamese car producer and has completed the construction, installation of its factory in Haiphong and developed its first three car models in just 21 months.

Recently, Vingroup started construction of a battery plant in Ha Tinh, Vietnam on a 8 hectare plot for phase 1, with a capacity of 5 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year. The facility is expected to be fully installed and running at full capacity from late 2022.

Last November, VinFast announced the VF 8 and VF 9 (previously introduced as VF e35 and VF e36) at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show. The EV maker also introduced three new EVs (VF 5, VF 6 and VF 7) at the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which combined with the earlier models allows the company to serve all five major vehicle segments, from small crossover to large SUV.
COLOMBO, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Public Utilities Commission announced that there will be 10-hour daily power cuts from Wednesday.

Sri Lanka has been facing power cuts since February due to dwindling electricity production in hydro power plants as well as diesel shortages that have crippled the operations of thermal power plants, the commission said.

The Ceylon Electricity Board said in a statement that they were "compelled to take demand management measures due to inadequate power generation, as a result of fuel shortage and unavailability of generators."

Meanwhile, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) on Tuesday announced that there will be a diesel shortage in the country on Wednesday and Thursday.

"We were unable to unload 37,500 tons of diesel shipment as planned on Tuesday. Therefore, we request the public not to queue up at filling stations for diesel on March 30 and 31," CPC Chairman Sumith Wijesinghe told the media.

Wijesinghe said the remaining stocks of diesel would be given to essential services. 
STAMFORD  A Greenwich man pleaded guilty to a reduced charge Wednesday after entering into an agreement with the state over a charge of possession of child pornography.

John Zimmel, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of promoting a minor in an obscene performance, a Class B felony, at Stamford Superior Court on Wednesday.

In return for the guilty plea, Zimmel faces up to six years in prison and a mandatory minimum of 10 years of probation. The 23-year-old will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Zimmel was charged with a single count of first-degree possession of child pornography in July 2018 after police said they found a large cache of videos and photos of child sexual assault in his possession.

While first-degree possession of child pornography is also a Class B felony under Connecticut statute, it carries with it a five-year mandatory minimum prison sentence. The substituted charge of promoting a minor in an obscene performance does not have any mandatory minimum.

Judge Gary White ordered a pre-sentencing investigation of Zimmel Wednesday.

Zimmel is scheduled to be sentenced by a judge May 25.

Detectives first began investigating Zimmel in December 2017 after they received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that connected him to illicit imagery, Greenwich police said at the time of the arrest.

Detectives conducted a lengthy investigation into the subject of the cyber tip, applying for and receiving multiple search warrants for the suspects residence and all of the vehicles registered to the residents of the property, police said in a statement in 2017.

Police said they recovered 130 videos of illicit material and 60 images when executing those search warrants. Police said they also came across multiple online chats with others about sexual fantasies involving children.

According to his arrest warrant, Zimmel confessed to possessing the illicit images, though he told police at the time of his arrest that he hadnt looked at the images in a while.

I am on my longest streak right now, he told police, according to his warrant.

Zimmel told police investigators that he had been diagnosed with severe anxiety as a young person, and he had received extensive treatment and therapy for psychological issues through the years. He told police he had never harmed anyone, according to court papers.
ISLAMABAD, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday night expressed deep grief and sorrow over the tragic loss of six soldiers of the Pakistani army in a helicopter crash during a peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), according to the Prime Minister's Office of Pakistan.

The prime minister also paid homage to the services of the Pakistani armed forces for maintaining peace in the world, said a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.

According to the army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the PUMA helicopter crashed while undertaking a reconnaissance mission on Tuesday in DR Congo, claiming the lives of eight UN peacekeepers on board, including six Pakistani officers and soldiers.

Pakistan has always played a pivotal role as a responsible member of the international community to help realize ideals of global peace and security through active participation in various UN peacekeeping missions, the ISPR said in a statement.

"Our Peacekeepers have always distinguished themselves in executing challenging peacekeeping tasks in conflict-prone areas through devotion and, if necessary, rendering supreme sacrifices," the statement added. 
File photo / Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media

The capital needs of our Greenwich Public Schools represent greater than 50 percent of our overall capital budget over the next three years. The rebuild of Central Middle School and the renovations/expansions of Old Greenwich and Julian Curtiss elementary schools represent the bulk of the funding needs, with the Board of Education requesting roughly $127 million to complete these three projects. As a member of the Board of Estimate and Taxation budget committee and the appointed BET liaison to the BOE, I have spent significant time assessing these projects with a fresh lens and with an objective to ensure our schools needs are addressed both expeditiously and within a reasonable budget. Below is the summary of my analysis and personal assessment.

Structural concerns identified at Central Middle School (CMS) took this capital project to the top of the BOEs priority list, and rightfully so. Both the budget committee and the full BET showed strong leadership in making an unequivocal commitment to immediately address any imminent needs. While the administration has proposed a 2026 new build, I, along with many of my colleagues, believe this is too slow. Allotting four-plus years to address safety appear to contradict the emergency that has been raised. I have put forward a detailed proposal to fund this project on an accelerated 2.5-year timeline, allowing for a Fall 2024 CMS opening. Specifically, I have requested the BOE to consider applying for the states 10 percent reimbursement grant by June 30, 2022 (vs. June 2023). This would allow the project to shave at least one year off the timeline, without any comprise on design, engineering, or build. Unfortunately, the school superintendent and the BOE chair have not been supportive of this acceleration, citing inaccurately that quality would be compromised. But our community needs to know that my caucus and I are ready and eager to provide accelerated funding for this project. The ball is in the court of the BOE.
Edge is Motorolas premiere series and so far weve seen several models, including the Edge 30 Pro (aka Edge Plus 2022 in the US). This phone will soon be surpassed by the model code named Frontier, which will likely be marketed as the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra globally and X30 Pro in China (following the X30). The companys roadmap includes at least three more devices, according to leaked info.

The Edge 30 Ultra will feature a 200 MP main camera, likely Samsungs ISOCELL HP1. This may be the highest resolution smartphone camera at launch and it will have OIS to boot. Additional cameras include a 50 MP ultra wide and a 12 MP telephoto (2x) cameras, plus a 60 MP selfie cam.

Motorola Edge 30 Ultra (Frontier)

Thats all according to rumors, anyway. The phone is also said to be powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ chipset, the rumored TSMC version of Qualcomms top chip. It will be paired with 8/12 GB of LPDDR RAM and 128/256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The 6.67 P-OLED display should offer 144 Hz refresh rate, while the 4,500 mAh battery is said to support the 125W charger that was teased by a Motorola executive.

Then theres the Motorola Edge 30 (Dubai). Weve seen this one run Geekbench with a Snapdragon 778G+ chipset. This model will also offer a 144 Hz P-OLED display (6.55, FHD+), along with a 50 MP main camera, 50 MP ultra wide and a 2 MP depth sensor, plus a 32 MP shooter on the front. The battery will have 4,020 mAh capacity, theres no word on charging yet.



Motorola Edge 30 (Dubai)

Later on, a Dubai+ model will be revealed (market name unknown). This one is said to feature a new MediaTek Dimensity MT6879, which is yet to be announced. It will pack two Cortex-A78 cores (2.6 GHz) and six A55 (2.0 GHz), plus a yet to be seen Mali-G79. This sounds like it will slot in below the rumored Dimensity 7000. The phone will reportedly support a stylus (like the Edge 30 Pro) and will have a 5,000 mAh battery. The leaks havent filled in details like screen size or charge speed yet.

A fourth model, likely the Motorola Edge 30 Lite (Miami), will bring up the rear. This one will be the smallest with a 6.28 P-OLED display (FHD+, 120 Hz) and a 4,020 mAh battery. It will be super slim, allegedly, measuring less than 7 mm thick. The Lite will be powered by a Snapdragon 695 (with 6/8 LPDDR4x RAM, 128/256 GB storage). As for cameras, it will have a 64+13 MP dual setup on the back and a single 13 MP camera on the front.

Motorola is now the third largest maker in the US after LG pulled out of the market. The brand also has an established presence in Europe and South America too, so we expect to see the new Edge models in those markets. Versions of them will probably appear in China as well, tough there may be slight differences in the specs.

Source
Samsung's Xcover line of rugged smartphones is apparently due for a refresh this year, with the Galaxy Xcover Pro 2 already spotted in a benchmark database listing earlier this month.

And today the same device has been portrayed in detailed CAD-based renders. The source of the renders also claims the phone will have a 6.56" screen (approximate size), an Infinity-V design at the front (that's what Samsung calls a waterdrop notch), a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

The Galaxy Xcover Pro 2's dimensions are alleged to be 169.5 x 81.1 x 10.1 mm. This will be the first Xcover with 5G support, as the aforementioned benchmark run revealed that at the helm sits a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC - although the source of today's renders claims the Exynos 1280 will be used instead. The phone should inherit its predecessor's removable battery either way.

Rumor has it the handset will hit the shelves this summer at the latest, and it should run Android 12 from day one.

Source
The Samsung Galaxy M53 was expected to launch in Vietnam on March 27, alongside the M23 and M33. And while those two did arrive on schedule, the M53 is nowhere to be seen.

Instead of an official look at the phone, here is a leaked image. The M53 looks quite different from the Galaxy A53 5G, the design language matches the Galaxy M33 instead with a square quad camera bump in the corner and an LED flash below.

That camera bump is supposed to contain a 108 MP sensor in the main module, by the way. Thats is Galaxy A73 5Gs headline feature (since it lost its telephoto camera). Additionally, there should be an 8 MP ultra wide camera and two 2 MP helpers (macro and depth). As for the front facing camera, expect t osee a 32 MP sensor.



Samsung Galaxy M53 (leaked image)

The A73 also has a large 6.7 display  the Galaxy M53 is rumored to have the same diagonal and same refresh rate of 120 Hz. Does that mean that the M53 is really an alternative to the A73 and not the A53? It looks that way.

The M-series model was spotted running Geekbench with the Dimensity 900 chipset. This 6 nm chipset should be comparable to the unnamed 5 nm chipset that Samsung uses in the A53 and A73 (the one that everyone speculates is the Exynos 1280), but we'll find out if that is the case after testing both.

Even the battery appears to be the same with 5,000 mAh capacity and 25W fast charging.

The Galaxy A 2022 models are launching in India one by one. We still dont have a price for the A73, but the A53 starts at 35,000. The Galaxy M53 is rumored to cost VND 10.5 million in Vietnam, which converts to the same amount in rupees. This suggests that the M53 will be a cheaper alternative to the A73. Lets just hope it has wider availability than the A-phone, as that one is a rare sight (at least for now).

Source | Via
Some partnerships between phone makers and camera companies seem to be little more than marketing ploys. Others, however, have changed mobile photography for the better - and perhaps none more than the cooperation between Huawei and Leica. However, with Huawei's well documented problems over the past few years, stemming from various US government bans, it's been selling way less phones than it used to, and Leica might be looking to partner with another smartphone maker.

It's been rumored already for a few months: the Xiaomi 12 Ultra's camera module will be Leica branded. But... could this be for real? According to some new information, yes.

Xiaomi 12 Pro (left) and 12 (right) don't have Leica branding

An enterprising soul went and did a deep dive into the Gallery Editor app built into Xiaomi's Chinese MIUI ROM. And what he found there, in this app's code, are translation strings directly related to Leica. The strings refer to filters that can be used when editing photos and videos, which means we should expect to see some Leica-branded filters marketed by Xiaomi alongside the phone's co-branding. This is nothing special of course, other phone makers have done the same thing before.

Unfortunately the aforementioned strings aren't implemented yet, so it all looks like some preparatory work for the eventual integration.

While it looks like Xiaomi is indeed going to partner with Leica, what's still unclear is the extent of this partnership. Will this just be an occasion to slap the Leica logo on a phone, add some Leica-inspired filters to the camera and gallery apps, and call it a day (and a marketing win)? Or will Xiaomi actually cooperate with and use Leica's expertise to improve the imaging and video output of the 12 Ultra compared to its competitors? That remains to be seen.

Source (in Polish) | Via
It never rains for 26-year-old Edson Dhonza.

A few months after getting 19 years sentence for armed robbery, he collapsed in the High Court at Masvingo yesterday where he is facing a murder charge. He collapsed soon after Justice Garainesu Mawadze ordered him to sit up straight.

The sentence for armed robbery was passed by Masvingo Regional Magistrate Bishard Chineka last year.

Dhonza, Shepherd Chinhara (44), Needmore Chipoterwa (28) and Kudakwashe Nyashanu (37) were charged for armed robbery and murder after robbing and abducting a Target Kopje couple on January 14 last year and then throwing them into a 20 metre disused mine shaft.

The four were sitting in the dock as the State outlines for each one of them was being read. Each accused stood up as his outline was read and Dhonza was the last in the row but as he sat Justice Mawadze had to remind him to sit up straight.

When his turn came, he stood up but fell to the floor with a thud. He shivered and had difficulty breathing.

Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) officers moved in and laid him on a bench.

Justice Mawadze had to adjourn the trial after realising that Dhonzas state of health was getting worse. He was whisked away to Masvingo Provincial Hospital.

Dhonza is represented by Penelope Dube of Mangwana and Partners.

The four robbers attacked businessman Obvious Nhokovedza and his now late wife Rutendo Ndega at the couples residence in Target Kopje, Masvingo. They then threw the couple in a shaft behind Hillside hills and Ndega suffered injuries which led to her death a day later when they were discovered and taken to Masvingo Provincial.

The four got away with a Nissan Caravan, groceries worth $87 960, R800 cash, $15 000 ecocash, US$4 000 and $500 000 in banks before they were nabbed by CID cops in Harare.

The State was led by Emmanuel Matose. Masvingo Mirror
Executive Vice President of Foremost Foods Inc. and Coca-Cola Beverage Co. (Guam) Inc. Marcos Fong holds a $6,000 gold sponsorship donation next to Chita Blaise, CEO of American Red Cross at the Annual Red Ball on March. 24, 2022. From left: Gary D. Schiff, director of brand management of Subway Restaurants on Guam; Sharleen A. Marchesseault; Marcos Fong; Chita Blaise; Patrick Perez, general manager of Chilis; and Janice Castro, distribution and facilities manager of Coca-Cola Co. and Foremost Inc.
A man with a previous drunken driving arrest has been arrested in connection with a fatal hit-and-run traffic crash in Hagat Tuesday night.

Joquest Kinzama James was arrested and confined at the Department of Corrections in connection with the auto-pedestrian fatality on Route 2.

Officers responded to the auto-pedestrian crash at about 9:21 p.m. Tuesday. A man was transported to Naval Hospital and pronounced dead, according to a release sent by Guam Police Department spokeswoman Officer Berlyn Savella,

Highway patrol officers were then activated, and throughout the course of the investigation an all-points bulletin was broadcasted. The vehicle and driver were located on Marine Corps Drive by ITC, the release stated.

Evidence and interviews then led to the arrest of James.

He was arrested under suspicion:

Vehicular homicide while impaired.

Negligent homicide.

Driving impaired with injuries.

Driving impaired with injuries (0.08% or more).

Driving while impaired (DWI) (0.08% or more).

Leaving the scene with injuries.

Driving other than right lane.

No proof of insurance.

The case remains open.

According to DOC records, James was previously arrested in 2009 in connection to a driving while impaired, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, fraudulent use of license plates, no drivers license, expired registration, improper storage, no proof of insurance and open container.
Lawmakers on Friday will vote on Bill 213  a measure to authorize the Guam Power Authority to build a new 41-megawatt diesel power plant within 1,200 feet of Jose Rios Middle School.

Debate on the measure during session on Wednesday was split between environmental concerns over the new plant, and the fear of returning to load shedding  intentional power cuts by GPA when demand for power is higher than generating capacity. Load shedding plagued the island in the 90s and could possibly occur again should the plant not be authorized.

Guam law prevents large fuel-burning generators within 1,500 feet of a school, and Bill 213 would provide an exemption for the new plant at Cabras.

GPA General Manager John Benavente penned several letters to lawmakers last week, urging them to approve the use of land. He stated that the deadline to make a decision on the new plant was March 31, as price quotes for several generators would expire, driving the cost up.

The magnitude of the increase would determine the viability of continuing the Cabras project, Benavente wrote.

Korea Electric Power Corporation, contracted by GPA to build the plant, already was operating at a loss on the project because the 41-megawatt Cabras plant had to be separated out from a larger plant planned at Ukudu in Dededo, Benavente stated.

KEPCO was unable to obtain a permit from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the larger Ukudu plant and separated the project into two locations to speed the process along.

Ive said on many occasions that the release of dirty air from the use of the ultra-low sulfur diesel will be much less than that of the current GPA plants running at Cabras, said Sen. Joe San Agustin, who authored the measure.

Our family and friends who utilize Jose Rios Middle School  the mayor of Piti and the municipal planning council have offered their blessing and support on this project.

Rushing

Speaker Therese Terlaje said she supported the bill but questioned the wisdom behind rushing it through.

I just dont think that we need to be threatened with load shedding and deadlines that, on a $600 million project, really should have been foreseen in the start, she said.

They came and tried to convince us that this was the best way now to do this ... well, then why wasnt that the first way?

Sen. Sabina Perez was more uncertain and said that GPA should be able to negotiate other options to invest in renewable energy resources. She also said that building a new plant at Cabras was questionable, given its proximity to the ocean and the likelihood of sea levels rising due to climate change.

I think there are too many uncertainties and Im worried that we might be rushing into another misstep in granting this very extraordinary exemption to GPA and KEPCO, she said.

Sen. Joanne Brown stood in support of the measure and amended the bill to require GPA to install air quality monitors for the plant.

At this time, with all the imperfections involved, I believe that we need to move forward because of the consequences of not making those decisions, Brown said.

The measure was moved to the voting file without objection. The Legislature will reconvene at 6 p.m. Friday to vote.
A woman charged last week for allegedly possessing meth was charged in connection with slapping a 2-year-old girl.

Deeana Marie Babauta, 26, was charged with aggravated assault, strangulation and child abuse connected to an incident on March 16, a magistrates complaint filed in the Superior Court of Guam stated.

On the day, police responded to reports of child abuse made by a 16-year-old girl who said Babauta assaulted her, the complaint stated.

The girl in addition to two others, ages 16 and 15, told officers Babauta squeezed the toddlers leg and slapped the face, the complaint stated.

Babauta was also accused of punching one of the girls in the mouth and placing her in a rear-naked choke after the minors tried to take the toddler away. One of the minors saw the girls face turning red from being choked, and pulled Babauta off her, according to the complaint.

The girl then pushed Babauta out of the home, but Babauta armed herself with brass knuckles and threatened one of the girls to fight. Babauta eventually left with the toddler, according to the complaint.

A woman then came to the home as Babauta was leaving and told officers that Babauta yelled, If shes still here by the time I get back, Im going to get my gun and shoot her!

Babauta denied slapping the two-year-old but admitted she spanked the baby, punched one of the girls in the face and put her in a headlock. She then admitted to getting brass knuckles and started punching the wall, the complaint stated.

Babauta also admitted to threatening one of the girls and said she intended to place her in a headlock because she wanted to kill her, the complaint stated.

Meth

Babauta was previously charged last week in connection to possessing methamphetamine, court documents state.

Babauta was in a parked car outside of a Talofofo residence when police were executing a search warrant. They found her and her boyfriend and co-defendant Jason Leon Guerrero with meth in the car, documents stated.

Babauta was charged with two counts of possession of a schedule II controlled substance.

Leon Guerrero was also found to have baggies, cut straws, a digital scale, scissors as well as oxycodone pills and was charged with possession of a schedule II controlled substance with intent to deliver.
Guam National Guard personnel and Department of Public Health and Social Services employees collect swab samples from drivers and their passengers attending a drive-thru COVID-19 testing clinic, near the old carnival grounds in Tiyan Feb. 4, 2022.
OPPOSITION leader Nelson Chamisa yesterday said winning the 2023 elections was a must for his Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party to preserve the late MDC founder Morgan Tsvangirais legacy.

Tsvangirai passed away in 2018 aged 65 after battling colon cancer.

He came close to landing the countrys presidency when he outvoted the late former resident Robert Mugabe in the first round of balloting in March 2008.

Before the second round of voting, Mugabe launched a terror campaign led by State security agents, forcing Tsvangirai to pull out of the race citing persecution of his supporters.

Some 300 MDC supporters were killed in the bloody presidential election rerun held in June that year.

Mugabe declared himself the winner, but the international community and regional peers refused to recognise his victory, leading to a power sharing agreement with Tsvangirai as Prime Minister.

Chamisa said the CCC would complete Tsvangirais journey when the country goes to the polls in 2023 where he is likely to face off with President Emmerson Mnangagwa who narrowly defeated him in the 2018 polls.

I deeply miss my old man Mdara Milo. The Citizens wont disappoint. We will complete the journey and deliver real change this time, Chamisa tweeted yesterday.

His party won 19 of the 28 contested parliamentary seats against Zanu PFs nine seats in by-elections held on Saturday.

CCC deputy spokesperson Gift Ostallos Siziba told NewsDay last night that CCC owed Tsvangirai a victory to honour him for the sacrifices he endured under Mugabe since the formation of the MDC in 1999.

Tsvangirai was beaten and arrested several times. He was also charged with treason after the State accused him of plotting to topple Mugabe.

The treason charges were later dropped.

Tsvangirais last public address to Zimbabweans was that young people must take over. That the future is in the hands of the next generation, he mentored and produced the presidency we see today in Chamisa. He knew that the future was and is young, Siziba said.

The citizens are the source of our confidence. They are the source of any government. They have affirmed what they said in 2018 in the recent by-elections. No resistance can stop this idea of change. Change is on the horizon. The call for change has become a national chorus.

Its beyond CCC. Its beyond Zanu PF. Its about Zimbabwe. We won empathically, 19 seats out of 28. That is a landslide victory in a by-election where the voting appetite is low due to the fact that its not there to change a government.

You cant compare it with 2023 and people are ready to correct the national mistake by winning with a high margin, thus 2023 gives us that chance. No one wants to continue this lifestyle. The countryside is more conscious and organised than before. A new Zimbabwe promise must be delivered.

Chamisa unveiled the CCC party in January after MDC T leader Douglas Mwonzora claimed the MDC Alliance name and symbols, leaving the former ICT minister with no party.

The MDC Alliance was formed by several political parties before Mwonzora wrested the name from Chamisa via the courts.

Chamisa contested the 2018 presidential election on the MDC Alliance ticket while Mwonzoras former deputy Thokozani Khupe, used the MDC-T, once led by Tsvangirai.

The MDC-T then led by Khupe filed a court application and won the right to use the MDC Alliance name, a situation which resulted in Mwonzora becoming the partys president following an extraordinary congress.

Chamisas CCC is party targeting six million votes in the next elections while its main rival, Zanu PF is targeting five million votes. Newsday


GERMAN airline, Eurowings Discover, has launched flights from Frankfurt to Victoria Falls, becoming the first direct passenger flight between Zimbabwe and Europe since Air Zimbabwe discontinued its flights to London, the United Kingdom in 2011.

Zimbabwe is among the 24 destinations that Eurowings Discover plans to fly into this year and Victoria Falls will be its fifth destination in Africa after Mombasa in Kenya, Windhoek in Namibia, Zanzibar in Tanzania and Mauritius.

The German airline, head-quartered in Frankfurt and owned by the Lufthansa Group, began its flights into Victoria Falls yesterday in a move expected to boost local tourism.

Eurowings Discover has a fleet of 10 aircraft and mainly serves long-haul leisure destinations.

Speaking during the launch in Victoria Falls yesterday, Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Felix Mhona applauded the Eurowings Discover and its parent Lufthansa Group Board and management for their remarkable leadership which has enabled them to explore the air space between Europe and Southern Africa.

Mr Mhona converses with an official from the German airline

We are grateful to Eurowings Discover, the Airports Company of Zimbabwe, the Aeronautical Authority of Zimbabwe and the whole aviation industry in Zimbabwe for this smart collaboration which has made this occasion a success. We have no doubt that visitors who will patronise the Eurocentric wings will savour the splendid sights of the tranquil, refreshing deep blue waters of the upper Zambezi, as they touch down at this resort city.

The magnificent city of Victoria Falls, coupled with its amazing one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Mosi-a Tunya or the Smoke that Thunders, welcomes you with openness and generosity. The thundering, cascading waters down the Zambezi escarpment are no mere natural wonder, but a depiction of the love and warmth of the people of Zimbabwe and Southern Africa, he said.





Minister Mhona said they were elated that this new scheduled flight has the ability to enhance connectivity from all over Europe into Zimbabwe and specifically, into the Victoria Falls resort city.

This will greatly drive the development of tourism in Zimbabwe and the Kavango Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA).

Under the new dispensation led by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Cde, Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa, which seeks to grow Zimbabwe to be an Upper Middle-Income Economy by the year 2030; air transport plays a critical role in enabling this endeavour as it opens and connects markets, facilitates trade and enables industries to link into global supply chains.

It is our hope therefore that, as this new destination will be facilitating tourism, cultural and business exchanges, economic opportunities will boom in this city and the trans-Mediterranean, people to people relations between our citizens will improve, he said.

Minister Mhona said on behalf of his Ministry and Government, he would like to assure them as well as other airlines of their continued support of the aviation industry. Herald




Haiti - FLASH : Violent demonstration in LEs Cayes, several victims, a burned plane





Tuesday, March 29, the third day of protest in Les Cayes, thousands of cayens took to the streets to demonstrate against insecurity, kidnappings and the control of Martissant (southern entrance to the capital) by gangs, but also against the rise rows of airfares for local flights, demanding the departure of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.



Very upset, the demonstrators who were heading towards the regional airport Antoine Simon airport to assert their claims came up against the police forbidding them access to the airport. Throwing stones and bottles against tear gas grenades and rubber bullets, the demonstrators and the police clashed before warning shots managed to disperse the demonstrators...



Taking advantage of the panic and confusion, several unidentified individuals burst onto the runway at Antoine Simon airport then vandalized before burning a small 8-seater "Piper Navajo Chieftain" plane, registered N600AB, belonging to the American group "Agape Flights" based in Venice (Florida) which has been transporting freight, mail and humanitarian aid to missionary families throughout Haiti every week for more than 40 years.



At the end of the day, in response to the incident at Les Cayes airport, national and charter airlines temporarily suspended their local flights in Haiti. Philippe Bayard, CEO of Sunrise Airways, told the Miami Herald that for the moment, only flights to Les Cayes have been canceled, stating "We have stopped the flights and we will see what type of security they will put in place at airport because we cannot endanger the people who work with us, the passengers or the plane."



The provisional assessment of this demonstration which was intended to be peaceful is heavy :



According to information compiled from the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court of First Instance of Les Cayes, Pierre Yves Lesage Spokesperson of the National Police of Southern Haiti and several journalists and witnesses :



4 police officers were injured, victims of stone throwing and hospitalized at the OFATMA hospital in Les Cayes;



3 individuals were slightly injured by bullets (shootings of undetermined origins), treated at the Immaculate Conception Hospital in Les Cayes (HIC), they have already returned home according to the Director of the hospital;



1 dead, Claude Ac, originally from Maniche according to the legal report drawn up by the additional judge of the Peace of Les Cayes Me Pierre Richard Ligonde;



At least a dozen demonstrators injured;



4 PNH vehicles damaged;



The Antoine Simon airport control tower was damaged and equipment was taken away by unknown persons;



Part of the fence protecting the airport was damaged;



Part of the airport runway surface was affected by fire



An aircraft belonging to AGAPE Flight type Pa-31 registered N600AB was destroyed by fire.



Reacting to these acts, the Prime Minister a.i. Ariel Henry declared "I strongly condemn the violence by demonstrators which led to the burning of a plane at Les Cayes airport. I have instructed the public authorities to put public action in motion against the perpetrators of these subversive acts so that they are severely punished."



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Diaspora Covid-19 : Daily Bulletin #740





GLOBAL SITUATION 2019-2022:

Epidemiological situation:

On Wednesday March 30, 2022 the number of people infected worldwide with the Covid-19 coronavirus and its variants since the start of the pandemic (March 11, 2020) amounted to 485,660,021 cases (+1,829,344 in 24 hours ), the day before (+1,643,654)



Number of infected countries: 225



*Healings: 421,046,562 people have been cured of Covid-19 worldwide (+3,011,891), the day before (+1,419,643)

*Deaths: 6,157,342 people have died of Covid-19 worldwide since the start of the pandemic (+5,124 in 24 hours), the day before (+3,701)

*Active cases (minus deaths and recoveries) in the world is currently 58,456,117 cases (-1,187,671 in 24 hours), the day before (+220,310)



Average cure rate in the world: 86.69% (+)



Average mortality rate in the world: 1.26% (-)



World: Active cases trend: (minus recoveries and deaths)





(Day-1)



Vaccination: 11.28 billion doses of vaccine injected (+20 million doses injected in 24 hours. Update March 29, 2022 (latest data available).



HAITI:

According to the Ministry of Public Health, +7 new cases of Covid-19 and its variants have been confirmed in Haiti as of March 24, 2022 (latest partial data available ) for a total of 30,529 confirmed cases throughout the national territory (48.7% women and 51.3% men), since the first case (March 19, 2020 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html ). Previous update (+13 cases as of March 22, 2022).



Healings: 28,269 (+309)



Cure rate: 92.59% (+)



Deaths: 833 deaths (+0) ()



Death rate: 2.72% (=)



5th Wave (Omicron Dominant):

Total of the 5th wave (beginning of December 27, 2021) 4,535 confirmed cases and 67 deaths



Haiti: Active Cases Trend: (less recoveries and deaths)







Screening since the start of the pandemic: 187,322 tests tests (+684 in 2 days) since March 19, 2020, latest data available. Note that the very small number of people screened every day at the national level out of a population estimated at 11.6 million citizens, does not statistically allow us to make a representative estimate of the situation in Haiti, which translates into a < B>number of daily confirmed cases largely underestimated.



TOP 5 of the most affected municipalities in the West (2022):

Delmas: 739 (+0); Petion-ville 621 (+1); Port-au-Prince 406 (+0); Tabarre 287 (+0); Cross-Bouquets 238 (+0)



Confirmed cases by department (2022 / 2021 / 2020):

West: 2022: 2,547 cases; (2021: 9.890); (2020: 6,945 cases)

North: 2022: 267 cases; (2021: 664); (2020: 677 cases)

Center: 2022: 226 cases; (2021: 1.001); (2020: 508 cases)

Artibonitis: 2022: 183 cases; (2021: 855); (2020: 593 cases)

Northeast: 2022: 148 cases; (2021: 404); (2020: 314 cases)

Southeast: 2022: 258 cases; (2021: 768); (2020: 274 cases)

South: 2022: 214 cases; (2021: 891); (2020: 262 cases)

North West: 2022: 249 cases; (2021: 383); (2020: 229 cases)

Grand'Anse: 2022: 173 cases; (2021: 861); (2020: 176 cases)

Nippes: 2022: 39 cases; (2021: 249) (2020: 149 cases)



Cumulative deaths by department (2022-2021):

West: 295 deaths (2020: 104 deaths)

North: 54 deaths (2020: 34 deaths)

Center: 79 deaths (2020: 13 deaths)

Artibonite: 42 deaths (2020: 39 deaths)

North East: 7 deaths (2020: 6 deaths)

South: 51 deaths (2020: 6 deaths)

Southeast: 15 deaths (2020: 9 deaths)

North West: 15 deaths (2020: 12 deaths)

Grand'Anse: 7 deaths (2020: 13 deaths)

Nippes: 27 deaths (2020: 5 deaths)



Distribution of deaths by age (since the start of the epidemic):

0-9 years: 15 deaths

10-19 years: 10 deaths

20-29 years: 31 deaths

30-39 years: 56 deaths

40-49 years: 80 deaths

50-59 years: 134 deaths

60-69 years: 187 deaths

70-79 years: 183 deaths

80 years and over: 137 deaths



Vaccination:

163,369 Haitians (1.4% of the population) +2,205 in 6 days have received a 1st dose of vaccine since July 16, 2021, date of the first injection through 149 open vaccination centers and 111,914 Haitians are fully vaccinated (2 doses, 0.96% of the population) +1.585 in 6 days. Update March 22, 2022 latest information available (source MSPP).



List of the 149 Vaccination Centers open in Haiti (and hours) by department:

(updated October 20, 2021, latest information available)

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35051-haiti-covid-19-list-of-149-vaccination-centers-open-in-the-country.html



DIASPORA:

Epidemiological situation:



USA:

*Cases since the first case (February 29, 2020): 81,686,628 cases (+27,655 in 24 hours), the day before (+37,085)

*Healings: 64,876,974 healings (+193,805), the day before (+226,143)

National Cure Rate: 79.42% (+)

*Deaths: 1,005,056 deaths (+812), the day before (+777)

National death rate: 1.23% (+)

*Active cases (minus deaths and recoveries): 15,804,598 (-166,962), yesterday (-189,835)



USA: Trend active cases: (minus recoveries and deaths)





(Day-1)



Vaccination: 560.24 million doses of vaccine injected since December 14, 2020, date of the first injection in the United States (+110,000 doses in 24 hours). Updated March 29, 2022 (latest data available).



DOMINICAN REPUBLIC:

Confirmed cases since March 1, 2020: 577,910 cases (+30 in 24 hours) the day before (+39 in 24 hours). First case (March 1, 2020)

Healings: 573,347 healings (+93 in 24 hours), the day before (+48)

National Cure Rate: 99.21% (+)

Deaths: 4,375 deaths (+0), previous (+0)

Death rate: 0.75% (=)

Positivity rate over 4 epidemiological weeks: 1.10% (-)

Active cases: (excluding deaths and recoveries) 188 cases (-63 in 24 hours) the day before (+13)



Dominican Republic: Trend of active cases: (minus recoveries and deaths)





(Day-1)



TOP 5 Provinces with the most new cases in the last 24 hours:

Distrito Nacional: +14 new cases in 24 hours ()

Santo Domingo: +4 new cases in 24 hours (+)

La Altagracia: +4 new cases in 24 hours (-)

Santiago: +3 new cases in 24 hours (-)

San Pedro de Macoris: +2 new cases in 24 hours ()



Vaccination: 15.48 million doses of vaccine injected since February 16, 2021, date of the first injection in the Dominican Republic (+10,000 doses injected in 24 hours). Updated March 27, 2022 (latest data available).



QUEBEC:

Confirmed cases since the first case (February 27, 2020): 961,383 (+2,171 in 24 hours), previous (+5,714 in 72 hours)

Healings: 927,579 people (+1,184 in 24 hours) previous (+3,997 in 72 hours)

Cure rate: 96.48% (-)

Deaths: 14,345 (+20 in 24h) previous (+25 in 72h)

Death rate: 1.49% (=)

Active cases: (excluding death and recovery) 19,459 cases (+967 in 24 hours), previous (+1,692 in 72 hours)



Quebec: Trend of daily confirmed cases:





(average weekly trend)



Vaccination: 18,622,299 doses of vaccine injected since December 14, 2020, date of the first injection (+4,287 doses in 24 hours), latest available data - MSSS dated March 29, 2022)



FRANCE:

*Confirmed cases since the first case (January 24, 2020): 25,276,508 cases (+217,480 cases in 24 hours), previous (+29,455)

*Healings: 23,023,051 healings (+69,026), previous (+92,901)

National Cure Rate: 91.08% (-)

Deaths: 141,985 (+164 in 24h), previous (+149)

Death rate: 0.56% (=)

Active Cases: 2,042,446 (+148,290), previous (+63,595)



France: Number of daily confirmed cases





(Day-1)



Vaccination: 141.70 million doses of vaccine injected since December 27, 2020, date of the first injection in France (+30,000 doses injected in 24 hours. Update March 29, 2022 (latest data available)



Previous bulletin : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36297-haiti-diaspora-covid-19-daily-bulletin-739.html



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30165-haiti-flash-first-case-of-covid-19-in-the-dominican-republic.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Published on 2022/03/30 | Source

Korean movies opening today 2022/03/30 in Korea: "B Cut", "Harodongseon", "Vanishing" (French-Korean) and "Bargain"

Advertisement

"B Cut" (2022)

Directed by Kim Jin-young

With Kim Dong-wan, Jeon Se-hyun, Kim Byung-ok, Choi Jae-hwan, Jo Seo-hoo,...

Synopsis

The one who tries to hide VS the one who wants to reveal

A shocking scandal unfolds around the B Cut that must be revealed in order to survive!

One day, a woman visits Seung-hyeon, who runs a smartphone repair and data recovery company. Actress Min-yeong, who once captivated South Korea, asks for the restoration of a B-cut, which should not be released to the world. Min-yeong's B-cut stimulates Seung-hyeon's curiosity, and he finds out that it will cause a huge scandal in Korea!

The secret of the B-cut that someone wants to hide and that must be revealed is unlocked.

"Harodongseon" (2022)

Directed by Kim See-woo

With Seo Jin-won-II, Na Hye-jin, Hwang Suk-jung, Joo Hyo-kyung, Jin Mo, Lim Choon-gil,...

Synopsis

On March 7, 1997, after losing the election, former lawmakers who were engaged in hiking and fishing opened a restaurant called Harodongseon. Rumors spread that the restaurant was opened by politicians, and it is crowded with customers every day, but they realize that the business is not very easy. This is because various people, including a suspicious-looking monk, a man who looks like a spy, a big autistic child who resembles Ureme, and fussy Gangnam nouveau riche have begun to cross the threshold of the restaurant.



The Harodongseon comrades who opposed the three-party coalition and advocated the liquidation of three Kims, tried to return to the political front rather than run a restaurant ahead of the 1997 presidential election, leaving restaurant management behind the scenes. The protagonist, Kyeong-baek, is left alone to take care of the restaurant, but customers do not help. Just like politicians representing their respective places of origin, they fight day after day, exchanging loud voices, using regionalism and politics as a snack. Kyeong-baek begins a heated speech to customers and to the world about which direction democracy should move forward to.

"Vanishing" (2021)

Directed by Denis Dercourt

With Yoo Yeon-seok, Olga Kurylenko, Ye Ji-won, Choi Moo-sung, Lee Seung-joon, Sung Ji-ru,...

"Vanishing" is a French-Korean coproduction.

Synopsis

Adapted from Peter May's novel "The Killing Room"

Alice is a forensic scientist who invented a revolutionary technique in the field of restoring damaged corpses. She visits South Korea to attend a conference and receives a request from the Korean police to perform an autopsy on a corpse found in a river. Jinho, the detective in charge, learns from the autopsy result that the body is related to an organ trafficking syndicate.

26th Busan International Film Festival

"Bargain" (2015)

Directed by Lee Chung-hyun

With Lee Joo-young-I, Park Hyoung-soo, Lee Sang-hoon-V, Jung Min-seok,...

Synopsis

A middle-aged man takes a high school girl to a motel room and bargains with her about the payment for sex. He argues for a discount on the grounds that she is not a virgin. At a loss, the girl agrees.
Published on 2022/03/30 | Source

New stills added for the upcoming Korean movie "Take Care of My Mom"

Advertisement

"Take Care of My Mom" (2021)

Directed by Park Kyung-mok

With Kim Young-ok, Kim Young-min, Park Sung-yeon, Kim Hye-na, Lee Jung-eun, Kim Tae-baek,...

Synopsis

Stranger like family, family like stranger

What is 85-year-old Mrs. Jeong Mal-im's choice?

Mrs. Jeong Mal-im, an 85-year-old lady enjoys living alone with her longtime friend's dog in an old Western-style house in Daegu. Her only son, Jong-wook, will visit from Seoul after a long time, and while preparing here and there, her arm broke, and through the accident, a caregiver named Mi-seon was hired. She really hates being indebted to her children, and she doesn't feel comfortable with others so she insists on sending Mi-seon away, and Jong-wook who installed CCTVs due to his worries for her mother is frustrated at what's happening.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Jeong seems to disappear from objects and side dishes after Mi-seon came, but there is no physical evidence, and Mi-seon, who takes care of her more gently than her real son, is proud of her, and the two become like real mothers and daughters.

Then, one holiday, when Jong-wook's family suddenly visited, the conflict in the relationship that had been buried, bursts when they saw Mi-seon wearing the clothes of Mrs. Jeong, which was a gift from her daughter-in-law Yoo-jin...

What's wrong with this family? We'll live together now so "Take Care of My Mom".

Release date in Korea : 2022/04/13
Published on 2022/03/30 | Source

New stills added for the upcoming Korean movie "Yaksha: Ruthless Operations" (2022)

Advertisement

Directed by Nah Hyeon

With Sol Kyung-gu, Park Hae-soo, Yang Dong-geun, Lee El, Song Jae-rim, Jinyoung,...

Synopsis

"Yaksha: Ruthless Operations" is a story about the leader of a spy agency's secret operation team in Shenyang, China, and the prosecutor who was demoted to the spy agency as he searched for a missing high-ranking North Korean official.

Release date in Korea : 2022/04/08
THE just-ended by-elections were marred by voter apathy, with only 35% of eligible voters casting their ballots, statistics released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) have revealed.

The by-elections were held on Saturday to fill 28 National Assembly and 122 local authority seats that were triggered by deaths, diplomatic postings and recalls.

Opposition political parties attributed the poor turnout to governments lack of political will to implement electoral reforms to guarantee free and fair polls.

Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa told journalists on Monday that citizens felt that they had little to gain by participating in the by-elections.

National Constitutional Assembly leader Lovemore Madhuku said citizens were mostly concerned with making decisions that influenced change of the government that governed them as opposed to participating in by-elections.

In an election where the results will not influence change of the government, there will be low voter turnout. Citizens are passive in the electoral process. They are active participants who know that a by-election held a few months before the general elections was not necessary. They know that the by-election wont do much to address their problems. We will still have the same economic hardships in 2023, but people will come in their numbers to vote because they know that their vote is key in deciding the top leadership that can transform their lives. The more people realise that the polls are not changing anything, the less they turn out to vote, Madhuku said.

Political analysts said the low voter turnout was partly caused by the harsh socio-economic and political environment in the country. Newsday
A HARARE magistrate yesterday said former Labour minister Petronella Kagonye has a case to answer on fraud charges after dismissing her application for discharge at the close of the State case.

Kagonye was recently acquitted on two of the three counts of fraud where she was accused of taking 20 computers from Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) to her constituency.

In acquitting Kagonye on the other counts, magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro said the State had failed to prove a prima facie case against her.

But the magistrate said she should be put to her defence on a charge of taking Potraz computers.

The magistrate postponed the matter to April 19.

It is alleged that between June 2018 and July 2019, Kagonye wrote to then Information, Communication Technology and Courier Services minister Supa Mandiwanzira requesting computers to donate to schools in Goromonzi South constituency.

Potraz donated the computers to Kagonye which were allegedly collected by her brother Evans.

Potraz made a follow-up on the donation with Kagonyes brother and constituency officer but could not locate the computers, leading to her arrest. Newsday
U.S. economic recovery is perpetuating systemic racism: report

Xinhua) 09:07, March 30, 2022

NEW YORK, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The current economic recovery of the United States is revealing the impacts of continuing systemic racism, ageism and ableism on the labor market, reported the Center for American Progress, an independent, non-partisan institute, on Monday.

"Specifically, many Black men -- older and disabled Black men in particular -- continue to experience persistent gaps in both employment and economic opportunity," said the report.

An economy where Black men consistently experience significantly higher unemployment rates than white men can't be considered as having reached full employment, it added.

Likewise, according to the report, a recovery that does not reach everyone equitably does not bode well for the country's long-term economic health and stability.

"The COVID-19 pandemic plunged the United States into a deep recession that affected workers and families across the country; however, the impacts of this recession have also revealed the harmful ramifications of long-standing systemic racism on the labor market," noted the center in its report.

(Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun)
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,000 hotels across nearly 95 countries, today announces the opening of La Quinta Inn & Suites Santa Cruz in Calif. This opening marks the latest addition to the La Quinta portfolio, which includes more than 920 hotels. There are approximately 180 hotels in the La Quinta development pipeline, with additional openings scheduled this year in key U.S. markets such as Austin, Denver and San Jose.

This custom designed, new construction La Quinta hotel features 60 guestrooms and suites and is centrally located equal distance from the renowned Santa Cruz beach and boardwalk, as well as the restaurants and shops of downtown Santa Cruz. Hotel guests can enjoy stunning ocean views from their rooms and unwind in the hotel's outdoor pool or relax on the terrace deck. Located along Highway 1 between San Francisco and Monterey, Santa Cruz features more than 14 state parks and beaches, offering world-class surfing, biking, and hiking.

La Quinta by Wyndham is a leading hospitality brand that provides comfortable guestrooms, contemporary design, thoughtful amenities, and its signature Here for You service. Guests can keep connected with free WiFi and a business center, sneak in a workout at the gym, indulge in a free Bright Side Breakfast, and enjoy the convenience of mini-refrigerators, microwaves, coffee/tea makers, and more in their rooms.

Hotel website
The Jefferson, a luxury haven in the heart of the nation's capital, announces the appointment of Fabio Salvatore as Executive Chef. Bringing a wealth of international experience to the role, Salvatore will oversee the Hotel's culinary concepts including The Greenhouse and award-winning Quill Bar & Lounge.

As Executive Chef, Salvatore will lead all culinary operations including in-room dining, banquets, private events and a team of passionate food and beverage professionals at The Jefferson. He will also be responsible for the ideation and execution of new, inventive menu offerings and thoughtful culinary experiences.

Guests can indulge in Chef Salvatore's newest culinary creations including Warm Zucchini Crab Souffle featuring jumbo lump crab and tomato pepper coulis or Forest Mushroom Risotto with black truffle and fresh Parmigiano Reggiano and Wild Striped Bass which is complimented by sweet potato puree, Japanese eggplant, edamame, and a blood orange reduction.

A native of Italy's Adriatic Coast, a region known for its bountiful seafood and mountainous terrain, Salvatore's love affair with food began at an early age. A fond childhood memory includes his mother's own affinity for the craft, and Thursday dinners featuring her handmade gnocchi and ravioli. Visits to Northern and Southern regions of Italy cemented his appreciation for fresh, locally-sourced dishes. Inspired to pursue a culinary career, he earned his Culinary and Hotel Management degree at the Istituto Professionale Albergiero di Pescara. During his studies he received firsthand experience at numerous upscale establishments including Ristorante Ferraioli, Ristorante Loconda del Buongustaio and Hotel Tassoni.

Before moving to the states, Salvatore held numerous positions at renowned restaurants and worked alongside an impressive roster of acclaimed Italian chefs including Ennio Mencarelli at Ristorante Tenda Verde and Lucio Antonietti at Hotel Atlantic in Riccione.

Salvatore found himself ready to explore new parts of the world and decided to take his talents to the United States when the opportunity arose to open Ristorante Terrazza in Chevy Chase, MD as Executive Chef. As his first position touting an executive title, he fine tuned his leadership skills supervising the opening staff and directed the execution of large-scale special events.

Following his six year tenure at Terrazza, Salvatore established his roots in Washington, D.C. as Executive Chef at Cafe Milano where he oversaw all food and beverage operations for the restaurant as well as Cafe Milano Catering and Cafe Cinema at the Italian Embassy. After a decade leading the charge managing the high-volume fine dining restaurant, Salvatore joined the team at Sette Osteria, a popular haunt in the Dupont area known for its authentic Italian delights, as Executive Chef and Partner.

Most recently, Salvatore held the role of Executive Sous Chef at Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, overseeing culinary operations for the 838-key hotel. Solidifying his expertise in executing high-volume events, Salvatore also reaffirmed his footing for serving high-profile clients including Presidents, Kings and Pope Benedict XVI.

Always passionate about the extraordinary impact that food has on the health of our bodies and planet, it was in the midst of the pandemic that Salvatore received his Certificate in Plant Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies. His innate interest for nutrition and wellness paired with his Italian roots are reflected in his vision for The Jefferson. Dishes will embrace the philosophy of serving only the highest quality seasonal ingredients resulting in fresh, light takes on Italian favorites.
Commonwealth Hotels announced today that Cody Drexler has been appointed the general manager of the Tru by Hilton Louisville Airport. Mr. Drexler brings over 5 years of restaurant and hospitality experience to his new role as general manager having previously served as the dual assistant general manager for the Springhill Suites and Fairfield Inn Downtown Louisville.

As general manager, Drexler is responsible for overseeing and executing the hotel and property operations, including staff management, guest satisfaction, and community relations.

Prior to joining The Tru by Hilton Louisville Airport, Drexler served in various leadership roles with White Lodging Services. Drexler initially started his hospitality journey as an on-call banquet server at the Hyatt Regency Louisville in 2009 while completing his culinary arts internship at the Hurstbourne Country Club. Drexler holds both a Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management and a Culinary Arts Degree from Sullivan University. He and his family reside in Louisville, Kentucky.
London, UK - The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) unveils its speakers for its upcoming Global Summit in Manila, which includes Indonesian/Dutch activist Melati Wijsen.

At just 12 years old, activist Melati Wijsen founded Bye Bye Plastics  a global movement powered by youths around the world to end the use of plastic bags, and in 2018 alongside her sister, was named one of the Worlds most influential teens by Time magazine.

Taking place in Manila, Philippines from 20-22 April, the global tourism body's highly anticipated 21st Global Summit is the most influential Travel & Tourism event in the calendar.

Industry leaders will gather with more than 20 government representatives in Manila, to continue aligning efforts to support the sectors recovery and move beyond to a safer, more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future.

South Korean politician Ban Ki-Moon who served as the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016, will also address delegates virtually at this prestigious event.

Also taking to the stage at the Global Summit will be the Tourism Ministers from around the world including Spain, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, Japan, Maldives, and Barbados amongst others.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: We are delighted to have such influential speakers already confirmed for our Global Summit in Manila."

Melati is an inspiration to us all. A real changemaker, who from such a young age, has been instrumental in raising awareness of the damage caused by plastic and has inspired young people around the world to lead change."

After more than two years, the region is perfectly positioned to post the losses caused by the pandemic. WTTCs Global Summit will act as a catalyst to drive forward the recovery of a sector that is critical for both the economy and jobs.

Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Philippine Tourism Secretary, said: Preparations are underway to ensure the success of WTTCs Global Summit in Manila, which serves as the light at the end of tunnel following a long period of darkness for global tourism."

It is heartening that these inspiring individuals have joined our efforts to bring the industry onward to full recovery Puyat added.

Other notable speakers taking to the stage during the Global Summit will be international business leaders such as Arnold Donald, President & CEO Carnival Corporation and Chairman at WTTC; Craig Smith, Group President International Division Marriott International; Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones, COO Tourism Promotion Board Philippines; Federico Gonzalez, CEO Radisson; Hermione Joye, Head of APAC for Travel at Google Inc, and Greg OHara, Founder and Senior Managing Director Certares and Vice Charman at WTTC.

A hybrid event, WTTCs Global Summit will also feature Kelly Craighead, President & CEO CLIA; Jane Sun, CEO Trip.com, Ariane Gorin, President Expedia for Business; and Darrell Wade, Chairman Intrepid Group; amongst others.

More speakers will be announced over the coming weeks.

The WTTC Global Summit is taking place in the Philippines at a time when the country and the region begins to recover from the pandemic and will showcase the importance of Travel & Tourism in the region.

WTTCs recent research shows the forecast for the Asia Pacific region could be its Travel & Tourism sector approaching pre-pandemic levels this year.

According to the research, the sectors contribution to the regions GDP could reach USD 2.9 trillion, near pre-pandemic levels, while employment could reach over 190 million jobs, surpassing 2019 figures and providing an additional five million jobs to the sector.

To reach close to pre-pandemic levels this year, WTTC says governments across the region and around the world must continue focusing on the vaccine and booster rollout - allowing fully vaccinated travellers to move freely without the need for testing.

The WTTC Global Summit in Manila is sponsored by Resorts World Manila, Global Rescue, Okada Manila, Hilton Manila, Turkish Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, Etihad Airways, Philippine Airlines, Tourism Promotion Board Philippines, Tieza, SSI Group, UBE Express, Inc., Nissan Philippines, Inc., and Xpansiv.

To view the latest speaker list in full, please click here.

The 21st Global Summit is taking place in Manila, Philippines from 20-22 April 2022. For media interested in attending the live event, please contact the WTTC Press Office at [email protected]. To register for the virtual event, please click here.

About WTTC

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) represents the global travel & tourism private sector. Members include 200 CEOs, Chairs and Presidents of the world's leading travel & tourism companies from all geographies covering all industries. For more than 30 years, WTTC has been committed to raising the awareness of governments and the public of the economic and social significance of the travel & tourism sector.

According to WTTC's 2021 Economic Impact Report, during 2020, a year in which it was devasted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Travel & Tourism made a 5.5% contribution to global GDP and was responsible for 272 million jobs.

WTTC Press Office

WTTC
WASHINGTON - A full two months ahead of the opening of IPW  the annual international trade show of the U.S. Travel Association  numbers shared today by the association reveal a strong return of international travel buyers and media for the 2022 event, which will be held in Orlando, Florida, June 4-8. Ten weeks out, registrations by international buyers and media have nearly doubled last years international delegate count.

As of March 25, 712 international buyers and 364 media from 62 countries have registered to attend IPW. With the addition of 280 domestic buyers and 70 domestic press, more than 1,400 international and domestic buyers and media are registered for IPW 2022.

Nations sending the largest international delegations in 2022 are the United Kingdom, Brazil and Canada.

With registration remaining open, the number of global participants is expected to continue to increase.

The message these numbers tell us is: The travel world is ready to return to the United States, said Malcolm Smith, General Manager of IPW. If the recovery of international visitation is at all important to your destination or business, do not miss this years IPW.

Smith added: We are very pleased, but not surprised, to see this strong turnout from the global travel community. As travel becomes increasingly easier for people around the world, everyone is ready to get back to traveling, reconnecting, and visiting the awesome diversity thats only found in the United States. Our domestic exhibitors and partners are eager to welcome back international visitors.

A forecast of international arrivals from U.S. Travel projects that 52 million people will visit the United States in 2022 (up 144% from 2021) and 68 million will visit in 2023 (up 30% over 2022).

IPW is the countrys leading international inbound travel trade show, driving $5.5 billion in future travel to the United States. At IPW, travel buyers (including international tour operators, wholesalers and receptive operators) meet face-to-face with sellers of U.S. travel product (representing accommodations, destinations, attractions, retail, transportation companies and more) to transact future travel business.

The premier sponsor of IPW is Brand USA and American Express is the official card of IPW. Host city official tourism association Visit Orlando is a platinum sponsor.

About U.S. Travel Association

U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry. In 2020, travel generated $1.5 trillion in economic output and supported 11 million jobs, a drastic decline from pre-pandemic figures. U.S. Travel's mission is to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit ustravel.org for information and recovery-related data.

David James

Vice President, Media Relations

U.S. Travel Association
(ATLANTA, March 30, 2022)  hihotels by Hospitality International, a recognized leader in franchising of conversion and new-build hotels for economy lodging, is pleased to announce a partnership with Getaroom, which offers travelers access to competitive rates via its state-of-the-art hotel and lodging website and toll-free call center.

Featuring five distinct brands  Red Carpet Inn, Scottish Inns, Master Hosts Inns, Downtowner Inns and Passport Inn  hihotels continues to increase its franchisees presence across distribution channels. As part of the new alignment, Getaroom, a hotel distribution platform within Pricelines strategic partnerships business unit, will provide:

Strong Distribution: Placing hihotels properties in the right place at the right time

Incremental Guests: Access to millions of incremental guests through Getarooms private marketing channels

True Partnership: The Getaroom team will work with hihotels to support its revenue strategy

hihotels is thrilled to announce this strategic alliance with Getaroom, said hihotels Director of Operations Gary Gobin. The opportunity to expand the distribution of our hotels is a top priority. This new relationship will help to bring more visibility to our hotels and offer budget-friendly accommodations to travelers.

We are excited to enter into this partnership with hihotels by Hospitality International. The opportunity to showcase this new inventory gives our mutual guests new options as they desire to book a more traditional drive vacation, and allows us to spotlight new destinations within the U.S. travel marketplace. hihotels will gain benefit from incremental and unique distribution, enabling us to expand the reach of this valuable inventory, said Tony George, Senior Vice President of Global Sales & Product Development for Getaroom.

hihotels is attracting more and more hoteliers thanks to its unique franchising model that delivers customized support, advanced technology and outstanding overall value. For more information about franchising with hihotels, visit hifranchise.com or contact us at 800-892-8405 or [email protected].

About Hospitality International, Inc.

Hospitality International, Inc. has offered inexpensive franchising alternatives for hotel owners and developers since 1982. Our five distinct economy brands offer franchisees a choice of franchise opportunities to best suit their particular market, geographic area and personal business needs, while delivering customized support, advanced technology and overall value.

About Getaroom

Getaroom, which is part of Priceline, is a B2B-focused distributor of hotel rooms primarily serving leisure travelers within or traveling to North America. Getaroom's mission is to simplify the complexity and costs of global distribution for hotels and deliver a single supplier solution for partners around the world that desire to offer a hospitality experience to their members, employees or customers.
Remington Hotels, a dynamic and growing hotel management company, today announces its management agreement for Sky Rock Sedona. The hotel marks the first property Remington Hotels will be managing in Sedona, Arizona.

Guests of Sky Rock Sedona are greeted with a spacious, comfortable, and relaxing space to stay in while visiting Sedona. The hotels 109 guestrooms are intimately nestled into the landscape, allowing guests to embrace their scenic surroundings. Many rooms walk out to a spectacular, shared communal terrace with striking views perfect for coffee at sunrise, happy hour at sunset, or moonlit yoga under the stars. A selection of rooms boast fireplaces, while others are pet-friendly for vacationing with a furry best friend.

We are thrilled to manage this incredible, experiential hotel in one of the United States premier leisure destinations, said Jarrad Evans, chief investment officer at Remington Hotels. Sedona is a very special market, and we look forward to supporting the hotels ownership in executing their creative business plan to provide guests with an unforgettable experience.

Sky Rock was created with one goal in mind: that all who visit take a piece of Sedonas enchanting spirit with them and return home feeling uplifted, invigorated, and connected. Sky Rock is more than a place to rest ones head. Its a wholly immersive experience that greets guests with a warm welcome and gives inspirational, panoramic views of the vibrant Sedona landscape.

We are honored to welcome Sky Rock Sedona to the Twin Bridges Hospitality portfolio. Sedona continues to be one of the premier hotel markets in the country and will be a great addition to our premium market strategy, said Jeff Stofko, vice president of asset management at Twin Bridges Hospitality. The hotel is set to undergo a full renovation, and upon completion, Sky Rock Sedona will offer upgraded room products, enhanced spaces, and elevated food and beverage offerings aligned with the mystique of the Sedona red rocks.

A visit to Sedona can be anything guests want to make it. Whether theyre interested in ancient cultures or hiking, wild animals, wellness-minded activities, or off-road adventures, Sedona has something to offer for everyone, and Remington is proud to integrate its management expertise to make it an even better experience.

About Remington Hotels

Remington is a dynamic and growing hotel management company providing top quality service and expertise in property management. Founded in 1968, the hospitality group has grown into a strong, industry-leading service provider and today manages 86 hotels in 26 states across 17 brands, including 12 independent and boutique properties. At Remington, we believe that our people are the ultimate source of our competitive advantage. We are proud of our reputation for consistently delivering outstanding results to owners and investors, as well as to our brands, guests, and associates. As a result of our success, Remington has become the place where passionate people thrive. Visit RemingtonHotels.com to learn more.
During the pandemic we had to make changes driven by the need for more robust health and safety, to ensure that everything was hygienic and because everything needed for every stay had to be dry cleaned afterwards, we had to be more efficient, only putting out what was needed.

In the past, you couldn't rely on the contents of the room being put through an industrial process - the cups might have been cleaned by hand, not by a machine, for example - but during the pandemic, we couldn't take any chances. So we changed everything to paper. With the remote control, which is one of the dirtiest items in a room, we put it in a plastic bag, then cleaned the plastic bag.

Now, some people may think those methods are a bit extreme. But it was necessary to do this to reassure clients, to limit the menus in the rooms, to make sure everything had a QR code and some of these changes have been good and changes we should stick with. We should continue to have one, rather than two bathrobes in a room. It's pointless when the hotel has 1.2 people on average per room, and it can be a long-term saving: Hotel asset managers need to make sure their operators find out how many people are going to stay in your room. You end up saving a lot of money and it's good for the environment because you do less washing.

We're concerned now, that, as we move away from the extremes we saw during the initial phases of the pandemic, that operators are using Covid as an excuse not to have certain amenities. We need the excuse of Covid to go away. We need to move on and try to find solutions. I was told recently that I couldn't get an ironing board and iron because of Covid. Or that housekeeping won't do turndown because of Covid, which feels more like an excuse than a rational response.

We are now moving back to the breakfast buffet after having an a la carte offering, and it raises a number of issues: how can we manage our costs when we sell directly from a la carte? Can we combine it with a buffet? And, in the wider hotel, what happens to all the amenities that were in the rooms? Is it going to go back as before, as we now realize that we can cut costs on even more operations in the hotel and save money to use somewhere else? It doesn't feel to me as though we'll go back to the way things were before the pandemic.

A lot will depend on operator standards and how they change and how flexible they can be. It is unlikely that all of them will return to how they were before Covid. It is not only elements such as having a public bathroom, but the slippers and all those little things, all those amenities that were found everywhere, that were given free to the customer.

Now I think we're more likely to find that they will be on-demand rather than supplied automatically, other than in the upper echelons of luxury.

Another element where we are likely to see a split between luxury and other operations is in terms of service delivery. At the moment we are navigating mask wearing, which can obstruct a proper welcome for the guest and is likely to stay for a very long time, particularly in locations such as the spa. But we still need to have that human touch, that personal welcome and that has been hindered not only by Covid, but by the issue of staffing, which was made worse by the pandemic, as people left the sector, but was not caused by it. Hospitality is a service industry, you still need the personal touch and for that you do need team members.

We are seeing more and more cases of restaurants being closed because of staffing issues around Covid and in general and that will have to be addressed. I think we're going to have much more automatization, even more than before, especially in the three and four star segments and in housekeeping (e.g., robot vacuums) or staff dining room (e.g., quality meal prepared offsite and displayed in vending machine), where the guests don't see a direct impact. In some cities, we are also seeing that room service is been completely outsourced to third-party outside the hotels, similar to any food delivery services.

It will become more and more common to have housekeeping taken care of by robots that can clean and sanitize a room and that will become the norm very quickly. In terms of the more traditional service elements, you will see a split between the different types of travelers. If you are a business traveler, staying in your typical roadside hotel, you don't need a reception area, you don't need that personal greeting, you just want your keys so that you can get to your room. It's more transactional. You have their credit card, you send their keys to their phone and they can come and go without having to see anybody, which is a preference for some people, just not so much in high-end service. That type of low or no-touch hotel is going to become more and more frequent, because staffing is becoming an issue.

We are seeing amenities change because of this, with technology speeding up or replacing check-in and making those tedious tasks, which team members hate, automated and more accurate as well. The trend was there before the pandemic - remember how tablets were popping up in every room? - but now it's become embedded. And hotels have realized that they don't have to provide iPads because people bring their own phones or tablets.

So with the QR codes, it's fantastic, because you don't need to do print anything and people have become used to it very quickly. It's not shocking. If you had asked people to use a QR code three years ago then people would have got very upset indeed. But in the upper luxury, the human touch is vast, you cannot go without it and it is here where we will see the least change, both to amenities and to the general operations and service in a hotel.

Looking ahead we are confident of a return to travel and a recovery in rates, which would support the sector in terms of what it could offer, both in service and amenities, as we move away from the more straightened operations under which many hotels operated, with sudden closures and restrictions.

In terms of pricing, we all know that Southern Europe this summer is going to do really, really well, alongside Italy and the south of France and that's just with local European business, imagine what will happen when the Americans travel more widely again, it's just going to push the rates higher.

People are willing to pay more for a good holiday and they don't necessarily want to go far away anymore, because they have rediscovered Europe, which has been an unexpected twist. What we are expecting to see is more seasonality being caused by Covid, as we get flare ups around the winter time. Outside these, we can expect a return for MICE, which is one of the last segments to return. If you look ahead this year, you can see more live events coming back from mid spring to September. I think it's going to be a good year in terms of business hotels, despite the advent of working from home and technology such as Zoom becoming the norm.

Moving on, when we can, from the pandemic reminds me of the issues with travel after 9/11. I was living in New York during 9/11. And one thing I realized was that, for travel, it wasn't the day of the crisis that was the problem, it was the month or the year after. Because every time there was a threat, every time there was a scare, it was on the news all the time.

So now the problem is that every time there is a new virus, whether it's bird flu, whether it's Covid, whether it's something else, there will be a threat, and everybody will panic. That's the mindset that will be very hard to change rapidly, and that's going to have a huge impact on big events, those things that you need to organize a long time in advance. This is what the impact will be on hospitality: dealing with that uncertainty, that feeling that things could change at any moment. As hotel asset managers, we recommend our hotels to carefully review their cancellation policies for individual travelers and MICE businesses to alleviate these last-minute risks.

Working with the potential that business could suddenly drop off makes it all the more important that hotels operate efficiently, not offering more amenities than make sense, but doing so in a way that doesn't affect service, affect that welcome. Hotels have learned a lot of new skills during the pandemic and become much leaner, but the guest will, after being starved of their stays, be that bit more demanding. So we are being sure not to skimp, but to look at the value of everything we offer."
SMEs reacted to the Covid pandemic in different ways. Some decided to introduce innovative dimensions to previously existing business models in the hope for survival, whereas others preferred not to mess with the formula for fear of upsetting post-crisis brand identity. The research suggests that creating new business models based on external resources, collaborations and entrepreneurial thinking can result in a winning resource in crisis times.

SMEs in crisis

Its been exactly two years since we first experienced the first wave of lockdowns in Switzerland due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Back then, there was a great deal of uncertainty about how businesses would survive particularly in the food and beverage industry (F&B) with pubs, taprooms, restaurants, clubs and other hospitality outlets shutdown during several months. Despite the challenges brought by such unpredictability, a large number of firms innovated their business models to provide a first response to the crisis. For example, high-end restaurants offering a delivery box and DIY instructions to cook at home, breweries changing their value proposition to deliver groceries, or sit-in only restaurants developing home delivery services to bring their food to people are just some examples of the changes in business that the F&B industry went through.

However, while we observed a boost in business model innovations in the F&B industry during the crisis, this was not the case for many businesses in the industry. Among all businesses operating in F&B, small- and medium-sized companies (SMEs) were particularly struck by the crisis and while some were at ease implementing innovations in their business models, a great majority of them decided to put on hold their operations during the pandemic. Such disparity in the way SMEs in F&B reacted to the crisis is shocking, particularly knowing that over 86% of all businesses in F&B are SMEs. So, why did some of them engage in innovations to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic while others stayed put?

The hard road to business model innovation

To answer this question, my co-author Dr Enzo Bivona (Associate Professor, Department DEMS, University of Palermo, Italy) and I embarked on a journey to understand what makes the implementation of business model innovations (BMI) feasible for SMEs, particularly in times of uncertainty. We interacted with different SME breweries in Switzerland from the beginning of the pandemic throughout November 2021 and found that SMEs in the F&B industry are particularly vulnerable to changes in their business environment due to resource scarcity, but also due to a lack of understanding on where to get started if changes in their business models are needed.

For example, a common fear SME owners and business managers faced during the pandemic was whether changing the value proposition of their business as a response to the challenges brought by COVID-19 would have detrimental effects on their brand post-crisis. From this perspective, implementing BMIs was not an exciting idea for many SMEs as they wanted to avoid having potential losses also after the coronavirus crisis was over.

Contrary to this, we also found a strong drive for responding to the crisis with simple and sometimes also with sophisticated ways that could bring positive financial spillovers not only during but also beyond the crisis. This is the case of the beer crowdfunding platform Ton Bistrak implemented by Docteur Gabs in the middle of the pandemic. It required creative and coordination efforts with over 150 restaurant partners to raise funds from customers throughout Switzerland in return for personalized beers. Although the effort of producing personalized beers may have looked tremendously risky at first, this initiative turned out to be so successful that it became permanent part of Docteur Gabs strategy.

Similarly, La Boite was a radical innovation implemented in the business model of Brasserie La Marmotte during the pandemic. After realizing the drop in beer sales due to the lockdowns, this small brewery in Bienne realized that their customers needed food delivered to their doors - not beer! Inspired by this, they decided to sell canned seasonal meals and bring them to their customers while in home-office during the pandemic. This change to their business model not only implied partnering up with a large number of restaurants and chefs willing to create unique recipes that could be put into a can, but it also implied overcoming the fear of losing clarity in their value proposition after the crisis.

3 tips for SMEs to get started with BMIs in times of crisis

Although the challenges of the pandemic for SMEs in the F&B industry seem lower at the moment, our study on Swiss SME breweries provides meaningful insights for SMEs to know how to respond to a crisis in the future with the aid of BMI. Here some meaningful tips from our study that SMEs can rely on when facing difficult business environments and when in need for a change.

Rely on internal resources When not knowing where to get started, make a list of all the internal resources the SME relies on for daily operations and think about novel ways to use them to deliver new products or services. While the resulting products might be new to the firm, it is likely that they will not fall out of the SMEs value proposition. This is therefore the fastest and simplest way to change your business model during a crisis.

When not knowing where to get started, make a list of all the internal resources the SME relies on for daily operations and think about novel ways to use them to deliver new products or services. While the resulting products might be new to the firm, it is likely that they will not fall out of the SMEs value proposition. This is therefore the fastest and simplest way to change your business model during a crisis. Create collaborations Creating partnerships and collaborations with existing and new business partners during the crisis may bring new resources, knowledge and opportunities to the SME. Collaborations imply recombining those new resources and knowledge with SMEs existing pool of resources and capabilities. While not an easy task at first, this strategy allows the SME to tackle long-term opportunities in their environment. The resulting BMI in this case is likely to differ significantly from what the SME currently does, however, it may result in the highest returns also post-crisis.

Creating partnerships and collaborations with existing and new business partners during the crisis may bring new resources, knowledge and opportunities to the SME. Collaborations imply recombining those new resources and knowledge with SMEs existing pool of resources and capabilities. While not an easy task at first, this strategy allows the SME to tackle long-term opportunities in their environment. The resulting BMI in this case is likely to differ significantly from what the SME currently does, however, it may result in the highest returns also post-crisis. Experiment with different ideas Because of the unpredictability crises bring, it is important to keep an open mind as business manager of an SME. This requires developing entrepreneurial thinking and experimentation of different ideas until finding at least one that could prove unique and promising amidst the crisis.

To conclude, BMIs are an important resource that SMEs can rely on when facing uncertain and critical times. Though complex, starting with an appraisal of internal resources and the creation of collaborations with business partners can boost the potential for SMEs to successfully implement innovations in their business models during crisis. The past two years not only brought about incredibly challenging times for the industry but also important learning points to draw on when experiencing turbulent times in the future.

Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne

Communications Department

+41 21 785 1354

EHL

View source
Before the hospitality industry was plunged into a period of prolonged uncertainty amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we witnessed a collective push towards an industry-wide culture of enhanced safety. The state of the industry was, after all, hardly a well-kept secret.

Over time, as news of accidents or incidents between hotel staff and guests continued to break and permeate across the industry, while staff turnover remained notoriously high, it became clear that hospitality brands could no longer sweep this issue under the rug. It is estimated that around 2 million rooms will fall under mandates for hotel panic button compliance in 2022. The issue of staff safety needed to finally, once and for all, be addressed by hotel brands of all sizes and scales.

The 5-Star Promise

To set a new industry precedent for staff safety, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) announced the 5-Star Promise in September of 2018. The 5-Star Promise was a voluntary commitment by AHLA members to enhance policies, training, and resources, including employee safety devices, that together are aimed at strengthening safety and security for hotel employees and guests. To date, nearly 60 member companies (representing an estimated 20,000 hotel properties) have made this pledge, and, as of today, nearly all these hotels have implemented four pillars of the promise. Some major hotel chains that have pledged include Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, and Wyndham. Of those hotels currently affiliated with the 5-Star Promise, more than 5,000 properties have implemented employee safety devices.

Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting impact on the travel and hospitality industry at large was devastating and, unfortunately, derailed the efforts of hotels around the world to overhaul their staff safety infrastructure. However, as we move on from the pandemic and shift into a period of recovery and regrowth, staff safety is once again placed under the spotlight. Now, it is estimated that around 2 million rooms will fall under mandates for panic button compliance in 2022, following any delays formerly attributed to the pandemic. With compliance dates unlikely to be awarded further deferral, hoteliers must get well acquainted with the legislative requirements faced by their hotel.

With this in mind, weve compiled a list of many of the states currently impacted by panic button legislation and senate bills.

New Jersey

The New Jersey Senate Bill 2986 was introduced in Sept. 2018 to mitigate hotel workers' risk(s), including personal injury and assault. This law covers hotels and other establishments with 25 or more rooms for guests. It requires these establishments to equip employees who work alone while on the property with a dedicated staff safety device. Hotels cannot charge the employees for the devices. They must be an electronic device or two-way radio that the employees can keep on their person to quickly summon help in an emergency scenario.

Senate No. 2986 has required all New Jersey hotels with more than 100 rooms to provide hotel staff with a Bluetooth panic button since June 11, 2019. Any employer who fails to provide his or her employees with panic buttons could be subject to a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for the first infraction and up to $10,000 for subsequent violations.

All hotels and motels in the State of Washington with sixty rooms or more must provide employees with personal panic buttons. This law just recently came into effect on January 1, 2020, to effectively prevent instances of sexual harassment and sexual assault of isolated workers. To comply, all other hotels and motels with fewer than sixty rooms have until January 1, 2021. The Department of Labor is expected to provide guidance for hotel employers concerning implementing panic buttons.

Washington State

All hotels and motels in the State of Washington with sixty rooms or more must provide employees with personal panic buttons. Although the law officially became effective on July 28, 2019, employers were given a grace period until January 1, 2020. At that point, all large hotel and motel employers (those with 60 or more rooms) were required to be in full compliance. All other affected employers had until January 1, 2021, to comply.

Illinois

By July 1, 2020, every hotel in the State of Illinois with over 100 guest rooms was expected to provide part-time and full-time hotel staff with wireless workplace panic buttons. Non-compliant hotel companies could be subject to a fine between $250 and $500 for each violation of the Act, with each day that an offense continues counting as a separate infraction.

Miami Beach

According to ordinance no. 2018-4207, which was passed on August 1, 2019, all Miami Beach hotels are required to provide staff who work alone while on a property with personal panic buttons. If an employer fails to comply, a written warning is sent. If an employer commits a second violation within six months, they will receive a civil fine of $500, followed by a $1,000 fine for the third offense and $2,000 for the fourth and all other ensuing offenses.

Seattle

Now, in Seattle, panic buttons must be provided to all hotel employees who provide in-room services for hotels with sixty rooms or more, regardless of that employees position. As always, these workplace panic buttons must come at no cost to the employee, should be easy to carry, able to call for immediate help, and must not require continued activation by the employee.

Chicago

Under Municipal Code 4-6-180, it is the responsibility of Chicago hotel employers to equip staff who clean, inventory, inspect, or restock supplies in a guest room or restroom under circumstances where no other hotel staff is present with a work panic button or notification device. This ordinance has been in effect since July 1, 2018, and if an employer does not comply, they may be faced with a fine between $250 and $500 per violation.

Oakland, California

Voters in Oakland, California, recently approved ballot "Measure Z," titled the "Oakland Minimum Wage Charter Amendment, which imposes new minimum wages and employment standards for some hotel workers, including the use of personal safety devices.

The ordinance requires that a hotel employer provide a personal security device to each hotel worker assigned to work alone in a guest room or restroom facility. Employees may activate the device whenever they believe that violent or threatening conduct or an emergency occurs in their presence. The ordinance's personal security device provisions become effective as of January 1, 2022.

Santa Monica, California

Under Chapter 4.67 Hotel Worker Protection, the City of Santa Monica requires all hotels to provide their staff with hotel panic buttons  regardless of the hotels size  as of January 1, 2020. Santa Monica hotels cannot reprimand staff for activating the panic button during appropriate circumstances, and these devices must be provided at no cost to the employee.

City of Sacramento

The Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance came into effect July 14, 2020, which gave Sacramento hotels six months to implement panic buttons and hotel worker safety solutions. The Ordinance states that if an employer does not comply, they may face a fine between $25 and $2500 each day the violation ensues.

There has never been a better time to invest in your staff's safety and avoid fines. Thankfully, hotels no longer have to choose between security and the bottom line. With the TraknProtect employee safety platform, its easy, fast, and affordable to protect your employees and your business.

About TraknProtect | TraknProtect is a real-time location technology provider enabling hotels to harness the power of location data and integrate it into their safety and operations systems. TraknProtect provides enhanced safety devices (ESDs) for hotel employees through activation of a safety button integrated solution alerting security personnel to the location of employees in need of assistance. The platform provides additional access to real-time locations and data about hotel inventory, room service trays, and vendor activity on the property. The TraknProtect software platform is also enabling hotels to enhance guest satisfaction, increase employee efficiency, and improve employee safety by using TraknProtect data analytics to save significant capital costs and make smarter inventory purchasing decisions and improved management of outside vendors. For more information, please visit www.traknprotect.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Parminder Batra

CEO

TraknProtect
Jennifer Sterkel, a California native, was well settled in her San Jose, Calif. home of 22 years when she received an offer from her employer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, to relocate to the companys new headquarters in Houston. She didnt hesitate a second.

I basically checked the box nope and sent it back, said Sterkel, director of HPEs executive communications group. I didnt even open it.

But not long after, Sterkel came to Houston on a business trip, and found time to explore. After discovering great restaurants, friendly people and other amenities, she called her husband, Bryan, and urged him to come out here and join me, and bring an open mind.

Sterkel and her husband are now living in upscale mobile home park in north Harris County, waiting for their new home to be built in Woodlands Hills. Meanwhile, both HPE and local economic development officials are hoping more Jennifer Sterkels will follow as they seek to build the workforce to support the regions tech sector dreams.

The arrival of HPE, which formally opens its headquarters Monday, comes at an auspicious time as the technology community here seeks to coalesce into a haven for both startups and established businesses. If the amount of money flowing into local tech firms is any measure, those hopes are being realized.

In 2021, venture capitalists bankrolled local startups to tune of $2.4 billion, more than tripling 2020s $713 million, according to a new report from Houston Exponential, a nonprofit that advocates for the citys tech community.

Because of its size and its legacy - HPEs roots go back to the earliest days of Silicon Valley  the company has the potential to play an outsized role. Focused on cloud computing, financial services and systems management, it has a stock market value of more than $22 billion and generated revenues of nearly $28 billion in 2021.

Houstons tech leaders hope HPE will bring talent, influence and investments to the table. In turn, HPEs executives say they want to draw from a diverse and increasingly well-educated talent pool, as well as attract other tech workers to the region.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Diverse workforce brought HPE headquarters to Houston, CEO says

HPE is also interested in taking a stake in promising local startups that may fit with the companys strategic focus, which it calls edge-to-cloud. Edge-to-cloud is a technology in which critical data is no longer confined to big servers and data centers, but available anywhere to ever-more mobile workers and businesses.

It's not just the moving of the headquarters, said Antonio Neri, HPEs chief executive officer. Its the ability to create a vibrant ecosystem in different locations around the globe.

But HPE is not yet the 900-pound gorilla in Houstons tech room. Interviews with both HPE executives and local tech leaders say the company has yet to make make its biggest mark here - but both are optimistic.

Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer The Hewlett Packard Enterprise campus in Spring. (Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle) The Hewlett Packard Enterprise campus in Spring. (Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle)

New style

HPE, the product of a 2015 split-up of the consumer and business sides of the legendary Hewlett-Packard, announced in December 2020 that it was moving its headquarters to the Houston area from Silicon Valley. The company was already in the process of building a 440,000-square-foot campus in an area south of The Woodlands called City Place, nee Springwoods Village.

City Place, rising from virgin grassland, is designed as an office-park mecca, complete with retail, dining, smoothly manicured boulevards and a park. Among HPEs walking-distance neighbors are the local office of Hewlett Packard, the consumer yin to HPEs business-oriented yang, and Exxon Mobil, which also is moving its headquarters to the area.

Both HPE and HP already had a significant presence here due to Hewlett-Packards 2002 takeover of the Houston company Compaq.

But the City Place location is almost 30 miles from a designated Innovation Corridor, a four-mile stretch along Main Street that extends from the Texas Medical Center north to the University of Houstons downtown campus. At the corridors geographic and spiritual center is the Ion, a 266,000-square foot hub (once the old Main Street Sears building) designed to house startups and venture capitalists, foster collaboration and serve as an outpost for key technology, energy and health care companies in the area.

Among the recognizable companies with space at the Ion are Microsoft, Chevron Technology Ventures, the Houston law firm Baker Botts and the worlds largest oil field services company, Schlumberger. HPE doesnt have an office there yet, but Rishi Varma, the companys general counsel, and Ion Executive Director Jan Odegard say they have talked about it.

Varma said HPE is looking to make a significant investment in the Ion while getting space and a high profile in the building. Both HPE executives and local tech leaders, meanwhile, wave off questions about whether the headquarters distant location is an impediment, citing the ascendance of cloud computing and other technology that allows people to work and collaborate from anywhere.

HPEs headquarters in fact, is designed to serve a new, post-pandemic working style in which employees dont spend all their time the office, but rather come in as needed, docking laptops at any desk or grabbing portable power banks to plug in and work anywhere on campus

Were not focused on one hub or one location in Houston, Varma said. We have not solved traffic in Houston, but getting to and from places is not going to be as big of a hurdle.

Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Outsized presence

If you want to see just how HPE might interact with Houstons startup community, you might look at education. HPE has an outsized presence at the University of Houston, which pre-dates its headquarters move.

In 2018, HPE gave $10 million to fund the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Data Science Institute, part of the UH Division of Research. The institute conducts deep-dive research into complex problems surrounding data, and works with other academic and research departments to bring data science into their courses.

It allows HPE to mentor students, provide internships and tap into a diverse, educated workforce, said Pradeep Kumar, senior vice president at HPE and the companys liaison with UH. Hes also on the curriculum board at the UH Bauer College of Business.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Remote work struggles to find a home amid Houston tech companies

One of the big things about the headquarters coming in here is there will be more people who can mentor these kids and help them get ready for the future, Kumar said.

Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Knock, knock

Although they have yet to come knocking on the doors of Houston-area startups with cash, HPE executives say they expect the company to become player in the local ecosystem, just as they are in the San Francisco Bay area. HPE would do so through an investment arm known as Pathfinder.

We're starting to find opportunities and look for ways in which we can invest, said Varma, the general counsel. And because we are the largest tech company headquartered in Houston, I think we want to make sure that we have a visible presence in this tech community.

Pathfinder, typically in collaboration with other venture capital entities, tends to invest in late-stage startups, which have well-developed businesses, products and markets. It also looks for emerging companies that offer products and services that can complement HPEs.

Pathfinder has invested in 37 companies since 2015 split. Ten have had exits, in which they either went public or were acquired by other companies.

Of the remaining 27, 16 are headquartered in the San Francisco/Silicon Valley region. There is only one Texas-based company: Cellwize, in Southlake, a suburb near the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. It serves mobile wireless carriers with products for 5G network deployment and management, a business that HPE is targeting.

For now, only one of HPEs portfolio companies has a presence in Houston. Dragos, based in Hanover, Md., is a cybersecurity firm with an office in the Sawyer Yards area south of Interstate 10. HPE includes Dragos in its portfolio of services, offering it to customers who need real-time monitoring of and protection against cybersecurity threats.

HPE has started exploring Houstons startup landscape, recently landing a seat on the board of Houston Exponential. Executive Director Serafina Lalany said HPE has the potential to become a force because of its size and history of investing in startups and education, including UH.

Lalany said HPE already has indicated an interest in getting involved in local events such as the recent Tech Rodeo conference, which brings together tech incubators, startups and venture capitalists in a weeklong event that runs concurrently with the Houston Rodeo.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Venture group announces its largest fund for Texas companies

CEO Neri agreed that his company will be instrumental to what happens next in Houstons tech ecosystem.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise is going to play a huge role in bringing in capital (to Houston) because we have an exciting strategy, Neri said. There is no reason why Houston and Texas couldnt become a destination for a lot of the investments going forward

Sterkel. one of 400 HPE headquarters employees offered a relocation package, said she is already realizing the potential she saw in Houston. She and her husband sold their 1,675-square foot home in San Jose for $1.7 million; their new home, about 3,100 square feet when completed, will cost about $665,000.

The couple will live two miles from Lake Conroe, near walking trails, and just a short drive to great restaurants. Her grown children, she added, were coming for a first-time visit. She hoped they would see the possibilities that she did.

We are going to take them to the rodeo, and to Lake Conroe, she said. I think theyll love it.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Walmart this week joined other grocers and retailers in removing tobacco products from at least some stores in what public health advocates say is an essential step toward improving the national wellbeing.

Smokers and libertarians just see more corporate posturing that denies Americans their right to do what they wish with their bodies.

Lately, theres been an enormous debate around personal liberty, public health and economic consequences. In an era when political gridlock is the norm, corporate executives find themselves attempting to appease most of their customers while avoiding social media firestorms.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Omicron forces businesses and consumers to accept COVID-19's new reality

The Wall Street Journal broke the news about Arkansas-based Walmart, where the corporate communications department said as little as possible. The worlds largest retailer would only confirm that tobacco would not be sold in some recently redesigned stores.

An unidentified spokeswoman did her best not to raise a lightning rod in this potential storm. She insisted Walmart will still sell tobacco, just not everywhere.

Walmart is always such a profile in courage. Half Measures R Us.

Federal statistics show that tobacco products are linked to 480,000 deaths a year. Thats nearly half a million parents, children, siblings and cousins who shortened their lives through addiction to a substance universally recognized as harmful.

Thats also 480,000 terminally ill patients who needlessly run up colossal hospital bills for preventable illnesses. Tobacco use costs the United States $225 billion in direct medical care for adults and more than $156 billion in lost productivity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you pay taxes or health care premiums, thats money out of your pocket. A smokers bad habit also hurts others, with the CDC estimating that secondhand smoke exposure costs the American economy $5.6 billion in lost productivity every year.

Health care conglomerate CVS decided in 2014 to stop selling tobacco entirely. The corporation pulled products from 7,600 stores without affecting the bottom line. Then in 2019, CVS committed $10 million to fund a campaign discouraging kids from using e-cigarettes and vape pens.

PROPOSAL CONSIDERED: Houston may expand smoking ordinance to include ban on e-cigarettes, vaping in public areasD:

If you are a retailer that also owns a health insurance company  CVS owns Aetna  such moves make sense. And according to a 2019 Morning Consult poll, 62 percent of customers approved of boycotting tobacco.

About a third, though, did not appreciate CVSs decision. Smokers, of which I was one long ago, enjoy tobacco and nicotine despite the dangers. They dont want do-gooder CEOs making decisions for them.

Many are getting militant these days about having a choice. Consider the recent troubles over COVID-19, vaccines and public health precautions. Many conservatives opposed government mandates for shots, masks, social distancing, or pretty much anything that could slow the virus.

Red states that respected those demands saw 100,000 more people die from COVID than blue states, according to new data analyzed by Steven Woolf, a medical professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The COVID-19 pandemic removed any doubt that state policies can affect health outcomes, he concluded. States that rushed to curtail lockdowns in the spring of 2020 experienced more protracted surges in infections and disruptions to their economies. In 2021, excess deaths were disproportionately concentrated in states where resistance to COVID-19 vaccination was prevalent.

Texas ranked near the middle. Gov. Greg Abbotts anti-science, pro-liberty policies triggered high infection rates and death tolls in rural areas, while Democratic policies in the big cities kept those rates on par with East Coast states, according to CDC data.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Walmart's donations to Abbott, other Texas politicians raise questions

Even though polling showed that most Texans supported COVID precautions, Abbott bowed to his core supporters. Since then, weve all shared the costs of those excess illnesses and deaths. Some of us saw loved ones infected by those who believe liberty comes without responsibility.

Tobacco and COVID, though, are not the biggest killers, nor do they run up the biggest medical bills. Heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and obesity are more costly.

CVS still sells junk food and sweet drinks. All that sugar and salt are as equally deadly as tobacco, but they also generate more profit. Walmart said it was removing tobacco products to make more room at the checkout counter. Will they replace them with refrigerators filled with sodas?

Most doctors agree that obesity is a complicated medical condition that is not solely a question of willpower. Losing weight is rarely as simple as eating better. But public health officials agree that selling less junk food and not displaying it at the cash register would help.

We are an unhealthy nation, and many of us make poor decisions. Retailers, though, can decide not to lead us to temptation and instead take pride in promoting better health.

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and politics.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com
WASHINGTON  Since President Joe Biden came into office last year, Texass fast growing LNG industry has faced an uncertain future in the face of his administrations historic push to fight climate change.

But Bidens seeming antipathy toward natural gas appears to be shifting rapidly amid soaring energy prices and a war in Ukraine that threatens to upend global energy security.

After the president and officials from the European Union last week announced plans to expand U.S. LNG exports to Europe over the next eight years  in an effort to reduce reliance on Russian natural gas  LNG executives began to wonder if they might have an ally in the White House after all.

The signals coming from the administration today are almost a 180 in direction, said Charlie Riedl, executive director of the Center for Liquefied Natural Gas, a trade group. We think were in a good position.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Biden torn in competing directions on cutting off Russian oil

Speaking to reporters last week, Jake Sullivan, Bidens national security adviser, said that while the administration was still focused on transitioning to clean energy, natural gas remained a substantial part of the energy mix.

We want to make sure that the Europeans do not have to source that gas from Russia, he said.

How long this newfound allegiance will last remains to be seen.

Bidens announcement Friday has already generated criticism from environmental groups, who argue that it threatens to increase harmful emissions and upend U.S. efforts to fight climate change.

So far, members of the Democratic Partys environmental wing have held off similar criticism, giving Biden some cover. But its unclear how much longer that will last, said Kevin Book, managing director of the consulting firm Clearview Energy Partners.

If peace broke out (in Ukraine) tomorrow would Biden change his tune? If you look at the budget the White House proposed yesterday, its very closely aligned with the climate messaging you saw on the campaign trail, he said. The administration says theyre on war footing, and theres few things that focus the mind more than a loss of energy supply.

In the budget released Monday, Biden proposed ending tax breaks for oil and gas drilling, along with major funding expansions for clean energy.

On HoustonChronicle.com: FERC tells gas pipelines, LNG to start calculating climate impacts

Last year the United States exported 22 billion cubic meters of LNG to Europe, and now Biden is saying the United States will increase that number to 50 billion cubic meters by 2030.

With gas prices soaring in Europe, the United States is already on track to meet that goal this year, according to analysis by the research firm IHS Markit. Gulf Coast LNG terminals including Cheniere Energys Sabine Pass and Venture Globals Calciseau Pass are already sending more than 70 percent of their LNG to Europe.

But the future of that trend is uncertain. And should European gas prices fall, U.S. gas exports would likely shift to markets in Asia that typically run at a premium to Europe.

U.S. LNG is its going to be driven by commercial motivations which means price, said Gautam Sudhakar, a senior director at IHS Markit. Whats been very clear about the market is its extremely unpredictable and weve seen an incredible amount of volatility in price.

The uncertainity of the market presents an opportunity for U.S. LNG developers, who argue that the Biden administration needs to approve more export terminals if they are to meet the presidents 2030 goal.

Currently there are 17 LNG projects awaiting approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, representing more than 200 billion cubic meters of LNG exports a year, Riedl said.

More: Read the latest oil and gas news from HoustonChronicle.com

Theres going to have to be additional approvals, he said. That sends the signal that the U.S. is willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with Europe.

The other hurdle is Europe, where LNG import facilities are already at capacity. Importing more LNG from the United States and its allies will require the construction of new import terminals and pipelines, something that could be a tough sell politically as Europe seeks to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

In their joint statement with the United States Friday, European officials only agreed to increased imports through 2030. But LNG exporters are typically looking for 20-year deals, presenting a potential stumbling block to the signing long-term contracts necessary to build exports terminals that cost billions of dollars to build.

Europe is saying they want to be off gas in 20 years, Book said. LNG developers are going to want something more than through 2030 because the facilities wont be built for 5 years. Americas got the molecules. What we dont have is the certainty of long term contracts.

james.osborne@chron.com
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Will Smiths slap seen round the world at the Oscars was clearly a crime, legal experts say, but the chances of prosecution are slim and even if convicted hed likely face little more than a slap of his own  on the wrist.

Smith left millions of witnesses stunned Sunday when he marched onto the stage of the Dolby Theatre and smacked Chris Rock in the face after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who was sitting with the actor in the front row.

The Los Angeles Police Department has said it was aware of the incident but was not investigating because Rock declined to file a police report.

While police could technically open an investigation based on the Academy Awards broadcast, they wouldn't do so without Rocks participation, said defense lawyer Alan Jackson, a former Los Angeles County prosecutor who oversaw high-profile cases.

Would they ever in a practical world do that when Chris Rock is saying, I wont cooperate with a criminal investigation?' Not in a million years, Jackson said. LAPD is probably breathing a relative sigh of relief that they dont have to get involved with two high-profile actors duking it out on a world stage.

The Los Angeles city attorneys office, which prosecutes misdemeanor crimes, declined to comment, but said it couldn't bring charges without a police referral.

JOY SEWING: Will Smith's Oscars slap of Chris Rock was wrong, and his history may offer an explanation

Now Playing: Sundays 94th Academy Awards made history with trailblazing winners -- and shocked viewers with a raw on-stage confrontation after Will Smith took offense to a joke made by Chris Rock about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. (March 28) Video: Associated Press

If hes going to be charged, I cant speak to what the charge would be, spokesman Rob Wilcox said.

News of celebrities in trouble has been a fixture in LA since Hollywood's early days, and questions frequently arise about whether the rich and powerful receive a different brand of justice.

The celebrity thing is coming into play, unfortunately, said former LA District Attorney Steve Cooley. If some Joe Blow committed this act in front a police officer, would he would be able to walk away from it? Probably not.

If Smith is not charged, it could imperil the justice system's credibility, said Jody Armour, a law professor at the University of Southern California.

How can what appears to be an obvious criminal act committed in the open publicly not result in any criminal consequences?" Armour asked. "Do different standards apply to celebrities and noncelebrities? Apparently, we seem to all recognize that is the case. But what does that recognition say to us about the legitimacy and credibility of our criminal justice system?

While the famous can use their status to influence decision-makers, their fame can work against them if the prosecutor decides to make an example of a crime by someone well-known.

I would surprised if the city attorney does not seriously consider it because it was so public," said Alison Triessl, a criminal defense lawyer who has handled many misdemeanor battery cases. Are they sending the wrong message if they dont prosecute him?

Triessl said theres no question a crime was committed, and theres no need for the victim to file a report. Charges are routinely brought in domestic violence cases without cooperation from the victim because the crime is against the state for violating its penal code.

It sends a message that you can commit a crime and you wont be punished," she said. "This was a very wrong message.

ALOPECIA, EXPLAINED: Jada Pinkett Smith's hair loss is at center of Will Smith, Chris Rock Oscars slap

Now Playing: Vanity Fair writer Erin Vanderhoof describes the 2022 Academy Awards as a "lot of ups and downs. Vanderhoof says Will Smith slapping Chris Rock for making a reference to the hair of his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, took the spotlight away from the winners and their achievements. (Mar. 28) Video: Associated Press

Defense attorney Adam Braun said it's unrealistic Smith would face charges in the absence of serious injuries and without support from Rock.

Although a prosecution is not likely, the wild card here is that the evidence is overwhelming and the incident was witnessed live by millions," Braun said. "Prosecutors could feel compelled to prosecute Will Smith, regardless of Chris Rocks preference, to avoid creating the impression that a wealthy actor is above the law.

If Smith were charged, he would face a misdemeanor battery count, which carries a penalty of up to six months in jail. Even if prosecuted and convicted, it is unlikely he would face incarceration and there are alternatives to going to court that could lead to a penalty as light as having to attend anger management classes.

Cooley said if he were advising Smith, he'd have him voluntarily enroll in anger classes and then try to convince prosecutors not to bring charges in the interest of justice because he had recognized his problem and was dealing with it.

Cooley said hed want more information on the case as a prosecutor before making any decisions. He said said LAPD was premature in announcing they weren't getting involved.

Stephen Downing, a retired LAPD deputy chief, said a case could be brought. But he said it was reasonable not to waste resources when Rock apparently wasn't injured or ruffled enough to file a complaint.

Rock carried on as if nothing happened to him," Downing said. "He didnt even put a hand to his cheek. There didnt appear to be an injury. If he had knocked him to the floor and rendered him unconscious, I think action would have been taken.

NEWSLETTERS Join the conversation with HouWeAre We want to foster conversation and highlight the intersection of race, identity and culture in one of America's most diverse cities. Sign up for the HouWeAre newsletter here.

Associated Press journalist Stefanie Dazio contributed to this report.
When John Bridges answered his phone last weekend, he heard a familiar voice.

The Pearland resident told KHOU that the crying voice of his daughter was asking for help on the other end of a phone call.

"I've had an accident, daddy. Help me," Bridges recalled to the Houston TV station. Then a man's voice took over the line, telling Bridges, "I've got your daughter. She's in my car."

The man instructed Bridges to stay on the phone, get cash, and drive to a grocery store without drawing any attention to himself. Bridges was terrified but complied.

Bridges told KHOU that he was about to wire money to Mexico when his wife got a call from his actual daughter, telling them she was fine. They then called the authorities, who told them that the phone number was generated on the internet and that the enitre ordeal was a scam.

SNEAKY SCAMS: What I learned buying a home during Houston's pandemic housing frenzy

An expert says that the scam could have been created by finding a target's voice in a video posted online and then using a program to clone the voice, according to KHOU. In early 2020, the Federal Trade Commission examined voice cloning technology, claiming that text-to-speech synthesis has allowed researchers to create a near-perfect voice clone with less than a five-second recording of a person's voice.

Although voice cloning technology is being used in the film and healthcare industry, it's been used for nefarious purposes in the past. Fraudsters cloned a company director's voice in a $35 million bank heist in 2020, according to Forbes.

"It was her... It was her voice. I know it was," Bridges told KHOU. "I still can't really sleep at night... I still think about it."

ryan.nickerson@hcnonline.com
A recent multi-agency, anti-gang initiative has yielded 93 gang-related arrests, and the seizure of illegal drugs, numerous firearms and cash, the Fort Bend County District Attorneys Office announced at a Tuesday news conference.

Dubbed MARGO, the seven-week operation was in effect during January and February and targeted eight locations throughout Fort Bend County.

The arrests include 28 wanted fugitives and 11 gang members. No names were shared. The operation did not result in the arrest members of MS-13, but the DAs office believes that MS-13 are active in Fort Bend County.

Police seized 16 firearms, 23.27 pounds of illegal narcotics and $8,273 in allegedly illegal proceeds. The operation resulted in the execution of 44 warrants.

Gangs have targeted our communities and we have targeted gang members for arrest and prosecution, said DA Brian Middleton.

Ninety-three arrests take a lot of effort and law enforcement worked tirelessly to make this operation a success, said Special Crimes Chief Prosecutor Mark Hanna. This type of coordinated effort makes it harder for street gangs to do business in Fort Bend County. And our goal is to put them out of business.

The initiative focused on Fresno, Stafford, Katy, Missouri City, Rosenberg, Richmond, Mission Bend and Houston. The goal was to find street-level criminal activity, recognize gang members and create a database with criminal intelligence data.

There are indicators of gang affiliation, such as hand signs, bandannas, colors, graffiti, markings, tattoos, and jewelry. Middleton urged parents to watch for possible warning signs of gang involvement by observing changes in their children and monitoring their childs social media pages.

See what theyre doing on their social media pages, then youll see the hand signs, youll see the people theyre associated with, and youll see the hand signs on their pages, Middleton said.

Middleton said MARGO was the latest in a series of efforts to reduce crime in Fort Bend County. He thanked the peace officers from the different agencies who worked in partnership with the DAs office. The partner agencies included the Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office, Fort Bend County Constable Precinct 3, Fort Bend County Constable Precinct 4, Department of Public Safety, Harris County Sheriffs Office, Houston Police Department, Katy Police Department, Missouri City Police Department, Richmond Police Department, and the Rosenberg Police Department.

The DAs office extended a special thank you to Chief Bobby Clark and the Community Volunteer Fire Department-Station 1 for the use of their facility during the operation.

We will identify gang members and hold them accountable as organized criminal enterprises, said Middleton. We will fight to keep Fort Bend County safe.

juhi.varma@hcnonline.com
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Its not every day Texas leaders speak up on behalf of a convicted murderer  much less one like Melissa Lucio, who in 2008 was sentenced to death for the murder of her 2-year-old daughter, Mariah.

So when that happens, we should pay attention.

The system literally failed Melissa Lucio at every single turn, state Rep. Jeff Leach, a Republican from Plano who serves as chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence, said at a news conference last week at the Texas Capitol calling for clemency.

He was joined by five colleagues from across the state and both sides of the aisle, including state Reps. Lacey Hull, a Houston Republican, and Senfronia Thompson, a Houston Democrat who is the dean of the Texas House, having represented part of Harris County since 1973.

In addition, Leach said, more than 80 legislators had signed on to a letter to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles asking for Lucios sentence to be commuted or, failing that, for her execution to be paused for three months. The state of Texas cannot, in good faith, execute Ms. Lucio next month, the legislators wrote.

Sadly, good faith doesnt always drive or constrain the state of Texas. But comments such as Leachs should give statewide GOP leaders pause, for more than one reason.

As a conservative Republican myself, who has long been a proponent of the death penalty in the most heinous cases, I have never seen  I have never seen  a more troubling case than the case of Melissa Lucio, Leach said.

When you hear Texas Republicans say things like that, its a sure sign that somethings seriously amiss.

And heres whats seriously amiss, in this case: Lucio might be innocent.

In fact, its not clear that a murder even occurred in this case.

Mariah, Lucios 12th and youngest child, was just 2 years old when she died in February 2007 from blunt force trauma. Police swiftly suspected Lucio because she was often alone with her children at home. After hours of interrogation, Lucio took responsibility for spanking and biting the little girl on occasion and, eventually, for causing her death. I guess I did it, she said. Largely on the basis of this confession, she was sentenced in 2008 to death.

But Lucio, along with most of her family, have subsequently maintained her innocence. According to Lucio, who rejected a plea deal, Mariah had slipped and fallen down a flight of stairs at the familys home in Harlingen.

Some of Lucios advocates have said they felt that investigators assumed her guilt. Certainly, Lucios behavior was interpreted through the least charitable lens available, after her arrest. Her flat affect during the police interrogation, for example, was apparently taken as a sign of callousness rather than shock, numbness, trauma or grief.

When this happened, Melissa was pregnant with twins, and she was questioned for more than five hours in the middle of the night just two hours after Mariahs death, Thompson observed at the news conference. Thompson noted that Lucio is also a survivor of domestic abuse who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, factors that numerous studies have confirmed makes her especially vulnerable to coercion and accepting blame for a crime she didnt commit.

Lucio had, Thompson continued, denied causing her daughters death 80 times over the course of the hours-long interrogation before finally giving up and agreeing with the investigators version of events.

The case has attracted national attention and is the subject of a 2020 documentary, The State of Texas vs. Melissa. If Lucios execution proceeds as scheduled, on April 27, she will be the first Latina executed in Texas in the modern era.

As that phrasing suggests, at least one Latina has been executed in Texas in the past, which is actually not that distant. In 1863, Josefa Chipita Rodriguez was convicted of murder and hanged after a traveler in her South Texas town was found dead.

But while her execution may have been legal, it wasnt right. In 1985, the Legislature passed a resolution, signed by then-Gov. Mark White, attesting that Rodriguez hadnt received a fair trial and absolving her of the murder. There are echoes, in Lucios case, of the same unequal justice that Rodriguez faced.

The key issue  and the reason Lucios case has spurred legislators of all stripes to speak out  is that its possible that what happened that night in 2007 was a terrible tragedy rather than a horrific crime. Indeed, the legislators put it that plainly in their letter to the parole board: Ms. Lucio was sentenced for a murder that, simply put, did not take place, and no eyewitness account exists saying otherwise.

Executing her will not achieve justice for Mariah, they continue. Instead, it will cause more suffering for Mariahs siblings, her grandmother, her father, and her aunts and uncles, who all lost Mariah 14 years ago and are desperate not to lose her mother.

Such an execution would also cause some distress for death penalty proponents in Texas, because it should. The state notoriously leads the nation in both death sentences and executions. Harris County has a particular place in this bleak history, too. For years, the county sent more people to death row than any other  disproportionately more, even accounting for the fact that Harris County is the states most populous.

At the news conference, Leach made clear his concerns are not with capital punishment as a concept. He urged Texans to remember Mariah, the little girl who lost her life: Theres no question that we lost a fellow Texan, that the Lucio family lost a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter.

But for the state to take every possible precaution to avoid executing an innocent person  or a potentially innocent person  can only strengthen our criminal justice system, he argued.

Conversely, it would weaken our criminal justice system if Lucio is executed, even as many Texans, and a majority of our state representatives, are convinced of her innocence.

If somethings seriously amiss in a capital case, the state needs to, at the very least, hit the emergency brakes on the grim machinery of death.

Justice demands that, of course. So does common sense.

erica.grieder@chron.com
A man was struck and killed Wednesday morning by a car driven by an employee of a fast food restaurant in the drive-thru area of the southwest Houston business, police said.

The 25-year-old man was fatally struck about 12:22 a.m. at Burger King in the 8100 block of West Sam Houston Parkway South. He was taken to Ben Taub Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The unidentified driver, who police initially said was a manager, remained at the scene and cooperated with authorities, police said.

The man and his girlfriend, who police describe as homeless, had walked up to the drive-thru to order food but were turned away. Restaurant policy forbids employees taking walk-up orders in the drive thru, police said.

"During the process of their conversing with the manager there was a disturbance," HPD Sgt. David Rose said during a news briefing after police first arrived.

More from Joel Umanzor: Man shot in head during in home invasion involving 4 attackers in east Houston, police report

Later Wednesday, police said the man asked for scissors and a 20-year-old employee gave him a knife. The man became upset and began arguing with the employee, then stabbed the drive thru window plexiglass several times, police said.

"After some time passed, the homeless couple was still in the drive-thru picking up change when that same employee who was in the disturbance with them earlier got into his white sedan and drove around the building," Rose said.

Investigators do not believe the crash is intentional but a Harris County District Attorney's Office vehicular crimes division representative was consulting with police to see if charges will be filed, Rose said. Later Wednesday, police said no charges had been filed, but the investigation was continuing.

"There is a difference of statements, a very, very intense difference and we are trying to get to the bottom of it," Rose said of the accounts being given to authorities from both the driver and the girlfriend. "I don't know what was said. We don't have any audio of it but we have video so we have some of the timeline behind it."

There was very little damage at the scene, he added.

"This is not like some of the other fatals I've worked where there's a lot of catastrophic damage to the person and to the car," Rose said. "There's not even a scratch on the car that we can find from this incident. There's no blood, the windshield is not shattered  which is typical for auto-pedestrian crashes."

A folding knife was recovered at the scene but investigators have yet to determine if the man was threatening anyone with it although video surveillance shows him holding it, police said.

Police also said later Wednesday that a preliminary investigation indicated the man may have run in front of the vehicle as it passed. The man, who suffered little to no trauma, may have suffered a medical issue that contributed to his death, police said.

Joel.Umanzor@chron.com
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Houston City Council on Wednesday unanimously outlawed vaping, but what does that mean for those Houstonians who choose to use electronic cigarettes?

Here are five things to know.

RENEW HOUSTON: Will e-cigarettes usher in a new tobacco epidemic? Some researchers say yes.

1. Where is it outlawed?

Houston currently bans tobacco smoking in enclosed public places and seating areas and within 25 feet of any building entrance. Smoking in covered bus stops and light rail stops also is prohibited. As of Wednesday, the smoking ban now includes electronic cigarettes.

E-cigarettes, also commonly known as vape pens, have become commonplace in Houston and are often used as an alternative to tobacco smoking. Their use is now restricted in accordance with the citywide smoking ban enacted in 2007 to reduce public secondhand smoke exposure.

2. Can I be fined for vaping in public?

Under the citys smoking ordinance, businesses are required to post no smoking signs and enforce the ban on their premises. Violators may be fined up to $2,000.

Businesses will be expected to confront patrons who vape in non-smoking areas, in violation of the new law. Most member restaurants support doing so, the Greater Houston chapter of the Texas Association of Restaurants said this week. Those that fail to enforce it risk being reported through the citys 311 service and investigated by health inspectors.

The city hopes to proactively educate business owners and residents about the ban. In practice, individual vape users are unlikely to face fines unless they refuse to comply when confronted by health inspectors.

3. Are there any exceptions to the ban?

All types of electronic cigarettes are subject to the ban, which covers vaporizers, vape pens, electronic cigars, electronic hookahs and any other aerosol-producing smoking device.

The updated smoking ban applies to vapes filled with tobacco-derived nicotine, as well as those that are nicotine-free.

4. Why is vaping being banned?

Council members are concerned about the adverse health effects of vapor particles produced by e-cigarettes. Like tobacco smoke, the ultra-fine particles have been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, even when consumed secondhand.

The rise in teen vaping is another concern. Health Department officials began researching the possibility of including e-cigarettes in the citywide smoking ban last year in response to data showing as many as 1 in 10 middle schoolers vape. The rate is even higher among Houston high schoolers, one third of whom use e-cigarettes.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Clear relationship between e-cig ads and vaping popularity in young people, UT researchers say

Scientists do not have a full picture of the long-term consequences of using e-cigarettes. But city officials are concerned about evidence showing teens who vape are far more likely to develop a lifelong nicotine addiction. They see banning public vaping as a way to protect children and teens, whose developing brains are particularly vulnerable to nicotine.

5. When does the ban take effect?

The new limitations on public vaping took effect Wednesday March 30. But lawmakers anticipate health inspectors will extend a "grace period" to business owners and e-cigarette users in the coming months, with some leeway given to those who are not aware of the ban.
A 7-month grace period that has allowed Texas bars and restaurants to continue serving alcohol despite having expired liquor licenses is ending at the beginning of April. If they don't renew before the end of March, 311 businesses around Harris County are at risk of losing their right to serve alcohol.

After an initial drop in liquor sales due to COVID-19 precautions and decreased tourism in the state, alcohol sales across Texas reached all-time highs in 2021.

But COVID has been a rocky time for many businesses. Keeping up with pandemic protocols, maintaining staff and dealing with supply chain issues are just some of the many struggles that business owners contended with.

Since 2020, 952 Harris County bars and alcohol-serving restaurants have either closed completely or stopped selling alcohol. Most establishments that lost their licenses had been slinging drinks for less than 10 years, but 7% (nearly 70 businesses) held their licenses for 20 years or more.

Normally, businesses are required to renew liquor licenses every two years. The current renewal fee is $2,650. If they fail to renew their license by the expiration date, a $100 late fee is assessed. If the license is not renewed within 30 days of expiration, the business must apply for a new license and pay a fee of $5,300.

Throughout the pandemic, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) has instituted various measures to help businesses continue serving up beer, wine and liquor. In May 2020, TABC did away with the $100 late fees, and they instituted a grace period in Sept. 2021 that allowed businesses with expired licenses to continue to pour their patrons' favorite alcoholic beverages.

As of March 27, 311 Harris County businesses were taking advantage of the grace period, meaning that their licenses have expired or will expire between Sept. 1, 2021 and March 31. 2022.

Bars and restaurants at risk are spread throughout the city, with concentrations downtown and west of downtown toward Alief.

At-risk businesses still have until Thursday to renew their liquor licenses. If they fail to do so, they will still be able to serve alcohol throughout the month of April as long as they submit renewal forms and pay both the renewal fee and the $100 late fee.

Establishments that do not renew by the end of April will be required to apply for a new license at full cost.
The city of Houston outlawed vaping in public spaces Wednesday, amending its smoking ordinance to include electronic cigarettes.

City Council unanimously approved the change, proposed last year by the Houston Health Department in response to a growing scientific consensus on the dangers of vaping.

The amendment adds all types of e-cigarette devices  vape pens, electronic pipes and hookahs, among others  to the smoking ban, which bars cigarettes from enclosed public places and seating areas and within 25 feet of any building. It does not affect hookah bars or other private areas where smoking is permitted.

You can now go into bars and restaurants without fear that someone vaping nearby will be impacting your health," said District I Councilmember Robert Gallegos, chair of the councils Quality of Life Committee.

Council members touted the public health benefit of regulating e-cigarettes, which are filled with a liquid nicotine derived from tobacco that becomes an aerosol when the user inhales. Ultra-fine particles emitted by the vapor and toxins from the devices' heating elements can increase a persons risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, federal studies suggest, even when nicotine-free vape liquid is used.

The new limits on public vaping, which took effect immediately after the vote Wednesday, will be enforced by health inspectors in the same manner as smoking or air pollution complaints, Health Department spokesman Porfirio Villarreal said.

Under the citys smoking ordinance, business owners are required to post no smoking signs and enforce the ban on their premises, with violations bringing a fine of up to $2,000. They will not have to update signage, Villarreal said, but will be expected to confront patrons who violate the new rule by vaping in non-smoking areas.

Businesses that fail to enforce the rule can be reported through the citys 311 service and will be investigated by health inspectors. The call center receives three smoking complaints per month on average, and officials do not anticipate a significant uptick as the e-cigarette amendment takes effect.

The city hopes to proactively educate business owners and residents about the ban, Villarreal said, with fees issued as a last resort.

Most of the time when we get a complaint about an individual, the person is gone by the time inspectors arrive, Villarreal said. But if they are still there, we will educate them about the ordinance. If there is someone who plainly refuses, we will issue the citation.

The Greater Houston Chapter of the Texas Restaurant Association supports the amendment and will help its 900 members adhere to it, the associations executive director Melissa Stewart said Wednesday. Many restaurants already enforce no-vaping rules, she said.

The inclusion of e-cigarettes in the citys smoking ban generated considerable discussion among vape users Wednesday, many of whom had not heard of the amendment until it passed.

Kyle Wray, manager of Artisan Vapor & CBD Houston, received text messages from employees soon after the vote, with some questioning how the ban would affect the vape store. Wray acknowledged concern in the vaping industry over growing pushback from lawmakers, but said he supports Houstons ban as a matter of public health.

I feel like its a fair ruling, Wray said. I dont want to be policed at the dog park, but if I go into Olive Garden and Im puffing away, I expect someone to say something."

Asked whether he planned to adhere to the new ordinance, Wray said he feels conflicted.

If I want nicotine, I am going to break the rule, he said. I like the rule, because its going to deter a lot of bad behavior, but its not going to deter me.

Ken Schlein, owner of Eado Glass and Smoke, was similarly ambivalent.

Its all a little bit overkill if you ask me, Schlein said.

To health care practitioners, the inclusion of e-cigarettes in the smoking ban is an important step toward reducing their attraction to teenagers. While some adults see vaping as a healthier alternative to tobacco cigarettes, there is growing agreement among doctors that the devices are a dangerous gateway to lifelong nicotine addiction.

When we dont allow traditional cigarettes, but we allow electronic products, the message we send to teenagers is that these products are probably OK, said Dr. Salim Virani, a professor of cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine. The truth is, we really do not know the long-term impact.

Dr. Lindy McGee, a pediatrician who advocated for the ban, cheered its passage Wednesday and said she hopes it will stem growing e-cigarette use among teens. As many as 1 in 10 Houston middle and high school students vape, according to health department data.

"I am so excited that the city council tackled this issue and understands the importance of it," McGee said. "The more we can reduce teens' access and exposure to vape products, the more we can reduce their future nicotine use."

nora.mishanec@chron.com
Michael Wyke / Contributor

City of Houston employees soon could be eligible for up to three months of paid parental leave under a policy change expected to reach City Council next week.

The proposal, set for council consideration next Wednesday, would give workers who have been with the city for six months up to 12 weeks of paid leave for the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child. The policy also will include paid time off during pregnancy for certain health matters.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Courtesy Houston Humane Society Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Courtesy Houston Humane Society Show More Show Less



The Houston Humane Society is hoping to help curb the city's rampant population of stray cats by hosting its annual "Fix Felix" event, which aims to neuter up to 1,500 animals.

Houston's increasing stray cat population has been an issue for years. In 2020, Harris County approved a trap-neuter-return (TNR) program as a humane method to manage the population. Houston Humane aims to do the same thing with a one-day event on April 6 at the shelter, located at 14700 Almeda Road.
As Houston begins to redraw its City Council map for the 2023 elections, two districts representing western portions of the city, including Montrose, the Heights, River Oaks, and Uptown, among other neighborhoods, have out-sized populations that likely will have to be reduced, according to census data.

Meanwhile, majority-Hispanic districts on the Near Northside, East End and in southwest Houston  predominantly Sharpstown and Gulfton  now include fewer residents than the average district and likely will have to expand.

The population distribution, released district-by-district on Tuesday, is based on the 2020 census, which the city must use to create new boundaries. That survey was conducted during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and under-counted Hispanic and Black populations nationally, according to the Census Bureau.

On HoustonChronicle.com: People of color drove Houstons growth, but some historic Black, Latino neighborhoods lost residents, census data shows

City Council on Wednesday passed a resolution outlining a process to gather public input at public meetings in April and May, including at least one meeting in each district. Those meetings will serve as listening sessions and will not include maps. Each will start at 6 p.m. and may include a virtual element.

The city then will begin to draw maps and unveil a proposal at public meetings in July. The timeline calls for a council vote to adopt maps in September, more than a year before the next municipal elections in November 2023.

City staff presented the population numbers but have not yet begun to discuss how to redraw the lines. They are aiming to maintain relatively equal population numbers, have easily identifiable boundaries, and retain the integrity of neighborhoods and communities of interest.

Another priority: preserve incumbent-constituency relations, which means they will try to keep communities in their existing districts when possible. That also makes it unlikely any incumbent council member will be drawn out of his or her district. Eight of the 11 current district council members are eligible to run for re-election.

While redistricting often is overtly political at the county, state and national levels, city offices are nonpartisan. City council redistricting is more focused on balancing populations and demographic representation.

Residents can sign up for meetings, ask questions and submit comments at letstalkhouston.org/redistricting. In addition to 11 district council members, the city has five at-large council members elected by voters citywide. Houston is the only large city in Texas that still elects at-large members.

The city has hired a law firm, Thompson & Horton, to help the planning and legal departments produce the maps and defend against any legal challenges.

One such lawsuit already has been promised. The League of United Latin American Citizens has said it plans to target Houstons at-large seats, arguing they should be replaced with four seats in heavily Hispanic districts. Hispanic residents make up 45 percent of the population, but only one council member right now is Hispanic, Robert Gallegos of District I.

The group also plans to pursue a charter amendment, which would present the same argument to city voters.

Its just a glaring example of inequitable representation. said Sergio Lira, a local leader with LULAC. When other cities converted at-large seats to district members, he added, the effect was more minority representation.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Latino leaders plan lawsuit to change 'gross' underrepresentation in Houston City Council

The city faced similar litigation in the 1990s and was able to keep its system combining district council members, at-large seats and the mayor. If the LULAC lawsuit is successful, it could dramatically recast the redistricting process, but it is not clear if there will be an outcome before the new maps are expected to be considered in September and elections are held in 2023.

With a citywide population of about 2.3 million, each of the 11 council districts should have about 209,000 residents. By law, the districts cannot have more or less than 10 percent of that average. As the maps stand today, five of the 11 districts must be adjusted.

District C  centered in Montrose and the Heights  has 241,000 residents, and District G  stretching west from River Oaks and Uptown  has 234,000 residents, making them the most populous districts. They are 15 and 12 percent above the average, respectively.

The districts that have below-average populations and will need to be expanded are: District H, centered in the Near Northside with 174,000 residents; District I, which includes downtown and the East End and has 179,000 residents; and District J, based in Sharpstown and Gulfton with 187,000 residents.

Those three districts also have the citys largest Hispanic populations. They are 71 percent, 76 percent and 63 percent Hispanic, respectively, by 2019 estimates.

Lira, from LULAC, said it is important those districts maintain their Hispanic constituencies.

The Census Bureau has said the 2020 survey  conducted during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic  had statistically significant under-counts for Hispanic and Black populations, compared to over-counts for white and Asian residents. Those findings were national and were not geographically precise, but some council members are worried they are skewing the population numbers for redistricting.

My concern is this is not an accurate reflection, necessarily, of the city of Houstons population right now, District C Councilmember Abbie Kamin said.

dylan.mcguinness@chron.com
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Houston police released body camera footage Monday of a shooting last month in which authorities say a carjacking suspect fired at them before they returned fire.

Police say the suspect, Marcelo Alfredo Suarez, turned and fired toward police on Feb. 27 near the 7800 block of Tidwell Road amid a pursuit, and three officers  Paul Foster, Daryn Jenkins and Cody Welch  fired back.

Suarez was injured in the shooting and later died, according to police.

The body camera footage was from multiple officers, including Foster, Jenkins and Welch.

Welchs video shows him running over a median to the side of a bridge or overpass, where he yells hey, get on the  ground and appears to fire a rifle through a metal barrier. Smoke can be seen coming out of the weapon.

Welch reports shots fired and a suspect down over his radio. His video is then blocked by something for a period of time, and when his surroundings can be seen more clearly again, hes on a road with other officers about to approach the area where the suspect is. He then proceeds in that direction with the group.

Suarez, who was struck by gunfire sometime during the pursuit, was transported in critical condition and ultimately died March 6 at Ben Taub General Hospital, according to police. One officer had a minor injury, police said.

The police departments special investigations unit, the internal affairs division as well as the Harris County District Attorneys Office are all investigating the incident, according to police.

Police say Suarez was in Houstons southwest area when he allegedly stole a Chevy Tahoe at gunpoint before fleeing. A dispatcher provided information regarding that vehicle and incident to officers, and Foster saw the Chevy and turned on his lights and sirens, trying to stop it, according to police. But Suarez failed to stop, police said.

There was a pursuit  with which Northeast patrol officers assisted  that continued to the 7800 block of Tidwell Road, police said. It was in that area that Suarez drove the vehicle onto a median, got out and started fleeing on foot, according to police.

Houston police said Suarez shot toward officers amid that pursuit, but in the videos released by the department that does not appear to be clearly documented.

In Fosters body camera footage, the officer can be heard saying things including get on the ground, on the ground now and repeating the word down before raising a gun in the direction of a person who is off in the distance. Gunfire can be heard and that person appears to drop to the ground.

Afterward, Foster can be heard reporting shots fired and a suspect down before telling everyone to calm down. A group of officers gathers at the part of the road Foster is at before approaching with firearms drawn to the area where the person went down. As they get closer, an officer can be heard saying put your hands out if you can hear me before police can be heard saying do not move as they walk up.

Once they reach the figure laying on the ground, Foster says hes secure. Someone in the group offers to stay with the gun. Its not explicitly stated whose gun it is.

Before that video fades out, a voice on the radio can be heard saying the officers are okay, but a suspect is down and EMS is needed.

Jenkins footage in the summary video police released shows him running across a median to a railing. Gunfire can be heard, but the angle of the video doesnt clearly show the suspect getting hit. Jenkins then calls out hes down! three times before going over to Foster and K9 Nate.

When the officers together begin to approach where the suspect is, Jenkins starts to go with them before running back for his medical equipment, the video shows. When he returns to the group, he puts gloves on and starts cutting the mans clothing before the video ends.

Following this incident, Suarez faced two counts of aggravated assault against a peace officer, police said. Online court records show those were dismissed due to his death.

leah.brennan@chron.com
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

A computer glitch in a Harris County law enforcement system prompted officials to order the release of nearly 300 jailed inmates as the issue prevented those defendants from appearing in their probable cause or bail hearings within the state-mandated time frame  a red flag that some officials say indicates that the county system needs additional resources.

The system used by authorities and the Harris County District Attorneys Office to file criminal charges crashed from 7 p.m. March 24 until 9 p.m. March 26, according to the documents obtained by the Houston Chronicle.

While county officials called the two-day outage minimal, others said it violated defendants due process. People are generally are not to be held for processing for more than 24 hours in misdemeanor cases and 48 hours for felony cases, according to the Texas Code for Criminal Procedure.

They cant sleep, they arent allowed to walk around and they are just stuck in chairs, said Alex Bunin of the Harris County Public Defenders Office. Imagine doing that for two days with no break, other than going to the bathroom.

The Joint Processing Center can take a toll on the defendants and the attorneys made available to defend them, Bunin said. That stress can be a catalyst for violent incidents at the center JPC that can affect both staff members and defendants, he added.

Prosecutors with the District Attorneys Office petitioned magistrates in the probable cause court to postpone the release of some inmates for an additional 24 hours, providing a list of the inmates in question. Some inmates were held on felonies, others on misdemeanors. Magistrates approved most of the motions  meaning that some inmates were allowed to be held for longer  on Friday and Saturday.

One of those magistrates, Courtney St. Julian, then denied a similar request Sunday and ordered the release of at least 280 defendants, citing an insurmountable backlog of cases in their court and that too many defendants had gone without a review of probable cause or a bail hearing.

Records of the extensions were not available on the Harris County District Clerks Office website because of the outage and were provided to the Chronicle by other county government agencies.

Some of the defendants eligible for pretrial services were released on personal recognizance bonds, while others charged with more serious offenses had bail set at $10,000, according to the court documents.

At one point during the system failure, about 250 people were in custody at the Harris County Joint Processing Center, according to authorities. Once the system began processing data Saturday night, the most serious felony charges were filed first.

It is unclear how long certain defendants were waiting for probable cause hearings and how many were immediately released once the magistrate made her ruling.

The Chronicle reviewed a list of defendants eligible to receive pre-trial services and found that at least 10 were held for more than 65 hours before going to magistration amid the glitch. The extensions allowed inmates to remain held ahead of their probable cause or bail hearings.

Both Bunin and the district attorneys office said county leaders need to address the issue, which has happened three times previously.

This has happened before and should have been anticipated. What we need is a backup plan for when the computers go down, he said. This is a system that worked for decades on paper so it can be done and we need a way to deal with that when we dont have the access to computers.

Dane Schiller, spokesman with the District Attorneys Office, this week Monday called for Harris County to give adequate support to Universal Services.

The safety of the public, security of our criminal justice system and efficiency of our courts demand that the county give Universal Services the resources to fix this and ensure it never happens again, Schiller, spokesman for the Harris County District Attorneys Office, said in an email.

Nicole Hensley contributed to this report

joel.umanzor@chron.com
The Hubble Space Telescope has detected light from a star that formed 1 billion years after the Big Bang, making it the most distant star ever observed and setting the stage for what the James Webb Space Telescope might soon discover.

This star, named Earendel for morning star in Old English, died billions of years ago. But the star was so far away that its light traveled for nearly 13 billion years before reaching Earth. This light seen by Hubble shows the star as it looked when the universe was just 7 percent of its current age.

MORE ON WEBB: Why NASA's new James Webb Space Telescope, the successor to the Hubble, has 'perfectly misshaped' mirrors

To see an individual star this far away is remarkable, Dan Coe, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute, told the Houston Chronicle. Were seeing it about 13 billion years back in time, and the universe is only 13.8 billion years old.

Earendel was at least 50 times larger than our sun and millions of times brighter, according to findings published Wednesday in the journal Nature. The star was discovered by astronomer Brian Welch, with Johns Hopkins University, in September 2020. Welch then did a lot of work convincing himself  and others  that it was indeed a single star, said Coe, a co-author on the paper. Coe led the Hubble observing programs that spotted Earendel.

But even a star this large and bright cannot typically be seen by Hubble when its so far away. The researchers were able to see it thanks to a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing. These lenses occur when an object is so massive that it bends the light of other objects behind it, which can magnify the objects.

(Earendel) happens to be sitting right on this really high magnification. We got lucky, Coe said. Weve been doing this for a long time, looking at distant galaxies, and weve never quite had the stars aligned like this for us as well as they did here.

Before Earendels discovery, the smallest objects seen when the universe was 1 billion years old were star clusters, which could have thousands of stars, embedded inside early galaxies. The most distant individual star previously observed by Hubble existed when the universe was about 4 billion years old.

Coe said researchers are fairly confident that the discovery announced Wednesday is light from just one star or a handful of stars. The James Webb Space Telescope, which has better infrared capabilities than Hubble, will increase that confidence.

Light from these early stars can no longer be seen at optical wavelengths, which are visible to the human eye, as they have gradually shifted to infrared wavelengths during their billions of years of travel. Hubble can observe some infrared wavelengths, but Webb will be able to see more.

Earendel is at an infrared wavelength that Hubble can see, Coe said, but were really pushing Hubble to its limit.

The Webb telescope launched into space on Dec. 25 and will begin conducting science this summer, releasing unprecedented views of the universe. Astronomers will use Webb to observe Earendel later this year.

WEBB PROGRESS: NASA says James Webb Space Telescope is 'absolutely phenomenal' and will meet or exceed goals

In addition to confirming that Hubble spotted light from just one or a handful of stars, Webb should be able to determine Earendels color. Hotter stars burn bright blue or ultraviolet, Coe said, and cooler stars (like our sun) burn yellow or red.

We have a pretty decent idea of how stars form and evolve, get brighter or get cooler, over time, Coe said, but weve not been able to test that in the early universe. So we might find that its consistent with our understanding of how stars work but  we still have a lot of questions.

andrea.leinfelder@chron.com

twitter.com/a_leinfelder
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

In the rural community of Elmo, Texas, crowds gather daily in a gas station parking lot to greet a visitor from another world.

There, a giant but intricate statue of Bumblebee, a taxi yellow robot from the Transformers science fiction franchise, stands on a cement plinth. The 25-foot tall statue watches travelers passing the newly opened Bee Mart, 40 miles west of Dallas, which bills itself as the "world's first" Bumblebee-themed gas station and convenience store.

The landmark arrived in Elmo after four years of construction and shipping across the world. It was designed and created out of car parts by metal fabricators in China, reported local news site inForney.

Earlier this month, photos and videos on social media showed segments of the statue transported on a flat-bed truck to the site, where a crane raised parts into place for welders to assemble.

Store clerk Judy Butler told WFAA a crowd of people often forms when families pull over to take photos at the statue, which she credits with doubling the new store's sales. In most photos, smiling children barely reach its knees.

A nearby mural, painted by a local artist, depicts Bumblebee breaking out of the convenience store and charging toward the statue's location, as though the character had grown impatient with waiting. The mural prompted local resident Russell Wright to call the store owner, offering to help him find local contractors to finally erect the statue.

The project was simply about "making one man's dream come true," Wright said.

Elmo isn't the first town to host a 20-foot-tall Bumblebee statue. Another one, built in Thailand, stands outside an auto body shop in the small town of Stillwater in Oklahoma, nearly 300 miles to the north.

charlie.zong@chron.com
When Prof. Lino Graglia died earlier this year after more than 50 years at the University of Texas at Austin law school, he was remembered for the respect he earned from peers and his deeply conservative and often controversial views  views that were protected in academia by the very system Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is now determined to dismantle.

The security of tenure has enabled Lino to write and teach, against the modern grain, why federal courts activist tendencies are legally, logically, and historically wrong, wrote United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Judge Edith Jones after his passing on Jan. 30.

Jones, a conservative named to the bench by President Reagan, was making an argument that ought to delight Patrick. Tenure protects established academics, from the right or the left, from pressure  whether from peers or parents or politicians  to conform their research and teaching to prevailing passions.

Instead, hes spent the last two months doubling-down on talk about doing away with the system.

What we will propose to do is end tenure, all tenure for all new hires, said Patrick. New hires at public institutions would no longer have a shot at tenure and would instead be reviewed annually. That proposal is bad policy, but his real reason for intruding into higher education became apparent when he added that already tenured professors could lose that status for teaching the wrong things. The law will change, he added, to say teaching critical race theory is prima facie evidence of good cause for tenure revocation.

Thats appalling. Tenure has its own sincere critics, who argue that the system can protect bad behavior and poor performance, and can make it hard to introduce new thinking and diverse backgrounds into a faculty. But its also recognized as a way to create stability and, most importantly, protect the academic freedom of professors who proved themselves as serious scholars.

But none of that is part of Patricks critique of tenure. Like other members of the states top leadership, Patrick is more interested in deciding what can and cannot be taught in our classrooms. That effort has proven distracting and dangerous for our K-12 classrooms, but when applied to universities it threatens to erode years of work developing Texas as a place for serious scholarship, from materials engineering so valuable to the energy sector to medical research to work that analyzes art, history and culture.

Without tenure and the academic due process that must accompany tenure, the door is opened for faculty to be unfairly dismissed because someone doesnt like their research or teaching or whatever, Irene Mulvey, president of the American Association of University Professors, told the editorial board. She warns that it not only opens the door for interference from politicians, but also from corporate interests, big donors and others.

Whats at stake in Texas is the quality of education in its public institutions, and the ability of these institutions to carry out their mission to serve the public good, added Mulvey.

Removing tenure would discourage the next generation of scholars from coming to Texas. If Texas is serious about meeting its goal to confer 7,500 research doctorates each year by 2030, the last thing Patrick should be talking about is ending tenure. Prospective graduate students would be unlikely to sign on for years of study with a faculty member who could be dismissed at any moment, leaving their burgeoning careers stranded. Young faculty would likely search for more stable employment opportunities in states where politicians are less eager to interfere with their work and careers.

Texas spent a lot of years burnishing its reputation as a state that boasts elite public colleges that can compete with and often best the most prestigious in the country, from the University of Michigan to the University of California at Berkeley to Indiana University. Patricks promises to end tenure threatens to set that work back a generation or more.

While an honest engagement with the faults of tenure would be welcome  including how we can better protect the academic freedom of faculty who arent on a tenure track  this effort by Patrick is not that.

Freedom  of thought, of speech, of religion and, yes, academic freedom  should be what Texas does best. Why wont Patrick stand behind that?
Regarding Editorial: Houston has no history? Thats up to us., (March 29): Houston has plenty of history, you just cant see it nowadays. My connection to Houston history began when I started working in the now-demolished Prudential Building (Holcombe at Fannin). It was across the way from the now-demolished historic Shamrock Hotel. The Prudential Building had been bought by MD Anderson Cancer Center and I worked on the top floor, which had served as the studio for KHOU, after Channel 11 moved from Galveston and changed their call letters from KGUL-TV.

The Prudential lobby had a beautiful curved mural painted by famed artist Peter Hurd. The mural, The Future Belongs To Those Who Prepare For It, was moved as a giant intact section of wall and re-installed at a custom-built public library in Artesia, N.M., saving it from destruction. A limestone sculpture and fountain entitled Wave of Life by noted American artist Wheeler Williams graced the front of the building. The isolated sculpture has been moved to the side of the new replacement building facing a parking lot.

I have heard it said that if the Alamo had been in Houston, it would have been torn down.

Mark Adamcik, Sugar Land

Medical disparities

Regarding A legacy of racism in the health care system is hurting patients, new research shows, (March 24): I am fortunate to have had a number of different doctors as I have gotten older. When diagnosed with colon/rectal cancer in my forties, I had a Black doctor perform the surgeries required over a couple of years. Now, as an octogenarian, an Indian doctor is my primary care physician, and another Indian doctor is my gastroenterologist. During a recent trip to the emergency room, I was treated by a Vietnamese doctor.

If Iliana Oberkircher experienced a lack of Spanish-speaking doctors when she was a child, thats the way it was, but today's world is much more diverse than she credits.

Lawrence Keen, Pearland

Not only are doctors of color more usual now, but so are female doctors. When my sister wanted to be a physician, she was told that she would just have kids and quit; that she was too pretty. She started going to interviews with no makeup and not dressed as she normally would have, but it didn't help. She finally ended up becoming a physician's assistant, attending two years of regular medical school and then finishing in PA training. Times, they are a-changin'.

Emily Murphy, Kingwood

Improving health care

Regarding Providers caring for people with disabilities struggle to hire workers post COVID surges, (March 28): I have sent Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick a list of health care recommendations for the Texas Senate to consider. As the senior ranking Democrat on the Health and Human Services Committee, I have laid out an ambitious agenda to improve health care in Texas.

One of the biggest issues facing Texas is our shortage of health care workers. Texas hospitals have been struggling with historically low staffing levels due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Numerous medical professionals, from physicians to nurses in several specialties have been leaving their profession because of new opportunities, retirement and in many cases, burnout. I am dedicated to ensuring that we not only educate our future medical professionals, but also attract and keep the best and brightest here in Texas.

The Health and Human Services Committee needs to develop plans for expanding the health care workforce. We need to make sure potential workers are aware of existing state incentive programs and explore new ways to attract people to the health care fields. Action is necessary to keep up with the health care needs of our community and make certain that hospitals and health care facilities, like those in the Texas Medical Center, have the staff to care for Texans in need.

Addressing the labor shortage is a top priority that needs to be studied by the Health and Human Services Committee. Now is the time to make plans for legislation to improve the health of Texans.

Borris Miles, Texas state senator

Regarding Texas and Bidens White House locked in $30 billion game of chicken over Medicaid funding, (March 23): It must be noted that like any chicken game, this game harms people. Readers may recall kids playing chicken on bicycles ridden on a collision course. The idea was that one of the pair would be chicken by turning from the collision course. If neither rider did, then both got hurt. In the case of the Medicaid game of chicken those who insist on a collision course are not the ones being hurt. Those hurt are the poor who are harmed by lack of health insurance and the hospitals that could serve such patients if they were supported by a reasonable system of health care funding. As usual, it is a political fight over money that elicits the harm. It is long overdue that contenders in such fights ask who is being harmed by our actions? Half the babies born in Texas are born to Medicaid-insured moms. The nation has a serious and worsening maternal mortality rate. Is anyone paying attention?

John T. James, Houston
FORT WORTH  While I was early to praise Texas heartbeat law, Ill admit that I had some concerns and reservations, too. The laws unusual construction  designed to evade pre-enforcement judicial review and empower citizens  caused worry for its long-term prospects. Would it withstand relentless judicial challenges?

Remarkably, yes. In December, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to enjoin the law, but allowed for abortion providers to sue the state. However, earlier this month, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that state licensing officials have no enforcement authority and therefore cannot be sued by clinics seeking to end the restrictions, making it all but impossible for abortion providers to get legal traction.

So far, so good.

But would a law that relies on enforcement by private citizens be effective at reducing the number of lives ended by abortions?

The answer here is also, yes. The chilling effect on Texas abortion clinics is notable and real. There is debate about exactly how much the law has reduced abortions. Initial estimates suggested abortions were down by as much as half.

Nearly seven months in, other data suggest those estimates do not account for the number of women who sought abortions out of state or ordered abortion pills online (a practice that itself often subverts the law). Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin believe the actual reduction in abortions is a more modest 10 percent.

Still, the perfect must not be the enemy of the good. The law is, as John Seago, legislative director of Texas Right to Life explained, actually protecting pre-born children from elective abortion.

For most people seeking to end the scourge of abortion, reducing it in any measure is a great place to begin. So the law is operating as promised. But can Texas success be replicated by other other states? Can this law really be a template for pro-life legislatures?

As of this week, the answer here is also a resounding yes, with Idahos governor signing a bill modeled after the Texas law. Like the Texas heartbeat law, Idahos new law relies on the use of private enforcement, meaning that individuals and not state actors, may sue those who perform, procure or assist in abortions (expectant mothers excluded). That means that after a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually around six weeks gestation, participating in an abortion in any meaningful way exposes that person to a hefty financial burden. Idahos law does allow exceptions for rape and incest, something the Texas law did not do and probably should have (and not because the lives of pre-born children conceived by rape have any less inherent value).

As Idaho Gov. Brad Little noted in his signing statement, victims of sexual assault may lack the support systems needed to file police reports, as the law requires, further adding to their trauma, and even offering monetary incentives to family members of rapists. That sounds a little like the arguments made by some critics of the Texas law, who argued it would create vigilantes and opportunists. That hasnt appeared to be the problem many feared it would be.

But Little also worried that the private enforcement mechanism used in the law would be replicated by Democratically-controlled legislatures in assaults on civil liberties, like free exercise or the right to bear arms. And heres where his concerns might be warranted.

A bill has been introduced in California that would create a private right of action for citizens to use against those who manufacture, distribute, transport, import into California, or sell certain kinds of guns or ghost gun kits.

The legislation was explicitly designed after Texas heartbeat bill. Still, the future of that bill is unclear. Even if it were to pass, its ultimate fate may not be the same as the Texas law or that of abortion more broadly.

The Supreme Court is, after all, scheduled to rule in Dobbs v. Jackson, which considers the constitutionality of a 2018 Mississippi state law that banned abortion operations after the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. And the court has already signaled that a lot could be changing in the world of abortion very soon.

In the near-term, Texas heartbeat law seems to be making a difference. Its been durable, effective and is inspiring other state legislatures to follow its lead.

Cynthia M. Allen is a columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration could soon be placing thousands more migrants caught crossing the southern border under house arrest in the United States or monitoring them with ankle bracelets and phone apps, rather than sending them to detention facilities, under a budget proposal that would mark a significant shift in immigration policy.

The presidents budget calls for cutting thousands of beds in immigrant detention facilities  and shutting down two family detention centers in Texas  while spending $75 million more on alternative programs, such as monitoring migrants with ankle bracelets or phone check-ins. The administration estimates as many as 200,000 migrants could be enrolled in such programs by October, according to budget documents.

The moves are among a handful of major changes Biden is proposing in his administrations approach to handling the flow of migration at the border, where encounters with migrants are rising again.

The president is also calling for $375 million to speed up the asylum system, including hiring more than 1,000 new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officers to adjudicate claims on the border, rather than sending them to backlogged courts.

His budget request asks for more than $2 billion to stand up emergency shelters for unaccompanied children, an effort to avoid the overcrowding in Border Patrol facilities that sparked outrage a year ago. His budget would also spend roughly $150 million to fund attorneys for migrants in detention or facing deportation, which would be a first. The government has not paid those costs in the past.

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Jessica Phelps, Staff photographer / San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Jerry Lara / San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Jerry Lara / San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less





Immigrants advocates say the presidents budget  which is only a proposal, as Congress controls federal spending  would mark the most significant steps yet to build what Biden has described as a more humane immigration system.

I do see it as a positive indication that significant changes are coming to the border, and quite possibly very soon, said Jorge Loweree, policy director at the American Immigration Council.

Conservatives say its sending a message that will only encourage more migrants to seek to enter the U.S.

Theyre looking for catch-and-release, said Lora Ries, a research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation and a former Department of Homeland Security official. Theyre fine with that policy, even though it clearly sends the message south to future migrants and smugglers who advertise this, and it just keeps the illegal flow continuing unencumbered.

Deciding on expulsions

The presidents budget calls for hiring 300 new Border Patrol agents and 300 new Border Patrol officials to process migrants. It would increase funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements victim assistance program by $12 million and spend $18 million to crack down on human trafficking.

The budget proposal comes as border crossings appear to be on the rise again. U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz said Tuesday that 7,000 migrants are being stopped crossing the border daily from Mexico, up from a daily average of about 5,900 in February, the Associated Press reported.

The Biden administration, meanwhile, is weighing whether to keep in place a public health order issued by the Trump administration during the coronavirus pandemic that it has used to immediately expel most migrants crossing the southern border.

Under the rule, known as Title 42, migrants are denied the opportunity to plead their asylum case. The Biden administration has used Title 42 to expel migrants 426,819 times so far in the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, according to Border Patrol data. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reviewing the order and is expected to make a decision in the coming days on whether to keep it in place.

Democrats have ratcheted up pressure on Biden to scrap Title 42, which they say undercuts the legal asylum system and is unjustifiable with the decline in COVID cases.

For more than two years, asylum-seekers have been illegally expelled from the United States without the due process they deserve, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a San Antonio Democrat, said in a statement. Trekking hundreds or thousands of miles across dangerous terrain is not something people do when they have better options. Those who seek asylum at our nations borders are fleeing from oppression and violence, and they just want a place where they can be safe.

Republicans in the Texas congressional delegation  and two border Democrats  meanwhile, wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on Tuesday, warning that scrapping the order would spark a much bigger wave of migration at the border.

Experts say ending the order would almost certainly lead to an increase in migrants attempting to cross.

But they say the order has also driven up the number of encounters with single adults who are expelled and simply return to try to cross again. Nearly a third of the single adults stopped by the Border Patrol in February  30 percent  tried to cross at least once in the 12 months prior, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported. That was more than double the average rate at which the Border Patrol encountered repeat crossers from fiscal years 2014 to 2019.

U.S. Reps. Henry Cuellar of Laredo and Vicente Gonzalez of McAllen joined the Republicans in urging Biden keep Title 42 in place, writing that over the past nine months, the administration has used it to expel between 45 percent and 57 percent of migrants encountered at the border. They wrote that South Texas mayors have told them that local nongovernmental organizations are completely at capacity in terms of lodging and other services and that local transportation hubs have been overwhelmed with migrants, many of whom lack the financial means to purchase tickets.

We understand that this legal authority is temporary and tied to the COVID-19 public health emergency, but DHS appears unprepared to handle a likely unprecedented increase in apprehensions along the southwest border, they wrote. If the CDC were to rescind its Title 42 order at this time, Border Patrol facilities and local communities would be forced to absorb at least double the current number of migrants, likely with catastrophic results.

ben.wermund@chron.com
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.
Williamstown Select Board Studying Stipends for Town Committee Members

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The Select Board is moving to fulfill a mandate from last May's annual town meeting to study the issue of compensation for town board and committee members.

But the issue is complicated, and the budget ramifications extensive, according to the board member taking the lead on the project.

Hugh Daley told his colleagues that there are 110 active seats on various committees in town. Some are held by more than one person, like Select Board member Jeffrey Johnson, who also serves on the Diversity, Inclusion and Racial Equity Committee, but, for argument's sake, he assumed at Monday's meeting that each seat might carry a stipend in any compensation plan.

"If everyone got $1,000, it's $110,000," Daley said. "If you dial it back, you have to make decisions about who does get compensated. Do we say, 'Hey, Sign Commission guys, we love you, but we're not going to pay you,' which seems weird.

"Or with the Select Board, there are some communities that pay them upward of $4,000 [each]. Do we say, 'The Select Board gets $4,000 but the Planning Board gets, meh, two grand'?"

Former Select Board member Jeffrey Thomas introduced the concept of compensation last year, and the Select Board put a question on the 2021 town meeting warrant asking whether the town wanted the board to do a study and present results prior to the 2022 meeting. That article passed on a voice vote.

Thomas argued that compensation was an equity issue. If service to the town is entirely on a volunteer basis, only more affluent members will tend to engage as members of town boards and committees.

Daley said in his analysis of the question, he gravitated toward a cost reimbursement model where committee members would not receive a standard stipend but instead submit receipts to the town for reasonable costs associated with town service, like child care on nights when committee meetings are held or upgraded Wi-Fi service to facilitate participation in meetings remotely.

"At 110 members, that's a lot of paperwork, a lot of checks to be written, a lot of warrants to be prepared to figure out how to get money to everyone," Daley said. "That's something to think about. When you create a chain of work, is it actually productive? And how much work will it be to get this money out the door?"

Daley also said the board needs to clarify with town counsel whether all committee and board members would be eligible for compensation. The town charter specifically mentions that the town may choose to compensate Select Board members (it does not), but that is the only body mentioned in the charter.

Daley said the first part of his study is to survey current board members about the monetary costs associated with their service to the town and what, if any, compensation, might incentivize them. But he admitted the difficulty of reaching those who potentially might serve and might be incentivized by a stipend but are not currently engaged in town government.

He also expressed concern that any compensation plan could change the relationship between residents and the board members who serve them.

"If someone says, 'I'll mow your lawn for you while you're out of town,' " Daley analogized. "You come home and it's done. It's not done exactly as you'd like it, but you don't yell at him, right? But if you pay the guy to do your lawn and it's not done the way you like it, you might say, 'Hey, what are you doing?' And it changes the tenor of the conversation.

"Then it gets into whether the compensation is enough to have that change in tenor be acceptable."

While Daley hopes to be able to report to the Select Board on the results of his survey this spring, the board does not plan to have a proposal ready for this year's town meeting, assuming it ever decides to make such a proposal.

One issue of compensation the meeting members will face is a budget proposal for a comprehensive compensation and classification study for all town employees. Interim Town Manager Charlie Blanchard has proposed a $35,000 expenditure to conduct such a study, last done in the 1990s.

Blanchard said the need for a wage study was brought up in a human resources audit the Select Board commissioned last year.

"Great Barrington had done a wage study last year, and we were one of the peer communities they looked at," Blanchard said. "It looks like, in general, our wages are in pretty good shape compared to the other communities around here, but it also showed that we don't really have good classification steps within the various positions."

The Select Board on Monday began its review of that and several other articles on an extensive annual town meeting warrant, but it did not make any advisory votes. The board hopes to complete that step at its April 11 meeting, although Select Board Chair Andy Hogeland recognized Monday that not all the Planning Board zoning proposals will be locked in by that date; the Planning Board last week continued its public hearing on its proposed bylaw amendments to April 12.

Along with the usual budget items, Community Preservation Act expenditures and a longer than usual list of proposals from the Planning Board, residents who attend the May 17 annual town meeting will be asked whether to send several pieces of special legislation to Boston for action on Beacon Hill.

Two would amend the town charter.

Article 29 on the draft town meeting warrant asks for a change to the charter to remove two requirements for the job of town manager. According to the charter as enacted in 1956, the town manager needs to be a resident of the town and "shall not, during the 12 months prior to his appointment, have held any elective or appointive office in the Town of Williamstown, other than the office of Assistant Town Manager, if any."

If approved by town meeting, and ultimately passed by the state legislature, holders of town offices could be considered for the corner office. Both that and the residency requirement came up as impediments during the ongoing search for a new town manager.

Another part of that town manager job description also may become a thing of the past: its use of the word "his."

Article 30 of the draft warrant asks residents to send to Boston a home rule petition to make the charter gender neutral. That would eliminate the use of gender-specific pronouns, replace the term "chairman" with "chair" and formally change the Select Board's title from "Board of Selectmen," an appellation the board stopped using years ago.

A third potential ask for special legislation would see whether the town wants to petition Boston to raise the number of wine and malt licenses allocated to the town.

Blanchard explained that licenses are based on a municipality's population, and Williamstown currently has granted its limit of licenses to businesses that sell alcohol for consumption off site. The local non-profit that recently purchased the Store at Five Corners in South Williamstown is asking for town action that would enable the store to obtain a license, which it had in prior iterations; subsequent to its closure in 2020, the Select Board issued a license to a new store planned on Water Street.

Blanchard did not present the Select Board with a completed warrant article but mentioned that the commonwealth's Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission tends to look favorably on home-rule petitions that attach specific addresses to requests for "extra" licenses.

That raised fairness concerns for a couple of members of the board who, while supportive generally of the idea of seeking more licenses, asked whether the town should be giving special consideration to a particular operation.

In the end, the board agreed to authorize Blanchard to draft warrant article language and bring it back for the April 11 meeting.

This story was changed on Wednesday morning to correct a quote from Select Board member Hugh Daley from Monday's meeting.
POWNAL, Vt.  The town of Pownal has received a $375,000 state grant for a proposed pedestrian bridge across the Hoosic River to access a trail system on more than 700 acres to the west of the river.

The project is based on the privately constructed suspension footbridge across the Hoosic at the Tourists resort in nearby North Adams, Mass., and was the only award made in Bennington County.

The grant was announced by Gov. Phil Scott on Monday in Danville and is one of 24 projects receiving a total of $4.6 million Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative awards. The grant program, established in 2018, received 103 letters of interest for fiscal 2022, with 30 applicants requesting more than $21.5 million. The Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation is working to determine the best use of the remaining $550,687 for supporting Vermont communities in building their economies with outdoor recreation at the center.

"Vermont's natural beauty, combined with outdoor recreation opportunities, are economic engines for our state and a driving force for why people visit and live in Vermont," said the governor in a press release. "These grants will help continue to connect trails to downtown centers, develop new recreation assets and promote all we have to offer."

The Pownal project is described as "creating better community access to a 700-plus acre recreation area and trail network by building trailhead parking and an informational kiosk, constructing a pedestrian bridge, installing trail blazes and maps for wayfinding, improving trails, and developing an ongoing trail management plan."

The property had been part of the former Pownal Tanning Co. that went bankrupt in 1988. The mill sat on the Hoosic River on Route 346 in North Pownal and was declared a Superfund site for cleanup in 1999. The town constructed a wastewater treatment facility on the old "lagoons" that had been used for the tannery's discharges and acquired the forestland on the west side of the river with the help of conservation organizations.
Hancock Shaker Village Director To Step Down

PITTSFIELD, Mass. The Board of Trustees of Hancock Shaker Village announced that director Jennifer Trainer Thompson will step down in July.

"I have had the time of my life feeling the spirit of this place, responding to it, being nourished by it and all those who support the Village," said Thompson. "It's been thrilling to lead the organization to grow and thrive, even during challenging times. Today Hancock Shaker Village is in great shape -- financially, organizationally, and programmatically. Indeed, it is partly due to this success that it feels like the right time for me to leave. I have been blessed to have the opportunity to steward this organization  one of the oldest in the Berkshires -- and it has ignited a desire to follow a path that is creatively based. When a newspaper wrote last year that I was a filmmaker, journalist, and museum professional' it startled me  I'd never shuffled it in that order. But I have always been interested in bringing stories to life, through exhibitions, writing, and recently filmmaking, and, after 34 years in the museum business, the time has

presented itself to continue in that creative thread."

Thompson, who prior had a hand in the development of the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, was appointed as director in 2016.

According to a press release, Thompson is stepping down to work on creative projects and will serve as a special counsel to the board of trustees following her departure.

"This news is indeed bittersweet. We are truly grateful for the talent, energy and creativity that Jennifer has brought to the Village during her remarkable tenure, and we are sorry to see her leave. That said, we are happy for her and the opportunity this presents for her to engage in other creative pursuits," said Diane Eshleman, chairman of the Hancock Shaker Village Board of Trustees. "Jennifer is a phenomenally talented woman who will leave a legacy of accomplishments that have added new vibrancy and a fun, contemporary spin to our programming, all while respecting the heritage of the Shakers and the custodial responsibility we have for this beloved historic site."

The announcement included some highlights from Thompson's tenure including advancing Hancock Shaker Village regionally and nationally.

One of Thompson's first decisions as director was to turn the 1910 Barn hayloft into a concert venue. Thompson also initiated a dinner series, "Food for Thought," that featured guest authors.

Thompson curated several exhibitions, including "Climbing the Holy Hill," "Our Native Daughters," and "Roomful of Teeth." and established new programs such as Goat Yoga, Hancock Holiday Nights, Farm to Fork Fondo, and the Big Chill.

She also took part in expanding Hancock Shaker Village's public outreach efforts. Thousands of children visit the Village annually to interact with farm animals and learn about the Shakers. Hancock Shaker Village has partnered with Greenagers, Roots Rising, and Girls Inc.

Thompson worked with the trustees to grow new revenue streams that support the museum's programs and operating costs on an annual basis.

Under her leadership the long-forgotten trail and South Family Site of the Shakers (abandoned in 1849) were opened for the first time in museum history, part of a plan to activate more of the 750-acre campus, which includes 20 buildings, forests with trails, and pastures.

The Trustees' Office and Store was renovated into artist and intern housing in 2020, part of a paid internship program with housing that includes both traditional museum positions such as curatorial and education, but also farm internships  apropos, given that Hancock Shaker Village is the oldest working farm in the region.

"There are so many things I love about Hancock Shaker Village," said Thompson, "its compelling physical presence, with the tall simple buildings speaking to each other, forming a community, the farm animals bellowing in the distance. The interiors and objects, where one can admire the architecture, in awe of the deep beauty, enjoying the touch, the color, the sensation of the divine."

During Thompson's tenure, Hancock Shaker Village underwent preservation work, including the restoration of two 19th century wooden silos, repair of the Dairy El and foundation of the historic 1826 Round Stone Barn, upgraded heating, electrical, and plumbing systems in the Trustees' Office, and the introduction of sewer to the Village, which had relied on the Shakers' antiquated septic systems.

The museum is also currently engaged in a priority need to provide proper collection storage of objects for future generations.




iciHaiti - PNH : 3 individuals killed in exchange of fire





Tuesday, March 29, an individual driving a red Suzuki Grand Vitara vehicle, registration AA-21207, refusing to obey the police opened fire in the direction of a police patrol, in the vicinity of the National Brewery of Haiti (BRANA).



The police immediately responded and in the exchange of fire the author of the shots was fatally shot and identified post mortem as Petit-Frere Wilner (39 years old). The vehicle and a Taurusa pistol were seized. A passenger who was with Wilner managed to escape.



At the same time in another operation, two other bandits were killed in exchanges of fire with another police patrol at the corner of Chareron and Oswald Durand streets.



IH/ iciHaiti


















China stands unswervingly on the right side of history

09:09, March 30, 2022 By He Yin ( People's Daily

In a turbulent and volatile world, only by standing on the right side of history and acting with wisdom, courage and sense of responsibility can countries make the right choice.

Profound global changes and the COVID-19 pandemic, both unseen in a century, have plunged the world into a phase of fluidity and transformation. The outbreak of the Ukraine crisis has further complicated the international situation which has already been full of uncertainties.

The evolution of the Ukraine crisis is something all peace-loving countries and people dont want to see. The deteriorating situation has once again shown that state-to-state relations cannot advance to the stage of confrontation, and conflicts and confrontations are not in the interests of anyone. Peace and security are what the international community should treasure the most.

At such a critical moment, certain Western countries, driven by their own selfish interests, have added fuel to the fire to escalate the Ukraine crisis while criticizing the just position of other countries that urge the settlement of the crisis through dialogue and negotiation. They even claimed that every country should think about what side of history they want to be on over the Ukraine issue. It was like if you dont listen to me, then you are on the wrong side of history.

While exposing the hegemonic mindset of certain Western countries, such remarks and acts of openly asking other countries to take sides are evidence of these countries failing to grasp the trend of history and standing on the right side of history.

Countries that stand on the right side of history must support peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Whether they have promoted peace talks or incited confrontation, doused the fire or fanned the flames of war, pursued common interests or selfish gains, history will record justly the merits and demerits of countries choices regarding the Ukraine crisis.

China maintains that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be fully observed, the legitimate security concerns of all countries must be taken seriously, and all efforts that are conducive to the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis must be supported.

This is a judgment made independently based on the merits of the matter and the right choice based on a long-term perspective and the intention of safeguarding world peace.

To resolve the Ukraine crisis, all sides need to jointly support Russia and Ukraine in having dialogue and negotiation that will produce results and lead to peace. The U.S. and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) should also hold dialogue with Russia to solve the crux of the crisis.

Chinas proposition, while helps avoid escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia, embodies the philosophy harmony is the most valuable, which has been valued by the Chinese nation since ancient times, and demonstrates Chinas strong sense of responsibility as a major country.

Countries that stand on the right side of history must promote global peace and development.

Peace, development, cooperation, and win-win results are the irresistible trend of the times. Peoples of all countries long for peace and development. China stands for peace and opposes war, which is embedded in the countrys history and culture.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a responsible major country, China has always faithfully fulfilled its international obligations and played a constructive role in safeguarding world peace and stability.

China has the best record as a major country when it comes to peace and security. It has never invaded other countries, launched proxy wars, sought spheres of influence or engaged in any military bloc confrontation.

To resolve the Ukraine crisis, it is absolutely imperative to promote dialogue and negotiation between Russia and Ukraine, avoid civilian casualties, prevent a humanitarian crisis, and cease hostilities as soon as possible.

China has been doing its best for world peace, and will continue to play a constructive role in this regard.

Countries that stand on the right side of history must safeguard equity and justice. The prevailing trends toward a multi-polar world, economic globalization, and the democratization of international relations remain unchanged. Increasingly, international affairs need to be jointly handled by all countries through extensive consultation, while establishing international mechanism, abiding by international rules, and pursuing international justice have become a consensus among the majority of countries.

China advocates upholding international law and universally recognized norms governing international relations, adheres to the UN Charter and promotes the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security.

Ukraines sovereignty and security should be safeguarded; Russias legitimate security concerns should also be respected. Europes peace and stability should be defended, so should the peace and stability of other countries.

Major countries in the world should respect each other, reject Cold War mentality, refrain from bloc confrontation, and gradually build balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture for their regions and for the world, which is the long-term solution to the Ukraine crisis. China will be pleased to see equal-footed dialogue among the EU, Russia, the U.S. and NATO.

What makes a major country a truly respected one is its responsibility and capability to advance and safeguard global peace.

In this volatile and changing world, China has always upheld and practiced true multilateralism, and stood on the right side of history, the side of peace, cooperation, fairness, and justice, as well as the side of human progress.

Time will prove that Chinas proposition represents the right path toward realizing the lasting and peaceful development of the world and creating a more beautiful future for mankind.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Workers of public service broadcaster BHRT in Bosnia and Herzegovina, staged a protest on 28 March against the organisation's "systematic destruction" after it was revealed they cannot pay the salaries of over 870 workers due to a debt with the country's tax administration. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) stands in solidarity with BHRT workers and calls on the authorities to guarantee the payment of their salaries and the sustainability of the public media.

BHRT's bank accounts are blocked due to a massive debt of 32 million to the BiH Tax Administration, which workers claim is the result of mismanagement by the authorities and a "systematic destruction" of the public service media.

The independent trade union of BHRT workers organised the protest together with the employees who will not receive their salaries this month. They claimed that "parliamentarians should stop playing with the lives of more than 800 families" and reminded them that a stable public service media is one of the 14 priorities set for BiH by the European Union as a condition for accession negotiations.

"The authorities are doing nothing to solve it and the BiH public service is on the verge of closure," said Damir Smital, president of the Independent Trade Union of BHRT Workers

Public media workers' demands include the urgent unblocking of BHRT accounts, the payment of the outstanding salaries and the amendment of the Law on the public service broadcasters.

"First, the unblocking -of the bank accounts- must be ensured so that workers can receive salaries, because they earned them, and the citizens paid the RTV fee. The second step must be to resolve the debt to BHRT and the violation of the law on the public broadcasting system by RTRS. Since 2017, RTRS has been violating the law without an adequate reaction from the authorities", said Borka Rudic, General Secretary of IFJ affiliate Journalists Association of Bosnia-Herzegovina (BHN).

IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: "We stand in solidarity with BHRT workers, who are suffering the consequences of a mismanagement of the public media. We urge the BiH authorities to take urgent action and resolve immediately the situation and work to achieve stable funding of BHRT. Shutting down a public service media should never be an option. "
HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, welcomes the summer season with whopping treats for its Filipinos fans. Three grand prizes will be given away including; a brand-new motorcycle, a trip to Boracay or Palawan for two and twelve lucky customers to win Nokia phones with the Big Summer Escapade promotion.

Get a chance to win prizes for every purchase of participating Nokia products

Win big prizes this summer

From March 31 until May 31, buyers who purchase a Nokia feature phone and/or a pair of Nokia Comfort earbuds can get one raffle entry, while those who buy a Nokia smartphone and/or a Nokia T20 tablet can get two raffle entries. All participating devices for the promotion are available on all authorized Nokia reseller stores, kiosks, concept stores and online at Nokia Official Store, Shopee, Lazada, Zalora and MX online official stores.

For physical stores, customers must completely fill-out the online registration form by either scanning the QR code or through the website link. Store personnel can assist in registering the raffle on Nokia official website.

For online channel purchases, marketplace partners will trigger EDMs (Electronic messages) sending the link of Nokia official website for customers to fill out details upon completion of orders. Customers details and information of the purchase will be submitted and registered to Nokia website registration page.

Winners will be drawn on June 8 and will be announced on the Nokia mobile Facebook page on June 10, 2022.

Participating Nokia devices:

On top of the raffle promotion, HMD, the home of Nokia phones also has an exciting deal for the roll out duration of the Nokia C10 1/32GB variant. From March 18 to May 15, fans can grab it for only Php3,590 retail price, with Php500 off.
Welcome to Inc.'s Founders Project podcast with Alexa Von Tobel, where we bring you tales of guts, inspiration , and drive that define the entrepreneurs building the future. Each week, we dig into a founder's professional playbook and uncover what makes them tick. On this week's episode:

How A.I. Can Drive Customer Insights with Amit Bendov of Gong

In 2015, Amit Bendov was not looking to start a company. But he was looking for a way for his sales team to more automatically capture CRM data. So he and his co-founder ended up launching Gong to help sales teams have better conversations with customers and win more deals. Gong quickly found product-market fit, which only accelerated when Covid pushed most sales calls to a digital format. Gong has since grown to over 2,000 customers with a valuation north of $7 billion. Bendov shares why he charged early customers a high price to stay in beta, why he believes autonomous applications are the way of the future, and why you learn more from successes than failures.
Most people go through their lives being sensible, practical, and realistic. But we never forget the dreams we had as children. Life forces us to bury them, but the longing persists. Deep down, we still yearn for the daring and the dreams.

So, when we see a goal so ambitious that it defies belief, a vision that challenges the status quo, or a larger-than-life character, it calls to the inner child within us. We're drawn to it like bees to honey.

This is the power of realized dreams. But you won't harness that power unless you take action and live your dreams.

I've valued over 4,000 businesses. I've seen founders turn their startups into Fortune 1000 companies. And I've seen others end up with nothing more than a pile of broken dreams. They might be perfect on paper. They're eager to put in work and grind to the top. But they're missing one key element, and without it, nothing else matters.

It's what I call the secret et cetera. The ETC.

E: The lure of the extraordinary.

T: The importance of finding your tribe.

C: The unstoppable power of consistency.

These three little letters are the secret of taking a startup from zero to a billion-dollar business.

The power of ETC really hit me when I moved to San Francisco and discovered one of the most bizarre and unbelievable stories in American history.

It began with a promissory note -- a 19th century artifact lettered with a peculiar phrase. The note promises the bearer a sum of $10, "by the Imperial Government of Norton the First, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico."

You're probably thinking that, unless you were asleep in history class, America never had an emperor. But Emperor Norton, shockingly, was very real.

In the 1850s, Joshua Abraham Norton was just another successful businessman who lost everything on a bad deal. But on September 17, 1859, an article in the San Francisco Chronicle described the extraordinary event of a proud man in his finest attire striding into the offices of the paper to declare himself the Emperor of the United States.

People must have thought it was a joke, at first. But Emperor Norton didn't see himself as a joke. Dressed in regal finery, he roamed the streets to hear grievances and fight on behalf of his subjects at City Hall. On one occasion, he single-handedly defended a group of immigrants against an angry, racist mob.

Some thought Norton was simply a village idiot, but those he connected with and helped, the often-overlooked denizens of San Francisco, loved and celebrated him. They were his tribe.

Day after day, Norton served with unwavering consistency. Over the years, laughter became admiration. His presence was considered an honor. His royal currency was accepted graciously throughout the city. People started to wonder if he really was the secret brother of Napoleon the Third, or the long-lost son of a great European empire....

When Joshua Abraham Norton died in 1880, after a 21-year reign, 10,000 people attended his funeral in a procession over a mile long. Quite befitting an emperor, wouldn't you say?

When you aim for the extraordinary, there will always be people who will dismiss you, doubt you, even laugh at you. But there will also be people who are inspired by you. They are the ones that matter. The tribe you attract believes in you and your extraordinary vision because they see you consistently putting in the work to create your reality. In a world full of people who will pressure you to conform, finding your tribe could be the difference between the life and death of your dreams.

I have seen first-hand how extraordinary conviction can outweigh facts and figures when it comes to investing in an entrepreneur's vision.

I've watched companies wither or flourish based on the communities they build around themselves. Those you surround yourself with -- your customers, your neighbors, or your mentors -- are like the soil your vision needs in order to blossom.

I've worked with founders in Silicon Valley whose ideas can seem as wild as Emperor Norton marching through San Francisco in his royal getup. But when I see a founder consistently improving her bottom line, consistently crusading for her product, and consistently acting with integrity and responsibility, I know I'm witnessing a billionaire in the making.

You don't have to take up a royal mantle to apply the principles of ETC to your life. Start by asking yourself: If you dared to believe that you couldn't fail, what's one extraordinary thing you want to achieve? Next, start building your tribe: Share that dream with someone who will have your back and push you to take action. Then, figure out what you can start doing today to inch closer to making that vision a reality. And then, do it. Do it again tomorrow. And again the day after.

And who knows? Maybe when I'm called in to evaluate your company, I'll conclude that investing in your business is the stuff that dreams are made of.
Paul Chittenden, founder and president of Houston-based Bad Ass Work Gear is known for being, well, kind of a badass. The 39-year-old Louisiana native says he once wrestled a hungry alligator off of his fishing boat--but not before opening the gator's mouth and retrieving his friend's expensive buzzbait. He also claims to have been in a 15-on-two brawl with a bunch of cowboys in a Whataburger, but that's a story for another day.

No matter if these end up being tall tales, it's the sort of folksy charm you can expect from a fellow who's worked alongside roughnecks on a Gulf Coast oil rig, a dangerous job which requires toughing out harsh conditions and wrestling with heavy equipment. It was that experience that led Chittenden in 2012 to launch the first incarnation of a brand that would become Bad Ass Work Gear, which manufactures work bags and other apparel for oil and gas workers, along with anyone who may want rugged gear.

He originally named his company Bad Ass Work Bags--a tip of the hard hat to the tough trade. He did wonder, only briefly, if that name might be too vulgar.

Google Ads thought so, and in 2012 banned Bad Ass Work Bags from participating on its ad platform, forcing Chittenden to get creative. He printed up stickers with the tagline "the toughest bags for the toughest men," and handed them out to his buddies, who passed them along to their friends. As one roughneck after another slapped the brand's sticker on their hard hats, word spread on the platforms that mattered--oil rigs--from the Gulf Coast all the way to Alaska. "The name is what really grew us," says Chittenden, noting that the stunt doubled his company's revenue to $120,000 in 2014.

That's not the only guerilla marketing stunt Chittenden's pulled: In 2015, after rebranding to Bad Ass Work Gear, he took over a billboard off of US-90, a main corridor for oil workers traveling to rigs and fields near the gulf coast. The billboard was also--quite purposefully--just a few miles from the brand's biggest competitor at that time, Acadiana Outfitters, which is based in New Iberia, Louisiana. "Anytime a customer would visit them, they'd have to think of us. We're online only, while they have a physical location," Chittenden says, noting that the billboard led to "more than average numbers" of orders originating from New Iberia.

And in 2016, Chittenden launched an ad looking for employees that were, specifically, "men's men" or rugged women. Due to its offensive nature--Chittenden says it was meant to be funny--the ad earned a half-page feature in the Daily Advertiser in Lafayette, Louisiana, Bad Ass Work Gear's biggest market. And it garnered the attention of job seekers too.

According to the Daily Advertiser's writeup, applicants sent in some unusual cover letters, including this gem: "Every morning I get up and lube my beard with hydraulic oil, brush my teeth with axle grease, and head out for (the) day. ... Every night I come home with dirt under my fingernails while covered in the sweet aroma of diesel." Another applicant wrote that he'd been kidnapped in Albania, and a female applicant wrote that, "I was one of the first women in ... Arkansas to go 8 seconds on the mechanical bull at a dive bar."
As the new financial year (FY) 2022-23 begins from April 1, several income tax and financial changes will come into effect. We provide a list of such changes applicable from April 1, 2022.

To prevent confusion regarding key tax compliances and reporting requirements, businesses are welcome to reach out to our tax advisors at india@dezshira.com.

Tax on cryptocurrency and other virtual digital assets

A new section 115BBH has been inserted into the Income-tax Act, 1961 for taxation of virtual digital assets. Effective from FY 2022-23, gains from various virtual digital assets, such as bitcoin, dogecoin, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), etc. will be taxed at a rate of 30 percent, plus cess and surcharges. Cryptocurrency transactions for the ongoing year (FY 2021-22 period) will also be taxed.

It must be noted that no deduction towards any expenditure (except cost of acquisition) will be permissible. Further, loss from the transfer of virtual digital assets cannot be set off against any other income.

Recently, the government also clarified that the gains from one virtual digital asset will not be allowed to be set off against losses from other virtual digital assets.

Additionally, it also proposed to provide for deduction of tax on payment for the transfer of virtual digital assets to a resident at the rate of one percent of such consideration above a monetary threshold, which is INR 50,000 in the case of specified persons and INR 10,000 in case of non-specified persons.

Tax on provident fund (PF) account

Effective April 1, the tax will be imposed on interest earned on the contribution to Employees Provident Fund (EPF) if the amount is in excess of the threshold limit of INR 250,000 every year. This new rule is governed under section 9D of the Income-Tax Act.

For the purpose of calculation, the contribution to the PF accounts up to INR 250,000 is tax-free. But, if an employee contributes in excess of the above-mentioned limit, the tax will be imposed on the interest portion earned on the excess contribution. To calculate the interest that will be taxable in the hands of an employee, a new EPF account will be created, if the EPF contributions in FY 2021-22 exceeds INR 250,000.

This rule has been introduced for targeting high-earning taxpayers, to prevent them from taking advantage of the government-backed scheme.

For individuals not having employers contribution to their EPF accounts, such as government employees, the threshold is INR 500,000.

Filing of updated income tax return (ITR)

A new provision has been introduced that allows filing updated tax returns within a period of two years from the end of the relevant assessment year. Earlier, the taxpayer only had a window of five months from the due date of filing returns, to revise the tax returns.

However, it must be noted that the updated return cannot be filed to report additional loss or decrease in the tax liability. This provision is introduced to provide an opportunity to include missed or undisclosed income or any other error leading to less filing of tax in the original tax return.

When reporting such additional income, the taxpayer would also be required to pay additional tax at the rate of 25 percent if the updated return is filed in the first year or 50 percent on the additional tax if the updated return is filed in the second year, that is 13-24 months after the end of the relevant assessment year. The tax is required to be paid before the filing of the updated tax return and proof to that extent is required to be attached while filing the updated return.

Tax relief on COVID-19 treatment expenses and compensation

As per the Press Release on June 2021, tax exemption has been provided to persons who have received money for COVID medical treatment. Similarly, money received by family members on the death of a person due to COVID will be exempt up to INR 1 million for family members if such payment is received within 12 months from the date of death. This amendment will be effective retrospectively from April 1, 2020.

Tax relief to persons with disability

Union Budget 2022 has relaxed certain provisions under section 80DD, offering a tax break for the care of disabled persons. As per the new provision, if an individual buys a life insurance policy for a disabled person, then an individual can claim a tax deduction even if policy benefits (such as annuity payments) start during the lifetime of such individual, who has purchased the insurance cover.

Earlier, deduction under section 80DD was allowed when the annuity from the life insurance policy was received by the disabled person after the death of the individual.

The new law will be applicable for life insurance policies bought from FY 2022-23 onwards. Deduction on such policies will be claimed in the next years ITR fling.

Withdrawal of tax benefit to new homebuyers

The tax incentive for homebuyers, announced in FY 2019-20 and extended till FY 2021-22, has not been extended to this fiscal. This implies that from FY 2022-23, homebuyers will have to pay more tax.

Earlier, the government had announced an additional INR 150,000 income tax benefit on home loans to those buying a house up to INR 4.5 million.

New TDS rules on sale of immovable property

As per the new TDS rules on sale and purchase of immovable property, which will come into effect from April 1, 2022, the buyer of immovable property will deduct tax at the rate of one percent on the sum paid to the seller or stamp duty value of the property, whichever is higher. TDS on sale of immovable property is applicable if the sale value of immovable property/ stamp duty of the property exceeds INR 5 million.

Earlier, tax was deducted on the money paid by the buyer to the seller.

Senior citizens aged 75 years and above exempted from fling ITR

Effective from April 1, 2022, senior citizens aged 75 years and above are exempted from fling ITR. However, this exemption is available provided certain conditions are fulfilled by the senior citizens. Further, a declaration has to be given by the senior citizen to the bank.

State government employees to claim deduction for NPS contribution

The deductions can be claimed by the employees of the state government under the Section 80CCD(2) for NPS contribution by the employer up to 14 percent of their basic salary and dearness allowance, which is in line with the deduction available to the central government employees under the said section.

Higher TDS from April 1 if ITR for FY 2020-21 not filed

As per the announcement made in the Union Budget 2022, if ITR for one year is not filed, then higher TDS, TCS will be applicable in the next financial year. It must be noted that this higher TDS will not be applicable if the source of income is salary or provident fund. However, higher TDS will be deducted from interest income, dividend income, etc. as specified under the Income-tax Act.

Other financial changes

Linking of savings account with different post office schemes

From April 1, 2022, the interest money on Post Office Monthly Income Scheme (POMIS), Senior Citizens Savings Scheme (SCSS), and Term Deposit Accounts will be available in the savings account only and the taxpayer must ensure that these schemes are linked with their savings account. The taxpayer cannot withdraw interest money in cash by going to the post office. Instead, post linking of these schemes, the interest money will be transferred electronically. The government has made it mandatory to use savings account for depositing monthly, quarterly, annual interest in case of SCSS, Time Deposit accounts.

Further, if the savings account or post office is not linked, then the interest will be credited to the sundry office accounts. The outstanding interest in the future will be payable either through credit in post office savings account or via check.
Prevent Unauthorized Transactions in your demat / trading account Update your Mobile Number/ email Id with your stock broker / Depository Participant. Receive information of your transactions directly from Exchanges on your mobile / email at the end of day and alerts on your registered mobile for all debits and other important transactions in your demat account directly from NSDL/ CDSL on the same day." - Issued in the interest of investors.

KYC is one time exercise while dealing in securities markets - once KYC is done through a SEBI registered intermediary (broker, DP, Mutual Fund etc.), you need not undergo the same process again when you approach another intermediary.

No need to issue cheques by investors while subscribing to IPO. Just write the bank account number and sign in the application form to authorise your bank to make payment in case of allotment. No worries for refund as the money remains in investor's account."

www.indiainfoline.com is part of the IIFL Group, a leading financial services player and a diversified NBFC. The site provides comprehensive and real time information on Indian corporates, sectors, financial markets and economy. On the site we feature industry and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and trend setters. The research, personal finance and market tutorial sections are widely followed by students, academia, corporates and investors among others.




The overall contract is estimated to be worth Rs1,109 crore. The Ministry of Defence (MoD), Government of India, and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) , Hyderabad, a Navratna Defence PSU, signed a Contract for Instrumented Electronic Warfare Range (IEWR) for the Indian Air Force on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. The contract is a major step towards enhancing the capabilities of IAF to prepare for future warfare.The overall contract is estimated to be worth Rs1,109 crore.



The company further stated that it will use the IEWR to test and evaluate airborne Electronic Warfare (EW) equipment and validate their deployment in an Operational Scenario. The Project essentially highlights the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat and will help in achieving the journey towards self-reliance.



Bharat Electronics counter was trading 0.89% higher at Rs209.25 against its previous close of Rs207.40 on NSE. It touched an intraday high and low of Rs211.90 and Rs208.30 respectively.
Television | TV Channels Creativity is major factor behind the popularity of 'Memsaab No 1': Makers Bhojpuri GEC Zee Ganga's non-scripted reality show "Memsaab No 1" recently garnered a lot of attention from the audience owing to its unique concept and novel presentation. The latest season of the show is steadily growing in its viewership and has received a thundering welcome from the audience since its launch on 17 January. Read More...

Television | TV Channels

Cartoon Network ups the marketing ante with global campaign 'Redraw Your World' Cartoon Network has revealed a new brand positioning and tagline 'Redraw Your World' across its key tentpoles in summer, the flagship school contact programme and the year end festive season. Perfetti Van Melle India has come on board as the campaign's 'presenting sponsor.' Read More...

iWorld | OTT

Discovery+ to launch 'Legends of Ramayana' docu-series with Amish Tripathi Discovery Inc-owned streaming platform Discovery+ has announced a new docu-series "Legends of the Ramayana" featuring author Amish Tripathi as the host. The show will begin streaming on the platform on 7 April. Read More...

iWorld | OTT Poker Sports League S4 to be livestreamed on Voot The fourth season of Poker Sports League (PSL) will be live streamed on Viacom18-owned streaming service, Voot. Fairplay News is associated with the tournament as the 'powered by' partner. Read More...
If you think about drastic career moves, then this has to be right at the top. A former porn star, who believed he had no viable path forward escaped it all to become a preacher.

Joshua Broome was in the adult industry for more than five years and filmed more than 1,000 x-rated movies under the pseudonym Rocco Reed. However, in 2012, he quit the industry, claiming it caused him a tremendous amount of emotional trauma.



Instagram/Joshua Broome

I literally lost track of who I was. Everything was lies and fiction  I wanted to take my own life and didnt have the guts to do so," Broome told the New York Post.



Broome started out in the porn industry after moving to Hollywood, Los Angeles, in his early 20s in hopes of becoming an actor.

It all started when he had a chance meeting with a group of women who insisted that taking a plunge into the porn industry would increase his chances of becoming a movie star. He took their advice and was cast in an adult movie just days later.

Instagram/Joshua Broome

Within no time, he was shooting dozens of scenes per month. He quickly became one of the most popular male stars in the industry. However, his heart wasn't into it.



I believed the lie that if I made money I would be happy. I made well over a million dollars. I travelled everywhere I wanted to go. I had all the sex I could have ever imagined. But once I had it all, my life fell apart, because it amplified the sorrow and emptiness I always felt inside," Broome told the outlet.

In 2012, he finally made a call to quit the industry, much to the shock of everyone.

For the next two years, Broome tried to rebuild a life for himself. He began working at a gym and initially lied to everyone he met about his past. Eventually, he met a woman named Hope, in 2014, and his whole life changed.

Instagram/Joshua Broome

Broome started attending church with her and studied Biblical theology before marrying Hope in 2016. Now, theyre loving parents.



Broome is currently a pastor at the Good News Baptist Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and also teaches and preaches around the country.



He also boasts a podcast and a popular Instagram page with more than 50,000 followers.



For more trending stories, click here.


Conditions, such as genetic abnormalities, growth restriction, mechanical forces affect the baby in the uterus during development. In an unfortunate incident, a woman gave birth to a baby with two heads and three hands.



The incident took place in the Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh. The child has been referred to Indore due to the seriousness and rareness of the case.

According to reports, the child's mother, Shaheen, is a resident of Javra. The child is born with two heads and three hands, and the third hand is towards the back between the two faces.

The Free Press Journal

According to pediatric surgeon Dr Brijesh Lahoti, the condition is called dicephalic parapagus. It is a rare form of partial twinning with two heads side by side on one torso.



Such cases are rare and the condition of babies remains uncertain especially in the initial days due to which we have kept them under observation. We have not planned for any surgery on the patient, Dr Lahoti told the media.



The child was referred to MY Hospital, Indore after being kept in Ratlam's SNCU for some time.

During the sonography, this baby appeared to be a twin.

India Today

SNCU in-charge Dr Naved Qureshi said that the condition of the child is critical, and in such cases, many children either die in the womb or within 48 hours of birth. However, there is an option for surgery in such cases. But 60 to 70 percent of such children do not make it and die.

Presently, the child has been admitted to the ICU of MY Hospital, Indore while the mother is still in Ratlam Hospital.

A similar incident had happened back in 2019 when a then-23-year-old woman gave birth to a boy with two heads and three hands at a hospital in Madhya Pradeshs Vidisha district.

After birth, the child was kept in the hospitals Intensive Care Unit (ICU). However, his condition deteriorated and he was shifted to a hospital in Bhopal for advanced health care.

The Week

For more trending stories, click here.
A newlywed couple is probably the most excited about their honeymoon. After all the chaos of going through all the marriage rituals, a honeymoon is something a couple can enjoy with each other. But what if this turns out to be horrible and the trip doesn't turn out the way you planned it.

The reasons can be many. The pandemic, bad weather, bad health- which is sad considering its a once in a lifetime trip.

However, there's good news. A travel company is looking to give a couple whose honeymoon went wrong the chance to get a proper holiday. The best part is that it is a free trip to the Maldives.



instagram

A company named Winged Boots is offering one lucky couple a free 10-night, full board stay at the Raffles Maldives Meradhoo Resort, which includes five nights in a beach villa with a pool, and five in an overwater villa which also has a private pool. Oh, and you'll also get 1,000 spending money to use in the resort's restaurants, bars or to book excursions.



The vacation features a keep in one of the most over-the-water villas, luxury dining, lavish spas, a jacuzzi and the best food one can imagine.



The competition is open to couples who married or entered a civil partnership before January 2022, and applications have already opened on the Winged Boots website. (This is also where you'll find the full terms and conditions).



Unsplash

If a couple wants to enter the competition, they simply need to share why they think they deserve a second chance at a honeymoon, whether that's a heartfelt story or your trip was just filled with plenty of hilarious (or not so hilarious) mishaps.



The couple needs to enter by April 17, 2022, when entries close. Shortlisted applicants will then be contacted for a video interview, and an independent judge will ultimately decide who wins the free holiday.



Managing Director of Winged Boots, David Ox said that the competition came about because the company "wanted to offer one couple the opportunity to celebrate their relationship with an unforgettable honeymoon experience in the Maldives".



TOI

He added that the winners will also get 24/7 access to a personal travel manager to help plan the perfect itinerary for their trip.



This is an opportunity of a lifetime.

For the latest from trending, click here.






A federal appeals court is set to hear arguments in a lawsuit filed by a Delaware prison inmate who claimed he was deprived of his constitutional rights by being placed into solitary confinement because of his mental illness.

The appeals court will hear arguments Wednesday in the case of Angelo Lee Clark, who also claimed he was deprived of his rights to adequate medical care while in solitary confinement.

Attorneys for Clark filed the appeal after a federal court jury ruled in favor of Delaware prison officials last year. The jury found that prison officials did not violate Clarks rights by putting him in solitary confinement or denying adequate medical care.

Clark died in January at the age of 66. A family member is acting as the appellant in the case.

According to court records, Clark was held at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center from 2004 to 2019, when he was moved to a psychiatric facility.

While in prison, he was treated for serious mental illness, including manic depression, antisocial personality disorder and paranoid schizophrenia.

Clark was housed in solitary confinement for fifteen days in 2015 and for seven months in 2016.

Attorneys for Clark alleged that his placement in solitary confinement was in retaliation for his mental illness, loud voice, and minor rule infractions.

They argued among other things that holding a severely mentally ill inmate in solitary confinement when the harmful effects of such punishment are well known amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. Prison officials argued in a motion to dismiss that qualified immunity insulated them from liability for that claim. A trial court judge agreed but allowed the suit to proceed to the jury on other issues.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Delaware
A Bermuda court on Tuesday ruled former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili and his family are due damages substantially in excess of $500 million from Credit Suisses local life insurance arm in a costly setback for the bank.

The court said that Ivanishvili and his family were due the damages as a result of a long-running fraud committed by a former Credit Suisse adviser, Pascale Lescaudron.

Credit Suisse said its life insurance subsidiary, which is in the process of being wound down, intended to vigorously pursue an appeal of the verdict.

The ruling is another blow for the scandal-stricken bank, still reeling from billions in losses racked up in 2021, which prompted a top management shake-up, and as it faces further probes over compliance and risk failings.

Chief Justice Narinder Hargun of the Supreme Court of Bermuda said: CS Life did not take action or adequate action to prevent Mr. Lescaudrons fraudulent mismanagement of the policy accounts because it was prioritizing the revenues Mr. Lescaudron generated for Credit Suisse over the interest of its clients.

A client of Credit Suisse between 2005 and 2015, Ivanishvili alleged he racked up hundreds of millions in losses due to forged trades made by his Geneva-based private banker, Lescaudron, appointed to handle his investments in 2006.

Lescaudron was convicted by a Swiss court in 2018 of having forged the signatures of former clients, including Ivanishvili, over an eight-year period, and admitted he falsified trades and hid mounting losses as part of a scheme that made him tens of millions of Swiss francs.

The Bermuda case covers only a portion of the damages Ivanishvili is seeking from Credit Suisse, centering on roughly $400 million in alleged losses incurred from fraudulent and imprudent trades on $755 million invested in insurance policies at Credit Suisses Bermuda-based life insurance subsidiary, CS Life.

The Bermuda court said the extent of damages was yet to be settled but should be calculated based on the amount Ivanishvilis policies would have generated through March 29, 2022 had they been invested in a suitable medium-risk portfolio instead.

The plaintiffs primary claim is for damages calculated as amounting to $553.86 million as of 31 July 2020, being the difference between the value of the assets on the policy accountsand the total valuehad they been invested instead in the medium-risk portfolio identified by the plaintiffs investment expert, Hargun said in the verdict delivered by video conference.

Severe Criticism

A spokesperson for Ivanishvili said the ruling confirmed the Bermuda subsidiary was aware of Lescaudrons frauds.

It is shocking that Credit Suisse continues to refuse to offer the Claimants compensation or repay the money it admits was stolen, whilst continuing to behave in a manner which has drawn severe criticism from the court, he said.

Total losses yet to be repaid, spanning investments in Bermuda, Singapore and Switzerland, exceeded $800 million, he said.

The spokesperson also said Ivanishvili and his family would continue to quantify losses incurred both in Bermuda and in Singapore, where Credit Suisses Trust business is adopting the same tactics to avoid taking responsibility.

The Swiss bank last week flagged potential losses exceeding $500 million in connection with the Bermuda ruling.

Lescaudron, sentenced to five years in prison by a Swiss court in 2018, was ordered to pay damages of $130 million in Switzerland in connection with the fraudulent schemes set up in relation to Ivanishvili and other clients.

Credit Suisse was recognized as a victim in the Swiss case and has said Lescaudron operated as a lone wolf and worked to conceal his illegal activities from the bank.

The Bermuda court said Lescaudrons fraudulent mismagement included making investment decisions without proper authority, making sales and purchases below market value and forging documents (and) executing investments for the purpose of obtaining unlawful commissions.

Credit Suisse last week said it had already set aside reserves to handle the Bermuda matter, without specifying further, and would determine whether it needed to increase them.

Ivanishvili is also suing the bank and an affiliate, Credit Suisse Trust Ltd., in Singapore over trusts set up there.

He is seeking a further $300 million in the Singapore case, his spokesperson said, which is set to go on trial in September.

(Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi; editing by John ODonnell and Jane Merriman)
Aircraft leasing firms are tallying up losses stemming from Russias invasion of Ukraine, according to the head of Avolon Holdings Ltd., one of the biggest players in the industry.

Lessors are in dialogue with auditors about what financial provisions should be made and are preparing to disclose figures with first-quarter results, Avolon CEO Domhnal Slattery said in an interview. Youll see how that plays out over the next month or so when the various aircraft leasing companies report.

Analysis  Aircraft Lessors Lose Hope of Getting Back Russian Planes Worth $10B

Stakeholders in the leasing industry have been struggling to assess the impact of the war, ensuing sanctions and the current tussle over foreign-owned aircraft being held in the country. Russias move to transfer almost 800 jets to its own registery has triggered a wave of insurance claims from leasing firms, Bloomberg News reported last week.

Avolon, the worlds second-largest aircraft lessor, recovered four aircraft that were placed with Russian airlines when sanctions were imposed by the European Union, leaving 10 stranded in the country. It estimates its balance-sheet exposure is less than $200 million, Slattery said Tuesday. The Dublin-based firm has canceled all contracts and will draw down deposits and letters of credit from Russian customers, and will make insurance claims to recover potential losses.

Insurance Claims

Slattery wouldnt say what portion of the $200 million will be covered by insurers. Avolon has far less exposure to the Russian market than rivals AerCap Holdings NV and SMBC Aviation Capital, at about 1% of its entire fleet. But its analysis will help investors calculate potential losses, including how much will be borne by insurance firms such as Lloyds of London, which dominates the market for aviation.

Slattery said in an interview with Irelands RTE Radio that the value of the original 14 Avolon-owned aircraft with Russian carriers totaled about $400 million, suggesting about half of its investment remains at risk.

We believe that our possessed contingency insurance is in place and is entirely valid, Slattery said. And we have complied with all of the conditions of those insurance policies.

AerCap, the worlds largest jet-leasing firm, had 142 aircraft placed in Russia as of March 10, according to consulting firm IBA. The Irish firm is scheduled to report first-quarter results on Wednesday. The Insurer trade publication reported that AerCap has submitted a $3.5 billion claim on its all-risks policy, triggering what is expected to be a drawn-out battle over who foots the bill.

Representatives for AerCap didnt respond to requests for comment.

Historic Amount

Claims tied to the war in Russia could total $10 billion, the highest in the history of aviation insurance, Fitch Ratings said in a report last week. Lloyds CEO John Neal told Bloomberg Television that those figures were for asset values, and insurers liability would be limited to about 10% to 15% of the sums.

Many of the planes re-registered in Russia remain on the rolls in jurisdictions including Bermuda and Ireland. Holding onto aircraft that had their leases cancelled could actually help lessors with their insurance claims, by demonstrating the intent to confiscate, Steven Udvar-Hazy, chairman of Air Lease Corp., said earlier this month.

While lessors have the right to repossess planes under international treaties, there is no realistic way of doing so. Avolon-owned planes in Russia include Airbus SE A320-family and Boeing Co. 737 narrow-bodies placed with S7 Airlines, Ural Airlines and Pobeda, the discount arm of state-owned Aeroflot PJSC, according to a list compiled by flight tracking website FlightRadar24.

Our exposure to Russia was always de minimis, because we were always nervous about the jurisdiction and the political risk, said Slattery. He called Russias offer to purchase the aircraft, seen as an attempt to smooth relations with lessors for after the war, a no-go zone.

I think thats just propaganda, he said.

Photograph: The tailfins of passenger jets operated by Pobeda Airlines at Vnukovo International airport in Moscow, Russia. Photo credit: Bloomberg.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Trends Profit Loss Russia Ukraine
Chubb announced the completion of the agreement for the transfer of renewal rights of DUAL Asias financial lines portfolios in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Chubb will be purchasing the business assets including the intellectual property and underwriting models from DUAL in both Hong Kong and Singapore and intends to hire DUALs underwriting personnel. Established in 2009, DUAL Asia is a subsidiary of DUAL Group, the specialist underwriting arm of Howden Group.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. The parties intend the take over of DUALs client portfolio renewal rights to be effective from June 18, 2022.

Verone Shek, DUAL Asias Underwriting and Operations Director, will take on the role as Chubbs underwriting and operations integration manager, Financial Lines  Asia, reporting to Jamie Park, regional head of Financial Lines  Asia.

This agreement further demonstrates Chubbs commitment to expand its capability and enhance competitiveness in the small commercial marketplace, said the insurer in a statement.

This is an exciting opportunity for us to accelerate our small commercial growth plans in Hong Kong and Singapore. In both maturing markets, small commercial owners have become increasingly aware of the importance of secure and stable professional and management liability coverage. We aspire to be the go-to insurer to deliver such coverage backed by our award-winning claims service, commented Grant Cairns, Chubbs regional head for Property & Casualty in Asia Pacific.

We are pleased to have signed the transfer agreement with Chubb, a leading Financial Lines insurer in the Asia region, said Damien Coates, CEO DUAL Asia Pacific.

This will allow us to focus our efforts and resources on our core strengths and growth in additional regions. We will work closely with Chubb to ensure a seamless transition for all stakeholders involved, Coates added.

Source: Chubb

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Chubb
Zurich Insurance said it has removed the letter Z from its social media branding as a result of Russias use of the letter during its war in Ukraine.

The Zurich brand has been around for 150 years. It is a trusted brand and we have proven our ability to change and respond to challenges over time, said Zurich Insurance Group in a statement. We are temporarily removing the use of the letter Z from social channels where it appears in isolation and could be misinterpreted.

While the origins of Russias use of the symbol are a mystery, various press reports indicate it is shorthand for victory or west, and it has been adopted as a pro-war symbol by some Russians. The letter has been painted on Russian tanks and other military vehicles in Ukraine.

The Russian defense ministry itself has not commented on any of the theories, and instead posted on its Instagram channel that Z meant Za pobedu (for victory), according to The Guardian newspaper.

The most popular theory used by military experts to explain the letters is that they were written according to the respective areas where the Russian troops are usually stationed, with Z potentially standing for Zapad (west), added The Guardian.

The Z symbol is now being used to show support for the war in Russia and is being displayed on peoples cars, on T-shirts, on vans with business logos and even on war supporters social media avatars, said a report from Sky News.

Photograph: People walk past the letter Z, which has become a symbol of the Russian military, and a hashtag reading We dont abandon our own on an advertisement in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Wednesday, March 9, 2022. Photo credit: AP Photo.

Topics Russia Ukraine
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at broker TigerRisk Partners, Mosaic Insurance and MGU Carbon Underwriting.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

TigerRisk Partners LLC, a leading risk, capital and strategic advisor to the global insurance and reinsurance industries, has boosted its delegated authority offering with two key hires in Australia and London.

TigerRisk enters the Australian Reinsurance and Programme Market with the appointment of Simon Chandler as head of Reinsurance Broking, Programmes and Binders. Based in Sydney, Australia, he will be responsible for driving the development of TigerRisks delegated business in the Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands region.

Chandler brings 40 years experience in the reinsurance industry, with 10 years in London and 30 years in Australia. He joins from Brokers Online Re, where he was Reinsurance Broking Manager. Prior to this, he was the senior manager for Sompo Japan Australia for five years. He previously worked at Aon Re, Breeze Re, Heath Re, REcentis, Sedgwick Re, and Willis Re.

Richard Laird has been appointed partner and will be responsible for finding solutions for innovative placements and structures in the U.S., Canada, the UK and Europe. He will be based in London.

Laird joins from Ed Broking, where he was divisional director, Alternative Risk. Previously, Laird worked at Price Forbes Risk Solutions as director, Specialty Division, and then executive director. Before that, he was director, Specialty Division at Patriarch Risk Ltd., and managing director at Evolve Brokers Limited.

Chandler and Laird will report to Neill Cotton, partner at TigerRisk Partners UK.

Simon is recognised for the production and broking of strategic and hard-to-place placements. He specialises in treaty and facultative reinsurances and sourcing paper for MGAs, as well as other insurance and reinsurance-backed financial instruments, said Cotton.

Richards skills lie in placing innovative specialty insurance binders, as well as being a strong advocate of utilising analytics and technology in his broking. Being innovative and advanced in technology is part of Tigers culture, he added.

TigerRisk entered the delegated authority business market in 2019 and has been focused on creating niche portfolios and working with high-value-add MGAs, said James Few, chief executive officer of TigerRisk International.

***

Mosaic Expands M&A Liability Team With 4 New Hires

Mosaic Insurance has expanded its international transactional liability team in the United Kingdom, offering certainty amid an increasingly volatile cross-border deal environment.

The company has added four more employees to its London-based unit in recent months, with underwriters and analysts focused on M&A activity in Britain, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Recent additions to Mosaics transactional liability team in London include:

Frances Gerrard, manager. Gerrard advises on complex, multi-jurisdictional transactions across Europe, including Central and Eastern Europe and Southeast Europe. With a decade of experience, she has a wealth of deal, multi-sector, and regional-specific expertise. Prior to insurance, she practiced as a regional transactional specialist (advocate) with international law firm CMS in Prague, Czech Republic, regularly advising insurers on M&A transactions across a number of regions.

Ciaran OHara, AVP, underwriter. OHara develops business across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with a focus on the UK. Previously, he worked at AIG for more than three years as an underwriter on M&A deals across UK, Europe, and emerging markets. Prior to that, he spent two years at Chubb in its international transactional liability team.

Ignacio Lopez Regules, analyst. Lopez Regules is a masters graduate in Corporate Finance from Bayes Business School, University of London, where his research involved analyzing cross-border and cross-industry M&A transactions. Previously, he worked for a logistics division at Amazon, launching a delivery station as a member of a senior leadership team.

Vladislava Prangadzhiyska, analyst. Prangadzhiyska has a Master of Science degree in Finance & Investment Banking from Nottingham Trent University, UK. She previously worked as a corporate banking associate at UniCredit, Bulgaria, managing a client portfolio in its large corporate client department.

Mosaics UK buildout follows a parallel expansion of its North American transactional liability division since hiring Monat last April. The New York-based unit began underwriting M&A coverage in July, including representations and warranties insurance (RWI) and other transactional risk products. Since then, its US-based team has grown to include a total of 17 specialists.

Transactional liability is among Mosaics suite of six product lines, each selected for relevance to current and projected global market conditions. The companys other units include: cyber, political risk, political violence, financial institutions, and professional liability.

***

MGU Carbon Underwriting Appoints Chubbs Turner as Property U/W

Carbon Underwriting Ltd., the specialist, independent managing general underwriter (MGU) and Lloyds syndicate, announced the appointment of Claire Turner as a property underwriter.

Turner joins Carbon from Chubb, where she worked for over 25 years  most recently underwriting international property binders. In her new role, she will focus on helping to expand Carbons existing Property book of business as well as new business development.

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Insurance Wholesale Property Chubb
AerCap Holdings NV, the worlds largest aircraft-leasing firm, is seeking about $3.5 billion from insurers related to jets and engines stuck in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.

The claims were filed last week, Chief Financial Officer Peter Juhas said on a conference call Wednesday. Their size exceeds the Dublin-based firms exposure to potential asset writedowns, signaling a looming battle over who should shoulder financial losses caused by the war.

Jet Leasing Firms Tally Up Losses Stemming From Russia-Ukraine War

We also plan to pursue all other avenues for the recovery of value of our assets, including other legal claims available to us, Juhas said after AerCap reported annual results. It is uncertain whether these efforts will be successful. Ultimately, our economic exposure will also be offset by any recoveries that we obtain from insurance or other claims.

The shares fell as much as 12%, the most since Feb. 28, and traded down 5.2% at 10:50 a.m. in New York.

Counting the Damage

Foreign leasing firms are starting to tally losses from the war, which has stranded hundreds of planes leased to customers in Russia. Sanctions require the owners to cancel contracts and demand the jets return, which AerCap said it has done. But Russias government has prevented the planes from leaving the country, and the risk is that without access to parts and maintenance, the aircraft will lose their value.

Claims tied to the conflict may eventually total $10 billion, the most in the history of aviation insurance, Fitch Ratings estimated in a report last week. Lloyds of London, which dominates the market, disputes that total.

Lloyds Chief Executive Officer John Neal told Bloomberg last week that insurers liability would be limited to about 10% to 15% of the sum.

AerCap said it may not be allowed to recognize any recoveries due from contested insurance claims under accounting rules, and expects insurers to fight given the large sums involved across the industry, Juhas said. The lessor may be forced to write down the entire amount in the first quarter of 2022, and then recognize eventual insurance recoveries as other income, he said.

Aircraft Recovery

AerCap has about $2.5 billion at risk from the Ukraine invasion and has retrieved 22 of the 135 planes placed with Russian carriers at year-end, it said in an earnings presentation. The removals, along with cash from letters of credit with Russian customers, have reduced its exposure from a carrying value of $3.1 billion, the company said. Insurance claims and further aircraft recoveries could lower the financial hit.

Aercap will keep trying to secure aircraft held by Russian airlines but it is unclear if we will be able to do so, or what the condition of these assets will be at the time of repossession, the company said. We expect to recognize an impairment on our assets in Russia that have not been returned to us as early as the first quarter of 2022, although we have not determined the amount of any impairment.

AerCap still expects 2022 to be positive as aviation recovers from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing travel restrictions. The company expects revenues to climb through the course of the year, with aircraft deferrals reducing and airlines making full lease payments, the CFO said.

The events of Russia are certainly a setback, but they are a very manageable setback, Chief Executive Officer Aengus Kelly said on the earnings call. The core of the business is still extremely strong.

Photo credit for top photograph of silhouette of plane on sky: JethuynhCan/Moment RF via Getty Images

Related:

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Russia Aviation
Applied Underwriters mixed-use, 500-acre development on land formerly part of Boys Town in Omaha, Nebraska reached a milestone in its construction Tuesday as the companys own operational headquarters on the site was topped out.

Topping out refers to when the last beam is placed atop a structure during its construction.

Applied plans to move up to 2,000 employees into the 270,000-square-foot facility. The sits among public nature trails and lawns, corporate headquarters, residential developments and retail shops in Heartwood Preserve.

Anticipated completion of the site and occupancy is slated for 2024.

Located off the Applied Parkway exit from West Dodge Road, the development is considered among the largest undertaken in the nation over the past decade.

This is an inspiring moment for all of us at Applied and for all of those who have worked so hard to realize this grand success in the making, Heartwood Preserve, whose name itself denotes its character, said Steve Menzies, Chairman and Founder of Applied and creator of Heartwood Preserve.

The operations headquarters is centered upon its campus of 50 acres of land and has 1,000 parking stalls, all underground and purposely not visible. Its systems are ahead of the state of the art in every way and are also placed out of sight as a further aesthetic consideration, leaving the vistas and natural settings clearly unobstructed.

The 270,000-square-foot, 5-floor building features 16-foot and higher ceilings throughout, enabling natural light to shine through the acres of floor-to-ceiling electrochromic glass encasing the structure. The building demanded what is believed to be the largest installation of electrochromic glass in the US.

Topics Underwriting Nebraska
An insurer must defend an information technology company facing a pair of Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) lawsuits, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois said in a March 30 ruling.

In Citizens Insurance Company of America v. Wynndalco Enterprises, LLC et. al, the court disagreed with Citizens claim that a Statutory Violation exclusion within a business owners insurance policy precludes coverage against BIPA suits.

The underlying litigation in this case involves Wynndalco allegedly selling access to data obtained by Clearview AI, an artificial intelligence company accused of extracting photographs from social media platforms to create a database of facial scans. Melissa Thornley and Mario Calderon each filed class action lawsuits against Wynndalco, alleging that the Addison, Illinois-based company violated BIPA by selling Clearviews database and app in Illinois.

Wynndalco purchased a policy from Citizens that provides coverage for personal and advertising injury arising out of [o]ral or written publication, in any manner, of material that violates a persons right of privacy.

The policy contains an exclusion entitled Distribution of Material in Violation of Statutes that states insurance does not apply when personal and advertising injury arises out of any action or omission that violates The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, The Fair Credit Reporting Act, or any other statutes that address, prohibit, or limit the printing, dissemination, disposal, collecting, recording, sending, transmitting, communicating or distribution of material or information.

Citizens argues that BIPA falls under the final subsection catchall, because it is unambiguously a statute engaging with matters of information and privacy.

In rejecting Citizens claim, Judge John Z. Lee asserts that Citizens gives an overly expansive reading to the exclusion.

To interpret the exclusion to cover every statute that concerns a person or entity doing practically anything whatsoever with information would make certain coverage provisions illusory Lee writes. Lee compares the exclusion to other provisions of the policy, such as coverage of slander and libel claims, false advertising claims, and claims for copyright infringement, all of which arise under state statutes. Lee contends that Citizens reading would bar coverage for violations of the very statues under which slander, libel, false advertising, and copyright claims arise. This reading would effectively swallow the rule. The Court refuses to adopt such a nonsensical reading of the Policy, Lee writes. Citizens second argument relies on the interpretive tool of ejusdem generis (of the same kind or class), which requires the general term to share a characteristic that is common to all the specific terms. Ejusdem generis fails here, Lee states, because BIPA is not like the TCPA or CAN-SPAM Act, which do not regulate the collection or dissemination of personal information. The court denied Citizens motion, ruling the insurer has a duty to defend Wynndalco with respect to BIPA claims and to the common law claims in the lawsuit brought by Thornley.

Topics Lawsuits Carriers Illinois
The world of work is changing fast, with the pull of the digital revolution and the push of the pandemic shifting mindsets and introducing far greater flexibility to how we organize our working lives.

In the two years since the pandemic struck, those that could, worked from home. Some are only now retuning to the office for the first time, and many will happily never set foot in a physical workplace again. It is not just office workers who are doing things differently, with virtually all sectors having adjusted to the new normal.

This growing section of the economy is underserved by existing insurance policies. As a result, it is necessary to build a solution that would address the specific needs of a home-based business owner.

Of the many interlinked labor trends being seen  from the great resignation to the intense competition for talent  one that arguably fell under the radar for the insurance industry for too long has been the growth in new businesses being set up and run from home.

The disruption over the past two years has opened eyes to show whats possible when it comes to how we work. And its no coincidence the home-based business sector is thriving, driven by home-based entrepreneurs, many of whom have turned their backs on corporate America to become their own bosses.

15 Million and Rising

The insurance industrys role as experts in risk is to understand how these big shifts impact customers and to respond with products and services that they might not even know they need yet.

Incredibly, there are some 15 million home-based businesses across the U.S. Think of an industry, and, more than likely, there will already be home-based businesses doing their bit within it. This growing section of the economy is underserved by existing insurance policies. As a result, it is necessary to build a solution that would address the specific needs of a home-based business owner. After all, these are not brick and mortar businesses. They need something different to traditional small businesses, and they need special insurance solutions.

An AXIS Insurance survey of 1,000 home-based businesses owners across the United States (in Q4 2021) provided a snapshot of the rich diversity and reach of home-based business across our nation. Almost two-thirds (64%) of these owners were women, doing it for themselves, from their homes.

These women are taking control of their own futures, by pursuing their passions and owning it. As we mark International Womens Day and Womens History Month, celebrations of female empowerment and the accomplishments of women across the world, this is a poignant moment to champion women and the work they do.

Think It

The results of the survey showed what kinds of businesses women were setting up  revealing an incredibly diverse range of sectors, from fitness and marketing to IT, and tutoring. The top sectors operated by female home-based business owners were e-commerce and home crafts, and professional services (including consulting). Each of these women had an idea, and made it a reality, whether it was to try something completely new, or to turn a side hustle into a career.

Start It

Home-based businesses have been around for a very long time, but there has been a real boom in recent years. With more time spent at home during the pandemic, what was a real upheaval in our lives also provided a lightbulb moment for many that prompted them to reassess how they organized their lives. For some of these women, that meant leaving traditional corporate jobs and striking out on their own. Indeed, 42% of women started their own business to pursue a passion that may not have before felt possible.

Starting a home-based business takes guts, but what gets them through is a passion and a determination to succeed. The second biggest motivation, at 36%, was to be their own boss, with 34% saying they went into business to achieve more financial freedom.

Own it

Running your own business can be empowering, and this is a big motivator for the women surveyed. Indeed, the most important quality identified for owning a home-based business was passion, which provides the staying power and energy to remain positive and ultimately succeed.

The next most important quality was an entrepreneurial mindset. This is a reflection of the confident, self-assured business owners in the survey. Ambition came third and the desire to succeed. All help these women to own it in their own way.

Taking the Plunge

Discovering how motivated and ambitious these women are to embark on a new journey has been inspiring, and 44% said they were happy with the decision to start a business.

There is a clear opportunity for the insurance industry to get behind these home-based businesses and provide them with high quality products that provide protection and help them as they realize their ambitions. Of the total respondents to the survey, 91% know they need insurance for their home-based business, but around 44% dont have it, finding the whole experience of getting the right insurance difficult to navigate.

With this gap between demand and supply, there is a chance for the insurance industry to step up and back this dynamic sector by designing, distributing, and clearly explaining the insurance solutions these businesses need. This is where the industry can do what it does best by helping to enable these businesses as they take bold steps forward to achieve their goals.

What we now know is that, without a doubt, home-based business owners are here to stay.

The month of March marks International Womens Day and Womens History Month, celebrations of female empowerment and the accomplishments of women across the world.

Topics Market
In the early hours of Sept. 12, 2020, Denver chef Brian Fritts, 32, was riding in the backseat of a Lyft car when another vehicle crashed into it and drove off, leaving him with six crushed vertebrae and a broken jaw.

His life has never been the same. Nor has his pocketbook. A loophole in Colorados rideshare insurance laws left him with no payments to cover his medical bills and other expenses. He owed hundreds of thousands of dollars, much of which was not covered by Medicaid, his health insurance.

I cant sit up; I cant stand for very long, he told the Colorado legislature this month in a House Judiciary Committee hearing. And, he said, he needs more surgery to fix his crooked jaw, a procedure he said he cant afford.

The Colorado legislature is among several states where lawmakers are trying to address the gap in liability insurance law that harms residents such as Fritts, who lacked car insurance that would have covered him. Bills to either increase or relax such rules also are being considered in Delaware, Tennessee and Washington state this year.

The Colorado bill would require rideshare companies operating in the state to carry $1 million in uninsured motorist coverage for passengers who do not otherwise have adequate auto insurance coverage and are injured by an uninsured motorist or a hit-and-run. The bill passed the House and is up for consideration in the Senate.

In Washington state, there already was a $1 million requirement for covering passengers without auto insurance when they were injured by an uninsured motorist. But this session the state legislature passed a measure that greatly expanded rights for rideshare drivers, requiring minimum pay and sick leave andin a compromise with the rideshare companiesreduced the amount of required uninsured motorist insurance to a maximum of $300,000. Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, is expected to sign the bill.

The Tennessee bill has been deferred for further study.

Ten states, including populous ones such as California, Illinois, New Jersey and New York, have enacted laws to require $1 million or more in uninsured motorist insurance for Uber/Lyft riders, according to the National Council of Insurance Legislators, a coalition of state lawmakers who serve on committees governing insurance issues.

Those laws come into play in situations such as Fritts, when the accident is a hit-and-run and the car that caused the accident simply disappears, or when the motorist that caused the crash doesnt have the proper insurance.

Colorado state Rep. Steven Woodrow, a Democrat who is sponsoring the bill in his state, said companies such as Uber and Lyft are required to carry $1 million in liability insurance in case their driver causes an accident, but nothing for passengers who dont have auto insurance.

He heard from constituents who use Uber and Lyft and they had no idea they werent covered in the event of a hit-and-run, he said.

The bill was approved by the Colorado House and is set for a vote soon in the Colorado Senate.

Opponents of the insurance requirements, including the rideshare companies, argue that the cost of carrying uninsured motorist insurance would add up to $1.60 to an average ride; they say thats too much for incidents that happen only rarely.

In a letter to Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, Lyft requested that he veto the bill if it does pass and called for further negotiation with industry representatives toward a compromise.

However, our hope for a negotiated solution is diminished by the speed in which this bill has been rushed through the legislature , the company said in a letter from Jon Walker, the companys sustainability policy manager.

But backers of the Colorado bill note that many Uber and Lyft riders dont own a car or carry auto insurance, and think theyll be covered if they are injured as a customer of the rideshare companies.

Fritts, the injured Colorado chef, said at the hearing hed rather pay another $1.60 and be safe.

Brad Nail, a partner at Converge Public Strategies, a public relations firm that represents Lyft, told the Colorado legislature that the rideshare companies think they are being singled out. The state doesnt require ordinary automobile owners to carry the same kind of uninsured motorist insurance, he noted in testimony.

It would cost companies tens of millions annually and raise ride share fares 6%, he told the Colorado Senate Transportation and Energy Committee. And, he noted, 42% of rides the company provides originate in low-income areas.

In some states, Lyft and other rideshare companies carry insurance, dubbed MedPay, that covers actual medical bills, but not necessarily pain and suffering, lost future wages and other items for which injured riders can sue, Nail said.

But Colorado attorney Eric Faddis, who represented Fritts and a friend, John Hutchins, who also was in the Lyft car when it crashed and who also suffered multiple injuries, said in a phone interview that there are likely tens of thousands of folks who are at risk in Colorado and most of them dont even know it. They dont have a car, they dont drive, they dont have automobile insurance.

Because of the gap in the law, he said, attorneys cant really get them compensation.

The National Council of Insurance Legislators has developed model language for states to use as a template to govern insurance issues for companies such as Uber and Lyft, including liability insurance requirements should a driver negligently hit someone or cause an accident.

But the model does not address the uninsured motorist or hit-and-run scenario, according to Tom Considine, CEO of the organization.

Because of the large disparity for state laws for uninsured and underinsured  we deferred to state law, Considine said in a phone interview. He said the organization has not taken a position on whether states ought to require coverage to help uninsured rideshare customers when they are victims of a hit-and-run or uninsured motorist.

Photo: A rideshare vehicle shows Uber and Lyft decals. Legislatures in Colorado and elsewhere are considering whether the companies should be responsible for passengers injury compensation if they are hit by another driver without insurance and they have none of their own. Carl Juste Miami Herald via The Associated Press

Source: Stateline, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts. The original article can be found here.
The Boy Scouts of Americas sexual abuse compensation fund may force insurers to make payments they cant negotiate over, even if the claims are fraudulent, a group of the companies argued in court.

Insurers, including American International Group, Liberty Mutual Insurance and Travelers Casualty and Surety, began their case against the biggest-ever compensation fund for abuse victims by presenting an academic on Tuesday who argued the plan creates a moral hazard for insurers.

Proposed rules for paying victims take away the right of insurance companies to defend themselves and remove any incentive for the Boy Scouts to fight for reduced payout, said Scott Harrington, a professor of insurance and risk management at the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School.

Insurers were excluded from a key round of negotiations in which the plan was put together by the Boy Scouts and advocates for as many as 82,000 sex-abuse victims, Harrington told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Laurie Silverstein during the trial, which is being held by video.

It seems like what we have is a situation with parties that can design a plan that can increase the size of the pie that can be divided between them, at the expense of insurance companies, Harrington testified.

The companies were stripped of their rights in order to win more support from lawyers representing victims, the insurers said in court filings.

Fraudulent Claims

On Monday, the insurers played video of a consultant who studies sexual abuse. A substantial number of the 82,000 claims that have been filed are fraudulent, according to that consultant, Jon Conte.

To prevent fraudulent claims, each person should be required to go through a sex-abuse evaluation by an expert, said Eileen Treacy, a New York psychologist who has testified in more than 650 abuse cases. Treacy was hired by the insurers to review proposed rules for paying victims.

These cases are very complex and individuals who have been really abused deserve to be compensated, said Treacy, who helped New York develop rules for investigating sex crimes. The bogus cases that have kind of jumped on the wagon because they saw something on Facebook or whatever need to be culled out.

As many as 45% of the sex abuse claims she has encountered in her decades as an investigator are not verifiable, Treacy said.

After the Boy Scouts filed bankruptcy in 2020, victims lawyers began an advertising campaign to recruit clients. That helped boost the total number of abuse claims from about 1,400 at the start of the bankruptcy to the 82,000 the youth group faces now.

Trust Fund

The Boy Scouts have spent the last two weeks in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware trying to convince Silverstein to approve the trust fund, which is the central feature of the groups reorganization plan. Under the proposal, all current abuse cases would be handled by the trust, which has elaborate rules to decide how much each victim should receive.

The $2.7 billion trust is funded by a different group of insurers, the Boy Scouts and some church groups. Earlier this year, the last major victim groups cut a deal with the Boy Scouts to back the trust fund.

The insurers claim their contracts with the Boy Scouts are being rewritten in order to please victims attorneys. Those contracts will be taken over by the trust, which will be dominated by victims attorneys, the objecting insurers argue.

The Boy Scouts, based in Irving, Texas, filed bankruptcy in 2020 in order to resolve abuse lawsuits. At the start of the case, the organization faced a few thousand claims. That number rose to more than 80,000 as advocates encouraged victims to come forward.

The plan is also opposed by the U.S. Trustee, a federal bankruptcy watchdog, which argues that too many groups and individuals are being released from liability. Other objectors include a Roman Catholic organization and a handful of individual abuse victims.

The case is Boy Scouts of America, 20-10343, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware (Wilmington).

 2022 Bloomberg L.P.

(Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Carriers
Proposal requires SPACs disclose conflicts during, after listing

Disclosures must be issued at least 20 days before deal vote

Rule would strip SPACs of legal safe harbor for projections

Wall Streets watchdog on Wednesday unveiled a draft new rule to enhance blank-check company investor disclosures and to strip them of a legal protection critics argue has allowed the shell companies to issue overly optimistic earnings projections.

The move by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is part of a broader crackdown on special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) after a frenzy of deals in 2020 and early 2021 sparked concerns that some investors are getting a raw deal.

Wall Streets biggest gold rush of recent years, SPACs are shell companies that raise funds through a listing to acquire a private company and take it public, allowing the target to sidestep the stiffer regulatory scrutiny of a traditional initial public offering (IPO).

The SEC proposal, which is subject to consultation, broadly aims to close that loophole by offering SPAC investors protections similar to those they would receive during the IPO process, the SEC said.

Todays proposal, if adopted, would represent a sea change to the rules applicable to SPACs, John Ablan, a partner at law firm Mayer Brown who advises companies on deals including IPOs, wrote in an email. The SEC is clearly focused on creating incentives  to undertake the same amount of due diligence that would be done in a traditional IPO.

The rule would require SPACs to disclose more details about their sponsors, their compensation, conflicts of interest and share dilution.

It would also enhance disclosures about the target takeover, known as the de-SPAC, more information, including the sponsors view on whether the deal is fair to investors and whether the proposed transaction has been vetted by third parties. Such disclosures would have to be issued at least 20 days prior to any solicited votes on the acquisition.

Companies raising money from the public should provide full and fair disclosure at the time investors are making their crucial decisions to invest, SEC Chair Gary Gensler said.

The rule would also strip SPACs of a liability safe harbor for forward-looking statements, such as earnings projections.

The SEC has stepped up oversight of SPACs amid worries of inadequate disclosures and lofty revenue projections. Reuters reported last year that the SEC was considering new guidance to rein in SPACs growth projections.

SPAC sponsors say the projections are important for investors, especially when targets are unprofitable startups, but investor advocates say they are frequently wildly optimistic or misleading but have been shielded by the legal safe harbor.

Improving disclosures might not necessarily spell the death of SPACs, but I hope that better disclosures push them to evolve into less costly and more sensible forms, said Michael Ohlrogge, a New York University law professor who has criticized SPACs for not being upfront with investors about their full costs.

If SPACs do not meet certain conditions they may have to register as investment companies, subjecting them to a slew of other rules, the SEC said.

Those conditions include: maintaining assets in certain forms, entering into a deal with a target within 18 months of the SPAC IPO, closing the transaction within 24 months and ensuring that the newly merged company engages primarily in the same business as the target.

Gatekeepers who facilitate the deals, such as auditors, lawyers and underwriters, should also be held responsible for their work before and after the SPAC listing, Gensler added.

The U.S. SPAC market experienced a wild ride in 2021, with an explosion in deals during the first half of the year that quickly cooled off in the second half. All told, 604 SPACs raised $144 billion in 2021, according to data from Renaissance Capital.

(Writing by Michelle Price; Editing by Bernard Orr; additional reporting by Krystal Hu; editing by Will Dunham)

Topics USA
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners is moving to amend its climate disclosure survey  and insurers may not like it.

The Climate Risk Disclosure Survey is a voluntary risk management tool for state insurance

regulators to request from insurers disclosures each year of their assessment and management of climate-related risks.

In 2021, 15 states participated in the climate risk disclosure survey. Thats up from six states in prior years, according to the NAIC.

A newly revised survey responds to recommendations in 2021 from the Financial Stability Oversight Council for financial regulators to enhance supervision, data analysis, staff resources, and regulatory

cooperation related to climate risk. The recommendations included one to consider enhancing

public reporting requirements for climate-related risks in a way that builds on the core

elements of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure.

The American Property Casualty Association expressed concerned that the new survey requirements will place a burden on insurers that had previously been filing responses to the eight survey questions.

For these companies, there simply may not be enough time or they may not have the resources to provide useful narrative responses as currently proposed, considering the internal governance process that will be needed for thorough responses, David Snyder, vice president, international and counsel for APCIA, said in a statement

APCIA advocated for the new requirement to be phased in with any new requirements beginning in 2023, which would allow companies more time to provide responses.

Chubb

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission this week ruled in favor of a shareholder resolution filed by Green Century Capital Management calling on Chubb to stop underwriting new fossil fuel supply projects in line with the International Energy Agencys Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario.

The resolution is expected to be voted on at Chubbs AGM in May.

Green Century filed similar resolutions at Travelers and The Hartford. All three insurers filed no-action requests.

The resolutions are part of a larger wave of shareholder activism against both fossil fuels companies and their financial backers.

Todays decision from the SEC shows the enormous risks that Chubbs unchecked support of fossil fuel expansion poses to communities, the economy, and the companys own shareholders, Elana Sulakshana, senior energy finance campaigner at Rainforest Action Network, stated on behalf of the Insure Our Future campaign.

The campaign has called out Chubb in the past for a perceived failure to act.

Goldman

Goldman Sachs asset-management arm will take a harder line in voting on directors at companies that fail to disclose enough about their greenhouse gas emissions, an executive said, adding to the pressure on business leaders to provide more climate-impact data.

Starting with annual meetings to be held in spring at companies worldwide, Goldmans $2.5 trillion asset management division will cast proxy votes against directors, often on the audit committee, who have oversight of emissions reporting and are not disclosing enough, according to a Reuters article on Insurance Journal.

The new policy treats climate data like the criteria Goldman set for boardroom diversity in December. Goldman said it voted against 7,661 directors worldwide last year.

Goldman for the last two years has engaged with 271 companies making insufficient emissions disclosures, and less than 100 of them have made no improvement, making directors vulnerable, Reuters reported.

A U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rule unveiled Monday calls for more corporate emissions disclosures.

Global Electricity

An independent, not-for-profit think tank reported this week that wind and solar, the fastest growing sources of electricity, reached a record 10% of global electricity in 2021.

Embers third annual Global Electricity Review shows solar generation rose 23% last year, and wind by 14%.

Highlights of the report include:

10% of the share of global electricity in 2021 was from wind and solar

There are 50 countries that get more than a tenth of electricity from wind and solar

The share of global electricity from clean power in 2021 reached 38%

Demand for electricity rose 5%

The report paints a rosy picture for green energy, but also notes that overall energy demand has kept coal a viable energy source.

Governments like the US, Germany, UK and Canada are so confident in clean electricity that they are planning to shift their grid to 100% clean electricity within the next decade and a half, the report states. But with coal still rising and electricity demand continuing to increase, all governments with carbon intensive grids now need to act with that same boldness and ambition.

Past columns:

Topics Carriers Trends
A man who helped supply undocumented and uninsured immigrant labor to a tree removal company in Georgia has pleaded guilty to aiding in the 2017 murder of a worker who tried to blow the whistle on the practices.

Federal prosecutors said this week that Pablo Rangel-Rubio, 53, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, had been charged with harboring illegal immigrants, money laundering, and retaliating against a witness. Eliud Montoya was gunned down outside his Georgia home five years ago, just days after he reported his bosses for exploiting immigrants and avoiding workers compensation insurance on them.

Pablo Rangel-Rubio was responsible for employing at least 100 illegal aliens to work for a tree service, skimming from their paychecks to further fatten his wallet, and then helping arrange the murder of a man who exposed the scheme, David Estes, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, said in a statement. The substantial prison sentence from this plea will hold him accountable for those crimes.

Rangel-Rubio, formerly a supervisor at Wolf Tree Service in Savannah, could face as much as 50 years in prison and must forfeit a 27-acre residential compound he owns in Rincon, Georgia.

Prosecutors said in a news release that the man, along with his brother, Juan Rangel-Rubio, 45, of Rincon, and Higinio Perez-Bravo, 52, of Savannah, had used assumed identities for the workers and avoided taxes and insurance premiums on them. When paying the workers in cash, the supervisors often took a cut. Altogether, the conspirators pulled in more than $3.5 million from the scheme, Estes said.

Montoya, the murder victim, first tried to report the exploitation of immigrant workers at the tree service in April 2017, but the complaint ended up in the hands of Rangel-Rubio, according to a news report. The boss then had all of his co-workers read the complaint aloud to Montoya, court documents show.

Several months later, Montoya reportedly filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He reportedly spoke to the EEOC about the alleged Rangel-Rubio scheme, saying immigrant workers were not always paid for hours worked and were allowed to drive work trucks without valid permits. Montoya also said workers compensation also was not obtained due to employees residency status.

Two days later, in August 2017, Montoya was shot dead.

Topics Georgia
Honolulu officials are looking at new ways to regulate short-term vacation rentals in residential areas to address not only parking concerns but the need to create affordable, longer-term rentals.

A bill approved by the Honolulu City Councils zoning and planning committee would force those renting to pony up for a 90-day stay instead of the current 30-day minimum. The bill, which addresses concerns about short-term rentals in residential areas, especially Kailua, could go before the full council in April.

The bill would also ban tourists from parking on streets near their short-term rentals and require bed-and-breakfast owners to provide one off-street parking spot per bedroom, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports.

It is the hope of Kailua residents these proposed rules will lower transient renters in neighborhoods, reduce the number of rental vehicles on residential streets and prompt homeowners to open up these vacation homes to affordable long-term rentals.

Many of the people who buy property to rent dont even live on the island anymore, so thats why people feel the way they do, Suzette Cruz of Olomana said.

However, Cruz said she also sees the other side of the issue: Some locals rely on vacation home rental income to combat Hawaiis high cost of living.

The citys planning and permitting department also said it plans to hire investigators to look into complaints into the short-term rental market.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Rockford, IL., March 29, 2022  Insurance King has been actively enforcing the trademarks registration numbers 4628341 and 4628343 for several years.

It all started with a person that walked in to our office and told us to stop calling them and they wished they never went on our website! says president Dan Block. I was in the office and overheard a customer extremely upset so I investigated her claims. It seemed odd that my agents would call her 30 times a day as she claimed. I asked her what website she went on and she said she googled insurance king and now her phone wouldnt stop ringing for quotes. I then asked her name and went into our website data and our quoting engine and could not find any of her information. So, I then searched Insurance King on Google, and was shocked that I found multiple websites advertising above our organic listing using the words Insurance King on the ads.

After this incident, Insurance King has made it a common practice to actively monitor the trademark on all search engines. If we find a violation, we then capture a screenshot and send it to our legal team. After a review, they will send a cease-and-desist letter if needed. Most of these companies have stopped with a cease-and-desist letter. So far, we have only found one company using a cartoon lion similar to ours with the term King of Insurance. This, however, was resolved through litigation.

Most letters were sent because of the keyword Insurance King or a variation of the keywords being used in ads on search engines. Insurance King will file a lawsuit in federal court if the cease-and-desist letters do not stop the activity.

We are seeing an increase in website traffic since we have been enforcing our trademark. Said Dan Block president.

Insurance King founded in 2001 is headquartered in Rockford, IL offering affordable Auto, Motorcycle, Renters, and SR-22 currently in CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, MO, MS, OH, TN, TX, and WI. Insurance King is a sponsor of NASCAR driver Josh Bilicki. www.insuranceking.com

Media Contact:

Dan Block

Support@insuranceking.com

888-839-1365

Topics Illinois
Opinion Policies

Editorials are longer opinion pieces that are written by a group of community members recruited across campus who address relevant issues on a local, national and international level. Editorials are research-based. The purpose of the Editorial Board is to promote discussion concerning relevant issues in the community while advising on possible solutions. Topics are chosen via relevancy and interests of the members, which are then discussed by the Editorial Board in order to reach a general consensus concerning the topic or issue.

Feedback policy

If you have a grievance concerning the content or argument of the Editorial Board, please contact either Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or the Editorial Board as a whole (editorialboard@iowastatedaily.com). Those wanting to respond to editorials can also submit a letter to the editor through the Iowa State Daily website or by emailing the letter to Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or Editor-in-Chief Sage Smith (sage.smith@iowastatedaily.com).

Column Policy

Columns are hyper-specific to opinion and are written by only columnists employed by the Iowa State Daily. Columnists are unique because they have a specific writing day and only publish on those writing days. Each column undergoes a thorough editing process ensuring the integrity of the writer, and their claim is maintained while remaining research-based and respectful. Columns may be submitted from community members. These are labelled as Guest Columns. These contain similar research-based content and need to be at least 400 words in length. The following requirements should be met: first and last name, email and relation or position to Iowa State. Emails must be tied to the submitted guest column or it will not be accepted or published. Pseudonyms are prohibited and the writer will be banned from submissions.

Read our full Opinion Policies here. Updated on 10/7/2020
A bill that will legislate for a statutory sick pay scheme for all workers in Ireland has been approved by Cabinet. Here, the Irish Examiner looks at what exactly this would mean for employees and where there may be issues.

What is the Sick Leave Bill?

The Sick Leave Bill 2022 will mean that every worker in Ireland will be entitled to sick pay.

The Bill was brought by Tanaiste Leo Varadkar. It will legislate for a statutory sick pay scheme for all employees and will be phased in over a four-year period.

Once passed, it will mean that all employees will be entitled to a maximum of 10 sick days each year by 2026.

Why has it been introduced?

Ireland is one of the few advanced countries in Europe not to have a mandatory sick pay scheme.

It is estimated that only half of employees currently have sick leave and there is a gap between the public and private sectors.

The Tanaiste has previously said that the pandemic exposed the precarious position of many people, especially in the private sector and low-paid roles, when it comes to missing work due to illness.

What does it mean for employees and employers?

Employees must obtain a medical certificate and the sick pay will only cover 70% of wages, subject to a maximum daily threshold of 110.

The costs will be paid by the employer and the scheme is being phased in to help them manage.

Richard Grogan of Richard Grogan and Associates welcomed the introduction of a statutory sick pay scheme for Ireland. However, he said there are some difficulties such as the cost to employers coming out of the pandemic.

As it will be paid at a rate of 70% of a worker's wage to a maximum of 110 a day, Mr Grogan said the scheme will benefit those on lower salaries.

But for those who are on higher salaries, it is a very small amount of money," he said.

In addition, availing of a medical cert will mean paying for a doctor's visit which may not be worthwhile for an employee unless they will be out for a number of days, Mr Grogan said.

Mr Varadkar said the bill was primarily intended to provide a "minimum level of protection to low-paid employees, who may have no entitlement to a company sick pay scheme".

When does it come into place?

Under the Bill, employees will be entitled to three days of paid sick leave this year, five days in 2024, seven days in 2025 and 10 in 2026, once it has been passed.
The decision to expel four senior Russian diplomats from Ireland earlier this week was taken after the Government received a "concerning" security briefing, the Taoiseach has said.

The four diplomats were asked to leave the country for behaviour "not in accordance with international standards" in a move which prompted strong criticism from the Russian Embassy. The move "will not go unanswered", the Russians said.

Speaking in Dublin, the Taoiseach Micheal Martin said that a briefing given to him and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney was sufficiently serious to expel the diplomats.

I take very seriously the presentations I received from the Garda Commissioner and the [Defence Forces] Chief of Staff," Mr Martin said.

We're very clear that the reasons were well-founded.

I think people can read various things from that, but fundamentally, there was a security premise underlining the decision. We wouldn't have taken the decisions we took if it didn't concern us."

The Taoiseach also admitted that the large numbers of Ukrainian refugees coming to Ireland will impact the ability of the country to increase spending or cut taxes in October's Budget.

For the Ukrainian situation, we did have a Covid contingency fund provided for the entirety of 2022. So we're hoping that much of that, or a significant proportion of that, can be allocated towards the challenges arising from the Ukrainian refugee crisis.

But into 2023, there will be costs, and therefore the Budget towards the latter part of the year will have to reflect that and that does create challenges for us, economically and fiscally and so, we will approach all of this in the context of the forthcoming budget.

Housing scramble

Meanwhile, Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien said an extra 35,000 permanent homes could be needed for Ukrainian refugees on top of the 33,000 new houses that must be built every year to meet the existing shortfalls in the housing market.

The Government is scrambling to convert commercial properties, events centres, vacant buildings and even churches to house the tens of thousands of Ukrainians who are expected to arrive here in the coming days and weeks.

Mr O'Brien said around 500 properties have been so far identified which could be converted into homes for those fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Given the extent of Russian bombing, the minister said that it is "more than likely" that many of those who flee here will have to stay for a "sustained" period of time.

We are going to have to look at providing permanent housing solutions in that space.

"We could potentially require up to an additional 35,000 homes over the period of time should we be looking at a permanently accommodating," he told RTE's Claire Byrne programme.

"So right now we're getting up to we need 33,000 homes per annum as you know under the Housing for All plan, which we're well on our way to delivering and we're increasing output every week and this year will be a good year for delivery, but the additional requirements could very well be another 35,000 homes."

Separately, Department of Children officials yesterday met with Airbnb to finalise an agreement which could provide accommodation for "several hundred" refugees coming here from Ukraine. The Taoiseach added that these refugees will be offered Covid-19 vaccination.
Mary MacSwiney stood up to speak on the Treaty at 4.25 pm on 21 December 1921.

Concluding at exactly 7 oclock. MacSwiney had spoken, as the Irish Independent journalist Padraig de Burca noted, for precisely the same length of time as the five Plenipotentiaries had taken with their combined speeches.

She was aware of the growing mood of frustration within the chamber, but she defied the irritation of her audience: "I care not and apologise not if I take more of your time than you are willing to give".

There were those who praised her. Sean OKelly declared that her address "not only vindicates the far-flung movement for womens rights but places Miss MacSwiney in the highest ranks of the greatest orators of our race".

Mary MacSwiney watched as her brother starved to death over a 74-day period in 1920. Terence MacSwiney was 5 feet, nine-and-a-half inches tall and he weighed 136 pounds on arrival in Brixton prison; in his coffin his body appeared "like that of a child of twelve".

MacSwineys emotional responses to the horror she witnessed caused discomfort. Bearing witness to the death of her brother explains why she was never easy to listen to. She was considered too extreme by several and was often subject to ridicule.

Ernest Blythe recalled that following her speech on 21 December she "wound up pointing her finger directly at me and saying, 'If anyone here has a contrary opinion, let him speak now or be forever silent'. I only laughed at her."

There was a gendered dimension to the derision and scorn that MacSwiney experienced. The perception of her political extremism was heightened by the fact that she was a woman.

The MacSwiney family agony

Mary MacSwiney was not, however, merely a cipher for the extreme element within republicanism during the Treaty debates. Notwithstanding de Burcas statement that MacSwiney never once mentioned the name of Terence MacSwiney, she was a woman who had suffered ultimate loss and witnessed, in the words of her sister Annie, scenes that were "agonising beyond anything I could describe". Her brothers political life and death reverberated through her speech even if his name was not explicitly uttered.

MacSwineys anguish was palpably on show when she appealed to the House "against the sneers" of Arthur Griffith at the length of her speech, claiming her right to "speak for the honour of my nation" on the basis of what she "went through for seventy-four days at Brixton". Mary MacSwineys unrelenting opposition to the Treaty has to be put in the context of what she described in a letter to de Valera as the agony of her family "this time twelve months".

They had to "face and count the cost daily and hourly. There was time for searching analysis  time to explore every avenue of compromise and having rejected them, time to pray that sacrifice might give strength to all others to endure to the end and give our Cause final triumph".

Her brothers agony would never, as MacSwiney wrote to de Valera, "have been endured to the end for anything less than absolute and entire Separation"; this determined her response to the Treaty.

However, it is important to also underscore that Mary MacSwiney was a firm republican in her own right. As de Burca noted, those listening to her speech on the Treaty "wondered whether she was the teacher or the disciple of Terence MacSwiney".

Betrayal of the republic, for Mary MacSwiney, would have meant betrayal of a brother she loved and admired, and it would have been almost impossible for her to think and feel in any other way.

In her speech, she noted that she, and all "belonging to me  absolutely refused to join Sinn Fein until Sinn Fein became Republican".

Writing of the hunger strike in the Gormanstown camp in October 1923, Sean Prendergast referred to the "poor emaciated frames that were once strong bodies, once healthy active human beings".

The effect on those family members and others watching cannot be underestimated. On September 11, 1920, Dr Griffiths noted that the "bony prominence" of Terences body was "becoming dry and rough from pressure".

In an attempt to alleviate the pain, he was put on an air bed. As Prendergast wrote of the Gormanstown strike, "the painful scenes that we witnessed then were enough to affect ones nerves". Prendergast wrote of the "dread shadow of death" that "hung close to many participants" after the strikers passed 15 days.

If Prendergast was at the "limit of  endurance" at 15 days, the distress experienced by the MacSwiney family must have been so much the greater as Terence neared 70 days without food. His medical notes show that, understandably, he suffered from irritability.

On September 22, Dr Griffiths noted that he was "depressed and irritable". Two days later he wrote that he was "becoming sulky and unpleasant in his manner". Dr Griffiths continued to record Terence MacSwineys growing depression while he noted that the family was also "extremely irritable".

The hunger strike of Terence MacSwiney can be described as a familial act, as his wife and siblings bore witness and, in the context of the latter, encouraged him to persevere to the end. In the last week of his hunger strike Terence MacSwineys family watched as he became "quite unlike himself".

A "good death"

As Terence MacSwineys health continued to deteriorate, Mary MacSwineys days in London were busy. Her role was not that of a passive and worried sister sitting by her brother as he lay on his prison bed.

Prison visits were combined with visits to government officials and embassies; she lobbied trade union officials and the medical officers in Brixton. This cannot have been anything other than tiring and stressful, particularly as the days passed and Terence inched closer to death.

While Art OBrien had the political contacts and presence in London, it was Mary MacSwiney who spearheaded the campaign to support Terence and garner maximum publicity with a view to affecting his release.

Her refusal to adopt a supplicatory position in her dealings with prison staff, the medical officers who attended her brother and government officials such as Sir Ernley Blackwell and Sir Edward Shortt meant that she came across as a difficult woman who did not know her place. She was, of course, a sister who was fighting for the life of a beloved brother.

Mary MacSwineys mind narrowed itself around the trauma of her brothers hunger strike and her need to ensure that his sacrifice continued to be viewed as a "good death".

This became an idee fixe. She engaged in a repetition compulsion; her need to repeat and find meaning in the tale of Brixton 1920 meant that her response to the Treaty was pre-determined. Her brothers motive was not, she declared to Fr Bernard Vaughan, "self-murder:

He will do more by his single death to destroy the evil thing which is the British Government in Ireland, than if he led a whole army into battle and lost the lives of his men as well as his own....To die for a greater principle is a noble death 

Following her brothers death, MacSwiney sought to promote a political and moral culture in Ireland that validated and memorialised the self-sacrifice of her brother, her own suffering and that of the wider MacSwiney family.

The appropriate way to record and remember his traumatic death was the establishment of that for which he had died  a separatist republic.

She would be, she declared in the Dail on December 21, the "first and most deliberate and irreconcilable rebel" if the country "should be so false to itself as to adopt the so-called Treaty".

Three Irish women carrying palms of victory and placards during a parade in the business district of New York City in 1920. Mary MacSwiney had said if England "exterminates the men, the women will take their places, and, if she exterminates the women, the children are rising fast".

Certainly, MacSwiney sounded a note of fanaticism. If England "exterminates the men, the women will take their places, and, if she exterminates the women, the children are rising fast".

Her speech also hinged on principle. She denounced those who argued that they would accept the Treaty but would not take the oath. This, she argued, was "cowardice", a defilement of the "noble and spiritual ideal" of the republic.

A person could not, she stated, be "at the same time faithful and unfaithful". She referred "to the honour of our people". Her constituents knew, she declared, what she "stood for" when she was elected. She had "not changed" nor would she.

On September 11, Dr Griffiths noted that Terence MacSwiney was "very bitter and says he is being as surely murdered by the Government as if he were shot by bandits at the roadside".

Mary MacSwineys uncompromising stance in the Treaty debates was informed by the horror of watching her brother die on hunger strike, and the trauma which resulted from it.

A group of Cumann na mBan members, bearing a banner with the last words of slain Cork mayor Terence McSwiney. Photo: Cork Public Museum

She witnessed an intimate act of self-sacrifice which bound her to a belief that her task was to continue her brothers fidelity to a separatist republic for which he had given his life.

When MacSwiney declared in the Dail that Ireland had "stood on a noble and spiritual ideal for the last three years" she was referring to the sacrifices of men such as her brother.

Betrayal of the republic, for her, would have meant betrayal of a brother she loved and admired, and it would have been almost impossible for her to think and feel in any other way.
County councillors will express their concerns to An Bord Pleanala about plans to construct 171 housing units in the Monkstown/Passage West area, primarily because they maintain the infrastructure isnt in place to support the development.

Cork County Council planning officials told a meeting of the Carrigaline Municipal District Council that An Bord Pleanala would have the ultimate decision on the proposed 171 units, which include some apartments, as its a Strategic Housing Development. The homes are earmarked for Lackaroe, Monkstown.

Officials said that the density of those houses stands at 31 units per hectare, which is more than the current County Development Plan (CDP) suggests for the area. The CDP maintains such a site should have anywhere between 15 and 25 units per hectare.

However, they pointed out that national guidelines would allow the higher number of 31 units per hectare and An Bord Pleanala is likely to take this view also as the area is within the Cork Metropolitan Area and is earmarked for further population growth.

The proposal also comes with a childcare centre, which would be able to cater for a maximum of 43 children. Planners said they were generally supportive of the proposed project. However, they did point out that there were some deficiencies in the local road network.

In total 20 submissions on the project have been received by An Bord Pleanala, but council officials said they hadnt yet become privy to what is in them.

Officials said that the councils chief executive has to provide a report on the councils views on the project to An Bord Pleanala by March 31 and local councillors comments will also be included. The planning authority is expected to make a decision on the project on May 26.

Fianna Fail councillor Seamus McGrath said he wasnt happy with the current local roads infrastructure being capable of supporting the proposed development, which will be off Carrigman Hill.

In my view, it boils down to the inadequacy of the local infrastructure. I dont see how these lands can be developed without the infrastructure, Mr McGrath said.

There would need to be substantial infrastructural improvements. Whats before us is not an acceptable level of development (without road improvements). Without that this would represent bad planning.

There is a chronic need for housing, but that doesnt mean that every single proposal should be accepted.

"Whats before us simply doesnt stack up, he said.

Fine Gael councillor Jack White said it wasnt clear that such a development is sustainable. He said infrastructure improvements could come in time, but there are too many ifs at present, which local residents are concerned about.

Independent councillor Marcia Dalton also expressed concern. She maintained that car usage would be high at the estate because it is on an elevated site and as such sustainable transport would be poor.

Fianna Fail councillor Audrey Buckley said the infrastructure is just not there. We do need more houses, but not at the expense of a community., she said.

Fine Gael councillor Michael Paul Murtagh agreed, saying in his home village of Crosshaven they have seen a lot of development without allied infrastructure improvements and traffic congestion is getting worse as a result.
Political relationships between Northern Ireland, the rest of the UK, and Ireland, are not where they should be, the Tanaiste has told a summit in Belfast.

Leo Varadkar added that it was an issue that would need to be taken stock of after the May Stormont elections, as strong working relationships help to drive investment.

Mr Varadkar was speaking at the Retail NI Future High Streets Summit on Wednesday.

NIO Minister of State Conor Burns, shadow Levelling Up Minister Alex Norris, Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots and Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey also addressed the high street conference.

Addressing the conference virtually after contracting Covid, Mr Varadkar told business leaders that the future of retail is hybrid, with both bricks-and-mortar and online stores crucial in high street regeneration.

He pointed to the pandemic as ushering in a third way of doing business under a new and improved hybrid model.

Alex Norris, shadow Minister for Levelling Up; Conor Burns, Minister of State for Northern Ireland and Helen Wall, Retail NI vice-President at the summit in Belfast (Retail NI/PA)

He added: Politically speaking, relationships within Northern Ireland and north-south, east-west are not where they should be right now.

I think this is something we are going to have to take stock of when the elections in Northern Ireland are over, when the votes are counted and we know what the people are telling us.

No matter what, I am sure that strong working relationships and greater collaboration helps the business community and helps drive both public and private sector investment.

Mr Burns spoke about the UK Governments vision for the high streets of Northern Ireland and how the Levelling Up funding will help the regeneration of the high streets.
Vladimir Putins forces have suffered heavy losses in Ukraine, with troops forced to return to Russia and Belarus to resupply, according to UK defence intelligence analysis.

The issues Russia has faced with the invasion could result in an increased reliance on mass artillery and missile bombardments, something which could increase the risk of civilian casualties in Ukrainian cities which have already endured weeks of shelling.

The latest defence assessment came as Deputy British Prime Minister Dominic Raab said there was obviously scepticism about Moscows pledge to scale back some military operations around Ukraines capital Kyiv.

The Russians said the move was intended to increase mutual trust in face-to-face peace talks which resumed in Istanbul on Tuesday.

But Mr Raab told Sky News: We judge the Russian military machine by its actions, not its words. There is obviously scepticism that it will regroup to attack again.

The door to diplomacy will always be left ajar but I dont think you can trust what is coming out of the mouth of Putins war machine.

Mr Raab said reports that Russia was planning to deploy mercenaries from the Wagner Group and from Syria could be a sign of Russian weakness.

It is a worrying sign but it also probably shows you how dependent they have become on other fighters because of the weakness and fragility of the professional forces  and they are reliant on conscripts  which we are starting to see play out a bit in Ukraine, he said.

Certainly the Russian war machine, which had a pretty fearsome reputation, has been found to stutter and stumble, in at least the early stages of this campaign.

In its latest intelligence assessment, the Ministry of Defence said the shift in Russian attack, from trying to besiege Kyiv to focusing on the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine was likely a tacit admission that it is struggling to sustain more than one significant axis of advance.

Russian units suffering heavy losses have been forced to return to Belarus and Russia to reorganise and resupply, the MoD said.

Such activity is placing further pressure on Russias already strained logistics and demonstrates the difficulties Russia is having reorganising its units in forward areas within Ukraine.

Russia will likely continue to compensate for its reduced ground manoeuvre capability through mass artillery and missile strikes.

The UKs ambassador to Ukraine, Melinda Simmons, characterised the approach as pull back troops to resupply them, meanwhile pound Kyiv from the air.

Following Tuesdays peace talks, Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: Yes, we can call positive the signals we hear from the negotiating platform.

But these signals do not silence the explosion of Russian shells.
Some 201 babies and nine mothers could have  or would have  survived if an NHS trust had provided better care, an independent inquiry into the UKs biggest maternity scandal has found.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust presided over catastrophic failings for 20 years  and did not learn from its own inadequate investigations  which led to babies being stillborn, dying shortly after birth or being left severely brain damaged.

Several mothers died after failings in care, while others were made to have natural births despite the fact they should have been offered a Caesarean.

Some babies suffered skull fractures, broken bones or developed cerebral palsy after traumatic forceps deliveries, while others were starved of oxygen and experienced life-changing brain injuries.

The damning report, led by maternity expert Donna Ockenden, examined cases involving 1,486 families, mostly from 2000 to 2019, and reviewed 1,592 clinical incidents.

The report found there were repeated errors in care which led to injury to either mothers or their babies.

A review of 498 stillbirths found that one in four had significant or major concerns over the maternity care given, which, if managed appropriately, might, or would have, resulted in a different outcome. Some 40% of the stillbirths were never investigated by the trust.

Rev Charlotte Cheshire with her son Adam Cheshire at their home in Newport, Shropshire. Adam was left with severe disabilities after staff failed to administer antibiotics for seven hours when he caught an infection during birth in March 2011 (Jacob King/

There were also significant or major concerns over the care given to mothers in two thirds of cases where the baby had been deprived of oxygen during birth.

Furthermore, nearly a third of neonatal deaths (within the first seven days of life) had significant or major concerns over care which might have resulted in a different outcome.

Overall, 12 deaths of mothers were investigated, none of whom received care in line with best practice at the time. In three-quarters of these cases, care could have been significantly improved.

The report noted that internal reviews of the deaths were poor, with some women blamed for their own deaths.

It said staff were overly confident in their ability to manage complex pregnancies or where abnormalities were noted in pregnancy, and there was a reluctance to involve more senior staff.

Rhiannon Davies whose daughter Kate Stanton Davies died shortly after birth in 2009 (Richard Stanton)

There was also a culture of them and us between midwives and obstetricians, which meant some midwives were scared to involve consultants.

Investigators pointed to repeated failures to escalate concerns, delays in women being admitted to the labour ward, delays to women being assessed for emergency intervention or to be seen by consultants.

Ms Ockendens team of investigators found families were locked out of reviews when things went wrong and were often treated without compassion and kindness.

The trust, which is currently ranked inadequate, was also found to have repeatedly failed to adequately monitor babies heart rates, with catastrophic results, alongside not using drugs properly in labour.

Leaders and midwives were determined to keep Caesarean section rates low, despite the fact this repeatedly had severe consequences.

The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Shropshire (Jacob King/PA)

In an interim report published in December 2020, Ms Ockenden noted that for around 20 years the Caesarean section rate at the trust was consistently 8% to 12% below the English average, with this being held up locally and nationally as a good thing.

In her new report, Ms Ockenden noted that the leadership up to board level were in a constant state of churn and change.

She said the trust was focused on other clinical areas and there was significant turnover at Board and management level, which meant maternity issues remained largely unseen.

The inquiry identified hundreds of cases where the trust failed to undertake serious incident investigations.

Tory MP Jeremy Hunt, who ordered the inquiry in 2017 when he was health secretary, said earlier the numbers were worse than he could have imagined and he hoped the report would be a wake-up call.

As well as major issues within the trust, the report pointed the finger at eight external bodies, which did not effectively monitor the care provided.

Richard Stanton and Rhiannon Davies, who have campaigned for years over the poor care, lost their daughter Kate hours after her birth in March 2009.

The trust noted the death but described it as a no harm event, although an inquest jury later ruled Kates death could have been avoided. The trust still insisted its care had been in line with national guidelines.

Donna Ockenden (Jacob King/PA)

In her report, Ms Ockenden said there was evidence of poor investigation of three baby deaths (Kate Stanton-Davies and babies Joshua and Thomas) that all happened within the same year.

She said there was a lack of transparency and a lost opportunity to prevent further baby deaths from occurring.

Another couple who have led the campaign for safer care are Kayleigh and Colin Griffiths, whose daughter Pippa died in 2016 from a Group B Strep infection. A year later, a coroner ruled her death could have been avoided.

A criminal investigation into what happened at the trust is being carried out by West Mercia Police.

Ms Ockenden said staff had been advised by managers not to take part in the inquiry, while others said they were still concerned about maternity practices at the trust.

Louise Barnett, chief executive at the trust, said improvements had been made and were continuing, adding: Todays report is deeply distressing, and we offer our wholehearted apologies for the pain and distress caused by our failings as a trust.

- If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please click here for a list of support services.
From the Archive Remembering Myanmars Fallen Heroes

A collage showing some of the heroes slain by the military regime since the Feb. 1 coup.

On March 27, 2021, the Myanmar junta shot dead over 100 civilians across the country, marking a dramatic escalation in its bloody crackdown on those peacefully protesting its seizure of power from the countrys democratically elected government on Feb. 1 last year. To mark the anniversary of the grim milestone, which saw the military crackdowns death toll surpass 500it now stands above 1,700The Irrawaddy revisits an article published three days later honoring some of those killed for peacefully opposing the military dictatorship during its first month.

Myanmar witnessed its deadliest day on Saturday since the juntas Feb.1 coup, with the security forces gunning down over 100 civilians during brutal crackdowns on peaceful anti-regime protesters across the country.

At least 510 heroes have now died at the hands of the junta, while trying to overthrow military rule and restore democracy to Myanmar. The Irrawaddy has collected the names of some of those fallen stars who performed acts of bravery, including saving and protecting others while faced with the regimes guns and bullets.

Thinzar Hein, 20

March 28, Sagaing Region

Ma Thinzar Hein, a nursing student killed by a shot to the head while she was treating injured civilians during a crackdown on anti-regime protesters. She was working with a first aid rescue team for protesters in Monywa. Putting her own life at risk, she took to the streets to help protesters the day after the junta killed over 100 civilians across the country. Ma Thinzar Hein left a note on Facebook, I am walking a path and uncertain of returning home, please forgive me, loved ones.

Dr. Thiha Tin Tun, 27

March 27, Mandalay Region

An assistant surgeon, Dr. Thiha Tin Tun was among the over 100 civilians gunned down by the security forces on Armed Forces Day. He was shot in his head and arm while he was helping to build a roadblock to protect protesters against advancing police and soldiers. His body was taken away by the military. Before heading to the protest, the young doctor left a letter to loved ones, to be proud of him and not to be sad for a long time if something happened to him.

He said It is time we take back what we have lost, no matter what the cost is. He said he would fight back against the security forces and said that my hands used to hold scalpels and were already stained with blood.

Mom, if I die, be proud of me and dont dwell on my death for so long. My death was for the sake of restoring the power of the people and the countrys sovereignty, dont be sad for too long, he wrote. Referring to his grandmother, he wrote Granny, your grandson died with courage. In case we meet again in our next life, would you still take care of me?

He also called for the people who are fighting for democracy to never give up, saying Rest only when the power of the people is restored. I am sorry I had to leave you so soon, he said. He ended his letter with a powerful message to his fellow pro-democracy supporters, May dictatorship fall! May the power of the people prevail!

Hti San Wan Hpri, 19

March 27, Yangon

Hti San Wan Hpri had attended protests almost daily at a barricade that was considered the most dangerous place for protesters in Yangons Thingangyun Township. An ethnic Rawang from Kachin State, the 19-year-old was shot and killed by security forces when they opened fire on the morning of March 27. His friends said that as soon as he was hit by the bullet, he shouted to the security forces shoot me, dont shoot my friends. Just before he died, he told his friends to fight back against the regime and not to lose hope.

Ko Nay Lin Htwe, aka Mohamad Sadiq, 28

March 25, Shan State

Ko Nay Lin Htwe was killed by the juntas security forces in the Shan State capital Taunggyi and widely recognized as a martyr. He fought back against the police and soldiers with a sword even as they sprayed bullets into a crowd of protesters. He was shot in the eye and thigh. His body was taken away by the security forces.

Ko Zaw Lin Htike, 31

March 22, Mandalay Region

A young man and a volunteer with a charity group, Ko Zaw Lin Htike was shot in the head while he was attending to civilians injured during a security forces crackdown in Myayee Nanda Housing estate, Mandalay. He had worked for the charity for more than five years. He leaves his mother behind.

U Nay Myo Kyaw, 38

March 22, Mandalay Region

U Nay Myo Kyaw was another volunteer in Mandalay who was killed by the regimes security forces on March 22. He was shot in the chest while on his way to help gunshot victims in Myayee Nanda Housing estate, Mandalay.

Ko Thet Paing Soe, 28

March 20, Yangon Region

Ko Thet Paing Soe was shot in the head and died on March 20 while the military was cracking down on protesters in Yangons Tamwe Township. Despite coming from a military family, he actively participated in protests in Yangon by taking daily duty at the protesters barricades, holding a makeshift shield to protect other protesters. He was gunned down by the regime on a day that he was in charge of scouting at the barricade. Residents in Kyauk Myaung renamed the road where he died as Thet Paing Soe road.

Ko Ye Thu Aung

March 19, Shan State

Residents in Shan States Aung Ban Township said he was a brave man. When people in Aung Ban took to the streets, Ko Ye Thu Aung was always present at the protesters barricades. He used to tell his friends not to give up fighting back against the regime saying that if we are afraid, we will have live under the boot of the military. On March 19, when security forces opened fire on protesters, he helped other young protesters to escape. He even carried injured women to safety. Later, he returned to fight with a sword against the police and soldiers who were randomly firing at the protesters and into residential areas. He was shot dead by the security forces while he was confronting them.

Ko Ye Swe Oo, 29

March 13, Mandalay Region

A local volunteer, Ko Ye Swe Oo was shot in the chest by the security forces while he was on the way to rescue student protesters who had been rounded up by police and soldiers in Mandalay. He leaves behind a wife and daughter.

Daw Pyone Pyone, 50

March 13, Mandalay Region

Residents in Mandalays Sein Pan will never forget Daw Pyone Pyone. A single mother with three children, she was shot in the head for giving shelter to young protesters attempting to hide from the security forces. On Mar.13, two dozen student protesters took refuge in her home after police and soldiers opened fire on protesters.

The security forces forcibly entered her home and forced Daw Pyone Pyone to show where the students were hiding. Soldiers shot her in the head from a few feet away after she protested strongly. After the soldiers began firing randomly inside the house, the students came out of hiding and were arrested.

Ko Chit Min Thu, 25

March 11, Yangon Region

Forgive me, wife. If I dont go out today and if others do the same, we wont get democracy back. Those were the last words 25-year-old Ko Chit Min Thu told his pregnant wife before joining a protest against the military regime in Yangon on March 11. He was shot dead while he was standing at the front of a protest in North Dagon Township holding a makeshift shield to protect other protesters. The bullet went through the shield into his head.

When he did not return alive, his tearful wife said that she tried to stop her husband protesting, saying she worried their baby and unborn child could lose their father. But he replied that he had to fight for democracy, she said.

Ko Zaw Thein Aung, 20

March 3, Sagaing Region

A 20-year-old delivery man for Foodpanda, Ko Zaw Thein Aung had many friends as he was a happy man and always willing to help others. He told his friends often that he would fight until the end to return his motherland to civilian rule. Ko Zaw Thein Aung was shot in the head while he was helping an injured woman during a brutal crackdown by the regimes forces in Monywa.

Kyal Sin, 19

March 3, Mandalay Region

A teenager wearing her Everything will be OK T-shirt at the protests, Kyal Sin led a group of young protesters in Mandalay. She shouted to her friend who was worried as the security forces fired tear gas and live rounds, Are we united? We will not run! At the same time, she kicked open a water pipe so that other protesters could rinse tear gas from their eyes. She tried to protect her friends amidst the chaos, warning them to sit down as bullets flew over the protesters. Soon afterwards, she was shot in the head by the security forces.

You may also like these stories:

Myanmars Escalating Conflict Threatens ASEAN Stability

Myanmar Regime Sacks 120 Striking Staff from State-Run Broadcast Service

Myanmar Nationals Fleeing Military Regime Turned Back From India
Burma Myanmar Junta Convoy Under Repeated Attack in Chin State

A junta convoy on the Mindat-Matupi road. / CDF

Myanmars junta has suffered heavy casualties in Mindat Township, Chin State, since March 26, according to the Chinland Defense Force (CDF).

CDF fighters have repeatedly ambushed a junta convoy advancing to Matupi through Mindat since March 26. Around 20 junta soldiers are believed to have been killed and many more injured in ambushes, according to Salai Ha Eun Man, a CDF spokesman.

We have been ambushing the military vehicles heading to Matupi for four days. Nearly 20 junta soldiers were killed and many others injured, he told The Irrawaddy.

Resistance fighters also killed two junta soldiers providing security in Mindat town on Tuesday, he said. We attacked four junta soldiers in Bawa Thit ward. Two soldiers were killed, Salai Ha Eun Man added.

The junta convoy containing 80 vehicles and two armored vehicles arrived in Mindat on March 25 from Monywa in Sagaing Region and Pakokku.

The regime has cut phone and internet services in rural Mindat and villagers along the road have left their homes to avoid junta soldiers.

A Mindat resident told The Irrawaddy: Phones only work in the towns. Villagers along the road have left their homes. We cant contact them by phone so we dont know what is happening to them. In my township, everyone is a refugee. The regime has blocked the road which brings rice from Yaw. It has been difficult for a year but things get worse every day.

Matupi is more than 160km from Mindat, linked by a winding road. As Mindat CDF is ambushing the convoy, the fighting is likely to increase along the road.

The Matupi CDF told The Irrawaddy that the junta convoy is still in Mindat and the CDF and its allies will attack when it enters Matupi Township.

The convoy reportedly contains troops from Mindat-based Light Infantry Battalion 274 and Division 11.

You may also like these stories:

Serbia Sold Arms to Myanmar Junta After Coup

Regime Forces Kill Motorbike Rider in Central Myanmar

Myanmar Regime Backs Russias Invasion of Ukraine
Burma US, Singapore Leaders Urge Myanmar Junta to Free Political Detainees

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore (left) delivers remarks alongside US President Joe Biden in the East Room of the White House on March 29, 2022 in Washington. / AFP

US President Joe Biden and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong jointly called for the release of all political detainees in Myanmar, including State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint, as well as foreign detainees, in a statement released after talks at the White House.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Win Myint have been detained by the military regime since it ousted Myanmars democratically elected government in a coup on Feb. 1 last year. The junta has kept their whereabouts secret and hit them with multiple charges as a justification for continuing to hold them. They are among a large number of officials of the ousted civilian government at the Union and state/regional levels, as well as elected lawmakers and activists, who have been in detention since the first day of the coup.

Biden and Lee shared their deep concerns about the situation in Myanmar, which has been in political turmoil since the coup, according to the statement.

The two leaders called on Myanmars junta to end its violence against civilians in the country, allow unhindered humanitarian access and return the country to the path of democratic transition.

The leaders said the crisis after the coup has reversed years of economic progress in Myanmar and increased the risk of illicit finance.

ASEAN member Singapore is the largest foreign investor in Myanmar and has become a preferred destination for Myanmars military rulers and their associates, who make periodic visits for medical trips, recreation or to squirrel their money away in various accounts under different names. Furthermore, some companies there have commercial ties with the Myanmar military junta and its conglomerates.

The Myanmar regime has been under international sanctions over the treatment of Rohingya Muslims, for overthrowing the countrys democratically elected government and for its brutal crackdown against the people. As of Tuesday, the regime had killed at least 1,719 civilians including women, children, medics and aid workers, and arrested more than 13,000 people, the majority of them for opposing military rule in the country.

The US and other Western democracies have pressured the regime by singling out certain key individuals as well as entities to make it harder for them to do business in the international community, forcing the regime to struggle with a hard currency shortage.

On March 25, the US and its allies also imposed coordinated new sanctions on the Myanmar military regime targeting the air force and arms dealers.

In the joint leaders statement, Biden and Lee also reiterated their call for the Myanmar military regime to urgently implement ASEANs five point consensus, which was reached at a summit of ASEAN leaders in April last year but has been ignored by the regime. The consensus calls for an immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar and the facilitation of dialogue between all parties to the conflict, mediated by the regional blocs special envoy, among other steps.

You may also like these stories:

Serbia Sold Arms to Myanmar Junta After Coup

Regime Forces Kill Motorbike Rider in Central Myanmar

Myanmar Regime Backs Russias Invasion of Ukraine
Opinion Nothing New About Myanmar Junta Chiefs Cruelty

Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing.

Most people in Myanmar believe Min Aung Hlaings craving for power was solely responsible for last years coup. While people are well aware of the rights violations committed by the military over previous decades, they were still shocked and angered by the extent of violence used against civilians since the coup last February.

In the early days of military rule, protesters were shot in the head. Senior citizens and children were among those killed in junta raids. Some civilians were burned alive and others tortured to death. The atrocities fueled hatred for the military. A fish rots from the head and junta soldiers would not have committed these crimes unless permitted by Min Aung Hlaing.

People have seen the true colors of Min Aung Hlaing but this behavior is familiar to those who have followed the junta leaders career.

Min Aung Hlaings ingratitude

Former foreign affairs minister U Win Aung wrote a recommendation letter for Min Aung Hlaing to join the Defense Services Academy (DSA), which was required at the time for officers to apply.

U Win Aung served in military intelligence and was appointed foreign minister in a previous military regime, the State Law and Order Restoration Council.

Both U Win Aung and Min Aung Hlaings parents came from Dawei in Tanintharyi Region and were friends.

But after Min Aung Hlaing became military chief, he ordered the prosecution of U Thaung Su Nyein, U Win Aungs son, in 2016 with a charge for which bail is not granted. The military also filed a lawsuit against 7 Day Media, founded by U Thaung Su Nyein.

The prosecution related to an article that quoted a Facebook post by former parliament speaker and ex-general U Shwe Mann urging DSA graduates to cooperate with the newly elected National League for Democracy government.

Min Aung Hlaing ordered the prosecution of U Thaung Su Nyein and his reporter for allegedly inciting mutiny. Journalists criticized the militarys decision to prosecute 7 Day and insisted the report had violated no law.

A minister in U Thein Seins quasi-civilian government, who knew what U Win Aung had done for Min Aung Hlaing, remarked on the commander-in-chiefs lack of gratitude.

Min Aung Hlaings hostages

Since last years coup, the regime has abducted the relatives of anti-regime activists and striking government employees when it has failed to find them at home.

This is nothing new for Min Aung Hlaing.

He had the pregnant wife of an absent sergeant imprisoned after the NCO was accused of embezzling salaries. Min Aung Hlaing then commanded a Light Infantry battalion in Homalin Township, Sagaing Region, overseen by the Northwestern Command.

Colonel Kyaw Thu of Kale Regional Operations Command, which oversaw Min Aung Hlaings battalion, later chaired the Union Civil Service Board under President Thein Sein.

Col. Kyaw Thu found the pregnant woman in the battalion jail during a visit. Min Aung Hlaing claimed that he had detained her because her husband, who was responsible for distributing salaries, had fled with the wages, according to a battalion officer.

He released her only after Colonel Kyaw Thu said it was pointless to detain a woman because her husband had fled and ordered her release, said the officer.

The woman had been jailed for a month.

Those familiar with this story were not surprised to find activists relatives being seized after the coup.

Min Aung Hlaings greed

Some retired officers claim Min Aung Hlaing is more greedy than Myanmars previous military chiefs.

His predecessors and their children were not normally directly involved in military businesses and they did not use military personnel in their businesses while paying them from public funds.

Even dictator Than Shwe did not allow his children to directly run businesses linked to the military, according to business sources. He did, however, acquire shares and commissions from companies with military links.

But after Min Aung Hlaing became commander-in-chief, his children set up companies with military links.

It became mandatory for personnel to buy life insurance from Aung Myint Moh Min Co, which is owned by Min Aung Hlaings son Aung Pyae Sone.

He also runs the Kan Thar Yar hospital on Pyay Road, built on military-owned land in Yangon. About 90 percent of staff at the hospital are military personnel who are paid government salaries, according to medics.

The hospital only gives a small percentage of its profits to its medical staff. A medic at the hospital says medics are paid between 500 and 1,000 kyats per patient compared to around 5,000 to 8,000 kyats at private hospitals.

However, it remains a popular posting because it means medics do not have to live in barracks and can work at other hospitals and clinics in Yangon while gaining valuable contact with the senior officers being treated at the hospital.

Min Aung Hlaings daughter owns Moe Kaung Maternity and Childrens Hospital, which was also built on military land and whose staff are also serving personnel paid by the military.

Same Sky Construction Co, owned by Aung Pyae Sone, has won numerous military construction contracts. His other companies are major military suppliers.

Min Aung Hlaings children became Myanmars top cronies within five years of his promotion as commander-in-chief.

International observers agree deep ties between military leaders and business weakens the capabilities of armed forces. The feeble performance of Myanmars military, when faced with numerous insurgencies across the country, appears to support this conclusion.
On This Day The Day Civilians Took Office in Myanmar After 53 Years of Military Rule

U Htin Kyaw (right) receives the presidential insignia in front of the Lion Throne from the outgoing president U Thein Sein at the presidential residence on March 30, 2016.
Village Council elections could have a different look in 2024 based on how Key Biscayne residents vote this November.

The Charter Revision Commission, meeting Monday night for the sixth time, decided on seven amendment proposals for their Final Report, including a chance to hold primary elections in the case of three times as many candidates running for vacancies.

The amendment proposals are spread over six sections in the Villages Code of Ordinances.

Once the formal wording is in place, Village Attorney Chad Friedman will deliver the amendments to Village Council members on April 1, well ahead of the official presentation by Commission Chair Allison McCormick at the April 12 Council meeting.

Upon approval, wording for the ballot then must be structured and turned over to the Miami-Dade County Elections Department by May or June.

McCormick said she enjoyed working with the group that included Vice Chair Jud Kurlancheek, Joe Rasco, Jennifer Stearns Buttrick and Marco Gomez, as well attorneys Friedman and Roger Pou.

It was the first time in 10 years a committee reviewed the Village Charter step by step, but another panel will convene in five years.

As far as this years amendments, the election issue -- as it has been throughout most of the meetings -- was up for great debate.

Section 5.01, regarding elections, would be amended to create a Council primary when there are three (3) times or more the number of vacancies available. To simplify, if three Council vacancies exist, and there are nine or more qualified candidates running, then a primary would take place to get to two (2) times the number of open positions available -- in this case, six candidates.

The Mayoral election always has had a primary (if more than two candidates run) to reduce the contenders to two (2) for the November election.

There was plenty of banter between the Commission members Monday on what the minimum number of candidates should be in order to have a primary, and, in turn, hope for a larger percentage of the electorate for the winners.

With seven, even eight, candidates for three positions, they felt it would be too costly to run a primary just to whittle one or two qualifiers.

Six is still a lot of people, Rasco said. When you have a table like this and six people have to speak on the same subject ... Its not a walk in the park. How are you gonna get to it so Joe doesnt get lost in the morass of (platforms)?

There were 10 candidates for three positions in the 2020 election, sparked in part by the GO Bond issue, but Gomez pointed out that going back to the 2010 election, only 5-7 candidates previously maxed out the list. He also noted that a primary would move everything up," such as registration and filing dates.

If a primary was held this year, for example, June 7 would be the filing date, then August would be the primary election. Those are the true filing and primary dates for this years mayoral election.

Kurlancheek noted that, There is a danger (in a primary) that we dont get much participation, probably 10-15%; if you work harder, maybe 25%-30%. Cull that number to six, and then have an intense campaign between those six for 60 days.

Buttrick believed there was enough interest to go to a longer election cycle. Its good for the community to get to know the candidates (better) ... so extending that time might not be a bad thing, she said.

The same rule would apply to a special election  say, in case of a resignation; so a primary would be needed to get to two contenders.

The motion passed 5-0.

The other proposed revisions:

Section 4.03: This proposes amending the Charter to increase the Capital Project Authorizing Ordinance threshold from $500,000 to $1,000,000 since the purchasing power of $500,000 has decreased relative to its value when it was adopted in 2002.

Section 4.10: The two-part question  meaning one could pass and the other not, or both could fail or be approved  is in regard to borrowing. One amendment increases the percentage used to calculate the debt cap from 1% to 2% of the total assessed value of all property within the Village, primarily fo infrastructure projects. Second, the limit on total debt by the Village may be exceeded if approved by the majority vote in a referendum held after the November 2022 election.

Section 4.15: Land development regulations can be approved by a vote by citizens OR approval of five of seven Council members. This amendment also affects Section 5.02, indicating that in the event that two or more Council members are ineligible to vote on a text amendment, the remaining members could make a decision by unanimous vote (or, of course, defer the vote to the next meeting).

Section 7.08: This amendment proposes the creation of a new section of the Charter that would require the Village to post a public notice on the Village website or through other similar means of electronic communication when public notices are required by Florida law.

Section 7.09: This amendment proposes the creation of a new section of the Charter that would require the Village Council to adopt an ordinance after the November 2022 regular election establishing supplemental procedures and guidelines to enhance open meeting laws, and to review such ordinance two years thereafter to determine if any modifications are necessary. Commission members agreed this would improve government transparency and public involvement at Village meetings.

(Basically) you cant hide and have secret meetings, Kurlancheek said.

Two other previously considered amendments were scratched, partly because the new language didn't make a big impact, and in the interest of consolidating the November ballot as much as possible.

One would have impacted Section 2.07 regarding who could further approve Council members reimbursement for expenses in the line of duty. The other would have added in Section 6.02 that the Revision Commission could be the third way the Charter could be amended. Both were erased by 5-0 votes.
Ubiquiti, a maker of wireless LAN and WiFi routers and access points, has filed a case against former Washington Post employee Brian Krebs, who publishes a security blog, alleging that he falsely accused the company of "covering up" a cyberattack by intentionally misleading customers about "a so-called data breach and subsequent blackmail attempt in violation of US federal law and SEC regulations".

The San Jose, California company sought a trial by jury to decide the charges which were filed by the law firm Clare Locke LLP. [corrected].

The case against Krebs was filed in the US District Court for the eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division, on Tuesday.

Krebs wrote a story in March last year  which he later updated  which was fed to him by an ex-employee of Ubiquiti who was himself involved in the data theft and extortion bid, while he masqueraded as a whistleblower and anonymous attacker. The ex-worker, Nickolas Sharpe, was indicted by the US Department of Justice in December last year.

In its complaint, Ubiquiti said contrary to what Krebs had reported, the company had promptly notified its clients about the attack and instructed them to take additional security precautions to protect their information.

"Ubiquiti then notified the public in the next filing it made with the SEC. But Krebs intentionally disregarded these facts to target Ubiquiti and increase ad revenue by driving traffic to his website, www.KrebsOnSecurity.com," the complaint alleged.

It said there was no evidence to support Krebs' claims and only one source, Nickolas Sharp.

The Ubiquiti complaint said when the DoJ issued a media release about Sharp's indictment, Krebs did not change his story in any way. "Krebs reviewed the press release and he knew that his sole source had been indicted for his criminal involvement in the cyberattack," it claimed.

"Despite these damming facts, Krebs published a story on his blog the next day doubling down on his false accusations against Ubiquiti and intentionally misleading his readers into believing that his earlier reporting was not sourced by Sharp, the hacker behind the attack.

"Instead of acknowledging that the source from his previous story was indicted by federal prosecutors for his crimes against Ubiquiti, Krebs calls Sharp 'a Ubiquiti employee' when referencing Sharps contributions to his reporting.

"But in the very next sentence, Krebs describes Sharp as 'a former Ubiquiti developer' who 'was arrested and charged with stealing data and trying to extort his employer while pretending to be a whistleblower'.

According to the indictment issued by the DoJ against Sharp in December 2021, after publication of the articles in question on 30 and 31 March, Ubiquiti's stock price fell by about 20% and the company lost more than US$4 billion (A$5.32 billion) in market capitalisation.

The DoJ did not mention Sharp's employer, but Sergiu Gatlan, a reporter with the website Bleeping Computer, wrote that the details around the incident perfectly matched existing information on the Ubiquiti breach and also on Sharp's LinkedIn account.

The Krebs' report appeared to have been the original with four others  in the Washington Post, Cybereason, Apple Insider and ZDNet  citing Krebs' report as the source in their reports, all of which appeared on or around 30 March.

The complaint charged that while the DoJ indictment was central to a follow-up story that Krebs published in December [screenshot above, right], he continued to repeat the false assertion that [i]n March, a Ubiquiti employee warned that the company had drastically understated the scope of the incident, and that the third-party cloud provider claim was a fabrication".

The complaint alleged Krebs had intentionally misrepresented the truth because he had a financial incentive to do so, adding, "His entire business model is premised on publishing stories that conform to this narrative. Despite overwhelming facts showing that his reporting is pure fiction, Krebs has refused to retract or correct his disinformation campaign against Ubiquiti".

The complaint detailed the incident that led to the first story, saying that it had found suspicious activity on its cloud infrastructure on 28 December 2020 and then put together a team, which included Sharp, to investigate.

"A short time after Ubiquiti discovered the attack, the unknown 'hacker' sent an anonymous ransom note via the platform Keybase," the complaint said. "The 'hacker' claimed that he accessed Ubiquitis systems as an outsider and [had] taken information from Ubiquiti (including elements of its source code).

"The 'hacker' also demanded 25 bitcoin from Ubiquiti for the return of the data and the hackers silence and an additional 25 bitcoin for the hacker to reveal the location of a second 'backdoor' access point in Ubiquitis system. At the time, 50 bitcoin was worth approximately US$2 million." (A$2.66 million)

The second backdoor was identified by the investigators, hence Ubiquiti said it refused to pay any ransom and informed its customers about the incident, advising that they take steps to ensure they were safe.

The complaint said the company also informed investors and the public about the ransom note, and law enforcement as well. As Ubiquiti continued to investigate the ransom note and the suspicious activity on its cloud infrastructure, it said many factors led it to believe the attack was an inside job and that Sharp was behind the blackmail scheme.

"Through its investigation, Ubiquiti learned that Sharp had used his administrative access codes (which Ubiquiti provided to him as part of his employment) to download gigabytes of data. Sharp used a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to mask his online activity, and he also altered log retention policies and related files to conceal his wrongful actions," the complaint alleged.

"Ubiquiti shared this information with federal authorities and the company assisted the FBIs investigation into Sharps blackmail attempt. The federal investigation culminated with the FBI executing a search warrant on Sharps home on 24 March 2021."

The complaint then went into detail about how Sharp contacted Krebs and how the story came to be published.

Krebs was accused of two counts of defamation, with Ubiquiti seeking a jury trial and asking for a judgment against him that awarded compensatory damages of more than US$75,000, punitive damages of US$350,000, all expenses and costs including lawyers' fees and any further relief deemed appropriate by the court.

iTWire has contacted Krebs and the law firm Clare Locke LLP for comment.
Proprietary video-telephony software company Zoom has abruptly sacked security researcher Bill Demirkapi who was working for the company's red team.

The action appears to have been taken because Demirkapi posted a report from security firm Mandiant on Twitter; the report dealt with the breach at identity services provider Okta.

New documents for the Okta breach: I have obtained copies of the Mandiant report detailing the embarrassing Sitel/SYKES breach timeline and the methodology of the LAPSUS$ group. 1/N https://t.co/z05uQYclg9 pic.twitter.com/e0T4EdWPxT  Bill Demirkapi (@BillDemirkapi) March 28, 2022

The Mandiant report was leaked to American website TechCrunch by Demirkapi earlier and the site carried a report based on it.

iTWire has contacted both Zoom and Demirkapi for comment. Mandiant was recently acquired by Google.

The Mandiant report showed that the Okta breach had been carried out using credentials stolen from customer service firm Sitel.

The document showed that Sitel kept its passwords in a spreadsheet which was on its internal network.

Named DomAdmins-LastPass.xlsx, the spreadsheet indicates that it contained domain administrator account passwords exported from password manager LastPass.

Okta took its own time to acknowledge that it had known about the breach in January but not mentioned it until the group Lapsus$ released screenshots of its internal network this month.

I am officially looking for a new position! For those that aren't familiar with my work, my name is Bill Demirkapi and I'm a security researcher experienced with Windows internals/macOS security, reverse engineering, cloud security (mostly AWS), and vulnerability assessment.  Bill Demirkapi (@BillDemirkapi) March 29, 2022

The company said on 28 March it had made a mistake in an FAQ that did not bear the name of any company official.

Prior to that, releases about the breach had been issued in the name of David Bradbury, the company's chief security officer.

Demirkapi, meanwhile, has posted tweets seeking a new position.

Last week, the British police arrested seven teenagers in connection with the Lapsus$ attacks.
While there was significant global growth in DevOps salaries, Asia Pacific lags behind other regions in the highest salary brackets, according to Puppets 2021 DevOps Salary Report.

As APAC markets such as Singapore and Australia continue to become synonymous with innovation and transformation, organisations must digitally transform and modernise faster than ever. The survey findings show that companies must keep pace with the competitive compensation globally in order to attract and nurture DevOps talent and critical skills in great demand, Puppet senior director APAC Rachel Lew explains.

Data also reveals women are steadily increasing their earning status across regions, roles, and industries.

The gradual decrease in a wage gap hopefully points to a long-term shift in pay equity. As a DevOps leader, I am inspired by this progression and I look forward to seeing more equality in wages and gender parity across DevOps overall, says Puppet chief technology officer Abby Kearns.

Digital transformation has impacted the DevOps landscape. These transformational enterprise shifts have forced companies to offer more competitive compensation and invest in top talent to ensure sustainable success.

As a result, the 2021 DevOps Salary Report found that more workers are moving into higher income levels than at any time in the past three years. Companies with high-evolution DevOps are compensating their employees at the highest level, with more managers and practitioners entering the salary group earning more than $150,000.

Key findings revealed in the DevOps Salary Report also include:

Asia Pacific lags behind other regions in terms of wages in the highest salary bands. Only 4% of managers and practitioners combined earned more than $150,000 in 2021, compared to 6% in Europe/UK, 12% in Canada, and 35% in the United States. However, when it comes to salaries of $100,000-plus, Asia Pacific is slightly ahead (33%) of Europe/UK (24%) which is consistent with findings from 2019 and 2020.

The salary gap between male and female practitioners is closing within higher income brackets, as women make a steady, potentially long-term shift into higher earnings. More than double the number of women entered the higher income level of $150,000-plus than the year before (Seventeen percent in 2021 compared to 8% in 2020 and 10% in 2019).

Companies at a high level of DevOps evolution continue to compensate their employees at the highest level, with practitioner salaries doubling and manager salaries nearly tripling from 2020 to 2021. The share of those earning more than $150,000 at high-evolution firms more than doubled to 20% in 2021 from 8% in 2020.

Respondents working in financial services earned the highest salaries, followed by those working in healthcare and technology. There have been substantial increases across all sectors, with financial services nearly doubling from 16% in 2020 to 29% in 2021.

The full report can be downloaded here.
We've already heard from the AIIA, but what is the reaction from a range of top tech companies in Australia?

There's money in this year's Australian Federal Budget to skill up Australians, and while only 70,000 skilled migrants have arrived since the borders opened, despite a cap of 160,000, the global competition for talent is sure to continue unabated. The AIIA has also shared its views on the budget, which you can read here.

In the budget summary, we read of the Federal Government's desire to connect regional Australians to the "digital economy," stating "Reliable telecommunications are essential to thriving regional and remote communities. Thats why the Governments plan for a stronger future includes $1.3 billion for improved telecommunications.

"A $480 million investment will upgrade the NBN Fixed Wireless and Satellite networks, which enables up to one million households and businesses in regional, rural, remote and peri-urban areas to access better quality internet services. This means faster upload and download speeds for fixed wireless users and increased data allowances for satellite users.

"A new $811.8 million Connecting Regional Australia initiative will expand mobile coverage, support technology improvements, improve accessibility, and resilience to natural disasters."

We're told "these reforms will help regional businesses access global markets, provide greater employment opportunities, improve access to education, and help friends and families stay connected."

There's plenty more, and no doubt more commentary will arrive throughout the day, but what are some of the initial takes from top tech leaders?

1. Annie Sheehan, ANZ Lead at the Project Management Institute (PMI) noted:

Apprenticeships

The $365 million extension of the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements program and the $2.8bn investment into apprenticeship programs reflects the enormous benefits of upskilling young people and the key role that this plays in addressing chronic workforce shortages, in the long term. The future of Australia relies on upskilling todays youth for the range of jobs that they will undertake in the future. As businesses across all industries become increasing projectised, it is important to ensure that training the future workforce includes a focus on key project management skills such as communication, leadership, time and budget management, empathy and resilience.

Upskilling

With 75% of Australian CEOs concerned about the availability of key skills, Labors commitment to offer free TAFE places, extra university courses and government support for start-ups demonstrates the urgent need to address the skills gap and introduce new skilled workers to the tech sector. Project management and collaboration between federal and state government, TATE schools, universities and small businesses is essential to ensure that businesses now and in the future are equipped with a strong and skilled workforce. The tech and innovation sector is rapidly growing and boosting jobs to 1.2m by 2030 has the potential to have a significant positive impact on the wider economy.

Upskilling young people

The federal governments $1.2bn investment into the existing Transition to Work scheme for unemployed young people will be hugely important in addressing the current skills gap and mitigating against this issue in the future. Ensuring that young people are equipped with skills and capabilities for the range of jobs that they will undertake in the future is essential in Australias recovery and building a strong economic future. The future of work is becoming increasingly projectised and an estimated 25 million project professionals will be required by 2030. As such, project management certifications and short courses are some of the best ways for Australians to upskill for a range of jobs.

2. Garry Valenzisi, VP & GM ANZ at Iron Mountain. said:

Digital transformation

Like many technology vendors, digital transformation is the fastest-growing space in our business and we applaud the government for providing a $120 tax deduction for every $100 small businesses spend on digital technologies. This will help Australia to take important steps towards becoming a leading digitally-driven nation taking the much-needed step in helping Australia become a leading digitally-driven nation.

As SMEs, which account for half of Australias workforce, may lack the skills and resources to utilise these emerging technologies and effectively manage the digital transformation and resiliency gap, particularly following the rapid digital transformation of the sector post-pandemic.

Whilst its positive to see the government recognise the importance of a national unified digital approach, its critical that the private and public sector assist businesses that struggle with their digital assets, so they can protect and unlock value from their information, which, in turn, will drive meaningful transformation, knowledge and advantage. The government must do its part to empower these vulnerable businesses, as we shift from physical to digital.

Tech sector  low emissions

The federal government's investment from this years Budget into transforming Australias local technology sector to produce the best talent, innovation and new technologies is critical in building the digital economy of tomorrow. But businesses must not lose sight of the environmental impact of digitised data.

Todays demand for electronic devices is creating the worlds fastest growing waste stream, e-waste, of which Australia is the fifth highest producer. While we support the governments $60m boost to reduce plastic waste announced in this year's Budget, as well as the recent establishment of the $1b Low Emissions Technology Commercialisation Fund, more government and business support is needed to facilitate extended lifecycles of consumer and business technology devices, driven by appropriate incentives and regulation.

3. Michael Bodle, COO, Mantel Group said:

Tech talent shortage

"Its no secret there are labour shortages across almost every sector in Australia. For us, the tech talent squeeze is very real and the closure of Australias borders for the past couple of years has only exacerbated this problem.

"Whilst weve implemented our own training programs at Mantel Group and are actively widening our pool of talent, taking men and women on from all industries, the government should be investing more in education if Australia is going to be a top ten data and digital economy by 2030.

Business and consumer confidence

"This years Budget should deliver confidence to businesses and consumers so we can embrace a post Covid world. Many businesses have closed, and people have lost jobs. Now is the time to give the Australian public some confidence, to take on those additional staff or start that business. Its good to see some support for SMEs. It would be great to see more incentives for people to take that leap and start a business."

The Australian Attraction Factor

"It would have been nice to see the Australian Government make it easier for companies to hire people from overseas. Currently, its too complicated, drawn out, and expensive.

Australia needs a marketing campaign to not only get people to come and visit again, but to live and work here. The competition for tech talent is global  what will make skilled people come to Australia rather than the U.S or Europe? We must remember that were also going to lose some of our talent to the U.S. and Europe, now our borders are open, so it would be great to see the Budget helping to not only attract skilled people to come and live in Australia but keep them here, over the long-term."

4. Pete Murray, MD, Veritas, believes that the issue of cyber security is not being addressed holistically. He has quoted the below based on the Budget:

On security:

Given that we have seen many instances in Australia where cyber security has failed, wed like to see greater collaboration between the public and private sectors to increase the ability of businesses to protect their data and their applications once a hacker is in. In the current world of when not if an organisation is going to suffer from ransomware, protecting the front door simply isnt enough.

On skills:

While the skills incentives will primarily boost young people reskilling and entering tech, we are missing the opportunity to target an enormous untapped talent pool of people  those between 40 and 60  who grew up when IT was really taking off and seen as an exciting career choice, but may have been frightened away from the industry by the shadow of outsourcing.

Our industry hasnt done enough to educate and excite this group, or the younger technology students of tomorrow, about the value of being part of the IT industry. Theres often a misconception that a career in technology comes with a risk of becoming offshored, when in reality, the technology sector is an incredibly secure and flexible line of work. As an industry, we need to collaborate and get closer to tertiary education institutions to make IT an appealing career path for the youth of today.

While a renewed investment in local tech infrastructure such as the $243m in grants for manufacturing projects is strengthening Australias on the map in technology innovation, theres no point if we dont have a local talent pool to get these projects off the ground.

The pandemic has been the biggest lesson on IT business agility since the turn of the millennium. Many businesses were unprepared for the sudden need to move employees and operations at the start of the pandemic, and are now scrambling to play catch up as hybrid working is a much required corporate infrastructure capability today.

Veritas Technologies, which has approx. 80,000 customers including 87% of the Fortune Global 500, recent research reveals:

- Just 43% of Australian leaders believe their current teams have the skills needed to protect organisations in the current cyber environment

- Australian organisations now need an additional $2.3m and 27 new IT staff each to shorten the vulnerability lag brought on by COVID and hybrid working, and ensure protection in the next 12 months

- 63% of Australian IT leaders say security gaps exist in their technology strategy due to COVID-19 transformation

- The average Australian enterprise has been the victim of 1.14 ransomware attacks

- Only half of Australian businesses who have been attacked have managed to avoid paying a ransom to the criminals that initiated it.

More budget commentary from top tech leaders to come!
Japan Airlines maintenance and engineering subsidiary JAL Engineering has selected IFS to support its fleet-wide long range maintenance planning.

Deployed in the cloud, the IFS solution will provide long range planners with unified information insights to develop and share regulatory-compliant fleet maintenance plans that support aircraft availability, task yield, and hanger utilisation for nearly 200 aircraft.

The IFS fleet planning solution replaces JAL Engineerings legacy fleet maintenance planning process that required extensive manual intervention.

After an extensive market review, JAL Engineering selected IFS for its experience in the industry, strong existing reference customers and its complementary fit with our long-term MRO strategy, explains JAL Engineering president Ryo Tamura.

With IFS fleet maintenance planning software, JAL Engineering can automate processes that were previously manual and labour intensive, improve team collaboration by allowing planners to work on a single plan simultaneously, and ultimately decrease aircraft downtime and maximise task yield.

This latest selection affirms the fact that IFS is trusted by some of the worlds leading airlines and MRO providers to support fleet-wide maintenance planning and operations, adds IFS Japan president Gerry Fosnick.

By deploying the solution, JALs engineering team can now manage more aircraft with reduced human intervention due to reduction in manual processes, real-time alerts, and automated processes.

IFS says the solution will improve visibility by providing real time planning updates. Staff can examine the impact of key strategic decisions in the organisation  such as modifying aircraft induction/retirement, adjusting resource levels or changing utilisation levels  while also comparing key performance indicators.
Telstra's announcement on Wednesday that chief financial officer Vicki Brady would replace chief executive Andrew Penn indicates that there will be no changes to the company's direction in the near future, independent telecommunications consultant Paul Budde says.

Commenting on the new appointment, Budde said that there had been no visible signs that Penn was about to go, but Telstra would probably have been working on the change for a while.

Brady's appointment means that women now head the two big telecommunications firms in Australia; Optus is led by Kelly Bayer Rosmarin who was appointed in December 2019.

"Telstra is really good at organising smooth internal CEO successions," Budde said. "They have a excellent pool of talented C level people and there is no longer the ego element that, for example, played a key role in Telstras leadership with Sol Trujillo in the mid-00s."

Trujillo was appointed as Telstra chief in 2005 and lasted until 2009 when he was replaced by David Thodey.

Budde said Penn was a person with financial nous and a realist. "He concentrated on what Telstra was, rather than what it could be. If we look at the massive investment failures of the company in the period 1990  2005, then we could classify that period as one where Telstra wanted to be another company," he noted.

"It was also seen by the investors as a potential new tech company on par with the digital giants that started to emerge at that time. Most of those investments, based on that vision, failed."

He said Penn saw Telstra for what it was: "a telecommunications company that, of course, had to modernise itself with all of the new IT technologies, but a company that remained a telco."

Due to competition from big digital firms like Google, Facebook and Amazon, Telstra needed to become leaner and meaner, and that meant it had to focus on costs, Budde said.

"The new players all can deliver new digital services at a fraction of the costs of the telcos and, in order to survive, telcos around the world have to reduce their costs very significantly.

"A successful strategy to make that happen within Telstra was established by Penn and this cost transformation is still continuing.

"As the companys CFO, Brady has been instrumental in this process and under her leadership this process will, no doubt, continue.

"She already has five years experience within Telstra and before that she also worked for other telcos so she is well up-to-date with the challenges and opportunities of these companies."

One headache that Brady would have to deal with - as Penn also experienced - was "the increased monopolist behaviour of the state wholesale provider NBN Co", Budde said.

"The high wholesale costs that such a company can abstract from the market has led to ever-dwindling retail margins. The recent government handout of $480 million to NBN Co for regional services is a good example of this," he added.

"This handout will further undermine the possibilities for the telcos to compete with NBN Co in regional and rural Australia.

"With shrinking retail margins, the internal telco competition will also continue to further heat up, with Optus and TPG both facing the same problem. So, Brady has plenty of work to do.".
Penn has been with the telco for ten years, originally as CFO before taking the top job in 2015.

He previously spent two decades with AXA, most recently as group chief executive of AXA Asia Pacific Holdings.

Brady joined Telstra in 2016 as consumer group managing director after working for Optus for four years, most recently as managing director of marketing and product.

She holds a bachelor's degree from the ANU, a master's from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, and is a graduate of the AICD company directors course.

Telstra chairman John Mullen said Penn would leave a positive and enduring legacy for the transformation he has led during his time as CEO.

Andy has led Telstra during a period of significant change and will be known for his courage in setting a bold ambition through the T22 strategy to deliver a transformed experience for customers, shareholders and employees. There is no doubt the strategy has delivered beyond expectations and has laid the foundations for Telstras recently announced T25 strategy and a renewed focus on growth and innovation, Mullen said.

During his time as CEO, Andy has driven a focus on digitisation underpinned by a commitment to simplifying our products and services for our customers and employees. He has also maintained our leadership in networks, including recently through our investment to lead on 5G.

Delivery of the T22 strategy has seen Telstra return to underlying growth, achieve significant customer experience improvements, reduce costs by over $2.5b and reach high performing employee engagement levels with over 17,000 people now working in agile teams across Telstra.

In recent years, not only has Andy ensured the successful delivery of our T22 commitments he has provided leadership at what has truly been an extraordinary time as we have navigated both as a company and a nation through the challenges of the pandemic.

While in his role Andy made important contributions to Australian society including through his role as a male champion of change advocating for diversity in the workplace, as chair of the Australian Governments Industry Advisory Committee on Cyber Security and in the arts where he received the 2020 Creative Partnerships Australia's business leadership award for his exceptional contribution to Australias cultural life.

Mullen added that during his time as CEO, Penn had also developed a strong team to ensure the ongoing successful leadership of the company.

The greatest testament to this is the ability to announce an internal successor to the role of CEO and I am thrilled to be able to announce Vicki in the role today, he said.

Having started her career with KPMG, Vicki subsequently worked in a range of finance, commercial and strategy roles before moving into broader business leadership positions. She has made a significant contribution to Telstra including her work in developing our new go to market plans as part of the T22 strategy. She has played a key leadership role in the development of Telstras T25 strategy and is well placed to lead the company through its next phase. She could not be more qualified to take over the reins to deliver on our T25 commitments.

Brady will take over as CEO on 1 September 2022, and will work with Penn over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition.
Chinese FM talks over phone with Swiss president

Xinhua) 09:18, March 30, 2022

BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Swiss President and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis held on Tuesday a telephone conversation, during which the two mainly discussed the situation in Ukraine.

Wang said that it is deplorable that the situation in Ukraine has developed to this point, adding that China, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has always decided on its position and policy according to the merits of the matter itself.

Noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping recently gave the most authoritative elaboration of China's basic position during a video summit with the leaders of France and Germany, Wang said that all of China's measures are taken based on the "four musts."

He also said that China is committed to promoting peace talks, and has started to encourage Russia and Ukraine to conduct face-to-face negotiations from the next day after the outbreak of the conflict.

The Chinese side has always maintained that only by strengthening the efforts of the international community to promote peace talks can space be explored for diplomatic negotiations and settlement of the conflict, adding that China will continue to contribute to this in its own way.

Sanctions have never been an effective way to solve problems, said Wang, adding that the unlimited escalation of sanctions will not only worsen the difficult recovery of the global economy after the outbreak of the pandemic, but also further expand and complicate contradictions.

He urged that normal international economic and trade exchanges between non-parties to the conflict should not be affected, and the legitimate rights and interests of various countries should be earnestly safeguarded.

Cassis said that it is the largest war that broke out in Europe in more than 70 years, resulting in the displacement of a large number of civilians and having a serious impact on economic recovery, globalization and multilateralism.

The Swiss president said that Switzerland also believes that diplomacy is the only correct way to deal with it, and it stands for resolving differences through dialogues and negotiations.

Switzerland maintains dialogue with Russia and Ukraine, and it does not support the exclusion of Russia from multilateral institutions, he said, adding Switzerland will continue to uphold its status as a neutral country and provide goodwill services for diplomatic mediation and the promotion of peace talks.

Wang stressed that China has put forward a six-point initiative to prevent a larger-scale humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, provided two batches of emergency humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, and helped Ukrainian neighboring countries resettle the displaced Ukrainian people.

He added that the short-term goals of China and Switzerland in dealing with the situation in Ukraine are the same -- to achieve a cease-fire and end the conflict as soon as possible and to avoid a humanitarian crisis.

In the long run, all parties should address each other's legitimate concerns and explore ways to build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security framework, he said.

Noting that China appreciates Switzerland's repeated commitment to permanent neutrality and its role as a bridge-builder in international affairs, Wang said China expects Switzerland to play its unique role, and it stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with Switzerland.

Cassis said he agreed that the European security framework should be rebuilt.

Switzerland attaches great importance to China's status as a major country and its international influence, Cassis said, adding Switzerland is willing to explore ways to strengthen cooperation with China and jointly play a constructive role in seeking a diplomatic solution.

(Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun)
With built-in Wi-Fi, the Conex Zone Controller can be mounted in several locations and can be connected to a ducted system.

The wired remote control or Panasonics Comfort Cloud app feature personalisation and control various air settings at a touch of a button. It also allows eight zones in the home to be managed individually.

The pandemic has changed the way we live, with people spending more time at home whether working, studying, entertaining, relaxing or exercising. The new Conex Zone Controller supports this new flexible lifestyle by making it easier than ever to adjust air settings across multiple zones to suit different needs at different times of the day or week, comments Panasonic Australia product marketing manager air conditioning Jack Tey.

In fact, the Conex Zone Controller offers daily and weekly timers that can be set up for each zone, providing greater comfort from a regulated temperature as soon as you arrive home, adds Tey.

The timers also help reduce household energy consumption, which we know is important for Australian families. By setting a timer, you can have the air conditioning turn off when you leave the house and turn on as you return home, rather than leave it running while youre out.

Panasonic also introduces Smart E Box, a new feature that can be installed inside the ceiling and can be connected to one or multiple Damper kidsa technology that enables or restricts airflow to specific areas of the house via damper blade.

These blade adjustments (opening and closing in 10% increments) help to control room temperatures and save electricity.

A target temperature control setting switches temperature in targeted zones to make the whole family comfortable, as one room can be warmed or cooled without impacting the rest of the households air settings.

Panasonics nanoe X technology can be controlled thorough the Conex Zone Controller and Comfort Cloud App to purify your homes air.

The technology inhibits indoor pollutants and odours in the air and on surfaces through the release of nano-sized, atomised water particles.

Additional features include:

Built-in Wi-Fi for App control via smart devices including both android and IOS smartphones or tablets.

Individual air flow control with damper technology

Ideal temperature control with optional up to five temperature sensing points

Control of Panasonics nanoe X purification technology

Voice control with Alexa and Google Assistant devices for basic functions like turn on/off ducted air conditioning, mode changes and temperature changes.

The Conex Zone Controller is available through Panasonic Air Conditioning distributors (excluding VIC/TAS) or Panasonic Air Conditioning dealers (VIC/TAS only) and requires a specialist installer to install this system.

Applicable Ducted Ranges

PE3 High Static Ducted Indoor Units

PF3 Adaptive Ducted Indoor Units

ME1 High Static Ducted FSV Indoor Units

ME2 High Static Ducted FSV Indoor Units

ME1R High Static Ducted FSV Indoor Units

MF3 Adaptive Ducted FSV Indoor Units

MM1 Low Profile Ducted FSV Indoor Units

MZ1 Slim Line Ducted FSV Indoor Unit
Final 2021 data from the Synergy Research Group shows that worldwide spend on data centre IT hardware and software grew by 10% from 2020, primarily thanks to a 20% jump in spending on public cloud infrastructure, which pushed it to an all-time high.

Synergy Research Group said that cloud providers continue to invest heavily in their data centres to satisfy the ever-increasing demand for their services. Meanwhile enterprise spending on their own data centre infrastructure bounced back a little in 2021 by growing 3%, following a 6% decline in 2020.

The data shows that in terms of full-year 2021 market share, ODMs in aggregate account for the largest portion of the public cloud market, with Inspur, Dell and Microsoft being the leading individual vendors, all having a similar market share. The 2021 market leaders in enterprise infrastructure were Microsoft and Dell, followed at a distance by HPE, Cisco, VMware and IBM.

Total data centre infrastructure equipment revenues, including both cloud and non-cloud hardware and software, were US$185 billion in 2021, with public cloud infrastructure now accounting for 47% of the total, Synergy added.

The main hardware-oriented segments of servers, storage and networking in aggregate accounted for 77% of the data centre infrastructure market. OS, virtualisation software, cloud management and network security account for the balance.

Synergy says that by segment, Dell is the overall leader in server and storage revenues, with Inspur being a clear leader in server sales to public cloud providers. Cisco is dominant in the networking segment, while Microsoft features heavily in the rankings due to its position in server OS and virtualisation applications. Outside of these four, the other leading vendors in the market are HPE, Huawei, VMware, Lenovo and IBM.

Synergy Research Group chief analyst John Dinsdale said, The total data center equipment market continues to expand with overall 2021 growth rate picking up after two relatively subdued years. The biggest story is the ever-increasing share of the market that is accounted for by sales to public cloud providers, who now account for almost half of all spending on data center gear.

We forecast that these trends will continue over the next five years, with double-digit annual growth in sales to cloud providers helping to offset a somewhat flat enterprise market.

"In the server segment of the market, unit shipments to public cloud providers have now far surpassed enterprise volumes, though the difference in value of the two market verticals is much less pronounced due to higher enterprise server ASPs. That gap in value will grow as public cloud server volumes continue to surge, Dinsdale concluded.
First we heard from the AIIA. Then came Part 1 of commenary from a range of tech leaders, followed by a Part 2 you can read here, and below is part 3 from even more tech executives in Australia, so let's get to it!



1. Alok Kulkarni, CEO of Cyara, an Australian Customer Experience (CX) Assurance Platform provider on some of the budgets hits and misses:

Fuel excise cut and the cost of living

The cut in fuel excise is a much needed relief for Australians, however it is only for six months. We must be conscious that this is a temporary measure and global events, such as the war in Ukraine, could sadly rage on for years. I would have liked the government to implement a more long-term solution. Offering incentives to companies that provide staff with tools to work from home, or investment in digital technology, would have a significant, long-term impact on the cost of living. It would not only reduce travel costs but also enable employees to live in more affordable locations out of the cities.

Infrastructure

The governments $480m promise to improve NBN infrastructure in regional, rural and remote areas is a great win for millions of Australians who have long endured unreliable connections. This move will play a significant role in allowing Australians across the country to be able to work from home. Remote working during the pandemic has proven successful and should be encouraged to further lower unemployment levels.

"In addition, more customers than ever are choosing to interact with companies via voice and digital channels, rather than visiting bricks-and-mortar buildings. Boosting the quality of these interactions can only help organisations in both the public and private sectors provide a positive customer experience, improving satisfaction rates and sales opportunities.

Skills and innovation

While I whole-heartedly support the governments $2.8bn investment for the take-up and completion of trade apprenticeships, this unfortunately will not impact Australias tech and innovation industry.

We saw Australias tech industry paralysed by the lack of talent during the pandemic as international borders shut and Australian companies survived on only a small pool of local talent. More needs to be done to develop a STEM workforce, from students in high school right through to the tertiary level. There should also be investment to re-train existing employees, as well as support provided to Australians that might be looking to pivot their career into the technology sector.

Similarly, while cybersecurity is extremely important to Australias defence, the governments investment in REDSPICE needs to extend beyond cyber. There are many Australian technology companies outside the cybersecurity space that also require much needed investment, such as software developers and engineers. Local innovation and talent needs to find its way to the heart of future budgets so we can focus on becoming a nation of creators, rather than adopters, and build our very own Great Silicon Reef here in Australia.

2. Brian Spanswick, Chief Information Security Officer, Cohesity.

"Increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, such as ransomware, continue to plague nations, government institutions, and organisations throughout the world - with Australia no exception. We believe the Australian Government's strong ongoing commitment to cybersecurity -- including the announcement of a $9 billion investment over five years to support the Australian Cyber Security Strategy, as well the recently announced new Cyber and Critical Technology Intelligence Centre -- are vital steps to a more cyber resilient nation.

"And, the timing is perfect, as now, more than ever, organisations, public or private, must continue to prioritise the management, governance, and protection of their data," said Brian Spanswick, CISO, Cohesity. "Governments and organisations must think strategically and strive for holistic cyber resilience, which we believe must include next-gen data management as a vital component of this equation. Achieving true cyber resilience means developing a comprehensive strategy to safeguard digital assets, including integrated defensive and recovery measures that provide the best chance of weathering a cyber attack.

"A next-gen approach to data management enables agencies and businesses to protect data with encryption and immutability, and swiftly recover should an attack be successful. It is pleasing to see the Australian Government continue to recognise that collaboration between the public and private sector is vital to creating a cyber resilient nation with a thriving digital economy."

3. Chris Dahl, Director of Sales and Growth, Pin Payments

"Its encouraging to see the government finally investing in digital and providing tax incentives for small businesses. Such measures will assist SMBs reluctant to invest in technology due to their constrained budgets. However, it will not necessarily contribute to their survival. Small businesses have been hit the hardest in the last two years, and its disappointing that the government did not go further.

"Very little support was included to help with small business cash flow and depleted capital. Still, greater rebates surrounding staff training is a positive. The rebate will ensure talent feel nurtured, reduce mass movement in the market and promote business productivity.

"Overall this budget falls short for small businesses given the severe disruption from the recent floods, global conflict, and the lasting effect the pandemic has had."

4. Daniel Kniaz, Founder at DiviPay, says:

As we all know, each year some sectors get luckier than others in the Budget announcements. One of the emphases of last night's announcement was small businesses. Indeed, The government revealed the technology investment boost in its 2022-23 Budget, with the measure to apply immediately and run until the end of June 2023.

As the federal government pushes to accelerate digital adoption, small businesses will now be able to deduct a further 20 percent from the cost of cloud services and cyber security systems - a move DiviPay is very supportive of. The Australian technology landscape is broad and there are plenty of choices for companies. Tax reductions will encourage businesses to more readily adopt these technologies, ultimately saving them both time and money as teams can redeploy their time to higher value tasks.

Unfortunately, many SMEs still struggle to go digital. Finance is often seen as the last function to be digitalised because of its logistical difficulties, but there are some easy steps that a company can take to go digital - one of them being digitalising their expense processes for employees. Its not just about going from physical card to digital card, its about integrating a digital-native expense system and enabling managers and employees to take ownership of their expenses. This helps to reduce wasteful spending, such as avoiding duplicate subscriptions and fraudulent transactions, and if it saves the finance team and business owners time, all the better, right?

5. James Wright, Director of A/NZ, Oceania, and ASEAN, Cloudian:

The Government  just like virtually all organisations across Australia  is spending more to bolster its cyber security defences, a prudent decision in an uncertain world where ransomware is rampant and nation state cyber-attacks loom large.

However, despite unprecedented investment in cyber defence, business and policy decisions often fail to take sufficient actions to protect and ensure quick recovery of the prime target in cybercriminal activity: data. As we digest this Budget, much of our most important data across enterprises and government alike remains backed up on outdated tape systems (if anywhere at all). This technology  invented in the early 1950s  can be unreliable, out of sync with the organisations own IT environment, and take weeks or even months to restore data back into an organisation.

The idea that a modern organisation can survive this long without access to their data crown jewels is absurd. Fortunately, more modern storage technologies can provide data immutability that keeps cybercriminals from encrypting, altering or deleting data and enabling fast, easy data recovery and resumption of operations in the event of a breach. Its time for the word immutability to become part of the vernacular of cyber security and data discussions, and a mandatory part of the Essential Eight. Without this, we can spend all the money we want on the front door  cyber security perimeter defences  but well be leaving our most treasured goods on the hall table when they run out the back door.

6. Jason Wyatt, Co-Founder, Marketplacer:

We welcome any investment in supporting and improving our clients ability to modernise and digitise their business to support innovation. At the same time, Australian businesses need to ensure they work with a partner which is also investing for the future, and has the winning combination of a technology platform that is going to provide them with the security and scalability to meet their strategic goals as well as great local technical and consulting support.

7. Marcus Thompson is a retired Australian Army officer who was the inaugural head of information warfare for the Australian Defence Force.

He has since founded an independent advisory focused on improving cybersecurity and developing sovereign Australian capability, working with a number of Australian companies including Macquarie Telecom Group.

The decision to invest nearly $10 billion into Australias cyber defence capabilities is welcome and long overdue. It begins to recognise the threats we face in a changed global environment are more likely to come from the digital world.

The additional 20 per cent rebates for small businesses purchasing cyber security systems are also encouraging  they dont typically have CISOs, cyber security teams, or sizeable budgets like major organisations to better protect themselves from cybercriminals. Yet, small businesses operations grind to a halt in the event of a cyber-attack, and their position in the supply chains of Government, critical infrastructure and other key industries opens that risk to all of Australia.

Money is a start, but the Government needs to go further and drive a buy-Australian mindset shift for cybersecurity services. Our greatest threats come from abroad, but the bulk of our cyber investment goes abroad as its dependent on multinationals. More than ever, we need to build stronger sovereign capabilities at home to support our national cyber resilience in a changed world.

8. Mark Khabe, Co-founder, PRIME BPM

"Its encouraging to see that Treasurer Frydenberg has provided significant weightage to the importance of digital innovation and small businesses in the Federal Budget 2022. Backing small businesses with the lowest tax rates in 50 years is a great move to support the recovery and growth of the SMB sector, which has been severely impacted by disruptions created by the pandemic and extreme weather conditions.

"The governments thrust on digital technologies and technology advancement is a right step that will provide significant impetus to the sector. The tax incentives surrounding cloud computing, eInvoicing, cyber security and web design will encourage SMBs to further speed up digital innovation and enhance their businesses. Small businesses without the cash flow to invest in digital transformation will now have the capacity to do so, which will positively affect the overall economy.

"Likewise, were pleased to see support for training and skill-building initiatives. The tax relief on staff upskilling will encourage SMBs to train and develop the right skill set, which will contribute to their productivity, growth and competitiveness. However, for borderless businesses, such as ours, with staff across the globe, its disappointing that the government has limited funding to Australia only. Since we have customers worldwide, around 50% of our staff works remotely from different geographic locations, with Australian hours and an Australian head office.

"As digital transformation changes the way business operates, the government should not limit business and staff incentives to Australia. This will help Australia-based businesses to expand globally and put the national economy on a favourable growth path."

9. Nathan Knight, Managing Director ANZ at Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group.

"The last two years have seen a complete overhaul in the way individuals interact with business and technology, so its great to see the Federal Government commit to a range of new and existing initiatives in these two areas in their Budget announcement last night.

"For example, the promise of $800m to expand digital connectivity for communities and improve resilience and affordability in regional Australia. At Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group, we are seeing the workplace continue to evolve as digitisation and virtualisation of businesses accelerates. A hybrid way of working is now the norm and while many organisations are still forging toward the discovery of a sweet spot, the foundation of this connectivity.

"What was also good to see was the digital and skills boost for small businesses. The further 20% deduction available on training courses to upskill employees in fields like cloud computing and cyber security is a nod to the fact that futureproofing this Smart Normal is also of priority. In this Smart Normal era, everything rests on the ability to navigate between connected computing environments and having the know-how in both cloud and cyber security is key to this.

"Overall, this years Budget looks towards the future, past the challenges of the pandemic with huge determination to put the nation back on a post-pandemic path to fiscal recovery. I am excited to see how technology drives innovation and economic progress in Australia in the next few years, knowing there are big initiatives being backed with significant investment."

10. Nathan McGregor, Senior Vice President Asia Pacific, Cradlepoint:

Australias future relies heavily on leading industry innovations. In Australia, 74 percent of organisations believe that 5G will deliver business benefits and 81 percent believe it will be useful for AI and AR in the next 12 months. Sixty-five percent of organisations expect to see the number of connected vehicles increase within the next three years.*

"The Government recognises that businesses need the infrastructure to be able to realise these expectations and they have demonstrated that recognition with investment in the 5G Innovation Initiative grants in the past 18 months.

"The Federal Budget announcement from Government on expanding mobile coverage in regional and rural Australia will extend the wireless footprint to these areas and is more proof that innovation does not just come from high tech sectors in urban areas."



*State of the Wireless WAN 2022, IDG Research.

11. Rohan Langdon, ANZ Country Manager, ExtraHop:

The Federal Governments budget investment in cyber security for both the ASD and cyber related tax write off for Australian businesses represents a major step forward in keeping cyberthreats as top-of-mind in Australian organisations of all sizes in the years ahead.

ExtraHops recent survey of Australian IT decision makers found that only 43 per cent of those surveyed are completely or very confident in their ability to prevent and mitigate cybersecurity threats. This budget represents a great opportunity for businesses to take an inventory of their current state of affairs and assess what they can do differently to protect their organisation.

:A strong cybersecurity posture includes a focus on cyber hunt and response activities as well as ongoing employee education and supply chain risk recognition. Indeed, as companies develop strategies which take aim at emerging stronger from the pandemic, now is the time to focus on what lies ahead for an organisation to be in a much better position to tackle new challenges as they arise. Enterprises ultimately need to review how much risk they are willing to stomach and just like the federal government constantly review whether a greater proportion of IT budget should be allocated to security.

12. Scott McKinnel, ANZ country manager, Tenable:

We applaud the governments focus on bolstering our nations cyber defences. The $9.9 bn cybersecurity funding boost is a strong indication that both the public and private sectors need to strengthen their cyber defences in the midst of worsening international events. While all eyes are on the Russia and Ukraine conflict, which undoubtedly poses a significant cyber threat, there are other advanced cyber actors that can and will take advantage of the current situation.

Organisations should not wait for a threat to take place before they decide to take action. Its important for organisations to have the mechanisms in place to understand what that threat is, the impact it could have on systems and how to respond. While it's important for governments and law enforcement to know where the threat is coming from, it is much more important for the organisations being attacked to have the right technologies and practices in place to prevent or limit the attacks.

A task of this magnitude requires global governments to leverage the combined resources and expertise of government, industry and other stakeholders to provide timely and trusted information sharing to enhance the nations cybersecurity.
Johnson City, TN (37604)

Today

Strong thunderstorms likely. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. High 77F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Rain showers early becoming a steady light rain overnight. Low 54F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Today

Cloudy this morning. Strong thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. High 76F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.

Tonight

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 55F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.

Tomorrow

Mostly cloudy early with showers developing later in the day. High 67F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Donald Trump has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin, who launched an invasion of Ukraine last month, to reveal with any compromising information he might have on US President Joe Bidens son, Hunter.

The former Republican president returned to accusations he had repeated many times during his unsuccessful campaign against Biden in the 2020 presidential election.

In an interview excerpt broadcast Tuesday by Real Americas Voice Just the News show, Trump claimed that the wife of the mayor of Moscow gave $3.5 million to Hunter Biden.

Thats a lot of money, he said. She gave him $3.5 million so now I would think Putin would know the answer to that. I think he should release it.

I think we should know that answer, he added.

Trump has long claimed, without providing evidence, that the younger Biden received the funds from Elena Baturina, wife of the late Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov, in a bid to curry favor with Joe Biden.

Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives in 2019 for trying to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into digging up what he alleged was compromising information on Bidens son, who had once worked for a Ukrainian energy company.

In his election campaign for the 2016 that he won, Trump publicly called on Moscow to find missing emails from his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing, I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press, Trump said in a July 2016 news conference.

Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, with Ukrainian citizens paying a disproportionate price in attacks that are being investigated as war crimes.

Joe Biden has led the Western response of unprecedented sanctions and funneling weapons and aid to Kyiv, which has mounted an unexpectedly fierce resistance.

Biden himself has branded Putin a war criminal and stated recently that he cannot remain in power after his actions in Ukraine.
The city of Mariupol on Wednesday denounced the forced evacuation to Russia of a maternity hospital from the besieged southeastern city, where another such facility was bombed by Russian forces on March 9.

More than 70 people, women and medical personnel from maternity hospital No. 2 from the left bank district were taken by force by the occupiers, the mayors office said on its Telegram channel.

More than 20,000 of Mariupol residents have been taken against their will to Russia, where their identity documents were confiscated and before they were moved to Russian cities far away, the office said.

The information could not be independently verified as Mariupol has been under siege and intense bombardment since the end of February and communication largely cut off.

Another maternity hospital in Mariupol was struck by Russian bombardment on March 9, sparking international condemnation. At least three people including one child died in the attack.

Russian officials both dismissed the attack as being staged by Ukraine and justified it by claiming the hospital was being used by extremist Ukrainian forces and that all medical personnel and patients had long been gone.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday called the Russian siege of Mariupol a crime against humanity.

Meanwhile the Kremlin has for the time being rejected a proposal by France, Turkey and Greece to carry out a humanitarian aid mission to the city, insisting that Ukrainian troops lay down their arms first.

Around 160,000 civilians are estimated to still be trapped in the city where fierce fighting and bombardment have created infernal conditions.

Civilians who have made it out have told AFP that they had lived for weeks in basement bomb shelters without electricity and with shortages of food and water.

At least 5,000 people are estimated to have died in the city since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24.
The UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday appointed a Norwegian judge who has served on several international courts to lead an investigation into violations committed in Russias Ukraine war.

Erik Mose, a former judge on Norways supreme court and on the European Court of Human Rights, and previously president of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, was named chair of the newly created independent international commission of inquiry.

Human Rights Council president Federico Villegas also appointed Jasminka Dzumhur, the human rights ombudsperson of Bosnia Herzegovina, and Pablo de Greiff of Colombia, who has served as the UNs top expert on the promotion of truth, justice and reparations, to the three-person team.

The top UN rights body agreed in a historic vote earlier this month to establish the highest-level probe possible into abuses committed leading up to and since Russias invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Thousands of people have died and millions have been displaced since Russia invaded its pro-Western neighbour.

In a resolution voted through on March 4, the council condemned in the strongest possible terms the violations resulting from Russias aggression against Ukraine.

The text, presented by Kyiv, called for the swift and verifiable withdrawal of Russian Federation troops and Russian-backed armed groups from the entire territory of Ukraine.

And it ordered the creation of an independent international commission of inquiry to investigate all alleged violations and abuses in the context of the Russian Federations aggression against Ukraine.

The three investigators will be asked to establish the facts, circumstances, and root causes of any such violations and abuses, and to gather evidence with a view to ensuring that those responsible are held accountable, according to the resolution.

The International Criminal Court in The Hague has also already begun investigating possible war crimes in Ukraine.
Russias widespread and indiscriminate attacks in populated areas of Ukraine are of immense concern, the UN rights chief said Wednesday, warning that they could amount to war crimes.

Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Michelle Bachelet said that the entire population of Ukraine had been enduring a living nightmare since Russia launched its full-scale invasion five weeks ago.

The lives of millions of people are in upheaval as they are forced to flee their homes or hide in basements and bomb shelters as their cities are pummelled and destroyed, she said.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on Moscow to heed strong international appeals and immediately act to withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory.

Thousands of people are believed to have died and millions have been displaced since the invasion began on February 24.

Presenting her latest report on the rights situation in the now war-ravaged country, Bachelet voiced particular concern over the persistent use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas.

 Cluster munitions 

Bachelet said missiles, heavy artillery shells and rockets and airstrikes were causing massive destruction and damage to civilian objects.

In addition, she said her office had received credible allegations that Russian armed forces have used cluster munitions in populated areas at least 24 times.

The office was likewise probing allegations that Ukrainian forces had also used such weapons, she said.

Homes and administrative buildings, hospitals and schools, water stations and electricity systems have not been spared, Bachelet said.

The UN rights office, she said, had verified 77 incidents in which medical facilities were damaged, including 50 hospitals.

Ten of the facilities were completely destroyed, she said, stressing that the actual numbers are likely to be considerably higher.

Indiscriminate attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes, Bachelet warned.

The UN typically does not categorically state that war crimes are being committed, since this can only be determined in a court of law.

But the UN rights chief stressed that the massive destruction of civilian objects and the high number of civilian casualties strongly indicate that the fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution have not been sufficiently adhered to.

 Sheer terror 

The UN rights chief said her office had verified recorded 1,189 civilian deaths in Ukraine, including 98 children since February 24.

But she warned that the true toll was surely far higher, pointing out that her staff had little access to verify casualties in some of the hardest-hit areas.

Those include the besieged and devastated southern port city of Mariupol, where Bachelet said people are living in sheer terror.

Russian forces have encircled the city and their steady and indiscriminate bombardment has killed at least 5,000 people, but possibly as many as 10,000, according to one senior Ukrainian official.

Civilians are enduring immeasurable suffering, and the humanitarian crisis is critical, Bachelet said, pointing out that in many areas across the country people urgently need medical supplies, food, water and shelter.

Above all, they need the bombs to cease, and the weapons to fall silent, she said.

In besieged cities especially, Bachelet said her staff had noted a significant increase in mortality rates among civilians.

This, she said, can be attributed to disrupted medical care coupled with conflict-related deprivation and stress.
Ukraine on Wednesday accused Russia of shelling a city where it had promised de-escalation, dampening hopes of any resolution to a conflict that has killed thousands and displaced millions.

Ukraine and Western powers had already cast doubt on Russias pledge to reduce military activity around Chernigiv and the capital Kyiv, made during face-to-face talks in Istanbul on Tuesday.

Chernigiv was shelled all night, regional governor Vyacheslav Chaus wrote on social media.

AFP reporters on Wednesday could also hear frequent explosions coming from the direction of the suburban town of Irpin to the northwest of Kyiv.

Oleksandr Motuzyanyk, a spokesman for the Ukrainian defence ministry, said in a video statement that there had been a certain partial movement of individual units from the Kyiv direction, as well as from the Chernigiv direction.

But he added: We do not observe the mass removal of Russian troops from these areas.

Russian officials had pledged to radically reduce their attacks because of progress in negotiations on the neutrality and non-nuclear status of Ukraine  two central concerns for Moscow.

Both sides called the Istanbul meeting meaningful and positive, but the Kremlin on Wednesday played down hopes of a breakthrough.

We cannot state that there was anything too promising or any breakthroughs, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

There is a lot of work to be done, Peskov said.

Stock markets, which had been buoyed by the more hopeful comments on Tuesday, slid again and oil prices rose back up on supply concerns.

The Pentagon said Russia had merely repositioned a small number of forces near Kyiv, and could be preparing a major offensive elsewhere.

The vast majority of Russian forces around Kyiv remained in place, said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.

Still, the talks in Istanbul marked the first sign of progress in discussions to end the conflict, with a Kyiv negotiator saying there were sufficient conditions for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

US President Joe Biden was due to speak to Zelensky later on Wednesday.

 Still in shock 

Ukraines Western allies said they had no plans to ease measures taken to punish Russia for the invasion.

Western sanctions should stay until every single Russian soldier is out of Ukraine, said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who called for sanctions to be intensified.

Poland also urged the European Union to impose a tax on Russian hydrocarbon imports while Germany and Austria raised their alarm levels over fears Russia could cut gas supplies to countries that refuse its demand to be paid in rubles.

Russia, meanwhile, worked on shoring up support from allies.

On a visit to China on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: We, together with you, and with our sympathisers will move towards a multipolar, just, democratic world order.

Lavrov will go this week to India, which has abstained from UN resolutions censuring Russia and continues to buy Russian oil and other goods, despite pressure from Washington.

On the ground in Ukraine, the countrys army has been recapturing territory.

In the town of Trostyanets, just 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the Russian border, AFP reporters saw dazed residents emerge from their homes to search for food as Ukrainian soldiers salvaged what they could from abandoned Russian vehicles.

There was nothing left to eat in the town, no water and no electricity, said Pavlo, who has spent the past month hunkered down in the basement of his home.

In Irpin, a gateway to Kyiv, officials said they were still recovering bodies in the streets and the area was still being shelled by Russia.

Irpins mayor Oleksandr Markushyn said at least 200 people had been killed there since the war began.

Fifty percent of the city is destroyed, including critical infrastructure, he said.

 Death everywhere 

Some 20,000 people are believed to have been killed since the conflict began on February 24, according to Zelensky, though the number of casualties could not be independently verified.

On Tuesday a Russian missile strike on the southern town of Mykolaiv left at least 14 dead, Ukrainian officials said.

There was also no progress for the estimated 160,000 people still trapped with little food, water or medicine in the devastated southern port city of Mariupol.

Russian forces have encircled the city and their steady and indiscriminate bombardment has killed at least 5,000 people, but possibly as many as 10,000, according to one senior Ukrainian official.

France, Greece and Turkey have been trying to organise a mass evacuation of civilians from the city, but talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and Putin ended Tuesday without a deal.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian ombudswoman Lyudmyla Denisova said a Red Cross facility was targeted by Russian aircraft and artillery.

UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said Russias widespread and indiscriminate attacks were of immense concern.

Indiscriminate attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes, Bachelet told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Aid groups have called regularly for access to Mariupol, describing the conditions as hellish, and Ukrainian officials have accused Russian troops of forcibly deporting residents to Russia.

Civilians who have managed to escape Mariupol describe a place with death everywhere.

We buried our neighbours, we saw death everywhere and even my children saw it, said Mariia Tsymmerman, who fled to Zaporizhzhia two weeks ago, but is now making the perilous journey back to deliver supplies and help others leave.

I know a woman who killed her own dog to feed her children, she said.

burs-dt/spm
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met Wednesday with an Indigenous community that recently identified 93 graves at a former residential school, part of a series of similar discoveries that shocked the country.

His visit to the Williams Lake First Nation in British Columbia came just days after a delegation spoke with Pope Francis at the Vatican about the horrors of abuse committed at the former Church-run schools that were set up by the government to forcibly assimilate Indigenous peoples.

I am moved to be here, Trudeau told a gathering of tribal leaders, elders and former students after watching a traditional dance and an eagle feather blessing.

All of Canada grieves with this community at the feelings of loss that have come since the discovery but also the deep loss that this community has felt over generations because of the legacy of residential schools, he said.

Trudeau said he looked forward to hearing about what the path forward looks like not just for this community but for this country in partnership, in respect, in reconciliation.

The Williams Lake First Nation announced in January that a geophysical survey revealed 93 reflections with characteristics indicative of potential human burials at the former St. Josephs Mission residential school.

Thousands of Indigenous children attended the school between 1886 and 1981.

The site is about 300 kilometers (185 miles) north of Kamloops, where the remains of 215 children were found last May, kicking off searches nationwide for more unmarked graves, and leading to the discoveries of 1,300 so far.

Some 150,000 Indigenous, Metis and Inuit children were enrolled from the late 1800s to the 1990s in 139 of the residential schools across Canada, spending months or years isolated from their families, language and culture.

Many were physically and sexually abused by headmasters and teachers, and thousands are believed to have died of disease, malnutrition or neglect.

A truth and reconciliation commission concluded in 2015 the failed government policy amounted to cultural genocide.

The 32 delegates visiting the Vatican have said an apology from Francis in Canada would be an important step in the healing process.
This April, Netflix is set to release a slew of highly anticipated and star-studded K-dramas and movies.

It will be a busy month as the streaming giant is about to release exciting series offering a variety of genres.

From small screen comeback of favorite stars to the long-awaited premieres, here are 5 K-dramas and movies premiering on Netflix this April 2022.

'Tomorrow'

The action fantasy K-drama which stars Kim Hee Sun, SF9 Rowoon, Lee Soo Hyuk and Yoon Ji On, follows the story of grim reapers whose mission is to save people from their intentions to commit suicide.

SF9 Rowoon took on the role of rookie grim reaper Choi Joon Woong who joined the Crisis Management Team Goo Ryun (Kim Hee Sun) and Lim Ryoong Goo (Yoon Ji On).

Meanwhile, Lee Soo Hyuk plays Guiding Management Team elite leader Park Joon Gil, whose values and beliefs are different from Goo Ryun's group.

Exclusively airing on MBC and Netflix, "Tomorrow" release date is set on April 1, airing every Friday and Saturday.

IN CASE YOU MISSED: SF9's Rowoon Becomes Passionate Rookie Grim Reaper in 'Tomorrow'

'Green Mother's Club'

From action-fantasy, Netflix will release a comforting K-drama about life and friendship through "Green Mother's Club."

Son Ye Jin's K-drama "Thirty-Nine" is about to bid farewell. The upcoming series stars Lee Yo Won, Choo Ja Hyun, Jang Hye Jin and Joo Min Kyung, will deliver an entertaining story about motherhood, friendship and growth of five mothers.

"Green Mother's Club" will also illustrate stories of individual character and their journey toward motherhood.

The upcoming K-drama will premiere on April 6 through JTBC and Netflix and will be the newest Wednesday and Thursday series.

'My Liberation Notes'

Another new release under JTBC is the life drama "My Liberation Notes."

Headlined by Kim Ji Won, Lee Min Ki, and Lee El, the trio transforms as siblings attempt to escape their challenging lives. They cross paths with the mysterious outsider named Mr. Gu, played by Son Seok Gu.

"My Liberation Notes" can also be streamed via Netflix starting April 9.

'Our Blues'

One of the highly anticipated K-dramas this April, "Our Blues," is an omnibus-style series that depicts the story of various characters living on Jeju Island.

The romance drama features reconnection, friendship, and love among the locals and new people who will arrive on the island.

"Our Blues" boasts a star-studded cast that includes Lee Byung Hun, Shin Min Ah, Kim Woo Bin, Uhm Jung Hwa, Han Ji Min, Cha Seung Won and Lee Jung Eun.

Scheduled to air on April 9, fans will be hooked on this newest weekend K-drama exclusively airing on Netflix and tvN.

'Yaksha: Ruthless Operations'

From Kdramas, Netflix also offers a new Korean spy action thriller "Yaksha: Ruthless Operations," starring Sol Kyung Gu and "Squid Game" star Pae Hae Soo.

Shenyang, China is known for "the highest density of spies." It depicts the story of a secret operations team called Black Ops, who works under the National Intelligence Service (NIS.)

It illustrates the conflict's secret operations team, special inspector, prosecutor, and intelligence agents from various countries.

Joining the duo are Yang Dong Geun, Lee El, Song Jae Rim, and GOT7's Jinyoung.

"Yaksha: Ruthless Operations" will air on April 8 with a running time of 2 hours and 8 mins.

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
Another celebrity is rumored to join the highly anticipated "Sweet Home" Season 2 cast - Yook Jun Seo!

Following the continuous update regarding cast members, fans and viewers look forward to the synergy between the characters in the first and second seasons.

'Sweet Home' Season 2 Update: Yook Jun Seo to Appear in the Upcoming Sequel

In an exclusive report cited by YTN, the 24-year-old actor will be the latest star included as one of the official cast of "Sweet Home" season 2.

Meanwhile, Yook Jun Seo's agency, IOK Company, confirmed his appearance, as noted by a Korean media outlet. He will star alongside the OG cast Song Kang and Lee Jin Wook, who are also reportedly reprising their roles.

The rookie actor recently gained popularity after joining Channel A's variety show, "Steel Troop." He captivated the viewers with his charm and stunning visuals while impressing the audience with his physical and mental strength.

Interestingly, before his stint in the survival variety show, Yook Jun Seo was a part of the South Korean Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) and a navy SEAL and not only that, he was also a talented artist and painter.

'Sweet Home' Season 2: What We Know So Far

Initially released in December 2020, "Sweet Home" is a post-apocalyptic K-drama that follows the story of introvert Cha Hyun Soo and the rest of the tenants at the Green Home Mansion Apartment.

The residents struggled to survive the chaos in the city caused by the mysterious creatures turning humans into monsters.

Interestingly, the first season became a huge success and was included among the top K-content on Netflix.

Due to the unique story and cast lineup featuring Song Kang, Lee Jin Wook, Lee Si Young, Lee Do Hyun, Go Min Si and more, fans are looking forward to "Sweet Home" getting renewed.

However, in October 2021, JTBC News cited that Lee Si Young and Park Gyu Young will reprise their roles in season 2.

To recall, the former professional boxer turned actress played the feisty firefighter Seo Yi Kyung, while Park Gyu Young took on the role of the edgy bassist Yoon Ji Su.

Unfortunately, Netflix was quick to shut down rumors saying that "nothing has been decided yet," as cited by Top Star News.

Following the updates regarding the "Sweet Home 2" cast, fans of Song Kang are confused why the actor was not chosen to return for the sequel; hence #SongKang became a trending topic on Twitter.

On the other hand, the actor's agency, Namoo Actors, released a statement in December 2021 confirming that the "Navillera" star "is in discussions about it, but nothing has been confirmed yet."

Interestingly, more stars are rumored to join "Sweet Home" season 2 as new cast members.

It includes Yoo Oh Sung, B1A4's Jinyoung, "It's Okay to Not Be Okay" star Oh Jung Se and Kim Shin Rok from Netflix's "Hellbound."

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
A birthday party had been set for Wednesday for Irene Gagne Lafrance, believed to be the city's oldest resident. Lafrance was to have turned 110 but she died last week.
4 Shares Share

Death is a topic that most people try to avoid. Death by suicide is also something that that remains rarely discussed. This is probably because suicide is scary, particularly if we have thoughts of being the loved one left behind. People considering suicide dont take the time to let people know that they are considering suicide; they tend to keep all these things bottled up to themselves.

As one writer explained, when your entire spirit has reached the most extreme of lows, no one is able to love you out of that valley.

The recent suicides of Chelsea Kryst, former Miss USA, and Ian Alexander Jr., actress Regina Kings son, were a shock to many individuals, especially the African American community. It had long been assumed that African Americans did not commit suicide.

The numbers, however, tell a different story. Both Kryst and Alexander struggled with mental health issues. Then there are others that we dont know who are struggling with mental illnesses, such as the recent death of Miss Alabama 2021 Zoe Sozo Bethel, who reportedly fell out of a third-floor window in Miami after taking an unknown amount of narcotics. This young African American woman was becoming very successful, and suicide was not something that her family was expecting.

Adverse childhood experiences are beginning to be higher and higher in the African American communities, which can later cause a continuous increase in suicide rates. Within the current pandemic alone, there have been studies of suicide deaths by race, and it was found that suicide among white residents decreased by 45 percent during early 2020, while suicide among African American residents increased by 94 percent in early 2020.

In order to reduce these rates, lets gain the buy-in from the community. Focus groups can be beneficial. It allows the individuals or families in communities of color to discuss what their mental health needs are and how to work together as a community to provide the resources needed.

According to the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, African Americans in the United States are more likely than whites adults to report when they are having depressive symptoms such as sadness and hopelessness.

But although they recognize it as a need, only one in three African American adults who need mental health care will receive it.

According to the American Psychiatric Associations Mental Health Facts for African Americans guide, African American adults are also less likely to receive consistent care and prefer to go to an emergency department to seek care rather than a long-term mental health specialist.

If someone is seeking help, there are several therapies available, including individual counseling and group services.

Unfortunately, there are some communities that lack mental health resources and sadly those individuals may go without services. Some do whats needed to better themselves in their time of need, and others will brush it off and give up after not being able to find help in their communities.

There have been messages circulating in the African American community about being strong and superwoman, which have resulted in some keeping their problems to themselves. Such as the Sisterella complex, which describes a black woman who is a hard worker who prioritizes the needs of others but deep inside, she suffers in silence. This only compounds the problem as her legitimate mental health needs go undiagnosed and untreated.

Its now time for mental health issues to be addressed head-on in African American communities. The best way to begin to accomplish this is through education. Youth need to be educated on what the different mental health illnesses are and how to notice the signs or symptoms. A mental health curriculum is needed to be incorporated into every high school in order for youth to receive psychoeducation on mental health.

Mental health curricula within schools can help to de-stigmatize mental health services in communities of color. Minorities have a greater risk for mental health disorders later on in their adult life than those of the non-Latino white populations. Education needs to start before adulthood.

Mental health services in minority communities are often viewed as a weakness. Much of the pushback comes from believing that seeking mental health treatment is correlated with its something wrong with me? One way to counter the pushback is to utilize more persons of color in the mental health world. People of color often want to work with others that look like them. Providing therapeutic services early in their education with diverse practitioners can help with their comfort level.

Although education can make a difference, it does not solve the problem of lack of health insurance. There are agencies that exist that provide pro bono mental health services, but many people in African American communities are not aware of these agencies. Working with agencies that offer pro bono mental health services is the key. These agencies typically provide mental health services by a masters degree level intern therapist at a low cost or pro bono. Also, having community events to raise funds to cover the cost of people who cannot afford to receive mental health services is an option. Still, there may be pushback from agencies that do not want to offer free services or raise funds when insurance companies are paying them at such high rates for individuals who seek services with privates insurance.

Mental health has become more relevant and a prominent issue due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. In African American communities, there is a realization that individuals 30-years old or younger are at risk. Hopefully, through education and greater access, we can reduce the number of lives ending through suicide.

Lashawnda Thornton is a social worker.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Why this medical school is doing it right

47 Shares Share

Its been shown that patients can benefit from a satisfying medical experience and the actual clinical treatment. The satisfying medical experience in and of itself leads to trust, follow-through, and health improvements.

Medical school is the optimal time to learn how to deliver a great patient experience. In med school, one develops formative views on the culture of medical practice. Knowing this, we looked at an institution that excels in teaching students to be empathetic caregivers. (Note: we have no financial or other involvement with the school.)

East Carolina Universitys Brody School of Medicine ensures its students develop compassion. It doesnt crack the US News & World Report Top 50 medical schools  large, well-funded places like Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Stanford, and Columbia top that list. If judged by career inventions and medical advances, they produce the most technically adept physicians. They excel in student MCAT scores and academic achievements, awards granted, research excellence, grant funding, and technical teaching excellence. The drawback of their sweeping excellence is that they may not be able to focus with their time, attention, and money on teaching students how to deliver a deeply caring patient interaction.

We believe that if a school is going to drive changes to improve the patient experience, it needs to focus on advancing change in four areas, namely its:

Communications, so it attracts the right applicants

Application and admissions process

Curriculum, and

Assessments and evaluations of students

Delivering a compassionate patient experience needs to be a priority of medical education, and Brody appears to do this more comprehensively than other schools. It has positioned itself in the family- and primary-care physician segment and consistently ranks (by The American Academy of Family Physicians) as the #1 or 2 school in producing family physicians. Its ranked in the top ten percent in the country in the combination of primary care and serving rural and under-served populations.

We examined the Brody way in each of the four areas above.

Communications and marketing

Brody knows its mission and communicates consistently that its the right school for North Carolina residents who want to focus on the compassionate delivery of medicine within and among rural and under-served populations. Heres a sample of communications, showing it knows who it is:

The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University is nationally recognized for preparing primary care physicians who practice in medically underserved communities. All those admitted are North Carolina residents, and the majority of its graduates practice primary care in North Carolina.

Admissions

Brody seeks and evaluates applicants on their family medicine capabilities. In an article, the president of the American Academy of Family Physicians said, Brody is the quintessential example of how you recruit these young people to the specialty of family medicine.

Costing substantially less than most schools, it draws applicants for whom the high cost of med school might otherwise be prohibitive. At Brody, 13 percent of students have medical debt over $200K compared to 37 percent nationally, and Brody students graduate with an average of 26 percent less debt than their peers elsewhere. This increases the likelihood theyll choose primary care, which pays less than specialties. The low cost allows graduates to choose a medical career based on their hearts, not pocketbooks  the idea of love in medicine starts with choosing a specialty you love versus what will pay best.

The school vets candidates based on experiences, references, interviews, and character, stating,  we strive to use numerical data (such as GPAs and MCAT scores) more as a safety gauge than as an absolute measure of worthiness.

Character elements show up more often and more prominently in school communications than do items like MCAT scores and grades. Compared to larger schools, the language Brody uses is more compassionate, relatable, and human.

Our scan of elite schools communications shows they more often use technical, achievement-based words/phrases like: excellence, accomplishment, talents, instructions, policies, deadlines, essays, academics, MCAT, powerful, science, technologies, excel, research, committee, competence.

Meanwhile, Brody more often makes use of relationship-based, compassion-oriented words/phrases like:

rich, rewarding, collegial, relationships, take time, call us, improve, prepare, know all of their classmates, journey, shared experience, counseling, patient care, teaching, curiosity, enjoy, experience, success, enriching.

We infer they attract and evaluate their candidates based on their ability to embody those words.

Curriculum

The Brody curriculum emphasizes a collegial classroom culture. One student said, I was amazed by how little pride [i.e., excessive ego] there was, and there are these awesome doctors who really focus on the mission to serve the community.

The curriculum is geared towards teaching the delivery of a strong patient experience. Brody redesigned its curriculum to promote the development of leadership skills, professionalism, ethics, humanism and service to others.

Another core competency that Brody students must develop to advance through school is interpersonal and communication skills. They must demonstrate effective listening, verbal and written communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients and families while providing patient-centered care.

More specifically, to earn high marks, Brody students must communicate compassionately, develop therapeutic relationships across backgrounds, engage in shared decision making, listen with empathy and respect, collaborate, and focus on patient- and population-centered care.

Assessments and evaluations

Brody professors evaluate clinical performance by answering questions about students observed behaviors including a patient-centered skillset. Heres an example  a less skilled mark on the left side, a more skilled mark on the right:

Source: Brody School of Medicine

In summary, Brody has a theme of patient-centeredness in its communications, admissions, curriculum and assessments. The school has the right stuff for helping med students develop compassionate caretaking skills.

Although its model merits emulation nationally, its mission is decidedly local  to increase the supply of primary care physicians serving the state, improve the health status of eastern North Carolinas citizens, and enhance access of minority and disadvantaged students to a medical education.

Brody is one great example of a medical school that is doing an excellent job training patient-centered caretakers in medicine.

Joe Mandato is a venture capitalist investing in the life sciences and a faculty lecturer in biodesign at Stanford University. He is former CEO, and current and former board member, of a number of health care and medical device organizations. He can be reached on Twitter @josephmandato.

Ryan Van Wert is CEO, Vynca Health, and a critical care physician, clinical assistant professor in the department of medicine at Stanford University, and associate director of Stanfords Byers Center for Biodesign. He can be reached on Twitter @ryanvanwertmd.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
A man has avoided serving time in jail for his part in the robbery of a popular musician at knife-point in the centre of Kilkenny City.

The musician was assaulted and was being walked to an ATM to withdraw money for his assailants when a passing garda car came to his aid.

The injured man, of popular band The Kilkennys, was hit and suffered facial injuries.

Dean Cooke, Good Shepherd Hostel, Kilkenny, pleaded guilty to a charge of robbery. The incident occurred between 3.30am and 4.15am on November 7, 2017. Mr Martin was at the pedestrian lights at the Applegreen on Dean Street when he was hit from the side and fell to the ground.

Garda Brendan Power told the court the injured man was left with a bloody nose and facial swelling. Because there were two men involved the injured man was not aware who struck him.

The men took a wallet from their victim's pocket, a mobile phone and his watch. A chain was pulled from around his neck and they attempted to remove a ring from his finger, but were unsuccessful.

Money was taken from the wallet and the men demanded the injured man take them to an ATM to withdraw money from his bank account. They were going to take him to the AIB ATM at the opposite end of the town.

When the injured man made an attempt to resist Mr Cooke produced what he described as a butterfly knife. The sergeant said it was a Swiss army style knife.

The men walked their victim along Parliament Street. Fortunately for the injured man someone had contacted gardai to say there was an issue with three men on the street. When the garda patrol car pulled up beside them he saw his chance and ran.

The injured man reported to the gardai what happened to him. He was obviously distressed and had obvious injuries to his face.

At the scene Mr Cooke was arrested on foot of an existing warrant.

Gardai, at the scene, saw him drop his knife into the other mans hood and they removed it.

The injured man returned home where he called an ambulance and was taken to St Lukes General Hospital. He was advised to attend Waterford Regional Hospital but didnt receive treatment there because the delay was extreme and he left. His nose was sore for about a week. He recovered from his injuries.

Included in the money taken from the injured man wallet was 2,000 Indian rupees and approximately 80.

The watch taken was an Armani watch valued at 200. When Mr Cooke was searched at Kilkenny Garda Station he was found in possession of the watch.

When interviewed, Mr Cooke made certain admissions but said effectively the other man was the main assailant.

The injured man declined to make a victim impact statement and was not in court as he is on tour in Europe with his band.

There were 43 previous convictions recorded against Mr Cooke, including for drug offences, assault causing harm, and public order offences.

Barrister Jane McCudden, defending, said the rupees taken from the injured man's wallet were found by gardai in the second assailants home, when searched.

Garda Power said when interviewed the second man said he had an urgent need for money and instigated the attack.

He agreed with Ms McCudden that the second man told gardai Mr Cooke did not assault the injured man. The injured man's version of events was quite different to the statement of the second man.

Ms McCudden said that in the past Mr Cooke had his fair share of difficulties with intoxicants. When he is sober he does well but when he falls off the wagon he does so quite hard. He was 26 at the time of this offence.

A probation report was prepared for the court. Ms McCudden also handed in a urinalysis report, letters to the court from the defendant and his partner, photographs of his children and letters in relation to medical appointments.

Mr Cooke accepted responsibility for his actions. He was homeless at the time, using drugs and in a very bad way.

Ms McCudden asked the court to draw a distinction between Mr Cooke and the second man in the case. A sum of 750 was offered to the injured man in compensation, from Mr Cooke.

The barrister said he is now doing well, has two prospective job offers and has successfully completed residential drug rehabilitation. He is attending AA and NA and has the support of his family.

But for his addiction issues Mr Cooke would not be any trouble to the court.

Ms McCudden said it had been a very serious incident, no doubt unpleasant' for the victim She asked the court to give her client an opportunity to complete his good work. He could benefit from Probation Service supervision.

Judge Cormac Quinn said he was not going to make any differentiation between Mr Cooke and the second man in terms of culpability.

Aggravating factors in the case were Mr Cookes previous convictions for assault. Mitigation factors included his early guilty plea, his moderate risk of reoffending and positive lifestyle effort, which if continued will reduce his risk of reoffending.

A sentence of three and a half years imprisonment was imposed. This is to be suspended in full for three and a half years. Judge Quinn said Mr Cooke had made Trojan efforts, he is drug free and various services have invested in his rehabilitation.

He was ordered to enter a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for three and a half years and to be under the supervision of the Probation Service for 18 months.

Judge Quinn said that if the injured party did not want to accept the 750 compensation offered and a charity will be nominated.
Kilkenny County Council Library Service has launched a new wi-fi service at libraries across the county.

Libraries in Ferrybank, Thomastown and Callan will offer eduroam Wi-Fi as part of the eduroam Everywhere initiative.

eduroam stands for education roaming. It provides secure and easy-to-use Wi-Fi access in thousands of locations across more than 100 countries. Students whose college/ university participates in eduroam can simply open their laptop or mobile device within an eduroam hotspot to have immediate internet connectivity.

eduroam in Ireland is pioneered by HEAnet, Irelands National Education and Research Network. They helped enable over 200 eduroam hotspots mainly in universities, institutes of technology and other third-level educational organisations. HEAnet is now working to extend eduroam beyond the campus walls as part of their eduroam Everywhere initiative, supported by Simon Harris T.D., Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, as well as by Heather Humphreys T.D., Minister for Rural and Community Development and other government representatives.

HEAnet worked closely with the County Councils across the Country, with eduroam now available in 166 libraries in 29 local County and City councils.

They will continue to work to expand the service to many new locations that would benefit students such as other libraries, town centres, transport services, and commercial locations. Many of the new locations include areas where broadband access is a major challenge for many students. This remains one of the main areas of focus for the future expansion of the eduroam Everywhere initiative.

We are delighted to partner with HEAnet in providing this new Wi-Fi service for third level students in their local library, at Ferrybank, Thomastown and Callan. For more details see www.kilkennylibrary.ie," said Dorothy OReilly Senior Executive Librarian.

Ronan Byrne, HEAnets CEO, said: We are delighted to welcome Kilkenny County Council Library Service as an eduroam participant. We would like to thank everyone that contributed to making this happen, together we are working towards improving the learning experience of students in Ferrybank, Thomastown and Callan Libraries and reducing the digital divide.

"eduroam Everywhere is a big, ambitious project and we need support to achieve our goals. Our ambition is to make the eduroam service available as widely as possible to students everywhere and we are keen to work with any organisations that wish to include their public Wi-Fi in the eduroam service. Any interested organisations can get in touch by emailing eduroameverywhere@ heanet.ie.
Russia expels 10 diplomats of Baltic states in retaliation

Xinhua) 09:19, March 30, 2022

MOSCOW, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Russia said Tuesday that it is expelling a combined number of 10 diplomats of the three Baltic states in tit-for-tat retaliation.

The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the ambassadors of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia and strongly protested "the provocative, unjustified" expulsion of Russian diplomats, the ministry said in a statement.

Four diplomats of Lithuania, three of Latvia and three of Estonia were ordered to leave Russia based on the principle of reciprocity, it said.

On March 18, the Baltic nations in a coordinated way expelled a total of 10 Russian diplomats "in connection with activities that are contrary to their diplomatic status and taking into account ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine."

(Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun)
The seat of a teen who fell to his death from an amusement park ride in Florida last week was still locked, according to an accident report obtained by CNN that is based on ride employee witnesses.
City of Columbia Mayor

Voters can select one candidate to serve for a term of 3 years.

Barbara Buffaloe is the former Columbia sustainability manager.

is the former Columbia sustainability manager. Tanya Heath is an adjunct professor at the Missouri School of Journalism and the former president of the American Advertising Federation of Mid-Missouri.

is an adjunct professor at the Missouri School of Journalism and the former president of the American Advertising Federation of Mid-Missouri. Randy Minchew is a former Sixth Ward City Council candidate and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Phoenix Programs, an addiction recovery center in Columbia.

is a former Sixth Ward City Council candidate and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Phoenix Programs, an addiction recovery center in Columbia. David Seamon is a member of the Columbia Public Schools Board of Education since 2020 and a veteran of the Marine Corps.

1:59 Candidates talk top issues at Columbia mayoral forum Candidates Barbara Buffaloe, Tanya Heath, Randy Minchew and David Seamon talked trash collection, ARPA funds and crime.

Columbia City Council Third Ward

Voters can select one candidate to service for a term of 3 years.

Roy Lovelady is the owner of 360 Star Styling Studio and is the founder of Peoples Defense in Columbia, an organization that lifts diverse voices within the community.

is the owner of 360 Star Styling Studio and is the founder of Peoples Defense in Columbia, an organization that lifts diverse voices within the community. Karl Skala has served on the city council for four terms, was previously the vice chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission and the director of the Swine Hormone Research Core at MU.

28:37 Candidates talk top issues at Columbia City Council forum Columbia city council candidates shared their views on crime, Columbias homeless population, and trash collection Thursday night.

Columbia City Council Fourth Ward

Voters can select one candidate to service for a term of 3 years.

Nick Foster worked as executive director at Voluntary Action Center (VAC) in Columbia for over nine years.

worked as executive director at Voluntary Action Center (VAC) in Columbia for over nine years. Erica Pefferman is the owner of the Columbia Marketing Group and COMO Magazine.

City of Columbia Use Tax

Voters will be asked if the City of Columbia should expand a 2% tax to out-of-state online vendors.

If approved, the tax would essentially make out of state sellers pay the 2% sales tax that local stores already have to pay. Money from the tax would go toward Capital improvements, parks, transportation and public safety.

1:19 Proposed Columbia local use tax will be on the April 5 ballot A local use tax would tax Columbia residents 2% on goods and services purchased from online, out-of-state vendors.

Columbia School District Board of Education

Voters can select two candidates to serve for a term of 3 years.

Adam Burks has a background in public safety, is a safety facilities manager at Midway USA and a volunteer with the Boone County Fire Protection District at Station 13.

has a background in public safety, is a safety facilities manager at Midway USA and a volunteer with the Boone County Fire Protection District at Station 13. Andrea Lisenby has practice with science and leadership in her career in non-profit medical work and has participated in PTA.

has practice with science and leadership in her career in non-profit medical work and has participated in PTA. Suzette Waters is a longtime Columbia resident and public schools volunteer.

is a longtime Columbia resident and public schools volunteer. Blake Willoughby is a current board member seeking a second term, serves as the chair of the boards long-range facility planning committee and is a member of the boards policy committee.

Columbia School District Bond Issue

Voters will be asked if Columbia Public Schools should levy a $80 million school bond.

If approved, the bond would include money for two new elementary schools, renovations at the Columbia Area Career Center and other projects. The bond would not increase taxes.

Boone County Use Tax

Voters will be asked if Boone County should impose a 1.75% tax, the same rate as the county sales tax.

Similar to the Columbia use tax, the so-called Wayfair Tax would apply to all out-of-state goods bought in Boone County, including sales from online retailers. It is not a new tax and advocates say it is supposed to help level the playing field between online stores and local businesses.

Centralia R-6 Board of Education

Voters can select two candidates to serve a term of three years each.

Brian Paul Bostick is a physician of cardiovascular disease at MU Health Care. He currently is the board president.

is a physician of cardiovascular disease at MU Health Care. He currently is the board president. Jacob William Heimer is a current board member for the Audrain County Fair, and is employed at Cattle Visions.

is a current board member for the Audrain County Fair, and is employed at Cattle Visions. Dwain B. Shelton is a farmer and the owner of Shelton Seed.

Centralia R-6 Bond Issue

Voters will be asked if the Centralia R-6 School District shall borrow $10 million to construct, renovate, repair, furnish and equip school sites and buildings.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

If approved, the school district's debt would not be impacted.

Harrisburg R-8 Board of Education

Voters can select two candidates to serve a term of three years each.

Josh Byrd is a newcomer to the election. He is married to a teacher who currently teaches at the Harrisburg School district.

is a newcomer to the election. He is married to a teacher who currently teaches at the Harrisburg School district. Hal Fisher is a current school board member.

is a current school board member. Davin Stidham is the current school board president.

Harrisburg R-8 Proposition K.I.D.S. (Keep Improving District Schools)

Voters will be asked if the Harrisburg R-8 School District shall borrow $3 million to fund site development, construct, equip and furnish of the elementary or middle school library and computer lab addition; to pave the high school parking lot; to renovate the high school kitchen; and construct, equip and furnish a new performing arts addition to the high school, as well as a multi-purpose building and other repairs as needed.

If approved, the school district's debt would not be impacted.

City of Ashland Mayor

Voters can select one candidate to serve a term of two years.

Loren Plank is a data manager for Graves Foods.

is a data manager for Graves Foods. Dorise Slinker is a current Ward Three Alderman.

is a current Ward Three Alderman. Jordaan Sieben is a real estate agent with Advantage Real Estate Holdings.

City of Ashland Alderman Ward Three

Voters can select one candidate to serve a term of two years.

Rick Lewis is a current Ward Three Alderman.

is a current Ward Three Alderman. Elisabeth Sobczak is a current board member for the City of Ashland's Parks and Recreation Board.

City of Ashland Use Tax

Voters will be asked if the city of Ashland shall impose a local use tax equivalent to the local sales tax. If the local sales tax is reduced or raised by voter approval, the potential use tax would be reduced or raised by the same amount.

City of Hallsville Mayor

Voters can select one candidate to serve a term of two years.

Logan Carter is the current mayor and has served since 2018.

is the current mayor and has served since 2018. Carl M. South

Tryton L. Roberts is the current chairman of the city of Hallsville Park Board.

City of Hallsville Alderman Ward One

Voters can select one candidate to serve a term of two years.

Stephen McLane is a current Ward One Alderman, an environmental scientist with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and a Captain of the Boone County Fire Protection District.

is a current Ward One Alderman, an environmental scientist with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and a Captain of the Boone County Fire Protection District. Ryan N. Johnson currently works as the COO at Chariton Valley. He previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1990-1994.

City of Hallsville Alderman Ward Two

Voters can select one candidate to serve a term of two years.

Tony Lindsay is a current Ward Two Alderman.

is a current Ward Two Alderman. Krisan Lewis

City of Sturgeon Candidate at Large

Voters can select two candidates to serve a term of two years each on the Board of Aldermen.

Danny Joiner is the former mayor of Sturgeon.

is the former mayor of Sturgeon. Seth Truesdell is a current Ward Two alderman.

is a current Ward Two alderman. David Day

City of Sturgeon Elections Question

Voters will be asked if the city of Sturgeon shall be authorized for six years to waive a municipal election for particular offices if the number of candidates filed for an office equal to the number of open positions for the office.

For more information, visit the Boone County Clerk's website.
Video art visionary Nam June Paik poses with his robot sculpture "Rehabilitation of Genghis Khan," which was unveiled at the 1993 Venice Biennale. Courtesy of Age Fotostock



By Park Han-sol



In 1977, two weeks before he turned 45, Nam June Paik (1932-2006) declared it was "time for Archeology of Avantgarde"  an unusual phrase he chose to trace the origins of his avant-garde spirit of experimentation that would help set the foundations of his imposing legacy as a video art visionary.



In his "archeological" effort, Paik recalled the moment he first heard about Austrian-American composer Arnold Schoenberg, who had been described to him as "a devil or the most extreme avantgarde." That description alone moved him at the age of 15, and from that point on, the composer became the driving force of the young artist's life.



He then went on to launch a string of questions  why was he interested in Schoenberg and the idea of the most extreme? The answer, he stated, lay in his adventurous "Mongolian DNA," in a figurative sense.



"Mongolian Ural-[Altaic] horseback hunting people moved around the world in [the] prehistoric age from Siberia to Peru to Korea to Nepal to Lappland," he wrote. "They saw far and when they see a new horizon far away, they had to go and see far more. Tele-vision means in Greek to 'see far.'"



Hence, he found television screens and the video art genre to be the ideal playground for his boundless creative spirit.



Marking the 90th anniversary of Paik's birth this year, the Nam June Paik (NJP) Art Center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, has brought two new exhibitions proving once again that the late artist was a pioneer in the truest sense of the word.





Nam June Paik installs his video sculpture "TV Buddha" (1974) at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. Courtesy of Rene Block



The first show, "Archeology of Avantgarde," named directly from Paik's own phrase, "flashes back" to 10 significant moments of the artist's five-decade career in reverse chronological order from 2000 to 1964.



"This exhibition has been organized with an aim to help the general public understand Paik's pioneering oeuvre in a more comprehensible and intuitive way," curator Lee Soo-young said during a press conference last week.





Nam June Paik's "TV Cello" (2002) / Courtesy of NJP Art Center

"At the same time, we wanted the artist to be remembered as more than just as a video art visionary, but as someone who never stopped venturing into other diverse mediums including lasers, robots, multi-channel videos, music, satellite broadcasts and collaboration with technicians."



In addition to his globally acclaimed masterpieces  such as the international satellite installation "Good Morning Mr. Orwell," video sculpture "TV Buddha" and "TV Cello"  there are works speaking directly to the digital future envisioned by Paik that has indeed become a present-day reality.



The robot sculpture "Rehabilitation of Genghis Khan," which was first displayed at the 1993 Venice Biennale, represents Genghis Khan of the 20th century and a new version of the Silk Road between the East and the West  the non-physical "electronic superhighway," which foresaw the current era of internet and digital communication.





From left, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Nam June Paik and Shuya Abe pose in front of the Paik-Abe Video Synthesizer. Courtesy of Tom Haar



Another piece indicating the artist's vision that proved to be ahead of his time is the Paik-Abe Video Synthesizer, born in 1969 from Paik's collaboration with technician Shuya Abe.



The synthesizer is capable of editing and shuffling clips received from video cameras in real time, adding dynamic changes to the colors, shapes, sizes and lighting of the original to give birth to an entirely new, psychedelic collage of images.



"This was the product of Paik's desire to popularize the making, editing and sharing of videos, transforming them into an everyday activity that could be done at any household  something that was unthinkable in the 1970s," Lee explained.



After "Archeology of Avantgarde," viewers are invited to a more abstruse, enigmatic world of Paik as they enter the second exhibition, titled "The Last Consummate Second  Symphony No. 2."



This is the Korean premiere of the performance of "Symphony for 20 Rooms," a mysterious text score that was composed by the artist in 1961 but was never brought to life during his lifetime.



The piece is called a "symphony," although Paik was never a person whose words could be taken literally.





Nam June Paik's "Symphony for 20 Rooms" (1961) detail, Peter Wenzel collection / Courtesy of NJP Art Center



Instead of looking like a typical music score filled with notes and scales designed for an orchestra, Paik's symphony consists of bizarre text instructions that require a range of objects, devices and even living creatures to create his own whimsical version of cacophony.



He instructed his eccentric score to be recreated in 16 rooms, or sections  despite the title being "Symphony for 20 Rooms"  which can stimulate viewers' auditory as well as visual, olfactory and tactual senses.



For example, Paik writes that the third room must contain a live hen in a cage, 100-watt light and soft yet mystical incense. While some viewers may attempt to grasp the logic behind the artist's creative process as they move further down the score, the artist makes that journey all the more baffling  yet intriguing  by presenting rooms like No. 8.



In this section, walls are instructed to be covered with national flags, old clothes and sexy underwear. In the background, an old tape recorder is playing national anthems from Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Russia, in addition to what he wrote as "Nazi Song (Morgen die Ganze Welt)."



One room, No. 13, remains decidedly empty.



"Many unanswered questions can be raised at this point. Why are there only 16 rooms instead of 20 as presented in the title? Why does an empty room need to exist at all? It's because for Paik, the number 20 had less to do with the physical number of sections, but more to do with the number of different sound sources and imagined situations that viewers can encounter freely," curator Han Noo-ri said.



"And perhaps an empty room exists to hint at the possibility that this score can grow and expand further from here on. It's not literally a void space; rather it is full of unseen yet possible events that can unfold."



"Archeology of Avantgarde" runs through Sept. 18, while "The Last Consummate Second  Symphony No. 2" will close on June 19 at the NJP Art Center.






By Oscar Arias





SAN JOSE  As the crisis in Ukraine becomes more acute, so does the need for negotiations. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that Ukraine is "being decimated before the eyes of the world," with the only reasonable option being "an immediate cessation of hostilities and serious negotiations based on the principles of the U.N. Charter and international law."



Though there have been talks between Ukraine and Russia, news reports have emphasized their failure to make progress. But make no mistake: a negotiated settlement is the only way forward. Even in seemingly intractable situations with intransigent actors, the power of reason can prevail. Dialogue can make the impossible possible. I know this from personal experience.



In my first term as president of Costa Rica in the late 1980s, the situation in Central America also was considered intractable. Civil wars in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua had produced appalling bloodshed and suffering. Achieving comprehensive peace agreements among the parties seemed like a pipe dream  at least in the eyes of self-described realists. Nonetheless, we managed to bring the parties together, and it happened: the wars ended.



Something similar could still happen in Ukraine. Russia's invasion is a flagrant violation of international law and the U.N. Charter, but that does not eliminate the possibility of arriving at an agreement that assures peace and security for both Russia and Ukraine.



Consider the alternatives. The international community has responded to the invasion with sanctions and arms, but no one thinks that these alone can end Ukraine's suffering. Weapons and ammunition might help Ukraine's brave defenders face down Russian tanks and planes, but they also might prolong the war and increase the toll of deaths and casualties.



And while some may welcome a longer conflict as a strategy to wear down Russia's forces and pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin's government, that, too, would result in enormous human costs  even if it turned out to work as planned.



Many more people would die on both sides, and more unrest within Russia would spark even harsher crackdowns and an even greater loss of fundamental freedoms and civil liberties. The longer the conflict goes on, and the wider the divide between Russia and the world's democracies, the more difficult it will be to pursue global cooperation on climate change, pandemic recovery, financial stability, the rule of law, and  perhaps most important  nuclear security.



The longer this war rages, the greater the risk of a nuclear holocaust becomes. That specter already casts a shadow over all other geopolitical, regional, and national considerations. George F. Kennan, the 20th-century diplomat who framed the United States' Cold War policy of containment, put it aptly:



"The readiness to use nuclear weapons against other human beings  against people we do not know, whom we have never seen, and whose guilt or innocence is not for us to establish  and, in doing so, to place in jeopardy the natural structure upon which all civilization rests, as though the safety and perceived interests of our own generation were more important than everything that has taken place or could take place in civilization: this is nothing less than a presumption, a blasphemy, an indignity  an indignity of monstrous dimensions  offered to God!"



In today's crisis, we need all relevant parties to pledge, at a minimum, that they will not be the first to use, or threaten to use, a nuclear weapon. This can be achieved only through dialogue and negotiation.



In his 1961 inauguration address, U.S. President John F. Kennedy famously said, "Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate." He then put those words into practice. After the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis  a brush with the apocalypse  came negotiations that led to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which rests on the promise of nuclear disarmament. Today, 191 countries  including Russia, the U.S., and all NATO members  are parties to it.



We have come together before to repudiate nuclear brinkmanship; we can do it again now. The recent U.N. General Assembly resolution on Ukraine "urges the immediate peaceful resolution of the conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine through political dialogue, negotiations, mediation and other peaceful means." These words echo the desire of people everywhere.



Of course, negotiating a comprehensive settlement will not be easy. Sporadic meetings to air political grievances do not help. What is needed now is a ceasefire and serious dialogue at the highest level. We should commend all efforts in this direction, remembering that the alternative is ever-expanding hostilities.



That is why many other Nobel Peace Prize laureates have joined me in calling on the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, the U.S., the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other countries to pursue high-level diplomacy immediately.



The parties to negotiations  even officials at the highest level  must bear in mind that they cannot expect to get everything they want. They must be willing to understand other parties' interests and viewpoints. Ukraine must be assured of its sovereignty, security, and democracy. Russia must be assured that its security interests are being respected and accommodated. Both sides must be prepared to be flexible and make concessions.



Provided those conditions are met, negotiations can yield progress toward peace. In fact, it is the only approach that can produce a lasting resolution. While this prospect may seem unreachable now, we should not lose hope. As Costa Rica's poet Isaac Felipe Azofeifa wrote:



Truly, son, all the stars have departed. But it never gets darker than when the dawn is about to break.



We are living through dark times. But sometimes tragedy becomes a conduit out of which brighter futures are born. I witnessed it in Central America. May the world soon witness it in Ukraine.





Oscar Arias, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was president of Costa Rica from 1986 to 1990 and 2006 to 2010. This article was distributed by Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org).


The City of Angola Board of Zoning and Appeals BZA council met on Monday night at the Angola City Hall building. (Left to Right) BZA Vice Chairman Howard McKeever, Chairman Brant Moore, Angola City Attorney Kim Shoup, BAZ Council member Mike Sutter and Angola City Director of Planning and Economic Development, Jennifer Barclay
The landing page at indianavoters.com is pictured. Hoosiers can log on to the website to register to vote or check their registration. The registration deadline to be eligible to vote in this springs May 3 primary is Monday.
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

A few showers early, becoming a steady light rain for the afternoon. High 53F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low 46F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
slide 2 of 6

Super Junior is seen departing for Tokyo, Japan through Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 on March 28. The group is scheduled for a fan meeting in the country.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Reasons Large K-pop Groups Are Popular? Pros & Cons of Multiple Members in Team
BLACKPINK member Rose's Instagram comments were flooded with malicious comments.

Keep on reading to know the reason.

BLACKPINK Rose's Instagram Flooded With Malicious Comments

On March 27, BLACKPINK member Rose's Instagram comment section was flooded with several malicious comments. Many included the vomiting and snake emojis. Why did this happen?

Because, at the time, Rose did not leave a happy birthday message for Lisa, who was celebrating her 25th birthday on March 27.

In particular, there were many comments in English. The commenters, who are believed to be Lisa's fans, repeatedly commented, "How can you forget a friend's birthday?" and "You are a fake friend."

In South Korea, many people took to various online community forums to speculate that there was a conflict between the two. People believe this potential discord between the two BLACKPINK members caused Rose not to post a birthday greeting for Lisa on Instagram.

BLACKPINK Rose Greets Lisa Happy Birthday Late

Rose, who is currently in the United States, left a birthday greeting on social media on March 28, KST. Though she greeted her on the right day with her timezone, many people thought she had forgotten to greet Lisa because she did not follow the Korean timezone.

ALSO READ: THIS is Why BLACKPINK Rose Greeted Lisa Late for Her Birthday

After Rose posted her birthday greeting for Lisa, the malicious comments stopped.

Many left comments to Rose after the incident, such as, "We love you," "I hope you do not mind the number of malicious comments," and "I hope the Lisa fans who left malicious comments will reflect and delete their comments."

ALSO READ: BLACKPINK Rose Gets Spotted at Dua Lipa Concert With Mystery Man

As of writing, Rose has not commented on the malicious comments.

What do you think of the situation? Tell us in the comments below!

BLACKPINK's Last Korean Musical Release

BLACKPINK's last Korean musical release was their first studio album, "THE ALBUM," and its lead single, "Lovesick Girls," on October 2, 2022.

Following its release, "THE ALBUM" charted at number two on the Billboard 200 and the UK Album Chart. This makes BLACKPINK the highest-charting K-pop female artist on both charts.

Additionally, "THE ALBUM" broke the record for first-week album sales by a K-pop girl group, selling 590,000 copies. BLACKPINK became the first million-seller K-pop girl group in less than a month, selling 1.2 million copies.

ALSO READ: BLACKPINK Rose Draws Attention After Being Spotted Using THIS Item

Before the release of the music video for "Lovesick Girls," BLACKPINK appeared on YouTube's latest original music show, "Released," as its first featured artist on October 1. The program gave viewers "unfiltered access" to moments in the group

For more K-Pop news, always keep your tabs open here on KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Alexa Lewis
An iconic part of (G)I-DLE's "MY BAG" has sparked a dance trend online! Keep on reading for all the details!

(G)I-DLE Creates New Dance Trend With 'MY BAG'

Besides their highly successful title song, "TOMBOY," the b-sidetracks from (G)I-DLE's album "I NEVER DIE," which was released on March 14, is also attracting a lot of attention from internet users. In particular, the song "MY BAG," which has a catchy hip-hop melody combined with the unique voices of the five members, is considered a new hit in the K-pop market.

With "MY BAG," Soyeon not only earned praise for composing the song but for her endless creativity. At the song's start, Soyeon holds her microphone upside-down and performs a strong hip-shaking choreography.

This dance move has sparked a new dance trend on social media, with many youthful internet users hopping on the trend.

Along with compliments on Soyeon's creativity, many invite their friends to try the trend. Others pointed out that the trend is great for losing weight, but many joked that you need a healthy spine to pull the dance-off.

While it is fun to look out, dancing too much might cause backache!

On TikTok, several content creators have danced a cover of Soyeon's part of "MY BAG." However, K-pop fans have taken it a step further!

Many have taken clips of popular idols, most notably SEVENTEEN and NCT members, and synthesized them with "MY BAG." These clips made it look like the idols had taken part in the viral "MY BAG" dance trend! The videos used by fans usually contain clips of their favorite idols shaking their hips and twerking.

Some comments concerning the "MY BAG" trend read, "You need a healthy spine for this trend. My back hurts a lot just by looking at it!" "Not a fan of the song, but I love this part. Soyeon is so talented," and "You will reduce your fat after dancing this. Killing two birds with one stone."

What do you think of the situation? Tell us in the comments below!

(G)I-DLE's Recent Activities

On March 14, 2022, (G)I-DLE released their mini-album, "I NEVER DIE," and its lead single, "TOMBOY." Following the single's release, "TOMBOY' entered number two on the Gaon Digital Chart and Download CHart. On the Billboard K-Pop Hot 100, "TOMBOY" charted at number 21, then rose to number one the following week.

In the United States, "TOMBOY" entered at number 14 on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart, then peaked to number 12 the following week. On the Global 200, "TOMBOY" debuted at number 58.

For more K-Pop news and updates, always keep your tabs open here on KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Alexa Lewis
Registration is now live for the 2022 Womens Weekend Lake Geneva, an annual retreat scheduled for Friday through Sunday, May 13-15.

Under the banner theme of The Roaring 20s, the fun-filled weekend offers a variety of activities from which to choose, including wellness classes, wine and food experiences, and educational workshops.

Planned social events include a 1920s-themed kick-off evening reception at the historic Riviera Ballroom, and a sunset cocktail cruise on Geneva Lake.

Visit www.lakegenevawomensweekend.com or the Womens Weekend Facebook page to register and for more about the event schedule. Tickets are $65.

Womens Weekend Lake Geneva is managed by the Geneva Lake Womens Association (GLWA). Key sponsors include the City of Lake Geneva and Kunes Auto, as well as Maxwell Mansion, Seven Oaks Bed and Breakfast, Lake Geneva Lodge, The Bottle Shop, and Jayne.

Proceeds from Womens Weekend will go to Twin Oaks Shelter, Agape House, and Side by Side and other charitable organizations throughout greater Walworth County.

For more about GLWA, visit www.glwa.net.
New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) The BJP wants to fight and win polls everywhere on basis of its ideology, programmes, leadership's popularity and performance of the government, and not by unleashing violence against rivals, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday.

Replying to the debate over the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, in Lok Sabha, Shah said the BJP wants to form government everywhere and that is why it fights polls.

Also Read | CCS Approves Procurement of 15 Light Combat Helicopters Worth Rs 3,887 Crore.

"Why did you go to Goa, why are you going to Tripura. You have the right to go, I don't say don't go, every party must go with their ideology, programmes, performance to all places, this is the beauty of democracy," Shah said in an apparent response to remarks made by TMC MP Saugata Roy.

Only those who are afraid of losing power can have an objection to it, not the proponents of democracy, he added.

Also Read | Maharashtra: Two Boats Carrying Illegally Stocked Diesel Seized off Mumbai Coast; Two Persons Held.

"I want to say that on the basis of our programmes, ideology, popularity of leadership and the performance of our government, we want to fight polls and win everywhere. But we don't want to grab power by killing workers of rival parties, carrying out series of murders, by raping wives and daughters of (rival) party workers. This is not our culture," Shah said in an apparent reference to West Bengal and the ruling TMC there.

He also took a swipe at the Congress and the TMC, saying they are parties run for families and don't hold internal polls for years.

"First hold polls in your party, then talk about country," Shah said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bengaluru, Mar 30 (PTI) A Special Court in Bengaluru has ordered the registration of a 'special criminal case' against former Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa regarding alleged corruption in a land denotification issue when he was the deputy CM in the BJP-JDS coalition government in 2006-07.

Also Read | Sukhoi Su-30MKI Aircraft Suffers Tyre Burst After Landing at Pune Airport, Leads to Runway Blockage.

Sessions Judge B Jayantha Kumar of the special court, set up exclusively to deal with criminal cases related to elected MPs/MLAs in Karnataka, has issued the order on March 26, based on a private complaint by one Vasudeva Reddy.

Also Read | MP TET Answer Key 2022 Released At peb.mp.gov.in; Check Details Here.

"Register a Special Criminal Case against the accused No.2 Sri B.S.Yediyurappa for the offence punishable under Sec.13(1)(d) R/w Sec.13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Issue summons to accused No.2 for his attendance only after filing of list of witnesses as required under Sec.204(2) Cr.P.C., and process fee is paid," the order says.

According to the complainant, the state government under the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Act acquired 434 acres of land in Bellandur, Devarabeesanahalli, Kariyammana Agrahara and Amanibellandur Khane to establish an Information Technology park. The same was however denotified by Yeddiyurappa "in favour of private persons without any public benefit."

The court in its order said the complainant has made a prima facie case against Yediyurappa, who has to be summoned to the court after due process.

"I am of the considered opinion that there are sufficient material to proceed against the accused by registering Special Criminal Case and summoning the accused No.2 for his attendance and give an opportunity to the complainant to establish his allegations against the accused No.2.

"I am of the considered opinion that there is nothing on record to disbelieve the case of the complainant at this stage. He has made out a prima facie case against the accused for the offence punishable under Sec.13(1)(d) R/w Sec.13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988," the court noted.

Yediyurappa was the second accused in the original complaint filed by Vasudeva Reddy in 2013 with the then Industries Minister R V Deshpande being the accused number one. The case against Deshpande, however, came to be quashed by the High Court in 2015.

Yediyurappa remains the sole accused in this case now. The Lokayukta police which investigated the case filed a 'B' Report in the case giving a clean chit to Yediyurappa citing that there was no evidence of illegal gratification.

In a criminal case, the B Report submitted in court means that the police has completed the investigation and there is no offence made out against the accused.

The Special Court, though, had rejected the B Report in 2021.

In its latest order, the court has specified that the lack of evidence of illegal gratification to the accused does not prohibit initiating investigation under Section 13(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) The Delhi government and the city's power regulator DERC on Wednesday wrote to the Centre asking it to ensure adequate electricity supply to save the national capital from blackouts during the summer season.

The power ministry had issued instructions to the Northern Regional Power Committee (NRPC) to re-allocate Delhi's share of 728 MW from the NTPC Dadri-II plant to Haryana from April 1, officials said.

Also Read | CCS Approves Procurement of 15 Light Combat Helicopters Worth Rs 3,887 Crore.

However, in an urgent hearing earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court stayed the implementation of the power ministry's order, which was issued on Monday, they said, adding that the next date of hearing in the matter is April 1.

The secretary of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) in a letter to the ministry's secretary requested it to "immediately withdraw" the reallocation order to avoid blackout in certain parts of the national capital and to meet continuous supply of power to run essential services like the Delhi Metro rail and hospitals.

Also Read | Maharashtra: Two Boats Carrying Illegally Stocked Diesel Seized off Mumbai Coast; Two Persons Held.

"Electricity being in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure supply of 24X7 power in the capital of India, no reallocation of power from Delhi to other states can be done unilaterally by MoP (Ministry of Power), Government of India without concurrence of the DERC, Delhi government and Delhi distribution licensees," the DERC said in the letter to the ministry.

Power from the NTPC's Dadri-II plant is "extremely crucial" for ensuring energy security of the national capital. The re-allocation will lead to a power crisis in the city and impact around 23 per cent of consumers, besides essential services including hospitals, vaccination centres, and strategic and defence installations, officials said.

Sources said that the reallocation of power from Delhi to Haryana caught electricity distribution companies (discoms) unaware.

The city's discoms have already surrendered power allocation from the Dadri-I plant, citing high cost, from November 2020, they said.

"The reallocation of power to Delhi from Dadri-II is also beyond comprehension as the power purchase agreement of discoms for scheduling power from Dadri-II is valid and in force till July 30, 2035, when it completes stipulated 25 years," a source said.

The reallocation from the Dadri-II plant will pose a big problem before the discoms as such a large quantum of power (728 MW) at short notice may not be easily available at the power exchange, where the rates are already fluctuating between Rs 10-15 per unit, the officials said.

The special secretary of the Delhi government's power department in the letter to the ministry requested directions for central sector power generating stations to ensure availability of electricity to Delhi as per their allocation, especially from hydro power plants, Dadri-II and Aravali (Jhajjar).

This will help avoid purchase of costly power from exchanges or gas-based stations, the letter said.

"The Government of NCT of Delhi in its recent communication dated 06.01.2022 to NTPC Limited has requested for reallocation of surrendered power of various NTPC stations. In the said communication, Government of NCT of Delhi has not shown its intent to surrender/relocation of power of Dadri-II," it stated.

Delhi cannot afford to have load shedding due to power shortages. However, 100 per cent reallocation of Delhi's share in Dadri-II will "hamper" the power requirement in the national capital during the peak summer and lead to power "disruption" in the city", the letter said.

It pointed that the peak load of Delhi reached 7,323 MW on July 2, 2021, and is likely to touch 8,200 MW in the ensuing summer season. PTI VIT

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 30 (ANI): The habit of nurturing, encouraging, and celebrating entrepreneurship should be cultivated in society as entrepreneurs have the huge potential of generating bigger dreams, said state Minister CN Ashwath Narayan on Tuesday.

Speaking here in the TiE- The Indus Entrepreneurs, annual celebration, he told, "today Bengaluru has attained world fame because of the immense contribution of entrepreneurs."

Also Read | Matua Dharma Maha Mela 2022: PM Narendra Modi Calls Upon Matua Community To Raise Awareness To Remove Corruption at Every Level in the Society.

He added, by realising the importance of entrepreneurship, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been implementing policies and programmes to encourage entrepreneurs.

"Society should not have only who are job seekers. In a country like India with a huge population of 140 crores, there are abundant opportunities to become successful entrepreneurs. In recent times, it has been a good thing to witness the gradual blooming of startups," he told.

Also Read | Andhra Pradesh Shocker: 3-Month-Old Girl Sold Seven Times in Three Months in Guntur; Eleven Arrested.

"The National Education Policy (NEP-2020) has the objective of making students globally employable by imparting skills to them. Along with this, government departments are also being encouraged to be in constant touch with entrepreneurs unlike in earlier years," Narayan stated.

"Earlier there used to be a tendency to blame entrepreneurs for all the evils of society. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi has changed this mindset. Wealth creation in a society would not be possible at all without entrepreneurs. Equality in the society can be realised only when industries are strengthened," he opined.

Madan Padaki, Chairperson, TiE Bengaluru, Arun, entrepreneur were among the attendees. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Guntur (Andhra Pradesh) [India], March 30 (ANI): Eleven people have been arrested in a child trafficking case here for allegedly selling a three-month-old baby, said Hyderabad police on Wednesday.

A three-month-old girl was sold by her father for Rs 70,000, and 11 people were found to have been involved in the case, said the police, adding that all the accused have been apprehended.

Also Read | Gurugram: Gobind Das, 85-Year-Old Priests Decapitated Body Found on Temple Premises in Kadarpur Village.

The matter came to light after the mother and grandmother of the infant reported the case to the police, accusing the father of the child for selling for Rs 70,000 as he was habituated to bad vices.

Deputy Superintendent of police of North division, Mangalgiri Police Station, J Rambabu said, "We rescued the infant and handed her over safely to the parents. The main accused in the case is her father who had sold the baby. The baby was sold to many people subsequently and the accused do not have any criminal backgrounds. Lastly, she was sold for Rs 2,50,000 before police caught the culprits."

Also Read | Cryptocurrency Heist: Hacker Steals $625 Million in Crypto From Blockchain Platform Ronin.

The police also stated that the accused who had bought the baby belonged to Mangalgiri, Dachepally, Hyderabad while the infant was finally rescued from Vijayawada.

The accused Manoj, father of the infant, has two other daughters. Three months ago, when his wife gave birth to another girl child, the accused with the help of a woman, Mikkili Nagalakshmi, from the same area, sold the baby to a married woman Meghawat Gayatri alias Saraswati of Kondaprolu village in Damracharla Mandal of Nalgonda district for Rs 70,000.

Later, Meghawat Gayatri, who had bought the baby, sold her for Rs 1,20,000 to Bhookya Balavartiraju of Dilshuk Nagar, Hyderabad, who in turn sold the infant to Nurjahan for Rs 1,87,000.

Nur Jahan with the help of another accused Anubhoju Uday Kiran of Khammam district sold the baby to Bommada Ummadevi of Chikkadpally Narayana Guda in Hyderabad for Rs 1,90,000 who further sold her to Padala Shravani of Vijayawada Benz Circle for Rs 2,00,000.

Padala Sravani sold the baby to Garikamukku Vijayalakshmi of Gollapudi, Vijayawada for Rs 2,20,000 who lastly sold the baby to Varre Ramesh of Eluru, East Godavari district for Rs 2,50,000.

"On the direction of Guntur District Urban Superintendent of Police Arif Hafeez, the police team caught the culprits and rescued the baby and handed her over to the parents. Urban SP Arif Hafeez announced the rewards for the police officers and staff that excelled in the case," said the DSP Rambabu. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], March 30 (ANI): Two terrorists of the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) -- Rayees Ahmad Bhat, a former journalist, and C category terrorist Hilal Ah Rah -- were killed in an encounter in the Rainawari area of Srinagar on Wednesday.

The Kashmir Zone Police said that one of the killed terrorists was carrying a media Identity Card (ID). Rayees Ahmad Bhat was earlier a journalist and was running an online news portal 'ValleyNews Service' in Anantnag, added the police.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Says Signals From Peace Talks Positive.

"Bhat had terrorist ranks in 2021. Two FIRs were already registered against him for terror crimes," the police informed.

The second terrorist killed in the encounter has been identified as Hilal Ah Rah of Bijbehara, a 'C' categorised terrorist, said Kashmir Zone Police in a tweet.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi to Virtually Attend BIMSTEC Summit 2022 Today.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar informed that the two terrorists killed in the encounter were involved in several recent terror crimes, including killings of civilians.

The police stated that the media card with one of the killed terrorists indicated misuse of the media identity.

"Rayees Ahmad Bhat, categorised among the local terrorists with allegiance to the proscribed terror outfit LeT, was carrying a media identity card (ID). It indicates a clear case of misuse of the media identity," tweeted Jammu and Kashmir police.

Incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, have been recovered from the encounter site, added the police. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Hyderabad, March 30: Expressing concern over the future of medical students who returned to India from war-torn Ukraine, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to increase seats in the country's medical colleges to accommodate these students.

"Indian students who were studying in various medical colleges in Ukraine were forced to interrupt their education at different stages and return to India under conditions of extreme hardship due to the sudden eruption of war in Ukraine. The dislocation has jeopardised the future of these Indian students who have devoted considerable time and spent large sums of money in pursuing their medical education in Ukraine, which is now likely to remain incomplete," wrote KCR in his letter to Prime Minister Modi.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Annual Examinations 2022: Bizarre Questions Such As Antonym for Tree, Opposite of 60 Leave Students Stumped.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief said there are over 20,000 Indian students who have been dislocated from Ukraine due to the war. Most of them are from middle-class families which will lose their lifetime savings without any hope of completing the medical education of their children.

The Chief Minister said there are over 700 students from Telangana, who have returned from Ukraine without completing their medical education. In view of the hardship faced by them, the Telangana government has decided that the medical college fee for students belonging to Telangana will be borne by the state government.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Hails Konkan Railway For Completing 100% Electrification.

"Considering the exceptional circumstances of these students, I would request that as a special case to help them complete their education, they may be enabled to join medical colleges in the country in equivalent semesters in relaxation of the regulations in vogue. For this purpose, permission may also be accorded to proportionately increase the seats in different semesters in the medical colleges on a one-time basis to accommodate these students. I request you to kindly consider the matter sympathetically and take an early decision in this regard," urged KCR.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Srinagar, March 30: One of the terrorists of the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), who have been killed in an encounter in the Rainawari area of Srinagar on Wednesday, was carrying an Identity Card (ID) of media.

It indicates a clear case of misuse of media, said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir.

"One of the killed categorised local terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT was carrying an Identity Card (ID) of media. It indicates a clear case of misuse of media: IGP Kashmir," tweeted Jammu and Kashmir police. Srinagar Encounter: 2 LeT Terrorists Killed in Gunfight With Security Forces in Jammu and Kashmirs Zakura Area.

Earlier on Wednesday, two terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba/The Resistance Front (LeT/TRF) have been killed in an encounter that began in the Rainawari area of Srinagar on Wednesday, said Jammu and Kashmir police.

Both the terrorists were involved in several recent terror crimes including civilian killings, said Inspector General of Police Kashmir.

Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition have been recovered, added the police.

Further details shall follow.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], March 30 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday conducted raids at two locations in Punjab in connection with last year's Ludhiana district court blast which had left one dead and six injured.

The NIA claimed to have seized several incriminating documents including digital evidence like mobile phones during those searches conducted in the Khanna region in Ludhiana.

Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Shocker: Medical Student Found Dead in Hostel; Kin Say He Ended Life Due to Ragging.

The case was initially registered on December 23 last year by Punjab Police the day when the bomb blast took place on the court premises. The NIA took over the investigation on January 13 this year.

During the investigation, the NIA said it identified the person who died in the blast as Gagandeep Singh, a resident of Khanna.

Also Read | CCS Approves Procurement of 15 Light Combat Helicopters Worth Rs 3,887 Crore.

Soon after the blast, Ludhiana Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar informed that the explosion was heard near the Record Room on the second floor of the Ludhiana Court complex.

The blast was so powerful that one of the walls in the complex got damaged and the windows of some vehicles parked on the premises were shattered. The district court was functioning when the explosion took place.

This was the second major blast in Ludhiana after the Shingar Cinema blast that claimed the lives of six persons in 2007. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Indore, March 30: The body of a 21-year-old student of a private medical college here was found hanging in his hostel room, with his close relatives alleging that he took the extreme step as he was subjected to ragging in the institute.

The body of Chetan Patidar, a first year MBBS student of Index Medical College, was found hanging in his hostel room, Khudail police station sub-inspector Suresh Pawar said on Wednesday. Telangana: Six Students Suspended From Government Medical College Suryapet for Ragging.

"We did not find any suicide note from the room, but prima facie it is case of suicide," he said. On the allegation of family members that their son took the extreme step because of ragging, the ASI said that police are probing the matter from all angles and the body has been sent for autopsy.

Vijay Patidar, a close relative of the victim, alleged that his seniors were ragging and troubling him for quite some time and that the victim had complained to the college authorities and sought permission to allow him to shift to a rented room outside the college, which they had denied.

He also alleged that the college authorities informed the family about the incident "very late". Efforts to contact the college dean on the issue proved futile.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Darjeeling (WB), Mar 30 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday sought to know from the Centre what academic measures would be taken for students who have returned from war-torn Ukraine.

She said that it was the duty of the central government to take "full care of the students".

Also Read | Supreme Court Orders Detention of Man For A Day Till The Rising Of The Court For Forging Medical Certificate Seeking Extension Of Time To Surrender.

"I will request the Prime Minister to tell us what measures are being taken for the Ukraine-returned Indian students... the 17,000 students. What about their studies? Is it not the duty of the government to take full care of these students?" Banerjee told reporters here.

The CM is on an official tour to the northern districts of the state.

Also Read | Javed Akhtar Recalls How Congress and BJP Worked Unitedly on Passing the Copyright Act of 1957.

Banerjee also asserted that her government was ready to help the Ukraine-returned students with their academics, unlike the Centre.

"I met 400 students who returned to Bengal. We are ready to extended education-related help to them free of cost, she added.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) Italian financial services firm Generali on Wednesday said it has become the majority shareholder of the Indian life insurance joint venture following all the regulatory approval.

The company has completed the acquisition of the entire stake of around 16 per cent held by Industrial Investment Trust Limited (IITL) in Future Generali India Life (FGIL) and the subscription of additional shares in FGLI, following receipt of all necessary approvals from the relevant regulatory and competition authorities.

Also Read | DRDO Recruitment 2022: Apply For 8 Research Vacancies at drdo.gov.in; Check Details Here.

Generali now holds a stake of around 68 per cent in FGIL, which may increase further to 71 per cent by the end of 2022, following further subscription of shares, the company said in a statement.

Generali is the first player among international insurers to step-up to a majority shareholder position in its Indian joint venture since the new foreign ownership cap came into effect.

Also Read | Here is How Chinas TikTok, Facebook Influencers Push Propaganda.

Last year, the government amended the Insurance Amendment Bill, 2021 to increase the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the insurance sector to 74 per cent from 49 per cent.

The deal is expected to strengthen Generali's position in fast-growing markets and confirms the Group's commitment to deliver profitable growth whilst creating value for customers.

Jaime Anchustegui Melgarejo, CEO International of Generali, said, "This acquisition is in line with Generali's strategy to reinforce its position in a high potential market and we look forward to deepening our presence in India, becoming Lifetime Partners to an increasing share of Indian customers."

With this debt-ridden Future Group has pared its stake from the insurance business Future Generali India Insurance for a cash consideration of Rs 1,252.96 crore, as part of its asset monetisation plans to pare debts.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Peshawar, Mar 30 (PTI) At least six security personnel were killed and 22 others injured on Wednesday in a terrorist attack on a security headquarter located inside a fort in northwest Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a senior police officer said.

The terrorists attacked FC line in Tank district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province bordering south Waziristan, District Police officer Waqar Ahmed Khan said, adding that three attackers were also gunned down during the exchange of fire.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Says Signals From Peace Talks Positive.

The injured have been shifted to the hospital, the officer said.

All roads leading to Tank district have been sealed and a search operation has been launched in the area to arrest the culprits, he added.

Also Read | Pakistan PM Imran Khan Loses Majority as MQM Strikes Deal With Opposition.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Jerusalem, Mar 30 (PTI) At least five people were killed in a shooting attack on Tuesday evening in a suburb of Tel Aviv in the third such attack in Israel over the last seven days, bringing the total number of Israeli deaths to eleven in the recent terror attacks.

In a stern message following the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett vowed to deal with such attacks with an "iron fist", prompting the Israeli police to go to the highest level of alert.

Also Read | Pakistan Authorities See No Evidence of 'Foreign Funded Plot' To Topple Imran Khan Govt Through No-Confidence Motion.

"Israel is facing a wave of murderous Arab terrorism...The security forces are at work. We will fight terrorism with persistence, diligence and an iron fist", Bennett said in a statement.

"They will not move us from here. We will prevail," the Israeli PM vowed.

Also Read | Taliban, UN Officials Meet on Humanitarian, Development Assistance for Afghanistan.

A police spokesman said that the shooting took place in two different areas in Bnei Brak near Tel aviv.

One of the victims is said to be a police officer who was trying to stop the attacker, while the rest were civilians.

Footage from the scene showed the assailant entering a convenience store armed with an assault rifle and firing at a young man, who is seen escaping into a nearby building.

The shooter then aimed his rifle at another person riding on a bike, but missed, and then opened fire at a passing car. The car came to a stop after the initial fire, at which point the assailant came closer to it and fired through the window at the driver, who was killed.

Police said that the assailant was shot at the scene by a police officer.

The shooter was named as Diaa Hamarsheha, a 26-year-old Palestinian from Ya'bad, near Jenin, in the West Bank. He had apparently been in Israel illegally.

He is said to have been arrested by Israel in 2013 for security offenses and also served a six-month sentence.

Israeli Police were looking for other suspects amid warning by Ramat Gan Mayor, Carmel Shama-Hacohen, to the city's residents not to leave their homes if not absolutely necessary.

There have been two more terror attacks in Israel in the southern city of Beersheba and the northern city of Holon over the past one week.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz convened a situational assessment with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) chief of staff, the head of the Shin Bet security service, the head of military intelligence and the head of the military's operations division.

The Israeli security cabinet will hold a meeting on Wednesday regarding the attack.

An official for Islamic Hamas in the Gaza Strip said that the organization "welcomes the heroic operation, which is a natural response to the crimes of the occupation against the Palestinian people."

"This is also a swift response to the shameful summit that was held in the south", he said referring to the Negev Summit in which Israel hosted a number of Arab foreign ministers.

No group has yet taken responsibility for the shooting.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the attack, saying that killings of both Israeli and Palestinian civilians might lead to escalation, at a "time in which we are striving for stability" ahead of Ramadan, Passover and Easter.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington, Mar 30 (PTI) US Secretary of State Tony Blinken on Wednesday spoke with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to review regional priorities, worsening humanitarian situation in Ukraine and to promote free and open Indo-Pacific, his spokesperson said.

The two leaders spoke to review regional priorities, including the worsening humanitarian situation in Ukraine and our shared efforts to promote a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, in which the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states is respected, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said.

Also Read | Ukraine Considered Use of Biological Weapons Against Russia and Donbass: Major General Igor Konashenkov.

Blinken has wrapped up a three-nation tour of the Middle East and North Africa on Wednesday, making an impassioned appeal to Algeria to limit ties with Russia.

The countries of North Africa and the Middle East have experienced themselves the consequences of Russia's military campaigns before, Blinken said.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Peace Talks Did Not Offer Any Breakthrough, Says Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Last month, Blinken held a telephonic conversation with Jaishankar and stressed the importance of a strong collective response to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
United Nations, Mar 30 (PTI) Deaths from COVID-19 last week rose by 43 per cent, driven by factors including 'retrospective adjustments' reported from India in the South-East Asia Region, the World Health Organisation said on Wednesday.

The COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update said that between the end of January and early March 2022, there was a decreasing trend in the number of new COVID-19 cases, which was followed by two consecutive weeks of increases in cases.

Also Read | 'Imran Khan Has Lost Majority, Shahbaz Sharif Will Soon Become Pakistan PM', Says Bilawal Bhutto.

During the week of March 21 through 27, 2022, the number of new cases declined again with a 14 per cent decrease as compared to the previous week.

On the other hand, during the same period, the number of new weekly deaths increased by 43 per cent, likely driven by changes in the definition of COVID-19 deaths in some countries in the Region of the Americas (Chile and the United States of America) and by retrospective adjustments reported from India in the South-East Asia Region, the update said.

Also Read | Pakistan: Chinese Workers Trafficking Minority Community Girls in Garb of CPEC.

Across the six WHO regions, over 10 million new cases and over 45,000 new deaths were reported.

All regions reported decreasing trends in the number of new weekly cases and four regions reported a decreasing trend in new weekly deaths.

As of March 27, 2022, over 479 million confirmed cases and over 6 million deaths have been reported globally.

The update said that at the country level, the highest number of new weekly cases were reported from South Korea (2,442,195 new cases; -13 per cent), Germany (1,576,261 new cases; +2 per cent), France (845,119 new cases; +45 per cent), and Italy (503,932 new cases; +6 per cent).

The highest number of new weekly deaths were reported from Chile (11,858 new deaths; +1710 per cent), the United States of America (5,367 new deaths; +83 per cent), India (4,525 new deaths; +619 per cent), Russia (2,859 new deaths; -22 per cent), and South Korea (2,471 new deaths; +22 per cent).

The South-East Asia Region reported over 232,000 new weekly cases, a 14 per cent decline as compared to the previous week, continuing the decreasing trend observed since mid-January 2022.

However, Sri Lanka reported an increase in new weekly cases of 25 per cent (2693 vs 2156 new cases).

The highest numbers of new cases were reported from Thailand (175,116 new cases; +4 per cent increase), Indonesia (36,470 new cases; -49 per cent), and India (11,612 new cases; -31 per cent).

The region reported just over 6000 new weekly deaths, representing a 116 per cent increase as compared to the previous week. The highest numbers of new deaths were reported from India (4,525 new deaths; +619 per cent) due to retrospective adjustments in some states, followed by Indonesia (932 new deaths; -41 per cent), and Thailand (553 new deaths; +3 per cent).

WHO said it is concerned about the recent significant reduction in SARS-CoV-2 testing by several member states.

Data is becoming progressively less representative, less timely, and less robust.

This inhibits our collective ability to track where the virus is, how it is spreading and how it is evolving: information and analyses that remain critical to effectively end the acute phase of the pandemic," it said.

Decreases in testing, unless done judiciously as part of a strategy aimed at maintaining robust surveillance where it is most impactful, may affect the capacity of countries to identify cases and enable their timely treatment or isolation, and implement other necessary control measures, with the consequent risk of increased spread of SARS-CoV-2.

This may translate in an increase in hospitalisations and deaths, and significant strains on healthcare systems, particularly in areas where public health and social measures have been lifted and where vaccination coverage against COVID-19 is low. Furthermore, reduced testing impacts the capacity of countries to detect emerging variants early, ultimately impairing response efforts, it said.

WHO said that COVID-19 remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and it is too early to reduce the quality of surveillance.

The uncertainty around the characteristics of emerging variants limits our ability to confidently predict the behaviour of this disease, as the evolution rate and risk of emerging variants are still high, which could undermine prevention and mitigation measures.

"Until we reach the end of the acute phase of the pandemic, countries must maintain sufficient epidemiologic surveillance to inform evidence-based operational decision-making on crucial parameters, including vaccination strategies, vaccine composition, use of therapeutics, and tailored and appropriate public health and social measures, it said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Donetsk [Ukraine], March 30 (ANI/Sputnik): Donetsk Mayor Alexey Kulemzin said that during a night shelling attack on the city, a Ukrainian projectile directly hit a residential building, and it was partially destroyed.

"As a result of night shelling, a direct hit by a Ukrainian projectile was registered on the 9th floor of a residential building at 8, Pinter Street. .. The 8th floor... was partially destroyed, followed by a fire. Information about those injured is being clarified," Kulemzin wrote on Telegram.

Also Read | Ukraine Has Made a Major Move Towards EU Integration by Plugging into Europes Electricity Grid.

Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24 in response to calls from the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics for protection against intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defense Ministry said the special operation, which targets Ukrainian military infrastructure, aims to "demilitarize and denazify" Ukraine. Moscow has said it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. Western nations have imposed numerous sanctions on Russia. (ANI/Sputnik)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Islamabad [Pakistan], March 30 (ANI): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Faisal Vawda, while speaking to the local media, claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan's life is in danger as a conspiracy has been hatched to assassinate him.

Speaking on ARY News' "Off the Record" program, Faisal Vawda said that PM has been advised to use a bulletproof shield while addressing the public gatherings as there was a plan to assassinate the leader but the PM said he will leave this world at the time fixed by Almighty Allah, reported ARY News.

Also Read | Ukraine Considered Use of Biological Weapons Against Russia and Donbass: Major General Igor Konashenkov.

The PTI leader affirmed Imran Khan's position amid the political chaos in Pakistan saying that the PM is brave and will not let the nation bow down before anyone.

Clearing the airs on Imran Khan's stance on foreign policy, the PTI stalwart stated now Pakistan will not become part of anyone's war. Faisal Vawda added that airbases of the country will not be given to anyone to attack our neighbouring countries, reported the news channel.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Peace Talks Did Not Offer Any Breakthrough, Says Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Meanwhile, a total of 22 disgruntled PTI leaders including Amir Liaquat Hussain took part in the Opposition Alliance's session at the Sindh House in Islamabad.

Imran Khan earlier in the day said that he will share the 'foreign-funded conspiracy' letter with senior journalists and ally party members. "The letter will reveal the elements who are conspiring against the country from abroad," he said at the launch of e-passport services in Islamabad and added, "suspicions were cast that the government is doing all this to save itself.""The letter clearly shows how big conspiracy is against the government and it is far bigger conspiracy than what I am telling to you," he added.After the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan's government was tabled in the National Assembly with a total of 161 votes in favour, the proceedings were adjourned till March 31.The no-confidence motion was submitted by the opposition parties on March 8. The opposition is confident that its motion would be carried as some allies of PTI have come out in the open against Imran Khan. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Beijing, Mar 30 (PTI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in China on Wednesday to take part in the third meeting of the foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries being organised by Beijing, amid the Ukraine crisis.

Lavrov arrived in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, for the third meeting of foreign ministers on Afghanistan, Russia's official news agency Tass reported on Wednesday.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Says Signals From Peace Talks Positive.

While the purpose of Lavrov's visit to China is to take part in the meeting on Afghanistan, significance is attached to his visit as Beijing, a close ally of Moscow has backed Russia's war on Ukraine even though it walked a fine-line calling for peaceful resolution while highlighting Russia's security concerns relating to NATO expansion.

This is the first visit by a top Russian official to China after Moscow launched a war on Ukraine on February 24.

Also Read | Pakistan PM Imran Khan Loses Majority as MQM Strikes Deal With Opposition.

Significantly, China is also organising a meeting of the Special Representatives for the Afghan issue comprising the US, Russia and Pakistan on the sidelines of the two-day Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Neighbouring Countries of Afghanistan starting from Wednesday.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Muhammad Quereshi is also attending the meeting.

On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told the media that as agreed upon by all sides, the extended meeting of the China-US-Russia consultation mechanism on the Afghan issue will be held on the sidelines of the Foreign Ministers meeting.

He said China, the US, Russia and Pakistan are countries with important influence on the Afghan issue.

We hope to seek synergy between this meeting and the third Foreign Ministers' Meeting among the Neighbouring Countries of Afghanistan, further build consensus on the Afghan issue, encourage regional countries and the international community to step up support for peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan, and help the country achieve peace, stability and development at an early date, he said.

China is hosting both the meetings as Beijing along with its all-weather ally Pakistan seeks to firm up its influence in the war-torn country ruled by the Taliban interim government.

Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will chair the meeting to be attended by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan or their representatives, Wang told the media on Monday.

The spokesman said, on the sidelines of the meeting, Wang Yi will also host a dialogue between the foreign ministers and the acting Foreign Minister of the Afghan interim government Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Foreign Ministers of Indonesia and Qatar have been invited to the meeting as guests, Wang said.

Pakistan, which along with China and Russia kept its embassy opened in Kabul after the Taliban took over, held the first meeting of the foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries on September 8 last year, a day after the Afghan Taliban announced the formation of an interim government.

The second meeting was held in Tehran in October last year.

The announcement by China to hold the third meeting of the Afghanistan neighbours conference came after Wang Yi while visiting Pakistan last week made a surprise visit to Kabul, on March 24, the first visit by the Chinese foreign minister since the change of government in Afghanistan in August 2021.

Though yet to formally recognise the Taliban interim government, China and Pakistan followed a coordinated policy backing the Afghan militant group's efforts to secure international recognition.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Doha [Qatar], March 30 (ANI): Taliban acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met Qatar's Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Shiekh Muhammad Bin Abdurahmand Al-Thani in Doha and discussed the contract of management of Afghanistan's airports, local media reported.

During the meeting, both sides also discussed the economic and educational sectors, Khaama Press reported.

Also Read | Pakistan Authorities See No Evidence of 'Foreign Funded Plot' To Topple Imran Khan Govt Through No-Confidence Motion.

Afghanistan's five airports including Kabul International Airport are supposed to be handed over to Qatar and Turkey to be administered.

The agreement between the three countries is close to being finalized, Khaama Press reported.

Also Read | Taliban, UN Officials Meet on Humanitarian, Development Assistance for Afghanistan.

Earlier, on Monday, Muttaqi met Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Mersudi and Deputy Foreign Minister of Qatar Lolwah Al-Khater in Doha and discussed Afghanistan's humanitarian, economic, and educational situation.

Meanwhile, Qatar's Deputy Foreign Minister pledged that Qatar's Charity Foundation will open its office in Kabul in near future. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Cairo, Mar 30 (AP) United Nations-commissioned investigators on Wednesday painted a grim picture for migrants in Libya, just days after they sought to verify the presence of mass graves at a human trafficking centre in the country's northwest.

Chief investigator Mohamed Auajjar said the group documented consistent patterns of serious human rights violations against migrants in government-run detention centres and trafficking hubs.

Also Read | Pakistan: Chinese Workers Trafficking Minority Community Girls in Garb of CPEC.

Libya has in recent years emerged as a popular, if extremely dangerous, route toward Europe for those fleeing poverty and conflict in Africa and the Middle East.

The North African nation plunged into turmoil following the NATO-backed 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

Also Read | Pakistan PM Imran Khan Terms No-Confidence Motion 'Huge International Conspiracy'.

In the northwestern town of Bani Walid, the investigators commissioned by the UN's top human rights body found that migrants were held captive, murdered, tortured and raped.

They said in the report that at least eight migrants spoke about mass graves in the town, something the investigators said they needed to verify.

Auajjar told the Human Rights Council on Wednesday that they were also examining the existence of secret detention facilities including some controlled by armed militias.

The investigators said in an October report that they had evidence of possible crimes against humanity and war crimes in Libya.

They said many of the alleged crimes were committed against civilians and migrants detained in the country while trying to get to Europe.

Hundreds of thousands of migrants hoping to reach Europe have made their way in recent years through Libya, where a lucrative trafficking and smuggling business has flourished.

The country has been without a functioning government and fragmented for years between rival administrations in the east and west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments.

Human traffickers have benefited from the chaos in the oil-rich nation, smuggling migrants through the country's lengthy border with six nations. They pack desperate migrants into ill-equipped rubber boats, then embark on risky voyages across the Mediterranean Sea.

Many of those who have been intercepted and returned to Libya  including women and children  are held in government-run detention centres where they suffer abuse, including torture, rape and extortion, according to rights groups. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kinshasa [DRC], March 30 (ANI/Sputnik): The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) said on Tuesday that it had lost contact with one of its helicopters in the east of the country.

"MONUSCO lost contact with one of its helicopters on a reconnaissance mission in the Tshanzu area this afternoon," the mission said on Twitter, adding that the reasons for the disappearance are not yet known and a search is underway.

Also Read | Pakistan Authorities See No Evidence of 'Foreign Funded Plot' To Topple Imran Khan Govt Through No-Confidence Motion.

Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, said in a statement that eight people were on board the helicopter, including six crew members from the Pakistani military, one Russian and one Serbian soldier. The spokesman noted that a search and rescue operation is underway.

Dujarric also said that "there have been clashes there between the M23 armed group and Congolese forces in recent days" in the Tshanzu area.

Also Read | Taliban, UN Officials Meet on Humanitarian, Development Assistance for Afghanistan.

Later on Tuesday, the local Politico, citing Gen. Sylvan Ekenge of the armed forces of the DRC (FARDC), reported that the helicopter was shot down by M23 rebels.

MONUSCO is a UN peacekeeping operation which lists protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel and human rights defenders under imminent threat of physical violence, and support of the government of the DRC in its efforts to stabilize the country, among its goals. The DRC government is facing opposition from rebel groups in the eastern part of the country. (ANI/Sputnik)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Salt Lake City (US), Mar 29 (AP) A mother and her boyfriend have been arrested in Utah on allegations that they inflicted electric shocks to discipline two children while they were handcuffed to each other, police said.

Video security footage shows the two adults using an electronic shocking device last Saturday to shock the woman's children on their backs and arms, police in the city of Ogden said in arrest records.

Also Read | Pakistan Authorities See No Evidence of 'Foreign Funded Plot' To Topple Imran Khan Govt Through No-Confidence Motion.

The 6-year-old girl and the 5-year-old boy jerked their bodies in response and tried to avoid being shocked, but could not because they were handcuffed together and, at one point, restrained by the boyfriend, the arrest records said.

Police did not describe the device that was used and did not immediately respond a telephone message seeking more details.

Also Read | Taliban, UN Officials Meet on Humanitarian, Development Assistance for Afghanistan.

The suspects were arrested on child abuse charges Saturday and were detained Tuesday without bail.

Jail records did not list attorneys who could comment for the couple and a woman who answered a phone listed for the female suspect said she had no comment. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
A burqa-clad woman hurled a petrol bomb at a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore town on Tuesday. The entire sequence was caught on CCTV cameras. IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said the woman who hurled a bomb at the CRPF bunker in Sopore yesterday has been identified. "She will be arrested soon," he added.

Check Tweet:

The woman who hurled a bomb at the CRPF bunker in Sopore yesterday has been identified. She will be arrested soon: IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar pic.twitter.com/Wtj5zSvNOf  ANI (@ANI) March 30, 2022

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
Kiev, March 30 (IANS) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he saw positive signals from the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.

"The signals we hear from the negotiating platform can be called positive," Zelensky said in a video address published on his official Telegram channel. Russia-Ukraine War: Special Operation in Ukraine Will Continue Until Set Goals Are Achieved, Says Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.

At the same time, Zelensky said Ukraine is "aware of all the risks" and will trust only "concrete results", Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ukrainian and Russian delegations held their latest round of peace talks in Turkey's city of Istanbul, the fifth since Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24.

Following the negotiations on Tuesday, David Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, said Kiev has proposed signing a new international treaty on security guarantees in an attempt to end the conflict in Ukraine.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 30, 2022 08:18 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
American rock band Foo Fighters canceled their succeeding shows on Tuesday, following the death of their drummer, Taylor Hawkins.

The rock band took to Twitter to announce the cancellation of their shows, which was slated to happen in different countries, including Colombia and Brazil.

"It is with great sadness that Foo Fighters confirm the cancellation of all upcoming tour dates in light of the staggering loss of our brother Taylor Hawkins," the rock band said in their Twitter post, offering an apology to their fans.

Foo fighters then urged their supporters to take the time to grieve, heal, and be with their loved ones while appreciating the love and music they shared.

The announcement affected more than 50 shows the group is about to make worldwide, per Deadline.

Foo Fighters were scheduled to kick off their extended U.S.-Europe Tour and the Beale Street Music Festival that will happen in Memphis on April 29.

Deadline noted that the rock band was also set to perform at New Orleans Jazz Festival. They are also known to perform in Los Angeles, as well as Australia and New Zealand.

READ NEXT: Is Will Smith's Oscars 2022 Best Actor Award Going to Be Taken Back? It's Possible

Taylor Hawkins Death: Here's What We Know So Far

Foo Fighters drummer, Taylor Hawkins, died last week while the band was set to perform in Bogota, Colombia, during the Festival Estereo Picnic, according to CNN.

According to Bogota's secretary of health, emergency responders were notified on Friday about a patient with chest pain at a hotel located north of the city.

CNN noted that a private healthcare provider had already given treatment to the drummer, but efforts to resuscitate Hawkins were unsuccessful. The band then announced Taylor Hawkins' passing on their Twitter account.

"The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins. His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever," Foo Fighters said.

The band then offered their sympathies to Hawkins' wife, children, and family. They also asked the public to respect the privacy of Hawkins' loved ones following his death.

The show in Bogota, Colombia was suspended following the drummer's passing. According to concertgoer Romeo Reyes, the news about Hawkins' passing was announced 10 minutes after 11 p.m., the time when the fans gathered for the show.

CNN noted that Foo Fighters' performance in Colombia is supposed to be followed by a show in Brazil.

A preliminary report from Colombia's Attorney General's Office revealed that the urine toxicology test found at least 10 substances in Hawkins' body, including benzodiazepines and opioids.

The National Institute of Forensic Medicine is still conducting medical studies to achieve a total clarification of Taylor Hawkins' cause of death.

Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins Career

Taylor Hawkins was Alanis Morissette's drummer, during her 1995 to 1997 world tour.

Deadline highlighted that Hawkins joined the Foo Fighters in March 1997 and played a couple of tracks in the band's hit album.

Hawking then became a fan favorite, prompting him to play all the Foo Fighter's subsequent albums and tours.

Hawkins also released solo material under his name. He also performed with the Taylor Hawkins & The Coattail Riders, in which he sang lead and played the drums.

Las Year, CNN shared that Taylor Hawkin collaborated with Dave Navarro and Chris Haney of Jane's Addiction to form a group called NHC. The group released their debut single "Intakes & Outakes" in February.

READ NEXT: Brazil: Vicious Piranhas Eat Footballer's Flesh Down to Bone After Jumping in Lake to Flee From Police

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters Return to L.A. After Death of Taylor Hawkins - From TMZ
International experts claimed that the Mexican government has falsified its probe into the case of Mexico's 43 students missing.

The group of international experts released video footage that seems to show the military planting evidence at the scene where authorities later said that students were murdered, according to an Aljazeera News report.

Experts said that the Mexican government withheld or falsified evidence as it probed what happened to the students, even from the start.

Meanwhile, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has denied accusations that his government withheld and concealed information about the disappearance of the 43 students, according to a Manila Bulletin report.

The Mexican president spoke about the case a day after a group of experts accused Mexican authorities of withholding important information, drawing international condemnation and shocking the country.

Lopez Obrador said that all information is being handed over and have been handed over. He added that the files have been opened like never before.

Lopez Obrador also said that "absolutely nothing is hidden."

The 43 students missing were detained by local police in Iguala in the southern state of Guerrero.

Former Colombian prosecutor Angela Buitrago, who is part of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights group, said that the investigation was falsified from the start up to the last day.

The experts obtained a government drone video, which shows Mexican marines and police climbing the area where authorities have maintained the students were killed.

It was done shortly after the 43 students went missing.

One clip shows marines standing in an area of Cocula rubbish dump where federal investigators later found bullet shells.

READ NEXT: Mexican Drug Cartel Los Tlacos Leaks Disturbing Video of Mass Execution of Rival Gang Members

'Falsifying' Probe of Mexico 43 Students Missing

Buitrago said investigators, prosecutors, and military personnel had altered crime scenes and records.

The investigation has long been scrutinized by the families of the 43 students who disappeared in September 2014 after they were detained by local police in the southern state of Guerrero, according to an ABC News report.

The 43 missing students were allegedly handed over to a drug gang and were killed. People have not heard from them ever since.

Many of the suspects involved in the case were arrested and were later released. Many claimed that they had been tortured by police or the military.

An Inter-American Commission on Human Rights 2015 investigation earlier said that the scenario presented by the government was "scientifically impossible."

The Mexican government said that the students had been killed and burned in the garbage dump. Experts have subsequently questioned those findings.

Mexico: 43 Students Missing

The Institute of Genetics at the University of Innsbruck, in Austria, tested bone fragments found near where the students disappeared. It was identified as the remains of Christian Alfonso Rodriguez Telumbre, who is one of the students.

The special prosecutor assigned to the case, Omar Gomez Trejo, said that forensic experts from Argentina had confirmed the findings, according to The New York Times report.

Trejo said at a news conference that they have broken the pact of impunity and silence regarding the case.

Meanwhile, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador promised to prioritize the investigations and considered the discovery a victory.

Lopez Obrador said that it is a very serious justice issue and that they are going to formally file a complaint with the attorney general's office and the judiciary in this case, according to The Guardian report two years ago.

Independent experts noted even then that there was no evidence to support the conclusion.

Alejandro Encinas, deputy interior secretary, said that the poorly named "historic truth" was built with a foundation of cover-up, as well as fabrication of evidence and torture to benefit the suspects.

Encinas said that the considered historic truth "collides with reality."

READ MORE: El Chapo's Sinaloa Cartel Continues to Thrive Despite the Drug Lord's Absence: Report

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Seven years after Mexico's deadly abduction of 43 students - from Al Jazeera English






The U.S.-Mexico border is expected to see an influx of migrants in the coming days.

According to Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz, the United States is currently on track to hit one million migrant encounters so far in the Fiscal Year 2022, which began in October last year, per Fox News.

"Probably in the next two or three days we'll get over a million encounters or apprehensions along the southwest border," Ortiz underscored while speaking at a border security conference in San Antonio, Texas.

According to New York Post, there were already 838,685 migrant encounters on the southeast border of the U.S. into the F.Y. 2022.

The outlet also mentioned that the statistics from the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also showed that in February alone, border patrol agents encountered at least 101,099 immigrants.

The said number is higher than the more than 36,000 migrant encounters for February in F.Y. 2021.

Fox News noted that the records of migrant encounters in March for the current fiscal year have not yet been released. However, the outlet furthered that the number in March is expected to outpace the encounters in February.

Ortiz highlighted that there are about 7,000 migrants stopped at the southern border each day. The said number shows a higher encounter in February where there are only around 5,900 encounters per day.

The border patrol chief also mentioned that the agents encountered migrants from 157 different countries. However, he did not mention the specific countries where the migrants originated from.

According to reports, there were 1.7 million migrant encounters recorded in the entirety of F.Y. 2021.

READ NEXT: Mexico: New U.S. Border Rule on Asylum Claims Raises Fears of Quick Deportation

Border Groups Claim Illegal Immigrant Explosion If Title 42 Expulsion Is Ended

Several groups have expressed their concerns once the Title 42 expulsion was ended by the Biden administration.

National Border Council president Brandon Judd claimed that an explosion of illegal immigration may occur once the Title 42 expulsion was ended by the current administration, per the Post.

"When Title 42 goes away, we're going to be in serious trouble," Judd added.

The director of the immigrant shelter Annunciation House, Ruben Garcia, also shared what might happen if the police were not extended.

"When Title 42 goes away, this will be a sea of cots," Garcia stressed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has until Wednesday to decide if they will renew the Title 42 expulsion.

It can be recalled that Title 42, a policy established at the onset of COVID-19, has allowed the United States to keep migrants in Mexico or deport them to their home countries before they have a chance to claim asylum.

Critics of the policy, like The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have long urged the Biden administration to end the policy, arguing that the mandate is not about the health of the migrants, but about stripping their rights to seek asylum.

Judd said that 52 percent of asylum seekers in March were directly expelled under Title 42, per the Post.

Title 42 expulsion took effect under the regime of Ex-president Donald trump. However, 70 percent of the deportation under the policy were done under the tenure of President Joe Biden.

Border Patrol Buckles Up Over Possible Migrant Surge

Judd also shared that if Title 42 expulsion was not extended by the CDC, border patrol agents could be occupied with doing other things instead of focusing on patrolling the perimeters of the United States.

Judd noted that Border Patrol agents were dispatched to hotspots for crossing into the country, such as Del Rio and McAllen.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is sending administrative volunteers to the border to handle the increase in the paperwork that will result from processing more cases of immigration.

READ NEXT: Texas Border Patrol Agents Rescue 4-Year-Old Child Left by Human Traffickers

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Migrant Families Risking it all at U.S.-Mexico Border - From ABC News
U.S. President Joe Biden has signed a bill into law that makes lynching a federal hate crime in the country. Civil rights groups have pushed for the measure to be passed for more than a century.

The legislation has been named after Emmett Till, who is a 14-year-old brutally murdered in a racist attack in Mississippi in 1955, according to an Aljazeera News report.

The incident has captured the attention of the nation due to the violence that African Americans faced, prompting the U.S. civil rights movement.

Biden said on Tuesday after signing the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act that no federal law has overtly prohibited lynching until today.

The president also recalled a deadly 2017 protest by white nationalists in Virginia. He said that racial hate is not an "old problem," adding that it is a "persistent problem."

The U.S. continues to confront systemic racism in the light of the Black Lives Matter protests that shook the nation in 2020 after the police killed George Floyd in Minneapolis.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said during the signing ceremony that victims of lynching were targeted as "they were working to build a better America."

Harris said that those killed were business owners, creating economic opportunities in their community.

READ NEXT: California Couple Charged Over Shooting of Black Man; Prosecutors Claim the Two Have Racist Affiliations

Lynching a Federal Hate Crime

Biden noted that making lynching a federal hate crime is not about the past, rather it is about the present and future, as well, according to The Hill News report.

Biden also cited Ahmaud Arbery's case, as well as mobs carrying torches out of the fields of Charlottesville a few years ago.

The president was joined by civil rights leaders and members of Congress, including Rep. Bobby Rush, who authored the bill in the House.

Harris said that lynching is "not a relic of the past." She added that racial acts of terror are still happening in the United States.

Biden and Harris praised Sens. Cory Booker and Tim Scott, the sole two Black Senators, for their efforts in getting the bill passed.

Sen. Rand Paul objected to clearing it by unanimous consent in the Senate when the House previously passed the measure in 2020.

This year, the bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent, which means that every senator signed off on it moving forward.

Hate Crime in The U.S.

Hate crimes in the U.S. have increased to the highest level in 12 years, which was triggered largely by a jump in assaults on Black and Asian Americans based on a Federal Bureau of Investigation's report.

The FBI received 2020 data identifying 7,759 hate crimes, which is a six percent increase in 2019 and the highest number since 2008, according to The Guardian news report.

Anti-Black assaults rose from 1,930 to 2,755, which is a 40 percent increase. Meanwhile, Anti-Asian assaults jumped from 158 to 274, a 70 percent spike.

U.S. attorney general, Merrick Garland, said preventing and responding to hate crimes and hate incidents is one of the Department of Justice's highest priorities.

Garland added that most hate crimes were initiated through motivations by race, ethnicity, ancestry, and gender identity.

READ MORE: Ahmaud Arbery Murder: 3 Georgia Men Get Life in Prison but No Parole for Father and Son

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Biden signs Emmett Till bill making lynching a federal hate crime - from ABC News






Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, has approved the use of Pfizer and Moderna second booster shot for people 50 and older.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky issued a statement allowing the second booster shots hours after the Food and Drug Administration authorized the second booster shot, according to an NBC News report.

Walensky said that boosters are safe and people over the age of 50 can now get an additional booster four-month after their prior dose.

The two agencies cleared the additional vaccine doses during a time that there is a concern about the spread of the extremely contagious Omicron subvariant, known as BA.2.

The current subvariant accounts for about 55 percent of the new cases in the United States based on the recent data from the CDC.

READ NEXT: Dr. Anthony Fauci Warns How Unvaccinated People Could Delay the End of COVID Pandemic in 2022

Second Booster Shot

The CDC also recommended that all adults who received two doses of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine get third shots using Pfizer or Moderna, according to a CNBC News report.

Adults who received the J&J vaccine and the second shot of Pfizer of Moderna are not yet eligible for a third dose unless they are age 50 and older or they are immunocompromised.

The FDA and CDC made the decisions without calling meetings of their vaccine advisory committees, which rarely happens over the course of the pandemic.

Dr. Peter Marks, head of the FDA office responsible for vaccine safety and efficacy, said that the drug regulator did not call an advisory meeting as the decision was "relatively straightforward."

Marks said that the decision on the second booster shot is something with evidence from Israel, suggesting that getting additional doses, it can reduce the risk of hospitalization and death in older people.

Dr. Paul Offit, a committee member, said that it was a "sort of fait accompli." He also criticized the drug regulator for moving forward without holding an open meeting, where the public can hear experts weigh the data.

Pfizer and Moderna Booster Shots

In a large study, it suggested that those who received a second booster shot had 78 percent lower odds of death during the Omicron wave as compared to those who had a third shot at least four months earlier.

There were 232 total deaths out of around 234,000 people who only had three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, as compared to 92 deaths out of 328,000 people.

Other studies from the U.K. showed that antibody boost from a booster shot wanes very quickly, within a matter of weeks, according to a My NBC 5 News report.

Some experts feel that the United States should wait until there is a clear danger from a new wave of infections before rolling out fourth doses.

Both Pfizer and Moderna petitioned the FDA to allow an additional booster of their mRNA vaccines, according to a CNET News report.

Pfizer's request was intended for adults 65 and older, while Moderna has asked for approval for the use of all adults.

READ MORE: CDC Recommends Shorter COVID Isolation Period for Health Care Workers Amid Omicron Variant

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: CDC and FDA authorize second COVID booster shot for some Americans - from CBS Chicago






El Salvador's government tightened its security against street gangs on Tuesday, following its declaration of a state of emergency over the killings that occurred on weekend.

According to Associated Press, the country's security forces intensified their operations, including mass arrests, and house-by-house searches in the country's neighborhoods.

The outlet also mentioned that the security forces are also cordoning off the neighborhoods to secure them against the street gangs.

One of the areas surrounded by the security forces was the San Jose El Pino neighborhood located in Santa Tecla. AP noted that soldiers wearing masks and carrying rifles stopped everyone from leaving and entering the neighborhood.

Backpacks and cars were also reportedly searched by the authorities. Identification documents were also required among those who wish to enter or leave the said neighborhood.

Resident Hector Flores shared that he did not have any problems because he had his identification card. However, he claimed that the security officers search for everything.

The resident also shared some of the activities the police and the soldiers made in their neighborhood.

"The soldiers and police entered Sunday night and went house to house. I believe they took them [gang members] all, but they are still looking," Flores noted.

READ NEXT: Border Patrol Chief Claims U.S. Will Encounter 1M Migrants in F.Y. 2022; Groups Say More Immigrants to Come If Title 42 Expulsion Ends

El Salvador Groups, Officials, Comment on Heightened Security Against Street gangs

Not all officials from El Salvador are in favor of the current heightened security in the country's neighborhoods.

Citizen Action Director Eduardo Escobar slammed the security forces that encircled the neighborhoods and stops everyone from entering and leaving, claiming that the state of emergency declared in their country did not include restrictions on mobility, per AP.

National Lawmaker Claudia Ortiz from the conservative Vamos party said that the transit was affected by the heightened security.

"Free transit was not limited [in the state of emergency] and there are already citizens denouncing the encircling of neighborhoods," Ortiz pointed out.

The heightened security in El Salvador came after the government's parliament declared a state of emergency on Sunday.

Human Rights Watch acting director, Tamara Broner, on Tuesday, condemned the move of El Salvador's government.

"The government of President Bukele should take serious and rights-respecting steps to address heinous gang violence in El Salvador... Instead of protecting Salvadorans, this broad state of emergency is a recipe for disaster that puts their rights at risk," Broner underscored.

Nearly 1,500 Arrested in Connection to El Salvador Weekend Killings

Attorney General Rodolfo Delgado said that nearly 1,500 gang suspects were arrested by the officials in connection to the killings, per AP.

According to NPR, the total number of killing that occurred around the country was recorded at 82. Those murders were known to occur last Friday Saturday, and Sunday.

Bukele ordered food for gang members held in Salvadoran prisons to be reduced to two meals per day. Authorities also seized the inmates' mattresses and even posted a video of prisoners being frog-marched through corridors and stairs. Furthermore, the inmates were also stripped to their underwear.

In a statement mentioned by NPR, Bukele said that those detained will not be released and that his order to cut the meals inside the prison is aimed to address the stretch in the food supply.

Bukele also mentioned that the international community should bring the inmates food if they are worried, contending that he will not cut money from the budgets allocated for the schools.

Human Rights Watch also commented on how authorities treat the gang inmates, saying that El Salvador's president may amount to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment agianst them.

READ NEXT: Peru: President Pedro Castillo Faces Impeachment Debate Ahead of Votes That Could Oust Him From Office

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: El Salvador Claims State Of Emergency Over Deadliest Day In 30 Years - From NBC News
Former President Donald Trump has called on Russia's President Vladimir Putin to release any damaging information he has about Hunter Biden.

In an interview with "Just the News" on Tuesday, Trump said Putin "should release" any information regarding alleged dealings between Hunter and the widow of a late Moscow mayor.

The former president cited the findings of a partisan and controversial investigation by Senate Republicans into the Bidens published weeks before the 2020 election and "produced little new evidence of wrongdoing," according to Politico.

Trump earlier claimed, without any basis, that the late Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov's widow has donated $3.5 million to a company he alleged to be connected to Hunter, President Joe Biden's son, Axios reported.

Hunter has denied the claims, and his lawyer has denied he was the owner of the company in question. According to Trump, Luzhkov's widow gave Hunter $3.5 million, and he thinks Putin would know the answer to that.

"I think he [Vladimir Putin] should release it... I think we should know that answer," Trump noted in the interview conducted at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Fortune reported that Donald Trump also expressed his desire to learn more about Hunter's relationship with Ukrainian oligarch Mykola Zlochevsky.

Zlochevsky is the owner of the Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma Holdings. The Ukrainian oligarch named Hunter to the company's board as a director of the company's legal unit in 2014.

With that role, Hunter Biden was reported to have earned more than $80,000 monthly.

READ NEXT: Hunter Biden Jokes With Therapist About How Father Pres. Joe Biden Has Dementia in 2019, New Book Claims

Donald Trump on Hunter Biden

During the 2020 presidential campaign, Hunter Biden's alleged business dealings with Eastern Europe became a widely discussed topic.

Donald Trump has made it one of his favorite talking points, adding many "dubious claims" during the presidential debates in 2020.

Joe Biden has denied that such a payment involving his son ever took place. During a debate with Trump, he said that the allegations were "simply not true."

Donald Trump has also made a similar public request to Vladimir Putin to find incriminating evidence against Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign.

The former president also asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2019 to look into Joe Biden and Hunter Biden after allegedly withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine.

The Infamous Laptop of Hunter Biden

The contents of Hunter Biden's controversial laptop were entered into the Congressional Record on Tuesday at the request of Rep. Matt Gaetz, according to New York Post.

The Florida representative has made the move during a hearing on oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Cyber Division after its assistant director, Bryan Vorndran, testified that he did not have any information about Hunter's laptop.

The FBI has seized the laptop from a Delaware repair shop in December 2019. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler initially blocked Gaetz's request, but he gave in a short time later.

The Federalist reported that Hunter's laptop contains emails showing he helped an infectious disease research company pursue projects in Ukraine.

A former business partner of Hunter has confirmed the authenticity of the emails. However, more than 50 former senior intelligence officials have signed a letter saying Hunter's emails were Russian disinformation.

It was reported that Hunter Biden helped secure millions of dollars of funding for Metabiota. It is a Department of Defense contractor specializing in research on pandemic-causing diseases that could be used as bioweapons.

READ MORE: Pres. Joe Biden, a 'Direct Beneficiary' of His Son Hunter Biden's Foreign Deals, Says Head of Government Accountability Institute

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: "WHERE'S HUNTER": President Trump SLAMS Joe Biden & Hunter Biden at MN Rally - From LiveNow Fox






Prince William and Prince Charles were reportedly dismayed at Prince Andrew's role in Prince Philip's memorial service amid suggestions that Queen Elizabeth II was giving a sign of "endorsement in her son."

According to Daily Mail, Prince Andrew has insisted on accompanying the Queen from Windsor Castle to the thanksgiving event for the late Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey in London on Tuesday. But some reports said it was the Queen who insisted that she be escorted by Andrew.

Prince Andrew has escorted his mother all the way to her front-row position to the shock of many in the congregation. It was shown in full view of the live broadcast cameras.

Prince Charles and Prince William Were Dismayed That Prince Andrew Assisted Queen Elizabeth

It was Prince Andrew's first public appearance since he struck the out-of-court settlement with Jeffrey Epstein victim, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who had accused him of rape.

The Dean of Westminster had been expected to take the Queen to her seat, with the Duke of York behind. Senior royals had reportedly reluctantly accepted that Andrew would travel with the Queen to London as they live close.

A family source told The Daily Mail that the senior royals, including Prince Charles and Prince William, were dismayed by the events, and Andrew's decision to put himself "front and center" of the service had caused "consternation."

Sources said there was a "strong sense of regret" over the incident. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told The Express it was the Queen's way of quietly saying that "he messed up really badly, this was a disgrace, but he is my son."

Royal commentator Robert Jobson said the gesture shows that the Queen "wholeheartedly loves and believes her son." Jobson likened the incident to the Queen's statement about Camilla being the "Queen's Consort."

According to People, many people will now accept the Queen's word and judgment. Jobson said there was disquiet among senior family members about Prince Andrew escorting the Queen, "but she insisted."

The royal commentator said the Queen has faith in Andrew, adding that even if the Duke of York disappears from public life, he has been able to pay tribute to his father.

The Queen traveled by car from Windsor accompanied by her disgraced son. It was six weeks after Andrew settled the sexual assault lawsuit with Giuffre.

The Queen's appearance on Tuesday was the first time that the 95-year-old monarch has been at a public event outside of a royal residence since mid-October. She appeared to be in good health as she attended the emotional service in honor of her husband of 73 years.

READ NEXT: Royal Family Facing "Mounting Distress" Over Queen Elizabeth's COVID-19 Diagnosis, Source Close to the Family Says

Prince Andrew's Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Last month, Prince Andrew agreed to settle the sexual assault lawsuit from Virginia Roberts Giuffre but made no apology to her or admitted any guilt.

Giuffre, who was also one of the victims of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, accused the Duke of York of raping her when she was 17.

The amount that the 61-year-old prince would pay Giuffre was confidential. But the Daily Mail disclosed that Prince Andrew would pay Giuffre at least 12 million with the help of his mother.

The outlet noted that the Queen would partly fund the settlement. Legal analysts and palace watchers said there was no obvious path for Andrew to return to his royal status despite settling the lawsuit.

Nick Goldstone, an attorney and the head of dispute resolution at the Ince law firm in London, earlier noted that it looks very much like an admission of bad conduct from the prince in the court of public opinion.

Dickie Arbiter, a former Buckingham Palace spokesman, said the situation will probably bring a certain "amount of relief for the royal family." However, Arbiter added that it would not ensure that Prince Andrew's place would be restored.

READ MORE: Queen Elizabeth II Warns British Media to Stay Away From Balmoral - And Her Son Prince Andrew

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Queen Elizabeth Arrives on Andrew's Arm to Prince Philip's Memorial Service - From The Independent






The annual British Council Alumni Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of alumni overseas to showcase the impact and value of a UK higher education. There are four main award categories: Science and Sustainability, Culture and Creativity, Social Action, and Business and Innovation.

Alumna Ashley Stewart lives in Nigeria and works as a Lecturer in the Fine Arts and Design Department at the University of Port Harcourt, River State Nigeria. She has been named a finalist in the Culture and Creativity category at the StudyUK Alumni Awards for 2022.

The prestigious awards highlight leaders who have used their experience of studying at a UK university to make a positive contribution to their communities, professions, and countries.

On entering the Alumni Awards, the former student commented about how her studying at Loughborough and getting a degree in International Management led to her career choice.

Ashley said:

For the past 11 years, I have lectured at the University of Port Harcourt and specialised in Design Management. This career choice was largely influenced by studying in the UK.

The fact that I was offered admission to study a postgraduate degree in a field different from mine in fine arts opened my eyes to how the developed world approaches problems, from a multidisciplinary view.

The alumna has used her role as a visual artist and educator and through this has achieved several successes. These have contributed to her becoming a finalist at the Alumni Awards.

Ashley commented:

I offer a scholarship to the best art student in my alma mater, University Demonstration Secondary School, Choba. This was done to encourage interest and scholarship in the arts here in Nigeria and three students have been awarded full scholarship.

I have taught university students a compulsory course in design management where I merge knowledge from my experience in the UK and my artistic background. The course is about the business side of design and the entrepreneurial benefits for the artist. So far, over 500 students have studied and graduated from under me and have gone on to establish their creative businesses.

I have organised, planned, and participated in several art exhibitions in Nigeria and internationally. These exhibitions had participants aged between 4 and 55. Key to this are vulnerable women and children. The goal was to educate artists and the public on the role art plays in curbing unemployment and other social vices, for self-discovery and building self-esteem and self-reliance.

I have been privileged to speak at workshops and conferences organized TEDx, British Council, and US Embassy Lagos to name a few. This was in part because of my expertise in theory and practice in my career.

I am passionate about human rights, especially the female in a patriarchal society. I would otherwise be in the background had I not seen how policies are in place to protect the female in the UK. I have participated in peaceful protests, sensitisation, and training of women through my outreach and benevolence department in Church.

Ashley credits her success as an artist and lecturer from her experience in the UK.

Congratulations Ashley on making it to the final of the StudyUK awards.

Find out more about the awards.
Ireland expels four senior Russian Embassy officials

Xinhua) 09:19, March 30, 2022

DUBLIN, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Four senior officials at the Russian Embassy in Ireland have been asked to leave the country, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said here on Tuesday.

"This afternoon, the Department of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian Ambassador to Iveagh House (headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs) to advise him that four senior officials have been asked to leave the state," Coveney said in a statement.

"This is because their activities have not been in accordance with international standards of diplomatic behavior. This action is being taken under Article 9 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations," he said.

The statement, which is posted on the website of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, said that the Irish government "continues to believe that the diplomatic channels between Ireland and the Russian Federation should remain open.

"This is in the interests of our citizens as well as to ensure that we can continue to have a diplomatic channel of communication between Ireland and the Russian Federation in the future," the statement said.

(Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun)
The trial of four men for the alleged rape of a teenage girl in a car in December 2016 has heard evidence of semen found on some of the men's clothing.

The four men have pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping the then 17-year-old girl on the night of December 27, 2016. A fifth man is not before the court.

The girl got into a car with the men in the early hours of the morning in a midlands town and it is the prosecution case that the four defendants each sexually assaulted her as the car was driven out of the town.

The car was driven to a remote location nearby and it is alleged that all five men raped her in turn at this location. The car was driven to another location and it is alleged that three of the men falsely imprisoned the girl at this point in the car while one man sexually assaulted her and another raped her.

The four defendants deny all the charges. They were aged between 17 and 19 at the time and cannot be identified under the 1981 Rape Act.

On day 14 of the trial Dr Laura Flanagan, a forensic scientist, told Gareth Baker BL, prosecuting, that she examined the underwear belonging to the driver of the car and seized by gardai during their investigation.

It is alleged that this man, who was 17 at the time, was the second man to rape the girl at the remote location.

Dr Flanagan said that samples found on inside of the underwear of this defendant showed the presence of semen from two persons. She said that the major profile matched the defendant's DNA while a minor profile matched the DNA for the third defendant, a passenger in the car.

During garda interviews of the suspects in March 2017 the passenger told gardai that he was the first person to have sex with the girl at the remote location and that the driver then had sex with her after him. The driver told gardai that he did not have penetrative sex with the girl in the car.

A garda witness told the court that in August 2017 he re-arrested the driver in order to question him on the results of the DNA analysis. The defendant said that when first spoke to gardai about these allegations he lied about everything but that he told the truth when interviewed in March 2017.

He again claimed he did not have penetrative sex with the complainant and said he did not ejaculate at any point in the car.

When garda interviewers put it to him that both his semen and semen from the front seat passenger was found inside his underwear he said I don't remember if I left the driver seat and someone else sat there.

He said the other man's semen could have ended up on his underwear when he was lying on the girl, saying: I probably touched my hand somewhere.

Asked to account for the presence of his semen inside his underwear he said I don't know and added I don't know if I put my hands inside my pants. He said he didn't know how the other man's semen got to be on his underwear.

He said that when they were at the remote location he got on top of the woman, but didn't take his trousers down and they were not open. He told gardai: I want her to prove I was inside her.

Asked: Was it your intention to have sex with her when you got on top of her he said yes, but said he couldn't get his trousers off.

Asked if the complainant wanted to have sex with you he replied I don't know, I didn't ask her, she didn't say yes to sex.

The garda witness agreed with Brendan Grehan SC, defending the driver, that his client was charged in April 2018 and remanded on bail. He was permitted to travel out of the country for medical purposes and abided by his bail conditions.

He agreed that apart from some road traffic offences the defendant had not come to adverse garda attention.

The court heard that in August 2017 another defendant was questioned about the presence of his semen found on his underpants and on the complainant's top. He told gardai that he did not ejaculate in the car and did not have his penis out at any stage.

Asked to account for the presence of his semen he said that at some point in the evening he walked away from the car and masturbated by himself. He said that nobody saw him and that he was previously too embarrassed to tell gardai about this.

He said he didn't think it was relevant to the allegations.

He said he didn't ejaculate in the back of the car, didn't get the complainant to perform oral sex on him, and didn't get her to masturbate him.

He said when he ejaculates: it does not go everywhere, it stays on top of my penis and that is why I was embarrassed.

The trial continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns and a jury.
A Laois fur farming business is set to shut down following the passing of new laws by TDs and Senators.

Fur farming is set to be banned in Ireland following the passing of The Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021, in the Seanad.

The move will bring to an end the operation of the Vasa Ltd Fur Farm has operated for several years in Vicarstown, Co. Laois. The other farms are in Donegal and Kerry.

Laois Offaly Minister of State, Senator Pippa Hackett welcomed the passage of the Bill.

I am pleased to see this progressive and historic development come to pass. This Bill has the support of Veterinary Ireland, Animal Welfare Groups and the vast majority of the public and it is something the Green Party has long advocated for.

The Bill received an immense amount of cross party support as it passed through all stages in the Seanad. I would particularly like to thank my Green Party colleagues for their support, especially Senators Pauline OReilly and Roisin Garvey the Minister said.

She said the the ban is a vital step in the protection of animal welfare and puts Ireland in line with similar legislation being implemented across Europe.

Her statement added that the Laois farm and the other two farms continue to breed and rear mink for pelting for the fur industry. She said these will be closed under the new plan. The Bill includes a compensation scheme for mink farmers and their workers.

Her statement concluded that the Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021, will be signed into law by President Michael D. Higgins in the coming weeks.

The Government first announced in 2019 that it would ban fur farming.

A 2012 Department of Agriculture report said the industry claims to be responsible for approximately 62 full-time jobs and staff salaries of some 1.3m per annum.

It said CSO statistics put the value of exports in 2010 at 4.992m. It said mink pelts are exported via international auction houses in Helsinki and Copenhagen.

The fur farms hit the headlines in November 2020 when a strain of the Covid-19 virus in minks transferred to humans. No such strains were found in Ireland after testing.
A Laois man is ready to set off on a huge adventure, to walk for over three months covering 2,500km from his doorstep down into Spain.

Portlaoise man Eamonn Culliton began his epic pilgrim walk, pack on his back, on Monday, April 4.

He will walk along as many traditional camino routes as possible all the way to the famous Santiago de Compostela in Spain, sharing video and social media updates en route for people to follow his progress and donate to a good cause.

An aerospace engineer in Shannon, Eamonn is taking a work sabbatical to go on his adventure.

It is all to raise money for cancer research by the Irish Cancer Society.

He told the Leinster Express more.

The camino has been on my bucket list and the more I read into it the more it started to grow legs. It is the way caminos were traditionally done, walking from home to Santiago.

I will walk to Monasterevin and then follow the canal walk to Dublin to catch the ferry to Holyhead and then walk through Snowdonia National Park, he said.

I will take the Cambrian Way. I can use most of that towards Swansea, then take the Two Moors way south to Lynmouth.

The sailing club hopefully will help me get across the Bristol Channel to France as there is no regular ferry.

I will walk the Saint de Leon down to Biarritz, through Brittany, Santes and Nantes to Bordeaux to the Camino del Norte. I will cross there at sea level and it will take me to Santiago, Eamonn said.

It is hard to put an exact date on it but I think it will take me about three and a half months, he said.

While the caminos are traditionally religious pilgrimages, Eamonn is motivated for other personal reasons.

Everybody is touched by cancer whether its a sibling or a parent. My sister Alice McCann died from cancer over a year ago, at Christmas.

 I wanted to do something in her memory and it just got bigger and bigger. Being an engineer it got out of control. I enjoy hiking anyway in the evenings and weekends, Eamonn said.

The weather will get hotter as Eamonns journey takes him southward and into summer, ending in the heat of July.

It will be up in the 30s. I dont mind the heat. I worked in Australia and Canada which was actually hotter than Australia, he said.

His family are all in support, including children Carolyn and Cormac and siblings Sile and Donn.

Everyone is wishing me well, everyone is behind it. Its a big undertaking but they know me.

Ive dug up old maps, Ive broken in new hiking boots, Ill be staying in hostels and bunk houses. Taking care of the feet will be the major thing, but luckily I havent had a blister since I started training, he said.

His training includes carrying the heavy backpack on his daily walks to get used to it.

I could do anything from eight to 40km depending on the day. I walk on my own, I just like to be out in nature away from people, he said.

He will bring a camera and a drone so everyone can enjoy the journey without enduring the sore feet.

He is asking people to donate via a fund on the www.justgiving.ie website, chosen because it takes no cut of donations.

What people give all goes direct to charity. I am funding my trip myself, taking no expenses. The money is ringfenced for cancer research. Im just trying to do something I enjoy and hope to raise money at the same time.

The main thing is I want this walk to stay in peoples minds despite its length, so I am hoping that people will keep sharing the qr codes so people can see the fundraiser, he said. See codes below.

He received good wishes from Robert OConnor, director of research for the Irish Cancer Society.

On behalf of the society and all of our cancer researchers, I just want to wish Eamonn Culliton the very best as he heads out on his 2,500km walk from Portlaoise to Santiago.

Such an amazing feat planned, we wish Eamonn the very best on his epic journey, a celebration of the life of his amazing sister Alice. I hope everyone tunes in and supports him along the way.

We are especially delighted that all of the funds will go towards research to improve care and outcome for people affected by cancer in Ireland, Mr O'Connor said.

Follow Eamonns journey on his Facebook page called Irish Pilgrim, and find video updates on his Youtube channel The Pilgrim. Eamonn will also give updates on TikTok, Twitter and Instagram.

Find his fundraiser on www.justgiving.com/fundraising/irishpilgrim
The response to the plight of people in war-torn Ukraine has united communities across Kildare, Senator Fiona OLoughlin said.

The Kildare South politician was speaking during a March 23 debate in the Seanad on the Russian invasion and the humanitarian crisis.

Senator OLoughlin said: The outpouring of support from the Irish people continues. The humanity our people have shown is nothing short of phenomenal.

I have been liaising with Ukrainians and volunteers throughout my area of south Kildare.

We really have managed to unite people in this effort.

The crisis has brought communities together in a meaningful way but more needs to be done on the co-ordination of the community response.

She added: Throughout the country, we are seeing men and women, young and old, coming together and going to extraordinary lengths to support the Ukrainians.

My friend has found homes for more than 100 families in private households.

In my housing estate in Newbridge, young children have been going door to door selling blue and yellow cupcakes to raise money for the Irish Red Cross.

My neighbours, Freddie and Breda Reid, have already taken in a family of seven and I have registered to take people into my home.

The politician added that local hospitality businesses have given their premises for volunteers to meet.

She explained: Pharmacies have sourced badly needed medical supplies to send to Ukraine. Local schools have contributed and Ardscoil na Trionoide in Athy is one school in particular because Stephen Prior, who is doing a transition year placement with me, goes to school there.

Senator OLoughlin recently visited the Council of Europe in Strasbourg to engage with nine female parliamentarians from Ukraine.

She added: Seeing the pain and terror in their faces and listening to their experiences was incredible. One of the parliamentarians brought her two young daughters with her because there was nobody at home to mind them as their father, grandfather, uncles etc. were off fighting.

As hard as it was to listen to these women, it was harder to say goodbye when they left to travel back overland to Ukraine.
A Senator from Newbridge in Kildare has hit out at the 'horrific' litter levels in south of the county.

Fianna Fail Senator Fiona O' Loughlin said in a statement: "Illegal dumping is a huge issue nationwide, but it is something that unfortunately we are very familiar with in South Kildare."

Referring to the recent announcement that local councils will have the ability to use GDPR-compliant technologies such as CCTV to detect and prevent illegal dumping and littering, she added: "We need to see perpetrators of illegal dumping brought to justice."

File Pic: Fianna Fail Senator Fiona O' Loughlin

The Newbridge native explained: "We have seen horrific levels of dumping throughout South Kildare in recent years, especially in the Curragh and it is utterly inexcusable.

"We have seen a rise in illegal dumping, in illegal encampments in recent times and also significant damage at the Gibbet Rath... it needs to be tackled and we need to protect our environment.

"We absolutely need to tackle the issue of dumping and this is a significant support in doing so," she concluded.

Senator O' Loughlin recently made headlines when she praised the response to the plight of people in war-torn Ukraine.

She said that it has 'united communities across Kildare.'
Negotiations are understood to be taking place between Kildare County Council and landowners to secure a new burial place for the town.

The cemetery at Bodenstown is full and while there are plans by a developer to build a private cemetery adjacent to Bodenstown, no work has actually started.

But while talks are proceeding with a view to acquiring new space, residents remain concerned that burials could have to take place at locations other than Sallins.

But this will be resolved if extra space can be created within the cemetery by removing trees.

Read more Kildare news

The removal of trees is being considered by Kildare County Council as an interim measure which would address the immediate needs for burial plots - while plans for a new cemetery are developed.

Local businessman Owen Marron, who is part of a local committee formed to address the issue, says people are concerned.

Local people were coming into my shop complaining about this and fearful about the fact that the cemetery was getting full and we decided to press for action. For a long time there was little happening. But the ball is rolling now and there has been a good response from everyone. Deputy James Lawless and Cllr Carmel Kelly are also involved with us and Kildare County Council is very interested in finding a solution said Mr Marron.

Its estimated that there are about a dozen funerals in Sallins every year.

But not all of these require a fresh plot because in some instances people are interred in plots that are already bought by other family members - in some cases many years ago.

Its now likely that a line of trees will be removed along one side of the and this could yield between 18 and 20 new plots - enough to meet local requirements for about two years.

However the process of removing trees is likely to be time consuming because there is an amount of red tape associated with the move since Bodenstown cemetery is a national monument because it holds the grave of Wolfe Tone, the Irish republican and rebel who died in prison in 1798.

KCC has previously said that a number of factors must be considered before buying land for a cemetery. These include the availability of funding, whether the site is fit for purpose, the cost of the land and if its fair and reasonable, issues around access, and that the land is appropriately zoned.

Planning permission for the private project was granted almost four years ago.
The Minister for Agriculture has said he is "acutely aware" of challenges facing the Irish pig sector.

The comment comes following a meeting with the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) yesterday evening (Tuesday March 29), which was prompted by 'Save Our Bacon' protests in Dublin by pig farmers demanding government support.

Minister Charlie McConalogue said, "I am acutely aware of the challenges facing our pig sector and I am working to help support farm families and their businesses as much as possible. The industry is undoubtedly under pressure and I, as well as Minister [of State Martin] Heydon and the rest of the Government, have acted to support pig farmers throughout this challenging period.

"Recently, I announced the Pig Exceptional Payment Scheme (PEPS), with a fund of up to 7 million. The maximum payment under this scheme is 20,000. Payments have started issuing to applicants. I have also met with the banking sector regarding the current situation.

The situation on pig farms requires urgent action. We met Ministers @McConalogue and @martinheydonfg last night. We will have further engagement in the coming days.https://t.co/s9GrG5b3Dl  Irish Farmers' Association (@IFAmedia) March 30, 2022

I have also met with the Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) on the possibility of developing a suitable instrument to manage market volatility."

Yesterday, IFA President Tim Cullinan claimed the sector's entire future "hangs in the balance".

He said, "We are staring into the abyss here. Our pig sector is an important part of agriculture in this country, contributing nearly 1bn in exports. However, the sector cannot survive a projected loss of 160m in 2022."

The minister continued: "I thank the IFA for engagingly so constructively throughout this very difficult period for pig farmers. I have received the joint proposal for emergency funding that the IFA, the meat industry and the feed companies have submitted which and I have been examining it closely. I have committed to working with the sector to explore all avenues to offer support for this really important industry.

"Our pig farmers have always been remarkably resilient but I am fully aware of the challenges facing the sector at the moment."

#WATCH Pig farmers say they're losing around 56,000 per month due to soaring costs, including feed, fuel and poor prices for pig meat@ARocheNews reports #VMNews | @IFAmedia | @agriculture_ie pic.twitter.com/w2HR7bfdMg  Virgin Media News (@VirginMediaNews) March 29, 2022

An IFA statement after yesterday's meeting confirmed the minister and the IFA will engage in the coming days to work on a solution.

Despite the situation being called "extremely urgent", a protesting pause has been put in place outside the Department of Agriculture for now.

According to the IFA, pig prices in Ireland remain unchanged in the larger Irish plants this week with farmers receiving quotes of 1.40c/kg up to 1.44 or 1.46  1.50/kg.

Today's (Wednesday March 30) statement reads: "Even with markets showing signs of recovery, and pig price moving slowly in the right direction, the increase required to reach break-even is far too large and slow for farmers to bear."
Fur farming will be banned in Ireland following the passage of a bill through the final stages in the Seanad.

The Green Party has long called for a ban on fur farming with the support of many animal welfare groups and the representative body for veterinary surgeons in Ireland, Veterinary Ireland.

Green Party Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Senator Pippa Hackett welcomed the passage of the bill;

I am delighted to see this progressive and historic development come to pass. The Green Party has campaigned on this issue for many years and I believe it has the support of the vast majority of the public.

Banning fur farming is a vital step in the protection of animal welfare and puts us in line with similar legislation being implemented across Europe.

These farms cannot provide for the five freedoms of animal welfare, particularly in relation to the need to express normal behaviours - no welfare standards or inspection regimes can prevent welfare problems being encountered regularly on fur farms.

There are currently three active farms in the State that breed and rear mink for the purposes of pelting for the fur industry, which will be closed under the new plan. The bill includes a compensation scheme for mink farming operators for losses resulting from a ban.

Senator Pauline OReilly also welcomed the bill;

Animal welfare is an issue which has always been at the heart of Green Party policy, and the ban on fur farming is one of a number of key policies which would help to protect animals in Ireland and improve their treatment in a tangible way.

The Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021, which also introduces an exemption to forestry licences for the planting of small native woodlands, will be signed into law by President Michael D. Higgins in the coming weeks
TAOISEACH Micheal Martin is to ask the Housing Minister to intervene in a move which has seen Limerick tenants receive notice to leave their apartments.

Speaking in the Dail yesterday, Fianna Fail TD Willie O'Dea raised the plight of what he claimed were approximately 60 occupiers of apartments in the Shannon Arms complex at Henry Street in Limerick city centre.

They have received letters from their landlords informing them they have to leave their homes on various dates this year.

The communications, sent on behalf of different named landlords, have in some cases informed residents the properties are being refurbished, and in other situations, stated the homes are being sold.

Seen by the Limerick Leader, these letters state that the current tenants must "vacate and give up possession of the dwelling" on a named date.

Addressing his party leader, Mr O'Dea said: "I'm asking the Taoiseach if he would request the Housing Minister to intervene on behalf of 60 families, 150 people in all who are tenants of the Shannon Arms housing complex in Henry Street Limerick."

Mr O'Dea gave his opinions on the tactics being employed by the landlords, saying that they were "reminiscent of the behaviour of the absentee landlord during the great famine of the 1840s."

The former Defence Minister added: "This is not the 1840s. I'm asking the Taoiseach if the Minister for Housing can be asked to assist these people against this modern form of Rachmanism."

In response, Mr Martin confirmed he would indeed ask Minister Darragh O'Brien to intervene, adding: "This behaviour should not be tolerated in this day and age."

A spokesperson for M&C Property, the letting agent for a number of properties in the Shannon Arms said the firm did not act on behalf of any of the landlords in the issue of notice to tenants, or the administration of such notices.

"I would also like to point out that there are several different owners of apartments in the Shannon Arms and M&C do not represent all of them," the spokesperson added, "The clients whom we represent fully respect the RTB process and will engage in said process if any of their tenants choose to exercise their right to refer any matter to the RTB for adjudication."
LIMERICK councillors have taken the unusual step of blocking the sale of a former garda station to a third party.

At this month's full local authority meeting, members exercised their power to veto the proposed sale of public land to the private sector.

Council bosses had recommended Mary Street garda station - closed since 2013 - be sold for 100,000 to the Newenham Street Group Ltd, which has promised "a new signature building in Mary Street".

This came after the building was acquired from the Office of Public Works in 2018.

In a briefing note to councillors from head of property Jayne Leahy, it is stated the firm is seeking to build "high-quality consulting rooms and office space" and planned to invest 800,000 in its refurbishment.

But Fine Gael councillor Olivia O'Sullivan put forward a proposal to refuse the sale, and this was seconded by her colleague on the northside, Labour's Conor Sheehan.

No counter-proposal was forthcoming, so the sale was blocked.

"I cannot in good faith approve this," said Cllr O'Sullivan, "It was specifically laid out to deliver for Regeneration criteria, to meet objectives for Mary Street. I've raised concerns before that we are not acting in the best interests of the Regeneration plan or the council's tourism strategy by approving this disposal."

She pointed out that the original Expressions of Interest document for proposals was seeking an operator which could provide a tourism offering, with food and craft potential, along with the organisation of street events and links with neighbouring businesses.

Better, she said to withdraw the plan, rather than deferring it to "kick the can down the road."

Green councillor Sasa Novak urged council to go back to the drawing board, while Sinn Fein's Sharon Benson does not believe the council has looked at all avenues relating to the old Garda station.

"There was a strategic ask in this Expression of Interest, and we cannot continue with the case of, if you don't get in something you don't like, sell to the person with most money in their bank account. The use should be more important," she told the meeting.

The only member in City North who pushed for the sale was veteran Fianna Fail councillor Kieran O'Hanlon who said: "It's still in a derelict condition in one of the most important tourism areas in the city. People who walk by it, and the residents of the area need to put up with it. It's in a deplorable condition. If there's an alternative, I'm happy to listen. But no-one has told me we have the funding available to refurbish it, or we can access funding nationally, if we can do that. But if we can't, I cannot see any point in deferring it."

Council boss Dr Pat Daly pointed out under the Limerick 2030 plan, the Mary Street area was cited as being for a medical village.

"The idea of this is to have services and support activities around the hospital [Barrington's] which would generate their own level of activity. I don't think we have any major interest from hospitality or tourism when we went to tender. What you decide is what you decide, and we will respect that," he said.

Regeneration director Joe Delaney said: "The reason this bid was chosen over the other bids was the belief that this bid could get this difficult project done."

Elsewhere at the meeting, councillors approved the transfer of 22 other portions of land from the public sector to private buyers.
THE OPERATOR of a nursing home in County Limerick has been directed to carry out urgent works to address significant concerns about fire safety.

The concerns - relating to Riverbrook Nursing and Respite Care at Belmont Road, Castleconnell - emerged during an unannounced inspection of the premises on October 26, 2021.

According to the Health, Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), the inspection was carried out by an inspector who is a specialist estates and fire-safety inspector.

A 17-page report, which has just been published, outlines how the nursing home, which had 22 residents on the day, was found to be non-compliant in several areas relating to fire safety.

"In view of the fire safety concerns identified during this inspection and the remaining fire safety works to be completed to the centre, the inspector was not assured that the fire safety arrangements adequately protected residents from the risk of fire in the centre and ensured their safe and effective evacuation in the event of a fire," states the report.

According to HIQA, concerns relating to fire safety at the centre were previously identified during inspections in August 2020 and in February 2021.

While action was taken by the operator and some progress was made, many of the issues were not addressed by the time last October's inspection was carried out.

Deficiencies were noted in the maintenance and fire performance of fire doors at the premises while deficiencies were also found in measures designed to contain any fire that broke out.

The in-house fire safety checks were not adequate and some fire doors and exits were partially blocked or obstructed. There was also uncertainty as to whether or not some emergency exits could be opened from the outside in the event of a fire breaking out.

"Risks were not effectively managed in the centre which was evidenced by the number of risks identified on this inspection that had not been addressed by the registered provider," states the report which adds that staff had not completed a fire evacuation drill for one particular corridor where three single rooms are located.

Other issued identified include the absence of a gas shut off valve in the kitchen; the inappropriate storage of oxygen cylinders with combustible materials; the partial blocking of a break-glass alarm button, the absence of a fire door in a store room close to the main reception area and the location of a smoke alarm in the kitchen.

According to the HIQA report, concerns were also identified in relation to the fire drills and the inspector stated that she was not assured that adequate means of escape was provided throughout the centre.

HIQA has categorised each of the findings of non-compliance as 'orange' meaning they represent a moderate risk.
Irish Foreign Affairs minister Simon Coveney has met with the mayors of Manchester and Liverpool as part of an initiative to strengthen trade and innovation links.

The meeting in Dublin with Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram agreed to further develop the partnership between Ireland and the cities.

The meeting was part of a joint mission to Ireland led by the two mayors, involving business delegations and civic leaders, which is backed by the UK Department of International Trade.

Mr Coveney said: The development of our partnership with the north of England is a key part of Irelands strategy for strengthening relations with Great Britain post-Brexit.

We have unique heritage and community ties right across the north of England and there is great potential for Irish firms to develop partnerships with the dynamic northern powerhouse region.

Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram worked with me on the opening of our Consulate General for the north of England last year and this weeks mission is another important step forward.

Mr Rotheram said: Andy and I arrived here with the ambition to lay the foundations to ensure that the latest chapter in our long shared history is a prosperous one. All the conversations we have had so far this week indicate that this feeling is very much mutual.

The north west has enjoyed a long, successful trading partnership with Ireland.

Looking to the future, we share many of the same aims in things like renewable energy, innovation, trade, and manufacturing.

There is still so much potential to unlock and we want Ireland to be near the front of that queue.

Mr Burnham said: Minister Coveney shares our determination to deepen collaboration and cooperation between our places and this agreement will help us to take that next step forward.
Electric Ireland electricity and gas customers are still reeling from the announcement that the company's prices will rise by more than 20% in May.

The energy company said that home electricity prices will rise by 23.4% from May 1 for customers in the Republic of Ireland. Gas prices will also jump by nearly 25% from the same date.

But what does it all mean for your pocket?

The price hike practically wipes out the government's recently lauded electricity bill credit of 200. That credit, which actually works out at around 180 off electricity will be accounted for on people's bills in April.

However, this latest price hike from Electric Ireland will see the average electricity bill increase by around 300 a year or 25 per month. Gas customers will pay on average 220 more per year for their bills.

Even this year, despite the price hike only applying to the eight months from May to December, that will impact people's bills to the tune of 200 more than before.

The company has blamed the move on the unprecedented and sustained volatility of wholesale gas prices.

The move had been expected and follows price increases from other energy suppliers.

Marguerite Sayers, the executive director of Electric Ireland, said: We are acutely aware that the rising cost of living is causing difficulty for households across the country.

Unfortunately, the unprecedented and sustained volatility of wholesale gas prices over the last 12 months means that we now need to increase our prices.

We delayed the increase as long as we could in the hope that wholesale prices would drop back to early 2021 levels, but regrettably this has not happened.
Ireland's social housing waiting list has been reduced by over 30% in the past five years.

That's according to the latest Summary of Social Housing Assessment (SSHA), which was released today (Wednesday March 30) by the Department of Housing.

The dent in the waiting list represents a 35.3% decrease in the total number of households in need of social housing since 2016.

Just under 60,000 households were assessed as being qualified for and in need of social housing in November 2021, a dip of 4.3% from the 61,880 households in the same position in November 2020.

The Housing Minister, Darragh O'Brien, commented on the data release and said, We must not, and will not, lose sight of the fact that there are still just over 59,000 households who are relying on us for the provision of housing support. Housing for All, which was launched six months ago, sets us on a pathway to delivering 90,000 new social homes by the end of 2030.

"This year we will be investing more than 4 billion, to deliver 11,820 new social homes in 2022, including 9,000 new build social homes."

A total of 9,183 social houses were reportedly found for people in 2021, marking an increase of 17% on 2020 figures.

According to the Department, it's the fifth consecutive year the overall number of households on local authority waiting lists continued to decrease.

The data released today was criticised by opposition TD, Eoin O'Broin, who addressed the figures on Twitter.

In a tweet, he said, "For those interested in the facts here are the 2021 social housing targets and output figures; 28% built and bought by Councils and AHBs (6472), 72% leased from private property owners (16,840 HAP/RAS/Leasing). Govt over reliance on private sector continues."

Minister O'Brien responded to the tweet by stating, "Also a fact that there was a construction sector shutdown in 2021. Despite that, overall delivery was up 17% on 2020. But dont let the truth get in your way."

The minister also addressed the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and refugees coming to Ireland in need of shelter.

He said, "We are watching the situation in Ukraine closely. The Russian invasion is having significant impacts on all sectors of society and as we ramp up all types of housing delivery this year we will be wary of any impact the war will have."

"The strong pipeline of home building activity is encouraging. New figures show that in the past twelve months (March 2021 to February 2022), Commencement Notices for the construction of 33,006 new homes were received. This is the highest rolling 12-month total since comparable data was first published," he continued.

"Specifically related to social housing, the Construction Status Report for Quarter 4 2021, showed that there were 8,749 social homes onsite at the end of December, with a further 10,455 homes at various stages of design and procurement. Supporting local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies to increase housing construction is a priority for my Department."
The number of people fleeing the war in Ukraine has exceeded four million, the United Nations said Wednesday, surpassing the refugee count the organization predicted for the entire war in just under five weeks.

The exodus was already the largest movement of people in Europe since World War II and the U.N. refugee agency had previously estimated four million people could be driven from the country as a result of Russias invasion.

Though the scale of humanitarian flight has slowed in recent days, UNHCR also said many millions have been displaced within Ukraine, with 10.5 million people uprooted either within the country or forced abroad. Some 12 million are trapped in areas affected by the war and unable to leave, the agency said.

In almost five weeks since President Vladimir Putin began his assault on Ukraine, some 4,019,287 peoplemost of them women and childrenhave escaped the fighting. A law in Ukraine imposed at the start of the invasion prevents men of fighting age from leaving the country.

Most of the refugees have crossed into neighboring Poland where, by Wednesday, about 2.4 million had arrived, according to the Polish border guard. Hundreds of thousands of others have escaped to Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia and Romania.

Before Russias invasion, Polish authorities thought the influx of Ukrainians into Poland would top out at one million people, over the course of the war.

Visa-free travel in the European Union makes it difficult to track where refugees have gone from their first destination after leaving Ukraine, but the UNHCR estimates that a large number have done so. For example, of the 385,000 refugees who arrived in Moldova since the war began on Feb. 24, some 287,300 have since moved on, the agency says.

The EU has granted Ukrainian refugees the right to live and work in the bloc for up to three years. More than 350,000 people have left Ukraine for Russia.

The tide of refugees from Ukraine has ebbed in recent days. The number crossing into Poland was 22,400 on Tuesday, down from a peak of 140,877 on March 6. The numbers going into Moldova have also leveled off at around 2,000 a day in the past week, compared with around 20,000 a day at the start of the month.

There are virtually no refugee camps in Poland, aside from a handful of convention centers and stadiums that the Polish government terms reception centers," where a few thousand of the millions who have entered Poland sleep. Instead, Poland is counting on relatives, friends and volunteers to house the newcomers. That arrangement is becoming increasingly hard to sustain, however, as the rate of people arriving outpaces the number of beds available, Polish officials say. In a poll conducted by UNHCR and Intersos, a nonprofit organization, of 215 Ukrainian refugees in Poland, 41% said they intended to return to Ukraine and 29% said they hadnt decided whether to do so. Over 20% said they intended to move to another country.

Some people though are going back to Ukraine, whether to fight or for personal reasons. Some 550,000 Ukrainiansmostly menhave returned to the country since the start of the war, according to Andriy Demchenko, spokesman for the Ukrainian Border Guard Service. The reason for their return isnt recorded at the border, he said. But many have expressed that they are unable to stay away while their country is at war with Russia and are coming back to speed up the end of Russian aggression either as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine or in other ways," Mr. Demchenko said.

President Biden at the weekend pledged that the U.S. would accept up to 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing the war. Officials are looking at a range of legal pathways, including the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, for refugees from the war-torn country to enter America. After meeting with Ukrainian refugees in Warsaw on Saturday, Mr. Biden was asked what he thought of what Mr. Putin had done to them. Hes a butcher. Thats what it makes me think," Mr. Biden said.

In Germany, to accommodate arrivals from Ukraine, authorities have reopened refugee shelters that were used in 2015-16, at the height of the Syrian war.

The U.K., which has been criticized for not acting faster to take in more refugees, is offering 350 pounds, equivalent to $456, a month to people who host a Ukrainian refugee in their home and hasnt set an upper limit on figures.

Maryna Dubyna contributed to this article.
Former Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli saw his brand value drop by 21% to $185.7 million in 2021. However, he still topped the rankings in a new survey of most valuable Indian celebrities by consultant Duff & Phelps, a part of Kroll Inc.

The cricketer, valued at $237.7 million in 2020, was the primary choice of companies seeking to engage and attract consumers. Actor Ranveer Singh jumped a spot to rank No.2 this year, with a brand valuation of $158 million, significantly higher than his $102.93 million in 2020. Among sports celebrities, M.S. Dhoni entered the top five club this year.

View Full Image Pecking order

Krolls Celebrity Brand Valuation Report, unveiled on Tuesday, studied the impact of the pandemic on the celebrity endorsement space. The year saw brands and businesses leveraging social media and online platforms heavily for advertising and promotions, the report said.

Akshay Kumar was ranked third with a brand valuation of $139.6 million. Even though the actor slipped by a spot, his brand valuation improved from $118.92 million in 2020. Gangubai Kathiawadi actor Alia Bhatt was the fourth most popular choice and the most valued female celebrity in 2021 at $68.1 million.

Olympic silver medallist P.V. Sindhu was ranked 20th. The brand value of the top 20 celebrities in 2021 is estimated at $1.2 billion, an increase of about 12.9% from last year.

The decline in Kohlis brand value may have been a result of his resignation from the One-Day International (ODI) and T20 captaincy and the related controversy. Both the officials of the cricketing body Board of Control for Cricket in India and former Indian cricket team captain Kohli were engaged in a war of words during the captaincy controversy. His recent on-field outcomes may have also impacted brand Kohli. Yet, he continues to hold more than 30 brands in his portfolio spread across product categories," said Aviral Jain, managing director of Duff & Phelps. Some brands came and went, but his endorsement portfolio remained constant. Jain added that his fee, too, remained as it was during his captaincy days.

The report said that with the reduced workload after stepping down from captaincy, Kohli can focus now on what he is known forhis battingand continue his journey on becoming the worlds best batsman."

Dhoni, meanwhile, saw a big spike in his brand value to reach $61.2 million, double his value in 2020 at $36.3 million. Dhoni, who jumped six slots to fifth spot, enjoys a huge following and has brilliantly transitioned himself out of his pure cricketing image, the report said.

Even after his retirement from international cricket, Dhoni continues to hold more than 25 brands in his portfolio, spread across industries. One of his notable endorsements in 2021 was a three-year strategic partnership with HomeLane.com as an equity partner and brand ambassador.

Actor Ranveer Singhs brand value shot up with several new endorsements in 2021. The actor now has around 35 brands across industries. Recently, he was named brand ambassador of CoinSwitch Kuber, operating in the crypto space, and Cred, operating in the fintech payments space. Also, Bike taxi app Rapido has announced him as a brand ambassador to acquaint potential users with solving Indias intra-city commuting problems, the report said.

Alia Bhatt, known for playing challenging roles, is the youngest celebrity on the top 10 list and is now the most valued brand among female Bollywood actors.

After the Tokyo Olympics, athletes like Bajrang Punia, Devendra Jhajharia, Neeraj Chopra and Sindhu added major endorsement deals to their brand portfolios. Most of the endorsements were done in the financial services and the food and beverages segments. These included brands such as Apis Himalaya Honey, Mobil India and Natural Ice Cream.

Jain said this is the seventh year the report has been published, but this year has been noteworthy as they saw New Age companies engaging with top celebrities.

He said in 2021, the total number of endorsements had a V-shaped recovery. The total endorsements fell in 2020 to 357 brands and have increased to touch 376 brands in 2021. As a result, a good recovery has happened for the top 20 celebrities.

Pre-covid, in 2019, this figure was 370. This growth has been driven by endorsements in new-age companies that grew to about 12% of the total endorsements," Jain said.

According to the report, the fintech industry is growing very fast and is getting involved with top celebrities. A similar trend is noted in the direct-to-consumer, or D2C, space, which is growing leaps and bounds with more than 800 D2C companies. There is also an emergence of new-age social media apps and OTT platforms which is adding to the endorsement avenues, the report said.

While assessing celebrity brand value, Duff & Phelps noted the relative brand rankings of celebrities, average endorsement fee rates, normalized number of annual endorsements and applicable brand multiples, the report said.
Moscow dampened hope that a breakthrough in the latest peace talks had been achieved and followed through on its advertised shift in war plans in Ukraine by redoubling its ground and air assaults in eastern portions of the country.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday dispelled the idea that Tuesdays talks in Turkey between Ukrainian and Russian delegates had represented a turning point. No one said that the sides have made headway," he said. We cant point to anything particularly promising."

The statement came less than 24 hours after Moscows chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, said that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to meet his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, for the initialing of a peace treaty once the negotiations are completed. He also said that, in a show of good will, Russia would limit its operations near Kyiv.

The fighting that began Feb. 24 has now caused more than four million people to flee Ukraine, the United Nations said Wednesday, effectively reaching a level the organization once thought might be the upper limit for refugee totals. The U.N. has previously said many millions have also been displaced within the country, with more than 10 million people uprooted either within Ukraine or driven abroad.

With little indication the conflict is nearing an end, Germany, which relies heavily on energy imports from Russia, triggered an early-warning stage of a contingency plan that aims to insulate the country against any possible reduction in gas deliveries.

The Ukrainian military early Wednesday said it had fought off four Russian advances in the Donetsk and Luhansk areas of eastern Ukraines Donbas region, which Moscow over the past few days has said it would prioritize in the fighting. It later added that Russia had intensified its assault in the direction of Donetsk, focused principally on winning control of the cities of Popasna, Rubizhne and Mariupol.

Russia continued its long-range strikes throughout the country, attacking what it characterized as military targets. Russias Defense Ministry said it destroyed Ukrainian military equipment and struck two large warehouses in the Donbas area with short-range ballistic missiles.

Mr. Zelensky celebrated the apparent Russian withdrawal from areas around Kyiv, as well as the area around a hotly contested village in the southern province of Kherson. The Russian military allegedly decided to reduce military activities," he said in a daily video address. Russian planes started to fly less, and Russian equipment started to drive less."

But Mr. Zelensky warned that the armed forces would remain on alert throughout the country despite the apparent retreat around Kyiv. The situation has not become easier. The scale of the challenges has not diminished. The Russian army still has significant potential to continue attacks against our state," he said.

The Kremlins strategy shift, Western officials have said, suggests a greater focus on securing and expanding one of its strongholds inside Ukraine, potentially as a bargaining chip in peace talks.

Ukraines military, while saying it saw signs Russian forces were regrouping to focus on the east, expressed doubt that Moscow had given up its efforts to take Kyiv. The troop movements around the capital, the Ukrainian military said, may be little more than a rotation of units.

Meanwhile, Russia appeared to be redoubling efforts to take cities further from Kyiv.

Russian rounds continued to pummel the southern front-line city of Mykolayiv at night, vibrating walls and windows even miles away on the right bank of the Southern Bug River. By morning, dump trucks passed through a fortified checkpoint near the regional administrative headquarters in the center of town, hauling away wreckage from Tuesdays Russian missile strike that destroyed most of the building. Four women in tears joined in a hug, expressing lost hope for colleagues of theirs buried in the rubble. Workers pulled bodies from the pile.

In the northern province of Chernihiv, Russia continued to bomb throughout the night, hitting an administrative center, according to the regional governor. Russian troops spent the whole night hitting Chernihiv," wrote the governor, Vyacheslav Chaus. In fact the enemy roamed Chernihiv all night."

Western experts suggest that Russias withdrawal of some forces around Kyiv may be nothing more than a tactical pause, after a month of fighting in which Moscow has failed to take a major city and called for reinforcements from deep inside Russia. The British Defense Ministry on Wednesday said Russian forces, after suffering heavy losses, might be returning to Belarus and Russia to regroup.

Some of the most intensive fighting in Ukraine is taking place in Donbas, where Russian troops have entered the port city of Mariupol. The city has been besieged for about a month, but fierce battles with Ukrainian forces continue. Local officials have put the civilian death toll in the city, where many neighborhoods have been leveled, at more than 5,000.

Mr. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said that an hour-long phone call between Mr. Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday night bore no progress in alleviating the humanitarian crisis in Mariupol. Mr. Putin told Mr. Macron that conditions would improve when Ukrainian forces surrendered, according to Russias state news agency TASS, citing the Kremlin.

Still, Mr. Peskov said Russia had no plans to level cities. We have no Stalingrads on our calendar," Mr. Peskov told reporters, in reference to the Russian city destroyed by Germany in World War II.

In the rest of Donbas, Russia so far has failed to seize the principal cities of Kramatorsk, Slovyansk and Severodonetsk.

Ukrainian troops have launched counteroffensives in several areas in recent weeks, including near Kyiv and Chernihiv, and in the regions of Mykolayiv, Kharkiv and Sumy.

Brett Forrest contributed to this article.
Adolf Hitler was the unremarkable artist who rose to become the dictator of Germany and the instigator of the Holocaust. Given the devastation left in Hitler's wake, a major question for historians of the 20th century has been how Hitler captured the German imagination and came to power.

He was not, as a person, a charismatic character; biographer Ian Kershaw described him as an "empty vessel outside his political life." He had few genuine friends, an overinflated view of his own intellect and no inborn connections to propel him to the top.

Nor did Hitler have especially original ideas; the German Workers' Party he joined in 1919, which would become the Nazi Party under his leadership, was just one of approximately 70 right-wing groups in Germany after World War I, Kershaw wrote in the biography "Hitler: 1889-1936 Hubris" (W.W. Norton & Company, 1998).

But in the chaos of post-World War I Germany, it was Hitler's group that would gain dominance  and that was not a matter of luck, said Karl Schleunes, author of "The Twisted Road to Auschwitz: Nazi Policy Toward German Jews, 1933-39" (University of Illinois Press, 1970).

"What makes the German Workers' Party different from the other 69 groups is that they don't have a Hitler, whose speaker talent and tactics are really quite effective," Schleunes said.

And once he achieved fame, Hitler was able to cover up his rather off-putting personality with media images of a cultured gentleman beloved by children and animals.

The early years

Adolf Hitler pictured in the early 1920s. (Image credit: Public Domain)

Hitler's early life does not hint at his future. The son of a low-level civil servant in Austria, Hitler was groomed by his harsh, authoritarian father to become a bureaucrat as well. Other than the beatings from his father, the future dictator's early childhood was relatively normal, but he became sullen and friendless in adolescence, according to Kershaw's biography. He never finished high school and, from 1905 to 1907, sponged off of his mother.

In 1907, Hitler famously failed to win admission to art school, kicking off a period in which he lived in Vienna, making grand pronouncements about art, architecture and culture, but rarely making any serious effort to secure a future in art himself. In 1909, he ended up living for a time in a flophouse for the homeless. He soon turned to supporting himself by selling cheap paintings of city scenes.

In 1913, Hitler went to Munich, fleeing Austrian authorities who'd noticed that he'd dodged mandatory military service there. It was in the German military, however, that Hitler would find direction  and a springboard into politics.

Service in World War I gave Hitler a place in the world for the first time, Kershaw wrote, even as many of his fellow soldiers viewed him as a bit of a socially awkward oddball and prude. Germany admitted defeat in the war as Hitler rested in a hospital, recovering from a mustard gas attack. He returned to his regiment in Munich, Schleunes said, where he ultimately got a job with the information unit, working in military intelligence.

It was this job that put him on a collision course with the German Workers' Party. Hitler had long held right-wing nationalist views, but in a "critical development," Schleunes said, the army sent him to attend university lectures on German history, socialism and bolshevism  from a right-wing perspective.

In particular, Hitler ate up the words of a right-wing economist, Gottfried Feder, and a right-wing historian, Karl Alexander von Muller. It was Muller who noticed that Hitler had a talent for rhetoric, and his recommendations helped Hitler land a job in the intelligence unit as a spy keeping tabs on the German Workers' Party, Schleunes said.

Gaining power

It was Hitler's power as a speaker that turned him from informer to party member, Schleunes said. During a German Workers' Party lecture, someone suggested that it might be best for Bavaria to break from the rest of Germany, splintering the country. Hitler, a German nationalist, was appalled and argued against the idea. The leader of the party, impressed with his speaking style, asked him to join the party. A few days later, on Sept. 12, 1919, Hitler became the 55th member of the party, with the full permission of the army.

Hitler became a fiery speaker on the beer-hall circuit and was willing to risk the humiliation of low turnout by organizing rallies in large spaces, Kershaw wrote. His organizing talents propelled him to the top of the party's leadership.

In 1920, Hitler and the other leaders of the party changed its name from the German Workers' Party to the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, or "Nazi" for short). In 1921, Hitler was voted chairman of the party and took total control. The once-tiny group began to draw new members, absorbing other right-wing groups, Schleunes said.

Hitler remained a cold presence in person. "He's not an interesting conversationalist," Schleunes said. "He's really sort of a dull person, except when he appears before an audience, when somehow, a switch is turned on. He could milk an audience and shape it and get it to feel."

If Hitler's speaking abilities gave him the roots to flourish in the early Nazi Party, the chaos and resentment of Germany at the time were the soil that made his growth possible.The German people were in shock after losing World War I, Schleunes said. They'd been told throughout the war that they were winning. They faced food and coal shortages, and ended the war with millions killed and wounded. But these sacrifices were necessary, according to the army, because victory was close.

"They're told that for four years, and suddenly, they're told that 'We lost the war,'" Schleunes said. To understand how such a thing could happen, many turned to conspiracy theories  particularly, the theory that Jewish people on the home front had stabbed Germany in the back. "The situation, for someone like Hitler, is ripe," Schleunes said.

A wider popularity

Here, an image (from April 1924) during the trial for the so-called Beer Hall Putsch in which Hitler tried to overthrow the government of Bavaria. (Image credit: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Germany)

Violence marked Hitler's early rise. By 1923, he was emboldened enough to attempt to overthrow the government of Bavaria by force, which he hoped would eventually lead to the overthrow of the national government in Berlin.

This "Beer Hall Putsch" failed, but there was widespread sympathy for Hitler's aims, Schleunes said. His trial became a megaphone broadcasting his ideas, and his light 9-month stint in prison gave him the opportunity to dictate the "almost unreadable" but wildly popular biography "Mein Kampf," Schleunes said.

"Hitler was smart enough to realize after the failure of his Beer Hall Putsch that he and his party could not come to power with violence against the institutions of the state, especially the army and the police," said Dr Benjamin Hett, author of "The Death of Democracy: Hitlers Rise to Power and the Downfall of the Weimar Republic" (Henry Holt and Co, 2018). "They could only come to power by getting inside the system, and the path to that was through winning elections".

There were many factors that led to Hitler's more widespread acceptance in Germany, from economic depression to the country's hatred of the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I. But Hitler managed to expand his appeal from the beer-soaked halls of Munich to the rest of the country, in part via the mass media.

In 1932, he ran for president and struggled to reach middle-class voters, said Despina Stratigakos, a historian of architecture and the author of "Hitler at Home" (Yale University Press, 2015). To rehabilitate his personal image, he focused on his domestic portrayal. Instead of downplaying his transient, rather lonely personal history, Hitler and his propaganda team started to foreground his personal life.

Hitler was portrayed as being good with children. (Image credit: Getty Images)

"He's being presented as a good man, a moral man, and the evidence for that comes from his private life," Stratigakos told Live Science. "It's fabricated, but it's very effective."

Hitler lost the 1932 election, but gained the support of many influential industrial interests. When the parliamentary elections failed to establish a majority government, Germany's president Paul von Hindenburg caved to outside pressure and named Hitler chancellor (the role of chancellor in Germany is similar to that of Prime Minister in other parliamentary systems, and Germany had both a president elected by the people and a chancellor representing the majority party in the government).

In 1933, the Reichstag building was set on fire, which Hitler used as a pretext to seize emergency powers and detain his political enemies. With communists and other leftists under arrest, he was able to push a law called the Enabling Act through parliament. The Enabling Act allowed Hitler's cabinet to institute legislation without parliamentary consent.

With the backing of the conservative German National People's Party (DNVP) and with the left-leaning Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) barred from attending the vote on 24 March 1933, Hitlers proposal was passed by 444 votes to 94, a key step in usurping the democratic institutions of the state.

In the wake of this law came what the Nazis called Gleichschaltung, or coordination, a process in which any organization at all that could possibly form the basis of opposition was abolished or taken over by the Nazis, said Hett. This process was largely completed by July of 1933, when all political parties except the Nazis were formally outlawed.

As Hitler strong-armed his way to dictatorship, profiles of him rusticating in his residence in Obersalzberg, Bavaria, portrayed him as a cultured gentleman, beloved by dogs and children. Working with the architect Gerdy Troost, Hitler created a space with an expansive Great Hall that seemed inspired by the artist salons of pre-World War I Munich, Stratigakos said. German and English language magazines printed fluffy pieces on the Fuhrer at home.

"Even the American Dog Kennel Gazette had this feature on Hitler as a dog lover," Stratigakos said. These cozy, domestic scenes helped soften the image of the Hitler. The strategy was so successful that the most-sold images of 1934 were pictures of Hitler at home playing with his dogs or with children.

Through his organization, oratory and public relations, Hitler "the nonentity, the mediocrity, the failure," as Kershaw called him, had become not only the chancellor of Germany, but a beloved celebrity. The transformation was complete.

Additional resources

To read more about the life and rise of Hitler, you can visit The National WWII Museum website. Additionally, you can watch this TED Talk video by Alex Gendler and Anthony Hazard.
Click here to read the full article.

Ariana DeBose made history on Sunday night by becoming the first openly queer woman of color to win an acting Oscar for her work as Anita in Steven Spielbergs West Side Story. The musical was distributed by 20th Century Studios, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company.

On the Academy Awards red carpet before the ceremony, I talked with DeBose about Floridas Dont Say Gay bill. DeBose says she has reached out to Disney CEO Bob Chapek to talk about the studios controversial reaction to the legislation.

Bob and I, were gonna do the work, DeBose said. I have [spoken to Chapek]. Im a very hands-on type of person. And when I see something, I say something. And while I may not always put it on the internet, I do that. I reached out. And I will continue to reach out and Bob knows that.

When I asked about queer representation at this years Oscars, which also included best actress nominee Kristen Stewart, DeBose smiled. Were here. Were queer. And weve been here.

Earlier this month, Chapek came under fire for Disneys reported donations to the bills sponsors. Variety exclusively reported at the time that LGBTQ Disney employees sent the CEO and other company executives a letter asking that the company issue a statement against anti-LGBTQ legislation in the U.S.

Chapek was blasted when he eventually addressed the issue by saying that the biggest impact Disney can make is by promoting inclusivity through its content.

During her acceptance speech on Sunday, DeBose delivered a powerful message: To anybody who has ever questioned your identity ever, ever, ever, or you find yourself living in the gray spaces, I promise you this: There is indeed a place for us.

On Monday, as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Dont Say Gay bill into law, the Walk Disney Company promised to work on repealing the legislation.

Floridas HB 1557, also known as the Dont Say Gay bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law, the statement reads. 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. We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Click here to read the full article.

Buffalo Nichols made his late-night debut on The Late Show Tuesday evening, performing Lost & Lonesome, off his self-titled debut album, which Fat Possum released in October 2021. Appearing solo, the Austin-based blues musician gave an intimate, emotionally-wrought performance of the song, accompanied only by his guitar.

Born in Houston but raised in Milwaukee, Nichols has drawn praise for his blues guitar prowess. Last year, Rolling Stone dubbed his single Another Man a Song You Need to Know, writing, Its one thing to revive a genre and another to resuscitate a specific type of old-school song. But on Another Man, from his new self-titled debut, Buffalo Nichols has both goals in mind: to update the blues and the protest song in the 21st century.

Buffalo Nichols is currently on tour in the U.S. and will perform in the U.S. and Europe throughout the spring and summer. He is scheduled to appear at Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland and Lollapalooza in July.
Click here to read the full article.

A committee of the Georgia State Senate voted on Monday to cap the states lucrative film and TV tax credit at $900 million per year.

The tax credit has made Georgia a major hub of film and TV production over the last decade. Last year, the credit soared to a record $1.2 billion as production exploded in the state following the pandemic.

The program is currently uncapped, meaning that all productions that spend at least $500,000 in the state in a year are guaranteed a 30% credit on their expenses. The credits are also transferrable, meaning that studios can sell them at close to face value to other taxpayers.

The Senate Finance Committee proposal would cap the program and make credits non-transferrable. If the latter provision became law, studios could only take advantage of the credit to the extent that they have tax liability in the state, significantly reducing the credits value as a production incentive.

The proposal faces an uncertain future and will be subject to negotiation with the state House of Representatives.

We obviously know this is going to go back and forth in the House and the Senate, said Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, the Republican chair of the committee, at Mondays hearing.

The Georgia General Assembly is currently working on a broad income tax reform measure. The House passed a flat tax of 5.25%, replacing the current graduated tax which has a top rate of 5.75%. The House version would also eliminate many deductions, meaning that taxpayers who itemize deductions could end up paying more.

The Senate Finance Committee proposed an alternative, under which deductions would be retained, and the rate would drop to 4.99% over the course of several years. To offset the added cost of that proposal, the committee proposed reining in the film and TV credit.

Even at $900 million, the Georgia credit would still be larger than the credits in New York and California combined. And even in Georgia, the credit has only exceeded $900 million once. Before 2021, the previous record high was $860 million in 2019.

Sen. Nan Orrock, D-Atlanta, voted against the committees proposal, noting the job impact of the credit in the state.

I feel very cautionary about our whacking this tax credit thats made us the third highest state in the country for film activity  $4 billion in our economy every year, Orrock said. It just seems incautious to me.

Hufstetler countered that the credit needs limitations, noting that the state ends up subsidizing private jets, personal trainers and chefs.

The Motion Picture Association declined to comment.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Click here to read the full article.

Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) has partnered with Capitol Records to bring new signee Doechii to the Universal Music Group label. Hailing from Tampa, Florida, the singer, rapper and dancer is best known for her breakout single, Yucky Blucky Fruitcake, which has amassed over 32 million streams on Spotify, and is already garnering comparisons to the legendary Missy Elliott.

Doechii marks one of the first signings under new Capitol chairman and CEO Michelle Jubelirer, who describes, upon hearing her music, an incredible chill-inducing feeling that I live for, as both a music executive and music fan.

The artists debut track, Persuasive, is produced by Kal Banks (Isaiah Rashad, J. Cole, SiR) and executive produced by TDEs Anthony Top Dawg Tiffith.

I came across Doechii in 2018 and knew she was a star, Chris Turner, senior director of A&R at Capitol, tells Variety. I couldnt reach her to save my life. I figured she had signed. Fast forward to 2021, Im sitting in Tops living room and he shows me his new artist. The rest is history. In 2022, the worlds about to find out about this global superstar Doechii!

TDE is home to some of hip-hops biggest stars, among them Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock and SZA.

Pictured at top (from left): Manny Smith, senior executive, TDE; Michelle Jubelirer, chair and CEO, Capitol Music Group; Doechii; Anthony Top Dawg Tiffith, founder and CEO, TDE; Chris Turner, senior director A&R, CMG; Anthony Moosa Tiffith, president, TDE.

Wednesday, March 30

Def Jam Recordings celebrated Womens History Month  in partnership with LUCID Motors  with a special event recognizing its own female staff. Held March 28 in Beverly Hills, The Women of Def Jam brought out the iconic labels executive team, staff and VIP guests as well as artists like Kendra Jae, DaniLeigh, Pap Chanel, Nevaeh Jolie, Ilham and Kaash Paige, who joined a Future Leaders panel moderated by Variety executive editor Shirley Halperin.

After closing statements from newly installed Def Jam chairman and CEO Tunji Balogun, the event concluded with a performance by Coco Jones, a new label signee and star of Peacocks Bel-Air.

Def Jams female execs were also celebrated earlier this month with the release of The Women of Def Jam  a 24-track compilation album showcasing music by Nikki D., Foxy Brown, Boss, Ashanti, Amerie, Teyana Taylor, Alessia Cara, Rapsody and Jhene Aiko, among others.

Of the major labels, Def Jam is a model of inclusivity and diversity as half of its employees are women, including seven women of color in senior executive positions. In addition, for the first time since 2007, Def Jam boasts an all-female marketing staff.

Pictured above: Def Jams Nicki Farag, Khorey Washington and Natina Nimene; Coco Jones and Tunji Balogun can be seen below.

+ Sony Music Publishing has partnered with the non-profit organization Girls Make Beats to host a songwriting and composing workshop for young girls in music. This collaboration marks the launch of Sony Music Groups second annual Beyond The Instrument program, an ongoing initiative designed to develop the next generations music industry.

With the support of SMP songwriters Crystal Nicole, Caroline Ailin, and Sarah Aarons, as well as Bleeding Fingers Music composers Laurentia Editha, Adam Lukas, Christian Lundberg, Anze Rozman, Kara Talve, and Denise Santos, 15 students  enrolled in GMB  worked together to create an original song and video score about women empowerment.

Songwriting and composing are viable career pathways that have traditionally been male dominated fields, said Tiffany Miranda, president and founder of Girls Make Beats. We are both honored and excited to have our girls mentored by the inspiring industry professionals at Sony Music Publishing and Bleeding Fingers to create a pipeline for the next generation of music makers.

The experience, which was held on March 26 at Bleeding Fingers Music in Santa Monica, provided students with the proper resources and access to music professionals across the industry. The workshop is part of a series of composition programs with the goal to inspire and empower the next generation of songwriters, composers, producers, DJs, and audio engineers.

The young talent behind the Girls Make Beats program is exceptional and working with them is a rare privilege. Its exhilarating to feel the raw energy and talent these girls bring to the table. The results speak for themselves, added Russell Emanuel, president and CEO of Sony Production Music.

+ Prescription Songs >has signed songwriter Morgan Nagler, who is credited on songs by Phoebe Bridgers (Kyoto, which was nominated for a best rock song Grammy in 2020) and Haim (Falling), among others, and is a former actress and the frontwoman of Whispertown and Whispertown 2000.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Click here to read the full article.

Why go to the mall when you can shop via NBCs Today program?

NBCUniveral News Group, the parent of NBC News, MSNBC and CNBC, has for several years worked to weave e-commerce into the digital counterpart to its venerable Today show as well as other areas, and now it hopes to facilitate more purchases by providing users with product reviews from Consumer Reports.

The venerable consumer advocacy organization will contribute product reviews that are normally placed behind a paywall to a new digital destination on two NBCU e-commerce sites, Shop Today and Select. The Best Product Reviews area will provide Consumer Reports findings around different product categories, including cooking, bed and bath, and tools and appliances. The product reviews are based on research and testing, and NBCU executive hope they will create an easier shopping experience.

We see commerce as this extension of the brand, an opportunity to make peoples lives easier, says Ashley Parrish, senior vice president of commerce for NBCU News Group, in an interview.

Many media entities have been experimenting with so-called shoppable TV, which can take viewers into shopping experiences with the use of a smartphone or other digital device. The technology even came to the Super Bowl this year, with cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase running a controversial commercial featuring only a floating QR code against a dark background. Viewers who used their phones were taken to a company web site.

Now NBCUs goal is to give its shoppers the chance to buy with fewer obstacles between discovering a product and choosing to purchase it. We are trying to reduce the friction as much as possible, and applying a layer of authority and expertise that will give consumers more confidence as they buy, says Parrish.

In addition to weaving Consumer Reports reviews into the shopping sites, NBCU News Group will feature content from the organization in regular segments on Today in months to come. Products tested by Consumer Reports will be made shoppable via QR codes seen on screen during the appearances. Both parties expect to earn affiliate commission on purchases made through the Best Product Reviews destination on Shop Today and Select.

For more than 86 years, millions of people have relied on Consumer Reports for trustworthy information to help them shop smart, save money, and stay safe, says Lauren Stanich. vice president and chief marketing officer at Consumer Reports, in a statement. This partnership with NBC helps us reach even more people as we continue to evolve our brand in new ways.

NBCU News Group launched its commerce efforts in 2017, part of a movement by many traditional media companies to harness interactive technology to create new flows of revenue. ABCs Good Morning America, for example, also offers e-commerce opportunities. At NBC, viewers can find and purchase products via Shop Today or Select, the latter of which was launched in October. Today All Day, a streaming counterpart to the linear morning program, features shoppable content online, with shows like Shop All Day or Shop Today with Jill Martin (above, pictured). Both programs are produced by NBC News custom productions unit.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Click here to read the full article.

Ron Perlman slammed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis this week after he signed into law the controversial Dont Say Gay bill on March 28. The Hellboy and Dont Look Up actor posted a video to his Twitter page in which he called DeSantis a fucking Nazi pig and a piece of shit. The legislation, officially titled the Parental Rights in Education Bill, bans kindergarten to third grade classrooms from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity topics. The bill also allows parents to take legal action against school districts they believe to be in violation of the law.

Good morning Gov. DeSantis, Ron here, Perlman says in the video, which has earned over 3.3 million views since posting. Dont say gay? Dont say? As the first two words in a sentence spoken by a political leader of a state in the United States of America. Dont say?You fucking Nazi pig. Say! First amendment. Read about it. Then run for office. You piece of shit.

The Walt Disney Company issued its own statement this week vowing to help repeal the controversial legislation. The companys opposition to the law followed an employee walkout earlier in the month in protest of CEO Bob Chapeks mishandling of the Dont Say Gay bill. Chapek drew backlash for Disneys quiet response to the bill as it made its way through the Florida legislature, as well as for a report that Disney has given money to the bills sponsors.

This bill should never have passed and should never have been signed into law, Disneys statement read. 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. We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country.

Perlman has been using social media all month to hold politicians accountable for their behavior. Just last week, Perlman called Ted Cruz a big prick for his questions at the Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Ketanji Brown Jackson. Watch Perlmans latest takedown of DeSantis in the video below.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Click here to read the full article.

The Ozark finale is getting closer and tension is at an all-time high. On Tuesday, Netflix released the trailer for Part Two of Season Four, set to release on April 29.

The trailer sees Marty (Jason Bateman) and Wendy (Laura Linney) having a heated discussion. Im just sick of having blood on my hands, Wendy. It doesnt bother you? says Bateman. Youre so desperate to be the good guy, says Wendy. Later, she adds: Why do you choose everyone else over your family? Dont back out on me when were almost done.

The trailer also gives a look at Ruth being ready for revenge as she says, Welcome to my fucking world, before going up to shoot Javi, drug lord Omar Navarros nephew. Wendy, Im scared, says Marty.

The video laces clips of Marty going to Mexico, a woman cleaning blood from the floor, a car crash, a gala, and a jail fight. The end justifies the means, reads the trailers tagline.

Along with the new half-season, Netflix is set to drop A Farewell to Ozark, a 30-minute look into the beloved series with behind-the-scenes clips and memories from the show.

Ozark earned several Emmys over its first three seasons. Garner took home the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a drama in 2019 and 2020, while Bateman won Outstanding Director following Season Two.
Click here to read the full article.

Academy Awards co-host Amy Schumer has posted a shocked reaction to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock during the event.

I think we can all agree that the best way to unpack what happened is to stream my series @lifeandbethhulu and see me on tour this fall, Schumer began in a light-hearted manner in an Instagram post late on Tuesday. Schumer was referring to her Hulu show Life & Beth.

However, Schumer got serious quickly after that.

But for real. Still triggered and traumatized. I love my friend @chrisrock and believe he handled it like a pro. Stayed up there and gave an Oscar to his friend @questlove and the whole thing was so disturbing. So much pain in @willsmith anyway Im still in shock and stunned and sad. Im proud of myself and my cohosts. But yeah. Waiting for this sickening feeling to go away from what we all witnessed, Schumer continued.

Schumer co-hosted the 94th Academy Awards with Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes.

Chris Rock and Will Smith had an altercation during the 2022 Oscar telecast. Rock appeared on stage to present the Oscar for documentary feature and made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith being in G.I. Jane because of her shaved head. Smith then took the stage to slap Rock. Although it appeared to be a joke at first, Smith returned to his seat and yelled at Rock, Keep my wifes name out of your fucking mouth!

Smith went on to win the best actor Oscar for King Richard and made an emotional speech during which he apologized for the incident, but not to Rock. He subsequently apologized to Rock, saying, I was out of line and I was wrong.

The incident made headlines around the world. Smith now faces action from the Academy.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested two fugitives wanted for sexual offenses in separate enforcement actions, authorities said.

Our frontline officers continue to maintain strict vigilance and these two significant apprehensions of wanted persons for crimes of a sexual nature underscore their continued resolve and dedication to upholding the CBP border security mission, said Port Director Albert Flores, Laredo Port of Entry.
Both Pfizer and Modernas second COVID-19 vaccine booster were approved on Tuesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for select groups. This news comes after the Laredo Health Authority Dr. Victor Trevino said that the U.S. is monitoring the new COVID variants impact, a subvariant that is 80% more transmissible than the omicron variant.

According to the city, the second booster was only approved for specific groups including individuals 50 years and over. The Pfizer vaccine can be administered to individuals 12 years of age with immunocompromised diseases, and the Moderna dose for individuals 18 years of age with immunocompromised diseases. It adds that the vaccines can be administered at least four months after receiving the first booster dose.

Current COVID-19 vaccines provide protection against the current circulating variants. We have observed how effective COVID-19 vaccines are at saving lives and preventing sever/critical illness, Laredo Health Director Dr. Richard Chamberlain said. It is important to stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines and all vaccines. Staying up to date with your vaccines ensures a higher level of protection for you, your family, social circles and community.

The BA.2 variant has accounted for approximately 55% of new cases in the U.S., per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chamberlain said that the health department continues to monitor all data, and residents can expect updates regarding any new or important developments.

Residents planning on receiving their fourth vaccine dose can visit the Laredo Health Department, the city health clinic or a number of vaccine sites. These include the Laredo International Airport, El Metro Transit Center, San Agustin Plaza, Mall del Norte, Pulga Blanca and the Border Town Flea Market, to name a few. The health department website has more information regarding times and availability.

Despite the news of the BA.2 variant, Laredo continues to be at a low COVID-19 risk level, and Chamberlain added that from a rolling seven-day average, 19 new cases were added as of Tuesday. With Spring Break in the rearview mirror, he said that the health department has not observed an increase of new infections being reported.

During the March 21 City Council meeting, councilmembers suggested continuing the campaign to encourage vaccination in the unvaccinated community. Trevino said then that while there may not be more hospitalizations or death -- like the January 2022 wave -- predictions indicate that 90% of deaths will continue to be from the unvaccinated.

But at the end, the best defense is going to be the vaccinations, specifically boosters, to reinforce our immunity, Trevino said. And because of the lack of our health care professionals that can treat COVID, this is the challenge our community has to see, and we need to address these issues and the waves that will continue be part of our endemic and other illnesses.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 / Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Two people have been arrested for holding migrants against their will, according to Laredo police.

Raul Castaneda, 54, and Margarita Hernandez, 46, were charged with three counts of operating a stash house and three counts of smuggling of persons.
The March 1 primary set up a gubernatorial matchup between incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and Democratic former Congressman Beto O'Rourke. Changing demographics and increased voter turnout may help O'Rourke's chances, but multiple political strategists said the Democrat will have a steep hill to climb to victory.

In a state where a Democratic governor hasnt been elected since 1990, where Republicans overwhelmingly control the state government and in an election in which his opponent has more than seven times as much cash on hand, ORourke said he considers himself an underdog.

Were underdogs and theres no other position wed want to be in, ORourke said in an interview.

However, top advisors to Abbott view the governor's opponent a little differently.

Beto is a joke, said Dave Carney, Abbotts top political adviser. Its not anything were worried about right now.

This isnt ORourkes first time in the spotlight. He spent three terms representing Texas 16th Congressional District before running for U.S. Senate against Ted Cruz in 2018, coming just over 200,000 votes shy of beating the incumbent Republican. ORourke also had a failed run to be the Democratic nominee for president in 2020, exiting the race after seven months of campaigning.

Despite coming up short in 2018, ORourke said he thinks the election helped change what was possible for Democrats in Texas, a state that has been dominated by Republicans up and down the ballot in recent years. About 8.37 million Texans, or 53% of registered voters, took to the polls when he ran for Senate.

Up until that point, the only other election with a higher voter turnout was in the 2016 presidential election.

ORourke said the difference between this years election and his run in 2018 is that there has been a transformation in the state, due in part to the large turnout during the Senate election, which he said makes victory in this years election much more likely.

Texas has been undergoing a transformation that has made it more friendly for Democratic candidates for many years, according to Laura Hernandez, co-founder of Democratic marketing firm Pescador Public Strategy. Hernandez said part of the reason she thinks its so difficult for Democrats to get elected in Texas is because it's a non-voting state.

Texas had the seventh-lowest voter turnout rate in 2020 with 60.42% of eligible voters taking to the polls, according to the United States Elections Project.

Brenden Steinhauser, a Republican political consultant who worked on Sen. John Cornyn's campaign in 2014, said the 2018 Senate race was an eye-opener that caused some fear in the Republican party for 2020. When people saw the high turnout and how close ORourke came to defeating Cruz in 2018, Hernandez said some thought Democrats were going to plow through 2020.



However, that wasnt the case. Cornyn won by a million votes, then-President Donald Trump carried the state by 600,000 votes and Republicans didnt lose a Congressional seat in 2020.

Steinhauser said theres still cause for concern for Republicans in 2022, though, with demographics trends he said typically favor Democrats. The number of those identifying as Hispanic and those identifying as Black both grew by about 20% from 2010 to 2020, and the number of people identifying as Asian in Texas grew 64.4%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Those are real trends. The growing Hispanic population, the growing Asian population, young people moving up, Steinhauser said. But Republicans arent shutting their eyes with that. Theyre trying to go out there and get ahead of that.

The Abbott campaign is actively courting these voters, Carney said. Carney said he thinks the idea that increasing diversity is an advantage for Democrats is just a talking point.

We are going to win the Hispanic vote. The Asian population is voting Republican. We are making inroads with the African American community, Carney said. All of these diverse populations are attracted to the message of the governor.

Even with Texas becoming increasingly more diverse, Hernandez said Democrats still need to do more to be able to consistently elect their candidates statewide. In terms of this year's gubernatorial race, she said she thinks Texas is ready for a Democratic governor, but that it doesnt make it any easier for ORourke.

I do think things are changing in Texas, but we have to keep looking at this as the long game, Hernandez said. Its still a work in progress.

Despite facing multiple Republican challengers, the results of the March 1 primary were more encouraging for Abbott than ORourke, Steinhauser said. He pointed to voter turnout: About 1.95 million Republicans voted in the gubernatorial primary compared to 1.07 million Democrats.

Steinhauser said this shows Republicans are just as energized, if not more energized, than Democrats in this years election. He said there is organic, grassroots momentum on the right similar to in 2010 and the rise of the Tea Party.

James Henson, the founder of the Texas Politics Projects, said Abbott facing primary challengers, most notably farther-to-the-right candidates Don Huffines and Allen West, likely wont hurt his chances in the general election. He said even though the Republicans criticizing Abbott are vocal, he doesnt think they would go as far as not voting for Abbott, and they certainly wouldnt vote for ORourke.

Partisan attachment to their own party is nowhere near as intense as their antipathy towards the other party, Henson said.

The challenge for ORourke of turning out untapped Democrats voters in large enough numbers to be able to defeat Abbott will be really significant, Henson said.

The math suggests that despite the fact theres a decent amount of enthusiasm among Democratic activists for Beto ORourke, there are probably, all things being equal, not enough Democratic votes to put him over the top, Henson said.

Henson said in order for O'Rourke to win, part of what hell need to do is target Independent voters. However, these voters represent only about 10-14% of the electorate in Texas and favor Abbott over ORourke two to one, Henson said.

According to the Texas Politics Projects latest poll, 42% of Independent voters favor Abbott and 21% said they would vote for ORourke, while more than a third are still undecided.

ORourke said he plans on visiting every county in the state, just like in 2018, to try to unseat Abbott. Hernandez said she believes this is one of the strategies he needs to employ in order to win, since she said she thinks statewide Democrats often focus on one-up[ing] the score in big cities while ignoring rural Texas.

Additionally, ORourke said he plans to target voters affected by S.B.1, the Texas law enacted in September 2021 adding restrictions to the voting process which led to nearly 23,000 mail-in ballots being rejected in March, according to the Associated Press.

The very people that Abbott has targeted to try to keep them out of this election through these voter suppression laws, those are the very people were going to, ORourke said. Hes written them off and hes assuming were going to do the same thing as well because hes made it so hard for them to vote.

ORourke said he has amassed a team of more than 56,000 volunteers who are going to help do the groundwork to win the election.

When there are 56,000 people who arent just saying 'yes' to a pollster but are saying 'yes' to picking up a clipboard and knocking on a door and doing the really tough work of winning an election, that says more than anything, ORourke said.

While ORourke plans to employ many of the same strategies he used in 2018 during the campaign, the difference for Abbott this time around compared to his first gubernatorial campaign in 2014 is that he now has a record to run on, Carney said. Creating jobs, raising the pay of teachers and recovering economically from the COVID-19 pandemic are a few of the accomplishments Carney said Abbott can point to.

This is the governors forte, Carney said. The vast majority of Texas support what the governor has done.

According to the February Texas Politics Project poll, that isnt necessarily true, though. The poll shows 44% of Texans approve of Abbotts job in office, while 42% disapprove. Additionally, a higher percentage of people believe Texas is on the wrong track rather than going the right direction: 46% compared to 40%, according to the poll.

While changing demographics, increased voter turnout and polling showing Texans believe the state is on the wrong track may improve O'Rourke's chances of becoming the state's first Democratic governor this century, Henson said it will ultimately be an uphill battle for the former Congressman.

He enters this race at such a significant disadvantage that its hard to see him as anything but an underdog. Compared to the last couple of cycles, hes an interesting underdog, but hes still an underdog, Henson said.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

A walkthrough of Ricardo Molina Middle School showed guests the almost complete campus to open for the next 2022-23 school year on Tuesday.

The two-story building proudly dressed in yellow and green has a library, cafeteria, band hall, several laboratories and more amenities for future students.

This school honors the longest tenured United ISD Board Member for District 1 Ricardo Molina Sr., who shared his feelings during the grand day.

"I'm very emotional because it's a huge honor, especially for my grandchildren, as two of them are going to attend here," Molina said. "It's been a long road of now, 27 years with United ISD, and being the longest serving member of both UISD and LISD. I'm honored because it takes a lot to be around, especially running every four and three years. People have me here for a reason, because I'm here to serve them, and I don't forget who I serve and who I work for."

The building is still under construction and is expected to be fully finished by the end of May, according to Gary A. Leyendecker of Leyendecker Builders and Contractors, Inc.

Molina was proud Tuesday of the honor of having the facility named after him. The campus' namesake shared that he never imagined an achievement such as this.

"You deserve what you earn, not what you want," he said. "They honored me with this because they think I earned it.

"Great leaders are going to come out of here, I want to make sure of it."

According to UISD, Molina serves the district as he will preside over not only the new middle school but also Arndt, Prada, Juarez-Lincoln, Kennedy-Zapata and UDD Hachar Elementary Schools; S. Garcia and Lamar Bruni Vergara Middle Schools; and L.B. Johnson High School.

Molina said that he originally joined the Board because he wanted to do something for the community. And he feels that UISD has seen several changes over the past few years.

We on the Board are like a family," he said. "We seek the best opportunities for kids.

Weve seen better curriculum, improvement in our bilingual education program and lower dropout and teen pregnancy rates.

Molina says the schools in his area are good facilities that are well built. He adds that the district is doing a good job of educating the local children.

"Nothing is too good for the kids, so I always want to do more, he said.
What caused the extinction of the dinosaurs?

That question will be at the center of an upcoming lecture dedicated to the effects of the Chicxulub Asteroids impact on Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula.

The exciting presentation, Asteroid Impact: The Chicxulub Asteroid and the Death of the Dinosaurs, happens Wednesday, March 30 at 7 p.m. at Texas A&M International Universitys Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall.

The lecture is free and open to the community.

The lecture receives generous support from Guillermo Memo Benavides and is organized through the combined efforts of TAMIUs College of Arts and Sciences, in conjunction with the Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium.

It is presented by Dr. Sean Gulick, co-chair of the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin (UT). During the lecture, Gulick will explain the research completed during a sea expedition in 2016, where his team drilled and collected various core samples found on the rim of the Chicxulub Crater.

Gulick discusses how the collected samples revealed previously unknown details of what occurred 66 million years ago during the asteroids impact, including the drastic changes to Earths climate that ultimately led to the extinction of the dinosaurs.

His research interests are in tectonic-climate interactions, the role of catastrophism in the geologic record, and marine and planetary geophysical imaging. His current research projects center on tectonic and glacial interactions in Alaska, geohazards and margin evolution of subduction and transform faulting in Alaska, Sumatra, New Zealand and Japan, and the geologic processes, environmental effects and habitability of the Cretaceous-Paleogene Chicxulub meteor impact.

Gulick holds a Ph.D. from Lehigh University and a B.S. from the University of North Carolina. He is the co-director of the Center for Planetary Systems Habitability  an interdisciplinary research center  and the associate chair of Lithosphere and Deep Earth Department of Geological Sciences in UTs Jackson School of Geosciences.

For more information, contact Peter Davis, Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium director, at 956-326-3128 or at peter.davis@tamiu.edu. Visit the Planetarium online at tamiu.edu/planetarium/index.shtml.

More of the universitys story is available on its website, tamiu.edu and dedicated social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Supreme Court on Tuesday cast doubt on Texas' claim that it can't be sued by a former state trooper who says he was forced out of his job when he returned from Army service in Iraq.

The justices heard arguments in a dispute over a federal law that was enacted in 1994 in the wake of the Persian Gulf war to strengthen job protections for returning service members.

Over 90 minutes, the justices discussed the Vietnam War, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Alexander Hamilton and even Hamilton, the musical, as they tried to sort through whether states are shielded from lawsuits filed by veterans who complain that their jobs were not protected, in violation of the federal law.

At the heart of the case is Congress' power to wage war and states' acknowledgments that they lacked similar authority, both laid out in the Constitution.

We don't know what's going to be happening in the next 50 years. We don't know what's going to be happening in the next 50 days in terms of national security and personnel, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said.

The court is weighing an appeal by Le Roy Torres, who spent a year in Iraq and was discharged as a captain after nearly 19 years in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Torres says he suffered lung damage from exposure to open burn pits on his base in Iraq.

The state and Torres dispute what happened when he returned to Texas, unable to resume his job as a state trooper because of the damage to his lungs. He eventually resigned and later filed his lawsuit. A state appellate court dismissed it, and the justices stepped in.

The Biden administration is backing Torres' right to sue the state. The federal government, which also has the right to sue states under the law, has only sued 109 times since 2004 and just twice since 2015, Justice Department lawyer Christopher Michel acknowledged in response to a question from Justice Samuel Alito.

But the numbers are much larger when you look at how many soldiers claims have been successfully resolved without going to court, Michel said.

Fifteen other Republican-led states are calling on the court to side with Texas and rule out private lawsuits like Torres'.

Congress first allowed returning service members to sue states to keep their jobs in 1974, recognizing discrimination because of opposition to the Vietnam War.

The Vietnam War is what made the statute necessary, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said.

And opposition to a future war could result in a similar situation, Justice Amy Coney Barrett said.

Let's say we get involved in Ukraine and states say we shouldn't be, Barrett said.

The discussion briefly turned to the theater when Justice Stephen Breyer invoked Hamilton's You'll Be Back to illustrate that George Washington's frustration with the states' reluctance to pay the Continental Army led to the establishment of a national defense.

George III says, Theyll be back. Wait and see. They'll come crawling back to me,' Breyer said, capturing the sentiment, but not the lyrics to the song.

Just last week, the court allowed the Navy to take account of sailors' vaccination status in deciding on deployments, narrowing a lower court order. Three justices, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas, dissented from the high court's order.

Gorsuch and Thomas seemed the most amenable to Texas' arguments Tuesday. I'm perhaps not as enamored of Hamilton as some are, Thomas said.

Thomas again took part remotely Tuesday, following a nearly week-long hospital stay for what the court described as an infection. The court has not elaborated on the nature of the infection and there was no explanation of why Thomas was not in the courtroom.
Around 750,000 employees, aged between 23 and 60, will be automatically enrolled into a national retirement fund after the Government cabinet signed off on the pension plan.

The auto-enrolment pensions plan will see those who earn more than 20,000 automatically signed up to make contributions for their retirement fund.

The automatic enrolment scheme is a new savings and investment scheme for employees which will see the State and employers contribute towards employee pensions.

Approximately 750,000 employees who are aged between 23 and 60, earning over 20,000 across employments, and who are not already enrolled in an occupational pension scheme will be affected.

Matching contributions will be made by employers to those contributions made by employees up to a maximum of 80,000 of earnings.

For every 3 saved by a worker, a further 4 will be credited to their pension savings account, including a government top up.

The auto-enrolment was initially meant to start this year but due to the pandemic the roll out was delayed.

The scheme is now set to come into effect in January 2024.

The final infrastructure is expected to be in place in late 2023.

Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys said: "We all know that people are living longer. While this is very positive, we also want people to be able to enjoy their retirement years with some financial security.

"However, for many people retirement seems a long way away and they think they have a lot of time before they need to think about a pension," she said.
The beautiful Corn Mill Theatre, Carrigallen on the Longford border welcomes the sublime voice of Emer Dunne, on Friday April 1.

Emer has a purity and strength in her voice that has deemed her to be a definite rising star by Irish Music Magazine where she has been compared to the likes of Mary Black and Maura OConnell amongst others.

Despite the challenges of the past two years, 2021 saw Emer rise on the folk scene, featuring on the RTEs Today show and releasing two no 1 hit singles, Daisy and Wild Mountain Thyme.

Hourglass has been gaining great national and regional play and just last week we heard Emer interview with legendary Charlie McGettigan here in Longford town on Shannonside FM and they treated us to a few live songs.

Although a Laois lassie, Emer is performing on what also feels like home turf, so to speak.

 I grew up in Laois but my mother, Bridie Baxter, hails from outside Ballinamore in Co. Leitrim. I spent many weekends and summers with my grandparents in this lovely part of the country, she said.

My grandfather, Eugene Baxter (RIP), had a great love for music and performing and he shared his love of the folk songs with all his grandchildren. It is lovely to be coming to Carrigallen and performing on my ancestral soil.

On the release of her debut folk album, Hourglass (produced by Bill Shanley) Hot Press described Emer as an entertainer through and through There is a hearty appetite for what Hourglass has to offer with her trademark soaring voice.

Friday, April 1, promises to be a night filled with well-known and well-loved folk songs and music.

Speaking of the show at hand, Emer said Im teaming up with wonderful musicians on flute and guitar to bring a varied and lively acoustic set.

There is a lot of variety in the show and so we hope to have something for you all to enjoy.

Having shared the stage with The Fureys, Phil Coulter and John Spillane amongst others, Emers voice has now hit the national airwaves with RTE Radio 1s Rising Time referring to her album as fabulous from start to finish and BBC Radio Ulster citing a great voice and a lovely impressive production.

The show will open with music and song from the ever talented, Raymond Hackett and his musicians Tommy Hunt and Bryan Mulligan.

Emer has been awarded many accolades for her singing and performances, and has toured all over Europe and Japan with an Irish music, song and dance group. For this show she will be joined on stage by the talented seven times All-Ireland Champion, Robert Harvey, on flute and the unique rock and acoustic influences of guitar maestro, Simon Graydon.

Simon and Robert have toured internationally and have previously worked with Emer on her headline gigs in Germany and Amsterdam, among others.

So tap your feet and clap your hands and sing along with the artists on stage on April 1. For more information and tickets visit www.cornmilltheatre.com and www.emerdunne.com.

The show is supported by Leitrim Arts Council.

Show starts at 8pm. Tickets are 15.
Since the launch of the County Longford Public Participation Network and Longford Civil Defence Ukraine Appeal, Polish women mobilised as a response group to assist those in the front line of the war.

Marta Siwek-Pasternak outlined, In the wake of the situation that has befallen the Ukrainian nation, there is no way to calculate how much support is needed for those people.

Expressing her sorrow for what the Ukrainian people have been subjected to, Marta continued, Our action was totally spontaneous. In no time, a group of wonderful people came together to help raise funds and organise the collection of all the items required. We would like to thank everyone in the community who helped us out.

Siobhan Cronogue, PPN Development Officer said she was delighted that these amazing women turned to the Community Network of the PPN for support with their initiative.

Ms Cronogue revealed that over 240 boxes of medical supplies had been donated already and she thanked Emma Reid and the Civil Defence team, Lus na Greine Family Resource Centre and Bridgeways Family Resource Centre for all their efforts.

She explained, We are now ramping down this appeal so we can focus on the local needs of Ukrainians who will be joining the community of County Longford. Longford County Councils Community Forum is now focusing on bringing all relevant agencies together so we can plan and execute a co-ordinated, collaborative approach to best meet the needs of these families going forward.

Longford man sustains serious head injury in Carrickboy farmyard accident A Longford man is in a serious condition in a Dublin hospital following a farmyard accident in Carrickboy on Monday evening.

Ms Cronogue highlighted how heart-warming it was to see how community groups, businesses and schools had joined the appeal and were eager to help the people of Ukraine and also let the Longford residents from Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Latvia and Lithuania know that they were not alone in their efforts.

For further information please contact Siobhan on 087 261 5583 / email ppn@longfordcoco.ie or scronogue@longfordcoco.ie

Meanwhile, well known Longford transport company owner Norman Hall, who has undertaken plenty of charity work down through the years, is heading towards the Ukrainian border this week with his lorry, and Declan Nerneys Hooley trailer loaded with medical equipment and supplies which are much needed in Ukraine at present.

Three first year students at Templemichael College - Caitlin Lowry, Amanda Khaira and Maja Wanta, with some help from one of their teachers Stephen Murtagh, organised a collection for Ukraine.

Throughout last week, the supplies were collected and they were brought to Longford Womens Link last Friday ahead of delivery to Ukraine to assist the massive Red Cross humanitarian effort. Also see Student pages 68 and 69 for more.

Longford Pet Stop discount warehouse, based at Mastertech Business Park, also organised a collection for Ukraine with a truck being loaded last Thursday.

Pictured; County Longford Public Participation Network Development Officer Siobhan Cronogue, with Polish ladies Martaq Siwek-Pasternak, Monika Kotwica, Monika Korba, Kasia Chodyna, Wioletta Draei, Agnes Bolsakovs and Klaudia Pasternak who led the drive to gather medical supplies for the Ukrainian humanitarian appeal Picture: Shelley Corcoran
One of four men on trial for raping a teenager told gardai two months after the alleged incident that he would tell the complainant now sorry, try to forgive us.

The four men have pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping the then 17-year-old girl on the night of December 27, 2016. A fifth man is not before the court.

The 17-year-old girl got into a car with the men in the early hours of the morning in a Midlands town and it is the prosecution case that the four defendants each sexually assaulted her as the car was driven out of the town.

The car was driven to a remote location nearby and it is alleged that all five men raped her in turn at this location. The car was driven to another location and it is alleged that three of the men falsely imprisoned the girl at this point in the car while one man sexually assaulted her and another raped her.

The four defendants deny all the charges. They were aged between 17 and 19 at the time and cannot be identified under the 1981 Rape Act.

On day 13 of the trial, the jury heard evidence of the arrest and interview of a third defendant, now aged 24. The court heard he was aged 19 when gardai arrested him at his place of work in March 2017.

He told gardai that the girl asked for a lift home and then said she wanted to go to party. He said she was having a laugh with them at this point.

He said she moved to the front seat where he was and he was touching her breasts. He initially said she didn't push his hands away but that the men in the back seat were touching her breasts, legs and genital area and she was pushing their hands away and trying to stop them.

I even told them to stop, he said, adding that they did eventually. He later told gardai that the girl did try to push his hands off when she was in the front with him.

She said stop and pulled my hands away. She told us to stop when we were feeling her tits, he said.

He said when the car arrived at the remote location she initiated sex with him. He said she had sex with him while the other men were outside the car.

He said after he had sex he got out and the driver got in and had sex with the girl. He said two more men had sex with her but that a fifth accused, who is on trial, didn't because the men got back into the car and locked him out.

He said that the girl didn't say anything but he believed she was consenting because he said she was grinding on top of him and kissing me, touching my parts, my knob.

He said she never pushed him away, never shouted or screaming, saying she had plenty of chances to get away, she didn't run or anything like that.

He said the girl was laughing with them about the fact they had locked this man out. He said they drove to another location and the girl had sex with him while giving a blowjob to another of the men.

Garda interviewers later put it to the accused that it was hard to believe that she didnt mind you riding her when she had earlier told him to stop feeling her breasts.

He replied yeah. It was put to him that all the males in the car got aroused and horny and you all went too far. He replied yeah.

Asked if you were out again and a girl got in what would you do? he replied we wouldnt take her in the car.

Gardai put it to him didnt you know it was wrong? and he said yeah we did after, the next day?.

He added five lads and one girl and she was young, 17. It wasnt fair on her.

Asked how he now felt about the complainant he said I feel bad, sorry and asked what he would say to her he replied sorry, try to forgive us.

He also said I am really sorry, I thought she wouldn't be like this, she wanted it but now she is going through all this.

He accepted a submission from gardai that he and the others took advantage of the teenager during her time in the car but did not accept they had raped her.

A detective garda who arrested the accused agreed with Colman Cody SC, defending, that the defendant was advised he had the right to have a solicitor present but declined to have one.

The garda also agreed that the accused client was advised that he didnt have to answer any questions but that he did provide answers to the questions put to him. The trial continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns and a jury.
The latest weather forecast for this weekend for Ireland from Met Eireann tells us it will be rather cold and showery.

According to Met Eireann, the weather is set to be cold and frosty tonight with mostly clear skies. There will be a few wintry showers of rain, hail or sleet, with snow possible on high ground. Showers will chiefly affect some northern and eastern coastal areas. Lowest temperatures of -3 to zero degrees in moderate northeast breezes.

Longford man sustains serious head injury in Carrickboy farmyard accident A Longford man is in a serious condition in a Dublin hospital following a farmyard accident in Carrickboy on Monday evening.

Thursday will have a cold, bright and frosty start. There will be good spells of spring sunshine during the day but it will feel noticeably chilly in a brisk northeasterly breeze. Scattered showers of rain, hail and sleet are expected, mainly affecting eastern coastal counties with a possibility of some snow on high ground. Highest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees, coldest in the north, in a fresh northeast wind. Thursday night should have a few showers in coastal areas of the north and east on Thursday night, but most of the country will be dry and clear. A widespread frost is expected with temperatures falling back to between -4 to 0 degrees in light northerly breezes.

According to Met Eireann, Friday's weather should get the weekend off to a cold and frosty start, Friday looks set to be a mostly dry day with just a few localised showers. There will be a mix of cloud and sunshine, with the best of the sunshine expected in the east and south of the country. Top temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees in moderate northerly winds. On Friday night there will be some frost forming early on, but cloud is expected to thicken from the north with showery rain developing in north Connacht and Ulster later. Lowest temperatures of 0 to +4 degrees, coldest in the south of the country in moderate northwest winds.

Regeneration is at a standstill in Longford, fumes Warnock Regeneration in Longford town is at a standstill according to Cllr Gerry Warnock, who expressed his frustration at the monthly meeting of Longford County Council recently.

Met Eireann predicts Ireland's weather for Saturday should start rather cloudy. Saturday will have widespread showers, some prolonged. There will be some sunny spells also, especially across Ulster in the afternoon and evening. Maximum temperatures 8 to 11 in moderate northwest breezes. Showers look set to become isolated on Saturday night with most of the country becoming dry and clear. A frost will form in places with lowest temperatures of -1 to +3 degrees. Outbreaks of rain will develop across the west and north of the country towards dawn on Sunday.

Met Eireann's most recent forecast tells us Sunday will have outbreaks of rain are expected to affect the country for a time on Sunday before clearing away to the south with drier and brighter weather developing for the afternoon and evening. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees.
A young woman, who claims her drink was spiked in a local venue and who subsequently had to get treatment at Naas Hospital, said the experience has made her fearful of socialising again.

Gardai are investigating the incident of alleged drink spiking, which occurred on Saturday, March 12, at McGowans in Newbridge.

McGowan's pub in Newbridge. Pic: McGowan's via Facebook

Gardai confirmed that they received a report 'of one alleged incident at a premises in Newbridge on Saturday, March 12, 2022, and continue to conduct enquiries to establish the nature of this incident.'

McGowans, in an initial statement, said that it was 'most troubling that reports have been circulating on social media'. They subsequently stated that an injured party had reached out to them, and said that they would be delighted to collaborate with them in raising awareness of spiking incidents.

Longford house prices lowest in country, latest figures show Residential house prices across Ireland rose by almost 15% in the last year, according to the latest data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), with Longford presenting best value and remaining the location where the lowest prices are to be found.

Kate Dempsey (20), who claimed to have had her drink spiked, said that she arrived at the pub at around 9.30pm on the night in question with a friend, and later met with two other friends in the venue.

She said that she has no memory of what happened to her between 11.30pm and 5am.

Ms Dempsey explained: "It was more so my friends that copped that something was wrong, when my eyes started rolling in the back of my head and then the seizures which happened at around 3.25am."

She added that she was then brought to Naas General Hospital, where she was treated at around 5.45am.

Ms Dempsey said that for a period towards the end of her ordeal, she was fully aware of what was happening to her, who was around and what people were saying, but she had no control over her body.

She initially told her story on a widely-read Instagram post on March 16.

"Prior to the incident, I didnt know of anyone personally who had been spiked, but once I made the [Instagram] post, I received a number of comments from people telling me about their own experiences of being spiked.

"Three or four men came forward, although the vast majority of them were women," she added.

Ms Dempsey also praised the support she has received from her friends and family, as well as from the staff at Naas General Hospital and gardai.

However, she said that the alleged incident has made her feel 'both mentally and physically drained'.

"I am 20 years of age and unsure when I will ever want to go out again, because of what this person has decided to do; I have been feeling paranoid and nauseous," Ms Dempsey said.

As for what steps she would like to see being implemented in nightclubs, Ms Dempsey suggested a number of procedures, including searching bags, not allowing drinks on the dancefloor, capping numbers of attendees, and hiring more bouncers.

She also pointed to a product called NightCap, which acts as a cap for a drink that only allows for room for a straw.

When asked what advice she would give to her peers, she urged them to 'stick with the group you came in with; its OK to socialise, but make sure to stick with them.'

"The world is a scary place out there, unfortunately young people need to know the signs of spiking, for their own safety, and it is important that young people should be cautious, but not afraid, when going out," Ms Dempsey added.

When asked about Ms Dempseys post, Michael McGowan of McGowans pub said in an initial statement: "It is most troubling that reports have been circulating on social media regarding alleged drink spiking at the premises.

"We are acutely aware that offenders operate in a discreet, nefarious and cunning manner; we encourage any and all injured parties and witnesses to reach out to us, so that we can investigate the matter fully and assist in apprehending any offender(s)."

ADVICE

Mr McGowan further said: "Following that discussion and having reviewed the HSE advice, we would implore all of our customers to immediately seek the assistance of our staff, local medical authorities and An Garda Siochana should they suspect that a spiking incident has occurred.

"This will allow the immediate apprehension of the perpetrator of the assault."

He also said that all staff 'are committed to ensuring that every customer has a safe and enjoyable experience at McGowans of Newbridge'.

Following contact between Ms Dempsey and the pub, McGowan's subsequently issued a further statement, saying that they would be organising an 'awareness and fundraising night' in conjunction with An Garda Siochana and local representatives for the benefit of Naas General Hospital.

"One injured party has recently reached out to us. We are delighted and sincerely commend her for making contact with our establishment. We are most hopeful that she will be in a position to provide us with information that assists our investigation and ultimately, apprehend the perpetrator(s).

"We have been operating in an information vacuum, for the past fortnight. No other injured parties or witnesses have made themselves known to us. Once again, we implore any and all witnesses to reach out to us.

"We are further delighted to collaborate with this injured party in raising awareness in respect of spiking incidents.

"Our establishment and this injured party have common goals  to make socialising safe and enjoyable for all.

A spokesperson for Naas General Hospital also said about the alleged incident: "The hospital does not comment on individual matters."
Local News, Business & Finance, Health & Wellness

By Chris Boyle Published: March 30 2022

Pegalis Law Group has many attributes that set the firm apart, with the goal each and every time being to get their clients the judgment that they rightly deserve.

When it comes to continued health and wellness, the trust we place in the medical community is paramount; however, when a doctor or hospital fails to live up to their responsibilities or any reason  resulting in a detrimental effect upon your personal wellness  its vital to have knowledgeable legal representation to ensure you are properly compensated.

When it comes to protecting the rights of Long Island residents and diligently serving their medical malpractice needs, there are few legal firms that can do so with the degree of proficiency and care as Pegalis Law Group, LLC , based out of Lake Success, NY.

Originally founded in Great Neck, NY in 1972 by Steven Pegalis  who was one of a handful of attorneys representing plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases at the time  Pegalis Law Groups concentration includes all types of medical negligence cases according to Annamarie Bondi-Stoddard, Esq., Pegalis Managing Partner.

We have represented children and their families in many different types of birth injury cases.This includes injuries resulting from oxygen deprivation during the birth process, causing cerebral palsy and brain damage, as well as physical and neurological injuries such as Erb's Palsy, which is a traumatic injury to the baby's cervical nerves, causing injury to the arm, she said. We have represented families who have lost a wife and mother during the birth process itself. We also handle many cases involving the failure to timely diagnose and treat different types of cancers, leading to the need for more aggressive treatment and decreased life expectancy. Other cases include emergency room errors, anesthesia errors, neurosurgical errors, failure to diagnose and treat cardiac conditions, as well as any unintentional outcomes resulting from medical treatments.

Bondi-Stoddard noted that Pegalis Law Group has many attributes that set the firm apart from many others in the same field, with the goal each and every time being to get their clients the judgment that they rightly deserve.

We maintain a unique approach to client service rarely seen by law firms today. From the very first phone call, the prospective client speaks with an attorney who assesses whether or not the case may involve medical negligence. At that point, if further investigation is warranted, a meeting is set up, which is completely without cost to the client, she said. If we feel there is a basis to proceed, the pertinent medical records are obtained and reviewed in house and then sent out to medical experts for review. No case is pursued unless we have experts in the particular area of medicine who are supportive and ready to testify in court if a trial is necessary. Throughout the process, the attorney is in close contact with the client so that all questions and concerns are answered. We have a high case success rate and we have even taken client's cases that were turned down by other attorneys and obtained positive outcomes via settlement or jury verdict.

Medical malpractice is actually very common, Bondi-Stoddard said, and there are numerous important factors that can contribute to the amount of money that swift legal action can provide for you.

Medical errors are the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S. today, behind only cancer and heart disease.The most common types are delayed diagnosis and treatment of cancer or cardiac issues, she said. Compensation is case-specific and depends on the injuries. Compensation can include an amount for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, as well as compensation for loss of earnings, medical expenses and equipment. In the unfortunate situation when a parent or spouse dies as a result of medical negligence, there can be additional compensation for loss of household services, support, and parental guidance. The more devastating the injuries, the higher the compensation.

If you have been a victim of medical malpractice, Bondi-Stoddard noted, its vital that you take steps to address it as quickly as possible before its too late.

Medical malpractice claims have a strict statute of limitations. Failure to file by the specific deadline can ban your claim from being pursued, she said. Talking to an experienced medical malpractice attorney as quickly as possible ensures your compliance with the statute of limitations and other pre-lawsuit criteria. Different entities have different statutory requirements in New York State.

Bondi-Stoddard said that, despite the hard work associated with her profession, she nonetheless gets a great deal of satisfaction from helping people right the wrongs that have been committed against them through negligence on the part of doctors, nurses, and any other members of the medical community that the public depends upon for their health and well-being.

Having represented hundreds of patients and families over the last 30-plus years has brought me great satisfaction.Patients often are not told that their doctor or medical provider made an avoidable mistake, she said. Without an attorney who is dedicated to finding out the answer to what really happened, they are left with often life-altering injuries and financial devastation. I cannot change what happened to them or take their pain away, but I can help to make the quality of life for themselves and their family members a bit better.

The attorneys and staff at Pegalis Law Group have worked together for many years and are dedicated to achieving the best possible results for each client's situation. Many of our clients are still in touch with us, many years after their cases have resolved, Bondi-Stoddard added.
Local News, Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: March 30 2022

During his inaugural address, Sheriff Toulon outlined his agenda for his second term.

Recently, the Suffolk County Sheriffs Office held a formal inauguration ceremony marking the second term of Dr. Errol D. Toulon, Jr. as Suffolk County Sheriff. The ceremony was held at the Van Nostrand Theater on the campus of Suffolk County Community College  Grant Campus. Sheriff Toulon was given the oath of office by New York State Attorney General Letitia James. The event was rescheduled from its original date in December due to COVID-19.

During his inaugural address, Sheriff Toulon outlined his agenda for his second term which included an announcement about a first-of-its-kind intelligence network spearheaded by the Suffolk County Sheriffs Office. Called the In Custody Intelligence Network, this jail/prison intelligence sharing network will enable the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office to have a greater footprint with law enforcement partners, and more specifically, with corrections professionals in the jail and prison system in New York State and across state lines. Former Congressman Peter King will assist with this network in an advisory capacity. Sheriff Toulon stated, Recently, I was appointed by the Major County Sheriffs of America to a position on their Intelligence Committee. I am one of only 15 sheriffs throughout the nation to be a part of this committee. Through discussion and meetings, our goal is to share intelligence and discuss trends that are occurring in our local facilities and in the communities.

Sheriff Toulon also announced an expansion of the Sheriffs Transition and Reentry Team (S.T.A.R.T) Resource Center, with the full support of Presiding Officer McCaffrey. We have identified a larger space in which to move our S.T.A.R.T. Resource Center to increase services provided. If we can help these individuals address their issues, there will be less crime and victims in our community, said Sheriff Toulon.

Sheriff Toulon spoke about the link between crime and mental health and substance abuse. From speaking to countless justice involved individuals and the families of those incarcerated, I have pinpointed many patterns in the prison pipeline. A link I cannot ignore is the one between crime and mental health and substance abuse issues. There is both a drug and a mental health epidemic on Long Island and I want to do all I can to help solve it. In the coming months, I will be creating a robust mental health initiative to try to expand access to services, drug and rehabilitation programs inside and outside of the jail to help put an end to this tragic cycle.
Arts & Culture

By Ls Cohen Published: March 30 2022

The original peoples of Long Island shared a culture and government even though they had separate tribal regions.

There is not a place on Long Island where we are not reminded of the original inhabitants. You dont have to travel very far to find a town, park, school or body of water named for a local tribe or famous Native American. The original peoples of Long Island shared a culture, a language and a system of government that became more splintered once they came in contact with Europeans. Regardless, the individual tribes all recognized the authority of an inter-tribal chief, called a sachem.

READ: LI Native Americans Chief Running Bull and Princess Occum, married couple known for keeping their tribal traditions and folklore alive.

According to the website, On This Site, a project to preserve and create awareness of culturally significant Native American locations on Long Island by Shinnecock artist Jeremy Dennis, the concept of thirteen distinct tribes wasnt necessarily set in stone.

Although most of the earlier historians describe thirteen groups having existed on Long Island when the first white settlers arrived, there seems to be no reason for supposing that this number was fixed and definite, Dennis writes on the website Wiki.

Dennis project was supported through a grant from a 2016 Dreamstarter Grant from the national non-profit organization Running Strong for American Indian Youth. Through photography, he provided insight into how the Shinnecock people and reservation were able to remain on Long Island. The project presented an opportunity to reflect upon archaeological and oral histories to answer essential, culturally-defining questions.

This project is inclusive for many audiences, as it creates a dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people on Long Island, and legitimizes the Long Island Indigenous population beyond their borders on reservations, he wrote in his original Dreamstarter application.

Historians like to group things into neat packages, whether it's a time period or a geographic designation and there is some consensus on the thirteen tribes of Long Island even though they weren't as formalized as we might like to think.

There seems to have been other, smaller groups from time to time and there is considerable confusion even concerning the thirteen that most [historians] mention," Dennis says on the website. "At this remote time we can only have a rough idea concerning the names and distributions of many of these.

On This Site describes the 13 tribes as below. Click here to get a fuller description of each.

Canarsie - The Canarsies occupied territory on the western end of Long Island, including much of what is now Brooklyn and extending eastward to take in part of the former town of Jamaica. Being so near Manhattan Island, it is certain that they had frequent contact with the Indians living there, and there is some evidence that they had a settlement near the southern tip of that Island.

Rockaways  These peoples had their principal settlement at what is now Rockville Centre. Others were scattered throughout the southern part of the town of Hempstead and over a territory that extended from Rockville Centre west to Rockaway Beach and, perhaps north to Long Island Sound, including part of Jamaica. They also occupied some of the islands in the bays along the south shore.

Merricks  The Merricks had communities on the southern part of Long Island, from near Rockville Centre to the western line of the present town of Oyster Bay, and north to a line running east and west through the middle of the Island. Originally they had lived at the extreme western end of Long Island, but were forced to move east into the territory controlled largely by the Massapequas, which chieftaincy is said to have dominated them and demanded tribute. The Merricks had villages on several of the necks of land along the Great South Bay.

Massapequas  The boundaries of their land extended along the south shore from Seaford to Islip and north to an arbitrary line running east and west through the center of the Island. They had a large settlement at Fort Neck where there stood a fort. A battle was fought there with the white settlers near the middle of the seventeenth century, with very disastrous results to the Indians.

Matinecocks  This was one of the most prominent chieftaincies on the north shore. Its territory extended all the way from Flushing Bay, on the west, to the Nissequogue River, at Smithtown, and south to the center of the Island.

Nissaquogies - The territory of this chieftaincy was adjoined by the Matinecocks on the west, and extended eastward from the Nissequogue River to Stony Brook and south to the center of the Island. Apparently there was a disagreement for a time between the Nissequogue and Matinecock Indians concerning their boundary and, as a consequence, they did not always enjoy friendly relations.

Setaukets - This north shore chieftaincy occupied the territory from Stony Brook to Wading River and south to the center of the Island. They had a village at Setauket and others on the various necks of land in that vicinity on the north shore.

Corchaugs - They controlled the land to the east of the Setaukets. Their territory was bounded on the west by a line extending from Wading River to the center of the Island and east along the north fluke of the Island to Orient Point. They also occupied several of the necks of land along the north shore of Peconic Bay.

Secatogues - The territory of the Secatogues was to the east of that occupied by the Massapequas. It extended along the south shore from Islip to Patchogue and north to the center of the Island. They occupied many camp and village sites along the tidal creeks that flow into the Great South Bay.

Unkechaugs - It appears that these tribal people have been often incorrectly referred to as the Patchogues and sometimes the Poospatuck. Their land extended along the south shore from Patchogue as far east as Westhampton, and perhaps, to Canoe Place.

Shinnecock - The Shinnecock were one of the most famous and powerful of the chieftaincies on the Island. Their territory included the southern fluke of Long Island from Westhampton or Canoe Place to East Hampton. It also took in several of the necks of land along the south shore of Peconic Bay.

Montaukett - Recognized as having been the most powerful group on the eastern end of Long Island and probably throughout its extent, from the narrows to Montauk Point. The Montauk chieftaincy controlled all the land on the southern fluke from East Hampton to the extreme eastern tip. They also occupied Gardiners Island, which lies between the north and south flukes of Long Island.

Manhansets - This was apparently a large chieftaincy of considerable importance in the early days. They occupied Shelter Island, Hog Island and Ram Island, between the north and south flukes. They were also compelled to pay tribute to the peoples of the mainland with whom they were in a continual state of war.

More about Jeremy Dennis and the On This Site project: Dennis was one of 10 recipients of a 2016 Dreamstarter Grant from the national non-profit organization Running Strong for American Indian Youth. He was awarded $10,000 to pursue his project, On This Site, which uses photography and an interactive online map to showcase culturally significant Native American sites on Long Island, a topic of special meaning for Dennis, who was raised on the Shinnecock Nation Reservation. He also created a book and exhibition from this project. Most recently, Dennis received the Creative Bursar Award from Getty Images in 2018 to continue his series Stories.

Photo: Left, Princess Occum (Eliza Beaman), Right, Anthony Beaman (Chief Running Bull). The East Hampton Library, Long Island Collection. For any other use, please contact The Long Island Collection, East Hampton Library, 159 Main St., East Hampton, NY 11937. 631-324-0222 x 4 or email lic@easthamptonlibrary.org.
Food, Wine, & Dining

By Ls Cohen Published: March 30 2022

New spot getting rave reviews on social media.

A local couple has brought Peruvian food to Suffolk County with Picchu, a new restaurant featuring dishes from that South American country.

According to an article on Greater Port Jefferson, owners Harry and Christina Caldera have traveled all over New York to get their favorite Peruvian food and thought of opening a restaurant in their hometown. They hired two Peruvian chefs and opened Picchu in February.

Photo: Picchu Facebook page.

The menu is filled with classic Peruvian dishes like ceviche, Peruvian fried rice, Peruvian spaghetti, chicken, fish and meat plates.

On Yelp, Donna C, gave it a rave review.

This small restaurant is simply decorated with limited seating, she wrote. From cocktails & appetizers to main course & dessert everything was made to perfection. We really enjoyed the Peruvian spices and flavor. Portions were hardy and pricing is very reasonable. Plenty to take home. Glad we tried something different. Looking forward to returning.

Photo: Picchu Facebook page.

Lori G, from Centereach, agreed.

Well let me start by saying that this was a fantastic dining experience. The portions are huge and I mean huge. The atmosphere was young and vibrant. From the music to the decor, it was excellent, she wrote. The staff was awesome. Greeting everyone like they were old friends. We never felt rushed or forgotten All I will say is this is a must try neighborhood restaurant and one we will definitely come back to. Five stars to the chef and staff and the owner for getting this group of stars together.

Photo: Picchu Facebook page.

Location: 1245 Middle Country Rd Selden, (631) 320-0206.
DUBLIN, March 30 (Reuters) - Some assets held in Irish special purpose entities (SPEs) have been frozen as a result of European Union sanctions imposed on Russian individuals, Irish Central Bank Governor Gabriel Makhlouf said on Wednesday.

Dublin is a major hub for "shadow banking", the provision of financing services not regulated as tightly as mainstream banks. The central bank estimated there were 33 Russian-sponsored SPEs with total assets of 35.5 billion euros ($40 billion) at the end of 2021.

Makhlouf said 15 to 16 of those entities have some connection to sanctioned individuals. The Russian-issued assets held in the entities are primarily loans issued to Russian companies from the SPE, the central bank has said.

"Yes some," Makhlouf told a parliamentary committee when asked if any assets have been frozen to date.

The Russian-sponsored entities account for 8% of the non-securitisation SPE sector in Ireland, the central bank estimates. ($1 = 0.8954 euros) (Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Catherine Evans)
(Alliance News) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday said Western powers should tighten the economic noose around Russia until it withdraws all its soldiers from Ukraine.

At a hearing in parliament, Johnson told MPs that to lift G7 sanctions simply in return for a Russian ceasefire in Ukraine would go "straight into (Vladimir) Putin's playbook".

"My view is we should intensify sanctions with a rolling programme until every single one of his troops is out of Ukraine," he said.

Johnson said also that the government in London was looking at "going up a gear" in its military aid to Ukraine.

He said that could include the provision of armoured personnel carriers, to help its forces break out of the besieged city of Mariupol.

Following peace talks this week in Turkey between Ukraine and Russia, reports suggested the UK, France and the US could sign up to guarantee Ukraine's security in return for a Russian pullout.

Johnson ruled out giving Ukraine the equivalent of NATO's Article Five, which says an attack on one member is an attack on all.

But Ukraine could benefit from a different security concept "based on the idea of deterrence by denial", he said.

Ukraine would be armed so much with Western aid, and "the quills of the porcupine have become so stiffened, that it is ever-after indigestible to Putin".

"That is the path we are on," he told the MPs, while also defending the pace of the UK visa programme to bring over Ukrainians fleeing the fighting.

The prime minister meanwhile said he understood US President Joe Biden's frustration when he said last week that Putin could not stay in power.

But Johnson stressed that regime change in Moscow is "not the objective of the UK government".

"We are simply setting out to help protect the people of Ukraine and protect them from absolutely barbaric and unreasonable violence."

source: AFP

Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Announcement

Investor Presentation of the

Group Financial Results for the year ended 31 December 2021

Nicosia, 30 March 2022

Further to today's announcement by Bank of Cyprus Holdings Public Limited Company (the 'Company') of the financial results of the Bank of Cyprus Group for the year ended 31 December 2021 (the 'Results Announcement'), the Company confirms that it has uploaded an investor presentation (the 'Investor Presentation') to its website www.bankofcyprus.com (Group/Investor Relations).

The Investor Presentation published today includes an update of the performance of loans under payment deferrals that expired on 31 December 2020. There were no meaningful divergences from the Preliminary Group Financial Results for the year ended 31 December 2021 published on 21 February 2022.

Important Notice Regarding Additional Information Contained in the Investor Presentation

The Investor Presentation includes additional financial information not presented within the Results Announcement, primarily relating to (i) NPE analysis (movements by segments and customer type), (ii) rescheduled loans analysis, (iii) details of historic restructuring activity including REMU activity, (iv) analysis of new lending, (v) Income statement by business line, (vi) NIM and interest income analysis and (vii) Loan portfolio analysis in accordance with the three-stages model for impairment of IFRS 9.

Moreover, the Investor Presentation includes additional financial information not presented in the Results Announcement of current and/or expected medium term levels for (i) NPE coverage, (ii) market shares and total regular income or gross written premiums of insurance companies and (iii) ESG performance metrics.

Except in relation to any non-IFRS measure, the financial information contained in the Investor Presentation has been prepared in accordance with the Group's significant accounting policies as described in the Group's Annual Financial Report 2021.

The Investor Presentation should be read in conjunction with the information contained in the Results Announcement and neither the financial information in the Results Announcement nor in the Investor Presentation constitutes statutory financial statements prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards.

For further information, please contact Investor Relations at investors@bankofcyprus.com.

Group Profile

The Bank of Cyprus Group is the leading banking and financial services group in Cyprus, providing a wide range of financial products and services which include retail and commercial banking, finance, factoring, investment banking, brokerage, fund management, private banking, life and general insurance. At 31 December 2021, the Bank of Cyprus Group operated through a total of 90 branches in Cyprus, of which 10 operated as cash offices. Bank of Cyprus also has representative offices in Russia, Ukraine and China. At 31 December 2021, the Group's Total Assets amounted to 25.0 bn and Total Equity was 2.1 bn. The Bank of Cyprus Group employed 3,438 staff worldwide. The Bank of Cyprus Group comprises Bank of Cyprus Holdings Public Limited Company, its subsidiary Bank of Cyprus Public Company Limited and its subsidiaries.
Download Image: Web

Lycoming College quantitative economics major Rafael Lubiano Rodriguez 23 of Houston was awarded a full scholarship to attend the American Economics Association (AEA) Summer Program at Howard University. The program is designed to help underrepresented groups develop technical skills in the field of economics as they prepare for graduate school or employment as a professional economists.

The AEA Summer and Scholarship Program strives to increase diversity in the field of economics by equipping undergraduates with skills and connections in preparation for doctoral studies. According to the website, as many as 20 percent of doctoral degrees awarded to minorities in economics over the past 20 years are graduates of the program. Students accepted into the program attend four classes, participate in seminars, and take educational field trips to places such as Washington, D.C., and the Federal Reserve Board, as well as other famous monuments and museums.

Rodriguez found out about the opportunity from his advisor, Elizabeth Moorhouse, Ph.D., department chair and associate professor of economics at Lycoming College. Raf is an ideal candidate for the AEAs Summer Program. He is a terrific student with an interest in economic inequality who has the potential to make meaningful contributions to our understanding of economic outcomes for the less privileged in our society, she said.

The program offers two levels, Foundations and Advanced, to better individualize the program to the students background. As part of the Foundations level, Rodriguez will be placed with a think tank, a non-profit organization, or a government agency to attain research experience. Along with making valuable connections, students involved in the Foundations level are additionally paid a stipend of $3,250.

After graduation from Lycoming College, Rodriguez hopes to continue his education at the graduate level and study how to help disadvantaged children. There is only so much money our government is willing to spend on helping disadvantaged communities, said Rodriguez. I want to make sure the little money that is allocated to helping people is put to good use.

Lycoming Colleges department of economics helps students examine important questions at the heart of modern, real-world economics debates and utilize theoretical models and facts to carefully analyze and answer those questions. More information on studying economics at Lycoming is available at https://www.lycoming.edu/economics/.
Barcelona was confirmed on Tuesday as the venue for the next America's Cup in 2024, seeing off Malaga, Jeddah and Auckland in a closely fought competition to host the prized sailing event.

Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Team New Zealand, who retained the America's Cup last year with victory over Italy's Luna Rossa in Auckland, said they had decided on Barcelona as the next host city as defenders of the 'Auld Mug'.

The team had rejected a $99 million bid from the New Zealand Government and Auckland Council to host the 37th edition of the America's Cup, which is the oldest trophy in international sport and was first won in 1851.

"This should serve to promote the city in the world after the pandemic, to benefit Barcelona's tradition of this sport in a maritime city and, in addition, will boost the emerging sector of innovation and technology, linked to maritime activities," Barcelona's city mayor Ada Colau told a press briefing.

"Having the event hosted in a significant city such as Barcelona will allow us to propel the growth trajectory (of the America's Cup) on the global sporting stage," TNZ CEO Grant Dalton said in a statement.

Seeing the high-speed AC75 "foiling" yachts racing a few hundred metres off the beach would be "nothing less than spectacular" when the event takes place in September and October 2024, he added.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expressed disappointment that the regatta would not return to Auckland.

"I probably feel the same way as many New Zealanders. I am disappointed around the decision that's been made on where the America's Cup will be held," she told reporters in Wellington on Wednesday.

"As a government we certainly stumped up sufficient funding for it to be hosted here.

"We wanted it here because New Zealand treats it as a national event. I don't think any other country in the world treats the America's Cup in the way that we do."

Team New Zealand are four-time Cup winners and have hosted the regatta three times in Auckland.

The Barcelona regional government said in a statement that initial estimates suggested holding the America's Cup in the Mediterranean city would have an economic impact of around $900 million to $1 billion based on the previous event in Auckland.

Barcelona is also set to be part of a bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics after Spain's Catalonia and Aragon regions this week reached agreement for a joint candidacy.
Chinese businesses in the Balearics are being affected by disruption to supplies from China because of the Ukraine war. The freight train on Yiwu-Madrid Railway line, the longest railway in the world, has been suspended because of the war. The train carries thirty containers. In addition, there is the lockdown in Shanghai because of Covid. This has affected the shipping of goods from the port in Shanghai. Shipping companies have increased freight services from Asian ports to Spain, but this adds to cost, the price of fuel at present being another factor.

Responding to the disruption, Chinese businesses are turning more to local suppliers. The president of the Chamber of Commerce in Mallorca, Antoni Mercant, says that global logistics have been made difficult because of the current situation. In the case of Asian imports, these arrive in the Balearics via Valencia, but "the logistical impact of everything that is happening now will begin to show over the coming months". A lack of Asian products will become more obvious.
Greg Sukiennik has worked at all three Vermont News & Media newspapers and was their managing editor from 2017-19. He previously worked for ESPN.com, for the AP in Boston, and at The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass.
Chinese premier stresses safeguarding women, children's rights

Xinhua) 09:23, March 30, 2022

BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has stressed pushing forward with the ongoing campaign against women and children trafficking and stepping up efforts to protect these groups' legitimate rights and interests and safeguard social justice.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in an instruction on a teleconference about combating human trafficking held on Tuesday.

The crackdown on human trafficking concerns family happiness and social tranquility, the instruction noted. It requires thorough investigations into related cases, rescuing the victims timeously, and ensuring proper follow-up settlement.

The involved criminals must be brought to justice and punished under the law, the instruction stressed, adding that governments at all levels and relevant authorities should take due responsibilities in the campaign.

Addressing the conference, State Councilor Zhao Kezhi called for an improved community-based system for preventing human trafficking and enhancing related legislation and public awareness.

China's Ministry of Public Security has launched a 10-month special operation to crack down on the abduction and trafficking of women and children starting from March 1.

(Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun)
The actor stole the show at the Oscars on Sunday night for all the wrong reasons. Smith slapped Chris Rock square in the face after the comedian made a comment about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. His aggressive and shocking display was almost Oscar worthy in itself: perhaps it will be shortlisted for next year's Golden Raspberry Awards, a parody award show honouring the worst of cinematic under-achievements.

Rapper and music producer P. Diddy had his say on the "beef" which took place at acting's most prestigious awards show. According to "Diddy", the two stars have resolved any issues. He spoke to Vanity Fair in the Oscars after party and said, "It's not a problem. It's over. I can confirm that. It's all love, they're brothers".

Will Smith took to Instagram on Monday to publicly apologise to Chris Rock. He said: "I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness."

I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness."

Long lasting beef with Rock

It turns out that this isn't the first altercation Smith and his wife have had with comedian. In fact, the trio have a fairly long history of tension. Rock has been guilty of making jokes about the couple in the past: in 2016 he directed a joke at Pinkett's expensive, mocking her boycott of the Oscars because of the lack of diversity. "Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna's panties. I was not invited. That's not an invitation I'd turn down," he said. In 2018, he also publicly mocked what he perceived to be the excessively open and honest nature of the couple's relationship.

On Sunday, Rock went one step further, making a joke about Jada's lack of hair, which is now know to be caused by a medical condition. Rock later claimed he was unaware of this. Jada has previously opened up about her decision to shave her head, after suffering from alopecia.

Eminem Beef

This was not the first time Will has had high-profile beef. Back in the late 90's at the height of his music career, he had a fiery verbal exchange with Eminem. It took place at the 1998 MTV VMA awards, and the feud stemmed from the comments Smith made when he accepted the award for Best Male Video for his hit song "Miami". In his acceptance speech, Smith gloated that not once in his song did he use bad language or curse. Many people considered this to be a dig at other artists, specifically fellow nominee that year Eminem. The following year, Eminem wiped the floor at the at the awards show as he picked up several accolades for his LP The Slim Shady. His response to Will's comments: "Will Smith doesn't have to cuss to sell records. Well, I do, So f*ck him. And f*ck you too."

The beef even wove itself into both artist's music, as the two of them threw insults back and forth in a childish cussing battle. In the official video of Forgot About Dre, Eminem's character, drunken and disorderly, talks with an ironic tone and a smirk on his face about how he was "listening to my Will Smith CD when I saw all the flames". This was clearly a shot fired by Eminem at his fellow rapper.

Smith's response came in his 2005 song Mr Nice Guy: "Look at the eyes, got the look...Of a survivor, husband, father...Dissed by Eminem but didn't bother him...Yup well he classy...Big Will just get another 20 mill' walk right past E...".

Tupac

2Pac and Jada Pinkett Smith Kevin Mazur Getty Images

Despite his public self-portrayal as a nice guy, the actor has revealed that there is a darker side to his personality. Smith has openly talked in his autobiography, as well as in his wife's Youtube channel Red Table Talks about the issues he had with Tupac. He has spoken of the overwhelming jealousy he had over his wife's relationship with the Californian rapper, which was a major cause of his marriage struggles.

Feud with Fresh Prince co-star Janet Hubert-Whitten

It's no secret that Smith had issues with the actress who played Aunt Viv,Janet Hubert-Whitten. She made extremely strong claims about her fellow actor, claiming that he was responsible for ruining her career. The situation on set got so tense that she was eventually replaced by Daphne Maxwell Reid who played the role for the final three seasons. It's reported that her attitude is what led to the termination of her contract after the third season. This was Smith's response to her being fired: "She has basically gone from a quarter of a million dollars a year to nothing. She's mad now but she's been mad all along. She said once, 'I've been in the business for 10 years and this snotty-nosed punk comes along and gets a show." Hubert-Whitten's response: "I'd never do anything with an a**hole like Will Smith.

"I'd never do anything with an a**hole like Will Smith."

Will Smith y la actriz Janet Hubert

It appears Smith is no stranger to an argument. This year's Oscars were evidence of that. His emotions got the better of him and his reckless reaction will go down as one of the worst and most shocking moments in the history of showbiz. The Oscars belonged to Will Smith but in the end, for all the wrong reasons.
It seems that everyone has an opinion regarding the controversial episode starring Will Smith and Chris Rock during the last Oscar ceremony, when the former slapped the latter for making a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith's bald head. Even Jim Carrey has taken part in this conversation.

As part of the press tour promoting "Sonic the Hedgehog 2," Carrey has criticized Hollywood for giving him a standing ovation following Smith's announcement as best actor winner for "King Richard," just minutes after the actor slapped Rock.

"I was sickened, I was sickened by the standing ovation. Hollywood is just spineless en masse and it really felt like this is a really clear indication that we aren't the cool club anymore," Carrey told CBS' Gayle King.

Carrey: "Chris Rock should have sued Will Smith"

But that was not all, as the famous actor of movies like "The Mask" or "Ace Ventura" confessed that if he were Rock he would have already sued Smith for a millionaire figure.

"I'd have announced this morning that I was suing Will for $200 million because that video is going to be there forever, it's going to be ubiquitous. That insult is gonna last a very long time. If you want to yell from the audience and show disapproval or say something on Twitter [that's fine]. But you do not have the right to walk up on stage and smack somebody in the face because they said words," Carrey said.

Will Smith lived a "selfish moment" against Chris Rock

However, Carrey assures that he has nothing against Will Smith, who he thinks suffered a selfish moment when he gave in to his emotions and attacked Rock.

"[The slap] came out of nowhere because Will has something going on inside him that's frustrated. I wish him the best. I have nothing against Will Smith. He's done great things, but that was not a good moment. It cast a shadow over everyone's shining moment last night...It was a selfish moment."
As we all keep mourning Taylor Hawkins' tragic death last weekend while on tour in South America with the Foo Fighters, there is still a lot to be discussed. Recently, there have been many rumors of how the band will replace the late drummer and which options are the ones being discussed. But we need to understand one thing, Dave Grohl started Foo Fighters in the first place because Hawkins agreed to be part of the group as the drummer. There is a universe in which this band never existed because Taylro decided to continue playing with Alanis Morrissette. The level of chemistry these two had brings memories of another one of the great rock bands in history that suffered a similar tragic fate.

How Led Zeppelin lost the legendary John Bonham.

The similarities between the two drummers are kind of staggering once you think about them carefully. Both were incredibly nice people who loved their friends and their families. We are talking about two of the greatest drummers in rock history who were part of two of the greatest rock bands in history from their respective eras. The two of them suffered from addiction problems. While Hawkins was struggling with different kinds of substances, John Bonham suffered a severe alcohol addiction. We've covered Hawkins' death but Bonham wasn't that different as he passed away in his sleep due to alcohol poisoning on September 25, 1980. What happened after his untimely death could be a sign of what can happen to the Foo Fighters, but it all depends on what Dave Grohl wants to do.

Led Zeppelin never recovered from Bonham's passing.

The level of musical chemistry Led Zeppelin had with John Bonham as their drummer is rarely achieved amongst the top bands in the natheon of rock. There's a reason they are considered one of the best to ever do it, those solos from 'Bonzo' are still legendary to this day. He managed to record his parts of all 9 albums they recorded together, but everything changed after his passing. The other band members knew they would prefer to honor Bonham's memory and stop trying to replicate that magic they created between 1962 and 1980 with him at the drums. Something very similar could happen with Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters. But only time will tell, it all depends on how the band will choose to honor Hawkins after his passing.
Very little is known about Vladimir Putin's personal life, while even less is known about the 96-year-old woman in Georgia who is claiming to be the Russian president's estranged mother.

Vera Putina, as she names herself, is claiming to be Putin's biological mother, suggesting that she left him in Russia with his grandmother when he was a child.

"He went to school in Georgia until the third grade and then in Russia he repeated a couple of grades," Putina claimed.

"My husband didn't want him here and I was afraid I would have to support him. I took him to Russia and left him there with my mother. He walked like a duck."

The Kremlin denies Vera Putina's story

As has become customary in recent times, the Kremlin moved to deny the story, describing the tale told by Putina as a "crazy story".

The story isn't actually a new one, as Putina has been claiming Vladimir Putin as her son since 1999, which was before he became president of Russia and long before the current invasion of Ukraine. When she spotted Putin on TV, after he had become a KGB agent, she started to make the claims, although these have never been confirmed.

What is also yet to be confirmed is just how a number of journalists who tried to interview the old woman have since died in strange circumstances.

According to those journalists, Putin was born in 1950 and was sent to live in Russia at the age of nine, however his grandfather on his mother's side sent him to an orphanage.

Putin has famously kept his private life very secret, with his two daughters even being given fake names. He is believed to have a girlfriend in Alina Kabaeva, but that story has also been played down by the Kremlin.
Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri is currently basking in the historic success of his latest release, The Kashmir Files. Featuring his wife Pallavi Joshi, Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Darshan Joshi, and others in pivotal roles, the film has exceeded everyone's expectations by entering the Rs. 200 crore club. Based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits, the movie is performing well in the third week as well, despite strong competition from SS Rajamouli's RRR.

Ever since its release on March 11, several Bollywood stars came out in the film's support and one of them is Kangana Ranaut. On social media and in several interviews, the Queen star supported and appreciated The Kashmir Files, when other celebrities were in no mood to talk about it. Later, Agnihotri too praised Kangana for standing up for the movie that shares the heart-breaking story of Kashmiri Pandits.

As per the latest buzz, Kangana might be working with Vivek on a film. However, the news has turned out to be false. Yes, you read that right!

Reportedly, after the success of The Kashmir Files, the director will focus on The Delhi Files. Also, he hasn't even begun to consider what he would like to make next.

While talking to Bollywood Hungama, Vivek reacted to the ongoing speculations and talked about working with stars. He said, "My films dont need stars. They need actors. When I started my journey 12 years ago I decided I will make my kind of films and I will never make a star-driven film. I firmly believe cinema is the writer and directors medium".

Well, his statement is surely going to disappoint Kangana fans.

Coming back to his next venture, The Delhi Files focuses on the right to life and marks the end of the 'Files' trilogy. Revealing the same, Vivek had earlier said, "Coming up next is The Delhi Files and then I am done with the Files trilogy. No power on earth and no amount of money can persuade me to turn the Files into a franchise. It was always meant to be a trilogy. Nothing can change that. Those who know me from before would know that Ive been making the films that I want to make for the last ten years. I am the last person who is going to think, The audience is addicted to the franchise, so lets make one more. I will never do that".

Kangana, on the other hand, has several interesting projects in her kitty. Last seen in Thalaivi, the actress' lineup includes Dhaakad, Tejas, and Sita: The Incarnation.
Id have done the same thing, said my boyfriend this morning when he and I were discussing what went down at the Oscars the night when actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock for making a joke in poor taste at Smiths wife Jada Pinkett Smith.

Chris Rock, while on the stage at the Oscars, took a dig at Jada by calling her G. I Jane, pointing at the loss of her hair at which she wasnt amused in the slightest. And neither was Will Smith, who even though was caught laughing at the joke at first, was suddenly then seen marching up to the stage to strike Chris across the face.

 Twitter

Now, two kinds of reactions flooded the internet when this happened - one like my boyfriend, who condoned Smiths actions and others like me, who dont stand for the violence it endorsed.



But it wasnt until I asked my boyfriend why he would do what Smith did, that things became a tad bit clearer to me. That it was probably more about Will Smith than it was about Jada in that one brief moment.

Most men, thanks to society, have been conditioned to be the protectors and knights in shining armour for women, expected to protect them and their honour. Which is why, when Will Smith smacked the shit out of Chris Rock at the Oscars and on worldwide television, it was hailed as an intense act of chivalry.

And one such example supporting my argument is when actress Sienna Miller was heard endorsing Smiths actions at the Oscars after-party as she told her date, I hope you would do the same for me.

If someone attacked my wife unprovoked, they would get more than a slap! Will smith is totally justified, if you ask me.  Beauvoir (@BeauKariuki) March 29, 2022

I believe he was justified. He's may not be a perfect husband or dad. But he's a man. Who is perfect? Chris certainly wasn't that's why he collected a slap in the first place so.. Well sometimes do your mind. The world will adjust with time. I stand Will Smith forever  Silas Marner (@Iam_whiterice) March 29, 2022

#WillSmithAssault My opinion on the will smith slap, its justified, cope. It was a bitch slap, he wont die, calm down.  Phantom (@MVPhantom_) March 29, 2022

And then there were a bunch of folks in the comment section, talking about how a man shouldnt be called a MAN if he doesnt feel riled up at a joke made at his womans expense.

The exaggerated machismo in the commented section was probably as unnecessary as Smiths slap, and Ill tell you why that is.

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

Simply, because these are the same people who have often stood silent at the bylines when theyve witnessed a woman getting harassed in a metro or in a classroom. But when it comes to a public show like this one, when the world is watching, you dont want to look like a weakling who stayed mum, you want to look strong and tough and so, the best you can come up with is an unwarranted slap.

Lets re-imagine the entire situation for a second, this time with a little tweak...



Instead of Will Smith getting up and walking up to Rock to beat the shit out of him, lets wonder what would have happened if he had given himself a few seconds to analyze and control his emotions. Would he still have gotten up to smack the comedian? Probably not. And I know that because, despite the people who support his violent outburst on National Television, he himself doesnt condone his actions. And his apology made that pretty apparent.

Will Smith apologises to Chris Rock for Oscars slap: 'I was out of line and I was wrong' - Variety. Next some other fool will use the same excuse when they kill someone, not good enough https://t.co/RhJR5Qn9t1  leila rezazad (@gilass) March 29, 2022

Yes, Chris Rock might have gone too far, trying to get a laugh out of someones trauma, but at the end of the day, doesnt taking jokes come with the territory of being a celebrity? While I agree that just because its part and parcel of showbiz to know how to stomach a joke (even a nasty one), one cant and shouldnt have to put up with something thats hurtful. But does it really have to warrant a violent reaction?

If getting the point across was really the purpose here, his yelling would have sufficed. But the idea here was something else, it was to match up to the standards of being an ideal man who would fight for his woman.

Had there been a physical threat at Jada and her safety, Id understand where his reaction would have stemmed from, but for a joke that, according to several people wasnt even extremely offensive to begin with, Will Smiths actions were totally uncalled for and came as a cry for help.

The hypocrisy of Hollywood making woke noises that make nice liberal soundbites but then when #WillSmith unprofessional slaps a colleague on stage and cusses from his seat, he is comforted and later applauded and joined at after parties. Did anyone ask how Chris Rock was?  Frankly Brutal (@candidandhonest) March 29, 2022

After all, the hypocrisy of Will Smith and everyone else who condoned his actions wasnt lost on anyone. Because if what Chris Rock said was bad, how Will Smith reacted was worse. And perhaps that is why, all of us who were divided over our opinion on the matter, are a 'work in progress' too, just like Smith said he was in his apology!
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
Thank you for subscribing!

By signing up to this free newsletter you agree to receive occasional emails from us informing you about our products and services. You can opt out of these emails at any time.
The range of prices was, however, an unprecedentedly wide $100 per tonne as sellers were targeting different destinations.

Mobarakeh Steel, one of the countrys major slab producers, was reported to...
We're sorry, but we're unable to locate the page you requested. The page may have been removed, renamed, or deleted. You can try searching for the topic using the search button in the right hand corner above.
MANISTEE  Andrew and Barbara Cook are one step closer to their goal of building a cottage on their property in Onekama Township.

During a motion hearing in Manistee County's 19th Circuit Court Monday afternoon, Judge David Thompson denied Catherine Bradford's motion to intervene in the case between the Cooks and the Onekama Township Board.

On March 18 the Onekama Township Board voted to approve a consent judgment which would grant the Cooks two zoning variances and allow them to build a single-family dwelling and attached garage on a 0.18-acre lot.

An intervention is a third party's entry into an existing civil case who was not named as an original party but has a personal stake in the outcome.

Thompson sited Michigan Court Rule 2.209, which requires timely application for interventions. The rule does not specify what constitutes a timely application, but states any unreasonable delay after knowledge of the action will justify denial of intervention.

"The claim of appeal filed by the Cooks has been pending before this court since fall of 2021. Hearing the motion stated on behalf on Miss Bradford, I understand that she was at all of the meetings at the township level," Thompson said. "There should not be any surprise that the proposed consent judgment was at least in the development stage for several months. Now, at this late period, she seeks to intervene. It simply was not timely.

"... It is for that sole reason that I am denying Catherine Bradford's request to intervene," he continued. "I don't believe it is timely at this stage."

The Onekama Township Board created a subcommittee after the the Cooks filed an appeal in the form of a lawsuit with Manistee County's 19th Circuit Court when the Onekama Township Zoning Board of Appeals denied a proposed plan which requested five variances in order to build. The lawsuit took the decision out of the hands of the zoning board of appeals and instead left it up to the township board.

The Cook Subcommittee was put together in the hope both sides could come to an agreement outside of court. The board voted during a Dec. 8 meeting to appoint township clerk Shelli Johnson, township trustee Al Taylor, planning commission chairman Jim Trout and Onekama Township zoning administrator and Manistee County planner Katie Mehl to the subcommittee.

Attorney Armin Schleiffarth filed on March 4 a motion to intervene on behalf of Bradford, hours before a site plan was reviewed by the Cook Subcommittee and a motion to put the plan before the township board was supported with a 3-0 vote.

During Monday's hearing Schleiffarth said Bradford did not file a motion to intervene sooner because the Onekama Township Zoning Board of Appeals had denied five variances requested by the Cooks.

"Her position has always been if the zoning board of appeals' decision was defended ... there was no reason for her to intervene," Schleiffarth said. "Now that there's a consent judgment on the table, it is impairing her as a matter of rights. That's why the decision to intervene was made at this point in time."

Thompson said Michigan Court Rule 2.209 also calls upon the court to consider whether or not the original parties of the lawsuit will be prejudiced  injured or harmed  by the intervention.

The Cooks' attorney, Richard Wilson of Mika Myers, PLC, said the township and the Cooks would suffer "substantial prejudice" if the motion to intervene were granted.

"My clients have spent thousands and thousands of dollars on this matter. I'm sure Onekama Township has spent just as much, if not more," he said. "To have all of that thrown out at the final minute because Mrs. Bradford doesn't want a house built on her neighbor's property is simply not a basis to allow intervention in this case."

Thompson said the motion filed by Schleiffarth on behalf of Bradford stated no party would be prejudiced, but "in this court's opinion, that couldn't be further from the truth."

"You will absolutely prejudice the Cooks and the township. ... Ultimately, when the appeal is filed by the Cooks, Onekama Township has the responsibility with regards to litigation," Thompson said. "To say the township isn't prejudiced and the Cooks are not prejudiced is really not true. They are if I allow this late intervention."

Wilson said in order to have the motion to intervene granted, Bradford had to establish that she is a party aggrieved by the decision of the Onekama Township Board, "and in this case, that simply is not the facts."

"Mr. Schleiffarth argues that we are encroaching on the property, that there are title issues present, and that may or may not be a fact, your honor, but in the context of appeal from the Zoning Board of Appeals, none of that is relevant," Wilson said. "The court has not been asked to acquire anybody's title. The court has not been asked to establish any boundary line between the parcels. The consent judgment that ... the township and the Cooks asked the court to enter limits the impact of that consent judgment solely to Lot 5, Block 25, of the plat on Portage Point."
More of Huron Countys American Rescue Plan Act funds have been allocated, this time toward those who worked to help keep the county safe during the pandemic.

The Huron County Board of Commissioners agreed to award $495,033.91 in premium pay to Huron County Sheriffs Office employees out of the ARPA funds the county received.

Fifty-eight different employees, full-time and part-time, will be getting premium pay based on hours they put in between the time periods of March 24, 2020, through May 7, 2020, and from Aug. 3, 2020 to Jan. 12, 2021. Their wages will be based on $10 per hour of work put in during those times along with payroll taxes that would normally go toward Social Security and Medicare.

The highest amount an employee would get is $13,133.30, with three employees putting in 1,220 hours of work each across those two time frames, while 13 employees would be getting less than $1,000 in premium pay, including one getting $21.53 for two hours of work.

More News Sheriff: Disrespecting people is not a way to keep the staff full

Huron County Sheriff Kelly Hanson had taken issue months ago with how the janitorial staff was awarded premium pay before the sheriff deputies were. Hanson himself is not one of the employees listed to receive any of these funds.

Commissioner Steve Vaughan did notice that one of the employees listed had retired since the two time periods listed. He felt that if an employee is no longer with the office, they should not get the pay while other commissioners felt they should get the money if they worked during those periods no matter what.

Courtney Gabbara, of the firm Cohl, Stoker & Toskey, P.C., the countys corporation counsel, said the board is not obligated to give someone who retired premium pay and that it is more of a gesture.

The commissioners approved giving the funds by a 5-0 vote, as Mike Meissner attended the meeting through Zoom and John Bodis abstained from voting since his wife was one of the employees listed to get premium pay.

The commissioners also approved spending $8,901 to install locks with remote release on doors in the county building, which will allow employees to lock them without opening them during an emergency.

With these allocations, Huron County has spent $1.75 million of the around $6 million total given to it though the American Rescue Plan Act.

Of that $6 million, $3 million was received back in May 2021 and the remaining $3 million will be received in May 2022.

The projects already given funds from ARPA include $100,000 for Guidehouse Consulting for overseeing how funds are distributed, $327,130 for renovating the friend of court and juvenile court offices, $63,810 for a sewer project at the county fairgrounds, $40,558 for janitorial staff premium pay, $11,050 for cleaning the ducts at the county Health Department and VA Clinic, and $109,307.62 for upgrading the countys 911 phone system.

Another $3 million of the funds has been set aside to cover potential general fund shortfalls for the 2023 and 2024 fiscal year, $1.5 million for each.

Amounts have not yet been determined yet for upgrading ventilation at the Huron County jail, courthouse, and 911 center. Other items that have been discussed but not yet approved include training for firefighters and EMTs and converting drinking fountains to water dispensers.

The total amount planned for how the obligated funds are used is $5.54 million.

The funds are part of $65.1 billion distributed to counties nationwide as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, with the funds coming from the Department of Treasury. Recipients can use the funds to support public health expenditures, address negative impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, replace lost public sector revenue, provide premium pay to essential workers, and invest in water, broadband, and sewer infrastructure.

The county has until Dec. 31, 2024, to obligate how the funds are spent and until Dec. 31, 2026 to spend all its allocated funds.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Relief may come to Midland and Gladwin counties sooner after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a $4.7 billion infrastructure package, more than $250 million of which is linked to the 2020 area dam failures.

Four Lakes Task Force officials said earlier that such funds will significantly reduce the financial burden on property owners and aid its dam construction plans.

The bill includes about $200 million for dam repairs on the four lakes. It is one of the largest project appropriations in recent years. The package includes an additional $59.9 million in federal disaster recovery to assist families impacted by the flood. Its not immediately known how the family assistance will be divided up.

Its great to see this money awarded to us, said Midland County Commissioner Mark Bone on Wednesday. Were definitely going to use it to keep the (special assessment district) low as possible."

While some residents have said they appreciate the state support, the amount of funding in the bill wont make them whole.

Obviously this was a true disaster, Bone said. It is money we couldnt have gotten, and it will make us better off than we could be, he said. Im not downplaying (the loss) at all.

Bone thanked the task force for all their hard work to garner the funding.

We still have a lot of work to do, he said. I hope someday this is a distant memory.

While areas in Midland and Gladwin counties were hit with flooding, many agree Sanford was nearly annihilated by the disaster. Bone agrees annihilate is the right word to describe what occurred in the village when the Sanford Dam breached.

Sanford Strong co-founder Teresa Quintana along with Emily Ricards and sister Martina, have worked in the trenches with residents of the Village of Sanford, helping them get food and other supplies.

It feels like the last major puzzle piece, Quintana said of the package being signed. Its the restoration of our quality of life. Its such a big step toward the return of normalcy.

Sanford Village President Dolores Porte said the funding package gives her hope of returning to normal, businesses coming back and people regaining their livelihoods.

It positions us to get the lakes back sooner than later and to get back up and running, Porte said.

When people look at the big crater of what used to be blue water, it makes many sad. Porte said hopefully the funding with help rectify that.

Sanford resident and village council member Carl Hamann remembers leaving the area after others flee and returning the next morning to his 1909 house. Where he found kitchen furniture in the living room, most of the furniture flipped and his Center Street house took on 51-inches of water.

Hamann lived in a guest room while he rebuilt his home, only able to salvage one wall from the original. He was able to move out of the guest room and into his rebuilt house in October.

He watched people flee that May 19, 2020 with only the clothes on their backs and return to destroyed homes along with everything in them ruined

Its a lot of peoples faults, Hamann said of the flood. I believe people need to be prosecuted."

Sanford resident Glenn Moots also endured a rebuild, with new plumbing, wall, floors and everything.

Nearly two years later, the memory is fresh.

It was devastating in a lot of ways, Moots said. In a lot of ways, it still is.

Hes thankful for the friends, churches and other groups that stepped-up to help with the disaster.

One thing for Moots was, that as he recovered his home, he then realized the lakes were gone.

I absolutely believe they are coming back, Moots said. With the local and federal level people all working together, it is going in the right direction.

Moots said there are many critics of the task force, but questions if any of those critics ever attempted to manage a project of this magnitude, he said referring to the rebuilding of the dams.

According to Four Lakes Task Force officials, they will proceed with seeking $10 million interim financing from Gladwin and Midland counties. According to the task force, the group will work to issue anticipation notes in early April, while they await the arrival of federal and state funding. The interim funding allows them to continue dam work without delays.

The overall project status, a financing plan and property owner assessments will be discussed on Wednesday, April 6 during its scheduled community information webinar. For more information on the meeting, click here.

Related content

Four Lakes Task Force discusses next steps after $200 million grant announced Thursday from state of Michigan
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

After months of questions, the Sanford Village Council will offer its answer on recreational marijuana at its April 6 meeting.

The Sanford Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. April 6 at the Sanford American Legion Hall and will host a public hearing regarding recreational marijuana. It is expected to vote on recreational marijuana following the public hearing.

The planning commission is made up of Taylor Meyette, Anna Merillat, former village council member Marlene Glinski, Sandy Holka and village council member Carl Hamann. The village council voted them in March 14.

The public hearing will focus on amending the Village of Sanford Zoning Ordinance to provide for the location of recreational marijuana establishments, and designate such establishments, and operations as special land uses, as well as to further amend the Village of Sanfords zoning ordinance and zoning map to establish a marijuana overlay district.

Sanford Village President Dolores Porte said Wednesday that the village council has scheduled a special meeting immediately following the planning commission, also at the American Legion Hall. Porte said the council will make their vote on recreational marijuana.

The properties subject to the overlay are: 2023 N Meridian Road (Parcel No. 081-024-400-001-00); 2033 N Meridian Road (Parcel No. 081-024-400-010-00); and 2045 N Meridian Road (Parcel No. 081-024-400-050-00). A copy of the proposed amendment and a map of the overlay district are available for inspection at the temporary offices of the Village of Sanford at 737 W. Beamish Road, Sanford, MI 48657 by appointment and will also be available for inspection at the public hearing at the American Legion Hall, 2080 N. Meridian Road.

Comments about the proposed zoning ordinance amendments can be dropped at the Jerome Township Hall or sent to President@villageofsanford.com. Comments can also be made during oral comments at the April 6 public hearing.
The Food and Drug Administration Tuesday authorized an additional booster shot of both Pfizer and Modernas COVID vaccine for adults 50 and over.

The FDA is authorizing fourth COVID shots for adults over 50 years old if they are more than four months past their third vaccine dose. The authorization extends to immunocompromised patients 12 years old and older, including those who have undergone solid organ transplantation.

Current evidence suggests some waning of protection over time against serious outcomes from COVID-19 in older and immunocompromised individuals, Peter Marks, director of the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a release.

Rick Martinello, director of infection prevention at Yale New Haven Health, said he will plan to get a second booster shot but specifically because he is planning a vacation.

Some of it is because I have a trip to Europe planned later this month, he said.

Maritnello got his third shot in December, which was about four months ago. He said the COVID rates in Connecticut are relatively low and relatively stable so, if a trip to Europe was off the table, Martinello said his decision would be a different one.

I probably would wait at this point and, the reason being, I would probably wait to see and get vaccinated more toward early fall, he said. Everything seems pretty stable right now.

The state reported Tuesday that 365 additional COVID cases had been identified out of 10,010 reported tests for a positivity rate of 3.65 percent since Monday.

The number of patients in Connecticut hospitals fighting a COVID-19 infection increased by seven on Tuesday for a total of 101.

Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist at Hartford HealthCare, said Monday that the FDAs decision was the result of fears over BA.2, the omicron subvariant being blamed for COVID spikes in Europe and Asia.

I think theyre worried about BA.2, Wu said. Thats basically what theyre basing their decision on.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, BA.2 is now the dominant coronavirus strain in the United States, making up 54.9 percent of all tested samples as of March 26.

BA.2 is far more prevalent in New England, where the CDC said the subvariant comprises 72.6 percent of samples.

Martinello said research has shown that BA.2 is as much as 40 percent more transmissible than its progenitor, omicron.
NEW HAVEN  Federal investigators probing a $40 million embezzlement scheme at Yale School of Medicine discovered an administrator used thousands of orders to circumvent a $10,000 purchasing cap so she could buy electronics that she later sold, court documents show.

Jamie Petrone, 42, of Naugatuck, appeared Monday in federal court where she admitted to wire fraud charges stemming from scheme, officials said. Petrone, who was director of finance and administration for the schools Department of Emergency Medicine, has accepted responsibility for her actions, her attorney, Frank Ricco, said.

In announcing the guilty plea, federal authorities said the prestigious medical school lost more than $40 million in computers and electronics that Petrone used to purchase luxury cars, fund real estate improvements and pay for travel.

Court documents show that an anonymous tip alerted Yale officials to the scheme. The person reported a suspiciously large amount of computers being ordered by Petrone, who was also seen loading some of the electronics into her personal car, according to court documents.

While a full extent of the scheme was not highlighted in arrest documents, federal authorities used a series of laptop and tablet purchases to show how Petrone diverted those items to another business to make money, records show.

Since 2018, Petrone drafted thousands of purchase orders, each less than $10,000, which was the amount at which additional management approvals wouldve been required, according to court records. The amount of the purchases is estimated by investigators to be in the tens of millions of dollars.

Since January 2021, court records show, Petrone arranged for Yales purchase of about 8,000 iPads and Surface Pro tablets. Court records indicate that between May 27, 2021, and Aug. 19, 2021, Petrone ordered about $2.1 million in computer equipment on behalf of Yale. She placed an additional order on Aug. 24, 2021, for equipment that investigators said totaled $144,000.

On May 26, 2021, Petrone asked her assistant to prepare documentation for an order of 100 Microsoft Surface Pro tablet computers, which she claimed were for a new study to be launched during Memorial Day weekend. Her assistant prepared 12 purchase orders for eight Surface Pros, totaling over $9,000, and one purchase order for four Surface Pros, totaling over $4,500, documents showed.

Documents said that many of the devices Petrone purchased with Yale money were sold and shipped to a purported business in New York. Emails revealed transactions between Petrone and various entities that purchased the items, court documents showed.

When investigators traced the tracking numbers on the packages, they determined they were shipped from Orange on June 3, 2021, and delivered to a Williston Park address in New York on June 4, 2021.

In one of Petrones emails, she attached bank statements from a business located at her residential address in Naugatuck, documents showed. State records list the status of the business as dissolved due to failure to file annual reports. Bank statements from February through May of last year show hundreds of thousands of dollars in incoming wire transfers to Petrone from entities that purchased the computer equipment, according to the court documents.

In early June 2021, documents showed, Petrone applied for a PayPal business loan and was asked to submit four months of bank statements. Courts records show Petrone sent bank statements to PayPal using her Yale email address, which law enforcement reviewed.

Yale officials notified law enforcement on Aug. 25, 2021 after they received an anonymous tip about the apparent embezzlement scheme, documents showed. Court documents indicate the tip was received by word of mouth sometime over the last year.

Its unclear when exactly Yale officials were alerted, but court documents indicated the university was not able to mount a concerted investigative effort until about July 1, 2021, for various reasons. Those reasons were not detailed in the court documents. Yale officials did not respond Tuesday to questions about the tip and the schools investigation.

In a statement, Karen Peart, director of university media relations at Yale, said the school alerted authorities to evidence of suspected criminal behavior last year and fully cooperated throughout the investigation.

Unrelated to the anonymous tip, court documents show, Petrone was questioned in June 2020 about a budget variance and a high volume of computer equipment purchases for her department. The documents do not state who questioned Petrone.

During that inquiry, court records show, Petrone said her department was updating its equipment and was working with Yale New Haven Health on a new program. During the week of Aug. 16, 2021, Yale auditors inquired with a high-ranking Yale School of Medicine official, who court records indicate had no knowledge of the program Petrone referenced.

Yale auditors reviewed purchase orders and Petrones school emails, among other things, and reported their findings to law enforcement, court documents show.

Investigators said in court records that Petrone used the funds obtained through the scheme to pay for home improvements for her Connecticut residence and to buy about $25,000 in jewelry.

On Aug. 31, 2021, law enforcement executed a federal seizure warrant on her account, seizing $560,421.14.

Investigators also seized a 2014 Mercedes-Benz G550, a 2017 Land Rover/Range Rover, a 2015 Cadillac Escalade Premium, a 2020 Mercedes-Benz E450A, a 2015 Cadillac Escalade and a 2018 Dodge Charger, federal prosecutors said. Officials said three properties in Connecticut were also liquidated.

Petrone, who is free on a $1 million bond, is scheduled to be sentenced June 29.
At least two physicians at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salisbury had their medical licenses suspended or put on probation before the center hired them, a new report from the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General shows.

And the Salisbury facility may have inappropriately hired the physicians without proper review and investigation, according to the report.

The Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General released a Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection report Tuesday, a report evaluating the regional heath care network including North Carolina and Virginia.

According to the Veterans Health Administration, physicians who have ever had a license suspended or placed on probation must go through a thorough, documented review, before their appointment to the VA. That review should include approval from the chief medical officer of the NC and Virginia veterans health care network.

But at least three physicians in the N.C. and Virginia network were hired without evidence of approval from the network CMO, according to the report.

At least two of those physicians were overseen by the Salisbury facility:

One physician, hired in August 2019, had an NC license suspended in 2012 and an Illinois license suspended in 2013. Information regarding the adverse actions was not provided to the facility until after the physician had been on duty for about six weeks, according to the report.

A second physician, also hired in August 2019, had a license placed on probation in June 2014.

In both cases, Salisbury staff did not report the cases to the network chief medical officer, according to the report.

The report did not identify the doctors or say what had led to the licensure actions.

A third physician was hired in November 2020 and had a license revoked in 1985. The report does not detail where that physician is based.

The report recommended the chief medical officer evaluate credentials files for any physicians with previous licensure issues.

The Salisbury VA facility did not immediately comment on the report Tuesday.

In 2020, the Salisbury medical center served more than 90,000 veterans, according to the facility.

The North Carolina and Virginia Veterans Affairs health care network cared for more than 415,000 people in fiscal year 2020, according to the report.

Other problems at the Salisbury VA

The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General has previously released reports highlighting dozens of problems at the Salisbury facility.

In 2017, the office released a report detailing more than two dozen issues found in an inspection of the medical center.

And in 2016, the inspector general released a report that found supervisors at the Salisbury VA Medical Center manipulated wait time data in order to increase their performance evaluations and, in turn, receive higher bonus payouts

For more details, read the full report from the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General online.

2022 The Charlotte Observer. Visit charlotteobserver.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
With rare speed, the U.S. government has determined that Russian forces are committing war crimes as they attempt to bombard Ukraine into submission, a brutal onslaught that has displaced millions and likely killed thousands of civilians.

But even after egregious actions, war crimes prosecutions are methodical endeavors that can last for more than a decade before perpetrators are brought to justice  if they ever are.

Something different, though, is occurring with Ukraine, legal and human rights experts say. Thanks to smartphones, social media and the publicity savvy and pointed eagerness of Ukrainian officials, evidence of potential war crimes is being compiled even as they unfold.

"It's all happening in real time," said Jane E. Stromseth, a professor of international law and human rights at Georgetown University, who previously worked on global justice for the State Department.

This will allow investigators to build cases more rapidly than in previous theaters of war crimes, such as the Balkans or Sudan or Rwanda, all in the 1990s and early 2000s.

It took more than a decade to indict, capture and try the former president of Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milosevic, who gave the world the term "ethnic cleansing" in his campaign to eliminate Muslim Bosnians. Milosevic died in his cell at The Hague in 2006 during his trial.

Omar Bashir, the former president of Sudan, was free for more than a decade after the International Criminal Court, the lead institution for adjudicating war crimes, indicted him on charges of murder, torture and rape in Darfur. He awaits trial but conditions are being negotiated between Sudan and the court.

Real-time access to witnesses, video

Unlike in those cases, investigators now also have real-time access to witnesses, thanks to the nearly 3 million Ukrainians who fled the country in just the first weeks of the war. Most are in neighboring NATO country Poland, where the ICC has already sent a team of investigators after opening a formal inquiry. Those who fled can give fresh testimony to help document what has happened on the ground in Kyiv, Mariupol, Chernihiv, Kherson and dozens of other ravaged cities and towns.

None of this means President Vladimir Putin or any other senior Russian commander or official will necessarily be in the dock anytime soon. But there is hope for some progress among many advocates and legal experts.

"There is not a time lag, and there is a prospect for justice," Stromseth said in an interview.

At the same time, there is a downside to the abundance of available material, said Aisling Reidy, a legal advisor to Human Rights Watch.

"Getting hold of evidence is both easier and harder," said Reidy, who recalled having to use radios to communicate with co-workers during the conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo. Now, the quantity of videos, testimonies and other material is often polluted with disinformation, which Russians especially are masterful at propagating, and investigators have to sort though all of it.

U.S. accuses Russia

Both President Biden and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken earlier this month said they "personally" believed Putin to be a war criminal. On March 23, the State Department formally announced it had determined that Russian forces were committing war crimes in repeated attacks on civilian targets.

"The deliberate targeting of civilians is a war crime," Samantha Power, head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, whose 2002 book on genocide won a Pulitzer Prize, said that day on Twitter. "From attacking a maternity hospital to a theater full of sheltering civilians, Russia's playbook is the same as in Chechnya & Syria: break the will of the people."

U.S. officials said an advantage to the swift denouncement of war crimes is to put the Russians on notice and give succor to the Ukrainians, as well as to preserve evidence.

"It's also extremely important to continue to document what's happening on the ground to preserve that information as potential evidence for future accountability purposes." said Beth Van Schaack, U.S. ambassador-at-large for global justice at the State Department. "We don't want to lose that evidence. We don't want that evidence to be tampered with."

When Milosevic-backed Serbs in Bosnia, who had led the pogroms against Bosnian Muslims, realized that inspectors from a war crimes tribunal were finally going to gain access to their territory, they began digging up the mass graves where they had deposited their victims and moved them to more remote areas in hopes of concealing the slaughter. Reporters at the time, along with United Nations officials and people from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and others, were at the forefront of tracking down the new graves and eventually building cases against Milosevic, Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic and military commander Ratko Mladic.

International Criminal Court

Created in 1998 and headquartered at The Hague, the ICC evolved out of ad-hoc tribunals established by the U.N. specifically for Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Unlike those courts, however, the ICC is independent of the U.N. and its proceedings cannot be vetoed by Security Council members such as Russia.

The U.S. is pledging cooperation with the ICC on Ukraine, but it has refused to become a member state. It often resists  even attacks  the court if the ICC threatens to touch on, for example, U.S. military operations in Afghanistan or Israeli actions in the Palestinian West Bank or Gaza Strip. The U.S. tends to pick certain cases rather than lending full support to the ICC, critics say, which politicizes the court's actions.

The Trump administration went so far as to place economic sanctions on ICC prosecutors and attempt to bar them from entering the U.S.

"Hypocrisy abounds," said one human rights activist who did not want to be named to preserve a good working relationship with U.S. officials. "If you're going to be serious about war crimes, it has to be full-hearted."

Washington can provide enormous amounts of resources, money and expertise to prosecutions over Ukraine. U.S. intelligence can be especially valuable because of knowledge  after decades of espionage and surveillance  of Russian military units and command structures. That could be key to establishing accountability for war crimes: Who knew what  and ordered what actions  when?

"How do you show the most senior people, up to and including President Putin, are responsible for a particular operation or decision, that day?" Reidy said, pointing to the problem of determining the chain of command in specific military operations.

Russia and Ukraine are not parties to the ICC, but Ukraine has said it would accept the court's jurisdiction. While Russia would not send Putin or other senior officials to The Hague for trial, even if they were indicted, the president and others would be subject to arrest if they traveled to a country that is part of the ICC treaty. However, that is also unlikely. Bashir traveled widely after his indictment and was never arrested. Many countries seem reluctant to intervene in these cases, especially if they involve still-serving leaders.

Besides the ICC, some domestic courts can also prosecute war crimes. Citing the concept of universal justice, Spain tried and convicted a Salvadoran army officer in the murder of six Jesuit priests in that Central American country in 1989. Some of the priests were Spanish nationals. Earlier this year, a court in Germany convicted a Syrian intelligence officer for torture and other crimes committed in a Damascus detention center that he oversaw. The officer had moved to Germany and sought asylum. It is not always the case that the targets of the investigation have to be present in the country where they are being tried. They can be extradited.

'Web of accountability'

A series of domestic courts spins a "web of accountability" across borders, Stromseth said, that complements the ICC and sends a message to "those who commit these horrific crimes that they can run but they cannot hide."

War crimes are generally defined as severe breaches of the landmark Geneva Conventions or other cannons of international humanitarian law, which govern, among other actions, how war is conducted. These include the deliberate or reckless targeting of civilians; use of chemical weapons; torture; rape as a tool of war; enslavement of occupied populations. (The use of prisoners of war in propaganda, which Ukraine has been accused of doing, is not a war crime but does violate the Geneva Conventions.)

Genocide is in a class by itself, the deliberate destruction of a racial, ethnic or religious group of people. Current examples would include China's incarceration of Muslim Uyghurs and destruction of their culture, and Myanmar's attempts to eradicate the Rohingya, both of which the U.S. has described as genocide.

Experts say there is one serious gap in the powers of the ICC: It has no jurisdiction over the crime of aggression  not the conduct of the war but the political decision that went into launching a war (or, as in this case, an invasion). Some domestic courts may be able to prosecute that crime, but they are necessarily less powerful than an international tribunal.

"My focus is on the gap" that misses the "universal" crime of aggression, said Philippe Sands, a law professor at the University College of London and head of the Centre for International Courts and Tribunals. It is "the only way to get to the political, military and intelligence leadership, and the financiers."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

2022 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The Navy has announced the names of the cruisers that it wants to decommission as part of the latest budget proposal, as well as confirming that all the Freedom-class littoral combat ships -- including one that is less than two years old -- are headed for scrap.

A Navy spokesman confirmed that the five cruisers slated for the cut are: USS Bunker Hill (CG-52), USS Mobile Bay (CG-53), USS San Jacinto (CG-56), USS Lake Champlain (CG-57) and USS Vicksburg (CG-69).

A few of the cruisers named have been tossed around by the Navy before. The Bunker Hill's decommissioning came up as far back as 2017 while a Navy message announced the planned decommissioning of the San Jacinto and Lake Champlain last year. Unlike the littoral combat ships, the cruisers are a much older platform that have developed constant maintenance issues.

Read Next: Judge Stops Navy from Discharging Any Religious Vaccine Refusers

The Navy also confirmed that all of its Freedom-class littoral combat ships -- the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3), USS Milwaukee (LCS-5), USS Detroit (LCS-7), USS Little Rock (LCS-9), USS Sioux City (LCS-11), USS Wichita (LCS-13), USS Billings (LCS-15), USS Indianapolis (LCS 17) and USS St. Louis (LCS-19) -- are part of the 24 ships the service said it wants to scrap in a bid to save about $3.6 billion over five years.

On Monday, the Navy's budget chief, Rear Adm. John Gumbleton, told reporters that the choice to scrap the variant was driven in part by the issues the ships were having with their combining gear -- basically, the ship's transmission -- as well as the failure of the anti-submarine mission package.

Gumbleton said the mission package was facing "huge challenges -- not gonna work."

The plans to mothball ships drew near instant outrage from Congress, especially members who follow Navy issues.

Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., called the plan "a step backward" in terms of countering Russia and China in a tweet Monday. Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., said that he was "particularly disappointed that even as we aim to grow our naval and projection forces, this budget continues the divest to invest strategy that will shrink our fleet once again" in a statement released Monday.

Yet the sharpest words came from Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., in a series of tweets Tuesday.

"The Navy owes a public apology to American taxpayers for wasting tens of billions of dollars on ships they now say serve no purpose," Luria wrote, seemingly referencing the littoral combat ships.

The congresswoman, who is a former Naval officer, noted that 11 of the ships slated for decommissioning are less than 10 years old and singled out the USS St. Louis as being less than two years old and two of the 24 ships as "currently in modernization."

Luria's critique overlooks the fact that Congress also played a role in the now-incredibly messy littoral combat ship program, as well.

While the Navy initially wanted to buy 55 ships in the class, it scaled back to 32 in 2014 after cost overruns, questions about the ships' combat survivability and a range of maintenance problems that led to failures to deploy. But several years later, Congress insisted on adding three more ships despite the fact that reports from the Congressional Research Service,a bipartisan research institute within the Library of Congress, from as far back as 2011 described concerns that the ships or their mission packages wouldn't be able to live up to all the designers' promises.

By 2018, research reports referred to the program as "controversial" and cited "cost growth, design and construction issues," as well as questions over whether the ships "are sufficiently armed and would be able to perform their stated missions effectively."

Luria also laid into the Navy for cutting the ability to launch missiles from ships while "investing in the next 'Gucci' missile and technology that will not be mature for 20+ years."

Ultimately, the public remarks suggest that the sea service will have a difficult time selling Congress -- whose approval it needs -- on its decommissioning plans. Last year's National Defense Authorization Act reversed the Navy's plan to scrap seven cruisers by forcing it to hold on to two of them.

"The Navy has no strategy," Luria declared. "Stop saying you do, because if you did you would be able to explain how this Fleet size will allow us to defend Taiwan."

Gumbleton explained during his Monday press conference that the Navy is pivoting to focus on one variant of the littoral combat ship, because "there's savings programmatically, instead of having to sustain two different lines."

In 2010, though, when the LCS program was just getting off the ground, the choice to buy two variations of the small ship was pitched as a chance to save money.

"This option is good for the taxpayers because it enables us to buy more ships for the same money and allows us to lock in a lower price for all 20 ships," then-Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said, according to The New York Times.

The Navy currently has six more Freedom-class littoral combat ships in various stages of construction. The nonprofit United States Naval Institute, citing Navy officials, reported that the Navy will still take delivery and plans to use them in South America and the Middle East.

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: Navy Wants to Scrap 9 Littoral Combat Ships Along with 15 Others to Pay for New Carriers and Submarines
A federal commission charged with reviewing and replacing the names of signs, streets, memorials and monuments at U.S. military bases with ties to the Confederacy, released a list of 750 potential targets for renaming.

It marks the latest effort by the Pentagon to reckon with its long history of honoring namesakes tied to the racist rebel army that fought in the Civil War.

The exhaustive list by the Naming Commission, as the Pentagon group is colloquially known, identifies hundreds of items named for Confederate leaders, officers and conflicts spotted at military bases across more than a dozen states, with the majority of them in the South.

Read Next: These 87 Names Could Replace Those with Confederate Ties for Army Bases Like Fort Bragg

It also points to street signs at military bases in Germany as well as Navy vessels stationed in Japan as having names tied to Confederate leaders and battles. The vast majority of the listings, over 700 of them, were on Army posts, followed by roughly 30 at Navy bases and just under a dozen at Air Force installations.

"This list is subject to change as we continue our work with the Department of Defense to identify all such assets across the service branches and the department," the Naming Commission said in a press release.

The Commission will review the 750 items and will decide whether they need to be included in a report scheduled to be issued to Congress by Oct. 1.

Retired Adm. Michelle Howard, the chair of the Naming Commission, said in the press release that the list will be updated as the group continues to uncover the history of different names on military bases.

"This work is vital to understand the scope and estimated cost of renaming or removing Confederate-named assets, and will enable us to provide the most accurate report possible to Congress," Howard said.

The list highlights streets, civil works, buildings, paintings, vessels, signs and the names of the military installations themselves.

While a vast majority of the listings are street names and signs, there are some Army and Navy ships named for Confederate battles, figures and officers. They include:

Army Ship Names

LCU-2027 Mechanicsville

LCU-2025 Malvern Hill

LCU-2022 Harpers Ferry

LCU-2004 Aldie

LCU-2011 Chickahominy

Navy Ship Names

USS Hunley (decommissioned)

USS Stonewall Jackson (decommissioned)

The crest of USS Shiloh (CG-67)

USS Chancellorsville (CG-62)

USNS Maury (T-AGS-66)

The crest of USS Vella Gulf (CG-72)

It's not clear why the USS Hunley -- named after an engineer who pioneered the first hand-powered submarine for the Confederate States of America -- and the USS Stonewall Jackson, named in honor of the infamous Southern general, are on the list. Both vessels were decommissioned in the mid-1990s.

The list also includes buildings and streets at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, such as Lee Barracks, named after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, and the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, such as Maury Hall, named after Confederate naval officer Matthew Maury.

Earlier this month, the Naming Commission released a list of substitutions for Army installations and is slated to hand over a final plan to Congress by October to rename Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Rucker, Alabama; Fort Polk, Louisiana; Fort Benning and Fort Gordon in Georgia; and Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Lee and Fort Pickett in Virginia.

The nearly 100 potential replacement names on the list introduced by the commission on March 17 included the late Secretary of State Colin Powell, D-Day field commander Gen. Omar Bradley and World War II supreme Allied commander in Europe turned president Dwight Eisenhower.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the first Black person to serve in that position, is expected to announce new names for some of the country's most iconic military facilities in 2023.

The full list of 750 items that are being evaluated is available here.

-- Thomas Novelly can be reached at thomas.novelly@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomNovelly.

Related: Thousands of Internet Suggestions Poured in for Replacing Confederate Names on Bases, and Not All Were Nice
The Defense Health Agency is moving ahead with plans to close some 50 hospitals and clinics following a pause that began at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The closures are part of the agencys broader effort under a Defense Department initiative to

shift management of the military services' 51 hospitals and 424 health clinics to the Defense Health Agency and focus the Army, Navy and Air Force's medical commands on providing health care primarily for military personnel.

The plan calls for trimming roughly 12,800 military health billets and moving many non-military beneficiaries to private-sector health care -- a change that would let DoD downsize or close some health facilities, assuming Congress doesnt step in.

Read Next: Top Senate Democrat Throws Weight Behind Massive Toxic Exposure Bill

Reforms were placed on hold on April 2, 2020, when the military shifted resources to address the pandemic, both within the Department of Defense and across the country as part of the nation's public health response.

With the pandemic winding down, the Defense Health Agency has modified its plans to take into account lessons learned during COVID-19, according to David Smith, who is performing the duties of assistant secretary of defense for health affairs.

The agency will submit the new plan to Congress in the coming weeks, Smith said.

Congress then has 180 days to examine the proposal, and "after that, we'll begin the work that needs to be done to implement," Smith said during an interview with Military.com.

Reforms have been underway within the military health system since 2013, when the Pentagon established the Defense Health Agency to assume duties such as medical administration, IT, logistics and training that existed in triplicate under the separate Army, Navy and Air Force medical commands.

In 2017, Congress gave DHA broad authority to reevaluate the scope of its facilities and how DoD serves Tricare beneficiaries who aren't in the military, such as family members and retirees.

The services became responsible mainly for military operational medicine and maintaining combat-ready medical forces.

As a result, the Pentagon is planning major changes to 50 military health facilities, including 37 health clinics that no longer will see civilian patients and effectively forcing more than 200,000 beneficiaries to the private sector over the course of the next two to four years.

Smith said that as part of the reforms, DoD will uphold access standards, which include being seen at urgent care within 24 hours, same-day acute care for primary appointments and specialty appointments within 28 days, and in some cases may provide "better access."

"We've made clear, though, that the access may be in a different venue, right, for example purchased care versus direct care," Smith said, referring to Tricare-covered civilian care as opposed to military hospital care.

Although DoD said it would not commence cuts to military medical staffing until it receives the go-ahead from Congress, some facilities already are seeing the pinch through attrition, with military providers leaving and their billets not being filled.

At Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Washington, the loss of medical personnel through attrition and focus on military personnel have "oversaturated the civilian capacity," according to Rep. Trent Kelly, R-Miss., a former member of the House Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee.

"We sent all our people with problems, with identical problems, and now we've oversaturated the civilian market. We have to pay attention to second and third order [effects]," Kelly said during a hearing in December 2019.

Smith said that with the upcoming changes, DoD will constantly monitor patient access to care and appointment times to ensure that patients are getting the care they need.

"The clear intent is to do conditions-based assessments, so if we're getting feedback -- and that's also why we're going to take up to four years to transition because we want to make sure that everywhere we are doing it, [it's working]," Smith said. "Clearly industry has assured us that they can do this, right, but the proof will be in the pudding."

The Defense Department's proposed fiscal 2023 budget calls for $54 billion for the military health system, a nearly 8% increase from the start of the pandemic. This year, along with continuing reform efforts, the Defense Health Agency will also award contracts for the next generation of Tricare services.

The contracts, worth up to more than $58 billion, will determine which companies will oversee the Tricare health program for the next decade.

According to Smith, DHA's new plan contains modifications as a result of changes in the medical infrastructure that occurred in some communities as a result of the pandemic.

He did not give specifics, noting that the plan is still being vetted through the Department of Defense.

"All of these transitions are conditions-based. I think you'll find that a few [targeted facilities] have been pulled off, because we're constantly looking at it and our promise is that we're going to continue to look at it," Smith said.

 Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: Here's the List of Military Clinics That Will No Longer Serve Retirees, Families
FORT STEWART, Ga.  A soldier was killed early Wednesday in what the Army described only as an incident involving two helicopters at an airfield in southeast Georgia.

The death occurred around 2 a.m. Wednesday at Wright Army Airfield on Fort Stewart, the Army said in a statement. Lt. Col. Lindsay Elder, a Fort Stewart spokesperson, said two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters were involved, but she declined to say whether one or both had crashed.

Elder said one soldier died. She was not aware of any others being injured. Elder declined to release more information, citing an investigation by the Army.

The name of the soldier killed was not immediately released pending notification of relatives. The soldier was assigned to the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division. The division is based at Fort Stewart southwest of Savannah.
Answers

Rewrite the Basic Particle Classification, the Third Type of Particles Appeared

Scientists Have Discovered the Third Particle

All particles in the universe can be divided into two categories-fermions or bosons. For example, electrons are typical fermions, and they cannot be in the same state; while photons are typical bosons, the same photons can gather together. Now, scientists have discovered the third type of particles-anyons, which are not completely detached, but the degree of aggregation is much lower than that of bosons.

The reason why this type of particles can be divided into completely new types is that they are neither like fermions nor bosons. They are in an intermediate state. In a paper recently published in the journal Science, physicists obtained experimental evidence for the first time, proving that anyons cannot be classified into the other two particle kingdoms. "We have bosons and fermions, and now we have a third kingdom," said Frank Wilczek of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Nobel Prize winner in physics. "This is definitely a milestone. "

What Is Anyon?

Before getting to know anyons, let's take a look at bosons and fermions. In a system consisting of identical particles, if only one particle is allowed to be accommodated in a quantum state of the system (that is, a microscopic state determined by a set of quantum numbers), this kind of particle is called a fermion. For example, two electrons cannot be in the same state, and electrons are fermions. The boson is the opposite, two identical bosons can be in the same state, and photons are typical of bosons.

Fermions are "solitary people" in the particle world, and they never occupy the same quantum state. Because of this, the electron, which is one of the fermions, is forced into the atomic shell surrounding the atom. This seemingly simple phenomenon has resulted in a lot of space in the atom. As a result, the periodic table of the elements has undergone amazing changes and chemistry was born.

On the other hand, bosons are gregarious particles, willing to gather together to share the same quantum state. So photons that are bosons can pass through each other, allowing light to travel unhindered instead of scattered around.

But what happens if a quantum particle turns around another quantum particle without returning to the same quantum state? In order to understand this possibility, we need to make a brief discussion of topology, the mathematical study of shapes. If one of the two shapes can be transformed into the other without any cutting or bonding, then the two shapes are topologically equivalent. A donut and a coffee cup are similar in abstract shape, so we think they are equivalent in topology.

Now imagine the trajectory of a particle when it revolves around a particle. In three-dimensional space, we can shrink this trajectory until it reaches a certain point. Topologically speaking, it seems that the particles have not moved at all.

However, in a two-dimensional space, this trajectory cannot be contracted. Because this trajectory contains another particle. In this process, the contraction cannot continue without cutting off the track. Because of this limitation of two-dimensional space, rotating a particle around another particle is not the same as leaving the particle in the same position.

Therefore, we believe that there is a third type of particle, the possibility of anyon. Since their wave functions are not limited to the two solutions that define fermions and bosons, these particles do not belong to these two solutions, nor do they belong to anything in between. When Wilczek first coined the term anyon, he was implying that anything could happen.

Verify with Experiment

Gwendal Feve, a physicist at Sorbonne University in Paris, organized this experiment to verify anyons. He said, "The topological argument is the first hint of the existence of anyons, and what we are looking for is the physical system."

When electrons are confined to two-dimensional motion, cooled to close to absolute zero, and subjected to strong magnetic fields, very strange things can happen. In the early 1980s, physicists used these conditions to observe the "fractional quantum Hall effect" for the first time. In this process, electrons gather together to produce so-called quasi-particles whose charge is only a small amount of that of a single electron. section. (If you think it seems strange to call the collective behavior of electrons a particle, then think of the proton, which itself is even made up of three quarks.)

In 1984, a two-page seminal paper by Wilczek, Daniel Arovas, and John Robert Schrieffer showed that these quasiparticles must be randomons. But scientists have never observed anyon-like behavior in these quasiparticles. In other words, they could not prove that any one particle is different from fermions or bosons, that is, they could neither gather together nor completely repel each other.

What the new research wants to do is complete this proof. In 2016, three physicists described an experimental device that resembled a miniature particle collider in two dimensions. Feifee and his colleagues built a similar instrument based on this, and used this instrument to carry out anyon collision experiments. By measuring the current fluctuations in the collider, they were able to prove whether the behavior of anyons was consistent with theoretical predictions.

Using this device, researchers mainly want to observe the results of the collision between two indistinguishable particles. If fermions collide in this device, then these particles will part ways and leave along different paths after the collision; if they collide with bosons, they will come together at the same exit. Appear everywhere.

In the collision experiment, the anyons did not show the above two results. The anyons at the exit were not completely separated, but they were not completely assembled, and the degree of aggregation was much smaller than that of bosons. Therefore, this is also the first experiment to prove the existence of anyon.

Brown University physicist Dmitri Feldman (Dmitri Feldman) did not participate in the recent research, he believes, "There is no doubt that everything is in accordance with the theory. In my experience, this situation is The field is very unusual."



Wilczek said: "For a long time, there has been a lot of evidence pointing to the existence of anyons. But if you ask: 'Is there a phenomenon that can only be caused by anyons?' From different levels,, the answer is very clear. "

Inquery us
Award-winning film producer, Peter Sedufia is asking Ghanaian celebrities promoting lottery-related content to desist from the act.

The Aloe Vera film producer, stated in a post on his Facebook page that he sees no sense in these celebrities siding with the National Lottery Authority, (NLA) when the Gaming Commission had earlier banned them from promoting betting products.

The movie producer believes there are no differences between betting and lottery.

He alleged that the Gaming Commission had banned celebrities from promoting betting companies because they received more revenue than what the NLA was offering.

He charged the Gaming Commission and the NLA to improve their quality of services and desist from foiling the progress of private companies.

Read his full statement here:

I think a lot of our folks we call celebrities are fearo. A certain Gaming Commission has placed a BAN on you  celebrities endorsing Betting companies.

An endorsement deal rightfully earned for a livelihood has been quashed by a commission that did not propose an alternative source of income for you. Yet, some celebrities are lined up on national television to be announcing Lotto numbers from the National Lotteries Authority.

That one de3, its not betting erh? Why adopt policies to destroy private businesses because you fear, and cannot live up to the competition?

You want to run a monopoly in a competitive space, instead of improving your quality of services. And the people it affects are quiet, and cannot voice out against this directive or seek redress in court
Ghanaian musician and political satirist, Kwame A Plus believe governments approval of the most talked-about E Levy was all pre-planned.

According to him, the Minority in Parliaments walk out close to the moment of the passage of the bill was done to create an impression that they were in disagreement with the levy.

The passage of the E Levy was done yesterday, March 29, 2022, after the consideration stage was completed by a one-sided house.

A Plus in a post stated that the NDC is only faking disagreement with the E-levy.

Check out his full reaction here;

I knew from the get-go that they will pass it; I knew very well that these sakawa people pretending to be fighting for Ghana will take. (if I say it they will take me to the privileges committee) and stage an E-Walkout to create an impression that they fought for the people.

Sad thing is, just like talk tax; they will never scrap it if they come to power in 2024.

So you actually believed that they were fighting for you? One day, the young shall grow to understand NDC and NPP well well.

They will always insult me but at the end of it all, they will be disappointed and Ill be laughing like a killer.
Under the initiative of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources project concept dubbed, Greater Accra Metropolitan Assembly (GAMA) and Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (GKMA) are set to construct 30,000 modernized household toilet facilities in the Kumasi metropolis by 2030.

This was disclosed at a two-day GKMA Media Training on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Advocacy workshop held at Lamerta Hotel, Kumasi from 26th - 18th March 2022.

The project according to the organizers of the program is funded by the World Bank under the Ghana government initiative.

Participants were drawn from selected media houses, representatives from the MMDAs in the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Assemblies (GKMA), as well as other stakeholders in the sanitation and water sectors.

Facilitators took the media through topics like the need to maintain a clean environment, observations of hygienic principles, legal instruments, functions of Ministries, concepts of the GAMA and GKMA projects, the role of journalists in sanitation and water challenges in the society, definition of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among others.

In an interview with the Modernghana News Correspondent King Amoah, the Project Coordinator of the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) and Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area's(GKMA) sanitation and water project under the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources Ing George Asiedu commended journalists for the roles they have been playing to ensure the realization of the project.

Explaining the achievements GAMA has chalked in Accra since the project was launched, he assured of the Ministry's resolve to ensure that the project also becomes successful in the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, (GKMA).

Hee hinted that since the project took off in Kumasi in December 2021, some 1,049 modernized bio digester toilet facilities have so far been constructed in some selected MMDAs in the GKMA.

Giving the breakdown of the beneficiary communities he mentioned Ejisu 388, Oforikrom 135, Kwadaso 131, Suame 113, Kumasi 88, Old Tafo 87, Asokore Mampong 61 and Asokwa Municipal Assembly with 46 facilities.

Ing George Asiedu urged the media to intensify its awareness of the benefits of the project and increase patronage of the facilities which are fully subsidized.

As part of the program, journalists embarked on a field trip to interact with some of the beneficiaries of the project.

Alternatively, beneficiaries were also tasked to share their experiences on the use of the facilities with the media and comment regarding any difficulties.
30.03.2022 LISTEN

The Atenehene of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Nana Boakye Yiadom Atonsa II has made a passionate appeal to government to mandate traditional authorities to take over the management of sanitation within their localities.

He said the move will go long way to contribute to winning the fight against the sanitation menace in the country.

Nana Atonsa II who also doubles as the chief of Denase, a town along the Kumasi-Ofinso road in the Ashanti Region observed that government though playing its role to address the sanitation issues, its success has been less and slow.

The chief who was speaking to this reporter in an interview alleged that the officials who have been appointed to the positions of trust to enforce the environmental laws fail to discharge their duties.

"They usually render lip service to environmental issues just to create the impression that they are working," the chief alleged.

Otumfuo Atenehene noted that though the country receives foreign grants including support from the World Bank to manage the country's sanitation and water challenges, yet the impact has not been felt as the sanitation continues to engulf the country.

Atenehene also linked the country's inability to succeed to the over reliance on government for solution.

According to him, this is where the chiefs come in to build the spirit of communal labour among the youth to tackle sanitation and other community issues in one accord.

"Today the youth and even elderly citizens don't have the interest to clean their environment let alone engage themselves in communal labour as it was done in the previous years.

"In the past, the traditional authorities had the powers to organize communal labour and punish people who flout environmental rules through government backing," the chief hinted.

Denasehene reiterated that it was against this background that he wanted government to entrust the country's sanitation and water management into the care of the traditional authorities to reverse the trend.

"We can use our influence to change the mindset of the people to observe the need to maintain clean environment and how to protect our lands and water bodies for our own benefit," he pointed out.

The chief was of the view that if his appeal is considered and the chiefs given the mandate with government backing, it would go a long way to halt the attitude where people litre anyhow, dump refuse into gutters and water bodies.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday visited Morocco, where he discussed regional security and met the United Arab Emirates' de facto leader Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.

His trip comes in the shadow of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which along with sanctions against Moscow has sent wheat and fuel prices soaring in a serious blow to import-dependent North African countries.

Speaking to journalists in Rabat, Blinken said the US recognised the "disaster" the supply crunch had caused.

"We're discussing concrete steps we can take ... to help reduce the impact, particularly on the most vulnerable populations," he said.

Map of northern Africa locating Algeria and Morocco.. By AFP

Blinken also said he was "encouraging partners to speak out against Russian aggression" and said he doubted Russia's "seriousness" in talks with Ukraine held in Turkey.

Washington's top diplomat had flown into Rabat late Monday from Israel where he met his counterparts from the UAE, Morocco, Bahrain and Egypt, underlining a seismic shift in relations between Arab countries and the Jewish state.

On Tuesday, he met Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita for discussions including on the Western Sahara dispute and security cooperation.

The same subjects will loom large in meetings the following day with Morocco's regional rival Algeria, after months of deteriorating relations between Rabat and Algiers.

Tensions with UAE

Blinken also met Tuesday evening with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed -- often dubbed "MBZ" -- at the Emirati leader's Moroccan residence, an encounter that comes as Washington warily watches its longtime Gulf ally diverging from many of its policies.

Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, seen on February 4, 2022 in Beijing, at the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. By WANG Zhao AFPFile

The UAE has refrained from criticising Russia, even sending its top diplomat to Moscow, and recently hosted Russia-backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

But MBZ welcomed Blinken warmly. Just ahead of their meeting, the US top diplomat emphasised that "the partnership between our countries really matters".

"At the same time, we have real challenges to confront together in the region and beyond," said Blinken, singling out the "terrorist attacks against the UAE" and Saudi Arabia by Yemen's Huthi rebels.

Their meeting comes amid an escalation in cross-border missile and drone attacks by the Iran-backed Huthis against infrastructure in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, allies in a grinding seven-year war that has laid waste to impoverished Yemen.

"We're determined to do everything we can to help you defend yourselves effectively" against the Huthis, Blinken added.

Blinken said he and the crown prince would also discuss the war in Ukraine and efforts to restore the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which aimed to limit the Islamic republic's nuclear development in exchange for loosening sanctions.

Former US president Donald Trump unilaterally walked out on that multilateral deal in 2018 and reimposed biting sanctions, provoking Iran into rolling back on its nuclear commitments, but months of negotiations in Vienna have sought to revive the pact.

Western Sahara

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken L shakes hands with Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita R during their meting in the capital Rabat on Tuesday. By - AFP

Blinken also discussed with his Moroccan counterpart the status of Western Sahara, a phosphate-rich former Spanish colony with a vast Atlantic coastline home to rich fisheries.

Morocco controls 80 percent of it, including a key highway towards West Africa, while the rest -- a desert area bordering Mauritania and Algeria -- is run by the Polisario Front independence movement.

Trump in 2020 recognised the region as sovereign Moroccan territory in a break with decades of US policy, after Rabat agreed to re-establish relations with Israel.

President Joe Biden's administration has been tight-lipped on how it will follow up on the move, which came just weeks after the Polisario declared a 1991 ceasefire null and void, sparking fears that the long-frozen conflict could flare up again.

Bourita on Tuesday called on European states to follow Spain in backing a Moroccan plan for autonomy there under Rabat's sovereignty.

"We think it's time for Europe ... to get out of this comfort zone where people are just supporting a process that doesn't mean supporting a solution," he said.

Demonstrators wave Western Sahara flags during a protest against the Spanish government support for Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara, in Madrid, on March 26, 2022. By Pierre-Philippe MARCOU AFPFile

"There is a consensus that the solution should be within Moroccan sovereignty and the Moroccan plan of autonomy."

Blinken said Washington continues "to view Morocco's autonomy plan as serious, credible and realistic".

Blinken's visit to Rabat also comes as the US seeks stronger support for Ukraine from a region where many countries have been reluctant to criticise Moscow.

They include Morocco, which has declined to condemn Russia at the United Nations, frustrating both Washington and European capitals.
Russian chief negotiator says talks with Ukraine "constructive"

Xinhua) 09:23, March 30, 2022

MOSCOW, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Russian and Ukrainian delegations held "constructive" negotiations in Turkey's Istanbul on Tuesday, leading to steps to mitigate the situation, said Vladimir Medinsky, head of Russia's negotiation team.

"We received proposals for consideration from the Ukrainian side, a clearly formulated position, which could be included in the agreement. These proposals will be considered soon, reported to the (Russian) president. We will deliver our response," Medinsky, also an aide to the Russian president, said after the talks.

"We are also taking two steps towards the de-escalation of the conflict," he told reporters.

Russia will significantly reduce military activities in the Kiev and Chernihiv directions to increase mutual trust between Moscow and Kiev and create the necessary conditions for further negotiations, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said following the talks.

Before the discussion of a possible meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a treaty must be prepared and approved by the negotiators, and then endorsed by the foreign ministers, Medinsky said.

(Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun)
The United States on Tuesday expressed "concern" over "growing tensions" in South Sudan, and called on all parties to respect a 2018 peace agreement, after the opposition withdrew from a body overseeing the process.

The world's newest nation has struggled to draw a line under a five-year civil war that ended in 2018, with former rivals President Salva Kiir and his Vice President Riek Machar unable to agree on the implementation of the deal they signed.

Earlier this month, Machar's Sudan People's Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) announced its withdrawal from a body overseeing the peace process over "unprovoked" attacks on its bases by its "peace partner".

The decision is the latest blow to the country's shaky prospects for stability, deepening fissures between factions loyal to Machar and Kiir.

In a statement, US State Department spokesman Ned Price deplored "the recent clashes" in Upper Nile State and the SPLM/A-IO's withdrawal from the body, which "undermines the peace agreement."

"We call for both sides to observe fully their obligations under the existing peace agreement and note that inflammatory rhetoric is counterproductive and should cease immediately," he said.

Washington also calls on Kiir and Machar to "to do their utmost to de-escalate tensions," he continued, adding that both sides "bear responsibility for the deteriorating situation."

Neither have "made good faith efforts to implement the provisions of the revitalized peace agreement," Price said.

Since achieving independence in 2011, South Sudan has spent almost half of its life as a nation at war.

Almost 400,000 people died in the civil war before Kiir and Machar signed a peace deal in 2018 and formed a unity government two years ago.

Since then, the country has lurched from crisis to crisis, battling flooding, hunger, violence and political bickering as the promises of the peace agreement have failed to materialize.
A Liberian accused of having been a rebel leader during the deadly civil war that tore his country apart has been arrested in the United States, suspected of hiding his past to obtain a residence permit, authorities told AFP on Tuesday.

Laye Sekou Camara, also known as "K1" and "General Dragon Master," was arrested on Saturday at JFK International Airport in New York, a spokeswoman for the US attorney's office in Pennsylvania told AFP in an email.

Camara, who arrived in the United States in 2011, is accused of failing to disclose that he had been "a high-level commander" of the Liberian rebel group known as Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) when he filled out the forms to obtain a residence permit, giving him access to a green card.

LURD was active during Liberia's Second Civil War, from 1999-2003. The conflict was "known for its atrocities, many of which were perpetrated by LURD rebels," according to the affidavit detailing the charges against Camara.

Authorities allege that Camara is recognizable in archival footage, and former US ambassador to Liberia John Blaney and a former defense attache have confirmed that they negotiated directly with him during the war.

No extradition is planned and the suspect has yet to be brought before a Philadelphia court to decide whether to remand him in custody.

To date, no one has been prosecuted or convicted in Liberia for crimes committed during the civil war, which left tens of thousands dead and was marked by numerous massacres.

A few trials have taken place or are pending in Switzerland, Finland or France, but many of the personalities involved in the conflict still hold important economic and political positions in Liberia.

"Our office is committed to holding accountable alleged combat commanders who lie about their wartime conduct to obtain safe haven in the United States," said the US attorney from Pennsylvania, Jennifer Arbittier Williams.
Zimbabwe's general election is still a year away, but pro-democracy activists say they are worried last weekend's by-elections offered a preview of the violence and repression to come.

Despite that, the main opposition, Citizens Coalition for Change, came out of the vote oozing with confidence, saying nothing can stop it from forming the next national government after the 2023 general election.

It won 19 out of 28 parliamentary seats that were up for grabs, with the ruling ZANU-PF taking nine, mainly rural constituencies.

But the run-up to the by-elections was marred by violence, with one opposition supporter stabbed to death -- in the back -- during a rally.

Even police, normally reluctant to criticise the government, said supporters of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's ZANU-PF had instigated the violence. Five suspects have been arrested and charged with murder.

After Mnangagwa seized power in a coup in 2017, he legitimised his presidency the following year in elections the opposition claims were rigged.

All the while he claimed he would turn a new page from the iron-handed rule of Robert Mugabe.

But for the opposition and civic groups Saturday's elections covered too few seats to change the balance of power in the current parliament.

Yet in the run-up to the vote, the opposition faced police intimidation, and Mnangagwa threatened to suspend the work of all non-profits -- even those working to keep the country from falling into a hunger crisis.

"We can do without NGOs. I will remove them from this country, I will chase them away," Mnangagwa said before the by-elections.

"When they are in the country, they must just do what they declared they want to do in this country," he said.

Banning non-profits is a tactic Mugabe used in 2008, when he felt most vulnerable at the ballot box. He accused foreign aid agencies of bribing people with food to vote for the opposition.

After he won the election, he lifted the ban on the aid groups.

'Shrinking democratic space'

"We fear that the people are being isolated," said Jestina Mukoko, director of Zimbabwe Peace Project, a rights group documenting state brutality.

"The democratic space is shrinking and if this bill passes it will shrink even more," said Mukoko, who was abducted in December 2008 by a suspected state agent, tortured and interrogated for days.

Blessing Vava, head of a local democracy and governance group, Crisis Coalition, said Mnangagwa was seeking "to entrench a one-party state and a dictatorship where the government does not want to be accountable".

If passed, the law would give government powers to interfere in the governance and activities of civil society organisations, including changes to internal management and funding.

The law also would allow government to brand aid groups "high risk" or "vulnerable" to terrorism, while banning some organisations from politics.

Some fear a ban on aid agencies would lead to drastic cuts in humanitarian assistance, estimated at $800 million a year.

A recent report by Zimbabwean development experts, warns that government action must be measured.

Foreign aid -- coming through non-government tal organisations -- is Zimbabwe's third-largest revenue stream, after exports and diaspora remittances, the report quoted a recent central bank statement.

Political analyst Eldred Masungure said banning non-profits would be akin to shooting oneself in the foot.

"It is targeting all democracy and politically focused" groups, he said. "It serves no purpose."
30.03.2022 LISTEN

The Akufo-Addo government is expected to complete the construction of hospitals under the ambitious Agenda 111 projects by June 2024.

The Presidential Advisor on Health, Anthony Nsiah Asare made this known on Citi TV's Face to Face.

He said the processes for the construction of some of the hospitals have already begun.

We will have 111 district hospitals, then we will have seven new regional hospitals. All the six new regions will have their own regional hospitals. We are going through the processes. We have gone through the PPA. We will go through parliamentary approval and work will start In June 2024, those regional hospitals will be completed.

The Agenda 111 project is part of a grand vision for Ghana's healthcare sector by the Akufo-Addo administration.

The project will ensure that 101 outstanding districts will be provided with hospitals in addition to 10 selected regional and specialized hospitals.

The government has already set aside an amount of US$100 million as commencement funding for the project.

Each of the hospitals will cost $16.88 million, with $12.88 million being used for the construction of the hospitals and $4 million for medical equipment.

Some projects to begin in March

67 of the hospitals under the Agenda 111 initiative are to commence by the end of March this year.

A manager at Hospital Infrastructure Group, project manager for Agenda 111 hospitals, Kwabena Nyarko, gave an update on how the project is panning out as of February 9, 2022.

We went through a tender process; the contractors have submitted their tender, and they are being evaluated. After this is done, we will run them through a value-for-money process and all the commercial arrangements will go through Parliament.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has also said he is determined to complete the Agenda 111 hospital projects before the end of his second term.

---citinewsroom
30.03.2022 LISTEN

The Wenchi High Court on Tuesday, March 29 has rejected portions of an application filed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Techiman South 2020 Parliamentary Candidate, Dr Christopher Beyere Baasongti, praying the court to subpoena Mrs Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission among others.

The petitioner prayed the court to summon the EC Chair, the Bono East Crime officer, the Bono East EC Director, the Returning Officer of the 2020 Techiman South elections, and a medical Doctor at the Holy Family Hospital in Techiman.

However, the presiding judge, Justice Frederick Nawurah ruled to deny the petitioner the opportunity of summoning the EC Chair and the Regional Crime Officer for questioning.

Richard Asamoah, spokesperson for the first respondent, Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, however, believes the petitioner is bent on dragging the case.

He also questioned the motives of the NDC in attempting to subpoena the EC Chair.

What is the relevance of that subpoena? We are pursuing a civil case, so what are all these subpoenas about? The EC chair has nominated somebody to represent the organization and so why subpoena her to come and testify when she wasnt even at the polling station or the constituency in Techiman South during the election. For us and as the judge affirmed, it was all irrelevant, he said.

He, however, said the first respondent insists on its position and is confident of a favourable outcome.

Lets wait to see the drama that will unfold on the 13th and 14th of April. We are ever prepared to defend our position.

The General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, and the petitioner of the case, Dr Christopher Beyere Baasongti who were both in court, declined to speak to the media.

The case has been adjourned to the 13th and 14th of April 2022.

---citinewsroom
30.03.2022 LISTEN

The Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana, says most of its members may shut down their mobile money services following the passage of the 1.5% Electronic Transfer Levy.

They noted that the business is no more lucrative.

We may be tempted to withdraw our services because the service already is not all that lucrative, the General Secretary for the association, Evans Otumfour, said in a Citi News interview.

A lot of our people will definitely be out of business when the policy was announced, there was a sharp decline or drop in the use of mobile money, he added.

The levy, which was amended from 1.75 percent to 1.5 percent today, Tuesday, March 29, 2022, will be a tax on electronic transactions, which includes mobile-money payments.

The charge will apply to electronic transactions that are more than GH100 on a daily basis.

Critics of the proposal have warned that this new levy will negatively impact the Fintech space, as well as hurt low-income people and those outside the formal banking sector.

The government has, however, argued the levy would widen the tax net and that could raise an extra GH6.9 billion in 2022.

Parliament passed it in the absence of the Minority MPs, who had walked out before the Bill was seriously considered.

The Minority had complained that it had been blindsided by the unexpected laying of the controversial tax.

It subsequently said it would challenge the passage of the levy at the Supreme Court.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said the passage was unconstitutional, as Parliament did not have the required numbers to make a decision on the e-levy.

I think they have to come again on E-levy because as of today, I don't think they had the numbers to say that the E-levy has been passed. We will question this decision in [the Supreme] court on the basis of the earlier ruling and on the basis of the fact that they said we can't take a decision with 137 [members], but they can take with 137, he said.

Citi Newsroom
On Tuesday, the Paris attacks trial focused on the case of Mohamed Abrini, one of the passengers in the three-car "convoy of death" which brought the killers to Paris on 12 November 2015. At the last moment, Abrini decided that he could no longer be part of the plan. He returned to Brussels by taxi in the middle of the night.

One moment of silence summed up Tuesday's six-hour hearing at the special criminal court in central Paris.

Tribunal president Jean-Louis Peries asked the accused Mohamed Abrini why, since he had pulled out of the Paris attacks in November 2015, Abrini allowed himself to be enrolled in the Brussels bombing plan five months later, only to renounce again at the last moment.

"It's an excellent question, Mr President," said Abrini after a long pause.

"I hope you have an excellent answer." Unfortunately, Abrini did not.

Promise to 'light a lantern'

Earlier this month, describing his involvement in the preparation of the Paris attacks, Mohamed Abrini promised the court that he would "light a lantern" with his revelations this week.

He failed to keep that promise. Abrini's answers before a crowded tribunal on Tuesday were confused, frequently evasive, contradictory, imprecise, unclear.

"It's complicated." the witness repeated throughout his interrogation. That we can believe.

Dressed in an open-neck white shirt, pale under the courtroom television lighting, with deep shadows under his eyes, Abrini looked tired.

He has already admitted that he was "scheduled" by attacks coordinator, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, to be one of the Paris killers. The two men spoke in early September, 2015, in the Belgian city of Charleroi.

Abrini claims that, at the time, he was trying to re-start his life, after five years in prison and a short visit to Syria to see the place where his younger brother, dead fighting in the ranks of Islamic State, had been buried.

"I was working, I was in the middle of preparations for my wedding."

Abaaoud had other plans.

"He told me I was going to be part of a project . . . But he gave no details. That was his way. I knew nothing about the Bataclan, nothing about attacking France, nothing was clear.

"There was a project, and I was part of it. That was all I knew.

"I didn't say yes or no. I said nothing. I had a problem of loyalty with Abaaoud. He was a friend for 20 years. He risked his life in Syria to recover my little bother's body. I didn't want to get into a confrontation.

"But I knew I couldn't attack people like that in the street, kill people ..." And so the contradictions began. Abrini claims that he knew nothing of the "project". But he knew enough to be sure it involved shooting people in the street. It's complicated.

'Why was I involved? I have no idea'

Despite his deep conviction that he would not take part in the killing, Abrini left Brussels with the others, traveling with the Abdeslam brothers in the first vehicle.

He has no recollection of their discussions during the three-hour drive. He can't say who used the phone to keep the lead car in contact with the Belgian coordinator. He is not really sure why he was there at all.

"I wish I could give better answers. I was just out of prison. I was lost. Why was I with Brahim, Salah? I have no idea."

If Abrini is to be believed, his co-accused Salah Abdeslam, the other survivor of the "convoy of death," was chosen at the last moment to replace Abrini, nominated by Brahim Abdeslam to wear Abrini' s explosive vest, shoulder his kalashnikov.

'Abdeslam should be dead in Syria'

Salah Abdeslam should not be in the prisoners' enclosure at all, according to Abrini. The younger Abdeslam was not "scheduled" to be part of the 13 November attacks.

"He should be in Syria, probably dead, or in jail with Dahmani."

Ahmed Dahmani is also accused of complicity in the Paris attacks, and is being tried in his absence. He is serving 10 years in a Turkish prison for people-smuggling and the possession of false papers.

"I don't have all the answers," Mohamed Abrini told the court late in the afternoon. "You won't hear the whole story from me."

Whether from genuine forgetfulness, confusion compounded by six years behind bars, a determination to protect some of his co-accused, or fear of the long arm of Islamic State vengeance, Mohamed Abrini remains a witness who talks a lot but has very little to say.

The trial continues.
President Akufo Addo has yesterday Tuesday 29, 2022 commissioned the Tamale Interchange in the Northern Region.

The ceremony was graced by the overlord of Dagbon, Ya Naa Abubakar II and some government appointees.

The President in his speech lauded managers of the Synohydro Cooperation for a good job done and for completing the project on time.

He used the opportunity to announce to the gathering that, some roads in Tamale, Yendi, Walewale, Damongo and Nalerigu would be asphalted in due course, adding that the road linking Yendi to Zabzugu will be rehabilitated by a Chinese company.

"Rehabilitation of the 62-kilometre Yendi-Zabzugu road by China Chexi limited, rehabilitation of 670-kilometre of feeder roads in the Upper West Region, reconstruction of Tamale to Walewale road phase one, which will include the section between Savulugu and Tamale, work will commence in the second quarter of this year, the section between Tamale and Savulugu shall be widened into a dual carriage," he stated.

President Akufo charged the Ministry of Roads and Highways to ensure the proper maintenance of the Tamale interchange.

He appealed to road users especially commercial drivers to adhere to the various road safety measures put in place for the safe use of the facility.

The Akufo-Addo government cut the sod for the construction of the project in 2019 to bring relief to commuters and ease regular vehicular congestion within the central business area and further enable inter-urban and national vehicular traffic flow in the northern region.

The project which is a kilometre long is funded under phase I of the $2 billion Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA) between the government of Ghana and the Sinohydro Corporation of China.

The agreement to help the Akufo-Addo administration to construct a number of infrastructure projects including roads, bridges, housing facilities and extension of electricity to rural communities across the country.
Methodist cleric Reverend Prof Emmanuel Asante has answered critics who say some voices of conscience have kept mute under the Akufo-Addo-led administration despite the prevailing economic hardships even though the same voices were very much outspoken under the John Mahama-led administration.

Last month, popular NDC serial caller Appiah Stadium accosted Rev Prof Asante and called him a hypocrite for, in his opinion, keeping silent on all the ills happening in Ghana under President Nana Akufo-Addo.

Apart from Appiah Stadium, some Ghanaians have accused not only Rev Prof Asante but other influential personalities of political bias for their silence on matters bordering the state, especially in the recent past.

Speaking to Kofi Oppong Asamoah on the Class Morning Show on Class91.3FM on Wednesday, 30 March 2022, Rev Asante said: Im not the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana now, Im not the chair of the National Peace Council, I should be behind for those who have taken responsibilities to do their work in the way they see it.

He said: When youre responsible for an organisation that makes you speak out on issues, you do. Ive handed over to new leaders.

He further explained: You dont always have to overshadow, adding: This is my philosophy, so, I think it is always better that we learn how to exit

Asked about the confrontation between him and Appiah Stadium, the former chair of the National Peace Council said: Hes not worth me discussing, so, Ill prefer not to say anything on that issue. We know who he is and I dont want to give him that benefit at all. Hes not worth it.

Source: Classfmonline.com
Anthony Obeng Afrane and John Mahama

30.03.2022 LISTEN

If we will be sincere as a people, we will acknowledge that the level of infrastructure development under President Mahama in less than four years has been matchless. Some of these are not only essential life-changing projects, but are projects that have never happened or existed in the history of our beloved nation. I have already dealt with some of these projects in my previous write-ups, and this is going to be the concluding edition of the series.

Ghana has only two main harbours. The first is the Takoradi Harbour, which was built in 1928. 30 years later, the second harbour, Tema was also built. After many decades, history was going to be made. Work on the Atuabo Free Port (AFP) in the Western Region began and was supposed to be completed in 2017 when he left office.

The harbour has a land size of 2,000 acres; and it is an optimum ultra-modern facility for offshore and gas activities in Ghana and countries in the Gulf of Guinea. The interesting news is that the new harbour will have a rig repair and ship maintenance facility. This is first in the history of countries in the West Coast of Africa. Currently and in the past, ships from these countries usually go to Singapore, Malaysia or Japan for maintenance.

For instance, offshore rigs in Ghana that need maintenance have to be taken to Las Palmas in Spain or Cape Town in South Africa. Either way, involves a 20-day transit journey with estimated incredible cost of US$500,000 a day to these destinations; costing a total colossal sum of $10 million even before repair works start. Therefore, if the Atuabo Free Port is not an important and strategic project, then I don't know what else it is. It takes a leader who thinks outside the box to conceive such an idea.

The amazing thing about President Mahama is the speed with which he does things. It took Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah nine years to do what he did for Ghana, but it took President Mahama less than four years to do all that he did, and on this score I foresee him breaking Nkrumah's record in infrastructure development if he is given another term.

The Hajj is the fifth and final pillar of Islam, and it is the obligation of every Muslim to undertake the pilgrimage at least once in their lives if they can afford it and are physically able. Unfortunately, embarking on this important spiritual exercise has been fraught with untold hardship and pain over the years. Most of our Muslim brothers and sisters from the northern part of the country often got stranded in Accra trying to travel to Mecca. Sadly, some of them die in the process.

But Alhamdulillah Allahu Akbar! The good news is that President Mahama made history. Hajj Pilgrims from the three northern regions had the greatest relief of flying directly from his expanded Tamale International Airport to Madina in Saudi Arabia. The first flight took off on 20th August, 2016. This is unbelievably unprecedented! Isn't it?

I am all smiles today, at least I have been able to convince one person to choose Mahama through this series. Somebody called to tell me that he is impressed with what Mahama did during his tenure as president as revealed by my series on why he should be given a second chance, and that he is going to vote for him for the first time if he is selected by the NDC as their flag-bearer. I believe there are more unknown converts out who are also ready to choose Mahama through these articles.

It is not enough to say we love JDM. We need to push ourselves further to ensure his victory in the 2024 presidential election for him to realise his vision for our dear nation.

Anthony Obeng Afrane
I REMEMBER the day and time very well. It is one of those events that get etched into the mind like a piece of stone carving on a mountainside. It was in February 2017 and the setting was the school field at Okuapemman School at Akropong Akuapem. The school which was started by the venerable Barrister Opoku Akyeampong was celebrating its 60th anniversary and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was the Special Guest, not only as a son of the soil but as the President of the Republic.

As is his custom, the President went around and greeted the crowd, stopping to pay his respects to the chiefs, in their colourful kente at the opposite end from the podium. Past students from across the decades and generations were arrayed in the school's cloth with the famous motto in evidence everywhere: Semper Primus  Always First. No one had suspected that this scene would be the setting for a famous first announcement.

The President himself delayed the momentous announcement for a while; paying tribute to the founder of the school and the many people who have turned it into one of the best schools in the country. (Personally, I believe it is the best but I must remain an impartial columnist!). The President continued in an even tone dispensing with the necessary protocols of the occasion.

Then when he had settled into his famous rhythm and speech cadences, he dropped the bombshell. The free Senior High School policy would start in September that year. At first, there was stone silence, which lasted a few seconds; then the President repeated it, now an octave higher. Next came a gasp of disbelief around the field. Finally, when the ovation came, it was an uproarious applause, as they say in North Korea!

What shocked people into the initial momentary silence was the speed at which the President had moved into implementing his flagship programme. As was well known at home and abroad, Nana Akufo-Addo had been preoccupied throughout his political life, almost to the point of obsession, with the idea of providing free secondary school education to all Ghanaians who required it. It had been his major campaign theme in the 2012 election. He repeated it and won the next election in 2016.

The announcement that the policy would be implemented that year took parents, students, journalists and politicians by surprise. When they all recovered their breath, questions started flowing; the most prominent was whether the government had prepared sufficiently to implement the scheme. The opposition in Parliament asked for figures; journalists increased the rate of global warming with their questions. (Explanation: paper is made from trees and speech increases carbon dioxide!)

It appeared that most people expected the policy to come into play in the third of even the fourth years of the government's first term. The President had shown his resolve and commitment by bringing it forward within less than one year of taking office. It was a gamble.

Fast forward five years later. For most of my life, I was unaware that Cabinets (as in governments) went on retreats. Of course, one was aware that they met weekly and probably found some quiet spot for extended meetings and reflection. These would be so routine and mundane that I don't suppose many citizens or even journalists marked it on their personal calendars.

However, this past weekend, even the proverbial man (or woman) from Mars would have known that the Cabinet of the Republic of Ghana was on Retreat. Parts of the media had built into a do-or-die affair at which the fate of the nation would be decided. Some said the Cabinet would decide whether to abandon E-Levy or go to the IMF. The retreat gave rise to a new level of speculation even our nation's feverish imagination. Or, maybe not. As someone famously said: you and I were not there.

Shortly after the retreat ended, an official announcement, or one of several suggested that all government policies were on the table for review. This was fodder for the media and politicians, especially the opposition. None of the policies under review caused as much alarm or bemusement, depending on one's persuasion, than the idea that the free SHS policy might be reviewed. The context of the consternation among supporters of the policy was that former President Mahama had promised to review the policy and this had been widely interpreted to mean abolish or modify in a major way.

Given that background, the Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, quickly explained that the free SHS was not under review. However, by then, the idea had taken hold and given a new opportunity for the different shades of opinion on the matter to be aired.

One of the ideas frequently canvassed is that while the idea is good, it should be changed to allow for those who can afford to pay fees for their children or wards to so. A more specific version is that the boarding school system must attract fees. Simply put, this idea is saying that the children of those who can afford should go to boarding schools or buy their dormitory places while those who can't afford, known as poor people, must attend day schools.

It is a fact that in Ghana's politics, poor people don't have much of a voice apart from occasionally texting into a programme. As we know, even texting has been monopolised by a phenomenon known as a serial calling, which shuts the door to ordinary people's voices being heard. So, those calling for a two-tier system are people who know they can afford the fees to keep their children in premium learning environments.

Given the structure and nature of Ghanaian society, means-testing, by which the government can determine those who can afford service and those who can't, will not work. Education is a right and not a privilege. It would be a suicidal mistake and an act of extreme callousness for the government to pander to the call of those who want to use the free SHS policy to build a two-tier educational system in an already stratified society.

Indeed, at a time when a number of situations have created a lot of gloom in the country (and the world), one of the few shining lights is the free SHS which has enabled hundreds of thousands of children who would otherwise not go beyond basic education to see a brighter future.

This policy has already proved a success and that success is not abstract. It is changing the lives of many people and their families. A few weeks ago, in this same column, I told the story of a young lady who has been given a university scholarship by my friend Fred Labi and his wife.

The couple met the young lady who was hawking fish with her mother and discovered that she had superb grades in her GCSE. She was the first person in her family to go beyond junior secondary school thanks to the free SHS policy.

The government ought to be proud of this achievement. To paraphrase the scripture in 1 Chronicles 16:22, Touch not our free SHS and do the children no harm!

BY Nana Gyan Appenteng
30.03.2022 LISTEN

Ministerial positions have never been permanent. In fact, it has never been permanent in any government. In other jurisdictions, ministers are made to sign performance contracts, and if they fail to meet the standards, they are fired.

A President needs not go to court to change his ministers. After all, he is the one who hires them and it is he who has the sole prerogative to send them packing if they fail to perform to his satisfaction. Reshuffling of ministers is also another way to shake up the government in order to get good results.

In my view, the time has come for the President to fire some of his ministers, hire new ministers and reshuffle his Cabinet. It is not for me to mention the names of ministers who should be fired, neither is it for me to tell the President who should go to what ministry since the President has bigger ears than I have.

It is abundantly clear that some of the ministers are not performing at all and they need to go. The political party in power today has in its arsenal a pool of fine brains who can occupy ministerial positions and perform better, so it is incumbent upon the President to fire non-performing ministers and replace them with better ones right now (as if I can command the President!!!). If a minister is not doing well in one ministry and the President, in his own wisdom, thinks he can do better in another ministry, the President must reshuffle.

The world is in difficult times and in a meltdown mode, with the price of crude oil skyrocketing and wars and rumours of wars threatening the stability of the economies of nations.

In times like this, the government has no time to lose. The President must apply harsh remedies to cure inveterate diseases. Our country is not out of the woods yet as far as the coronavirus pandemic is concerned.

We cannot afford to pay ministers who are not performing well when others are sitting at the touchline, ready to go the extra mile to make things work better. This is the time to bite the bullet so that the country can keep her head above water since we are not in normal times. This is not the time for niceties or misguided politeness. Heads must roll.

One ministry which has continued to capture my attention is the Ministry of Information, headed by Hon. Kwadwo Oppong Nkrumah. Information in governance has never been taken for granted since time immemorial.

dolf Hitler nearly conquered the world with his vile propaganda. He saw the need to inform Germans about his ambition and as such he appointed a Minister of Propaganda in the person of Joseph Goebbels. No wonder the NDC used to have National Propaganda Secretaries. Whilst Hitler concentrated on the building of his war machines, Gobbles paid attention on informing the world about the might of the German Army.

Here in Ghana, the late President Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah saw information as key to the success of his government, and so he established the Information Services Department (ISD) and equipped the outfit with all the necessary tools of information to carry outs its duties.

In those days, we used to have the Mobile Cinema of the ISD. The main purpose of the Mobile Cinema was to get to other remote areas of the country to propagate the good works of the Osagyefo through cinemas and announcements. In the evenings, these Mobile Cinema vans will fix their equipment at the village square after announcements have been made for the townsfolk to come and watch cinema.

Cinema was not common so, chiefs, old men and women, teachers, pupils and children will troop to the place to watch the cinema.

When the Akosombo Dam was being built, these Mobile Cinema vans went around the country to show how the dam was being built. We were also shown how the Tema Motorway was being built, and as villagers who travelled on feeder roads, we saw the Tema Motorway as Dr. Nkrumah's magic. Many projects which were located in other regions were shown to us and we were happy even though the projects were not located in our region.

We were made to believe that similar projects will soon come to our doorsteps. So we sung Nkrumah Show Boy in praise of the Osagyefo.

When Mr. Kufuor took over power, he followed the footsteps of Dr. Nkrumah and equipped the ISD with cinema vans and accessories to do the same job that was done in the days of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. They started well by informing the people about certain projects and decisions of the government.

Sadly, when the NDC took over power, they abandoned the project and one van after the other broke down until there was no van left for the ISD to do its job. This is Ghana for you! Anytime I tune to certain TV stations and hear NDC hirelings lambasting the government on topics that they are ignorant about, I pity them. I sometimes ask myself: What are the NPP communicators too doing to set records straight?

And anytime I hear Mr. Oppong Nkrumah speaking English at his usual press conferences, I laugh. The guy is wasting his time. Majority of his target listeners are illiterates who even though own television sets, do not understand what he is saying. The problem we have with some of our leaders is that they think Accra is synonymous to Ghana. So they sit in Accra and speak big English thinking that they make a point.

I must admit that Mr. Oppong Nkrumah is good as far as informing the public about government decisions are concerned, but his message does not sink in when it comes to listeners in the rural areas. And these are the people the NDC propaganda targets.

As for the NPP communication officers in both the constituencies and the regions, they are total failures. Relying on them to communicate for the party is suicidal. The best thing to do is to reorient them in other to make them understand their job. All what they know is Free Senior High School, Teacher/Nursing Trainee Allowances, and School Feeding, as if these are the only success stories of the government.

Even those in the Northern Region close their eyes to the Tamale Interchange, the first of its kind in the Northern Region since independence. When nominations of constituency and regional executive officers positions are opened, you will see them rushing to get appointed to such positions which they themselves know they are not good at.

The President was very right when he said recently that the communication outfit of his government was not clicking. This is not the first time I am writing about government communication and this will not be the last because the NDC is out there misinforming the people.

Take the issue of chartered plane for example. The NDC is making it look as if Nana Akufo-Addo is the first President to charter a plane when they know former President Mahama also chartered planes on some of his numerous travels when he was the President of Ghana. The NDC is out there telling whosoever cares to listen that Nana Akufo-Addo bathed in a chartered plane as if that is a big deal.

NDC propaganda is poison and there is the need to dilute it. Is Oppong Nkrumah listening? I hereby, tender my application as a consultant. Meanwhile, I am on my way to my maize farm to contribute my quota in the Planting for Food and Jobs programme, with a stick of brown Bull cigar firmly fixed between my lips.

[email protected]

By Eric Bawah
One reason why the Glasgow Climate conference failed so miserably to produce urgently needed climate action was that humans tend to react to what is close to them. Money to pay the rent is urgent, while a climate catastrophe seems to be a distant threat.

Cultural inertia

A second reason is cultural inertia. All of us find it very difficult to make rapid changes in our lifestyles. Our educational and political systems also change very slowly. Automobile factories take a long time to build, and they continue to produce petroleum-driven vehicles. Many people earn their livings from the fossil fuel industry.

Avoiding climate disaster is a global problem

Finally, avoiding a climate catastrophe is an international problem. Historically, industrialized countries have been responsible for most of the greenhouse gas emissions, and people in less developed countries, such as India, feel that they therefore have a right to use their abundant coal to raise the standard of living and to combat poverty.

Warnings from the Antarctic and Arctic regions

Although the worst effects of catastrophic climate change lie in the distant future, there are recent warnings that tell us that a climate disaster may be nearer than we thought. The Arctic and Antarctic regions are warming more than twice as fast as the remainder of the world. In the Antarctic region, the vast Thwaites glacier, sometimes called "the Doomsday Glacier", has recently exhibited so many cracks that scientists fear that it may shatter into small pieces like a windscreen. If this happens, the event may trigger the collapse of other nearby glaciers through a mechanism called "Marine Ice Cliff Instability". This could mean several meters of sea level rise, threatening all coastal cities throughout the world.

Other warnings come from the Arctic. For example, a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit was recorded at the Siberian town of Verkhovansk, 70 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, and this reading has been confirmed by the World Meteorological Organization. Such a temperature would be more appropriate for Spain or Italy.

Observers on top of the Greenland ice sheet can see water pouring from summer lakes into crevasses that reach all the way to the bottom of the sheet. This water acts as a lubricant, speeding the flow of the entire ice sheet towards the sea.

The Arctic Ocean will soon be entirely ice-free during one or two months of the year. This will initiate a feedback loop involving the albedo effect: Ice reflects sunlight, while dark sea water absorbs heat from the sun, leading to further warming of the Arctic Ocean.

Another serious warning comes from the International Pamel on Climate Change (IPCC). The most recent IPCC report warns us that without urgent action, climate change may soon be beyond our ability to adapt.

The Keeling Curve

The Keeling Curve measures the atmospheric concentration of CO2 at the Mount Loa observatory in Hawaii. The concentration passed 400 parts per million in 2013, and it is not only still rising but rising at an accelerated rate. Scientists say that the CO2 concentration level has not been this high for at least 2 million years.

What will happen if we fail?

What will happen if we fail in our efforts to avoid catastrophic climate change? Then, in the long run, most of the earth's surface will become uninhabitable. Many species of plants and animals, unable to move, will become extinct. Humans may survive, but the global population of humans will be very much reduced by heat death, famine and wars.

We need urgent and radical action

For all these reasons, it is urgent that we take drastic climate action while there is still time to do so.

Let us remember Greta Thunberg's words, "We need hope, of course we do, but the one thing that we need more than hope is action. Once we start to act, hope is everywhere."

So let us act with urgency, for the sake of future generations, and for the sake of our beautiful planet.

What actions must we take?

1. The extraction of fossil fuels must stop. Currently China and India make massive use of coal. Countries such as Russia and Saidi Arabia extract and export oil and natural gas. The Canadian Tar Sands project contributes enormously to greenhouse gas emissions. In the United States, the Biden Administration, although pledged to climate action, auctions off petroleum drilling rights, both offshore and in the Arctic.

2. Subsidies for fossil fuel corporations must stop. A recent report found that these corporations received 5.9 trillion dollars in subsidies in 2020.

3. Renewable energy projects must be encouraged and supported. The Green New Deal visualises governmental action analogous to FDRs New Deal to build urgently needed renewable energy structure. Renewable energy is now generally cheaper than energy derived from fossil fuels, but governmental help is still needed.

A new freely downloadable book

I would like to announce the publication of a book entitled WARNINGS FROM THE POLES It describes the Arctic and Antarctic regions, which are warming more than twice as fast as the remainder of the world... The book may be freely downloaded and circulated from the following link:

https://eacpe.org/content/uploads/2022/01/Warnings-from-the-Poles.pdf

Other books and articles about global problems are on these links

https://www.johnavery.info/

http://eacpe.org/about-john-scales-avery/
The President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has indicated that his government has constructed over 10,000 kilometres of new roads since 2017.

According to the President, more roads have been built, improved, and upgraded in the last five years of his administration than any other government in the history of the country.

It is in the road sector that we have registered the greatest infrastructure achievement. I know that the word unprecedented is often used with careless abandon in our public discourse, but I use it carefully and purposefully. In the five years of my government, so far, more roads have been built, improved and upgraded than at any other equivalent period under any government in the history of Ghana.

Some ten thousand, eight hundred and seventy-five (10,875) kilometres of new roads have been constructed in these five (5) years, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said during a state of the nations address on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, in Parliament.

Having commissioned the Tamale interchange on Tuesday, the President told Parliament it was the most satisfying birthday present for him that day.

He said his government is committed to building more roads across the country to facilitate development.

Let me mention that yesterday, it was my honour and great pleasure to have commissioned the Tamale Interchange, the first such interchange in the northern sector of our country, which the people of Tamale celebrated. I considered it to be a most satisfying birthday present.

We intend to continue with the building of roads around the country to accelerate the opening up of our country, President Akufo-Addo stressed.
An award winning news anchor and a broadcast journalist, Dela Michel has advised fresh students of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) not to follow others as they commence their academic journey.

She said this while speaking at the GIJ's SRC Akwaaba Week launch on Tuesday, March 29 2022, at the institutes North Dzorwulu campus on the theme, What I wish I knew before tertiary.

The program was geared toward equipping fresh students of the institute with ideas that will guide them in making good use of their stay in the school and be able to live up to the good standards after their tertiary education.

She stated, Please be true to who you are, what youve learnt and have been thought, whatever discipline that has been instilled in you at home. We always say that when we come to the university because at home our parents are very strict in the university you will be free."

She continued by telling the students the need for them to stay true to themselves and not follow the crowd "because at the end each one will account separately for his or her actions."

She explained, Because whatever you do at the end of it all you have to account for it, if not judgement day, in your hostel room you will sit down and thinkso this is something you must know, never try to be who you are not."

Miss Dela further advised the students to have an open minded and take part in every academic exercise. She urged them not to allow their family background deter them from actively participating in extra curricula activities on campus.

Never try to show off or impress anyone, there are instances people portray lifestyles differently from who they truly are, if you do so you may end up deceiving yourself. When you need advice on social life get in touch with your family members because they will help you make decisions by yourself. Sometimes when you seek advice from your friend he or she may also end up giving you an advice he or she got from a friend."

Dela Michel added, These are the things you need to know before you get yourself fully integrated into a tertiary institution.

By: Isaac Donkor (Distinguished) student of Ghana Institute of journalism.
Madam Fatoumata Doro, Managing Director of Tex Styles Ghana Limited

30.03.2022 LISTEN

It will be recalled that on the 24th of February 2022, the media carried reports of unrest within Tex Styles Ghana Limited - producers of GTP and Woodin fabrics.

A section of workers was reported to have embarked on disruption of company activities, preventing the Managing Director, Madam Fatoumata Doro, at the main gate from entering the premises for an extended period, as well as turning off power in the facility.

In a recent notice to staff, management indicated that the disruption has negatively impacted the companys finances and its brand. The notice signed by the Managing Director of the Company, Madam Fatoumata Doro, expressed her eagerness to turn things around. The sooner things can return to normal, the better chance of making up for the losses we have experienced, she wrote.

Through the notice, the staff have been assured of managements willingness for further dialogue with the local union and the ICU - a move which is being made in the bid to, confirm mutual purpose and renew joint commitments. There is a need for all of us to be clear on the roles and responsibilities of all parties, stated the notice.

The Managing Director also reassured workers that their rights would continue to be respected at all times and that managements actions will always remain within the law and be in the long-term interest of all parties. The notice however went on to state that the company will not condone illegal activities that will affect the wellbeing of the workforce.

Employees of Tex Styles Ghana Limited have been urged to conduct themselves in a manner that restores peace and calm while focusing their energies on supporting the growth of the company.

Management hopes to send positive signals to investors that Ghana is indeed the most dynamic country and economy in Africa. In conclusion, the Managing Director expressed her commitment to maintaining an open door policy for all employees and protecting the interests of all stakeholders at all times. I look forward to working closely with you to achieve our vision, she wrote.
30.03.2022 LISTEN

The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) have entered into a new partnership to establish a transnational democracy solidarity network, to be known as West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS).

The purpose of the Network is to mobilize, coordinate, and leverage the collective power of pro- democracy actors, resources, and opportunities in West Africa, to address the erosion of democracy in the Sub-region. The Network, therefore, seeks to advance, defend, and reinvigorate democratic norms and reforms in the Sub-region.

The WADEMOS project, which is funded by SIDA, will be implemented in two phases over a three-year period. The first phase focuses on the formation of the Network and the design of a joint Civil Society Organization (CSO) strategy to respond to the democratic setback in the region. During this phase, CDD-Ghana will collaborate with Network Partners to organize convenings and programs to reflect on significant democracy milestones in the Sub-region such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Protocol on Democracy and Governance. Phase II of the project will focus on implementing the various components of the Strategy agreed with Network Partners in Phase I.

I am excited about this new CDD-Ghana-led initiative as it seeks to address the problem of democratic backsliding in West Africa, said Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, Executive Director of CDD-Ghana.

"The project will be implemented through the mobilization and support of pro-democracy civil society and social movements in the region, as well as collective civil society engagement with regional bodies and national authorities to advance democracy and constitutionalism," he added.

It is expected that by the end of the three-year period, there will be a strengthened WADEMOS relationship with regional bodies, such as the ECOWAS, to enforce the compliance of protocols on democracy and good governance; strengthened cooperation and coordination amongst various CSOs in the region to champion the protection of democratic norms and values, and sustained activism by young people, women, voluntary groups and the creative industry to defend democracy, amongst others. These expectations are inextricably linked to the areas where SIDA's work is most focused and contributes largely to their mandate for democracy, human rights, and gender equality.
President Nana Akufo-Addo says his government is aware of the many economic challenges facing Ghanaians.

He said the government has already begun taking some measures that will soon bring great relief to citizens.

Delivering the 2022 State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Wednesday, the president said, I know that there is a general sense of anxiety in our nation at the moment. The Ghanaian people are anxious about the economy, cost of living, income levels, jobs for young people and issues that we all thought that we had achieved national consensus on.

He noted that most of the challenges being experienced were caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent invasion of Ukraine by Russia that have significantly disturbed supply chains.

Prior to these, he said, the government was on the path of significant progress and development.

According to him, the many actions taken by the government when it assumed office in 2017, began yielding results and put Ghana on the path of prosperity between 2017 and 2020.

Then COVID rose. This is not something that anyone could have planned for and the consequences are there for us all to see around the world. The economic devastation of COVID has since the beginning of the year being further aggravated by the Russia invasion of Ukraine which has worsened the economic outlook of the entire world and we in Ghana have not escaped this development, he noted.

President Akufo-Addo again indicated that the measures that have been announced by the Minister for Finance are meant to demonstrate that we are aware that we are in difficult times, and we are addressing the situation. The belt-tightening measures being set for members of the Executive have been elaborated within this context.

He further gave assurances that the government is not in oblivion of its obligations to the citizenry, and it will continue in its efforts to grow the economy and bring prosperity to citizens.

The road to recovery will be hard and long, Mr. Speaker, but we have started on a good footing by accepting that we are in a difficult place, and are taking the difficult decisions that will get us out, he said.

---citinewsroom
The conditions for carrying out a humanitarian operation sought by France to help citizens in the besieged Ukrainian port of Mariupol have not been met "at this stage," President Emmanuel Macron's office said.

This after the French leader spoke by telephone with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Macron outlined to Putin details of the mission that France, Turkey and Greece want to put in place, but the Russian leader replied that "he was going to think about it" before responding, an Elysee Palace official said.

In the meantime, Macron added that "relaxing our efforts is out of the question" because the situation is "catastrophic" for Mariupol and its residents, the official said.

In response and according to the Kremlin, Putin told Macron that Ukrainian "nationalists" in Mariupol would have to "lay down their arms" before Russian forces allow any emergency humanitarian assistance.

It was the ninth telephone call between the two leaders since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, as Macron continues to keep a diplomatic line open in the hope of ending the conflict.

He sees his principal task as "achieving first a ceasefire and then the total withdrawal of (Russian) troops by diplomatic means", he told broadcaster France 3 at the weekend.

Ukrainian authorities say at least 5,000 people have died in Mariupol since the invasion began, with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky calling the siege of the city a "crime against humanity."

The Elysee official declined to comment on the latest round of cease-fire talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, which raised hopes of progress after previous rounds of talks failed to produce any breakthrough.

"We wish to consult first with the Ukrainians," the source said. "For now the war continues" and "our demands remain the same."
President Akufo-Addo has urged both the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to accommodate each other in continuing to consolidate Ghanas democracy, to which he acknowledged both parties have contributed over the decades.

For this reason, he said politicians must shy away from coup mongering.

According to the President, Ghana is in her most productive age, thanks to the contributions of both parties, and, thus, this was not the time to turn the hands of the democratic clock backwards.

Both the major political parties of the country, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), have made positive contributions to this development, he said.

There is work to be done on building our institutions, but our democracy is worth fighting for, he urged the House.

The President noted: It is up to us to find a way to accommodate each other and our differences to make things work for the benefit of the Ghanaian people.

Mr Akufo-Addo, who is currently the Chair of ECOWAS, observed: It might also well be that coup detats have re-entered our discourse because of the turmoil in our neighbourhood.

The West African Region is suddenly back in the international headline news for all the wrong reasons; we are back again as the region of political instability and the place for coups, but indicated: Long and bitter experience led ECOWAS to its current stance of zero tolerance for military coups.

We, in Ghana, know the cost of instability; it leads to the exodus of our artisans and professionals, and the emptying of teachers from our schools, he warned.

We do not want to be an island of peace and stability in a region of turmoil. We do not aspire to be prosperous in the midst of want and poverty. We want a stable and prosperous Ghana in a stable and prosperous Region.

We should use our Chairmanship of ECOWAS, our membership of the AU, and as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council to work towards achieving these goals.

Source: Classfmonline.com
President Akufo-Addo has told parliament on Wednesday, 30 March 2022 that despite the protracted and sometimes acrimonious nature of proceedings, I am happy that the House has, finally, found it possible to pass the E-levy Bill.

Delivering his 2022 State of the Nation Address, he stated, I believe the levy is going to make a significant contribution to revenue mobilisation and the management of the national economy, and I want to thank Members of the House for making this possible, the President said.

A one-sided House passed the levy on Tuesday, 29 March 2022 after the Minority Caucus staged a walkout after the Minister of Finance, Mr Ken OforI-Atta moved a motion for the consideration of the bill.

Mr Akufo-Addo, in his address, appealed to the House to support his government in running the country and getting Ghana out of the current economic crisis.

The road to recovery will be hard and long, Mr. Speaker, but we have started on a good footing by accepting that we are in a difficult place, and are taking the difficult decisions that will get us out, he conceded, adding: If anyone ever had any doubts about the need to be self-reliant, the point has now been forcibly drilled home to us.

The pursuit of the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda is even more compelling now, Mr Akufo-Addo added.

He said: I have no doubts whatsoever that we have it in us to build the Ghana of our dreams. I saw the spirit of togetherness and the willingness to help each other when COVID struck. We looked out for each other.

I saw the sense of enterprise and innovation of the Ghanaian. I saw our manufacturers quickly adapt their plants to produce sanitisers and our tailors equally quickly displayed the innovation they had always been known for, by turning face masks into fashion items.

Let us, more than ever, hold our heads up high, and face the future with courage, hope and assurance.

Let us recall our age-old Ghanaian values of hard work, enterprise, solidarity, dignity and hospitality. Look around you, believe in Ghana, and be inspired by Ghana. We will bounce back together. The Battle is the Lords!!

Source: Classfmonline.com
President Nana Akufo-Addo has said the covid-hit economy since the beginning of this year has been further aggravated by Russias invasion of Ukraine.

According to Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghana has not escaped the economic difficulties as a result of the war and the consequences are being felt in rising living costs at the markets and at fuel stations.

Delivering the State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Wednesday, 30 March 2022, the President said the events in Ukraine have a direct impact on Ghanaians living in Ghana.

He explained that Mr Speaker, 30 per cent of our wheat flour and fertiliser imports come from Russia. Sixty per cent of iron rods and other metal sheets are imported from Ukraine, and almost 20 per cent of Ghanas manganese is shipped to Ukraine.

He added that the bombs might be dropping on cities half a world away but they are hitting our pockets here in Ghana.

Despite these challenges, Nana Akufo-Addo noted that his government has managed to ensure that fuel supplies have not been disrupted, unlike in several other parts of the world.

He said his government remains alive to its responsibilities to the Ghanaian people adding that the difficulties of the time notwithstanding, we intend to continue to grow this economy and bring prosperity and that will only happen when we continue to invest in the future.

Source: Classfmonline.com
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed his joy over the passage of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) bill insisting that it will boost the management of the national economy.

Delivering his State of the Nations Address on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, the President extended appreciation to Members of Parliament for seeing to the approval of the levy despite the opposition from the Minority in Parliament.

Mr. Speaker, despite the protracted and sometimes acrimonious nature of proceedings, I am happy that the House has, finally, found it possible to pass the E-levy Bill. I believe the levy is going to make a significant contribution to revenue mobilisation and the management of the national economy, President Akufo-Addo stressed while adding, and I want to thank Members of the House for making this possible.

According to President Akufo-Addo, Ghana is now in a good place to recover from the current difficulties confronting the economy.

He told Parliament that the pursuit of the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda is even more compelling now.

The road to recovery will be hard and long, Mr. Speaker, but we have started on a good footing by accepting that we are in a difficult place, and are taking the difficult decisions that will get us out. If anyone ever had any doubts about the need to be self-reliant, the point has now been forcibly drilled home to us, President Akufo-Addo indicated.

In addition, President Akufo-Addo has assured Ghanaians that his government is keen on growing the countrys economy to bring prosperity to the citizenry.

He said, This government remains alive to its responsibilities to the Ghanaian people. The difficulties of the time notwithstanding, we intend to continue to grow this economy and bring prosperity.
The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has bemoaned the rough impact the Russian-Ukraine war has had on the economy of Ghana.

He said although the bombs were being dropped miles away from Ghana, they were in fact hitting the pockets of Ghanaians here in Ghana.

Delivering his 2022 SONA address in Parliament today March 30, he noted that although the war was a thousand miles away from Ghana, its dire consequences were being felt on the citizenry as a result of trade engagements with the countries at war.

According to the president, 30% of Ghanas wheat flour and fertilizer products come from Russia. He added that 60% of iron rods and other metal sheets are imported from Ukraine. 20% of Ghanas manganese the President said is shipped to Ukraine.

The President stated, the economic devastation of COVID has, since the beginning of this year, been further aggravated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has worsened the economic outlook of the entire world."

He continued, We in Ghana have not escaped this development and the consequences are being felt in the rising cost of living at our markets and fuel stations. The bombs might be dropping on cities half a world away but they are hitting our pockets here in Ghana.

However, President Akufo-Addo maintains that, despite these challenges, his government has been able to ensure that fuel supplies have not been disrupted like in other countries.

He indicated that the measures put out by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta "are meant to demonstrate that we are aware that we are in difficult times and we are addressing the situation."

He expressed his hope that the legislature will join the executive in the "belt tightening measures being set" as part of efforts to mitigate the challenging economy.
The President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced that 80 warehouses to serve the purposes of storing food have been completed by his government.

Speaking in Parliament while delivering the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, the President said his government has taken and continues to take steps to put the country in a better position to safeguard its future.

The construction of eighty (80) warehouses, with a combined storage capacity of eighty-thousand metric tonnes, (80,000MT), has been completed, and their entry into the food production chain is offering better protection to the harvests of farmers, President Akufo-Addo told Parliament.

He continued, There is no doubt that but for the vigorous interventions we have made in agriculture in the past five years, which have made us more self-reliant in our food needs, our country would have been at much greater risk as the fallout from the dramatic worldwide increases in freight charges hit prices in our markets and on our supermarket shelves.

According to the President, his government is not relenting on several successes achieved in the agricultural sector but will push to embark on several other interventions to guarantee food safety in the country.

In addition, President Akufo-Addo has assured Ghanaians that his government is keen on growing the countrys economy to bring prosperity to the citizenry.

He said, This government remains alive to its responsibilities to the Ghanaian people. The difficulties of the time notwithstanding, we intend to continue to grow this economy and bring prosperity.
President Akufo Addo says the Creative Arts Senior High School, in Kwaadaso in the Ashanti Region is 70 per cent complete.

He said the school would serve as a beacon for many young and talented people, seeking a fulfilling career in the field.

Delivering the State of the Nation Address, on Wednesday in Parliament, the President observed the enormous potential for Ghanaians in the creative arts, fashion, and film industry.

Government intends to unleash the creativity, enterprise and innovation of the youth, by giving them education and skills training in the Creative Arts.

He said government was also undertaking a comprehensive renovation and modernization of tourist attractions across the country, including the Cape Coast and Elmina Castles, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, which would help in positioning Ghana as the preferred tourism destination in West Africa.

President Nana Addo said Ghana led the push for African renaissance through the decade-long 'Beyond the Return Project' and the December in GH component of the project had positioned Ghana as the destination to visit every December.

Last year, the country recorded 623,523 visitors, up from the 355,108 visitors, the year before, signifying a marked rebound of our tourism sector. We should recapture those glorious moments and build on them as we work hard to reclaim what we lost to the COVID years, he added.

GNA
General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has challenged the government to solve all of the countrys problems now that it has bullied its way to have the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) bill passed.

Parliament in the absence of the Minority Members of Parliament on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, passed the controversial levy.

Speaking to TV3 today, Asiedu Nketia indicated it is important for the government to solve the many problems it said the levy will address in the next few weeks.

He said if the government fails, it will be exposed as a government that has constantly lied to its people.

But the important thing is that whatever approval that they claimed they have made is rather going to expose them more. Because we are in this country where everything that is not happening well has been blamed on the non-passage of the E-levy, including the payment of contractors, including the non-release of common fund, including the non-release of GETFund, health insurance and all that.

Now you have your E-levy, let us see that in the coming weeks, all these problems will be solved or you expose yourself as a lying government, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said.

Delivering his State of the Nation Address today prior to the NDC General Secretarys comments, President Akufo-Addo stressed that the passing of the E-Levy bill will help revive the economy.

The President said, Mr. Speaker, despite the protracted and sometimes acrimonious nature of proceedings, I am happy that the House has, finally, found it possible to pass the E-levy Bill. I believe the levy is going to make a significant contribution to revenue mobilisation and the management of the national economy and I want to thank Members of the House for making this possible.
30.03.2022 LISTEN

It's been the system of governance in our nation where for every government, a cabal runs its affairs.

My experience over the years and based on verified information reveals the stranglehold on elected Government officials by those who either sponsored their election or those who were appointed into high profile positions. They are usually family members and familiar friends.

These groups of people decide what document the President or the Governor sees and approves. They unashamedly flaunt their influence on the 'king' and brag about their rights to see, hear and speak for the person in power.

When I led my team to be part of the development of the Niger Delta region under Citizens Quest For Truth Initiative, a lot was unravelled and revealed.

I have learnt that sometimes the truth hurts, so I keep somethings within me and they may never be revealed till eternity.

The fact remains that most of those around the government are not sincere and have no passion or patriotism for the nation first, and to those who appointed them into the office.

Most people seek public office only for the paraphernalia of the office and not because they desire to make any meaning and sustainable impact.

I have been part of the quest to rescue the Niger Delta region. Unfortunately, my findings are damning and yet dangerous. Call me a coward? Yes! Sometimes, you don't have to fight to be a man. Even Jesus at some points had to run away from the trouble to come because it was not his time.

Let's get to the real issues of this treatise.

The insecurity in the nation did not evolve overnight. It was an orchestrated plot dating back to 2010 when I stumbled on a detailed document on how a group of religious extremists had plotted to capture some villages, communities, towns and even States which they claimed belonged to them.

The document revealed that some of the fighters were trained outside the country and when they returned, they were aided by some government officials whom they also named.

It is more of a religious war which is laced with the coat of politics.

Sadly, my efforts to get the authorities to pick up the man in question who mistakenly left the document in my Guest house failed due to lack of political will by those concerned. Of course, I had to move on.

The recent multiple attacks on our Power Plants, Trains and Railway stations could have been averted if those responsible were proactive. We have been dealing with security issues for several years now, so it is not unimaginable that these bandits and insurgents could shift their focus from the communities to the cities and to essential infrastructure. This Government has no doubt made inroads in developing critical infrastructure but like I wrote in one of my articles, "what is infrastructure without security?"

It is even more disheartening to learn that the Minister for Transportation who has helped the APC Federal Government develop the Rail sector had made requests for funding for security of the Railways but his efforts were grounded to a halt by some of the shenanigans who parade as the "owners, movers and shakers" of the Buhari led Administration. Is this unusual? Of course not. I had earlier stated here how those who constitute themselves as the cabal in the corridors of power become a clog in the wheel of progress of any and every government. It's got nothing to do with the age and intelligence of the President or Governor, as the case may be. They have perfected the act of hijacking the President or the Governor based on what they know as the weakest points of the individual.

The much touted rescue of the Niger Delta region through a Forensic Audit has again been kept comatose by this set of people. Till date, there is yet to be a substantive Board for the Administration of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

Those who fought for the liberation of the Commission were forced to torpedo the mandate with threats to their jobs. It is a clear case of "if you can't beat them, you join them." Who has ever resigned on grounds of perceived sabotage except where they are fired from their positions?

While I do not make excuses for the President, it is also pathetic the situation he finds himself in as he is a trained soldier who is loyal to friendship and by extension, family. The transformation from a Military Officer to a democrat is never an easy transition.

With the recent unfortunate events in the Railway sector ought to have consumed some persons who were part of the sabotage. Who is responsible for the delay in the approval for security funding for the Trains and Railways? Nigerians ought to be calling them out right now. Instead, we are busy casting aspersions on the President, sermonizing the unfortunate incidents while letting the powerful culprits escape the hammer.

What we fear has gradually come upon us. "Until we collectively wage war against the activities of insider moles in government, we sure would continue to read Press Releases that have no solution to our security challenges. The simple but hard truth is that those who come from a particular section of the country, no matter how highly placed, will remain subservient in the hands of the superior citizens of our nation.

Enough of this bloodletting! It's about time we the Nigerian people changed the face and structure of governance.

Christie Oby Ndukwe is the President of Citizens Quest For Truth Initiative, and a Niger Delta-based Publisher and social and Political Analyst
The Minority in Parliament has claimed that President Akufo-Addo failed to deliver the true state of Ghanas economy when he visited Parliament on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, to deliver the State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Speaking on the floor of Parliament to second the Majority to adjourn sitting, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said they are disappointed in the President.

According to him, President Akufo-Addo was not even confident when delivering the State of the Nation Address.

We expected him to deliver the true state of the nation that reflect the hardship of the people. Regrettably, he himself does not have the confidence to talk about the economy, the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu noted.

President Akufo-Addo while delivering the State of the Nation Address assured Ghanaians his government is keen on growing the countrys economy to bring prosperity to all.

"This government remains alive to its responsibilities to the Ghanaian people. The difficulties of the time notwithstanding, we intend to continue to grow this economy and bring prosperity, H.E Akufo-Addo said.

The president further expressed his delight in the passage of the Electronic Transaction Levy and appreciation to Parliament.

He said, Mr. Speaker, despite the protracted and sometimes acrimonious nature of proceedings, I am happy that the House has, finally, found it possible to pass the E-levy Bill. I believe the levy is going to make a significant contribution to revenue mobilisation and the management of the national economy and I want to thank Members of the House for making this possible.
30.03.2022 LISTEN

Aggrieved workers of Textiles Ghana Limited, producers of GTP and Woodin fabrics today, Wednesday, will meet with the National Labour Commission (NLC) over their demand for the removal of the Managing Director of the company.

The disgruntled workers on February, 24, embarked on a sit-down strike to call for the removal of Fatoumata Doro as the Managing Director of the company.

The workers claimed that the MD had disregarded their collective working agreement that spells out the terms of their working conditions.

The matter was reported to the National Labour Commission which directed that the MD be made to work while the matter is being addressed.

A few weeks after the industrial action, appointments of several senior staff members of the company were terminated by the embattled MD, Fatoumata Doro. The employees have linked the dismissals to the protest.

The Managing Director of Textiles Ghana Limited, Fatoumata Doro, finally resumed work on the orders of the National Labor Commission (NLC) after she was locked out for about a month.

The NLC directed workers to grant her unrestricted access to her office until further notice.

The workers of Textiles Ghana Limited protested and declared their resolve to demand the replacement of their MD over several allegations, key among them being that the MD abandoned workers' collective contract agreement while unilaterally imposing her will on workers.

This did not go down well with the workers who led a series of agitations and subsequently prevented the MD from accessing the premises of the company on two occasions.

Their action was reported to the National Labour Commission, which has since ordered that the MD be granted access to work while the pending issues are addressed.

A directive posted on the notice board of the company stated that the Commission recalled its directive of March 2, 2022, in which it ordered among others that the Managing Director be allowed unrestricted access to her office with immediate effect, but which the complainant Union (Industrial and Commercial Workers Union) has flouted.

---Citinewsroom
An Accra-based constitutional lawyer, Twum Barimah has lauded the Minority in Parliaments decision to seek relief from the Supreme Court to restrain President Nana Akufo-Addo from assenting to the controversial E-levy bill into law.

According to Mr Barima, the Minoritys decision in this principle is apt.

He supported the Minoritys decision that there was no quorum for the passage of the E-levy bill.

Speaking on the midday news on Accra 100.5 FM, on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, he stressed that 137 MPs cannot form a quorum to make a decision or take a vote per the Supreme Court judgement that upheld the Majoritys decision that approved the 2022 budget after it was disapproved by the Minority with the Speaker, S. K. Bagbin presiding.

The Supreme Court, he noted, was emphatic when it comes to the formation of a quorum of Parliament in the matter of Attorney-General and Minister of Justice versus Justice Abdulai.

He said: Page 19, paragraph two of the Supreme Courts ruling has it that when a bill is to be passed, or however when Parliament must determine a matter, the Constitution sets a higher threshold that requires half of all Members of Parliament to be present before a vote can be taken.

He said the Majoritys approval of the 2022 budget with the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu presiding had their number as 138.

Per this, Parliament on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, did not have the needed quorum to be able to vote on the passage of the E-levy, he explained.

Source: Classfmonline.com
Government is constructing 100 courthouses and accompanying residences for judges and magistrates around the country.

Fifty out of the 100 are being built and are near completion and will be handed over to the Judiciary soon.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said this during the 2022 State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Parliament on Wednesday.

The SONA sets out the government's key policy objectives, deliverables for the year ahead, highlights of the government's achievements and interventions.

President Akufo-Addo said a courthouse was an essential element of the architecture of a State dedicated to the promotion of the rule of law.

And yet there are large areas of our country that are not served by any court, and people must travel long distances to access the services of a court, he said.

He said, unfortunately, as a former Chief Justice once put it, the conditions of most of the court facilities around the country, where they exist, were not fit for purpose.

The President said another 121 residential units for the Judiciary were also being built across the country.

Furthermore, 22 new modern townhouses are being constructed at Danyame, in Kumasi, to address the accommodation challenges facing Court of Appeal Judges assigned to the Northern Sector.

He said work began on the project some 20 years ago on the construction of Law House, a proposed new office accommodation for the Office of Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice.

The proposed office is a 12-storey edifice consisting of 10 floors above ground and two storeys underground, meanwhile work on the project had stopped many years ago.

He said the project was expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, about law enforcement, the President said the passage of the Right to Information Act, the Witness Protection Act, the amendment of the Criminal Offences Act, and other laws have significantly enhanced the capacity of the State in the fight against corruption.

He said it was an undeniable fact that budgetary allocations for institutions actively engaged in public sector accountability, i.e., the Office of the Auditor-General, the Judiciary, Parliament, and the Ghana Police Service, have witnessed significant increases since he assumed office in 2017.

The President said, we now have a new Special Prosecutor, who appears to have all the wherewithal necessary to exercise vigorously the prerogatives of his office.

GNA
The Minister in charge of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has disclosed that the deduction of Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) charges will commence in May 2022.

It was a jubilant day for the Akufo-Addo government on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 when Parliament approved the controversial levy introduced in November 2021.

Speaking to TV3 today after President Akufo-Addos State of the Nation Address (SONA), Ken Ofori-Atta noted that Ghanaians will start paying E-Levy in May.

He said, We had some meetings with Controller and Accountant Generals Department (CAGD) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and they have said right at the beginning of May they should be able to put their system together.

In Parliament today to deliver the SONA, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo expressed his joy as he thanked Parliament for passing the levy despite the many agitations.

The President stressed that with proceeds from the new levy, Ghanas economy is set to receive a boost

Mr. Speaker, despite the protracted and sometimes acrimonious nature of proceedings, I am happy that the House has, finally, found it possible to pass the E-levy Bill. I believe the levy is going to make a significant contribution to revenue mobilisation and the management of the national economy and I want to thank Members of the House for making this possible, President Akufo-Addo said in his address.
30.03.2022 LISTEN

The legal profession remains a highly distinguished and enviable profession. The profession is made up of Lawyers who are experts in law and are generally engaged in rendering legal advice, drafting of deeds, and representing clients in Court and other fora. Lawyers work in a diverse range of settings including private practice, government service, private entities, educational institutions, Judiciary, and administrative tribunals.

Just like other professionals, Lawyers in Ghana are organized under a professional association called the Ghana Bar Association (GBA). GBA has been in existence since the introduction of professional legal practice in the country. Interestingly, a new law association has been birthed. This new association is christened the Law Society of Ghana (LSG).

The formation of LSG has generated a lot of public discussions. Hence, the writers deem it necessary to contribute to this public discourse.

RIGHT TO FORM OR JOIN PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION

All persons in Ghana are entitled to form or join any legitimate association of their choice for the protection of their interests. This right includes the right not to form or join an association. This right is guaranteed under Article 21(1)(e) of the 1992 Constitution. This provision reads "All persons shall have the right to  freedom of association, which shall include freedom to form or join trade unions or other associations, national and international, for the protection of their interest.

GHANA BAR ASSOCIATION

In the exercise of their constitutional right of association. Lawyers in Ghana belong to the Ghana Bar Association (GBA). This Association is believed to have been established somewhere in 1877 when professional legal practice started in Ghana as a result of the establishment of the Supreme Court of Judicature for the then Gold Coast Colony in 1876. The Association started with few Lawyers but has grown in membership over the years to over 7,000 Lawyers currently.

Since its establishment, GBA has taken steps to protect the personal and professional interests of its members and ensured their professional growth and development. Apart from this GBA has endeared itself as a defender of the rights and liberties of the Ghanaian people and equipped its members to deliver quality professional services to the Ghanaian and foreign clientele. The Association has representatives on a number of public boards and corporations.

THE NEW BAR ASSOCIATION  LAW SOCIETY OF GHANA (LSG)

A new bar association has been established in Ghana in addition to GBA. This new association is the Law Society of Ghana (LSG). It was established on 28th February 2022 as a company limited by guarantee under the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992), with registration number CG012690222.

It is to be noted that LSG is not the first bar association to be established besides GBA. The first was the Bar Association of Ghana (BAG) which was established by Mr. Thomas Nuako Ward Brew. BAG appears to be inactive now.

IS THE FORMATION OF LSG A HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT?

The writers take the view that the formation of the LSG is a positive development. It is an expression of the right of all Ghanaians to form or join associations of their choice. It will create a healthy competition and offer a viable alternative to Lawyers in Ghana. For this reason, the Lawyers behind the formation of LSG should not be seen to creating a bar association to compete with GBA. Rather, they should be seen as a group of Lawyers who feel that their professional interests could be better protected.

Despite the above, the writers foresee a difficulty in the selection of persons from the two bar associations to represent Lawyers on public boards and corporations. We, however, trust that the leadership of the Associations will reach amicable solution in dealing with this potential challenge.

CONCLUSION

The writers welcome the formation of LSG. We believe that the formation of LSG reflects the plurality of associations contemplated under 21(1)(e) of the 1992 Constitution to offer Lawyers in Ghana viable professional association of choice. The formation of LSG is also expected to create a healthy competition between the two associations to deal with thorny issues confronting Lawyers including low remuneration for junior lawyers.

Benjamin Tachie Antiedu, Lawyer & Author

Goodnuff Appiah Larbi, Law Student & Legal Researcher
With the consensus option during the APC Convention, the APC cabals have started hitting at Tinubu Presidency, as I predicted, to partly men three months ago, I advise the Jagaban to start his fight now, and not make the same mistakes Buharimade in 2003, after the massively rigged presidential polls in favor of Obaanjo second term.

Buhari was rigged out of the Presidency in 2003, in a poll in which Odumegwu Ojukwu of APGA was also rigged to the third position, while Obasanjo emerged winner. Buhari promised fire and brimstone and while some of us mobilized youths from different parts of Abuja to start a mass resistance to the Obasanjo rigging machine, Buhari and Odumegwu Ojukwu chickened out of the fight to our utter disappointment.

I wrote a widely publicised piece in 2011

'Buhari,Jonathan and Book Haram' and explained how Buhari won 2003 and 2007 presidential polls but Obasanjo- Atiku rigging machines and Obasanjo-Yaradua magic robbed him of victory. I stated in the piece that:

Buhari is the most popular politician in the north. Had the 2003 and 2007 presidential elections been held according to minimum acceptable standards, Buhari would since have handed over to another President of Nigeria. You cannot claim to be searching for peace and security and ignore such a personality.

Goodluck Jonathan's tactlessness handling of the national polity gave the Katsina born general another chance in 2015.

Rev Obinna Akukwe is telling Jagaban Bola Tinubu publicly today that if he fails to strategize on how to checkmate this gang up, his Presidential dream will be urinated upon through consensus by June 2022. The Fulani's have outsmarted him in the phase 1 of the fight. Let him take the bull by the horn and fight the fight of his life. Pretentious bootlicking will not save him.

In 2015 Buhari decided that the Baboon and Dog will be Soaked, if they rig him out again, and prepared effective political war machine, the riggers stopped out rigging and outsmarting him, and he became president. How he handled his presidency is a topic for another day.

If Jagaban continues to play safe, pretend that all is well, then goodbye 2023.

Rev Obinna Akukwe is disappointef that my Igbo brothers, our candidates are not serious. They are waiting for IPOB, MASSOB, OHANAEZE, PANDEF and Facebook to help them, instead of spending that money they looted and amassed and reaching out to relevant stakeholders across all regions, the manner Tinubu is doing.

Umahi and Anyim are showing some seriousness while Okorocja is battling Uzodimma, Orji Kalu is boot licking Tinubu and ,Peter Obi waiting for IPOB endorsements .When Igbo's fail again, let them not blame Ahmadu Bello, Uthman Danfodio and Awolowo for tactless campaign.

The manner Tinubu, Osinbajo, Adamu and many political appointees shunned his 70thbirthday colloquim, forcing him to abandon the exercise, is a testament that the lonely days are here again

Let Tinubu fight the manner Buhari fought in 2015, with all legitimate arsenals at his disposal, avoid the mistakes of the President in 2003, or else walk the lonely paths of political ridicule.

(Obinna Akukwe is a Writer, Columnist, [email protected] @obinnaakukwe)
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has stated that Ghana will begin the commercial production of vaccines in January 2024.

He says a bill will soon be presented to Parliament in that regard for the establishment of the National Vaccine Institute to commence the first phase of the production.

Presenting the 2022 State of the Nation Address, President Akufo-Addo said plans are far advanced for the local production of vaccines.

The Presidential Vaccine Manufacturing Committee, which I set up to respond to this obvious deficiency, has put in place a comprehensive strategy for domestic vaccine production, and the establishment of a National Vaccine Institute to implement the strategy, which will enable us to begin the first phase of commercial production in January 2024.

He pleaded with the Speaker to lead efforts for the approval of the Bill if it is brought to the House.

Ghana, alongside Rwanda and Senegal, is partnering with German biotechnology company, BioNTech SE, to fill, finish, and package BioNTech mRNA vaccines in Africa.

This is expected to be the first step in the chain of domestic vaccine production, which will improve vaccine supply in Africa.

The agreement came after a meeting in Marburg, Germany, on Wednesday, where President Akufo-Addo, together with Presidents Macky Sall and Paul Kagame of the Republics of Senegal and Rwanda respectively, witnessed the presentation of a BioNtech modular production facility solution for the production of mRNA vaccines in Africa.

The government plans to invest $25 million as seed money towards the establishment of a National Vaccine Institute to spearhead the country's efforts at producing vaccines locally.

The Institute will also work towards Research & Development for vaccines in Ghana and building the human resource base for vaccine discovery, development, and manufacture.

The establishment of the institute forms part of recommendations by a committee established by the government to formulate a concrete plan for vaccine development and manufacturing in Ghana.

The Presidential Vaccine Manufacturing Committee has already indicated that Ghana would need $200 million to fully manufacture COVID-19 vaccines locally.

The project is envisioned to be a private-public partnership arrangement.

Africa is almost totally dependent on vaccine producers outside the continent, as it produces just 1 percent of the vaccines it administers.

---citinewsroom
Government has started the first stage of the Military Housing Project, dubbed, the Barracks Regeneration Project, at all garrisons across the country.

The Project seeks to address the accommodation problems facing the Military in the country.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said this when he delivered the 2022 State of the Nations Address (SONA) in Parliament on Wednesday in Accra.

He said the Military Academy at Teshie had also been modernized whiles entire Armed Forces had been retooled and reequipped to perform their duties.

We are building a modernised Armed Forces, with higher personnel, that will be fit to meet the demands of the 21st century, he said.

The President indicated that each of the Armed Forces branches being, the Army, Navy and Airforce had received significant financial assistance to upgrade its logistical bases, and strengthen its capabilities, and its welfare requirements being addressed substantially.

GNA
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said government has developed a new affordable housing programme to address the housing needs of Ghanaians.

He noted that with the programme, the State now plays the role of a facilitator, through the provision of land, infrastructure services, and tax incentives and exemptions, to subsidize the cost of construction of the housing units, to reduce their prices.

The President said in furtherance of this, preparatory works have commenced for the development of two designated sites at Pokuase/ Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region, and Dedesua in the Ashanti Region.

President Akufo-Addo delivering the 2022 State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Parliament on Wednesday, said the programme was expected to deliver some 12,000 housing units.

The SONA sets out the Government's key policy objectives, deliverables for the year ahead, highlights of the government's achievements and interventions.

He said the long wait for decent and secure accommodation for public servants at the district levels would soon end.

The President said the Government, through the State Housing Company Limited had commenced works on the preparation of the District Housing Programme for the construction of rental housing units at the District Level for public servants.

The pilot phase will be implemented in 16 Districts across the 16 regions of the country.

He said notwithstanding, the Government continued with the completion of the existing affordable housing projects to increase access to safe, secure, adequate, and affordable housing units across the country.

He said the Tema Development Corporation for example, had continued with the construction of the Kpone Affordable Housing Project, which involved the construction of 3,016 housing units.

The project is currently 30 per cent complete.

GNA
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is having a "deadly" impact in the Arab world, particularly through spiralling wheat prices, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Algiers Wednesday.

He was speaking on the final leg of a trip that began with an unprecedented Israeli-Arab summit in the Negev desert, attended by Blinken and the foreign ministers of Israel, Egypt and three Arab countries that normalised ties with the Jewish state in 2020.

Import-dependent North African countries face what Blinken described as a "disaster" as the war in Ukraine sends shock-waves through global wheat and fuel markets. Both Russia and Ukraine are major wheat producers, while Moscow is a major global supplier of oil and gas.

The Russian military campaign has had "deadly consequences for citizens in the region", he told journalists in the capital of Algeria.

"It's having a direct impact on their lives right now, particularly with regard to rising food prices... especially wheat," he said.

Blinken flew in Wednesday morning from Algeria's arch-rival Morocco, which in 2020 normalised ties with Israel under a deal that sparked renewed tensions between Algiers and Rabat over the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

Blinken met Algeria's President Abdelmadjid Tebboune after holding talks with Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra, during his first visit as top US diplomat to the North African country.

Relations between Washington and Algiers soured as a result of Morocco's normalisation deal with key US ally Israel brokered under then president Donald Trump.

As a quid pro quo, the Trump administration recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, a phosphate-rich desert territory where Algeria has long backed the Polisario independence movement.

Blinken on Wednesday reiterated Washington's support for United Nations efforts to find a solution to that conflict.

"We're very focused on diplomacy and on advancing a resolution through diplomacy," he said.

In Morocco on Tuesday, Blinken had voiced support for a Moroccan autonomy plan for the Western Sahara, which he described as "serious, credible and realistic".

Before his stop in Algiers, state department official Yael Lempert said Blinken was to "discuss regional security and stability, commercial cooperation and advancing human rights".

Blinken earlier this week attended an unprecedented summit in Israel, attended by the foreign ministers of Morocco, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Bahrain and the UAE were the other countries to strike normalisation deals with Israel in the last months of the Trump administration.

Israel was keen to cast that summit as an alliance of powers against its arch-foe Iran -- the UAE has lately come under cross-border missile and drone attack from Yemen's Iran backed Huthi rebels.

Israel is fighting a regional shadow war against Iran and accuses it of seeking a nuclear bomb, a goal the Islamic republic denies pursuing.

But the Jewish state has in recent days been contending with more immediate security concerns.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is greeted on arrival on March 30, 2022, in Algiers. By Jacquelyn Martin POOLAFP

Several deadly gun and knife attacks have struck Israel over the past week or so, the latest of which was a shooting spree late Tuesday near Tel Aviv that killed five people.

"This violence is unacceptable," Blinken said in a statement. "Israelis -- like all people around the world -- should be able to live in peace and without fear."
30.03.2022 LISTEN

An Accra Circuit Court has remanded into police custody for one week the four policemen who are alleged to be involved in the recent bullion van robberies in the city, Accra.

This is the second time the court, presided over by Patricia Amponsah, is remanding the suspects; the first was on March 9 when they made their first appearance in court.

The suspects have been charged with an attempt to commit robbery and abetment.

During the hearing on Monday, the prosecutor, DSP Sylvester Asare, said the police had made progress and had built four separate dockets involving the accused persons.

He, therefore, prayed the court to adjourn the case to enable the police further their investigations.

However, counsel for the accused persons opposed the prayer by the prosecution and appealed for their clients to be granted bail on grounds that they were serving police officers who will not interfere with investigations when granted bail. The accused persons are to re-appear on April 5, 2022.

Speaking to the media after the hearing, brother of one of the suspects, Constable Yaro expressed worry over the continuous remand of his brother into police custody.

How do you detain someone without making a call to his family. Police have no evidence to prove that he is guilty.

On March 8, the police announced the arrest of the four policemen, alongside one other suspect, over bullion van attacks.

The bullion van attacks being investigated occurred at Kingsway, Baatsona, Jamestown, and North Kaneshie Industrial Area last year.

---citinewsroom
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is alarmed by the resurgence of the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo, his spokesman said Wednesday without directly blaming these fighters for the crash of a UN helicopter that killed eight people.

Six Pakistanis, a Russian and a Serb died when a Puma helicopter with the UN mission MONUSCO crashed Tuesday while on reconnaissance over the troubled eastern region of the country.

Military authorities in North Kivu province have accused the M23 rebel group of downing the chopper, though the faction denies the charge and instead blames the Congolese army. The UN mission has not said whom it blames for the crash.

At UN headquarters in New York, Guterres's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said a UN probe is under way, with a UN team due to work with Congolese authorities.

MONUSCO will continue to carry out reconnaissance flights in the area and monitor the activities of armed groups, Dujarric said.

Without blaming the M23 group for the crash, Dujarric said at his daily briefing that Guterres "is deeply concerned by the resurgence of M23 activities in the border area between the DRC close to Rwanda and Uganda."

The helicopter came down in the Tchanzu area of Rutshuru Territory, where the army and the M23 rebels had been fighting the day before.

The M23 -- its name derives from "March 23 Movement" -- emerged years ago from an ethnic Tutsi Congolese rebellion in North Kivu that was once supported by Rwanda and Uganda.
The Ministry for Sanitation and Water Resources has launched the bio-digester construction and installation manual to aid the proper setup of the modernised but simplified household toilet facility.

The official launch of the manual was done by the Minister in charge of the sector, Mrs. Cecilia Abena Dapaah on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, during the 52nd Annual Conference and General Meeting of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhiE).

The manual has been developed with inputs from practitioners and seasoned academics, to provide detailed and useful information on the design, siting, installation, and maintenance of the bio-digester.

The manual is expected to be useful to Engineers, Technicians, Artisans, Entrepreneurs, and Institutions in the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Sector.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah said it is the first step by the Ministry of Sanitation to ensure that the manual does not remain on the shelves but is made visible, available, and accessible to all stakeholders, particularly the artisans and entrepreneurs who are into construction and installation of bio-digesters.

The Minister disclosed that her sector will embark on a roadshow of the manual in Technical and Civil Engineering Schools in the southern, middle, and northern belts of the country.

Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah

She said the Ministry will also organise a learning session on the manual to begin the dissemination process on the National Level Learning Alliances Platform (NLLAP) for all interested stakeholders implementing sanitation projects across the country.

A digital link will also be advertised in major national newspapers and online platforms for interested users to freely download their personal copies.

A few months from now, the Ministry will begin the process of accrediting artisans and institutions who are into the construction and installation of these biodigesters to ensure that the highest environmental standards are maintained, Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah shared.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has initiated procurement processes to set up treatment plants for dealing with the sludge from the bio-digesters when they are emptied.

Two such plants are expected to be constructed in Accra and Kumasi within the next two years. This step is aimed at completing the sanitation value chain from generation through transportation to treatment.

Giving some remarks at the launch, the President of GhiE, Ing. Rev. Prof. Charles Adams assured that members will do all they can to help the Ministry succeed.

We are behind this and we will ensure that this thing will help to make sure that this works. But help us to implement the law so that it works better.

What you have done is a good one and we throw our weight behind it. There are many more that we encourage our members to bring them out so that you in government will help us build a better Ghana, Ing. Rev. Prof. Charles Adams shared.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the launch, Ing. George Asiedu who is Coordinator General of the bio-digester construction and installation manual shared the success of the technology.

Ing. George Asiedu

He said through the efforts of the Ministry of Sanitation, the bio-digester has become acceptable in society and as a result of that, it has improved access to toilet facilities.

Ing. George Asiedu said based on the current census data, about 130,251 Ghanaians are using the bio-digester.

The bio-digester can be constructed in low-income communities, it is a toilet facility that is affordable, and it is also appealing to the people in the peri-urban sector.

Click HERE to access the bio-digester construction and installation manual.

More about the bio-digester construction and installation manual:

The bio-digester toilet technology is one of the fastest-growing toilet options in urban Ghana. The use of bio-digesters has been given a boost by the World Bank-funded GAMA Sanitation and Water Project (2014-2020) which seeks to provide improved sanitation to low-income urban areas.

Currently, bio-digesters are the predominant toilet technologies in the low-income communities within GAMA with about 98 % of all constructed household toilets under the project being bio-digesters.

The number of variants of the bio-digester has increased over the years with different service providers providing different designs and configurations of the technology.

This has necessitated the need for standardization through a construction manual.
Hundreds of Ethiopians arrived back in Addis Ababa on Wednesday, the first contingent of some 100,000 nationals to be repatriated from Saudi Arabia over the coming months.

Around 900 returnees, including many mothers with young children, landed at Addis Ababa International Airport throughout the day, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

"It is estimated that about 750,000 Ethiopians currently reside in the Kingdom (of Saudi Arabia) with about 450,000 likely to have travelled to the country through irregular means and will need help to return home," the IOM said in a statement.

Human rights organisations have for several years denounced the detention conditions of Ethiopian migrants in Saudi Arabia.

"We were crying daily," said Jemila Shafi, 29, one of the returnees from Saudi Arabia.

She said that they were given one loaf of bread and a pot of cooked rice to be shared between 300 people.

"Even 400 people were living in one room and we couldn't see the sun light," she added.

Many of the Ethiopian returnees were women with young children. By EDUARDO SOTERAS AFP

Most of the women returnees were dressed in black abaya robes, traditional in Saudi Arabia, some with their faces covered by a niqab.

Many were carrying babies on their backs or holding children by the hand, with their meagre belongings crammed into plastic bags as they queued up to be registered after they got off the plane.

"We are back in our blessed country after six months in prison," rejoiced Medina, a 28-year-old woman who was among those coming off the plane.

"But many of our brothers continue to suffer especially in the men's prisons," she added.

The Ethiopian foreign ministry has said it will repatriate about 100,000 of its citizens from Saudi Arabia over the next seven to 11 months, under an agreement recently signed between the two countries.

Ethiopia plans to repatriate around 100,000 of its nationals from Saudi Arabia in less than a year. By EDUARDO SOTERAS AFP

Wednesday's returnees "were assisted and registered by IOM staff and offered, among others, food, temporary accommodation, medical help and counselling services," the UN migration agency said in its statement.

"These are our citizens," said Hana Yeshingus, a representative of the Ethiopian ministry of Women and Children.

"Our citizens have come back home' after going through a very painful time, she added.

The IOM stressed that "meeting the needs of the 100,000 returnees is going to be an enormous challenge for the government, IOM, and partners".

Over the last four years Saudi Arabia "has returned nearly 352,000 Ethiopians back home," it added.
Chad is in need of debt restructuring to help the country's economy, which saw weak growth last year, the IMF said Wednesday.

The Sahel nation is one of three countries, along with Ethiopia and Zambia, that have applied for relief under the G20's Common Framework, which is meant to restructure the debts of heavily burdened countries as they weather the pandemic's aftershocks.

However, a lack of private sector participation has created a backlog of countries' applications while the program has been beset by uncertainty, despite warnings of economic calamity from the IMF after a previous G20 debt service pause enacted as the pandemic began lapsed last year.

"The rapid finalization of a debt treatment under the G20 Common Framework and significant donor support are key for restoring debt sustainability" in Chad, the Washington-based crisis lender said in a statement following a March 16-30 staff visit to the capital N'Djamena.

The officials traveled to the country as part of a review of a $570.75 million loan program the lender's Executive Board approved in December.

"Macroeconomic developments in 2021 were less favorable than anticipated," the IMF said, noting that oil production missed forecasts, agriculture was hampered by poor rainfall and food prices rose six percent last year while real GDP fell 0.3 percent.

The price increases for food "are expected to be aggravated by the war in Ukraine," the lender added, though it expects the economy to grow by 2.3 percent this year, and high oil prices could allow it to rebuild its reserves.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Morningstar has released its seventh edition of biennial Global Investor Experience Report 2022, which grades the experiences of mutual fund investors across 26 markets, breaks down the key factors contributing to global fee trends and provides a detailed look at the trends within each specific market.

The GIE report is structured around three chapters:

Fees and Expenses Disclosure Regulation and Taxation

Fees and Expenses in India

Indias Fees and Expenses grade remains consistent at Average, the same as in the last study. In 2019 study, Indias grade improved to Average, from Below Average in 2017. India continues to enjoy higher grade than several developed European and Asian markets. Investor-friendly regulations, like the ban on front loads, up-front commissions and overall reduction in Total Expense Ratios (TERs) capping investment charges, contribute positively to the countrys grade.

(Click on the image to expand)

Asset-weighted median fees for fixed-income funds remain among the cheapest in the world. This is offset by the relatively higher asset-weighted median fees of 1.74% for allocation funds and 1.78% for equity funds, generated by the continued prevalence of distributor plans that bundle distribution fees. In India, charging front-end sales loads has not been permitted since August 2009.

Indias relatively higher asset-weighted medians TERs in Indian equity funds and allocation funds are primarily driven by the fact that the majority of investors prefer the services of mutual fund distributors and thus invest through a commission-embedded plan. Unlike many other countries in the study whereby majority of investors invest in a commission-free share class and pay a separate advice fee.

As such, India largely follows the bundled expense ratio structure with commissions embedded into the expense ratios of funds. Investors do not incur any additional costs such as advisory fees, platform fees, or front-end loads when purchasing distributor share classes.

Funds without trail commissionsalso known as direct share classeshave been available since January 2013, as per regulations. Expense ratios for direct share classes are significantly lower and comparable to global non-advice-fee-embedded share classes.

Since the expense cap reductions, India has seen a meaningful decrease in asset-weighted median Total Expense Ratios (TERs). Asset-weighted median expense ratios for domestic and available-for-sale funds fell in a majority of the 26 markets surveyed since the 2019 study. For domestically domiciled funds, the trend was most notable in allocation and equity funds, with 17 markets in each category reporting reduced fees.

India is one of four countries (Australia, the Netherlands and the UK being the others), where initial charges (front loads) are banned, while usage of initial charges remains high in some parts of Europe and Asia.

Currently, 46% of the industrys assets are invested in direct share classes (when we also include money market/liquid funds), but a large part of this is from institutional investors. Individuals invest 21% of their overall assets directly, which accounts for approximately 11.5% of overall industry assets. Growth in equity fund assets since the last study has resulted in lower expense ratios across share classes for equity funds as per the regulator-defined slabs.

We could continue to witness this downward trajectory in asset-weighted median expense ratios as the market share of direct share classes increases along with the growth in fund assets, leading to lower expense ratios.

Funds in India are not permitted to charge performance fees. Investors in India sometimes pay for advice in addition to vehicle-related expenses for commission-free share classes, though such instances are still limited.

Key Takeaways From Other Markets:

The majority of the 26 markets we studied saw the asset-weighted median expense ratios for domestic and available-for-sale funds fall since the 2019 study. For domestically domiciled funds, the trend was most notable in allocation and equity funds, with 17 markets in each category reporting reduced fees.

Lower asset-weighted median fees are driven by a combination of asset flows to cheaper funds as well as the repricing of existing investments. In markets where retail investors have access to multiple sales channels, investors are increasingly aware of the importance of minimising investment costs, which has led them to favour lower-cost fund share classes.

Outside the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, and the Netherlands, it is rare for investors to pay for financial advice directly, as the global fund industry structure perpetuates the use of loads and trail commissions. Consequently, many investors will unavoidably pay for advice that they do not seek or receive. Even in markets where share classes without trail commissions are technically registered for sale, such as Italy, they are not easily accessible for the average retail investor, given that fund distribution is dominated by intermediaries, notably banks.

Australia, India, and the Netherlands remain the only markets to effectively ban front loads. The primary beneficiary of front-loads is the fund distributor (notably banks). There appears to be a lack of political will to phase out front-loads in global markets, despite the clear misaligned incentives that front-loads can create. The Australian Banking Royal Commission and the misselling that led to the UK Retail Distribution Review painfully highlight the impact that misaligned distributor incentives can have on retail investors.

The move toward fee-based financial advice in the US and Australia has spurred the demand for lower-cost funds like passives. Institutions and advisers have increasingly opted against costlier share classes that embed advice and distribution fees. The trend extends to markets such as India. The growth of F-class shares in Canada is another notable example.

In markets where banks continue to dominate fund distribution, particularly in Asia, investors still confront sales loads, although those who purchase funds online will often benefit compared with those who choose to buy funds from banks. While these online channels can avoid excessive up-front loads, we have yet to see evidence that these new channels are driving the asset-weighted median fee lower.

Appropriate performance-fee structures and disclosures remain a watch area for Morningstar. In markets like New Zealand where there is no prescription by regulation for the performance-fee benchmark to be appropriate and tied to the asset allocation of the fund, this has led to some inappropriate benchmarks being used as hurdle rates by local fund managers. Large performance-fee earnings that reflect market movements rather than manager skill have been evidenced in recent years.

Price wars in the Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) space have also put downward pressure on fund fees across the globe. In the US, competition has driven fees to zero in the case of a handful of index funds and ETFs, and these competitive forces are spreading to other corners of the fund market.

Download the full report here.

ALSO READ:
Autry Stephens always thought he knew what his career path would be.



Its been a lot different, he observed of his long career in the oil and gas industry, sitting in the conference room in his companys offices in downtown Midland.



What I thought I wanted, to start out with, was a good job, work for the same company 30 years and retire with a good retirement, said Stephens, the recent recipient of the Permian Basins Petroleum Associations Top Hand Award. In the real world, it didnt turn out that way.

Instead of that long-term job and a good retirement, Stephens instead founded Endeavor Energy Resources and grew it into the largest closely-held producers in Texas by production volume. He didnt stop there, also founding a number of service companies, among them Big Dog Drilling.

Stephens began life on a DeLeon-area farm, with expectations he would join the family business. But he acknowledged that he wasnt a very good farmer and a major drought his final year of high school prompted his father to advise him to consider something else because farming is a hard way to make a living.

With, as he admitted, his main criteria being a job, Stephens chose engineering in part because it was a good job and engineers seemed to work in exotic locations. So, he earned a degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.

He never did work in exotic locations  except when the military sent hm to Paris during his two year-stint in the service. His first industry job was working for Humble Oil in Pecos. Humble also sent him to Midland, Abilene and back to Midland where, in 1969 he was offered a position with First National Bank of Midland doing oil and gas property appraisals.

He stepped out on his own after a decade with the bank, launching a short-lived consulting business. After getting fired by his main client, he decided to develop some acreage he had bought near Greenwood. Forming Endeavor, he drilled his first Spraberry well in 1979, then drilled two in 1980 and four in 1981.

I had gained familiarity with the Spraberry Trend through customers, he explained of the long-lived play that Endeavors sole focus.

What I liked about it was its sure. It didnt take long to pay out and you get a 10 to 15 percent return on a five-year payout.

In building Endeavor, he said he tried to take a more long-term view and focused on rates of returns from projects that could be earned over the life of the project.

Also, he said, I realize that the people actually do all the work. Without them, Im nothing. I have a lot of respect for our associates here. I try to have an egalitarian culture where everyones equal.

Over the years, he said Endeavor has contributed a lot in ad valorem and severance taxes. But the company has also supported Habitat for Humanity, Museum of the Southwest, helped fund a new volunteer fire station in eastern Midland County and he supports employees community efforts.

I think my major contribution is creating good paying jobs and stable jobs, he said.

Reflecting on his 60 years in the industry, Stephens said he has seen it advance from engineers using hand-held calculators to supercomputers. Hes seen the advent of 3-D seismic, which he said helped in the development of horizontal drilling and the exploitation of different zones and all the good wells.

And hes seen the price of oil begin to dominate conversations. When he started, he said, the industry was stable and no one was talking about the price of oil  about $3 at the time with gasoline at 16 cents a gallon.

The industry started to change a lot in 1973 with the oil embargo, he said. We found we didnt have as much oil capacity as we thought.

Looking to today, he said he is pleased with the resurgence of US production but concerned about the current regulatory climate.

Its really been good for the country, this resurgence of production and reduction of imports. Its helped the economy, created jobs. I felt patriotic as an oil producer. I felt I was helping my country. Now, the present administration considers you an industrial criminal or something.

He frets about the perception that the world would be better off without oil and gas. Currently, the No. 1 problem is the entire administration wants us to go out of existence without any replacement. Thats bad.
Interview: University rector optimistic about Uzbekistan-China relations

Xinhua) 09:48, March 30, 2022

TASHKENT, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Uzbekistan-China ties have remained strong since the two countries established diplomatic relations three decades ago, an expert told Xinhua recently.

Ulugbek Azizov, rector of the Uzbekistan State University of World Languages, made the remarks as the five Central Asian countries, including Uzbekistan, are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with China this year, which is a "landmark event and has a key importance in the history of the countries in this region."

Speaking specifically on Uzbekistan-China relations, Azizov said that thanks to joint efforts, the two countries have managed to lay a solid foundation for practical cooperation and have upgraded ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Along with a significant contribution to the socio-economic development of Uzbekistan, he said China has also provided crucial assistance in developing science, education and personnel training, including for Chinese language studies.

In recent years, the number of Uzbeks studying the Chinese language has grown tenfold, said the expert, noting in the early 90s, only a few hundred people were learning Chinese. Today, there are thousands, he said.

Most learners are in private schools and centers, Confucius Institutes in Tashkent and Samarkand, and departments and faculties of Chinese philology at the country's higher educational institutions, among which the Uzbekistan State University of World Languages occupies a special place.

"(The) interest in studying Chinese by students of the university is growing from year to year. Chinese has been studied at the university as the main and second foreign language since 2010. Our students regularly participate in the international competition 'Chinese Language Bridge', which annually gathers Chinese speakers from throughout the country," the rector said.

"Uzbekistan and China have a common goal and have great prospects for interaction. In cooperation with our Chinese colleagues, we will make our contribution to the further development of friendship between our peoples and states," Azizov noted.

The expert also discussed relations between China and the five central Asian countries at large, saying that the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative will contribute to further integrating these countries into the world community.

According to Azizov, during the past three decades, the region's countries have achieved unprecedented economic and social success, in large part due to beneficial cooperation with China.

(Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun)
A fire broke out at a shoe manufacturing factory on Wednesday in the Narela industrial area of the national capital, a fire department official said.

The official informed that they received a call about the fire incident at 11.27 a.m. in a factory at plot no 2651, B block, near MSP Mall, Narela Industrial area, in northern Delhi after which as many as 5 fire tenders were immediately pressed into service.

"The inferno has been brought under control now," the official told IANS.

The official was unable to furnish details about any injuries or casualties.
They say the internet is permanent, but Casey Kasems American Top 40 radio show is on its way to forever, too.

Just ask Rhonda Byus-McBride and Jeff James.

It was summer 1982 and the best friends had just graduated from Jacksonville High School. James was about to head off to Marine Corps boot camp in California when he wrote a long-distance dedication to Byus-McBride and mailed it off to the internationally syndicated radio show American Top 40.

I dont know, James said Monday from North Carolina, where he now serves as CEO of a health care company. I was 18 years old and getting ready to set off on this great adventure. I never dreamed in a million years it would get played.

Long-distance dedications were a mainstay of the show, with people writing to Kasem from around the world to tell him of their feelings  platonic, romantic or otherwise  for someone and to request that a song be played for that person.

James dedication to Byus-McBride, which first aired in November 1982, aired again this past weekend, thanks to the original episodes of the popular show continuing in reruns on SiriusXM satellite radio.

In it, James thanked Rhonda back home in Jacksonville, Illinois, for her friendship and requested that Kasem play Billy Joels Shes Got a Way.

If you know Rhonda, shes got a way about her, James said. Everyone who knows her would say shes got a way about her.

We were classmates and best friends, even though we were just friends; we didnt date, Byus-McBride said.  We had a lot of fun. I made him laugh.

Their friendship relied on the U.S. Postal Service during James time in boot camp.

I would send him one letter a week, Byus-McBride said. It was almost a gossip column, to keep him in the loop so he wouldnt be so homesick. His friends at boot camp were always anxious to see if he got a letter. I had a way of making him laugh, making him lighten up.

That mail call often included something for James wasnt missed by those around him.

She wrote frequently, which was really awesome, James said. Those are long stories about boot camp but, essentially, if you got too many letters from the same person, the boot camp instructor would know about it and make sure everyone else knew.

That wasnt quite as awesome.

She would put perfume on (her letters), which didnt help me much at all, he said with a laugh.

While James called it shocking that his heartfelt missive popped up again, it wasnt the first time.

One Saturday morning, my daughters had a sleepover, said Byus-McBride, now retired and living in Florida. We were fixing pancakes and that came on the radio. I said, Everyone be quiet, listen to this. I dont know if they believed me at first, but my girls know Jeff.

James also has heard it a time or two in the almost 40 years since it first aired.

I think I heard it once a long time ago on a repeat, he said. When I listened to the radio more. I havent heard it in years.

It does come up, though.

I do on occasion tell people about it now, James said. Sometimes its in some high-level corporate job, those team-building exercises. Tell two things about you that no one would believe. People I work with would not consider me an overly sentimental person.

The pair has stayed in touch over the years, with Byus-McBrides daughters knowing James family and James wife and children knowing Byus-McBrides family. They said they last saw each other in person a few years ago when they both ended up in Arizona at the same time and last spoke on James birthday.

I called him on his birthday in January, Byus-McBride said, noting with a laugh that he missed her birthday earlier this month.  I think this is the first birthday he ever missed.

They are talking about getting together in person again soon, they said.

Were not getting any younger, Byus-McBride said. We make more of an effort to stay in touch.

Though both find it amusing that a gesture to thank a friend has had such longevity, theres perhaps something to be said for the reruns.

Byus-McBride actually missed James' long-distance dedication the first time around.

I always listened to Casey Kasem, Byus-McBride said. And for whatever reason, I didnt that day. My younger sister would tape it every week and listen to it all week, so I do have a copy of it.
Jacksonville City Council has approved a zoning change needed to bring a retail marijuana dispensary to the city.

Council on Monday voted 8-1 in favor of the dispensary, to be built at 1112 Veterans Drive. Alderman Darcella Speed was absent, while Alderman Alison Rubin de Celis was the sole no vote. It was the second of two required readings for a necessary zoning change to be approved, with council members approving first reading 9-1 on March 15.

The rezoning request was filed by Kenny Pleasant, strategic consultant for Washington-based dispensary company Kush21. The new store will be Kush21s first location outside of Washington. Pleasant was not at the meeting and was unavailable for comment Tuesday.

The idea was met with some trepidation from a few Jacksonville residents. At the meeting, three people voiced their disagreement with the dispensary, citing concerns that it may cause an increase in crime in the area or cause people to become addicted to marijuana.

Adult-use cannabis dispensaries are not new to the state or to west-central Illinois, but most of those in the region are in Springfield, which has six, or Quincy, which has three. The next-closest locations from Jacksonville are Williamsville, about 50 miles to the northeast, and Litchfield, about 70 miles to the southeast.

Recreational marijuana has been legal in the state since Jan. 1, 2020, although it remains strongly regulated and licensed. Buyers must be at least 21 years old.

City Council on Jan. 13, 2020, approved amending its zoning codes in anticipation of any such requests. Among the requirements for dispensaries is that they cannot be within 150 feet of a nursery, school or residential care facility or of a residential property.

It also stipulates that cannabis-related businesses may be required to install enhancements, such as security cameras, lighting or other improvements for safety.
MANCHESTER  A Roodhouse man died Tuesday when the dump truck he was driving hit an embankment and overturned.

According to Illinois State Police, David A. Benton, 20, of Roodhouse was going east on Alsey-Manchester Road about a half-mile west of U.S. 67 when his truck went off the road about 11:09 a.m.
Provided

Janet Chipman of Jacksonville has received First National Bank of Arenzville's Blue Diamond Community Service Award for 2021 for her volunteer work in the community and dedication to education.

She graduated from Triopia High School, Illinois College and the University of Illinois Springfield, receiving a masters degree in educational leadership. Chipman has taught at Triopia, North Jacksonville Elementary and Jacksonville Middle School. She now teaches part-time at Routt Catholic High School.
Provided

PITTSFIELD  A charitable trust that promotes the protection and welfare of animals in Pike County is providing $14,000 to the county's spay-and-neuter program.

The money from the Richard L. Gray Perpetual Charitable Trust will provide certificates to residents who need assistance to spay or neuter an animal, according to Farmers State Bank, which is the trustee of the fund.
The members of Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha on Wednesday staged a protest outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the latter's recent remarks in the Assembly on 'The Kashmir Files' movie.

The Aam Aadmi Party, however, alleged that the protesters attacked the Chief Minister's house.

"CM Arvind Kejriwal's HOUSE ATTACKED BY BJP! SECURITY BARRIERS BROKEN, CCTVs CAMERAS BROKEN, GATE VANDALISED, WITH FULL SUPPORT FROM BJP'S DELHI POLICE. All for demanding Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits?," the party tweeted from its official handle.

Confirming about the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sagar Singh Kalsi said that around 11.30 a.m. onwards a protest was started by around 150-200 protesters of the BJP Yuva Morcha outside the chief minister's residence.

"Around 1 p.m., some of the protesters breached two barricades and reached outside the CM House where they created ruckus, shouted slogans, etc. They were carrying a small box of paint from which they threw paint outside the door. In the imbroglio, a boom barrier arm was also found vandalised as also a CCTV camera," Kalsi said.

The senior police official further informed that the police team immediately removed them from the spot and detained around 70 persons.

"Legal action is being initiated," he added.

Notably, the protest was led by BJP Yuva Morcha's national secretary Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga and its national president Tejasvi Surya.
Walking for Wellness: 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jacksonville High School Bowl, 215 S. Church St. Free | Indoor walking program open each day Jacksonville schools are in session.

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Morgan County Partners in Care: 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m., Springfield Clinic, 15 Founders Lane. | Community health event for patients age 50 and older. Light refreshments. Appointments required for vaccines or lipid screenings. Call 217-479-5800.

Story Time: 10 a.m., Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave. Free | Stories and a craft. For more information, call 217-243-5435 or email clangdon@jaxpl.org.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Commodity Food Distribution: 1:15 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. Free | For income-eligible residents of Morgan County. Bring proof of residence and a box for food.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

Women's History Month Book Club: Sin in the Second City: 6:30 p.m., Illinois State Museum online event. | Discussion of the book "Sin in the Second City." Online event. Advance registration required at bit.ly/EverleighBookClub. Book not included. For more information, contact events@illinoisstatemuseum.org or call 217-558-6696.

County Line Dance Club Class: 6:30 p.m., The Hangout Bar & Grill, 901 W. Superior Ave. $5.

March Book Club: 6:30 p.m., Our Town Books virtual event. | Discuss the newest book club pick, "Beautiful World, Where Are You" by Sally Rooney.

Author Zoom Event: 7 p.m., Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave. | Author Jenny Lawson will discuss her memoir, "Broken (in the best possible way)," with author, playwright and screenwriter R. Eric Thomas. Zoom event can be viewed at home or at the library. Email Courtney at clangdon@jaxplorg for link. No registration required for in-person viewing.

Rivers of Life All-Clergy Band: 7 p.m., Naples United Methodist Church, Caroll and Bond streets. Donations accepted. | For more information, call 217-473-7640.

Thursday

Walking for Wellness: 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jacksonville High School Bowl, 215 S. Church St. Free | Indoor walking program open each day Jacksonville schools are in session.

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.
It may surprise you to learn that academic cheating  the business of gaining unfair or unauthorized advantage during a test or on a course assignment  is actually a business.

Around the world, companies are making billions of dollars selling test answers, trading tests, hawking pre-written essays or writing entirely new work for students. There are even people who can, for a fee, take entire classes or take a students tests.

When students pay their way to test scores and course grades and degrees and credentials, three things happen. One, the value of that degree  what it means to have it  goes down. When cheating happens, a degree no longer represents learning. The second thing is that people enter the workforce unprepared. Even though they finished school or have a credential, nurses dont actually know nursing, engineers dont really know engineering and teachers dont know how to teach. Third and most disturbing to me is the inequity gap that grows between those who can afford to pay to cheat and those who cannot.

Those realities make it troubling that, 24 hours a day, any student can buy an answer to a homework question in minutes. During a test, students can text any problem and get the answer before their test ends. Easier yet, they can snap a photo of the exam and get all the answers.

There are companies that encourage students to upload their tests and answers to massive document banks. Those companies then sell those tests and assignments back to other students. For a profit, of course.

And then there are the essay mills. You can get a custom essay on any topic youd like  in a day. Theres even a rush service. Its simple. And scary.

Some cheating companies have millions of subscribers. Some of them are publicly traded entities posing as student support services. They spend millions on ads and on social media, messaging students directly saying you deserve to have fun or being a student is so stressful or your teacher is terrible. All this is to make cheating logical, normal and easy. Oh, and to make money.

All that money means that teachers and schools are outmatched in their efforts to educate students not to cheat. It would be like one person trying to take down Amazon. Its little wonder that cheating is increasing.

I watch this closely because the company I work with helps schools prevent cheating. We monitor online tests and not only stop cheating before it happens, weve also broken up professional testing rings. One professional cheater we caught had more than 100 clients who were paying him to take their classes  simply swiping their credit cards for college credit  not even bothering to show up.

Many institutions valiantly work to deter academic misconduct, running education campaigns and changing courses and assessments. Most schools use some form of anti-cheating technology. Nonetheless, we are in a vicious cycle where the cheating sellers will always be better motivated and better funded than academic institutions. And trying just to match them costs money  money that could be spent on teaching or scholarships or a thousand other things. Its just one more way that cheating hurts us all.

But what can we do about it? One thing we can do is be open about it  acknowledge that cheating exists, that its on the rise and share what we know.

Having good benchmarks, measures of how much cheating is happening, and where and how its growing can support collective action. In the last year, several universities and colleges started reporting on cheating. Thats a good thing. They all should. And soon, our company will release our numbers, what weve seen from more than 4 million exams from last year. We encourage others with similar data to share it.

It would also help if we made it more difficult for cheating providers to promote their illicit wares. The United Kingdom and Ireland are leaders in this regard. Ireland got Facebook to take down ads for contract cheating. Australia has formally asked social media companies to delete and ban advertisements for cheating and made selling cheating illegal. As a result, Australia recently announced that searches for cheating services dropped 23% last year.

These are small steps but combined they limit the mobility and audacity of cheating companies to lure students into misconduct. If we can do those things, we can create the space for education efforts that instill a culture of academic integrity to take hold.
The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces says the Russian withdrawal pledge is designed to mislead, BBC reported.

In a daily operational update posted to Facebook, the general staff said the Russian units were continuing to move away from both Kyiv and Chernihiv. Russia has already said it will now focus on operations in the eastern Donbas region.

Ukraine's military believes the withdrawals "are probably a rotation of individual units" aimed at misleading Ukraine's military leadership and creating a "misconception" about the meaning of their deployment, BBC reported.

The update echoes statements made by Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, who said the threat to Kyiv remained despite Russian troop movements away from the city.

Additionally, the update noted that the enemy continued to "fire and storm" near Donetsk, in the east.

"Ukrainians aren't naive", Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, reacting to Russia's promise that it would scale down military operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv.

The pledge came after peace talks began on Tuesday between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.

But a sceptical Zelensky said that while initial signs from the talks were "positive", they do not "drown out" the explosions of Russian shells. Other countries also reacted with caution.

US President Joe Biden said, "I don't read anything into it until I see what their actions are." US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there was a difference between what Russia says and does.

Leaders from the UK, France, Germany and Italy too have urged the West not to drop its guard against Russia.

"They agreed there could be no relaxation of Western resolve until the horror inflicted on Ukraine is over," they said, according to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office, BBC reported.
Lower Sonora Save Mart View Photo

Modesto, CA  A longtime Central Valley-based grocery chain has been sold to a private equity firm in Los Angeles.

Save Mart Companies has been acquired by Kingswood Capital Management. Headquartered in Modesto, Save Mart has nearly 200 stores under the banners of Save Mart, Lucky California and FoodMaxx. It has 14,000 employees. There are two stores in Sonora and one in Angels Camp.

Im excited for this opportunity with Kingswood to invest in and grow The Save Mart Companies family of stores, said Chris McGarry, CEO of The Save Mart Companies. The Piccinini family (founders) did a tremendous job in fostering a commitment to innovation and service as they built and grew this company in the Central Valley and throughout California.

In addition to its retail operation, Save Mart also operates SMART Refrigerated Transport and is a partner in Super Store Industries (SSI), which owns and operates a distribution center in Lathrop, and the Sunnyside Farms dairy processing plant in Turlock. The first Save Mart store opened in Modesto in 1952.

Terms of the sale were not disclosed. No immediate operational changes were announced.

Kingswood Capital Management, LP is a private investment firm primarily focused on investing in businesses in transition. It also owns Alameda-based Cost Plus World Market, which it acquired in January of last year.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Provided by Swisher County Sheriff's Office Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Provided by Swisher County Sheriff's Office Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Two men from Plainview are in custody in suspected in Swisher County in connection to a murder in Tulia on Sunday.

Tulia police were dispatched to the 100 block of N. El Paso in Tulia in reference to a report of shots fired around 1:30 a.m. A man  whose name was not released to The Herald by press time  was found to have been shot in the chest.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

A Tulia man wanted since July 2021 was captured in Oregon on Monday.

The Tulia Police Department issued two warrants for James Mark Bishop, 49, last July for continuous sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child. The Texas County Sheriffs Office in Oklahoma also issued a warrant to revoke his probation for five counts of knowingly downloading child pornography.

Working off investigative information, members of the U.S. Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force located and arrested Bishop in a rural area east of Medford, Oregon, according to new information on his Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives profile.

Bishop is a white man with a criminal history dating back to 2007 when he was arrested and convicted of five counts of knowingly downloading child pornography. He was working as a sheriffs deputy for the Texas County Sheriffs Office in Oklahoma at the time.

He went to prison and was released on probation in 2011 and moved to Tulia.

Bishop was arrested again in 2020 in Tulia for continuous sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact for incidents involving a 12-year-old girl. He bonded out and ran off.

He was named to the Texas Most Wanted Fugitives List in October.

The Texas County SO issued its warrants on July 7. The Tulia PD followed several days later with its own warrants on July 28.
Three Pakistan security personnel were killed and 18 others injured in an overnight attack on a Frontier Corps (FC) fort in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Tank district, Dawn reported.

The injured were shifted to the district hospital where an emergency was declared while more troops had been dispatched to the area.

In a , the police said three terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire that began late on Tuesday night and continued till Wednesday morning.

The incident comes days after four soldiers were killed in North Waziristan's Hassan Khel area during an exchange of fire with terrorists who attempted to infiltrate into Pakistan from Afghanistan in the night between March 23 and March 24.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a group of terrorists had tried to infiltrate Pakistan at midnight, but their attempt was foiled due to the "alertness and timely response of army troops".

"The terrorists, having failed, fled... and as per intelligence reports, suffered heavy casualties," the statement had read.
Click here to read the full article.

Human remains found in an Ohio garage belonged to a fraternal organization that used them in rituals, according to local authorities.

On March 24, a resident of the small city of Mount Healthy, outside Cincinnati, went to investigate a freestanding garage near his home after hearing voices nearby, according to a statement released by the Mount Healthy Police Department. The person entered the garage and found a box which appeared to contain decomposed human remains, the statement said, and alerted the authorities. The coroner collected the remains and police began an investigation.

The next day, police announced the bones had seemingly been relics used in rituals by a fraternal order known as the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a fraternal order that was founded in the U.S. in the early 1800s.

Mount Healthy Police Chief Vincent Demasi says authorities traced the origin of the bones, which are thought to be about a century old, by speaking with a family who had purchased an Odd Fellows lodge nearby when the group left town decades ago. When they moved, the Odd Fellows left many items in the lodge, including the bones, Demasi says. The new homeowners stored the bones and other things left behind by the group in a rented garage.

According to Demasi, the homeowners had asked the Odd Fellows about the bones when they discovered them after purchasing the lodge. The familyinquired about the bones and were told they were of a female named Frida who died in prison and her body was unclaimed, Demasi says. Back in those days, unclaimed bodies could be sold for various purposes. How the Odd Fellows came to be in possession of the bones is unknown.

The police announced in their statement that the bones had been used by the Odd Fellows as part of their organizations rituals. Pressed for more detail on exactly the role the remains are thought to have played in these rituals, Demasi told Rolling Stone he did not know.

According to the groups website, the Odd Fellows originated in England and established themselves in North America in the early Nineteenth Century. Reporting by the Cincinnati Enquirer indicates the group is still active today, with 40 lodges in Ohio.

Penny Castle, grand secretary for the Grand Lodge of Ohio, told the Enquirer that bones are used in ceremonies to represent mortality and remind people to live their lives to the fullest. The ones Ive seen have been plastic or paper-mache, Castle told the Enquirer. The ones years ago may have been different.

Reached for comment about the discovery of the remains, Chuck Lusk, Sovereign Grand Master of the order, pointed to a 2017 Atlas-Obscura article that documented the use of skeletons in initiation ceremonies and the frequency with which bones are discovered in Odd Fellows lodges. In reference to the bones found in Ohio, we can not be sure that these had anything to do with the IOOF since they were not in a lodge hall but in a garage that did not belong to this order, he says.

A mission statement on the Odd Fellows website says the group strives to provide a framework that promotes personal and social development. Their activities aim to improve and elevate every person to a higher, nobler plane; to extend sympathy and aid to those in need, making their burdens lighter, relieving the darkness of despair; to war against vice in every form, and to be a great moral power and influence for the good of humanity.

The Hamilton County Coroners Office has not identified the bones and was not immediately available for an interview about whether an ID can be expected.
A man is facing an array of charges after he taunted Laredo police officers while holding a knife, according to an arrest affidavit.

On March 18, Jerry Lewis Johnson Jr., 37, was arrested for allegedly impersonating a security officer outside a local bar. Thats when he was served with multiple arrest warrants in relation to a domestic disturbance reported in January.

Regarding the domestic violence incident, officers were dispatched at about 7:16 a.m. Jan. 8 in the 2900 block of East Clark Boulevard. A woman stated that her boyfriend, Johnson, arrived home drunk and that he broke her cellphone while she was calling 911. She met with police officers in the 2200 block of North Arkansas Avenue.

She told police that Johnson woke her up. She added that Johnson gets crazy when he drinks. To avoid problems, she called 911 to get Johnson out of the house but the call got cut off. Johnson allegedly told her not to call the police. She told him she only wanted him out of the residence. When Johnson noticed that she was going to call police again, he took the phone away and broke it, according to court documents.

Johnson then slapped her on the left side of her face. She stated she did not want to file charges but wanted Johnson out of the residence. Officers went to the apartment on East Clark, where Johnson was in the porch area. He was uncooperative. Johnson locked the gates to prevent officers from getting inside the property.

Asked if he had weapons, Johnson allegedly replied, I have a lot of weapons. He then took out a knife and refused to put it down, according to police. Officers drew their service weapons while Johnson kept saying pop it pop it as he was walking toward the officers, court documents state.

Johnson continued taunting officers on the street with the knife on his right hand. He then threw the knife to the ground following several commands. Johnson then turned around to walk back toward the residence. Thats when a police officer deployed her Taser, but the Taser failed. Johnson would lock himself inside the home.

Mr. Johnson was arguing with us through a black metal door stating he was ready to die today and asked us if we were ready to die today, an officer wrote in the affidavit.

Meanwhile, his girlfriend decided to leave him there saying she would go to her parents residence. She further stated that Johnson is a very different person once he is sober up. Officers decided to leave Johnson at the residence because he was by himself and no one was in danger. Police did recover the knife Johnson used to taunt the cops.

Authorities presented their case to an assistant district attorney, who approved the issuance of warrants for Johnson. He was charged with three counts of aggravated assault against a public servant, assault family violence, criminal mischief and interference with an emergency request for assistance.
pabst_ell/Getty Images/iStockphoto

More than 1.75 million animals were killed across the country by the department in 2021, about 200 creatures every hour, according to the latest annual toll of animals killed by Wildlife Services, a department within the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Wildlife Services says it "provides wildlife damage management assistance to protect agriculture, natural resources, property and health and safety" through the implementation of "integrated wildlife damage management programs." The department says the killing and euthanizing of animals is necessary to protect agricultural output, threatened species and human health.
UPDATE: A collective of businesses on the St. Mary's Strip released a letter Thursday, March 31, saying that while the residential street closures will make visiting businesses "less convenient," the residents of Tobin Hill have "legitimate concerns."

The letter, which was tweeted from Paper Tiger owner Chad Carey's account, says businesses on St. Mary's Street are committed to being neighborly and trying new ideas.

Residential streets will be closed off along a less than half-a-mile stretch starting today, March 31, to Sunday, April 3, from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. each day.

"This weekend's effort isn't permanent, and no changes are going to be made without more thoughtful and informed discussions," the letter states.

The businesses that backed the letter include Paper Tiger, Hi Tones, El Buho, El Ojo, The Squeezebox, Midnight Swim, Faust Tavern, Lonesome Rose, and Rumble.

Original story continues below.

Locals planning to head to the St. Mary's Strip will have to make plans to walk a little further as plans to limit access to residential streets surrounding the popular nightlife go into effect this weekend.

The San Antonio Police Department tweeted Tuesday, March 29, that residential streets will be closed off on a less than half-a-mile stretch of North Saint Mary's Street from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. starting March 31 and ending on April 3. The barricades will extend from Demo's Greek Food to Candlelight or East Ashby Place north to East Magnolia Avenue.

Access to the YMCA-TriPoint parking lot will also be limited. SAPD's recommendation for people headed to the Strip: Plan ahead and take alternate routes.

Courtesy of SAPD/ Google Maps

The residential streets behind the businesses like nightclub Brass Monkey and popular restaurants like Singh's will be closed off. SAPD said in a follow up tweet that the "effort is part of a traffic study that will be conducted to address parking and traffic concerns for residents of the Tobin Hill Neighborhood Association."

Residents have been concerned about safety and crime on residential streets for years. The Tobin Hill Community Association has held several meetings about safety within the past few months, including one on March 17.

District 1 Councilman Mario Bravo, who represents the Tobin Hill area, says that the traffic study was a program that he pushed for after those meetings with the community, which received approval from residents on March 17.

There will a few entry points to the residential streets north and south of limited zones. Bravo says those access points will be monitored by police who will look at IDs or some other proof of residence for people trying to enter the streets.

The goal, Bravo says, is to see if limited access to residential streets will work for the residents who have complained about rowdy locals heading back to their cars from bars and night clubs. Those complaints ranged from people urinating in yards to violent crimes.

The traffic study also includes looking at the width of those residential streets to see if they're wide enough to handle parking from people visiting businesses on St. Mary's Street.

Bravo says the plan received the blessing of businesses on the Strip as well, but he knows that not every business owner has attended the meetings despite the impact this will have.

I think there could be some impact on businesses, Bravo says. The barricades are not permanent, but it's an opportunity for people to see what this would look like, and for them to give us input.

Steven Santana | MySA

Curry Boys BBQ, a smokehouse where Texas barbecue meets Southeast Asian flavors, sits just outside the boundaries of the blocked residential streets. Owner Sean Wen said he just found out about the parking study on Tuesday. As a resident of Tobin Hill, he understands the need to increase safety, but the he is also aware that closed streets can negatively impact businesses during their busiest days.

Wen previously operated the original Pinch Boil House in downtown San Antonio at 124 N. Main Avenue. Whenever there were nearby road closures, customers still avoided the area even if it didn't directly affect the streets near his business.

"It becomes a psychological barrier to entry for a lot of people," Wen says. "People are going to be less willing to drive or try it out or come down or something like that."

He is also worried about the 7 p.m. start time, peak dinner hours for restaurants according to Wen.

Steven Santana | MySA

THCA President Parker Dixon says he was a bit surprised by the start time. Dixon expected a start time of 9 p.m. He says the goal is to deter visitors who are out drinking from entering those residential streets. Either way, he says the parking and traffic studies feel like the residents are finally being heard by the city.

Dixon says that nearly 100 percent of businesses on North Saint Mary's Street are on board with the initiative, including Paper Tiger owner Chad Carey and Hi-Tones co-owner Daniel Delgado.

"I keep saying is it's not Strip-killing measures it's the Strip-driving measures, creating a more safer more functional environment," Dixon says. "It's not going to be perfect and it doesn't need to be perfect."

He says business owners believe customers will find a way to visit their favorite spots no matter what. Still, the future will be filled with "growing pains."
Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.

Ukrainian students across the Texas A&M University Systems 11 campuses and research centers will receive free tuition starting next semester, Chancellor John Sharp said Tuesday.

The university system will cover all tuition and fees, as well as certain living expenses, for the students. At least 14 students from Ukraine have been identified as eligible for the financial support so far, Associate Vice Chancellor Tim Eaton said. The number is likely to increase as more students are identified, he said.

The move is part of the universitys response to Russias invasion of Ukraine. Earlier this month, Texas A&M announced it would be cutting research ties with Russian entities and might do the same with study abroad and faculty exchange programs in Russia.

Our students from Ukraine are in a unique, sad and difficult position as their homeland is under attack, their family members are either fleeing to safety or fighting to save their countrys sovereignty, Sharp said in a Tuesday memo to the university systems presidents. In many cases, our students from Ukraine will no longer have homes to return to, and their parents remain unable to work ... or worse.

The funds for the new initiative will come from the university systems Regents Grant program, which was designed to help students who have been through a disaster, Eaton said. It was created in 2018 for victims of Hurricane Harvey with plans to give away up to $30 million over 10 years.

I am certain you will agree that the devastation our students and their family face qualifies them for this assistance, Sharp said.

Sharps memo also said the university system will open its facilities to accommodate displaced Ukrainian professors and students so they can continue their work and research in Texas.

The Texas A&M University System will not sit by and offer any support to Russia, as Putin continues his illegal and immoral attack on Ukraine and its people, Sharp said.

We cant wait to welcome you in person and online to the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival, our multiday celebration of big, bold ideas about politics, public policy and the days news  all taking place just steps away from the Texas Capitol from Sept. 22-24. When tickets go on sale in May, Tribune members will save big. Donate to join or renew today.

Disclosure: Texas A&M University and the Texas A&M University System have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
Sri Lanka's Public Utilities Commission announced that there will be 10-hour daily power cuts from Wednesday.

Sri Lanka has been facing power cuts since February due to dwindling electricity production in hydro power plants as well as diesel shortages that have crippled the operations of thermal power plants, the commission said, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Ceylon Electricity Board said in a statement that they were "compelled to take demand management measures due to inadequate power generation, as a result of fuel shortage and unavailability of generators."

Meanwhile, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) on Tuesday announced that there will be a diesel shortage in the country on Wednesday and Thursday.

"We were unable to unload 37,500 tonnes of diesel shipment as planned on Tuesday. Therefore, we request the public not to queue up at filling stations for diesel on March 30 and 31," CPC Chairman Sumith Wijesinghe told the media.

Wijesinghe said the remaining stocks of diesel would be given to essential services.
Tom Reel /Staff file photo

The University of Texas at San Antonio has received some praise for several of its graduate programs from the U.S. News and World Report's 2023 Best Graduate School rankings. For the ranking, U.S. News and World Report collected statistical survey data from more than 2,150 programs and reputation survey data from more than 23,000 academics and professionals.

According to a release from UTSA on Tuesday, March 29, The Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design earned several accolades from the annual rankings list. The college took the No. 89 spot for environmental engineering, No. 99 for electrical engineering, and No. 99 for mechanical engineering.
A Houston area student who was allegedly harassed and bullied by her teachers for refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance has won a $90,000 settlement, according to the civil rights organization American Atheists.

The Texas Association of School Boards paid to resolve the case after the Klein Oak High School student's 12th-grade sociology teacher agreed to settle before things went to trial, the organization announced in a Tuesday news release, which was first reported by the Houston Chronicle's Rebecca Hennes.

In the 2017 suit, the nonreligious student says she was discriminated against and harassed by several teachers after choosing to abstain from saying the pledge out of objection to the words "Under God" and her belief that "liberty and justice for all" is not guaranteed for people of color in the U.S.

Despite knowing that the student was exempt from the pledge, the teacher, identified in the suit as Benjie Arnold, singled out the student and threatened to fail her for not observing the pledge. According to the release, Arnold told the student that what she did left him "no option but to give you a zero, and you can have all the beliefs and resentment and animosity that you want."

Arnold also offered to pay students to move students to Europe if they didn't like living in America, as evidenced by an audio recording of the incident. Due to the incessant harassment, the student temporarily withdrew to be homeschooled. However, the harassment continued and intensified when she returned to Klein Oak, the release said.

Geoffrey T. Blackwell, litigation counsel at American Atheists, said the settlement serves as a reminder that students do not lose their First Amendment rights when they step onto school grounds. "The classroom is not a pulpit," he said. "It is a place of education, not indoctrination."

Houston civil rights attorney Randall Kallinen, who worked in partnership with Blackwell, said in the release, "It is incrediblethe time and money spent by the Klein Independent School District to stop a students free speech. School staff need to teach the Constitution, not violate it.

Arnold is still a teacher at Klein Oak High School, according to Courthouse News Service, and celebrated 50 years with the district in 2020.
The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Im

Texas taxpayers will collectively cover at least $45,000 for Attorney General Ken Paxton's legal defense against complaints to the State Bar over requests he made to the Supreme Court seeking the overturning of 2020 presidential election results in favor of former President Donald Trump.

Taylor Goldenstein of the Houston Chronicle reported Tuesday that Paxton faces at least three misconduct complaints over his December suit, which was dismissed by the nation's highest court over lack of jurisdiction within days of it being filed. Two of the complaints allege that the litigation, in which Paxton attempted to dispute ballots cast in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin, was "frivolous."
Dear patient readers,

Lambert and I, and many readers, agree that Ukraine has prompted the worst informational environment ever. We hope readers will collaborate in mitigating the fog of war  both real fog and stage fog  in comments. None of us need more cheerleading and link-free repetition of memes; there are platforms for that. Low-value, link-free pom pom-wavers will be summarily whacked.

And for those who are new here, this is not a mere polite request. We have written site Policies and those who comment have accepted those terms. To prevent having to resort to the nuclear option of shutting comments down entirely until more sanity prevails, as we did during the 2015 Greek bailout negotiations and shortly after the 2020 election, we are going to be ruthless about moderating and blacklisting offenders.

Yves

P.S. Also, before further stressing our already stressed moderators, read our site policies:

Please do not write us to ask why a comment has not appeared. We do not have the bandwidth to investigate and reply. Using the comments section to complain about moderation decisions/tripwires earns that commenter troll points. Please dont do it. Those comments will also be removed if we encounter them.

P.P.S. One of our mods is on holiday till the end of the month, so comment liberation may take longer than usual. We are very sorry! Please be patient.

* * *

Britains loudest bird is back! How the once extinct bittern is booming Guardian (furzy)

CRISPR: US biofirm plans to gene-edit cats so they dont trigger allergies New Scientist (Dr. Kevin). Leave cats alone! There is the Rex for the allergic, although sadly they look like they belong in a cheesy sci-fi movie.

Worlds Largest Wildlife Overpass Will Be Built Over 101 Freeway Near Los Angeles MyModernMet (David L)

Is the Salton Sea hiding enough lithium to power America? Freethink (Dr. Kevin)

Scientists think they can control the weather using chaos theory Next Web (David L)

A physician didnt shower for 5 years. Heres what he found out. Freethink (Dr. Kevin). Even though I am sure he is right, I just cant imagine

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EVIDENCE FOR PSYCHIC FUNCTIONING Professor Jessica Utts, University of California, Davis (Dr. Kevin)

#COVID-19

Passengers positive for COVID on cruise billed as fully vaccinated USA Today (furzy). No surprise to regular readers.

Climate/Environment

China?

Huawei: The Chinese tech giant Trump couldnt kill Axios (resilc). I dont think that was his intent, but he was at best naive about the fact that even if he gave Western firms the opportunity to gain ground, Huawei was too well entrenched for much of that to happen.

India

New Not-So-Cold War

Syraqistan

New Documentary by Frontline and ProPublica Reveals Origins of the Stolen Election Myth ProPublica (David L)

Biden

Soaring Prices Are Changing the Way People Eat Bloomberg (J-LS). Yours truly has been stockpiling.

The Red Wedding for Rural Pharmacies Matt Stoller (Chuck L). Write your Congressman. Even if you arent affected now, you will be if this precedent sticks. This is PBMs refusing to accept any cut to their egregious grifting.

Winnebago RV and boat maker has a $4.4 billion backlog Business Insider (resilc)

Satellite spots stranded container ship Ever Forward, a year after Suezs Ever Given Space (furzy)

Hackers steal more than $600 million from maker of Axie Infinity NBC. Furzy: Lordy.cant they track the hackers via the ethereum wallet, as it is part of a blockchain?

The Workaday Life of the Worlds Most Dangerous Ransomware Gang Wired (David L)

How Your Shadow Credit Score Could Decide Whether You Get an Apartment ProPublica (J-LS)

US yield curve inverts in possible recession signal Financial Times (Kevin W)

Guillotine Watch

Class Warfare

Cancer Patients Are at High Risk of Depression and Suicide, Studies Find New York Times. Resilc highlights this section: Suicide rates among people with cancer were notably higher in the United States than in Europe, Asia or Australia, the study found. The authors speculated that the high cost of health care in the United States might have led some patients to forgo treatment to avoid bankrupting their families. They also wondered if easier access to firearms in the United States compared to countries in other world regions could have contributed to the higher suicide rates.

Antidote du jour (CV):

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Given that the war in Ukraine is the focus of a massive propaganda operation in the West, its telling that its fading a bit from attention, either by design or a need to regroup. While the business press still gives the war top billing due to the fact that energy supplies and pricing around the globe are very much in play, the level of discussion on Twitter in the last couple of days has dropped dramatically. Similarly, I dont check into Daily Mail religiously, but not all that long ago, Russias campaign crowded out celebrity coverage. By contrast, the last two days, the first conflict-related story, this on a TV host in Russia calling for regime change in the US, was well below the fold.

Not that there arent new developments, mind you. Russia and Ukraine concluded two days of talks in Istanbul. Progress was made and the two sides will meet again. As I understand it (and readers are welcome to correct me) Ukraine presented a proposal. It appears Russia didnt, due to some combination of having already set forth its red lines and not wanting to negotiate against itself.

The two sides appear to have closed the gap on some issues. Russia said it will provide more in the way of a response in the next round. So press reports that Russia is saying there was no breakthrough and a lot of work remains to be done should come as no surprise.

Specifically, Ukraine says it will not join NATO. How Zelensky can commit to that when its been put in the Ukraine constitution is beyond me. Russia agreed that Ukraine can join the EU. The latter sounds like a non-concession. Most of the EU has cooled considerably on further expansion to the East now that Poland has turned out to be a monster headache. On top of that, having Ukraine join would have all of those supposedly temporary refugees from Ukraine have the right to live and work in their new home countries. Bloomberg reports tonight that 4 million have fled.

Another Russian non-concession was offering that Russia would considerably reduce the size of its forces near Kiev. Interestingly the Western press and officials did not depict this as an admission of Russian weakness or reduction of aims, but instead first tried to portray Russia as dishonest and doing no such thing. The reality is more along the lines that reducing troop levels in Ukraine would be a big deal, but in the Kiev environs serves mainly to give civilians some sense of relief.

For instance, an early evening take from the Financial Times:

Russia has decided to dramatically scale back its military activities in the Kyiv area, a top Moscow defence ministry official said following a fresh round of peace talks with Ukrainian counterparts in Istanbul. Alexander Fomin, Russias deputy defence minister, said the move was intended to increase mutual trust as he announced it in Turkey after face-to-face talks concluded on Tuesday. But western officials cautioned against taking Moscows pledge at face value. Nothing we have seen so far suggests that Putin and his colleagues are particularly serious about the talks. They are likely just playing for time, said one.

Recall the US wouldnt deign to negotiate with Russia before the war, refusing repeated entreaties from Russia to provide written responses to its proposals, and then accused Russia of not being willing to negotiate! So the US is hardly one to judge what good faith amounts to in this arena.

But it should be obvious that loosening the noose on Kiev isnt as big a deal as it might sound, particularly since Russian officials have said theyve finished the first phase of their operation. That presumably means now that they have effectively taken Mariupol, they can reduce headcount there, to recover, assist forces elsewhere in Donbass to capture the >60,000 Ukrainian soldiers cauldroned there, or occupy the rear between that grouping and Kiev so the pinning operation is less necessary. This important tweetstorm by Scott Ritter explains how the Russian operations employed some classic military devices practiced by the US in Desert Storm. From the opening of his discussion:

2/ Maneuver warfare is a good place to start. Understand Russia started its special military operation with a severe manpower deficit200,000 attackers to some 600,000 defenders (or more). Classic attritional conflict was never an option. Russian victory required maneuver.  Scott Ritter (@RealScottRitter) March 29, 2022

6/ While this complex operation unfolded, Russia needed to keep Ukraine from maneuvering its numerically superior forces in a manner that disrupted the Mariupol operation. This entailed the use of several strategic supporting operationsfeints, fixing operations, and deep attack.  Scott Ritter (@RealScottRitter) March 29, 2022

Accordingly, the Western press has now shifted tone toward more sensible arguments, that any reduction is short-term and tactical (Bloomberg) or Reuters taking up Zelensky messaging, that Russia is pulling back near Kiev simply to refit after heavy losses. Erm, the troops around Kiev were not doing all that much save pin down Ukrainian forces in the west so they could not assist the ones Russia was attempting to and eventually did encircle in the east).

A Russian perspective on the state of play, from Vedomosti, translation courtesy TASS:

In Istanbul, Russia heard Ukraines clearly formulated stanceUkraines proposals include the countrys neutral and non-nuclear status, ensured by international guarantees and the non-use of force against Crimea and certain areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions.. the sides have diverging positions on Donbass borders. That said, Russia does not oppose Ukraines aspiration to join the EU. Judging by the latest talks, the rhetoric of both sides has toned down, Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) Director General Andrey Kortunov said. According to him, Russia is ready to work with Ukraines leadership and does not seek regime change. That said, it is obvious that so far there is no clear rapprochement on the territorial issue, he added. The special military operation will continue at least in Donbass, and Russia will aspire for the Donbass republics to receive control within the spring 2014 borders of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions, Deputy Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the Higher School of Economics Dmitry Suslov said. Therefore, Ukraines armed forces there will be either pushed back or encircled. He noted that the proposals do not provide answers to Russias two key goals of the special operation  demilitarization and denazification. The expert thinks that it is possible to divide the agenda into several components while postponing the final settlement, particularly with regards to the status of Crimea and the Donbass republics. In his opinion, Ukraines temporary rejection of a military resolution to the territorial issues for 15 years does not suit Russia at all. He envisions two possible scenarios: Russia will either try to resolve all the issues comprehensively in one agreement which means that the special operation will continue, including in the south of Ukraine since there Russia hasnt assumed any obligations, or will agree to Ukraines proposals on its neutral and non-nuclear status and postpone the resolution of the territorial issues. In this case, it is likely that Russia will keep its military presence in the areas where its units are already located or will be located in the near future. The complete pullout will happen after a comprehensive agreement with Kiev is reached.

Now to the Russia unfriendlies can only buy gas using roubles countersanction. This standoff is coming to a head. Recall that Russia set a deadline of the 31st when Gazprom is announcing the mechanism(s) at the earliest today. This is already peculiar unless Russia would accept buyers simply making a statement that the new scheme was acceptable, since its extremely unlikely that many would have the right banking/payment system mechanics in place already.

Alternatively, Russia could have heard the nearly-united Nyets and decided that there was no point except for the observers in the nosebleed seats to give buyers much time to react, since theyd already made up their minds. Note that South Korea last week stated it would pay in roubles. Plus the G7 saying no is not tantamount to all of the EU saying no. For instance, Hungary has been sitting out this spat. They seem likely to accept the Russian requirements.

As I was drafting this post, a new story from Reuters shows that Russia recognized the Putin-imposed deadline of March 31 was unrealistic overly ambitious even for those that did want to play along. But Russia is showing a new stick as well as offering a sort of carrot:

Russia will not immediately demand that buyers pay for its gas exports in roubles, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, promising a gradual shift and saying Russia should work on an idea to widen the list of its exports requiring rouble payment. Earlier on Wednesday, Russias top lawmaker Vyacheslav Volodin said the European Union would have to pay in roubles if it wanted Russian gas and said oil, grain, metals, fertiliser, coal and timber exports could be priced the same way. The government, the central bank and Gazprom are due to present proposals for the switch by Thursday.

And Russia made clear that buyers that do not comply will not get gas. From Anadolu Agency earlier in the week:

Russia will not deliver gas to Europe for free, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday. Asked at a daily briefing in Moscow what Russia will do if Europe refuses to pay for gas deliveries in rubles, Peskov urged to to solve issues as they come. The delivery process is very, very complicated, its not buying some product in a store  you buy and pay at the checkout. These are deliveries, payments, and balance sheets, these are time-stretched processes. Now all the modalities are being worked out between the departments, with Gazprom. But the fact that we will not supply gas for free is unequivocal. This can be said with absolute certainty. In our situation, it is hardly possible and hardly advisable to engage in pan-European charity, he said.

Lets stop here to make a key point I may not have flagged as strongly as I should have earlier. Because Russia has been running trade surpluses in recent years, and even Russians havent regarded the rouble as a great store of value, there arent a lot of roubles floating around outside Russia. And gas buys are in very big volumes.

So any workable pay in roubles scheme will have gas buyers going to Russian banks to execute the foreign exchange transactions, as in sell dollars or euros or sterling to the bank and have it buy roubles to tender to Gazprom. Or in the old world, before the Russian Central Bank was on the top of the sanctioned banks list, the Russian Central Bank could have extended currency swap lines to some large Western banks as another way to allow for banks to obtain roubles.

Now it may be that Russia really wants to stick it to the West and demand an above-market foreign exchange rate for the rouble. But the rouble has already gone up markedly from its start of sanctions low. From TradingView:

Bear in mind that the rouble traded in a fairly narrow and higher range in 2021, from a high of roughly 69.4 to a low of roughly 77.5.

Again, and I may be proven wrong, but the body language from Russia so far is that this change is not about propping up the rouble with an artificial FX rate, but to reduce its exposure to further financial sanctions by making Russian institutions the locus of payment operations. That also means the West could not afford to sanction them if it wants to buy Russian goodies.

Consistent with that reading, one Russian economist opined that a light touch approach, of having buyers transaction with Russian banks, should suffice. From Nezavisimaya Gazeta, translation via TASS:

Leading expert at the Financial University and the National Energy Security Fund Stanislav Mitrakhovich believes that in reality finding rubles is very easy. It is enough to come to the Moscow stock exchange or simply open an account in a Russian bank and make a conversion, the expert said.

An additional consideration is that Germany, despite taking a very hard line stance, is not making it a legal requirement of public utilities. Note German Energy Minister Robert Habecks words, as reported by Associated Press:

Habeck said that payment in ruble is not acceptable and we will urge the companies affected not to follow (Russian President Vladimir) Putins demand.

I have no idea how much of Russias gas to Germany is sold to private entities versus government buyers. However, despite the apparent lack of compulsion to follow the governments strong desire, I doubt that many will break ranks. First, they could expect to be savaged in the press. Second, they could be subject to secondary US sanctions, depending on what the Russian mechanisms are.

Finally, Russia is already cutting some energy flows due to lack of buying. This OilPrice story is about oil pipelines, but it illustrates how Russia is willing to halt supply:

Transneft, the Russian oil pipeline operator, has informed local oil companies that it would be capping the intake of yet-to-be-sold crude because of full storage as buyers in the West shun Russian oil, Reuters reported on Tuesday, quoting sources with knowledge of the plan.

Note that another OilPrice story makes clear a lot of Russia oil is still making its way to users:

Despite the U.S.-led ban on importing Russian oil that some of Washingtons allies will also implement, Russian oil in significant volumes will continue to flow into various leading oil-importing countries, so adding to the overall global supply and affecting oil prices. In oil trading terms, then, it is erroneous to assume that all circa-11 million barrels per day (bpd) of Russian oil supply has somehow been removed from the global supply/demand matrix and that this will tighten that oil pricing matrix in favor of further gains. Three other factors are also apposite to note in terms of explaining Novaks upbeat take on the prospects for Russias oil sector, each of them analyzed in full in my new book on the global oil markets. First, Russia has long been able to make very good profits on all of its oil at US$40 per barrel of Brent The second reason is that despite the US dollar-centric sanctions on Russia, the country pays all of its domestic expenses in roubles, so the availability of US dollars or the US dollar-Russia rouble exchange rate is of no consequence in this regard. That said, it is a very clever move to make importers of Russian gas from unfriendly countries pay for Russian gas in roubles, as it does lend support to the Russian currency, which has a positive psychological effect on those receiving money in that currency. And third, Russia will not be devoid of US dollars anyhow, or other hard currencies, given that it can certainly count on continued massive oil and gas and other trade with China and India.

So as this oil detour makes clear, Russia does not need more Western currencies while it is under sanctions. Ivestia explained why the rouble has rallied:

The Russian currency rose sharply on March 28 as a result of exporters selling foreign exchange earnings and a drop in demand for dollars from resident enterprises and residents. Meanwhile, a sharp decline in international tourism from Russia has also led to the strengthening of the ruble, and as a result the demand for foreign currency has naturally fallen, investment strategist at BCS World of Investments Alexander Bakhtin said. He noted that commodity prices remain high, which is also a positive sign for the Russian currency.

And Russian purchases of Western consumer and industrial goods are also down, again reducing demand for foreign currencies.

Russia is also starting to reduce gas shipments. From Reuters in a story on the 29th:

Physical gas flows through the Yamal-Europe pipeline at Germanys Mallnow point fell to zero on Tuesday afternoon, data from operator Gascade showed, while Russian gas deliveries to Europe on the other two key pipeline routes were broadly steady Russian gas giant Gazprom has booked some westbound gas transit capacity via the Yamal-Europe pipeline for Tuesday night and for Wednesday, Interfax news agency reported, citing auction results. The actual flows are not guaranteed because Gazprom does not always use booked capacity.

The picture for Europe, particularly Germany, is more painful. A politically-connected contact was gobsmacked by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz having a major attack of cognitive dissonance in the same interview, that Germany would not buy Russian gas in roubles, yet saying that Germany needed Russian gas. Due to the hour and this post getting overlong, just a quick item on this front from the Financial Times, Germany takes step towards gas rationing over payment stand-off with Russia:

The German government has taken the first formal step towards gas rationing as it braces itself for a potential halt in deliveries from Russia because of a dispute over payments During the early warning phase  the first of three stages in Germanys emergency response  a crisis team from the economics ministry, the regulator and the private sector will monitor imports and storage. If supplies fall short, and less draconian attempts to lower consumption do not work, the government would cut off certain parts of German industry from the grid and give preferential treatment to households.

I am sure well have more to say soon about the details of the Russian plan and whether it looks like it will deliver on its threat to extend its rouble pay scheme to other commodities, and how Europe is battening down. Stay tuned.
Yves here. As if you didnt have enough on the climate change front to worry about, now theres submerged permafrost to add to the list.

By Matt Simon, a science journalist at Wired. Originally published by Wired and cross posted from Undark as part of the Climate Desk collaboration

Around 20,000 years ago, the world was so frigid that massive glaciers sucked up enough water to lower sea levels by 400 feet. As the sea pulled back, newly exposed land froze to form permafrost, a mixture of earth and ice that today sprawls across the far north. But as the world warmed into the climate we enjoy today (for the time being), sea levels rose again, submerging the coastal edges of that permafrost, which remain frozen below the water.

Its a huge, hidden climate variable that scientists are racing to understand. They know full well that the destruction of terrestrialpermafrost is a significant source of carbon entering the atmosphere. As it thaws, microbes munch on the organic matter it contains, releasing carbon dioxide (if the material is fairly dry) and methane (if the melted ice forms a pond). This can form a feedback loop, in which more permafrost thaw produces more emissions, which heat the planet to thaw even more permafrost. Thats an extra-big problem because the Arctic is now warming four times as fast as the rest of the planet.

Yet submarine permafrost is largely unstudied, owing to its inaccessibility  renting out time on a research vessel is not cheap anywhere, much less in the Arctic, and its much harder to reach for drilling samples. Now, in an alarming paper published last week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, an international team of scientists give us a rare look at whats going on down there. The team used oceanic robots, which look like torpedoes, off the coast of northern Canada and mapped the seafloor with sonar. The scientists repeated this several times over the course of nine years to get a sense of how the topology of the seafloor might be changing and found that its undergoing massive upheaval.

The result is the worrisome image shown below  a massive sinkhole indicating that the subsea permafrost has thawed and collapsed. This sinkhole is a giant among dozens of pockmarks the researchers found on the seafloor. Scientists have already documented this violent phenomenon, called thermokarst, on land. Because permafrost is made of soil suspended in a matrix of frozen water, when it thaws the land shrinks, gouging massive holes across the Arctic landscape. And as these images of the seafloor show, its also happening underwater.

Repeated mapping surveys with autonomous underwater vehicles revealed a massive sinkhole that developed in the Arctic seafloor. Thawing permafrost ice has left behind voids into which the seafloor collapses. Visual: Eve Lundsten/MBARI

I think its just absolutely remarkable that there are places on the seafloor where changes of this scale are happening at this rate, says Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute marine geologist Charlie Paull, a coauthor on the paper. The entire survey covered an area thats half the size of Manhattan and tallied 40 holes. (You can see a portion of the area in the image below.) The giant one, he says, is equivalent to a whole New York City block composed of six-story apartment buildings.

Why is this happening? On land, permafrost is thawing because temperatures are rising. But, Paull says, theres no evidence that seafloor temperatures are rising enough to initiate thaw. So its likely that thaw isnt starting from above, but from below. Submarine permafrost forms a thick wedge of perhaps several hundred meters, says Paull. Beneath that runs relatively warm groundwater, which can degrade the permafrost. If its pure permafrost ice, itll produce voids that subsequently collapse, he says. And so were inferring that the voids that were seeing developing in this environment are a consequence of the long-term warming that the seafloor in this area has experienced.

That long-term bit is important. Unlike rapid thaw on land, the degradation of this submarine layer has probably been unfolding over much longer timescales  a lingering effect of how much the world has warmed since the last ice age. I think that the biggest lesson from this paper is a reminder of how long these systems take to respond, says Ben Abbott, who studies permafrost at Brigham Young University but wasnt involved in the research. You could maybe misinterpret that to say, Oh, theres nothing to worry about. I actually take exactly the opposite conclusion. Once the systems are in motion, we have very little ability to change the direction of it. Its not a car with a steering wheel  this is more like a boulder that you push off the top of a mountain.

Unusually rough seafloor terrain created by thawing submarine permafrost along the edge of the continental shelf in the Canadian Arctic. The entire survey covered an area thats half the size of Manhattan and tallied 40 holes. Visual: Eve Lundsten/MBARI

While this undersea thawing is likely driven by long-term processes, scientists are concerned it could accelerate because the Arctic is now warming so quickly. Ocean circulation patterns might change, too, bringing in yet more warm water. So the kind of long-term change that were observing right now could be accelerated quite soon by human interference on the climate, says Abbott.

Two big unknowns are how much submarine permafrost exists, and how much greenhouse gas it holds. Scientists cant take samples of every square foot of Arctic seafloor, so instead they look backward, comparing how much land was exposed during the last glacial maximum thousands of years ago to how much is exposed today. This gives them an idea of how much permafrost may have formed and then submerged when the glaciers melted and the sea rose to its present level. Estimates vary, but there may be around 775,000 square miles of submarine permafrost, sequestering perhaps hundreds of gigatons of organic carbon and tens of gigatons of trapped methane.

Methane is a serious climate threat, as it is 80 times as potent a greenhouse gas as CO2 (although it disappears from the atmosphere much faster). In terrestrial permafrost, its produced when microbes have wet organic material to chew on  and obviously the seafloor is rather wet. But submarine methane also comes from underlying deposits of natural gas that have leaked upwards and gotten trapped in a latticework of frozen water, a solid known as methane hydrate. (Its basically gassy ice; itll even ignite.) These molecules are sitting there just waiting for a temperature threshold to be crossed, and then they can be released quite dramatically, says Abbott.

As methane releases from submarine permafrost, microbes in the sediment and water column process it into CO2. Thats been described as this microbial cap that is protecting us from this methane release because it transforms that very potent greenhouse gas, methane, into a less potent gas, CO2, says Abbott. But there are questions about if we have a massive collapse of subsea permafrost  like whats described in this paper  maybe were going to get more methane released in bubbles. That bubbling short-circuits that microbial oxidation of the methane and releases it straight to the atmosphere.

Its hard to say exactly how the thaw might play out because submarine permafrost is a sort of time capsule and cant be compared directly to permafrost on land. Its this ancient, legacy environment that has been essentially cut off by expansion of those seawaters, says Merritt Turetsky, an ecologist at the University of Colorado Boulder who studies permafrost but wasnt involved in the new paper. But when you combine potential undersea releases with the volume of gases already known to be released from the land  which Turetsky says is like like adding another industrialized nation to the world  the climate effect could be substantial.

We like to say what happens in the Arctic doesnt stay in the Arctic, she says. Think of the region as Earths freezer, which has locked away carbon for millennia. Were now pulling the plug of the freezer out of the wall, Turetsky says. Weve got this hot spot of warming that has been a climate-cooling hero for thousands of years but now has the potential to actually release all of that stored carbon back into the atmosphere.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has played down any hopes of a breakthrough in the talks held with Ukraine in Turkey, BBC reported.

On Tuesday, Russia said it intended to scale back its military activity in Kiev and Chernihiv, while Ukraine said it would consider becoming a "neutral" state.

"What is positive is that the Ukrainian side has at least started to specifically formulate and put on paper what it is proposing. Until now we had not managed to achieve that," Peskov said.

"As regards the rest, we cannot, put it this way, at present state there have been any breakthroughs, anything very promising," he said, in remarks reported by the Interfax news agency.

Peskov said Russia is careful to comment on the talks as "we believe that negotiations should take place in silence", adding that the chief Russian negotiator will speak later.

He said that Crimea, the region annexed by Russia in 2014, is "part of Russia" and the Russian constitution precluded discussing the fate of any Russian region with anyone else.

The status of Crimea is settled for Russia, and Moscow will not discuss the issue with Ukraine or any other party, Peskov told journalists on Wednesday.

"Crimea is part of the Russian Federation. According to our constitution, we cannot discuss with anyone the fates of Russian territories, the fates of Russian regions. That is out of the question," the official said, RT reported.
Like what you read?

Click here to make a contribution to the Scene and support local journalism!
(Natural News) Big Pharma companies are running the tables worldwide and they know what they are doing with regards to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, according to medical practitioner and Brighteon.TV host Dr. Jane Ruby.

Theyre not going to spend a lot of tax dollars, thanks to [Dr. Anthony] Fauci that have gone into all of this terror. They are companies that know what theyre doing. Theyve launched hundreds and hundreds of products, theyre not going to do something like this and put billions of dollars into it if they dont know what theyre doing on a whim. So its just incredibly dangerous. These companies, theyre just running the tables worldwide, Ruby told host Mike Adams during the March 22 episode of the Health Ranger Report on Brighteon.TV.

And so you know that you have tens of thousands of deaths and injuries, probably millions, really. Youll get the Harvard Pilgrim study that said that less than one percent of all vaccine-related adverse events are captured in VAERS [Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System]. So youre given 100 multiplier there. So there are probably millions of people that are dead worldwide.

Ruby pointed out that these pharmaceutical companies havent said a word about it and that they havent done a revamp of their COVID-19 formula. The pharmaceutical drug development expert added that she also learned from Team Enigma, which cleverly studied the lot numbers and the rates of death and disability. She noted that Pfizer and Moderna have the same deployment pattern, which proves that they are working together and that this was not by chance.

COVID shots are like Russian roulette on steroids

In this case, with these vials and these shots, this is Russian roulette on steroids and that there are hundreds of chambers. And so on any given day, its the most dangerous thing that Ive ever seen in my life. There could be things in there that dont even manifest for years to come, Ruby said. (Related: Dr. Jane Ruby: Big Pharma companies intentionally deploying toxic batches of COVID-19 vaccine  Brighteon.TV.)

And I say that because we know that there are partial RNA strands that are allowed to be in there. And we dont even know what theyre coded for. We have this mRNA. And it gets into every cell in the body and it forces the cells to make this synthetic spike that infiltrates the body and causes havoc. Thats just one possibility that these companies are not disclosing.

Ruby said with the way Big Pharma has laid it out, it would be difficult to prove that the vaccines are directly responsible for the illnesses and deaths of the vaccinated. Big Pharma companies know how to make good use of their connections in the government.

She also mentioned that the recent unredacted Pfizer data dump showed redacted areas, which confirm that they are hiding information from public view.

Hospitals have become homicide hubs

Ruby also discussed with Adams the withholding of effective treatments from people who are sick and dying from COVID-19. The hospitals are becoming homicide hubs and medical murder is being normalized in the medical profession.

According to Ruby, she is working with Stew Peters, Atty. Thomas Renz and Dr. Eric Henson in helping to airlift people out of dangerous hospitals and into safer hospitals. She added that hospitals are actually killing people intentionally and that people are coming out dehydrated, emaciated and suffering from severe organ damage due to unnecessary drugs.

She also slammed the nurses that stayed in these hospitals and actively enabled the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) death protocol system that is killing people intentionally to continue.

Follow VaccineHolocaust.org to know more about the COVID vaccine-related deaths.

Watch the full March 22 episode of the Health Ranger Repot below. Catch new episodes of the program from Monday to Friday at 3:00-3:30 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

Dr. Jane Ruby: COVID-19 vaccine boosters can cause cancer.

CDC data shows almost 1.2 MILLION adverse event reports after COVID vaccinations began.

Dr. Jane Ruby: Unnatural blood clots found in dead bodies of vaccinated  Brighteon.TV.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

DrJaneRuby.com
(Natural News) For Melissa Red Pill, the latest bombshell report by Mesa County clerk Tina Peters is another undisputable proof that election fraud did happen during the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Red Pill summarized the report during the March 23 episode of the Freedom Force Battalion on Brighteon.TV.

Number one, they deleted records. We have proof they deleted records. Clearly, that is illegal and thats a violation of election law. Number two, they had internet access to these machines  again this is illegal, Red Pill said. They are not allowed to have that and we have the proof, the evidence of that. Number three, they changed the votes. Theyve been able to get into the machine somehow or another.

So those are the three things. Its huge and this will allow us to do an injunction where we say were not going to use these machines because of these, added Red Pill, referring to the Dominion Voting Systems (DVS) election machine.

Now, Peters made herself a target. She had been arrested and charged with 10 counts of felony and misdemeanor, including attempting to influence a public servant, criminal impersonation, identity theft and first-degree official misconduct.

Peters is running for secretary of state in Colorado.

Red Pill said the election fraudsters never expected anyone to back up the election records, which can be done under the law by a county clerk like Peters. What Peters had done, Red Pill said, was to put a stop to the vote manipulation in her county. Peters had the evidence and safeguarded it from the ones that are clearly not working in the interest of the people. (Related: Mesa County clerk says 29,000 key election records deleted from voting systems.)

The Freedom Force Battalion host noted that the election data was accessed through the internet and that the timestamps showed that the changes to the data were done electronically. She also mentioned that the ballot IDs or sequence numbers in the badges were not relatable to their digital ballot images  not even within the DVS databases.

Red Pill said this was an additional example of a lack of referential integrity within the system, aside from the digital ballot images not being accompanied by files that would prove the authenticity of the ballots.

EMS server can create and alter SQL server database record

In addition, Melissa Red Pill pointed out that the election management system (EMS) server has the system access rights to create and alter SQL server database records that could be used to alter the stored digital ballot images. She added that the EMS adjudication module software has the capability of altering scanned images and legitimately does it for each manually adjudicated ballot.

Once you see this manipulation of batch and ballot records, its significant for three reasons. First, when the ballots were reprocessed, including re-adjudication, its logical to conclude that whatever votes had been initially recorded could well have been replaced by the reprocessed votes in the main election database. The differences in the manual adjudication numbers certainly support this possible conclusion that this procedure could change votes in the main database without leaving any evidence to indicate changes had been made, or any way to determine the nature of the changes are what the original vote data was.

Second, the adjudication status, including the timestamps of adjudication events, the results of the adjudication and those users who performed the adjudication of any ballots in batches not copied to the new adjudication database, would not be viewable through the DVS client software application. So you wouldnt know who did it, when they did it, how they did it and all that.

Third, examination of the EMS server would not likely have caught the fact that the adjudication and tabulation databases used at the end of the elections were not the same, nor did they contain the same records as the databases used at the beginning of the elections. This leads to the possible conclusion that some batches and ballots were excluded from the new databases so as to inhibit the possibility of there being audited and examined.

Melissa Red Pill indicated that this is clear evidence that can be taken before a judge all over the country, and that an injunction can be filed so that none of the DVS machines will be used in the coming 2022 midterm election.

Follow VoteFraud.news to know more about the election fraud that happened in the 2020 presidential election.

Watch the full March 23 episode of the Freedom Force Battalion below. Catch new episodes of the program every Wednesday from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

Here it is! Widespread election fraud revealed in report.

Patrick Byrne: US to become like Venezuela, China if election fraud is not stopped.

Bombshell study finds more than 200,000 ballots from 2020 election with mismatched signatures indicating widespread fraud.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

ColoradoSun.com
(Natural News) People all over the world are being killed by the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines. This is especially true in the Southeast Asian nation of the Philippines, where President Rodrigo Dutertes tyrannical vaccine mandate policies are getting people killed every day.

COVID-19 vaccine deaths are not new in the Philippines. As early as April 2021, when the countrys COVID-19 vaccination program was just beginning, the Philippine Food and Drug Administration admitted that the country had received over 24,000 reports of adverse events and there were at least 24 deaths related to the COVID-19 vaccine.

Later that year, the countrys Department of Health backtracked and claimed that there were no deaths directly related to the COVID-19 vaccines in the Philippines.

Since then, Philippine public health authorities have either been quiet about COVID-19 vaccine injuries and deaths or have attempted to deny that there were any deaths and injuries to begin with. (Related: Philippine president warns Filipinos: Get the vaccine or go to JAIL.)

Filipinos dying daily due to COVID-19 vaccines

For people to know the truth about what the COVID-19 vaccines have been doing to people in the Philippines, they have been forced to turn to Facebook, where Filipinos have been posting status updates since last year regarding their vaccinations and how their bodies reacted to the deadly doses.

One of those vaccinated Filipinos is Chefferly Che Galon, 22, who on Aug. 18 got the first dose of Pfizers mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. By Dec. 24, her social media updates showed her wheelchair-bound.

Her final status update, from Feb. 7, was a plea for financial aid as she was dealing with stage four uterine sarcoma, which she almost certainly developed after she got the Pfizer vaccine. She passed away on or around March 20. She spent the last five weeks of her life mostly bedridden.

Gian Karla Rivera, 25, is another person who was injured by the vaccines in the Philippines. In early January, she received the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and full-body rashes immediately appeared. Her physician prescribed antihistamines, believing the cause to be an allergic reaction to the vaccine. But her situation only got worse.

As the days passed, it became clear to her that the antihistamines did not help. Her rashes became more painful and spread to more parts of her body and she became paralyzed from the waist down.

I was diagnosed with Guillain Barre Syndrome! I became paralyzed after I got vaccinated, wrote Rivera on her Facebook page in a mix of English and Filipino. She was diagnosed after her doctor referred her to a neurologist. She was hospitalized and was forced to shell out over 500,000 pesos ($9,600) to pay for the medication alone.

In other countries, Astra is already banned! Here its still allowed. Getting sick is difficult because its so expensive! she wrote. The vaccines affect people differently, but what if this happened to you? You and you alone should decide on your health.

In a follow-up post written on Jan. 25, Rivera explained that the vaccine definitely caused her Guillain Barre Syndrome and that she got vaccinated because she felt like it was her duty as a good citizen to do so.

I just wanted to be a good citizen and help achieve herd immunity, she wrote. I wanted to help fight this pandemic by getting [vaccinated]. I didnt want to get this disease because this was by far the most stressful experience for our family both financially and emotionally.

For those who are also asking if my doctor allowed me to get my second dose, the answer is no, she continued. Im not an anti-vax person. I just wanted to share my experience and to ask some help from the government because my treatment [costs] is just too much.

There are signs that the number of deaths caused by the COVID-19 vaccines will only increase. The Philippines recently authorized the use of the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccines for children aged six years old and above.

Vaccines.news has the latest information regarding vaccine injuries and deaths around the world.

Watch this video to know how the indefinite lockdown and mass COVID-19 vaccination program in the Philippines have caused nearly 200,000 excess deaths between September 2020 and September 2021.

This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Juliet Valdez: 56-year-old Philippine teacher dead 12 weeks after second Sinovac injection as country mandates vaccines for all workers.

Local government in Philippines declares that unvaccinated people are barred from purchasing FOOD.

Philippine doctor defends use of ivermectin, says clinical studies show it is 89% effective against the coronavirus.

Sources include:

TheCOVIDBlog.com

BWorldOnline.com

PhilStar.com 1

PhilStar.com 2

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Eight states, along with Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, are now prohibited from administering monoclonal antibodies for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) claims that the passive vaccination treatment is ineffective against the latest strain of Omicron (Moronic).

Sotrovimab, which is still being administered in the other 42 states, can no longer be used in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont, according to reports.

The FDA claims that in May 2021 when emergency use authorization (EUA) was granted to sotrovimab, it was a relevant treatment for the Fauci Flu strains that were in circulation at that time. The drug is not, however, effective against the BA.2 subvariant of Moronic, the FDA insists.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claims to have conducted genomic surveillance on BA.2, which is allegedly responsible for 12.6 percent of all new Wuhan Flu cases in the United States as of March 5.

The CDC is projecting (more like writing a script for) that BA.2 will soon account for 35 percent of cases, particularly in the Northeast. Because of this claim, the FDA does not want anyone in New England to even try to find relief from monoclonal antibodies.

Why is the FDA interfering with what doctors are allowed to prescribe to their patients?

It is being reported that in those states where sotrovimab is now prohibited by the FDA, BA.2 now accounts for the majority of new Chinese Virus cases. This would suggest that the FDAs ban is, of course, misguided.

The reason we say of course to this is that the FDA always seems to be working against the things that actually help people while actively promoting other things that harm Americans  but that make Big Pharma more profitable.

In this case, the FDA is cutting off access to a drug that some people have found relief from, all because the agency insists that it does not work against some new phantom strain of a coronavirus bioweapon.

CDC head Rochelle Walensky has already said that BA.2 is no big deal and probably will not become an issue. Why, then, is the FDA butting its nose into the availability of monoclonal antibodies?

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Vir Biotechnology, the two manufacturers of sotrovimab, say they are planning to challenge the FDAs decision by sending literature showing that higher doses of monoclonal antibodies are, supposedly effective against BA.2.

It is important to remind our readers that there is still no proof that covid, as they call it, even exists as SARS-CoV-2. The alleged virus has never been isolated, and neither have any of its alleged mutations.

We will continue to monitor BA.2 in all U.S. regions and may revise the authorization further to ensure that patients with COVID-19 have effective treatments available, the FDA said in a statement.

Health care providers should also monitor the frequency of BA.2 in their region as they choose appropriate treatment options for patients.

Another monoclonal antibody option called REGEN-COV, made by Regeneron and promoted by former President Donald Trump, was also cut off from the FDAs EUA designation for the same reasons.

The FDA should not be getting involved AT ALL with doctors treating their patients, suggested someone at The Epoch Times.

Making it known that something is not effective with a particular variant and the studies behind it is one thing. But banning doctors from using it is pure bullbrownstuff. If someone is dying, throw everything at it INCLUDING the kitchen sink and get out of the way while doctors do their job of practicing medicine.

The latest news about the Fauci Flu can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Dr. Ben Marble believes the globalists are now promoting world war to depopulate the world after their Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) lies got exposed.

All these people are claiming that we should back Ukraine and try to get into war with Russia. Theyre trying to promote world war. People need to realize that is part of the Great Reset plan. Their whole plan is to instigate world war. They want a nuclear war because they want to kill as many people as they can, said Marble while serving as a guest host in a recent episode of The Alex Jones Show on Info Wars. (Related: Globalists need war to enforce the Great Reset.)

And we can prove that if you look at the Georgia Guidestones. Their target population goal is one billion. Their population goal is debatable, but whats not debatable is that they intend on killing a whole lot of people to get there. And so if theres somewhere between seven, eight billion people right now and they want to get down to one billion, that means they plan on murdering six or seven billion people. And so theyve already given out five billion doses of this COVID-19 fake vaccine, gene-editing poison.

Marble was referring to a huge granite monument with a set of guides intended for future generations located at the highest point in Elbert County, Georgia.

The Georgia Guidestones has one slab that stands in the center and four arranged around it. A capstone lies on top of the five slabs, which are astronomically aligned. Also referred to as American Stonehenge, it serves as a celestial clock  recording the passage of time through special features. The monument has been described as a highly engineered structure that flawlessly tracks the sun.

The four slabs contain 10 guides in eight different languages  one language on each face of the four large upright stones. They are engraved in English, Spanish, Swahili, Hindi, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese and Russian.

The set of guides reads:

Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature. Guide reproduction wisely  improving fitness and diversity. Unite humanity with a living new language. Rule passion  faith  tradition  and all things with tempered reason. Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts. Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court. Avoid petty laws and useless officials. Balance personal rights with social duties. Prize truth  beauty  love  seeking harmony with the infinite. Be not a cancer on the earth  Leave room for nature.

Marble was off by a half-billion. Their target population goal is only 500,000,000. And its apparently the top priority.

The founder of telemedicine website MyFreeDoctor.com said people have witnessed over the past two years a bioterror war being waged on the entire world and this is a great conspiracy plan of the World Economic Forum (WEF) leaders led by Klaus Schwab, Bill Gates, George Soros and Mark Zuckerberg.

Their agenda is an evil, anti-God, atheist agenda. Theyre transhumanists. They believe in editing the human genome because they think theyre smarter than God. And now the bad news for them is theyre wrong. So they want to try to force this gene-editing poison onto the masses and theyve already done so. And five billion people have already taken this poison, Marble stated.

He said that all the COVID lies had been effectively exposed by various doctors like Dr. Peter McCullough and Dr. Robert Malone.

Globalists have switched the narrative to Ukraine

The family medicine specialist in Gulf Breeze, Florida pointed out that the globalists have now switched the narrative to Ukraine. They are also trying to prop up Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as some sort of hero that is promoting democracy in Ukraine  which isnt true because he is a totalitarian, according to Marble.

Zelensky has banned political parties in Ukraine and, according to Marble, the Ukrainian actor turned president is working with the WEF.

Marble also stressed the need to ban the COVID vaccines because everything keeps getting worse and people keep descending into chaos.

Until the poison is banned nothing will get better. We keep giving out poison to the public, pretending its a safe and effective vaccine. Well, its easy to predict that more and more people are going to die, he said.

COVID-19 vaccines are not real vaccines at all

The evidence is overwhelming. Now theres so much evidence of all the excess mortality, excess overall deaths, that the case is closed. The science is settled, the COVID-19 vaccines are not real vaccines at all. They are gene-editing poison. And Im going to keep repeating the same talking point over and over again.

Marble said that many victims of the COVID jabs are coming to MyFreeDoctor.com to ask for help with the symptoms they have developed after getting vaccinated. He added that his organization is trying to do the best it can to deliver the treatment to people.

Follow Depopulation.news to know more about the globalists plan to depopulate the world.

Watch below the full episode of The Alex Jones Show with guest host Dr. Ben Marble.

This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Alex Jones: War in Ukraine advances the GREAT RESET desired by globalists.

Steve Quayle tells Mike Adams: Globalists want to achieve the extermination of the human race through nuclear war.

Globalists push transhumanism agenda with computer chips inserted into humans via COVID injections

Just like they covered up the Clinton body count, The globalists are covering up genocidal crimes upon humanity  did we expect theyd just admit to carrying out mass murder?

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

StrangeSounds.org

Covid19.OneDayMD.com

Britannica.com
(Natural News) One of the oldest inhabited regions of the world, the ancient kingdom of Elam was also one of the most advanced of its time. The Sumerians, the Assyrians and finally the Medes invaded and conquered that area and one of the greatest empires of the world at that time, the ancient Achaemenid Empire (the largest the world had seen up until that time) resulted with Alexander the Great finally conquering them. The Seleuid Empire, Parthia, Sassanian Empire followed and that was the last great Persian empire before the Muzlim Arabs conquest in the 7th century. Much is spoken of that region in the Bible including their Zoroastrian Magi (Zoroastrian clergy) that visited Bethlehem two millennia ago. The founder of Zoroastrianism was a man named Zoroaster (in the Latin, Greek) or Zarathustra in the ancient Persian language of Avestan. Zoroaster seems to have been born into the Aryan religious system and the Aryans have made their presence felt in most of the ancient world, from the Scandinavians in the European continent to the Indian sub continent. It is no wonder then that the Iranians refer to themselves as Aryans just as the German Nazis who prided themselves as being pure Aryan did. But it is regarding the future prophecies in that Good Book that we are interested in today.

(Article by Alan Barton republished from AllNewsPipeLine.com)

In order to hopefully sidestep contention, I will state at the beginning that I am of the opinion that the battles of Gog and Magog apply to both the battles related to Christs Second Coming to begin His millennial reign as well as the post Millennial final battle as the world ends its mortal period as He allows Satan one last time to gather his forces and then comes the burning to cleanse all pollutions and unrighteousness from it as it is transformed into a New Earth and New Heaven. That last one is still a very long time away, but the first is almost upon us. So now we go back to Iran 

A couple weeks ago, Netanyahu warned Israel not to worry about Russia but to focus on Iran; why? Bidens catastrophic blundering in Vienna leads to the renewed nuclear treaty with Iran and our envoy Robert Malley under the cover of the Ukraine farce of theater is an act of supreme treachery being perpetrated by the Biden regime against America. It seems Ukraine is serving many purposes, one of which is to hide whatever else is going on including very rapidly pushing Iran into the nuclear club of the world. See this story in the Geller Report for a listing of some of those dealings and treasons against this nation committed in Vienna recently. War in the Middle East is inevitable and it is the puppet-hood of Biden that is pushing it to reality as rapidly as possible as Malley partners with Russia in those nuke negotiations. The US has lost all points in these negotiations as we have given in to the demand that the International Atomic Energy Agency ends it investigations into Iranian nuclear activities, and that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard is removed from the Terror Blacklist, and that the US guarantee that we will never pull out from the nuke agreement again just as oil prices are spiking and we beg for Iran to sell us oil that we can produce ourselves that we have done in the past.

On this, PJ Media said that The trouble is not coming just from the fact that we are trusting Russia to act in Americas best interests. Robert Malley has won renown and disgust as a man who has never hesitated to kowtow to Americas enemies. the Russians would get uranium at a time when Vladimir Putin has raised nuclear tensions to a level we have not seen since the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Islamic Republic, whose leaders finance not just jihad terror groups, but also Leftist groups that work to destabilize Western societies would get billions. What could possibly go wrong? Indeed, but I ask you, what could possibly go right for us? All of this in a country that forces its people to chant Death to America in its mosques every Friday.

Deep State Rabbithole asked the question of the Congressional Committee on this deal that What worries the committee even more is that its increasingly clear that China and Russia are taking the lead to pressure Uncle Sam into caving in to the demands of Iran. Whats in it for them? and answered partially that Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made a statement of his own in the Iran controlled media. As soon as he hung up the phone with his Chinese counterpart on Tuesday, he reported, the Western side must make a serious and effective decision with regard to removing sanctions and demonstrate its meaningful departure from the failed policies of the previous U.S. administration referring of course to our President Trump and his pulling out of the disastrous Iran nuke deal that the Kenyan put us into to begin with, and all of the pallets of cash involved. All the while a whole lot of cash for nothing but a significant increase their nuclear program. The US went from a position of strength in 2021 to a position of total desperation while the Mullahs are driving the process today.

Yes, Iran is going nuclear with the White House granting sanction waivers and clearing the way for Russia and China to help them. Their civilian nuke program is not really civilian as bomb grade plutonium is not required to produce electricity. Russia and China are pressuring the US to cave in to the demands of Iran while the Biden regime is ignoring demands from Congress to let them know what exactly is going on and just what they are really up to. It seems as if the four years of Trump has had no effect on the rapidity of Irans developing nuke weapons as their processing systems crank out enough fuel to supply a few weapons supposedly within a matter of weeks now.

A bit over a week ago, the Geller Report asked where is Maria Bartiromo because she said Some people have told me over the weekend that they feel that at the end of the day this administration does not see Putin as the enemy, they see him as a partner on many issues. In spite of the rhetoric about Ukraine, the Biden regime is openly treating Russia as a partner on climate and Iran. Johnny Ketchup  oops, I meant Kerry, said I hope President Putin will help us to stay on track with respect to what we need to do for the climate. Obviously we hope that we can compartmentalize as he hopes Putin can compartmentalize and work with Putin at the same time they wage war on another nation. Russia is critical to the radical lefts goal of giving Iran nuclear weapons.

While at the same time, the House GOP demands an investigation into Russian influence in the US environmental groups as Rep Jim Banks said Unlike the Russia hoax, Putins malign influence on our energy sector is real and deserves further investigation as environmental groups push for action against US petroleum concerns. He said Russia spent millions promoting anti-energy policies and politicians in the U.S., Banks declared in a press statement sent to Fox News Digital. Now, thanks to Bidens war on domestic energy, U.S. oil production has dropped 10%, pushing up prices and enriching and emboldening Putin before he invaded Ukraine while the accused groups like the Sierra Club and the NRDC claim otherwise, the proof is out there.

Read more at: AllNewsPipeLine.com
(Natural News) Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Wednesday, March 23, that New Zealand is lifting most of its Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions  including vaccine mandates. The announcement comes as a surprise because the country is having its highest rates of infection since the start of the pandemic.

During the announcement, Ardern said that she was describing the next set of changes to COVID settings in New Zealand. Those changes include eliminating all limitations on attendance at outdoor gatherings and increasing the limits on indoor gatherings under New Zealands strictest regimen from 100 to 200.

Additionally, vaccine mandates for public and private employees will be repealed, except those in healthcare, elder care, corrections and border enforcement. New Zealand will also be doing away with vaccine passes.

Citizens no longer need to be vaccinated to visit public places like restaurants, bars and retail stores from April 4. New Zealand will also be lifting a requirement to scan QR barcodes at those venues.

Ardern claimed that the restrictions she enforced in March 2020, when the country only had five COVID-19 cases, were successful in stemming the tide of infections.

She added that the restrictions had been very hard for New Zealanders. Under the pandemic restrictions in New Zealand, Kiwis were forced to go on lockdown, take experimental vaccines, present vaccine passports to enter businesses and other public places and endure economic devastation.

International tourism previously accounted for around 20 percent of New Zealands foreign income and over five percent of GDP, but the figures changed when the country enforced some of the strictest border controls during the pandemic.

New Zealand is now seeing see some of its highest rates of coronavirus infections and hospitalizations since the pandemic began, with an average of 17,000 new infections reported daily. (Related: Belgium drops most of its COVID restrictions, following European trend.)

Ardern also claimed that the countrys high vaccination rate of 95 percent was key to her decision to lift the restrictions because it indicates that New Zealand now has a high level of collective immunity.

Arderns decisions influenced by political reality

While citizens are most likely relieved to hear the updates from Ardern, her pattern of relaxing restrictions at times of increasing infections suggests that her decisions are influenced more by political reality than by science.

In October last year, as the delta variant caused a spike in cases during a seven-week lockdown, Ardern slightly eased up on COVID-19 mandates, because the return to zero [infections] is incredibly difficult.

But now, Ardern has revealed the impetus behind her recent decision to give New Zealanders back some of their freedom. She also acknowledged that while people have been safer, everyone is also tired.

It seems like Ardern has finally realized that citizens are getting sick of the oppressive mandates, as proven by a recent anti-vaccine mandate protest outside Parliament. Yet, Ardern insists that the protest had nothing to do with her decision, claiming that the changes have been announced because its safe to do so, not because anyone arrived on the front lawn of Parliament.

Ardern is a member of the Labor Party in New Zealand. The party is similar to Democrats in the U.S. and both are trying to pacify voters who are fed up with draconian mandates and far-left allies who want leaders to enforce even stricter rules.

New Zealands Green Party, which still believes that very young children are still at high risk of COVID-19 infection, blasted Arderns announcement as far too premature. The left-wing party also called for school-based vaccination programs, high equity in vaccine coverage, and free N95 masks.

Teanau Tuiono, a Green Party Member of Parliament, said that the government should be trying to stay ahead of the virus and enforcing measures to avoid a second peak in COVID-19 cases.

But there isnt really much the government can do to stop a virus. It seems like the best course of action is to allow the disease to run its course until herd immunity is reached.

Watch the video below as thousands of New Zealanders rally for freedom.

This video is from the Spirit2all channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Saskatchewan premier says ENOUGH of harmful Covid restrictions.

Aussie state lawmakers call to scrap all COVID restrictions in Victoria.

12 European countries roll back covid restrictions, Israel scraps green pass.

Welcome to the life we knew before: Denmark is abolishing ALL COVID-19 restrictions.

Sources include:

TheNewAmerican.com

ABCNews.go.com

1News.co.nz

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) The U.K.s Health Secretary Sajid Javid on March 15 revoked the countrys no vaccine, no job policy for home care workers. However, it is still unclear whether or not those who lost their jobs for refusing to get the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines will be rehired after the government reversed the draconian requirement.

Back in November, the U.K. government estimated that at least 40,000 home care professionals were fired because of the controversial vaccine policy. And while Javid revoked the vaccine mandate, he hasnt provided updates on whether those who lost their jobs will eventually be allowed to return to work.

Members of the House of Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee criticized the Department of Health and Social Cares (DHSC) silence on the matter.

Baroness Cathy Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville, one of the committees members, said it was disappointing that the department has not provided details regarding whether the unvaccinated former staff will be reinstated.

She did praise the DHSC for the information and scientific evidence behind its decision to revoke the vaccine mandate policies. According to Bakewell, the decision is important and requires proper evaluation in light of the pandemic experience.

In a memorandum sent to the committee, the DHSC announced that it is in talks with the National Health Service (NHS) to review recruitment policy to consider vaccination status when hiring new staff. According to the DHSC, the matter of rehiring staff was up to individual employers. (Related: British MP: Scale of COVID vaccine damage a NIGHTMARE.)

As of writing, the DHSC has not released an official number home care workers who quit or were fired because of the vaccine policy.

Industry experts say many unvaccinated home care workers who lost their jobs dont plan to return

Industry experts said the decision came too late because many workers wouldnt return to the severely understaffed sector, which was already short of 100,000 employees before the coronavirus pandemic occurred. A similar rule was considered for employees of the NHS in April, but the proposed requirement was scrapped after warnings of crippling staff shortages.

The DHSC canceled the proposed mandate after being warned that more than 80,000 healthcare workers would be forced out of their jobs for refusing to take the required vaccines, citing the comparative mildness of the omicron variant.

Pat Cullen, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) general secretary and chief executive, agreed that this was the right decision, especially since threatening the job security of the majority of workers when only a handful remained unvaccinated was the wrong approach and that the decision would offer relief to people whose jobs were at risk.

Cullen also noted that the move was too late for those who already lost their jobs. She urged ministers to address the health and social care workforce crisis, which is making it difficult for nursing staff to care safely for their patients, particularly when there are tens of thousands of nursing vacancies for those services.

Gavin Edwards, the head of care at Unison, said: There were always better ways of upping the jab rate in care. Making the vaccine mandatory meant thousands of experienced staff quit care homes. These were workers the struggling sector could ill afford to lose.

Many wont go back either. They have found better paid, less stressful work elsewhere. Ministers could go some way towards making up for the distress caused by ensuring every care worker is paid at least the real living wage. That would begin to solve the current staffing crisis.

Go to Vaccines.news for more articles on coronavirus vaccine mandates.

Watch this clip showing how nine out of 10 people in Great Britain dying from COVID-19 are vaccinated.

This video is from the Journaltv channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

UK coroners confirm 2 women died of BRAIN BLEED due to AstraZeneca COVID vaccine.

Excess deaths soaring in every country where covid vaccine uptake is high: data.

EU, UK, US combined report 7 million COVID vaccine adverse events, over 42,000 registered deaths.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

DailyMail.co.uk

TheGuardian.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) The Australian government has extended its national vaccine rollout for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) to include $1 billion of additional funding for injecting young children and babies.

While the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ATAGI) has only recommended the injections for children five years of age and older, Australian politicians have decided that they know better what the immune systems of little ones require.

The global pandemic is not over, declared Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, a self-proclaimed expert in immunology, during a recent budget speech.

As of now, no country on earth has approved Fauci Flu shots for children under age five. Australia would be the first to do so, and it would piggyback on an extension of the countrys medical insurance system.

Once international trials have been completed, Australia is planning to rush straight into getting as many shots into as many little arms as possible, as quickly as possible.

Another $4.2 billion has been allotted in Australias budget for other ongoing plandemic measures, including treatments for patients and support for general practitioners (GPs), elderly care providers, and hospitals.

More personal protective equipment (PPE) and rapid antigen tests will be bought and sent all across the country, padding the pockets of the manufacturers of these items.

Australia wants to kill off all its innocent children

Another $69 million has been designated to be spent over the course of two years for the Japanese Encephalitis Virus national plan, which includes purchasing 135,000 doses of vaccine for this disease.

Total health spending for the 2022-23 fiscal year will amount to $105.9 billion, which is 16.8 percent of Australias total expenditures. This is actually down from $111.5 billion last financial year when more money was poured into COVID emergency response measures.

A total of $333 million is being funneled into womens health schemes, along with $6.6 million for surgery to repair abdominal separation after pregnancy. Previously, this procedure was considered to be cosmetic, even though not getting it done leaves women in pain.

Other measures include funding for cheaper pharmaceuticals, money for increased cancer research, and other allotments for the care of elderly folks.

The biggest and most disturbing piece of the budget, however, is that $1 billion in cash for childrens COVID jabs, which Australia wants to make history with by being the first in the world to dispense their contents into toddlers, infants, and close-to-newborn babies.

It is important to keep in mind that a study from last fall found that nine times out of 10, pregnant women who take COVID vaccines themselves end up losing their babies during the first trimester.

One would think that this might deter the authorities from trying to push the very same shots on babies who successfully make it out of the womb. Perhaps the goal is to eliminate that remaining one child out of 10 that successfully makes it into this evil world?

Another thing that suggests malfeasance with this plan is the fact that children have a zero percent chance of dying from COVID. Children and babies do not need any chemical injections in order to live healthy, vibrant, COVID-free lives, in other words.

This is frightening, wrote one reader at The Age. Both my kids have had COVID (3 & 5) and it was nothing compared to other viruses theyve brought home from preschool.

Why would any parent risk the huge list of side effects and injuries that are now coming out? The potential risks far outweigh any potential benefit equation.

Another agreed, pointing out that it is worrying to ponder the potential side effects that young children and babies will incur because of this program.

The latest news about Fauci Flu shots can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources include:

TheAge.com.au

NaturalNews.com
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has postponed his address to the nation as he discusses the "foreign threat" letter with journalists and military leadership while ministers ruled out the possibility of him stepping down before a vote of no-confidence, media reports said.

Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed had earlier announced that Imran Khan will address the nation at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. However, PTI's Senator Faisal Javed said that the address has been postponed, Samaa TV reported.

He rejected the notion that someone had instructed Imran Khan to postpone the address.

Meanwhile, the military leadership is expected to call on Imran Khan any time soon.

The PM will likely hold a meeting of the National Security Committee to discuss the letter allegedly containing a foreign threat and received by the PTI government, Samaa TV said.

At a public rally in Islamabad's Parade Ground on Sunday, the Prime Minister claimed that his government had received a "written threat" from outside the country and it was an evidence of a foreign-funded conspiracy against the PTI rule.

The letter was sent by Pakistan Ambassador to the US, Asad Majeed Khan after his meeting with the US Secretary of State.

Other reports also claim that the letter was not written by a foreign government but by an Ambassador and contained assessment of bilateral relations between Pakistan and a western country.

Journalist Imran Riaz Khan said that the letter hasn't been shown to journalists but the contents of the letter have been revealed.

"It is a conversation between two officials of Pakistan and the other country, as per my understanding it is the US. The government, however, hasn't named the country, neither have they shared the number of officials or the meeting venue," he said.

"They didn't show us the letter as they are bound not to share the details under the law," he said.

Imran Riaz Khan said that journalists were told that the language used in the letter was "arrogant and threatening".

It is a document that tells that Americans have threatened that if the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan fails, there would be consequences and if it wins, the US would forgive Pakistan's mistakes, he said, Samaa TV reported.

There are a few issues in the letter like Pakistan's stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict as it was said that Imran Khan decided on his own to visit Moscow, he said adding that the Prime Minister was criticised for his trip to Russia.

About former PM Nawaz Sharif's involvement in the episode, the journalists were told that opposition held meetings in the west and they created the impression that Imran Khan is anti-US.

The letter was also been discussed at an emergency meeting of the federal cabinet on Wednesday.
(Natural News) Just because covid happened, and now the Russian invasion of Ukraine, does not mean that America has forgotten about the stolen 2020 election.

New peer-reviewed research has verified that in six key states, Joe Biden received 255,000 excess votes, meaning fraudulent votes.

A Rasmussen Reports survey conducted earlier this month found that by a margin of 52 percent to 40 percent, most voters believe that cheating affected the outcome of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. And there is more proof now to back that.

Amazingly, it is not just Republicans who believe this, either. The survey found that 34 percent of Democrats, as well as 38 percent of those who somewhat support Biden, now agree that fraud was used to rig the results. (Related: The website HereIsTheEvidence.com lays out even more proof of 2020 election fraud.)

A broad range of Americans think this: men, women, all age groups, whites, those who are neither white nor black, Republicans, those who are neither Republicans nor Democrats, all job categories, all income groups except those making over $200,000 per year, and all education groups except those who attended graduate school, writes John R. Lott Jr. for Real Clear Politics.

As for the peer-reviewed research confirming fraud, that was published in the economics journal Public Choice. It found that around 255,000 excess votes  and possibly even as many as 368,000 excess votes  were cast for Biden in swing states where Donald Trump alleged fraud had taken place.

Biden only carried these states  Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin  by a total of 313,253 votes, Lott Jr. adds. Excluding Michigan, [where] the gap was 159,065.

American elections will never be legitimate again if the fraud problem isnt addressed

While the studys findings are not necessarily aimed at unseating Biden, the fake winner, and replacing him with Trump, the true winner, they do highlight the fact that Americas election system is broken.

Republicans were largely unable to prove, at least to the degree that the courts expected, that Biden et al. had stolen the election. However, there were an incredible number of anomalies, as you may recall, that can really only be explained by fraud.

Courts have rejected challenges to the 2020 presidential vote, generally citing the lack of evidence that any alleged fraud would have altered the outcome in a particular state, Lott Jr. adds.

The Republican plaintiffs argued that since their observers couldnt watch the vote counts or were prevented from seeing other evidence, they couldnt provide such proof without investigations backed by subpoena power. Still, while some judges have agreed that irregularities occurred in 2020, they werent willing to grant discovery in the absence of evidence that fraud could reverse the election results. Republicans thus faced a Catch-22 situation.

Recounts were similarly unsuccessful at proving that fraud had taken place, and neither were signature verification checks. There are simply too many loopholes and problems with the current system that nothing short of a complete overhaul has even the possibility of fixing.

Vote fraud erodes trust in elections, and makes people less motivated to vote, Lott Jr. correctly states in conclusion.

Compared to Europe and other developed countries, America is unique in its lax approach to vote fraud. When all demographic and political groups in the U.S. support voter photo IDs and even 46% of Democrats believe that mail-in voting leads to cheating, ignoring Americans concerns wont make the problem go away.

As a little background, Lott Jr. is the president of the Crime Prevention Research Center. Up until January 2021, he was the senior adviser for research and statistics at the U.S. Department of Justices (DOJ) Office of Legal Policy where he dealt specifically with issues pertaining to voter fraud.

More related news can be found at Trump.news.

Sources for this article include:

RealClearPolitics.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) China is setting up a permanent presence near Australia by forging ties with South Pacific nations like Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

According to the Daily Mail, a leaked document outlining a security agreement between Beijing and the Solomon Islands government in the capital Honiara prompted Canberra to sound the alarm on Chinas presence. The draft security agreement would allow the Solomon Islands to request China to send police, armed police, military personnel and other law enforcement and armed forces to the country. It also permitted Chinese vessels to make ship visits, carry out logistical replenishment and have stopover and transition [operations] in the Solomon Islands.

In 2019, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare broke off diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of the mainland. Sogavares government received about $730 million from Beijing following the move. This did not sit well with the locals, who believe the money was paid in exchange for their countrys sovereignty. Opposition politicians claimed that Beijing was responsible for funding the prime ministers political campaign.

In Papua New Guinea, a Beijing-backed firm submitted a proposal to the government back in April 2020. Hong Kong-based WYW Holding Limited showed its plans to build the $39 billion New Daru City at the island of Daru, located just 200 kilometers from the Cape York peninsula in the Australian state of Queensland. Once built, the 100-square-kilometer New Daru City would include a major sea port, an industrial zone and a commercial business district. It would also have a resort for tourists and vast residential areas.

However, the deal to build New Daru City would be predicated on an agreed sovereign guarantee based on a long-term BOT [build, operate, transfer] contract. This meant that under the contract, WYW would have total ownership of the project for an undetermined period of time before its ownership is transferred to Port Moresby.

China building up forces at Australias doorstep

Former Australian diplomat Mihai Sora told the Daily Mail: China is looking to expand its ability to project force around the globe, and the South Pacific is not immune to that.

The security cooperation agreement that potentially involves Chinese military assets transiting or basing in the region would have the effect of blocking naval and military assets from other countries like Australia, added Mihai, a fellow at the New South Wales-based think tank Lowy Institute. That would be destabilizing because it would potentially limit the freedom of movement within the Pacific.

Mihai acknowledged that Canberra has given varied amounts of attention to South Pacific countries, with the Pacific Step-Up aid program serving as an attempt to correct that perception of neglect. The former Australian diplomat to the Solomon Islands remarked that while the country needs to do more to engage its neighbors in the South Pacific, the problem is when it comes to budget.

In response, the U.S. has deployed members of the Marine Corps to Australias Northern Territory to train alongside the Australian Defense Force (ADF). The contingent of approximately 2,200 Marines assigned on a rotational basis will join the ADF Northern Command until September 2022, 100PercentFedUp.com reported. (Related: Thousands of Marines deployed to Australia in preparation for a possible war with CHINA.)

The deployment is a key way [to] increase regional cooperation with partners in the Indo-Pacific, said Colonel Marcus Constable of the ADF Northern Command. Together we conduct a comprehensive range of training activities including humanitarian assistance, security operations and high-end live-fire exercises.

Back in 2021, Beijing warned through state media that Australia would suffer a heavy attack in case the ADF comes to the aid of Taiwan. The communist country also mentioned the possible use of nuclear weapons in response to the tripartite AUKUS security pact, which will allow the ADF to obtain nuclear-powered submarines.

Visit NationalSecurity.news to read more stories like this.

Watch this news report about the security agreement between China and the Solomon Islands.

This video is from the Chinese taking down EVIL CCP channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Trump: China will DEFINITELY attack Taiwan following Russia-Ukraine example.

WAR ALERT: China setting stage for NUCLEAR WAR with Taiwan, Australia, Japan, India and the USA.

Australia, India and Japan form Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) to reduce dependency on China.

Sources include:

en-Volve.com

DailyMail.co.uk

100PercentFedUp.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Dr. David Martin has warned the public that a genocide is currently going on in the guise of mass vaccination.

This is a pandemic of the bio weaponization of the human organism. This is not public health. And Anthony Fauci is the architect of this genocide, Martin said when he appeared in the March 24 episode of The Stew Peters Show. During the course of the program, Martin talked about the chimeric model of spike proteins and how this is affecting the body.

Mainstream science has come up with the news that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines persist in the human body for an indeterminate period, and will survive up to eight weeks in the lymphatic system, where it will continually produce the spike protein. Scientists see evidence that spike proteins are showing up in waste streams at alarmingly high rates.

This is what happens when you inject the body with a chimeric model of a synthetic spike protein, and when this type of gene therapy has not been tested properly. It turns out that no one knows how long each vaccinated individual injected would manufacture the pathogens in their body.

Why are there such high concentrations of spike protein showing up in waste streams?

The reason is really simple, Martin said. The human organism is now being modified and it is being modified to perpetually produce a toxic protein known and scheduled to harm humanity. (Related: Karen Kingston tells Michele Swinick: Purpose of COVID-19 vaccine is to be a tool for genetic editing  Brighteon.TV.)

Martin added that these proteins are known to be damaging and are subject to the biological and chemical weapons, treaties and laws that have been enforced in the United States. These chimeric viruses resulted from the deliberate manipulation of SARS-CoV-2, to incorporate nucleic acids into the virus, which is illegal.

With the fourth COVID-19 shot now underway in the U.S., Fauci is talking about possibly doing another round of lockdowns, and it seems that plenty of Americans will participate because many have been brainwashed by the so-called experts.

SARS-CoV-2 chimeric viruses a result of deliberate manipulation

SARS-CoV-2 chimeric viruses are a result of any deliberate manipulation of the virus to incorporate nucleic acids for SARS-CoV-2 virulence factors. This actually shows up in three sections of the Code of Federal Regulations subjected to the biologic and toxin agent program defined under Chapter 18 U.S. Code Section 178.

As a biological agent, it is also subjected to 18 U.S. Code Section 175, or the prohibition of biological weapons. The statute says that what Big Pharma is doing under the direction of Fauci is a felony punishable up to 99 years in prison and up to $100 million per count.

The statement of the authorities are so egregious in the matter that there is no need to make up a conspiracy because everything they did was recorded and published. According to Martin, they are also in violation of criminal conspiracy and racketeering laws and have admitted to it.

According to filings by vaccine manufacturer Pfizer, there is no current precedent for an mRNA based immunotherapy, such as the type we are developing, being approved for sale by the FDA [Food and Drug Administration], the European Commission or any other regulatory agency elsewhere in the world.

This is not a public health vaccine. This is a computer-generated synthetic chimeric alternative to the virulence factor of SARS-CoV-2, Martin insisted.

This is the reality that says we are being subjected to a perpetual addiction to a known pathogen and toxic agent. And the reason why Anthony Fauci is now advocating for the next round of boosters. (Related: Drs. Peter Daszak and Anthony Fauci must be ARRESTED, as new intel emerges documenting planned coronavirus enhancement and deployment.)

Meanwhile, documents revealed that zoologist Peter Daszak and his collaborators have planned to release nanoparticles that could penetrate the skin. These particles contain novel chimeric spike proteins from bat coronaviruses, that can penetrate the skin when enhanced. The documents further revealed that COVID-19 is more than a virus. It is a biological weapon that was strategically developed and slated for deployment.

They also planned to create chimeric viruses, genetically enhanced to infect humans more easily, and requested $14m from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to fund the work. DARPA turned down the application.

Daszak is the president of EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit organization that received funding from Faucis National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to study bat coronaviruses with scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Follow Vaccines.news for more news related to coronavirus vaccines.

Watch the video below to know how a human body has now become a bioweapons factory itself.

This video is from the FalconsCAFE Sharing is caring channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Dr. David Martin exposes the the great reset and COVID-19 vaccines agenda.

Karen Kingston and Dr. Eric Nepute denounce COVID vaccinations for kids  Brighteon.TV.

Pfizer CEO pushes for more boosters just as studies show vaccines actually make people MORE likely to catch Omicron after 90 days.

Former Pfizer VP Mike Yeadon declares covid vaccines are toxic by design  theyre weapons to reduce global population.

Pfizer admits in confidential document that COVID-19 vaccine causes Vaccine-Associated Enhanced Disease (same thing as Antibody Dependent Enhancement).

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

Telegraph.co.uk
(Natural News) For the past two years, we were told that the answer to the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) plandemic, and the thing that would save lives, was everyone taking the Operation Warp Speed vaccines. It turns out, however, that population growth in the United States has reached an all-time low ever since the jabs were introduced.

In 2021, the year when most of the fully vaccinated got their jabs, the U.S. saw its population growth reach the lowest levels ever. This is according to the latest data from the Census Bureau.

The year prior, 2020, was not much better, as the population growth rate in America has been declining for some time. But things really ramped up in the depopulation department right after the cure for the Fauci Flu was introduced on a broad scale.

U.S. growth didnt slowly fade away: It slipped, and slipped, and then fell off a cliff, wrote Derek Thompson for The Atlantic.

The 2010s were already demographically stagnant; every year from 2011 to 2017, the U.S. grew by only 2 million people. In 2020, the U.S. grew by just 1.1 million. Last year, we added only 393,000 people  Whats going on?

Thompson answers his own question in a roundabout way by pointing out that the vast majority of deaths in America occurred after the shots were released. He adds that they were particularly concentrated in 2021, which is when most people got jabbed.

Last year, deaths exceeded births in a record-high number of U.S. counties, Thompson further points out.

Never before in American history have so many different parts of the country shrunk because of natural decease, which is the difference between deaths and births.

Rather than blame the jabs for declining population numbers, The Atlantic says there isnt enough immigration

Between 2019 and 2021, excess deaths accounted for 50 percent of the difference in population growth. Thompson blames the pandemic for this, but the reality is that a bulk of those deaths occurred after the jabs were introduced, and after they were plunged into peoples arms.

He stops short of linking the two things together, of course, but it is clear from his deduction as to the true cause of much of this death: the so-called vaccines. (Related: Covid vaccines have been linked to causing AIDS.)

Amazingly, Thompson goes into a lengthy diatribe blaming a lack of immigration in recent years on Americas declining population numbers. Back in 2016, he says, as many as one million new people from other countries legally immigrated to the U.S. Now, that figure is around 250,000 a year.

If true, this still does not explain the excess deaths that all occurred since the start of the plandemic when patients were being killed with respirators and remdesivir  this was pre-jab  as well as from late-2020 onward after the injections were widely administered.

Something clearly dramatic has happened ever since the Fauci Flu was foisted upon the world, but almost nobody is willing to identify the elephant in the room that caused it.

These fake vaccines have the HIV genome embedded in the spike protein, suggested someone at Natural News. Fauci is a major shareholder in all of them. Major conflict of interest, along with being a mass murderer.

Vaccines are designed to prevent immunity, not bestow it, wrote another. This includes mRNA jabs. Vaccines do this by throwing the immune system off balance so that it attacks the body, thereby creating pharma clients for life.

When you are sick, or you have an injury or infection, your body temporarily produces antibodies to cope with the problem. Vaccines hijack this process and chronically hyper-stimulate the production of antibodies, causing severe inflammation. This is very harmful, and sometimes fatal.

More related news coverage can be found at Genocide.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheAtlantic.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) It is now common to give out a blanket Do Not Resuscitate notice for patients, from young people with learning disorders to seniors becoming more dependent on others in the majority of care homes in the United Kingdom.

This practice started a while ago, and it was heavily discussed online for some time, with people sharing stories of patients being asked to sign DNR forms or having these forms signed on their behalf.

General practitioners have also been contacting their elderly patients and those who have chronic health disorders about DNR notices and whether or not they agree to putting such notices in their files.

The wordings were also kept positive, and are designed to elicit a positive response, in a tricky form most commonly used by pollsters and insurance salesmen.

One GP in surgery sent out a letter to a home that catered to autistic adults, saying that the carers should put in place plans to prevent their patients from being resuscitated if they become critically ill.

Others also sent out similar letters to establishments caring for the elderly and the disabled. Blanket decisions were also made for residential homes that are caring for patients with learning difficulties.

This practice is not entirely new, and while light has been shed in the wake of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, this has been happening long before the pandemic began.

For instance, a 51-year-old man with Downs Syndrome was given a DNR because of his disability, and the hospital he was admitted to was given instructions that there will be no attempt to resuscitate him in case of a cardiac or respiratory arrest. (Related: Grieving father reveals how hospital COVID protocols led to maltreatment and death of his disabled daughter.)

However, no consent form was signed, and there had been no agreement with the patient or his relatives regarding this action. The medical director for the relevant part of the National Health Service said their policy complied fully with the national guidelines from professional bodies.

A head of a large charity also said they believe DNR orders were frequently being placed in patients who have learning disabilities without their knowledge or the agreement of their families.

These actions were in fact, illegal.

The U.K. High Court ruled in 2015 that the carers for patients with mental illnesses should be consulted before hospitals apply DNR notices. However, due to the coronavirus, there had been a flood of cases of underreporting.

Individuals were given DNR notices for other usually treatable or preventable conditions if they indicate in their records that they have contracted the Chinese virus.

For COVID-19 cases, hospitals indicate that DNRs were released because CPR was said to present at least two practical dangers in the pandemic. Researchers claim that invasive CPR procedures expose first responders to bodily fluids and can put them at high risk for infections. Responding to patients in cardiac or respiratory arrest also requires hospitals to burn through their protective gear at a time when many were in dire need of masks, head coverings, air purification systems and other necessary equipment.

Doctors should sensitively discuss possible DNRs

The U.K. has the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which is the official advisory body in health care. NICE said that doctors should sensitively discuss a possible DNR with all adults with CFs of 5 or more. (Related: KEEP ON KILLING: UK health officials ordered care homes to place do not resuscitate orders on ALL residents.)

A CF, or clinical frailty of 5 means that a patient is mildly frail and may need help with heavy housework, shopping and preparing meals. CF 6 means moderately frail, or people who will now need help with bathing. CF 7 means severely frail, or those who are dependent for personal care, and so on.

Doctors and nurses were also instructed that they should review critical care treatment when a patient is no longer considered able to achieve the desired overall goals.

Others could argue that if a patient is clearly dying, then it would be cruel and pointless to attempt resuscitation. This is why DNR notices were devised. However, they were originally for patients who only have hours to live, as it was not considered fair to those who continue to strive to keep officiously alive.

Follow HospitalHomicide.com for more information about questionable practices in healthcare facilities around the world.

Watch the video below for more information about how hospitals are killing patients.

This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Top reasons why healthcare professionals refuse to speak up about covid vaccine injury and death.

The ruling elites and the governments they control have shown conclusively that they are against us, the people.

Prime age mortality SPIKED by 50% across multiple states during the year of the life-saving covid-19 vaccine.

Father forced to leave hospital, witness daughters death on FaceTime  all due to outrageous covid restrictions.

AMA teaching doctors how to LIE to the public about covid, instructing them to claim all hospitalizations are deaths from covid.

Sources include:

DailyExpose.uk

NOLO.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) The psychopathic plot behind the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to unravel, with incriminating new evidence linking Moderna, the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to predatory bioweapon and vaccine development.

Six years prior to COVID-19, these entities conspired to develop a genetic sequence that could be inserted into a virus to cause a new, novel coronavirus disease. These entities also prepared a consortium of experimental, mRNA injections (modeled after the bioweapon) that could be used to exploit and profit from human populations. These COVID-19 vaccines were developed and transferred before the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the causative agent for COVID-19. These COVID-19 vaccines were prepared long before global health authorities even declared a worldwide pandemic.

Gates Foundation created Moderna to experiment on human genetics for years to come

How did Bill Gates predict a future pandemic years prior to the COVID-19 scandal? How did Bill Gates know that 2020 would be a great year to invest in new vaccines? Why was Bill Gates so adamant about locking down the economy and holding people hostage in their homes?

Back in 2016, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation granted $20 million to a little-known biotech company named Moderna. The funds were used to support their initial project related to the evaluation of antibody combination in a pre-clinical setting as well as the conduct of a first in human Phase 1 clinical trial of a potential mRNA medicine.

Under the framework agreement, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation granted Moderna up to $100 million in funding for follow-on projects that can only be approved by the Gates Foundation. As part of the agreement, Moderna is obligated to grant the Gates Foundation certain non-exclusive licenses. These non-exclusive licenses allow the Gates Foundation to exploit the mRNA technologies created by Moderna to allow other licensees to profit from this same intellectual property. Bill and Melinda Gates are therefore profiting from the Moderna mRNA injections that they funded. These inventions were developed long before COVID-19, and were even launched before a global pandemic was declared.

In fact, Moderna was used as a vessel to patent precise genetic sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 bioweapon. Scientists from Switzerland, India, Italy, and the United States published a paper showing that Moderna patented a specific 19-code nucleotide sequence that gave SARS-CoV-2 its enhanced properties for infectivity. The authors wrote that there is only a one in three trillion chance that this 19-code nucleotide sequence would appear naturally and contain the unique furin cleavage site.

Moderna patented that gene sequence (US9587003B2) on February 4, 2016. These Moderna patents also include US9149506B2, US9216205B2, US9255129B2, and US9301993B2 from December 16, 2013. The enhanced coronavirus was developed six years prior to COVID-19, and was rapidly generated with funds from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The final codon patented by Moderna is as follows: CTCCTCGGCGGGCA. The CGG coded Furin Cleavage site is as follows: CCTCGGCGGGCACGT. These sequences do not occur naturally in viruses, but they do occur naturally in cows, plants, bacteria and humans. Since bacteria cannot naturally insert their genes into viruses, there is only one way this precise bacterial DNA could end up inside the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It could only be inserted through laboratory interference using precision gain-of-function techniques such as serial passage or no-see-um manipulations.

Moderna and NIAID transferred mRNA vaccine candidates to UNC before the causative agent was officially identified for the Wuhan outbreaks

In the beginning of the COVID-19 scandal, a pneumonia of unknown cause was discovered on December 31, 2019. On January 9, 2020, the WHO determined that the pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan China was the result of a new causative agent, SARS-CoV-2. Astonishingly, mRNA coronavirus vaccine candidates developed by Moderna were transferred to the University of North Carolina three weeks prior (on December 12, 2019). It had been several years since a coronavirus posed a threat to humans, yet Moderna was ready with a vaccine to respond to outbreaks in Wuhan, China before a causative agent could be identified, before a pandemic could be quantified.

A confidential agreement between Moderna and Faucis NIAID, (dated December 12, 2019) agreed to transfer mRNA coronavirus vaccine candidates to recipients at UNC. The NIH, the FDA and the CDC were all in on it, too. Ralph Baric and Jacqueline Quay signed the agreement on Dec 12th and Dec 16th, respectively. It was also signed on December 12, 2019 by NIAID representatives Amy F. Petrik and Barney Graham. Modernas investigator, Sunny Himansu, and Modernas Deputy General Counsel Shaun Ryan also signed the mRNA vaccine transfer agreement on December 17, 2019.

The genetic sequences, the patented evidence and the time stamps for vaccine transfers point to the reality that there was a well-funded conspiracy behind COVID-19. There was a predatory vaccine development program that relied on the intentional release of a bioweapon and subsequent lock downs and medical tyranny. Since this collusion began, Moderna has profited billions from this predatory vaccine development and pharmaceutical racketeering. Several licensees have also taken advantage of this mRNA technology, which was originally funded and approved by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and forced onto populations using the NIAID and Faucis human rights violations.

Sources include:

DailyExpose.uk

ModernaTX.com

Frontierin.org

NaturalNews.com

WHO.int
(Natural News) Freshmen Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) has made interesting  albeit not surprising to some long-time Washington observers  revelations about his short time in the nations capital since winning in the 2020 election.

In an interview last week with John Lovell of the Warrior Poet Society podcast, Cawthorn said that since moving to D.C., he has been invited to orgies with politicians and saw other powerful people doing key bumps of cocaine while in front of him, and with various media figures who then document the scandalous stories to use as blackmail.

The young GOP representative was asked if House of Cards, the television series starring Kevin Spacey as the Democratic chief whip and his secret life of corruption and power and money and perversion is anything close to the reality of life in the nations capital. He responded by claiming to be shocked at the amount of sexual perversion in Washington (which explains why most lawmakers never want to retire).

He also told the interviewer that as a young man who has always paid a lot of attention to politics, he was amazed and surprised that some people he looked up to had invited him to sexual get-togethers, which he noted were actually just orgies. He also said that cocaine and drug use among D.C. insiders was rampant.

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 its like, wow, this is wild, said Cawthorn.

The North Carolina Republican also said that there is a whole espionage aspect to what goes on in Washington.

So many people trade in secrets, and theres a currency to secrets, he said, adding that one of the most disturbing things is that members of the media intentionally pursue those secrets to keep nasty stories about you or other people on a shelf, ready to drop at a moments notice as a means of blackmail.

If youre about to speak out against something they dont want you to, theyll come out and say were about to drop this story of when 17 years ago you did X, Y and Z, and you dont want us to drop that story do you, so were going to bully you back into this position.' Cawthorn added.

But then, there are also times when the left-wing mainstream media commits heinous acts of omission and commission.

For instance, before, during and after Donald Trumps presidency, the media has allowed itself to be used by the Deep State intelligence apparatus to convey one false story after another in a direct attempt to bring down a duly-elected leader of our country.

In fact, the various outlets likely were well aware that the stories theyre being fed were false, based on Cawthorns revelations, but they published those fake stories anyway because of their disdain for Trump  and they did so at the expense of what little trust remained of our media institutions, which was already at a low point.

At the same time, the same outlets refused to cover real, documented, damning information about Hunter Biden, the current presidents son, as well as disturbing claims of corruption and foreign influence regarding Joe Biden himself. These outlets refused to report on these revelations even though reporters and editors were well aware that electing a president who was indebted to foreign governments like China and Russia, two of our biggest global competitors and potential enemies in the future, compromised U.S. national security.

It should be obvious once more that our media no longer exists to serve as a check on power, it serves as an enabler of power provided the right politicians are in charge.

Sources include:

ValiantNews.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Todays Situation Update podcast is entitled, Sudden Death. Its both a description of what I just experienced with the loss of a beloved ranch animal late last night, as well as an observation about the globalists waging total war on humanity and thereby achieving the mass extermination of billions of human beings.

Strange, isnt it? How we can talk about billions of human beings being outright murdered by vaccines and engineered famine, yet when an animal close to us dies  or a loved one, relative, spouse, etc.  it hurts far more than the thought of billions. Thats because every human being who is murdered by the globalists was loved by someone. Every death counts because every life matters. Yet we live in such an insane, fascism, woketard society that merely uttering, All lives matter gets you de-platformed and branded a racist.

Thats because the left-wing marxists running America are actually members of a satanic death cult. They celebrate death, which is why they celebrate post-birth abortions (i.e. murdering human babies up to 28 days after they are born). They even celebrate mass death of billions in the name of saving the planet, which explains how we got to this current situation where nearly every government in the world is now weaponized against its own citizens, unleashing biological weapons, death-inducing vaccines and engineered food scarcity thats designed to collapse human civilization.

The sad, blatant truth is that we are all going to have to come to grips with people dying all around us. This includes people you know, people you love and people you once considered friends, neighbors or coworkers. Over the next two years, many of these people will face extreme food scarcity and panic. Their personalities will transform into something you and I no longer recognize. They will change from being friends to looters, in many cases. And some will resort to violence to get the food they need.

Over the next decade, an estimated 1-2 billion people will die across the planet from vaccine-induced injuries and sudden death. This outcome is already baked in and cannot be reversed by any known treatment. Millions have already died  and at least 1.1 million are already dead in the United States alone  but the final death count from these vaccines will be measured in the billions.

Farmers are being paid by the USDA to destroy crops and create mass famine

Then theres the engineered food scarcity. We have arrived at the point of government treason and engineered starvation where governments fake bird flu outbreaks among chicken flocks in order to demand the culling of millions of chickens, thereby driving up food prices and increasing food scarcity.

At the federal level, every effort is being made to destroy food production, including the USDA paying farmers to destroy their own crops, as the video below reveals. According to this video, farmers are being offered 150% of the value of their crops to destroy them and make sure these crops dont enter the food supply:

Brighteon.com/ded1bfca-63d2-48bf-a6ec-9ac44068325a

This next video from Infowars Greg Reese reveals a shocking message from Shad Sullivan, an American farmer. He warns that farmers are being ordered to destroy their livestock and plow under food crops.

Its all part of the engineered, weaponized food scarcity thats being unleashed on the world in conjunction with planned bioweapons attacks, spike protein biological assaults and a global economic collapse:

Brighteon.com/a175f5ae-0da5-44a9-a612-c724b77b7ed5

When your own government literally pays (and threatens) farmers to destroy crops and kill off their own livestock, rest assured you are living under a genocidal regime of totalitarian enemies of humanity. They will stop at nothing to starve you to death in their attempts to wipe humanity from the face of this planet.

We must understand this is a spiritual war against evil and that only God has the ultimate weapon to destroy all evil

In todays Situation Update podcast, I cover how this war against humanity is a spiritual war between good and evil. All the globalists, high-level Democrats, vaccine-pimping scientists, journo-terrorists and woketard school teacher pedophiles are, of course, working for Satan. So are many of the church leaders in the mega-churches that are nothing but fronts for satanism and obedience to evil government.

On the other side of all this is Jesus Christ, God and the true Christians who maintain their obedience to God. They exercise morality, courage, compassion and love for life. These are the remnant of humanity, and it is these people who will rebuild a new civilization in alignment with Gods laws after the collapse of this current civilization and the eradication of evil.

Understand that as this happens, billions of human beings will die, and billions more will be destroyed by God for their evil ways. The planet will become sparsely populated by the time this is all over. Cities of extreme evil  San Francisco, Washington D.C., Chicago, Seattle, Portland, etc.  will be ghost towns, with almost no one remaining.

Those of us who live through whats coming will see death on a daily basis. We will often be surrounded by the dead and the dying, and we will witness them lash out with their evil intent, their pedophilia, their coordinated lies and their contempt for God. You see this contempt every day in the actions of the corporate media, the White House and the fake president, Big Tech, public school counselors in liberal cities, Hollywood and even Disney, which has become a hub for pushing pedophilia and grooming of young children.

Understand that most of these people are pro-vaccine and anti-prepping. The vast majority of them will die in the coming decade. They will die from the spike protein, or starvation or even from violence stemming from the economic collapse. For those who are steeped in evil and yet somehow manage to survive all that will be destroyed by the Word of God, in an instant upon His return.

The world will instantly go from chaos to silence.

The madness, lunacy and murderous intent of the anti-human Leftists will be vanquished as their souls are sent to purgatory (i.e. infinite separation from God).

From there, humanity will rebuild a new society. And this is the reason why our own survival is so critical: Because we shall be the architects of the new society, and we must make every effort to banish the mistakes and corruption of this current society. We must decentralize all power, agriculture, finance, technology and (limited) government. We must enforce morality and stop those who pervert the morals of a civilized world. We must arrest and imprison those engaged in corruption or coordinated media lies designed to mislead the public and steal elections.

We get to decide the new rules of the new society, for we will be the survivors.

Discover more details in todays situation update podcast, which is admittedly a bit on the gloomy side due to the sudden death on my ranch:

Brighteon.com/7c2b0523-07ee-4535-9dca-6dcaeb1068fe

Discover more information-packaged podcasts each day, along with special reports, interviews and emergency updates, at:

https://www.brighteon.com/channels/HRreport

Also follow me on:

Brighteon.social: Brighteon.social/@HealthRanger

Telegram: t.me/RealHealthRanger

Truth Social: Username = HealthRanger

Gettr: GETTR.com/user/healthranger

Parler: Parler.com/user/HealthRanger

Rumble: Rumble.com/c/HealthRangerReport

BitChute: Bitchute.com/channel/9EB8glubb0Ns/

Clouthub: app.clouthub.com/#/users/u/naturalnews/posts

Join the free NaturalNews.com email newsletter to stay alerted about new, upcoming audiobooks that you can download for free.

Download my current audiobooks  including Ghost World, Survival Nutrition, The Global Reset Survival Guide and The Contagious Mind  at:

https://Audiobooks.NaturalNews.com/
(Natural News) Ukraines Institute for Safety Problems of Nuclear Power Plants (ISPNPP) has recently claimed that looters stole radioactive isotopes from a monitoring lab in Chernobyl and that these materials could be used to make a dirty bomb.

A dirty bomb, or radiological dispersal device, is any kind of explosive device that has been mixed with radioactive material, such as radioactive powder or pellets. When it explodes, it does not create a nuclear blast. But it does spread the radioactive material into the surrounding area, which can cause immediate serious illness to people who live within the proximity of the initial blast.

In an interview with the magazine Science, ISPNPP Director Anatolii Nosovskyi claimed that looters raided a monitoring lab in Chernobyl city, 10 miles to the southeast of the nuclear power plant.

The laboratory monitored radiation levels in the nuclear power plant. According to Nosovskyi, the looters stole radioactive isotopes used to calibrate instruments and pieces of radioactive waste. This radioactive waste could be mixed with conventional explosives to create a dirty bomb. (Related: Assessment forecasts nightmare scenario of nuclear World War III over rising potential for operational miscalculation regarding Ukraine.)

Nosovskyi said the lab contained powerful sources of gamma and neutron radiation used to test devices, as well as strong radioactive samples leftover from the 1986 disaster. The fate of these sources is unknown to us, said Nosovskyi.

Thousands of other sites all over Ukraine contain radiological materials. Some of these sites have already fallen under Russian control, while others are still in the middle of ongoing battles. One of these sites is the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the city of the same name in southern Ukraine.

The plant, Europes largest nuclear power plant, was shelled by Russian forces on March 4, and then struck by a rocket attack. The second attack damaged a research reactor used to generate neutrons for experiments. This attack was universally condemned, and Nosovskyi himself labeled the assault against the plant as nothing short of state-sponsored nuclear terrorism.

Most of the sites with radiological materials are still under the control of Ukraines nuclear regulator and efforts are ongoing to secure any radioactive material and move them into vaults and repositories outside of the war zone.

No evidence radioactive materials were stolen from monitoring lab

Multiple mainstream media outlets have published Nosovskyis statement, taking it at face value and not doing what journalists should do  which is verify the information. Nosovskyi has not provided any proof for any of his claims.

When Russian forces took over the Chernobyl monitoring lab, the Ukrainian scientists who remained were able to broker a deal to keep the plant running and make sure Russian soldiers did not interfere with the essential work. In exchange, the labs Ukrainian guards would disarm and surrender.

The scientists who stayed behind have worked at the facility for nearly a month before some of them left for a shift change. They would likely be able to confirm whether or not the supposedly stolen radioactive materials are still at the lab. But conveniently enough, Maxim Saveliev, a senior scientist working for the ISPNPP, said the organization is no longer in contact with them.

When Russian nuclear specialists conducted an inspection of the recently-captured Central Analytical Laboratory in the Chernobyl plants complex, they found excess levels of radiation and materials said to match the substances needed to make a dirty bomb.

If Russian claims are accurate, then Ukraine is the one with the materials to create a dirty bomb.

Do these people think that Russia didnt already have access to these materials, wrote Kelen McBreen for InfoWars. Additionally, who would benefit the most from a dirty bomb going off in Russia?

The nation of Ukraine would likely see the full force of Russias military in this situation, and the media have already established Russia will be blamed no matter what, she continued. So, the stage is actually set for Ukraine to deploy the dirty bomb to be blamed on Russia.

WWIII.news has more on the possibility of nuclear attacks in Ukraine, either through nuclear warheads or dirty bombs.

Watch this clip from an RT newscast talking about how the labs in Pripyat, near the nuclear power plant, appear to be untouched and abandoned, contradicting Ukrainian claims.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Washington is driving the world to nuclear war.

Survey finds that more than one-third of Americans are willing to risk nuclear war with Russia over Ukraine.

U.S. military head says country faces substantial nuclear threat from Russia, China.

Heightened fears of nuclear war increase demand for potassium iodide worldwide.

World War III will be nuclear and destructive, warns Russian foreign minister.

Sources include:

InfoWars.com

CDC.gov



Science.org

Twitter.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Former intelligence officer and Prather Point host Jeffrey Prather told Steel Truth host Ann Vandersteel that Ukraine is a puppet of the United States government and a biolab for fifth generation war.

Ukraine in itself is a biolab for fifth generational war, just as Ukraine is a puppet of the United States government  the government, not the American people. But the United States government is a puppet of the Deep State, global elites and China. And so thats where we find ourselves now, Prather told Vandersteel during the March 24 episode of Steel Truth on Brighteon.TV.

The retired special operations soldier said Russian President Vladimir Putin had to react to what was going on in Ukraine. He revealed that Putin saw the vectors, the bats and the birds being used on wind currents to take genetically modified, genetic, magnetic electronic and bioweaponry based upon CRISPR  a technology that can be used to edit genes.

Prather said intelligence is analyzed information that needs to be timely and honest. He pointed out that the mainstream media is now funded totally by the intelligence agencies, citing news anchor Anderson Cooper, who used to work at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

War changes with civilization and civilization changes with technology. And so the war that has been going on now is primarily a fifth generation information influence operation through the intelligence agencies, through Big Media and Big Tech, but really commandeered by and led by bio digicontal weapons, Prather explained.

U.S. violates biological warfare treaties

The former Drug Enforcement Agency special agent said the U.S. has been violating biological warfare treaties, which Russia is accusing America of in the United Nations Security Council. He added that Putin has pushed back using third generation kinetic warfare against fifth generation war through Ukraine.

Vandersteel mentioned that Putin is not part of the global Cabal and that the Russian leader is looking out for his own people and is doing what is necessary in order to expose the Cabal. She added that Putin may take all the evidence he has gathered to the International Court of Justice in The Hague and present it as true crimes against humanity aside from naming all the bad actors in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance.

Prather took note that Putins build-up was very clear and slow. And when the line was crossed, he conducted a special military operation called the denazification of Ukraine. He said there are Nazis in Ukraine who are supported by the CIA, and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is one of them. (Related: Matrixxx Grooove: Putin, Russia want denazification, demilitarization of Ukraine.)

The former intelligence officer pointed out that a coordinated international fifth generation war effort has been rocked back on its heels because Putin did not go along with it by doing third generation warfare.

Economic warfare underway

An economic warfare is also underway amidst all the chaos in Ukraine as the Russians are now accepting cryptocurrency for their sale of oil and natural gas.

Prather said China, Saudi Arabia and Russia were all attempting to demote the U.S. petrodollar as the international currency. He said those countries have already begun hoarding crops, gold, oil and natural gas. He said this is really the global worldwide resistance against the global Great Reset.

The Prather Point host also noted that the memory of Nazism in Russia is entrenched in every Russian home and family, and that they will not let it happen again. The retired special operations soldier added that people can see the Great Reset is failing along with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) bioweapon.

Follow DeepState.news to know more about the Deep State and the globalists.

Watch the full March 24 episode of Steel Truth below. You can catch Steel Truth with Ann Vandersteel every weekday at 9:30-10:30 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

Alex Jones: War in Ukraine advances the GREAT RESET desired by globalists.

Ukrainian biolabs operator Metabiota linked to EcoHealth Alliance, World Economic Forum and Jeffrey Epstein.

CIA admits training Nazi terror troops in Ukraine, which have been fighting and killing Russians since 2015.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

JeffreyPrather.com

Biography.com


The official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Major General Igor Konashenkov, said that Kiev was seriously considering the possibility of using biological weapons against the population of Donbass and the Russian Federation. "The revealed facts prove that the Kiev regime seriously considered the possibility of using biological weapons against the population of Donbass and the Russian Federation," he said, RT reported.



The Russian armed forces are carrying out a planned regrouping of troops in the Kiev and Chernigov directions, Konashenkov said.



At the first stage of a special military operation, it was planned to force the enemy to concentrate his forces, means, resources and military equipment to hold large settlements in these directions, including Kiev, he explained.



"To tie them down on the battlefield and without storming these cities (in order to avoid losses among the civilian population), inflict such a defeat on the armed formations of the Kiev regime that would not allow it to use these forces in the main direction of operations of our armed forces - in the Donbass," the Ministry of Defense said




(Natural News) The Western media, and especially the American legacy press, have been citing Russia for war crimes against Ukrainians since President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to invade his western neighbor on Feb. 24.

There is little doubt that Putins war has been brutal: Photos and video of smoldering ruins in Ukrainian cities abound; bombed-out apartment complexes, entire city blocks destroyed; millions of refugees created.

But have Russian soldiers committed war crimes? Is Putin a war criminal?

Perhaps. In war  and make no mistake, what is occurring in Ukraine is an actual war of the kind not seen in the Western world in decades  people die. Cities are destroyed. Infrastructure is ruined. Lives are disrupted, often for years afterward. Commerce is sacked.

There is nothing pleasant about war and the death it brings. But again, are attacks against cities and civilian centers actually war crimes? Not of Putins objective is to win, and it obviously is.

And to that point, are Russian soldiers the only ones committing war crimes? Hardly, if the videos below are genuine.

They appear to show Ukrainian soldiers badly mistreating Russian POWs, including shooting them in the legs after capture  ostensibly to prevent them from trying to escape  to beating them nearly to death.

WARNING: Extremely Graphic

18+ (21+) Ukrainian soldiers shoot Russian prisoners of war in the legs and afterwards give them a severe beating. At the beginning of the video, there are Russian POWs lying on the ground with bullet wounds in their legs, some of them have got leg bones broken. #WarCrimes pic.twitter.com/t8Wj33X8rv  Maria Dubovikova (@politblogme) March 27, 2022

Ukrainian soldiers shoot Russian prisoners of war in the legs and afterwards give them a severe beating. At the beginning of the video, there are Russian POWs lying on the ground with bullet wounds in their legs, some of them have got leg bones broken, noted independent journalist Maria Dubovikova wrote in one of her video posts.

It might give the impression that the Russian military were captured after having been wounded. But thats not the case. At the end of the video, we can see Ukrainian soldiers shooting all the newly arrived prisoners through their legs.#WarCrimes pic.twitter.com/o7B7M1p2pG  Maria Dubovikova (@politblogme) March 27, 2022

It might give the impression that the Russian military were captured after having been wounded. But thats not the case. At the end of the video, we can see Ukrainian soldiers shooting all the newly arrived prisoners through their legs, she wrote in another video clip post.

Many of them are dying from shock due to the pain right on camera. And all of this is being filmed by Ukrainian soldiers themselves, she wrote in another post.

Many of them are dying from shock due to the pain right on camera. And all of this is being filmed by Ukrainian soldiers themselves.  Maria Dubovikova (@politblogme) March 27, 2022

She then went on to post a notice from Ukrainian government officials reminding soldiers to adhere to the Geneva Convention, as a means of pushing back on those who believe the videos were faked.

To all those yelling fake. I wish it was. https://t.co/XIJEMhpAia  Maria Dubovikova (@politblogme) March 27, 2022

Dubovikova then posted another video of what appears to be a Ukrainian soldier calling the family of a Russian soldier who had been killed.

This video (as well as the previous ones) is from Ukrainian militants Telegram channels. They are very proud of themselves filming their atrocities. Such footages are numerous.

For ex., another graphic 18+, posted by a Ukrainian militant, she wrote.

This video (as well as the previous ones) is from Ukrainian militants Telegram channels. They are very proud of themselves filming their atrocities. Such footages are numerous.

For ex., another graphic 18+, posted by a Ukrainian militant. https://t.co/snDCfaP4iI https://t.co/6M9k40xbdt  Maria Dubovikova (@politblogme) March 28, 2022

The moral of the story here is simply this: There are war crimes being committed by both sides in this conflict, not just by one. And Western intelligence agencies and their governments (including ours) know it.

Sources include:

En-Volve.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The World Health Organization (WHO) released new guidelines on promoting abortion around the world, calling for an end to criminalization and for a ban on any laws that restrict abortion, thus opening the door to sex-selective abortion and abortion up to birth.

(Article by Michael Haynes republished from LifeSiteNews.com)

Released March 9, the new 170-page handbook from the WHO is entitled Abortion care guideline. Drawn up in a bid to protect the health of women and girls and help prevent over 25 million unsafe abortions that currently occur each year, the guidelines call for the widespread removal of numerous safeguards that prevent abortion.

The WHO describes the safeguards as medically unnecessary policy barriers to safe abortion, and recommends removing criminalization, mandatory waiting times, the requirement that approval must be given by other people (e.g., partners or family members) or institutions, and limits on when during pregnancy an abortion can take place.

These are barriers, the WHO wrote, that can lead to critical delays in accessing treatment and put women and girls at greater risk of unsafe abortion, stigmatization, and health complications, while increasing disruptions to education and their ability to work.

Criminalization or abortion is gender-based violence

Linking the criminalization of abortion with forced abortion  denial or delay of safe abortion care and/or post-abortion care, and abuse and mistreatment of women and girls seeking SRH information, goods and services, the WHO declared that all such actions would be forms of gender-based violence that may amount to torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

The WHO also demonstrated its allegiance to LGBT ideology in the text, referring often to a woman, girl or other pregnant person. The summary noted that while the word woman was used more commonly, it was only for brevity.

Summary of policy recommendations

Among the more than 50 policy recommendations the guidelines presented as an appeal to legislators were the following:

Calling for an end to any laws that restrict abortion by grounds, thus allowing for sex-selective abortion. (Recommendation 2)

Calling for an end to laws and other regulations that prohibit abortion based on gestational age limits, thus arguing for abortion up to birth in order to prevent the unwanted continuation of pregnancy. (3)

Demanding abortion on demand, without the mother having to seek authorization of any other individual, body or institution, including a doctor or medical professional. (7)

Calling for an end to pre-abortion ultrasound scans, linking this recommendation to the removal of pregnancy term limits on abortion. (10)

Calling for a wider range of medical professionals who can offer abortions. (21)

Calling for an end to conscientious objection on the part of a medic who refuses to participate in abortion. Such an objection may become indefensible if the state cannot protect and fulfill abortion seekers rights, wrote the WHO. (22)

The widespread use of abortion pills for at home abortions. (48)

Calling for an end to a routine follow-up visit after an uncomplicated surgical abortion or medical abortion. (34)

Removal of need for prescriptions for over-the-counter oral contraceptive pills. (52)

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Carla Lockhart  a member of Parliament (MP) for Northern Irelands Democratic Unionist Party and chair of the All Party Parliamentary Pro-life Group (APPPG)  slated the WHO of campaigning for the most extreme of positions.

Why has it [WHO] taken such a hard-line view which pretends a baby has no humanity until it breathes its first breath? she asked.

Excellent from @carlalockhart  calling on the WHO to recall its extreme abortion guidelines that are out of step with everyday citizens. The WHO wants abortion on demand up till birth. A recent BBC survey shows that only 1% of British women would agree. https://t.co/kQ4CMapq0q  Lois McLatchie (@LoisMcLatch) March 28, 2022

A viable human being could have his or her life ended up to the point of birth. Yet a day, an hour, even moments later, similar action against a child could constitute murder, Bruce observed.

Lockhart also highlighted the WHOs particular choice of numerous external experts who were consulted as part of drawing the handbook. Among them are Laura Castleman of Planned Parenthood Michigan; Dr. Dhammika Perera, the global medical director of abortion provider Marie Stopes International; Christina Zampas from the global Center for Reproductive Rights; Karthik Srinivasan, former chief medical adviser for International Planned Parenthood Federation; Marge Berer, the coordinator for International Campaign for Womens Right to Safe Abortion; and Michalina Drejza, from the International Youth Alliance for Family Planning.

Commenting on this long list of pro-abortion experts, Lockhart wrote, If one looks at the list of experts it chose to consult ahead of issuing its new guidelines, a clue emerges.

For the panel includes numerous individuals who work for major abortion providers or lobby groups, including two of the largest abortion providers in the world  MSI Reproductive Choices (formerly Marie Stopes International) and Planned Parenthood.

It appears to have been written, to all intents and purposes, by the abortion industry, she added. The WHO has allowed itself to be hijacked by these extremists.

Read more at: LifeSiteNews.com
A solar storm is predicted to touch the Earth today as NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) release their findings.

Whenever expulsions out from Sun hit the ionosphere, the boundary between outer space and our atmosphere, a solar storm, also known as a geomagnetic storm, occurs.

The "cloud of protons and electrons" clashes with the geomagnetic field, twisting it and creates a phenomena, such as the Northern Lights.

Although solar storms may be deadly, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) produced a balanced list of "potential effects" from one, which isn't particularly significant.

Hectic weather in space

An elevation in the intense section of the radiation from the sun spectrum, they noted, might suggest a higher biological risk to astronauts, passengers, and crew on high-latitude, high-altitude trips, as per The Sun.

On every trip, passengers are subjected to small levels of space radiation from space.

During a solar storm, however, high-altitude flights distant from the equator are at greater danger because the magnetic field will drive radiation toward the poles.

When analyzing the overall effect, this information should be combined with the present Solar Radiation Storm circumstances, according to the brief report.

Solar prominence

When observed against the solar disk, a solar prominence (sometimes referred as a filament) is a big, luminous structure stretching forth from the Sun's surface.

The photosphere anchors prominences to the Sun's surface, and they extend outwards into the corona, the Sun's heated outermost atmosphere.

According to NASA, a prominence can grow in as little as a day, and sustained specular highlights can last for months in the corona, looping hundreds of thousands of kilometers into space.

Scientists are starting to understand how and why prominences occur.

The crimson looping material is plasma, a hot gas made composed of positively conductive hydrogen and helium.

The sun's core dynamo generates a tangled and twisted network of magnetic fields, which the prominence plasma flows through.

Also Read: Solar Storm Alert: Massive Solar Eruption Expected to Hit Earth on Thursday

Solar storm

A solar storm is a term used to describe the atmospheric consequences that occur on Earth as a result of activities on the Sun's surface.

When a Sun generates massive bursts of energy in the form of solar flares and coronal mass ejections, solar storms occur. These events unleash a fast-moving torrent of electrical charges and magnetic fields toward the Earth.

The "northern lights," which may be seen in the regions near the Arctic Circle, are one of the results of a solar storm affecting Earth.

Disruption of satellites and other technological ways of communicating is one of the negative effects of solar storms.

Effects of solar storms

Coronal Mass Ejections carry extremely high-energy particles that can induce radiation sickness in living organisms.

The magnetic field is briefly interrupted whenever a coronal mass ejection clashes with both the Earth's atmosphere.

It has the potential to push satellites off track and force them to crash to the ground, putting numerous cities at danger.

Migrating species that utilize magneto reception to navigate, such as birds and honey bees, may also be harmed, according to some experts.

Geomagnetically generated currents in pipes can be caused by rapidly varying geomagnetic fields. For pipeline engineers, this can result in a slew of issues.

Pipeline flow meters can communicate inaccurate flow information, causing the pipeline's rate of corrosion to skyrocket.

Related article: Solar Storm Incoming Within 24 Hours: How Dangerous Will It Be?
March 30, 2022, is designated as a First Alert Weather Day.

A storm line is expected to form to our west and hit west Alabama at about 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., the line will move east, affecting the whole of Central Alabama.

Several severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings will be possible because of the line. Straight-line winds of up to 80 mph are causing considerable worry.

That's enough wind to uproot trees, damage the exteriors of homes and businesses, hurl around debris, push or topple prefabricated homes, and toss automobiles off the road.

Because of the huge swath of wind forecast to pass across the area, events like these can affect a larger number of people.

The severe risks of thunderstorm in Alabama

Wednesday night, a line of storms may produce severe thunderstorm wind, very heavy rain, and the possibility of a few tornadoes.

Alabama's danger ratings have been elevated by the Storm Prediction Center. A substantial part of west-central Alabama is currently under moderate danger (level 4 of 5).

The majority of the country has a moderate to high danger, as per WVTM13.

Trees and powerlines might be knocked down by extensive thunderstorm gusts or plain winds.

Tornadoes will be less common, but with the strong winds' divergence, some are still possible. It's expected that one or more severe thunderstorms may be issued.

West Alabama has been raised to a rare moderate danger (red) - threat four out of five - on Wednesday, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

They think this region has the best possibility of seeing scattered wind gusts of 80 miles per hour and a few severe tornadoes.

The rest of Alabama has been raised to an increased risk (orange) for Wednesday, indicating a danger of three out of four, as per WBRC6.

Damaging wind gusts of up to 70 mph are possible near I-65 and points east, with the possibility of localized tornadoes.

Winds will be the greatest hazard, but a few thunderstorms all along the central route may spin up and create tornadoes. The line will also have a lot of lightning and a lot of rain.

Also Read: Massive Storm May Bring Thunderstorm Risks to Central, Southern US

Wednesday will experience the weather

Today will be quiet, windy, and sunny. Temperatures will be in the mid-70s and lower 80s.

The Next Big Thing will erupt throughout sections of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas by the evening hours. Locally, it's calm and cool, with temperatures in the low 70s.

Wednesday begins with clear skies and temperatures in the high 50s and lowers 60s.

During the day, the winds are expected to pick up.

Starting at 9 a.m., a wind advisory has been issued for all of Central Alabama. It is slated to expire at 4 a.m. on Thursday.

Ahead of the inclement weather, expect southerly winds of 15-25 mph tomorrow, with isolated wind gusts of 40-50 mph.

We can't count out trees falling and causing occasional power outages tomorrow afternoon due to the moist soils and significant wind gusts that preceded the showers.

Temperature and pressure are expected to reach the low to mid-80s Wednesday afternoon, with largely overcast skies.

Between 6-7 p.m., a squall line a line of powerful storms with destructive gusts will likely sweep through west Alabama.

The line will move east, bringing severe gusts and the possibility of spin-up cyclones.

The severe danger will dissipate rapidly as the mainline passes through, but heavy rain will continue to fall over the region.

Rainfall totals might reach 1-2 inches, and isolated flooding is a possibility.

By 4 a.m., the grave threat in east Alabama should have passed Thursday.

Related article: Thunderstorm Asthma: What Is It and Why Does It Happen
Heavy rain and flooding led to another massive landslide in Ecuador on Sunday afternoon, March 27.

Several casualties were reported in Azuay Province where dozens of houses were destroyed in the community of Sayausi in Cuenca Canton.

Renewed Natural Disaster

The local government stated 10 houses were destroyed and 27 others were damaged, leaving 14 people homeless.

Furthermore, the authorities recorded the disaster killed at least four people and injured five others as of Monday, March 28, as per Floodlist.com, a natural disaster news site.

The rockslide in the small Ecuadorian commune also caused widespread disruption to road traffic and blockage of an important communication route along the Cuenca-Molleturo Road.

The loss of drinking water supplies also affected around 250,000 people.

Under such circumstances, it is likely that power outages, satellite signals, and access to the area will remain to be a challenge in the coming days and weeks.

As several people are still trapped under fallen debris and rubbles, a large-scale search and rescue operation is underway, consisting of various emergency services and response groups, including the civil defense, fire service, police, volunteers, municipal workers, and the Red Cross.

The incident came almost two months after a major landslip, triggered by prolonged heavy rainfall, that killed at least 24 people and injured almost 50 others in Ecuador's capital city of Quito in early February, according to The Washington Post.

Also Read: Massive Landslide Kills Multiple People in La Libertad, Peru: Several Others Missing

Government Measures

Dozens of families have been evacuated, and the Ecuadorian government established the provincial Emergency Operations Committee (COE) from 2:00 p.m. ECT (local time) on Tuesday, March 29, as per the local media outlet El Universo.

Ecuador's Vice President Alfredo Borrero arrived in the area to further assess the situation.

Some of the survivors of the mudslide were also left with no food and electricity, with business establishments served as shelters to accommodate them.

The Ministry of Transport and Public Works reportedly announced the arrival of some government officials in preparing a report that would allow the declaration of a state of emergency in the area, as cited by El Universo.

Under the state of emergency, areas affected by the government measure will be prioritized through the channeling of funds for recovery.

In addition, it will also allow local authorities and emergency services to tighten measures.

Climate and Weather

Ecuador's climate and weather are dictated by its only two seasons.

However, the impact and intensity of severe weather conditions, including rain and flooding, can range from moderate to high. This is also evident due to the mountainous regions and some low-lying areas in the country.

Ecuador is currently in its wet season spanning from October to May each year, as per the Ecuador & Galapagos Insiders.

In April, rainfall can last for 24 hours in the country.

In the case of the Azuay Province rockfall on Sunday, the downpour of rain was substantial for a short period of time.

Meanwhile, the dry season occurs from June to September. Warm to extreme temperatures occur during this season, which can reach up to 68 degrees Celsius.

Related Article: 22 Dead, 47 Injured as Landslide, Flooding Impacted Ecuador After Heavy Rainfall
The days of the invasive crazy ant colonies across the Southeastern United States are numbered, and this isn't exactly bad news.

The tawny crazy ants (Nylanderia fulva) have met their match in the form of a murder, funguslike pathogen that uses spring-loaded harpoonlike barbs to pierce the ants' gut cells, LiveScience reported. According to scientists, the pathogens drive the invading ant 'supercolonies' to extinction. This South American species has increasingly caused pest problem and threat to local wildlife more generally in the U.S. for over the past two decades.

University of Texas at Austin's (UTA) Brackenridge Field Laboratory researchers recently identified in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the type of pathogen which causes populations of a globally significant invasive ant to collapse, and seemingly only targets tawny crazy ants.

Ant Invasion

Crazy ants ferociously battle with neighboring crazy ant colonies and build nests fast and easily one after another. These nests "spread like bacterial plaque across a landscape," said Edward LeBrun, lead author of the new study and a research scientist in UTA's Department of Integrative Biology. "Every meter there's a nest, and that's over many square kilometers. How many ants are there? Many, many, many millions," LeBrun said.

There have been scientific efforts to develop an effective biological control strategy for this ant invasion and even made progress on several fronts. Known to multiply quickly, the network of linked nests might lead to the ants' downfall through the spread of these lethal pathogens called the Myrmecomorba nylanderiae.

In 2015, a study published in the journal ScienceDirect described the microsporidian genus and species as heterosporous, and widespread arthropod parasites, according to the authors.

It was later found that the ants infected exhibited enlarged abdomen stuffed with white, fatty tissue, which happens when a microsporidia infection turns an ant into a spore factory, LeBrun explained. The study reported the presence of 3 spore types with infections found in all stages of host development and reproductive castes. This documented the first pathogen infecting N. fulva of "considerable economic and ecological consequence."

Also read: Wild Dolphin 'Kylie' Seen 'Talking' With Harbor Porpoises





The Annihilation





For nearly a decade, researchers observed and tested the effects of the fungus by sending infected ants into uninfected crazy ant nests in Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco, Texas. After two years of introducing the pathogen into the park, the "apocalyptic" crazy ant infestation had "dwindled away into nothing."

LeBrun said that the fungus lethally shortens the life spans of infected workers by about 23%, slashing the colony's workforce. In addition, transmission of the infection is easy provided that the ants go in swarms. As a result, the number of young that would develop into workers had reduced and the next generation, short-lived. There would be fewer workers every new egg-producing season, and it's only a matter of time before the colony's decline would lead to eventual demise.

While it remains unknown where the fungus came from, scientists assume they either originated with crazy ants in South America, or it was first encountered in the U.S. To their surprise, it seems to spare ant species native to the Gulf Coast and other arthropods.

Related article: 30-Million-Year-Old Fossil Bug in Baltic Amber Reveals Mantis-Like Characteristics




Wellington Drive Technologies (Wellington) recognises that many of its shareholders do not have a relationship with a sharebroker and the cost of brokerage is a disproportionately high relative to the value of their shareholding. To assist those shareholders, Wellington is today issuing notice that on 1 July it will exercise the power of sale of individual holdings on Wellingtons share register of less than 5,870.

Shareholders shall receive sale proceeds based on the volume weighted average price of Wellingtons shares calculated based on either 20 days prior or 5 days prior to the acquisition date (1 July), whichever is higher. Wellington will meet the expenses of the sale and buyback.

If shareholders do not want Wellington to acquire their shares pursuant to this notice, they must before 30 June 2022 either:

 increase their shareholding above the minimum number of shares.

 dispose of their shareholding; or

 Give notice that they wish to retain their shareholding.

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

CHI - Indicative Interest Margin for Bond Offer

ARG - FY22 Annual Result Announcement Date and webcast

Marsden Maritime Holdings commences due diligence

MCK appoints Stuart Harrison as Managing Director

CDI appoints Jason Adams as Managing Director

6th May 2022 Morning Report

KPG FY22 annual results announcement date

BGP - 1st Quarter Sales to 1 May 2022

Air NZ completes shortfall bookbuild

GEO - March 2022 Quarter Operating Update


"China-U.S.-Russia +" consultation mechanism meeting on Afghan issue upcoming

Xinhua) 09:56, March 30, 2022

BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A meeting of the "China-U.S.-Russia +" consultation mechanism on the Afghan issue will be held during the third foreign ministers meeting among the neighboring countries of Afghanistan in Tunxi, Anhui Province. It will take place from March 30 to 31, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a daily news briefing that Yue Xiaoyong, a special envoy for Afghan affairs of the Chinese foreign ministry, will chair the meeting. Special representatives for the Afghan issue of the United States, Russia, and Pakistan will attend the meeting. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will collectively meet with representatives of all parties.

"China, the United States, Russia, and Pakistan have a substantial influence on the Afghan issue," Wang Wenbin said.

Wang noted that China hopes this meeting will work positively in concert with the third foreign ministers meeting among the neighboring countries of Afghanistan to consolidate the consensus of all parties on the Afghan issue. He added that China also hopes to encourage regional nations and the international community to increase support for Afghanistan's peaceful reconstruction to help it achieve peace, stability, and development soon.

(Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun)
Jason Stein has been appointed to the role of Chief People Officer for Meridian Energy. Jason left his previous role as Chief Executive for Meridian Australia following the sale of Meridians subsidiary Powershop Australia and Meridians Australian renewable generation business in January.

Bharat Ratanpal has been appointed to the role of Chief Information Officer (CIO)  a new role on Meridians Executive Team.

Meridians Chief Executive Neal Barclay says adding the CIO role to Meridians Management team recognises the strategic importance of digital transformation to our business. Ratanpal has over 20 years experience in leading technology roles in corporates, including Vodafone and Telstra, as well as in the public sector.

Bharat has a wealth of expertise and has demonstrated his ability to lead, partner and enable others to put customers at the heart of our business through our digital programme, says Barclay. Adding Bharat to our Executive Team recognises his personal contribution to Meridians progress, having led Meridians IT function for five years.

Jason Stein assumed the Chief People Officer role in an acting capacity in late January, allowing Tania Palmer to move to her new role as General Manager - Generation.

With a tenure of over 14 years at Meridian in a variety of senior roles, Jason has intimate knowledge of our business and culture. Jason is a superb leader. It is exciting to be able to leverage his experience and skills at a time of growth and change, adds Barclay.

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

CHI - Indicative Interest Margin for Bond Offer

ARG - FY22 Annual Result Announcement Date and webcast

Marsden Maritime Holdings commences due diligence

MCK appoints Stuart Harrison as Managing Director

CDI appoints Jason Adams as Managing Director

6th May 2022 Morning Report

KPG FY22 annual results announcement date

BGP - 1st Quarter Sales to 1 May 2022

Air NZ completes shortfall bookbuild

GEO - March 2022 Quarter Operating Update


When it comes to hot networking topics what is really interesting right now is seeing how networking and security are evolving together in terms of WAN and cloud networkingat least for David Hughes, Arubas chief product and technology officer.

In an interview from Arubas Atmosphere 2022 event, Hughes told Network World that idea of a network and security perimeter as is becoming outdated.

The idea that you use firewalls, especially next-gen firewalls, to have an outside and an inside, and everything inside is good and everything outside its badthat idea is fast becoming obsolete, Hughes said.

The technology that replaces it segments everything so that instead of having anything be able to talk to anything at the network level, what if the network level authenticates things and then only allows access to resources that are consistent with its role? Hughes said.

In Arubas case, thats the goal of the package called NetConductor that the vendor introduced this week: to do dynamic segmentation of network and security functions from a central location.

Another idea is that instead of putting different policies in all these different places around the enterpriselike a policy for the user on VPN, then another a policy for the user in the branch and another for headquartersif we instead said, centrally define this class of traffic going to these cloud destinations, were going to have company-wide policy of sending that to this particular cloud-hosted security vendor like Zscaler, Hughes said. That would make it easy for our customers to implement this type of policy. And then if theres other traffic [for which] customers want to do it the traditional way, we can backfill this to the data center onto the normal stack, Hughes said.

The adoption of Network-as-a-Service is also a trend, he said.

Consumption-based services such as NaaS will see a big increase in 2022, Hughes said. Customers are moving away from thinking about owning devices to subscribing to services and prioritizing experiences. Organizations want to be able to scale up and scale down, to react quickly when theres an opportunity, without having huge amounts of Capex that locked them into something for five, seven years.

Researchers at IDC recently issued a report that said enterprise NaaS represents an opportunity for enterprises to reconsider campus, branch, data-center, and cloud network management. Consuming network hardware and software via a service model can help alleviate network management challenges, accelerate network transformation strategies, and ensure the network is an enabler rather than an inhibitor of business goals, IDC wrote.

Edge-network infrastructure delivered as a service with advanced management capabilities allows IT workers to rely on a trusted NaaS provider for the non-differentiated, day-to-day management of the network, which frees up time for IT workers to focus on business-enabling tasks while improving the performance and security of the network, IDC wrote.

Arubas recently announced HPE GreenLake for Aruba NaaS that includes eight prepackaged NaaS offerings for indoor or outdoor wireless, wired access and aggregation, SD-Branch, and more.

If you look at any of our competitors, they're either just dipping their toe in the water on NaaS, offering a couple of services in maybe only five or so countries, so I think we are really leading the pack, Hughes said.

Another trend he said would be growing this year is the use of AI in networking. In Arubas case, the vast amount of data in its Aruba Central platform can drive all sorts of networking applications. For example, businesses can use AI to discover holes in their Wi-Fi coverage and point out where more access points are needed .

Businesses can use AI to do see where there are holes in their Wi-Fi coverage and point out where more access points are needed. Or it could notice how their switches are allocated and recommend changes to help them perform better, Hughes said. We're using AI to do a lot in terms of assisting and troubleshooting. Obviously, the goal is to actually not involve a human at all.

The rapid growth of IoT and machine-to-machine communications is creating security challenges, he said. Over the next three years, there will be 10x more connected devices as compared to people, so when people are thinking about the network, we also need to think about how are we building a network thats secure relative to all these devices that are being attached.

Organizations will want to implement segmentation so that when one of these devices is compromised, the blast radius is contained, Hughes said.

You cant kind of fix this problem by putting a firewall someplace, Hughes said. It has to be done in the equipment at each step through that access network. And so we see that growth of IoT devices as being a really important trend, and its whats driving what we see as a lot of the need for security thats embedded in the business delivered from the cloud.
The global enterprise IoT market grew by 22% to a total of $157.9 billion in 2021despite some adverse conditions labncluding labor and chip shortages, according to a study released today by Germany-based research firm IoT Analytics.

That figure is slightly lower than the 24% that the company projected in previous reports, but its still a substantial rate of growth, and one that IoT Analytics expects will be sustained for the next five years, for a projected total market size of $525 billion by 2027.

One of the main factors driving enterprise IoT growth below previous estimates was a shortage of skilled workers, according to the report. Businesses in 2021 had trouble finding enough IoT-conversant hires to move digital transformation and IoT projects forward, with job postings related to IoT growing by 41% between July 2021 and Mach 2022. The firm also cited other research, from Inmarsat, as saying that a paucity of in-house IoT knowledge is one of the key blockers to more widespread IoT deployment.

Another key headwind for the enterprise IoTs global growth is the ongoing worldwide chip shortage. While the impact of the shortage has been felt across almost all markets, its particularly painful in the IoT sector, with order lead times stretching to 40 or 50 weeks in some cases, according to IoT Analytics. The company said that 2021 saw a shortfall of around 20 million cellular IoT chips, thanks to the supply shortage. This means that some IoT projects simply cant be completed, due to supply problems and consequent price increases.

Despite these and several other negative factorsincluding Russias invasion of Ukraine and the attendant political fallout, ongoing security concerns and mediocre demand growthIoT Analytics said that the outlook for enterprise IoT remains relatively strong, thanks to a multitude of tailwinds.
France takes action against radio amateur The court of Versailles (Yvelines) sentenced a 65-year-old resident of La Falaise to a one-year suspended prison sentence, Monday, March 28, 2022. The Radio amateur had transmitted insulting, threatening and homophobic remarks



A translation of the Ouest France story reads:



A 65-year-old resident of La Falaise (Yvelines) was sentenced by the court of Versailles, Monday, March 28, 2022. This radio amateur has been targeted by several complaints from all over France for remarks he made on the air, reports 78 Actu.

https://actu.fr/ile-de-france/la-falaise_78230/yvelines-injures-propos-homophobes-et-menaces-le-radioamateur-interdit-d-emettre_49749824.html



For several months, the defendant had made insulting remarks, including homophobic, explains the news site. The sexagenarian had also announced the false death of a man on Facebook. "People who knew me had even called the town hall where I live to find out when my funeral was," the victim told our colleagues.



The man, who had not taken care to hide his callsign, had been easily identified. He had been arrested for the first time by the gendarmes in December 2020, says the local media. His broadcast material, which was not declared, had been seized.



He was arrested again on January 7 for non-compliance with his judicial control after having bought equipment, according to our colleagues. The defendant was finally sentenced to one year in prison with a probationary suspension of 2 years. He was also sentenced to the prohibition to exercise the activity of amateur radio as well as to pay a fine of 5,000 , concludes 78 Actu.



Source https://www.ouest-france.fr/ile-de-france/versailles-78000/yvelines-il-diffusait-des-propos-insultants-avec-du-materiel-non-declare-un-radioamateur-condamne-7697557



Also https://j28ro.blogspot.com/2022/03/f4msy-il-diffusait-des-propos.html
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Cloudy with occasional light rain during the afternoon. Thunder possible. High near 55F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low near 45F. Winds NNE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Rain likely. Thunder possible. High around 55F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Cloudy. Periods of light rain early. Low 46F. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Kerry Banke to be honored with the 2022 Hamvention Special Achievement Award

The Hamvention awards committee recently announced that Kerry Banke, N6IZW, has won the 2022 Hamvention Special Achievement Award for his efforts in the design, development, manufacturing, and human spaceflight certification of the ARISS Multi-Voltage Power Supply (MVPS). The MVPS is a foundational element of the ARISS next generation radio system, which is now on-orbit. The Hamvention Special Achievement Award is given each year to a deserving amateur that has made an outstanding contribution advancing the art and/or science.

Now retired, Banke spent most of his career in the research and development of electronics systems as a microwave RF (Radio Frequency) electrical engineer. This included 14 years as Qualcomm engineer, developing innovative microwave wireless technologies.

Kerrys electronic interests span DC (Direct Current) to light with particular interest and expertise in microwaves.

His ham radio operations have included transmissions on 136 kHz through Laser. Since 1982 he has served as host of the San Diego Microwave Groups monthly meeting, sharing his expertise with other hams of like interest.

Mr. Bankes exceptional support to Human Spaceflight Amateur Radio began in 1994 where he served as a school technical mentor and certified ground station for the Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX) program. When NASA transitioned from the Shuttle to the International Space Station (ISS), Kerry became an exemplary member of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) hardware team. For seven years, working from his home and electronics lab garage in La Mesa, California, Mr. Banke led the circuit design, breadboarding, flight circuit board layout, assembly, and Kerry Banke with MVPS Device testing of the MVPS. The MVPS, which occupies a volume roughly the size of two stacked reams of paper, can connect into different ISS power sources (120 VDC and 28 VDC) and simultaneously power up to 18 devices with multiple voltage level input needs

ARISS USA Executive Director, Frank Bauer, said The ARISS team is proud of Kerrys sustained exemplary support to ARISS. His contributions to our next generation radio system are transformative, enabling expanded ARISS operations for ham radio operators and enhanced STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education outcomes for youth. Through this system 60 to 80 foreign and domestic ARISS school contacts are conducted each year with 150,000 to 200,000 students, teachers, and members of the public engaged. Amateur radio operators also enjoy over 100,000 digital and voice repeater connections from this radio system each year.

About ARISS:

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab-Space Station Explorers, Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) and NASAs Space communications and Navigation program. The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio.

For more information, see www.ariss.org.

Media Contact:

Rita M. DeHart, PE (KC4RMS)

ARISS-USA Director of Public Engagement

Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Search on Amateur Radio on the ISS and @ARISS_status.
Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is associated with reductions in brain volume in areas involved in pain processing, reports a study in PAIN, the official publication of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

These findings suggest that CLBP is related to lower brain volumes of pain-related regions not only in clinical patients with severe pain but also in the general population." Mao Shibata, MD, PhD, and colleagues, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

Brain atrophy in pain-related regions seems specific to CLBP. As part of an ongoing Japanese study of disease risk factors (the Hisayama Study), the researchers analyzed brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from 1,106 participants aged 65 years or older. On a study questionnaire, 17.1% of participants reported having CLBP, defined as low back pain present for 3 months or longer.

The remaining participants reported no chronic pain or chronic pain in areas other than the low back. Older adults with CLBP had lower education levels, higher rates of high blood pressure and depression symptoms, and lower rates of regular exercise.

In analyzing the MRI scans, the researchers focused on 10 brain areas with evidence of involvement in pain processing. The presence of CLBP was linked to reduced brain volume (atrophy) in 4 of the 10 areas  the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, and amygdala  compared to participants with no chronic pain. In addition, a "significant cluster" (the left superior frontal gyrus) with reduced brain volume was identified in a relatively large sample size by using the QDEC (the Query, Design, Estimate, Contrast interface) approach, a method that did not prespecify brain region of interest.

The patterns remained significant after adjustment for a wide range of sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle factors. For older adults with chronic pain in other areas, regional brain volumes in pain-related areas were no different compared to subjects with no chronic pain.

Among participants with CLBP, those with more severe pain had lower brain volumes in pain-related areas, suggesting a "dose-response" effect. Some of the affected areas differed by age group  ie, participants aged 65 to 74 years versus those aged 75 years or older.

Chronic low back pain is a very common problem and the leading cause of years lived with disability. Yet approximately 90% of patients with CLBP cannot identify any clear specific cause or origin of their pain. A growing body of evidence suggests that CLBP is associated with lower brain volumes in pain-related brain areas.

The new study adds new evidence of atrophy in pain-related brain areas in a large population-based sample, with varying degrees of CLBP severity or other types of chronic pain. The researchers emphasize that the study participants had not necessarily sought any treatment for CLBP. That's a new finding, as most previous studies have focused on patients receiving care for severe chronic pain.

The researchers acknowledge some key limitations of their study: it cannot show any cause-and-effect relationship and cannot account for unmeasured factors, such as pain medication use, that might affect brain volumes. Dr. Shibata and colleagues conclude, "Further investigations are needed to clarify the mechanism underlying the association between CLBP and regional brain atrophy."
Researchers at Lund University have discovered increased levels of a microRNA in type 2 diabetes, which has a negative effect on insulin secretion. Their experiments on human insulin producing cells in the pancreas also demonstrates that it is possible to increase the insulin secretion by reducing the levels of this microRNA. An important goal of the research is to develop new treatments for people with the disease.

In type 2 diabetes, the ability of the pancreas to produce and release insulin is impaired. Previous studies have demonstrated that microRNAs are involved in this deterioration process. MicroRNAs are non-coding RNAs that regulate the number of genes and proteins in a cell. Reducing the amount of microRNA could be a possible treatment for patient with type 2 diabetes.

Research has shown that a certain microRNA, called miR-200c, seems to affect the insulin secretion in diabetic mice. Until now, there has been a lack of knowledge about the role of miR-200c when it comes to the insulin secretion in humans.

"Our study demonstrates that the levels of miR-200c differs between people with and without the disease. Few studies within this area have been conducted with a similar amount of human material as in this study," says Lena Eliasson, a diabetes researcher at Lund University Diabetes Centre (LUDC) and corresponding author for the study, published in the scientific journal Diabetes.

Increased insulin secretion

Their measurements of miR-200c in islets of Langerhans from 34 deceased donors with and without type 2 diabetes demonstrated increased levels of miR-200c in people with the disease. The researchers also carried out experiments in islets of Langerhans from deceased donors with type 2 diabetes in order to determine whether it is possible to increase the insulin secretion by reducing the levels of miR-200c in the cells. The experiments resulted in an increased insulin secretion in the islets of Langerhans of the three donors.

The increase was approximately threefold in all the donors. We would have liked to carry out this experiment in more donors, but it is difficult to come across newly donated material. We are of course very grateful to the donors who have contributed to the study in different ways. It is important to understand what happens to the insulin secretion and how it is regulated in human beings to develop new treatments." Jones Ofori, one of the main authors of the study and researcher in diabetes and epigenetics at LUDC

Improved treatments

The researchers behind the study are planning to confirm their results in diabetic rats to better understand what happens with the insulin secretion when they reduce the levels of miR-200c. An important research objective is to develop new treatments of type 2 diabetes. Previous research at Lund University Diabetes Centre has shown that diabetes can be divided into different subgroups based on disease progression, and that there are some groups of patients who are experiencing more problems with insulin secretion than others.

"Current treatment options of type 2 diabetes are not optimal for all. Several studies have shown that there is a need for more individualized treatments of type 2 diabetes. It may be interesting for us to target a treatment towards groups who are having severe impairment in insulin secretion. In the long-term perspective, we hope that our research will lead to treatments that may contribute to better control of blood sugar levels," says Lena Eliasson.

The research group is currently carrying out a mapping of microRNAs that may be involved in the secretion of insulin in type 2 diabetes. This knowledge is of importance in the development of precise treatments.

"In our mapping of microRNAs, we can see that miR-200c is strong candidate for targeted treatments, that also appears in other studies. A challenge that is lying ahead of us is to develop an insulin treatment that will only affect the islets of Langerhans and no other tissues," says Lena Eliasson, professor in experimental diabetes research at Lund University.

Human tissue lab

The study has been carried out on islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, donated to the Human tissue lab (HTL), an important biobank for diabetes research which has been established as a part of the strategic research area Excellence of diabetes research in Sweden (EXODIAB). HTL collects insulin producing cells, as well as liver, muscle and fat tissues in humans. The biobank stores blood samples, urine and stool samples and information about individuals and their disease history. HTL has been established in collaboration between Lund University and Uppsala University, the two universities that are a part of the research collaboration EXODIAB.

MikroRNA and islets of Langerhans

MicroRNA are small, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate the production of proteins. A single microRNA can regulate many proteins in a cell or signaling pathway. MicroRNA are involved in the development of type 2 diabetes and the ability of the pancreas to secrete insulin.

The islets of Langerhans contain mainly beta cells that produce insulin and alpha cells that produce glucagon. These hormones regulate the blood sugar and metabolism. The islets of Langerhans are difficult to study because of their inaccessible placement.
A new study by leading researchers in the UK and the US has highlighted the critical need for more strategic collaboration between these two global powerhouses of cancer research to address one of the most common causes of premature death worldwide.

The study, published today in the premier cancer journal The Lancet Oncology highlights that while collaboration between the two countries has increased over the last 40 years, there are important research gaps critical to improving service delivery and patient outcomes. It emphasizes the need to finance a broader portfolio of research and collaborations between the UK and the US with Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs), where more than 75% of the global cancer burden will occur by 2040.

While there has been a significant increase in joint UK/US cancer research, the focus has been somewhat narrow, predominantly on discovery, biomarkers, pharmaceutical and epidemiological research, with little bilateral collaboration in domains such as screening, surgery, radiotherapy, health services research (including implementation science), palliative care, and survivorship.

The transatlantic study involved researchers from King's College London, Queen's University Belfast and The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the UK together with colleagues from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology in the US.

Professor Richard Sullivan, Director of the Institute of Cancer Policy at King's College London and lead author of the paper said: "Whilst enhancing UK-US collaboration is a welcome boost to cancer research, the reality is that current strategies are too narrowly focused to really deliver better population outcomes. The lack of significant commitment to global cancer research is also a major area that needs to be addressed."

Professor Mark Lawler Professor of Digital Health, Chair in Translational Cancer at Queen's University Belfast and a co-author on the paper said:"Cancer does not respect borders, so neither should we. Through the Ireland - Northern Ireland - National Cancer Institute Cancer Consortium (one of the less recognized achievements of the Good Friday Agreement), we have shown over the last 20+ years the impact that a broad-based transatlantic collaborative approach can have on improving cancer outcomes and enhancing cancer survivorship and reintegration into society.

"Our data show that we have a huge opportunity here to unite our collective strengths on both sides of the pond to address one of society's greatest challenge, particularly given the disastrous impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on cancer services and cancer patients. Collaboration makes sense; let's compete, not against each other, but against our common enemy - cancer."

The US and the UK are global leaders in conducting cancer research, as well as the world's leading funders of cancer research. Strengthening partnerships between researchers across these borders, as well as promoting equitable and sustainable collaborations between higher-resource and low/middle-resource settings, offers the potential to accelerate global cancer research and improve outcomes for all people affected by cancer." Professor Julie Gralow, Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and co-author on the paper

The researchers argue that pursuing a broader cooperative cancer research agenda, underpinned by data intelligence, will provide an unrivalled opportunity for the UK and the US to show clear international leadership and help accelerate evidence-driven action to reduce the global burden of cancer.
To create a safer learning environment for Black students, schools should turn to culturally relevant and Afrocentric policies and practices that better incorporate their identity in the school culture, according to a new University at Buffalo-led study.

The research, published earlier this year in School Psychology International, suggested that practices such as allowing Black students and their families to co-create school rules, removing zero-tolerance discipline policies, creating mentorship programs that pair Black students with Black adults and promoting the use of mindfulness among students could have a positive impact on the educational experiences of Black youth.

Black students are more likely than any other racial group to experience exclusionary discipline such as suspensions and expulsions. The discipline gap exists as early as preschool, as Black preschool children are nearly four times more likely to receive suspensions than white preschool children, according to the United States Department of Education.

Black students also report feeling less safe at school than White and Asian students, even when controlling for neighborhood factors, says lead author Kamonta Heidelburg, PhD, assistant professor of counseling, school and educational psychology in the UB Graduate School of Education.

Ensuring a school environment that is physically and psychologically safe for students is critical for them to learn and grow, particularly for minoritized students continuously oppressed by systemic barriers. Culturally incongruent curricula, discipline disparities and bias from school staff are all part of the schooling experience for Black students. School safety must be reexamined and reconceptualized to promote a safe, secure and welcoming environment for Black students." Kamonta Heidelburg, PhD, assistant professor of counseling, school and educational psychology, UB Graduate School of Education

Heidelburg and his co-authors  Chavez Phelps, PhD, assistant professor at Georgia State University; and Tai A. Collins, PhD, associate professor at University of Cincinnati  suggest numerous interventions to help foster a safe learning environment for Black students.

Among their recommendations:

School staff should highlight the accomplishments of Black people throughout society to better teach Black students about their history and help promote pride in their racial identity, allow Black students and their families the opportunity to co-create school rules to better fit their norms and values, and provide anti-bias and racial literacy training to school staff so that they can understand the intricacies of the Black experience in the U.S. and better discuss race and racism with students.

Schools should also use discipline data to identify the teachers who are most likely to issue discipline and the students who are most often targeted. Additionally, schools should replace zero-tolerance discipline policies and the use of school security measures  which push Black students out of school into the criminal justice system  with compassionate conflict resolution interventions such as classroom agreements and amend-making meetings.

The researchers also recommend mindfulness as a powerful tool to help empower Black youth to manage stress and their emotions. They add that school-based mentorships with Black adults help protect Black students from institutional barriers by helping them foster positive relationships with adults who are not their caregivers, make better life choices, and build their self-esteem and pride in their identity.

"Every Black student deserves to feel that they are seen and valued, and that they are safe in a world that rarely allows them to have such experiences," says Heidelburg. "Schools are faced with an ultimatum and must decide to either be a part of the solution and better support the experiences of Black students or to maintain the status quo and further oppress Black students."
Researchers from SafeConsume conducted a study in 4 European countries (Portugal, France, England, Hungary) interviewing 156 11 to 18-year olds about their food hygiene education, attitudes towards foodborne illness and their existing food safety behaviors. Although students seemed to have good knowledge of personal hygiene rules such as handwashing, they were not clear about risks, causes or consequences relating to foodborne illness. Students in Hungary, England and Portugal even believed foodborne illness was expected, and for some, an acceptable part of life. Many of those who experienced illness associated this with food eaten outside of the home, however, food cooked at home is not intrinsically safer, and anecdotal experiences of becoming ill after eating food from outside the home may not always be accurate as incubation periods from foodborne pathogens vary.

Across all countries, family environment had the greatest influence on the skills, knowledge and behavior of the students and was a major factor in whether they followed hygiene practices; one student in England stated: "Yeah, I'd rinse it off [raw chicken] before I chop it . . .because my mum told me to". These findings suggest that poor hygiene behaviors can be perpetuated due to generational transfer of skills.

The fact that many students interviewed only had practical experience in their own kitchens at home may contextualize these results, schools in France and Portugal offer kitchen space only in vocational schools, in contrast to schools in England and Hungary. Students in England were also more likely than any other country to take up work experience in a kitchen, which was found to result in strict adherence to food safety behavior, although generally more so at work than at home.

The research aimed to make recommendations to help the development of educational resources to address existing issues regarding food hygiene in a format that would be engaging to young people. Results suggest these groups are accessing cooking resources largely online, and resources that bridge the gap between education and domestic and social situations could be beneficial for driving practical development of better food safety behaviors. This should come alongside development of engaging educational resources, although for optimum uptake in educational settings food hygiene should be embedded further into the national curriculum.
The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes respiratory coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) triggered an unprecedented public health emergency. Human mobility patterns were fundamental to the spread of SARS-CoV-2 globally. The situation is particularly acute in a country like Saudi Arabia, which has seen more than 750,000 cases and over 9,000 deaths as of March 30th, 2022.

Mass religious gatherings frequently occur in the kingdom, causing major population movements. However, due to public health measures, major outbreaks have been avoided for the most part in recent years. During the Hajj and Umrah, roughly 9.5 million pilgrims visit two Islamic sites in Makkah and Madinah annually. Additionally, more than 5 million Shiite Saudi nationals travel to Iran for pilgrimage, contributing to the origin of SARS-CoV-2 infections in the region. A clear indication of this movement is the early phase of the COVID-19 epidemic within Saudi Arabia, where the first case was officially reported on March 2nd, 2020, in Qatif.

Frequent mutations of the virus render newer variants, which are constantly emerging. Genomic epidemiology of the variants is a valuable tool for investigating outbreaks and viral progress. It is essential to monitor the genetic diversity of the virus as the newer variants can functionally impact infection transmission and severity.

Study: SARS-CoV-2 genomes from Saudi Arabia implicate nucleocapsid mutations in host response and increased viral load. Image Credit: Orpheus FX / Shutterstock

The study

A recent study published in Nature Communications journal analyzed SARS-CoV-2 genomes for nucleotide changes, mutations, genetic diversity, and the nature of transmission. Specific mutations were linked to viral loads, and their impact on virus-host interactions was assessed.

The study entailed sequencing 892 genomes of the virus derived from nasopharyngeal swab samples of patients in Saudi Arabia between March-August 2020.

a Locations of the sampling cities within Saudi Arabia. b Stacked bars showing the numbers of samples retrieved from the 4 cities and the Eastern region during the first six months of the pandemic. Cities are colored as in panel a. Months are shown at the bottom of the figure, and each month is divided into 5-day intervals. New daily cases for the city of Khobar are shown on the Eastern Region plot. Major restrictions imposed by the Ministry of Health and by Royal decrees are indicated above plots. c Stacked bars showing the average numbers of new daily cases in sampling cities (Supplementary Note 1). d Estimate of effective reproduction number [Rt] over time in Saudi Arabia (top) and the estimate of effective population size [Ne], the relative population size required to produce the diversity seen in the sample (bottom). Central black lines show median estimates, and gray confidence areas denote the 95% credible intervals. The red horizontal red line represents an R of 1, the level required to sustain epidemic growth.

Results

Out of the sequenced 892 SARS-CoV-2 genomes, 836 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) relative to the Wuhan-Hu-1 isolate were detected, which is generally lower than the global samples. In addition, a total of 41 insertion/deletion polymorphisms (indels) were found, of which 26 were detected in the coding regions. Indels were specific to a sample with a maximum of four samples with identical indels.

Samples from Saudi Arabia revealed a higher frequency of SNPs relative to the global SNP data, including the Spike protein D614G and other three successive SNPs generating the R203K and G204R changes amidst the nucleocapsid protein. It was inferred that the effective reproduction number [R(t)] decreased with time until late June; April 27th, 2020, was the decline's starting point. According to the analysis, viral diversity peaked early in the month of June.

Five major Nextstrain clades (19A-B and 20A-C) were detected from the collected samples. Clade 20A with nucleocapsid protein (N) mutations (R203K/G204R) were associated with higher incidences of hospitalization in the intensive care unit (ICU). Clade 19B was probably imported in late February 2020, whereas the other clades were imported approximately in March 2020.

Clades 20A-C were predominated by R203K/G204R SNPs. These SNPs are also found in early presenting 19A and 19B. The frequency of R203K/G204R peaked in Saudi Arabia earlier compared to the global peak. Globally, the initial peak of R203K/G204R SNPs was observed in July 2020, a gradual decline during fall 2020, and another increase in the SNPs and an increased Spike mutation Y501N was found in the B1.1.17 lineage.

Disease severity was defined by the number of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and deaths. In addition, higher viral load was associated with Spike protein D614G SNP resulting from A23403 mutation.

For assessing the severity and mortality, 12 SNPs together with R203K/G204R SNPs were included, and a significant association was found between the severity of the disease and R203K/G204R SNPs. C14408T and C1887T SNP showed a positive association and C241T SNP revealed a negative association.

A positive association was found between R203K/G204R SNPs and mortality in the model that excluded time. Other SNPs did not show any significant association. If time was included as a variable, no association was observed between R203K/G204R SNPs and mortality.

A statistically significant positive relation was found between viral copy number and R203K/G204R, A23403G, and C26735T SNPs, whereas a negative association was observed for C14408T, C3037T, and G25563T SNPs.

N-protein of SARS-CoV-2, central to viral replication, binds the viral RNA-genome. R203K/G204R mutations destabilize the N structure and enhance the protein-RNA binding, altering the protein's response to events concerning serine phosphorylation. R203K/G204R mutations in N protein are associated with serine/arginine-rich motif-containing linkage region linked to oligomerization of N proteins.

At low protein concentrations, control N protein has lower oligomerization potential compared to mutant N protein. A strong binding between viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) and mutant N protein was detected.

Overall, 43 human proteins were identified that significantly and differentially interacted with the control and mutant N protein  one with decreased interaction and 42 showing increased interactions with the mutant N protein. Among the 42 human proteins, proteins associated with viral transcription, signaling pathways, viral processes, apoptosis, and cell death, and negative regulatory RNA nuclear export were identified. Additionally, mutant proteins associated with translation and immune processes were identified.

Ribosomal subunit export and negatively regulated transfer RNA (tRNA) were found to be associated with the most enhanced biological processes suggesting an efficient inhibition of the viral pathogenesis and replication by the mutant virus. Many viruses could enhance pathogenesis and survival by exploiting the host sumoylation process. The antiviral mechanism and sumoylation pathways were also identified.

High phosphorylation was detected at the serine 206 sites in the mutant N protein. Both mutant and control N proteins revealed serine site phosphorylation within the linkage region (LKR).

In addition, 153 and 144 differentially expressed (DE) genes were identified in N-mutant and N-control transfected cells. After fold-change adjustment, interferon-related genes revealed a vigorous overexpression in the N-mutant transfected cells. Overexpression of STAT1, TMPRSS13, and ACE2 genes were also found.

Virus-associated overexpression of biological processes was noted in analyzing the up-regulated genes. Differentially expressed genes were associated with substantially enriched pathways like cytokine production, interferon-related response, and viral reproductive processes. The relation between these pathways and up-regulated overlapping genes was displayed.

It can be inferred that R203K/G204R mutations provoke an overexpression of the interferon-related genes contributing to the cytokine storm aggravating the COVID-19 pathogenesis.

Therefore, R203K/G204R mutations in N-protein can increase the potency of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the host response. The present study identified pathways that could be potential targets for future therapies.
The University of Michigans Ford School of Public Policy is kicking off a virtual event series with a discussion about the local impact of safety nets on communities of color during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Panelists at Fridays event, part of a series organized by the Center for Racial Justice, include William Lopez, a clinical assistant professor at U-Ms School of Public Health as well as a faculty associate at both the Latina/o Studies Program and Poverty Solutions.

Other panelists are Kat Stafford, a national investigative writer with The Associated Press, where she examines how structural racism has fueled inequity in the United States; and Charles E. Williams II, pastor of the Historic King Solomon Baptist Church in Detroit and the Michigan Chair of the National Action Network. Williams also is engaged in research at U-Ms Center on Assets, Education and Inclusion and Poverty Solutions.

The panel will be moderated by Mara Ostfeld, associate faculty director of Poverty Solutions and an assistant research scientist at the Ford School. Ostfeld is a faculty lead at the Detroit Metro Area Communities Study.

The series aims to explore the local- and state-level policies responding to the racialized health and economic disparities stemming from the pandemic. The series brings together policymakers, journalists, researchers and community leaders.

The Center for Racial Justice, led by Celeste Watkins-Hayes, is dedicated to education, research and action in pursuit of racial justice. One of its goals is to harness public policy as a tool of racial equity.

Co-sponsors of this event are Poverty Solutions and the National Center for Institutional Diversity. Future events have been scheduled for May 6 and June 10.

Scheduled to participate on May 6 is Cameron Webb, assistant professor of medicine and public health science at University of Virginia and senior policy adviser for COVID-19 equity on the White House COVID-19 Response Team. He will be in conversation with Luke Shaefer, Poverty Solutions faculty director.

For June 10, Joneigh Khaldun, former chief medical executive for the state of Michigan and current vice president and chief equity officer for CVS Health, will be in conversation with Watkins-Hayes.
Scientists at the University of California San Diego are hard at work on new genetic technologies intended for use in curbing mosquito populations, fighting the spread of malaria and mitigating the hazards associated with the deployment of gene-editing systems in the wild. That work is now being bolstered by a $1.4 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

My lab, historically, was a fruit fly lab. About five years ago in collaboration with the laboratory of Anthony James at UC Irvine, we started transferring some of our genetic strategies into mosquitoes. We're very fortunate that the Gates Foundation is supporting the continuation of that work." Ethan Bier, distinguished professor of developmental biology at UC San Diego and science director for the Tata Institute for Genetics and Society

Bier and his colleagues, at UC San Diego and beyond, have been working on next-generation gene drive systems based on CRISPR technology. When deployed, these breakthrough technologies could potentially spread through mosquito populations in one season, either by immunizing mosquitoes against malarial parasites or acting as genetic insecticides to reduce mosquito numbers. Malaria, a devastating disease transmitted by anopheline mosquitoes, infects more than 200 million people annually causing over 600,000 deaths globally, most of which are young children under five living in sub-Saharan Africa. Similar approaches might also help reduce the impact of other mosquito-borne pathogens including viruses causing dengue fever, Zika, chikungunya, yellow fever and West Nile disease.

Because the potential positive impact of this work is so great, the project also aims to address relevant social and ethical challenges, particularly as these techniques move from the lab into the wild. As part of this effort, Bier collaborates with colleagues from UC San Diego's Institute for Practical Ethics to address issues of social and ethical importance surrounding gene-drive and other advanced genetic technologies.

UC San Diego scientists and their colleagues are working on two new neutralizing systems that address the risks of releasing gene drives into mosquito populations in their natural habitats. "There's been a lot of concern that there are so many unknowns associated with the spread of gene drives in the wild," said Bier. "Now we have developed drives with limited ability to spread, and mitigating systems to remove or halt drives if necessary."

One neutralizing system, called ERACR (Element Reversing the Autocatalytic Chain Reaction), is designed to eliminate the gene drive. ERACRs are designed to be inserted at the site of the gene drive, where they use the Cas9 from the gene drive to attack either side of the Cas9, cutting it out. Once the gene drive is deleted, the ERACR copies itself and replaces the gene drive, which can be done very efficiently in fruit flies. A key objective in the new studies supported by the Gates Foundation will be to transfer the ERACR technology to mosquitoes. Another goal will be to build on other mitigation systems developed by the Bier group in flies to develop self-limiting genetic systems in mosquitoes.

Much of Bier's current work is geared toward creating the right elements to mitigate risks, support expanded research in continued collaboration with the University of California Malaria Initiative (UCMI) and expedite approval for the technology to be used in nature.

Philanthropic support contributes to the Campaign for UC San Diego-;a university-wide comprehensive fundraising effort concluding in June 2022. Alongside UC San Diego's philanthropic partners, the university is continuing its nontraditional path toward revolutionary ideas, unexpected answers, lifesaving discoveries and planet-changing impact. To learn more about supporting the Division of Biological Sciences, visit biology.ucsd.edu/giving.
Scientists urge African leaders to demand fair licensing following clinical trials of an HIV vaccine candidate.

One remarkable thing about the COVID-19 pandemic was how quickly a vaccine was developed to combat the virus. A process that normally spans a decade or more  dozens of clinical trials, terse patent negotiations, complex roll-out strategies  was condensed into less than one year. mRNA, messenger ribonucleic acids that elicit an immune response from cells before degrading, provided a quick and safe solution to a global health threat.

mRNA technology has been under development since the 1960s, but its success in combatting coronavirus has resulted in renewed interest in using the technology for other diseases. One of these is another pandemic that has killed an estimated 36 million people since it was recognised in 1981  human immunodeficiency virus, better known as HIV.

The United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) announced in March the launch of a phase I clinical trial evaluating three experimental HIV vaccines based on an mRNA platform. NIAID director Anthony Fauci said that while finding an HIV vaccine had proven a daunting scientific challenge, there was now an exciting opportunity to learn whether mRNA technology can achieve similar results against HIV infection.

Elsewhere in the US, the first human trial of an mRNA vaccine against HIV launched in January this year. The vaccine candidate, developed with pharmaceutical company Moderna, is being administered to 56 HIV-negative adults in Washington, Atlanta, Seattle and San Antonio.

Those involved in the trial are cautious with their enthusiasm. The HIV virus is a much more complex target for mRNAs, says Dagna Laufer, vice president of clinical trial development at the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), which is co-managing the trial dubbed IAVI G002.

If shown to have an acceptable safety profile and able to induce the desired immune response, the vaccine candidates could be the first stage of a multi-step vaccine regimen. But we will need to undertake multiple trials to achieve this goal, and these trials will be conducted over at least a five- to ten-year period." Dagna Laufer, vice president of clinical trial development, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI)

Estimated number of people (all ages) living with HIV (1990-2020) Play

What makes HIV such a difficult disease to tackle is that it is a retrovirus, meaning it stays in the body forever by copying its genome and inserting it into the hosts cells. This is unlike COVID-19, which is an RNA virus that is shed by the body after a few weeks. To protect against HIV, the mRNA vaccine must do more than just elicit a temporary immune response; it must encourage the body to produce a special type of B-cells  broadly neutralizing antibodies  that can suppress HIV long-term.

Achieving this is incredibly tricky, not least because the message protein that can do this has not yet been conclusively identified. But non-mRNA vaccines for HIV are also struggling to take off. A trial for a non-mRNA vaccine developed by pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson was abandoned in 2021 after it emerged that the vaccine candidate provided about 25 per cent protection against HIV  a level considered too low to be effective.

Still, IAVI and Moderna are planning for success. A first trial on macaques in 2021 showed that their HIV vaccine candidate delivered a message that caused the monkeys to make antibodies that could neutralize an HIV infection. The next trial, IAVI G003, is scheduled to start by mid-2022 and will be conducted at clinical research centers in Rwanda and South Africa, Laufer tells SciDev.Net. The idea behind the phase II trial is that African scientists will play a leadership role both in conducting the study and analyzing the resulting data.

Global South production

The shift of the trial to Africa may go some way towards addressing another major issue with vaccine trials for HIV  the lack of involvement of those most affected by the virus.

According to the World Health Organization, more than two-thirds of the 25 million people living with HIV live in Africa, where the risk of dying from the disease is also the highest.

There are a number of reasons for this: a lack of access to quality healthcare, the cost of antiretroviral therapy, and the stigma associated with HIV. These factors combine to make Africa a less interesting target for pharmaceutical companies.

This has been evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite being home to 1.3 billion people, only 375 million vaccine doses had been administered in Africa as of March this year, according to the WHO.

For this reason, there is growing concern about access among those monitoring the development of mRNA and conventional vaccines for HIV. There is no certainty whether, if successful, an mRNA HIV vaccine will be available to those who need it most.

Even if we do get an HIV vaccine, we have to do better than COVID-19 in terms of equity and access, says Mitchell Warren, the executive director of AVAC, a global advocacy group for HIV prevention.

Warren says that conducting clinical trials in Africa is a good first step, but that this needs to be followed up with true collaboration. Africa is not just a clinical trial site, Africa is a continent of [more than] 50 countries with leading researchers, with vaccine manufacturing capacity, with growing regulatory expertise, he told SciDev.Net.

If African partners are hosting clinical trials, they should also demand immediate access and registration of the final product. We do not want the research to be done there for a license elsewhere.

Laufer says the IAVI G002 trial is not yet on a product development pathway. But issues around who gets to produce the vaccine, should it be successful, were highlighted with COVID-19. Moderna did not share the formula for its COVID-19 vaccine, but it has pledged not to enforce patents against companies manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines for 92 low- and middle-income countries. Other vaccine developers such as Pfizer and AstraZeneca also retained the patent information on how to make their vaccines. In response, the WHO and a South African consortium set up an mRNA technology transfer hub to create their own vaccines.

Moderna has not proven itself to be generous when releasing the patent or making their COVID-19 mRNA vaccine available in developing countries to date, says Monica Gandhi, the director of the University of California San Francisco Center for AIDS Research. Therefore, we will need government and community pressure on the company to share its technology with the rest of the world, given that HIV incidence is highest in developing countries.

Moderna did not respond to a request for comment from SciDev.Net. However, the company revealed plans in March to open an mRNA vaccine production facility in Kenya, which would manufacture the COVID-19 vaccine, among others. The company will make an initial US$500 million investment in the facility, but did not confirm whether some of this money would go towards work on the HIV vaccine.

For Warren, the Moderna announcement is good news because, he says, it will increase production capacity in the global South and diversify vaccine manufacturing. Having a product made within the region could also go some way towards alleviating vaccine hesitancy in Africa, where people have reported reluctance to accept COVID-19 vaccines due to a mistrust of global corporations.

Any centralized corporate control of the mRNA platforms really feeds inequity, Warren says. We need distributed manufacturing. For a global pandemic you cannot rely on a single manufacturer.
A recent study published in the Environment Systems and Decisions journal assessed the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related personal protective equipment (PPE) on aquatic ecosystems and fauna.

Mismanagement of plastic waste has aggravated the amount of global microplastic (MP) litter in aquatic ecosystems. This global problem has been further exacerbated by the inefficient disposal of PPEs, which has indirectly contributed to the global plastic waste crisis.

Origins

COVID19-related waste is primarily generated from terrestrial sources. Various studies have reported on COVID-19 litter scattered in city centers, parks, and roads in China, USA, Nigeria, and Morocco. This litter could be transported into water bodies as a result of torrential rainfall and atmospheric deposition.

Hence, many developed countries have appointed infirmaries in certain regions designated for COVID-19-related waste disposal, thus ensuring that this waste does not enter the environment. In contrast, COVID-19 waste produced by the general public is often found unattended in public areas which eventually gets remobilized into the natural environment.

Chowdhury et al. 2021 noted that the unavailability of facilities to dispose of COVID-19-related waste in public areas can further increase the concentrations of PPE litter. Additionally, sites designated for COVID-19 waste disposal are often filled, thus further highlighting the need for better waste management.

Deposition of COVID-19 waste in oceans

Peng et al. 2021 reported that over 25,900 tonnes of COVID-19-related waste were discharged into oceans around the world, among which PPEs accounted for 1968.4 tonnes. Also, the study associated the elevated levels of COVID-19 waste found in 369 studied rivers with the population levels at that river mouth. This unmanaged waste found in the rivers can potentially be washed into oceans.

Notably, to date, Asian rivers have discharged the highest amounts of COVID-19 waste into the oceans and seas. Also, South American rivers were found to pollute the Southern oceans, whereas Europe and North American rivers polluted the Arctic Ocean.

Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) present in facemasks could be responsible for their low densities and their ability to be displaced over great distances. Multiple studies noted that the levels of PPE discharged into the oceans were the highest in Asia, followed by Europe, North America, and South America, possibly due to the higher acceptance of facemasks in these continents.

A study also showed that a significant amount of COVID-19-related waste is displaced by rivers into the oceans which are further redistributed in the lower latitudes of rivers over a course of three years. Moreover, Peng et al. (2021) reported that the sedimentation and bleaching of COVID-19 waste are limited to river mouths, indicating that this waste displacement is restricted to coastal regions only.

Contribution of COVID-19 waste to MP levels

PPEs are primarily made of different types of artificial persistent polymers like PP and PE found in single-use masks, while low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), nitrile rubber, and latex are used in hand gloves. These highly persistent PPEs require a long time to degrade, thus causing severe environmental consequences. Studies showed that these wastes can be broken down by environmental weathering processes into minute particles, thus giving rise to MPs.

N95, surgical, and normal masks were found to release MPs at steady rates while the release kinetics of these masks did not differ significantly from each other. A study showed that dry and wet states of the masks affected the release of fibers from facemasks. Also, seawater was noted to release more amounts of microfibres due to its high salinity and water density as compared to freshwater. Furthermore, the weathering of masks was attributed to the free radical chain reactions that result in photo-oxidation of the masks. On exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, facemasks form carbonyl and hydroxyl groups which further result in the formation of ketonic groups.

Impact of COVID19 PPEs on aquatic fauna

Neto et al. (2021) reported the fatal incident of a Magellanic penguin found dead in Juquehy Beach, Brazil, after consuming a full protective facemask. This was the first study to report the direct impact of COVID-19 waste on aquatic animals. Moreover, PPE litter including gloves and face masks could potentially trap, entangle, or be consumed by animals, thus harming the animal in numerous ways.

Various studies have also reported the possibility of organisms drowning in water due to PPE entanglement. Also, the weathering of PPEs results in smaller particles that could be ingested by aquatic animals, resulting in poor health and hindrance to the animals natural performance.

Conclusion

The study showed how the mismanagement of COVID-19-related waste has significantly contributed to the level of MPs in water bodies. This aggravated MP pollution can potentially pose a fatal risk to the aquatic dwelling organisms. The team believed that the usage of more eco-friendly materials in PPEs can curb the negative impact of COVID-19 litter on the aquatic environment.
NYU Langone Health is joining a new National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored program called Accelerating Medicines Partnership Autoimmune and Immune-Mediated Diseases (AMP AIM) as a leading center to discover new targets for therapy in these diseases.

This effort, which is supported by $58 million in public and private funding, is an expansion of the AMP program founded in 2014, which initially focused on understanding the cellular and molecular pathways of rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and now is being expanded to include psoriatic disease (which includes psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis) and Sjogren's syndrome (also called Sjogren's disease).

The partnership will pair rheumatologists, dermatologists, nephrologists, immunologists, and computational and systems biologists from NYU Langone and several other academic centers across the United States with the NIH, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), pharmaceutical companies, and nonprofit organizations. Jill P. Buyon, MD, the Sir Deryck and Lady Va Maughan Professor of Rheumatology in the Department of Medicine, will serve as contact principal investigator of the AMP AIM program's lupus team. Jose U. Scher, MD, the Steere-Abramson Associate Professor, will lead the program's microbiome core and serve as co-principal investigator of a psoriatic disease clinical team, and Peter M. Izmirly, MD, associate professor of medicine, will oversee a clinical site for the Sjogren's disease team.

The Division of Rheumatology has a proven record of excellence in research and clinical care. As leaders in this nationwide endeavor, we now have an opportunity to bring our world-class researchers to the forefront of the fight against autoimmune and inflammatory diseases." Steven B. Abramson, MD, executive vice president and vice dean for education, faculty, and academic affairs, chief academic officer at NYU Langone and chair of NYU Grossman School of Medicine's Department of Medicine

An acceleration of discoveries in lupus research

Dr. Buyon's group in the new AMP AIM program, LOCKIT (Lupus Omics Cutaneous Kidney Investigation Team), is a partnership with Johns Hopkins University, The Ohio State University, and the University of Pennsylvania. This leadership team will also be bolstered by additional sites including Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the University of California, San Francisco, Brigham and Women's Hospital, the University of Michigan, the University of Rochester, and the University of Texas Southwestern. These institutions' established patient registries will be leveraged to address molecular underpins of early kidney disease, refractory lupus nephritis, and a spectrum of cutaneous diseases with the hope of bringing new therapies to patients.

"As the pace of discovery in the biology, genetics, and environmental regulation of systemic lupus erythematosus accelerates, the speed and efficiency of translationally applying that research to clinical care assumes even greater importance," Dr. Buyon says. "We now have an unprecedented opportunity to harness technological advances to deconstruct and reconstruct the enormity of phenotypic and immunologic heterogeneity in this prototypic autoimmune disease."

NYU Grossman School of Medicine's Division of Rheumatology led one of the lupus disease teams for the earlier AMP program that paved the way for the now-expanded effort. The SLE team's focus on lupus nephritis, aided by an enrollment of more than 150 patients at NYU Langone who contributed kidney tissue for research, helped establish that biopsies are safe. The team developed new protocols for tissue preservation and dissociation and set the stage for transcriptomic evaluation of single cells. This work has already identified new cell clusters and pathways that may lead to novel therapies and identified that accessible tissue such as the skin may hold clues to kidney disease.

Probing the microbiome and skin for clues

The AMP AIM program's microbiome core, called Micro-TeACH (Microbiome Technology and Analytic Center Hub), led by Dr. Scher, will incorporate intestinal, skin, and other tissue-related microbiome features to aid in the pathogenetic reconstruction for various autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases. Micro-TeACH is a New York City-based hub and will expand a decade-long collaboration with the Clemente Lab Icahn Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The hub will help researchers interrogate the gut microbiome and its potential metabolic capacity to modulate antirheumatic drugs' pharmacokinetics and response to therapy. In addition, the tools will enable an integration of the cutaneous and oral microbiome with tissue-derived spatial transcriptomics and single-cell technologies to better understand the triggers of inflammation and autoimmunity.

The psoriatic disease team Dr. Scher is also co-leading has been dubbed ELLIPSS (Elucidating the Landscape of Immunoendotypes in Psoriatic Skin and Synovium) and is a coalition of dermatologists, rheumatologists, immunologists, and epidemiologists from the University of Rochester, University of Michigan, University of California, San Francisco, and University of Pennsylvania. Participants in ELLIPSS with varying stages of psoriatic disease will have biopsies of the skin and joint synovium to better identify the distinct functional or pathobiological mechanisms.

"The skin may have the code for who progresses, why, and how," Dr. Scher says. "We want to find which cells that reside in the skin are being attractedthe term we use is homingto the joints and produce and promote inflammation there."

Any patterns and pathways, in turn, could have major implications for therapeutics. "What's in that code may help us adopt a desperately needed precision medicine approach," Dr. Scher says.

Interrogating the tissue and systems biology of Sjogren's disease

STAMP (the Sjogren's Team for Accelerating Medicines Partnership), led by Dr. Caroline Shiboski at the University of California, San Francisco, is strategically positioned to apply cutting-edge technologies to interrogate the tissue and systems biology of Sjogren's disease. Dr. Izmirly will join the team and recruit subjects from NYU Langone's large outpatient practice, with a focus on those with both lupus and Sjogren's disease.

Sjogren's disease is a common systemic autoimmune rheumatic disorder second only to rheumatoid arthritis in prevalence. There are very few therapeutic options for patients outside of symptom management, so there is a need for better understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms of disease. The STAMP group is positioned to further this goal, designing clinical research protocols to recruit, enroll, phenotype, and collect relevant biospecimens from observational cohorts of people with Sjogren's disease and controls.

"We have expertise in rheumatology, oral health, and ophthalmology, and will perform full recruitments of these subjects using the best practices established by the STAMP group," says Dr. Izmirly. "By standardizing these protocols, we will be in a position to better understand the pathogenesis of Sjogren's disease and the mechanisms of the disease's progression, which will allow us to identify therapeutic targets and new biomarkers."
In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* pre-print server, researchers investigated the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and the adoption of preventive measures in the pediatric emergency department (ED) attendances in Europe.

Background

Studies have reported a low incidence of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children with low corresponding pediatric ED attendances. Additionally, preventive measures such as wearing face masks, staying indoors, and preventing public gatherings further reduce pediatric ED attendances.

However, concerns have been raised about the probable delay in pediatric visits to health facilities due to difficulties in access, health provision changes, and fear of viral exposure. Additionally, reports have linked disorders such as intussusception and diabetic ketoacidosis with COVID-19. However, the validity of such associations is questionable.

About the study

In the present study, researchers compared the pediatric ED attendance during the initial COVID-19 wave with that of the previous two years in Europe. This retrospective study was a part of the EPISODES (Epidemiology, severity, and outcomes of children presenting to emergency departments across Europe during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic) study.

Data were extracted for 10 domains from electronic patient records of the pediatric population attending 38 ED among 16 European nations between January 1, 2018, and May 17, 2020. The ED sites were selected from the Pediatric Emergency Research in the United Kingdom and Ireland (PERUKI) and the Research in European Pediatric Medicine (REPEM) networks.

The domains were as follows: time of ED attendance, patient characteristics, arrival modes and referral modes, triage urgency, presenting issue, vital signs, diagnosis, ED diagnostics, ED treatment, hospitalization, and length of stay in ED and hospitals.

Triage urgency was classified as follows: very urgent/emergent/level 1 and 2, level 3/urgent/, and non-urgent/standard/level 4 and 5 to enable uniform coding among the ED. COVID-19 severity was based on the triage classification, hospitalizations, pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admissions, or deaths in ED.

COVID-19 preventive measures were introduced during the same period and to a similar extent across the European nations. The predicted and observed numbers of ED attendances were estimated. Poisson models and incidence rate ratios (IRR) were used for the analysis.

Results

The number of pediatric ED attendances ranged from 4961 (NL001, 2019) to 295,787 (TUR003, 2019). Most sites were tertiary care academic hospitals with specialized pediatric ED except for three.

At all sites, reductions were observed in pediatric ED attendances, high triage urgencies, and hospitalizations across all ages (larger reduction above 12 months age) during Spring 2020. The smallest and largest reductions were observed in SWE001 and AUS001, respectively, from the end of March 2020. The observed ED attendances were 50% higher than the predicted attendances at ED sites in France, Ireland, Sweden, Latvia, Netherlands, and Iceland. However, there was substantial overlapping among the sites when 95% confidence interval values were taken into consideration.

The ED attendances were greater in countries with lower SARS-CoV-2 prevalence (IRR 2.6) and children aged above one year. The IRRs for the 1-2 years, 2-4 years, 5-11years and 12-16 years age groups were 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, and 0.7, respectively. The impact of COVID-19 on PICU admissions (IRR 1.3) was lower than that on general admissions. Overall, the observed hospital and PICU admissions were lower than the predicted admissions. Additionally, there was no increase in the observed ED mortality compared to the predicted mortality.

The urgent triage and very urgent triage IRRs were 1.1 and 1.5, respectively. The lower triage urgencies were reduced considerably. This indicates that children with severe COVID-19 had more ED attendances than those with mild infection or injuries. Additionally, the sustained, as well as the greatest reductions were observed for communicable infections, particularly for otitis media, tonsillitis, lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI), and gastrointestinal disorders.

There was no increase in absolute counts for diagnoses such as intussusception, testicular torsion, and diabetic ketoacidosis. Contrastingly, the ED attendance increased post-March end for radius fractures, minor head injuries, and frequency of mental health issues. Overall, the reductions in ED attendances for infections were significantly larger than that for trauma or surgical presentations.

A positive and inverse association was observed between the COVID-19 measures and pediatric ED attendances. More COVID-19 measures resulted in lower ED attendances.

Conclusion

To summarize, pediatric ED attendances reduced across all ages in Europe during the first COVID-19 wave. This reduction was inversely proportional to the adoption of preventive measures and SARS-CoV-2 prevalence. While the reduction was greatest and sustained for communicable infections, children with severe COVID-19 attended the ED more frequently than the ones with mild infections or injuries.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the Summit, hosted by current BIMSTEC chair Sri Lanka virtually, with other BIMSTEC leaders from Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, and Myanmar.

The leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) signed the BIMSTEC Charter at the 5th Summit held in Colombo on Wednesday, which formalizes the grouping into an organization made up of member states that are littoral to, and dependent upon, the Bay of Bengal.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the Summit, hosted by current BIMSTEC chair Sri Lanka virtually, with other BIMSTEC leaders from Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, and Myanmar.

Several agreements and accords were signed on the closing day of BIMSTEC.

 The BIMSTEC Convention on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters was signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Justice, or the nominated signatories of the BIMSTEC member states.

 A Memorandum of Association (MoA) on the Establishment of a BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility (TTF) in Colombo, Sri Lanka, was signed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs or the nominated signatories of the BIMSTEC Member States.

 The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Mutual Cooperation between Diplomatic Academies/Training Institutions of BIMSTEC Member States was signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs or the nominated signatories of the BIMSTEC Member States.

A declaration of the 5th BIMSTEC Summit was adopted on Wednesday as well. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional grouping of seven Member States lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity.

The members constitute five from South Asia, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and two from Southeast Asia, including Myanmar and Thailand. The theme of the Colombo Summit was BIMSTEC-Towards a Resilient Region, Prosperous Economies, Healthy Peoples.
(Newser)  One man from Philadelphia is dead and another is in jail after a dispute during a work trip to Georgia, authorities say. The sheriff's office in Jackson County in northeast Georgia says 71-year-old Samuel Sanders was found unresponsive in a truck in an emergency lane on Interstate 85 around 3:10am Monday, the Athens Banner-Herald reports. Sanders, who had been shot, died from his injuries in a local hospital. Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum says Sanders' co-worker, 67-year-old Donald Carter, was arrested hours later after he was found hiding in a nearby building, reports NBC.

Mangum says an area resident who had been asked to look out for anything suspicious found the suspect asleep in a building near the chicken house on his farm Monday morning. The sheriff says the 911 call early Monday came from another Philadelphia man, 22-year-old Nicholas Jefferson. Sanders was found in a panel truck with a U-haul trailer attached. Mangum says Carter shot Sanders after the two men got into an argument on their way back to Philadelphia after doing a job in Georgia, but the nature of the dispute is unclear, 11 Alive reports. Carter has been charged with murder and aggravated assault. (Read more Georgia stories.)
(Newser)  One of two flamingos that escaped from a Kansas zoo during a storm 17 years ago has been spotted on the coast of Texas, wildlife officials said. The Coastal Fisheries Division of Texas Parks and Wildlife confirmed Tuesday to the AP that the African flamingoknown as No. 492 because of the number on its leg bandwas captured on video shot March 10 by an environmental activist near Port Lavaca, Texas, at Rhodes Point in Cox Bay. Officials were able to make out the bird's leg band on the video. "Looks like Pink Floyd has returned from the 'dark side of moon'!" the Coastal Fisheries Division quipped on Facebook, where it shared a video clip of the bird.

The escaped flamingos, known for their distinctive pink feathers and long legs and necks, were born in Africa then shipped to the Kansas zoo in 2004 with 39 other flamingos. The two left the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita on a stormy night in June 2005. Employees had not yet clipped the birds' wings to prevent them from flying, which facilitated their escape. While the other flamingo was never seen again, No. 492 has been spotted several times in Wisconsin, Louisiana, and Texas, sometimes with other wild flamingos. Officials said it had been a year or two since the bird was last seen in Texas. Zoo officials have never made plans to recapture it, saying there is no easy way to do so without disturbing other wildlife.

(Read more strange stuff stories.)
Recruitment has been frozen for two years due to the pandemic but the Defence Ministry seems oblivious to the perilous shortfalls due to this

by Ashok K Mehta

Pradeep Mehra, the lad captured in a video jogging 10 km in his preparation to join the Army, has a place guaranteed provided he is kosher in his medical examination. A retired General appeared on TV and tweeted that he was inspired to help Mehra and had contacted Lt Gen Rana Kalita, Army Commander Eastern Command and Colonel of Kumaon Regiment, the outfit he wants to join. Another Lt Gen claimed he had also spoken to Kalita, urging him to help Mehra. Such is the marvel of electronic and social media that Mehra has become an instant hero. And so have the Generals! Priyanshu Yadav, another aspirant, witnessing this assured recruitment, sought similar assistance.

Soon there will be thousands of Yadavs and Mehras lining up to join the armed forces with retired and serving Generals acting as godfathers, knocking the gates of Training Centres of Regiments they wish to join. Besides recruitment through all-India rallies, certain quota is reserved for recruitment through regimental centres. The problem is recruitment has been frozen for the last two years due to the pandemic.

The MoD seems oblivious to the perilous shortfalls due to this in combat arms, many of whom are deployed confronting PLA in East Ladakh. The Army informed Parliaments Standing Committee that due to suspension of recruitment for two years against the sanctioned strength of 12,12000, there is a shortage of 81,000 personnel. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that average of 90-100 Army recruitment rallies are held every year covering all regions. His deputy Ajay Bhatt said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha that 97 rallies were planned in 2020-21, of which only 47 could be conducted. In 2021-22, of 87 planned rallies, only four were held. As no Common Entrance Exam was held during pandemic, there was no recruitment. In 2018-19, 53431, and in 2019-20, 80572 candidates were recruited. Normally 60,000 to 70,000 soldiers retire annually from the Army and this gap will be difficult to make up seriously eroding operational capability of the Army. Like the Army, the IAF and Navy have not let the officer strength be depleted but sailors and airmen numbers have degraded.

In some Gorkha regiments, manpower has declined dangerously even before pandemic due to the 60:40 ratio of recruitment of Nepali and Indian Domiciled Gorkhas. As the Indian domiciled Gorkha quota has been undersubscribed, it was a windfall for Kumaonis and Garhwalis to be recruited instead rather than increasing the quota from Nepal and not disturb the fixed class composition of Gorkhas. This self-inflicted injury will prove fatal. How the Army will manage such contradictions, including shortfalls in fighting strength, the Integrated Defence Staff and Service Headquarters have not considered seriously even as the MoD has taken a chalta hai approach. Regimental Training Centres, Recruiting Depots and Army Recruitment Directorate have been mostly idle during the pandemic even as operational deficiencies have mounted.

Creative systems could have been introduced to explore opportunities to recruit and train youth so that a manpower hole is not created. MoD could have selectively extended service of soldiers to avoid existing shortfalls. But there seems to have been a method to madness: Savings on pay and pensions.

BJP MP Varun Gandhi accused the nationalist Government for not filling up around 1.21 lakh vacancies in Army and paramilitary forces and keeping jobless youth waiting for three years. In a tweet, he gave figures of 1,04,053 jobs in Army, 5461 in Air Force, 12,431 in Navy as lying vacant. Many young men have become overage for recruitment and Bhatt informed Parliament the Government has not considered any relaxation of age. Unlike Mehra, many youth have been running to nowhere. The recruitment ban is expected to be lifted in September but all restrictions except wearing masks would be removed by March 31.

In any case, Mehra will enjoy the opportunity of joining either Kumaon or a Gorkha regiment. 58 Gorkha Training Centre is holding backlog of 1,000 recruits who were enlisted but could not join due to COVID. Of these, there are 300 Kumaonis and Garhwalis. This out-of-area recruitment was sanctioned for four years and some Gorkha battalions will contain lads from Uttarakhand. Some of them will pass out in August 2022, masquerading as Gorkhas.

These youth are physically less hardy than blue-blooded Gorkhas from Nepal but Government policy of not providing a waiver to increase recruitment from Nepal beyond sanctioned 60 per cent will prove woefully shortsighted.

The likes of Mehras are the Gurungs and Thapas in Nepal who make folklore in running  but running away from home stealing family heirlooms to get recruited in Kunraghat, Gorakhpur, where once a recruitment industry had sprung up. Nepal has not permitted recruitment rallies due to the pandemic though one rally was held in the Indian border town of Sunauli in March 2021. Nepali youth crave to become Lahures (soldiers). Last week, a fake notice was circulating in Nepal that Indian Army would hold recruitment rallies at Gorakhpur between April 27 and May 4. Gorkha Recruiting Depot, Kunraghat, has issued a denial. The Government must take military recruitment seriously and not be misguided by those who say there will be no war.

(The writer, a retired Lt Gen, was Commander, IPKF South, Sri Lanka, and founder member of the Defence Planning Staff, currently the Integrated Defence Staff. The views expressed are personal.)
(Newser)  Starting next semester, it will be nearly free for Ukrainian students to attend school at one of Texas A&M University's 11 campuses and research centers across the state. The school will waive all tuition and fees, as well as certain living expenses including room and board, the Texas Tribune reports. The university system established the Regents' Grant program in 2018 for Hurricane Harvey victims; the fund is meant to aid students impacted by a disaster.

"Our students from Ukraine are in a unique, sad and difficult position as their homeland is under attack, their family members are either fleeing to safety or fighting to save their countrys sovereignty, Chancellor John Sharp said Tuesday. In many cases, our students from Ukraine will no longer have homes to return to, and their parents remain unable to work ... or worse.

At least 14 students are eligible so far, but the university system says more will likely be identified. Facilities at the university will also be opened to accommodate displaced Ukrainian students and professors, to enable them to continue to study, research, and work in Texas. "The Texas A&M University System will not sit by and offer any support to Russia, as Putin continues his illegal and immoral attack on Ukraine and its people," Sharp said. (Read more Texas A&M stories.)
(Newser)  Infowars host Alex Jones offered to pay $120,000 per plaintiff to resolve a lawsuit by relatives of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims who said he defamed them by asserting the massacre never happened, according to court filings Tuesday. The offer was quickly rejected by the families, the AP reports. A Connecticut judge found Jones liable for damages in November, and a trial is planned to determine how much he should pay the families. The plaintiffs said they have been subjected to harassment and death threats from Jones followers because of the hoax conspiracy promoted on his show. The court filings posted online said: Mr. Jones extends his heartfelt apology for any distress his remarks caused.

Last week Jones defied a court order to attend a deposition near his home in Austin, Texas, to provide testimony ahead of the trial. Jones said he was ill. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday on a request by the plaintiffs to sanction Jones for not cooperating. Lawyers for the families said in court filings that Jones' settlement offer was a transparent and desperate attempt by Alex Jones to escape a public reckoning under oath with his deceitful, profit-driven campaign against the plaintiffs and the memory of their loved ones lost at Sandy Hook.

Twenty first graders and six educators were killed in the 2012 shooting in Newtown, Conn. The families of eight of the victims and an FBI agent who responded to the school sued Jones, Infowars, and others in Connecticut over the hoax conspiracy. Jones has since said he believes the shooting did occur. Jones also was found liable for damages in similar lawsuits filed in Texas by relatives of Sandy Hook victims, and also faces trial later this year.

(Read more Alex Jones stories.)
(Newser)  Oregon will no longer require people to be residents of the state to use its law allowing terminally ill people to receive lethal medication, after a lawsuit challenged the requirement as unconstitutional. In a settlement filed in US District Court in Portland on Monday, the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Medical Board agreed to stop enforcing the residency requirement and to ask the Legislature to remove it from the law, the AP reports. Advocates said they would use the settlement to press the eight other states and Washington, DC, with medically assisted suicide laws to drop their residency requirements as well.

This requirement was both discriminatory and profoundly unfair to dying patients at the most critical time of their life, said Kevin Diaz, an attorney with Compassion & Choices, the national advocacy group that sued over Oregon's requirement. Laura Echevarria, a spokeswoman for National Right to Life, which opposes such laws, warned that without a residency requirement, Oregon risked becoming the nation's assisted suicide tourism capital. But Diaz said that was unlikely, given safeguards in the law, such as the requirement that physicians determine whether patients are mentally capable; that it is extremely difficult for terminally ill people to make extended trips to another state; and that many people want to die in the presence of loved ones near homenot across the country. There's no tourism going on," Diaz said.

The lawsuit argued that the residency requirement violated the US Constitutions Commerce Clause, which gives Congress the right to regulate interstate commerce, and the Privileges and Immunities Clause, which forbids states from discriminating against citizens from other states in favor of its own citizens. The Oregon Health Authority and the medical board declined to comment on why they settled the case. Compassion & Choices sued on behalf of Dr. Nicholas Gideonse, a Portland family practice physician and associate professor of family medicine at Oregon Health and Science University who had been unable to write terminal prescriptions for patients who live just across the Columbia River in Washington state. While Washington has such a law, providers can be difficult to find in the southwestern part of the state, where many hospital beds are in religiously affiliated health care facilities that prohibit it. (Read more Oregon stories.)
(Newser)  For nearly a decade, Jamie Petrone had the ability, in her role as an administrator for the Yale School of Medicine, to place orders for computers and other electronics for the school's Department of Emergency Medicine. Prosecutors say that routine administrative task turned into a yearslong scheme that brought $40 million into Petrone's pockets after she stole and sold those wares. Now, as NPR puts it, that scheme "is officially over." On Monday, Petrone (who also goes by Jamie Petrone-Codrington), 42, pleaded guilty in a Connecticut federal court to one count of filing a false tax return in the case, as well as one count of wire fraud, which has her facing up to two decades behind bars, per a release from the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut.

Prosecutors suspect that Petrone's planwhich involved her OKing and making electronics purchases for her department, then redirecting those items from Yale vendors to an out-of-state business, which in turn wired her the money once it sold the itemsstarted at least as early as 2013 and stretched into last year. NPR cites court records that indicate the electronics included not only computers, but such items as Microsoft Surface Pro tablets and iPads. Petrone made sure to make each order under $10,000, the amount she was authorized to approve, so as not to trigger the need for an additional OK from higher-ups, per the release. Prosecutors say in 2021 alone, she bought upward of 8,000 tablets, per MarketWatch. Petrone is estimated to have stolen $40,504,200, which she's accused of using to buy luxury vehicles, fund trips, and snatch up real estate.

She was also said to have swindled the US Treasury out of $6.4 million by not paying taxes on her illicit windfall. "Yale initially alerted authorities to evidence of suspected criminal behavior last year and fully cooperated throughout the investigation," a university spokesperson tells the independent Yale Daily News student newspaper, adding that, since catching on to what went down, the university "has worked to identify and correct gaps in its internal financial controls." Petrone was released on a $1 million bond after being arrested by criminal complaint in September. The wire fraud charge could bring her a maximum term of 20 years behind bars, while the tax charge carries a maximum term of three years. She's set to be sentenced at the end of June. (Read more Yale University stories.)
(Newser)  The UN refugee agency said Wednesday more than 4 million refugees have now fled Ukraine since Russia launched its war in the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. The new figure was posted on an UNHCR website, per the AP, and represents about a tenth of Ukraine's population. More than 2.3 million have arrived in Poland, but many have traveled onward to other countries or back into Ukraine. Aid workers say the numbers have eased in recent days as many people await developments in the war. An estimated 6.5 million people have also been displaced from their homes within the country. More than 608,000 have entered Romania, over 387,000 have gone to Moldova, and about 364,000 have entered Hungary, based on counts provided by governments.

From the onset of the war, UNHCR had projected that about 4 million people might flee Ukrainethough it has repeatedly said that it has been reassessing its forecasts. Refugees from Ukraine are now 4 million, five weeks after the start of the Russian attack, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi tweeted as he crossed the border into Ukraine. Grandi said he would be in the western city of Lviv and discuss ways to increase its support to people affected and displaced by this senseless war. UNHCR teams and their partners have been working to deliver protection, emergency shelter, cash assistance, core relief items, and other critical services for those who have fled. (The US plans to accept 100,000 refugees.)
(Newser)  "We are dealing with a new wave of terror," Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Tuesday after a gunman on a motorcycle killed five people with an assault rifle in a suburb of Tel Aviv. Police said they shot and killed the shooteridentified as Diaa Hamarsheh, a 27-year-old Palestinian from the Israeli-occupied West Bank village of Yabadwho'd opened fire on two locations in the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak, reports the AP. A responding police officer who engaged the shooter was among those killed, along with two Ukrainian citizens, said police, who reportedly arrested five of Hamarsheh's relatives.

It was "one of the worst terrorist attacks in Israel in years" and raised the nationwide alert level to its highest, per the Washington Post. It was actually the third such attack in a week. The two others were "carried out by Palestinian citizens of Israel who were inspired by the Islamic State extremist group" and subsequently killed, the AP reports. Two gunmen shot and killed two police officers and injured six others in the central city of Hadera on Sunday and a knife-wielding man killed four people and injured two others in the southern city of Beersheba last week, with the Islamic State claiming responsibility. The group last claimed responsibility for an attack in Israel in June 2017, per CNN.

Islamist militant group Hamas praised Tuesday's "heroic operation," but did not claim responsibility. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the attack, calling for peace. Death "only leads to further deterioration of the situation and instability," he said. "As in other waves [of terror], we will prevail," said Bennett as security was boosted in Israeli cities and the West Bank ahead of a converge of religious holidays. The Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins April 2, the Christian Holy Week leading up to Easter begins April 10, and Jewish Passover begins April 15. Last year, clashes in this period led to an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas. (Read more Israel stories.)
(Newser)  Russian soldiers' seizure of the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine may have been "suicidal," according to Ukrainian workers at the site. Two workers on duty during the takeover tell Reuters that Russian vehicles kicked up clouds of radioactive dust as they drove through the Red Forest, a heavily contaminated area around the site that's off-limits even to workers. The dust is "likely to cause internal radiation in their bodies if they inhaled it," per the Telegraph. According to the workers, the soldiers weren't wearing protective gear, nor were the Russian radiation specialists who arrived a week later.

Upon seizing the plant on Feb. 24, Russian officials described radiation levels at Chernobyl as normal. However, Ukrainian officials described levels as seven times higher than normal on Feb. 27, the last time they had control of the monitoring system, per Reuters. One worker tells the outlet that "many radiation safety sensors showed exceeded levels" after the convoy of Russian military vehicles "kicked up a big column of dust" while driving along an abandoned road behind the facility, which also passes the Red Forestnamed for the pine trees that turned red after absorbing radiation.

Valery Seida, acting general director of the plant, says he was told Russian vehicles drove all over the exclusion zone and may have passed the Red Forest. "Nobody goes there ... for God's sake," he tells Reuters. Rank-and-file Russian soldiers were apparently unaware of that. A worker who spent a month working with Russians at the site before replacement workers were brought in last week says some "did not have a clue" about the 1986 nuclear disaster, which left 1,000 square miles uninhabitable. In fact, "they had no idea what kind of a facility they were at." (Ukraine claims Russian forces have destroyed a laboratory.)
(Newser)  The UN food chief warned Tuesday the war in Ukraine has created "a catastrophe on top of a catastrophe" and will have a global impact "beyond anything weve seen since World War II" because many of the Ukrainian farmers who produce a significant amount of the worlds wheat are now fighting Russians. David Beasley, executive director of the UN World Food Program, told the UN Security Council his agency was feeding 125 million people around the world before Russias invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24; those rations have had to be cut because of rising food, fuel, and shipping costs. He pointed to war-torn Yemen where 8 million people just had their food allotment cut by 50%, "and now were looking at going to zero rations."

Ukraine and Russia produce 30% of the world's wheat supply, 20% of its corn, and 75% to 80% of the sunflower seed oil. The World Food Program buys 50% of its grain from Ukraine, he said. The war there is devastating countries like Egypt that normally gets 85% of its grain from Ukraine, and Lebanon that got 81% in 2020. Russia, for its part, blames the "serious turbulence" in the global food market on "the unbridled sanctions hysteria that the West has unleashed against Russia."

As for hunger within Ukraine, Beasley said the World Food Program is reaching about a million people inside the country with food now, and will reach 2.5 million over the next four weeks, 4 million by the end of May, and hopefully 6 million by the end of June. The price tag is about $500 million for the first three months and "we are short by about $300 million," he said. Beasley also warned that focusing on Ukraine should not lead the international community to neglect Africa, especially the Sahel, and the Middle East, because "otherwise, youll have massive migration" coming to all parts of Europe.

A key quote from Beasley: "If we end the conflict, address the needs, we can avoid famine, destabilization of nations and mass migration. But if we dont, the world will pay a mighty price and the last thing we want to do as the World Food Program is taking food from hungry children to give to starving children." (Read more famine stories.)
(Newser)  A self-described "magician" and "illusionist" with a long history of scamming casinos has allegedly struck again. Shaun Joseph Benward, 35, of Ocean Springs, Miss., is accused of working with 42-year-old Denielle Yvonne Derohan of Gulfport, Miss., to steal more than $10,000 from Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, Pa., last month, reports the Mississippi Sun Herald. It's unclear how Benward was even able to enter the casino. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board placed him on its Involuntary Casino Exclusion List in October 2015 after he was accused of illegal activities, including conspiracy by trick or fraud, at casinos across the state, WTAE reports.

He is also banned by state gaming control boards in Missouri and Michigan, and has a prior conviction for cheating at the Delaware Park Casino, per the Sun Herald. "Benward has been confirmed as a cheater in multiple casinos across the country and has gaming related arrests with the New Jersey State Police and Pennsylvania State Police," according to Delaware's state lottery office. Pennsylvania authorities say the couple arrived separately at tables at the Rivers Casino, then distracted the dealer so the employee wasn't watching as the ball landed in the still-spinning roulette wheel; Benward would then swiftly place his bet on the winning number, they say.

The couple allegedly tried out the scam five times over a 24-hour period running from Feb. 18 to 19. The scam to nab $3,500 allegedly worked three times, earning the couple $10,500 in all. Both are now charged with theft by deception and criminal conspiracythird-degree felonies that carry up to seven years in prison and up to $15,000 in fines eachand five misdemeanor counts of committing a fraudulent scheme. Benwardwhose Instagram account describes him as "Artist. Magician. Creator. Illusionist"is also facing charges of driving with a suspended license based on his trips to and from the casino, KDKA reports. (Read more theft stories.)
(Newser)  Ketanji Brown Jackson will have the backing of at least one Republican senator. Susan Collins of Maine confirmed that she has "decided to support the confirmation of Judge Jackson to be a member of the Supreme Court." The New York Times reports that the GOP senator made up her mind after a second one-on-one with Jackson on Tuesday afternoon. She emerged from that meeting assured that Jackson would not "[bend] the law to meet a personal preference." The Times reports Collins' decision will not just allow President Biden "to claim some degree of bipartisanship," but will also "avoid the spectacle" of Vice President Harris having to cast a tie-breaking vote, something that has never occurred with a Supreme Court nominee.

Whether the vote will end up different than 51-49 is unclear, but the Hill reports Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney are seen as the most likely Republicans to join Collins in the 'yay' column. Romney on Tuesday told CNN he likely won't make his decision until the day of the vote. Where his head is at: "She's a very impressive person. She's intelligent, capable, she's a lovely person as well and I think a great deal of her. But delving into differences on judicial philosophy and her approach to the law is something that I'm going to keep working on." (Read more Ketanji Brown Jackson stories.)
The pretender and the opportunist help their neighbour to fulfil many of his desires, not out of compassion for the neighbour.

Editorial

According to local and foreign media reports, India has given a loan of US $ 1 billion to Sri Lanka as a "relief" to overcome the current economic downturn. According to media reports, the loan was given subject to a number of conditions and most of it had to be obtained to buy only Indian products. This "prodigious gift" has been widely publicized. Meanwhile, a significant number of Indian media persons are in Colombo to cover the prize from New Delhi.

A reporter for NDTV, one of the leading television channels, went to a handful of protesters who had gathered in front of the Central Bank yesterday and reported that fifty national organizations in the country are protesting against the Central Bank Governor and the Finance Minister. But the total number of participants, according to the footage produced by her cameraman, was less than thirty. Nothing to be surprised about. Many Indian media outlets have made exaggeration their main doctrine.

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, author of The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World and the Minister of External Affairs in Colombo March 2022 .

However, India, the largest and most populous country in the region, should be thankful for such lending while facing serious socio-economic problems such as rising prices of essential commodities, including fuel, and widespread hunger and undernutrition. According to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, the 2020 report revealed that 189.2 million people are undernourished which is around 14% of the total population of this gigantic peninsula. It is a noble virtue to help one's neighbour when she is in a difficult condition. But such help must be genuine.

There is one basic lesson that life teaches us. The pretender and the opportunist help their neighbour to fulfil many of his desires, not out of compassion for the neighbour. What does it look like to observe how India has come to support Sri Lanka in the past few days? It is curious whether India's support is the support of a true ally or the rise of a pseudo-opportunist. It is questionable how ethical it is to force a country to sign unimportant agreements at a time of economic downturn.

We do not defy India's diplomatic strategies. That is the nature of Indian foreign policy. It has been clearly described by many Indian intellectuals. Most recently, the country's current foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, has made this clear. That was in his most recent book The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World. Former First Secretary of the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka and Political Adviser to the Indian Peace Keeping Force, S. Jaishankar is a staunch BJPer and is well versed in Sri Lanka. But we do not know how many Sri Lankan public administrators or policymakers have at least heard of his book.

Many policymakers and administrators in Sri Lanka are miserably failing to fulfil their national responsibilities except boasting about meaningless things to cover up their personal ignorance. Hollow pride cannot cover this national calamity resulting from conscientious ignorance. Consequently, the whole country and generations to come are paying the price.

Sri Lanka is an island with incredible experiences in Indian diplomatic affairs. Instead of genuinely being with Sri Lanka and encouraging the country to overcome the crisis (some of them were deliberately manufactured by India), India took advantage of the opportunities and taught us bitter lessons. This is why India is more interested in political and security agreements in times of economic crisis.

Although it is said that the Indo-Lanka Accord was signed nearly two months after the infamous Poomalai operation known as Eagle Mission 4 by the Indian Air Force to bring peace to the country the real purpose of the deal was to secure supremacy over oil farms in Trincomalee and prevent the island from signing any agreement on communications without prior approval from India. They figured out exactly how they could manipulate the sentiments of this island, and the rest is history.

Doesn't the chain of events unfolding in response to the economic difficulties currently facing Sri Lanka show how subtly and strategically the second Poomalai operation is being carried out? But this time it is a different kind of operation. As a result, tenders previously awarded to another party have been forcibly cancelled and awarded to India. Where are the democratic norms of dealing with ethics? At the opening of the Indian Cultural Center in Jaffna, India sought to convince the public that the North was only a Tamil heritage site. What happened to the reconciliation and national unity that they proclaimed and pressured others to follow? Is there no heritage in Jaffna for the Muslims who were driven out by the LTTE terrorists within 24 hours? Don't the Sinhalese who have lived in Jaffna for thousands of years have a heritage? Why India? Why?
(Newser)  A California bodyboarder killed on Christmas Eve met a great white shark, who left huge bite marks and a tooth behind, according to an autopsy report. Tomas Abraham Butterfield, 42, of Sacramento left his mother's home in Morro Bay, which he was visiting for the holidays, to head to a surf area around 10am, reports San Luis Obispo County's Tribune. A surfer found his body suspended underwater, still connected to his bodyboard, less than 45 minutes later. Pathologist Dr. Joye Carter found he had skull fractures, a gaping abdominal cavity, crushed ribs, and injuries to a large vein that carries blood from the lower body to the heart, in addition to bite marks to his head, chest, and shoulder.

Butterfield would've died within "minutes" of "complications of multiple penetrating blunt force traumatic injuries," according to the report written by Detective William Miller of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office. Bite marks "in at least two distinct arcs" on the right side of his chest indicated the sharkwhich a DNA sample confirmed to be a great whitereset its grip on the victim or else attacked multiple times, per the Tribune. The shark's size is unclear. The "bite radius measured about 16 inches, but this did not seem to be large enough to be consistent with the size and spacing of what appeared to be individual teeth marks," Miller wrote.

He added that a piece of a shark tooth, found between Butterfield's back and his wetsuit, was turned over to Butterfield's brother "at his request." Butterfield was "extremely close" to brother Ben Butterfield of Sanger, who went searching for his sibling near "the Pit" area of Morro Strand State Beach after arriving in Morro Bay for a family gathering, the Tribune previously reported. Ben and his mother ultimately came across a crowd of people, including emergency personnel, and "thought the worst, and it was the worst, obviously," uncle Grant Butterfield told the outlet. He added he hoped his nephew had met "the biggest [expletive] thing in the ocean" and "didn't even know" what hit him. (Read more shark attack stories.)
(Newser)  Tyre Sampson was turned away from rides during his visit to Orlando's ICON Park, just not the one that killed him. That's according to his cousin, Shay Johnson, who dropped off the 14-year-old at the amusement park on Thursday. She tells Spectrum News 13 that he wanted to ride the 450-foot-tall StarFlyer swing ride but called her within minutes to say he had been turned away. "They said I'm too big. I can't ride," the teen reportedly said. Johnson says she told him to try the SlingShot, touted as the world's tallest slingshot ride, which sends riders 450 feet into the air at speeds of up to 100mph. She says he was again told he was too large.

He decided to try one final ride: the FreeFall, which drops riders nearly 400 feet at speeds of more than 75mph. "He called me, he say, 'They let me ride. I can ride. I can ride,'" Johnson added Monday from a vigil at the park. "I didn't know it would be my last time talking to him alive." Tyre fell out of his seat as the circular vehicle descended. Both the Slingshot and the FreeFall are operated by Slingshot Group, which on Tuesday answered ICON Park's call to suspend operations of both rides "until such time as a thorough investigation by the appropriate authorities has been completed and all parties are satisfied that the rides are safe for the public."

CNN has reached out to Slingshot Group for comment on why Tyre was turned away from the Slingshot but not the FreeFall, whose manual gives a maximum weight limit of 287 pounds per rider. Tyre reportedly weighed 340 pounds. Bill Kitchen, the inventor of the FreeFall who also attended Monday's memorial, tells News 13 that had the manufacturer added a safety strap, it would have prevented Tyre's death. In a letter attached to the ride's manual, Hannes Lackner, the general manager of manufacturer Funtime Thrill Rides, wrote that there is "no need for an extra safety or seat belt because the seat and restrain system fulfill more than the requirements," WKMG reports. (Read more Florida stories.)
(Newser)  It's not uncommon for kids to raise complaints of bullying in schoolbut one former Texas high school student claimed the bullying came from teachers as well as fellow students. Now, Mari Oliver has settled a federal lawsuit brought against her one-time sociology teacher for $90,000 after alleging he tried to pressure her to say or write the Pledge of Allegiance, reports the Washington Post. Per the 2017 suit filed by Oliver's motherand since taken over by Oliver now that she's an adultOliver had for years declined to say the pledge in class at Klein Oak High School in Spring. She instead "respectfully sat" while others did. Her reasoning: She didn't think she should be forced to say the words "under God."

Oliver also stuck by her stance that she didn't believe she "[lives] in a country where there's justice and freedom for all," especially where Black Americans like herself are concerned, per Courthouse News. The complaint says she was mocked and harassed for years by students and teachers alike, with administrators offering "ineffective" remedies to the bullying. Right before her senior year, administrators finally told her teachers she didn't have to say the pledge. But per her suit, during the first month of school sociology professor Benjie Arnold asked Oliver's class to detail how they felt about the Bruce Springsteen song "Born in the USA" and to transcribe the pledge in a writing assignment. OIiver says she refused, drawing a squiggly line on the paper she handed in.

Her suit notes Arnold said anyone not turning in the assignment would get a zero, and that he compared people not saying the pledge to "Soviet communists" and "those who condone pedophilia." He disputes her account, saying his goal was "not to compel orthodoxy," but to show many people robotically say the pledge without thinking about its meaning. In 2020, a federal judge dismissed the family's complaint against the school district and other teachers at the high school, but it let the suit against Arnold stand. The Texas Association of School Boards, a risk pool funded by school districts throughout the state, will pay the settlement. Arnold has continued to teach at the high school. (Read more Pledge of Allegiance stories.)
(Newser)  Whatever promise Tuesday held on the Ukraine-Russia front seems to have been lost by Wednesday. The governor of Ukraine's Chernihiv region tells the BBC that Russia has not eased up on its attacks as it pledged to do. "The entire night was pretty tense," Viacheslav Chaus said. "They attacked Nizhyn and Chernihiv. Mostly Chernihiv. Again, part of the civilian infrastructure was destroyed. None of the military buildings were targeted last night. They kept attacking only civilian infrastructure."

The BBC notes it couldn't independently confirm his report, but it did hear echoes of what Chaus said from the residents it spoke with; one said planes weren't heard overnight, but the sounds of war were otherwise apparent. Chernihiv's mayor, Vladyslav Atroshenko, repeated a similar story to the Guardian: "The night was just as we expected, that [everything Russia promised] is a lie from the beginning till the end, thats why at night we had some serious shelling at night."

The New York Times adds that strikes were also reported near Kyiv, suggesting Russia is in no rush to bring the 5-week-old conflict to an end. Meanwhile, a Kremlin rep on Wednesday said that talks in Turkey had thus far not produced anything "very promising." As for the situation in Mariupol, the BBC reports Vladimir Putin on Tuesday night said in a lengthy phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron that the shelling of the city won't cease until Ukrainian troops surrender. (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.)
(Newser)  Peter Spencer was shot dead by a co-worker during a a Pennsylvania camping trip last December; two weeks ago, Venango County District Attorney Shawn White announced no charges would be brought, saying that based on the evidence and Pennsylvania's "stand your ground" laws, prosecutors would be unable to show "this was not self-defense beyond a reasonable doubt." But a lawyer for Spencer's family is now taking issue with that evidence. Attorney Paul Jubas tells the Washington Post that there are "strange inconsistencies," and he outlines them. For one, the shooterwho said Spencer, a Jamaican immigrant, began shooting an AK-47 into the air around the campfiresaid he and Spencer had consumed mushrooms.

But Jubas said the shooter's toxicology report didn't show the presence of psilocin (which is present in most psychedelic mushrooms), while Spencer's did. Further, Jubas said Spencer's report showed the presence of fentanyl, a fact that prosecutors didn't mention when discussing the case. In Jubas' view, the shooter lied about taking mushrooms. "It was strange to see the district attorney talk about how credible this investigation was and how credible the witnesses were and the suspect was, only to have him by direct evidence be contradicted and his credibility undermined," Jubas noted.

Cyril Wecht, a pathologist engaged by the family, took issue with the DA's assertion that five of the nine gunshots that hit Spencer did so in the back because Spencer was twisting and falling at the time. "Where is this fear on the part of the shooter that he is being threatened?" WTAE quotes Wecht as saying. "Five shots at Mr. Spencer while he is moving away from the shooter, and the shooter continues to shoot. If the guy's falling down, what are you continuing to shoot him for? Do you think he's going to go to Earth and get his machine gun?" (Read more Peter Spencer stories.)
(Newser)  Sen. Joe Manchin didn't immediately come out in opposition to President Biden's plan to place a 20% minimum income tax on billionaireshe waited almost 12 hours. Manchin doesn't like the idea of including unrealized gains on stocks and other assets, before they're sold and become cash. "Everybody has to pay their fair share," Manchin said, the Hill reports. The West Virginia Democrat said his objection is that "you can't tax something thats not earned. Earned income is what we're based on." That stance probably dooms the proposal Biden announced Monday. Manchin may have left the door open to another strategy. "Theres other ways to do it," he said.

Although Manchin's opposition could be decisive in the Senate, where the bill would need a yes from every Democrat to reach Biden, a Democratic colleague didn't consider the matter closed. "I don't care what Mr. Manchin has to say," Sen. Bernie Sanders told Business Insider. Citing wealth inequality and the fact that some some billionaires "don't pay any federal taxes," Sanders said the nation needs a progressive income tax system. "We got to go forward on that." Manchin also blocked Biden's economic proposals last year, which Sanders supported.

Taxing income can miss the nation's wealthiest if they don't declare income. That's been the case with Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, for example. They can borrow against their assets, living off that cash. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, a Democrat, calls Biden's approach, intended to raise $360 billion over a decade, a "solid" way to deal with that practice. A Republican member of the committee, Sen. John Thune, said, "It's essentially taxing people before they actually get the income, and that seems like a really dangerous precedent in tax law." (Read more federal income tax stories.)
(Newser)  Update: This story has been updated with new developments. Will Smith remained sitting in the front row at the Oscars after he slapped Chris Rock on Sunday night, but he was no longer a welcome guest, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says. The Academy said Wednesday that Smith was asked to leave the ceremony but refused to go, the New York Times reports. "Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated," the Academy said after a meeting Wednesday, per the AP. "While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently." Smith apologizedbut not to Rockwhen he collected the best actor award.

In a statement, the Academy condemned the "deeply shocking, traumatic event" and said disciplinary proceedings against Smith had begun. "Mr. Rock, we apologize to you for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience in that moment," the statement said. Sources tell the Times that the meeting of the board of governors Wednesday was "emotional" and that the general feeling was that it was their duty to not "normalize violence." The Academy said in a letter released Tuesday night that its probe of the incident and determination of the "appropriate action" Smith should face will take a few weeks to complete, Deadline reports.

"As governed by California law regarding members of nonprofit organizations like the Academy, and set forth in our Standards of Conduct, this must follow an official process that will take a few weeks," its letter reads. Meanwhile, the stream of opinions continue, from the likes of OJ Simpson (whose video take has more than 1 million views), Bill Maher, Amy Schumer (she's "triggered and traumatized") and Joe Rogan. If you're wondering what average Joe thinks, Mediaite reports a poll conducted Monday that surveyed 2,162 people found 52.3% of people felt Rock was in the wrong, vs. 47.7% who said the same of Smith. (Read more Will Smith stories.)
(Newser)  Criticizing the invasion of Ukraine, or even calling it a war instead of a "special military operation," is a crime in Russia, but citizens are still allowed to express their sadness. With Instagram now banned in the country, alternatives are sprouting up, including "Grustnogram," which translates to "Sadgram," Reuters reports. The website features gloomy black-and-white photos and urges users to "post sad pictures of yourself, show this to your sad friends, be sad together."

Co-creator Ivan Semkin tells Reuters that the site started as a joke. "We tried to draw a concept, it took a day or two, we tried to make it look good and we realized it came out very well, and it was a seriously good thing that we could show to others," he says. Alexander Tokarev, another co-creator, says the project was started out of sadness that "many high quality and popular services are stopping their work in Russia for various reasons." Meta, Instagram and Facebook's parent company, was banned in Russia last week after a court labeled it "extremist" for allowing posts like "Death to the Russian invaders," NPR reports.

Rossgram, a Russian-made Instagram imitation that closely resembles the original, was supposed to be available this week but wasn't ready when the launch date arrived. Instagram was popular in Russia before the ban, and Vice reports that this has been useful for investigators trying to track down oligarchs' assets. Instagram posts, including some from an oligarch's ex-wife, have been used to connect the sanctioned Russians to mega-yachts that have now been impounded. (Read more Instagram stories.)
(Newser)  Russian President Vladimir Putin isn't aware of the true state of his invasion of Ukraine because aides aren't telling him, US intelligence officials have concluded. The disconnect is straining relations between Putin and his advisers, the New York Times reports. Asked Wednesday about the situation, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: "One of the Achilles' heels of autocracies is that you don't have people in those systems who speak truth to power or who have the ability to speak truth to power. And I think that is something that we're seeing in Russia." The matters Putin is not receiving full and accurate information about, US officials say, include:

Russian troops' progress : Aides evidently are giving Putin incomplete and sugarcoated information about the stalling advance. Putin realizes this, increasing tension in the Kremlin, per CBS News. Once a Putin favorite, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is among those affected.

: Aides evidently are giving Putin incomplete and sugarcoated information about the stalling advance. Putin realizes this, increasing tension in the Kremlin, per CBS News. Once a Putin favorite, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is among those affected. The makeup of his forces : Putin seemed to not know Russian troops in Ukraine include conscripts, who are among the casualties. Nor was he told that drafted Russian soldiers are being killed, officials said. This demonstrates "a clear breakdown in the flow of accurate information," one American official said.

: Putin seemed to not know Russian troops in Ukraine include conscripts, who are among the casualties. Nor was he told that drafted Russian soldiers are being killed, officials said. This demonstrates "a clear breakdown in the flow of accurate information," one American official said. The effect of sanctions: Putin hasn't been made aware of the widespread harm the Western sanctions are inflicting on the Russian economy.

Putin's tendency to publicly scold aides has contributed to his isolation, said the officials, who didn't disclose how they acquired the information. An American general conceded Tuesday that the US might have its own intelligence shortcomings. Asked in a hearing by Republican Sen. Roger Wicker if, given the way the fighting has gone, the US overestimated Russia's military and underestimated Ukraine's, Gen. Tod Wolters said "could be." American intelligence expected Russian forces to advance quickly, but many analysts now predict a stalemate in Ukraine. When the fighting ends, said Wolters, the top US general in Europe, a review will be conducted to look for areas that need improvement, per CNN. "This could be one of those areas," he said. (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.)
(Newser)  The moment nurse RaDonda Vaught realized she had given a patient the wrong medication, she rushed to the doctors working to revive 75-year-old Charlene Murphey and told them what she had done. Within hours, she made a full report of her mistake to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Murphey died the next day, Dec. 27, 2017. On Friday, a jury found Vaught guilty of criminally negligent homicide and gross neglect. That verdictand the fact that Vaught was charged at allworries patient safety and nursing groups that have worked for years to move hospital culture away from cover-ups, blame, and punishment, and toward the honest reporting of mistakes, the AP reports.

The move to a "Just Culture" seeks to improve safety by analyzing human errors and making systemic changes to prevent their recurrence. That can't happen if providers think they could go to prison, they say. "The criminalization of medical errors is unnerving, and this verdict sets into motion a dangerous precedent," the American Nurses Association said. Health care delivery is highly complex. It is inevitable that mistakes will happen." Just Culture has been widely adopted in hospitals since a 1999 report by the National Academy of Medicine estimated at least 98,000 people may die each year due to medical errors. Bad outcomes remain common, with many hospital staffers convinced that owning up to mistakes will expose them to punishment, according to a 2018 study.

More than 46,000 death certificates listed complications of medical and surgical carea category that includes medical errorsamong the causes of death in 2020, according to federal data. "Best estimates are 7,000-10,000 fatal medication errors a year. Are we going to lock them up? Who is going to replace them? said Bruce Lambert, a patient safety expert at Northwestern University. "If you think RaDonda Vaught is criminally negligent, you just dont know how health care works." Mistakes often end up in malpractice lawsuits, but criminal prosecutions are rare. Many nurses are "already at their breaking point ... after a physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting two years caring for patients with COVID," said Liz Stokes, director of the American Nurses Association's Center for Ethics and Human Rights. Vaught's prosecution gives them one more reason to quit, she said.

(Read more nursing stories.)
Alaska_news

U.S. Rep. Don Young recalled as 'Mr. Alaska,' a tireless advocate for his state

Nash Greg U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, gives a remembrance of Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, as he lies in state in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Young died at the age of 88, serving 49 years in the House. He was the longest-serving Republican in the House of Representatives. Shawn Thew/pool photo/TNS Anne Garland Young pays respects to her husband, Rep. Don Young, Tuesday, March 29, 2022, in the U.S. Capitol Building. Shawn Thewl/pool photo/TNS Alaska U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and her husband, Verne Martell, pay final respects to Alaska U.S. Rep. Don Young Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Shawn Thewl/pool photo/TNS Alaska U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan speaks in the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, March 29, 2022, during the memorial service honoring U.S. Rep. Don Young, who died March 18, 2022. Shawn Thewl/pool photo/TNS President Biden paid final respects to U.S. Rep. Don Young, lying in state at the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Biden saluted the late congressman and made the sign of the cross as he paused over the flag-draped casket. Shawn Thew/pool photo/TNS Anne Garland Young stands before the casket of her late husband, U.S. Rep. Don Young, Tuesday, March 29, 2022, in the U.S. Capitol Building. Shawn Thewl/pool photo/TNS An honor guard carries the casket of Alaska U.S. Rep. Don Young into the Capitol Tuesday, March 29, 2022. News-Miner screenshot U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and his wife, Julie, pay tribute to U.S. Rep. Don Young at a memorial Tuesday, March 29, 2022, at the U.S. State Capitol. The service aired live on C-Span. A formal procession and motorcade carried U.S. Rep. Don Youngs casket to the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. News-Miner screenshot A memorial service for Alaska U.S. Rep. Don Young was held at the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, March 29, 2002. Alaska U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, seen in this photo, spoke at the service, which aired live on C-Span.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy remembered Don Young Tuesday as Mr. Alaska, a House member loved, feared and respected all at the same time.

He was a great teacher to all of us in Congress, McCarthy said, describing Young as tough and tender-hearted.

Don was strong in his faith and strong in his language. He was a man after Gods own heart, McCarthy said, noting that he and Young attended weekly Bible studies together.

Youngs family and his colleagues in Washington, D.C., attended a memorial at the U.S. Capitol, which aired live on C-Span. Mourners included House leadership and members, Cabinet members and Alaskas two senators.

There will be a funeral service for Young at 11 a.m., Wednesday, at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Great Falls, Va.

Mourners at the U.S. Capitol Tuesday paid tribute to the 88-year-old congressman, who died March 18 while en route to Alaska. House leadership and Alaskas two U.S. senators commemorated Young for an unflinching dedication to Alaska.

Testimonials, recollections and praise for Young  the longest-serving Republican House member in U.S. history  poured in during the hourlong memorial service. A motorcade had carried the late congressmans flag-draped coffin to the U.S. Capitol.

President Biden visited Statuary Hall in solitary tribute to Young after the memorial. Biden placed his hands on the flag-draped coffin, made the sign of the cross and saluted the late congressman.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg were among Cabinet members attending the service.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who brushed tears from her eyes during the memorial, spoke at the service honoring Young.

Today we gather in Statuary Hall where Lincoln served and now home to legendary heroes. It is fitting that we welcome Dons historic patriotic service here, Pelosi said, which spanned his service as a U.S. Army tank operator and nearly 50 years representing Alaska in the U.S. House.

Congressional leaders shared personal anecdotes about Alaska salmon dinners hosted by Young and recollections that included the time Young stuck his hand in an animal trap at a hearing to make a point.

Alaskas U.S. senators spoke at length about their work with Young representing the state. They recalled Youngs punctuality and impatience when there was work to be done.

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said that Young was not just her colleague from Alaska but a mentor, friend and truly my congressman for all of my tenure.

She noted that Young dedicated 49 years to the 49th state. How appropriate, Murkowski said. He always wanted to do just one more [term]. Everything he did was for the state he loved and loved so well and for the state that loved him back.

Don Young was here when every member who currently served arrived, U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, said of Youngs tenure, which began with his special election to Congress in 1973.

Born in California, Young had moved to Alaska as a young adult, working as a tugboat captain, gold miner, school teacher and Yukon mayor before running for Congress. He also served in the U.S. Army.

He was a throwback to a time and place when people were respected for what they could do. And, boy, did he do a lot in life and for Alaska, Sullivan said, which included introducing legislation that enabled passage of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Act. The Alaska pipeline system was built three years later.

It always has been the three of us battling for the big beautiful unique state that is Alaska, Sullivan said, referring to the work of Alaskas delegation.

Sullivan noted that Alaskas sole seat in Congress will be empty for five months until a replacement to finish Youngs term is decided by special statewide election.

Speaking to House members at Tuesdays memorial, Sullivan said: I humbly ask everyone here to keep Dons legacy alive, remembering Alaska when bills come before you.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is taking pride in solid historical relations between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

This came as HM the King received the Saudi Minister of Justice, Dr Walid bin Mohammed Al Somaani, at Safriya Palace yesterday.

Dr Al Somaani, also the President of Supreme Judicial Council, expressed thanks and appreciation to HM the King for his unflinching keenness on further boosting the historical and distinguished relations between the two brotherly kingdoms and peoples. He also lauded the great development in Bahrain in various fields.

HM the King noted the importance of Dr Al Somaanis visit in further enhancing joint cooperation and coordination mainly in the judicial field.

The minister conveyed to His Majesty the greetings of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, as well as their best wishes of further growth and prosperity to Bahrain and its people.

HM the King asked the Saudi Minister to convey his greetings and best wishes to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and HRH the Crown Prince. His Majesty commended the efforts of King Salman in further cementing the Bahraini-Saudi ties and developing fraternal cooperation.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

M S Pillai, a senior post graduate teacher at Indian School Bahrain is bidding farewell to the Kingdom after 26 years of service at the school. Mr Pillai, who is retiring as the Academic Coordinator, joined the Indian School on April 2, 1995 as a French teacher in the senior section.

He started his teaching career after obtaining his M.A. and B.Ed in French from Madurai Kamaraj University in Tamil Nadu. He worked as a lecturer in Cochin College, Mattancherry and SB Officers Junior College, Chennai before moving to the Kingdom.

After joining the ISB, he also served as the Head of the French Department and Head Teacher at the school. His wife is Bhagyalakshmi and the couple has two children. Raj Manohar, the eldest son, who works for an IT company, is married and settled in Chennai, India and the second son Shyam Mohan is pursuing his higher studies in Germany.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Shareholders of Takaful International Company yesterday approved the distribution of cash dividends of 5%, an equivalent of BD 425K (5 fils per share). The approval was during the companys Annual General Meeting and the Extraordinary General Meeting at its headquarters in Seef Area with a quorum of 91.55%.

The shareholders approved financial results for the year ended 31 December 2021, which were announced earlier this year: (Net profit of BD 1,603m compared to BD 1.544m last year with an increasing percentage of 4%, and net profit attributable to the shareholders of the parent of BD 931k compared to BD 1.144m last year and corresponding earnings per share at 10.95 fils compared to 13.46 fils last year).

Approval was also given to the purchase of treasury shares not exceeding 10% of the companys shares, subject to the approval of the relevant regulatory authorities.

Ebrahim Al Rayes, the Chairman, said that despite the significant economic fluctuations during the year, the companys total written contributions increased to BD 24.8 million (2020: BD 22.9 m), adding that the company has achieved growth in its profits due to the collaborative efforts and synergies with the parent company, which facilitated the reduction in operational expenses and increased productivity, in addition to utilizing the expertise from both companies which added value to the services provided to customers and attributed in providing high-quality competitive products.

Al Rayes also stated that the company has entered, along with its parent company, into an agreement with a global leader Company specialising in IT services, consulting, and business solutions for digital transformation and maintaining its position as a market leader in Bahrain. Essam Al Ansari, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, said that the results achieved reflect the companys selective underwriting approach, which is based on continuous measurement and regular monitoring of risks, which is reflected in the controlling of net claims ratio that reached 68.5% in 2021 (2020: 70%).

The efforts to enhance the financial strength of the Company led to the re-rating of its credit rating as (A-) Excellent from the Global rating agency AM Best.
A Chilean man on Tuesday denied to a French court that he had murdered his Japanese ex-girlfriend, Narumi Kurosaki, who disappeared in 2016 in a high-profile case that has spanned three continents.

"I would like to say clearly that I did not kill Narumi, I deny these accusations with all my strength," Nicolas Zepeda told the Besancon court, speaking in Spanish through an interpreter.

Kurosaki, a brilliant scholarship student then aged 21, arrived in eastern French city Besancon in summer 2016 to learn the language. She disappeared on December 4.

Her former boyfriend Zepeda, whom she had broken up with a year before, was the last person to see her alive.

"I hope sincerely that this trial will bring the truth we need to find her," Zepeda said, calling the allegation that he murdered his ex "monstrous".

Prosecutors allege that Zepeda was unable to deal with the couple's breakup, coming to Besancon to kill Kurosaki in her student dorm room before dumping the body in the forests of the rugged Jura region.

But so far no trace has been found of Kurosaki's remains.
Health officials say U.S. running out of money to fight COVID-19

Xinhua) 11:08, March 30, 2022

WASHINGTON, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Health officials lamented on Tuesday that the United States is "running out of money" to fight COVID-19, as more than 80 million cases have so far been reported nationwide.

"The federal government is running out of funds to provide Americans, especially those who are uninsured, with COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments," said an op-ed co-authored by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and David Kessler, chief science officer for the U.S. COVID-19 Response Team.

"If the funding does not materialize, we will find ourselves in a far weaker position, struggling to keep up with a constantly evolving virus that will continue to threaten our health, our economy, and our peace of mind," they wrote in the piece published by The New York Times (NYT).

Federal funding to cover the cost of COVID-19 testing and treatment for uninsured Americans reportedly dried up this week. Several testing providers will no longer provide tests for free to uninsured Americans, saying they will begin to charge between 100 and 195 U.S. dollars for PCR tests, according to ABC News.

In addition, the federal government last week cut shipments of lifesaving monoclonal antibodies to states by 35 percent -- and officials anticipate running out of monoclonal antibodies later this spring.

"We will not be able to continue making home tests available, and the critical surveillance efforts that help us anticipate new waves and variants will be compromised," Murthy and Kessler said. "We cannot wait for another crisis for Congress to make sustained pandemic response funding available."

The call for congressional funding came a day after U.S. President Joe Biden unveiled the federal budget request for the fiscal year 2023, in which his administration urged efforts and investments to prepare "for future pandemics and other biological threats."

The budget asks for "transformative investments in pandemic preparedness" across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services -- 81.7 billion dollars available over five years -- while it includes 9.9 billion dollars to expand public health infrastructure and increase capacity for forecasting and analyzing future outbreaks, among other things.

However, the proposed funding for public health services was hugely dwarfed by the request for military and defense spending that amounts to over 813 billion dollars, of which 773 billion is planned for the Pentagon. Biden pitched it as "one of the largest investments in our national security in history."

In an article earlier this year, NYT opinion columnist Farhad Manjoo argued that the level of U.S. military spending, reportedly accounting for nearly 40 percent of the world's defense expenditures, "has long been excessive."

"After a pandemic that has claimed the lives of more Americans than any war we fought, continuing to throw money at the military is an act of willful disregard for the most urgent threats we face," Manjoo said.

In an opinion published by The Washington Post on Monday, Megan Ranney, a practicing emergency physician and academic dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, pointed out that in the United States "the health-care and public health system is just as vulnerable to COVID as it has ever been."

"That's a problem not just for COVID patients but for anyone who walks through our doors," Ranney added. "Yet, it appears, the country has moved on."

The total number of COVID-19 cases in the United States hit the milestone of 80 million on Tuesday afternoon, with more than 978,000 related deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Both numbers are the highest in the world.

The highly contagious Omicron subvariant BA.2 is now the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States, causing almost 55 percent of all new infections last week, showed the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The hardest-hit region continues to be the Northeast, where BA.2 is causing more than 70 percent of all cases. The South and Mountain West are seeing the fewest cases in the nation, with the subvariant leading to roughly one-third of infections in those regions.

Anthony Fauci, the top American infectious disease expert, has recently said that he expects "an uptick in cases" due to BA.2 in the United States -- where states and cities have moved to lift restrictions -- and that the Omicron subvariant is about 50-60 percent more transmissible than the first Omicron strain.

Murthy and Kessler agreed that the pandemic has not been over, warning that "it would be a grave mistake to assume COVID-19 no longer requires our action and investment."

"As we have seen repeatedly over the last two years, periods of declining cases have been followed by waves of increases," they said. "While we cannot predict exactly when cases will rise again, the increase in cases we are seeing in Europe should serve as a reminder that being prepared for future waves is imperative."

(Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun)
You don't have to fly to Nashville to get hot chicken, but a lucky contest winner will soon get the opportunity to travel to the Music City.

Haven Hot Chicken, New Haven's first dedicated Nashville hot chicken restaurant, has teamed up with Avelo Airlines, based out of Tweed-New Haven Airport. The businesses will jointly run a month-long social media contest to give away two tickets for the inaugural nonstop round-trip flight from New Haven to Nashville on May 6.
NEW MILFORD  Firefighters rescued an injured worker at a local power plant on Tuesday morning, according to fire officials.

Shortly after 10 a.m., officials with the Brookfield Volunteer Fire Company said units responded on a mutual aid call to the Rocky River Power Plant in New Milford to help with a low-angle rescue of an injured pipeline worker.
Sony

Good news for Prime members and great news for Prime members whove been itching to get their hands on this PlayStation 5 Digital Edition since Amazon teased out the restock on Twitter this week.

Sonys fastest digital-only console yet, the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition features ridiculously high speeds thanks to a custom CPU, GPU, and SSD with Integrated I/O, boasting near-instant load times and stunning 4K resolution.
TORONTO, March 30, 2022 /CNW/ - Small business owners need the federal government to use Budget 2022 to lay a clear roadmap to small business recovery, says the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). This includes keeping business costs down, reducing red tape, finding solutions to address the labour shortage, laying out a plan to address the deficit, and ensuring that COVID-19 measures address the needs of small businesses.

"Businesses continue to struggle with decreased revenue, staffing shortages and major cost increases. While optimism is returning as restrictions begin to lift, many businesses are hoping to see concrete measure in the federal budget that will help them deal with the cost of doing business, labour shortages and COVID-related debt. This federal budget must not only ensure small businesses survive the challenging months ahead, but help them rebuild and instill confidence in consumers," said Corinne Pohlmann, CFIB's senior vice-president of national affairs.

More than nine in 10 (94%) businesses say their costs have increased at a time when they can scarcely afford it. Business owners have worked longer hours and taken on staggering debt loads to keep their businesses afloat.

Budget 2022 must lay the foundation for Canada's economic recovery, by establishing small business recovery as its central focus. CFIB presented Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and all Members of Parliament with a plan containing four main tenets, based on member feedback:

Ensure that the cost of doing business does not increase and reduce red tape. Prioritize policies that help with labour shortages. Control government spending and set a timeframe to balance the budget. Make sure the COVID-19 relief measures and other policies support small businesses on the path to recovery.

"Small businesses have been put through the wringer over the past two years," added CFIB president Dan Kelly. "For the economic recovery to be realized, small businesses need to be the central focus of Budget 2022. This budget needs to set a clear plan for economic recovery that will return confidence to business owners about their future."

In the next couple of months, as small businesses across all sectors and regions get back on their feet, it is critical they have tools and resources in place to support their recovery.

In its recent letter to Minister Freeland, CFIB made four recommendations on how to best support small businesses on their path to recovery:

Help with small business economic recovery by extending the Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) until at least September 2022 . Reassure consumers that it is now safe to return to in-person activities, such as shopping, dining, travel and attending events, etc. Help the hardest hit small businesses deal with their COVID-19 related debt. This could be done by increasing the forgivable portion of their Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) loan to 50%, extending the deadline to repay CEBA beyond December 2023 and finding a way to support newer businesses. Introduce a plan to phase out all federal COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates such as those related to travelling and border crossing and encourage all federal employees to return to in-person office work this spring.

Read CFIB's full pre-budget submission for more details.

About CFIB

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada's largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 95,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners' chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca .

SOURCE Canadian Federation of Independent Business

For further information: For media enquiries or interviews, please contact: Dariya Baiguzhiyeva, CFIB, 647-464-2814, [email protected]
"In 2021, the "all items" CPI has risen significantly, while the Cellular Services Price Index has declined further  by approximately 23% since January 2020. This decline in the Cellular Services Price Index is a result of the competition amongst all network operators- big and small."

Mr. Ghiz also discussed the direct contribution STAC members are making to the progress of the industry and to Canadians. "The work you do, combined with the investments being made by Canada's facilities-based carriers, are not only transforming the ways in which Canadians communicate, work, and play, but also fueling economic growth and innovation, and helping to address some of the world's biggest challenges using digital technology. It is because of your specialized skills and your commitment that this transformational growth can occur."

The annual STAC conference and exhibition is widely regarded as Canada's premier tower industry event. It offers industry professionals from across the country the opportunity to learn about, and share experience of, the trends and challenges shaping Canada's tower industry  an industry essential to ensuring Canadians have access to world-class wireless networks.

For a complete copy of Mr. Ghiz's remarks to the conference, please visit CWTA online here.

About CWTA

CWTA is the authority on wireless issues, developments and trends in Canada. It represents companies that provide services and products across the wireless sector. Representing the industry before all levels of government and various regulatory agencies, CWTA actively promotes the industry with the goal of ensuring continued growth of the wireless sector in Canada. CWTA administers several initiatives on behalf of its members, including corporate social responsibility programs and the national common short codes program.

SOURCE Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association

For further information: Media enquiries: For CWTA: Greg Burch, 204-250-9244, [email protected]
TORONTO, March 30, 2022 /CNW/ - It is with deep, heartfelt gratitude for his nearly three decades of service that the Council of Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) announces the retirement of Johnny Zuccon, P.Eng., FEC, as CEO/registrar.



"On behalf of our Council, I thank Johnny for his many years of valuable and enthusiastic commitment to PEO, including his critical leadership as CEO/registrar over the past four years," said PEO President Christian Bellini, P.Eng., FEC.

Zuccon led PEO, Ontario's engineering regulator, during its most ambitious change project in its 100-year history. Beginning with a 2019 external regulatory performance review that identified areas where it could be more efficient, transparent and objective, PEO has since embarked on a multi-year, enterprise-wide transformation to achieve its change vision of becoming a modern regulator that delivers on its statutory mandate.

As it nears completion of the transformation, PEO has implemented several changes to improve its regulatory processes and better protect the public, including:

Creating a mandatory continuing professional development program to ensure Ontario engineers continue meeting standards of learning, and professional competence and conduct. The program goes into effect January 2023 ;

engineers continue meeting standards of learning, and professional competence and conduct. The program goes into effect ; Re-examining its 12-month Canadian engineering experience requirement for licensure and how it might be modified to balance the interests of licence applicants (including internationally trained) and public safety;

Digitizing engineering licensing processes to enable faster and more efficient application and licence processing; and

Creating an anti-racism and anti-discrimination working group to develop recommendations for addressing any issues of racism and discrimination in all aspects of PEO's work as a regulator, organization and employer.

"Johnny leaves PEO in excellent shape to continue these important changes to our regulatory work, including committing to a governance model that provides strategic direction and high-level control; and making the organizational changes necessary to ensure we have the capacity and agility to achieve our objectives," said Bellini. "He will be greatly missed and we wish him well in his retirement."



Zuccon was appointed interim registrar by PEO Council in February 2018 and was formally appointed CEO/registrar in February 2019. Prior to this, Zuccon had a 23-year tenure with the regulator in various roles, including 15 years as a member of the senior management team.

PEO Council, through the Human Resources and Compensation Committee, has begun the process for recruiting a new CEO/registrar.

Professional Engineers Ontario administers the Professional Engineers Act to serve and protect the public interest by licensing Ontario's 91,000 individual practitioners and engineering firms. Professional engineers can be identified by the P.Eng. after their names. When retaining the services of an engineer or engineering firm, the public may search the directories of licensed professional engineers and authorized professional engineering companies on the PEO website: www.peo.on.ca. Inquiries regarding unlicensed individuals and unauthorized companies may be made to PEO through its enforcement hotline at 416-840-1444 or 1-800-339-3716 ext 1444 or the e-mail address [email protected].

SOURCE Professional Engineers Ontario

For further information: Duff McCutcheon, Manager, Communications, [email protected]
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJPfive-member )s fact-finding committee, which was created in the aftermath of the Birbhum violence in West Bengal, delivered its report to party leader JP Nadda on Wednesday.

Following the Birbhum violence, BJP national president JP Nadda constituted a five-member fact-finding team, which included four retired IPS officials and West Bengal BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar. The group includes four former IPS officers: Bharati Ghosh, Satya Pal Singh, KC Ramamurthy, and Brijlal.

Speaking to ANI before submission, Majumdar said, The fact-finding committee went to the village in Birbhum where the incident took place. We had to face problems to reach the village due to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). The committee had four former IPS officers and they made a comprehensive report. We will hand over the report to party president JP Nadda today. We will also hand over a copy of this confidential report to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Following the execution of TMC politician Bhadu Sheikh, a mob allegedly set houses on fire in the Rampurhat area of West Bengals Birbhum on Tuesday, killing at least eight people. Following a Calcutta High Court ruling, the investigation into the Birbhum violence case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Asked about TMCs allegation against the BJP of giving political colour to the Birbhum incident, Majumdar said, This is the difference we have with TMC. This is not a political matter but a matter of law and order. There have been incidents of blasts, rapes and other crimes across West Bengal.

On TMC MLA Narendra Nath Chakraborty allegedly threatening the BJP supporters ahead of the Asansol Lok Sabha bypoll, Majumdar said, Free and fair elections are next to impossible in West Bengal. The video of Narendra Nath Chakraborty validates the fact. Under the rule of Mamata Banerjee, free and fair election is impossible. We demanded Election Commission to keep this person (Chakraborty) away from the election procedure.

Chakraborty, in a video that has gone viral, asks TMC workers to frighten BJP supporters so that they do not come out of their homes on election day.
The BJP workers were protesting Kejriwal's views on the film "The Kashmir Files" in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha when they breached two barriers and made their way to the CM House, where they caused a commotion. Manish Sisodia, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, claimed that "Because the BJP is unable to defeat Kejriwal, they are attempting to assassinate him." Today's tragedy was a pre-planned BJP plot to assassinate the CM. "

Following the dismantling of the barricades outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals residence on Wednesday, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that the BJP cadres attempted to assassinate the CM because they were unable to defeat him electorally.

The BJP workers were protesting Kejriwals views on the film The Kashmir Files in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha when they breached two barriers and made their way to the CM House, where they caused a commotion. Manish Sisodia, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, claimed that Because the BJP is unable to defeat Kejriwal, they are attempting to assassinate him. Todays tragedy was a pre-planned BJP plot to assassinate the CM. 

He added, Due to Aam Aadmi Partys victory and BJPs defeat in Punjab, BJP wants to murder Arvind Kejriwal. He alleged that the BJP goons were deliberately taken by the police to the residence of CM Kejriwal. They broke the CCTV cameras and barriers in front of the CMs residence and intended to kill Kejriwal.

Raghav Chadha, AAP leader said, Since AAP has formed its govt in Punjab, BJP has gone insane. They contested against Kejriwal many times in Punjab and Delhi but got defeated. BJP has an insecurity that their business will stop; hence the BJP goons resorted to attacking the AAP convenor and this is their politics:

He further added, BJP attacked the house of a democratically elected CM today and this attack is not just on Kejriwal, it is on the people of this country who want sincere governance. AAP will answer back with its public service and patriotism.

AAP leader Atishi took to Twitter and tweeted, Shocking! What was Delhi Police doing when BJP workers and leaders were doing rampage at CM Arvind Kejriwals residence? Did they have orders from Amit Shahs office to support the BJP vandals?

The AAP MLA from Punjab Jarnail Singh tweeted, BJPs goons kept vandalizing the house of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who is elected with the largest majority ever. Instead of stopping them, the BJPs police brought them to the door of the CM house. Shameful.

150-200 BJP Yuva Morcha protestors gathered outside Kejriwals apartment on Link Road near IP College at around 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday to protest his remarks on The Kashmir Files in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha.

During the rally, at about 1 p.m., several demonstrators broke through two barricades and made their way outside the CM House, where they caused a commotion and chanted slogans.

The BJP members were also holding a paint box, from which they threw paint outside the door. A boom barrier arm and a CCTV camera were also vandalised during the incident.

The police squad quickly removed the BJP workers from the scene and apprehended around 70 people.

In this case, legal action is being taken.
The long-standing border dispute between the two North-east state comes to an end with the treaty signed between Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma. The agreement was signed on Tuesday in presence of Home Minister Amit Shah.

The draft to resolve the 50-year long land dispute was submitted to Shah on January 31 to examine the six of the 12 areas of disagreement along the 884-km of land.

With the resolve of 70% of the land dispute, Assam CM twitted, We are confident to resolve the remaining 6 areas soon.

A historic occasion for people of Assam & Meghalaya as I signed MoU with Shri @SangmaConrad ji in the presence of Adarniya Griha Mantri @AmitShah ji to resolve the 50-year-old boundary issue in 6 areas of difference.



We are confident to resolve the remaining 6 areas too soon. pic.twitter.com/YLAt3qLhLJ  Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) March 29, 2022

However in the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Amit Shah tweeted,  In another milestone towards fulfilling PM Shri Narendra Modi Jis resolve of a peaceful and dispute free North East, today a historic agreement was signed by the CM Assam Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma and CM Meghalaya Shri Sangma Conrad for the settlement of their interstate boundary.

He further tweeted,  This interstate boundary settlement will usher in a new era of peace, harmony & progress in the state of Assam & Meghalaya.

Historic day for the North-East. The signing of the interstate boundary settlement between the states of Assam and Meghalaya. Watch live! https://t.co/hvHL4lipun  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 29, 2022

The 1972 land dispute has been resolved with the recommended suggestions, Assam will keep 18.51 square kms of land and the remaining 18.28 square kms will be passed to Meghalaya.
STAMFORD  Crane Co., an industrial-products manufacturer that ranked No. 757 on last years Fortune list of the highest-revenue firms, announced Wednesday a plan to split into two independent, publicly traded companies  but it would maintain a significant presence in Stamford.

The separation would result in a company that would still bear the Crane Co. name and remain headquartered in Stamford. It would include Cranes Aerospace & Electronics and Process Flow Technologies businesses.

Chief Executive Officer and President Max Mitchell would lead the new Crane Co., while the chief financial officer, Rich Maue, would continue in that role. The company plans to remain listed on the NYSE exchange under its current ticker symbol, CR.

Cranes split would also create Crane NXT, which would comprise the companys Payment and Merchandising Technologies business. It would be headquartered in Mount Prospect, Ill., with a satellite office in Stamford.

This announcement marks a major milestone in the evolution of Crane Co. For decades, we have delivered consistent and differentiated execution, strengthening our business through organic growth and value-creating acquisitions, Mitchell said in a statement. Having achieved the scale to operate as two market-leading, separate companies, we believe this transaction will unlock substantial value for our shareholders, as each company attracts an investor base tailored to its respective financial and growth profile.

Today, Crane is headquartered at 100 First Stamford Place, a couple of blocks from the downtown Stamford Metro-North Railroad station. It employs about 11,000 people across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.

Given the need to staff both post-separation companies with fully independent corporate teams and public company infrastructure, we expect the number of roles based in Stamford across the two companies to be higher than our current level, Crane said in a statement in response to a Hearst Connecticut Media inquiry about how the split would affect employment. The statement did not specify the current number of Stamford-based employees.

The separation is expected to be completed within approximately the next 12 months, subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions and final approval of the separation by Crane Co.s Board of Directors, Crane said in its announcement. It added that shareholder approval was not required.

Before Wednesdays announcement, Crane was already pursuing major changes. Last May, it announced it had signed an agreement to divest its other main business, Engineered Materials. But the Department of Justice filed on March 17 a civil lawsuit to stop the transaction. DOJ alleges that the proposed $360 million sale to Grupo Verzatec would harm competition in the production and sale of pebbled-fiberglass reinforced plastic wall panels, which are used by enterprises such as hospitals, restaurants, grocery stores and convenience stores.

In the normal course, the company expects to engage in a process with Verzatec, the DOJ and /or the courts to address the DOJs antitrust concerns regarding a minor overlap in a narrow range of material used in certain commercial building applications, Crane said a statement on March 17.

Among other major deals in recent years, Crane acquired Crane Currency, the Boston-based banknote supplier to the U.S. Treasury, for $800 million in 2018. The name shared by the two companies was a coincidence; they did not have a connection before making the deal.

In 2021, Crane recorded revenues of about $3.2 billion, up 15 percent year over year. It recorded an annual profit of about $435 million, compared with $181 million in 2020.

This year, Aerospace & Electronics and Process Flow Technologies businesses are expected to generate approximately $1.9 billion in sales, while Payment and Merchandising Technologies are expected to produce approximately $1.4 billion in sales.

Founded in 1855, Crane is the second Connecticut-headquartered Fortune 1,000 firm this year to announce that it would divide its operations. Earlier this month, Greenwich-based XPO Logistics, No. 190 on last years list, announced it would spin off its truck-brokerage business into its own publicly traded firm.

Crane shares closed Wednesday at about $110, nearly flat compared with their closing total on Tuesday.

pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott
Advocates who had hoped to see another expansion of Medicaid coverage this year for children regardless of their immigration status are now calling for the proposal to be included in the state budget implementer, following a surprising defeat of the bill in committee.

Last year, lawmakers approved an expansion of Medicaid, known as HUSKY in Connecticut, that allowed children 8 and younger, regardless of their immigration status, to qualify for the program beginning on Jan. 1, 2023. Children must come from households earning up to 323 percent of the federal poverty level to be eligible for coverage.

With the start date imminent, some legislators wanted to widen that age group this year. A bill permitting children 18 and younger, regardless of immigration status, to qualify for HUSKY coverage was raised in the Human Services Committee but failed to advance after members cast a tie vote (10-10) earlier this month.

Supporters now want lawmakers to wrap the initiative into the budget implementer, a measure that puts into effect the provisions of an adopted state budget.

Every child should have a right to health care coverage. Its a fundamental right, said Jay Sicklick, deputy director of the Center for Childrens Advocacy. From an access issue, why are we drawing the line that this cohort of individuals should not be covered?

Sicklick noted that the state is already paying for treatment for undocumented children in the form of uncompensated hospital care. Expanding the HUSKY eligibility would allow them better access to preventative and primary care.

If were going to exclude a group, theyre going to have to get treatment somewhere and somehow, and somebody is going to pay for it, either through an inpatient stay or a shifting around of uncompensated care monies, he said. So why not embolden the primary and preventative care system to handle these, to reduce the costs on the back end? Thats good public health policy, but its also supported by data and even more significant in a pandemic.

Dr. Julia Rosenberg, an instructor of pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine, has seen first-hand the difficulties of children accessing care when children arent covered by health insurance. She described a series of obstacles she faced recently in helping to secure a crucial test for a patient.

I was trying to make sure that I could get a child a tuberculosis screening they needed, which is important for the persons health as well as for public health, she said. I was having a lot of challenges, because this was a child who did not have insurance. Its the kind of thing where there are a lot of extra steps involved to make sure that we can get kids the health care they need and deserve.

Rosenberg has advocated for the Medicaid expansion.

The challenges we have faced in making sure that undocumented children can get the care they need has been incredibly disheartening, she said in an interview. Ive been so hopeful that Connecticut could support this legislation.  I really cannot think of anything else that could be more important for childrens health. It cant come soon enough.

Legislators supporting the bill did not expect it to fail in committee. In an interview before the vote, Sen. Marilyn Moore, a Democrat from Bridgeport and a co-chair of the Human Services Committee, predicted it would likely pass.

I dont think its a good look for anyone to deny this type of health care to people, especially children, she said.

But, in a 10-10 tie vote, the bill failed, with every Republican and three of the committees 13 Democrats voting against it, including co-chair Rep. Cathy Abercrombie, D-Meriden. The Medicaid expansion is the only proposal that the Human Services Committee did not pass this session.

Some legislators voiced concerns that the expansion was premature because of a lack of information regarding the number of residents who would qualify for the program and what the cost would be to the state. Last years bill mandated the Office of Health Strategy to conduct a feasibility study on expanding coverage to all children 18 and younger that would address those points, but the findings are not due until July. During the committee vote, many legislators said they felt the bill should not pass before the findings are available.

Though the feasibility study is not yet complete, the Connecticut Health Foundation and Georgetown University published a brief in September 2020 that addressed many of the questions raised during the committee meeting.

The Migration Policy Institute estimated that, at the time, there were around 13,000 undocumented children 18 and younger in Connecticut. The brief estimated that about 4,550 children would enroll during the first year of eligibility and that the total number of children enrolled would reach 5,590 by the second year, costing about $11.3 million in the first year and $13.9 million in the second. Most of those findings were not presented during committee debate.

House Speaker Matthew Ritter, D-Hartford, said the issue would be part of the upcoming budget negotiations, but he did not predict an outcome. The cost of the expansion and the fact that the state commissioner of social services testified against the bill are things lawmakers will also have to consider, he said.

Deidre Gifford, the commissioner, said in her testimony that the state would be unable to claim federal funding for those who would qualify for coverage under the measure, meaning Connecticut would incur significant additional program costs to extend the benefit.

Asked whether he supported the measure, a spokesman for Gov. Ned Lamont said the governor is reviewing the proposal.

We did have this conversation last year. We reached a compromise to [the 8 years old and younger] age group, and that was not easy to do, Ritter said. So there are a lot of people who are going to have to be involved in this conversation in the next couple of weeks. And a lot of it may come down to what the Appropriations Committee has with the spending cap and what people have as priorities.

Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney, a supporter of the Medicaid expansion, said the bill has a very good chance of being included in the budget process. Looney said he is concerned for children who would face an arbitrary cutoff after age 8.

Some lawmakers said if the expansion to age 18 was unsuccessful, they would weigh an amendment that would at least allow children who are turning 9 in 2023 to keep the benefit through the end of the calendar year. Legislators have not yet openly discussed that idea.

Looney said he hopes the HUSKY expansion will be included in the budget.

These are children who are now residents of Connecticut, they are in need of health coverage and they are likely to be long-term residents of Connecticut, he said. There is a basic need to treat children humanely when they have illnesses that need care. It really is just a matter of simple humanity to incorporate the care of these children in our health care system.
ORANGE  Two local police department detectives/youth officers recognized how the internet and pandemic have complicated life for young people, so theyve developed an innovative program for kids to replace the long-running Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or D.A.R.E., program.

Officers Carolyn Bailey and Charles Knepper soon will begin teaching their tailor-made program, Students of Orange Acting Responsibly  or S.O.A.R.  to all sixth-grade classes in the towns three-elementary schools.

Theres more going on now they have to worry about, Knepper said, and that includes social media, all the internet can bring and the stress and effects of the pandemic. We want to be able to stop things before they get to middle school.

The officers said they think D.A.R.E. is a great program, and part of the new curriculum will address the dangers of drug use, but it will reach wider and be tailored to the community of Orange.

The officers poured through police reports and spoke with school officials to develop the program for the specific needs of youth in Orange, they said. Knepper said cyberbullying, respecting property, respecting self and peers were identified as key topics, as well as managing stress, the later escalated by the pandemic.

The classes to be taught by the detectives will address the role of police in the community  including their helping role; internet, social media, and cellphone safety; drug resistance education; peer pressure and bullying; stress management; respect and communication, tobacco, vaping and alcohol education.

The overall goal of the program is to help strengthen the bond between students and local police. The police department hopes to teach juveniles where they fit in the community, and how they can do their part to not only help themselves develop but help each other as well, Police Chief Robert Gagne said.

It teaches similar lessons as D.A.R.E., including drug resistance, but it is tailored to our community. It goes beyond what D.A.R.E. teaches, Gagne said.

Superintendent of Schools Vince Scarpetti said the S.O.A.R. program will begin in April and provide students with a bridge from the strong foundations of the D.A.R.E. program to the relevant topics not included in D.A.R.E., but necessary to support our students.

Their dedication and effort are greatly appreciated, Scarpetti said of Bailey and Knepper. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the Orange Police Department and providing opportunities for our students to build relationships with our school resource officers.

D.A.R.E was developed in 1983 as a joint effort between the Los Angeles County School District and the Los Angeles Police Department.

Bailey, who taught the D.A.R.E. program for five years, said the local officers wanted to be more proactive.

This is a program we truly believe in, she said.

Bailey say they stress communication to the kids and emphasize the police are just another trusted adult thy can talk to.

Knepper said they will also teach students the importance of watching out for peers, even if theyre not necessarily friends.

Its looking for red flags from each other, he said. Even if youre not friends, youre still peers and you have a responsibility to take care of each other.

The detectives will instruct each sixth-grade student at Turkey Hill, Peck Place and Racebrook schools. Each class will receive eight hours of instruction, culminating in a graduation ceremony at the end of the school year.
State lawmakers on Wednesday admitted they have a long way to go in trying to turn around the decadeslong deterioration of conditions and culture at Middletowns Connecticut Valley and Whiting Forensic psychiatric hospitals.

But after an hourlong discussion in the legislative Public Health Committee, the panel unanimously agreed that until a new psychiatric complex is created within the next few years, staff has to be held accountable and those patients who have been assigned there after committing violent crimes should be better supervised. The bill heads next to the Senate, but committee leaders suggested it may next be reviewed by the Judiciary Committee.

State Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, D-Westport, co-chairman of the panel, warned that a balancing act is needed between the security of patients and the ability of clinicians to allow them access to neighboring areas of the community, including parks, from a facility that in recent years has been exposed for abominable practices and patient abuse.

We are really only at the early stages of this path, Steinberg said, stressing the underlying need to design and build a new complex. One of the things that was so obvious is that the existing facility is not suitable in any sense of the word. To suggest that it doesnt provide quality of life is an understatement. It is perhaps not even humane, and thats one of the things we have to work on.

He said while in recent years conditions have improved somewhat, Its very difficult to change a culture very quickly.

He warned that civil rights of those patients assigned there by the criminal justice system could be at risk.

This is a struggle for us. Its not the end of the story. At least we are seriously addressing a problem that had to be addressed.

Lawmakers cited the July 1989 stabbing murder of 9-year-old Jessica Short, killed by an escapee from the maximum-security Whiting Forensic Hospital, where defendants acquitted from crimes by reason of mental illness are housed and treated.

Rep. Liz Linehan, D-Cheshire, said she is concerned that the rules on day passes for patients in the legislation are inadequate.

We are here because of the staff shortfalls in Whiting Forensic, but what this legislation is doing is placing far too much trust in the head of an institution, which in the same legislation also determines the need for oversight, Linehan said, stressing that there is no reference in the bill to clinical violence-and-risk guides.

I recognize that day passes, it is well-documented, can be beneficial to the treatment of people in the reintegration into society, however, we need to institute guardrails, Linehan said. Steinberg admitted that the bill will be the subject of further review as the General Assembly heads toward its midnight May 4 adjournment.

We want to be careful about exposing the public to people who we know have been violent in the past and we dont want to put them in a circumstance where we could have bad outcomes, Steinberg said, stressing that dozen of employees have been fired from the facility amid investigations of patient abuse.

Many of the excesses have been revealed, Steinberg said. I think oftentimes we all wonder how could they not know. How could they not have seen what was going on? I think some of it could be attributed to a culture that simply got used to treating people there in a certain fashion and when there were no dissenting voices it became acceptable.

Last year, a task force studying the long-troubled complex, which also includes patients who voluntarily admit themselves, suggested abolishing the Psychiatric Security Review Board, which supervises people who are found not guilty by reason of insanity, because it favored public safety over patient treatment.

In no way does this committee or the intent of this legislation, mean to allow someone who is a high-risk or vulnerable in their actions to be released from this facility, said state Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, who has been looking into the psychiatric complex for years. I know that there has been some talk of that and I want to assure the victims and family members of victims.

Somers said that a pass for a patient to leave could include a two-hour supervised walk in a park. Temporarily leave does not mean you are released into society with no safeguards, Somers said. We are open to making stronger or more specific requirements as this bill moves forward.

She noted the difference between those brought to the hospitals through civil commitment and patients brought after committing crimes. It is a facility that when you visit, if you had an animal shelter in your town, I would consider it a nicer facility than what this is, Somers said.

There are issues for those who work there, with themselves getting depressed, themselves feeling like this is not a positive work environment, Somer said. You can see that when you visit this facility. This is something that you imagine like a third-world penal center to like. We can do better than that in the state of Connecticut. It is important that we change the culture, the atmosphere, the facility that those who work with these patients that are oftentimes very difficult and time-consuming and exhausting have a decent and acceptable place to go to work.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
NEW HAVEN  New Haven launched a survey Wednesday to allow residents to weigh in on the choice of a new police chief as the national search continues for a new top cop.

Mayor Justin Elicker and Chief Administrative Officer Regina Rush-Kittle, speaking to the press at City Hall, said they hoped as many residents as possible would fill out the questionnaire by April 29, when submissions are due.

Were hoping to draw a robust number of responses, with open and honest feedback to assist in our process, said Rush-Kittle. Our goal is to allow all to provide feedback to us, as the selection of our next police chief impacts the entire New Haven community.

We want to hear from you, so please, please, make sure that you fill out these surveys, said Elicker. I think its helpful, especially if we get a lot of people to respond... to see, with the numbers, how people feel about the areas were doing well and the areas we can work harder.

The survey, available in both English and Spanish, asks residents to rank their priorities for the department and the new chief, discuss the qualities theyd like to see in the next leader of the department and share their thoughts on how the institution should change. Paper versions are available at the New Haven public libraries and can be delivered to City Hall, Elicker said.

The surveys will be tabulated by Ralph Anderson & Associates, a California-based search firm that has been contracted to seek the next police chief, and shared with the city, Elicker said. The firm has spoken to alders, police commissioners and Yale police, among others, thus far, Rush-Kittle said.

The city will also be holding two virtual town halls to allow residents to share their thoughts, Elicker said. The first will be held April 12 at 6 p.m.; the second on April 20 at 6:30 p.m. Zoom links for the meetings are available on the citys website.

Those who wish to participate in person can come to City Hall, Meeting Rooms 1 and 2, where the town halls will be live-streamed as well.

The job opening was posted on the city website earlier this week, along with an accompanying brochure, Elicker noted. Applications are due May 8.

Rush-Kittle said the position had also been listed with the FBI National Academy, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, National Asian Peace Officers Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association.

Interim Chief Renee Dominguez has led the department since Chief Otoniel Reyes retired in March 2021.

Elicker said the search process, which is open to candidates from New Haven and across the country, was proceeding on an appropriate timetable, noting the importance of careful deliberation and community input.

He said he was surprised and displeased by the Board of Alders decision to reject the candidacy of Renee Dominuguez in December, noting that New Haven is politically, a very difficult and challenging city to work in.

I didnt, in the end, agree with the decision. I felt strongly that Chief Dominguez was the right fit, said Elicker. I also think its important for us to look forward, and we are looking for a new police chief that will clearly not be Chief Dominguez, so lets put that past behind us and focus on identifying the best person for the job in a collaborative way.

Elicker said his desired candidate, most importantly, would be able to keep people safe  a state of being that isnt just about policing, but collaboration, as the city strives to address the needs of residents in a holistic way.

Having someone that embraces what we believe to be community policing in New Haven, that concept, is crucial. And what that means is not just the relationship that an officer has with the community, but the relationship the community has with the officer, said Elicker.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
NEW HAVEN  A goal to boost diversity among the teaching staff and ensure there is a certified teacher is in front of every classroom on the first day of the 2022-23 school year will take more than the current $6,000 recruitment budget, the Board of Education has concluded.

How much more  and how many resources an already underfunded district can shift to the effort  remains uncertain.

I am in favor of seeing a true budget, whether or not we can get it, Orlando Yarborough, a new member of the school board, said in this weeks board meeting.

Creativity isnt cheap, added board member Darnell Goldson as the board got a report on the districts recruitment efforts.

The school district, which has a turnover rate of about 150 teachers each year, has lost 146 teachers so far this school year and has found it hard to replace them. Even substitutes are hard to come by, officials said.

Some blame the pandemic. Others, a salary scale that cant keep up with other districts.

(Teachers) dont have to stay where they dont want to be, Kirsten Hope McFadden told the board.

Superintendent of Schools Iline Tracey said some teachers arent just leaving for other districts, but for other careers.

It is not easy to teach. Its a hard job being a classroom teacher, said Tracey.

Kanicka Ingram Mann, senior talent recruiter for the district, told the board that the vast majority of the districts 1,900 teachers are white females with fewer than 10 years experience in the field and who live outside the city.

Roughly one-quarter of district teachers have two or fewer years of experience. Ten percent have been with the district 20 or more years.

Between January 2017 and December 2021, the district hired about 900 teachers.

Each year, the most resignations come from special education, usually followed by math and science.

Mann detailed efforts the district makes to recruit new teachers including job fairs, partnerships with local universities such as Southern Connecticut State University and Quinnipiac University, and grow your own programs.

One such program, called Educator Rising, has been launched at James Hillhouse High School. Thirty students are part of the program, taking related classes at local universities, and the district hopes to expand it, said Keisha Redd Hannans, an assistant superintendent for instructional leadership.

Another, in partnership with Southern, is helping 50 paraprofessionals in the district gain certification that will allow them to become teachers by May 2023, said Lisa Mack, the districts human resources director.

Mack said the program is one way to strengthen diversity among the teaching staff. It wont happen overnight, she said, but it is intentional and strategic.

She one short-term goal of the department is to start the next school year with a full complement of certified teachers.

While more than two-thirds of the districts student population are minorities, only 14 percent of the teaching staff is Black and fewer than 10 percent identify as Hispanic. Another 2.7 percent are Asian.

I see that as a little bit of an issue, said board Chairwoman Yesenia Rivera. She wants more done to attract minority teachers to the district.

I dont think there is a shortage, Rivera said. Instead, she said it is a matter of finding good, qualified teachers who can reflect the student population they serve.

She hopes the $6,000 budget given the department in February will help it do more recruiting.

Goldson said the effort will take more than that.

We cant say do it and not give them the resources to do it, Goldson said.

He called the human resources department smaller than other urban districts. The office has a director, a labor relations manager and a senior talent recruiter in addition to three administrative assistants.

Often an advocate for Black contractors and teachers, Goldson said it was more important to him that the district attract good teachers, regardless of race or ethnicity.

I was a student in this school system and I was taught by Black and white teachers. Goldson said. Good teachers. It didnt matter what color they were.

Goldson said the district also has to make salaries more competitive and find other ways to make it worth a teachers while to come work in the district  and stay.

Abie Benitez, another new board member, said she also wants more funds devoted to retaining teachers.

Tracey reminded the board that the district has no assurance it will get its $200 million operating budget request for the next school year, let alone more for teacher recruitment.
Ron Chapple / Getty Image

WALLINGFORD  A Meriden music instructor was charged earlier this month with sexually assaulting one of his students and making advances on others, according to the Wallingford Police Department.

Police were notified of a sexual assault of a minor on Jan. 31. Through an investigation, police discovered 36-year-old Adam Romo of Meriden, who was a Mariachi-style music teacher at the time, established a sexual relationship with a minor who was one of his musical students, the police department said in a press release Wednesday.
Wallingford Police Department / Contributed Photo

WALLINGFORD  A person trying to stop a trio of men stealing catalytic converters was met with gunfire early Sunday morning, according to the Wallingford Police Department.

Police described the men as wearing ski-type masks and dark clothing. After the person interrupted, one of the suspects fired a round from a handgun, police said.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

WEST HAVEN  A political rival of Mayor Nancy Rossi brought a magnifying glass Tuesday to concerns about a proposed wage increase for elected officials  including the mayor  Rossis recommended budget.

Barry Lee Cohen, a former Republican councilman who lost Novembers closely-fought mayoral election by 32 votes and has a court case pending against Rossi and the city alleging absentee ballots were improperly handled on Election Day, was one of five members of the public to testify at the City Councils only public hearing on Rossis proposed budget for fiscal year 2023.

Cohen said Rossis budget, which gives 2 percent raises to the elected positions of mayor and city clerk, and a 17.9 percent increase in the stipend for the registrars of voters  would violate the intent and the spirit of the state charter regarding compensation for elected municipal officials. The state charter says wage increases for elected officials shall be subject to confirmation by referendum at the next regular election of a municipality; Rossis current term ends in December 2023, after the next fiscal year has concluded.

It disrespects the electorate to be giving raises in the middle of a term, said Cohen. It certainly does break the public trust. He said he did not disagree that the salaries for certain elected positions should be increased in the future, but that such increases should not go into effect until the next term.

Cohen said the increases for the registrars could have been brought up during the past two budget cycles, during the pandemic when there was an extra burden on the positions, and been made effective this term, but were not.

Rossi previously has said I wanted to put something in, especially this past year with all the (absentee ballot) work. We have elections coming up and a gubernatorial election later this year, she said.

Rossi said compensation for elected officials in West Haven follows the union contract for Local 1103, a supervisory and management employee union. The current contract, which runs from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2024, stipulates a 2 percent wage increase in the 2023 fiscal year, she said.

The contract was set at the beginning of the term, she said.

The contract for Local 1103 does not list the mayor or city clerk positions as members of the bargaining unit.

Rossi previously said the mayors office follows certain measures out of the 1103 contract.

Rossi also previously said, concerning the raises for herself and the city clerk, that she received two legal opinions on the matter before releasing her recommended budget, from the citys in-house counsel and a labor attorney retained by the city.

In 2012, Rossi  as chairwoman of the City Councils finance committee  successfully challenged a mayoral wage increase that she and others said was approved mistakenly. Rossi said Tuesday that then-Mayor John Picards wage increase had not been set before his term beginning in 2011.

The difference was they didnt do it at the beginning of his term, she said. I did what I was told was correct to do.

City Corporation Counsel Lee Tiernan said he could not recall a specific time in the citys history when the City Council took a vote explicitly to set the mayors compensation.

You could argue we have never properly set the mayors salary based on the language in the state charter, he said last week.

Further complicating matters is that a new fiscal year begins in July of every year, but a mayoral term begins in December of odd-numbered years.

State officials declined to weigh in on the matter.

I dont think the state would have a role in decisions made at the local level, said Max Reiss, spokesman for Gov. Ned Lamonts office.

Requests for comment with the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities were not returned Monday and Tuesday.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
Ex-Senate President Bukola Saraki, Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal and Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed have denied withdrawing from the Peopl...

Ex-Senate President Bukola Saraki, Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal and Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed have denied withdrawing from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2023 presidential race.

There are rumours that the trio had stepped down for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

The speculations heightened after they met with the Wazirin Adamawa on Monday in Abuja.

A statement on Wednesday, by Director-General, Saraki Campaign Council, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, dismissed the report as sheer mischief.

Onaiwu noted that it was planted by those who want to gain the PDP presidential ticket by deceit.

He said Saraki and the governors only met Atiku with the sole objective to inform him of their push towards a consensus candidate.

The DG insists there was no talk of anyone stepping down as it is yet premature.

Our candidate is eminently qualified for the PDP presidential as a former two-term governor, Chairman of the Governors Forum, Senate President and a former presidential aspirant.

Governor Aminu Tambuwal as former Speaker of the House of Representatives and a serving two-term governor is also qualified to be considered for the ticket.

Governor Bala Mohammed, a former senator, ex-minister and a serving governor is qualified for the ticket.

Onaiwu said,  no other aspirant should hide under the nebulous assumption that he is overly qualified than others to be stepped down for.

The statement added that if there is a concrete agreement on a winning consensus and others step down for whoever, it will be done openly.

Until then, Senator Bukola Saraki, Tambuwal and Mohammed are still in the race, Onaiwu added.
The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has cautioned communities against shielding suspected criminals in their midst as government stri...





The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has cautioned communities against shielding suspected criminals in their midst as government strives to tackle insecurity in the state.





El-Rufai gave the warning on Wednesday when he visited the Chief of Kagoro, Mr Ufuwai Bonet, at his palace in Kaura Local Government Area, to condole with him over the recent attack in the area.





It is of great concern how communities shield criminals living amongst them. There are criminals in every ethnic group and in every religion.





If we want to end this kind of problem (insecurity), we must be ready to give up those we suspect to be criminals even if they are our sons and daughters, the governor said.





According to him, peace can only be achieved if communities respect constituted authorities and report suspects to the security agencies.





This is the only way we can live in peace, he said.





El-Rufai tasked the traditional rulers to do more by living up to their responsibility in providing leadership.

The situation in which youths have taken over leadership of communities is unacceptable.





If the traditional institutions and other officials cannot provide leadership, we might as well dissolve them and hand over leadership to the youths if that is what will bring peace.





I want to appeal to you all to rise up to your leadership roles and let us know those behind these crimes so we can deal with them, he said.





The governor promised that the state government would take care of those displaced by the attack and return them to their communities.





In his remarks, Bonet, thanked the State Government for its concern since the latest attack occurred and called for an end to the wanton destruction of lives and property.





The traditional ruler commended the security agencies for their vigilance and sacrifices towards restoring peace in his domain.





The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the state government has confirmed 34 persons were killed and over 200 houses razed in an attack on the Agban community in Kaura LGA on March 20.

NAN also reports that the governor held a closed-door meeting with community leaders from Kaura and Jemaa LGAs.
Lekki residents under the aegis of the Lekki Estates Residents & Stakeholders Association on Wednesday rejected the resumption of tollin...







Lekki residents under the aegis of the Lekki Estates Residents & Stakeholders Association on Wednesday rejected the resumption of tolling at the Ikoyi Link Bridge.

The General Secretary of the association, Gbemi Adelekan, revealed that the residents rejected the planned resumption of tolling on Wednesday when the stakeholders met with the Lekki Concession Company Limited, the operators of the Ikoyi Link Bridge and the Admiralty Circle Plaza.

The two toll gates were epicentres of the nationwide EndSARS protests against police brutality and extrajudicial killings in October 2020 when soldiers allegedly shot harmless protesters dead and allegedly injured scores of other young demonstrators.

LCC Managing Director, Yomi Omomuwasan, had invited the stakeholders to a meeting today at Lekki Coliseum which was well-attended by concerned residents ahead of the planned resumption of tolling at the Ikoyi Link Bridge starting from April 1, 2022.

But LERSA insisted that the resumption of tolling would aggravate the sufferings of Lekki residents.

The association also said it had written a letter to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to express its displeasure over the planned resumption of tolling at the Bridge.

The letter dated March 27, 2022 was titled, Position Of Lekki Residents On The Planned Reintroduction Of Tolling.

It read, Over the past few months, citizens have faced substantial challenges in the country and for us in Lekki, where we provide all habitable amenities, life has been most difficult. The additional hardship faced by residents of Lekki as a result of hours spent in traffic and the lack of adequate alternative road network, coupled with the increase in energy prices, continue to make living in this part of the state, extremely unbearable.

Mr Governor sir, out of about 1,300km of state roads in Lagos, the Link Bridge is just about 1.5km, and the Lekki-Epe road is about 27km constructed so far. The residents of Lekki find it difficult to understand why tolling should resume on the 1.5km Ikoyi Link Bridge considering the state of the nation.

Your excellency, graciously permit us to exemplify our fears as follows, for a couple living off Freedom way, Lekki 1, husband working in Obalende and wife working on Osborne Road, Ikoyi. Husband SUV @ N400 per trip (Return) a day 30 days a month total N24,000, Wife with a Toyota Corolla @250 per trip (Return) a day 30 days a month total N15,000. Family annual budget for tolling N468,000. We believe this is extremely unfair to us in Lekki.

We are aware that other infrastructure in other parts of the State were also funded through borrowing. We therefore do not understand why Lekki people must be the people to pay construction debts through tolling. We therefore implore the State Government to reconsider the decision to reopen tolling.

We pray that Government will have a rethink on this matter and listen to the yearnings of residents and Road Users to rescind the toll payment that LCC is planning to perpetuate on peaceful, long-suffering taxpayers of this axis. We are also calling for an enlarge stakeholders meetings to provide opportunity for a proper reevaluation of this matter.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 63F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Low 39F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.
Foo Fighters are no longer planning to make a trip to New Orleans for Jazz Fest after the loss of their longtime drummer Taylor Hawkins.

The band announced on Twitter that it would be canceling upcoming tour dates which includes Jazz Fest next month as the band members mourn the loss of their bandmate who died while on tour.

"It is with great sadness that Foo Fighters confirm cancellation of all upcoming tour dates in light of the staggering loss of our brother Taylor Hawkins." Foo Fighters shared. "We're sorry for and share in the disappointment that we won't be seeing one another as planned."

The group was slated to play the evening of May 1 at the Jazz Fest according to the scheduling cubes released just before the band announced the tour cancellation.
Capture the Flag is back for Jazz Fest 2022 Weve teamed up with Miller Lite to get you and a friend to Jazz Fest for free. All you have to do is find our festival flag  sounds easy, right?

Here's how it works.

Follow @gambitneworleans on Instagram, @gambit_goods on Twitter, and like our Facebook page to be notified when we release a clue.



Every Friday from April 1- April 29, we'll post a new clue directing you to a mystery location in the Greater New Orleans area along with a 30 minute window to be there.



Solve the clue and show up to the mystery site during the specified time frame to enter a drawing for tickets to Jazz Fest and some great Miller Lite gear (Multiple ticket winners will be selected at each flag drop).

Pro tip: Turn on notifications so you never miss a post. Catch us if you can!

*Please note: Only one winner per household is permitted in the 2022 Capture the Flag Promotion. Employees of Capture the Flag mystery locations are not eligible to participate in the contest round hosted on site at their employers business. Must be 21+ to participate.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 1. Open to legal residents of the Continental United States. 2. Must be 21 years or older to enter to be eligible to win listed prizes, unless otherwise stated. 3. No substitution or transfer of prize permitted. Prizes are non-redeemable for cash. 4. Gambit reserves the right to refuse any submission for any reason. 5. Odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible entries received. 6. Winners will be notified by email or telephone. 7. Employees of Gambit, its subsidiaries, affiliates, and their families are not eligible to enter. 8. For the names of the prize winners send a SASE for receipt within 60 days following the end of the Promotion Period to the attention of Marketing Department at the below address. Please be sure to specify the name of the Promotion for which you are requesting the winners list. Gambit, Marketing Department, 823 Camp St., New Orleans, LA 70130. 9. By entering, participants agree to release and hold harmless Gambit and any other sponsors of the contest, their parents, subsidiaries and affiliated entities, and each of their respective directors, officers, employees, attorneys, agents, and representatives from any damage, injury, expense, cost, death, loss, claim, action, demand, or other liability that may arise in connection with the Contest, or resulting from their acceptance and/or use of any prize, their travel to or from any prize related activity, their participation in this promotion, or from any misuse or malfunction of any prize awarded, including, without limitation, personal injury, death, and/or property damage. 10. By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Gambit, which shall be final and binding with regard to all matters relating to the Contest.
Residents, work crews and volunteers labored mightily in Arabi Tuesday to get as much debris out to the curb and into the massive trucks to be hauled away ahead of the stormy weather forecast for Wednesday.

Tree limbs, twisted metal and drywall chunks  along with the occasional soiled children's toy or fractured household item  created a V-shaped trench along Benjamin and Rose streets, where an EF3 tornado tore through the neighborhood March 22 before crossing the marshland into New Orleans East.

Grapple trucks filled their cavernous hulls with all they could grab, in an effort to prevent debris from taking flight like it did a week ago if the worst storm predictions come to pass. Officials were also concerned that floating debris could litter drainage canals in case of heavy rainfall, St. Bernard Parish President Guy McInnis said.

"We know we're not gonna be able to pick it all up, but if we can pick the majority of it around our drainage canals, if we have a significant rain event, it wont clog our drainage pumps, he said, noting an important part of the parish's drainage system is in the area of Benjamin and Rose. It was also where the tornado claimed its only casualty  though there was also major damage along and Friscoville Avenue and St. Claude Heights.

Contractor DRC Emergency Services, which started hauling debris on Sunday after giving people a few days to sort through the wreckage and start moving it to the curb, gathered almost 10,000 cubic yards of debris in the last three days. Almost half of that was collected Tuesday.

That leaves an estimated 65,000 cubic yards left to pick up, said Kristy Fuentes, vice president of DRC, the parish's storm debris removal contractor. For reference, a 10-ton dump truck holds about a dozen cubic yards.

Fuentes credited residents and volunteers for getting the debris to where DRC could get to it, and said Entergy has been working to make streets safely accessible.

"Were working dawn till dusk, were working all daylight hours, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., every day of the week, weather permitting," she said.

The company is using four double-trailer self-loading trucks, each holding up to 140 cubic yards at a time. A single truck has been hauling up to 10 loads per day.

McInnis said he was less focused on volume than getting specific areas cleaned up ahead of the bad weather. He said the fact that crews won't be able to get it all in time makes it even more important for people to stay inside a safe place on Wednesday.

"Weve got a bunch of stuff laying there so it's going to be dangerous," he said. "Were asking people to stay home and stay informed and listen to (media reports)."

Two blocks away from Benjamin, on West Center Street, Ray Rivere and his neighbor, Sue Broadbridge, worked to shore up their homes Tuesday afternoon. Theirs were among a cluster of about a half a dozen lucky enough to still be inhabitable. Their plans for the expected bad weather?

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Cry, and take a couple nerve pills, said Broadbridge, who spent the tornado in the bathtub with as many of her seven Pomeranians as she could fit.

Rivere chimed in. I gotta doctors appointment tomorrow afternoon. Then Im gonna come home, drink a couple of beers, take a Valium and hold on.

The two retirees have been neighbors for decades, and look out for one another. Rivere was helping patch a few holes in Broadbridge's siding that were punctured by flying two-by-fours a week ago.

The parish, they said, has been doing great, both with debris removal and law enforcement presence at night, and they realize there will still be plenty of debris still around Wednesday.

Whatever we didnt get hit with in the first go-round is gonna be flying around, Broadbridge said.

On Alexander Street, on the other side of Benjamin, Stacy Hall and her husband were preparing to secure what they could of their home.

"We have less to gather up than we have in the past," she said of the backyard items already cleared up due to last week. "We are really watching the weather closely."

Rivere and Broadbridge said they feel lucky and grateful, but also have survivor's guilt for still being in their houses while neighbors only a few hundred feet away lost their homes, and the case of Connor Lambert, his life.

Broadbridge said the last week has been exhausting for everyone, but Arabi's ordeal is far from over.

"I'm so done with this," she said, "but it ain't done with us."

CORRECTION: Earlier versions of this story gave an incorrect classification of the March 22 tornado's intensity.
A federal trial for District Attorney Jason Williams and law partner Nicole Burdett over alleged tax crimes can go forward under the ground rules laid out by U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman before his recent death, an appeals court panel ruled Tuesday, rejecting a pre-trial gambit by prosecutors.

The ruling by a panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals leaves U.S. District Judge Lance Africk, who was assigned the case after Feldmans passing, to set a new trial date.

The previous Jan. 24 date was shelved in early January when prosecutors appealed Feldmans ruling. In a 59-page order, Feldman barred the government from leading a jury into the weeds of Williams past run-ins with the IRS, including tax liens, that predated an alleged five-year run of fraud.

Williams and Burdett are accused of conspiring to inflate Williams business expenses by more than $700,000 over the five tax years ending in 2017 with the help of Henry Timothy, a Westwego tax preparer. Williams allegedly shaved $200,000 off his tax bill in the process. Timothy, who has since pleaded guilty to lying on his own taxes, is the government's star witness against the pair.

The delay may have prevented an aborted trial; Feldman died on Jan. 26 at age 87 after serving nearly four decades on the federal bench.

But Circuit Judge Gregg Costa, in an opinion affirming Feldmans ruling, described the government appeal that led to that delay as puzzling.

Costa, a nominee of President Barack Obama, wrote that Feldmans order isnt as restrictive as prosecutors argued. It allows them to show why Williams and Burdett hired Timothy in the first place: Williams had lingering tax debt and liens and wanted to amend his prior returns.

Feldman's order also allows prosecutors to show that Williams deducted overdue tax payments as business expenses as part of the alleged fraud, Costa wrote.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

But Feldman declined to allow a jury to hear granular details of those late payments, filings, liens and Williams communication with the IRS over those earlier tax years, none of which spawned a criminal case. Feldman said he was concerned about unfair prejudice against Williams and jury confusion.

Feldman noted that the dynamics of a trial could change his tune, and he left several decisions over evidence until then. The appeals court panel found he didnt abuse his discretion.

Costa was joined by Circuit Judges Jerry Smith, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan, and Cory Wilson, an appointee of President Donald Trump.

When Africk, an appointee of President George W. Bush, will set a new trial date is uncertain.

Williams and Burdett face an 11-count indictment that accuses them in a conspiracy, along with five counts of tax fraud and five counts of failing to file the proper tax forms for large cash receipts. Burdett also faces charges over her own taxes.

Most of the alleged fraud came while Williams served as an at-large member of the City Council over two terms. Williams has alleged a political motive behind the indictment, which landed a month before he qualified to run for a district attorney seat he had long promised to seek.

Campaigning as a progressive, Williams won a six-year term as DA in a December 2020 runoff over former Orleans Parish Criminal District Judge Keva Landrum. He took office in January 2021.

The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Louisiana, led by Brandon Brown, is prosecuting Williams and Burdett. The U.S. Attorneys Office in New Orleans long ago recused itself in the case.
A 26-year-old Slidell man who was accused of using a postal key to steal banking information from mail boxes around the metro area pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Ronald Riley and co-conspirators used the key, which is only supposed to be in the possession of postal employees, to steal mail from the big blue boxes in the greater New Orleans area, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Riley and others sorted through the stolen mail looking for checks and banking information such as routing numbers, account numbers and individual account information, according to court documents. Riley then created fraudulent checks, which he deposited into bank accounts of other people, who agreed to let him do so.

The scheme, which went on from 2018 to 2020, involved transactions amounting to about $250,000, court documents said.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service began an investigation in January 2019 in response to complaints that mail boxes were being burglarized. Evidence included surveillance videos from ATMs that showed Riley depositing fraudulent checks and making withdrawals.

Riley will be sentenced on June 28. The conspiracy charge has a five year maximum penalty and a fine of up to $250,000. He may also be ordered to pay restitution to his victims. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year term that would have to be served consecutively, as well as a fine of up to $250,000.

Baton Rouge has seen a jump in identity theft-related crimes since a postal key was stolen from a mail carrier last October.
New Orleans police are responding to a double shooting in the 7th Ward that wounded a man and a woman.

The woman showed up at a hospital with a gunshot wound at around 1:21 p.m. Police reported at 4:37 p.m. that a man was also shot.

Their current conditions are unknown. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information may call detectives at (504) 658-6050 or Crimestoppers anonymously at (504) 822-1111.
In the weeks before her murder, Charlene Jones had been having a lot of trouble with her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend, Monica Every, authorities said.

Jones, 48, had been on the receiving end of campaign of harassment waged by Every, 49, that included endless phone calls and even a phony tip called in to Crimestoppers to try and implicate her in a crime, according to Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Detective Scott Bradley.

Every is one of three suspects arrested in connection with the murder of Jones, who was gunned down Jan. 27 in the parking lot of her Metairie apartment complex. In addition to second-degree murder, Every is charged with solicitation to commit the murder.

During a preliminary hearing on the case Monday, investigators revealed that Every paid $4,000 to her co-defendants after Jones was killed.

Those co-defendants include Deja Walls, 26, of New Orleans, and an unnamed man identified by authorities during Monday's hearing as Walls' boyfriend. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office has not released the man's name, but he has been arrested in another jurisdiction and is awaiting extradition.

The Sheriff's Office has not said what charges he faces in Jefferson Parish.

The preliminary hearing held Monday in Jefferson Parish Magistrate Court was for Walls, who is jailed at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna on a second-degree murder charge.

Every was not present for the hearing. She was released March 2 on a $600,000 bond and could not be reached for comment.

Jones, a grandmother, was shot multiple times while in her vehicle in the parking lot of the Gatehouse Apartments in Metairie about 5 a.m. She had been headed to work, relatives said.

Jones' boyfriend, who lived with her, told authorities about the trouble with Every, Bradley testified. He had broken up with Every a month earlier during the Christmas holidays, a split that apparently left her furious.

"Ever since their breakup, Monica has been harassing the victim multiple times, all through January of 2022, Bradley said.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Relatives and investigators suspect Every was behind a Crimestoppers tip called in the weeks before Jones was killed. The tipster accused Jones of being in possession of a gun that had been used in a New Orleans murder, Bradley said.

The boyfriends criminal record was sent to [Jones] apartment complex in an attempt to get him kicked out," Bradley testified.

While continuing to investigate Every, detectives used surveillance video to find the shooter's alleged getaway vehicle. They eventually identified a dark red Ford Fusion registered to Walls as the sedan seen fleeing the scene, according to Bradley.

Investigators checked phone records and discovered communication between Walls and Every that began in January and continued until after the murder, Bradley testified.

Cell tower location information indicated that Walls cellphone was in the area of Jones apartment complex at the time of the murder, Bradley said.

When questioned by investigators, Walls said she didnt have her car or her cellphone at the time of the murder, having given both to her boyfriend, Bradley said.

Walls admitted that the Every had given her boyfriend a $4,000 check after Jones' murder. The check was handed to the mother of Walls' boyfriend, who deposited it into her bank account, Bradley said.

Detectives interviewed the mother of Walls' boyfriend. She said she gave Walls $1,500 of that $4,000, Bradley testified.

Investigators also interviewed Walls' unnamed boyfriend.

"He denied his involvement, leading me to believe Ms. Walls had the vehicle at the time of the homicide," Bradley said.

Every denied involvement in the murder, Bradley said. She did tell investigators that Walls had wanted to arrange a robbery at the Gatehouse apartments, but she wasnt sure if the robbery had taken place.

Magistrate Commissioner Paul Schneider ruled there was probable cause to continue holding Walls on the murder charge. He also denied a motion to reduce her $500,000 bond.
After a monthslong, nationwide search, the Orleans Parish School Board has selected Avis Williams to be the next leader of New Orleans public schools. The board will now enter contract negotiations with Williams and plans to make the appointment official at its April meeting.

Williams, unanimously chosen by the board during a special meeting Wednesday, is the first woman to be named permanent superintendent of the Orleans Parish school district.

Williams, a North Carolina native, has been superintendent of Selma City Schools in Selma, Alabama, since 2017.

"My thanks to the OPSB for their trust and confidence," Williams said in a statement from NOLA Public Schools. "I'm excited to listen  to teachers, students, families, and the NOLA community  and translate what I learn into meaningful actions that I hope will touch lives and open doors for all of our scholars in the future.

School Board President Olin Parker noted the historical vote.

"It brings me great satisfaction to say that we are making history with the first permanent female superintendent in this district in over 180 years," he said.

Current Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr., who has led NOLA Public Schools for seven years, announced last year he would step down when his contract ends in June.

The position attracted around 50 applications, from which the School Board culled 15 candidates to interview. Seven candidates made it to a second round and the three finalists -- Williams, Andre Wright and Marshall Tuck -- were announced last week.

Williams, Tuck and Wright publicly answered questions from the board on Tuesday morning and later in the evening spent time at G.W. Carver High School answering questions from community members in a town hall style meeting.

Parker thanked all the candidates and schools and district employees who assisted in the search, as well as the Greater New Orleans Foundation for their $140,000 donation that allowed the School Board to hire a search firm "at no cost to the taxpayer." The firm, Greenwood/Asher and Associates, drew criticism from some because no local candidates were among the final three.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Williams is slated to take leadership of the 43,000 student, all-charter school district when Lewis steps down in June. Lewis earns $250,000 annually, based on an increase included in his 2017 contract renewal. Williams will begin contract negotiations with the school board president and counsel before she is officially appointed.

During her public interview Tuesday, Williams likened the struggles faced by students in Selma, including poverty and crime, to those in New Orleans.

Williams told community members gathered at Carver Tuesday night that she grew up in poverty and that despite graduating with good grades had little knowledge of her options after high school. She followed in the footsteps of her older siblings and joined the U.S. Army, but said she always wanted to be a teacher.

After a few years, she attended community college and then earned a four-year degree, putting herself through school working as a personal trainer. She taught English and physical education and coached track and dance teams before serving roles as elementary, middle and high school principal.

"What I want you to know about me is that I understand trauma but I understand healing and what it looks like and what it feels like to be resilient," she said on Tuesday evening. She committed to forming a committee of parents, community stakeholders and elders and stressed the importance of addressing the mental health and trauma of students and staff.

During both the School Board interview and town hall, Williams noted that although the education field is dominated by women, there are few female superintendents.

According to Ken Ducote, executive director of the Greater New Orleans Collaborative of Charter Schools, there have only been three interim superintendents -- Barbara Ferguson from 1992-1993, Ollie Tyler from 2002-2003 and Ora Watson, from 2005-2006 -- in the history of New Orleans public schools. The district did not appoint its first Black superintendent until Everett Williams Jr. in 1985.

Before the vote Wednesday, board member Nolan Marshall Jr. praised Williams.

The person that I'm voting for today has the best opportunity to help the school leaders, particularly those in our 'D' and 'F' schools, educate our kids properly so that they can actually help these school leaders be better at what they are tasked to do, Marshall said.

Parker said that a principal who met Williams told him that real principals recognize real principals

I have every belief that she will be the best superintendent this district has seen, Parker said. . . . She has a personal story that aligns with the story of many of our students. She has a clear record of success and frankly going through this process she checks about as many boxes as a person can check.
A mother and her son are accused of stealing more than $91,000 from an elderly family member, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office said.

Detectives with the Sheriff's Office Financial Crimes Unit said Deborah Ann Sollberger, 66, of Picayune, Mississippi, improperly spent more than $91,000 of an 88-year-old relative's money between July 2021 and February 2022 and gave the relative's vehicle, valued at $3,200, to a friend.

The Sheriff's Office said in a news release Tuesday that nearly $41,000 of the money went to Sollberger's son, Kevin Lee Dunbar, 40, of Lacombe. Dunbar and his mother signed onto an account that had been opened using funds illegally obtained from the relative, authorities said. Sollberger also paid money to Dunbar from the elderly relative's account, the Sheriff's Office said.

The Sheriff's Office said it opened an investigation in February after being contacted by a woman who said she suspected an elderly family member was being financially exploited by another family member.

Sollberger was arrested in New Orleans on March 20. She has been booked on counts of exploitation of a person with infirmities, money laundering and obstruction of justice. She was released from the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center on March 22 after posting $15,000 bond.

Dunbar was arrested March 24 on counts of principal to exploitation to a person with infirmities and money laundering. He was released March 25 from the St. Tammany Parish Jail after posting $10,000 bond.
MBABANE  The Municipal Council of Mbabane (MCM) contends that Minister of Housing and Urban Development Prince Simelane does not have powers to appoint councilors to fill casual vacancies that have arisen within the council.

A casual vacancy arises when a councillor dies or when he or she is disqualified. Through its lawyers from Robinson Bertram, the council has since taken the minister to court, where it is seeking an order declaring his decision to appoint Sikhumbuzo Matsebula and Bhekiwe Hlophe as councilors in the MCM to be declared unlawful or irrational. In its application, which has been filed under a certificate of urgency, the council is further seeking an order declaring that the appointment of Bhekiwe as councillor was invalid and unlawful. According to the council, at the time the minister purported to appoint her (Bhekiwe), she was disqualified from assuming the position of the councillor at the MCM.

Invalid

It was alleged by the council that the appointment of Bhekiwe was invalid in that she was purportedly in default with respect to payment of rates as the dates of nomination. Ms Bhekiwe Hlophe cannot assume the position of councillor as a representative of the Central Bank of Eswatini, for reasons that, as an individual she is disqualified and there is no evidence that the Central Bank had authorised her to represent it at council, contended the council. The council is also praying for an order interdicting and restraining Sikhumbuzo and Bhekiwe from being sworn in as councillors or fulfilling duties as councillors as envisaged under Schedule 2(VI) of the Gazette, published as Legal Notice No; 34 of 2022. The legal notice complained of is dated January 28, 2022.

Giving a background of the matter, Zephaniah Nkambule, Mayor MCM, submitted that in the year 2021, the applicant (MCM) notified the minister of Housing and Urban Development of casual vacancies that had arisen at council. The mayor informed the court that the notification was in accordance with the law. He narrated that pursuant to the notification and given that the casual vacancies had arisen in a number of municipalities, on December 2, 2022, the principal secretary (PS) in the ministry of Housing and Urban Development, issued a letter, in terms of which he informed various municipalities about the appointment of councillors to fill casual vacancies.

Nkambule alleged that the PS informed the recipient of the correspondence that the minister had invoked Section 7(3) of the Urban Government Act to temporarily fill all vacant positions in the various local authorities, pending election of substantive councilors to fill those vacancies. The PS, according to the mayor, went on to state that on reading Section 7, it indicated that the councillor so appointed should have the same powers and authority of the councillor elected but would hold the position until replacement was done through election.

Elections

He brought it to the attention of the court that elections of councillors at the MCM were carried out at intervals of five years. Nkambule submitted that the last election was held in 2017 and the next elections were due towards the end of this calendar year. Once a casual vacancy has arisen, it is first declared by the mayor and thereafter the chief executive officer notifies the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, in accordance with Section (11) (4) of the Act. What then follows is the holding of a by-election in accordance with the procedure set out in Section 11(3) of the Act as read with Regulations 25 of the Elections Regulations, submitted Nkambule. The mayor highlighted that the casual vacancies at the Municipal Council of Mbabane had arisen as a result of the demise of Councilor Sithembiso Hlanze (Councillor for Ward 7) and the disqualification of Sikhatsi Dlamini of Ward 4.

He argued that all councilors at the Mbabane Municipality were elected and this meant that when a casual vacancy arises, it must be filled in accordance with provisions of Section 11(3) of the Act As read with Regulation 5. The minister of Housing and Urban Development is only empowered to appoint a person to fill in terms of Regulation 25(3), which is triggered by an unsuccessful by- election, argued the mayor. Nkambule submitted that after getting the correspondence and having considered the contents, the council took the view that the minister acted ultra vires in his powers as reflected in the Act. He said the council determined that the ministers invocation of Section7 (3) of the Act in respect of Mbabane Municipality was with respect incorrect.

The applicant then brought it to the ministers attention that there was a fundamental difference between casual vacancy and an ordinary vacancy and as such, his reliance on Section 7(3) was misguided. Further, that Section 7 (3) was not applicable in a municipality where councilors were elected, contended the mayor. The matter will be argued on Friday and the respondents are expected to file their papers in the event they are opposing the application.
MBABANE  Forget about automatic promotion of pupils!

The above response was communicated by the Ministry of Education and Training, following that some parents want government to consider automatic promotion of pupils to the next grade. Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Education and Training Bheki Gama said there was no way that pupils who failed could be promoted to the next class. Gama stated this was completely a new academic year and pupils who passed progressed to the next grade, while those who failed had to repeat.

Tested

The PS said pupils were tested according to what they had covered in the syllabus, within the number of days that they were in class. When questioned on the pupils overall performance, he stated that they were expecting it to be normal because learners were supposed to be tested on what they had learnt. If it is normal, those who were not taking their schoolwork seriously will fail, while those who worked hard will move on to the next class, the PS said. This comes after several parents, in different platforms, expressed concern that they could not afford paying the previous school fees balance for their children as well as the current fees for pupils who would be repeating the same grade.

Eswatini School Committee Parents Associations (ESCPA) Cyprian Dlamini said they were hoping for their children to be promoted to the next class as they were struggling to pay the fees for the past and current academic years. According to Dlamini, they had not anticipated that there would be pupils who would be made to repeat classes. Although as parents it also does not work for us when our children are promoted, due to the current situation of COVID-19 and unrest, we insist on the promotion of our children, he said. Dlamini wondered what criteria the teachers used for those pupils who passed and those who failed within the few days of learning. It is estimated that pupils went to school for about 33 days in the past academic year.

Dlamini said the obtaining situation would result in instability, which could lead to schools not reopening, yet this was something that could be avoided. As parents, we are advocating for quality education but against being frustrated. Dlamini said the pupils who had not received reports could retaliate out of anger, which could result in chaos.He said as a parents association, they thought government would engage them when taking decisions. Dlamini said he was a school committee member and what happened was that teachers did not communicate but simply implemented decisions, which included that they would not release report cards for pupils owing school fees. Meanwhile, he added that they were hoping government would be reasonable on the issue of fees.
We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
A steelworker is leading an effort to get a memorial built to honor the workers killed when the under-construction Cline Avenue Bridge collapsed in East Chicago four decades ago.

Terry Steagall, a local labor activist, has reached out to unions, the city of East Chicago and the new Cline Avenue toll bridge operator to try to get a memorial for the 14 workers killed when the bridge collapsed while under construction in 1982, as well as for steelworkers slain on the job and fallen police and firefighters.

Cline Avenue Bridge LLC skilled trade unions and the city government have expressed interest in the project, which Steagall started lobbying for last year.

The 100-foot-tall bridge in north Lake County collapsed nearly 40 years ago, killing 12 workers immediately and injuring 16 more, including two workers who later died of their injuries. A 444-foot section of the 1.6-mile post-tensioning bridge over Riley Road and the Indiana Harbor Ship Canal plummeted to the ground.

The bridge had been made with concrete with steel cable and temporarily supported by scaffolding. One of the piers blew out, causing a domino effect that sent it toppling down.

Steagall has suggested a small memorial park at the northwest corner of Block Avenue and Michigan Avenue near the union-management Joblink work center in East Chicago's Indiana Harbor neighborhood. He's been reaching out to local unions and other stakeholders to try to raise the funds.

"You could create a wall, something similar to the Vietnam Memorial," he said. "You could acknowledge the workers killed in the bridge collapse, the workers who died in those mills and the police and fire. It's somewhere it would be easy for the public to access but still could be used for reflection on what happened."

He proposed the memorial would be located on vacant city-owned land near the Plant 1 exit off Cline Avenue near the entrance to the Indiana Harbor Works steel mill. He was working there when the bridge collapsed.

"I was working in the mill at Inland Steel when the sirens and everything started going off," he said. "We all wondered what happened. They were getting resources like payloaders, cranes and trucks to get people out of the rubble. It was a couple of days of mayhem. It felt like such a traumatic thing. They couldn't get one worker out of the concrete."

A memorial would be a perfect site for an annual remembrance, Steagall said.

"Everybody felt the impact," he said. "They died all at once, under such traumatic circumstances. One worker was buried alive in the concrete. Others suffered serious injuries. It scarred the people that survived it."

Anyone who's interested in the project should contact Steagall at terry.steagall@comcast.net.

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.
CROWN POINT  A Hammond woman wore a black and white jacket with an "8 ball" symbol on it the night she served as a getaway driver for two men following a fatal shooting at a Gary gas station, court records allege.

Aaliyah L. Collins, 20, was arrested last week on one count of murder in the homicide of Gabriel D. Akins in January outside a Clark gas station in the 2600 block of West Fifth Avenue.

Akins, 28, was found dead about 10 a.m. Jan. 23 inside a black 2006 Jeep, which had crashed into a fence at a business across the street from the gas station.

A Lake Criminal Court magistrate entered a preliminary plea of not guilty Friday on Collins' behalf. Collins, who told the magistrate she planned to hire a private attorney, also is facing a petition to revoke her probation for a 2019 misdemeanor conviction for battery resulting in bodily injury.

The Jeep was still idling when a passerby found Akins and called police, but detectives gathered surveillance videos that showed Akins was shot about midnight Jan. 22 after he got into the Jeep and attempted to pull away from the gas station, according to court documents.

The two men who allegedly accompanied Collins to the gas station were not named in court records.

The videos showed Akins arrived at the gas station about 10:45 p.m. in the black Jeep, put air into one of the Jeep's tires and parked just south of the front door to the gas station.

About 11:40 p.m., Collins parked her gray Chevrolet Malibu next to the Jeep, and two men got out of her car, court records state.

One of the men was tall and thin, with a silver and black jacket and face mask. The other man was short and thin, with a black hooded sweatshirt with its hood pulled up and a face mask.

Collins, who was wearing a black and white jacket with an "8 ball" symbol on its back, red pants, red gym shoes and no mask, briefly got out of the Malibu before returning to the driver's seat, records allege.

One of the men walked the perimeter of the gas station while the other went inside. The men met up outside the gas station near a propane tank cage, where they appeared to conceal themselves, documents state.

As Akins attempted to pull away in the black Jeep, the man in the black hoodie produced a black semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine from his waistband and fired one shot into the rear driver's side window of the Jeep, according to court records.

The Jeep could be seen rocking slightly before traveling north onto Fifth Avenue and coming to rest against the fence across the street.

Both men returned to Collins' car, and she drove east on Wabash Avenue with her headlights off, records state.

Police used a license plate reader system to trace the Malibu back to Collins and executed a search warrant for the car Jan. 26. Inside the car, officers found a receipt from a Hammond bar with Collins' name on it that showed she made a purchase about two hours after Akins was killed, documents state.

Surveillance video showed Collins wore the "8 ball" jacket, red pants and red shoes while she was inside the Hammond bar, according to court records.

Anyone with information about the identity of the two men involved in Akins' homicide is asked to call Cpl. Daryl Gordon, of the Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit, at 219-755-3855. To remain anonymous, call 866-CRIME-GP.

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.
HAMMOND  A federal judge sentenced a former Gary woman to prison for taking part in a fraudulent tax preparation scheme.

Chief U.S. District Court Jon E. DeJulio imposed a 28-month sentence Tuesday on 36-year-old Yvonna A. Lee who pleaded guilty in March 2020 to the felony counts of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

The judge also ordered her to pay the Internal Revenue Service $405,867 in restitution.

A federal grand jury indicted Lee, Tanisha L. Bledsoe, 48, of Chicago Heights, and Latonya R. Foxx, 35, of Indianapolis, in 2018 on 15 counts of fraud and identify theft.

The government alleged the defendants filed more than 500 illicit federal income tax returns between 2014 and 2017.

The government alleged the trio recruited hundreds of taxpayers in Indiana and Illinois as clients to their tax preparation business.

The defendants extracted their clients personal identifying information to generate tax returns they sent the IRS with false income information and misapplied education credits to illegally lower their clients taxes.

The government alleged the trios activities not only cheated the U.S. Treasury out of tax revenues, but also legitimate tax preparation firms out of customers they deserved.

Lees defense attorney, Roxanna M. Johnson, said Lee is the product of a broken home.

Her mother died when Lee was a child, her father abused and eventually abandoned her to live with her aunt in Gary.

Lee, a mother of four children, also was a victim of domestic violence when she was shot and wounded in 2018 while still living in Gary.

Lee later moved to South Holland, Illinois.

The judge sentenced Bledsoe to 37 months in prison and Foxx to 18 months in prison earlier this year.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
CROWN POINT  A man already serving a 65-year sentence for shooting a friend to death with an AK-47 as the friend played video games accepted a plea deal Wednesday in a separate shooting.

Montel R. Brooks, 28, pleaded guilty to aggravated battery, a level 3 felony, during a hearing before Lake Criminal Court Judge Natalie Bokota.

Brooks admitted he shot a 42-year-old Portage man in the chest with a sawed-off shotgun Dec. 10, 2017, in Gary. He was represented by attorney Gojko Kasich.

If Bokota accepts Brooks' plea agreement, she would sentence him to 10 years in prison to be served concurrently to his murder sentence.

Brooks was convicted after a trial in 2020 of murdering 25-year-old Louis Watson on Jan. 5, 2018, inside Brooks' home in the 2100 block of Harrison Street in Gary's Midtown section.

According to court records, Brooks and Watson were alternately playing video games and showing off their AK-47s when Brooks shot Watson in front of several witnesses, including one man who said Brooks had been using PCP.

Brooks' earliest release date on the murder conviction  assuming good behavior  is in October 2066, according to the Indiana Department of Correction.

Bokota scheduled Brooks' sentencing in the battery case for April 13.

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.
CROWN POINT  A Cedar Lake man pleaded guilty last week in two separate domestic violence cases involving an ex-girlfriend, Lake Criminal Court records show.

Eric Olson, 30, has been in custody at the Lake County Jail since a standoff with police Oct. 20, 2020, at his home in the 7200 block of West 143rd Avenue.

At that time, he was free on a $3,500 cash bond posted after his arrest in March 2020 on previous domestic violence charges.

Olson admitted in his plea agreement he threw his ex-girlfriend on the ground March 18, 2020, at a Cedar Lake residence and grabbed her by the arm.

Olson also told the woman's two children to go into a closet and remain quiet and threatened to kill their mother if they talked, the plea agreement states.

In October 2020, Olson again became angry with the woman while she and her children were visiting him at a different Cedar Lake residence and repeatedly struck her in the leg with a long, sharp metal curtain rob, court records state.

The woman called two relatives for help, but Olson met them outside the home with a firearm and threatened to shoot them, records state.

Olson pleaded guilty to domestic battery by means of a deadly weapon, a level 5 felony; one count of intimidation, a level 5 felony; domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, a level 6 felony; and two counts of intimidation as a level 6 felony.

Olson agreed to a five-year jail sentence in his March 2020 case and a consecutive six-year prison sentence in his October 2020 case.

If Judge Natalie Bokota accepts Olson's plea agreement, she would order him to participate in the Indiana Department of Correction's Purposeful Incarceration Program. If Olson successfully completes the program, the state would not object if he filed a petition to modify his six-year prison term.

Olson also agreed to have no contact with his ex-girlfriend, her children and her two relatives while serving his sentences.

In exchange for Olson's pleas, Lake County prosecutors agreed to dismiss a number of charges, including attempted murder, criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon and more.

Bokota scheduled Olson's sentencing for April 19.

Olson's mother, Mary Olson, 51, was charged in August with two felony counts of attempted obstruction of justice in connection with allegations she attempted to persuade Olson's ex-girlfriend to stop cooperating with police.

Mary Olson pleaded not guilty, and her case remains pending.

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.
SITEKI  Government will destroy 59 000 AstraZeneca Vaccine doses worth approximately E4.4 million, which will expire tomorrow.

According to Ministry of Health Principal Secretary (PS) Dr Simon Zwane, the 59 000 doses of AstraZeneca will expire tomorrow, hence government taken the decision to destroy them.

We have about 59 000 doses of AstraZeneca Vaccine that will expire on March 31. Each dose cost ranges between US$2.15 and US$5, which averagely equates to E75 per dose, he said. The PS said the expiring doses were part of the 500 000 doses from AstraZeneca that were sourced from the COVAX Facility. We have enough Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, hence we encourage the nation to continue vaccinating. We have run out of Johnson and Johnson Vaccine, he said. Dr Zwane added that about 30 per cent of the population had vaccinated since its inception last year.

The PS further mentioned that government managed to source 400 000 Pfizer doses but only 150 000 were delivered, hence if the need to vaccinate more people arose, government would ensure that the remaining 250 000 doses were secured. Asked on governments plan in ensuring that there was enough COVID-19 vaccine following the announcement by Prime Minister Cleopas Dlamini that the public was now allowed to travel to neighbouring South Africa provided they produced a vaccination certificate, Dr Zwane made it clear that the country still had enough doses of Pfizer and AstraZeneca to accommodate more people who had still not yet been inoculated. He further urged the nation to visit health facilities and vaccinate as well as get booster shots to ensure that they were allowed entry and exit at the countrys ports of entry.

Vaccinated

The PS said government was working tirelessly to proportionally increase the figures of those who had vaccinated. Moreover, Dr Zwane said due to the relaxation of the COVID-19 restriction measures, there was a need for everyone to inoculate and continue to practise the COVID-19 regulations to safeguard against a spike in variants that might be perpetuated by the latest developments. He further highlighted that unvaccinated under 12-year-old children would be allowed to travel with their parents for now unless there was a change. Children under 12 years old are excluded in the stipulated requirements at ports of entry for now, unless there are changes that will be announced at a later stage. We encourage people to continue vaccinating because we currently have enough vaccine in our storage facilities, the PS said.

When further asked to shed light on the complaints from members of the public that they were turned back at health facilities after being told that the Pfitzer Vaccine was unavailable, the PS said he was yet to conduct his own investigation on the matter. He emphasised that the country had enough vaccines and would secure the remaining procured Pfizer doses if the need arose. I am confident that we still have enough vaccines besides the doses that will be destroyed. At first, we received 500 000 doses from AstraZeneca and it was delivered in phases, hence their expiry dates are not the same. We still have enough doses and I would encourage people to visit their nearest healthcare facilities to vaccinate, he emphasised. Adding, Dr Zwane said the virus was still circulating among people, hence it was imperative that everyone exercised caution in outdoor and indoor events.
GARY  A 23-year-old Chicago man was wounded in a shooting Saturday night in the city's Midtown section, police said.

Gary police were dispatched about 5 p.m. to the 2200 block of Pierce Street and found the man lying on the ground in a vacant lot near the west alley, Cmdr. Jack Hamady said.

The man, who was unable to speak to officers because of his gunshot wounds, was taken to a local hospital by ambulance.

Witnesses told police they heard several shots and saw two males running from the area.

One of the males was wearing a black hoodie, and the second was in a gray hoodie. The pair got into a silver SUV and fled westbound on 23rd Avenue, police said.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Detective Sgt. JerVean Gates at 219-881-1210. To remain anonymous, call 866-CRIME-GP.

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.
CROWN POINT  The equipment Lake County voters will use between April 5 and May 3 to select their political party's nominees for this year's general election is ready to go.

On Tuesday, the Lake County Election Board successfully tested 61 voting machines randomly selected by Indiana's Voting System Technical Oversight Program  approximately 10% of the machines that will be used for the primary election  to ensure every vote cast on the machines is correctly recorded and tabulated.

To do so, elections office staff used the machines to "vote" for each candidate on every ballot and ran a report to confirm each "vote" was counted.

They also tested each machine for the ability to detect and prevent voter errors, such as overvotes, by "voting" for multiple candidates in contests where only one candidate should be selected.

In addition, the equipment used for tabulating absentee ballots was checked with sample votes and confirmed to be in working order.

All of the test votes were deleted from the machines following the conclusion of the test. The voting equipment is now sealed until it's put into place for voters to cast their ballots in the primary election.

Under Indiana law, election officials will again confirm there are no votes on any machine after it is set up and before it's used by any voter.

Hoosiers planning to vote in the primary election must register by Monday. Individuals holding a valid driver's license or state identification card can easily register online at IndianaVoters.com.

To qualify to vote, a person must be a U.S. citizen and an Indiana resident for at least 30 days before the election. Voters also must be 18 years old; however, 17-year-olds can register and vote in the May primary election if they will be 18 on or before the Nov. 8 general election.

Early voting for the primary election begins April 5. Lake County voters can cast their ballots prior to Election Day at any early voting site.

Early voting in Crown Point is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays through April 29; 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 23 and April 30; and 8:30 a.m. to noon May 2. Closed Sundays and Good Friday (Apr. 15).

All other sites are open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays through Apr. 29; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 23 and April 30; and 9 a.m. to noon May 2. Closed Sundays and Good Friday (April 15).

Here are the locations for early voting in Lake County:

Crown Point: Lake County Election Board, Government Center Administration Building, 2293 N. Main St.

East Chicago: County Courthouse, 3711 Main St.

Gary: Public Library, 220 W. 5th Ave.

Hammond: County Courthouse, 232 Russell St.

Highland: Wicker Park Social Center, 8854 Indianapolis Blvd.

Hobart: Police Communications Center, 705 E. Fourth St.

Lowell: Town Hall, 501 E. Main St.

Munster: Town Hall, 1005 Ridge Road

Schererville: Town Hall, 10 E. Joliet St.

St. John: Township Assessor, 9157 Wicker Ave.

Winfield: Town Hall, 10771 Randolph St.

Love 0 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.
HAMMOND  After leaving her 20-year career in the human resources field, Niki Clemons began her journey into food entrepreneurship.

"When I retired I thought 'what do I do well?' I have always cooked, so it was just natural," Clemons said. "I knew how to cook, but I did not know anything about business."

While Clemons has always loved whipping up intricate pastries and savory entrees, the Hammond Development Corporation helped her turn her culinary skills into a business plan.

Clemons participated in the HDC's NxLevel entrepreneurship training program. After graduating she started her very own 'Niki's Urban Eats' catering business. Now Clemons is helping food entrepreneurs like herself get a leg up through the HDC's new commercial kitchen.

A crowd of about 50 gathered Tuesday morning for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the HDC's commercial-grade kitchen. Located in HDC's HUB building at 5233 Hohman Avenue, the kitchen contains everything a start-up business owner needs, said Clemons, who will also serve as kitchen manager.

Stainless steel fridges, marble countertops, an oven, a giant mixer and metal racks stacked with pots, pans, cutting boards, rolling pins and whisks are all nestled in the 2,000 square-foot space.

Attendees snacked on breakfast sandwiches and waffles prepared by Clemons as Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. discussed how the kitchen fits into Hammond's downtown redevelopment plan.

"It's an area where entrepreneurs who want to get started have an opportunity to do so without investing hundreds of thousands of dollars of their own money," McDermott said. "Hopefully once they [the entrepreneurs] grow out of this kitchen space, they will move into a permanent building site throughout our city  that's the idea behind it. And downtown Hammond, there's a lot going on right now."

While the sound of cars speeding down Hohman Avenue hummed in the background, McDermott explained that the downtown redesign will make the area more pedestrian-friendly and will bring new housing to Hammond. HDC Executive Director Jen Bussey said entrepreneurs who get started in the kitchen could fill some of the vacant storefronts downtown, making it a "restaurant mecca."

Indiana law prohibits the sale of foods that are processed or manufactured in home kitchens. Aside from ArtHouse in Gary, rentable commercial kitchen space is scarce, meaning chefs who are just starting out have limited options. That is why the HDC is launching a food entrepreneurship program alongside the new kitchen.

The HDC has offered the NxLevel entrepreneurship program, which teaches participants how to start a business, for seven years. HDC Program Director Jackie De Rosa said between 20-30% of NxLEVEL students are food-based entrepreneurs.

In past years, students could rent the HDC's pop-up cafe to test out their products. Located across the street from the HUB, the cafe has fridges and warmers, but the food has to be cooked off-site.

This summer, for $150, students can take a 10-week-long food entrepreneurship program, which includes a one-year membership to use the kitchen and either one free day in the pop-up cafe or 2 1/2 free hours in the kitchen. For nonstudents, membership costs $100 a year and renting the kitchen is an additional $20 an hour. All users must be ServSafe certified. The Hammond Health Department also came out and inspected the kitchen, De Rosa said.

The kitchen will be available for rent at the end of April.

"We are hoping this will help spearhead some small businesses, create some new, unique food in the downtown area and also help people realize that dream of 'what if I can do this? What if I can be a restaurant owner?'" Bussey said. "We are targeting the people that make their grandmas pies or their special salad dressing. ... Theyve taken that skill, and now they are trying to make a business out of out. ... It cant come out of their pockets to pay an extraordinary amount for a kitchen."

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 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.
LAPORTE  A group of farmers worried about more standing water in their fields has come out against a plan to alleviate major flooding problems at a LaPorte County subdivision.

Several property owners along Kingsbury Creek who allege their land will be flooded by stormwater discharges from the subdivision voiced their concerns during Monday nights LaPorte County Council meeting.

A contract for the $1 million project to carry stormwater from the Meadowview Estates subdivision to Kingsbury Creek was approved in early February by the LaPorte County Commissioners.

The funding was later approved by the LaPorte County Council.

Dairy farmer Andy Minich said the quality of their water from the spring-fed creek about three miles south of LaPorte would also be negatively impacted by stormwater discharges from the subdivision into the stream.

Minich said that he feels for the residents of Meadowview Estates and the major flooding problems theyve experienced over the years but that there has to be another solution good for both sides.

Decisions like this can vastly alter our water quality in our agricultural community. Until now, the County Council has only really heard one side of the story. Tonight, several people are here to share the other side of the story on the other end of the drainage pipe, he said.

Harold Barr, whose farmland borders the creek, said he would have spoken up sooner but wasnt notified the project was under consideration.

The plan calls for installing a 1,000-foot long and 36-inch wide drainage pipe to carry excess stormwater from the subdivision to the creek.

However, adjacent landowners claim the creek is in a designated wetland that doesnt have the capacity to handle the discharges without spilling over further onto their property.

Ill lose tillable acres over that, Barr said.

Dennis Lantz said the creek running through the middle of his property is already susceptible to flooding during heavy rains.

Lantz said the creek has overrun its banks by as much as 300 feet on his land without accepting stormwater discharges.

1.3 million gallons a day is going to be the minimum thats going to come down there and go through that ditch bank, he said.

Sherry Banic said the creek floods her yard on the north side of her residence about once per year.

She also alleged the application for a permit from the state to construct the drainage pipe has numerous errors, such as describing the creek and its surrounding area as not being wetlands.

I think it really needs to be really looked at again, Banic said.

The project has been years in the making at Meadowview Estates, where basement flooding happens when sump pumps used continuously stop running during power outages and when they need replacing.

Several residents in tears from their constant battle with flood-related damage and mopping up floors recently thanked elected officials for their support of the project.

LaPorte County Council President Randy Novak suggested property owners near the creek take their concerns to the April 6 commissioners' meeting.

He said the commissioners have the authority to either continue with the project as planned or put a stop to it to try and find another solution.

There needs to be more questions answered, he said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
God bless him and God bless all the Vietnam veterans. Remember those who didnt come home. I thank the mothers and fathers and wives of those who did make it home and helped them go on with their life.
Sara Suleri Goodyear, a scholar who vividly evoked her upbringing in Pakistan in Meatless Days, a 1989 memoir often cited as a foundational work of post-colonial literature, died on March 20 at her home in Bellingham, Wash. She was 68.

News of her death was posted on the web page of the Yale English department, where she was an emeritus professor and had taught since 1984. A friend and fellow scholar, Fawzia Mustafa of Fordham University, said the cause was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Meatless Days took its title from the decision by the government of Pakistan, shortly after the country was formed in 1947, to declare two days a week as meatless to conserve the countrys supply of cattle and goats. The book is an unconventional memoir, with Professor Suleri Goodyear telling the story of her own life in Pakistan, Britain and the United States through chapters focused on other family members, including her fathers mother, Dadi.

By the time I knew her, Professor Suleri Goodyear wrote, Dadi with her flair for drama had allowed life to sit so heavily upon her back that her spine wilted and froze into a perfect curve, and so it was in the posture of a shrimp that she went scuttling through the day.
After Horace Mann High School in Riverdale, Mr. Rosario went to Sarah Lawrence. He met Mr. Ray there and introduced him to Yalitza, then a student at Columbia University, and Felicia, who had graduated from Harvard University and Columbia medical school.

Santos and Felicia Rosario have testified in the trial, offering vivid accounts of how Mr. Rays methods of control tore apart their family and describing how he belittled them, disparaged their parents and ultimately turned the siblings against one another.

Ms. Rosario, who finished her testimony Tuesday, said that she is back in touch with her family but still fears Mr. Ray.

I still feel like no matter where he is, he can still get to me, she said.

Mr. Rosario, who gave his age as 30 when he began testifying March 10, first heard about Mr. Ray while dating his daughter, Talia Ray, during their freshman year at Sarah Lawrence. He testified that Ms. Ray described her father as a hero in prison on trumped-up charges.

The following year, when Mr. Ray got out of the New Jersey prison where he had done time after a child-custody dispute, he showed up at the Sarah Lawrence dormitory where Mr. Rosario and Talia Ray lived.

There, he began speaking with students about ideas like honesty and honor, Mr. Rosario testified. I thought he was very cool, very smart, very composed and very inspirational, he said.

In summer 2011, Mr. Rosario said, he was among several students who often slept at Mr. Rays apartment on Manhattans Upper East Side. Philosophical conversations continued, and Mr. Rosario wrote to Felicia Rosario, now 39, that he felt more comfortable in that apartment than anywhere else.
The conventional wisdom is that Vladimir Putin catastrophically miscalculated.

He thought Russian-speaking Ukrainians would welcome his troops. They didnt. He thought hed swiftly depose Volodymyr Zelenskys government. He hasnt. He thought hed divide NATO. Hes united it. He thought he had sanction-proofed his economy. Hes wrecked it. He thought the Chinese would help him out. Theyre hedging their bets. He thought his modernized military would make mincemeat of Ukrainian forces. The Ukrainians are making mincemeat of his, at least on some fronts.

Putins miscalculations raise questions about his strategic judgment and mental state. Who, if anyone, is advising him? Has he lost contact with reality? Is he physically unwell? Mentally? Condoleezza Rice warns: Hes not in control of his emotions. Something is wrong. Russias sieges of Mariupol and Kharkiv  two heavily Russian-speaking cities that Putin claims to be liberating from Ukrainian oppression  resemble what the Nazis did to Warsaw, and what Putin himself did to Grozny.

Several analysts have compared Putin to a cornered rat, more dangerous now that hes no longer in control of events. They want to give him a safe way out of the predicament he allegedly created for himself. Hence the almost universal scorn poured on Joe Biden for saying in Poland, For Gods sake, this man cannot remain in power.

The conventional wisdom is entirely plausible. It has the benefit of vindicating the Wests strategy of supporting Ukraine defensively. And it tends toward the conclusion that the best outcome is one in which Putin finds some face-saving exit: additional Ukrainian territory, a Ukrainian pledge of neutrality, a lifting of some of the sanctions.
At 3:21 a.m., the spacecraft and the crew undocked from the space station and begin the return to Earth, but not before the Soyuz completed a flyaround of the outpost to take pictures and video of its exterior.

NASA has started streaming video of the spacecrafts exit from orbit, which is to occur shortly after 6:30 a.m. when its engines briefly ignite. The astronauts are then scheduled to land in Kazakhstan at 7:28 a.m. Eastern time.

Are the U.S. and Russia still cooperating in space?

President Biden has harshly condemned President Vladimir V. Putin, and the United States government has placed a wide range of sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, including some related to aerospace technologies. But cooperation in orbit has continued.

That is despite bellicose statements from Dmitry Rogozin, who leads the Russian space program. He shared a video that suggested the Russians might leave Mr. Vande Hei behind. NASA officials have carefully sidestepped what Mr. Rogozin has said and insisted that nothing has changed.

For the safety of our astronauts, the working relationship between NASA and our international partners continues, Bill Nelson, the NASA administrator, said during his State of NASA speech on Monday. And that includes the professional relationship between the cosmonauts and our astronauts.

Russia-Ukraine War: Key Developments Card 1 of 4 In Mariupol. Russian soldiers breached Ukrainian defenses around the Azovstal steel plant, as Moscows forces mounted a final push to seize the port city. Gaining full control of Mariupol would allow President Vladimir V. Putin to claim a victory days before a highly symbolic Russian holiday. Victory Day concerns. There are growing fears among Western officials that Mr. Putin may use the Russian holiday on May 9, which commemorates the Soviet Unions triumph over Nazi Germany, to turn what he calls a special military operation in Ukraine into explicit, all-out war. Targeting Russian generals. The United States has provided real-time intelligence to Ukraine that has allowed them to target and kill many of the Russian generals who have died in the war, according to senior American officials. Ukrainian officials say they have killed approximately 12 Russian generals. Russian oil embargo. The European Union unveiled a plan to halt imports of Russian crude oil in the next six months and refined oil products by the end of the year. If approved as expected, it would be the blocs biggest and costliest step yet toward ending its own dependence on Russian fossil fuels.







Other relationships in space have not been spared. The European Space Agency postponed a rover mission to Mars because it relied on a Russian rocket. And a British satellite internet company, OneWeb, canceled a series of launches that used Russias Soyuz rockets, shifting some of them to SpaceX rockets.

What happens when the astronauts land?

Many American government officials have been brought home from Russia because of the invasion of Ukraine. But a usual NASA contingent of flight doctors, public affairs officials and representatives from the astronaut office and the space station management will be there to meet Mr. Vande Hei when he lands.
As the United States entered its third year of the pandemic, fewer Americans are reporting that they have been wearing masks in recent months, according to a poll released on Tuesday by The Associated Press and NORC.

About 44 percent of Americans reported this month that they usually wore a mask outside their home, down from about two-thirds during the peak of the Omicron wave in January, according to the poll, which surveyed 1,082 U.S. adults from March 17 to March 21.

Only about a third of Americans said this month that they still avoided others as much as possible, compared with over half of them just two months earlier. About 40 percent said in March that they continued to avoid nonessential travel, down from 60 percent in January.

People 60 and older were most likely to report that they took precautions more than two years into the pandemic, according to the poll.
2 militants killed in Indian-controled Kashmir

Xinhua) 16:03, March 30, 2022

SRINAGAR, Indian-controled Kashmir, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Police in the restive Indian-controled Kashmir said on Wednesday they killed two militants in a gunfight in the region.

The gunfight broke out in Rainawari area of Srinagar city, the summer capital of the Indian-controled Kashmir.

"This morning a gunfight between militants and joint contingents of police and paramilitary started in Rainawari area of the city. In the stand-off, two militants were gunned down," a police officer said.

The contingents of government forces cordoned off the area on specific intelligence information suggesting the presence of militants.

Police said government forces have not suffered any damage in the fight. The slain militants were identified as local cadres.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.

(Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun)
MBABANE - The wearing of face masks in open spaces is no longer mandatory in groups of not more than five people.

This was announced by the Prime Minister (PM), Cleopas Dlamini, during a press briefing held at Cabinet Offices yesterday. Dlamini announced that people were no longer required to wear masks when they were outdoors. However, when going into shops, hospital and indoor gatherings, people were expected to wear their masks. The PM specifically said large outdoor gatherings shall continue to observe social distancing of at least one metre apart and people shall continue to wear face masks. People with flu-like symptoms were told to not participate in gatherings whether indoor or outdoor. He said the county was learning to live with the virus in our presence. The changes come after we witnessed a declining rate of COVID-19 cases and severe illness from the virus in recent weeks, he said.

Decline

In addition, he said the COVID-19 pandemic remained a major health issue in the kingdom and the rest of the globe. Dlamini said over the past three months, however, the country had seen a slow decline in new cases, with sporadic detection of new cases of the virus, especially among the younger age groups below the age of 30 years. We have also seen a drastic reduction in the number of new cases, hospitalisation and deaths among those above 60 years, which could be related to the higher vaccination coverage of almost 70 per cent among the older age groups, he said.

In reaction to this, Senator Chief Ngalonkhulu said they were thankful to government for the scrapping of masks. He said; Thank God, praise to be to God. He further said they trusted the leadership by government and the decision they had taken. The senator trended two weeks back when he said in Senate; Our children cannot even take wives because womens beauty is hidden behind these face masks. He said this during a sitting of the Ministry of Health Portfolio Committee debate of the ministrys annual performance report in Parliament.

Masks

Meanwhile, Manzini Regional Administrator (RA) Chief Gija said people should still wear their masks. He said no one would take them to task for wearing their masks even though government had scrapped them. Chief Gija said masks played a huge role in making sure people did not catch or transmit COVID-19. He further applauded government for taking such a leadership decision on the PCR tests. This is good news, we can only trust government that it saw it fit to relax the restrictions. I would, however, advice people to keep their masks on at all times, he said. The PM further announced other restrictions where he said even though the country was experiencing a period of calm from the COVID-19 storm, the emergence of new variants and sub variants remained a threat.

He announced that churches may operate at full capacity provided indoor COVID-19 measures such as wearing of face masks and social distancing of one metre were adhered to. This includes funeral services and memorial services. The PM said in funeral and memorial services, the wearing of face masks and adherence to COVID-19 restrictions was required. Kufukama and vigils are now permitted but must be conducted in strict adherence to COVID-19. Sale and consumption of alcohol on premises within approved trading hours is allowed, he said. Members of the public were evidently thrilled by the relaxation of the restrictions as seen on social media platforms mostly Facebook and Twitter.
It was a crime that stunned the nation: A school bus carrying 26 children in Chowchilla, a farm town in Central California, was ambushed by three masked kidnappers who demanded a $5 million ransom.

The children and the bus driver managed to escape after they were held for 16 hours more than 100 miles away in a sweltering trailer buried at a gravel quarry.

Now, the last of the imprisoned kidnappers in the July 1976 abduction, a crime partly inspired by a climactic plot element in the movie Dirty Harry, has been granted parole.

A panel of the California Board of Parole Hearings voted last week to approve the parole application of Frederick Woods, Dana Simas, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said in an email on Tuesday.
Oregon will no longer require terminally ill people seeking to end their lives with doctor-prescribed lethal drugs to be residents of the state, according to the settlement of a federal lawsuit that had claimed the requirement was unconstitutional.

The Oregon Health Authority, the Oregon Medical Board and the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office agreed that they would not apply or otherwise enforce the residency requirement, according to the settlement, which was filed on Monday in Federal District Court in Portland.

The settlement resolves a lawsuit that Compassion & Choices, an advocacy group that supports expanding access to end-of-life medicine, filed in October to challenge the Oregon residency requirement, which the group said violated the Constitutions prohibition against states that favor their own residents over noncitizens.

The group sued on behalf of Dr. Nicholas Gideonse, a Portland physician and assistant professor of family medicine at Oregon Health & Science University.
Theres a line in your article that mentions that Ginni Thomas was in a group she later denounced as a cult. Were you able to learn anything more about her time there?

The group was called Lifespring, and it was popular for a while. The best story I read about it was a 1987 piece in The Washington Post by Marc Fisher, who went to some meetings. The group would sort of break you down and get you crying and then try to build you back up, but it was quite controversial. One trainee told Fisher it was like an enema of your emotions.

Ms. Thomas took part in the group in the early 1980s and then rejected it. And she took Clarence Thomas with her to at least one meeting of an anti-cult group that she attended in the wake of her departure from Lifespring.

Ginni Thomas refers to her best friend in one of the texts that has emerged. Is it a leap to assume thats a reference to her husband?

We cant say for sure, but they have used that kind of language when they describe each other. In his memoir, Justice Thomas refers to his wife as his best friend. She has called him the best man walking the face of the Earth, and friends of theirs whom we talked with told us they referred to each other that way. Justice Thomas has gone even further and called the two of them one being  an amalgam.

Is your sense that Ginni Thomas is someone whose advice carries weight in the Republican Party, or is she someone who is humored because of her political connections and because of who her husband happens to be?

Its a good question. I think both. Her proximity to Justice Thomas is central to her influence, and its the reason she got the access she did to the Trump White House. She does not hesitate to invoke her husbands name in her interactions with party officials and activists.
One possibility, said Laurie L. Levenson, a criminal law professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, is that prosecutors would have to prove that Mr. Trump knew for sure that Mr. Pence had no lawful basis to do what he was asking. Another possibility is that prosecutors would need to prove only that Mr. Trump had at least some reason to believe that his conduct might be unlawful and proceeded anyway, she said.

Why is proving Mr. Trumps mind-set tricky?

Because even though senior government officials were telling him there was no factual or legal basis for Mr. Pence to unilaterally reject some states electoral votes or otherwise slow down the certification, Mr. Eastman told Mr. Trump that he interpreted the law as giving Mr. Pence legitimate authority to take such a step.

Julie OSullivan, a Georgetown University criminal law professor, said in any criminal trial, it would ultimately be up to the jury to decide what Mr. Trump truly believed. Unless evidence emerges that he told someone at the time that he knew what he was saying was false, she said, that will be a challenge.

The problem with Trump is defining his state of mind when it is so changeable, she said. He believes whatever he wants to think and it doesnt necessarily have to be grounded in reality. Thats a tough argument to a jury, to say he knew any particular thing.

Why was that problem not an obstacle for Judge Carter?

Because the legal standard of proof is lower for deciding the crime-fraud exception applied in a subpoena dispute than it is for convicting someone of a crime.

Judge Carter concluded that Mr. Trump likely knew that the plan to disrupt the electoral count was wrongful using the preponderance of the evidence standard, under which a claim is considered established if it is more likely true than false. If the judge thought the evidence pointed to a 51 percent chance that Mr. Trump committed a crime and a 49 percent chance that he did not, that was sufficient to rule that the Jan. 6 panel could get certain emails.

What standard of proof would prosecutors face?

Prosecutors would need to persuade a jury that the same evidence proved beyond a reasonable doubt  a much higher standard to meet  that the former president committed a crime. Moreover, rather than persuading one judge of that proposition, prosecutors would need to convince all 12 members of a jury, because guilty verdicts must be unanimous.
IRPIN, Ukraine  Creeping forward block by block, Ukrainian soldiers in a reconnaissance unit on Tuesday found signs of a retreating Russian army everywhere: a charred armored vehicle, abandoned body armor decorated with an orange and black St. George ribbon, a Russian military symbol, and the traditional blue-and-white striped underwear issued to Russian soldiers, cast aside in a forest.

What they did not encounter was the Russian army in any organized state. After a month of savage street fighting, one of the most pivotal battles in the war so far ended this week  at least for now  with an improbable victory in Irpin for Ukraines outgunned and outnumbered military. By Tuesday, Ukrainian forces had quashed any significant Russian resistance in this strategic outlying town near Kyiv, the capital.

Pockets of Russian soldiers remained, posing risks. A firefight erupted in the afternoon when Ukrainian soldiers destroyed a lone Russian armored personnel carrier in an otherwise empty neighborhood, according to a commander.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburgs dissent collar  the one she wore on days that she gave powerful and pointed opinions at odds with the Supreme Courts majority  is being donated to the Smithsonians National Museum of American History.

Three other distinctive collars, the judicial robe that she wore most often during her more than 25 years on the court and other items are also being donated by her family to coincide with the museums decision to award Ginsburg its signature honor, the Great Americans Medal.

Ginsburg took pride in the utility of a well-argued dissent. Dissents speak to a future age, Ginsburg told NPRs Nina Totenberg in 2002. Its not simply to say, My colleagues are wrong and I would do it this way. But the greatest dissents do become court opinions and gradually over time their views become the dominant view. So thats the dissenters hope: that they are writing not for today but for tomorrow.

The justices children, Jane and James Ginsburg, will accept the medal and discuss their mothers legacy with the museums director, Anthea M. Hartig, during the award program on Wednesday.
Anna Netrebko, the Russian diva whose international career recently fell apart because of her past support of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, sought to distance herself from him Wednesday, saying they had only met a few times.

Since the war started, Ms. Netrebkos performances at the Metropolitan Opera  where she has sung for 20 years, becoming its reigning prima donna  have been canceled indefinitely. Other leading opera houses, including in Munich and in Zurich, also scrapped upcoming performances. On Wednesday, in what seemed an attempt at orchestrating a comeback, Ms. Netrebko issued a statement distancing herself from Mr. Putin in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

I am not a member of any political party nor am I allied with any leader of Russia, Ms. Netrebko said in the statement, which was posted on social media.

Ms. Netrebko wrote that I expressly condemn the war on Ukraine and my thoughts are with the victims of this war and their families, but did not explicitly criticize Mr. Putin, and did not directly address her previous record of support for him.
The most chilling scene in Justin Kurzels Nitram  a movie thats rarely less than freezing  occurs near the end and shows the title character, a disturbed young man, buying multiple firearms and rounds of ammunition. His demeanor is, for the first time, confident and purposeful; his handling of the weapons as natural as if he were born to them. The scene unnerves even if we dont know where hes going, because we know where he has been.

Tough and unflinching, Nitram is about the evolution of a killer. A lightly fictionalized portrait of events leading up to Australias 1996 Port Arthur murders, the film is terrifyingly controlled, tipping neither toward empathy nor judgment. The tone is instead coolly observational, the filmmakers betting everything on Caleb Landry Joness adamant yet impenetrable performance as the man known as Nitram  a derisive backward spelling of his real name (never spoken in the film) and a loathed childhood nickname.
The Origins

Moon Knight emerged from a comic book era that fans refer to as the Bronze Age, when a new wave of writers and artists who had grown up as science-fiction, fantasy and superhero fans began introducing more mature themes and story lines to the medium. Created by the writer Doug Moench and the artist Don Perlin, Moon Knight debuted in a 1975 issue of the horror-adventure comic Werewolf by Night as a mercenary out to capture the seriess title monster. With his white mask, white hood and long white cape, the character cut such a striking figure that other Marvel writers and artists soon started dropping him into their stories.

That classic all-white look has survived for the TV version. Anytime a character is getting turned into Legos and Funkos, there are going to be a lot of people weighing in, Slater said. But right from the beginning, we stressed that there were some things about the character we thought were defining visual elements, and one was his glowing white eyes.

In 1980, Moench and the artist Bill Sienkiewicz introduced a solo Moon Knight comic, on which they collaborated until 1983. They fleshed out the origin story, establishing a lot of the lore that has survived through decades of reboots and retcons. In their version, a soldier of fortune named Marc Spector is killed on a mission in North Africa but revived by the spirit of the Egyptian moon god Khonshu (voiced by F. Murray Abraham on TV). He becomes an agent of justice, operating in and around New York City under different aliases: as the mercenary Spector; as a man named Steven Grant, who invests Spectors money and becomes a billionaire; and as the cabdriver Jake Lockley. For later versions of the character, other writers gave him dissociative identity disorder, and the aliases became separate personalities.

In Disneys Moon Knight, Isaac begins as Steven Grant, who is not a billionaire but rather a meek gift shop employee at a British museum. He also has frequent blackouts. By the end of the first episode, he begins to understand that whenever he is unconscious, his body is being inhabited by the troubled mercenary Marc Spector.
The edition of the novel whose company we keep was rescued from an infamous night of book burning by university students at Berlins Opera Square in May 1933. The professor who owned it passed it to a student for safekeeping. In the current day, that students granddaughter, Lena Knecht, possesses the book, and is traveling from New York to Berlin to investigate what she might find at a rural location crudely mapped by the original owner on a blank page at the back.

Image

Hamilton hops around several stories: Lenas quest to follow the map; her increased estrangement from her husband back in New York; her meeting a Chechen man, Armin, and his sister, Madina, who were orphaned during the second Chechen war.

These contemporary strands are well handled, give or take a distracting subplot or two, and build to an effective thriller-like finale.

But perhaps predictably, given the novels central inspiration, Hamilton is at his best in several sections about Roth and his wife, Friederike. Its in these moments that The Pages feels most effortlessly immersive, shrewdest in its psychological insights and most moving. We see them getting married and, later, arguing about the nature of fiction. (You cant be jealous of characters, Roth tells his wife. Thats like shouting at the screen in a movie. Thats what Stalin does.)

Friederike begins to suffer from mood swings: She would go from happiness to regret like a person crossing the street. Her mind eventually worsens and she is placed in a sanatorium; we see her there in piercing detail. One wishes that Hamilton had written more about the couple, perhaps an entire book.

The strangest thing about The Pages ends up being its narrator  not for the audacity of the choice but for its lack of necessity. When the book is talking to us, the result is often misty (I have accumulated the inner lives of my readers. Their thoughts have been added in layers underneath the text, turning me into a living thing) or worse (the novel describes the collective hum of other books in a library greeting it with cheers, like the dolls coming alive in Toy Story).
MBABANE - Immediately after the announcement by the Prime Minister, Cleopas Dlamini, on the adjusted COVID-19 restrictions, Ngwenya Border Gate started implementing the adjustments.

This is with reference to the scrapping of the PCR tests to cross the border. Some of emaSwati who were at the Ngwenya Border Gate yesterday around noon travelling to South Africa said they were using their vaccination certificates as a gate-pass. They said only those who had no COVID-19 certificates were expected to produce the PCR test that was not older than 72 hours.

Certificate

Mandla Khumalo from Sidwashini said he came only with the vaccination certificate and was allowed to continue with his journey. He said health workers were present to scan the certificates. Khumalo further said it was now very easy to travel. The use of vaccination certificates is a good thing. I was surprised that after the PMs announcement earlier yesterday, immigration officers, especially at Ngwenya/Oshoek Border, started allowing everyone to use their COVID-19 certificates, Khumalo said. Sipho Gamedze said he was happy that he could now use his vaccination certificate since it had been long overdue. He said it was unfortunate for those emaSwati who started the process of taking the COVID-19 vaccine and ended half way because they had to go for the PCR test.

Testing

I had a brother who was turned back after failing to take his AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine second dose. They told him to just go for testing, which he did. As for me, everything went well and that is why I am going to South Africa, said Gamedze. Lihle Sibandze from Manzini, who was travelling to Mpumalanga, said it was a good decision taken by government to allow all emaSwati to use the vaccination certificate. She further said the PCR test was expensive for her. An immigration officer at the border gate said they were now allowing everyone who was fully vaccinated to go through to South Africa. She said those who were not vaccinated were expected to bring their PCR tests. She said the operation was smooth at the moment and encouraged every liSwati to fully vaccinate to avoid undergoing the test.
Russia sends mixed signals

Pessimism is replacing optimism over Ukraine, as Russia sends mixed military and diplomatic signals. After seeming progress in Tuesdays peace talks in Istanbul, Wednesday brought new attacks on the outskirts of Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv, areas where Russia claimed it would reduce combat operations.

The confusion stems not just from a mismatch between words and actions. On Wednesday, the Kremlins top spokesperson said there had been little progress. Hours later, its chief negotiator said Ukraine was on track for building normal and, I hope, good neighborly relations with Russia.

U.S. intelligence suggested that President Vladimir Putin of Russia was being misinformed about the invasion from aides fearful about his reaction, stoking tensions with his Ministry of Defense.

On the ground, the humanitarian situation is worsening. Its like living in a horror movie, said a resident of Huliaipole, a town on the edge of the Donbas region. Four million people have fled Ukraine, two million of them children, the U.N. reported.
BERLIN  Germany made the latest move in the brinkmanship with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia over his demand that Moscow be paid in rubles for critical energy supplies, announcing on Wednesday that it was prepared to ration natural gas if Russia cut its supplies.

Hours later, the Kremlin appeared to defuse the standoff by detailing a plan that would allow Berlin or other European customers to keep paying in euros. The plan was relayed by Mr. Putin in a telephone call with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, according to statements released late Wednesday by the German government and by the Russian state news agency, Tass.

In the call, Mr. Putin said that a new Russian law requiring gas deliveries to be settled in rubles would go into effect April 1. But payments would continue to be made exclusively in euros and transferred as usual to Gazprom Bank, which is not affected by the sanctions, according to a statement from Mr. Scholzs office summarizing the call. The bank would then convert the money into rubles.

Western sanctions are aimed at crippling the Russian economy by cutting off the countrys central bank, threatening the countrys currency, the ruble.
Know your customer.

Its a basic rule of banking in the United States. Without it, the American financial system is at risk of being an unwitting participant in crimes ranging from money laundering to the funding of terrorism.

But the imposition of economic sanctions on Russian oligarchs over the invasion of Ukraine has exposed a loophole that prevents regulators from tracking the flow of offshore money into the United States: Hedge funds, private equity firms, family offices and venture capital firms dont always know whose money theyre taking.

Now, some lawmakers on Capitol Hill are joining the calls for the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Treasury Department to require firms in the $11 trillion private funds market to do the same kind of checks performed by financial institutions including banks, brokerages, mutual funds and even casinos.

In a joint letter on Tuesday to Janet L. Yellen, the Treasury secretary, and Gary Gensler, the S.E.C. chairman, Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island said closing the loophole would help the U.S. government track down the hidden wealth of sanctioned Russian elites and better combat money laundering, terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and other criminal activity throughout our financial system.
Certainly most members of a group of OPEC and its allies, known as OPEC Plus, have already run out of firepower, as countries like Nigeria and Angola have been unable to keep up with recent targets. The group is likely to add only a small fraction of the output increase it announces Thursday, Mr. Bronze figures. Russia clearly wont be able to increase production, because it is already running out of storage tanks for unsold oil.

Moreover, the group is approaching the end, later this year, of unwinding the steep production cuts of early 2020 that helped bolster the market when demand and prices plummeted in the early days of the pandemic.

The Saudis and the Emiratis may figure that, with prices gyrating and the outcome of the conflict in Ukraine far from clear, now is not the time to unleash what resources they have left. While events like the coronavirus lockdowns in China are probably reducing demand, oil consumption is still likely to be higher in the summer driving season and output may potentially be lower.

The fact that closing prices for Brent crude futures, the international benchmark, have swung in recent weeks from as high as nearly $130 a barrel to below $100 allows the group to argue, however unconvincingly, that geopolitics rather than shortfalls are adding a premium to the price and go on taking in huge volumes of cash.

Current volatility is not caused by changes in market fundamentals but by current geopolitical developments, the group said after its last meeting on March 2.

In addition, the International Energy Agency is in the early stages of coordinating a 60-million-barrel release of oil, announced on March 1, from the reserves of the United States and about two dozen other countries. These additions to supply reduce the incentive for OPEC Plus to try to influence the markets, analysts say.
Ivermectins popularity continued to climb in the pandemics second year. The podcaster Joe Rogan promoted it repeatedly on his shows. In a single week in August, U.S. insurance companies spent $2.4 million paying for ivermectin treatments

But not long after Dr. Hill published his review last summer, reports surfaced that many of the studies he included in the analysis were flawed and, in at least one case, alleged to be fraudulent. Dr. Hill retracted his original study and started a new one, which he published in January.

On their second review, Dr. Hill and his colleagues focused on the studies least likely to be biased. In that stricter survey, ivermectins benefit vanished.

Still, even the best studies on ivermectin and Covid were small, with a few hundred volunteers at most. Small studies can be vulnerable to statistical flukes that suggest positive effects where none actually exist. But larger studies on ivermectin were underway at the time, and those promised to be more rigorous.

In Brazil, researchers set up a clinical trial known as TOGETHER in June 2020 to test Covid patients with a number of widely used drugs, including ivermectin. The treatments were double-blinded, meaning that neither the patients nor their medical staff knew whether they received a Covid treatment drug or a placebo.

In one round of the trial, the researchers found promising evidence that an antidepressant drug called fluvoxamine reduced the need for hospitalization by one-third. The researchers published their results in October in The Lancet Global Health.

In a new study published on Wednesday, the TOGETHER team reported on its ivermectin data. Between March and August 2021, the researchers provided the drug to 679 patients over the course of three days.
Collaborative poetry is an old tradition. You may know about the game Exquisite Corpse, which the French Surrealists invented in the 1930s, or the epic collective poem La Familia that Juan Felipe Herrera, the U.S. poet laureate from 2015 to 2017, created with lines submitted by people all over the country. Or you may have heard a collaborative poem on National Public Radio. Kwame Alexander, N.P.R.s poet in residence, has created crowdsourced poems responding to the coronavirus pandemic, the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, anti-Asian hate and more.

For our own collaborative poem, were drawing on The New York Times Magazines long-running Poem column, which features new verses every week. In September 2019, the column featured Danusha Lameriss Small Kindnesses, chosen and introduced by the poet Naomi Shihab Nye.

Here are the poem and its introduction in full:

Sometimes a poem just strikes a precise moment. Small Kindnesses, by Danusha Lameris, feels utterly necessary for our time  a poem celebrating minor, automatic graciousness within a community, which can shine a penetrating light. Its a catalog of small encouragements, unfolding as might a childs palm filled with shiny stones. It almost feels like another hope we remember having. Acknowledging the modern plight of autonomy and so many separations, the poem then easily passes through them, breezing compliments and simple care. Selected by Naomi Shihab Nye Small Kindnesses By Danusha Lameris Ive been thinking about the way, when you walk

down a crowded aisle, people pull in their legs

to let you by. Or how strangers still say bless you

when someone sneezes, a leftover

from the Bubonic plague. Dont die, we are saying.

And sometimes, when you spill lemons

from your grocery bag, someone else will help you

pick them up. Mostly, we dont want to harm each other.

We want to be handed our cup of coffee hot,

and to say thank you to the person handing it. To smile

at them and for them to smile back. For the waitress

to call us honey when she sets down the bowl of clam chowder,

and for the driver in the red pick-up truck to let us pass.

We have so little of each other, now. So far

from tribe and fire. Only these brief moments of exchange.

What if they are the true dwelling of the holy, these

fleeting temples we make together when we say, Here,

have my seat, Go ahead  you first, I like your hat.

Students, read the poem and its introduction at least twice and then tell us:

What small kindnesses would you list if you were writing a poem with that title? To brainstorm, return to the questions we asked at the top of this post.

As you think about how to phrase your submission, you may be guided by the poem you just read. Think about the words, phrases or lines that stand out to you and how they might inspire your own writing. For instance, notice how specific and vivid the images are  not just fruit spilling from a grocery bag but lemons. Not just the driver of the next car but the driver in the red pick-up truck. Notice, also, how all of the examples are relatable: Weve all experienced similar small kindnesses. As you add your own ideas, think about how you might make your lines equally vivid and universal.

When you are ready, post your submission in the comments section. Please make sure you include your first name as well as your school and location. ( Please note: If you would like to have your lines considered for our collaborative poem, you must post them by the end of the day on April 21.)

And finally, were delighted to announce that Danusha Lameris  the author of Small Kindnesses  will help choose from among your submissions to create the collaborative poem. We plan to publish it in the coming weeks as a special post in our Current Events Conversation column. (If your work is chosen, you will be credited.)

Want more writing prompts? You can find all of our questions in our Student Opinion column. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.
Now youll repeat the same set of activities with the poem. First, read it at least three times, both aloud and to yourself. Mark up a copy of it (PDF) with observations as you go. You can listen to W.H. Auden, the poet, read the poem here.

Return to the same partner, group or full class you joined to discuss the painting, and respond to the prompts again:

Whats going on in this poem?

What do you see, read or hear that makes you say that?

What more can you find?

Zoom in and select one section, phrase, line or word that stands out to you and explain why.

Share your thoughts with a group or the whole class: What ideas do you have in common with others? Where do you differ in your analysis or interpretations? What questions do you have?

Finally, discuss the point of view of the poems speaker. What is this speaker saying about the Bruegel painting? About human suffering in general? How does this perspective resonate with your own understanding of suffering?

Questions for Writing and Discussion

Note to teachers: The interactive article is longer than our typical featured pieces. If your time is limited, you might ask your students to read up to the lines Ignoring them is the most natural thing in the world. It is also a moral error., which is about a third of the way through the piece. They can still address the questions below.

Read the featured article, then answer the following questions:

1. Which images, themes, details, words or lines did Ms. Gabbert identify? Which aspects of the Bruegel painting and the Auden poem stood out for her? What personal connections did she make?

2. How did your observations from the warm-up activity compare with those of Ms. Gabbert? Does her analysis make you see the painting or the poem differently?

3. Ms. Gabbert says of the painting, As you can see, its not about the fall of Icarus, exactly. What does she mean by that statement? What, in her eyes, is the painting about?
The discovery of the long-lost ship is a reminder of Shackletons deeds. Its also a lesson in how technology is transforming our encounters with the past. The Endurance video is well-nigh Spielbergian, almost too wondrous, too exquisitely art directed, to be believed. Watching it, I couldnt help imagining what sights we might have beheld had a videographer been present at the opening of King Tutankhamens tomb, or if a drone camera were on hand when the jungle cover was stripped back to reveal the citadels of Machu Picchu. We live in a world where real-life Indiana Jones scenes may, at any moment, pop up on our social media feeds. But our relationship to these ruins and remnants has changed. These days, a sunken ship inspires not just awe but melancholy, moral unease, even dread.

The world today is smaller and less mysterious than in Shackletons time. Earths remotest realms have given up their secrets. To know the lay of the land in distant places once required literal boots on the ground  in Shackletons case, boots with nails punched through the soles, makeshift crampons for clambering over icy peaks. Now, thanks to our conquest of the most distant frontier, outer space, all-seeing satellites provide detailed maps of Antarcticas ice-sheet moraines, available at the tap of a touch-screen. Journeys once undertaken only by the intrepid  to the depths of the Amazon or the heights of the Himalayas  are on the adventure-tourism circuit. What would Shackleton make of Journey to Antarctica: The White Continent, a cruise-ship vacation that offers encounters with icebergs and Emperor penguins amid the luxury of comfort  a quality of shipboard life and a philosophy of wellness designed to relax and rejuvenate body, mind and spirit?

Yet we know too much to romanticize the swashbuckling past. The history of exploration, after all, is inseparable from exploitation, the relentless drive of empires and private enterprise to claim territory and expropriate raw materials. The story is ongoing: As natural resources dwindle, global powers are racing to mine new frontiers of the jungles, the oceans, the Arctic north. Antarctica, the worlds last true wilderness, is protected by a treaty, signed by 42 countries, that imposed a ban on resource extraction from the continent, except for scientific research purposes. But nations are jockeying for access to Antarctic fishing, mining and oil reserves  including, most aggressively, China, which has expanded its presence on Antarctica during the pandemic and seems to be preparing for a potential expiration of the mining ban in 2048.

These days, a sunken ship inspires not just awe but melancholy, moral unease, even dread.

Even if the treaty remains in place, all is not well at the bottom of the planet. When Shackleton and his men voyaged to Antarctica, they entered a frozen world. Pictures of Endurance, taken by the expeditions photographer, Frank Hurley, show the great ship iced into place, high and dry on the oceans wintry wastes. The images are iconic; they are also documents of a landscape that is vanishing quickly. The Great White South is thawing out. Once, the ice that covered the Weddell Sea made underwater exploration impractical, but in recent months the thickness of that ice has been at some of the lowest levels ever recorded. The discovery of Endurance was aided by climate change.
In many ways, the success of CODA, the drama about a deaf family with a hearing daughter, is a breakthrough moment for deaf audiences: The movie won best picture at the Oscars on Sunday night; its writer-director, Sian Heder, won best adapted screenplay; and Troy Kotsur took home the prize for best supporting actor, making him the first Deaf man to win an Oscar for acting.

But in interviews and on social media, some deaf people and children of deaf adults, known as CODAs, say they feel torn: While they hope this moment will lead to better recognition and open doors for more representation throughout Hollywood, they argue that the film views deaf people from a hearing perspective in its approach to interpreting for deaf people and to their relationship with music, among other issues. In some cases, this hearing gaze, as some have called it, led to scenes that may resonate with hearing viewers but fall flat with deaf viewers or even upset them.

Jenna Beacom, a deaf media critic who often works as a consultant on writing projects with deaf characters, said she had wanted the film to win every award. But, she added, Theres so many actually harmful messages in this movie, so thats the conflict, I dont want those messages out there, I dont want them taking root.

Based on a 2014 French film called La Famille Belier, the remake centers on the tension between the hearing teenager Rubys desire to sing and her deaf parents refusal to support her dream. Rubys parents, Frank and Jackie (Kotsur and Marlee Matlin), rely on her to interpret for them at work, in town hall meetings, at the courthouse and at the doctors office, and worry about how they will support themselves without her.
Mayor Eric Adams wants to be at the hot table. He is eager for New York City to get two of the three licenses, his spokesman said, and not see the second end up somewhere else, like Long Island. Frank Carone, Adamss chief of staff, recently met with Robert Goldstein, the chief executive of Las Vegas Sands, at Goldsteins pied-a-terre on the Upper East Side.

For now, the action is in Albany, where the high rollers are seven gambling companies that are spending more than $300,000 a month on a lobbying blitz.

They have been coordinating with the influential union representing hotel workers, which renamed itself the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council last year and whose president describes the casino licenses as its top priority in Albany. The union says that new casinos in and around New York City would mean jobs for thousands of hotel workers who were laid off when the pandemic decimated tourism.

The connections between the casino companies and the union are so close that in several cases, the union shares lobbyists with casino companies. Peter Ward, the unions former president, lobbies for Genting  the unions largest employer  as well as Ballys. He is a registered lobbyist for the union.

Resorts World has invested in a public-relations campaign  New Yorkers for Responsible Gaming  spotlighting how casinos would benefit hotel workers. It is being run by Neal Kwatra, a political consultant who also does work for the union. The union has put big money on the table: It has steered at least $880,000 in campaign contributions to Democrats in Albany since 2020, according to campaign disclosure reports.
MBABANE  It is now official!

EmaSwati will be pleased to know that travellers will now be required to produce proof of full vaccination for COVID-19 or a negative PCR test of not more than 72 hours at the countrys borders. This was announced by the Prime Minister (PM), Cleopas Sipho Dlamini, yesterday during a press briefing held at Cabinet Offices. He further announced that the relaxed restrictions did not apply to children under the age of 12. The PM said this would be effective immediately, further stating that fully vaccinated travellers entering and leaving the country would no longer need a PCR test. Government emphasised that for now, when they said fully vaccinated, they meant complete doses of a vaccine.

Vaccinated

The PMs statement was corroborated by the Ministry of Health Principal Secretary (PS), Dr Simon Zwane, who said; Fully vaccinated means complete doses of a vaccine; two doses for a two-dose vaccine, and one dose for a one-dose vaccine. Valid vaccination certificates considered are those of COVID-19 vaccine from candidates that have been prequalified by WHO, said Dr Zwane. He further said this would be updated periodically as per the need. Further clarifying and clearing possible confusion, he said vaccination cards were not allowed at the points of entry but only vaccination certificates. Worth noting is that outbound travellers from Eswatini must also comply with the requirements of the airlines and the country of transit and destination.

Exempted

Children under 12 years are exempted from the above measures. In addition, all travellers, upon arrival at the points of entry will be checked and sanitised, said Dr Zwane. Truck drivers were among those who welcomed the decision to waive COVID-19 PCR testing requirements for the fully vaccinated. An elated truck driver, Peter Thwala, who frequently travels to South Africa, said he was happy with the decision. We frequently take PRC tests, and some of us travel in and out of the country every other day, Thwala said. We are fully vaccinated so it makes sense that government has dropped the PCR tests. That is welcome. Another truck driver who frequents South Africa, Sambulo Shiba, said they were elated by the announcement.

Shiba said they fully welcomed the announcement and it was about time. This is honestly good news, Im personally happy because this means less money to spend on tests. God knows we were between a rock and hard place with this requirement, he said. Speaking on behalf of hawkers, Phandzelumntfwana Chairman Mabhawodi Dlamini said they were happy with the official announcement. He said this was good news for them even though they were already travelling outside the country without the PCR tests.

Certificates

All that hawkers need now is to carry their vaccination certificates and we are home free. This is less costly for the women who are already trying to survive through their businesses, he said. Lobamba Lomdzala Member of Parliament Marwick Khumalo said the relaxation of the restrictions by government was too late, but warmly welcomed. Khumalo was one of the legislators who strongly advocated for the scrapping of masks and PCR tests. When reached for comment yesterday, he said even though the relaxed restrictions were announced a bit too late, they were warmly welcomed.

Meanwhile, Business Eswatini (BE) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nathi Dlamini said as a business community, they were happy and applauded government for making such a decision.

Dlamini said BE welcomed governments revised COVID-19 restrictions. We recognise government for making a sensible decision after many days of speculation and frustration by many businesspeople, especially those who do cross-border travelling. As a business community, we were beginning to fret about this untenable situation, for reasons which are not too hard to find, he said. Dlamini said, primarily, it should not be lost that South Africa was their main trading partner and, this being the case, they ought to ensure that the countrys policies, especially those that had to do with COVID-19 restrictions, were coordinated such that they were not in variance with each other.

It is our hope that by now, the two governments have a mechanism in place that enables them to notify each other before taking any decisions which are likely to affect the trade flows between the two countries, which is what good neighbours do. And we trust this is the case here. For now though, we would like to applaud our government for taking the right decision, he said. Dlaminis sentiments were echoed by Eswatini Tourism Authority (ETA) Head of Marketing Siboniso Madlopha, who said the newly-relaxed restrictions automatically made Eswatini a safe destination. He said this was because more people would get vaccinated and this meant more tourists would want to come into the country if a large percentage of the countrys population was vaccinated.

In addition, he said by scrapping the PCR tests, government ensured that Eswatini would be listed among southern Africa tour lists. We are excited by the relaxed restrictions, this means a huge deal to the tourism industry at large, and it further encourages more people to vaccinate, especially if they do not wish to spend more money, he said. This publication, in December last year, announced that travellers were given some relief following that the COVID-19 PCR test prices had been reduced from E850 to E500. This was with effect from December 13, 2021.
Mayor Eric Adamss chief of staff, Frank Carone, recently met Las Vegas Sandss chief executive Robert Goldstein at Mr. Goldsteins Upper East Side pied-a-terre. Mr. Adams, who as a state senator led the gaming committee, wants New York City to get two of the three licenses the state is poised to authorize, his spokesman said, rather than see one of them end up in, perhaps, Long Island. His aides have spoken with several other casino operators, too.

Many lawmakers and lobbyists in Albany believe that two of the licenses are likely to be awarded to MGM and Genting, which operate the two so-called racinos  horse racetracks that have been refashioned as casino-like properties, albeit without games like blackjack or roulette  in Yonkers and Queens, which already employ thousands of union members.

Both facilities have ties with local stakeholders and could begin operating as full-scale casinos in a matter of months, quickly generating up to 5,000 new jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue for the state. Indeed, both companies have struck agreements with the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council to make a priority the hiring of hotel workers who underwent a union training program to become food service and maintenance workers.

State Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr., a Democrat and chairman of the committee that oversees casinos, said that awarding two of the licenses to MGM and Genting is probably the most popular scenario, with nothing being a given, because it should be an open process. Gentings Resorts World Casino is in his district.

The competition for the third, and possibly only unclaimed license, has spurred a lobbying frenzy, with pitches ranging from a casino next to the Water Club on the East River to what State Senator Liz Krueger, a Democrat from the Upper East Side helping lead state budget negotiations, describes as a fancy Monaco-like casino on the top floor of Saks.

A spokeswoman for Saks declined to comment.

The third casino shouldnt go anywhere but Manhattan, said Michael OKeeffe, the owner of the Water Club, who argued Manhattan is ideal for a small, high-end, Monte Carlo-style casino that will cater to a different market than casinos in Queens and Yonkers. Thered be no taking money away from poor people who cant afford to gamble.

The flurry of proposals for a Manhattan casino carries no guarantee of success. Legislators are likely to require some semblance of local approval for a casino, and opposition among local legislators in Manhattan runs high.
ALBANY, N.Y.  In the final feverish days of state budget negotiations, there are few things that New York State lawmakers seem to agree on. One of them is that gas prices are too high.

Proposals to give New Yorkers some sort of relief have gained momentum in recent days, even as other issues show little movement. The only question, it seems, is how to do it.

The Democratic-led Senate put forth a proposal to suspend certain state gas taxes at the pump from May through December. A similar proposal in the Assembly would cut all taxes for a full year.

Others have suggested issuing one-time rebate checks, which could be targeted at lower-and middle-income New Yorkers, or creating a tax credit.
Of the people on the street who did not agree to go to shelters, Mr. Adams said that some went back home to stay with loved ones and some went to different locations. Advocates have said that the cleanups often have the effect of simply pushing people and their possessions from one outdoor spot to another.

Meera Joshi, the deputy mayor for operations, who appeared with Mr. Adams, stressed that the encampment removals were not a one and done, in part because it takes constant communication and trust and relationship to persuade people leery of the shelter system to head inside.

Advocates for homeless people say that the citys practice of sending out cleanup teams of police, sanitation workers and homeless-outreach workers and sometimes throwing away peoples belongings  something that the city denies occurs  breaks that trust.

Mr. Adams emphasized that the city was also in the process of opening 500 beds in specialized shelters that have fewer restrictions, more on-site services and in some cases more privacy than the traditional dormlike shelters that many people who live on the street and shelter in the subway reject.

On Tuesday, he presided at the ribbon-cutting of one such shelter, a so-called safe haven in the Bronx that offers 80 beds, an on-site health clinic, substance-abuse treatment and no curfew.

You cant get this on the A train overnight, he said at the opening. You cant get this sleeping in Times Square. You cant get this sleeping in a cardboard box. You cant get this sleeping in a tree in the park. You dont deserve that. You deserve this.
One cause for optimism, Mr. Dixon noted, was a rebound in hotel occupancy in recent weeks as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus faded. Three-quarters of the citys available hotel rooms were filled in the week that ended March 19, according to STR, an industry research firm. That was still below the prepandemic level of 87 percent, but much higher than in the first two months of the year when Omicron kept many visitors away.

To spur demand, Mr. Adams gave NYC & Company an additional $10 million to put toward the promotional campaign it launched last year, with the theme Its Time for New York City. That was the first increase in the allocation of city funds to the agency in several years.

The previous mayor, Bill de Blasio, funneled $30 million of federal pandemic aid to the tourism agency last summer in hopes of spurring a quick return of visitors. The city staged free concerts and movies around the five boroughs to celebrate the comeback. But new variants of the virus, first Delta then Omicron, undermined those efforts, and the year ended on a bleak note.

For all of 2021, the city received just 32.9 million visitors, less than half the record total for 2019. With the nations borders closed for the first 10 months of last year, only 8 percent of those visitors came from other countries, down from 20 percent before the pandemic.

NYC & Company is forecasting a tripling of international visitors this year. But that forecast includes 438,000 visitors from China, assuming that country will end its Covid lockdowns and allow its citizens to travel again.
Dr. Glen Gabbard, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine, has dedicated much of his career to treating physicians. He explained why his physician patients struggle to admit that they need care: Youre supposed to know everything in a life-threatening crisis. There isnt room for self-doubt, he said.

Dr. Gabbard noted that one way doctors reach out for help is through a curbside consult. A friend can stop you in the hospital cafeteria and ask for a quick prescription for Prozac. Not only are doctors terrible patients, but we are often crunched for time and can give fellow physicians awful care, too. According to Dr. Gabbard, these consults can be rushed, and some psychiatrists are too quick to rely on their colleagues medical knowledge.

This all has helped create an underground market of sorts for physician mental health care. An often unspoken rule: If you must seek mental health care, do it quietly. Find a therapist outside your city who documents only the bare minimum in your chart, pay with cash only, dont let it be billed to your insurance company. Make sure theres no paper trail.

As we enter the third year of the pandemic and creep toward one million dead Americans, its time for American health care to recognize the toll on its doctors and what it owes. The past two years have been characterized by violent attacks against doctors, accompanied by even longer hours, sicker patients, limited hazard pay and family sacrifices. A survey conducted in the second half of 2020 found that around one-fifth of doctors were considering leaving their practice within two years. Perhaps the saddest part is that the doctors we are often losing are the very ones we need: the gentle ones who you want holding your mothers hand, the thoughtful, meticulous ones who call you on their day off.

The quickest and easiest remedy to this problem is to eliminate the questions about physician mental health from state licensing applications and hospital credentialing forms. This would require a fundamental shift in paradigm for the medical community. Other solutions include more physician time off, comprehensive parental leave policies and adequate hazard pay.

A former colleague has told me it is ill advised for me to even write this essay. I can feel my palms sweating as I type. But Id rather be the doctor who confesses all instead of the one who buries the memories of dead children in bottles of bourbon or syringes of fentanyl. This essay is not brave; it is foolish but necessary. It is time we collectively agree that physicians are worthy of the same compassion we give our patients.

We, as doctors, bear witness to humanitys ugliest and most glorious moments, so it is only natural that we are deeply moved and sometimes disturbed by it all. Acknowledging this vulnerability isnt weakness. It makes me a better doctor. It is what allows me to hold a patients hand under the fluorescent lighting of a sterile hospital in the middle of the night or stroke the congealed blood out of an infants lock of hair.
The partisan divisions among white women were almost identical: Democratic women, 68.3 percent non- or weak authoritarian and 31.7 percent authoritarian or somewhat authoritarian; Republican women, 45.6 percent non- or weak authoritarian and 54.4 percent authoritarian or weak authoritarian.

Opinion Debate Will the Democrats face a midterm wipeout? Elizabeth Warren explains her priorities and writes, if we fail to use the months remaining before the elections to deliver on more of our agenda, Democrats are headed toward big losses.

explains her priorities and writes, if we fail to use the months remaining before the elections to deliver on more of our agenda, Democrats are headed toward big losses. Mark Penn writes that without a U-turn by the Biden administration, voters increasingly motivated by fear over a variety of issues will generate a wave election like those in 1994 and 2010.

writes that without a U-turn by the Biden administration, voters increasingly motivated by fear over a variety of issues will generate a wave election like those in 1994 and 2010. Thomas B. Edsall asks, as the midterms approach, to what degree are Democratic difficulties inevitable, and which challenges stem from the partys strategic choices?

asks, as the midterms approach, to what degree are Democratic difficulties inevitable, and which challenges stem from the partys strategic choices? Ezra Klein speaks to David Shor, who discusses his fear that Democrats face electoral catastrophe unless they shift their messaging.

When researchers examine the stands people take on specific issues, things become more complex.

Brian Schaffner, a political scientist at Tufts and a co-director of the Cooperative Election Study, provided The Times with data on levels of support and opposition on a wide range of issues for Democratic men, Democratic women, Republican men and Republican women.

One thing that strikes me is that Democratic men and women have very similar issue positions, but Republican women are consistently less conservative on the issues compared to Republican men, Schaffner wrote by email. Sometimes the gap between Republican men and women is actually quite large, for example on issues like equal pay, minimum wage, right to strike and prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity/sexual orientation.

Take, for example, the question of whether workers should have the right to strike. Almost identical percentages of Democratic men (84) and women (85) agreed, but Republican men and women split 42-58. Similarly, 90 percent of Democratic men and 92 percent of Democratic women support reviving Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act  which was designed to prohibit discriminatory electoral practices  while 37 percent of Republican men supported that position and 56 percent of Republican women did. On legislation requiring equal pay for men and women, 93 percent of Democratic men and 97 percent of Democratic women were in support, compared with 70 percent of Republican men and 85 percent of Republican women.

Natalie Jackson, director of research at P.R.R.I., provided The Times with poll data posing similar questions. Asked if America is in danger of losing its culture and identity, the P.R.R.I. survey found that 80 percent of Republican women and 82 percent of Republican men agreed, while 65 percent of Democratic women and 66 percent of Democratic men disagreed. Seventy-six percent of Democratic women and 77 percent of Democratic men agreed that undocumented immigrants living in this country should be allowed to become citizens provided they meet certain requirements, while 46 percent of Republican women and 39 percent of Republican men agreed.

Conflicting attitudes toward risk also drive partisanship. In Culture and Identity-Protective Cognition: Explaining the White Male Effect in Risk Perception, a 2007 paper by Dan M. Kahan of Yale Law School, Donald Braman of George Washington University Law School, John Gastil of Penn State, Paul Slovic of the University of Oregon and C.K. Mertz of Decision Research, the researchers studied the attitudes toward risks posed by guns and by environmental dangers. Drawing on a survey of 1,844 Americans, their key finding was:

Individuals selectively credit and dismiss asserted dangers in a manner supportive of their preferred form of social organization. This dynamic, it is hypothesized, drives the white male effect, which reflects the risk skepticism that hierarchical and individualistic white males display when activities integral to their cultural identities are challenged as harmful.

The authors reported that conservative white Republican men (persons who held relative hierarchical and individualistic outlooks  and particularly both simultaneously) are the least concerned about environmental risks and gun risks. People who held relatively egalitarian and communitarian views  predominantly Democrats  were most concerned.

On environmental risk, the people who were most risk tolerant were white men, followed by white women, then minority-group men and, the most risk averse, minority-group women. The order was slightly different in the case of risk associated with guns: White men demonstrated the least risk aversion followed by minority-group men, then white women and finally minority-group women.
One basis for ratcheting up these punishments was the volume of images received or transmitted. But the increases were based on the assumptions that offenders would receive and distribute such images in printed form through the mail and that more images suggested more effort and criminal activity. Because of the online ease of sending and receiving huge numbers of images, penalties intended for the most severe offenders ended up being applied to most of them.

Judge Jackson explained the shift during the hearing. At the time that the guidelines were created for child pornography, this crime was primarily being committed by people who were literally mailing one, two, five, 10, 100 photos at a time, she said. In comes the internet. On the internet, with one click, you can receive, you can distribute, tens of thousands. You can be doing this for 15 minutes, and all of a sudden you are looking at 30, 40, 50 years in prison.

In 2012 the U.S. Sentencing Commission told Congress that the sentencing scheme was out of date for crimes involving child sexual abuse images. This results in overly severe guideline ranges for some offenders, the commission said. (Republicans have faulted Judge Jackson for this, too, since she was on the commission at the time  even though it was bipartisan and issued its report unanimously.)

There is no political will in Congress for fixing this legal problem. In 2021, when Judge Jackson was no longer on the sentencing commission, it issued another report pointing out that judges increasingly believed the sentencing scheme for such offenders was overly severe. Senator Hawley said this week that he plans to introduce legislation that would make sentences even longer.

The complicated history did not fit so easily into a sound bite or tweet. Judge Jackson had to explain why the guidelines are overly punitive in many cases while trying to make clear that the crimes do very real damage to very real victims.

What were trying to do is be rational in our dealing with some of the most horrible kinds of behavior, Judge Jackson said. This is what our justice system is about.

But often, the justice system is not rational. Thats why mass incarceration is entrenched in the United States, which has far higher rates of imprisonment than our peer countries.
In 2014, for the first time in more than 130 years, adults ages 18 to 34 were slightly more likely to be living in their parents home than they were to be living with a spouse or partner in their own household, Pew found, and that remained true in 2021 for men in that age group.

Steven Ruggles, a professor of history and population studies at the University of Minnesota, told me that this is happening, in part, because the relative incomes of young men have been steeply declining since the 1970s, and they are more likely than their female counterparts to be living at home. At the same time, housing prices are way up, availability is way down, and especially in big cities, buying a home is out of reach for most young people; this is an economic fact of life right now, and no one should be mocked for it.

That said, multigenerational living isnt some kind of utopia. Those with upper incomes were the most likely to say their experience had been positive, Juliana Horowitz, an associate director of social trends research at Pew, told me, partly because upper-income people are more likely to say theres enough space for everyone to live comfortably. Its not surprising that it might be more relaxing to live with your mother when she has her own floor. And some of the growth in multigenerational households is due to more grandparents raising grandchildren, which has been fueled in part by the opioid crisis that is devastating the country. No one would say thats a good thing.

Per Pew, About a quarter of adults in multigenerational homes say it is stressful all or most of the time. Bengtson predicted this years ago in his address. There are potentially negative consequences of the longer years of shared lives across generations, he said, one of which is protracted conflict. He quoted one mother who described a lifelong lousy parent-child relationship that just stretched out to infinity. No one said the new norm didnt come with challenges  and no one, not me anyway, is against the nuclear family model. But we should acknowledge its fragility, which was made ever clearer by the Covid pandemic and the chaos it wrought in all of our infrastructures of care.

Which is why I think moving toward a more extended family model  what sociologists call a vertical rather than a horizontal family structure  is mostly to the good. During the pandemic, a Harvard study found that Americans ages 18 to 25 and mothers of young children were the demographic groups most likely to report miserable degrees of loneliness, and even before the pandemic, the Health Resources and Services Administration described a loneliness epidemic, which was particularly acute among seniors.

I think its a net positive, said Silverstein. In gerontology, we like to say dependence is a double-edged sword. We want to rely on people, but we also resent them, and thats part of the human condition. Do I still act like a sulky teenager sometimes when Im around my parents for more than 48 hours? I do! Would I move away from them? Nope, not if I could help it.
The astronauts first sat outside, drinking tea during initial medical tests. Mr. Vande Hei smiled broadly and gave a thumbs up before putting on a protective mask. He took off a pair of sunglasses, commenting that it was a beautiful day. As he and the two Russian crew were carried into an inflatable tent for more medical checks, Mr. Vande Hei spoke with someone on a satellite phone.

Following their stay in the tents, the astronauts were to take a two-hour flight on Russian helicopters to the city of Karaganda. There Mr. Vande Hei and the American delegation were expected to a board a NASA Gulfstream jet and head back to the United States, with one stop in Germany for refueling.

While NASA and Roscomos worked together Wednesday to bring their crew members back from orbit, their cooperation was preceded in recent weeks by bellicose outbursts from Dmitry Rogozin, who leads the Russian space program. He shared a video on Twitter that suggested the Russians might leave Mr. Vande Hei behind.

NASA officials have carefully sidestepped what Mr. Rogozin has said and insisted that nothing has changed.

For the safety of our astronauts, the working relationship between NASA and our international partners continues, Bill Nelson, the NASA administrator, said during his State of NASA speech on Monday. And that includes the professional relationship between the cosmonauts and our astronauts.

On Tuesday, Mr. Shkaplerov, one of the returning Russian astronauts, turned over command of the space station to Tom Marshburn of NASA. We are one crew, Mr. Shkaplerov said during the ceremony, which ended with hugs.

While NASA remains mum, Scott Kelly, a retired astronaut who held the record for consecutive days in space by an American until Mr. Vande Hei passed it recently, feuded on Twitter this month with Mr. Rogozin. He stopped at NASAs request.
Its just before 8 p.m. on a recent Friday night in Manhattan, and a crowd of moviegoers is lined up to see Great Freedom (2021), an Austrian film that tells the tender and terrible story of a concentration camp survivor in Germany whos repeatedly imprisoned for his sexuality. Sebastian Meise, the films director, and its star, Franz Rogowski, will be giving a Q. and A. after the showing, so theres a palpable sense that this is an event.

Outside on West Houston Street, the glow of the marquee  Film Forum written in curving, blue neon letters  beckons like a spaceship. Upon seeing it, I feel the thrill of catching a movie in an actual cinema: Its my first visit to Film Forum since it reopened in 2021 following a nearly 13-month closure on account of Covid-19.

In the lobby, theres anticipatory chatter: film students talking into their phones and older Greenwich Village and SoHo locals (like me) discussing the state of the world. The reserved seating system  a measure instigated during the pandemic  ended this month, and the first-come-first-served rule resumed, bringing back with it the kvetching about grabbing a preferred seat. The theater director, filmmaker and painter Andre Gregory, a devout Film Forum fan, once left sweaters on a pair of chairs while he and his wife, the filmmaker Cindy Kleine, went for chocolate egg creams in the lobby and returned to find people sitting in them. The woman said, I dont care. Were not moving, and [her companion] threw my sweater in my direction, Gregory says with a laugh. In 2018, the theater underwent a renovation  prompted in part by a common refrain, Love the movies, hate the seats, from guests in an audience survey two years earlier  and upgraded its chairs, which are now softer, wider and infinitely more comfortable.
Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, took an unusual step last week: It suspended some of the quality controls that ensure that posts from users in Russia, Ukraine and other Eastern European countries meet its rules.

Under the change, Meta temporarily stopped tracking whether its workers who monitor Facebook and Instagram posts from those areas were accurately enforcing its content guidelines, six people with knowledge of the situation said. Thats because the workers could not keep up with shifting rules about what kinds of posts were allowed about the war in Ukraine, they said.

Meta has made more than half a dozen content policy revisions since Russia invaded Ukraine last month. The company has permitted posts about the conflict that it would normally have taken down  including some calling for the death of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and violence against Russian soldiers  before changing its mind or drawing up new guidelines, the people said.

The result has been internal confusion, especially among the content moderators who patrol Facebook and Instagram for text and images with gore, hate speech and incitements to violence. Meta has sometimes shifted its rules on a daily basis, causing whiplash, said the people, who were not authorized to speak publicly.
The boaters were too far away to see the tag. But Julie Hagen, a social media specialist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said No. 492 was spotted in the same area and during the same time of year that its been spotted in past years.

We have no reason to believe that it is any other flamingo, she said.

It served as confirmation that No. 492, estimated to be about 20 years old, is still persevering despite striking out on its own.

Its journey would fit snugly into a Pixar movie script.

No. 492 was one of 40 flamingos to arrive at the Kansas zoo in 2003. Most of the birds were probably around 3 years old, Scott Newland, the curator of birds at the zoo, said in an interview in 2018.

He described feather clipping, the maintenance that keeps the birds grounded, as painless, no different than you or I getting a haircut. It must be repeated each year as birds molt their feathers and grow new ones.

But in June 2005, staff members missed the signs that No. 492s wings needed to be clipped, and the bird flew away to a drainage canal in Wichita along with another flamingo, No. 347.

On July 4  seriously, on Independence Day  the birds flew away from Wichita for good, No. 492 heading south and No. 347 heading north.

No. 347 was never seen again, and likely didnt survive the winter. No. 492, though, found a suitable environment in Texas, with its shallow, salty wetlands, high temperatures year-round and ample food sources.
I believe that health care decisions should be between a patient and their doctor, Mr. Beshear said. He said a bill that would force a young teenage girl impregnated by a violent act by a relative to potentially get permission from that person to seek options was extreme.

Thats pretty wrong, and I think most Kentuckians dont agree with that, he said.

Mr. Wise said Republicans have super majority control of both chambers.

We easily have the votes to override his expected veto, he said in his statement.

The votes followed weeks of intense debate by legislators as well as opponents and supporters of the bill.

During one hearing over the Senate portion of the legislation, Karen Berg, a Democrat in the State Senate and a diagnostic radiologist, called the bill a medical sham.

It does not follow medicine. It does not even purport to listen to medicine, she said. She said legislators were putting a gun to womens heads.

Abortion will continue, Dr. Berg said. Women will continue to have efficacy over their own body, whether or not you make it legal.

The legislation passed in the House 74 to 19. The Senate passed the bill 29 to 0, with seven of the states eight Senate Democrats walking out in protest rather than voting.
Six people were killed and two dozen others were injured in an 80-vehicle pileup on an interstate highway in Pennsylvania this week that began when a snow squall blinded drivers, the authorities said on Wednesday.

The chain reaction started just after 10:30 a.m. Monday on Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County, about 50 miles northeast of Harrisburg, Pa., where an early spring burst of wintry weather overwhelmed drivers in the northbound lanes, who struggled to see past the wind-driven snow and fog in their path.

The Pennsylvania State Police did not release details about the victims when it issued an update on deaths and injuries on Wednesday.

Jeremy Smallwood, the assistant fire chief for the Lavelle Volunteer Fire Company, who was at the scene of the pileup on Monday, said that when he got to the interstate, he smelled smoke billowing from a tractor-trailer and saw a sprawl of mangled vehicles, many with deployed airbags.
A Minnesota woman has agreed to repay $120,000 that she collected in an online fund-raiser named in honor of Philando Castile, the Black motorist killed in 2016 by a police officer during a traffic stop, after she was accused of failing to use the money for its intended purpose.

The office of Minnesotas attorney general, Keith Ellison, announced on Monday that it had reached a settlement with Pamela Fergus, who organized the fund-raiser, called Philando Feeds the Children, and it said that the money would be used to pay off students school lunch debts.

The attorney generals office filed a lawsuit against Ms. Fergus in June after she failed to account for $120,000 of the $200,000 that she had raised. Roughly $80,000 was donated to Saint Paul Public Schools, but Ms. Fergus must pay back the rest of the money in the next two years as part of the settlement, which did not require an admission of guilt.

Ms. Fergus, who was a psychology professor at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minn., when she created the fund-raiser, is also blocked from ever being in charge of charitable money again, according to the settlement, which was filed in Ramsey County District Court. Her lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
WASHINGTON  President Biden received a second Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot against the coronavirus on Wednesday afternoon, a day after federal health officials cleared an additional booster dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines for people over 50 and for many of those who have compromised immune systems.

Officials said that people in those two categories could get another shot at least four months after they received their first booster. Mr. Biden, now 79, received a Pfizer booster in late September.

We know boosters are critical to providing an additional level of protection, Mr. Biden said on Wednesday, explaining why he was getting his second booster then. He got his shot after making remarks about the status of the fight against the pandemic, in which he highlighted a new website.

It didnt hurt a bit, he said afterward.

Mr. Biden and his top public health advisers have repeatedly urged people to get fully vaccinated with the initial two-shot regimen required with either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. And they have said that everyone should get boosted because the initial vaccinations effectiveness against infection from the virus diminishes over time.
WASHINGTON  Hillary Clintons 2016 presidential campaign and the Democratic Party have agreed to pay $113,000 in fines to settle a Federal Election Commission investigation into whether they violated a campaign finance disclosure law when they funded an opposition research effort into Donald J. Trump and Russia that resulted in a discredited document known as the Steele dossier.

During the 2016 race, the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee retained a law firm, Perkins Coie, which in turn hired a research group, Fusion GPS, that commissioned what became the dossier. In campaign spending disclosures, the campaign and the party said their payments to Perkins Coie were for legal services, not opposition research.

Dan Backer, a conservative lawyer, filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission on behalf of a group he leads, the Coolidge Reagan Foundation. It accused the Clinton campaign and the Democratic Party of illegally hiding that they had been funding an opposition research effort.

The commission has not yet made public the findings of its investigation. But the agency sent a letter about the inquiry and its resolution to Mr. Backer on Tuesday, which he posted on his groups website. The letter said the commission agreed that the campaign and the party had probably violated campaign finance law.
Mr. Cawthorn has the advantage of broad name recognition in a field of challengers who, with a couple of exceptions, have raised little money needed to become better known. He also has the endorsement of Mr. Trump, whom Mr. Cawthorn identified on Saturday as a man who mentors me.

An internal poll of likely Republican voters this month for a Cawthorn rival showed the congressman leading the field with 52 percent and 17 percent undecided. Cawthorn is right on the bubble of the 50 percent mark; incumbents who slip below that during the campaign are in danger, wrote Glen Bolger, a top Republican pollster who conducted the poll.

Mr. Cawthorn did himself no favors last year when he announced he would run in a new district near Charlotte, the states largest city. Political insiders speculated that he sought a higher profile in a major media market ahead of an eventual statewide run. But then legal challenges led to a redrawn state congressional map, and Mr. Cawthorns planned new district tilted Democratic. So he returned home to his old district, where viable contenders had joined the race in his absence.

Had he not flirted with another district, he wouldnt be in this situation, where theres a question of whether hell win this primary, said Christopher Cooper, a political scientist at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, N.C. Its the thing that opened the door for the field to expand.

Its unclear if Mr. Cawthorns temporary desertion has penetrated to average voters, even if it angers party officials. I believe he probably has lost most of the local-level Republican movers and shakers, said David Baker, a voter who attended a recent Republican convention in Jackson County.

But Mr. Baker, an employee benefits expert, said rank-and-file Republicans like himself still support Mr. Cawthorn because of his clarity on those issues that were so important to Trump.

Mr. Cawthorn was raised in Hendersonville, N.C., a small community where he was home-schooled. His meteoric rise began with his defeat of a primary candidate handpicked to fill the seat held by former Representative Mark Meadows, who was appointed Mr. Trumps White House chief of staff.
Originally an entrepreneur and business executive, Mr. Hake founded the group in 2003 to aid U.S. military deployments. It began by providing supplies that soldiers and Marines could distribute to local populations in Iraq and Afghanistan, but later took on more ambitious projects.

Many nonprofit groups that provide aid in wartime situations adhere to a kind of battlefield neutrality, in hopes that offers some sort of protection for their workers. But Spirit of America declares that it is not neutral. When working in conflict zones, the group says it is openly choosing a side and backing American foreign policy goals. In Ukraine, that has meant supporting the Ukrainian government and pushing back against Russian aggression.

In most of the conflict zones where Spirit of America has operated, the U.S. embassy or military has helped guide its donations. But in this war, Mr. Hake has worked with Ukrainian contacts, including the territorial defense forces.

Much of Spirit of Americas aid has flowed through Ruslan Kavatsiuk, who in 2016 helped the group found a radio station in Ukraine called Army FM to counter Russian propaganda. He also assisted the group in setting up mobile communications teams that helped frontline Ukrainian units recognize and combat disinformation. At the time, Russia was blanketing eastern Ukraine, where Russia-backed separatists were battling government forces, with disinformation aimed at getting Ukrainian soldiers to defect.

After stepping down from his advisory role with the Ukrainian military, Mr. Kavatsiuk became deputy director of the Babyn Yar Holocaust memorial in Kyiv. Like many Ukrainians, he expected Russia to intensify its war in eastern Ukraine, but not to launch a full invasion.

Soon after Russian forces came over the border, his home in a Kyiv suburb was destroyed, and many of his neighbors were killed in the fighting. In early March, a Russian airstrike hit an older building at the memorial.

Russia-Ukraine War: Key Developments Card 1 of 4 In Mariupol. Russian soldiers breached Ukrainian defenses around the Azovstal steel plant, as Moscows forces mounted a final push to seize the port city. Gaining full control of Mariupol would allow President Vladimir V. Putin to claim a victory days before a highly symbolic Russian holiday. Victory Day concerns. There are growing fears among Western officials that Mr. Putin may use the Russian holiday on May 9, which commemorates the Soviet Unions triumph over Nazi Germany, to turn what he calls a special military operation in Ukraine into explicit, all-out war. Targeting Russian generals. The United States has provided real-time intelligence to Ukraine that has allowed them to target and kill many of the Russian generals who have died in the war, according to senior American officials. Ukrainian officials say they have killed approximately 12 Russian generals. Russian oil embargo. The European Union unveiled a plan to halt imports of Russian crude oil in the next six months and refined oil products by the end of the year. If approved as expected, it would be the blocs biggest and costliest step yet toward ending its own dependence on Russian fossil fuels.







With his country at war, Mr. Kavatsiuk set up a training center in western Ukraine for what he calls highly motivated but unskilled Ukrainians. Working with military trainers from the United States and Britain, he helped create crash courses on basic military tactics and battlefield medicine. Classes in combat truck driving and slightly more advanced infantry were later added.
RABAT, Morocco  In talks this week with the top American diplomat, Arab leaders made clear they wanted a concrete sign of the Biden administrations support: the opening of U.S. consulates in both Jerusalem and the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

But Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken studiously avoided any public commitment as to when those diplomatic missions might become a reality, if ever.

The fate of the consulates already promised by the United States  one to serve Palestinians in Jerusalem and the other in Western Sahara  has hung over the Biden administration since its earliest days. Both would require President Biden to decide whether to stick with dramatic foreign policy shifts brought about by the Trump administration, or reverse them and face a diplomatic and political backlash from longtime allies.

Neither were mentioned in the Biden administrations $1 billion spending plan for construction, maintenance and security at embassies and diplomatic compounds around the world in 2023  casting doubt that they would be open before the end of next year. That made Mr. Blinkens silence on the subject all the more notable when it surfaced after meetings in the West Bank city of Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority, and in Rabat, Moroccos capital.
Lulu Group International, which runs one the Middle East's largest hypermarkets chain, is planning an IPO in 2023, Bloomberg has reported citing people familiar with the matter.

Abu Dhabi-based Lulu Group, founded by Indian-born businessman Yusuff Ali, has asked global banks to pitch for roles for potential listings, the report said.

The diversified conglomerate - valued at more than $5 billion in 2020 -- may opt for multiple listings in the Gulf stock exchanges, the report said.

We dont want to comment on market rumours, Bloomberg quoted V Nandakumar, Lulu Groups Director of Communications, as saying.

Besides the Middle East, the company also operates shopping malls in India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Egypt. It has other businesses including hospitality, shipping and real estate.

Last Saturday, the company announced an investment of more than $463 million in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu to build two shopping malls and set up an export-oriented food-processing unit.
Tunisias president dissolved Parliament on Wednesday, after lawmakers voted to block emergency powers he had given himself last year, trying to harden his sole grip on the government and courting what could be the countrys severest political crisis since the 2011 revolution.

Last July, amid mass protests over poverty, corruption and the handling of the pandemic, President Kais Saied suspended Parliament, dismissed his own prime minister and other officials, and granted himself extraordinary powers, in what his critics denounced as a coup.

But on Wednesday, lawmakers held an online meeting, defying Mr. Saieds warning that the session was illegal, and a majority voted against his power grab, which they said violated the countrys Constitution.

Shortly afterward, in a meeting of his National Security Council, the president said the country was facing unusual times.
DHAKA, Bangladesh  A special tribunal in eastern Bangladesh announced on Wednesday that four men had been sentenced to death for the 2015 murder of a blogger and writer who had promoted secularism in the Muslim-majority country.

The victim, Ananta Bijoy Das, 32, a banker by profession who wrote for the platform Free Mind, was among several bloggers and writers fatally attacked that year. He was chased down in the eastern city of Sylhet by four men, who stabbed him to death on a street close to his home and left his body near a pond.

We are happy with the verdict, Somor Bijoy Shee Shakhor, Mr. Dass brother-in-law, told The New York Times. We cannot get Ananta back. The only thing we want is justice.

Just 10 weeks before Mr. Dass death in May 2015, Avijit Roy, a Bangladeshi-American who was the moderator of Free Mind, had also been killed, by machete-wielding assailants as he was leaving a book fair in Dhaka, the capital.
HONG KONG  The president of Britains Supreme Court said Wednesday that he and a colleague were stepping down from their roles on Hong Kongs highest court because the administration of the Chinese territory had departed from values of political freedom and freedom of expression.

Their resignations will heighten scrutiny of Hong Kongs British-style legal system, which the former British colony kept even after it returned to Chinese control in 1997. While the system has long had a reputation of independence, Beijings imposition of a strict national security law on Hong Kong in 2020 has put it under increasing pressure to uphold the governments crackdown on dissent.

Judges from countries including Britain, Australia and New Zealand have served as nonpermanent judges on Hong Kongs Court of Final Appeal alongside the citys chief justice and other local judges. The arrangement was devised to maintain the legal systems contact with the greater common law world even after control of the territory returned to Beijing.

The resignations of the president of Britains Supreme Court, Robert Reed, and Patrick Hodge, the deputy president, will add to questions about the autonomy of Hong Kongs judiciary.
Indias vulnerabilities  including a slowing economy that is struggling to meet the demands of a growing population and an ill-equipped military stretched on two fronts by territorial disputes with China and Pakistan  are such that it needs allies far and wide, even if it means New Delhi has to work with the harsh reality of those allies bitterly opposing each other.

After decades spent trying to delicately navigate the Cold War legacy of a bipolar world, it is facing even more complications, including the rise of an expansionist China on its doorstep.

Our position is not that this is not our problem  our position is that we are for peace, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Indias foreign minister, told the countrys Parliament on the day India again chose to abstain from voting against Russia at the United Nations. Indian foreign policy decisions are made in Indian national interest, and we are guided by our thinking, our views, our interests.

The debate in the Upper House that day was indicative of the difficult waters India is navigating.

There was talk of a Western double game in pressuring India to stop oil purchases from Russia, just about 1 percent of its overall oil imports, while Europe continued buying Russian oil. But there was also questions of what Indias neutral position means for its security. Does India risk angering the United States and other Quad countries partnered in bolstering security against China? What if Russia and China drew closer as a result of the Western sanctions?
The mural was sold on Wednesday afternoon in London for 630,000 pounds including fees, or about $830,000. It was unclear who provided the winning bid. Sothebys said before the bidding started that the mural was most likely worth 500,000 to 800,000. News of the auction was reported earlier by the BBC.

The mural consists of 10 large sheets mounted on canvas and is thought to have been made in the early 19th century. It depicts the Battle of Pollilur in 1780, part of the Anglo-Mysore Wars that took place in southern India around then. It celebrates not only Tipu Sultan, who was about 30 at the time, but also his father, Haidar Ali, then the ruler of Mysore State.

Mysore was among the strongest states to emerge when the Mughal Empire collapsed in the 18th century after dominating the Indian subcontinent for about 200 years.

During the decades that Haidar Ali and later Tipu Sultan ruled Mysore State, reports of their attacks on British trading settlements were carried in British newspapers, embellished by distance as they were carried home by sea, according to a 2016 biography of Tipu Sultan by the historian Kate Brittlebank.

By the time he died at the hands of British troops in 1799, Ms. Brittlebank wrote in her book, Tipu Sultan was possibly the most famous Indian, if not villain, in the United Kingdom. His nickname was the Tiger of Mysore.
New satellite imagery released by U.S.-based space technology company Maxar Technologies shows hundreds of people lining up outside a supermarket in the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol on Tuesday.

The city has been under siege for weeks and is suffering from severe food and water shortages. Experts on siege warfare told the Times that starving a population is a tactic that can break the will of a besieged city.

The supermarket seen in the satellite image sits on the western edge of the city. Recent videos published by Russian state media, and verified by The New York Times, show that Russian forces have already pushed their way into the city center, to the area around Mariupols Drama Theater, which was destroyed on March 16.
In a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, a Pentagon spokesman, John F. Kirby, said that the Defense Department believed that Mr. Putin has not had access to an accurate account of his armys failures in Ukraine.

We would concur with the conclusion that Mr. Putin has not been fully informed by his Ministry of Defense, at every turn over the last month, Mr. Kirby said.

If Mr. Putin is misinformed or uninformed about whats going on inside Ukraine, its his military, its his war, he chose it, Mr. Kirby said. And so the fact that he may not have all the context  that he may not fully understand the degree to which his forces are failing in Ukraine, thats a little discomforting, to be honest with you.

Other American officials have said that Mr. Putins rigid isolation during the pandemic and willingness to publicly rebuke advisers who do not share his views have created a degree of wariness, or even fear, in senior ranks of the Russian military. Officials believe that Mr. Putin has been getting incomplete or overly optimistic reports about the progress of Russian forces, creating mistrust with his military advisers.

Mr. Putin seemed genuinely unaware that the Russian military had been using conscripts in Ukraine, and that drafted soldiers were among those killed in action, according to the U.S. officials. Mr. Putins ignorance showed a clear breakdown in the flow of accurate information to the Russian president, according to a U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the declassified, but still sensitive, material. There is now persistent tension between Mr. Putin and the Defense Ministry, the official said.
The four members of a French family who were found dead at the bottom of an apartment building in a Swiss resort town last week appear to have jumped off a balcony, one after the other, as part of a group suicide, the Swiss police said.

The police said on Tuesday that their investigation suggests that the four people  a 40-year-old man, his 41-year-old wife, her twin sister, and the couples 8-year-old daughter  plunged to their deaths in Montreux in western Switzerland in succession.

A fifth person, the couples 15-year-old son, also apparently jumped from the seventh-floor balcony but survived, and he is in a coma, said the police in the canton of Vaud, where Montreux is situated.

The police said they had ruled out the presence of other people in the apartment at the time that the family members apparently leapt, and offered additional evidence to support their theory.
But perhaps most important is Mr. Putins role as a lodestar for nations that, no matter what their past crimes, see themselves as sufferers, not aggressors, and whose politics and psyche revolve around cults of victimhood nurtured by resentment and grievance against the West.

Aurelija Djan, a Belgrade-based psychotherapist, said she had been shocked by the lack of empathy among many Serbs for the suffering of Ukrainians but realized that many still bore the scars of past trauma that obliterated all feeling for the pain of others.

Individuals who suffer traumas that they have never dealt with cannot feel empathy, she said. Societies, like trauma-scarred individuals, she added, just repeat the same stories of their own suffering over and over again, a broken record that deletes all responsibility for what they have done to others.

A sense of victimhood runs deep in Serbia, viewing crimes committed by ethnic kin during the Balkan wars of the 1990s as a defensive response to suffering visited on Serbs, just as Mr. Putin presents his bloody invasion of Ukraine as a righteous effort to protect persecuted ethnic Russians who belong in Russky mir, or the Russian world.

Putins Russian world is an exact copy of what our nationalists call Greater Serbia, said Bosko Jaksic, a pro-Western newspaper columnist. Both, he added, feed on partly remembered histories of past injustice and erased memories of their own sins.
Its frustrating, because they were so close to actually capping the wells, said Susan Holliday, who lives a few hundred meters from the site in Lancashire, in northwestern England. She has opposed fracking for eight years and had thought that victory was within her grasp.

If it had been a month earlier, it would have been too late, they would have done it, she said.

Yet following the Russian invasion of Ukraine Europe is scrambling for new energy supplies as it tries to wean itself off imports from Russia, and Germany on Wednesday took the first step toward an emergency plan that could eventually lead to gas rationing.

In Britain around 30 lawmakers from Prime Minister Boris Johnsons governing Conservative Party have appealed to him to end a moratorium on fracking, and the business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng recently conceded that, at this moment, it didnt necessarily make any sense to concrete over the wells.

Enthusiasts who go further include Andy Mayer, energy analyst at the Institute of Economic Affairs, a free-market think tank, who argues that capping these wells now is like dynamiting a gold mine in a gold rush.
National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) held its quarterly Investors Meeting, highlighting the groups accomplishments and achievements for the full year 2021.

The bank is committed to leading initiatives that create opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive, and support sustainable progress within the Kingdom for a more prosperous future, a statement said.

The meeting discussed the group's financial results as well as the banks ESG accomplishments, showcasing its performance and initiatives undertaken throughout the same time period.

Jean-Christophe Durand, Chief Executive Officer; Russell Bennett, Group Chief Financial Officer, and Abdulrahim Abdulhameed, Group Senior Associate & Sustainability Officer represented the NBB Group as speakers, while Hisham Abu Alfateh, Head of Corporate Communications at NBB, acted as moderator of the meeting.

The meeting was concluded with a Q&A session by representatives of the NBB Group including Yaser Alsharifi, Group Chief Strategy Officer; Dana Buheji, Group Chief Human Resources & Sustainability Officer; Isa Maseeh, Group Chief Risk Officer; Hisham Al Kurdi, Group Chief Executive  Corporate & Institutional Investment Banking and Fatima Al Kooheji, Group Financial Controller.

The Investors Meeting is aligned with the banks commitment to promote transparency across all channels, demonstrating NBBs dedication towards maintaining its standing as a responsible banking group.  TradeArabia News Service
BNEI BRAK, Israel  At five minutes to eight on Tuesday evening, an Israeli teacher was on an evening stroll, pushing his baby son in a carriage. Up the street, a businessman was in his car, running a brief errand. Around the corner, two Ukrainian construction workers were chatting outside a popular convenience store. And a few blocks over, an Arab Israeli policeman was riding his motorcycle, keeping an eye out for trouble.

Minutes later, all five men were all dead  shot and killed by a Palestinian gunman in the single deadliest terrorist attack in Israel in eight years. In life, their diverse backgrounds highlighted the breadth and complexity of Israeli society. In death, their shared fates stripped away that nuance, turning them all into victims of the same endless conflict.

Amir Khoury, the 32-year-old police sergeant, was an Arab Christian who was about to buy a house with his Jewish fiancee.

What a loss, Ghazi Awwad, a lawyer who was close to Sergeant Khoury in college, said Wednesday. Not all Arabs are good, and not all Jews are good, Mr. Awwad added. But Amir was a bridge between Arabs and Jews.
SANA, Yemen  The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi rebels in Yemen began a unilateral cease-fire on Wednesday, saying it hoped to pave the way toward ending a seven-year war that has shaken the security of the Persian Gulf and caused one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises.

The coalition cease-fire will overlap, at least through Wednesday, with a separate cease-fire declared by the Houthis over the weekend. That cease-fire was supposed to end Wednesday evening if the coalition did not meet the Houthis demands, which included lifting the blockade on their territory and releasing all of their prisoners.

The coalition is unlikely to agree immediately to all the demands, but diplomats involved in the process expressed hope that progress toward a broader truce could be made before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is expected to begin on Saturday.

Its one step, hopefully in the right direction, said Afrah Nasser, a Yemen researcher for Human Rights Watch. But its still not enough and the scale of the tragedy in Yemen deserves more and more effort.


Illinois Needs Outreach for Mental Health Parity Law Mon., Apr. 25, 2022 The Illinois Dept. of Insurance has issued an RFP to educate residents about their rights under the states mental health parity law. It has budgeted $1.2M for a
Renewed advice has been issued to people in the Midlands as hospitals in the region experience "huge stress" as a reuslt of rising Covid cases.

Almost 12,000 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed on Tuesday with over 1,600 people in hospital with the virus, 54 in ICU. Over half of cases in hospital are there for reasons other than Covid but the extra strain and Covid-enforced staff absences are putting strain on the health service.

The HSE is urging people to continue to adhere to the public health advice as the rise in cases is placing huge stress on our healthcare services.

Des OFlynn, Chief Officer of Midlands Louth Meath Community Healthcare Organisation said: The current rise in cases of Covid-19 reinforces the need for all of us to continue to adhere to the public health advice. Everyone who has symptoms of Covid-19 should self-isolate until 48 hours after symptoms have substantially or fully resolved.

"I would also advise people to continue to manage risk for themselves and others who are more vulnerable, around them. You can do this by being fully vaccinated, wearing masks, physical distancing and avoiding crowds as well as maintaining basic hand and respiratory hygiene. I would urge anyone due a Covid-19 vaccine to come forward for vaccination.

Dr Una Fallon, Director of Public Health Midlands says that the virus is still circulating and its important that every person in the Midlands benefits from the protection that vaccination provides.

Explaining the importance of seeking a booster as soon as possible, Dr Fallon said: Because of the uptake in vaccines, were seeing a large degree of protection, a reduction in conversion of those high numbers of cases to those who become severely ill, as measured by hospitalisation or intensive care. Getting a booster brings your protection from serious illness and hospitalisation back up to 90% after two weeks.

"However, because of high levels of transmission in the community, Covid-19 is continuing to have an impact on services, as we continue to manage and care for patients with Covid-19 across all healthcare settings  hospitals, primary and community care, nursing homes, day centres etc," a statement from the Midlands hospital group continued.

Dr Fallon added: Along with that, we have very significant numbers of HSE staff out with COVID  including doctors, nurses, therapy staff and healthcare assistants  and that is impacting on care. A collective national response and the proven effectiveness of vaccines in protection against illness and saving lives has allowed the lifting of nearly all restrictions. With opening up of society in recent weeks, collectively we can turn the tide again by doing the basics - please wear your mask appropriately, practice hand hygiene and come forward for your booster or primary vaccine and isolate if symptomatic.

The National Transport Authority and Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation have been among the bodies calling for a return to a mask mandate in public transport and health settings. Others have called for a return to mandatory masks in retail.
Fur Farming is set to be banned in Ireland following the passing of The Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021, in the Seanad last night.

Minister of State, Senator Pippa Hackett, from Geashill, Co Offaly, welcomed the passage of the Bill.

She said: I am pleased to see this progressive and historic development come to pass. This Bill has the support of Veterinary Ireland, Animal Welfare Groups and the vast majority of the public and it is something the Green Party has long advocated for.

The Bill received an immense amount of cross party support as it passed through all stages in the Seanad. I would particularly like to thank my Green Party colleagues for their support, especially Senators Pauline OReilly and Roisin Garvey, the Minister said.

The ban is a vital step in the protection of animal welfare and puts Ireland in line with similar legislation being implemented across Europe.

There are currently three active farms in the State that breed and rear mink for the purposes of pelting for the fur industry, which will be closed under the new plan. The Bill includes a compensation scheme for mink farmers and their workers.

The Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021, will be signed into law by President Michael D. Higgins in the coming weeks
The latest weather forecast for this weekend for Ireland from Met Eireann tells us it will be rather cold and showery.

According to Met Eireann, the weather is set to be cold and frosty tonight with mostly clear skies. There will be a few wintry showers of rain, hail or sleet, with snow possible on high ground. Showers will chiefly affect some northern and eastern coastal areas. Lowest temperatures of -3 to zero degrees in moderate northeast breezes.

Thursday will have a cold, bright and frosty start. There will be good spells of spring sunshine during the day but it will feel noticeably chilly in a brisk northeasterly breeze. Scattered showers of rain, hail and sleet are expected, mainly affecting eastern coastal counties with a possibility of some snow on high ground. Highest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees, coldest in the north, in a fresh northeast wind. Thursday night should have a few showers in coastal areas of the north and east on Thursday night, but most of the country will be dry and clear. A widespread frost is expected with temperatures falling back to between -4 to 0 degrees in light northerly breezes.

According to Met Eireann, Friday's weather should get the weekend off to a cold and frosty start, Friday looks set to be a mostly dry day with just a few localised showers. There will be a mix of cloud and sunshine, with the best of the sunshine expected in the east and south of the country. Top temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees in moderate northerly winds. On Friday night there will be some frost forming early on, but cloud is expected to thicken from the north with showery rain developing in north Connacht and Ulster later. Lowest temperatures of 0 to +4 degrees, coldest in the south of the country in moderate northwest winds.

Met Eireann predicts Ireland's weather for Saturday should start rather cloudy. Saturday will have widespread showers, some prolonged. There will be some sunny spells also, especially across Ulster in the afternoon and evening. Maximum temperatures 8 to 11 in moderate northwest breezes. Showers look set to become isolated on Saturday night with most of the country becoming dry and clear. A frost will form in places with lowest temperatures of -1 to +3 degrees. Outbreaks of rain will develop across the west and north of the country towards dawn on Sunday.

Met Eireann's most recent forecast tells us Sunday will have outbreaks of rain are expected to affect the country for a time on Sunday before clearing away to the south with drier and brighter weather developing for the afternoon and evening. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees.
The number of people waiting on the social housing list in Offaly has halved since 2016, according to new figures, despite councillors in the county claiming the situation is disimproving.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh OBrien, has welcomed the figures published in the 2021 Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA).

They show a substantial reduction of 55% in the Offaly social housing waiting list since the first annual assessment was conducted in 2016.

The 2021 Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA) shows 472 households in Offaly were assessed as being qualified for, and in need of, social housing support as of November 17, 2021. This figure is down 15 (3%) from 487 households recorded on November 2, 2020. This figure also represents a total decrease of 570 (55%) households since 2016 when annual recording of the SSHA began.

Despite this apparent reduction in the waiting list, several councillors told a recent meeting of Offaly County Council that they are far from happy with the situation and something focused and determined needs to be done to tackle the problem. They claim the situation is actually getting worse.

Director of Services Sharon Kennedy told the meeting that the housing section in the Council is a very busy section. It has been a very difficult couple of years. We have a big plan of work in front of us.

There is a significant housing waiting list and a significant list of people seeking grants and housing loans.

We also hope to reactivate estate management committees to try and instil in some people a pride in their estates.

There is good news in the fact the social housing disabled grant has increased from 120,000 to 958,000.

As of January 31 this year 492 applicants in Offaly are on the social housing list; 791 are on Housing Assistance Payments; 314 are on RAS; and 67 are on mortgage to rent.

Seven families are suffering from homelessness in the county; and 16 single people are without a home.

The newly released Department of Housing data states that, nationally, 59,247 households were assessed as being qualified for social housing support as of November 17, 2021, down 2,633 (4.3%) from 61,880 households on November 2, 2020. This figure is a reduction of 32,353 (35.3%) since 2016.

The Minister also published the social housing statistics for Quarter 4 2021. Nationally, a total of 4,010 social homes were delivered in Quarter 4, including 2,053 new build social homes, 810 acquisitions and 1,147 homes delivered through leasing programmes.

Overall in 2021, a total of 9,183 new social homes were delivered, an increase of 17% on 2020 figures. This total includes 5,202 new build homes (an increase of 2.6% on 2020), 1,270 acquisitions and 2,711 homes delivered through leasing programmes.

The Minister welcomed the publication of the data, noting that for a fifth consecutive year the overall number of households on local authority waiting lists continued to decrease. He also welcomed the fact that 9,183 social housing solutions were found for people despite the significant impact which the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent construction sector shutdowns had on efforts.

Commenting on todays figures, Minister OBrien said: These results are evidence that Government investment in social housing supports is working for Offaly. Nationally, over 23,300 households had their housing needs met in 2021  this is despite the very significant impact the Covid-19 pandemic had on delivery. Its important to remember that most residential construction was halted for a 13-week period from January to April.

We must not, and will not, lose sight of the fact that there are still just over 470 households in Offaly who are relying on us for the provision of housing support. Housing for All, which was launched six months ago, sets us on a pathway to delivering 90,000 new social homes between now and the end of 2030. This year we will be investing more than 4bn to deliver 11,820 new social homes in 2022, including 9,000 new build social homes.

As with all Departments, we are watching the situation in Ukraine closely. The Russian invasion is having significant impacts on all sectors of society and our goal is to provide shelter and accommodation for those fleeing war while protecting to the greatest extent possible, Housing for All delivery at its existing pace.

The strong pipeline of home building activity is encouraging. New figures show that in the past twelve months (March 2021 to February 2022), Commencement Notices for the construction of 33,006 new homes were received. This is the highest rolling 12-month total since comparable data was first published. Specifically related to social housing, the Construction Status Report for Quarter 4 2021, showed that there were 8,749 social homes onsite at the end of December, with a further 10,455 homes at various stages of design and procurement. Supporting local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies to increase housing construction is a priority for my Department.
IT was such a beautiful Sunday. Everyone seemed to be in good form, out walking in the brilliant sunshine, many of them young families marking Mothers Day. Long, long queues outside an ice cream van, children running freely hither and thither, and their dogs. All seemed so well with the world, which of course it isnt. It probably never is.

We should value the good fortune that we live in a decent, peaceful country. Yes, we have our irritants, everywhere has, but what we have witnessed on our TV screens these past weeks from Ukraine helps put those same irritants in some perspective.

This past month has been a horror show for the people of Ukraine but it has changed matters fundamentally for the rest of us in the western world too. It has introduced a new seriousness into public affairs, which is welcome. Maybe, as a result, here in Ireland we will treat elections to the European Parliament in future with greater importance. We may stop using such elections as an opportunity to cast a protest vote which can result in us sending clowns to represent us there.

One very positive result of Russias invasion of Ukraine is that it has united the EU and NATO in a way few of us have seen before. Clearly this was not anticipated either by Vladimir Putin, any more than he expected to meet such stern resistance from the people of Ukraine or its heroic President Zelenskiy.

But this war has effected an even deeper shift in the western mind. There was a growing view that greater trade between nations, including those ruled by dictators, was in itself a way of helping good relations between peoples and countries. It is why so many EU countries, such as Germany and Italy, as well as those further east, came to be so dependent on Russian gas and oil. They believed Putin was someone you could do business with. Indeed, but who ever suspected that by so doing you would end up funding his wars, such as his invasion of Ukraine.

It is why those countries are now so desperately trying to wean themselves from Russian fuels. This must continue even if there is some sort deal bringing to an end to the present travesty in Ukraine. The economic sanctions imposed against Russia must remain in place regardless. That is deserved but should also be a lesson to other dictators who might contemplate brutally invading a peaceful neighbour.

But there remains a troubling question. Putin has been making nuclear noises, a threat to intimidate the West from escalating the war in Ukraine. In August 2012 US President Barack Obama was asked what could lead him to use military force in Syria. We have been very clear to the Assad regime, he said, that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized. That would change my calculus.

Well Assad did use chemical weapons on his people in Syria and the West, including Obama, did nothing. The West will have to bite the bullet in such matters when dealing with dictators who threaten to use their nuclear/chemical weapons, otherwise nowhere is safe. The West will have to face down such threats and not be intimidated by them as is the intention of the dictator. It is what bullies do to get their way and will continue doing until faced down.

Let us hope we never live to see such a showdown because, there can be little doubt, many of us would probably not survive it. What was it Einstein said  that World War IV would be fought with sticks.

Meantime we must support the people of Ukraine in every way we can. It is shocking to realise that more than 10 million people there  a quarter of the population - have been displaced since the end of February, with over 3.5 million now refugees in other countries.

It is likely that every one of us will meet some of these Ukrainian refugees in coming weeks as they arrive in communities all over Ireland. People like Tetiana Komarova and her daughter Yana (6) who spoke to The Irish Times last weekend as they made their way to Tullamore where a family has offered to take them in.

Tetiana is from Kyiv. I did not want to leave Kyiv. All of my life was there. My husband worked in IT. I was the editor-in-chief of a magazine. Yana was in school. We had a one bedroom flat in Irpin where my husbands mother lived. She died two weeks before the war. Now, we dont even know if the house exists, she said.

This is all I have now, she added as she gestured towards her silver suitcase and the clothes she wears.

They spent 14 hours crossing the border to Poland, and Yana cried all the way on the bus [because] she understood she was leaving her father behind. It was very hard for her Were trying to have a call every day. Im trying to be in a good mood for her. I cry in the morning and at night when she doesnt see me. Thats just the experience of one small family sundered by this war.

Now in Tullamore, Tetiana left her country for Warsaw from where she flew to Ireland. Poland has taken in more Ukrainians than any surrounding country; it is estimated that of more than 3.5 million people who have fled the war, about 2 million have gone to Poland. Warsaw itself has seen its population increase by almost 20 per cent.

Back in Ukraine the Russians shifted gear at the weekend announcing, as their invasion entered its second month with no major city captured, that its focus would now be on taking the eastern Donbas region controlled by Russian-backed separatists since 2014.

Local Donbas officials said at the weekend that they could soon hold a referendum to join Russia, copying what happened in Crimea after Russian invaded there in 2014. In a vote not recognised by most countries, a majority of the electorate decided to join Russia. It seems likely now that Russia will concentrate its attentions on annexing the eastern Ukraine provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk.

This is a recipe for a long war of attrition as the people of Ukraine are intent on not conceding an inch of their country to Russia. No doubt, in this, they will be strongly supported by the West, militarily and financially.

As a prelude to a resumption of talks between negotiating teams from Ukraine and Russia in Turkey this week, President Zelenskiy mooted the idea of a referendum on neutrality. Currently a provision in the Ukraine constitution spells out its intention to join NATO. He has indicated this could be dropped by referendum as part of a peace deal with Russia.

But it is hard to see either him or his people agree to Russian annexation of Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk, particularly after the slaughter of the past month. That has created a new, much stronger sense of Ukrainian identity than existed before February 24. It is even said to now include very many among Russian-speaking Ukrainians who previously would have looked favourably on Moscow.
Al Salam Bank recently opened the first paperless branch in Bahrain, which provides automated banking services to clients.

The opening ceremony was held in the presence of the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) representative, Khalid Al Hamad, Executive Director of Banking Supervision in addition to the Banks Board of Directors and Executive Management.

The opening of the new branch comes as part of Al Salam Banks digital transformation strategy to support environmental sustainability. All banking transactions at the Hamala branch will be fully automated and paperless, in line with the latest Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policies being set into motion at a global level. This initiative will also be implemented at other branches of Al Salam Bank in the near future.

Clientele needs

To meet the elevated needs of the banks clientele, the new branch boasts an experienced team of professionals dedicated to serving clients, in addition to advanced electronic equipment and automated banking services, a self-service platform, instant deposit machines, and ATMs.

Ultimately, the new branch provides Al Salam Banks clients with an enriched, seamless banking experience, facilitating daily transactions with faster service and turnaround time. This also marks the opening of the fourth Al Ruwad Banking Business Centre, which offers services to affluent clients and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs); offering an exclusive banking experience and curated solutions, alongside distinctive benefits to support their long-term financial success.

The opening of the paperless and fully automated branch falls under the banks guiding principle Enchant Our Clients, which tells how the banks employees are driven by a shared passion to form deep relationships with clients, going over and above to deliver an enriching experience by simplifying and humanising their journey, curating tailored solutions to help them meet their financial goals efficiently and seamlessly. Moreover, the opening comes in line with the banks guiding principle Be Digitally Native, which reiterates the banks ethos of smart, efficient banking, and adopting a digital-first mindset to provide clients with a personalised experience characterised by convenience, simplicity and efficiency.

Seamless experience

On the occasion, Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Al Salam Bank, Rafik Nayed, commented: The branch provides a seamless experience powered by automated processes, which facilitates and expedites our valued clients banking transactions. In line with the latest ESG practices being adopted on a global scale, this step comes as a result of our success in maintaining the strength of our operations, all while consistently expanding and developing the Banks existing network of branches across strategic locations across the kingdom. We strive to provide premium Islamic banking services and solutions, and ensuring our services are easily accessible.

The banks Deputy CEO of Banking, Anwar Murad, added: The branch will provide customers with Sharia-compliant banking services and products for individuals, affluent clients and SMEs, enabling them to conduct paperless transactions with ease. At Al Salam Bank, we are committed to elevating our network of branches, as part of our digital transformation roadmap, which includes the launch of the virtual branch and banking services through WhatsApp, a chatbot on the website, in addition to the launch of Al Salam Banks mobile application. Through these endeavours, we look forward to facilitating clients access to our services, either by visiting our branches or by using our digital services.

Alongside a comprehensive suite of Sharia-compliant banking products and services provided through its network of 10 branches and 27 ATMs, Al Salam Banks Hamala branch will enable the Bank to continue to serve retail banking, affluent banking and SME clients segments alike in a strategic location within a vital and up-and-coming area in Bahrain.

Al Salam Banks Hamala branch is open five days a week from Sunday to Thursday. The banks clients also have the luxury of accessing the self-service platform, ATMs and instant deposit 24/7, seven days a week.-- TradeArabia News Service
Are you a current print subscriber? You qualify for online access to the Omak Chronicle. To receive your access, create a website account and then verify your print subscription or e-edition subscription with your subscriber number, which may be found on your bill or mailing label.
James Eugene Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a recurring role in the American sketch comedy television series In Living Color (19901994). He broke out as star in motion pictures with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask and Dumb and Dumber. This was followed up with Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, Batman Forever and Liar Liar (1997).
The proposed project involving a member of the Quad alliance would undermine the sanctions imposed against Vladimir Putin over his February invasion of neighbour Ukraine.
Russian and Ukrainian negotiators have concluded a round of peace talks, with both sides expressing cautious optimism. Russia says it will reduce some military activity "to increase mutual trust."
[DW] As Ukraine is battered by war, Africans studying in Ukraine are desperately trying to leave the country. Some say..

allAfrica.com 01 Mar 2022
stc Bahrain, an operating company part of stc Group, a world-class digital enabler, today (March 30) announced a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications for the launch a first-of-its-kind technology park in the region.

The company will be leasing 55,000 sq m of land from the government in Al Qurain area for the project that will host ground-breaking technologies.

The project comes in line with stc Group strategic objectives to build a Mena digital hub and invest in breakthrough technologies as a global telecommunications and ICT player, said the statement from stc Bahrain.

stc Bahrain has been instrumental in driving transformation within Bahrain  a population that is tech-savvy with an advanced digital infrastructure.

In addition to diversifying the economy, the project will focus on uplifting local talent within the tech field. Furthermore, it will offer benefits to local citizens through the localised storage of data that will be closer to end users, it added.

The project, to be implemented in phases, will see the stc Bahrain setting funds for the landmark project in the next phase in addition to picking up its strategic partners for the project.

Unveiling the mega plan, Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, said the new state-of-the art technology park was a major initiative by the kingdom aimed at achieving the objectives of the Fifth National Telecommunications Plan and also the recently launched ICT and Digital Economy Strategy.

"This will further help boost the kingdom's ICT sector in line with various initiatives put forth to achieve the comprehensive development goals, led by HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and in establishing a world-class digital infrastructure," stated the minister.

The project will also be one of the first initiatives in energy efficiency, driving local innovation towards the use of renewable energy. On completion, it will boost Bahrains position as an economic and Info-comm hub.

The new technology park will push new boundaries in the digital field and contribute to Bahrains digital economy in line with Bahrains Economic Vision 2030, he added.

Engineer Mohammed Alhakbani, stc Bahrain Board Chairman, while thanking the Bahrain government for its trust in the company, said: "We will deliver one of the most impactful technology parks that will enable building a data Mena hub as part of stc Group strategy dare2.0."

"stc Bahrain is hoping to continue the strategic partnership to develop more tech projects in the future that will empower the digital economy," he noted.

Engineer Nezar Banabeela, the CEO of stc Bahrain, said: "We are very excited to be at the forefront of one of the most important technology projects within Bahrain. The new technology park will provide the foundation for the digitisation of sectors across Bahrain, nurture local talent, and host the growing demand for data."

"As digital enablers, we are proud to be one of the key players leading the path of Bahrains journey to digital transformation and empowering the tech ecosystem," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Moscow says it will "drastically reduce" operations around the capital, Kyiv, as well as Chernihiv.
 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd.

All rights reserved.

One News is a registered trademark

of One News Page Ltd.
State lawmakers are weighing whether to fast-track a move to allow three new casinos in the New York City area, as part of this years budget negotiations.
Poland says it is putting in place Europe's most radical plan to cut dependence on Russian energy sources. Germany, meanwhile, is preparing for Russian gas to be cut suddenly.
Last week, Biden said only India among the Quad group of countries was "somewhat shaky" in acting against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
India has logged 1,233 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours, Union health ministry informed on Wednesday. With this, the active infections have dropped below 15,000. The active caseload of Covid in India now stands at 14,704, contributing to 0.03 per cent of cumulative positive cases.
United States President Joe Biden has made history after signing the first bill that marks lynching as a federal hate crime that is punishable with up to 30 years in prison. The legislation's signing marks more than a century of efforts by lawmakers to get the measure to pass.
The Deputy Prime Minister says he is disappointed despite hundreds of millions of dollars invested Team New Zealand chose Barcelona over Auckland for its defence, and that it's clear "commercial imperatives rule the day". And the...
9to5Mac 29 Mar 2022

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apples Podcasts app,..
U.S. President Joe Biden signed a bill into law on Tuesday to make lynching a federal hate crime  more than 100 years after such legislation was first proposed.
Omans Khazaen Economic City, a world-class integrated city being developed in Barka, has signed two agreements with Jana International Company to the tune of RO2 million ($5.17 million).



The first agreement related to establishing a factory to produce consumable and commercial plastic packaging materials, while the second agreement pertained to setting up warehouses, reported Oman News Agency (ONA).



The agreements cover the first phase which will be built on an area of 50,000 sq m.



The agreements were signed by Salim Sulaiman Al Thuhli, CEO of Khazaen and Mohammed Hassan, General Manager of Jana International Company.



Al Thuhli said that the inked agreements come within the framework of Khazaens constant efforts in attracting foreign investments. These projects in particular, he added, will contribute to supporting supply chains in the region and increasing In-country Value (ICV) by using raw materials produced through converting industries in Oman.
Former President Donald Trump presses Vladimir Putin to release any information that would put dirt on Hunter Biden over ties with Russian oligarchs.
A total of 21 states, led by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, file a lawsuit against the Biden administration over the federal mask mandate on public transportation that infringes the locals' freedom.
Newsy 30 Mar 2022

Watch VideoRussian forces bombarded areas around Kyiv and another city just hours after pledging to scale back operations in those..
Watch VideoAs departing jetliners roared overhead, an aging vervet monkey moped on a mangrove branch one recent afternoon in the woods he inhabits near a South Florida airport, his ego bruised.



Mikey, as he is called by his human observers, has long been the laid-back alpha male of a troop of monkeys ruling this tract of land,...
The announcement comes a day after Russia said its military is shifting forces away from Ukraine's capital and is the latest hint that Kyiv might be heading toward some stability.
Gaming Industry Shatters Expectations: Hauls in Over 250,000 for Displaced Ukrainians

Published March 30, 2022 by Brett C

An unprecedented outpouring of support for the people of Ukraine has generated over 250,000, courtesy of a charity appeal by the gambling industry. In addition, the initiative has garnered massive support from a global audience, with the funds still rolling in.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has left millions of people displaced, homeless, jobless, and in dire need of necessities. Many have suffered critical injuries, and scores have died. The humanitarian crisis has reached epidemic levels, and it's growing worse by the day. So the gambling industry decided to take a stand at the onset of the conflagration between Russia and Ukraine. They set an ambitious target of 250,000, and it has already been met.

Organizers of the charitable drive are urging stakeholders at all levels, including players, operators, and laypeople, to pitch in and help out. The outpouring of support from corporate donors and individual donors has been remarkable, and the gaming industry has stepped up to the plate in a big way. The GoFundMe campaign is up and running through April 2022. Now, more people have an opportunity to donate and show their support to the beleaguered people of Ukraine. The GoFundMe campaign is known as  Gaming Industry for Ukraine Initiative.

This charitable campaign funds 'Choose Love'  the de facto charity for assisting Ukrainians affected by the war. 'Choose Love' can ensure that all funds reach their targets, such as NGOs operating in Ukraine and other countries accepting Ukrainian refugees. All charity is geared solely towards humanitarian efforts.

Big Donations from Key Industry Players



Several leading operators have pitched in with huge donations for 'Choose Love', including:

Betsson - 50,000

Spribe

OU

Oryx Gaming

Games Global

Microgaming

Funfair Games

Fast Track

FSB

Vixio

Enteractive

OLBG

SBC

Clarion

Just for the Win

Better Collective

Besides big business, the Gaming Industry for Ukraine Initiative has stressed the significance of individual donations. Many people have handsomely donated 'four or five-figure sums of money, some anonymously.' Donors will have the option to continue to view updates from 'Choose Love' via LinkedIn updates and various social media channels in the coming weeks.

Rasmus Sojmark, the CEO and Founder of SBC, said, 'When we started this fundraising effort, I'm not sure we believed we would hit the target of 250,000. But the kindness and compassion of the gaming industry meant we surpassed that amount in just two weeks. Now we are kicking on and hoping to raise even more to help Choose Love's humanitarian efforts for the people of Ukraine.'

Shona O'Donnell, the co-organizer and Head of Strategic Events at Better Collective, said, 'I've always been proud to be a member of the gaming community and never more so after seeing how they have got behind this campaign to send aid to Ukraine. It's been overwhelming to see the support from all sectors of the industry, both at a personal and company level.'

Some 23 organizations in Ukraine are benefitting aid from 'Choose Love'. Since its inception, 'Choose Love' has earmarked $1.4M for humanitarian companies. The donations also include the funds raised from the Gaming Industry for Ukraine Initiative.

To date, the following major donations have been made:
Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) has agreed to acquire Chicago-based managed account provider NextCapital Group as it expands its asset-management services.

The parent company Goldman Sachs (GS) Group, the American multinational investment bank, and financial services said in a release that the deal, the terms of which were not disclosed, will be completed in the second half of this year.

The acquisition ranks among the top five asset management deals New York-based Goldman has done, according to the Financial Times, which first reported the move.

NextCapital's platform will allow Goldman Sachs Asset Management to augment its advisory services in the defined-contribution retirement plans through personalized managed accounts and digital advice, said the release.

NextCapital partners with financial institutions to provide planning services for workplace retirement plans and individual retirement accounts. It currently has about $220 billion in assets under supervision, according to a press release.

David Solomon, chairman, and CEO of GS, said in the news release that the deal will expand the firm's services to the defined contribution retirement market through the personalized managed accounts and digital advice that NextCapital provides.

"This acquisition furthers our strategic objective of building compelling client solutions in asset management and accelerating our investment in technology to serve the growing defi......................

To view our full article Click here
Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

Consumer-focused private equity firm Yellow Wood Partners has struck its $750m hard cap for the final close of its third fund Yellow Wood Capital Partners III.

The new fund was oversubscribed and included capital commitments from many of Yellow Wood's long-time limited partners as well as the addition of a small number of new investors comprised of university endowments, family offices, and other institutional investors, said a press release from the Boston-based private investment firm.

According to the release, commitments to Fund III came from a small group of large, sophisticated university endowments, foundations, private pension funds, financial institutions, and family offices. The Yellow Wood team is comprised of 14 investment professionals and seven operating partners.

Yellow Wood Fund III continues its strategy of partnering with management teams to grow and operate brands by applying its Consumer Operating DNA to transform brands and companies into category leaders within the consumer space.

Dana Schmaltz, Partner at Yellow Wood, said, "Our investment focus remains the same as it has been for more than a decade as we seek to find and work with brands to help them grow. As we have done and continue to do with our existing portfolio of brands, this successful fundraise allows us to continue our pursuit of building a limited number of platforms where we can apply our intense operating focus in close collaboration with ent......................

To view our full article Click here
Opalesque Industry Update - Joseph Rotondo, Senior Portfolio Manager for Invesco's Global Senior Loan group, will be joining MidOcean Partners, as Senior Portfolio Manager for MidOcean Credit's Collateralized Loan Obligation ("CLO") business. MidOcean is a New York-based alternative asset manager specializing in alternative credit investments and middle-market private equity. As Senior Portfolio Manager, Mr. Rotondo will be responsible for portfolio management of the firm's existing CLOs as well as new transactions MidOcean expects to issue as it continues to build out its CLO platform. He will also serve as a member of the firm's Investment Committee. Based in New York, Mr. Rotondo will report to Dana Carey, Chief Investment Officer of MidOcean Credit. "Over the last 20+ years, Joe has proven himself as a credit industry expert with significant experience successfully managing CLOs and a strong understanding of the leveraged finance markets," said Mr. Carey. "We are pleased to welcome an executive of his caliber to MidOcean and are confident that he is not only an ideal leader for our CLO business, but also a strong cultural fit with our firm. As we continue to develop our CLO platform to drive significant value for our investors and partners, we look forward to leveraging Joe's commitment to active CLO management across credit cycles." Mr. Rotondo brings over two decades of experience across credit origination, structuring and CLO portfolio management to MidOcean. During his tenure at Invesco, Mr. Rotondo managed over $7 billion of CLOs, and also served as a member of the firm's Investment Committee. He joined Invesco in 1998 and was promoted to portfolio manager in 2000. He previously worked in IBJ Schroder's corporate finance group where he originated and structured senior credit facilities, and earlier served as a member of Chase's corporate lending group, originating and underwriting traditional and leveraged senior facilities for middle market businesses. Mr. Rotondo earned a BA in economics from Rutgers College and a MSc in international accounting and finance from the London School of Economics. The addition of Mr. Rotondo follows positive momentum for MidOcean Credit specifically and the firm more broadly. Earlier this year, the firm appointed former Goldman Sachs executive Jamil Nathoo as a Managing Director focused on expanding MidOcean's institutional relationships and CLO platform, and in late 2021 the firm received a strategic, minority investment from Hunter Point Capital, an investment firm founded by Bennett Goodman and Avi Kalichstein.

About MidOcean Partners

MidOcean Partners is a premier New York-based alternative asset manager specializing in middle-market private equity and alternative credit investments. Since its inception in 2003, MidOcean Private Equity has targeted investments in high-quality middle-market companies in the consumer and business services sectors. MidOcean Credit Partners was launched in 2009 and manages a series of alternative credit strategies, collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), and customized separately managed accounts. Press release

Bg Article source - Opalesque is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
Qatar is reviewing its investments in Russia under the current situation and it is not thinking about increasing that these days, says Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.

Our investment decisions are based on commercial assessment, until we see a better atmosphere and more political stability we are not thinking about increasing that these days, he says in an interview with CNNs Becky Anderson.

Sheikh Mohammed was discussing the war in Ukraine, Qatars investments in Russia and his countrys mediation role in Russia, Ukraine, and Iran.

Against any act of aggression

Qatars stand has been very, very clear, we are against any act of aggression or threatening of use of power or the use of power against the sovereign country or you know, trying to undermine the territorial integrity of any country, he says.

Discussing the war in Ukraine, he says: There is a deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, which is unprecedented. So, I think that should be the priority. We should focus on having a ceasefire, humanitarian corridors, bringing the humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

When asked about Qatars mediation role in Russia and Ukraine, Sheikh Mohammed says Qatar will offer its help and support to both countries: In order to find a common ground and to help to put an end for this humanitarian catastrophe, and we will never give up on our efforts.

Mediation in Iran

Regarding Qatars mediation role in Iran, Al-Thani says: We want to see an end for this JCPOA negotiation by bringing all the parties back to the JCPOA commitment.

Sheikh Mohammed also expresses his views on the economic sanctions in Iran, on the IRGC, and on the Talibans decision to not permit girls over grade six from attending school.

On Qatars priority of helping the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, he says: But our interest now and the priority is really to create some safe environment for the people for the civilians over there. There is a deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, which is unprecedented. So I think that should be the priority. We should focus on having a ceasefire, humanitarian corridors, bringing the humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

Withdrawal from Russia

On whether Qatar is prepared to withdraw from Russia, he says: Well, actually right now, with the current situation, we are not thinking about any new investments there, even, by the way in Europe, until we have some clarity on the stability of the situation.

But you know, our decisions that we have took in the investment at that time was based on a commercial assessment and these investments are still ongoing.

For the current time, our investment decisions, as I told you, is based on commercial assessment and what we have currently in Russia, we are not thinking about increasing that these days until we see a better atmosphere and more political stability.

Finding common ground

On Qatars mediation role in Russia and Ukraine, he says: Our world is interconnected. So, whenever we see that we can offer our help and support for any efforts, we will not hesitate to make our offers. And this offer is extended to the Russians and to the Ukrainians in order to find a common ground and to help to put an end for this humanitarian catastrophe, and we will never give up on our efforts.

Sheikh Mohammed says on Qatars mediation role in Iran: Well, Iran is our neighbor and anything that happens or evolve over there definitely will affect us as Qatar but will affect also the GCC countries. US is our ally and we want to see an end for this JCPOA negotiation by bringing all the parties back to the JCPOA commitment because this is something we see is very important for the region and for the stability of the region and we don't want to see an arms race happening here. So we believe that the best way forward for them to get the parties back to the agreement.

We are trying our best to use our contacts with Iran and with the US in order to bridge the gap between them and to reach and understanding. We are trying to help and to support the process, we are not effectively or officially a mediator, but we are trying to use our contacts with both countries in order to bring them closer.

Economic sanctions

On economic sanctions in Iran, he says: Regarding the economic sanctions, we as a small country, we never believed that economic sanctions or unilateral sanctions are effective tools to change policies. And this has been a very clear and principled position for us. So, economic sanctions normally affecting the people and punishing the people for policies of government, we don't see it as the right approach.

So, we believe that economic sanctions need to be lifted and the country needs a relief because of the people, and this is this is the livelihood of the Iranian people, it's not punishing a government.

On the IRGC, Sheikh Mohammed says: The IRGC is part of the Iranian government or Iranian official military structure. We should respect their structure. We should really talk about the actions that are being taken by certain forces here and there and those actions if they are like in the bad interest of the region or specific countries or targeting, you know, civilians in any way those actions need to be terrorised, but not just terrorising an organisation because of because of specific action by a smaller group of them.

On Taliban

On the Talibans decision to not permit girls over grade six from attending school, he says: Well, definitely this decision was very disturbing and disappointing for us and we have expressed that publicly and we are going to express that very firmly with them when we are talking with them.

We believe engagement will remain very important, to ensure that they revisit this decision and they allow back the girls back to school and we will keep the communication ongoing on that front.

And we've been very firmly determined that they need to give all Afghans their rights of education, of going to workplace or practising their life freely.-- TradeArabia News Service
China and the Islamic world join hands for global peace, development and prosperity

16:16, March 30, 2022 By Zamir Ahmed Awan ( People's Daily Online

China attended the 48th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held on March 22-23, 2022, in Islamabad, Pakistan. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the session at the special invitation of the OIC. It was the first time that China has been invited to join the OICs high-level forum.

The theme of this years session was Building Partnerships for Unity, Justice, and Development, which perfectly coincides with the Chinese vision. For instance, China has been promoting partnership, unity, harmony, understanding, development, and a shared future of humankind. Moreover, China has been contributing to the goals of global peace, stability, and prosperity. With identical visions, then, it is very much natural for China to work together with the Islamic world to achieve similar goals.

China has been helping many poor Islamic countries and has become a major trading partner with and a major source of investment for some of them, contributing to their socio-economic development.

The Islamic world has been targeted and victimized by the West for almost two decades already. After the staged incident of 9/11, the US along with its NATO allies embarked on the Islamic world openly. Whether, it was Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, or theArab Spring, millions of Muslims were killed, millions were injured, millions were made homeless, millions were forced to live as refugees, infrastructure was destroyed, industry and agriculture were damaged. Above all, the social fabric was distorted, while intolerance, extremism and terrorism were promoted.

Western-backed dirty media played an extremely negative role. With propagated fake news, fabricated stories, and distorted images of Muslims, cases of Islamophobia increased tremendously and Muslims were discriminated against, insulted, and subjected to hate in the West. Discriminatory immigration laws were introduced and biased visa regimes were established.

This has created an awareness among the Islamic world and awakened their people. They understood well that the West is not willing to accommodate them and instead treats them poorly. Most especially, the Ukraine crisis has made such feelings even more fervent. The treatment of Ukrainian refugees and Muslim refugees points to visibly different sets of attitudes. How the biased Western media has reported on the Ukraine war, and how they have kept silent on Syria, Palestine, Yemen, Afghanistan, etc., has raised many questions among the Muslims.

On the contrary, the Islamic world is looking for partnering with China. Chinas participation in the OIC Session was just the beginning, but, it is the first step toward a future relationship between China and the Islamic world. There are 57 sovereign Muslim countries that are members of both the UN and the OIC. These Muslim countries can extend political support for China at the UN and at all other international forums. The Islamic world is rich in natural resources, especially in energy commodities, and with China being a net importer of oil and gas. There are around two billion Muslims spread all over the world. China, as the second-largest economy in the world, can help the Islamic world to also grow its economy. China has achieved marvelous developments in modern science and technology and can share its advanced experiences with the Islamic world. Furthermore, China has emerged as a rising geopolitical power, with Chinas support for the Islamic world able to be considered a balancing factor in geopolitics that guarantees the stability and security of the world.

China itself has a huge population of domestic Muslims. They are living like other minorities in complete harmony and performing an important role in the social and economic development of the country.

In the days to come, with their common vision and shared destiny, China and the Islamic world will jointly contribute to the goals of global peace, development, and prosperity.

Zamir Ahmed Awan is a non-resident fellow with the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and a sinologist at the National University of Sciences and Technology in Pakistan. E-mail: [email protected]

The opinions expressed in this article reflect those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of People's Daily Online.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
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
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

After Lee Township residents receive their absentee ballots for the May 3 recall election and cast their votes, they won't be sending the ballots back to the township hall.

The ballots will be mailed to the home address of Lee Township Clerk Laura Dawson. What residents also might not know is that the ballots will be mailed to a township clerk who has participated in the recall effort against two people who serve with her on the board.

According to the state of Michigan, mailing election ballots to a private residence is permitted activity under the law. The recall aims to remove Supervisor Kristy Gustafson and Trustee Darla Rippee from office.



"There is no prohibition on using a home address as a mailing address if that is the mailing address the jurisdiction designates for election mail to the clerk," said Tracy Wimmer, Director of Media Relations with the Secretary of State, in an email statement to the Daily News.

At the board's March 14 meeting, resident Carol Schaefer asked Dawson why a personal address was posted on mail containing a recall ballot. The interaction was documented by an audience member in a video shared to YouTube.

"I didn't want to waste all of the labels," said Dawson of her address on the mail, during the meeting on March 14. That was the same meeting during which Dawson made xenophobic comments. During the meeting, Dawson cautioned residents about selling their homes to people who arent from here and also made comments about people shopping for properties who don't "speak-a-no-a-English."

Midland County Clerk Ann Manary confirmed the recent ballot mailing is being sent to residents who are on the permanent mailing list. Manary noted a resident of Lee Township had contacted her office with questions regarding the list.

However, Gustafson said there are resident-reported concerns, such as Dawson sending out absentee ballot applications to some who believed they had not asked to be on the permanent absentee voter list and the use of her home address on the envelopes that contain the absentee applications to voters.

"As far as her (Dawson) putting them (ballots) in envelopes and stuff at her home, I don't see a problem with that," Manary said.

Other township clerks in Midland County have had to handle similar duties from home, Manary said.

Last week, Dawson told the Daily News she was making an effort to handle around 200 ballots and counting.

Another concern of residents, Gustafson said, is the clerk's support of the recall election given some of her past behaviors.

The Daily News confirmed Dawson signed petitions to recall her fellow board members. Manary said Dawson signing the petitions is not something that prohibits her from being able to perform her duties.

"It is not a conflict. Obviously, it's not advised," Manary said. "I wouldn't have done it."

Tess DeGayner/tess.degayner@hearstnp.com

Tess DeGayner/tess.degayner@hearstnp.com

She said Dawson has the ability as any other citizen to sign a petition, in addition to her job as the clerk. Some township residents have shared their concerns about the clerk's behavior to Gustafson.

"There are some residents that have voiced they will not be voting absentee but finding a ride to the township hall to vote in person," Gustafson said. "Some residents have also said they are scared to vote in person at the hall because of her past behavior and the other sides behavior."

All of the clerks in Midland County are part-time employees. Because of this, Manary said some of the clerks within the county do not have an office space.

Schaefer was one of the sponsors of recall petitions, however, her petitions did not pass the clarity hearing in December. Rather, the recall was sparked by Lee Township resident Doug Kruger's petitions, which were deemed clear by the county commission.

Kruger is campaigning for the supervisor seat on the township board ahead of the May 3 election.

Lee Township resident Mark List is campaigning for township trustee.

The other official targeted in the recall effort, Rippee, is urging Lee Township residents to vote based on their own "research" before a vote.
WASHINGTON, D.C.  New legislation introduced in Congress aims to create a federal entity to promote economic growth and recovery across the Great Lakes.

According to the bills authors, the proposed Great Lakes Authority would be dedicated exclusively to advancing solutions to the challenges faced by the eight states of the Great Lakes region.

Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin together contain much of the United States commercial and industrial base  as well as one of the largest freshwater systems on Earth.

The Great Lakes Authority Act of 2022 was introduced on March 17 by Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) to establish the authority and provide $30 million in funding beginning in 2023. The act calls for an additional $50 million be allocated for the federal entity each fiscal year thereafter.

The Great Lakes region is the industrial workhorse that powers America, Kaptur stated in a press release. But after decades of bad trade deals that outsourced living-wage jobs and fomented deindustrialization  the need for a robust new partnership that catalyzes regional revitalization is abundantly clear.

Kapturs congressional district borders Lake Erie between Toledo and Cleveland. The act was sponsored by several legislators from Michigan, including Democratic Reps. Debbie Dingell, Dan Kildee and Haley Stevens.

The Great Lakes region is not only a treasured environmental watershed but is uniquely positioned, with the right investments, to be an economic powerhouse to drive innovation and economic development for the 21st century, stated Dingell in the release.

If passed as written, the Great Lakes Authority would be empowered to do the following:

 Promote economic development and job creation and create workforce training to spur economic growth in communities disproportionately impacted by the outsourcing of jobs.

 Restore and protect the Great Lakes, which are the principal source of surface freshwater in the U.S.

 Foster innovation to strengthen and expand domestic manufacturing.

 Establish and administer funding mechanisms to finance clean energy, green infrastructure, water infrastructure and broadband projects.

By investing in workforce development, innovative energy technologies and manufacturing processes, and responsible stewardship of our precious Great Lakes ecosystem  the Great Lakes Authority will unleash the heartlands full potential for this 21st century, Kapturs statement continued.

While the federal government has an array of commissions, authorities and bureaus responsible for guiding long-term development and environmental conservation in other regions  lawmakers like Kaptur say the Great Lakes region lacks the same level of support.

Kaptur discussed the lack of federal involvement at a Great Lakes Day conference call organized by the Great Lakes Commission in March.

If you look at a region like the Tennessee Valley Authority, what you will find is that those states, which have now been working for almost a century on raising the economic prospects of the region  theyre being successful, Kaptur said during the Zoom meeting. The only region of the United States without an authority or a commission to actually help lift the regions prospects economically or environmentally is ours.

After its introduction, the legislation, H.R.7131, was referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment on March 18.

The proposed authority would consist of a nine-member board, with a chairperson appointed by the President, and one member from each of the eight Great Lakes states. These members would be appointed by their respective governors and terms would be for five years. An executive director would also be appointed by the chairman. It is unclear what, if any, binding powers it would have.

The act is supported by the American Great Lakes Ports Association, whose executive director Steve Fisher said, By creating the Great Lakes Authority, the federal government can now become a partner in the economic restoration of the Great Lakes region.

According to the Northeast-Midwest Institute, a nonpartisan Washington, D.C. think tank, the Great Lakes region generated $3.1 trillion in gross domestic product, while employing 25.8 million people and supporting $1.3 trillion in wages.

Maritime commerce, in particular, supports more than 147,500 jobs in the eight Great Lakes states and generates $35 billion in economic activity each year, according to the bill's authors.

However, Michael Goff, president and CEO of the institute said that in recent years, manufacturing employment has declined and population growth in the Great Lakes has slowed, putting new economic and social strains on our region.

The United States has closed 91,000 factories and lost 5 million manufacturing jobs since the North American Free Trade Act was enacted in 1993 and since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2000, according to the bills authors.

Industrial communities throughout the Great Lakes region were among those hardest hit  with 1.5 million or 30% of jobs lost coming from these rust belt states.

Communities throughout the Great Lakes, including communities of color, have struggled to rebuild the economic conditions that once supported thriving working and middle-class lives for their residents, reads part of the bills language. The loss of factories and jobs has hollowed out entire communities, leading to the spread of blight, pollution and vacant and abandoned properties that destabilize rural, suburban and urban communities across the Great Lakes region.
Six shots were fired 41 years ago today. Six shots from a revolver that could've assassinated the President of the United States, not even 20 years since the three that took the life of President John F. Kennedy. Only this time more cameras were rolling, the Secret Service was ready, and the suspected killer lived to see his day in court.

President Ronald Reagan, an actor turned politician, was just a little over 60 days in office when he left the Washington Hilton on Monday, March 30, 1981 following a speech to the AFL-CIO luncheon. As he made his way out to the presidential limousine, John Hinkley, Jr. pulled the trigger of his Rohm RG 14.
Achieving global energy security will be vital to achieving long-term climate change objectives and economic growth, delegates to the World Government Summit (WGS2022) have heard.

The issue of energy security and the continuing need for investment in oil to increase capacity dominated the discussion during a lively panel debate on the question: Is the world ready for a future without oil? between Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman Al Saud, Minister of Energy, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government and Suhail bin Mohamed Al Mazrouei, the UAEs Minister of Energy and Infrastructure.

Prince Abdulaziz explained how energy security was a vital pillar for the future. You cannot attend to climate change without getting energy security and without that you do not have economic security and economic growth, he said.

He reinforced the importance of oil suppliers within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) Plus, which includes Saudi Arabia and the UAE, in continuing to supply global markets. In fact, if it was not for Opec Plus we would not be in a position to be celebrating the sustainable energy market to its current level.

Need for investment

For his part, Al Mazrouei underpinned the continuing need for investment in efficient and cost-effective hydrocarbon infrastructure to increase production and help meet global demand.

It is also interesting that six months ago we were all talking about sustainability and no one was talking about energy security but that has totally changed today.

Barzani added: As we move forward, we need to be aware of the different dangers that regions will face from a geopolitical and economic perspective and recognise that in a region like ours we do see interference that create security and economic challenges that need to be overcome.

And it is important to be aware of the behaviour seen by actors in different regions and to study what their intentions will be.

No future without oil

All the panellists believe that the world is currently not able to consider a future without oil but have a shared commitment to ensuring that while investment in hydrocarbon resources is essential  this will have a hugely positive impact on a successful energy transition of the future and be a key pillar in the battle against climate change and ensuring economic growth and prosperity.-- TradeArabia News Service
Doja Cat And South America Got Into A Twitter Fight Over a Cancelled Concert. Everybody Lost.

By Alberto Cox Delano | Celebrity | March 30, 2022 |

One of the reasons that give me hope about culture in general, and pop music in particular, is that someone like Doja Cat has somehow managed to become a hitmaker. You know, the person who kickstarted her career with this beauty.

Quick recap if you havent heard of her: Doja Cat is one of the biggest names in R&B/Pop/Hip Hop right now. She has been leading the charge of this whole Vibes music sound thats pretty much becoming the sound of the 2020s as embodied by SZA and Kali Uchis and pioneered by FKA Twigs. Its a highly melodic, laid-back blend of R&B, trap-leaning hip-hop and Californian sounds that goes down on you like, well, something laced with pot or edibles. Doja adds her own sense of humor and absurdity.

Riding high on two back-to-back breakout albums and finally being able to tour (both supporting The Weeknds 2022 stadium tour and as a headliner), she kicked off the year performing at the main late-summer festivals in South America.

I know I should be skeptical of bougie things like corporate music festivals, but lets face it, ever since international festivals like Lollapalooza or Primavera started dropping by the continent, its been mostly great. I mean, its bougie and prohibitively expensive for most people here, but we have always been an afterthought in most major artists tour scheduling. Nowadays, most major world tours by Anglo artists will schedule at least one date per South American country (other than Brazil and Argentina), but that was very much not the case just 20 or 15 years ago. When artists like the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, or U2 stopped by with their 90s tours, it was a national event. Now, you can actually catch up with artists that are rising or at their peak in your own country, instead of waiting for the chance of a reunion tour. And yes, the dictatorships of the 70s and 80s were a major hindrance. Case in point, its a well-known fact that Pinochets wife had a hand in preventing Queen from doing a concert in Chile; I dont need to explain why a fascists dictatorship wouldnt be into Freddy Mercury.

In that context, and after the gut-punch of two years of the pandemic actually canceling everything, I wouldnt be surprised if South American popheads are feeling anxious. Our national economies arent in good shape, and bringing music festivals to the region is a considerable business risk. South American fans wouldnt be exaggerating if they feel this little golden age of music concerts threatened by the post-pandemic world.

But so far, the summer festivals have been successful. No one was responsible with the mask protocols, so there is a new spike of COVID cases, but South Americans have this thing where most of us, you know, believe in vaccines. Unfortunately for Paraguay, probably the most isolated country in the continent, their top-tier festival (Asuncionico) had to be canceled after torrential rain fell on its second day, the 22nd of March/a>. This is something youd think the organizer would plan for in a subtropical city with 80 days of rain a year and about 120 mm of rainfall on March. I mean, I dont expect them to predict a weather front, just to have contingency plans.

Doja Cats concert was among those canceled. Being used to downpours, several Paraguayan fans waited outside her hotel in order to meet her, but she never showed up. People lost their goddamn minds. On a Continental scale.

Paraguayan fans felt disrespected by the alleged snub, which lets face it, probably wasnt going to happen. For context, that very same day, lightning from the same storm front struck Miley Cyrus plane as she arrived in Asuncion. Some sources claim that Doja decided to throw a concert in a small bar with further rumors that she acted like a total diva, but these are all unconfirmed hearsay. Still, all of this escalated into South American Twitter unleashing their scorn over Doja with the indispensable #DojaCatIsOverParty in ways that will surely not stereotype us with the fiery Latino trope.

But Doja, being a twenty-something person on the Internet couldnt help herself by making things worse, using her personal account to clap back at Paraguayan fans, going on the defensive and complaining that no one had been waiting for her as she left the hotel in Asuncion. Famous people cant let go of engaging with social media shitstorms. This, of course, led to further dragging on social media, driving Doja into fuck em kids mode, announcing she wouldnt be taking pictures with fans outside hotels anymore, and making the usual claims of quitting social media. This didnt last long, as she shouted out her Brazilian audience in a concert held two days later, apologizing for not giving a pitch-perfect performance, which yes, was a pointed act of pettiness against her Paraguayan fans for acting, well, kinda shitty. However, that only poured gasoline on the wound of mixed metaphors: The one argument Paraguayan fans did have for them is that it wouldve been nice if Doja had made a video saying how sorry she was about the canceled concert like Miley Cyrus did. The expectations were also higher considering other major artists did hang out with fans in Asuncion, including the Foo Fighters and Machine Gun Kelly.

A stupid scandal requires every party doing a series of small, stupid, and inconsiderate things. The end result was a Twitter shouting match between US fans of Doja and South American Twitter, two groups of people that do not know what the word chill means. Latin America is one big dysfunctional family; we can talk shit about each other all the time, but if a gringo disrespects one of our own, Latin American Unity powers combine because family is family.

Most times, its absolutely warranted, but this time we mightve exaggerated. Dojas US fans made several good points: She didnt owe them a get-together, she doesnt owe them her time and personal space. Plus, they claimed that some in South American Twitter made racist comments about her. I havent found any myself, but yeah  that tracks.

However, when parasocial communities clash on Social Media, it brings out the worst in each other. Predictably, gringo fans tweeted their own racist clapbacks.

despues hacen berrinche porque les decis gringo, pero ellos pueden ir tweeteando esto libremente ? pic.twitter.com/ZDgkPZiVvG   (@whitmansverse) March 25, 2022

The spiral of pricksmanship went on until the boomers decided to chime in. On the 25th, the official account of MERCOSUR, South Americas supranational trading organization and EU-wannabe, decided they had to keep it real with the kidz, and posted this: MercosurDojaCat.webp

Translation: Doja Cat dissing a #Mercosur country (red flags). They deleted it after a while. To be fair, Mercosur is about as relevant on a global scale as Doja Cat. This isnt a dig at her, because shes not supposed to be a international economic partnership representing 600 million people.

In the end, everybody lost, and Taylor Hawkins heartbraking death during this same season put everything into perspective. Theres no doubt Doja Cat is mostly in the right here, but I also understand where Paraguayans are coming from.

Paraguay is the underdog in an entire continent of underdogs. Their history has been tragic as hell, even by Latin American standards, and they have to contend with being a landlocked (though connected via rivers) sparsely populated country far from every major population center in South America. A regional meme is forgetting that Paraguay exists, which is a heightened version of how we feel in the Global South. The dynamics of exploitation are bad enough, but we also have a mountain to climb to gain cultural relevance. South American fans feel deeply when major global stars actually acknowledge us, even now when many of the biggest names in music are South American themselves. We want to feel recognized, having The Weeknd tell us that they loved the mountains in Santiago, Drake giving a shout-out to the food in Johannesburg, Ed Sheeran taking selfies in Bogota, and Miley apologizing to Asuncion from a bathtub, even though there was nothing she could do. Thats something you wouldnt understand if you are from any Alpha-City, with the exception of Rio or Sao Paulo. You are already part of a broader cultural scene because you are a hub; we are used to being a final destination.

Then theres the culture of Latin hospitality, as embodied in that one Spanish expression everybody knows. Just the perception of rejected hospitality is a major faux-pas here. Probably we need to work on that, but in the meantime, just make a Tik-Tok that is just for us in (INSERT CITY). Because unlike audiences in major cities, Latin fans are loyal as hell. Just ask any band that was huge in the 80s and played a reunion tour here.

 Sandra Bullock Is An Absolute Delight Taking The Colbert Questionert | 'Halo,' 'Pachinko,' 'Atlanta,' And More On Podjiba! 

Image sources (in order of posting): Getty Images, Twitter
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - Members of the Friends of Sudan have reiterated their "strong support" for the combined efforts of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission to Sudan (UNITAMS), the African Union (AU), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to facilitate a Sudanese-led political process with the aim of restoring a civilian-led transition to democracy
Photo: (Photo : CRISTINA VEGA RHOR/AFP via Getty Images)

Many parents and caregivers feel hopeless and frustrated about the continuous lack of COVID vaccines for babies and toddlers. Buzzfeed News sought their points of view regarding the vaccine delay for young children, receiving over 1,000 responses from people who interact with and take care of babies.

The majority of those who responded to the question felt isolated in creating a COVID vaccine suitable for babies and toddlers. Anne, a mother of a two-year-old child, told the website that the world had abandoned them. Lauren, a mom to an 11-month-old, echoed those sentiments, saying that they feel like they are screaming into the void.

Kelly, a mother to a 1-year-old in Colorado, said that she keeps dreaming that the vaccine approval does happen and that her child will, at last, be vaccinated. Kelly added that she cries a lot during showers and always wakes up so desperate because of the COVID vaccine delay.

Pfizer's COVID vaccine for kids hits FDA roadblock

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was expected to authorize the use of Pfizer's COVID vaccine for children ages six months to 4 years old back in February, but those plans were abruptly changed when the federal agency indefinitely postponed a meeting regarding its approval.

Carrie Knight, a mother of three from Virginia, told the website that fatigue had replaced resiliency when battling COVID. Knight said they were all in it together back in March 2020 when the pandemic started, but she feels there is a chasm between them two years later.

Thus far, clinical trials have suggested that two doses of a 3-microgram COVID vaccine, which is one-third the amount for an adult dose, were deemed safe and effective for babies ages six months to one year. However, that vaccine dosage for kids ages 2 to 4 did not offer enough protection for them against COVID-19, although that jab was shown to be safe.

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is now reviewing the efficacy of a third dose of the COVID vaccine, given to children two months after the second dose. According to a spokesperson for Pfizer, adding a third shot may offer a higher degree of protection against COVID and maximize the vaccine's risk-benefit profile.

Read Also: Infant Formula Company Bobbie Raises $50 Million as California Startup Targets U.S. Expansion

Pfizer and Moderna to release COVID vaccine for kids in the coming months

Pfizer said the data regarding this study should be ready by around the early part of April, which could probably mean that vaccines will be made available to kids under the age of five around that same period. Pfizer already has made available COVID vaccines to kids ages five and up.

Pfizer's rival, Moderna, has just released its data this week on COVID vaccines for children under six. The company's vaccine, which is 25 micrograms or a quarter of the amount for an adult dose, was found to be 43.7 percent effective against COVID infection primarily caused by the Omicron variant in children six months to two years old and 37.5 percent effective in kids who are 2 to 5 years old.

Related Article: Massive Milk Formula Recall Empties Store Shelves in Utah, Mothers Panicking
Photo: (Photo : Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine now enters the second month, doctors are now starting to see a sharp rise in the number of premature births in some areas of the war-torn country.

Prenatal clinics in both the cities of Lviv and Kharkiv have revealed to the BBC that the rate of preemie babies being born there has doubled or tripled in the past few weeks, with the surge in preterm births a direct result of pregnant women dealing with stress and medical issues due to the war.

Polina, born in a regional perinatal clinic in Kharkiv, weighed just 630 grams (1.4 pounds) at birth. That is way below the average weight for a full-term baby girl, which is five times the weight recorded on Polina.

Premature births soar in Kharkiv

The same scenario happened to Viktoria, born in a perinatal hospital in Lviv in early March alongside her twin sister Veronika. They were born in Western Ukraine after their mother decided to flee the fighting in Kyiv. Viktoria, who weighed just 800 grams (1.7 pounds) at birth, has just passed her first kilogram.

Iryna Kondratova, the medical director in charge of baby Polina's care, said that the premature births at her Kharkiv clinic had jumped to three times their normal rate, accounting for 50 percent of all deliveries since the war started.

Kondratova grabbed the headlines recently when superstar David Beckham transferred his Instagram account to her so that she could recount the ravages left by the Russian invasion on his social media platform, according to a report by Yahoo!.

According to Kondratova, infections, lack of medical help, and bad nutrition brought upon by war creates a risk of premature birth. She added that their premature birth rate was already high because they had a lot of patients coming from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Kondratova explained that women in conflict zones spend a lot of their time in crowded basements, where infections are active. She added that it is also harder for women to reach medical help if they need it. Kondratova admitted that while the percentage of premature births in her clinic has soared in the past weeks, the total number of her patients has decreased with many women fleeing the conflict in Kharkiv.

Read Also: Mom and Dad Share How Baby Stopped Using Nappies at Two Weeks Old

Preemie twins born in Lviv after mother flees Kyiv

However, the same cannot be said in Lviv, with plenty of refugees making the trek to this Ukrainian city to escape the war zone. That was the case for Viktoria's mother, Iryna Zelena, who fled Kyiv just before giving birth to her twins.

Zelena said she left the capital city because of the mass shelling and that they had been in the bomb shelter all the time. Zelena added that the stress of being in a bunker during the first days of the war contributed to her delivering the twins prematurely, more than seven weeks early, to be exact.

Some premature babies are not that fortunate. According to a report by the Associated Press, three premature infants were found lying side by side in a hospital in the ravaged Ukrainian city of Mariupol, all of whom were left by their parents who couldn't care for them.

Related Article: Newborn Baby Brings Hope to Ukraine Maternity Ward in the Middle of War; Mykolaiv Sees Baby Boom
Photo: (Photo : VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)

A 7-month-old infant shot in the head in New Iberia last week has been discharged from a Louisiana hospital. Family members have identified the young girl as Ire'Anna Linzer, with some calling her a miracle baby for escaping death.

The Sacramento Bee reported that Linzer and her mother were caught in the crossfire of stray bullets during a drive-by shooting in the 200 block of CV Jackson Drive on Friday, March 18. Dariana Linzer was carrying baby Ire'Anna in her arms when the shooting occurred, leaving both of them with serious injuries. Dariana was shot in the face and lost her eye in the process.

Linzer told News 10 that she is scheduled to visit an ocularist soon, who will make a prosthetic eye for her to help create that normal look. Linzer will also undergo surgery to cover up other parts of her face disfigured by skin peeling due to the shooting.

Drive-by shooting, a bad dream for Linzer

Linzer said that the doctors told her they would take skin from other parts of her body to cover the two patches of missing skin on her face. The 18-year-old mother, who was at home with her aunt at the time of the incident, says it all still feels like a bad dream.

Linzer said it is so unbelievable that they are all even alive after the shooting. Linzer added that sometimes she still can't believe this is real and cannot imagine why someone would do this to them.

Linzer also talked about her miracle baby, saying that it has been a struggle getting Ire'Anna readjusted to her surroundings. Linzer said that the first day her baby girl came back home, she started crying and just cried non-stop, according to a report by KLFY.

Read Also: Miracle in Louisiana as Abandoned 8-Month-old Baby Found Alive in Field After Going Missing Overnight

Linzer's miracle baby crying non-stop since the shooting

Fortunately for baby Linzer, her grandmother was there to calm her down, with Dariana saying that she is the only person who can hold her child and rock her to sleep. She added that it is just not the same anymore following the shooting, with her miracle baby now crying all the time. Dariana noted that they are used to her baby laughing, but now it is like she doesn't recognize her mother anymore.

The Linzer family has more good news, with Dariana revealing that she is pregnant with her second child. Linzer said that she is so happy that her unborn child was not injured during the shooting and that they ask everyone to keep them in their prayers.

According to WGNO, the New Iberia Police Criminal Division named Amiri Benoit and Mactori Doucet as the prime suspects in the drive-by shooting. Upon arrest, Benoit and Doucet would face seven counts of attempted 1st-degree murder, illegal use of weapons, use of firearms in a school zone, and aggravated criminal damage to property.

Related Article: Miracle Baby Kendall Jurnakins Finally Leaves Ascencion NICU After Record 460-Day Stay
Photo: (Photo : Getty images )

According to a study, social media's effects on adolescent girls' mental health manifest earlier than in adolescent boys. Based on the research conducted, the impact on the mental health of young adolescent girls happens as early as 11 to 13, while boys' mental well-being is most vulnerable at around 14 to 15 years old.

Although the study does not directly prove that social media is harmful to a person's well-being, the researchers suspect a prospect of a "window of vulnerability" in adolescent age.

Increased Social Media Usage

Psychologists who conducted the research discovered that young adolescents who increased their social media time one year later were less satisfied with their lives. This happened to girls within the age bracket of 11 to 13, and for young boys, the same trend manifested in boys within the 14 to 15.

The researchers did not find a link between social media use and well-being at different ages except at 19 years old for other ages. Similarly, the higher the social media use, the lesser the life satisfaction in both sexes, as reported in The Guardian.

Dr. Amy Orben, an experimental psychologist and first author of the research at the University of Cambridge, expressed that the researchers can determine or predict at which ages and which among the sexes social media has a significant effect on the well-being or life satisfaction of individuals.

Dr. Orben and her colleagues analyzed the Understanding Society study and the Millennium Cohort Study data. The information from the reported use of social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp from 84,000 individuals enrolled in either study, showed that social media use affects these individuals' mental health and well-being.

Read Also: Students' Performance in Math, Reading Shows Compounding Effects of Learning Loss Due to COVID

Mental Health Problems at a Young Age

The researcher's goal was to shed some light on the relationship between the alarming rise in mental health issues and whether or not these are related to the increased usage of social media in young people. The researchers have discovered a two-way effect and that at certain ages, increased social media use was linked to lower life satisfaction. In contrast, low-life satisfaction was linked to more significant social media use the year later.

Dr. Holly Scott, a psychologist at the University of Glasgow, said that the new evidence could be used to understand varied sensitive periods between girls and boys, similar to the earlier puberty in girls than in boys. In addition, the findings also show that it is crucial to understand the adolescent perspective and the benefits and challenges of social media use.

According to the charity Young Minds, five children in every classroom are now affected with mental health problems. Based on their report, many children aged five to 16 suffer from mental health problems. The figure has increased to 50 percent between 2017 to 2021.

Related Article: 13-Year-Old Girl Gets Help from Neighbors, Claims Being Starved and Forced to Wear Shock Collar for Years
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
Photo: (Photo : MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images)

According to the nonprofit organization March of Dimes, more than 2 million women in the United States live in counties with no access to obstetricians or prenatal care, also known as maternity care deserts. Millions more American women live in places where medical support is unfortunately limited.

According to the report the organization released, a U.S. county was classified as a maternity care desert if there were no birth centers, no certified nurse midwives, no OB/GYN, and no hospitals providing obstetric care.

Counties were classified as having low access to maternity care services if one or fewer hospitals offered OB services in that area. The said county also has fewer than 60 OB providers per 10,000 births, and the proportion of women without health insurance in the area was 10 percent or greater.

Maternity care deserts a problem in Texas

One of those women living in a maternity care desert is Kaylee Samulowitz. She already has a lot on her plate with two small children and a baby due in June. Adding to Samulowitz's concerns is that she does not know if she will make it to the hospital in time for her upcoming delivery.

She currently lives in the rural city of Pampa in the state of Texas. Even though Pampa has a population of 17,000, Samulowitz cannot deliver her baby there as the local hospital in that city had just closed its labor and delivery unit. She will now have to travel about an hour to a hospital in Amarillo, 60 miles away, to deliver her third child.

Samulowitz told CBS News that she already had a close call with her son, so it is a little nerve-racking thinking about what will happen to the next one. It is a sad situation but not unique to Pampa, as fewer than half of rural Texas hospitals can deliver babies.

Read Also: Miracle Baby Shot in the Head During Drive-by Shooting in New Iberia Discharged From Hospital

Rising costs, shortage of nurses are behind maternity care deserts

One of the biggest factors in the decline of maternity wards is the shortage of nurses heightened by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Also, factoring in the depletion of maternity wards is the rising cost of maternity care.

Jeff Barnhart, who is the head of Hereford Regional Medical Center in the Texas Panhandle, said that many rural hospitals are getting out of delivering babies because it is just so expensive. Barnhart added that these hospitals get to the point where they have to decide. Hereford Regional Medical Center is the go-to place for pregnant women in the area, as the hospital's maternity department is the only one for some 1,600 square miles.

According to a study from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center recently published in the journal JAMA Health Forum, administrators of rural hospitals in the United States that are providing obstetric care reported needing at least 200 annual births for financial viability and safety.

Related Article: Miracle in Louisiana as Abandoned 8-Month-old Baby Found Alive in Field After Going Missing Overnight
Photo: (Photo : ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP via Getty Images)

A jury has awarded $97 million to an Iowa family who filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against a local hospital and the obstetrician who crushed their baby's head during childbirth.

Andrew and Kathleen Kromphardt, the parents of Scotty, born in 2018, went through a four-year legal ordeal to find justice for what happened to their son. Due to the mistakes of the medical staff during the birth, Scotty suffered severe brain damage and will bear lifelong disabilities because of cerebral palsy.

According to The News & Observer, the jury took 90 minutes to deliberate the medical malpractice lawsuit filed against Mercy Hospital, Dr. Jill Goodman, and the OB-GYN Associates in Iowa following a 14-day trial in court. Reports cited that the compensation due to the Kromphardtf family is likely the largest award for such a lawsuit in Iowa.

Read Also: New Jersey Family Raises Awareness on Pediatric Stroke After Son Survives Attack at Age 7

What Went Wrong with Scotty's Birth?

On August 11, 2018, Kathleen was rushed to Mercy Hospital at 1:00 p.m. after experiencing labor pains. After an hour, the baby showed signs of distress, so the hospital staff had to intervene in the delivery room.

Despite the intervention, Scotty was deprived of oxygen inside his mother's womb, leading to a hypoxic brain injury or a brain impairment due to a lack of oxygen. Goodman and the hospital staff used birthing instruments to force the baby out of the birth canal. The forceps fractured his soft and tiny skull while the vacuum extractor caused his brain to hemorrhage, per Cerebral Palsy Guidance.

Scotty survived the trauma of his birth, but his family decided to transfer him to the University of Iowa Hospitals due to his delicate condition. The doctors at this hospital confirmed that the baby suffered a fractured skull. Further tests of Scotty showed that he developed seizures, facial nerve palsy, and an ischemic brain injury.

Per the Kromphardt family's legal team, the obstetrician had enough time to switch the delivery to a cesarian birth instead of vaginal birth. However, Goodman chose not to make the call and proceeded with the natural birth.

"If the baby had been born by C-section between 3 and 3:45 p.m. the baby wouldn't have any injuries," one of the family's lawyers, Fred James, told The Gazette.

How is Scotty Today?

Today, Scotty, 3, lives with terrible brain damage and a learning disability. While he can stand, he is not yet able to walk without any assistance. Scotty will require 24/7 medical care for the rest of his life, which means he will not be able to go to school or work when he's older.

It is understood that the defendants will appeal the jury's decision during the post-trial round. They will likely file for remittitur to implore a judge to review the verdict. This could potentially lower the money to be awarded to the Iowa family.

Legal experts said that appeals in medical malpractice lawsuits could take months or years. The hospital might also confidentially settle with the Kromphardts.

Related Article: Florida Parents Whose Children Died of Brain Injuries to Get $150,000 Stipends
Videos

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.
Its the start of a new era of competition. Today, Intel revealed its debut Arc GPUs, heralding its long-teased entry into discrete consumer graphics cards. Watch out, Nvidia and AMD. Chipzillas in the fray now, fueled by its new Xe HPG (High-performance gaming) GPU architecture.

Intel took an unusual (but strategically smart) approach to Arcs debut, rolling out Arc 3 graphics for modestly priced portable laptops. It lets the company leverage its substantial strengths in notebooks and software support rather than going blow-for-blow in gaming frame rates on the desktop, where Nvidia and AMD stand firm. Weve covered the Arc 3 laptop GPU reveal and Intels killer features in a separate piece that explains what everyday folks should expect from this new breed of laptop. Theres some pretty compelling stuff, including key Deep Link features that add eye-opening capabilities when you pair an Intel Arc GPU with an Intel Core processor.

Thats not the point of this article though. As part of the reveal, Intel Fellow Tom Peterson also provided the press with a high-level overview of the Xe HPG architecture underpinning these Arc Alchemist graphics cards. Its our first glimpse at the nuts and bolts powering Intels discrete graphics ambitions.

So, as we did with Nvidias Ampere and AMDs RDNA 2 architectures, heres a brief technical explainer on the innards of Intel Arcs Xe HPG chips. Much the way Nvidia and AMD use different technologies and terminologies for their designs, Intels Arc chips rely on some proprietary concepts (including a new take on clock speeds that needs some explaining). That makes it difficult to compare Arc against rival GPU architecturesIntel doesnt even use common terms like ROPs and TMUsbut by the time were done here, youll have a solid high-level understanding of what makes Xe HPG tick. Lets dig in.

Meet Xe HPG

Intel

For Intel, Xe HPG render slices comprise the backbone of every Arc GPU. Intels laptop and desktop Arc offerings can be scaled up or down as needed to fit different market needs, but these render slices are at their heart, containing dedicated ray tracing units, rasterizers, geometry blocks, and the fundamental building block for Arc, the Xe Cores themselves. Xe XPG can scale all the way up to eight render slices in Arc mobile GPUs, represented by the flagship Arc A770M GPU in laptop form.

Each render slice contains four Xe cores and four ray tracing units, along with all the other bits necessary for running a modern GPU. These render slices are fully DirectX 12 Ultimate compliant, meaning Intels Arc GPUs can handle ray tracing, Variable Rate Shading, Mesh Shading, and all the other features associated with that standard.

Intel

Lets go deeper and take a peek at the Xe cores themselves. Each Xe core (again, there are four per render slice) is comprised of three key bits: 16 256-bit XVE vector engines that handle more traditional rasterization tasks, 16 1024-bit XMX matrix engines that handle machine learning tasks (like the tensor cores in Nvidias rival RTX GPUs), and 192KB of shared L1/SLM cache. That cache can be used to hold tasks during compute workloads, or shaders and textures while gaming.

Intel

The biggest companies in PC gaming may be betting big on ray tracing being the future of graphics, but traditional rendering remains king for now. Each Xe Vector Engine includes a dedicated floating point (FP) execution port to handle traditional shading tasks, along with a shared INT/EM port that can tackle integer-based tasks at the same time.

Nvidia introduced concurrent FP/INT pipelines with its RTX 20-series Turing architecture to keep integer tasks from clogging up the FP32 pipeline, and its become the norm since. When Nvidia examined how real-world games behaved, it found that for every 100 floating point instructions performed, an average of 36 and as many as 50 non-floating point instructions were also processed, jamming things up, we wrote in 2018. The new integer pipeline handles those extra instructions separately from and concurrently with the FP32 pipeline. Executing the two tasks at the same time results in a big speed boost.

Intel

Intels dedicated XMX matrix engines hook into the vector engines in each Xe Core. Theyre broadly similar to Nvidias RTX tensor cores, designed to greatly accelerate machine learning tasks. These are the bits that unlock the potential of XeSS, Intels rival to Nvidias vaunted DLSS upsampling, as well as other special sauce features like Hyper Compute and the virtual camera feature in Intels new Arc Control command center. (Again, read our Arc laptop GPU reveal coverage for deeper insight into those consumer-level features.)

Intel

When tapped by compatible software (such as a game with XeSS or an app that supports Hyper Compute), the XMX cores 4-deep systolic array can calculate up to 256 multiply accumulate (MAC) operations per clock for INT8 inferencing, a massive increase over the 64 ops/clock offered by modern GPUs with DP4a hardware on board, and the 16 ops/clock supported by older GPUs.

Intels XeSS supports a fallback mode to run on rival Nvidia and AMD graphics cards that lack XMX cores, defaulting to DP4a hardware instead. This picture illustrates very well why Intel expects XeSS to run much, much faster on Arc GPUs with XMX hardware inside.

Intel

Each Xe Core features 16 total Vector and Matrix engines, with pairs of each running in lockstep, able to run FP, INT, and XMX tasks all at the same time. Arc GPUs can be kept very, very busy indeed.

Xe HPG media engine and AV1 encoding

Intel

Intel has always been proud of its media engines, spearheaded by the lightning-fast QuickSync technology, and the Xe XPGs media engine is no different. It includes all the modern capabilities youd expect in a graphics chipvarious 8K HDR encode and decode support, HEVC, VP9, you name itbut also one big inclusion that no other chip (CPU or GPU) offers: hardware-accelerated AV1 encoding.

The highly efficient next-generation video standard was created by a consortium of industry giants and is rapidly moving towards becoming the norm, and modern desktop GPUs support AV1 decoding that can help you watch 8K videos without your system setting itself on fire, but until now you needed to use software alone to actually create AV1 videos. Intel says that the hardware-accelerated AV1 creation unlocked by Arc is 50 times faster than software encodes, or its capable of delivering much clearer streaming visuals at the same bitrate as other encoders.

Paired with the Hyper Encode feature offered in all-Intel laptops as part of the companys Deep Link suite, which leverages the media engines in both the CPU and GPU rather than one or the other, Arc-based systems could prove terribly compelling for video creators (if gaming performance is up to snuff, of course).

Xe HPG display engine

Intel

The Xe HPG display engine remains consistent across the Arc GPU stack, meaning every Arc graphics card offers the same video output capabilities (though the exact port configuration will vary by model). Dont expect good frame rates if you actually try gaming on a pair of 8K screens, but its good to know Arc will support it if you want all the pixels for your productivity tasks!

Real-world Arc A-series laptop GPUs

Intel

Lets take a moment to bring all this technical talk back to the practical realm. Intel cobbled together a bunch of Xe cores and render slices into a pair of dedicated Arc Alchemist GPUs for the mobile market: the higher-end ACM-G10, and the more modest ACM-G11, which will appear in the debut Arc 3 laptops launching today.

Intel

From there, those GPUs can be sliced and diced to meet different market needs. Heres how the first generation of Arc graphics for laptops shakes out: Arc 3 laptops launch today, with Arc 5 and 7 laptops expected to launch sometime early this summer.

Xe HPG graphics clock speeds

Something might have jumped out at you in those laptop GPU spec charts: their ultra-low clock speeds. In an era where Nvidias GPUs push 2GHz and some AMD GPUs clear 2.5GHz, seeing Intels Arc topping out at 1650MHz and going as low as 900MHz is a tad eye-raising. Clock speeds between rival graphics brands arent as clear cut as they seem, however.

Intel

AMDs Game Clock for Radeon GPUs isnt the same as Nvidias Boost Clock, as Ive explained before. Intel is using yet another metric for its Arc GPUs, dubbed Graphics Clock. Petersen defined Intels Graphics Clock as the average clock speed for a typical workload that particular GPU was intended for (so gaming for He XPG and likely compute tasks for workstation cards, for example). If you look at the laptop GPU charts above, youll also see a range of TDPs defined for each; the Graphics Clock is based off the lowest available TDP. In other words, Intels Graphics Clock essentially represents almost a worst case scenario for Arc GPUs.

Intel

All that said, graphics cores can run at different speeds depending on how hard theyre being pushedtheyll hit much higher speed in 2D retro games and much lower speeds in complex modern games that hit every part of the Xe Core and Render Slice, for example. And wattage can make a massive difference to performance as well; as weve seen with Nvidias mobile GeForce offerings, pumping more juice into a GPU can help propel a lower-tier GPU past a low-watt version of an ostensibly more potent sibling.

Its also worth noting that clock speed isnt everything. In the same companys architecture, faster is generally bettera 2GHz GeForce GPU will be faster than a 1.5GHz one, say. But AMDs desktop Radeon RX 6500 XT lags behind its siblings despite packing a ludicrously fast 2.8GHz clock speed. Raw clock speed gains are far from the only way to drive faster performance, as AMDs Robert Hallock recently explained on our Full Nerd podcast. That companys Ryzen 7 5800X3D processor actually saw big gaming performance gains by dropping clock speeds and plopping a huge slab of cache atop the chip.

Its complicated, is what Im saying. Dont look too deeply into the clock speeds for Intels Arc GPUs until laptops and desktop graphics cards wind up in the hands of reviewers.

But wait, theres more!

Intel

And that about does it for our tour of Intels Xe HPG architecture. The company kept things pretty high level for todays mobile-centric reveal, but wed expect to see a whitepaper with more details released the closer we get to the arrival of Arc 5 and 7 laptops in early summer, and Arc desktop graphics cards sometime in the second quarter.

If all this talk about matrix engines and media encoders got you hot and bothered, be sure to check out our separate coverage of the Arc 3 laptop GPU launch for a more practical look at what Intel is actually doing with all these hardware features. Those Deep Link capabilities could be some mighty delicious special sauce indeed.

Now, all thats left to do is wait for reviews.
New study shows the nationwide instant logistics system increases access and reduces stockouts of vaccines, medicines and other supplies by up to 60%.



South San Francisco, CA -- March 30, 2022 -- Zipline, the global leader in instant logistics, and the Ghana Ministry of Health today announced they have delivered one million COVID-19 vaccine doses via Ziplines automated, on-demand delivery system. The partners also announced that Zipline has released select findings from a new third-party report, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which shows the impact of Ziplines instant logistics system on Ghanas health system. The data demonstrates significant increases in the availability, reliability and range of inventory at health facilities by addressing supply chain challenges like lack of visibility, uncertain demand forecasting and shipment delays.



Our governments investment in healthcare delivery is part of our larger mission to build a stronger, more agile health system that better serves the people of Ghana, said Ghanas Minister of Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu. Over the past few years, weve made huge strides toward getting people the care they need, when and where they need it. And when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we were prepared to rapidly and equitably deliver vaccines to Ghanaians everywhere.



The Government of Ghana and Zipline first began working together back in 2019. Today, Zipline operates at national scale, serving over 15 million people from six distribution centers, with two more expected to launch later this year. The service has expanded rapidly in Ghana to meet demand, scaling from serving 160 facilities in 2019 to nearly 2,300 today. In that time, Zipline Ghana has flown 13 million miles and delivered more than five million doses of vaccines, in addition to blood products and other essential medicines.



Our partnership with Zipline has played a vital role in Ghanas robust administration of COVID-19 vaccines to combat the pandemic and foster healthier communities, said the Director General of Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye. Through Ziplines automated, on-demand delivery service and other efforts by the government, weve been able to rapidly and equitably distribute vaccines to many parts of the country.



The independent study of Ziplines impact was conducted by IDinsight and analyzed health facilities served by three of Ziplines distribution centers in Ghana. The results indicate that Zipline meaningfully contributes to the Ghanaian governments work to expand healthcare across the country, with a statistically significant impact on inventory availability and supply chain performance. Select findings show the Zipline system:



 Shortened vaccine stockouts by 60%, and decreased inventory-driven missed vaccination opportunities by 42%

 Decreased days facilities were without critical medical supplies by 21%

 Increased the types of medicines and supplies stocked at health facilities by 10%



To put this in context, each year an average of one in three countries experience at least one stockout of at least one vaccine for at least one month. Stock management at the country level accounts for approximately 18% of these stockouts. These inventory challenges can make it more difficult for patients to receive vaccinations, contributing to already-declining immunization coverage worldwide that leaves millions of people partially or completely unvaccinated. Enhanced inventory management and health supply chain can help address these gaps and build healthier communities.



Were proud to play a key role in Ghanas healthcare transformation, said Daniel Marfo, Ziplines Senior Vice President of Africa. Theyve made critical investments in addressing the systemic challenges of the healthcare supply chain. These investments have had a profound impact on the availability of medicines and vaccines, enabling patients to reliably access the care they need.



Robust evidence gives companies like Zipline fuller visibility into how its service is used and whether desired outcomes are reached, said Dr. Valentina Brailovskaya, the Principal Investigator on the evaluation. We encourage Zipline and the Ghana Ministry of Health to keep the momentum of evidence generation and think critically about how to further improve medical supply chains and, ultimately, patient care.



For more information on the new analysis and Ziplines operations in Ghana, visit https://flyzipline.com/ghana-impact-evaluation.



+++



About Zipline



Zipline is the global instant logistics leader. Our purpose is to inspire possibility, transform systems and serve all people equally. We design, manufacture and operate the worlds largest automated on-demand delivery service, which to date has made more than 275,000 commercial deliveries containing more than five million units of vaccines and other medical products, reducing delivery emissions up to 98 percent compared to traditional methods. Zipline is the trusted partner for governments, global brands and leading health care systems. For more information, visit flyzipline.com.















Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A major benefit of Governments digitalization push is the de-risking of the agriculture sector and the building of systems that enable entry, growth and expansion in the sector, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has revealed.



Expressing regret that many youth do not consider agriculture as a lifelong career, due to the perceived and reals risks involved, Dr Bawumia said the Akufo-Addo government has been guided in its crafting and implementation of policies and programmes by the needs of the youth, especially in agriculture, given the large percentage of Ghanaians employed by the sector.



The Agriculture sector plays a critical role in the socio-economic development of our country. It is the backbone of our economy, a prominent sector that employs almost 60% of our population, bridging the wealth and income gaps in our society.



However, the evidence available shows that most of our youth, do not consider Agriculture as a lifelong career. Some people see agriculture as a risky, unprofitable, labour-and capital-intensive occupation. This has led to a sharp decline in the rate of employment in the sector. To address this decline, and make Ghana competitive in the 4th Industrial Revolution, this government embarked on a major digitization drive to modernize the Ghanaian society, the Vice President disclosed on Monday 28th March, 2022 at the Jubilee House.



Dr Bawumia, who was speaking at an Agricultural Students Career Guidance and Mentorship Dialogue Bootcamp organized by the Agrihouse Foundation, said Government has been addressing the major factors militating against the Ghanaian farmers desire to expand and compete on the global scene, namely the accurate gathering and storage of data, easier access to credit through the establishment of proper identity and location, and global reach through financial inclusion.



From the farm, to the factory floor to the office, we are digitizing how we collect data, how we store data and how we use data to improve economic activities. We see digitization as essentially a way of de-risking the agricultural sector because a lot of perceived and real risks do exist.



As a government we have focused on trying to build the enablers to allow Ghana to be able to compete in the fourth industrial revolution, which is a revolution that is going to be based on data.



If you dont have data you cannot analyse, and take effective decisions, whether it is on your farm or the office. You need data to be decide when is the best time to plant, when is the best time to harvest, when is the best time to apply fertilizer, how much water is needed, what is the nature of the soil that I want to plant in. All of this requires data. Countries that invest in the production of that data will be the most competitive in the fourth industrial revolution, he pointed out.



We decided to address some of the major bottlenecks that businesses, including those in the agric sector, face. If establishing just your identity is not clear, then we have a problem. If you cannot be found or your location established, there is a problem. And if you do not have financial inclusion to allow everyone participate in the economy, then there is a problem, he continued.



That is why we are issuing national identity cards, the Ghana Card. That is also why we have gone ahead to adopt a Digital Address system for Ghana, the Ghana Post GPS. So if the bank or any financial institution has to verify the location of your farm, they can follow it and be sure its really where you say it is.



If you are to be successful in agri-business, the payment system has to be available for you to make payments and receive payments wherever you are, that is why Mobile Money Interoperability has become a major facilitator in effecting payments.



Dr Bawumia encouraged the students to always have the mindset of possibilities and reasonably resist any attempts at discouragement while trying to introduce anything new.



You must not be afraid to fail. Indeed, you will not always be successful. But even in failure you will learn something, there are lessons to learn, he added.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on all and sundry to throw weight behind the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in the fight against illegalities in the natural resources sector, particularly the fight against illegal Mining and also support the Green Ghana Project.



Addressing Ghanaians and the World, during his 2022 State Of the Nations Address (SONA) on 30th March 2022, the President stressed " if ever, the support of all citizens was required to make something work, it is in the battle to end illegal mining and restore our lands and water bodies back to health"



H. E the President said in the light of this fight, the government has through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, declared river bodies and forest reserves as Red Zones for mining.



He stated that the government has also suspended the issuance of all prospecting exploration licences for Minerals in forest reserves and launched Operation Halt II to help rid water bodies and forest reserves of illegal miners.



Still, on illegal mining, he mentioned that the government has revamped the Community Mining Scheme (CMS) as a more sustainable source of livelihood to replace illegal mining.



Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo indicated that all these initiatives are important contributors to the fight against illegal Mining but noted that what the country needs above all is the buy-in of all citizens in the fight.



"What we need above all is the buy-in of all citizens to recognise that the degradation caused to the Lands and water bodies by the illegal mining practices affect each one of us and we all should take an interest to stop those involved"



The President on behalf of the nation extended his condolences to the bereaved families and victims of the Appiatse explosion while commending the public for their massive response to the disaster.



He said the government responded swiftly in the immediate aftermath of the incident by dispatching a high power delegation to Appiatse, led by the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and supported by the Sector Minister, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor.



He mentioned that the Appiatse Support Fund is also an immediate action by the government to spearhead the building of a decent, green and sustainable community to enable victims of the incident to get back on their feet and rebuild their lives.



On the Forestry sector, the President applauded the Ministry and Ghanaians for having made last year's Green Ghana Project success and beckoned all to support this year's target of planting 20 million trees.



Touching on the Lands sector, the President applauded the Ministrys efforts in securing some lands at Kwabenya to build a Huge Barracks complex which he said will soon be completed to boost the morale of the police and security service.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Human Resource Director for Vodafone Ghana, Hannah Ashiokai Akrong, has highlighted some initiatives that Vodafone has put in place to support the youth and help build their portfolios.



In an interview with Rev. Erskine on YFMs Y-Leaderboard Series, Hannah Ashiokai explained that Vodafone believes in the youth because of their innovative and great ideas for the organization.



We have different programmes. Apart from our graduate training programme, we have internships, apprenticeships, our female engineering scholars programme and many others. We have a screening process because a lot of people apply for these roles, she said.



For our graduate training programmes, for instance, we have about twelve slots and usually get about two thousand applicants annually. By the time we finish screening, we get the number were looking for. The screening doesnt focus on work experience because, at that time, people are just getting out of school.



With your potential, we look at mental agility which talks about how quick you are to pick new things, how confident you are, how you can express yourself, put your ideas together and present them to a team to convince them that this is the data and this is how its going to work? she expressed.



The HR expert also mentioned that having past leadership experiences from school or through voluntary opportunities is also good, hence, it is a plus for applicants who do have that experience.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Brazil pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai has reached the highly coveted milestone of welcoming over two million visitors.



Built at an investment of $20 million in the Sustainability District, the 4,000-sq-m pavilion brought a unique blend of innovative architecture and immersive technology to evoke a rich experience of the Amazon rain forest in Dubai. By day, the pavilion has been a serene recreation of the Brazilian lifestyle with a shallow water blade occupying across half of its area, but at night, it lighted up and gave the whole Expo a light show spectacle.



ApexBrasil, the agency that organised Brazilian participation at Expo, has also used its time at the mega event to progress its existing bilateral trade ties with the UAE and countries from the Middle East and beyond.



A three-member Indian family residing in UAE marked the two million visitor record at the pavilion. The family joined the celebration with the pavilion commissioner general, director and staff members.



Elias Martins Filho, Commissioner-General of Brazil at Expo 2020 Dubai, said, We are extremely proud to host two million visitors at the Expo 2020 as it is coming to an end after a six-month-long display of cooperation, innovation, and cultural exchange. We have been confident that all the hard work that we put into our innovative and immersive pavilion would pay off and are happy to say that it did.



This figure of two million visitors represents the resounding success of our pavilion and we are optimistic that we can take this momentum forward into the future as we continue to work with the UAE and all other countries that participated in the Dubai Expo.



Raphael Nascimento, Brazil Pavilion Director at Expo 2020 Dubai, said, We are proud of everything that we have accomplished. We created various opportunities at the Expo and in Dubai for attracting investment throughout the event. Besides being an Expo mainstay for visitors looking for leisure, the pavilion has seen steady traffic of trade visitors opening up new trade and investment partnership opportunities for Brazil.



The outcome that Brazil achieved with the Expo participation will help the nation to expand its presence in other global markets. The Expo helped us strengthen our relations with other Gulf countries, thus confirming the high reliability of our products and the commitment of our productive sector to quality, health and sustainability, he added.



According to Nascimento, the success that Brazil has found at the Expo signals that the country is meeting its investment, tourism and innovation potential on a global stage. It has been a hectic time for us with the mix of business and leisure visitors attracted to what we have laid out at the pavilion. From what we could gauge from visitor responses, the experience they had at our pavilion has been unique and stunning.



In keeping with the sustainability theme, Brazil has also been collaborating with its neighbour Paraguay at the Expo to promote its solutions for clean and renewable energy.



Itaipu Binational, the worlds second-largest hydroelectric power plant located on the Brazil Paraguay border, and a global leader in green energy showcased its tried-and-true water conservation practices at the pavilion. Through an interactive and immersive virtual reality technology, visitors at the Brazil pavilion were shown the richness of Brazils ecosystems and taught visitors about environmental conservation and water care.



The pavilion also had the privilege of hosting New7Wonders, the organization that conducts the voting campaign to determine the new seven wonders of the world and nature every year. After an arduous voting process with 600 million voters, Brazil has been bestowed the honour of being home to three world wonders  Iguacu Waterfalls, the Amazon rainforest and the Christ Redeemer.



ApexBrasil also organised the Agritalks that served strengthening the agribusiness between Brazil and the UAE. Coinciding with the Expo, Brazil became one of the most prolific countries at Gulfood this year with over 114 companies participating.



The pavilion offered visitors with a detailed portrait of Brazil, a huge country with a diverse population, rich culture, exquisite cuisine, amazing tourist spots and unending opportunities for investment.



The immersive, sensory, and exciting experience from the Pavilion is accomplished with the help of 140 projectors pointed at the translucent membrane wall on the pavilions interiors screening video images of Brazilian forests, rivers, urban centres, food and culture. Surround sound plays the relaxing sounds of Amazon and visitors wade through the refreshing pool of water to highlight one of the pavilions main themes  biodiversity.  TradeArabia News Service
The Central Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Alexander Kwame Amenyo, has stated that the regional police administration would build a robust and professional police service that has the trust of the citizenry.



He said while promoting professionalism, it would work harder to stamp out crime and miscreants who sought to disrupt the peace of the region.



He made the remarks during his maiden interaction with the media in the Central Region after taking office as regional police commander.



The purpose of the meeting was for him to formally introduce himself as the new Regional Commander to the media and to solicit their support in maintaining the peace of the area.



DCOP Amenyo emphasised that his outfit was committed to maximising efforts aimed at improving professional standards in the service, in order to regain public confidence which has eroded as a result of some unprofessional conducts of some of the personnel.



He said the initiative would include workshops, refresher courses, and in-service training for personnel, while the region's police hierarchy would be firmer in its actions to ensure that personnel who violated policing standards were dealt with.



"The police administration is looking forward to cleanse its image and ensure that we deliver to the people in a more humane character. Our vision is to meet the best world practices in delivering our mandate, in protecting the people and meeting their expectations.



"We are striving to leave behind all of the unprofessional, unethical, and inhumane practices that pitch us against the public, so that at the end of the day, the public will have faith in us and support us in discharging our duties," he said.



Fighting crime



DCOP Amenyo vowed to leave no stone unturned in the fight against criminals, miscreants and other activities that jeopardised the region's peace.



He stated that his outfit would not compromise in its fight against crime, noting that the country's borders had become porous and that it would be extremely dangerous if the police administration relented in its pursuit of criminals.



He added that enhancing police visibility and presence in the community, as well as erecting checkpoints in key places and on some highways, would all be part of the steps taken to combat crime.



"We will ensure that our men on the ground are firm in fighting crime, miscreants among others, because if we do not do that it will be very dangerous for the region. Our borders are so porous and currently there is a lot of infiltration given what is happening in neighbouring countries," he said.



Support



DCOP Amenyo urged stakeholders in the region, particularly the media, to partner the police in achieving their goal of maintaining peace and calmness in the region and to use their platforms to promote peace in the region rather than acrimony.



He stated that the region was one of the calmest and crime-free areas in the country, and that such accomplishments needed to be maintained.



He further urged the media to be objective in their reporting.













Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The leadership of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) has called on its members across the country to exercise restraint as it dialogues with the Ghana Education Service (GES) on the payment of their Continuous Professional Development Allowance (CPDA).

"Leadership of the union is working holistically on all concerns of the non-teaching staff of the GES with particular attention on the CPDA.



We therefore ask members to exercise restraint while we work together to press home our genuine demands," it said.



This was contained in a communique it issued at the end of a technical committee engagement that was held to look into the issues it raised following the recent strike it embarked upon.



It reminded the rank and file that the unions industrial action was not called off but suspended and so, could be activated without recourse to the National Labour Commission (NLC) if they felt their concerns were not adequately addressed.



Technical committee



The communique said the government, through the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, together with other government agencies responded to the unions industrial action for a meeting which compelled the GES to quickly refer members concerns to a technical committee formed by the GES and TEWU to deal with the concerns and submit a report to that effect.



It said the technical committee started its preliminary work as mandated on January 6, 2022 and continued the work on Wednesday, January 12, 2022.



Due to the urgency required in dealing with the CPDA issue, the committee decided to hustle it with dispatch and submit a report on the matter before tackling the other concerns of GES non-teaching staff.



The committee, therefore, completed work on the CPDA and submitted a report on it to GES Management on Thursday, January 27, 2022 for consideration and necessary action, it said.



Concerns



The committee, it said, reconvened on February 2 t0 February 4, 2022 to deal with the other concerns of the union which included the need to review the scheme of service for non-teaching staff of the GES.



The others, it said, were the opening of management positions to both qualified teaching and non-teaching staff, the need to re-align the GES organisational chart to meet current challenges, non-payment of overtime allowance to kitchen staff, non-payment of travelling and out of station allowances to staff, delays in the payment of transfer grant and car maintenance allowance, disparities in the grading system and payment of responsibility allowance to non-teaching staff and some other issues.



According to the communique, the committee had finished its work on all the issues and submitted their final report to the GES management.



The GES Technical Committee working on the concerns of non-teaching staff of the GES met the management of the GES, led by the Director-General, Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa and the leadership of the union led by the National Chairman and General Secretary.



At the meeting, the Chairman of the Technical Committee, Dr Christian Koramoah (Financial Controller, GES) presented the second part of the committees report to the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.



Questions



The communique said some questions that came from the GES management to the committee were clarified by the chairman of the committee to the satisfaction of members present in the meeting.



Prof. Opoku-Amankwa indicated to the union that he was satisfied with the committees work. The name CPDA, which the committee added Skills to , now read Continuous Professional Development and Skills Allowance for a purpose. That would ensure that all non-teaching staff benefited from the allowance, be it professional or skilled staff.



He assured the union that his office would quickly write to the necessary stakeholders, including the union, to enable discussions with the right stakeholders to begin, he said, but, however, cautioned that members of the union should exercise patience with regard to time for the payment of the allowance because some processes would have to take place before the allowance could be paid to members.



Leadership of the union said it would proactively begin discussions with the Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, before GES started any engagement with them.









Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The government has been urged to pump more resources into the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities for its people, particularly in the health and educational sectors.



While commending the government for some of the achievements in the sectors, a Consultant with the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, Dr Bernard Abeiku Arthur, believed that there was still room for improvement, particularly meeting, the sanitation needs of the girl child and the vulnerable in the educational and health sectors.



As a country, we are doing well but we should put in more resources, he said.



GKMA



Dr Arthur made the call at a two-day training workshop for the media on the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area Sanitation and Water Project (GKAM-SWP), which is being sponsored by the World Bank.



The project was sequel to the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area project (GAMA) and is expected to build at least 30,000 toilet facilities for households within the eight districts in the GKMA by the year 2024.



The objective of the project is to increase access to improved sanitation and water supply in the GKMA with emphasis on low income communities.



He said the project was doing well in providing decent toilet facilities to households within the beneficiary communities and we need more resources pumped into it because the gap between the improved and non-improved (toilet facilities) is quite wide.



Open defecation has not ended, it is still there and the girl child challenge on sanitation in schools and hospitals is also a major issue, he said.



Implementation



So far, a total of 1,049 household toilet facilities have been built for the project.



The Ejisu Municipality leads the chart with 388 biodigester lavatories, with Oforikrom Municipal Assembly following with 135, while Kwadaso followed third with 131.



Suame has benefitted from 113 subsidised household toilets, Kumasi Metro, 88; Old Tafo, 87; Asokore-Mampong 61 with Asokwa having the least, 46.



Last year, a total of 260 of these toilets were constructed with the majority of the facilities targeted to be constructed this year.









Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A French family obsessed with conspiracy theories since the Covid pandemic jumped one after the other to their death from their seventh-floor apartment in the Swiss town of Montreux, police said on Tuesday March 29.



Eric David, 40, his 41-year-old wife Nasrine Feraoun, her twin sister Narjisse, and the couple's eight-year-old daughter were found dead at the bottom of a seven-story building on last Thursday.



The couple's 15-year-old son survived the fall and was seriously injured. He is currently in a coma in a stable condition in hospital.



The Vaud regional police said on Tuesday they are working on a theory of 'collective suicide' and their findings suggest 'all the victims jumped from the balcony one after the other'.



The five family members all jumped more than 65 feet from the apartment, where they all lived 'withdrawn from society', just moments after police officers tried to execute an arrest warrant in connection with the home-schooling of a child, police said.



Police said the incident occurred after two officers arrived at the apartment at 6.15am to execute a warrant for the father in connection with the home-schooling of one of the couple's children on Thursday.



The officers knocked on the door and heard a voice ask who they were. But when they answered, the apartment went quiet. After failing to make contact, the officers left.



Shortly before 7am, all five family members jumped from the balcony within the space of five minutes.



Police detected no trace of a struggle, seemingly confirming that they jumped off their own accord. A step ladder was found on the balcony.



'Before or during the events, no witnesses, including the two police officers present on the spot from 6:15 am and the passers-by at the foot of the building, heard the slightest noise or cry coming from the apartment or the balcony,' police said.



'Technical investigations show no warning signs of such an act,' they added, noting however that 'since the start of the pandemic, the family was very interested in conspiracy and survivalist theories'.



Police said the family lived in virtual self-sufficiency having amassed a well-organised stockpile of various food, taking up much of their living space but enabling them to see out a major crisis.



Only the mother's twin sister worked outside the home, while neither the mother nor the eight-year-old girl, who did not attend school, were registered with the local authorities.



'All these elements suggest... fear of the authorities interfering in their lives,' the police statement said.



Neighbours said the family was quiet and kept to themselves.



'We heard nothing from their home, the father never said hello in the hallway and ordered many packages almost daily,' neighbour Claude Rouiller told Swiss newspaper Le Temps.









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Easy Water for Everyone, a non-governmental organization, has celebrated this years World Water Day with students and residents from some 22 islands communities.



World Water Day is an annual UN observance day that highlights the importance of fresh, clean water.



It is observed on the 22nd of March every year.



The Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the global water crisis. But another core focus of the observance is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.



In view of this, the NGO in observance of the day encouraged all and sundry especially young people to become ambassadors of good drinking water in their various communities.



The event which was held at the Pediatorkorpe DA Basic School was marked by sensitization exercises on the importance of good drinking water, how to ensure good drinking water and also a quiz competition between the four major basic schools on the islands.



It was graced by the community chiefs of Pediatorkorpe and Kpetsupanya, as well as the Assemblyman of the Pediatorkorpe area.



Institutions that graced the event also included the Ghana Fire Service, the Environmental Health Department, Ghana Health Service and the Ghana Education Service branch of the Accra East District.



The partaking schools in the quiz competition were Pediatorkorpe DA Basic school, Alorkpeim DA Basic school, Tuanikorpe DA Basic school and Aflive DA Basic school.



After the heated quiz competition where students were expected to answer correctly questions on water, sanitation and the environment, Alorkpeim DA Basic School came first.



Also, representatives from the various institutions gave a short message in respect to the theme of the celebration, that is Groundwater, making the invisible visible.



On his part, the Chief for Kpetsupanya, Nene Ofotsu Kottor II, called on Easy Water for Everyone to look for organic ways to control the water hyacinth.



The Circuit Supervisor of the Ghana Education Service, Mr. Morris Ocansey also applauded EWfE for its work on the island communities and also requested the NGO to extent its work to Azizakpe which is an island community between the sea and the river.



The Technical Director of EWfE also urged the communities to play a key role in ensuring the sustainability of the project.



According to him, without the support and cooperation of the people, all that the NGO seeks to achieve can not happen.



Dr. Kofi Boakye, the District Health Director of the Ghana Health Service, delivered a brief statement on the reduction of diarrhoea in the communities and expressed gratitude to Easy Water for Everyone for their efforts.



In order to assure the projects long-term viability, he also advocated for community participation.



The Chief Superintendent of the Ada District Hospital, Dr. Narh also gave a short talk on the importance of clean and safe drinking water and how it affects the health of people.



There was proposal to create Easy Water for Everyone Clubs at each of the island schools; this was accepted by the various Head Teachers.



These clubs would be formed in the schools by the teachers. The purpose of the club is to create awareness on clean and safe drinking water and sanitation.



Teachers in charge of the club were advised to take the support of assistants or other teachers in order to keep the group running in the event that they were unavailable.



Easy Water for Everyone was founded by Nathan Levin and Linda Donald in 2015. The organisation currently has a presence in Ghana, Uganda and Senegal.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The rubicon has finally been crossed with the passage of the controversial Electronic Levy (E-Levy) bill, despite a spirited attempt by the Minority caucus in Parliament to shoot it down, including the obvious staging of a walkout.



According to the Minority, the Majority pulled a surprise one on them because E-levy was not listed in Parliaments business statement for this week.



According to the Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu: We have time and again warned and cautioned that we never want to be taken by surprise on a major economic policy bill of government and we will not accept that culture."



So when you (Majority Caucus) did not have the numbers, you were hesitant, you wont come before the House, now that you think that you have some reasonable numbers then you say go to the business of item 27.



However, by a voice vote by the Majority caucus after the Speaker of Parliament suspended sitting for 30 minutes, the second reading of the bill was approved.



Third reading



Subsequently, the Finance Minister moved the motion for the bill to be considered the third time and it was subsequently seconded.



The question was put by the Speaker and was approved through a voice vote.



"The electronic bill duly read the third time and passed," the Speaker said.



This means the controversial levy which has generated a lot of discussions in the country has been passed awaiting presidential assent.



Meanwhile, the bill has been reduced from 1.75 percent to 1.5 percent.









Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The New Patriotic Party, NPP, has responded to a recent harsh critique of the Judiciary by former President John Dramani Mahama.



The NPP's response came via the head of its Legal Committee, Frank Davies, who described Mahama's statements, made in the United States, as 'unfortunate and embarrassing,' and a show of intellectual hypocrisy.



In an interview on Joy FM's news programme, Top Story, that aired on Monday, March 28, Davis explained that the former president's allegations lacked any basis in logic.



Its not only unfortunate, but its rather embarrassing that a former President of this Republic, Mr. John Mahama who speak about the Judiciary in such terms. I am really baffled. This is the former President who has presided over affairs of state, he stated.



He also accused Mahama of being intellectually dishonest in his assessment of the Judiciary especially as he cited claims against the Judiciary as made by Prof. Raymond Atuguba, a former Executive Secretary under his presidency, to back his point.



Is John Mahama trying to tell the whole world that at the time that he was President and the Supreme Court judges were working in this country, their judgments were skewed in his favour?



"I really cant understand why he does this to himself. So is it right to say that the election petition of 2013 when he won by a majority of five to four in that election petition, the judges skewed it in his favour? That is the logic Mr. Mahama is portraying? then it is sad, he stressed.



What Mahama said



During his recent tour of the United States, John Mahama delivered a stern critique of state institutions taking particular aim at what he said was a politicized judiciary.



In an address to the US Chapter of the NDC at the Bentley University over the weekend, Mahama affirmed that the party had a problem with the Judiciary.



We do have problems with the Judiciary, I must say. I think that it is necessary for some internal reforms to take place there. It is necessary for the Chief Justice or whoever is responsible to make some reforms.



"Most of the governance institutions have been politicised. I give the example of the Judiciary. It is only in Ghana that a Supreme Court will make a decision that a birth certificate is not proof of citizenship, he said.



He continued, there are many such funny judgements that have been given. I remember at one time, our colleague Professor Raymond Atuguba said that from research he had done, judges turn to give their judgements in favour of the political party or leader that appointed them.



"He was subjected to such a whirlwind of indignation by the Judiciary, but if you bring it down to what is happening today, and you look at it and see who appointed who, you will find that there was some truth in the research.



"The thing is, our constitution gives the security of tenure to judges. Once you have been appointed, you cannot be removed. That is why we give security of tenure so that you will have the courage no matter who appointed you to give judgement according to your conscience. That is what our judges should do. They must rise to the occasion.





Source: ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Minority in Parliament has served notice of intent to challenge the passage of the Electronic Transfer (E-Levy) bill by Parliament at the Supreme Court after they (the Minority Caucus) had staged a walked out earlier in the day.



Addressing the press, Minority Leader, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu said Parliament did not have a decision making quorum of 138 members in the chamber when the bill was passed, hence the passage of the bill was illegal and unconstitutional.



This is a charade, he said at a press conference in Parliament, adding that there is no E-levy.



The majority of less than 137 conducting businesses only proceeded on illegal and unconstitutional business. Parliament did not have the numbers to take any decision that should binding Parliament and Ghanaians.



I think they have to come again on E-levy because as of today, I dont think they had the numbers to say that the E-levy has been passed. We will question this decision in [the Supreme] court on the basis of the earlier ruling and on the basis of the fact that they said we cant take a decision with 137 [members], but they can take with 137, he said.



Parliament, on Tuesday, passed the Electronic Transfer Levy in the absence of the Minority MPs, who had walked out before the Bill was considered at the second reading stage.



The Minority had complained that it had been taken by surprise by the unexpected consideration of the levy.



The E-levy was not listed in Parliaments business statement for this week.

Source: Emmanuel Akorli/Peace Fm









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has, in his State of the Nation Address today at Parliament, assured Ghanaians of his commitment and determination to see to the construction as well as completion of the 111 hospitals across the country.



Dubbed ''Agenda 111'', the President promised Ghanaians the project would be completed in the year 2020 but unfortunately the government didn't meet the schedule, hence casting doubts over the President's ability to construct the hospitals.



Critics called the President's bluff but the President, in his address on Wednesday, has reiterated his willingness to constructing the hospitals.



Describing the initial schedule for the completion of the hospitals as ''overly ambitious'', the President explained his aim for the Agenda 111 saying, ''we are undertaking the construction of 111 entities, which comprise standard 100-bed district hospitals for 101 districts without hospitals, with accommodation for doctors and nurses; six(6) new Regional hospitals for each of the six new Regions; the rehabilitation of the Effia Nkwanta Hospital in the Western Region, one new Regional hospital for the Western Region and three psychiatric hospitals for each of the three zones of the country, that is north, middle and coastal."



"Agenda 111 is an anbitious project, which must and will be done, and which will create some thirty-three thousand, nine hundred(33,900) jobs for construvtion workers, and on completion, some thirty-four thousand, three hundred (34,300) jobs for the health workers," he added.



"Mr. Speaker, I have to report that, like all major construction projects, it's evident that the initial schedule we gave for the completion of Agenda 111 was overly ambitious. Identifying suitable sites around the country, for example, has turned out to be even more problematic than had been anticipated . . .", he elucidated.



President Nana Akufo-Addo pledged all the hospitals will be fully done before he exits office.



" . . work has started at 87 of the 111 sites. I have been assured that preliminary work on the remaining 24 sites is ongoing. We have every intention of seeing this project through a successful end which will enable me to commission all 111 hospitals before I leave office on 7th January, 2025," he promised.





Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has vehemently condemned seditious statements to incite people to stage a coup d'etat in Ghana, stressing such statements shouldn't be tolerated.



Delivering this year's State of the Nation Address, President Nana Akufo-Addo called for peace and stability in the nation and the African continent.



The President reminded Ghanaians of some consequences of the series of coup d'etat that occurred in times past until the Fourth Republic and cautioned them against its reinvention.



"We came through a long and torturous journey to arrive at today's consensus on a multiparty democracy. But the last 29 years of our Fourth Republic has shown that this has been the most productive period since our independence. Both the major political parties of the country, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have made positive contributions to this development."



He was also downhearted over the recent coups in some African countries stating, "the West African Region is suddenly back in the international news headlines for all the wrong reasons. We are back as the Regional political instability and the place for coups. Long and bitter experience led ECOWAS to its current stance of zero intolerance for Military coups. We, in Ghana, know the cost of instability. It leads to the exodus of our artisans and professionals and the emptying of teachers from our schools.''



He therefore charged the nation to uphold democracy.



''It is up to us to find a way to accommodate each other and our differences to make things work for the benefit of the Ghanaian people. Mr. Speaker, it might also be well that coup d'etats have re-entered our discourse because of the turmoil in our neigbourhood," he emphasized.



The President advised Ghanaians to disregard any calls for Military takeover or insurgence, exclaiming, "there's work to be done on building our institutions but our democracy is worth fighting for!''



''We should be unapologetic about campaigning for stable democratic governments in our region. We do not want to be an island of peace and stability in a region of turmoil. We do not aspire to be prosperous in the midst of want and poverty. We want a stable and properous Ghana in a stable and prosperous region," President Akufo-Addo further asserted.







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
DHL Express MENA has launched a direct flight from Bahrain to Istanbul, following the signing of a lease agreement with Texel Air whereby DHL has contracted the cargo operators Boeing 737-800BCF aircraft for this route.

This move supports DHLs Middle East network optimisation strategy which aims to increase air efficiencies and enhance transit times, the company said.

The new Bahrain-Istanbul-Bahrain flight will be operated six times weekly and will significantly reduce transit times by 24 hours for time definite shipments between Turkey and the Middle East, capitalising on an overnight service and earlier arrivals into DHLs new Istanbul facility.

Richard Gale, Head of DHL Aviation Middle East and Africa, said: We are excited to expand our footprint into Turkey by integrating Istanbul into DHLs extensive network of direct touchpoints, further consolidating our strong network position in the region. The new flight route will support a more efficient re-direction of volume between Asia, the Middle East and Turkey via our Bahrain Hub, and significantly enhance service improvement through a best-in-class overnight time definite capability. We are continuously assessing market needs and creating routing solutions to maintain a well-connected international network and better service high demand destinations; and the Istanbul flight is one in a series of new route additions we will be launching this year.

The contracted Boeing 737-800BCF has a maximum gross payload capability of 23,950 kg and is the most fuel-efficient aircraft in its class, supporting DHLs objectives of improving its environmental footprint in line with its zero-emissions strategy.

George Chisholm, Texel Air Director, stated: We are extremely pleased to have signed with global logistics giant DHL and to be supporting their network expansion strategy through leasing of our newly-acquired Boeing 737-800BCF. The proven versatility of these planes will ensure DHL continues to deliver on its mission for greater speed, reliability and efficiency. We strive to form partnerships with industry specialists and to enable them to meet their targets through the provision of resourceful cargo solutions complemented by uncompromised level of customer service.  TradeArabia News Service
Rev.Obofour has made yet another controversial statement that has subjected Christianity to public ridicule.



In the video which has drawn attention online, Rev Obofour disclosed that there are some stories in the Bible which does not make sense in modern day and must be changed.



The popular man of God recorded a video punching holes in some famous Bible stories and calling the word of God archaic.



The general overseer and founder of Anointed Palace Chapel said he does not understand why Jesus Christ will be crucified for committing a crime of preaching.



He went on to state that another story that he finds to be a tall tail is the story of Daniel in the Lions den.



Rev. Obofour said no one will walk unharmed if they step on the tail of a hungry dog but the Bible claims Daniel walked freely in a den full of hungry lions.



In his view, that story is false and only kids will believe such lies.



To sum it up, Rev. Obofour boldly said the Chriatian Bible is archaic and must be reviewed to suit modern day truth.



Obofours submissions has got on the nerves if many Christians who expressed shock over the statement of a man who oversees many Ghanaians in his church.



Some questioned why he mocked the same Bible he uses to preach in his church.



Others called him names and said he has suddenly gained sense after making a fortune from people using the Bible as his tool.



Read some reactions below.



@Nathan_Klyne  man cash out finish dey come call his source of wealth archaic.proper man of God



@1unclerealjoe  And who said he was doing the work of God? Did you ever heard him quote a verse from the Bible? Lets be guided, by their fruit ye shall know them.. Dem just hypnotize people dey mislead dem.



@logs5  Sii Mo Bible nu as if he does not preach from same Bible.







View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ghpage TV (@ghpage_tv)

Source: instagram/ghanacelebrities.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Award-winning Ghanaian rapper, Sakodie has been chastised for skipping out on the just concluded 3 Music Awards in his native Nigeria.



To the many users of the many social media platforms accessible, the rapper has time for the Doctor United Nations Awards but cannot make time for the three Music Awards that are recognized as having legitimacy.



However, in a cryptic message to his detractors, Sarkodie said that he must deal with a lot of garbage but must maintain his cool at all times.



Those who do not understand him, according to him, will eventually come around if they follow him constantly.



He tweeted;



To be in a position of power, you will have to deal with a lot, and the best quality to have is the ability to sail through the BS and keep your eyes on the price  those who dont get it might get it with time, if you stay consistent with it.

Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews delivers the 2021-22 budget in Edmonton on Feb. 25, 2021. Alberta is introducing rules that would make it easier for entrepreneurs to test products in the emerging field of cryptocurrencies and online banking. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
"Act of God" filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal is shown during an interview with The Canadian Press in Toronto on Tuesday, April 21, 2009. A new documentary from Toronto-based director Jennifer Baichwal will open the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau high-fives a child as he plays with children after reaching an agreement on a $10-a-day child-care program deal in Brampton, Ont., on Monday, March 28, 2022. Ontario's deal with the federal government includes a promise to create 86,000 licensed spaces, but advocates say that may not be enough to meet demand. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
A Ukrainian serviceman stands in a trench at a position north of the capital Kyiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday.
When Steven Westfall entered the professional world after graduating from the Kelce College of Business at Pittsburg State, he remembers going to dinner with senior executives for the first time and being nervous. That memory inspired him to help today's students.

I remember wondering, Should I talk? Should I not talk? What about eating  what are the rules?, he said. I was young, just starting out, and it was a bit scary.

He also recalls thinking that having had an opportunity to learn etiquette prior to that dinner would have been a game changer.

I would have had more confidence, more self-esteem, felt more comfortable, and been able to navigate the situation more easily, said Westfall, who grew up in the small town of Galena, Kansas. Being in those settings is when you build relationships, and body language, persona, knowing what to do, can make a big impact either way for you professionally.

Today, Westfall (89 BBA, 90 MBA) navigates the world of business just fine: hes president and CEO of Tuthill  a large manufacturer of industrial goods with numerous locations. He is the recipient of the Outstanding Young Alumni Award (07), has served on the Foundation Board as a trustee (09-12), and is a lifetime member of the Presidents Society.

And, remembering those experiences of his youth, hes now the underwriter of a valuable new program at Pittsburg State: an executive luncheon designed to help business students gain professional skills like he wished hed had.

Hes a great example of an alumnus who not only went on to a successful career, but one who is giving back and making a difference, said Lynn Murray, director of outreach and business engagement in KCOB. Students love him  he's very generous with his time and money.

Westfall came to campus last semester as the KCOB Executive in Residence, sharing his expertise and experience with students and faculty.

It was a springboard to a decision he made to continue to help KCOB students in an innovative way: to give them the opportunity to have lunch in an elegant setting at Crestwood Country Club with professionals from the business community.

By the time they graduate, all students in all sections of the Business Professionalism class will have gone through an experience like this, said Katie Sweezy, an adjunct lecturer who teaches the class. Wed rather students make mistakes with us than at an interview or professional meeting. Those settings can be a little scary, and this is a chance for them to begin to feel more comfortable and confident.

One such student was Martha Elimo, a junior management major from Baxter Springs, Kansas.

I was a little jittery  definitely not used to this environment. It was something new, and something I could grow from, Elimo said. Id call it a bonus experience at college.

Dillon Butts, a computer information systems major from Michigan, said he had never had an experience like it before and was nervous.

I wasnt sure about balancing eating and talking, how to introduce myself most effectively, and the rules to follow like which fork to use when, Butts said. I think this was a really important aspect of our education. It gave me insight and make me more comfortable.

Holly Kent, director of development for KCOB, praised the communitys business professionals who agreed to participate in the luncheon as mentors.

Our community always steps up, Kent said. They saw how important this kind of learning is to our students future success, and we didnt have any problem getting them to agree to participate.

Westfall, who has many family members who are Gorillas, said he was thrilled to be able to give back.

I consider Pittsburg State a second home, its part of me, he said. My wife went there, our sons did, my sister, nephews, and nieces did  its a family thing, its an important part of who I am, and when people in the professional world ask where I went to college, Im always proud to tell them Pittsburg State.

More professional experiences beyond the classroom:

Pittsburg States Office of Career Services helps students prepare for the professional world by offering a Speed Etiquette event each semester at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts, in which community leaders and business professionals share quick tips and strategies with students in KCOB and other colleges in a format similar to speed dating.

Female students in KCOB have founded Women@Work, an organization focused on partnering with leaders on campus and in the community for learning, mentoring, and networking. Their second annual workshop was held in March in celebration of Womens History Month.

Learn more:

Kelce College of Business
For French education major Claire Hurst, Paris is a long way from her small hometown of Cassville, Missouri, in the Ozarks  not just in terms of distance, but also in terms of size, population, and culture.

But for part of her spring break, Hurst got to immerse herself in Paris, as well as in Rome and Florence, Italy, thanks to a Study Abroad trip with the Pittsburg State University Honors College  one of numerous Study Abroad opportunities offered by the university each year.

It was lifechanging.

This was my first time being abroad, so it allowed me to experience the cultures without stereotypes and expectations getting in the way, Hurst said. I wanted to go on a trip like this because it would be a good chance for me to practice my language skills and to see first-hand a culture different from my own."

Hurst was part of a group of 37 Pittsburg State students, six community members, and three faculty  Honors College Director Craig Fuchs, Associate Professor of English and Modern Languages Brian Moots, and Biology Professor Mandy Peak Bryan  to make the trip.

They began in Rome, where they saw the Pantheon, Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peters Basilica; toured Florence where they saw the Basilica of St. Francis; and finished up in Paris, where they saw such icons as the Champs-Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe, toured Versailles and the Louvre, and sat by the Seine.

As a language major, I was also able to practice quite a bit during the few days we were in Paris, Hurst said. I could practice in an organic setting with native speakers, and that was so incredibly helpful for me.

Her favorite part?

Exploring with my friends and getting to see the more natural, day-to-day aspects of living in Rome, Florence, and Paris, she said. I enjoyed the time with my friends to find shops and restaurants hidden in the alleys.

Trinity Dobbs, a biology major from Webb City, Missouri, with an emphasis in pre-med, said that although it didnt relate directly to her major, it was an incredibly valuable experience.

Although my major doesnt have much to do with European culture, I wanted to go on this Study Abroad trip because I have not had much opportunity to travel internationally, nor did I know much about European culture, she said.

I also really enjoyed eating new things and spending time with peers and professors. Something new that I feel impacted me from this trip was the opportunity to try new things in a place outside of my comfort zone.

Her favorite part? Climbing to the top of the bell tower at the Duomo in Florence, Italy.

It was a 414 stair climb that had most of us winded by halfway, she said. Once we made it to the top there was a breathtaking view of the entire city, and I really enjoyed the time that we spent up there taking in the views."

We tried all sorts of new things such as eating duck, riding the metro in Paris, and navigating the city by ourselves in small groups, she said. If any students are on the fence about going on a Study Abroad trip, I would 100 percent say do it. Even though this trip didnt have a significant relation to my major in what Im learning, I feel like a culturally diverse mindset is a very valuable asset.

Want to go?

The Study Abroad Office is located in the International Programs and Services Office in Whitesitt Hall Room 118. The office serves students who would like to study abroad for a summer, semester, or academic year, and faculty who would like to lead short-term programs.

Coming up:

In May, Assistant Professors in Teaching and Leadership Kristi Stuck and Bridgette Fincher will take a group of education majors to Italy to study the Italian education system and how the Italian culture impacts what is valued in education.

In June, nursing, pre-med, and pre-health students will take a Study Abroad trip to Belize under the direction of Professor of Biology Daniel Zurek. The trip will have a medical volunteer focus and will include participation in rural health clinics in Belize, giving students practical experience as well as a total of three credits toward graduation.

Also in June, Associate Professor of Spanish Grant Moss will lead a Study Abroad trip to Spain. The trip will focus on Alicantes history, architecture, climate, and culture.

For spring break in 2023, Professor of English Casie Hermansson and Biology Instructor Delia Lister will lead a Study Abroad trip to Ireland, England, and Scotland. The trip will dive into city life as participants explore three different European capitals that each have their own personality, from Dublin to London to Edinburgh.

Learn more:
Joseph Rice Wins WSOP Circuit Turning Stone Main Event for 2nd Ring of Series

March 30, 2022 Connor Richards Editor & Live Reporter U.S.

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit stop at Turning Stone Resort Casino in New York wrapped up on Monday with New York's Joseph Rice taking down the $1,700 Main Event for $238,870 and his second ring of the series. Rice, who also won Event #1: $400 NLH for $27,372, defeated Ontario's Giuseppe Galluzzo during heads-up play, who in turn took home $147,644.

WSOP Circuit Turning Stone consisted of 15 ring events with buy-ins ranging from $300 to $1,700. Each of the events attracted hundreds of players to generate a massive $4.1 million in prize money.

The marquee Main Event had 891 entrants for a prize pool of $1.3 million. Timothy Odonoghue was first to go out at the final table in ninth place for $23,605, followed by James Namlot, who took home $29,747 for his eighth-place finish.

Later in the day, John Amola bowed out in fourth place for $83,144, while Robert Hover was eliminated in third place for $110,250 to begin the heads-up war between Rice and Galluzzo. Galluzzo entered heads-up with a commanding chip lead but couldn't get rid of Rice, who eventually gained a big lead.

Free to Play Slots

The last hand took place when Galluzzo jammed his short stack with jack-seven and couldn't get there against the ace-queen of Rice.

Rice, who prior to the Turning Stone Circuit stop had only a handful of cashes to his name, now boasts $306,400 in live tournament earnings and two career rings.

It was a very impressive series for Rice, who had two victories, four final tables and six cashes throughout the Circuit stop.

WSOP Circuit Turning Stone Main Event Final Results

RANK PLAYER HOMETOWN PRIZE (IN USD) 1 Joseph Rice Waterford, NY $238,870 2 Giuseppe Galluzzo Toronto, ON $147,644 3 Robert Hover Whitman, MA $110,250 4 John Amola Buffalo, NY $83,144 5 Patrick Bowe Westwood, MA $63,332 6 Jared Woodell Glens Falls, NY $48,729 7 Matthew Eng Evanston, IL $37,877 8 James Namlot Amsterdam, NY $29,747 9 Timothy Odonoghue Florence, MA $23,605

Deeb Falls to Newcomer in Event #10

New York native and five-time WSOP bracelet winner Shaun Deeb was in the mix at the Turning Stone Circuit stop and made the final table in Event #10: $400 NLH.

Shaun Deeb

Deeb, who was after his first Circuit ring, made a deep run but ultimately fell in third place to earn $11,455. Logan Prucnal took down the event for $25,604 after defeating Thomas Harter during heads-up play, who in turn earned $15,822.

Prucnal, a radiation protection technician who considers himself a recreational player, was star-struck having the well-accomplished pro at his table, though he didnt let it impact his play and won the event for his first live cash.

Logan Prucnal

Its insane! Shaun Deeb was at the final table, and hes a pro and Im just a recreational, so I really thought I had no chance at winning. I even told my Dad, he said give it your best shot, Prucnal said after the victory.

Prucnal went on to finish 97th in the Turning Stone Main Event to earn $2,646 and add a second live cash to his portfolio.

Other Highlights

Early in the series, Ohios Chad Roedersheimer won his first golden ring by taking down Event #2: $400 NLH Multi-Flight for a career-best $100,825. Roedersheimer got through a massive field of 2,129 players, the biggest field of the series, in a tournament that generated $702,570 in prize money.

Roedersheimer ultimately defeated Massachussettes Antonio Cristallini, who in turn earned a career-best $61,889. Other players who made deep runs in the four-flight event include Samuel Warren (3rd - $45,924), Gregory Miller (6th - $20,069) and Joel Lindsey (7th - $15,581).

Breakout player Jesse Lonis, who recently participated in his first-ever live interview on the PokerNews podcast, had a strong series that included a seventh-place finish in Event #3: $400 NLH for $4,806, 14th-place finish in Event #5: $600 NLH Bounty for $1,983 and 27th-place finish in Event #9: $400 NLH Monster Stack for $1,724.

Jesse Lonis

Lonis, who last fall finished 25th in the 2021 WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas for $241,800, also finished 68th in the Turning Stone Main Event to earn $3,174.

Another highlight from the Circuit stop in New York includes Conneticuits David Valone taking down Event #13: $400 No-Limit Hold'em to win $23,024 and his third golden ring. Valone defeated Mark Welch of Massachussettes during heads-up play, who in turn earned $14,229.

Valone, who now has just under $100,000 in lifetime earnings, won his first ring in 2018 at WSOP Circuit IP Biloxi by taking down Event #11: $400 No-Limit Holdem to earn $12,287. The next year, Valone earned his second ring at IP BIloxi in Seniors Event #1: $250 No-Limit Holdem, which earned him $9,095.

The WSOP Circuit will also be wrapping up a stop at Bally's in Las Vegas this week. A full list of winners at WSOP Circuit Turning Stone is available in the table below.

WSOP Circuit Turning Stone Ring Winners

Tournament Entries Prize Pool Winner Hometown Prize Event #1: $400 NLH 406 $133,980 Joseph Rice Waterford, NY $27,372 Event #2: $400 NLH Multi-Flight 2,129 $702,570 Chad Roedersheimer Cincinnati, OH $100,825 Event #3: $400 NLH 496 $163,680 Tom Frank Mohawk, TX $31,629 Event #4: $300 NLH Seniors 568 $136,320 Patrick White Pearl River, NY $25,406 Event #5: $600 NLH Bounty 383 $158,945 Vaios Triantafyllou Ithaca, NY $32,921 Event #6: $400 NLH 6-Max 376 $124,080 Frank "FJ" Gentile Utica, NY $26,531 Event #7: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha 191 $98,365 Gilbert Taveras N/A $23,960 Event #8: $400 NLH 8-Max 437 $144,210 Alan Blagman Saylorsburg, PA $29,683 Event #9: $400 NLH Monster Stack 947 $312,510 Blake Napierala Amherst, NY $52,606 Event #10: $400 NLH 371 $122,430 Logan Prucnal Idaho Falls, IA $25,604 Event #11: $1,100 NLH 275 $268,125 Hayden Glassman Rochester, NY $62,134 Event #12: $1,700 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event 891 $1,349,865 Joseph Rice Waterford, NY $238,870 Event #13: $400 No-Limit Hold'em 322 $106,260 David Valone New Haven, CT $23,024 Event #14: $300 No-Limit Hold'em Seniors 496 $119,040 Leonard Laneuville Massena, NY $23,011 Event #15: $600 No-Limit Hold'em 279 $143,685 Steven Christopher Woodside, NY $31,572

The World Series of Poker Circuit is wrapping another stop at Bally's Las Vegas before hosting an international stop at King's Casino in the Czech Republic from March 30-April 17. The next domestic stop will be at Harrah's Cherokee from April 7-18. Click here for a look at the full WSOPC schedule.

Images courtesy of WSOP.
On March 28, Sputnik News in Arabic, a state-owned Russian news agency, said that a group of Islamic jihadists had left Syria to fight against Russian forces in Ukraine. Citing private sources, Sputnik said 87 militants went to Ukraine, all of them former members in the Islamic State (IS) terror group.

Sputnik said most of the militants are from Iraq, Chechnya, Tunisia and France. After leaving IS, they had linked up with other jihadist groups in northwestern Syria, including Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and al-Qaida affiliates Hurras al-Din (HaD) and Ansar al-Tawhid.

Private sources confirmed to Sputnik that 87 militants had left for Ukraine  all of the 87 used to be affiliated with Daesh [Islamic State] before they merged into new groups, Sputnik reported.

This is unsubstantiated.

Sputnik provided no evidence for its claim. Moreover, in earlier reports, Sputnik provided contradictory numbers of the purported militant fighters. Sputnik has also claimed without evidence that the United States is training jihadists in Syria to send them to Ukraine.

Russia and its ally Syria have been trying to exploit jihadist propaganda since President Vladimir Putin ordered his special military operation, a.k.a. war, against Ukraine on February 24.

On February 28, Al Baath media, a state-owned Syrian news network, said mercenaries from Nusra Front and other factions would be heading to Ukraine to fight the Russians.

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) asked Turkish intelligence to train militants and send them from Syria to fight in Ukraine, Al Baath claimed, citing unnamed media reports and Israels Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

On March 8, Irans Tasnim news agency cited a Sputnik report that hundreds of terrorists from various armed groups had arrived in Ukraine. The agency cited unnamed sources as saying the United States is training IS terrorists at its al-Tanf base in eastern Syria who will then be transferred to Ukraine.

The U.S. has maintained an army garrison in al-Tanf, along Syrias border with Iraq, since 2016, to counter IS operations.

Sputnik has been inconsistent in its reporting on the number of terrorists allegedly fighting in Ukraine. On March 3, it reported that the Ukrainian government had granted asylum to more than 1,000 terrorists, including jihadists from Syria.

In the current situation, the goal of the special military operation in Ukraine is not just eliminating Nazism, but also combating terrorism, Sputnik quoted an anonymous source as saying.

On March 4, Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ), a human rights watchdog, reported on an ongoing process to register the names of experienced combatants in Syria to fight in Ukraine. The registration drive was initiated by some fighters and commanders within the rebel groups, the group said.

STJ said that in rebel-controlled areas of Syria, mainly those under the influence of the Turkish army, some armed factions had indeed asked their leaders to register.

However, a first-class officer in the Syrian National Army (SNA), a coalition of armed groups opposed to the regime of Syrian leader Bashar Assad, told STJ that Syrian rebels brought up deployment to Ukraine to Turkish intelligence.

These registrations have been initiated based on the factions desire to fight the Russians, and this has been explicitly expressed during a meeting between the Turkish intelligence service and second-class commanders, STJ quoted the first-class officer as saying.

The commanders asked for permission to travel and fight in Ukraine. However, the Turks were clear that they will not send experts from the Turkish army to fight in Ukraine and that Turkey is keeping equal distance from the Ukrainians and the Russians.

Assads government controls most of Syria, while the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces control the northeastern part. The Turkish-backed SNA controls northern Syria, while disparate factions operate in the northwest, dominated by HTS. Scattered IS cells also operate in the Syrian desert.

Russia has provided the Assad regime with extensive military support and defended it against accusations of using chemical weapons during Syrias decade-long civil war.

While Sputnik raised alarms about Syrian fighters going to Ukraine to fight against Russia, the Kremlin has opened the door for Syrian mercenaries to join the Russian side. On March 11, the Putin green-lighted the recruitment of 16,000 volunteers from the Middle East.

"If you see that there are these people who want of their own accord, not for money, to come to help the people living in Donbas, then we need to give them what they want and help them get to the conflict zone," Putin said.

STJ said it interviewed two people in Syrian government-controlled areas who were attracted to Putins appeal.

One was a young soldier who registered his name mainly for economic reasons, while the other was a member of a government reconciliation committee in the Rif Dimashq governorate (Damascus countryside).

The process is still in its early stages, the stage of registration, the latter told STJ. Russians will decide whether to send those who registered or not after they have been trained by Russian officers for a while.

On March 29, Syrias Deir Ezzour 24 news website reported that Abdullah Shlash, the head of the reconciliation committee in Deir el-Zor, announced that hundreds had signed up to join Russian forces in Ukraine and were waiting for further instructions from the Russian and Syrian authorities.

Still, there is no evidence that anyone has left to fight for either side in Ukraine, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K. human rights monitor, reported.

On March 18, Gen. General Kenneth F. McKenzie, commander of the United States Central Command, told reporters: We see little evidence of recruiting in Syria to bring people back to Ukraine.

Turkey is mediating peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv. On March 29, delegations from Ukraine and Russia concluded a round of negotiations held in the capital Istanbul. Both sides expressed optimism about a possible peace deal, but no major breakthrough was reached as the attack on Ukraine enters its second month.
Dozens of people gathered at the city's Vietnam Veterans Monument on Tuesday afternoon to remember and thank those men and women who served.

The ceremony was held in honor of National Vietnam War Veterans Day.

"(March 29) is significant because it was the day in 1973 that MAC-V (Military Assistance Command  Vietnam) was disbanded, the day the last combat troops left Vietnam and around the day Hanoi released our remaining prisoners of war," said Linda Caldwell, vice regent of the Trenton Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.

Caldwell noted that 30 names are on the monument, representing 30 Aiken County residents who died in the war. For those who returned home , Caldwell said Vietnam is more than just a country in southeast Asia.

"For (those) like me and my fellow veterans, Vietnam was a war and a time in our lives that changed us forever," she said. "It changed how we feel, how we act or react and how we view the world, particularly how we see others wars or conflicts."

From 1955 until the war was declared over in 1975, over 58,000 Americans lost their lives in southeast Asia, Caldwell said.

There has been a push for the monument, located in the Laurens Street median near the Aiken Post Office, to be relocated to the Aiken County Veterans Park.

The S.C. Senate approved House bill H.3679 authorizing the Aiken County Council and the Aiken City Council to move the monument; the bill was a joint resolution by S.C. Reps. Bill Taylor, R-Aiken; Bill Clyburn, D-Aiken; Bart Blackwell, R-Aiken; and Melissa Oremus, R-Aiken.

The bill is currently awaiting S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster's signature. Judy Justice, with the Henry Middleton Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, said she spoke to the governor on March 26 and asked him to sign it.

He said, I will be glad to sign it as soon as it crosses my desk. I am working diligently to make that happen,'" Justice said.

"The men who gave the ultimate sacrifice need to be put in a place of honor and not in the middle of our street," Justice continued.

Several attendees who had never been "welcomed home" properly received a certificate commemorating the Vietnam War, as well as a pin with an eagle on the front. The back of the pin read, "Thank you for a job well done and again for service to this great country."

"These lives were sacrificed for the freedoms that we have and that we enjoy," said Aiken Mayor Rick Osbon. "As I see, in the middle of the day, this group that turns out to show honor and respect for those whose names are on (the monument) and for those who served and have battles of their own since theyve come back, it makes me proud to live in a community (and) a country where we enjoy those freedoms."

"To those who served, welcome home," Osbon closed. "To those who served, thank you."
Aiken Regional Medical Centers new standalone emergency room in North Augusta is on track to open mid-summer.

The 11,000-square-foot ER at Sweetwater is one of the first healthcare facilities in North Augusta, whose residents have until now had to head cross-river to Augusta or more than 20 minutes east to Aiken to receive care, including emergency care.

Its been a project at least three years in the making.

Expanding a health system in South Carolina isn't the quickest process due to its status as a certificate of need state  at least for now; the Senate passed a bill this season that would change this and that bill now sits before House members.

Though it's had a long bureaucratic timeline and seen some supply chain disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Aiken Regional's project is humming along right on schedule.

Located at 160 Austin Graybill Road, the ER is part of the Exit 5 build-up that North Augusta has seen in recent years. It also fills in a healthcare gap that spans 17 miles between the medical centers in Augusta and Aiken Regional.

When someone needs to come to the emergency room, they need that care as quickly as possible, said Aiken Regional COO Michael Hall. Were giving people who need health care the most an option thats in their community.

The ER will have six exam rooms, with a room each set up specially for pediatrics, birthing and prenatal care, and trauma care. A non-ligature room will also be available for those with behavioral conditions.

It will be open all hours and staffed by an emergency board certified physician and a team of nurses, CT and X-Ray technician and patient access reps.

The only difference between the ER at Sweetwater and Aiken Regional is the smaller footprint, said Hall. It mirrors what we offer here, only smaller.

Aiken Regional has pinpointed North Augusta as the city continues to grow, and the ER project is just one of two health facilities the health system is opening in the area. A multi-specialty clinic for primary care, urology, cardiology and general surgery is set to open at 336 Georgia Ave. later this spring.

Aiken Regional is hosting a hiring fair for the ER at Sweetwater from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursday, March 31. The hiring fair will be located at the Holiday Inn Express, 138 Stephens Farm Lane, North Augusta.
The owner of a Johns Island restaurant is working on a second venue in downtown Charleston while two other dining ventures are seeking parking variances from the city.

James Groetzinger plans to open a second Island Provisions cafe at 221 St. Philip St. by June. The building, just south of D'Allesandro's Pizza, is being renovated for what Groetzinger called a scaled-back version of the Johns Island site and geared more to walk-in and takeout business.

"It will be an all-day market and cafe," he said. "Coffee, smoothies, juice, quick-service breakfast and lunch. Beer and wine. Grab and go. Happy hour and Mediterranean snacks from 3 to 7 p.m."

The 1,200-square-foot restaurant in the bottom floor of a two-story building with an apartment upstairs will be open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m.-7 p.m. weekends.

His current restaurant at 1803 Crowne Commons Way in Live Oak Square retail center off Maybank Highway opened in September 2020.

The peninsula venue is not far from another of Groetzinger's ventures. He co-owns Warehouse with Joey Rinaldi a block away at Spring and St. Philip streets. The business partners also have Calhoun Street Tavern in Bluffton.

The new restaurant site is owned by an affiliate of Prospect Real Estate Partners, and Groetzinger will lease the property.

Groetzinger's St. Philip operation is one of three proposed or current dining venues on the peninsula that are seeking parking variances from the city's Board of Zoning Appeals on April 5.

Groetzinger will ask for approval for a 370-square-foot outdoor patio without providing three off-street parking spaces.

A couple of blocks away, a proposed new venture is in the works for a vacant corner lot at 651 King St., across from Barsa.

The applicants are seeking a variance to allow a dining spot with 800 square feet on the first floor and a residential unit on the upper two floors without providing eight off-street parking spaces.

Farther north, Park & Grove at 730 Rutledge Ave. in the Hampton Park Terrace area wants to displace six onsite parking spaces and add 1,100 square feet for outdoor use without adding additional parking. With the expansion, the restaurant is required to have 16 spaces. Two will remain if the additional outdoor space is approved.

Branching out

An East Cooper consignment and antiques shop is setting up a sister store in downtown Charleston.

Mount Pleasant Mall owner Chris MacFarlane will launch Charleston Mall at 161 King St. with a grand opening 5-8 p.m. March 31.

The 3,400-square-foot shop will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. each day except Sunday, starting April 1.

"The downtown store will be our curated boutique store featuring antiques to contemporary," MacFarlane said. "We will also be doing monthly pop-up events featuring special collections."

The Mount Pleasant store, which opened in 2013 at 708 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., offers more than 135 individual businesses in one location, offering new and pre-owned home furnishings, antiques, accessories, collectibles, fine art, jewelry and home decor, according to its website. It's open seven days a week.

New location

An arts gallery owned and operated by its members is now open in a new location after being closed for 18 months because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Offering works by more than 30 South Carolina artisans, Charleston Crafts Cooperative Gallery is now at 84 Society St. Visitors will find ceramics, glass, wood, fiber and wearable art.

"Charleston Crafts Gallery has always shared the passion and creativity of juried artists, and were excited to continue our mission of showcasing emerging and established artisans, as well as building relationships among our members and the community, said gallery president Caroline Sandlin.

Established in 1989, it's open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Returning to normal

Membership warehouse store Costco Wholesale is dropping special shopping hours that were introduced two years ago at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting April 18, the big-box merchandiser will no longer offer the 9-10 a.m. slot on Tuesday and Thursday for people 60 and older, those with disabilities and shoppers who might be immuno-compromised.

The company's two stores in the Charleston area  in Mount Pleasant and West Ashley  will be open 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. weekdays, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.

On Target

One year ago on March 31, big-box retailer Target Corp. announced it would set up a small-format store at a high-profile corner in downtown Charleston.

Twelve months later, the 30,000-square-foot store slated for the Majestic Square building at King and Market streets is not open, but it appears the Minneapolis-based merchandiser is getting closer to welcoming customers.

On the outside, signs are posted on the doors and windows announcing "Opening soon" or "Now hiring." Inside, the floor is scattered with displays to be assembled. The name of the former tenant, teen retailer Forever 21, still appeared on the building's facade as of earlier this week.

A company representative said a projected opening date has not been set for Target's first small-format store in South Carolina.

Cleaning up

A new car-detailing shop is rolling into West Ashley.

Exquisite Detail plans to open April 1 at 1723 Ashley River Road in the former Pelican Snowball location, according to property owner Peggy Brockman.

The owners are brothers Ray Heyward of Greenville and Tyrese Heyward of West Ashley. They plan to offer special introductory rates and membership packages during the first month of business.

The shop will be open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon-6 p.m. Friday by appointment only. Drive-ins will be accepted on weekends.
Anyone who's visited the Nucor Steel mill in Huger can attest to how hot the factory can get  the manufacturing process reaches 3,000 degrees  and that heat produces the coolest thing made in South Carolina, according to those who voted in a South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance contest.

The Charlotte-based company earned top honors in the trade group's inaugural "Coolest Thing Made in SC" promotion, beating out 175 other products nominated by residents and business leaders from across the state. More than 110,000 votes were cast on the alliance's website.

"There are so many incredible things that are made in South Carolina that nobody knew we even did," Mike Lee, the Berkeley County mill's vice president and general manager, said during a March 30 announcement by Gov. Henry McMaster at the Statehouse in Columbia. "It not only impacts South Carolina but it impacts our country and the world."

The Nucor site, which employs about 975 workers along the Cooper River off Cainhoy Road, produces sheet and beam steel products for industries such as agriculture, automotive, appliances, construction, energy generation and transmission, oil and gas, heavy equipment, infrastructure and transportation.

The company also is a significant recycler, turning scrap into 3.5 million tons of metal annually. In addition, the Berkeley County plants greenhouse gas emissions are less than half the average for all global steel manufacturers.

"Steel is a literal pillar of the modern world and our economy," said Sara Hazzard, the manufacturing alliance's president and CEO. "Nucor is one of our states most vital manufacturing companies, employers and corporate citizens."

Nucor beat three other finalists for the award:

Defense contractor Lockheed Martin's facility in Greenville, which produces the F-16 Fighting Falcon military aircraft;

The Electrolux factory in Anderson, which makes the Frigidaire-branded single-door refrigerator and freezer; and

The Honda Motor Co. site in Timmonsville, where the Honda Talon 1000 X-4 off-road utility terrain vehicle is built.

Lee pointed out that each of those finalists include steel produced by the Nucor, which also has South Carolina plants in Florence and Swansea.

"We've made a variety of American steel and steel products for things like BMW ... critical infrastructure for the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston several years ago and other construction products like New York's One World Trade Center, the site of this year's Super Bowl the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and thousands of other things," Lee said.

Nucor announced its Huger plant in 1995 and the site has seen several upgrades since then, including a $135 million expansion in 2013 that allowed it to churn out thinner, wider and higher-grade varieties of steel. The mill has a no-layoff policy and provides jobs that pay roughly $100,000 a year.

"What this industry does in our state is transformational not just economically, but in giving paths for our citizens a better future that has generational impacts," said Michael Harris, vice president of sales at Blue Cross Blue Shield of SC, which was a sponsor of the contest.

The Manufacturing Madness contest, a takeoff of the March Madness college basketball tournament, started nearly two months ago with 175 products nominated statewide. The public was invited to select their favorite products from that initial list, with the top 16 vote-getters advancing to the finals. From there, weekly voting trimmed the field in half until voters selected the winner from the final group of four products. More than 110,000 votes were cast during the contest.
Angel Booe and her daughter Savannah had completed the 5K run at the return of the St. Pats in Five Points festival. They stuck around for some of the subsequent parade, where Savannah had a birthday cake-flavored candy.

It was part of a yearlong return to gatherings for the mother-daughter duo. They recently completed a Disney cruise before the St. Pats festival and with both being vaccinated against COVID-19, they were happily back to going out again  especially if it involved candy.

It was awesome! the young Savannah said about the parade and her unique candy haul.

The Booes were among what organizers estimated to be more than 36,000 festival-goers to return for what had been an annual festival in the Five Points area. But over the last two years, COVID-19 had nixed the event and many like it.

Even for the ones that had returned, the pandemic clouded the mood and affected how they operated with limited audiences or reduced activities.

With St. Pats, the Columbia event calendar is finally seems back to normal  at least as long as the pandemic doesnt strike back. Indeed, precursors to St. Pats included Famously Hot Pride in 2021, which plans to hold Outfest Columbia in June and its next festival in October, and the South Carolina State Fair in the South Carolina State Fair in October.

For the Five Points festival, the return after two years was a success, said Five Points Association president and head of the planning committee Steve Cook.

While he declined to give gross revenue figures before a final tally, Cook detailed it was shaping up to be one of the biggest hauls in the last seven years for the festival.

The festival organizers are currently estimating almost 26,000 paid attendees and another 10,000 attendees who participated in the free portions of the festival, like the parade.

After COVID, people are really hungry to go and gather, Cook said.

The festival had zero consideration for COVID in the final weeks leading up to it, with infection numbers moving to a relatively low figure, he said. However, the pandemic affected the planning and associated costs, as organizers werent able to plan as early as the association typically would due to the uncertainty throughout the pandemic.

Preliminary planning for next years festival would begin in April, he provided as an example.

St. Pats return for the first time in two years may have been a lifeline for the 40-year strong festival. Cook explained he felt that a poor turnout or another cancellation couldve led to the festival never returning.

Frankly from my perspective, we have revived the festival and given it the opportunity to continue on, Cook said.

Rosewood Crawfish Festival is making comeback after over two years of dealing with the pandemic. Organizers of the event, which was canceled in the spring of 2020, brought back the event in 2021 and saw growth in attendance.

We actually experienced some growth for the first time. We'd been having a bit of a decline in our attendance over the couple years beforehand and we had significant growth, said Dave Britt, one of the festivals head organizers.

Last year, the festival brought in around 2,000 more people than the year before. And Britt expects this growth to continue when the festival returns May 7.

I think that everyone learned during that time how important social interaction is, and  when that was lost for everyone, it was a pretty dark time, Britt said, I think that bringing back that sense of community and interpersonal interaction and relationships was huge.

This is the first time in two years that the event will be held in a pre-pandemic way. Masks will not be required this year and social distancing wont be in place because of the availability of the vaccine.

Events are even beginning to be patronized by those still a little wary of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At St. Pats, Ymani Wright, who works at the University of South Carolina COVID-19 lab and is an upcoming biology graduate student, carried her mask and admitted she was still somewhat hesitant about the pandemic as she walked to the festival.

However the opportunity for something novel was enticing enough.

I never got the chance to go to a St. Pat's Day Parade as an adult and...Ive never had a St. Pat's beer, she said.

She had begun to feel more comfortable after she being vaccinated. She had recently spent a vacation in Myrtle Beach and walked the boardwalk and now, St. Pats was on her docket too.

The COVID-19 pandemic, at this moment, has reached a stage where peoples respective comfort levels with the health situation has become a determining factor, said Dr. Anthony Alberg, the epidemiology and biostatistics chair at the University of South Carolinas Arnold School of Public Health.

In terms of where we are in the pandemic, were in a very good place right now, he said.

Alberg said the current rate of roughly 200 cases a day matches other low points in the pandemic and called for optimism. Additionally, while he doesnt look at COVID-19 data on a granular level, he said recent large gathering-type events havent seemed to have dramatic impact on that current infection rate.

The Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention guidance change on Feb. 25 was also a wise one, he suggested.

It gave the green light for people to stop wearing a mask and social distance if their county health situation was in a good spot. Alberg called it a flexible approach and said its important to keep in mind the potential for the pandemic to take another turn for the worse if a new variant was to emerge. He also noted that it provides a sense of relief for the many in the population who are growing tired of masking.

For now, he thinks of attending events  which have been maligned in the last two years for being unsafe or returning too soon  as largely up to the individual.

Well I think those events are happening and it's for individuals making their choices," Alberg said. "Everyone needs to be comfortable with whatever risk they want to tolerate."

That approach matches the way festival organizers seemed to handle things throughout the latter half of 2021. While the South Carolina State Fair offered increased hand sanitation, limited contact payment options and increased hygiene signage, it also put the impetus of safety on attendees in October.

The organization asked festival goers to "take responsibility for their own health and safety  in addition to acting with care for the health and safety of those around them."

Meanwhile, Famously Hot SC Pride organizers held the festival with relatively few precautions when it hosted its October festival. The organization's executive director Jeff March cited a Human Right Campaign survey which suggested that 92 percent of the LGBT community had received at least one vaccination shot.

The organization also hosted vaccination clinics on the festival site.

"We have protected ourselves, and we've done our part for the larger community as well," March said in October.
GREENVILLE  The service of one of the key community figures who helped bridge the creation of Unity Park with the neighborhood it is transforming will be honored permanently once the park is completed.

The prominent entry plaza to the park will be named for Mary Duckett, leader of the Southernside community organization. The news came as a surprise to the longtime advocate as Upstate credit union Spero Financial announced a $250,000 donation to the plaza on March 29.

In her seven decades living in Southernside, Mary Duckett has dedicated herself to making our community better  a better place for seniors, children, her neighbors and for people she has never met," Mayor Knox White said in a release.

The park will officially open on May 19.

The Southernside community is a traditionally Black and underprivileged neighborhood west of downtown. For decades, the surrounding area suffered from a lack of investment and overt racism that left it a blighted shell. The 60-acre expanse that is being turned into Unity Park was previously, in large part, a literal city dumping ground.

Today, investment has poured in to the tune of $71 million pledged in city tax money and donations plus of millions more in private investment through speculative development.

The park that the community begged for all these years is finally coming, but with the massive infusion of investment the reality of gentrification, in which revitalization can raise property values and make it difficult for poorer residents to afford to stay.

Duckett has served as a leader through the good times and the bad. She was involved in the first discussions about a new signature city park, and played an influential role in advocating for the community while understanding the changes that would come.

Spero Financial was chartered as a credit union in 1935, part of a broader move by people with limited access to bank money to pool their wealth without seeking profit.

The company, headquartered in Greenville, has nearly 50,000 members among its multiple locations in the Upstate and one in Columbia.
Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier?

Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop.

Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News

Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time.
SUMMERVILLE  An Upstate man has been arrested after his DNA was linked to the sexual assault and strangulation of a 42-year-old mother more than two decades ago in Dorchester County.

Charles Edward Goodwin Jr. was arrested March 28 and charged with murder in the 1998 slaying of Stephanie Thompson, Dorchester County Sheriff L.C. Knight announced at a March 29 press conference.

A squirrel hunter found Thompson's body the morning of Dec. 21, 1998, in the woods at the end of Franchise Street, an industrial area off Dorchester Road near North Charleston city limits, according to an incident report.

Thompson was nude from the waist down, the report said.

Knight confirmed that Thompson was sexually assaulted. Investigators collected DNA samples from her body, which were uploaded into the FBI's national DNA database, CODIS.

An autopsy report revealed Thompson was strangled, The Post and Courier reported in 1998. Investigators believed at the time that the woman was killed elsewhere then dumped in the woods off the dead-end street.

A sheriff's captain told the newspaper that detectives were talking to "anybody and everybody" who knew how the woman spent the last hours of her life. Thompson was seen earlier that morning leaving a North Charleston party with a man known only as "Little Jay," the captain said.

The sheriff's office released a sketch of the man, but its unclear if he was ever identified.

Almost eight months later, authorities told the newspaper detectives had interviewed people up and down the East Coast, but the case remained unsolved. Detectives said a person they believed knew the killer's identity was not cooperating, the newspaper reported.

Goodwin, now 43, was a person of interest in the case, Knight said. He was previously questioned by detectives about the homicide, but it was not until his recent arrest on a felony drunken-driving charge that authorities obtained his DNA.

People arrested on felony offenses in South Carolina are required to provide a sample of their DNA to authorities. The samples are then entered into CODIS, where it can be tested against DNA recovered from crime scenes across the nation.

Knight said his office learned in December that Goodwin's DNA was a positive match for a sample collected from Thompson's body.

Goodwin was 20 years old at the time of Thompson's killing. Authorities said he appeared to live a relatively quiet life after the mother of two young boys was found dead, most recently working as a supervisor for a landscaping company.

Goodwin has a history of drunken driving and marijuana possession dating back to 2006, but no felony charges were filed against him until last year, according to a criminal background report.

Mauldin police arrested Goodwin Oct. 23 on a charge of driving under the influence, fourth or subsequent offense, a report said.

"He doesn't appear to be a typical guy we deal with every day," the sheriff said, meaning a repeat criminal offender.

Lt. Rick Carson said Goodwin was arrested in Greenville on the murder charge.

Detective Adam Wright, the most recent investigator on the case, said Goodwin simply responded "OK" when told he was informed of the charge.

"And that was the last I heard from him for three hours on the drive down here," Wright said.

Wright said Thompson's sons, now living out-of-state, were emotional upon hearing news of the arrest. They expressed gratitude to detectives for their work on the case, Wright said.

Goodwin was denied bond at a court hearing March 28, authorities said.
COLUMBIA  The S.C. House of Representatives gave initial approval to regulations on the sale and distribution of alcohol-spiked food products, despite concerns the sudden change could put entrepreneurs in the burgeoning sector at risk of going out of business.

The House voted 66-35 to advance the bill March 30, leaving only a perfunctory third vote in the House before the bill advances to the Senate.

If passed, it would remove a loophole in state law that has allowed the proliferation of alcohol-infused desserts, like popsicles and ice cream, being sold in convenience stores and by mobile vendors. To date, South Carolina law has allowed alcohol to be used as an ingredient in food products, allowing it to avoid the level of oversight for products like beer, wine or spirits despite containing similar alcohol contents.

Rep. Micah Caskey, R-West Columbia, told colleagues the bill was drafted at the behest of law enforcement and the S.C. Department of Revenue, which claimed the loophole created a legal gray area where they could not collect taxes or prosecute the sale of the products to minors. He said the bill was not to put sellers out of businesses, but to raise an important question about their businesses.

"Am I in the business of selling popsicles? Or am I in the business of selling alcohol?" he asked on the floor.

Restricting business

The vote was not cleanly split on party lines, however.

Opponents of the bill included a coalition of Democrats and conservative Republicans like Rep. Stewart Jones, R-Laurens, and R.J. May, R-Lexington, who have typically taken more libertarian, pro-business policy positions.

The bill's critics claimed the legislation attempted to outlaw a disruptive industry that had created competition for establishments like bars and saloons, with some citing lawmakers' past opposition to ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft in the mid-2010s and laws that allowed the growth of independent wine and beer manufacturers.

Others argued that the State Law Enforcement Division's support for the bill was disingenuous, and that the state's liquor laws were already more than sufficient to regulate the sale of alcohol-infused desserts to minors.

"Is SLED illiterate? Or simply refusing to do their jobs?" Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Columbia, asked on the House floor during debate on the bill.

Rep. Cezar McKnight, D-Kingstree, called the bill antithetical to the American dream and said it was an effort by the government to stifle innovation spurred by "jealous" interests looking to take out their competition.

"We need to remember this is the country that rewards the people that build the better mousetrap," McKnight said.

"It's not fair. It's not right. It's un-American," he added.

Wholesale manufacturers of alcoholic-infused desserts have also opposed the bill, saying that it drastically alters the way their products can be sold. Such a dramatic change in demand, they have argued, would have a significant impact on their bottom lines should grocery stores or convenience stores be banned from selling their products.

"If there are issues about how it's sold in a retail environment, we're willing to codify what we're currently doing," said Bob Coble, the former Columbia mayor and lobbyist for alcoholic ice cream manufacturer PROOF.

A longstanding debate

The discussion over alcoholic desserts has reinvigorated a longstanding debate about the integrity of South Carolina's three-tier system of wholesalers and distributors, as well as the persistent conflicts between brick-and-mortar businesses and mobile vendors in tourist-heavy population centers like Charleston and Myrtle Beach.

Woody Norris, owner of the Charleston-based mobile vendor Booze Pops, has compared the current debate around his business to the opposition that emerged from large alcohol industry groups in the mid-2010s amid an overhaul of the state's liquor laws to lure craft brewers to the state. Industry groups raised similar concerns during the 2021 session around efforts to attract winemaker E&J Gallo to the state, with critics saying at the time the legislation threatened small retailers who benefited from the distribution system that was already in place.

"They see us as competition or challenge to their control," Norris said in an interview. "And that's exactly what's happening."

Representatives with the South Carolina Wine and Spirits Wholesalers Association and the Beer Wholesalers Association, who endorsed the bill, did not return numerous requests for comment about this year's legislation. However, they maintain significant influence in the state's politics, with the former accounting for thousands of dollars in political donations to lawmakers of both parties each year.

Norris has since brought together a coalition businesses to oppose the bill, running an advertising blitz online and in newspapers like The Post and Courier to garner support for the industry.

"It seems the large and insulated distributors, who have monopolies in the state and are controlled by Big Beer, cant stand to see innovation," the group argued on its website. "They certainly arent giving up that sweet protected cash cow thats been carved into law for them."

But distributors like Norris have also rankled local governments who have found themselves unable to regulate the businesses. In 2017, Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg and the city's police chief, Greg Mullen, wrote to the Department of Revenue arguing that state laws regulating the products were antiquated and needed updating.

And currently, the businesses operate outside of the purview of South Carolina's alcohol permitting program, which gives local jurisdictions the ability to weigh in on whether a distributor like Booze Pops can keep its license.

"What's happening is that the communities where these businesses are operating have no input," said Rep. Spencer Wetmore, D-Charleston, one of the bill's co-sponsors. "Try as I may to come up with baby steps to try and help businesses that have been operating under this loophole, we already have a system. They are welcome to play by the rules of that system."
Wed love to believe that a bizarre incident last week at a Midlands school board meeting was an anomalous instance of a rogue chairwoman drunk with power and angry over a news report about out-of-control spending in her district.

Unfortunately, we suspect this was not quite as far outside the norm as we hope. And even if Cheryl Harris delusional claim that she could bar her fellow board members from criticizing her or the district was a first, the general idea it flows from is one thats widely adopted by school boards across South Carolina.

As The Post and Couriers Avery Wilks discovered, the S.C. School Boards Association recommends that these boards adopt a policy like Richland One's that names the chair as the official board spokesperson and that says board members may refer the information seekers to the board chair or the superintendents designee. That doesnt gag anyone, but since thats something they obviously dont need permission to do, its hard to see such policies as anything other than an attempt to encourage board members to keep quiet.

Actually, the association's language is stronger, saying board members "will" refer inquiries to the board chair, which association Director Scott Price told us was aimed at routine information about board votes and such. He told Mr. Wilks further that it was designed to help school districts present a consistent message and encourage board members to rally around whatever decision a board makes, even if they voted against it.

We can understand the need to make sure correct information is distributed about, say, which policies were approved and by what vote. But the text of that policy has morphed in the minds of too many members of school boards and other governing bodies to mean they cant answer questions from the public or the media about their decisions because only the board chair to do so. Theres been a disturbing uptick lately in appointed and even elected officials using that idea as a dodge to avoid answering for controversial decisions and problems. More disturbingly, a growing number of board members seem to believe its true.

And while its counterproductive for board members to refuse to accept that they lost a vote and to keep bringing up the same issue over and over at board meetings, the idea that they should not express their concerns does a tremendous disservice to the voters, and potentially to the institution they govern.

The policy of school boards and other governing bodies  particularly elected bodies  should be just the opposite: to encourage board members to answer questions from the public and the media about what the board has done, what its contemplating and why. Its not only their right but their obligation to answer such questions.

Imagine, for instance, if the state Senate adopted a policy that suggests individual senators refer questions to the president of the Senate  a senator who presides over sessions but represents no more South Carolinians than any of the other senators. Imagine further that the policy encourages individual senators to pretend they support all the bills the Senate passes, rather than explaining their concerns. If your senator followed that policy, how would you be able to assess the job he's doing and whether he should be reelected?

As concerning as the current policy is, the Richland One board gave initial approval on March 22 to making the bad policy worse, by adding more model language that says board members who do speak publicly shall state that their comments are not stated on behalf of the school board but they are individual comments made by the board member.

In addition to being silly  obviously they're speaking for themselves  that raises constitutional questions. (Dictating what elected officials can and can't say is an entirely different thing than an organization telling employees what they can and can't say in order to keep their jobs.) Yet even that's tame compared to Ms. Harris public explanation of the policy: that it prohibits anyone on the board except for her from criticizing the board or the district or school board members.

To state the painfully obvious, that's not only megalomaniacal but also violates school board members constitutional right to free speech. And it provides the best illustration we could have imagined of why it was such a bad idea for the board to designate Ms. Harris as its spokeswoman. It also illustrates the mindset weve seen far too many times on school boards, local governing boards and even state commissions.

You cant write a law that requires elected officials to explain what they did or why they did it  thats just as much a constitutional problem as trying to prohibit them from doing so. But governing bodies certainly can and should adopt policies that encourage rather than discourage members to be both proactive and responsive to public inquiries about their actions and their reasoning for taking those actions. And voters can and should make it clear that we expect that from our elected officials.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun with a slight chance of thunderstorms this afternoon. High 86F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 66F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Gov. Henry McMaster picked up two long-shot challengers in the June Republican primary while Democrats seem to be conceding most of the state's top constitutional offices as filing closed for 2022's federal, state and local elections.

McMaster was initially pegged to have a free ride heading to the June primary but now faces competition from a politically motivated Greenville truck driver and a Moncks Corner woman who has dabbled in Republican politics and is making her first run for office.

Harrison "Trucker Bob" Musselwhite, who calls himself a "Christian, constitutional, conservative Republican" in his promotions, announced he is running a campaign that will "protect South Carolinians constitutional rights and freedoms over the interests of big business and corporations."

The third GOP ballot hopeful, Mindy Steele, said she is studying at The Citadel and that her activism has been in local GOP politics and education advocacy. But this is her "first time testing the waters on what it's like to be a candidate," she said.

The filing fee to run for governor is $4,243.12.

Across the aisle, the two Democrats who earlier committed to running for governor this year both filed to be on the ballot: former U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham of Charleston and state Sen. Mia McLeod of Columbia.

But three others also filed in the Democrats' race for governor in the final days: William H. "Cowboy" Williams, a retired postmaster from Florence who said he favors wearing cowboy attire; Calvin "CJ Mack" McMillan of Columbia, who describes himself as retired but still active as a hair-cutting community helper; and Carlton Boyd of Columbia, who filed in the last hours possible March 30 and could not be immediately reached.

Elsewhere, there are holes in the Democratic Party lineup. By the noon close of filing, Democrats failed to submit candidates for four of the seven constitutional offices: state treasurer, attorney general, comptroller and commissioner of agriculture.

The one competitive spot was for superintendent of education, where three Democrats filed to run to become the state's top public schools official. Eight Republicans are running for the post.

To view the complete listing of all partisan federal, state and local candidates this year in the state, go to SCVotes.gov which is run by the S.C. Election Commission.

Third-party candidates, such as Libertarians, Green and Constitution party members are listed on the site, as well, and have filed for many of the state's top offices.

In other high-profile 2022 races:

Congress/Senate

The state's most high-profile campaign with national implications is for the 1st Congressional District seat covering greater Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties down the state's coast to the Beaufort/Hilton Head Island area.

Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace is seeking a second term and faces former Statehouse lawmaker Katie Arrington of Summerville  the endorsed choice of former President Donald Trump.

Lynz Piper-Loomis, a North Charleston Air Force spouse who announced her bid last year, also filed in the GOP 1st District primary, raising the possibility of a runoff if no candidate gets better than 50 percent of the vote June 14.

One Democrat filed to take on the 1st District GOP primary winner in the fall: Lowcountry pediatrician Annie Andrews.

Another race with national implications and Trump weighing in took shape in the 7th Congressional District covering the Grand Strand and Pee Dee. Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Rice, who voted to impeach Trump over the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot, will face Trump-endorsed candidate state Rep. Russell Fry, R-Surfside Beach.

There are five other candidates who have filed for the seat, as well, including insurance agent and Christian speaker Barbara Arthur, Cheraw family doctor Garrett Barton, former Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride, Georgetown pharmacist Spencer A. Morris and Horry County Schools Board of Education Chairman Ken Richardson.

One Democrat filed in the 7th District, Darrell W. Scott, who did not list a phone number or home address on his filing papers.

In the 6th District, which stretches from the Charleston region to Columbia, incumbent Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn has both Democratic and Republican challengers as he goes for his 16th term in office.

On the Democratic side, challengers include Orangeburg entrepreneur Michael Addison and educator/activist Gregg Michael Dixon.

Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email

Sign Up!

Republican challengers include Walterboro attorney Duke Buckner and consultant A. Sonia Morris of Charleston.

In the state's only U.S. Senate race, Republican incumbent Tim Scott filed for what he said would be his last six-year term in office after serving since 2013.

No Republicans have filed to challenge Scott in the primary, but three Democrats are seeking to challenge him in November: state Rep. Krystle Matthews, D-Ladson; Catherine Fleming Bruce, a Columbia author and preservationist; and Angela Geter, a Spartanburg accountant and head of the Spartanburg Democratic Party.

Matthews has also filed to defend her Statehouse seat at the same time she is pursing the party's Senate nomination.

In the Upstate's 4th Congressional District centered around Greenville, incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. William Timmons faces multiple challengers, including George Abuzeid, who briefly worked as an adviser in Timmons' Washington office; pro-Trump pastor Mark Burns; and retired businessman Michael LaPierre.

One Democrat has filed, Simpsonville quality control inspector Ken Hill, who is making his first run for office.

In the 2nd Congressional District covering the Lexington and Aiken region, incumbent Republican Rep. Joe Wilson faces Democratic newcomer Judd Larkins.

In the 3rd District covering the northwestern corner of the state, Republican incumbent Jeff Duncan faces no ballot challengers this year, Republican or Democrat.

In the 5th District, which runs from Sumter to Rock Hill, Republican incumbent Ralph Norman will face Democrats Kevin Eckert or Evangeline Hundley, depending who wins their party primary.

Education superintendent

The race for state superintendent of education has the largest field of statewide candidates after incumbent Republican Molly Spearman opted not to seek a third four-year term.

Eight Republicans filed for the office, while three Democrats filed.

The GOP candidates are: businessman Travis Bedson; Florence 1 School Board member Bryan Chapman; Cindy Bohn Coats, a three-term board member of Charleston County School District; conservative education advocate Sheri Few; Kizzi Gibson, a visual arts teacher at Carolina Springs Elementary School in Lexington; Lynda Leventis-Wells, a Greenville County school board member; Kathy Maness, head of the Palmetto State Teachers Association; and Ellen Weaver, executive director of the conservative think tank Palmetto Promise Institute.

The Democratic candidates are: Gary Burgess, a spokesman for Florence County's School District Four's board of trustees and an Anderson County Board of Education member; Lisa Ellis, founder of the nonprofit SC for Ed; and state Rep. Jerry Govan, D-Orangeburg.

Legislature/County-level races

All 124 seats in the state House of Representatives are up this year, which marks the collective end of their two-year terms. The 46 members of the state Senate have four-year terms, which means their seats won't be on the ballot this year, coming up again 2024.

South Carolina election officials say that for now, the June races will be conducted under the new congressional and state House maps drawn by lawmakers this year and signed into law by McMaster as part of the 10-year redistricting conducted after the national census to balance out legislative boundaries by population shifts.

That comes as various groups have sued Statehouse and other state government leaders over the maps. Democrats and other critics contend some of the lines were unfairly drawn on racial and partisan considerations to benefit Republican incumbents. Those lawsuits remain underway, with the congressional line dispute likely to play out this summer but after the June primary date.

Down the ballot, voters also have various county-level elections to decide around the state, including for members of local county councils and courthouse offices such as sheriff, clerk of court, probate judge and coroner.

The ballot and your candidates

The S.C. Election Commission website lists all partisan races in the state's 46 counties and those statewide at SCVotes.gov Once on the site, navigate to "candidates" and "candidate tracking system" to begin a search by name, office, county or statewide.

Voters can verify their registration information, as well.
In a virtual and in-person ceremony, Taiwan's JAG Technology Inc. donated its JAG TeleCare remote health monitoring platform to Guam Memorial Hospital Authority on March 30. The platform is intended to bolster Guams remote care capability helping chronic patient care and responding to possible public health challenges in the future.

JAG TeleCare has been used in New Jersey and significantly reduced the re-admissions of heart disease patients since 2017. With its partner in Japan, JAG Technology has also been using the telecare platform to monitor care home residents' health and reduce the workload of staff nurses for years. When Taiwan experienced the first ever COVID-19 case surge in May 2021, many mild cases occupied the acute care beds at the hospitals and medical staff were therefore overwhelmed and exhausted. JAG TeleCare was able to help create a "virtual ward" at homes of tested positive cases to avoid mild cases to rush into the hospitals.

When New Taipei City first used JAG TeleCare, Taiwan was actually waiting for the ordered COVID -19 vaccines being shipped from the manufacturers. Taiwanese appreciate the U.S. governments vaccine donations to help Taiwans urgent demand during the period. Alan Tso, board chairman of JAG Technology, said he found Guam is the U.S. territory closest to Taiwan and JAG TeleCare could be helpful for Guam.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

Paul Chen, the director general of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, joined the ceremony. He emphasized that Taiwan Can Help has been the country's motto during the COVID-19 pandemic. With todays donation we are putting words into action. Access to high quality medical information and services is essential, as good health is vitally important to every citizen of the world. Commitment to our fellow nations during the pandemic is an example in which Taiwan has shown it can help, he said.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero witnessed the donation. She emphasized the equipment and software is essential to making telehealth a part of the advanced services for people of Guam. She thanked Chen for always thinking about us."
There have been contradictions about our local government's strategy on COVID-19 testing and limitations for those who have come in close cont Read more
DCM Meets University College London

The Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia explained the political and constitutional development of Gibraltar to a group of students studying Political Geography at University College London.

This covered the development of the Gibraltarian identity through time and our relationship with the European Union. A lively question and answer session followed.

>
Weve noted several times recently that Hunter Bidens corruption is getting more attention from the mainstream media, which makes you wonder whether Operation Remove Joe has commenced in earnest.

First there was the New York Times acknowledgement that the Hunter Biden laptop was authentic, after suppressing any mention of it for two years. Today the Washington Post weighs in with a very damaging story about Hunter Bidens business deals overseas:

While many aspects of Hunter Bidens financial arrangement with CEFC China Energy have been previously reported and were included in a Republican-led Senate report from 2020, a Washington Post review confirmed many of the key details and found additional documents showing Biden family interactions with Chinese executives.

Over the course of 14 months, the Chinese energy conglomerate and its executives paid $4.8 million to entities controlled by Hunter Biden and his uncle, according to government records, court documents and newly disclosed bank statements, as well as emails contained on a copy of a laptop hard drive that purportedly once belonged to Hunter Biden. . . [T]he new documents  which include a signed copy of a $1 million legal retainer, emails related to the wire transfers, and $3.8 million in consulting fees that are confirmed in new bank records and agreements signed by Hunter Biden  illustrate the ways in which his family profited from relationships built over Joe Bidens decades in public service. . . The contract, signed on Aug. 2, 2017, stated that Hunter Biden would get a one-time retainer of $500,000 and would then receive a monthly stipend of $100,000, with his uncle James Biden getting $65,000 a month. . . The potential energy projects Hunter Biden discussed with CEFC never came to fruition.

This last sentence ought to be enough to keep a red flag factory working triple shifts for a year.

The Post reports that there is no smoking gun showing any of the money ended up in Joe Bidens pocket, but one wouldnt expect any easy traces of such transfers. Joe Biden may be dumb, but hes not stupid. (Well, okay, he is stupid, too, but you know what I mean.)

And while there may not be any direct evidence, there is this detail in the Post story:

A few weeks after he went into business with the CEFC executives in the fall of 2017, Hunter Biden requested changes to the fifth-floor office space he was renting at the House of Sweden, an airy building in Georgetown that is home to the Swedish Embassy and other offices.

On Sept. 21, 2017, Hunter Biden wrote to a building manager requesting new office signage to reflect a new family enterprise and a new business relationship: The Biden Foundation and Hudson West (CEFC- US), he wrote in emails to the property manager.
Weve sought to follow a variety of walkbacks from President Bidens logorrhea over the past week. Biden has a chronic case of the malady, but he aggravated it in Europe. That logorrhea  as in Jimi Hendrixs Manic Depression, its a frustrating mess.

Speaking with the 82nd Airborne in Rzeszow, Poland, on March 25  White House transcript here  Biden sought to excite them over the sights they would see in Ukraine:

And  so, you know, with the Ukrainian people  Ukrainian people have a lot of backbone. They have a lot of guts. And Im sure youre observing it. And I dont mean just their military, which is  weve been training since back when they  Russia moved into the  in the southeast  southeast Ukraine  but also the average citizen. Look at how theyre stepping up. Look at how theyre stepping up. And youre going to see when youre there. And you  some  some of you have been there. Youre going to see  youre going to see women, young people standing  standing the middle of  in front of a damn tank, just saying, Im not leaving. Im holding my ground. Theyre incredible. But they take a lot of inspiration from us.

Back home at his March 28 press conference White House transcript here  Biden denied he meant what he said. Biden explained with his accustomed eloquence: I was referring to with  being with and talking with the Ukrainian troops who are in Poland.

So the 82nd Airborne is training Ukrainian troops in Poland? At yesterdays press briefing  White House transcript here  White House communications director Kate Bedingfield was asked whether Biden accidentally reveal[ed] a previously unknown effort for the U.S. to be training Ukrainian forces.

Bedingfield explained, so to speak: The troops that he met with in Poland routinely interact with Ukrainians. That is something thats known. Many of you were, again, on the trip with us. That is something thats known. That is in no way revealing compromised information. That being said, theres nothing further that I have to say on that beyond what the President said yesterday.

Senator Tom Cotton followed up with General Tod Wolters at the Armed Services Committee hearing yesterday. General Wolters is the Supreme Allied Commander Europe. He knows what he is talking about. The Washington Examiner has a good story on his testimony here. The Daily Mail posts video with its story here.

General Wolters testified: I do not believe we are in the process of currently training military forces from Ukraine in Poland. There are liaisons that are there that are being given advice, and thats different than I think youre referring to with respect to training.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby fluently translated the answer into bureaucratese at his press briefing yesterday: Its not training in the classic sense that many people think of training. I would just say its liaising. Reuters features the bureaucratese in the headline U.S. liaising with Ukrainian forces in Poland, Pentagon says.

Liaise with me, baby. Its almost funny.
Peter Wood is president of the National Association of Scholars and a frequent contributor to the Spectator. He is an anthropologist and author, most recently, of Wrath: America Enraged and 1620: A Critical Response to the 1619 Project. My favorite of his books is Diversity: The Invention of a Concept. All are published by Encounter Books, all are still in print, and everything he writes is worth reading.

On March 25 NAS posted Woods Statement on the Yale Law School debacle. NAS has granted us permission to post it verbatim. The statement takes up a few of the related developments we have noted. Here is the statement in its entirety (lightly edited with a link or two added to those originally in the statement as posted).

* * * * *

As has been widely reported, on March 10, a group of some one hundred Yale Law School students disrupted an event at the School. The Federalist Society hosted a panel which featured a conversation on free speech. Kristen Waggoner from the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) was scheduled to exchange views with Monica Miller from the American Humanist Association (AHA). These are organizations that promote distinctly different philosophical stances: ADF is conservative and Christian; AHA is politically progressive. Miller herself is a liberal atheist. But both organizations support free speech, and they were aligned in supporting the plaintiff in the 2021 U.S. Supreme Court case Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski. In that case, Chike Uzuegbunam, who as a student at Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Georgia had been prevented by campus police from speaking about his Christian beliefs outside a small and remote speech zone, sued the College. The Supreme Court in an 8 to 1 decision (Roberts dissenting) ruled in Uzuegbunams favor.

This background throws the March 10 disruption into stark relief. The Federalist Society was demonstrating within the walls of one of Americas most important and prestigious law schools that proponents of dramatically divergent views could engage in civil debate and even find common ground. That common ground involved protecting the rights of the son of Nigerian immigrants from officials at a public university who sought to restrict his speech and literally marginalize him. Chike Uzuegbunam was not physically in the lecture hall that day, but in an important sense he was indeed present. An organized group of Yale law studentsamong the most privileged young people in Americahad decided that the people who had defended his rights should be silenced.

Of course, the Yale law students who disrupted the event werent thinking about Uzuegbunam or about the fundamental rights of free expression in America. They were not even thinking about the rule of law or the necessity of civil exchange. Their grievance was that Kristen Waggoner had been permitted to speak at all. As Mark Joseph Stern put it in his defense of the protesters, Waggoners organization supports criminalization of homosexuality, nullification of same-sex marriages, an end to same-sex adoption, and a ban on gender-affirming health care for minors, among other anti-LGBTQ policies.

In other words, the students judged that their disagreement with ADFs public policy positions was sufficient reason to prevent an orderly exchange of views between two qualified speakers and to abrogate the freedom of those who came to listen to that exchange.

Student disruptions of campus speakers are, of course, nothing new. The history of such disruptions at important American colleges and universities goes back to the 1960s. And in recent years we have had some very conspicuous examples, including the successful effort to prevent Charles Murray from speaking at Middlebury College, March 2, 2017, a protest that culminated in a physical attack that left a faculty member with serious injuries. For a period, shout-downs and similar disruptions compromised both the safety and the free speech of speakers at colleges and universities across the United States. The pandemic, of course, interrupted this form of political activism. The Yale Law School disruption, however, shows that the underlying contempt among many students for academic and intellectual freedom has not dissipated. The campus world is still imperiled by studentsand sometimes faculty memberswho have forgotten or do not care that respect for free exchange is a basic precondition of higher learning.

This is not something that should require fresh explanation, but unfortunately it seems to require exactly that. A generation of students has reached the level of advanced professional study without having absorbed some key ideas. One of those ideas is that civil exchange is a common good. Those who, perhaps out of passionate conviction that their views are righteous, attempt to stifle the voices of those they disagree with, put their own speech in jeopardy, along with the speech of anyone who holds views similar to theirs. Without respect for the common good of free exchange, all expression is in jeopardy.

Another key idea is that the university is among those venues set apart for vibrant exchange of ideas. It is not the only venue. The courtroom is another. Though the manner in which such exchanges occur on campus and in court differs, both provide an orderly and controlled environment with the aim of ensuring a fair hearing of contending arguments. Actions intended to prevent such hearings injure the whole rationale of the academy and, indeed, the law.

And still another key idea is that the scholar and the attorney are both figures whose special standing in society is built on their self-disciplined commitment to the conventions of orderly disagreement. They must listen to those with whom they disagree, reflect on arguments and evidence, and wait their turn to express their own views. This doesnt mean that the scholar or the attorney should lack intensity of purpose or a sense of urgency. But it means those passions have to be channeled into the agreed forms of expression.

Those agreed forms do not include shouting people down, threatening, or pounding on walls.

No scholar and no attorney is unfamiliar with the appeal of breaking loose from the rules and gleefully displaying contempt for the other side. Riots, mob rule, and displays of flamboyant contempt for the foe are known throughout history, and modern revolutionary movements dating at least since the French Revolution have licensed efforts to defy public order. We are familiar too with protesters who imagine every act of petty vandalism or crowd-pleasing rudeness is a blow against the unjust system. The logic of such trivial acts is juvenile, but the consequences may not be.

In the case of the March 10 protest, DC Circuit Court Judge Laurence Silberman called for his fellow Article III judges to consider denying clerkships to those who participated in the protest. Given the importance of Yale Law School as a feeder to these positions, Judge Silbermans response is weighty.

The March 10 protest has still further reverberations. Yale officials have attempted to minimize its significance and others who are sympathetic to the protesters cause have likewise attempted to play down what happened. Those attempts are bound to be frustrated, however, because of the ready availability of video and audio recordings and the testimony of eyewitnesses. The protesters were repeatedly warned that they were in violation of the Law Schools policies on free expression, and even after they exited the room, they continued to pound on the walls and make sufficient noise to disrupt not only the Federalist Society event but also other classes in the building.

Partly this matters because the protesters are aiming to have careers in the law. Commencing those careers with acts of lawlessness and mob rule is a poor foundation for becoming stewards of the law.

But as Stanley Kurtz has pointed out, these students face a more immediate difficulty. Their behavior that day puts them conspicuously in violation of the Law Schools own regulations and in jeopardy of disciplinary proceedings that can be initiated by fellow students. Their shout-down may echo in the halls of Yale for some time and leave at least some of the protesters with trouble they failed to anticipate.

Yale University during the tenure of President Salovey is not a place where students engaged in disruptive protest have had much to worry about. Perhaps that will prove true in this instance as well. The blind eye of the Yale administration is the disruptive protesters greatest asset. And Yale presumably believes it can ride out every Christakis-style mobbing, and every climate-activist-delay-of-game. The Yale Office of Admissions even posts a statement from a senior admissions officials titled In Support of Student Protests. The counsel includes, Will Yale look unfavorably upon discipline resulting from peaceful demonstrations? The answer is simple: Of course not.

Thats not exactly what Yales own rules say. Among the most famous free speech documents in American history is the 1972 Woodward Report, or more accurately, the Report of the Committee on Freedom of Expression at Yale. The report speaks for itself, but in its concluding section it speaks plangently for the importance of the administration taking firm action when disruptions occur:

The administration can make clear in advance that serious sanctions will be imposed upon those who transgress the limits of legitimate protest and engage in disruption. It is plain, however, that if sanctions are to work as a deterrent to subsequent disruption, they must be imposed whenever disruption occurs. They must be imposed and not suspended. They must stick.

One hopes that Yale can muster the determination to live up to its own principles. Few will be surprised if it does not. If so, the erosion of Yales reputational capital will continue. That slippage is no doubt part of a larger cultural shift in America in which respect for governing institutions and the principles they are supposed to embody continue to decline.

The best we outsiders can do in these circumstances is to call on the conscience of those who hold responsibility. In this case, that includes the students of Yale Law School who were present at the Federalist Society event and who are, unexpectedly, in a position to hold their fellow students to account.

I say this is the best we outsiders can do, but perhaps that is too pessimistic. The group of scholars and others who signed the free speech declaration the Philadelphia Statement in 2020 (I was one of the drafters) has been circulating a public letter to Yale Law Dean Heather Gerken, which is open to all who wish to sign it. I have. It concludes by calling on the dean to take four actions, all of which I commend:

1. Commit to your own students and others that Yale Law School administrators will use their best efforts to protect and cultivate a culture of free speech on campus.

2. Commit to ensuring that speakers with diverse views are welcome at Yale.

3. Condemn the behavior of students who violated other peoples rights on March 10 and take appropriate disciplinary actions in keeping with Yales free speech policies.

4. Retract and/or issue corrections to Yale Law Schools initial statement concerning the events of March 10.

Item number three in my judgment is the most important. Failure to hold the student disrupters responsible according to the law Schools own avowed principles would make any other concessions by Dean Gerken hollow. It would serve a good public purpose, however, to have it on record whether the dean of one of Americas top law schools has the fortitude to uphold the rule of law within her own domain. I have my doubts but I would be glad to be proven wrong.

EDITORS NOTE: Yale has posted Dean Gerkens message commenting on the events of March 10 here on March 28. I called it Dean Gerkens gabble.
Naira maintained stability against the U.S. dollar at the official market on Wednesday, after recording losses for three straight days.

According to data published by FMDQ where forex is officially traded, the currency closed at N417.00 per $1 at the close of business Wednesday, the same rate it exchanged hands with the greenback currency on Tuesday.

This is the lowest official rate the naira has traded at the over-the-counter market this month.

The local unit experienced an intraday high of N410.00 and a low of N444.00 before closing at N417.00 on Wednesday, the same range naira has been trading at the market sessions since the commencement of trade this week.

Forex turnover increased slightly by 50.60 per cent with $147.41 million posted on Wednesday against the $97.91 million recorded at the close of business Tuesday.

Black market dealers in Uyo exchanged the naira at N584.00 and sold at N587.00 to a dollar on Wednesday, the same rate it has been trading since Monday.

Similarly, Abuja street market exchangers said the naira was exchanged at N585.00 and sold at N587.00 to a dollar at the close of business on Wednesday.
At least eight bodies have been recovered and many passengers unaccounted for from Mondays attack on a passenger train in Kaduna, an official has said.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how terrorists attacked the train going from Abuja to Kaduna on Monday evening.

In its statement Tuesday evening, the Kaduna government also said it has received from the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), the detailed passenger manifest for the Abuja-Kaduna train service AK9 which was attacked by terrorists on Monday.

According to the documents received, 398 passengers bought tickets for the trip, but 362 were validated as having boarded the train through the recognized turnstile, Samuel Aruwan, the Kaduna commissioner for internal security said in a statement.

He said eight bodies have been recovered while many passengers are yet to be accounted for.

Furthermore, security agencies have reported that eight bodies were recovered and 26 persons were injured during the attack, he wrote.

Read Mr Aruwans full statement below.

Second KDSG Security Update: Tuesday 29th March 2022.

KDSG receives passenger manifest for attacked Abuja-Kaduna train

 Eight bodies recovered, 26 injured

 Several unaccounted for, as search operations continue.

The Kaduna State Government has received from the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), the detailed passenger manifest for the Abuja-Kaduna train service AK9 which was attacked by terrorists on Monday.

According to the documents received, 398 passengers bought tickets for the trip, but 362 were validated as having boarded the train through the recognized turnstile.

The passenger manifest does not include NRC staff and security officials who were on board.

Furthermore, security agencies have reported that eight bodies were recovered and 26 persons were injured during the attack.

Investigations are still ongoing to ascertain the status of the passengers who were on board the train and remain unaccounted for at the time of this update. Search operations are also being sustained.

Citizens are requested to contact the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency on the phone line 09088923398, to make enquiries or provide information regarding passengers who were on board the Abuja-Kaduna train AK9.

Further updates will be communicated to the public.

Signed

Samuel Aruwan

Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State.
Reacting to Mondays attack on a Kaduna-bound passenger train by suspected bandits, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), in a terse statement, which made no reference to the attack, said it was suspending operation on the route.

The terse statement posted on Twitter on Tuesday morning stated that it was suspending services on the route due to unforeseen circumstances.

Several security breaches around Kaduna axis and the inability of President Muhammadu Buharis administration to curb criminality along the corridor showed that NRCs claim cannot be further from the truth.

Apart from the incident last October when suspected bandits blew up the rail track with explosives, other relatively recent incidents along the corridor were warning that it was only a matter of time before the passengers on the Abuja-Kaduna route were attacked but the government failed to do nearly enough to provide protection.

The first attack

During the incident of last October, which has now proven to be the criminals dress rehearsal of Mondays dastardly attack that has left at least eight persons dead and several others injured or abducted, explosives were used to damage the rail track as the Kaduna-bound train approached Rijana.

The impact of the explosion, which almost derailed the locomotive, left the windshield of the train shattered.

Although nobody was injured in that attack, an ex-senator, Shehu Sani, who was one of the passengers on the train, said as the driver tried to manoeuvre the damaged section of the track, the attacker fired upon the train. He added that he saw persons he described as bandits watching the helpless train as it rode past the damaged section of the rail.

We saw them (bandits) from our windows. I think they were watching to see whether our train would slide from the rail track so that they could attack the passengers or abduct some of us, he told the Voice of America (VOA) Hausa.

There were gunshots and they were targeted at the driver and his crew. The (bandits) intention was to separate the head of the train from the rest of the body. In fact, we were lucky it did not hit anyone, Mr Sani added.

After the attack last October, the government promised to improve security along the route.

Apart from this, there has not been any security challenge before now, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said after he visited the site of the October attack. What this has done to us will fasten the procurement of the digital security system that we are trying to put in place. We took it to the cabinet two weeks ago, and it was returned. We will take it again to ensure we get approval so we can install it.

The essence of the security system is to enable us to know if there is an impact on the censor. We will try to get the police involved before we install the security system.

Five months after, the minister said the security system he proposed has not been procured.

Again, I call all agencies that need to give approvals for the surveillance equipment and sensors for the effective monitoring of the rail tracks to do so quickly, to forestall attacks like this, he said in a statement posted on Twitter after he visited the site of Mondays attack.

In another statement posted on its verified Facebook page, the minister repeated the call for the process of the procurement of the surveillance system to be hastened, adding that lives could have been saved if the system had been in place.

Attack on the airport

While the Buhari government drags its feet about improving security around the corridor, the outlawed groups swarming around the axis became more daring.

Last Saturday, gunmen attacked the Kaduna Airport killing one person. According to the airport manager, Amina Salami, the gunmen breached the perimeter fence of the airport at about 1 pm and shot a security guard who was patrolling the area at the time.

Soldiers at the airport quickly responded to the attack and repelled the gunmen.

The sound of gunshots attracted the attention of armed security operatives who arrived at the scene and were able to repel the bandits from gaining access into the main airport complex, she added.

As more people avoided the Abuja  Kaduna Expressway, which was a haven for kidnappers, and opted to travel by air or on the train to and from Abuja, it became clear that the bandits, who are being starved of potential abductees will try to attack travellers using airport and train commuters but no significant security measure was known to have been taken to ensure the safety of these travellers.

This is more startling if one considers the heavy concentration of military installations in Kaduna State.

According to SBM Intelligence, a geopolitical research consulting firm, there are at least 15 military installations around Kaduna State.

Asked why the government has been unable to clear the area of non-state actors who relentlessly terrorise residents and travellers, the Lead Partner of SBM, Cheta Nwanze, said it is due to a combination of several factors. He, however, added that it ultimately boils down to a lack of political will from the government to go after the perpetrators.

Advertisements





No one, asides from the government, has an idea, and I doubt that even they have one. Last year, they sent in a team of 300 female soldiers to guard the road and withdrew the troops after a month, Mr Nwanze said. Keeping that route safe requires the hard work of keeping the forest areas around it free from terrorists. It also means keeping the villages in Birnin Gwari, Chikun and Igabi safe.

It also requires significant investment in human intelligence. Finally, it requires the political will to go after the financiers of the perpetrators. These guys collect huge sums and pay them into accounts. The government hasnt shown any sustained interest in doing any of these, thus giving terrorists a lot of legroom to operate.
China hopes to help Afghanistan achieve peace, stability, development at an early date: MFA

(People's Daily App) 16:33, March 30, 2022

China hopes to help Afghanistan achieve peace, stability and development at an early date, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson.

Wang Wenbin made the remarks on Tuesday when briefing the extended meeting of the China-US-Russia consultation mechanism on the Afghan issue.

"As agreed on by all sides, the extended meeting of the China-US-Russia consultation mechanism on the Afghan issue will be held on the sidelines of the third Foreign Ministers' Meeting among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan on March 30 and 31 in Tunxi, Anhui Province," Wang said.

"Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong, Special Envoy for Afghan Affairs of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will chair the meeting. Special representatives for the Afghan issue of the US, Russia and Pakistan will attend the meeting," he said.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will have a group meeting with the attendees from all parties.

"China, the US, Russia and Pakistan are countries with an important influence on the Afghan issue," he added.

"We hope that this meeting can positively echo the third Foreign Ministers' Meeting among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan, further build consensus on the Afghan issue, encourage regional countries and the international community to step up support for peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan, and help the country achieve peace, stability and development at an early date," he said.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)
John Mackintosh Library - Audio and E-books Initiative

Gibraltar Cultural Services on behalf of the Ministry of Culture will be launching a new initiative as part of the services offered to members of the John Mackintosh Hall Library.

The set-up will be provided by established company BorrowBox and will allow members to download a free app to borrow eBooks and eAudiobooks 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

BorrowBox is the UKs most popular platform for eBooks and eAudiobooks, with the widest range of content and the most intuitive interface available. Whether on your phone, on your tablet or on your home computer, BorrowBox means The John Mackintosh Hall Library remains open for business at all times.

The collection offers bestselling titles over a range of genres for both adults and children. The initial set-up will see a total of 700 eBooks and over 450 AudioBooks, to include popular reads and latest releases. The idea is to enhance the offering at the library and modernise services further.

'We hope these new services will be a welcome asset and attract new members. Audiobooks can be immersive, educational, and entertaining with numerous benefits that include increased reading accuracy and vocabulary, and improved pronunciation and fluency. Ebooks are accessible everywhere, even on holiday and members will be able to borrow, renew and return them via the app. Borrowbox allows the reader to also read aloud the text from ebooks and the app also has the option to amend text size, change colours and fonts, and more, making literature accessible to all.'

GCS CEO Seamus Byrne is excited to launch this initiative encouraging members to avail themselves of this service and also highly recommends it to prospective new members. He adds, this new service will make reading material more accessible to more people.

Minister for Culture John Cortes commented, This is yet another great initiative by Gibraltar Cultural Services to promote books and literature, and to widen even further the scope of the John Mackintosh Hall Library. I hope many will take advantage of the new service.
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase (APC, Plateau), on Wednesday, berated the Minister of Transportaion, Rotimi Amaechi, the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor and other officials for failing to appear in person before House ad hoc committee.

The House had set up the committee to investigate the recent bombing of Kaduna-Abuja train and the attack on Kaduna Airport.

It subsequently summoned Messrs Amaechi and Irabor to appear before the committee.

The lower chamber also summoned the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika; the Chief of Army Staff, Faruk Yahaya; Chief of Air Staff; the Director-General of Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN); the Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria; the Inspector General of Police, Usman Akali; the National Security Adviser, Mohammed Monguno and others.

However, none of the invited officials appeared in person before the committee but instead sent representatives.

The terrorist attacks

PREMIUM TIMES reported how terrorists rigged the tracks with explosives, causing damage to the Kaduna bound train, while also shooting sporadically at the passengers on board the train.

At least eight people have been confirmed killed in the attack while others are still missing, according to the Kaduna State Government.

The incident occurred on Monday evening a few days after the Kaduna airports security was breached.

Deputy Speaker fumes

Mr Wase rebuked the officials, noting that he was constrained not to continue the hearing without the main persons invited.

I am constrained as deputy speaker not to continue the meeting because the accounting officers are the ones that are supposed to be here while we give them necessary support.

So, we cannot proceed. I am saying with a heavy heart, no matter the assignment our generals are handling, I believe the parliament requires a listening ear. This is the House of the people.

I am saddened. I am not happy. I am expressing my disappointment. I do not know if you have a tangible excuse because of all the agencies that we invited, none has the respect to have one chief executive. None. Maybe, we are considered to be jokers but we are not jokers, he said.

Abel Olaitan, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, told the committee that Mr Sirika was on an official assignment that was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari before the attacks.

However, Mr Wase asked the permanent secretary not to invoke the name of the president to justify the action of the minister.

Please do not use the name of the President. Please do not use the name of the President. If he is out of the country, he is out of the country. This institution is not under the presidency. It is an institution of its own, a visibly angry Mr Wase said.

Similarly, the representative of the Army, O.T. Akinjobi, a major general, in the Nigerian Army, said the CDS and service chiefs were in a meeting on the directive of the president.

Reacting to the excuse by the army, Mr Wase said the excuse was not genuine, noting that the military heads could have appeared before the committee, even if it was for 20 minutes.

He added that the situation is almost like a blackmail to the government. We are losing our only pride today that we can showcase. That critical infrastructure that is about being destroyed is one of the legacies of the administration.

The excuse given by the representative of the police, Sanusi Lemo, was also dismissed by the deputy speaker.

Mr Lemo had said the operational officers appeared before the committee due to the importance attached to the parliament.

The deputy speaker said the appearance of the officials is not a favour done to us in any way.

He added that It is not done anywhere. If they are here, they are here to give an account of what is their responsibility and that is the only place they can render an appropriate account.

Consequently, the committee adjourned the hearing till Thursday.

Advertisements




Some police officers on Wednesday allegedly abducted a Nigerian music producer in Lagos and forced him to wire N1.2 million to them.

The victim, Emmanuel Chibuze, was said to be in Uber when the officers flagged down their car at Alakpere, Lagos.

The leader of a human rights group, the Society Against Brutality, Harrison Gwamnishu, who published the incident on Facebook, said Mr Chibuze was whisked away by the armed officers, and was forced to transfer N1.2 million to a POS agent who apparently was conniving with the officers.

Mr Chibuze was not taken to any police station, no statement was taken from him, and he was not accused of any crime by the police, Mr Gwamnishu said in the Facebook post.

He was threatened with (an) AK-47 rifle and out of fear, (he) transferred (the money) as they instructed, he added.

We have been able to gather evidence of the transaction and the details of the POS agent and (are) ready to use all available legal means to arrest, prosecute and get back this stolen money from these men.

Dear Inspector General of Police, this must not be allowed to continue. Please investigate thoroughly and ensure these rogues are apprehended, said Mr Gwamnishu who also leads another rights group, Behind Bars Human Rights Foundation.

Mr Gwamnishu uploaded on Facebook the transaction receipt as evidence against the officers.

Were on the case  Police

Meanwhile, the police spokesperson in Lagos State, Benjamin Hundeyin, told PREMIUM TIMES, Wednesday night, that the police are on the case.

Mr Hundeyin, a superintendent of police, said the officers alleged to have been involved in the extortion have been identified.

He also said the victim had been invited to the police station.

I have been in touch with them, this thing will be resolved tonight. The officers have been identified. They will face the law, I can assure you of that, he said.

When PREMIUM TIMES spoke with the leader of the Society Against Brutality, Mr Gwamnishu, around 8:30p.m on Wednesday, he confirmed he had been in touch with the police spokesperson in Lagos.

The police in Lagos recently arrested an officer who was captured in a video harassing a motorist over tinted glasses permit that had long been suspended by the police authorities.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested Emmanuel Chidiebere, a suspect wanted in the United States of America by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering.

This was contained in a statement by EFCCs spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, on Tuesday.

The anti-graft agency said it arrested the suspect last week at his hideout in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State after receiving intelligence reports gathered by a team of operatives.

Mr Chidiebere is alleged to have defrauded some victims in America, Cote DIvoire and Poland of some undisclosed amount of money and went underground.

Three of his accomplices are still at large.

The arrest comes weeks after the commission announced the arrest of another FBI-wanted Osondu Igwilo, who being wanted in the U.S. since 2018 for his alleged involvement in alleged $100 million fraud.

The EFCC said that Mr Igwilo was apprehended at a studio in the Sangotedo Ajah area of Lagos state alongside Okafor Chris, Nwodu Emmanuel, and John Achukwu.

The arrest elicited varied comments, with the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria praising the EFCC for their efforts in apprehending the suspects.

The Embassy had said, With Justice as our mutual priority, we congratulate @officialEFCC for partnering with the @FBI & arresting long-time wanted suspect Igwilo for fraud conspiracy, money laundering and aggravated identity theft.

With Justice as our mutual priority, we congratulate @officialEFCC for partnering with the @FBI & arresting long-time wanted suspect Igwilo for fraud conspiracy, money laundering and aggravated identity theft. pic.twitter.com/iLTWuQ98MO  U.S. Mission Nigeria (@USinNigeria) March 14, 2022
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Tuesday picketed Lagos office of Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) over the death of its member, Babalola Oladimeji.

The union members, who chanted solidarity songs in protest over the death of the contract staff, held placards with inscriptions such as Justice for Babalola Oladimeji; Implement Collective Bargaining Agreement for Xepameadow now.

NUPENG Lagos Zonal Chairman, Tayo Aboyeji, alleged that late Mr Oladimeji, a contract staffer of Xepameadow General Services  a contractor to Chevron was found dead at a hotel where he was lodged by CNL to carry out an official assignment.

According to him, members of the union are suspecting foul play by the CNL management over the death of Mr Oladimeji and are asking for a probe into his death.

He also alleged that the Chevron management had yet to commiserate with the deceaseds family since his death in December 2021.

We are here to protest against the CNL management; we could not find one of our members, Oladimeji.

We searched for him, later we discovered his dead body in a swimming pool at the hotel.

We have been asking lots of questions; the wife has become a widow and children have become fatherless; it is not acceptable; we want Chevron management to explain how Oladimeji died.

To make matters worse, since his death on December 20, 2021, Chevron Xepameadow management has not visited the family to commiserate with the family, he said.

The zonal chairman also alleged that CNL management was yet to sign the Collective Bargaining Agreement of Xepameadow workers for over 12 years.

He said that as a result of such act, workers benefits were stalled including that of late Mr Oladimeji.

We want them to know that we are capable of shutting down Chevron and Nigeria in general because of our member who died, Mr Aboyeji said.

Responding, the General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, CNL, Esimaje Brikinn, confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that members of NUPENG protested at the gates of CNLs Lekki office.

We understand that the protest is in connection with an incident that happened on December 20, 2021, involving a staff(er) of Xepameadow General Services Limited, one of CNLs third party independent contractors.

READ ALSO: Unions accuse Chevron of failing to reinstate sacked Nigerian workers

He was was found dead at the swimming pool of Genesis hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, by a hotel staff; the protesters also raised some other labour issues they have with their employer, he said.

Mr Brikinn said that the fatality was a non-work-related incident and CNL worked closely with the deceaseds employer and hotel management at the time, to ensure the case was reported at the Ikeja Division of the Nigeria Police.

According to him, all required notifications were also made.

He explained that Xepameadow was an independent contractor providing services to CNL.

He said, Accordingly, given that the deceased was Xepameadows employee, Xepamedow has been engaging with their personnel and union representatives to resolve the issues raised amicably.

(NAN)
The House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika and the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, over the attack on Kaduna Airport and the Abuja-Kaduna train.

Also to appear before the House are the Chief of Army Staff, Faruk Yahaya; Chief of Air Staff (the Director-General of Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN); the Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria; the Inspector General of Police, Usman Akali; the National Security Adviser, Mohammed Monguno and others.

The House charged its leadership of the House to meet with the officials on Wednesday.

The decision followed a motion of urgent national importance moved by Nnolim Nnaji (PDP, Enugu) on Tuesday, during plenary.

The motion by Mr Nnoli was amended to include the bombing of the Kaduna bound train on Monday

PREMIUM TIMES reported how terrorists rigged the tracks with explosives, causing damage to the Kaduna bound train, while also shooting sporadically at the passengers on board the train.

Many persons have been reportedly killed or abducted, with many sustaining various degrees of injuries.

The NRC had also announced the suspension of the railway services to Kaduna.

This is coming less than 72 hours after terrorists attempted to breach the security parameters of the Kaduna Airport, killing one person.

Mr Nnaji, the Chairman House Committee on Aviation, warned that if urgent steps are not taken, it could spread to other airports across the country.

He reminded his colleagues of a similar attack on the same Kaduna Airport that resulted in the abduction of 12 persons in 2021.

It surprises me and truly troubles me as a person that this thing could happen in the Federal Fepublic of Nigeria. This thing that happened  that truly happened  actually challenged to us as a nation.

I think these bandits have taken these deliberate killings to the sovereignty of this country, far beyond what we can comprehend. So, we must accept collective failure. We must present a very formidable front as a house to ensure that these things do not happen again. And for it not to happen, somebody somewhere must be held responsible, he said.

Leke Abejide (ADC, Kogi), said the government should not spare anyone who is still staying in the forest and that it should deploy heavy firepower against them.

Mr Abejide also questioned the essence of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, an organisation charged with protecting national assets.

Luke Onofiok (PDP, Akwa-Ibom), said it is saddening that governance has been relegated in favour of politics towards the 2023 general elections.

Mr Onofiok said: My call this morning is for every one of us, from the executive to the legislature, from the federal to the state and local government, to come together for us to proffer solutions and provide security for Nigerians, which is the primary objective of government.

Those who used to go to Kaduna by road became challenged because of kidnappings on the Abuja-Kaduna road. Then, the railway and trains came but they are being challenged today.

Speaking in support of the motion, the Whip of the House, Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno), urged the federal government to declare a state of emergency on the security sector.

Before putting the motion to question, the Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase (APC, Plateau), said the committee will meet with the officials on Wednesday.
As part of efforts towards addressing the challenge of micronutrient deficiency in the country, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has granted the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) certification to Cognito Instant Micronutrient Powder (Cognito MNP) produced by Micronutrient Laboratories Limited (MLL).

According to the regulatory agency, the certificate gives the company the approval to produce micronutrient powder for use by Nigerians.

In a statement issued, a copy of which PREMIUM TIMES obtained, SONs director of product certification department, Tersoo Orngudwen, said MLL was granted the certification after a thorough factory inspection and the laboratory analysis of product samples.

On his part, the companys chief innovation officer, Kenny Acholonu, said the product is designed to meet a pressing need of tackling infant malnutrition in Nigeria.

It is a well-formulated single-serve blend of 15 essential micronutrients (10 vitamins and five minerals). It is a free-flowing powder that is conveniently packed in 1gram affordable sachets to improve the nutritional content of most staple foods.

Users add the powder to semi-solid foods and porridges at the point of eating and at a temperature conducive to feeding the child, Mr Acholonu said.

Mr Acholonu said a sachet of the powder is sufficient to provide 100 per cent recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for infants and young children within the age range of six months to 59 months.

Users add the powder to complementary food for children after the first six months of exclusive breastfeeding. The addition of vitamins and minerals to enrich the nutrient content of food is one of the intervention strategies adopted by the Federal government to tackle malnutrition, he added.

Speaking of how the product was birthed, Mr Acholonu said MLL launched its own brand of MNP at the 44th annual AGM and scientific conference of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST) in 2020.

Cognito MNP has witnessed rapid growth on the back of acceptance by institutional buyers, notably the Federal Ministry of Health and other MDAs at federal and state government levels, Mr Acholonu said.

Anemic children, women in Nigeria

According to the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), Nigeria has the second-highest burden of stunted children globally, with a national prevalence rate of 32 per cent of children under five.

UNICEF says an estimated two million children in Nigeria suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), but the country reaches only two out of every 10 children affected with treatment.

A 2019 research by the World Health Organisation shows that in 2019, 68.9 per cent of Nigerian children under five years were anemic which results in permanent developmental setbacks.

More than 50 per cent of Nigerian women are anemic which is the driver of maternal deaths.

Nigeria has the fourth highest rate of maternal deaths on earth with women suffering from severe anemia more than twice as likely to die in child birth, WHO said.
The Board of Directors of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has approved the appointment of Tinuade Sanda as the Managing Director of the company with immediate effect.

The electricity distribution company made the announcement in a statement issued on Wednesday in Lagos.

The statement said the appointment makes her the first female managing director of the company.

According to the statement, Ms Sanda takes over from Adeoye Fadeyibi, who was the Managing Director of EKEDC for four years.

It said she was expected to consolidate on the successes achieved in the past few years while progressively advancing and charting a new course for efficient service delivery and excellent business sustainability.

The statement said Ms Sanda joined the company in 2013 as the Chief Treasury and Taxation Officer.

It said she later became the Chief Accounting Officer, where she contributed immensely to the companys growth by implementing revenue generation initiatives and overseeing critical projects.

The statement said: Sanda is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Institute of Management Consultants, US and Institute of Professional Financial Managers, London.

She is also an Associate Member of the Risk Management Association of Nigeria and the Institute of Directors, Nigeria.

She obtained a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Edinburgh Business School, Herriot Watt University, Scotland, UK, after graduating with a second-class upper in Financial Accounting from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

It said she was conferred by the Senate and Governing Council of ICON University of Management Science and Technology, Benin, with a Doctor of Philosophy in Financial Management and Entrepreneurship on December 5, 2020.

The statement said Ms Sanda would lead the next phase of the companys growth by aggressively reducing Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection losses.

It added that under her leadership, the DisCo hopes to increase energy reliability/availability and improve the companys customer satisfaction index.

(NAN)
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N29.2 billion for the completion and rehabilitation of road projects in some parts of the country.

Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, revealed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Council meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, in Abuja on Wednesday.

Mr Fashola disclosed that N9.4 billion of the amount was an augmentation for Zaria-Funtua road linking Kaduna and Katsina states.

He said: Three memoranda were presented by the Ministry to the Federal Executive Council.

The first one was for the augmentation of the contract of the Zaria to Funtua section of the Zaria-Sokoto-Birnin-Kebbi highway.

The augmentation was for N9.446 billion, which will result in an increase of the contract price to a total of N16.924 billion.

The augmentation caters for an extension of the scope of works on that section, from 26 kilometers to a total of 64 kilometers.

It also caters for the improvement of the pavement from a laterite-based pavement to a cement-based, concrete-mixed, stone-base pavement.

It also makes provision for extensive drainage works to accommodate increasing rain flow and flooding patterns that we have observed in the last few years. Council approved that memorandum.

He said the second approval centered on the activities of the Federal roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

The second memorandum was presented by the ministry on behalf of one of her parastatals, the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), with statutory responsibility for maintenance and rehabilitation of certain roads.

And in this regard, FERMA requested and Council approved contracts award to rehabilitate Kwayakusar-Milda Road in Borno. Value of the award is N6, 271,985,441.20, he explained.

He also said over N13 billion was approved for the rehabilitation of a road in Abia State.

The third one, which Council approved today, was the rehabilitation of the Uturu-Isikwato-Akara Road in Abia, he added.

(NAN)
The transportation minister, Rotimi Amaechi, hinted Tuesday that the fatal attack on the Kaduna-bound train could have been averted.

I am devastated and I honestly dont know what to tell Nigerians anymore; the process of procuring the integrated security surveillance and monitoring solution has been tedious, if the processes were shortened, we would have saved lives, Mr Amaechi wrote on his verified Facebook page.

The minister also posted a video of his visit to the scene of the attack on the train.

He briefed journalists during the visit about steps his ministry had been taking to forestall such an attack and why the steps have yet to materialise. He emphasised the purchase of drones for monitoring the tracks.

The process is tedious You know if these items were here..drones would have told you that there were people walking around here. There are drones that pick censors.. Unfortunately, the process has not been able to get us that approval that we need to acquire these items What you need is a camera that tells you look o, ten to twenty meters away from the train or hundred kilometres from the train, there is human activity, they are unknown persons carrying guns, then you can take precautions, Mr Amaechi said.

He said the railway corporation needs helicopters to complement the drones when provided.

We even need helicopters apart from the drones. The solution is not running away from the bandits, its to provide the technology that lets you know theyre around. If you know theyre around, there are two options you can take: get security men to go after them or you dont fly within that period. Those agencies that need to give us approval need to give us the approval because we need to purchase the items

Mr Amaechis lamentations indicate he is frustrated by the bureaucracy in Abuja that characterise the purchase of such equipments. Although he did not elaborate on which agency is delaying the purchase and use of the necessary materials, any such purchases (of drones, helicopters and other military equipment) must be authorised by the Office of the National Security Adviser.

In an effort to end the delay Mr Amaechi spoke about, President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday directed that the processes for getting the materials should be concluded immediately.

President Buhari has directed the immediate conclusion of all the processes for the implementation of the integrated security surveillance and monitoring solution for the Abuja to Kaduna railway line and that this be extended to cover the Lagos-Ibadan railway line, presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu wrote in a Tuesday evening statement.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Abuja-Kaduna train was attacked by terrorists Monday evening.

At least eight people have been confirmed killed in the attack with many other passengers still missing.

Over 300 passengers were on the train, according to the passenger manifest released to the Kaduna State Government.

Many of the passengers have been rescued while some that sustained (gunshot) injuries are receiving treatment in hospitals in Kaduna.
As part of its multi-year and strategic Mercator collaboration with the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) towards comprehensive implementation of the WTOs Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), the WCO conducted a mission to take stock of and monitor activities rendered under the framework of by the United Kingdoms Her Majestys Revenue & Customs (HMRC) supported Trade Facilitation Capacity Building Programme. The mission, which took place from 11 to 18 March 2022 and was also supported by a Mercator Programme Advisor of the Lesotho Revenue Authority, served to identify progress achieved in the past years, while also discussing challenges faced related to the COVID pandemic. Moreover, the deliberations also focused on identifying opportunities for further collaboration and capacity building under the next phase of the HMRC Pogramme Accelerate Trade Facilitation which kicks-off in April 2022.

During meetings with different units and teams, significant progress was noted especially towards implementing TFA Article 7.7, which stipulates that TFA signatories should regularly conduct Time Release Studies as a tool to measure clearance and release times. ZRA, with support of the WCO, has managed to build its own capacity and is now taking the lead in conducting several TRS, both on national and regional level. Moreover, significant progress has been made to advance gender equality and diversity (GED) under the framework of the ZRAs Women in Leadership Development Forum. The Forum both supports womens career development and provides women tax payers and traders relevant information to enable them to become more compliant. Together with ZRA, the WCO team also met with women-led business representatives to better understand the trade environment in which they operate. The ZRA complimented the WCO for its support in this area which has included a GED organizational assessment and a dedicated training. The recommendations of the GED organizational assessment were discussed with the ZRA team with the aim to develop a ZRA forward looking action plan in this area.

Other areas were progress has been made include Post Clearance Audit (TFA Article 7.5), Air Cargo Streamlining related to Expedited Shipments (TFA Article 7.8), and the ZRAs Customs Accredited Client Programme (CACP) which is a compliance based programme providing accredited businesses with faster clearance. A separate mission with Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) experts took place back-to-back to support ZRA in transitioning its CACP into a full-fledged AEO Programme. The WCO delegation also engaged with representatives of the Zambia National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) to take stock of the progress made on national level with regard to TFA implementation. The NTFC has been supported by UNCTAD  the WCOs strategic partner under the Accelerate Trade Facilitation programme.

The WCO looks forward to continue collaborating with the ZRA to further enhance Zambias TFA implementation under the framework of the Mercator Programme  strengthening the ZRAs capacity to facilitate trade and revenue collection in an effective way.

See for more information on Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme here.
The police, on Tuesday, urged the #EndSARS panel in Abuja to award them N500 million as compensation over an alleged defamatory complaint submitted to the panel by a petitioner.

The lawyer defending the police, Umoh Una, said the petitioner, who accused the police of extra-judicial killing, tarnished the reputations of the Inspector General of Police and the Imo State Commissioner of Police joined as respondents in the petition.

The petitioner, Unonnaye Ogu, had accused the police of killing one Chibikem Peter in a shootout between the police and suspected members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) sometime in March 2004.

Mr Ogu had told the panel that Mr Peter, who was a trader, was on his way to Owerri, the Imo State capital, when the commercial car he boarded drove into the chaotic scene.

The petitioner, a relative of the deceased, had narrated, that drivers had to stop while all the passengers ran out of the vehicles in different directions for safety

Petitioners testimony a hearsay

In his final address on the case on Tuesday, the police lawyer said the testimony of the petitioner was all hearsay, and so, was inadmissible.

The hearsay testimony was not a repetition, but a position adopted by the petitioner as reality. Such evidence can never be admissible, Mr Una said.

He added that throughout the testimony, there was no evidence that linked the victim to the respondents.

He urged the panel to dismiss the petition and demanded that the respondents be compensated.

We demand that the panel award N500 million to the respondents as compensation for the unfounded allegations against them, Mr Una said.

How police killed victim

The petitioner had, during the previous hearing, testified that Mr Peter was caught in a crossfire during a shootout between the police and MASSOB members about 19 years ago.

He said Mr Peter was hit by a stray bullet and was heard screaming for help from the police.

He said the police officers, who appeared to have rushed to the scene to rescue him, was later seen shooting him in the chest.

Mr Ogu told the panel that some witnesses, who saw what transpired, traced the parents of the deceased to their town and informed the incident.

He said the deceased persons father, Emeka Nkaru, followed the informants to the scene of the sons death and visited several police stations in search of the corpse.

The corpse, according to the petitioner, was later located at the mortuary of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri.

Mr Ogu said he immediately requested the release of the body but was denied.

He said all efforts to retrieve the corpse proved abortive, and Mr Nkaru, the deceased father, died later out of frustration and shock.

Panel adjourns for report

The panel chaired by Garba Tetengi in the absence of the chairman, Suleiman Galadima, adjourned the case for panels report.
Family Planning 2030 (FP2030), a global partnership that supports the reproductive rights of women and girls, on Tuesday announced that its new West African office has been located in Abuja, Nigeria.

The agency said the newly created Abuja-based hub will be hosted by Population Council Nigeria and will serve North, West, and Central Africa.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, the executive director of FP2030, Samukeliso Dube, said the agency is building on the strengths and successes of FP2020 to accelerate progress in various regions.

Mr Dube said the North, West, and Central African regional hub will cover 30 countries in the region.

He said it will also include staff expertise in-country engagement, youth partnerships, advocacy and accountability, high-impact family planning practices, as well as fundraising and communications.

We are accelerating progress that ensures our efforts are country-led and remain globally connected, he said.

Nigerias situation

Nigeria, serving as the lead of the FP2030 West Africa office is a welcome development and could be a push for the Nigerian government to invest more in family planning.

Several estimates, including that of the National Population Commission (NPC), pitch Nigerias population at over 200 million, a number expected to double in less than 25 years if Nigerian women continue to reproduce at the current rate.

The government had foreseen a population crisis almost a decade ago and identified family planning as a way to slow down the burgeoning population and reduce the high maternal and child mortality rate.

But the Nigerian government has repeatedly failed to prioritise FP and put a substantial number of women and girls of reproductive age on modern contraceptive usage.

This is further evident in President Muhammadu Buharis failure to make provision for Family Planning in the 2022 proposed budget.

With a rapidly growing population rate confronted by pandemic, epidemic, climate change, food insecurity and social uprisings, the entire budget has no mention of specific budget line item for family planning, child spacing, provision of contraceptives or public awareness campaign on child spacing, the executive director, Parenthood Federation of Nigeria, Okai Aku, had said in reaction to the budget.

Health experts warned that lack of funding would adversely affect ongoing family planning targets and services deemed the silver bullet to the countrys growing population.

Although Nigerias minister of health, Osagie Ehanire later announced a commitment to allocate, at least, one per cent of the national and state health annual budgets to FP, health experts said more is needed to achieve adequate coverage.

Population council

Mr Dube, the executive director of FP2030, said the agency is optimistic about success with the Population Council Nigeria as the host partner.

He said the council has been working with the Nigerian government and some health organisations in the country for more than five decades.

He said the council is dedicated to meeting the needs of at-risk populations, including adolescent girls and young women, and to promoting access to high-quality sexual and reproductive health, maternal health, and family planning services.

Expansion

Mr Dube said a second Africa hub was being launched in Nairobi, Kenya, and will work to strengthen family planning access and reproductive health and rights in East and Southern Africa.

He said this is in addition to existing North America and European Hub.

Both of the Africa hubs will be led by a managing director who will be in place by July 1 and who will oversee strategy and engagement, with the Washington DC-based staff to start handing over their portfolio of work to the regional hub staff as they come on board.

It is expected that the two African hubs will be fully operational in the third quarter of 2022, he said.

Mr Dube said it is the agencys goal to foster a truly country-led commitment process.

He said this will not only ensure countries can set their own goals but also facilitate better and more consistent connections with other FP2030 partners in the region, creating stronger programmes and accountability.

Advertisements





Mr said the regional hubs will put countries and regional partners in the drivers seat for agenda setting, monitoring progress and collaboration.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has explained why it took on a N1.4 billion fuel subsidy fraud case involving Abubakar Ali Peters and his company, Nadabo Energy Limited.

EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, said this on Tuesday, in his testimony as a prosecution witness at the trial of Mr Peters and his firm, which holds at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja.

The defendants face 27 charges of using forged documents to defraud the federal government under the fuel subsidy scheme in 2012.

EFCC alleged that Mr Peters and his firm inflated the volume of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) they had imported to fraudulently claim about N1.4billion from the government under the Petroleum Support Fund.

A statement by EFCCs spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said Mr Bawa, who has been appearing in the case as the fifth prosecution witness, was cross-examined by the defence team at Tuesdays proceedings. This came after Mr Bawa concluded his evidence-in-chigef on December 20, 2021.

Fielding questions from the defence counsel, E.O. Isiramen, under cross-examination, Mr Bawa explained that the probe into the alleged fraud was triggered by a series of petitions received by the commission. He also cited a legal provision empowering the anti-graft agency to launch a probe against a person without receiving any petition.

He confirmed that the law firm of Femi Falana, a prominent Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and a former senator, Dino Melaye, who was then running an anti-corruption-focused civil society group, were among the authors of the petitions received by EFCC.

Mr Bawa also said the agency received a petition from then minister of petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, regarding the fuel subsidy fraud.

The defence lawyer had sought to know whether it was Mr Melayes petition that triggered the investigation of Mr Peters and Nadabo Enerby. Mr Bawa had responded by explaining that it was not just the former senators complaint, adding that there were others from Mr Falanas law firm and the then petroleum minister prompting the commission to take on the case.

Mr Isiramen also asked whether the defendants were mentioned anywhere in the petitions, and if it was not the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that was the subject of the allegations raised in the petitions.

Responding, Mr Bawa said, We just did our investigation acting on the petition.

But in his response to another question, Mr Bawa confirmed that the EFCC could investigate an individual even when the person is not directly accused in a petition. He cited section 7 (b) of the EFCC Establishment Act, to black his claim.

The Act gives the EFCC special powers to cause an investigation involving any individual whose lifestyle is not commensurate with his source of income, he said.

Asked who determines the measure of a persons lifestyle, the EFCC chair said, Intelligence based on what we know about the person that his lifestyle is not commensurate with his known source of income, then, the EFCC can cause an investigation to be carried out. Also, the EFCC can cause an investigation on anybody who is believed to have done something wrong against the EFCC Act.

How EFCC made its discovery

Mr Bawa testified that the bulk of the findings during the investigation was from several documents received from the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and Enterprise Bank, among others.

He had, at the previous proceedings, identified Exhibit B as the bundle of documents submitted by the defendants to the PPPRA for processing of the payment of fuel subsidy claims.

This is the bundle of documents submitted by the defendants to the PPPRA, which we requested from the agency for the certified true copy, and they obliged us, he had said.

Some of the documents received from the PPPRA were shown to him during cross-examination by the defence lawyer on Tuesday. The bunch of documents marked Exhibit B, was the certified true copy of the booklet with regard to the transaction in question.

Mr Bawa was also shown Exhibit W, a copy of a booklet on the same transaction, which the EFCC received from the defendant.

Going through all the pages, the prosecution witness said, Some are genuine, while some are not, as confirmed by our investigation.

Mr Bawa, thereafter, went through all the copies and pointed out each page, which investigation concluded were either genuine or contained false information.

We have tendered our own documents in this matter, he added.

The judge, C.A Balogun adjourned until March 31, 2022, for a continuation of cross-examination, and May 17 and 18, 2022, for further trial.

Advertisements





Mr Abubakar and his company are being prosecuted by the EFCC on a 27-count charge for allegedly using forged documents to obtain N1,464,961,978.24 from the federal government as an oil subsidy, after allegedly inflating the quantity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) purportedly imported and supplied by the company.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC), on Wednesday in Abuja, observed a minute silence in honour of the victims of Abuja-Kaduna train attack.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, began with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, calling for a minute silence to be observed in honour of the victims.

NAN reports that the Kaduna-bound train, which left Abuja at 6 p.m. on Monday, was attacked by suspected terrorists at about 7.45 p.m., just about 15 minutes drive before Kaduna.

Eight persons had been confirmed dead, 46 hospitalised and several others kidnapped following the attack.

The Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, and the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, are attending the meeting.

Others are the National Security Adviser, retired Babagana Monguno, and Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan.

Also in attendance are the Ministers of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, and Justice, Abubakar Malami, Health, DEhanire Osagie, and Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.

The ministers of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Faroq are also attending the Council meeting.

The rest are Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, and Minister of State Mines and Steel, Uche Ogar among others.

(NAN)
A former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose has called for support for Governor Nyesom Wikes presidential ambition.

Mr Fayose described the Rivers Governor as a man with exemplary character.

As an elder statesman, I know what is right and just. I am here as his brother, his friend, to a man with exemplary character. For Governor Wike, what you see is what you get, Mr Fayose said in Port Harcourt when a group of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains, said to be Mr Wikes friends, presented the party presidential nomination form to the governor.

The presentation ceremony is captured in a video clip posted on Governor Wikes Facebook page.

The form is said to have been purchased for Mr Wike by some of his friends in the PDP.

The bible says, God to so many is righteousness. The fierce-looking man, Wike, has a good heart. His problem is that he has to say it the way it is. But it is not enough to judge a man by what he says because there are so many people they are quiet but they are wicked, said Mr Fayose whose remark drew applause from the people at the ceremony.

The former governor of Ekiti said he too has an ambition to contest for president in 2023 but that he would have loved to buy the nomination form for Mr Wike.

He promised to refund the money to those who bought the form. Well meet in the field (presidential primary), Mr Fayose said to Mr Wike.

It is unclear, for now, if Mr Fayose was joking or not, in his remark.

Nobody can rig me out  Wike

Governor Wike accepted the nomination form, thanked those who bought it for him, and said he is prepared for the assignment.

All of us are aware of the problems we face today. It is not going to be an easy task, but its a task that is surmountable, with commitment and passion. And by the special grace of God and with your support, we shall surmount the problems facing Nigeria, he told his friends who got the form for him.

The Rivers governor also spoke on the insecurity in Nigeria, particularly the deadly attack on the Kaduna-Abuja bound train.

Its unfortunate that we are talking about insecurity, we are talking about banditry, we are talking about kidnappers, we never knew it would get to the point where terrorists would take over our international airport, we never knew it would get to the point where our railway would be attacked and we lost so many people.

We thought it was kidnapping people at home, now it has gotten to the point where you are even afraid in our international airport, where terrorists would make an attempt to seize the airport, Mr Wike said.

Mr Wike said the nations security has totally collapsed.

And I am hearing the president summoning this and summoning that, it means that security has totally collapsed, no intelligence.

Security is not merely to go and buy weapons, the major thing about security is intelligence  you have the intelligence to be able to stop what would happen, the governor said.

He vowed that he would work with others to salvage Nigeria.

He said the Independent National Electoral Commission should prepared for transparent election, once he gets the PDP presidential ticket.

I will not be rigged out. Nobody can rig me out in this election. So it is left for the PDP, it is left for the delegates. If you want us to just be on the ballot, its okay. But if you want PDP to come back to power, give me the ticket, he said.
Doyin Okupe, a presidential aspirant, has announced his withdrawal from the race and decision to back Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State for the 2023 presidential election .

Mr Okupe announced his withdrawal at a press conference on Wednesday in Abeokuta.

The former spokesperson to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan had declared his ambition to run for president on the PDP platform in 2021.

Mr Okupe, who is also a former National Publicity Secretary of the National Republican Convention (NRC), said he is dropping his ambition to support Mr Obi because of the decision of Afenifere. He said the apex Yoruba group had thrown their weight behind the former a candidate from the south-east.

According to Mr Okupe, it will only be fair for the PDP to honour the zoning agreement to eliminate the majority against minority syndrome.

Mr Okupe charged Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and other aspirants to jettison their ambition and support Mr Obi.

He said he has abandoned his ambition and conceded same to the South East in the spirit of fairnes and equity, even though I was the first to declare for presidency in Nigeria.

I turned 70 years a few days ago, and I have made a covenant with my maker that for the rest of my life, I shall uphold this spirit and principles of our forebears as manifestly displayed and represented in our collective socio-political heritage  The Afenifere.

Two weeks ago, Pa Ayo Adebanjo called me for the first time into his bedroom and admonished me that no matter what circumstances we Yorubas find ourselves in the ever gyrating political circus of Nigeria, I must uphold the truth and follow the path of equity and justice.

In aligning myself with the wish of our elders and in the interest of equity and justice, I publicly admit that the 2023 political race must be conceded to the South-East; that is, the Igbos.

I, therefore, here and now proclaim that I am, as I have said publicly several times, withdrawing from the presidential race and I am declaring my support for the best aspirant not only in Igboland, but in Nigeria as a whole.

I and my supporters within and outside the PDP are teaming up with His Excellency, Peter Obi.

At the same time, I want to enjoin all other aspirants from the South, Chief Dele Momodu, Senator Anyim, and His Excellency, Governor Nyesom Wike to come with me and let us team up with Peter Obi. So we can give the South the best possible chance.

For the avoidance of doubt, I am not fanning the embers of division, rather I am by this action, lightening the torch of unity by establishing political stability on the pillars of truth and justice upon which the Bible tells us that even the throne of the Almighty God is founded, Mr Okupe said.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a total sum of N1 billion for the purchase of lie detector scanner and night vision glasses for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, made this known to journalists on Wednesday in Abuja after the weekly FEC meeting.

The minister who commended the activities of the NDLEA said the gesture was to curb drug pushing in Nigeria.

The NDLEA under its new leadership has succeeded in arresting and prosecuting a high number of drug barons in Nigeria.

Prominent amongst those arrested by the agency is the embattled deputy police commissioner, Abba Kyari, who was accused of aiding and abetting drug pushing and running his own drug cartel.

Other prominent suspect in the agencys custody include a traditional ruler and a clergy man who was arrested at the airport.

Nigeria has in the past years become a haven for drug barons and drug abusers.

As at 2019, the 2018 National Drug Use Survey, revealed that 14.3 million Nigerians aged between 15 and 64 years engaged in drug use.

Of this figure, the survey added that about three million were drug dependent and suffering from substance-induced disorders.

New equipments

According to Mr Malami, the devices would go a long way in aiding the agency in the work it is already doing of fight against drug abuse.

He said the approvals were given after the council approved two memos whose contracts were awarded to two tech companies.

As you rightly know, the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency is an agency of government, saddled with the responsibility of exterminating illicit drugs trafficking, sales and consumption. Arising from the fact that they have been doing wonderfully well, in terms of dealing with the scourge associated with drugs, the federal government has considered the possibility of making added provisions and employing and deploying technological equipment skills and competencies that will assist them in delivery.

So, this morning, two memos were taken. One, it was a memo seeking the approval of the council for the award of contract for the supply of eye-scanning lie detector. Our technology has improved to the extent that we have in place technological equipment that have the capacity to detect whether you are indeed speaking the truth or indeed you are lying in the course of investigation.

So, for the purpose of enhancing the capacity of the NDLEA in exterminating illicit drugs trafficking, sales and consumption, the federal government has considered the need and possibility of indeed providing this equipment to NDLEA.

Eventually, on that account, the Federal Executive Council approved the award of contract for the supply of eye-scanning lie detector by the National Drugs Law Drugs Law Enforcement Agency in the sum of N498, 850,000 only, inclusive of 7.5% VAT with a completion period of 90 days.

The second memo is one in which the NDLEA through the Office of the Attorney General sought approval of the council with the award for the supply of digital night vision goggle to the NDLEA. This is equally additional technological device that is intended to support the night operations of NDLEA in view of its capacity to support visibility for the NDLEA.

So the contract too was presented for consideration of the council and the council has graciously approved the award of the contract with the supply of digital night vision goggles by the council in the sum of N570,825,000 only, inclusive of 7.5% Value Added Tax with completion period of 12 weeks, Mr Malami said.
The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating unclaimed funds in commercial banks has said it uncovered N300 billion unclaimed funds in some commercial banks.

The committee disclosed this on Wednesday when some banks appeared bbefore it in Abuja.

The committee, chaired by Uyime Idem (PDP, Akwa-Ibom), was mandated to investigate the status of the suspicious unclaimed funds trapped in commercial banks, including the advance payments for government contracts.

In addition, the committee is to investigate an alleged infraction by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Mr Idem said the committee has so far discovered N300 billion and is upbeat about discovering more than N1.3trillion.

So far, we have discovered about N300 billion. I am sure that by the time we are done with this assignment, we might exceed the target given to us by the leadership of the House, he said.

Mr Idem had said Citi Bank is owing the federal government about N99 billion, with the breakdown as follow; $287 million (when converted to naira) and N72 million.

According to him, the N99 billion was extracted from the document submitted by the bank to the committee.

However, banks representative disagreed with the figure bandied by the lawmakers.

Citi Banks Executive-Director, Operations and Technology, Ngozi Omoke-Eyi, said the bank has only seven accounts, adding that the account with the highest amount has N203,000 in that account.

The highest balance here is 203,000 dollars. The rest are naira and very small. In fact, I even made an error, it is in Naira. There are five of them without link to BVN.

Afolabi Olamilekan (APC, Osun), a member of the committee, accused the bank of committing criminal act by changing the document submitted to the committee. He, therefore, moved a motion for Ms Omoke-Eyi to be put under oath.

We need to put them on oath. What they are doing is criminal. What they are doing is criminal. They are trying to give us a figure that is different from the one they gave us, Mr Olamilekan said.

Explaining how the committee arrived at N99 billion, Mr Idem said the committee computed the balances in all accounts without link to the BVN.

We looked at customers in your bank, based on the document you provided. We sat down and computed the balances of the accounts that are not linked to BVN. That is how we arrived at this N99 billion. This document came from you, Mr Idem stated.

Mr Omoke-Eyi denied that she changed any document. However, following the argument between the committee and the representative of the bank, it was resolved that the bank should sit down with the consultants working with the committee.

NIPC owing FG N5.2 billion

The representatives of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) also appeared before the committee. Mr Idem said the commission is indebted to the federal government to the tune of N5.2 billion.

The Director of Finance and Accounts of NIPC, James Akwada, who represented the agency, pleaded for some time to work with the consultants to reconcile the two accounts.
The newly elected National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu, on Wednesday, admitted that he never knew he would occupy the partys top seat a month before the partys National Convention.

The ruling party held its national convention on March 26 after controversies and two postponements.

Having been named President Muhammadu Buhari anointed candidate, the former two-term governor of Nasarawa State, emerged the partys consensus candidate after six other aspirants reluctantly withdrew from the race hours into the convention.

Mr Adamu officially assumed office by receiving instruments of office from the immediate-past interim chairman of the party and Governor of Yobe State, Mala Buni, at the partys national headquarters in Abuja.

In his address at the ceremony, attended by one of his predecessors, John Oyegun, and other elected National Working Committee (NWC) executives, the new APC chairman said he never thought he would be the party chairman 30 days to the convention.

He said he was determined to live up to the presidents trust.

A month ago, I didnt know I would become the Chairman of APC. Here I am today, receiving the instrument and authority from the outgoing Chairman. Only God can do this. It is not my personal wisdom nor my charisma. It is not by my personal doing. There may be elements on the way but all these were made possible by the endorsement of Almighty God.

Let me thank President Muhammadu Buhari who gave us a lot and so much that happened during the convention. First, my address goes to God Almighty then to our Leader and father of the nation, President Muhammadu Buhari and other eminent leaders of this party that put heads together to make this possible. May God reward them, he said, noting the possible challenges his team may face as the party prepares for the 2023 general poll.

Dont begrudge me if I make mistake  Adamu

Mr Adamu promised to give his best in his service to the party and urged his colleagues in the NWC not to begrudge him in case of any mishaps as he aspires for the collective good of the party.

We have a major event that is going to test the water on how stable we are as a party. That is the general election that is coming. For me, by the time we start working, our main task will be how we handle the elections as a party, and how we will win the general election.

People are talking, APC does not have an incumbent on the ticket. We will have the honor of the integrity and the legacy of the current president on the ticket.

We will work day and night. We have less than 12 months to face the general election. So, everybody should buckle up. The little I have heard about the President is that he has a complete allergy for failure. So, failure will not be in APC from today. We will work for success together. To my colleagues, if there is any issue, dont begrudge me, let me know, he statedfurther.

Mr Buni, in his remarks, emphasised the need for teamwork and encouraged the NWC to build on the gains his administration has recorded so far.

Against the six months of his interim tenure, the Yobe State governor spent over 18 months at the helm of the APCs affairs, an elongation which sparked shades of internal crisis.

Admitting to the twist of events at the convention, Mr Buni advised Mr Adamu to be guided by the presidents speech.

Part of democracy is to agree and disagree at some points. But it is all about human management. The ability to manage the situation is what will keep this party together and stronger again, and again.

So, as it is and as members of NWC, you should study Mr. Presidents speech and that should be your guide. And also, I want to thank you most importantly for this opportunity for all your efforts both individually and collectively for making our task easier throughout our stewardship, the former interim chairman told the elected party officials.
The Nigerian Senate has asked pay-TV service providers to consider the pay-per-view subscription model for subscribers.

The Senate also constituted a seven-member ad-hoc committee to investigate the tariff hike introduced by the pay-TV providers operating in the country.

It directed all pay-TV service providers to immediately review their bouquet prices downwards in tandem with the prevailing reality of economic situation in Nigeria.

These resolutions were a sequel to a deliberation on a motion titled, Nigerians dumbfounded, outraged over Pay-TV tariff hikes, demand for pay-per-view subscription model.

Benue South senator, Abba Moro, sponsored the motion.

The motion comes about a week after MultiChoice  providers of DSTV and GoTV  announced an increase in the prices of its subscription packages, meant to take effect from April 1.

The company said the current economic realities in the country prompted the price review.

The upward review of the prices are  DStv Premium (N21,000), Compact (N14,250), Compact (N9, 000), Confam (N5, 300), Yanga (N2, 950), Padi (N2, 150), Business(N2, 669), Xtraview PVR access fee (2,900).

For GoTV: Max (N4,150), Jolli (N2, 6669), GOtv Jinja (N1, 900), GOtv Lite (N900).

The company also said it had introduced incentives for customers to cushion the effect of the increase.

Motion

In his motion, Mr Moro kicked against the tariff hike by MultiChoice.

MultiChoice, he said, willfully and perpetually increases the cost of its bundles because there is no regulation whatsoever in the area of fixing rates.

He said thousands of pay-TV subscribers in Nigeria have bitterly reacted to the development on different social media platforms, ranging from deep shock to pure outrage with many asking the Nigerian government to checkmate the activities of pay-tv service providers in Nigeria especially in the area of fixing prices.

Among the bitter complaints of Nigerian subscribers of pay-TV services, is the poor network service experienced as a result of bad weather or epileptic electricity supply  which sometimes makes a whole month subscription wasteful without the subscriber watching anything before the expiration.

Nigerians are demanding that, rather than paying fixed rates for packages monthly, pay-TV service providers should introduce a subscription model which allows subscribers pay per-view to enable them match their TV consumption to subscription as it is the case with electricity metering and mobile telephony.

The pay-per-view that Nigerian subscribers are demanding, is a flexible model plan of subscription which allows subscribers of pay-TV to pay-per watch, to avoid paying for services which they do not consume.

The Senate therefore, urged the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, and the Nigerian Communications Commission to direct all pay-TV providers to introduce a pay-per-view model of subscription against the monthly prepaid model presently in place.

At the close of plenary, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, announced the constitution of the panel that will investigate the pricing activities of MultiChoice Nigeria to bring it in line with international practice.

The Deputy Whip, Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger North), was appointed to chair the ad-hoc committee.

Members of the committee include Sulaiman Kwari, Oluremi Tinubu, Yusuf Yusuf, Lekan Mustapha, Chukwuka Utazi and Akon Eyakenyi.

Mr Lawan tasked the panel to carry out a comprehensive investigation into how other countries are billed by pay-tv service providers.

The panel is to report back in one month.
If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now!

Submit
Members of the popular Brekete family show on Human Rights Radio Abuja have purchased a presidential nomination form of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State.

The group, which bought the form at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday, urged Mr Emmanuel to run for president in 2023.

The purchase of the form was broadcast live on Facebook by the governors media aide, Aniekeme Finbarr.

If Mr Emmanuel accepts the form, he would be joining his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, a fellow PDP member, in the race for President Muhammadu Buharis successor.

Brekete show is a reality radio and television programme which focuses on human rights.

Apart from radio and TV, the programme is also streamed live via social media.

The group said they purchased the form for Governor Emmanuel because they would want to see godfatherism stamped out in Nigerian politics.

They said they are willing to buy for others, as well.

Before now, a lot has happened in our country and that was as a result of the caliber of people ruling us. At this point in time, we stand for change. By buying this nomination (form) for the presidential candidates, nobody would now claim ownership of any particular person as a presidential candidate, said Innocent Orji, a member of the Brekete family.

Before now, it had been godfatherism but we want to put an end to that. It will no longer be business as usual. As a result of that we are picking this nomination for presidential candidate.

For the first person whom we have paid for and every other person that wants to participate can be rest assured that we are going to do the same as this one. Thats the only way we can hold them accountable.

The only way we can be sure they are representing us well is because no godfather, no godmother can claim responsibility for any nominee.

This is the only way we can make this country a better place, Mr Orji said.

The Brekete family, some weeks ago, visited Akwa Ibom and praised Governor Emmanuel for the infrastructural development in the oil-rich state.

The governor before then had made a surprise appearance in the Brekete show in Abuja.
The police, on Wednesday, asked the #EndSARS panel investigating cases of police brutality in Abuja, to stop its probe of a case of a suspect said to have been missing from custody since 2017.

Police lawyer, James Idachaba, urged the panel to stay off the case because, in his view, further investigations into it would amount to reviewing a court judgement that had already settled the case.

It is our humble submission that the matter had already been decided by a court of law where the petitioner had raised the same allegations against the police, Mr Idachaba said.

Insisting that the panel lacked the power to review a court judgement, Mr Idachaba urged the panel not to fall into temptation because it would be against public policy.

Court judgement

The petitioner, Nnena Alozie, had told the #EndSARS panel that her husband, Emeka Alozie. was arrested by the police in their Lekki, Lagos home and whisked to Akwuzu, Anambra State, on June 15, 2017.

She said her husband has since been missing despite all efforts, including obtaining a court judgement to secure his release.

After making futile efforts to get the police to release her husband, she said she instituted a suit at the Anambra State High Court, in Ogidi, for the enforcement of his rights.

On July 24, 2017, she said the judge, V.N Agbara, ordered the police to either charge her husband in court or release him on bail.

According to her, the police refused to comply with the order, and instead, said the suspect had died during interrogation.

With the revelation from the police, she said, the court in its judgement delivered on July 16, 2018, ordered that the police release the corpse of the victim to the family.

Almost three years after the judgement was delivered, the police have yet to comply with it or the earlier court order, Mrs Alozie had said.

She filed her petition at the panel to seek the enforcement of the court judgement.

Stay off, police tell #EndSARS panel

But, making his final submission on the petition at the hearing of the #EndSARS panel on Wednesday, police lawyer, Mr Idachaba, said the panel was trying to review a court judgement even though it lacked the power to so do.

He said the matter had already been settled by a court of law and that it was up to the petitioner to seek enforcement at the court.

Asking the panel to stay off the case, the lawyer said the petitioner should rather explore the courts procedure for enforcement of its decisions.

Panel member reacts

Reacting, John Aikpokpo-Martin, a lawyer representing the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on the panel, questioned the rationale behind Mr Idachabas submission.

The court made an order and the police violated it. Are you saying the panel has no jurisdiction to investigate the judgment of a court, Mr Aikpokpo-Martin asked.

In his answer to the members query, Mr Idachaba reiterated his earlier submission and said the panels investigation was tantamount to a review of the courts decision.

No case file on missing suspect

The police also revealed, on Wednesday, that they could not find any official records on the arrest, detention and investigation of Mr Alozie, a development that is bound to cause a major setback to efforts to track the events leading to his disappearance or hold any official responsible for it.

Giving feedback on an earlier order of the court, Mr Idachaba said the Commissioner of Police Legal, Ogbeh Ochogwu, admitted to having the case file in his custody and promised to produce it.

The panel had on December 16, 2021 ordered that the case file relating to the matter be produced by Mr Ochogwu, following a confirmation by the police that it had been transferred to him.

Mr Idachaba had told the panel on March 22, 2022 that all efforts to have Mr Ochogwu produce the case file either in person or through his officers had failed.

I contacted his office and I was told he had gone to Osun State on an official assignment, Mr Idachaba said.

Advertisements





He maintained that Mr Ochogwu had no reason to hold on to the case file, but added that his absence had been stalling progress in the matter.

He reiterated that Mr Ochogwu had informed him that the file was never brought to Abuja and that he must have been misunderstood by the panel.

The file was never brought to Abuja even though it was called from Awkuzu, Anambra State, Mr Idachaba reported.

The panel, chaired by Garba Tetengi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, in the absence of the Chairman, Justice Suleiman Galadima, adjourned the case for the panels report

Defiance

The case is one of those in which relevant police officers have repeatedly defied the panels orders.

In December 2021, the panel summoned Mr Ochogwu and three other police officers named in the petition.

The order was restated on March 22, 2022, summoning Mr Ochogwu and the three other police officers.

The three other police officers summoned  Uzo Emeana, Sunday Okpe and Obiazo  were all members of the defunct SARS in Awkuzu, Anambra State.

But this has yet to produce the intended result.
In the end, Mr Inoyo received a tumultuous ovation. As the audience made its way to exit the hall, I overheard some folks chatting about the vast knowledge, maturity, patriotic zeal, passion for the people, exposure, the right and appropriate network, a good and untainted conscience that Mr Inoyo exhibited. A young lady asked boldly, could this one become the one to step into the void that has been created by compromised religious, traditional, and political chieftains who have lost respect and ground in the state?

Ibom Hall in Uyo is a place of pride in the Akwa Ibom capital. The facility, conceived by the military regime of Governor Abbe and put to use for the first time at the turn of the 90s is shaped like an Ikpoto  the native straw hat commonly used as a sun shield by local farmers and fishermen across the State. It was designed by Architect Ette from Ibeno, the homestead of the legendary Professor Eyo Ita.

Unlike other halls in Nigeria, Europe or America, Ibom Hall is not an office complex but it was built as an events centre soon after the creation of the State. For a long time, the Hall served as the prime venue for social, business, political, religious, and cultural events in the State.

Last Friday, its premises were a beehive of people from all walks of life, including the ubiquitous petty traders who hawked nose masks, handkerchiefs, books, soft drinks, hats, kolanut and bitter kola.

In another wing of the sprawling complex, a musical group had set up a platform in preparation for a weeklong show. What caught ones immediate attention were the several clusters of youth who milled around the busy environment. They worried aloud about the incidence of vanishing iconic figures and conscientious religious, political and traditional leaders in the State. I happened to overhear one of them state unequivocally that, there is a gap, a huge one, while wondering who now has the intellectual depth, personal clout, and means, the name recognition nationally, the network, the integrity, respect, and credibility to represent the state if a meeting of eminent personalities was convened in Nigeria. The young men thought aloud, mentioned several names but sighed in disappointment that, indeed, those they had hitherto looked up to as fathers, seem to have tainted themselves and therefore have fallen from the heights they had perched.

Shortly thereafter, a tall man alighted from a SUV and walked towards a small group of friends who had gathered to receive him. He became the cynosure of all eyes. The assembly outside the hall then moved into the main hall, as if they had been waiting for his arrival for the main event  the launch of a book on Ibibio history and culture  to start. The preliminary item was quite fun; a well-choreographed spoken word recital about the odyssey of Ibibio people, the dominant linguistic group in Akwa Ibom State, from their sojourn in the Benue valley, through Usakedet in present-day Cameroon, to Ibom  Arochukwu in Abia State, from where they further dispersed to their present location in Akwa Ibom. Thereafter, the man who had arrived was introduced as the keynote speaker at the event.

The special guest, Mr Udom Uko Inoyo, a retired executive vice chairman of Exxon Mobil companies rose to the billing and jolted his audience to the reality of the rot that has destroyed the core of society.

Speaking on the topic, Cultural Rebirth as a Critical Element for Nation-building, Mr Inoyo noted that a discussion on national rebirth was apt, given what we are going through  a culture of corruption, tribalism, religious and ethnic nepotism, selfishness, wastefulness, incompetence, inefficiency, etc.

He stated that, let us acknowledge that culture changes over time and in response to societal and environmental factors. The advent of Colonialism, Christianity, and Commercialism (the three Cs) also changed our society permanently. Additionally, after Nigerias independence came a military coup detat, a thirty-month civil war, the oil boom, population explosion, industrialisation, the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP), economic inertia, the era of information technology, globalisation, amongst others. All these factors arrested the growth and development of our indigenous ways of life. Mr Inoyo noted that the result has been the emergence of new cultural traits and value system emphasising such aspects as Western education, material wealth and social position. As with every society that experiences rapid social and economic changes, the fallouts have not been all positive, given factors like crime, corruption, ethnic and religious intolerance, and moral decay. So, where are we headed?

He wondered and recommended the need to redefine our cultural pathways to ensure they are in sync with the future we hope to bequeath to the next generation. And we should start this endeavour with ourselves, the retired corporate chief advised.

Mr Inoyo beamed a searchlight on his ethnic group, the Ibibios, Let me focus on my people, the Ibibios, who are known for humility, hard work, honesty/integrity, friendliness, dependability, peacefulness, and naturalness. The womenfolk were renowned for their industry, loyalty, homeliness, and as promoters of family values. It is not for nothing that our forbears admonished that, if you educate a man, you educate one person. If you educate a woman, you educate a whole family. He further added that, dishonesty, stealing, murder, immoral and deviant behaviours had the rebuke of the authorities, and there were institutions to enforce compliance with social and religious norms. The heroes in the society were not necessarily wealthy people but men and women of integrity and courage whose watchword was the truth.

He pinpointed that, unfortunately, our ways changed at a particular time in our history, and we became known for disunity and greater love and respect for outsiders. So, we must ponder and ask, who are the Ibibios?

According to Mr Inoyo, as an essential attribute of any human society, we know that culture defines the idiosyncrasies or biases and its perception. For example, the mere mention of German elicits thoughts of strength, courage, efficient institutions, highest quality products, etc. Despite the political divisiveness in the U.S., there is general pride in being American and American citizens enjoy the protection of their country wherever they are in the world. Back home, the Nigerian society attributes specific cultural attributes to some ethnic groups. The Yorubas love their Owambe lifestyle; they owe no apology to any other ethnic group for this. They attend social functions in style and share gifts generously. They are also known for cherishing the things that bind them together, e.g., their dressing, foods, music, dance, language, etc. It doesnt matter wherever they are in the world. The same applies to the Hausa/Fulani. They do not joke with their language, and an average Hausa/Fulani boy/girl is taught his or her native Hausa/Fulfude, with English being secondary (usually learnt in school). We know the Igbos for their determination, entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, and industry. They also value their language, their foods, and their proverbs. The question for us all is, what are the Ibibios noted for today? Have we been able to sustain the positives linked to our cultural heritage? Lets test a few of these positives.

The Advisor of the Inoyo Toro Foundation, whose lifelong commitment to education is second to none in Akwa Ibom State, outlined that his people were known for hard work to the extent that no manner of work was considered too menial; An Ibibio man will do his assigned work diligently and be happy to earn his wages. At some point, we were so trustworthy and diligent that elite Nigerians freely granted us access to the most protected parts of their homes: the kitchen and the bedroom (forget the absurd mischaracterisation, especially by their offspring).

What about our passion for education?, He queried. I am sure you have read the story of the Ibibio Union as told by no less a personality than the late eminent Jurist, Sir Justice Udoma in his book The Story of the Ibibio Union: Its Background, Emergence, Aims, Objectives, and Achievements. The Union, formed in 1927, recorded the enviable achievement of being one of the first African organisations to award scholarships to its members, the six Ibibio merchants of light, for higher education in foreign countries.

Our women were courageous and exemplary. They even confronted the colonialists who sought to intimidate us almost a century ago. You may know about Madam Adiaha-Edem, the paternal grandmother of Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, who led the Ikot Abasi Womens Protest Movement of 1929. Her story was recently retold through song and dance by Joseph Edgar, the Duke of Shomolu. We need to showcase more of such stories.

Our people made significant contributions to national development. He pointed to a select group of past leaders and urged the audience to read about Sir Udo Udoma, Obong Sampson Udo Etuk, Obong Nyong Essien, Chief Effiong Okon Eyo, Brigadier-General Wellington Bassey, Cardinal Dominic Ekanem, Obongawan Grace Sampson Udo Etuk, Dr (Mrs) Ema Brown, Chief (Dr) Clement Isong, for inspiration.

Given the above enviable records, we should ask how and when we missed the mark, he challenged. Mr Inoyo pointed out that there was a more worrisome cultural trend into which we seem to have relapsed. He highlighted that slavery is illegal. But surprisingly, some of us still find it convenient to keep minors at home in the name of house-helps and with no prospects of education or economic empowerment. Some organisations, clothed as places of worship, operate in ways worse than the long-abandoned traditional secret cults. The killing of twins had long disappeared, but we find today the pauperisation and exploitation of our children, with some labeled as witches and wizards. Others have become street urchins and out-of-school children. While the nocturnal masquerade of our forbears, ekpri akata, noted for gossip and tale-bearing is a thing of the past, today, it has been replaced by the prevalent round-the-clock and ubiquitous ekamba akata, with mindless character assassination as the new normal. Sadly, even our religious, political, or traditional leaders are not spared.

Perhaps, in the light of recent political events in the country, Mr Inoyo observed that other dimensions of our cultural heritage that are fast disappearing included the inability of people to confront what is not correct.

How did we get to the point where we have lost our voices on what matters even in admonishing persons who are moving in the wrong direction? Why are we so fixated on wasteful consumption as a culture, amid glaring poverty? What drives our young ones to anglicise their lovely Ibibio names, if not for lack of pride in their heritage? Why are we fixated on pulling down our own? Why dont we foster genuine love and fellowship with one another? Do we still have icons and role models from our stock? Thats the gap he desires to fill.

He continued, where is the place of our language in the scheme of things?

In the book, whose public presentation offered him the platform to step out, he stated that, we must admit that there is still a shortage of recorded materials that speak to who we are regarding our history. For some, propagating Ibibio culture may be a waste of time and a non-profitable venture. But lets consider it in the context of the need for recorded material on who we are and our cultural heritage. He applauded the young author, Oto-Obong Uwah for his book, adding that, several other Ibibio scholars have published books on Ibibio history and sociology but a lot still needs to be done to properly bring out more insights into the people and their traditions.

Inoyo urged the people to re-examine their values and de-emphasise material wealth and unnecessary titles because a society of anything is possible cannot progress, rather, according to him, a positive value system would unquestionably engender the spirit of hard work, honesty, and integrity.

He recommended an upgrade of our educational system, the school curriculum, and the workforce, and deploy the technology required for learning to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Families, communities, faith-based and non-governmental organisations should also be involved, he admonished. He charged against costly burial ceremonies because, in his words, borrowing money or selling properties to sponsor befitting burials rather than investing in economic ventures was senseless. Additionally, he postulated that, instead of building mansions that our children will not need, we should invest in qualitative education, knowing that this is the most valuable investment anybody can ever make.

Advertisements





He spoke against superstition, demanding that Christians practice the faith with common sense. We live in the 21st century in which science, technology, and medicine have recorded tremendous advances. Sick people should be treated in hospitals, NOT in churches. While the doctors attend to our sick relations in the hospitals, the pastors should offer spiritual support through counseling and prayers. In this way, both the spirit and the body will receive the needed attention. Let us stop blaming every misfortune, illness, or sickness on someone else.

Mr Inoyo called on the State Ministry of Education to promote a reading culture among our youths. In this age of the internet and mobile devices, we must encourage and support them to become global citizens. He also congratulated Oto-Obong for his courage, diligence, vision, and thoughtfulness in writing the book that was launched, noting that the book will add to the literature on the Ibibio.

In the end, Mr Inoyo received a tumultuous ovation. As the audience made its way to exit the hall, I overheard some folks chatting about the vast knowledge, maturity, patriotic zeal, passion for the people, exposure, the right and appropriate network, a good and untainted conscience that Mr Inoyo exhibited. A young lady asked boldly, could this one become the one to step into the void that has been created by compromised religious, traditional, and political chieftains who have lost respect and ground in the state? Such questions and a seeming yearning dominated the post-event small talk as the men and women trooped out of the hall to return to their different homes.

Udeme Nana is a mass communication lecturer at the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua.
The federal and state governments must make critical and strategic decisions carefully to position their economies for a future without oil. Oil will lose its value, so Nigeria must build its resilience in anticipation of that future, and take advantage of all the opportunities available in the African corridor, the growing green economy, technology, and non-sectors that speak to its unique advantages.

The issues of a post-oil period and economic diversification received considerable attention in Nigeria after the 2014 commodity price crash, again during the 2016 economic crisis, and more recently with the coronavirus pandemic influenced global crisis. Over the period, recognition of the dangers of Nigerias dependency on oil led to several initiatives aimed at securing changes in government policy to address the problem. Here we examine Nigerias oil dependency within the context of emerging global and national imperatives, to provide some initial recommendations to frame the Natural Resource Governance Institutes (NRGI) newly constituted Nigeria programme, designed to focus on Nigerias Oil Dependency: Imagining a Future Beyond Oil.



Nigerias oil dependency through the years

Nigerias dependence on oil is deep-rooted. The country continues to suffer from the effects of the Dutch Disease, which began when oil was discovered in the 1960s, having focused its efforts predominantly on its oil resources, and the potential for greater returns from oil, making other sectors less attractive. But, decades later, little has changed in Nigeria. Although the oil sector continues to deliver returns, these have depreciated over the years, hindering the success of Nigerias development aspirations, such as Vision 20:20, and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), which are often just out of reach as they continue to rely on the performance of the global oil market.

How dependent is Nigeria on oil?

Nigerias federal and state governments remain heavily dependent on oil revenues, relying on these to deliver public goods, to service debt and bolster the national currency. The oil sector, however, has not significantly improved the well-being of Nigerians. Non-oil sectors lead to vastly more employment opportunities than the oil sector and their economic activities contributed approximately 93 per cent of GDP in 2020.

At the federal level, Nigerias dependence on oil almost crippled her economy, catalysing a negative GDP growth of 1.8 per cent in 2020. The coronavirus pandemic highlighted the potential losses to the federation, due to the Federal Governments more than 50 per cent revenue dependence on oil, as the shutdown of global economic activities at the onslaught of the pandemic and sharp declines in oil demand in 2020 left the government unable to meet its 2020 revenue projections. The Federal Government had to slash its budget by a more realistic 20 per cent, reducing its benchmark price and production projections from $57 per barrel to $30, and anticipated production volumes from 2.2 million barrels per day (mbpd) to 1.7 mbpd consecutively, to accommodate the new realities. Continued divestments by the international oil companies (the oil majors) and their refocus on cleaner energies, threaten Nigerias future ability to attain its revenue projections, if they remain pegged against oil productions. Nigerias debt stock in 2020 stood at 31 per cent of the GDP and continues to grow as it tries to bridge the shortfalls in oil revenues. Despite this stark reality, the 2022 Federal Government budget still reflects 31 per cent of expected Federal Government revenue generation from oil, even as oil exports continue to supply 90 per cent of Nigerias foreign exchange and half of the Federal Governments revenues. Continued dependence on oil revenues threatens the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians and social cohesion in the country.

Nigeria currently is at a pivotal point in its history, in which decisions made now will weigh heavily on its economic survival. After previous financial crises  the halving of Nigerias Stock Exchange All Share Index in 2008 and the 70 per cent commodity price crash in 2014  Nigerias economy eventually rebounded as oil demand and price recovered. So, ahead of that eventuality, the government must make plans to replace the huge shares of government revenue and foreign exchange earnings for which it presently relies upon oil.

Meanwhile, almost all of Nigerias states depend on the oil income, channeled from the Federation Account and Allocation Committee (FAAC), for more than 50 per cent of their fiscal needs. The most dependent are the oil-producing States, with Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom averaging 85 per cent of their fiscal dependence on oil revenues. Only Ogun State and Lagos State draw less than half of their revenues from the FAAC consistently. Oil-producing states risk being fiscally unviable without oil. These states must urgently find alternative sources of revenue beyond FAAC to build their fiscal resilience before oil demand dips. Those residing in those States must ask for the diversification of their states revenues, with greater focus on revenues generated internally beyond oil.

Ending dependency and preparing for a future beyond oil

Nigeria currently is at a pivotal point in its history, in which decisions made now will weigh heavily on its economic survival. After previous financial crises  the halving of Nigerias Stock Exchange All Share Index in 2008 and the 70 per cent commodity price crash in 2014  Nigerias economy eventually rebounded as oil demand and price recovered. But this will no longer be the case if the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the International Energy Agency (IEA) and others are correct when suggesting that we will soon reach peak demand for oil. So, ahead of that eventuality, the government must make plans to replace the huge shares of government revenue and foreign exchange earnings for which it presently relies upon oil.



The federal and state governments must make critical and strategic decisions carefully to position their economies for a future without oil. Oil will lose its value, so Nigeria must build its resilience in anticipation of that future, and take advantage of all the opportunities available in the African corridor, the growing green economy, technology, and non-sectors that speak to its unique advantages.



Looking more closely at the federal governments short-term plans to maximise its oil and gas endowments, there are obvious challenges. First, investments in frontier explorations, as provided for in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), may pose some risks in locking in revenue that may not yield the desired returns. Gas as a transition fuel requires significant capital investments and as a fossil fuel, it is likely to eventually lose out on investments to greener alternatives. Gas takes a long time to bring profit and if Nigeria is to transit using gas to industrialise and energise before attaining its COP 26 carbon neutrality plans by 2060, a clear plan and pathway for how it intends to transition to other energy options, with trackable milestones is required. In addition, if natural gas exports are expected to supplement foreign exchange earnings from oil in the short-term, lower longer-term investments may mean that those gains wont last. Buffers need to be put in place to account for that or the growing investments made in cleaner fuels may put natural gas projects at risk of becoming stranded assets  with revenues sunk before realising any value. It is critical that the Federal Government makes strategic spending decisions as oils role in meeting global energy demands continually declines over time.



The Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning should devise a comprehensive and inclusive plan, with concrete and measurable milestones, in collaboration with relevant ministries, departments and agencies that speak to Nigerias context, and accounts for both risks and opportunities to reduce oil dependence. That plan must then be implemented collaboratively. The opinions of Nigerians must be sought on the best approach to wean the country off its dependency on oil.



The executives branchs plan to dig deeper into fossil fuel investments by committing $1.5 billion to refurbishing historically unprofitable refineries, proposed investments in Dangote refinery, frontier exploration and sustaining fuel subsidies, may put Nigerias future at risk if the alternative costs are not appropriately assessed. Even then, crude oil production to meet the governments ambition to ramp up production is threatened, as majors like Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Total rebrand as green to reflect investor appetite and the global energy transition. These international oil companies have been selling Nigerian assets, which will likely continue as the energy transition accelerates. Importers of Nigerias petroleum products are also seeking greener options. The top five export destinations for Nigerias petroleum products (India, Spain, Netherlands, United States and China) have committed to achieving carbon neutrality between 2030 and 2050. This puts further strain on Nigerias short-to-medium term capacity to generate and sustain its foreign exchange earnings, as oil demand falls. Oil producing regions will also be further strained as legacy environmental pollution and oil dependence-induced economic and social challenges will remain if a just transition is not prioritised.



Beyond oil, the Federal Government should accelerate revenue diversification through trade and domestic production, leveraging other sources of foreign exchange. Attracting foreign exchange earnings could be done by backing enablers that add greater value to local products, while offering greater support to the manufacturing sector, developing Nigerias critical minerals in the mining sector to leverage the green economy, and boosting regional trade through the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) 2020 are other ways to improve and leverage domestic production diversification for more jobs and economic growth, which are key goals of the Nigerian government.



The Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning should devise a comprehensive and inclusive plan, with concrete and measurable milestones, in collaboration with relevant ministries, departments and agencies that speak to Nigerias context, and accounts for both risks and opportunities to reduce oil dependence. That plan must then be implemented collaboratively. The opinions of Nigerians must be sought on the best approach to wean the country off its dependency on oil. They must agree on a timeline and pace of reform, and identify priority areas of focus. During the upcoming 2023 electoral campaigns, presidential and gubernatorial candidates, especially from oil producing states, must be required by citizens to outline plans to build fiscal resilience away from oil dependence. Civil society, accountability actors and the public must sustain dialogue and make economic diversification a major theme in the 2023 elections  on the campaign trail, in the commitments of candidates and on party platforms.



Nafi Chinery is the West Africa (Anglophone) regional manager at the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI). Tengi George Ikoli is a senior governance officer with NRGIs Nigeria program.

This article was originally published as a post on the blog of the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) on April 4.
The police in Nasarawa State have arrested suspected cultists for theft and violence in the Mararaba area of the state, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

The alleged crime happened last Wednesday at Cavary road in Maraba where the suspected criminals stole phones during the attack.

Under the Karu local government area of Nasarawa, Mararaba is a community bordering neighbouring Abuja.

Residents who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES about the incident said the suspected cult members, numbering 50, stormed Calvary road at exactly 8 p.m. Wednesday with cutlasses, daggers, and other weapons to threaten residents.

A resident, Sanusi, said after scaring the residents the suspects forced their way into shops and stole valuables.

At about 8 p.m. I was just coming from the mosque after prayer, so getting to my shop I saw a group of boys coming toward my shop, there were more than 50 people.

I was thinking they are hunters but when they came closer they were chanting are meeh, arro meeh Kabayi boys have come, he said.

They destroyed my neighbors shop and hit her with the wooden stick. Immediately I saw that, I called the Calvary road police to inform them but they did not immediately respond.

By the time the police arrived, he said the group had left.

Another resident and a victim of the attack who didnt mention his name corrobated Mr Sanusis account.

It was a very bitter experience for me because I was supposed to travel to Jos and from there I will proceed to Abeokuta for a job interview but they stole my phone from the shop.

I dont have a phone now as we speak. All my contacts are on the phone and many other things. This is a phone I bought for N79,000. Where will I see that kind of money again to get another phone in this hardship? I am sad and worried honestly and I wish the police can do justice to us, he added.

ALSO READ: Police arrest suspected cultists who allegedly killed two officers

PREMIUM TIMES learned that this attack follows others in the past.

Police react

Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State police command has reacted through its spokesperson, Rahman Nansel, who said two suspects are in custody over the incident.

I can confirm that an incident like that happened and two people were arrested but one was a mistaken identity, he was not a criminal so that one was screened and was released unconditionally, Mr Nansel told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview.

One of them is still in police custody. The investigation is ongoing and he is cooperating with the police, giving useful information, he said. We will make sure all the perpetrators are arrested and brought to book. At the end of the investigation, he will be charged to court.
Enyinnaya Abaribe, one of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants for Abia governorship election, has said that zoning the position to a particular area is not enough to produce the desirable candidate for the party.

Mr Abaribe, who is the Minority Leader in the Senate, said this on Tuesday in Aba when he spoke with reporters.

My issue is not about zoning. I am against people saying there should be no contest. If you are saying there should be no contest, you are simply supporting mediocrity.

Since all parts of Abia have done the geographical zoning that has brought us to this sorry path where nobody is very happy with Abia at the moment, it is time to zone with capacity and I am the person with that capacity. So, I dont have any problem with that.

What we should have now is wherever you are from in Abia, show your hand (competence); come out and campaign and let the people of Abia who are delegates make their choice, he said.

Mr Abaribe said that all qualified aspirants should be allowed to contest, irrespective of their zones since the country was operating a democratic system.

We are dealing in democracy. It is all about choice. Let delegates reject me and I will respect their choice.

But I will not respect the choice of anybody who will say I am an authority, therefore you will not run. Nobody will shave my hair in my absence, he said.

Mr Abaribe said that the Abia PDP Chairman, Asiforo Okeres endorsement of zoning the states gubernorship position to two senatorial districts was unconstitutional and against the rules.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Mr Okere had signed a document zoning Abia governorship position to Abia North and Abia Central.

I am not against zoning. I agree with zoning but not geographical zoning which has not led us anywhere.

Rather than do clockwise and anti-clockwise zoning so that you go and get somebody who is not prepared for office, you should zone for competence, zone for integrity, capability and capacity, the senator said.

He said he was already consulting and talking to Abia people and telling them that as a people they have the power to change the direction the state was moving.

(NAN)
The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has called for donations to the families of those who lost their lives and the wounded passengers aboard the Kaduna train that was attacked by gunmen.

He made the call in a statement on Tuesday.

He had cancelled his 70th birthday celebration at the Eko hotel on Tuesday in honour of those that lost their lives after gunmen attacked an Abuja-Kaduna train on Monday.

At least 970 passengers were aboard the train when it was attacked between Katari and Rijana communities.

Additionally, ask all who can, to join me in donating to the families of the bereaved and the immediate needs of the wounded and distressed, Mr Tinubu said.

We are one national family. We must aid our brothers and sisters at this time.

The former governor of Lagos urged his associates to stop all celebrations in his honour. Now is not the time, he added.

The APC presidential frontrunner commiserated with the bereaved families as well as those who have been left scarred by the mindless violence.

While we do all we can to give comfort to those in need of it, we must stiffen our resolve and make stronger our response to such atrocities.

Today marked my 70th birthday, a moment intended for celebration. Yet, I cannot celebrate knowing what has happened to so many of our beloved people.

Mr Tinubu said that terror and banditry must be defeated in addressing the security challenges of the country.

The attack is believed to have been carried out by bandits in the northern region.

We must eradicate them such that these twin evils have no hold on even a centimetre of our national soil. We must not stop until we realize a better future, a greater, more peaceful Nigeria, he said.

To the bereaved, I offer my thoughts and prayers. To the wounded, may you heal. To the perpetrators, I have nothing to say except that may the justice you face be swift and uncompromising.
Gunmen attacked the residence of Olanrewaju Suraju, chairman of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, (HEDA) Resource Centre, a statement said on Tuesday.

HEDAs secretary, Sulaimon Arigbabu, said the incident happened around 2.15 a.m. on Monday.

Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) Resource Centre, established in 2001, is a Nigerian nonprofit promoting accountability, responses to climate change and food security, and other issues through policy advocacy, training, and research.

The development comes weeks after Mr Surajus arraignment by the federal government for alleged cyberstalking of a former Attorney-General of the Federation.

The gunmen carted away 5 phones including 1 Samsung phone, 2 iPhones, 2 iPads; 2 Macbook pro laptops, a Dell laptop, a Toyota Corolla 2014 car, pieces of jewellery, ATM cards, cars keys, Bank Tokens, office documents among other valuables belonging to Mr Suraju and his family, the statement read.

The assailants who were heavily armed with guns, knives and other dangerous weapons also threatened to kill Mr Suraju, physically hit him and his wife both of whom had to be hospitalised.

Mr Arigbabu said the armed men breached the estates security and burgled the security features in his house with sophisticated tools.

Currently, both the intent and the extent of the damage cannot be fully estimated yet, Mr Arigbabu said.

The assailants, who invaded only Mr Surajus home out of other 220 buildings in the estate, collected all valuable items in the house and coerced Mr Suraju to provide all his security details including phone passwords, bank log-in details, laptops passwords, among others.

The assailants then immediately gained access to his email, phone numbers including WhatsApp and other messaging platforms as well as bank platforms.

Mr Arigbabu said the unidentified gunmen deleted some of the CCTV footage through Mr Surajus phone before the camera was switched off by the family.

He said the incident had been reported at the police station.

He added that it is important to alert members of the public and all friends, families and well-wishers of the Surajus and HEDA not to act on any solicitation or strange broadcast/emails purportedly from Mr and Mrs Suraju. Any such message should be discountenanced for now.

Persecution

The group described the attack as shocking and traumatizing for the family and the organisation.

They also expressed worry that the invasion may not be unconnected with the anti-corruption work of Mr Suraju.

It is no news that corrupt elements both within and outside the government have continuously conspired to persecute the organisation and its Chairman, Mr Suraju, for blowing whistles and exposing perpetrators of various acts of grand corruption against Nigeria.

Therefore, considering that the assailants did not only steal and inflict injury, they also threatened to kill Mr Suraju, but this attack may also be another dimension to the persecution of Mr Suraju by the corrupt individuals especially since all previous attempts to bring him down have failed.
A total of 16 people have been killed following a renewed spate of cult clashes in communities in Ogun State.

Last Thursday, a popular area boy known as Tommy was hacked to death at the popular Panseke market in Abeokuta, the state capital.

The clash, which was reported to be a battle between the Eiye and Aiye cult groups, took a more dangerous dimension immediately after Tommy was murdered.

Findings by our correspondent revealed that before Tommy was killed, six other persons had been killed in different parts of Abeokuta.

A source, who preferred to be anonymous, listed those killed in Abeokuta as Scatter, School Boy, Alakanni, Tommy, Azeez, Olaosebikan, Alameda, and Babajide.

The killings were said to have taken place at different locations such as Asero, Kugba, Ikereku, Adigbe, Oke Ijeun, Isale Abetu, and Panseke, where the popular Tommy was killed.

Locals say these uninterrupted spate of killings have not occurred in Ogun State in almost a decade. Areas in the state capital such as Oluwo, Mercy Road, and Mango have become regular sites of violent clashes and killings.

It was gathered that the clashes between the Eiye and Aiye cult groups have persisted, lasting for over a week, following the killing of key leaders of both groups.

Since Tommy was killed, several small business owners have refused to open their shops, especially around the Oluwo, Onikolobo, Mango, and Adigbe areas.

Tommy was buried at his house in Oluwo amidst tears on Saturday.

On Sunday night, gunshots, again, rented the atmosphere at Panseke as residents and motorists ran for dear lives.

On Wednesday afternoon, two gunmen shot dead one Dare Ojugbele, suspected to be a member of the Eiye cult group, in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area.

Abimbola Oyeyemi, the police spokesperson in the state, confirmed the attack, adding that the deceased had just been released from the Nigeria Correctional Service.

We are on top of the matter, we have taken charge of the place and we have launched a manhunt for the miscreants.

Fight spreads to Sagamu

Before 10:00 a.m. on Monday , at least eight persons have been reportedly killed in Sagamu Local Government area, a less than 50 kilometre distance from Abeokuta.

This happened on a day Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo, among other African leaders and the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, were attending a programme in the premises of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, OOPL.

Though the police said 18 persons have been arrested, calm seems not to have been restored in the troubled areas.

As early as 7 a.m. on Monday, sources said some young men stormed Sagamu, killing their targets.

While the lifeless bodies of some of the victims were picked up by the police, others were said to have been taken away by their relatives.

A resident, who does not want her name in print over fear of attack, said that one Akeem, an electrician, was attacked at Ajegunle area of Sagamu around 7 a.m.

Akeem did not die immediately, but when they were rushing him to hospital, another bike hit them and he fell from the bike. That was how he died eventually. His intestines were coming out because he was shot in the stomach.

It was also gathered that the Sagamu killings happened in different locations such as Soyindo, Ijagba, Ajegunle and Sabo; all in Sagamu Local Government.

Meanwhile, it will be recalled that immediately after Governor Abiodun resumed, he had declared a state of emergency in security as firms and notable individuals contributed for a more robust security in the state.

Advertisements





Government efforts

On June 11, 2021, Governor Abiodun handed over 55 patrol vehicles, motorcycles, 200 bullet proofs, 20 helmets and communication equipment to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, who was on an official visit to the state.

At the presentation ceremony, Mr Abiodun said the presentation of the security vehicles and gadgets to the police was another symbolic representation of his administrations commitment towards providing a safe environment for residents.

After the Sagamu violence, the governor on Tuesday evening, through a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, told all security chiefs in the state to relocate to Sagamu.

In the statement, the State Commissioner of Police, Commander, 35 Artillery Brigade and the Director, State Security Service (DSS) were specifically mentioned and charged with the responsibility of fishing out the cultists.

The governor equally directed the security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend those behind the killings in Abeokuta, the state capital.

Our youths must resist the temptation to go into cultism and similar vices. This administration has invested heavily in programmes and activities designed to equip our youths with the necessary skills and education that could make their future better, as part of our Building Our Future Together agenda. They should not endanger that future by getting involved in crime.

Parents and guardians must also ensure that their children and wards stay away from criminality.

We have zero tolerance for any act that could disturb the peace we have been enjoying in Ogun State since the commencement of this Administration. We will deal decisively with anyone intent on disturbing that peace.
A senior resident sits at a park in Ankara, Turkey, March 28, 2022. As a country once boasted one of the youngest populations in Europe, Turkey has been aging fast in recent years, which is slowly dragging its economy down.

The population of people aged over 65 in Turkey has increased significantly from 6.65 million in 2016 to 8.25 million in 2021, up 24 percent, according to figures released last week by the Turkish Statistical Institute. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

by Burak Akinci

ANKARA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- As a country once boasted one of the youngest populations in Europe, Turkey has been aging fast in recent years, which is slowly dragging its economy down.

The population of people aged over 65 in Turkey has increased significantly from 6.65 million in 2016 to 8.25 million in 2021, up 24 percent, according to figures released last week by the Turkish Statistical Institute.

Meanwhile, the proportion of the elderly in Turkey's total population is 9.7 percent in 2021, up from 8.3 percent in 2016.

"The aging demography will eventually create a lack of demand as older people tend to spend less, and therefore Turkey's growth rate will drop in the years ahead," Baki Demirel, associate professor at the economy department of Yalova University, told Xinhua.

Under the current official population projections, the proportion of the elderly population is expected to be 10.2 percent in 2023, 12.9 percent in 2030 and 16.3 percent in 2040.

Another problematic area is the labor market where less people are expected to enter and those will be forced to support with their taxes and social security premiums a growing population of state pensioners, he said.

Despite attempts by the government to incentivize having larger families, Turkey's fertility rate will likely continue to decline -- weighing down its economy with older and more expensive workers, higher health care costs, and weaker buying power for younger citizens, the economist added.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is an ardent advocate of population increase and has called for families to have more children.

The Turkish leader has regularly urged Turkish women to have as many as three children, saying the country needs "bigger numbers for our population as a nation."

But despite all those policies, the growth rate of Turkey's population has not accelerated, and on the contrary, is on a downward path.

Murat Seker, director at the Istanbul University Center for Urban Policy Research, stressed that economic conditions play a significant role in the decline in the fertility rate.

Turkey needs to develop policies for the aging population, particularly social security policies, as 20 years from now it will need more health institutions than primary schools, he told Hurriyet Daily News.

Meanwhile, immigration may offer relief for the labor shortfall in the future, as Turkey is hosting nearly 4 million Syrians, whose average age is just over 22, according to official data.

However, Turkey should prioritize reversing the brain drain of its qualified workers to western countries, a worrying phenomenon for the local labor market in recent years, he stressed. 

An elderly man walks with a girl at a park in Ankara, Turkey, March 28, 2022. As a country once boasted one of the youngest populations in Europe, Turkey has been aging fast in recent years, which is slowly dragging its economy down.

The population of people aged over 65 in Turkey has increased significantly from 6.65 million in 2016 to 8.25 million in 2021, up 24 percent, according to figures released last week by the Turkish Statistical Institute. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)
Speaking at the launch in Kano on Tuesday March 29, the Chief Marketing Manager of Buma Resources Nig. Ltd, Mr. Bello Zubairu said that after several field trials and laboratory analyses by reputable agricultural establishments, research institutes and universities such as the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with Niger State Agricultural and Mechanisation Development Authority, Department of Soil Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Department of Agronomy/Soil Science, Cross River State University of Technology, Calabar, among others, it has been established that Geo Fertilizer contains micronutrients that makes it superior to the ordinary fertilizer currently in use by farmers.

According to Mr. Zubairu, one 50g sachet of Geo Fertilizer increased crop yield of 150% in comparison to 50kg of conventional fertilizer. He said five 50g sachet of Geo Fertilizer is applied per hectare, as against nine bags of 50kg of the traditional fertilizer. Besides, the products in sachets of 50g makes it very portable and easy to move to farm unlike the 50kg bag of the conventional fertilizer. It is also the cheapest fertilizer of its kind in Nigeria. Explaining further the benefits of Geo Fertilizer, Zubairu said rain and flood do not pose risks of soil leaching or the fertilizer being washed away from the soil because the fertilizer is applied directly on the leafs.

Chairman of the launch, Senator Mohammed Alkali Gumel said that from the reports of farm trials, laboratory analyses and testimonial of farmers, Geo Fertilizer is a catalyst that will ensure food security for Nigeria and prosper the farmers because of its high crop yield per hectare. He urged the Kano State government and other state governments and institutions to buy large quantity of Geo Fertilizer and resell to farmers at subsidized price as a form of empowerment and hence creating prosperity for the famers and their families.

Presenting a paper on "Performance of Geo Fertilizer on Wheat Production in Nigeria," Dr. Gbenga Olabanji, Former Executive Director, Lake Chad Research Institute, Maiduguri and Team Leader, Wheat Value Chain in Nigeria, said the result of trial of Geo Fertilizer on wheat production was excellent as "the trend and the better performance of wheat with Geo Fertilizer over the control and conventional fertilizer recommendation proves the suitability of this fertilizer in wheat production."

Over 1000 farmers of several farmer associations : rice, onions , wheat, maize, tomato, vegetables, etc., drawn from the 44 local government areas of Kano State and other top technocrats, academics and international partners in the agriculture value chain attended the launch of Geo Fertilizer in Kano.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1777234/GEO_Fertiliser.jpg

SOURCE GEO Fertiliser
The campaign will focus on promoting Egypt as the most preferred destination of choice for Middle Eastern travelers showcasing the various elements of Egypt including warm weather, scenery, and a wide array of activities. The country will be marketed and retargeted on all Wego platforms through both the website and application, including online promotions, and other additional contributions.

Mamoun Hmedan, Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, MENA and India at Wego, commented: "Over 2.43 million flight and hotel searches from MENA to Egypt were performed on Wego in March, where the country ranked the second most searched destination. We're delighted to partner with Egypt Tourism Authority, to promote Egypt's hidden gems including one of the world's intact temples, museums, and pyramids."

You can't think of Egypt without imaging Aswan, Hurghada, Luxor or Sharm El Sheikh. The country is the world's largest open-air museum and has one of the oldest temples and museums, which are a must see for everyone.

Amr Al-Kady, CEO of Egypt Tourism Authority, commented: "Egypt is intensifying its efforts to boost the tourism sector in the country and attract more tourists through promotional campaigns that highlight the country's tourist destinations. Through our partnership with Wego, the largest online travel marketplace in the region, we will attract more travelers from the Middle East to explore the best of Egypt. The country has been following stringent measures to provide a seamless and safe experience for travelers."

Suzan Mostafa, General director of Tourism Promotion at Egypt Tourism Authority, said: "We are thrilled to partner with Wego and promote our country through this joint campaign. We will benefit from Wego's large user base in the MENA region, which will enable us to drive more traffic to Egypt and attract holidaymakers in the winter season."

Tourists get to enjoy the long-awaited vacation in the country that is known for its great geographical distribution, the Nile River, an incredible 6,695 km gift of sustenance for Egypt as well as the historic temples, the fabulous island reefs, amazing beaches, archeological sites, and much more.

About Wego

Wego provides award-winning travel search websites and top-ranked mobile apps for travelers living in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East regions. Wego harnesses powerful yet simple to use technology that automates the process of searching and comparing results from hundreds of airlines, hotels, and online travel agency websites.

Wego presents an unbiased comparison of all travel products and prices offered in the marketplace by merchants, both local and global, and enables shoppers to quickly find the best deal and place to book whether it is from an airline or hotel directly or with a third-party aggregator website.

Wego was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Dubai and Singapore with regional operations in Bangalore, Jakarta and Cairo.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1769622/Wego_Egypt_Tourism.jpg

SOURCE Wego
The total capital represents the largest seed financing for life science startups in Utah's history

SALT LAKE CITY, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Altitude Lab today announced its first cohort of startups raised $54M in seed funding while incubating at Altitude Lab. Founded by Recursion and the University of Utah's PIVOT Center, the incubator fills the critical role of finding, supporting and incubating early-stage health care startups in Utah. Its first cohort of seven startups was enrolled in Winter 2020; six of them closed seed financing within 18 months of joining the program.

The initial cohort includes:

3Helix , led by Mike Kirkness , Ph.D. (CEO), Luke Bennink , Ph.D. (CTO), and founded by Michael Yu , Ph.D.

, led by , Ph.D. (CEO), , Ph.D. (CTO), and founded by , Ph.D. ePurines , founded by Bellamkonda Kishore, Ph.D. (CEO) and Simon Robson , Ph.D. (CIO)

, founded by Bellamkonda Kishore, Ph.D. (CEO) and , Ph.D. (CIO) Known Medicine , founded by Andrea Mazzocchi , Ph.D. (CEO) and Katie-Rose Skelly (CTO)

, founded by , Ph.D. (CEO) and (CTO) NexEos Bio , founded by Theresa Mansi (CEO) and Gerald Gleich , Ph.D. (CSO)

, founded by (CEO) and , Ph.D. (CSO) Peel Therapeutics , founded by Joshua Schiffman , M.D. (CEO) and Avi Schroeder , Ph.D.

, founded by , M.D. (CEO) and , Ph.D. Rebel Medicine , founded by Brett Davis , Ph.D. (CEO), Caleb Lade (CCO), Sierra Erickson (senior engineer), and Susan Wojtalewicz (senior engineer)

, founded by , Ph.D. (CEO), (CCO), (senior engineer), and (senior engineer) Teiko Bio , founded by Ramji Srinivasan (CEO) and Matt Spitzer , Ph.D.

"Based on available data, this is the largest amount of seed capital that has ever been raised by life science startups in Utah," said Chandana Haque, Executive Director of Altitude Lab. "It's an indicator of the accelerated economic path that Utah's BioHive is on."

Primarily funded by venture capital and angel investors, the cohort now supports over 60 employees. Altitude Lab's investor coalition members, a partnered network of leading health care venture capitalists, mentored and advised incubated startups and funded one-third of the cohort. Half of the cohort established vital collaborations with biopharma and health systems. Of note, 3Helix secured its financing via a collaboration with Roche.

"We developed key data to support our two verticals, fibrotic diagnostics and tissue regeneration, at Altitude Lab which allowed us to secure critical partnerships with market leading companies. Now, we are preparing to graduate into our own offices and further build our team," said Mike Kirkness, CEO of 3Helix.

"I knew we would be in good hands with Chandana's leadership. The scientists and peers at Altitude have been incredible to meet and brainstorm with. Chandana's support helped us rapidly stand up our immune profiling platform. We are grateful for all the support we've received from the Altitude program," said Ramji Srinivasan, Co-Founder and CEO of Teiko Bio.

In line with Altitude Lab's mission to support racial and gender representation in health care innovation, the first cohort of companies includes 10 female or racial or ethnic minority founders. Further information on Altitude Lab, its initiatives, and the results of its first year in operation are detailed in Recursion's 2022 Environmental, Social and Governance Report .

"Together with the University, we developed Altitude Lab to centralize the resources and community that many startups in Utah lacked previously. The funding that Altitude Lab's first cohort has raised shows that by reducing the barriers to entrepreneurship, diverse founders can accelerate Utah's economy and our industry," said Chris Gibson, Co-Founder & CEO of Recursion.

"Technologies developed by University of Utah faculty and students have contributed to the launch of more than 330 companies. However, we understand that the greatest obstacle to scaling many of these companies was affordable lab resources and access to capital. Altitude Lab is helping fill these gaps and help our innovators reach commercial success," said Keith Marmer, Chief Innovation & Economic Engagement Officer at the University of Utah.

Altitude Lab's first cohort completes their program in early 2023. The incubator is currently recruiting and enrolling its second cohort. Learn more about Altitude Lab and apply for residency at altitudelab.org .

About Altitude Lab

Altitude Lab is building a new, representative generation of founders to seed the next cycle of health care innovation in Utah's BioHive . Located in University of Utah Research Park, Altitude Lab is an incubator focused on early stage life science and health care companies. The initiative is part of a larger city plan and collaborative vision from Recursion and the University of Utah to foster socially-responsible entrepreneurship, job creation, and economic productivity. The Recursion Foundation, under which Altitude Lab operates, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Learn more at altitudelab.org or connect on Twitter .

About Recursion

Recursion is the clinical-stage biotechnology company industrializing drug discovery by decoding biology. Enabling its mission is the Recursion Operating System, a platform built across diverse technologies that continuously expands one of the world's largest proprietary biological and chemical datasets, the Recursion Data Universe. Recursion leverages sophisticated machine-learning algorithms to distill from its dataset the Recursion Map, a collection of hundreds of billions of searchable inferences across biology and chemistry unconstrained by human bias. By commanding massive experimental scale  up to millions of wet lab experiments weekly  and massive computational scale  owning and operating one of the most powerful supercomputers in the world, Recursion is uniting technology, biology and chemistry to advance the future of medicine.

The company is proudly headquartered in Salt Lake City, where it is a founding member of BioHive , the Utah life sciences industry collective. Recursion also has offices in Toronto, Montreal and the San Francisco Bay Area. Learn more at www.Recursion.com , or connect on Twitter and LinkedIn .

About the Partners for Innovation, Ventures, Outreach & Technology (PIVOT) Center

The Partners for Innovation, Ventures, Outreach & Technology (PIVOT) Center leads the University of Utah's centralized and integrated strategy and operation for technology commercialization, corporate engagement, and economic development. In doing so, PIVOT Center serves as a hub for the U to foster partnerships between industry, university, and government entities. The center formalizes the U's commitment to broaden its impact on Utah's economy by enhancing local and global collaborations to catalyze innovation. The center's mission is to generate economic returns for the university and the state of Utah, expand the university's reputation for innovation, and positively impact society. The University of Utah was recently ranked 2nd among large research universities for "innovation productivity impact."

Media Contact

[email protected]

SOURCE Recursion
Nail technician Aktofel Kankono provides manicure service for a client in Windhoek, Namibia, March 29, 2022. Namibian men are pushing for gender diversity in the traditionally female-dominated local beauty industry. A year ago, the thought of being a nail technician excited yet jumbled Aktofel Kankono. Coming from a conservative society, venturing into the trade was far-fetched for the 19-year old until he decided to enroll on a nail training course, which opened his career in the beauty industry. (Photo by Ndalimpinga Iita/Xinhua)

WINDHOEK, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Namibian men are pushing for gender diversity in the traditionally female-dominated local beauty industry.

A year ago, the thought of being a nail technician excited yet jumbled Aktofel Kankono. Coming from a conservative society, venturing into the trade was far-fetched for the 19-year old until he decided to enroll on a nail training course, which opened his career in the beauty industry.

"I was the only guy in attendance at the training and was too conscious about what people might think of me," said Kankono on Tuesday.

A year into business, his trade as a nail technician has brought him more than just a substantial income.

"It gives me satisfaction to add color to people's lives through nails art. I am glad I did not give in to my negative thoughts and limitations," Kankono said.

Being a male nail technician has profoundly impacted his business and life. "Through the experiences, I have grown professionally in terms of networking and developed a firmer character," said Kankono, who is also a student at a local university.

He is not the only one. More men daringly ventured into the diverse vocations the beauty industry offers.

Merino Kandjii from Windhoek runs Merino Cuts. After working other jobs in the tourism and hospitality industry, he fell back on his true passion- hairdressing.

"I'd say it almost came naturally as I'm an artistic person and hairdressing is an area where I can apply my natural ability to create. Fortunately, I also had the opportunity to study this in South Africa," Kandjii said.

Although he initially encountered gender prejudices from society for doing a 'woman's job', transforming clients and actualizing their visions gives him great pleasure.

"I think that gives me the edge and sets me apart. I am passionate about offering superior, quality services to my clients, and I feel grateful to be able to do something that I enjoy. I take the personal hair journeys of all my clients to heart," he added.

Samuel Shimhanda, a seasoned nail technician, said that business had been more than just about him since his career took off.

Apart from aiding the health of nails and skin of many locals through his craft, he strives to debunk stereotypes that doing nails is only a 'female job'.

According to the 2021 Global Gender Gap report by World Economic Forum, no country of the 35 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa has yet achieved full gender parity. Data points to significant challenges for gender parity in future jobs due to increasing occupational gender segregation.

Moreover, gender experts observed that men venturing into careers mainly seen as 'jobs for women' by many people in society is not new but was instead done out of the limelight.

Ngamane Karuaihe-Upi, a relationship consultant, based in Namibia, said that just like there are women who are great builders, plumbers, electricians, farmers, soldiers, there is ample space to accommodate all genders in being productive contributors to the development of the economy.

"It is time to adjust our vision and mentality regarding what men and women can do. No need for boundaries and limitations. Archaic rules and views cannot curtail human potential, and to evolve is inevitable and assured. The more diversity we encourage, the better for Namibia and the world," Karuaihe-Upi said.

Meanwhile, marketing efforts inclusive of social media have been instrumental to their efforts.

"Some clients come out of curiosity through referrals or come back for more," Kankono said.

While sustaining the brand as a small business owner amid limited access to funding and the COVID-19 pandemic can be challenging, the businessmen said the future looks bright.

"There is great economic potential in this multi-billion dollar industry (cosmetology). I plan to start a hair school here in Namibia to be able to do what I love and transfer the knowledge and skills to others. I plan to expand the business through franchises," Kandjii said.

Kankono, too, hopes to train others, especially men, to continue breaking gender stereotypes relating to career choices across generations. 

Nail technician Samuel Shimhanda provides manicure service for a client in Windhoek, Namibia, March 29, 2022. Namibian men are pushing for gender diversity in the traditionally female-dominated local beauty industry. A year ago, the thought of being a nail technician excited yet jumbled Aktofel Kankono. Coming from a conservative society, venturing into the trade was far-fetched for the 19-year old until he decided to enroll on a nail training course, which opened his career in the beauty industry. (Photo by Ndalimpinga Iita/Xinhua)
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Amendola Communications, a nationally recognized, award-winning healthcare and health IT public relations and marketing agency, today announced it has added another accolade from the PR industry to its resume. Ragan and PR Daily named Amendola as an overall winner in the Small Agency of the Year Category in their 2021 Top Agencies Awards.

Amendola highlighted integrated PR, thought leadership, media relations and marketing campaigns it executed for clients, including Biofourmis, Availity, ABOUT and others in its 2021 entry. The award is just the latest national recognition for the agency, which provides a full range of PR and marketing servicesincluding media and analyst relations, messaging, content development and marketing, social media, digital marketing, website design, strategic counsel and more. However, the recognition is particularly rewarding given the industry turbulence experienced over the past year.

"2021 was the second straight year impacted by COVID-19," says Jodi Amendola, CEO of Amendola Communications. "The healthcare, health tech and life sciences companies we serve faced significant challenges in the wake of the pandemic and our seasoned team of professionals was able to deliver powerful PR and marketing support to educate and influence key target audiences for our clients during this time of need. I'm especially proud of this award from Ragan and PR Daily because it recognizes our agency as a whole and the results we were able to generate for our clients."

Winners of PR Daily's Top Agencies Awards will be honored at a special ceremony and luncheon on May 10 at the Yale Club in New York City.

About Amendola Communications

Amendola is an award-winning, insights-driven public relations and marketing firm that integrates media relations, social media, content and lead gen programs to move healthcare, life sciences/pharma and healthcare IT decision-makers to action. The agency represents some of the industry's best-known brands as well as groundbreaking startups that are disrupting the status quo. Nearly 90% of its client base represents multi-year clients and/or repeat client executives. Amendola's seasoned team of PR and marketing pros understand the ongoing complexities of the healthcare ecosystem and provide strategic guidance and creative direction to drive positive ROI, boost reputation and increase market share. Making an impact since 2003, Amendola combines traditional and digital media to fuel meaningful and measurable growth. For more information about the industry's "A-Team," visit www.acmarketingpr.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Ragan Communications

Ragan Communications has been delivering trusted news, training and intelligence for more than 50 years to internal and external communicators, HR professionals and business executives via its conferences, webinars, training, awards, subscriptions and membership divisions. Its daily news sitesPRDaily.com and Ragan.comare read by more than 600,000 internal and external communicators monthly. Its Communications Leadership Council is one of the fastest-growing membership groups for communications executives and its PR Daily Leadership Network is the go-to membership group for PR, marketing and social media professionals. Ragan's Workplace Wellness Insider serves HR, wellness and communications professionals. Ragan is also the producer of Communications Week, which is held Nov. 15-19. Ragan is headquartered in Chicago, with team members spanning the country and loyal customers worldwide. Visit www.ragan.com.

Media contact:

Marcia Rhodes

[email protected]

SOURCE Amendola Communications
The two insurtech companies are aiming to provide best-in-class digital experiences across the insurance chain

NEW YORK, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, modern insurtech infrastructure companies, Ascend and Stere , announced an anchor partnership. The two companies will be teaming up to provide existing brokers, MGAs, and carriers with the best-in-class digital experiences.

Ascend is the first modern insurance payments platform that provides automated all-in-one financing, collections, and payables. Stere is a one-stop-shop for businesses to find capacity and access digital tools to launch, improve and grow insurance programs. Both companies work to digitize key aspects of the insurance value chain and will be combining forces in a first-of-its-kind anchor partnership to further fuel their customers' growth.

"We're incredibly excited to be collaborating with Stere as we enter the next phase of providing the best possible product/service for our customers," says Ascend Co-Founder & Co-CEO Andrew Wynn. "They've built an incredible ecosystem that connects "capacity seekers" such as MGAs, insurtechs, or embedded insurance partners, with "capacity providers" like carriers and reinsurers. Stere's capacity marketplace will support our customers' capacity needs and becoming a part of that ecosystem, benefits both ours and their customers."

Stere allows interested parties to easily launch new insurance programs and products, and Ascend makes it easy to handle all aspects of payments for those new programs.

"Working with Ascend further expands and strengthens the roster of network vendor partners our clients have easy access to via our digital ecosystem," says Stere CEO and Founder Dogan Kaleli. "Our mission is to be a go-to capacity marketplace for MGAs, reinsurers, and carriers as well as offer them a secure platform where they can launch and grow insurance programs with ease. By restructuring and modernizing insurance payments infrastructure, something that is long overdue, Ascend addresses a long-standing industry pain point and empowers our clients to increase their process efficiencies."

This is the first of many partnerships Ascend will be investing in to deepen its relationships with other insurtechs, MGAs, AMS, and other embedded insurance carriers to complement the strategic ambitions of companies in the insurance market.

About Ascend

Ascend is the modern insurance payments platform that provides automated all-in-one financing, collections, and payables. Founded by two-time insurtech entrepreneurs Andrew Wynn and Praveen Chekuri, Ascend helps distributors sell more by eliminating labor-intensive, expensive processes while providing customers with the great online checkout and financing experience they've come to expect. To learn more, please visit https://useascend.com/ .

About Stere

Stere is a digital ecosystem for insurance programs. With Stere, program leaders source insurance capacity and access digital tools to launch sooner and grow smarter. Stere clients are MGAs, insurtech MGAs, and embedded insurance programs, and their ecosystem partners such as carriers, fronting carriers, reinsurers, brokers, program consultants, and technology providers. Visit www.stere.io or email [email protected] for a demo.

Contact:

Kathy Osborne

[email protected]

SOURCE Ascend
Global CPG Veteran Selected to Lead Cannabis House of Brands

DENVER, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - BellRock Brands Inc. ("BellRock" or the "Company") (CSE: BRCK.U), an industry-leading cannabis multi-state house of brands ("MSHB"), announces the appointment of Brian Jansen as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Jansen previously served as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company.

Brian Jansen has held executive management positions in the cannabis industry since 2019. Prior to the business combination of BR Brands and Dixie Brands, Jansen served as interim CEO and COO of Mary's Medicinals ("Mary's"), where he successfully led several commercial expansions, supply chain improvements, and drove the asset to free cash flow positive.

"I am pleased to announce that Brian Jansen has assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of BellRock Brands. I have had the pleasure of working intimately with Brian the past three years and he is perfectly suited to build upon the Company's strengths and spearhead its next chapter of growth," said Andrew Schweibold, BellRock Executive Chairman. "Brian's passion for our business, proven cannabis expertise, deep CPG experience, and devotion to our employees and consumers are the tenets we need to continue BellRock's growth into a nationwide dominant house of brands."

Brian joined Mary's with two decades of leadership experience in the CPG industry, in roles at multiple global companies including PepsiCo, Grupo Bimbo, and the Hain Celestial Group.

Jansen said, "Almost 18 months ago BellRock was formed following the combination of two cannabis powerhouse brands, Mary's and Dixie. It is an honor to step into the CEO role and build upon this foundation as a leader in the industry. We will continue to strengthen the business by expanding our product offerings, entering new markets, and identifying M&A transactions to expand upon our platform. Together, with CPG expertise at the forefront, management and the Board are working in unison to further enhance BellRock's platform as the first true national cannabis house of brands and the only cannabis CPG platform of its kind."

As previously announced, Chuck Smith is stepping down as Chief Executive Officer, but will remain a member of the Board of Directors, serving on the Audit Committee and focusing on supporting the company's efforts around M&A opportunities and government relations. Smith said, "I entered the cannabis industry 13 years ago and feel fortunate to have been on the forefront of building an iconic cannabis brand. Today, more than 12 years later, Dixie remains a beloved household name in cannabis and that is a testament to the passion and talent of the BellRock team. I am excited for the journey ahead and look forward to contributing to the success of the organization and championing its upward trajectory."

Looking ahead, BellRock has plans to introduce several new products designed to delight its loyal customer base and will also refresh the iconic Mary's Brands portfolio.

About BellRock Brands

BellRock Brands is a cannabis multi-state house of brands and intellectual property focused CPG operator that possesses one of the industry's broadest branded product portfolios. BellRock consists of two iconic cannabis brands, Mary's Medicinals (a pioneer in the Health & Wellness segment since 2013) and Dixie (a market-leading cannabis-infused edibles brand since 2010). BellRock also includes two growing California-based brands, Rebel Coast and Defonce. BellRock's CBD portfolio includes the brands Mary's Nutritionals and Mary's Tails. With 7 brands and over 200 SKUs, BellRock reaches nearly every key consumer group and addresses the needs of a diverse cannabis consumer base. The BellRock manufacturing and distribution footprint continues to expand and currently spans nine states, and the Company owns or manages production facilities in its largest markets. For more information, visit www.bellrockbrands.com.

Forward-Looking Information and Statements

The information provided in this press release may contain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, made by the Company (or its predecessors) that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements preceded by, followed by or that include words such as "may", "will", "would", "could", "should", "believes", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "expects", "plans", "intends", "anticipates", "targeted", "continues", "forecasts", "designed", "goal", or the negative of those words or other similar or comparable words. Forward-looking statements may relate to future financial conditions, results of operations, plans, objectives, performance or business developments. These statements speak only as at the date they are made and are based on information currently available and on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events, which are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from that which was expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties related to: (i) the regulation of the medical and recreational marijuana industry in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America and other countries in which the Company may carry on its business; (ii) the ability of the Company to obtain meaningful consumer acceptance and a successful market for its products on a national and international basis at competitive prices; (iii) the ability of the Company to develop and maintain an effective sales network; (iv) the success of the Company in forecasting demand for its products or services; (v) the ability of the Company to maintain pricing and thereby maintain adequate profit margins; (vi) the ability of the Company to achieve adequate intellectual property protection; (vii) the availability of financing opportunities, risks associated with economic conditions, dependence on management and conflicts of interest; and (viii) other risks described from time to time in documents filed by the Company with securities regulatory authorities, including the Company's listing statement dated October 31, 2020.

The forward-looking statements contained herein are based on certain key expectations and assumptions, including the Company's ability to transition to new senior leadership without any material adverse change to the Company's operations or business.

With respect to the forward-looking statements contained herein, although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements as no assurance can be given that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks, including the risks described above. Consequently, all forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by such cautionary statements and there can be no assurance that the anticipated results or developments will actually be realized or, even if realized, that they will have the expected consequences to or effects on the Company.

The cautionary statements contained or referred to herein should be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that the Company and/or persons acting on the Company's behalf may issue.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

SOURCE BellRock Brands Inc.
Leader in virtual care and remote patient management solutions will enable

integrated health system serving three states to participate in rural hospital

research study and CMS Acute Hospital Care at Home Program

BOSTON, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Biofourmis, a Boston-based global leader in virtual care and digital therapeutics, today announced that it was selected by Blessing Health System in Quincy, Ill., as the technology solutions partner for its newest program, which delivers acute-level hospital care inside patients' homes.

Blessing Health System is an integrated rural health system spread over three states (Illinois, Missouri and Iowa) consisting of three hospitals, two physician groups, an accredited college of nursing and health sciences, a network of medical specialty businesses and a charitable foundation.

Biofourmis is supporting the health system with its turnkey, end-to-end, home hospital solution for participation in the Rural Home Hospital project. This new program allows caregivers to deliver hospital-level care in patients' homes across a range of acute conditions instead of admitting them to a medical facility. This allows them to optimize capacity and ensure that hospital beds are available for more critically ill patients. Other outcomes include higher patient satisfaction, lower readmission rates and hospital-acquired conditions, as well as a reduction in the overall cost of care. For rural communities, home hospital programs also reduce patient and family travel burdens and out-of-pocket costs associated with facility-based care.

Blessing Health System providers will visit patients in their homes and utilize Biofourmis technology to remotely monitor them using biosensors and a patient-centric companion app. Continuously streaming data from the wearables and electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) are fed into the Biofourmis artificial-intelligence (AI)-powered Biovitals Analytics Engine, which establishes a personalized patient baseline via machine learning and delivers real-time notifications to providers as patient conditions change.

"Participating in a home-based hospital program in our rural area required choosing an experienced and knowledgeable technology partner offering a comprehensive solution that we could easily expand as the initiatives added more patients and more conditions," said Mary Frances Barthel, MD, MHCM, SFHM, FACP, Chief Quality and Safety Officer, Blessing Health System. "Although we considered several solutions, Biofourmis offered the most comprehensive, highly scalable and user-friendly solution. We are confident that it will enable us to successfully participate in this program, but more importantly, deliver the high-quality care that our patients expect in the comfort and convenience of their homes."

Biofourmis has deep experience as a technology provider for hospital-level care at home, including the Home Hospital program at Brigham and Women's Hospital, which co-developed Biofourmis' [email protected] technology solution. Brigham's clinical leadership has published several clinical studies demonstrating the benefits of its program, including a randomized clinical trial in the Annals of Internal Medicine that found the Home Hospital program reduced hospital admissions among participating patients by 70% and lowered costs by 40%.

Rural Health System of the Future

To date, most home hospital programs serve primarily urban areas. Over the next three years, the Rural Home Hospital project will apply lessons and processes learned from those earlier initiatives to help build, launch and evaluate a nationwide program to serve the unique care needs of rural residents across the U.S.

The Rural Home Hospital was created by a joint venture of the Harvard T. J. Chan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Massachusetts. Blessing Health System was one of only two U.S. participants selected out of a pool of 700 applicants. Rural Home Hospital will include patients with acute exacerbations of conditions such as heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, gout, chronic kidney disease and others. For the research study, roughly half of the participants will receive facility-based inpatient care and the other half will receive home-based care.

Blessing Health System is also one of 92 health systems in the nation to receive the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver, with 204 hospitals in 34 states participating (as of March 17). The Acute Hospital Care at Home Program provides 1:1 Medicare reimbursement parity for hospitals that admit patients with a wide range of acute conditions to their homes. As with the Rural Home Hospital project, patients receive a combination of in-person and virtual visits from providers, as well as around-the-clock monitoring and communication.

"Health systems in every type of community in the U.S. are recognizing the clinical and economic benefits of safely and effectively delivering more care in the home, whether that is acute, post-acute or complex chronic condition management," said Kuldeep Singh Rajput, CEO and founder of Biofourmis. "Blessing Health System serves a large geographic region, but by partnering with Biofourmis, together we will ensure that providers have the actionable data and tools to deliver highly personalized care regardless of where patients are located."

About Biofourmis

Biofourmis is a fast-growing global health technology company that is focused on leveraging software and data science to deliver virtual care and develop novel digital therapies. The company's robust care management platform, [email protected], enables remote disease management across a range of medical conditions for acute, post-acute and chronic care. The solution utilizes medical-grade wearables to continuously collect patient data, which is analyzed by Biovitals, Biofourmis' highly sophisticated, clinically validated AI-powered predictive analytics engine. With support from Biofourmis' in-house clinical care team, payers and providers can leverage the solution to predict clinical deterioration in advance of a critical eventwhich enables earlier interventions for better outcomes and cost savings. Likewise, the company discovers, develops and delivers clinically validated digital therapeutics. These monotherapies or "pill plus" prescription therapeutics support payers and providers in improving patients' lives while reducing healthcare utilization and associated costs. For more information, visit: www.biofourmis.com; and follow the company on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contact:

Tara Stultz

Amendola Communications for Biofourmis

440.225.9595

[email protected]

SOURCE Biofourmis
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Bug Bite Thing , the chemical-free, reusable insect bite relief tool that retails for under $10, announces its partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County .

Bug Bite Thing Founder & CEO Kelley Higney with Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County youth program members. Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County CEO Will Armstead and Bug Bite Thing Founder & CEO Kelley Higney celebrate their first partnership.

Kicking off the spring season as the official sponsor of Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County's first ever "Breakfast with the Easter Bunny & Easter Egg Hunt," on Saturday, April 2nd from 9-11 a.m. at its Westside Club Complex. Over eight hundred families are expected to attend the event, which includes free breakfast, arts and crafts, cookie decorating, and an Easter egg hunt for children age 12 and under.

Bug Bite Thing Founder & CEO Kelley Higney says, "As a business owner and mother, I'm always looking for ways to further invest in our community. Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County provides such an important resource for youths and families and we're thrilled to have the opportunity to support them. This fun-filled event is a great way to bring everyone together and kick off the spring season."

"We appreciate Bug Bite Thing sponsoring our Breakfast with the Easter Bunny. Their support made it a bigger community event for everyone to enjoy," says Will Armstead, CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County.

About Bug Bite Thing

As Seen on Shark Tank, Bug Bite Thing is a chemical-free solution that instantly alleviates the stinging, itching and swelling caused by insect bites and stings. The reusable tool solely uses suction to remove insect saliva or venom from underneath the skin, making it safe for all ages. Bug Bite Thing is Amazon's #1 selling product for insect bite relief with over 45,000 reviews. The company gained national recognition in October 2019 when Kelley and her mother, Ellen McAlister, appeared on ABC's hit show, 'Shark Tank.' All the Sharks were biting with offers to invest in the business, but it was Lori Greiner's 'Golden Ticket' offer that secured the partnership. Bug Bite Thing is the recipient of 23 prestigious awards including the 2021 BIG Innovation Award, the 2021 Mom's Choice Award and 2021 National Parenting Product Award. Based in Port St. Lucie, Florida, Bug Bite Thing is active in community organizations, including St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce, Treasure Coast Food Bank (a member of Feeding America), and Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. The company is also a member of Cancer Free Economy Network. Bug Bite Thing is available on Amazon.com, BugBiteThing.com and at over 25,000 retailer locations nationwide. Learn more at Bug Bite Thing , and follow along on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok and Twitter .

About the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County

Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing youth with a world class Boys & Girls Club experience, assuring that success is within reach for every young person who walks through their doors, and that every Club member graduates from high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character and citizenship and living healthy lifestyles. The Club enables all young people, especially those who need it most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

With 23 locations throughout the county, Boys & Girls Clubs programs serve a diverse group of kids from grades K-12. Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County serves 17,000 youth throughout the year from a variety of backgrounds. Be part of something wonderful and take a tour of an area club by calling (772) 460-9918 or visiting www.bgcofslc.org or at www.facebook.com/bgcofslc.

Media Contact:

Lauren Bartel

[email protected]

SOURCE Bug Bite Thing
DUBLIN, Ohio, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) today announced plans to build a 574,670 square foot medical distribution center in the Columbus, Ohio area.

The new building will integrate automation and technology to work alongside Cardinal Health employees; improve safety, service and quality; deliver operational efficiencies; and better support fluctuations in volume and labor to provide customers with a predictable and stable customer experience.

"We're building a new warehouse to meet both our customers' current and future needs," said James Sembrot, SVP U.S. Supply Chain at Cardinal Health. "The new facility is part of a multi-year strategy to increase U.S. warehouse capacity with expanded inventory space. By increasing our medical distribution footprint, we will provide customers another location in our network for Strategic Stock Solutions and 3PL services," said Sembrot.

The new Columbus facility will replace Cardinal Health's current 235,000 square foot facility in nearby Obetz, Ohio. The larger warehouse footprint and operations can accommodate a full transition of existing employees, and will create new job opportunities for the Ohio Valley market.

In partnership with Duke Realty, a leading owner, developer, and manager of logistics and industrial properties, along with its joint venture partners Columbus Regional Airport Authority and Capitol Square, Cardinal Health anticipates the new facility to be fully operational by late 2022 or early 2023.

"Our public-private partnership between the Columbus Regional Airport Authority and Capitol Square continues to drive our developments in Rickenbacker Global Logistics Park with direct access to highways, the largest dedicated cargo airport in the world and the rail intermodal terminal for Norfolk Southern," said Ben Struewing, Duke Realty's vice president of leasing and development for Ohio. "Columbus' robust talent pool and centralized location make it ideal for Cardinal Health to meet its supply chain and logistics needs to further fuel their growth and success."

About Cardinal Health

Cardinal Health is a distributor of pharmaceuticals, a global manufacturer and distributor of medical and laboratory products, and a provider of performance and data solutions for health care facilities. With 50 years in business, operations in more than 30 countries and approximately 44,000 employees globally, Cardinal Health is essential to care. Information about Cardinal Health is available at cardinalhealth.com.

Contacts

Media: Kristin Larsen, [email protected] and (614) 757-3653

Investors: Kevin Moran, [email protected] and (614) 757-7942

SOURCE Cardinal Health
"We are beyond thrilled to be joining forces with LATAM in our first foray into travel rewards credit cards," said Michael Spelfogel, President and Co-Founder of Cardless. "Moving beyond entertainment and leisure, travel rewards are an absolute necessity in the 21st century  a fact that the isolation of the past two years has only intensified. We can't wait to help LATAM reward their customers with tangible benefits that bring people across the world back together."

Cardless cards offer a number of features designed for digital native consumers, both in terms of security and easy access. New users will easily be able to apply for a Cardless card using their smartphone, and the virtual card will be delivered to their mobile wallet in seconds. The physical card will carry no card number, in order to protect the user from fraud  should the digital-only number become compromised, users will be able to receive a new number through the Cardless mobile app.

"We strive to continuously improve our customer experience and this new partnership seeks to offer more options for accumulating miles through a simpler and more intuitive digital experience. Fintech companies are pioneers in adaptability and flexibility with the end-user in mind, and the LATAM Airlines Credit Card program exemplifies this.", said Paola Penarete, Vice President of Sales for North America, Caribbean, Mexico, and Asia, LATAM Airlines Group.

LATAM Group currently offers travelers the opportunity to join LATAM Pass, one of the largest airline loyalty programs in the world with over 40 million members to date. LATAM Pass members can join the waitlist to become one of the first to apply for the LATAM Cardless credit card program.

To join the waitlist today, please visit: https://cardless.com/latam

About LATAM Airlines Group S.A

LATAM is based in Santiago, Chile, offering nonstop flights between Los Angeles, Miami, New York and Orlando in the United States, and key destinations in South America. LATAM's international codeshare partners add even more opportunities for U.S. customers to earn and redeem miles for global travel.

About Cardless, Inc.

Cardless, Inc. is a credit card company based in San Francisco, CA. Founded in 2019 by Stanford graduates Michael Spelfogel and Scott Kazmeierowicz, Cardless is on the cutting edge of co-brand credit card product development. Cardless has raised $50M in equity funding from investors including Activant Capital, Greycroft, Accomplice, Pear VC, the ownership of Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns, and the Founders of Plaid, Bonobos, Flatiron Health, and 100 Thieves.

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Cardless
Best-in-class bridge engineering team earns top honor for innovative straddle bent design

ALBANY, N.Y. , March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CHA Consulting, Inc. (CHA) has won the inaugural 2022 National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA) Bridge of the Year Award for its innovative design of the straddle bent on the new approach ramp bridge on the Charter Oak Bridge in Hartford, Connecticut. This award follows the Prize Bridge Award in the Medium Span Bridge category, which designated CHA a finalist in the national competition. The CHA team used ingenuity to address a significant design challenge, representing a milestone change in how the industry can build more safe and cost-effective bridges.

"Our team developed a unique solution to a bridge design problem involving the design of the straddle bent using the "Load Path Redundant Member" (LPRM) approach. The benefits of this design are substantial, with improved safety, reduced construction costs, and reduced long-term maintenance costs," stated Michael "Pete" Culmo, PE, Chief Bridge Engineer for CHA.

Originally constructed in 1940, the Charter Oak Bridge is a major steel bridge crossing the Connecticut River connecting the City of Hartford downtown with the Town of East Hartford. Often referred to as "the congestion buster," the three-year, $240 million Charter Oak Bridge project combined two major projects that involved three heavily traveled roadways and 22 bridges. The route serves as a major connector between I-91, I-84, and Route 2 in East Hartford.

The centerpiece of the Charter Oak Bridge project was the innovative reconstruction of Exit 29, where I-91 connects to Route 5/15. The configuration of the new ramp required crossing the two roadways at a very flat intersecting angle, which often requires the use of a "fracture critical" straddle bent structure that can span over the lower roadway. CHA's design converted a typical single-cell box girder section into a triple I-girder member, eliminating the fracture-critical designation and the special long-term inspection requirements. An added benefit is the fabrication costs are up to 50% less than an equivalent box girder section.

"CHA's exceptional bridge practice has more than 80 bridge engineers developing design solutions for bridges from New England to Georgia to Ohio. This national recognition affirms our position as a best-in-class bridge designer," said Jim Stephenson, CHA Holdings, Inc. CEO.

The Prize Bridge Awards celebrate successful structural steel bridge projects for creativity, innovation, economics, aesthetics, and teamwork. The award was announced in Denver, Colorado at the 2022 World Steel Bridge Symposium. CHA's project was selected from three finalists as the winner of the inaugural Bridge of the Year competition. To read about the other finalists, visit aisc.org/pressreleases/press-releases/aiscnsba-names-eight-prize-bridge-winners/ .

About CHA Consulting, Inc.

CHA Consulting, Inc. is an innovative, full-service engineering consulting and construction management firm providing a wide range of technology-enhanced planning and design services to public, private and institutional clients. CHA was ranked the 53rd largest engineering firm in the United States in 2021 by Engineering News-Record. With technical personnel and offices throughout the United States and Canada, CHA offers engineering, architecture, survey, asset, construction, project management, and other services necessary to complete projects on time and within budget. For more information, please visit www.chacompanies.com.

About NSBA

The National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA), a division of the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), is a national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of steel bridge design and construction. The NSBA functions as the voice of the bridge fabricators and steel mills while also partnering with the bridge design and construction community. For more information about the organization, visit https://www.aisc.org/nsba/

Contact:

Mary Bray Gallagher, APR

Communications Manager

T: (518) 453-8264

C: (518) 231-2412

[email protected]

SOURCE CHA Consulting, Inc.
As general manager, Drexler is responsible for overseeing and executing the hotel and property operations, including staff management, guest satisfaction, and community relations.

Prior to joining The Tru by Hilton Louisville Airport, Drexler served in various leadership roles with White Lodging Services. Drexler initially started his hospitality journey as an on-call banquet server at the Hyatt Regency Louisville in 2009 while completing his culinary arts internship at the Hurstbourne Country Club. Drexler holds both a Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management and a Culinary Arts Degree from Sullivan University. He and his family reside in Louisville, Kentucky.

About Commonwealth Hotels, LLC

Commonwealth Hotels, LLC was founded in 1986 and is a proven partner in providing hotel management services with superior financial results. The company has extensive experience managing premium branded full service and select service hotels. Commonwealth Hotels currently manages 61 properties with nearly 7,600 rooms. Additional information may be found at www.commonwealthhotels.com.

Contact

Barbara E. Willen

Commonwealth Hotels, LLC

[email protected]

859.392-2254

SOURCE Commonwealth Hotels, Inc.
Hesham Aboshady MD, MPH brings 10+ years of drug safety experience to and Rajesh Israni brings 20+ years of regulatory experience, to Dragonfly Therapeutics.

WALTHAM, Mass., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dragonfly Therapeutics, Inc. ("Dragonfly" or the "Company"), today announced it has expanded its Clinical Leadership Team with the addition of Dr. Hesham Aboshady, an experienced clinician as Head of Drug Safety, and Rajesh Israni as Head of Regulatory.

"We are delighted that Hesham and Rajesh have joined Dragonfly," said Bill Haney, co-founder and CEO of Dragonfly Therapeutics. "Their impressive accomplishments and experience in drug development, with expertise in regulatory and drug safety strategy, will be invaluable in managing our deep pipeline and leading multiple novel drug candidates successfully into the clinic."

Hesham Aboshady, M.D., MPH is a pharmacovigilance leader with broad expertise in clinical development of immuno-oncology, oncology and immunology therapeutic agents. He has held pharmacovigilance and drug safety roles at Boehringer Ingelheim and Regeneron, and most recently, was Associate Vice President of Clinical Safety and Risk Management at Merck where he was part of the KEYTRUDA development team. Dr. Aboshady received an MD from Cairo University, a Master of Public Health from the University of Oklahoma and completed an Internal Medicine Residency at Brown University Warren Alpert School of Medicine. Before joining the pharmaceutical industry, Hesham was a practicing internist in Milford Massachusetts and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts.

Rajesh Israni brings deep experience in leading regulatory strategy for early-stage and late-stage global registrational trials. Mr. Israni spent two decades at Bristol Myers Squibb and Sanofi in various roles of increasing responsibility, providing leadership for development and execution of global regulatory strategies, including global approvals of elotuzumab, nivolumab and nivolumab plus ipilimumab combinations in several indications. More recently, he led the the regulatory strategy team at Seagen Inc, responsible for developing and executing global registration strategies for both early and late-stage programs, including approvals for PADCEV. Mr. Israni holds two Master's Degrees; one in Biotechnology and Genomics from Rutgers University, NJ, and one in Information Systems and Strategy from Stevens Institute of Technology, NJ.

About Dragonfly

Dragonfly Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing and commercializing therapies that use its novel technology to harness the body's innate immune system to bring breakthrough treatments to patients. Dragonfly has a deep pipeline of wholly-owned clinical and preclinical candidates discovered using its proprietary platform that are progressing toward the clinic, as well as productive collaborations with Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck and Abbvie across a broad range of disease areas. For more information visit us at www.Dragonflytx.com, or follow us on Linkedln and Twitter .

DRAGONFLY MEDIA CONTACT:

Anne E. Deconinck | [email protected]

SOURCE Dragonfly Therapeutics, Inc.
Members of an emergency response team work at the scene of a shooting attack in Bnei Brak, a suburb of Tel Aviv, Israel, on March 29, 2022. A Palestinian gunman opened fire at passersby and vehicles outside the Israeli city Tel Aviv late Tuesday, killing five people in the third shooting or knife attack in a week, prompting the police to raise its alert level nationwide to "the highest possible." (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua)

JERUSALEM, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian gunman opened fire at passersby and vehicles outside the Israeli city Tel Aviv late Tuesday, killing five people in the third shooting or knife attack in a week, prompting the police to raise its alert level nationwide to "the highest possible."

The shooter was shot dead by police during the incident that took place in the city of Bnei Brak, a crowded suburb of Tel Aviv, said the police and the Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national emergency medical service.

"The terrorist is confirmed dead," Police Spokesman Eli Levi told the state-owned Kan TV news. The perpetrator was armed with an M-16 rifle, said another police statement.

The police said in a statement that the shooter was a Palestinian resident from the occupied West Bank who stayed in Israel without permits.

Kan TV news reported that the attacker, a 27-year-old man, was previously convicted of illegal arms trade and served about six months in prison before being released in late 2015.

A paramedic with the United Hatzalah rescue service told Channel 12 that at least one of the fatalities was a policeman.

Eyewitnesses told local television that a gunman on a scooter opened fire at the balconies of apartments and then at people in the street.

No group has yet to claim responsibility for the attack, the third deadly one in Israel in a week.

Later Tuesday, the police said Commissioner of Israel Police Kobi Shabtai has decided to raise the alert level to the highest possible, which is "the highest it has been since the fighting in Gaza in 2021."

Starting from Wednesday, thousands of police officers will be deployed to guard schools, kindergartens, bus stations, and crowded places across the country, said a police statement.

In the following days, most of the police efforts will be put into "fighting terror, increasing their presence in the streets and securing the civilian population," it said.

Meanwhile, the army said it will send additional troops, including four battalions, to the West Bank after assessing the situation.

This was in addition to another four battalions already sent to reinforce the area on Monday, a day after a fatal shooting attack took place in the city of Hadera in northern Israel, said an army statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said "Israel is facing a wave of murderous Arab terrorism," after the deadly shooting on Tuesday.

"The security forces are at work. We will fight terrorism with persistence, diligence and an iron fist," the premier was quoted by his office's statement as saying.

The PM's office said Bennett held a security consultation with top security officials on Tuesday night. He will host an emergency meeting of the security cabinet on Wednesday. 

Investigators work at the scene of a shooting attack in Bnei Brak, a suburb of Tel Aviv, Israel, on March 29, 2022. A Palestinian gunman opened fire at passersby and vehicles outside the Israeli city Tel Aviv late Tuesday, killing five people in the third shooting or knife attack in a week, prompting the police to raise its alert level nationwide to "the highest possible." (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua)

Members of an emergency response team work at the scene of a shooting attack in Bnei Brak, a suburb of Tel Aviv, Israel, on March 29, 2022. A Palestinian gunman opened fire at passersby and vehicles outside the Israeli city Tel Aviv late Tuesday, killing five people in the third shooting or knife attack in a week, prompting the police to raise its alert level nationwide to "the highest possible." (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua)

Photo taken on March 29, 2022 shows the scene of a shooting attack in Bnei Brak, a suburb of Tel Aviv, Israel. A Palestinian gunman opened fire at passersby and vehicles outside the Israeli city Tel Aviv late Tuesday, killing five people in the third shooting or knife attack in a week, prompting the police to raise its alert level nationwide to "the highest possible." (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua)

Israeli police work at the scene of a shooting attack in Bnei Brak, a suburb of Tel Aviv, Israel, on March 29, 2022. A Palestinian gunman opened fire at passersby and vehicles outside the Israeli city Tel Aviv late Tuesday, killing five people in the third shooting or knife attack in a week, prompting the police to raise its alert level nationwide to "the highest possible." (JINI via Xinhua)

Members of Israeli emergency services work at the scene of a shooting attack in Bnei Brak, a suburb of Tel Aviv, Israel, on March 29, 2022. A Palestinian gunman opened fire at passersby and vehicles outside the Israeli city Tel Aviv late Tuesday, killing five people in the third shooting or knife attack in a week, prompting the police to raise its alert level nationwide to "the highest possible." (JINI via Xinhua)

Members of Israeli emergency services work at the scene of a shooting attack in Bnei Brak, a suburb of Tel Aviv, Israel, on March 29, 2022. A Palestinian gunman opened fire at passersby and vehicles outside the Israeli city Tel Aviv late Tuesday, killing five people in the third shooting or knife attack in a week, prompting the police to raise its alert level nationwide to "the highest possible." (JINI via Xinhua)
Education Consulting Market: Rising demand for customized learning to drive growth

One of the key factors driving growth in the education consulting market is the rising demand for customized learning. The conventional methods of education enable the one-way flow of knowledge and provide access to a limited number of knowledge sources. The students now have access to a wide variety of knowledge sources through online databases.SCANTRON offers EVAEXAM, which is a software solution that assigns tests based on the preferences and policies of educational institutions. The growing demand for customized learning facilitates the need for necessary guidance such as education counseling, test preparation, planning and development, and administration.

Education Consulting Market: Rising importance to be a major trend

The rising importance of STEM education is another major factor supporting the education consulting market share growth.STEM job opportunities are expected to outpace the growth of non-STEM job opportunities. Basic STEM education is essential in cracking several competitive exams in countries such as India to gain admission to higher education institutions. Students are increasingly seeking the guidance of education consulting firms at the very beginning of their secondary education. The increasing STEM job opportunities, coupled with the rising competition in STEM competitive exams, will encourage several students to opt for education consulting services.

To know about more drivers, trends & challenges - Request a Free Sample Research Report

Education Consulting Market: Segmentation Analysis

This market research report segments the education consulting market by Type (K-12 and higher education) and Geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA).

The education consulting market share growth in the K-12 segment will be significant during the forecast period. The number of K-12 educational institutions is increasing across the world, which, in turn, is driving the demand for professional education consulting services. As primary and secondary-level educational institutions are adopting an interactive, example-oriented approach toward learning, several students are seeking education consulting services. Hence, the K-12 segment is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. K-12 schools are taking certain innovative measures. For instance, K-12 schools are encouraging the adoption of innovative, bundled content packages which are being offered by various education consultants. Such packages contain relevant course materials and assignments. Furthermore, Government organizations in several countries across the world are also supporting virtual schools for K-12 education. With an increase in Internet penetration, the demand for digital educational publishing will increase in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Thus, the role of digital educational publishing at the K-12 level is expected to trigger the demand for education consulting services, which will positively impact the growth of the segment during the forecast period.

Technavio report provides an accurate prediction of the contribution of all the segments to the growth of the education consulting market size and actionable market insights on each segment.

To gain further insights on the market contribution of various segments - Download a Free sample report

Related Reports:

The online education market in India is expected to increase by USD 2.28 billion from 2020 to 2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 20%. Download a free sample now!

is expected to increase by USD 2.28 billion from 2020 to 2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 20%. The K-12 online education market in China is expected to increase by USD 18.93 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 15.45%. Download a free sample now!

Education Consulting Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 5.01% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 579.19 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 3.89 Performing market contribution North America at 38% Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled BRITANNICA EDUCATION CONSULTING LTD., Broils Consulting Group LLC, ClearView Consulting Co., Edmentum Inc., Education Consulting Services LLC, Education Elements Inc., Edway Education Consulting, ELITE SCHOLARS OF CHINA, Generation Ready Inc., and Global Education 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 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 Content

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2020

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

Five Forces Analysis

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Type

Market segments

Comparison by Type

K-12 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Higher education - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by Type

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

BRITANNICA EDUCATION CONSULTING LTD.

Broils Consulting Group LLC

ClearView Consulting Co.

Edmentum Inc.

Education Consulting Services LLC

Education Elements Inc.

Edway Education Consulting

ELITE SCHOLARS OF CHINA

Generation Ready Inc.

Global Education Ltd.

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide 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 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Engage, the collaborative innovation and corporate venture platform backed by 14 industry-leading enterprises and Georgia Tech, provides capital and mentorship to innovative companies.

ATLANTA, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Terzo, a SaaS enterprise solution for vendor relationship management and contract intelligence, announced today it has been selected by Engage as a member of its ninth cohort of their Enterprise Go-To-Market Program. Engage brings together category-leading corporations that have joined forces to support startups, building the future of enterprise and establishing the Southeast as a leading innovation hub. The platform is designed to provide startups with what they need most: access to new customers and markets. Engage's enterprise go-to-market program is designed to streamline the process for emerging companies to work with the most influential corporations in the world. "We are thrilled to welcome Terzo into our program," said Daley Ervin, Engage's Managing Director. "Their contract intelligence platform is a much needed tool to consolidate and measure value across industries, and we are excited to help them accelerate their enterprise GTM strategy."

Terzo empowers enterprises to unlock strategic opportunities hidden within their vendor ecosystems. Through its Vendor Relationship Management (VRM) platform, enterprises gain actionable insights that drive innovation, improve governance, increase collaboration and optimize spend.

"We're excited to participate in the Engage Enterprise Go-To-Market program," commented Brandon Card, Terzo CEO & Co-Founder. "The investment and interest Terzo has received from the incredible Engage Fortune 500 partners demonstrates the power of VRM to deliver contract intelligence to the CIO."

About Engage

Engage is a first-of-its-kind collaborative corporate venture and innovation platform to give entrepreneurs what they need most: access to customers and markets. Engage partners contributing capital, expertise, time, and resources include Chick-fil-A, The Coca-Cola Company, Cox Enterprises, Delta Air Lines, Georgia-Pacific, Georgia Power Foundation, Georgia Institute of Technology, Goldman Sachs, The Home Depot, Honeywell Connected Enterprise, Inspire Brands, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), Invesco, Invest Georgia, Tech Square Ventures, UPS, and Wellstar Health System. Georgia Tech and Tech Square Ventures provide tools, portfolio support, and resources to companies on the platform. Engage is headquartered in Georgia Tech's Technology Square. For more information, visit engage.vc.

Media Contact:

Ashley Kaplan,

[email protected]

SOURCE Terzo
PHOENIX, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Excelsior Mining Corp. (TSX: MIN) (PFSE: 3XS) (OTCQX: EXMGF) ("Excelsior" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of its Prefeasibility Study Update ("PFS" or "Report") on the North Star Deposit of the Gunnison Copper Project and Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") on the Johnson Camp Mine Heap Leach, both located in Cochise County, southeastern Arizona. The Gunnison Project is designed as a copper in-situ recovery ("ISR") mine using solvent extraction-electrowinning ("SX-EW") to produce copper cathode and the Johnson Camp mine is a heap leach operation. Results of the PFS and PEA disclosed in this press release are in United States dollars.

GUNNISON PROJECT PREFEASIBILITY STUDY

Highlights of the PFS (United States dollars)

Net Present Value ("NPV") of $1,348.5 million after-tax

after-tax at 7.5% discount rate using a life of mine ("LOM") average copper price of $3.93 /lb;

/lb; Internal Rate of Return ("IRR") of 44.9% after-tax;

Pre-production capital costs of $45.1 million

includes 15% contingency, EPCM, freight, mobile equipment, owner's costs and capital spares;

Payback period for pre-production capital of 4.8 years after-tax;

Average life of mine operating costs of $0.91 /lb;

/lb; Total Operating Cash Cost (including royalties, non-income taxes, salvage, reclamation and closure) of $1.21 /lb

/lb All-In Cost (LOM capital costs plus operating costs) of $1.70 /lb;

/lb; Life of Mine: 2,153 million pounds of commercial production over 24 years;

Staged production profile: initial production rate of 25 million pounds of copper cathode per annum, followed by an intermediate expansion stage to 75 million pounds per annum and final expansion stage to full production of 125 million pounds per annum (includes the construction of an acid plant at full production). The staged production profile makes possible the funding of future expansions out of cash flow;

Approximately 15 months of wellfield pre-conditioning (additional operations) to dissolve and remove calcite, along with the addition of a raffinate neutralization plant to assist with the flushing and removal of accumulated CO 2 gas;

gas; Requirement for some additional work to reduce risk and optimize process and production.

A detailed sensitivity analysis to copper price, including a comparison to the results of the 2016 Feasibility Study, is set out below under the heading "Financial Analysis". In addition, the risks and opportunities associated with the Gunnison Project are discussed below.

Commenting on this Report, President & CEO, Dr. Stephen Twyerould said, "Excelsior is committed to innovative and environmentally sustainable copper production through our flagship asset, the Gunnison Copper Project. Production challenges have highlighted the need to re-engineer wellfield ramp-up, including the introduction of a long period of pre-production CO 2 flushing and calcite removal. Capital costs, operating costs and the production schedule have been re-estimated to account for wellfield pre-conditioning and flushing using neutralized raffinate. These changes have been incorporated in the new PFS, which highlights the value of our Gunnison Project along with the need for additional time and work before commercial production is achieved. The Company looks forward to undertaking the recommendations of the PFS and getting back-on-track."

The PFS was completed by M3 Engineering & Technology Corporation ("M3") of Tucson, AZ and is effective as of March 11, 2022. The Technical Report (the "Report") summarizing the results of the PFS, and prepared in accordance with National Instrument ("NI") 43-101, will be filed on SEDAR today.

Financial Analysis

The PFS base case generates an after-tax NPV of approximately $1,348.5 million (at a cash flow discount of 7.5%) and an IRR of 44.9%. This financial analysis is based on a number of assumptions which will be fully set out in the Report.

The base case uses the following parameters over the 24-years of production:

Copper selling price of:

Years 1 thru 5: $4.25 /lb

/lb

Years 6 thru 15: $4.00 /lb

/lb

Years 16 and beyond: $3.75 /lb

/lb Total copper recovery of approximately 48% (based on a combination of metallurgical recovery and estimated sweep efficiency);

Average of approximately 9.5 pounds of acid consumed for every pound of copper produced;

Acid plant construction in year 7 with the price of sulfuric acid prior to that of approximately $120 /ton and the price of sulfur of $120 per ton delivered after that:

/ton and the price of sulfur of per ton delivered after that: Combined state and federal tax rate of 32.9%;

Staged production commencing at 25 million pounds per annum, ramping up to 75 million pounds in year 4, and then to 125 million pounds per annum in Year 7.

The introduction of an additional year of pre-production calcite removal and neutralized raffinate flushing for every well to address CO 2 flow restrictions.

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS SUMMARY

Pre-Tax Post-Tax IRR 50.3% 44.9% Pre-Production Capital Payback (years) 4.4 4.8 NPV (million $) @7.5% 1,777.5 1,348.5 Ratio of New Capital of NPV 7.5 0.025 0.033 COST METRICS



Cost/lb Copper Direct Operating Costs

0.91 Royalties, Taxes, Recl. & Salvage

0.30 Total Cash Cost

1.21

Total initial (pre-breakthrough) capital expenditures (including 15% contingency, EPCM, capital spares, owner's costs, mobile equipment and freight) are estimated at $45.1 million. The production wellfield is estimated at $6.1 million for drilling and wellfield infrastructure and $29.7 million is estimated for the water treatment plant. Capitalized pre-production costs for the wellfield and water treatment plant total $9.3 million. Initial production of copper cathode is estimated to be 25 million pounds per annum. Total sustaining capital costs over the life of the mine are $1,026.6 million, which includes production wellfield expansion, SX-EW expansion, acid plant construction and water treatment facilities. The average life of mine Direct Operating Cash Cost is $0.91/lb and the average life of mine Total Operating Cash Cost (including royalties, non-income taxes, salvage, reclamation and closure) is $1.21/lb.

The Company has also evaluated an Alternate case without an Acid Plant. This case generated a pre-tax [email protected]% of $1,585.7 million and an IRR of 51.9% (after-tax: [email protected]% of $1,218.6 million and IRR of 46.6%). Total initial capital expenditures remain the same as the "Acid Plant" scenario. Total sustaining capital costs over the life of the mine are $873.1 million, which includes production well-field expansion, SX-EW expansion and water treatment facilities. Average life of mine Operating Direct Cash Costs are estimated at $1.24/lb for the "No-Acid Plant" option with an average life of mine Total Operating Cash Cost of $1.53 per pound.

Sensitivity analysis on copper price is shown in the table below.

Sensitivity Analysis (After-Tax) Sensitivity Base Case (Acid Plant)

-20% -10% 0 +10% +20% Cu Price $3.15 $3.54 $3.93 $4.33 $4.72 IRR 30.3% 37.6% 44.9% 52.1% 59.5% NPV* $821 $1,086 $1,348 $1,609 $1,870

Alternate Case (Non-Acid Plant)

-20% -10% 0 +10% +20% Cu Price $3.15 $3.54 $3.93 $4.33 $4.72 IRR 31.1% 39.1% 46.6% 54.0% 61.5% NPV* $691 $957 $1.219 $1,480 $1,741 *million $ at 7.5% discount rate

The impact of the changes compared to the 2016 Feasibility Study can be estimated by comparing the 2022 PFS Base Case at a copper price of $2.75/lb to the Acid Plant case from the 2016 FS at $2.75/lb copper price (see table below).



2022 Base Case at $2.75/lb Cu Price 2016 Acid Plant Case at $2.75 Cu Price Years of Commercial Production 24 24 Total Copper Produced (million lbs) 2,153 2,165 LOM Copper Price (avg $/lb) * $2.75 $2.75 Initial Capital Costs (million $) $45.1 $46.9 Sustaining Capital Costs (million $) $1,026.6 $742 Payback of Capital (pre-tax/after-tax) 7.9/8.0 4.5 / 6.4 Internal Rate of Return (pre-tax/after-tax) 25.8%/23.3% 48.4%/40.2% Life of Mine Direct Operating Cost ($/pound Cu Recovered) $0.914 $0.65 Acid consumption (lb/lb) 9.53 8.98 Pre-tax NPV at 7.5% discount rate (million $) $769 $1,173 After-Tax NPV at 7.5% discount rate (million $) $590 $808

Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves

Mineral Resource Estimate

The total mineral resource estimate for the North Star Deposit is based on results from 122 drill holes totalling 158,785 feet and is effective as of October 1, 2016 (unchanged from the original 2016 Feasibility Study on the Gunnison Project). The estimate is classified as a measured, indicated or inferred mineral resource, consistent with the CIM definitions referred to in NI 43-101. Excelsior is not aware of any environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing or other issues which may materially affect its estimate of mineral resources.

North Star Resources (Oxide and Transition at 0.05% cut-off) Category Short Tons (million) Total Copper (%) Pounds of Cu (million) Measured 199 0.36 1,427 Indicated 674 0.27 3,567 Total M&I 873 0.29 4,995







Inferred 187 0.17 630

Notes:

1. Mineral Resources are inclusive of Mineral Reserves.

2. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

3. Oxidized + Transitional Mineral Resources are reported at a 0.05% total-copper cut-off in consideration of potential mining by in situ recovery.

The North Star mineral resources were modeled to reflect the detailed lithologic, structural, and oxidation modeling completed by Excelsior. Copper mineral domains were interpreted on east-west vertical cross sections on 100-foot spacing, which encompass the 2.3-mile north-south and 1.3-mile east-west extents of the deposit. These domains were then used to explicitly constrain the estimation of copper grades into 50 x 100 x 25-foot (x, y, z) model blocks using 20-foot composites and inverse-distance interpolation. The grade estimation is further controlled by the incorporation of search ellipses that reflect the orientations of modeled structural zones, as well as those of favorable stratigraphic units in areas unaffected by the structures.

All samples were prepared from manually split half-core sections on-site in Arizona. Split drill core samples were then sent to Skyline Assayers & Laboratories ("Skyline") in Tucson, Arizona, an independent laboratory, for Total Copper and Sequential Copper analyses. Skyline is accredited with international standard ISO/IEC 17025:2005 General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories. Analytical results for Total Copper, Acid Soluble Copper, and Cyanide Soluble Copper were reported. Excelsior has no relationship with Skyline Labs other than Skyline being a service provider. Standards, blanks, and duplicate assays are included at regular intervals in each sample batch submitted from the field as part of an ongoing Quality Assurance/Quality Control Program.

Mr. Jeffrey Bickel, C.P.G., with the independent firm Mine Development Associates (MDA) of Reno, Nevada, is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and is responsible for this mineral resource estimate. He has verified, reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this section of the news release. Mr. Bickel has verified the data underlying the results by reviewing the drilling, sampling, assay, and quality assurance and quality control data, as well as the geologic interpretations completed by Excelsior. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

Mineral Reserve Estimate

The PFS mineral reserve is based on an economic analysis of the mineral resource using a copper price of $2.75/lb and key parameters developed from prior test work. The economic optimization was performed on Measured and Indicated Resources at a cut-off grade of 0.05% Total Cu ("CuT"). EBIT (earnings before interest and tax) was calculated on a resource block-by block-basis using the key economic and technical parameters. For a column of resource blocks to be included in the reserve, the capital costs of establishing the wells for those blocks would have to be less than the combine EBIT for the same blocks. The mineral reserve was estimated after applying engineering and operational design parameters which removed the thinner and deeper portions of the mineral resource. Internal dilution has been included in the final mineral reserve estimate. MDA is of the opinion that the mineral reserve estimate derived in this PFS reasonably quantifies the economical mineralization of the North Star Deposit. The reserve estimate is as of October 1, 2016 and the mineral reserves presented in the table below are included in the mineral resource estimate set out above.

North Star Mineral Reserves (Oxide and Transition at 0.05% cut-off)(1) Category Short Tons (million) Total Copper (%) Pounds of Cu (million) Probable 782 0.29 4,505

1. 48% of the total copper reserve is considered recoverable

Mr. Neil Prenn, with the independent firm Mine Development Associates (MDA) of Reno, Nevada, is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and is responsible for reviewing and approving this mineral reserve estimate. He has verified, reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this section of the news release. Mr. Prenn has verified the data underlying the results by reviewing the drilling, sampling, assay, and quality assurance and quality control data, as well as the geologic interpretations completed by Excelsior.

Risks

A number of risks are highlighted in the Report. Those that are more specific to in-situ mining include:

Potential for lower than predicted (modelled) sweep efficiency.

Potential for mineral precipitates to restrict flow paths, porosity, and permeability.

Potential for gas bubbles to restrict flow paths, porosity, and permeability.

Flushing with neutralized raffinate to remove CO 2 may be less effective than modelled.

may be less effective than modelled. The observed CO 2 attenuation could be masking other wellfield problems.

attenuation could be masking other wellfield problems. Short circuiting can occur through very permeable structures, reducing overall sweep efficiency and effecting modelled parameters.

Opportunities

Opportunities at Gunnison are also highlighted in the Report. Those that are related to in-situ mining include:

Well stimulation has the potential to alleviate or solve CO 2 gas blocking and greatly improve porosity, permeability, sweep efficiency and flow rates.

gas blocking and greatly improve porosity, permeability, sweep efficiency and flow rates. Grouting, down-hole packers, and down-hole flow control valves have the potential to minimize short circuiting.

Wellfield optimization including well spacing, pump sizing, borehole diameter, hole configuration and down-hole differential flow control have the potential to greatly improve wellfield performance.

Anticipated copper recoveries could be higher than the estimate of 48 percent of total copper, which would increase total revenue during the life of the mine.

The conversion of the 187.2 million tons of inferred mineral resources to measured or indicated categories has the potential to increase mineral reserves.

The Project has high quality limestone resources that could be used to supplement imported lime in the water treatment process.

Recommendations

A number of recommendations are included in the report aimed at improving wellfield performance, reducing risk, and tightening up engineering and design prior to construction of the raffinate neutralization plant. Excelsior intends to investigate and implement these recommendations prior to further development which include:

Metallurgical Testwork Recommendations: Investigating in situ leaching with different lixiviants as opportunities to leach metals without the formation of gypsum.

Investigating in situ leaching with different lixiviants as opportunities to leach metals without the formation of gypsum. Wellfield Recommendations: Conducting experimentation to ensure that neutralized raffinate is effective in dissolving CO 2 in the subsurface while the engineering, procurement, and construction is at an early stage to enhance the water treatment design criteria.

Conducting experimentation to ensure that neutralized raffinate is effective in dissolving CO in the subsurface while the engineering, procurement, and construction is at an early stage to enhance the water treatment design criteria. Well Stimulation Trials : Well stimulation trials should be undertaken to determine if the technique(s) have the potential to alleviate or solve CO 2 blocking, improve connectiveness, and increase flow rates and sweep efficiency. Given that the results of well stimulation have the potential to reduce the need for raffinate neutralization or change the design criteria for the neutralization plant, it should be undertaken before or in parallel with design activities on the water treatment plant. Well stimulation is allowed under Class III Underground Injection Control permits but requires EPA approval of the stimulation programs.

: Well stimulation trials should be undertaken to determine if the technique(s) have the potential to alleviate or solve CO blocking, improve connectiveness, and increase flow rates and sweep efficiency. Given that the results of well stimulation have the potential to reduce the need for raffinate neutralization or change the design criteria for the neutralization plant, it should be undertaken before or in parallel with design activities on the water treatment plant. Well stimulation is allowed under Class III Underground Injection Control permits but requires EPA approval of the stimulation programs. Water Treatment: A scope of work and bid package should be assembled to select a water treatment vendor to design the water treatment system. Selection criteria should favor rapid, low-cost solutions to demonstrate that the technology is effective in solving the wellfield challenges.

Johnson Camp HEAP LEACH PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT

Economic Analysis

The Johnson Camp Mine ("JCM") has historically been an open pit, heap leach operation since Cyprus Minerals opened the property in the 1970's. The operation includes two open pits, a two-stage crushing-agglomerating circuit, a fully functioning SX-EW plant capable of producing 25 million pounds of cathode copper per year, a complete set of PLS and raffinate ponds, and full infrastructure (ancillary facilities, access, power, water, and communications).

Excelsior is exploring re-opening the Burro and Copper Chief pits for open pit mining to produce run-of-mine (ROM) material that can be placed on a new leach pad (Pad 5) as a means of extracting copper from the remaining mineral resources within the two pits. A Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) has been completed by M3 with respect to this planned re-opening.

Mining of JCM would be by traditional open pit and the highlights of the PEA financial model are tabulated below assuming a copper price of $4.25/lb. (Year 1 through 5) and $4.00/lb (beyond Year 5).

Mine Life and post mining processing ~5 years Heap Leach Material Mined 19.64 M ton Total Copper Grade (CuT%) 0.387% Acid Soluble Copper Grade (AsCu%) 0.187% Cu Produced 65.9 M lb Total Tonnage Mined 34.4 M ton Initial Capital for new heap leach pad $26.5 million Initial Mine Capital $14.3 million Total Operating Cash Cost ($/lb Cu) $2.83 After-Tax NPV/IRR (7.5% discount rate) $7.8M / 13.4%

The table below sets out the sensitivities of the After-Tax NPV and IRR to copper price:

Sensitivity Analysis Sensitivity -20% -10% 0 +10% +20% Cu Price $3.40 $3.83 $4.25 $4.67 $5.10 IRR After-Tax (11.2)% (4.8)% 13.4% 29.7% 42.9% NPV* After-Tax ($38) ($16) $7 $27 $44 *million $ at 7.5% discount rate

The PEA is preliminary in nature and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that the conclusions reached in the PEA will be realized. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

Based on the current pit shell limited mineral resources for the two pits is approximately 61.5 million tons at a cut-off grade of 0.2% CuT. The amount that is included in the conceptual mine plan over four years of mining is 19.6 million tons. It is possible that more than the initial 19.6 million tons can be mined from the JCM open pits if copper prices continue to be favorable.

"With the positive NPV result of the Johnson Camp open pit, heap leach PEA, Excelsior has an opportunity to increase copper production in the short to medium term with conventional mining and utilizing our existing Solvent Extraction infrastructure. Infill drilling and capital risk reduction has the opportunity to further improve JCM economics as we complete the necessary recommendations on our core Gunnison asset", says Robert Winton, Sr. VP Operations.

Excelsior management has launched a small drilling program to confirm mineral resources and additional column leach metallurgical testing to confirm prior test work.

Mineral Resources

The JCM Mineral Resources are provided in the table below.

Classification Tons % CuT % CuAs lbs CuT lbs CuAs Inferred 61,529,000 0.38 0.18 472,167,000 220,189,000

1. The Effective Date of the mineral resources is February 21, 2022.

2. The project mineral resources are comprised of all model blocks at a 0.2 % CuT cut-off that lie within optimized resource pits.

3. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

4. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by geology, environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.

5. Rounding as required by reporting guidelines may result in apparent discrepancies between tons, grade, and contained metal content.

The estimate is classified as an inferred mineral resource, consistent with the CIM definitions referred to in National Instrument 43-101. The Johnson Camp Mine mineral resources are entirely classified as Inferred. This classification is based on the confidence in the underlying data which are largely historical. Excelsior's sampling programs in 2016 and 2017 verified the historical data sufficiently to warrant the Inferred classification, but additional drilling and sampling, as well as more detailed geological modeling, would be required to allow for higher classification of the project resources.

The JCM copper resources were modeled and estimated using information provided by Excelsior under Mr. Bickel's supervision. The information is derived from historical core holes drilled by Cyprus Mining, Arimetco, Summo USA Corp., and Nord Resources Corp. The drill hole database also includes analyses performed by Excelsior on the historical core. These data, as well as digital topography of the project area, were provided to MDA by Excelsior.

Total copper grades, as well as soluble copper ratios, were interpolated using inverse distance, ordinary kriging, and nearest-neighbor methods. The mineral resources reported herein were estimated by inverse distance interpolation as this method led to results that most appropriately reflected the drill data and geology of the deposit. This is particularly true with respect to the estimation of the lowest-grade areas in the model, where potential over-estimation of volumes could materially impact the resource estimation at grades close to potential open-pit mining cut-offs. The nearest-neighbor estimation was completed for the purposes of statistical checking of the various estimation iterations.

The JCM mineral resources have been estimated to reflect potential open-pit extraction and potential processing by heap leaching. To meet the requirement of the resources having reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction, a pit optimization was completed using the parameters summarized in the table below.

Parameter Value Unit Copper Price $ 4.00 $/lb sold Contract Mine Cost $ 2.30 $/ton Mined Heap Management $ 0.25 $/ton Processed Heap Capital Cost $ 0.60 $/ton Processed G&A Cost $ 0.07 $/lb Cu Produced SXEW Cost $ 0.25 $/lb Cu Produced Recovery 90% Acid Soluble Cu Royalty 17.90% NSR Acid Cost $ 120 $/ton Acid Consumption and Cost by Formation Formation Acid Cons.

lb/ton Acid Cost

$/ton Processed Pioneer Shale 20 $ 1.20 Bolsa Quartzite 25 $ 1.50 Diabase 30 $ 1.80 Middle Abrigo 55 $ 3.30 Upper Abrigo 45 $ 2.70 Lower Abrigo 40 $ 2.40 Martin 70 $ 4.20

The pit shells created using these optimization parameters were used to constrain the project resources. The in-pit resources were further constrained by the application of a cut-off of 0.2% CuT to all model blocks within the optimized pits.

Mr. Jeffrey Bickel, C.P.G., with the independent firm Mine Development Associates (MDA) of Reno, Nevada, is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and is responsible for this mineral resource estimate. He has verified, reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this section of the news release. Mr. Bickel has verified the data underlying the results by reviewing the drilling, sampling, assay, and quality assurance and quality control data, as well as the geologic interpretations completed by Excelsior. Mr. Bickel is not aware of any environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing or other issues which may materially affect its estimate of mineral resources.

PEA Assumptions

The JCM plan has been developed with the expectation that it will produce leachable copper material and provide cash flow while the Gunnison Copper Project is being constructed. This mine plan targets a small tonnage portion on the east side of the Burro deposit that is planned to be mined over a 3.5-year period. A contract miner will be selected for executing the mining portion of the project because of the short duration of the mine plan.

Mining of the deposit is expected to be accomplished with 100-ton haul trucks and front-end loaders. Mining is planned on 20-ft bench heights. The pit configuration is double-benched with catch benches every vertical 40 ft. An annual schedule was developed for the mine plan. Run of mine heap leach material will be processed by placement on a truck-dumped leach pad. This tonnage production is limited by the copper production capacity of the existing SX-EW plant of 25 million pounds of copper per year.

The mining contractor is expected to be responsible for mine supervision, equipment operation, equipment maintenance, and blast hole drilling and loading. The reference to specific equipment manufacturers is to illustrate equipment size and is not to be considered a recommendation by Independent Mining Consultants. Production drilling is expected to be accomplished with Epiroc DM45 class drills or similar. Loading is expected to be accomplished with 14-yard CAT 992 class front-end loaders. Haul trucks are planned to be CAT 777 class 100-ton trucks.

The existing leach pads (Pads 1, 2 & 3) will not be used for future mining for new material extracted from the Burro and Copper Chief pits. The new leach pad area, Pad 5, is to be located northeast of the existing plant facility and is to be designed such that leach solutions flow by gravity into the new combined ILS-PLS pond located down slope of the new leach pad. The PLS solution will be pumped back to the existing JCM SX-EW plant. A storm water pond is also provided.

An Aquifer Protection Permit ("APP") is required for facilities that have the potential to discharge and impact groundwater quality. The Johnson Camp Mine is currently covered under Aquifer Protection Permit P-100514. Excelsior is currently working on a significant amendment to the existing APP to accommodate mining at JCM from the Burro Pit. A new facility, Leach Pad 5, with associated impoundments needs to be added to the existing APP to accommodate resumption of mining at JCM.

The full capital cost for restarting the JCM heap leaching operation between mining pre-production, first fills/Owners costs, leach pad construction and haul road construction is approximately $26.5 million. Staffing for the JCM project is mostly in place and few hires will be needed to augment the existing staff.

Risks and Opportunities

Infill drilling results incorporated into a new mine plan have the opportunity to generate increased copper tons earlier in the mine life from the current PEA, improving NPV. More detailed capital planning will reduce contingency values and potentially reduce the overall project cost. Macroeconomic pressure on reagent costs and procurement time could ease through 2022, improving the return on capital and reducing the time to first production.



Risks to a successful restart of the JCM pits are a worsening of supply chain lead times and further upward pressure on input costs. Infill drilling reduces copper resources, increases ore-waste ratios, or moves production further along the mine life also have the potential to reduce the economic potential of the JCM pits.

Excelsior will be completing additional infill drilling and metallurgical testing prior to making a final decision on the start of operations at JCM.

Technical Report and Qualified Person

The Report will be filed on SEDAR and on Excelsior's website today. The Report will consist of a summary of the PFS. The Report is being prepared under the supervision of Richard Zimmerman, SME-RM of M3 Engineering & Technology Corporation, Tucson, Arizona, who is a Qualified Person that is independent of the Company. The Report will also receive contributions from the following additional Qualified Persons, who are also independent of the Company:

Mr. Thomas L. Drielick , of M3 Engineering & Technology Corporation, Tucson, Arizona (recovery methods, capital and operating costs, and economic analysis).

, of M3 Engineering & Technology Corporation, (recovery methods, capital and operating costs, and economic analysis). Mr. Jeffrey Bickel of MDA of Reno, Nevada (geology and mineral resource).

of MDA of (geology and mineral resource). Mr. Neil Prenn , of MDA of Reno, Nevada (mineral reserve).

, of MDA of (mineral reserve). Dr. Robert J. Bowell of SRK Consulting, Cardiff, UK (wellfield).

of SRK Consulting, (wellfield). Dr. Terence P. McNulty of T.P. McNulty & Associates of Tucson, Arizona (metallurgy).

of T.P. McNulty & Associates of (metallurgy). Mr. R. Douglas Bartlett , of Clear Creek and Associates of Phoenix, Arizona (hydrology, mining method, permitting and environment).

, of and Associates of (hydrology, mining method, permitting and environment). Herb Welhener of Independent Mining Consultants, Inc. of Tucson, Arizona (Mining methods for Johnson Camp)

Each of these Qualified Persons has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release that is relevant to their area of responsibility and verified the data underlying such technical information.

About Excelsior Mining

Excelsior "The Copper Solution Company" is a mineral exploration and production company that owns and operates the Gunnison Copper Project in Cochise County, Arizona. The project is a low cost, environmentally friendly in-situ recovery copper extraction project that is permitted to 125 million pounds per year of copper cathode production. Excelsior also owns the past producing Johnson Camp Mine and a portfolio of exploration projects, including the Peabody Sill and the Strong and Harris deposits.

For more information on Excelsior, please visit our website at www.excelsiormining.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" concerning anticipated developments and events that may occur in the future. Forward looking information contained in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) expectations for the resolution of carbon dioxide issues and increased flow rates; (ii) the future development plans for the Gunnison Project; (iii) operating and capital costs estimates, along with the economics of the Gunnison Project and JCM; (iv) the intention to mine Johnson Camp and future production therefrom; and (v) the results of the PFS and PEA.

In certain cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "occur" or "be achieved" suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions or statements about future events or performance. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of mineral resources and mineral reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, expectations and anticipated impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, copper and other metal prices, the timing and amount of future development expenditures, the estimation of initial and sustaining capital requirements, the estimation of labour and operating costs (including the price of acid), the availability of labour, material and acid supply, receipt of and compliance with necessary regulatory approvals and permits, the estimation of insurance coverage, and assumptions with respect to currency fluctuations, environmental risks, title disputes or claims, and other similar matters. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect.

Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks inherent in the construction and operation of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined including the possibility that mining operations may not be sustained at the Gunnison Copper Project, risks relating to variations in mineral resources and reserves, grade or recovery rates, risks relating to the ability to access infrastructure, risks relating to changes in copper and other commodity prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of copper and related products, risks related to increased competition in the market for copper and related products, risks related to current global financial conditions, risks related to current global financial conditions and the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business, uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral resources, access and supply risks, risks related to the ability to access acid supply on commercially reasonable terms, reliance on key personnel, operational risks inherent in the conduct of mining activities, including the risk of accidents, labour disputes, increases in capital and operating costs and the risk of delays or increased costs that might be encountered during the construction or mining process, regulatory risks including the risk that permits may not be obtained in a timely fashion or at all, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks, risks related to disputes concerning property titles and interests, environmental risks and the additional risks identified in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's reports and filings with applicable Canadian securities regulators.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information.

SOURCE Excelsior Mining Corp.
Study Suggests Medication Reduces Tics by 30%

MINNEAPOLIS, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new preliminary study, children and teens with Tourette syndrome who are treated with an experimental drug called ecopipam may have improved scores on tests of tic severity three months later. The research being released today, March 30, 2022, will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 74th Annual Meeting being held in person in Seattle, April 2 to 7, 2022 and virtually, April 24 to 26, 2022. Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by motor and verbal tics, which are repetitive movements and vocalizations prompted by an irresistible urge to produce them.

"Our results are exciting, because they suggest ecopipam shows promise as a treatment for reducing the number, frequency and severity of the tics young people experience with Tourette syndrome," said study author Donald L. Gilbert, MD, of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "That's especially true because many people with the disease who are taking the medications currently available still have debilitating symptoms or experience weight gain or other side effects."

The research looked at 149 children and teens between the ages of six and 17 with Tourette syndrome. They were divided into two groups: 74 were treated with ecopipam, 75 with a placebo.

Researchers measured the severity of participants' tics using two common tic rating scales at the beginning of the study and again three months later. The first test measures the motor and vocal tics and has a maximum score of 50. The second test looks at overall tic symptoms and severity of tic-related impairment. It has a maximum score of 100. Higher scores on either of the tests indicate more severe symptoms and negative effect on daily life.

After three months, researchers found that the group taking ecopipam had fewer and less severe tics and were doing better overall according to both test scores.

On average, the participants taking ecopipam improved their motor and vocal tic severity score from 35 to 24, a decrease of 30%. That's compared to those taking placebos, who improved from an average tic severity score of 35 to 28 during the same time, a decrease of 19%.

When researchers looked at scores for the second test to evaluate the overall effectiveness of ecopipam, they found that those taking the medication improved from an average score of 68 to 46, a decrease of 32%, compared to those taking a placebo, who improved from an average score of 66 to 54, a decrease of 20%.

Gilbert noted that 34% of the participants taking ecopipam experienced side effects like headaches and fatigue, while 21% of those taking placebos did.

"Previous research suggests problems with dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain, may be linked to symptoms of Tourette syndrome, and that D1 dopamine receptors play a key role," Gilbert said. "Dopamine receptors are found in the central nervous system. When they receive dopamine, they create signals for various mental and physical functions like movement. Different receptors help control different functions. While ecopipam is still in the testing phase, it is the first drug to target the D1 receptor instead of the D2 receptor, which is the one targeted by medications currently on the market. Our results demonstrate that ecopipam deserves more study as a viable treatment option for Tourette syndrome in young people in the future."

A limitation of the study is its three-month length. Gilbert noted that although it is standard for this type of study, it will be important to learn if symptom improvements persist longer.

The study was supported by Emalex Biosciences, LLC.

Learn more about Tourette syndrome at BrainandLife.org, home of the American Academy of Neurology's free patient and caregiver magazine focused on the intersection of neurologic disease and brain health. Follow Brain & Life on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

When posting to social media channels about this research, we encourage you to use the American Academy of Neurology's Annual Meeting hashtag #AANAM.

The American Academy of Neurology is the world's largest association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals, with over 38,000 members. The AAN is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, concussion, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit AAN.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

SOURCE American Academy of Neurology
Flux Marine will leverage the Series A funding to scale operations, manufacturing and distribution as it advances its award-winning zero-emission electric outboard motors to market

BRISTOL, R.I. , March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Flux Marine, a trailblazing developer of all-electric outboard motors and battery systems for watercraft, today announced it raised $15.5 million in an oversubscribed Series A funding round led by Ocean Zero LLC. Flux Marine will leverage the new funding to expand manufacturing, recruit additional talent, and continue to develop its advanced technologies.

The unique design of Flux Marine's outboard motors provides unmatched acceleration, optimal range and zero maintenance without increasing the overall weight of a boat. By completely redesigning the outboard motor to deliver zero-emissions power, Flux Marine electric outboards exceed the performance of fossil-fuel engines. Its lineup of 15HP, 40HP, 70HP and 100 HP electric outboard models reflect years of proprietary engineering in solid-state components, thermal systems, and battery technology.

The oversubscribed Series A round was led by Ocean Zero LLC, a fund created by TED Conferences head Chris Anderson and seasoned technology editor Stephen Petranek to invest in the acceleration of alternative energy solutions for consumer and commercial marine transportation. Flux Marine also enjoyed participation in this round from Boost VC and Winklevoss Capital, and saw majority participation from previous seed and angel investors.

"Ocean Zero invests in innovative young companies that can make a breakthrough difference in decarbonizing transportation on the world's oceans, rivers and seas," said Stephen Petranek, Operating Partner for Ocean Zero LLC. "Commercial shipping by sea and recreational boating produces more CO2 emissions each year than all the world's airlines combined. Flux Marine can make a significant impact on climate change if even a fraction of the 800,000 outboard engines sold each year can be replaced by fully electric motors. Electrification of recreational boating will make a remarkable reduction in the ridiculous amounts of pollution produced by internal combustion outboard motors."

Recreational boating, which still does not require catalytic converters, releases vast amounts of particulates into the atmosphere and discharges as much as 150 million gallons of unburned gasoline into rivers, lakes and oceans annually. Flux Marine's mission, to provide performance products through sustainable technology, aims to seriously reduce these pollutants.

"Our innovative ground-up design is an entirely new efficient electric propulsion system rather than a retrofit of electric vehicle components into a typical outboard casing. By reimagining the outboard motor, we're delivering the performance boaters expect, while eliminating the pollution and minimizing the noise and maintenance owners have come to accept from traditional outboards," said Ben Sorkin, CEO of Flux Marine. "We are excited by the support of Ocean Zero and all of our investors as we continue to expand our team and manufacturing facility at our new headquarters in Bristol, Rhode Island."

Beyond its ecological benefits, Flux Marine electric outboards also eliminate the maintenance grief of standard combustion engines such as impeller replacement, spark plugs, hoses, filters, lubrication systems and winterization. While range is dependent on hull design and operating conditions, a Flux Marine 100 HP outboard mounted on a 22-foot dual console hull delivers top speeds nearing 35 knots and a range of more than 75 nautical miles on a single charge.



Flux Marine publicly debuted its line of all-electric outboards at the 2021 Newport International Boat Show where it was twice-recognized with best new products awards. With R&D, corporate and manufacturing headquarters in Bristol, R.I., Flux Marine will offer in-person demonstrations this summer at experience centers on Greenwich Bay, RI and Steelpointe Harbor, CT.

"The Northeast is a fantastic place for Flux Marine to grow - both Rhode Island and Connecticut have been powerful allies as we begin to scale our operations," said Sorkin. "We recently secured tax incentives from the State of Rhode Island that will help us grow our team in the Ocean State, we're working closely with Connecticut's AdvanceCT to inshore manufacturing, and we partnered with the RCI Group to be part of a world-class destination center on Steelpointe Harbor."

Boaters can preorder Flux Marine's 15HP, 40HP, and 70HP electric standalone outboards, or choose from multiple electric boat packages with up to 100HP. To preorder, or for more information about repowering any hull, please visit https://www.fluxmarine.com/.

About Flux Marine

Headquartered in Bristol, RI, Flux Marine is advancing electric marine propulsion technology to deliver the world's best boating experiences. The company develops electric outboard motors and battery systems which deliver power and reliability while eliminating the CO2 emissions and pollution that plagues gasoline and diesel-powered boats. Flux Marine's patent-pending designs leverage unique engineering to deliver zero-emissions performance without sacrifice. To learn more about our products, mission or career opportunities, visit us at: https://www.fluxmarine.com/.

About Ocean Zero LLC

Launched in 2020, Ocean Zero, LLC makes inflection point investments in innovative technology companies that can help eliminate fossil fuels from our waters around the world. Managing partner Chris Anderson, Curator of the TED Conferences since 2002, actively champions worldwide efforts to combat the climate crisis. Operating partner Stephen Petranek is an award-winning financial journalist and science and technology editor who was editor-in-chief of Discover Magazine and The Washington Post Magazine. Learn more at: https://www.oceanzerollc.com/.

Media Contact: Zach Heath

[email protected]

(401) 559-7350

SOURCE Flux Marine
DUBLIN, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Floor Coatings Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global floor coatings market reached a value of US$ 2.47 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach US$ 3.64 Billion by 2027, exhibiting at a CAGR of 6.5% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end use sectors. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.

Floor coatings are tough, protective layers used wherein heavy surface wear or corrosion is expected. They protect the floor from moisture, cracks and provide a high-performance, smooth, and durable surface that withstands heavy loads for several years. They also assist in brightening or defining areas of facilities, marking traffic aisles, routing traffic, and covering stained concrete. As a result, they find a wide range of applications in warehouses, hospitals, manufacturing and industrial plants, showrooms, commercial and retail stores, garages, and airplane hangars across the globe.



At present, there is a considerable rise in the utilization of floor coatings in the chemical industry to ensure high-performance flooring for research and development (R&D) labs, production plants, and other facilities. This represents one of the key factors strengthening the growth of the market. Moreover, floor coatings also provide chemical resistance, strict hygiene and adhere to safety protocols for avoiding the risks of damage, accidents and protecting the health of workers. They also have various beneficial properties, including high impact and extreme abrasion, to protect floors. Consequently, they are increasingly being utilized in the manufacturing industry around the world.

Additionally, there is a significant increase in the risk of microbial growth due to spillage in the food and beverage (F&B) industry. As these contaminants degrade the purity of the processed food, there is a rise in the demand for durable and thick floor coatings to provide a protective barrier and ensure a hygienic surface. Other major factors, including the thriving construction industry on account of rising infrastructural developments and the escalating demand for tile flooring in residential and commercial applications, are anticipated to create a favorable market outlook.



Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being 3M Company, Akzo Nobel N.V., Arkema S.A., Asian Paints Ltd., Axalta Coating Systems Ltd., BASF SE, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Kansai Paint Co. Ltd., Koninklijke DSM N.V., PPG Industries Inc., RPM International Inc., Sika AG, The Dow Chemical Company and The Sherwin-Williams Company.



Key Questions Answered in This Report:

How has the global floor coatings market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global floor coatings market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the binder type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the coating component?

What is the breakup of the market based on the floor structure?

What is the breakup of the market based on the formulation?

What is the breakup of the market based on the end user?

What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?

What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry?

What is the structure of the global floor coatings market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Floor Coatings Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Binder Type

6.1 Epoxy

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Thermoplastic

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast

6.3 Thermoset

6.3.1 Market Trends

6.3.2 Market Forecast

6.4 Acrylic

6.4.1 Market Trends

6.4.2 Market Forecast

6.5 Polyaspartics

6.5.1 Market Trends

6.5.2 Market Forecast

6.6 Polyurethane

6.6.1 Market Trends

6.6.2 Market Forecast

6.7 Polymethyl Methacrylate

6.7.1 Market Trends

6.7.2 Market Forecast

6.8 Others

6.8.1 Market Trends

6.8.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Coating Component

7.1 One-Component (1K)

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Two-Component (2K)

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast

7.3 Three-Component (3K)

7.3.1 Market Trends

7.3.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Floor Structure

8.1 Wood

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2 Terrazzo

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Market Forecast

8.3 Mortar

8.3.1 Market Trends

8.3.2 Market Forecast

8.4 Concrete

8.4.1 Market Trends

8.4.2 Market Forecast

8.5 Others

8.5.1 Market Trends

8.5.2 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by Formulation

9.1 Solvent-Based

9.1.1 Market Trends

9.1.2 Market Forecast

9.2 Water-Based

9.2.1 Market Trends

9.2.2 Market Forecast

9.3 Others

9.3.1 Market Trends

9.3.2 Market Forecast



10 Market Breakup by End User

10.1 Residential

10.1.1 Market Trends

10.1.2 Market Forecast

10.2 Commercial

10.2.1 Market Trends

10.2.2 Market Forecast

10.3 Industrial

10.3.1 Market Trends

10.3.2 Market Forecast



11 Market Breakup by Region



12 SWOT Analysis



13 Value Chain Analysis



14 Porters Five Forces Analysis



15 Price Analysis



16 Competitive Landscape

16.1 Market Structure

16.2 Key Players

16.3 Profiles of Key Players

16.3.1 3M Company

16.3.1.1 Company Overview

16.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.1.3 Financials

16.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.2 Akzo Nobel N.V.

16.3.2.1 Company Overview

16.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.2.3 Financials

16.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.3 Arkema S.A.

16.3.3.1 Company Overview

16.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.3.3 Financials

16.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.4 Asian Paints Ltd.

16.3.4.1 Company Overview

16.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.4.3 Financials

16.3.4.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.5 Axalta Coating Systems Ltd.

16.3.5.1 Company Overview

16.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.5.3 Financials

16.3.5.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.6 BASF SE

16.3.6.1 Company Overview

16.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.6.3 Financials

16.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.7 Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

16.3.7.1 Company Overview

16.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.7.3 Financials

16.3.7.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.8 Kansai Paint Co. Ltd.

16.3.8.1 Company Overview

16.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.8.3 Financials

16.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.9 Koninklijke DSM N.V.

16.3.9.1 Company Overview

16.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.9.3 Financials

16.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.10 PPG Industries Inc.

16.3.10.1 Company Overview

16.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.10.3 Financials

16.3.10.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.11 RPM International Inc.

16.3.11.1 Company Overview

16.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.11.3 Financials

16.3.11.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.12 Sika AG

16.3.12.1 Company Overview

16.3.12.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.12.3 Financials

16.3.13 The Dow Chemical Company

16.3.13.1 Company Overview

16.3.13.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.14 The Sherwin-Williams Company

16.3.14.1 Company Overview

16.3.14.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.14.3 Financials

16.3.14.4 SWOT Analysis

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/zeeo6s

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets
ATLANTA and PARIS, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Grayshift, LLC, a leading and trusted provider of mobile device digital forensics, specializing in lawful access and extraction, today announced an office in Paris, France to further support its growing European operations. With an established presence in Europe, Grayshift's Paul Baxter, VP of European Sales, will lead the effort to further drive Grayshift brand awareness, acquire and support customers, and recruit new talent throughout the region.

"France is a very important region for us," said David Miles, Co-founder and CEO of Grayshift. "Under Paul's leadership, we are continuing to expand our presence throughout Europe, and we are committed to helping our European law enforcement customers better serve and protect their communities."

"Grayshift continues to focus on delivering innovation for law enforcement customers worldwide, and our recent investment in Europe-based resources ensures we can listen and deliver to the unique needs of the region," said Baxter. "I'm proud to be leading such a talented and customer-centric team in our efforts to grow the business and support our customers."

Today, GrayKey is in use by thousands of law enforcement and government defense agencies across 30 countries worldwide, including France, United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Spain, and Italy.

Former law enforcement officers comprise more than 12% of Grayshift employee base. Within the last year, Grayshift has quadrupled its European team. The current team has more than 60 years of direct law enforcement experience and over 45 years of supporting digital forensics teams.

Alongside the expanded team, Grayshift has established a network of strategic and authorized partners across the European region, including Magnet Forensics.

About Grayshift

Grayshift is a leading provider of mobile device digital forensics, specializing in lawful access and extraction. Grayshift solutions are purpose-built to help law enforcement and government investigative agencies swiftly resolve critical investigations and ensure public safety. The company's innovative GrayKey technology provides same-day access, complete control, and comprehensive data extraction from mobile devices. Designed and assembled in the United States, GrayKey is trusted by over 1000 agencies across 30 countries world-wide. For more information, visit www.grayshift.com.

CONTACT:

Jody Ma Kissling

(833) 472-9539

[email protected]

SOURCE Grayshift
INDIANAPOLIS, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Katz, Sapper & Miller, a nationally recognized advisory, tax, and audit firm, has released the results of its annual manufacturing industry survey, "2022 Indiana Manufacturing Survey: Back to Work." While the COVID-19 pandemic remains part of operations planning, the survey found manufacturers are primarily focused on finding solutions to surging customer demand, high supply chain costs, recruitment and retention, and implementation of automation tactics.

Conducted by Katz, Sapper & Miller in partnership with Indiana University's Kelley School of Business at IUPUI and the Indiana Manufacturers Association , nearly 100 Indiana-based manufacturing companies were surveyed throughout the first quarter of 2022 on their overall successes and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and their expectations going forward. The average number of employees for participating companies is 478, with the largest employing 10,500. Manufacturing industries represented include automotive; industrial equipment; aerospace and defense; high-tech; healthcare; furniture and home goods; food and beverage; chemicals, metal fabrication; paper products; signage; and more.

In 2020, manufacturers had to adjust practices to both maintain profit margins and ensure they were providing a healthy, safe environment for employees. Survey respondents say this year that COVID-19 is either not a significant threat (53%) to their business, or it's a serious impact that they feel they'll be able to make it through (47%). Furthermore, most have been able to maintain or improve overall profit margins, with an average improvement of about 9% expected for 2022 over 2021.

"For more than a decade, respondents to our survey have said the state of Indiana does a good job supporting manufacturers, and this year is no different. It's exemplified in companies' abilities to weather the challenges COVID-19 brought and remain afloat," said Jason Patch, partner-in-charge of KSM's Manufacturing & Distribution Services Group. "Because of state and federal support, the industry was able to adjust and see profits increase over the past couple years. Now, they can apply that flexibility they learned during the pandemic to issues facing them today."

During the COVID-19 pandemic, respondents in the 2020 survey prioritized the following areas of business operations as leading to future change:

Process and automation

Workforce

Supply chain

Products

These areas are once again rising to the surface as the main priorities for many companies  with COVID-19 still being a mild factor.

Forty-five percent of this year's respondents experienced a surge in customer demand, and that's coupled with 81% of respondents dealing with supply chain shortages. Of note, for the first time in survey history, respondents unanimously responded to a question  100% agreed that the costs of materials in their supply chains have recently increased.

This reflects the national climate of the manufacturing industry as well. The Institute for Supply Management Purchasing Managers' Index for January 2022 was 57.6%, a 1.2% decrease from December 2021. This indicates U.S. economic activity is performing well for the 20th straight month, but many across the country are having the same supply chain and customer demand issues Indiana companies are. Unfortunately, the Bloomberg Economics dashboard shows conditions aren't expected to improve significantly in early 2022.

Related, recruitment and retention of workers was a major challenge before the pandemic, but it has been exacerbated since 2020. Respondents report an average increase of 17% in labor costs, yet employers need to maintain a solid workforce. In an effort to attract skilled workers to many available positions throughout the state, 93% of survey participants are raising salary levels and adjusting benefits. On the other hand, 73% say the lack of workers is accelerating the need for automation, a trend that's been noted in previous Indiana manufacturing surveys.

"Companies are at quite a crossroads. They see the need to protect their businesses by layering automation into production, yet they don't want to discourage workers from applying for the jobs that need to be filled as soon as possible," said Mark Frohlich, associate professor of operations management at the Kelley School of Business at IUPUI. "While much of this year's data reveals numerous challenges, manufacturers are learning they have many tools at their disposal to be more capable and competitive in the coming years."

Download the full "2022 Indiana Manufacturing Survey: Back to Work" report here.

About Katz, Sapper & Miller

Katz, Sapper & Miller is a nationally recognized advisory, tax, and audit firm. Through our deep experience across multiple disciplines and industries, we help our clients make sense of where they've been, what's on the horizon, what's changing, and what they need to do to prosper in the years ahead. We leverage emerging technologies, combined with our people's differing perspectives, ingenuity, and creativity, to help our clients solve their most difficult challenges. KSM's mission is also our passion and our commitment: We inspire great people to do great things. Learn more at ksmcpa.com .

About the Kelley School of Business on the IUPUI Campus

The Indiana University Kelley School of Business has been a leader in American business education since 1920. With an enrollment exceeding 12,000 students across two campuses and online, the Kelley School is among the premier business schools in the country. Kelley features an innovative curriculum built on personal development, teamwork, and experiential learning with an emphasis on global and social responsibility, which is reflected in the accomplishments of more than 123,000 living alumni. The Kelley School at IUPUI is home to a full-time undergraduate program; a graduate certificate for healthcare professionals, master's and graduate certificate programs in accounting, internal audit and taxation; the Physician MBA and the Evening MBA, which is ranked 11th in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Learn more at kelley.iupui.edu .

About the Indiana Manufacturers Association

Formed in 1901, the Indiana Manufacturers Association is the second oldest manufacturers association in the country and the only trade association in Indiana that exclusively focuses on manufacturing. Manufacturing is the driving force of Indiana's economy, employing more people and contributing more to Indiana's gross domestic product than any other industry. The Indiana Manufacturers Association, representing more than 1,100 companies, is dedicated to advocating for a business climate that creates, protects, and promotes quality manufacturing jobs in Indiana. The staff of the Indiana Manufacturers Association are recognized experts in areas including tax, environment, labor relations, human resources, energy, workforce development and healthcare. Learn more at indianamfg.com .

SOURCE Katz, Sapper & Miller
Two Courses Available on Canvas Commons and Canvas Network at no Extra Cost

SALT LAKE CITY, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Instructure today announced the creation of two complementary K-12 courses in Canvas LMS focused on helping Utah students better understand the role of influential women in the state's history. The curriculum, developed by Better Days , presents women's history in a new and engaging way. Canvas users can find the content on Canvas Commons and Canvas Network , Instructure's learning object repository and open online course offering.

Better Days, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to popularizing Utah women's history, provides free resources for teachers and students. Women have always made history in Utah, but too often they're missing from the history books. The modules give educators the tools, primary sources, and lesson plans to bring Utah's suffrage story, including the trailblazing contributions of Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon , into their classrooms. Activities address elementary and secondary state standards, particularly for Utah Studies courses.

"We are proud to partner with Better Days, an organization that has already raised the visibility of the significant historical contributions of Utah women," said Michelle Suzuki, Senior Vice

President of Marketing at Instructure. "By making these courses accessible to the majority of Utah schools through Canvas Commons, we hope to better understand our past and make Utah a better place for women in the future."

Since launching in 2018, Better Days' education curriculum has become a part of many Utah schools, reaching thousands of students. Better Days led a statewide campaign in 2020 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of women first voting in Utah. Their goal is to create an engaging statewide learning experience that highlights the valuable contributions of women throughout the history of the state and inspires all students to make a difference in their own communities. Canvas provides a unique opportunity to impact more students across the state. "Teaming the great scholarship and lesson design that Better Days is known for with the ease of use and accessibility that Canvas brings sounds like a win-win for teachers and students," said Robert Austin, Humanities Team Coordinator for the Utah State Board of Education.

"We're excited to partner with Instructure to make our content available to learners throughout the state," said Katherine Kitterman, Executive Director of Better Days. "By making this course accessible to everyone on Canvas Commons, we hope that teachers make this a regular part of their curriculum."

For more information, visit www.utahwomenshistory.org .

Visit https://lor.instructure.com/ to access the course on Canvas Commons.

ABOUT INSTRUCTURE

Instructure (NYSE: INST) is an education technology company dedicated to elevating student success, amplifying the power of teaching, and inspiring everyone to learn together. Today the Instructure Learning Platform supports more than 30 million educators and learners around the world. Learn more at www.instructure.com .

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains "forward-looking" statements, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the potential, timing, and examples of any strategic alternatives. These statements are not guarantees of future performance, but are based on management's expectations as of the date of this press release and assumptions that are inherently subject to uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements include the risk factors described in the Company's initial public offering prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on July 23, 2021, and other documents filed with the SEC and could cause actual results to vary from expectations. All information provided in this press release is as of the date hereof and Instructure undertakes no duty to update this information except as required by law.

CONTACT:

Brian Watkins

Corporate Communications

Instructure 801-610-9722 [email protected]

SOURCE Instructure
A community worker writes down the needs of an elder resident at an area under temporary closed-off management in Fengxian District of east China's Shanghai, March 29, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai, with a population of over 24 million, has been split into two parts to enforce temporary closed-off management between March 28 and April 5 to hunt down possible infections and curb the spread of the virus. (Xinhua)

A community worker brings printed registration codes for nucleic acid tests to an elderly resident who is not used to using smartphones at an area under temporary closed-off management in Jinshan District of east China's Shanghai, March 29, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai, with a population of over 24 million, has been split into two parts to enforce temporary closed-off management between March 28 and April 5 to hunt down possible infections and curb the spread of the virus. (Photo by Zhuang Yi/Xinhua)

A community worker delivers medicine for an elder resident at an area under temporary closed-off management in Fengxian District of east China's Shanghai, March 29, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai, with a population of over 24 million, has been split into two parts to enforce temporary closed-off management between March 28 and April 5 to hunt down possible infections and curb the spread of the virus. (Xinhua)

A community worker delivers vegetables for an elder resident at an area under temporary closed-off management in Fengxian District of east China's Shanghai, March 29, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai, with a population of over 24 million, has been split into two parts to enforce temporary closed-off management between March 28 and April 5 to hunt down possible infections and curb the spread of the virus. (Xinhua)

Photo taken on March 29, 2022 shows the Lujiazui area in east China's Shanghai. China's economic hub Shanghai, with a population of over 24 million, has been split into two parts to enforce temporary closed-off management between March 28 and April 5 to hunt down possible infections and curb the spread of the virus. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

A girl walks outside a cafe in Xuhui District, east China's Shanghai, March 29, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai, with a population of over 24 million, has been split into two parts to enforce temporary closed-off management between March 28 and April 5 to hunt down possible infections and curb the spread of the virus. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

People line up to pay the bill at a shop in Xuhui District, east China's Shanghai, March 29, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai, with a population of over 24 million, has been split into two parts to enforce temporary closed-off management between March 28 and April 5 to hunt down possible infections and curb the spread of the virus. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

People wait for traffic lights at a crossroad in Xuhui District, east China's Shanghai, March 29, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai, with a population of over 24 million, has been split into two parts to enforce temporary closed-off management between March 28 and April 5 to hunt down possible infections and curb the spread of the virus. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Staff work at a community entrance in Xuhui District, east China's Shanghai, March 29, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai, with a population of over 24 million, has been split into two parts to enforce temporary closed-off management between March 28 and April 5 to hunt down possible infections and curb the spread of the virus. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

People line up for COVID-19 test at a testing site in Xuhui District, east China's Shanghai, March 29, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai, with a population of over 24 million, has been split into two parts to enforce temporary closed-off management between March 28 and April 5 to hunt down possible infections and curb the spread of the virus. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)
PHILADELPHIA, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Investor protection law firm Kaskela Law LLC announces that it is investigating potential legal claims on behalf of Roblox Corporation ("Roblox") (NYSE: RBLX) shareholders.

On February 3, 2022, The Bear Cave issued a report entitled "Problems at Roblox (RBLX)," which detailed significant misconduct at the online gaming platform company. Among other things, the Report stated that: (i) Roblox's former social media manager ran a pornographic blog while employed by the company; (ii) Roblox's official Twitter account retweeted content made by a self-described pedophile; (iii) Multiple major Roblox developers have been banned after being exposed for pedophilia; (iv) Roblox allegedly shut down its own community forum after it became inundated with links to illegal child porn sites, and Roblox's current head of content moderation previously followed a "furry porn" account; and (v) The company has engaged in litigation and intimidation to help conceal allegations of pedophilia on the platform.

Following this news, shares of Roblox's stock declined $5.50 per share, or over 8% in value, to close at $60.67 per share on February 3, 2022, on heavy trading volume.

The firm's investigation is focused on whether Roblox and/or the company's officers and directors violated the securities laws, or breached their fiduciary duties to the company and its shareholders, in connection with the above alleged misconduct.

Roblox shareholders are encouraged to contact Kaskela Law LLC (Adrienne Bell, Esq.) at (484) 229  0750, or by email (abell[email protected]) or online at https://kaskelalaw.com/cases/roblox/ , for additional information about this investigation and their legal rights and options.

Kaskela Law LLC represents investors in securities fraud, corporate governance, and merger & acquisition litigation. For additional information about the firm please visit www.kaskelalaw.com. This notice may constitute attorney advertising in certain jurisdictions.

CONTACT:

D. Seamus Kaskela, Esq.

Adrienne Bell, Esq.

KASKELA LAW LLC

18 Campus Blvd., Suite 100

Newtown Square, PA 19073

(888) 715  1740

(484) 229  0750

www.kaskelalaw.com

SOURCE Kaskela Law LLC
Industry backs at least 3 GW by 2030, 10 GW by 2040 & 20 GW by 2050 to drive economies of scale

SAN FRANCISCO, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Federal, state and industry leaders joined at the Pacific Offshore Wind Summit in highlighting the importance of California 'going big' and moving forward on floating offshore wind power to realize the full benefits of this renewable technology and meet the state's jobs, climate and clean energy goals. Speakers at the conference, hosted by Offshore Wind California (OWC) and Infocast, urged the state to set bold offshore wind gigawatt (GW) targets this spring, move ahead with a federal lease auction this fall, and advance planning on ports, transmission, procurement, workforce, and a sustainable supply chain to jumpstart this new California industry.

Last September, California enacted its new AB 525 law to spur offshore wind development, directing the California Energy Commission (CEC) to set clear targets by June 1, 2022 for offshore wind in 2030 and 2045. This fall, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) expects to begin leasing off the state's Central and North Coast at the Morro Bay and Humboldt Wind Energy Areas (WEAs), which will enable an initial 4.6 GW of California offshore wind.

"2022 is the year to go big and go bold," said David Hochschild, Chair of the CEC, in keynote remarks on California's progress towards 100 percent clean electricity to open the Summit, which brought together more than 600 officials, industry leaders, and other stakeholders on March 28-30 in San Francisco. "Offshore wind is going to be one of the foundational elements of that. This is the future. This is going to happen. We're going to build that future together."

"Late last year, Secretary Haaland announced a new offshore wind leasing strategy to help the nation achieve the Biden-Harris Administration's ambitious 30 GW by 2030 goal. We must seize this moment  and we must do it together," said Laura Daniel-Davis, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Lands & Minerals Management, Department of Interior. "Offshore wind presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a brand-new industry that can combat climate change and create robust, sustainable economies  with good-paying jobs and a strong domestic supply chain."

"California is well-positioned to lead a transition to a clean energy future. We will hold a statewide offshore wind energy lease sale in California this year," said Amanda Lefton, Director of BOEM. "Floating wind can help us reach areas once thought unattainable, opening up new opportunities. Here in California, we are going to bring it to scale, starting at the Morro Bay and Humboldt Wind Energy Areas. Offshore wind is here to stay."

"The ultimate goal is to develop a thriving, world-leading floating wind industry. To get there, we're urging California to go big and move forward, now," said Paula Major, Vice President, U.S. Offshore Wind, Mainstream Renewable Power and Board Chair, OWC, a trade group of offshore wind developers and technology firms. "That's why we recommend the state set ambitious offshore wind goals of least 3 GW by 2030, 10 GW by 2040, and 20 GW by 2050. These targets align with the Biden Administration's goal of 30 GW for U.S. offshore wind by 2030 and aim for 110 GW by 2050."

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) estimates California's technical offshore wind potential at 200 GW, with more than 20 GW in BOEM's two designated WEAs and three wind study areas. Deeper West Coast waters require floating technologies that are already being deployed in other world markets. NREL reports that developing 10 GW of offshore wind in California will support thousands of jobs, supply 15 percent of its current electricity needs, generate enough competitively priced power for at least 3.5 million homes, and produce $20 billion in GDP by 2050.

Economies of scale and responsible development of offshore wind are essential for California to reach its climate and clean energy goals, while also create high-skilled jobs and protect marine and coastal resources. California's 2021 joint agency report concluded that to reach 100 percent clean energy by 2045, it will need a diverse renewables portfolio including offshore wind. The report's "SB 100 Core Scenario" calls for 10 GW of offshore wind by 2045, which would complement other renewables and save ratepayers $1 billion or more in installed clean power capacity.

Offshore Wind California's board member companies include Aker Offshore Wind, BP, Equinor, Magellan Wind, Mainstream Renewable Power, rsted, Pacific Ocean Energy Trust, Principle Power, RWE, Shell and SSE Renewables.

About OWC  Offshore Wind California is a coalition of industry partners with a shared interest in promoting policies and public support for responsible development of offshore wind power in California. Its members are dedicated to providing an independent voice and industry expertise to facilitate offshore wind deployment off California's coast. OWC undertakes public education and advocacy of this renewable resource as part of a comprehensive solution to California's energy needs. OWC is a nonprofit, 501(c)(6) organization. For more information, go to www.offshorewindCA.org . Follow us @ offshorewindCA.

SOURCE Offshore Wind California
From May 1315 at the Hilton Tampa Downtown, panels, workshops and autograph sessions bring together celebrities, fans and creators

TAMPA, Fla., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The LGBTQ+ community deserves different kinds of conventions - ones that are inclusive, accessible, safe and affirming. QFX East will bring together queer fans and allies to celebrate their favorite on-screen characters and stories.

QFX East Info Card

The exciting line-up for QFX East includes Batwoman's Meagan Tandy (Sophie), Rachel Skarsten (Alice) and Wallis Day (Kate); Lost Girl's Anna Silk (Bo) and Zoie Palmer (Lauren); Wynonna Earp's Kat Barrell (Nicole); Reign's Adelaide Kane (Mary, Queens of Scots) and Motherland: Fort Salem's Arlen Aguayo-Stewart (Nicte), Demetria McKinney (Anacostia), Diana Pavlovska, (Willa), Ess Hodlmoser (M) and Taylor Hickson (Raelle). Voice actors Arryn Zech of RWBY and Steven Universe's Erica Luttrell will also be in attendance as well.

QFX Events, the convention's promoter, was born out of the need for more accessible and queer-friendly events among the convention scene  especially in the South. With Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill recently signed, it is now more important than ever to build safe and welcoming spaces where LGBTQ+ voices can be amplified instead of silenced.

"There were concerns from some that continuing our event in Tampa would be sending the wrong message to our community," says Holly Winebarger, Founder and Director of Programming for QFX Events, on the company's decision to move forward despite the harmful nature of the anti-LGBTQ legislation. "We want to add spaces that people need, not take them away."

Attendees will have the opportunity to snag photo ops, autographs and private meet and greets with their favorite actors to also include:

Ana Paula Valverde ( RED, Young Hearts, Do Amor)

( Abisha Uhl ( Sick of Sarah, Scare BnB: The Hosts )

( ) Lily Richards ( Season of Love, Twenty )

( ) Luciana Bollina ( RED, Gaby Estrella , Amor Verissimo )

( Mandahla Rose ( All About E, Forever Not Maybe, Passage, Venice )

( ) Nicole Pacent ( Anyone But Me, Blackish, CSI: Vegas )

( ) Sterling Victorian (The Kids are Asleep, Merry and Gay)

Panels, workshops and meet ups will also connect fans with content creators such as Emily Andras (Wynonna Earp, Lost Girl), Christin Baker (A Baker Production) and Hillary Esquina (Passage). In addition to celebrity guest panels, other discussions will include minority media representation, web series creation and how to pitch your ideas in the industry. QFX East will also have a vendor hall with queer artists showcasing their crafts, clothing and more. Other events include a VIP guest party, game night and a queer prom, the event's official Saturday night afterparty.

Due to the ongoing COVID pandemic, QFX East will function as a hybrid convention, also offering virtual admission passes as well as online experiences with most guests in attendance.

Tickets are $150 for all three days ($50 for virtual pass); VIP and single-day tickets also available.

www.qfxevents.com

@qfxevents on Twitter, IG, Facebook and TikTok

Media contact:

Holly Winebarger

[email protected]

804-450-7223

SOURCE QFX Events
HAVRE DE GRACE, Md., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Green Street Housing and TM Associates Development, two of Maryland's largest affordable rental housing developers, will host a groundbreaking ceremony at the Village at Blenheim Run in Havre de Grace, Maryland on Monday, April 4, 2022.

Village at Blenheim Run Rendering

The Village at Blenheim Run is a new construction, mixed-income, mixed-use residential development that will provide apartment homes and commercial space. The property is financed through the syndication of Low Income Housing Tax Credits via Hudson Housing Capital, an equity investment and construction financing from Bank of America, permanent debt financing from PNC Real Estate, and a grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta's Affordable Housing Program.

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, a strong advocate for affordable housing, will speak and is expected to discuss the positive effects projects like Blenheim Run have on the Maryland economy and the lives of Marylanders. Comptroller Franchot said, "Maryland's lack of affordable housing has been an issue for years, but especially so during these past two years of the pandemic. The sudden loss of jobs, disproportionately burdened by our lowest wage earners, gave us an up-close and personal view of just how many families live dangerously close to the edge of homelessness and despair. I applaud Green Street and TM Associates for working with their partners in the City and County, as well as the local community, to get this amazing and critically needed work underway. This investment in the City of Havre de Grace and its people is a model for the rest of our state to follow as we continue to meet the growing need for more affordable communities."

Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Secretary Kenneth C. Holt will speak and is expected to discuss how the State of Maryland and DHCD have supported the affordable housing industry. Under Secretary Holt's leadership, DHCD's financing for affordable rental housing has reached historic highs, including Low Income Housing Tax Credits for Blenheim Run which generated more than $13.7 million in private equity investment. "The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development is honored to be a partner in the development of Blenheim Run, which will provide high-quality, modern, affordable housing for Havre de Grace and Harford County," said Secretary Holt. "Beyond building safe, stable homes, affordable housing development helps build our state's economy, which is why Governor Larry Hogan and the General Assembly have empowered unprecedented investments by our agency to create and preserve affordable rental communities across Maryland."

The City of Havre de Grace has been a major supporter of the project from its inception. The impact on the local community will be highlighted with remarks from the Mayor of Havre de Grace, William T. Martin. "After meeting with the developer, we knew that they were the right team to bring the first mixed-use and mixed-income project to the City of Havre de Grace and help continue its growth," said Mayor Martin.

Maryland Municipal League President and Mayor of Salisbury, Maryland Jacob Day will speak about the fiscal, social, and community development impacts projects like Blenheim Run have had in cities and towns across Maryland. Mayor Day said, "I am thrilled to see this project demonstrate how Maryland municipalities like Havre de Grace can be places of opportunity, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth while tackling the housing affordability crises Maryland communities are facing."

The co-developers, Green Street Housing and TM Associates Development, have developed many similar projects across Maryland and are proud of Blenheim Run's promise to provide affordable housing to its residents and serve as a long-term asset to the Havre de Grace community.

"Green Street Housing and TM Development are excited to have partnered on another high-quality affordable rental community in Maryland. We're proud to be Maryland-based developers utilizing Maryland-based contractors and consultants to build housing for Marylanders," said Dave Layfield, Principal of Green Street Housing.

The event will be held at the Village at Blenheim Run, 1921 Pulaski Hwy, Havre de Grace, MD at 12:00PM on April 4, 2022. Refreshments will be provided. Parking is available at Swan Creek Shopping Center just west of the construction site.

About Village at Blenheim Run

The Village at Blenheim Run will be a 51-unit mixed-income rental apartment community. This first phase of the development and will be a four-story central corridor elevator building. Village at Blenheim Run will serve families offering a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom apartment homes.

About Green Street Housing

Green Street Housing is a Maryland-based affordable housing developer whose principals have more than 30 years of combined development experience and over $1.0 billion in closed transactions in the Mid-Atlantic region. Green Street Housing takes great pride in its green-building practices which include Energy Star certified construction and on-site solar energy production at all its Maryland affordable apartment communities. Learn more at www.greenstreethousing.com .

About TM Associates Development

TM Associates' history of successes includes new construction and rehabilitation projects. They have enjoyed trusted partnerships with many for-profit and non-profit organizations and continue to work alongside those who share their dedication to the development and preservation of affordable housing communities. They have gained invaluable experience mastering complex projects and have been repeatedly recognized for their green-building efforts.

Contact: Ray Perdue

Phone: 443-614-3233

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Green Street Housing, LLC
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- My New Red Shoes (MNRS) is proud to announce Project Empower, a new basic income pilot that will provide direct cash assistance to immigrant survivors of gender-based violence and their children. In partnership with Tahirih Justice Center, a national non-profit organization serving immigrant survivors, and Community Financial Resources, a national economic justice non-profit, MNRS is providing participant households across the San Francisco Bay Area with $1,000 a month for 6 months, beginning March 2022.

Serving 30 individuals including 20 children, the goals of Project Empower are to stabilize households, promote children's well-being and healthy development, and empower families to realize their goals for the future.

"We believe that all children deserve to have their basic needs met. Providing direct economic support is an effective way to keep children out of poverty and to help stabilize and build the resilience of vulnerable families," says Minh Ngo, Executive Director of My New Red Shoes. "Through this exciting new basic income pilot, we are making an investment in the long-term well-being of children and families and helping to fill gaps left by existing social safety net programs in our community."

"We are grateful for this partnership and thrilled to officially launch Project Empower this month!" says Zoe Verni, Legal Fellow and Tech Access Coordinator at Tahirih Justice Center. "Our clients are experts in their owns lives, which is why they are empowered to spend the financial aid as they see fit. We envision that this client-centered program will help to not only alleviate the residual financial strains of the pandemic, but also address systemic funding gaps.

BACKGROUND

My New Red Shoes is a San Francisco Bay Area-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been improving the quality of life and well-being of children and youth experiencing economic hardship since 2006. www.mynewredshoes.org

About Tahirih Justice Center

Tahirih Justice Center is national nonprofit that has served over 30,000 immigrant survivors fleeing gender-based violence since 1997. Its interdisciplinary, trauma-informed service model is now delivered from five locations: Atlanta, Baltimore, Greater D.C. Area, Houston, and San Francisco Bay Area. www.tahirih.org

About Community Financial Resources

Community Financial Resources (CFR) is a national nonprofit economic justice organization that provides a pathway to financial well-being through products, tools and services that improve financial stability, protect assets, and establish a foundation to build wealth for low-income, low-wealth households, with a focus on communities of color. www.communityfinancialresources.org

SOURCE My New Red Shoes
A Survey of Nearly 1,000 People Ranks UCLA As No. 1 For Being Most Recognizable Brand By Color, Most Preferred Overall

SALT LAKE CITY, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today brand templating platform Lucidpress announced the results of its March Branding Madness Survey to find which of this year's "Sweet 16" college brands people could recognize best by font and color, which brands they preferred the most and more.

Lucidpress conducted three separate surveys based on school logos in this year's "Sweet 16." With around 300 respondents per survey (about 1,000 total), Lucidpress was able to determine the "Final Four" brand winners in three separate brackets for font, color and overall preference.

UCLA took the top spot, being the most recognized brand for its colors and the most preferred brand in the survey. The bracket results are as follows:

The "Final Four" Color Bracket

Most people could identify these top four schools' colors:

UCLA (90%)

(90%) Kansas (89%)

(89%) Michigan (88%)

(88%) Arkansas (87%)

The "Final Four" Font Bracket

Most people could identify these top four schools' font:

Villanova (73%)

(73%) Iowa State (71%)

(71%) Arizona (71%)

(71%) Kansas (62%)

The "Final Four" Favorite Brand Bracket

When asked to rank their favorite brands of the "Sweet 16," these four brands came out on top:

UCLA

Michigan

Duke

North Carolina

The survey found that overall, respondents were much better at recognizing a school by its colors than by its font.

89% of people correctly identified University of Kansas' colors, but only 62% correctly identified its font.

colors, but only 62% correctly identified its font. 88% of respondents correctly identified University of Michigan's colors, but only 52% correctly identified its font.

colors, but only 52% correctly identified its font. 90% of respondents correctly identified UCLA's colors, but only 71% correctly identified its font.

colors, but only 71% correctly identified its font. 87% of respondents correctly identified University of Arkansas' colors, but only 43% correctly identified its font.

Other findings include:

Gen Zers have Texan pride, ranking Houston and Texas Tech as the number 1 and 3 spots in regards to brand preference.

and as the number 1 and 3 spots in regards to brand preference. Gen Z students also care more about their university's branding when choosing a school than other generations combined. (Gen Z ranked its importance as 4/10, while other generations ranked it 3.4/10.)

When asked what played into their decision for ranking their preferred brand, people said overall brand recognition  or how well-known a school is  was the most important factor:

47% brand recognition



21% overall appearance



16% color



10% mascot



5% font

When ranking their own school's brand, people give their school an average 5/10 in overall branding and rank the amount of school pride they feel upon seeing their logo as 5.3/10.

To view the full survey results, visit https://www.lucidpress.com/blog/march-madness-2022-branding

About Lucidpress

Lucidpress is a brand templating platform that empowers anyone to easily create on-brand content. With this intuitive, cloud-based solution, businesses can scale content creation while locking down critical brand elements to maintain brand consistency.

Press contact

Christina Sanders

[email protected]

5037892137

SOURCE Lucidpress
Headquartered in Frisco, Texas, Nexius ties together design, optimization and deployment of state-of-the-art networksrolling out 5G, small cells, distributed antenna systems (iDAS/oDAS), private networks, IoT (smart cities, smart buildings and industrial applications), fiber and beyond.

"Our excellence in business is truly fueled by our employees," said Gaby Saliby, Chief Executive Officer of Nexius. "We place a high value on maintaining a company culture that enables our employees to thrive and reach their full potential, and this award is validation of that commitment," Saliby continued.

Nexius offers its employees various development programs, networking opportunities and culture-building events throughout the year depending on employees' interests and their personal professional goals.

"Nexius' top ratings from employees across multiple culture metrics is a testament to its commitment to provide one of the best places to work in Dallas," said Comparably Chief Executive Officer Jason Nazar.

Nexius has previously been named a Best Company for Career Growth by Comparably, in addition to receiving a Best Company Culture award in 2021. Additionally, Saliby was named as one of the Best CEOs for Women last year by Comparably.

If you are interested in joining a positive and high-performing team, visit the Nexius careers page to learn more about an open position near you.

About Nexius

Since 2001, Nexius has provided end-to-end telecommunications deployment services and solutions on the latest technologies. Our services include designing, optimizing, deploying and delivering state-of-the-art networks tied together through program management expertise and automation tools for optimized time to market. As societies are leaping toward a more data-driven world, Nexius is leveraging technology innovation to unleash the smart economy, creating more connected communities. For more information about Nexius, visit www.nexius.com.

About Comparably

Comparably (www.comparably.com) is a leading workplace culture and corporate brand reputation platform with over 15 million anonymous employee ratings on 70,000 companies. With the most comprehensive data on large and SMB organizations in nearly 20 different workplace categories  based on gender, ethnicity, age, experience, industry, location, education  it is one of the most used SaaS platforms for employer branding and a trusted third party site for workplace culture and compensation. For more information on Comparably's studies and annual Best Places to Work & Best Brands Awards, visit www.comparably.com/news.

Press Contact:

Hanna Nayak

[email protected]

SOURCE Nexius
 Managed by SEC regulated digital asset investment manager Wave Financial and distributed by Swiss asset manager Criptonite Asset Management SA 

 The "Wave Non Fungible Fund" is the first NFT focused digital asset investment product distributed in Switzerland 

GENEVA, Switzerland, March 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Criptonite Asset Management SA is pleased to announce that it will distribute the Wave Financial Non Fungible Fund (NFF). Wave is an SEC regulated digital asset investment fund manager based in Los Angeles. Following the launch of the NFT fund in December 2021, Wave Financial, which manages over $1 billion across its digital asset fund, institutional and wealth management products, has seen unprecedented demand globally attracting investment over $20 million from qualified investors already. Criptonite Asset Management SA will offer the NFT fund to qualified investors in Switzerland.

Florian Rais - CEO and Founder of Criptonite Asset Management SA, said:

"Following on from the Wave Bitcoin Income & Growth AMC launch early this year, I am delighted that we are able to deepen our partnership bringing this unique high quality NFT fund product to qualified investors in Switzerland. NFTs are uniquely innovative, important digital assets and the investment landscape is still at a stage of rapid evolution. It is incredibly important that accredited investors have access to experienced professionally managed fund products and Wave Financial is a leader in providing choice to those that want it."

Matteo Dante Perruccio, President International at Wave Financial, said:

"NFTs are rapidly becoming a highly sought-after asset class among professional investors but they are also a complex asset, with a strong community aspect that requires deep experience and knowledge to navigate. Given the shortage of well-managed products, Wave Financial brings the rigours of traditional investing and sound risk management to the digital assets space. We want to provide investors looking for exposure to NFTs and the metaverse, the means to diversify their portfolios in this way, but through a fund responsibly managed by a regulated entity."

Wave Financial's NFT fund has a unique open-ended structure. Through actively participating in the NFT community and multi-platform social media engagement, the fund managers strive to gain exclusive access to multiple NFT drops. The fund, registered with the British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission, invests in NFT collectibles, platforms, and protocols, with a view to the future of the sub-asset class and the integration of NFT technology in areas such as the metaverse and decentralised finance. Currently, around 70% of allocations are to the thriving digital art and collectibles space, where an analytical approach includes analysis based on the rarity of traits, with a focus on value drivers such as unique content and scarcity in properties.

Appointing a Swiss representative of the NFT fund "NFF" in Switzerland comes as Wave Financial continues to expand its presence and product offering internationally, having already partnered with Criptonite Asset Management to offer Wave's flagship BTC Income & Growth strategy through an AMC tracker.

The NFT fund is available to qualified investors only. Potential investors are checked for suitability to ensure that the NFT fund meets their investment objectives, in accordance with relevant local rules and regulations.

About Criptonite Asset Management

Criptonite Asset Management SA is a Geneva, Switzerland based investment management company that manages and promotes investment products focused on digital assets. The products managed are for institutional and qualified investors only. Criptonite Asset Management was founded by a seasoned investment manager who spent his whole career advising and managing HNWI assets; it is today surrounded by a team of highly skilled investment professionals. Criptonite is registered with an auto regulated body (So-Fit), in accordance with the Swiss FINMA regulator requirements.

W: https://www.criptoniteam.com/

L: https://www.linkedin.com/company/criptonite-asset-management/

About Wave Financial

Wave Financial LLC (Wave) is a Los Angeles based investment management company that provides institutional and private wealth digital asset investment solutions. Led by a team of highly experienced financial services professionals, Wave provides investable funds via their diverse investment strategies applied to digital assets. Wave also offers managed accounts for approved investors seeking tailored digital asset exposure, bespoke treasury management services, and early-stage venture capital and strategic consultation to the digital asset ecosystem. Wave is federally regulated by the US Securities & Exchange Commission as an investment adviser.

W: https://www.wavegp.com/

T: https://twitter.com/wave_financial

L: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wave-financial/

Important Disclosures and Other Information

Nothing in this material should be interpreted as an offer or recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security or other financial product. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Wave Financial LLC is an investment adviser, registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (CRD#: 305726). Registration with the federal authority does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Additional information including important disclosures about Wave Financial LLC also is available on the SEC's website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov . Or, learn more information about Wave Financial at www.wavegp.com .

The ecosystem landscape included in this post is intended to provide generalized guidance; nothing in this analysis is intended as tax advice, investment advice, a recommendation to purchase a security or an introduction to particular funding or capital resource.

SOURCE Criptonite Asset Management
Each of the four ships will feature 14 Solo Oceanview Staterooms, which debut aboard Regatta on September 25, 2022; Nautica on September 26, 2022; and Insignia and Sirena on October 1, 2022.With the addition of these 56 staterooms, plus those that debuted to a sell-out success on Vista earlier this year, Oceania Cruises is reinforcing its commitment to solo travelers. The line also revealed two new shore excursion series  Go Green and Beyond Blueprints  to provide curious travelers with even more options for discovery, exploration, and personal connections with the destinations visited.

"One of the greatest factors in Oceania Cruises' success is that we not only listen to the feedback our guests and travel partners provide, we act on it. Our guests and travel partners wanted more options for solo travelers and more diverse tour offerings, and we are delighted to deliver," stated Howard Sherman, President & CEO of Oceania Cruises.

Solo Oceanview Staterooms aboard Regatta, Insignia, Nautica, and Sirena

Bathed in soothing tones with multiple layers of luxurious furnishings, accents and artwork, these charming staterooms are the perfect retreat for the solo traveler. Centrally located on Deck 6, each is an inviting home away from home, providing guests with a blissful and welcoming space to relax and rejuvenate as they explore the world's most fascinating destinations. All are amply spacious and equipped with a sublimely plush Tranquility Bed, refrigerated mini bar, cozy seating area and abundant storage space.

"These new single-occupancy staterooms are ideal for guests seeking the joy of traveling solo while experiencing all the comfort, cuisine, and destination expertise that Oceania Cruises is renowned for," added Sherman.

Pricing and availability for the new Solo Oceanview Staterooms will be available on April 11, 2022, for sailings beginning on or after September 25, 2022 - Regatta on September 25, 2022; Nautica on September 26, 2022; and Insignia and Sirena on October 1, 2022.

New Go Green and Beyond Blueprints Tours

With more than 150 Go Green tours to choose from around the globe, travelers may engage with residents and businesses to learn about how they are working to conserve and sustain their surrounding environment. The tours, many of which provide an educational element, offer guests the opportunity to take part in a variety of experiences, such as visiting a sustainable vineyard in Almeria, Spain; learning the fascinating aspects of hydroponic farming in the rainforests of St. Kitts; discovering the world of eco-conscious art in Buenos Aires, Argentina; or imbibing in zero-emission rum in the world's only carbon-free distillery in Dartmouth, United Kingdom. Oceania Cruises' Go Green tours span the globe in a wide variety of destinations across Africa, Alaska, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Northern Europe and South America.

The Beyond Blueprints tours offer a rare and in-depth look behind the scenes at some of the world's most iconic architectural landmarks such as The Royal Library and The Blue Planet aquarium in Copenhagen, Denmark; the Equinor office building and the Munchmuseet in Oslo, Norway; and La Villa Mediterranee and MUCEM Marseille, France. The line is showcasing a total of 10 Beyond Blueprints tours in Europe for 2022 and additional global destinations are expected to be unveiled later in the year. All offer special, little-known stories and information from insightful guides about the inspiration, reasoning and genius that brought these marvels to life. Other Beyond Blueprints tours being launched focus on sites in Barcelona, Spain; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Glasgow, Scotland; La Coruna, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; and Sete, France.

"Whether guests are visiting a destination for the first time or the tenth, our new Go Green and Beyond Blueprints tours offer fresh perspectives and unique insights to enhance their destination experience," added Sherman.

Go Green Tour Examples

Bordeaux Wines and Sustainability: Bordeaux, France

On this tour, guests will discover how converting to biodynamic and organic farming has further elevated the quality of the esteemed wines at Chateau de La Dauphine. The first vineyards in the Fronsac region of Bordeaux were planted about 2,000 years ago, so this appellation has a long-distinguished history. Even so, in 2015 the new owners of Chateau de La Dauphine sought to improve its wines by adopting sustainable, biodynamic practices that go far beyond organic pesticide-free agricultural methods. Biodynamic farming takes a holistic, ethical approach that follows the harmonious cycles of nature, specifically the movement of the moon and planets. As guests tour the vineyards, they will learn more about biodynamics and how it affects the terroir and the taste of the wines. The sampling that follows will lend even more insight. The exact wines will be chosen on arrival, but will likely include an elegant, deep-scarlet merlot.

A Sloth Paradise  Give Back to Nature: Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Visiting a sanctuary for sloths that have been orphaned or injured or lost their habitat due to deforestation, guests will have a close-up look at the animals as they are rehabilitated in hopes of returning them to the wild. Sloths are the world's slowest animals and spend nearly all-day hanging upside down in trees, rarely traveling more than 125 feet. If their habitat is disturbed or destroyed, the sloths are at great risk. Guests can expect to observe baby sloths and plenty of adults in various stages of rehabilitation. The guide will describe the habits of sloths in the wild and how they easily adapt to the sanctuary environment that replicates a tropical forest. Deforestation is one of the biggest threats to sloths, so to help their cause, travelers may plant a tree in a nearby forest reserve.

Bach Ma National Park Ecosystem: Hue, Vietnam

Guests can hike through Bach Ma National Park with a naturalist who will point out and describe the remarkably diverse flora and fauna. As an introduction to the natural wonders, travelers will first browse the exhibits in the visitor center, which detail the park's mountainous topography. Bach Ma means "white horse," a reference to the clouds that ride the wind around the granite summit. As the trail ascends, the forest will become denser and the air cooler. Although the ruins of homes that the colonial French built to escape the summer heat are still visible, most every other sight will be natural. Birds are abundant, including red-headed trogons and scarlet minivets, which are easy to spot because of their bright coloring. A fifth of all the plant species found in Vietnam flourish in the park, and rare orchids may be seen. The summit will afford panoramic views of the mountains, Tam Giang Lagoon and Hue.

Beyond Blueprints Tour Examples

Beyond Blueprints: Copenhagen, Denmark

The Royal Library & The Blue Planet

Browse two radical, modernistic buildings with an architectural historian that will reveal little-known facts about their extraordinary designs. The Black Diamond extension to The Royal Library is as revolutionary as it looks. The irregularly shaped monolithic prism is clad in black granite and leans toward the river to capture as much natural light as possible. The building's significant tilt, wave-like balconies and expanding form as it rises from bottom to top presented a slew of design challenges that the guide will explain. The Blue Planet may be even more striking as it is the largest aquarium in Europe and resembles a giant whirlpool  a design inspired by the shape of water in endless motion. The building's exterior is covered in aluminum panels that are reminiscent of fish scales, while the interior curved ceiling evokes images of the baleens of a massive whale. The guide will further elaborate on the technological challenges of constructing The Blue Planet seaside.

Beyond Blueprints: Oslo, Norway

Equinor & Munchmuseet

Discover how two extraordinarily modern buildings have transformed Oslo's skyline and pushed the boundaries of design. An architectural historian guide will elaborate on the buildings' advanced technologies and present a rare insider's perspective of their construction. The iconic Equinor office building consists of five separate rectangular modules stacked on top of each other at different angles, all to optimize daylight and views. Guests will also learn fascinating details about how the atrium's propeller-shaped glass roof was designed to withstand months of extra weight from snow. Similarly, climate conditions influenced the design of the Munchmuseet, a 13-story museum dedicated to the works of Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. It is constructed with low-carbon concrete and aluminum cladding that reflects harsh sunlight and is cooled with seawater. The top of the building intentionally tips forward as if bowing to Oslo in homage.

Beyond Blueprints: Marseille, France

La Villa Mediterranee & MUCEM

Gain an insider's understanding of the challenges in building two avant-garde landmarks by touring them with an architectural historian. Perched along the waterfront, La Villa Mediterranee was designed to embody Marseille's deep bond with the sea. Instantly recognized for its prominent cantilevered overhang, this three-level public space also features a conference center with portholes beneath the sea. As guests will discover, that lower floor presented all sorts of unusual circumstances that pushed the boundaries of architecture. The building faces MUCEM, a national museum devoted to Mediterranean civilizations. Its audacious design includes elements such as tree-like columns, a lacy facade that resembles a fishnet and a slender footbridge that connects it to the towering ramparts of Fort Saint-Jean. The square-within-a-square shape of MUCEM is classical in one sense but radically different because of the building materials. The concrete filigree that shields much of the structure is particularly stunning.

Full tour details and pricing will be available online at OceaniaCruises.com when the new shore excursions are opened for sale at the end of April.

For additional information on Oceania Cruises' small-ship luxury product, exquisitely crafted cuisine, and expertly curated travel experiences, visit OceaniaCruises.com, call 855-OCEANIA, or speak with a professional travel advisor.

About Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises is the world's leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line. The line's seven small, luxurious ships carry a maximum of 1,210 guests and feature the finest cuisine at sea and destination-rich itineraries that span the globe. Expertly curated travel experiences aboard the designer-inspired, small ships call on more than 450 marquee and boutique ports across Europe, Alaska, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, New England-Canada, Bermuda, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Tahiti and the South Pacific in addition to the epic 180-day Around the World Voyages. The brand has a second 1,200-guest Allura Class ship on order for delivery in 2025. With headquarters in Miami, Oceania Cruises is owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., a diversified cruise operator of leading global cruise brands which include Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

About Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH) is a leading global cruise company which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands. With a combined fleet of 28 ships with nearly 60,000 berths, these brands offer itineraries to more than 490 destinations worldwide. The Company has nine additional ships scheduled for delivery through 2027, comprising of approximately 24,000 berths.

SOURCE Oceania Cruises
Alffy and OMNIOUS.AI's influencer and runway trend analysis technology has increased its fashion retail following by 670% in 6 months

MIDDLETOWN, Del., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- OMNIOUS.AI an award-winning, Samsung-Accelerated, hyper-personalized-visual AI solutions developer for fashion retailersannounced that it has registered a new US patent for its image recognition, technology-based social media trend prediction technology. After successfully launching in Korea, OMNIOUS.AI plans to expand its influencer-driven AI solution service to the US. "This patent is meaningful in that it has turned a key technology into IT for analyzing trends in social media quantitatively," explained Jaeyoung Jun, CEO of OMNIOUS.AI.

OMNIOUS.AI Logo

"These days, the influencer market and content-based commerce marketplaces are growing rapidly," he continued. "OMNIOUS.AI has the technology to evaluate how social media influencers and their corresponding content affect fashion retail conversions. The technology is set to expand beyond fashion to other related, consumer businesses in the future."

Trend AI service, Alffy, has the advantage of predicting trends in influencer posts and linking predicted information to commerce product sales. OMNIOUS.AI has secured global technology IP on its own. Together they will take the lead in responding to the growth of the global influencer market and content-type commerce market.

OMNIOUS.AI analyzes 13,000 brand products, social media influencer feeds, and runway photos through Alffy. From there OMNIOUS.AI provides content containing trend information and insights for fashion practitioners to use in product planning, design, and sales marketing. More than 1,600 companies now subscribe to the newsletter, and newsletter subscribers have grown by 670% in the past six months.

OMNIOUS.AI solutions have been developed based on AI and have been continuously growing, not only domestically, but also globally. In February and March of this year, the developer successfully launched into the North American market by hosting the National Fashion Technology Mentorship Series events for fashion brands, e-commerce, startups, and students across North America. North American fashion companies such as Lacoste and Champion participated in this event.

In the future, OMNIOUS.AI plans to form a community with industry-leading companies to share successes and failures in the field and provide continuous support so that technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and digital can be used well in the fashion industry.

OMNIOUS.AI is solidifying its position in the global market by providing a variety of AI solutions for fashion companies. OMNIOUS.AI currently provides a total of three retail services to the US market: image recognition-based Product Tagging Automation , image-based Visual Recommendations , and image-based search solution Camera Search.

ABOUT OMNIOUS.AI

Founded in Korea in 2015, OMNIOUS.AI is a leading visual AI solutions developer for established enterprises and growing e-commerce businesses alike. The company was selected as a Best Use Case in Retail AI by NVIDIA, a global hot startup by Amazon Web Services, and the grand prize winner of the 30th Korea Textile and Fashion Awards. For more information, visit OMNIOUS.AI.

Media Contact:

Interviews can be scheduled per your request.

Aditi Maheshwari

(415) 802-4230

[email protected]

SOURCE OMNIOUS.AI
The Chinese mainland on Tuesday sent a team of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) experts to Hong Kong to support its fight against the fifth wave of the pandemic.

The seven-member team is led by Tong Xiaolin, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. All the medical professionals have rich experiences in anti-epidemic work.

At a press conference held last week, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said the HKSAR government had requested the central authorities to send another team of traditional Chinese medicine experts to Hong Kong.

She said the mainland's experience in using the traditional Chinese medicine to treat COVID-19 patients is applicable to Hong Kong, and she believed that the experts will be of great help to Hong Kong's anti-epidemic work.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Sketchy has already helped more than 300,000 students become doctors and physicians as it serves as a year-round study companion to help them master biochemistry, anatomy, pharmacology, pathology and physiology. Many consider it a must-have resource, and in a recent survey, 86% of users said they'll go on to become better physicians because of the platform, an important finding especially as today's healthcare system continues to be under extreme stress.

"Organizations such as POMAF have the power to provide valuable resources to students to help ensure they have the best chance for success in their higher education journey and become the best physicians they can be," said Sketchy's Co-Founder and CEO Saud Siddiqui. "Collaborating directly with organizations of massive reach allows us to introduce the power of our innovative animated videos to large groups of students at once and we're thrilled for this opportunity."

Sketchy's animated learning videos teach by creating spatial relationships between key information using symbols, helping users better retain and recall complex information. POMA was founded in 1903 and promotes public health and encourages scientific research. The partnership will put an essential learning technology in the hands of Pennsylvania's future physicians.

"The POMA Foundation was exploring ways to support osteopathic medical students beyond their first year," said Joseph M.P. Zawisza, DO, POMA Foundation Board Chair. "Our meetings with the SGA/SOMA leadership highlighted the use of Sketchy as a valued learning tool. The Foundation reached out to Sketchy which resulted in a collaborative partnership that meets student needs and supports the development of osteopathic content in the future."

The Sketchy co-founders created the company when they were still students in medical school when they began drawing sketched stories during study sessions, helping them distinguish and memorize information better than traditional study methods. The Chernin Group (TCG) and Reach Capital invested $30 million in the company in 2020.

For more information about Sketchy, visit Sketchy.com or follow @SketchyLearning on Instagram, /Sketchy on Facebook or @SketchyLearning on Twitter.

About Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association Foundation (POMAF)

The Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association Foundation (POMAF) supports the osteopathic community by advancing the principles of osteopathic medicine in Pennsylvania. This includes supporting high quality continuing medical education, providing scholarships to osteopathic students and residents, and providing grants to support improving the health of patients through the tenets of osteopathic medicine. For more information, visit https://www.poma.org/poma-foundation .

POMA represents its professional family of more than 8,400 osteopathic physicians, residents and interns, and 2,590 osteopathic students. It promotes public health and encourages scientific research. Started in 1903 under the direction of Harry M. Vastine, D.O., it continues to be an advocate for its membership to governmental bodies, third-party payors and health-related organizations. The association keeps its members up-to-date with The Journal of the POMA, a biweekly newsletter and a website designed to provide the very latest information as well as a social media presence to share relevant and interesting articles, upcoming event information, and discussion boards on topics important to our members. For more information, visit https://www.poma.org/ .

About Sketchy

Sketchy is an online visual learning platform that helps students effortlessly learn and recall information through a blend of art, story, spaced repetition and memory palace techniques. Founded by four medical students, Sketchy believes in a reimagined education system, greater access to knowledge and expanding every person's potential through learning. It's the go-to year-round visual learning companion for students who are tasked with retaining overwhelming amounts of information, and features top-notch material informed by the brightest leaders in every field. Sketchy sketches combine art, expertise and symbols to reflect the key elements of the lesson so viewers can remember the information forever. TCG and Reach Capital invested $30 million in the company in 2020. For more information, visit https://sketchy.com/ .

Contact:

Alafair Hall

Shane Communications for Sketchy

[email protected]

415-730-9044

Brenda Dill

Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (POMA)

[email protected]

717-939-9318, ext. 150

SOURCE Sketchy
This industry-first, location-based seafood initiative features an extensive menu rotation of Alaska seafood dishes, along with destination-inspired cocktail experiencesincluding flights of Alaska spirits sourced from local distilleriesinventive cocktails such as "Creamy Cinnamon Moonshine," "Glacial chilled Martinis," and hand-picked, premium wine pairings to go with Alaska seafood dishes. This culinary program is another enhancement to the award-winning North to Alaska program, bringing local Alaskans, culture, and fresh seafood on board and ashore to immerse guests in all things Alaska.

"We take our role as the leader in Alaska cruising seriously and as such we're always looking for new ways to enhance our guests' experience, both on board and ashore, while helping them gain a deeper appreciation of this incredible cruising region," said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises. "Guests are going to love these one-of-a-kind dishes that showcase the unique culinary offerings that add an exciting new dimension to our Alaska vacations."

Building upon Princess Cruises' popular "only in Alaska" menus, "Wild for Alaska Seafood" program will offer 30 distinctive Alaska seafood dishes with featured items every night in all main dining rooms. Recipescreated by Sodamin and his talented culinary arts teamwill highlight only the freshest seafood ingredients with multiple varieties of Alaska salmon, including King (Chinook), Sockeye and Coho, as well as wild Alaska cod (caught by hook and line only), halibut, rockfish, Dungeness crabs, wild spot prawns and razor clams.

"When it comes to cruising in Alaska, more people choose Princess than any other cruise line, and now we're making the experience more authentic and memorable with fresh new seafood choices and culinary events not found anywhere else," said Rudi Sodamin, head of culinary arts for Princess who spearheaded the initiative. "We created our exclusive 'Wild for Alaska Seafood' program to celebrate its rich fishing heritage and fascinating local culture, all while enriching our guests' adventure as they experience and explore The Great Land. Our goal is to showcase Alaska's deliciously diverse seafood as well its history allowing guests to truly immerse themselves in this awe-inspiring natural wonderland."

Additionally, ships' specialty restaurants, including the Crown Grill steak and seafood restaurant and the classic Italian trattoria Sabatini's, will offer "Wild for Alaska Seafood" menu inserts featuring appetizers like salmon carpaccio and choices of pan-seared, poached, pan fried or grilled wild Alaska halibut or Copper River salmon. "Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy a whole new range of Alaska seafood regardless of where they're dining that evening," said Sodamin.

Underscoring its role as a steward of the environment, Princess developed the new "Wild for Alaska Seafood" program in partnership with Pacific Seafood, Alaska Seafood, and Alaska Leader Seafood, all of which have an abiding commitment to environmentally responsible practices and are among the best-managed, most sustainable fisheries in the world.

"It is our responsibility to serve our oceans through an unwavering commitment to sustainability, being stewards in our local communities, and leaders in sustainable fishing practices," said Frank Dulcich, president & CEO of Pacific Seafood. "We are proud to partner with Princess in a mission that aligns with ours in serving sustainable, wild Alaska seafood, and the healthiest protein on the planet."

Meghan Rider, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute's domestic marketing director, is equally enthused about the new program: "We are thrilled that Chef Rudi Sodamin and Princess Cruises are expanding their offerings of wild and sustainable seafood from Alaska across their ships. In choosing Alaska seafood, not only are they choosing a world-class product for their guests, they are also supporting the thousands of harvesters and the diverse coastal communities that make up the world-leading sustainable fisheries of Alaska."

The 2022 Alaska cruises and cruisetours season features six MedallionClass shipsincluding the new Discovery Princess offering 145 departures with 14 unique itineraries from four convenient North American departure ports. Guests can choose from more than 150 shore excursions, including "Cook My Catch," a signature Princess Cruises experience in which guests embark on a fishing excursion and have the chefs prepare what they catch for dinner that evening.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel advisor, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237), or by visiting the company's website at princess.com.

About Princess Cruises :

One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is the world's leading international premium cruise line and tour company operating a fleet of 15 modern cruise ships, carrying millions of guests each year to 380 destinations around the globe, including the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Europe, South America, Australia/New Zealand, the South Pacific, Hawaii, Asia, Canada/New England, Antarctica, and World Cruises. A team of professional destination experts have curated 170 itineraries, ranging in length from three to 111 days and Princess Cruises is continuously recognized as "Best Cruise Line for Itineraries." In 2017 Princess Cruises, with parent company Carnival Corporation, introduced MedallionClass Vacations enabled by the Medallion device, the vacation industry's most advanced wearable device, provided free to each guest sailing on a MedallionClass ship. The award-winning innovation offers the fastest way to an effortless personalized vacation, giving guests more time to do the things they love most. The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE:CUK).

In line with the latest advice from health officials about COVID-19, Princess Cruises is currently enhancing health and safety protocols with input from medical experts and government bodies and assessing how they may impact future itineraries. Actual offerings may vary from what is displayed in marketing materials. Click on the following links to stay updated on current Cruise Updates and Health & Safety protocols .

SOURCE Princess Cruises
Led by researchers from NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the work revolves around the delicacy of DNA molecules, which are vulnerable to damage by reactive byproducts of cellular metabolism, toxins, and ultraviolet light. Given that damaged DNA can result in detrimental DNA code changes (mutations) and death, cells evolved to have DNA repair machineries. A major unresolved question in the field, however, is how do these machineries rapidly search for and find rare stretches of damage amid the "vast fields" of undamaged DNA.

Past studies had found that one important search mechanism  transcription-coupled repair or TCR  relies on RNA polymerase, the large protein machine (complex) that motors down the DNA chain, reading the code of DNA "letters" as it transcribes instructions into RNA molecules, which then direct protein building. Going into the current study, however, the TCR mechanism was misunderstood, say the study authors.

Widely accepted work, including studies that led to a 2015 Noble Prize, had argued that TCR played a relatively small role in repair because it relied on a putative TCR factor that made only a marginal contribution to DNA repair. A parallel process, global genome repair (GGR), was assumed to scan and fix most of DNA independent of transcription. Both processes were thought to set the stage for nucleotide excision repair (NER), in which a damaged stretch of DNA was snipped out and replaced by an accurate copy.

Now two new studies published online March 30 in the journals Nature and Nature Communications agree, based on the first-of-its kind, multi-stage analysis of DNA repair in living E. coli cells, that most, if not all, NER is coupled to RNA polymerase, which scans the entire bacterial genetic code for damage.

"Based on our results, we need to rethink some of the basic theories in the DNA repair field," says senior study author Evgeny Nudler, PhD, the Julie Wilson Anderson Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health. "A true understanding of such repair is a fundamental goal in medicine, as most antibiotics and chemotherapies kill disease-causing cells by damaging their DNA, and the ability to halt repairs would make such cells much more vulnerable to existing drugs," adds Nudler, also an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Discovery Pipeline

Past studies could not fully capture the biological reality of NER in bacteria, say the current authors, because they used experiments that tried to re-create complex protein interactions outside of living cells. That led the field, for instance, to define a protein called Mfd as the central player in TCR, even as most DNA repair was found to proceed whether or not Mfd was present. This, in turn, suggested that TCR was a minor repair pathway. TCR was also thought to happen only within the DNA regions that are highly transcribed. Seldom-transcribed genomic locations, or parts of the genome assumed to be "non-transcribed," were thought to be subject to GGR.

The study newly published in Nature used a groundbreaking technology called crosslinking mass spectrometry (XLMS) to map the distances between chemically linked proteins, and so determine the interacting surfaces of massive NER and polymerase complexes for the first time as they are assembled in living cells. The team then fed the spectrometry data into computer-driven simulations, culminating in realistic structural models.

Contrary to the conventional dogma, the study found that RNA polymerase serves as the scaffold for the assembly of the entire NER complex, and as the primary sensor of DNA lesions. It turned out that the principal NER enzymes UvrA and UvrB do not locate most lesions on their own, but are delivered to them by RNA polymerase. This fundamental TCR process is independent of Mfd, say the authors.

The second study, published in Nature Communications, again in living cells, used a high-throughput sequencing technology called CPD-seq to track the appearance of DNA lesions upon exposure to UV light, and the rate of repair with a resolution down to a single letter (nucleotide) in the DNA code. CPD-seq showed that interfering with bacterial transcription using the antibiotic rifampicin shuts down repair throughout the bacterial genome. The study findings argue that NER is tightly coupled to transcription everywhere in the bacterial chromosome, the DNA infrastructure that houses all the genes.

In another fascinating leap, experiments showed that bacterial cells, in the face of DNA damage, inhibit the action of the protein Rho, the global termination signal which tells RNA polymerase to stop reading. With the stop signals dialed down, RNA polymerases read on and on, delivering the repair enzymes to DNA damage anywhere it was encountered throughout the genome.

"Given our findings, we theorize that eukaryotes, including human cells, also use RNA polymerase for efficient repair globally, as the bacterial TCR complexes described here have human analogs," says co-first author of the Nature study Binod Bharati, PhD, a post-doctoral scholar in Nudler's lab. "Moving forward, our team plans to confirm the presence of global TCR in human cells, and if confirmed, to explore whether in the future repair might be safely boosted to counter diseases of aging."

Along with Nudler and Bharati, the authors of the study published in Nature from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at NYU Langone Health are co-first study author Manjunath Gowder, Khaled Alzoubi, Vladimir Svetlov, Venu Kamarthapu, Jacob Weaver, Vitaly Epshtein, and Nikita Vasilyev. Also authors were Fangfang Zheng, Liqiang Shen, and Yu Zhang of the Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai, China. This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grant R01 GM126891, National Key Research and Development Program of China grant 2018YFA0903701, Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences grant XDB29020302, Chinese N [email protected] atural Science Foundation of China grant 31822001, Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Program grant 19JC1415900.

The first author of the Nature Communications study from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology was Britney Martinez. Also authors of this study were Nudler, Bharati, and Epshtein. The work in this paper was supported by NIH grants F31 GM131516-02 and R01 GM126891.

Both studies were supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Contact:

Gregory Williams

[email protected]

SOURCE NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Religious institutions acknowledge, apologize, and embrace accusers, resolve lawsuits and vow continued zero tolerance

DALLAS, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Androvett Legal Media & Marketing released the following statement on behalf of parties involved in litigation.

In what all sides are calling a unique global end to the legal conflict between them, nine plaintiffs, the Jesuit College Preparatory School (Jesuit Dallas), Jesuits USA Central and Southern Province, and the Catholic Diocese of Dallas have resolved litigation and have created a plan to better deal with issues related to sexual abuse now and in the future.

"All I really wanted was to be heard," says Michael Pedevilla, who is among the plaintiffs who have agreed to drop their lawsuits against Jesuit Dallas, the Catholic Diocese of Dallas, and the Catholic Society of Religious and Literary Education, which is affiliated with the Jesuits U.S. Central and Southern Province through common control ("UCS Province"), for sexual abuse of minors by priests more than 35 years ago. "Now, finally, I can begin to heal."

Even at bitter moments of legal conflict, former Jesuit Dallas students who report they had been sexually abused, and the religious institutions they were suing, believed that something positive could be built. Over time, legal processes took a back seat in favor of numerous, sometimes painful, face-to-face encounters between plaintiffs and defendants, as well as dialogue guided by lawyers Charla Aldous, who represents plaintiffs, Tom Melsheimer, who represents Jesuit Dallas, and by Lee Taft, a former plaintiff's litigator and Harvard Divinity School graduate and former dean, who specializes in helping parties heal through apology, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

"I have spoken with each of these men," says Jesuit Dallas President Mike Earsing. "After listening as they told me what happened and how their lives have been affected, I believe them. I communicated to each of them my sorrow, my own spirit of disconsolation, and an apology."

While confidential financial compensation is part of the unique multiparty resolution and reconciliation agreement, more emphasis is being placed on binding measures intended to embrace and empathize with past victims, acknowledge their pain, prevent future misconduct, and continue measures in place to prevent future misconduct. Jesuit Dallas has agreed to create a memorial dedicated to victims of sexual abuse involving religious leaders. In addition, the school will reaffirm its commitment to continue policies and procedures that have successfully been in place for many years, including:

Require school employees to complete an annual safe environment program at the school, focused on maintaining appropriate relationships with minors.

Require staff, students, and parents to pledge to report reasonable suspicion of sexual misconduct by faculty, staff, or other adult members of the Jesuit community.

Engage in the comprehensive screening of all new staff members.

Provide prompt notification to law enforcement upon receipt of a report of sexual abuse of a minor.

Finally, Jesuit Dallas will provide a third-party contact on the Jesuit Dallas website who can be contacted if there are any concerns pertaining to the safety of the school community or any instance of sexual abuse. The initial person in this role will be Mr. Taft.

"In these cases, it is often more about healing, ending isolation, and restoring community than it is about money," says Mr. Taft, who was previously instrumental in forging a legal settlement in what is commonly known as the Dallas police "fake-drug scandal." "I hope this resolution can serve as a template where the abused and religious organizations are seeking a productive path forward."

In December 2018, the UCS Province released a list of members and former members against whom there were credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors. In January 2019, the Dallas Diocese released its own list of priests who were credibly accused of having inflicted abuse of minors. Jesuit priests identified by plaintiffs as their perpetrators include Fr. Donald Dickerson, Fr. Patrick Koch, Fr. Benjamin Smylie, Fr. Vincent Malatesta, and Fr. Peter Callery. Three of these priests are deceased and one left the Society of Jesus. There is only one current Jesuit among the accused, Fr. Callery. He denies the allegations brought against him, which were made by two of the plaintiffs. The UCS Province is continuing to investigate the allegations made against these five priests. Notably, the school and the UCS Province have had in place, for many years, safe-environment, and zero-tolerance policies. Jesuit Dallas has had no other credible reports of sexual abuse of any kind involving an adult abusing a minor in decades, other than lawsuits filed since 2019 which involve allegations from more than 35 years ago.

The Catholic Diocese of Dallas, which is a separate and distinct entity from Jesuit Dallas and the Jesuit Order, and which only had one claim as to Dallas priest Robert Crisp, is continuing an ongoing collaboration and dialogue with plaintiffs to, among other things, respond to their concerns, improve screening and prevention throughout the Diocese, and provide for healing and reconciliation.

"I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to speak with several of the abuse survivors of this case in order to address the need for healing and accountability, a process that has a sense of justice, understanding, and compassion," says Bishop Edward J. Burns. "The Diocese of Dallas remains vigilant in our efforts to provide the safest environment possible to all we serve. I pray for continued healing for these men and all victims of abuse."

Additional restorative steps by the Catholic Diocese of Dallas include:

Enhanced victim-centered reporting of sexual abuse, including a dedicated email address: [email protected] .

. Monitoring of online abuse claims.

Expanding the Diocesan Review Board, which investigates allegations of sexual abuse, to include a member who has been directly impacted by sexual abuse.

A planned healing mass for victims, spouses/partners, children, families, the Church, and the community.

Uniform policies for school reporting of abuse at Diocesan and Non-Diocesan Schools.

The UCS Province agreed to 16 restorative measures (the majority of which have been in place for many years) that will include, at the suggestion of the Provincial, Father Tom Greene, S.J., his participation in a full-day retreat with Plaintiffs as well as a Mass of Atonement to be held in Dallas. When asked about the reconciliation that the UCS Province hopes will accompany this resolution, Fr. Greene responded as follows: "I sincerely apologize to any person who has been impacted by abuse related to any of our members or former members. Abuse of a minor under any circumstances is a crime and a sin for which perpetrators need to be held accountable. We have recently resolved several lawsuits because it is our hope to try and bring healing to persons who report they have suffered. We pray for all persons involved."

The Jesuit Order also agreed to:

Continue public disclosure of all members and former members who have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse.

Take steps to address any memorial, tribute, or honor relating to individuals listed on the UCS Province credibly accused list, when such memorials, tributes, or honors are known and within the control of the Province.

Continue to publish processes/protocols for reporting child abuse in conspicuous places such as the Province website at https://www.jesuitscentralsouthern.org/ and to encourage the schools of the UCS Province to publish those processes/protocols in conspicuous places where notices are typically posted.

Charla Aldous represented the nine plaintiffs. "This is the end of a long, sometimes contentious, and painful journey for my clients. We are pleased that defendants responded by being part of the solution." According to Aldous \ Walker law partner Brent Walker, "Our clients feel that they could not have received greater justice."

Attorney and Jesuit Dallas Alumnus Tom Melsheimer says he collaborated with Jesuit Dallas President Mike Earsing to find a solution that best reflects values central to the school's mission. "We could have chosen an adversarial path of litigation and ultimately succeeded. But our motto is 'Men for Others.' I just knew that the values inherent in that motto, which we share with those who had been abused many years ago, would lead us on a path to doing some good for these men, our alumni brothers. We wanted to live our values." Mr. Melsheimer said.

Media Contact:

Mike Androvett

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Androvett Legal Media & Marketing
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CarePredict, the leading digital health platform for senior care, has partnered with Central Alabama Aging Consortium (CAAC) as part of the PANDA (Providing Alzheimer's N Dementia Assistance) project. PANDA is an innovative program funded in part through a grant provided by the Administration for Community Living (ACL). The PANDA project provides supportive services to people with dementia (and/or dementia-related diseases), intellectual developmental disabilities, and their caregivers. Included in these services is CarePredict's remote activity monitoring solution. CarePredict is also available through the Middle Alabama Area Agency on Aging (M4A,) the first Area Agency on Aging in Alabama to pilot the PANDA project.

CAAC is the second Area Agency on Aging in Alabama to provide CarePredict's Remote Activity Monitoring Solution through the PANDA Project

"When we saw the value that CarePredict brought to the M4A program by helping clients continue to live independently in their homes and providing immense peace of mind to their caregivers, we knew that we wanted to make this innovative technology available to clients with dementia and their caregivers in the Autauga, Elmore, & Montgomery counties," said Stephanie Holmes, PANDA Project Director at CAAC.

CarePredict's award-winning wearable, Tempo and the AI platform behind it were designed exclusively for the care of seniors with their unique needs in mind. It is the only wearable that autonomously observes the daily activity patterns of an older adult, such as eating, sleeping, walking, kitchen and bathroom patterns. The system uses machine learning to understand each senior's "normal" activity pattern and alerts on potential concerns when there is a deviation. This allows caregivers to know if they are skipping meals, aren't sleeping well, are less active, or if things are different than usual. Families can see the location of their loved one in the home at all times and get real-time alerts when there is a possible fall. Seniors can press a button on their Tempo to summon help and use the built-in two-way audio to speak to their care circle members for immediate assurance.

"Area Agencies on Aging play an integral role in the health outcomes of older adults through the programs and services they provide," said Satish Movva, CEO and Founder of CarePredict. "We are thrilled that our remote activity monitoring technology is the extra set of 'eyes' that helps caregivers of people with dementia and developmental disabilities provide them quality care from afar."

CarePredict and other services through CAAC will begin in March 2022.

About CarePredict:

CarePredict's mission is to help caregivers of seniors take timely action. Based on the science that changes in daily activities and behavior patterns precede health declines, CarePredict's award-winning smart wearable, Tempo, autonomously understands these patterns and alerts professional and family caregivers on changes that warrant attention. Since 2013 we've created solutions that offer peace of mind and improve the quality of life for seniors at home and in senior living facilities.

CarePredict is based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. For more information, visit www.carepredict.com.

Media Contact:

Subhashree Sukhu

Marketing Director, CarePredict

[email protected]

+1 800 608 7188 ext 526

SOURCE CarePredict
NEW YORK, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Purcell & Lefkowitz LLP, a class action law firm dedicated to representing shareholders nationwide, is investigating a potential breach of fiduciary duty claim involving the board of directors of Hyliion Holdings Corp. (NYSE: HYLN).

If you are a shareholder of Hyliion Holdings Corp. and are interested in obtaining additional information regarding this investigation, free of charge, please visit us at:

http://pjlfirm.com/hyliion-holdings-corp/

You may also contact Robert H. Lefkowitz, Esq. either via email at [email protected] or by telephone at 212-725-1000. One of our attorneys will personally speak with you about the case at no cost or obligation.

Purcell & Lefkowitz LLP is a law firm exclusively committed to representing shareholders nationwide who are victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty and other types of corporate misconduct. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://pjlfirm.com. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

SOURCE Purcell & Lefkowitz LLP
"It was fantastic to bring together and recognize the amazing women in attendance and share their wins as they pave the way for more women in trades," said Sherry Rose, chief executive officer of Stellar Service Brands. "Stellar Service Brands will continue to ensure the women within our network and our industries feel supported and have the tools they need to succeed. Recent studies have shown that women are often the key decision makers in regards to home maintenance, despite the industry being primarily male-dominated. Our goal is to inspire more women to bring their insight and expertise to the industry and equip them with the resources to leverage their knowledge and become business owners themselves."

Claire Smith and Becky Gibson, the duo behind the first women-owned Restoration 1 franchise in Des Moines, IA, were in attendance at the convention.

"Since joining the industry we have been surprised with how few women are in the trades. I think the best approach is to set the example that women are in this business, women are in this industry, and there is space for everyone to learn and be successful in the work that they do," said Smith. "We're thankful for Stellar Service Brands' commitment to helping share the message of how women can be successful in trade and for providing a space for women to network and be recognized for their successes in the profession."

Stellar Service Brands is poised to continue its equitable priority of empowering and recognizing the amazing women within their network, their industries and trades.

To learn more about opening a franchise with Stellar Service Brands, visit Restoration 1 , bluefrog Plumbing + Drain , The Driveway Company , or Softroc .

About Stellar Service Brands

Based in Waco, Texas, Stellar Service Brands is a holding company that includes Restoration 1 , an award-winning franchise that specializes in a wide array of emergency mitigations, restoration and reconstructions services; bluefrog Plumbing + Drain , a trusted franchise in plumbing repair and installation; The Driveway Company , a leading franchise for concrete driveway repair and maintenance; and Softroc , a provider of poured in place rubber surfacing. Together, they include more than 465 franchise locations awarded across the U.S.. With a private equity investment from MPK Equity Partners, Stellar Service Brands plans to continue expanding by adding brands that share the company's goal to provide exceptional home services.

SOURCE Stellar Service Brands
Fabled 95% Rye Mash Bill Joins Acclaimed The Wiseman Bourbon Released in 2021

BARDSTOWN, Ky., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stoli Group's Kentucky Owl announced the second release in The Wiseman series, a new straight rye whiskey available in April across the U.S. The new whiskey joins The Wiseman Bourbon released by Kentucky Owl in September 2021 and named one of Whisky Advocate's Top 20 and Bourbon Review's Top 10 whiskies of the year. For more information, visit kentuckyowlbourbon.com

The Wiseman Straight Rye is a 95% rye mash bill selected by Kentucky Owl Master Blender John Rhea. Bottled at 100.8 proof, The Wiseman Straight Rye has a rich and spicy nose with hints of fresh rye bread and slight hints of sweet caramel and cinnamon. The spicy character instantly fills the mouth with rich rye flavor with a long finish that starts as fresh rye bread and slowly moves towards buttered cinnamon toast and ends with a hint of English walnut.

"Following the successful launch and customer response to our Kentucky Owl The Wiseman Straight Bourbon, we're delighted to quickly follow this with the launch of Kentucky Owl The Wiseman Rye," said Nik Keane, Global Category Leader at Stoli Group. "We're confident our customers will also love this product  it is exciting times ahead with Kentucky Owl."

This is the third Kentucky Owl release under Rhea, who previously served as Four Roses Distillery's chief operating officer, where his responsibilities included quality control, maturation, evaluation and product blending. He was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2016 and served as chair of the Kentucky Distillers' Association board of directors.

Stoli Group, the leading global ultra-premium spirits and wine company, purchased Kentucky Owl in 2017. Originally founded by C.M. Dedman in 1879, the Kentucky Owl Bardstown distillery went dark during the Prohibition era and remained dormant until a descendant revived the brand in 2014. Since then, the company's small batch releases have sold out quickly and received rave reviews.

The Kentucky Owl The Wiseman Straight Rye (100.8 proof/50.4% ABV, $60 MSRP/750mL), is the latest addition to the Kentucky Owl portfolio. The Kentucky Owl The Wiseman Straight Rye will soon be available starting in April at a limited number of fine retailers across the brand's national distribution footprint.

Click here for high-resolution photos.

About Kentucky Owl:

Founded in 1879 by C.M. Dedman, Kentucky Owl offers an artfully blended line of craft Bourbon and Rye Whiskey, each bottled at a proof selected by the Master Blender to bring out the exceptional flavour profile of each product. Kentucky Owl products are for those who appreciate high quality, attention to detail, artisanship, and authentic heritage. For more information, visit kentuckyowlbourbon.com

About Stoli Group:

Stoli Group was established in 2013 and is responsible for the production, management, and distribution of a global spirits and wines portfolio. Mainly known for the Stoli Vodka brand, Stoli Group has expanded to appeal to luxury on-premise and more sophisticated global consumers. Signature brands are: Stoli Vodka, elit Vodka, Bayou Rum, Kentucky Owl, Villa One, Gator Bite Rum Liquers, Cenote Tequila, Tulchan Gin, Se Busca Mezcal and Stoli Group's wine division, Tenute del Mondo. With a presence across a network of more than 176 markets, Stoli Group works with a passionate team of 200 distributors around the world. Headquartered in Luxembourg, Stoli has production facilities in Spain, Italy, Argentina, and the United States, some of which are steeped in history dating back to the early part of the last century. For more information, visit stoli-group.com.

Contact: Tracy Green

[email protected]

(502) 614-5994

Or Sallie Greco

[email protected]

(502) 614-5998

Estes Public Relations

More on Facebook | Twitter

SOURCE Stoli Group
BOCA RATON, Fla., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TransMedia Group said the PR campaign for Larry's Ice Cream and Cafe will start with a question: "What's Boca Raton Missing?"

The answer? Larry's Ice Cream, which has been creating ice creamy smiles in Coral Springs for over 35 Years! So where's the new Boca Raton location? Check out 21090 St Andrews Blvd, Boca Raton, 33433

TransMedia Group will show how this family-run business became the first and oldest ice cream parlor in Coral Springs! Their publicity team will highlight the story of how Larry's Ice Cream came to be one of the most popular ice cream parlors in South Florida!

"Our mission is to bring the community together by providing a safe, clean and happy environment for all to enjoy." said Larry's Ice Cream CEO Janet McGinnis.

The original Larry ice cream in Coral Springs has hosted free events such as, Buzz Light Year and Woody, Mickey and Minnie, The Grinch, Harry Potter and so much more. Bringing together families to join in on the fun.

TransMedia Group's PR program will highlight what Makes Larry's Ice Cream so deliciously unique. "Their originality has certainly gained attention, and TransMedia will focus on their leadership skills and great ideas coming in Boca Raton, said TransMedia Group President Adrienne Mazzone.

TransMedia plans to send out flyers, stage events, distribute special announcements, media pitches and news releases about Larry's Ice Cream's mission and accomplishments.

TransMedia Group has represented some of the top businesses in the food service industry over the years. It's founder and CEO Tom Madden was the #2-ranked executive at NBC and before that he promoted hit shows at the ABC television network in New York.

Media contact: Samantha Tzikas 954.647.3322 or

Adrienne Mazzone 561.908.1683

[email protected]

[email protected]

SOURCE TransMedia Group
TORONTO and LA SEYNE SUR MER, France, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Validus Power Corp. and Startmining are proud to announce the new construction of a 100MW Bitcoin mining data centre at a Validus Power Generation site in Ontario. Initial project work has commenced with an expected target of August, 2022.

This expansion meets the mutual goal of growing the Canadian Bitcoin ecosystem, while investing in Ontario infrastructure. The project includes the modernization of existing power assets, and new integration of an innovative power blend, resulting in an industry leading environmental profile for this power generation site and data centre campus. Further expansion details will be announced later this year.

"Startmining, as part of its global expansion, is pleased to collaborate with Validus as a key Canadian partner in Ontario, a strategic provider of advanced energy and infrastructure. These strategic agreements address the urgent need, at a time when Startmining is receiving close to 1.5 GW of hosting demand, to provide imminent mining that is both affordable and sustainable over the long term," said Saimi Barragan, founder and CEO of Startmining.

Todd Shortt, President and CEO of Validus also commented, "Startmining shares our view of a strong and viable future for Bitcoin in Canada as we continue to develop sophisticated power and infrastructure campuses. This is especially true in Ontario where we have a robust support structure. Startmining also shares our values and long term vision".

About Validus Power Corp.

Validus is a global leader in advanced power solutions and lifecycle management working with communities, industry and energy markets. By emphasising sustainable innovation and total efficiency, Validus maximizes the environmental and economic performance of next generation power plants.

About Startmining

Startmining is a French company that operates in sustainable mining. It is a mix of IT experience, human values and the desire to achieve goals common to the entire ecosystem with a virtuous and collaborative approach. Startmining opens the door of mining to all kinds of companies, small or large, investment funds or private individuals, through the concept of colocation hosting, so that as many people as possible can enter this growing ecosystem.

www.validuspower.com

SOURCE Validus Power Corp.
AMMAN, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Jordan and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday signed cooperation agreements in the fields of trade, financial markets and transportation, said Jordanian Ministry of Industry and Trade Spokesperson Yanal Barmawi.

The deals, in addition to two agreements in media and youth cooperation, were signed during the meetings of the Jordanian-Saudi Joint Committee held in Amman, Barmawi told Xinhua.

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Transport and Logistics Saleh bin Nasser bin Al Al-Jasser said the meetings covered the economic, commercial, industrial, investment and educational fields, expressing hopes for the agreements to serve common interests.

According to the ministry's statistics, trade volume between the two countries reached 4.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, with the value of Jordanian exports to Saudi Arabia amounting to about 1 billion U.S. dollars.

The spokesperson noted that Saudi investments are considered one of the biggest chunks of foreign investments in Jordan, with a value exceeding 12 billion dollars in transportation, infrastructure, energy, finance and commerce, as well as tourism facilities. 
NORFOLK, Va., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- There are many seniors, individuals and families that are struggling just to put food on the table. Too often, simple survival takes all of their resources. But Village Family is unifying with several community partners to help put more meals on the tables, smiles on faces, providing much needed essential supplies and outreach referral information. Our geo-targets the most vulnerable by delivering food, hygiene products, and more while hosting transformational programs to empower them out of poverty. Critically needed is funding and a large scale van to be our Mobile Pantry that can deliver essentials, fresh food to those who need it most ... removing barriers to underserved communities. This support will enable Village Family to enhance the current outreach initiatives to make a larger impact in the underserved Norfolk communities that we serve.

Village Family is building an empire of great people making huge impacts in the community through unity, service, legacy, kindness and commitment. We feed, provide clothing, essentials and outreach referrals. "Love, Quality, the actual experience and Support does matter says Natisha founder of Village Family". Join us every 4th Sunday at First Calvary Baptist Church in Norfolk Virginia. "It's almost our 8th year serving with love out of donated pantry space". Sign up for the annual

"Back2 School Annual Expo Extravaganza" Bowl-a-thon Charity event on Saturday September 10, 2022, Thanksgiving Community Distribution, and Santa is Coming with Love, Meals & Gifts in December. These community outreach expos are wonderful networking collaborative events. Whether you want to donate cash, inkind, building space and/or vehicle; there is a place and family who will benefit from them and be eternally grateful in the process. For more information, to register or donate online, please visit www.villagefamilyoutreach.net Volunteer opportunities available at www.volunteerhr.org

About Village Family

Founded in 2014 by Natisha Wilson to provide outreach resources to those in need. Village Family is a valuable community resource that feeds, clothes and educates. Hunger relief is a main thrust for Village Family. Village Family is a partner agency with the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and Eastern shore and food pantry host at First Calvary Church 813 Henry Street in Norfolk. Our mission is to make sure that no one that comes to us in need goes without assistance or goes to bed hungry.

SOURCE Village Family
The transaction represents the first time a leading third-party management company ("ManCo") has moved to integrate a fund administrator to complement its service offering versus the established route of fund administrators adding management company services.

It also sees Waystone double down on its home base of Ireland, where alongside the recently announced transaction with KB Associates, it will finish the year at close to 500 Irish based employees. With the Centaur combination, Waystone will also increase its North American presence.

Ronan Daly, Founding Partner at Centaur comments, "As we look at the next phase of our growth, joining together with Waystone is the logical option, being an Irish headquartered global financial services firm, client centric and with an institutional fund manager book. The Centaur team is delighted to be joining Waystone on their growth trajectory and look forward to being able to provide fund administration services to Waystone clients, whilst still providing our existing clients with the same quality and focus as they have come to expect from us."

Derek Delaney, Global CEO of Waystone comments, "For Waystone, this deal represents a major achievement, as with Centaur we are gaining a highly-experienced senior management team with similar culture and values and we will also gain additional global locations including New Jersey, Bermuda and Canada. We are quietly proud that, as with KB Associates, Centaur has chosen to join the emergence of the only truly international Irish financial services firm.

About Waystone

Waystone is the leading provider of institutional governance, risk and compliance services to the asset management industry.

Partnering institutional investors, investment funds and asset managers Waystone builds, supports and protects investment structures and strategies worldwide. With over 20 years' experience and a comprehensive range of specialist services to its name, Waystone is now supporting asset managers with more than US$1Tn in AUM.

Waystone provides its clients with the guidance and tools to allow them to focus on managing their investment goals with confidence.

Press Contact: Alison Mitsas

[email protected]

Tel: +39 327 751 1500

About Centaur Fund Services

Founded in 2009, Centaur provides fund administration services to some of the world's largest institutions, servicing over 120 different client groups who manage in excess of $200 Bn. Its experienced team, combined with operational excellence, is core to its success. With office locations in North America, London, Bermuda, Ireland and Luxembourg, Centaur delivers independent fund administration and regulatory services to hedge funds, funds of funds, private equity and real estate funds, insurance-linked securities funds, family offices and institutional investors, across the globe.

Press Contact: Ronan Daly

[email protected]

SOURCE Waystone
"For years we've been meeting our fans in unexpected ways and places with our unique approach to social media, gaming and engagement," said Carl Loredo, chief marketing officer for The Wendy's Company. "We're excited to take this to the next level by launching the Wendyverse in Meta's Horizon Worlds and bringing a totally new dimension of access to our fans. Truly a first of its kind, the Wendyverse bridges the best of today with tomorrow to show up for our fans across every world - with a Frosty and fries in hand."

The Wendyverse is more than a virtual restaurant. It's a virtual Wendy's world that starts with a virtual Wendy's restaurant. In the first phase of the Wendyverse, fans with a Meta Quest 2 can venture into a whole new delicious world built by community creators:

Wendyverse Town Square Central: A Wendy's restaurant fans know and love  replicated in the virtual world. Players can go behind the counter, meet up with friends and get ready for a mouth-watering adventure. Virtual hot & crispy fries, anyone?

A Wendy's restaurant fans know and love  replicated in the virtual world. Players can go behind the counter, meet up with friends and get ready for a mouth-watering adventure. Virtual hot & crispy fries, anyone? Wendyverse Partnership Plaza: Just in time for the madness, players can head over to The Buck BiscuitDome where they can storm the court, shoot hoops with a virtual Baconator and cut the net following a winning shot. The Ws don't stop there as fans can score a Sausage or Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit for just a buck* IRL - in-app or in-restaurant - from April 1 through May 1 . Yep, biscuit for a buck is back. You're going to want to get back into the real world for this one.

Launched in 2021, Horizon Worlds is a free social experience that allows people to explore, play and connect in new and extraordinary ways with immersive VR. Users can discover new places with friends, compete in action-packed games and interactive experiences, and design worlds of their own or be inspired by others. In Horizon Worlds, people are more than just visitors  they're part of what makes it great.

"The full vision of metaverse may be years away, but brands should start experimenting on what their metaverse presence will be now," said Vishal Shah, Meta's Vice President of Metaverse. "There are experiences like Horizon Worlds which can give people a feeling of what it means to be together in an experience  it's a great place to start."

"Wendy's, Meta's Creative Shop and Horizon Worlds creators worked together to bring this experience to life," said Nicky Bell, Meta's Vice President of Creative Shop. "Wendy's has always been an innovative leader in how they work with creators - building this world is a great example of how brands can show up in Horizon Worlds in intentional, meaningful ways with their communities."

Those without a Quest 2 can check out a viewer-only version, and out of this world deals, by visiting Wendyverse.com starting April 2. See you in the Wendyverse.

About Wendy's

Wendy's was founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio. Dave built his business on the premise, "Quality Is Our Recipe", which remains the guidepost of the Wendy's system. Wendy's is best known for its made-to-order square hamburgers, using fresh, never frozen beef**, freshly-prepared salads, and other signature items like chili, baked potatoes and the Frosty dessert. The Wendy's Company is committed to doing the right thing and making a positive difference in the lives of others. This is most visible through the Company's support of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and its signature Wendy's Wonderful Kids program, which seeks to find a loving, forever home for every child in the North American foster care system. Today, Wendy's and its franchisees employ hundreds of thousands of people across approximately 7,000 restaurants worldwide with a vision of becoming the world's most thriving and beloved restaurant brand. For details on franchising, connect with us at www.wendys.com/franchising. Visit www.wendys.com and www.squaredealblog.com for more information and connect with us on Twitter and Instagram using @wendys, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wendys.



*Limited time only at participating U.S. Wendy's during breakfast hours. Offer only applies to Bacon or Sausage, Egg and Cheese Biscuits. Not valid in combo. Limit five qualifying items per transaction and per person per day while supplies last. Third-party delivery prices may vary. Check your local Wendy's for breakfast hours.

**Fresh beef available in the contiguous U.S., Alaska, and Canada.

SOURCE The Wendy's Company
WASHINGTON, March 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Family Research Council Action (FRC Action) announced today its "True Blue" award winners for the Second Session of the 116th Congress and the First Session of the 117th Congress. The annual award recognizes the members of Congress who displayed unwavering commitment and support of faith, family, and freedom. Of the 223 members of Congress who voted "True Blue" in at least one of the past two years, 55 senators and 168 representatives scored a perfect 100 percent on FRC Action's 2020 Vote Scorecard and/or 2021 Vote Scorecard.

Family Research Council Action President Tony Perkins made the following comments:

"Today we honor the champions who have consistently stood up for life, family, and religious liberty. As a result of their unrelenting efforts, many bad pieces of legislation failed, and many of the most egregious elements of the Biden administration's radical Left agenda have been held in check. We hope that voters will recognize the pro-life, pro-family, and pro-religious liberty voting records of the 'True Blue' members and elect more candidates like them in the 2022 election.

"We thank these 'True Blue' members of Congress for defending faith, family, and freedom with their votes. They have voted to reject the radical gender ideology that would overhaul our federal civil rights framework to mandate special privileges for sexual orientation and gender identity. They voted to protect women, the military, homeless shelters, and public restrooms from this harmful ideology. They have voted to protect the sanctity of human life for unborn babies, end taxpayer funding of abortion, and prevent additional taxpayer funding of abortion both domestically and overseas. These members also voted to expand protections for conscience rights, reject the increasing acceptance of marijuana use, and reject pro-abortion, anti-family, judicial and executive appointments.

"Americans should be encouraged to know that they have so many members of Congress who, despite relentless attacks from the Left and the media, are standing strong for faith, family, and freedom," concluded Perkins.

To see the complete list of scored actions and how members voted, click here to download a copy of the 2020 scorecard, or here to download a copy of the 2021 scorecard.

SOURCE Family Research Council Action
ST. PAUL, Minn., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 3M (NYSE: MMM) today announced an additional investment of 150 million Euro to proactively advance remedial actions for the Zwijndrecht community to address legacy manufacturing and disposal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This is in addition to investments and actions the company has taken to further reduce PFAS discharges and emissions, continue running non-PFAS related manufacturing, and re-start previously idled PFAS-related manufacturing processes.

"We want to establish a constructive, collaborative relationship with Flemish authorities to address the concerns of all stakeholders. Today represents another important step forward in delivering on a broader set of commitments to our neighbors in Flanders," said 3M chairman and chief executive officer, Mike Roman.

"These investments help enhance our environmental stewardship, and achieve longer-term stability for 3M's operations in Belgium. We continue to advance and operate non-PFAS related manufacturing there, while working to get more PFAS-enabled manufacturing processes up and running in compliance with local safety measures," Roman added. "In addition to leveraging our global manufacturing footprint to deliver for our customers, we have also put in place new controls in Zwijndrecht, including technology to control air emissions, and capture, dispose, and treat PFAS in water. These investments, along with appropriate collaboration with the relevant authorities, help us bring idled processes back online enabling European production of essential products for our customers around the world."

Addressing historical activity: 3M has committed to address legacy PFAS the company had previously produced at its Zwijndrecht facility. An accredited third-party soil remediation expert has recently completed significant work on a descriptive soil investigation that helps inform 3M's remedial actions onsite and in the surrounding area.

Costs associated with initial remedial actions are currently estimated at 150 million Euro. 3M has accelerated certain remedial timelines and actions, which will be completed with oversight from the relevant authorities. 3M expects to record a charge in the first quarter of 2022 associated with the estimate of this phase of remediation and to reflect it as an adjustment in arriving at results, adjusted for special items.

Progressing on commitments: Consistent with its work at other manufacturing facilities, 3M is further reducing PFAS discharges from its operations. 3M has engineered and activated a wastewater treatment system that has helped significantly reduce PFAS discharges from its site in Zwijndrecht, while continuing to work with relevant authorities to resolve the wastewater discharge permit modification issues that impact the facility's operations, as previously disclosed in 3M's 2021 10-K. 3M is also making process changes and implementing additional controls that reduce air emissions.

Supporting the citizens of Zwijndrecht: 3M is also committed to supporting our neighbors and community. To help support farmers who have been financially impacted, 3M worked collaboratively with the Flemish authorities and local farmers' association to establish a goodwill compensation process. This process is underway, and in the coming weeks, several dozen agricultural businesses will begin to receive payments.

These plans further demonstrate 3M's commitment to corporate responsibility and global environmental stewardship. 3M has made significant progress in similar work at other locations globally, including at sites in the United States and Germany. To learn more, visit www.3M.com/PFAS.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information about 3M's financial results and estimates and business prospects that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by the use of words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "aim," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "will," "should," "could," "target," "forecast" and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance or business plans or prospects. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are the following: (1) worldwide economic, political, regulatory, international trade and other external conditions and other factors beyond the Company's control, including natural and other disasters or climate change affecting the operations of the Company or its customers and suppliers; (2) risks related to public health crises such as the global pandemic associated with the coronavirus (COVID-19); (3) foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations in those rates; (4) liabilities related to certain fluorochemicals, including lawsuits concerning various PFAS-related products and chemistries, and claims and governmental regulatory proceedings and inquiries related to PFAS in a variety of jurisdictions; (5) legal proceedings, including significant developments that could occur in the legal and regulatory proceedings described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2021, and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q (the "Reports"); (6) competitive conditions and customer preferences; (7) the timing and market acceptance of new product offerings; (8) the availability and cost of purchased components, compounds, raw materials, energy (including oil and natural gas and their derivatives) and labor due to shortages, increased demand and wages, logistics, supply chain interruptions or manufacturing site disruption (including those caused by natural and other disasters and other events such as government actions); (9) unanticipated problems or delays with the phased implementation of a global enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, or security breaches and other disruptions to the Company's information technology infrastructure; (10) the impact of acquisitions, strategic alliances, divestitures and other unusual events resulting from portfolio management actions and other evolving business strategies, and possible organizational restructuring; (11) operational execution, including scenarios where the Company generates fewer productivity improvements than estimated; (12) financial market risks that may affect the Company's funding obligations under defined benefit pension and postretirement plans; (13) the Company's credit ratings and its cost of capital; and (14) tax-related external conditions, including changes in tax rates, laws or regulations. Changes in such assumptions or factors could produce significantly different results. A further description of these factors is located in the Reports under "Cautionary Note Concerning Factors That May Affect Future Results" and "Risk Factors" in Part I, Items 1 and 1A (Annual Report) and in Part I, Item 2 and Part II, Item 1A (Quarterly Reports), as updated by applicable Current Reports on Form 8-K. The information contained in this press release is as of the date indicated. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information or future events or developments.

About 3M

At 3M (NYSE: MMM), we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily as our employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M's creative solutions to global challenges at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNews.

Investor Contact:

Bruce Jermeland

(651) 733-1807

Diane Farrow

(612) 202-2449

Media Contact:

Sean Lynch

[email protected]

SOURCE: 3M

SOURCE 3M
Acquisition combines premier California brand with 4Front's state-of-the-art Commerce, California manufacturing facility

PHOENIX, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - 4Front Ventures Corp . (CSE: FFNT) (OTCQX: FFNTF) ("4Front" or the "Company"), a vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis operator and retailer, today announced it has signed a definitive merger agreement on March 30, 2022 (the "Agreement") to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Island Cannabis Co. ("Island").

"This acquisition of Island is the first step of a broader California strategy that supports our earlier decision to construct what we believe is one of the cannabis industry's largest and most efficient processing centers," said 4Front CEO Leo Gontmakher. "Island is widely recognized for its high-quality, diverse line of pre-rolls, flower and infused products, and has been remarkably successful in building a loyal following in the extremely competitive California market. Once integrated into 4Front's Commerce facility, we can reduce production costs and scale volume of the Island Cannabis Co. brand. This will accelerate Island's growth by making a respected brand even more attractive to California retailers and consumers. We are also ecstatic to have Founder and CEO, Ray Landgraf, COO, Brandon Mills, and the Island leadership team join the 4Front family. We believe our Company's success in acquiring and retaining talent to our management team is imperative to value creation."

"We are most excited about what this acquisition means for Island's customers," said Ray Landgraf, CEO of Island. "California is arguably one of the most competitive cannabis markets in the world. Leveraging 4Front's platform, operational efficiency and scale enables Island to follow through on its promise to deliver the discerning California consumer only the highest quality products and most innovative cannabis experiences."

"California is well known as a highly fragmented, competitive market with many struggling participants amid stagnation and pricing pressures," continued 4Front CEO Gontmakher. "We view ourselves as well prepared for this market, given similarities to the challenges we faced and overcame in Washington state. This is a golden opportunity for us, where we can leverage our proficiencies and expertise to pick up attractive assets at great prices that, when added to our production facility, immediately become profitable and accretive."

"We believe that our California thesis is resonating, as we continue to execute on our strategic growth plan in the state. Island is a great fit and meets all the criteria we look for in accretive M&A. Simply put, our goal in California is to emerge as one of the top high-quality cannabis producers and price leaders in the largest and most competitive marketplace in the world. The addition of Island is an exciting first step, and as we continue to expand in California, we expect to announce additional similarly accretive strategic acquisitions over the coming months."

4Front California Highlights

170,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility, located outside of the City of Los Angeles

Scaled production of pre-roll, vape, concentrates, gummies, edibles, mints, gelatin capsules, and tinctures

Precision sorting and batching and automated packaging capability

80,000 sq. ft. of distribution and warehousing space

25,450 sq. ft. of finished goods storage

Over 65,000 cubic feet of dry-flower storage

Currently producing eight of 4Front's 20 brands and 164 different SKUs

Advanced machine and automation technologies and expert commissioning

Produces a minimum of 10 times more product per shift than the Company's largest managed facilities in Washington

250,000 sq. ft. of licensed mixed-light cultivation canopy throughout Santa Cruz and Monterey counties

and counties Distribution partnership with Nabis, a fully-licensed cannabis wholesale platform with the largest portfolio of cannabis brands in the world, supplying 100% of California's dispensaries and delivery services 1

dispensaries and delivery services Cost-effective wholesale solutions and services, void of overhead capital infrastructure costs

About Island Cannabis Co.

Island Global Holdings Inc. (dba Island Cannabis Co.) is a producer of pre-rolls, flower and concentrate products. Island has operations throughout California, including Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. With a world class team devoted to the most innovative, socially responsible and sustainable cultivation practices, Island's products are known throughout California to be of the highest quality, freshness and consistency. Island products are available in over 150 stores across California.

More information about Island Cannabis Co. and its products can be found at www.island.co.

About 4Front Ventures Corp.

4Front is a national, vertically integrated multi-state cannabis operator who owns or manages operations and facilities in strategic medical and adult-use cannabis markets, including California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan and Washington. Since its founding in 2011, 4Front has built a strong reputation for its high standards and low-cost cultivation and production methodologies earned through a track record of success in facility design, cultivation, genetics, growing processes, manufacturing, purchasing, distribution, and retail. To date, 4Front has successfully brought to market more than 20 different cannabis brands and over 1,800 products, which are strategically distributed through its fully owned and operated Mission dispensaries and retail outlets in its core markets. As the Company continues to drive value for its shareholders, its team is applying its decade of expertise in the sector across the cannabis industry value chain and ecosystem. For more information, visit https://4frontventures.com/ and www.4frontca.com .

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking information"). Forward-looking information are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "likely" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, without limitation, statements relating to the completion of the 4Front's possible acquisition of Island (the "Acquisition"), the growth of the California consumer segment of the California cannabis market, the anticipated benefits associated with the completion of the Acquisition, the receipt of all requisite approvals to complete the Acquisition, the closing date of the Acquisition, the Company's goals following closing of the Acquisition and the Company's business and strategic plans. Forward-looking information is based on assumptions that may prove to be incorrect, including but not limited to the ability of the Company to execute its business plan, the continued growth of the medical and/or recreational cannabis markets in the countries in which the Company operates or intends to operate and Island maintaining its existing cannabis licenses. The Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable in the circumstances. However, forward-looking information is subject to business and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Such risks include, without limitation: the failure to obtain all necessary approvals related to the Acquisition, the ability of the Company to complete the Acquisition in a timely manner or at all; the ability of the Company to integrate Island's business into its existing operations and to realize the expected benefits and synergies of the acquisition; unexpected disruptions to the operations and businesses of the Company and/or Island as a result of the war in Ukraine as well as the COVID-19 global pandemic or other disease outbreaks including a resurgence in the cases of COVID-19; engaging in activities considered illegal under United States federal law; the ability of the Company to comply with applicable government regulations in a highly regulated industry; unexpected changes in governmental policies and regulations affecting the production, distribution, manufacture or use of cannabis in the United States, or any other foreign jurisdictions in which the Company intends to operate; unexpected changes in governmental policies and regulations affecting the production, distribution, manufacture or use of adult-use recreational cannabis in the United States or Canada; any change in accounting practices or treatment affecting the consolidation of financial results; any unexpected failure of Island to renew its licenses and permits; and any unexpected failure of Island to maintain any of its commercial facilities; the Company's reliance on management.

Furthermore, forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements related to future developments and the business and operations of 4Front, statements regarding when or if transactions will close or required conditions to closing will be attained, statements regarding future financial performance of the Company, statements regarding commencement and completion of construction of facilities and distribution of product, the availability of financing, the accretive nature of transactions, the ability to enter into definitive agreements for funding and acquisition opportunities, the impact of the transactions on the current and future business of 4Front and other statements regarding future developments of the business. Although 4Front has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including, but not limited to: dependence on entering into definitive agreements and satisfying closing conditions, obtaining regulatory approvals; and engagement in activities currently considered illegal under U.S. federal laws; change in laws; limited operating history; reliance on management; requirements for additional financing; competition; hindering market growth and state adoption due to inconsistent public opinion and perception of the medical-use and adult-use marijuana industry; and regulatory or political change. Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as the Company's filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, the results or events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events.

Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. 4Front disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and 4Front does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company mentioned herein.

SOURCE 4Front
Customer service teams are increasingly responsible for revenue with 81% saying they are compensated based on performance and sales within their teams. These executives are facing challenges in achieving results with 95% saying there are technology or process challenges in their departments hindering success. Notably, 43% said their customers find their payment technology hard to use, and 41% said reporting and analysis is disjointed.

"Revenue-generating responsibilities of customer service departments have significantly increased, while many of their technical capabilities have remained the same," said Pieter de Villiers, Co-Founder and CEO at Clickatell. "With rising revenue expectations should also come the tools and investments that help customer service departments meet them. Chat Commerce providing seamless and secure engagement and transactions that allows representatives to support customers along their entire path to purchase, while also encouraging the opportunity for increased sales."

Customer service executives trust chat for sales and payments

Overwhelmingly, (96%) of customer service teams in these revenue producing departments are responsible for taking payments from their customers, and yet, more than half still use antiquated processes, such as sending a bill or invoice (60%) or taking credit cards (53%). 97% of leaders agree customer service teams would benefit by using chat-to-pay technology and nearly half (48%) of organizations that don't currently accept chat payments plan to do so in the future. Additionally, 88% of leaders agree that using chat channels for payments will help meet revenue goals; 97% said that chat payment investments pay for themselves.

WhatsApp, Google Chat and Facebook Messenger are the chat apps most used by customer service teams:

WhatsApp (47%)

Google Chat (40%)

Facebook Messenger (31%)

Instagram Chat (30%)

Apple Messages (23%)

WeChat (23%)

Telegram (21%)

Discord (15%)

Snapchat (15%)

Line (6%)

Viber (5%)

Signal (5%)

99% surveyed find a significant number of benefits when using chat with customers including the following:

Faster response times

Simple and easy for customers

Improved customer satisfaction

Increased customer engagement

Convenience for customers

Reduced call center costs

Stronger customer relationships

Improved agent efficiency

Continuation from existing or saved chat history

Lower risk of fraud

The survey findings also noted that email (30%) and chat apps (27%) are the most preferred channels for customer service agents, while phone calls (19%) are least preferred.

Clickatell's Chat Commerce Trends Report, which is based on a survey of 340+ senior customer service leaders in the U.S., can be viewed here. To learn more about how to implement chat payments, see Clickatell's Chat 2 Pay product page and read how it enables businesses to securely accept payments in chat messaging by sending consumers a payment link.

About Clickatell

Clickatell is the global Chat Commerce leader powering businesses to connect, interact, and transact with consumers anytime, anywhere in chat. The low / no-code, feature-rich Chat Commerce Platform sits at the intersection of communications (CPaaS, CCaaS) and commerce (digital payments). Clickatell serves over 10,000 customers, many of which are Fortune 500 companies and leading global brands activating their own digital commerce transformations. Clickatell is headquartered in Silicon Valley, CA, and has offices in Canada, South Africa and Nigeria. Learn more at www.clickatell.com.

Media Contacts

SOURCE Clickatell
- Abbott and LISC invest more than $37 million to empower and grow diverse small businesses that provide manufacturing and essential products for healthcare companies

- Initiative supports Abbott and LISC's commitment to increase diversity in healthcare and generate jobs and strengthen economies in underinvested communities

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., and NEW YORK, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) announced a $37.5 million initiative to provide diverse small businesses with the tailored growth capital, loans and support they need to compete, grow and create jobs. The initiative will support greater diversity in the healthcare industry by advancing a more inclusive supply chain for Abbott and other healthcare companies, while contributing to broader economic and health equity.

In the healthcare supply chain, the small businesses that help produce diagnostics, nutrition products, medical devices and other health technologies do not reflect the diversity of the communities they serve  which reflects a broader diversity gap in businesses across America. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 19% of U.S. businesses are owned by people of color and 21% are owned by women, despite representing 40% and more than half the population, respectively. Owners of diverse small businesses  including people of color and women  can help drive change, but many face challenges, with 50% unable to access loans to grow their business.

The Abbott-LISC Initiative to Support Diverse Businesses in Health aims to break down barriers that prevent diverse small businesses from providing manufacturing and essential products in healthcare. By providing targeted support, Abbott and LISC are working to build a stronger, more diverse healthcare supply chain, as well as healthier local economies and communities.

"We're committed to tearing down the barriers that diverse small-business owners often face, and to building a more inclusive supply chain in healthcare," said Robert B. Ford, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott. "Our new initiative with LISC takes real, pragmatic steps to make that happen."

"This partnership is a shared investment in the future of our communities and the strength of our supply chains," said LISC CEO Lisa L. Glover. "We're proud to partner with Abbott to deliver capital and technical services that enhance the infrastructure for small business growth, so owners from diverse backgrounds are better able to compete for contracts, hire more staff, and fuel economic opportunity in the communities where they operate."

Targeted Support for Diverse Small Businesses

Abbott is contributing $25 million for the initiative, including $12.5 million in loan capital and $12.5 million in grants to LISC to provide investment funding and targeted support. LISC is matching the investment with an additional $12.5 million in loan capital. This funding will support diverse small businesses in three ways:

Growth capital: With Abbott grant support, LISC will provide interest-free capital to help businesses overcome hurdles to expansion, such as investing in management systems to comply with regulatory and environmental requirements. Businesses will repay LISC if and when they meet certain growth targets. Business loans: Abbott and LISC funding will provide flexible, affordable loans with terms that would not typically be available through conventional lenders. Technical assistance: An Abbott grant will support LISC in providing customized support to businesses accessing capital and loans through the initiative, including help with fulfilling investment and loan requirements and identifying and addressing specific business barriers to growth.

Eligible small businesses are those that are majority owned by people of color (including Black, Latino, Asian and Native American business owners), women, veterans, people with disabilities, people who identify as LGBTQ and other historically underrepresented groups in the U.S. with more than two years in operation and an ability to deploy capital toward business improvements and growth. To qualify, businesses should focus on manufacturing and essential business-to-business products that support the production of diagnostics, nutrition products, medical devices and other health technologies.

Collaboration Part of Broader Work to Advance Diversity, Equity, Opportunity

This joint initiative supports Abbott's 2030 Sustainability Plan, which aims to advance health access and equity through partnership and build a diverse, resilient and responsible supply chain  with specific targets to increase overall spending with diverse and small businesses 50% by 2030 and with Black- and women-owned businesses 150% by 2025. This work complements Abbott's ongoing commitment to address broader health equity challenges, including increasing diversity in clinical trials, creating opportunities in STEM for women and underrepresented groups, and empowering communities to break down social and economic barriers to better health.

The work also supports LISC's Project 10X, which bridges racial health, wealth and opportunity gaps throughout the country. The initiative helps break down historical and systemic barriers by investing in businesses, community organizations, developers and projects that are driven by and for communities of color.

To learn more about this initiative, funding eligibility and opportunities, see Abbott's site and LISC's site.

About LISC

LISC is one of the country's largest community development organizations, helping forge vibrant, resilient communities across America. We work with residents and partners to close systemic gaps in health, wealth and opportunity and advance racial equity so that people and places can thrive. Since our founding in 1979, LISC has invested $24 billion to create more than 436,320 affordable homes and apartments and develop 74.4 million square feet of retail, community and educational space.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 113,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/abbott-/, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews.

SOURCE Abbott
RALEIGH, N.C., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Earlier this week, the White House released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget request to Congress . The Budget requests $127.3 billion in discretionary funding for Health and Human Services (HHS), a $26.9 billion (26.8%) increase over the FY21 enacted level. HHS governs addiction services through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Addiction Professionals of North Carolina (APNC) applauds the President's commitment to prioritize the full continuum of care for addiction services (prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery support) by proposing an increase of $4.2 billion in SAMHSA over the FY22 enacted budget.

We are especially pleased to see a 10% recovery-set aside in the proposal, which will ensure a sustained focus on recovery services throughout the state, amounting to ~$9M in additional, dedicated funding for addiction recovery support in North Carolina.

Finally, we are extremely pleased with the President's recommendation to remove the stigmatizing language of "abuse" from our federal agencies governing addiction services. "APNC has shifted its language around substance use, as have most of our members. Seeing the change on a federal level is an excellent step toward decreasing stigma around substance use," says APNC's Executive Director, Sarah Potter. The proposal recommends changing the "Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration" to "Substance Use And Mental Health Services Administration." The Administration further recommended changing the "Center for Substance Abuse Treatment" and "Center for Substance Abuse Prevention" to "Center for Substance Use Services"and "Center for Substance Use Prevention Services," respectively.

In 2019, ~600,00 North Carolinians suffered from substance use disorders, a number that increased dramatically during the pandemic. The number of overdoses alone has risen more than 40% in North Carolina since 2019. We encourage our Congressional delegates to support this budget which will positively impact the lives of the people affected by substance use disorder. Reach out to Senators Tillis and Burr as well as your Congressional Delegates to let them know you support this budget.

APNC is working with our federal lobbyist and our national partners to drive better health policy, adequate resources and funding, and refinement of policies that impact the SUD field. APNC is the only North Carolina professional membership organization with a legislative voice that advocates exclusively on behalf of addiction professionals, organizations, and the communities they serve.

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourAPNC

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourapnc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourAPNC

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/yourapnc

Contact:

Morgan Coyner

Communications Director

[email protected]

804-317-8107

SOURCE Addiction Professionals of North Carolina
Company to highlight latest innovations in digitally-enabled, patient-centric, temperature-controlled distribution

ROCHESTER, N.Y., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AeroSafe Global today announced its participation in several upcoming pharmaceutical supply chain conferences across three countries. In this world tour, the AeroSafe team is delighted to return in-person to LogiPharma in Europe and the Canadian Association for Pharmacy Distribution Management (CAPDM) Annual Conference. In addition, AeroSafe will be making its first appearance at the U.S.-based Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit as an event sponsor. Across these events the company will showcase its newest supply chain innovations supporting the safe, efficient and environmentally sustainable delivery of temperature sensitive therapies.

To meet markedly increased demand for leading-edge digital capabilities and analytics to limit supply chain bottlenecks, AeroSafe is continuing to expand visibility offerings for comprehensive risk mitigation. Only AeroSafe offers a seamless cold chain Control Tower that listens for potential excursions  transit delays, temperature spikes, packaging damage, handling errors  with the capability to address issues proactively.

At LogiPharma EU, taking place April 5-7, 2022, in Nice, France, AeroSafe CEO Jay McHarg and Chief Digital Officer Scott Whyte will host a Masterclass entitled, "Achieving ESG results via connected, reusable packaging" on Tuesday, April 5 at 3:50pm local time. The two executives will share insight and experience around digitally-connected, reusable packaging that enables drug manufacturers to minimize their consumption of water and electricity while reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Attendees can learn more about the company's reuse approach in booth #106.

AeroSafe's commitment to sustainability is prized by its customers, including more than half of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies. In 2021, the company achieved a rapid scale-up of its reusable shipper fleet which now includes more than 250,000 high-performance containers. Additionally, given how important demonstrable ESG results are to biopharma manufacturers who have an eye towards near term carbon neutrality, AeroSafe has invested in technology to surface earned sustainability savings based on actual last-mile distribution data.

At Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit, taking place May 2-5, 2022, in Las Vegas, AeroSafe will be showcasing its direct to patient capabilities (DTP) which extend far beyond a high performing, ergonomic, connected container. For direct to patient distribution of therapies, AeroSafe offers high-touch and high-tech add-ons for customers to leverage as they seek to grow brand loyalty from an expanding DTP market. Attendees can learn more about the company's unique direct to patient capabilities at booth #704.

The company's third spring event will be the CAPDM annual meeting, happening May 21-23, 2022, in Vancouver, Canada. Glenn Marquis, the general manager of AeroSafe's Canadian operations, will be attending the event. AeroSafe has had a presence in Canada for nearly 10 years and currently serves the needs of manufacturers, 3PLs and distributors for both commercial and clinical shipments.

"COVID brought to light the complexities of the pharmaceutical supply chain when it comes to therapeutics with strict temperature and handling requirements. At AeroSafe, this is the problem we have been solving with our customers for more than a decade," offered CEO Jay McHarg. "Our business transformed in 2021 as we expanded operations, integrated emerging IoT technologies, and launched new service capabilities in response to customer business realities. We are excited to showcase our latest solutions at upcoming industry events."

About AeroSafe Global

One of America's fastest growing companies, AeroSafe Global helps biopharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors improve patient lives by owning the safe, efficient delivery of temperature-sensitive therapeutics from pandemic vaccines to immunotherapies and the medicines people rely on daily. With patented cold chain technology, a leading-edge digital platform, and focus on enhancing environmental sustainability through a reuse model, the company embeds intelligence into every phase of the supply chain journey for 100% certainty. For additional information, please visit https://www.aerosafeglobal.com/.

Media Contact:

Jen Crowley

Director, Marketing

AeroSafe Global

[email protected]

585-504-1769

SOURCE AeroSafe Global
BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhua) -- With the approval of Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the CMC has issued a series of new regulations on the management of People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers.

The interim regulations on non-commissioned officers and conscripts, together with several supporting documents issued by the CMC, are aimed at enhancing professionalism and stability among non-commissioned officers, while allowing conscripts to play a more fundamental role in the development of China's military talent, the military authorities said.

They will also help boost the management of PLA soldiers by perfecting the recruitment, training, rank promotion, benefits and demobilization system for non-commissioned officers and conscripts, and will play a vital role in building a high-quality military that follows the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the authorities said.

The new regulations will all go into effect on March 31. 
OSLO, Norway, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Reference is made to the recently announced contemplated merger (the "Merger") between Aker Offshore Wind AS (the "Company") and AH Tretten AS, a subsidiary of Aker Horizons ASA ("AKH"). The Merger is subject to the approval of the Company's general meeting. To avoid holding two general meetings within a short time period, the board of directors have decided to postpone the Company's annual general meeting originally scheduled for 19 April 2022, until 4 May 2022 at 14.00 (CEST), and amend the agenda for the general meeting to also include the approval of the Merger.

Please find attached the following documents:

Updated notice of the 2022 annual general meeting, incl. proxy forms

Updated Board of Directors' proposed resolutions

Statement from the audit committee concerning election of new auditor

The Merger plan dated 30 March 2022 , incl. appendices

All documents to be processed in the meeting will also be made available at: www.akeroffshorewind.com/investors/annual-general-meeting/

The meeting will be conducted as a virtual meeting only, accessible online via Lumi AGM. All shareholders will be able to participate in the meeting, vote and ask questions from smartphones, tablets or desktop devices. For further information regarding electronic participation, please refer to the guide available at: www.akeroffshorewind.com/investors/annual-general-meeting/

No pre-registration is needed for attending online, but attendees must be logged in before the meeting starts. Deadline for registration of advance votes and proxies is 3 May 2022 at 16.00 (CET).

Investor contact:

Tom Selwood,

+44 (0)7743 502455

[email protected]

Media contact:

Maria Lanza Knudsen

+47 484 42 426

[email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/aker-offshore-wind-as/r/aker-offshore-wind-as--notice-of-postponed-annual-general-meeting-with-amended-agenda,c3535441

The following files are available for download:

https://news.cision.com/aker-offshore-wind-as/i/2-dsc01413,c3031252 2-DSC01413 https://mb.cision.com/Public/20224/3535441/af2434b5f309f4e1.pdf AOW - Updated AGM 2022 Resolutions proposed by board https://mb.cision.com/Public/20224/3535441/9c678034c99a6523.pdf AOW - Updated proxy forms AGM 2022 https://mb.cision.com/Public/20224/3535441/b2fab1379f857037.pdf AOW - Recommendation on Selection of Auditor https://mb.cision.com/Public/20224/3535441/b73e07ce1b05414a.pdf AOW - Updated notice of AGM 2022 https://mb.cision.com/Public/20224/3535441/84bdee85cc4a2b1f.pdf Merger plan AOW

SOURCE Aker Offshore Wind AS
Dr. Kelley joins efforts with Marc Koska OBE, inventor of the K1 auto-disable syringe, on future products to improve injection safety in all markets

STAMFORD, Conn., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ApiJect Systems, Corp., a medical technology public-benefit corporation providing a platform that enables pharmaceutical and biotech companies to efficiently fill-finish their injectable medicines in prefilled delivery systems, has announced that Edward Kelley, PhD, has joined the company as Chief Global Health Officer for ApiJect and as a leader of its related organizations, ApiLabs and the ApiJect Global Initiative.

At ApiJect, Dr. Kelley helps lead the company's effort to develop upstream product ideas that serve both global markets and individual patients, and he establishes and manages relationships with important government and non-profit healthcare providers to nations around the world.

Dr. Kelley also serves as the Chief Global Health Officer of ApiLabs, an ApiJect sister company that performs ground-level R&D on new, scalable medical devices created on the ApiJect Platform. Marc Koska OBE, inventor of the widely-used K1 auto-disable syringe and co-founder of ApiJect, serves as the lead designer at ApiLabs. Together, Dr. Kelley will work with Mr. Koska and expert teams at ApiLabs on future injection devices that improve injection safety and access for patients in all markets.

Dr. Kelley is also Executive Director of the ApiJect Global Initiative, a group within ApiJect focused on carrying out the company's founding mission of promoting awareness and collaborative problem-solving for injection safety and global market access.

Dr. Kelley joins ApiJect after 15 years with the World Health Organization (WHO), most recently as Director of Integrated Health Services, where he was a prominent leader of WHO's work on the COVID-19 response, on the Access to COVID Tools (ACT) Accelerator, and on the United Nations Task Team on the Socioeconomic Response to COVID-19.

In addition, Dr. Kelley managed a wide portfolio at WHO with active programs in clinical services, health systems policy and services regulation, and patient safety and quality of care and health services performance monitoring. This included leading WHO's efforts on Injection Safety and the Safe Injection Global Network (SIGN). His work at WHO further involved collaborations with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, GAVI the Vaccine Alliance, the Rockefeller Foundation, and The Global Fund for HIV, TB and Malaria, among others.

Dr. Kelley remains passionate about the world's ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other global health issues. In the past twelve months, he has spoken to major news services on several occasions about the state of the pandemic and ongoing response efforts (see https://apiject.com/press/ for further information). In addition, he and his Global Initiative team recently released a first draft of a document that compares 50 commonly-held beliefs about COVID-19 against publicly available data. The first edition is available at https://injectionsafetyaccess.com/50-covid-beliefs/.

Prior to joining WHO, Dr. Kelley served for nearly a decade as Director of the U.S. National Healthcare Reports for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, reporting to the Director of that agency director and directly to the Secretary of HHS. During his time with HHS, Dr. Kelley was seconded to direct the 28-country Health Care Quality Improvement (HCQI) Project of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. Prior to his HHS role, he served as a Senior Researcher and Quality Assurance Advisor for the USAID-sponsored Quality Assurance Project (QAP) and Partnerships for Health Reform Project Plus (PHRPlus).

Dr. Kelley received his PhD from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he served as an Associate Professor, and earned his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College.

In welcoming Dr. Kelley, ApiJect Chairman Jay Walker stated, "Ed Kelley is among the world's most accomplished leaders in public health. We are fortunate he has decided to join ApiJect's team, where he elevates our role in addressing critical needs in global heath. As a public benefit corporation founded to address injection safety and primary healthcare needs, ApiJect appreciates Ed's history of strengthening primary health care and making health services safe around the world. This sterling record will ensure that ApiJect and ApiLabs fulfill their mission to make essential injectable medicines and vaccines a realistic possibility that is well within reach for all communities, especially the most difficult to serve."

ApiJect Co-Founder and ApiLabs Head Product Designer Marc Koska OBE added "I am delighted to have Ed join our team. His knowledge of global health, plus his passion and commitment adds to the capability of the ApiJect organization. We both share a deep-seated belief that to really improve injection safety around the world, we need to improve the injection devices and drug containers that serve these markets, in addition to awareness, training, and other important efforts governments and organizations have historically focused on."

ABOUT APIJECT SYSTEMS, CORP.

ApiJect Systems, Corp. is a public-benefit medical technology company working to bring prefilled, single-dose injections to more people in every market. The ApiJect Platform enables pharmaceutical and biotech companies to design scalable prefilled injectors and efficiently fill-finish them with their injectable drug products. This can be done either on one of their own ApiJect-licensed Blow-Fill-Seal packaging lines or at one of our world-class manufacturing partners.

Learn more at www.apiject.com.

SOURCE ApiJect Systems Corp.
INDIANAPOLIS, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ardagh Glass Packaging  North America (AGP  North America), a business of Ardagh Group , today announced it was awarded the highest supplier rating from Arterra Wines Canada, Inc. (Arterra).

The highest supplier rating awarded to AGP  North America from Arterra's Supplier Scorecard is based upon service, governance and risk management, value and innovation.

"The last two years have been extremely challenging from a supply perspective," said Emilio Russo, Vice President, Procurement at Arterra Wines Canada, Inc. "We very much appreciate the support from Walter Schaefer, Manager, National Accounts; Kris Johnson Whetsel, Manager, Customer Service  Food, Beverage & Spirits; and Kimberly Culver, Manager, Customer Service  Wine, East for their collaboration and creativity, often providing solutions to potential issues before they occurred, which mitigated our exposure to supply gaps."

For the past 18 years, AGP  North America has worked alongside Arterra, collaborating on a multitude of projects. In 2020, AGP  North America designed and manufactured a 1.5L Bordeaux Stelvin wine bottle for Arterra with an overall weight reduction of 20 percent (5.50 ounces) from its original design, in compliance with the Liquor Control Board of Ontario's (LCBO) standards.

"Ardagh Glass Packaging is pleased to receive the highest supplier rating from Arterra," said Darrell Wineman, Vice President, Food, Wine & Spirits for AGP  North America. "We are passionate about collaborating with brands such as Arterra to deliver superior service and the highest standards in sustainable glass packaging."

For more than 125 years, Ardagh has been producing innovative, 100 percent and endlessly recyclable glass bottles in the U.S., and offers a wide selection of premium wine bottles in a variety of colors, sizes, styles and finishes.

Throughout 2022, Ardagh Glass Packaging will celebrate the United Nations International Year of Glass (IYOG) , commemorating the essential role of glass packaging in a sustainable society.

In this IYOG, AGP  North America is focused on collaborating with customers like Arterra to provide high-quality glass bottles to celebrate the advancement of glass packaging in today's society.

To view Ardagh's extensive glass wine bottle stock portfolio, which offers a variety of colors, sizes, styles and finishes all made in the U.S.A., visit ardaghgroup.com/wine2022 .

Further information

Gina Behrman, Vice President, Marketing, Communications & NPD at Ardagh Glass Packaging  North America, [email protected] , 317.558.5717

Paula Polei, Manager, Marketing & Communications at Ardagh Glass Packaging  North America, [email protected] , 317.558.5732

Emilio Russo, Vice President, Procurement at Arterra Wines Canada, Inc., [email protected] , 905.371.8139

Download image here.

Notes to the editor

Ardagh Group is a global supplier of infinitely recyclable metal and glass packaging for the world's leading brands. Ardagh operates 58 metal and glass production facilities in 12 countries, employing more than 17,000 people with sales of approximately $7.6 bn.

Arterra Wines Canada, Inc. has more than 140 years' experience in the Canadian Wine Industry. We are Canada's leading producer and marketer of award winning, globally recognized Canadian and Imported wines. We operate 12 commercial and estate wineries across Canada with over 1,700 acres of premium vineyards.

SOURCE Ardagh Group
Vendor Insights

The automotive electrically adjustable outside rear view (ORVM) mirror market is fragmented, and the vendors are deploying growth strategies such as quality, price, service, brand image, distribution, and marketing to compete in the market. The report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several market vendors, including:

BEEKAY AUTOMOTIVES

Enginetech Systems Pvt. Ltd.

Ficosa Internacional SA

FLABEG Automotive Glass Group GmbH

Gentex Corp.

Hilux Auto Electric Pvt. Ltd.

Honda Lock Mfg. Co. Ltd.

ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES LTD.

Ishizaki Honten Co. Ltd.

Magna International Inc.

MEKRA Lang GmbH and Co. KG

Mitsuba Corp.

Motherson Sumi Systems Ltd.

Murakami Corp.

Royal Auto Product

Sakae Riken Kogyo Co. Ltd.

SL Corp.

Tata Sons Pvt. Ltd.

Tokai Rika Co. Ltd.

Find additional highlights on the growth strategies adopted by vendors and their product offerings, Read Free Sample Report .

Geographical Market Analysis

APAC will provide maximum growth opportunities in the automotive electrically adjustable outside rear view (ORVM) mirror market during the forecast period. According to our research, the region will contribute to 52% of the global market growth during the forecast period. China, Japan, and South Korea are the key countries for the market in APAC. Vehicle manufacturers offer electrically adjustable ORVMs in their vehicles as standard or optional fitment, which will facilitate the automotive electrically adjustable outside rear view (ORVM) mirror market growth in APAC over the forecast period.

Know more about this market's geographical distribution along with the detailed analysis of the top regions. View Our Report Snapshot

Key Segment Analysis

The automotive electrically adjustable outside rear view (ORVM) mirror market share growth by the passenger vehicles segment will be significant during the forecast period. In recent years, automotive OEMs have introduced advanced autonomous technologies such as adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking. Such developments are anticipated to drive the segment growth during the forecast period.

View FREE Sample: to know additional highlights and key points on various market segments and their impact in coming years.

Key Market Drivers & Challenges:

The increasing demand for electrically adjustable ORVMs with advanced functionalities is challenging the automotive electrically adjustable outside rear view (ORVM) mirror market growth. These mirrors are integrated with advanced functionalities such as heated mirrors, puddle lamps, and mirrors with auto-fold function. Features such as heated mirrors and auto-tilt mirrors improve the functionality of electrically adjustable ORVMs. Hence, the growing integration of advanced features in electrically adjustable ORVMs is driving the growth of the market in focus.

Government regulations regarding automotive mirrors are challenging the automotive electrically adjustable outside rear view (ORVM) mirror market growth. The majority of states in the US have laws requiring automobiles to have rear-view mirrors. However, technological developments in the automotive industry have outpaced developments in regulatory systems followed in various countries. This has restricted vehicle manufacturers from equipping vehicles with certain technologies.

Download free sample for highlights on market Drivers & Challenges impacting the automotive electrically adjustable outside rear view (ORVM) mirror market.

Customize Your Report

Don't miss out on the opportunity to speak to our analyst and know more insights about this market report. Our analysts can also help you customize this report according to your needs. Our analysts and industry experts will work directly with you to understand your requirements and provide you with customized data in a short amount of time.

We offer USD 1,000 worth of FREE customization at the time of purchase. Speak to our Analyst now!

Related Reports:

Automotive Diesel Filter Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Heavy-duty Vehicle Braking System Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Automotive Electrically Adjustable Outside Rear View (ORVM) Mirror Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Decelerate at a CAGR of 4.71% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 2.04 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 4.51 Regional analysis APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 52% Key consumer countries US, China, Japan, South Korea, and Germany Competitive landscape Leading companies, Competitive strategies, Consumer engagement scope Key companies profiled BEEKAY AUTOMOTIVES, Enginetech Systems Pvt. Ltd., Ficosa Internacional SA, FLABEG Automotive Glass Group GmbH, Gentex Corp., Hilux Auto Electric Pvt. Ltd., Honda Lock Mfg. Co. Ltd., ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES LTD., Ishizaki Honten Co. Ltd., Magna International Inc., MEKRA Lang GmbH and Co. KG, Mitsuba Corp., Motherson Sumi Systems Ltd., Murakami Corp., Royal Auto Product, Sakae Riken Kogyo Co. Ltd., SL Corp., Tata Sons Pvt. Ltd., and Tokai Rika Co. Ltd. Market dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, Market condition analysis for forecast period Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Application



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 09: Parent market



Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 12: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026

Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2021 and 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 18: Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026

5 Market Segmentation by Application

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 24: Chart on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 25: Data Table on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Application

Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Application



Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Application

5.3 Passenger vehicles - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 28: Chart on Passenger vehicles - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 29: Data Table on Passenger vehicles - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 30: Chart on Passenger vehicles - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Passenger vehicles - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Commercial vehicles - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 32: Chart on Commercial vehicles - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Commercial vehicles - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: Chart on Commercial vehicles - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Commercial vehicles - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Market opportunity by Application

Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by Application ($ million)

6 Customer Landscape

6.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 37: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 38: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 40: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Geographic comparison

7.3 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 42: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 43: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 44: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 45: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 47: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 48: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 49: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.5 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 51: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 52: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 53: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 55: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 56: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 57: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 59: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 60: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 61: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.8 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 63: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 64: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 65: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.9 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 66: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 67: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 68: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 69: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.10 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 71: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 72: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 73: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.11 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 75: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 76: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 77: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.12 South Korea - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on South Korea - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 79: Data Table on South Korea - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 80: Chart on South Korea - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 81: Data Table on South Korea - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.13 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 82: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 83: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026

8.4 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 84: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 85: Overview on factors of disruption

9.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 86: Impact of key risks on business

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 87: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 88: Matrix on vendor position and classification

10.3 Ficosa Internacional SA

Exhibit 89: Ficosa Internacional SA - Overview



Exhibit 90: Ficosa Internacional SA - Product / Service



Exhibit 91: Ficosa Internacional SA - Key offerings

10.4 Honda Lock Mfg. Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 92: Honda Lock Mfg. Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 93: Honda Lock Mfg. Co. Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 94: Honda Lock Mfg. Co. Ltd. - Key offerings

10.5 ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES LTD.

Exhibit 95: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES LTD. - Overview



Exhibit 96: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES LTD. - Business segments



Exhibit 97: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES LTD. - Key offerings



Exhibit 98: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES LTD. - Segment focus

10.6 Ishizaki Honten Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 99: Ishizaki Honten Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 100: Ishizaki Honten Co. Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 101: Ishizaki Honten Co. Ltd. - Key offerings

10.7 Magna International Inc.

Exhibit 102: Magna International Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 103: Magna International Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 104: Magna International Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 105: Magna International Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 106: Magna International Inc. - Segment focus

10.8 MEKRA Lang GmbH and Co. KG

Exhibit 107: MEKRA Lang GmbH and Co. KG - Overview



Exhibit 108: MEKRA Lang GmbH and Co. KG - Product / Service



Exhibit 109: MEKRA Lang GmbH and Co. KG - Key offerings

10.9 Mitsuba Corp.

Exhibit 110: Mitsuba Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 111: Mitsuba Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 112: Mitsuba Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 113: Mitsuba Corp. - Segment focus

10.10 Motherson Sumi Systems Ltd.

Exhibit 114: Motherson Sumi Systems Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 115: Motherson Sumi Systems Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 116: Motherson Sumi Systems Ltd. - Key news



Exhibit 117: Motherson Sumi Systems Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 118: Motherson Sumi Systems Ltd. - Segment focus

10.11 Murakami Corp.

Exhibit 119: Murakami Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 120: Murakami Corp. - Product / Service



Exhibit 121: Murakami Corp. - Key offerings

10.12 Sakae Riken Kogyo Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 122: Sakae Riken Kogyo Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 123: Sakae Riken Kogyo Co. Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 124: Sakae Riken Kogyo Co. Ltd. - Key offerings

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 125: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 126: Exclusions checklist

11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 127: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 128: Research methodology



Exhibit 129: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 130: Information sources

11.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 131: 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: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
BancTrust & Co. Investment Bank is pleased to announce the formation of its new Treasury & Prime Services Team. Tweet this

The Treasury & Prime Services business also encompasses the Securities Finance team headed by recent hire Tanweer Khan and Ian Gladen who has been appointed to head business development for the unit.

"I am thrilled to have an expert of Simon's calibre to spearhead our FX effort and the formation of the Treasury & Prime Services division is an exciting new phase in BancTrust's continued growth" stated Dean Tyler, Head of Global Markets and Executive Board Member.

CEO Carlos Fuenmayor commented, "I am delighted yet another business line has been added to the BancTrust suite of products, as we continue our mission to service clients in frontier and emerging markets and deliver exceptional value".

About BancTrust & Co.

BancTrust & Co. Investment Bank is a London-based global Emerging Markets investment bank that offers corporate and investment banking, securities dealing and financing, as well as investment research products and services to a diversified client base mainly comprised of emerging and frontier markets-based corporates, financial institutions, governments, and dedicated global EM asset managers.

For more information, please visit https://banctrust.com and follow us on Twitter at [twitter.com/BancTrustCo]

SOURCE BancTrust & Co. Investment Bank
SACRAMENTO and TEL AVIV, Israel, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Beewise , the climatech precision robotics company on a mission to save the bees, today announced an $80 Million Series C funding round led by New York-based global venture capital and private equity firm Insight Partners, with participation from Fortissimo Capital, Corner Ventures, lool ventures, Atooro Fund, Meitav Dash Investments Ltd, and Sanad Abu Dhabi. This brings the company's total funding to over $120 million.

More than 30 percent of honeybee colonies are disappearing each year, a rate that is not only economically devastating to farmers but represents a severe risk to global food supplies. While various diseases, pests, and pesticides lead to colony collapse, no other factor has been more devastating to the bees than climate change.

Beewise offers a cutting-edge solution. Utilizing 24/7 monitoring and smart technology that significantly increases pollination capacity and honey production, Beewise's proprietary robotic beehive, the Beehome, seamlessly detects threats to a honeybee colony such as pesticides and the presence of pests and immediately defends against them. Its automatic robotic system responds to threats in real time and requires no human intervention. In addition to protecting and defending, Beewise affirmatively helps honeybees thrive and flourish by reversing the trend of colony collapse. To help combat the detrimental effects of climate change on bees, Beehomes are thermally regulated; protect from fires, flooding, and Asian Wasps (murder hornets); and provide enhanced feeding techniques for when forage (food supply) is not available to the bees.

Beehome reduces bee mortality by 80%, resulting in increased yields of at least 50%, while eliminating approximately 90% of manual labor when compared to traditional beehives. Beewise currently manages more than seven billion bees, which equates to 25,000 acres of pollinated crops. Through the Beehome device, Beewise has saved over 160 million bees over the course of the last 12 months.

"We are the only company on the planet that is deploying precision robotics in tandem with the world's most innovative technologies including AI and computer vision in order to save the bees," stated Saar Safra, CEO of Beewise. "Our Beewise team is thrilled to be supported by an incredible roster of investors for our Series C who understand our dedication, tenacity, and passion towards succeeding in saving the bees and reversing the trend of the bee colony collapse. With thousands of orders placed in the U.S. in just the last few months, and with this funding, Beewise will be able to meet incredible market demand through increased manufacturing, develop additional product iterations, and further improve pollination."

"Our entire global food supply is being threatened by a devastating collapse of the world's honeybee population. Beewise impressed us as the only solution addressing every complex issue that is contributing to the collapse," stated Daniel Aronovitz, Principal at Insight Partners. "Not only have we funded a company with a fantastic business model; it also addresses one of the biggest challenges our planet is facing. We at Insight couldn't be more excited to lead the largest investment in an Israeli agtech company to date."

The company also unveiled a new lighter-weight Beehome that increases hive mobility, enabling farmers to effortlessly care for millions of bees and ensure seasonal crop pollination.

The newest Beehome iteration includes several game-changing features:

While the rest of the market treats pests (e.g. Varroa mites) with chemicals, Beewise's radical and revolutionary solution uses a chemical-free, heat, and robotics approach to achieve 99.7% success rate

Improved automated remote harvesting, feeding, and thermo-regulation

Optimization for mobility: 32% smaller and 30% lighter, making the Beehome 23% more cost-effective to transport

A more efficient and effective feeding system, working faster and providing more food, which significantly increases bee colonies' survival rate over winter when food sources are scarce

A harvesting system that takes 9% less time to harvest, which results in a 5%+ yield increase in honey production

Stronger solar panels to render more power in less time, allowing smaller batteries and thus helping achieve the above mentioned results

About Beewise

Beewise is a company with one mission in mind: saving the bees. This exclusive focus of the company is manifested in its first solution, the Beehome, the world's first autonomous beehive with an integrated robotic beekeeper. Beehome reduces bee mortality by up to 80%, saving bees at scale to secure pollination for a stable food supply.

About Insight Partners

Insight Partners is a leading global venture capital and private equity firm investing in high-growth technology and software ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. Founded in 1995, Insight Partners has invested in more than 400 companies worldwide and has raised through a series of funds more than $30 billion in capital commitments. Insight's mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with practical, hands-on software expertise to foster long-term success. Across its people and its portfolio, Insight encourages a culture around a belief that ScaleUp companies and growth create opportunity for all. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit insightpartners.com or follow us on Twitter @insightpartners.

Media Contact:

Kristen Hoff

[email protected]

US +1 (978) 407-9283

SOURCE Beewise
Need for Early Disease Diagnosis to Push Biomarkers Market Past US$ 278 Bn by 2032

In the latest study, Fact.MR offers a comprehensive analysis on the global biomarkers market for the upcoming decade. The report also explicates the key factors such as growth drivers, opportunities, and trends across multiple segments including disease type, type, and application across seven major regions.

NEW YORK, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fact.MR  A Market Research and Competitive Intelligence Provider: The overall sales of biomarkers were valued at around US$ 59.1 Bn in 2021. According to Fact.MR, the biomarkers market is expected to reach a valuation of US$ 278 Bn, exhibiting growth at a CAGR of 15.3% between 2022 and 2032.

Biomarkers are increasingly used for the diagnosis of cancer, especially across the U.S., India and Japan. According to the American Cancer Society report, around 609,640 people succumbed to cancer in the U.S and over 1.9 million new cancer cases were diagnosed worldwide in 2021. Hence, to curb the global burden, the demand for biomarkers is estimated to rise in the coming years.

Also, rising use of biomarkers in validation and development of personalized medicines will create remunerative prospects for the growth in the market. Moreover, increasing number of people at a risk of developing chronic diseases like neurological disorders, cardiovascular disease, and kidney disorders is likely to promote the sales of biomarkers.

For Critical Insights on this Market, Request for More Info at:

https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=7181

Advancements in genomics has helped biopharmaceutical researchers to focus on identifying biomarkers such as the HER2 positive gene mutation. Such findings are expected to aid the development of personalized treatments, thereby, propelling the demand for biomarkers.

In addition to this, rising use of biomarkers to quantify the susceptibility of an individual to various diseases is pushing the demand for molecular biomarkers. This is likely to create lucrative sales prospects for biomarkers.

Further, pharmaceutical companies are using biomarkers on a large scale to analyze and discover novel drug. This is due to the increasing demand for efficient and cost effective treatment dose. Hence, the rising need for new drugs is likely to boost the market.

Subsequently, the use of DNA fingerprinting technology is gaining immense traction in the countries such as India, the U.S., and the U.K. It is extensively used to identify criminals through the unique DNA patterns. Such technological advancements are projected to augment the sales in the market.

Report Attributes Details Base Year Value (2021A) US$ 59.1 Bn Projected Year Value (2032F) US$ 278 Bn Global Growth Rate (2022-2032) CAGR 15.3%

Key Takeaways:

Based on type, the safety segment is estimated to register growth at 15.9% CAGR during the forecast period.

In terms of disease type, the cancer segment is projected to exhibit growth at 17.1% CAGR during 2022-2032.

Asia Pacific is anticipated to record fastest growth rate owing to increasing use of biomarkers in personalized medicines.

is anticipated to record fastest growth rate owing to increasing use of biomarkers in personalized medicines. The U.S. is anticipated to dominate the market owing to the increasing research and development activities in the molecular biomarkers.

Japan biomarkers market is projected to witness fastest growth in East Asia , registering 17.2% CAGR.

Growth Drivers:

Increasing use of biomarkers to assess the effectiveness of the drug is projected to spur the sales of biomarkers.

Integration of advanced data management technology and key imaging in biomarkers for early diagnosis of cancer will create lucrative opportunities for the market.

Restraints:

The lengthy timelines for validating biomarkers is likely to hinder the growth in the market.

High capital investments in the development due to the need for extensive clinical validation will limit the sales of biomarkers in the coming years.

To Gain In-Depth Insights on Biomarkers Market, Request Methodology at

https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RM&rep_id=7181

Competitive Landscape:

Key players operating in the global biomarkers market are advancing their technologies and manufacturing capabilities to update their product line. They are also focusing on expanding their consumer base through introducing advanced products for early diagnoses of chronic diseases.

Besides this, some of the organizations are also adopting new strategies such as collaborations, joint ventures, contract, and acquisitions to strengthen their global footprint.

For instance,

July 2020 : Chugai and Thermo Fisher Scientific signed an agreement with the goal of commercialization oncomin Dx targeted tests for use in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). They also plan to expand the use of other local biomarker tests.

: Chugai and Thermo Fisher Scientific signed an agreement with the goal of commercialization oncomin Dx targeted tests for use in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). They also plan to expand the use of other local biomarker tests. April, 2021: F. Hoffmann La Roche Ltd. Introduced two cardiac biomarker tests, the N-Terminal Pro Brain Sodium Diuretic Peptide Test (NTproBNP) and the Sensitive Cardiac Troponin T (cTnThs). These biomarker tests help in the management of cardiovascular diseases by helping the doctors diagnose heart attacks and manage heart failure.

Key Companies Profiled by Fact.MR

Abbott Laboratories

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.

Siemens Healthineers AG

Epigenetics AG

General Electric

F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc.

Qiagen

More Valuable Insights on Biomarkers Market

In the latest report, Fact.MR provides a detailed market study on the global biomarkers market for the forecast period of 2022 to 2032. The report also offers key factors expected to shape the future growth prospects of the biomarkers market with detailed segmentation as follows:

By Disease Type:

Cardiovascular Diseases

Cancer

Neurological Diseases

Immunological Diseases

Other Disease Types

By Type:

Safety

Efficacy

Validation

By Application:

Diagnostics

Drug Discovery & Development

Personalized Medicines

Other Applications

By Region:

North America

Latin America

Europe

East Asia

South Asia & Oceania (SAO)

& Oceania (SAO) Middle East & Africa (MEA)

To Remain 'Ahead' of Your Competitors, Buy the Report Now!

https://www.factmr.com/checkout/7181

Key Questions Covered in Biomarkers Market Report

What was market size of the global biomarkers market in 2021?

What is the anticipated growth rate of the global biomarkers market during 2022-2032?

Which are the factors driving the growth of the biomarkers market?

What is the estimated market value of biomarkers market during the forecast period?

Who are the prominent biomarkers manufacturers?

What was growth rate of the global biomarkers market during 2017-2021?

Explore Fact.MR's Coverage on the Healthcare Domain 

Cancer Biomarkers Market Trends: Rising incidence of debilitating cancers are fueling the demand for cancer biomarkers. In addition to this, growing preference toward personalized medicine for cancer treatment owing to absence of standard diagnosis and treatment will further bolster the growth in the market.

Vocal Biomarker Market Growth: Use of vocal patterns by clinical psychologists and psychoanalysts to analyze personality traits of patients is projected to increase the sales of vocal biomarker. Also, the ability of the vocal biomarkers in remote health monitoring is likely to create remunerative prospects for the market.

Tuberculosis Biomarkers Market Forecast: Increasing mortality rates due to tuberculosis and the emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is projected to increase the demand for tuberculosis biomarkers. Furthermore, the use of biomarkers in personalized medicines and drug discovery & development is expected to influence the growth in the market.

About Fact.MR

Market research and consulting agency with a difference! That's why 80% of Fortune 1,000 companies trust us for making their most critical decisions. We have offices in US and Dublin, whereas our global headquarter is in Dubai. While our experienced consultants employ the latest technologies to extract hard-to-find insights, we believe our USP is the trust clients have in our expertise. Spanning a wide range  from automotive & industry 4.0 to healthcare & chemical and materials, our coverage is expansive, but we ensure even the most niche categories are analysed. Reach out to us with your goals, and we'll be an able research partner.

Access MarketNgage: The On Demand, Subscription based platform from Future Market Insights

www.marketngage.com

Now avail flexible Market Research Subscription through MarketNgage, the Market Research Subscription Platform from Future Market Insights and other iconic market research powerhouses. Go beyond just reports and access research multi-format through downloadable executive summaries, chapters, databooks, infographics, charts, interactive playbook for data visualization and full reports across all major industries, 200+ sub sectors and 1200+ niche markets, through MarketNgage.

Sign Up for a 7 day free trial!

Contact:

Mahendra Singh

US Sales Office

11140 Rockville Pike

Suite 400

Rockville, MD 20852

United States

Tel: +1 (628) 251-1583

E: [email protected]



SOURCE Fact.MR
FRESNO, Calif., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Bitwise Industries ( www.bitwiseindustries.com ) announced massive nationwide expansion, adding locations in five new states: New York, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming. This rapid growth further validates Bitwise Industries' proven model of providing pathways into the technology industry for people coming from stories of poverty and/or exclusion. After raising over $100M in venture capital, Bitwise is now located in 10 cities across the country which include the California cities of: Fresno, Bakersfield, Merced, Oakland, Toledo, OH, Buffalo, NY, El Paso, TX, Greeley, CO, Las Cruces, NM, and Cheyenne, WY.

"We started Bitwise Industries nearly a decade ago with the hope of helping our local community and since then, Bitwise has positively impacted thousands of lives, driven economic growth in underestimated cities, and is creating the tech workforce of the future," said Jake Soberal, CEO and co-founder, Bitwise Industries. "Our goal is to bring our proven, repeatable approach to as many communities and people as possible. What has been successful in our first five cities, will become part of these new regions' stories of how investing in underestimated people and places can create a more inclusive and representative economy."

Bitwise Industries uses its unique two-sided marketplace approach to drive outcomes and growth. The company teaches people the skills they need to access opportunities in the tech economyranging from Salesforce administration to web developmentand hires many of those trainees to build enterprise technology solutions for customers as a part of Bitwise Technology Consulting.

As such, training drives both individual transformation for the trainee and commercial scale for Bitwise. Customers and partners can work with Bitwise in purchasing talent pipelines or technology solutions. Bitwise surrounds students and companies with inspiring technology hubs in Bitwise cities, supportive amenities, and programming. Trainees have access to a robust set of non-technical resources like counseling, transportation, and childcare.

Today Bitwise operates one of the largest federally accredited apprenticeship programs in the country, which enables it to pay Bitwise apprentices to learn. It has trained over 8,000 non-traditional tech students in its Workforce Training program, with 80 percent of job seekers going on to earn technical employment. This accounts for $295M in aggregate wages being paid to mostly women and people of color. The average student enters our program making less than $20,000 a year and upon exit goes on to positions that make more than $60,000 a year.

On the heels of Bitwise's Series B announcement in 2021, the company has doubled in size, doubled in revenue, and hit record numbers in individuals enrolled in their Workforce Training programs. Through its Enterprise Technology Consulting, Bitwise builds demand for digital solutions and develops custom software for local organizations, while bringing thousands of jobs to each expansion city that supports the training of a new fleet of diverse tech workers.

"As we expand across the country we look forward to supercharging our efforts with the cities we currently serve and getting started in new communities," said Irma Olguin Jr., CEO and co-founder, Bitwise Industries. "Bitwise is a vehicle that has transformed lives, and cities. We look forward to helping more people left out of the digital economy to find financial independence and stability through increased employment opportunities, while bringing government digital infrastructure into the modern era with world-class software developed by the overlooked people we train and hire."

In each city that it serves, Bitwise renovates blighted historical buildings, creates a technology hub and houses its operations at the city's urban core to bring back life to the area. The company has already transformed a combined total of nearly a million square feet of downtown commercial space and will continue to do the same in new cities.

"With this expansion, the demonstrated impact of Bitwise Industries can now be shared with millions more underrepresented people across the country," said Mitchell Kapor, Partner at Kapor Capital. "Bitwise is expanding economic opportunities to reach the most vulnerable by creating accessible and attainable pathways to quality jobs."

"What began as the Founders' dream to encourage and train underrepresented people in their hometown of Fresno, CA for jobs in the ever growing tech economy Bitwise Industries, has blossomed into a unique and proven scalable model," said Paula Pretlow, Independent Board Director at Bitwise Industries. "Bitwise is truly making a difference, not only in the lives of those who are gaining skills and employment in tech, but also in the cities where it operates and arguably, the nation as a whole."

Bitwise Industries is supported by an outstanding roster of investors that include: Kapor Capital, Motley Fool Ventures, JP Morgan, ZOMA Capital, Candide Group, Gingerbread Capital, Promedica, M&T Bank, 43North Foundation, Acumen America, and the New Voices Fund.

About Bitwise Industries

Bitwise Industries creates a bridge between humans from marginalized communities and stories of systemic poverty to skills and resources necessary to access opportunities in the tech industry. By leveraging public-private partnerships, Bitwise provides paid apprenticeships to students to learn tech skills, connects them to meaningful tech opportunities, and builds vibrant buildings in underestimated cities to house their work. By upskilling disenfranchised humans, it empowers them to change their own liveswhich ignites and transforms the regional economies of the cities in which Bitwise serves.

Bitwise has raised more than $100M in support of this important work; expanded its model to serve ten cities (California cities: Fresno, Bakersfield, Merced, and Oakland, Toledo, OH, Buffalo, NY, El Paso, TX, Greeley, CO, Las Cruces, NM, and Cheyenne, WY); and built a tech apprenticeship engine that will drive national jobs/economic recovery in 2022. To learn more about Bitwise Industries, check out www.bitwiseindustries.com.

SOURCE Bitwise Industries
DURHAM, N.C. and BEIJING, March 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Brii Biosciences Limited ("Brii Bio" or the "Company", stock code: 2137.HK) a multi-national company developing innovative therapies for diseases with significant unmet medical needs and large public health burdens, today announced that TSB Therapeutics (Beijing) Co., Ltd. ("TSB Therapeutics"), a joint venture majority-owned by the Company, is partnering with Sinopharm Holding Co., Ltd. ("Sinopharm Holding") to advance stockpiling, channel distribution and regional access of the Company's long-acting neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy, the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination, to help contribute to COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control efforts in China.

On December 8, 2021, the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China approved the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination (previously BRII-196/BRII-198 combination) for the treatment in adults and pediatric patients (age 12-17 weighing at least 40 kg) with mild and normal type of COVID-19 at high risk for progression to severe disease, including hospitalization or death. The indication of pediatric patients (age 12-17 weighing at least 40 kg) is under a conditional approval. On March 15, 2022, the National Health Commission of China added the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination to its COVID-19 Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines (9th Pilot Edition) ("Guidelines") for the treatment of COVID-19.

"The pandemic continues to affect the health of communities worldwide and most recently aggressively impacting China. As a biotechnology company with the mission of tackling the major public health challenges, we are duty-bound to support the pandemic prevention and control," said Rogers Luo, President and General Manager, Greater China of Brii Bio, and Chief Executive Officer of TSB Therapeutics. "We are pleased to partner with Sinopharm Holding, a leading state-owned pharmaceutical distribution company in China. We believe that with their advanced distribution channels and strong channel management ability, we are able to accelerate the accessibility of our amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination to help more COVID-19 patients in China."

"It has been three years since the outbreak of the pandemic. We have been expecting treatment solutions to be available in addition to the COVID-19 vaccines," said Yong Liu, President and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Sinopharm Holding. "As a central pharmaceutical stockpiling company, Sinopharm Holding is committed to ensuring the drug supply for our country and people. The strategic partnership with Brii Bio marks essential public health cooperation between a commercial enterprise and an industrial enterprise. We will leverage our strong distribution network in cooperation with our provincial subsidiaries and our global procurement and supply chain centers, to provide a comprehensive strategy, including drug stockpiling, commercialization, and innovation services, thereby improving the accessibility of Brii Bio's self-developed COVID-19 antibody therapy and benefiting more patients."

On March 21, 2022, the National Healthcare Security Administration of China issued a notice to temporarily include the newly added drugs in the Guidelines in reimbursement by the provincial health insurance fund. Since March 22, 2022, the Healthcare Security Administrations of various provinces and cities, including Hunan, Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Shanxi, Guizhou, Liaoning and Anhui, have successively implemented the instructions of the notice and included the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination into the reimbursement of the local health insurance fund.

With the recognition of the national healthcare authorities and clinical experts for the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination, as of March 29, 2022, TSB Therapeutics has received purchase intention and stockpiling requests from nearly 20 provincial Health Commissions, over 100 healthcare institutions and commercial organizations. The Company is rapidly preparing production and supply to provide the combination therapy to patients in need as soon as possible.

About Amubarvimab/Romlusevimab Combination

Amubarvimab and Romlusevimab are non-competing SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal neutralizing antibodies derived from convalesced COVID-19 patients developed in collaboration with the 3rd People's Hospital of Shenzhen and Tsinghua University. They have been specifically engineered to reduce the risk of antibody-dependent enhancement and prolong the plasma half-lives for potentially more durable treatment effect.

Based on the final results from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored ACTIV-2 Phase 3 clinical trial with 837 enrolled outpatients, the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination demonstrates a statistically significant 80% reduction of hospitalization and death with fewer deaths through 28 days in the treatment arm (0) relative to placebo (9), and improved safety outcome over placebo in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients at high risk of clinical progression to severe disease. Similar efficacy rates were observed in participants initiating therapy early (0-5 days) and late (6-10 days), following symptom onset, providing critically needed clinical evidence in COVID-19 patients who were late for treatment.

The in vitro pseudovirus testing data from independent labs demonstrates that the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination retains activity against the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529 (Omicron) and other major variants of concern, including B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), B.1.617.2 (Delta), AY.4.2 (Delta Plus), B.1.429 (Epsilon), P.1 (Gamma), C.37 (Lambda) and B.1.621 (Mu).

In October 2021, the Company initiated and subsequently completed the rolling submission of an emergency use authorization (EUA) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In addition, the Company is pursuing additional efforts and regulatory filings for the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination in established and emerging markets with an initial focus on securing access in countries where clinical trials were conducted and where significant gaps in access to highly effective treatments have been identified. The Company is planning further studies in China, to evaluate the use of the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination among immunocompromised population as an additional measure of prophylaxis.

About Brii Bio

Brii Biosciences Limited ("Brii Bio", stock code: 2137.HK) is a biotechnology company based in China and the United States committed to advancing therapies for significant infectious diseases, such as hepatitis B, COVID-19, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, multi-drug resistant (MDR) or extensive drug resistant (XDR) gram-negative infections, and other illnesses, such as the central nervous system (CNS) diseases, which have significant public health burdens in China and worldwide. For more information, visit www.briibio.com.

About TSB Therapeutics

TSB Therapeutics (Beijing) Co., Ltd. ("TSB Therapeutics", or the "Company") is a holding company of Brii Bio. TSB Therapeutics was jointly established in Beijing in May 2020 by Brii Bio, the 3rd People's Hospital of Shenzhen and Tsinghua University. The Company is committed to developing the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination. TSB Therapeutics holds exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination in Greater China.

About Sinopharm Holding

Sinopharm Holding Co., Ltd. ("Sinopharm Holding", 01099.HK) was established in Shanghai in January 2003 and listed in Hong Kong in September 2009. It has now become the largest distributor and retailer of drugs, healthcare products and medical devices, as well as a leading supply chain service provider in China. Its parent company China National Pharmaceutical Group Corporation ("CNPGC") ranked 109 in the 2021 Fortune Global 500 and Sinopharm Holding ranked 22nd in the 2021 Fortune China 500. In 2021, Sinopharm Holding recorded a business revenue of RMB 521.051 billion, a year-on-year increase of 14.16%. For the drug distribution segment, Sinopharm Holding firmly grasped the industry transformation trend brought about by volume based procurement ("VBP") policy, and promoted the transformation of drug distribution to nationalized and intensive services by continuously tapping the scale advantage of its distribution network. By the end of 2021, the revenue of its drug distribution segment totaled RMB 389.955 billion, indicating a year-on-year increase of 11.96%, and the distribution network already covered more than 500,000 terminals in various provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities). Sinopharm Holding, firmly taken "All for Health, Health for All" as its corporate mission, has been becoming an excellent global pharmaceutical and healthcare service provider to fully serve the "Healthy China " strategy and actively fulfill its social responsibilities as a central healthcare enterprise.

SOURCE Brii Biosciences Limited
The number of BRILink Agents reached more than 503,000 with 929 million transactions in 2021. These agents have contributed to the sharing economy system by 2-3 times of the fee-based income of IDR 1.35 trillion received by companies through BRILink.

Ahmad Solichin Lutfiyanto, the Compliance Director of BRI, explained that this effort was presented by BRI Mantri as a digital instructor. "They are micro marketers who go to communities providing education to financial literacy."

BRI Mantri has reached more than 69,741 villages in Indonesia with more than 31,000 Mantri. Furthermore, 65.5% or IDR 617.8 trillion of BRI's loan portfolio has implemented the principles of Environment, Social, Governance (ESG), increasing by 12.2% yoy compared to 2020's IDR 550.4 trillion.

The economic potential contributed by the agents was further proven by Deska, a BRILink Agent from Sengkol Praya Unit, Lombok. With her grocery stall business, Deska's average transaction reached 4,012 and sales volume amounted to IDR 8.2 billion in February 2022.

Dewi, a BRILink Agent Owner, admitted to receiving numerous benefits being a BRILink Agent and an income of IDR 20 million while helping small businesses in various financial transactions, both cash deposits and withdrawals.

People make transactions and deposit cash during the corn harvest season where BRILink Agent becomes an extension of BRI in giving customers access to digital services.

BRILink, with the members of the Ultra-Micro Holding (UMi), PT Pegadaian and PT Permodalan Nasional Madani (PNM), continuously accelerate services through the Co-location of Ultra-Micro Service Centers (SenyuM).

SenyuM enables the public to access business credits, BRI Simpedes UMi Savings, pawn loans and gold savings, and back-office services to support transaction needs of the Mekaar PNM members.

With SenyuM customers of BRI, Pegadaian and PNM can make transactions in one place. For BRI customers who want to pawn or open a gold savings account can use SenyuM as well.

SenyuM's Ultra Micro Service Center, a combined-office of BRI-Pegadaian-PNM eases customers of those companies to make transactions.

Information about BANK BRI can be accessed at www.bri.co.id.

SOURCE PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia Tbk (BRI)
BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Swiss President and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis held on Tuesday a telephone conversation, during which the two mainly discussed the situation in Ukraine.

Wang said that it is deplorable that the situation in Ukraine has developed to this point, adding that China, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has always decided on its position and policy according to the merits of the matter itself.

Noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping recently gave the most authoritative elaboration of China's basic position during a video summit with the leaders of France and Germany, Wang said that all of China's measures are taken based on the "four musts."

He also said that China is committed to promoting peace talks, and has started to encourage Russia and Ukraine to conduct face-to-face negotiations from the next day after the outbreak of the conflict.

The Chinese side has always maintained that only by strengthening the efforts of the international community to promote peace talks can space be explored for diplomatic negotiations and settlement of the conflict, adding that China will continue to contribute to this in its own way.

Sanctions have never been an effective way to solve problems, said Wang, adding that the unlimited escalation of sanctions will not only worsen the difficult recovery of the global economy after the outbreak of the pandemic, but also further expand and complicate contradictions.

He urged that normal international economic and trade exchanges between non-parties to the conflict should not be affected, and the legitimate rights and interests of various countries should be earnestly safeguarded.

Cassis said that it is the largest war that broke out in Europe in more than 70 years, resulting in the displacement of a large number of civilians and having a serious impact on economic recovery, globalization and multilateralism.

The Swiss president said that Switzerland also believes that diplomacy is the only correct way to deal with it, and it stands for resolving differences through dialogues and negotiations.

Switzerland maintains dialogue with Russia and Ukraine, and it does not support the exclusion of Russia from multilateral institutions, he said, adding Switzerland will continue to uphold its status as a neutral country and provide goodwill services for diplomatic mediation and the promotion of peace talks.

Wang stressed that China has put forward a six-point initiative to prevent a larger-scale humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, provided two batches of emergency humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, and helped Ukrainian neighboring countries resettle the displaced Ukrainian people.

He added that the short-term goals of China and Switzerland in dealing with the situation in Ukraine are the same -- to achieve a cease-fire and end the conflict as soon as possible and to avoid a humanitarian crisis.

In the long run, all parties should address each other's legitimate concerns and explore ways to build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security framework, he said.

Noting that China appreciates Switzerland's repeated commitment to permanent neutrality and its role as a bridge-builder in international affairs, Wang said China expects Switzerland to play its unique role, and it stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with Switzerland.

Cassis said he agreed that the European security framework should be rebuilt.

Switzerland attaches great importance to China's status as a major country and its international influence, Cassis said, adding Switzerland is willing to explore ways to strengthen cooperation with China and jointly play a constructive role in seeking a diplomatic solution. 
XINING, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Along the G316 highway in Tongren City in northwest China's Qinghai Province, dozens of thangka art academies dot a section of road several kilometers in length. Nearby villages boast painters of the thousand-year-old art.

"Everyone in my family except me is a thangka painter," said 33-year-old Kanzhoiji from Wutunxiazhuang Village in Tongren.

Thangka paintings are Tibetan Buddhist scroll paintings on cotton or silk with mineral and organic pigments derived from coral, agate, sapphire, pearl, gold, and other sources so that the color lasts for centuries. The paintings date back to the 10th century and typically depict Buddhist deities.

Tongren is famous for the local Regong thangka. It is part of the Regong arts that were inscribed on the UNESCO intangible heritage cultural list in 2009.

Fifteen years ago, less than 5,000 people were engaged in Regong thangka-related businesses, local statistics showed. Today, nearly 10,000 people in Tongren, or one-ninth of the city's population, work in various trades of Regong arts.

Thangka, once a form of religious painting, has now become a popular choice for home decoration and even collection.

"Some thangka paintings with traditional Chinese elements are very popular among our customers," said Gesang Gyaco, a local salesman, adding that one horse-themed piece has become a hit among customers in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The artwork features a white horse head surrounded by orange clouds against a blue lake background and other Tibetan cultural motifs. It costs 1,900 yuan (about 298 U.S. dollars) and Gesang Gyaco sold 600 pieces last year.

Tongren has seen an increase in thangka sales and practitioners as a result of various local thangka art academies and industrial parks that have sprung up in recent years.

Lanka, founder of a Regong ethnic cultural center, said over the past five years, the center has cultivated over 800 students, whose artworks have been sold to many European countries.

"Thangka paintings are very popular in France. We have cooperated with an art center in Aulnay to exhibit and sell our products regularly," said Lanka, adding that one of the artworks was sold for more than 3 million yuan.

The high value of thangka paintings has attracted more local farmers and herders to join the trade, said Qiao Delin, director of a committee for preserving Regong arts in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, which administers Tongren.

In the past three years, the prefecture has built 76 centers for teaching the thangka craft, Qiao added.

Zhu Maoji, 25, from Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Gansu Province, has been studying in a local center for over five years.

"It takes patience and determination to paint thangka," Zhu said, adding that she has been working on a painting with three of her fellow students for more than one year.

Radan Gyanco, a 26-year-old teacher at the center, started to learn the craft at the age of 11. Since 2013, he has taught over 100 students.

"I want more people to know about the art," Radan Gyanco said. 
HANGZHOU, China, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 29, 2022, Broncus Medical (02216.HK), the leader in precision interventional treatment for lung diseases in China, announced its annual results announcement for the year ended December 31, 2021. During the period, the Group earned revenue of US$10.89 million, an increase of 234.2% compared to the same period in 2020. Of which, total revenue from Mainland China was US$6.02 million, a significant increase of 375% compared to the same period in 2020. 2021 overseas revenue was US$4.87 million, representing 45%, an increase of 144% compared to the same period in 2020. Gross profit was $8.72 million, a significant increase of 248.8% compared to the same period in 2020, while gross margin increased to 80.27%. $16.76 million was spent on Broncus Medical R&D in fiscal 2021, an increase of over 78.7% compared to $9.35 million in the same period in 2020.

Core products are progressing smoothly

InterVapor  was approved in China in March 2022 and was approved in India in March 2021. InterVapor  is the world's first and only minimally invasive interventional lung volume reduction product that can achieve sequential staged treatment targeting the lung segment level.

RF-II, the only radiofrequency ablation system that specifically targets lung cancer. Broncus Medical completed enrollment for registered clinical trial for RF-II in China and released the phased data of the clinical study of the RF-II radiofrequency ablation system for the treatment of lung cancer through the bronchus at APSR 2021, which initially demonstrated its clinical efficacy.

Product R & D advance at an equal pace with clinical trials

As of December 31, 2021, the company had 17 products and major product candidates under various development stages.

In September 2021 , the company completed the first clinical application of its Targeted Lung Denervation (TLD) radiofrequency ablation system in West China Hospital of Sichuan University. TLD products have completed enrollment of six clinical cases as of the date of this announcement.

, the company completed the first clinical application of its Targeted Lung Denervation (TLD) radiofrequency ablation system in Hospital of University. TLD products have completed enrollment of six clinical cases as of the date of this announcement. Launched the real-world study project "Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of Bronchoscopic Transparenchymal Nodule Access (BTPNA) in the Sampling Diagnosis of Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions.

As of March 17 , the result of a feasibility study on the use of InterVapor  in the treatment of lung cancer was published in Respiration , showing that bronchoscopic thermal vapourablation (BTVA) is feasible and tolerated in the treatment of lung tumours. The ablation results observed show its great potential for the ablation of lung cancer.

Comprehensive layout of intellectual property rights

As of December 31, 2021, the company obtained 658 patents and patent applications which consisted of 186 issued patents (including pending announcements) and 322 patent applications in China and 99 issued patents and 51 patent applications overseas including key markets such as the U.S. and the EU. Among the patents obtained, 71 and 23 of them are related to InterVapor  and RF-II, respectively.

Strategic cooperation to achieve a new win-win situation for both sides

Broncus Medical reached a strategic cooperation agreement with United Family Healthcare Group, a leading high-end private medical institution in China under New Frontier Health Corporation, in December 2021. This cooperation aims in exploring a new diagnosis and treatment service model with interventional pulmonology and penetrating into the middle-to-high end private healthcare markets. In the future, both sides will jointly establish a lung specialist medical center.

Broncus Medical entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Healium Medical Ltd. ("Healium"), an Israeli company focusing on the R&D of ultrasound energy therapy and image monitoring, in February 2022. The cooperation integrates energy ablation and ultrasound technology, improving the safety and efficacy of the operation and promoting the popularization of interventional technology in the treatment of pulmonological diseases.

Navigation accelerates the process of localization, and the manufacturing of therapeutic products has entered the era of localization

Broncus Medical has completed localization R&D verification and product trial installation of LungPoint in China and expects to submit the registration application with NMPA after Broncus Medical obtains the model inspection report by the end of 2021 to further complete the localization of the manufacturing process. The company expects the registration to be completed in the second quarter of 2023. The localization of the Archimedes System manufacturing started in April 2022 with design verification in progress. The model inspection is expected to be initiated in April 2022.

Starting from June 2021, Broncus Medical has begun to manufacture its H-Marker in its Hangzhou facility. The company has commenced the manufacturing of other therapeutic products in the Hangzhou facility in 2021, including the InterVapor  products, and expects to completely move the manufacturing process to China after obtaining the regulatory approval in the end of 2022.

Strengthen commercial and international layout

Broncus Medical's products were sold to 33 countries and regions all over the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, etc. The company has expanded its sales team to 98 people, including 80 full-time employees focusing on sales in the Asia Pacific market and 18 full-time employees focusing on sales in Europe and the United States.

By leveraging its more established experience in sales and marketing of LungPoint and the Archimedes System, Broncus Medical plans to expand its sales of LungPoint Plus and other medical consumables worldwide.

At the same time, the company is actively promoting the use of the procedure through doctor training and marketing activities:

in June and December 2021 , Broncus Medical established a "Broncus pulmonary disease interventional technology training base" respectively with Shandong Public Health Clinical Center and Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital.

, Broncus Medical established a "Broncus pulmonary disease interventional technology training base" respectively with Shandong Public Health Clinical Center and Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital. In 2021, Broncus Medical successfully organized the Broncus Campus College of Mid-Career Physicians Case Competition in spring, summer and winter.

Broncus Medical hosted or participated in a number of academic conferences, including APSP2021, 1st SILK ROADS PROGRAMME - the first pulmonary intervention precision forum, etc.

SOURCE Broncus Holding Corporation
LOS ANGELES, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report details the privacy problems posed for consumers from connected cars and points to new rules to be developed in California as a potential model across the country, if the rules can withstand lobbying by the powerful auto and insurance industries.

For example, secret recordings of insurance industry meetings revealed in the report show Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is working with the industry on a plan to allow data transmitted from cars to be used for insurance pricing, despite the ban on the practice in California.

And while location data can be turned off on your cellphone, there's not yet an opt-out feature for your car. However, California is poised to be the first in the nation with an "opt-out" for precise geo-location that is set to take effect in California by 2023.

New rules to be promulgated this year under Prop 24the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA)should preclude insurance companies and automakers from using precise geolocation without consumer permission. If the geolocation rule and other privacy regulations withstand industry lobbying, it will prevent a host of privacy abuses identified by the report, "Connected Cars and The Threat to Your Privacy." The report was presented to the California Privacy Protection Agency at public hearings held today.

Read the report here: https://www.consumerwatchdog.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/CWD%20TELEMATICS%20REPORT%20March%202022.pdf

"Consumers should have the right to say no to being tracked in their cars" said the report's author, Justin Kloczko. "California's new privacy law offers the best hope for limits on automotive surveillance if the California Privacy Protection Agency fulfills its mandate to give consumers an opt out right. Just because you subscribe to GPS does not mean carmakers and insurance companies should have a blank check to use or sell your data for whatever they want."

Among the abuses identified in the report are:

13 leading automakers reviewed by the United States General Accounting Office reported collecting, using and sharing data from connected vehicles' location and operations.





Car companies, including General Motors, Toyota, Ford, reserve the right to collect, use and share data in order to track and market products.





Car manufacturers are working with software companies to bring advertising right into the dashboard. Information from Chevy's OnStar Service is directly fed to apps for Dominos, IHOP, and Shell, among others. Geolocation data customers include retailers like Starbucks, so they can better know when a person is likely to buy a cup of coffee.





Telenav, a software company developing in-car advertising software, touts its "freemium" model popularized by streaming services such as Hulu and Spotify, where in exchange for free services, consumers will be flashed with ads. Pop-up car ads could generate an average of $30 annually per car. In a post on its website, "Why in-car advertising works," Telenav's case amounted to, "advertising is worth it to the consumer," while disregarding safety and privacy. In this auto surveillance-commerce world, Telenav said there is a large opportunity to capitalize on the $212 billion commuters spend while driving.





annually per car. In a post on its website, "Why in-car advertising works," Telenav's case amounted to, "advertising is worth it to the consumer," while disregarding safety and privacy. In this auto surveillance-commerce world, Telenav said there is a large opportunity to capitalize on the commuters spend while driving. Companies tracking us in our cars often claim they traffic in "anonymized data." Anonymized data, when paired with other data points such as credit card usage, can be used to identify you and target you, according to car technologists and privacy advocates interviewed by Consumer Watchdog. Manufacturers have teamed up with data miners to geolocate cars in real time. Wejo, which touts its mobility data of over 10 million connected cars, claims to see the speed in which cars are traveling on 95 percent of U.S. roads.





One of the biggest misconceptions is that technology is making driving safer. It isn't. The number of deaths per 100,000 miles driven grew in 2020 by almost 25 percent, according to the National Safety Council (NSC), marking the highest annual increase that the NSC has recorded in nearly 100 years. 2021 saw an increase in traffic fatalities, prompting the federal government to act.





California's insurance market is the epicenter of the latest fight over use the telematics, data transmitted from cars. California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara recently started a Twitter fight with Elon Musk over using telematics data collected by cars in insurance rate setting, vowing to protect, "consumer data, privacy and fair rates." However, an investigation by Consumer Watchdog has found Lara is privately working with insurance companies on a proposal to allow electronic surveillance in California once he has the "political cover" to pull it off.

According to a recording of a December meeting in Sacramento with Root Insurance, a company that collects data to set insurance rates, Root's VP of Government Affairs said,

"Yes, so we have a lot of conversations with commissioner Lara in California. He is supportive of what we're doing...We're building a coalition of partners in California, including the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to have his back, give him the political cover when he makes this moveWe're grateful for his support and we're working behind the scenes to provide everything we can as political cover for him."

The remarks are consistent with comments Lara made to a convention of insurance company lawyers in 2019 and captured on undercover video where he stated: "I honestly think that if someone is monitoring the way you're braking or how you're driving - you better believe that's going to change your driving behavior and that's something that can save lives." Lara promised a group of 200 insurance industry lawyers at the Western Regional General Counsel Conference, "I'm ready to get creative, just like all of you have been for so many years  and now you have somebody who's receptive to that in the department."

View a short about video about Lara's remarks here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFMHnL1HTH8

"Commissioner Lara needs to reconcile his contradictory public and private statements about telematics and stand behind his public vow of 'protecting consumer data, privacy and fair rates.' He must repudiate insurer attempts to collect telematics," said Consumer Watchdog.

Currently, insurance reform Prop 103 bans the use of telematics to determine auto premiums because, in addition to privacy considerations, factors like braking and sudden acceleration have not been shown to demonstrate a reasonable relationship to a risk of loss. Moreover insurance companies like Root consider their telematics algorithm a trade secret. If Root's metrics for what is considered good or bad driving are a black box to consumers, we won't know what it is using to decide rates, which runs counter to Prop 103's requirement for every factor to be related to risk of loss. California insurance companies are precluded from basing rates on ZIP-code, but if they know precise geolocation they can "redline" neighborhoods with far greater precision.

SOURCE Consumer Watchdog
Infrastructure leaders focused on reducing carbon emissions

TORONTO, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) have signed an agreement that commits more than CAD 125 million to accelerate private sector decarbonization retrofit projects across Canada.

The agreement sees the CIB investing up to CAD 100 million toward commercial, industrial, manufacturing and multi-residential buildings leveraged through Johnson Controls OpenBlue Net Zero Buildings as a Service offering. The CIB's financing represents 80 percent of the overall capital cost of projects. An equity investment representing no less than 20 percent of the capital cost will be provided by Johnson Controls and its affiliate, Johnson Controls Capital Canada Inc.

Johnson Controls, a global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, will identify and manage the retrofit projects by offering a unique, efficient and vertically integrated delivery model inclusive of the investor and energy service company. Participating organizations will be empowered with capital, expertise and solutions to make tangible progress towards decarbonization goals.

In addition, asset owners will have access to OpenBlue Net Zero Advisor, which combines a suite of connected solutions to deliver real-time, AI-driven tracking and reporting of sustainability metrics such as energy, water and waste.

The sustainable retrofit projects will simultaneously make facilities smarter, safer and healthier for occupants, all while preserving capital for investment in core strategic priorities. This offering also provides an important tool to mitigate the increased price of many carbon-based fuels.

Over the next five years, the CIB's and Johnson Controls' collaboration is expected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by more than 48,000 tonnes per year, resulting in significant decarbonization of retrofitted buildings. In addition, the projects are expected to create more than 900 jobs in the trade sector.

The investment is expected to reach financial close in summer 2022.

Endorsements:

We are delighted to partner with Johnson Controls, one of Canada's largest energy service companies to enable large-scale retrofit projects that will be carried out with no upfront investment from building owners. This is another CIB investment that fits perfectly with our $2 billion Green Infrastructure priority sector and will have a long-term material impact on Canadian infrastructure.

Ehren Cory, CEO, Canada Infrastructure Bank

Investments in building retrofits are key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reaching Canada's target of net zero emissions by 2050. The CIB's investment will enable Johnson Controls to provide participating organizations the expertise and solutions they need to make their buildings more sustainable while creating hundreds of high-quality jobs in the skilled trades.

The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities

Johnson Controls is proud to extend its investment in Canada with this collaboration. As the global leader in sustainability for buildings, we see this partnership with the Canada Infrastructure Bank as a vital initiative to support Canada's progress toward meeting its carbon reduction commitments, and an extension of our commitment to a greener future.

Katie McGinty, Chief Sustainability and External Relations Officer, Johnson Controls

About CIB



The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) is an impact investor enabling new infrastructure projects which benefit Canadians. As it executes $35 billion in investments, the CIB focuses on five priority sectors: broadband, public transit, clean power, green infrastructure and trade and transportation. By collaborating with partners in the public and private sectors, the CIB is transforming the way infrastructure is planned, financed and delivered in Canada. Learn more at www.cib-bic.ca

About Johnson Controls

At Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) we transform the environments where people live, work, learn and play. As the global leader in smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, our mission is to reimagine the performance of buildings to serve people, places and the planet.

With a history of more than 135 years of innovation, Johnson Controls delivers the blueprint of the future for industries such as healthcare, schools, data centers, airports, stadiums, manufacturing and beyond through its comprehensive digital offering OpenBlue. With a global team of 100,000 experts in more than 150 countries, Johnson Controls offers the world's largest portfolio of building technology, software as well as service solutions with some of the most trusted names in the industry. For more information, visit www.johnsoncontrols.com or follow us @johnsoncontrols on Twitter.

Quick Facts

To date, the CIB has committed $600 million toward building energy retrofits.

toward building energy retrofits. The CIB's Commercial Building Retrofit Initiative targets building retrofit projects with a minimum of 30 per cent greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction at the building level.

The CIB seeks to invest up to $5 billion into green infrastructure which supports climate change action and sustainable economic growth.

into green infrastructure which supports climate change action and sustainable economic growth. All CIB investments are subject to approval by its Board of Directors.

Learn More:

Canada Infrastructure Bank

Johnson Controls Inc.

Media Contacts:

Felix Corriveau

Canada Infrastructure Bank

[email protected]

Kari Pfisterer

Johnson Controls

[email protected]

414-217-1488

SOURCE Johnson Controls International plc
56.5% Increase in Net Profit Attributable to Owners of the Company Demonstrates Resilient and Synergistic Business Model

Investment Banking and Investment Management Segments Delivered Solid Results Despite Challenging Market Environment in the Second Half of 2021

CR Securities Achieved Profitability and Record Revenue Powered by Multiple Growth Engines, Including Stronger Investment Banking Revenue and Gains from Principal Investments in A-Share IPO Projects, and Retail and Internet-Based Brokerage Business

HONG KONG, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- China Renaissance Holdings Limited ("China Renaissance" or the "Company"; stock code: 1911.HK) today reported its audited consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

2021 Annual Results Highlights (all growth rates reflect year-over-year growth):

Net profit attributable to owners of the Company increased by 56.5% to RMB1.6 billion ; exceeding full-year net profit in 2020;

; exceeding full-year net profit in 2020; Total revenue and net investment gains were RMB2.5 billion ;

; Investment Banking segment delivered strong growth, with revenue and investment gains up 9.7% to a record RMB1.1 billion , reflecting the Company's unmatched underwriting capabilities in the U.S., Hong Kong and mainland China ;

, reflecting the Company's unmatched underwriting capabilities in the U.S., and mainland ; Investment Management segment delivered solid results with strategic portfolio company exists, as well as secured commitments totaling US$800 million for Huaxing Flagship Fund. The segment also launched new fund types, including a private credit fund and Fund of Hedge Funds ("FoHF"), to further diversify its portfolio;

segment delivered solid results with strategic portfolio company exists, as well as secured commitments totaling for Huaxing Flagship Fund. The segment also launched new fund types, including a private credit fund and Fund of Hedge Funds ("FoHF"), to further diversify its portfolio; China Renaissance Securities ( China ) Co., Ltd. ("CR Securities") delivered a turnaround from loss to profit, with revenue and net investment gains up 61.1% to a record RMB409.6 million and operating profit of RMB78 million ;

) Co., Ltd. ("CR Securities") delivered a turnaround from loss to profit, with revenue and net investment gains up 61.1% to a record and operating profit of ; Wealth Management business continued its strong growth momentum, with asset under management ("AUM") up 144% to RMB9.4 billion as of the end of 2021. It continues to gain traction with Smart Economy clients and is well-positioned to capture synergies with the Investment Banking and Investment Management businesses and drive long-term growth;

as of the end of 2021. It continues to gain traction with Smart Economy clients and is well-positioned to capture synergies with the Investment Banking and Investment Management businesses and drive long-term growth; Return on equity ("ROE") increased to 26%, continuing to outperform industry peer level; and

Declared a final dividend payout of RMB38 cents per share.

Commenting on the Company's financial results, Fan Bao, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of China Renaissance, stated:

"China Renaissance's solid 2021 performance is a testament to our resilient and highly complementary businesses, which enabled us to successfully navigate another year of global market uncertainties. Our ability to deliver 56.5% profitability growth reflects the unmatched underwriting capabilities of our Investment Banking segment, the turnaround of CR Securities, and our strategic portfolio company exists. Looking ahead, we will continue to utilize the Company's robust balance sheet, including our sufficient liquidity, to offer strong support against future market volatility."

"We are confident the synergies that we have created across our organization position us well for continued growth in 2022 and beyond. Smart Economy champions and their innovative entrepreneurs are looking for trusted counsel and financial services at every stage of their lifecycle, and our deep relationships, proven track record and increased product offerings have consistently made us their go-to partners. These hallmarks of China Renaissance underpin our ability to create lasting value for our clients, employees and shareholders."

2021 Annual Results Overview

Total revenue and net investment gains were RMB2.5 billion. Transaction and advisory fees were RMB1.2 billion, an increase of 14.9% from the prior year. Management fees were RMB442.1 million, a slight decrease of 0.3% from the prior year. Interest income was RMB75.0 million, and net investment gains were RMB759.5. million.

Net profit attributable to owners of the Company increased by 56.5% to RMB1.6 billion from the prior year. Operating profit was RMB862.8 million.

Total assets were RMB14.2 billion, representing an increase of 13% from RMB12.5 billion at fiscal year-end 2020.

Business Segment Results

In addition to providing consolidated financial results, China Renaissance reports separate financial information for its four business segments: Investment Banking, Investment Management, CR Securities and Others.

Investment Banking:

The Investment Banking segment reported revenue and net investment gains of RMB1.1 billion and an operating profit of RMB309.3 million, which represent increases of 9.7% and 6.6%, respectively, compared to the prior year. Segment operating margin remained stable at 28.1% compared to 28.9% in 2020.

China Renaissance maintained its leadership position in the private placement market for the 17th consecutive year and advised leading companies across the technology, medical, enterprise services and other high growth sectors, including the funding rounds of Xiaodu Technology, Newlink Group, Beisen, Keenon Robotics and Weigao Group, as well as TenxCloud in its sale to 21 Vianet, Xiao Lu Chinese Medicine in its sale to Ali Health, and Improve-Quality in its sale to Clin-nov Medical, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Asymchem.

Despite the capital markets downturn in the second half of 2021, China Renaissance's robust initial public offering ("IPO") pipeline contributed to the segment's growth. In 2021, China Renaissance completed 16 IPO projects, including 10 US IPOs, such as Full Truck Alliance and Boss Zhipin. The Company also supported 6 Hong Kong IPOs, including high-profile listings such as Kuaishou, JD Logistics, Baidu and Linklogis. The Company expects stronger revenue momentum from its Investment Banking business in 2022.

Investment Management:

The Investment Management segment reported revenue and net investment gains of RMB910.5 million and an operating profit of RMB540.2 million. Segment operating margin was 59.3% in 2021 compared to 69.3% in 2020. The declines were primarily resulting from the depreciation in the value of portfolio company investments in its private equity ("PE") funds.

Despite the challenging market conditions, China Renaissance managed to achieve stable net investment gains with active exits in selective portfolio companies via primary and secondary markets, realizing a multiple on invested capital ("MOIC") at 3.6x and recording RMB474 million in net investments gains, of which 90% were realized gains, whilst in previous years the majority of net investment gains were unrealized fair value changes. A majority of Huaxing Growth Capital's current portfolio companies are focused on high-growth sectors, including healthcare, technology and advanced manufacturing. Furthermore, 14 portfolio companies of Huaxing Growth Capital successfully completed their IPOs in 2021, including Li Auto, SenseTime, Bairong, Cardioflow Medtech, Nanomicro Technology, Chemclin Diagnostics, Zhihu and Missfresh.

The Company's flagship investment management fund Huaxing Growth Capital successfully completed two fundraising rounds in September 2021 and February 2022, respectively, securing approximately US$800 million. This will add to its fee-earning AUM base and management fee income in 2022 and enable the Company to invest in suitable opportunities with sufficient dry powder amidst the ongoing valuation corrections in the primary market.

The committed capital and AUM of the Company's PE funds were RMB32.7 billion and RMB48.9 billion as of December 31, 2021. As of December 31, 2021, the average internal rate of return ("IRR") in our PE funds was 37%. Despite short-term market volatilities, we expect our investment income will boost our ROE in the longer term. Apart from China Renaissance's PE funds, the Company continued to diversify its portfolio of investment products and strategies and launched new fund types in 2021, including private credit fund and FoHF.

CR Securities:

In 2021, CR Securities reached a record high in revenue and achieved a turnaround from loss to profit. It reported revenue and net investment gains of RMB409.6 million, representing a significant increase of 61.1% compared to RMB254.2 million in the prior year. Operating profit was RMB78 million, compared to a loss of RMB73.6 million in 2020.

The profitability improvement was supported by stronger revenue from CR Securities' investment banking business in mainland China as a result of closer integration with China Renaissance's Investment Banking Business, which enabled CR Securities to further capitalize on the Group's market-leading private placement business and deep client relationships. In 2021, CR Securities served as the sole sponsor and underwriter in the STAR market listing of Suzhou UIGreen Micro & Nano Technologies, as well as advised on the restructuring of Hunan Huakai Cultural and Creative.

In addition, CR Securities launched its retail and Internet-based brokerage business in April 2021, with the Duoduojin App released in early 2022, to capitalize on the opportunities arising from China's digital-first, millennial retail investors who are increasingly affluent and accounting for a majority of retail investor base in China's A-share market..

Others:

The others segment mainly comprises of the Company's Wealth Management business, and investment and management of our own funds. Revenue and net investment gains totaled RMB83.2 million, a decrease of 16.5% compared to the prior year, primarily due to the decline in investment gains generated from cash management products as a result of allocating more of the Group's capital to its private equity funds. However, the Wealth Management business continued to gain momentum, with segment AUM up 144% to RMB9.4 billion in 2021. The segment continues to gain traction from our Smart Economy clients, becoming a preferred platform for alternative investments and well-positioned to benefit from the synergies with our Investment Banking and Investment Management businesses.

RMB38 Cents Per Share Dividend

The Board declared a dividend of RMB38 cents per share, payable to shareholders whose names appear on the register of members of the Company on or before the close of business on July 11, 2022, pending shareholder approval at the Company's forthcoming Annual General Meeting ("AGM") on June 30, 2022. The dividend will be paid in Hong Kong dollars within two months following the AGM.

China Renaissance's 2021 Annual Results Announcement, which was filed with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, is available at [https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2022/0330/2022033001247.pdf].

Disclaimer

This document is prepared by China Renaissance Holdings Limited (China Renaissance Holdings Limited and any of its subsidiaries, associated companies, and affiliates, or any of their directors, officers, agents, advisers or employees are together known as "China Renaissance"). This document has been prepared for the recipient's information purpose only. The recipient shall conduct its own investment review, evaluation and assessment.

This document is not and shall not to be construed as an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security in any jurisdiction. China Renaissance does not provide any representations, warranties or any other assurances with respect to the contents of this document. China Renaissance does not act for the recipients of this document. Distribution of this document in or from certain jurisdictions may be restricted or prohibited by law or regulations. Recipients are required to comply with all restrictions or prohibitions in such jurisdictions.

China Renaissance disclaims any liability over the use, misuse, reliance, distribution or possession of this document which shall be at the recipient's own risk. Neither this document nor any of its contents may be disclosed or used for any other purpose without the prior written consent of China Renaissance. If the recipient has any question, the recipient shall seek its own independent advice.

About China Renaissance

Founded in 2005, China Renaissance ("CR") is a leading financial institution that provides private placement and M&A advisory, equity underwriting, sales & trading, research, investment management and other services. Over the past 16 years, CR has been dedicated to identifying companies with significant growth potential and serving as a trusted partner to support their value creation journey.

CR has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore and New York, with more than 650 employees. As of June 30, 2021, China Renaissance has advised on and invested in over 1,125 transactions with a total value of over RMB 1.4 trillion(~US$220 billion ), and the company's private equity funds had an asset under management ("AUM") of over RMB 49 billion (~US$7.7 billion).

CR Securities (formerly known as "Huajing Securities") is one of the first securities firms set up in accordance with Supplement X to the "Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA)". Since its establishment, CR Securities has assembled strong investment banking, fixed income, asset management, wealth management, securities brokerage, and research teams to serve existing and new clients.

SOURCE China Renaissance
School meals do more than provide children with the much-needed nutritional value for growing, learning, and thriving. Guaranteed meals incentivize parents to make education a core part of their child's life. In countries where poverty and discrimination may not encourage scholastic pursuits equally, guaranteed meals provide the support and structure needed to bridge the gap. "Feeding children and providing them access to education is essential to build a better future," says Virginie Courtin, Clarins Group Managing Director, who continues to drive the partnership forward.

By the end of 2022, Clarins will have provided over 38 million school meals to children in need through FEED's giving partners. "FEED is so proud of this beautiful partnership with Clarins, and the 38 million meal impact is thanks in part to the generous support of customers around the globe," states Lauren Bush Lauren, CEO and Founder of FEED Project.

During the Clarins x FEED initiative, Clarins customers shopping $75 or more during the designated retail partnership dates, will receive a FEED tote bag or pouch courtesy of Clarins, filled with travel-sized Clarins' bestsellers (valued around $250), transforming the standard 'gift with purchase' to a Gift with Purpose. Each gift represents seven meals provided by Clarins, via Feed's giving partners, on the customer's behalf.

Clarins x FEED exclusive Spring 2022 bags are available during the following dates:

Nordstrom counters: beginning March 29th through April 14th

Saks counters: beginning April 20th through May 8th

Macy's counters: beginning April 22nd through May 8th

Dillard's counters: beginning May 6th through May 14th

Bloomingdale's counters: beginning June 9th through June 25th

About Clarins

Founded in a professional Parisian beauty institute by Jacques Courtin-Clarins in 1954, Clarins has become the #1 prestige skincare brand in Europe. More than 65 years later, the brand remains family-owned and is distributed in more than 140 countriesoffering skincare innovations for face and body, men's, and makeup. With unique expertise in Phyto-chemistry, Clarins Laboratories are considered pioneers in the fields of plant science and technology. The brand values are rooted in an ongoing dialogue with women, abiding respect for nature and people, and commitments to sustainable sourcing, including Le Domaine Clarinsour organic farm and open-air laboratory in the French Alps. Clarins is accelerating its sustainable actions to become a Certified B Corporation by 2023. Currently carbon neutral, the company will further reduce its carbon footprint by 30% and become 100% plastic neutral using 100% recyclable packaging by 2025. Partners include Pur Projetmore than 525,000 trees planted to date, Plastic Odysseya three-year expedition across three continents, 30 stopovers to fight against plastic pollution, and FEEDmore than 38 million school meals provided to children in need by the end of 2022.

Remi Barbier, RBPR [email protected]

Lucas Petry, Clarins Communications Manager - [email protected]

Melissa Reidhead, Clarins Senior Director, Communications - [email protected]

www.clarinsusa.com

About FEED

FEED is a social-impact driven lifestyle brand on a mission to end childhood hunger through the sale of good products that do good. Founded by Lauren Bush Lauren in 2007, FEED was born out of the desire to create a tangible, transparent, and shareable way for people to engage with the issue of worldwide hunger, using their everyday purchasing decisions. Every single product FEED makes from the bags and accessories they are known for, to the coffee they serve at the FEED Shop & Cafe in Brooklynhelps provide school meals domestically and globally when purchased through the brand's incredible on-the-ground giving partnersthe UN World Food Programme, No Kid Hungry, and Akshaya Patra. To date, FEED has helped provide more than 120 million mealsand counting.

Megan Drimal, Integrated Marketing Manager  [email protected]

www.feedprojects.com

SOURCE Clarins USA
Company aims for 20-percent customer emissions reduction by 2030

JACKSON, Mich., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CMS Energy and its primary business, Consumers Energy, today pledged to protect the planet by achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions from the company's entire natural gas production and delivery system  including customers and suppliers  by 2050.

Achieving net zero emissions means eliminating the impact of emissions traced to the burning of natural gas by customers and greenhouse gas emissions caused by natural gas suppliers who produce and transport natural gas to Consumers Energy's system.

"Natural gas is safe and affordable and now it can be even more clean," President and CEO Garrick Rochow said. "We're making historic, industry-leading changes to protect our planet. This commitment is another step in leading the clean energy transformation for Michigan."

As a next step on our path to net zero by 2050, the company will partner with customers to reduce their emissions by 20 percent by 2030.

CMS Energy is already implementing industry-leading plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These include:

Modernizing its natural gas system to achieve net zero methane emissions from its operations by 2030.

Ending coal use and boosting renewable energy fuel sources to achieve net zero carbon emissions from its electric operations by 2040.

Pledging to power 1 million electric vehicles in the communities it serves by 2030.

Pursuing a net zero goal for all emission sources, including those from customers and suppliers, aligns the company's efforts with Michigan's Healthy Climate Plan to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 as well as the recommendations of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming.

CMS Energy is executing and exploring a variety of pathways to support customers and suppliers who want to reduce their emissions.

Carbon offsets: The company recently received regulatory approval for a new program for residential and business customers who want to voluntarily offset carbon emissions from their natural gas use by investing in projects that help Michigan forests reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

The company recently received regulatory approval for a new program for residential and business customers who want to voluntarily offset carbon emissions from their natural gas use by investing in projects that help forests reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Renewable natural gas, or RNG: Produced from organic wastes and other renewable sources, RNG is interchangeable with conventional natural gas and a key technology available to reduce methane emissions. The company recently announced an agreement with Swisslane Farms in west Michigan to build a biodigester facility that, with regulatory approval, will convert agricultural waste into RNG.

Produced from organic wastes and other renewable sources, RNG is interchangeable with conventional natural gas and a key technology available to reduce methane emissions. The company recently announced an agreement with Swisslane Farms in west to build a biodigester facility that, with regulatory approval, will convert agricultural waste into RNG. Energy efficiency: Providing customers with the power to reduce energy waste and lower bills through a variety of energy efficiency and demand response programs. Since 2009, we've helped customers save about $4 billion and prevented the emission of almost 19 million tons of carbon dioxide.

Providing customers with the power to reduce energy waste and lower bills through a variety of energy efficiency and demand response programs. Since 2009, we've helped customers save about and prevented the emission of almost 19 million tons of carbon dioxide. Emerging technologies: Potential solutions include using hydrogen to produce energy, capturing and permanently storing carbon emissions from natural gas combustion and using hybrid natural gas and electric heat pump systems to heat homes and businesses.

The company is also modernizing its natural gas operations with a 10-year Natural Gas Delivery Plan to ensure the continued delivery of safe, reliable, affordable and clean natural gas. The plan includes accelerated infrastructure replacement, innovative leak detection and key process changes to eliminate, avoid and minimize methane emissions.

CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS) is a Michigan-based company that has an electric and natural gas utility, Consumers Energy, as its primary business. It also owns and operates independent power generation businesses. Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest energy provider, provides natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information on CMS Energy, please visit our website at cmsenergy.com.

To sign up for email alert notifications, please visit the Investor Relations section of our website.

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to ConsumersEnergy.com.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements." The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause CMS Energy's and Consumers Energy's results to differ materially. All forward-looking statements should be considered in the context of the risk and other factors detailed from time to time in CMS Energy's and Consumers Energy's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Check out Consumers Energy on Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/consumersenergymichigan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/consumersenergy

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/consumersenergy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consumersenergy

SOURCE CMS Energy
Commercial online printing market in the European union - Scope

The commercial online printing market in the European Union covers the following areas:

Commercial online printing market in the European union - Drivers & Challenges

The availability of POD services is one of the key drivers supporting the commercial online printing market growth in the European Union. POD is a printing service offered by online printing service providers, which includes printing of products such as brochures, newspapers, and others only on demand. For instance, It is a better solution for low-quantity orders of printed products and offers a better quality of products compared with traditional printing along with customer support. Moreover, the availability of digital printing has increased the demand for POD services as it enhances the quality of printing and provides the required number of print copies in a short duration. Thus, the increasing preference for POD services will support the growth of the commercial online printing market in the European Union during the forecast period.

However, the rising demand for digital advertisements and e-books is one of the factors hindering the commercial online printing market growth in the European Union. The rising popularity of digital documents and data distribution is predicted to lessen the need for printed items including directories, financial papers, adverts, and novels. Outdoor and indoor ads are increasingly using digital signage, billboards, and other media. Meanwhile, marketers are experimenting with new methods to use digital billboards. Advertisers may use digital billboards to show their messages based on time, place, and geography. They may change the messaging and display photos from afar using full-motion digital electronics signage. With the use of digital signage boards, a marketer may promote a wide selection of items at a low cost. These factors are posing a threat to the commercial online printing market in the European Union.

To know about more drivers, challenges along with upcoming trends - Download a free sample now!

Commercial online printing market in the European union - Segmentation Analysis

The Commercial Online Printing Market In European Union is segmented by Product (Business cards, Display POS and signage, Packaging, Labels, and Others) and Geography (Western Europe and Eastern Europe).

Technavio report presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources by an analysis of key parameters.

To know about the contribution of each segment - Download a free sample now!

Companies Mentioned

The commercial online printing market in the European Union is fragmented and the vendors are deploying growth strategies such as quality, price, service, brand image, distribution, and marketing to compete in the market.

ADOSEVILLA SL

CEWE Stiftung and Co. KGaA

Cimpress Plc

Doxzoo Ltd.

FasterPrint Srl

Grafenia plc

MOO Print Ltd.

Onlineprinters GmbH

OvernightPrints GmbH

unitedprint.com UK Ltd.

Subscribe to our "Lite Plan" billed annually at USD 3000 to join a community, who are eligible to view 3 reports monthly and download 3 reports annually.

Related Reports:

The data wrangling market share is expected to increase by USD 1.30 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 14.06%. Download a free sample now!

share is expected to increase by USD 1.30 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 14.06%. The data-entry outsourcing services market share is expected to increase by USD 504.12 million from 2020 to 2025, at a CAGR of 5.95%. Download a free sample now!

Commercial Online Printing Market In European Union Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 6.24% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 2.03 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 5.64 Performing market contribution Western Europe at 98% Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled ADOSEVILLA SL, CEWE Stiftung and Co. KGaA, Cimpress Plc, Doxzoo Ltd., FasterPrint Srl, Grafenia plc, MOO Print Ltd., Onlineprinters GmbH, OvernightPrints GmbH, and unitedprint.com UK 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 forecast period, Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Key Topics Covered:

***1. Executive Summary

*Exhibit 01: Key Finding 1

*Exhibit 02: Key Finding 2

*Exhibit 03: Key Finding 3

*Exhibit 04: Key Finding 5

*Exhibit 05: Key Finding 6

*Exhibit 06: Key Finding 7

***2. Market Landscape

**2.1 Market ecosystem

*Exhibit 07: Parent market

*Exhibit 08: Market Characteristics

**2.2 Value Chain Analysis

*Exhibit 09: Value chain analysis: Data Processing and outsourced services

*2.2.1 Inputs

*2.2.2 Operations

*2.2.3 Marketing and sales

*2.2.4 Support activities

*2.2.5 Innovations

***3. Market Sizing

**3.1 Market definition

*Exhibit 10: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

**3.2 Market segment analysis

*Exhibit 11: Market segments

**3.3 Market size 2021

**3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021 - 2026

*3.4.1Estimating growth rates for emerging and high-growth markets

*3.4.2 Estimating growth rates for mature markets

*Exhibit 12: Global - Market size and forecast 2021 - 2026 (million $)

*Exhibit 13: Global market: Year-over-year growth 2021 - 2026(%)

***4. Five Forces Analysis

**4.1 Five Forces Summary

*Exhibit 14: Five forces analysis 2021 - 2026

**4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

*Exhibit 15: Bargaining power of the buyer

**4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

*Exhibit 16: Bargaining power of the supplier

**4.4 Threat of new entrants

*Exhibit 17: Threat of new entrants

**4.5 Threat of substitutes

*Exhibit 18: Threat of substitutes

**4.6 Threat of rivalry

*Exhibit 19: Threat of rivalry

**4.7 Market condition

*Exhibit 20: Market condition - Five forces 2021

***5. Market Segmentation by Product

**5.1 Market segments

*Exhibit 21:Product Market share 2021 - 2026 (%)

**5.2 Comparison by Product

*Exhibit 22: Comparison by Product

**5.3 Business cards - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

*Exhibit 23: Business cards - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

*Exhibit 24: Business cards - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

**5.4 Display POS and signage - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

*Exhibit 25: Display POS and signage - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

*Exhibit 26: Display POS and signage - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

**5.5 Packaging - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

*Exhibit 27: Packaging - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million

*Exhibit 28: Packaging - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

**5.6 Labels - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

*Exhibit 29: Labels - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

*Exhibit 30: Labels - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

**5.7 Others - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

*Exhibit 31: Others - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

*Exhibit 32: Others - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

**5.8 Market opportunity by Product

*Exhibit 33: Market opportunity by Product

***6. Customer landscape

*Technavio's customer landscape matrix comparing Drivers or price sensitivity, Adoption lifecycle, importance in customer price basket, Adoption rate and Key purchase criteria

*Exhibit 34: Customer landscape

***7. Geographic Landscape

**7.1 Geographic segmentation

*Exhibit 35: Market share by geography 2020-2025 (%)

**7.2 Geographic comparison

*Exhibit 36: Geographic comparison

**7.3 Western Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

*Exhibit 37: Western Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

*Exhibit 38: Western Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

**7.4 Eastern Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

*Exhibit 39: Eastern Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

*Exhibit 40: Eastern Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

**7.5 Key leading countries

*Exhibit 41: Key leading countries

**7.6 Market opportunity by geography

*Exhibit 42: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

***8. Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

**8.1 Market drivers

*8.1.1 Availability of POD services

*8.1.2 Growing adoption of digital printing

*8.1.3 Value-added services (VAS)

**8.2 Market challenges

*8.2.1 Rising demand for digital advertisements and e-books

*8.2.2 Challenges associated with the adoption of web-to-print

*8.2.3 Dynamic pricing of raw materials

*Exhibit 43: Impact of drivers and challenges

**8.3 Market trends

*8.3.1 Development in communication network infrastructure

*8.3.2 Increasing adoption of hybrid printing

*8.3.3 Rising demand for eco-friendly inks

***9. Vendor Landscape

**9.1 Overview

**9.2 Vendor landscape

*Exhibit 44: Vendor landscape

**9.3 Landscape disruption

*Exhibit 45: Landscape disruption

*Exhibit 46: Industry Risk

***10. Vendor Analysis

**10.1 Vendors Covered

*Exhibit 47: Vendor Landscape

**10.2 Market positioning of vendors

*Exhibit 48: ?Market positioning of vendors?

**10.3 ADOSEVILLA SL

*Exhibit 49: ADOSEVILLA SL - Overview

*Exhibit 50: ADOSEVILLA SL - Product and service

*Exhibit 51: ADOSEVILLA SL - Key offerings

**10.4 CEWE Stiftung and Co. KGaA

*Exhibit 52: CEWE Stiftung and Co. KGaA - Overview

*Exhibit 53: CEWE Stiftung and Co. KGaA - Business segments

*Exhibit 54: CEWE Stiftung and Co. KGaA - Key offerings

*Exhibit 55: CEWE Stiftung and Co. KGaA  Key news

*Exhibit 56: CEWE Stiftung and Co. KGaA - Segment focus

**10.5 Cimpress Plc

*Exhibit 57: Cimpress Plc - Overview

*Exhibit 58: Cimpress Plc - Business segments

*Exhibit 59: Cimpress Plc - Key offerings

*Exhibit 60: Cimpress Plc - Segment focus

**10.6 Doxzoo Ltd.

*Exhibit 61: Doxzoo Ltd. - Overview

*Exhibit 62: Doxzoo Ltd. - Product and service

*Exhibit 63: Doxzoo Ltd. - Key offerings

*Exhibit 64: FasterPrint Srl - Overview

*Exhibit 65: FasterPrint Srl - Product and service

**10.7 Grafenia plc

*Exhibit 66: Grafenia plc - Overview

*Exhibit 67: Grafenia plc - Product and service

*Exhibit 68: Grafenia plc - Key offerings

**10.8 MOO Print Ltd

*Exhibit 69: MOO Print Ltd. - Overview

*Exhibit 70: MOO Print Ltd. - Product and service

*Exhibit 71: MOO Print Ltd. - Key offerings

**10.9 Onlineprinters GmbH

*Exhibit 72: Onlineprinters GmbH - Overview

*Exhibit 73: Onlineprinters GmbH - Product and service

*Exhibit 74: Onlineprinters GmbH - Key offerings

*Exhibit 75: Onlineprinters GmbH  Key news

**10.10 OvernightPrints GmbH

*Exhibit 76: OvernightPrints GmbH - Overview

*Exhibit 77: OvernightPrints GmbH - Product and service

*Exhibit 78: OvernightPrints GmbH - Key offerings

**10.11 unitedprint.com UK Ltd.

*Exhibit 79: unitedprint.com UK Ltd. - Overview

*Exhibit 80: unitedprint.com UK Ltd. - Product and service

*Exhibit 81: unitedprint.com UK Ltd. - Key offerings

***11. Appendix

**11.1 Scope of the report

*11.1.1 Market definition

*11.1.2 Objectives

*11.1.3 Notes and caveats

**11.2 Currency conversion rates for US$

*Exhibit 82: Currency conversion rates for US$

**11.3 Research Methodology

*Exhibit 83: Research Methodology

*Exhibit 84: Validation techniques employed for market sizing?

*Exhibit 85: Information sources

**11.4 List of abbreviations

*Exhibit 86: List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
"Parmigiano Reggiano is one of the world's oldest and most famous cheeses, and it is a product that symbolizes Italian produce," said Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano . "Since the establishment of our Consortium in 1934, we have worked to convey the value of our product globally and distinguish it from similar-sounding products on the market that do not meet our strict requirements for production and area of origin. By being the first to incorporate these secure digital labels onto our cheese wheels, we can continue to ensure consumer safety, bringing the traceability and the authentication of our products to meet industry 4.0 technological targets."

Since 2002, a casein label with a unique and sequential alphanumeric code is applied to each Parmigiano Reggiano cheese wheel but now p-Chip is launching a new line of secure, digital tracking labels for the industry, and the Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano is breaking new ground by embedding these p-Chip micro transponders into 2D codes, QR codes, and/or data-matrix codes. The result is an innovative, food-safe digital tag that takes CFPR's food safety and security a step beyond the government requirement.

Kaasmerk Matec and p-Chip Corporation partnered to complete this innovation program for a p-Chip device integrated into casein label, an industry-standard, protein-based type of food/cheese identification method. The innovation combines food-safe Casein labels with the p-Chip micro transpondera blockchain crypto-anchor that creates a digital "twin" for physical items. This scannable new food tag is smaller than a grain of salt and highly durable, delivering next-generation visibility and traceability to the Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano.

"We're pleased to partner with a leading global brand as Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano is, to bring world-class, disruptive tracing technology to the food industry," said Joe Wagner, CEO of p-Chip Corporation. "By integrating p-Chip micro transponders into Casein tags, CFPR can better control its inventory, protect and differentiate its products against look and sound-alike brands and have access to unmatchable track-and-trace technology to protect itself in the case of recalls or other issues. I look forward to working with Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano as they realize the full potential this technology holds for their business."

Over the past two years, the Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano has conducted extensive testing of the p-Chip/Kaasmerk Matec Casein label and approved the label's technical use for the authentication and digital traceability of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

"For more than 100 years, we've worked with artisan cheese producers to deliver casein cheesemarks that provide an invaluable level of protection for their recipes, helping to safeguard the passion and craftsmanship they bring to production of their cheeses," said Winus Sloot, Managing Director of Kaasmerk Matec. "We are pleased to collaborate with p-Chip to develop this smart digital label that will track and trace CFPR the Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano 's bulk cheeses from start to finish, providing additional protection and to both CFPR and consumers, as the label is highly resistant to tampering."

The new smart digital food labels will be added to 100,000 CFPR bulk cheese wheels in the second quarter of 2022. This represents the final phase of large-scale "testing" before evaluating the possibility of extending this technology to the entire production of Parmigiano Reggiano.

About Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano

Founded in 1934, the Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano carries on the art and tradition of a historic product, excellence, and symbol of Made in Italy food. All producers of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese are members of the Consortium, who is globally engaged in the protection of the denomination and the brand, in the defense of typicality and in the promotion and enhancement of the King of Cheese. To learn more, visit https://www.parmigianoreggiano.com/ .

About Kaasmerk Matec

Kaasmerk Matec is a leading producer of casein cheesemarks (both hard and flexible) in Europe. Cheesemarks are applied on the cheese at the beginning of the cheese production process. They serve as certificates of authenticity that help cheese producers protect their investments and identities and provide confidence to consumers that they are receiving the composition, taste, and quality they expect. The casein cheesemarks also provide transparency and traceability in every stage of the cheese production and distribution process. To learn more, visit https://kaasmerkmatec.com/ .

About p-Chip Corporation

Since 2017, p-Chip Corporation has revolutionized the tracking of physical products and materials with its breakthrough digital tracing technology. Its p-Chip micro transponder, a highly durable tracker as small as a grain of salt, functions like a digital anchor for physical items, delivering breakthrough visibility and index-ability at a scalable price point. From pharmaceuticals to electronics, automotive components to agricultural ingredients, companies worldwide rely on patented p-Chip tracking technology to unlock business intelligence, deepen brand loyalty, and enhance revenue. To learn more, visit https://p-chip.com/.

SOURCE Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano
In thousands of stores across North America, company will match customers donations to support global Red Cross' efforts in Ukraine and neighboring countries

LAVAL, QC, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. ("Couche-Tard") (TSX: ATD) has announced that it is extending its in-store fund-raising campaign in support of Ukrainian relief efforts to the majority of its stores across North America. Starting this week in the U.S. and Canada, the "You Donate, We'll Match" campaign, launched in European stores earlier this month, invites customers to donate the amount of their choice at the cash register of any participating Couche-Tard and Circle K store. All donations made by customers will be matched with an identical donation by the company.

Donations will go directly to the American Red Cross and the Canadian Red Cross, which are supporting the vital work being done by Red Cross teams in Ukraine and neighboring countries. The funds raised will support the global Red Cross network to provide lifesaving aid to those in need including food, shelter, critical care items and first aid. Through its global campaign, Couche-Tard aims to raise $4 million across its network to help Red Cross' relief efforts.

"It is heartbreaking to watch the images from this conflict and witness the devastating impact on so many innocent lives. In our European stores, we have already seen a great outpouring of generosity from customers in support of the "You Donate, We'll Match" campaign. By extending it to thousands of stores in North America, we hope to continue to raise as much funds as possible to support the Red Cross with its work in Ukraine and neighboring countries. I want to extend a special thanks to our team members for developing this campaign and to our customers for their considerable support," said Alex Miller, EVP, Operations, North America, and Global Commercial Optimization, Couche-Tard.

Circle K, the primary global brand of Couche-Tard, has a strong presence in Eastern Europe with over 6,500 team members and over 600 stores located in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. Since the outbreak of armed conflict in Ukraine, Circle K teams have worked with various partners to support with fuel, free meals, shelter, and essential products for those displaced by the crisis. In Quebec, Couche-Tard has joined a group of eighteen companies that have committed to sponsor up to 1,000 families affected by the crisis, offering them jobs and means of support until the situation stabilizes. For its global employee base, the company has also opened a fundraising website for team members who wish to donate to the Red Cross efforts for those displaced by this conflict.

About Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

Couche-Tard is a global leader in convenience and fuel retail, operating in 26 countries and territories, with more than 14,100 stores, of which approximately 10,800 offer road transportation fuel. With its well-known Couche-Tard and Circle K banners, it is one of the largest independent convenience store operators in the United States and it is a leader in the convenience store industry and road transportation fuel retail in Canada, Scandinavia, the Baltics, as well as in Ireland. It also has an important presence in Poland and Hong Kong SAR. Approximately 124,000 people are employed throughout its network.

For more information on Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. or to consult its quarterly Consolidated Financial Statements and Management Discussion and Analysis, please visit: https://corpo.couche-tard.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may constitute forward looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation, including those with respect to the potential transaction. Positive or negative verbs such as "believe", "can", "shall", "intend", "expect", "estimate", "assume" and other related expressions are used to identify such statements. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Couche-Tard and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties outside of Couche-Tard's control. Couche-Tard would like to point out that, by their very nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties such that its results, or the measures it adopts, could differ materially from those indicated in or underlying these statements, or could have an impact on the degree of realization of a particular projection. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Couche-Tard disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information in this release is based on information available as of the date of the release.

SOURCE Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
Brain-computer interface startup Precision Neuroscience hires technical leads from Google and Apple. Tweet this

Dan Trietsch will serve as Principal Software Architect. He has twenty-five years of software engineering experience, most recently at Apple, where he worked as a senior engineering manager on the company's CoreMotion team, developing health and fitness features for the Apple Watch and iPhone.

Mermel and Trietsch have a history of successful collaboration with Precision's Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer, Ben Rapoport . Rapoport and Mermel met in the MD-PhD program at Harvard Medical school, where they both earned their medical degrees. Rapoport concurrently earned his PhD in electrical engineering from MIT; Mermel earned a PhD in cancer genomics from Harvard. (Rapoport specializes in neurosurgery, Memel in pathology.) While still graduate students, Rapoport and Mermel co-founded a company called Simbionics, which developed pioneering health software for wearable technology. Trietsch was their first software engineering hire. In 2014, Simbionics was acquired by a major technology company.

Rapoport said that he was thrilled to be reuniting with Mermel and Trietsch. "Craig's and Dan's skills are critical to Precision's mission, because, as brain-computer interface technology becomes more sophisticated, data, machine learning, and software will become increasingly central to unlocking its full potential. In their years at companies such as Google and Apple, both Craig and Dan have learned how to create products that can scale to tens of millions of users, and this will be essential in building technology that, we hope, will create life-changing results for tens of millions of patients."

Precision Neuroscience Corporation has offices in New York and California, and seeks to expand its team in each location.

For more information, visit precisionneuro.io

Media Inquiries

Otto Pohl

[email protected]

+1.917.915.4400

SOURCE Precision Neuroscience Corporation
AMMAN, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Jordanian King Abdullah II on Tuesday told visiting Israeli defense minister that maintaining calm requires respecting the rights of Muslims to worship at al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

During the meeting with Benny Gantz, King Abdullah called for stronger efforts to restart serious and effective peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel to achieve peace on the basis of the two-state solution, the Royal Hashemite Court said in a statement.

The king also stressed the need to cease all measures undermining the prospects of achieving peace, according to the statement.

The meeting is part of the king's ongoing diplomatic efforts to facilitate just and comprehensive peace, respect the historical and legal status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, and safeguard the rights of worshippers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the Royal Court said. 
Using a Trust is the best way to protect your assets and make sure they don't get lost or have any issues long-term. A properly administered Trust will ensure that your digital assets transfer to your beneficiaries quickly and easily, while avoiding expensive Probate.

Another important benefit of a Trust is that it can provide a level of privacy. Many people prefer to keep their name or confidential details of large balances out of public view and records.

Additionally, Trusts can be modified at any time or even revoked as your situation may change over time. An attorney specializing in Trusts and estate planning will be required to set-up your Trust, and DAIM can work with a Trust attorney on the transferring of digital assets into a Trust.

Self-directed Cryptocurrency exchanges and custodians don't readily offer the ability to name beneficiaries or to title your account as a Trust. Online Cryptocurrency exchanges do not provide the human interaction, expertise and a proper paper trail of a full service firm like DAIM.

This is where you need a professional, licensed digital asset advisor and Trust attorney to secure your Trust documents, create the unique Trust account and establish a record with a qualified custodian so multiple approved parties can access your Trust account.

A licensed digital asset advisor and Trust attorney can also assist you in the transition of the assets to your beneficiaries or to continue managing them for the beneficiaries. The licensed advisor also solves for the Prudent Investor Rule, which requires the assets to be managed with consideration of the beneficiaries needs and avoiding unnecessary risk.

DAIM has an experienced Trust attorney in California in our network to assist you with all of the needed steps, or you are free to choose your own Trust attorney.

For further information, please contact:

Digital Asset Investment Management

License: CRD# 294098

[email protected]

120 Newport Center Drive

Newport Beach CA 92660

Who We Are:

DAIM is the first fully licensed and regulated digital asset manager. We create long-term value through our trading and execution expertise, customized investment options, secure cold storage custody of assets, research and educational resources. Visit is as DAIM.io

*Performance data shown represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate, so your account may have a gain or loss when shares are sold. Current performance may be higher or lower than what is reflected. Investment performance of a model depends on the performance of the underlying investment options and on the proportion of the assets invested in each underlying investment option over time. The performance of these investments will vary day to day in response to many factors including volatility. The account performance information reflects the reinvestment of dividends, yield and or income (to the extent applicable), is net of applicable transaction fees, and is net of DAIM's investment management fee. However, taxes are not accounted for. Diversification does not ensure a profit or guarantee against a loss. Please review our ADDITIONAL disclosures for important information on your account's performance. DAIM MODEL was started in June 2018 and digital assets held in the model change from time to time.

SOURCE DAIM
Market Dynamics

The safety of e-cigarettes compared with other tobacco products is driving the e-cigarette market growth in UK. Tobacco products contain nicotine that causes addiction. E-cigarettes produce a flavored aerosol that is responsible for delivering nicotine to the lungs, which stimulates tobacco smoking without delivering toxic chemicals like tar to the lungs. Respiratory diseases, cancer, and heart conditions are a few health problems induced by smoking tobacco products. Hence, many smokers are switching to e-cigarettes to reduce the aftereffects of smoking.

However, factors such as the presence of substitute products may impede the market growth. Some of the substitutes include cigarettes, nicotine patches, nicotine snus, nasal sprays, inhalers, chewing tobacco, and lozenges. The availability of nicotine patches across the country will increase their sales during the forecast period. The number of people attempting to quit smoking by trying out other nicotine products is also growing. This will increase the demand for alternate nicotine products, thus negatively influencing the growth of the market.

Learn about other drivers and challenges impacting the market growth. View Our Free Sample Report Now

Company Profiles

Some of the companies covered in this report are British American Tobacco Plc, Imperial Brands Plc, Innokin Technology Ltd., J WELL France Sarl, Japan Tobacco Inc., JUUL Labs Inc., Pax Labs Inc., Philip Morris International Inc., Shenzhen IVPS Technology Co. Ltd., and Shenzhen Kanger Technology Co. Ltd., etc. The key offerings of some of these vendors are listed below:

British American Tobacco Plc - The company offers Vype e-cigarette.

The company offers Vype e-cigarette. Imperial Brands Plc - The company offers E-cigarettes under the brand, Blu.

The company offers E-cigarettes under the brand, Blu. Innokin Technology Ltd - The company offers various types of products such as ENDURA T22 PRO, SENSIS, EQ FLTR, and other related products.

The company offers various types of products such as ENDURA T22 PRO, SENSIS, EQ FLTR, and other related products. J WELL France Sarl - The company offers a wide range of E-cigarettes.

The company offers a wide range of E-cigarettes. Japan Tobacco Inc. - The company offers E-cigarettes through its brand Logic.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive scenario provided in the e-cigarette market in UK report analyzes, evaluates, and positions companies based on various performance indicators. Some of the factors considered for this analysis include the financial performance of companies over the past few years, growth strategies, product innovations, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.

Market Segmentation

By product, the market is classified into modular e-cigarettes, rechargeable e-cigarettes, and disposable e-cigarettes. The modular e-cigarettes segment will contribute the largest share of the market. The demand for modular e-cigarettes is high owing to their wide penetration in different markets. It is expected to rise during the forecast period with the introduction of new products. The cost-effectiveness of these e-cigarettes will contribute to the growth of the segment.

will contribute the largest share of the market. The demand for modular e-cigarettes is high owing to their wide penetration in different markets. It is expected to rise during the forecast period with the introduction of new products. The cost-effectiveness of these e-cigarettes will contribute to the growth of the segment. By distribution channel, the market has been segmented into offline and online.

Know more about the contribution of each segment of the market. View our Free Sample Report

Related Reports

E-cigarette Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Nicotine Gum Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

E-cigarette Market In UK Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 13% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 1.20 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 12.20 Regional analysis UK Performing market contribution UK at 100% Key consumer countries UK Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled British American Tobacco Plc, Imperial Brands Plc, Innokin Technology Ltd., J WELL France Sarl, Japan Tobacco Inc., JUUL Labs Inc., Pax Labs Inc., Philip Morris International Inc., Shenzhen IVPS Technology Co. Ltd., and Shenzhen Kanger Technology Co. 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 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 Landscape

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2020

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

Five Forces Analysis

Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Product

Market segments

Comparison by Product

Modular e-cigarettes - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Rechargeable e-cigarettes - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Disposable e-cigarettes - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by Product

Market Segmentation by Distribution channel

Market segments

Comparison by Distribution channel

Offline - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Online - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by Distribution channel

Customer landscape

Overview

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Competitive scenario

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

British American Tobacco Plc

Imperial Brands Plc

Innokin Technology Ltd.

J WELL France Sarl

Japan Tobacco Inc.

JUUL Labs Inc.

Pax Labs Inc.

Philip Morris International Inc.

Shenzhen IVPS Technology Co. Ltd.

Shenzhen Kanger Technology Co. Ltd.

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide 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: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
VAN NUYS, Calif., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eco Innovation Group, Inc. (OTC: ECOX) ("ECOX" or the "Company"), an innovative company developing new green energy solutions, is pleased to update current and prospective shareholders as the Company's supercritical Glycerin Extraction Technology ("GET"), an advanced cannabis extraction system, advances through the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) while a key bill contemplating federal legalization of cannabis heads toward a vote in the United States House of Representatives this week.

As announced by the Company in its release dated March 17, 2022, Eco Innovation Group recently received a Notice of Allowance from the USPTO for its patent covering methods of extraction of plant materials obtained using the GET system, which has been exclusively licensed to ECOX by Glytech, LLC ("Glytech").

"The GET system is an upgrade of the technology horizon for producing superior high-grade plant extracts with a provable reduction in costs, as well as time and energy, during the extraction process, which has enormous implications for the cannabis products industry," stated Julia Otey-Raudes, CEO of Eco Innovation Group. "As we move toward full IP protection to accompany our exclusive license rights for this next-generation extraction technology, we believe legislative momentum is a tailwind for the cannabis industry, and we applaud lawmakers who are helping to drive progress and provide for more equity and greater access."

The Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement Act (the "MORE Act") is a bill sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) that is up for a vote to clear the United States House of Representatives as early as this week. The bill essentially aims to remove cannabis from the list of federally controlled substances, which could open the door for true federal legalization of cannabis in the United States. However, the bill would not require states to legalize cannabis but would leave regulatory discretion up to states.

At the same time, the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act (H.R. 1996), sponsored by Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), is now up for consideration in the Senate with a version that was reintroduced on March 23, 2021, and is sponsored by Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Steve Daines (R-MT), with 180 current cosponsors. The SAFE Banking Act would create protections for financial institutions that provide financial services to state-legal cannabis businesses, offering small and minority-owned cannabis businesses access to banks and regulated financial services.

Management views these measures as important steps in leveling the playing field for consumers and businesses as the GET system moves toward commercial launch, which is currently planned for Q4 2022 or early 2023.

The GET system's plant extraction method promises to reduce waste from vaping cannabis and to provide better standardization of extracts in products. Unlike current technology in the marketplace, this technology utilizes a non-CO2 solvent and cofactors to extract selected bioactive compounds from plant materials. The result is an extracted fluid superior in viscosity to the output of current CO2-based extraction methods, while streamlining time, energy, and capital costs.

The GET system was covered by Chemical Engineering magazine last year.

Otey-Raudes added, "This technology  our exclusive technology  promises to drive larger yields with greater resource efficiency while creating more consistent, standardizable concentrations of target compounds. This consistency is a big factor. It means customers stand to get products with the same potency every time, which is not the case with current methods in use today, including supercritical CO2. We expect this technology will generate lower overhead costs to manufacturers while creating better overall yields and higher customer satisfaction. In a maturing industry with expanding reach, this is paramount."

About Eco Innovation Group

Eco Innovation Group was founded by Inventors and Business Professionals to help nurture and catalyze the most innovative and impactful products and services, and to deliver those innovations to the world, improving the quality of life in our communities and the world around us, while delivering value to our shareholders.

At ECOX, we are dedicated to developing and commercializing successful products. But we will never lose sight of the fact that we exist, first and foremost, to help people and improve life on the planet we all share. We take our Social Responsibility Contract seriously in all our endeavors. It is not only what we do. It is who we are. For more information, visit www.ecoig.com.

View the Company's new video Here.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements also may be included in other publicly available documents issued by the Company and in oral statements made by our officers and representatives from time to time. These forward-looking statements are intended to provide management's current expectations or plans for our future operating and financial performance, based on assumptions currently believed to be valid. They can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "seek," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "would," "could," "will" and other words of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future operating or financial performance. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements relating to future sales, earnings, cash flows, results of operations, uses of cash and other measures of financial performance.

Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others such as, but not limited to economic conditions, changes in the laws or regulations, demand for products and services of the company, the effects of competition and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or represented in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking information provided in this release should be considered with these factors in mind. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this report.

Corporate Contact:

Eco Innovation Group, Inc.

[email protected]

www.ecoig.com

Public Relations:

EDM Media, LLC

https://edm.media

SOURCE Eco Innovation Group
With the company's headquarters located in Paoli, Indiana, the Alpharetta facility will serve as the third regional office for ElectriCom in addition to its existing locations in Linwood, North Carolina and Bandera, Texas. The company's regional offices are an extension of the Paoli headquarters serving as the base for various corporate specific support staff to best serve the ElectriCom's broad field operations and customers.

"The decision to open an office in Alpharetta was a logical step in having a regional office in the southeast further extending our corporate support structure in the field" said Kevin Mason, Executive Chairman. "As we look to continue to expand the company talent to augment our growth trajectory, the Atlanta area is home to numerous universities as well as the headquarters for sixteen (16) Fortune 500 companies."

Raj Beri, President & CEO of ElectriCom, added "Alpharetta was a great choice for our newest regional facility as it is located within close proximity to a number of our customers and ElectriCom field offices in our South and Mid-Atlantic regions."

Founded in 1960 and headquartered in Paoli, Indiana, ElectriCom LLC is a national provider of mission-critical utility construction services in rural markets with an acute focus on safety. With operations in twenty-five (25) states, and over 266 customers and counting, the company is a trusted partner for telecommunications, power and right of way services. ElectriCon's mission is building utility infrastructure to improve quality of life in our communities.

If you would like more information about this topic, please email Justin Eidson, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Marketing, at [email protected].

Contact: Justin Eidson

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE ElectriCom, LLC
Emergency Medicine Physicians Need Support. This Program Aims to Provide Lifelong Knowledge to Help Them Thrive. Tweet this

Presented in a compelling and digestible format, Rosh Scholar EM not only provides the latest in medical content and new research advancements. It also compiles valuable clinical knowledge like reading an ECG, on-the-job knowledge like billing/coding or medical law, and even life knowledge that physicians may have missed in areas like retirement funds, mental health, and fitness.

"To become an emergency medicine physician, we spend four years in medical school and at least three more years in residency training. During this intense time, we often forgo aspects of our personal health, wellness, and professional development," said Dr. Adam Rosh, an emergency medicine physician, Chief Medical Officer at Blueprint Prep, and founder of Rosh Review. "Rosh Scholar EM helps to provide this missed education to physicians, while also keeping subscribers sharp with lifelong medical knowledge required for patient care."

The familiar act of study and knowledge acquisition helps physicians refresh their medical knowledge and be responsible to their patients by staying updated on new research advances, while learning additional on-the-job skills that come with their own clinical practice. To achieve this, Rosh Scholar EM provides learners with monthly content in a Qbank curated for emergency medicine physicians who have passed their boards and are now independently practicing professionals.

This "lifelong learning" model allows physicians to continue their education at every step of their careersand do so consistently.

New Knowledge Every Month. On the first day of each month, Rosh Scholar EM subscribers receive 25 new questions to help them sharpen their clinical knowledge, review new advances in medicine, learn about personal health and wellness, and even gain an understanding of personal finance and wealth management.

On the first day of each month, Rosh Scholar EM subscribers receive 25 new questions to help them sharpen their clinical knowledge, review new advances in medicine, learn about personal health and wellness, and even gain an understanding of personal finance and wealth management. Dig In. Get Credit. For each year members spend as Rosh Scholars, they will receive 50 AMA PRA Category 1 CME credits toward their continuing education requirements.

For each year members spend as Rosh Scholars, they will receive 50 AMA PRA Category 1 CME credits toward their continuing education requirements. Learn Your Way. Annual subscriptions are available to suit individual preferences.

Annual subscriptions are available to suit individual preferences. And Enjoy the Process! Rosh Scholar EM doesn't grind knowledge into its subscribers but rather delivers its high-quality content with a light touch that makes learning easy and rewarding.

"Emergency medical physicians are a crucial group who deserve ongoing support and development opportunities, but they are only the first wave of Rosh Scholars," Matt Riley, Founder and CEO of Blueprint Prep, said. "We look forward to expanding our program to other medical disciplines and creating lifelong professional learning opportunities for passionate people who want to provide excellent care to their patients and grow as individuals."

If you are interested in learning more about Rosh Scholar EM and the opportunities for lifelong professional learning this program offers, visit: https://www.roshreview.com/em/scholar/ .

About Blueprint Prep

Founded in 2005, Blueprint Prep is the leading platform for high-stakes test prep in the U.S., offering live and self-paced online courses, private tutoring, self-study materials, and application consulting services for pre-law, pre-med, and medical school students, as well as Qbanks for residents and practicing physicians, PAs and NPs via its recent acquisition of Rosh Review. Blueprint leverages a unique approach that combines engaging video lectures, unparalleled expertise in content creation, the latest adaptive learning technology, and personalized study planning tools. Blueprint has produced unrivaled results, including industry-leading score increases for its pre-law and pre-med students taking the LSAT and MCAT. For more information, visit Blueprintprep.com.

SOURCE Blueprint Test Preparation
This is the story of Arijana Koskarova who topped the Forbes under 30 list and now is on the mission to expand in US. Tweet this

In Creative Hub Academy aspiring individuals can learn real-world skills in areas of data science , front-end development , graphic design, etc.This venture is solving the demand of skilled workforce for the tech market which by 2030 will have a global shortage of 85 million tech workers, representing $8.5 trillion in lost annual revenue.

On the question of "Why European female-led ventures choose the US?" Koskarova answered that, "the American dream is the highest honor of success any entrepreneur can achieve. Starting in Europe brought us the jump-start of our business, now is the time to earn our place in the unicorn club, and the US is the place to be. If we compare European VC-backed startups to US, the number is significantly smaller. Europe is currently facing a large number of political challenges that slow down the growth process for entrepreneurs. The US is an open-minded country, as a woman I feel that here women to woman and men to women business relationships are far more underpinned and more open to help."

Koskarova's goal is to build a global presence but also to connect the European and US tech community or anyone aspiring to change careers or re-skill. She believes that regardless of age, with the right mentoring program anyone can succeed, and what makes Creative Hub unique is the dedicated-recruiter help that students get at the end of the program. Creative Hub is the only training program that offers international experience. After nine months of online courses, students can choose to spend one month in Porto Montenegro or Monaco networking with like-minded individuals from the tech community.

CONTACT: Arijana Koskarova, +17864799779, [email protected]

SOURCE Creative Hub Academy
Firm's ability to source diverse asset raisers continues to garner industry recognition

NEW YORK, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jensen Partners, a women-owned executive search and corporate advisory firm for the alternative investment management industry, has been named "Best Recruitment Company for Investor Relations & Asset Raising" by the readers of Private Equity Wire, as part of the Private Equity Wire European Awards 2022. This marks the third consecutive year that Jensen Partners has won the title.

"Winning this award for the third straight time shows that our marketing and distribution recruitment offerings are truly differentiated," said Sasha Jensen, CEO and Founder of Jensen Partners. "Our data-driven approach and proprietary technology allow us to recruit diverse candidates and provide solutions for a wide range of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), company culture and employee retention challenges."

The cornerstone of Jensen Partner's data-driven approach is DiversityMetrics -- the first enterprise software platform to combine self-reported diversity data and human capital management technology specifically designed for asset managers seeking to quantify, measure, report and improve workforce diversity and inclusion. By combining quantitative analytics with qualitative information, DiversityMetrics enables deep insights into how company culture and management style either promote or discourage diversity. With those insights, managers can leverage data to design, implement, maintain and measure DEI initiatives over time and then periodically assess and refine based on the rate of progress toward the goal, providing a 360 view of where a firm stands on DEI and how they can make meaningful progress towards a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce.

The Private Equity Wire European Awards honor the best managers, investors, consultants, advisers and service providers across a range of categories in the private equity space for the year prior. The 2022 Private Equity Wire European Awards were announced on March 24 at the Reform Club of London. Voting for the awards is conducted via an online poll of the entire Private Equity Wire userbase, where participants are asked to make their choice among the shortlisted firms in each category. Winners in the service providers category were selected by a survey of more than 100 GPs and other key industry participants.

Jensen Partners is also the recipient of awards for its executive search and recruiting work from leading industry trade publications, including Institutional Asset Manager, HFMWeek, Alt Credit Intelligence and The Drawdown.

About Jensen Partners

Jensen Partners is a women-owned global advisory, corporate development and executive search firm specializing in the placement of leading investment and capital-raising candidates for the alternative asset management community. The firm leverages a data-driven approach to all human capital management, combining quantitative and qualitative information to source and place the best candidates for each specific role. Using the firm's proprietary DiversityMetrics platform, Jensen Partners has built a database with verified demographic data (e.g., race, gender, seniority, age, education) on more than 25,000 investment and distribution professionals, providing asset managers with the breadth and depth of information necessary to quantify, measure, report and improve workforce diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). In addition to executive search, Jensen Partners also offers LP/GP referencing, proprietary 360 Investor Referencing, and compensation benchmarking and analysis. Learn more at www.jensen-partners.com.

Media Contact:

Alex Nye

(814) 671-7497

[email protected]

SOURCE Jensen Partners

Related Links

http://www.jensen-partners.com


Acquisition complements First Eagle Investments' multi-asset lineup and enhances capabilities offered to clients, including opportunistic credit.

Napier Park to function as an autonomous, wholly owned unit of First Eagle Investments.

No changes to Napier Park's investment approach, business focus or client service.

NEW YORK, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- First Eagle Investments ("First Eagle") today announced a definitive agreement to acquire Napier Park Global Capital ("Napier Park"), a leading alternative credit manager with approximately $18.7 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2021, predominantly for institutions through credit funds, US and European collateralized loan obligations, and real assets. As an autonomous, wholly owned unit of First Eagle Investments, Napier Park will go to market as "Napier Park, a First Eagle Investments Company" and maintain its investment approach, business focus and client service.

First Eagle Investments is an independent, privately owned investment firm with approximately $110.5 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2021. The acquisition of Napier Park significantly broadens First Eagle's capabilities in the large and diverse alternative credit market, enabling it to offer clients exposure to opportunistic US and European credit, US mortgages and consumer debt, US municipal debt and equipment leasing. It also enhances the size and scope of the firm's CLO footprint, including the addition of European CLO management.

"First Eagle over time has deliberately sought to nurture an investment-led culture, supported by a set of core investment tenets, that encourages philosophical autonomy among our portfolio management teams," said Mehdi Mahmud, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Eagle Investments. "We believe Napier Park's capabilities are a strong complement to those of our existing Global Value, Small Cap and First Eagle Alternative Credit teams, and our clients will be better served by having access to all through a single platform. The transaction has no impact on First Eagle Alternative Credit, which will continue under its current leadership and operate independently from Napier Park."

An employee-owned partnership with offices in New York, London and Switzerland, Napier Park differentiates itself through world-class infrastructure, creativity and decades of specialized expertise among its 47 investment professionals, which has enabled it to produce a strong performance record across its strategies. Jim O'Brien and Jon Dorfmanwho serve as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, respectivelywill continue to run Napier Park as Managing Principals, reporting to Mahmud. No changes will be made to Napier Park's investment philosophy or processes as a result of the acquisition, nor are any personnel changes expected. Key Napier Park employees will sign long-term agreements and continue in their current roles.

"We are excited to leverage First Eagle Investments' established global institutional distribution structure to amplify the momentum we've built in our business over the years," said O'Brien. "We look forward to introducing our differentiated lineup of alternative credit vehicles to a wider base of investors seeking incremental returns from credit and liquidity risk premia."

"First Eagle's investment-centric culture and commitment to client outcomes are a good fit with the environment we've sought to nurture at Napier Park," said Dorfman. "Furthermore, the firm's belief in maintaining Napier Park's investment and operating autonomy was extremely attractive and enabled us to reach this acquisition agreement."

Approvals

The transaction has been approved by First Eagle's board of directors and Napier Park's partners, and is expected to close in the coming months, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Advisors

Goodwin Procter acted as legal counsel and UBS Investment Bank acted as financial advisor to First Eagle. Davis Polk acted as legal counsel and Houlihan Lokey acted as financial advisor to Napier Park.

About First Eagle Investments

First Eagle Investments is an independent, privately owned investment management firm headquartered in New York with approximately $110.5 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2021. Dedicated to providing prudent stewardship of client assets, the firm focuses on active, fundamental and benchmark-agnostic investing, with a strong emphasis on downside mitigation. With a heritage dating back to 1864, First Eagle has helped its clients avoid permanent impairment of capital and earn attractive returns through widely varied economic cyclesa tradition that is central to its mission today. The firm's investment capabilities include equity, fixed income, alternative credit and multi-asset strategies. For more information on First Eagle, please visit www.firsteagle.com.

About Napier Park Global Capital

Napier Park is a leading alternative credit manager with approximately $18.7 billion in assets under management, as of December 31, 2021, across credit funds, CLOs and real assets predominantly within the US and European markets. Napier Park differentiates itself through its decades of specialized credit expertise, world-class infrastructure and creativity, providing effective solutions to a broad range of institutional clients. Napier Park has offices in New York, London and Switzerland. For more information visit www.napierparkglobal.com.

Media Contacts

For First Eagle Investments:

Kekst CNC

Ross Lovern

212.521.4800

[email protected]

For Napier Park:

Prosek Partners

Ben Howard

914.552.4281

[email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements contained herein may include prospects, statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements herein are made only as of the date of this press release, and the company assumes no obligation to update any information or forward-looking statement contained herein, except as required to be disclosed by law.

SOURCE First Eagle Investments
SUZHOU, China, March 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Alphamab Oncology (stock code: 9966.HK) reported financial results for the full year ended December 31, 2021 and highlighted recent progress and upcoming milestones.

Highlights

First product launch: In November 2021 , KN035 (Envafolimab) has received marketing authorization from the Chinese National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), becoming the world's first and currently only subcutaneously injected PD-L1 antibody approved for marketing.

, KN035 (Envafolimab) has received marketing authorization from the Chinese National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), becoming the world's first and currently only subcutaneously injected PD-L1 antibody approved for marketing. First year of commercialization: We recorded total revenue of RMB146.0 million yuan for the year ended December 31, 2021 , of which RMB11.62 million yuan of revenue from the shipment of Envafolimab, RMB134 million yuan of revenue from KN026.

yuan for the year ended , of which yuan of revenue from the shipment of Envafolimab, yuan of revenue from KN026. Rapid advancement of pivotal clinical trials: Several pivotal clinical studies of KN046 are ongoing, including squamous non-small cell lung cancer, PD-(L)1 refractory NSCLC, pancreatic cancer, thymic carcinoma, etc. BLA is expected to be submitted in 2022.

Exploring cornerstone therapies in the post-PD-(L)1 era: 10 clinical data of KN046 presented, continuing to explore major indications, PD-(L)1 refractory and PD-(L)1 inadequate response tumors; KN046 in combination with KN026 is expected to offer a chemotherapy-free solution.

Build a core commercialization team: In 2021, the company established a core commercialization team to accelerate the commercialization of KN046 and subsequent blockbuster products.

Dr. Ting Xu, Chairman and CEO of Alphamab Oncology, commented, "2021 is the first year of the company's commercialization. Envafolimab is the first domestic PD-L1 antibody approved for marketing in China and the world's only subcutaneously administered PD-L1 antibody. KN046 has demonstrated excellent efficacy and potential for benefit in treating PD-(L)1 refractory and PD-(L)1 inadequate response tumors, etc. The BLA of KN046 insquamous NSCLC will be submitted soon. The pivotal phase III trials of KN046 in pancreatic cancer and PD-(L)1 refractory NSCLC have been initiated. A pivotal clinical trial of KN026, an anti-HER2 bispecific antibody, combined with chemotherapy as second-line treatment for gastric cancer has been initiated, and trials in the 1st-line and perioperative setting are under way. Data from the phase II study of KN026 combined with KN046 pave the way for further exploring chemotherapy-free regimens for HER2-positive solid tumors.

In 2021, the company has also made significant progress in our innovative R&D platform and product pipeline. We expect the innovative mechanism and preclinical efficacy of KN052 and JSKN-003 to be validated in clinical studies in 2022. Unmet medical needs, differentiation and global edge are the principles we have always adhered to.

The MRCT pivotal trial of KN046 in thymic carcinoma demonstrated our ability and confidence to develop innovative drugs to meet global health needs. Through cooperation with Pfizer, CSPC and other partners, we hope to accelerate the research and development of our candidates, and to benefit oncology patients worldwide as soon as possible.

Through the launch of Envafolimab, the company's GMP has been fully validated. We will further expand our production capacity, improve our system, and expand our commercialization capability to lay a solid foundation for the launch of KN046 and subsequent new drugs. With 2021 already behind, we look forward a more exciting and rewarding 2022. Alphamab Oncology will stick to its vision and mission and develop steadily. We are working for more effective cancer medicines and will generate great returns for our long term shareholders.

BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS

Since April 20, 2021, being the latest practicable date of the Company's 2020 annual report, we have been making significant progress with respect to our product pipeline and business operations.

Product Pipeline

Our highly differentiated in-house pipeline consists of tumor monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and antibody-drug conjugates. Our differentiated tumor product pipeline includes one approved for marketing by the NMPA, three in late clinical stage, and two that have received IND approval or ready for IND submission.

KN046

KN046 has completed phase I clinical trials in Australia and has simultaneously been under a phase II clinical trial in the U.S. Currently, four pivotal clinical trials of KN046 in China have been launched, including two pivotal clinical trials in NSCLC, one pivotal phase III clinical trial in PDAC and one pivotal trial in thymic carcinoma. There are approximately 20 clinical trials around the world covering more than 10 types of tumors including NSCLC, triple-negative breast cancer, ESCC and thymic carcinoma. The results of these clinical trials have demonstrated a preliminary profile of good safety and promising efficacy of KN046.

Events during the Reporting Period

In April 2021 , we entered into a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Pfizer Inc. to evaluate the efficacy and safety of KN046 in combination with Inlyta (axitinib), for the first-line treatment of NSCLC.

, we entered into a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Pfizer Inc. to evaluate the efficacy and safety of KN046 in combination with Inlyta (axitinib), for the first-line treatment of NSCLC. We achieved positive results of KN046 with respect to its preliminary efficacy and safety in combination with nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine as first-line treatment for unresectable locally advanced or metastatic PDAC. Such research progress was presented at the 2021 ASCO Annual Meeting.

We achieved promising preliminary results in a phase II, open-label and multi-center study of KN046 in combination with chemotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC. Such research progress was presented at the 2021 ASCO Annual Meeting.

We made progress in obtaining the efficacy and safety results of KN046 plus paclitaxel/ cisplatin as first-line treatment for unresectable locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic ESCC. Such research progress was presented at the 2021 ASCO Annual Meeting.

We made progress in obtaining the preliminary efficacy and safety results of a prospective phase II trial of KN046 in combination with Lenvatinib in the first-line treatment for advanced unresectable or metastatic HCC. Such research progress was presented at the ESMO Congress 2021.

We obtained research results of a phase II, open-label and multi-center clinical trial of KN046 in combination with platinum doublet chemotherapy as first-line treatment for advanced NSCLC harboring resistant oncogenic driver alterations. Such research results were presented at the ESMO Congress 2021.

In September 2021 , we received an IND approval for KN046 from the NMPA for initiating a multi-center, open-label and randomized-controlled phase II/ III pivotal clinical study (ENREACH-LUNG-02/KN046-302) to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of KN046 combined with Lenvatinib versus Docetaxel in disease progression of patients with advanced NSCLC who have accepted PD-(L)1 treatment.

, we received an IND approval for KN046 from the NMPA for initiating a multi-center, open-label and randomized-controlled phase II/ III pivotal clinical study (ENREACH-LUNG-02/KN046-302) to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of KN046 combined with Lenvatinib versus Docetaxel in disease progression of patients with advanced NSCLC who have accepted PD-(L)1 treatment. We achieved significant efficacy and safety results of KN046 in combination with nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine in the first-line treatment of locally advanced unresectable or metastatic PDAC. Such results were presented at the 2021 CSCO Annual Meeting.

In September 2021 , the Company entered into a partnership agreement with Hangzhou Raygene Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. to jointly develop the combination therapy of KN046 and RG001, a proprietary anti-tumor small molecule drug, for the posterior line treatment for advanced HCC and liver metastasis colorectal cancer.

, the Company entered into a partnership agreement with Hangzhou Raygene Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. to jointly develop the combination therapy of KN046 and RG001, a proprietary anti-tumor small molecule drug, for the posterior line treatment for advanced HCC and liver metastasis colorectal cancer. In October 2021 , a multi-center, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial of KN046 to evaluate the efficacy and safety of KN046 in combination with the platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic squamous NSCLC, completed the enrollment of 482 patients.

, a multi-center, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial of KN046 to evaluate the efficacy and safety of KN046 in combination with the platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic squamous NSCLC, completed the enrollment of 482 patients. In October 2021 , the first patient was successfully dosed in a multi-center, open-label and randomized-controlled phase II/III pivotal clinical trial of KN046 in Mainland China, which aims to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of KN046 combined with Lenvatinib versus Docetaxel in disease progression of patients with advanced NSCLC who have accepted anti-PD-(L)1 treatment.

, the first patient was successfully dosed in a multi-center, open-label and randomized-controlled phase II/III pivotal clinical trial of KN046 in Mainland China, which aims to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of KN046 combined with Lenvatinib versus Docetaxel in disease progression of patients with advanced NSCLC who have accepted anti-PD-(L)1 treatment. In November 2021 , the first patient was successfully dosed in a clinical trial of KN046 in combination with ALK-1 (activin receptor-like kinase-1) antibody developed by Kintor Pharmaceutical Limited, for the treatment of advanced or refractory solid tumors.

, the first patient was successfully dosed in a clinical trial of KN046 in combination with ALK-1 (activin receptor-like kinase-1) antibody developed by Kintor Pharmaceutical Limited, for the treatment of advanced or refractory solid tumors. In November 2021 , the Company entered into a collaboration agreement with Guangzhou MaxiNovel Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., for joint clinical cooperation of MAX-40279, a multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor independently developed by MaxiNovel, in combination with KN046 for the treatment of gastric cancer and other indications as agreed by both parties.

, the Company entered into a collaboration agreement with Guangzhou MaxiNovel Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., for joint clinical cooperation of MAX-40279, a multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor independently developed by MaxiNovel, in combination with KN046 for the treatment of gastric cancer and other indications as agreed by both parties. In November 2021 , the Company received an IND approval for KN046 from the NMPA for initiating a multi-center, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of KN046 in combination with nab-paclitaxel/ gemcitabine in the treatment of locally advanced unresectable or metastatic PDAC without systemic treatment.

, the Company received an IND approval for KN046 from the NMPA for initiating a multi-center, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of KN046 in combination with nab-paclitaxel/ gemcitabine in the treatment of locally advanced unresectable or metastatic PDAC without systemic treatment. In December 2021 , the first patient was successfully dosed in the U.S. in an open-label and multi-center phase II pivotal clinical trial of KN046 to evaluate efficacy, safety and tolerability of KN046 in subjects with advanced thymic carcinoma.

Events after the Reporting Period and expected milestones for 2022

In February 2022 , the first patient was successfully dosed in a multi-center, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial of KN046 to evaluate the efficacy and safety of KN046 in combination with nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine versus placebo in combination with nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine, in the treatment of locally advanced unresectable or metastatic PDAC without systemic treatment.

, the first patient was successfully dosed in a multi-center, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial of KN046 to evaluate the efficacy and safety of KN046 in combination with nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine versus placebo in combination with nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine, in the treatment of locally advanced unresectable or metastatic PDAC without systemic treatment. In February 2022 , the Company received an IND approval from the NMPA for initiating a phase II clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy, safety, tolerability of KN046 in combination with Inlyta (axitinib) in the treatment of advanced NSCLC.

, the Company received an IND approval from the NMPA for initiating a phase II clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy, safety, tolerability of KN046 in combination with Inlyta (axitinib) in the treatment of advanced NSCLC. In February 2022 , the Company received an IND approval from the NMPA for initiating a phase I/II clinical trial of KN046 in combination with MAX-40279, for the treatment of advanced or metastatic solid tumors.

, the Company received an IND approval from the NMPA for initiating a phase I/II clinical trial of KN046 in combination with MAX-40279, for the treatment of advanced or metastatic solid tumors. KN046+chemo,1L sq-NSCLC: Complete the interim analysis and arrange for the BLA application as planned by mid-2022.

KN046+chemo,1L pancreatic cancer: Enroll in the majority of subjects for Phase III clinical trials.

KN046+Lenvatinib,1L HCC: Plan to start pivotal trial in 2022H2.

KN026

Events during the Reporting Period

We made advancement in evaluating the preliminary efficacy of KN026 for the treatment of HER2 expression in patients with advanced GC or GEJ. Such results were presented at the 2021 ASCO Annual Meeting.

In August 2021 , the first patient was successfully dosed in a phase II clinical trial of KN026 for the neoadjuvant treatment of HER2 positive early or locally breast cancer.

, the first patient was successfully dosed in a phase II clinical trial of KN026 for the neoadjuvant treatment of HER2 positive early or locally breast cancer. In August 2021 , the Company received a notice of approval from the NMPA for the supplementary application for a pharmaceutical change of KN026 for clinical use, which allows KN026 liquid formulation to be used in clinical research. This is the first HER2 bispecific antibody in liquid formulation approved for conducting clinical research in China .

, the Company received a notice of approval from the NMPA for the supplementary application for a pharmaceutical change of KN026 for clinical use, which allows KN026 liquid formulation to be used in clinical research. This is the first HER2 bispecific antibody in liquid formulation approved for conducting clinical research in . In August 2021 , Jiangsu Alphamab Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., the principal operating subsidiary wholly owned by the Company, entered into a licensing agreement with Shanhai JMT-Bio Technology Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Limited ("CSPC"), to develop and commercialize KN026 for the treatment of breast cancer and GC in Mainland China.

, Jiangsu Alphamab Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., the principal operating subsidiary wholly owned by the Company, entered into a licensing agreement with Shanhai JMT-Bio Technology Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Limited ("CSPC"), to develop and commercialize KN026 for the treatment of breast cancer and GC in Mainland China. We made advancement in evaluating the preliminary efficacy and safety results of KN026 in combination with KN046 in patients with HER2-positive GI tumors. Such results were presented at the ESMO Congress 2021.

We made progress in obtaining the preliminary safety and efficacy results of a phase II clinical trial of KN026 in combination with KN046 in patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. Such research progress was presented at the SABCS 2021.

We made progress in a phase I clinical trial of KN026 for the treatment of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Such research progress was presented at the SABCS 2021.

Events after the Reporting Period and expected milestones for 2022

In January 2022 , the Company received an IND approval from the NMPA for initiating a randomized and multi-center phase II/III clinical trial of KN026 to evaluate the efficacy and safety of KN026 combined with chemotherapy in patients with HER2-positive GC (including GEJ) who have failed first-line treatment.

, the Company received an IND approval from the NMPA for initiating a randomized and multi-center phase II/III clinical trial of KN026 to evaluate the efficacy and safety of KN026 combined with chemotherapy in patients with HER2-positive GC (including GEJ) who have failed first-line treatment. In January 2022 , the phase II clinical trial of KN026 combined with KN046 in the treatment of HER2-positive solid tumors, successfully completed patient enrollment. The interim analysis is expected to be conducted in the second quarter of 2022.

, the phase II clinical trial of KN026 combined with KN046 in the treatment of HER2-positive solid tumors, successfully completed patient enrollment. The interim analysis is expected to be conducted in the second quarter of 2022. In February 2022 , data from a phase I clinical study of the KN026 for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer were published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal published by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

, data from a phase I clinical study of the KN026 for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer were published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal published by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). In March 2022 , the preliminary results of phase II clinical trial of KN026 in combination with KN046 for the treatment of locally advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive solid cancer were accepted for e-poster presentation at the 2022 AACR annual meeting.

, the preliminary results of phase II clinical trial of KN026 in combination with KN046 for the treatment of locally advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive solid cancer were accepted for e-poster presentation at the 2022 AACR annual meeting. KN046+KN026, Chemo-free, HER2+1L GC: Start the pivotal trial in 2022Q2.

KN035 (Envafolimab)

Events during the Reporting Period

In June 2021 , the study design of the ENVASARC pivotal trial conducted in the U.S. for KN035 was presented by TRACON in a poster session at the 2021 ASCO annual meeting.

, the study design of the ENVASARC pivotal trial conducted in the U.S. for KN035 was presented by TRACON in a poster session at the 2021 ASCO annual meeting. In June 2021 , the U.S. FDA has granted orphan drug designation (ODD) to KN035 for the treatment of patients with soft tissue sarcoma. This is the second ODD for KN035 after the first ODD in advanced biliary track cancer and the fourth ODD that we obtained from the FDA.

, the U.S. FDA has granted orphan drug designation (ODD) to KN035 for the treatment of patients with soft tissue sarcoma. This is the second ODD for KN035 after the first ODD in advanced biliary track cancer and the fourth ODD that we obtained from the FDA. In September 2021 , we obtained an IND approval from the NMPA for KN035 in combination of Lenvatinib for the treatment of patients who have failed or are intolerant of platinum containing chemotherapy and are not suitable for radical treatment with locally advanced metastatic or recurrent non-microsatellite instability-high phenotype/non-DNA deficient mismatch repair endometrial cancer.

, we obtained an IND approval from the NMPA for KN035 in combination of Lenvatinib for the treatment of patients who have failed or are intolerant of platinum containing chemotherapy and are not suitable for radical treatment with locally advanced metastatic or recurrent non-microsatellite instability-high phenotype/non-DNA deficient mismatch repair endometrial cancer. In November 2021 , we obtained formal conditional approval from the NMPA for marketing KN035 (Envafolimab). The approval is for the treatment of MSI-H or dMMR advanced solid tumors.

, we obtained formal conditional approval from the NMPA for marketing KN035 (Envafolimab). The approval is for the treatment of MSI-H or dMMR advanced solid tumors. In December 2021 , the Company, 3D Medicines and Simcere, jointly announced that the first batch of prescriptions for KN035 (Envafolimab), the world's first subcutaneously injected PD-L1 antibody, has been implemented across China .

KN019

The phase II clinical trial of KN019 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis completed the patient enrollment. The final analysis of clinical results is expected to be completed in the first half of 2022.

In 2021, we initiated a clinical study on the bioavailability of KN019 in the switch from intravenous infusion to subcutaneous administration.

KN052

In February 2022 , the Company received an IND approval for KN052 from the NMPA for initiating a phase Ia/Ib clinical trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics/ pharmacodynamics, and antineoplastic activity of KN052 in the treatment of advanced solid tumors.

JSKN-003

The Company completed the efficacy validation and process development for JSKN-003 in June 2021 and targets to submit IND application in the second quarter of 2022.

Manufacturing Facilities

The facility of Jiangsu Alphamab is designed to house over 40,000L production capacity in total. We obtained a drug production license for the phase I-(1) of our new manufacturing facilities from Jiangsu Drug Administration, on July 6, 2020. Phase I-(2), including product workshop, pilot plant and R&D center, is under construction and expected to be put into operation in the first half of 2022; Phase I-(3) of our new manufacturing facilities has started construction.

Other Highlights

In May 2021 , Jiangsu Alphamab entered into a collaboration agreement with Suzhou Alphamab Co., Ltd. for two technology development projects, namely, JSKN003 and the preparation process development project for mGalt1, a key material of conjugation process, and KN062 COVID-19 neutralizing bispecific antibody development project.

, Jiangsu Alphamab entered into a collaboration agreement with Suzhou Alphamab Co., Ltd. for two technology development projects, namely, JSKN003 and the preparation process development project for mGalt1, a key material of conjugation process, and KN062 COVID-19 neutralizing bispecific antibody development project. In December 2021 , the Company was listed as one of the 2021 Top 100 Chinese Pharmaceutical Innovative Enterprise. The Company has been acknowledged as such for the third consecutive year.

, the Company was listed as one of the 2021 Top 100 Chinese Pharmaceutical Innovative Enterprise. The Company has been acknowledged as such for the third consecutive year. In January 2022 , the Company was awarded "The Most Valuable Pharmaceutical and Medical Company" award at the Sixth Golden Hong Kong Stocks Awards ceremony.

Financial Summary

For the year ended December 31 , 2021we recorded total revenue of RMB146.0 million . The Group mainly generates revenue from (i) sales of pharmaceutical product; (ii) royalty income; (iii) license fee income; and (iv) goods or consumables for R&D projects.

, 2021we recorded total revenue of . The Group mainly generates revenue from (i) sales of pharmaceutical product; (ii) royalty income; (iii) license fee income; and (iv) goods or consumables for R&D projects. For the year ended December 31, 2021 , the Group's other income decreased by RMB64.1 million to RMB47.0 million , as compared to RMB111.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 .

, the Group's other income decreased by to , as compared to for the year ended . For the year ended December 31, 2021 , our R&D expenses increased by RMB150.2 million to RMB481.4 million , compared to RMB331.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 , primarily due to (i) the increase in the number of ongoing clinical trials; (ii) the expansion of the scale of our clinical studies; (iii) the advancement of clinical trials of our drug candidates; and (iv) the increase in staff cost due to the increase in our R&D staff.

For more information, please refer to the company's 2021 annual results announcement published on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the company's official website.

About Alphamab Oncology

Alphamab Oncology is focusing on innovation, including discovery, development, production and commercialization of anti-tumor drugs. On December 12, 2019, the Company was listed in the mainboard of Hong Kong Stock Exchange with stock code 9966.

Alphamab has a fully integrated proprietary biologics platforms in bi-specifics and protein engineering. Its highly differentiated in-house pipeline consists of tumor monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and antibody-drug conjugates. Five products have advanced into phase I-III clinical trials in China, the United States, Japan and Australia and in November 2021, one of these products, the unique PD-L1 antibody for subcutaneous administration, Envafolimab, received marketing authorization from the Chinese National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for the treatment of previously treated MSI-H/dMMR advanced solid tumors.

The Company also has state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities designed and built to meet NMPA and EU/FDA's cGMP standards and a complete quality system which has passed the on-site inspection of a European Union qualified person. Alphamab Oncology is committed to building a global leading, multi-dimensional drug development and commercialization platform, focusing on multifunctional biological innovative drugs, and to benefit patients in China and around the world.

SOURCE Alphamab Oncology
A new integrated marketing solutions agency for the evolving brand experience and live events industries

LAS VEGAS, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GES, a leading global provider of exhibition services, brand experiences and live event venue services introduces its newest venture Spiro, an integrated marketing solutions agency. Spiro strengthens GES' abilities to manage traditional events and offers a new set of capabilities to deliver heightened experience dividends for the ways events have transformed.

Spiro sees in-person, virtual and hybrid events alike as opportunities for immersive, interactive storytelling and brand loyalty-building. Enhanced services include Annual Meetings; Strategic Event Management & Production including design, development, management, and execution of events; Virtual or Hybrid Events & Experiences, where the team designs, activates and produces virtual and hybrid events of any kind; and Community-Centered Experience Design, for those companies who endeavor to support and elevate their communities.

"Due to the changing marketplace, the needs of our corporate clients have shifted, "said GES Executive Vice President N.A. Exhibitions Jeff Quade. "The evolution of Spiro, formerly Brand Experiences, allows us to leverage enhanced service offerings any time of the year to our valued Corporate Accounts and Events partners.

Spiro will continue to complement our exhibitions business where we continue to provide best-in-class services for our clients and carry on the legacy of excellence GES Exhibitions has always provided."

About GES

GES, a Viad Corp (NYSE: VVI) company with a legacy spanning more than 90 years, is a global live events company providing exhibition services, brand experiences, and live event venue services throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and the Middle East. GES offers the right blend of experience, fresh ideas, and deep industry knowledge. The company's award-winning services combined with accommodations, event technology, and innovative tools help you optimize your events - making all aspects of planning and execution simple and worry-free. GES' passionate team of highly skilled experts works side-by-side with you to deliver impactful, creative, and data-driven solutions to capture the full value of your shows. GES partners with leading brands and shows and has been recognized with many prestigious industry awards. For more information, visit www.ges.com.

About Spiro

Spiro, part of the GES collective and Viad Corp (NYSE: VVI), is a world-class integrated marketing solutions agency that brings clients' visions to life by redefining human connections with innovation and immersive storytelling for live, virtual, and hybrid experiences  all with global scale. Spiro serves some of the world's most valuable brands with a broad range of services, including brand and platform strategy & planning, content creation, exhibit & portfolio management, corporate meetings, conferences & events, product launches, sponsorship activations, and more. For more information on Spiro, part of the GES collective, visit www.ThisIsSpiro.com.

Contact:

Spiro Media Contact

Jenn Joseph, The Encore Agency

[email protected]

602-329-8040

GES Media Contact

Christy Ricketts, Director of Marketing

[email protected]

214-288-5646

SOURCE GES
Robotic arms assemble engines on an assembly line at a workshop of the Weichai Power Co., Ltd. in Weifang City, east China's Shandong province, April 22, 2021.(Xinhua/Guo Xulei)

BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council have issued a guideline on underpinning the development of the social credit system.

It called for strengthening the integrity of scientific research and protecting intellectual property rights, cracking down on thesis trading, and optimizing the protection and application system for intellectual property rights.

Quality control of products and services will be enhanced, and the supply of quality products and services in the domestic market will be expanded, the guideline said, noting that China will also cultivate model enterprises of integrity management.

Meanwhile, China will foster an environment for honest consumption and investment, such as cracking down on the production and sale of counterfeit goods, illegal advertising, and false publicity.

China will also improve the credit system for ecological and environmental protection, according to the document.

The document also called for building the credit system for the capital market, developing inclusive finance, expanding the scale of credit loans, and solving the financing problems of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and individual businesses. 
Aluminum Sulfate Procurement report explains key category management objectives that should form the base for sourcing strategy, including:

Top-line growth

Scalability of inputs

Green initiatives

Category innovations

Supply base rationalization

Demand forecasting and governance

Minimalization of ad hoc purchases

Adherence to regulatory nuances

Cost savings

Customer retention

Reduction of TCO

Supply assurance

Sign Up for a Sample Aluminum Sulfate Procurement Market Report: www.spendedge.com/report/aluminum-sulfate-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report

This report evaluates suppliers based on provision for applicable insurance policy, real-time analysis, pipeline software solutions, and conduct pipeline surveys. In addition, suppliers are also shortlisted based on business needs, technical specifications, operational requirements, security compliance, regulatory mandates, legal requirements, quality control, change management procedures, pricing models, penalty clauses, SLA nuances, acceptance criteria, and evaluation criteria.

Best Selling Reports:

1. Asset Recovery Services - Forecast and Analysis: The asset recovery services will grow at a CAGR of 9.49% during 2021-2025. Asia Asset Recovery Pte Ltd., TES-Amm Singapore Pte Ltd., and Iron Mountain Inc. are among the prominent suppliers in asset recovery services market. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report.

2. Vulnerability Management Sourcing and Procurement Report: Vulnerability Management Procurement Market, prices will increase by 4%-6% during the forecast period and suppliers will have a Moderate bargaining power in this market. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report.

3. Celebrity Talent Management Services - Sourcing and Procurement Intelligence Report: This report offers key advisory and intelligence to help buyers identify and shortlist the most suitable suppliers for their celebrity talent management services requirements. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report.

Table of Content

Executive Summary

Market Insights

Category Pricing Insights

Cost-saving Opportunities

Best Practices

Category Ecosystem

Category Management Strategy

Category Management Enablers

Suppliers Selection

Suppliers under Coverage

US Market Insights

Category scope

About SpendEdge:

SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions.

Contact

SpendEdge

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340

https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us

SOURCE SpendEdge
DUBLIN, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Datacenter Decarbonization Growth Opportunities" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The data centre industry can achieve decarbonization of Scope 1 and 2 emissions through two big approaches: renewable energy procurement and efficiency measures.



On the renewables side, power purchase agreements (PPAs) within a local electricity market are currently the most effective way for the data centre industry to fund and procure renewable energy, ensuring that new clean energy is being added to the grid. Nevertheless, it is not without challenges.



On the efficiency part of the equation, innovations in cooling, sensors, automation, AI, and other advancements in server, storage, and networking technologies propose several new ways for the data centre industry to deal with Scope 2 emissions and simultaneously achieve lower energy expenses.



To improve decarbonization levels in the short term, procuring renewables (ideally, from local and additional sources) will impact the data centre at a far larger scale than any efficiency measure. In the long term, data centre operators must continue their efforts to achieve more efficient operations.



Key Topics Covered:



Key Takeaways



Strategic Imperatives

Why is it Increasingly Difficult to Grow?

The Strategic Imperative

The Impact of the Top Three Strategic Imperatives on Data Center Decarbonization Industry

Growth Opportunities Fuel the Growth Pipeline Engine

Scope and Definitions

Defining Decarbonization

Defining the Decarbonization Market for the Data Center Industry

More Definitions

Current Scenario

Challenges Faced By the Data Center Industry from a Decarbonization Standpoint

The Global Data Center Electricity Demand

Renewable Energy and Data Center Demand

Growth Opportunity Analysis - Data Center Decarbonization

Growth Drivers for Data Center Decarbonization

Growth Restraints for Data Center Decarbonization

Scope 1 and 2 Decarbonization Strategies in the Data Center Industry and its Infrastructure Providers

Decarbonization Practices Enabled by Builders and Integrators in the Power, Cooling, and Infrastructure Management Sector

Decarbonization Practices Around Backup Generators in the DC Industry

Efficiency-related Best Practices in the DC Industry

Renewable Power Procurement in the DC Industry

Growth Opportunity Universe - Data Center Decarbonization Market

Growth Opportunity 1: Power Purchase Agreements for Renewable Energy Needs in Data Centers

Growth Opportunity 2: End-to-end Sustainability Services for Optimization, Energy Procurement, and Other Needs

Growth Opportunity 3: Decarbonization Services for Colocation Data Centers

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/81zg1t

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets
At the start of the year, Goldfish Swim School teamed up with Big Life Journal to provide tools and resources to help make dreams come true in 2022. Families were encouraged to pick up vision board templates at their local Goldfish Swim School or visit the ' Goldfish Dream Big Vision Board ' landing page, featuring fun and creative elements needed to make a great vision board, and share their vision boards on social media for their chance to win big prizes.

Each of the four grand prize winners received special gifts relating to their 2022 dreams, and accepted their monetary prize during a formal check presentation at their local Goldfish Swim Schools as part of a celebratory event.

Dreams Come True in 2022 Winners:

Little Fish #1 : Veronica is eight-years-old with dreams of making the cheer team, feeding a giraffe, building a derby car and much more! She received a special phone call from Goldfish Swim School  Dayton , Bubbles and Captain Andrew to let her know she was named an official winner! Veronica even decided to Float Forward her three-months of swim lessons, as part of her prize pack, to her friend Cambria who hasn't learned to swim yet.

: Veronica is eight-years-old with dreams of making the cheer team, feeding a giraffe, building a derby car and much more! She received a special phone call from , Bubbles and Captain Andrew to let her know she was named an official winner! Veronica even decided to her three-months of swim lessons, as part of her prize pack, to her friend who hasn't learned to swim yet. Little Fish #2 : James is a five-year-old with very big dreams! He swims at Goldfish Swim School  Wexford in PA, and wants to be a chef, nurse/doctor, champion swimmer, rock climber and most of all a lifeguard! But first, his goal is to learn how to read. James is known for brightening everyone's day at Goldfish, and the Wexford team is honored to see him named a grand prize winner.

: James is a five-year-old with very big dreams! He swims at in PA, and wants to be a chef, nurse/doctor, champion swimmer, rock climber and most of all a lifeguard! But first, his goal is to learn how to read. James is known for brightening everyone's day at Goldfish, and the team is honored to see him named a grand prize winner. Team Member #1 : Rebecca is a Deck Supervisor and Golden Teacher at Goldfish Swim School  Richmond West . She is celebrating her one-year anniversary with Goldfish this month and has dreams of traveling the world. When her General Manager, Shannon Parvis , learned of the news, she cried tears of joy as Rebecca has been extremely passionate about the campaign, pushing herself to dream big this year.

: Rebecca is a Deck Supervisor and Golden Teacher at . She is celebrating her one-year anniversary with Goldfish this month and has dreams of traveling the world. When her General Manager, , learned of the news, as Rebecca has been extremely passionate about the campaign, pushing herself to dream big this year. Team Member #2: Lyz has been the Assistant General Manager at Goldfish Swim School  Anderson for the past three years. When her Manager, Jen Deis , found out, she said she could not think of a more deserving person. Lyz has big dreams for 2022 to go camping, travel, work on professional development and live in the moment.

"This has been such a fun and rewarding campaign," said Chris McCuiston, CEO and co-founder of Goldfish Swim School, who participated in the campaign alongside co-founder Jenny McCuiston . "While our core mission is and always will be teaching water safety, we play a critical role in developing kids and team members both in the pool and out. It was amazing to see all the big dreams and vision board submissions, and know we could play a small role in helping those dreams come true. It's our hope that through this campaign we were able to help build confidence, encourage and motivate little fish and team members to keep dreaming BIG."

Throughout the campaign, Goldfish Swim School featured dozens of vision boards from across North America on its social media channels, gifting surprise and delight prizes to featured 'Golden Dreamers.' The brand's ambassadors, including World Champion Swimmer & Olympic Gold Medalist Ryan Murphy , Four-Time Olympic Swimming Medalist & First African American World Record Holder Cullen Jones and Goldfish Swim School's official pediatrician Dr. Molly O'Shea of Birmingham Pediatrics + Wellness Center also made special appearances, sharing encouragement and 'finspiration.'

While Goldfish Swim School teaches more than 150,000 children each week, the brand has evolved into so much more than a place for children to learn to swim. Each school becomes ingrained and involved in its community  helping children gain confidence, meet friends and make BIG waves in life. As Goldfish Swim School continues to grow, it remains committed to going above and beyond with every detail to create a GOLDEN Experience!

For more information on Goldfish Swim School, please visit https://www.goldfishswimschool.com/ .

About Goldfish Swim School

Founded by husband and wife team Chris and Jenny McCuiston, Goldfish Swim School provides swim lessons and water safety instruction to infants and children ages four months to 12 years. Classes are offered by specially trained instructors in a safe, child-friendly and fun environment using their research-based philosophy called The Science of SwimPlay. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, Goldfish Swim School was established in Birmingham, Michigan in 2006, and opened its first franchise location in 2009. Recently, the brand was recognized by Entrepreneur in its Franchise 500 ranking, Franchise Times' Fast & Serious List, and Inc. Magazine's Top 5000. Goldfish Swim School is currently in the process of expanding franchise opportunities throughout North America, with more than 125 schools open, and an additional 120+ in development in more than 30 states and Canada.

Media Contact: Kelly McNamara, Fishman PR, 847-945-1300, [email protected]

SOURCE Goldfish Swim School
COLLINSVILLE, Conn., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- It was announced today that Breez Health, formerly known as Hospital Financial Assistance (HFA), is joining the Goodroot community of companies. Goodroot and affiliate businesses are dedicated to reinventing healthcare one system at a time. Breez Health partners with hospitals to make it easy for patients to access and navigate their hospital's financial assistance program online.

"I first became aware of Goodroot through social media," says Nick McLaughlin, the founder and CEO of Breez. "I saw Mike Waterbury writing and speaking about leaning into the medical debt crisis and confronting the problems that are plaguing the healthcare industry. That led to a larger conversation about Goodroot's mission and approach to building and growing innovative businesses solving the broken systems in healthcare, and I knew this was a community that would help me bring this solution to more hospitals and patients across the country."

McLaughlin spent over a decade working in hospital billing and revenue cycles before founding his company in January 2021. His business grew rapidly, currently working with 16 hospitals in three states. Medical debt is the No. 1 cause of bankruptcy for Americans. A collaborative approach that allows hospitals to serve their communities and patients to receive the care they need, while not being dragged into debt in the process, is crucial to solve this problem.

"Hospitals are faced with staffing shortages and budgetary concerns on a perpetual basis," McLaughlin says. "Treating patients is unquestionably a hospital's top priority, but offering an effective financial assistance program to bolster the community it serves should not be overlooked or undervalued. It allows more people to seek the care they need while being financially beneficial for both the hospital and the patient."

Hospital financial assistance programs are not just for the unemployed and uninsured. Most hospital programs offer discounts for patients who are underinsured  meaning they have insurance but their deductibles, copays and coinsurance amounts are still more than they can afford to pay. Programs may also include households with incomes four to six times the federal poverty level. Bottom line, there's a large portion of the population that qualifies for assistance that is simply unaware of it.

Breez empowers hospitals to simplify their process and improve accessibility to these programs. This not only relieves qualifying patients of the debt burden, but it results in improved patient engagement and healthier community members that proactively seek out care. Additionally, through this process Breez helps hospitals uncover potential third-party reimbursement opportunities, save staff time by streamlining FAP processes and reduce billing waste. An effective FAP program ultimately improves the financial results, drives more utilization and positively impacts a hospital's brand.

Goodroot provides an infrastructure of industry experts, business acumen and support to its affiliate companies, which each address chronic problems that create waste and unsustainable rising costs in healthcare. Breez has already been able to quickly scale its business model, adding staff and stepping up its outreach to the nearly 3,000 nonprofit hospitals nationwide.

"Well over half the patients who get admitted to the hospital qualify for some type of financial assistance," says Waterbury, CEO of Goodroot. "Yet as a nation we have over $140B in medical debt in collections. Many people simply don't know that financial assistance programs even exist or understand that a broader spectrum of people may qualify. Nick has made amazing progress in such a short amount of time. This partnership will only add fuel to the fire."

More information: breezhealth.com

Media Contact:

Liz Chasse

[email protected]

860-462-1105

SOURCE Goodroot
The GX Talks dialogue series was created to forge a platform uniting government decision-makers, global practitioners, and renowned innovators, united in the quest to reimagine and redefine the way governments design and deliver services.

Mohammed Bin Taliah, Chief of Government Services of the UAE Government stated, "GX Talks has established itself a transformational arena for education, debate, and collaboration with the goal of elevating the customer experience. This year's global thought leaders from public and private sectors convened to present exciting ideas, including AI, accelerated innovation, metaverse, and predictive futures, all key components unified in shaping our culture and communities in the years to come."

He added; "This year's edition welcomed iconic leaders and visionaries, sharing diverse views, from a global perspective. The diversity of speakers, in both geographies and thinking, facilitated an unprecedented opportunity for discussion, as they shared their experiences, and vision, in reimagining the future of government services for decades to come."

Through a series of activations, both virtual and in-person, GX Talks involved larger audiences to share ideas and topics that shape the future of communities, cities, and cultures. One of the overarching topics that was touched upon by speakers this year is the impact that technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented, virtual, and mixed reality might have on the way governments work, and how they are naturally steering many governments to reconsider the way their services are rendered to citizens.

A focal point of discussion centered around the hyper-personalization of government services for citizens who have very high, and constantly increasing, expectations, assessing how such expectations intersect with government policies, as well as emerging technologies.

The speakers this year in GX Talks included Cevat Yerli CEO, The TMRW Foundation (Germany); Dr. Daniel Kraft, Physician, Scientist & Healthcare Innovator, Chair, XPRIZE Pandemic & Health Alliance (USA); Dr. Jonathan Reichental, Founder, Professor & Author (USA); Siim Sikkut, Former Government CIO and Partner at Digital Nation (Estonia); Guy-Phillipe Goldstein, Cyberpower Lecturer with EGE, Advisor on Cyberdefense & Future Studies (France); and Ronald Menzel, Co-Founder of Dreamscape (USA). They were joined from the United Arab Emirates by Fuad Mansoor Sharaf, Managing Director, Shopping Malls, Majid Al Futtaim Properties, and Rashed Harib Al Falahi, Government Communications Expert, Futurist and Storytelling Scientist.

The World Government Summit (WGS), launched under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in 2013, is a global platform bringing together world leaders, ministers, senior officials, and policymakers to share experiences and ideas contributing to the development of future governments and discuss the latest trends and innovative solutions for global challenges. The WGS 2022 convened this year welcoming 4000 participants and 500 speakers, who are shaping the next decade of governments.

Contact:

Joann Joseph

+971 58 257 5490

[email protected]

SOURCE World Government Summit
"As we continue to grow and expand into new verticals, talent acquisition and development have become one of our top priorities," said Hagerty CEO McKeel Hagerty. "Shoba brings an incredible background of strategic workforce planning and an eagerness to implement data-driven talent processes that will ultimately improve Hagerty's talent acquisition and development processes."

In her role, Menon will implement a long-term talent strategy that aligns with Hagerty's overarching company vision. Additionally, she will be responsible for leading the talent acquisition process, talent management mobility and leadership development programming.

Menon's work history includes more than 20 years of experience in human resources and talent acquisition across agency structures, search firms and corporate entities. Most recently, Menon was the Vice President of Talent Acquisition at Travel and Leisure Co. Prior to that, she worked in various talent-related roles for 14 years at PepsiCo.

Throughout her career, Menon has been instrumental in scaling start-up functions that deliver high year-over-year growth plans, championing internal talent mobility, diversity hiring, and executing a solid employment brand strategy that attracted and engaged talent throughout their employment journey.

Additionally, at PepsiCo, Menon partnered with the Learning & Development and Diversity & Inclusion teams to roll out several training modules on "Selecting the Right Talent" and "Unconscious Biases." She holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Mumbai.

About Hagerty, Inc. (NYSE: HGTY)

Based in Traverse City, Michigan, Hagerty's purpose is to save driving and car culture for future generations and its mission is to build a global business to fund that purpose. Hagerty is an automotive enthusiast brand offering integrated membership products and programs as well as a specialty insurance provider focused on the global automotive enthusiast market. Hagerty is home to Hagerty Drivers Club, Hagerty DriveShare, Hagerty Valuation Tools, Hagerty Media, Hagerty Drivers Club magazine, MotorsportReg, Hagerty Garage + Social, the Amelia Concours d'Elegance, the Detroit Concours d'Elegance, the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance, the California Mille, Motorworks Revival, the Hagerty Drivers Foundation and more. For more information on Hagerty, please visit www.hagerty.com , or connect with us on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter .

More information can be found at newsroom.hagerty.com .

SOURCE Hagerty
LOS ANGELES, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- West Hollywood College Preparatory School needs the public's help in assisting Ukrainian war refugees. Elina Dvorskoya, former director of a large school in Kiev and the principal of WHCPS, is seeking financial support for the education of children whose families have fled the war in Ukraine.

WHCPS is a fully accredited K-12 school that has existed for over twenty-two years, has a Ukrainian-speaking staff, and offers student Visa support.

Stand with Ukraine with WHPC Stand with Ukraine with WHPC

The school now asks for donations for the education and living expenses for the children of Ukrainian war refugees.

We urgently need any monetary support you can offer during this crisis.

West Hollywood College Preparatory School was founded in 2000 by Dr. Elina Dvorskaya. An educator with over 45 years teaching and school administration experience, Dr. Dvorskaya dreamed of founding a school in America that would offer a supportive, family like environment with small classes, exceptional teachers, and excellent math, science and arts programs.

Contact:

Elina Dvorskaya

323-822-7900

[email protected]

www.westhollywoodschool.com

SOURCE West Hollywood College Preparatory School
AUSTIN, Minn., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods Corporation, (NYSE: HRL), a global branded food company, today announced it has been named One of America's Most Trustworthy Companies by Newsweek.

"For 130 years, Hormel Foods has been a trusted leader in the food industry, and we are honored to be recognized as one of the most trustworthy companies in America," said Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Hormel Foods. "Trust in our company has been built by doing what we say we are going to do, and we will continue to live up to our commitments as a thought leader and a trusted partner for our customers, consumers and communities."

Newsweek partnered with Statista to compile this first annual ranking of America's Most Trustworthy Companies, which looked at publicly traded U.S. corporations in 22 industries with $500 million or more in annual revenues. An independent survey of more than 50,000 U.S. residents was conducted to determine the list of 400 companies Americans trust the most, ranked by industry.

Hormel Foods continually receives accolades for its transparency and environmental, social and governance efforts, including being named one of America's Most Responsible Companies for the third year in a row by Newsweek, being recognized as one of the World's Top Female-Friendly Companies by Forbes and receiving several Impact Awards from Progressive Grocer for its educational support and food security programs. The company recently launched its new set of corporate responsibility goals, the 20 By 30 Challenge, as part of its overall strategy to help make the world a better place. The company's goals were based on a robust assessment process that identified and prioritized the topics most relevant to the business and its stakeholders. In addition, the company set goals that helped support the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

To view the full list of America's Most Trusted Companies 2022, visit www.newsweek.com/americas-most-trusted-companies-2022.

ABOUT HORMEL FOODS  Inspired People. Inspired Food.

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $11 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters, SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly, Hormel Black Label, Columbus and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the "Global 2000 World's Best Employers" list by Forbes magazine for three years, is one of Fortune magazine's most admired companies, has appeared on Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" list for 12 years, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement  Inspired People. Inspired Food.  to bring some of the world's most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/.

Contact: Kelly Braaten

Hormel Foods

507-434-6352

[email protected]

SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation
BETHESDA, Md., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hull Street Energy, LLC ("Hull Street Energy"), the Washington D.C. area-based energy transition investment firm, today announced the final closing of its second institutional fund, Hull Street Energy Partners II, L.P. (the "Fund"). The Fund, which targets investments in the North American power sector as the economy electrifies and decarbonizes, was oversubscribed and closed at its hard cap of $1.125 billion. Hull Street Energy received strong interest from a diverse and highly regarded group of institutional investors, including endowments, foundations, insurance companies, leading consultants, pension plans, funds of funds and family offices.

Hull Street Energy is composed of a long-standing investment team including Sarah Wright, Michael Booth, Mark Orman, Matthew Willis, Steve Morris, David Meeker, Kevin Telford, and Scott Hofmeister. The firm is differentiated by its deep understanding of local and regional physical electricity markets and grid operations, and its highly quantitative approach to evaluating and managing power sector assets and businesses.

Hull Street Energy targets undermanaged middle-market electricity businesses. Its first fund is fully deployed, having acquired an attractive portfolio of hydroelectric assets, thermal power plants, and solar projects throughout the U.S. In January of this year, the Fund made its inaugural capital commitment to SunGrid Solutions, a growing Battery Energy Solutions Service (BESS) company.

Eaton Partners served as global placement agent for the Fund and DLA Piper served as fund counsel.

About Hull Street Energy

Hull Street Energy is a private equity firm that specializes in deploying capital into the power sector as it decarbonizes. Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, the team leverages its decades of experience and unique knowledge of North American electricity infrastructure, fundamentals, and grid operations, including fuel inputs, commodity contract structuring, renewable and fossil powered generation assets, energy storage, transmission and distribution systems, and electricity demand-side businesses to build value for stakeholders. For further information about Hull Street Energy please see www.hullstreetenergy.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

[email protected]

SOURCE Hull Street Energy
NEW YORK, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2021 value of the Indian discrete power semiconductor devices market was $1,007.7 million, which is set to reach $2,834.2 million by 2030, at a healthy 12.2% CAGR between 2021 and 2030. Discrete power semiconductors are used to switch between direct current and alternating current and regulate voltage and power.

Currently, EVs are the largest application area for such devices in the country owing to the stringent emission regulations implemented on conventional automobiles and initiatives in place for the promotion of electric variants. The most significant of all is the central government's FAME India initiative, which entails a total investment of INR 10,000 crore in its second phase.

Get the sample pages of this report at: https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/india-discrete-power-semiconductor-devices-market/report-sample

Key Findings of India Discrete Power Semiconductor Devices Market Report

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the demand for discrete power semiconductor devices in the country because of a significant halt in the production of such components and of the end products that need them, for instance, automobiles and consumer electronics.

However, driven by the government's EV initiatives, the Indian discrete power semiconductor devices market is set to pick up pace soon, since these components are important for the power converters of EV chargers.

In this regard, the Delhi government's plans to install 100 EV charging stations across the city in the coming years would be a key catalyst for the rising demand for such components.

government's plans to install 100 EV charging stations across the city in the coming years would be a key catalyst for the rising demand for such components. Among EVs, two-wheelers will account for the fastest increase in the integration of discrete power semiconductor devices in India as their sales are rising rapidly.

as their sales are rising rapidly. Moreover, the central government is investing $30 billion (INR 2,30,000 crore ) to make the country a global semiconductor manufacturing hub, under the larger Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

(INR ) to make the country a global semiconductor manufacturing hub, under the larger Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. This will boost the sale of such components, by leading to a massive reduction in their prices, since currently, most of them are imported from Taiwan , South Korea , and China .

Seeing the opportunities, players in the Indian discrete power semiconductor devices market are launching newer products. For instance, Infineon Technologies AG unveiled new EDT2 IGBTs for traction inverters in the TO-247 package type, which is the widest selling of all the package types in the country, in March 2022. Designed for a breakdown voltage of 750 V, it is ideal for traction inverters that require battery voltages of up to 470 V DC.

Browse detailed report on India Discrete Power Semiconductor Devices Market Size and Forecast Report, 2030

Similarly, Vishay Intertechnology Inc. launched n-channel TrenchFET MOSFETs in January 2022 for industrial and telecommunication applications. Other major companies in the Indian discrete power semiconductor devices market are NXP Semiconductors N.V., ABB Ltd., STMicroelectronics N.V., Renesas Electronics Corporation, Microchip Technology Incorporated, Fuji Electric Co. Ltd., ON Semiconductor Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC).

India Discrete Power Semiconductor Devices Market Segmentation Analysis

Semiconductor Devices Market Segmentation by Application

Electric Vehicle

Two-wheeler



Three-wheeler

Solar Power Generation

Domestic Power Inverter

Power Sector

Power Module Market Segmentation by Application

Electric Vehicle

Solar Power Generation

Domestic Power Inverter

Power Sector

Browse More Related Reports

Global Radio Frequency Semiconductor Market Outlook and Growth Forecast Report, 2030

Global Automotive Electronics Market Outlook and Growth Forecast Report, 2030

About P&S Intelligence

P&S Intelligence is a provider of market research and consulting services catering to the market information needs of burgeoning industries across the world. Providing the plinth of market intelligence, P&S as an enterprising research and consulting company, believes in providing thorough landscape analyses on the ever-changing market scenario, to empower companies to make informed decisions and base their business strategies with astuteness.

Contact:

Prajneesh Kumar

P&S Intelligence

Phone: +1-347-960-6455

Email: [email protected]

Web: https://www.psmarketresearch.com

Follow Us: LinkedIn Twitter

SOURCE P&S Intelligence
Bintou Keita (on the screen), the UN secretary-general's special representative and head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), speaks via video link during a Security Council meeting on the situation in the DRC, at the UN Headquarters in New York on March 29, 2022. Bintou Keita on Tuesday sounded the alarm over the increase in violence in the eastern part of the country. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The top UN envoy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Bintou Keita, on Tuesday sounded the alarm over the increase in violence in the eastern part of the country.

The security situation in eastern DRC has deteriorated in the past three months, causing massive civilian casualties and displacements, particularly as a result of bloody reprisals by the Allied Democratic Forces against civilian populations in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, she told the Security Council in a briefing.

The past three months have also seen an alarming increase in rebel activities by the March 23 Movement in North Kivu. On Monday, elements of the rebel group conducted horrific attacks targeting civilians in localities near Rutshuru. Fighting also broke out in the three-border area around Rwanda, the DRC and Uganda, near the town of Bunagana, said Keita, who is the UN secretary-general's special representative and head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known by its French acronym as MONUSCO.

In total, MONUSCO documented nearly 2,300 civilian deaths in the eastern part of the DRC in the first three months of this year, she said.

As a result of the deteriorating security situation and violence against civilians, the need for humanitarian assistance in eastern DRC has increased. Restricted access and incidents against humanitarian workers continue to hamper the response. In the past three months, four aid workers have been killed, another injured, and six abducted, she said.

"I must sound the alarm here about the marked erosion of protection of the civilian status of internally displaced persons sites and frequent attacks on medical services and other civilian infrastructure. I, therefore, take this opportunity to remind all parties to the conflict of their legal and moral imperative to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid."

Without a combination of approaches targeting both the causes and the symptoms of the conflict, the resources of MONUSCO and those of the Congolese army will remain insufficient in the face of such a security deterioration, she said.

Keita reiterated her call for the implementation by the DRC government of comprehensive political strategies, including measures and reforms that address the deep-seated and structural causes of these conflicts, in order to achieve stabilization and lasting peace.

The start of national consultations on transitional justice is a step in the right direction. Progress in the fight against the illegal exploitation and trade of natural resources, in the reform of the security sector to improve its performance and efficiency, and in the increase in the means dedicated to the fight against impunity for criminals, traffickers and accomplices of armed groups are key elements, she said.

Keita welcomed the opening of the new parliamentary session on March 15 and the inclusion in its agenda of essential bills and proposals, including those on the revision of the electoral law.

The strategic importance of the revision of the electoral law for the stability of the country cannot be underestimated. It is a key moment for a large part of the political class and civil society, which is expecting concrete measures to restore confidence in the management of the electoral process, she said. 

Bintou Keita (on screens), the UN secretary-general's special representative and head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), speaks via video link during a Security Council meeting on the situation in the DRC, at the UN Headquarters in New York on March 29, 2022. Bintou Keita on Tuesday sounded the alarm over the increase in violence in the eastern part of the country. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)
DUBLIN, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Wastewater Treatment Market, By Offerings, By Application, By Region, Estimation & Forecast, 2017 - 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global wastewater treatment market was valued at USD 250.38 Billion in 2021 and is forecasted to reach USD 462.49 Billion by the year 2030. The market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 7.41% over the projected period.

Wastewater treatment is a step-by-step procedure of converting wastewater into usable water, which can be discharged back into the environment. It majorly involves 3 stages - Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary. Increased environmental initiatives by government worldwide for low waste generation is expected to boost the market growth. Furthermore, continuously rising population and urbanization increases demand to regulate wastewater which also fuels the market growth.

Despite the driving factors, high installation, equipment, and operation costs are expected to hinder the market growth during the forecast period. Furthermore, ageing infrastructure in developed countries are likely to negatively impact the market growth. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the wastewater treatment services in the industrial applications.

Growth Influencers:

Increased environmental initiatives by government worldwide for low waste generation



Governments of various countries globally have taken several environmental initiatives for reducing waste generation. Furthermore, stringent norms are being formulated against pollution of natural water bodies as well as illegal wastewater discharge.

Developed economies, such as the U.S. has strict laws for potable water, drinking water, and wastewater, for proper treatment of wastewater. Similarly, government of India launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Swachhata app, Mahatma Gandhi Swachhata Mission, Swachhata Helpline and Swachhata Survekshan. Such environmental initiatives by government worldwide for low waste generation are expected to boost the market growth.

Competitive Landscape

Key players operating in the global wastewater treatment market include Xylem, Inc., Suez Environnement S.A., DuPont de Nemours, Inc., Evoqua Water Technologies Corporation, 3M Company, Inc., Pentair plc, United Utilities Group P.L.C., Kingspan Water & Energy, The Dow Chemical Company, Kemira Oyj, Calgon Carbon Corporation, Kurita Water Industries Ltd., Bio-Microbics, Inc., Trojan Technologies Inc., Aquatech International Corporation, ASIO, spol. S r.o., Scinor Water America, L.L.C., Orenco Systems, Inc., Elgressy Engineering Services Ltd., Outotec Oyj, BASF SE, Blue Eden CleanTech Solutions Inc., and Other Prominent Players.



The approximate market share of the major 18 players is near about 80%. These market players are engaged in mergers & acquisitions, collaborations, and new product launches to strengthen their market presence. For instance, in November 2021, Kemira Oyi expanded its water treatment chemicals production in the UK by around 100,000 tons a year. With this, the company has strengthened its market position in the country.



The global Wastewater Treatment market report provides insights on the below pointers:

Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the prominent players

Market Development: The report offers detailed information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes penetration across mature segments of the markets

Market Diversification: Provides in-depth information about untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments

Competitive Landscape Assessment: Mergers & acquisitions, certifications, product launches in the global Wastewater Treatment market have been provided in this research report. In addition, the report also emphasizes the SWOT analysis of the leading players.

Product Development & Innovation: The report provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments

Various Equipment for Wastewater Treatment: Pipes & Fittings, Pumps, Filters, Valves & Controls, Blowers, and Others

The global Wastewater Treatment market report answers questions such as:

What is the market size and forecast of the Global Wastewater Treatment Market?

What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 on the Global Wastewater Treatment Market during the assessment period?

Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the assessment period in the Global Wastewater Treatment Market?

What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Wastewater Treatment Market?

What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Wastewater Treatment Market?

What is the market share of the leading players in the Global Wastewater Treatment Market?

What modes and strategic moves are considered favorable for entering the Global Wastewater Treatment Market?

What is the water and wastewater treatment market size worldwide?

What is the wastewater treatment cost in main areas?

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Research Framework



Chapter 2. Research Methodology



Chapter 3. Executive Summary: Global Wastewater Treatment Market



Chapter 4. Global Wastewater Treatment Market Overview

4.1. Industry Value Chain Analysis

4.1.1. Material Provider

4.1.2. Manufacturer

4.1.3. Distributor

4.1.4. End User

4.2. Industry Outlook

4.2.1. Water and wastewater treatment market size worldwide

4.2.2. Wastewater Treatment Cost in main areas

4.2.3. Various Equipment for wastewater treatment

4.2.3.1. Pipes and Fittings

4.2.3.2. Pumps

4.2.3.3. Filters

4.2.3.4. Valves and Controls

4.2.3.5. Blowers

4.2.3.6. Others

4.3. PESTLE Analysis

4.4. Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.4.1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.4.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers

4.4.3. Threat of Substitutes

4.4.4. Threat of New Entrants

4.4.5. Degree of Competition

4.5. Market Dynamics and Trends

4.5.1. Growth Drivers

4.5.2. Restraints

4.5.3. Challenges

4.5.4. Key Trends

4.6. Covid-19 Impact Assessment on Market Growth Trend

4.7. Market Growth and Outlook

4.7.1. Market Revenue Estimates and Forecast (US$ Bn), 2017 - 2030

4.7.2. Price Trend Analysis, By Product

4.8. Competition Dashboard

4.8.1. Market Concentration Rate

4.8.2. Company Market Share Analysis (Value %), 2020

4.8.3. Competitor Mapping



Chapter 5. Wastewater Treatment Market Analysis, By Offerings

5.1. Key Insights

5.2. Market Size and Forecast, 2017 - 2030 (US$ Bn)

5.2.1. Services

5.2.1.1. Designing & Engineering Consult

5.2.1.2. Building & Installation Services

5.2.1.3. Operation & Process Control

5.2.1.4. Maintenance Service

5.2.1.5. Others

5.2.2. Technologies

5.2.2.1. Membrane Separation

5.2.2.1.1. Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) Membranes

5.2.2.1.2. Ultrafiltration (U.F.) Membranes

5.2.2.1.3. Micro-Filtration (M.F.) Membrane

5.2.2.1.4. Nano-Filtration (N.F.) Membrane

5.2.2.1.5. Others

5.2.2.2. Activated Sludge

5.2.2.3. Clarification

5.2.2.4. Sludge Thickening and Dewatering

5.2.2.5. Chlorination

5.2.2.6. Industrial Demineralization

5.2.2.7. Sludge Drying

5.2.2.8. Membrane Bio-Reactor (MBR)

5.2.2.9. Sludge Digestion

5.2.2.10. Electrochemical Water Treatment (EEC/EEO)

5.2.2.11. Others

5.2.3. Treatment Chemicals

5.2.3.1. Coagulants & Flocculants

5.2.3.2. Disinfectants and General Biocidal Products

5.2.3.3. Scale and Corrosion Inhibitors

5.2.3.4. Antifoam Chemicals

5.2.3.5. Ph Conditioners

5.2.3.6. Others



Chapter 6. Wastewater Treatment Market Analysis, By Application

6.1. Key Insights

6.2. Market Size and Forecast, 2017 - 2030 (US$ Bn)

6.2.1. Municipal

6.2.2. Industrial

6.2.2.1. Manufacturing

6.2.2.2. Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals

6.2.2.3. Power

6.2.2.4. Energy

6.2.2.5. Pulp and Paper

6.2.2.6. Mining

6.2.2.7. Petrochemical

6.2.2.8. Semiconductors

6.2.2.9. Others



Chapter 7. Wastewater Treatment Market Analysis, By Region



Chapter 8. North America Wastewater Treatment Market Analysis

8.1. Key Insights

8.2. Market Size and Forecast, 2017 - 2030 (US$ Bn)

8.2.1. By Offerings

8.2.2. By Application

8.2.3. By Country



Chapter 9. Europe Wastewater Treatment Market Analysis

9.1. Key Insights

9.2. Market Size and Forecast, 2017 - 2030 (US$ Bn)

9.2.1. By Offerings

9.2.2. By Application

9.2.3. By Country



Chapter 10. Asia Pacific Wastewater Treatment Market Analysis

10.1. Key Insights

10.2. Market Size and Forecast, 2017 - 2030 (US$ Bn)

10.2.1. By Offerings

10.2.2. By Application

10.2.3. By Country



Chapter 11. Middle East and Africa Wastewater Treatment Market Analysis

11.1. Key Insights

11.2. Market Size and Forecast, 2017 - 2030 (US$ Bn)

11.2.1. By Offerings

11.2.2. By Application

11.2.3. By Country



Chapter 12. South America Wastewater Treatment Market Analysis

12.1. Key Insights

12.2. Market Size and Forecast, 2017 - 2030 (US$ Bn)

12.2.1. By Offerings

12.2.2. By Application

12.2.3. By Country



Chapter 13. Company Profile (Company Overview, Financial Matrix, Key Product landscape, Key Personnel, Key Competitors, Contact Address, and Business Strategy Outlook)

13.1. Suez Environnement S.A.

13.2. Xylem, Inc.

13.3. DuPont de Nemours, Inc.

13.4. Evoqua Water Technologies Corporation

13.5. 3M Company, Inc.

13.6. Pentair plc

13.7. United Utilities Group P.L.C.

13.8. Kingspan Water & Energy

13.9. The Dow Chemical Company

13.10. Kemira Oyj

13.11. Calgon Carbon Corporation

13.12. Kurita Water Industries Ltd.

13.13. Bio-Microbics, Inc.

13.14. Trojan Technologies Inc.

13.15. Aquatech International Corporation

13.16. ASIO, spol. s r.o.

13.17. Orenco Systems, Inc.

13.18. Scinor Water America, L.L.C.

13.19. Elgressy Engineering Services Ltd.

13.20. Outotec Oyj

13.21. BASF SE

13.22. Blue Eden CleanTech Solutions Inc.

13.23. Other Prominent Players



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/efczml

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets
TBRC's insurance brokers market report outlines (and provides great detail on) the market size, growth forecasts, competitive landscape, and so much more

LONDON, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The increase in the growth of the middle class in emerging countries such as India and China is expected to drive the insurance brokers market. The middle-class segment is growing rapidly and is forecast to reach 5.3 billion by 2030 with the majority of growth taking place in Asian countries such as India, China, Indonesia and Philippines. The rise in the middle-income group translates to higher disposable income, which allows them to opt for life insurance to secure their family from financial burden, thereby increasing the demand for insurance brokers.

The global insurance brokers market size is expected to grow from $90.52 billion in 2021 to $97.46 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.7%. The global insurance brokers market growth is expected to reach $122.69 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 5.9%.

Request a free sample of the Insurance Brokers Market Report

Regional Analysis of the Insurance Brokers Market

North America has the largest insurance brokers market share as per insurance brokers industry statistics, accounting for a large 66.4% of the total in 2021. It is followed by Western Europe, Asia Pacific, and then the other regions. Going forward, the fastest-growing regions in the insurance broker market will be South America and Africa, where growth will be at CAGRs of 12.6% and 9.5% respectively. These will be followed by Western Europe and the Middle East, where the markets are expected to grow at CAGRs of 9.0% and 8.9% respectively during 2021-2026.

Insurance Brokers Market Segmentation

The insurance brokers market is segmented by type into life insurance, general insurance, health insurance and other types. The life insurance market is the largest segment of the insurance brokers market segmented by type, accounting for 35.5% of the total in 2021 and general insurance segment is expected to be the fastest growing segment going forward, at a CAGR of 8.2% during 2021-2026.

The insurance brokers market is also segmented by mode into offline and online, with offline holding a vast majority of the mode at almost 80%, and the market is also segmented by end-user into corporate and individuals, with about an equal share between the types of users.

Key Players and their Strategies in the Insurance Brokers Industry

The insurance brokers market is highly fragmented, with a large number of small players. The top ten competitors in the market made up to 29.33% of the total market in 2020. Major players in the market are Marsh & McLennan Cos Inc., Aon PLC, Arthur J Gallagher & Co, Willis Towers Watson PLC, Acrisure LLC, Brown & Brown Inc., Truist Insurance Holdings Inc., USI Insurance Services LLC, Lockton Companies Inc. and HUB International Limited.

Player-adopted strategies in the insurance brokers market include focus on expanding operational presence through acquisitions, focus on strengthening its business through expansion, expanding business through strategic mergers and acquisitions.

See more on the Insurance Brokers Market Report

Check out similar market reports:

Insurance, Reinsurance And Insurance Brokerage Global Market Report 2022  By Type (Insurance, Insurance Brokers And Agents, Reinsurance), By Mode (Online, Offline), By End User (Corporate, Individual)  Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022-2026

Insurance Agencies Market Report 2022  By Insurance (Life Insurance, Property And Casualty Insurance, Health And Medical Insurance), By Mode (Online, Offline), By End User (Corporate, Individual)  Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022-2026

B2B2C Insurance Global Market Report 2022  By Type (Life Insurance, Non-Life Insurance), By Distribution Channel (Online, Offline), By End Use Industry (Bank And Financial Institutions, Automotive, Utilities, Retailers, Telecom)  Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022-2026

Interested to know more about The Business Research Company?

The Business Research Company is a market intelligence firm that excels in company, market, and consumer research. Located globally, it has strategy enablement specialists in a wide range of industries including manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, chemicals, and technology.

The World's Most Comprehensive Database

The Business Research Company's flagship product, Global Market Model, is a market intelligence platform covering various macroeconomic indicators and metrics across 60 geographies and 27 industries. The Global Market Model covers multi-layered datasets which help its users assess supply-demand gaps.

Contact Information

The Business Research Company

Europe: +44 207 1930 708

Asia: +91 8897263534

Americas: +1 315 623 0293

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/the-business-research-company

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tbrc_info

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC24_fI0rV8cR5DxlCpgmyFQ

Blog: http://blog.tbrc.info/

SOURCE The Business Research Company
SAN DIEGO, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- McKool Smith, one of the nation's leading trial firms, has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Samesurf, Inc. against Intuit, Inc. for infringement of three of its co-browsing technology patents. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California San Diego Division.

Samesurf is a pioneer in the development of co-browsing and synchronized browsing technology which securely and efficiently enables multiple remote parties to share the same online experiences in real time while protecting sensitive information during shared sessions. According to the complaint, Intuit contacted Samesurf in 2015 to integrate Samesurf's patented co-browsing technology into Intuit's products. Samesurf's team of developers created a prototype incorporating its technology into Intuit's notable TurboTax offering, anticipating that Intuit would enter a business relationship. However and despite giving Intuit notice of its broad patent portfolio with priority dates that relate back to 2010, Samesurf later found that Intuit copied Samesurf's inventions and replicated its methods while disregarding its patents.

The technology is now believed to be used in several of Intuit's TurboTax offerings, including TurboTax Online, QuickBooks Online, TurboTax Live, QuickBooks Live, Smartlook, as well as other co-browse enabled Intuit products and services.

"Intuit clearly understood the value that Samesurf's co-browsing technology would bring to its offerings," said McKool Smith principal Ryan McBeth. "Instead of acknowledging and honoring Samesurf's patents, Intuit completely disregarded them. We plan to hold Intuit accountable."

Samesurf's complaint asks the court for a jury trial. Samesurf is represented by Ryan McBeth, Ashley Moore, and Alan Block of McKool Smith. The case is Samesurf, Inc. v. Intuit, Inc.

With 120 trial lawyers across offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Marshall, New York, and Washington, D.C., McKool Smith has established a reputation as one of America's leading trial firms. The firm has secured 13 nine-figure jury verdicts and 15 eight-figure jury verdicts, obtaining more VerdictSearch and The National Law Journal "Top 100 Verdicts" than any other law firm. These courtroom successes have earned McKool Smith critical acclaim and helped the firm become what The Wall Street Journal describes as "one of the biggest law firm success stories of the past decade." McKool Smith represents clients in complex commercial litigation, intellectual property, bankruptcy, insurance recovery, and white collar defense matters.

For more information, please contact Keith Hill at (903) 923.9005 or email [email protected].

SOURCE McKool Smith
STOCKHOLM, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The press conference, held in connection with the publication of SCA's interim report for the first quarter of 2022, will be available via webcast or by phone.

The interim report will be published on April 29, 2022, at approximately 08:00 CET. The subsequent webcast press conference will be held at 10:00 CET at Tandstickspalatset, Vastra Tradgardsgatan 15 in Stockholm.

At the press conference, President and CEO Ulf Larsson and CFO Toby Lawton will present and answer questions regarding the report.

The press conference will be webcast live at www.sca.com. It is possible to participate in the press conference by telephone:

Sweden: +46 (0)8 566 426 51

UK: +44 (0)3333 000 804

US: +1 631 913 1422



Conference ID: 10918682#.

For further information, please contact:

Anders Edholm

Senior Vice President Communications

Tel: +46 60 19 32 12

Josefine Bonnevier

Investor Relations Director

Tel: + 46 73 525 99 06

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/sca/r/invitation-to-sca-s-q1-2022-press-conference-april-29--2022--10-00-cet,c3535684

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/600/3535684/1556278.pdf Invitation to SCAs press conference Q1 2022

SOURCE SCA
At launch on April 1 st , 2022, the new program will feature JCDecaux Elite network in 30 private aviation airports in the top 10 markets including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami, as well as exclusive destinations around the U.S. like Palm Beach, Aspen and Las Vegas. Additional digital locations are also planned in the first 12 months of operation. In total, JCDecaux Elite network will be rolled out in 80 Atlantic Aviation airports for advertising, sponsorship, and experiential opportunities.

Global, national, and regional brands will be able to access the 'Elite' network of bespoke digital screens powered by JCDecaux's proprietary booking, scheduling, and diagnostic platform. This system ensures that advertisers will have the most efficient and effective way to reach the highly sought-after private aviation audience.

In addition to the digital network targeting the growing demand for this elite private jet audience, JCDecaux will manage all sponsorship and experiential opportunities at Atlantic Aviation's facilities.

Alan Sullivan, Co-CEO of JCDecaux North America, said: "We are delighted to join forces with Atlantic Aviation who represents state-of-the-art private aviation. Their facilities, customers and staff provide the perfect combination for advertisers trying to reach premium and business audiences in a qualitative environment. As demand for private aviation has recorded a rebound in 2021, we are excited to work with Atlantic Aviation to develop existing and new opportunities to help brands reach these audiences in the right mindset and in the right locations."

Tim Bannon, Chief Operating Officer of Atlantic Aviation, stated: "Atlantic is looking forward to the opportunities that JCDecaux, the premier outdoor advertising company, will bring to Atlantic."

About JCDecaux North America

JCDecaux North America, Inc. is part of JCDecaux Out-of-Home Media Group, an international media and communications company founded in 1964. JCDecaux is the number one outdoor advertising specialist in the world, as well as the market leader in Europe and in Asia Pacific. As the inventor of the "street furniture" concept in 1964, the JCDecaux Group is one of only two companies worldwide to focus exclusively on outdoor advertising and develop activities in all three segments: street furniture, billboard, and transport advertising.

JCDecaux is number one worldwide for street furniture, number one worldwide in transport, number one in Europe for billboard advertising, and number one worldwide for airport advertising with concessions in more than 150 airports. The Group has operations in 80+ countries with a presence in 3,670 cities with more than 10,000 inhabitants, reaching over 840 million people daily worldwide.

For more information about JCDecaux, please visit jcdecauxna.com.

Join us on Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram and Youtube.

SOURCE JCDecaux North America
Transformative, scalable, invitation-only model with leaner infrastructure and greater speed-to-market will modernize the 150+ year-old advertising/marketing industry

MKHSTRY's 360-degree proprietary engagement approach will ensure 'mutual bravery' and galvanize company brand culture as the nation anticipates the new post-pandemic work environment

CLEVELAND, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jeff Charney, the 2021 "Ad Age Brand CMO of the Year" and former CMO of top-tier brands including Progressive Insurance, Aflac, and QVC today announced the launch of MKHSTRY  a new, disruptive marketing industry collective that will work with brave corporate and agency leaders to modernize existing, pre-pandemic marketing and advertising models to produce breakthrough results in today's remote working environment.

Jeff Charney, 2021 Ad Age Brand CMO of the Year and former CMO of top-tier brands including Progressive Insurance, Aflac, and QVC today announces the launch of MKHSTRY

"Our company name, MKHSTRY, is who we are and what we do. Quite simply, we make results-driven marketing history for relevant, game-changing leaders, companies and brands that are brave enough to share our vision," Charney said. "The MKHSTRY collective is part an accelerator for industry changing ideas, part agency catalyst and part lifestyle brand. In today's rapidly changing hybrid marketing environment, clients should expect work that is nothing less than historic to impact their bottom line. That's exactly what our proprietary, scalable business model delivers."

"MKHSTRY is a 'just-in-time' CMO-designed business collective that had to be launched this year  2022, Charney said. "Two years ago, before the worldwide pandemic, marketing firms and ad agencies were operating with essentially the same service model they'd used for more than 150 years (based on the model developed by 20-year-old Francis Ayer of the first advertising agency, N.W. Ayer & Son in 1869). However, the pandemic rocked that existing system to its core. MKHSTRY will work only with courageous corporate leaders, visionary agencies and firms to maximize remote work productivity and to modernize their aging traditional business models  helping them adapt to the new creator economy, blockchain, Web3 and Metaverse worlds."

"My love for this industry is a key reason that compelled me to step away at the top of my game as a CMO and drive transformational change." Charney left Progressive on January 7th, 2022 after announcing his retirement from the company in March of 2021.

Driving the future of work with 'on the map' ideas/concepts developed quickly with minimal overhead and no bureaucracy

MKHSTRY will focus on idea-first marketing  instead of the more traditional campaign-first marketing  to put individuals, companies and brands "firmly on the cultural map using the most current marketing technology and practices."

As a collective, MKHSTRY can react with speed and urgency on behalf of its select, invitation-only clients. There will be no offices, walls or bureaucracy, and staff will be flexed based on individual client need, eliminating the heavy overhead normally associated with a traditional agency or consultancy. The only overhead is what's inside each team member's head: valued ideas and concepts.

Proprietary pre-engagement model provides individual and cultural bravery barometer

At the heart of the new company's engagement model is its proprietary assessment methodology, or MKHSTRY Index (MHI). The index functions as a mutual pre-screen "bravery barometer" between MKHSTRY and potential clients to measure the willingness and ability of a leadership team to transcend everyday, traditional marketing, as well as its level of comfort with executing a broader, jointly discovered vision of what's possible.

"MKHSTRY is not for the faint of heart," Charney said. "It's a 360-degree, holistic, model-changing approach that's exciting for the right folks and daunting for those less open to change. It buckles everyone up and prepares them for the journey."

"There's never been a better time for corporations, brands and individuals to MKHSTRY than now. The creator economy, blockchain and the Web3 world are here, without rules and gatekeepers to tilt the playing field. Brands  and their leaders  need to get out of their comfort zones to 'take a walk on the wild side.' They just need someone to hold their hand while walking, and that hand had better be cool, not clammy."

Brand + culture: Unifying forces for today's 'new way to work'

"The model is not for everybody, because we understand that change isn't in everyone's DNA. In fact, more than 70% of all change programs in corporate America fail due to employee resistance," (Source: McKinsey) Charney said. "While the seven letters of action in MKHSTRY must start at the top with brave CEOs, CMOs and agency presidents, the message of change must extend throughout entire organizations to the other most important seven-letter word: CULTURE."

Surveys show that remote or hybrid work is becoming a permanent fixture in the corporate landscape (Source: PWC). With the traditional brick-and-mortar workplace in decline, companies must find new ways to build their cultures that don't rely on buildings, offices, break rooms and social gatherings. Instead, brands and corporate cultures will be inspired and unified by the brand and ideas  history-making ideas.

Code-cracking creative: You're 'one idea away'

Rather than focus on the more traditional day-to-day, campaign-by-campaign advertising model, MKHSTRY serves as an accelerator and partner for code-cracking creative ideas. It's based on the simple belief that "creative" isn't just a department within an agency  it's a mindset that can be taught, promoted and institutionalized across an organization.

For over two decades, one of Charney's core business tenets has been that you are "one idea away" from a breakthrough, and if you translate that into action the rest ishistory. MKHSTRY is that action.

Creating a pathway for all future "historians"; grass roots market introduction

MKHSTRY is also a company committed to giving back. A portion of MKHSTRY's profits will go to Little Free Libraries, a nationwide initiative to bring books and education to local communities through small, personalized, pop-up libraries across the nation. "We want to ensure that everyone has an equal chance to MKHSTRY and the Little Free Library book exchange provides that wonderful grass roots opportunity to create a pathway for future historians  young and old," Charney added.

Also, as part of MKHSTRY's unconventional launch strategy, the company will introduce a week-long "Reverse History" tour with in-person presentations at four separate cities and grass-roots locations. More details can be found on the company's website, mkhstry.com.

Leaders looking to MKHSTRY should reach out to Charney and his team in confidence at [email protected].

About Jeff Charney

Charney has a track record of success at driving bottom-line results across three decades of workwith more than twenty years as an acting CMO for Progressive, Aflac, QVC and startup Homestore.com (parent of Realtor.com) now Move.com. Over his career, Charney directed billions in spending across the marketing ecosystem. This gives him unparalleled insight into both external and internal agency models at high-velocity creative levels.

Throughout his career, he continually evolved his approach to anticipate and adapt to tectonic demographic, technological and cultural changes in real time. He is unique in that he applies a character-driven "network" approach to develop some of marketing's longest-lasting brand icons. Charney is also an industry catalyst and pioneer in internal agency start-up and development. As early as 2015, he drew the inside + outside agency 'line in the sand' at the American Association of National Advertisers (ANA) Masters of Marketing Conference opening keynote presentation. In March of 2021, he announced his intent to retire from Progressive and left the company on January 7th 2022.

Charney is also one of the nation's most heralded CMOs. He and his teams have received nearly 100 national and international marketing and creative awards. Charney was named "Brand Genius: Top Marketer of the Year" by Adweek Magazine in 2011 and Ad Age's "Brand CMO of the Year" in 2021. He is a member of the board of directors of Investor's Exchange (IEX), the highly transparent stock exchange based in New York; is on the advisory board of Brand Innovators, the largest professional network for marketers; and is a member-at-large of the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA).

Charney holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (summa cum laude) in journalism from the University of South Carolina, where he serves on the dean's advisory board for the College of Information and Communications. He received a Master of Arts degree in journalism with highest honors from The Ohio State University. He also received distinguished alumni awards from both his undergraduate and graduate universities.

Leaders looking to MKHSTRY should reach out to Charney and his team in confidence at [email protected].

About MKHSTRY

MKHSTRY is the industry's newest code-cracking virtual startup, proudly and purposefully established in March 2022. The transformative, vowel-starved company vision is "2 wrk w/th bst, brvst gmchngrs 2 cr8 mktg hstry, rslts." For non-consonant advocates, the MKHSTRY puzzle can be cleverly solved by adding vowels in the exact order learned in elementary school: A-E-I-O, with the U missing as a placeholder for its brave, invitation-only clients and agency partners.

The company's proprietary "MKHSTRY Index" is another pre-engagement differentiator serving as a barometer for client/employee bravery. A variation of the index has been used dating back to the FringeQuotient from early 2000, when Charney founded the creative boutique FringeVentures in Venice, California. The company will also launch an exclusive, purpose-driven apparel line  a hybrid of comfort and fashion designed for the remote work environment  later this year. A portion of those profits will go to Little Free Libraries, a nationwide book exchange program.

Contact:

Debby Fireman

Media Relations

[email protected]

610.668.4898 o

610.547.2229 c

SOURCE MKHSTRY
HONG KONG, March 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- JS Global Lifestyle Company Limited (Hong Kong: 1691) ("JS Global" or the "Company"), a world-leading producer of small household appliances that operates three major brands: Shark, Ninja and Joyoung, today reported its financial results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

"I am thrilled to be reporting a fantastic year for JS Global's top-line growth," said Wang Xuning, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of JS Global. "The entire team at JS Global worked tirelessly to deliver a truly monumental 2021 and continued to service our customers while navigating a global pandemic and supply chain challenges. We live and breathe innovation here at JS Global, and we are excited about the new categories that we launched in 2021 as we pave the way for future expansion. Looking ahead to 2022 and beyond, we remain laser focused on our long-term objectives as we deliver strong growth and create attractive stockholder value over the long-term while positively impacting consumers' lives around the world."

Fiscal Year 2021 Financial Results and Commentary

Revenue was US$5,150.6 million for the fiscal year, an increase of US$954.8 million , or 22.8% versus the prior year period.

SharkNinja Revenue was US$3,714.9 million for the fiscal year, an increase of US$982.2 million , or 35.9% versus the prior year period. The increase was primarily due to continued market share growth in existing product categories including corded and cordless vacuum cleaners, robotic vacuum cleaners, motorized blenders and heated kitchen appliances, along with the successful launch of products into new categories in 2020 that have provided year-on-year growth during 2021 including the Shark VacMop and Ninja Foodi Neverstick Cookware.

for the fiscal year, an increase of , or 35.9% versus the prior year period. The increase was primarily due to continued market share growth in existing product categories including corded and cordless vacuum cleaners, robotic vacuum cleaners, motorized blenders and heated kitchen appliances, along with the successful launch of products into new categories in 2020 that have provided year-on-year growth during 2021 including the Shark VacMop and Ninja Foodi Neverstick Cookware.

Joyoung Revenue was US$1,435.7 million for the fiscal year, a decrease of US$27.4 million , or 1.9% versus the prior year period. The decrease was primarily due to the persistent challenges within the China market, and the competitive categories in which Joyoung operates.

Profit was US$460.7 million for the fiscal year, an increase of US$58.4 million , or 14.5% versus the prior year period.

for the fiscal year, an increase of , or 14.5% versus the prior year period. Adjusted Net Profit was US$502.4 million for the fiscal year, an increase of US$83.2 million , or 19.8% versus the prior year period.

for the fiscal year, an increase of , or 19.8% versus the prior year period. Profit Attributed to Owners of the Parent was US$420.5 million for the fiscal year, an increase of US$76.1 million , or 22.1% versus the prior year period.

for the fiscal year, an increase of , or 22.1% versus the prior year period. Adjusted Net Profit Attributed to Owners of the Parent was US$464.0 million for the fiscal year, an increase of US$86.2 million , or 22.8% versus the prior year period.

for the fiscal year, an increase of , or 22.8% versus the prior year period. EBITDA was US$711.4 million for the fiscal year, an increase of US$10.4 million , or 1.5% versus the prior year period.

for the fiscal year, an increase of , or 1.5% versus the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA was US$733.5 million for the fiscal year, an increase of US$70.6 million , or 10.7% versus the prior year period.

for the fiscal year, an increase of , or 10.7% versus the prior year period. Basic EPS was US$0.12 for the fiscal year, an increase of US$0.02 , or 19.2% versus the prior year period.

for the fiscal year, an increase of , or 19.2% versus the prior year period. Diluted EPS was US$0.12 for the fiscal year, an increase of US$0.02 , or 19.4% versus the prior year period.

Recent Business Highlights

JS Global is now the 4 th largest Global Small Home Appliance Company, and the 3 rd largest Global Small Home Appliance Focused Company [i]

largest Global Small Home Appliance Company, and the 3 largest Global Small Home Appliance Focused Company Inclusive of growing 2021 revenue by 22.8%, JS Global revenue has grown by 70.8% compared to 2019 led by the continued success and expansion of the Shark and Ninja brands

Eight new categories launched between the Shark and Ninja brands during 2021: ice cream, canister vacuums, cutlery, kettle, toaster, air purifiers, juicer, hair care

Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Highlights

As of December 31, 2021 , cash and cash equivalents were US$555.5 million , and outstanding debt (total borrowings) was US$942.1 million , resulting in net debt (calculated as outstanding debt minus cash and cash equivalents) of US$386.6 million .

, cash and cash equivalents were , and outstanding debt (total borrowings) was , resulting in net debt (calculated as outstanding debt minus cash and cash equivalents) of . Capital expenditures were US$149.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to US$129.7 million in the prior year.

for the year ended compared to in the prior year. JS Global had 3,420,877 fully diluted shares outstanding as of December 31, 2021 .

. The Board recommended the payment of a final dividend of US$0.0527 per share (equivalent to HK$0.4098 ) for the year ended December 31, 2021 (the "Final Dividend") to the shareholders of the Company whose names appear on the register of members of the Company at the close of business on May 10, 2022 , subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company at the Annual General Meeting. The Final Dividend will be paid in Hong Kong dollars, which is expected to be payable on or around July 29, 2022 .

Conference Call and Webcast Information

JS Global will host a conference call and webcast today, March 29, 2022, at 9:00 p.m. ET / March 30, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. HKT to discuss the results. The live webcast will be in both English and Mandarin and can be accessed on the JS Global Investor Relations website at https://www.jsgloballife.com/investor-presentations/. The webcast will also be archived and available for replay. The Company has also posted an accompanying slide presentation which can be accessed at https://www.jsgloballife.com/investor-presentations/

Investors interested in participating in the live call for the question and answer session can dial in:

English Conference ID: 002667386

Mandarin Conference ID: 447247770

United States dial-in: +1-516-226 8028/1833 2394 527

dial-in: +1-516-226 8028/1833 2394 527 China dial-in: 4008 070 263/+86 23-62737100

dial-in: 4008 070 263/+86 23-62737100 Hong Kong dial-in: +852-3018 6949/800 931018

dial-in: +852-3018 6949/800 931018 Singapore dial-in: +65-6407 5649/+65-6622 0840

dial-in: +65-6407 5649/+65-6622 0840 United Kingdom dial-in: +44-20-7097 0018/0800 0291098

After joining the conference call, participants can press *1 to raise hand to ask a question. Both English and Mandarin questions will be accepted.

About JS Global

JS Global Lifestyle Company Limited (Hong Kong: 1691) is a world leading producer of small household appliances. It ranks fourth globally in the small household appliance industry and third among small household appliance-focused companies.i It primarily operates three major brands: Shark, Ninja and Joyoung. The Company's success is centered around its deep understanding of consumer needs, and is built on its strong product innovation and design capability powered by a global research and development platform, marketing strengths driving high brand engagement, and an omni-channel distribution coverage with high penetration.

About SharkNinja

SharkNinja is an innovation leader in the housewares industry and creator of the familiar household brands Shark and Ninja. SharkNinja provides the latest in easy-to-use innovative technology with a growing line of solutions that consist of Shark cleaning and home care products and Ninja kitchen appliances. Products are sold at major retailers and through distributors around the world. Ninja and Shark are registered trademarks of SharkNinja Operating LLC. SharkNinja is a subsidiary of JS Global Lifestyle Company Limited (Hong Kong: 1691) a leader in small household appliance innovation.

About Joyoung

Joyoung (002242.SZ) is SharkNinja's sister brand and has become a well-known small household electrical appliance enterprise and one of the market share leaders in China. Joyoung invented the first soymilk maker in China and closely connect the concept to plant-based solutions. With 27 years of experience and over 8,000 patented technologies, Joyoung specializes in the research and development, design, manufacturing, and sale of its innovative product categories including small household appliances, primarily focusing on kitchen. Joyoung is a subsidiary of JS Global Lifestyle Company Limited (Hong Kong: 1691) a leader in small household appliance innovation.

[i] Market ranking data based on Frost & Sullivan 2021 Retail Sales Value for Small Home Appliance Companies

SOURCE JS Global Lifestyle
J.S. Held & Ocean Tomo uniquely present technical, scientific & financial experts for matters across all assets at risk. Tweet this

"The addition of Ocean Tomo strengthens our ability to address the unique needs of organizations around the world facing high-stakes situations involving intellectual property and other intangible assets," said Jonathon C. Held, Chief Executive Officer of J.S. Held. "We are very excited about this partnership, which brings more than 80 of the most well-respected professionals in the industry to our firm."

Collectively, Ocean Tomo's experts have completed more than 1,000 engagements across a wide diversity of industry segments. They have consulted and provided expert testimony in some of the highest profile IP matters over the past two decades  spanning state, federal, and international courts. Their clients include businesses, law firms, investors, artists, designers, creators, researchers, educational institutions, and government agencies.

"We are thrilled to join J.S. Held. Together we can uniquely provide integrated technical, scientific, and financial expertise to our clients," said James E. Malackowski, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Tomo. "The diverse skills and experience of J.S. Held's experts allows us to address complex matters involving tangible and intangible assets. Importantly, J.S. Held shares our core values for excellence and professional development, making for a strong and exciting partnership."

Ocean Tomo employee shareholders have invested into J.S. Held as part of the announced transaction. J.S. Held's acquisition provides an exit for Ocean Tomo institutional investors Bow River Capital (Denver) and Sinofaith IP Group (Shanghai). "Facilitating the growth of market leaders is a key part of Bow River's investment strategy, and we are especially pleased with the outcome at Ocean Tomo," said Bo Sutton, a Director at Bow River. "We are extremely proud of our successful partnership with Ocean Tomo and believe the team is well positioned for continued success as part of J.S. Held."

Houlihan Lokey served as financial advisor to Ocean Tomo in connection with the transaction. Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP served as legal counsel to Ocean Tomo. Vedder Price served as legal counsel to Ocean Tomo executives. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP advised J.S. Held in connection with the transaction.

About J.S. Held

J.S. Held is a specialized global consulting firm whose professionals serve as trusted, expert advisors to organizations facing high-stakes events that demand urgent attention, exceptional knowledge, staunch integrity, and clear-cut analysis and advice. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of technical, scientific, financial, and technology advisory services that enable clients across the spectrum of industries to navigate complex, contentious, and often catastrophic situations with precise analysis, reliable insights, and confidence.

About Ocean Tomo

Established in 2003, Ocean Tomo provides Financial Expert, Management Consulting, and Advisory services related to intellectual property (IP) and other intangible assets; corporate accounting investigations; regulatory and reporting obligations; solvency and restructuring; and contractual or competition disputes. Practice offerings address economic damage calculations and testimony; accounting investigations and financial forensics; technology and intangible asset valuation; strategy and risk management consulting; mergers and acquisitions; debt and equity private placement; and IP brokerage. Subsidiaries of Ocean Tomo include Ocean Tomo Investments Group, LLC, a registered broker dealer.

J.S. HELD MEDIA CONTACT:

Monica Christopher

Chief Marketing Officer, J.S. Held LLC

[email protected]

+1 516 621 2900

OCEAN TOMO MEDIA CONTACT:

Kristi L. Stathis

Chief Marketing Officer, Ocean Tomo, LLC

[email protected]

+1 773 294 4360

SOURCE Ocean Tomo, LLC, a part of J.S. Held
Kandao Meeting S is the third-generation product in Kandao Meeting Series. This product line is designed to realize an all-around satisfactory hybrid meeting  clear vision, surrounding sounds, noise cancellation, and intelligent control, it has been widely used by businesses, NPOs, universities all over the world to set up a new hybrid working or studying space under the new normal. Kandao Meeting Series have earned many international authoritative awards such as the CES Innovation Awards, iF Design Awards, IDEA Design Award, Japan Good Design Award. Comparing to Meeting Pro, Meeting S is more suitable for small-group meetings, and it is light enough to take during business trip. This all-in-one camera features in its upgraded AI tracking algorithm, full-duplex audio system, built-in Android system, and innovative portable design.

The revolutionary AI 3.0 algorithm enables Kandao Meeting S to precisely locate and track the speaking person, and multiple modes and functions are pre-set to fit different scenarios. With the help of these hands-free features, you can set aside your controller and just focus on the meeting, it's the upgraded hybrid working solution you never want to miss.

A full-duplex audio system with an eight-microphone array and Hi-Fi speaker is equipped to produce a fascinating astounding sound. Thanks to the premium audio acquisition technique, it achieves a five-meter pickup range, you'll be transformed into an ever-enjoyable experience that would redefine your understanding of remote working.

Kandao Meeting S comes with a powerful standalone mode. With a built-in Android operating system, it is compatible with many major online conferencing software, negating the need for an external computer.

This isn't the first time Meeting S has been on the winning list of an International Design Award, it is also a honoree of the CES Innovation Awards 2022. But being approved by this prestigious award is another great affirmation of our innovative technology.

About Kandao:

Kandao Technology is a high-tech enterprise, adhering to the mission of "creating distinguished imaging products, enriching human life experience", and driven by the mutual development of hardware and software, Kandao is a pioneer in the field of VR technology, Ultra-HD cameras and video conferencing cameras.

Kandao sets a record for being the first Chinese company honored by the CES Best of Innovation Awards in the digital imaging category, and the first Chinese company that won Japan Good Design Award Best 100 in the camera category. Over the years, Kandao have earned many international authoritative awards such as the CES Innovation Awards, iF Design Awards, Red Dot Design Award, IDEA Design Award, Japan Good Design Award, and German Design Award.

SOURCE Kandao Technology Co., Ltd.
PHILADELPHIA, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Three20 Capital Group, Geneva Glen Capital & Stonehenge Partners (Three20, GGC & Stonehenge) are pleased to announce a major investment in Eleven Eleven Holdings, developer and owner of Sola Salon Studios franchise locations. Sola Salons is the leading provider of salon suites in the US. The group is pleased to announce new multi-unit development agreements in Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Tennessee. Eleven Eleven will continue to invest in their 37 currently open Sola locations while committing capital to grow to over 75 units in the next five years creating opportunities for over 1,500 additional Sola Pros. The company also intends to grow through acquisitions of established Sola locations in other markets.

The Eleven Eleven Holdings leadership team of David Raduziner, Steve Breuner and Bo Breuner, have been franchisee veterans in the Sola Salon system since 2008 developing the successful 37 units. Raduziner will serve as CEO with Steve Breuner as CMO. "We love the management of Eleven Eleven and Raduziner & the Breuners are exceptionally suited to continue to lead the company," said Adam Schecter, Partner with GGC.

"We are thrilled to have the investment and backing of Three20, GGC & Stonehenge to more than double the size of the company and lend valuable strategic support as we continue our explosive growth," said Raduziner. "Sola Salons created the category," said Breuner. "Sola is not only a trailblazer, but best in class organization that we've been proud to be a part of. "We're looking forward to reaching over 75 units over the next five years".

Three20 Capital Group is led by longtime multi-unit franchisees and franchisors Todd Recknagel and Kristi Mailloux. Recknagel & Mailloux are currently Operating Partners in the largest Massage Envy multi-unit franchisee in the country which they helped grow from 7 locations to over 90 clinics today. Recknagel says, "Over the years, my wife Kristi and I have participated in a number of very successful investments in franchising and we love the Sola franchise model." Mailloux said, "We have been blessed to see tremendous growth and hope to bring franchise best practices to Eleven Eleven." Recknagel added, "Having a franchise dream team like Raduziner and the Breuners will unleash unlimited growth as well." Recknagel will serve as Board Chair.

"We believe that our team will be leaders within the brand bringing depth in experience, service, and culture building." Stonehenge Partner, Pete Davies, added "We are really looking forward to helping improve the lives of over 2,500 Sola Pros by the time we build our organization." Fifth Third Securities, Inc., served as financial advisor to Eleven Eleven.

"We are excited to see one of our strongest franchisees joining forces with capital partners like Three20 Capital, Geneva Glen Capital and Stonehenge Capital, who will give them the stability and strength to continue their expansion. These groups bring significant franchise experience, and we look forward to this new relationship," said Christina Russell, CEO of Sola Salons.

About Sola Salons

In 2004, Sola Salons was established with the opening of its first location in Denver, Colorado. Now with more than 600 locations open in the U.S., Canada and Brazil, Sola is proud to offer 18,000+ independent beauty professionals the freedom and benefits of salon ownership without the risk and overhead of opening a traditional salon. Its innovative salon model empowers hairdressers, estheticians, nail techs and other like-minded professionals to take control of their lives and their careers. Sola provides beauty professionals with beautiful, fully equipped salon studios alongside the support and tools they need to launch their salon business in no time. For more information, please visit www.solasalons.com.

About Three20 Capital Group

Three20 Capital Group is a private equity firm making acquisitions and investments in privately held middle market companies. They have a depth of experience in franchising, distribution, energy efficiency and multi-unit businesses. A sampling of Brands they have partnered with include Mr. Handyman, Massage Envy, Take 5 Oil change, Molly Maid, Office Pride, Quatrro Business Services and AM Conservation Group. www.Three20group.com

About Geneva Glen Capital

Geneva Glen Capital is a Chicago-based private equity firm that invests in proven private companies with leading market positions, significant growth potential, and stable cash flows. GGC makes control investments and targets companies headquartered in the U.S. or Canada with EBITDA between $2 million and $20 million. The firm works closely with management teams to establish and execute on a clearly defined value creation and growth plan. The principals of GGC have extensive private equity experience and a funding structure that provides the ability to be flexible, creative and, if appropriate, long-term investors.

About Stonehenge Capital

Stonehenge is an Ohio-based private equity firm serving the lower middle market. Founded in 1999, Stonehenge has a long history of partnering with leading entrepreneurs and managers who are focused on building winning teams, accelerating growth, and creating shareholder value. Stonehenge provides flexible capital that meets the needs of all stakeholders, including majority equity, minority equity, debt, and combinations thereof. Stonehenge has raised more than $1 billion of committed capital and is currently investing out of its fifth institutional fund.

Media Contacts:

David Raduziner CEO, Eleven Eleven Holdings: [email protected]

Andriana Gavrilovic Sola Corporate: [email protected]

Todd Recknagel: [email protected]

SOURCE Three20 Capital Group
MACAO, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Macao's total merchandise import went up by 38.7 percent year on year to 10.56 billion patacas (about 1.31 billion U.S. dollars) in February 2022, while merchandise export amounted to 1.01 billion patacas, up 39.2 percent year on year, the special administrative region (SAR)'s statistical service said on Wednesday.

The latest report from Macao's Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) showed that the merchandise trade deficit totaled 9.54 billion patacas in February.

For the first two months of this year, total value of merchandise import expanded by 35.7 percent year on year to 24.61 billion patacas while total merchandise export increased by 13.4 percent to 2.45 billion patacas, showed the report.

Analyzed by place of origin, merchandise import from the European Union (EU) and the Chinese mainland in the first two months of 2022 rose by 59.3 percent and 8.2 percent year on year to 9.33 billion patacas and 7.01 billion patacas respectively.

Analyzed by destination, merchandise export to the mainland dropped by 26.5 percent year on year to 175 million patacas. Exports to the Hong Kong SAR, the United States and the EU rose by 17.9 percent, 22.5 percent and 30.5 percent year on year respectively.

External merchandise trade totaled 27.06 billion patacas from January to February, up 33.3 percent from a year earlier. (1 pataca equals 0.1241 U.S. dollars) 
Chicago conference will bring stakeholders under one roof to discuss the reinvention of an industry for a post-pandemic world

CHICAGO, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 22, 2022, educators from Kendall College at National Louis University (NLU) will convene a stimulating dialogue on the future of hospitality education with industry leaders from across Greater Chicago. Bringing together college and high school hospitality educators with business leaders from across the industry, the conference will draw on the lessons of the last two years to distill bold ideas that can help move the industry forward with confidence in an unpredictable, post-pandemic business environment.

"It's an exciting time to be in hospitality as the travel industry evolves and comes back stronger than ever," said Mark Hoplamazian, president and chief executive officer of Hyatt. "As our Hyatt colleagues know well, a career in hospitality can be a very rewarding and fulfilling journey with tremendous opportunity for upward mobility. I look forward to sharing more about my journey within hospitality and the wonderful career opportunities within the Hyatt family and across the industry."

The conference takes place on Friday, April 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 122 S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago, with a reception to follow from 3:00  4:00 p.m. at Kendall College's state of the art facility at 18 S. Michigan Avenue. Interested individuals can Register at https://web.cvent.com/event/8f0498be-45d4-4685-bace-19e67546ab9d/summary.

The so-called "Great Resignation" has meant massive levels of churn and turnover in the hospitality industry's labor force, while hospitality employers face new post-pandemic obstacles to re-staffing like defection to other industries, changing expectations and values and an overall negative perception of careers in hospitality .

With these challenges in mind, the conference will address the skills, knowledge, and experiences that are increasingly critical to the success of the next generation of culinary and hospitality professionals and companies to meet the needs of a transformed hospitality and dining market. Speakers will include an opening keynote address from Mark Hoplamazian, President & CEO of Hyatt, along with presentations on leadership by James Floyd of Cleveland Avenue and advancing diversity from Roz Stuttley, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Choose Chicago. Expert panels will also discuss the professional skills needed for success in the industry, the impact of technological integration on operations, the ongoing transformation of the food and beverage sectors, and innovation in the delivery of hospitality education, among other topics.

These conversations will include and build upon findings of a recent Kendall College research study that identified key professional skills, personality traits and organizational needs that emerged as a result of the pandemic.

"The research findings indicated that we as educators should look at our curricula and methods to ensure that we are producing graduates who can be successful in this new environment," said Deborah Popely, D.B.A., chair of Hospitality Management and lead investigator on the study. "The Kendall Hospitality Conference creates an opportunity our peers and employer partners to explore these implications together and develop solutions students seeking to enter the post-pandemic hospitality landscape."

Organizational partners in the event include the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association, the Illinois Restaurant Association, Choose Chicago, the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, and the Careers through Culinary Art Program (CCAP).

The Kendall College of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management at National Louis University prepares students for successful careers and eventual leadership roles across the foodservice and hospitality industries, combining a strong academic foundation with transformative practical experience. For more information, visit https://nl.edu/kendall-college/

National Louis is a nonprofit, non-denominational university focused on preparing the diverse workforce of tomorrow and widening access to quality educational and career opportunities for all learners. NLU offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees across a wide variety of fields, serving approximately 10,000 students annually at locations in Illinois and Florida as well as online. Visit nl.edu for more info.

SOURCE National Louis University
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Recovery Centers of America Chief Science Officer Dr. Deni Carise has been appointed to lead in the creation of the next TIP  Promoting Recovery from Substance Use Disorders.

When the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) asked Dr. Carise to lead a team of experts to create the first Treatment Improvement Protocol to focus specifically on Recovery, titled Counseling Approaches To Promote Recovery From Problematic Substance Use and Related Issues, she welcomed the opportunity.

"This TIP could help people not just in traditional substance use recovery settings, but anywhere." Tweet this Deni Carise PhD, Recovery Centers of America Chief Science Officer

TIPs draw on the experience and knowledge of clinical, research, and implementation experts to produce best practice guides on a variety of topics including various treatment approaches (Motivational Enhancement, detoxification, group therapy, psychopharmacological), guides for work with specific populations (Native American and Alaska Native, men, women, homeless, families, etc.) and topics such as co-occurring disorder, fetal alcohol syndrome and others. These TIPs are distributed to many facilities and individuals across the country.

Dr. Carise and a panel of 11 will create a robust report for dissemination across the country later this year.

The whole process is extremely thorough, and we want a lot of voices heard, Dr. Carise says. Recovery is an enormous topic. We want the most up-to-date information to be included because the ultimate goal is to educate counselors and providers in any setting about the various paths to recovery, how to support recovery, implement recovery systems of care, and to reduce the stigma of addiction recovery.

The focus of any TIP is to improve upon existing practices and provide the latest guidance for any setting or level of the substance use disorder process  from Emergency Rooms or Child Protective Services to college campuses and treatment centers for substance use disorders.

One of the best parts of this TIP, says Dr. Carise, is that its utility isnt limited to people who work in substance use disorder treatment facilities.

If you work in corrections, mental health, schools, really anywhere you see substance use, there is going to be valuable information in this TIP for staff at any level, she says. The beauty of it is this TIP could help people not just in traditional substance use recovery settings, but anywhere. And Im so very happy that were focusing on quality of life, not just the disorder or the symptoms.

Dr. Carise is a clinical psychologist who has been part of the recovery community for more than 35 years. In addition to being Chief Science Officer for Recovery Centers of America, she is an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.

Dr. Carise has developed national standards for large systems of clinical care, clinical toolkits for over 30 evidence-based practices, was an NIH-funded scientist for over 18 years, and worked extensively internationally, with treatment providers in Nigeria, Mexico, Thailand, Egypt, Greece, Singapore, Brazil, and numerous other countries to help develop national systems that integrate scientifically validated tools into clinical treatment delivery.

She has dedicated her life to combating substance abuse on every front.

About Recovery Centers of America

Recovery Centers of America (RCA) has ten inpatient substance use disorder treatment facilities in the United States. RCA facilities have been recognized as best U.S. treatment facilities in the past two years by Newsweek Magazine. RCA's mission is to help 1 million patients achieve a life of recovery through evidence-based alcohol and drug addiction treatment. RCA also has outpatient programs nearby all inpatient programs in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Illinois, and Indiana, and opioid treatment programs in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as telehealth treatment services. Patients can obtain immediate substance use disorder care by calling 1-800-Recovery with complimentary transportation provided in most cases.

REPORTERS: Interviews available by contacting Joe Carmean @[email protected]

Some text taken from: https://www.samhsa.gov/kap/resources

SOURCE Recovery Centers of America
Mineral and nutrient deficiencies are a big deal. They make you feel tired, stressed, brain fogged, and sick. Designed with human biology in mind, Danger Coffee delivers 50 trace micronutrients while also making the minerals you already have more bioavailable.

"These beans deliver the good stuff (antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, micronutrients, and optimal fasting support) without bogging you down with the bad stuff you'll find in ordinary coffee," Dave says.

It's estimated that the world drinks about two billion cups of coffee every day, much of which is covered with mold toxins. Using a third-party, lab-tested process (that well exceeds government and industry standards) Danger Coffee can assure mold-free beans.

Biohacking is all about taking full control of your biology, which includes discovering ways to improve the ordinary things you do in your day-to-day life, like drinking coffee.

"We took the everyday act of drinking coffee, something so many people already love doing, and gave it an upgrade," says Dave. Of course, Danger Coffee is designed to pair perfectly with Dave's original recipe for coffee blended with grass fed butter and MCT oil.

As for the 'danger' in the coffee, Dave says it's all about feeling dangerously good. "You can do anything when you have enough energy. What makes you dangerous is feeling at your best. The world is yours when you're at full power."

About Danger Coffee

Danger Coffee is clean, mold-free, farm-direct coffee created by legendary biohacker Dave Asprey and engineered to remineralize the body. Minerals matter and most of us need more of them. Danger Coffee is more than just a fuel source; it's coffee that elevates your body at a cellular level with the nutrients it's craving every day.

To learn more, visit: dangercoffee.com

SOURCE Danger Coffee
Company provides full ecosystem regeneration through highly effective drone-enabled reforestation

NEW YORK, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lord of the Trees , a full ecosystem restoration company that uses precision drone planting technology to restore degraded landscapes, today announced a $1.25 million Pre-Seed funding round led by Draper Associates , a global venture capital firm investing in industry transforming companies.

Lord of the Trees uses a combination of high technology (artificial intelligence, robotics, and drones) and Lo-Tek (Local Traditional Ecological Knowledge) to harmoniously regenerate the Earth's damaged ecosystems. The company's precision-planting drones are capable of scattering seeds on a vast scale  at a rate of about 400,000 seed pods in just 12 hours  cheaper and more efficiently than ever before. These proprietary seed pods contain a blend of plant nutrients that sustain optimum germination conditions, increasing the seeds' chances of developing a healthy root system. The success rate (75%) is nearly double the industry average.

"Planting trees is the most inexpensive and efficient way to combat climate change, a fact recognized by governments and environmental groups worldwide, however the cost of major replanting projects has always been prohibitive, and fraught with logistical difficulties," said Aymeric Maudous, Founder of Lord of the Trees. "We are the first company to take a 360 degree look at how plants, animals, humans and other factors combine to produce a fully functional ecosystem  and how to restore it once it's been damaged."

Lord of the Trees plans to tackle restoring blue carbon sources, like mangroves, tidal marshlands, and kelp forests first, as these environments are able to absorb 3-5x more carbon dioxide than regular forests. In fact, the company is currently proceeding with a drone replanting project of critically endangered Red Mangroves in Australia and will be conducting additional programs in Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, California, Mexico and Africa.

Lord of the Trees was founded by CEO Aymeric Maudous, after an extensive career as a brand marketer for Renault, Disney, Louis Vuitton (LVMH) and -- more recently  MaisonNets. In 2019, Aymeric founded Lord of the Trees, Australia's first commercial drone planting company and was hand-picked to be part of an international cohort of sustainability experts to participate in Al Gore's "Climate Reality Leadership" course.

"I've been wanting to invest in a company that's truly committed to planet regeneration for a long time, and I found Lord of the Trees! I was thrilled by Lord of the Trees' simple technological solution and their innovative business model as well as their commitment to meet the growing needs of carbon reduction across the globe. I marvel at the possibilities this company is creating for our planet and their commitment to restoring our ecosystems," says Tim Draper, Founding Partner of Draper Associates.

"The need for innovative, effective replanting of the planet has never been more urgent with about half of the world's tropical rainforests having now been cleared. Deforestation threatens 80% of earth's land animals and plants along with our very existence," added Maudous.

Lord of the Trees is poised to become an industry disruptor in upscaling environmental protection and habitat regeneration, working with government authorities, the mining sector, land owners, and the agricultural industry to restore biodiversity on a mass scale at a vastly reduced cost. To learn more, visit: lordofthetrees.ai .

About Draper Associates:

Founded in1985 by Tim Draper, Draper Associates is the leader in early-stage venture capital that continues to invest in technology companies that show exceptional promise. The firm's investments have included Coinbase, Baidu, Tesla, Skype, SpaceX, Twitch, Hotmail, Focus Media, Robinhood, Carta, and other industry unicorns at the early stage. Draper Associates has built a reputation for encouraging entrepreneurs to drive their businesses to greatness, to transform industries with new technologies, and to build platforms for extraordinary growth, jobs and wealth creation. Send plans to [email protected] . To learn more, visit www.draper.vc .

About Lord of the Trees:

Headquartered in the USA and Australia, Lord of the Trees (LOTT) is a public benefit corporation with pending B-Corp certification and is poised to become an industry disruptor in upscaling environmental protection and habitat regeneration. Visit lordofthetrees.ai to learn more.

SOURCE Lord of the Trees
NEW YORK, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lumanity today announced the acquisition of Innovative Edge ("IE"), a leading provider of pharmaceutical product launch services. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

IE partners with world-leading biopharma companies  from Top 20 pharmaceutical manufacturers to fast-growing biotechnology companies  to optimize and accelerate their global, regional, and local product launches. Utilizing its proprietary Launch EcoSystem solution, which combines IE's expertise in building plans and its launch team capabilities with its collaborative launch management platform Ignite, the company has supported hundreds of product launches, helping to chart, implement, and monitor the key elements required for a successful launch.

The highly complementary addition of IE is fully aligned with Lumanity's commitment to partnering with life sciences companies around the world to propel commercialization forward. With the addition of IE, Lumanity offers end-to-end launch capabilities that combines commercialization strategy with launch implementation.

Lumanity was formed by bringing together the expertise and capabilities of several exceptional organizations, including Cello Health, BresMed, Guidemark Health, Cyan Health, and Zipher Medical Affairs, and is backed by Arsenal Capital Partners, a leading middle market private equity firm specializing in building transformative healthcare businesses. The acquisition of IE strengthens an already unique and diverse collection of deeply experienced industry pioneers, data luminaries, subject expert matters, and proven problem solvers with advanced clinical, scientific, and functional capabilities.

Jon Williams, CEO of Lumanity, said, "We are delighted to welcome IE to the Lumanity family, further enhancing our asset optimization and commercialization capabilities. We look forward to working with our new colleagues to support the launch of new and transformative products that will improve patient health by accelerating and optimizing access to medical advances."

Steve Marsh, Founder and CEO of IE, said, "We are thrilled to join this exciting and rapidly growing organization. Our combined capabilities will enable us to build comprehensive launch support programs that work across functions and geographies, and that stretch from early strategy through to tactical implementation."

About Lumanity

Lumanity applies incisive thinking and decisive action to cut through complex situations and deliver transformative outcomes to accelerate and optimize access to medical advances. With deep experience in medical, commercial, and regulatory affairs, Lumanity transforms data and information into real-world insights and evidence that power successful commercialization and empower patients, providers, payers, and regulators to take timely and decisive action.

With offices in North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia, and work conducted in over 50 countries, Lumanity has 1,200+ experts working with top pharmaceutical and biotech companies to: identify and generate the evidence needed to demonstrate the value of their products and bring them to patients at a price reflective of that value; translate science and data into compelling product narratives that are relevant to stakeholders around the world; and, enable commercial decisions that position these products for sustainable success in the market. Turning aspiration into reality, Lumanity helps to deliver successful development strategies, payer submissions, commercial brand launches, and product campaigns.

For more information, please visit lumanity.com and connect with Lumanity on Twitter and LinkedIn

About Innovative Edge

Innovative Edge (IE) is the Launch Excellence Partner of choice for world-leading pharmaceutical companies  from Top 20 pharma to fast-growing biotechs. Established over 17 years ago, the company specializes in simplifying global, regional, and local launches. IE has created a Launch EcoSystem solution shaped from nearly two decades of launch learnings, that has helped launch hundreds of brands. The company's proprietary Launch EcoSystem solution combines IE's expertise in building plans and launch team capabilities with its collaborative launch management platform Ignite at the core.

IE is located in Pembury, Kent, in the United Kingdom.

For more information, please visit www.ie-launch.com.

About Arsenal Capital Partners

Arsenal Capital Partners is a leading private equity firm that specializes in investments in middlemarket industrials and healthcare companies. Since its inception in 2000, Arsenal has raised institutional equity investment funds of more than $10 billion, completed more than 250 platform and add-on investments, and achieved more than 30 realizations. The firm works with management teams to build strategically important companies with leading market positions, high growth, and high valueadd. For more information, please visit www.arsenalcapital.com

SOURCE Lumanity
HOUSTON, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Luna Recovery Services, a drug, and alcohol rehabilitation treatment center, will be extending its treatment options to include Neurofeedback and more via its new Luna Neuro practice.

The rehabilitation treatment will cater to the growing need for specialization in brain health to treat addiction and other conditions. The company currently offers various programs such as Residential Treatment, Day Treatment, Outpatient, and Intensive Outpatient Programs. Their treatment techniques include different therapy options, addiction medicine, and mindfulness practices.

Neuro treatments will be an all-new area for the facility, and different components will be available for all clients.

Electroencephalogram Biofeedback (EEG), also known as Neurofeedback, is a non-invasive treatment used to target the brain's neural networks. EEG involves the measurement and analysis of brainwave activity to help improve regulation through auditory or visual signals. In contrast, psychotropic medications target the brain's neurochemistry.

EEG is a subconscious learning procedure called operant conditioning where the brain is reinforced to repeatedly produce brain activity when stimulated.

The therapy administrator has patients view a video screen while measuring their brainwaves. When the desired activity is present, the screen will brighten, and the opposite when undesired activity emerges.

Neurofeedback is supported by the science of neuroplasticity, meaning the brain can be trained to change its activity in response to stimuli by reorganizing its structure, functions, or connections.

Is neurofeedback an effective method for treating addiction? Most research has proven that Neurofeedback is a beneficial tool for determining brain health. It can retrain the addicted brain to produce activity that shows what a brain not dependent on drugs looks like, and can even prevent relapse.

There are some side effects of neurofeedback, such as headset discomfort and sleepiness. Some clients might experience cognitive interference, anxiety, and irritability during treatments. It may not work for some individuals, and for those clients who make poor lifestyle choices, results can be short-lived.

Neurofeedback has been known to provide various long-term treatment benefits for individuals with conditions such as anxiety, depression, etc. This process requires no medication, so there will be no adverse side effects.

We collect electroencephalographic (EEG) data and upload it to a HIPPA compliant service; MDL Neuro. A neurologists electroencephalographer from MDL Neuro interprets the EEG data identifying abnormalities. The EEG data is also used to produce topographical quantitative EEG (qEEG) brain maps which are analyzed by another neurologist.

Our team provides neurological consultations and services including biofeedback and neurofeedback. This involves providing clients, families, and employees with the necessary educational materials. We utilize clinical Pharmaco-EEG and quantitative qEEG brain mapping technologies. This includes our Mini QEEG, Photobiomodulation (PBM), and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Training. We're in partnership with the Houston Neuroscience Brain Center, under the direction of Dr. Ronald J. Swatzyna, Ph.D., LCSW, BCB, BCN.

Luna Recovery is based in Houston, Texas, and is continuously adding more value to their services to better help their clients and loved ones regain normalcy and peace of mind.

To learn more, visit their website at https://lunarecovery.com/ .

SOURCE Luna Recovery
Teleton has 24 Medical Centers (22 rehabilitation centers, 1 autism center and 1 Children's Hospital for Cancer) located across the country, and around 600,000 patients with disability, cancer and autism conditions

The partnership includes:

Establishment of Khiron's Zerenia medical cannabis clinics within Teleton's network across Mexico

Distribution of Khiron's medical cannabis products in Teleton's pharmacies

Training of Teleton's Health Care Practitioners on delivery of medical cannabis

TORONTO, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Khiron Life Sciences Corp. ("Khiron" or the "Company") (TSXV: KHRN) (OTCQX: KHRNF) (Frankfurt: A2JMZC), the global medical cannabis leader expanding throughout Latin America and Europe, has partnered with health care company Teleton to bring access to medical cannabis to more than 24 medical centers across Mexico.

Khiron is a leader in the marketplace with its end-to-end solution focusing on the category of medical cannabis. Khiron has a proprietary, sustainable model of growing, distributing, and prescribing cannabis for a range of health care solutions in its Zerenia  medical cannabis clinics. Leveraging their wholly-owned medical clinics and proprietary telemedicine platforms, Khiron combines a patient-oriented approach, physician education programs, scientific expertise, product innovation, and to drive prescriptions and brand loyalty with patients worldwide.

"The establishment of Khiron's Zerenia medical cannabis clinics in Teleton's medical centers is only the beginning of our go-to-market strategy and medical partnerships in Mexico," says Alvaro Torres, Khiron CEO and Director. "We are focused on delivering the highest quality and best care to patients and ongoing education to doctors and communities at large."

Khiron has also obtained regulatory quotas (authorization to use a control substance under International Conventions) from Mexico's regulatory agency COFEPRIS for importing CBD and THC into the country and is currently securing permits for imports to begin commercial sales in the country. With Mexico's population of nearly 130 million, it is among the top 15 economies worldwide, Khiron's serves more than 11.7 million people who have conditions treatable with medical cannabis.

Arturo Pichardo, Corporate Medical Director of Teleton, adds, "Teleton and Khiron's Zerenia clinic network complement each other perfectly with our strong patient focus, as we share the same values about our common mission. This partnership is good news for patients with various medical conditions throughout Mexico."

Khiron has also partnered with Mexico's top university Tecnologico de Monterrey to provide medical cannabis training to doctors across the country, based on Khiron's education programs and real-world evidence from its Zerenia clinics across Latin America.

About Teleton

Fundacion Teleton is a non-profit organization that seeks to serve children with disabilities, cancer and autism, offering them comprehensive and quality care that promotes their full development and inclusion in society. In Mexico, it has 22 Rehabilitation Centers, 1 Autism Center and 1 Childrens Hospital for Cancer, located across the country, and around 600,000 patients with disability, cancer and autism conditions attending since 1.999. It is part of ORITEL (The International Organization of Telethons), the integrating entity of 12 American countries (including the United States) that nowadays form part of the Telethon Organization which was created with the objective of providing and developing services of habilitation, rehabilitation and inclusion of children and adolescents with disabilities.

About Khiron Life Sciences Corp.

Khiron is a leading global medical cannabis company with core operations in Latin America and Europe. Leveraging wholly-owned medical health clinics and proprietary telemedicine platforms, Khiron combines a patient-oriented approach, physician education programs, scientific expertise, product innovation, and focus on creating access to drive prescriptions and brand loyalty with patients worldwide. The Company has a sales presence in Colombia, Germany, UK, Peru, and Brazil and is positioned to commence sales in Mexico. The Company is led by Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Alvaro Torres, together with an experienced and diverse executive team and Board of Directors.

Visit Khiron online at investors.khiron.ca

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/company/khiron-life-sciences-corp/

Cautionary Notes

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All information contained herein that is not historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. Khiron undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of Khiron, its securities, or financial or operating results (as applicable). Although Khiron believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements in this press release are reasonable, such forward-looking statement has been based on expectations, factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond Khiron's control, including the risk factors discussed in Khiron's Annual Information Form which is available on Khiron's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and is made as of the date hereof. Khiron disclaims any intention and has no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

SOURCE Khiron Life Sciences Corp.
CLEVELAND, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MMJ.com is a telemedicine platform that allows medical marijuana patients to meet with a state-certified MMJ doctor via telephone or webcam. Their MMJ card service has been designed to streamline the process of a patient gaining access to receive a medical marijuana card or renewal from the comfort of their home.

THE PROBLEM

Medical Marijuana Card Online MMJ.com Medical Marijuana Card Online with MMJ.com

The ability for patients to obtain medical marijuana is not a simple task. A patient must sometimes drive up to six hours in their home state just to find a medical marijuana doctor who may or may not recommend the patient for a medical marijuana card. In the event the patient receives a medical marijuana card, they must return to that location for a follow up visit and then the annual medical marijuana card renewal. This is a very time consuming, difficult task for many patients with medical conditions. Not only is obtaining a medical marijuana card or renewal a challenge, it is also very costly. Some medical marijuana doctors will charge up to $400 for their medical marijuana card evaluation. A long, expensive experience to obtain a medical marijuana card has prevented many patients from being able to consider medical marijuana as a form of medication. The founders of MMJ.com know this very well, as they watched their grandfather struggle with debilitating issues, in hopes that medical marijuana was going to be obtainable in his lifetime.

THE SOLUTION

The solution is MMJ.com's proprietary medical marijuana card telemedicine software curated to assist patients in their uphill battle to get their medical marijuana card recommendation, follow up visits, and renewals. MMJ.com was carefully designed to solve this specific industry flaw and will help as many medical marijuana patients as they can. Not only is the MMJ.com telemedicine software simple to use, but it is cost effective. With medical marijuana cards and renewal evaluations priced at the marijuana industry's lowest tier, MMJ.com is proud to put patients first and foremost at all times. The medical marijuana doctors at MMJ.com are not only the best in the industry, but they genuinely care for every medical marijuana patient they evaluate. MMJ.com will help you get your medical marijuana card recommendation or renewal online, fast and stress-free.

MMJ.com serves 10 medical marijuana states with plans in the near future to expand into other telemedicine friendly MMJ states. Their medical marijuana card services are available in Pennsylvania , Ohio , New Jersey , New York , Illinois , Oklahoma , Maryland , Michigan , Arkansas , and Connecticut . Their continued efforts to streamline the MMJ card process for both patients and physicians have undoubtedly yielded great results. In less than 3 months, MMJ.com has successfully completed thousands of medical marijuana card appointments.

The medical marijuana industry in the USA is rapidly growing and so is MMJ.com's desire to become industry leaders not only in telemedicine, but the medical marijuana industry as a whole. Their mission is to democratize access to medical marijuana and empower patients with the knowledge of medicinal marijuana and its benefits.

Visit MMJ.com today to receive your medical marijuana card online.

Media contact:

John Progar

[email protected]

1-888-665-8178

SOURCE MMJ.com Medical Marijuana Card Online
MM+M selected 2022 Pinnacle Awards winners, including Michael Byrnes, Chief Sales Officer for InStep Health. Tweet this

As a member of this prestigious group, Mike has proven he is a wavemaker. He has not only made his mark in the healthcare industry, but he has also paved the way for those who will follow in his footsteps to achieve greatness.

Mike joined Instep Health (then LeveragePoint Media) in 2002 as employee number five. Over the next twenty years, he built a sales team that brought 70+ pharmaceutical manufacturers and 200+ pharmaceutical brands to InStep Health's pharmacy, physician office, and digital media offerings. Well known for his deep knowledge of the patient experience at point-of-care, Mike has often shared his viewpoints and expertise in publications like PM360 and as a moderator and panelist at industry events such as DTC National.

"Mike's contributions to InStep Health are innumerable. For over 20 years, Mike has not only led our selling organization but has helped to define the InStep Health culture that we value so dearly", said Nathan Lucht, CEO at InStep Health. "We are so proud of Mike for receiving this great recognition and are honored to be able to work with him."

MM+M selects industry leaders who have reached the peak of their careers, but are not quite done yet. They have helped build the industry into what it is today and will continue their efforts through innovation and transformative work for years to come. "Medical marketing is an ever-changing business, which makes staying ahead of trends and new technologies almost a full-time job in itself," said MM+M editor-in-chief Larry Dobrow. "That makes the achievement of MM+M's Pinnacle Award honorees even more impressive: Not only have they evolved with the times, but they've continued to operate at a high level throughout."

The 2022 Pinnacle Awards honorees will be profiled in the April print issue of MM+M and honored at the live in-person event on May 4. This event will feature an awards ceremony, networking, and insight into this year's honoree class.

CONTACT:

Instep Health

Sarah Chidalek

[email protected]

847-879-6057

SOURCE InStep Health
Triple-digit growth and outstanding customer engagement position MindBridge to capture the emerging global AI financial risk discovery market with more than 35 billion entries analyzed to date

OTTAWA, ON, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As the world has worked on containing the global pandemic since 2020, organizations have picked up momentum in using the power of artificial intelligence to identify areas of risk in their financial records.

With financial professionals accelerating their adoption of AI in performing a comprehensive risk analysis of financial data, MindBridge , a global leader in AI-powered financial risk discovery, has been experiencing rapid growth and scaling up operations to support ever-increasing demand for its industry-leading platform. Over the past two years, MindBridge has:

Experienced an increase of more than 300% uplift in both customer usage and analysis from 2020 to 2021

Attained ISO 27001 Certification and SOC 2 Type 2 Certification to adhere to the stringent security requirements of its expanding customer base

and SOC 2 Type 2 Certification to adhere to the stringent security requirements of its expanding customer base Worked with University College London Consulting to perform the world's first independent algorithm audit of an accounting SaaS-based AI application to provide end-to-end transparency and increased trust in MindBridge's solution, making the black box "explainable"

of an accounting SaaS-based AI application to provide end-to-end transparency and increased trust in MindBridge's solution, making the black box "explainable" Received formal category recognition from Forbes , the Canadian Regulatory Technology Association, and the World Economic Forum that further validates how MindBridge is rapidly transforming financial data analysis

, the Canadian Regulatory Technology Association, and the that further validates how MindBridge is rapidly transforming financial data analysis Maintained an average uptime of 99.98% in parallel expanding its cloud infrastructure to now deliver core AI-based SaaS application through four regionally redundant environments worldwide

Broadened its operations with offices in London and New York and a global delivery center in Austin, Texas , to serve an increasing customer footprint

and and a global delivery center in , to serve an increasing customer footprint Continued to enrich the capabilities of its repeatable AI solution as external auditors incorporated MindBridge deeper into their processes and methodologies to serve their end-clients

Leveraged its proven AI solution to meet the requirements of internal audit and financial departments of enterprises, enabling them to be proactive in identifying risk in their financial records

Implemented the MindBridge Experience  an employee-centric, robust benefits offering  for employees. It enables people to feel valued, supported, and primed to succeed. MindBridge recognizes the importance of the employee experience whilst addressing employee wellbeing in a more personalized, dynamic, and competitive way. The offering includes global RSPs, equity, incentive compensation, affordable health/life/dependent/etc. coverage, referral programs, years of service PTO enhancements, and parental leave programs, to name a few.

To date, more than 35 billion rows of financial entries from a diverse set of financial data of more than 900 ERP systems and 17,000 unique organizations worldwide have been analyzed through MindBridge's core AI SaaS-based application.

These accomplishments, and the accelerated adoption of AI from its customers, resulted in MindBridge completing the fiscal year 2021 with an increase of 233% in committed customer recurring revenues.

MindBridge's accelerated growth and cross-industry adoption in the accountancy and enterprise markets continue to validate MindBridge's mission to increase the quality and assurance in the analysis of financial transactions using AI.

"2022 will be the defining year for solutions the breadth and depth of MindBridge as we approach a tipping point where AI transcends the nice-to-have versus the need-to-have chasm with velocity and scale," said Leyton Perris, Chief Executive Officer of MindBridge. "I am extremely proud of the dedication of the MindBridge family and exceedingly grateful to our customer base for leading the charge in materially transforming the industry as we once knew it."

About MindBridge

MindBridge, a provider of the world's leading financial risk discovery platform, helps auditors, accountants, and financial professionals become more efficient and profitable. From transactional risk assessment to organizational process improvements, users are provided with the AI-embedded tools, visualized analytics, and in-depth resources they need for stronger analysis, assessments, and advisory services. Artificial intelligence and industry expertise set the MindBridge platform apart to surface errors, intentional or not. The organization has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer in 2020 and by Forbes as a Top 50 AI Firm to Watch in 2021 for its contribution to transforming accounting and financial professionals' ability to analyze data. Founded in 2015 in Ottawa, Canada, MindBridge serves customers in audit and advisory, enterprise, government, and financial institution segments around the world.

CONTACT: Madeline Knapp

[email protected]

SOURCE MindBridge
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has dealt a big blow to the Greek economy, analysts have said, calling for concerted efforts at the European level to address the challenges. #GLOBALink







Produced by Xinhua Global Service
DALLAS, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dallas-based MYCON General Contractors, Inc. (MYCON) welcomed new human resources director, Ivy Pennington. Pennington will serve as a trusted strategic partner and advisor to MYCON's senior-level executives in change management, organization effectiveness, work environment, culture, and leadership.

Ivy Pennington - Human Resources Director, MYCON General Contractors, Inc.

"We are thrilled to have Ivy join our team," said Charles R. Myers, president, and CEO of MYCON. "She is an innovative leader who brings extensive experience in talent management and workforce strategic planning to the table. Her leadership will launch us towards our goal  to become the employer of choice in our industry."

With 22 years of experience, Pennington has a proven track record as a human resources professional, having served in various leadership roles.

Pennington received her Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management from Amberton University and her Master of Jurisprudence in Employment Labor Law from Tulane Law School. She also completed the Southern Methodist University  Cox School of Business Executive Leadership Program.

In addition to her role with MYCON, Pennington is co-founder and chief executive officer of Winshields R US, and serves as an adjunct professor for Amberton University. She is an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), an executive committee member of North Texas Area Community Health Center, and a board member of MaaPa. She holds SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and Change Management certifications, and was voted 2021 Most Influential Female Entrepreneur by Women Entrepreneur.

About MYCON

MYCON General Contractors, Inc. (MYCON) is an award-winning, industry-leading commercial contractor based in Dallas, Texas. Since 1987, MYCON's work portfolio has spanned construction categories ranging from healthcare, industrial and institutional to office, retail, religious, manufacturing, food processing, and more. With annual revenues of approximately $300 million, MYCON has completed hundreds of commercial construction projects. For more information, visit www.mycon.com.

Contact:

Jenifer Batchelder, CPSM

MYCON General

Contractors, Inc.

(O) 469.678.3324[email protected]

SOURCE MYCON General Contractors, Inc.
The Australian Indie Beauty Brand Uses Organic, Natural Ingredients to Create Safe and Effective Skincare Products, Many of Which Are Ideal When Caring for Sensitive Younger Skin

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Natralus Australia has a well-earned reputation as an elite skincare brand. The company utilizes carefully researched natural and organic ingredients, such as Paw Paw and Calendula, to create safe and effective skincare formulas for all ages  including children and even infants. In fact, the company has even created a range of skincare products specifically devoted to caring for those with young, sensitive skin.

Natralus Australia's Natralus My Little One (0-5yrs) Australian Natural Skincare range includes four formulas:

Natralus My Little One Gentle Cleanse Shampoo & Body Wash

Natralus My Little One Happy Bottom Nappy Barrier Cream (in both 1.06 oz and 3.53 oz sizes)

Natralus My Little One Loving Care Nourishing Lotion (in both 6.76 oz and 2.65 oz sizes)

Natralus My Little One Make It Better Soothing Repair Balm

Each of these products is offered separately as well as in a bundle. Natralus Australia's My Little One range delivers an impressive selection of gentle yet effective skincare products that parents and caregivers can feel comfortable using on children's skin and hair.

"At Natralus Australia we are passionate about providing the best possible products," says company owner and CEO John Rowe. "We accomplish this by using carefully selected natural and organic ingredients that are blended with care and feel wonderful. Each formula is specifically developed to be beneficial in caring for and solving skin concerns and in maintaining healthy skin for all of the family  including any little ones and their sensitive skin."

Natralus Australia is a family-focused skincare and beauty brand. The team behind the label has made it their mission to empower people to opt for a more natural approach to skincare and wellness. They're doing precisely that through their My Little One line of family-friendly skincare products.

About Natralus Australia: Indie natural beauty brand Natralus Australia was established in 2010 and operates out of Adelaide, Australia. The company focuses on empowering women and parents to use a more natural approach throughout their skincare and wellness activities for both themselves and their families. Learn more about Natralus at natralus.com .

Please direct inquiries to:

Warner Procter

(954) 714-4663

[email protected]

SOURCE Natralus
HEIDELBERG, Germany, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NEC Laboratories Europe has developed a hybrid code generator and compiler called NEC Codeqo that simplifies the generation of efficient compute libraries for different processor and hardware accelerator architectures, cutting the time needed to program multi-architecture, high-performance computing (HPC) systems.

Today, hardware accelerators are a standard component of HPC systems but have drastically different programming models. HPC systems consist of many different architectures, requiring programmers to optimize the software code for each architecture separately to achieve system-wide peak performance. As demand for high-performance computing (HPC) continues to grow and becomes more domain-specific, so does the number of HPC systems and hardware accelerators. Roberto Bifulco, Head of Intelligent Software Systems at NEC Laboratories Europe said, "We are witnessing an explosion of new hardware architectures to accelerate workloads with different properties. Being able to quickly adapt software to different and new architectures enables systems to take advantage of the new hardware as soon as it is delivered, saving months of engineers work and energy, thanks to increased efficiency."

Codeqo technology lets software developers use Codeqo's GPU-like programming model to program different hardware accelerators for HPC batch processing with one common source code. Using this approach, developers can generate kernels that have top-of-the-line performance across hardware accelerators for different HPC systems, which greatly improves programming efficiency. It also creates more work organization options for software developers who no longer need to specialize in optimizing hardware accelerators for a specific manufacturer; this will improve innovation within the HPC sector.

Machine learning is a large driver of the HPC market, which is forecasted to grow globally at an annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 39% from 2021 to 2028. Growth sectors are big data analysis, cloud computing and IOT for real-time predictions.1, 2 Training machine learning models requires increasingly new architectures; new low-powered devices that operate on the edge are now often used for this task. Codeqo overcomes the problem of developers needing to constantly program for new domain-specific architectures. The compiler not only generates code for different hardware architectures, but also generates it for different batch sizes and different configurations.

Bifulco adds, "A lot of the work in the AI platform domain requires constant change and adaptation. It is a field undergoing fast and continuous changes, and new techniques are being invented as we speak. Reducing the time to transform the new techniques in efficient software implementations allows us to speed up innovation cycles, experimenting and testing new solutions, and moving into production in a shorter amount of time."

The rapid advancement of new computer technology relies on both domain experts and strong user bases. Applying existing skillsets to new types of technology helps ensure its adoption by overcoming initial bottlenecks caused by the need to constantly upskill. Codeqo is currently being incorporated into SOL, the open source middleware developed by NEC that enhances neural network workloads and used in NEC's Vector Engine (VE), NEC SX-Aurora TSUBASA, for accelerated computing. By using Codeqo, SOL can move onto new hardware where manufactures have yet to implement the code needed for hardware devices.

2021. Machine Learning Market. Fortune Business Insights. URL: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/machine-learning-market-102226 2022. USD 24.13 bn growth in Machine Learning Market | 38.54% YOY growth achieved in 2021. Technavio. URL: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/usd-24-13-bn-growth-in-machine-learning-market--38-54-yoy-growth-achieved-in-2021--technavio-301501028.html

About NEC Laboratories Europe GmbH

NEC Laboratories Europe research and develop cutting-edge technology to create innovative social solutions. Located in Heidelberg, Germany, major research areas of NEC Laboratories Europe include artificial intelligence, blockchain security, 5G and 6G networks, and IoT platforms. These technologies promote NEC Group solutions for a better society in the fields of digital health, safer cities, public services and communication infrastructure.

For more information visit https://www.neclab.eu.

About NEC Europe Ltd.

NEC Europe Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation, a leader in the integration of IT network technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world. NEC Europe Ltd. is building upon its heritage and reputation for innovation and quality by providing its expertise, solutions and services to a broad range of customers, from telecom operators to enterprises and the public sector.

For additional information, please visit the NEC Europe Ltd. home page at: http://uk.nec.com/

SOURCE NEC Laboratories Europe GmbH
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 leads round with participation from all existing investors

Company expects to bring LRRK2 candidate into the clinic for Parkinson's disease by end of 2022

Valentin Barsan, M.D., and Jim Scopa join Neuron23 board of directors

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuron23 Inc., an early stage biotechnology company focused on developing precision medicines for genetically defined neurological and immunological diseases, today announced it has closed a $100 million Series C financing round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, bringing the company's total financing raised to date to $213.5 million. Neuron23's Series A and B investors  Westlake Village BioPartners, Kleiner Perkins, Redmile Group, Cowen Healthcare Investments, Acorn Bioventures, HBM Partners, Perceptive Advisors, and Surveyor Capital (a Citadel company)  also participated in the Series C financing round.

Proceeds from the Series C financing will be invested in the company's lead programs against leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2), a gene associated with Parkinson's disease and systemic inflammatory diseases, and tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2), a JAK family protein that plays a role in pathological immune signaling. The funds will also be used to build Neuron23's clinical development team, precision neuroimmunology platform, and data sciences capabilities.

"This round represents a strong endorsement of Neuron23's approach to precision neurology which is extremely gratifying," said Nancy Stagliano, Ph.D., CEO of Neuron23. "As exemplified within our LRRK2 Parkinson's disease program, we intend to identify patients, using state-of-the-art machine learning tools, who are most likely to respond to our therapies, increasing the likelihood of success in the clinic and bringing the right medicines to the right patients. The time to innovate in neurodegenerative disease drug development is now, and I am grateful to SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and all our existing investors for their support."

Neuron23 Nominates NEU-723 as a Clinical Candidate for Parkinson's Disease

Neuron23 expects to begin clinical trials for NEU-723, a best-in-class brain-penetrant LRRK2 inhibitor indicated for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, by the end of 2022. NEU-723 is a highly potent and selective LRRK2 inhibitor.

LRRK2 is a complex, multidomain protein found in neurons and many other tissues and cell types throughout the body. Variants in the LRRK2 gene are the most common mutations found in inherited Parkinson's disease, and there is also emerging evidence that LRRK2 activity may play some role in a subset of the larger population of patients with non-familial Parkinson's. Neuron23 has numerous LRRK2 candidates in its pipeline, including a subset indicated for the treatment of systemic inflammation.

Neuron23 Adds Valentin (Vali) Barsan, M.D., and Jim Scopa to Board of Directors

Valentin (Vali) Barsan, M.D., an investor for SoftBank Investment Advisers and attending pediatric oncology physician at Stanford University School of Medicine, will join the Neuron23 board of directors. At Stanford, Dr. Barsan is focused on developing and translating genomic technologies in oncology to implement personalized therapy and study mechanisms of effective cancer immunity.

"While identifying targetable molecular variants has become the standard of care across many cancers, the incorporation of genetics in clinical neurology and immunology has only recently become tractable," said Dr. Barsan. "We're amazed by Neuron23's capacity to redefine molecular landscapes that can personalize neurological and immunological medicines. We believe this will enable a pipeline of novel precision medicines that will have a profound impact on patients."

Dr. Barsan earned his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine, completed residency in pediatrics at the University of California San Diego, and completed fellowship in pediatric hematology and oncology at Stanford University School of Medicine.

In addition to the appointment of Dr. Barsan, Jim Scopa, a longtime investor in innovative life sciences companies, also joins the Neuron23 board of directors.

Mr. Scopa serves as a board member of several life sciences and venture capital companies, including Dice Molecules, Adverum Biotechnologies, One Ventures, and Blade Therapeutics. From 2005 to 2017, he was managing director of MPM Capital, where he led investments in biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, and diagnostics.

Prior to joining MPM, he spent 18 years in health care investment banking, advising emerging growth companies on public and private financings as well as mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Scopa graduated from Harvard College and has a joint J.D. and MBA from Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School.

About Neuron23

Neuron23 Inc. is an early stage biotechnology company focused on developing precision medicines for genetically defined neurological and immunological diseases. Neuron23 leverages recent advances in human genetics, combined with their state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled drug discovery and biomarker platforms, to advance therapeutics for devastating diseases. The company's focus areas are neurodegenerative diseases, neuroinflammatory diseases, and systemic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Founded in 2018, Neuron23 has assembled a world-class team of experts and entrepreneurs located in South San Francisco, CA. For more information, please visit www.neuron23.com.

SOURCE Neuron23
NESS ZIONA, Israel and TAIPEI, Taiwan, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Newsight Imaging, an innovative semiconductor company that develops 3D machine vision sensors and spectral vision chips and LIPS, a leading global provider of Industrial 3D Vision and Edge-AI solutions, have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop, promote, and facilitate eTOF (enhanced-Time-Of-Flight)-based 3D vision systems for Industry 4.0 use-cases and AIoT.

The agreement formalizes the collaboration of both parties to work toward integrating Newsight's advanced Series NSI1000 depth sensors and the upcoming NSI9000 into LIPS 3D camera and system solutions. Furthermore, the agreement allows a direct channel between the R&D teams to ensure a fast design-win and mass production of the new game-changing products.

The vision systems are designed for Industry 4.0 safety, process improvement, and automation applications. The connective devices will support AIoT platforms for the ultimate intelligent cross-industry and multi-purpose 3D vision solution. AIoT applications are bringing intelligence to the cutting edge, as it moves the analysis to the IoT device itself, eliminating any delay in the processing. The global AIoT market will reach $78.3 billion by 2026, showing substantial growth with 39.1% CAGR.

Luke Liu, CEO of LIPS, comments in regard to the agreement: "We are thrilled to partner with Newsight and enhance our growing portfolio of LIPSedge 3D cameras and solutions. Newsight's advanced depth sensors will allow LIPS to build new and exciting 3DxAI solutions targeting both industrial 4.0 and AIoT markets with innovative edge capability."

Eli Assoolin, CEO and Co-Founder of Newsight Imaging, adds his remarks about the MoU: "Newsight is very pleased to add LIPS, a strategic player in 3D vision, to our growing eTOF based products' customer base. The combination of Newsight's sensors with LIPS's deep technology solutions will offer the market an opportunity to benefit from high-end 3D solutions in a very affordable and a mass-volume-oriented pricing scheme."

About LIPS

LIPS (http://www.lips-hci.com) is a global leading provider of 3D AI solutions. We design, build, and customize 3D depth cameras and middleware, and provide turnkey solutions for our customers' applications. Our differentiation comes from our unique strength in delivering customized machine vision and AI solutions for customer applications in every industry.

About Newsight Imaging

Newsight Imaging (www.nstimg.com) develops advanced CMOS image sensor chips for 3D machine vision and spectral analysis. Newsight's depth camera sensors for machine vision serve verticals such as Mobile & Metaverse, Robotics, Industry 4.0, Automotive Safety, etc. The company recently launched its one-of-a-kind solid-state LiDAR reference design, the eTOF LiDAR, based on the NSI1000 sensor. In addition, Newsight has developed a spectral chip backed by AI technology, demonstrated in SpectraLIT. SpectraLIT offers a unique and affordable solution for remote healthcare, real time diagnosis, and quality inspection solutions for water, food & beverage, etc. The company has US and EU patents and has received multiple grants by the Israeli Innovation Authority.

Contact:

Michal Cooper

+972-8-3792388

[email protected]

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1746389/Newsight_Imaging_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Newsight Imaging
DALLAS, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NexPoint Capital, Inc. (the "Company"), a non-traded publicly registered business development company sponsored and managed by NexPoint Advisors, L.P., today announced the expiration and final results for its tender offer (the "Tender Offer") for up to 2.5% of its outstanding common stock ("Shares") at a price of $6.40 per Share (an amount approved by the Company's board of directors on March 28, 2022), plus any unpaid dividends accrued through the expiration date of the Tender Offer. The Fund's Tender Offer expired on March 23, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 85,998.88 shares of the Company were tendered for repurchase in the Tender Offer.

Any questions regarding the Tender Offer can be directed to the Company's Tender Agent, DST Systems, Inc., at (844) 485-9167. The Company's current offering price for its Shares, as well as other information, including information about management and the healthcare-focused investment strategy, are available at nexpoint.com. The information on or accessible through nexpoint.com is not incorporated by reference herein.

This release has been updated to correct the number of shares the Company tendered for repurchase in the Tender Offer.

About NexPoint Capital, Inc.

NexPoint Capital, Inc. is a non-traded, publicly registered business development company sponsored and managed by NexPoint Advisors, L.P.

About NexPoint Advisors, L.P.

NexPoint Advisors, L.P. ("NexPoint Advisors") is an SEC-registered adviser on the NexPoint alternative investment platform ("NexPoint"). NexPoint Advisors serves as the adviser to a suite of funds and investment vehicles, including a closed-end fund, interval fund, business development company ("BDC"), and various real estate vehicles. For more information visit www.nexpoint.com.

Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements. These statements may involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including the performance of financial markets, the investment performance of NexPoint Advisors, L.P.'s sponsored investment products, general economic conditions, future acquisitions, competitive conditions and government regulations, including changes in tax laws. Readers should carefully consider such factors. Further, such forward-looking statements speak only on the date at which such statements are made. NexPoint Advisors, L.P. undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statement.

This material has been distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Neither the Company, nor the Company's Board of Directors, nor NexPoint Advisors, L.P., makes any recommendation as to whether to tender or not to tender any Shares in the Tender Offer. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission.

For Information on the Tender Offer:

Financial Advisors: (855) 498-1580

Shareholders: (844) 485-9167

SOURCE NexPoint Capital, Inc.
HOLYOKE, Mass., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NextMart, Inc. (the "Company" or "NXMR" - Pink Sheets Alternative Reporting Pink: NXMR)  NXMR would like to announce that the Company's has tasked its securities counsel with amending its articles of incorporation to lower its authorized Common Stock from 750,000,000 shares to 500,000,000 shares.

William Bouyea (CEO of the Company), states, "This amendment to our articles of incorporation, which will lower our authorized common stock from 750,000,000 to 500,000,000 shares, is part of our ongoing efforts to restructure the capitalization of the Company to benefit current shareholders and to become attractive to future company acquisitions. These announced corporate actions will make the Company more attractive to future acquisitions and put in place an anti-dilutive, pro market investor common stock structure. This corporate action comes on the heels of the cancellation of in excess of 305,000,000 shares of Common Stock last week."

Mr. Bouyea further stated, "We have filed the amendment to our articles of incorporation with the State of Delaware. This filing will take effect on or before March 31, 2022. Once the authorized Common Stock is lowered, the Company has agreed to not effectuate an increase in the amount of stock authorized for a minimum period of three calendar years. Moving forward, the goal of management with the Common Stock cancellation and today's announcement of a lowered authorized common stock, is to let our market shareholders know that we are leaving an adequate amount of common stock unissued, more than enough for the Company to make the necessary acquisitions that are now being negotiated. As such, our current shareholders will not suffer any unnecessary dilution of their holdings. As we grow the future business of the Company, we want our public shareholders to understand that we have one goal in mind, to maximize shareholder value at all times."

Forward Looking Statement

Certain statements that we make may constitute forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The statements contained herein may contain certain forward-looking statements relating to NXMR that are based on the beliefs of NXMR's management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to NXMR's management. These forward-looking statements are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements relating to the NXMR's business prospects, future developments, trends and conditions in the industry and geographical markets in which NXMR operates, its strategies, plans, objectives and goals, its ability to control costs, statements relating to prices, volumes, operations, margins, overall market trends, risk management and exchange rates.

ABOUT US

NextMart, Inc., a Delaware Corporation, is a public quoted Pink Sheet issuer under the ticker symbol "NXMR". Currently, NXMR currently is a shell company with a new management team with plans to become a current alternative reporting issuer with OTC Markets. The Company is currently looking for an appropriate business acquisition.

98 Lower Westfield Road

Holyoke, MA 01140

Company Web Site: https://nextmartcorporation.com/

Emco Oilfield Services, LLC Web Site: https://emcooilfield.com/

Twitter: @CorporationNxmr

SOURCE NextMart, Inc.
An elevated omnichannel lifestyle brand, Lei profiles trendsetters, influencers and thought leaders in LGBTQ communities. Tweet this

Lei's elevated approach to authentic storytelling informs, inspires and entertains discerning LGBTQ travelers before, during and after their journeys across popular video and digital channels, as well as an annual nationally distributed print publication.

Lei's print edition will now recommend the top cities for queer travelers to visit each year and advocate for the best experiences in each destination.

"We're excited to reintroduce Lei with stories that are meaningful and relevant to today's LGBTQ community and amplify the destinations and experiences that promote a sense of place and belonging, and appeal to travelers that are independent, uninhibited and insatiably curious about the world," says Marc Graser, NMG's VP of Global Brand Storytelling.

Lei launched in 2014 as the first nationally distributed publication by NMG Network, the leading creator of custom media experiences for luxury and leisure travel, hospitality, and premium residential partners with clients that include Marriott Residences, The Little Nell, Shutters on the Beach, Halekulani and Hawaiian Airlines.

The relaunch rolls out in phases, starting with a revamped LeiCulture.com website, original and curated content for Lei TV, updated social channels, the introduction of new email newsletters and a reimagined annual print publication that will be distributed in Summer 2022.

Lei TV features original and curated programming and is available online, in more than 23,000 hotel rooms, and via inflight and other travel channels. Its series of video franchises include "The Lei Over," "Lei Escapes," "Lei Exchanges" and "City Pride."

Among its sponsored events, Lei is an annual platinum sponsor of Honolulu Pride and co-produces "Shaka and Shine," its annual televised special each October.

Lei was one of the fastest growing LGBTQ media brands in 2021, reaching more than 4 million people across its print, digital and video channels from the world's biggest source markets. It has already expanded that audience by more than 400% in 2022, and aims to connect with consumers that spend around $1 trillion on global travel each year.

About NMG Network

NMG Network is the leading creator of custom media experiences for luxury and leisure travel, hospitality, and premium residential partners. Our highly targeted omnichannel approach to storytelling provides a unique opportunity to connect with the most sophisticated and sought after consumers where they prefer to engage with content that informs, inspires and entertains. In addition to Lei, NMG creates award-winning video, print and digital channels for clients including Marriott Residences, Shutters on the Beach, Hotel Casa del Mar, Halekulani Hotel, Park Lane Ala Moana, 'Alohilani Resort, Ko Olina Resort, International Market Place and Marriott Resorts Hawaii, and produces consumer facing brand FLUX, representing the current of Hawai'i; and Shore TV Hawaii, the most widely distributed network devoted to travel in Hawaii. View more at NMGnetwork.com .

SOURCE NMG Network
Update marks the first MDMA-assisted therapy session at a Numinus clinic

VANCOUVER, BC, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Numinus Wellness Inc. ("Numinus" or the "Company") (TSX: NUMI) (OTCQX: NUMIF), a mental healthcare company advancing innovative treatments and safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies, is pleased to announce that it has advanced to the next implementation phase in the clinical trial "A multi-site open-label extension study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD (MAPPUSX)" sponsored by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and organized by MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC), by enrolling and dosing the first clinical trial volunteer in Canada.

Numinus hosts the Canadian sites for MAPPUSX, through two purpose-designed clinics located in Montreal and Vancouver. This week, the Montreal site began drug administration, led by trial co-therapists Dr. Joe Flanders, VP Psychology, Numinus, and Dr. Emma Hapke, Staff Psychiatrist, University Health Network and Principal Investigator for the MAPS-sponsored trial. The treatment follows MAPS' protocol of three sessions of MDMA administration and therapy, each to be followed by three integration sessions. The full program is expected to complete in mid-summer 2022.

"Numinus is excited to administer the first MDMA-assisted therapy dosing of MDMA at our clinics and contribute to the growing body of MAPS' research," says Dr. Flanders. "Designed with accessibility and ethics at its core, we look forward to the continuation of this study and translating the findings into clinical practice."

MAPPUSX is an extension of MAPS' Phase 3 studies to investigate the safety and efficacy of MDMA-assisted therapy for treating severe PTSD. The MAPPUSX trial is open to those participants from the Phase 3 studies who received the placebo drug and therapy and those who could not receive treatment due to COVID restrictions. The resulting safety data will be provided to regulatory bodies in the sponsor's New Drug Application.

"We are proud of our clinical and research teams who have been and continue to be instrumental in driving MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD research forward in Canada," said Payton Nyquvest, CEO and founder, Numinus. "This week's trial progress is another step in our strengthening collaboration with MAPS as we work together to make psychedelic-assisted therapy accessible to those in need. We will continue to work with MAPS, Health Canada and the industry to help make MDMA-assisted therapy a reality."

About Numinus

Numinus Wellness helps people to heal and be well through the development and delivery of innovative mental health care and access to safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies. The Numinus model  including psychedelic production, research and clinic care  is at the forefront of a transformation aimed at healing rather than managing symptoms for depression, anxiety, trauma, pain and substance use. At Numinus, we are leading the integration of psychedelic-assisted therapies into mainstream clinical practice and building the foundation for a healthier society.

Learn more at numinus.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About MAPS

Founded in 1986, MAPS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics and marijuana. MAPS is sponsoring the most advanced psychedelic therapy research in the world: Phase 3 clinical trials of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. Since its founding, MAPS has raised over $130 million for psychedelic and marijuana research and education and has earned both the Guidestar Platinum Seal of Transparency and a 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator . Learn more at maps.org

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements and other information contained in this press release about anticipated future events constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend" and statements that an event "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements even if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Numinus Wellness Inc.
"Omega is at a tremendous inflection point in its journey and Kevin and Ling further strengthen our talented senior management team. Kevin brings decades of organizational development experience to Omega and will work with the rest of our management team to continue developing a human resources strategy that helps maintain our agility and ethos of being ambitious, yet humble," said Mahesh Karande, President and Chief Executive Officer of Omega Therapeutics. "Ling has a proven track record as a biopharma legal and business expert working with companies at various stages of their life cycle, which will be especially valuable as we look to advance our Omega Epigenomic Controllers into the clinic and scale up the company further. I am excited to welcome both Kevin and Ling to the team."

"I am excited to join an organization with a strong, high-performance culture, grounded in humility and focused on improving human life," said Mr. McManus. "Omega's technology and platform are impressive and I look forward to helping advance the company's scientific and strategic objectives by continuing to cultivate our culture and attract the best talent to our organization."

Mr. McManus most recently served as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Acceleron Pharma, where he was responsible for leading human resources, information technology and facilities functions. During his time at Acceleron, Mr. McManus oversaw the company's growth while managing organizational development and culture enrichment. Before Acceleron, Mr. McManus held a variety of human resources roles of increasing responsibility at Bayer, most recently serving as Vice President and Human Resources Business Partner, Bayer Pharmaceuticals (Americas). While at Bayer, Mr. McManus worked extensively on team integration from mergers and acquisitions activity to talent acquisition as well as organizational development and growth across research and development, manufacturing, and commercial functions. Earlier in his career, Mr. McManus held senior human resources roles at Mylan Inc., The Ladders.com, ConvaTec, Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and GTE Corporation. Mr. McManus received his Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University.

"I am thrilled to join Omega at such an exciting time as the company prepares to advance its programs into the clinic and continues to advance the science behind the pioneering OMEGA platform," said Ms. Zeng. "I look forward to working alongside Omega's talented management teams and contributing to the company's continued success."

Ms. Zeng most recently served as Chief Legal Officer and Secretary at Dicerna Pharmaceuticals where she worked alongside other executives, the board of directors and their committees to develop and implement company strategy, policy, compliance, and governance activities. Earlier, Ms. Zeng served as Deputy Head Legal, Group Mergers and Acquisitions, at Novartis AG, where she was responsible for global transactions across the Novartis Group, including all business units and regions. Prior to this, she served in various legal executive roles of increasing responsibility at Bausch Health Companies, Inc., Penwest Pharmaceuticals Co. and Barr Laboratories, Inc. Ms. Zeng began her legal career at Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen and Hamilton and, prior to her legal career, also spent time as a researcher at Alkermes Inc. and LeukoSite Inc. Ms. Zeng earned her Bachelor of Science in Physics from Peking University, Master of Science in Biophysics from Brandeis University, and her Juris Doctor from Georgetown University.

About Omega Therapeutics

Omega Therapeutics, founded by Flagship Pioneering, is a development-stage biotechnology company pioneering a systematic approach to use mRNA therapeutics as a new class of programmable epigenetic medicines. The company's OMEGA Epigenomic Programming platform harnesses the power of epigenetics, the mechanism that controls gene expression and every aspect of an organism's life from cell genesis, growth, and differentiation to cell death. Using a suite of technologies, paired with Omega's process of systematic, rational, and integrative drug design, the deterministic OMEGA platform enables control of fundamental epigenetic processes to correct the root cause of disease by restoring aberrant gene expression to a normal range without altering native nucleic acid sequences. Omega's programmable and modular mRNA epigenetic medicines, Omega Epigenomic Controllers, target specific epigenomic loci within insulated genomic domains, EpiZips, from amongst thousands of unique, mapped, and validated genome-wide DNA-sequences, with high specificity to durably tune single or multiple genes to treat and cure diseases through Precision Genomic Control. Omega is currently advancing a broad pipeline of development candidates spanning a range of disease areas, including oncology, multigenic diseases including immunology, regenerative medicine, and select monogenic diseases.

For more information, visit omegatherapeutics.com, or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements regarding the potential of the OMEGA Epigenomic Programming platform, the company's intention to advance its programs into the clinic, the continued growth and scale up of the company, and the company's high performance culture. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: the novel technology on which our product candidates are based makes it difficult to predict the time and cost of preclinical and clinical development and subsequently obtaining regulatory approval, if at all; the substantial development and regulatory risks associated with epigenomic controller machines due to the novel and unprecedented nature of this new category of medicines; our limited operating history; the incurrence of significant losses and the fact that we expect to continue to incur significant additional losses for the foreseeable future; our need for substantial additional financing; our investments in research and development efforts that further enhance the OMEGA platform, and their impact on our results; uncertainty regarding preclinical development, especially for a new class of medicines such as epigenomic controllers; the fact that our product candidates may be associated with serious adverse events, undesirable side effects or have other properties that could halt their regulatory development, prevent their regulatory approval, limit their commercial potential, or result in significant negative consequences; the impact of increased demand for the manufacture of mRNA and LNP based vaccines to treat COVID-19 on our development plans; difficulties manufacturing the novel technology on which our OEC candidates are based; our ability to adapt to rapid and significant technological change; our reliance on third parties for the manufacture of materials; our ability to successfully acquire and establish our own manufacturing facilities and infrastructure; our reliance on a limited number of suppliers for lipid excipients used in our product candidates; our ability to advance our product candidates to clinical development; and our ability to obtain, maintain, enforce and adequately protect our intellectual property rights. These and other important factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2021 and our other filings with the SEC could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management's estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.

Investor contact:

Kevin Murphy/Brendan Burns

Argot Partners

212.600.1902

[email protected]

Media contact:

Jason Braco, Ph.D.

LifeSci Communications

646.751.4361

[email protected]

SOURCE Omega Therapeutics
Russian and Ukrainian delegations held "constructive" negotiations in Turkey on Tuesday, raising the curtain on concrete efforts of both sides to broker a solution to the current conflict.

During the fifth round of talks, or the fourth face-to-face meeting, which lasted for about three hours in Istanbul, the two sides finally clinched some progress in exploring possible ways out of the tensions. Local media reported that consultations will continue via video link.

Some analysts believe that as talks between the two countries continue, the scale and intensity of the military conflict may well decrease gradually, while there is still "a long way to go" before a complete settlement.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
















KLOSTERNEUBURG, Austria, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ThinkQuantum s.r.l. (ThinkQuantum) offers optical and quantum solutions for security and communication, and fragmentiX Storage Solutions (fragmentiX), leaders in protected multi-cloud storage, are partnering to deliver quantum-safe storage solutions with the highest level of security.

fragmentiX has been implementing Quantum-Key-Distribution (QKD) in several national and European projects. However, partnering with ThinkQuantum allows for further development of QKD technology in storage and communication sourced exclusively in the European Union (EU27). As two innovative SMEs, in EU-member countries, they are combining their competences in QKD, Quantum Random Number Generation (QRNG) and quantum-safe data storage. This provides a unique situation for customers requiring a complete quantum-safe data storage solution from a trusted source.

ThinkQuantum offers QKD over optical fibres, Free-Space QKD  Daylight & Nighttime operation  as well as Satellite QKD Payload & Ground Station. Their QKD products, readily available in large quantities, are completely in the same category, both technically and commercially, as the non-EU27 products used to date. ThinkQuantum's production and development is located in Sarcedo, Italy, allowing for a completely European (EU27) supply chain. The same principles apply to the intellectual property chain, which include the University of Padua and Officina Stellare spa  their two main partners, who are also based in Italy. Purely European solutions, like ThinkQuantum's devices represent a turning point for European independence and security regarding Quantum Communication.

"We were very surprised about the high TRL and the availability of the pure EU-27 Alice and Bob devices from ThinkQuantum. This motivated us to visit TQ and the University of Padua Labs. Together with Simone Capeleto, CEO of TQ, we immediately knew that our respective customers in our home countries, but also within the EU-27, would benefit from our mutual partnership," says fragmentiX CEO Werner Strasser.

A mutual reseller partnership creates the opportunity of a one-stop point of access for existing and new customers. With fragmentiX Storage Appliances information-theoretical security (ITS) can be guaranteed for "data on rest", meaning no future quantum computer can decode a single stolen fragment from any cloud or local storage. ThinkQuantum QKD technology provides protection for "data on transit". Combining the products and technologies will enable the partners to deliver an integrated and comprehensive, fully ITS system to their customers. The distribution of each other's products will be offered reciprocally in the future. The focus of all products will be on the respective home markets of the two companies, but sales will not be limited to these regions. fragmentiX and ThinkQuantum will thus become European suppliers of both fragmentiX and ThinkQuantum technologies.

Simone Capeleto, co-founder and CEO of ThinkQuantum states, "fragmentiX Secret Sharing and our QKD systems together represent an ideal offer for existing and future customers looking for future-proof cyber security solutions. The collaboration between an Italian and Austrian SME clearly shows that there is both the necessary technical expertise and entrepreneurial spirit in Europe to develop and produce high-security solutions for all relevant industries in the European Union. We are particularly pleased to be immediately involved in a number of customer projects together with fragmentiX."

About ThinkQuantum srl.:

ThinkQuantum Srl is an innovative start-up, spin-off of the University of Padua, offering complete solutions for cyber security and communication systems based on quantum technologies.

The recognition as a spin-off of the University of Padua grants access to resources like Labs, relevant IPs and more. Officina Stellare Spa, as major industrial partner, enables access to its scientific and opto-mechanical engineering skillset, backed by a solid international network and brand awareness in the Space Industry. The co-founders Professors Paolo Villoresi and Giuseppe Vallone with twenty years' experience in the field and prestigious international positions within the scientific community, represent the scientific milestone of the ThinkQuantum project. Based in Italy with an Italian shareholder structure, ThinkQuantum offers a reliable European supply chain to partners active within geopolitical sensitive application, covering the full value chain, from design and manufacturing to commissioning of quantum key distribution systems and quantum random numbers generation devices.

About fragmentiX Storage Solutions GmbH:

fragmentiX Storage Solutions GmbH is the world's leading developer and manufacturer of secret sharing storage appliances  a technology developed in close cooperation with the AIT  Austrian Institute of Technology. Digital sovereignty and digital resilience is achieved by applying established algorithms - first published by Adi Shamir in 1979 - to industry-standard hardware with a purpose-built, hardened operating system. fragmentiX enables its customers to protect data in hybrid storage environments by eliminating the risk of leaking S3 buckets. The need to trust a single storage provider no longer exists - because only the user knows where their data fragments are stored - and even if a fragment of that data is stolen, it is useless to the thief. The Information Theoretical Security (ITS) provided by fragmentiX is one of a very few ways to start protecting data against future quantum computers. The growing need for storage can now be met in public and private cloud storage scenarios with the help of fragmentiX and 5-year mission-critical support provided within 4 hours by DELL technicians worldwide, whether it's sensitive medical data, disaster recovery in the cloud, or implementing a cost-effective long-term digital archive.

Link to Images and the announcement on the fragmentiX Website:

https://www.fragmentix.com/thinkquantum-partnership-announcement/

Further inquiry notes:

Lisa Maretto

www.thinkquantum.com

Marketing ThinkQuantum/Officina Stellare

LinkedIn: ThinkQuantum

Phone: +39 0445 370540

[email protected]

Lena Donabaum

fragmentiX Storage Solutions GmbH

www.fragmentix.com

Marketing & Project Support

Twitter: @fragmentix

Phone: +43 2243 24203

LinkedIn: fragmentiX Storage Solutions GmbH

[email protected]

SOURCE fragmentiX Storage Solutions GmbH
Introducing pep+ REnew, the first value chain partner initiative of its kind in the food and beverage industry

PURCHASE, N.Y., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Together with Schneider Electric, the leading global consultant on corporate renewable purchasing, PepsiCo announces pep+ REnew  one of the first collaborations of its kind, and first in the food and beverage industry  to increase value chain partner access to renewable electricity as part of the company's goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.

The collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of renewable electricity and create a more resilient and carbon-efficient food system as part of PepsiCo's pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) transformation. Specifically, pep+ REnew is designed with two goals: to educate PepsiCo's value chain partners about their renewable electricity choices, and to quicken the transition to renewable electricity through aggregate power purchase agreements (PPAs) and other renewable electricity procurement options.

"The creation of pep+ REnew directly supports our ambitious goal to achieve net-zero emissions across our value chain by 2040  one decade earlier than called for in the Paris Agreement," said Jim Andrew, Chief Sustainability Officer, PepsiCo. "Net-zero cannot happen without our value chain partners taking bold climate action. Through pep+ REnew, we will encourage our partners to reduce their Scope 2 emissions through renewable electricity procurement, helping us meet our own Scope 3 goals."1

This program was launched to help overcome the challenges many small and medium businesses face when trying to participate in the renewable electricity market. Some organizations may not be large enough to participate on their own and may need education on the specific mechanics of renewable electricity transactions or guidance to navigate through the complexities of a PPA. PepsiCo and Schneider Electric aim to solve for these barriers through pep+ REnew.

For the first pep+ REnew cohort, PepsiCo is inviting a broad array of value chain partners to apply to participate in the program, with the goal to finalize a first buyer's cohort for an aggregate PPA by the end of 2022.

"By creating greater access to large-scale renewable electricity, our partnership with PepsiCo aspires to add more renewable electricity capacity to power grids around the world," said Steve Wilhite, President, Schneider Electric Sustainability Business. "This is a much-needed step as we work towards a net-zero economy and a more sustainable future for all."

Schneider Electric has advised companies, including PepsiCo, on over 150 utility-scale PPA purchases across North America, Europe, India, Australia and Latin America for a total of more than 11,000 megawatts of wind and solar power. Schneider Electric's team of leading renewable electricity experts will facilitate a multi-phase education and project selection process to advance supplier progress towards aggregated renewable electricity purchases. The program will be powered by Schneider's NEO Network, a global collaboration platform and community designed to accelerate renewable electricity decision-making and decarbonization.

pep+ is the company's strategic end-to-end transformation with sustainability and human capital at the center of how it will create growth and value by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for the planet and people. Fifteen of the company's markets have already transitioned to renewable electricity  including the US and Mexico, the company's first and second largest markets  progress toward its goal of 100% renewable electricity in its direct operations by 2030.

PepsiCo partners can find more information about pep+ REnew here and learn about the company's available climate resources at its Sustainability Action Center.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $79 billion in net revenue in 2021, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive (pep+). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com .

Media Contact: [email protected]

PepsiCo Cautionary Statement

This release contains statements reflecting our views about our future performance that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are generally identified through the inclusion of words such as "aim," "anticipate," "believe," "drive," "estimate," "expect," "goal," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "strategy," "target" and "will" or similar statements or variations of such terms and other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted in such statements, including the impact of COVID-19; future demand for PepsiCo's products; damage to PepsiCo's reputation or brand image; product recalls or others issues or concerns with respect to product quality and safety; PepsiCo's ability to compete effectively; water scarcity; changes in the retail landscape or in sales to any key customer; disruption of PepsiCo's manufacturing operations or supply chain, including increased commodity, packaging, transportation, labor and other input costs; political or social conditions in the markets where PepsiCo's products are made, manufactured, distributed or sold; future cyber incidents and other disruptions; climate change or measures to address climate change; imposition or proposed imposition of new or increased taxes aimed at PepsiCo's products; imposition of limitations on the marketing or sale of PepsiCo's products; changes in laws and regulations related to the use or disposal of plastics or other packaging materials; failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations; and potential liabilities and costs from litigation, claims, legal or regulatory proceedings, inquiries or investigations.. For additional information on these and other factors that could cause PepsiCo's actual results to materially differ from those set forth herein, please see PepsiCo's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. PepsiCo undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.







1 Scope 2 refers to emissions generated from the energy purchased for direct operations, such as any non-renewable electricity purchased from a utility company; Scope 3 refers to emissions generated by suppliers and value chain partners.

SOURCE PepsiCo, Inc.
VANCOUVER, BC, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Planet Based Foods Global Inc. (CSE: PBF) (OTCQB: PBFFF) (FRA: AZ0) ("PBFG", "Planet Based Foods" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its subordinate voting shares have begun trading on the US-based OTCQB operated by OTC Markets Group Inc., under the symbol "PBFFF". Further to this, the company has also received approval from the Depository Trust Company ("DTC") to make the Company's subordinate voting shares eligible to be electronically cleared and settled through DTC ("DTC Eligibility").

Designed for developing and entrepreneurial companies in the United States and abroad, companies must be current in their financial reporting and undergo an annual verification and management certification process, including meeting a minimum bid price and other financial conditions. With more compliance and quality standards, the OTCQB provides investors improved visibility to enhance trading decisions. The OTCQB is recognized by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission as an established public market providing public information for analysis and value of securities.

In addition to trading in the United States, Planet Based Foods Inc. subordinate voting shares continue to trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) under "PBF" and the German Borse Frankfurt (FRA) exchange under "AZ0".

Planet Based Foods further advises that it has received approval from DTC which is a subsidiary of the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation, a United States company that manages the electronic clearing and settlement of publicly traded companies. DTC Eligibility incorporates an electronic method of clearing securities that speeds up the receipt of stock and cash, and thus accelerates the settlement process for certain investors. DTC is a member of the U.S. Federal Reserve System, a limited-purpose trust company under New York State banking law and a registered clearing agency with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Braelyn Davis, CEO of Planet Based Foods commented, "We are very excited to be able to increase shareholder value by enhancing liquidity to our current and future investors around the world. This news is an important milestone and shows our commitment to increasing our market presence across the United States as we engage with this significant audience. By listing on the OTCQB, we increase the visibility and transparency to the investment community, and overall, positions us to engage with greater effectiveness to our current and future shareholders. DTC eligibility also allows our shareholders a reliable, cost-effective and timely method for clearing and settling of our common shares."

To view information about the Company and subscribe to automated email alerts for future news and public filings, visit the Planet Based Foods website at www.planetbasedfoods.com .

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for 11,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors.

To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are SEC regulated ATSs, operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.

About Planet Based Foods

PBFG, through its wholly-owned subsidiary in San Diego, California, Planet Based Foods, is a producer of sustainable plant-based meat substitutes. Planet Based Foods was founded in 2018 in San Diego, California. With a mission to build a better food system by providing hemp-formulated superfood products to people today that support our planet tomorrow, all Planet Based Foods products are 100% vegan.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Braelyn Davis"

Braelyn Davis

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

For more information, please visit: www.planetbasedfoods.com or contact: [email protected]

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking information or statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), including those identified by the expressions "anticipate", "assume" "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "should" and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect current expectations regarding future results or events. This news release contains forward looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Such statements are based on current expectations and various estimates, factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by law. Readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements.

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE Planet Based Foods
Through investments in clinical integration and data technology, Premise Health has established the infrastructure required to care for populations across the health care ecosystem, emerging as a market leader in commercial risk

BRENTWOOD, Tenn., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Premise Health , the largest direct health care provider and one of the largest digital providers in the country, has achieved 25% average risk-adjusted cost savings for Premise clients with its Connected Care+ service, according to an independent study. These results mark the success of a multi-year strategic plan to expand Premise's clinical and technological capabilities to manage the health of clients' total populations, achieving increased quality, enhanced experiences and lower costs.

"At Premise, we strive to impact quality, experience and cost not only within our wellness centers, but also when our members seek care in the community," said Jami Doucette, MD, MBA, CSCS, president of Premise. "We're excited by this progress, and we look forward to continuing to partner with our clients to improve the health of their people and populations."

Premise clients are large employers, health plans and other organizations that sponsor health care for individuals and families. The study of Connected Care+ savings, conducted by Cedar Gate Technologies, compared results from 79,685 people across four states and five client sites from January  November 2021. Average per member per month costs for members attributed to the Premise wellness centers with Connected Care+ were $102 lower than those for members attributed to community providers. Lower costs resulted mainly from increased engagement with primary care teams, which closed care gaps and led to significant reductions in emergency room visits and inpatient admissions.

Connected Care+ is an advanced population health and value-based care solution developed by Premise and launched in late 2019. It leverages data-driven insights to identify high-cost, at-risk members within commercial populations and provide them with tailored support. Through Connected Care+, Premise providers can pinpoint population segments that drive year-over-year spending and proactively work to engage people to improve their health, which leads to healthier populations and lower costs. Solutions included in the Connected Care+ suite include care navigation and care management services, alongside second opinion consultations and a Center of Excellence relationship with Mayo Clinic.

In three years, Premise has grown the client base for Connected Care+ to include nearly 25 organizations and a member base of 267,000 eligible lives, with an additional 13 organizations and 197,000 eligible lives being added this year. This rapid growth builds upon the organization's long history of cost savings driven through its patient centered medical home model. Premise has been value-based since it was founded and currently has more than 3 million lives in contracts that put revenue at risk based on performance.

"Premise has been committed to value-based clinical care that helps people live healthier for more than 50 years," Doucette said. "And, as a direct health care organization, we have always effectively put our fees at risk based on performance  more than 99% of our revenue comes from clients, not fee-for-service billing, and they hold us accountable for the quality and cost of their populations' care."

The difference, he noted, is similar to the difference between navigating the seas with only the stars and navigating them with today's sophisticated technology.

"By leveraging data analytics and advanced population health within our existing direct health care model, Premise is redefining what health care can do for our clients and members," Doucette said. "Before, we were going in the right direction, but we can get there much, much faster today."

Premise delivers digital and in-person care through the Digital Wellness Center and a network of more than 800 onsite and nearsite wellness centers across the country. The organization employs 5,000 clinical team members and offers more than 30 health care services, including primary care, pharmacy, occupational health, behavioral health and musculoskeletal care.

About Premise Health

Premise Health is the world's leading direct health care provider and one of the largest digital providers in the country, serving over 11 million eligible lives across more than 2,500 of the largest commercial and municipal employers in the U.S. Premise partners with its clients to offer fully connected care  in-person and in the digital environment. It operates more than 800 onsite and nearsite wellness centers in 45 states and Guam, delivering care through the Digital Wellness Center and onsite, nearsite, mobile, and event solutions.

Premise delivers value by simplifying complexity and breaking down barriers to give diverse member populations access to convenient, integrated, high-quality care. It offers more than 30 products, delivering the breadth and depth of care required to serve organizations' total populations. The result is health care that meets the needs of members and their families, helping them live healthier while lowering costs for organizations. For more information on Premise Health, visit www.premisehealth.com .

Media Contact:

Lacey Hunter

Premise Health

[email protected]

SOURCE Premise Health
We can help clients optimize their organization's legal function, dramatically reducing legal spend. Tweet this

"Our team of subject-matter experts works with corporate legal departments as well as law firms in assisting with critical business issues, offering innovative and effective legal consulting," said Cory Gunderson, Protiviti executive vice president of global solutions. "Protiviti provides robust and tailored state-of-the-art solutions across the corporate legal function, including e-discovery, legal operational efficiencies and compliance, contracts and records management in addition to the privacy spectrum."

Protiviti's Legal Consulting practice continues working collaboratively with Robert Half's legal talent solutions, providing clients with a broad range of service options including consulting, managed solutions and highly skilled legal professionals to fit client needs nimbly and cost-effectively.

Charles Volkert, a Protiviti managing director and the global leader of the firm's Legal Consulting solution, said, "We can help clients optimize their organization's legal function, dramatically reducing legal spend while improving risk management, business and legal outcomes. Our team of legal consulting professionals delivers services remotely, onsite at client locations or in our secure dedicated clean room spaces in North America."

For more information about Protiviti Legal Consulting, please visit here.

About Protiviti

Protiviti (www.protiviti.com) is a global consulting firm that delivers deep expertise, objective insights, a tailored approach, and unparalleled collaboration to help leaders confidently face the future. Protiviti and its independent and locally owned Member Firms provide clients with consulting and managed solutions in finance, technology, operations, data, analytics, digital, legal, governance, risk and internal audit through its network of more than 85 offices in over 25 countries.

Named to the 2021 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list, Protiviti has served more than 80 percent of Fortune 100 and nearly 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies. The firm also works with smaller, growing companies, including those looking to go public, as well as with government agencies. Protiviti is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Half (NYSE: RHI). Founded in 1948, Robert Half is a member of the S&P 500 index.

Neither Robert Half nor Protiviti is a law firm and do not provide legal representation. Robert Half project attorneys and Protiviti professionals do not constitute a law firm among themselves.

Protiviti is not licensed or registered as a public accounting firm and does not issue opinions on financial statements or offer attestation services.

Editor's note: Photos available upon request.

SOURCE Protiviti
DALLAS, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Puration, Inc. (USOTC: PURA) management today highlighted the potential benefits to the company in the event marijuana were legalized federally. The House is expected to vote this week on legalization:

House poised to pass bill legalizing marijuana

Under its new Farmersville Hemp Brand, PURA is working to introduce hemp as a multi-industry disruptor that can be a base of a better product or service contributing notably to the 2050 sustainability objectives. PURA recently announced a strategy targeted at disrupting the $600 billion global lumber market and the $200 billion steel rebar market.

PURA management emphasizes that investment and financing for companies in the cannabis sector, hemp or marijuana, is complicated by the current federal prohibition of cannabis. Legalization could open up new resources that could drive exponential growth.

PURA has initiated construction on a facility in Farmersville, Texas where the company will conduct consultative education customized for each corporate customer to hands on demonstrate how hemp can be utilized to improve the efficiency of existing products and services and meet 2050 sustainability targets.

Read the company's latest comprehensive update on PURA's Farmersville Hemp Brand rollout.

For more information on Puration, visit http://www.purationinc.com

Disclaimer:

This News Release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from any these statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any those forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date of this news release. None of such forward-looking statements should be regarded as a representation by us or any other person that the objectives and plans set forth in this News Release will be achieved or be executed.

For More Information Contact:

Puration, Inc.

Brian Shibley,

[email protected]

(800) 861-1350

SOURCE Puration, Inc.
HONG KONG, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CNOOC Limited (the "Company", SEHK: 00883) today announced its 2021 annual results for the year ended December 31, 2021.

In 2021, CNOOC Limited adhered to the business strategy of seeking progress while keeping performance stable and embedded the normalized epidemic prevention and control measures into daily operation. The Company seized the favourable opportunity of the rebound of international oil prices to vigorously develop its main business sector and sharpen its advantages. With the continuous breakthroughs in reserves and production growth, its oil and gas sales revenue had surged, and net profit for the year hit a record high.

Guided by the value-driven exploration philosophy, the Company made a total of 22 commercial discoveries in the year. In offshore China, 4 medium-to-large sized oil and gas fields including Kenli 10-2 were discovered. Overseas, 6 new discoveries were made in the Stabroek Block in Guyana. The total recoverable resources of the Block exceeded 10 billion barrels of oil equivalent ("BOE"). The net proved reserves continued to grow and reached 5.73 billion BOE. The reserve replacement ratio reached 162%, and the reserve life remained above 10 years. During the year, 14 new projects were brought on stream. The successful commissioning of "Shenhai-1", the ultra-deep water large gas field, will support the construction of a major gas production area of trillion-cubic-meter resources in the South China Sea. Bohai oilfields became the largest crude oil production base in China. The annual net production reached a record high of 573 million BOE.

The Company insisted on enhancing quality and efficiency to reduce cost. As a result, significant improvement in profitability has been achieved as witnessed by the operating results of its overseas assets. The annual average realised oil price was US$67.89 per barrel, representing an increase of approximately 65.7% year-over-year ("YoY"); the average realised natural gas price was US$6.95 per thousand cubic feet, representing an increase of approximately 12.6% year-over-year ("YoY"). All-in cost was US$29.49 per BOE and opex was US$7.83 per BOE, which maintained the cost competitive edge. The annual oil and gas sales revenue was RMB222.1 billion, representing an increase of 59.1% YoY. The net profit amounted to RMB70.3 billion, increased by 181.7% YoY and the basic earnings per share was RMB1.57, reaching the best level in history.

The Company continued to implement the innovation-driven strategy and reinforced the research on core technologies. "Shenhai-1", the world's first deepwater semi-submersible oil production and storage platform with 100,000-ton storage capacity, achieved 3 world-class innovations and a number of breakthroughs in core technologies research. The construction of Dongfang intelligent gas fields supported cost reduction and efficiency enhancement, while Enping oilfields achieved remote-controlled production in typhoons safely, both representing significant progress in digital transformation and intelligent development.

In 2021, the Company actively expedited green and low-carbon transition. The successful commissioning of the Qinhuangdao/Caofeidian onshore power project set an excellent example for the construction of offshore green oilfields in the future. Natural gas exploration and onshore unconventional gas development were accelerated to increase the reserves of and guarantee the supply of clean products. The Company had set up a headquarters department and a new branch for new energy business and accelerated the planning of a green industrial chain. The Company's first offshore wind farm was connected to the grid at full capacity. The Company had also started to construct China's first offshore CCS demonstration project.

The Company always attaches great importance to shareholders' returns. The Company promised at the beginning of the year, from 2022 to 2024, the expected annual payout ratio would be no less than 40%, and the annual absolute dividend would be no less than HK$ 0.70/share (tax inclusive). In 2022, the Company would appropriately implement share buybacks subject to the authorization granted at the general meeting of shareholders.

Mr. Wang Dongjin, Chairman of the Company, said, "In 2021, CNOOC Limited actively responded to the external challenges and strived to make progress while maintaining stable operations. The operating results continued to grow and reached the best level in history. Looking into the future, we will adapt to the macro-economic trends, stay committed to the core values, and actively expand new financing channels. We look forward to joining hands with our shareholders to create value and share the results of the growth."

Notes to Editors:

More information about the Company is available at http://www.cnoocltd.com.

*** *** *** ***

This press release includes forward looking information, including statements regarding the likely future developments in the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, such as expected future events, business prospects or financial results. The words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "objective", "ongoing", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by the Company as of this date in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that the Company currently believes are appropriate under the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will meet the current expectations and predictions of the Company is uncertain. Actual results, performance and financial condition may differ materially from the Company's expectations, including but not limited to those associated with fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas prices, macro-political and economic factors, changes in the tax and fiscal regimes of the host countries in which we operate, the highly competitive nature of the oil and natural gas industry, environmental responsibility and compliance requirements, the Company's price forecast, the exploration and development activities, mergers, acquisitions and divestments activities, HSSE and insurance policies and changes in anti-corruption, anti-fraud, anti-money laundering and corporate governance laws.

Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The Company cannot assure that the results or developments anticipated will be realised or, even if substantially realised, that they will have the expected effect on the Company, its business or operations.

*** *** *** ***

For further enquiries, please contact:

Mr. Su Yuchi

Media & Public Relations

CNOOC Limited

Tel: +86-10-8452-5897

Fax: +86-10-8452-1441

E-mail: [email protected]

Mr. Bunny Lee

Porda Havas International Finance Communications Group

Tel: +852 3150 6707

Fax: +852 3150 6728

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE CNOOC Limited
WASHINGTON, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- After extending the record for the longest single spaceflight in history by an American to 355 days, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei returned to Earth on Wednesday, March 30, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov.

The trio departed the International Space Station at 3:21 a.m. EDT and made a safe, parachute-assisted landing at 7:28 a.m. (5:28 p.m. Kazakhstan time) southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan.

"Mark's mission is not only record-breaking, but also paving the way for future human explorers on the Moon, Mars, and beyond," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "Our astronauts make incredible sacrifices in the name of science, exploration, and cutting-edge technology development, not least among them time away from loved ones. NASA and the nation are proud to welcome Mark home and grateful for his incredible contributions throughout his year-long stay on the International Space Station."

Vande Hei's extended mission will provide researchers the opportunity to observe the effects of long-duration spaceflight on humans as the agency plans to return to the Moon under the Artemis program and prepare for exploration of Mars.

Vande Hei launched April 9, 2021, alongside Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov. His second journey into space of 355 days is the longest single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut, previously held at 340 days, and gives him a lifetime total of 523 days in space. Dubrov also remained onboard for 355 days on his first spaceflight.

Supporting NASA's goals for future human landings on the Moon, Vande Hei completed approximately 5,680 orbits of the Earth and a journey of more than 150 million miles, roughly the equivalent of 312 trips to the Moon and back. He witnessed the arrival of 15 visiting spacecraft and new modules, and the departure of 14 visiting spacecraft.

Following post-landing medical checks, the crew will return to the recovery staging city in Karaganda, Kazakhstan, aboard Russian helicopters. Vande Hei will board a NASA plane bound for Cologne, Germany, for refueling prior to his return home. Shkaplerov and Dubrov will board a Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center aircraft to return to their home in Star City, Russia.

During his record mission, Vande Hei spent many hours on scientific activities aboard the space station, conducting everything from plant research to physical sciences studies.

With the undocking of the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft with Vande Hei, Shkaplerov, and Dubrov aboard, Expedition 67 officially began aboard the station. NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn recently took over as station commander, and is joined by NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Kayla Barron, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveev, and Sergey Korsakov.

Marshburn, Chari, Barron and Maurer will remain onboard until late April, when NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, as well as ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti launch to the station as part of NASA's SpaceX Crew-4 mission.

Learn more about space station activities by following @space_station, and @ISS_Research on Twitter, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts and the space station blog.

SOURCE NASA
DALLAS, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Recreational Realty LLC ("Recreational Realty" or the "Company"), a leading owner, operator and developer of specialized recreational vehicle and marine storage facilities, today announced a number of strategic senior hires that bring decades of expertise to Recreational Realty's rapidly growing platform, including the appointment of Mike Schwartz as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, effective April 11, 2022.

Mr. Schwartz brings more than three decades of financial and leadership experience. He joins from CyrusOne, a premier global data center REIT, where he most recently served as Vice President of Finance with an emphasis on strategic planning and tactical execution. He played an instrumental role in the successful acquisition of CyrusOne by KKR and Global Infrastructure Partners in March 2022.

"We are thrilled to welcome Mike to our rapidly growing team," said Gary Wojtaszek, CEO and Founder of Recreational Realty. "Following our recent expansion throughout Texas, we have a strong foundation for future growth and a shared vision to bring high-quality services to more recreational vehicle owners nationwide. I look forward to working closely again with Mike, as well as a number of my former friends, colleagues and partners, to scale the business and build on the incredible momentum we have built in such a short time."

"The culture we created at CyrusOne cultivated an environment of true commitment, resourcefulness and accountability that allowed us to consistently exceed our ambitious operational and financial commitments to employees and shareholders, and we always had a lot of fun doing it," said Mr. Schwartz. "At Recreational Realty, I believe we have a unique opportunity to do incredibly well given the strong tailwinds and growing demand in the recreational storage industry. However, it's the fantastic team of investors, employees and partners we have assembled that will quickly position Recreational Realty as an industry leader."

In addition to the appointment of Mr. Schwartz, Recreational Realty today announced five new senior hires, who will each play a pivotal role in scaling the business in line with the Company's ambitious growth objectives.

Theresa Chareunsab joins as Vice President of Customer Success and Operations. She brings more than 15 years of real estate experience across multiple asset classes, and most recently led the Information Systems team at CyrusOne, overseeing all digital transformation initiatives.

joins as Vice President of Customer Success and Operations. She brings more than 15 years of real estate experience across multiple asset classes, and most recently led the Information Systems team at CyrusOne, overseeing all digital transformation initiatives. Tom Berry joins as Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis. He most recently led investor relations efforts for Ribbon Communications, and previously held finance roles with CyrusOne and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

joins as Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis. He most recently led investor relations efforts for Ribbon Communications, and previously held finance roles with CyrusOne and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Tom Stimmel joins as Operations Manager, having spent nearly 25 years in data center operations, most recently overseeing all Houston data center operations as regional director at CyrusOne.

joins as Operations Manager, having spent nearly 25 years in data center operations, most recently overseeing all data center operations as regional director at CyrusOne. Amit Rai joins as an Accounting Advisor to the Company. Mr. Rai is the founder and Principal of myController, which specializes in supporting pre-IPO companies preparing for aggressive growth. He will assist Recreational Realty with establishing accounting processes and navigating regulatory reporting demands.

joins as an Accounting Advisor to the Company. Mr. Rai is the founder and Principal of myController, which specializes in supporting pre-IPO companies preparing for aggressive growth. He will assist Recreational Realty with establishing accounting processes and navigating regulatory reporting demands. Sahil Rai joins as the Controller to the Company. Mr. Rai is also an advisor with myController, where he has previously served as the Controller for several high-growth companies leading financial system implementations.

"It is an exciting time to join Recreational Realty as we look to scale rapidly and create the largest specialized boat and RV storage platform in the country, and I am excited to once again work alongside several old friends and colleagues that I had the pleasure of working with throughout my career and time at CyrusOne," said Mr. Wojtaszek. "The caliber of seasoned talent joining the company will significantly help us expand and build out our expertise across operations, finance, IT and customer service. Having a high functioning team that understands the challenges and demands placed on fast growing organizations is invaluable, and to be able to do it with many of the same individuals that I worked alongside for many years in my prior role is even more rewarding. We are poised for tremendous success and more fun times ahead."

As the first institutional grade, specialized storage company focused on serving the growing storage needs for recreational and marine vehicles, Recreational Realty currently operates specialized storage facilities across Texas, with ambitious near-term objectives for expanding nationwide. In December 2021, Recreational Realty partnered with Centerbridge Partners, L.P., a private investment management firm, and WOJO Capital Partners to accelerate its expansion into a platform dedicated to serving recreational and marine vehicle owners across the nation.

About Mike Schwartz

Mr. Schwartz brings more than three decades of financial and leadership experience to Recreational Realty. He most recently spent more than five years at CyrusOne, where he served as Vice President of Finance and was focused on a wide range of strategic planning, tactical execution and team-building initiatives. Mr. Schwartz previously served in various financial leadership positions at Thermo Fisher Scientific and Lucent Technologies, where he focused on delivering top line growth by driving new product development, cost saving initiatives and customer acquisitions decisions. He holds a bachelor's degree in Accounting and Finance from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Lehigh University.

About Theresa Chareunsab

Ms. Chareunsab is a seasoned professional in real estate and technology and has more than 15 years of experience across real estate sectors including public and private REITs, as well as Owner/Operators of Office, Retail, Industrial, Multifamily and Digital Infrastructure. Prior to joining Recreational Realty, she led the Information Systems team at CyrusOne, where she managed large-scale digital transformation initiatives. Previously, Ms. Chareunsab spent 12 years in management consulting where she worked with real estate companies to define enterprise operating models and strategies to drive business process optimization. Ms. Chareunsab holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from St. Edward's University.

About Tom Berry

Mr. Berry joins from Ribbon Communications, where he led and oversaw all of the company's investor relations efforts. Prior to joining Ribbon, Mr. Berry held finance roles with CyrusOne and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Earlier in his career, he worked as an equities trader for Citigroup and First New York Securities. Mr. Berry spent 7 years as a field artillery officer in the U.S. Army and served as a battery commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He holds a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Chicago and an MBA from Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management.

About Tom Stimmel

Mr. Stimmel has 25 years of hands-on operational experience managing data centers, including having served as the regional director of CyrusOne's Houston operations, one of the largest and most complex data center operations in the country. Prior to working in data center management, Tom spent his earlier career in the U.S. Navy. He attended Hiram College in Ohio.

About Amit Rai

Mr. Rai is the founder and Principal of myController (myController.net), which specializes in supporting pre-IPO companies preparing for aggressive growth. He formerly served as Chief Accounting Officer of CyrusOne, Laureate Education and Delco Remy. Mr. Rai holds a Certified Public Accountant license in the United States and a Chartered Professional Accountant license in Canada. Mr. Rai also frequently teaches for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

About Sahil Rai

Mr. Rai has over a decade of experience in the areas of technical accounting, SEC reporting and public accounting through his experience working at PWC, Tribune and Mannatech. Mr. Rai holds a CPA license and has BS and MS degrees in Accounting from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business.

About Recreational Realty

Recreational Realty acquires, builds and manages specialized RV and Boat storage facilities across the United States. The company was founded to meet the burgeoning storage requirements of the owners of recreational and marine vehicles. The company caters to the needs of the outdoor enthusiast by providing highly secure and professionally maintained facilities that provide superior customer service. www.recreational-realty.com

Contacts

Media

Jon Keehner / Erik Carlson

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

212.355.4449

SOURCE Recreational Realty LLC
Spotlight: Asia event includes the latest on surveillance, artificial intelligence, and hosting data securely in the cloud.

CHICAGO, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Relativity, a global legal and compliance technology company will host its virtual inaugural event Spotlight: Asia on April 7. The event brings together legal and compliance professionals in the region to explore security trends and key insights as the changing size and shape of data transforms workflows and communications. Relativity continues expanding its cloud capabilities and making key investments in Asia with its secure, end-to-end cloud platform RelativityOne, launching soon in Japan.

"The e-discovery and compliance market in Asia face a number of critical challenges," said Georgia Foster, Senior Managing Director of APAC at Relativity. "I look forward to discussing, alongside industry experts, the ways in which we can leverage technology to navigate the complexities during Spotlight: Asia."

The virtual event mirrors Relativity's significant growth and investment in the Asia region and will bring industry experts together to discuss responses to and offer insights on the explosion of data types and volumes, advanced AI-powered investigations and compliance trends and challenges facing the region.

"The shape and volume of data we are seeing today is growing and diversifying at an exponential rate. Organisations need to increase their pace of innovation to stay ahead of these disruptive forces affecting legal and compliance teams and the enterprises they serve," said Chris Brown, Chief Product Officer at Relativity. "Spotlight: Asia will give attendees insight into Relativity's product investments. This includes security enhancements, new data ingestion methods, short message capabilities, integrated foreign language translation and more investigative AI functionality, all designed to help our customers succeed in this dynamic environment."

It's not too late to register for the event. Session recordings will be available to registrants following the event. Attendees can expect to learn more about:

How Relativity's Community Across Asia is Responding to Complex Data Challenges

Legal and compliance professionals are under higher expectations with more complex challenges than ever before such as identifying key information among large sets of complex data types, translating documents for review and managing U.S. inbound litigation. Join members of Relativity's executive team for an update on how Relativity's community of users across Asia are responding to today's most complex challenges, and how the latest updates in RelativityOne are powering a smarter, more secure way to work.

Detecting Risk with Relativity Trace

Everyone is communicating in more ways and on more platforms than ever before. Regulatory requirements and potential reputational damage make it crucial for organisations to have the technology in place to help detect risk. Join the Relativity Tracehttps://www.relativity.com/data-solutions/communication-surveillance/ team as they cover how Relativity Trace helps surveillance teams monitor and review data across a variety of communication channels  from audio to archive, to e-communications and beyond.

Asia Market Thought Leadership

As the investigations and e-discovery markets grow, there's been a growing need for locally hosted SaaS solutions in Asia. Join Relativity and its panel of RelativityOne Partners as they discuss the trends and challenges they are seeing in legal technology from their respective countries across Asia.

"Ransomware continues to be a top threat in Asia and across the world," said Amanda Fennell, Chief Security Officer and Chief Information Officer at Relativity. "Spotlight: Asia aims to provide attendees with tools to strengthen their security strategies and understand how they can leverage Relativity as their partners in security."

Register for Spotlight: Asia and connect with community experts here.

About Relativity

Relativity makes software to help users organise data, discover the truth and act on it. Its SaaS platform RelativityOne manages large volumes of data and quickly identifies key issues during litigation and internal investigations. The AI-powered communication surveillance platform, Relativity Trace proactively detects regulatory misconduct like insider trading, collusion and other non-compliant behavior. Relativity has more than 300,000 enabled users in 48+ countries serving thousands of organisations globally primarily in legal, financial services and government sectors. Please contact Relativity at [email protected] or visit http://www.relativity.com for more information.

SOURCE Relativity
QUITO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso warned Tuesday that he will govern by executive decree amid a constant block by the majority opposition National Assembly, which he said has refused to take up several of his proposed laws.

The warning was issued amid political tension between the executive and the National Assembly, accentuated last week after legislators rejected and shelved Lasso's investment law project.

Lasso, who has been in office for 10 months, told journalists that of the five laws he has sent to the National Assembly, one was rejected and the others were not taken up.

These laws deal with communication, higher education, security, investments and taxes.

The president said he is open to dialogue and agreements, but not to "pacts" with political organizations in the National Assembly, where the ruling party Creating Opportunities has few allies.

Lasso said he plans to make some political "adjustments" at a time when there is a rift with several political parties due to disagreements and allegations of corruption.

He also mentioned the possibility of a popular consultation on his law proposals. 
EXTON, Pa., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Resources of Human Development, Inc. ("RHD") is notifying individuals of an event that may affect the privacy of some personal information. While, to date, RHD has no evidence that information has been or will be misused, RHD is providing information about the event, RHD's response to it, and resources available to help protect personal information. On March 28, 2022, RHD began mailing written notices to potentially impacted individuals for whom it has contact information. RHD also posted notice of this incident on its website at: https://www.rhd.org/

On February 16, 2022, RHD became aware that a computer drive was stolen on January 27, 2022 containing a portion of RHD's participants' personal information. This stolen hard drive was related to the Point-to-Point program, which is one of RHD's programs located in Exton, PA. The types of information potentially impacted varied by person, but may have included Social Security Numbers, drivers' license numbers, financial account information, payment card information, dates of birth, prescription information, diagnosis information, treatment information, treatment providers, health insurance information, medical information, Medicare/Medicaid ID numbers, employer identification numbers, electronic signatures, usernames and passwords. While, to date, the investigation has found no evidence of actual or attempted misuse of data, RHD is making its community aware out of an abundance of caution.

RHD takes the confidentiality, privacy and security of the personal information in its care very seriously. In response to this theft, RHD took steps to address this incident promptly after it was discovered, including reporting the incident to the police and conducting an internal investigation to understand what had taken place and how. RHD has secured its system and offices. RHD has also reviewed its internal data management and protocols and has implemented enhanced security measures to help prevent this type of incident from recurring.

RHD has set up a dedicated toll-free telephone line at 1-833-694-0909 to answer questions related to the event. The toll-free line will be available Monday  Friday, 9am to 9pm Eastern time.

RHD encourages individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud, to review their account statements, and to monitor their credit reports for suspicious activity. Under U.S. law, individuals are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. To order a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Individuals may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of your credit report.

Other Steps Individuals Can Take to Protect Personal Information

Individuals have the right to place a "security freeze" on their credit report, which will prohibit a consumer reporting agency from releasing information in their credit report without their express authorization. The security freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in their name without their consent. However, individuals should be aware that using a security freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in their credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application individuals make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, individuals cannot be charged to place or lift a security freeze on their credit report. To place a security freeze, please contact the major consumer reporting agencies below:

Experian TransUnion P.O. Box 160 Equifax PO Box 9554 Woodlyn, PA 19094 1-888- PO Box 105788 Allen, TX 75013 909-8872 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 1-888-397-3742 www.transunion.com/credit-freeze 888-298-0045 www.experian.com/freeze/center.html

www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services

In order to request a security freeze, individuals will need to provide the following information:

Your full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.); Social Security number; Date of birth; If you have moved in the past five (5) years, provide the addresses where you have lived over the prior five years; Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill; A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver's license or ID card, military identification, etc.); If you are a victim of identity theft, include a copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft.

As an alternative to a security freeze, individuals have the right to place an initial or extended "fraud alert" on their file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer's credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer's credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer's identity before extending new credit. If an individual falls victim to identity theft, he or she is entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. To place a fraud alert, please contact the major consumer reporting agencies below:

Experian TransUnion Equifax P.O. Box 9554 P.O. Box 2000 P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA Allen, TX 75013 Chester, PA 19016 1-800-680-7289 30348 800-525-6285 1-888-397-3742 www.transunion.com/fraud-victim-resource/place-fraud-alert www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services www.experian.com/fraud/center.html





Individuals can further educate themselves regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, security freezes, and the steps you can take to protect yourself by contacting the consumer reporting agencies, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General.

The Federal Trade Commission can be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580, www.identitytheft.gov, 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. Individuals can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. Individuals have the right to file a police report if they ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, individuals will likely need to provide some proof that they have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and the individuals' state Attorney General.

SOURCE Resources for Human Development
TEMPE, Ariz., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SANTE Realty Investments announced today that it has strategically closed a $112 million portfolio sale. The 13-property portfolio was part of the SANTE Hight Yield Fund III and comprised nearly 1,600 apartment units in the southeast United States. This disposition is the final sale as SANTE closes out this fund.

Jeremy Guay, Chief Investment Officer of SANTE Realty Investments said "We are very pleased to close this fund out at a substantial value to our investors. As for our next fund, the firm has made a strategic decision to pivot our main focus from investing in value-add properties like these apartments into less operationally intense assets. Our new strategy is focused on our ground lease program whereby we provide sale-leaseback financing for real estate sponsors across the U.S."

The firm recently announced a $570 million funding agreement for its' new Ground Lease Fund. SANTE Realty Fund II is the latest fund offering from SANTE Realty Investments with an investment thesis designed around the acquisition of ground leases and select NNN lease real estate projects throughout strategically identified markets across the U.S.

ABOUT SANTE REALTY INVESTMENTS

SANTE Realty Investments is a purpose driven organization delivering private equity in the real estate sector where the firm has high conviction of being able to deliver superior returns to its institutional investors. The firm was founded in 2009 and has grown to be an industry leader in commercial real estate both in the US and Europe by leveraging its proprietary methodology including the SANTE Acquisition Advantage, SANTE Due Diligence Discovery, SANTE Asset Management Method, & SANTE Investor Cash Flow Maximizer programs.

Further information please contact Dave Shaw, Managing Director of Capital Markets for SANTE Realty Investments at 602-753-3538 or via email at [email protected],

Additional background information is available at www.SANTErealty.com.

SOURCE SANTE Realty Investments
Annual List Awards Innovative Female Leaders in Consulting

DALLAS , March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SBI, a Go-to-Market Growth Advisory, announced today that Norma Nieto has been recognized by Consulting magazine among The 2022 Women Leaders in Technology. Nieto's award, which is in the "Excellence in Client Service" division, acknowledges her contributions to the consulting profession within technology. Honorees will be celebrated at a gala dinner on May 26th in Austin, TX.

"Norma has a long track record of excellence in client services that spans decades. Since beginning her career, she has been committed to delivering high-quality solutions and innovative strategies to help clients achieve their growth and transformation objectives," commented Scott Gruher, President & Managing Partner, SBI Consulting.

As an Executive Consultant, Norma has made an impact for her clients by leveraging her skills as an experienced consultant with her in-depth understanding of technology. At a $1B telecommunications and fiber provider, she was an instrumental part of driving growth through optimized and buyer-centric sales processes and leveraging her knowledge of technology to develop and deliver tactical and executable initiatives and sales training.

Working for a safety prequalification software provider, she developed strategies, initiatives, and enablement to support new market growth in three new verticals to drive new logo growth. She also led the development of a comprehensive set of Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success strategies designed to help a vehicle program reimbursement SaaS provider optimize their private equity investments and achieve their growth objectives.

Now in its third year, these awards acknowledge those contributions made by women in the consulting profession in the category of technology. Nieto and the other forty-five honorees were selected in seven distinct categories: Excellence in Client Services, Future Leaders, Diversity Champion, Excellence in Innovation, Mentor of the Year, Lifetime Achievement and Excellence in Leadership. Other winners hail from Infosys, Booz Allen Hamilton, Centric, KPMG and other leading firms.

About SBI

SBI is a Go-to-Market Growth Advisory offering collaborative consulting, advisory services, and the world's most comprehensive set of go-to-market benchmark data. Our team of strategic implementers have owned and operated the marketing and sales functions at the world's most successful growth companies. Our approach is based on an intimate understanding of the buyer-seller journey. Working as an extension of our clients' teams, SBI applies relevant data and insights to deliver impactful strategies that generate significant ongoing top-line growth. Visit www.sbigrowth.com to learn more.

Maureen Landers

[email protected]

SOURCE SBIGrowth
Acquisition of LV Solutions further expands Sciens platform across the United States providing even further customer reach in Central Florida

SAN FRANCISCO, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sciens Building Solutions ("Sciens") today announced it has acquired Longwood, Florida-based fire and security firm LV Solutions ("LVS").

This is the latest acquisition since Sciens was established in 2016 to pursue a buy-and-build investment strategy in the fire detection and integrated solutions sector. The addition of LVS helps expand the company's presence in Central Florida and provides LVS, its employees, and its customers with even deeper resources and expertise.

"Sciens' and its affiliated companies' solid technical expertise and comprehensive building solutions, combined with LVS's capabilities, will allow us to develop broader and even better offerings for the important Orlando and greater Central Florida market," said Trevor Blanc, president of LV Solutions, who will remain in his current role with the company. "We are excited to expand together under the Sciens platform and look forward to continuing to provide excellent customer service to our valuable clients."

LV Solutions was founded in 2005 in Longwood, FL, where it has been supporting Central Florida area clients ever since. The addition of LVS to Sciens will allow the company to further expand its existing presence in this region by working together with existing Sciens locations in Orlando and St. Petersburg.

"There's no question the addition of LVS contributes to the fun, growth-focused journey of Sciens. LVS has an excellent reputation throughout the Central Florida region as a customer-first fire and security leader," said Terry Heath, Sciens' CEO. "Our expertise and capabilities in fire detection, sprinkler, suppression, CCTV, access control, and audio visual make us a natural choice for customers looking for a service provider that can support them across the entire spectrum."

About Sciens Building Solutions

Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Sciens Building Solutions is a holding company focused on the fire detection and security services sector. This includes the design, installation, and provision of maintenance services for fire detection and clean agent fire suppression systems in a variety of commercial, institutional, and government facilities. For more information, please visit: www.sciensbuildingsolutions.com.

About LV Solutions

LV Solutions was founded in 2005 to serve business owners in Central Florida, with primary focus on providing fire alarm, monitoring, CCTV, voice communication systems, access control, and integrated security systems for commercial and K-12. Various industry organization memberships assures that their knowledge of the life safety industry and strict code standards is current in a fluctuating environment. For more information, please visit: http://www.lvsinc.net/.

Contact: Jil Shingledecker

[email protected]

407-221-6785

SOURCE Sciens Building Solutions
"We are thrilled to welcome Alesha to Seattle Foundation. She brings a deep respect and understanding of our past, a devotion to the urgency of where we are now, and a clear and hopeful vision for the future. She has high hopes for what we can achieve as a community foundation, and a proven ability to find commonality between constituents that drives meaningful change," said Dr. Ed Taylor, Chair of the Foundation's Board of Trustees and Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs at the University of Washington.

At the Gund Foundation, Washington led the team in efforts to reimagine the foundation's grantmaking in democracy building, civic engagement, and neighborhood resident leadership. She also played a lead role in community work with other Cleveland-area foundations to advance racial equity and justice. During her tenure, she pushed for increased investments to Black and Latinx-led organizations, granting $6 million in 2020 alone for capacity building and operating support.

Washington inherits the Seattle Foundation's 75-year history of prudent stewardship of the region's generosity and uniting people from the many diverse corners of our community. She brings fresh perspective on how to catalyze lasting change in ways that leverage the best of fundholders, Foundation staff, trustees, community leaders, public sector leaders, and the private sector. Washington's starting point is the Foundation's Blueprint for Impact, its North Star to advance racial and economic equity in the Greater Seattle region.

"Advancing racial equity and strengthening community have been at the core of everything I've done in my career because it's personal for me. I am honored to be joining Seattle Foundation's team and community because of the incredible energy I feel there and the opportunity to be a part of it," said Washington. "I look forward to learning from and collaborating with partners from across Puget Sound, and deepening Seattle Foundation's efforts to create a more equitable region and joyful future fueled by cross-sector collaboration."

In her work with Greater Cleveland Partnership, Washington gained a keen understanding of how the business, civic, and public sectors can work together to achieve common goals. She led efforts to secure more than $30 million from the State of Ohio for capital projects in Greater Cleveland and directed advocacy and political strategies to increase support for businesses owned by people of color. She also served as the director of the Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition, leading chambers of commerce in advancing federal policy priorities for the benefit of the Great Lakes region. Washington has helped lead prominent national initiatives to strengthen civic participation and economic mobility. This includes serving on the Brookings Metropolitan Leadership Council and W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research's Policy Advisory Committee.

"Alesha Washington is a wonderful professional with an amazing ability to bring together people from different sectors to drive positive change. Cleveland's loss is definitely Seattle's gain," said Ronald Richard, President and CEO of the Cleveland Foundation, one of the largest and the first community foundation in the United States. "She consistently listens to community groups and has led impressive efforts to unite Cleveland-area foundations around equity and justice. Her work has led to real improvements in the lives of people across our city."

Washington's appointment follows a search process that started in summer 2021 and was led by a Search Committee consisting of select Seattle Foundation Trustees, in consultation with key stakeholders across the community. The Search Committee was chaired by Ed Thomas, former Seattle Foundation Chair and Managing Partner for the Seattle office of Deloitte LLP. Washington will work alongside the Trustees, staff, and philanthropists to engage community, business, public sector, and religious leaders in fueling collective action to advance racial and economic equity in our region. Her outstanding expertise and commitment will advance Seattle Foundation's mission.

"Alesha will be a tremendous asset to Seattle Foundation and our entire community. Her leadership with Seattle Foundation represents the future of community philanthropy, and creates promise of a stronger, more vibrant future," said Maggie Walker, philanthropist and former Chair of the Seattle Foundation Board.

Washington succeeds David Bley, who has been serving as interim President and CEO since Tony Mestres departed Seattle Foundation in May 2021 after seven years of service. She will assume leadership on May 11.

Read more about the Seattle Foundation's new President and CEO here. View the full announcement here.

ABOUT SEATTLE FOUNDATION

Seattle Foundation ignites powerful, rewarding philanthropy to make Greater Seattle a stronger, more vibrant community for all. As a community foundation, it works to advance equity, shared prosperity, and belonging throughout the region while strengthening the impact of the philanthropists it serves. Founded in 1946 and with more than $1.3 billion in assets, the Foundation pursues its mission with a combination of deep community insight, civic leadership, philanthropic advising, and judicious financial stewardship.

www.seattlefoundation.org

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES

Elise McGlothian, [email protected] or 206. 457.3416

Joy Portella, [email protected] or 206.437.7885

SOURCE Seattle Foundation
HOUSTON, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI), the largest provider of deathcare products and services in North America, today announced it will host an Investor Day on Thursday, May 5, 2022. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. central time and is expected to conclude by approximately 11 a.m. central time.

During the event, President and CEO Tom Ryan, CFO Eric Tanzberger, and other members of the SCI executive leadership team will present the company's key business drivers and growth prospects over a multi-year period.

The event will be accessible in-person and via a live webcast on SCI's 2022 Investor Day website. The in-person component will be held in Houston at the Westin Hotel at The Woodlands, located at 2 Waterway Square Place. Additionally, the company will host a tour of one of its premier funeral and cemetery locations for interested parties in the afternoon of May 4th.

Event registration via the 2022 Investor Day website is required for both in-person and virtual attendees, as well as the tour. A replay of the event, along with supplemental materials, will be available on the Investor Day website following the event.

About Service Corporation International

Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is North America's leading provider of funeral, cemetery and cremation services, as well as final-arrangement planning in advance, serving more than 600,000 families each year. Our diversified portfolio of brands provides families and individuals a full range of choices to meet their needs, from simple cremations to full life celebrations and personalized remembrances. Our Dignity Memorial brand is the name families turn to for professionalism, compassion, and attention to detail that is second to none. At December 31, 2021, we owned and operated 1,471 funeral service locations and 488 cemeteries (of which 299 are combination locations) in 44 states, eight Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. For more information about Service Corporation International, please visit our website at www.sci-corp.com. For more information about Dignity Memorial, please visit www.dignitymemorial.com.

For Additional Information Contact:



Investors: Debbie Young - Director / Investor Relations - (713) 525-9088

Media: Jay Andrew - Managing Director / Corporate Communications - (713) 525-3468

SOURCE Service Corporation International
The transaction supports SFERRA's stated strategic objective of focusing on its SFERRA and Pratesi brands and to further concentrate on expanding in its core markets and customer base in the US and UK/Europe, geographies where there continues to be abundant opportunities for growth.

Serving as a self-sufficient business with all activities located in Maine, including manufacturing and customer management, Brahms Mount represents an attractive add-on acquisition for Faribault Mill to add a complementary brand that is also verticaly integrated with US-based woolen mill manufacturing. Given the standalone nature of brand and operations, SFERRA will ensure a transition without any disruption of service.

"We believe Brahms Mount, along with its employees, will have an excellent opportunity to thrive under Faribault Mill, a strategically-aligned buyer, who is well versed in cultivating brands known for American craftsmanship. We wish them the very best of success," said Michelle Klein, President and CEO of SFERRA.

Mark Blanchat, a Partner with Highlander, added, "The sale of this business is in line with SFERRA's overall strategy of growing its two iconic Italian luxury brands in the bedding and home category. While Brahms Mount has developed and cultivated great relationships with its loyal customer base, our focus is on our SFERRA and Pratesi brands, and we believe that Brahms Mount is a much better fit for Faribault Mill given its complementary offerings and operations. We will continue to be aggressive in growing our offerings and reach under the SFERRA and Pratesi brands and will continue to implement a selective "buy-and-build" investment approach in finding complementary M&A opportunities for this business in the luxury goods category."

About SFERRA

SFERRA is an Italian luxury lifestyle brand established in 1891 by founder Gennaro Sferra, who created the brand in dedication to impeccable artistry and tailoring. Most recently, the brand has expanded its categories to include mattresses, accessories for the table, and home and decor gifts. SFERRA is found in major department stores, more than 700 luxury specialty home stores, and boutique hotels and resorts. For more information on SFERRA, please visit www.sferra.com.

About Pratesi

Pratesi is an ultra-premium Italian-luxury linens brand known for elaborate floral designs, innovation, superior quality and a globally recognized brand for well over a century, dating back to its founding in 1906. For more information on Pratesi, please visit www.pratesi.com.

About Highlander Partners

Highlander Partners, L.P. is a Dallas-based private investment firm with over $2 billion of assets under management. The firm focuses on making investments in businesses in targeted industries in which the principals of the firm have significant operating and investing experience. Highlander Partners employs a buy and build investment approach, creating value by helping companies grow both organically and through acquisitions. For more information, visit www.highlander-partners.com.

SOURCE Highlander Partners, L.P.
Located in one of the world's premier gateway cities, and a symbol of San Francisco's ambition, the Transamerica Pyramid Center encompasses an entire city block in the Financial District. The Transamerica Pyramid, designed by celebrated futurist architect William Pereira and completed in 1972, is emblematic of the skyline. The broader site consists of two additional buildings  Two Transamerica (505 Sansome Street) and Three Transamerica (545 Sansome Street), and the famed central Redwood Park.

The new Foster + Partners design seeks to revitalize and restore the historic Redwood Park, while tying all three buildings together through a series of strategic interventions at ground level, creating a vibrant new destination in the heart of San Francisco while respecting and celebrating the unique heritage of the site.

SHVO and Foster + Partners are committed to conceiving high performance office spaces which enhance wellbeing. The office is reimagined as a living space, with a sophisticated emphasis placed on comfort, hospitality, and flexibility for tenants and guests. In addition to the on-site private members club CORE, hospitality grade amenities and service elevate the offering. Further incentivizing the return to the office, retail is carefully curated and two floors in the middle of the tower are dedicated to wellness, a lounge and conferencing facilitiesall with panoramic city views. Additionally, the top floor below the spire culminates these amenities with an enchanting private bar and lounge.

Redwood Park  which consists of nearly 50 mature redwood trees transplanted from the Santa Cruz Valley to the site in 1974 and now over 100 feet tall  will also be upgraded and additional landscape will activate the site perimeter. Adding seasonal color to the space, Mark Twain Street - the alleyway from Sansome Street - will be lined with plum blossom trees, leading up to the base of the pyramid featuring curated cafes, shops and restaurants. The project is slated to be completed by the middle of 2023.

Distinguished architectural historian Paul Goldberger, an advisor to SHVO for Transamerica Pyramid Center, said: "The Foster team, known for the sensitivity of its juxtapositions of historic and modern structures, conceived a design highly responsive not only to Pereira's spectacular original architecture, but to the nature of downtown San Francisco: not a generic redo of a 1970's tower, but a unique project intended to celebrate a unique modern building, making the most of its exclamation point on the skyline and its presence on the street, uniting the two to become a place like no other."

Lord Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners, added: "This is an exceptional opportunity to restore the unique Transamerica Pyramid Tower and its historic Redwood Park, to create a very special destination in the heart of San Francisco. The existing buildings and new additions are tied together by generous landscaping which will breathe new public and community life at the sidewalk level. The previous office areas are reborn as new living spaces, with an emphasis on wellbeing. Working in collaboration with Michael Shvo and his team, we look forward to reinvigorating this truly iconic building."

"Norman Foster is renowned for his brilliant treatment of historic buildings and I am thrilled to partner with his team on the important task of redeveloping this extraordinary city block and reinforcing the Transamerica Pyramid as one of the greatest buildings in the world," said Michael Shvo, Chairman & CEO. "The Pyramid is synonymous with San Francisco, representing the city's optimism and forwardthinking nature. We have worked closely with the Foster team to respect the Center's existing history and complement that with contemporary interventions that will only strengthen this magnificent building that stands as a beacon on this city's skyline."

SHVO, which acquired the Transamerica Pyramid Center in October 2020, is committed to making significant investments to further cement the building's status as one of the most essential buildings in the world while creating an inviting new destination for San Francisco and its inhabitants.

About SHVO

SHVOis a real estate development and investment firm built on the vision of Chairman & CEO Michael Shvo to create culture-defining experiences in iconic properties.

Headquartered in New York City with offices in Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago, SHVO owns and operates a national portfolio with more than $8 billion in assets under management and 4.5 million square feet across commercial office and retail space, hospitality, and luxury residential assets.

The firm's selective portfolio of architecturally significant properties, from innovative ground up new developments to revitalized landmarks that define skylines in the world's leading cities, includes the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco, The Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach, 333 South Wabash Avenue ('The Big Red') in Chicago, Mandarin Oriental Residences at 9200 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, Mandarin Oriental Residences Fifth Avenue in New York City and the AMAN New York Hotel and Residences at the Crown building.

Renowned for its expertise, SHVO is fully integrated with highly diversified industry experience in every aspect of acquisitions, finance, development, design, sales, leasing, property management, hospitality, and sustainability.

For more information visit www.shvo.com .

About Foster + Partners

Foster + Partners is a global studio for architecture, urbanism and design, rooted in sustainability, which was founded over fifty years ago in 1967 by Norman Foster with his late wife, Wendy. Since then, he and the team around him have established an international practice with a worldwide reputation for thoughtful and pioneering design, working as a single studio that is both ethnically and culturally diverse. The studio integrates the skills of architecture with engineering, both structural and environmental, urbanism, interior and industrial design, model and film making, aeronautics and many more  our collegiate working environment is similar to a compact university. These diverse skills make us capable of tackling a wide range of projects, particularly those of considerable complexity and scale. Design is at the core of everything that we do. We design buildings, spaces and cities; we listen, we question, and we innovate.

The studio has established an international reputation with buildings such as the Hearst Headquarters in New York, 30 St Mary Axe, popularly known as The Gherkin, in London, Millau Viaduct in France, the German Parliament in the Reichstag, Berlin, The Great Court for the British Museum, Headquarters for HSBC in Hong Kong and London, the ME Hotel in London, Commerzbank Headquarters in Frankfurt, the Metro Bilbao, the Carre d'Art Nimes, the sustainable Masdar development in Abu Dhabi, and research centres for Stanford University, California. Recent work includes the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Samson Pavilion for CWRU and Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, Duo Central Park in Sydney, Apple's headquarters in California, Bloomberg's new European headquarters in London and the Comcast Technology Center in Philadelphia. Currently, the practice is involved in projects such as the New Slussen Masterplan in Sweden, Kuwait International Airport, and 425 Park Avenue in New York.

fosterandpartners.com

For media inquiries, please contact [email protected]

SOURCE SHVO
Developed by leading plastic surgeons to help accelerate the learning curve in cleft lip and palate reconstructive surgical training, the Simulare Medical Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Simulator is an anatomically accurate, lifelike, and invaluable training tool that will reduce patient risk, decrease training costs, and elevate the skills and confidence of surgeons globally.

Smile Train is the world's largest cleft-focused organization. For more than 20 years, Smile Train has supported safe and quality cleft care for 1.5 million+ children globally.

"This latest innovation advances our vision of providing care for every cleft-affected person and demonstrates our commitment to leveraging technology to further education and change lives," said Susannah Schaefer, President and Chief Executive Officer at Smile Train. "We're deeply invested in continuing to evolve training that creates more sustainable health systems. We look forward to seeing this Simulator have a positive impact on cleft surgeons at the beginning of their career and longtime professionals looking to refine their skills as well as on our beneficiaries  regardless of the type of cleft they have."

Though children around the world suffer from both unilateral and bilateral clefts, traditional cleft lip/palate simulators have only addressed unilateral clefts. This Simulator goes beyond that, introducing a tool that can address bilateral clefts (i.e., involving both sides of the mouth). This additional functionality opens the doors for surgeons and trainees to be able to treat more children with refined techniques.

Built with 3D technology, the Simulator uses printed materials to resemble the anatomy and different kinds of tissue, such as skin, muscle, and fat, found inside the mouth to create one of the most realistic models available today. In addition to the advanced technology, the musculature and soft-tissue layers were developed from literature descriptions and consultations with expert cleft surgeons. When local surgeons have access to the most advanced tools, it builds their capacity to provide the best care possible and empowers them to perform surgery safely no matter where they are in the world.

"Surgeons in low- and middle-income countries often face significant barriers to ongoing training. This simulator is more than just a revolution in training technology," said Dr. Roberto L. Flores, the Joseph G. McCarthy Associate Professor of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Director of Cleft Lip and Palate at NYU Langone Health, and Member of Smile Train's Global Medical Advisory Board. "It's a way to advance equity, ensuring that a talented surgeon in Malawi has the same training opportunities as a surgeon in Dallas, and that babies born with a unilateral or bilateral cleft lip/palate have access to the same standard of care no matter where they live."

With Simulare Medical handmaking its Simulators at its facilities in Canada, the division can ensure that each product is high-quality and will have an even greater impact on the patients who benefit from it. In international studies and training workshops, Simulare Medical surgical simulators are consistently recognized as a high-impact, hands-on, and low-cost way to develop and enhance surgical skills with no risk to patients.

Read more about access to safe, high-quality surgical training at smiletrain.org/simulare. To learn more about Smile Train's global efforts, please visit smiletrain.org. Follow @SmileTrain on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram for updates on Simulare technology and training.

About Smile Train

Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children's lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.org.

For press inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

To learn more, contact us:

Toll free: 1 888-892-9477 ext. 5 or [email protected]

Simulare Medical, A Division of Smile Train, Inc.

Toronto, ON Canada

smiletrain.org/simulare

Copyright 2022. Smile Train, Inc.

All rights reserved.

SOURCE Smile Train
World's Largest Smoothie Brand Also Announces Target Markets for Future Domestic Development

DALLAS, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Smoothie King, the world's largest smoothie chain and the first health and fitness QSR brand of its kind, today announced strong franchise growth in the first quarter of 2022, signing development agreements to open 51 new stores in key growth markets such as the Carolinas, Florida, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin, among others. Following the brand's success in 2021, which included opening over 100 new stores globally, Smoothie King also announced aggressive domestic growth plans for the coming year throughout the Southwest, Mountain, Upper Midwest, and New England regions.

"We are proud of the results the brand has experienced so early in the year and have no doubt that momentum will carry us to a record-breaking 2022," said Wan Kim, CEO and Chairman of the Board. "With everything we have planned for this year  from new stores and technology advancements to new product launches  our franchise opportunities have never been stronger. As we continue our vision to be an integral part of every health and fitness journey, we're looking forward to welcoming more franchisees into the Smoothie King family."

As part of its expansion plans for 2022, Smoothie King is currently seeking experienced operators interested in growing their portfolio with a brand that is committed to providing products that are healthy, clean and taste amazing. Single- and multi-unit development opportunities are available, as well as incentives for active-duty U.S. military or veterans and for first responders, including law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians.

"When I was introduced to Smoothie King, I immediately recognized that the simplicity and strength of its business model coupled with an exceptional, high-quality product was a recipe for success," said Yonas Hagos, a Purple Heart Veteran and nationwide multi-unit operator, who recently received national recognition as one of the International Franchise Association's Franchisee of the Year award recipients during its Annual Convention in February. "Franchising has provided me with a structured path to fulfilling the American Dream and the Smoothie King brand is truly a one-of-a-kind concept with exponential room for growth."

Smoothie King also recently launched an incentive program for existing franchisees and a new program for qualified store team members who are looking for the opportunity to achieve their entrepreneurial dreams with Smoothie King. The programs are open to any franchisee looking to grow their portfolio.

Smoothie King repeatedly has been recognized as a top franchise opportunity. Smoothie King was named the "Top Brand to Buy" in the beverage category of Franchise Times' 2022 Zor Awards and named to its "Top 400 Franchises" list. Additionally, Smoothie King received the Top Franchises Satisfaction Award for 2022 from Franchise Business Review based on the brand's high franchisee satisfaction.

For more information about franchise opportunities with Smoothie King, please visit www.smoothiekingfranchise.com.

About Smoothie King Franchises, Inc.

Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., the original U.S. smoothie franchise, is a privately held, Dallas-based franchise company with over 1,300 locations worldwide, including in the United States, Korea, Grand Cayman, and Trinidad. Founded in 1973, Smoothie King has made it its mission to inspire people to live a healthy and active lifestyle. By blending each smoothie with a purpose, Smoothie King makes it simple and enjoyable for guests to achieve their individual health and fitness goals. Smoothie King has been recognized No. 13 overall on Entrepreneur's prestigious Franchise 500 list in 2022 and ranked one of the "Fastest Growing Franchises." For more information about franchising with Smoothie King, visit SmoothieKingFranchise.com or follow the brand on social media @SmoothieKing.

Contact:

Erin Jacobs

Fish Consulting

954-893-9150

[email protected]

SOURCE Smoothie King
People walk near a COVID-19 test centre in Sydney, Australia, March 30, 2022.

Daily COVID-19 cases in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) surged on Wednesday as the highly transmissible Omicron BA.2 sub-variant continues to spread.

NSW reported 25,235 new cases on Wednesday, its second highest daily increase in the month of March, the first highest being a result of a backlog of cases earlier in the month. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)

SYDNEY, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Daily COVID-19 cases in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) surged on Wednesday as the highly transmissible Omicron BA.2 sub-variant continues to spread.

NSW reported 25,235 new cases on Wednesday, its second highest daily increase in the month of March, the first highest being a result of a backlog of cases earlier in the month.

As the weather gets colder and the BA.2 variant, which is estimated to be 30 percent to 40 percent more transmissible than the original omicron strain, hospitalizations in the state have also grown steadily over the month.

On Wednesday 1,301 people were hospitalized with COVID-19.

Victoria also saw its highest single day increase with 11,749 new cases and seven deaths. There are currently 280 people hospitalized with the virus in the state.

Professor Nancy Baxter, head of the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne, told Xinhua that Australia is likely to see cases continue as the nation heads into the winter months and looks to live with COVID-19.

"There's a number of things converging to result in us probably having another significant wave [in the winter months]."

In preparation for the winter, Australia will roll out a fourth vaccine shot to the population's most vulnerable next month.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said they would be offered to people over 65 years of age, Indigenous Australians and people with a disability or who are severely immunocompromised from April 4. 

People take a ferry in Sydney, Australia, March 30, 2022.

Daily COVID-19 cases in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) surged on Wednesday as the highly transmissible Omicron BA.2 sub-variant continues to spread.

NSW reported 25,235 new cases on Wednesday, its second highest daily increase in the month of March, the first highest being a result of a backlog of cases earlier in the month. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)

A man takes a ferry in Sydney, Australia, March 30, 2022.

Daily COVID-19 cases in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) surged on Wednesday as the highly transmissible Omicron BA.2 sub-variant continues to spread.

NSW reported 25,235 new cases on Wednesday, its second highest daily increase in the month of March, the first highest being a result of a backlog of cases earlier in the month. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)

People wait for a tram in Sydney, Australia, March 30, 2022.

Daily COVID-19 cases in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) surged on Wednesday as the highly transmissible Omicron BA.2 sub-variant continues to spread.

NSW reported 25,235 new cases on Wednesday, its second highest daily increase in the month of March, the first highest being a result of a backlog of cases earlier in the month. (Photo by Hu Jingchen/Xinhua)

A man wearing mask walks in Sydney, Australia, March 30, 2022.

Daily COVID-19 cases in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) surged on Wednesday as the highly transmissible Omicron BA.2 sub-variant continues to spread.

NSW reported 25,235 new cases on Wednesday, its second highest daily increase in the month of March, the first highest being a result of a backlog of cases earlier in the month. (Photo by Hu Jingchen/Xinhua)

People wait at a COVID-19 test centre in Sydney, Australia, March 30, 2022.

Daily COVID-19 cases in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) surged on Wednesday as the highly transmissible Omicron BA.2 sub-variant continues to spread.

NSW reported 25,235 new cases on Wednesday, its second highest daily increase in the month of March, the first highest being a result of a backlog of cases earlier in the month. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)
St. Jude is the first hospital in the U.S. to receive patients from Ukraine. Just hours after Russia invaded Ukraine, St. Jude Global , in partnership with ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude, began working through its global network of more than 182 institutions in 61 countries, including long-developed partnerships in Ukraine and Poland, to move children with cancer across Ukraine to safety and continued care. To date, St. Jude has helped more than 730 Ukrainian children move to other institutions across the Europe and Canada, and now to St. Jude in the United States with more potential patients and families to arrive in the future.

On Friday, March 25, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden visited St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to highlight programs and services that support pediatric cancer patients and their families and caregivers, as part of the Biden-Harris Administration's Cancer Moonshot initiative. During that visit, Dr. Biden spent time with the Ukrainian families that arrived on March 21 and welcomed them to the United States.

The patients who arrived yesterday range in age from 6 to 17 years, and, like the group of patients that arrived last week, will receive the comprehensive medical care they need, as well as housing, psychological support and counseling to help address social, emotional and cultural needs as they begin to rebuild their lives so far from home.

"St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, through our Global Alliance of 182 institutions in 61 countries, is uniquely positioned to bring the world together to address this humanitarian tragedy," said St. Jude president and CEO James R. Downing, M.D. "Our ongoing commitment is to ensure children with cancer around the globe have access to lifesaving care. We are honored to help these families resume their children's lifesaving treatment in safety."

Soon after Russia invaded Ukraine, St. Jude Globala program designed to improve survival rates of children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases worldwidelaunched a humanitarian effort, called SAFER Ukraine (Supporting Action For Emergency Response). Working with Fundacja Herosi in Poland, the Tabletochki Charity Foundation in Ukraine, Polish Society of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology and other foundations and international organizations, St. Jude Global worked to evacuate children with cancer from the war zone and provide them access to medical care so they could continue their cancer treatments.

The St. Jude Global SAFER Ukraine collaborative has assisted more than 730 patients. This includes translating medical records and coordinating convoys to the Unicorn Marian Wilemski Clinic in Poland, a triage center. There, patients are medically evaluated and families can rest before being transported to an expanding network of the best cancer centers in Europe, Canada and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Organizers have sought to keep patients as close to home as possible to minimize disruption to their lives, but factors such as decreased clinical space availability and advanced patient medical needs can require sending children farther from home.

"My father, the tenth child of impoverished immigrants from Lebanon, founded St. Jude Children's Research Hospital 60 years ago around his belief that no child should die in the dawn of life. And he didn't mean no American child. He meant no child, anywhere. I was deeply moved by the bravery of the Ukrainian mothers I met last week. Their babies are the reason we built this place," said St. Jude National Outreach Director Marlo Thomas, daughter of St. Jude founder Danny Thomas.

"St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is uniquely positioned to help children worldwide now and in the years to come thanks to our more than 11 million supporters and the efforts of hundreds of people who are working on this initiative. They truly embody our mission: Finding cures. Saving children," said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., president and CEO of ALSAC. "Our supporters and partners have helped ensure that hundreds of Ukrainian children with cancer and catastrophic diseases make it to safety, where they can continue their lifesaving treatments."

"Thanks to the millions of supporters of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, we are able to provide hope to children with cancer and catastrophic diseases around the world now and in the future, especially in times of war and great need like this," said Tony Thomas, St. Jude/ALSAC board member and son of Danny Thomas. "We are all inspired by the resilience and courage of the families who are fleeing Ukraine to welcoming hospitals across Europe, Canada, and now to St. Jude."

During the next 48 hours, St. Jude will evaluate the patients and help families settle into its housing facilities and other services with the help of Ukrainian interpreters.

The patient families who arrived last week are settling into the care that has been the commitment of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital since it was founded in 1962: Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food  so they can focus on helping their child live.

Visit St. Jude Inspire for related content.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and cures childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to 80% since the hospital opened more than 60 years ago. St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. To learn more, visit stjude.org or follow St. Jude on social media at @stjuderesearch.

SOURCE ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Automotive Group Welcomes Employee Advocate to Lead Employee Relations & Recruiting Programs

DUNCANSVILLE, Pa., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stuckey Automotive, the area's leading automotive group in Blair and Centre County, has named Samantha Longenecker as Director of Human Resources. In her new role, Ms. Longenecker will develop, administer, and execute policies as it pertains to recruitment, management, and employee relations. Stuckey Automotive employs 300 full-time professionals among its five dealerships, collision centers, and corporate headquarters.

Samantha Longenecker

"When we created this position, we allowed ourselves to take all the time necessary to find just the right person and I'm so glad we did. The moment we first met Samantha, we knew she was the one we could trust with our most valuable asset  our team," commented Matt Stuckey, president of Stuckey Automotive. "We now have a seasoned professional to serve as an employee advocate. We'll look to her expertise to create seamless onboarding and training processes, enhance employee relations, and foster new recruiting methods. To have Samantha on board is a huge win for Stuckey Automotive," added Stuckey.

According to Ms. Longenecker, "Matt and his team should be commended for building a culture that allows everyone to prosper. When a business invests in the well-being and happiness of an employee as much as Stuckey Automotive, there is a seismic lift in productivity and employee loyalty. Stuckey Automotive got it right. There is an air of enthusiasm and a constant stream of laughter that adds to making every day a great day. I am especially fortunate and excited to be part of it all."

Prior to joining Stuckey Automotive, Ms. Longenecker enjoy successful tenure as Director of Human Resources at Peerstar LLC in Altoona. Before her time at Peerstar, Samantha held human resources positions at Morrison's Cove First Federal Credit Union, Mattern House Inc., and Roaring Spring Paper Products.

Ms. Longenecker has been a long-standing member of the Human Capital Institute and HR Management Association of Blair County. She studied at Mount Aloysius College and Argosy University, a division of the University of Phoenix. Ms. Longenecker is a graduate of Central High School and resides in East Freedom with her family.

To learn more about Stuckey Automotive, please contact Karen Beauchamp, Marketing Director, at 814.693.4866 / [email protected].

About Stuckey Automotive:

Stuckey Automotive, established in 1959 with the founding of Stuckey Ford in Hollidaysburg, is a Duncansville-based dealership that proudly serves the communities in Blair and Centre counties and throughout central Pennsylvania. Collectively, the Stuckey Automotive dealerships serve the Ford, Subaru, GM, Mitsubishi, commercial vehicle, and used vehicle markets. A solution for all automotive needs, each dealership offers a complementary service and parts center and access to the Stuckey Automotive Collision Center. For more information, visit StuckeyAutomotive.com.

Media Contact:

Karen Beauchamp

Marketing Director

Stuckey Automotive

[email protected]

StuckeyAutomotive.com

SOURCE Stuckey Automotive
With global development at a crossroads, when attending the high-level General Debate of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, President Xi Jinping proposed the "Global Development Initiative" and put emphasis on staying committed to a people-centered approach, development as a priority, benefits for all, innovation-driven development, harmony between man and nature, as well as results-oriented actions.

President Xi Jinping called upon the international community to strengthen cooperation in the eight areas of poverty alleviation, food security, COVID-19 response, vaccines, development financing, climate change and green development, industrialization, digital economy and connectivity, speeding up the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and promoting stronger, greener and healthier global progress, so as to build a global community of growth with a shared future.

On this episode "Gen Z Responds to China's Global Development Initiative", Generation Z guests from across the world discuss their thoughts on the eight key areas discussed by President Xi and give a fresh new perspective on Xi's initiatives. After all, young people are the future world leaders, their ideas are the seeds for change in the coming years.

Guests proposed solutions to help push forward progress in at least one or two of the outlined key areas, and a panel of their peers voted to agree, disagree, or abstain.

Guests submitted compelling proposals which received overwhelming support from the panel of their peers. In the area of green development, one guest proposed increased venue capital investment in clean green technologies. Eric Muellejans, from Canada, remarked that people tend to care more about the "green" in their bank account than in the environment. Raising the question "do [businesses] sacrifice having a more sustainable company over immediate profits?" To which he responded that "the imperative to choose green technology over profit will be a question [people won't] be asking in 5 years". He believes that Generation Z as youth future leaders and global change makers, should "look into [their] relationships and communities [they] drive to actually green-up [their] partnerships and what [they] deliver in value to [their] immediate community".

While green development seemed to be a priority across the panel, one guest abstained from agreeing to the proposal. Remarking that there were more pressing issues in his home country, which put green development on the backburner. Shamin Zakaria, from India, argued that for India "there are basic problems that need to be solved food security or chronic poverty". Shamim later proposed that the solutions to such problems in India could be resolved with a "public-private partnership between the government of India and Chinese Tech-giants with a focus on Artificial Intelligence", praising China for vanquishing "absolute poverty" in 2021.

Beyond large scale government and private sector initiatives, panelists called for increased grassroots action. Widely supporting the idea that individual efforts can make a difference. Jennifer Holstein, from the United States, encouraged fellow young people to become involved in local organizations and push forward grassroots efforts. Sharing her own example of how she cycled around China and linked her "bike ride to a charity, providing or facilitating healthcare, to abused women, migrant children, all these groups in needraising 20,000 RMB".

In addition to the panelists, several online guests joined this episode. Alex Tani, from the UK, proposed climate change will impact every part of life ranging from natural disasters to food security issues. To respond to this Tani suggests people "should get together to cooperate and create organizations where they can share dialogue, think of ideas to tackle these problems".

With the world changing in unexpected ways every day, Generation Z are the leaders, change makers, and voices of the future. In this episode, young people around the world showed themselves to be knowledgeable and ready to tackle the challenges presented in the world today.

Youth Power is a media program under China Daily, an English news platform, that aims to give a voice to young people and see their ideas and thoughts heard across the world.

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202203/25/WS623d95e6a310fd2b29e5365f.html

SOURCE China Daily; Youth Power
Since opening in 2020, 110 North Wacker Drive has seen overwhelming market and tenant demand as it set a new standard for Class-A office development. The deal signals the strength of investor appetite for high-quality, modern amenity-rich buildings that offer tenants an outstanding work environment focused on health and wellness and technological innovation as workers continue to return to the office.

Co-developed by The Howard Hughes Corporation and Riverside Investment and Development Company, the 110 North Wacker Drive tower provided a huge value creation opportunity for HHC, who invested net cash into the building of $13 million and realized net proceeds of approximately $169 million over the four-year development timeline.

"The sale of 110 North Wacker Drive is a meaningful step in the execution of HHC's non-core asset dispositions," said David R. O'Reilly, Chief Executive Officer of The Howard Hughes Corporation. "The sale generates significant net proceeds, which we will reinvest back into new developments and use to repurchase shares as part of our stock buyback program."

Located on the Chicago River, 110 North Wacker Drive opened in October 2020 with a 45-foot lobby, numerous dining options and a secondary air-filtration system that was added during the pandemic. The space is over 82% leased by tenants including Bank of America along with numerous additional sector-leading tenants including leading real estate investment advisor Heitman, global investment bank Lincoln International, and top-10 Am Law 100 firms Jones Day and Morgan Lewis.

Eastdil Secured represented The Howard Hughes Corporation on the sale.

About The Howard Hughes Corporation

The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages, and develops commercial, residential, and mixed-use real estate throughout the U.S. Its award-winning assets include the country's preeminent portfolio of master planned communities, as well as operating properties and development opportunities including: the Seaport in New York City; Downtown Columbia, Maryland; The Woodlands, The Woodlands Hills, and Bridgeland in the Greater Houston, Texas area; Summerlin, Las Vegas; Ward Village in Honolulu, Hawaii; and Douglas Ranch in Phoenix. The Howard Hughes Corporation's portfolio is strategically positioned to meet and accelerate development based on market demand, resulting in one of the strongest real estate platforms in the country. Dedicated to innovative placemaking, the company is recognized for its ongoing commitment to design excellence and to the cultural life of its communities. The Howard Hughes Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC. For additional information, visit www.howardhughes.com

About Riverside Investment and Development

Riverside Investment and Development Company is a multi-faceted real estate firm based out of Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 2010 by John O'Donnell, a longtime Chicago real estate veteran with more than 30 years and 40 million square feet of investment, development, and redevelopment experience, Riverside is focused on the pursuit of complex development and redevelopment opportunities. We aggressively manage risk via detailed front-end evaluation and planning, selective locational focus, and a willingness to form strategic relationships where appropriate for a particular transaction. Our relationships, which have been carefully cultivated over years of experience with local and national consultants, brokers, and other stakeholders. For additional information, visit www.RiversideID.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements made in this press release that are not historical facts, including statements accompanied by words such as "will," "believe," "expect," "enables," "realize," "plan," "intend," "assume," "transform" and other words of similar expression, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's expectations, estimates, assumptions, and projections as of the date of this release and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are set forth as risk factors in The Howard Hughes Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly and Annual Reports. The Howard Hughes Corporation cautions you not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. The Howard Hughes Corporation does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.

Contacts

The Howard Hughes Corporation

Cristina Carlson, 646-822-6910

Senior Vice President, Head of Corporate Communications

[email protected]

For HHC Investor Relations

John Saxon, 281-929-7808

Chief of Staff

[email protected]

Carlos Olea, 281-475-2143

Chief Financial Officer

[email protected]

SOURCE The Howard Hughes Corporation
"It is my immense pleasure to welcome Jennifer and Rachel into the partnership," said J. David Heller, President and Chief Executive Officer of The NRP Group . "Not only have these two A+ players shown continuous professional growth and individual success, but their vision and passion for innovation, collaboration, and team development have helped us achieve success as a company. We could not be more excited to welcome them as Principals of The NRP Group."

Baus, who currently serves as Executive Vice President of Design and Entitlements, directs all activities related to horizontal and vertical design and entitlements and oversees all project management for NRP's development team.

"In her 17-year tenure at The NRP Group, Jennifer has established a reputation for active leadership, technical competence, a mastery of project management and delivery, as well as proficiency for building high-performance teams energized by open channels of communication," said Ken Outcalt, Principal and President of Development at The NRP Group. "She has been integral to the impressive growth of NRP's development pipeline, currently at 70 separate projects, while managing that growth in a measured and thoughtful way."

Johnson, who currently serves as Chief Information Officer, leads all aspects of technology, including infrastructure, networking, IT operations and security, software business solutions, building technology and innovation.

"Rachel is continually focused on creating the most seamless user experience across NRP's business divisions and offices throughout the U.S., while broadening our cybersecurity capabilities to ensure our platform remains protected," said Andrew Tanner, Principal and Chief Operating Officer at The NRP Group. "On her watch, The NRP Group surpassed an employee headcount of more than 1,000 team members, many of whom work remotely, and all who collaborate remotely with colleagues on a daily basis. She continually pushes our NRP technology platform to the next level to ensure that we remain nimble as we navigate the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead."

Johnson joined The NRP Group as an asset manager in 2010 and was quickly promoted to Chief Information Officer, a role she has held for the last decade. Baus joined NRP in 2005 as a project manager for affordable housing development, and after continuous growth in scope and responsibility she was promoted to Executive Vice President of Design and Entitlements in 2020.

Both Baus and Johnson are passionate about creating pathways for career development and mentorship across the organization, as well as advancing the values of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in every aspect of business operations. In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities, Baus founded the Women's Inclusion Network (WIN) in 2018 with the mission to hire, develop and promote women at NRP through education, awareness and programming.

Additionally, Johnson has led NRP through many technology focused transformational initiatives: digital transformation of the construction and property management businesses; network innovation of both property leasing offices and satellite office solutions; development of a robust hybrid on-premise and cloud-based infrastructure; enterprise-wide implementation of Microsoft Teams Voice for NRP's corporate offices and property portfolio; and a continued prioritization of cyber security program execution.

Prior to joining The NRP Group, Johnson served as Vice President of Operations for the Commercial Construction Real Estate Lending Division at AmTrust Bank. Johnson began her career at Ernst & Young as a tax accountant, but soon transitioned to a software consultant role developing custom applications for the financial and accounting divisions of companies across several industry verticals.

In 2014, Crain's Cleveland Business named Johnson CIO of the Year for mid-sized companies in Northeast Ohio. Johnson received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a minor in Management Information Systems from Miami University.

In 2017, Baus was the inaugural recipient of NRP's Alan F. Scott Development award. Baus received a Bachelor of Science in civil and environmental engineering from Cornell University and a master of engineering degree from Case Western Reserve University.

Baus and Johnson have both been appointed to GlobeSt.'s Women of Influence list in recent years  Johnson in 2020 and Baus in 2021, for their leadership and commitment to The NRP Group.

About The NRP Group

The NRP Group is a vertically integrated developer, owner, builder, and manager of best-in-class multifamily housing. Since its founding in 1994, NRP has developed more than 50,000 apartment homes, and currently manages over 26,000 residential units. The company employs the entire breadth of its in-house capability to fulfill its mission: creating exceptional rental housing opportunities for individuals and families, regardless of income.

Through its disciplined approach to vetting opportunities, NRP has established a track record of delivering impressive returns for investors. The company's formidable size and depth of talent provides the experience and infrastructure necessary to execute developments of varying degrees of complexity and scope in both urban-infill and suburban locations, including market-rate, affordable, and senior housing. As a three-time recipient of the National Association of Builders Multifamily Development Firm of the Year and recognized Top 25 Developer by Multifamily Executive, NRP is leveraging its decades of expertise by also providing construction and property management services to outside owners and developers. For additional information, visit www.nrpgroup.com

MEDIA CONTACT:

Samantha DePasquale

Antenna | Spaces

(646) 935-3558

[email protected]

SOURCE The NRP Group
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Niven Narain is co-founder, president and CEO of BERG, a Boston-based biopharma firm driving next generation drug development by combining patient-driven biology and Bayesian artificial intelligence. He has been recognized as a pioneer in technology development at the intersection of biology and artificial intelligence (AI), and is inventor of the Interrogative Biology platform. Under his leadership, BERG has fueled a deep pipeline of assets in oncology, metabolic, rare, immune, and CNS diseases. His discoveries are covered by over 650 issued and pending US and international patents.

"We are very pleased to have Dr. Narain become a member of our OCF Science Advisory Board," said Brian Hill, Oral Cancer Foundation Founder and Executive Director. "Dr. Narain's formidable expertise as a cancer systems biologist and his deep involvement with oncology research will be of great benefit to our Foundation and ultimately to the audience we serve."

Dr. Narain is a member of the NASA/Gene Lab Steering Committee and an advisor to US Department of Defense leadership on breast and prostate cancer. He also serves on the Advisory Board of Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School and the Healthy Aging Initiative Commission at No. 10 for the UK prime minister. He has been featured on CNN, BBC, CNBC, FORBES, Fox Business, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, among other media.

Dr. Narain obtained a B.S. in Biological sciences/philosophy from St. John's University, NY and a Ph.D. in clinical biochemistry with a focus on cancer biology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where he later served as director of cutaneous oncology research. He has been published in Nature Medicine, Science Translational Medicine, and Cell with leading collaborators from academia, NIH, and the DOD. Dr. Narain is most passionate about improving patient care and enabling increased access to innovative medicines towards improved health care outcomes.

"It is an honor to be selected to serve on the Oral Cancer Foundation's Science Advisory Board and to assist in the outstanding work the Foundation does to support oral cancer patients and oral cancer research," said Dr. Narain. "I look forward to working with the team and bringing to bear my more than 20 years of experience in cancer systems biology and AI."

The Science Advisory Board plays a valuable role in ensuring that the Foundation's science-based direction is appropriate when considering both public health issues and information which we disseminate in the patient and treatment arenas. Their oversight monitors the Foundation's web and print based content to make sure it is scientifically accurate and contemporaneous. They also are consulted when the Foundation issues its research grants.

About the Oral Cancer Foundation

For the past 23 years, the Oral Cancer Foundation's mission has been to reduce the incidence of oral and oropharyngeal cancers in the US population, reduce treatment related burdens, support those who are currently or have been impacted by the disease, and fund research that furthers these goals. The Foundation's website (www.oralcancerfoundation.org) provides the most current and vetted scientific information about the oral cancer, with hundreds of pages of regularly reviewed pages on the disease, treatments, research, and more. This information can be accessed free of charge by anyone, and is regularly used by patients, students, doctors, researchers, and the general public interested in the disease. The Foundation is also the home of the world's largest patient support groups for this disease. Located online, it currently has about 13,000 registered members, who are able to interact with each other and with professionals who monitor the forum in an anonymous manner. Besides direct interaction, the forum provides over 250,000 threads of conversation that can be searched for relevant answers to the problems patients have experienced. The Foundation regularly receives high ratings from leading nonprofit industry oversite organizations.

Brian Hill

Executive Director

[email protected]

SOURCE The Oral Cancer Foundation
DUBLIN, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Safety Laser Scanner Market (2021-2026) by Product Type, End-User Industry Type, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Safety Laser Scanner Market is estimated to be USD 356.9 Mn in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 482.14 Mn by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 6.2%.

Due to increasing workplace fatalities and securities, the Global Safety Laser Scanner Market, increasing demand for power or energy-efficient safety laser scanners drives the market's growth. Additionally, safety laser scanners offer many benefits such as high-user friendliness, small form factor, seamless integration with a long-term, cost-effective solution, and increasing adoption by various industries such as automotive, consumer electronics, and especially in healthcare and pharmaceuticals are fuelling the growth of the market.

On the other hand, the availability of safety mats as a substitute solution that offers similar protective solutions is restricting the market and hampering the growth of the global safety laser scanner market.



Furthermore, growing safety and security measures related to machinery usage and favorable regulatory framework will create potential opportunities for the market to grow in the forecasted period. Moreover, bon-contact functionality with scanners is the challenge that may negatively affect the market's growth.



Market Segmentation

The Global Safety Laser Scanner Market is segmented further based on Product Type, End-User Industry Type, and Geography.

By Product Type, the market is classified into Mobile Safety Laser Scanner and Stationery Safety Laser Scanner.

By End-User, the Safety Laser Scanner market is classified into Automotive, Consumer Goods & Electronics, Food & Beverages, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, and Others.

By Geography, North America is projected to lead the market.

Countries Studied

America ( Argentina , Brazil , Canada , Chile , Colombia , Mexico , Peru , United States , Rest of Americas)

, , , , , , , , Rest of Americas) Europe ( Austria , Belgium , Denmark , Finland , France , Germany , Italy , Netherlands , Norway , Poland , Russia , Spain , Sweden , Switzerland , United Kingdom , Rest of Europe )

( , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Rest of ) Middle-East and Africa ( Egypt , Israel , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , South Africa , United Arab Emirates , Rest of MEA)

and ( , , , , , , Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific ( Australia , Bangladesh , China , India , Indonesia , Japan , Malaysia , Philippines , Singapore , South Korea , Sri Lanka , Thailand , Taiwan , Rest of Asia-Pacific )

Competitive Quadrant

The report includes a Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.



Why buy this report?

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Safety Laser Scanner Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.

The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry.

The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report.

The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.

The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's competitive positioning tool.

Key Topics Covered:



1 Report Description



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Market Size and Segmentation

3.3 Market Outlook



4 Market Influencers

4.1 Drivers

4.1.1 Increasing Workplace Fatalities and Security

4.1.2 Growing Demand for Energy-Efficient Scanners

4.1.3 Numbers of Benefits offered By Safety Laser Scanners

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 Availability of Safety Mats as a Substitute Solution

4.3 Opportunities

4.3.1 Developing Safety and Security Measures for Machinery Usage

4.3.2 Favorable Regulatory Framework

4.4 Challenges

4.4.1 Non-Contact Functionality with Scanners



5 Market Analysis

5.1 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.2 Impact of COVID-19

5.3 Ansoff Matrix Analysis



6 Global Safety Laser Scanner Market, By Product Type

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Mobile Safety Laser Scanner

6.3 Stationery Safety Laser Scanner



7 Global Safety Laser Scanner Market, By End-User Industry Type

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Automotive

7.3 Consumer Goods & Electronics

7.4 Food & Beverages

7.5 Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals

7.6 Others



8 Global Safety Laser Scanner Market, By Geography

9 Competitive Landscape

9.1 Competitive Quadrant

9.2 Market Share Analysis

9.3 Strategic Initiatives

9.3.1 M&A and Investments

9.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations

9.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements



10 Company Profiles

10.1 Automated Precision, Inc

10.2 Arcus Automation Private Limited

10.3 Baker Hughes Company

10.4 Banner Engineering Corp

10.5 Carl Zeiss AG

10.6 Creaform

10.7 Datalogic S.p.A

10.8 Hans Turck GmbH & Co KG

10.9 Hexagon AB

10.10 Hokuyo Automatic Co Ltd

10.11 IDEC Corporation

10.12 Innovalia Metrology

10.13 Keyence Corporation

10.14 Kreon Technologies

10.15 Leuze Electronics GmbH + Co KG

10.16 LKH Precision Pte Ltd

10.17 LUXONDES

10.18 Micro-Epsilon

10.19 OMRON Corporation

10.20 Panasonic Corporation

10.21 Pepperl+Fuchs SE

10.22 Pilz GmbH & Co KG

10.23 Quelltech GmbH

10.24 RIEGL Laser Measurement Systems GmbH

10.25 Rockford Systems, LLC

10.26 Rockwell Automation, Inc

10.27 ReeR SpA

10.28 Sentek Solutions Ltd

10.29 Shanghai Huace Navigation Technology Ltd

10.30 SHINING 3D Tech Co Ltd

10.31 SICK AG

10.32 Trimble, Inc



11 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/cx7hpm

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets
SUZHOU, China, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Transcenta Holding Limited ("Transcenta") (HKEX: 06628), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully-integrated capabilities in discovery, research, development and manufacturing of antibody-based therapeutics, announces the preclinical data of TST005, a bifunctional fusion protein of PD-L1/TGF-RII, will be presented as a poster at the upcoming 2022 American Association for Cancer Research Meetings (AACR 2022), taking place from April 8th to April 13th in New Orleans via in person or virtual attendance.

The AACR Annual Meeting is the focal point of the cancer research community, where scientists, clinicians, other health care professionals, survivors, patients, and advocates gather to share the latest advances in cancer science and medicine. The meeting highlights the work of the best minds in cancer research from institutions all over the world.

Title: TST005, a bifunctional fusion protein of PD-L1/TGF-RII, demonstrates potent anti-tumor activities with good safety profiles

Abstract Number: 6013

Session Category: Tumor Biology

Session Title: Nonclinical Models of Cancer

Time: April 8, 2022 , 12:00 PM-1:00 PM (UTC -6)

TST005 is a bi-functional fusion protein designed to simultaneously block PD-L1 and reduce TGF- signaling. The study shows that at the same dose, TST005 can more thoroughly inhibit the TGF- pathway in tumors compared to M7824, so it displayed better anti-tumor activities in pre-clinical studies with tolerable safety profiles.

About TST005

TST005 is the second bi-functional anti-PD-L1 and TGF- trap fusion protein entering the global clinical stage. It simultaneously targets two immuno-suppressive pathways, transforming growth factor - (TGF-) and programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), that are commonly used by cancer cells to evade the immune system. TST005 consists of a high affinity PD-L1 antibody fused with an engineered TGF- Receptor Type II protein in its C-terminal. TST005 lacks FcR binding activity and thus has reduced FcR mediated killing of PD-L1 expressing effector T cells. TST005's high PD-L1 binding activity and enhanced TGF- trap stability enables the targeted delivery of TGF- trap into PD-L1 expressing tumors, thereby minimizing off-target toxicities of systemic inhibition of TGF- signaling. TST005 displayed potent activity in vitro in reversing TGF- induced T-cell suppression. In multiple syngeneic tumor models, TST005 induced significant increase of CD8 T-cell infiltration into PD-L1 expressing tumors and displayed dose-dependent tumor growth inhibition in tumor model not sensitive to PD-(L)1 treatment due to high level TGF-. TST005 is well tolerated in non-human primates and displayed a linear PK profile. TST005 is a potential differentiated bi-functional immunotherapy candidate with improved therapeutic window.

About Transcenta Holding Limited

Transcenta (HKEX: 06628) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully integrated capabilities in antibody-based biotherapeutics discovery, research, development and manufacturing.

Transcenta has established global footprint, with Headquarters and Discovery, Clinical and Translational Research Center in Suzhou, Process and Product Development Center and Manufacturing Facility in Hangzhou, and Clinical Development Centers in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in China and in Princeton, US, and External Partnering Center in Boston and Los Angeles, US. Transcenta has also initiated the construction of the Group Headquarters and the second high-end biopharmaceutical facility with ICB as its core technology in Suzhou Industrial Park. Transcenta is developing ten therapeutic antibody molecules for oncology and selected non-oncology indications including bone and kidney disorders.

For more information, please visit www.transcenta.com and https://www.linkedin.com/company/transcenta.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Transcenta, are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. Transcenta does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.

These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of Transcenta with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond Transcenta's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, Transcenta's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.

Transcenta, the Directors and the employees of Transcenta assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or turn out to be incorrect.

Contacts

Public Relations: [email protected]

Investor Relations: [email protected]

Business Development: [email protected]

SOURCE Transcenta Holding Limited
-New report highlights TVA's efforts and key programs to promote DEIA within its workforce and across the seven states it serves

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. , March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tennessee Valley Authority released its first Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility report that builds upon TVA's transparency efforts by providing insight into the agency's initiatives in this vital area. It details TVA's progress to advance DEIA both internally and externally in the communities it serves.

"Since its inception, TVA has always strived to be a force for positive change in the communities we serve," said Megan Flynn, TVA Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. "Our employees are our most valuable assets, and we want our workforce and culture to reflect the DEIA principles we so strongly value  as well as the diversity across our seven-state region. We believe bringing diverse perspectives to the table leads to better discussions, decisions and outcomes."

Current DEIA Landscape and Initiatives

As of Sept. 30, 2021, TVA's workforce diversity statistics were as follows:

Employees: 10,192

Female Employees: 20.4%

Employees that are Persons of Color: 11.2%

Veterans: 17.9%

Differently Abled: 7.6%

LGBTQIA+: 0.4%

The report also recognizes TVA's ongoing efforts to improve DEIA in the workplace. A few recent highlights include:

Recruitment : Working with 17 union partners to develop a diverse and qualified pipeline of talent that reflects the makeup of the region's communities.

: Working with 17 union partners to develop a diverse and qualified pipeline of talent that reflects the makeup of the region's communities. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Supporting nine employee-led volunteer organizations based on identity, experience or interests. ERGs advise management on DEIA issues and promote an inclusive workplace culture.

Supporting nine employee-led volunteer organizations based on identity, experience or interests. ERGs advise management on DEIA issues and promote an inclusive workplace culture. Professional Development: Ensuring greater diversity in TVA's Strategic Leadership Program, with a 2022 class that is 65% diverse.

Ensuring greater diversity in TVA's Strategic Leadership Program, with a 2022 class that is 65% diverse. Performance Metrics: Implementing a dashboard to provide greater transparency into TVA's performance on several DEIA metrics.

As a result of these DEIA efforts, last year, TVA earned the Association of ERGs & Councils' Top 10 Diversity Action Award and the Inclusion by Design Award from the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga.

Building Stronger Communities

TVA believes DEIA is critical to helping communities thrive. The report details TVA programs that promote and expand DEIA across the region. These include:

Home Uplift: Helped families with high energy burden make free energy upgrades saving them on average 25% on their power bills. Since 2018, invested $40 million to help over 2,700 homeowners with no-cost improvements.

Helped families with high energy burden make free energy upgrades saving them on average 25% on their power bills. Since 2018, invested to help over 2,700 homeowners with no-cost improvements. School Uplift : Provided $7 million in education grants to help 100 additional K-12 public schools make smart energy choices to improve the classroom learning environment.

: Provided in education grants to help 100 additional K-12 public schools make smart energy choices to improve the classroom learning environment. Community Care Fund: In partnership with 138 local power companies and community organizations, provided more than $11 million in relief funds to assist communities during the pandemic.

In partnership with 138 local power companies and community organizations, provided more than in relief funds to assist communities during the pandemic. Connected Communities: Invested $3.3 million to ensure equitable access to services, economic empowerment, and energy and environmental justice.

Invested to ensure equitable access to services, economic empowerment, and energy and environmental justice. Diversity Investments: Invested $2.5 million in the Energy Impact Partners and Elevate Future Fund to make the future low-carbon economy equitable, diverse, and inclusive.

Invested in the Energy Impact Partners and Elevate Future Fund to make the future low-carbon economy equitable, diverse, and inclusive. Supplier Mentoring Program: Developed training to guide suppliers through the contracting process, and provide a clear understanding of expectations, and experience needed to support TVA projects. Last year, TVA spent $856 million with small businesses and $365 million with diverse businesses.

"While we've made strides, our path forward for DEIA will be a journey. We believe this report gives our employees and stakeholders more insight about where we are today and where we are headed," said Flynn.

TVA places a high priority on accountability. Additional reports on TVA's sustainability, strategic planning, financial health, new nuclear program and more can be reviewed at tva.com/about-tva/reports

The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power distributors serving nearly 10 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.

Editor's Note: Click here for the report image.

Media Contact: Scott Fiedler, Chattanooga, 901-414-6964

TVA Public Relations, Knoxville, 865-632-6000

www.tva.com/newsroom

Follow TVA news on Facebook and Twitter

SOURCE Tennessee Valley Authority
SPRINGDALE, Ark., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- U-Haul is making two local facilities available to provide 30 days of free self-storage to people impacted by the tornado that hit Springdale before dawn this morning.

Homes, businesses and schools were damaged, and several injuries have been reported.

"The tornado came pretty close to our Springdale center, and we know it damaged an apartment complex," said Jim Smith, U-Haul Company of Tulsa president, whose region encompasses Northwest Arkansas.

"Power is down. Trees are down. Buildings are damaged. We don't know everything that was destroyed yet, but we know an event like this creates immediate needs. We are fortunate to be able to help our neighbors with access to dry and secure self-storage."

Local residents seeking more information about the U-Haul disaster relief program or needing to arrange 30 days of free self-storage should contact one of the participating facilities:

U-Haul Moving & Storage of Springdale

806 Twin City Ave.

Springdale, AR 72764

(479) 751-6212

U-Haul Moving & Storage of Rogers

2301 S. 8th St.

Rogers, AR 72758

(479) 282-1087

The free offer applies to new rentals of storage units and is subject to availability. In addition to its disaster relief program, U-Haul is proud to be at the forefront of aiding communities in times of need as an official American Red Cross Disaster Responder.

About U-HAUL

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 23,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 offers secure access to U-Haul trucks every hour of every day through the customer dispatch option on their smartphones and our proprietary Live Verify technology. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 176,000 trucks, 126,000 trailers and 46,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers nearly 825,000 rentable storage units and 71.6 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S., and continues to be the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. U-Haul has been recognized repeatedly as a leading "Best for Vets" employer and was recently named one of the 15 Healthiest Workplaces in America.

Contact:

Jeff Lockridge

Sebastien Reyes

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 602-760-4941

Website: uhaul.com

SOURCE U-Haul
A woman walks down a street, in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, on January 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Sunny Quintero)

According to official data, current hospital occupancy is 97 percent lower than the peak of the pandemic during the second wave at the beginning of 2021.

MEXICO CITY, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Mexico is experiencing a reprieve from the COVID-19 pandemic, after nine weeks of declining infections, Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion Hugo Lopez-Gatell said Tuesday.

Noting that dedicated COVID-19 medical units "are practically empty," he said that "we are experiencing a respite in the course of the epidemic, with nine consecutive weeks where the number of people contracting COVID-19 has decreased."

According to official data, current hospital occupancy is 97 percent lower than the peak of the pandemic during the second wave at the beginning of 2021.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 mortality rate is 98 percent lower as the fourth wave subsides compared to the peak level, while the average number of deaths in a 14-day period was 35.

Lopez-Gatell attributed the declining figures in part to the progress of the national vaccination campaign, which has reached almost 85.6 million people in the country.

As of Monday, Mexico had accumulated 5,651,553 COVID-19 cases and 322,761 deaths, according to official information. 
Velex, headquartered in Frisco, Texas, is a national tower construction and technical services company dedicated to deploying proactive technology solutions, excellence and safety.

"Prioritizing our employees, their safety and their professional growth is of utmost importance to us," said Gaby Saliby, Chief Executive Officer at Velex. "This award is an important validation of the value we place on our company culture and of the commitment we make to our employees and their continued growth," Saliby continued.

Velex partners with its sister company, MyndCo, to offer both entry-level and experienced technicians state-of-the-art apprenticeship and safety training in small cell, civil and tower to create a long-lasting career deploying smart technology. Velex was also named as one of the Best Companies for Career Growth in 2021 by Comparably.

"Based on the top-notch ratings from Velex employees across a variety of core culture dimensions, it is clear that the company is one of the best workplaces in Dallas," said Comparably Chief Executive Officer Jason Nazar.

There is always room on the Velex team for highly motivated, positive individuals. Visit the Velex careers page to search open positions in your area.

About Velex

Velex is one of the largest technical field services companies for telecommunications deployment in the United States. With in-house crews nationwide, Velex delivers wireless and wireline infrastructure deployment servicesincluding macro deployments, new site builds, small cell, microwave, DAS, fiber, electrical and other services. Velex is headquartered in Frisco, Texas. To learn more about Velex, visit www.velex.com.

About Comparably

Comparably (www.comparably.com) is a leading workplace culture and corporate brand reputation platform with over 15 million anonymous employee ratings on 70,000 companies. With the most comprehensive data on large and SMB organizations in nearly 20 different workplace categories  based on gender, ethnicity, age, experience, industry, location, education  it is one of the most used SaaS platforms for employer branding and a trusted third party site for workplace culture and compensation. For more information on Comparably's studies and annual Best Places to Work & Best Brands Awards, visit www.comparably.com/news.

Press Contact:

Hanna Nayak

[email protected]

SOURCE Velex
MEXICO CITY, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Controladora Vuela Compania de Aviacion, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE: VLRS and BMV: VOLAR), the ultra-low-cost airline serving Mexico, the United States, Central and South America, will release its first quarter 2022 earnings results after the market closes on Wednesday, April 27th, 2022. The management will host a conference call on Thursday, April 28th, 2022, 9:00 a.m. Central Time (10:00 a.m. Eastern Time) to discuss the quarter's results.

The release will be available on the Company's website at http://ir.volaris.com.

Presenters for the Company:

Mr. Enrique Beltranena, President & Chief Executive Officer Mr. Jaime Pous Chief Financial Officer Mr. Holger Blankenstein Airline Executive Vice President

Conference Call Details

Date: Thursday, April 28th, 2022 Time: 9:00 am Mexico City (CT) / 10:00 am New York (USA) (ET) United States dial in: +1-844-204-8586 Mexico dial in: +52-55-8880-8040 International dial in: +1-412-317-6346 Participant Code: Volaris Replay access Code: 5258582 Webcast: https://webcastlite.mziq.com/cover.html?webcastId=a1ab999b-d688-4955-88e7-b67bf46b59f7

Participants are requested to connect 10 minutes prior to the time set for the conference calls.

A replay of the conference call will be available via webcast in the Company's Investor Relations website.

In accordance with fair disclosure and corporate governance best practices, Volaris will begin its quiet period on April 8th, 2022, and will end immediately after the earnings call on April 28th, 2022.

Investor Relations Contact:

Felix Martinez / Naara Cortes Gallardo

Investor Relations / [email protected]

Media Contact:

Gabriela Fernandez / [email protected]

About Volaris:

*Controladora Vuela Compania de Aviacion, S.A.B. de C.V. ("Volaris" or the "Company") (NYSE: VLRS and BMV: VOLAR), is an ultra-low-cost carrier, with point-to-point operations, serving Mexico, the United States, Central and South America. Volaris offers low base fares to build its market, providing quality service and extensive customer choice. Since the beginning of operations in March 2006, Volaris has increased its routes from 5 to more than 186 and its fleet from 4 to 103 aircraft. Volaris offers more than 500 daily flight segments on routes that connect 44 cities in Mexico and 27 cities in the United States, Central and South America with one of the youngest fleet in Mexico. Volaris targets passengers who are visiting friends and relatives, cost-conscious business and leisure travelers in Mexico, the United States, Central and South America. Volaris has received the ESR Award for Social Corporate Responsibility for eleven consecutive years. For more information, please visit: www.volaris.com.

SOURCE Volaris
TSX: VOYG

OTCQX: VYGVF

FRA: UCD2

NEW YORK, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Voyager Digital Ltd. (TSX: VOYG) (OTCQX: VYGVF) (FRA: UCD2) is at the forefront of the rapidly evolving crypto industry, and is committed to providing the best experience for its customers.

On March 29, 2022, Voyager Digital LLC, Voyager Holdings Inc., and Voyager Digital Ltd. (together "Voyager" or the "Company") received the following orders from certain state securities divisions that are members of a multistate working group of North American Securities Administrators Association in respect of the Voyager customer accounts that permit customers to earn rewards on their crypto balances ("Voyager Earn Accounts"). Voyager is aware of or has received cease and desist orders from the state securities divisions of Indiana, Kentucky, New Jersey and Oklahoma, and orders to show cause or similar orders from the state securities divisions of Alabama, Texas, Vermont and Washington. These state orders generally assert that Voyager was offering and selling securities or investment contracts in the form of Voyager Earn Accounts unregistered with the applicable state.

Voyager is in ongoing communications with these state regulators to better understand the terms in their respective regulatory orders and to clarify certain statements in the orders that Voyager believes are inaccurate. If, as, and when effective, the orders will generally prohibit Voyager from offering new Voyager Earn Accounts or accepting additional assets into existing Voyager Earn Accounts in the impacted states. If, as, and when effective, some of these orders will permit existing Voyager Earn Account customers to continue earning rewards on existing balances until Voyager has resolved such orders. Three of these orders disclose civil penalties that the applicable state intends to seek upon resolution. Voyager is seeking clarification of the terms of each of these regulatory orders, including effective dates and how proposed civil penalties in respect of alleged violations are calculated and its due process rights. It is Voyager's expectation that most of these state orders will provide a transition period prior to becoming effective.

Voyager is firmly convinced that its Earn Program and the Voyager Earn Accounts are not securities and intends to demonstrate its position and defend it as necessary and appropriate. Of course, Voyager supports appropriate regulation and will do its best to demonstrate to these regulators that Voyager has complied with the law.

About Voyager Digital Ltd.

Publicly traded, Voyager Digital Ltd.'s (TSX: VOYG) (OTCQB: VYGVF) (FRA: UCD2) US subsidiary, Voyager Digital, LLC, is a fast-growing, cryptocurrency platform in the United States founded in 2018 to bring choice, transparency, and cost efficiency to the marketplace. Voyager offers a secure way to trade over 100 different crypto assets using its easy-to-use mobile application. Through its subsidiary Coinify ApS, Voyager provides crypto payment solutions for both consumers and merchants around the globe. To learn more about the company, please visit https://www.investvoyager.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain information in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the Company's interpretation of the state orders received, the intent, terms and effectiveness of the state orders, the expectation of clarification of such orders from the applicable states, future changes in laws and regulations or the interpretation thereof, the Company's success and legal strategy in response to stat orders, future legislative change, the status and operation of the Voyager Earn Accounts, future growth and performance of the business, momentum in the businesses, future adoption of digital assets, and the Company's anticipated results may constitute forward looking information (collectively, forward-looking statements), which can be identified by the use of terms such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate," "intend," "continue" or "believe" (or the negatives) or other similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Voyager's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any of its future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Moreover, Voyager operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for Company management to predict all risks, the interpretation or application of existing laws by regulators, nor can Voyager assess the impact of all factors on Voyager business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements Voyager may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, the future events and trends discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are subject to regulatory risks, regulatory actions and claims, the risk of changes of laws or the interpretation or application thereof, the risk that the global economy, industry, or the Company's businesses and investments do not perform as anticipated, that revenue or expenses estimates may not be met or may be materially less or more than those anticipated, that trading momentum does not continue or the demand for trading solutions declines, customer acquisition does not increase as planned, product and international expansion do not occur as planned, risks of compliance with laws and regulations that currently apply or become applicable to the business or the interpretation or application of laws and regulations by regulatory authorities, and those other risks contained in the Company's public filings, including in its Management Discussion and Analysis and its Annual Information Form (AIF). Factors that could cause actual results of the Company and its businesses to differ materially from those described in such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the ability of the Company to continue offering Voyager Earn Accounts and to offer products and services consistent with past offerings and continue to offer new and innovative products and services, a decline in the digital asset market or general economic conditions; changes in laws or approaches to regulation or the interpretation or application thereof, regulatory investigations, enforcement actions or other regulatory action or sanction or proceedings, the failure or delay in the adoption of digital assets and the blockchain ecosystem by institutions; changes in the volatility of crypto currency, changes in demand for Bitcoin and Ethereum, changes in the status or classification of cryptocurrency assets, cybersecurity breaches, a delay or failure in developing infrastructure for the trading businesses or achieving mandates and gaining traction; failure to grow assets under management, an adverse development with respect to an issuer or party to the transaction or failure to obtain a required regulatory approval. In connection with the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, the Company has made assumptions regarding the terms and conditions of the state orders, its ability to seek clarification, its ability to continue with the Voyager Earn Accounts, it success in responding to any state orders or other regulatory enquiries, actions or claims and the applicability, interpretation and application of existing laws and regulations. Forward-looking statements, past and present performance and trends are not guarantees of future performance; accordingly, you should not put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, current or past performance, or current or past trends. Information identifying assumptions, risks, and uncertainties relating to the Company are contained in its filings with the Canadian securities regulators available at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements in this press release are applicable only as of the date of this release or as of the date specified in the relevant forward-looking statement and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after that date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. The Company assumes no obligation to provide operational updates, except as required by law. If the Company does update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements, unless required by law. Readers are cautioned that past performance is not indicative of future performance and current trends in the business and demand for digital assets or in the application or interpretation of laws and regulations may not continue and readers should not put undue reliance on past performance and current trends. All figures are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.

The TSX has not approved or disapproved of the information contained herein.

Press Contacts

Voyager Digital, Ltd.

Michael Legg

Chief Communications Officer

(212) 547-8807

[email protected]

Voyager Public Relations Team

[email protected]

SOURCE Voyager Digital (Canada) Ltd.
The study, based on more than 11 million deidentified urine, hair and oral fluid drug test results collected between January and December 2021, offers revealing insights into workforce drug use as employers grapple with creating safe, healthful work environments amid an ongoing recruitment and retention crisis.

The overall positivity rate in the combined U.S. workforce, based on nearly nine million urine drug tests collected between January and December 2021, was up in 2021 to 4.6% compared to 4.4% in 2020 and up 31.4 percent from the all-time low of 3.5% just 10 years ago (2010-2012). The combined U.S. workforce includes the general U.S. workforce of mostly company-policy testing by private employers as well as the federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce, which includes federal employees and the transportation and nuclear power industries, and can include workers such as pilots, truck drivers, train conductors and others required to drug test under federal legislation.

Overall positivity in the federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce based on nearly 2.7 million urine drug tests stayed even year over year (2.2% in 2020 and 2021) and was 4.8% higher than 2017 (2.1% in 2017 versus 2.2% in 2021). In the general U.S. workforce, positivity increased 1.8% (5.5% in 2020 versus 5.6% in 2021) and was 12% higher than in 2017 (5.0% in 2017 versus 5.6% in 2021) and up each of the last five years.

For an interactive map of the Drug Testing Index with positivity rates and trend lines by drug categories and three-digit ZIP code in the United States, visit DTIDrugMap.com.

"Our Drug Testing Index reveals several notable trends, such as increased drug positivity rates in the safety-sensitive workforce, including those performing public safety and national security jobs, as well as higher rates of positivity in individuals tested after on-the-job accidents," said Barry Sample, PhD, Senior Science Consultant for Quest Diagnostics.

"Employers are wrestling with significant recruitment and retention challenges as well as with maintaining safe and engaging work environments that foster positive mental and physical wellbeing," said Keith Ward, General Manager and Vice President, Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions. "Our Drug Testing Index data raises important questions about what it means to be an employer committed to employee health and safety. Eager to attract talent, employers may be tempted to lower their standards. In the process, they raise the specter of more drug-related impairment and worksite accidents that put other employees and the general public in harms' way."

The new findings of the Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index are being unveiled this week at the Drug & Alcohol Testing Association 2022 Conference taking place March 30-April 2 in Louisville, KY.

Despite years of decline, positivity rates increased in several federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce testing categories

After five years of steady declines in several drug categories, positivity rates based on urine drug tests for the federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce increased in 2021. Of note, marijuana increased 8.9% (0.79% in 2020 to 0.86% in 2021), amphetamines increased 7.8% (0.64% in 2020 to 0.69% in 2021) and cocaine increased 5.0% (0.20% in 2020 to 0.21% in 2021).

"It is important for workers to know that certain employers are required to test for marijuana under federal law and if they use marijuana, they can still lose their jobs," said Dr. Sample. "People who use drugs during working hours or before work can still be impaired and dangerous to co-workers, the general public and themselves."

Positivity for marijuana continues upward climb in general U.S. workforce

Positivity rates for marijuana in the general U.S. workforce, based on more than 6 million urine tests, continued an upward climb, increasing 8.3% (3.6% in 2020 versus 3.9% in 2021), the highest positivity rate ever reported in the DTI. Over five years, positivity for marijuana in the general U.S. workforce increased 50% (2.6% in 2017 versus 3.9% in 2021).

In oral fluid testing, overall workforce drug positivity decreased, but increased for marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine

In 2021, positivity in the general U.S. workforce based on oral fluid was 7.3% in 2021, a decline of 46.3% compared to 2020 (13.6%) and 29.8% compared to 2017 (10.4%). The drop in oral fluid-positivity (13.6% in 2020 versus 7.3% in 2021) was driven by a decline in the number of pre-employment tests that included marijuana. However, for those tests that included marijuana, the oral-fluid drug positivity rate for marijuana was 14.8% in 2021, an increase of 20.3 percent compared to 2020 (12.3%) and up 68.2% over five years (8.8% in 2017). At the same time, the positivity rate for cocaine increased 46.6% (0.58% in 2020 versus 0.85% in 2021), its highest spike since 2006, and methamphetamine increased 26.4% (0.53% in 2020 versus 0.67% in 2021), exhibiting year-over-year increases for the last 5 years.

Oral fluid tests generally have a shorter window of drug detection than urine, and can detect some drugs faster, in a matter of minutes versus hours. Oral fluid collection also has the advantage of being observed, making it harder to subvert the testing process.

Urine positivity rates for post-accident testing increased at a greater rate than pre-employment testing over five years, driven by higher positivity on post-accident tests for marijuana, cocaine, and semi-synthetic opiates

Over the last five years in general U.S. workforce urine drug testing, pre-employment positivity increased 17.4% (4.6% in 2017 versus 5.4% in 2021); while post-accident positivity increased 26% (7.7% in 2017 versus 9.7% in 2021).

Similarly, in federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce urine drug testing, pre-employment positivity increased 9.5% since 2017 (2.1% in 2017 versus 2.3% in 2021), while post-accident positivity increased 41.9% (3.1% in 2017 versus 4.4% in 2021). In 2021, the post-accident positivity as compared to pre-employment positivity was 79.6% higher (9.7% versus 5.4%) in the general US workforce and 91.3% higher (4.4% versus 2.3%) in the federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce.

"Drug use affecting the work environment is a complex problem that is not going away," said Jenny Burke, Vice President of Impairment Practice, National Safety Council. "When workers use impairing substances, it can create incidents that compromise the safety of other workers and, in some cases, the general public. Employers should have the right and ability to maintain a substance-free workplace and the use of drug testing, including oral fluid in addition to urine. NSC supports policies and procedures that ensure safe and healthy workplaces."

In 2021, urine post-accident testing in the U.S. general workforce for the drugs marijuana and cocaine the positivity rate was 63.4% and 266.7% higher, respectively, as compared to pre-employment tests. For the two groups of semi-synthetic opiate drugs  opiates (hydrocodone/hydromorphone) and oxycodones (oxycodone/oxymorphone)  in these tests, post-accident positivity was 316.7% and 200% higher, respectively, than in pre-employment testing.

For federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce urine drug testing in 2021, post-accident positivity for marijuana, cocaine, opiates (hydrocodone/hydromorphone) and oxycodones (oxycodone/oxymorphone) was 63.6%, 119%, 257.1%, and 194.1% higher, respectively, as compared to pre-employment tests.

Pre-employment drug tests are meant to be a deterrent in hiring workers whose drug-use behavior may cause unsafe work conditions or poor work performance. Post-accident testing is conducted to evaluate whether drug use may have played a role in the workplace incident prompting the drug test.

"The increase in post-accident positivity is alarming and suggests more drug-associated accidents may be occurring even with employers with pre-employment drug testing in place," Dr. Sample said. "The high cost of work accidents cannot be understated. While employers often think of accidents in terms of wage and productivity losses, medical expenses, and administrative expenses, accidents also impact morale, competitiveness and recruiting. Given that employers are in a war for talent, creating a safe, healthful work environment is critical for attracting and retaining people."

Mixed picture for cocaine positivity in the general U.S. workforce

Positivity for cocaine based on urine tests in the general U.S. workforce decreased 4.5% (0.22% in 2020 versus 0.21% in 2021) and positivity for cocaine over the past five years declined 30% (0.30% in 2017 versus 0.21% in 2021). Positivity rates for cocaine based on urine tests in the federally mandated safety, safety-sensitive workforce increased 5.0% (0.20% in 2020 versus 0.21% in 2021), the first increase in five years.

Positivity for opiates and oxycodones in the general U.S. workforce decreased last year and over five years

Positivity for opiates (codeine/morphine) based on urine drug tests in the general U.S. workforce decreased 19% (0.21% in 2020 versus 0.17% in 2021) and 56.4% over five years (0.39% in 2017 versus 0.17% in 2021). Positivity for opiates (hydrocodone/hydromorphone) in the general U.S. workforce decreased 3% (0.33% in 2020 versus 0.32% in 2021) and 37.3% over five years (0.51% in 2017 versus 0.32% in 2021). Positivity for oxycodones (oxycodone/oxymorphone) in the general U.S. workforce stayed the same in 2020 and 2021 (0.29%) and decreased 52.5% over five years (0.61% in 2017 versus 0.29% in 2021). To see a U.S. map depicting positivity rates for different classes of opiates and oxycodone, visit DTIDrugMap.com.

Positivity for 6-AM (heroin) in the general U.S. workforce decreased over five years

Positivity for 6-AM metabolite (heroin) based on urine tests in the general U.S. workforce decreased 27.8% (0.018% in 2020 versus 0.013% in 2021) and 56.7% over five years (0.03% in 2017 versus 0.013% in 2021). Positivity for the 6-AM metabolite (heroin) in the federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce decreased 37.5% (0.008% in 2020 versus 0.005% in 2021) and 73.7% over five years (0.019% in 2017 versus 0.005% in 2021).

Retail Trade had highest positivity among key industries

The overall positivity rate increased in 16 out of 17 industries from 2017 to 2021. Retail Trade industry had the highest overall positivity rate in 2021, at 7%, an increase of 34.6% since 2017. This sector also experienced the only year over year rise in methamphetamine positivity from 2017 to 2021 of 55.6% (0.09% in 2017 to 0.14% in 2021).

Marijuana positivity increased in all industries and by double-digits in 15 from 2017 to 2021. The Accommodation and Food Service industry had the highest workforce positivity for marijuana at 7.5%, a relative increase of 114.3% over five years (3.5% in 2017 versus 7.5% in 2021).

In the Health Care and Social Assistance industry, results saw positivity for methamphetamine decrease year-over-year. Across the last five years, it decreased by 50% (0.18% in 2017 to 0.09% in 2021).

About the Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index

The Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index (DTI) is a series of reports that provide insights into trends in workforce drug use based on positivity rates of deidentified laboratory tests performed by Quest Diagnostics for a range of illicit, legal and prescription drugs. It examines test results according to three categories of workers: federally mandated, safety-sensitive workers; the general U.S. workforce; and the combined U.S. workforce. Federally mandated, safety-sensitive workers include pilots, bus and truck drivers, and workers in nuclear power plants, for whom routine drug testing is mandated by government agencies like the Department of Transportation, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Defense.

The strengths of the DTI analysis include its large, nationally representative sample size, longitudinal monitoring, a testing population that is generally reflective of the U.S. workforce and the quality of the company's drug testing services to confirm positive results. Limitations include analysis only of employers that perform drug testing with the company, and a lack of exact cross-specimen comparisons due to variations in substances for which employers test. Quest Diagnostics has analyzed annual workplace drug testing data since 1988 and publishes the findings as a public service.

Quest Diagnostics is the leading workforce drug testing provider, offering a broad range of drug testing options that allow employers to combine and customize a drug testing program that meets their unique business needs, all from a single, convenient provider. Employers seeking information on the company's services should visit the company's Employer Solutions page for more information.

About Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world's largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors, and improve health care management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our nearly 50,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. www.QuestDiagnostics.com .

SOURCE Quest Diagnostics
DUBLIN, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Drug Device Combination Products Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global drug device combination products market reached a value of US$ 132.45 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach US$ 214.53 Billion by 2027, exhibiting at a CAGR of 8.27% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end use sectors. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.

Drug device combination products comprise medical devices and pharmaceutical ingredients, which assist in delivering the drug to a specific location in the patient's body. They include vaccine vials packaged with a delivery device, surgical trays with drapes and anesthetic swabs, and prefilled drug delivery systems like syringes, insulin injector pens, and metered dose inhalers. Some of the commonly available drug device combination products are monoclonal antibody combined with a therapeutic drug, pacing lead with steroid-coated tip, and catheter with an antimicrobial coating, and first-aid kits containing bandages and gauze are some.



The growing prevalence of chronic diseases and the escalating demand for new approaches in treating diseases are among the key factors driving the adoption of drug device combination products across the globe. These products help patients suffering from cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, anemia, hepatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and other serious conditions.

Moreover, these products offer advantages, such as minimal side effects, controlled drug administration, improved patient compliance, and targeted drug delivery. This, coupled with increasing preferences for smart and precision drug delivery systems that reduce the amount of drug required for therapeutic efficacy, is contributing to the market growth. Apart from this, market players are incorporating technologies into drug device combination products for tracking and monitoring purposes.

They are also introducing sophisticated products made using complex active ingredients, formulations, routes of delivery, and dosage forms, such as peptides, liposomes, and transdermal. Additionally, they are focusing on developing next-generation products with high viscosity, formulations, and new classes of biologics. As a result, the demand for these products is anticipated to rise for providing patients treatments and solutions that can better adhere to their therapy.



Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Abbott Laboratories, Baxter International Inc., Bayer AG, Becton Dickinson and Company, Boston Scientific Corporation, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic plc, Novartis AG, Smith & Nephew plc, Stryker Corporation and Terumo Corporation.



Key Questions Answered in This Report:

How has the global drug device combination products market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global drug device combination products market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the product?

What is the breakup of the market based on the application?

What is the breakup of the market based on the end user?

What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?

What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry?

What is the structure of the global drug device combination products market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Drug Device Combination Products Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Product

6.1 Drug Eluting Stents

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Transdermal Patches

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast

6.3 Infusion Pumps

6.3.1 Market Trends

6.3.2 Market Forecast

6.4 Drug Eluting Balloon

6.4.1 Market Trends

6.4.2 Market Forecast

6.5 Inhalers

6.5.1 Market Trends

6.5.2 Market Forecast

6.6 Others

6.6.1 Market Trends

6.6.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Application

7.1 Cardiovascular

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Diabetes

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast

7.3 Cancer Treatment

7.3.1 Market Trends

7.3.2 Market Forecast

7.4 Respiratory Diseases

7.4.1 Market Trends

7.4.2 Market Forecast

7.5 Others

7.5.1 Market Trends

7.5.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by End User

8.1 Hospitals

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2 Ambulatory Surgical Centers

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Market Forecast

8.3 Others

8.3.1 Market Trends

8.3.2 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by Region



10 SWOT Analysis



11 Value Chain Analysis



12 Porters Five Forces Analysis



13 Price Analysis



14 Competitive Landscape

14.1 Market Structure

14.2 Key Players

14.3 Profiles of Key Players

14.3.1 Abbott Laboratories

14.3.1.1 Company Overview

14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.1.3 Financials

14.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.2 Baxter International Inc.

14.3.2.1 Company Overview

14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.2.3 Financials

14.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.3 Bayer AG

14.3.3.1 Company Overview

14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.3.3 Financials

14.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.4 Becton Dickinson and Company

14.3.4.1 Company Overview

14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.4.3 Financials

14.3.4.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.5 Boston Scientific Corporation

14.3.5.1 Company Overview

14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.5.3 Financials

14.3.5.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.6 GlaxoSmithKline plc

14.3.6.1 Company Overview

14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.6.3 Financials

14.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.7 Johnson & Johnson

14.3.7.1 Company Overview

14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.7.3 Financials

14.3.7.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.8 Medtronic plc

14.3.8.1 Company Overview

14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.8.3 Financials

14.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.9 Novartis AG

14.3.9.1 Company Overview

14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.9.3 Financials

14.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.10 Smith & Nephew plc

14.3.10.1 Company Overview

14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.10.3 Financials

14.3.10.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.11 Stryker Corporation

14.3.11.1 Company Overview

14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.11.3 Financials

14.3.11.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.12 Terumo Corporation

14.3.12.1 Company Overview

14.3.12.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.12.3 Financials

14.3.12.4 SWOT Analysis



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/pucctm

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets
DUBLIN, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Transdermal Skin Patches Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global transdermal skin patches market reached a value of US$ 7.22 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach a value of US$ 9.57 Billion by 2027 exhibiting a CAGR of 4.50% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



Transdermal skin patches refer to a non-invasive and easy to use drug delivery method of administering constant and consistent therapeutic dosages into the bloodstream over a predetermined time. They consist of backings, drugs, membranes, adhesives, liners, chemical enhancers and permeators, physical aids, and low electrical current like iontophoresis. They provide a consistent diffusion rate, depending on the characteristics of the skin and the design of the patch. They are nowadays widely used as cosmetic, topical, and transdermal delivery systems around the world.



Transdermal skin patches are effective for treating cardiac and hormonal disorders, migraine, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, stroke, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), osteoporosis, and restless leg syndrome. Thus, a significant increase in the percentage of the population suffering from these ailments represents one of the key factors impelling the market growth.

Moreover, these patches help avoid the traditional oral route for ingesting medicines, lower the inconvenience caused due to intravenous or parenteral therapies, and prevent gastrointestinal toxicity, nausea, and vomiting. Furthermore, due to the ease of administration, transdermal skin patches are gaining traction to improve the compliance of the patient during prolonged treatments for chronic pains and in smoking cessation therapy.

Apart from this, the escalating demand for better therapeutics at affordable costs, coupled with a significant rise in the number of clinical trials of different drugs classes, is positively influencing the market. Furthermore, the introduction of pressure-sensitive adhesives and permeation enhancers, which lead to increased product diffusion and enhanced drug retention ability, is anticipated to provide lucrative opportunities to market players and expand the application of transdermal skin patches across the globe in the coming years.

Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being 3M Company, AdhexPharma, LTS Lohmann Therapie-Systeme AG, Luye Pharma Group?, Medherant Limited, Nitto Denko Corporation, Noven Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co. Inc.), Prosolus Inc., Samyang Holdings Corporation, Tapemark, Teikoku Pharma USA Inc. (Teikoku Seiyaku Co. Ltd), tesa SE (Beiersdorf AG) and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd

Key Questions Answered in This Report:

How has the global transdermal skin patches market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global transdermal skin patches market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the distribution channel?

What is the breakup of the market based on the application?

What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?

What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry?

What is the structure of the global transdermal skin patches market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Transdermal Skin Patches Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Type

6.1 Single-layer Drug-in-Adhesive

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Multi-layer Drug-in-Adhesive

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast

6.3 Matrix

6.3.1 Market Trends

6.3.2 Market Forecast

6.4 Others

6.4.1 Market Trends

6.4.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Distribution Channel

7.1 Hospital Pharmacies

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Retail Pharmacies

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast

7.3 Online Stores

7.3.1 Market Trends

7.3.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Application

8.1 Pain Relief

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2 Smoking Reduction and Cessation Aid

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Market Forecast

8.3 Overactive Bladder

8.3.1 Market Trends

8.3.2 Market Forecast

8.4 Hormonal Therapy

8.4.1 Market Trends

8.4.2 Market Forecast

8.5 Others

8.5.1 Market Trends

8.5.2 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by Region



10 SWOT Analysis



11 Value Chain Analysis



12 Porters Five Forces Analysis



13 Price Analysis



14 Competitive Landscape

14.1 Market Structure

14.2 Key Players

14.3 Profiles of Key Players

14.3.1 3M Company

14.3.1.1 Company Overview

14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.1.3 Financials

14.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.2 AdhexPharma

14.3.2.1 Company Overview

14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.3 LTS Lohmann Therapie-Systeme AG

14.3.3.1 Company Overview

14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.4 Luye Pharma Group

14.3.4.1 Company Overview

14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.5 Medherant Limited

14.3.5.1 Company Overview

14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.6 Nitto Denko Corporation

14.3.6.1 Company Overview

14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.6.3 Financials

14.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.7 Noven Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co. Inc.)

14.3.7.1 Company Overview

14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.7.3 SWOT Analysis

14.3.8 Prosolus Inc.

14.3.8.1 Company Overview

14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.9 Samyang Holdings Corporation

14.3.9.1 Company Overview

14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.9.3 Financials

14.3.10 Tapemark

14.3.10.1 Company Overview

14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.11 Teikoku Pharma USA Inc. (Teikoku Seiyaku Co. Ltd)

14.3.11.1 Company Overview

14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.12 tesa SE (Beiersdorf AG)

14.3.12.1 Company Overview

14.3.12.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.13 Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd

14.3.13.1 Company Overview

14.3.13.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.13.3 Financials

14.3.13.4 SWOT Analysis

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/32jezn

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets
Led by Senator Sharon Brown, Work Group to Examine Potential Applications for Blockchain Technology to Benefit State Residents and Businesses Alike

SEATTLE, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA), a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering a robust, equity-centered technology sector that empowers thriving communities, today announced full support for the signing of the Washington State Blockchain Work Group bill into law.

Championed by WTIA and State Senator Sharon Brown, with strong bipartisan support from the House of Representatives and the Senate, Governor Jay Inslee signed into law today the Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5544 that establishes the Washington blockchain work group. This initiative will bring together blockchain stakeholders to examine applications for blockchain technology across a wide range of areas  including banking and financial services, computing, real estate transactions, health care, supply chain, higher education, and public record keeping.

The work group will help Washington continue to grow as a global leader on blockchain technology. The work group will comprise a range of key stakeholder groups, including representatives from the legislature, financial institutions, and trade associations. The work group will host its inaugural meeting by December 1, 2022 and submit a report to the Governor on its findings by December 1, 2023.

"Every day, companies are adopting blockchain technology to improve delivery of services," said Sharon Brown, R-Kennewick and the sponsor of the legislation. "This new law is a vital first-step in creating an environment that is welcoming of new business prospects, eager to seek out new applications, and willing to identify potential supply-chain management and STEM-education opportunities. I am pleased to see this legislation signed into law. By creating the Washington Blockchain Work Group we are sending a clear message that Washington is ready to start working with the private sector to advance this technology for the benefit of all Washington residents, employers and workers."

The Cascadia region is home to hundreds of startups focused on technology leveraging the ledger system, including app development (Atra Blockchain, ArcBlock), blockchain infrastructure (Dragonchain, NEO and ArcBlock), healthcare (Lumedic) and gaming (Mythical Games). Blockchain has also expanded to the enterprise, with Washington-based legacy companies embracing the technology, including Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure tapping blockchain as a service, T-Mobile leveraging blockchain for telecommunications and Starbucks utilizing blockchain to support its supply chain and logistics.

"Since its founding, the Cascadia Blockchain Council has been dedicated to making the region a global hub for blockchain development. Today represents a major step forward in achieving our goal," said Arry Yu, Chair, WTIA Cascadia Blockchain Council. "With the formation of the work group, Washington is now positioned to lead the country when it comes to blockchain and distributed ledger technology. It has been a tireless few months of work from the Council and our supporters, and it's rewarding to see our hard work come to fruition."

"As a collective voice for the technology community in Washington state, we have seen first hand the power of bringing together the private and public sectors to solve problems and use technology to encourage progress," said Michael Schutzler, CEO, WTIA. "I'm confident the work group will encourage further collaboration across the industry, laying the groundwork to attract future investment and jobs in the state of Washington."

For more information on the Cascadia Blockchain Council, visit: https://www.washingtontechnology.org/blockchain/ .

About the WTIA Cascadia Blockchain Council

WTIA Cascadia Blockchain Council is helping blockchain companies from Portland, OR to Seattle, WA to Vancouver, BC reach their full potential. The Council serves as the subject matter experts and collective voice to better advocate for constructive public policy and educate key stakeholders, especially investors.



About WTIA

Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) is a consortium that includes a not-for-profit member trade association, a not-for-profit tech apprenticeship intermediary (Apprenti), and a for profit corporation providing business services (HRBI). The organization's mission is to foster a robust, equity-centered technology sector that empowers thriving communities. We recruit technology companies and allies that view diversity as a competitive advantage, value collaboration as essential to sustainable growth, and fully embrace the opportunity to partner with and empower the communities in which we operate.





SOURCE Washington Technology Industry Association
20-year-old Indonesian activist Melati Wijsen will take to the stage in Manila

WTTC Global Summit set to aid the recovery of the region

LONDON, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Travel & Tourism Council ( WTTC ) unveils its speakers for its upcoming Global Summit in Manila, which includes Indonesian/Dutch activist Melati Wijsen.

At just 12 years old, activist Melati Wijsen founded Bye Bye Plastics  a global movement powered by youths around the world to end the use of plastic bags, and in 2018 alongside her sister, was named one of the "World's most influential teens" by Time magazine.

Taking place in Manila, Philippines from April 20 - 22, the global tourism body's highly anticipated 21st Global Summit is the most influential Travel & Tourism event in the calendar.

Industry leaders will gather with more than 20 government representatives in Manila, to continue aligning efforts to support the sector's recovery and move beyond to a safer, more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future.

South Korean politician Ban Ki-Moon who served as the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016, will also address delegates virtually at this prestigious event.

Also taking to the stage at the Global Summit will be the Tourism Ministers from around the world including Spain, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, Japan, Maldives, and Barbados amongst others.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: "We are delighted to have such influential speakers already confirmed for our Global Summit in Manila.

"Melati is an inspiration to us all. A real changemaker, who from such a young age, has been instrumental in raising awareness of the damage caused by plastic and has inspired young people around the world to lead change.

"After more than two years, the region is perfectly positioned to post the losses caused by the pandemic. WTTC's Global Summit will act as a catalyst to drive forward the recovery of a sector that is critical for both the economy and jobs."

Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Philippine Tourism Secretary, said: "Preparations are underway to ensure the success of WTTC's Global Summit in Manila, which serves as the light at the end of tunnel following a long period of darkness for global tourism.

"It is heartening that these inspiring individuals have joined our efforts to bring the industry onward to full recovery," Puyat added.

Other notable speakers taking to the stage during the Global Summit will be international business leaders such as Arnold Donald, President & CEO Carnival Corporation and Chairman at WTTC; Greg O'Hara, Founder and Senior Managing Director Certares and Vice Charman at WTTC; Craig Smith, Group President International Division Marriott International; Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones, COO Tourism Promotion Board Philippines; Federico Gonzalez, CEO Radisson; and Nelson Boyce, Head of Travel for the Americas at Google Inc.

A hybrid event, WTTC's Global Summit will also feature Kelly Craighead, President & CEO CLIA; Jane Sun, CEO Trip.com; Ariane Gorin, President Expedia for Business; and Darrell Wade, Chairman Intrepid Group; amongst others.

More speakers will be announced over the coming weeks.

The WTTC Global Summit is taking place in the Philippines at a time when the country and the region begins to recover from the pandemic and will showcase the importance of Travel & Tourism in the region.

WTTC's recent research shows the forecast for the Asia Pacific region could be its Travel & Tourism sector approaching pre-pandemic levels this year.

According to the research, the sector's contribution to the region's GDP could reach $2.9 trillion, near pre-pandemic levels, while employment could reach over 190 million jobs, surpassing 2019 figures and providing an additional five million jobs to the sector.

To reach close to pre-pandemic levels this year, WTTC says governments across the region and around the world must continue focusing on the vaccine and booster rollout  allowing fully vaccinated travellers to move freely without the need for testing.

The WTTC Global Summit in Manila is sponsored by Resorts World Manila, Global Rescue, Okada Manila, Turkish Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, Etihad Airways, Philippine Airlines, Tourism Promotion Board Philippines, Hilton Manila, UBE Express, Inc., Tieza, Nissan Philippines, Inc., Press Reader, SSI Group, Xpansiv.

To view the latest speaker list in full, please see below.

The 21st Global Summit is taking place in Manila, Philippines from April 20 - 22, 2022. For media interested in attending the live event, please contact the WTTC Press Office at [email protected]. To register for the virtual event, please click here.

About the World Travel & Tourism Council

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector. Members include 200 CEOs, chairs and presidents of the world's leading Travel & Tourism companies from all geographies covering all industries. For more than 30 years, WTTC has been committed to raising the awareness of governments and the public of the economic and social significance of the Travel & Tourism sector.

SOURCE World Travel & Tourism Council
Russia's Defense Ministry said the United States invested more than 200 million U.S. dollars in biolabs in Ukraine.

According to Russia's RIA Novosti news agency, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called Washington's military biological activities in Ukraine a "devil's plan."

And Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the labs in Ukraine were only a small fraction of more than 300 U.S.-funded laboratories currently scattered all over the world.

A Russian analyst said he's very concerned about the activities conducted at these labs in Ukraine.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
RAMALLAH, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday condemned the shooting in the Bnei Brak neighborhood of Tel Aviv that killed at least five Israelis.

In a press statement, Abbas warned that killing Israeli or Palestinian civilians "only leads to further deterioration," adding that "everyone is striving to achieve stability, especially as Muslim, Christian and Jewish holidays are coming."

He also warned of exploiting the shooting attack in Tel Aviv "to carry out aggressions and reactions against the Palestinians by settlers and other Israelis."

Abbas said that the cycle of violence "confirms that permanent, comprehensive and just peace is the shortest and correct way to provide security and stability for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples and the peoples of the region."

Meanwhile, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said that the shooting attack was "a response to the Israeli actions and measures against the Palestinians, their properties, and holy places." 
HONG KONG, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Wednesday expressed vehement opposition to the British parliament making up unfounded allegations against the national security law and the legal system in Hong Kong.

A spokesperson for the HKSAR government said, "We take strong exception to the absurd and misleading accusations against the national security law and our legal system. Every country around the world would take threats to its national security extremely seriously. China is no different."

"The promulgation of the national security law is in line with the international practice of safeguarding national security and the exercise of the sovereign rights of our country. It is appalling to see that some politicians have deliberately vilified it by applying double standards and making baseless allegations," the spokesperson noted.

The spokesperson said that extraterritorial application vested with the national security law is in line with the well-recognized international law principle of protective jurisdiction.

"Extraterritoriality is in fact a common feature of national security laws in many countries. The extraterritorial effect provided for in the national security law aligns with the principles of international law and international practice. Criticisms levied against our application of extraterritoriality are clearly tainted with double standards," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said Hong Kong is a society governed by the rule of law where laws must be observed and lawbreakers held to account. No one person or institution is above the law.

"Judicial independence in Hong Kong after the implementation of the national security law remains robust as ever," said the spokesperson.

"Any attempt to undermine our judicial independence through baseless allegations is futile. These spokesmen usually do not provide any substantiation for there is none," the spokesperson added.

As the Chinese Foreign Ministry has stressed time and again, the Sino-British Joint Declaration stipulated the resumption of the exercise of sovereignty by China over Hong Kong and relevant arrangements during the transition period. With the resumption of the exercise of sovereignty by China over Hong Kong and the completion of follow-up matters, all Britain-related provisions have been fulfilled. Thereafter, the system to be adopted in the HKSAR, as well as how to implement China's basic policies regarding Hong Kong, is purely within the ambit of the sovereignty of China and a matter of China's internal affairs, the spokesperson noted.

"Hong Kong is a part of China, and Hong Kong matters are purely our country's internal affairs. We strongly urge foreign politicians to respect the exercise of sovereign rights by China and immediately stop breaching international laws based on their misconceptions, if not biased political interests," the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the office of the commissioner of the Chinese foreign ministry in the HKSAR on Wednesday expressed strong dissatisfaction over and firm opposition to the British side smearing the national security law in Hong Kong, slandering the rule of law in Hong Kong and grossly interfering in Hong Kong affairs under the pretext of "recalling" British non-permanent members of the Court of Final Appeal.

The spokesperson pointed out that national security legislation is a common international practice. The national security law in Hong Kong has worked to effectively plug legal loopholes in safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, crack down on a small group of criminals who engage in activities endangering national security, and protect the freedom and rights of the majority of Hong Kong residents.

The spokesperson said that since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, "one country, two systems" and the HKSAR Basic Law have been fully and accurately implemented, and the rule of law in Hong Kong has developed continuously under the framework of "one country, two systems".

Ignoring the successful practice of "one country, two systems" and the rule of law in Hong Kong, the British side continues its political manipulation and attempts to make use of "recalling" British non-permanent members of the Court of Final Appeal to discredit the Chinese government's policy towards Hong Kong and smear the development of the rule of law in Hong Kong, the spokesperson said, adding the move exposes its sinister intentions of undermining the practice of "one country, two systems" and disrupting the rule of law and order in Hong Kong.

The spokesperson stressed that Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong and it is governed by the rule of law. No external intervention can shake the foundation of, and the confidence of the international community in the rule of law in Hong Kong.

The office urged the British side to recognize the reality and immediately stop its absurd political performance. 
Kiev, March 30 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he saw positive signals from the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.

"The signals we hear from the negotiating platform can be called positive," Zelensky said in a video address published on his official Telegram channel.

At the same time, Zelensky said Ukraine is "aware of all the risks" and will trust only "concrete results", Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ukrainian and Russian delegations held their latest round of peace talks in Turkey's city of Istanbul, the fifth since Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24.

Following the negotiations on Tuesday, David Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, said Kiev has proposed signing a new international treaty on security guarantees in an attempt to end the conflict in Ukraine.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Brussels, March 30 : Belgium will expel 21 Russian diplomats suspected of espionage and involvement in influence operations threatening Belgian security, the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sophie Wilmes has announced.

The diplomats, from the Russian Embassy in Brussels and the Consulate General in Antwerp, will have to leave the territory within 15 days, Xinhua news agency reported.

The decision was announced during the current affairs debate in Parliament on Tuesday.

The Russian Ambassador to Belgium was informed by the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, said the minister.

"This decision does not constitute a sanction or a punitive measure. It is only linked to our national security," she said. "Diplomatic channels remain open ... and we will of course continue to advocate dialogue."

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Srinagar, March 30 : Two terrorists have been killed in an ongoing encounter between terrorists and the security forces at Rainawari area in Central Kashmir's Srinagar district, officials said on Wednesday.

"Two terrorists killed. Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition recovered. Search going on," police said.

The firefight between terrorists and security forces took place after a joint team of the police and the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about presence of terrorists.

As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter.
Sambhal, March 30 : An inquiry has been ordered against a sub-inspector, accused of brutally beating a mentally-challenged man in Reeth village, under the jurisdiction of the Kudh Fatehgarh police circle in Sambhal.

A video of the alleged incident, which took place on March 23 at a Holi Milan ceremony, went viral on social media on Tuesday.

The video showed a person at the event take the mentally challenged man, who was on one side of the stage, to another.

Suddenly, sub-inspector Ratneesh Kumar was seen at the spot and he grabbed the man by the collar and dragged him across the floor.

The video showed the victim begging for mercy while the officer kept on kicking him with his boots on. A gathering of hundreds of people allegedly witnessed the merciless beating of the victim but no one could stand up to the cop.

Locals alleged that the officer was drunk and would not listen to anyone. The reason behind the act is still not known.

Taking cognisance of the matter, Sambhal Superintendent of Police (SP) Chakresh Mishra has ordered a probe into the incident.

The investigation has been handed over to circle officer of Chandausi.

"If found guilty, disciplinary action will be taken against the accused," Mishra assured.
The Hague, March 30 : The Dutch government has ordered the expulsion of 17 Russian diplomats suspected of being "intelligence officers," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.

The Russian ambassador was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hague and informed of the decision on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The ministry said in a statement that the measure had been taken "in the context of national security." The move followed information from the Dutch intelligence that the 17 diplomats were "secretly active as intelligence officers," it said.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Srinagar, March 30 : One of the two terrorists killed in an encounter between terrorists and security forces at Rainawari area in Central Kashmir's Srinagar district was carrying a press card, officials said on Wednesday.

"One of the killed categorised local terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT was carrying Identity Card (ID) of media. It indicates a clear case of misuse of media," Jammu and Kashmir police quoting Inspector General Police Kashmir zone Vijay Kumar tweeted.

Earlier police said two terrorists were killed in the encounter and incriminating materials including arms and ammunition recovered from them.

The firefight between terrorists and security forces took place after a joint team of the police and the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about presence of terrorists.

As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
RIYADH, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) in Yemen said on Wednesday that it has investigated allegations on human-rights violations against the Saudi-led coalition fighting a war in Yemen and found out that the coalition is not responsible for most of them, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The JIAT is an investigation mechanism created by the coalition to investigate possible human rights violations in its military operations in Yemen, a country that has been locked in a brutal civil war since 2014.

The JIAT said allegations of an attack targeting a house in Taiz Governorate in Yemen in 2015 are wrong as the team found that the coalition did not carry any airstrikes in the area.

The closest military target the coalition struck at the time was 18.5 km away from the house in question, said JIAT spokesperson Mansour Al-Mansour.

The JIAT also denied the coalition's accountability for an attack on a health center in Yemen's Saada Governorate in 2015.

Moreover, the team refuted a statement by the UN Humanitarian Coordinator that the coalition conducted an airstrike in Al-Jawf city in 2020, killing a number of civilians.

The forces of the coalition were "correct" in procedures to attack a vehicle and two buildings of the Houthi militia during the airstrike as local intelligence indicated that no civilians were inside, which turned out to be otherwise.

The JIAT recommended prosecuting the field commander who provided the inaccurate information, adding the coalition would provide assistance for the civilian victims.

The outcomes of the investigations were announced on the same day as the launch of the Yemeni talks in Riyadh. The talks, supported by the Gulf Cooperation Council, will continue until April 7 to find a political solution to the Yemeni crisis.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.

The Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 in the Yemeni civil war in an attempt to reinstate the Hadi government. The coalition has carried out thousands of airstrikes, killing tens of thousands of people, according to the United Nations. 
Vienna, March 30 : International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi has arrived in Ukraine on Tuesday for talks with senior Ukrainian officials on delivering urgent technical assistance to ensure the security of the country's nuclear facilities, the IAEA said.

The aim of Grossi's visit is to "initiate prompt safety and security support to Ukraine's nuclear facilities," which will include sending IAEA experts to prioritized facilities and the shipment of vital safety and security supplies including monitoring and emergency equipment, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement by the IAEA.

"The military conflict is putting Ukraine's nuclear power plants and other facilities with radioactive material in unprecedented danger," Grossi was quoted by the statement as saying.

"We must take urgent action to make sure that they can continue to operate safely and securely and reduce the risk of a nuclear accident that could have a severe health and environmental impact both in Ukraine and beyond," Grossi added.

Grossi will travel to one of Ukraine's nuclear power plants during his visit this week, the IAEA said.

According to another IAEA statement released on Tuesday night, eight of Ukraine's 15 functional reactors were continuing to operate, while the others were shut down for regular maintenan

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Srinagar, March 30 : Two terrorists killed in an encounter between terrorists and security forces at Rainawari area in Central Kashmir's Srinagar district have been identified as Rayees Ahmad Bhat and Hilal Ahmad Rah, officials said on Wednesday.

Police said Rayees Ahmad Bhat had been a journalist previously running an online news portal while Hilal Ahmad Rah, a categorised terrorist, belonged to Bijbehara in South Kashmir.

"Killed terrorist (Rayees Ah Bhat) was earlier a journalist and was running online news portal 'Valley News Service' in Anantnag. Joined terrorist ranks in August 2021 and was categorised 'C' in our list. Two FIRs were registered against him for terror crimes," police said.

"Second killed terrorist has been identified as Hilal Ah Rah of Bijbehara, a 'C' categorised terrorist." Earlier the firefight between terrorists and security forces took place after a joint team of the police and the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about presence of terrorists.

As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter.
New Delhi, March 30 : Leading merchant commerce platform Pine Labs on Wednesday said it has raised $50 million from Vitruvian Partners, a London-headquartered international investment firm.

Pine Labs serves large, mid-sized and small merchants across India and Southeast Asia, and is expanding its Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) offering in Southeast Asia.

"We aim to further strengthen our recent foray in online payments via Plural and take our Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) offering to new markets through strategic collaborations," saidAB. Amrish Rau, CEO, Pine Labs.

Earlier this month, the company launched 'Mastercard Installments with Pine Labs' programme, with Mastercard and DBS Bank to empower the bank's two million customers in Singapore, Indonesia, and Hong Kong with Pay Later installment purchase options at the point of sale.

Peter Read, Partner at Vitruvian Partners, said that the investment in Pine Labs follows "several investments we have made into the digital payments space".

"We're excited to partner with the management team as they continue to drive digital transformation within the rapidly growing Indian payments market," Read added.

In April last year, Pine Labs acquired Fave, a consumer fintech platform that provides a smart payment app to the smart generation of consumers looking to pay and save.

Fave is currently available in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia with a planned roll-out in India in the near term.

Incorporated in Singapore, Pine Labs' key investors include Sequoia India, Actis Capital, Temasek, PayPal and Mastercard.
Chennai, March 30 : The Tamil Nadu government will demolish a total of 10,030 dilapidated government schools and replace them with new buildings, State School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said here on Wednesday.

During this financial year, the state government has allotted an amount of Rs 1,300 crore for the same.

The minister, in a statement, said the government is poised for major development in the school education sector and smart classrooms will be built to make children familiar with all sectors of learning.

Construction of 18,000 new classrooms and other infrastructure for schools at a cost of Rs 7000 crore under the Perasariyar Anbhazagan School Development scheme in five years is also being planned.

Minister Poyyamozhi said that the district collectors and MLAs have been asked to identify the school buildings to be constructed on a priority basis.

There is a government order stating that two school teachers have to present while children alight from schoolbus and they must ensure children reach the classrooms and only then allow the school buses to move, the minister said.

He was referring to the death of a Class 2 student who was run over by a schoolbus that dropped him. He said that the government would take up the matter with the school authorities at a meeting of District Education officers scheduled on April 4.

Besides, the government is taking efforts to increase the academic output of students and regular monitoring of students and follow up will take place, he added.
Chennai, March 30 : The Indian Coast Guard officials have apprehended a Sri Lankan fisherman for allegedly fishing in Indian waters.

He was arrested on Tuesday in the southeast of Kodiyakkarai near Nagapattinam. The mechanised boat used by the Sri Lankan fisherman was also impounded by the Coast guard authorities.

He was handed over to the Coastal Security group of the Tamil Nadu Police on Tuesday night. The man was booked at the Vedaranyam Marine Police station under the Maritime Zones of India Act 1981.

The man was identified as Santhan from Valluvettiturai in the Jaffna district of Sri Lanka.

After arresting him, the Coast Guard tried to tow his boat to Nagapattinam. Sources told IANS that the boat capsized several times in the hard sea and it took nearly 20 hours to tow the boat to the shore.

Officials said he would be taken to the Metropolitan Magistrate court, Chennai on Wednesday.
New Delhi, March 30 : Army Chief General M.M. Naravane, Vice Chief Lieutenant General Manoj Pande and other top military commanders reached the headquarters of the Central Command in Lucknow on Wednesday to review deployments of troops in the Western and Northern borders.

The military top brass will discuss the force preparedness at the Line of Actual Control with China and Line of Control with Pakistan. They will be there for three days and hold deliberations over various military issues amid changing geopolitical turmoil.

India and China have been engaged in a border dispute for around almost two years and talks are on to resolve the matter. Even as talks with China are on, the People's Liberation Army deployment has been intact. India too has dug in and made a mirror deployment of troops.

With the onset of summer, the Indian Army reviews the deployments of the troops at the Line of Actual Control.

Last week, India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Delhi and discussed bilateral relations "that have been disturbed as a result of the Chinese actions in April 2020".

Jaishankar had said the current situation of disengaging the disputed borders is happening at a "slower pace than desirable".

He also stated the relationship with China is "not normal. Our effort today is to sort out the issue in its entirety," he said.

China's People's Liberation Army made an aggressive move at the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh in April 2020 leading to the border dispute between India and China. It has been two years and the border dispute is still not resolved.

Earlier, this month India and China discussed resolving the existing border dispute along the Line of Actual Control during the 15th round of Corp commander level talks but nothing moved in the meeting.

The joint statement issued by the Ministry of Defence in India had stated that the 15th round China-India Corps Commander Level Meeting was held at Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Indian side on March 11, 2022.

The two sides carried forward their discussions from the previous round held on 12th January 2022 for the resolution of the relevant issues along the LAC in the Western Sector.

"They had a detailed exchange of views in this regard, in keeping with the guidance provided by the State Leaders to work for the resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest," said the statement.

They reaffirmed that such a resolution would help restore peace and tranquility along the LAC in the Western Sector and facilitate progress in the bilateral relations.

Fourteen rounds of talks till now have resulted in the resolution of the North and South Bank of Pangong Tso, Galwan and Gogra Hot Spring areas.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Hyderabad, March 30 : Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao has hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of the TRS government over the paddy procurement issue.

Rama Rao listed the steps taken by the TRS government for the welfare of farmers and claimed that it delivered in seven years what Congress governments could not deliver in 50 years.

"Your party has been given opportunity to govern this country for over 50+ years. When in power INC couldn't provide even 6 hours of electricity to farmers causing distress and suicides in Telangana," tweeted KTR, as Rama Rao is popularly known.

He was reacting to a tweet by Rahul Gandhi, who alleged that the BJP government at the Centre and TRS government in the state were playing politics over farmers issues and escaping from their moral duty to procure paddy from farmers.

Information Technology, Industries, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KTR, who is son of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, claimed that with innovative schemes like Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bhima, Mission Kakatiya, 24 hours of free power supply and with focus on irrigation, the Chandrasekhar Rao government has ushered in a agricultural revolution.

"What your party couldn't deliver in 50 years, our Govt has delivered in 7 years. Comparing the performance of TRS Govt with past INC Govts will put your party to shame," wrote the TRS leader.

Rahul Gandhi's tweets had Tuesday sparked a war of words between between CM KCR's daughter K. Kavitha and Congress MP in-charge of Telangana Manickam Tagore.

Kavitha, who is a member of State Legislative Council, had advised Rahul Gandhi not to just resort to tweets for political mileage but extend support to the TRS demand for uniform procurement policy for the entire country.

Manickam Tagore hit back at Kavitha, asking her not to play with Telangana farmers by 'one nation one procurement' demand. He reminded Kavitha that she was defeated in Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency in 2019 as she couldn't keep the promise made to farmers of setting up a turmeric board.

Tagore warned Kavitha that "if TRS will play with farmers, then it will meet the same fate in 2023 as she did Nizamabad".

Kavitha then hit back, this time targeting Rahul Gandhi. "This arrogance reduced your party into double digits in the same Parliament. Win or lose, I did not run away from my constituency like your ex-CP Rahul Gandhi did. Also, I did not contest two seats like your ex-CP," the former MP said, tagging Rahul Gandhi.
Chennai, March 30 : The Censor Board has cleared director Kishore's upcoming mythological thriller 'Maayon', featuring actors Sibi Sathyaraj and Tanya Ravichandran in the lead, for release with a clean 'U' certificate.

Produced by Double Meaning Productions, the film has sparked interest due to its intriguing mythological theme.

'Maayon' was also in the news for becoming the first-ever Indian movie teaser to have an 'audio description'. The audio description was to offer a wholesome movie-watching experience even to the visually challenged. The team is now engaged in preparing the audio-described version of the full film.

The 'U' rating for 'Maayon' is in stark contrast to the production's previous box-office success, 'Psycho', which was rated 'A'.

Sources say 'Maayon' is set against the backdrop of an ancient temple. Screenplay for the film is by its producer Arun Mozhi Manickam and music is by Maestro Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Sonipat, March 30 : Dr Ajay Chhibber, Distinguished Visiting Scholar at George Washington University gave a Distinguished Public Lecture on 'Making India a Prosperous and Happy Nation @100' at the Jindal School of Government and Public Policy (JSGP), O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU).

Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, the Vice-Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University and Dean of the Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, Prof. R. Sudarshan, expressed their delight in hosting Dr Chhibber at the university campus, which has opened after two years of the pandemic.

Dr Chhibber, who is also the author of "Unshackling India: Hard Truths and Clear Choices for Revival" (with Salman Aneez Soz), emphasized that India needs to achieve sustainable prosperity with inclusive and sustainable development for reducing income- gender-, caste-, or religion-related disparities. India must reshape itself into a "genuinely secular and caring society with a state that belongs to the people and not an overbearing state that stifles innovation, ingenuity, and initiative".

Dr Chhibber proposed solutions to six challenges that impede India's prosperity and future growth.

First, India needs to "reduce the scope and reach of the state (the government) and strengthen its capabilities...India needs to be unshackled from an overbearing state trying to do too much and doing much of it, in my opinion, badly." Second, there is an inter-dependence of health & nutrition, education, and gender inequality related issues. "India must also build up world-class universities and research centres, must allow greater freedom and involvement of the private sector and build and run these freely while using public funds to support, not supplant them".

Third, the male-female sex ratio continues to decline, with female infanticide numbers being on the rise, "especially in the heartland states of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat." India must renew efforts to ensure that women's economic, legal, and political exploitation ends.

Fourth, India's economy must be re-engineered for more inclusive growth and job creation.

Fifth, India must "pursue next-generation reforms for realising the demographic dividend". A strong policy focus on urbanisation and infrastructure development issues is required.

Lastly, "India's political class must broaden its goal ... instead of weakening institutions to serve narrow political goals by creating divisions in the society to pit one group or religion against another." India must join hands with the rest of the world to address climate change issues, promising a better future to the coming generations "Bending the arc of India's trajectory, over the next 25 years, when India will celebrate 100 years of independence, will surely make India an economic power of the 21st century and a much happier country that all Indians deserve."
Singrauli, March 30 : Most of last year, a middle-aged man with a blackboard strapped to his motorcycle was seen making the rounds of Singrauli's remote tribal villages, after schools were ordered shut during the Covid-19 pandemic. For Sharad Pandey, a science teacher at a government middle school in Shahpur, Waidhan tehsil, providing the classroom experience to his underprivileged students was paramount, and he was dedicated to the task of covering 12 to 15 remote hamlets.

"No amount of online teaching can replace the power of classroom teacher-student interaction and the learning that takes place in this context. The classroom experience cannot be skipped," Pandey said, adding that remote learning did not allow for social interaction, a critical ingredient of education.

Singrauli, India's energy hub in Madhya Pradesh, is dotted with coal mines and thermal power plants, but its villages still lack even the most basic facilities. The roads, many still untarred, make accessibility to these villages a struggle, whereas shoddy mobile connectivity and lack of other necessary resources made education near inaccessible to students in the wake of the pandemic.

Pandey's student Rakesh and his two friends would cycle down to their study corner just outside Banauli, one of many villages part of Pandey's initiative. For these teens, Sundays had been hardly any different from their weekdays, since the state government had ordered the closure of schools. It had become a routine then to reach their study spot to get a stable data connection on their smartphones.

Between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., these school boys would sit on either side of the road leading to Banauli, trying to access their lessons on the WhatsApp groups created under DigiLEP - the state government's 'Digital Learning Enhancement Program'. In 2020, the Madhya Pradesh education department launched DigiLEP under the banner of 'Hamara Ghar - Hamara Vidyalaya' (Our Home, Our School) to promote the idea of acquiring education at home.

However, for Rakesh and his friends, the roadside had turned into their school. Nevertheless, they had managed to be part of the 31.8 per cent of children from the 1,499 surveyed villages in Madhya Pradesh who had regular access to a smartphone for online classes.

Pandey acknowledged that despite platforms like DigiLEP, it had not been easy for school children in rural Madhya Pradesh. Even earlier, he had been aware of the poor network coverage in these remote regions, and that not all would be able to agree on a roadside 'study spot' with connectivity away from their homes.

"Most students opted for pre-recharged cell phones, and some had their own laptops," he added. "But some only had one phone in the family. There were also students who had no phones at all in their houses." Last year, when teachers had ordered students to stay home and study through their mobile devices, 14-year-old Muskan from Gadh village was left confused.

"There was no internet coverage at home. We had to go outside even for a phone call," she shared her plight.

Belonging to the Godh community, a Scheduled Tribe, Muskan was just one among thousands who faced such hardships in these tribal villages.

In August 2021, a survey titled 'Locked Out: Emergency Report on School Education' conducted by School Children: Online and Offline Learning found that even though pandemic-enforced restrictions had pushed for remote learning, it had backfired in the form of education disparity.

A crucial finding of this survey - conducted on 1,362 students from across 15 states and union territories - was that 49 per cent of the rural population did not have a smartphone. And in the households that did, only 15 per cent of rural children could use it to study regularly; the primary reasons for the disparity were poor connectivity, lack of funds for internet services, and that most families had just one smartphone that belonged to an elder member of the house.

Furthermore, the study discovered that the impact was even more severe among students from marginalised communities - only 4 per cent of children from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities from rural areas were able to study online regularly.

To correct this imbalance to a certain extent, Pandey had taken upon himself the responsibility of teaching the marginalised tribal students of Singrauli's villages. When the online teaching model was introduced, "initially, most students had no idea what to do, while the parents thought it was just a holiday", he explained. These challenges, he had thought, would compound to a future problem of high rural illiteracy, which is why he had decided to "step out and teach them offline". With a blackboard mount welded to his motorcycle and a bluetooth speaker, he started mohalla classes. He began with the villages of Gadh, Harrai, Gahil Gadh, Banauli, Navjeevan Vihar and Telgaava, mostly inhabited by people from the Godh and Bhil Scheduled Tribe communities.

"It was very tough to reach out to children. Social distancing was mandatory, so I had to choose open areas with a limited number of students," the Good Samaritan recalled the challenges.

Pandey said that at first, he had provided these students with notebooks, stationery, masks and sanitisers at his own expense, and later, village locals had extended help.

His mohalla classes, or community classes, would commence at 9 a.m. every day, with 25 students in each class. Science remained his primary subject, but Pandey would teach English, as well. These students were intimated about their upcoming classes on WhatsApp and via phone calls in case of lack of internet. In total, around 120 students had been part of Pandey's mohalla classes, of which 65 per cent were girls from classes 6 to 8.

Furthermore, Pandey's offline classes had been of notable help for the girls in these villages, who had been engaged in gender-specific chores at home since schools were ordered shut.

"When a teacher arrives, the parents are forced to send the girls to class," he explained.

For instance, a girl from the Saket community, a Dalit community, had dropped out after Class 8 because her parents did not allow her to continue her studies. But after routine interactions with her parents during his mohalla classes, Pandey was able "to convince them to let her study" whenever he would come to teach.

"She became a regular student, with her name back in the school register," he added, proud.

Pandey is pleased to know that his efforts had borne fruits. All the students from his mohalla classes had passed their assessments.

(The author is a Bhopal-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters)
NAIROBI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A total of 754,906 children under five years of age and 103,286 pregnant and lactating women require treatment for acute malnutrition as a result of Kenya's ongoing drought, a government official said Tuesday.

Patrick Amoth, the director-general for health at the Ministry of Health, said in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, that the government has activated the nutrition response which includes the supply of lifesaving commodities, nutrition screening and integrated outreaches.

"The ministry has also developed draft guidelines for maternal, infant and young child nutrition in emergency which are intended to guide the implementation of multi-sectoral actions to protect, promote and support exclusive breastfeeding as well as safe and appropriate complementary feeding practices during emergencies," Amoth said during the official opening of the first national symposium on maternal, infant and young child nutrition.

He noted that the most affected populations by acute malnutrition are those in arid and semi-arid counties.

"The prevailing drought has adversely affected the most vulnerable groups especially, children under five years of age, pregnant and lactating women," he said.

According to the Ministry of Health, the most notable impact of the drought is the interruption of breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices resulting in an increased risk of malnutrition and illness.

Amoth added that malnutrition is a leading cause of infant and child morbidity, mortality and hospital admission, a situation that urgently requires interventions. 
Patna, March 30 : Facing criticism over the liquor ban, the Nitish Kumar government has decided to introduce the Bihar Liquor Prohibition Bill 2022 in the state Assembly on Wednesday.

Under the amendment, there is a provision for the first time offenders to get bail from the duty magistrate after depositing a fine. In case the offender is not able to deposit the fine, he/she is liable to face one month jail.

There is also a provision that when an offender is nabbed by the police for the ban violation, the accused has to disclose the name of the person from where liquor was obtained.

The Nitish Kumar government seeks to pass the Bill in the Vidhan Sabha smoothly and has distributed the copies of the amendment Bill to every MLAs to read it.

The Bihar Chief Minister imposed a liquor ban in April 2016 in the state through the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act. After the ban, a large number of people have been lodged in jails only for liquor consumption. The majority of the violators belong to economically weaker sections and the poor people. Even hearing for bail in simple cases is taking one year time in the courts.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) N.V. Ramana had said last year that the decisions like liquor ban of Bihar government in 2016 have put huge burden on courts. "There are three lakh cases pending in the courts. People are waiting for justice for a long time and now the excessive cases related to liquor violations put an additional burden on courts," the CJI had said.
Thiruvananthapuram, March 30 : In a first of its kind, trade union workers attached to various political parties barring the BJP marched to the office of leading Malayalam TV news channel, Asianet, here on Wednesday to register their protest against the comment made by their news anchor on Monday night's prime news bulletin.

Anchor Vinu V.John was debating over the protests by the joint trade union protest against the policies of the Centre. Kerala witnessed a total bandh and workers taking part in the protests literally took over the streets of the state leaving innocent citizens running for shelter.

John was peeved when a patient who was being moved in an auto rickshaw came under the ire of the protesters in north Kerala.

In the news hour debate he made a statement if anyone did such a thing to the CITU general secretary Elamaram Kareem, a Rajya Sabha member and a top CPI-M leader, what would have happened.

This irked the CPI-M, especially after it came from John who has been having a running feud with the cyber wing of the CPI-M and also with P.M. Manoj, press secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

A peeved Kareem said what John said is not acceptable and this is not journalism.

"I will register a complaint against John before the State Police chief and also with the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha," said Kareem.

The Asianet news channel has pointed out that those who are out to protest are propagating an edited video clip of the debate, to whip up passion, while they have put out the entire portion.

Expressing his dissent, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan said he does not advocate such a protest against a media house.

"The media will be critical and just see how much we the Congress are attacked and that's their job. We are totally against this protest and even though the INTUC is taking part in the protest, it's not a feeder organisation of the Congress party and they are not bound to listen to us. But I will definitely speak to the INTUC leaders and tell them our view," said Satheesan.
March 30 : Shah Rukh Khan has recently wrapped up the Spain schedule of Pathaan and has returned to Mumbai. Now a bunch of pictures have surfaced on fan pages, where the superstar can be seen in selfies with his fans.

In a fresh set of pictures, Shah Rukh can be seen posing for selfies with his fans, and it seems they have been clicked in Spain where he was shooting with Deepika Padukone. In the pictures, Shah Rukh can be seen in a blue shirt, black pants, and sunglasses, with his long hair flowing in the air. Shah Rukhs new look is never seen before in any movies. In one of the pictures, the actors hair can be seen tied and he is wearing a black jacket. The pictures appear to be taken at the Pathaan set in Spain.

Shah Rukhs new look is creating a hype among his fans. Recently, the actor took to Instagram to share a picture of himself, flaunting his eight-pack abs. Shah Rukh, who was away from social media for quite some time, returned with a bang with Pathan teaser and his witty commercials for OTT giant Disney+ Hotstar. The actor took to his Instagram handle and shared a picture from Pathaan, and as usual with a witty caption. In the picture, Shah Rukh can be seen flaunting his chiselled physique with his 8 pack abs from the Pathaan sets. In the caption to the picture, he referenced both Pathaan and his recent ad campaign for Disney+ Hotstar with the tagline Thoda Ruk Shah Rukh (stop a for a while, Shah Rukh). In the picture, the actor is seen shirtless, in his Pathaan avatar with dark aviators to complete his looks. "Shah Rukh agar thoda Rukh bhi gaya toh Pathaan ko kaise rokoge.. Apps aur Abs sab bana dalunga (Even if Shah Rukh stops for a while, how will you stop Pathaan? I'll build apps and abs both)," he wrote.

Recently, several pictures from the film's shoot in Spain were leaked online. They showed Shah Rukh and Deepika gearing for a song sequence for the movie.

Directed by Siddharth Anand, Pathaan also stars John Abraham. The film will mark Shah Rukh's return to the big screen after almost four years as he was last seen in Aanand L Rai's Zero, which was released in 2018.

In a recent interview, Siddharth Anand spoke about Pathaan and said that the film has been designed to deliver the biggest action spectacle that audiences cannot even expect to see in the Hindi film industry. We are carefully and strategically building the entire campaign to engineer some of the biggest moments for fan hysteria around Pathaan, the director said.

The hugely anticipated film, which is part of Aditya Chopras spy universe, has the biggest superstars like Shah Rukh, Deepika and John, and Siddharth Anand is clear that he wants to make Pathaan the biggest event film of India.
New Delhi/Brasilia, March 30 : Microsoft-owned LinkedIn has changed its global policy for job postings after Brazilian authorities flagged the removal of postings on its platform that were exclusive to black and indigenous professionals.

The professional networking website faced severe criticism for excluding a job opening by the Centre for the Analysis of Freedom and Authoritarianism in Brazil.

In the job posting, the Brazilian organisation expressed that preference would be given to black and indigenous candidates in the selection process, reports ZDNet.

"We have updated our global job posting policy to allow publication of publications that express a preference for professionals from historically disadvantaged groups in hiring in countries where this practice is considered legal," the company said in a statement late on Tuesday.

LinkedIn's global policy prohibits discrimination in job postings based on characteristics such as age, gender, disability, ethnicity, race, and sexual orientation.

After the job vacancy was removed, the platform received severe criticisms from its Brazilian users.

"In Brazil, affirmative vacancies are now allowed, including [job postings] for black and indigenous people. We appreciate the feedback we have received from our community in Brazil," said LinkedIn.

LinkedIn was also notified by consumer protection agency Procon-SP, who requested the professional networking website to clarify the job posting process.
Washington, March 30 : The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a fifth Covid-19 booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna for people aged over 50 and some immunocompromised individuals.

The FDA had previously authorised a single booster dose for certain immunocompromised individuals following completion of a three-dose primary vaccination series. The new approval will now make a second booster dose of these vaccines available to other populations at higher risk for severe disease, hospitalisation and death.

The fifth booster can be administered to individuals 50 years of age and older at least 4 months after receipt of a fourth booster dose of any authorised or approved Covid vaccine.

Individuals 12 years of age and older with weaker immune systems such as those who have undergone solid organ transplantation are also eligible for the shots at least 4 months after receipt of a fifth booster dose.

The current vaccines were developed against the original virus that emerged in Wuhan, China in late 2019, and their effectiveness has declined over time as the virus mutates. The FDA stated that emerging evidence suggests that a fifth booster dose of an mRNA Covid-19 vaccine improves protection against severe Covid and is not associated with new safety concerns.

"Current evidence suggests some waning of protection over time against serious outcomes from Covid-19 in older and immunocompromised individuals. Based on an analysis of emerging data, a second booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna Covid-19 vaccine could help increase protection levels for these higher-risk individuals," said Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Centre for Biologics Evaluation and Research, in a statement.

While the US is facing another wave of Omicron, due to the BA.2 subvaraint, Mark said: "an initial booster dose is critical in helping to protect all adults from the potentially severe outcomes of Covid-19". Pfizer and Moderna are conducting clinical trials on shots that target both Omicron and other circulating variants.

The approval of Pfizer shot is based on safety surveillance data provided to the FDA by the Ministry of Health of Israel on the administration of approximately 700,000 fourth (second booster) doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine after the third dose in adults 18 years of age and older (approximately 600,000 of whom were 60 years of age or older) and revealed no new safety concerns.

And the safety of Moderna jab is based on information reported from an independently conducted study in which the Moderna's Covid vaccine was administered as a second booster dose to 120 participants 18 years of age and older. No new safety concerns were reported during up to three weeks of follow up after the second booster dose.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Bengaluru, March 30 : Amid hijab row and call of ban on Muslim merchants in temple fairs, the right wing groups are now demanding ban on halal products in Karnataka. A social media campaign is going on to boycott purchase of meat from Muslim traders in the state.

Hindu Jagruthi Samithi, Srirama Sene, Bajarang Dal and other right wing groups have called for removal of halal certification from the sign boards of meat selling shops. They have also urged Hindus not to buy meat which is halal cut. Instead they have advised the Hindus to buy meat which is cut as per the Hindu traditional method called 'Jhatka'.

Pramod Muthalik, Founder of Sriram Sene on Wednesday said that halal cut meat should be boycotted in the state as well as the whole country. "The money given for halal products is used for anti-national activities. The money collected here will be used to bring out jailed criminals of terrorist organisations." "One of the Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders got Rs 15 crore transferred to his account during the Shaheen bagh protest. Akbar and Aurangzeb (Muslim kings who ruled India) had taxed Hindus," he maintained.

Meanwhile, Hindu Jagruthi Samithi members have got sign boards which said 'halal cut available' removed from three shops in Vijayanagar of Bengaluru. At Nelamangala, in the outskirts of Bengaluru, banners have been put up to eat only at Hindu restaurants.

Endorsing the call, BJP National General Secretary and MLA C.T. Ravi has said that if Muslims can give a call saying they will only have to use halal cut meat, what is wrong if others choose not to use the halal cut meat? The communal harmony is not one-sided. It should come from the other side also, he said.

Mandating Halal is economic jihad, it is devised to make Muslims purchase only with traders of their religion and not to transact with others, Ravi underlined. Since meat is consumed on a large scale as village festivals are celebrated post Ugadi in Karnataka, the call to ban halal cut meat is going to create a problem in the state.

Hindu organisations are making appeals through videos and campaigns on social media. The videos are going viral.
New Delhi, March 30 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday underscored the importance of an enhanced regional connectivity, cooperation and security among the BIMSTEC countries.

The Prime Minister called upon fellow leaders to strive to transform the Bay of Bengal into a bridge of connectivity, prosperity, and security among the BIMSTEC-member countries.

Modi participated in the fifth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit hosted in virtual mode by Sri Lanka, the current chair of BIMSTEC.

Prior to the 5th BIMSTEC Summit, preparatory meetings at the senior official and foreign minister levels were held in Colombo on March 28-29 in the hybrid mode.

The Summit's theme 'Towards a Resilient Region, Prosperous Economies, Healthy People' captures the main current priorities of the member states, and the efforts by the BIMSTEC to develop cooperation activities that support member states' programmes to deal with the economic and development consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The main outcome of the Summit was the adoption and signing of the BIMSTEC Charter, which formalises the grouping into an organisation made up of member states that are littoral to, and dependent upon, the Bay of Bengal.

The Summit also saw considerable progress being achieved in the BIMSTEC connectivity agenda with the adoption of the 'Master Plan for Transport Connectivity' by Leaders which lays out a guidance framework for connectivity related activities in the region in the future.

Modi along with other leaders also witnessed the signing of three BIMSTEC agreements which represent progress being achieved in ongoing cooperation activities.

The agreement signed are BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, BIMSTEC Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Cooperation in the field of Diplomatic Training and Memorandum of Association on Establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Cairo, March 30 : Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has expressed Egypt's "unwavering support" for Libya to hold presidential and parliamentary elections, said the Egyptian presidency.

The Egyptian leader on Tuesday made the remark during a meeting with Mohamed al-Menfi, head of the Libyan Presidential Council, during which they discussed the latest developments of the Libyan crisis.

Sisi expressed "Egypt's unwavering support for the Libyan state institutions to undertake their responsibilities and role, leading to holding the presidential and parliamentary elections," said Egyptian presidential spokesman Bassam Rady in a statement, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Egyptian president also stressed his country's support for the efforts to achieve Libya's greater interests and preserve its territorial integrity.

For his part, al-Menfi praised Egypt's "vital role" and tireless efforts to restore security and stability in Libya by supporting comprehensive reconciliation efforts among the Libyans and reunifying Libya's state institutions.

He also appreciated Cairo's support for the implementation of the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya in order to preserve Libya's unity, security, and sovereignty.

The talks came amid rising tensions between Libyan political forces, which have led to the indefinite postponement of the general elections that were supposed to be held in late 2021.

Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of its late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with mercenaries and foreign fighters reportedly operating for years in the country.

On February 10, the Libyan parliament unanimously voted for Fathi Bashagha as the country's new prime minister, replacing Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah who vowed that his government will remain in office until the general elections are held.
Ramallah, March 30 : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has condemned the shooting in the Bnei Brak neighbourhood of Tel Aviv that killed at least five Israelis.

In a press statement on Tuesday, Abbas warned that killing Israeli or Palestinian civilians "only leads to further deterioration," adding that "everyone is striving to achieve stability, especially as Muslim, Christian and Jewish holidays are coming." He also warned of exploiting the shooting attack in Tel Aviv "to carry out aggressions and reactions against the Palestinians by settlers and other Israelis," Xinhua news agency reported.

Abbas said that the cycle of violence "confirms that permanent, comprehensive and just peace is the shortest and correct way to provide security and stability for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples and the people of the region." Meanwhile, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said that the shooting attack was "a response to the Israeli actions and measures against the Palestinians, their properties, and holy places."
New Delhi, March 30 : Limited impact of Covid 3 on business along with expectation of a relatively improved demand is expected to accelerate the growth of non-bank finance companies(NBFCs) in FY23, said ratings agency ICRA.

Accordingly, the expected trend came to light via a survey of entities constituting over 50 per cent of the industry's assets under management (AUM).

In the ICRA's survey, entities expect asset quality to improve in FY2023 from current levels.

Besides, large entities are expecting to consume some of the excess liquidity for business growth while smaller ones intend to maintain liquidity amid expectations of funding constraints to support their liquidity profile in the event of any uncertainties and to provide comfort to various stakeholders.

Furthermore, entities are not expecting capital raise in FY23, possibly given the already adequate capital positions on the back of low growth in the last two fiscals.

Moreover, return indicators are expected to improve to near pre-Covid levels in FY23.

According to ICRA's survey report, these trends follows the possible impact of the improvement in the operating environment, limited impact of Covid 3 on business and expectation of a relatively improved demand.

In terms of key constraints for AUM growth, the report cited, increased competition from banks or larger lenders, demand and supply related issues, expectation on some funding constraints and regulatory tightening or increased oversight.

Additionally, the survey report said that in terms of new business sourcing, co-lending or fintech partnerships are not likely to contribute significantly to new business; only 10 per cent of entities expect more than 10 per cent contribution to new business through this route.

"ICRA expects the growth for the overall industry to be about 8-10 per cent for FY2023," said Manushree Saggar, Vice-President, Financial Sector Ratings, ICRA.

"In ICRA's view also, profitability for non-bank finance companies is expected to improve to near pre-Covid levels in FY2023. In the current fiscal, profitability would register an improvement over the previous year, on the back of a moderation in the credit cost."
KINSHASA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A helicopter of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), or MONUSCO, was shot down Tuesday by rebels of the March 23 Movement (M23), with eight people on board, said the DRC armed forces (FARDC).

The tragedy took place as several FARDC military positions had been attacked since early Monday by M23 rebels in the Rutshuru territory of the northeastern North Kivu province, the same area where the MONUSCO helicopter crashed.

"The helicopter was shot down in the midst of a mission to assess the population movements caused by the M23 attacks in the region for the humanitarian actions," read the statement issued by the military governor of North Kivu, while accusing the M23 of having shot down the plane in an area where rebels are staging an offensive.

According to the statement, the downed helicopter had eight peacekeepers and UN observers on board. For the moment, the military authorities have indicated that they are working hard to find the wreckage of the downed aircraft and survivors.

According to a MONUSCO briefing released earlier, the helicopter, which was on a reconnaissance mission, crashed around noon, local time. The MONUSCO has not yet confirmed the FARDC accusations and the casualty.

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 Congolese government, which M23 leaders claimed had not been respected by the government.

The cause of the air crash remains unknown, and a search-and-rescue mission is underway. 
Srinagar, March 30 : Inspector General Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar on Wednesday reiterated his appeal to all misguided youths who have joined terror folds to shun the path of violence and return to the mainstream and contribute in nation building.

Two terrorists were killed in a gunfight between the terrorists and security forces in the Rainawari area in Central Kashmir's Srinagar district on Wednesday. Police said based on specific input generated by the police regarding the presence of terrorists in the area, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the Srinagar Police and Valley QRT CRPF.

"During the operation, as the search party proceeded towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the search party which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter," police said.

In the ensuing gunfight, two terrorists were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site. They have been identified as Rayees Ahmad Bhat and Hilal Ahmad Rah, both residents of Bijbehara Anantnag, linked with proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

"As per police records both the killed terrorists were categorised terrorists and part of groups involved in several terror crime cases, including attacks on police/security forces and civilian atrocities.

"It is pertinent to mention that the killed terrorist Rayees Ahmad was earlier working as a journalist and was running online news portal 'Valley News Service' in Anantnag. He had joined the terrorist ranks in 2021 and was wanted by law in cases related to terror crime. He was also responsible for creating terror among the locals and had been coercing innocent citizens to sympathise with anti-national elements," police said.

Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition were recovered from the site, said the police.

Meanwhile, the IGP congratulated the Srinagar Police and Valley QRT CRPF for carrying out the anti-terrorist operation in a professional manner without any collateral damage.

The IGP Kashmir, while sharing the details with the media, said that the slain terrorists were planning to attack soft targets in Srinagar and timely action by the Srinagar Police led to the elimination of both.

He also said the number of terrorists operating in the Kashmir Valley has fallen as compared to last many years and "we are intensifying the operations to make the valley terror free". He further said the J&K Police were trying hard to bring the misguided youth, who have joined the terrorist ranks, back to their normal life with the help of their family members and respectable citizens.

The IGP Kashmir reiterated his appeal to all the misguided youths to shun the path of violence and return to mainstream and contribute in nation building.
Gadag : , March 30 (IANS) The Karnataka Education Department has suspended 7 teachers including 2 superintendents for allowing hijab clad students to take SSLC (class 10) exams in Gadag district.

The department has also ordered an inquiry on the suspended persons. These teachers and superintendents allowed hijab clad girls to write exams on Monday at the C.S. Patil Examination Centre in Gadag.

Meanwhile, Sriram Sene Kalaburagi District President, Ninganna Gouda Patil has lodged a complaint with the Block Education Officer of Kalaburagi demanding the suspension of Mohammad Ali, the teacher of Ijeri Urdu School in Jevargi taluk for allowing a student to write exams wearing hijab. In his complaint he has warned that if action is not taken, protest will be staged.

Following the Karnataka High Court Special Bench dismissal of the petitions filed by students seeking permission to allow them to wear hijab and attend classes, the government has prohibited wearing of hijab while writing exams in the state.

Majority of students belonging to the minority community are attending exams in uniforms and without hijab. A separate room is being arranged for Muslim students to remove burqa, hijab and then attend exams.

Earlier on Monday, a lady invigilator who was monitoring examinations wearing hijab was suspended after she refused to take it off hijab in Rajajinagar of Bengaluru. Many students have remained absent and went back from the examination centres after being asked to remove hijab.

As many as 8,73,846 students have enrolled for SSLC exams this academic year among which 4,52,732 are boys and 4,21,110 are girl students. Four students belonging to the third gender and 5,307 specially abled children are also taking exams. More than 20,000 students had remained absent on the first day of SSLC exams. The SSLC (Class 10) examinations commenced from March 28 and will be held till April 11.
New Delhi, March 30 : The members of Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha on Wednesday staged a protest outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the latter's recent remarks in the Assembly on 'The Kashmir Files' movie.

The Aam Aadmi Party, however, alleged that the protesters attacked the Chief Minister's house.

"CM Arvind Kejriwal's HOUSE ATTACKED BY BJP! SECURITY BARRIERS BROKEN, CCTVs CAMERAS BROKEN, GATE VANDALISED, WITH FULL SUPPORT FROM BJP'S DELHI POLICE. All for demanding Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits?," the party tweeted from its official handle.

Confirming about the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sagar Singh Kalsi said that around 11.30 a.m. onwards a protest was started by around 150-200 protesters of the BJP Yuva Morcha outside the chief minister's residence.

"Around 1 p.m., some of the protesters breached two barricades and reached outside the CM House where they created ruckus, shouted slogans, etc. They were carrying a small box of paint from which they threw paint outside the door. In the imbroglio, a boom barrier arm was also found vandalised as also a CCTV camera," Kalsi said.

The senior police official further informed that the police team immediately removed them from the spot and detained around 70 persons.

"Legal action is being initiated," he added.

Notably, the protest was led by BJP Yuva Morcha's national secretary Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga and its national president Tejasvi Surya.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Thiruvananthapuram, March 30 : After two days break, the protests against K-Rail project started on Wednesday with people, mostly women at a village in Kollam district coming out strongly against it and vowed that they will take drastic steps if any survey is undertaken.

On account of the strong protests, the laying of marking stones was abandoned and the team left the place.

Ajay Kumar, a 62-year-old man who slogged for several decades in Saudi Arabia, said that he has placed a cooking gas cylinder in front of his house and the moment any official enters his compound to lay the stone, he will switch on the gas.

His wife, who was also very vocal, showed a rope that was tied on a tree in their compound and warned if anyone dares to enter, the rope will be used to hang him.

"We have been living here for long and we do not want to leave from here. Just nearby to our home is a huge compound of a church, why are they very particular that the track should pass through our homes and not through the church compound," asked another angry local resident.

Meanwhile at Tripunithura in Ernakulam, the local residents are peeved as marking stones were laid three decades ago, but nothing happened.

"This stone was laid when my daughter was just 3 years old and today my daughter has a child and now we are shocked that K-Rail is also going to come and lay the marking stones. Nothing has happened to the stone that was laid then and as a result, we are not able to sell our land as none will buy and as a result we are unable to give our daughter anything. Please allow us to have a life," wailed the grand mother.

However at Malappuram, the scenes were reversed as the local CPI-M leaders arrived at the house of Ashiq, where last week a marking stone was laid and pulled out immediately by the protesting Congress workers and after telling them that the Vijayan government will give more than adequate compensation, all of them put back the stone in their compound.

"I was not here when the stone was pulled out and now we are convinced with the explanation that has now been told that the state government will ensure more than adequate compensation for the land that will be taken over. So we have no problems," said Ashiq.

Likewise at Kozhikode on Wednesday, CPI-M district secretary P. Mohanan was seen going around where marking stones were laid.
Riyadh, March 30 : Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf appealed for a ceasefire in Yemen to pave the way for the Yemeni talks.

The call went for the Saudi-led coalition involved in a war in Yemen and all Yemeni parties to stop military operations in Yemen, Xinhua reported citing the Saudi Press Agency.

He also renewed the invitation to Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, to attend the talks to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people.

The talks commenced on Tuesday and will continue until April 7 in Riyadh as part of the efforts to end the Yemeni crisis through political solutions.

All previous talks failed to achieve consensus between the parties in the dispute to end the civil war in Yemen.

The UN-sponsored talks will review military, political, humanitarian, and social recovery aspects of the crisis in Yemen.
Patna, March 30 : Former Chief Minister and senior RJD leader Rabri Devi on Wednesday trained guns on the JD(U) government in Bihar, saying that the law and order situation in the state is deteriorating and even Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is not safe.

"Bihar is recording incidents of murders, loot, kidnapping, gang-rapes daily. The state government has completely failed. Nitish Kumar is unable to control the depleting law and order situation in the state.

"Even Nitish is not safe in Bihar. A youth breached his security and punched him in the broad daylight. A leader of his party was shot dead outside his home in Danapur," Rabri Devi said outside the legislative council.

On state BJP leaders' demand to implement Yogi model in the state to contain crime, Rabri Devi said who is stopping Nitish Kumar from doing it? "In fact, the double engine government should bring Yogi Adityanath to Bihar and send Nitish Kumar to Uttar Pradesh. They have a double engine government in both the states and are capable of doing it," she taunted.

Reacting on liquor ban amendment bill, she said, "Liquor is not banned in Bihar. It is available everywhere." "I believe that they will not do any amendment but they would do only arbitrariness," she claimed.
New Delhi, March 30 : London-based consumer tech company Nothing on Wednesday said that over 22,000 people globally have pre-registered over $43 million for its $10 million equity-based community investment round.

Last week, Nothing confirmed plans to launch its first smartphone -- Nothing phone (1) -- that will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon mobile platform.

During the event, the company also announced a $10 million allocation for an upcoming equity-based community investment round at the same valuation as its Series B fundraise co-led by EQT Ventures and C Ventures.

"As of March 29, over 22,000 people have pre-registered over $43 million," Nothing said in a statement.

The $10 million community investment round will go live on April 5 on nothing.tech, it added.

Nothing recently raised $70 million in its Series B funding, co-led by EQT Ventures and C Ventures.

"Having raised $144 million, built a team of over 300 people and secured support from trusted partners like Qualcomm Technologies, Inc, we are ready for the phone (1) to mark the start of change for the sleepy smartphone market," said Carl Pei, Nothing CEO and Co-founder.

"We are also doing a new $10 million round of community investment so that our supporters get the chance to be part of our journey going head to head against the giants of the industry," Pei had said.

Nothing phone (1) with indigenous operating system (OS) will be the company's first smartphone and a second device in the overall product ecosystem of the brand.
Amman, March 30 : Jordanian King Abdullah II told visiting Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz that maintaining calm requires respecting the rights of Muslims to worship at al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

During the meeting with Gantz on Tuesday, King Abdullah called for stronger efforts to restart serious and effective peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel to achieve peace on the basis of the two-state solution, the Royal Hashemite Court said in a statement, Xinhua news agency reported.

The king also stressed the need to cease all measures undermining the prospects of achieving peace, according to the statement.

The meeting is part of the king's ongoing diplomatic efforts to facilitate just and comprehensive peace, respect the historical and legal status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, and safeguard the rights of worshippers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the Royal Court said.
Islamabad, March 30 : At least seven Pakistani miners were killed in a tragic mine accident that occurred in the city of Ibri in Oman. Four other workers are missing, Express Tribune reported.

The accident reportedly took place after a rockslide hit the marble quarry, crushing seven of the miners and possibly burying those missing.

Another Pakistani was injured in the incident and is currently under treatment.

The Pakistani Embassy in Muscat said they were closely coordinating with Omani authorities for the search and rescue operation for the missing miners.

Authorities have deployed heavy machinery, sophisticated cameras and sniffer dogs for the search and rescue operation.

Two officers of the embassy visited Ibri and met the affected families and workers. The embassy offered complete support and ensured that the bodies would be repatriated to Pakistan at the earliest after the completion of relevant formalities.
Pul-e-khumri, March 30 : Afghan security forces have launched a crackdown on armed opponents in Deh Salah district of the northern Baghlan province.

The crackdown, according to the official, was launched on Tuesday on the outskirts of Deh Salah district, Xinhua reported citing provincial police spokesman Edris Shirzad.

In the meantime, some locals on the condition of anonymity confirmed the fighting which inflicted casualties on both sides.
New Delhi, March 30 : Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday urged the Centre to increase the salaries of teachers working in the schools of Coal India.

He said the salaries should be made at par with the rest of the government teachers.

Raising this issue in the Rajya Sabha, Raut said that these teachers are not even getting the minimum wages of labourers and they get a meagre amount of Rs 4,000 to 5,000 per month as salary.

"They teach the poor children of the labourers working in the coal mines across the country, these schools are known as 'Colliery Schools' which provide education free of cost to the children of coal mine workers," Shiv Sena MP said.

He also said that Coal India gets substantial funds under the Universal Education scheme (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan) but they do not upgrade the education facilities in these schools.

He said only the children of the poor coal mine workers attend these schools and also said that the government has not taken any care of these schools.

Raut also said that recently Coal India has spent over Rs 200 crore in CSR activities but does not bother to improve the condition of these schools and the teachers.

Describing their condition as pathetic, the Shiv Sena lawmaker also said that the salary is not being given every month but they get one month's salary after a gap of three or four months.

These are 2,000 teachers in these Colliery Schools and after their retirement, they do not get any money or benefits, he added.

Raut urged the central government to give them a salary at par with the teachers of the state government at the earliest.

Chairman of the Rajya Sabha M. Venkaiah Naidu also directed the government that the Minister for Coal and Mines be informed about this.
Thiruvananthapuram, March 30 : The prosecution and victim in the nun rape case will file separate appeal petitions in the Kerala High Court against the acquittal of Catholic Bishop Franco Mulakkal by a lower court in January.

On Wednesday, the state home department asked the advocate general to do the needful for filing the appeal.

According to a source, the victim nun will also be filing an appeal petition shortly.

On January 14, the Kottayam Additional district court judge G.Gopakumar gave a clean chit to Franco. Later, the special prosecutor in the case Jithesh Babu said that the acquittal would be challenged.

The deadline for filing the appeal is 90 days from the date of the lower court verdict.

Incidentally, soon after the lower court's verdict, the former Kottayam SP of Police Harisankar who oversaw the probe said he was confident that the verdict would be against the accused and never thought they will lose the case.

The trial in the case extended over 105 days with 39 witnesses being examined and 122 documents produced before the court.

While serving as Bishop of the Jalandhar Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, Franco was accused of raping a nun, who belonged to the Missionaries of Jesus congregation.

During his visits between 2014 and 2016 to Kerala, he was accused of raping the 43-year old nun on 13 occasions. Later, he was removed from the charge of the Jalandhar diocese.

A complaint was filed against him in June 2018 in Kerala and Mulakkal was arrested on September 21, 2018 on rape charges.

He secured bail on October 16, 2018.

The charge sheet named 83 witnesses, including the Cardinal of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Mar George Alencherry, three bishops, 11 priests and 22 nuns.

Of the 83 witnesses, 39 were called and they were heard.

Franco had approached the Kerala High Court and also the Supreme Court to quash the FIR against him, but both the courts failed to do so and the trial began.
Lucknow, March 30 : In a bizarre incident, a thief broke into a house in Raghunathpur village in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district but dozed off after gulping one bottle of alcohol.

When the house owner woke up to see a stranger sleeping in the couch, he called the police and the drunk thief landed in the lock up on Wednesday.

Senior police officer Vijay Tripathi said that the man broke into the house around Tuesday midnight and saw alcohol in a shelf.

"The thief started drinking and then passed out. On Wednesday morning, the owners saw him and informed the police," the officer said.
New Delhi, March 30 : Delhi Police on Wednesday detained around 70 people for creating ruckus outside the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal here.

The protest was spearheaded by the Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha over the Chief Minister's recent remarks in the Assembly on 'The Kashmir Files' movie that were deemed as "against the Kashmiri Pandit" community among the saffron clans.

The protest, which was led by BJP Yuva Morcha's national secretary Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga and its national president Tejasvi Surya, started around 10.30 a.m. from the IP College to the Chief Minister's residence.

When the protesters reached the CM's residence around 11.30 a.m., they started raising slogans against Kejriwal and his party. Around 1 p.m., some of the protesters breached the two barricades that were placed near the CM house and created ruckus there.

Confirming about the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sagar Singh Kalsi told IANS that the protesters who breached the barricades, "were carrying a small box of paint from which they threw paint outside the door".

"In the imbroglio, a boom barrier arm was also found vandalised as also a CCTV camera," Kalsi said.

The senior police officer further informed that the police team immediately removed them from the spot and detained around 70 persons. "Legal action is being initiated," he added.

Meanwhile, the AAP leaders are accusing the personnel of Delhi Police for their alleged inaction during the incident and alleged that the BJP was "trying to kill Arvind Kejriwal".

"CM Arvind Kejriwal's HOUSE ATTACKED BY BJP! SECURITY BARRIERS BROKEN, CCTVs CAMERAS BROKEN, GATE VANDALISED, WITH FULL SUPPORT FROM BJP'S DELHI POLICE. Stunned by AAP's victory in Punjab, is BJP trying to kill Arvind Kejriwal ji?," the party tweeted from its official handle.

AAP leader Raghav Chaddha alleged that the BJP was furious over their defeat in Punjab and have now come down to poor politics. "The attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ji's residence by BJP goons is highly condemnable. In the presence of police, these goons broke barricades and CCTV cameras," Chaddha said.

BJPYM's leaders -- Bagga and Surya -- alleged that Kejriwal should tender an apology for his comments against the Kashmiri Hindus.

"If asking for an apology on Kejriwal's remarks on the genocide of Kashmiri Hindus is an anti-social activity, then yes we are an anti-social," Bagga wrote on Twitter.

The BJP was continuously demanding from the AAP government to make 'The Kashmir Files' movie tax free in Delhi, however, Kejriwal, recently in the Assembly turned down all such requests and further asked the BJP to upload the movie on YouTube and spent the earned money on the welfare of Kashmiri Pandits. Furthermore, the Delhi chief minister also insinuated that 'The Kashmir Files' is a "jhoothi" (not based on facts) film.

The Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKDP) took strong exception to the Chief Minister's remarks and said that the 'docudrama' ('The Kashmir Files') is based on personal testimonies and meticulous documentation of the community records.

Pertinent to mention here that, in the past, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government had given the tax free status to several movies like '83' and 'Saand Ki Aankh'.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Bhopal, March 30 : A week-long kathavachan programme of spiritual leader Ram Vilas Vedanti or Vedanti Maharaj in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district was cancelled after his grandson-cum-disciple Mahant Sitaram Das was accused of raping a minor in the same city.

Vedanti Maharaj's kathavachan programme was scheduled from April 1 at Rewa's Manas Bhavan, and his grandson Samarth Tripahi, aka Mahant Sitaram Das, was in the city for the past two weeks to oversee the preparations of the event. The programme was organised to mark the inauguration of a shopping mall of Samadariya group builder.

Until Tuesday afternoon, posters and hoardings of the programme were spotted at several places across Rewa city. However, after the rape incident came to light, they were removed.

"Hanuman katha was scheduled to be held from April 1 to 9 on the occasion of inauguration of a commercial complex and a hotel of the group. Vedanti Maharaj ji was scheduled to arrive on March 31. However, after the rape incident, the programme had to be cancelled," an employee of Samadariya group builder told IANS requesting not to be named.

A 17-year-old girl was raped in Rewa's Raj Niwas (circuit house) on late on March 28. It became public after the victim lodged an FIR in a local police station on March 29. The victim was brought to Raj Niwas by one Vinod Panday, who according to the police, is the main accused in the case and has been arrested.

The victim, who is a first year student in a government college in Rewa, told the police that she was sure that the 'babaji' will help her score well in exams and put an end to all her troubles, police said.

When she reached the Raj Niwas, there were five-six men consuming liquor. She was forced to drink liquor and beaten up for her resistance.

As per the complaint: "She was beaten up for resisting and assaulted sexually. She was threatened with dire consequences if she revealed about the incident. She was taken in a gypsy and dropped at college squire around 11.30 p.m on Monday." Shiv Kumar Verma, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Rewa, talking to IANS said: "Vinod Pandey has been arrested and hunt to nab other accused including Sitaram Das is on." Police said that Vinod Pandey is the main accused in the case, however, victim's family alleged that the girl was raped by Sitaram Das, who was living in room number 4 in the circuit house.

"She (victim) was taken to the circuit house to meet one spiritual guru Sitaram Das, who was present in the circuit house. However, she was forced not to mention his name in the FIR due to political influence," the victim's friend said on condition of anonymity.

Police said the Sitaram Das and his driver fled after the incident. The victim's family said he is being protected by a local BJP MLA.
Bhopal, March 30 : Days after controversy over alleged leak of Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) paper erupted and protests followed in Bhopal, the Professional Examination Board (PEB) of Madhya Pradesh has written to an expert agency to conduct investigation in the matter. The PEB is the changed name of Vyapam, which is now known as Staff Selection Board (SSB).

As per sources, a team of PEB reached the institute located in Bilkhiriya area in Bhopal and started the probe in the paper leak. This educational institute was also the examination centre for the MP-TET. Sources told IANS that the PEB team has doubts that the screenshots were taken from this college during exams.

On Tuesday, the PEB issued a clarification through its official Twitter handle stating that it has received a complaint related to screenshots of test papers going viral. "A complaint regarding a viral photo of leaked paper of Teacher Eligibility Test (TET-2020) has been received. A letter has been written to an expert agency and a report has been sought. PEB will take a decision after it gets the report. PEB assures that it is committed for transparency," PEB said in an official statement.

However, the controversy related to the alleged paper leak of the TET is heating up. Now, the protesting candidates have alleged that the PEB has removed the answer key within hours of posting it on their website.

Earlier, the screenshot of leaked question papers went viral on the social media. After denying the allegations of leak, PEB posted the answer key of MP-TET tests on its website on Tuesday and removed it within hours.

On Tuesday, Home Minister Narottam Mishra said that MAPIT (Madhya Pradesh Agency for Promotion of Information Technology) will conduct an investigation on the charges of paper leak. MAPIT will submit its report to the PEB.
Los Angeles, March 30 : Actress Ariana DeBose, who made history at the 94th Academy Awards by becoming the first openly queer woman of colour to win an acting Oscar for her work in Steven Spielberg's 'West Side Story', says she discussed Disney's handling of 'Don't Say Gay' bill with CEO Bob Chapek.

The musical was distributed by 20th Century Studios, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company, reports 'Variety'.

On the Academy Awards red carpet before the ceremony, I talked with DeBose about Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill. DeBose says she has reached out to Disney CEO Bob Chapek to talk about the studio's controversial reaction to the legislation.

"Bob and I, we're gonna do the work," DeBose said. "I have [spoken to Chapek]. I'm a very hands-on type of person. And when I see something, I say something. And while I may not always put it on the internet, I do that. I reached out. And I will continue to reach out and Bob knows that." According to 'Variety', when I asked about queer representation at this year's Oscars, which also included best actress nominee Kristen Stewart, DeBose smiled.

"We're here. We're queer. And we've been here." Earlier this month, Chapek came under fire for Disney's reported donations to the bill's sponsors. Variety exclusively reported at the time that LGBTQ Disney employees sent the CEO and other company executives a letter asking that the company issue a statement against anti-LGBTQ legislation in the U.S.

Chapek was blasted when he eventually addressed the issue by saying that the "biggest impact" Disney can make is by promoting inclusivity through its content.

During her acceptance speech on Sunday, DeBose delivered a powerful message: "To anybody who has ever questioned your identity ever, ever, ever, or you find yourself living in the gray spaces, I promise you this: There is indeed a place for us." On Monday, as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the 'Don't Say Gay' bill into law, the Walk Disney Company promised to work on repealing the legislation.

"Florida's HB 1557, also known as the 'Don't Say Gay' bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law," the statement reads.

"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 organisations working to achieve that. We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country."

Latest updates on Oscars 2022
New Delhi, March 30 : India's key equity indices -- Sensex and Nifty -- extended their gains for the third consecutive session.

Global equity markets too rose positively to Russia's assurance to scale down its military operations near Ukraine's capital Kyiv and surrounding region.

On Wednesday, Sensex settled 1.3 per cent or 740 points up at 58,684 points, whereas Nifty was at 1.0 per cent or 173 points up at 17,498 points.

"High volatility prevailed in the global market, but peace talks between Russia and Ukraine gave hopes of de-escalation of the war, helping the domestic market to trade with confidence," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services.

The ease in crude oil and commodity prices supported the market as it will help corporates to reduce their margin pressure, said Nair.

Among the individual stocks, HDFC Life, Bajaj Finserv, Tata Consumers, Bajaj Finance, and Power Grid Corporation of India were the top five gainers among the Nifty 50 companies, rising 3.5 per cent, 3.3 per cent, 3.0 per cent, 2.8 per cent, and 2.7 per cent, respectively.

On the other hand, ONGC, Hindalco, JSW Steel, ITC, and Tata Steel were the top losers.
Chennai/New Delhi, March 30 : After Ola Electric and Okinawa e-scooters caught fire and raised alarms in government circles, another electric scooter of Hyderabad-based Pure EV has reportedly caught fire in Tamil Nadu.

The EV fire incident, the third in a row, occurred near Mathura Toll Plaza in the Manjampakkam area near North Chennai.

The 26-seconds long video of the fire, posted by ET Auto, shows heavy smoke billowing out of a red-coloured Pure EV electric scooter, leaving the rider and the bystanders furious.

The company said it is investigating the incident.

Last week, a blue-coloured Ola S1 Pro e-scooter that was parked on the side of a road in Pune was spotted catching fire. The e-scooter burst into flames that soon engulfed the entire vehicle. The company is investigating the incident.

After that, an Okinawa e-bike went up tragically in flames due to an electrical short-circuit in Vellore, which led to two fatalities.

Okinawa Autotech had said that they adhere to the highest quality standards in their electric scooters. "This particular case has further brought to light how important it is for users to understand the correct usage and charging guidelines for EVs," the company said in a statement.

The tragic incident in Tamil Nadu has woken up the government, and the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry has already ordered a probe.

The battery manufacturers are cautious and are assuring exhaustive tests and technology to deal with the overheating issue.

According to Vivekananda Hallekere, CEO and Co-Founder of EV manufacturer Bounce, battery health is impacted due to a combination of reasons.

"The most critical variables are the quality of cells, thermal management through BMS, chargers, the way the batteries are packed, rapid charging. Any of these individual elements or a combination of these elements can have an adverse impact on the health of the battery. Any compromise on the health of the battery can lead to a risky situation," Hallekere told IANS.

"Bounce does not use rapid charging, which can be detrimental to the health of the battery, by making the battery behave erratically and this could adversely impact the thermal management," he added.
United Nations, March 30 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an end to the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, racism.

The transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans was instrumental in shaping modern conceptions of race. To rationalise the inhumanity of the slave trade, Africans were portrayed as less than human, he told a UN General Assembly commemorative meeting on Tuesday to mark the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, Xinhua news agency reported.

Over 200 years since the end of the transatlantic slave trade, the vicious lie of racial supremacy remains alive today. Indeed, it finds new resonance and amplification in online echo chambers of hate, he said.

"Ending slavery's legacy of racism is a global imperative for justice," said Guterres. "This imperative implicates us all. We are all responsible to stand up and speak out in solidarity against racism wherever, whenever we encounter it," he added.

The transatlantic slave trade marked a brutal rupture in African history and has thwarted the continent's development for centuries. At the same time, the prosperity achieved across so much of the Western world was only possible through the exploitation of African slave labour and know-how. It devastated the economies of those it enslaved and enriched the colonizers, he noted.

There is a need to reverse the consequences of generations of exploitation, exclusion and discrimination, including their obvious social and economic dimensions, through reparatory justice frameworks. Outside of Africa, people of African descent are often among the last in line for health care, education, justice and opportunities of all kinds. The African diaspora has enriched societies everywhere. And yet it still confronts marginalization, exclusion, and unconscious bias -- its life still darkened by the long shadow of slavery, he said.

The International Day of Remembrance, which falls on March 25, calls on people around the world to stand united against racism; tackle inequities and inequalities; learn and educate about the past; and build societies based on dignity, respect, justice, and opportunity for all, said Guterres.
Tunisian President Kais Saied (1st R) meets with visiting European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi (2nd R) in Tunis, Tunisia, on March 29, 2022. (Tunisian Presidency/Handout via Xinhua)

TUNIS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian President Kais Saied met with visiting European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi on Tuesday, the Tunisian presidency said in a statement.

During the meeting, Saied said he hopes to further develop the already satisfactory strategic partnership between Tunisia and the European Union (EU) and expand the partnership to new and promising sectors.

Saied also welcomed the EU's support to Tunisia, saying that the bloc "always stand alongside Tunisia ... supporting the national effort to deal with COVID-19 and manage its economic and social repercussions."

For his part, Varhelyi reiterated the EU's determination to continue supporting Tunisia in introducing its new national reforms.

"It is important, in order to do so, to protect all the principles of the rule of law and judicial independence," said the European official.

He reaffirmed the bloc's readiness to allocate more financial and logistical support to Tunisia, and stressed that the EU is satisfied with the current level of cooperation with the North African country, particularly in the fight against illegal immigration.

According to the presidency, the two sides also addressed regional and international issues of common interests and subsequent risks in regional security and stability. 
Kampala, March 30 : Over 7,000 people from the eastern part of Congo have crossed into Uganda after intense fighting back home, authorities in Uganda's border district of Kisoro said on Wednesday.

The Congolese are fleeing fighting that started on March 28 between Congolese troops and rebels, Kisoro Chief Administrative Officer Manasseh Rukundo said in a statement, Xinhua news agency reported.

He called for an emergency response, saying the district is overwhelmed by the refugee influx.

Some schools have been closed to students to house the refugees, Rukundo said.

"There is pressure on Bunagana Health Center II for first aid, water and latrine usage. The available water in a single water tank at the health facility got used up. The pit latrines for the health centre and Bunagana market were filled up," he said.

"There is also lack of food and non-food items. Most of the refugees are elderly, children and women, and others who are not physically okay and cannot walk easily," Rukundo said in the statement.

The district authorities called for help to screen the newcomers for Ebola and Covid as well as provision of other first-aid services.

The Uganda military on Tuesday said troops are on standby at the Bunagana border point to prevent negative elements from crossing into the country.

Last month, at least 7,000 refugees crossed into Uganda following attacks by Allied Democratic Forces rebels in eastern Congo.
Chennai, March 30 : The fire explosives department of Tamil Nadu is conducting inspections at factories in South Tamil Nadu in the districts of Virudhunagar, Dindigul and Tirunelveli following regular explosions causing deaths and injuries to workers.

Since the beginning of 2022, there were explosions by careless handling of fireworks killing more than seven people and injuring scores. The fire and explosives department which is the nodal agency providing licenses to factories in Tamil Nadu is conducting inspections at these factories.

Sources in the team while speaking to IANS said: "We regularly conduct inspections in these fireworks factories but even after proper guidance, most of the factory owners do not stick to the safety norms. We have warned the owners of the erring factories of stringent action, including sealing of the factories, if safety norms are not adhered to." It is to be noted that Sivakasi which is considered the capital of the Indian fireworks industry and has a turnover of more than Rs 1,400 crore per year has many factories that have poor maintenance and several people have lost their lives in earlier accidents.

M. Sivaramakrishnan, leader of the workers in fireworks companies while speaking to IANS said: "The fire and explosives department is conducting regular inspections but there has to be strict follow-up action and the owners must be made responsible for whatever mishap that occurs in the factory premises and heavy compensation must be extracted from the owners. This would lead to more facilities for the workers including proper insurance coverage as well as bringing them under the EPF and wage board. Lot of things have to be streamlined and security of the workers is of prime importance and owners must be taken to task if some accidents happen in these factories." However, workers are not amused and R.K. Srirangapani, a worker at a medium fireworks factory at Virudhunagar told IANS: "In most of the cases, owners are one among us and in the fire mishap, he and even his family lose their lives. Proper insurance coverage and bringing the factories under the industrial laws is the only way out and except for a few major factories, most of the factories are run by families including Husband, wife and children." Sources in the fire and explosives department said that they are conducting a detailed inspection and are properly noting down all the angles in the security aspect of fireworks factories to prevent any future accidents.
Toronto, March 30 : The same light bulbs used in offices and public spaces can destroy coronaviruses and HIV, claims a research.

Researchers at the University of Toronto-Scarborough, Canada, killed both viruses using UV-LED lights, which can alternate between white light and decontaminating ultraviolet (UV) light.

With a cheap retrofit, they could also be used in many standard lighting fixtures, giving them a "unique appeal" for public spaces, said Christina Guzzo, Assistant Professor in the department of biological sciences at the varsity.

"We're at a critical time where we need to use every single possible stop to get us out of this pandemic. Every mitigation strategy that can be easily implemented should be used," Guzzo said.

UV lights kill viruses through radiation. The team first tested the lights on bacterial spores (Bacillus pumilus spores) notorious for their resistance to this radiation.

The result, published in the Virology Journal, showed that within 20 seconds of UV exposure, the spores' growth dropped by 99 per cent.

The researchers then created droplets containing coronaviruses or HIV, to mimic typical ways people encounter viruses in public, such as from coughing, sneezing and bleeding. The droplets were then exposed to UV light and placed in a culture to see if any of the virus remained active. With just 30 seconds of exposure, the virus's ability to infect dropped by 93 per cent.

Upon testing the viruses at different concentrations, they found samples with more viral particles were more resistant to the UV lights. But even with a viral load so high Guzzo calls it "the worst-case scenario," infectivity dropped 88 per cent.

Guzzo noted that UV-LEDs are cheap and could be easy to retrofit in existing light fixtures, and that the bulbs are long-lasting and simple to maintain.

"You could disinfect in a way that wouldn't be infringing on people's enjoyment of that everyday 'normal' life that they long for," Guzzo says.

But the lights aren't harmless, and there's a reason for wearing sunscreen and sunglasses - UV radiation damages nucleic acid, and repeated, prolonged exposure is harmful.

That's why Guzzo said the lights should be used when public spaces are empty, such as vacated buses that have finished their routes, or empty elevators travelling between floors. Escalator handrails could be continuously disinfected by putting UV lights in the underground part of the track, cleaning it with each rotation.
Kiev, March 30 : Ukraine established three humanitarian corridors on Wednesday, the country's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Telegram.

Two corridors were set up to allow Ukrainian civilians to flee the cities of Melitopol and Energodar in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, which were captured by Russia's forces, Xinhua news agency reported citing Vereshchuk.

Another humanitarian route was established in the eastern Donetsk region to evacuate people from the city of Mariupol, where active hostilities are underway, she added.

Last Thursday, Ukraine established seven humanitarian corridors, following nine corridors the previous day, according to Ukraine's government-run Ukrinform news agency.
Chennai, March 30 : In order to make the motor insurance market a level playing field, the insurance regulator should make third party insurance policies portable, industry experts said.

Such a facility will also clean up the market, they added.

More than 20 years after the Indian general insurance industry was opened up, the new vehicle insurance is anti-competitive and the third party liability portion is under administrative pricing mechanism (APM), which is fixed by the government.

The Supreme Court had ruled that a new two-wheeler or a private car should have a third party liability insurance cover for five and three years, respectively.

"Third party insurance cover of three years and five years for new cars and two-wheelers, respectively, is the fall out of the Supreme Court's ruling way back in July, 2018, after considering the recommendation of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety," D. Varadarajan, Supreme Court advocate specialising in company/competition/insurance laws, told IANS.

"However, there arises unintended handicap for the new and not big general insurers, as they do not have established partnerships with big automotive dealerships, and buyers of automobiles are left with a few select insurers to choose from the stable of automotive dealers, and in the bargain, customers are stuck with a particular insurance company for three years or five years, as the case may be, by paying upfront TP (third party) premium for those many years," he added.

The dealers charge the vehicle owners one amount and pay the insurers a far lesser sum and pocket the difference.

"The vehicle dealer discount is as high as 70 per cent," industry officials told IANS.

"So, the dealers threaten a prospective vehicle buyer with delayed delivery and risk of bad post sales service or during any accident related repairs if he/she says insurance policy will be taken elsewhere," industry officials told IANS.

The highly profitable motor third party insurance accounts for a sizable portion of the total industry business.

In FY21, the party premium for the industry was Rs 36,530 crore, in FY20 it was Rs 36,533 crore and in FY19 Rs 31,211 crore.

"The long-term third party insurance policies should be made portable, that is, a new vehicle owner can transfer his insurance policy to his regular insurer or any insurer of his choice. The insurers can reconcile the premium and other amounts among themselves," Sohanlal Kadel, Managing Director, Kadel Insurance Broker Pvt Ltd, told IANS.

He is also the past President of the Insurance Broker Association of India.

"The motor policy should be made portable," Varun Dua, Founder and CEO of Acko General Insurance Company Ltd, told IANS.

"In the case of vehicle damage insurance or own damage portion, the policyholders are free to choose a new insurer at the end of the first year. The third party cover remains the same across insurers," Shanai Ghosh, Executive Director and CEO, Edelweiss General Insurance Company Ltd, told IANS.

She also said the incremental benefit for a policyholder due to porting is going to be limited, since the policy benefits a third party if the insured vehicle is involved in an accident and injures or kills a third party.

Agreeing with the view that risk cover and premium being uniform across the players, Kadel said: "The porting facility will also clean up the market." "Here comes the role of IRDAI in propagating general awareness and consumer advocacy as regards all these aspects to quell the myths and consumer ignorance and mis-selling of insurance policies. It is also time for the IRDAI to consider introducing portability of TP (third party) insurance cover, so as to enable the insureds to exercise their informed choice. The dealers should also display a board conspicuously giving the details of the general insurers offering motor insurance cover," Varadarajan said.

According to him, from the Competition Law perspective, what is to be examined is whether this would give rise to aappreciable adverse effect (AAC) on competition.

He pointed out that the apex court or the IRDAI did not stipulate the lock-in for three or five years, as the case may be, for third party insurance with select insurers.

The field is open for all the general insurers giving motor insurance cover, and it is also open for the vehicle owners to choose the insurance company.

"Keeping in view the public interest to be sub-served as enunciated by the Supreme Court, and that there is no express bar on the choice of insurers for procuring the insurance policies, prima facie, in my view there is no affront to the Competition Law resulting in AAC," Varadarajan said.

He said the Competition Commission can direct an investigation into the practices at the vehicle dealership levels.

According to Varadarajan, the newly established Central Consumer Protection Authority under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 is also endowed with the power to investigate matters relating to violation of rights of consumers, unfair trade practices and false and misleading advertisements which are prejudicial to the interests of public and consumers.

The motor third party liability premium rates are fixed by the government with regular upward revisions.

Curiously, the vehicle damage insurance portion is fixed by the individual insurers and the premium rates have come down.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at v.jagannathan@ians.in)
New Delhi, March 30 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday raised concerns about data sharing by social media platforms as it heard the appeal of WhatsApp and its parent company Meta (formerly Facebook) against the probe ordered by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) into the instant messaging app's latest privacy policy.

A division bench of Justices Rajiv Shakdher and Poonam A. Bamba was hearing the appeal filed by FB and Whatsapp challenging the single-judge order which refused to stay the CCI's order in April last year.

Expressing concern about the privacy matter, the bench said users are mostly unaware of the data sharing by private entities like Cambridge Analytica.

As on January 3, the High Court had extended the time for filing replies to the two notices issued by the CCI to the social media giants, the bench said that the time extension order will remain in force while directing the parties to file their written submissions prior to the next hearing and posted the matter for July 21.

During the course of the hearing, senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing on behalf of Facebook and WhatsApp, submitted that the new privacy policy gives the users freedom to not share their data and there is no element of coercion involved.

In June 2021, the Delhi High Court had refused to stay a notice issued by the CCI, asking WhatsApp to furnish certain information in connection with the probe, ordered in March, on the instant messaging app's new updated privacy policy.

On October 23, 2021, the Centre had told the Delhi High Court that WhatsApp has already violated the fundamental rights of users in the country by denying dispute resolution rights while opposing a plea filed by WhatsApp and Facebook against the new IT rules.
Patna, March 30 : A prominent trader of Patna city was killed and two others, including his son, were critically injured when they refused to pay Rs 1,000 as extortion money in Majarhatta wholesale market on Wednesday.

The incident took place in the Mirchi Gali under Patna City Chowk police for the extortion of Rs 1,000.

According to eyewitneses, four bike-borne criminals arrived at the wholesale-cum-retail shop of Pradeep Bangla and demanded Rs 1,000 as extortion money. Bangla's son Golu Bangla was sitting at the counter with an employee Chotu standing next to him.

"The attackers were demanding Rs 1000. We offered Rs 200 which they refused. My father, who was performing puja, argued with them at which, the miscreants pulled out guns and opened fire on him. We tried to save him and got injured in the process," said Golu in a statement to the police.

"The attackers fired more than seven rounds, three of which hit my father. He died on the spot," he said.

Following the indiscriminate firing, the traders of adjoining shops pulled down the shutters in a bid to save themselves. The attackers fled from the spot without any challenge. The injured were admitted to Patna Medical College and Hospital for treatment.

The broad daylight incident created a huge outrage in the area. Even, police of Chowk police station did not dare to reach the spot to recover the body for two hours. The angry traders and local residents blocked Gandhi Maidan Patna City Ashok Rampath.

"It is a case of extortion. Preliminary investigation reveals that the victim had given extortion money in the past. The attackers seem to be local goons. We are making efforts to arrest them," said Pradeep Kumar, SHO of Patna City Chowk police station.

Earlier in the day, leaders of opposition parties created a ruckus in and outside state Assembly against frequent crime incidents taking place in Bihar.

A JD-U leader was killed on Sunday night in Danapur as well.
Islamabad, New Delhi : Three Pakistan security personnel were killed and 18 others injured in an overnight attack on a Frontier Corps (FC) fort in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Tank district, Dawn reported.

The injured were shifted to the district hospital where an emergency was declared while more troops had been dispatched to the area.

In a statement, the police said three terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire that began late on Tuesday night and continued till Wednesday morning.

The incident comes days after four soldiers were killed in North Waziristan's Hassan Khel area during an exchange of fire with terrorists who attempted to infiltrate into Pakistan from Afghanistan in the night between March 23 and March 24.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a group of terrorists had tried to infiltrate Pakistan at midnight, but their attempt was foiled due to the "alertness and timely response of army troops".

"The terrorists, having failed, fled... and as per intelligence reports, suffered heavy casualties," the statement had read.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, March 30 : A 39-year-old man was crushed to death by a speeding car in the national capital's Janpath area on Wednesday morning, the police said.

The accident took place at 15 Janpath after which someone made a PCR call at Parliament Street police station around 8 a.m.

Girdhari, who sustained grievous injuries in the accident, was immediately rushed to Ram Manohal Lohia hospital, where he was declared brought dead, the police added.

Accordingly, the police registered a case under sections 279 ( Rash driving or riding on a public way) and 304 A (Causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code at the Parliament Street police station.

In the CCTV footage of the accident, a red-coloured jeep can be seen moving at a very high speed and hitting the man while he was crossing the road.

Though the video is not clear, a cycle was also damaged as the offending vehicle fled the scene.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Amrutha Guguloth said that investigation is on and efforts are being made to catch the driver of the offending vehicle.
New Delhi, March 30 : Tech giant Apple on Wednesday announced a $50 million Supplier Employee Development Fund that will expand access to learning opportunities and skill development in India, along with other supply chain hubs like the US, China and Vietnam.

Through this initiative, the iPhone maker will work with its partners to deliver best-in-class content to people across its India supply chain.

With this, tens of thousands of employees across India will be able to participate in programmes through the global fund over the course of the next year.

Eventually, Apple will scale this programme to more supplier employees in India and around the world.

"We put people first in everything that we do, and we're proud to announce a new commitment to accelerate our progress and provide even more opportunities for people across our supply chain," said Sarah Chandler, Apple's senior director of Environment and Supply Chain Innovation.

"Together with rights advocates and education leaders, we are continuing to drive new innovation to support people and the planet," Chandler added.

Apple's contract manufacturers in India are global giants Foxconn and Wistron. The tech giant recently started assembling its new flagship iPhone 13 in India, and is reportedly ramping up production of other products in the country.

Apple is already assembling its highest-selling models iPhone 12, iPhone 11 and XR in India, along with iPhone SE, 7 and 6S. Apple started manufacturing iPhones in India in 2017 with iPhone SE.

For supplier employees in India, the programme will offer leadership training for local supervisors and automation training that will give participants tools to gain technical expertise.

The fund also includes new and expanded partnerships with leading rights advocates, universities, and nonprofits to drive Apple's ongoing work to empower supplier employees.

The new education initiatives will make training and coursework available to supplier employees around the world, with programming initially available to individuals in the US, China, India and Vietnam.

By 2023, Apple expects more than 100,000 supplier employees to participate in new learning opportunities -- from leadership training and technical certifications to classes on coding, robotics, and advanced manufacturing fundamentals, including green manufacturing.

To date, over 23 million people across Apple's global supply chain have received critical worker rights training.

According to Sabih Khan, in-charge of Apple's global supply chain, more than 175 of their suppliers have committed to using 100 per cent renewable energy for their Apple production.

"We've diverted more than 2 million tonnes of waste from landfills since 2015, and saved more than 50 billion gallons of freshwater since 2013," Khan informed in a letter.

"We've supported more than 60 organisations -- including human rights and environmental defenders -- in our work to empower local voices, support community leaders, and ensure people across our supply chain are treated with dignity and respect," he added.
CAIRO, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday condemned the shooting in Tel Aviv that killed five people and wounded others.

Ahmed Hafez, spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry, expressed in a statement grave condemnation for all acts of violence and terrorism that target civilians, which will lead to further deterioration of the situation between the Palestinian and Israeli sides.

Hafez warned that the exchange of escalations only produce frustration and congestion, and destabilize the region.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday warned of exploiting the shooting attack in Tel Aviv "to carry out aggressions and reactions against the Palestinians by settlers and other Israelis."

Meanwhile, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said that the shooting attack was "a response to the Israeli actions and measures against the Palestinians, their properties, and holy places."

A Palestinian gunman opened fire at passersby and vehicles outside the Israeli city Tel Aviv late Tuesday, killing five people in the third shooting or knife attack in a week, prompting the police to raise its alert level nationwide to "the highest possible." 
New Delhi, March 30 : The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Constitution (Schedule Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill 2022. The Bill seeks to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 to omit 'Bhogta' community from the list of Scheduled Castes in relation to Jharkhand and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 for inclusion of certain communities in the lists of Scheduled Tribes in relation to the State.

Replying to the debate on this Bill, Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda expressed gratitude to all Members for supporting this Bill and said that while some expressed concerns that some of the tribes in their states have not been listed yet in the Schedule Tribe (ST) lists. "We will bring such amendments related to more states in the House. We have done (such amendments for) Arunachal Pradesh and Karnataka. Now, it is being done in the case of Uttar Pradesh, Tripura and Jharkhand. We are doing research on Odisha. We have completed the work in Chhattisgarh, but we are working on some observations given on that by the Law Ministry," Munda said.

Briefing the Upper House, Munda said that for the first time the areas of the ST were identified way back in 1935 under the Commission known as Baba Thakkar Committee and after that in 1965, the government constituted the Lokur Committee to look into criteria for defining Schedule Tribes.

The Committee recommended five criteria for identification, namely, primitive traits, distinct culture, geographical isolation, shyness of contact with the community at large, and backwardness.

The Minister further said that the government has taken many steps to improve the conditions of the tribes in the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and this has led to qualitative changes in the lives of the tribal people in the country.

"Now the people are talking about the 'Eklavya Schools' in the tribal areas. In 2013-14, the number of these Eklavya Schools were 167 and now the 679 such schools have been sanctioned so far. The Members of the Parliament are requesting the government to set up these schools in their tribal areas," Munda informed the House.

He also said that the total number of functional Eklavya schools has gone up to 367 from 119 and now these schools are being built at block levels too. These schools were earlier built at the district levels but after the demand rose high in the tribal areas, these have been getting built at block level seeing the numbers of the tribal students.

The Minister also said that these are the residential schools and that they provide qualitative education to tribal children free of cost. The Centre is providing scholarships to over 30 lakh students through the direct benefit transfer with a less contribution from the state such as 90:25 or 90:10 ratio in case of the north east states.

The Government has been trying to improve the quality of the life of the tribal population and under the central government's flagship programme's benefits have been given to these communities too.

"Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, over 1.28 lakh tribal families have been given tap water connection, over 1.45 crore houses have been given toilets, Ayushman Bharat health cards and other benefits have been given to the tribal community," Munda informed the House.

The Minister also said that under the 'tribal blocks', Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and women ITIs have been set up.
Seoul, March 30 : SK hynix, the world's second largest memory chip maker, is reviewing to acquire British semiconductor company Arm with strategic partners, its top executive said on Wednesday.

In a massive blow to Big Tech, graphics chip giant Nvidia in February scrapped the $40 billion deal -- the biggest ever in the world of semiconductors -- to acquire Arm, amid anti-trust probes in the US and Europe.

"We are reviewing possibly forming a consortium, together with strategic partners, to jointly acquire it," Park Jung-ho, vice chairman and CEO of SK hynix, told reporters after the company's annual shareholders meeting.

"I don't believe Arm is a company that could be bought by one company," he added, reports Yonhap news agency.

The idea of a possible acquisition of Arm, a British chip designer that was acquired by Japan's SoftBank in 2016, is said to be at a very early stage.

Park, who is also CEO of SK Square Co., the investment spinoff of SK Telecom, made it clear his company has been eyeing a potential merger in the semiconductor industry.

"I want to buy Arm, if not entirely. It doesn't have to be buying a majority of its shares to be able to control the company," he said during SK Square's annual shareholders meeting.

Earlier, SK hynix was approved by South Korea's antitrust regulator to go ahead with its acquisition of local chipmaker Key Foundry.

The deal was aimed at revving up its contract chip manufacturing capacity, which takes up a small portion of its business.

"We will build an R&D center in Silicon Valley and use it as a key base to enhance partnership with big tech companies and improve competitiveness," Park also said at Wednesday's event.
Hyderabad, March 30 : V. Srinivas Mohan, the visual effects supervisor of 'RRR', has opened up on key sequences of the magnum opus.

Mohan, who had interacted with the media post the movie release, explains what went into making the iconic scenes in 'RRR'.

Rating his work for S.S. Rajamouli's 'RRR' as the most satisfying one, Srinivas Mohan says he was briefed by Rajamouli only about enhancing the storytelling, rather than overshadowing it.

What took them seven months to complete, the movie's iconic VFX shots were done by a team that involved the visual effects team, Sabu Cyril's production design department, and cinematographer KK Senthil Kumar.

"I joined forces with 18 VFX studios for this movie. Coordinating with such a big team is one task and the film had nearly 2,800 VFX shots", Mohan explained.

"Now that the movie is released and many of the viewers cannot even spot the VFX, it is satisfying. Because, when the VFX does not distract viewers from the drama unfolding on screen, it is a win," says Mohan.

"The action sequences involving animals - tigers, bears, wolves, and antelopes in one of the most important sequences, called for extensive pre-visualisation", he conveyed.

As he went on to share his experience with the movie, Mohan revealed that they had to liberally use radio-controlled cars, miniature cams, and many more, to get those visually grand sequences.

"We had designed the animal-fight scene in 3D on a computer, then used an Ncam (which aids virtual production through real-time camera tracking) on location. We took assistance from IIT Madras students, who helped us set an LED strip. It was programmed to move like animals", the VFX supervisor explains.

"To replicate those animals, we had installed radio-controlled cars. Cars were programmed to be operated at specific speeds, and the actors were choreographed to create a synchronisation," he said.

Srinivas Mohan concludes that all of these tasks were done keeping in the mind that they had to deliver a realistic sequence each time.

Speaking about another VFX scene, Mohan conveyed that they had to work on the pressure gauges of the water pipes, which would go in sync with the fire, which was done with the VFX.

Mohan has worked as a digital compositor and VFX supervisor for several Tamil films, particularly those directed by Shankar, which are famous for visual graphics.

Mohan has won four National Awards for Best Special Effects for Tamil films 'Magic Magic', 'Sivaji', 'Enthiran' (Robo), and the Telugu blockbuster 'Baahubali'.

Having bagged another biggie in Ram Charan and Shankar Shanmugam's movie, Mohan is currently on a break so he can recharge for the hectic time ahead.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, March 30 : Based on the notices issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) against misleading advertisements, 13 companies withdrew misleading advertisements and three agreed for corrective advertisement, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

"The CCPA also imposed penalties on three companies for their misleading advertisements. CCPA had recently issued two safety notices to alert and make consumers cautious against buying household goods which do not conform to BIS standards," Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ashwini Kumar Choubey said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

An advisory has also been issued to industry associations highlighting the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act and to impress upon their members to cease from making false claims about effectiveness against the coronavirus, which are not supported by competent and duly authorized scientific advice, he said.

Under the provisions of Consumer Protection Act, 2019, CCPA was established on July 24, 2020 to regulate matters, inter alia, relating to false or misleading advertisements which are prejudicial to the interests of public and consumers as a class. The CCPA can issue directions to the concerned trader or manufacturer or endorser or advertiser or publisher, as the case may be, to discontinue such advertisement or to modify the same.

The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 also provides for imposition of penalty by the CCPA on a manufacturer or endorser or publisher and imprisonment and penalty by a competent court on any manufacturer or service provider, who is found responsible for a false or misleading advertisement.

All advertisements telecast on private satellite TV channels are required to adhere to the Advertising Code prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 framed thereunder. Appropriate action is taken in cases where Advertising Code is found to be violated.

To another question, the Minister said, section 23 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 describes responsibility of Food Business Operators in respect of packaging and labeling of food products while Section 24 places restrictions on misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices.

The FSSAI has notified the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations on November 19, 2018. These regulations are aimed at establishing fairness in claims and advertisements of food products and make food businesses accountable for such claims/advertisements so as to protect consumer interests, he replied.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Thiruvananthapuram, March 30 : Finally, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan decided to intervene in the case of veteran anthropologist and sociologist Filippo Osella who was deported as soon as he landed here last Thursday. On Wednesday the Kerala Chief Minister wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to look into this issue with the utmost urgency.

Vijayan in his letter requested Modi to ensure that such a thing does not happen again and appropriate instructions are issued to all concerned for that.

"Our country has a rich tradition of welcoming scholars and social scientists, who do conduct extensive field studies in various places covering diverse aspects of our social life and economy. These scholars have produced valuable research publications. We need to continue this tradition of being friendly and welcome these scholars," wrote Vijayan.

A Professor of Anthropology and South Asian Studies at the University of Sussex, the 65-year-old Osella is an expert on Kerala and arrived here to take part in a seminar. However, he was immediately put on the same flight that he arrived in back to Dubai even when he had all the legal documents and a track record of engaging in studies in Kerala for several decades.

Despite numerous pleas as yet there has been no word on why he was deported.
Mumbai, March 30 : Stand-up comedian Jaspreet Singh who has come up with his new show 'Koi Load Nehi', in the context of the Oscars controversy says that if a joke is offensive to an audience it should be criticised but physical violence cannot be an answer.

In conversation with IANS, Jaspreet was asked to share his thought on the controversial incident that took place at the Academy Award ceremony where stand-up comedian Chris Rock cracked a joke about Will Jada Pinkett Smith, wife of Will Smith and called her 'GI Jane 2'.

'G.I. Jane' is film in which lead actress Demi Moore shaved her head to complete her Navy Seal training.

Since Jada is suffering from alopecia, a medical condition due to which she lost her hair, the joke didn't go well with her and Will. Will walked onto the stage and punched Chris for his comment.

Commenting on the matter Jaspreet told IANS: "If a joke didn't go well with the audience, as a comedian, I am ready to apologise and if it is offensive, the audience should criticise. But slapping the comedian, physical violence cannot be an answer to anything. I think both of them eventually understood that and both apologised." Coming from a middle-class family, Jaspreet studied civil engineering and worked as a professional before getting into full-time stand-up comedy.

Now that he is doing multi-city tours and his first comedy special 'Koi Load Nehi' is out on Prime Video, he feels a certain sense of responsibility.

He said, "Even though it is not in the job description of a comedian, I feel, with my growing followers, there are few social topics I would like to address and express my satirical take on them. Be it gender equality, stereotyping of my community, I would like to bring them into my performance. For instance, I am stereotyped because I am a Sardar." "My intention is to utilise my stage to continue some of the socially relevant conversations through my performance, my humour, my satire is my weapon," smiled Jaspreet.

'Koi Load Nehi' is directed by Karan Asnani, produced by Myoho Films, Blip, and LVC.
Mumbai, March 30 : Renowned author Amish Tripathi is making his debut as a host with the upcoming docu-series titled 'Legends of The Ramayana', based on the epic Ramayana.

Amish will traverse across geographies as he sets out on his own mega-adventure in the footsteps of Lord Rama to retrace his sacred journey and unravel the under-explored mysteries around the text.

Talking about his experience, Amish said, "'Ramayan' is our collective eternal heritage. And to be able host a documentary on this subject, would I thought, be a bit like coming home. And yet, even though we were covering the familiar, one still had experiences that one would not expect! For example, we actually shot in small caves where an underground river flows! Or discovered a tribe that tattoos the holy name of Ram all over their bodies! Or actually found floating stones at Rameshwaram..." He went on adding, "All of us Indians think we know Lord Rama's journey. But there is still so much more to discover. I couldn't have dreamt of a better programme where I could make my debut as a host. It was enlightening, it was fun, it was surreal." The show 'Legends of The Ramayana' will soon be released on discovery+.
Mumbai, March 30 : As Lucknow Super Giants gear up for their second match against Chennai Super Kings on Thursday, the focus will be on young middle-order batter Ayush Badoni who made a sensational start to his career with a half-century on debut against Gujarat Titans.

Coming in with Lucknow Super Giants struggling at 29/4, Badoni (54) shared a superb rearguard 87-run partnership with Deepak Hooda (55) to help Lucknow reach a modest 158/6 in 20 overs. Though the team led by India vice-captain K.L Rahul succumbed to a five-wicket defeat, there took some positives from that game at the Wankhede Stadium. Like Badoni and Hooda's batting and Dushmantha Chameera's bowling.

But the biggest gain was Badoni's batting and the mature head he showed in building his innings. so much so that skipper K.L Rahul termed him their "Baby AB". He started cautiously before exploding into action after the 15th over.

The confident way in which he struck sixes off Gujarat Titans' skipper Hardik Pandya, experienced Afghan spinner Rashid Khan and Lockie Ferguson showed his skillsets and aggressive approach to batting.

It was former India opener and KKR captain Gautam Gambhir that had recommended Badoni to Lucknow management and the youngster did not disappoint his backers. It was Gambhir's suggestion to play the ball and not the bowler that helped Badoni to hit big sixes against the likes of Pandya, Rashid Khan and Ferguson.

"Gautam bhaiyya has backed me a lot. He always tells me to play my natural game and to play the ball and not the bowler. That gave me a lot of confidence. He also told me that I would not get to play 1-2 matches but a lot of opportunities. He backed me a lot and told me not to bother about the situation (in which I have to bat) but to play my natural game.

"There are senior players to bother about the situation. That helped me play freely," Badoni told the post-match press conference on Monday.

Lucknow will be hoping that he continues in the same vein in the subsequent matches.

On the whole, Lucknow will have to pick up their game. After the first match, skipper Rahul had said that they will have to look for good starts and practise bowling with the wet ball.

"The start wasn't ideal but the way we recovered was phenomenal. We couldn't have started the campaign in a better way. The win would have been great but a lot to learn from this. I think we gave ourselves a good chance with the ball till the 14th or 15th over. But it can be difficult with the dew. We need to go back and practise a bit more with the wet ball," Rahul said after the match.

Just like Lucknow Super Giants, Chennai Super Kings had also lost their first match and will be hoping to pick up their first points at the Brabourne Stadium here on Thursday.

CSK succumbed to a six-wicket defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders in a match in which both their batting and bowling had failed to click the way they would have liked, the dew at Wankhede making bowling in the second session very difficult.

Asked to bat first, Chennai had slumped to a precarious 61/5 in the 11th over before a 38-ball unbeaten 50 by former skipper M.S Dhoni and his unfinished 70-run stand with his successor Ravindra Jadeja (26 not out) helped them reach a lowly 131 for five which KKR chased in 18.3 overs losing four wickets.

Against Lucknow Super Giants, Jadeja will be hoping for a good start from his openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway. The experienced Robin Uthappa and Ambati Rayudu had got a start against KKR but got out at the most inopportune times. CSK will be hoping for one of them to bat through in case the openers fail to fire.

CSK will also be hoping that the toss works out in their favour in the next couple of games and they manage to avoid the hassle of bowling in the dew. Otherwise, the defending champions face the danger of slipping further behind as they defend the title they won in UAE last year.

Squads (from): Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul (c), Avesh Khan, Ayush Badoni, D Chameera, Quinton de Kock (wk), K Gowtham, Jason Holder, Deepak Hooda, Evin Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Mohsin Khan, Shahbaz Nadeem, Manish Pandey, Ankit Rajpoot, Ravi Bishnoi, Karan Sharma, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Manan Vohra, Mayank Yadav.

Chennai Super Kings: Ravindra Jadeja (c), Moeen Ali, K.M Asif, Bhagath Varma, Dwayne Bravo, Devon Conway, Tushar Deshpande, M.S Dhoni, Shivam Dube, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Hari Nishaanth, Narayan Jagdeeshan, Chris Jordan, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwaine Pretorius, Ambati Rayudu, Mitchell Santner, Subhranshu Senapati, Simarjeet Singh, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Robin Uthappa.

Latest updates on IPL 2022
Mumbai, March 30 : In a huge loss of face for Bollywood actor Salman Khan, a Mumbai court has rejected his interim plea for a 'gag order' in a defamation suit against his NRI neighbour, along with costs.

The verdict of Bombay City Civil and Sessions Court Judge A.H. Laddhad, rejecting Salman's plea against his neighbour Ketan R. Kakkad, with social media giants like Google, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, Sandeep Phogat, Paras Bhat and Ujjwal Narain as parties, was pronounced on March 23 and the detailed order came out on Wednesday.

Judge Laddhad rejected Salman's notice of motion awarding costs to Kakkad and disposed of the matter.

Referring to the alleged utterances against Salman by viewers on social media, the court said the plaintiff failed to explain that these pertained to him or how they related to him.

The judge also said on perusal of some of the social media posts/videos transcripts, he found that they were not "entirely not defamatory per se".

The court referred to some of the posts like "rapists of nature", "white terror", "loot-atyachara, "naked dance by Miya Salman Khan", "mega-corruption" etc. purportedly tweeted by Kakkad, and statements by some journalists comparing Salman with the Taliban, how the actor was "mafia", "bully terrorising the locals", "fudging records", etc. that were produced by the actor's team.

In contrast, the verdict noted that Kakkad had placed on record evidences like complaints and show-cause notices to Salman about the allegations of encroachments by the latter in his Panvel property, the 100-acres Arpita Farms, in public interest as a "whistle-blower".

Incidentally, Kakkad has already complained about these to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other bigwigs in Maharashtra, but had got no respite nor allowed to enter his property which is adjacent at a higher level with Salman's Arpita Farms since the past few years.

At the preliminary stage of the defamation suit, Judge Laddhad found Kakkad's plea of justification as more probable than Khan's prima facie case, as the former had come with specific material to defend himself.

The order mentions issues raised by Salman against his neighbour like building a gate to block Kakkad's entry to his property to which there was no denial, accusing the actor of "raping mother nature" with illegal constructions on Arpita Farms, keeping wild animals illegally and more.

Plus, there were claims of links with the mafia 'D-Company' and keeping a "gang" of absconding don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar on his property, speculation of drug/child trafficking, organ trafficking, dead body found on his property, using explosives, influencing officials to stall Kakkad's works, attempting to "communalise" the issue and connect Sushant Singh Rajput's death with Khan's Panvel property.

The verdict speaks of Kakkad's social media statements of 265 acres of land sold to one company, political links extending to Dubai, Bahrain, grabbing not only his (Kakkad's) money but of thousands of other NRIs, how Salman had invited former BJP Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar though Kakkad's complaint against the actor was pending, comparisons with Emperor Babur or Emperor Aurangzeb, but the court said it was not clear nor was Khan's name mentioned.

On the Rajput death episode, the court said that Kakkad was expressing his opinion but he had not named Salman, his farmhouse or that the actor was involved in the (Rajput) death case.

During the hearings, the judge noted that the social media giants and the others had pleaded how they were unnecessarily dragged into the Kakkad matter by Salman though they had nothing to do with both the parties and had sought their names to be deleted, as the case became one of the most avidly-monitored globally.

Stung by the contentions of Salman, Kakkad later indicated that he is contemplating filing a counter-defamation case against the actor and is seeking legal advice in the matter.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in)
Chennai, March 30 : Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu is known as the Manchester of the South with most of the garment exports taking place from this place. The industry, already reeling under a steep increase in prices of raw materials, is now affected by the Ukraine-Russia war.

Tiruppur which is one of the biggest textile hubs in the country has a turnover of Rs 3000 crore per month but in the last month, exporters said, the business has come down anywhere between 20 to 30 percent.

Around 65 percent of the export business from Tiruppur is with the European Union and the war between Ukraine and Russia has affected the exports significantly.

Raja M. Shanmugham, President of the Tiruppur Exporters Association, told IANS, "The price of raw materials has seen a steep increase. For example, cotton candy price has increased from Rs 15,000 a month to Rs 80,000 a month and this has affected our production." He said that most of the European brands are importing from Tiruppur and have business in Russia and Ukraine and added that the war has had a cascading effect on the whole of Europe leading to a decline in imports by European countries.

The TEA president said, "Europe and UK are mired in crisis following the war and naturally they will reduce the imports of garments and we are feeling the pinch. Most of the European brands have reduced the imports between 20 to 30 percent." He said that the increase in cotton candy prices has affected the production of yarn and fabrics and is affecting the growth of the cotton textile value chain.

T. Rajkumar, Chairman, Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), told media persons that "Traders are hoarding cotton and manipulating the price on a daily basis taking advantage of future trading in MCX and NCDEX." "He said that 11 percent import duty has emboldened traders to hoard textiles in the name of farmers and called upon the Union government to withdraw the import duty which would automatically lead to a reduction in prices.

The textile industry leaders also called upon the government to make declaration of cotton stock mandatory for traders to prevent hoarding.
DAKAR, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Hope is in the air following the commissioning of a toll bridge spanning a local river in Senegal.

The bridge, which spans the Saloum River and connects the two cities of Fatick and Foundiougne, is believed to be the longest of the kind in West Africa.

A special ceremony was arranged Saturday, with Senegalese President Macky Sall attending, to celebrate the commissioning of the steel bridge, which was financed by Senegal and China through the Export-Import Bank of China (China EximBank) and built by a Chinese company in four years.

After cutting the ribbon, President Macky Sall, in the presence of Chinese Ambassador to Senegal Xiao Han and several administrative authorities of Senegal, walked a few meters on the bridge which extends 1,600 meters.

The Senegalese President at the ceremony thanked China for its constant support for the realization of "all the beautiful infrastructures" launched through the Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE), Senegal's master plan for revitalization.

The Foundiougne bridge will make it possible to shorten the journey between Casamance (south) and the rest of Senegal via The Gambia, said the president, noting that the bridge will reduce the time and cost of traffic to The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau, consolidating integration and neighborliness between neighboring countries of Senegal.

The bridge was completed late last year and its construction had created 2,000 jobs.

The commissioning of the bridge is a boon to locals.

"Before, it took at least an hour to cross the river by ferry, but now it takes a few minutes to cross the bridge. The bridge is really convenient and it saves us a lot of time," said Abdoulaye Diop, a resident of the city of Foundiougne, which is on the southern bank of the Saloum River. 
Berlin, March 30 : Elon Musk-owned electric vehicle company Tesla has been ordered by a court in Germany to buy back a Model 3 vehicle from a customer who filed a complaint over how disappointed he was with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) package -- which includes Autopilot features -- that he felt it was driving like "a drunk first-time driver".

According to the auto-tech website Electrek, the electric vehicle company just lost a case in Darmstadt Regional Court, which ordered Tesla to buy back the plaintiff's Model 3.

"... assistance functions such as automatically overtaking slower vehicles on the freeway did not work. The steering behaviour at entrances and exits or motorway junctions is spongy and resembles that of a 'drunk novice driver'. Traffic lights and stop signs are not recognized," the report said citing Spiegel.

Meanwhile, Tesla said that there is no defect with the car and insists that the features would be delivered in the future through software updates, but it cannot say when, the report said.

"With regard to the process, the US group states that it is not aware of any software or hardware malfunctions on the vehicle that could not have been remedied by a repair," the company was quoted as saying.

"According to Tesla, the necessary upgrade to the latest hardware would have been free of charge. Systems and features worked as intended and in accordance with the current regulations for autonomous driving in Germany," it added.
San Francisco, March 30 : Google's Chrome browser has been updated to version 100, almost 14 years after it introduced the world to its clean design and all-encompassing "omnibox" in 2008.

For most of its history, the search giant's browser has gained a new version number roughly every six weeks, but last year the company switched to a four-week cycle to deliver new features more quickly, The Verge reported.

Google said the version 100 update is rolling out on stable channels now across Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS.

The report mentioned that the biggest change is the arrival of a refreshed logo.

The new design removes some of the shadowing detail from the 2014-era logo, which makes for a flatter look that's more in line with the app icons for Google's other services.

Other changes coming with version 100 of Chrome include the removal of "lite mode" in the browser's Android app, which was previously designed to use less mobile data and load web pages faster.

But as Chrome support manager Craig Tumblison explained in a post last month, the feature has become less necessary as mobile data costs have decreased and Chrome has generally become more data efficient.
Udupi : , March 30 (IANS) In an important development, a delegation of Muslim and Christian leaders, religious heads and traders, who are facing boycott in temple premises and religious fairs, on Wednesday met powerful Hindu Pejawar Mutt seer Vishwaprasanna Theertha Swamiji to seek his intervention.

They told Swamiji that the traders who make a living by selling items at the Hindu religious fairs are facing a lot of problems. They pleaded with the Swamiji to allow them to do businesses near the temples.

Vishwaprasanna Theertha Swamiji said that peace and harmony are important but it cannot be maintained by only one community. "Hindu community has suffered a lot for a long time. Many incidents have inflicted pain on the community. The problem can't be solved by mutual discussions among a few religious leaders," he stated.

The solution has to be sought at the grassroots level. When injustice has been meted out to a community for a long time, the anger explodes, the Pejawar seer said.

"If incidents which cause pain to Hindu community stop, then there is a chance of peace and harmony. All the cows belonging to a widow have been stolen and the woman is now on the street having no source of livelihood. Many such incidents have caused pain to the Hindu community," he said.

"We have also gone through such pains. If someone talks about peace and harmony, mere lip service is not enough. There is no need for a mediation by a third person for peaceful and harmonious living," he said.

Abubakker Atradi, Honorary President of Udupi Consumer Forum said, a delegation met the religious seer with an intention to create peace and harmony in the society. Muslim community too wants peace. The whole community can't be hated just because of one or two people. "We are like children of the same mother. I appeal that everyone should live harmoniously. Swamiji has given a suggestion to create a committee and assured of solution to the problem," he explained.

He further said that no meeting was held within the Muslim community. The debate has gone too far. If statements are given according to somebody's whims and fancies, the peace in the society will not exist. If there is love and affection, there will be no disturbance. It takes two to tango, he noted.

Shokamatha Igarji Church, Father Charles said, all live on the basis of certain values. Mistakes are committed by a few people. The mistake committed by one person is likely to put many into trouble. If these mistakes are rectified, there is a chance of harmony, he said. Religion is needed for all and at the same time discrimination among human beings on the basis of religion is wrong, he added.
New Delhi, March 30 : Demanding unconditional apology from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for "making fun" of genocide of Kashmiri Pandits, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) national president Tejasvi Surya on Wednesday said that he and AAP are "habitual Hindu insulter".

Surya said the BJYM will continue to protest till Kejriwal offers unconditional apology for "mocking" Kashmiri Pandits.

He said this while addressing a press conference at the BJP national headquarters here along with BJYM national general secretary and Lok Sabha member Raju Bista.

Surya said: "Kejriwal is a habitual offender when it comes to his politics and his political interests are always over the interest of the nation. AAP has questioned time and again the commitment and integrity of security forces and he has made abundantly clear multiple times that his and AAP policy always in favour of terrorists and never in favour of victims of terror." Talking about the migration of Kashmiri Pandits, Surya said: "The attempt to whitewash genocide is an injustice on civilisation, this attempt of whitewashing historical facts is time-tested tactics of urban naxal. He (Kejriwal) had openly provided support to the 'tukde tukde gang' who never had the best interest of India in their heart." Talking about the BJYM protest at Kejriwal's official residence, Surya said: "This protest is not against or in favour of a particular film or in reaction to a statement against a particular movie. But it is against bigotry and inhuman mind of Kejriwal which deny the genocide and mocks Hindu genocide which took place in Kashmir." When asked about Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's claims that "BJP goons tried to assassinate Kejriwal", Surya said: "It is only a figment of Sisodia's imagination. Surya claimed that calling democratically elected parliamentarians 'goon' shows Sisodia's commitment to democracy." "I am a democratically elected MP from Bengaluru and Raju Bista has been elected from Darjeeling... 20 lakh people elected us to Parliament. We did not come to parliament to laugh at the killing of one community. We are responsible Members of Parliament. Sisodia's comment is undemocratic and unconstitutional. The youth of this country will teach you a very strong lesson when you face the election," Surya said.

Condemning Sisodia's statement, Surya urged him to take back his statement. Surya asked: "Are you (Kejriwal and Sisodia) in favour of terrorists or victims of terror?" "The nation knows today that denying and whitewashing crime of terror is more criminal than committing terror itself. The AAP and Kejriwal are repeatedly doing this. Not the first time the urban naxal trying to whitewash genocide of Hindu from memory of civilisation," he said.
Bengaluru, March 30 : The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday dismissed the plea of the persons accused of killing an RSS worker in 2016 to transfer the case from the NIA special court to the sessions court.

Taking up the petition submitted by the accused persons -- Irfan Pasha and three others -- in this regard, the high court bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi passed the order.

The petition also sought the court to drop the charges under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) framed against them. The bench said that there is no scope for the accused persons to challenge the order passed by the lower court in this case.

RSS worker Rudresh was killed in broad daylight at Shivajinagar in Bengaluru on October 16, 2016 when he was returning home after attending an RSS event. The brutal murder, wherein the miscreants hit Rudresh from behind with a machete, had created a furore cross the southern state.

The case made national headlines and raised concerns over the growing communal divide in the state.

After investigating the matter, the police had arrested four accused persons. Later, the case was handed over to the NIA by the Central government.
Patna, March 30 : After surgical strike on Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), BJP leaders are now directly targeting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Vinay Bihari, a BJP MLA claimed that Nitish Kumar lost his fire that he was known for, during the first tenure in 2005.

"I firmly believe that the BJP top leadership should think about it and make a Chief Minister from our party," he said.

"People of the states are talking about the Yogi model as incidents of crime are rising in Bihar every day. We are living in Bihar, so we advocate for Nitish Model here. But we do not want the present Nitish model, but we want Nitish Kumar as we knew him in 2005," Bihari said.

When asked to describe the Yogi model, Vinay Bihari said: "The way crime incidents take place every day in Bihar, the Yogi model means quick action on the criminals. The bulldozers are required in Bihar to bring the situation under control." "As I belong to the BJP, I firmly believe that the Chief Minister should be from our party. The BJP top leadership should make Tar Kishore Prasad as Chief Minister of the state. He is doing well ever since he was given the charge of deputy chief minister of Bihar," he said.

"The popularity of Nitish Kumar is declining in Bihar. He contested 115 seats and won only 45, an indication of his decreasing popularity. He does not have the fire power anymore," Bihari explained.

The BJP in Bihar is enthused after victory in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and the party executed a successful surgical strike on VIP and included 3 of its MLAs in BJP.

After the inclusion of 3 VIP MLAs, BJP became the single largest party in the state with 77 MLAs surpassing RJD having 75 MLAs in the Bihar assembly.

Meanwhile Neeraj Kumar, JDU MLC and party's chief spokesperson told IANS: "Vinay Bihari, through his statement, challenged the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union Home Minister Amit Shah. Nitish Kumar became the Chief Minister on the basis of a decision by both the parties and Modi and Amit Shah gave the green signal for his name. Vinay Bihari recently joined BJP and he is not an official spokesperson of the party. Hence, we do not take him seriously."
New Delhi, March 30 : Military operations in Ukraine, sale of Russian crude, rupee-ruble denominated payment method, arms deals are a few issues which Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov will discuss during the first high-level visit to India since Russia went to war with Ukraine.

Lavrov is arriving on a two day visit to India on March 31. "The Russian Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov will pay an official visit to New Delhi on March 31-1 April 2022," the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Rupee-ruble payment method Following the US-led sanctions and a few Russian banks being removed from the SWIFT messaging system, Lavrov will deliberate on the rupee-ruble denominated payment method for crude which Russia has offered to India.

New Delhi is not averse to buying Russian oil at a discounted rate. The government recently informed Parliament that it is examining offers from that country to buy cheap crude and an inter-ministerial committee is working on an alternate payment plan.

It is also stated that Reserve Bank of India senior officers are meeting their Russian counterparts to discuss the rupee-ruble payment.

Since the start of the war, India has been facing pressure from the West and its allies to take a stronger stand against Russia.

Defence deals The war between Russia and Ukraine will cost India's military capabilities dearly with the delivery of many platforms like a nuclear powered submarine, Grigorovich class frigates, fighter jets, Triumf S-400, AK 203 assault rifles and others expected to be delayed. Indian leaders will hold discussions with Lavrov on the issue.

As soon as the war began on February 24, both India and Russiamaintained there would be no delays with respect to deliveries of critical platforms but with sanctions imposed and the possibility of the war continuing for long, it would have a major impact.

India decided to upgrade its military infrastructure when the country was locked in a major face-off with China along the Line of Actual Control in July 2020. The threat of a two-front war -- from China and Pakistan -- has made India go for large scale arms deals and Russia is still one of India's largest arms suppliers.

India's defence ministry has recently reviewed the status of the current deals with Russia and how the war is going to impact the military capabilities.

In December 2021, India and Russia signed more than two dozen deals across a variety of sectors and had also inked a 10-year defence cooperation pact.

One of the deals with Russia is for the Triumf S-400 air defence system. India signed a $5 billion deal with Russia in October 2018 to buy five units of the S-400 surface to air missile system. Russia has stated that it will deliver on time however the war will delay the same.

The Indian Army had also inked a deal with Russia to jointly develop the AK 203 assault rifle worth Rs 5000 crores. In 2019, India signed a $ 3 billion deal with Russia for leasing a nuclear-powered submarine. The Chakra III, Akula class submarine is expected to be delivered by 2025 for a period of 10 years. The deal to get four Grigorovich class frigates was signed between Russia's state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport and Goa Shipyard Ltd in 2018. Two frigates for the Indian Navy worth $ 1 billion were to be manufactured in Russia and the other two in Goa. The deliveries were supposed to start within four years of the signing of the contract.

The arms and ammunition deals with Russia also includes procurement of additional 21 MiG-29 for the Indian Air Force (IAF), up-gradation of existing 59 MiG-29 aircraft at an estimated cost of Rs 7,418 crore and purchase of 12 Su-30 MKI aircraft for Rs 10,730 crore to be built at state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

(Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in)

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
New Delhi, March 30 : The Ministry of Defence has decided to operationalise ayurveda centres at 37 cantonment hospitals across the country from May 1.

The decision was taken at a recent high-level meeting held between Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and Vaidya Rakesh Kotecha, Secretary in the Ministry of AYUSH.

The move will make therapies of ayurveda available to the residents of cantonments, including armed forces personnel, their families and civilians.

To support this initiative, the Ministry of AYUSH is providing skilled AYUSH doctors and pharmacists to these 37 hospitals.

It has also been decided that officials of the Directorate General of Defence Estates (DGDE), Ministry of Defence and Ministry of AYUSH would work in close collaboration to make these 37 ayurveda centres functional.
London, March 30 : British judges were dramatically pulled from Hong Kong's court of final appeal as ministers slammed the 'systematic erosion of liberty and democracy', Daily Mail reported.

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said it was 'no longer tenable' for them to serve in the former UK territory due to the behaviour of the Beijing-backed regime.

The decision that a 'tipping point' had been reached was taken following discussions with Justice Secretary Dominic Raab and Supreme Court President Lord Reed.

A 'national security law' imposed by China two years ago banned views being expressed on independence and restricted the media from criticising the regime, with people facing extradition to the mainland.

It sparked huge protests on Hong Kong and condemnation from the international community, with the UK offering refuge to thousands, Daily Mail reported.

Lord Reed and deputy president Lord Hodge have both now quit as non-permanent judges at the Hong Kong court.

UK judges had continued to sit in the Court of Final Appeal since the territory was handed back to China in 1997.

Truss said: "We have seen a systematic erosion of liberty and democracy in Hong Kong. Since the national security law was imposed, authorities have cracked down on free speech, the free press and free association." "The situation has reached a tipping point where it is no longer tenable for British judges to sit on Hong Kong's leading court, and would risk legitimising oppression".
New Delhi, March 30 : With gradual expansion of the capacity of its local sourcing and distribution networks accompanied by provision of key incentives and regulatory relaxations to foreign investors, India is on its way to reshape the global supply chain and become an alternative to China.

In this regard, Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida announced an investment of Yen 3.5 trillion ($42 billion) in India over five years during the India-Japan Annual Summit in Delhi. Under an MoU, Suzuki Corporation would set up an electric car manufacturing unit in Gujarat.

Earlier, to enhance the resilience of supply chains in the Indo-Pacific region, the trade and economy Ministers of India, Japan and Australia launched the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) on April 27, 2021, which aims to develop dependable sources of supply and attract investment.

UBS, a financial services company based in Switzerland, forecasted in February 2020 that India can become a preferred destination for companies looking to shift from China, and to diversify their supply chain.

India has identified a dozen of sectors where global supply-chains can shift away from China. These sectors include energy, automobiles, steel, pharma, textiles and garments, marine products, financial services, IT services and tourism, etc.

To avoid the manufacturing and supply chain disruptions, global companies are looking to diversify their strategy and India stands to gain from this move which will also break the concentrated supply chain in China. With the 'Make in India' programme, India has started to produce electronics, electrical goods, solar panels, chemicals, bulk drugs, metals, furniture, household/gifts items, toys, footwear, hardware, automobile components, tires, bicycle parts, bearings and machinery, etc.

Some India-based businesses have also set up domestic sourcing and distribution networks in order to de-risk from China, and to drive manufacturing costs down. In view of this, the Indian government in subsequent budget provisions increased import duties on certain electronic components to set up a less vulnerable supply chain in the country itself.

Not only local firms, but foreign companies with a base in India have also started local production to reduce reliance on imports and focussing on large scale indigenization. Chinese smart-phone maker Vivo had set up a manufacturing facility in Greater Noida. Similarly, South Korean multinational company Samsung had set up India's first smart-phone display manufacturing unit in Noida. It is likely to play a key role in the imminent major reshuffle of the global supply chain.

At present, there are 1,455 Japanese companies operating in India and 11 Japan Industrial Townships (JIT) have been established, including Neemrana in Rajasthan and Sri City in Andhra Pradesh, hosting the maximum number of Japanese manufacturing companies. Japan is also India's 5th largest source of FDI, besides being the largest development partner.

Further, due to rising labour costs in China, overseas businesses are keen to set up a local supply chain in India. According to industry experts, the entry level salaries for workers in India start between Rs 12,000 ($157) and Rs 15,000 ($196), while the same in China are about three times higher.

Against this backdrop, given India's competitive advantage in terms of land and labour availability as well as software skills, global manufacturers long settled in China are looking to diversify their manufacturing bases to India even as the current Covid crisis underscores the importance of moving away from dependency on a single economy like China.
TUNIS, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian President Kais Saied announced on Wednesday evening the dissolution of the Assembly of People's Representatives, or the parliament.

The announcement was made by Saied in a speech broadcast on state television Wataniya 1.

"The State is targeted by a desperate coup attempt ... My responsibility is to protect the state, its institutions, and its people," the president said.

Saied referred to Article 72 of the country's Constitution, which states that "the president of the republic is the head of the State and the symbol of its unity, guarantees its independence and continuity and ensures respect for the constitution."

Describing an earlier meeting of the parliament as "illegal," he said the parliament "has already been suspended since last July" and its session has "no legitimacy."

The Tunisian head of state warned against any attempt to sow chaos and internal division.

"Solid institutions and a conscious people will be there to counter any plot against national security, and all the authors of this plot will be prosecuted in justice according to the regulations in force," said the president.

"We will pursue the construction of a new Tunisia ... The legitimacy will be that of the people," he added.

On July 25, 2021, Saied sacked former Prime Minister Hichem Mechich and suspended all activities of the parliament.

More than half of the 217-seat Tunisian parliament voted on Wednesday in a symbolic online session to revoke presidential decrees halting the chamber's functions. 
Islamabad, March 30 : The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), a key ally of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led coalition government, formally announced on Wednesday that it is joining the Opposition ranks ahead of the no-trust vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan, Dawn reported.

With MQM-P's weight behind the joint Opposition, Imran Khan will lose his majority in the National Assembly and if the situation remains the same till voting on the no-trust motion, which is expected to take place on April 3, his ouster is all but certain.

MQM-P's announcement was made by party convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui at a press conference in Islamabad alongside leaders of the joint Opposition.

"We have gathered at a historic moment. More than congratulations, this is a test through which the national leadership has to pass," Siddiqui said.

"Today is also a day for prayers... Common people's wishes have been fulfilled. I expect that this time we can [strive for] a democracy whose effects can reach the common people of Pakistan.

"We have joined you (the Opposition) on this journey with these expectations. We are not seeking any individual or party benefits. Every clause of our agreement is for the common public of Pakistan, and especially for those areas which we have been representing for the last 35 years. The areas for which we believe immediate steps are needed," Siddiqui added.

"We have prioritised Pakistan's interests over all individual interests," he said.

Following Maqbool's announcement, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Shahbaz Sharif, said: "Today is an important day in Pakistan's history because a joint Opposition -- a national jirga of the Opposition -- has come together and efforts have been made for national unity." Bilawal Bhutto Zardari from the Pakistan Peoples Party also thanked MQM-P and described its decision of teaming up with the Opposition as "historic".

"I want to repeat that PPP and MQM-P's working relationship is not related to the no-confidence motion. PPP and MQM-P have to work together under any condition, if we want to work for Karachi and Pakistan's prosperity," he said.

"Imran Khan has now lost his majority. He is not the Prime Minister anymore. The Parliament session is tomorrow. Let's hold voting tomorrow and settle this matter. We can then start working on transparent elections and the journey towards restoration of democracy and an end to the economic crisis can then begin."
London, March 30 : Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has played down any hopes of a breakthrough in the talks held with Ukraine in Turkey, BBC reported.

On Tuesday, Russia said it intended to scale back its military activity in Kiev and Chernihiv, while Ukraine said it would consider becoming a "neutral" state.

"What is positive is that the Ukrainian side has at least started to specifically formulate and put on paper what it is proposing. Until now we had not managed to achieve that," Peskov said.

"As regards the rest, we cannot, put it this way, at present state there have been any breakthroughs, anything very promising," he said, in remarks reported by the Interfax news agency.

Peskov said Russia is careful to comment on the talks as "we believe that negotiations should take place in silence", adding that the chief Russian negotiator will speak later.

He said that Crimea, the region annexed by Russia in 2014, is "part of Russia" and the Russian constitution precluded discussing the fate of any Russian region with anyone else.

The status of Crimea is settled for Russia, and Moscow will not discuss the issue with Ukraine or any other party, Peskov told journalists on Wednesday.

"Crimea is part of the Russian Federation. According to our constitution, we cannot discuss with anyone the fates of Russian territories, the fates of Russian regions. That is out of the question," the official said, RT reported.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
New Delhi, March 30 : The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is likely to launch seven satellites during the current year and the expenditure towards the realisation of satellites is nearly Rs 490 crore, the Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

"ISRO has successfully launched the Earth Observation Satellite EOS-4 onboard PSLV-C52 on February 14, 2022 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, along with INS-2TD & INSPIRESat-1 as co-passengers. The satellites were injected into the polar sun synchronous orbit at 524.84 kms altitude," Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

"Currently, the satellites are undergoing various in-orbit tests and calibrations and subsequently, the data available from the satellites will be used for achieving the mission objectives, during the designated mission life. The total time taken to realise the satellite is 63 months from date of financial sanction and the expenditure towards realization of satellite is nearly Rs 490 crore," he added.

The EOS-4 is a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging satellite for earth observation, operating in C-band at 5.4 GHz frequency, for applications in the domains of agriculture, disaster management, water resources and forestry.

INS-2TD is the first satellite of the 2nd generation nanosatellites intended to demonstrate indigenously-developed nano systems for in-orbit performance.

INSPIRESat-1 is a student satellite of the class 9U, jointly developed by Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram, and Laboratory of Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, the US, to study the Ionosphere dynamics and sun's coronal heating processes, the Minister said.
New Delhi, March 30 : Under the Illness to Wellness campaign, ASSOCHAM, the apex body, organised a webinar on "Obstructive Sleep Snoring: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment" with the primary goal of raising awareness and disseminating knowledge about comprehensive understanding and managing Obstructive Sleep Snoring (OSS) to lead a healthier, happier, and prosperous life.

Anil Rajput, Chairperson of the ASSOCHAM CSR Council, while voicing his concern about obstructive sleep snoring, said: "This disorder can occur at various levels in the airway, decreasing oxygen supply to the body. Obstructive sleep snoring can affect everyone." However, conditions such as obesity, advanced age, a narrower airway, hypertension, asthma, and diabetes put you at a higher risk.

Emphasising on the need to step up awareness on this ailment, Rajput said: "More work needs to be done in terms of educating society and making people realise that this is a medical condition and can be managed through treatment which can ultimately help us lead a more happy and healthier life." In his special address, Prashant N. Chhajed, Interventional Pulmonologist Director, Lung Care and Sleep Centre Santacruz, Mumbai Pulmonologist, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi Lilavati & Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai, said that obstructive sleep apnea is an under diagnosed condition. This condition is diagnosed using overnight polysomnography.

Dr. Chhajed further added obstructive sleep apnea is effectively treated with the use of positive airway pressure devices such as a cpap. Dr. Chhajed also said that there have been remarkable improvements in interfaces (masks) to administer CPAP which has led to significant improvement in cpap adherence. Also, the newer cpap devices can be linked to the mobile phone which provides feedback regarding the use of cpap devices.

Dr. Kalpana Nagpal, Senior Consultant, ENT (Head & Neck Surgery), Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Director, Robotics ENT (Head & Neck) Proctor & Mentor, Robotic Surgery President, Women Association of Otolaryngologists of India, has categorically stated that new technology has revolutionized the treatment of snoring and sleep apnea. In some cases of sleep apnea, robotic surgery has produced great results. People go from all over the world to have the surgery done, and there is still a lot of education needed among physicians and other citizens.

People may feel excessive daytime sleepiness, sleeplessness, nightmares, sleep loss, or snoring, as well as respiratory concerns such as no breathing, breathing through the mouth, or noisy breathing, according to Dr. Aparna Mahajan, Consultant ENT Fortis Escorts Hospital Faridabad. They may experience depression, dry mouth, irritability, fatigue, or headaches because of their altered physiological functioning.

The webinar was moderated by Dr. Rajesh Kesari, Founder and Director of Total Care Control.
Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is set to arrive in India on a three-day visit on April 1, aimed at inking cross-border connectivity and healthcare projects. Additionally, it has also been reported that Deuba and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi are likely to inaugurate the Kurtha-Jayanagar Railway Project, a 35-km stretch that will link Kurtha in Nepal to Jayanagar in Bihar.

India and Nepal share a deep historical bilateral relationship which has continued to strengthen over time, given the high number of geopolitical and geoeconomic convergences between the two.

The outstanding border issues between the neighbours are also likely to be discussed during Deuba's visit, thus opening doors for a productive dialogue on the same and contributing towards a rejuvenated relationship between New Delhi and Kathmandu.

As Nepal tries to vie for a policy of strategic diversification aimed at reducing external dependence, the visit has the potential to further strengthen the relations between the two neighbors, provide room for India to be the driver for Nepal's domestic growth and confront the existing issues of divergence.

It will also boost Indian government's commitment to its Neighborhood First policy and secure a stable relationship with Nepal in an otherwise volatile environment in the region marred by the Russia-Ukraine crisis and Chinese aggression.

Boosting Connectivity: Building on the Janakpur Bond As per reports, the key project that the two sides shall be inaugurating during Deuba's India visit is the Kurtha-Jayanagar railway project, part of the 68.72 km Jayanagar-Bijalpura-Bardibas rail link built under the aegis of the Indian government at a grant assistance cost of NPR 8.77 billion.

With its inauguration, the railway project will establish the first modern railway network in Nepal and provide a much needed boost in bilateral trade, investment, people-to-people exchange, tourism and cultural diplomacy, and strengthening the overall connectivity between the two countries.

Addressing the handing over ceremony of the railway link in 2021, the Nepalese Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister had remarked that the project will bring modernisation in Nepal's railway system.

India and Nepal share a deep historical relationship that has widened over the years and the Kurtha-Jayanagar railway project builds on a major cultural and religious bond - the Janaki Mandir in Janakpur, Nepal.

This temple, widely revered by Hindus for pilgrimage in countries like India, Nepal, Sri Lanka etc., will receive a huge tourism and financial impetus due to the inauguration of the railway link. The reason for its importance for Hindus across the world stems from the fact that Lord Ram's wife Sita was identified to be born in Janakpur, thus linking Ayodhya in India (Lord Ram's birthplace) and Janakpur in Nepal.

Thus, the Kurtha-Jayanagar railway link will serve as the new foundation for a renewed India-Nepal relationship that will extend to other areas as well. Testimony to this can be attached due to the fact that during Deuba's planned visit, other projects including, but not limited to launching of 137 health posts in the aftermath of 2015 Nepal Earthquake through Indian assistance, are also set to be launched that will further enhance the bilateral relationship.

In this regard, India and Nepal have done well to rejuvenate and reboot their relationship in the last one year through various measures, thus sowing the seeds for a productive visit by Deuba. In 2021, India had gifted Nepal one million domestically manufactured Covishield vaccines to contain the spread of coronavirus.

New Delhi also provided grant assistance of Rs 30 crore (approx.) to Nepal for the reconstruction of educational institutions rocked by the 2015 earthquake.

In a goodwill gesture, the Indian government conferred General Prabhu Ram Sharma of Nepal with the rank of 'General of Indian Army' during his visit to India in 2021. Also, at the end of 2021, Indian Foreign Minister had announced the completion of construction of 50,000 houses that had been earlier destroyed in the wake of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal.

Lastly, three power substations built by India at a Line of Credit of $250 million were also executed recently in March. Such measures have made sure that Nepal receives adequate amounts of grant assistance in areas critical to its economic recovery in a post-pandemic world. The visit by Deuba will provide further momentum to bilateral trade and investment between the two countries through connectivity and infrastructure projects.

Driving Nepal's Policy of Strategic Diversification and Securing the Neighborhood Nepal has been facing a dilemma in its bid to balance its dependence on foreign powers since its inception. In recent years, its tenacity and commitment to achieving strategic diversification, wherein it reduces its dependence and at the same time, receives grant assistance in critical areas without getting caught in-between a geopolitical powerplay, has increased. India, being Nepal's longest and most trusted friend, now has the opportunity to drive this policy shift while strengthening its own bilateral relationship with Kathmandu.

Firstly, on the economic front, India and Nepal's infrastructure projects and grant assistance in various sectors will serve as a major source of income and investment for Kathmandu, which will in turn help it achieve economic growth. This will reduce its dependence on foreign aid and loans that may increase the risk of future debt-traps and strategic leverages that undermine its geopolitical independence.

Plus, India's 'grant assistance model' will make sure that Nepal receives investment in a legitimate way without compromising its economic independence.

At the same time, this visit should also be utilized for identifying further areas of cooperation in the realms of energy, connectivity and maritime domains. In this context, the meeting of Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar with his Nepali counterpart Narayan Khadka on the sidelines of the 18th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting in Colombo was fruitful and the regional forum can be further leveraged to drive deeper convergences between India and Nepal and its regional partners like Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

This will also ensure India's commitment to the Neighborhood First policy and strengthen its Act East and Indo-Pacific policies.

Finally, New Delhi needs to make sure that it hits the right notes during Deuba's visit and addresses the elephant in the room that currently exists in the form of border disputes with Kathmandu. To achieve this, both sides should aim to establish a joint mechanism to resolve the border issue at the earliest possible - the revival of the 2014 idea floated by Narendra Modi for foreign secretary-level talks for this purpose can definitely be explored again.

While ensuring Nepal's economic growth, such an overture will also help India secure its national interests at a time when it is facing Chinese aggression across the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

India's former Ambassador to Nepal, Shyam Saran's words are telling in this regard, "Stability in Nepal is in the best interests of India." [Bhavdeep Modi is currently serving as a Senior Research Associate at Organisation for Research on China and Asia (ORCA India), a New Delhi-based think-tank, and focuses on India-China relations in the Indo-Pacific, India's neighborhood policy and the rise of middle powers in Asia. The views expressed are personal)

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Jaipur, March 30 : The suicide by a gynaecologist Archana Sharma in Rajasthan after being booked under Section 302 (murder) has snowballed into a political controversy with the opposition claiming it to be the death of the system while the government promised to conduct a fair investigation into the matter.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday expressed grief over the incident.

In his tweet, he said, "We treat doctors as God. Every doctor does his best to save the life of the patient. But it is not justified to accuse the doctor as soon as any unfortunate incident happens. If doctors will be intimidated like this, then how will they be able to do their work with confidence. We all should think that in the time of Covid pandemic or in case of suffering from other ailments, the doctors served everyone by risking their lives. How can such treatment be meted out to them." Gehlot said that the whole matter is being investigated seriously. The guilty will not be spared.

Former Chief Minister and BJP leader Vasundhara Raje said that there should be a fair investigation into this incident. State health minister Parsadi Lal Meena said that the incident is sad. This should not have happened. This is the negligence of the administration. If the case had not been registered under section 302, she would not have committed suicide. This is the ignorance of the police officers. Action will be taken according to the suicide note.

Leader of Opposition Gulabchand Kataria said that there are central and state laws for the safety of doctors. "No one can be held guilty until the investigation is over. Action is taken only if it is proved in the investigation. In this case of a female doctor, it was wrong to take action on the very first day by making her a criminal under section 302. The doctor performs his duty responsibly. The state government should show sensitivity on such subjects." State BJP president Satish Poonia also questioned the attitude of the police which registered a case against the doctor under section 302.

"Registering a case against a doctor under Section 302 and that too against the guidelines of the Supreme Court, because there was pressure from Congress leaders! What is going on in the state, is the Home Minister just a puppet? "This is not a doctor's suicide but the suicide of the system," he commented.

The medical community, anguished by this incident, has now started to raise their voice. In the capital Jaipur, doctors took out a rally from the state's largest Sawai Mansingh Hospital to the Statue Circle.

A pregnant woman died suddenly during delivery on Monday at Anand Hospital in Lalsot town of Dausa. Following this, a case of murder was registered against Dr Archana Sharma, after the uproar by the relatives of the deceased and the villagers. Hurt by this, Dr Archana committed suicide by hanging herself at home on Tuesday morning. Earlier, she had written an emotional suicide note in which she climed to be innocent.
Guwahati, March 30 : Amid apprehension of cross voting, the Congress and the AIUDF leaders, a day ahead of election to two Rajya Sabha seats in Assam, the Opposition leaders on Wednesday asserted that their combined candidate Ripun Bora (Congress) would "win comfortably".

The two seats in the BJP-ruled Assam are currently held by Bora and Ranee Narah of the Congress.

The Opposition parties, considering their strength in the 126-member assembly, expect to win in one of the two seats.

Congress has 27 MLAs while its renewed ally All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has 15 members and one from the CPI-M and one Raijor Dal legislator.

Out of Congress' 27 MLAs, one suspended MLA Sashi Kanta Das reportedly promised to support the rival BJP candidates for the upper house elections.

The stand of another Congress MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed who is also under suspension is not yet cleared.

Opposition leader Debabrata Saikia (Congress) accompanied by Bora and other leaders claimed that the opposition parties have the support of 43 MLAs and their candidate would win.

Raijor Dal MLA and peasant leader Akhil Gogoi, who was also present at the media briefing, confidently said that Bora would certainly win and defeat the conspiracy of the ruling parties.

A section of Congress and AIUDF leaders on Tuesday criticised each other alleging each other of having no control over MLAs and they apprehend cross voting.

The ruling BJP has nominated Pabitra Margherita as its candidate for one Rajya Sabha seat while its ally United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) has fielded Rwngwra Narzary for the second seat.

Narzary is the president of UPPL, which has seven members in the house.

Assam Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma last week after meeting suspended Congress MLA Sashi Kanta Das, claimed several opposition MLAs are keen to support the BJP.
Hyderabad, March 30 : Police in Telangana's Vikarabad district on Wednesday solved the case of rape and murder of a Class 10 student with the arrest of a youth who was in love with her.

The body of the 15-year-old girl was found on the outskirts of Angadi Chentapally village in Chengamul mandal of Vikarabad district on Monday. She had been missing since Sunday afternoon.

Police, which had registered a case and took up investigation, solved the case in 48 hours with the arrest of the accused, identified as Mahender.

Superintendent of Police, Vikarabad, N. Koti Reddy told media persons that the accused had called the girl to an isolated place to have sexual relations with her as her parents had come to know about their love and had warned her against continuing the relationship.

During the meeting, when the girl spurned his advances, the accused used force to sexually assault her. When she resisted, he pushed her against a tree which resulted in head injuries to the victim. He then sexually assaulted her and later fearing that she might reveal this, he strangulated her to death and escaped.

According to police, the victim had developed friendship with the youth some time ago. They later fell in love. Recently the girl's parents came to know of the affair, they pulled up the girl and warned her against continuing the relationship.

The SP said they had formed six teams to investigate the case. They picked up the suspect and during questioning, he confessed the crime. The accused was produced before a court, which sent him to judicial custody.
New Delhi, March 30 : Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, who is also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, will host a farewell dinner for all outgoing members of the Upper House at his official residence on Thursday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to attend the farewell dinner.

It is learnt that cultural programmes will be also be organised and mementos will be presented to all the 72 retiring members and to another 19 former members who had retired earlier but could not receive the mementos.

Sources said that at the farewell function, a few Rajya Sabha members will showcase their cultural talents.

Trinamool Congress member Santanu Sen will play the guitar at the farewell dinner, BJP's Roopa Ganguly will sing a Hindi song, and DMK's Tiruchi Siva a Tamil song. Sources said that few other members will also showcase their talent during the programme.

It is also learnt that apart from Naidu, Prime Minister Modi, both Leader of the House and the Opposition, leaders from other parties and a few of the retiring members will speak at farewell dinner.

Earlier in the Rajya Sabha, Naidu said that Question Hour and Zero Hour will not be conducted on Thursday to allow members to speak and bid farewell to the retiring members.
Udaipur : , March 30 (IANS) Residents of six villages located close to the Parsa mines on Wednesday gathered in large numbers at Ambikapur and submitted a memorandum to the District Collector to soon start the Parsa coal project in Udaipur development block of Surguja district, Chhattisgarh.

The locals have also objected to the entry of outsiders in the villages who are misleading the people in the name of a Raipur-based NGO. The people have demanded the district administration to stop their activities.

Collector Sanjeev Kumar Jha has assured the villagers of taking action after getting the issue investigated.

With the opening of Parsa mines, it is not only the local people who will get employment opportunities, the state government will also earn huge revenue and the country will also be benefited.

Around 1,200 to 1,500 people from Parsa and adjoining villages -- Ghatbarra, Fattepur, Janardanpur, Salhi -- on Wednesday requested the district administration to ban the entry of fake NGOs in their villages.

Shiv Kumar Yadav, deputy sarpanch of Parsa village, said, "We support the Parsa mines project but oppose Alok Shukla, who instigates the locals by bringing outsiders here. We request the Collector to start the Parsa mine. If it is not started, we will go to Raipur and request the government. We need employment here." "During the Covid pandemic, it was the mine companies which stood with us and not these outsiders. The villagers have now warned the district administration of a violent agitation if the mines are not started," he added.

The villagers told the District Collector that they had given their land for the Parsa coal project in 2019 in the hope that they would get good price as well as employment.

But despite giving land, the mines have not yet started and eventually they are not getting employment. For survival, they have to depend on the money received as compensation.

They said that Alok Shukla, the kingpin of the so-called NGO, and his associates are targeting the Parsa mine, as Chhattisgarh is the largest coal producer in the country.

"The villagers living around PEKB mines operating nearby are getting prosperous due to the all-round development of their villages. They are getting quality education, health, livelihood and many other facilities, but we are deprived of all these due to non-commissioning of the Parsa coal block," said Vedmati Uike from Salhi village.

Three coal blocks of Sarguja -- Parsa East Kente Basan (PEKB), Parsa and Kente Extension -- were allotted by the Central government several years ago for thermal power projects of Rajasthan Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RRVUNL).

Currently, mining is going on in PEKB, but the rest of the two blocks are non-functional, and are pending with the Chhattisgarh government for approval.

The coal mines of Chhattisgarh supply coal to many power plants in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, which produce electricity which the governments there can provide to the citizens at cheap rates.
PHNOM PENH, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) has helped bolster the economies and social development of the sub-regional countries and enhance the well-being of their people, Cambodian officials said on Tuesday.

Kem Gunawadh, secretary of state at the Ministry of Information, said the six LMC countries, namely China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, share cultural similarities, enjoy profound traditional good neighborliness and friendship, and have closely intertwined security and development interests.

"The LMC has also supported the building of the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) community and promoted the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," he said during the opening ceremony of a hybrid forum on the Role of Journalists on Shared River, Shared Future.

The LMC focuses on three cooperation pillars, namely public policy and security, economic and sustainable development, and people-to-people exchanges, Gunawadh said, adding that the LMC's five priority areas are connectivity, production capacity, cross border economic cooperation, water resources, and agriculture and poverty reduction.

Mam Dathalineth, an advisor to the Ministry of Information, said 2022 marks the sixth anniversary of the LMC and that this regional mechanism has played an important role in building a community with a shared future of peace and prosperity in the sub-region.

Sponsored by the LMC Special Fund, the half-day forum was physically and virtually attended by some 50 people.

Originating from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China, the river is called the Lancang River in China and the Mekong River when it flows through the lower reaches before emptying into the sea. 
Gurugram, March 30 : A day after an incident in which the employees of a Manesar-based company turned violent and set a company bus on fire, the industrialists' body strongly condemned the act, saying such violent protests often harmed the investment prospects.

The protesters were demonstrating against the transfer of nine employees to another unit of the company in Bhiwadi (Rajasthan). Later, the protests took a violent turn.

The industrialists' body on Wednesday asserted that first, the state's 75 per cent reservation bill has impacted the growth of industries and now such incidents have created panic among them and it will also harm the investors' segment.

"The state government's 75 per cent reservation bill has already hit the business body. Now, this violence will have a huge impact on investor prospects. The government should reconsider its reservation bill for growth of industries across the state," Mahesh Vyas, an industrialist, said.

It is pertinent to mention that the Supreme Court in February had lifted an interim stay imposed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on a Haryana law providing 75 per cent reservation in private sector jobs to local candidates.

The Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Act, 2020, was passed in November last year and applies to jobs offering a maximum gross monthly salary or wages of Rs 30,000. It came into effect on January 15, 2022.

Meanwhile, reacting to Tuesday's incident, Pawan Yadav, president of IMT Manesar Industrial Association, said: "Such actions will never be beneficial for workers. If the employees have any issue with the company's decision they should adopt the proper way of protest and should not revolt. The company must also taken care of the employees' rights. Such violence will have a negative impact on both the company and the employees which are not good for business aspects." In connection with the incident, the police had arrested 130 employees of the firm on Tuesday. All have been granted bail.

KK Gandhi, president of the Sector-37 Industrial Association, said: "Due to the 75 per cent reservation law several companies have already moved out from the city and those still exist here only doing temporary operations and now such incidents will impact the operations of the remaining unit it will create a panic atmosphere among the company or factory owners." Furthermore, on Wednesday, the workers were protesting from 500 metres away from the company to fulfil their demands.

"The recent violence cannot be tolerated... the state government must take necessary steps to stop such violence in future," Jagat Pal Singh, the General Secretary of the Sector-37 Industrial Association said.
Mumbai, March 30 : Tweaking the ears of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally Congress on Wednesday asked him to now start implementing the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the three partners.

In a letter to Thackeray, state Congress President Nana Patole said that the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress - hailing from different ideological backgrounds -- had decided to run the MVA government on the basis of a CMP.

"Owing to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020, the CMP implementation was delayed, but now as the coronavirus threat is over, the CMP should be executed for the overall development of all sections of society," Patole urged the Chief Minister.

He referred to the suggestion by Congress President Sonia Gandhi who desired that the MVA should function as per the CMP that was decided ahead of the swearing-in of the Thackeray government in November 2019, and block the communal forces from coming to power.

He pointed out that the Congress party strives to ensure justice to all sections of the masses and urged the CM to work on the welfare schemes for the Dalits, OBCs and minorities.

"Despite the challenges encountered during the two year of the pandemic, the MVA government under Thackeray's leadership did a commendable job. With the situation now normalising, the work of the state government and the economy is coming back on the tracks," said Patole.

To a query, Patole reiterated that the MVA government is stable and there is no 'discontent' among the 3 allies, and accused the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party of spreading rumours of differences in the coalition.

He countered reports that some Congress legislators planned to meet Sonia Gandhi and said that there was nothing wrong if the elected representatives wanted to meet senior leaders on certain issues.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chennai, March 30 : The General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Sitaram Yechury, has called for a broad alliance of Left, secular and democratic forces to unseat the BJP.

He said the 'Hindu Rashtra' ideology of the BJP is the biggest challenge faced by the country, and the saffron party is trying to replace the secular and democratic traditions of the country with this ideology.

The CPI-M leader was delivering the inaugural address at the 23rd party conference at Madurai on Wednesday.

Yechuri said that even after the protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act, farm laws, and the popular discontent against the Union government on the rising fuel prices and economic policies, the BJP is having an edge in the elections in the country.

The CPI-M leader said that the BJP is using hate politics and Hindutva identity to win elections by putting all the other teething issues faced by the people of the country in the back-burner.

He also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of promoting the movie 'The Kashmir Files', which he said speaks only about the killings of Kashmiri Pandits by the militants in the 1990s.

He said the movie doesn't talk about the murder of 1,635 people of other faiths, including Muslims, by the militants in Kashmir during the same period.

Yechury also came slammed Vice President M. Venkiah Naidu for supporting the promotion of Bhagavad Gita in educational institutions, asking why the government is not promoting texts of other religions.

He said that India is a secular country and that Gita only justifies caste hierarchy and caste atrocities in the society.

The CPI-M leader cited the examples of Gita justifying subjugating women, and added that Sudras were depicted as manual scavengers in the text.

He said that promoting such a reactionary, backward, and exploitative system should not be allowed.

The CPI-M General Secretary said that in Scandinavian countries, right-wing governments were thrown out by the people and replaced with Left governments, adding that countries like Chile, Honduras and Peru had strongly resisted the imperial hegemony of the United States.

Secretary of Tamil Nadu CPI-M, K. Balakrishnan, and other senior leaders were present in the meeting.
New Delhi, March 30 : Technology has connected us in ways we never anticipated and made our lives more convenient. While technology definitely comes with numerous positive benefits, there are negative sides to it as well that can lead to physical and psychological issues. A 2017 study by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that people within the age group of 19-32 who had higher usage of social media were more likely to feel isolated than those who didnt use social media so often.

Innovative technologies and smart gadgets have made us slaves of the digital era, and there's an imperative need to get some respite from this dependency and disruption. That's where yoga and meditation can make a difference. These ancient practices have been part of our civilisation for years and are used to align the body, mind and spirit and bring mental clarity.

Why a Break from the Digital World is Necessary We are constantly tethered to technology through our smartphones, tablets, computers, and even watches, and companies are pushing our psychological buttons to make us return for more. Constant distractions are ruining our cognitive functions and leaving many prone to anxiety and memory lapses. Overuse of digital media can also have detrimental effects on physical health. Too much smartphone usage can put a lot of pressure on the shoulders, neck, and spine. Technology overuse can also lead to strained injuries of the thumbs, fingers, and wrists. Overexposure to the blue light emitted by smartphones and computers can also interrupt the circadian clock, causing sleep issues.

How Yoga can help In people who practise yoga on a daily basis, changes occur in the brain structure and new connections are developed. Also, it results in improved cognitive skills like memory and learning. Here are some easy yoga poses to get you started: Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

How to do:



Stand with the feet together keeping the arms by the side.

Straighten the legs and tuck the tailbone in while engaging the thigh muscles.

While inhaling, elongate through the torso and raise the arms.

Exhale and release the shoulder blades away from the head.

Take slow breaths and maintain this position for 30 seconds.

Benefits: This pose engages all the major muscle groups and improves concentration and focus.

AdhoMukhaSvanasana How to do:



Come onto your hands and knees with the palms just past the shoulder.

The knees must be kept under the hips.

Lift the hips and press back to form a V-shape with the body.

Keep the feet hip-width apart.

Spread the fingers and move the chest towards your legs.

Maintain this position for 30 second and gently release.

Benefits: This pose stretches the lower body, improves posture and balances the body and mind.

Balasana (Child's Pose) How to do:



Kneel on your mat with the toes tucked under.

Lower the hips towards the feet and extend your arms forward.

The stomach should be resting on the thighs and forehead touching the mat

Maintain this position for 1 minute and release.

Benefits: Apart from releasing tensions in the chest, this pose relaxes the spine and back as well as promotes good sleep.

Savasana How to do:



Lie on the back with the arms alongside the body.

The palms should be facing upwards and the body must be kept completely relaxed including the face.

Continue with gentle breathing and keep your attention on your breath.

Stay in this pose for a few minutes and release.

Benefits: This pose calms the nervous system reducing stress and anxiety. It also aids the immune and digestive system.

Achieve Balance with Meditation Meditation has been a useful tool for ages to maintain control of the mind and transform thoughts. People who incorporate meditation into their daily lives remain more composed during times of adversity and clear-minded. In fact, new studies have revealed that consistent practise of meditation increases GABA levels, which promotes emotional well-being and helps one feel happy.

When combined with yoga and pranayama, meditation can do wonders for our body and mind gradually, and one can see the reflection of the same in their daily lifestyle.

Conclusion The rapid advancement of technology has certainly led to increased stress and emotional distress driven by rapid reward cycles, exposure to too much information, and simultaneous engagement in different tasks. Meditation and yoga can help us release inner tensions, quiet the mind, and stay focused. Only a few minutes of practise every day can bring a whole world of change, making us happy, healthy, and resilient to stress and burnout. Technology is here to stay and even get more advanced. It rests on us as to how we can adopt these practises as part of our lifestyle to bring a positive change and stay healthy.

(Dr Deepak Mittal, Founder, Divine Soul Yoga)
New Delhi, March 30 : The Delhi Police has registered an FIR against unidentified persons in a case of vandalism outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday.

The FIR was registered under sections 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) of the Indian Penal Code and under section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

Around 70 people were detained for creating ruckus outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister during a protest that was spearheaded by the Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha over Kejriwal's recent remarks in the Delhi Assembly on 'The Kashmir Files' movie that were deemed as "against the Kashmiri Pandit" community among the saffron clans.

The protest, which was led by Delhi BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga and BJP Yuva Morcha's national president Tejasvi Surya, started as a march around 10.30 a.m from the IP College to the Chief Minister's residence.

The protesters reached the Chief Minister's residence at around 11.30 a.m. and started raising slogans against Kejriwal and his party.

It took a violent turn at around 1 p.m., when some of the protesters breached the two barricades that were placed near the CM house and created ruckus there.

Confirming about the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sagar Singh Kalsi told IANS that the protesters who breached the barricades, were carrying a small box of paint from which they threw paint outside the door.

"A boom barrier arm was also found vandalised as also a CCTV camera," Kalsi said.

The police officer said that the police team immediately removed them from the spot and detained around 70 people.

Kejriwal was not present at the house at the time of the incident.

Meanwhile, several Aam Aadmi Party leaders accused the Delhi Police of inaction during the protest and said everything happened in front of the police.

The Delhi Police, however, said it had already put up barricades as a precaution and they also used water cannons to prevent the protesters from moving forward.

"Strong arrangements were set up against the protesters, however, some 15-20 protesters managed to reach just outside the residence of Delhi CM," DCP Kalsi said, adding they were immediately removed from there.
New Delhi, March 30 : The Supreme Court said a person should come to court with clean hands and not file false documents, as it sentenced a man to detention for one day -- till the rising of the court.

A bench, headed by Justice U.U. Lalit and comprising Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and P.S. Narasimha. said: "It is well settled that a person who comes to the court must come with clean hands and never make even an attempt to pollute the stream of justice by filing a document which he knows to be false or fabricated." The bench noted counsel's submission that his client has accepted his guilt and is not insisting on framing of any charges and leaves it entirely to the mercy of this court on the issue of punishment

The case was regarding a man, who was given two weeks to surrender before a court last year in a matter in Maharashtra, but he filed an application seeking four weeks' time. He attached a laboratory test report under the signature of two doctors, claiming he was Covid-19 positive.

According to the doctors, they had never issued any such certificate to the person and under these circumstances, the top court issued notice to him, as to why action in contempt should not be initiated against him.

"It is true that no order was passed on the application and a matter of fact, no extension to surrender was granted by this court. However, after it was pointed out by the learned counsel for the complainant that the certificate appended as Annexure A-3 was forged and fabricated document, notices were issued to the concerned doctors under whose signatures the certificate was issued. Thereafter, both the doctors have filed their affidavit," said the bench in its order passed on Tuesday.

It said the person knowingly placed a document on record, which he was aware to be a forged and fabricated one, and held him guilty of contempt of court.

Noting that he accepted the guilt right at the initial stage and tendered an unconditional apology, the bench sentenced the man to detention for one day, that is, till the rising of the court. The bench directed that the person shall be taken to the office of the concerned Additional Registrar (in-charge of security) where he shall be detained till the rising of the court.

The top court also imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 on him and failing which, he will undergo a default sentence of three days. The man's counsel submitted that his client will surrender before the concerned court within seven days.
New Delhi, March 30 : Lyricist, poet and one-half of Bollywood's famous Salim-Javed scriptwriter duo, Javed Akhtar, on Wednesday recalled his time in the Rajya Sabha and how the Congress, then in power at the Centre, and the BJP worked together to pass the amendments to the Copyright Act of 1957 that he was championing then.

Talking about his favourite memories of the city of Ghalib, he said: "My memories are of my time in the Rajya Sabha, where I made an effort to see that the government and the opposition got united to change the laws of the country, and they did." Recollecting those days at a book release event in the Capital, Akhtar said: "Today, we creative people are eternally thankful to all those people ... on one side there was Sonia Gandhi and Kapil Sibal, and on the other, Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj. They all got together and passed the bill, and established a law, which today is regarded as one of the finest copyright laws, benefiting so many musicians, composers and writers." The book Akhtar launched was by industrialist Sanjiv Saraf and it is titled 'Love, Longing, Loss in Urdu Poetry'. Saraf is the founder of the Rekhta Foundation, a non-profit organisation working to preserve and promote Urdu language and literature. Before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted Delhi's cultural life, Saraf's brainchild, Jashn-e-Rekhta, was regarded as the most successful revival of the tradition of public mushairas.

Praising the book, which contains English translations by Saraf of Urdu romantic poetry, Akhtar said: "It is a work of great competence. Translating poetry is not a very easy job. Even people who have little interest in poetry will appreciate it." On Rekhta, Akhtar said that because of it, the art of 'shayari' had gained momentum. "It has taken Urdu poetry to people who can't read the script but are interested in it and appreciate it." Commenting on the book's title, Akhtar waxed lyrical. "Love," he said, "is finding somebody without whom you feel incomplete. Only that person makes you feel complete. That is love."
Patna, March 30 : After the murder of a trader in Patna for Rs 1,000, a cashier of a private firm was shot dad in Bihar's Darbhanga district on Wednesday as he resisted a robbery bid, police said.

The incident occurred at Friends Colony under Laheriasarai police station around 1 p.m. as the Jata Shankar Chaudhary, the cashier of Redient India Pvt Ltd, was on his way to the bank to deposit Rs 12 lakh cash.

"The robbers intercepted him on the way to the bank and tried to snatch the bag containing the money but Chaudhary put up stiff resistance. Eventually, one of the robbers pulled out a gun and shot him at close range," Laheriasarai SHO Hari Narayan Singh said.

After committing the crime, the accused fled towards adjoining Samastipur district.

In another incident of loot, a group of armed men robbed Rs 15 lakh at gun point in Rohtas district on Wednesday afternoon.

Upendra Singh, a cashier of Karwandia fuel station under the Mofussil police station on NH 19 Grand Trunk road, was on the way to the bank to deposit money.

Rohtas' SDPO, Sadar, Santosh Kumar Rai, said: "Two bike-borne assailants, who were waiting outside the bank, executed the snatching on the gun point. They easily took the bag and fled from the spot without facing any resistance." In these cases, the robbers gauged that with banks in Bihar closed for the last couple of days due to employees' strike, various businesses would seen a large amount of cash collected in the last two days and employees would go to banks to deposit it.
New Delhi, March 30 : Two people lost their lives after falling into a sewage pit in east Delhi on Wednesday evening, an official said.

The official said that they received a PCR call at 5 pm regarding two persons working in a sewage treatment plant in Dallupura who had fallen in a pit.

"As the police reached the spot, they found two persons had fallen into a sewage pit in Kondli," Deputy Commissioner of Police Priyanka Kashyap said. The fire department officials also reached the spot.

Both the victims were then taken out of the pit by the police and fire department officials. The deceased have been identified as Nitesh (25), a resident of Khaspur Bulandshar, and Yashdev (35), a resident of Tigri Rathol.

A fire department official told IANS that they had gone inside the sewage pit to repair a motor, and they were probably killed by poisonous gas.

The incident took place just a day after four people lost their lives after falling into a sewage pit in Delhi's Rohini area on Tuesday evening.

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo-motu cognisance of the incident in Rohini and sought a detailed report in the matter within four weeks from the concerned authorities.
New Delhi, March 30 : Minister of State for Education, Annapurna Devi, informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that abolishing the discretionary quota of MPs for admission to Kendriya Vidyalayas will be decided after consultation with members of all the political parties.

She also said that the ministerial quota for admission to the Kendriya Vidyalayas has been abolished and as far as the matter of MPs' quota is concerned, Lok Sabha Chairman Om Birla has given an instruction to hold detailed discussion with all the leaders of different political parties on this issue before arriving at a decision.

Responding to a question raised by BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi, who said increasing the number of quota for admission will not help the situation, Devi said that this will be decided after discussion and as of now no decision has been taken to abolish the quota or to increase the number of quota for MPs with regard to admission to Kendriya Vidyalayas.

Earlier, Devi informed that in 2019-20, a total of 12,372 recommendations were made and out of these, 9,411 students were admitted to the Kendriya Vidyalayas under the Education Minister's discretionary quotas.

Out of the 9,411 admissions, 955 Schedule Caste students, 135 Schedule Tribe students, and 1,946 Other Backward Class students were admitted, while the number of students belonging to the Economically Weaker Section was 128.

Similarly, in 2020-21, 16,752 recommendations were made from the Education Minister's discretionary quota, and admissions were given to 12,295 students (1,105 SC, 157 ST, 294 OBC and 190 EWS).

The reply also said that the Minister of Education's quota was abolished in 2021-22, therefore no recommendations were made for admission to the Kendriya Vidyalayas.

Devi also informed that the MPs have been provided with the discretionary quota of 10 admissions in the KVs of their constituency/state /Union Territory each year.
KABUL, March 30 (Xinhua) -- A total of 350 Afghan youth were commissioned to the national army after completing a military training course, said a statement of the defense ministry released here Wednesday.

All the 350 persons have received a special military training course in the training center of 313 Central Corps and commissioned to the Unit of Special Force on Tuesday, the statement added.

Without providing more details, the statement added that the soldiers are ready to serve elsewhere in the country.

The Taliban-run administration's defense ministry would build an up to 150,000-strong army to defend the war-torn country's sovereignty, ministry spokesman Enayatullah Khawrazmi said. 
New Delhi, March 30 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim protection from arrest to Mohan Steel Ltd's former Directors Mohan Krishna Kejriwal, Gopal Kejriwal, and Sri Krishna Kejriwal, in connection with a case linked to an alleged company fraud of Rs 7,500 crore.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M.M. Sundresh was hearing the anticipatory bail application in the case in which the Promoters and Directors of the Rotomac Group of Companies and Frost International Ltd are also facing trial.

After hearing the submissions of the petitioners' counsel, the court issued notice, returnable within two weeks.

"In the meantime, the petitioners be not arrested but shall cooperate with the investigation," the court said in the order.

The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) led an investigation into the Rotomac group of companies and filed a complaint in May 2020.

During the course of the hearing, the petitioners were represented by senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Siddharth Dave, briefed by a team from Karanjawala & Co. led by Senior Partner Sandeep Kapur and comprising Tahira Karanjawala, Niharika Karanjawala, Apoorva Pandey, Arjun Sharma, G.G. Kashyap, Vardaan Wanchoo, Kajal, and Shreyas Maheshwari.

Rohatgi submitted before the bench that the statement of petitioner No.1 was recorded while the petitioner Nos.2 and 3 have not been called for recording of statement. He submitted that the petitioners run a steel mill and they owe no money to any bank.

The matter is to come up for further proceedings in 6 weeks.
Moscow, March 30 : The official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Major General Igor Konashenkov, said that Kiev was seriously considering the possibility of using biological weapons against the population of Donbass and the Russian Federation.

"The revealed facts prove that the Kiev regime seriously considered the possibility of using biological weapons against the population of Donbass and the Russian Federation," he said, RT reported.

The Russian armed forces are carrying out a planned regrouping of troops in the Kiev and Chernigov directions, Konashenkov said.

At the first stage of a special military operation, it was planned to force the enemy to concentrate his forces, means, resources and military equipment to hold large settlements in these directions, including Kiev, he explained.

"To tie them down on the battlefield and without storming these cities (in order to avoid losses among the civilian population), inflict such a defeat on the armed formations of the Kiev regime that would not allow it to use these forces in the main direction of operations of our armed forces - in the Donbass," the Ministry of Defense said.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
New Delhi, March 30 : Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday told the Rajya Sabha that Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Programme, also known as the Bharat NCAP, has already been notified by his Ministry.

Responding to the question by Congress MP KTS Tulsi about the safety norms in vehicle manufacturing, as the deaths in vehicle accidents have gone up in the country, Gadkari said that all over the world, the major car manufacturing companies have the safety standards and this is also need of the hour in India.

"Every year, over five lakh of accidents happen in India, reporting over 1.5 lakh deaths in these accidents, therefore, we took a decision and made six airbags mandatory for all cars," he said.

The Minister also said that compulsory airbags are very important from a road safety point of view and that is why we made them mandatory for all cars including in the economic models too.

Citing the figure of the road accidents, he said that in the year 2020, a total of 25,289 accidents happened out of which 30 per cent of lives could have been saved with by the airbags in case of front collision while 31 per cent of lives could have been saved in side collision by the use of side airbags.

He also said that under the Bharat NCAP, the structural safety of the vehicle, adult occupants, stiffness of the vehicle structure, crash tests safety of child occupants, assessment of the car from the pedestrian's safety point of view and the bonnet design, active safety assistance technology, six airbags norms, 3.5 seat belts and seat belt alert system, have been included as the new features.

"We want to protect the lives of the people and this is the reason, we are also going to start the 'rating system' for the manufacturing companies. This will create more employment opportunities in the vehicle manufacturing sector and boost exports as well," Gadkari said.

The Bharat NCAP will envisage the cars sold in the country will be assigned by star ratings based on their safety performance. It will be implemented in phases, according to the plans being drawn up by the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project.
Karachi, March 30 : Both the members of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) serving as federal ministers, Farogh Naseem and Aminul Haque, have stepped down from their posts, hours after their party's announcement to side with the Opposition in the vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Imran Khan, Geo News reported.

Naseem and Haque submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Khan.

The government has been facing back-to-back blows as the voting day on the Opposition's no-trust motion nears.

In a major blow to the PTI, the MQM-P on Wednesday decided to desert the ruling party and join hands with the joint Opposition to support the no-confidence motion moved against Imran Khan.

Following the development, the government lost the majority in the Lower House and the no-confidence motion against Khan -- on which the National Assembly is expected to vote on April 3 -- will likely be successful.

With 177 members, the Opposition now has more numbers in the NA and they do not need the support of the disgruntled PTI MNAs. On the other hand, the government is left with the support of only 164 members of Parliament.

Earlier, Imran Khan's special assistant (SAPM) on reconciliation and harmony in Balochistan and Jamhoori Watan Party leader ShahAzain Bugti parted ways with the government, while announcing his resignation from the federal cabinet.

The development came on Sunday after a meeting of the politician with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and pther PPP and PML-N lawmakers. Bilawal called on Bugti at his residence to seek his support for the vote of no-confidence against Khan.
New Delhi, March 30 : More than 50 per cent of marine litter was contributed by single use plastics, it was found out under the pan-India coastal monitoring and beach clean-up activities from 2018-2021 undertaken by the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), Chennai at regular intervals, the Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

"The 'Beach Litter Survey' has further revealed that the maximum litter accumulation occurs in the backshore than in the inter-tidal zone. Moreover, urban beaches have higher accumulation rates than the rural beaches," Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

Samples from coastal water, sediment, beach, and biota are analysed for micro/meso/ macro plastics pollution. An increase in the abundance of micro-plastics is observed along the east coast of India, during the monsoon. The stations nearer to the river mouth had higher numbers of micro-plastic concentrations, he said.

The NCCR, an attached office of the Ministry, is undertaking research activities in quantifying litter in the beaches (macro, meso, and micro-plastics) in the coastal water, sediment, and different biota including commercial fishes, bivalves, and crustacea. Data on the level of micro-plastic pollution was generated for the east coast of India and the west coast is proposed to be assessed shortly, the Minister said.

The objectives of the UN Clean Seas programme include urgent and concerted action against marine litter and plastic pollution by setting up a National Marine Litter Action Plan to quantify the total marine litter footprint in Indian coastal waters, to reduce flow of plastics into the ocean and creating awareness to the public on marine litter and plastic pollution, he added.
Islamabad, March 30 : At least seven Pakistani miners were killed in a tragic mine accident that occurred in the city of Ibri in Oman. Four other workers are still missing, Express Tribune reported.

The accident reportedly took place after a rockslide hit the marble quarry, crushing seven of the miners and possibly burying those missing.

Another Pakistani was injured in the incident and is currently under treatment.

The Pakistan Embassy in Muscat said they were closely coordinating with Omani authorities for the search and rescue operation for the missing miners.

Authorities have deployed heavy machinery, sophisticated cameras and sniffer dogs for the search and rescue operation.

Two officers of the Embassy visited Ibri and met the affected families and workers. The Embassy offered complete support and ensured that the bodies would be repatriated to Pakistan at the earliest after the completion of relevant formalities.
Lahore, March 30 : A man in Lahore has been arrested after allegedly strangling his pregnant wife to death for using the Aurat March slogan, 'Mera Jism, Meri Marzi (my body, my choice), Friday Times reported.

The police have identified the man as Allah Dutta from the Shalimar area in Lahore. He reportedly became enraged after his 28-year-old wife used the phrase 'Mera Jism, Meri Marzi', a popular slogan chanted during the Aurat March.

After the murder, the man reportedly tried to cover up his crime by trying to stage it as an accident. However, he confessed to his wife's murder during police interrogation, according to Geo News.

The couple got married four years ago, and had four children.

Every year, the Aurat March faces backlash from religious quarters who view the movement as an affront to Islamic principles and female modesty.

This year, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Noorul Haq Qadri, wrote to Prime Minister Imran Khan, requesting him to ban the women's march, as he claimed the event "ridicules, diminishes and minimises Islamic laws, social mores, decency, or purdah or hijab".

This year, too, as in previous years, the Aurat March in both Islamabad and Lahore had to be curtailed early due to threats of violence from opposing factions, including the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) in Islamabad.
Bhopal, March 30 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday asked the Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP) of Rewa district "when these bulldozers be used" while referring to a rape case that occurred in Raj Niwas, a government-run guesthouse in the district, in which spiritual leader Vedanti Maharaj's grandson-cum-disciple Mahant Sitaram Das is one of the accused.

The Chief Minister was in Rewa on Wednesday to attend a 'Rojgar Divas' programme organised by the district administration, and to inaugurate a Vaatsalya Hospital in the district.

While addressing the gathering, Chouhan said, "I have read about the rape incident in Raj Niwas. The District Collector and SP, I am telling you to take strict action against those involved in the matter. When these bulldozers be used?" The Chief Minister said his government will not spare those involved in rape and atrocities against the poor, no matter who is he.

"Use bulldozers to demolish the house of those involved in the rape case. I am giving you the instruction," Chouhan said.

Since the rape incident at Raj Niwas came to light, local Congress workers and social activists have been protesting at different places of the district, including outside the Raj Niwas and the district police headquarters.

A group of Congress workers, who were heading to Raj Niwas to protest, were detained by the police before the Chief Minister's helicopter landed in Rewa on Wednesday.

Mahant Sitaram Das has been in Rewa for the last couple of weeks to oversee the preparation of a week-long 'Hanuman Katha' which was scheduled to start from April 1 but has been cancelled after the incident.

Few days back, Mahant Sitaram Das aka Samarth Tripathi, who has strong connections with several local politicians, was seen greeting Rewa district SP Navneet Bhaseen on the occasion of Holi.

Rewa is the birthplace of Mahant Sitaram's grandfather Ram Vilas Vedanti, who is now popularly known as Vedanti Maharaj.

A 17-year-old girl was raped at the Raj Niwas on March 28. So far, one person has been arrested in connection with the case -- Vinod Pandey, a history-sheeter who has more than 30 cases against him. Pandey also has strong connections with local politicians.
Patna, March 30 : The condition of the health sector in Bihar is far from optimum with a major shortfall of facilities and staff, as per a Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report tabled in the state legislature on Wednesday.

As per the performance and compliance audit report, the government auditor conducted performance audits in the five districts - Patna, Biharsharif, Hajipur, Jehanabad, and Madhepura districts for the period 2014-15 to 2019-20, and found 52 to 92 per cent shortfall of beds as per the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) in the district hospitals.

Apart from two, three district hospitals have only 24 to 32 per cent beds available for patients, with the CAG report saying that the state Health Department had failed to increase the bed strength since 2009.

It also pointed out that there was a persistent shortage of MBBS doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, lab technicians from 2014 to 2020.

The district hospitals did not provide medical test facilities in 12 to 15 departments like cardiology, gastro, enterology, nephrology, ENT etc due to the shortage of specialist doctors, and basic infrastructures such as buildings, medical equipment, furniture, and fixtures.

There are 121 diagnostic facilities mentioned in a district hospital as per the IPHS in the country, but only a maximum of 33 per cent diagnostic facilities are available in Hajipur district hospital.

Facility of diagnosis and management of cases of cardio-vascular disease, cancer, myocardial infraction and stroke facilities were not available in any of the test-checked district hospitals.

Four of these district hospitals do not have test facilities of Japanese encephalitis and chikungunya.

Also, accident/trauma and psychiatry wards and positive/negative isolation wards for infectious patients were not available in any of the test-checked district hospitals.

The operation theatres for emergency surgeries are not available in any of the district hospitals, while shortage of essential drugs in OTs ranged between 64 to 91 per cent, forcing patients to generally purchase drugs from outside.

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is available only in Jehanabad district hospital but is also having shortage of paramedical staff, nurses, drugs, and medical equipment.

The Cardiac Care Units (CCU) is not available in any of the five sample district hospitals. The Bihar government had approved a CCU in the Hajipur district hospital in 2012 but it lacks specific equipment like CCU ventilator, defibrillator, cardiac monitor, ECG machine etc. and is lying idle. Hence, it was locked from 2014 till the physical verification in 2021 by the CAG officials.

Bihar has 38 districts and nine of them, including Patna, do not have blood banks. The two blood banks operational in district hospitals do not have valid licenses.

In the four test check district hospitals, four blood banks did not have facilities to test Hepatitis A.

In district hospital Hajipur, all four ANC check ups were ensured in only 4 per cent cases. In other district hospitals, it was not ensured.

High stillbirth rate was observed in the district hospital Madhepura with 2.17 out of 100 live births. In the Biharsharif district hospital, the stillbirth rate is 1.63 per cent. The state average stillbirth rate is 0.96 per 100 live births.

Meanwhile, it was also found that TT injection was not given to all pregnant women in the test-checked district hospitals during the period between 2014 to 2020 except Biharsharif, despite availability in stock.

Significant shortage of equipment (9 to 16 out of 28) was observed in all district hospitals which compromised the ability of the hospitals to provide emergency and critical care in maternity cases leading to 21 maternal deaths in three test-checked district hospitals. Biharsharif registered 9 maternal deaths, Jehanabad 7, and Hajipur 5 during the period 2014-20.

The Bihar Medical Services and Infrastructure Corporation Ltd (BMSICL) was entrusted in March 2014 to ensure uninterrupted supply of drugs and medical equipment in all the hospitals of 38 districts in the state. However, it could not supply all the indented drugs, among other districts, most notably in Patna where 70 drugs came under Essential Drug List (EDL), but 42 per cent and 30 per cent were not supplied at all during 2017-18 and 2018-19, respectively.

The BMSICL could only spend 29 per cent, that is Rs 3,103 crore, against the available funds of Rs 10,743 crore. Out of the total 1,097 projects undertaken by it during 2014-20, only 187 could be completed while 523 were still in progress and 387 were yet to commence.
New Delhi, March 31 : Delhi Police has arrested a 27-year-old man for crushing a person to death under the wheels of a car he was driving in the national capital's Janpath area on Wednesday morning, the police said.

The accused, identified as Arun, a resident of Karol Bagh in Delhi, was working as a butler for an NRI who was staying at a hotel in the city.

They said that the accident took place at 15 Janpath after which someone made a PCR call at Parliament Street police station at around 8 a.m.

The deceased, identified as Girdhari (39), sustained grievous injuries in the accident and was immediately rushed to Ram Manohal Lohia hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

Accordingly, the police registered a case under sections 279 ( Rash driving or riding on a public way) and 304 A (Causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code at the Parliament Street police station.

In the CCTV footage of the accident, a red colour jeep can be seen moving at a very high speed and hitting the victim man while he was crossing the road. Though the video is not clear, however, a cycle was also damaged as the offending vehicle fled away after crushing the man under its wheels.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Amrutha Guguloth said the accused was alone at the time of incident and the car which he was driving was bought on rent.
JAKARTA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Two new bird species have been identified in the forest of the isolated Meratus mountains range at Indonesia's second-largest island of Kalimantan, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) said on Tuesday.

The BRIN recommends that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List classify both species as "vulnerable."

A researcher from the BRIN's Biosystematics and Evolutionary Research Center, Mohammad Irham, said that one of them is Zosterops Meratusensis, with the local name Kacamata Meratus, in olive green with a yellowish pattern on the lower body.

The other one is Cyornis Kadayangensis, or locally known as Sikatan Kadayang, in a blue upper body and a combination of brown, orange, and white on the bottom.

Surrounded by lowland secondary forests that were degraded by land conversion for agriculture, the isolated Meratus mountains range forms a unique fauna community as seen in bird groups, Irham said.

He emphasized the importance of conserving animals in the Meratus mountains range, which are threatened by extinction due to habitat changes and hunting activities by humans. 
Helsinki, March 31 : Finnish medical experts believe that the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, may never become a common seasonal flu, Helsinki's Ilta-Sanomat newspaper has reported.

Ilkka Julkunen, professor of virology at the University of Turku, said that SARS-CoV-2 clearly differs from other seasonal coronaviruses that cause the flu, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the newspaper.

"I find it unlikely that the virus would change so dramatically. I don't see that the coronavirus would become much less dangerous for at least a few years," he said.

While the Omicron coronavirus variant is widely considered less likely to cause severe disease and require hospital treatment, Julkunen and Olli Vapalahti, professor of zoonotic virology at the University of Helsinki, agree that Omicron is not harmless.

In Finland, for example, more people have died from Omicron than from all the previous coronavirus variants combined, according to Julkunen.

Before November 2021, when the Omicron variant starts to rise, about 1,200 people had died from Covid-19 in Finland. The country's current coronavirus death toll exceeds 3,000.

According to Vapalahti, it is misleading to describe Omicron as a less severe variant. The virus may cause milder symptoms in a population whose immunity level is higher due to vaccinations or prior infections.

The number of Covid-19 patients requiring hospital treatment in Finland has gradually risen to record levels as the immunological protection provided by two or three vaccine doses wears off.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned in late January that the next variant of SARS-CoV-2 could be even more contagious than Omicron.

Since the beginning of this year, increasing numbers of scientists around the world have said that the SARS-CoV-2 virus may never become a common seasonal flu but is likely to continue as a disease that causes severe symptoms and deaths, especially among the elderly.

Julkunen explained that the virus is mutating into new variants all the time, each one becoming more contagious than its predecessor.

Two different viruses can make new combinations in the same cell, Vapalahti noted, recalling that the virus still has a lot of power.

"Recombinants can also occur when two different viruses end up in the same cell. Gene exchange can occur, creating new variants. There is already evidence of this between Delta and Omicron and the two variants of Omicron in Finland," Vapalahti was quoted as saying.

Still, high levels of immunity from vaccines or prior infection reduce the risk of severe Covid-19 outcomes, the professors emphasised.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Seshutes Airport, Seshutes, Lesotho [ SHZ / FXSS ]

If you are planning to travel to Seshutes or any other city in Lesotho, this airport locator will be a very useful tool. This page gives complete information about the Seshutes Airport along with the airport location map, Time Zone, lattitude and longitude, Current time and date, hotels near the airport etc... Seshutes Airport Map showing the location of this airport in Lesotho. Seshutes Airport IATA Code, ICAO Code, exchange rate etc... is also provided.

Seshutes Airport Info:

Seshutes Airport IATA Code: SHZ Seshutes Airport ICAO Code: FXSS Latitude : -29.2676 Longitude : 28.5523 City : Seshutes Country : Lesotho World Area Code : 536 Airport Type : Small Timezone : Africa/Maseru Seshutes Airport Timezone : GMT +02:00 hours Current time and date at Seshutes Airport is 13:31:42 PM (SAST) on Friday, May 6, 2022

Looking for information on Seshutes Airport, Seshutes, Lesotho? Know about Seshutes Airport in detail. Find out the location of Seshutes Airport on Lesotho map and also find out airports near to Seshutes. This airport locator is a very useful tool for travelers to know where is Seshutes Airport located and also provide information like hotels near Seshutes Airport, airlines operating to Seshutes Airport etc... IATA Code and ICAO Code of all airports in Lesotho. Scroll down to know more about Seshutes Airport or Seshutes Airport, Lesotho.

Seshutes Airport Map - Location of Seshutes Airport Load Map Lesotho - General Information Country Formal Name Kingdom of Lesotho Country Code LS Capital Maseru Currency Loti (LSL)

 1 LSL = 0.064 USD

 1 USD = 15.743 LSL

 1 LSL = 0.06 EUR

 1 EUR = 16.62 LSL

 More LSL convertion rates Tel Code +266 Top Level Domain .ls

This page provides all the information you need to know about Seshutes Airport, Lesotho. This page is created with the aim of helping travelers and tourists visiting Lesotho or traveling to Seshutes Airport. Details about Seshutes Airport given here include Seshutes Airport Code - IATA Code (3 letter airport codes) and ICAO Code (4 letter airport codes)

Coordinates of Seshutes Airport - Latitude and Longitude (Lat and Long) of Seshutes Airport

Location of Seshutes Airport - City Name, Country, Country Codes etc...

Seshutes Airport Time Zone and Current time at Seshutes Airport

Address and contact details of Seshutes Airport along with website address of the airport

Clickable Location Map of Seshutes Airport on Google Map.

General information about Lesotho where Seshutes Airport is located in the city of Seshutes. General information include capital of Lesotho, currency and conversion rate of Lesotho currency, Telephone Country code, exchange rate against US Dollar and Euro in case of major world currencies etc...

SHZ - Seshutes Airport IATA Code and FXSS - Seshutes Airport ICAO code
Page Content

Nursing homes continue to struggle with staffing to the point where facilities are having to close their doors or limit admissions. Even worse, facilities that fall behind risk getting tagged in their next surveys and may even receive bans on their training programs on account of deficiencies.



After decades in the industry and having visited facilities across the nation, Dr. David Giffordthe chief medical officer at the American Health Care Associationhas heard the concerns about the staffing shortage from both industry leaders and policymakers. There just isnt enough staff to care for residents, he said bluntly on the LTC Heroes podcast. More needs to be done to resolve this.

Listen to the entire interview with host Peter Murphy Lewis, the director of marketing at Experience Care, below:

Innovative Solutions to the Staffing Crisis

Faced with unprecedented staffing challenges during the pandemic, Dr. Gifford decided to invent solutions. His first brainchild was the temporary training program. On the podcast, he shared that he presented the concerns of long term care to the CMS and said, We need lots of bodies in here. The result was the Temporary Nurse Assistant training program, which was implemented by Pam Truscott and Holly Harmon. With that idea, they developed the temporary nurse aide, he said. And I think we've successfully trained over 350,000 people.



Still, Dr. Gifford realizes there is an opportunity to create an entirely new role in nursing homes, one that would reduce the burden upon nurses and only require minimal training. In response to a question about creating a new position in long term care, Dr. Gifford said: I've been trying to really push this concept. Its what I would call a hallway ambassador. In his vast experience, he has come to learn that much of the burden of care can be removed from the shoulders of specialists and placed on those of other aides. If you look at most of the calls, and most of the requests for help by residents, they don't require a CNA or RN, Dr. Gifford said. They just require a nice compassionate person.



A hallway ambassador, Dr. Gifford continued to say, would walk the hallways of a nursing home and respond to non-medical needs and requests by residents, their families or other nursing home staff. This would speed up processes by delegating simpler tasks to those who patrol the hallways looking to help nurses and even maintenance workers assisting residents.



For example, if the family of a resident is visiting and has straightforward questions, the hallway ambassador could be on hand to answer them immediately. This would allow nurses to focus on more pressing needs that require specialized training. Other examples included separating residents acting inappropriately and handing things off a cart to housekeepers already in a residents room.



Dr. Gifford imagines that hallway ambassadors would need minimal training. This could be a great entry job, and someone can then go on to become a CNA, said Dr. Gifford. To be a hallway ambassador, you don't need a license and you don't need certification. I think we forget how much work we do doesn't require a certification. In this way, long term care facilities could rapidly expand their workforce by opening up applications to a far larger demographic.

Still More Needs to Be Done

The innovative solutions of Dr. Gifford, though, can only accomplish so much. Ultimately, he believes that it is the job of the federal government to provide financial incentives in order to get more people into long term care facilities that need support. This could be as simple as replicating an already-existing policy in acute care. The federal government prioritizes rural health and health care shortages in primary care by offering loan forgiveness to doctors and nurses who work in those areas, said Dr. Gifford. We have a huge shortage more than anywhere else, and I think they should do the same for us.



Operating in an industry that is not given the attention it deserves, Dr. Gifford has proven to be a source of novel ideas and actionable advice. One of his solutions, a temporary nurse assistant training program, has already been implemented on a grand scale. In his expert analysis, the issues come down to numbers, and that is where large-scale support is needed. That is why he is lobbying for more support from the government. Should he be successful in doing so, long term care could make significant progress in the coming years.



For more on recent trends in long term care, read our blog and subscribe to the LTC Heroes podcast.
"Employee ownership is a powerful tool to help all frontline workers, working people and families from Black and Brown communities build economic security for generations to come."  Evan Edwards, Project Equitys CEO

Today, Project Equity announced a national call to action for the creation of 2 million new employee-owners by 2026. Right now, almost 3 million businesses in the United States have owners at or near retirement age. Dubbed the Silver Tsunami, most retirement-aged business owners have no plans for once they retire. Many of these businesses are in industries that tend to have lower-wage workers and a significant percentage of workers of color.

Helping companies in these industries transition to employee ownership can impact a critical mass of workers and build long-term wealth for working people and Black and Latino families across the nation. Through the Employee Ownership Accelerator Campaign, Project Equity will highlight the fact that employee ownership fortifies businesses, makes local economies more resilient and allows more people to build economic stability across generations.

The U.S. economy is ready for a new direction to help employees of all income levels build economic security for the future: employee ownership. When employees become owners, they can unlock opportunities to acquire assets and increase their income, while having a voice in the strategic direction of their workplaces, said Evan Edwards, Project Equitys CEO. No matter where we live, what we look like, or where we come from, most of us just want to build a solid future for ourselves and our families. Employee ownership is a powerful tool to help all frontline workers, working people and families from Black and Brown communities build economic security for generations to come.

Yet even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the working poor made up almost half of the American workforce. In 2019, 44% of all workers qualified as low-income, with median annual earnings of $18,000 and nearly one-third living below the federal poverty line. These households struggle with the basics like paying for transportation, childcare, health care or even just putting food on the table, which is a cycle that pushes families further into poverty. In addition, the National Center for Employee Ownership has shown that employee-owners earn 33% more and have household net worth nearly twice as high as their non-employee owner peers. These increases can mean better outcomes day-to-day and long-term gains like down payments on homes and building retirement.

Prudential Financial is leading the funding effort to launch this campaign with a grant of $500,000 from The Prudential Foundation, building upon their longstanding support of minority-owned small businesses. Employee ownership is a dynamic business model that creates quality jobs and wealth-building opportunities for low-wage workers and workers of color in regions all across the United States. We know that employee ownership can be a driving force in building generational wealth, helping to replace longstanding racial and gender inequity with tangible, material growth. Employee ownership can help strengthen the U.S. workforce and economy, with more people participating fully in their local economies with the opportunity to acquire assets and increase income. Project Equity is uniquely positioned to drive significant impact through this effort,  said Sarah Keh, Vice President, Inclusive Solutions of Prudential.

The Employee Ownership Accelerator Campaign is an initiative by Project Equity to raise $30 million over five years in order to influence, drive and support the conditions for the growth of 2 million new employee-owners across the country. As an established thought leader on the benefits of employee ownership, Project Equity will influence public opinion and drive demand across the business landscape for employee ownership transitions through research, direct service, partnerships and access to capital.

Project Equity will provide practical advising, technical assistance, and financing to business owners who want to transition to employee ownership, focusing their direct support on small and medium-sized businesses with a high density of low-income workers and Black and Latino workers throughout diverse regions of the US. They will also partner with municipalities and a range of other partners to retain jobs and rebuild local economies through employee ownership, while advocating for legislation that engages local, state, and federal governments to embed and normalize employee ownership across the country.

###

About Project Equity

Project Equity is a national leader in the movement to harness employee ownership to maintain thriving local business communities, honor selling owners legacies, and create quality jobs and wealth-building opportunities for low-wage employees and employees of color. Through advocacy and deep and broad partnerships, Project Equity spreads this dynamic business model to regions across the United States, raising awareness about employee ownership as an exit strategy for business owners and an important approach for increasing employee engagement and well-being. In addition, we provide hands-on consulting, support, and capital to companies that want to transition to employee ownership and the new employee-owners to ensure that they, and their businesses, thrive after the transition. For more information, please visit project-equity.org

About Prudential

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a global financial services leader and premier active global investment manager with more than $1.5 trillion in assets under management as of Dec. 31, 2021, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudentials diverse and talented employees help to make lives better by creating financial opportunity for more people. Prudentials iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise, and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit news.prudential.com
Lead Today Shape Tomorrow 2022

Female Founders is on a mission to create equal opportunities for entrepreneurial women in the European tech and innovation ecosystem. Lead Today. Shape Tomorrow. 2022 is an event focused on achieving that mission!

Lead Today. Shape Tomorrow. 2022 (#LTST2022) at a glance:



Taking place in Vienna & online

June 1-2, 2022

100+ speakers from 30+ countries

2500 expected attendees

Speakers include:

o Lubomila Jordanova Founder & CEO of PlanA.EarthCo-founder of Greentech AllianceObama LeaderLinkedIn Top Voice

o Tino Krause, Regional Director Central Europe at Meta

o Mina Saidze Founder of Inclusive TechForbes 30 u 30Data Evangelist Linkedin Top Voice

o Jennifer Phan Co-Founder & CEO of PassionfrootAngel Investor

o Johannes Braith CEO & Co-Founder at Storebox | Angel Investor | Forbes 30 u 30 | EY Entrepreneur of the Year

o And more

The event puts a spotlight on tech topics like: Health Tech, Climate Tech, Consumer Goods, Enterprise Software, Deep Tech, Fintech, but also diversity talks about gender equality, diverse tech ecosystem and equal opportunities in funding

The Startup Competition is another key component of the agenda at #LTST2022. Startups are going on stage! 20 female-led startups will be presenting their companies to the jury & the audience, live in Vienna. The prize is a fast track to funding!

Who Should Attend?

This event is the ultimate place to be for everyone who's interested in fostering gender diversity in tech & innovation, while meeting the thought-leaders of the European startup & tech ecosystem. LTST22 brings together founders, investors, operators and corporates who actively want to create an equal future together. The event will be hosted in cooperation with many major partners and brands who are showing their support for the mission and belief behind it. These partners and brands include: Microsoft, Meta, Cisco, Cavalry Ventures, Uniqua, Wayra and LGT Private Banking.

About Female Founders

Female Founders is the European market leader in driving gender diversity in tech and innovation, reaching over 45k people across Europe. We work with startups, investors and corporates who believe in creating an equal future through providing equal opportunities for everyone.

Our Vision: An equal future through equal opportunities in tech and innovation.

Technological solutions and innovative ideas need to be created by diverse groups of people in order to benefit the worlds diverse population. This is where entrepreneurial women come in. For us, entrepreneurship is not necessarily about founding your own startup. Being a part of the tech and innovation ecosystem is about being proactive, taking responsibility and building solutions, this is the nature of entrepreneurship!

Find out more about our mission on female-founders.org. Press contact:

Julia Vander Hoeven

julia@female-founders.org

Date: 01. & 02.06.2022

Tickets: https://leadtodayshapetmrw.com/register

Website: https://www.leadtodayshapetmrw.org/

Graphics Materials
"With the addition of Frontgate | Avon, East West Hospitality reinforces its position as the premier provider of vacation rentals in the Vail/Beaver Creek region."

East West Hospitality, the award-winning operator of luxury short-term vacation rental properties and resorts, announced today that it has been selected to manage Frontgate | Avon. The new luxury residential enclave, designed for adventure and located adjacent to the entrance of Beaver Creek Resort, will resume construction in spring 2022 and deliver up to 75 condominium residences and nine townhomes. Expected completion of the project is winter of 2024.

"We are thrilled to welcome Frontgate | Avon to the East West Hospitality family as our newest Vail Valley property, a prestigious complement to our growing portfolio of destinations that deliver exceptional experiences for travelers," said Colleen Weiss-Hanen, President and Chief Executive Officer, East West Hospitality. With the addition of Frontgate | Avon, East West Hospitality reinforces its position as the premier provider of vacation rentals in the Vail/Beaver Creek region.

Frontgate | Avon is developed by BGV Avon, LLC. This development partnership has successfully developed and operated several of the most celebrated luxury condominium and resort properties in Eagle and Summit Counties over the last three decades, including the Grand Colorado and Grande Lodge in Breckenridge, Colo.. The companys proven track record of delivering progressive, multifaceted development communities includes successfully closing over $2.2 billion in transactions for over 23,000 owners. These resort communities have been built on the belief that success is determined by the projects positive impact on the lives and experiences of owners, guests, employees, and the local community.

Frontgate | Avon is a modern community that will provide generous living space ranging from approximately 1,145 to 3,121 square feet in each residence, gracious nine-foot ceilings in their common areas and many floor plans offering an additional den and/or home office. Frontgate | Avon will feature myriad signature amenities throughout the property with an emphasis on excitement, including the Overlook Mountain Trail, a one-of-a-kind, yearlong outdoor aquatics experience that includes a large pool plunge and water slide, a private, state-of-the-art Technogym and an on-site movie theater to view the latest big-screen releases.

Frontgate | Avon will raise the bar for mountain living in Avon, Beaver Creek and the Vail Valley, said Graham Frank, partner of BGV Avon LLC, Frontgate | Avons developer. We look forward to working side by side with the East West Hospitality team to bring vacation rental homes with a layer of unparalleled personal service.

East West Hospitality, which manages a $2 billion portfolio of high-end resort properties from its headquarters in Vail, continues to grow its Colorado presence and was recently awarded several new Vail Valley management contracts. With Frontgate | Avon, and the recently signed The Aspen Mountain Residences, Fallridge, The Charter at Beaver Creek in Beaver Creek Village and the Lodge at Lionshead, East West Hospitality now manages 42 properties in Colorado, from condominiums and townhomes to luxury private residences and resorts.

For more information about Frontgate | Avon, please visit here.

About East West Hospitality

East West Hospitality is a leading hospitality services company that actively manages a $2 billion portfolio of properties, including hotels, resorts, private luxury residences and vacation rentals, along with restaurant, spa, fitness, retail and commercial properties, in the most desirable leisure destinations. The company also provides in-depth asset and financial management services for more than 100 homeowner associations at high-end residential communities.

With more than 35 years of experience managing hotels, resorts and private residences, East West Hospitalitys vacation rental, resort operations and asset management services are unparalleled. The company supports more than 3,400 residences with boots-on-the-ground teams in every location, enhanced by a 24/7 call center providing personal assistance and destination expertise to guests.

Decades of experience managing hotels, resorts, vacation rentals and iconic private residences have earned East West Hospitality its reputation among guests and property owners as one of the most trusted names in the hospitality industry.

East West Hospitality was named the Vail Valleys Business of the Year in 2018 by the Vail Valley Partnership, Colorados Best Property Management Company by ColoradoBIZ Magazine and honored as one of the Top 50 Best Places to Work in 2019 by Outside Magazine.

For more information on East West Hospitality, please visit http://www.eastwest.com or call 970-763-7126.
Datamura Solutions, Data Integration to Intelligence These new hires and promotions speak to a collection of professionals and their ability and eagerness to try new things and perform at a high level. This is the foundation for any Innovation and Transformation journey, and the foundation for our high performing team. VJ Venkatraman, President & COO

Datamura Solutions announced today they are adding new technology development team members to create and modularize its novel strategic asset management digital solutions. Datamura offers an innovative approach to solving common site engineering, facilities, and asset management data accessibility and quality limitations.

Datamura Solutions is pleased to introduce the following new members of the organization-



David Allen  Director, Systems and Technology

Rachael Charewicz  Junior Software Engineer

Michael Heitz  Junior Software Engineer

John Kolade Ogungbemi  Data Collection Technician

Hamza Rashid  Junior Project Engineer

David will be leading the Systems and Technology group, including product development and integration services. Rachael and Michael will support David and the development of novel applications. Hamza will focus on Data Integration to Intelligence initiatives within Drawings Compliance, while John joins Process Optimization by supporting data collection efforts.

David, Rachael, and Michael have been working with the current program team since 2020 in contract positions and have been a major contributor in developing Datamuras Facilities Intelligence Dashboard. Datamura is now entering an exciting phase of the creation of additional scalable applications to satisfy customers in the Pharmaceutical, Facilities, Utilities and Manufacturing sectors.

Datamura fosters a culture of innovation and teamwork and provides a workplace environment which rewards and encourages personal and professional growth. Datamura Solutions is proud to announce two internal promotions-

Matthew Beu has been promoted as a Program Manager. Matt is Datamuras first employee and joined the company in July 2018. With his Mechanical Engineering background along with a flair for learning and adapting to new situations, Matt quickly became the leader of the group, and a key contributor to the expansion and success of many strategic initiatives. Matt lives the Datamura Talent motto of Be a Person before Becoming a Person.

Joseph Davis has been promoted as Project Engineer. Joey joined Datamura on an internship from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in January 2020. After he successfully completed his Mechanical Engineering degree, Joey joined as a full-time Junior Engineer. Joey has proven to be a welcome addition to the team and someone who has perpetual positive energy. Joey recently led an Online Learning Session on How to Manage Engineering Change Requests which drew Asset Management leaders and professionals from around the globe.

About Datamura Solutions

Datamura Solutions provides Data Integration to Intelligence solutions. We deliver improved visibility to site and facility leadership through improved data performance, quality, and compliance. Learn more.

###
Two outstanding REALTORS with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate were recently honored with awards at the Golden Isles Association of REALTORS Annual Awards Gala. The Gala took place on Friday, March 18th.

Jill Wright, REALTOR with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate, earned the Dartee Gayner Community Service Award, which is presented to a REALTOR member that devotes time and energy in community projects and charitable organizations.

We are so proud to have Jill Wright as a member of our real estate family. As the Association shared at the awards ceremony, Jill is always first to raise her hand to volunteer at any function or committee meeting. Volunteer work and humility are deeply ingrained in her DNA.shares Pat Cooper, Owner and Broker.

Connor Burke, REALTOR with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate, garnered the Rookie of the Year Award for 2021. This award recognizes an individual in their first two years in the business. Connor Burke hustled and realized an outstanding performance of $5.5 million in sales for 2021, his first year in real estate.

Connor has shown true grit and dedication to this industry  he participates in YPN, Awards, and Governmental Affairs Committees at the Association and is a cheerleader for his fellow REALTORS. Connor has a strong character, positive attitude, devotion to family, and a great work ethic, shared Toni Cockeram, President of the Golden Isles Association of Realtors and presenter of the award.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate is so incredibly proud of both Jill and Connor for these outstanding achievements.

About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate is a family-owned and operated company with five offices servicing Coastal Georgia. They offer a full range of real estate services including sales, residential rentals, property management and commercial sales and leasing. The brokerage is the premier real estate company in southeast coastal Georgia with a professional and diverse team of 100+ agents. Visit http://www.BHHSHodnettCooper.com.

About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is a global residential real estate brokerage franchise network with more than 50,000 real estate professionals and nearly 1,500 offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East and India. In 2020, the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices global network represented more than $138 billion in real estate sales volume. The network, among the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name, brings to the real estate market a definitive mark of trust, integrity, stability, and longevity.

Contact:

Catherine Maybank

(912) 638-5450

catherine@hcrega.com
GROSCHE MILANO Stone Stovetop Espresso Maker gives back to those in need. The GROSCHE Safe Water Project started in 2010, and by the end of 2022, theyre aiming to give 300 million days of safe drinking water to those in need.

GROSCHE is a major hydration, tea and coffee brand. Theyre a woman owned certified B Corporation, Living Wage employer and Carbon Neutral company. GROSCHE started its Safe Water Project in 2010, and by the end of 2022, theyre aiming to give 300 million days of safe drinking water. This initiative is funded from the sales of their coffee, tea and hydration products.

They have become one of the top leaders in moka pot stovetop espresso makers. GROSCHE competes with industry giants with quality products that give back. For every product sold, GROSCHE funds 50+ days of safe drinking water to someone in need.

The companys Safe Water Project gives people in need biosand filters. The GROSCHE team employs and teaches local community members how to build and maintain these filters using local materials. The filters last up to 30 years and purify water using sand, gravel and warm climate. They dont need any electricity, chemicals or filter cartridges.

GROSCHE sells their products through major retailers like Saks Fifth Ave, Macys, Whole Foods Market and more. They also do co-branded corporate gifts for events, employee gifting and client gifting.

Learn more about the Road to 300 Million Days of Safe Drinking Water and the GROSCHE Safe Water Project here.
Activities planned for the Saturday afternoon launch party include: Free Meat Pies and other Food, Music, Childrens Activities and Bounce House, Door Prizes and other giveaways.

Osage Broadband, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Osage Innovative Solutions, LLC, and Osage, LLC, is hosting a grand opening event on Saturday, April 2, 2022 from 1:00  3:00 PM at the Osage Nation Tribal Headquarters in Pawhuska, OK.

The event will introduce Osage Broadband, powered by AtLink and showcase plans to deliver state-of-the-art, high-speed fiber-optic / fixed-wireless Internet for Osage County. Initial deployment will take place throughout the second and third quarters of 2022 in the communities of Gray Horse, Hominy, Fairfax, Bowring and Pawhuska, with accelerated expansion for additional targeted areas of Osage county thereafter.

Activities planned for the Saturday afternoon launch party include: Free Meat Pies and other Food, Music, Childrens Activities and Bounce House, Door Prizes and other giveaways. Chief Standing Bear is also expected to share his thoughts and join in the excitement of the event.

Osage Broadband will have staff on hand to answer questions about the new service, market availability and timelines, and reserve installation dates for prospective new customers. Additionally, there will be an onsite Job Fair to discuss career opportunities with the new organization.

This is but the first step to help close the Digital Divide that exists for so many in our county. Osage Broadband is excited to launch such an exciting and needed development for our Osage Nation members, as well as other county residents and businesses.  Dr. James Trumbly, Director of Osage Innovative Solutions, LLC.

About Osage Innovative Solutions, LLC

Osage Innovative Solutions (OIS) is part of the Osage, LLC family and was founded in Pawhuska in 2009. OIS was originally founded as a technology and innovation company. OIS is a tribal 8(a) small business and has held several US Government contracts, including working with the Military at Ft. Leonard Wood in our ancestorial home of Missouri. To learn more about Osage Innovative Solutions, visit http://www.OsageBroadband.com or OsageLLC.com.

Media Contact

Osage Innovative Solutions, LLC.

Jim Trumbly

719-629-8825

jtrumbly@osagellc.com

About AtLink Services, LLC

AtLink Services is a wireless internet service provider founded in Oklahoma City in 2005. AtLink Services is the largest Oklahoma-based wireless internet service provider, serving more than 15,000 Oklahomans in rural communities. To learn more about Atlink, visit http://www.atlinkservices.com/.

Media Contact

AtLink Services, LLC.

Brent Greene

405-753-7151

brentg@atlink.net
HSMAI honors WHITE64 with Gold, Silver, and Bronze Adrian Awards. "Being recognized for our work at the Adrian Awards is especially gratifying. Coming out of a global pandemic, we understand the impact this industry will have in the global rebound. The power of travel is profound. Were honored to support it." Matt Walker, Executive Creative Director, WHITE64

The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will honor WHITE64 with Gold, Silver, and Bronze Adrian Awards for travel marketing excellence at the 64th annual Adrian Awards Gala, the largest and most prestigious global travel marketing competition.

Being recognized for our work at the 2021 Adrian Awards is especially gratifying. Coming out of a global pandemic, we fully understand the tremendous impact this industry will have in the great global rebound  driving revenue into destinations of all types and sizes, reinvigorating local economies like never before, and enabling people to expand their understanding of humanity by connecting with different cultures. Truly, the power of travel is profound. Were both humbled and honored to support it.

Matt Walker, Executive Creative Director, WHITE64

WHITE64 Adrian Award Winners:

GOLD Adrian Award: Metro/Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Doing Our Part / Recovery Campaign Evolution

SILVER Adrian Award: Metro/Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Doing Our Part / Corporate Social Responsibility

View the award-winning Metro case study.

SILVER Adrian Award: Army Historical Foundation, National Museum of the United States Army Launch Campaign / Advertising, Consumer

BRONZE Adrian Award: Army Historical Foundation, National Museum of the United States Army Launch Campaign / Digital Marketing, Integrated Marketing Campaign

View the award-winning Army Historical Foundation case study.

BRONZE Adrian Award: Luray Caverns, What Do You See Series? / Digital Marketing, Social Media Campaign

View the award-winning Luray Caverns case study.

WHITE64 will be honored during the HSMAI Adrian Awards celebration on March 30, 2022, at The Boca Raton in Boca Raton, FL, recognizing best practices, innovation, and community. Winning entries will be viewable in the winners gallery on the Adrian Awards website following the March 30th Celebration. Visit AdrianAwards.HSMAI.org for more information on the event, competition and to view the Adrian Awards Winners Gallery.

ABOUT HSMAI:

The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is committed to growing business for hotels and their partners and is the industrys leading advocate for intelligent, sustainable hotel revenue growth. The association provides hotel professionals and their partners with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue through programs such as the Marketing Strategy Conference, Adrian Awards, and HSMAI ROC. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is a membership organization comprising more than 5,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region.

ABOUT WHITE64:

WHITE64 is a full-service agency with over 50 years of experience serving clients in a variety of industries, including travel and tourism. Founded in 1964 at the height of a creative revolution that changed advertising forever. Since then, we have remained visionaries, disrupters and front-line participants in the power of personal empathy and provocative solutions that engage, delight and inspire consumers to act. Were also home to WHITE64 Studios, a state-of-the-art content production facility, to keep up with an ever-growing demand for video content on all fronts. Become a believer in the power of profound creativity at WHITE64.com.
Shockoe Logo Our culture is foundational to who we are as a company. From the very beginning, Shockoe has prioritized creating a workplace culture that is inclusive, accessible, and empowering for our employees.  said Alex Otanez, Shockoe CEO

As Shockoe prepares to celebrate its 12th anniversary on April 1st 2022, its workplace culture was recognized for the fourth year as a Top Place to Work. Shockoe joins just 86 other companies to win this recognition this year.

Our culture is foundational to who we are as a company. From the very beginning, Shockoe has prioritized creating a workplace culture that is inclusive, accessible, and empowering for our employees.  said Alex Otanez, Shockoe CEO, We pride ourselves on being a place where everyone can grow in their careers, where we offer the benefits that ensure employees can thrive in and out of the office, and where each team member is given the chance to try new things and share their voice with the rest of the team.

The prestigious list is compiled solely based on employee feedback through a third-party survey which measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization: including alignment, execution, and connection. Companies across the greater Richmond area apply to be a part of the list which is divided by company size. This years list of 87 companies represents a record number.

"During this very challenging time, Top Workplaces has proven to be a beacon of light for organizations, as well as a sign of resiliency and strong business performance," said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. "When you give your employees a voice, you come together to navigate challenges and shape your path forward. Top Workplaces draw on real-time insights into what works best for their organization, so they can make informed decisions that have a positive impact on their people and their business."

Shockoe remains committed to its workplace culture and focus on employee growth and satisfaction. To learn more about the company and its culture visit https://shockoe.com/.

Shockoe is an award winning multi platform app development company based in Richmond, VA. It is focused on using a holistic approach to develop measurable digital products that make an impact for leading companies, their customers and their employees. Founded by Edwin Huertas in 2010, Shockoe has been featured in Inc 5000, Entrepreneur Magazine, and recognized as one of Virginias fastest-growing digital companies, as well as one of Richmond Times Dispatchs Best Places to Work.
We are honored that Payway has entrusted RAB2B with its transformation and demand generation efforts as the company extends its subscription-based offerings to new, adjacent markets, said Boris Rabinovici, CEO, RAB2B.

Payway, an integrated payment processing solution, announced today that it has partnered with business-to-business (B2B) agency RAB2B to help elevate its brand in the market and develop campaigns that will reach the software developer community.

Payway is excited to be hiring an extended team who has the expertise, experience and access to marketing tools for us to meet future milestones for the company, said Kimberly Miller, EVP operations and strategy, Payway. This is a critical step in our evolution to reach new audiences such as developers and to raise our visibility among the financial services community.

We are honored that Payway has entrusted RAB2B with its transformation and demand generation efforts as the company extends its subscription-based offerings to new, adjacent markets, said Boris Rabinovici, CEO, RAB2B. Like Payway, we align with the mindset of giving customers flexible solutions that fit their needs.

RAB2B will provide Payway with access to platforms and partnerships with a high barrier to entry. The digital agency will also allow Payway to focus more on business growth, and as an extension of Payways marketing team, will help Payway drive and deliver results.

We looked at several agencies and RAB2B was the best fit on several key criteria; they understood our goals and came to us with a comprehensive strategy and plan of execution. It was very clear throughout the process that they care as much about our business as we do, said Mary Caldiero, director of marketing and sales operations, Payway.

About RAB2B

Recognized as a top 25 B2B agency, RAB2B orchestrates better outcomes by helping clients rise above the clutter and make the most out of their greatest opportunities. Theyre B2B specialists, performance experts, creatives, content creators and strategists who collaborate with clients to connect the dots, and create impact, across every touchpoint of todays complex customer journeys. For additional information, visit http://www.rab2b.com.

About Payway

Payway is a proven payment service provider that helps card-not-present and subscription businesses simplify and accelerate transaction processing leading to improved cash flow and significantly lowering the costs associated with accepting recurring payments.

Payway has decades of experience in managing card-not-present payments and provides their customers the most up-to-date security features. Payway built their user-friendly payment processing solution to be responsive to the needs of organizations who operate a recurring payment business model, like the many publishing and media companies theyve served since 1984. For more information, visit http://www.payway.com
A new series of accessible financial literacy videos has been created through a partnership between the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center (Clerc Center) at Gallaudet University, the Washington Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth (CDHY), and Junior Achievement (JA). The videos are available at no cost to students, families, and educators throughout the United States.

The videos, which prominently feature American Sign Language (ASL) with subtitles and voice-over in English, are applicable for a wide variety of students, including those who are and are not deaf. The videos incorporate topics aligned with financial literacy, work and career readiness, and entrepreneurship pathways. Concepts include making choices, citizenship, banking, and money, owning a business, being an entrepreneur, getting a job, and more.

After many years of developing a relationship with Junior Achievement of Washington, which culminated in a two-day experience at JA World with JA programming redesigned to be ASL immersive for deaf and hard of hearing students statewide, CDHY Literacy Specialist Cathy Corrado recognized the need for visually accessible experiences in ASL for deaf and hard of hearing learners, from which hearing students could also benefit. Corrado approached Pamela Snedigar, Director of the Gallaudet University Regional Center-West (GURC-West), and connected with the Clerc Center which provided resources and material support for the project, and expanded the project nationally.

The concepts of financial literacy are complicated and access needs to happen repeatedly; videos provide this access," said Corrado.

It was clear to us that these videos needed to be created in order to fill resource gaps at the state, regional, and national levels, said Marianne Belsky, Chief Academic Officer of the Clerc Center. We were quick to align on values between CDHY, JA, and the Clerc Center with our intention to create educational ASL content that is accessible not only to deaf and hard of hearing children, but also accessible to their families, educators, and professional support networks, and generates opportunities for the introduction and creation of more resources down the road.

Titled the JA Hand in Hand Video Series, 12 videos on financial literacy are now available to JA students, public and private schools, and families. These videos can be incorporated into in-person or virtual classrooms or educational sessions, and for family support or individual learning. Billy Seago, a professional deaf actor, hosts each video and engages with diverse community members to provide real world and relatable examples for students. The videos were filmed at the JA World in Auburn, Washington, home of JA of Washington.

Cathy at CDHY approached us at Junior Achievement and her vision for her students was clear, and so completely aligned with our dedication to making our educational content accessible to all students," said Jack E. Kosakowski, President and CEO of Junior Achievement USA.

These materials will go a long way and have an impact beyond the classroom into real world situations as deaf and hard of hearing students transition into the workforce, added Nicole Sutliffe, Chief Administrative Officer of the Clerc Center. We are grateful to Pamela for her role in strengthening our national support network.

The current set of videos is available now on the CDHY website, as well as through JA.org, and educational institutions across the U.S. are invited to utilize the content. The group plans on expanding the JA Hand in Hand Video Series in the future.

About Washington Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth (CDHY)

The Washington State Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth (CDHY) is a statewide resource that provides leadership and support for educational programming for children who are deaf and hard of hearing, their families, and the service providers who support them. Our highly qualified, trained professionals work in partnership with parents, school districts, and community members to support language development, social-emotional learning, and academic achievement. Our services are provided in three broad ways: on campus at the Washington School for the Deaf, outreach services in local school districts and communities, and statewide through the provision of training and professional development opportunities for educators, service providers, and families. Visit http://www.cdhy.wa.gov for more information.

About Junior Achievement USA (JA)

Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches more than 2.5 million students per year in 103 markets across the United States, with an additional 5.2 million students served by operations in 100 other countries worldwide. Junior Achievement USA is a member of JA Worldwide. Visit http://www.ja.org for more information.

About Gallaudet University Regional Centers (GURC)

The Gallaudet University Regional Centers were established in 1977. Through partnerships with host institutions, the Gallaudet University Regional Centers share Gallaudet's undergraduate and graduate programs and the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center's resources and expertise through training programs, workshops and conferences, youth programs, technical assistance, and consultation. For more information, please visit GURC.

About the Clerc Center

The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University (Clerc Center) is a federally-funded center with exemplary elementary and secondary education programs for deaf and hard of hearing students. The Clerc Center is tasked with developing and disseminating innovative curricula, instructional techniques, and products nationwide while providing information, training, and technical assistance for parents and professionals to meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students from birth to age 21. For more information, please visit the Clerc Center.

About Gallaudet University

Gallaudet University, federally chartered in 1864, is a bilingual, diverse, multicultural institution of higher education that ensures the intellectual and professional advancement of deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind individuals through American Sign Language and English. The university enrolls over 1,300 students in more than 30 undergraduate majors, as well as many graduate programs at the masters and doctoral level.

Media Contacts:

Tyrone Giordano

Director of Clerc Center Communications

tyrone.giordano@gallaudet.edu

Alana Cowan

The Durkin Agency

alanacowan5@gmail.com
The PharmaKon CEO/founder Gail Trauco, R.N., BSN-OCN Council members bring real life experience as doctors, lawyers, U.S. military Veterans, cancer survivors, LGBTQ, minorities, and residents of rural/marginalized communities.

The eight women chosen for The Pharmakons Advocacy Council represent patients from every community and walk of life. Each council member is an experienced voice for patients with a focus on helping those with specific medical conditions and healthcare needs.

After generations of status quo clinical trials in America, this team of allied professionals is leveling the clinical trials playing field. Its high tech, decentralized patient-centric approach aims to help millions of people break though roadblocks to the best possible health care.

"Our newly launched Patient Advocacy Council represents a group of individuals committed to engaging with one another, sharing ideas, and expanding the engagement of patient diversity, equity, and inclusion in clinical trials, says Gail Trauco, a 43+ year Oncology nurse, Pharmaceutical trials expert and CEO/founder of The PharmaKon. Council members bring real life experience as doctors, lawyers, U.S. military Veterans, cancer survivors, LGBTQ, minorities, and residents of rural/marginalized communities. Our Patient Advocacy Council gives patients throughout the U.S., especially those from under served communities, a seat at the table."

According to Trauco, these advocacy experts collaborate with pharmaceutical companies to design clinical trial protocols with broadened inclusion criteria to allow a much broader spectrum of all genders and races to be considered for enrollment. And decentralized clinical trials represent the future by bringing investigational studies to each and every patient even those in smaller towns and rural areas.

Three nursing specialties are being used by The PharmaKon to staff its clinical trials: virtual nurses, remote mobile nurses, and patient concierges. Virtual nurses work remotely through telemedicine portals and EDC systems with clinical trial data. Remote mobile nurses visit patient homes. Patient concierge nurses oversee daily patient calls and perform compliance checks via remote monitoring and/or phone calls. Sponsors are encouraged to design new study protocols for procedures such as labs, vector samples (stool, semen, saliva, urine), vital sign monitoring, EKGs, and health assessments to be completed remotely.

The Empowered Eight Patient Advocacy Council of The PharmaKon https://www.thepharmakonllc.com/patient-advocacy-council

As a respected leader in her community, decorated Marine Corps veteran Leasha West serves as a tireless volunteer and founded the Veteran Aid Task Force. Her enthusiastic dedication to serve others led her to become a two-time recipient of the Presidents Volunteer Service Award from both Presidents Obama and Trump, and she was recently named AARP Volunteer of the Year.

While seeking employment at a major financial institution, Ashley T Brundage self-identified during the interview process as a male to female transgender woman and subsequently was hired. Starting as a part time teller she rose to V.P, Diversity and Inclusion in less than 5 years. Since beginning transitioning in 2008, she has worked tirelessly to promote awareness and acceptance of gender identity and expression. Brundage works to accomplish this goal by volunteering in the community and holding education sessions for corporations.

Christina Nelson has been involved in patient advocacy for over 18 years. She is known as a voice for Veterans, of Elder Abuse, and Nursing Home Abuse. Christina has developed heartfelt relationships with people throughout the U.S. Her advocacy voice engages her southern upbringing. She is a social media influencer with nightly live feeds on TikTok and Facebook.

Mary Nelson is a healthcare industry professional with over 35 years working in patient care. She serves daily on the COVID frontlines as an essential healthcare provider. Mary is board certified in radiological imaging and considered an expert in radiological consulting. For the last 5 years Mary has worked tirelessly with Veterans and their families impacted by nursing home abuse. She is a powerful voice for those less fortunate, especially Veterans, seniors, minorities, and LGBTQ.

A true Survivor whom raised two boys while fighting Breast Cancer, MJ Jenkins knows the struggle of paying her own way through college, graduating from the University of Texas and building 30 years of sales experience with Fortune 500 Information Technology companies, IBM, NEC, and Internet Commerce. A 10 year Breast Cancer Survivor, Board Member of the American Cancer Society Desert Coastal Area, National Spokesperson, HPV Ambassador, and a voice of Hope speaking globally on Cancer Awareness. Jenkins is doing her part to save lives, from South Africa to Spain and across the U.S.

Marta Xicay-Gomez is a Community Health Advocate and Development Consultant with over ten years of experience working in Latin America. Starting her career as a Comadrona, a traditional Mayan midwife, she has learned first-hand the struggles and needs for healthcare for Indigenous women in rural communities. Today, she proudly carries the values of her Mayan-Kaqchiquel heritage, which guide her in the fight for health care as a human right.. She is eager to empower women and youth and expand their right to access education and healthcare services vital to breaking the cycle of poverty in Guatemala.

Dr. Elizabeth Romero is a Board-Certified Family Medicine physician with over 30 years of clinical experience. After her clinical training, she worked with the National Health Service Corps serving in several federally qualified community health centers. In 2006, she returned to California where she began a career with the State of California serving as a Chief Medical Officer with the Department of Corrections, Medical Consultant for Department of Justice and Department of Health Care Services, and as an Expert Reviewer for the Medical Board of California. Dr. Romero also worked for Executive Health Resources and United Health Group as a Physician Advisor assisting hospital clients with Medicare regulatory compliance. Dr. Romero also holds a Masters of Jurisprudence in Health Law from Loyola University Chicago School of Law with specialized training in health care compliance.

A U.S. Army veteran, Registered Medical Assistant, and fearless voice for community members, Yolanda Davis-Smith has worked tirelessly in COVID units since March 2020. Yolanda has always had a passion for helping others and giving back, which is what prompted her to pursue a career in healthcare. She is also the owner and founder of Mirico Apparel, a motivational clothing line for cancer warriors, inspired by her mother, Miriam Davis, who battled breast cancer.

The PharmaKons Patient Advocacy Council is on its way to pioneering a new era in healthcare. Clinical trials are now available to patients who otherwise would not be able to participate in studies. Rural and marginalized communities, LGBTQ, people of color and low-income patients now have an equal opportunity to take part in innovative clinical trials. For more information about The PharmaKon and its industry leading, decentralized clinical trials go to: http://www.ThePharmaKonLLC.com.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gail-trauco-399b00b/

https://www.thepharmakonllc.com/patient-advocacy-council

# # #

About The PharmaKon LLC

For nearly 30 years, The PharmaKons dedicated government and public health services group has successfully delivered clinical research services to various agencies, contractors, and nonprofits in both prime contractor and subcontractor capacities within full compliance of all federal contracting requirements. Its services have supported the organizations in conducting therapeutic, vaccine and medical device studies throughout North America across all trial phases and therapeutic areas. The PharmaKon has a unique understanding and connection to rural healthcare and underserved communities by way of its CEO/Founder Gail Traucos personal experiences growing up on a family farm in her native North Carolina.
American Family Care (AFC), the nations largest provider of urgent care and accessible primary care with multiple locations in Portland, has been approved by the Oregon Health Authority to launch a test-to-treat COVID-19 program.

This program allows patients to get a rapid molecular COVID test, and if positive, immediately receive the full course of the antiviral treatment Molnupiravir, all in one quick on-demand visit. There is no cost for this new medication, Guru Sankar, AFC Portlands Managing Partner.

AFC Portland is offering the test-to-treat COVID-19 program at its five metropolitan area locations.

We are really pleased to deliver this new test-to-treat program to Oregon, said Dr. Andrew Miller, AFC Portlands Chief Medical Officer. Clinical trials showed that Molnupiravir decreases hospitalization and death by 50%. Dispensing this FDA-approved COVID-19 treatment in our clinics will certainly prevent emergency room stays and get our patients healthier sooner.

This is the latest example of AFC expanding its services to meet the needs of our communities. The first shipment of Molnupiravlr, a Merck anti-viral pill, arrived yesterday from the Oregon Health Authority. The first treatment was administered on the afternoon of March 24 at the AFC Urgent Care NE Portland location.

About American Family Care:

Founded by Dr. Bruce Irwin with a single location in 1982, American Family Care has pioneered the concept of convenient, patient-centric healthcare. Today, with more than 250 centers and 850 in-network physicians caring for nearly 3 million patients a year, AFC is the nations leading provider of urgent care, accessible primary care, and occupational medicine. Ranked by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S., AFCs stated mission is to provide the best healthcare possible, in a kind and caring environment, while respecting the rights of all patients, in an economical manner, at times and locations convenient to the patient.

AFC Portland opened in 2011 and independently owns and operates five urgent care centers in the Portland Metropolitan area. For information on local centers, visit afcurgentcareportland.com.
TCM Home Health shares AHN's deep commitment to reimagine the patient experience, accelerate clinical innovation, improve outcomes and satisfaction, decrease costs and enhance home-based services," said Monique Reese, DNP, ARNP, FNP, senior vice president, home and community care, Highmark Health.

AHN Healthcare@Home, a leader in home and community care services, has acquired TCM Home Health, an award-winning provider of home health services. The agreement was finalized on March 7, 2022.

With the addition of TCM Home Health, AHN Healthcare@Home expands its ability to deliver consistent, high-quality care across the spectrum of home-based services throughout Western Pennsylvania. From palliative care, hospice care, hospital at home, infusion therapy, skilled nursing at home, home medical equipment and other personalized home care solutions, patients can maintain their independence and continue the healing process at home.

AHN Healthcare@Home is committed to making healthcare simpler, smarter and more seamless, which includes enabling individuals to be healthy and heal in the most comfortable and cost-effective setting possible: at home, said Monique Reese, DNP, ARNP, FNP, senior vice president, home and community care, Highmark Health. TCM Home Health shares our deep commitment to reimagine the patient experience, accelerate clinical innovation, improve outcomes and satisfaction, decrease costs and enhance home-based services.

For more than 20 years, we have focused on assisting, educating and rehabilitating our patients in the privacy and comfort of their own home, said Sherri Hewitt-Laird, Executive Director, TCM Home Health. AHN Healthcare@Home is a leader in patient-centered home care in Western Pennsylvania, and joining them will make us stronger. AHN also understands that creating a remarkable employee experience will enable our providers to give patients the best quality of care.

Allegheny Health Networks 2,600 physicians and specialists will ensure patients receive a seamless continuum of care, whether in a hospital, an outpatient care center, a doctors office or at home. AHN Healthcare@Home ranks #1 in market share for Medicare patients serviced in Western Pennsylvania, based on the latest third-party data from Trella Health and Medicare claims, ahead of 40 other home health providers in the region.

AHN Healthcare@Home retained all 22 TCM Home Health employees. They will support their new staff with enhanced benefits, operational efficiencies and advanced clinical and technology innovations. In the coming months, the newly acquired organization will be rebranded as AHN Healthcare@Home.

This acquisition is part of a joint partnership between AHN and Graham Health Care Group. AHN now owns a 60% stake of TCM Home Health, with Graham Health Care Group owning the remaining 40%.

About AHN Healthcare@Home

AHN Healthcare@Home is a leading provider of home and community care services in Western Pennsylvania. They serve about 30,000 patients a year and employ about 1,000 dedicated home-based health care professionals. We provide home based service for home health, hospice, palliative care, home medical equipment, home infusion, hospital at home and skilled nursing at home

About Allegheny Health Network

Allegheny Health Network is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is composed of 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, Health + Wellness Pavilions, multiple employed physician organizations, home and community-based health services, a research institute, and a group purchasing organization. The Network provides patients with access to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care, trauma care, cardiovascular disease, organ transplantation, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, womens health, diabetes, autoimmune disease and more. AHN employs approximately 21,000 people, has more than 2,600 physicians on its medical staff and serves as a clinical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.

About TCM Home Health

TCM Home Health provides a range of personalized services including long-term nursing care; Medicare-certified skilled care; physical, occupational and speech-language therapy; certified home health aids; and social workers.

Note: The Caring Mission Home Care, a non-medical company that provides custodial and professional support services, was not included in this acquisition. They will continue operating as an independent company.


Anderson & Vreeland Accelerates West Coast Operations with New 13,000 Square Foot State-of-the-Art Facility Many trade shops and printers have demonstrated great resilience in the face of the ongoing pandemic challenges and this expansion allows us to service them with world class products, locally, so they can continue to succeed.

The opening of Anderson & Vreeland Inc.s new state-of-the-art facility in Santa Fe Springs, California is announced by Andy Gillis, Vice President & General Manager of Anderson & Vreeland Inc.

The new facility is Anderson & Vreelands ninth warehouse in North America and is the sixth located in the United States, with other facilities operating in New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, Wisconsin, and Washington.

We are excited to strengthen our ability to serve and support our clients in the western region of the US. This new, modern facility not only showcases the growth of Anderson & Vreeland, but also the sustained and continued growth of our customers. Many trade shops and printers have demonstrated great resilience in the face of the ongoing pandemic challenges and this expansion allows us to service them with world class products, locally, so they can continue to succeed, said Gillis.

The new 13,000 square foot facility follows Anderson & Vreelands ongoing expansion efforts to advance its capabilities, service, and support among customers and partners. It is equipped with the latest flexographic printing consumables, pre-press equipment, and printing plate solutions.

As the company continues to expand its operation, Anderson & Vreeland remains committed to exceeding the expectations of its customers. The warehouse team consistently fulfills and delivers orders on time, allowing customers to keep their presses (and businesses) running efficiently.

We are grateful to Jose Alarcon, our Regional Warehouse Manager, and his team for getting the facility up and running quickly, continued Gillis. Their hard work and dedication to opening our doors was vital to getting our facility operating efficiently.

The new facility is located at 9754 Alburtis Avenue, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670.

About Anderson & Vreeland, Inc.

Anderson & Vreeland provides flexographic printers with innovative solutions that are tailored to their specific application. We do this by identifying the most effective & advanced technologies in our portfolio, educating our customers on how these products will improve their bottom line, and seamlessly integrating these solutions into our clients business. We are a privately-held company with over 60 years of experience providing unrivaled customer service to the flexographic printing industry.

Further information is available on the web at https://www.andersonvreeland.com.
Apex HCM is excited to launch the Next Employer on the GO experience for payroll service bureaus and their clients. Employer on the GO was introduced today at the annual meeting for The Payroll Group (TPG) in Memphis, TN. The app was specifically designed with the payroll service bureaus payroll client users in mind.

The Next Employer on the GO experience transforms what has already viewed as the easiest to use payroll / HCM solution for payroll service bureaus, payroll clients, and their employees. Whats changed is the experience, to presenting relevant information and metrics sooner in the process, reducing the amount clicks it takes to get work completed, to having the most modern user interface designed for the demands of the remote worker. The new user experience gives Payroll Service Bureaus an unfair competitive advantage for the new world.

Wes Muschara, VP of Product Management at Apex HCM stated, Payroll models exist in many different fashions, and the Next Employer on the GO supports the flexibility and configurability needed by payroll service bureaus to provide support for each user persona (payroll service bureaus, employers, and employees). From a payroll client perspective, they just want to get their work done right and quickly. Employer on the GO delivers on that premise.

Beyond the improved user experience, Employer on the GO will also include an applicant tracking product, Hire on the GO, as a standard feature to all clients. Especially given the battle for talent in the Great Resignation, the ability for employers to source, screen, and onboard the right talent is critical. Hire on the GO purposefully serves that need for users of Employer on the GO.

Apex HCM is a market leader in licensing cloud-based payroll and HR software technology and over 300 payroll service firms and vendors nationally use Apexs technology as the core of their business foundation. Apexs customizable, comprehensive suite of HCM products and services include payroll, payroll tax, applicant tracking and employee onboarding, time and attendance, reporting, manager and employee self-service, ACA compliance, mobile apps, workers compensation, payroll debit cards and other business management tools normally reserved for large enterprises, now available to any business size. Apexs cutting-edge, cloud-based technology allows its customers to effectively compete feature-for-feature with larger established firms while dramatically improving their workforce productivity.


Betty Hunley Carlyon has completed her book Curly Hair & Other Stories: a warm and inviting work in which the author shares stories filled with laughs, insights, perspectives, understandings, information, and even some tearsthe good kind. They are heartfelt, written with love and gratitude.

Betty Hunley Carlyon was born on October 20, 1926, in Pawnee City, Nebraska, the daughter of a railroad worker and a schoolteacher. Joined by a brother, Charles Harrington Hunley, in 1932, she was raised in Nebraska and graduated from Falls City High School in 1944. Marrying Donald James Carlyon in 1946, she, with her husband, moved to Michigan in 1960 with five children. Donald James Carlyon eventually became president of Delta College, serving the Great Lakes Bay Region. Betty Hunley Carlyon served in the role of first lady of the college from 1964 until his retirement in 1993, over the years hosting thousands of faculty members, staff, students, family, friends, and visitors at the couples home. She passed away on June 27, 2018.

Author Betty Hunley Carlyon discusses her work, writing, Several years ago, on The Today Show, during a series on aging, the woman who was being interviewed stressed the importance for senior citizens to record their family histories to be passed on to their children and grandchildren. She said it didnt really matter how the information was savedlonghand, computer, video, or even drawings. Plus, there didnt have to be any rhyme or reason. The main thing was to begin and the format would tend to fall into place. She was so convincing that I popped up and ran to the computer, feeling if I didnt begin my life story immediately, I would be doing my family a disservice, depriving them of all this interesting and invaluable information. Well, as so often happens, that enthusiasm lasted only about so longI think I wrote a paragraph or twoand the rest of the story was to come later, when I had more time.

Published by Page Publishing, Betty Hunley Carlyons heartwarming work serves as a beautiful testament to the author, who was a prolific writer and a gracious and consummate hostess.

Readers who wish to experience this original work can purchase Curly Hair & Other Stories at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
VALLETTA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela on Monday pledged to continue with the removal of restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving it up to people to choose how to safeguard their own wellbeing.

In an address to the nation, just hours after taking his oath of office following his massive victory at the polls over the weekend, Abela also promised to work to regain the trust of those who opted not to vote in Saturday's general election which saw the lowest voter turnout since the island's independence in the 1960s.

Abela's Labour Party won the general election with a comfortable advantage over the Nationalist Party (PN) in opposition, obtaining a generous 55.1 percent of the vote against PN's 41.7 percent.

The election was characterised by a record low turnout since independence, at 85.5 percent.

This is Abela's first mandate as party leader and prime minister after he took over from Joseph Muscat who resigned in early 2020.

In his televised address, Abela said he will continue to seek expert advice but the path the country had embarked on towards the total removal of COVID-19 restrictions will continue as planned because the pandemic had brought about too many hardships on people.

Turning to plans he had for the legislature, Abela pledged to continue working towards better economic growth based on sustainability and to continue investing in education, job creation, quality careers and a special emphasis on the environment. 
Janice Owens, who was born in North Texas, has completed her new book Gilbert and Max: The Wedding: a creative novel about a hectic wedding planning experience. In thirty-three days, John and Patty must finish Johns mansion, which is the location for the wedding, move from two houses, take care of Johns fathers estate back in Texas, and plan the wedding without the assistance of a professional wedding planner.

Author Janice Owens sets the scene of her latest story, writing, It was early when Patty woke up in Johns arms. She could tell he was still asleep. This gave her time to think that soon she would be Mrs. Jonathan Matthew Brown. A smile came on her face. But soon it was gone. She was thinking there would be no more Mrs. Mike Buck Johnson. No more Patty Johnson. The Johnson would be gone. That part of Mike would be out of her life. She just had to get that thought out of her mind. It wasnt the thought of Mike being out of her life that making her turn sad. It was just thinking of Mike. She just didnt want those memories in her mind this morning.

Published by Page Publishing, Janice Owens captivating tale follows the chaos of John and Pattys wedding plans. It will take Johns family and friends in the neighborhood working together to help them meet the deadline.

Readers who wish to experience this original work can purchase Gilbert and Max: The Wedding at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
Wm. E. Bobb, who lives in Sedona, Arizona, has completed his new book Aura: an action-packed novel that follows a top intelligence operative on a mission gone very wrong.

Americas largest intelligence agency has a problem. In two weeks, Supreme Court Chief Justice Dulles is expected to hand down a decision that could effectively negate their ability to spy domestically by striking down congresss Terrorist Act.

While Chief Justice Dulles is on his annual fishing vacation, the director dispatches his best operative, Alan, to make sure the judge has a boating accident. Alan sequesters him in a cabin instead and shortly thereafter becomes the victim of a hit-and-run. Upon awakening the next day in a hospital, he doesnt even know his name, let alone anything about a missing chief justice. He has total amnesia.

As bits and pieces start to come back to him, Alan must figure out how to get the judge to the courthouse on time and alive because he, too, is being hunted by his own agency.

Author Wm. E. Bobb takes readers into his story, beginning, When I woke up in the hospital after the accidentif it was an accidentI had no recollection of it or anything else, including who I was. The nurses were sympathetic, and one of them was enthusiastic enough with her sponge bath to convince me after she got past my navel that I probably wasnt married.

Published by Page Publishing, Wm. E. Bobbs thrilling tale follows Alan as he figures out the best path forward, watching over his shoulder every step of the way.

Readers who wish to experience this exciting work can purchase Aura at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
"CCA is honored to work with the Government of Nepal, World Resources Institute, and other partners to pioneer this data-driven approach, which will serve as an important blueprint for energy access planning in other countries. Dymphna van der Lans, CEO of CCA

The Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA), in collaboration with the World Resources Institute (WRI), Kartoza, KTH Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Nepals Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC), and Nepal Open University (NOU), launched the Clean Cooking Explorer (CCE)  a novel geospatial tool that is now freely accessible to users everywhere. The tool was showcased at an event in Kathmandu, where AEPC, CCA, NOU, and the Ministry of Environment, Water Resources, and Irrigation presented the CCE to a gathering of policymakers, as well as to a global, virtual audience. The launch is set to be followed by a two-day training.

The CCE is a first-of-its-kind, online, open-source, interactive geospatial platform, designed to help the Government of Nepal (GoN) and other governments achieve their ambitious clean cooking targets. The platform integrates and analyzes geospatial datasets related to both the potential demand and supply of clean cooking services, enabling data-driven planning, coordination, and decision-making. The CCE will play a vital role in implementing the Country Action Plan that CCA developed in close collaboration with AEPC to achieve clean cooking for all in Nepal.

The government of Nepal is deeply committed to achieving universal access to clean cooking by 2030, with a quarter of the population primarily using electricity for cooking by 2030, said Madhusudhan Adhikari, Executive Director of AEPC, the agency responsible for formulating and implementing energy policies in Nepal. We have been promoting clean cooking solutions for many years, including the promotion of 200,000 households per year using electric cookstoves since 2021 and we are providing a matching fund for a Green Climate Fund project to provide electric cookstoves to 500,000 households over the next five years. Now the time has come to accelerate clean cooking access in a more evidence-based way with the support of the Clean Cooking Explorer. We are looking forward to administrating the Clean Cooking Explorer for Nepal and are committed to using the platform to achieve our clean cooking targets.

We cannot talk about clean, sustainable, and equitable energy access without ensuring that families have access to clean cooking, but the pathway to achieving this is complex and context-specific, said Dymphna van der Lans, CEO of CCA. The right data and analytical tools are essential for making these crucial investment and policy decisions and achieving national and global climate and development goals. CCA is honored to work with the Government of Nepal, World Resources Institute, and other partners to pioneer this data-driven approach, which will serve as an important blueprint for energy access planning in other countries.

The CCE was built in close collaboration with AEPC and other key stakeholders to ensure that it is user-friendly and contextually relevant, even to users without any expertise in geospatial data. One of the platforms valuable features is a selection of predefined scenarios  including options relevant to policymakers, investors, donors, entrepreneurs and integrated energy planners  to gain valuable market intelligence. For example, a policymaker could select a scenario that identifies high-priority areas for expanding electric cooking.

Adopting an integrated, inclusive, data-driven approach to planning for the expansion of clean cooking solutions is going to be fundamental for the achievement of SDG 7 and other development outcomes, said Jennifer Layke, Global Director of WRIs Energy Program.

While the CCE is currently designed to support decision-making in Nepal, its modular and easily adaptable design will enable CCA, WRI, and KTH to expand the platform to other countries in the coming years.
Why Dont We Drive From Portland, Oregon to Argentina?: a journey of mind and soul over thousands of miles. Why Dont We Drive From Portland, Oregon to Argentina? is the creation of published author Constance Glidden Josef.

Josef shares, After twenty-five years, she has decided to publish a true adventure story of two friends who set off from Portland, Oregon, and drove a 4x4 (that already had 143,000 on it) to Argentina. An adventure that is not without dangers, laughs, and tears. Above all, it is the discovery about two people who never really knew each other until a year before.

This amazing journey would achieve many personal discoveries and shared adventures. Come along for the drive and discover the beauty and wonder of thirteen countries and their welcoming people. Well, welcoming almost all the time! Stories were captured throughout the drive in 1995 and held in a box for twenty-five years. An adventure that took place during a time without the worldwide internet (no Google or Expedia) and no cell phone to call ahead. Nope, just guidebooks, planning, and paying attention to details.

So come along and enjoy five and one-half months of pure adventure through mountains, countryside, border crossings that dont want you to cross constant question from officials (Are you sure you want to do this?), overnight sea voyage, finding the equator, a highway that turns into plane runway, and crossing the Andes during a brief break in a snowstorm. Over twelve thousand miles of daily adventure. Yes, come along for the ride.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Constance Glidden Josefs new book will shock and delight as an unexpected adventure unfolds.

Josef offers readers a shotgun-seat ride through a special journey that brought about innumerable memories and life lessons.

Consumers can purchase Why Dont We Drive From Portland, Oregon to Argentina? at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Why Dont We Drive From Portland, Oregon to Argentina?, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
You Ran Well, But What Hindered You?: a potent reminder that salvation and redemption are always available to those who trust in Gods will. You Ran Well, But What Hindered You? is the creation of published author Dr. Castile Colbert Jr.

Dr. Colbert Jr. shares, In the rat race of life, there are often many instances that can bring us promotion, both physical and spiritual. In Dr. Castile Colbert Jr.s third published work, You Ran Well, but What Hindered You?, he sheds new light, through the Word of God, on many of the major areas where our baggage has kept us from reaching our full potential and how we can recognize them. In many cases, we arent aware of the hindrances until weve already gone through the obstacles.

This book was written on behalf of patriarchs, or biblical characters, and individuals I know who knew the Lord but, through opposition from Satan, fell or did not maintain the course. One Bible character we knew was Saul, the first king of Israel chosen by the people because Israel wanted a king like other nations. They chose Saul not because of his qualifications but his size. When the twelve tribes wanted a leader, they chose one from the tribe of Benjamin, who hid from the selection, and the Lord told Samuel Saul was hidden among the stuff. When Samuel heard of the peoples desires for a king, the Lord told Samuel they did not reject him but the Lord, and the Lord told them how this man would be. He will not be faithful to them and use his own and their sons and daughters to be his servants. After picking him, they realized who Saul was.

The people of Israel became aware of who Saul was and wanted to get rid of him. They brought this to Samuel who told the Lord, and the Lord said, I have rejected him because he has rejected me, and do not go to him any longer. I have selected me a king. Go to the house of Jesse and anoint his son, and remember the Lord does not look on the outside of man, or his stature. He looks at the heart. So, Samuel went the house of Jesse and anointed David. The Lord had already prepared David as shepherd of his people from his experience as a shepherd of his fathers sheep.

I also knew people who came to church, accepted the Lord, and eventually, because of being upset about a prayer that seemingly wasnt answered, stopped serving the Lord and started serving the creature of the world. I had a good friend whom I knew received salvation and started faithfully coming to church. Even though I, along with others, prayed for healing, eventually, a parent passed away. They got so upset that their faith was lost, and they fell back into that of which they were originally delivered. We must remember our ways are not his ways, and the Lords will may not be our will, but he knows all things and what he allows is always for our good.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Dr. Castile Colbert Jr.s new book will encourage and empower believers who seek a stronger connection to God.

Dr. Colbert Jr. shares in hopes of clearing some of the misinformation that permeates the world regarding how God functions within ones day to day life.

Consumers can purchase You Ran Well, But What Hindered You? at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about You Ran Well, But What Hindered You?, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Everest Group The Engineering Services PEAK Matrix Provider of the Year Awards identify the best of the best  Engineering Services providers with strong capabilities and successful services strategies that align well with evolving enterprise engineering needs

Everest Groupa research firm focused on strategic IT, engineering services, business services and sourcingtoday announced the winners of the 2022 Engineering Services PEAK Matrix Provider of the Year. The awards, presented for the first time this year, recognize Engineering Services providers who have demonstrated consistent leadership in the PEAK Matrix reports issued by Everest Group in the previous year (October 2020 to September 2021).

Capgemini, HCL Technologies and TCS tie for the No. 1 spot on the list of Top 15 Engineering Services Providers. Wipro took the No. 4 spot, followed by Tech Mahindra at No. 5. Rounding out the Top 15 are LTTS and Cognizant (tied for No. 6), Accenture (8), Infosys (9), Harman (10), Alten (11), UST (12), Cyient and Tata Elxsi (tied for No. 13) and Persistent (15).

Everest Group determined its rankings by evaluating consistent performance in PEAK Matrix reports across five segments: Industry 4.0, Software Products, Semiconductor, ACES (autonomous, connected, electric and shared automotive engineering), and 5G. The Top 15 providers were identified based on comparative assessment of over 50 engineering service providers using a consolidated score reflecting points received on individual evaluations.

Everest Group also recognized the Top 5 ChallengersEngineering Services providers that offer credible alternatives for enterprises by focusing on specific solution segments, geographies, and/or industries. DXC Technology, NTT Data and Virtusa tied for the No. 1 Challenger position. KPIT earned the No. 4 spot, followed by Infogain at No. 5.

The Engineering Services PEAK Matrix Provider of the Year Awards identify the best of the best  Engineering Services providers with strong capabilities and successful services strategies that align well with evolving enterprise engineering needs, said Akshat Vaid, vice president at Everest Group. Throughout the year, Everest Group evaluates Engineering Services providers across multiple ER&D domains to help buyers compare and contrast their options. Our evaluations offer guidance and nuanced insights into each providers strategies for key business lines, geographies and technologies. Taking these evaluations into account, the Engineering Services PEAK Matrix Provider of the Year Awards recognize the providers that truly set themselves apart by exhibiting consistent leadership and top performance.

***A complete list of winners are listed in the report, Engineering Services PEAK Matrix Provider of the Year 2022, available for complimentary download.***

About the PEAK Matrix

The Everest Group PEAK Matrix is a proprietary framework for assessing the relative market success and overall capability of service providers based on Performance, Experiences, Ability and Knowledge. Each service provider is comparatively assessed on two dimensions: market success and delivery capabilities. Market success is measured by revenue, number of clients and year-over-year growth. Delivery capability is measured by scale of operations, scope, technology and innovation, delivery footprint and buyer satisfaction. The resulting matrix categorizes service providers as Leaders, Major Contenders, and Aspirants. Companies that demonstrate strong upward movement in successive reports are recognized as Star Performers.

About Everest Group

Everest Group is a research firm focused on strategic IT, business services, engineering services, and sourcing. Our research also covers the technologies that power those processes and functions and the related talent trends and strategies. Our clients include leading global companies, service and technology providers, and investors. Clients use our services to guide their journeys to maximize operational and financial performance, transform experiences, and realize high-impact business outcomes. Details and in-depth content are available at http://www.everestgrp.com.
We are currently observing a meteoric rise in the threat level to businesses. From common cyber criminals to cyber mafia organizations and even nation-states, US organizations are under an increasing threat, declared Mr. Guenther

In response to a recent statement from the White House, Brian Guenther, President of Exceed Cybersecurity & I.T. Services, was asked to join a panel of cybersecurity professionals to assist organizations in preparing their organizations cyber defense. Current intelligence indicates the potential for Russian cyber warfare against US companies in response to current sanctions, stated Mr. Guenther, and I have distilled the recommended steps from the White House into an actionable list to help US organizations prepare themselves against this threat.

These actions are as follows:

1. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all systems where this option is available.  This greatly increases the difficulty for others to hack into your accounts.

2. Activate modern security tools such as Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) on all devices and systems.  Traditional anti-virus is no longer enough to protect your devices.

3. Review all systems and applications to ensure they are fully updated and patched.  Often, technology companies are aware of vulnerabilities in their software or hardware. Applying these updates keeps your device secure.

4. Change all passwords and ensure that each account has a strong, unique password.  Using a weak password or the same password for multiple accounts leaves you very vulnerable to a cyber attack. Additionally, if your credentials have been stolen in the past, changing your password will protect you from this threat.

5. Back up your data and maintain offline backups.  Backing up your data is an easy way to prevent a total lose of your data.

6. Run exercises and test your plans in the event of a cyber attack, such as ransomware.  In the event of a cyber attack, many important decisions need to be made very quickly. Make your plan and practice it before you need it.

7. Encrypt all company data.  Keeping your data encrypted ensures that any data on stolen devices is safe.

8. Implement cybersecurity education for your employees. Encourage them to report any suspicious activity they identify on their computers.  Your employees are your most valuable defense against cyber attacks. Their level of cyber education will typically directly translate to how safe your organization is.

9. Identify who to contact in the event of an attack. Build a relationship with an Incident Response Team and your local FBI and/or CISA office.  In the event of a cyber attack, you will need to call in professionals to assist you. Plan out who you will call before you need them.

To review the original actions from the White House statement released on March 21st, 2022, click this link.

We are currently observing a meteoric rise in the threat level to businesses. From common cyber criminals to cyber mafia organizations and even nation-states, US organizations are under an increasing threat, declared Mr. Guenther. I strongly advise all US organizations to enact these recommended steps with all urgency.

Exceed Cybersecurity & I.T. Services is available to news organizations that would like to report on how this may affect businesses in the area. Please reach out to info@exceeditmd.com for all media requests.

About Exceed Cybersecurity & I.T Services

Exceed Cybersecurity & I.T. Services is a premier Cybersecurity-first Managed Internet Technology (I.T.) company offering all-encompassing I.T. support (Managed I.T., Cybersecurity, Cloud, etc.) with a focus in cybersecurity risk management and CMMC compliance management. Exceed Cybersecurity has consistently helped businesses mitigate the potential financial, reputational, operational, and legal damages of cyber-attacks and data compliance regulations. Exceed Cybersecurity is an accredited Registered Provider Organization (RPO) by the CMMC AB. For more information on Exceed Cybersecurity, please call (240) 377-0504 or visit http://www.exceeditmd.com.


We work to recognize every person  clergy and lay, women and men, adults and children  as full and equal parts of Gods human family, said Bishop Tracy S. Malone, GCSRW Board Chair.

Recognizing fifty years of progress for women in the United Methodist Church, the Board of Directors of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women (GCSRW) met virtually on March 11-12th with a focus on looking to the future of GCSRW engagement and advocacy within the UMC. Throughout the meeting, the theme of Ever forward on Our Journey and the mission of advocating for full participation of women in the total life of The United Methodist Church was fully present.

This month marks Womens History Month, and a time of reflection, as we work to recognize every person  clergy and lay, women and men, adults and children  as full and equal parts of Gods human family, said Bishop Tracy S. Malone, GCSRW Board Chair. And this year the GCSRW board and staff are especially blessed as we also celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Commission.

Members of the GCSRW staff shared great progress on a variety of fronts, including:



Additional leadership training, including AC COSROW trainings and Lunch and Learns;

The launch of the Do No More Harm resource to provide guidance when there is a concern or complaint of sexual misconduct in The United Methodist Church;

The Interagency Sexual Ethics Task Force (IASETF) to promote and coordinate ministries in sexual ethics across the UMC.

Additionally, the board welcomed a presentation on an in-depth communication audit and strategy that was created to increase communication effectiveness for GCSRW. The audit, which included a survey of leaders throughout the UMC, and interviews, identified a number opportunities, such as:



Improving access to information for annual conferences and leaders through the launch of a new website that will improve the user experience.

Enhancing Central Conference Communications through increased access to information. Recently, the new GCSRW website provided translations in French, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish.

Increasing training and education for Annual Conference COSROW committees to support them in their work they work locally to research, educate and advocate to eradicate sexism in The UMC.

To continue engaging a diversity of board voices, leaders from within the Central Conferences shared progress and experiences that women are facing within their Jurisdictions.

Finally, the Executive Committee, and the full Board of Directors, recognized the leadership excellence of three newly ordained leaders during this quad, in recognition of Womens History Month:



Emily Nelms Chastain, GCSRW Board Member of the North Alabama Annual Conference (South Eastern Jurisdiction) was recognized as a deacon in full connection;

Juyeon Jeon, GCSRW Board Member of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference (North Central Jurisdiction) was recognized as an elder in full connection; and

Pam Pirtle, the GCSRW Senior Director of Leadership Development and Accountability, also a member of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference (North Central Jurisdiction), was recognized as an elder in full connection.

In honor of the accomplishments of these women, a donation was made from the GCSRW Board of Directors to the Advocacy of Women fund.

Our hearts were full of joy as we see the great accomplishments of these strong leaders who support our mission throughout the UMC, said Dawn Wiggins Hare, General Secretary of GCSRW. Throughout the meeting the board was excited to look to the future of this agency as we thought about the strong roots that have been built for the first 50 years  were excited to see the journey continue.

###

The General Commission on the Status and Role of Women advocates for full participation of women in the total life of The United Methodist Church. GCSRW helps the church recognize every person  clergy and lay, women and men, adults and children  as full and equal parts of Gods human family. They believe that a fully engaged and empowered membership is vital to The United Methodist Churchs mission "to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Gloria Denise Hopkins, a passionate creative and young college graduate, has completed her new book The Legend of Andromeda: an exciting tale for children of all ages that follows Princess Andromeda on an adventure across her homeland to save her family and kingdom.

Hopkins writes in her preface, This story is a reimagining of the classic Greek myth about Princess Andromeda. In the original tale, Andromeda was stated to be an Ethiopian princess, yet she was never given any credit for her true African origin. The pages that follow contain an original fairy tale, a childrens story set in Africa, told in the style of all the traditional fairy tales that the world is familiar with.

Published by Page Publishing, Gloria Denise Hopkins wild tale gives proper credit to the African origins of Princess Andromeda while creating a story that many young readers can find strength in. Readers can feel the courage that Andromeda displays while trying to fight for the place she calls home. The themes of connection, self-discovery, and friendship are things that all readers can relate to. The Legend of Andromeda is a Greek myth for a modern audience.

Hopkins writes a story all about connection, the long-lasting and unbreakable bonds that are created in a childs life. These connections of culture and family are what gives the protagonist strength and commitment to help save her land. The limitless love among her family is the only strength they need to fight any evil that comes their way. This book is only the beginning of the story that surrounds Andromeda.

Readers who wish to experience this enchanting work can purchase The Legend of Andromeda at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
Jeffery M. Chiow, shareholder of global law firm Greenberg Traurig LLPs Government Contracts & Projects Practice in Washington, D.C., will host a webinar titled Level Set on Bid Protests for the Public Contracting Institute. The webinar will take place March 30 at 2 p.m. and will be free for viewers.

In this season during which government contractors submit proposals and await award decisions, Chiow will discuss bid protests, when they should be used, and how they should be litigated. He will address short protest timelines, awardee intervention, and key legal and business considerations for those who must make go/no-go protest decisions. The webinar is a preview of the Public Contracting Institutes four-part series focused on bid protests, according to its website.

Chiow represents clients in litigation and government investigations related to government contracts and has handled hundreds of federal and state bid protests, many with hundreds of millions of dollars at stake. He has deep experience in the aerospace and defense sectors, as well as cybersecurity, technology services contracting, and schedule contracting. Chiow also helps government contractors to develop tailored strategies for addressing complex business, legal, and regulatory issues. In particular, he is has wide-ranging experience in the constantly evolving area of cybersecurity, including compliance with the Department of Defenses cyber and supply chain requirements and the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification initiative and related investigations and disclosures.

About Greenberg Traurigs Government Contracts & Projects Practice: Greenberg Traurigs Government Contracts & Projects Practice helps companies navigate the highly regulated acquisition and compliance processes of federal, state, local, and foreign governments and their agencies. The firms attorneys and governmental affairs professionals assist both experienced contractors and newcomers with a broad array of issues arising from, for example, sales of commercial off-the-shelf and customized products, services, and managed solutions to governments at all levels. The practice also focuses on meeting the transactional and U.S. regulatory needs of clients in the commercial, defense, aerospace, information technology, telecommunications, medical and health care, and other high-tech sectors.

About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2400 attorneys in 42 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm, often recognized for its focus on philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono, reported gross revenue of over $2 Billion for FY 2021. The firm is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law 100, Am Law Global 100, NLJ 250, and Law360 (US) 400. On the debut 2022 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard, it is a Top 15 firm. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab and net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com.
BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The China-EU leaders' meeting has taken place successfully 22 times, playing a vital strategic guiding role in the development of China-EU relations and dialogue and cooperation, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily news briefing when asked to introduce arrangements for the meeting.

Wang said that, during this meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping would meet with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen via video link.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will co-chair the leaders' meeting with Michel and von der Leyen via video link, said the spokesperson.

China and the EU are two significant forces in maintaining world peace, two important markets to promote common development, and two civilizations to advance the cause of human progress, said Wang.

Wang noted that the current international situation is volatile with rising uncertainties. He said the two sides should strengthen strategic communication, enhance mutual trust, build consensus, and conduct dialogue and cooperation based on mutual respect and benefit. He added the two sides should also promote sustained and sound development of China-EU relations to inject stability and positive energy into the international situation. 
Harbor Lifes new My Policy Predictor fills a critical technology gap in the life insurance industry. There has never been an accurate, data-driven way to instantly predict the resale value of a life insurance policy until now.

Harbor Life Settlements, today announced the launch of its new My Policy Predictor tool, designed to provide key life settlement stakeholders, including policyholders, insurance agents, and financial representatives, with instant life settlement valuations for life insurance policies, with up to 89.2 percent accuracy. The team at Harbor Life developed this tool to help people immediately understand the value of their life insurance policies on the secondary market and raise further awareness that life insurance is an asset people can sell.

Harbor Lifes new My Policy Predictor fills a critical technology gap in the life insurance industry. We know around $200 billion in life insurance that could be sold will lapse or be surrendered each year [1]. This tool was designed to help people understand their life insurance carries value outside of the death benefit and prevent them from throwing away their assets, said Lucas Siegel, founder and CEO of Harbor Life Settlements. Much like the automotive industry has Kelley Blue Book, now the life insurance industry has the My Policy Predictor.

Created by a team of mathematicians, actuaries, and artificial intelligence (AI) developers, this first-of-its-kind calculator is powered by a machine learning-based algorithm that was developed using data from thousands of real life settlement transactions.

There has never been an accurate, data-driven way to instantly predict the resale value of a life insurance policy until now. Developing an AI-based tool of this size has been challenging, but it has also been a worthwhile endeavor to create something that can help millions of seniors have the retirement they deserve. I believe people have the right to know the value of their assets so they can make the best financial decisions for their family, and this technology was designed for exactly that. Siegel adds.

The tools algorithm uses personal, health, and policy information about the insured to provide the end-user with a comprehensive report that includes the estimated policy value on the secondary market and a life settlement reinvestment analysis. The reinvestment analysis is designed to further assist in evaluating the cost of maintaining a life insurance policy to receive the death benefit versus cashing the policy out via a life settlement and reinvesting the proceeds.

There are three versions of the calculator, one for policyholders, financial professionals, and bulk uploaders. End-users who want to assess policies one at a time for themselves, their loved ones, or their clients can use the policyholder or financial professional versions of the tool. Both versions require the end-user to manually fill out a short questionnaire to generate their report. Users utilizing the financial professional version of the tool will also receive a PDF version of the report that can be customized with their companys branding and easily converted into a brochure, postcard, or email to assist with client communications.

Conversely, financial professionals who want to assess the life settlement value of an entire book of business or portfolio can use the bulk uploader version of the tool. As it stands, the personal finance industry often overlooks clients' life insurance policies as being an asset with real value. The bulk uploader version of the tool can help give financial professionals a full picture of their client's assets at the touch of a button so they can provide the most accurate financial advice. In addition to receiving life settlement estimations for thousands of clients near instantaneously, those using the bulk uploader tool will also receive customizable materials that can be used for individual client communications.

Financial professionals can learn more and request access to their versions of Harbor Lifes My Policy Predictor here, while consumers can access a beta version of the calculator here.

About Harbor Life Settlements:

Harbor Life Settlements is a life settlement company that is dedicated to helping seniors and the terminally or chronically ill sell their life insurance policies for maximum cash value so they can comfortably afford their long-term care, medical expenses, retirement, and more. To make the life settlement process easy and transparent, Harbor Life handles all underwriting, paperwork, and legal matters associated with the sale of a life insurance policy, and works with the worlds largest network of life settlement buyers to generate the highest cash offer for every clients policy. To learn more, please visit http://www.harborlifesettlements.com and http://www.harborlifebrokerage.com.

[1] Conning, Inc. (2019). (rep.). Life Settlements: A Market Takes Off (pp. 4346). Boston, MA.
Thomas J. Hanna Many in our area are aware of my familys deep personal connection to Heart health and Stroke care. I jumped at the opportunity to channel some of that emotional energy into this amazing cause here in Delaware, said Thomas J. Hanna, 2022 Heart & Stroke Ball Co-Chair.

Harvey, Hanna & Associates, Inc. and The American Heart Association is pleased to announce that Thomas J. Hanna and his wife Dr. Lexie Hanna DVM will Co-Chair the 2021-22 Delaware Heart Ball. The Southern Delaware Heart Ball will be held on Friday April 22nd at the Hyatt Place Dewey Beach and the Wilmington Heart Ball will take place on June 9th at the Hyatt Place Wilmington Riverfront.

Mr. Hanna serves as the President of Harvey Hanna & Associates, Inc. (HHA), a real estate development company based in Newport, DE which works to pair entrepreneurial spirit and market expertise in commercial redevelopment with community involvement and enrichment. Along with HHA Chairman E. Thomas Harvey III (Thom), Mr. Hanna has directed the portfolio growth from a modest 30,000 square feet of total space in 1996 to its current scale of over 3 million square feet of space. In 2008, Mr. Hanna created and established the Delaware KIDS Fund, a Harvey Hanna sponsored 501-c-3 non-profit charitable organization designed to assist local Delaware Kids in Distressed Situations. As a Ball for All sponsor, Harvey Hanna & Associates encourages all Heart Ball attendees to donate a ball or PE equipment to the campaign so that children from across our state have ample equipment and opportunity to enjoy daily physical activity. Many in our area are aware of my familys deep personal connection to Heart health and Stroke care. I jumped at the opportunity to channel some of that emotional energy into this amazing cause here in Delaware, said Thomas J. Hanna, 2022 Heart & Stroke Ball Co-Chair.

Each year, during the Heart Ball, the American Heart Association honors a community member with the James H. Gilliam, Jr. Award for their significant contributions to the health, welfare and benefit of the Delaware community. This year, the award will be given to Alan and Ellen Levin of Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach.

In addition to their support of hypertension control efforts in Delaware, the Levin family has supported Nemours Childrens Hospital, Beebe Healthcare, the Delaware Fallen Heroes Scholarship, and many other non-profit organizations across the state. Through their many philanthropic efforts, Mr. and Mrs. Levin have had a tremendous impact on Delaware. We can now proudly add the 2022 James H. Gilliam, Jr. Award to Alan and Ellens long list of community accomplishments, explains E. Thomas Harvey, III, American Heart Association Delaware Board Chair.

The Delaware Heart Ball is one of our communitys most significant events, says David Morris, Executive Director of the American Heart Association in Delaware. The Heart Ball raises awareness and significant funds for cardiovascular issues in our community, and it also celebrates the results of our research, advocacy and educational programs at work, Morris continues.

All funds raised through the Heart Ball campaign will support the American Heart Association, which funds public and professional education, advocacy, and scientific research. Research funded by the association has yielded important discoveries such as CPR, life-extending drugs, pacemakers, bypass surgery, surgical techniques to repair heart defects and more.

Under Dr. and Mr. Hannas leadership, the 2021-22 Heart Ball Executive Leadership Team includes:

Mike Dickinson, SoDel Concepts

Vince DiFonzo and Drew DiFonzo, TKo Hospitality

Jessica Dost, Ryan Kennedy, and William Lower of HHA

Kelly Wiechecki, Christiana Care, Center for Heart & Vascular Health

Kevin Worsh, BNY Mellon Wealth Management

Mike Pfeifer, 1440 Film Co.

Bobbie Redefer, Cape Henlopen School District

Kimberly Hoffman, Morris James LLP.

The Heart Ball is an important component of the American Heart Associations mission: to Be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives for ALL!

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Tracie Slade at tracie.slade@heart.org

For more information, please visit our event site

###
"As IMAT Solutions grows and expands, our offerings enable trusted data for enhancing quality reporting and better care outcomes, said Kurt Garbe, CEO of IMAT Solutions.

IMAT Solutions, a leader in delivering innovative, real-time, healthcare data management and population health reporting solutions, announced today that it has launched a new offering that addresses the collection, aggregation, distribution and reporting of healthcare data.

The new innovations and services will help payers, statewide organizations and HIEs to take advantage of IMATs new clustering and SaaS-based solutions, as well as the companys new National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Data Aggregator Validation (DAV) designation.

As IMAT Solutions grows and expands, our offerings enable trusted data for enhancing quality reporting and better care outcomes, said Kurt Garbe, CEO of IMAT Solutions. These solutions and services will also ultimately optimize the use of health data for driving better business outcomes for payers, HIEs and statewide organizations.

Combining services with new innovations, the turnkey solutions include the following:



Data-as-a-Service covering NCQA Certified Clinical Data for health payers.

Centralized healthcare data aggregation, distribution and quality measures for Statewide departments.

Patient Care First measures for Primary Care Providers.

Data Aggregator Validation (DAV) Designation

IMAT Solutions is the first, and currently only, technology company to achieve full DAV designation from National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

Data from data streams validated by NCQA can be used as standard supplemental data in HEDIS reporting, eliminating the need for primary source verification (PSV) during the HEDIS audit process. This saves time and money for aggregators, provider organizations and health plans.

Centralized Quality Reporting for States

IMAT Solutions now supports centralizing quality Reporting for Medicaid value-based care for states. For example, the State of Rhode Island is enhancing its RI Quality Reporting System (QRS), as well as its implementation approach, service and technology requirements, and current status. The state is also aligning with the RI Medicaid program to support the goal of shifting to value-based payment methodologies for the Rhode Island Medicaid Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs).

Patient Care First Measures

The IMAT platform also now supports Primary Care First (PCF), which is a voluntary alternative payment model that offers an innovative payment structure to support the delivery of high quality advanced primary care.

PCF is a new payment model that builds upon the comprehensive primary care plus (CPC+) program, and includes a population-based payment for each patient attributed to the practice to increase overall revenue to primary care providers and practices.

Supporting Services

For all of the new solutions, IMAT now offers comprehensive implementation and ongoing support services for its payers, HIEs and state-based organization customers.

These comprehensive services provided by experienced resources range from Data Source Onboarding to Source Data Validation, Data Normalization Validation, Measure Validation, Data Quality Management, MPI Management, ETL Optimization, NLP Optimization, Data Extract Validation, Primary Source Verification, as well as developing Scorecards, Dashboard and Reports.

About IMAT Solutions

IMAT Solutions are experts in health data acquisition and normalization, supporting programs for HEDIS, STARS, Population Risk Management, Data Aggregator Validation (DAV), Primary Care First, 21st Century Cures Act and CMS Interoperability. The company offers turnkey, end-to-end services  from data source onboarding to data normalization validation to data quality management to reporting and beyond. IMAT Solutions was formed in 2013 to provide key innovations in data accessibility, analysis, and reporting to healthcare organizations. The product suite is HIPAA-compliant, supporting customers across multiple states, processing billions of records per year for more than 3,500 facilities, involving 30 million patients and 35,000 providers. To learn more about IMAT Solutions, visit: imatsolutions.com
Mobile is no longer an ancillary mode for servicing insurance companies policyholders and prospects, said Beth Robertson, managing director, Keynova Group. Mobile channels provide carriers an opportunity to interact on a regular basis, serving up more than policy summaries and premium payment.

Keynova Group, the principal competitive intelligence source for digital financial services firms, today announced the results of the Q1 2022 edition of its semi-annual Mobile Insurance Scorecard. GEICO earned top honors for its mobile user experience, ranking first in Overall Score in Keynova Groups 14th competitive evaluation of the mobile apps and mobile websites of the 12 largest U.S. auto and property insurance carriers. The Scorecards key trends show carriers leveraging mobile to build user engagement by incorporating telematics, location-based experiences, enhanced claims capabilities, and virtual assistant (VA) support.

Mobile is no longer an ancillary mode for servicing insurance companies policyholders and prospects, said Beth Robertson, managing director, Keynova Group. Mobile channels provide carriers an opportunity to interact on a regular basis, serving up more than policy summaries and premium payment by envisioning opportunities to support users across a spectrum of actions.

Key Findings:

Apps Increasingly Positioned to Build Recurring Mobile Interactions

Although many carriers have relied on the web as the primary option for mobile delivery, mobile apps are becoming increasingly important. Apps residency on the mobile device home screen, integration of key mobile functionalities, and personalization options are among factors that make them ideal for driving the recurring utilization that reinforces the carriers brand. Half of carriers now integrate features such as gas or parking locators, vehicle maintenance tools, or travel planners to drive regular use of their apps. As a mobile app innovator pioneering in-app usage-based telematics, GEICO has also added to its app location-specific experiences to support users visiting the Department of Motor Vehicles or a car dealership. Liberty Mutual recently became the second firm to integrate usage-based telematics into its primary servicing app.

Mobile Claims Enhancements Strengthen Policyholder Satisfaction

Claims handling is one of the most important factors influencing policyholder satisfaction and retention, prompting insurers to continue bolstering mobile capabilities for on-the-spot digital claim filing, tracking, and information. Streamlined mobile claims forms incorporate elements like GPS prefill and mapping, calendar and picker tools, and image scan and upload. All of the Scorecard insurance firms now provide roadside locator tools in both mobile web and their apps, while one-third of insurers enable roadside claims expenses to be submitted via the mobile web or in-app. A quarter of the carriers now support digital payment options like Zelle or PayPal for claims disbursements, enabling policyholders to select their preferred alternative. And two-thirds of carriers offer claim-specific chat support via mobile.

Virtual Assistant Chatbots Improved with Targeted Support Actions

While the banking industry has several notable examples of VAs that utilize artificial intelligence (AI), most insurance firms utilize chatbot-style VAs to streamline support: 83% offer a VA in mobile web and half employ the option in their app. Some insurers are advancing their chatbot capabilities with predictive support options related to a users navigation path and by supporting common inquiries. For example, 25% of firms enable mobile web VAs to be used to access, save, or share a policyholder's ID card or to provide the premium payment amount and due date, while one-third of app-based VAs can be used for these actions. Half of the firms link a user to a live agent after a maximum of two failed VA answer attempts.

About the Mobile Insurance Scorecard

Keynova Groups semi-annual, fact-based Mobile Insurance Scorecard, offered for nearly two decades, evaluates user capabilities, customer experience elements, and best practices to identify evolving trends and insights that drive mobile strategy in the auto and property insurance industry. The evaluation encompasses the mobile channels of Allstate, American Family, Esurance, Farmers, GEICO, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide, Progressive, State Farm, The Hartford, Travelers, and USAA. For more information, please visit https://www.keynovagroup.com/scorecards/#insurance.

About Keynova Group

Keynova Group is the nations foremost competitive intelligence firm providing trusted benchmarking insights and analysis of consumer and small business digital financial services, including banking, credit card, home lending and insurance. Since 1999, Keynova Groups Scorecards have served as the go-to source for leading financial services firms to obtain reliable competitive intelligence and actionable insights. The firms proven methodology and highly detailed results help its clients maximize the value of their digital channels to deliver a premier experience to customers and prospects.
I Have a Testimony: a potent reminder of Gods dedication to creation. I Have a Testimony is the creation of published author Janice Pickett McDuffie, a native of North Carolina who was raised by loving parents with nine siblings.

McDuffie shares, I Have a Testimony is my testimonies about what God has done for me. These are only a few testimonies I am sharing at this time. God has given me favor, and I share my testimonies to glorify his name. God is a constant presence in my life. My favorite conversation is about God. In sharing these testimonies, I pray this will bless someone and encourage them to try Jesus. Just taste and see that he is good. I assure you that you can always count on God. He is a friend, father, mother, doctor, lawyer, healer, and so much more. You can always go to God in prayer and know that he hears you and he will answer you. God is willing and able to do what you ask. Always go back and give God thanks for what he had done.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Janice Pickett McDuffies new book will encourage believers to be thankful for Gods many blessings.

McDuffie offers a personal look into moments of spiritual growth and tests of faith in honor of Gods promise.

Consumers can purchase I Have a Testimony at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about I Have a Testimony, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
If you would like to know more about the USGI dba Upland Group lawsuit, please contact Attorney Jackland K. Hom today by calling (619) 255-9047.

The Orange County labor law attorneys, at Zakay Law Group, APLC and JCL Law Firm, APC, filed a complaint alleging that USGI dba Upland Group (hereinafter, "Upland Group"), a security services provider, committed multiple violations of the California Labor Code. The Upland Group lawsuit, Case No. 30-2022-01250099-CU-OE-CXC, is currently pending in the Orange County Superior Court of the State of California. A copy of the Complaint can be read here.

The lawsuit alleges Upland Group violated the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), which gives rise to civil penalties as a result of Upland Group's conduct. PAGA allows aggrieved employees to file a lawsuit to recover civil penalties on behalf of themselves, other employees, and the State of California for Labor Code violations. An "aggrieved employee" is defined as "any person who was employed by the alleged violator and against whom one or more of the alleged violations was committed." Cal. Lab. Code section 2699(c). PAGA allows aggrieved employees to become deputized as private attorneys general to enforce the Labor Code.

The complaint alleges Upland Group's rest period policies and practices were unlawful because Upland Group allegedly understaffed its company and subjected Aggrieved Employees to alleged rigorous work requirements such that the Aggrieved Employees were allegedly denied their ten (10) minute rest periods.

If you would like to know more about the Upland Group lawsuit, please contact Attorney Jackland K. Hom today by calling (619) 255-9047.

Zakay Law Group, APLC and JCL Law Firm, APC are labor and employment law firms with offices located in California that dedicate their practices to fighting for employees who have been wronged by their employers due to unfair employment practices. Contact one of their attorneys today if you need help with workplace issues regarding wage and hour, wrongful termination, retaliation, discrimination, and harassment.

-THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT-
Approximately 39.5 percent of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point of their lifetime. These past two years have presented dramatic challenges for cancer patients receiving the proper treatment and screenings they need. Technology has paved the way to a new future of care that will have a long-lasting impact within the field.

In Mediaplanets new Innovations in Cancer Care campaign, Dr. Bertalan Mesko, director of The Medical Futurist, discusses just how technological advancements are supporting our hospitals, caregivers, and patients at such a crucial time. The newfound prevalence of telemedicine, combined with advancing technology across all aspects of healthcare, is helping to ease the burden on healthcare professionals and hospitals in 2022.

With approximately 66 percent of rural counties not having access to an oncologist, we furthermore see telehealth as a huge benefactor when it comes to access to care. BlueJeans Telehealth by Verizon will be touching on how the emergence of telehealth during the global pandemic could make healthcare more accessible, safer, and more effective.

This campaign was made possible with the support of BlueJeans Telehealth by Verizon, Blue Note Therapeutics, Iovance Biotherapeutics, Midmark RTLS, Dr. Bertalan Mesko, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQUA), Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA), Association for Community Cancer Centers (ACCC), Society for Gynecologic Oncology (SGO), National League for Nursing (NLN), Academy for Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN), and College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME).

About Mediaplanet

Mediaplanet specializes in the creation of content marketing campaigns covering a variety of industries. We tell meaningful stories that educate our audience and position our clients as solution providers. Our unique ability to pair the right leaders with the right readers, through the right platforms, has made Mediaplanet a global content marketing powerhouse. Our award-winning stories have won the hearts of countless readers while serving as a valuable platform for brands and their missions. Just call us storytellers with a purpose. Please visit http://www.mediaplanet.com for more on who we are and what we do.

Press Contact:

Nina Montross

Nina.Montross@Mediaplanet.com
Mediaplanet today announces the launch of this March edition of College Health & Safety. This campaign will bring together leading associations, organizations, key thought leaders, and more within the college wellness industries. This campaign will look to educate parents and students on the best ways to stay healthy and safe on campus and act as a resource for students to be successful on campus.

Safety protocols for the fall related to COVID-19 was the most pressing issue facing presidents (66 percent), followed by mental health of students (39 percent). The most prevalent crimes committed on college campuses include burglary, motor vehicle theft, sexual assault, and fondling, with more than 97,000 college sexual assault cases linked to drinking happen each year. This College Health & Safety campaign  publishing March 30th, will act as a resource for students in college amidst this pandemic.

The print component of College Health & Safety is distributed within todays edition of USA Today in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, San Francisco, Washington DC/Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh/Cleveland, Florida, Cincinnati (Indianapolis) markets, with a circulation of approximately 150,000 copies and an estimated readership of 450,000. The digital component is distributed nationally, through a vast social media strategy and across a network of top news sites and partner outlets. To explore the digital version of the campaign, visit: https://www.futureofpersonalhealth.com/campaign/college-health-and-safety/

American comedian, actor, rapper, and television presenter, Nick Cannon, graces the cover of the print publication. Through an exclusive interview on the interior, Cannon discusses how higher education should be for everyone. He has been an advocate for higher education since receiving his degree from Howard University, and in his interview gives his advice for people considering college- which is to be realistic about the financial plan and keep the end goal in mind. We say education is the passport to the future, he said.

This campaign was made possible with the support of the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention, American Psychiatric Association, National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence (NCADD), Prevention Action Alliance, Complete College America, The Association of College and University Housing Officers  International (ACUHO-I), and the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE).

About Mediaplanet

Mediaplanet specializes in the creation of content marketing campaigns covering a variety of industries. We tell meaningful stories that educate our audience and position our clients as solution providers. Our unique ability to pair the right leaders with the right readers, through the right platforms, has made Mediaplanet a global content marketing powerhouse. Our award-winning stories have won the hearts of countless readers while serving as a valuable platform for brands and their missions. Just call us storytellers with a purpose. Please visit http://www.mediaplanet.com for more on who we are and what we do.

Insert Press Contact:

Jenna Berliner

jenna.berliner@mediaplanet.com

973-714-0535


Dr. Eva Fernandez

Mercy College today announced the appointment of Eva M. Fernandez, Ph.D., as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Fernandez comes to Mercy from Guttman Community College, City University of New York (CUNY), where she has been serving as Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost since August 2021. She will oversee all faculty and educational programs and will assume her new position on July 1, 2022. Peter West, Ph.D. who has served as the Interim Provost will resume his role as the Dean of the School of Liberal Arts.

I am delighted to welcome Dr. Eva Fernandez, a passionate advocate for social justice and student success, to the senior leadership of Mercy College, said Mercy College President Tim Hall. We are grateful to Dr. West for his steadfast leadership and guidance as the Interim Provost for the past 10 months.

At Guttman, Fernandez oversees the development of innovative and impactful academic programs aimed at preparing students to successfully enter the workforce or continue to complete a four-year baccalaureate degree. Throughout her career in higher education administration, she has led projects

and programs designed to advance faculty expertise in teaching, improve and deepen learning, and advance the Colleges mission. Her expertise is centered on matters related to teaching and learning, particularly how faculty development, institutionalized course redesign, informal learning pedagogies,

experiential education, and peer mentoring influence student learning.

This is an exciting time in the history of Mercy College, a time of great renewal and opportunity, said Dr. Fernandez. The resilience and dedication that Mercys students, faculty, alumni, and administration have had to summon during the past two years signal a deep commitment by a community that is now primed for rejuvenation and growth. I look forward to our work together as we refresh and recommit to a revitalized vision of student success.

Prior to her position at Guttman, Fernandez spent 21 years at Queens College (CUNY), achieving tenure in 2007 and full professorship in 2015. Her teaching was augmented by a series of administrative roles with increasing responsibility, including executive leadership positions in the Office of the Provost and

culminating in her position as Associate Provost for Innovation and Student Success. She has served on multiple doctoral dissertation committees; held doctoral faculty appointments within three programs at CUNY Graduate Center; advised visiting graduate students and visiting faculty from Brazil and Japan; and lectured in Russia, Brazil and throughout the United States. She holds both a doctorate and a Master of Arts in linguistics from CUNY Graduate School and University Center and graduated Magna Cum Laude from New York University with a bachelors degree in linguistics (German).

Fernandez is a prolific author whose publications include a textbook, Fundamentals of Psycholinguistics, as well as nearly 40 scholarly articles, book chapters and a monograph. She is an invited presenter at dozens of renowned conferences in the U.S. and worldwide. She has been awarded research funding from federal agencies and private foundations, including the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Fernandez has served on or chaired numerous committees, advisory boards, task forces and governing councils, including service for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. She has performed in an advisory capacity to a host of community and professional organizations in the U.S. as well as in Brazil, Japan, Spain, Portugal and Italy.

About Mercy College

Founded in 1950 by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy College is an independent, coeducational college that offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs within five schools: Business, Education, Health and Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The vibrancy of the College culture is sustained by a diverse student body from around the region. The College has campuses in Dobbs Ferry, the Bronx and Manhattan as well as online offerings.
With more than 25 million cores in production and over 180 public cloud data centers worldwide running OpenStack, the community has steadily integrated new technologies like Kubernetes over the projects history, with more than 560,000 changes from over 8,700 contributors merged since 2012.

The OpenStack community today released Yoga, the 25th version of the worlds most widely deployed open source cloud infrastructure software. Yoga highlights include support for advanced hardware features such as SmartNIC DPUs, improved integration with cloud-native software such as Kubernetes and Prometheus and reduction of technical debt to maintain a stable and reliable OpenStack core.

The OpenStack community today released Yoga, the 25th version of the worlds most widely deployed open source cloud infrastructure software. Yoga highlights include support for advanced hardware features such as SmartNIC DPUs, improved integration with cloud-native software such as Kubernetes and Prometheus and reduction of technical debt to maintain a stable and reliable OpenStack core.

OpenStack, the open infrastructure-as-a-service standard, is the one infrastructure platform for deployments of diverse architecturesbare metal, virtual machines (VMs), graphics processing units (GPUs) and containers. Over 12 years, the OpenStack project has maintained a consistent harmony between release stability and a steady pace of new use cases and technical innovation. With more than 25 million cores in production and over 180 public cloud data centers worldwide running OpenStack, the community has steadily integrated new technologies like Kubernetes over the projects history, with more than 560,000 changes from over 8,700 contributors merged since 2012.

Ninety percent of the worlds largest telcos run OpenStack, and established users continue growing their deployments while new contributors like NVIDIA, the BBC and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts bring new use cases and technologies to the community. All this has happened against a backdrop of consistent usability improvements, enabling deployments sizes that range from a few dozen to millions of cores.

***The OpenStack Yoga release is available for download.***

After 25 releases, the global OpenStack community continues to adapt and grow, building software that now runs on more than 25 million compute cores, said Kendall Nelson, senior upstream developer advocate at the OpenInfra Foundation. Its amazing when you consider the scale of OpenStack: since 2012, our community has merged over 560,000 changes from over 8,700 contributors. Today, the Yoga release continues that momentum, evolving as OpenStack advances emerging use cases and new hardware architectures.

Yoga Release Highlights

Over the span of just 25 weeks, almost 13,500 changes authored by over 680 contributors from more than 125 organizations and 44 countries were merged into the Yoga release. Feature advancements in Yoga include:



Hardware enablement extended, specifically for SmartNIC DPUs. Neutron adds support for a remote-managed VNIC type, enabling port binding to SmartNIC DPUs. In addition, Nova now offers support for network backends that leverage SmartNICs to offload the controlplane from the host server. This enables increased security by removing the control plane from the host server and reduced overhead by leveraging the CPU and RAM resources on modern SmartNIC DPUs.

Local IP added to Neutron. This feature is primarily focused on high efficiency and performance of the networking data plane for very large-scale clouds, or clouds with high network throughput demands. Local IP is a virtual IP which can be shared across multiple ports or VMs, and guaranteed to only be reachable within the same physical server or node boundaries.

Soft delete scheme offered in Manila. File system shares can now be soft-deleted into a recycle bin where they can stay for a configurable amount of time before being purged. While they are in the recycle bin, shares can be viewed and restored on demand.

Cloud-native compatibility expanded for Prometheus and Kubernetes.

- Prometheus integration: Octavia load balancers now support deep observability by adding listeners that expose a Prometheus exporter endpoint. The Octavia amphora provider exposes over 150 unique metrics. Kolla adds support for deploying Prometheus Libvirt exporter.

- Kubernetes integration: Kuryr adds enhanced debugging capabilities by including Kubernetes events to resources managed by Kuryr. Tacker introduces several new features to its Kubernetes Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM), including using Docker private registry images or Helm charts to deploy Container Network Functions (CNFs).

Routine maintenance and updates in Yoga includes:



In Ironic, the default deployment boot mode has changed from Legacy BIOS to UEFI.

Cinder adds new backend drivers: Lightbits LightOS for NVMe/TCP, a TOYOU NetStor Fibre Channel driver and NEC V Series Storage drivers (FC and iSCSI). Current backend storage drivers now have added support for features exceeding the required driver functions, for example, Active/Active replication.

In Kolla, binary images are deprecated, and any support for them will be removed in the next release. Users are requested to migrate to source based images.

***For a more detailed list of Yoga release features, please see the release notes.***

OpenStack Community Looks Forward



New Projects: The OpenStack community has welcomed two new projectsSkyline, an OpenStack dashboard contributed by 99cloud, and Venus, a unified log management module contributed by Inspurand is looking forward to their inclusion in the next release, Zed.

Naming Convention Returns to A: After Zed is released in October, the naming convention for future releases will circle back to the beginning of the alphabet and the year of the release will be incorporated into the name as well.

New Release Cadence: The Technical Committee has approved a change to OpenStacks annual release cadence. Beginning with the 2023 A release, the Technical Committee will designate major releases in a tick-tock arrangement, such that every other release will be considered to be a major, "tick" release. Deployments wishing to stay on the six-month cycle will deploy every tick and tock release as they always have. Deployments wishing to move to a one-year upgrade cycle will synchronize on a tick release, and then skip the following tock release, upgrading again when the subsequent tick is released.

OpenInfra Project Teams Gathering (PTG) is April 4-8

The PTG is an event organized by the OpenInfra Foundation to allow various technical community groups working on open infrastructure projects to meet, exchange ideas and get work done in a productive setting. Groups discuss their priorities for the upcoming six months, assign work items, iterate quickly on solutions for complex problems, and make fast progress on critical issues. This PTG will be a virtual event; registration is free. Contact ptg@openinfra.dev for more information.

Open Infrastructure Summit is Live and In Person This Year

Held in person for the first time since November 2019, the Summit takes place June 7-9, 2022, at the Berlin Congress Center. Attendees will collaborate directly with the people building and running open source infrastructure using OpenStack, Kubernetes and 30+ other technologies. Speakers will include Bloomberg, BMW, Volvo, Adobe and more. The full schedule is live, and sponsorships and registration have limited availability.

About the Open Infrastructure Foundation

The OpenInfra Foundation builds communities that write open source infrastructure software that runs in production. With the support of over 110,000 individuals in 187 countries, the OpenInfra Foundation hosts open source projects and communities of practice, including infrastructure for AI, container native apps, edge computing and datacenter clouds. Join the OpenInfra movement: http://www.openinfra.dev
Prevent Blindness declares April as Women's Eye Health and Safety Month to encourage women to make their eye and vision health a priority. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent or lessen the severity of permanent vision loss from many eye diseases and conditions, said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness.

Women are at higher risk for vision impairment and blindness than men, yet are less likely to receive treatment. According to a recent report, The Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health: vision beyond 2020, the gender imbalance can be attributed to demographic factors (women living longer than men) and social factors (women having reduced access to care).

Prevent Blindness, the nations leading non-profit eye health organization, has declared April as Womens Eye Health and Safety Month in an effort to educate the public on the increased risk women have of vision health issues, as well as recommend steps that can be taken to prevent vision loss. The group provides a variety of free resources, including videos, fact sheets, shareable social media graphics, and a listing in English and Spanish of financial assistance programs for eyecare.

According to the Society for Womens Health Research (SWHR), the following eye diseases and conditions occur more frequently in women:



Refractive Error- 26 percent more women than men over the age of 12 have uncorrected visual impairment due to refractive error

Dry Eye- Two times more women than men over the age of 50 have dry eye disease

Age-related Macular Degeneration- 65 percent of individuals in the United States with Age-related Macular Degeneration are women

Cataract- 61 percent of individuals in the United States with cataract are women

Glaucoma- 67 percent of individuals in the United States with glaucoma are women

Thyroid Eye Disease (TED)- TED is 5-6 times more common in women than men

Prevent Blindness recently collaborated with the SWHR and other leading organizations to develop the SWHR Patient Toolkit: A Guide to Womens Eye Health, designed to empower individuals to navigate their eye health and eye care. The toolkit aims to facilitate productive conversations between patients and health care providers at all stages of eye health. Prevent Blindness also participated in the recent webinar, 20/20 Foresight: Understanding Womens Eye Health and Supporting Patient Needs.

As part of Aprils Womens Eye Health and Safety Awareness Month, Prevent Blindness will be debuting a new video, Diabetes, Vision Loss, and Mental Wellness, as part of the new Diabetes + the Eyes educational series, featuring patient advocate Serena Valentine, mental health expert Melissa Taussig, and diabetes specialist Lisa Golden. Ms. Valentine and Ms. Taussig share their experiences of vision impairment, the impact of vision impairment on mental health, and the tools they use to remain independent. Ms. Valentine and Ms. Golden are volunteer participants in the Prevent Blindness A.S.P.E.C.T. (Advocacy, Support, Perspective, Empowerment, Communication, and Training) Program, that equips participants with knowledge, skills, and confidence to be advocates for vision and eye health.

During the month, Janine Austin Clayton, M.D., FARVO, Associate Director for Research on Women's Health and Director, Office of Research on Womens Health at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will be joining Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness, for a new episode in the Focus on Eye Health Expert Series. Dr. Clayton will discuss a variety of topics including eye disease in women, research, inequities in access to eyecare and the impact of vision loss on mental health.

Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent or lessen the severity of permanent vision loss from many eye diseases and conditions. Thats why its so important for women to make their own eye health a priority to help avoid preventable vision issues in the near and distant future, said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness.

For more information on womens eye health, including fact sheets on eye diseases and eye protection, please visit PreventBlindness.org. Prevent Blindness offers a free listing of financial assistance services in English and Spanish at: preventblindness.org/vision-care-financial-assistance-information/.

About Prevent Blindness

Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness touches the lives of millions of people each year through public and professional education, advocacy, certified vision screening and training, community and patient service programs and research. These services are made possible through the generous support of the American public. Together with a network of affiliates, Prevent Blindness is committed to eliminating preventable blindness in America. For more information, visit us at preventblindness.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

###
Divinely Inspired under the Anointing of the Holy Spirit: a charming and encouraging arrangement of personal poetry. Divinely Inspired under the Anointing of the Holy Spirit is the creation of published author Rita Hemphill.

Hemphill shares, The title of the book comes from being inspired by God. The inspirational writings that he gives me comes from him. Some may come at night; some may come early in the morning. They could come at any time, but it is always in Gods time. When I feel his presence, he inspires me to write.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Rita Hemphills new book will encourage readers to take time for reflection on Gods blessings.

Hemphill shares in hopes of helping others find and nurture a strong connection with God.

Consumers can purchase Divinely Inspired under the Anointing of the Holy Spirit at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Divinely Inspired under the Anointing of the Holy Spirit, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.


Donated K-9 officer Boris along with Chip Shiver (2nd right) making a TV appearance. We do this as a small token of appreciation for the professionalism and support we receive from our local police departments. Chip Shiver, President, SONITROL of SW Ohio

SONITROL, the leader in verified electronic security, today announced that its SW Ohio franchisee has made its fifth donation of a K-9 officer to the Butler County, Ohio Sheriffs Department.

The SW Ohio offices donation is part of the companys nationwide program, SONITROL Gives Back. The program is dedicated to support local law enforcement and schools  from donating police K-9s, a police horse, training equipment, school supplies, school security equipment, and more.

SONITROL has donated more than 30 K-9s to local law enforcement departments who need extra support due to a lack of funds and employees. Police K-9s help keep drugs, guns, and criminals off the streets. With its five donations, SONITROL SW Ohio has made it a top priority to give back to its communities through the SONITROL Gives Back program.

We do this as a small token of appreciation for the professionalism and support we receive from our local police departments, said Chip Shiver, President of SONITROL of SW Ohio.

SONITROL franchises across the U.S. have made an impressive number of donations through the SONITROL Gives Back program. In addition to SONITROL SW Ohio, other offices that have donated to their communities include SONITROL Great Lakes, SONITROL of New England, SONITROL of Louisville, SONITROL of Evansville, SONITROL - Kimberlite Corporation, SONITROL of Bridgeport, and SONITROL of Western Kentucky.

To learn more, visit sonitrol.com or call 877-SONITROL.

Media Inquiries: Kaleigh.Burton(at)sbdinc(dot)com

About SONITROL

SONITROL offers verified security solutions, including verified audio and video intrusion, access control, video surveillance, and fire detection. SONITROLs verified solutions have helped apprehend over 182,000 criminals in North America to date, offering unrivaled credibility with law enforcement. See a SONITROL apprehension here.
The Other Side of the Fence: A Nurses Testimony: a powerful look into a nurses experience as the patient. The Other Side of the Fence: A Nurses Testimony is the creation of published author Stephanie Cameron, a loving mother and grandmother who was born and raised in New York City.

Cameron shares, As a health-care professional, I encountered patients daily in the intensive care unit  circling the drain  as we described their status. They were dying. They required nonstop, twenty-four-hour care to keep them alive. Most were sedated on life-sustaining drugs and ventilator-assist devices. I look back on my own near-death encounter not as a nurse taking care of a dying patient but as that patient clinging to life.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Stephanie Camerons new book is a personal and powerful tale of one womans health journey.

Cameron shares an engaging look into a significant health crisis with a unique perspective.

Consumers can purchase The Other Side of the Fence: A Nurses Testimony at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about The Other Side of the Fence: A Nurses Testimony, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Policymakers should craft tax credit scholarship programs to maximize the number of families who can benefit from the scholarships, and maximize the freedom and flexibility of scholarship granting organizations to serve those families. - Jason Bedrick

Education tax credits grew increasingly popular in 2021, with four more states enacting programs. There are now 28 tax-credit scholarship (TCS) programs in 23 states, and they serve more than 325,000 students, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute.

Under the programs, individual and corporate taxpayers receive tax credits for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations (SGOs) that fund students attending schools other than their assigned district school. The SGOs are non-profits registered under the state TCS program.

Policymakers should craft TCS programs to maximize the number of families who can benefit from the scholarships, and maximize the freedom and flexibility of SGOs to serve those families, said Jason Bedrick, author of Earning Full Credit: A Toolkit for Designing Tax-Credit Scholarship Policies (2022 Edition). The study is an update of the toolkit published in December 2020.

Tax-credit scholarships are the most common private-school choice program. Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio enacted TCS programs in 2021.

The earlier study showed that the programs are popular among parents and taxpayers. In a 2018 survey of more than 14,000 scholarship families in Florida, 92 percent expressed satisfaction with the program and about 90 percent were satisfied with the school their child attended using a scholarship. According to the 2021 Education Next survey, 56 percent of Americans support TCS policies. Support is even higher among parents (58 percent) and Americans who are Black (64 percent) and Hispanic (66 percent). According to EdChoices 2021 Schooling in America survey, 70 percent of the general public supported TCS policies.

Programs can be revenue neutral or even produce savings for the state if the value of tax credits is less than the money saved in school districts that no longer educate students taking advantage of tax-credit scholarships.

Bedrick makes a number of recommendations for policymakers crafting TCS programs. He urges states to make all children eligible for the scholarships but to prioritize those who are most in need. Around two-thirds of current programs impose income-based eligibility restrictions.

Tax credits should be as close to 100 percent as possible to encourage taxpayers to contribute. Credits currently range from 50 to 100 percent. Sixteen of the 28 programs offer a 100 percent credit and another eight offer 75-to-97 percent credits.

Policymakers should aim to cap credits at a level that is sufficient to provide scholarships to all families who want one. TCS policies should include escalator clauses that automatically raise caps over time to keep up with demand.

The scholarships themselves should be as close as possible to the state portion of per-pupil spending in K-12 public schools and should be eligible to be used for related expenses such as tutoring, online courses and educational therapy.

States should respect the ability of SGOs to set their own mission. Some provide scholarships for students to attend religious schools, others focus on a particular pedagogical approach such as Montessori schools, while still others focus on a geographical area.

To properly balance school autonomy and accountability, Bedrick urges policymakers not to require scholarship students to take a specified standardized test. Instead, schools should choose from among many norm-referenced tests. This would give parents information about their childrens progress without unduly restricting how schools operate.

About the Author

Jason Bedrick is director of policy for EdChoice. Previously, Bedrick served as policy analyst with the Cato Institutes Center for Educational Freedom. He also served as a legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representatives and was an education policy research fellow at the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy. Bedrick received his masters degree in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he was a fellow at the Taubman Center for State and Local Government.

About Pioneer

Pioneers mission is to develop and communicate dynamic ideas that advance prosperity and a vibrant civic life in Massachusetts and beyond. Pioneers vision of success is a state and nation where our people can prosper and our society thrive because we enjoy world-class options in education, healthcare, transportation and economic opportunity, and where our government is limited, accountable and transparent. Pioneer values an America where our citizenry is well-educated and willing to test our beliefs based on facts and the free exchange of ideas, and committed to liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise.
2023 American Women Quarters Program Honorees

The United States Mint (Mint) is pleased to announce the following 2023 honorees for the American Women Quarters Program:



Bessie Coleman  pilot, advocate, and pioneer who flew to great heights as the first African American and first Native American woman pilot, as well as the first African American to earn an international pilots license.

Jovita Idar  Mexican American journalist, activist, teacher, and suffragist. She devoted her life to fighting against separatist ideologies and sought to create a better future for Mexican Americans.

Edith Kanakaole  indigenous Hawaiian composer, chanter, dancer, teacher, and entertainer. Her moolelo, or stories, served to rescue aspects of Hawaiian history, customs, and traditions that were disappearing due to the cultural bigotry of the time.

Eleanor Roosevelt  first lady, author, reformer, and leader. As chairperson of the Human Rights Commission where she oversaw the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and as the first chair of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, she advocated diligently for the civil liberties and needs of the poor, minorities, and the disadvantaged.

Maria Tallchief  Americas first prima ballerina, she broke barriers as a Native American ballerina who exhibited strength and resilience both on and off the stage.

The range of accomplishments and experiences of these extraordinary women speak to the contributions women have always made in the history of our country, said Mint Deputy Director Ventris C. Gibson. I am proud that the Mint continues to connect America through coins by honoring these pioneering women and their groundbreaking contributions to our society.

Authorized by Public Law 116-330the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020the American Women Quarters Program features coins with reverse (tails) designs emblematic of the accomplishments and contributions of prominent American women. Contributions come from a wide spectrum of fields including, but not limited to, suffrage, civil rights, abolition, government, humanities, science, space, and the arts. The women honored come from ethnically, racially, and geographically diverse backgrounds. As required by the public law, no living person will be featured in the coin designs, and thus all the women honored must be deceased. The Mint is issuing five coins with different reverse designs annually over the four-year period from 2022 through 2025.

The obverse (heads) depicts a portrait of George Washington originally composed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser to mark George Washingtons 200th birthday. Though her work was a recommended design for the 1932 quarter, then-Treasury Secretary Mellon ultimately selected the now-familiar John Flanagan design.

The obverse design is common to all quarters issued in the series. Inscriptions are be LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and 2023.

As stipulated by the public law, the Secretary of the Treasury selects the women to be honored following consultation with the Smithsonian Institutions American Womens History Initiative, the National Womens History Museum, and the Congressional Bipartisan Womens Caucus.

Numismatic Products

Explore the first circulating and numismatic quarter program that exclusively honors the achievements of women. This inspiring collection demonstrates what can be possible with determination, perseverance, and the indomitable spirit of American women by visiting https://catalog.usmint.gov/coins/coin-programs/american-women-quarters-program/

About the United States Mint

Congress created the United States Mint in 1792, and the Mint became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. As the Nations sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage, the Mint is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; silver and bronze medals; and silver and gold bullion coins. Its numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers.

Photo credit: Bessie Coleman portrait Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Edith Kanaka`ole portrait franco salmoiraghi. Eleanor Roosevelt portrait Yousuf Karsh.

Additional Resources



Visit https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coin-and-medal-programs/american-women-quarters for additional information about the American Women Quarters Program.

Visit https://www.usmint.gov/about for information about the United States Mint.

Visit https://catalog.usmint.gov/email-signup to subscribe to United States Mint electronic product notifications, news releases, and public statements.

Visit and subscribe to the United States Mints YouTube channel to view videos about the United States Mint.

Sign up for RSS Feeds from the United States Mint and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

# # #

United States Mint  Connecting America through Coins
In the weeks leading up to the Vinitaly 2022, Veronafiere will host several events with the goal to offer more professional opportunities for buyers and wine professionals who will come to the city before the main event.

Vinitaly, one of the most important wine fairs in the world, is back with a new in-person edition landing in Verona from the 10th to the 13th of April. In the weeks leading up to the Vinitaly 2022, Veronafiere will host several events with the goal to offer more professional opportunities for buyers and wine professionals who will come to the city before the main event. Here is what the previous ten days will have in store for the world of wine.

The first event to open its doors in Verona is the 6th edition of 5StarWines & Wine Without Walls, the prestigious wine selection event organized by Veronafiere that will be held on April 1-3. More than 2300 wines will be tasted by more than 70 judges coming from all over the world, including the USA, South Africa, Canada, the UK, South Korea amongst others. The international jury includes highly qualified international experts selected from Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, WSET Diploma holders, VIA Italian Wine Experts and Ambassadors, oenologists, and journalists. For the 2022 edition, the General Chairs - a senior panel who have the last word on the score - will be Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, Robert Joseph, Bernard Torres MW, Daniele Cernilli, Gabriele Gorelli MW, and Caro Maurer MW. The three-day blind tasting results in the publication of the official guide 5StarWines  the Book, including all wines that obtain a score of 90 or above.

From April 4 to 7, Vinitaly International Academy comes back to Verona for its traditional flagship edition, held in a hybrid format. This year, 58 wine professionals from all over the world, including Japan, South Korea, Canada, America, and eastern Europe will participate in the 21st edition of the course. By the time the students reach Verona on April 4, they will have completed the first module of the Certification Course of Vinitaly International Academy, composed of online theoretical lessons created for the students by VIA Faculty members Henry Davar IWE and Sarah Heller MW.

During the second module, in person, students will take advantage of practical lessons, tastings of selected wines, Masterclasses, and Q&A sessions with Faculty members, with the support of ITA - Italian Trade Agency. During the last day of the course, VIA candidates will undergo a rigorous exam that includes two blind tastings, short answer questions, and multiple-choice questions on all 20 regions of Italy.

Students will also be invited to participate in the eleventh edition of OperaWine, which will be held on April 9, also in Verona (by invitation only). The exclusive event is organized by Veronafiere and Vinitaly in collaboration with Wine Spectator, with the goal to give the best Italian producers the opportunity to present their wines to international journalists, operators, and key figures in the sector. The format of the 2022 edition remains that of a walk-around-tasting, where each guest can stop at any stand and sample the wines on offer.

This year, Wine Spectator selected a total of 130 wineries from all over Italy. Tuscany, Piedmont, and Veneto are confirmed as the most represented regions with 36 Tuscan producers, 20 from Piedmont, and 16 from Veneto. OperaWine's goal is also to share the diversity of Italian wine, both its traditions and recent enological innovations, giving visibility to wineries from every region in Italy. After the elite tasting, the event concludes with a prestigious gala dinner, yet another valuable opportunity for producers to network and develop their connections.

At the apex of the celebration of Italian wine, Verona then welcomes the 54th edition of Vinitaly on April 10-13, one of the most important showcases for the Italian and international wine market. Thanks to the dynamic involvement of stakeholders, of buyers, and of more than 4400 Italian and international wine exhibitors, innovation, market trends, and business opportunities will be at the heart of the event. The Exhibition Centre will be the scene of numerous guided tastings, walk-around events, market research, workshops, educational meetings, B2B events, and other seminars specifically focused on large scale distribution with a total of 400 events held over the span of 4 show days.

Thanks to a collaboration between Veronafiere and ITA - Italian Trade Agency, Vinitaly also chose to invite buyers from all over the world to the exhibition to foster commercial and trade opportunities. To date, 630 "super buyers" of Italian wine from all over the world have joined the Vinitaly call. These do not include a further 50 operators who will make their debut in Verona thanks to another "tailor-made" incoming project born this year as the result of the direct collaboration of Veronafiere with approximately 30 exhibiting companies from Vinitaly.

Responding to the needs of both industry professionals in the Exhibition Centre, as well as to the enthusiasm of wine lovers, with the event Vinitaly and the City, Vinitaly offers an off-show event ensuring a rewarding experience in one of the worlds most important capitals of wine.

_________________

About: the grand Vinitaly 2022 will be held from April 10th to the 13th. Every year, Vinitaly counts more than 4,000 exhibitors on a 100,000+ square meter area and 130,000 visitors from over 140 different countries with more than 30,000 top international buyers. The premier event to Vinitaly, OperaWine Finest Italian Wines: 100 Great Producers, which will be held on the 9th of April, one day prior to Vinitaly, will unite international wine professionals in the heart of Verona, offering them the unique opportunity to discover and taste the wines of the 100 Best Italian Producers, as selected by Wine Spectator. Since 1998 Vinitaly International travels to several countries thanks to its strategic arm abroad, Vinitaly International. In February 2014 Vinitaly International launched an educational project, the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) with the aim of divulging and broadcasting the excellence and diversity of Italian wine around the globe. VIA this year launched the 21st edition of its Certification Course. To date, there are 271 Certified Italian Wine Ambassadors of which 15 are also Italian Wine Experts.
New research covering tens of millions of U.S. traffic stops found that Black drivers were more likely than White drivers to be stopped by police in regions with a more racially biased White population. Pierce Ekstrom, a researcher at the University of Nebraska and lead author on one of two concurrent papers in the journal Psychological Science talks about how these studies shed new light on how countywide attitudes toward race correlate with local policing. Read the news release and watch the video segment here.

Automated Transcript:

Charles Blue (00:11)

Traffic stops happened approximately 500 times each day in the United States, and they are the most common interaction between police and the public. Stops can result in nothing more than a friendly warning, or they can escalate to a use of force arrest. All other factors being equal, Black drivers are more likely to be stopped by police than drivers who are White. Two independent articles published in the Journal Psychological Science looked into this issue from a unique perspective, the racial attitudes across the United States on a county-by-county basis. This is Charles Blue with the Association for Psychological Science and to tell us more about these findings and what they mean for law enforcement. I have with me Pierce Ekstrom with the University of Nebraska and lead author on one of the papers. Welcome to under the Cortex.

Peter Ekstrom (01:05)

Thank you so much for having me, Charles. Im looking forward to talking about this research.

Charles Blue (01:10)

Might as well start right at the top. Can you briefly summarize your findings for our listeners?

Peter Ekstrom (01:16)

Sure. So basically, we found the more common racial prejudice against black people was in a county, the more often state troopers tended to stop black drivers relative to white drivers.

Charles Blue (01:28)

That seems like an almost intuitive thing considering the fact that statistically, black drivers are more likely to be pulled over. But what makes this particular finding unique or interesting or brings us knowledge we didnt have before?

Peter Ekstrom (01:44)

Sure. So really, we know these disparities exist, right? People before us have demonstrated that, and theyve also done some work to demonstrate that these disparities do seem to reflect real inequalities and discrimination. They are more pronounced when the drivers race is visible, as opposed to when its less visible at night. When we look at like, red light cams or something to estimate real traffic offense rates, we see that there is still above and beyond that, more black drivers were stopped. Our goal with this study is more focused on trying to explain where these disparities might come from. And our study, along with Dr. Stelters, found that one variable that does seem to be related to them is this regional prejudice. The attitudes that we see reflected not just in individuals thoughts or feelings, but taking a step up into how prevalent or intense those biases are at the county level. So trying to get it more of at least possibly a cultural variable there. And we do find that whatever you want to call it, culture, region level attitudes, that that is at least associated with the extent of the disparities.

Charles Blue (03:01)

People may think of biases and prejudices as a very personal individual problem, something that you could tackle one on one, perhaps if they were persistent. What youre saying is that may not be the whole story, that there is something about the community that may impact the way people behave. Is this something that has been shown in other areas or is this one of the initial local regional studies that has really taken a look at how the people you live among can influence your behavior in situations?

Peter Ekstrom (03:37)

So certainly other people have looked at this. Id love to say we were the first people to have this idea, but people have been looking at county level variation and racial attitudes to predict all sorts of racial disparities. For example, these county level attitudes predict racial disparities in infant health, in school, disciplinary practices, in mortality rates from circulatory disease, mortality rates in general, and even police use of force. Now police use of force is obviously the most closely related to what were examining here. We were interested in traffic stops because theres so much more common than overt use of force. So we thought that we could kind of expand our data set and look at more every day, if you will, type disparities in peoples interactions with law enforcement.

Charles Blue (04:25)

I do have a question about the methods. I can understand how there are databases and there are organizations that track police behavior, police interactions, the make up of police stops actually going down and trying to find information about racial biases on a county to county level, that seems like a bit more of a challenge. How did you come up with that data?

Peter Ekstrom (04:47)

So there too, we did benefit a lot from other peoples hard work. So we use data from the website Project Implicit, which is home of the Implicit Association test. If youve heard of that, theyre just sort of a publicly open website that people can go to and take surveys or whatever, and theyve been open for years and years doing a lot of studies on racial attitudes and their effects and their correlates. So a lot of people have reported their racial attitudes or taken the Implicit Association test there and as part of their demographic questionnaire, sometimes they ask people to give general information about where they live, Zip code or something like that. So using the Project Implicit data, we were able to whats called geocode the data. Right. We could figure out where people were with this or that racial attitude. And during the time span we covered. So 2011 to 2015, there were over 800,000 respondents to Project Implicit during that time. And that allowed us to cover get at least some racial attitude data for a large number of counties, a little over 3001, 300 of which we had some stop data for.

Charles Blue (05:55)

Just to help the listeners, again, really understand the impact of this study. How confident are you in these findings? They seem, maybe perhaps subjective. Have they been applied to other studies that have been borne out?

Peter Ekstrom (06:09)

So we tried to be as thorough with the paper as we could, of course. So anyone who looks at the raw data will see that the data are weirdly distributed in some ways. There are some really wild outliers that were aware of that in some counties, you see counties with very small populations that stop people a lot and that can skew the data. So weve run the analysis with and without those. So we estimated the models in as many ways as we could and got basically the same result most of the time. And so that builds our confidence in the results. But bottom line is that the Project Implicit data, which is the source of our estimates of racial attitudes in the counties, is what we call a convenient sample. Anybody can participate. Theres not a systematic sampling procedure. We dont know the probability that any given type of person will participate in those studies and become a part of that data set. And so the major question and the major real limitation that I see in our paper, specifically in terms of estimating racial attitudes of accounting, is that we dont know for a fact how similar the Project Implicit respondents are psychologically to the people who live in those same counties but didnt happen to learn about Project Implicit and take a survey there.

Peter Ekstrom (07:21)

Right. And thats just by the nature of the problem, thats an unmeasurable issue. And it could mean that our estimates of racial attitudes in those counties are in exact are off in some ways that they could be biased. And by biased, I mean systematically higher or lower than they ought to be. That said, I am made a little bit more confident by the fact that we are, as I mentioned already, one of multiple studies that have found these kinds of relationships. Right. If we were the only studies that have found our county level racial attitudes predict this important racial disparity, then I would wonder why is that other data sets that have used the Project Complicit data have found that they predict these health disparities, disparities in education and things like that. And as these findings continue to accumulate, I think it becomes more plausible that we are measuring something in the proverbial water in those counties.

Charles Blue (08:17)

This may be a little hard to answer, but of course, its just speculation on why local attitudes seem to correlate with policing in these areas. Do you have any insights or ideas or is that just not part of the data?

Peter Ekstrom (08:33)

Well, first, thank you for asking about that in exactly the right way. I am speculating because we are correlational study and I dont want to oversell our causal conclusions. So there are a few stories we could tell here. Right. So it could be the case that local attitudes tap public opinion in the area, for example, which could put pressure on legislators or police departments or individual officers to behave in a certain way to pass policies that have racially disparate impacts or to over police predominantly black areas, things like that. Or public opinion could tolerate those kinds of policies and practices or discrimination by individual officers. Now that would be basically saying that racial attitudes are at least contributing to these disparities at the county level. That said, racial attitudes in the area could be a consequence of police behavior. For example, if civilians in the area, particularly black drivers, feel these disparities, and it seems likely that they would they may choose to move. And if black Americans move away from a county, that county will have fewer individuals with less ProWhite antiblack attitudes. Right. And so that will change with the culture of the county as it becomes more racially homogenous.

Peter Ekstrom (09:51)

Of course, there could be some other third variable that we didnt measure and control for that. We did try to control for racial segregation county average income and education and things like that. And those dont seem to be the one variable that are capturing these effects.

Charles Blue (10:08)

As I said when we began, this is something that seems almost intuitive, at least based on what we understand as far as racial prejudices and criminal justice system. But was there anything in your research that genuinely surprised you when you came to these conclusions?

Speaker 2 (10:27)

Yeah. So I think probably the biggest surprise for me was how consistent counties were in their racial attitudes. Now this is one where Id encourage anybody listening to really check out the differences between Doctor Stelters paper and ours, because Im not 100% positive that we got the same result here. But at least by our estimates of racial attitudes, individual respondents varied a lot. We had some black and some white respondents at both ends of the scale with super anti black ProWhite attitudes or at the other end of the spectrum with anti white pro black attitudes. And we had individuals sort of all over the place. But when we aggregate to the county level, every county in our data set estimated that the average white respondents showed at least slightly pro white antiblack attitudes at the explicit and implicit level. There was a very consistent county level bias among white respondents, in particular in favor of their own race over black Americans. And the consistency of that bias, I found really striking. And I dont want to downplay the importance of the fact that individuals do differ in their attitudes and they are diverse in that respect.

Peter Ekstrom (11:40)

But I do think that the consistency of the bias that we estimated speaks to what a pervasive problem racial prejudice can be and the difficulty of shifting an entire culture away from that prejudice.

Charles Blue (11:57)

It seems like an almost intractable issue or something thats difficult to address, but were actually inching toward a better understanding of the biases in the criminal justice system. Would you say theres some important gaps in our understanding today if you could extract additional information? What would help us better wrap our heads around the causes and the possible approaches to improving the situation?

Peter Ekstrom (12:28)

Boy, a big question. So I do think it helps to have data. Right. Of course, thats what a researcher says. Right. Like, is data really the most important? But in terms of understanding. The Stanford Open Policing Project that we derived our stop data from is, as far as Im aware, the best and most thorough and largest data set of these police traffic stops and what happens after them. And still there are a lot of gaps to be filled. Anybody who opens our papers will see all the counties, all the States that we didnt have data for. I think we had data from like 24 States. Its easy for me to say like, oh, somebody else should foil all these police departments and collect all these data. But as more information becomes available, we will better understand the extent of the problem. Right. Speaking more broadly from the perspective of psychological science. Right. How do we deal with these disparities? Where do they come from? What can we do? I think that we are all of us really struggling to grapple with the question of how much of these disparities come from individuals thoughts, feelings and behavior and how much of them come from broader structural problems.

Peter Ekstrom (13:40)

Now, of course, those two things are related. Individuals have responsibilities and they shape the cultures theyre part of just as their cultures shape them. And this is not like the kind of question that another study in this area is going to definitively answer a year from now. This is sort of the exercise that I think the whole field is engaged in. But understanding how structural discrimination and inequality combines and interacts with sort of individual thought, feeling and behavior to shape these big inequalities is I think sort of the grand enterprise that I think a lot of researchers in the space are engaged in and trying to cast more light on over time.

Charles Blue (14:21)

Absolutely fascinating and some important research. Your paper is one of two that has been published in Psychological Science. The other one was by a team led by Marlene Settler from the University of Hamburg. And using the same data sets, both teams found similar results. So if anyone is interested in reading these studies or learning more, please go to our website, psychologicalscience.org. This is Charles Blue with APS and I have been speaking with Pierce Ekstrom with the University of Nebraska lead author on one of the two papers. Thank you for joining me for todays conversation.

Speaker 2 (14:56)

Thanks, everybody.

Feedback on this article? Email apsobserver@psychologicalscience.org or comment below.
Maryland state attorneys have declined to appeal a preliminary injunction issued last month that bars the states library e-book law from being enforced. This week, the court ordered the state to show cause as to why a permanent injunction should not be issued.

In a March 28 letter order, Judge Deborah L. Boardman gave Maryland state attorneys until April 11 to disclose whether any law or evidence not previously presented to the Court prevents the issuance of a permanent injunction. The Association of American Publishers, plaintiffs in the case, will then have until April 25 to respond. The order comes after Boardman temporarily blocked the law from being enforced on February 16, finding the state law to be preempted by the federal Copyright Act.

"Libraries face unique challenges as they sit at the intersection of public service and the private marketplace in an evolving society that is increasingly reliant on digital media," the judge concluded. "Striking the balance between the critical functions of libraries and the importance of preserving the exclusive rights of copyright holders, however, is squarely in the province of Congress and not this court or a state legislature."

First introduced in January 2021, the Maryland library e-book law would have required any publisher offering to license "an electronic literary product" to consumers in the state to also offer to license the content to public libraries on reasonable terms.

At press time, it is unclear whether Maryland attorneys will continue to fight for the law, although a motion to dismiss the AAPs case is still pending. In a brief response to Boardman's injunction, Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh said only that the state would "continue to pursue fair treatment for Maryland public libraries."
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Kip Tom, former ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, will visit Purdue University on April 5.

Purdue President Mitch Daniels will moderate the 2022 Presidential Dialogue with Tom beginning at 6 p.m. in Stewart Centers Fowler Hall. They will cover topics ranging from Toms time as an ambassador to his experiences in agriculture.

Tom served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture based in Rome, Italy, from 2019 to 2021. He was raised on and is now a managing member of his seventh-generation family-owned farm, Tom Farms LLC, in Leesburg, Indiana. Tom Farms has evolved into a global crop production, sales and service company and industry leader.

Media are welcome to attend this free, public event, part of Purdue Ag Week, which runs

April 4-8. The student-led Purdue Ag Week Task Force from the College of Agriculture organized the weeks events.

Writer: Abby Leeds, 765-494-7817, mayer36@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: 765-494-8415;

Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu

Agriculture News Page
Christopher Nilsen, CEO of Pluto Aerospace, makes a pitch to a panel of venture capitalists and angel investors during Purdue Foundry's Boost program. Pluto Aerospace was one of three companies, along with Araqev and ReproHealth Technologies, to receive a $25,000 investment from Purdue Foundry after panelists deemed them ready for investment. (Photo credit: Zach Mogensen, SocialFlip)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Three Indiana-based, high-tech startup companies with connections to Purdue University each received $25,000 at the conclusion of Purdue Foundry's Boost accelerator.

Seven companies took part in the program and received a $5,000 non-dilutive grant at the start. The companies participated in several weeks of programming, including consultations with entrepreneurs-in-residence, mentors and industry professionals. They concluded with business pitches to a panel of venture capitalists and angel investors; if two panelists decided a team was worthy of investment, Purdue Foundry invested $25,000.

The companies that received the investments are:

Araqev from West Lafayette; Arman Sabbaghi, CEO. Araqev advances the capabilities of additive manufacturing by leveraging machine learning to improve accuracy and quality while reducing waste.

Pluto Aerospace from West Lafayette; Christopher Nilsen, CEO. Pluto Aerospace is developing rapid and economical launch vehicle platforms for hypersonic and other suborbital applications.

ReproHealth Technologies from Indianapolis; James Donahue, CEO. ReproHealth is improving the efficacy of bovine reproductive technology, enabling farmers to save time and money while growing their herd.

Bill Arnold, managing director of the Purdue Foundry, said the long-term value of the Boost program goes beyond the $25,000 investment.

"All seven companies tested their business model, developed a customer acquisition strategy, created a repeatable sales model, refined unit economics and financials, designed a defensible IP strategy, strategized on building a winning team and developed equity strategy," Arnold said. "The work these entrepreneurs put into their companies has made them more investment-ready, and not just for the Boost program."

What they said

James Donahue, ReproHealth Technologies: "Many thanks to the Purdue Foundry's Boost program for helping our company become 'investible' in a few short months. We learned from experts in all phases of startup development, EIRs and our fellow Boost program participants. This program is the start of a long and fruitful relationship."

Christopher Nilsen, Pluto Aerospace: "Boost plugged us in with the Indiana entrepreneurial community. The connections we made through Boost played a major part in our recent success. We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in this fantastic program."

Arman Sabbaghi, Araqev: "Participating in this program was game-changing for us. We learned a wide variety of important skills and concepts for effective entrepreneurship and consistently received constructive feedback and advice for improving our company.

"The team at Araqev eagerly looks forward to building on our new, solid foundation created as a result of the Boost program and taking the next giant leaps to move our company forward."

About Purdue Foundry

The Purdue Foundry is an entrepreneurship and commercialization hub whose professionals help Purdue innovators create startups. The Purdue Foundry is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, which received the 2019 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Place from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. Contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org

Writer: Steve Martin, sgmartin@prf.org

Sources: Bill Arnold, waarnold@prf.org

James Donahue, jdonahue@reprohealthtech.com

Christopher Nilsen, christopher@plutoaerospace.com

Arman Sabbaghi, sabbaghi@araqev.com
Published:

30 March 2022





Estimated Reading Time: 6-8 minutes.

The Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972 received Royal Assent on 30 March 1972 and the 51-year-old Parliament of Northern Ireland was prorogued the same day. William Whitelaw, until that point Northern Ireland Secretary-designate, also collected his seals of office, therefore assuming executive authority from both the Government and Governor of Northern Ireland.

Both Houses of the UK Parliament had sat all night to consider the Bill which, as the future Northern Ireland Secretary Merlyn Rees recalled in his memoirs, 'went through Parliament without serious problems'. The only dissenting voices were the Independent Nationalist MP Bernadette Devlin, who said it would deprive Northern Ireland of 'democracy'; the Conservative MP John Biggs-Davidson, who observed that 'government by semi-dictatorial decree' ran counter to increasing demands for devolution in Scotland and Wales; and the Ulster Unionist MP Rafton Pounder, who raged that the House of Commons was legislating for 'the internment of Stormont'.

The bicameral Parliament of Northern Ireland had existed since May 1921. Essentially Westminster in miniature, for more than half a century a vice-regal Governor had appointed ministers to the devolved Government of Northern Ireland (all of whom had to be members of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland). Parliament, known as 'Stormont' after 1932, comprised a House of Commons and indirectly-elected Senate which could legislate on 'transferred' matters, including law and order.

The foundations of 'Direct Rule' from London

A civil rights march in Derry/Londonderry during October 1968 marked the beginning of the period known as The Troubles. This led to the deployment of British troops as well as increasing intervention from the UK Government. In early 1969, what the historian Alvin Jackson has called the 'foundations of direct rule from London' were laid. Contingency planning included 'a UK minister with full powers to take up residence and direct Northern Ireland affairs' from Stormont Castle - the home of devolved government in Belfast.

In early 1971, the first of several draft Bills were prepared by Whitehall (all are now at the National Archives in Kew). The 'Northern Ireland (Transfer of Powers) Bill' had four main elements: the transfer of responsibility for law and order from Stormont to Westminster; minority representation in the Ulster Unionist-dominated Government of Northern Ireland; an expansion of the Commons and the reintroduction of PR; and, finally, 'periodic referenda on the border'.

By March of that year, it had become clear that either the Home Secretary (who had formal responsibility for relations between Great Britain and Northern Ireland) or a new 'Secretary of State for Northern Ireland' would have to take responsibility for law and order in Northern Ireland. On 7 October 1971, the Cabinet Secretary, Sir William Armstrong minuted that the Prime Minister (Edward Heath) was minded towards the second option, although at this stage it 'was not tied to the possibility of direct rule'.

'The turning point'

Within months, however, relations between the UK and Northern Ireland governments had broken down due to the deteriorating security situation. Brian Faulkner, the third Prime Minister of Northern Ireland in as many years, considered the events of 'Bloody Sunday' on 30 January 1972 to be 'the turning point'. On 17 February 1972, a civil servant conceded that given the existence of similar UK departments for Scotland and Wales, there would be 'little choice' but to call the new Secretary of State's department 'The Northern Ireland Office'.

The UK Cabinet resolved on 14 March to press ahead with the transfer of responsibility for law and order from Belfast to London. Clause 1 of what was now the 'Northern Ireland (Law and Order) Bill' listed everything which was to become reserved rather than transferred. One printed version of the Bill deprived Stormont of the power to ban demonstrations but left it with the ability to prohibit certain publications. 'Is this wise or necessary?' scribbled a UK official anxiously. The ambiguous legal status of British troops in Northern Ireland also tipped the balance towards complete, rather than partial, 'Direct Rule'.

A week later Edward Heath gave Lord Grey of Naunton, the New Zealand-born Governor of Northern Ireland, an 'outline' of the proposals he intended to put to Brian Faulkner the following day. Grey correctly predicted Faulkner would not agree to the transfer of law and order but assured Heath he would be willing to dismiss his Prime Minister 'if necessary'. Grey added that he might have to 'go through the motions' of seeing if someone else (even the Rev Ian Paisley) was 'willing or able to form a Government'. Intriguingly, Grey went on to say he had 'never accepted' the Home Office view that the Governor was 'entirely without powers'; the 'conventions' regulating relations between the Crown and government in London did not, he claimed, 'apply in Northern Ireland'.

Thoughts had already turned to the legality of the Governor dismissing a Prime Minister in such circumstances (a note by the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales cited Western Nigeria in 1962 as the only precedent). Another draft Bill was prepared and printed, which was intended to become the 'Northern Ireland (Governor's Powers) Act 1972'.

It all proved academic. When Heath put his proposals to the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland on 22 March 1972, Brian Faulkner 'knew then without any doubt that [the Government of Northern Ireland] must resign, and that direct rule had arrived'. He agreed to remain in office, however, until legislation was passed at Westminster so that Northern Ireland should not, 'even for a few days, be without a lawful government'.

'Prorogued but not dissolved'

On Friday 24 March 1972, Edward Heath informed the House of Commons that the Northern Ireland Government's decision to resign had left the UK Government with:

no alternative to assuming full and direct responsibility for the administration of Northern Ireland until a political solution to the problems of the Province [sic] can be worked out in consultation with all those concerned.

The UK Parliament, he continued, would therefore be invited to pass, before Easter:

a Measure transferring all legislative and executive powers now vested in the Northern Ireland Parliament and Government to the United Kingdom Parliament and a United Kingdom Minister. This provision will expire after one year unless this Parliament resolves otherwise. The Parliament of Northern Ireland would stand prorogued but would not be dissolved.

The 'increased burden' this transfer of responsibilities entailed meant it would no longer be possible for the Home Secretary to discharge duties in relation to Northern Ireland:

A new Office of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is, therefore, being created. My right hon. Friend the Lord President [William Whitelaw] is to be appointed to this office, together with the necessary junior Ministers.

The new Northern Ireland Office

As The Times observed, the new Northern Ireland Office was to be 'equivalent to the Scottish Office and the Welsh Office, which face each other across Whitehall'. Both those departments had also been carved out of Home Office (in 1885 and 1965 respectively), although the UK's third territorial department was to occupy a few rooms in the Treasury building facing St James's Park rather than a building of its own like Dover and Gwydyr Houses.

On 26 March, a press notice was phrased in a way that took account of the fact the new department was not yet a legal reality. This announced that the Prime Minister intended to recommend further ministerial appointments 'to take effect' as soon as the Temporary Provisions Bill received Royal Assent. The media made much of the fact that the Minister of State-designate, Lord Windlesham (aged 40) was a Catholic from, as The Times put it, 'an old Irish family'. Henry Paul Guinness Channon (36) also, as his name suggested, had close family links with Ireland, leaving David Howell (also 36) as the odd one out given his background in economics and journalism.

'We are the sacrifice'

On 28 March 1972, both Houses of the devolved Parliament of Northern Ireland debated and passed an adjournment motion. John Brooke, a junior minister and son of Sir Basil, a former Prime Minister, quoted from Rudyard Kipling's poem Ulster 1912. Written in response to the Third Home Rule Act, its stanzas - including the line 'we are the sacrifice' - were the last words entered in the Stormont Hansard.

A day before his expected resignation, meanwhile, Faulkner attended his final Privy Council meeting at Government House, which was soon to become better known as Hillsborough Castle. He and his ministers spent an hour and a half with Lord Grey, the Governor, and posed afterwards outside his official residence. The Governor's final acts were to grant Assent to three Bills and proclaim the 12th of July 1972 a Bank Holiday in Northern Ireland - a date with obvious resonance for Ulster Unionists.

The following day, 30 March 1972, the Privy Council of the United Kingdom also convened at Windsor Castle, several hours after Royal Assent had been granted to Direct Rule legislation. Present was Sir Peter Rawlinson, now the Attorney General for Northern Ireland as well as England and Wales, and William Whitelaw, hitherto Lord President of the Council but now, having taken the Oath of Office, kissed hands and received the Great Seal of Northern Ireland, the first Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. That day's Court Circular also recorded that Whitelaw 'had an audience of The Queen before the Council'.

Brian Faulkner's letter of resignation had already been written, but was only despatched to Lord Grey shortly after the Temporary Provisions Act completed its passage through the UK Parliament.

On 5 April 1972, the Northern Ireland Secretary's private secretary wrote to his counterpart at 10 Downing Street to declare that the 'office of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is now open for business'. 'We look forward to hearing from you', he added, 'in moderation'. This light-hearted remark reflected the widespread belief that the Northern Ireland Office and its ministerial chief were but temporary stopgaps until some form of devolution was restored in Northern Ireland.

But while the provisions of the 1972 Act were to expire after one year, they could be extended (via Order in Council) for a period of 12 months. When the power-sharing Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive formed under the Sunningdale Agreement foundered in April 1974, a similar extension clause in the Northern Ireland Act 1974 was activated, as it was annually for the next quarter of a century. Even after devolved institutions were finally restored in 1998-99, the Northern Ireland Office and Secretary of State remained, not least to provide continuity during the periods of instability which continued to be a hallmark of devolved government in that part of the United Kingdom.

Dr David Torrance is a Researcher and Constitutional specialist at the House of Commons Library and a Visting Researcher at the University of Westminster. His most recent publication is 'Standing up for Scotland: Nationalist Unionism and Scottish Party Politics, 1884-2014.
The principal deals involve Sarah Beenys New Life in the Country, produced by Outline Productions for the UKs Channel 4, which follows the eponymous property expert and her family as they swap the urban jungle for a new life in the country.Both seasons of the 8 x 60 series have been picked up by Australias Foxtel for the LifeStyle channel, Denmarks TV2, Greeces Tanweer Alliances, AMC Networks for Hungary, New Zealands TVNZ, Africas The Home Channel, Thailands Cineplex and Frances M6 Group AVOD platform 6play. BBC Studios meanwhile, has taken the series for BBC Earth in Poland.BBC Studios has also licensed Britains Beautiful Rivers with Richard Hammond for BBC Earth in Poland and Africa produced for Channel 4 by Cardiff Productions. The 4 x 60 series sees the former Top Gear co-host explore four iconic UK rivers  the Severn, Test, Clyde and Derwent  over four one-hour episodes. Hammond leads viewers on an historical, ecological and economic tour of the four rivers, travelling each waterways length from source to mouth. It is also headed for Australia under a deal with SBS.If Sarah Beenys New Life in the Country and Britains Beautiful Rivers with Richard Hammond share one thing, its getting up close and personal with the UKs countryside  and judging by the global interest in these titles, our country lifestyle has a lot of fans abroad, suggested Sarah Tong, director of sales at Hat Trick International. I think the pandemic has made many city-dwellers re-appraise urban living; Sarahs experience of exchanging her city life for mud and muck taps into a dream that many of us will recognise. Richard Hammonds exploration of the UKs most beautiful rivers, meanwhile, is rural escapism at its purest. With his easy charm and ability to be both interesting and interested, Richard is the perfect companion on a quintessentially British adventure.
iHeartMedia announced Wednesday that Eva Longoria is launching a slate of podcasts with them. The podcasts will comprise the My Cultura Podcast Network.

ADVERTISEMENT

The first to launch will be Connections with Eva Longoria on March 31. Longoria will host an interview guests such as Jay Shetty, Huda Kattan, Dr. Shefali Tsabary and Elsa Marie Collins.

This summer, the scripted series Sisters of the Underground, tells the true story of the assassinated Dominican Republic advocates The Mirabel Sisters. Longoria executive produces with Dania Ramirez.

In October, Longoria co-hosts Hungry for History with Maite Gomez-Rejon. The cooking show focuses on the history of Mexican cuisine.

Longoria starred in all eight seasons of Desperate Housewives and movies such as Harsh Times and Dora and the Lost City. She has produced series like Telenovela, Devious Maids and Grand Hotel and directed documentary films and scripted television episodes.

The podcasts will be available on iHeartRadio and other major podcast platforms.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/29/2022



ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

alum Blake Moynes has revealed he's finally at peace with Katie Thurston and John Hersey dating and how their relationship came about, adding that he's ready to talk if his ex-fiancee wants to.Over the last five months since announcing his split from Katie in late October 2021, Blake has been trying to move on and focus on himself and his passion for wildlife conservation.But in the meantime, Blake has had to watch Katie's relationship with John, one of her Week 2 eliminees on 's seventeenth season, blossom and flourish.Blake believed the pair were just platonic friends while he and Katie were still together, but the former Bachelorette and John went Instagram official in November 2021 and Katie publicly revealed not long after how she's madly in love with the San Diego-based bartender.During a February appearance on "The Ben & Ashley I: Almost Famous Podcast," Blake said he wasn't ready to talk to Katie again despite her recent attempts at communication -- but his outlook on the situation has since changed."Emotions get the best of you," Blake recently told E! News about why he had ignored Katie's efforts to hash things out. "So when I was upset and frustrated, I didn't want to act in that moment."But Blake said now that some time has passed, he is "good.""I could probably talk to her and have a cordial conversation," Blake confirmed, whereas at the time, "I wasn't ready to blow it up more than it was already blown up."Katie and John have both insisted Katie never cheated and they were only friends until romance became an option for them, once Katie opened her heart again after her broken engagement to Blake.But when asked whether he thinks there was overlap between Katie's two relationships, Blake told the website, "Emotionally, maybe."Blake, however, said he doesn't think Katie ever physically cheated on him."I really don't believe there was anything physical... She's better than that," Blake noted.Katie previously hinted on social media that she and Blake were fighting too much during their six-month relationship and broke up due to their different communication styles.The TikTok star and social-media influencer also suggested that Blake was unable to make her happy and vice versa.An insider told The Sun late last year that Katie's "outbursts eventually became too much" for Blake "to handle."But Blake admitted he was "flabbergasted" and "speechless" upon discovering Katie had begun dating John so quickly after their split on "Talking It Out" in November 2021.Blake also suggested at the time John seemed to be a "rebound" for Katie and she essentially slapped a Band-Aid on a broken heart following their broken engagement.Blake shared with former The Bachelor star Ben Higgins on his podcast in February how he's currently single and wants to go back to dating "like in the old days" when he might stumble across a woman "in-person" on any random occasion."Social media gives us a false indication of what people are, and I realized that... You can lay out all your best cards on social media so we see that, and so you're almost always going to be let down," Blake explained."And so, I'm done with being scammed in a way... and [from thinking prematurely], 'Wow, all the boxes are checked here.'"In terms of what he's looking for in a partner, Blake said at the time, "I'd like to find someone who wants to live that ambitious, adventurous life with me. I'm super happy as I am, single and alone, but I know I could be elevated with that right person.""Until then, I'm not going to chase it. I think I know what I want and I just hope it falls in my lap," he added.And Blake confirmed to E! News earlier this month that he has no interest in dating on The Bachelor, or Bachelor in Paradise in the future.Blake cited Clayton Echard 's trainwreck of a The Bachelor season for why he wouldn't want to go on the show again."See what just happened?! I don't need that right now," Blake concluded.Prior to appearing on Katie's season, Blake also competed for Clare Crawley and Tayshia Adams on 's sixteenth season in 2020.Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
Netflix is giving a glimpse of the new film The Sea Beast.

ADVERTISEMENT

The streaming service shared a teaser trailer for the animated adventure film Wednesday.

The preview follows Jacob Holland (Karl Urban), a celebrated monster hunter who sails the seas in search of fantastic creatures. He finds an unlikely companion in Maisie Brumble (Zaris-Angel Hator), a young stowaway on his ship.

"Together they embark on an epic journey into uncharted waters and make history," an official description reads.

Jared Harris, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Dan Stevens and Kathy Burke also have voice roles.

The Sea Beast is written and directed by Moana, Big Hero 6 and Bolt co-director Chris Williams . The film is Williams' first as a solo director.

Variety previously said the movie is inspired by the fantastical beasts illustrated on 16th and early 17th century nautical maps.

The Sea Beast premieres July 8 on Netflix.

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS!

Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source!

Urban is known for playing Eomer in The Lord of the Rings films and Leonard McCoy in the Star Trek reboot movies.
Athens, GA (30605)

Today

Cloudy this morning. Strong thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. High 77F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy skies. Low 57F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
People gathered in Harmony Parking lot in Brattleboro on Friday, April 22nd for a street festival and parade in celebration of Earth Day. According to Nancy Braus of 350 Brattleboro, the goal was to celebrate the ways in which the community is working towards climate justice and to empower 
A chart showing the decrease in hospitalizations in Vermont shows a rapid decrease since the peak of the omicron variant.
To the editor: On Monday night, March 28, the Bellows Falls Union High School School Board met. At the beginning of the meeting, Grace Waryas,
'A True Human Being Is My Desire'

I want to begin with the Rumi poem where he said that "a true human being is my desire." And also I wanted to title this article with a quote from a famous poem by the Afghan poet Rumi.

Today, I was invited to the opening ceremony of the mosque, a Muslim place of worship, inside the Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro. I gladly accepted the invitation. It was surprising and interesting for me. I took my camera to take some photos of the ceremony so I could show them to you. At times, I could hardly believe this was happening. I saw people who welcomed us warmly. They gave each of us beautiful green and yellow roses.

The ceremony had three sections. First there was an introduction. Then we walked to the door of the room that was to become the mosque. The mullah, who is to be the imam of the mosque, was given a key to the room by the pastor of the church, which he then opened. The third part of this time was the evening congregational prayer in which I participated.

It was an interesting place for me. It has many, many messages for everyone and every state. I think if everyone embraced their humanity, the whole world would blossom. Humanity doesn't do anything very precious. It is enough to free our hearts from any kind of discrimination and darkness and to be compatible with our pure heart. It also shows how the people of Vermont have welcomed the refugees in their hearts ,and this is the biggest thing that everyone should know.

 Marwa, new Brattleboro resident from Afghanistan
Five men pleaded guilty to firearm charges stemming from a plan to kill a man and set a Bridgeport business on fire, according to federal prosecutors Tuesday.

The five men entered guilty pleas in Bridgeport federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after police found several loaded guns that were thrown from a fleeing car and inside a Milford hotel room, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

In the early hours of April 2, 2018, Bridgeport police were patrolling the citys west side and attempted to stop a car with unlit taillights. While the car fled from police, officers saw several items being thrown from its windows.

The car stopped several blocks away and officers arrested the driver, 55-year-old Luis Mercado, also known as Pops, of Bridgeport, and 31-year-old man Dominick Gonzalez, also known as Dom, of Bridgeport, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Police seized two loaded handguns and marijuana that had been thrown out of the car. Police also found a black ski mask, a pair of binoculars and a container of gasoline inside the vehicle, the U.S. Attorneys office said.

An investigation revealed Mercado, Gonzalez and three other men were planning to murder a man who worked at Wood Avenue Body Shop in Bridgeport and set fire to the business, according to the U.S. Attorneys office.

The three other men  33-year-old George Rivera, also known as Pito, of Danbury; 39-year-old Jason Scott, also known as Hood, of Bridgeport; and 35-year-old Luis Mejias, also known as Kermit, of Waterbury  were arrested later that morning at a hotel in Milford, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

In the hotel room, authorities said they discovered two loaded rifles, a loaded revolver, a loaded shotgun, additional ammunition, brass knuckles, binoculars, gloves and a knit mask. Investigators also seized packaged heroin, Ecstasy pills, marijuana, a digital scale and other items from the room, as well as ammunition and shotgun shells in the trunk of their car, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said each man has a criminal history that includes multiple felony convictions, making it illegal for them to possess a firearm.

Mercado, Rivera and Mejias pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on March 25, and Scott pleaded guilty Monday. Gonzalez pleaded guilty to the offense, as well as conspiracy to commit arson, on May 4, 2021, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

The charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon carries a maximum prison term of 10 years. The five men are in custody while they await sentencing.
Twenty-five years later, the government has yet to identify any suspects in bombing that killed 16.

Candlelight Party members commemorate the 25th anniversary of a deadly grenade attack in front of a stupa for the victims in Phnom Penh, March 30, 2022.

Members of Cambodias Candlelight Party marked the anniversary of a deadly grenade attack on an opposition rally Wednesday with demands for justice in the case that remains unsolved despite a 25-year investigation by authorities.

Around 200 party officials and family members gathered at a stupa in the capital Phnom Penh where they held a Buddhist ceremony dedicated to the 16 victims of the March 30, 1997, attack on the rally led by Sam Rainsy, the acting president of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) who now lives in exile to avoid what are widely viewed as politically motivated charges and convictions.

In an interview with RFAs Khmer Service, former CNRP Sen. Ly Neary, the 79-year-old mother of one of those who died in the attack, expressed her frustration over the failure of authorities to bring her sons killers to justice.

Its been 25 years, and authorities have yet to conclude their investigation, she said. I dont have any hope for a resolution.

Nonetheless, Ly Neary urged the government to keep the case open and hold those responsible to account.

She said her son, a doctor, had been proud to take part in the rally at Phnom Penhs Wat Botum Park, where protesters gathered across from the National Assembly to denounce the judiciarys corruption and lack of independence.

While Sam Rainsy is thought to have been the target of the attack, the assailants missed him, killing his bodyguard, as well as some protesters and bystanders. The blasts blew the limbs off nearby street vendors and left more than 150 people injured.

According to eyewitness accounts, the people who threw the grenades ran toward Prime Minister Hun Sens riot-gear clad bodyguards, who allowed them to escape.

An FBI report declassified in 2009 indicated that Cambodian police possessed prior knowledge of the attack and that there was the possibility that the attackers colluded with Hun Sens bodyguard unit.

Despite the toll of death and dismemberment, no one has been arrested for the attack, leaving victims and family members still searching for justice.

Sam Rainsy is carried away in state of shock after a grenade attack on a group of demonstrators outside the National Assembly building in Phnom Penh, March 30, 1997. Credit: AFP Investigation continues

Government spokesman Phay Siphan told RFA that the case remains open and urged family members to submit any new evidence they find to authorities for further investigation.

He criticized the Candlelight Party for exploiting Wednesdays ceremony to draw attention for political benefit.

The court continues to accept complaints and information from the public and organizations to find those responsible for the grenade attack, he said.

RFA was unable to reach National Police Spokesman Chhay Kim Khoeun for comment on the status of the investigation on Wednesday.

Hing Bun Heang, the commander of Hun Sens Bodyguard Unit, denied involvement in the grenade attack in an interview with RFA and dared anyone to present evidence to the contrary.

I already clarified this [with the FBI]. I wasnt involved. I dont know anything, he said.

Show me a photo of me throwing the grenade, he added, threatening to use a machine gun against anyone who accuses me.

Hing Bun Heang was sanctioned by the U.S. government in June 2018 over his units alleged role in the grenade attack, as well as several other assaults on unarmed Cambodians.

Kata Orn, spokesman for the governments Cambodia Human Rights Committee, told RFA that officials have been working with the FBI to apprehend the suspects in the case.

He also dismissed a French judges order last month that Hing Bun Heang and another security aide for Hun Sen named Huy Piseth be tried for organizing the attack.

Cambodia has a constitution to protect Cambodians, he said, adding that the French court would never be able to enforce its verdict against the two generals outside of its jurisdiction.

In an interview with RFA last month, Brad Adams, Asia director of New York-based Human Rights Watch, said a conviction in the French court could lead to enhanced sanctions against the two individuals and an Interpol Red Notice, or a so-called European arrest warrant, in their names.

Cambodians gather at the site of a grenade attack on a group of demonstrators outside the National Assembly building in Phnom Penh, March 31, 1997. Credit: AFP No light of accountability

Former Sen. Ly Neary said that while she welcomes the French court order, authorities in Cambodia should be responsible for pursuing the case. She questioned why the onus is on the families of the victims to pursue justice for their loved ones.

I am a regular citizen. How can I find evidence? Only the authorities have the legal right to do so  regular citizens cant do it, she said.

Candlelight Party Vice President Thach Setha called Phay Siphans comments disrespectful to the victims and their family members.

[The government] cant find the suspects, so instead they accused us of exploiting the event, he said.

Ny Sokha, president of the Cambodian rights group Adhoc, told RFA that if the government really had any interest in seeking justice for the victims, the French court warrant would be a good start.

The government doesnt have the will to seek justice [for the victim] because it has already been 25 years, he said.

There is no light [to hold the perpetrators accountable]. This is yet another example of [official] impunity.

Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Two U.K. Supreme Court judges resigned from Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal (CFA) on Wednesday, citing a recent crackdown on dissent under a draconian national security law imposed on the city by Beijing.



Non-permanent CFA judges Lord Reed and Lord Hodge had sat on the court "for many years" under an agreement governing the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to Chinese rule, Reed said in a statement.



"I have been closely monitoring and assessing developments in Hong Kong, in discussion with the government," Reed wrote. "However, since the introduction of the Hong Kong national security law in 2020, this position has become increasingly finely balanced."



"The judges of the Supreme Court cannot continue to sit in Hong Kong without appearing to endorse an administration which has departed from values of political freedom, and freedom of expression, to which the Justices of the Supreme Court are deeply committed," the statement said.



U.K. foreign secretary Liz Truss said the government supported the decision.



"The Foreign Secretary supports the withdrawal of serving UK judges from the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, following discussions with the Deputy Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor and the President of the Supreme Court," said in a brief statement, which was signed by Truss and deputy prime minister Dominic Raab.



Ruling Conservative Party rights activist Benedict Rogers, who heads the U.K.-based rights group Hong Kong Watch, said the move was the correct one.



"Today's news reflects the sad reality that the national security law has torn apart the human rights and constitutional safeguards which made Hong Kong meaningfully autonomous," Rogers said.



"The British judges' ongoing presence was providing a veneer of legitimacy for a fundamentally compromised system, and the British government is right to have taken steps to recall them," he said.



The Law Society of Hong Kong, which represents solicitors in the city, called on the judges to reverse their decision.



"Unfair and unfounded accusations ... against the judicial system of Hong Kong have no place in the discussion about rule of law," president C.M. Chan said in a letter to news editors.



"I sincerely appeal to the U.K. judges to reverse course."



Hong Kong Chief Justice Andrew Cheung noted the resignations "with regret."



Men in white T-shirts with poles are seen in Yuen Long after attacking anti-extradition bill demonstrators at a train station in Hong Kong, July 22, 2019. Credit: Reuters Documentary on attacks



The resignations came as internet service providers in Hong Kong appeared to have blocked a 30-minute documentary by Vice News on YouTube detailing the involvement of triad criminal gangs in bloody attacks on passengers at the Yuen Long MTR station on July 21, 2019, amid a mass protest movement sparked by plans to allow the extradition of alleged criminal suspects to face trial in mainland China.



The documentary explored in depth the attacks by men wielding sticks and wearing white clothing.



"For many, the violence was shocking and symbolized the death of Hong Kongs democracy," the platform said in its introduction to the video on YouTube.



"It is tragic how a Hong Kong citizen like me had to use a VPN in order to watch this," YouTube user Dayton Ling commented under the video.



"It saddens me that Hong Kong has gone from a first class financial centre to a third world police state."



Several other users commented that the journalist interviewed for the film is currently behind bars, awaiting trial under the national security law.



Hong Kong's national security police recently wrote to Benedict Rogers ordering him to take down the group's website, which was highly critical of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s rights record in Hong Kong.



The U.K., along with Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand and the United States have suspended their extradition agreements with Hong Kong.



However, extradition agreements remain active between Hong Kong and the Czech Republic, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea and Sri Lanka, putting anyone traveling to those countries at potential risk of arrest if they are targeted by the law.



The national security law ushered in a citywide crackdown on public dissent and criticism of the authorities that has seen several senior journalists, pro-democracy media magnate Jimmy Lai and 47 former lawmakers and democracy activists charged with offenses from "collusion with a foreign power" to "subversion."



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Russia and China further cemented their alliance on , hitting out "illegal" international sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.



"The ministers had a thorough exchange of views on the situation around Ukraine," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement following talks between Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in the eastern province of Anhui on .



"The head of the Russian foreign ministry informed his Chinese counterpart about the progress of the special military operation ... and the dynamics of the negotiation process with the Kyiv regime," the statement said.



"The sides noted the counterproductive nature of the illegal unilateral sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and its satellites."



Wang and Lavrov, who were shown masked and bumping elbows on state TV in deference to CCP leader Xi Jinping's zero-COVID policy, had agreed to continue to speak out on the issue "with a united voice," it said.



Both China and Russia also referenced their vision of a "multipolar" world order, implying a challenge to U.S. diplomatic and military power.



China has refused to describe the war as an invasion, nor to condemn Russia's military action in Ukraine, blaming eastward expansion by NATO for stoking security tensions with Russia and calling for the issue to be resolved through negotiation.



The two foreign ministers also discussed strengthening coordination on foreign policy matters, and widening bilateral cooperation.



'No limits'

Wang Yi was quoted as saying by state-backed Phoenix TV that Sino-Russian ties had "withstood the test of international turbulence," amid an increased willingness to develop the relationship on both sides.



"Our striving for peace has no limits, our upholding of security has no limits, our opposition towards hegemony has no limits," Wang said.



Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin meanwhile reiterated the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) line that Beijing sees this alliance as having unlimited potential.



"There is no limit to China-Russia cooperation, no limit to our efforts to achieve peace, safeguard security and oppose hegemony," Wang told a regular news briefing in Beijing.



"China-Russia relations are non-aligned, non-confrontational and not targeted at any third party," the spokesman said.



On Ukraine, Wang Wenbin said China would "play a constructive role and provide assistance to normalize the situation in Ukraine," adding, "any action that could add fuel to the fire or exacerbate controversies must be prevented."



Lavrov, who is in the country ostensibly for talks about the future of Afghanistan, said the international community is "living through a very serious stage in the history of international relations."



"We, together with you, and with our sympathizers will move towards a multipolar, just, democratic world order," he said in a video clip released by the Russian foreign ministry ahead of a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.



Beijing-based independent commentator Zha Jianguo said the meeting shows that the alliance between Beijing and Moscow is rock-solid.



"China's basic attitude towards the war in Ukraine will not change, which is to say that it will side with Russia while remaining neutral, and focus on its own interests," Zha said.



"I think both sides were probably telling each other the truth, sharing views and attitudes, and gaining further understanding of each other's positions," he said of the meeting.



Low Russian morale

Zha said the war had almost certainly not gone according to Russian president Vladimir Putin's original plan.



"The sticking point right now is likely to be coming from Russia," he said. "Personally, I'm not very optimistic about [these] negotiations."



Independent political commentator Wu Qiang said it was hard to see how long Putin could keep the war going, however.



"If they try to keep the areas they had de facto control of before the war, Donbass and the Crimean peninsula, then this could lead to a protracted defensive war," Wu said.

"But the state of the Russian army right now suggests that would be pretty hard for the Kremlin to do."



Wu said low morale and a hostile international community could affect the stability of Putin's hold on power.



A senior international news editor surnamed Gao said the friendly relationship between Beijing and Moscow had definitely been reaffirmed on this visit by Lavrov.



"They have once more jointly condemned the so-called eastward expansion of NATO, and aid supplies will still be sent to Russia," Gao said. "It's just a little more subtle now, but the friendly ties are definitely being reaffirmed."



"China won't give the U.S. anything, substantially or superficially."



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Beijing doesnt hide its ambition to set up military bases in the region.

A file photo showing Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China Oct. 9, 2019.

The Solomon Islands prime minister has told lawmakers that a controversial security agreement with China is ready for signing without revealing the details, saying only that his government had not been pressured to let China build a naval base in the country.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare made the remarks to Parliament late Tuesday, according to multiple news reports. Neighboring powers have expressed concern over the pact that China has defended as normal cooperation with Pacific island nation.

We are not pressured in any way by our new friends and there is no intention whatsoever to ask China to build a military base in the Solomon Islands, Sogavare was quoted as saying.

A draft agreement leaked online last week would allow Beijing to set up bases and deploy troops in the Solomon Islands, which lies about 1,700 kilometers (1,050 miles) from the northeastern coast of Australia. The document provoked fears in the regions traditional powers, Australia and New Zealand, with the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying that her country sees the pact as gravely concerning."

It is unclear whether the leaked draft differs from the final agreement.

Sogavare told Parliament that in order to achieve the nations security needs, it is clear that we need to diversify the country's relationship with other countries but existing security arrangements with Australia would remain.

His policy of diversification was evident last November when Sogavare asked Australia, and after that China, to send police forces to help him quell violent riots that rocked the capital, Honiara.

Alexander Vuving, a professor with the Hawaii-based Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, said Sogavares strategy is not unusual for leaders of small Pacific island states who are willing to play the major powers off against each other, thus bloating their states' values to the major powers.

A Chinese Foreign Ministrys spokesman said on Tuesday that normal law enforcement and security cooperation between China and Solomon Islands  is consistent with international law and customary international practice.

We hope relevant countries will earnestly respect Solomon Islands sovereignty and its independent decisions instead of deciding what others should and should not do in a condescending manner, spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

A file photo showing sailors stand on deck of the guided-missile destroyer Taiyuan of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy as during commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the navy near Qingdao in eastern China's Shandong province, April 23, 2019. Credit: AP Chinas growing presence in the Pacific

Beijing doesnt hide its ambition to set up military bases in the region. Some Chinese analysts, such as Qi Huaigao, an associate professor at Fudan University, suggested that in order to compete with the United States in the Western Pacific, China needs to have bases in Solomon Islands, Samoa and Vanuatu for commercial and military supply purposes.

In 2018, media reports about Chinas plan to build a base in Vanuatu prompted a stern warning from the then Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

David Capie, director of the Centre for Strategic Studies at the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, told RFA earlier this week that China wants to be able to operate its rapidly growing navy out in the wider Pacific, complicating U.S. plans in the event of a future conflict.

A base in the Pacific would let Peoples Liberation Army Navy vessels operate far away from their home ports for longer and in the future might also be used for intelligence gathering and surveillance, he said.

It would greatly boost Chinas capabilities in intelligence-collecting which is alleged to have often been done by marine research vessels.

Data provided by the ship-tracking website MarineTraffic show that Chinas spacecraft-tracking ship Yuanwang-5 is currently operating in the Western Pacific, not far from the Solomon Islands.

Yuanwang-class ships are multi-purpose signals and technical intelligence gathering platforms, said Paul Buchanan, director of the Auckland, New Zealand-based 36th Parallel Assessments risk consultancy.

The Yuanwang-5s presence is normal but it would not be surprising if it makes a port visit to Honiara as part of the deployment in order to register the seriousness of Chinas intent in the region, Buchanan said.
Aid workers say Thai authorities have refused the refugees entry and warn of a food shortage risk.

Refugees of fighting in Myanmar's Kayin state rest across the border in Thailand, March 29, 2022.

Fighting between junta troops and ethnic Karen rebels in eastern Myanmars Kayin state has forced more than 10,000 civilians to seek shelter along the countrys shared border with Thailand, but Thai officials have refused entry to the refugees and aid workers warned Tuesday of a food shortage risk.

Since mid-March, soldiers with the Karen National Liberation Army have engaged in several clashes with the military in Kayins Myawaddy township. Thousands of villagers living along the Myawaddy-Walay road have set up makeshift camps along the Moei River, which separates Myanmar and Thailand, to escape the conflict.

On Saturday, heavy fighting in the Wawlay and Lay Kay Kaw areas of Myawaddy forced around 1,000 people to cross the Moei into Thailand, but Thai authorities later sent them back across the border, according to an official from a refugee camp in Myawaddys Phalu Lay village.

We crossed to the Thai side and then Thai soldiers came and said we could stay there only for the night. They said wed have to cross back in the morning when the fighting stopped, said the official, who spoke to RFAs Myanmar Service on condition of anonymity.

The next morning, we returned and stayed in our camp. Some of those who were very scared stayed behind on the Thai side. The Thai soldiers came again this morning and told them they could not stay any longer. So, we have called everyone back to our camp. The other side did not accept us at all.

The camp official said he hopes Thai authorities will reconsider and allow the refugees temporary asylum during the fighting, which has worsened in recent days.

Aid workers told RFA that, instead of offering refuge, Thai authorities are tightening security along the river and are searching border villages for any Myanmar nationals who have crossed illegally.

One aid worker said border camps are securing food from the town of Mae Sot in Thailand but warned that the flow of goods is not official and remains at risk of being shut down.

These routes work because we have an understanding [with the local authorities]. But when donors share information on social media about how they have provided help and from which places, they could be closed. Thats a problem, the worker said.

If the current supply routes are blocked, tens of thousands of refugees will be in trouble.

Some camps along the Moei River only have rice and onions, workers said, while recent heavy rains have destroyed supplies in others.

The situation along the border is similar to one in December, when intensified fighting in Kayin state forced more than 20,000 people to flee to Thailand. At that time, Thai authorities opened temporary camps to receive the refugees, but the camps were closed, and refugees were sent home when the fighting subsided.

Only around 2,000 refugees continued to live in makeshift camps along the Myanmar side of the river, but that number swelled to more than 10,000 amid renewed fighting in March.

A woman living along the river in Myanmar, who declined to be named, told RFA about the state of the camps in recent days.

Now, there are people from Wawlay as well as from Ingyin Myaing and Sone-Zee-Myaing. And there are also people who were already living on the riverbank, she said.

Since the Thais did not allow us to enter, people are staying on sandbanks in the middle of the river. The main problem is [a lack of] drinking water. There are some young mothers who have just given birth. We need blankets, dry rations and medicine.

Somchai Kijcharoenrungroj, the governor of Tak province in Thailand, told RFA-affiliated Benar News that authorities there are not deporting Myanmar nationals.

Currently, there are still people being displaced from Myanmar, gathering along the border, and periodically crossing into Thailand. The figures are always fluctuating. Lately, there are about 100 to whom we gave sanctuary and humanitarian aid, he said.

Regarding repatriation or pushback, we affirm that no such thing has taken place. Most of them voluntarily return because when things calm down, they must go look after their property.

Junta Deputy Minister of Information Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun told RFA that temporary camps are being set up in and around Myawaddy township for those fleeing the fighting.

If its going to take time for them to return to their places of residence, we consider them to be [displaced persons]. If it isnt, it is considered a temporary evacuation, he said.

There is fighting in some places and that is why we are making preparations to set up temporary shelters for refugees in and around Myawaddy.

Pado Saw Tawney, foreign affairs officer for the Karen National Union (KNU), the political party affiliated with the KNLA, said some of the routes leading into the area had been closed since Sunday due to the clashes. He called for the junta to withdraw its troops from Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) territory.

The problem is that [the military was] talking about a ceasefire at the same time it was sending troop reinforcements, he said. We have had to engage in self-defense. Things will calm down again if their troops withdraw. If they dont withdraw, there will inevitably be clashes. Its difficult to say for sure what will happen.

Sources told RFA that people fleeing the fighting in Kayin along the Thai border are from towns and villages under KNLA control including Wawlay, Lay Kay Kaw, Maetawthalay, Phlugyi, Plululay, and Ingyinmyaing.

KIC reporter Nay Naw in an undated photo. Credit: Citizen journalist Reporter arrested

Meanwhile, officers from the Myawaddy Myoma Police Station have arrested a Myawaddy-based reporter for the Karen Information Center (KIC) news agency named Nay Naw, a source who is close to the mans family told RFA.

The source, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, said that police had summoned Nay Naw to the station twice for questioning on Monday and detained him during the second meeting.

They didnt tell us where he is being detained, but we have heard he is being held in the Myawaddy Myoma Police Station, the source said. We dont know if he has been tortured or beaten.

The junta has yet to issue a statement on Nay Naws arrest, and RFA was not immediately able to verify his detention.

In March alone, the junta has sentenced Hanthar Nyein, the editor of Kamayut Media; Than Htike Aung, the editor of Mizzima News; Ye Yint Htun, a reporter with Myanmar Thandaw Sint; and Aung Zaw Zaw of the Mandalay Free Press to two years each in prison.

Media targeted

On Monday, New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Ye Yint Htun and demanding that authorities stop imprisoning members of the press for the work that they do.

Ye Yint Htun was sentenced on March 23 for allegedly disseminating fake news and publishing information that could cause fear or alarm. He was first arrested on Feb. 28, 2021, while covering a protest and was held in pretrial detention until his sentencing, according to media reports.

Journalist Ye Yint Htuns harsh sentencing and imprisonment for merely doing his job as a reporter speaks to the cruelty of Myanmars military regime, said Shawn Crispin, CPJs senior Southeast Asia representative.

Myanmars junta should be releasing, not sentencing, the dozens of journalists it wrongfully holds behind bars.

CPJ ranks Myanmar as the worlds second-worst jailer of journalists, trailing only China.

Authorities have arrested at least 115 reporters since the military seized power in a Feb. 1, 2021, coup and 39 remain in detention, according to data compiled by RFA. Three journalists have been killed by security forces during crackdowns on anti-junta protests or during interrogation.

Translated by Khin Maung Nyane and Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Natalya Zhinkyna (L), interim representative of the Ukraine Embassy in Hanoi speaks to Son Truong Nguyen (R) of RFA's Vietnamese Service about her countrys struggle under the Russian invasion and her work in the capital of Vietnam, March 30, 2022.

RFAs Vietnamese Service interviewed Natalya Zhinkyna, interim representative of the Ukraine Embassy in Hanoi about her countrys struggle under the Russian invasion and her work in the capital of Vietnam, a traditional ally of Russia, a number of whose people have turned out to support Ukraine. In a wide-ranging interview, she thanked the Vietnamese public for participating in recent charity events that raised more than $100,000 for humanitarian relief. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

RFA: What is the reaction of the Vietnamese public that you have noticed since the war broke out?

Zhinkyna: Since the 24th of February, when the war started, every day we receive words of sympathy and support from the Vietnamese public, people write messages come to the embassy there with flowers and donations to help Ukraine, who had to leave their homes to protect their lives, ran our cities have been bombed by Russian army. We have organized charity events for Vietnamese public at our embassy in the beginning of March to raise money in order to address the humanitarian needs in Ukraine. And more charity events are coming soon.

And the Vietnamese people are praying together with us for the innocent Ukrainians who lost their lives in the fierce Russian attacks on peaceful cities of Ukraine.

This money is aimed at humanitarian relief for Ukraine and what is also important here that many Vietnamese opinion leaders took their mission in the informational front and help Ukraine to combat Russia's propaganda here in Vietnam. Help to refute fakes and disinformation and expand the reasons, the costs, and the consequences of Russia's brutal aggression for the global rules-based order, as well for the region of Southeast Asia, including for Vietnam.

Zhinkyna: When I see people coming to the embassy to just give us a hug. And I see the tears in their eyes and I hear the kind words from Vietnamese people who even didn't have an opportunity to visit Ukraine or to know about Ukraine before. This is very touching. This is very moving. And as I mentioned, people have just flowers left at the embassy's doors. I know this comes from Vietnamese people. This is very touching. And the donations that we receive, it doesn't matter how much money people bring, but sometimes we will receive a big amounts from like private people like 1,000 or 2,000 dollars. I understand that this is a big donation for Vietnam, this person, and it is made from the bottom of their hearts in order to support and to help. And this is very precious. And are those messages that we receive? I personally receive thousands of messages and I'm very sorry. I cannot respond to all the all of the people who write to me, but it really inspires me or for the everyday work and it inspires my colleagues.

RFA: Did it come as a surprise from you, the level of support from the Vietnamese public?

Zhinkyna: This war itself, it was very much unexpected. We did understand that there is a big threat coming from Russia, but until the very beginning, we didn't expect it to happen and then we didn't expect the amount of support coming from the Vietnamese public. But I do understand. I do know that those are Vietnamese people who understand exactly what Ukrainians in Ukraine feel around that and how the rockets are flying over their heads because Vietnamese people, they still have their memories of the wars. Even me and my colleagues here, when we are staying in a peaceful Hanoi and we are very much worried about our relatives in Ukraine, we still do not understand that feeling of being afraid, of being scared or that your life will end just abruptly, or what is worse, your kid's life could end. And I know that Vietnamese people do understand that. So I cannot say that this was not expected by us to receive support from the Vietnamese public. It came naturally, and we are grateful for that.

You mentioned that it seems there has been a propaganda effort in Vietnamese language social media, basically propagating pro-Russia rhetoric. And you may be aware that there has been some conflicts-clashes between the pro and against sides since the war started. So are you aware of this ongoing war of information in Vietnamese social media and how do you feel about it?

Zhinkyna: Of course I'm aware of that. Just yesterday, I saw a reader taking my picture and totally distorting the words that I say, so I can see how the Russian propaganda machine works here and how much money Russia puts into those efforts, into spreading disinformation and to spreading fake news into transferring their own narratives here. This is to some extent a good point. Let them spend their money on propaganda, but not on new rockets and tanks. But of course, it makes our work here difficult.

This is just an information warand we are very much grateful for all those members of the Vietnamese public who help us to refute those fakes, to help us spread the truth because their every word of truth about this war and condemnation of the aggressor helps to stop Russia from advancing further into Ukrainian land.
The town of Irpin, northeast of the Ukrainian capital, was recently liberated by Ukrainian forces and has been reduced to an eerie wasteland of burned-out buildings, shattered vehicles, and bodies still lying in the streets. Ukrainian forces managed to drive out Russian troops who had occupied the Kyiv suburb. The town's mayor, Oleksandr Markushyn, said up to 300 civilians were killed in the fighting.
When European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel, president of the European Council, meet for a virtual summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 1, they plan to warn Beijing that there will be consequences if it provides aid to Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine.



The high-stakes summit comes as ties between China and the European Union are more delicate than ever, as Beijings alignment with Russia during its war in Ukraine has undercut its strained relations with Brussels, which were already rattled by a series of escalating trade and geopolitical tensions.

At the China summit, there is a big agreement among EU representatives that this is not business as usual and Brussels should not be naive, a senior European diplomat told RFE/RL

The Ukraine war -- and Chinas warm relationship with the Kremlin -- will overshadow the meeting at which the EU is looking to show its hardening line toward China and warn against any active support for Russia at the summit.



Beijings partnership with Moscow has been in the spotlight since Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin inked a strategic pact in early February, but focus has grown following Russias invasion of Ukraine.



A Western intelligence report alleged that China was aware of the Kremlins invasion plans and even asked Moscow to delay them until after the 2022 Winter Olympics, while U.S. officials have said Russia asked China for military equipment and economic support after being hit by Western sanctions.

China has denied both reports and has so far quietly adhered to Western sanctions against Russia, but Beijing has also shown no signs that it will abandon the strategic relationship it has forged with the Kremlin.

At the summit, Brussels is looking to hammer home to Beijing that its alignment with Russia could harm its ties with the EU, which is one of the worlds greatest economic relationships, totaling $828 billion in bilateral trade in 2021.

Its clear that Russia is delighted to have China by its side and its clear that this has emboldened Moscow, another senior European diplomat told RFE/RL. China has to exert influence over Russia to achieve a cease-fire, to create humanitarian corridors that are working, and ultimately to start peace negotiations. But it probably cannot act as a mediator in a classical sense.



Russia And China



Beijing has sought to portray itself as neutral throughout the crisis in Ukraine and aimed to distance itself from Moscows invasion, but China has also refrained from criticizing Russia and often echoed its talking points about the root causes of the war.



But Chinas diplomatic dance is also proving increasingly difficult to maintain as the Ukraine war enters its second month.

China was already in focus during meetings between NATO and European leaders with U.S. President Joe Biden on March 24-25 in Brussels, during which the Western alliance called out Beijing over concerns about Chinese military assistance and disinformation supporting Russias narrative around the war.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told RFE/RL that there is new momentum forming in how the EU views China and that Beijings current line toward Russias invasion is untenable.



You can't sit this one out and by sitting on the fence you [make] it very clear: Either you're supporting Russia -- either you're supporting their war on Ukraine -- or you're not, Landsbergis said.

At the summit, the European strategy is to state the costs of more outright support for Russia and highlight that it could be at the expense of the wider relationship with the EU. Those ties have often been used as a buffer by China amid its competition with the United States and have become more important for Beijing as tensions with Washington have grown.



Chinas two largest trading relationships are with the EU and the United States, and Beijing could be unwilling to jeopardize ties with Europe while facing the headwinds from the Ukraine war, a growing COVID outbreak inside China, a financial crisis in the countrys property sector, and a crucial Communist Party congress in the fall at which Xi is looking to extend his rule.



Noah Barkin, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, said that gives Brussels added leverage.



Brussels is betting that Xi will not want to alienate the EU, particularly at a sensitive time, Barkin told RFE/RL.



EU officials do not expect Beijing to break in its partnership with Moscow and do not believe the bloc should be issuing threats. But they have already considered responses, such as limiting Chinese access to the single EU market, if China openly sides with the Kremlin or arms Russian soldiers, according to four senior European diplomats.



A New Era



The warning from the 27-country bloc comes amid a downward trajectory in the EU-China relationship and a growing alignment between Brussels and Washington on China policy.



In December 2020, after the last EU-China summit, both sides agreed to an ambitious investment treaty following four years of souring relations between Europe and the United States under the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump.



After taking office, Biden moved to improve ties with his European counterparts and the EUs relations with China have since faced several obstacles. For instance, the far-reaching investment pact has been frozen since May due to Beijing blacklisting a group of European lawmakers, experts, and diplomats over the EU's sanctioning of four Chinese officials over rights violations against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Chinas western Xinjiang Province.

The bloc has also introduced new forms of legislation to guard against Chinese economic pressure and also logged a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Beijings retaliation against Lithuania for letting Taiwan open a representative office in Vilnius in 2021. China responded by blocking Lithuanian imports, including components from the Baltic nation in products from other countries.



In addition to China-Russia ties and the Ukraine war, the summit is also set to cover the trade dispute with Lithuania, Chinese abuses in Xinjiang, and Taiwan.



Changing the EUs approach to China to take into account that rivalry is now the dominant mode means lots of hard work behind the scenes in order to reduce dependence on China, Thorsten Benner, the director of the Berlin-based Global Public Policy Institute, told RFE/RL. Europe won't drastically alter its economic ties with China overnight, but it needs to speed up the process of adjusting.



Europe's Careful Path



While the summit is an opportunity for the EU to showcase its unity in pressing China against actively helping Russia, European Union officials have also signaled a preference from member states to keep lines open with Beijing and follow a middle path that does not alienate China or get Brussels enmeshed in wider U.S.-China tensions.



China has had past success driving a wedge between the EU and the United States with promises and opportunities about expanded market access and climate change cooperation, and many analysts predict Xi will play similar cards again during the virtual meeting.



There is still a belief in Beijing that when push comes to shove, Europe will prioritize the business relationship over all else, said the German Marshall Funds Barkin. But over the past year Beijing has repeatedly misread Europe.

The Ukraine war has marked a turning point for Europe, with Brussels and its member states greenlighting severe economic sanctions against Russia and moving to supply military and security assistance to Kyiv that many countries had previously opposed and that the Kremlin had not expected.



While the EU is still looking to chart its own course in dealing with China, Barkin says that Beijing runs the risk of counting on old assumptions about European policy.



Misreading Europe on Ukraine would have far more serious consequences, said Barkin. It could be a tipping point for EU-China relations, tilting the balance decisively toward systemic rivalry and away from any talk of partnership.

RFE/RL Multimedia Editor Ray Furlong contributed to this report
Russian forces and the remaining Ukrainian soldiers holed up in the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol continue to fight pitched battles as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed hope a cease-fire would take place to evacuate more civilians from the devastated complex.

After ten weeks of brutal bombardment that have turned the city largely to rubble, Russian fighters have entered the massive steel plant, where about 2,000 Ukrainian fighters and a few hundred civilians have taken shelter in the tunnels and bunkers deep beneath the surface.

Russian forces have stepped up attacks against the plant in recent days, Ukrainian forces said, and may be seeking to sack it by May 9, when Russia celebrates Victory Day, the country's most patriotic holiday, commemorating the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945.

"Russian occupiers are focusing on blocking and trying to destroy Ukrainian units in the Azovstal area," the Ukrainian Army said in a statement on May 5. "With the support of aircraft, Russia resumed the offensive in order to take control of the plant."

Mariupol's fall would be a major success for President Vladimir Putin, depriving Ukraine of a vital port, allowing Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and freeing up troops to fight elsewhere in the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that the Kremlin says is now its chief objective.

The plight of the civilians holed up in the plant with little food or water has garnered international attention and led to calls from leaders around the world for Russia to allow them to be evacuated.

Guterres told the UN Security Council on May 5 that a third operation was under way to evacuate civilians from Azovstal. In joint efforts with the Red Cross, the UN has helped nearly 500 civilians flee the area over the past week.

"I hope that the continued coordination with Moscow and Kyiv will lead to more humanitarian pauses to allow civilians safe passage from the fighting, and aid to reach those in critical need," Guterres said.

"We must continue to do all we can to get people out of these hellscapes," he said.

Guterres declined to give details on the new operation "to avoid undermining possible success."

Ukraine's deputy prime minister, Iryna Vereshchuk, said on her social-media page that people would be evacuated from Mariupol on May 6 at noon, but gave no further details.

Russia had earlier said it would open a humanitarian corridor from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Moscow time on May 5, 6, and 7 from the Azovstal plant to evacuate civilians.

Though the Kremlin claimed on May 5 that the corridor was "functioning," Ukraine had not confirmed that anyone had been freed from the plant that day.

Skepticism still remains about the likelihood of an evacuation as previous Russian announcements of cease-fires have failed.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett raised the humanitarian crisis at Azovstal with Putin during a call on May 5.

Bennetts office said in a statement following talks between the two leaders that Putin had promised to allow the evacuation of citizens through a UN and Red Cross humanitarian corridor.

In a statement released by the Kremlin, Putin told Bennett that Kyiv must order the remaining Ukrainian fighters inside the steel plant to lay down their arms.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the major developments on Russia's invasion, how Kyiv is fighting back, the plight of civilians, and Western reaction. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

With Russian forces bogged down by stubborn Ukrainian resistance along all the eastern front line, a frustrated Kremlin accused the West of preventing a "quick" end to its military invasion by supplying weapons and intelligence to the country.

"The United States, Britain, NATO as a whole hand over intelligence...to Ukraine's armed forces on a permanent basis," Peskov told reporters.

"Coupled with the flow of weapons that these countries are sending to Ukraine, these are all actions that do not contribute to the quick completion of the operation," he said, adding that this was "incapable of hindering the achievement" of the goals of Russia's military operation.

Russia appears to have already given up on its initial goal -- to take the capital and install a Kremlin-friendly regime.

After suffering heavy losses during the first month of the war as it spread its forces out too thin, Russia has since regrouped to focus its efforts on taking eastern Ukraine.

However, Russian forces continue to face tough resistance and suffer losses, raising doubts among many military experts that they will be able to achieve their more modest goals.

Zelensky, meanwhile, launched a global crowdfunding platform -- United24 -- on May 5 to help Kyiv win the war and rebuild the country's infrastructure.

"Every donation matters for victory," he said in English in a video on his Twitter page.

"In one click, you can donate funds to protect our defenders, to save our civilians, and to rebuild Ukraine," Zelensky said in the video.

WATCH: In the first stage of the operation to evacuate civilians from the Azovstal steelworks, which is under attack by Russian forces in Mariupol, over 150 people were brought out by bus. Those who got out told harrowing stories on May 3 of bodies strewn around the plant.

Later that day Zelenskiy addressed by video a conference in Warsaw dedicated to supporting Ukraines war effort and rebuilding.

Referencing the U.S.-led initiative to rebuild Europe following World War II, the Ukrainian leader called on the West to launch an analogous Marshall Plan to help his country recover from the extensive destruction caused by Russias military campaign.

Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said the conference raised $6.5 billion for Ukraine.

In discussing ways to financially support Kyiv, EU President Charles Michel said on May 5 that the bloc should confiscate and sell Russian assets it has seized and use the proceeds to rebuild Ukraine, echoing an idea already floated by the United States.

The EU said early last month it had frozen 30 billion euros ($32 billion) in assets linked to blacklisted Russian and Belarusian individuals.

Meanwhile, the United States announced on May 5 that it had seized a $300 million yacht in Fiji belonging to Russian billionaire Suliman Kerimov.

In addition to seizures, the West is continuing to impose sanctions to weaken Russias ability to carry out its current military campaign and future aggression.

A day after the European Union announced plans to curb Russian oil imports across the board, the U.K. said on May 5 that it had sanctioned Evraz, a Russian steel producer whose products are critical for the nations rail industry.

Russia is using its rail network to ship weapons and troops to its border with Ukraine.

Marking "another small victory," Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk announced on May 4 that 344 women, children, and elderly people were evacuated safely from Mariupol.

But her announcement was clouded by a report by the Associated Press that put the death toll of an earlier Russian air strike on a Mariupol theater converted into a shelter at approximately 600 people, doubling previous estimates by Ukrainian officials.

In neighboring Belarus, the armed forces began "surprise" large-scale drills on May 4 to test their combat readiness, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said.

The British Ministry of Defense said in its daily intelligence bulletin on May 5 that Russia will likely attempt to "inflate the threat" posed by the Belarusian military's exercises with the aim of fixing Ukrainian forces in the Belarusian border area to prevent them from being deployed to the front line in eastern Ukraine.

Minsk has aided Russia's invasion by allowing Belarusian territory to be used to stage the attack.

Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka claimed in an interview with AP on May 5 that he had information showing Ukraine had planned to attack Belarus, without producing any evidence.

Lukashenka has been shunned by the international community since he claimed victory in a presidential election in August 2020 that the opposition says was rigged, and unleashed a wave of violence to stifle mass protests afterward.

In Moldova's Moscow-backed separatist region of Transdniester, a television channel reported that shots have been fired near one if its border crossings with Ukraine.

The report on May 5, which comes after several similar alleged incidents in the Moscow-backed Transdniester region since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, could not be independently verified.

Kyiv has warned that Russia wants to destabilize the region to create a pretext for a military intervention in Moldova, which also borders NATO member Romania.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, BBC, and AFP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says he doesn't trust Russian promises to scale back military activity and his army is preparing for further fighting in the east.



"We don't believe anyone, not a single beautiful phrase," Zelenskiy said in a video address to the nation late on March 30, adding that he believes Russian troops are regrouping to strike the eastern Donbas region.



"We will not give anything away. We will fight for every meter of our territory," Zelenskiy said.



Zelenskiy and U.S. President Joe Biden earlier discussed specific defensive support, a new package of sanctions against Russia, and financial and humanitarian aid in an hourlong call.

The call came as Russian forces continued bombardments near Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv one day after promising to scale down operations, a pledge that Western countries earlier dismissed as a ploy to regroup.



Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said "less than 20 percent" of the Russian contingent in the vicinity of the Ukrainian capital was starting to "reposition." Kirby said it appeared Russia is pulling troops away from Kyiv in order to resupply and reorganize them for use elsewhere in Ukraine -- not to send them back to Russia.



Kirby also told reporters at the Pentagon that the Russian Vagner Group had deployed about 1,000 contractors into Ukraine's Donbas region. The Vagner Group (also known as Wagner Group) is a paramilitary force that Western governments say the Kremlin has used in other conflict zones.

Biden used the call to review sanctions and humanitarian assistance that were announced last week, while Zelenskiy updated Biden on the status of negotiations with Russia, the White House said in a statement.

They also discussed the critical effect weapon supplies have had on the conflict and continued efforts to identify additional capabilities to help Ukraine's military defend the country.

A Pentagon official said not all the weaponry Biden promised in mid-March had been delivered yet.

Celeste Wallander, an assistant secretary of defense, told a congressional hearing that a package that includes 100 kamikaze-like Switchblade drones is in the process of being delivered.

Wallander said the United States was also working on getting countries that have Soviet-made S-300 anti-aircraft batteries to send them to Ukraine. One of the countries it has approached is Slovakia, which wants to replace its S-300s with more modern U.S.-made Patriot missile batteries, she said.

WATCH: Ukrainian forces recaptured the town of Trostyanets in eastern Ukraine, located just 40 kilometers from the border with Russia.

Meanwhile, White House communications director Kate Bedingfield told reporters that Putin had been misled by advisers.

"We believe that Putin is being misinformed by his advisers about how badly the Russian military is performing and how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions because his senior advisers are too afraid to tell him the truth," Bedingfield said during a press briefing.

The United States is putting forward this information now to show "this has been a strategic error for Russia," she said.

There was no immediate comment from the Kremlin.

In the nearly five weeks since the invasion began, Russian forces have been halted on many fronts by stiff resistance from Ukrainian forces.

In addition to his comments about Vagner Group (also known as Wagner Group), a paramilitary force that Western governments say the Kremlin has used in other conflict zones, Kirby said Russia started to reposition less than 20 percent of its forces arrayed around Kyiv but cautioned that Russia was expected to resupply them for redeployment and not bring the forces home.

Russia told Ukraine on March 29 that it would curtail operations near the capital, Kyiv, and the northern city of Chernihiv "to increase mutual trust" for peace talks after the two sides met face-to-face in Istanbul.

Live Briefing: Russia Invades Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the major developments on Russia's invasion, how Kyiv is fighting back, the plight of civilians, and Western reaction. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

But Ukrainian officials reported on March 30 that Russian shelling hit homes, stores, libraries, and other civilian sites in and around Chernihiv and on the outskirts of Kyiv.

But the governor of the Chernihiv region said on March 30 that he saw no let-up in Russian attacks overnight, while British military intelligence said that troop movements could be attributed to Russian contingents returning home or to neighboring Belarus to reorganize and resupply after suffering heavy losses on the battlefield.

"Do we believe it [Russias promise]? Of course not," Governor Vyacheslav Chaus said in a video post on Telegram.

"The enemy demonstrated its 'decreased activity' in the Chernihiv region by carrying out strikes on [the city of] Nizhyn, including air strikes, and all night long they hit [the city of] Chernihiv," he added.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russia's pledge to curtail operations near Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv was not true.

"The whole night we listened to sirens, to rocket attacks and we listened to huge explosions east of Kyiv and north of Kyiv," Klitschko said in a video address to EU regional officials. "There are immense battles there, people died, still die."

Russian troops also stepped up their attacks around the eastern city of Izyum and the eastern Donetsk region after redeploying some units from other areas, the Ukrainian side said.

Russia is likely to continue to compensate for its reduced ground maneuver capability through mass artillery and missile strikes, Britain's Defense Ministry said.

Moscow said recently that it had fulfilled the first part of its plan in Ukraine and that its main focus would now be on southeastern Ukraine, where it is trying to capture more territory to turn over to separatists it has supported since 2014.

Zelenskiy voiced caution about Russia's promises to scale back some operations, saying in his daily video address late on March 29 that Ukrainians are not naive people.

"Ukrainians have already learned during these 34 days of invasion, and over the past eight years of the war in Donbas, that the only thing they can trust is a concrete result," he said.

Thousands of civilians in the southern port city of Mariupol continue to be trapped under repeated shelling and air strikes by Russian forces.

Mariupol has been one of the main focal points of fighting since the start of the invasion more than a month ago. The situation in the city, which numbered some 400,000 people before the war, has been described as "apocalyptic."

A Russian-backed separatist leader said that 140,000 people had left Mariupol, which has been a main target for Russia, and gone eastward since Russian forces began besieging it.

Denis Pushilin said on Russian television that "about 140,000 left Mariupol.... Both toward the [separatist-held region near Donetsk] and toward Russia," Interfax reported.

There was no way to verify Pushilin's statement. Mariupol had a prewar population of more than 400,000, and Ukraine has accused Moscow of forcing Mariupol residents into territory controlled by the separatists and Russia against their will.

The UN is looking into allegations that some residents of Mariupol have been forcibly taken to areas controlled by Russian forces or to Russia itself.

The head of the UN human rights mission in Ukraine told Reuters that thousands of civilians may have died in the city since bombing began.

"We do think that there could be thousands of deaths, of civilian casualties, in Mariupol," Matilda Bogner said. The mission did not have a precise estimate but was working to gather more information, she added.

According to the UNHCR, the UN's refugee agency, the total number of refugees as of midday on March 29 was 4.02 million, with just over half of that total making their way out of Ukraine and into Poland.

"Refugees from Ukraine are now 4 million, five weeks after the start of the Russian attack," UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said in a tweet on March 30, adding that he had just arrived in Ukraine to discuss ways to increase support "to people affected and displaced by this senseless war."

With reporting by Current Time, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, RFE/RL's Russian Service, AP, AFP, and Reuters
In an interview with Current Time on March 29, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland said Russia's negotiating position with Ukraine in Istanbul has been: "Capitulate and then maybe we'll talk." Ukraine, meanwhile, is willing to talk about neutrality and long-term leasing in Crimea, among other concessions, she adds. Even as Russia repositions its forces around Kyiv, Nuland says, the invading army has been "absolutely unwilling to have a full cease-fire so that negotiations can get serious."
One woman stood quietly just a few meters from a corner of the Kremlin with a paper sign reading "No to war." She lasted just a few minutes before riot police trundled her off to a waiting van.

Then there was the man who held up a sign that had asterisks written in places where the letters for the words "No to war" would be. He also lasted just a few minutes outside the Kremlin walls before being detained.

Or the woman who was arrested after she stood in front of Moscow's Christ The Church Cathedral holding a sign with the biblical Sixth Commandment written on it: "Thou shalt not kill."

Civil disobedience has never been a simple matter in Russia.

In recent years, opposition groups and smaller political parties have managed to turn out protesters, and not just in Moscow and St. Petersburg. When the Kremlin moved to overhaul the national pension system in 2018, sizable numbers of Russians took to the streets in opposition.

Anti-corruption crusader Aleksei Navalny and his team consistently brought supporters out, braving police beatings and other repressive measures. And then Navalny was arrested and thrown in prison, and his budding political movement crushed.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Russian authorities have moved further to wipe out any dissenting voices, any effort at civil disobedience, and any public criticism not just of the war, but also of the military and the government's conduct.

Still, some Russians are resisting, and showing opposition to the conflict. OVD-Info, a Russian NGO that has tracked police arrests for years, has tallied dozens of incidents.

Here's a look at some of them:

Bloody Sunday

Yevgenia Isayeva,  St. Petersburg artist and activist, donned a white dress and stood outside the city council building on busy Nevsky Prospekt.

She then poured red paint on herself and a canvas draped in front of her, while chanting "my heart bleeds." The canvas in front of her contained an appeal to passersby not to support the war in Ukraine.

Her demonstration on March 27 lasted about seven minutes before she was detained by police.

The local news outlet Fontanka also reported that a retiree who was standing nearby was accosted by police because she was carrying a copy of the independent newspaper Novaya gazeta. She was not detained.

Deployment Incommunicado

The issue of where soldiers are being deployed -- both conscripts and volunteer, contract soldiers -- has become a sensitive issue within Russia, with members of some units saying they are given no information or even lied to outright.

On March 20, in the southern Russian region of Karachai-Cherkessia, six women blocked traffic across a bridge in a remote village, demanding the authorities provide information about relatives who had been deployed to Ukraine.

According to journalists, the protesters demanded information about contract soldiers who were sent to Ukraine, after which they stopped communicating.

The women were detained on charges of holding an unauthorized political demonstration.

'En Guarde'

In addition to regular armed forces and similar military units, there are also militarized civilian units being deployed to Ukraine, in particular members of Russia's National Guard.

Russian guardsmen are ostensibly a heavily armed police force, which was set up in 2016 under the leadership of a former Putin bodyguard and tasked with ensuring domestic security. However, some guard units have been sent to Ukraine in recent weeks, and that has prompted pushback.

A group of 12 guardsmen from the southern region of Krasnodar who had been deployed to the Russian-controlled Crimean Peninsula in February were ordered into mainland Ukraine but refused to go, arguing that such a deployment was illegal.

A lawyer, Mikhail Benyash, said the group was dismissed for disobeying orders, and later appealed the dismissal order. Benyash said that after the news of the firing became public, he received scores of other requests for help from other guardsmen who have refused orders to deploy to Ukraine.

Tula Graffiti

In Tula, a city south of Moscow, anti-war graffiti has appeared on the walls of buildings at least three times since the war began on February 24.

On March 27, police arrested two 28-year-old men and charged them in connection with the graffiti, which said "Overthrow Putin!" and "Stop Putin!"

OVD-Info reported that a third Tula resident had been arrested several days before, charged in connection with other anti-war graffiti that said, "War is a requiem for common sense."

Meanwhile, in the Ivanovo region, northeast of Tula, an activist was also arrested for anti-war graffiti, though it was unclear what, and where, the man had written.

Classroom 'Treason'

On the Pacific island of Sakhalin, a classroom teacher spoke out against the Russian invasion in remarks to her students at School No. 6 in the port city of Korsakov. Marina Dubrova, who teaches English, said she did not support the war in the comments on March 17.

Dubrova's students videotaped her remarks, school authorities learned of it, and she was arrested.

A court later fined her 30,000 rubles ($350) under newly passed legislation that makes it a crime to make public actions aimed at discrediting the Russian armed forces. That also includes calling for the armed forces to be withdrawn or to halt fighting.

Dubrova was not fired but was reprimanded by her superiors.

Channel One

The act of civil disobedience that has arguably resonated most widely took place on March 14, on the flagship nightly news program broadcast on state-run TV, Channel One, which is watched by millions of Russians.

Marina Ovsyannikova, a news editor at the channel, ran onto the set behind the host of the Vremya program holding a poster reading "NO WAR" in English and "Stop the war. Don't believe propaganda. They are lying to you" in Russian. The bottom line of the poster said "Russians against war" in English.

She also shouted in Russian: "Stop the war. No to war."

She was visible on screen for several seconds, before the channel switched to a different report.

Shortly after the incident, a Moscow court fined Ovsyannikova 30,000 rubles for attempting to organize an unsanctioned protest. On March 25, the court said she could be fined up to 50,000 rubles (more than $500) if found guilty of discrediting the armed forces, the same charge Dubrova faced.

The channel's media manager called Ovsyannikova a traitor.

Written by Mike Eckel based on reporting by Caucasus.Realities and Current Time, with contributions from RFE/RL's Russian Service
The URL has been copied to your clipboard

The code has been copied to your clipboard.

Ukrainian forces recaptured the town of Trostyanets in eastern Ukraine, located just 40 kilometers from the border with Russia. Two days after the battle on March 26, RFE/RL correspondent Roman Pahulych visited the town to speak to Ukrainian soldiers, residents, and to survey damaged Russian military equipment.
For such investments, relevant ministries, provinces, and cities must be assigned the tasks to study, develop processes, and implement higher standards. The criteria to select incentives also needs to be fair for domestic enterprises, especially for farmers and people living in rural areas.

FDI sector

According to the General Statistics Office, the contribution of the FDI sector to GDP increased from 15.2% in 2010 to 20.1% in 2020. Therefore, in ten years, the contribution of the FDI sector to GDP increased by nearly 5%. In this 5% increase in the FDI sector, 2% decreased in the state sector, from 29.3% in 2010 to 27.3 in 2020, and 3% in the economic sector, from 32% in 2010 to about 29% in 2020. So what do we expect from Foreign Direct Investment, as the attraction of capital flow, technology transfer, management methodology, and labor attraction, from FDI enterprises have not really lived up to expectations over the last twenty years.

FDI enterprises do business effectively due to modern management methods, but also due to incentives in tax policies, access to capital, and land. It is worrisome to learn that the more efficient this sector is, the more money flows to pay owners abroad legally, leading to smaller national savings and an increase in debts.

As per the report on developing criteria for attracting Foreign Direct Investment, which was sent by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, it shows that the ministry recognizes most of the problems concerning this sector. However, the draft also mentions the effectiveness of this sector. The question now arises as to what does Vietnam gain from the FDI sector. Another issue to note is that there should be an equal treatment policy among different types of ownerships. In the last twenty years, the economic components that account for the largest proportion of GDP is the individual economy, which does not seem to have received much attention.

Therefore, the Ministry of Finance also needs to step in to build a select FDI criteria, otherwise, no matter how good the agenda, it will not be meaningful. For instance, FDI enterprises basically do outsourcing for exports, and in 2021 exports in the FDI sector accounted for nearly 74% of the total export turnover of goods. According to calculations from the inter-industry balance sheet, the export of goods had the lowest spill over to the value-added to the economy.

In this, agriculture, forestry and fishery sectors with good spill over indicators to the economy are always said to be a priority, but policies, especially tax policies do not seem to aim for this, because the efficiency protection of the agricultural sector has been decreasing over the years. If in 2012 the effective protection rate of the agricultural sector was about 0.27, by 2019 it was a negative 0.08. This means that this industry group is completely unprotected in terms of production.

Rural sector disadvantaged

According to Decree 57/2018/ND-CP of the Government, enterprises investing in agriculture and rural areas will enjoy many incentive mechanisms and policies of the State, such as incentives and support via exemptions; reduced land use fees; exemption or reduction of land and water rents; support of land concentration; credit access and support; support research, transfer, and application of hi-tech agriculture; support human resource training; market development; grassroots investment support; providing public service; and investing in agricultural and rural infrastructure.

A very basic issue that experts have mentioned for many years is that tax policies for industries that produce products that are inputs for agriculture, such as fertilizers, are not subject to Value Added Tax (VAT), and fertilizer production enterprises are not entitled to tax deductions for input materials. This policy of the Ministry of Finance looks preferential on the surface, but in fact, there are inadequacies between domestic enterprises and FDI enterprises. This is to say, when the cost and selling price of fertilizer increases, farmers receive enough, while the real incentive for FDI enterprises is when they pay the VAT rate of 0% for export goods. This means that FDI enterprises not only do not have to pay VAT but also receive input VAT deduction.

The policy of the Ministry of Finance not only causes difficulties for enterprises producing products as input for the agricultural sector, but also causes difficulties for farmers and increases the production cost of agricultural products. When costs increase, it will make farmers lose on profits, leading to an increase in consumer prices, and it becomes increasingly difficult for input products for agriculture and agricultural products to compete with imported goods. This is the case when the import tax on many products is 0%.

This makes production protection of agricultural groups negative, which means that this group is not only unprotected, but also suffers from the tax policy of the Ministry of Finance. In other words, the group of agricultural product manufacturing industries is not encouraged by the State, which seems to contradict Decree 57 on incentives for agriculture and rural areas.

Recently, the Ministry of Finance finalized the draft resolution of the National Assembly on VAT policy, which was to support and develop fertilizer production enterprises. The Ministry proposed to include 5% VAT tax from now on. Although this is a step forward, it is not enough to be called an incentive for agriculture. Moreover, what is beneficial to the people and the economy has often done very well, while these shortcomings are not mentioned in the Ministry of Planning and Investment report.

Dr. Bui Trinh, Economist
Following a three-hour hearing that included comments from 28 public speakers, the Encinitas City Council on Wednesday, May 22, endorsed the Cardiff School Districts plan to rebuild much of one of its two campuses.

The council voted 4-0 to deny an appeal by opponents of the districts Cardiff School Modernization and Reconstruction project, which is being financed by a $22 million bond measure passed in 2016.

After the councils denial of the appeal, the city will issue a coastal development permit for the first phase of the project, which consists of demolishing and replacing eight buildings. Supporters of the project say the existing buildings are deteriorating and compromise students education and safety.

Among the speakers at Wednesdays hearing, 22 supported denial of the appeal, while six spoke in favor. Another 40 among the approximately 100 residents crowding into the council chamber submitted slips in favor of striking the appeal. Two provided slips favoring approval, according to the city clerk.

To me, it appears theyve met all the qualifications to be issued a coastal development permit, Councilman Tony Kranz said of the districts plan for Phase 1.

Public school district building projects are typically subject to state review and exempt from land-use control by local governments.

However, Cardiff School, which offers sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, is subject to the jurisdiction of the California Coastal Commission. School development projects must comply with cities Local Coastal Plans and be accepted by the state commission.

Mayor Catherine Blakespear did not participate in Wednesdays hearing since she lives near the triangle-shaped elementary school property bordered by San Elijo, Montgomery and Mozart avenues and could have a potential conflict of interest.

The council members who did vote declined to act on the projects second phase and its most controversial aspect.

Phase 2 includes an expansion of the schools building footprint into district-owned open space known as George Berkich Park, named after a former principal.

Opponents say the expansion onto the parkland violates an agreement signed by the city, district and the federal park officials in 1993 guaranteeing that section of the campus fronted by San Elijo and overlooking the Pacific Ocean would remain open and recreational space forever.

After the Encinitas Planning Commission voted 3-0 earlier this year in favor of issuing the permit, a citizens group titled Save the Park and Build the School filed a lawsuit opposing the approval. The suit is pending consideration in Superior Court.

In addition to their contention that the districts plan expansion into the park space is an illegal conversion, opponents allege the entire proposal violates various city policies and restrictions.

Encinitas resident Russell Davis said the citys support for the project would be a train wreck.

(The districts) failure to plan doesnt make you responsible for its failure to plan, Davis said, warning council members against approval.

Planning commissioners had determined Phase 1 was in compliance with city rules and regulations, and the citys staff supported their interpretation.

The staff, however, recommended postponing action on the second phase involving the park until the city has proof that an agreement has been worked out among city, district, federal and state officials that amends the 1993 agreement to accept the districts plans. The state Office of Grants and Local Services oversees management of the park site.

In their denial of the appeal, council members specified that no structural development should occur on the park site until an agreement is reached among the parties.

Also, they agreed to create a joint committee consisting of council members Tony Kranz and Kellie Shay Hinze and two representatives from the districts board to have an ongoing dialogue about the park negotiations.

Councilwoman Jody Hubbard, who as deputy mayor conducted the meeting in Blakespears absence, stressed the city should have a solid agreement in place before acting on Phase 2.

My biggest concern is what if it doesnt go your way, and you start your construction and you cant complete it, Hubbard said of the districts contention that an agreement is imminent. As a taxpayer, I think thats incredibly irresponsible.
If you signal a turn after reaching a stop sign, can police stop you for not turning on your blinker earlier?

Not in most cases, says a state appeals court in San Francisco in a ruling setting aside a drivers convictions for drugs that were found in his car.

A Vacaville police officer stopped Andrew Holimans car on a downtown street in June 2017 after Holiman had stopped at a sign, signaled a right turn and then turned right. The officer said she had become suspicious a few minutes earlier when Holiman looked away from her as she drove past his car. But she said the basis for the stop was a law telling drivers to signal an intended right or left turn 100 feet before reaching an intersection, or before changing lanes.

After Holiman told the officer he was on parole, which allowed her to search the car without a warrant, she found methamphetamine and marijuana in the car, along with a loaded handgun. Holiman, who is Black, argued that the vehicle stop was illegal and racially motivated, but a Solano County judge disagreed. Holiman then pleaded no contest to two drug charges and, with a prior felony conviction, was sentenced to 7 years and 4 months in prison.

On Monday, however, the First District Court of Appeal said the 100-foot turn signal requirement is enforceable and grounds for a traffic stop only if another driver would be affected by the vehicles movement, a standard set by another state appellate ruling in 2011.

For example, the court said, the driver of a full-size car could be cited for failing to give adequate warning to a trailing motorcyclist who might try to pass the car in the same lane before reaching the intersection. But in this case, the only vehicle behind Holiman was the officers car, and she had no reasonable basis to think that (her) patrol car could have been affected by Holimans right-hand turn, Justice Therese Stewart said in the 3-0 ruling.

The court ruled the seized evidence inadmissible and told the lower-court judge to allow Holiman, now in prison, to withdraw his no-contest pleas. Stewart said the court did not need to discuss the claim of racial discrimination.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The ruling makes sense for drivers and should not affect traffic safety, Holimans lawyer, Gordon Brownell, said Tuesday.

Lots of people dont know theyre going to turn before they get to a stop sign and can see traffic in the intersection, he said. Its unreasonable to require someone in Mr. Holimans position to signal before he got to the sign.

Attorney General Rob Bontas office said it was reviewing the ruling, which it could appeal to the state Supreme Court.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

As San Francisco focused much of its attention in recent months on drug sales and homelessness in the Tenderloin, street conditions in the nearby Mission District continued to deteriorate.

The number of tents and other inhabited street structures in the neighborhood has grown from a little more than 70 last June to about 100 now, according to periodic counts conducted by the city. Sidewalks along Mission Street, particularly near its BART stations, have become flourishing markets for unregulated merchandise sales. Residents are also concerned about trash and a series of fires, one of which recently displaced 22 people and damaged a popular taqueria.

Now, community leaders and local officials are attempting to help the neighborhoods growing unhoused population while placing tighter controls on street vending and garbage, among other efforts.

This is the overall feeling of a neighborhood in chaos, said Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who represents the Mission and recently crafted a plan to address what she has called unacceptable street conditions.

Ronen said she was, in part, trying to redirect some of the San Francisco governments attention from the Tenderloin, where Mayor London Breed declared a 90-day state of emergency that expired in March. Though Ronen supported that declaration, she wants to do what she can to prevent the Mission from following in the Tenderloins footsteps.

The encampments in Ronens district are not as numerous as they were when she first took her seat on the Board of Supervisors five years ago, she said. But the population of those living on the streets has grown recently, as have the ranks of street vendors. In her view, the problem was compounded when San Francisco directed much of its focus squarely on the Tenderloin and its long-running crises of homelessness, public drug sales and opioid overdoses.

The confluence of all those events made the Mission a disaster again, Ronen said.

I just feel so much sympathy and so much anger for all of my constituents: the businesses, the housed residents and the unhoused residents, Ronen said. We are failing the people of the Mission. Its unacceptable.

Data from the San Francisco Police Departments Mission Station from Jan. 1 to March 27 shows year-over-year increases in several categories of reported crimes, including assault, larceny theft and robbery. Reports of burglaries and arson were down.

Ronens plan for the Mission includes recently passed legislation on street vending as well as moving more unhoused people inside, increasing trash pickups and preventing street fires.

The city plans to reopen 53 shelter beds in April in the Mission that were previously closed because of COVID-19. The Healthy Streets Operations Center, a citywide effort to address encampments, has started visiting Mission encampments weekly, trying to get unhoused people placed into shelter or a long-term home.

Public Works is stepping up its power-washing of trash cans around Mission Street BART plazas and educating merchants about how to properly dispose of cardboard so it doesnt litter streets and become a fire hazard. Ronens office is also talking to Recology about how to keep the streets cleaner and working with public safety officials on other ways to prevent fires.

Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Another challenge is street vending. People have long set up on the neighborhoods sidewalks to sell flowers, fruit and other products to passersby. But community leaders say the scene grew much more crowded after the COVID-19 economic blow that was hardest on low-wage workers who lost jobs.

Some people who felt like they had no other options may have turned to street vending. Rising homelessness contributed to the problem.

But while many sellers are legitimate, others may be hawking stolen goods. And merchants say the rampant unregulated vending has been hurting business. The city is now requiring vendors to get a permit and maintain proof of ownership or other authorization to sell goods.

Vending in our community is part of its makeup. Its part of the flavor that weve always had, said Susana Rojas, executive director of the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District. Because of the pandemic and the economic downturn, we have people who are vending other items and who are not necessarily fully connected to the community.

William Ortiz-Cartagena, a San Francisco entrepreneur who was born and raised in the Mission, is planning to open a storefront soon on Mission Street where 20 to 30 vendors can come off the streets and sell goods inside.

He envisions it looking like an indoor flea market, filled with people selling their wares but also tables in the back that offer services for small businesses and local residents.

Its basically a garage sale, Ortiz-Cartagena said. In the suburbs, nobody is out there penalizing people for setting up shop in their driveway.

Jerome Allen El was one of the many people selling goods next to the 24th Street BART Station recently. Allen El, 54, an unhoused man who said he was sleeping on the street nearby, laid out on the sidewalk a cornucopia of items. Shoes, jeans, moisturizer, even a fan and a flashlight were available for purchase, much of it for as little as $1.

Allen El, a longtime San Francisco resident, usually leaves the plaza each day with about $20 or $30 in his pocket, after paying people who help him out. He said he typically buys the goods from others or receives donations, and his proceeds help him meet basic needs such as food and laundry.

Im not trying to get rich, he said. Im just trying to get by.

The street-vending increase has been hard on some of the Missions stores. Ronen, the supervisor, has spoken about business owners who have called her in tears because the influx of street vendors were obstructing sidewalks, deterring customers and in some cases selling the same items for much lower prices.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Ryen Motzek, the president of the Mission Merchants Association, who has worked in the neighborhood for 20 years, said hes never seen anything like the current street conditions. In addition to the vending concerns, businesses are also dealing with vandalism, thefts and generally unclean streets, he said.

Every neighborhood has its challenges, but this is a whole other level, Motzek said. Its really affecting the mom-and-pop businesses the hardest. Its devastating.

Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Capt. Gavin McEachern of the Police Departments Mission Station acknowledged that quality-of-life issues in the neighborhood are widespread, which he partly attributed to consequences of the pandemic. Many of the community complaints he hears regularly relate to encampments blocking sidewalks, graffiti or similar issues, he said.

Its pretty bad, McEachern said. Not only visually, but I just think the sheer volume of things that were seeing is pretty daunting. ... It doesnt look comfortable in the district, and it doesnt feel comfortable.

McEachern said his officers work in the Mission is hampered partly by low staffing levels  a problem throughout the Police Department. The station is down about 12 officers since October, when McEachern took the helm temporarily before assuming the role permanently in January.

Traditionally, Mission Station is one of the biggest-staffed stations, he said. I dont know if its ever been this low.

McEachern said he has also been sending some Mission-based police officers to the Tenderloin for the past few weeks, often through voluntary overtime but sometimes using on-duty personnel if no one steps up. On Wednesdays, when Mission Station is at maximum staffing levels, a handful of officers go to the Tenderloin.

As Ronen and her office push the city to shift more of its focus back to the Mission, local community groups arent waiting for the government to fix everything. Rojas said Calle 24 plans to have quarterly trash cleanups within the districts boundaries, set to the north and south by 22nd Street and Cesar Chavez Street and to the east and west by Potrero Avenue and Mission Street. The first cleanup is scheduled for May 7.

To Rojas, the cleanup work is part of her belief in the interconnected nature of the issues facing the Mission and San Francisco overall.

It all goes in a cycle, she said. If we really look at the root of whats going on, we can address core issues and find better, sustainable solutions.

J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Lake Tahoe residents may see more bear activity this spring as the large animals are expected to emerge from winter hibernation and return to areas they were displaced from by the Caldor Fire, California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials warned Tuesday.

The Caldor Fire broke out in August in the small town of Pollock Pines (El Dorado County) and crept up to South Lake Tahoe, burning nearly 222,000 acres of mountain land and damaging hundreds of homes and cabins. The blaze also tore through Sierra-at-Tahoes 2,000-acre ski area, leaving the resorts future in question.

Many bears fled the Lake Tahoe area due to the blaze, but some managed to stay and were left to freely roam evacuated neighborhoods and empty homes, state officials said.

As a result, bears broke into cars and homes in search for food and suddenly had no humans yelling, making noise, chasing or hazing them, and no electric deterrents because of power outages, state officials said in a news release.

Some homeowners reported thousands of dollars in property damage from bears breaking into windows, garage doors and cars, state officials said.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife conducted a trap-tag-haze operation in South Lake Tahoe last year and marked and moved bears to other unburned areas to try to interrupt the cycle of break-ins and food rewards that went unchecked during evacuations.

State officials hazed the bears with air horns, paintball guns and nonlethal rounds in an effort to prevent future human interaction and bears wanting to return to South Lake Tahoe.

But not all of the bears were caught, and despite efforts to prevent bears from returning, some have continued breaking into homes during the fall and winter, state officials said.

An infamous 500-pound black bear known as Hank the Tank was one of at least three bears accused of breaking into homes over the few months, according to DNA evidence from state wildlife officials.

Hank the Tank busted windows and front doors, and ransacked nearly 30 homes about eight months ago in search of food, authorities said. State officials said in February that Hank and other bears that are captured will not be euthanized.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

Because bears are so intelligent, once they learn something, its difficult to break their bad habits, state officials said Tuesday.

The lack of consequences during the evacuation period will have rippling and lasting effects on bear behavior for seasons to come, they said.

How to protect your property from bears Here's what you can do to prevent bears from breaking into your home or business, according to state wildlife officials. If you're visiting Lake Tahoe: Do not feed bears or other wild animals - it's against the law. Don't approach bears or cubs. Leave them alone. Prevent car break-ins by removing scented items, such as food wrappers, sunscreen and hand lotion. Lock car doors and close the windows. If you're a resident or business owner in South Lake Tahoe: Use bear-resistant trash containers. Keep trash cans locked at all times. Refrain from having unsecured attractants, like bird feeders. Close your windows and lock your home or business. Never leave pet food or any food or beverages outside your home, business or car. See More Collapse

Residents and visitors were warned to be proactive in preventing bears from breaking into homes again and work toward peacefully coexisting with the creatures.

Jessica Flores (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesssmflores
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

While the world continues to battle COVID-19, another deadly virus  the bird flu  is winging its way west across the U.S., threatening to potentially invade California.

Outbreaks of the avian virus have been reported as far west as Colorado, where infected geese were discovered by Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Previous outbreaks had been confined to the East Coast and the Midwest.

No cases of the bird flu have yet been detected in California, said Steve Lyle, a spokesperson for the state Department of Food and Agriculture.

Avian influenza rarely infects humans, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but people can become infected from direct contact with birds that have the virus. For birds, including domestic poultry, however, the virus can be deadly, agriculture authorities said.

The virus spreads through direct contact with infected animals, as well as from their feces and respiratory emissions, which can be carried by clothing and hands of workers at poultry farms.

Ducks on the Pacific Flyway, migratory route used by birds, often bring the virus to California, spreading it though droppings that make direct contact with other birds or contaminate workers, their clothing or even vehicles on commercial ranches, said Bill Mattos, president of the California Poultry Federation, an industry group.

The biggest potential threat to humans at this point is the food supply, already suffering the aftereffects of COVID shutdowns with supply-chain problems that have driven up prices.

According to agriculture officials, the avian flu could infect poultry farms, cutting the availability of chicken and eggs as well as other poultry products.

When an outbreak hits a commercial ranch, Mattos said, the birds have to be euthanized and buried, and the ranch has to be thoroughly sanitized. The process can close down the facility for three to four months, he said, reducing poultry production.

Its a big deal, Mattos said. We really dont want to get (avian influenza) here.

California poultry and egg producers have increased biosecurity procedures, Lyle said, taking measures such as perimeter control, keeping poultry away from wild birds, requiring employees to use dedicated clothing, gloves and masks, and cleaning and disinfecting vehicles and equipment. Guests at farms, including feed truck drivers, wear white hazmat suits, Mattos said.

Theyre also stressing disease prevention and detection procedures with employees and working with the USDA and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife in hopes that if the avian flu does make it to California, its detected early.

California is also limiting the import of poultry coming from areas affected by the avian flu, Lyle said.

Lyle said the state is well-positioned to combat the bird flu because its home to one of the worlds top animal health laboratories, the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, managed by UC Davis and funded by the state. The system has labs throughout the state with a high capacity for testing, Lyle said.

The objective is to ensure we are ready to quickly detect, contain and eliminate (the virus) in domestic poultry, should it arrive in California, Lyle said.

The state Department of Public Health did not respond to inquiries about whether the virus poses a danger to people in California. The CDC said on its website that while the risk to humans is low, those who could be exposed to infected birds on the job or in recreational activities face a greater risk.

Michael Cabanatuan (he/him) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan
Souvla, the fast-casual Greek food hit, is opening its biggest restaurant yet: a 60-seat space with a wine bar and expanded menu in San Franciscos Dogpatch neighborhood.

The fifth location from the growing restaurant group will debut in June at 2505 Third St., the former Magnolia Brewing Co. space. It will be a departure from the smaller, takeout-focused restaurants that churn out Souvlas popular sandwiches and salads. Most notably, there will be a 10-seat marble bar where customers can drink Greek wines by the glass and snack on spinach hand pies, tzatziki with pita and plant-based lamb meatballs.

This marks the first significant menu expansion for Souvla, which has largely kept its food the same since opening in San Francisco in 2014. All of the staples, from lamb wraps to ample salads topped with rotisserie chicken and french fries, will also be served here.

While Souvla has long poured Greek wines, including from its own private label, there will be more to explore at the Dogpatch outpost. Wines that Souvla currently sells only by the bottle, like a $75 Megas Oenos red wine from Domaine Skouras  literally the wine that put Greek wine on the international wine map some 20 years ago, CEO Charles Bililies said  will be available by the glass. Bililies, who leads wine training for all Souvla employees, is particularly excited about Assyrtiko, a crisp white varietal grown on the Greek island of Santorini. He hopes the wine bar will further increase the visibility of Greek wine in the Bay Area.

Theres always been this ancillary goal behind Souvla to really evangelize Greek wines, he said.

The Dogpatch Souvla will still be a fast-casual restaurant that offers takeout and delivery, but customers who sit at the bar will get more service from employees who will be educated on the ins and outs of Greek wine varietals. Like all Souvlas, it will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Bililies was not planning to open a restaurant twice the size of the others with a new menu, but the space fell into his lap. Hes long been excited about Dogpatch and felt the timing was right with major developments in the area, including the nearby Chase Center, a splashy new Restoration Hardware and the planned transformation of Pier 70 into stores, offices and housing. He called it one of the most exciting neighborhoods in San Francisco right now.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Souvla is also building its first location outside of San Francisco, in Marin. Its expected to open in August, bringing the Greek restaurants mini empire to six locations.

Elena Kadvany is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ekadvany
Legislation that would have required all California businesses to vaccinate their employees and contractors against COVID-19 was put on hold Tuesday by the bills sponsor, Assembly Member Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland.

In a statement, Wicks explained that she was holding AB1993, which she introduced in February, in order to allow for negotiations with public safety unions and others who came out in opposition to the bill.

We are now in a new and welcome chapter in this pandemic, with the virus receding for the moment, Wicks stated. This provides for us the opportunity to work more collaboratively with labor and employers to address concerns raised by the bill. That is why we have decided to put AB1993 on pause, and allow space for these conversations to continue and progress.

While Im disappointed in the opposition to this bill by public safety unions, its my hope that they will ultimately come to the table to make sure all of their workers are vaccinated, and that every job sector in California has the tools necessary to keep their workers safe from COVID-19.

Wicks bill would have mandated vaccinations for workplaces and required employers to verify that their workers are immunized. New hires would need to have at least one shot by their first day  and the second within 45 days.

Wicks made clear she was not giving up that fight, with or without government action.

Vaccines, and vaccine requirements, remain a critical tool for moving from pandemic to endemic. That work is still needed, and it could still ensure that millions more Californians become vaccinated, she stated. We will continue to monitor new variants and waves.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @samwhitingsf
After another round of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for some groups got the green light Tuesday from federal regulators, newly eligible people may be seeking their next dose in the Bay Area.

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized a second booster dose of the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines for those 50 and older who are at least four months past their first booster.

Shortly afterward, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its booster recommendations in line with the FDAs move. Separately and in addition, the CDC said, recipients of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine who received a J&J booster at least four months ago may get a second booster of an mRNA vaccine.

Certain immunocompromised individuals were already eligible to receive a booster dose after completing a three-dose mRNA vaccine series. The new federal approval allows those in that group 12 and older to seek a second booster, or fifth dose.

Its a preemptive move to boost the immunity of older Americans as many experts predict another spike in COVID-19 cases from the highly infectious BA.2 omicron variant.

In California, COVID vaccines are offered by a mix of providers, including county health departments, drugstores and health providers. People seeking second boosters under the new criteria should be sure to check when they sign up that the site they have selected has already made the switch. Previously when vaccine guidelines have changed, some newly eligible people have encountered a lag with individual providers updating their criteria.

As of Wednesday, for example, Rite Aid had already updated its vaccine portal to allow for second boosters, while CVS was still preparing to allow for additional booster doses. Walgreens was allowing walk-ins and indicated it would update its scheduling portal to allow for second boosters starting April 1.

The San Francisco Department of Public Health on Wednesday said that as with previous eligibility expansions, it was awaiting further federal and state guidance and approvals before opening up second boosters to the newly approved group.

First mRNA boosters are available to anyone 12 and older at least five months after the last dose of their primary vaccine series, and anyone 5 and older can get a primary vaccine series.

Bronte Wittpenn / The Chronicle

Heres how to find a vaccine or booster dose in the Bay Area:

My Turn

The California state website at myturn.ca.gov offers residents a variety of places to get vaccinated including pharmacies, health clinics and hospitals, including walk-in clinics and appointment-based locations based on ZIP code. You can enter your information and schedule an appointment on the website.

County-run clinics and sites

Each Bay Area county hosts its own county-run clinics and vaccination events. Heres a list of vaccine websites for each county:

Alameda County: The countys vaccine website community vaccination clinics, county and state-run clinics, and clinics at healthcare partners, as well as paratransit services for those who cant use public transportation.

Contra Costa County: Contra Costa Health Services offers community clinics, free mobile vaccine services for workplaces and community organizations, and vaccine services for homebound and congregate living residents. The countys vaccine website also pop-up and school vaccine clinics, and lists of pharmacies, urgent care clinics and private health care providers to get vaccinated.

Marin County: County and pop-up clinics, as well as retail pharmacy vaccine sites, can be found here.

Napa County: The county offers a vaccination clinic calendar and a list of pharmacies and community and private health care providers

San Francisco: Here is the list of vaccine sites that includes links to make appointments, hours, types of vaccines offered and more.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

San Mateo County: San Mateo County Health runs a number of vaccine clinics throughout the county, and special clinic days for pediatric vaccines. More vaccination information can be found here.

Santa Clara County: The county has a list of drop-in vaccine clinics and a scheduler through Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.

Solano County: The countys vaccine website offers a standing vaccine clinic at Solano Town Center Mall and community vaccine clinics.

Sonoma County: Find county vaccine clinics and other ways to get vaccinated in Sonoma County here.

Pharmacies

Many different pharmacy locations offer vaccines and boosters, including CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Safeway, Lucky, Costco and Walmart. You can make an appointment ahead of time on the individual pharmacy websites. Walk-ins may be offered based on vaccine availability.

Health providers

Public health officials also encourage people to go to their own health care providers for advice on getting a booster, and to make an appointment at their doctors offices if available.

Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KellieHwang
After more than two months of dramatic decline, COVID cases are leveling off in the Bay Area and most of California while the BA.2 coronavirus subvariant supplants omicron as the dominant strain circulating in the western United States.

BA.2 now makes up roughly half of cases nationally and 60% of COVID cases in the western region, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which released its latest variant analysis on Tuesday. Health officials said they dont yet know what impact the highly transmissible BA.2 will have on cases  or subsequent hospitalization and death rates  in the weeks to come, especially in well-vaccinated places like the Bay Area. California officials hoped to see cases continue dropping, perhaps to levels reported last spring and early summer, but they may stabilize or climb again as BA.2 gains traction.

For now, the Bay Area is reporting between 550 and 700 new cases a day across all nine counties, about the same as during the brief lull between last falls delta surge and when omicron took over in mid-December. Thats still more than two or three times higher than last spring, when cases dropped below 200 a day.

We are looking across the whole pandemic at one of the calmest moments weve seen, Dr. Nicholas Moss, the Alameda County health officer, said in a briefing to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. Its not clear yet when we will see increases due to BA.2, if at all. A spring wave due to BA.2 is still possible, and the timing and size are not yet clear.

Moss said he believes cases could drop a bit lower in Alameda County, but we are no longer seeing substantial decreases.

In neighboring Contra Costa County, health officials are seeing similar trends, Anna Roth, director of county health, said in a Tuesday briefing to her Board of Supervisors. While were seeing more cases of what everyones hearing about, BA.2, in our county, we dont see any signs of surge at this point.

Hospitalizations are continuing their steady decline across California, including in the Bay Area, though numbers are still double the pandemic low point last spring. There are fewer than 300 people hospitalized with COVID in the region, the lowest number since early December. Encouragingly, the number of COVID patients in intensive care is very close to the pandemic low: 45 people were in Bay Area ICUs as of Monday, just seven more than last spring. Several counties, including Alameda and San Francisco, have been at or below their COVID low points for ICU patients in recent days.

The intensive care numbers reflect the evolving shape of the pandemic, as the virus bumps against an increasingly immune population. Community immunity due to vaccination and previous infection may never reach levels high enough to completely wipe out the virus, but theyre already blunting the severity of disease for most people. Health experts say they expect that trend to continue through whatever happens with BA.2 and subsequent variants.

Last year, community transmission of 8 to 10 or more cases per 100,000 residents seemed too unsafe to drop protective health measures like masks, said Stephen Shortell, former dean of the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. Now, 10 cases per 100,000 seems more palatable, given how few of those cases are winding up in the hospital or intensive care. The Bay Area is currently reporting about 7 to 9 cases per 100,000 a day.

As a public health person, I would wish it to be a little lower, Shortell said. But what it is now, and the fact that it isnt going up  people are getting used to that as the new normal. Weve established a new marker of what people are comfortable with.

Health officials say theyre keeping a close eye on what BA.2 is doing in other parts of the world, and especially places in Europe with vaccination rates similar to the U.S. But the scene there is patchwork, with some countries experiencing large spikes in new cases while others seem barely fazed by BA.2, said Dr. George Rutherford, a UCSF infectious disease expert. That makes it especially challenging to predict what may happen in the Bay Area.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

If you look at the Western European countries, half have been going up and half have been going down, said Rutherford, adding that the situation in Ukraine may further complicate efforts to contain the virus across Europe. There is the great super-spreader event going on right now: the evacuation of Ukraine. Vaccination rates are very low in the neighboring countries and werent great in Ukraine, either.

What happens in the Bay Area this spring and summer will depend on a wide variety of factors, experts said, including new variants emerging, the durability of immunity from vaccines and previous infection, peoples behavior, and the will of health officials to enact more mitigation measures  such as putting mask mandates back in place.

Indeed, Moss told the county supervisors that local health officials are thinking about the conditions in which masks may be required again, though he didnt anticipate that happening soon. He suggested Bay Area counties may want to bring back mask mandates earlier than the CDC would advise under its recently updated guidance. But one area of uncertainty is how many people will abide by such mandates now, Moss said.

We need to prepare for potentially lower local buy-in than weve seen in prior waves, just given pandemic fatigue and more of a patchwork of masking around the state, he said.

Erin Allday is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: eallday@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @erinallday
Regarding U.S. has double standard on war crimes court (News, March 28): President Biden has correctly labeled Vladimir Putin a war criminal for his assault on Ukraine, and Vice President Kamala Harris and the Senates call to bring Putin and his commanders before the International Criminal Court in The Hague is justified. They all would have much greater moral authority if the United States were to practice what it preaches and end its refusal to join most of the world and come under the jurisdiction of the court.

As UC Berkeley law professor Laurel Fletcher stated in the article: Biden wants to rehabilitate the United States reputation internationally, and one way to do that is to hold itself to the same standard that it advocates for others.

Tom Miller, Oakland

Protest is free speech

Regarding Students mute freedom (Letters to the Editor, March 29): The UC Hastings students who shouted down a speaker with whom they strongly disagree are not abridging that persons right to free speech. Legal scholar Ilya Shapiro is well-known, and he has ample opportunities to express his opinions. In fact, the students were practicing their right of free speech.

The First Amendment prohibits only Congress from passing laws that abridge freedom of speech or press. As the students were using their collective voice, they were also exercising their right to peaceably assemble.

People have the right to not listen or disagree with another persons mean-spirited jibber jabber.

People who fail to read the Constitution are doomed to misquote it.

Kevin Murphy, San Carlos

CSU expands access

Regarding CSU ends entrance exam requirement (Bay Area & Business, March 24): The California State University system made a stride in the right direction for equity in admissions by dropping SAT and ACT requirements.

As a first generation, low-income student from an under-resourced community and public school, I experienced first-hand the pressures and obstacles of these standardized exams. I took the SAT over six times before finally getting a decent enough score to apply to competitive schools. That came at a large cost, both mentally and monetarily.

Additionally, local testing sites had a small capacity and would fill up, so at times the closest available testing center was an hour away.

This news is appreciated, especially since standardized testing already has its own fair share of complaints outside of equity. This decision by the CSU will break down another barrier to accessing higher education.

Tania Salceda, Berkeley

Slap is a crowd pleaser

Will Smith has become a cause celebre for the slap heard and seen around the world. Initially, some thought it was just a skit. When it became clear it was not, most were shocked or felt uncomfortable. Its the Oscars. Havent revenge stories been popular as far back as Greek and Roman times, and audiences love the fantasy of a High Noon moment, where the aggrieved party hurts those who have hurt them.

Maybe Smith should have refrained from giving into his impulse for revenge, but deep down the audience loved it.

Ralph Stone, San Francisco

Academy staged it

The slap was wrong and making someones medical condition the butt of a joke is always tasteless, cruel and absolutely not funny.

This was a set up. Will Smith was a favorite for best actor. Chris Rock has gone after Smiths wife before. Connect the dots.
While Will Smith slapping Chris Rock will undoubtedly be the most talked about moment from the 2022 Oscars, there was another momentous occurrence at the awards show that not nearly enough people have recognized.

With her win for Best Supporting Actress, Afro-Latina Ariana DeBose became the first openly queer woman of color to nab one of the film industrys most coveted awards in an acting category. But if you think her win, and other pro-LGBTQ speeches during the show, mean Hollywood has fundamentally changed, youre wrong.

Hollywood still has a gay problem.

For decades, heterosexual and cisgender actors have built or capped their careers by playing LGBTQ characters to great acclaim. Think Tom Hanks bravely agreeing to play a gay man dying of AIDS in Philadelphia or Sean Penn subverting his macho reputation as a gay political trailblazer in Milk. This career strategy continues to pay off. Benedict Cumberbatchs two Academy Award nominations for Best Actor, including this year for The Power of the Dog, were for playing a gay man. Two of Penelope Cruzs four Academy Award nominations, for her work in Vicky Cristina Barcelona and this years nomination for Parallel Mothers, were for playing queer women.

But the career boost does not work in reverse. Openly LGBTQ actors generally do not win acclaim for playing heterosexual, cisgender characters. No one is praising DeBose for acting straight. Indeed, DeBose is unusual because openly LGBTQ actors are generally not cast in Oscar caliber movies as queer or straight characters.

My center at the UC Berkeley School of Law systematically analyzed all Academy Award acting nominations since 1960. Our analysis of more than half a century of Hollywoods most prestigious awards shows there is a huge gap between what Hollywood says and what it actually does when it comes to support for the LGBTQ community.

Overall, we found that in over 60 years, just nine openly LGBTQ actors have ever received an Oscar nomination  less than 1% of all nominations. Our research also found that of the 1,260 nominations in an acting category since 1960, just 69 were for LGBTQ roles and none of the 14 wins for those characters were by an LGBTQ actor. In fact, only two of the 69 queer roles nominated were played by an LGTBQ-identified actor. While the number of queer roles that have been nominated for an Oscar has increased since 2000, all of those roles were played by heterosexual actors.

This status quo is even more troubling when LGBTQ identity is juxtaposed with race. Hollywood has a long, sordid history of casting white actors to play people of color  the most controversial recent examples being casting Scarlett Johansson in 2017s Ghost in the Shell and Emma Stone in 2015s Aloha in Asian and Asian American roles. Fortunately, protests over yellowface in these films generally shut down this practice. After the racial uprising of 2020, media companies also began pulling old episodes of TV series that featured blackface off streaming services.

There are also encouraging signs that Hollywood has retreated from casting cisgender actors as transgender, after Johansson and Halle Berry abandoned trans roles following social media-fueled outcries. But this new consciousness has not been extended to gay, lesbian and bisexual characters. The contrast was palpable when Hank Azaria finally stepped back from voicing an Indian immigrant in The Simpsons in 2020. Within a few months, it was announced that Azaria, a heterosexual man, would play Apple CEO Tim Cook, who is openly gay.

Ideally, art  including film  should reflect back to audiences who we are and what we aspire to be. It has the potential to change opinions, instill values and translate human experience across geography and time. But the lack of LGBTQ roles and the industrys aversion to casting LGBTQ actors in such roles telegraph to the public that the LGBTQ presence in society is inconsequential at best.

Without substantial queer roles embodied by queer people, this leaves the public with mainly examples of stereotypical LGBTQ portrayals that play on straight anxiety and use LGBTQ people for a cheap laugh. At a time where some states such as Florida are trying to stamp out any mention of gay and trans identities in schools, it is crucial that LGBTQ actors have the opportunity to represent the LGBTQ community in roles that meaningfully reflect our complex humanity.

Some might argue that a push for increasing LGBTQ roles and their casting with openly LGBTQ actors means that queer actors should be limited to roles that only reflect that identity. But doing so would limit these actors to a small fraction of all roles, which would not be true for white heterosexual and cisgender actors if that rule were applied to them. Moreover, such a rule would effectively pressure LGBTQ actors to remain closeted so they could have access to more opportunities, when queer people already face enough personal challenges with deciding whether to come out.

The public needs to see actual queer people on the screen in rich roles whether the characters are queer or not. More importantly, the LGBTQ community, especially LGBTQ children, needs to see itself portrayed in meaningful and diverse ways. When actors such as DeBose proudly own their identities on stage, they empower young queer people to envision an authentic and flourishing future for themselves.

Russell K. Robinson is the Walter Perry Johnson Professor of Law and faculty director of the Center for Race, Sexuality and Culture at the UC Berkeley School of Law.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

TIJUANA  Carrying a folder of documents and clutching her young sons hand, the woman from Guerrero approached the gate and asked in Spanish how she could enter. With her other children a short distance away, the mother of four explained they were escaping cartels that had threatened her at gunpoint.

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers waved her away.

It was a hectic mid-March morning at the San Ysidro border crossing, where Ukrainians and Russians fleeing the war between their countries joined other migrants seeking passage into the United States. A local Tijuana official eventually told the mother from Guerrero that the U.S. was closed to migrants and suggested she go to a shelter. Yet journalists and immigration attorneys are witnessing people with Ukrainian documents being allowed to cross without visas, while people from other countries are denied the same treatment.

The official reason is a public health policy that the Trump administration invoked at the start of the pandemic and that the Biden administration signaled on Wednesday it will finally wind down. Called Title 42, the policy authorized federal immigration authorities to quickly expel asylum seekers to countries that will take them and to block migrants from entering the U.S., despite there being a right to make asylum claims.

But federal immigration data shows that Title 42 is not enforced equally.

Before the war in Eastern Europe, more than 13,000 people from Russia, Ukraine, Romania and Turkey circumvented Title 42 and made their way into the U.S. through the southwest border from October 2021 through February. Only 35 people from those countries  or just over a quarter of a percent  were sent back.

Of the more than 14,000 people from Haiti who attempted the same passage over the same period, nearly 6,800 were expelled under the color of Title 42.

Many other migrants who are running for their lives in the same way that Ukrainians have been are not being allowed into the U.S. to seek asylum, said Jessica Bolter, an analyst with the Migration Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. It really does demonstrate the arbitrary nature of which asylum claims are allowed to proceed under Title 42.

Carlos A. Moreno/Special to The Chronicle

Julia Neusner, a refugee-protection attorney at Human Rights First, spent the past week monitoring the situation at the San Ysidro border. On her first morning, she observed some 20 Ukrainian refugees file through concrete barricades into the U.S. She watched a family from Michoacan, who told her of death threats from organized gangs that had killed other relatives, try to do the same. Neusner said U.S. border authorities turned back the mother, father and their two young children.

Ukrainians absolutely should be welcomed into the United States, Neusner said. But I think the fact that Ukrainians who arrive at the southern border are just being so readily admitted to the United States really undermines the administrations claim that Title 42 is about public health.

A White House spokesperson told The Chronicle earlier this week that Title 42 is still in effect and, as such, anyone attempting to enter the country unlawfully  regardless of country of origin  will be subject to border restrictions including possibly expulsion.

The federal governments own tracking shows Title 42 is applied disproportionately.

From October 2021 through February, U.S. Customs and Border Protection used the public health policy to expel nearly 427,000 migrants encountered at the southwest border, including 269,000 people from Mexico and 144,000 people from the Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

One of the reasons 97% of expulsions involve people from four countries is because Mexico has agreed to accept them, Bolter said, making it easier for the U.S. to turn them back across the border rather than arrange flights to their home countries, which requires coordination with their governments and is more resource-intensive.

But logistical challenges dont seem to apply when it comes to Haitians, who were sent back to a country devastated by natural disasters and political turmoil at a 47% expulsion rate over the past five months, Customs and Border Protection figures show.

Outside of Mexico and the three Northern Triangle countries, theres only one country with a significant migration flow to the U.S.-Mexico border that has a rate of expulsion above 10%  and thats Haiti, Bolter said. It seems as though the U.S. has decided to expend these limited resources on Haitian expulsions rather than expulsions of some other nationalities.

Over the past two years, shelters in Mexican border states have filled to capacity with migrants contemplating their next move. On March 21, the two-year anniversary of Title 42s implementation, migrants marched from Tijuana shelters to the San Ysidro border demanding an end to the policy. In San Francisco, protesters gathered outside a federal building where they called the policy racist and discriminatory.

Three days later, Noel, a 22-year-old Haitian man, approached the gate in San Ysidro. He came from a nearby shelter where hed spent two months, hoping each time he left that border guards would let him through. A family of five from Michoacan and a single mother escaping domestic violence were also at the port of entry. None were allowed into the U.S. to request asylum, which would put them on a procedural path to state their case before an immigration judge.

Title 42s unequal application was present in the five months before Russia invaded Ukraine, when people from both countries were flying into Mexico as tourists and entering the U.S. at high rates. This includes almost 7,200 people from Russia, driven by President Vladimir Putins intensifying crackdown on political dissidents and independent media.

Now it appears Russians are mostly being denied entry under Title 42. San Francisco immigration attorney Alex Tovarian has been at the San Ysidro border helping Ukrainians navigate the trip from the Tijuana airport to the port of entry and into the United States. He told The Chronicle that Customs and Border Patrol did not allow any Russians to enter last weekend despite his efforts to plead their case.

In an emailed statement to The Chronicle, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Eduardo Maia Silva said that DHS continues to grant Title 42 exceptions to particularly vulnerable individuals of all nationalities for humanitarian reasons. All exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis.

Bolter said any moves to ease the path for Russians into the country would only highlight disparities in how the U.S. government applies Title 42.

News that the Biden administration could lift Title 42 by late May was both significant and not entirely surprising, Bolter said Wednesday, as the president has been under intensifying pressure from congressional Democrats and immigration advocates to distance himself from the harsh immigration policies of his predecessor.

Title 42 has gotten increasingly hard for the administration to justify, what with lowered COVID case counts, widely available preventative measures, and the administrations changed approach to the pandemic, Bolter said via email.

Bolter said the effects of eliminating the policy would be quickly felt, allowing the vast majority of asylum seekers to enter the U.S. and make their claims inside the nations borders.

Karen Musalo, a UC Hastings law professor and director of the schools Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, credited grassroots activists for shifting stubborn political headwinds.

Title 42 was a real moral failure, she said. The immigrant rights community mobilized to call for an end to it and did not let up the pressure.

Chronicle freelance photographer Carlos Moreno contributed to this report.

Deepa Fernandes and Raheem Hosseini (he/him) are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: deepa.fernandes@sfchronicle.com, raheem.hosseini@sfchronicle.com; Twitter: @deepafern, @raheemfh
Federal regulators have threatened to pull critical funding from San Franciscos Laguna Honda Hospital after two patients overdosed at the facility last year, a dramatic measure that could force the hospital to shut down.

Officials with San Franciscos health department, which runs Laguna Honda, said Wednesday that the hospital had fallen out of regulatory compliance, putting its funding from Medicare and Medicaid in jeopardy. Laguna Honda, one of the largest skilled nursing facilities in the country, is run by the city and cares for more than 700 patients, including people with dementia, drug addiction and other complex medical needs, who live on the hospitals campus.

The hospital has until April 14 to remedy a number of issues identified by state health officials  including the presence of contraband found on Laguna Hondas campus  in order to stave off a potential financial calamity that could displace hundreds of medically fragile patients.

State officials said they were working with Laguna Honda to bring the hospital into compliance and avoid closure.

Theres a commitment from (Department of Public Health) and the city to keep Laguna Honda open, Roland Pickens, director of the San Francisco Health Network, told The Chronicle. But it would be very difficult financially to remain open without the reimbursement payments from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Laguna Honda began a correction plan with the California Department of Public Health in October, after state officials found the hospital in a state of substandard quality of care, according to a statement from the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

The finding came after staff at Laguna Honda reported two overdoses at the hospital in July, neither of them fatal. Hospital officials disclosed these incidents to the state, adhering to a self-reporting requirement that Laguna Honda implemented in 2019, after a state investigation turned up evidence of patient abuse.

By documenting the overdoses, Laguna Honda triggered an extended survey by the state, which led to the states conclusion in October that the hospital had fallen out of compliance. With the correction plan in place, hospital staff had six months to fix deficiencies and enhance safety measures, including steps to eliminate drug paraphernalia or illicit substances from the campus.

Although Pickens and Laguna Honda CEO Michael Phillips said in an interview that the hospital worked diligently to retrain its staff and remind workers to be on the lookout for banned items, state regulators witnessed violations when they inspected the site. In January, state regulators concluded that one hospital worker was not following protocols. This month, inspectors discovered a patient was smoking in a communal bathroom, while another patient on oxygen had a lighter.

On March 22, the state put Laguna Honda in immediate jeopardy for noncompliance with federal regulations and standards, a severe designation that officials lifted five days later after the hospital quickly responded with restrictions on visitors bringing in items and increased safety searches, among other reforms. Laguna Honda officials are contemplating new security infrastructure, such as scanning machines at entrances to screen visitor packages for prohibited materials.

Still, the six-month window is closing for the hospital to substantially finish its corrective plan, while also resolving the problems uncovered at the subsequent site visits.

The looming deadline puts strain on an institution that managed to avert a deadly coronavirus surge in 2020, but is still grappling with the abuse scandal of 2019, which Pickens and Phillips said had no bearing on the current remedial plan. Last year the city agreed to pay $800,000 to settle one of three lawsuits filed by patients alleging they were abused by staff. One of the cases is a class action, involving multiple plaintiffs.

Phillips, the CEO, pointed to the challenges that plague Laguna Honda.

We care for some of the most vulnerable residents in the city of San Francisco, he said, many of whom have histories of substance abuse, which may persist as they undergo treatment. Since the hospital is not a locked facility, people can come and go as they please, opening the possibility that they may procure drugs outside and then return to campus, Phillips said.

Despite our best efforts, illicit substances will eventually find their way onto our campus, Phillips said. Were continuously looking for ways to improve our protocols so that we can find more innovative ways to identify these substances and keep them away from our residents.

Staff at the hospital struggle to balance patients privacy and freedom of movement with the need to sustain a safe environment and take a hard line on illicit substances or materials. Phillips and Pickens said their discussions with regulators have been amicable and collaborative, but that the state is still obliged to follow a process that puts the hospital at risk of shutting down.

Its a perfunctory process that was triggered by the October incident, Pickens said, suggesting that if the state had been quicker to validate all of the hospitals reforms, perhaps we wouldnt be so close to the April 14 deadline.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Laguna Honda relies on payments from Medi-Cal and Medicaid to fund most of its services, since most patients are low- or extremely-low-income and burdened with complicated medical needs. It was unclear where patients would go if the hospital is unable to stay afloat.

As you can imagine, theres a shortage of skilled nursing beds throughout the country, Pickens said. California and San Francisco are no exception. It would take quite a while, if it ever came to trying to find new placements for those 700 patients at Laguna.

He hopes for what he says is a more likely scenario: All agencies collaborate to bring Laguna into compliance by April 14.

In a statement, California Department of Public Health officials said, Resident and worker safety remains our highest priority, and we continue to coordinate closely with Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, and our local and federal partners to help ensure the facility meets the regulatory requirements to provide safe and appropriate care to all residents and patients, the statement read.

Phillips contended that, in spite of past missteps, Laguna Honda has done everything it can to earn the publics trust.

As you can imagine, there are thousands of interactions with caregivers and patients throughout any given day, he said. There are multiple opportunities for bad outcomes. And yet, in the vast majority of cases, there are no bad outcomes. There are just a small handful of these things that happen, and we report them, as we are required to do.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
Forecasts indicate its possible for parts of Northern California to see auroral activity from the northern lights early Wednesday evening into Thursday morning after a strong solar eruption headed directly toward Earth at a speed of approximately 1.88 million mph on Monday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Space Weather Prediction Center.

Typically, this colorful phenomenon can only be seen in the Arctic and Antarctic regions surrounding the planets magnetic poles, said Ben Burress, an astronomer at the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland. He explained that the lights occur when electrically charged particles called plasma, which is charged hydrogen and helium, stream outward from the sun to generate solar wind.

That wind interacts with Earths magnetic field, which then acts as a shield to deflect those particles and protect us inside. But as some of the plasma gets trapped in the magnetic field, it has the potential to travel down through the poles and interact with the Earths atmosphere, producing light known as the auroras. (The process is similar to how a neon light works, according to the NOAA.)

If the solar wind is particularly strong due to eruptions or explosions in the suns atmosphere, it generates a coronal mass ejection, which can produce exceptional aurora activity, said Burress.

When a burst impacts Earths magnetic field, it buffets it, causing fluctuations in the field that agitate the trapped electrical particles, thus energizing the interaction with the ionosphere, said Burress. When this happens, auroras become stronger, brighter and often more widespread.

This is expected to occur later tonight if conditions are favorable, with dark skies and little to no cloud cover.

It is quite rare for auroras to become visible at our latitude, and it doesn't look like we stand to see any from this event here in the Bay Area, said Burress. The best I can say is if you live on the northern end of the state, within 50 or 100 miles of the California-Oregon border, you have a shot at it.

Auroras come in many different shapes, according to the NOAA, sometimes appearing to look like a curtain made of folds of cloth or a puffy cloud when seen in the early morning. They can move quite rapidly as they stretch, twist and sway.

If youre in the area, it might be worth staying up to take a look. Its not something you see every day, said Burress.
BRUSSELS  As envoys made progress in peace talks Tuesday, Russia offered concessions that signaled a more realistic course for the war in Ukraine, while indicating it is also in no hurry to end the conflict, according to diplomats and analysts.

Russias deputy defense minister, Alexander Fomin, presented the decision to sharply reduce military activity around the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and the northern city of Chernihiv as a gesture to increase mutual trust for future negotiations.

But the Russian advance in the north had already stalled, with troops around Kyiv taking up defensive positions in the face of Ukrainian counterattacks there and near Sumy, where Russia has been having trouble encircling the main Ukrainian army east of the Dnieper River.

De-escalation is a euphemism for retreat, said Lawrence Freedman, emeritus professor of war studies at Kings College London. Russia is adjusting its goals to reality, because war is quite empirical, he said. Its not a ruse to say that they are concentrating on the Donbas, because in reality thats all they can do.

But retreat is hardly surrender, and others cautioned that the progress made Tuesday doesnt mean that Russia is ready for serious discussions on ending the war. That would require a better outcome for President Vladimir Putin of Russia to sell at home as a victory.

On Tuesday, the Ukrainians outlined a 15-year process of negotiations about the status of Crimea, and said that control of the Donbas region could be discussed in meetings between Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. Russia has said it would only set a meeting between the two presidents once a draft peace agreement was ready.

Some analysts say such an agreement would, at minimum, have to give Russia control of Mariupol, a besieged port city in Ukraine that is still somehow holding out, to create a secure land route between two areas that Russia occupies: Crimea to the west, and the Donbas, to the east. And it would also, they say, have to cede control over the two administrative regions in the Donbas, Luhansk and Donetsk, which Putin has already declared to be independent republics.

Russia is in no place to negotiate seriously because they have to do better in the war, said Francois Heisbourg, a French defense analyst with the Foundation for Strategic Research. This is a chance for the Russians to consolidate, to regroup, to remove themselves from places out of reach logistically, where they have already run out of food and ammunition.

Some senior Western officials agreed, saying that the Russians were badly short of artillery shells and other ammunition and needed to resupply.

Nor will Putin easily end the war, Heisbourg said. If he takes the area east of the Dnieper, that may be enough for now, but he will rebuild his army and continue.

For both sides, said Robin Niblett, director of Chatham House, a London research institution, the negotiations are not serious, in the sense that negotiations now for both sides are a continuation of the war, not a solution. Russia can concentrate on the east, and Ukraine will find it hard to move from its agile defense to serious counterattacks, he said. And Putin hasnt forgotten about Kyiv.

Even if Putin can control and settle for another partition of Ukraine in the east, Ukraine has to sign up for it, and if not, I dont think we lift the sanctions, Niblett said.

His colleague Mathieu Boulegue, a French scholar who studies the Russian military, agrees that Russia is not negotiating in good faith, but testing the waters and applying for time, to regroup and reequip militarily and make more gains on the ground.

The Russian military appears to have taken control of what might be called phase two of a botched operation, he said, which should have been phase one. Taking Mariupol, the land bridge and the Donbas would have been the grown-up military plan. Modern warfare is half information warfare, Boulegue said, and success is what you make of it, especially in a repressive media environment as in Russia now.

The Russian forces inability to capture cities and keep territory is apparent after a month, he said, so strategic goals have had to change.

But to completely withdraw from Kyiv would allow the Ukrainians to reinforce the Donbas region and give them a significant victory, Michael Kofman, director of Russia studies at CNA, a defense research institution in Virginia, suggested in a tweet.

Traveling in Morocco, Secretary of State Antony Blinken also cast doubt on Russias pledge to reduce hostilities. There is what Russia says and theres what Russia does, he said Tuesday. Were focused on the latter. And what Russia is doing is the continued brutalization of Ukraine and its people, and that continues as we speak.

Russia did not stop fighting after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, but actively supported the separatists in the Donbas, said Ian Bond, a former British diplomat in Russia and head of foreign policy for the Center for European Reform. Im a skeptic about the Russians giving up on the war, he said. Weve seen this movie before in 2014 and 2015. I view this as only a pause.

Ian Garner, a historian of Russian propaganda, pointed out on Twitter that Putins Russia  indeed, post-Soviet Russia  has been engaged in mucky, endless conflicts for years, citing Transnistria in Moldova, Abkhazia in Georgia and the Donbas, all areas in other countries where Russian forces back separatist movements. Not ended, maybe, he said, but in the intermission.

The senior Ukrainian negotiator, Mykhailo Podolyak, suggested after the talks Tuesday that the two sides were talking seriously about neutrality for Ukraine, a treaty guaranteeing its security by NATO member states like the United States, Britain, Turkey, France and Germany, a cease-fire and humanitarian corridors.

Ukrainian and Western officials also suggested that Russia would be willing for a demilitarized Ukraine to join the European Union, so long as it forswears joining NATO or hosting any foreign forces.

But security analysts questioned the sincerity of such an agreement.

Bond said that the problem with Ukraines notion of neutrality is that so far none of the countries it wants to guarantee it would agree to do so. It would be like NATO membership with collective defense by another name, so highly unlikely, he said.

As for EU membership, Niblett said, that would represent the largest danger to Putin, who helped stimulate the 2014 revolt in Ukraine when he forced then-President Viktor Yanukovych to renege on a trade agreement with the bloc. If Ukraine joined now, Niblett said, the country would develop economically even faster, in contrast to Russia, and you would end up with a South Korea next to a North Korea, and I cant see Putin accepting that.

Even more, he said, the EU treaties contain a collective defense promise as well.

Still, Boulegue said, the EU needs to give Ukraine a clear response about its prospects for membership. Whether that leads to EU membership or not is not for Russia to decide, he said. But the EU needs to be absolutely clear about the future of Ukraine going forward. Its the moral thing to do.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
SPRINGFIELD  There are growing issues of trust with how Illinois is managing its legal cannabis industry.

Illinois legalized adult-use cannabis beginning in January 2020. Since then, the states limited number of dispensaries have sold nearly $2.3 billion worth of marijuana products.

Taxes collected by the state, which can be in excess of 40% depending on the potency, total nearly $680 million. Local governments can tack on even more taxes.

Cannabis Business Association of Illinois Executive Director Pam Althoff said theres an oversupply of the product because of ongoing litigation challenging the application scoring process for new dispensaries.

The next tranche of dispensary licenses that were supposed to be awarded a year ago still are in the legal system and they have a temporary restraining order placed up on them so there are no new dispensaries, Althoff told a Springfield radio station.

There are 110 original dispensaries throughout Illinois, including one in Collinsville, with 185 potential licensees waiting. The situation is frustrating to consumers and business owners alike, Althoff said.

Its extraordinarily frustrating and it creates a great deal of anger and I think just distrust with the entire process, Althoff said.

During a Senate committee hearing last week, state Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville, raised another issue of trust surrounding the states regulation of the industry.

Plummer questioned Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer Danielle Perry about recent stories of mold being found in some pre-rolled joints. He said no one warned the public of the problem, though there was an internal email within the state to quarantine the product.

Perry said the product was quarantined as a precaution, though state testing didnt find any issues.

From a consumer protection perspective, the responsibility I believe of the agency is to inform the company and for the company is to inform the consumer, Perry said.

Plummer said the state needs to take a larger role in such announcements.

If a state lab finds an issue with a product, I think a state lab, once a confirmation is made, should probably be disseminating that information to the public if theres a health or safety issue there, Plummer said.
Mark Vande Hei, a NASA astronaut, returned to Earth on Wednesday with two Russian counterparts, landing in Kazakhstan after he spent 355 days in space.

Vande Hei and his Russian crewmates, Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov, flew home together in a Russian spacecraft, guided by Russian flight controllers. At the landing site, Vande Hei was met by a contingent of NASA and Russian personnel, a close collaboration between the two space agencies that has continued despite Russias deadly invasion of Ukraine and the tensions it has caused between Moscow and the West.

The three men returned to a world where cooperation between Russia and the United States to preserve the future of the International Space Station can no longer be taken for granted.

The space station was meant to be a marvel of peaceful post-Cold War amity between Moscow and Washington, drawing Russia into the community of international collaboration and preventing Russian rocket engineers from selling expertise to countries like North Korea seeking to build better missiles.

In an interview on NASA Television last week, Vande Hei referred indirectly to the war in Ukraine while discussing the legacy of cooperation in orbit.

This is a very challenging time for international relations, Vande Hei said. My hope is that in our attempt to further and find peace throughout the world, that these type of connections that we have can be maintained and serve as a path forward.

But in the past month, Russia has faced withering sanctions, condemnation and growing isolation from Western nations. President Joe Biden harshly condemned President Vladimir Putin for the invasion.

NASA has tried to stay above the fray for the past month with minimal statements saying that operations on the space station are unaffected. But the ongoing military conflict could test its ability to continue working with Roscosmos, the state corporation that runs Russias space activities.

Now on the ground, Vande Hei is being greeted by NASA flight doctors, public affairs officials and representatives from the astronauts office and the space station management. Gary Jordan, a NASA spokesman, said that there should be no deviation from the typical process for receiving American astronauts returning on Russias Soyuz spacecraft.

After initial medical checks, the astronauts rest for a while in tents before traveling by helicopter to the airport, where Vande Hei and his NASA colleagues will get on a Gulfstream jet and take off. About 24 hours after landing in Kazakhstan, Vande Hei will be back in Houston.

While NASA and Roscomos appear to have worked together Wednesday to bring their crew back from orbit, their cooperation was preceded in recent weeks by tense outbursts.

Dmitry Rogozin, who leads the Russian space program, has made bellicose statements on social media. He shared a video that suggested the Russians might leave Vande Hei behind. NASA officials have carefully sidestepped what Rogozin has said and insisted that nothing has changed.

For the safety of our astronauts, the working relationship between NASA and our international partners continues, Bill Nelson, the NASA administrator, said during his State of NASA speech on Monday. And that includes the professional relationship between the cosmonauts and our astronauts.

While NASA remains mum, Scott Kelly, a retired astronaut who held the record for consecutive days in space by an American until Vande Hei passed it recently, feuded publicly this month with Rogozin. He stopped at NASAs request.

At the same time, Russian and European cooperation has all but collapsed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The European Space Agency postponed a rover mission to Mars because it relied on a Russian rocket. And a British satellite internet company, OneWeb, canceled a series of launches that used Russias Soyuz rockets, shifting some of them to SpaceX rockets. Russia also said it would cease cooperative science experiments with Germany conducted on the Russian part of the space station. A German astronaut, Matthias Maurer, is currently a member of the crew.

Orbital construction of the International Space Station began in 1998 with the launch of the module Zarya. Financed by NASA and built by Russia, it is actually part of the NASA-led half of the space station reflecting American foreign policy at the time, which sought to sustain Russias space program during the economic tumult after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russian and American astronauts permanently moved into the fledging space station on Nov. 2, 2000, and the outpost has been crewed and cooperatively managed by the United States and Russia ever since, with assistance from European, Japanese and other international partners.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Indie rock bands alt-J & Portugal. The Man are co-headlining at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on April 1 with special guest Cherry Glazerr.

Tickets are available through StubHub and start around $75 for Floor General Admission.

Portugal. The Man & alt-J at Bill Graham Auditorium April 1 - Tickets stubhub.com Shop Now

The tour, which kicked off last month, follows the Feb. 11 release of alt-Js latest album The Dream featuring hits U&Me and Hard Drive Gold. Consisting of guitarist Joe Newman, keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton and drummer Thom Green, alt-J broke into the British alternative music space with the debut of their 2012 album An Awesome Wave. Known for their electronic-based pop sounds with heavy funk and folk influences, the trio has sold over two million studio albums and garnered critic and fan praise for chart-toppers like Breezeblocks, Left Hand Free and Fitzpleasure.

Portugal. The Man similarly established themselves as alternative hitmakers over the past decade, with the release of their RIAA certified-gold album Woodstock in 2017 and Grammy Award winning hit Feel It Still pushing the Portland-based band into the mainstream. John Gourley (guitar), Zach Carothers (bass), Kyle OQuin (synthesizer), Eric Howk (guitar), Jason Sechrist (drums) and Zoe Manville (vocals) make up the psychedelic ensemble famous for their shambolic sets, singalong verses and artistic flair.

The tours shows thus far have been visually stimulating, employing eye-catching graphics, lights and smoke machines to enhance the instrumentally diverse and genre-jumping setlists. Concertgoers can anticipate hearing hits from across the double headliners' catalogs as well as grungy new wave beats from the Los Angeles-based band Cherry Glazerr.

Grab your ticket for Fridays show now through StubHub.
Textile and garment - one of the key export items of Vietnam to the Korean market (Photo: SGGP)

According to Mr. Pham Khac Tuyen, First Secretary in charge of the Vietnam Trade Office in South Korea, Korea is a very attractive market for Vietnamese businesses. Vietnam has made efforts to export goods such as agricultural and aquatic products, processed food, textiles, footwear, furniture to Korea. Businesses had a chance to learn more from the consultation for promoting exports to this country.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade reported that in 2021, the bilateral trade turnover between Vietnam and South Korea reached US$78.1 billion, an increase of 18.33 percent compared to 2020.

Last year, Vietnam's export turnover to South Korea reached $21 3.9 billion, up 14.9 percent and import turnover reached $56.2 billion, up 19.7 percent over the same period in 2020.

In the first two months of 2022, bilateral trade turnover continued to grow strongly when the total import-export turnover of Vietnam and South Korea reached US$13.8 billion, up 19.03 percent over the same period in 2021.

By Phuc Van - Translated by Dan Thuy
Page Content

Nearly two years after enacting the first-in-the-nation permanent COVID-19 workplace safety and health standard, the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board voted to rescind its COVID-19 standard. The revocation took effect on March 23.

Following his inauguration in January 2022, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin made withdrawal of the COVID-19 standard a priority. Pursuant to Youngkin's Jan. 15 executive order, the board met in February 2022 and accepted the Department of Labor & Industry's recommendation that COVID-19 no longer posed a "grave danger" to workers and, therefore, the COVID-19 standard was no longer needed to keep workers safe. After a 30-day notice and comment period, the board voted to rescind the COVID-19 standard on March 21. The revocation became effective when a notice was published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper on March 23.

What Does This Mean for Employers?



Despite this significant development, the Virginia Occupational Safety & Health Administration (VOSH) can continue to inspect and cite employers for COVID-19-related safety concerns under existing regulations. These include requirements related to respiratory protection, sanitation, and personal protective equipment. In particular, Virginia employers should familiarize themselves with the General Duty Clause, which allows VOSH to cite employers for failing to provide a place of employment "free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm."

VOSH has also issued Guidance for Employers to Mitigate the Risk of COVID-19 to Workers, which encourages employers to continue taking certain steps to protect employees from the virus. The Guidance is set to take effect once the standard is revoked. These measures include:

Facilitate employees' getting vaccinated and boosted.

Encourage any workers with COVID-19 symptoms to stay home from work and seek advice on testing and treatment from their physician.

Require all workers infected with COVID-19 virus to stay home.

Provide workers with face coverings or surgical masks, as appropriate.

Encourage good sanitary work habits such as frequent hand washing.

Educate workers on COVID-19 policies and procedures using accessible formats and in languages they understand.

Operate and maintain ventilation systems in accordance with manufacturers' specifications to achieve optimal performance.

Record and report COVID-19 infections and deaths, which is mandatory under VOSH regulations.

Follow other applicable mandatory VOSH standards.

As COVID-19 subvariant B.A.2 cases continue to rise, Virginia employers should remain vigilant in protecting employees from COVID-19 infection.

Yvette V. Gatling, Lauren Bridenbaugh and Chuck Trowbridge are attorneys with Littler Mendelson in Tysons Corner, Va.  2022 Littler Mendelson. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission.
The civil aviation industry in India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing industries. India has become the third-largest domestic aviation market globally and will likely overtake the UK to become the third-largest air passenger market by 2024. Well, Covid-19 impacted Indian aviation quite roughly, and the onset of Omicron had exacerbated the situation.

Indias short aviation history, which is from the 1950s, has begun with the birth of Air India and Indian Airlines, the two publicly-owned and -run carriers. Once the industry had welcomed private scheduled operators and airlines such as Damania, East West, ModiLuft, and Jet Airways took to the skies. The years 2005 to 2014 saw heady growth in the number of air travelers within India and overseas. From 2014 to 2019, traffic growth remained steady, and the total number of aircraft operated by the Indian carriers crossed 700 by the end of 2019.

From 2020, every industry has faced various consequences due to the pandemic. So does the Indian aviation industry. It dealt a lethal blow to these glorious 15-odd years. In March 2020, traffic hit a standstill. The net effect can be seen in the drop of aircraft registered with the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA): On December 22, 2021, it was 658 in total. Additionally, the number in use was lower at 506, indicative at least partly of the sharp knock to demand.

It led to the termination of employees, sending them on leave without pay, or cutting their salaries. The government also had to extend the deadline for submitting bids for Air India five times during the year. Around 10 percent of the jobs in the Indian aviation sector were lost between April 2020 and December 2021 to the COVID-19 pandemic, as per Minister of State for Civil Aviation.

Optimistic age of Indian Aviation Industry

The post-pandemic period is a little optimistic. After the sale of Air India that experts, analysts, and those vested in the industry saw the next wave happening. Government and industry sources estimate that by 2028-30, the total Indian fleet will cross 1,000 aircraft, but airlines' cocktail and composition are likely to be altered.

As India's restrictions on international flights lift, many national and international airlines are ready to resume operations between India and other countries. Lately, many popular airlines, such as SpiceJet, Indigo, Akasa Air, Finnair, to name a few, have announced to launch of new flights.

SpiceJet has introduced seven new flights under the regional connectivity scheme UDAN including Gorakhpur-Varanasi. Both Gorakhpur and Varanasi are famous religious and tourist destinations in Uttar Pradesh. The airline will be operating its Boeing 737 and Q400 aircraft on these routes. Additionally, the Gorakhpur-Varanasi-Gorakhpur UDAN flight, the airline has rolled out flights on the Hyderabad-Puducherry-Hyderabad, Varanasi-Kanpur-Varanasi, and Varanasi-Patna segments under the regional connectivity scheme. The airline has also introduced eight industry-first flights, including Jaipur-Dharamshala and Tirupati-Shirdi sectors. The urge to explore the religious places would raise the business.

India's newest budget airline Akasa Air planned to launch its first commercial flight in June. The airline's chief executive Vijay Dube said they were working with the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to get the required clearances for commencing the air operations. The airline intends to have 18 aircraft within 12 months from launch and add 12-14 a year later. In November last year, Akasa Air placed an order for 72 Boeing 737 MAX jets.

Finland's flag carrier Finnair has also announced that it would connect Helsinki with India's financial capital Mumbai with a direct flight, starting July this year. Mumbai would be the airline's second destination in India after Delhi, where it has been flying since 2006. The to-be-launched flight on Mumbai-Helsinki and vice versa will be open for bookings from April 5 onwards. It would strengthen economic ties between India and Europe, and the launch of a new route signifies the region's growing importance. Finnair connects customers to almost 70 destinations in Europe and five destinations in the US, including Seattle, New York, Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles.

Thai Airways, the national carrier for Thailand, is likely to resume operations between the two countries. A popular destination for Indian travelers, VFS Global expects a surge in demand for its e-Visa on Arrival service for Thailand.

Anticipated Trends

As per the US-based aerospace company, Boeing has developed a comprehensive 10-year roadmap for the Centre-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) to modernize its air traffic management. "The roadmap aims to drive operational excellence and offer enhanced air traffic capacity for our flying public, and improved navigation, communication and surveillance for our users, making Indian skies seamless and safer to operate in," AAI Chairman Sanjeev Kumar stated. In 2019, Boeing and the AAI signed an agreement to develop the roadmap jointly.

"This is a proud moment for us at Boeing as we develop and present a comprehensive roadmap to AAI to be leveraged as national guidance in helping improve airspace utilisation, and maintain safe and efficient aircraft operations," Ahmed Elsherbini, chief engineer, Boeing India, said. (Source: Economics Times)

Indias aviation industry is largely untapped with tremendous growth opportunities, considering that air transport is still expensive for most of the countrys population, of which about 40% is the upwardly mobile middle class.

Hence, some distinct trends can be expected over the next decade. Such as, leading to a clean-up of the sector: more professionalism, more reasonable fares, capacity additions that reflect actual demand, healthier balance sheets, and cash balances, and better governance. In the process, it is argued many less-than-desirable practices will slowly vanish. This would be the most-awaited and desirable development. We live in the hope that India and its airlines might finally grow up economically as well as morally.
San Mateo, CA (94402)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies. Expect mist and reduced visibilities at times. High around 65F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 51F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Retailers and car-related stocks are tipped to benefit from a bounce in consumer spending and people doing more driving, after the budget promised voters $8.6 billion to address cost of living pressures, including the high price of petrol.

After the government temporarily slashed fuel excise and announced new payments and tax rebates for consumers on Tuesday night, analysts at UBS said retailers that served less affluent consumers stood to gain.

Analysts predicted the budgets measures to relieve cost of living pressures would give retail spending a boost. Credit:Arsineh Houspian

UBS strategist Richard Schellbach said potential beneficiaries included Coles, fashion retailer City Chic, homewares store Adairs, fast food giant Collins Foods, and Super Retail Group, which owns brands Supercheap Auto, BCF, Rebel and Macpac.

The budget included a one-off $250 payment to six million pensioners, carers, veterans, job seekers and concession card holders. It also included a one-off $420 increase in a low and middle income tax offset, which more than 10 million Australians earning up to $126,000 a year are set to receive after they file their tax returns for 2021-2022 financial year.
Among the hellish images of the summer of 2019-20 seared into the national consciousness, those of the besieged town of Mallacoota remain indelible. The morning sky eerily red from approaching flames, then blanketed by black smoke so thick that day seemed turned into night. Thousands of terrified residents and tourists fleeing to the beach, eventually to be evacuated by a navy warship. It was an apocalyptic vision that wouldnt have been out of place in a sci-fi film.

Its hard to imagine anything positive coming from such a catastrophe. Yet Peoples Republic of Mallacoota, a six-part documentary series shot over the two years following the blazes, chronicles an inspiring tale of empowerment, resilience and resolve. It illustrates how, in a time of crisis, a community, even one with radically divided opinions, can come together in an effort to determine its future.

Mallacoota resident Jess Van Swol in the aftermath of the catastrophic fires of 2019/20. Credit:Rachel Mounsey

Executive producer Joe Connor arrived in the northern Victorian coastal town five weeks after the New Years Day blazes tore through, destroying 123 homes. Hed received an alert from Good Food writer and regional specialist Richard Cornish that something interesting was happening there. Connors company, Renegade Films (RocKwiz), founded with his brother, Ken, had previously produced a range of documentaries, including Inside the Firestorm and Aftermath: Beyond Black Saturday, about the survivors of Victorias 2009 fires.

What he found on his exploratory initial visit was a very small town with a very wide range of opinions. Remote and ringed by national parkland, Mallacoota relies on its commercial fishing industry and tourist trade. Its home to shooters and sea changers, environmentalists, abalone divers and farmers, a range of people who value very different aspects of the place. Yet Connor notes with affection, the great thing about people in Mallacoota, no matter what their differences of opinion are, is that they have those opinions because theyre passionate about the place.
My son-in-law, employed at a Big Four bank, was congratulated on the impending birth of his first child. Then his manager took him aside. When I first heard this story, I immediately thought: Uh-oh! Here comes a warning about the impacts of family on career. But no, my son-in-laws manager said: Take your parental leave, mate. Best thing you will ever do.

Kids happy, parents happy, grandparents ecstatic for reasons utterly unrelated to parental leave except this: with our first child, we had six weeks of parental leave. That was all we had, and all we could afford.

When I heard the words paid parental leave out of the mouth of the Treasurer on budget night this week, I thought whoopee! More time. More support! How exciting to see the Coalition backing real reform when it comes to Australian families!

Fathers have been reluctant to take parental leave, but where they are encouraged they seize the opportunity.

Sucked in. Instead, Josh Frydenberg now says parents can share 20 weeks of government-backed leave, however the family chooses. Looks good on paper. Where once fathers had a two-week, use-it-or-lose-it clause  a father quota  and mothers had 18 weeks, its now 20 weeks, however the family carves it up. Its great for single parents, who previously had only 18 weeks. But I can tell you what will happen with couples. Too often the women will take those extra weeks.
Police investigating an alleged drug syndicate say they have uncovered the particularly gruesome murder of one of its members, whose family were the victims of an alleged extortion attempt by one of his alleged killers after he disappeared.

Jacky Kai Wong Chong, 24, was ostensibly in Australia on holidays from his native Malaysia, but was in reality working as a crop sitter for a south-east Asian crime group growing commercial amounts of marijuana on a remote property in Killongbutta, 40 kilometres from Bathurst, police said.

Three men were arrested in relation to the alleged murder. Credit:NSW Police

A crop sitter stays at the property and looks after the marijuana plants; police say that Mr Wong was monitoring between 500 and 1000 plants.

Investigators say he last spoke to a relative in Malaysia in late December 2020. They believe he was killed between December 25, 2020, and January 8, 2021, because of a dispute over money with more senior members of the gang.
Floods aid should be priority, not budget giveaways Mandy Nolans column detailing the loss, the misery and the human face of the floods stands in stark contrast to the budget night photos of smug men in suits, as she describes them (As the waters rise, so too the anger and despair, March 30). Beaming politicians pose for the cameras and distribute largesse to everyone except these desperate victims of the recent floods. Climate change is ignored, regional areas forgotten (unless theyre in marginal electorates) and there seems to be no coordinated government response to this catastrophic disaster. How can it be, in a wealthy country like Australia, that vulnerable flood victims have received precious little government assistance for weeks after the flood, with another one looming? Are those in the Canberra bubble so hard-hearted that they have totally forgotten the unprecedented scale of human suffering in these flood-affected areas as they lie, dry and warm, in their taxpayer-funded hotels, congratulating themselves on their vote-buying budget? Merona Martin, Meroo Meadow The childrens show Peppa Pig shows the main characters favourite activity is jumping in muddy puddles always followed by a bubbly bath and a warm bed. Im sure the people of the Northern Rivers and south-east Queensland facing their second inundation in as many weeks would like to follow suit (Here we go again: Northern NSW braces for more floods, March 30). The budget lacked emergency funds to restore their homes or rehouse them where there is electricity and hot water not to mention dry bedding and warm clothes. How much more abject misery can these people endure before the suits in the Canberra bubble get their minds off electioneering and do something about the floods and their root cause - climate change. Stephanie Edwards, Roseville Politicians are avoiding blame for climate change initiated catastrophes with the perennial cry: No one could have predicted this. Im calling it right now! The next 10 years will be filled with much more: flood, drought, bushfire, disease, species extinction, famine, polar melting, coral bleaching.

It will be exacerbated by continuing unaddressed climate change and it will affect the poor, the disadvantaged and the unprepared. And it will kill many, many people. Allan Kreuiter, Roseville On Wednesday, the flood levee at Lismore was breached for the second time in four weeks. Evacuation orders were re-issued for the CBD, North Lismore, South Lismore and East Lismore. SES and Defence personal were out again saving lives and property. Evacuation centres were reopened for flood victims. Last months flood was deemed a one in 3500 year flood by Barnaby Joyce. Id like to ask him whats this one? Kevin Bell, Repentance Creek

Salute to voice against gambling Sydney is the money laundering capital of the world and its shameless attraction to gambling is no better exemplified than this unenviable reputation (Minister queries future of casinos in NSW after inquiry evidence, March 30). It is refreshing that Rob Stokes has publicly questioned the illusory and ephemeral benefits of casinos, but much more must be done. Not just with a closed government inquiry into money laundering at pubs and clubs, but we also need to address the normalisation of gambling itself in the Australian psyche. Note the endless advertisements on free- to-air TV after 6pm. No wonder were going to the dogs, literally. Peter Neufeld, Mosman At last, a lone voice from the wilderness of Parliament. A man of courage and conviction and a moral spine to match. Your comments on casinos echoes the feelings of many in the community. I salute you. Gus Houng Lee, Eastwood Fuel independence If ever there was a time to get serious about the transition to fuel independence, its now (Twiggy Forrest bills himself as Europes Putin solution in $50b hydrogen deal, smh.com.au, March 30). We can see Europe held hostage to Putins gas supplies. Australias petrol reserves are held in the USA. The faster the world becomes self-sufficient in inexhaustible renewable energy the less we will need to kowtow to Russia, the Middle East, or wherever dictators take over. Brenton White, Mosman

Illustration: Matt Golding Credit: Pitch perfect Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells social conservatism may sometimes appear out of step with the zeitgeist, but her views on the Prime Minster are surely pitch perfect (Morrison a bully whos not fit to be PM, outgoing Liberal senator says, smh.com.au March 30) A highly educated and intelligent woman, her analysis of Scott Morrison as a person with no moral compass is damning. As someone seemingly with neither conviction nor common empathy, Morrisons days must be numbered when one of his own attacks with such surgical precision. Brian Haisman, Winmalee I suspect that there are many voters who have similar thoughts about Morrison, an autocrat, a bully, and a man without a moral compass, as shared by Fierravanti-Wells. Regardless of her criticisms, the Prime Minister could have used this opportunity to reflect on the contribution of the Senator over the past six years, shown some grace, then shut his mouth. Elizabeth Starr, Abbotsford

Gender bias The National Gallerys collection policy based on gender is a step too far (Gender plan framed to impress, March 30). Musicians auditioning for a place in an orchestra play screened from selectors so that decisions are made solely on the quality of their performance. Why not present works for potential acquisition without identifying the artist if the gallery is so concerned to avoid gender bias? Judith Campbell, Drummoyne Royal faux pas Whatever respect I had for the Queen disappeared when I heard she attended Prince Philips memorial service, walking down the aisle on the arm of the disgraced Prince Andrew (The Queens favourite son is back by her side, but The Firm is furious, smh.com.au, March 30), And this in the bastion of the Church of England. Della Strathen, Bowral

Love and violence There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness; Will Smith is quoted as saying (Smith apologises to Rock, March 30). This follows similar heartfelt statements from the Academy and others in the industry. Yet the same award ceremony venerated 50 years of The Godfather and welcomed the stars of Pulp Fiction during the night. Am I missing something? Steve Fortey, Avoca Beach The excessive coverage of the slap at the Oscars and the subsequent statements that they dont condone violence is a mockery of the fact that Hollywood produces gratuitously violent movies in the name profit, using pompous, overpaid and over-indulged actors. Neil Alexander, Grays Point The #MeToo movement revolutionised the power play between men and women by redefining the power balance (Letters, March 30). Perhaps women didnt need to fear male bullies as the power of words has now replaced physical violence. Unfortunately, your correspondent takes us back to the dark ages when women could only rely on a man to protect them. If Chris Rock had been a woman would Will Smiths reaction been acceptable? If the answer is no, perhaps its time men learned other forms of conflict resolution. Sally Shepard, Nelson Bay

Ties that bind Thank you, Chris Uhlmann for your call to unite and focus on what binds us. Not since the Second World War have we done so. In these troubled times, we need this more than ever (Unite and focus on what binds us, March 30). Andrew Macintosh, Cromer Coffee challenge I was just recovering from Tuesdays rainfall prediction of 445ml for NSW when I saw Elizabeth Jones challenge to beat $2 a cup for home filtered coffee and wondered if a few more decimal points had been misplaced: $10 for 200gms of coffee, $2.20 for 40 large filter papers, a few cents more for milk, sugar, electricity, water (Letters, March 30). At a very conservative estimate of 15 cups per packet thats 75c a cup and could be halved with coffee bought on special and not as strong.

Derrick Barclay, Ashfield Coffee made in Pyrex glass plungers used to be all the rage. There must be many a kitchen cupboard like mine, with four of various sizes pining away, waiting to be loved and wanted again. Lorna Denham, New Lambton Heights

Wrong Robert Although federal frontbencher Stuart Robert is not exactly my favourite minister (Letters, March 30), I must come to his defence when he is accused of something he hasnt done. Robert is not the NSW Planning Minister. The bloke who ditched the requirement to consider the risks of fires and floods before building new homes in NSW is our state minister Anthony Roberts. Col Shephard, Yamba Hard to handle I have a Welsh first name, which means snow, unfortunately I married a man of Italian extraction with a difficult name with a silent g e.g. tagliatelle (Letters, March 30). Now whenever I have to be called into a doctors surgery, I know when its my name as I watch the person struggling to figure out how to pronounce it. How I wish my mother had settled for Jane as my dad had wished. Eira Battaglia, Seaforth I have spent my life correcting people who think I cant pronounce or spell my first name. A receptionist dramatic entry into my new doctors room, breathlessly announcing my Medicare card had the wrong name, was well-timed  I was mid congratulating the doc for not addressing me as Geraldine. Gerardine Grace, Leura
The thousands whove walked through the Downing Centres ornate entrance expect two crucial things: justice and fairness. The courthouse complex, hosting the local and district courts, forms part of the Department of Justice.

Yet the centre  renamed in 1991 to honour former NSW attorney-general and minister for justice Reg Downing  carries the name of someone responsible for grave government-mandated injustice and unfairness, not widely known until last month.

Whats in a name? Sydneys Downing Centre court complex. Credit:Rhett Wyman

When I listened to a new podcast, The Greatest Menace, I was stupefied. Creators Patrick Abboud and Simon Cunich tell the story of whats believed to be the worlds only known prison specifically for gay men: Cooma jail in country NSW.

Once inside (for crimes related to homosexuality before its decriminalisation in NSW in 1984), inmates were experimented on to find the cause and cure of homosexuality, with the goal of eradication. Often they were entrapped by police who enticed them into sexual acts.
Footage of a person lowering an improvised bomb that exploded in the front yard of a Queensland home and left a man in hospital has been released.

The explosion happened about 5.30pm on Thursday, March 24, at Jacaranda Avenue in Kingston, south of Brisbane, when a 52-year-old man who resided at the address moved the bucket.

The victim was taken to the Princess Alexandra Hospital with serious lower leg, chest, abdominal and concussion injuries.

Another resident, a 48-year-old female resident, was not hurt.
The federal government has overlooked Victorians on two key spending initiatives, with a $7.1 billion regional investment fund controlled by Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce allocating nothing to the state, and billions promised in previous years for Melbourne infrastructure and urban development failing to materialise in the budget.

The Age can reveal that this years budget contained nothing about two so-called city deals for Melbournes south-east and north and west, announced in May 2019, which were intended to bring together local, state and federal governments to invest in projects to improve liveability and economic growth.

Melbourne traffic Credit:Wayne Taylor

The then minister for cities, Alan Tudge, said it would take between 12 and 18 months to finalise the agreements. But three years later, no agreement has been reached and no funding has been allocated. Melbourne is the only capital city in Australia without a city deal, though Geelong has secured one.

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas said the state government would continue to engage in talks on the city deals in good faith, but accused the Morrison government of crass cynicism on infrastructure promises.
The federal government is investigating the West Australian governments approval of a controversial $40 million bridge in Midland to see whether it poses a risk to nearby Aboriginal heritage sites.

Federal Environment Minister Sussan Leys office confirmed it received a request last week to urgently reassess the design of the four-lane Lloyd Street bridge, which crosses the Helena River, under section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act.

Opponents of the Lloyd Street bridge design say they are not being listened to.

The law allows the Commonwealth to protect areas and objects of significance to Australias indigenous people from being desecrated or injured.

Opponents of the bridge labelled its approval by the City of Swan and state government an environmental and cultural failure, and compared the situation to Rio Tintos destruction of the Juukan Gorge caves in 2020, given its construction will destroy one of the most important Noongar sites dating back 29,000 years.
The federal governments aged care bill has passed the Senate with amendments forcing aged care homes to have a registered nurse on site at all times.

Crossbench senator Rex Patrick is calling on the government, which has the numbers to overrule the changes in the House of Representatives, to deal with the bill before Parliament concludes ahead of the election.

A nurse would be on duty in aged care homes at all times under an amendment to the governments bill. Credit:Getty

Senator Patrick, who amended the bill to include the 24/7 registered nurse requirement, said it was too important to delay and that we cannot ignore what is happening in our aged care facilities.

This Parliament is about to come to the end without having taken any serious action in relation to the aged care royal commission recommendations, the independent senator said on Wednesday.
Aged care workers have blasted the federal government for overlooking them in the budget, while also urging Labor to commit to funding a wage increase as providers warn of a looming staff exodus.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese is yet to reveal his position on aged care wages, which were not mentioned in Tuesdays budget despite a union case in the Fair Work Commission seeking a 25 per cent pay rise.

Were the pariahs of this world no one takes us seriously, Marina Webb, who has worked in residential aged care for four years, said.

Aged care workers are disappointed with the budget and want Labor to offer an alternative. Credit:iStock

No one respects us. We asked for a decent wage, so we could also have the dignity to go back to our families to be treated like people, not like animals.
Economists overwhelmingly believe the governments proposed parental leave changes will not encourage more take up by fathers  and worse, they call it a backwards step for gender equality.

The government used Tuesdays budget to announce plans to roll the existing 18 weeks of paid parental leave and two weeks of dad-and-partner pay into a single scheme, with families able to decide how to split the 20 weeks. Single parents could take the entire 20 weeks, adding a fortnight to their existing entitlement.

Ariane and Frederick Stark are still deciding how best to use the governments paid parental leave offerings, but would like the scheme to be longer. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Theres also a change to the means testing, adding an option of a $350,000 household threshold to the existing limit of the mother earning $151,350, and fathers would be allowed to take the government leave as well as employer-funded entitlements.

Treasury has estimated 65,000 fathers and partners taking parental leave would benefit under the new scheme, expected to start in March next year.
Seoul: South Koreas military said it had successfully test-fired a solid-fuel space rocket for the first time, a step it says will help eventually launch a constellation of satellites to better monitor threats such as North Korea.

The military also said on Wednesday (AEDT) that North Koreas missile test last week used an older, smaller intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), and not the reported massive new Hwasong-17 ICBM, in part to try to head off negative domestic reaction to a failed launch.

People watch a TV showing a file image of North Koreas missile launch during a news program. Credit:AP

South Koreas launch is the first such test since it and the US agreed last year to end decades of restrictions on the Souths ballistic missile and rocket development.

The success of the test launch of this solid-propelled space launch vehicle is an important milestone in strengthening the defence power of our militarys independent space-based surveillance and reconnaissance field at a very critical time, the Ministry of National Defence said in a statement, citing last weeks test of an ICBM by North Korea.
Washington: Australian Daniel Adler would never have guessed that being a lone cyclist could turn you into an American internet sensation overnight.

That was until last week, when the 49-year-old father of two made a snap decision to place himself, and his bike, in the path of the so-called Peoples Convoy - the trucker-led activists and Donald Trump loyalists inspired by the Canadian protests against COVID restrictions.

For weeks, out-of-town drivers in rigs, cars and campers had been disrupting the lives of Washington residents, circling the Capital Beltway - a 102-kilometre highway that surrounds the city - before zigzagging in and out of residential streets to air their varied grievances.

Adler was on his bike getting groceries when he heard their horns in the distance and decided to intervene.
Washington: Americans 50 and older can now get a second COVID-19 booster if its been at least four months since their last vaccination, a chance at extra protection for the most vulnerable in case the coronavirus rebounds.

The Food and Drug Administration authorised an extra dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for that age group and for certain younger people with severely weakened immune systems on Wednesday (AEDT).

A woman receives a COVID-19 vaccine injection by a pharmacist at a clinic in Massachusetts. Credit:AP

Hours later, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the extra shot as an option but stopped short of urging that those eligible rush out and get it right away. That decision expands the additional booster to millions more Americans.

Everyone eligible for a first booster must get it, FDA vaccine chief Dr Peter Marks said. But the second booster is only for these higher-risk groups because theres evidence protection can wane and FDA decided the option will help save lives and prevent severe outcomes.
Washington: The US and Australia have expressed concern at a proposal being considered by India - a fellow member of the so-called Quad alliance - that would allow Russia to use its own SWIFT-style banking system for bilateral payments with the Asian nation.

The Russian proposed project would undermine the sanctions imposed against Vladimir Putin over his February invasion of neighbour Ukraine.

The Modi Government is currently assessing the proposal to use Russias central messaging system, SPFS, to make transactions with Moscow as India seeks to buy oil and weapons, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Credit:AP

News of the plan comes as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrives in India for a two-day visit on Thursday, and as the Biden administration and Morrison Government held high-level trade talks in Washington on the Indo-Pacific strategy.
The Sogavare governments proposed security agreement with China  which will see military and intelligence personnel stationed on our islands  is bad news for both the Solomon Islands and the South Pacific region.

China has been bad news for the Solomon Islands in the past, and will be so again for the whole South Pacific region.

Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare. Credit:AP

China is intentionally dragging the Solomon Islands into their geopolitical battle with the United States. The people of the Solomons will suffer the fallout from this contest, just as they did when Japan invaded during World War II. But unlike 1942, China is using our own so-called leaders to accomplish their goals.

Let us be clear. The Malaita government  which represents the most populous of the Solomons nine provinces never agreed with the 2019 switch in diplomatic recognition to the Peoples Republic of China. Our forests and people have been raped and pillaged by a logging monster that lives in China. While the legs and wings of the dragon are in Malaysia and the Philippines we know where its home cave is. Weve watched it bribe and corrupt countless leaders, and we know it will never stop.
PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):---The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department in the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA), would like to inform the general public, that the CPS COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic will be closed on Wednesday morning March 30 due to unforeseen circumstances.



The clinic will be open on Wednesday afternoon with adjusted operational hours of 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM or until supplies last.



The CPS COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic is located at the Vineyard Building Office Complex for COVID-19 vaccinations.



For vaccination related questions, registration queries persons can go to services.sintmaartengov.org; or email/call (914), This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; or call the paediatric hotline cell: (721) 526-1644.



Everyone is urged to come and get their COVID-19 vaccine. Walk-ins are welcome for their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd doses of the vaccine. You must bring with you your vaccination card and a form of Identification (ID).



The CPS COVID-19 Helpline (914) is operational Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM and on Saturday 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.



COVID-19 Testing remains available at the Community Help Desk Hope Estate from Monday - Friday 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM.
PHILIPSBURG:--- President of the Windward Islands Teachers Union (WITU) Stuart Johnson revealed his position on the proposed cost-cutting measures which are affecting the working class of St.Maarten.



"It seems there have been a lot of discussions and ad hoc decisions but there is no agreement solidified with WITU, Johnson said.



The WITU President submitted a correspondence addressed to Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs outlining WITU's firm stance.



"While I am appreciative that the base salary of our members and by extension all workers involved remains, the fact is we have no solid agreement on the other proposals," he said.

In Johnsons letter dated Tuesday, March 29th, 2022 six questions were asked to the Prime Minister,

1. What is the projected duration for the proposed cost-cutting measures?

2. Is the proposed cost-cutting measures only applicable for 2020 and 2021 as the Government of St. Maarten has indicated no liquidity support from The Netherlands is required for 2022?



3. Are you open to a formal agreed position with WITU for the handling of the vacation allowances for 2020, 2021, and all subsequent years?

4. Are there other measures such as increasing of taxes or conditions that will directly impact our membership? If so, please indicate what are those measures and their respective duration?



5. What is the update regarding the outstanding Cost of Living Adjustment 2012 to the present Payment?



6. What does the COHO Country Package for Education entail?



Johnson noted that "the ongoing proposed cost-cutting measures are having an effect of monumental proportions which is negatively impacting the quality of education for our students."



He continued, "I recoil in fear on the deep impact these proposed cost-cutting measures will continue to have if there is no solid conclusion or true empathy to the people of St.Maarten.



The WITU President further stated; "if you continue to devalue educators and stifle the working class there will be no middle class anymore."

In reiterating his position, Johnson declared, I remain deeply concerned about the quality of education for our students and the welfare of our educators as these proposed cost-cutting measures continue to directly have an impact on our country.
Wilaya of Aaiun, 30, March 2022 (SPS)  The Governor of the Wilaya of Aaiun, Mr. Brahim Mojtar, received the delegation of the Parliamentary Intergroup on Western Sahara, which yesterday began a three-day visit to the Saharawi Refugee Camps and the Saharawi State.

The delegation was received with a warm welcome by a crowd, led by the Council of the Daira of Guelta, who thanked the visitors for their gesture of solidarity and expressed their rejection of the Spanish government's position of support for the so-called " autonomy proposal.

For his part, the head of the visiting delegation, Member of the Austrian European Parliament, Mr. Andreas Schieder, reaffirmed "the commitment of his group to continue supporting the Saharawi people until they enjoy their right to decide their own future through a referendum." of self-determination, in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations.

During their visit, the European delegation toured the Wilaya regional hospital, where they received a detailed explanation of the services provided and the daily management of that health institution. SPS

125/090/tra
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

NEWTOWN  Alex Jones was penalized with an escalating daily fine of $25,000 for intentionally failing to comply with the orders of the court to give pretrial testimony in the defamation case he lost in Connecticut to eight families whose loved ones were slain in the Sandy Hook shooting.

The fine, which could accumulate into six figures in as quickly as four days, was imposed Wednesday by state Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis after Jones twice defied court orders last week to sit for a deposition, citing doctors orders to refrain from stressful activity.

The court finds by clear and convincing evidence that Mr. Jones willfully and in bad faith and without justification failed to abide by clear court orders requiring his deposition, Bellis said during a midday hearing, where she also held him in contempt of court.

Bellis, who could have issued an order for Jones arrest to compel him to testify instead said the escalating daily fine would begin on Friday and would end only after Jones completed a full days deposition.

If Mr. Jones counsel this afternoon informs (the families) counsel that he will sit on Friday (for questioning under oath) and if he does, there will be no fine, the judge said by way of example. If Mr. Jones sits on Tuesday April 5th, the fine will be $25,000 for Friday and $50,000 for Monday for a total of $75,000.

The sanctions against Jones, the host of Infowars who called the 2012 shooting of 26 first-graders and educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School staged, synthetic, manufactured, a giant hoax, and completely fake with actors, is the latest development in a story that has been in the national headlines for the past week.

On Tuesday, Jones offered an FBI agent and 18 members of 10 families who lost loved ones in the school shooting $120,000 each to settle defamation lawsuits he lost against them in Texas and Connecticut late last year.

In Connecticut, the FBI agent and 14 people from eight families rejected Jones offer, calling it a transparent and desperate attempt by Alex Jones to escape a public reckoning under oath with his deceitful, profit-driven campaign against the plaintiffs.

The four other parents in the two defamation cases in Texas have yet to respond officially to Jones offer, according to their lead attorney in Texas, Mark Bankston. But on Wednesday one of those parents told Hearst Connecticut Media that he would reject Jones settlement offer and was going to trial to fight him.

The first of two trials in Texas to determine defamation damages is scheduled for April 25. The trial in Connecticut to determine defamation damages is scheduled to start Aug. 2.

Meanwhile Jones has admitted to viewers that he is feeling stressed, and may have cardiovascular symptoms related to his COVID-19 infection last year.

I started getting sick after I got COVID last year  like everybody else, it attacked the cardiovascular system, okay? Jones said in an audio message posted Friday on Infowars. Im 48 and Im under a lot of stress.

An attorney representing Jones at Wednesdays hearing in Connecticut argued as much.

If you decide to hold him in contempt, I ask you not to issue an arrest warrant for Mr. Jones (because)  it would only serve to exacerbate those health concerns, said Cameron Atkinson. Mr. Jones recognizes that he must give a deposition. An arrest warrant would be a drastic step toward procuring his attendance.

Bellis said the fines were designed to compel Jones to complete his pretrial deposition as soon as possible.

The court recognizes while this fine is coercive, it is reasonable and necessary, Bellis said, adding the families attorneys had the right to petition the court in Texas for an arrest warrant for Jones.

It is clear that the (families) simply want and are entitled to the deposition of Mr. Jones who has continued to deliberately disregard the court process.

rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342
DANBURY  Two Danbury men are facing charges after police said they were caught selling drugs, and one was found in possession of a loaded gun.

After receiving citizen complaints about a resident selling illicit drugs, Danbury detectives, officers and Drug Enforcement Administration agents obtained court-authorized search and-seizure warrants and started surveilling 30-year-old Eric Eddie Jose Espinal and his residence Monday afternoon.

Police said investigators followed Espinal as he was driven by 30-year-old Clarence Cherry and saw them making hand-to-hand transactions.

About an hour into the surveillance, authorities said the two men were apprehended in a private parking lot on Mill Plain Road.

Espinal was found to be in possession of several bags of fentanyl, police said. Police later searched him and found he was concealing hundreds more bags of fentanyl, plus more than an ounce of cocaine in his underwear, according to the department. A loaded handgun was recovered from Cherrys car, police said.

Both men were arrested and transported to Danbury police headquarters, where they were charged.

Espinals charges included four counts of possession of a controlled substance, two counts of two counts of possession with intent to sell over one ounce of fentanyl and crack, and two counts of possession with intent to sell under one ounce of powder cocaine, according to a press release from the department.

Cherry faces several drug charges, as well as one count of possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle, one count of possession of a high capacity magazine, one count of alteration of a firearm serial number, and one count of operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.

Police said the Bethel Police Department has an outstanding arrest warrant for Espinal, and Cherry is out on bond awaiting trial after being arrested by the Danbury Police Department for an assault with a weapon.

Espinal was held on $150,000 bond, while Cherrys bond was set at $250,000.

Both were scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in state Superior Court in Danbury.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

NEWTOWN  A Sandy Hook dad whose son was killed in the 2012 school shooting said he will reject a $120,000 offer by Alex Jones to settle defamation damages in order to fight him at a trial planned next month in Texas.

With me it was never about money  it was about principle, said Neil Heslin, whose son Jesse was among the 20 first-graders and six educators slain at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Im not surprised Jones would try to settle before this goes to trial, but I am going to trial to fight him. I am going to argue the whole thing.

Heslins vow on Wednesday comes one day after Jones offered an FBI agent and 18 members of 10 families who lost loved ones in the school shooting $120,000 each to settle defamation lawsuits he lost against them in Texas and Connecticut late last year.

In Connecticut, the FBI agent and 14 people from eight families rejected Jones offer, calling it a transparent and desperate attempt by Alex Jones to escape a public reckoning under oath with his deceitful, profit-driven campaign against the plaintiffs.

Heslin, who won a defamation case against Jones in Texas, has yet to formally respond in court to reject Jones offer, he said.

In Texas, where Jones made settlement offers to Heslin and three other parents of two slain first-graders, the first of two trials to determine damages is scheduled to begin at the end of April.

The lead attorney representing Heslin and the other three Sandy Hook parents in Texas would only say Jones offer to his clients was the same as the offer to the families in Connecticut.

Jones, the host of the Infowars internet program, called the Sandy Hook tragedy staged, synthetic, manufactured, a giant hoax, and completely fake with actors.

His settlement offer came with his heartfelt apology for any distress his remarks caused.

His apology doesnt matter to me, Heslin said on Wednesday.

Jones New Haven attorney Norm Pattis called the rejection of the settlement offer by the families in the Connecticut case Tuesday night another ridiculous public relations stunt.

The families rejection of Jones settlement offer comes one day before both sides were due in Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis courtroom to resolve the issue of Jones failing to appear for two days of depositions last week, in defiance of a court order.

She ordered Wednesday that he must pay an escalating daily fine of $25,000 that would begin Friday and end only after Jones completes a full days deposition.

The families had called for Jones arrest until he complies with the deposition order.

Jones said he has cardiovascular symptoms related to his COVID-19 infection last year, as well as a lot of stress that has caused doctors to advise him against a lengthy session of questioning under oath.

Both sides are preparing for a trial in August to determine damages after Jones lost his defamation case in November by default.

The defamation cases are not to be confused with another high-profile lawsuit against the defunct gunmaker Remington, which was settled for $73 million in February, although some of the same families involved in the Jones defamation cases were involved in the Remington lawsuit, and the same Connecticut law firm involved in the Jones defamation case in Connecticut was involved in the Remington lawsuit.

On Tuesday a federal bankruptcy judge in Alabama, who approved the sell-off of Remington to competitors in 2021, formally approved the offer by the former gunmakers four insurance companies to settle a wrongful death lawsuit with nine Sandy Hook families. The families argued that Remington recklessly marketed the AR-15-style rifle used by the gunman in the Sandy Hook shooting.

rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342
BRIDGEPORT - A local man, released early from prison for good behavior, has been charged with fatally shooting a former cellmate following a dispute at a Stratford Avenue bar.

Tivon Taylor, 40, of Eric Street, was charged with murder, carrying a pistol without a permit and criminal possession of a firearm in the March 18 death of 43-year-old Shelby Frederick.

During Taylors arraignment Tuesday afternoon Special Deputy States Attorney Stephen Lojo urged Superior Court Judge Peter McShane to set a high bond for Taylor because of his previous criminal record and the seriousness of the charges.

Taylors lawyer, Robert Photos, told the judge that bond is academic at this time because his client is being held for violating his parole. However, he said he would seek to re-argue bond at the next court date.

Judge McShane ordered Taylor held in lieu of $1 million bond and continued the case to April 12.

Photos declined comment as he left the Golden Hill Street courthouse.

In November 2019, Taylor was convicted of possession of narcotics with intent to sell and sentenced to five years in prison. According to court and state Department of Corrections records, he was released from prison three months ago after being granted parole.

Shortly after 11:30 p.m. on March 18, police said they received a ShotSpotter alert of two gunshots fired on Stratford Avenue. When officers responded to the scene, police said they found Frederick lying facedown in the roadway with a gunshot wound to the left side of his back.

Detective Martin Heanue, in an arrest warrant affidavit, said detectives recovered video from the location. The video showed Frederick leaving Taes Lounge on Stratford Avenue followed by Taylor and a woman, later identified as Taylors wife, the affidavit states.

The video shows Taylor approaching Frederick, then two muzzle flashes and the victim falling to the ground, the affidavit states. Taylor then walked away from the scene.

The affidavit continues that detectives also viewed video from the bar which shows Taylor and Frederick engaged in a brief dispute before it was broken up.

When detectives later confronted Taylor, the affidavit states that Taylor told them he knew Frederick well, they had served time in prison together and Taylor stated he had even attended the vigil for the victim after his death. However, he denied shooting Frederick.

But, two days later, when detectives were about to search Taylors apartment, the affidavit states they received a phone call from Taylor telling them they wouldnt find the gun in the apartment.

I got rid of it. I got that (expletive) melted down, the affidavit states Taylor told detectives. The affidavit states that Taylor then confessed to shooting Frederick.
Benjamin Putnam moved into his grandparents house in Litchfield when he was 7 years old. He and his parents made a life in their old family farmhouse, but Putnam always felt a little different from the other kids his age.

He would round up his cousins to put on elaborate cabaret-style shows for family members. On a recent visit with family, his cousins recounted the good old days. He recalled the whole process being a collaborative art experience, his cousins laughed and informed him he was being bossy to get the show polished and organized.

I was queer, very evidently queer, and like, just a real weirdo, and not capable of not being a weirdo, Putnam said. I just cant help but express who I am. Theres no other way for me.

He remembers a time when he commandeered one of his friends from painting class to help create a Halloween costume for him. He considered it his first formal foray into the world of drag. He dressed his friend up as Greg Brady and he dressed as Marcia Brady from The Brady Bunch Movie. They went trick-or-treating.

Oh my God, Im just realizing this is another example of me being bossy so I could do drag, he said.

That bossiness paid off because now Putnam is a world-renowned professional drag queen by the name BenDeLaCreme. Shes done off-Broadway shows, toured throughout Europe, the Americas and Australia and has been featured in two seasons of the Emmy Award-winning show RuPaul's Drag Race, in which she has been named among the shows 15 Fan Favorites of All Time, crowned Miss Congeniality in Season 6 and garnered more challenge wins than any other competitor in the shows history.

She's been in movies such as Hulu's "Happiest Season" with Kristen Stewart and Aubrey Plaza, and directed and wrote "The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Special," also available on Hulu.

Putnam was first introduced to Drag by the documentary Wigstock: The Movie about New York Citys now extinct annual end-of-summer drag festival.

I saw that documentary and it just clicked, Putnam said. I was like Oh, this is who I am. These are my people. And there is a world out there for me. There is a community there's people who appreciate what I am drawn toward. And everything that I already am that I've never known how to put words to, these people are putting a word to it and it's drag queen.

BenDeLaCreme, affectionately called DeLa, is going on tour with her show Ready to Be Committed, which begins with DeLa saying shes ready to find love and get married  even though she doesnt yet have a cake, a dress, a ring or a groom -- and ends with not-so-nice brides, pervy Grindr guys, corpse-eating cats, song, dance and more puppets than you ever thought youd see at a wedding, according to the shows news release.

The tour includes more than 30 stops across the U.S. and the U.K. through July, including one in Torrington at the Warner Theatre. Other nearby shows include stops in New Jersey, Massachusetts and New York.

The show premiered in 2019 with an initial run in New York City followed by a summer residency in Provincetown, Mass., and plans to take it to tour in 2020. Of course, like most travel plans during 2020, the tour was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Putnam calls the show a surrealist, Alice-in-Wonderland-style production. He plays 15 different characters and the show includes song and dance and puppets and interactive video elements.

The heart (of the show) is really about all of our longing for connection and our longing to be connected to other people but also to feel secure in ourselves whether or not we are, he said. I think that's an even more poignant set of thoughts right now after the pandemic I'm excited to share something that I think feels, even more at the top of everyone's minds right now, and hopefully it's something that people find to be a lot of fun, but also something that gives them some stuff to think about and make them feel positive and connected.
WEST HARTFORD  Gov. Ned Lamont visited West Hartford on Wednesday to sign a bill extending relaxed rules on outdoor dining, just as the town itself looks to make their expanded outdoor dining permanent.

During the pandemic, West Hartford allowed restaurants to utilize outdoor dining in new places with fewer hurdles.

In West Hartford Center that meant turning LaSalle Road into a one-way street, enabling the many restaurants on that road to add outdoor seating beyond what existed on sidewalks and into the roadway, trading parking spaces for dining tables. Restaurants on Farmington Avenue in other parts of towns were also able to get creative in similar ways.

Standing in front of bartaco on Farmington Avenue, Mayor Shari Cantor touted that move, citing the atmosphere it created during the spring and summer months.

When you see and feel our outdoor dining when it gets set up, you will really enjoy every minute, Cantor said. For West Hartford, we have 1,500 outdoor seats that were added during our extended outdoor dining season last year, 1,000 of which are seated right here in West Hartford Center. West Hartford is moving forward to codify permanently outdoor dining, and that will be happening probably in the month of May. We are committed to outdoor dining.

The bill that Lamont signed, which was passed by legislators a week earlier, is an extension of the relaxed rules the state gave to restaurants earlier in the pandemic. Those rules were set to expire on March 31, but the signing of the bill extends them for at least another 13 months.

A lot of folks discovered that our towns were alive and vibrant and exciting, Lamont said. Were having people sitting outside at cafes like Paris. It was just remarkable. We sat outside shivering. We sat outside basking. And I think we saw how vibrant West Hartford is (and) the other 168 towns are. That was part of people rediscovering what makes Connecticut special. If I can urge you to do anything, its to continue to support our amazing restaurants.

In West Hartford, the town council is holding a public hearing on April 12 at 6:45 p.m. on ordinance changes for its own outdoor dining rules.

In a memo from Acting Town Manager Rick Ledwith to the council, he said the changes will bring the town into compliance with a recently adopted act concerning outdoor dining.

The act requires that municipalities allow any food establishment to engage in outdoor food and beverage service as an accessory permitted use, as of right, and that it shall be allowed via an administrative review and be allowed in public-rights-of-way and in off-street parking areas, Ledwith wrote in the memo.

Ledwith said West Hartford has had three separate ordinances governing outdoor dining for nearly 20 years now, and that the proposed changes modernize those ordinances.

Among the changes being proposed is the inclusion of wording that allows restaurants to utilize off-street parking associated with the restaurant for outdoor dining. The ordinance would also allow for outdoor dining from April 1 through Nov. 15. It also allows advertisements, within restriction, on umbrellas.

The ordinance would allow the Town Council to create a fee structure by resolution for any outdoor dining that utilizes a public right-of-way, such as parking spaces, since it impacts the towns parking revenue.

Christiane Gehami, the owner and chef of Arugula Bistro on Farmington Avenue, said the expanded outdoor dining was important for her bistro, which in years prior was unable to have outdoor dining of any kind.

Outdoor dining are two simple words that literally saved not only Arugula, but so many restaurants that otherwise would not have been able to make it, Gehami said. Patios, most restaurants have them, they dont think twice about them. Its a money maker. I have a tiny bistro, Im right on the street, and for years never had this luxury or opportunity.

Gehami said the kind of outdoor dining her restaurant was afforded is a silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It brought about much-needed change, Gehami said. They pushed through this tremendous bill...offering a lifeline for so many restaurants. Thanks to their efforts, I now have a gorgeous outdoor little street patio that I cherish dearly.

Scott Dolch, president and CEO of the Connecticut Restaurant Association, said Gehamis story can be applied across the state.

There are 8,000 of those stories in our state about our industry and how hard it has been, Dolch said. This is a great day. It allows every restaurant a chance to go back outside for 13 more months. This street of Farmington and LaSalle will be a great visiting place. But it is about survival. This is going to help them. Outdoor dining in the state of Connecticut has a new meaning. This isnt just a West Hartford bill, this is about our whole state and our whole industry.
The Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) says that the National Liberal Party (PNL), Social Democratic Party (PSD), the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) and Save Romania Union (USR) are practicing a "demagogic" speech when they say that they want to facilitate the right to vote for Romanians abroad, given that a draft initiated by AUR in this sense received a negative opinion in the select committee within the Chamber of Deputies.

"AUR is pointing out that PNL, PSD, UDMR and USR turned down the legislative proposal of AUR regarding free access to exercising the right to vote for all Romanian citizens abroad, based on any sort of identification. The proposal created the premises of establishing several voting sections abroad. This happened during Tuesday's session in the Chamber of Deputies of the committee for Romanian communities living abroad. (...) The negative opinion confirms once again that all parliamentary parties, with the exception of AUR, are practicing a demagogic speech when they say that they want to facilitate the right to vote for Romanians in diaspora and the historic communities. Moreso, it represents a slap to the face of all Romanians living abroad, who, during the last elections, did not vote the way the system wanted, but according to their own conscience," according to a press release sent by AUR to AGERPRES on Wednesday, Agerpres.ro informs.

In this context, AUR is "making one last appeal towards PNL, PSD, UDMR and USR to reconsider their attitude regarding Romanians abroad and to vote its legislative proposal in the plenum of the Chamber of Deputies.
Police officers conducted searches in 18 homes in Romania, in Dambovita and Buzau counties, as well as in the United Kingdom, at the members of a criminal group specialized in human trafficking and procuring, informs, on Wednesday, the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) - Pitesti Territorial Service.

Thus, in Romania, the DIICOT - Pitesti Territorial Service prosecutors together with the judicial police officers within the structures for combating organized crime in Pitesti, Buzau and Dambovita carried out 11 home searches, in the counties of Dambovita and Buzau counties, in a case involving the crimes of forming an organized criminal group, human trafficking and procuring," states DIICOT - Pitesti Territorial Service.

At the same time, 7 home searches and hearings regarding the activity of the same criminal group were carried out in the United Kingdom, on the basis of an agreement on the establishment of a joint investigation team concluded through EUROJUST, Agerpres.ro informs.

The joint action carried out simultaneously on the territory of Romania and the United Kingdom, led to the identification of 14 persons suspected of being involved in carrying out criminal activities and a number of 4 injured persons.

"In case it was noted that between 2019 and March 2022, members of the organized criminal group recruited, using the "loverboy" method, several injured persons with precarious financial means or from broken families and subsequently transported them abroad in order to sexually exploit them in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Once they arrived in their destination countries, the injured persons were forced to engage in prostitution and, to the extent that they refused to continue their activity, were beaten and threatened, thus creating a state of fear so as to keep them in a state of exploitation," the cited source states.

The joint action was supported by EUROPOL analysts, who also provided information exchange. Police officers from organized crime-fighting structures in Pitesti, Buzau and Dambovita also participated. Specialized support was provided by the Special Operations Directorate.
The Oradea-based Cris Land Museum (MTC) opened on Wednesday the anniversary exhibition "150 Years of Oradea Museography" which will remain open to the public until May 15.

"Time goes by so fast ... Whereas a century and a half ago the beginnings were with very little resources but with lots of enthusiasm, today the Cris Land Museum has an enviable treasure trove, I'd say, being one of Romania's richest museums. We have almost 510,000 inventory items, heritage objects and clearly, resource-wise we are among Romania's top five museums and we won't stop here," MTC director Gabriel Moisa said during the opening event.

The exhibition curated by museographer Tiberiu Ciorba together with the colleagues from the history department includes objects from the old museum heritage related to the local Archeology and History Society, the volume "Museum Centennial" published on the 100th anniversary of museography in Oradea City, registers, documents, photographs, vintage images, interesting pieces from the Arnold Ipolyi (1823-1886) collection - one of the institution's oldest - various instruments belonging to museum sections. Also on display are a series of caricatures of museum staff drawn by Francois Pamfil in the 1970s.

A former MTC director for 27 years, art critic Aurel Chiriac told AGERPRES that this exhibition comes naturally, as an event meant to make contemporaries aware of the fact that Oradea has one of the oldest museums in Romania.

"The starting point of the museographic movement in Oradea is the year 1872 when, just like in other Transylvanian county residences, they founded those Archeology and History Associations whose statutory mission was to collect artifacts, documents, sources related to local history. More than 20,000 items were collected in just a few decades, until 1896, when a museum was opened in Oradea, in the present-day Children's Palace, on Museum Street," MTC director Gabriel Moisa told AGERPRES.

Following Oradea and Bihor County's integration in the Romanian state, hefty investments were made in the 1930s, which led to the establishment of a second museum, Bihor County's National Center, in addition to the existing institution housed in the Children's Palace, Agerpres.ro informs.

"After 1948, in the new setting of the Romanian society, the museum was reorganized and renamed to the 'Petofi-Balcescu Museum' in a bid to emphasize the Romanian-Hungarian rapprochement, a good idea after all, because it builds on the unifying elements, not on what divides the two peoples," said the MTC director.
Minister of Education Sorin Cimpeanu announced on Wednesday that the school year 2022 - 2023 will have five learning modules and five school holidays, the intention being to give up the mid term exams.

"It is about the need to alternate learning modules of 6, 7, 8 weeks with rest modules. This way we can adapt to the specificity of the school year in Romania," Sorin Cimpeanu declared, after the Government meeting.

He specified that, according to the agreed proposal, the school year will start on September 5 with a first learning module.

"After a period of a few weeks, on October 24, pupils and preschoolers would go on vacation. October 24-30 would be the first recess," Cimpeanu said.

According to the Minister of Education, the second learning module will run until around the winter holidays, when the second holiday will start, from December 23 until January 8, Agerpres.ro informs.

The third learning module will begin on January 9.

"For the first time, this module will run until February, when we will have the third vacation, which can be granted in the second week, in the third or in the fourth week of February, at the decision of each county inspectorate, through consultation with those involved. This is a week-long, mobile holiday in February," Sorin Cimpeanu explained.

The fourth module will run until around Easter.

"The holiday is set to be organized between April 8 and 23," the education minister added.

In the school year 2022 - 2023, the fifth learning module will run until June 16, and the summer vacation will begin on June 17 and end on the first Monday in September.

Sorin Cimpeanu mentioned that the introduction of the "Green School" program, which will be included in the 4-5th learning modules, was also approved.

"Schools will have the freedom to choose, depending on the weather conditions and other local specificities, to hold 'Green Week' in module 4 and 'School in a Different Way" in module 5 or vice versa. (...) We will introduce in schools presentations made by staff who are authorized to present these environment-related elements in a very attractive way. We plan other such actions for the introduction of specialists in schools, for example Financial Education," said the Minister of Education.

He also announced that the giving up the mid term exams is being taken into account.

According to minister Cimpeanu, the textbooks will be changed and will be available in digital format, and the averages will be completed at the end of the school year.
Cutting reliance on the Russian Federation can be achieved faster if we speed up the completion of interconnection projects, Romanian Energy Minister Virgil Popescu wrote on Wednesday on Facebook as he attended the panel 'Energy Transition and Energy Security - Twins or Opposites?' of the Energy Transition Dialogue organised in Berlin.

"I had a fruitful dialogue with Luigi di Maio - Italy's Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Benoit Revaz - Secretary of State with the Swiss Federal Office of Energy; Prof. Dorte Fouquet - Director of the European Renewable Energies Federation; and Rina Bohle Zeller - expert of wind turbine producer Vestas. The focus was on solutions to the complications of the energy market caused by Russia's war against Ukraine," Popescu said.

Our goal at this moment is to turn challenges into opportunities through cooperation, and in order to curb our dependence on the Russian Federation we need to speed up the completion of interconnection projects, he notes, Agerpres.ro informs.

"We have managed to mobilize and move in 10 days Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova to the European power grid, now we need to speed up gas interconnection as well. And this means that we will be able to diversify our supply and transport sources from the U.S., Azerbaijan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel and other states. I said that in the decarbonisation process we are also relying on nuclear energy, and our intention is to promote an integrated vision in terms of investment, so that development reaches all segments: production, transport, distribution," the Energy Minister also wrote.

Although 60 percent of Romania's power production is already low-carbon, we want more, so we will massively invest in renewable energy production facilities, Popescu said.

"In the short term we will work together to use LNG and NG from countries that don't use energy as a blackmail weapon, as Russia has done. But we must work together, in partnership with the U.S. and other democratic states to increase our energy security. By joining forces, I am confident that opportunities will come the way of each of us," the message states.
The Government has approved the negotiation and signing of the financing contract with the European Investment Bank regarding the Fund for digitalisation, climate action and other areas of interest funds, component of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), with an allotment of 300 million euro, said the spokesperson of the Government, Dan Carbunaru.

"I would also point out, with regard to the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, the approval of the negotiation and signing of the financing contract between the Government of Romania and the European Investment Bank regarding the Fund for digitalisation, climate action and other areas of interest funds. This fund is a component of the PNRR, having an allotment of 300 million euro, and in this way the Government of Romania has marked the fulfillment of an important milestone assumed within the PNRR," said Dan Carbunaru, on Wednesday, in a press conference at the Victoria Palace, Agerpres.ro informs.
The price of thermal energy is set to increase, on Friday, in Bucharest, to 330 RON excluding VAT per gigacalorie, according to a draft decision adopted in the session of the Bucharest City General Council (CGMB) on Wednesday.

The draft was adopted by 33 votes for, 19 against and one abstention.

"Starting with 1.4.2022, the local billing price for thermal energy supplied to the population at a level of 330 RON/Gcal (excluding VAT) is approved," the decision mentions. The current price is 137 RON/Gcal (VAT excluded).

At the start of the CGMB session, the General Mayor, Nicusor Dan, explained that raising the price for gigacalorie supported by Bucharesters is necessary, mentioning it hasn't been changed since 2011.

City councilor Cosmin Smighelschi (Save Romania Union - USR) announced that the political group he represents will vote for this draft, Agerpres.ro informs.

City councilor Catalin Deaconescu (National Liberal Party - PNL) denied any kind of negotiation of his Liberal colleagues with the USR group in the CGMB regarding the price of the gigacalorie.

City councilor Aurelian Badulescu (Social Democratic Party - PSD) requested the CGMB not vote to increase the price.
Romania can become the main bridge in commercial relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the region of Eastern Europe, the Minister of Economy, Florin Spataru, said during the 8th edition of World Government Summit, as well as during the closing festivities of "Expo 2020 Dubai", where he is participating during the period of March 28-31, 2022.

"The economy in 2022 works in a complex and continuous change, from digital transformation to the pandemic's impact and the urgency of offering a more inclusive and resilient society, until the vital need of preserving limited resources and to protect the environment. The leaders must offer short, medium and long term solutions, that are also durable," Minister Florin Spataru declared, during the World Government Summit (WGS), according to a press release sent by the Ministry of Economy.

"The 2030 agenda is a project focused on people, meant to not leave anyone behind. People are the main factor for sustainability. In this context, we need to rethink the development strategies of leadership in order to respond to the changing context," Minister Florin Spataru specified.

The Minister of Economy also met with the CEO of Dubai Ports World, Abdulla Bin Damithan.

"I was impressed by the sincerity and openness with which the debate was tackled by the DP World representatives. We went through a steep, solid discussion about Romania's collaboration and Dubai Ports World, which will be intermediated with the support of the Ministry of Economy. Romania needs to position itself as a hub for cargo shipping for Europe's Eastern region, given the opening to the Black Sea, as well as navigable connections between the EU and the East. There is a demand, we must come up with an attractive offer, especially based on serious business principles," Spataru also said.

During WGS, the Minister of Economy also had a discussion with his Emirate counterpart, Abdulla bin Touq Al-Marri, about the economic potential of our country and especially about the openness with which Romania wants to address future collaboration projects with other European states, but also outside the community space.

During the work visit in Dubai, the Romanian dignitary visited Romania's pavilion at Expo 2020, where he was greeted by the general commissioner of the Romanian Section, Ferdinand Nagy.

Minister Spataru congratulated the scheduled events for economic and commercial promotion developed throughout the 6 months of the world exhibition and highlighted the importance of these actions in consolidating bilateral economic relations and intensifying commercial exchange between Romania and the United Arab Emirates, Agerpres informs.
Romania has enough food stocks, there is presently no problem in this regard, said the government spokesman, Dan Carbunaru, when asked if the Government is considering a limitation of exports of food.

"Romania is among the European states that have the capacity, our country has the capacity to manage not only the supply of food for its own citizens, but, why not, to intervene in support of other states. Both the Minister of Agriculture and the representatives of other authorities of the Romanian state have reiterated this, and amid the concerns raised by the Russian military aggression in Ukraine. Romania has enough stocks. The Bucharest authorities are in constant contact with retailers and those who manage supply chains and producers. We are in this situation, I would not say privileged, but good, nevertheless, for the citizens of Romania that our country has the capacity to manage its needs very well from this perspective. Of course, to the extent that additional measures are needed, the Government will intervene. At the moment there is no problem in this respect, as such, this can be seen both in the supply chain and in the assessment of the stocks that the authorities are currently carrying out," said Dan Carbunaru, at Victoria Palace of Government, Agerpres.ro informs.
aAs many as 3,583 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 were recorded in the last 24 hours in Romania, down 693 from the previous day, with more than 33,000 RT-PCR and rapid antigenic tests performed, the Health Ministry informed on Wednesday.

Of the new cases, 450 were in re-infected patients, who tested positive more than 90 days after the first time they recovered from the disease.

Most of the newly confirmed COVID-19 cases in Romania since the previous reporting were recorded in Bucharest City - 1,264, and in the counties of Cluj - 341, Timis - 272, and Hunedoara - 186.

As of Wednesday, 2,850,598 cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus were confirmed in Romania.

- Hospitalisations -

As many as 2,587 people with COVID-19, down 115 from the previous reporting, including 175 children, are hospitalised in Romania at specialist care facilities.

Out of the total number of hospitalised patients, 395 patients, down three, including one child, are in intensive care.

Of the 395 patients admitted to ICU, 344 are unvaccinated against COVID-19.

- Deaths -

According to the ministry, another 36 Romanians infected with SARS-CoV-2 - 18 men and 18 women - are reported dead in the last 24 hours.

Out of the total 36 patients who died, 30 were unvaccinated and six vaccinated. Two of the vaccinated patients who died were 50-59 years old, one was 60-69 years old, two were 70-79 years old, and one was over 80 years old. All the vaccinated patients who died had comorbidities.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 64,994 people diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 infection have died in Romania, Agerpres informs.
A tropical air mass from northern Africa loaded with dust particles of Saharan origin will advance to southern and southeastern Europe, including Romania, in the coming days, informs the National Environmental Guard.

"Between March 30 and April 1, the air circulation will take place predominantly from south-western and southern sectors, and finally from the western sector, so that it will favour the advance from the north of Africa of a tropical air mass, loaded with dust particles with Saharan origin, especially towards southern and south-eastern Europe, including in the area of our country. The concentrations of the dust particles that are going to reach over Romania will be lower compared to those in the south of the Italian Peninsula and the Balkan Peninsula," the source says in a post on the Facebook page, Agerpres.ro informs.

Dust deposits will be observed in the areas and intervals with rain, starting Thursday, in the west, center and north of the country, then, on small areas in the rest, as well.
Chairman of the Romanian Senate Florin Citu has been on a tour to the US March 24-30, and on the last day of the tour he is scheduled to meet World Bank Vice President Anna Bjerde, together with Senator Alina Gorghiu.

The delegation led by Citu consists of senators Robert Cazanciuc and Radu Oprea (PSD), Alina Gorghiu and Roberta Anastase (PNL), Ion Narcis Mircescu (USR) and Lorand Turos (UDMR)."The composition of the delegation is proof that the US-Romania strategic partnership, which this year turns 25, is strong and constantly evolving and is supported by all parties in Romania, both in power and in the opposition," reads a press statement released by the Romanian Senate on Wednesday.On his tour, Citu met Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.Discussed at the meeting with McCarthy were increasing Romania's public defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, as well as the need for much harsher sanctions against Russia.The Romanian Senate delegation held a series of official meetings with senior members of the US Senate and House of Representatives, as well as the State Department."On Tuesday, March 29, the delegation led by the Chairman of the Senate, Florin Citu, had a meeting with Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, with discussions aimed mainly at Romania's inclusion in the Visa Waiver programme and the development of the Romanian armed forces' capacities. The meeting with the third most senior public person in the United States coincided with the 18th anniversary of Romania's submission to Washington, DC, of documents for accession to the strongest political and military alliance in history. Also looked into were new opportunities for economic development for the prosperity of the two countries, which should take into account the current regional dynamics," reads the release.The Senate delegation also had a meeting with a senior official with the Department of Commerce, Marisa Lago, to discuss Romania's accession to the OECD, as well as to develop jointly with the US a Small Modular Reactors (SMR) project.The need to strengthen NATO's eastern flank and identify new areas and opportunities for co-operation with the US were the main subjects discussed in a conversation with Derek Chollet, a State Department political adviser.At all his meetings, Citu reiterated the need to adopt tougher sanctions against Russia."The Senate delegation also participated in a debate organised by one of the most important and relevant think tanks in the field of international relations, CEPA (Center for European Policy Analysis), that looked into security developments in the Black Sea region."The delegation also met leaders of the US business community and the Romanian community in the area.
Pension reform, budget deficit, transition to energy and renewable resources, and the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine were some of the topics addressed at a meeting between World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Anna Bjerde and Senate President Florin Citu. on the last day of the working visit to the United States, which took place March 24 to 30.

"The World Bank Vice President praised Romania for being the first country in the European Union to include the reform of the pension system in the PNRR [National Recovery and Resilience Plan]. Another important issue in the discussion was the budget deficit and resource planning, so that this year's budget is sustainable and inclusive. We have the humanitarian crisis of the refugees from Ukraine for which we need resources and good planning," Citu wrote on Facebook on Wednesday, Agerpres.ro informs.

He stated that he extended an invitation to the President of the World Bank Group, David Malpass, to come to Romania, with the visit due to take place in April.
The government will support companies that supply themselves from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus and who will be reducing production if they cannot bring raw materials from these countries, Minister of Labor Marius Budai said, on Wednesday, in the briefing at the end of the Government sitting.

"For the moment there are no cases of companies with such problems. But there will probably be cases of companies, you saw the case of TMK Artrom, where we were involved and we intervened so they can receive their wages, if any problem comes up in the supply chain and they have no raw materials left, production certainly is reduced, then we have need for social protection," said Budai, Agerpres.ro informs.

Social protection is both for the employer, as well as the employee, he emphasized.

"The employer is supported not to conduct layoffs. The state takes over part of the costs for employees. We are going on that format of 75 percent that was used in the pandemic. The Emergency Ordinance will be available until December 31, 2022 and if it's the case, we'll extend it," said the minister.

"We started with Ukraine and Russia, but we found out that there are countries with contractual obligations with Belarus and we introduced that country as well," he said.
Senate head Florin Citu announced on Wednesday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the Romanian Parliament next week.

"Important talk with the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal: President Zelenskyy will give a speech to the Romanian Parliament. As President of the Senate, I will arrange for this to happen next week. Ukraine has my full support. Thank you, Denys!" Citu wrote on Twitter, Agerpres informs.
Representatives of the Romanian Border Police, as well as those from the Republic of Moldova and FRONTEX, have met on Wednesday at the eastern Sculeni border crossing point to analyse the stage and perspectives of cooperation in the context of current challenges, but also to identify additional needs for human resources and logistics.

According to a press release, at the Sculeni border crossing point, in the County of Iasi, Chief Commissioner Victor Stefan Ivascu, empowered as inspector general of the Romanian Border Police, had a trilateral work meeting with the delegation of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX), led by Deputy Executive Director Lars Gerdes, as well as with the delegation of the Border Police of the Republic of Moldova, led by the deputy of the inspector general of this institution, Chief Commissioner Valentin Fiodorov.

"During the meeting, the heads of the three delegations analyzed the stage and cooperation perspectives between Romania and Moldova, in the context of current challenges, but also possible additional needs for human resources and logistics that can come on behalf of the Agency, to support both the Romanian border police, as well as the border authorities of the Republic of Moldova. Furthermore, during the talks, other operational needs were identified, that can be put at the disposal of the institutions of the two countries, to successfully implement the Terra 2022-Reinforced joint operation, operation hosted in 12 countries at the external border of the European Union," the press release specifies, Agerpres.ro informs.

According to the quoted source, on this occasion, Lars Gerdes appreciated the level of cooperation between the two institutions at the border of Romania-Moldova, but also mobilizing authorities from the two states in managing challenges at the border by supplying humanitarian aid for those in need.

"During the same work visit, the inspector general of the Romanian Border Police had a meeting with the leadership of the Iasi Border Police Inspectorate (ITPF). In this context, the head inspector of ITPF Iasi, Chief Commissioner of Police Victor Mariniuc, presented the situation at the border with the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, from the responsibility area. Thus, it was highlighted that the staff at border crossing points was supplemented, even being equipped with mobile control stations. Furthermore, work shifts have been supplemented for strengthening control and surveillance of the EU's land border. The formalities are still being conducted at the entry point into Romania, at the Eastern border, in accordance with national and community legislation. We are mentioning that the Border Police is cooperating with other institutions with attributes in the area, in order to have an operative exchange of data and information, as well as jointly adopting, in imposed situations, of measures necessary to manage certain cases," the press release mentions.
ST. LOUIS  The former co-owner of a Clayton construction company was accused in a federal indictment Wednesday of defrauding the city of St. Louis, the state of Missouri and clients by fraudulently claiming that minority-owned subcontractors were doing the work.

Brian Kowert Sr. was a co-owner, executive vice president and chief operating officer of HBD Construction at the time, prosecutors said, and also managed construction projects.

For more than eight years, Kowert falsified records to inflate statistics regarding participation by minority-owned businesses on his projects in the Kansas City and St. Louis areas, prosecutors said.

Kowert also used minority-owned companies as fronts, paying them a small fee to pass hundreds of thousands of dollars to the contractors who actually did the work, they said.

The requirements for minority participation on construction projects are designed to address historical social and economic disadvantages experienced by minority group members and foster participation by minority owned businesses, prosecutors said.

Government officials and HBD clients had no knowledge of the fraud and cooperated with the investigation, prosecutors said.

In one example in the indictment, Kowert was project manager for the 2018-2020 renovation of a building on Chouteau Avenue in St. Louis for Greater Goods LLC, a company that sells and distributes kitchen, home, fitness, health and wellness products. The project was looking for tax incentives from St. Louis, which required 25% minority business participation.

But Kowert falsely claimed that a minority-owned company provided custom cabinets, appliances, doors, door frames, steel railings and stairs for the project when those items had actually been supplied by three non-minority companies, the indictment says.

The owner of the front company, identified only as C.K. in the indictment, transferred about $220,000 to the non-minority companies in exchange for a $2,000 fee, the indictment says. Kowert created duplicate subcontracts and purchase orders and submitted false documents for tax abatement.

In 2014, C.K. agreed to take $2,500 to pass through more than $340,000 in checks to non-minority-owned companies working on apartment buildings near Washington University, the indictment says. The property management company required 20% participation from a minority-owned company.

And in 2021, Kowert falsely listed a different front company as recipient of $333,858 worth of labor and materials used for a multifamily apartment building for seniors in Raytown, in the Kansas City suburbs, the indictment says. That project was funded by the Missouri Housing Development Commission, which requires 10% minority participation.

Prosecutors and the indictment do not name the front company or the contractors.

Kowert was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Wednesday on five counts of wire fraud.

Adolphus Pruitt, president of the St. Louis branch of the NAACP, praised the federal investigation and said he hopes this case would act as a deterrent for activities like this in the future.

Pruitt said racism has long hurt minority-owned firms, but favoritism has also hurt small firms and those owned by women. In order for businesses to grow, they have to be able to participate in the marketplace, he said.

HBD is a national general contractor that builds hotels, retail, senior living facilities and other commercial projects. Locally, the company is working on the 21c Museum Hotel in the Downtown West neighborhood.

An HBD predecessor was founded in St. Louis in 1922 and was long headquartered on Manchester Avenue in St. Louis Cheltenham neighborhood south of Forest Park.

Kowert and two others took over H.B.D. Contracting Inc. in 2004 and renamed it HBD Construction Inc., according to the companys website.

HBD merged with Russell, a construction and development firm headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, in 2020. Kowerts son Brian Kowert Jr. serves as a vice president.

In a statement, Russell said it had no prior knowledge of the fraudulent activity by Kowert Sr. alleged in the indictment and has been cooperating in the investigation. Russell HBD policy is to fully comply with all requirements related to minority-owned business and women-owned business participation, as well as all other laws, rules, and regulations, the statement says.

The company said they terminated Kowerts employment in December.

This matter begins and ends with Brian Kowert Sr. We at Russell are fully committed to transparency and ethical financial stewardship. We do not tolerate fraudulent behavior or misconduct of any kind, Caitlin Russell, company president, said in the statement.

Kowert could not be reached for comment.

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.

Robert Patrick Robert Patrick is a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Robert Patrick 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
I am not Muslim. So when I thought about Iftar, Im afraid I had some misconceptions.

Iftar is the evening meal that breaks the daily fast during the month of Ramadan. The ninth month of the Muslim calendar, Ramadan is a time of prayer and reflection and restraint from sin and pleasures of the flesh. The holy month begins with the first sighting of the crescent moon, around April 2, and ends around May 2.

Those Muslims who are able are obligated to refrain from eating and drinking between dawn and sundown every day throughout the month. The predawn meal, called suhur, is counted on to provide energy to get through the day. The evening meal, iftar, is meant to satisfy the days hunger.

I had assumed that a certain group of dishes would be served for iftar, at least for cultural reasons if not specifically religious ones. This is why assuming is generally a bad idea. It turns out that for iftar you can serve basically whatever you feel like eating.

And now that I think about it, that makes sense. Ramadan is 29 or 30 days long, depending on the year. No one wants to eat the same few prescribed meals for that long. You could serve cheeseburgers for iftar, or a bucket of fried chicken.

Still, many families serve food from their cultural backgrounds for at least some meals during Ramadan. Its the food they grew up with. Its comfort food. It tastes like home.

Most of the Muslim families in the United States came from the Middle East and South Asia. For my iftar meals, I focused on recipes from those regions.

I began with the familiar baba ghanoush, a smoky eggplant dip beloved throughout the Middle East  and in more recent years, throughout the world. More complex in flavors than hummus, it is served in much the same ways: with wedges of pita, as a dip for vegetables or, frankly, licked off the finger you just dunked into it.

Dont be embarrassed. Everybody does it. The finger adds flavor.

Eggplant is the primary ingredient in baba ghanoush, of course, but what makes it so silky and addictive are the other ingredients that are blended into it: yogurt, but not too much, garlic, tahini and lemon juice.

I made it two ways, by running the eggplant under a broiler and by cooking it on a grill. If you have one, the grill is definitely the way to go  the actual smoke from the fire is far more pungent than the vaguely smoky taste that comes from charring the eggplant skin in the broiler.

If you do not have a grill, then by all means broil the eggplant. You will not be unhappy. You just wont be in the same state of transcendent bliss that comes from cooking the eggplant on a grill.

I stayed in the Middle East for my next iftar dish, mujadarrah, which is lentils and rice with fried onions.

This is the most comforting of comfort foods. Though it is made up of only four simple ingredients, plus salt and pepper, the way they combine together is just stunning.

Mere lentils and rice, while perfectly acceptable for a dish, is a little dull. But fried onions bring unexpected depth to the flavor, along with the irresistible sweetness that comes from a long, slow caramelization.

It takes a long time to properly brown onions, but the results are spectacular. I made a double batch so I could keep some in the refrigerator until needed. Besides, the house is going to smell like onions every time you do it, anyway, so you may as well make more than you need.

The fourth and final ingredient of mujadarrah is yogurt (browned onions are made from onions and olive oil, but Im counting it as a single ingredient). The creamy tanginess of the yogurt cuts through the umami-heavy undertones of the other ingredients. It is a masterful stroke that brings cohesion to the dish.

Ive seen recipes that say the use of yogurt is optional. Dont listen to them.

I headed to South Asia for my next iftar dish, potato bread patties, which come to us from a food blogger in Pakistan.

These delightful little packets are a quick way to make samosas, those stuffed fried appetizers that are a must at any restaurant serving the food from India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The filling is the familiar potato stuffing that can be found in samosas; its what makes the flatbread aloo paratha so good. Plain mashed potatoes are highly spiced with coriander, cumin, turmeric and a tangy spice mixture called chaat masala (I bought it at an international food store; if you dont want to go to the trouble you can do without it).

Into the mixture also go onion, garlic, mint, peas, lemon juice and cilantro. No single ingredient stands out; it is the singular combination of all the tastes mashed together that provides the signature note.

What makes these patties stand out is the wrapping. Instead of a dough you make yourself, then knead and then let rest for an hour, this dish uses plain old sandwich bread. You just roll it flat, place some filling in the middle and fold it over into a triangle. Dip it in egg, dredge it through breadcrumbs and fry it in hot oil.

Voila. Youve got yourself a potato bread patty.

I saved a main course for last, Sticky Malaysian Chicken With Pineapple Salad. Once again, the warming, comforting flavors belie how easy it is to make.

This dish has two parts  three if you count the chicken, but thats just chicken.

The first part is the glaze for the chicken. It is a mixture of honey, soy sauce, garlic and ginger, with sesame oil, fish sauce and a chile for heat. It all comes together in a food processor in a matter of minutes.

While the glaze-covered chicken is cooking in the oven, you can make the second part of the dish, the pineapple salad. This is a remarkably refreshing concoction of pineapple, cucumber, red onion and lime juice.

The sprightly salad is a lovely contrast to the chicken, but to be honest, either part of the dish would be great on its own.

And for iftar? Nothing could be better.

Stay up to date on life and culture in St. Louis. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
JEFFERSON CITY  A grandmothers push to secure financial support for children orphaned by drunken drivers was advanced by state representatives Wednesday.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mike Henderson, R-Bonne Terre, creates Bentleys Law, named for a Missouri child whose parents were killed in a Jefferson County accident caused by an intoxicated driver. The House gave the measure first-round approval Wednesday morning.

The proposal stems from the efforts of Bentleys grandmother, Cecilia Williams, who lost a grandson, her son and his fiancee last April and is now raising their two surviving children.

She came to me with this bill, trying to figure out how to deal with this situation where kids are made orphans by drunk driving and irresponsibility of other people, Henderson said. And so Bentleys Law to me is trying to stand up for these people and take care of these children.

The bill requires drunken drivers who kill one or both of a childs parents to pay child maintenance. The driver would have up to one year after release from incarceration to begin payments, and the child would receive payments up to age 18 or 21 if they enroll in secondary education.

Lawmakers broadly praised the bills intent, but several expressed concern about how the law would play out. The bill broadly defines the amount of child maintenance and institutes the mandate regardless of the drivers financial means, details which drew concern.

I understand the bill makers intent, and my heart goes out to anyone thats in this situation, said Rep. Marlon Anderson, D-St. Louis. However, there are already civil remedies in the event this happens  you have tort reform, you have tort insurance the company will pay for, you have Social Security and a pension.

Lawmakers expressed the intent to continue working through the proposal.

I do appreciate that the gentleman is talking about trying to incorporate some kind of restorative justice into our criminal justice system, said Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis, who said he would also not vote for the bill for logistical reasons. I think thats a conversation we should have more often, of when we can put in place consequences for a crime that try to address the harm that was caused.

Similar measures have been proposed in 12 other states this year and received unanimous approval in the Tennessee House and Senate.

The legislation is House Bill 1954.

Posted at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30.

Grace Zokovitch gzokovitch@post-dispatch.com
ST. LOUIS  LaFrance Johnson was only 12, but his family saw him going places.

The Rockwood School District sixth grader excelled at track, football and other sports. He checked out thick, complicated books from the library, asked probing questions and received commendations from his teachers for integrity, perseverance and effort, his aunt Arthurine Harris said.

He had a star quality about him, Harris said. He was very charismatic, a natural-born leader.

LaFrance was killed around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 5600 block of Summit Place in St. Louis when his 10-year-old brother accidentally shot him while playing with a gun.

Authorities later arrested a 36-year-old woman, who owned the weapon, on suspicion of endangering the welfare of a child, police said. Police have not released details about what type of gun was involved or how the children came into possession of the weapon.

LaFrance was the third child to be accidentally shot in recent days. On Friday, police said 12-year-old Paris Harvey accidentally shot her cousin, 14-year-old Kuaron Harvey, before mistakenly shooting herself at a party at South 10th and Spruce streets. Those children died.

Police said Wednesday that they had not identified the owner of the gun in that case and had made no arrests.

LaFrances death was a blow to his close-knit family, who Harris said tried to keep the children in a bubble to shield them from some of the dangers and difficulties of growing up in St. Louis.

He rode a bus from the city each day to Selvidge Middle School in Ballwin as part of the areas school desegregation program. The family took extra time to teach LaFrance and his siblings and cousins about Black history, Harris said.

Harris kept copies of books LaFrance wrote and illustrated, and hung his artwork on the walls to encourage creativity. She said the family tried to show their children that they could become anything they wanted in life.

We wanted them to know they could overcome their circumstances and they didnt need to be limited, she said.

Harris called LaFrances death a freak accident that everyone, including his mother, Katrina Thomas, and four siblings, were grieving.

Harris and Victoria Poynter, a cousin, said theyd miss seeing LaFrance as a quintessential 12-year-old boy, sleeping late, making TikTok videos and playing video games. And theyd also lament not seeing him reach his potential.

LaFrance was going to take our legacy and keep going, Poynter said. This house that weve had since my grandma struggled for it was still going to be there because of him.

Poynter said LaFrance was like a brother to her son, 9-year-old Elijah Robinson, who is an only child but has seen multiple people close to him die in recent years.

Poynter said LaFrance taught her son to play football, how to box and how to jump on the trampoline. She said Elijah was heartbroken to experience yet another loss at a young age.

For kids to be this young and to go through these tragedies at this age, I feel like I have to give my baby extra help, she said. Hes taking this hard.

Family members called on lawmakers to strengthen gun laws to prevent accidental shootings.

At least 58 people  including six children  have been killed in the St. Louis area through March 15, according to the Post-Dispatchs homicide tracker.

St. Louis officials on Wednesday released information about free gun locks being distributed in an ongoing effort to curb accidental shootings. People can pick up the free locks and learn how to use them at participating fire engine houses, library branches and police stations.

People with questions can call 314-533-3406.

These recent shootings have devastated our entire city, and we need to take immediate action to protect our children, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones said in a written statement. If you have a gun in the house, be a responsible gun owner; store firearms locked and unloaded and pick up a free gun lock to keep your loved ones safe.

Correction: This story has been corrected to define the relationship between the woman who was arrested and the children and to clarify who made a comment about gun control.

Aunt charged, tells officers she was to blame for 12-year-old's shooting death in north St. Louis After a 12-year-old boy was shot and killed by his brother Tuesday night, the boys aunt told officers she was to blame for his death.

Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
JEFFERSON CITY  The Missouri Senate on Wednesday rejected an attempt by the House to meet in a conference committee on the states next congressional map.

The move Wednesday evening followed a protest of proposed talks by Sen. Bob Onder, R-Lake Saint Louis, on Wednesday morning.

The House voted Tuesday for a conference committee on a map the Senate approved last week.

In order for the Senate to proceed with business, we need to reject the Houses motion to go to conference, Onder said. If the House doesnt recede from their position, that will be their decision.

He said such a move would send the redrawing of the states congressional lines to the courts, Onder said.

That will be their decision, not ours, he said.

Onder held the floor Wednesday morning, tying the chamber in procedural knots.

House lawmakers on Tuesday poured cold water on a congressional map the Senate approved Thursday after two months of negotiations.

The so-called 6-2 map  six Republican districts and two Democratic ones  matches the partisan breakdown of the map the House approved, but with some drastic changes.

An alteration to the shape of the 2nd Congressional District, which currently covers the St. Louis suburbs, drew pointed opposition from Republicans in the House.

The Senates version pairs suburban St. Louis neighborhoods with rural areas, stretching the 2nd from St. Louis County all the way south to Iron County.

The district also includes St. Francois and Washington counties, as well as part of Franklin County.

To me District 2 looks like gerrymandering on steroids, said Rep. Mike McGirl, R-Potosi, in Washington County.

But hard-liners such as Onder accepted the Senate-approved map due to changes in how St. Charles County was split.

Under the Senate version, four-fifths of the countys population would be placed in the 3rd Congressional District. St. Charles County lawmakers say they want as much of the county as possible within one congressional district because it is a community of interest.

But opponents of the strategy charge Onder is trying to manipulate the process to aid a potential run for Congress in the future. Onder has denied this.

Updated at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30.(tncms-asset)3b00104c-af7a-11ec-91fe-00163ec2aa77[0](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)aa3b33f0-aef4-11ec-a82e-00163ec2aa77[1](/tncms-asset)

Logjam breaks in Missouri Senate, new congressional map sent to House The map fortifies Rep. Ann Wagners St. Louis County-based 2nd Congressional District, sending it as far south as Iron County in southeast Missouri.

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.
JEFFERSON CITY  Missouri lawmakers advanced legislation Wednesday that would ban certain eviction moratoriums, arguing that the state has an interest in protecting property rights and the free market.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Chris Brown, R-Kansas City, would ban eviction moratoriums not specifically authorized by state law. Brown said the measure was not an attempt to supersede federal orders, but would bar any local moratoriums.

St. Louis and St. Louis County imposed local eviction moratoriums last year after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a national moratorium imposed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The measure received first-round approval by the House lawmakers Wednesday afternoon.

I just want to make sure everybody knows I am absolutely not unsympathetic to individuals with housing insecurity, Brown said. That is not it. This is not a callous attempt to try to throw people out of the rental property. It is simply the preservation of contract law and property rights.

Brown argued while a federal moratorium made sense at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, its continuation by local governments exacted unnecessary financial hardships on landlords and contributed to economic turmoil.

Any time that the government jumps into a free market, there are unintended consequences, said Rep. Jim Murphy, R-south St. Louis County.

The federal moratorium was coupled with millions of dollars in rental aid, partially distributed directly to landlords.

Brown also contended the free rent might have encouraged more tenants to fall behind in payments, leading to more evictions that could have been avoided. But, as of mid-March, evictions in St. Louis and St. Louis County have remained below pre-pandemic averages, according to Princetons Eviction Lab.

Some Democrat representatives expressed concern that the proposal would infringe on local control.

Do I think that local governments and local communities should have the ability to make decisions for themselves? asked Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis. Yes. Especially in the situation of responding to an emergency.

But Rep. Mark Ellebracht, D-Liberty, said the bill should send the message that you have to pay your rent.

The legislation is House Bill 1682.

Grace Zokovitch gzokovitch@post-dispatch.com
In March 2022 economic sanctions on Russia were extended in some cases to China. As a result of this an American firm, Figma, blocked its Chinese customers from using its web-based collaborative design and prototyping software. This was heavily used by DJI to upgrade and improve its line of products. Figma has an eleven percent share of this market and was popular with many Chinese firms, including several that developed new software and hardware for DJI. The largest Chinese user of Figma is DJI, the largest quadcopter manufacturer in the world, with about 80 percent of the market, most of it commercial models. Several Chinese competitors of Figma announced that their software could import and use Figma data files. It remains to be seen how much the loss of Figma will impact DJI. Overall, the impact will be small because DJI gained a majority of the quadcopter market by providing better, cheaper and a larger variety of quadcopters. DJI amassed thousands of patents and continues to innovate and improve its products. Figma, however, is becoming equally dominant in its field. Founded in 2012, six years after DJI, Figma is now worth more than $10 billion, compared to DJIs $23 billion. Two of the Chinese firms that hope to replace Figma in China were formed in 2020 and 2021 and this is a major opportunity for them. Figma is also protected by many patents but enforcing those patents in China is much more difficult than Chinese firms enforcing its patents in the West, especially the United States.

DJI quadcopters are popular with military customers worldwide, as well as gangsters, drug smugglers and Islamic terrorists. American forces were banned from using DJI products from 2017 to 2020 because of fears that DJI, which thrives, and survives by cooperating with the Chinese government, might have hidden capabilities in the control software that would enable DJI quadcopters to be monitored by the Chinese, especially in wartime. Several years of trying to prove this failed to discover anything and the American ban was quietly dropped.

The ban on military use of DJI quadcopters was not universal, even among NATO countries. But many NATO members did avoid DJI and found that alternatives were more expensive and less capable. For example, in 2021 the French military ordered 300 ANAFI USA micro-UAVs from Parrot, a French firm that is the largest European designer and manufacturer of consumer and commercial UAVs. The ANAFI USA model was developed in response to a 2019 U.S. Army order for a militarized quadcopter that was similar to the banned DJI products. That was considered difficult to do because DJI had a huge head start, especially with flight control software and reliability.

The American military determined that Parrot was best suited for this contract because there were few Western firms as capable as Parrot. The French military spent $36 million not just for the purchase of 300 ANAFI quadcopters. The five-year deal includes Parrot developing new ANAFI features to meet specific needs of army, navy and air force users.

One of the first users will be French special operations units. The ANAFI quadcopter is a militarized version of a similar, but lighter (at 300 grams), consumer model. ANAFI weighs 500 grams (1.1 pound), has endurance of 32 minutes and standard equipment is a day/night vidcam using military-grade communications. Parrot carries two 4K (21 megapixel) vidcams with 32X zoom and the ability to identify man-sized targets two kilometers distant plus useful detail in general at up to five kilometers. There is also a thermal sensor on the Parrot that works with the 4k vidcam and enables the operator to see hot spots superimposed over the video image. The flight software is as capable as DJT models and uses no Internet access. An additional security feature is the flight control software being regularly audited to ensure that no new features have compromised security. ANAFI is very quiet and is inaudible when about 130 meters away. ANAFI can be ready for use in less than a minute and is designed to be used after brief training. For experienced quad-copter users, ANAFI is very familiar and training consists of explaining the unique security and military features.

ANAFI is also built to accept accessories that generate digital maps and thermal videos. This kind of flexibility is a major feature of Parrot commercial quadcopters and one reason for its market dominance in Europe. The ANAFI is being delivered to French forces as systems, each with two quad-copters, additional batteries and operator controllers.

Parrot does have some competition in the military market. Since 2015 Israeli firms have designed and built several quadcopters for military and police use. In 2016 the Israeli military bought some locally made Roetm L UAVs for their infantry to use in urban combat. Roetm L is a lightweight (4.5 kg/10 pound) quad-copter based on commercial designs, but modified so that it not only carries the usual day/night cameras but can also replace the cameras with two 450g (one pound) grenades which can be armed and released by operator command. With 30-minute endurance and easily learned operation, Rotem L can be carried (in a case) by one man, set up and ready to go in a minute or so and recovered for reuse. The controller has a range of up to 10 kilometers but in a dense urban environment, the max range is more like 1,500 meters. The major advantage of Rotem L is that it is quiet and can be flown through open doors or windows. Carrying one or no grenades allows Rotem L to stay airborne for up to 45 minutes. The grenades can be triggered while still aboard Rotem L to provide a self-destruct mechanism. If Rotem L lands with live grenades aboard, the operator can double-check the armed status of the grenades before recharging it for another mission. Rotem L can be used unarmed by police or carry tear gas and flash-bang grenades. Rotem L is expensive, costing over $10,000 each. Military users prefer to use it equipped with vidcams and use the cruise missile option only when forced to. Israel firms offer less expensive unarmed quadcopters for military and police use.

Parrot was competitive with the Israeli designs and offered to build ANAFI USA in the U.S. as well as demonstrating it could incorporate military-grade security features and a quad-copter that matched Israeli and Chinese designs in flexibility, features and price. Parrot had another advantage because France was a NATO member and this made it easier for French firms to meet NATO standards that enabled all NATO members to easily purchase Parrot UAVs.

NATO troops in places like Syria, Iraq, Mali and Afghanistan found that both Islamic terrorist and local security forces were eager users of high-end Chinese-made DJI commercial quadcopters. A particular favorite is the DJI Matrice 200/210. This is an industrial-grade quadcopter costing up to $20,000 each. The DJI 210 weighs 4.7 kg (10.3 pounds) and can carry up to 1.45 kg (3.2 pounds) of cameras, additional batteries or improvised weapons. Max endurance is about 30 minutes and top speed is 60 kilometers an hour. When under user control the 210 can operate up to eight kilometers away although five kilometers is more common. The 210 can be programmed to use its GPS/GLONASS navigation system to cover a specific route and return. If the control system is lost for any reason, the quadcopter will automatically return to where it started and land. While the 210 is mainly used for surveillance and reconnaissance, some have been equipped with an explosives dispenser. Anything from grenades to IED (improvised explosive devices) can be used. The 210 can be rigged as a one-way cruise missile but that is expensive and increasingly common with groups backed by Iran as well as other well-funded Islamic terrorists. High-end models like the 210 are favored because they are rugged and can handle wind and incorporate obstacle avoidance. This is important when operating in urban areas, forests or at night using a night-vision camera.

While popular with Islamic terrorists, gangsters and less-well equipped police and military units, Western forces tended to avoid DJI products because of fears that China may have ordered the manufacturer to include secret features that would allow the Chinese military to disable to take-control of DJI products. No one has ever found such a back door in the quadcopter software and these Chinese quadcopters, especially those made by DJI, are the most popular models worldwide. Thats because DJI models offered are the best value as well as being the most reliable.

Sometimes these bans were issued after troops had already obtained and were using DJI quadcopters. For example, in early 2018 the U.S. Marine Corps announced a new squad and platoon organization, based on its experience so far this century, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of the unique changes to the new 12-man squad was that each one would get a commercial quadcopter. These were smaller, more compact models costing less than two thousand dollars each. The Marines had already bought 600 and ordered another 200 when the U.S. Department of Defense ordered a ban on the use of Chinese quadcopters. The Marines did manage to get an exemption to the new ban and sought government approved to purchase commercial quadcopters. These are out there but none as inexpensive as the Chinese models. The complaints about the DJI ban from military users in the United States and other NATO countries played a role in the ban being lifted in 2020.

The U.S. Army banned the use of DJI quadcopters in 2017. The troops had been encountering these DJI quadcopters in combat zones for years and some troops had bought them with their own money to use (successfully) in combat. Its no secret that DJI quadcopters have been showing up in combat zones with increasing frequency since 2014. Initially the most popular of these was the DJI Phantom quadcopter. The Phantom 3 showed up in 2015. It costs about a thousand dollars, weighs 3.9 kg (8.6 pounds), can stay in the air about 20 minutes per flight and can go up to 2,000 meters from the operator. The operator can see (at 720p resolution) what is under the Phantom using a small display and capture a higher resolution video (2.7k or 1080p) on a 16 GB micro memory card on the UAV. The Phantom 3 was widely available. It is easy to operate and has flight control software that makes it easy to operate and keeps the video image stable. You can equip these with a night vision camera. Max altitude is over 500 meters (1,600 feet) but most Phantoms operate lower down because getting to higher altitude takes time. DJI kept upgrading its Phantom line of quadcopters from the moment the first one hit the market in 2013. The Phantom 1 was basically a quadcopter you could add your own GoPro wireless vidcam to. But every few months DJI added new features and major upgrades were introduced as a new model. This is where Figma came in and made this process more effective. Phantom 2 appeared at the end of 2013, Phantom 3 in early 2015 and Phantom 4 a year later. Phantom 3 was the most popular model and Phantom 4 was basically a Phantom 3 with lots more capabilities (4K video, video transmission range of five kilometers) and a higher price (about $1,500 each). New models of the Phantom continued to appear, sometimes just with a few new features and a lower price. New features include collision avoidance sensors and software. The Phantom line was replaced by the Mavic and Matrice which included low (Mavic) and high end (Matrice) models. Year by year the capabilities of the DJI quadcopters increased and the troops were not happy that they could not use them but the enemy could and did.

For combat troops cost is an important feature because something low-cost and capable in the combat zone equipment is quickly worn out. This is especially true with quadcopters. As a result, the troops have become accustomed to buying commercial products whenever they can get away with it.
VANCOUVER, BC, March 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Gold Royalty Corp. ("Gold Royalty" or the "Company") (NYSE: GROY) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive agreement (the "Agreement") with Monarch Mining Corporation ("Monarch") (TSX: GBAR) (OTCQX: GBARF) to provide C$4.5 million in additional royalty financing by increasing the size of the Company's existing gold royalty interests. Gold Royalty will provide a further C$1.0 million in financing by participating in Monarch's C$12.0 million marketed private placement offering. The expanded royalties include:

Increased Per Tonne Royalty ("PTR") : The existing C$2.50 PTR on material from the Beaufor Mine through the Beacon Mill will be increased to C$3.75/t on material from the Beaufor Mine and C$1.25/t on material from the McKenzie Break, Croinor Gold, and Swanson properties.

: The existing C$2.50 PTR on material from the Beaufor Mine through the Beacon Mill will be increased to C$3.75/t on material from the Beaufor Mine and C$1.25/t on material from the McKenzie Break, Croinor Gold, and Swanson properties. Increased Net Smelter Return ("NSR") Royalties : The existing 2.50% NSR royalties on Monarch's McKenzie Break, Croinor Gold, and Swanson properties will be increased to a 2.75% NSR over the properties.

: The existing 2.50% NSR royalties on Monarch's McKenzie Break, Croinor Gold, and Swanson properties will be increased to a 2.75% NSR over the properties. Buyback Elimination : Monarch's existing 1.25% NSR royalty buyback rights on the McKenzie Break, Croinor Gold, and Swanson properties will be extinguished.

: Monarch's existing 1.25% NSR royalty buyback rights on the McKenzie Break, Croinor Gold, and Swanson properties will be extinguished. Pre-emptive Rights: Gold Royalty will retain pre-emptive rights on any future PTR's on the Beacon Mill and will retain a right of first refusal ("ROFR") on the creation of any additional NSR properties over the McKenzie Break, Croinor Gold, and Swanson properties.

David Garofalo, Chairman and CEO of Gold Royalty stated: "We are excited to continue to support the team at Monarch as they work towards restarting production at Beaufor and the Beacon Mill. This acquisition further bolsters Gold Royalty's potential near-term cashflow with Monarch announcing that it expects to recommence production in June 2022. The buyback elimination and expanded NSR royalties to 2.75% over McKenzie Break, Croinor, and Swanson respectively, increase our exposure to high-potential exploration assets in tier-one jurisdictions, strengthening our already impressive long-term growth portfolio."

The royalty properties are located near strategic infrastructure in the Abitibi region of Quebec, Canada and include:

Beaufor Property / Beacon Mill  The Beaufor mine and Beacon mill are located approximately 20 kilometers east of Val-d'Or, Quebec and have historically produced 1.1 million ounces of gold at an average grade of 7.50 g/t gold. In June 2021, Monarch announced that it plans to restart the Beaufor Mine and the Beacon Mill by June 2022. The Beacon mill is a 750 tonne per day facility that is fully permitted to process up to 1.8 million tonnes of tailings. Monarch announced exploration plans of an expected 25,000m drilling in 2022.

 The Beaufor mine and Beacon mill are located approximately 20 kilometers east of Val-d'Or, Quebec and have historically produced 1.1 million ounces of gold at an average grade of 7.50 g/t gold. In June 2021, Monarch announced that it plans to restart the Beaufor Mine and the Beacon Mill by June 2022. The Beacon mill is a 750 tonne per day facility that is fully permitted to process up to 1.8 million tonnes of tailings. Monarch announced exploration plans of an expected 25,000m drilling in 2022. McKenzie Break  The McKenzie Break property is an advanced exploration property located approximately 35 kilometers northeast of Val-d'Or, Quebec. The property consists of a 70 km2 land package. Monarch announced exploration plans of an expected 20,000m drilling in 2022.

 The McKenzie Break property is an advanced exploration property located approximately 35 kilometers northeast of Val-d'Or, Quebec. The property consists of a 70 km2 land package. Monarch announced exploration plans of an expected 20,000m drilling in 2022. Croinor Property  The Croinor Property is a fully permitted past producing property located 55 kilometers east of Val-d'Or, Quebec. The project consists of a district-size land package of over 150 km2. The property is the subject of a January 2018 prefeasibility study. Monarch announced exploration plans of an expected 3,000m drilling in 2022.

 The Croinor Property is a fully permitted past producing property located 55 kilometers east of Val-d'Or, Quebec. The project consists of a district-size land package of over 150 km2. The property is the subject of a January 2018 prefeasibility study. Monarch announced exploration plans of an expected 3,000m drilling in 2022. Swanson Property  The Swanson Property is an earlier stage exploration property located approximately 12 kilometers northeast of Barraute, Quebec, covering 52.26 km2. Monarch announced exploration plans of an expected 10,000m drilling in 2022.

To learn more about the royalty properties please visit: https://www.monarchmining.com.

The transaction is subject to customary conditions and is expected to be completed in the first half of April 2022.

Qualified Person

Alastair Still, P.Geo., Director of Technical Services of the Company, is a "qualified person" as such term is defined under National Instrument 43-101, and has reviewed and approved the technical information disclosed in this news release. Glenn Mullan, a director of the Company, is a "qualified person" as such term is defined under National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information pertaining to projects located in Quebec, Canada, disclosed in this news release.

About Gold Royalty Corp.

Gold Royalty Corp. is a gold-focused royalty company offering creative financing solutions to the metals and mining industry. Its mission is to acquire royalties, streams and similar interests at varying stages of the mine life cycle to build a balanced portfolio offering near, medium and longer-term attractive returns for its investors. Gold Royalty's diversified portfolio currently consists primarily of net smelter return royalties on gold properties located in the Americas.

About Monarch

Monarch Mining Corporation (TSX: GBAR) (OTCQX: GBARF) is a fully integrated mining company that owns four projects, including the Beaufor Mine, which has produced more than 1 million ounces of gold over the last 30 years. Other assets include the Croinor Gold, McKenzie Break and Swanson properties, all located near Monarch's wholly owned 750 tpd Beacon Mill. Monarch owns 29,504 hectares (295 km2) of mining assets in the prolific Abitibi mining camp that host a combined measured and indicated gold resource of 478,982 ounces and a combined inferred resource of 383,393 ounces

Technical and Third-Party Information

The information herein regarding Monarch's Swanson property has been derived from the technical report titled "NI43-101 Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate on the Swanson Project, Quebec, Canada" with an effective date of January 22, 2021. The information herein regarding Monarch's McKenzie Break property has been derived from the technical report titled "NI43-101 Technical Evaluation Report on the McKenzie Break Property" with an effective date of February 1, 2021. The information herein regarding Monarch's Croinor Gold property has been derived from the technical report titled "NI43-101 Updated Prefeasibility Study for the Croinor Gold Property" with an effective date of January 19, 2018. The information herein regarding the Beaufor has been derived from Monarch's press release dated March 17, 2022 as well as Monarch's February 2022 Corporate Presentation. For information with respect to each project, please refer to such documents as well as the applicable technical reports and other disclosure documents of Monarch that are available under its profile at www.sedar.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, the technical and scientific disclosure contained or referenced in this press release, including any references to Mineral Resources or Mineral Reserves, was prepared by the operator in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101, which differs significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") applicable to U.S. domestic issuers. Accordingly, the scientific and technical information contained or referenced in this press release may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of the SEC.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information:

Certain of the information contained in this news release constitutes 'forward-looking information' and 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws ("forward-looking statements"), including but not limited to statements regarding: Monarch's expectations regarding the timeline for recommencing production at the Beaufor mine; the impact of the expanded royalties on the Company's cash flow profile in the future; the expected completion of the transaction; and the Company's future growth plans. Such statements can be generally identified by the use of terms such as "may", "will", "expect", "intend", "believe", "plans", "anticipate" or similar terms. Forward-looking statements are based upon certain assumptions and other important factors, including assumptions of management regarding the accuracy of the disclosure of the operators of the projects underlying the Company's projects, their ability to achieve disclosed plans and targets, macroeconomic conditions and commodity prices. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements including, among others, any inability of the operators to execute proposed plans, risks related to exploration, development, permitting, infrastructure, operating or technical difficulties on any such projects, the ability of the parties to satisfy the conditions to completion of the proposed transaction; the influence of macroeconomic developments, the impact of, and response of relevant governments to, COVID-19 and the effectiveness of such responses, the ability of the Company to carry out its growth plans and other factors set forth in the Company's publicly filed documents under its profiles at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov, including its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended September 30, 2021. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gold-royalty-enters-into-additional-royalty-financing-agreement-with-monarch-mining-corporation-301513326.html

SOURCE Gold Royalty Corp.
St. Jude has helped move more than 730 Ukrainian children with cancer to safety to continue treatment

MEMPHIS, Tenn., March 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Four more Ukrainian children with cancer and their 11 family members arrived at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, on Monday, March 28. The families travelled from Poland aboard a medical transport aircraft that was chartered by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The group joins four other Ukrainian children and their 14 family members who arrived at St. Jude on Monday, March 21 on a U.S. government-operated medical transport aircraft.

St. Jude is the first hospital in the U.S. to receive patients from Ukraine. Just hours after Russia invaded Ukraine, St. Jude Global, in partnership with ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude, began working through its global network of more than 182 institutions in 61 countries, including long-developed partnerships in Ukraine and Poland, to move children with cancer across Ukraine to safety and continued care. To date, St. Jude has helped more than 730 Ukrainian children move to other institutions across the Europe and Canada, and now to St. Jude in the United States with more potential patients and families to arrive in the future.

On Friday, March 25, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden visited St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to highlight programs and services that support pediatric cancer patients and their families and caregivers, as part of the Biden-Harris Administration's Cancer Moonshot initiative. During that visit, Dr. Biden spent time with the Ukrainian families that arrived on March 21 and welcomed them to the United States.

The patients who arrived yesterday range in age from 6 to 17 years, and, like the group of patients that arrived last week, will receive the comprehensive medical care they need, as well as housing, psychological support and counseling to help address social, emotional and cultural needs as they begin to rebuild their lives so far from home.

"St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, through our Global Alliance of 182 institutions in 61 countries, is uniquely positioned to bring the world together to address this humanitarian tragedy," said St. Jude president and CEO James R. Downing, M.D. "Our ongoing commitment is to ensure children with cancer around the globe have access to lifesaving care. We are honored to help these families resume their children's lifesaving treatment in safety."

Soon after Russia invaded Ukraine, St. Jude Globala program designed to improve survival rates of children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases worldwidelaunched a humanitarian effort, called SAFER Ukraine (Supporting Action For Emergency Response). Working with Fundacja Herosi in Poland, the Tabletochki Charity Foundation in Ukraine, Polish Society of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology and other foundations and international organizations, St. Jude Global worked to evacuate children with cancer from the war zone and provide them access to medical care so they could continue their cancer treatments.

The St. Jude Global SAFER Ukraine collaborative has assisted more than 730 patients. This includes translating medical records and coordinating convoys to the Unicorn Marian Wilemski Clinic in Poland, a triage center. There, patients are medically evaluated and families can rest before being transported to an expanding network of the best cancer centers in Europe, Canada and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Organizers have sought to keep patients as close to home as possible to minimize disruption to their lives, but factors such as decreased clinical space availability and advanced patient medical needs can require sending children farther from home.

"My father, the tenth child of impoverished immigrants from Lebanon, founded St. Jude Children's Research Hospital 60 years ago around his belief that no child should die in the dawn of life. And he didn't mean no American child. He meant no child, anywhere. I was deeply moved by the bravery of the Ukrainian mothers I met last week. Their babies are the reason we built this place," said St. Jude National Outreach Director Marlo Thomas, daughter of St. Jude founder Danny Thomas.

"St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is uniquely positioned to help children worldwide now and in the years to come thanks to our more than 11 million supporters and the efforts of hundreds of people who are working on this initiative. They truly embody our mission: Finding cures. Saving children," said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., president and CEO of ALSAC. "Our supporters and partners have helped ensure that hundreds of Ukrainian children with cancer and catastrophic diseases make it to safety, where they can continue their lifesaving treatments."

"Thanks to the millions of supporters of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, we are able to provide hope to children with cancer and catastrophic diseases around the world now and in the future, especially in times of war and great need like this," said Tony Thomas, St. Jude/ALSAC board member and son of Danny Thomas. "We are all inspired by the resilience and courage of the families who are fleeing Ukraine to welcoming hospitals across Europe, Canada, and now to St. Jude."

During the next 48 hours, St. Jude will evaluate the patients and help families settle into its housing facilities and other services with the help of Ukrainian interpreters.

The patient families who arrived last week are settling into the care that has been the commitment of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital since it was founded in 1962: Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food  so they can focus on helping their child live.

Visit St. Jude Inspire for related content.

St. Jude Children's Research HospitalSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and cures childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to 80% since the hospital opened more than 60 years ago. St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. To learn more, visit stjude.org or follow St. Jude on social media at @stjuderesearch.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/st-jude-childrens-research-hospital-evacuates-second-group-of-patients-from-ukraine-safely-to-united-states-301513418.html

SOURCE ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
GENEVA, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) has appointed iGroup founder and YPO's Global Chairman Anastasios Economou to the Advisory Board of its Division for Multilateral Diplomacy. The two-year term takes effect from January 2022 to December 2024.

UNITAR is a dedicated training and capacity development institute within the United Nations system aiming to empower individuals, governments and organizations through knowledge and learning to effectively overcome contemporary global challenges. Within the framework of the Institute, the Division for Multilateral Diplomacy supports the intergovernmental machinery and governing bodies of the United Nations by empowering delegates and diplomats.

The main purpose of the Division's Advisory Board is to provide guidance and leadership that would enable the Division to deliver on its mandate and overcome the major multilateral challenges facing the United Nations. The Advisory Board will also provide critical analysis of the activities of the Division to ensure the respect of quality standards in compliance with UNITAR mandate and UN guidelines.

Mr. Economou is the 69th global chairman of YPO, an organization dedicated to offering lifelong learning and idea exchange opportunities to more than 30,000 chief executive members located in 142 countries around the world.

YPO members are connected by the belief that the world needs better leaders, which they explore through a variety of learning experiences, including the opportunity to engage with leading business and academic institutions such as Harvard Business School, INSEAD and London Business School.

Throughout his tenure at YPO, serving in multiple roles on international, regional and chapter levels, Mr. Economou has spearheaded many defining initiatives for the organization along with his member peers, who represent diverse backgrounds of cultures, perspectives, ideas and expertise.

"It is an honor to be appointed to UNITAR's Division for Multilateral Diplomacy's Advisory Board," says Mr. Economou. "By sharing my experiences from leading a global learning organization like YPO, I hope to best serve and support the board and its goal of fostering multilateral diplomacy within the United Nations."

"We are delighted to welcome Mr. Economou to the Division of Multilateral Diplomacy's Advisory Board and are looking forward to jointly work on expanding the Division's positive impact on its beneficiaries in line with UNITAR's mandate and the overall UN vision," said Mr. Rabih El-Haddad, Director of UNITAR's Division for Multilateral Diplomacy.

About UNITAR:

The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is a principal training arm of the United Nations, working in every region of the world. We empower individuals, governments and organizations through knowledge and learning to effectively overcome contemporary global challenges. UNITAR was established in 1965 as an autonomous body within the United Nations with the mandate of enhancing the effectiveness of the work of the United Nations and its Member States. Every year UNITAR's reach extends to some 300,000 beneficiaries through face-to-face seminars and workshops, e-learning or other training-related events. (www.unitar.org)

About YPO:

YPO is the global leadership community of more than 30,000 chief executives in 142 countries who are connected by the shared belief that the world needs better leaders. Each of our members have achieved significant leadership success at a young age. Combined, they lead businesses and organizations contributing USD9 trillion in annual revenue with more than 22 million employees. YPO members inspire and support each other through peer learning and exceptional experiences in an inclusive community of open sharing and trust. Visit ypo.org for more.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/unitar-appoints-anastasios-economou-ypo-global-chairman-and-founder-of-igroup-to-advisory-board-of-the-division-for-multilateral-diplomacy-301513473.html

SOURCE YPO
(Tribune News Service)  The Air Force plans to cut its fleet of F-22s by 33  mothballing planes used by the training unit thats moving to Langley Air Force Base  but its plans to shift that unit and its hundreds of civilians and contractors to Hampton are still on course.

Although we plan to retire the F-22 Block 20 aircraft, we plan to redistribute the existing operational F-22 aircraft to support the training mission as well as the operational missions, said Ann Stefanek, the Air Forces chief media spokeswoman.

The Air Force still plans to move the F-22 Formal Training Unit to JBLE/Langley, she said.

The budget proposal President Joe Biden submitted to Congress on Monday includes a plan to mothball F-22s that arent configured for combat, sparking some speculation that the plan to move the F-22 Formal Training Unit from Florida to Langley would be canceled.

Stefanek said the Air Force is working on plans for the move to Joint Base Langley/Eustis.

We had been given hints by the Air Force that the number of F-22s coming to Langley with the FTU would be smaller, so some reduction was expected, said Craig Quigley, executive director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance.

Air Force still needs an FTU, no matter where the aircraft come from or how many there are, so that is still very much a work in progress, he said.

The Air Force had approved moving its F-22 training unit from Florida last year, but the timing slipped while the service worked to complete a study of the its current and future aircraft requirements. The Biden Administration budget proposal calls for delivery of more F-35s and F-15EX fighters.

The move is coming in order to free up space at Eglin Air Force Base for an additional F-35 training unit.

As approved last year, the move to Langley would bring 31 F-22 fighters here, as well as 16 T-38s, which are used to represent hostile aircraft. The Air Force budget does not call for any reductions in its inventory of T-38s. The relocation would bring 760 Air Force personnel and contractors to Langley, which would become home to the 43rd Fighter Squadron, the 43rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, the 2nd Fighter Training Squadron, and the 325th Training Support Squadron.

Those units have been operating at Eglin since a hurricane in 2018 damaged their longstanding home at Tyndall Air Force Base

Shifting F-22 training to Langley requires new facilities, including a 68,000 square foot maintenance facility with four bays, a building to house classrooms, eight full-mission simulators and 16 weapons and tactics trainers, a hangar with six bays as well as space for aircraft maintenance personnel and a 120-person dormitory.

The Air Force has said that with the proposed move, the number of F-22 flights from Langleys airfield would rise from 22,677 a year now to 49,119 when the training unit is up and fully operational. T-38 flights would increase from 16,000 a year to 47,866.

dress@dailypress.com

2022 Daily Press.

Visit dailypress.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service)  The U.S. Air Force has selected Lockheed Martin to produce a new generation of long-range radars  a deal that promises to be one of the most lucrative in the history of the defense contractors plant in suburban Syracuse, N.Y.

The Air Force decision will lead to decades of production work at Lockheeds plant at Electronics Park in Salina, and create or sustain hundreds of jobs, a company spokesperson said today.

The radars are expected to generate sales to the Air Force and international military partners worth at least $1.3 billion over the next 10 years, according to defense industry analysts.

The Air Force on Tuesday night approved an initial $75 million contract with Lockheed to produce the first two radar systems, known as the Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar, or Three Dealer.

The Air Force said it plans to acquire up to 35 of the new radar systems, which will become its principal long-range radar of the future.

The mobile, ground-based radars can detect, identify and track aircraft, missiles and other incoming aerial threats. The digital radars can also detect stealthy cruise missiles, and provide long-range early warning for tactical ballistic missiles.

Lockheed Martin beat out defense contractor Northrop Grumman in a competition for the contract after both companies developed prototypes that were tested by the Air Force.

A team at Lockheeds plant in Salina spent more than 10 years and $100 million to develop, build and test the prototype radar systems.

Three Dealer is slated to replace the Air Forces main TPS-75 air search radar, built by Northrop Grumman, which dates from the Vietnam War era.

Military leaders were impressed with Lockheeds radar system after a series of live-fly demonstrations over the past two years, including one at the companys Cazenovia test site in September 2020.

Following those demonstrations, the Air Force awarded Lockheeds Salina plant a contract for $8.4 million in March 2021 to finish developing the radars.

In July, the Air Force gave radar systems an official designation  TPY-4  an encouraging sign of approval of the Department of Defense.

Lockheed spokesperson Kelly Vann told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard today that the company is already hiring to fill some of the new positions tied to the radar contract.

Overall, the company has more than 100 job openings in Salina, mostly for high-paying engineering positions. Lockheed does not disclose a salary range for the open jobs. CNBC reported last year that Lockheed offered signing bonuses of $10,000 for some senior-level jobs in select locations.

Vann said the company cannot say exactly how many jobs will ultimately be tied to the Air Force project, other than an estimate of hundreds over the course of a decade or more.

Lockheed currently employs 1,961 people on its Electronics Park campus in Salina, up from about 1,600 eight years ago. The company is one of Central New Yorks largest employers.

The Salina plant has won several significant contracts and grown steadily since 2013, when Lockheed Martin considered shutting down its local operations as part of a nationwide reorganization that cut 4,000 jobs.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., convinced company executives at the time to keep the Salina plant operating.

Schumer, the Senate majority leader, pushed to include funding for the initial Three Dealer contract in a $1.5 trillion federal spending bill passed by Congress earlier this month.

The Air Force contract is the latest in a series of long-term deals that have helped the plant thrive and expand.

In 2019, Lockheed won the biggest contract in its local history  a deal worth up to $3 billion to produce the Armys next generation of powerful radars for short-range air defenses.

The Air Forces selection of Lockheed for the Three Dealer radar system follows more than a decade of intense competition among defense contractors bidding for the work.

In 2014, the Air Force chose radars developed by Raytheon Corp. and subcontractor Saab Defense of DeWitt as the winner over Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.

But Lockheed and Northrop Grumman filed formal protests and legal challenges of the contract with the Pentagon. A federal judge ruled in 2015 that the Air Force could re-evaluate its decision.

In 2017, Raytheon won the contract again. But the Air Force canceled that contract in 2020, citing numerous technical and supplier challenges.

2022 Advance Local Media LLC.

Visit syracuse.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(Tribune News Service)  Two men who left Cuba more than a week ago on a homemade boat made from a surfboard and pontoons have been found safe near the Bahamas, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

A boater reported to authorities seeing the men on the makeshift vessel about 5 p.m. Tuesday around 10 miles west of Bimini. That was welcome news for the Coast Guard, which presumed them missing at sea and suspended its search on Sunday.

It was awesome we were able to find them, said Petty Officer Jose Hernandez, a Coast Guard spokesman.

Hernandez said the men did not have injuries or serious medical issues.

As the Coast Guard, Border Patrol and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations face a maritime migrant surge they havent experienced in at least five years, finding people alive who have been lost at sea for so long is a welcome, but rare occurrence.

We are thankful to our fellow mariners, Lt. Cmdr. Jason Neiman, Coast Guard spokesman, said in a statement. Their actions helped save two lives from the sea. Both men are now safe, but we must highlight trips like this are incredibly dangerous and often turn tragic.

In January, 34 people were never seen again after a migrant boat carrying people of various nationalities capsized between Bimini and Fort Pierce Inlet. Five bodies were recovered, and one man survived. He was found by a tugboat crew clinging to the overturned hull of the vessel.

U.S.-based family members of the men found off Bimini called the Coast Guard last Friday to report their concern  they had left Cuba last Tuesday and still hadnt reached their destination of Key West.

Not only were the men found alive and healthy, they were on the same homemade vessel on which their loved ones said they had departed.

Crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk brought the men on board. They are scheduled to be transferred to the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, and eventually returned to Cuba.

Since the beginning of October, the Coast Guard has stopped 1,067 Cubans at sea and on the way to South Florida  the most since fiscal year 2017.

Last fiscal year  a period of time in the calendar year spanning the end of September to the beginning of October  the Coast Guard said it stopped 838 Cubans along the Florida Straits, a huge jump from the prior fiscal years 49 people.

2022 Miami Herald.

Visit miamiherald.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Tokyo, May 1953: Eleanor Roosevelt talks with a patient at the Tokyo Army Hospital. The former first lady, starting a five-week lecture and study tour of Japan, visited all six floors of the installation.
With no land borders and one of the worlds longest coastlines, Australia is a particularly challenging place to invade, or defend. But the internet changes that equation by making the nation more vulnerable to threats in cyberspace than on the battlefield. So the government is stepping up, with China clearly at top of mind.

A new $7.5 billion (AU $10 billion) spending package unveiled Tuesday for the Australian Signals Directorate over a decade is a massive increase for the Defense Departments unit in charge of signals intelligence and cybersecurity. The funds will help the division double in size and triple its offensive capabilities. A further $27.6 billion (AU $38 billion) was outlined to boost the nations defense force.

Dubbed REDSPICE - Resilience, Effects, Defense, Space, Intelligence, Cyber, Enablers - the programs acronym is a clumsy dig at China, but the target is clear. It responds to the deteriorating strategic circumstances in our region, characterized by rapid military expansion, growing coercive behavior and increased cyber attacks, the ASD said in a statement.

The announcement, part of the center-right Liberal governments annual budget, comes less than two months before Prime Minister Scott Morrison must call a federal election and says a lot about the signal he wants to send both to Beijing, and his own electorate. The spending bill as a whole - which includes cuts in fuel taxes and one-off cash payments to families - is seen as a desperate attempt by Morrison to buy voter support amid a slide in popularity. Itll be largely funded by an increase in tax revenues driven by rising commodity prices.

Clearly, Morrison believes voters care about the threat from China, and wants to appear tough on Beijing. Hell use that to contrast the center-left Labor Party, which has been criticized for being weak on foreign policy and hewing too closely to the Chinese Communist Party. Russias invasion of Ukraine also plays into the governments national-security posturing, with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg noting in his budget speech that war rages in Europe.

Australian companies and organizations have increasingly become targets, mostly from overseas, with Chinese hackers blamed for a ransomware attack on electricity provider CS Energy and a Russian group purportedly behind a breach of logistics provider Toll Group. A single significant attack could cost Australia $22.6 billion (AU $30 billion) and 160,000 jobs, ASD director-general Rachel Noble told parliament last year.

Yet spending on cyber capabilities is also a savvy way for the government to sharpen its defenses without appearing to escalate militarily. In September last year, Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. announced a trilateral security pact - called Aukus - that included a deal to help Canberra procure nuclear-powered submarines.

But China, one of Australias biggest export markets, issued a strong rebuke over the move, and said the alliance was intensifying the arms race.

Morrison, and his defense minister, Peter Dutton, are not averse to rattling Chinas cage. But both nations rely on each other. Australia has the agricultural and natural resources the worlds second-largest economy needs, and China has the cash to buy them. So Canberra is looking for ways to be tough on Beijing without pushing too far.

Boosting cybersecurity, and announcing a huge spending package to back it up, offers that opportunity while responding to a very real need. It also brings Australia closer to the level of spending its larger allies are undertaking to boost their own capabilities. U.S. President Joe Biden has proposed a $2.5 billion budget for the Department of Homeland Securitys Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency next year. Thats in addition to cyber spending undertaken by other agencies including the Pentagon and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Australias GDP is approximately one-fifth of the U.S. so its increased allocation stacks up well.

To achieve its goal, the government will recruit heavily. It plans to add 1,900 staff in roles including hackers, language specialists and psychologists. By increasing its focus on offensive skills, Canberra is keen to sharpen its ability to strike back if attacked.

With a $7.5 billion (AU$10 billion) budget in hand, Australia is letting its rivals know that it will not only fight them on the beaches, but on the internet, too.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Tim Culpan is a technology columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. Based in Taipei, he writes about Asian and global businesses and trends. He previously covered the beat at Bloomberg News.
(Tribune News Service)  Canada has selected the Lockheed Martin F-35 in the country's competition to buy a new fighter jet, the Canadian government said this week.

The purchase of 88 U.S.-made jets represents a $15 billion commitment (or $19 billion Canadian).

The announcement marks another nation committing in recent weeks to the fighter jet whose development has been managed by Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Germany and Finland have also committed to the fighter or elected to "join the F-35 family," U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, said Wednesday at a House Armed Services Committee hearing. Germany had initially been considering the F-18.

Turner traced those nations' decisions to Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, which persuaded several nations to reconsider the stealthy, advanced F-35, which is capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

"Great effects of Russia's aggressiveness," Turner said during Wednesday's hearing.

Turner asked Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters, NATO's supreme allied commander in Europe, what the selection means strategically.

"They'll deliver a tremendous improvement in our strategic ability, in indications and warnings, in command and control and mission command," Wolters said.

Outgoing Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson in 2019 confirmed the selection of Wright Patterson to host the F-35 Hybrid Product Support Integrator organization.

The office operated in Crystal City, Va. The Air Force in 2019 said a planning team with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center was preparing for the organization's reception and "beddown" on Area A of Wright-Patterson.

When fully staffed, the office will have 440 people, with most at Wright-Patterson.

The program supporting the F-35 fighter is set to move to Wright-Patterson in the spring of 2022, an Air Force Materiel Command spokesman told the Dayton Daily News in 2019. Questions were sent to AFMC representatives Wednesday.

(c)2022 the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio)

Visit the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) at www.daytondailynews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Stars and Stripes is making stories on the coronavirus pandemic available free of charge. See more stories here. Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter here. Please support our journalism with a subscription.

The pandemic may be easing but Japan and South Korea together are counting hundreds of thousands of new cases of COVID-19 every day, and it still has a stubborn hold in some quarters.

Okinawa prefecture, where the bulk of more than 50,000 U.S. troops in Japan are located, continues to report relatively high numbers. And the U.S. military in South Korea reported a third week of higher new case numbers.

Wednesday, Okinawa confirmed 1,058 new cases of COVID-19, the highest one-day count since 1,029 on March 1. The prefecture averaged nearly 850 new cases every day over the past week. During the previous week, new cases averaged 622 per day.

About 1% of COVID-19 cases during the sixth wave, which took hold in December, are attributed to visitors to Okinawa from other prefectures, a spokesman for the department told Stars and Stripes by phone on Tuesday.

Tourism is not the only reason but considered to be one of the reasons, he said. It increases human interactions.

Government spokespeople in Japan typically speak to the media on condition of anonymity as a condition of their employment.

The sixth, or omicron wave proved less virulent than its predecessors although the omicron variant spread more easily and created thousands more infections. Nearly a quarter of hospital beds set aside for COVID-19 patients on Okinawa are occupied; however, only 2.3% of those patients are hospitalized, according to the department.

The prefecture expects tourists to watch their health status carefully, get vaccinated and take a PCR test for the disease before coming to Okinawa, the spokesman said. Most tourists in Japan are coming from other parts the country. The government has stayed visas for foreign travelers although it admits limited numbers of business travelers and students.

South Korea update

In South Korea, the number of new cases of COVID-19 within the U.S. military rose again for the third consecutive week, according to a weekly update Tuesday.

U.S. Forces Korea reported 677 new cases of the coronavirus respiratory disease for the week ending Monday, 192 greater than the previous week and 520 more than the first week in March. By contrast, U.S. Forces Japan reported an average 59.3 new cases per day, about 415 total, for the week ending March 21, its most recent update.

USFKS 677 cases are the second-highest weekly tally so far this year. New case numbers reported by the command peaked at 1,599 between Jan. 4 and 10. USFK is responsible for about 28,500 troops.

COVID-19 holds firm in South Korea, which reported 42,464 new cases Tuesday, according to a daily update Wednesday by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The KDCA has confirmed about 340,000 or more new cases on six of the previous nine days.

Gyeonggi province, where the U.S. installations Camp Humphreys and Osan Air Base are located, accounted for 81,824 on Tuesday; Seoul, the capital city, confirmed 12,301.

Stars and Stripes reporters Mari Higa, Yoo Kyong Chang and David Choi contributed to this report.
The proposed defense budget unveiled Monday by the White House puts nearly $1 billion, full funding, toward a comprehensive missile defense system for Guam.

Adm. John Aquilino, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, has several times emphasized the importance of a missile defense system for the U.S. territory that is home to key Navy and Air Force installations.

Aquilino called it his No. 1 unfunded request during a House Armed Services Committee meeting earlier this month.

Our budget invests $892 million for the defense of Guam, including improved missile defense, command, and control capabilities, radar capacity, and new construction, Vice Adm. Ronald Boxall, director for force structure, resources, and assessment of the Joint Staff, said Monday during a Pentagon briefing. The Biden administrations proposal covers defense spending for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.

Guam is of growing strategic importance to the United States as China continues to assert itself militarily and politically into the Indo-Pacific region.

As the closest U.S. territory to the contested South China Sea, Guam is seen by the Pentagon as a strategic hub for projecting power into and defense of the region.

Beijing recognizes the islands status. In 2020, Chinas air force released a video showing a simulated bomber attack on what appeared to be Guams Andersen Air Force Base.

Guam is also the closest U.S. soil to North Korea, which in recent months has stepped up its testing of ballistic missiles.

Current forces are capable of defending Guam against todays North Korean ballistic missile threats, Dee Dee Martinez, comptroller at the Missile Defense Agency, said during a separate budget briefing Monday at the Pentagon.

However, the regional threat to Guam, including from China, continues to rapidly evolve, she said.

Initial funding to enhance Guams defense was included in the fiscal year 2022 spending bill, which was only passed this month after numerous delays.

The architecture has now been finalized and includes a combination of integrated [Missile Defense Agency], Army and Navy components, Martinez said.

The Missile Defense Agency would spend $539 million on missile defense architecture for Guam, as well as for design and development of multiple land-based radar systems, procurement of weapons systems components and construction planning, she said.

The defense architecture largely builds upon the existing systems: the Armys Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, the Navys Aegis Combat System aboard ships and ballistic missile defense components developed by the Missile Defense Agency, Vice Adm. Jon Hill, director of the Missile Defense Agency, said at the briefing.

The timeline calls for Guams missile defense system to be operational by 2026, Hill said.

The defensive architecture is designed to address the rapidly advancing ballistic and hypersonic cruise missile threat to Guam, Maj. Gen. Jamie Gerard, INDOPACOM chief of staff, said Tuesday during a virtual panel on North Korea hosted by the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance.

The U.S. is working to develop a network capable of defending the homeland first and foremost, but also being able to protect our fielded forces and help defend our partners and allies against all threats, Gerard said.

The Guam defense system is a great example of all of that rolled into one, Gerard said. He described the proposed system as a 360-degree persistent air and missile defense capability that is the most important action the U.S. could take to increase the lethality of the joint force.
USAA, the financial services company with a military clientele, has loosened its eligibility requirements to include veterans with a general discharge under honorable conditions.

The change took effect March 22 after rigorous reviews and planning, USAA spokeswomen Laura Propp told Stars and Stripes by email on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, USAA extended membership to veterans with a general under honorable discharge in alignment with other major veterans service organizations, and now welcomes separated military personnel who have received a discharge type of honorable or UHC, Propp wrote in her email.

In most cases, a veteran with a general under honorable discharge is not eligible for GI Bill education benefits, preference for civil service jobs and credit for their military service toward retirement from a government job, according to an eligibility chart from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.

A general under honorable discharge may reflect satisfactory service marred by minor misconduct, according to the legal reference website nolo.com.

The change at USAA aligns with Department of Defense discharge review boards, which can upgrade this discharge type, Propp said.

There are a wide range of situations for veterans to receive a [general under honorable conditions] discharge, including historical reasons that are no longer relevant, she wrote.

Approximately 200,000 men and women leave U.S. military service every year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor website. In a 2015 report from the Pentagon only 6.36% of about 207,000 veterans discharged that fiscal year received a general under honorable discharge and 78.29% received an honorable discharge.

USAA, headquartered in San Antonio and founded by military officers a century ago, provides insurance and banking services to active-duty service members, veterans and their families. It claims 13 million members.

At Navy Federal Credit Union, membership requirements are not as strict as USAA.

As long as youre a veteran, discharge status doesnt matter, a Navy Federal customer service representative told Stars and Stripes over the phone on Wednesday.

A representative from the Navy Federal corporate office was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

Navy Federal Credit Union was founded at the end of the Great Depression by seven Navy Department employees and has grown to include officers and enlisted men and women of all branches of the military, veterans, DOD employees and their family members. It claims 10 million members, according to its website.
Stars and Stripes is making stories on the coronavirus pandemic available free of charge. See more stories here. Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter here. Please support our journalism with a subscription.

We may be talking about a Russian military disaster now, but not so long ago, we were talking about a potential global health success for Russia. Just a year ago, Moscows quickly approved coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, looked to be in ascendance, casting off initial Western skepticism. The respected British medical journal Lancet published a peer-reviewed paper that found the vaccine had high efficacy. Dozens of countries would go on to grant emergency approval to Sputnik V.

Global health experts celebrated. Cheaper and easier to store than some other vaccines, Sputnik V looked likely to fulfill an important international need. But it was also a diplomatic tool for the Kremlin. While the vaccine had been developed using adenovirus technology by the Moscow-based Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, it was backed by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), a sovereign wealth fund.

One key aim appeared to be restoring international views of Russian scientific research, once lauded but in decline for decades. It wasnt subtle. The vaccine was named after the satellite that saw the Soviets beat the United States in the space race. But here could be a Russian triumph all of the world could share in: Kirill Dmitriev, RDIF chief executive, said there was the capacity to vaccinate 700 million people outside of Russia in 2021 alone.

Even then, however, not everyone was receptive. Ukrainian lawmakers approved a bill that officially banned vaccines made in Russia. The decision was at least partly based on geopolitical concerns: Moscow had already supplied the vaccine to the separatists it was backing in eastern Ukraine. Last year, when I asked Pavlo Kovtoniuk, Ukraines deputy minister of health from 2016 to 2019, about the move, he said the health benefits of Sputnik V couldnt be separated from Ukraines national security concerns about Russia.

Over the last few decades, and especially during the previous seven years of undeclared war, Ukraine has well learned what hybrid warfare is, Kovtoniuk said.

If Sputnik V once looked like a vital tool for the Kremlins geopolitical ambition, it now looks like another victim of it. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, both RDIF and Dmitriev are now under Western sanctions. The U.S. Treasury said the sovereign wealth fund is widely considered a slush fund for Russian President Vladimir Putin and emblematic of Russias broader kleptocracy, while the chief executive was dubbed a close associate of the Kremlin leader. In a letter received after the initial publication of this article, the RDIF described the Treasurys accusation as defamatory.

It is still not clear what impact the sanctions are having on the supply of and demand for Sputnik V. There is an exemption for coronavirus-related supplies in the U.S. sanctions on Russia. But even during a pandemic, sanctions are often a messy business - as Iran and Cuba found out earlier during the health emergency. And Andrea Taylor, a researcher at Duke University who tracks global vaccine supply, said that even before the sanctions, data about Sputnik V was spotty and unreliable.

In an article for Think Global Health, Lillian Posner, Sarah Nance and Samantha Kiernan noted that a number of Russian banks had been cut off from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) messaging system. This removal, combined with decisions by major Western credit card companies to halt operations in Russia, essentially bans Russia from making international transactions, they wrote.

It must be a bitter pill to swallow. When I asked a representative of RDIF how sanctions were affecting Sputnik V, he sent Todays WorldView an official statement, which argued that the fund was never involved in any political activities, does not interact in any way with Ukraine and follows the worlds best investment practices, which has been acknowledged by all its international partners as well by national regulators.

The statement continued, conspiratorially: The restrictions imposed by the U.S. authorities complicating RDIF efforts on the international promotion of the Russian vaccine products, have been lobbied by a number of large Western pharmaceutical companies. As a result of such unfair competition, billions of people around the world may be deprived of access to effective and safe Russian-made vaccines.

After the publication of this article, Mikhail Irzhevsky, general counsel for RDIF, sent a letter threatening legal action against The Washington Post and rejecting the basis for the sanctions.

Irzhevsky wrote that Western sanctions targeting RDIF were solely meant to prevent the Russian economy from attracting financial resources and not for any wrongdoing, and added that the fund had issued a statement on March 2 saying it supports restoration of peace [in Ukraine] and hopes negotiations between representatives of Russia and Ukraine are successful.

Whatever the impact of sanctions, the light that Sputnik V once shone for Russia has dimmed. Any diplomatic benefits the Kremlin gained from the vaccine are easily overshadowed now by the invasion of Ukraine. Even countries that had once made major purchases of Sputnik V, such as Kenya and Gabon, voted in favor of the United Nations General Assembly motion condemning the invasion.

Emergency-use listing from either the World Health Organization or the European Medicines Agency, two key global approvals that could open up travel to those vaccinated with Sputnik V and allow the vaccine to be used by vaccine-sharing initiative COVAX, seems as distant as ever. Judy Twigg, a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who studies Russian politics and health, said WHO approval probably was dead in the water.

Sure, Twigg continued, perhaps China or India would still work with Russia. But both countries have their own vaccine manufacturers they probably would favor. Countries that had worked with Sputnik V to set up manufacturing capacity for the Russian vaccine had already run into problems with contracts and supply chains. Now there is reputational damage to consider, too. Theyre all actively searching for alternatives, Twigg said.

Long before the invasion, there had been complications for these international partners - either because of the slow supply of raw materials from Russia or because the second dose of the vaccine was complicated to make, according to Dukes Taylor. Though some had shifted to Sputnik Light, a rebranded one-dose version of the vaccine, others have already moved on.

While the pandemic is still ongoing, some experts say the rapid spread of the omicron variant, which provided many people with antibodies, as well as the arrival of greater manufacturing capacity and new, second-generation vaccines, had diminished the need for Sputnik V. Its a very competitive environment and its only going to get more competitive, said J. Stephen Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The problem was not the vaccine itself. The Kremlin overpromised and underdelivered on Sputnik V, while problems with data and secrecy led to widespread distrust of the vaccine - even, it seems, in Russia itself, where almost half of the population is still not vaccinated despite punishing outbreaks and huge death tolls. The invasion of Ukraine was just the latest setback.

According to data compiled by UNICEF, fewer than 80 million doses of Sputnik V and Sputnik Light were exported in 2021 - barely above 10 percent of what RDIFs Dmitriev had once promised.

Twigg had sympathy for the Russian researchers who worked on Sputnik V. They had been betrayed by their government, Twigg said, before the war by granting regulatory approval to their product before it was ready to go, casting a global shadow over the quality of their work for the sake of a PR campaign. As Morrison put it, Russia failed despite having a relatively decent product.

If the Kremlin had hoped to return to the glory days of Russian medicine and scientific research, the reality has been the exact opposite. The researchers who had stayed in Russia over the past few decades, despite an exodus of colleagues and increasing political pressure, will be more compelled than ever to leave. Sputnik V has become a global health defeat, snatched from the jaws of victory.
WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service)  With rare speed, the U.S. government has determined that Russian forces are committing war crimes as they attempt to bombard Ukraine into submission, a brutal onslaught that has displaced millions and likely killed thousands of civilians.

But even after egregious actions, war crimes prosecutions are methodical endeavors that can last for more than a decade before perpetrators are brought to justice  if they ever are.

Something different, though, is occurring with Ukraine, legal and human rights experts say. Thanks to smartphones, social media and the publicity savvy and pointed eagerness of Ukrainian officials, evidence of potential war crimes is being compiled even as they unfold.

"It's all happening in real time," said Jane E. Stromseth, a professor of international law and human rights at Georgetown University, who previously worked on global justice for the State Department.

This will allow investigators to build cases more rapidly than in previous theaters of war crimes, such as the Balkans or Sudan or Rwanda, all in the 1990s and early 2000s.

It took more than a decade to indict, capture and try the former president of Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milosevic, who gave the world the term "ethnic cleansing" in his campaign to eliminate Muslim Bosnians. Milosevic died in his cell at The Hague in 2006 during his trial.

Omar Bashir, the former president of Sudan, was free for more than a decade after the International Criminal Court, the lead institution for adjudicating war crimes, indicted him on charges of murder, torture and rape in Darfur. He awaits trial but conditions are being negotiated between Sudan and the court.

Real-time access to witnesses, video

Unlike in those cases, investigators now also have real-time access to witnesses, thanks to the nearly 3 million Ukrainians who fled the country in just the first weeks of the war. Most are in neighboring NATO country Poland, where the ICC has already sent a team of investigators after opening a formal inquiry. Those who fled can give fresh testimony to help document what has happened on the ground in Kyiv, Mariupol, Chernihiv, Kherson and dozens of other ravaged cities and towns.

None of this means President Vladimir Putin or any other senior Russian commander or official will necessarily be in the dock anytime soon. But there is hope for some progress among many advocates and legal experts.

"There is not a time lag, and there is a prospect for justice," Stromseth said in an interview.

At the same time, there is a downside to the abundance of available material, said Aisling Reidy, a legal advisor to Human Rights Watch.

"Getting hold of evidence is both easier and harder," said Reidy, who recalled having to use radios to communicate with co-workers during the conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo. Now, the quantity of videos, testimonies and other material is often polluted with disinformation, which Russians especially are masterful at propagating, and investigators have to sort though all of it.

U.S. accuses Russia

Both President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken earlier this month said they "personally" believed Putin to be a war criminal. On March 23, the State Department formally announced it had determined that Russian forces were committing war crimes in repeated attacks on civilian targets.

"The deliberate targeting of civilians is a war crime," Samantha Power, head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, whose 2002 book on genocide won a Pulitzer Prize, said that day on Twitter. "From attacking a maternity hospital to a theater full of sheltering civilians, Russia's playbook is the same as in Chechnya & Syria: break the will of the people."

U.S. officials said an advantage to the swift denouncement of war crimes is to put the Russians on notice and give succor to the Ukrainians, as well as to preserve evidence.

"It's also extremely important to continue to document what's happening on the ground to preserve that information as potential evidence for future accountability purposes," said Beth Van Schaack, U.S. ambassador-at-large for global justice at the State Department. "We don't want to lose that evidence. We don't want that evidence to be tampered with."

When Milosevic-backed Serbs in Bosnia, who had led the pogroms against Bosnian Muslims, realized that inspectors from a war crimes tribunal were finally going to gain access to their territory, they began digging up the mass graves where they had deposited their victims and moved them to more remote areas in hopes of concealing the slaughter. Reporters at the time, along with United Nations officials and people from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and others, were at the forefront of tracking down the new graves and eventually building cases against Milosevic, Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic and military commander Ratko Mladic.

International Criminal Court

Created in 1998 and headquartered at The Hague, the ICC evolved out of ad-hoc tribunals established by the U.N. specifically for Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Unlike those courts, however, the ICC is independent of the U.N. and its proceedings cannot be vetoed by Security Council members such as Russia.

The U.S. is pledging cooperation with the ICC on Ukraine, but it has refused to become a member state. It often resists  even attacks  the court if the ICC threatens to touch on, for example, U.S. military operations in Afghanistan or Israeli actions in the Palestinian West Bank or Gaza Strip. The U.S. tends to pick certain cases rather than lending full support to the ICC, critics say, which politicizes the court's actions.

The Trump administration went so far as to place economic sanctions on ICC prosecutors and attempt to bar them from entering the U.S.

"Hypocrisy abounds," said one human rights activist who did not want to be named to preserve a good working relationship with U.S. officials. "If you're going to be serious about war crimes, it has to be full-hearted."

Washington can provide enormous amounts of resources, money and expertise to prosecutions over Ukraine. U.S. intelligence can be especially valuable because of knowledge  after decades of espionage and surveillance  of Russian military units and command structures. That could be key to establishing accountability for war crimes: Who knew what  and ordered what actions  when?

"How do you show the most senior people, up to and including President Putin, are responsible for a particular operation or decision, that day?" Reidy said, pointing to the problem of determining the chain of command in specific military operations.

Russia and Ukraine are not parties to the ICC, but Ukraine has said it would accept the court's jurisdiction. While Russia would not send Putin or other senior officials to The Hague for trial, even if they were indicted, the president and others would be subject to arrest if they traveled to a country that is part of the ICC treaty. However, that is also unlikely. Bashir traveled widely after his indictment and was never arrested. Many countries seem reluctant to intervene in these cases, especially if they involve still-serving leaders.

Besides the ICC, some domestic courts can also prosecute war crimes. Citing the concept of universal justice, Spain tried and convicted a Salvadoran army officer in the murder of six Jesuit priests in that Central American country in 1989. Some of the priests were Spanish nationals. Earlier this year, a court in Germany convicted a Syrian intelligence officer for torture and other crimes committed in a Damascus detention center that he oversaw. The officer had moved to Germany and sought asylum. It is not always the case that the targets of the investigation have to be present in the country where they are being tried. They can be extradited.

'Web of accountability'

A series of domestic courts spins a "web of accountability" across borders, Stromseth said, that complements the ICC and sends a message to "those who commit these horrific crimes that they can run but they cannot hide."

War crimes are generally defined as severe breaches of the landmark Geneva Conventions or other cannons of international humanitarian law, which govern, among other actions, how war is conducted. These include the deliberate or reckless targeting of civilians; use of chemical weapons; torture; rape as a tool of war; enslavement of occupied populations. (The use of prisoners of war in propaganda, which Ukraine has been accused of doing, is not a war crime but does violate the Geneva Conventions.)

Genocide is in a class by itself, the deliberate destruction of a racial, ethnic or religious group of people. Current examples would include China's incarceration of Muslim Uyghurs and destruction of their culture, and Myanmar's attempts to eradicate the Rohingya, both of which the U.S. has described as genocide.

Experts say there is one serious gap in the powers of the ICC: It has no jurisdiction over the crime of aggression  not the conduct of the war but the political decision that went into launching a war (or, as in this case, an invasion). Some domestic courts may be able to prosecute that crime, but they are necessarily less powerful than an international tribunal.

"My focus is on the gap" that misses the "universal" crime of aggression, said Philippe Sands, a law professor at the University College of London and head of the Centre for International Courts and Tribunals. It is "the only way to get to the political, military and intelligence leadership, and the financiers."

2022 Los Angeles Times.

Visit at latimes.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
As Russia batters Ukraine and NATO countries send troops to Eastern Europe, a separate conflict between Moscow and the West is playing out in the world of diplomacy.

As part of a strategy to punish Russia for its brutal invasion, as well as undermine its activities abroad, the United States and some European nations have expelled Russian diplomats or embassy personnel in the month since the war started.

Some countries - such as the United States, Poland and Slovakia - have accused Russian embassy staff of using diplomatic cover to engage in espionage. Others, including the Baltic states, have simply cited what they said were breaches of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Moscow has called the spying accusations baseless. It has also responded in kind, expelling some Western diplomats from Russia.

Its not the first time Western nations have banished Russian diplomats. In recent years, Russian diplomats were targeted for expulsion by former president Barack Obama for hacking related to the 2016 presidential election. In 2018, over two dozen nations ejected a total of more than 150 Russian diplomats - the largest number since the Cold War - after intelligence operatives attacked Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal with a nerve agent in the city of Salisbury.

While many nations in 2018 expelled a symbolic one or two diplomats, the United States expelled 60, and Britain, 23. Russia responded with a tweet, appearing unfazed: US administration ordered the closure of the Russian Consulate in Seattle ... What US Consulate General would you close in Russia, if it was up to you to decide?

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, just over 100 Russian diplomats from around a dozen countries have been asked to leave from their postings following the Russian invasion. Here is the status of the expulsions:

Feb. 28: United States

The United States Mission to the United Nations announced it had begun a process of expelling 12 intelligence operatives from the Russian Permanent Mission to the United Nations, for having abused their privileges of U.S. residency by engaging in espionage activities that are adverse to our national security. The action had been in development for several months, the U.S. mission said.

March 4: Montenegro

Montenegro declares one diplomat of the Russian Embassy in Podgorica persona non grata, citing a breach of diplomatic norms.

March 14: Slovakia

Slovakia expelled three Russian embassy staff members and urged the embassy to ensure their employees follow diplomatic conventions.

A day later, Slovakia charged two people with espionage for Russia. One was a former military academy officer who was an intelligence contact of Russian GRU officers . . . for whom he sought, collected and divulged information of strategic importance, according to Slovakia police chief Stefan Hamran. The other man was described by Reuters as a contributor to a website shut for spreading disinformation.

March 18: Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria

In a coordinated move, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia expelled a total of 10 Russian diplomats for connection with activities that are contrary to their diplomatic status and taking into account ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine, Latvian foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics said in a tweet.

The same day, Bulgaria announced it would kick out 10 diplomats, marking an unprecedented move for a country with deep traditional ties with Russia.

March 23: Poland

Poland expelled 45 Russian spies pretending to be diplomats, Polands interior minister, Mariusz Kaminski said in a tweet. With full consistency and determination, we are breaking up the agents of the Russian secret services in our country.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Stanislaw Zaryn, a spokesman for Polands security services, said the expelled diplomats included people known to be working for, or aiding, Russias secret services, while benefiting from diplomatic status in Poland. The security agency found that the activities of the 45 Russians have served the objectives of the Russian undertakings designed to undermine the stability of Poland and its allies, according to a government statement.

Russias ambassador to Poland said embassy employees have been doing normal diplomatic and trade work, according to Russias state-run news agency, Tass.

Polands foreign ministry spokesman Lukasz Jasina said the individuals had five days to leave the country - but one particularly dangerous individual had 48 hours. Zaryn told the AP that person had been in contact with a Polish individual working in Warsaws registry office, who had been detained on suspicion of espionage for the Russian secret services on March 17.

The illegal activities of these diplomats can also pose a threat to those people who left their country to flee the war and found protection in our country, Jasina said.

March 24: Russia

Russia said it informed Montenegro that it is expelling a diplomat from Russia.

March 28: Russia

Russia took retaliatory action by expelling three Embassy of Slovakia in Moscow employees.

March 29: Belgium, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Ireland

Belgium orders 21 Russian diplomats to leave for activities related to espionage or unlawful influence peddling, the countrys Foreign Ministry confirmed Tuesday.

Netherlands said it was expelling 17 Russians described as intelligence officers. Czech Republic ejected one diplomat. Ireland told four senior Russian officials that they had to leave for actions considered in accordance with international standards of diplomatic behaviour.

March 29: Russia

Russia announced it was canceling the accreditation of 10 diplomats from Baltic states, denouncing the provocative and groundless action taken against Russian diplomats less than two weeks prior. Russia expelled the same amount of diplomats that were expelled from the respective nations: Three each from Estonia and Latvia, and four from Lithuania.

Emily Rauhala and Quentin Aries contributed to this report.
A nonprofit group with close ties to the U.S. military is seeking to raise $100 million to get life-saving equipment and supplies to the front lines in Ukraine, where body armor, helmets and food rations are in high demand.

It is need-driven, and this is what the people on the ground are telling us they need, said Jim Hake, chief executive officer of Spirit of America, a group that works in tandem with U.S. forces on the ground in Poland.

The organization, which so far has raised $14 million to support Ukrainian fighters, has already sent in two chartered planes loaded with supplies, he said.

So far, 33,000 meals, ready-to-eat and 3,200 sets of body armor and helmets have been flown into Poland for onward movement to Ukraine. Other gear includes satellite phones and communication equipment, first aid kits, binoculars and even earplugs.

For security reasons, Hake declined to detail the logistics of getting the supplies into Ukraine. The goal is to send in similar flights every 10 days on a continuous basis, but to make that happen, more donations will be needed, he said.

The immediate impact of the assistance is that it is helping to save lives and help (Ukrainian troops) defend their country, he said. To have this kind of equipment is essential.

Hake launched Spirit of America in 2003, inspired by a segment he saw on the National Geographic channel that featured U.S. special operations troops in Afghanistan who had launched their own grassroots fundraising effort to help residents of a village in which they were working.

I was sure there were men in women in other parts of the world who wanted to do the exact same thing if there was a way for them to offer support, Hake said.

Unlike many other aid organizations, Spirit of America describes itself as not neutral and works in sync with the U.S. military. Hake said it is the only nonprofit authorized by Congress and the Defense Department to work alongside deployed U.S. troops.

To date, the group, which is funded through private donations, has launched about 1,500 projects in 94 countries.

The current campaign in Ukraine isnt the groups first involvement there. In 2015, Hakes team launched a radio station for Ukrainian troops facing a Russian disinformation campaign while they fought Kremlin-backed separatists in Ukraines east.

At the time, Ukrainian troops were being bombarded with Russian propaganda, which came in many forms, including direct phone calls and text messages, Hake said.

They were operating in an information vacuum, Hake said.

Meanwhile, the effort to better equip Ukrainian fighters is picking up steam, he said.

When you can do that with the right velocity and scale, it increases the impact, Hake said. It creates momentum for the good guys.

Information about the Ukraine effort can be found at www.spiritofamerica.org.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, dubbed a greased piglet by a predecessor for his ability to get out of a tight political spot, appears to have won over critics from his own Conservative Party through his handling of the war in Ukraine.

Just six weeks ago, Johnsons premiership was in peril after a series of allegations that he and his team held parties that broke pandemic lockdown rules. Other gaffes, including comparing an opponent to a pedophile and seeking to bend Parliamentary rules for a colleague, had also backfired. At least 14 Tory MPs called on him to resign, with others saying they would reserve judgment until the police had concluded their probe into the alleged breaches.

But a lot has changed since. Johnsons statesmanship -- punishing Russia with economic sanctions and his near-daily phone calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who is seen as a hero in the U.K.-- has turned the tide of opinion among colleagues back toward him: at least for now.

Faced with the most serious international crisis since 1945, a terrifying potential circumstance, is now the time to change our leader? Roger Gale, a Tory MP who has called for Johnson to go, told Times Radio late on Tuesday. The answer is no it isnt.

Johnson is also helped also by the absence of a clear political challenger. His most likely opponent, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, gained popularity during the pandemic because of Treasury largess to help workers and businesses -- but that shine is now wearing off, and Sunak was criticized by Tory colleagues last week for not doing enough to help Britons struggling with the rising cost of living. Another candidate Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, is often ridiculed by colleagues for her love of photo-opportunities.

Allies of Johnson decided the tide had turned sufficiently to risk inviting all Conservative MPs to dinner and drinks at a central London hotel on Tuesday night. Around 200 dined on smoked haddock tart, chicken ballotine and hazelnut praline, accompanied by red and white wine.

But the dinner came just hours after the Metropolitan Police said they would be handing out the first twenty fines in relation to the so-called Partygate scandal -- an indication they deem laws to have been broken. On the way in to the hotel, the MPs walked past families who lost relatives to Covid. One protester shouted, Off to another party, are we?

During the after-dinner speech, which drew a standing ovation, Johnson made self-deprecating jokes about being more popular in parts of Kyiv than in parts of Kensington before adding that MPs should not worry and that he would turn his premiership around, multiple witnesses said.

Johnson also joked Russian President Vladimir Putin is deluded and isolated because he has no colleagues to challenge him unlike the Conservative Party system. He characterized the letters from colleagues calling for his resignation as elastic, meaning they can be withdrawn by the sender, an appeal to his critics to hold their fire.

At his weekly question-and-answer session with MPs, Johnson faced an opposition who would not let news of the fines go unquestioned. The Scottish National Partys Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, accused Johnsons government of partying through the cost of living emergency just as millions of families are desperately trying to figure out how they will possibly afford a looming 700-pounds-a-year rise in their energy bills.
The Taliban may be using databases of biometric information left in Afghanistan by the U.S. military and international organizations to target soldiers and dissidents, according to a report issued Wednesday by a human rights advocacy group.

Human Rights Watch could not say with certainty that specific databases of information collected by the U.S. military and others were actively being used by the Taliban. However, the report includes statements by former members of the U.S.-backed government of their suspicions that they had been targeted by the Taliban through their biometric data.

The international community might have thought it was helping us, but instead it played with our fate and ended up creating systems more dangerous than they were helpful, Aziz Rafiee, executive director of the Afghan Civil Society Forum, said in the report.

After a rapid rout of Afghan forces last summer, the Taliban toppled the government of President Ashraf Ghani and returned to power amid the American withdrawal from the country.

During the Afghanistan war, biometric data was used by the U.S. military to register Afghan soldiers and ensure payment. These identity and payroll systems contained iris scans, fingerprints, photographs, occupational data, home addresses and names of relatives, the report says.

This information could be used to identify those who worked for the U.S. government and international organizations, according to the report.

A former commander in the Afghan military told the group that the Taliban scanned his irises using a data collection tool once used by the U.S. military.

The commander said that he had been detained by the Taliban in November and that the militants would have killed him had they found his personal information in their databases, the report said.

He was released after the records search turned up nothing, he said.

A United Nations report issued in March documented at least 100 credible allegations of extrajudicial killings of Afghan security forces or their family members by local authorities since last fall.

The Taliban have announced several reactionary edicts over the past week, such as restricting girls education, forbidding mixed-gender family picnics and preventing some citizens from leaving the country.
WASHINGTON  The United States is sending another 400 troops and multiple aircraft to Eastern Europe to bolster NATO defenses in the region as Russia continues its war on Ukraine, chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday.

About 200 service members from Marine Air Control Group 28, based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., have arrived in Lithuania to support the NATO allys defenses, Kirby told reporters at the Pentagon.

Another 200 troops, 10 Marine Corps F-18 Hornets and a couple of Marine Corps C-130 Hercules aircraft from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., will also soon deploy to Eastern Europe, he said.

The military had not yet determined where in Eastern Europe the troops and aircraft from South Carolina will be deployed, Kirby said.

The roughly 400 troops and assorted aircraft travel to their new deployments after completing their participation this month in NATOs Exercise Cold Response 2022 military drills in Norway.

The U.S. service members were among 30,000 troops from 27 countries to partner for the biennial exercise, according to NATO.

During Exercise Cold Response, forces trek across the vast wilderness, conduct live-fire drills, leap into freezing lakes and otherwise train for combat in cold-weather environments, according to NATO.

The 400 troops deploying to Eastern Europe join more than 100,000 U.S. service members in Europe. About 14,000 of the 100,000 troops deployed to the region in the past two months from the U.S. in response to Russias continued attack on Ukraine.

Kirby said Tuesday that sending more U.S. troops and military assets to Europe is aimed at shoring up military capabilities in the region rather than trying to meet a force-total goal there.

It's not about a number goal. It's really about capabilities, and it's based on constant conversations with our NATO allies on the eastern flank, he said.

The announcement came a day after Kirby said about 240 sailors and six Navy EA-18G Growlers from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash., would arrive at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany on Monday to support NATO amid Russias war on Ukraine.

This is in order to bolster readiness, enhance NATOs collective defense posture and further increase air integration capabilities with our allied and partner nations, he said Monday.
WASHINGTON  The U.S. believes some Russian troops who have been part of the attack on Kyiv for weeks have begun leaving the region to resupply and regroup for a possible new mission in Russias war on Ukraine, chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday.

The withdrawal began after Russian officials on Tuesday claimed they would pull back attacks on Ukraines capital city, Kirby said. However, remaining Russian troops in the region continued launching artillery rounds at Kyiv on Wednesday, he said.

Weve seen none of them reposition to their home garrisons, and that's not a small point, Kirby said. If the Russians are serious about de-escalating  because that's their claim here  then they should send them home.

The withdrawing Russians had been staged northwest of Ukraine near the Hostomel Airport about 20 miles from Kyiv, he said. The U.S. believes the troops will move north to Belarus, where they could load up on supplies for a return to Ukraine.

It's our assessment that their intention is to reposition these units so that they can refit them for future operations  inside Ukraine," Kirby said.

He said the troops who withdrew made up less than 20% of the force attacking Kyiv. However, he would not say how many Russian troops were engaged in the attack on the city.

The Russians are maintaining two lines of advance toward the city. The deepest penetration by Russian forces reached about 9 to 12 miles from Kyivs city center as a stiff Ukrainian resistance has kept them at bay, Kirby said.

Still, the fighting continues throughout Ukraine, and Russia continues to make some of its most successful advances in the south, he said.

For example, Russian troops are very, very close to the center of Mariupol, a port city that would offer Russia strategic advantages due to its location on the Sea of Azov, Kirby said. Much of Mariupols civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals and residential buildings, has been destroyed after weeks of Russian attacks.

"The town is just being shellacked with airstrikes and bombardment," Kirby said. The place is just being decimated from a structural perspective by the onslaught of Russian airstrikes."

In the days ahead, the U.S. expects to see more Russian troops going in the direction of Donbas, as they say they will do, he said.

Since the war began Feb. 24, the U.S. has maintained Russian President Vladimir Putin aims to take Kyiv and supplant Ukraines president with a pro-Russian government. However, Russian officials on Tuesday claimed the conflict was instead meant to liberate the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas -- home to the separatist cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Kirby on Tuesday rebuffed the Kremlins claims, pointing to the months of mounting aggression Putin displayed even before invading Ukraine.

The intensified rhetoric over the last year and in the lead-up to Russia's invasion demonstrated that the Kremlin's real intent was to overthrow the democratically elected government and to occupy or annex large portions of Ukraine, he said.

Further, Kirby said the claims could be Russias attempt to save face after failing to capture Ukraines capital city despite spending nearly 5 weeks trying to advance on the city.

The Russian Ministry of Defense's recent talking points may be an effort to move the goal posts, moderating Russia's immediate goals and spinning its current lack of progress as part of what would be next steps, he said.

Kirby predicted the U.S. intelligence community will study how Russia underperformed and how, quite frankly, amazingly the Ukrainians have performed, noting some of their success could be attributed to their years of training with American forces.

"Let's not forget the training and support that we have been giving the Ukrainians for the last 8 years as they've been engaged in a hot war in the Donbas, he said. Their success [against Russia] is not an accident. It's the result of a lot of hard work over the last 8 years."

Also affecting the outcome has been the continued donation of military aid by the U.S., Kirby said, which includes weapons such surface-to-air missile systems used against Russia during the five weeks of war.

President Joe Biden discussed the topic with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call Wednesday, according to the White House. Biden has promised $2 billion in military equipment and supplies to Ukraine since he took office in January 2021.

The leaders discussed how the United States is working around the clock to fulfill the main security assistance requests by Ukraine, the critical effects those weapons have had on the conflict and continued efforts by the United States with allies and partners to identify additional capabilities to help the Ukrainian military defend its country, the White House said.
When a suicide bomber attacked Kabul International Airport in August last year, the death and destruction was overwhelming: The violence left 183 people dead, including 13 U.S. soldiers.

This kind of mass casualty event can be particularly daunting for field workers. Hundreds of people need care, the hospitals nearby have limited room, and decisions on who gets care first and who can wait need to be made quickly. Often, the answer isnt clear, and people disagree.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)  the innovation arm of the U.S. military  is aiming to answer these thorny questions by outsourcing the decision-making process to artificial intelligence. Through a new program, called In the Moment, it wants to develop technology that would make quick decisions in stressful situations using algorithms and data, arguing that removing human biases may save lives, according to details from the programs launch this month.

Though the program is in its infancy, it comes as other countries try to update a centuries-old system of medical triage, and as the U.S. military increasingly leans on technology to limit human error in war. But the solution raises red flags among some experts and ethicists who wonder if AI should be involved when lives are at stake.

AI is great at counting things, Sally A. Applin, a research fellow and consultant who studies the intersection between people, algorithms and ethics, said in reference to the DARPA program. But I think it could set a precedent by which the decision for someones life is put in the hands of a machine.

Founded in 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, DARPA is among the most influential organizations in technology research, spawning projects that have played a role in numerous innovations, including the Internet, GPS, weather satellites and, more recently, Modernas coronavirus vaccine.

But its history with AI has mirrored the fields ups and downs. In 1960s, the agency made advances in natural language processing, and getting computers to play games such as chess. During the 1970s and 1980s, progress stalled, notably due to the limits in computing power.

Since the 2000s, as graphics cards have improved, computing power has become cheaper and cloud computing has boomed, the agency has seen a resurgence in using artificial intelligence for military applications. In 2018, it dedicated $2 billion, through a program called AI Next, to incorporate AI in over 60 defense projects, signifying how central the science could be for future fighters.

DARPA envisions a future in which machines are more than just tools, the agency said in announcing the AI Next program. The machines DARPA envisions will function more as colleagues than as tools.

To that end, DARPAs In the Moment program will create and evaluate algorithms that aid military decision-makers in two situations: small unit injuries, such as those faced by Special Operations units under fire, and mass casualty events, like the Kabul airport bombing. Later, they may develop algorithms to aid disaster relief situations such as earthquakes, agency officials said.

The program, which will take roughly 3.5 years to complete, is soliciting private corporations to assist in its goals, a part of most early-stage DARPA research. Agency officials would not say which companies are interested, or how much money will be slated for the program.

Matt Turek, a program manager at DARPA in charge of shepherding the program, said the algorithms suggestions would model highly trusted humans who have expertise in triage. But they will be able to access information to make shrewd decisions in situations where even seasoned experts would be stumped.

For example, he said, AI could help identify all the resources a nearby hospital has - such as drug availability, blood supply and the availability of medical staff  to aid in decision-making.

That wouldnt fit within the brain of a single human decision-maker, Turek added. Computer algorithms may find solutions that humans cant.

Sohrab Dalal, a colonel and head of the medical branch for NATOs Supreme Allied Command Transformation, said the triage process, whereby clinicians go to each soldier and assess how urgent their care needs are, is nearly 200 years old and could use refreshing.

Similar to DARPA, his team is working with Johns Hopkins University to create a digital triage assistant that can be used by NATO-member countries.

The triage assistant NATO is developing will use NATO injury data sets, casualty scoring systems, predictive modeling, and inputs of a patients condition to create a model to decide who should get care first in a situation where resources are limited.

Its a really good use of artificial intelligence, Dalal, a trained physician, said. The bottom line is that it will treat patients better [and] save lives.

Despite the promise, some ethicists had questions about how DARPAs program could play out: Would the data sets they use cause some soldiers to get prioritized for care over others? In the heat of the moment, would soldiers simply do whatever the algorithm told them to, even if common sense suggested different? And, if the algorithm plays a role in someone dying, who is to blame?

Peter Asaro, an AI philosopher at the New School, said military officials will need to decide how much responsibility the algorithm is given in triage decision-making. Leaders, he added, will also need to figure out how ethical situations will be dealt with. For example, he said, if there was a large explosion and civilians were among the people harmed, would they get less priority, even if they are badly hurt?

Thats a values call, he said. Thats something you can tell the machine to prioritize in certain ways, but the machine isnt gonna figure that out.

Meanwhile, Applin, an anthropologist focused on AI ethics, said as the program shapes out, it will be important to scan for whether DARPAs algorithm is perpetuating biased decision-making, as has happened in many cases, such as when algorithms in health care prioritized white patients over Black ones for getting care.

We know theres bias in AI; we know that programmers cant foresee every situation; we know that AI is not social; we know AI is not cultural, she said. It cant think about this stuff.

And in cases where the algorithm makes recommendations that lead to death, it poses a number of problems for the military and a soldiers loved ones. Some people want retribution. Some people prefer to know that the person has regret, she said. AI has none of that.
(Tribune News Service)  Pierce Bush choked up as he discussed his grandfathers harrowing service during World War II.

The man he called Gampy volunteered to be a Navy flyboy right out of high school, Pierce Bush explained. Among the youngest pilots, Lt. George H.W. Bush flew 58 combat missions and somehow survived the war, eventually becoming the 41st president of the United States.

Pierce Bush wrestled with his emotion as he addressed a gathering of dignitaries, including World War II veterans and Gov. John Bel Edwards, in a ceremony at the National WWII Museum, where the enormous aircraft display was christened the George H.W. Bush Aviation Gallery. A chubby blue aircraft called an Avenger, which hung from the ceiling above the audience, was the same sort of plane that George H.W. Bush flew.

The Avenger was a light bomber that carried a crew of three. In 1944, while attempting to eliminate a Japanese radio tower, George Bushs Avenger, named the The Barbara for his future wife, was hit by anti-aircraft fire.

The future president managed to bail out and was eventually rescued by submarine. The other two airmen died. Pierce Bush said his grandfather thought about the two men who didnt get out every day thereafter.

In some way, he said, it impacted how he lived.

Just doing his duty

But the fragility of life wasnt the only lesson the future world leader learned while at war. As an officer, George H.W. Bush was called upon to censor the mail sent home by the sailors on the aircraft carrier where he was stationed. In the performance of that task, the 20-year-old lieutenant became aware of the perspectives and values of Americans from various regions and stations. For a kid whod grown up in a bubble in Connecticut, as Pierce Bush put it, it was a life-changing revelation.

He was a young man born of privilege, Pierce Bush said, and it altered him for the rest of his life.

Much later, as George H.W. Bush led the country during the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Gulf War, the presidents service certainly informed his decisions.

But, Pierce Bush said, his grandfather was the last to congratulate himself for his service. I think hed be honored by this, Pierce Bush said, but hed be quick to point out he just did his duty.

Pierce Bush, 36, is the son of Neil Bush, the brother of former President George W. Bush. He is CEO at Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star, a Texas-based organization that provides youth mentoring. He ran for Congress unsuccessfully in 2020.

World-class attraction

George H.W. Bush, who died in 2018, was the last president to have served in World War II. From its start in 2000, he was a supporter of the D-Day Museum, which eventually became the National WWII Museum. The newly named George H.W. Bush Aviation Gallery, which includes six vintage aircraft, is housed in the cavernous US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center, which has been part of the museum since 2013.

Gov. Edwards, who also served in the military, described George H.W. Bush as a war hero and consummate public servant. He congratulated the WWII Museum for providing Louisiana with a truly world-class attraction, and lauded Jeffery and Mindy Hildebrand of the Hildebrand Foundation for contributing $3 million to the newly named George H.W. Bush Aviation Gallery.

Edwards lent a contemporary context to the discussion of WWII when he gravely mentioned that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was the largest military conflict in Europe since 1945.

Apparently, the governor said, were not smart enough to learn from generations that have seen war. The swooping 150-foot awning over the WWII Museum, called The Bollinger Canopy of Peace, has recently been lit in Ukrainian colors

(c)2022 The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate

Visit The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate at www.nola.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
WASHINGTON  Senators considered for the first time Tuesday a sweeping measure that aims to expand eligibility for health care and benefits to millions of veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins.

The Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs discussed the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, known as the PACT Act, which passed through the House in early March and is at odds with a Senate strategy to address the same issue. Though advocates are pushing Congress to take swift action on the bill, some committee members conveyed interest Tuesday in taking their time to consider the measure, make changes and come to an agreement before sending it to the Senate floor.

The PACT Act seeks to provide an easy path to health care and benefits for veterans who served near open-air burn pits, which were used throughout the 1990s and the post-9/11 wars to burn garbage, jet fuel and other materials. Veterans diagnosed with cancer, respiratory issues and lung disease at young ages have blamed exposure to the toxic fumes, but the Department of Veterans Affairs contended for years that there wasnt sufficient evidence to support their claims.

VA Secretary Denis McDonough testified at the hearing and expressed his support for the measure.

We support the bill for many reasons, the first of which is that it helps the VA accomplish a priority goal: getting veterans into VA care, he said. Addressing toxic exposure is also a top priority for this [presidential] administration.

President Joe Biden said during his State of the Union address earlier this month that he would sign any legislation to expand health care and disability compensation to veterans suffering the effects of toxic burn pits.

While the House has proposed a major reform bill, the Senate has opted for a more incremental approach to the issue. In February, the Senate passed the Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act, which would expand health care to veterans but doesnt address benefits. The sponsors of the bill insisted the measure is just a first step in a three-phase approach that would add benefits incrementally.

The Houses PACT Act would increase spending by about $318 billion during the next decade, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. The Senates initial bill would come with a price tag of about $1 billion.

Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas, the ranking Republican on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, urged the House on Tuesday to approve the Senates bill. He argued the VA didnt have the ability or staffing to implement the House bill.

We asked the House to pass the [Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act], but they have chosen not to take up that piece of legislation yet and decided to send us the bill were reviewing today, Moran said. It includes provisions that perhaps will stretch the VA beyond its operational capacity, providing no guarantee that veterans will be able to access the benefits promised.

McDonough responded to the concerns, saying the department was working to hire about 2,100 new employees to process veterans claims for benefits. The extra staff could help with the estimated 1.5 million new benefits claims that the PACT Act would likely generate, he said.

We think there are things we should do and we are doing, and one is were hiring about 2,100 extra people, McDonough said. Well probably have to hire more if this is enacted and use the teams we have more aggressively, with mandatory overtime.

McDonough pointed out two changes that his department wants to make to the bill before its passed, one is to amend a section that he believes would inadvertently delay the process to approve presumptive conditions. When a condition is on the presumptive list, it means the government acknowledges a veterans military service caused their medical condition, and it lowers the amount of evidence that a veteran must provide to receive benefits.

The PACT Act could create a commission to oversee the VAs efforts to add presumptive conditions. While the idea is intended to speed up the process, McDonough said he believed it could do the opposite.

I get what theyre trying to do, which is to get us to move quicker, but I think the tools they use to get us to do that would actually slow us down, he said.

McDonough also wants Congress to add a provision to the bill that would authorize 31 pending leases for VA medical facilities nationwide. Under the law, the VA must receive legislative approval to lease major medical facilities, but Congress has not authorized them on a regular basis.

Facility space is critical to caring for veterans, and the PACT Act will bring millions more into our care, McDonough said. Yet, of 31 large medical facility leases, 21 have been pending for years. We urge you to approve those so we can be genuinely responsive to veterans needs.

While the Senate works through changes on the bill, some advocates are losing patience. Comedian Jon Stewart, who recently became an advocate for veterans suffering from burn-pit exposure, led a rally outside the Capitol before the hearing on Tuesday afternoon. He told the crowd, We cant wait any longer.

We have a hearing today, and youre going to hear a lot of nonsense about whether this is responsible, Stewart said. You know what wouldve been nice, if they wouldve been responsible 20 years ago and understood that 20 years of war was going to create an overflow and influx of sick veterans.

Various veterans organizations and friends and family members of veterans suffering the effects of toxic exposure attended the rally. Marine Corps veteran Kate Hendricks Thomas, an outspoken advocate of the legislation and a public health official, couldnt be there. Though she had testified on Capitol Hill just four weeks ago, shes now in hospice care, said her friend and fellow Marine Mindy Beyer.

Thomas was diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer in 2018 at the age of 38. As a military police officer, Thomas served for six months in Fallujah, Iraq, near an open-air burn pit, Beyer said.

Thomas fought for years to prove her cancer was the result of her exposure to toxic burn pits before the VA recognized the link. At the same time, she advocated for the process to change, so other veterans didnt face the same challenges.

Beyer urged lawmakers at the rally to fight for the legislation on behalf of her friend.

Kate was just here four weeks ago, testifying, she said. But her liver is failing now, and she went into hospice two weeks ago. So now, its your turn. As Marines, its an honor to pick up the flag for someone who knew from the get-go that she would die holding the line. Kate has done that for us, and now we need to carry on the mission for her.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the Senate majority leader, vowed during the rally to take the bill for a vote on the Senate floor by the end of the year. Stewart attempted to place pressure on Republicans.

You see the entire veterans community standing together to get this done, and its going to come down to what it always comes down to here: We need 10 Republicans, Stewart said, referring to the 60-vote majority that the Senate requires in many cases to pass legislation. After 20 years of fighting, thats what it comes down to: 10 Republicans.

The House approved the PACT Act earlier this month with a vote of 256-174, and all those voting against the measure were Republicans. Some House Republicans cited cost concerns and urged Democrats to approve something more fiscally palatable to both parties.

Concerns from Senate Republicans have so far centered on the implementation of the bill.
(Tribune News Service)  Bernard McClusky said when he went off to serve his country in Vietnam, he was a happy-go-lucky guy.

""My goal was to be an entertainer. Actually, it still is," said McClusky, whose war experiences in 1967 and 1968 led him on a path to help modern veterans that continues today.

"By the time I came back, things I used to think were funny no longer seemed funny. The only comfortable times were when I was around other Vietnam veterans. I didn't know why I had changed," he said.

McClusky is now 75, an average age for the Vietnam Era veteran who now serves as the predominant face and voice for United States military veterans. The youngest surviving World War II veterans will be 95 this year. For those who served in Korea, youth means 90.

"The country has come to grips with the bad treatment given to Vietnam veterans. And today, it's the Vietnam veterans carrying the flag for the others," said Springfield, Mass., attorney Frederick A. Hurst, whose brother, Ronald C. Hurst, was 21 when he was killed in Vietnam on April 12, 1967.

Other than those who served as teenagers in the early 1970s, today's Vietnam Era veterans are at least in their 70s. Many are in their 80s. And they are leaving us: according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in 2021, approximately 530 Vietnam veterans die every day.

That's why Anthony Francis doesn't keep in touch with many of them.

"What veterans miss (after leaving the service) is the closeness. You've been waking up with these guys and then none of them are around," said Francis, 74, the commander of the Springfield chapter of the National Association for Black Veterans (NABVETS).

The Springfield chapter has about 45 members, according to McClusky, its secretary and also director of the Vietnam Veterans of Massachusetts.

"You don't want to write a letter and hear, 'Billy died in Vietnam,'" Francis said. "In my mind's eye, they all came home. I spent time in the National Guard after that, and I do stay in touch with some of them."

He'll never forget them, though. "I lost all my pictures with guys I'd served with," Francis said. "That still upsets me."

For African American veterans in greater Springfield and beyond, their loyalty and devotion to their fellow veterans, and to their country, remains as strong as ever.

As has often been documented, the return of the Vietnam veterans was treated not with parades, but with abuse, disrespect and neglect. It is an infamous chapter in our history that affected veterans of all colors, but it also came during a time of civil unrest that forced African Americans to face other layers of challenge, which left countless among them confused and emotionally damaged.

"When I came back, I felt out of step. Everybody else was on their right foot and I was on my left foot," Francis said.

The men of NABVETS and other Vietnam Era veterans remain steadfastly proud to have served their country  proud enough, in fact, to not only appreciate its potential, but address its flaws and improve it today.

They are determined to ensure that veterans of all of America's subsequent conflicts not only receive the appreciation denied Vietnam veterans for decades, but are made aware of benefits and opportunities that might otherwise go untapped.

"I didn't know about Veterans Administration benefits until the late 1980s. People who didn't look like me knew about them. There's a need for our organization," Francis said.

Many of them believe that should be required of all Americans in some way  not just men like McClusky, who received his draft notice on Nov. 8, 1966, and the many others who enlisted.

"We were called to serve our country. And it trained us to make our country better  for all of us," McClusky said.

That explains why NABVETS is focused primarily on African American veterans but excludes no one. The "B" in its acronym notwithstanding, the organization also seeks to help Hispanic, Asian and other groups  including whites  who have served in the military and could use a helping hand and support.

In many respects, they have succeeded. As a rule, Americans opposed to military engagements no longer blame the soldiers, as many did with Vietnam  so much so that returning service personnel were told not to wear their uniforms if they left their military base.

McClusky said Vietnam veterans have also worked tirelessly and successfully to remove lingering skepticism of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and treat as a genuine and serious medical condition. He says that helps not only returning veterans but police and fire personnel, victims of rape or violence and others affected by traumatic experiences.

When Black veterans discuss their memories today, their pride in having served their country is inspiring.

"Even as African Americans and descendants of slaves, we have a lot of unbelievable rights compared to many other nations," says Milton Jones, past commander of the Springfield NABVETS chapter. "We have the opportunity to make change here. If I had to make a choice of where to live, I'd choose here."

Francis says he enlisted "when I was young and dumb," but his tone says he does not regret his decision.

"My great uncle served in World War I. I had uncles in World War II. This was my generation's war," said Francis, who rose to Army second lieutenant in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970.

"Seems like just yesterday. Wars like that, you're fighting for the guys you're with. Even if you didn't know them, it's for them," Francis said.

Jones, 76, acknowleges his military experience differed from that of others. After enlisting in the Air Force in 1967, he served four years (as opposed to two for draftees), but not in Vietnam.

Instead, he was deployed at American bases in Europe, but says had orders come to send him to the war, he was ready to go.

"I am sometimes embarrassed to say how well I was treated. There were problems, as there always will be, but mine were probably on the low end."

Not everyone was so fortunate.

"I faced racism in the military, and I wasn't prepared for it," Francis said.

Francis was the only Black graduate in his Officer Candidate School. He'd grown up in the North but had some experience in the South, where unwritten rules about addressing white people  and never looking them in the eye  were still the norm.

Those prejudices did not vanish when he put on the uniform and risked his life to serve his country.

"I was with the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg, (N.C.), and my company commander was from Georgia. I was set up purposely to fail," Francis said.

He didn't. His experience as a combat engineer in wartime will always be with him, though.

"Even today, I still walk the perimeter, making sure the doors at my house are locked and the windows shut," Francis said.

I saw more racism in the officer ranks, he recalled. It contributed to my PTSD, because there was no one I had confidence I could talk to. My first commander in Vietnam was from Alabama, and another was from South Carolina.

When Francis asked one of them a basic question, he was told not to question his officer or he'd be thrown in jail.

Hurst does not dispute that bigotry existed in the military, but he thinks the service branches have advanced integration in ways beyond some other areas of American life, and certainly in modern times.

"Don't get me wrong, there was discrimination at Normandy in World War II, too," said Hurst, 77, who did not go to Vietnam, but said he would have served if called.

"In World War II, all my uncles fought in the Africa campaign or the Pacific campaign," said Hurst, who was deferred because one brother was killed, another was permanently disabled and a third was serving in Korea's Demilitarized Zone.

Hurst nonetheless paid an unimaginable price.

"I remember how I'd been shy but Ron sang and danced and was a ladies' man, until he got married and settled down. My brother's tour had a month left, and he had been communicating with me about bringing his family to D.C.," said Hurst, who was attending Howard University and thought his brother would, too.

"I got a call from his wife that he'd been killed. Ron was a year younger than I. My older brother, James, he suffered and suffered and never recovered from the Vietnam War," Hurst said.

"It's a doggone shame. None of this was their fault. In some ways, I think (Ron) came out of it better," he said.

Francis' memories extend far beyond the hostility of bigots.

"I loved my guys  Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian and Caucasian. We had one Caucasian radio man from a wealthy Kentucky family who could have avoided service, but he felt he should serve his country.

"Not long before his tour was up, he volunteered to go out (on a risky patrol.) I said no because he was almost home," Francis said. "He talked me into it but then we hit a monsoon, so he was out there longer. I'm thankful he came back."

"They didn't want (Black military personnel) in the first place," says 74-year-old Thomas M. Belton, who was wounded in Vietnam and earned a Purple Heart for his service in 1968 and 1969.

Belton encountered prejudice in the military, yet never regretted serving, even though his job at Pratt & Whitney had provided an opportunity for a deferment.

The Marines Corps trained me well, said Belton, the Springfield director of Veterans Services since 2011. But it wasnt easy, he said.

"I was in an aviation unit, where not many people of color were. That was one of the problems. I was made aware of who I was every day," Belton said.

Whatever difficulties Belton endured in the military were compounded by the mood he encountered coming home.

"The way I was greeted in Boston, it didn't matter what color you were. If you were a veteran, they didn't think you were anybody," he said.

According to McClusky, "we were considered knife-chewing, mad, crazed baby-killers. The only one glad to see me when I came back was my mommy. And African Americans did not feel particularly free at home.

"I was in Vietnam when Martin Luther King was killed in 1968. I was torn about whether to get involved in that story or stay in the military."

McClusky wound up doing both by using his military background to facilitate assistance and change. He credits his wife, Alvine, and son, Adrian, for helping him readjust.

"We've been married 51 years. And I'm still chasing her," said McClusky, smiling.

He says Vietnam vets can feel some kinship with Korean War veterans, whose numbers are dramatically dwindling  and whose war, in some history interpretations, is being forgotten.

"We were the bastard children," McClusky said of veterans from both conflicts.

Francis ran into the same disrespect when he came home.

"I went back to school in Brooklyn, and you didn't (tell) anyone you served. But if I was asked, I didn't lie," he said. "One girl asked me, 'How many women and children did you kill?'

"I didn't say a word. But a guy told me we were all suckers to go, and I looked at his throat. I didn't do it, but he didn't realize how close he came to dying that day."

Given sectional prejudices and the mood of the 1960s, tension in the military was probably inevitable.

"When you have someone from Alabama sleeping in the same barracks as someone from New Jersey, sometimes sparks fly," Jones said. "But from a military perspective, you put that aside. The foxhole mentality is that you don't care about the color of the man next to you, or where he came from  you care if he can shoot a rifle."

"When you need help, you don't look at color or creed. You look for help," McClusky said.

The Vietnam Veterans of America was founded in 1978 with the motto, "Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another." For Black veterans, the challenge of coming home to an uncertain future, a divided country and hostility from anti-war activists, veterans of previous and popular conflicts, and African Americans who felt they'd been used and manipulated, that return was even more difficult.

McClusky and Jones are among many who believe every American should serve the country.

"I wouldn't trade my military experience for anything. It built me to train and taught me to work together with people. Freedom isn't free  I think everybody should go in," said McClusky, who said he'd support the return of a draft.

"The North Vietnamese were dropping leaflets, saying 'it's not your war. We don't want to kill you.' But we knew we were serving our country, and that was the larger cause," Jones said.

"If we could choose our war, I wouldn't necessarily have chosen Vietnam. But you don't get that luxury."

In Vietnam, Belton realized the value of education when he encountered a serviceman who kept bringing the wrong ammunition because he couldn't read the orders.

Upon his return, Belton used VA support to attend Springfield Technical Community College.

"Education determines who goes to war and who doesn't, who's on the front lines and who's in the rear, carrying the gear," he said.

Local African American veterans first organized under the auspices of the Winchester Square Vietnam Era Veterans of Greater Springfield. McClusky recalls the men hoping they had enough gas to reach their meetings with state legislators.

Today, well past the normal accepted retirement age, African American Vietnam veterans still soldier on. Their experience, and their patriotism, is devoted to helping others in a nation that still needs them.

"We want to make sure veterans and people of color aren't forgotten," Francis said. "People waste so much time (with racism). It's still out there, a sickness we're not addressing.

"But we're for everybody, not just in the military but in the community. We want to effect change there, too."

(c)2022 The Republican, Springfield, Mass.

Visit The Republican, Springfield, Mass. at www.masslive.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Tribune News Service)  Local veterans are asking that U.S. 8 spanning northern Wisconsin be named in honor of Americans who served in conflicts the U.S. was involved in during the past three decades in the Middle East.

At the start of a Vietnam Veterans Day celebration on Tuesday in Eau Claire, former state Sen. Dave Zien introduced a proposal to honor veterans of wars in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq.

"This will be a monumental effort to get this passed into law," Zien said to a room full of veterans gathered at VFW Post 305. "No other state has done this."

Himself a Vietnam War veteran, Zien is working with current lawmakers to dub the 280-mile stretch of highway in Wisconsin as "The Mid-East Conflicts and Global War on Terrorism Highway" in recognition of the latest generations of veterans.

State Rep. Jesse James, R-Altoona, said his office will work with other legislators in the Chippewa Valley to draft a bill and support to a bill giving U.S. 8 the honorary name.

"These small things go a long way with our veterans," said James, himself a veteran of the Gulf War.

There would be very little cost involved in adding the name, aside from some signs and including it in updates to official state maps, he said.

The process of bestowing the honorary name for the highway would require a bill to pass both the state Senate and Assembly, and then require the governor's signature.

"This could be the 36th named highway in the state of Wisconsin," Zien said.

The state already has 35 stretches of highways that are named in honor of Wisconsin historical figures, military units, veterans of other conflicts, and historical events.

For example, U.S. 10 between Manitowoc and the Minnesota state line has been designated as the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial Highway since 1987.

Kyle Craemer, who was deployed twice to the Persian Gulf and had tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with the U.S. Marine Corps, handed out his statement of support for the honorary name for U.S. 8 at Tuesday's veterans gathering.

"It brings education and awareness to our nation about the costs of war," Craemer said.

Seeing the conflicts named in road signs is an opportunity for people to reflect on the personal sacrifices made by those who served, regardless of how politics of the time can portray those conflicts, he said.

Craemer gave credit to Zien and others who served in Vietnam who have advocated for recognition and benefits for themselves and other veterans.

March 29 is remembered as Vietnam Veterans Day because on that date in 1973, the last U.S. combat troops left Vietnam. Nine million Americans served in that war and 58,000 of their names appear on the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C.

Tuesday's celebration at the VFW in Eau Claire included a lunch for veterans as well as speeches, special guests, displays of historical weapons and advocacy for various issues affecting veterans.

"This day is very important to remember us," said Lt. Nao Shoua Xiong, a member of the Wisconsin Lao Veterans of America who spoke on Tuesday in Eau Claire.

One of the causes that Zien and others urged local legislators to take on is expanding the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Chippewa Falls.

State Rep. Rob Summerfield, R-Bloomer, said at Tuesday's celebration that expanding the veterans home will be a challenge, but that local legislators are already asking Gov. Tony Evers to make it happen.

Summerfield, James and state Sen. Kathy Bernier, R-Lake Hallie, sent a letter on Tuesday to Evers to use proceeds from the state selling 89 acres of land in Chippewa Falls toward a new 72-bed wing for the veterans home.

Brian Westrate, who is challenging James in August's Republican primary for the 23rd state Senate seat that Bernier is retiring from, was among the guest speakers at Tuesday's gathering.

Westrate recalled the cold reception his father and other Vietnam veterans faced when they returned to the U.S. after serving in that war.

"We've come a long way as a nation and we need to honor those who served in recent wars better than we did those who served in Vietnam," Westrate said.

(c)2022 the Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wis.)

Visit the Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wis.) at www.leadertelegram.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription.

Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service.
Ditto saves each item placed on the clipboard allowing you access to any of those items at a later time. Ditto allows you to save any type of information that can be put on the clipboard, text, images, html, custom formats and more.

Features:

Easy to use interface

Search and paste previous copy entries

Keep multiple computer's clipboards in sync

Data is encrypted when sent over the network

Accessed from tray icon or global hot key

Select entry by double click, enter key or drag drop

Paste into any window that excepts standard copy/paste entries

Display thumbnail of copied images in list

Full Unicode support (display foreign characters)

UTF-8 support for language files (create language files in any language)

Uses sqlite database (www.sqlite.org)

What's New:
In brief: A cryptomining server made up of APUs believed to be based on the PlayStation 5's processor has been spotted. Created by Asrock and AMD, the rig features twelve AMD BC-250 cards and is able to offer a 610 MH/s rate, but it comes with a hefty price tag: $14,800.

Twitter leaker Komachi highlighted the mining server, which he believes is made up of defective PlayStation 5 Ariel/Oberon SoCs. This wouldn't be the first instance of AMD repurposing the PS5 silicon; it's almost certainly part of the 4700S (and 4800S) Desktop Kit, a small motherboard that uses the rejected PS5 processor.

The Asrock Mining Rig Barebone 610 Mhs 12x AMD BC-250 is for sale in Slovenia for 13,499, which works out at around $14,800. It boasts twelve AMD BC-250 mining APUs, five 80mm fans, 16GB of GDDR6 RAM, and two 1200W power supplies.

Tom's Hardware notes that a single AMD BC-250 is capable of just over 50 MH/s, which lines up with Asrock's claim of its server hitting 610 MH/s. Assuming each APU costs $999, mining profitability blogs say the ROI (return on investment) for each card is around 440 to 530 days, writes VideoCardz, though it depends on factors such as the fluctuating price of Ethereum and electricity costs in a user's region.

For comparison, the only Nvidia cards not locked with its LHR limiter are the RTX 3090 and the newly launched Ti variant. In the case of the former, it can mine Ethereum at 120 MH/s while consuming 300W. Buying five of these to reach the same level as AMD's mining server would cost around $11,000, but you'd also need plenty of other components added to the overall cost.

Last month, Intel unveiled a 3,600-watt ASIC Bitcoin mining rig based on 300 Bonanza Mine BMZ1 chips with a total system hash rate of 40 terahashes per second.

h/t: Tom's Hardware
In brief: Arm for now remains a neutral force in the semiconductor space that supplies chip designs and compute architecture to an ecosystem of players, big and small. Still, SK Hynix believes there are other ways to take ownership of the British chipmaker that wouldn't raise as many red flags as a single company trying to be the proprietor of a key business in this industry.

Nvidia's failed $40 billion takeover of Arm made competition authorities happy, but it also led to a restructuring of the latter company ahead of its planned IPO. In other words, Arm is cutting up to 15 percent of its workforce, most of it from the UK and the US, even after receiving $1.25 billion as a result of the deal falling through.

That hasn't stopped other companies from contemplating the possibility of purchasing the British chipmaker. One such suitor is SK Hynix, who is reportedly considering the idea of forming a consortium with other investors to explore an acquisition.

At SK Hynix's annual shareholder meeting, vice chairman and co-CEO Park Jung-ho said he doesn't believe a single company can buy Arm, but he definitely wants to control the company for its strategic value. A company representative said in a statement that the idea is currently the subject of a review, and as such there are no official plans to acquire Arm beyond Park's stated intent.

The Nvidia takeover raised too many questions for regulators in the UK, EU, US, and China, not to mention concerns from companies that depend on the Arm ecosystem to thrive. Many in the industry believe Arm is best positioned as a neutral provider of chip designs, but companies like Intel have recently expressed their desire to participate in a consortium formed to take ownership of Arm.

In the meantime, SK Hynix is looking to complete the second and last phase of acquiring Intel's NAND business, which it has spun off into a subsidiary called Solidigm. As for Arm, the Financial Times writes that the chipmaker is currently battling its troublesome Chinese subsidiary, which stands in the way of expediting the former's public offering.

Goldman Sachs is said to have been appointed as lead underwriter for Arm's IPO, and SoftBank could be pursuing a valuation of no less than $60 billion, which would make it the largest ever in the semiconductor space.
In brief: Nearly one in three US-based Netflix subscribers share account login credentials between households. The data, from an online survey of 4,400 US households conducted by Leichtman Research Group, reveals that 64 percent of Netflix subscribers pay for the service and do not share it with others outside their household. The remaining 33 percent participate in some form of sharing.

Netflix is well aware that lots of subscribers share their accounts with others. Earlier this month, the streaming giant said it will soon be testing features design to help sharers do so easily, securely and fairly.

At the forefront is the "add an extra member" option, which as the name suggests, will allow account holders to add up to two sub accounts for people that don't live under the same roof. Each sub account will have its own profile, recommendations and login credentials, Netflix said.

The trial is expected to start in the coming weeks in Chile, Peru and Costa Rica.

Netflix in its most recent earnings report said it had 222 million paying subscribers worldwide. The company no longer breaks down its US subscriber count, but estimates suggest Netflix has around 75 million subscribers across the US and Canada. If even a small fraction of these users are sharing accounts with others, it results in the potential loss of millions of dollars  money that Netflix could use to finance even more original content.

Consider this: if everyone paid their fair share, we likely wouldn't see price hikes nearly as often. Viewed through this lens, one could argue that existing account holders who share their credentials with others are a primary driver of price increases that directly impact their own wallets.

Image credit cottonbro, Juraj Gabriel
Five different robot farms that controlled about 100,000 fake accounts were destroyed by the Security Service of Ukraine after reportedly spreading misinformation spreading fear to Ukraine. The robot farms were reportedly raided with almost 10,000 SIM cards, computers, weaponry, and USB drives seized.

Five Bot Farms Were Responsible for Controlling Up to 100,000 Fake Accounts

The Security Service of Ukraine or SBU released an announcement on Mar. 28 that said that the bot farms were controlling up to a whopping 100,000 accounts in order to spread fake news and misinformation about the invasion of Ukraine.

The SBU notes that the robot farm reportedly started on Feb. 24 and has been in existence for over a month. As per the security service, these particular bot farms have been attempting to spread panic among the citizens of Ukraine and destabilize the socio-political situation in a number of regions.

SBU Raided the Bot Farms in Cherkasky, Kharkiv, Ternopil, and Zakarpattia

According to the story by ZDNet, the SBU accused Russia of operating these particular farms in order to conduct "large-scale information sabotage." These farms were located in four different locations, namely Cherkasky, Kharkiv, Ternopil, and Zakarpattia.

The bots reportedly used social media accounts to spread "distorted news" and alleged propaganda related to the invasion. In addition, to catch the bot farms, the SBU investigator reportedly raided them and seized items that included a whopping 100 GSM gateway devices and more.

Bot Farm had 10,000 SIM Cards, Laptops, Weaponry, and USB Drives

The SBU raid on the bot farms also saw almost 10,000 SIM cards, laptops, and some other computing equipment. The Ukrainian agency also shared photos showing the mobile phones, weaponry, and USB drives that they were able to seize.

The investigators, however, have not mentioned that they were able to make any arrests. As per reports from Ukrinform, the country has also launched its very own fact-check bot called the Perevikra.

Ukraine's Connectivity Reportedly Collapsed by 13% Compared to Pre-Invasion Levels

As per Ukrinform, citizens will be able to use the fact-check bot for them to identify if the online content they find is fake or not. Even before the start of the war, Ukraine was already facing a number of different cybersecurity incidents and breaches.

Recently, Ukrainian internet service provider (ISP) Ukrtelecom infrastructure was reportedly the target of a cyberattack. As of the moment, Ukrainian connectivity reportedly collapsed by 13% of pre-invasion levels.

Read Also: Russian Company Yandex Fires US-based Workers as Michigan Suspended Its Vehicle Licenses

Ukrainian ISPs Reportedly Supplied the Country's Military

Ukrainian officials reported that the attack on their ISPs aiming to disrupt Ukranian communication had been neutralized.

As reported by PortSwigger.Net, an internet outage directed at the ISPs that were supplying a connection to the Ukrainian military happened at 10:00 UTC on Mar. 28. Currently, no confirmation has been given on who was behind the attack.

Related Article: Elon Musk Increases Support for Ukraine by Sending Solar Battery System 'Tesla Powerwalls'

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Urian B.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Google allegedly abuse app developers. Because of this, France decided to fine the tech giant firm $2.2 million.

The Paris Commercial Court claimed that the search engine giant conducts malpractices against application creators on its official Play Store.

The issue between Google and app developers has been one of the main problems of the tech giant manufacturer. This also goes with Apple and other companies.

But, this time, Google's alleged abusive acts attracted the attention of the French government, leading to a million-dollar fine.

Google Allegedly Abuse App Developers?

According to Bloomberg's latest report, the allegations against Google forced it to adjust seven clauses from its contracts between 2015 and 2016.

Also Read: New Google Chrome Update May Cause Massive Internet Outage This Coming Week

The issue is that there is a 30% commission on revenues generated by the developers on Google Play Store. Back in 2018,

Google and Apple already faced a trial because of some imbalances in the rights and obligations concerning app creators.

But, Google claims that it has been trying to help maintain sustainable businesses for the app developers in the Play Store.

"We are always looking to provide more support for developers and help them build sustainable businesses, including recently decreasing our service fees to 15% or less for 99% of developers," said a spokesperson of the tech firm.

Because of this, the giant tech firm said that it is disappointed with the million-dollar fine imposed by the French Paris Commercial Court.

Another Google Lawsuit Recently Happened

Aside from the latest case in France, USA Today reported that Google recently faced a lawsuit. This filing claims that the tech giant discriminates against its people-of-color employees.

The lawsuit states that Google actually has a pattern and practice of unfair treatment towards its Black workers. If you want to see more details about this issue, you can visit this link.

On the other hand, Google Pixel 6 received an update that reduces haptic feedback.

Last week, the ways Google product reviews appear in the search results were changed, allowing the good ones to appear on top.

For more news updates about Google and other giant tech firms, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Apple, Google, Other Tech Firms' Anti-Competitive Behavior to End as DOJ Endorses New Antitrust Bill

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Elon Musk and the Securities and Exchange Commission are still currently in conflict because of the billionaire's Twitter habits.

Currently, SEC is still trying to require Tesla's CEO to be more discreet in posting stuff on Twitter. But, Musk is also rejecting the agency's requirements, saying that the Securities Exchange Commission is ignoring his First Amendment rights.

Now, Elon says that he is like the popular American rapper, Eminem during his ongoing conflict with the top U.S. securities regulator.

Elon Musk Vs. SEC: Billionaire Cites Eminem

According to Reuters' latest report, Elon is trying to throw out his 2018 agreement with SEC since it requires him to obtain pre-approval before posting any tweet.

Also Read: Elon Musk says TikTok Feels like an 'AI Attack,' Picks on the Social Media Service with Other Executives

He added that this goes against his freedom of speech. If you are a fan of the billionaire, you will know how active he really is on Twitter.

In the latest Tuesday (Mar. 29) filing, he quoted Eminem's popular song titled "Without Me."

"The (SEC) won't let me be or let me be me so let me see; They tried to shut me down," said the billionaire.

His statement is the original lyrics of Eminem's song. However, the word FCC was replaced with SEC. This hints that Elon Musk will not really back down against the Securities Exchange Commission.

What's Happening Between Musk and SEC?

The New York Post reported that the latest request of the SEC covers Elon Musk's Twitter posts from April 30, 2019, until the latest ones.

His tweets are being investigated so that the securities agency will know if his account will be required to have pre-approval before posting anything on the platform.

But, this will be a hard one since the billionaire's lawyer, Alex Spiro of Quin Emanuel, said that they will not provide the needed documents regarding pre-approval and the files that will allow SEC to review CEO's tweets.

If you want to see more details about the ongoing conflict between Elon and SEC, you can visit this link.

Aside from solving the issue with SEC, Elon Musk is also active when it comes to supporting Ukraine. Recently, he sent the solar battery system to Tesla Powerwalls to help the country.

On the other hand, Elon Musk's own social media platform might arrive since the billionaire has already hinted at his intent in making one.

Related Article: Elon Musk Complains About Twitter Algorithm, Claims 'De Facto Bias'-CEO Starts Poll to Make it Open Source

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Google Chrome 100 update releases with a new icon for both its desktop and mobile clients. Not to mention that it also comes with new features, which would be handy for its users.

Google Chrome 100 Update

As per a news story by 9to5Google, the monumental version 100 of the web browser of Google, Chrome, is now rolling out on various platforms, including desktop clients like macOS, Windows, Chrome OS, as well as mobile versions for both iOS and Android.

Chrome has been one of the biggest browsers out there, but that was not the case when it first debuted way back in September 2008.

Back then, Google was still attempting to sway online folks to use an alternative browser that was not only more minimal and simpler to use but was also touted to be faster than its counterparts.

But nearly 14 years have passed and Google has made Chrome a household name both for desktop and smartphone users.

Now, Chrome is on its 100th version, and it is celebrating it with a slight change in its icon, which has had a few iterations since the web browser first saw the light of day long ago in 2008.

It is worth noting that some tech experts have warned that the new version of Google Chrome, the "Chrome 100," could end up creating a massive internet outage.

It comes as there is a potential that websites will have a hard time loading when it is being accessed via a browser that has a three-digit version number.

Google Chrome 100 New Icon

Despite that, version 100 of Chrome is here, and it's flaunting new icons for its various platforms.

This time around, Google created an icon design for its web browser that matches its operating system.

For instance, Chrome 100 on Windows carries a look that 9to5Google reported as an "obviously gradated look," matching the aesthetics of both Windows 10 and 11.

Meanwhile, the macOS version comes with a 3D look on the bottom half of the icon, whereas Chrome OS brightens its hues much more.

On the other hand, the Android version ditches the white border on its icon, but not much has changed--similar to its iOS look.

Read Also: Google Chrome Users Urged To Update After Two New Vulnerabilities In The Browser Were Discovered

Chrome 100: What's New

According to a recent report by How to Geek, Google brings back the feature that lets users click the speaker icon on the tab to mute it.

It also comes with a new feature that allows users to have multi-screen window options, letting them open a presentation on a screen, then show the speaker notes on the other display.

Related Article: Google Issues Warning to Chrome and Chrome-Based Users as Zero-Day Hacks Continue to Increase

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Teejay Boris

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Apple will no longer repair iPhones that have been reported to be either lost or stolen.

Apple Repair on iPhone Reported Lost, Stolen

As per a news story by 9to5Mac, Apple will now refuse to fix iPhones that have been reported as missing that might have fallen into the hands of criminal minds.

The news outlet noted that the Cupertino giant has previously rejected repair requests for iPhones that have either been stolen or lost, along with its other products, but only as long as the Find My feature of Apple is turned on.

This time around, though, Apple is expanding its scope for rejecting repairs by including reports outside of the Find My iPhone feature.

Apple to Reject Missing iPhone Repair

According to a recent report by MacRumors, the tech giant reportedly sent an internal memo to the workforce of both Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers.

The internal memo seen by the online news platform said that the GSMA Device Registry database will now be included when checking if a device has been stolen or lost before proceeding with a repair.

To be more precise, the memo specifically noted that if a device has been flagged as "missing" in the GSMA Device Registry, the repair request would automatically be rejected.

Read Also: [RUMOR] Apple's iPhone, iPad To Be Hardware Subscription Services; Will This Affect Consumer Ownership?

Apple and GSMA Device Registry

As per the latest news story by The Verge, the GSMA device registry is a massive database that stores the serial number of devices and their status as well.

That said, if an iPhone user reported to law enforcement that a device was missing, the latter would then update the status of the smartphone on the GSMA database.

In turn, users who have gone straight to the authorities to report their lost or stolen iPhone would have automatically blocked the repair of the device on Apple Store and its authorized partners.

So, those who have stolen an iPhone could no longer have their devices repaired by Apple.

However, it is worth noting that the iPhone maker has yet to publicly confirm the existence of the new policy. But the internal memo says so.

Related Article: Apple iPhone SE: Cutting Down Production of 3rd Gen Phone Due to 'Weaker' Demand, 15-20M Units for 2022

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Teejay Boris

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Motorola is now the third-largest smartphone maker in the United States or the US, at least in terms of sales in 2021, but it still lags way behind other giant brands, such as Apple and Samsung.

Motorola 3rd Largest Smartphone Brand in the US

A recent report from the analysis firm, Counterpoint Research, reveals the phone sales of Motorola in the US, as well as the performance of other top smartphone brands in the region.

according to a news story by XDA Developers. Counterpoint Research primarily focuses on the sales trends of smartphones, as well as other tech products.

The recent data from the analyst firm showed that Motorola impressively more than doubled its sales in the US last year.

To be more precise, the phone maker boasted a 131% growth from last year, which, in turn, helped Motorola snatch the third spot in US smartphone sales.

Previously, another South Korean phone maker, LG, has been sitting in third place in smartphone sales for a couple of years already. However, the Korea-based manufacturer has already shut down its mobile phone business in the second quarter of 2021.

That said, during the same year, Motorola has massively increased its market share in the country.

XDA Developers cited the growth of Motorola to the exit of LG, saying that the budget devices of the former ended up filling the gap of the latter as soon as it stopped selling phones.

On top of that, it is worth noting that Motorola also debuted its new set of smartphones in 2021, such as its Moto G, E, and One series.

Not to mention that the phone maker also released the next-generation Motorola Edge in the same year, wherein it sported an ultra-smooth 144Hz display.

Read Also: Motorola Razr 3 Foldable is Rumored to Get Bigger Storage | Here's What to Expect

Apple and Samsung Smartphone Sales

Meanwhile, both Apple and Samsung remained in their first and second spot, respectively, last year. The iPhone maker continues its sales growth, while Samsung slightly increased from 2020.

Like Motorola, Samsung also released budget smartphones under its A series. What's more, the South Korean phone maker also debuted its foldable smartphones, the all-new Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 in 2021.

On the other hand, Apple also released its new flagship devices last year, in the flesh of the iPhone 13 lineup.

Related Article: Motorola's 'Frontier' Project is a Flagship Smartphone Says Leaks, to Rival Samsung, Apple, and MORE; Specs?

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Teejay Boris

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Hackers can take over retired or decommissioned satellites once they travel to reach their so-called graveyard orbit. This information was revealed during the ShmooCon security conference, which happened last Friday, Mar. 25.

Karl Koscher, an embedded device security expert, asked the people at the conference about the things that can happen to decommissioned satellites as they transition to the graveyard orbit.

Koscher and his co-workers conducted an experiment to see if they could take over the decommissioned Anik FIR satellite. Lucky, they were able to do so.

"It's kind of unreal to go from making a video stream to having it broadcast across all of North America," he said via The Wired.

Hackers Can Control Retired Satellites?

Koscher explained that once satellites are decommissioned by the space agency that launched them, they will no longer have any control over the retired rockets.

Also Read: Elon Musk Brings On-the-Go Charging for Starlink Satellites in Ukraine; New Shipments Confirmed by Vice Prime Minister

Because of this, other entities on the planet can take them over before they reach the graveyard orbit, which is the junkyard orbit of Earth.

He added that the people or agencies who can produce the strongest signal could control the satellites to broadcast their announcements and other activities.

Some cybercriminals were already able to do this. For example, the Captain Midnight hacker was able to breach the Galaxy 1 satellite, allowing him to break into an HBO broadcast back in 1986.

On the other hand, 39 suspects were arrested by the Brazilian Federal Police in 2009 after they were accused of hacking some U.S. Navy satellites.

Authorities said that they were able to do this using a high-powered antenna, as well as other hacking gear.

More Satellites Being Decommissioned

As of the moment, many satellites are being decommissioned as new ones are launched by SpaceX and other space companies and unions.

One of these is two missile-tracking satellites. SpaceNews reported that the DoD (Department of Defense) let go of two STSS (Space Tracking and Surveillance System) sats.

Last month, the SpaceX Starlink launch was able to send 50 satellites into orbit.

Meanwhile, NASA hired SpaceX Dragon for six more supply missions.

For more news updates about satellites and other space topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: OneWeb to Use SpaceX's Falcon 9 to Deliver Satellites; Elon Musk Says It will 'Do the Right Thing' for Rival

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Apple CEO Tim Cook's alleged stalker, Julie Lee Choi, has signed an agreement ordering her to stay away from the billionaire for the next three years. She signed the agreement with Apple after her appearance in Santa Clara Country Superior Court.

Based on her actions, she is really quite obsessed with the billionaire. Her obsession with the billionaire started back in October 2020. She even replied to one of the Apple CEO's tweets.

When Tim Cook posted about Labor Day in 2020, she wrote in the comment section,

"My hubby sweet be safe and healthy at this difficult time Forever love," Choi replied.

Apple CEO Tim Cook's Alleged Stalker

According to News 18's latest report, Choi is no longer allowed to go near Cook since she has already signed an agreement with Apple.

Also Read: Apple CEO Tim Cook Is Pledging Support For Humanitarian Efforts In Ukraine

Although the billionaire was not present during the hearing, the stalker still agreed to the decision. Her distance limit will only be 200 yards (around 180 meters) away from the CEO.

She needs to follow this agreement for the next three years. But, Apple hasn't confirmed any detail about the next step after the three-year deal with the woman.

Aside from this, the court also ordered the lady not to own any firearm because she showed obsession aggressively with Cook.

What is Choi Actually Doing?

Phone Arena reported that the alleged stalker of Cook is actually going overboard. One of the most alarming things she did to get the billionaire's attention was going to Tim's house in Silicon Valley.

She even asked him to have intercourse with him and do other NSFW activities. Aside from this, she also creates a fake corporate listing, claiming that Cook is involved in various bogus companies.

In December 2021, Choi demanded $500 million from Apple if they wanted her to stop contacting or going near the tech CEO. Now, all her stalking activities will have to stop for the next three years.

In 2021, the Apple CEO investigated an alleged confidential memo leak. In the same year, Cook said he was against iOS sideloading activities. He suggested that users shall use Android to install third-party apps.

For more news updates about Tim Cook and other billionaires, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Apple's Tim Cook Challenges Innovators, New Technology to Invoke Global Changes in Open Letter

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The US is now trying to propose an alliance for the semiconductor industry with Asian countries, including Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, to gain the upper hand against the massive Chinese semiconductor industry. South Korea, however, rejected the proposal having billions of dollars already invested in manufacturing facilities in China.

Seoul Decided Not to 'Fully Accept' Proposal

According to the report of SouthChinaMorningPost, Seoul decided not to "fully accept" the proposal due to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, the country's chip giants, having billions of dollars of investments in China.

The publication notes that the country feared potential retaliation from Beijing should they decide to join the allegiance. This came from a report by BusinessKorea citing an industry source saying although cooperation with the United States remains a top priority, "the biggest market is also of paramount importance."

Washington Looks for Alternatives to China for Its Chip Supply Chain

Washington has been looking for alternatives to China for its supply chain since the pandemic, which triggered a global chip shortage. In September of 2020, the United States, the European Union, and Japan's officials were looking at potentially bringing "like-minded" policies together to help shift reliance on China.

The potential chip alliance reports are coming as a result of a new bill that would potentially provide $52 billion in funding for research and domestic semiconductor manufacturing aimed directly at countering China's growing influence.

US Senate Passes the American Competes Act for Final Passage

The America Competes Act was passed by the US Senate just recently for final passage to be reconciled in the House of Representatives of the United States. This move has triggered a debate on Chinese social media, with citizens saying this move would push Beijing to increase its efforts for self-sufficient technology.

Samsung's second phase of the NAND flash project in Xi'an, China, started its operations last year. This was according to a Shaanxi government statement back in February.

$25 Billion Complex Produces 40% of Samsung's NAND Flash Production Capacity

The $25 billion complexes reportedly produces over 40% of Samsung's total NAND flash production capacity. To add, the complex includes two water fabrication PLA facilities.

SK Hynix, on the other hand, has operations in the Chongqing and Sichuan provinces. The operations include a DRAM water fabrication plant and testing and packaging facility.

Read Also: FCC Bans China Unicom's Services From US To Prevent Possible Spying Activities

South Korea Ran a $25.7 Billion Trade Surplus in China

The SK Hynix' C2 plant is located in Wuxi, and the company's initial 12-inch water fab started back in 2006 and received a $780 million investment for further expansion during the middle of 2019, as per the company's statement.

Integrated circuits (ICs) have been Seoul's number one export to China. In 2021, South Korea ran a trade surplus of $25.7 billion with China, increasing from its 2020 numbers at just $20.1 billion.

Related Article: Global Chip Shortage Forces Canon to Sell Printer Cartridges Without DRM Chip

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Urian B.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
According to media reports, the U.S. administration is considering the possibility of withdrawing oil from strategic reserves.

Russia and Ukraine held the fourth face-to-face negotiations in Turkey on Tuesday. Although both sides clinched some progress in exploring possible ways out of the current situation, their armed conflict continues. Below are the main events as they happen.

Biden to announce measures to respond to rising energy prices in the U.S.

U.S. President Joe Biden will unveil measures aimed at reducing energy prices in the U.S. market on Thursday, according to the U.S. leader's work schedule published by the White House.

"At 1:30 p.m., the president will announce his administration's actions to reduce the impact of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's-induced energy price increases and lower gasoline prices for American families," Biden's schedule reads.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg Agency, citing knowledgeable sources, reported that the Biden administration is considering allocating about 1 million barrels of oil a day from the U.S. strategic reserves for several months to combat rising gasoline prices and supply shortages.

According to the agency, the total volume of allocated oil could reach up to 180 million barrels.

S&P removes Russian and Belarusian bonds from its 11 indices

S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI) said on Wednesday it has decided to remove Russian and Belarusian bonds from its 11 indices.

"S&P Dow Jones Indices ("S&P DJI") conducted a consultation with market participants on the potential removal of Russian bonds and announced the results on March 15, 2022, indicating that all bonds from issuers whose Country of Risk is Russia or Belarus will be removed from the impacted indices," it said in a press statement posted on its website.

According to S&P, the bonds will be removed from the indices on March 31.

Ukraine recalls its ambassadors from Georgia and Morocco

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had signed decrees recalling Ukrainian ambassadors to Georgia and Morocco because "they are losing time on the diplomatic front" in these countries.

"Signed a decree (...) to recall the ambassador from Morocco. Also brought back the ambassador from Georgia," Zelensky said in a video message Wednesday night, adding that "they are losing time on the diplomatic front."

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky announced on March 1 the withdrawal of the ambassador from Georgia for consultations due to the Georgian government's position of refusing to join sanctions against Russia and preventing Georgian volunteers from being sent to Ukraine.

On March 14, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili called on Zelensky to return Ukraine's ambassador to Tbilisi.

WSJ: US, Europe afraid of imposing sanctions against Kaspersky Lab

The United States and Europe are afraid that sanctions against Russias Kaspersky Lab software company will add to the risks of cyberattacks against Western countries, which is why there is no accord in the US administration concerning restrictions against that company, The Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday, citing its sources.

According to the sources, the White Houses National Security Council has postponed discussions of possible sanctions against Kaspersky Lab in the US Department of the Treasury.

The Federal Communications Commission of the United States on Friday added products of Russias Kaspersky Lab into its list of equipment and services that pose a security threat. Following it, the company said it was disappointed with the commissions decision to ban the use of federal allowances to purchase Kaspersky Labs products and slammed it as politically motivated. According to Kaspersky Lab, it is ready to cooperate with US government agencies and answer any questions from regulators.

Germany ready to provide security guarantees to Ukraine - German foreign minister

Germany is ready to provide security guarantees to Ukraine after the end of Russias special military operation in Ukraine, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on the ARD television channel on Wednesday.

"If assurances are needed, Germany will also be there and give guarantees," Baerbock said.

"We are in complete solidarity with Ukraine, 100%," she assured adding that was referred to the peace talks and the later peace order. Nevertheless, Baerbock pointed out that the talks between Ukraine and Russia were not in the stage that would suggest that a breakthrough was within reach.

Russia will continue to defend its interests before the West - Deputy Foreign Minister

Russia intends to continue to defend its interests before the collective West, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said in an interview with RT TV channel.

"Its not about Ukraine, its not about what is going on there, its just because they hate Russia, they dont believe there is any place for independent Russian policies that we will protect and defend," he said.

Ryabkov called Russophobia "disgusting". "This is something that is completely out of touch with all so-called European and western values," he said.

"I think the dust will settle at some point, but our people suffer because of these essentially racist policies that are being instigated to some extent by governments and by media outlets in many European countries," the diplomat noted.

He added that Russian embassies and consulates are ready to provide any assistance to citizens or Russian-speaking people abroad who have faced discrimination. "We will do our utmost to offer all services needed to compatriots and those Russians who suffer because of this. We will offer them legal assistance, advice, stay in touch with them - our consulates and embassies will be open," he said.

Zelensky, Biden discuss support for Ukraine over phone. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that he has discussed support for Ukraine with U.S. President Joe Biden. The situation on the battlefield in Ukraine and the diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis were other topics of the hour-long conversation.

The White House said Biden informed Zelensky that the United States intended to provide the Ukrainian government with US$500 million in direct budgetary aid.

Ukraine confirms partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Kiev, Chernihiv directions. On Wednesday, Ukrainian Defense Ministry's spokesman Olexandr Motuzyanyk confirmed that Russia has been withdrawing some troops from Kiev and Chernihiv directions, in central and northern Ukraine respectively.

Given that there was no mass withdrawal of Russian troops from those areas, Motuzyanyk suggested that Russian forces may renew their offensive against Kiev and Chernihiv after replenishing the units that suffered the biggest losses in the battles.

On Tuesday, however, Russia's Defense Ministry announced that Russia has decided to significantly reduce military activity in the Kiev and Chernihiv directions.

Slovakia expels 35 Russian diplomats. On Wednesday, Slovakia's Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Juraj Tomaga reported that his country expelled 35 Russian diplomats whom he accuses of conducting espionage activities "in violation of the Vienna convention."

On March 14, Slovakia also expelled three Russian embassy employees and gave them 72 hours to leave the country.

Germany declares early warning level of gas emergency plan. Germany's Economic Affairs and Climate Action Minister Robert Habeck announced the first stage, or the early warning level, of the gas emergency plan, saying that it's for "precautionary purposes."

"Security of supply continues to be guaranteed... there are no supply bottlenecks currently, he said, adding that a crisis team was activated to "analyze and assess the supply situation so that further measures can be taken to increase supply security, if necessary."

Last week, Russia announced that it would only accept payment for gas imports in rubles from "unfriendly countries." In response, the Group of Seven (G7) rejected payments in rubles, citing reasons of contractual compliance.

In February 2022, prices for energy produced in Germany were up by 68 percent year on year, while prices for imported energy even soared 129.5 percent. Consumers had to pay 22.5 percent more for household energy and motor fuels than in February last year, according to he Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).

Last week, Germany's lower house of parliament Bundestag approved a law amendment to oblige all operators in the country to gradually fill their gas storage facilities in order to stabilize the country's storage levels.

Ukraine sets up three humanitarian corridors. Ukraine established three humanitarian corridors on Wednesday, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Telegram.

Two corridors were set up to allow Ukrainian civilians to flee the cities of Melitopol and Energodar in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, which were captured by Russia's forces, Vereshchuk said, adding that another humanitarian route was established in the eastern Donetsk region to evacuate people from the city of Mariupol, where active hostilities are underway.

Last Thursday Ukraine established seven humanitarian corridors, following nine corridors the previous day, according to Ukraine's government-run Ukrinform news agency.

Daily Beast: "Is America Training Neonazis in Ukraine?

Officially no, but no one in the US government seems to know for sure." https://t.co/HzV6Nu068Y  Sharmine Narwani (@snarwani) March 25, 2022

Zelenski asks the Norwegian Parliament for more weapons and sanctions on Russia. During a video conference on Wednesday, President Volodymir Zelensky asked Norway for more economic sanctions against Russia and anti-aircraft missiles, defense systems, and armored vehicles.

To reduce Europe's dependence on Russian oil and gas, he also called on the Nordic country to make a "decisive contribution" to energy security. Currently, Norway provides between 20 and 25 percent of the gas consumed in the European Union (EU).

In recent months, the Norwegian authorities have promoted adjustments to slightly increase exports, but they have admitted their facilities are at the limit of their capacity.

Minutes before the Ukrainian president's intervention, the Norwegian government announced a new donation of 2,000 rocket launchers.
People who are better than you are more disciplined than you, so what are you waiting for?
The Baton Rouge Area Chamber renewed its support Wednesday for a new bridge across the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge and chided state lawmakers who claim to support the project while finding fault with Gov. John Bel Edwards' plan to spend $500 million on the effort.

Legislative critics say they "fully support" the bridge, the report says, but also say they have problems setting aside $500 million toward the project because it is more than five years away from generating work.

BRAC says three possible crossing sites will be identified this summer, and that process will not delay the state Department of Transportation and Development from forging an agreement with a private firm in the next 18 months to help finance the bridge. That means construction can begin in 2025, not five years or more, according to the review.

If the state fails to act this year "we and future generations of Louisianans may all look back at 2022 in awful wonder about how the chance was squandered," BRAC says.

Edwards has called his $500 million funding proposal a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to move the project amid the state's roughly $3 billion surplus.

Game changer? Governor proposes $500 million for new Mississippi River bridge in Baton Rouge In a potential breakthrough, Gov. John Bel Edwards on Monday proposed spending $500 million to build a new bridge across the Mississippi River

Senate leaders have long questioned whether it makes sense to allocate that amount amid the lack of a definitive site and time-consuming planning steps.

House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, R-Gonzales, initially said he backed the governor's plan, but told talk radio hosts this week that he fears parking $500 million in a fund that future legislators may use for something else. Schexnayder could not be reached for comment.

Other House leaders have also voiced reservations while insisting they back the effort.

The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

BRAC did not identify the lawmakers it views as trying to have it both ways.

On Monday consultants working with the state panel in charge of finding a site for the bridge said they have narrowed the list to 10, with public sessions set to start April 25 so taxpayers can review the maps.

The crossing possibilities range from just south of the "new" Mississippi River Bridge to a site in Ascension Parish.

Where should a new Mississippi River Bridge go? Officials want public to choose 3 options. Under pressure from the Legislature, officials said Monday they plan to let taxpayers review 10 possible sites for a new bridge across the Mis

Consultants also said they could "absolutely" narrow the list to three possible sites now but that public gatherings on the plans are required to meet federal rules.

BRAC said Edwards had barely unveiled his funding plan when some lawmakers indicated they preferred to "raid the funds."

"Such a move would be shortsighted and harmful, not only to the Capital Region but to Louisiana as a whole as it would demonstrate the state's inability to make long-term critical investments even at a time when the state's financial outlook is brighter than it's been in years," the report says.

BRAC spelled out a timeline in which required environmental reviews on the handful of possible crossing sites can begin this fall and a private firm be picked in 2023 to help shoulder the costs in exchange for a long-term revenue stream -- tolls.

It says a contract for construction can be signed in 2024-25, work begin in 2025 and the new bridge be open for traffic by 2031.
Viva Energy, one of Australias largest petrol station operators, will immediately cut fuel prices by 10 a litre at its 700 Coles Express sites across the country after the federal government announced a halving of the excise rate for a six-month period.

The federal budget on Tuesday night included a temporary reduction in the national fuel excise  a flat tax for constructing and maintaining road infrastructure  from 44.2 to 22.1 a litre in a bid to address the rising cost-of-living pressure on Australians.

Fuel prices have been surging across Australia because of the rising cost of crude oil. Credit:Ryan Stuart

Viva, which operates the Geelong oil refinery and the nations Shell, Liberty and Coles Express petrol stations, made the first public commitment to immediately cut retail prices on Wednesday. It added that motorists could expect further price cuts over the coming week as fuel stocks purchased at the higher excise rate were replaced with new deliveries.

We are pleased this morning to be able to provide some immediate relief to motorists with a 10-per-litre reduction in fuel prices, Viva consumer general manager Megan Foster said.
Zelensky has urged for new sanctions against Russia, powerful sanctions, until they stop blackmailing other countries with their missiles.

We have to stop any business activity with Russia, he said.

We have to stop any intention of Russia to bypass the sanctions.

He has thanked Australia for delivering coal to Ukraine to aid its energy supply, however he has asked for military equipment, including Australias Bushmaster armoured vehicles, saying they would strengthen our armaments.

He also said the distance between the countries is huge, but is bridged by a common understanding.

Geography doesnt matter  what matters is humanity and the dream  the dream of bringing back a peaceful life, he said.

Zelensky spoke of Ukraine bringing aid to other countries before the pandemic and the Russian invasion.

Our dream was bringing life  now this is not possible, he said, as a country with different values had started a war.

They are shelling our cities  they are killing our children, they are holding hostage hundreds of thousands of people in cities without water.
In the north-west of NSW, home to some of the states most disadvantaged and remote schools, one in 13 students was suspended in the first half of last year. In the north of Sydney, the rate was fewer than one in 100.

New figures from the NSW Department of Education also show suspension rates for students who are Indigenous or have a disability continue to be disproportionately high, with one in 10 Aboriginal students sent home from school in term one in 2021.

Suspensions are at the centre of a fiery debate in NSW education. A plan to make it harder for principals to give them out was delayed this week amid intense opposition from teacher unions and principals groups, who argue it will lead to rowdier classrooms.

The new figures  which compares term one data over the past five years, due to the lockdown in the second half of 2021  show suspensions among secondary students were the highest in five years, with 6.8 per cent of students sent home for continued disobedience or aggressive behaviour.
It seemed like the perfect political fix. The bomb-throwing Transport Minister David Elliott  who made no secret of not wanting responsibility for NSWs trains, buses and ferries  was convinced to make the jump to Canberra.

With Elliott leaving Macquarie Street, Dominic Perrottet had cover to replace him with a minister more willing to navigate the political minefield of the transport portfolio, which can bring with it the highs of cutting ribbons on projects, but also the lows of union wars and commuter frustration over Sydneys temperamental rail network.

Transport Minister David Elliott: his planned movements wont necessarily suit the Premiers. Credit:Flavio Brancaleone

Elliotts early tenure in transport has been rocky, including a very public stoush with his department secretary and former airline executive, Rob Sharp, after the citys entire train network was ground to a halt last month. Perrottet backed his minister, but not before firing a warning shot when the Premier said he expected his ministers to be on call 24/7. Elliott had gone to bed as the shutdown drama unfolded.

Elliott had often been mentioned as a possibility for the western Sydney federal seat of Greenway but Parramatta, the marginal seat held by retiring Labor MP Julie Owens, was seen as a better fit for the one-time army peacekeeper.
The Latrobe Valleys first wind farm has been approved, in a sign of Victorias transition away from coal-fired power.

The 33-turbine Delburn Wind Farm will be the first such project built in a tree plantation in Australia. The privately owned site south of Morwell overlooks the retired Hazelwood coal-fired power station and mine, which closed five years ago.

An artists impression of the Delburn Wind Farm.

The location was chosen because high-voltage transmission lines that were built for the power station run through the Latrobe Valley.

Delburns turbines will tower up to 250 metres at the tip of the blades.
Influential academic Marcia Langton says she is very happy with the governments funding commitment towards the Indigenous Voice process in the federal budget, but Labor says its just an empty promise designed to get the Coalition through the election.

The federal budget set aside $31.8 million dollars to establish 35 local and regional Voice bodies across the country over the 2022-23 financial year.

Professor Marcia Langton was one of the lead authors into the Voice co-design report. Credit:Arsineh Houspian

The legislated Voices will act as advisory bodies to local, state, and territory governments over policy decisions affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Professor Langton, a descendent of the Iman people and one of the lead authors of a report into the governments co-design process, said it is a significant step forward.
Property values in suburbs at risk of coastal erosion and storm surge have jumped over the past five years, but values of the most affected homes are likely to take a hit when they are no longer insurable or when it becomes harder to find buyers, experts said.

Many buyers are willing to take the chance when it comes to purchasing in affected coastal suburbs, although others have started to ask questions as part of their due diligence.

Flash flooding in Manly earlier in March. Credit:James Brickwood

Research this week found $25 billion worth of residential property was at risk due to increasing storm surges and coastal erosion and warned the effects of climate change were already being felt.

The top 10 suburbs with the most value at risk are spread across the east coast, often in popular residential neighbourhoods or holiday towns with low elevation, high property values and a fast-receding coastline.
I cant think of a church in the English-speaking Western world with as broad a global reach as Hillsong, said Ed Stetzer, executive director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Centre in Illinois. The current upheaval at the church is a very big deal and will have ramifications not just for Hillsong, but for contemporary evangelism around the world, he said. The church was already grappling with in-house tensions and a damaged brand when its Australian founder and global leader, Brian Houston, resigned on March 23 after an internal investigation found that he behaved inappropriately towards two women. Houston had stepped away from all ministry duties in January, explaining that he needed to concentrate on fighting a criminal charge of concealing child sexual abuse committed by his late father, who was also a pastor. Brian Houston, senior pastor of the global megachurch Hillsong in New York in 2014. Houston was charged by the Australian police with concealing child sexual abuse carried out by his father in the 1970s. He has denied the allegations. Credit:Victor J. Blue/The New York Times The churchs investigation found that Houston sent inappropriate text messages to one staff member, and that several years later he spent time alone in a hotel room with a woman who attended the churchs annual conference in Sydney. In a statement to The New York Times, the press office for the church said there have been no other complaints about Houstons behaviour. The church has blamed medication and alcohol for Houstons actions. Houston has not publicly commented on his resignation. He could not be immediately reached for comment.

Phil Dooley, the churchs interim global leader, responded to some questions in an email through the church press office. In the email, Dooley said Houstons resignation came as a tremendous surprise to many members of our community. The church press office did not respond to questions about whether Houston would receive a severance package or any future financial compensation from the church. The press office also declined to say whether Houstons wife, Bobbie, whose title was also global senior pastor, remained employed by the church. A day after Houstons resignation, the streaming service Discovery+ released a three-part documentary, Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed. The documentary depicts the megachurch as a toxic institution obsessed with image, control and growth at all costs. It features interviews with critics, former employees and members, and a woman who has said she had a months-long affair with Carl Lentz, at the time the celebrity lead pastor of Hillsongs US East Coast branches. The press office for the church said in an emailed statement that the documentarys portrait of Hillsong was almost unrecognisable to the church community. Pastor Sam Collier preaches at Hillsong Atlanta, US, for the last time on Sunday, before leaving the denomination to form his own congregation. Credit:Alyssa Pointer/The New York Times Dooley, the interim leader, said in an email to the Times through the church press office that he has been talking with members of our team around the world in what seems like a nonstop conversation since the revelations of Houstons behaviour. He described the crisis as a challenging and emotional time for both members and leaders. This difficult season has sparked conversations that we should have been having as a church for a very long time, he said. He said the church was reviewing its policies and procedures to provide both health and accountability for leaders. Hillsong exercises some control over the financial operations of each member church, though congregations set their own budgets. Churches also pass on 5 per cent of the contributions they receive to the global church. In return, they receive organisational and teaching resources, and what was once a straightforwardly valuable association with one of the most recognisable evangelical churches in the world.

For some leaders of Hillsong branches, the baggage has become too burdensome to be worth the benefits of affiliation. Last week, the lead pastor of Hillsong Atlanta, Sam Collier, emailed his congregation to inform them that he was withdrawing his church from Hillsong after consistent media attacks, slander, and accusations against Hillsong  some of which, he acknowledged, were true. All the challenges and the speculation and the scandal and the articles and all of the above, it got to a point where the people in our church just did not want to deal with it anymore, Collier said in an interview. His hiring as Hillsongs first black lead pastor was announced about a week before the news of Lentzs misconduct became public in 2020, meaning his entire tenure at the church has been clouded by scandal emanating from Hillsong entities far from Atlanta. Worshippers at the last Hillsong service in Atlanta on Sunday. Credit:Alyssa Pointer/The New York Times Sundays service was the last for Hillsong Atlanta.

We believe the Lord is calling us to move into the next season, Collier told the congregation. Collier is launching a new church on Easter Sunday, and expects much of his Hillsong followers to migrate there. The press office for Hillsong said there were no plans to reestablish Hillsong Atlanta. Another branch, Hillsong Kansas City, which launched in 2019, quietly separated from Hillsong about two weeks ago and relaunched as Kingdom City Church. The press office for the global church said the two parties made a mutual decision to separate before Houstons departure. A person who answered the phone at Kingdom City last week said the church had no comment. Loading Hillsongs website says 150,000 people attend services weekly in 30 countries, but that estimate was taken before the pandemic. The press office said an accurate attendance count is not possible because of pandemic restrictions in some countries, and emphasised the churchs longtime focus, heightened during the pandemic, on online participation.

Houston and his wife, Bobbie, are towering figures in Australia. The church grew for decades as part of the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God, a Pentecostal denomination. The church offered original music with high production values  sometimes performed in actual concert venues. Houston once instructed pastors in Australia that a Hillsong sermon leaves people feeling better about themselves than when they came in. Pentecostalism, a charismatic movement, often features practices like speaking in tongues and faith healing. Hillsong took a more accessible approach. Always attuned to mass appeal, the church accentuated personal encounters with God, often through music. Hillsong became its own denomination in 2018. Loading In 2020, the churchs relationship with money, sex and celebrity came under renewed scrutiny when Houston fired Lentz for leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures. Lentz, a one-time mentor of Bieber and a celebrity in his own right, confessed that he had been unfaithful to his wife and withdrew from public life. In his sermon on Sunday, Crist called for an internal investigation into Hillsongs global board, to make the findings of that investigation public, and to purge any board members who have protected the institution and not the people.
As George Megalogenis pointed out last week , while sanctions against Russian oligarchs might carry relatively minor costs for Australia, sanctions against China and its leaders would be budget-altering; iron ore sales to China account for almost 40 per cent of our merchandise exports to the world.

It has already prompted some to urge a dramatic reassessment of our relations with Honiara: writing for The Age, Professor Anne-Marie Brady said it was time to set aside niceties about sovereignty and admit that Solomon Islands is a failed state. Elsewhere, publisher David Llewellyn-Smith said this was Australias Cuban missile crisis and that the federal government should  engineer regime change in Honiara , later suggesting iron ore sales to China should be suspended if the agreement is signed.

Since Russia began its latest invasion of Ukraine, our region has been on heightened alert for signs that the Kremlins offensive might embolden Beijing in its pursuit of regional and global dominance. The draft agreement between China and the government of Solomon Islands revealed last Thursday and later verified by the Australian government will be seen as Beijings first test of changed geopolitical waters.

The Morrison government has responded with a number of soothing formulas. First it regularly refers to Pacific island nations as our family, then it points to the Pacific step-up as a sign that it is increasingly engaged with the region and reminds us that Australia accounts for 45 per cent of the development funding given to these nations, with daylight to second, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison puts it. Its noteworthy, though, that he still has not dispatched Foreign Minister Marise Payne to make her representations.

Loading

The question is, what kind of family is this? Are the Pacific island nations our children, or our siblings? Attempts to prevail upon our relationships with Fiji and Papua New Guinea and see the leadership of the Solomons change course appear to have failed. But can our Prime Minister really take a more coercive approach without undermining his commitment  which is also Washingtons  to a free and open Indo-Pacific ... [where] individual countries will be able to choose their own path and their own partners, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken put it in Jakarta in December?

It would be a fraught path for Australia to point out to Honiara our aid contribution or our role in restoring security after last Novembers riots in any discussions over Solomons foreign policy. When prime minister Tony Abbott tried to use our aid to tsunami-stricken Indonesia as leverage in pleading for Australian drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran to be spared, it sparked widespread condemnation, the coins for Abbott backlash, and changed nothing.

To talk about quantity of aid misses an important point. The Solomon Islands and other Pacific nations have for decades been accustomed to foreign powers  and particularly Taiwan and China  seeking to influence them through chequebook diplomacy. In turn, politicians from these nations have become adept at turning local and global conflicts to their financial advantage.
A.J. Shively has seen Paradise Square through a lot of productions. Since its January 2019 tryout run at Berkeley Rep, Shively has honed and develop the role of Owen Duignan, a newly arrived Irish immigrant who has a sneaking suspicion that he's about to get drafted to fight in the Civil War. The musical itself has undergone a lot of changes and honing over the last three years, too, but one thing has stayed the same: it's pretty incredible to watch him take center stage and perform some thrilling Irish step dancing. Here, he tells us how he learned it all, and from scratch, no less.

A.J. Shively, with Sidney DuPont, in Paradise Square

( Julieta Cervantes)

This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

The subject matter of Paradise Square isn't really discussed  even in basic New York City history, it rarely comes up. As an actor, where do you begin, then, in terms of research?

One of the greatest resources is a book called Five Points by Tyler Anbinder, but one of the hardest parts about putting this show together is that there's no real source material, just the fact that it happened.

I knew a bit about the Irish side of things, because this is how and when and why my family came to America. I knew about the famine and the famine ships. My family members were indentured servants when they came, which isn't touched on in the show, and they wound up in Indiana, so they weren't part of this society. So I really had no idea. But this is why I wanted to become an actor. I've always been a research nerd, and acting is nothing but research projects all the time.

Are you a dancer? Because your step dancing is mighty impressive.

I didn't grow up as a dancer. Tap dancing is the only class I ever got a C in in my life. It was early in the morning and I'm not a morning person, and I was not good at it. I had a bad attitude. But I did grow up doing martial arts, so I had the body awareness. I did not know that I was capable of this level of dancing.

So you learned all this Irish step dancing from scratch? What kind of practice and training did that require from you?

The amount of focus and technique that's required! Our Irish step choreographers are Garrett Coleman and Jason Oremus, and they were so helpful in giving me moves that looked good on my body as I started from scratch. They started me off with my feet taping, and as we were setting the choreography out in Berkeley, I saw them goofing off in the corner, figuring out their own stuff, and they did this really cool kick, where they jumped up and bent both legs around each other. And I was like, "Like this?" And they were like "That's a really advanced move" but I didn't know the difference!

The hardest part was growing the little muscles in my calves that stabilize your ankles and let you jump without putting your heels down. You have to have the looseness and tension all that the same time. In Berkeley, I was sore all the time. Thankfully, those muscles have developed enough that it doesn't hurt to just exist anymore.

A scene from Paradise Square on Broadway

( Julieta Cervantes)

How has the show and your role developed over time?

I did a workshop before Berkeley, as well, and my audition scene was my character Owen trying to sell his body to Stephen Foster, which is not in the show anymore. Like, "I've seen the way you look at me. I know you need money." That sort of thing. And I was told there might be a moment of Irish dancing. But I never had a dance audition. That's how much it's changed. And characters have been cut, characters have been added. We put in seven new scenes and three new songs between Chicago and New York.

What is it like to do this show now, in light of the events of the last two years?

It's been wild how relevant it remains, and the rolling relevance as the news cycle changes. With the invasion of the Ukraine, thinking about the prospect of any ordinary person going off to fight and what that means is kind of insane.

And the conversation is so much more available after the social justice movement. There's a vocabulary that we were trying to figure out when we were at Berkeley Rep  there weren't really words yet or books on how we talk about these things, and the social justice movement has made it possible for these difficult conversations to happen. It's a touchy subject, it's dense material, and part of the reason the community feels so strong on stage is because we had these difficult conversations in the rehearsal room.

This has been amazing to be part of. It's been very difficult, too, but it's been amazing to see people so good at what they do and succeeding. We love each other, we love the show, we believe in what we're trying to say. It's a really important story and shows that history just keeps repeating itself.
EV Charger Installation Sparks Dealership Sticker Shock







Washington DC March 31, 2022; The AIADA online reported that a lot of dealers have discovered that installing powerful fast chargers for electric vehicles  as some brands are requiring dealerships to do  is a complicated, expensive and time-consuming exercise.

Automotive News reported that former AIADA Chairman and New Jersey dealer Rick DeSilva said he ran into a problem with installing chargers at Liberty Hyundai in Mahwah, N.J.

"Rockland Electric Co. said, 'We've got to get you more power' because what we had coming in from the street wasn't enough," he said at the NADA Show.

DeSilva's son, Mike, an AIADA board member, co-owner and dealer manager at Liberty Hyundai said in a phone interview, "the dealership is "on the hook" to pay for a new, more powerful power line from the street to the dealership, and the utility company is still "months away" from the actual installation.

He's hoping the dealership qualifies for some local incentive money for installing EV chargers, but there's no guarantee, and that they haven't received an official estimate but have been told the service upgrade will be $50,000 to $100,000 in addition to the cost of the chargers and site work.
Business challenge

A burst water pipe drowning business operations

One morning at 6:30 AM AEST, TelstraSuper found their disaster recovery plan needed to be put into action after discovering internal office flooding due to a burst water pipe which affected 90% of the offices capacity.

The situation we walked in to can only be described as heavy rain in the office  the water was coming down from the ninth floor to the two lower levels, dripping on to desks and risking hardware damage along with a litany of other OH&S issues  for both returning to work and also just being on-site to manage the issue as it unfolded.

Once the main water supply had been successfully switched off, the damage was assessed, and it was significant. After a disaster, it is TelstraSupers policy that the office be regularly monitored and evaluated prior to work resuming. OH&S declared the office an unfit environment for work due to the dust, noise and heat generated from fans attempting to dry the space.

Solutions

Declaring a disaster can be seamless

Within two hours of discovering the flood, the disaster recovery plan was underway  with management declaring the disaster and nominating the core business functions to resume operations at Interactive.

TelstraSupers customer service function was most affected, with the team usually taking more than 40 calls an hour. The morning of the incident was managed by diverting the call centres enquiries to the Sydney office, before the six call centre team members took their seats at Interactive, seamlessly transitioning to continue their day-to-day business operations.

The damage turned out to be more significant than the company first thought and TelstraSuper employees understood their stay at their disaster recovery site was going to be longer than anticipated. Interactive was able to scale up their solution for Telstra Super, creating a flexible solution and providing additional seating for staff to aid the smooth continuity of the business operating offsite.
Wyoming proudly became the first and only state to have a fully trained womens militia in the late nineteenth century.

While never officially mustered into service, Companies K and H of the Girl Guards  composed primarily of young women in their teens  were the pride of Cheyenne, according to the April 20, 1890 edition of Cheyenne Daily Sun.

They were masters of military drill, training in the manual of arms and conducting marching movements and skirmish drills.

Their proficiency was lauded in newspapers from Wyoming to other states, including Nebraska, Wisconsin, California, Kansas, Utah, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and even Quebec, Canada.

Wherever they performed, praises of their performance soon followed, often regarding the Girl Guards as better at drill than seasoned regular soldiers.

In Wyoming, the womens militia traced its history back to broom brigades.

These groups of women organized to form military drills and marches holding brooms instead of rifles, typically as part of fundraising events for their local churches.

The first such event in Wyoming occurred on June 22, 1883, at Library Hall in Cheyenne for the Strawberry Festival to raise money for furnishing the Congregational Church.

On Oct. 22, 1889, six years later, Company K of the Girl Guards debuted at Keefe Hall in Cheyenne for the Merchant Festival.

Commanded by Civil War veteran Frank Stitzer, the young women of Company K performed their drills so well that infantrymen in attendance from Fort D.A. Russell commented that such drilling as this company did is seldom seen anywhere.

Company K performed several more times throughout the year at events such as Grand Army of the Republic banquets and even made a trip down to Greeley, Colorado, to perform.

The Daily Sun reported that the Girl Guards won rounds of applause and extravagant encomiums from the Greeley people.

Earning fame and applause throughout much of Wyoming, the Girl Guards added another unit, Company H, on April 4, 1890.

Their debut appearance would also be at Keefe Hall on May 15, 1890, where they performed an hour-long drill for Rev. Robert Field, the stand-in for the commander in chief of the state militia Gov. Francis E. Warren.

Perhaps their most notable appearance came in July of 1890 after President Benjamin Harrison signed legislation turning Wyoming from a territory into a state.

The circular advertising the Statehood Parade on July 23 mentioned the Girl Guards as one of the main features to see, regarding them as the only thoroughly trained and fully equipped companies of Girl Guards in the world.

Companies K and H would march in the second division of the parade, and once at the Capitol building, Company K stood behind the speakers platform while Gov. Warren received the statehood flag.

After an invocation by Reverend J.Y. Cowhick, Theresa Jenkins took the stage.

In her speech, she mentioned the young womens militia of Wyoming, saying, And this young girl guard of honor, picked from the flowers of the state, who today have walked through the dusty streets that they might be beside this beloved flag, may well emulate these examples, preferring ever to sacrifice personal comfort to duty and pride to patriotism.

Companies H and K of the Wyoming womens militia continue to be an inspiring and proud part of the Wyoming National Guards early history.

Company K disbanded after the statehood parade, and Company H would continue to drill at events until they disbanded on Oct. 1 of the same year.

While short-lived, the Girl Guards of Wyoming represented the territory and state remarkably in its early days.

News of the Girl Guards professionalism and talent reached across the nation and into Canada.
Photo: Abortion Dream Team

At the beginning of the pandemic, Anna, a Polish woman, was almost 12 weeks pregnant and the abortion pills she had ordered from overseas were late in arriving. Since Poland enforces a near-total abortion ban, she had hoped to go to Germany for the procedure, but her husband told her if she traveled with their young child, he would have her arrested for kidnapping. So Anna called the hotline for Abortion Without Borders, a network of groups in Poland and across Europe that arranges abortions for people by helping order abortion pills to their homes or by helping them with the cost and logistics of traveling abroad.

Justyna Wydrzynska answered Annas call. Now 47, Wydrzynska had been in a similar situation at 33 with her own controlling husband, whom she has since divorced. Wydrzynska sent Anna, who said she had been experiencing domestic violence, a packet of pills from her own medicine cabinet. But Annas husband was monitoring his wifes communications. He called the police, who confiscated Annas pills and later searched Wydrzynskas home.

Wydrzynska now faces up to three years in prison for helping Anna end her pregnancy and for the unauthorized possession of medication for abortion (which is on the World Health Organizations list of essential medicines) with the intent to distribute it on the market. Her case, the first in which an activist has been prosecuted for providing abortion pills in Europe, will go to trial on April 8. Abortion activists and human-rights groups including Amnesty International are supporting Wydrzynska through an online campaign, #IamJustyna.

Her case also offers a glimpse into what may be coming down the pike for those seeking and facilitating abortions in the U.S., where lawmakers are turning their focus to restricting and criminalizing the use of abortion pills. Their usage soared during the pandemic, fueled by the increased reliance on telemedicine and the lifting of the Food and Drug Administrations requirement that abortion pills be administered to patients in person. State legislators reacted by introducing more than a hundred state-level legal restrictions on medication abortion in just the first quarter of 2022, including nine restrictions on the mailing of abortion pills, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

Wydrzynska is part of the Abortion Dream Team (tagline: Abortion is Awesome), a group of four Polish activists who, since 2016, have counseled people on how to safely self-manage abortions. She and two of her colleagues, Natalia Broniarczyk and Kinga Jelinska, spoke to the Cut about their work in helping people when the medical system fails them. The #IamJustyna campaign is bigger than Wydrzynskas case alone: Its about the thousands of people self-managing their abortions around the globe, including the United States, notes Jelinska. What would you do if somebodys calling you for help, desperately, and you are positioned and have the tools to help? she continued. Would you do like Justyna did?

We met in Poland in 2019, when abortion access was already extremely limited, with about 1,000 abortions performed in public hospitals each year in a country of 38 million. Can you tell me what has happened to abortion access since then?

Kinga Jelinska: First, you have the pandemic, when home abortions and the model of self-managed abortion that we support have actually become very mainstream globally  not only recommended from a public-health perspective but even the most reasonable option under the circumstances.

And then in Poland, there was the further restriction of the abortion law in 2020, so that people with fetal malformations were denied care in the public hospitals. Lets keep in mind that were talking about a very small group of people. The vast majority of abortion is because people are pregnant and dont want to be. However, this restriction provoked a major uproar and big protests. The protests were extremely supportive to another group we are part of, Abortion Without Borders. What we noticed is that despite the restriction to the law, paradoxically, many more people found out how to do an abortion safely and what their options are because of the public protests and the solidarity. The number of the hotline has been spray-painted everywhere now.

A self-managed-abortion hotline number is spray-painted on a street in Poland. Photo: Abortion Dream Team

When I sat in on one of the workshops you gave instructing people on self-managed abortion, one of the people in attendance appeared to be surreptitiously recording your work. What sorts of interactions have you had with Polish authorities to date?

Justyna Wydrzynska: At the training you attended, the police were informed about that, and the people who organized it had to go ito the police station.

Jelinska: There was a whole campaign where our faces were put on a billboard that was driven all around Warsaw and other cities with messages around abortion and killing  it was a very heavy response from the anti-abortion side. But we see it as a function of our success: They are only as annoyed at us as we are visible and unapologetic for our actions. Sometimes we get letters of inquiry requiring us to go to the police, but we see it more as harassment, keeping us anxious all the time. Like, now I have to go to the prosecutor again? Its a very common strategy. It costs you time, it costs you resources, and it causes you stress.

Natalia Broniarczyk: To be honest, its not from the government, but very often it is from some activist from the anti-choice organizations who goes to the police with a sticker with our phone number or a photo of our activities. Then we have to go and explain why its not helping someone obtain an abortion. Sometimes police officers ask us, off the record, Okay, so is this safe? This abortion with pills, is this safe? And we say yes. And they say, Okay, I will keep this number for my friends.

Your colleague Karolina Wieckiewicz, the fourth member of the Dream Team, is a lawyer. She told me she believes everything the Dream Team does is legal, and you have counseled thousands of people to date. Why is Justyna facing charges now? Is it because she went beyond counseling and guidance and materially helped by sending pills in the mail?

Jelinska: Counseling and providing informational resources fall under non-censorship laws and freedom of information because these are the recommendations of the WHO. So the campaign #IamJustyna is based on solidarity and on this peer-to-peer trend among women seeking abortion services because we are living in a state that is bankrupt, that doesnt want to help you with abortion. While there is no official public data on the number of abortions performed in 2021, one newspaper asked the government about it and was informed there were 414. The doctors are also incredibly useless in this country. Even in cases where a womans life was in danger, they didnt help in public hospitals. We cannot even trust that they will save our lives. There have been several cases of women dying because doctors wont perform abortions. So we also want to call attention to this solidarity because essentially the whole of abortion care in Poland is reliant on people like Justyna.

Justyna, you had reason to believe Annas husband was very controlling  looking at her emails and text messages, going through her purse. Were you worried he would find out?

Wydrzynska: I hear stories about abortion pills arriving from Women Help Women, an organization that sends pills by mail, and men will sometimes swallow them or put them into the toilet and flush it. I know those stories. I thought this might happen  that he would take the pills away from her rather than call the police. I really didnt think it could happen.

After all the work youve done over so many years, now its come to this. Justyna, how are you feeling right now about everything thats happened?

Wydrzynska: Im afraid this case will have a chilling effect on people who need information and support, because theyre afraid that calling us or writing to us could be dangerous for us and for them. So the campaign is to show that we will not stop working and we will not be afraid of these charges. And Im not sorry for this.


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.
2 Chinese Students Barred From Entering Australia Over Prior Military Training

Two Chinese international students have been refused entry by Australian border officials for not disclosing their prior military training, according to Beijing state media.

An international student entering Sydney International Airport had his visa canceled and wasnt allowed to enter Australia after border officials found that he had received military training at a Chinese university, according to the Chinese state-run media outlet China Daily.

A second student entering Sydney went through manual check-in before being questioned by the Australian Border Force (ABF), who then searched his luggage and electronic devices.

The Australian side found on his mobile phone some photos of military training during his university studies in China and refused entry on the grounds that he had concealed his so-called military training experience and notified him on the spot that his visa was canceled, and he was deported, the China Daily report reads.

People walk past signs for Australian universities in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia, on June 10, 2020. (William West/AFP via Getty Images)

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its Australian-based embassy have made representations to the federal government over the incident while pushing for a halt to the investigation and the repatriation of the students.

The ABF said it wouldnt comment on individual cases, citing privacy reasons.

The traveling public should be aware that the ABF can and does cancel visas at the border if a traveler has provided false information, a spokesperson told The Epoch Times. We are committed to facilitating the entry of legitimate visa holders into Australia, but will not hesitate to use the powers we have to protect Australias national interests when required.

News of the visa cancellations comes after Australias bipartisan Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security released 27 recommendations to protect the countrys tertiary sector from national security risksmany centered around Beijing-backed interference.

Several of the recommendations targeted the issue of talent recruitment, which has seen the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) invest millions into hiring and engaging top-level university talent around the world to prop up its own research sectoroften linked to military development.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified in January 2021 325 academics and scientists across the university sector who were alleged to be recruits of controversial talent recruitment programs such as the Thousand Talents program.

Recruits are encouraged to transfer technology to China and commercialise it, including technologies with military and security applications, China analyst Alex Joske wrote in a parliamentary submission (pdf). Cases such as that of a Thousand Talents Plan scholar and former University of Queensland professor providing AI-enabled surveillance technology to authorities in Xinjiang highlight the human rights implications of such technology transfer.

Front entrance to the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, on Jan. 12, 2021. (Daniel Teng/The Epoch Times)

On March 15, New Zealands (NZ) domestic security service revealed that it thwarted an attempt by a foreign state to steal sensitive technology.

We disrupted an NZ-based individual who was trying to facilitate the transfer of sensitive NZ-based technology to a foreign state. The technology would have highly likely supported that states military capability, said Rebecca Kitteridge, director-general of the Security Intelligence Service (SIS).

NZ universities and businesses have faced questions over their connections to Chinese institutions that are linked to the Peoples Liberation Army and the sharing of technology that could be repurposed for military use.

In 2014, a major Chinese state-owned automotive and machine manufacturer, Beijing Automobile Industry Company, acquired a 50 percent interest in Pacific Aerospace, based in Hamilton, NZ.

The companys flagship drone cargo plane model (the P-750-XSTOL) was subsequently adopted and flown in China under a different moniker (the AT-200) while adapted for military use, specifically for counter-insurgency and light attack.

Democratic nations have wised up in recent years to the risks of playing a part in Beijings military-civil fusion strategy, through which the CCP harnesses research and technology developed by civilian organizations.
An American Express sticker pasted at the entrance of a business in Chicago, on Jan. 24, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

4 Things You Should Consider Before Getting a Business Credit Card

Opening a business credit card account is a great way to maintain and facilitate spending across multiple departments. Typically these cards offer larger signing bonuses and rewards than individual cards. These cards can often help businesses avoid cash flow problems and other financing issues.

On the contrary, if not handled properly these cards can be detrimental to your business. Here are four things to consider before getting a credit card for your business.

1. Card Issuers Consider Both Business Credit and Personal Credit History

As a business owner its important to mitigate any personal risk when operating your company. Unfortunately for business credit cards, issuing banks will consider both your personal credit history as well as any associated with your business. Typically, startups and small businesses owners require personal credit scores of 720 or higher to qualify.

If youve been in business for a while, make sure you provide a very detailed account of your past expenses. If youve been generally free of debt and on top of your payments then youll end up with great credit card payment terms. Maybe your business has a history of late or missed payments, youll end up with unfavorable payment terms or no deal at all.

2. Easier Accounting

Business credit cards make for a much easier accounting experience. Make sure you are very disciplined on your spending. Make an effort to separate all personal spending from business expenditures. This will accomplish two things: give you a better idea on expense forecasting and allow you to write off business expenses for tax deductions. Writing off business expenses is a great way to save extra money come tax season. Make sure youre well aware of the qualifications when deducting business expenses.

If you own a larger organization and need to keep track of employee expenses, business credit cards are a great way to accomplish that. Rather than reimbursing each employee on a case by case basis, give them a credit card that they can use for all business related expenses.

3. Rewards, Rewards, Rewards!

One of the biggest perks of business credit cards are the rewards that come with spending. Generally, we spend exponentially more on business expenses than personal ones. That being said, rewards and points can really rack up.

According to NerdWallet these are the best small business credit cards of 2016:

Ink Cash by Chase

Enhanced Business Platinum by American Express.

Spark Miles by Capital One

Spark Classic by Capital One

Whether its a larger cash back percentage or bonus miles, these cards will typically offer awesome rewards.

4. Understand All Liabilities

As mentioned above, often times business credit accounts get intertwined with personal accounts. It is absolutely imperative that youre well aware of any and all liabilities associated with your business credit card. Its important that you understand the differences in liability.

Commercial Liability: This basically means the corporation is responsible for all debts. This is ideal, but is often hard to receive if youre a smaller business.

Joint and Several Liability: This means you share responsibility of all debts with the company. This is most common for smaller businesses and start-ups.

When signing your agreement with the bank make sure you read all implications especially the fine print. Its often difficult to find an issuer that is willing to put the entire responsibility on the corporation. That being said, make sure you understand your responsibilities as a business owner when applying.

A business credit card isnt for everyone. If youre still on the fence about applying for one, reference these four factors and make the right decision for your business.

By Chalmers Brown

The Epoch Times Copyright  2022 The views and opinions expressed are only those of the authors. They are meant for general informational purposes only and should not be construed or interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation. The Epoch Times does not provide investment, tax, legal, financial planning, estate planning, or any other personal finance advice. The Epoch Times holds no liability for the accuracy or timeliness of the information provided.
Israeli security forces and emergency personnel gather at the scene of a terror attack in Bnei Brak, 7km (4.5 miles) east of Tel Aviv, on March 29, 2022. (Gill Cohen-Magen/AFP via Getty Images)

5 Killed in Shooting in Israel, US Condemns Terrorist Attack

Five people died in a terrorist attack in a crowded city near Israels commercial capital, Tel Aviv, on Tuesday.

A terrorist dressed in black and holding an assault rifle opened fire at passersby in Bnei Brak, a Jewish ultra-Orthodox city east of Tel Aviv, before he was killed by an officer, police said in a statement, citing a preliminary investigation.

The Magen David Adom paramedic service confirmed that five people were killed. Police said one of the victims was a police officer who arrived at the scene and engaged the suspect. Police didnt immediately provide further information about the suspect.

A video circulating on social media showed the man yelling in Arabic on a residential street, selectively firing at passersby.

It marked the third terrorist attack and the second mass shooting in a week.

We strongly condemn the horrific terrorist attack today in Bnei Brak, the third terrorist attack in Israel in a week, U.S. Secretary Antony Blinken said in a statement. We send our condolences to the families of the victims of these tragic attacks. May their memories be a blessing.

Four Arab nationsEgypt, Morocco, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emiratesalso condemned the killings.

Following the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called an emergency meeting of top security officials late Tuesday. He also planned a meeting of his Security Cabinet on Wednesday.

In an address to the nation, Bennett said that Israel stands before a wave of murderous Arab terrorism.

No Palestinian groups claimed responsibility for the attack in the immediate aftermath. The terrorist group Hamas called the attack a heroic operation but didnt claim responsibility.

Israel Defense Minister Benny Gantz wrote on Twitter that the countrys security forces will work with all means to return security to Israeli streets and the feeling of security to civilians.

Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the killing of Israeli or Palestinian civilians only leads to further deterioration of the situation and instability, which we all strive to achieve, especially as we are approaching the holy month of Ramadan and Christian and Jewish holidays.

Ramadan begins next weekend.

Abbas said the violence confirms that permanent, comprehensive and just peace is the shortest way to provide security and stability for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples.

The Islamic State terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the two previous attacks but has yet to claim any responsibility for the latest terrorist attack.

The previous two attacks involve an incident early on Tuesday when two men killed two 19-year-old police officers in Haldera. Five days prior to that, a person killed four people in a car-ramming and stabbing attack in Beersheba.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A student looks at questions during a college test preparation class at Holton Arms School in Bethesda, Md. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

Americas Cheating Epidemic: Did Your Doctor Actually Pass College?

If he can successfully cheat his way through college, Jim plans to become a doctor.

Jim, who chose to be anonymous to avoid academic consequences, attends a major university in Canada with about 26,000 undergraduate students. He says hes always cheated in school, but that after he arrived on the college campus, his cheating rose to new levels.

Ive essentially been cheating since like the beginning of university, I guess, he said. It all started when COVID-19 started, so like when classes went online.

Jim considers himself a good person, he said. But he doesnt feel guilty about cheating.

I typically do the right thing. Im pretty active in volunteering, he said. I would say I kind of have almost a cheating personality, like I guess I dont really care about the consequences that much, and Im willing to lie.

For Jim, cheating is a way to guarantee good grades, he said. In high school, before he started cheating seriously, he got grades in the mid- to high-70s, he said. But cheating has boosted his grades to the mid-80s or higher.

The classes he has cheated in include statistics, calculus, linear algebra, physiology, introductory biology, genetics, cell biology, and vertebrae anatomy, he said.

Ive basically cheated on every math course Ive taken, Jim said.

With just a few simple strategies such as using a fake email on websites that provide answers, using the bathroom during tests so he can look at notes, and paying other people to write his essays online, Jim says hes never come close to being caught. The COVID-19 pandemic made it easier to cheat than ever as exams moved online.

Even so, Jim says he often feels afraid of getting caught because of how it would affect his life.

At the end of the day, I just feel like if I get good grades, I get good grades. And thats going to get me to my goal, he said.

Jim said he has a passion for gastrointestinal medicine. He wants to specialize in it and treat diseases ranging from colon cancer to irritable bowel syndrome. If his cheating leaves him unprepared for a real-world job, Jim has a backup plan.

I think I can just get a much lower specialty, like maybe family medicine or something like that, and not become a subspecialist, he said.

The Academic Pandemic

As college has increasingly gone online, students like Jim live in a world where cheating is a business. Companies worth billions allow students to pay for answers that they often use to cheat on tests, homework, and projects.

The internet is often the medium that matches cheaters with experts willing to sell answers for money. One subreddit with 16,000 members, r/hwforcash, is dedicated to cheating for money. Ironically, the subreddits notes warn of scammers who blackmail cheating students or fail to provide correct cheating answers. The cheaters may easily become the cheated.

On r/hwforcash, a 1,000-word essay can cost $50, tests often cost around $100, and smaller assignments from $25 to $50. The more difficult or more important the assignment, the higher the price.

While figures on the prevalence of cheating are hard to find, a survey by education company Wiley found that 51 percent of college students say its easier to cheat in online classes.

Other studies suggest that cheating nearly doubles in online tests.

Weve seen a dramatic and consistent increase in attempts to cheat on the tests we monitor. Thats clear to see in our data, said Jarrod Morgan, CEO of Meazure Learning, a proctoring service.

Morgan said the rise in cheating seems to be correlated with the increase in online classes.

Cheating is a serious problem. Not only does it put unprepared people in jobs such as nurses and accountants, but cheating also undermines the value of a degree and the value of an education, he said.

Statistics from schools that have released their data publicly show that cheating has increased significantly during the pandemic.

For colleges, widespread cheating is as destructive as it is frustrating. A students diploma should indicate mastered skills; a cheaters diploma proves only mastery of cheating.

Starting Young

According to the Educational Testing Service, which develops, administers, and scores tests, cheating tends to start in high school or younger.

According to Luke, a high school teacher who chose to be anonymous because his school discourages speaking with media, the cheating in his 10th-grade classroom is disappointingly high. This year, he caught about 40 kids cheating, out of the 100 he teaches.

Its very, very widespread, he said.

Cheating in college often starts in high school. The photo was taken in California, on March 24, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

Luke takes cheating very seriously, he said. As a chemistry teacher, he believes that if his kids dont learn skills well in school, they could endanger other people.

I dont want to let anybody go forward in the STEM field with that attitude toward lying to further themselves, he said, because its dangerous.

His students motivations for cheating vary, he said. Some cheat because they are lazy, others cheat because they believe theyll always be able to Google information anyway, and still others cheat because they fear getting bad grades.

Whatever the reason, the student cheating takes its toll on Luke, who says he tries his best to help students succeed.

Im trying to meet students wherever theyre at, and theyre just not doing the same, he said.

When classes went online, cheating got easier, Luke agreed.

The constant fight against cheating drains Luke and other teachers of time, energy, and resources, he said. Every cheating safeguard he creates takes away time he could otherwise spend on helping students or designing lessons.

I think a lot of people are just burned out, he said.

Luke uses strategies such as replacing every lower-case letter L with an uppercase I so when cheaters look up text online, they get no results. These strategies catch cheaters, but the cheating continues.

Not every teacher has the energy to do that, he said.

Lukes description of cheating sometimes suggests that its a way students depend on technology for answers rather than thinking for themselves.

For instance, his students are regularly amazed that he can do math in his head rather than using a calculator, he said. To them, cheating by using the internet is just another way to solve problems.

Students tend to be in the habit of copying and not thinking if something makes sense, he said.

Luke added that school rules sometimes make it hard to punish cheaters.

While my school does encourage and require zeros for cheating, I am not allowed to give grades lower than a 55 for the first two quarters of the year, he said.

Patrick Capriola, editor of education site Strategies for Parents, said that cheating has increased because school systems punish it less and value grades over long-term learning.

I have seen more students cheating in school now than when I began my career and certainly than when I was young. I see the explanation as being quite simple. Cheating is punished less often and less severely than it used to be, he said.

There is significant emphasis on getting a good grade, with less care for teaching/learning a concept in a way that will stay with the student for the long run.
Another Separatist Republic Wants to Join Russia

The head of a separatist region, South Ossetia, announced it wants to join Russia amid the conflict in Ukraine.

Anatoly Bibilov, the president of the region, which is within the Caucasus nation of Georgia, said he will take legal steps to join Russia. He did not elaborate.

I believe that unification with Russia is our strategic goal. Our path, the aspirations of our people. And we will move along this path. We will take appropriate legal steps in the near future. The Republic of South Ossetia will be part of its historical homelandRussia, Bibilov said in public remarks, according to Reuters and Russian state media.

The breakaway state, which has a population of about 53,000, is only recognized as a sovereign nation by several countries, including Russia, Syria, and Venezuela. The United Nations and Georgia consider South Ossetia to be part of Georgia.

Moscow recognized the territory and the region of Abkhazia as sovereign nations after fighting a war with Georgia in 2008. Similar to the situation in the Donbass region of Ukraine, Russia used its own recognition of the breakaway regions to maintain troops there.

Kremlin officials have not issued a public response after Bibilovs announcement Wednesday.

Several days ago, Bibilov wrote on Telegram that he sent troops to Ukraine to help protect Russia during the invasion, which started on Feb. 24.

Our guys are going to fulfill their military duty with a proudly raised banner, he wrote. They understand perfectly that they are going to defend Russia, they are going to defend Ossetia too, Bibilov said. Because if fascism is not crushed at the distant frontiers, tomorrow it will again manifest itself here.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said Monday that about 150 people were transferred from South Ossetia to the Crimean Peninsula in Ukraine in recent days, according to Interfax.

About 150 people were transferred from South Ossetia to the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea for their further actions in neighboring regions of Ukraine. Also, covert mobilization of the population of the so-called South Ossetia was recorded in order to further involve them in the war with Ukraine, the militarys statement said.

The Russian military announced Tuesday that it would de-escalate near the capital of Kyiv and Chernihiv to increase mutual trust was met with deep suspicion from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the West.

Ukrainian officials, however, reported that Russian shelling hit homes, stores, libraries, and other civilian sites in and around Chernihiv and on the outskirts of Kyiv. Russian troops also stepped up their attacks around the eastern city of Izyum and the eastern Donetsk region, after redeploying units from other areas, the Ukrainian side said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
As the Case for Invoking Emergencies Act Unravels, the Feds Double Down

Commentary

With the benefit of hindsight and questions in parliamentary committees, the federal governments case for invoking the Emergencies Act in response to the Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa is unravelling.

Rather than considering some introspection and learning from their errors though, federal officials and senior bureaucrats appear determined to double down by creating and offering new, dubious justifications for the governments actions in February.

The latest comes from Department of Public Safety manager Ryan Schwartz as he told a Commons transport committee misinformation and disinformation from the truckers convoy threatened social cohesion. Schwartz couldnt expand upon or define exactly what this misinformation or disinformation was, nor could he define social cohesion. He did appear confident though that these things contributed to the need for invoking exceptional government powers to shut down the convoy protests.

Social cohesion is indeed a tricky concept to define. It has been used as a buzzword by public officials and policymakers for decades but they rarely expand on what it actually means. Apparently, though, its something in need of protection at all costs.

The most common interpretation of the concept is that it represents the strength of relationships and the sense of solidarity among members of a community. If that is the case, I would suggest that government actions presented far more harm to the social cohesion of the nation than the convoy did, particularly when it comes to the dispersal of misinformation. They singled out convoy participants and supporters for an unforgivable campaign of vilification that may leave Canadians divided for a generation.

Lets start at the top. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau never once offered even a glimmer of respect to the truckers convoy and its supporters even though it was clear they represented a significant portion of the Canadian population. He went out of his way to paint supporters of the convoy as being extremists and racists.

In his fervour, Trudeau even implied that a Jewish MP stands with people who wave swastikas. In polls, it was found that 46 percent of Canadians were sympathetic with the convoys cause. That represents millions of Canadians. Do they also stand with people who wave swastikas? How does such rhetoric from the nations leader contribute to any national sense of social cohesion?

On misinformation and disinformation, while little could be directly attributed to the truckers convoy, there sure has been a lot of it exposed as having come from the legacy media, politicians, and government officials.

The CBC had to walk back claims in two stories that spread misinformation about the convoy protests. In one it was claimed that convoy funding came predominantly from foreign, anonymous, and questionable sources. Another CBC report implied that the Russians were somehow behind the support for the convoy. Both stories were proven false through testimony in committees, but the damage had, of course, already been done.

Not to be outdone, the Toronto Star reported that loaded guns had been found by police at the convoy protest. Ottawas police chief revealed to a committee that no guns had been found.

Both the CBC and Toronto Star stories had been used as evidence by supporters of the Emergencies Act to justify suspending civil rights.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino even claimed that convoy participants were threatening citizens with rape. No evidence of this allegation was ever found or presented. There are few worse things to accuse somebody of than being a rapist, yet the government went there with no evidence and no apology.

Many media members and public figures took to social media to decry an apparent attempt at mass murder by a convoy participant. A Twitter thread claimed that a person self-identifying as a convoy protester had taped the doors shut to an apartment building and tried to immolate the residents. This incident was later found to have had nothing to do with the convoy.

Many times we heard from public figures that the convoy had nothing less than an agenda of sedition behind it. No evidence was presented to committees to prove this agenda or threat, however. Sedition is a serious offence carrying up to a 14-year prison term. Not one person was charged with it.

A picture of an antisemitic flyer allegedly being distributed by the convoy was revealed as being a hoax, but not before a large number of media and public officials shared it on social media. While some figures deleted their tweets on the issue, none apologized for proliferating it.

There indeed was a massive release of misinformation and disinformation related to the truckers convoy protests and it did weaken the social cohesion of Canada. It didnt come from the convoy participants, however. It came from the members of the Canadian establishment opposed to the protest, and they are continuing to do it.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Filomena Tassi, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, along with Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, and representatives from the federal government hold a press conference in Ottawa on March 28, 2022 (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)

Assessing the Costs and Benefits of Canadas 12-year F-35 Odyssey

Then-defence minister Peter MacKay climbed into a fake F-35 cockpit before smiling for the cameras and flashing a thumbs up. The date was July 16, 2010, and MacKay had just announced that Canada was planning to buy a fleet of the stealth fighters.

Fast-forward to Monday and the scene was very different. There was no fake cockpit, no smiles or thumbs up as Procurement Minister Filomena Tassi and Defence Minister Anita Anand made virtually the same announcement: Canada was going with the F-35.

In many ways, it seemed there was little to celebrate after 12 years of political controversy and mismanagement. Yet while there is no denying the cost to taxpayers, the military and Canadas reputation, experts say that doesnt mean there hasnt been some benefit.

Defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute says the clearest benefit is that the F-35 is now flying actual missions for the U.S. and other allies, which wasnt the case more than a decade ago.

There hadnt been all that many aircraft that had been produced back in 2010, and were now into the hundreds and thousands of flight hours, Perry said. Basically, it is much more advanced and mature than it was in 2010.

Queens University procurement expert Kim Nossal agrees, saying Canada managed to skate around many of the development issues that are still being ironed out on the F-35s, which only became fully operational for the U.S. in 2016.

Nossal is also hopeful that the past 12 years have had another benefit: reducing the level of political interference in military procurement, which he blames for the fact Canada will still be flying its aging CF-18s through 2032.

The real question is whether or not the political parties, mainly the Liberals and the Conservatives, have learned from what happens when you decide to play politics with a major military procurement, he said.

In particular, he says MacKay and other members of Stephen Harpers Conservative government tried to rush the purchase of 65 F-35s by failing to do their due diligence, including running a competition.

Justin Trudeau continued that trend, Nossal said, by making the rash and untenable promise in 2015 not to buy the F-35 while also promising to hold an open and fair competition to replace the CF-18s.

The Liberal government spent a good five years trying to find ways to square what was an unsquareable promise, he said. And only recently, did they finally get around to doing it in such a way as to get the decision that they came down with yesterday.

University of Manitoba military expert Andrea Charron said that has been part of a trend.

I dont think theres any one person or one party that can be blamed, she said. Its consistent, persistent Canadian issues with procurement. We tend to make the decisions very partisan ones. Were loath to spend lots of money on defence.

Tassi made a point Monday of describing the competition that led to the decision to launch negotiations with U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin for the purchase of F-35s as non-political, saying the decision was based on facts rather than best guesses.

Still, even if that is true, experts say there is no denying the costs incurred. They include the investment of billions of dollars to keep the CF-18s in the air while the military waits for new fighter planes.

Public and political faith in the military procurement system has also been shaken, particularly after the scathing 2012 auditor generals report that identified major concerns with how the F-35 file was managed, and as the procurement system continues to experience delays.

Beyond that, the fact that we could not make a decision to buy new airplanes and replace others that are 40 years old has caused some reputational harm to Canada amongst our allies, added Perry.

And then there are the questions left over from Mondays announcement, which the government said will be ironed out during the negotiations with Lockheed Martin: When will the F-35s start to arrive? And how much will they actually cost?

Perry noted what ultimately led to the Conservatives pushing reset on their plan in 2012 to buy the F-35 without a competition was concerns about the high cost of the aircraft, with estimates pegging the price tag at more than $45 billion over 40 years.

I didnt hear any numbers yesterday about what the lifecycle cost of these jets is going to be, he said.

In 2010, 2011, and 2012, that was a front-page crisis about whether or not there was the right number for lifecycle cost.

Nossal, meanwhile, noted that things can still go sideways if the negotiations with Lockheed Martin go awry.

By Lee Berthiaume
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne speaks during a news conference with Australian Minister of Defense Peter Dutton, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the State Department in Washington, DC on Sept. 16, 2021. (Andrew Harnik / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Australia Imposes First Magnitsky Sanctions

Australia has announced it will sanction 14 Russians involved in the corruption uncovered by Sergei Magnitsky and those complicit in his subsequent mistreatment and death in the first use of the countrys new Magnitsky-styled laws.

In a media release on March 29, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said this first tranche of sanctions would be used to honour Sergei Magnitsky.

In this first tranche, the government will honour Magnitsky and all who defend the rule of law, with targeted sanctions and travel bans against 14 Russian individuals responsible for the serious corruption that he exposed and a further 25 Russian perpetrators and accomplices of his abuse and death, Payne said.

These individuals will be subject to targeted financial sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans. This will ensure that Australia does not become a safe haven for those already locked out of like-minded countries and their financial systems.

Magnitsky was a Ukrainian born Russian lawyer and tax advisor who uncovered widespread corruption by Russian tax and law enforcement officials. He died after being imprisoned in a Russian jail, where he was beaten and refused medical treatment in November 2009.

After his death, a friend of Magnitskys, Bill Browder, lobbied for global sanction laws to hold those responsible for his death accountable, as well as those who perpetrate serious human rights violations and abuses around the world.

This is the first time Australia has utilised the new laws to enact sanctions on individuals and comes just weeks after the death of Australias primary advocate for the Magnitsky sanction regime, Kimberley Kitching, who died unexpectedly on March 10.

Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching at a party room meeting at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Nov. 29, 2016. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

Kitching, who had been honoured with the Sergei Magnitsky Human Rights Award in December 2021, had begun to lobby other countries in the Indo-Pacific to introduce similar laws after her success in her own country, reported The Australian.

Browder told The Australian that the week of Kitchings death she held a Zoom meeting with members of New Zealands parliament to encourage them to introduce the Magnitsky-style laws and had planned to meet with representatives from the Japanese government as well.

She was thinking far bigger than just Australia. She was a global human rights champion, Browder said. She was looking at this not from the perspective of how is this going to help her political career, but wow, we have a tool that can right some terrible wrongs and can help some oppressed people.

Meanwhile, Australia foreign minister has also welcomed moves by the U.S. Department of Justice to bring criminal charges against four individuals working on behalf of the Russian government for their respective roles in separate cyber campaigns that targeted the global energy sector between 2012 and 2018.

The attacks targeted hundreds of companies and organisations in 135 countries, including Australia.
This photo shows the Australian Navy's HMAS Adelaide docked at Vuna Wharf in Nukualofa, Tonga, on Jan. 26, 2022. (Mary Lyn Fonua/Matangi Tonga/AFP via Getty Images)

Australian Government to Boost Defence Capabilities With $500 Billion Spending

The Australian Defence Force will receive $575 billion (US$432 billion) in government funding by the end of this decade to deal with a period of profound uncertainty and disruption.

More specifically, nearly half of the spending will go toward enhancing Australias defence capabilities.

This includes $38 billion (US$28.6 billion) to increase the defence workforce by 18,500 personnel by 2040, $50 billion (US$37.6 billion) to acquire new frigates and destroyers, and over $10 billion to build shipbuilding infrastructure and a new submarine base.

In addition, the government will spend $6.4 billion (US$4.8 billion) on the Collins-class submarine project, $3.5 billion (US$2.6 billion) on 75 Abrams tanks and dozens of armoured vehicles, and $1 billion (US$750 million) on self-propelled howitzers and armoured ammunition resupply vehicles.

The air force will also receive a boost in aviation capability with a $1.5 billion (US$1.1 billion) program to upgrade and extend in-service support for the Hawk 127 Lead-In Fighter Training System, as well as other investments to acquire new unmanned aerial surveillance systems and Ch-47F Chinook helicopters.

Another $137 million (US$103.1 million) will be pumped into maritime surveillance and Border Forces response capabilities to prevent boats carrying asylum seekers from approaching Australia, and an extra $74.7 million (US$ 56.2 million) will go to projects expected to protect the countrys maritime interests.

The federal government also commits $104.2 million to maintain ongoing operations and activities in the Middle East in the 2022/2023 financial year.

Royal Australian Navy submarine HMAS Rankin is seen during in Darwin, Australia, on Sept. 5, 2021. (POIS Yuri Ramsey/Australian Defence Force via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Minister for Defence Peter Dutton has announced a $9.9 billion (US$7.4 billion) investment to expand Australias offensive and defensive cyber capabilities with project REDSPICE as part of the 2022 Defence budget.

He said that project REDSPICE (resilience, effects, defence, space, intelligence, cyber and enablers) was the largest ever investment in the capabilities of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), a government agency dealing with foreign signals intelligence, cyber warfare and information security.

Under the new funding, the government will recruit about 1,900 data analysts, computer programmers and software engineers, which will almost double the size of the ASD.

This investment in ASD recognises the deteriorating strategic circumstances in our region, characterised by rapid military expansion, growing coercive behaviour and increased cyberattacks, Dutton said.

It acknowledges the nature of conflict has changed, with cyberattacks now commonly preceding other forms of military intervention  most recently demonstrated by offensive cyber activity against Ukraine.

He said that with REDSPICE, Australia would be able to keep up with its adversaries in terms of cyber capabilities and allow the ASD to retaliate against cyberattacks.

The government expects the new investment to triple the offensive cyber capabilities and double the cyber hunt and response activities of the ASD.

It is anticipated that defence spending will go above two percent of Australias GDP in the current financial year, and reach $48 billion (US$36.1 billion) in 2022/23.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that the investments made by the federal government not only helped keep Australians safe but also supported local jobs and industries.

In these uncertain times, it is vital that Australia is well-positioned to tackle the challenges our country and our region face, the prime minister said.

The capabilities were backing with our investments mean an even stronger Australian Defence Force, an even stronger local defence industry, and an even stronger pipeline of jobs and skilled workers.

This Budget also continues to build on support for our veterans and their families, in recognition of the service and sacrifice theyve made to keep our nation safe and secure.
Telstra CEO Andrew Penn speaks at the Telstra headquarters in Melbourne, Australia, on Aug. 15, 2019. (AAP Image/David Crosling)

Australian Telco Giant CEO Andrew Penn Announces Retirement

Andrew Penn, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Australian telecommunications giant Telstra, has announced his intention to retire after more than seven years in the role.

Telstra Chairman John Mullen said Penn, who joined the company as CFO in 2012 and has been the CEO since 2015, would leave with a positive and enduring legacy.

Andy has led Telstra during a period of significant change and will be known for his courage in setting a bold ambition through the T22 strategy to deliver a transformed experience for customers, shareholders and employees, Mullen said.

There is no doubt the strategy has delivered beyond expectations and has laid the foundations for Telstras recently announced T25 strategy and a renewed focus on growth and innovation.

Mullen said Penn has had a driven focus on digitalisation underpinned by the commitment to simplifying its products and services for both customer and employees.

The chairman said Penns T22 strategy, the companys five-year plan for growth from 2018 to 2022, saw Telstras return to underlying growth, achieved significant customer experience improvements, and reduced costs by over $2.5 billion (US$1.88 billion).

As part of the strategy, Telstra also axed 8,000 staff.

Not only has Andy ensured the successful delivery of our T22 commitments he has provided leadership at what has truly been an extraordinary time as we have navigated both as a company and a nation through the challenges of the pandemic, Mullen said.

The baton will be passed onto the current chief financial officer (CFO), Vicki Brady, on Sept. 1. She will work with Penn over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition.

Mullen said Brady has already made significant contributions to the telco giant, including her work in the T22 strategy and key leadership role in the development of its T25 strategy.

The greatest testament to this is the ability to announce an internal successor to the role of CEO and I am thrilled to be able to announce Vicki in the role today, Mullen said. She could not be more qualified to take over the reins to deliver on our T25 commitments.

Telstra has yet to announce who will fill the CFO role.

Telstra shares on the Australian Securities Exchange have since fallen by less than one percent to $3.90.
President Joe Biden introduces his budget request for fiscal year 2023 in the State Dining Room of the White House on March 28, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Biden Announces New COVID One-Stop Shop Website, Gets Second Booster Shot

The Biden administration has launched a new website designed to direct people to government resources meant to treat COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

The new site, COVID.gov, provides links to locations with free N-95 masks and COVID vaccines, and ways to get mail-in COVID tests.

It also includes a test-to-treat feature that directs patients to locations where they can test for COVID and receive a newly approved Pfizer antiviral treatment at no cost. The administration says there are 2,000 such sites at pharmacies and other locations nationwide. There are 240 such sites meant for veterans at Veterans Affairs facilities.

Now, with a click of a button, people will be able to find where to access all of these tools, as well as receive the latest CDC data on the level of COVID-19 in their community, reads a statement released by the White House.

The bottom line, no longer will Americans have to scour the internet to find vaccines, treatments, test formats, said Biden in a televised announcement of the website. Its all there.

Biden, 79, received his second COVID booster shot on camera following the announcement Wednesday.

This comes just a day after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized second COVID-19 boosters for people 50 years and older.

The Biden administration is still pleading with Congress to steer more taxpayer dollars toward its effort to combat the virus, following calls from his State of the Union address earlier this month for $22.5 billion in additional spending.

Following the address, the president released his lengthy National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan designed to direct new funding toward the goal of reducing severe illness and death from COVID while keeping schools and businesses open.

White House officials have continued to warn of dire consequences if the funds are not approved. In its statement Wednesday, the White House notes measures its already had to take to draw back resources meant to combat the CCP virus.

In the last two weeks, the administration has had to stop reimbursing health care providers for treating the uninsured, cancel monoclonal antibody orders and cut states supply, reduce orders of treatments for the immunocompromised and pull the U.S. out of line for future vaccine and next-generation treatment purchases, the statement reads.

If we fail to invest, we leave ourselves vulnerable if another wave of the virus hits, Biden said Wednesday.

Additional spending for COVID-19 was ultimately left out of the $1.5 trillion omnibus bill approved by Congress on March 9 to fund government operations through September. Republicans voiced their opposition to additional investments while requesting an accounting of already approved pandemic relief funds.

The federal government has approved trillions in additional spending over the past two years meant to treat people for the virus and deal with economic hardships.
President Joe Biden introduces his budget request for fiscal year 2023 in the State Dining Room of the White House on March 28, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Biden Expresses Skepticism About Russian Troop Reductions

President Joe Biden says he isnt reading anything into statements from Russian officials signaling that the Russian military is drawing back some of its troops near the Ukrainian capitol of Kyiv.

Face-to-face negotiations between Russia and Ukraine Tuesday in Turkey yielded the first steps towards peace between the two nations more than a month into the war that has left thousands dead or injured and displaced nearly four million Ukrainians.

During the talks, Russia proposed drawing down its troop presence in and around Kyiv while Ukraine proposed adopting a neutral status on the international stage.

Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin told reporters that in order to further negotiations Russia had by a large margin reduced military activity in the Kyiv and Chernihiv directions.

Well see. I dont read anything into it until I see what their actions are, Biden responded when asked by a reporter about Russias announcement that they would cutback operations in Kyiv. Well see if they follow through with [what] theyve suggested.

White House director of communications Kate Bedingfield later reiterated the presidents comments, referring to Russias troop movements as a redeployment and not a withdrawal and saying that the world should be prepared for Russias offensive to continue.

I think we should be clear-eyed about the reality of whats happening on the ground and no one should be fooled by Russias announcements, Bedingfield said.

Bedingfield also voiced U.S. support for Ukrainian efforts at the negotiating table saying the U.S. is focused on putting Ukraine in the best position there and on the battlefield.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said there are positive signals coming from the talks with Russia, but he added that we are not seeing grounds to trust the words coming from representatives of the country that continues fighting to destroy us.

Zelensky says Ukraine supports the talks continuing.

Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a video address in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 22, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)

While the Ukrainian leader has indicated that he is willing to cede to the Russian demand that Ukraine itself be a neutral country, he demanded Tuesday that Russian troops must leave occupied territories. Sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine must be guaranteed.

Vladimir Medinsky, head of Russias delegation for talks with Ukraine, made demands that Ukraine declares neutrality and give up aspirations to get back the territories of Crimea and Sevastopol through military means. He also said that security guarantees dont apply to Donetsk and Luhansktwo contested regions in Ukraines Donbas region.

Ukraine abandons joining military unions, deploying military bases and contingents, or holding military drills on the territory of Ukraine without an agreement of guarantor statesincluding the Russian Federation, said Medinsky. For its part, the Russian Federation is not opposed to the willingness of Ukraine to join the European Union.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 and has attacked its major cities following a speech from Russian President Vladimir Putin challenging the legitimacy of Ukrainian statehood and expressing concerns about NATO expansion.

The United States along with its allies has continued to ratchet up economic sanctions against Russian while approving billions in humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine.

Biden has referred to Putin as a butcher and said over the weekend that the Russian leader should not remain in power.

The White House, and later Biden himself, has had to clarify the latter statement saying that he was expressing outrage and not articulating a change in U.S. policy towards Russian leadership.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Darren, a prepper and producer of "The Funky Prepper" channel on YouTube, who also teaches courses on a wide range of survival skills such as sub zero fire lighting, making water filters and more. (Courtesy The Funky Prepper)

British Preppers Are Stocked Up, Well Prepared, and Detached From the Chaos

Members of the British prepping community, inspired by the USA survivalist movement, said that more than ever, people are willing to explore extreme survival in their country.

At one time considered a small subculture that raised eyebrows for its perceived apocalyptic thinking, preppers told The Epoch Times how they and others are proactively preparing for emergencies, as more wake up to the reality of potential food and fuel shortages.

A wider mistrust in government due to COVID-19 lockdowns and more recently anxieties about potential nuclear fallout from the Ukraine/Russia conflict has only contributed to the increased interest.

Entirely Self-Sufficient

It was the start of the Arab Spring over a decade ago that got one prepper called Darren thinking. What if the events which saw uprisings, and armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world, could happen here?

It showed me how quickly things could change. Then when we had the London riots in 2011. I started to read up on how the world was structured and I went down a big rabbit hole. I thought Id better start preparing for an uncertain future, Darren told The Epoch Times.

Based in mid-Wales, the Youtuber and survival enthusiast is known to his viewers only as Darren (he doesnt want to give his full name) has a channel, The Funky Prepper that has 60,000 subscribers. Like some others in the UK prepper community, Darren said they have often been labeled as conspiratorial and mocked in the media.

Darren said he knows there is bad stuff coming soon but is planned for the worse. The way around those bad things is that people need to do everything they need to do to become entirely self-sufficient without any need for governments or money, he said.

If you told someone in 2018 that you were putting preparation in place for a pandemic they would think you are a crackpot. (Courtesy Bradley Garrett)

American social and cultural geographer at University College Dublin in Ireland Dr. Bradley Garret researched the growing global movement of prepping for his book Bunker: What it Takes to Survive the Apocalypse.

If you told someone in 2018 that you were putting preparation in place for a pandemic they would think you are a crackpot. If you told someone in 2020 that Europe would be in the midst of a new war, they would think you were a crackpot. So prepping is always a thought experiment, they are always trying to think about the expected and the unexpected, thats what they are preparing for, he told The Epoch Times.

Psychological Benefit

I think there is a sense in prepper knowledge that we have lost a lot. It feels like too much of our lives is in the hand of the government or corporations, Theres something liberating about changing that agency. It counters that sense of alienation that we feel we are surrounded by things we dont understand and we cant control and prepping gives us a way of reskilling, learning those things again, and that gives people control over their own lives, said Garret.

Garret explored different government and individual-level responses to catastrophe and existential threats. For example, Switzerland has enough nuclear fallout shelters to accommodate its entire population, should they ever be needed. But for those that want to buy their own bunker, companies exist that can provide nuclear blast-proof thick plate steel boxes, for the right price. On more of a grounded scale, people are seeking country spaces, land, and stability in, for example, off-grid communities, away from large cities.

He said that theres a material element and also a psychological element to prepping. Its interesting because its not about the future event. People think about prepping about preparing for something down the road but I think that there is a psychological benefit that is gained from taking control of the infrastructures of everyday life, said Garret.

Wayne Stevens, a prepper and producer of the Sgt Fruitcake Youtube channel, said he can lockdown his home if he needs to for six months. (Courtesy Wayne Stevens)

People think you are some Doomsday fundamentalist, thinking you question if they had put a man on the moon and wear a tinfoil hat around the table. People are not laughing so much now, Wayne Stevens told The Epoch Times.

Stevens aka Sgt Fruitcake runs his Prepping Youtube channel that has over 21,000 subscribers and is also a Force Radio Drive-Time Host.

A committed family man and Christian, Stevens said: If you run out of fuel, if you cant fill up that tank, you are not providing for your family so you have to make the choice. Thats why I do what I do so I dont live in fear. I live in a middle of a field up in the hills, in Northern Ireland, surrounded by 360 acres of shooting land, where I can produce food and patrol and keep safe and lock this place down. I can lock this place down for six months, said Stevens.

Stevens has food, skills, but also medical supplies. He also knows first aid, has generators, solar panels, inverters for power and fuel, oil and heating oil, and much more. To him, prepping means more than survival. He doesnt want to survive, he wants to thrive.

My kids dont live in fear, because we are detached from the chaos, said Stevens.

The USA Has the Suppliers

Josh Pringle, who runs the Sgt Prepper shop in County Durham, northern England, said that since the war broke out between Ukraine and Russia, demand has tripled. A survivalist himself, he said that being a prepper was a mindset.

Pringle said that due to such anxieties, he has had a lot of people with posher accents contact them who say they are prepping for things like power cuts.

A lot are aware of what is going on with the world and skeptical of their own tyrannical governments, he said. However, being one of only a small handful of specialist stores in the UK has its challenges.

The USA has the suppliers, we dont. We only have three-four different suppliers for freeze-dried food in the UK. And even then our supplier had tin shortages, can you believe. They cant supply our demand and its the same for all the other prepping shops, he said.

You have to be as sharp as the blade you are working with. Will Lord is a renowned expert and instructor in ancient survival skills like flint knapping and fire-lighting. (Courtesy Will Lord)

Survivalist and bushcraft expert Will Lord teaches prehistoric skills from a disused flint quarry in Euston, Suffolk, on the east coast of England.

He said in order to survive, you have to look back further in time and learn to spot plants and their seeds like the ancients did.

Youve got to watch everything, the way rain dries on wood.  Prepping is ok but it can only take you so far. Gas masks and ration packs only have a limited time supporting your way of life, he said.

Lord has 65,000 subscribers on YouTube, where he also teaches people how to make tools from stone.

The fundamentals are, are berries in these trees going to kill me? Are you pleased when you see something like Alexander growing out of a bush? You have to be as sharp as the blade you are working with, said Lord.
California Man Who Kidnapped 26 Children Recommended for Parole

A California man who kidnapped 26 children on a bus more than 40 years ago was recommended for parole.

Joe Orlando of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation told CNN on Tuesday that Frederick Newhall Woods, 70, was approved for parole.

He was one of three individuals who kidnapped 26 children and their bus driver in Northern California in 1976. All 27 people on the bus were taken from Chowchilla to Livermore, which is more than 100 miles away, before they were placed into a truck buried alive in a quarry.

The kidnappers demanded $5 million in ransom while the victims were buried underground. After about 16 hours, the driver and the children were able to escape while the kidnappers were asleep.

Now, after decades behind bars, a California board recommended Woods for parole on March 25, according to a CBS News reporter who attended the hearing. During that hearing, Woods claimed that hes changed his ways.

Ive had empathy for the victims which I didnt have then, he said, CBS News reported. Ive had a character change since then.

I was 24 years old, Woods added. Now I fully understand the terror and trauma I caused. I fully take responsibility for this heinous act.

While the children and driver did not suffer any serious injuries, many reported psychological harm after the incident. Some of the children were as young as 5, according to reports.

Im 50 years old, and I can have an anxiety attack over getting in the car with my husband, survivor Jennifer Brown Hyde told Fox News earlier this year.

Darla Neal, who was aged 10 at the time, said that she suffers from extreme anxiety over the incident.

Im overwhelmed to the point that I had to leave work, she told CNN. I tell myself I should be able to shake this off and deal with it. Yet here I am, a mess.

Two other men convicted in the case, Richard Schoenfeld and James Schoenfeld, were paroled by California authorities in 2012 and 2015, respectively.

Woods and his attorney, Dominique Banos, told the court last week that he hadnt had any disciplinary issues since his last parole hearing in 2019. Just prior to that, Woods had faced disciplinary action for running an unauthorized Christmas tree farm and a gold mine from prison.

The parole decision will become final within 120 days. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has 30 days to review the decision and can allow it to stand or send it back to the full board for another review.
Californias New Boating Law Raises Costly Concerns Among Private Sector

Owners of commercial harbor craftlike tugboats, ferries, and private charter boatsare expressing concern over Californias new regulation that requires commercial vessels to have cleaner engines.

The regulation, which takes effect in 2023, sets stricter requirements for the types of enginesnewer, less-polluting enginesallowed near Californias coast. The regulation will be rolled out in phases, whereby in 2025, commercial harbor engines must fully transition to zero-emission.

Gisele Anderson, co-president of Captain Daves Dana Point Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari, told The Epoch Times the new regulations that force companies to replace their vessels engines, if not done so already, is a deathblow.

Its the kind of thing that can be really detrimental, Anderson said, adding that replacing a boats engine puts the boat out of service for six weeks minimum, which would affect 10 percent of her companys profits.

We want to comply, and were all for air quality. We just would appreciate a more tapered approach, she said.

People enjoy Captain Daves Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari in Dana Point, Calif., on March 8, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Greg Bombard, president of Catalina Express, a ferry service with eight high-speed vessels that carry between 150450 passengers that transports about 1 million passengers to Catalina Island annually, told The Epoch Times transitioning to new, cleaner engines presents a costly challenge for vessel owners in the maritime industry.

This will be very detrimental to the economy of Catalina Island if we cant find out way through this and keep fares at a price thats workable for the families who visit or live on the island, he said. Everybody wants to do better. Were all looking forward to the day we can hit zero emissions, but unfortunately, the technology is just not available for what we need to do today.

The new engine requirement, Bombard said, would require one of the larger catamaran vessels to cut the passenger count in half and add another round-trip excursion, increasing the fuel burn and carbon footprint per passenger by 100 percent.

Otherwise, he said, it would cost $20 million to build a new boat.

People enjoy Captain Daves Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari in Dana Point, Calif., on March 8, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) unanimously approved March 24 the regulation, an update to the states Commercial Harbor Craft Regulation, to improve public health in nearby communities.

Emissions from harbor craft contribute to toxic diesel emissions from coastal and port activities, Liane Randolph, CARB chair, said in a statement. These amendments will help clean the air and protect public health, especially in port-adjacent communities that are already burdened by high levels of air pollution.

According to CARB, the regulation will reduce 89 percent of diesel soot, 54 percent of nitrogen oxides, and lower the risk of cancer to over 22 million residents within 50 miles inland of the coast by 2035.

Owners of sportfishing companies worked with the board to make sure any engine upgrades with cleaner combustion were affordable.

After approximately 400 public meetings, a series of workshops, and stakeholder input, the board approved a one-time 10-year extension option for vessels needing a replacement engine but could not immediately afford one.

However, the extension applies only to commercial passenger fishing vessels, as the regulation could drive up costs for its consumer base.

Ken Franke, president of the Sportfishing Association of California, told The Epoch Times that sportfishing companies would have had to increase ticket prices to make up for the costs of the new engines, had the 10-year extension not been granted.

Our clients are the people that cant afford their own yacht, Ken Franke, president of the Sportfishing Association of California, told The Epoch Times. Were the only way for them to go sportfishing out on the ocean, and its important for us that we also have reasonable ticket prices for all the kids or veterans trips and all those kinds of special events that we do.

Other excursions in the maritime industries such as short-run ferries, whale-watching vessels, and dinner cruises must fully transition to zero-emission by 2025.
Capitol Report (March 29): Former Trump Officials Facing Criminal Contempt Charges

President Joe Biden hosted Singapores prime minister at the White House. Well unpack their plans on Russia, the supply chain, and maintaining peace in the Indo-Pacifican area that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is working to destabilize with military and economic coercion.

An American architects mother was arrested in China for upholding her belief. And nine days ago, she died. On Tuesday, a U.S. senator invited her son and many more to shed light on how Beijing endangers not only its citizens but also Americans.

We had a chance to catch up with ranking member of the House Foreign Relations Committee Congressman Michael McCaul, who also heads the China Task Force. He shares his thoughts on why the CCP poses a grave threat to the United States and the rest of the world and what should be done to hold them accountable.

Former Trump advisers Peter Navarro and Dan Scavino are being held in contempt of Congress for not complying with subpoenas. And now Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is being asked to distance himself from cases related to the Capitol breach over conversations his wife had with former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows.

With Jan. 6 being such a politically charged partisan event, many Republican elected officials have also distanced themselves from the discussion. We speak to one member of Congress whos speaking out.

The FDA now is authorizing the second COVID-19 booster shot for Americans, but the medical community has mixed feelings about the additional shot.

Follow CapitolReport on social media:

Twitter https://twitter.com/capitolreport

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CapitolReport/

Gettr https://gettr.com/user/capitolreport
CCP Agent Conspired With New York Police Officer to Spy on Americans: DOJ

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on March 30 unsealed charges against a Chinese national accused of working as an unregistered agent of the Chinese communist regime.

Sun Hoi Ying, 53, is alleged to have spied on at least 35 individuals in the United States and to have fed information from his efforts to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 2017 to 2022.

Suns activities were part of Operation Fox Hunt, a CCP initiative begun in 2014 to forcibly repatriate Chinese dissidents and other alleged fugitives back to mainland China, or else to coerce them into paying financial settlements to the regime, prosecutors said.

He relied on private investigation firms and a New York law enforcement officer to conduct his covert activities, according to the warrant for his arrest. At least one of his victims, a pregnant woman, was forcibly detained for eight months while visiting China.

This case demonstrates, once again, the PRCs [Peoples Republic of China] disdain for the rule of law and its efforts to coerce and intimidate those it targets on our shores as part of its Operation Fox Hunt, Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen said in a statement.

The defendant allegedly traveled to the United States and enlisted others, including a sworn law enforcement officer, to spy on and blackmail his victims. Such conduct is both criminal and reprehensible.

Enlisting Locals

Many of Suns victims were U.S. citizens of Chinese heritage who have been in the United States for years, according to court documents.

In one effort, Sun allegedly tracked down a victim who had been living in the United States since 2002, by enlisting help from the leader of an unnamed community organization in New York City, as well as that of an unnamed New York law enforcement officer.

Court documents outlined how, beginning in 2003, the CCP systematically detained and sued two former spouses and other family members of the victim based in China in order to coerce her to return to the country or otherwise enter a monetary settlement.

One former husband was found innocent of charges related to using CCP funds to purchase property, although his property was confiscated by the CCP anyway, the document said. The CCP also began an effort to forcibly seize the property of a second ex-husband.

The New York law enforcement officer is alleged to have identified themselves as such during multiple meetings with the victim and Sun, and reportedly described themselves as a go-between.

The officer also met with the victim privately and relayed all information about the meeting back to Sun so he could deliver it to his CCP handlers back in China, according to the court file.

The officer and community leader werent named as defendants in the case but were described as co-conspirators.

Targeting a Pregnant Woman

In another case, Sun targeted a pregnant woman in order to gain leverage on her father, both of whom were U.S. citizens.

Suns campaign against the family began with photographs and addresses of the victims being collected by private investigation firms. This information was then sent to the CCP, which distributed the information on lists of fugitives and their families, the court file said.

The daughter, then pregnant, traveled to China with her spouse and child in 2016.

When the family attempted to return to the United States, she was told by CCP authorities that she had been placed on an exit ban list as punishment for her fathers crime. Her child and spouse could leave China, they said, but she would not be allowed to leave until her father came back to China to face charges, the court document said.

CCP officers allegedly told her that she wasnt to inform the U.S. government about the exit ban, and that the U.S. Embassy in China was helpless to do anything about her status.

When she told CCP officers that she was pregnant, they told her that the child would be born in China unless her father returned to face charges, according to the document.

She was allegedly held for eight months before the CCP made a deal with the United States to release her, provided she deliver official Chinese documents to her father.

Widening Crackdown

The case against Sun is just the latest of several CCP espionage prosecutions.

In March, the DOJ unsealed charges against five other men in three separate cases, all of whom were accused of extending the CCPs repressive reach to U.S. soil.

One of the cases involved a conspiracy to intimidate and physically assault a U.S. Army veteran running for Congress. Another involved the stalking and intimidation of an American Olympian and her father. Still another involved the harassment of an artist for his sculpture depicting CCP leader Xi Jinping as a giant coronavirus molecule. All of the victims were ethnic Chinese who had been critical of the CCPs abuses.

The DOJs announcement of the cases followed shortly behind the Biden administrations controversial decision to terminate the China Initiative, a Trump-era anti-espionage campaign designed to thwart CCP spying in the United States.

The program was accused by activist groups of being racist, but a DOJ internal review found no evidence to support that claim. Nevertheless, the decision was made to scrap the program to avoid what Olsen called a harmful perception of bias. Critics claimed that the termination of the program would make the nation appear weak.

The DOJ touted three of the cases brought forward as evidence that the post-China Initiative framework was working. Each of the cases brought forward in the last month began under the previous administration.

This activity is antithetical to fundamental American values, Olsen said of the CCPs transnational repression. We will not tolerate such repression here when it violates our laws. We will defend the rights of Americans and those who come to live, work and study in the United States.

Sun is currently at large in mainland China, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testifies on Capitol Hill on Nov. 4, 2021. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)

CDC Sending School Reopening Draft Guidance to Teachers Union Was Uncommon: CDC Scientist

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) scientist says the agency sending a draft of its school reopening guidance to a powerful teachers union was unusual.

Its uncommon, said Dr. Henry Walke, who directs the CDCs Center for Preparedness and Response.

Its also not common for the CDC to incorporate line-by-line edits from outside groups into its guidance, according to Walke.

The career government scientist was speaking in February to staff members on the House of Representatives Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. Portions of the interview were released on March 30.

Earlier releases show that the CDC used language provided by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the second-largest teachers union in the United States, in the guidance offered in February 2021 to safely reopen schools.

That language included a 123-word paragraph that encompassed a possible trigger for school closures if community transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19 increased, as well as a recommendation that school districts let teachers or other staff members who are deemed to be at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness to work remotely or do another job that would limit their risk.

The proposed edits that were later incorporated were provided after the CDC provided the full draft of its guidance to the AFT.

Republicans on the select committee, investigating the governments response, found that action was contrary to the CDCs longstanding practice of keeping draft guidance documents confidential.

They cited the interview with Walke, who said the CDC might send portions of a draft guidance for feedback to outside parties, but not full versions.

The committee didnt release the full transcript of the interview and a spokesperson declined to provide it to The Epoch Times, which has filed a Freedom of Information Act for the document.

After describing the sharing of the draft as uncommon, Walke was instructed to not answer questions on why it happened by a government attorney in the room.

The White House and Walke didnt respond by press time to requests for comment.

As part of long-standing best practices, CDC has traditionally engaged with organizations and groups that are impacted by guidance and recommendations issued by the agency. We do so to ensure our recommendations are feasible to implement and they adequately address the safety and wellbeing of individuals the guidance is aimed to protect. These informative and helpful interactions often result in beneficial feedback that we consider in our final revisions to ensure clarity and usability, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement.

Fourteen groups were asked for input on the guidance, including the National Governors Association and the Los Angeles County Health Department, according to the CDC, which noted that more schools were open in May 2021 when compared to January 2021.

However, the emails and Walkes comments led members of the committee to say Walensky downplayed the degree to which CDC departed from past practice to allow AFT to affect the policymaking process.

In fact, CDC allowed AFT to insert language into the Operational Guidance that made it more likely schools across the country would remain closed after February 2021, they said.

The situation may have occurred because the AFT donated more than $43 million to Democrat groups and candidates in the 2020 election and endorsed President Joe Biden, according to some committee members.

AFT didnt respond to a request for comment. Its president, Randi Weingarten, has said that the CDC solicited recommendations and that the federal health agency was doing its job and we were doing our job.
Chile's President Gabriel Boric greets supporters while leaving the Congress after his inauguration ceremony in Valparaiso, Chile, on March 11, 2022. (Claudio Reyes/AFP via Getty Images)

Chiles Socialist President Ignites Controversy Within Weeks of Taking Office

When Gabriel Boric, head of the left-wing Social Convergence party, became Chiles youngest president on March 11, his supporters and opponents knew he would be a herald of change.

At 36, the former student union leader and chamber of deputies member is the youngest president in the nations history. Boric, who won a runoff election against right-wing rival Jose Antonio Kast on Dec. 19, 2021, has strong ties to the countrys Communist Party, which created a stir during his campaign.

Borics connections to Chiles youth and protest culture aided in his victory, as many voters saw him as a symbol of social change and the start of a new era of income equality.

However, after less than a month in office, some actions that have transpired under the new administration have astonished people.

On March 25, an unarmed student protester was shot in the chest in Santiago during an anti-government demonstration.

Further, Boric designated the leader of the Chilean Communist Trade Union, Barbara Figueroa, as the nations ambassador to Argentina before his planned state visit to the neighboring country on April 5.

Chilean President-elect Gabriel Boric celebrates with supporters after winning the election in Santiago, Chile, on Dec. 19, 2021. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters)

During the March 25 protest in which the 19-year-old man was shot, Boric was faced with a harsh reality beyond mere campaign promises and the first anti-government demonstration in which he was on the other side of the picket line.

Chants of Boric, listen, join the fight were heard from crowds of demonstrators that filled the streets outside the presidential palace of La Moneda.

The dissenters, most of whom were university students, were demanding an increase in the amount of money on state-subsidized food cards for the Higher Education Food Scholarship program, which hasnt been modified since being set at $40 a decade ago.

In 2019, a series of nationwide demonstrations erupted in response to a proposed small increase in metro fares, resulting in multiple violent clashes with police that left almost 30 people dead.

After the United States, Chile has the most expensive private university system of any member country in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Along with a lack of financial aid, low wages, and the second-highest cost of living in Latin America, government subsidies and public transportation are common themes behind protests.

A police water cannon disperses demonstrators protesting against the governments economic policies in Santiago, Chile, on Oct. 26, 2019, a day after more than 1 million people took to the streets for the largest protests in a week of demonstrations. (Claudio Reyes/AFP via Getty Images)

Boric ordered a formal investigation into the March 25 shooting and ordered the ministers of education and health to meet with the victim, who was hospitalized in Santiago.

As a government, we must protect public order always attached to the unrestricted respect for human rights, a spokesperson for the public ministry said. The public ministry will initiate an investigation  in order to clarify the serious circumstances that occurred today.

Meanwhile, the political backlash was swift over the appointment of Figueroa to the important office of ambassador, leaving some officials questioning the reason behind placing an underqualified communist trade union leader in such an important role.

Former presidential candidate Kast was candid in his thoughts.

Its absurd. They do it to change the focus of attention, and then they will say that it was never true, he wrote on Twitter.

Echoing that sentiment, Sen. Felipe Kast claimed that Boric appointed Figueroa as an ambassador as a consolation prize for friends after his election win, pointing to the head of states campaign promise not to appoint officials who dont have the requisite skills for a government job.

The La Moneda Press Office didnt respond to a request for comment by press time.
A Wing Loong II weaponized drone model for the China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corp. is displayed at a military drone conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Feb. 25, 2018. (Jon Gambrell/AP Photo)

China Destabilizes the World Through Militarized Drone Exports

Sanction China now for its automated war machines

News Analysis

Chinas drones are militarizing the world. From Ukraine to Burma, they make the battlefield more deadly for democracy. That must be the point.

Beijing ignores calls for limitations on military equipment, even when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) knows that its drones are used for war crimes against unarmed civilians.

Neither are the most powerful democracies stepping up to the plate and imposing the no-fly zones over conflict areas that alone could protect democracy advocates and civilian populations from what are essentially lethal aerial robots. This must change, as evidenced by the destruction in Ukraine.

Chinas DJI drone maker is attracting criticism for supplying the Russian military with drones used to assist in attacks on Ukrainian civilian targets. Ukraines vice prime minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, demanded on Twitter that DJI block Russias use of its drones.

In 21 days of the war, russian troops has already killed 100 Ukrainian children, he wrote in understandably distressed English. They are using DJI products in order to navigate their missile. @DJIGlobal are you sure you want to be a partner in these murders? Block your products that are helping russia to kill the Ukrainians!

In an attached March 12 letter, Fedorov said that the Ukrainian government has evidence that the Russian military is using DJI products in Ukraine in order to navigate their missile[s] to kill civilians.

He added, We call on your company to stop doing business in the Russian Federation until the Russian aggression in Ukraine is fully stopped and fair order is restored.

A truck loaded with the Chinese-made drone, the ASN-207, takes part in a military parade in Beijing, China, on Oct. 1, 2009. (Vincent Thian/AP)

While companies in the West have generally withdrawn products from Russia, especially those with military applications, Chinas DJI publicly rebuffed Ukraines pleas in what should be seen as a national insult to the Ukrainian people.

The CCPs insults do not stop in Europe.

In Burma (commonly known as Myanmar), the junta uses Chinas military drones against unarmed protesters and a growing armed resistance trying to return the country to democracy after a 2021 coup killed over 700.

Some witnesses have both seen and photographed Myanmar Army drones in action, according to an article in The Diplomat on Feb. 26. They say that Chinese-made drones have been deployed several times both to monitor the protesters and crack down on the armed resistance groups.

The drones are not just civilian drones used by the military but specially-designed drones capable of launching highly-accurate missiles.

While some of the Myanmar Armys drones, such as the CH-3A, can launch laser-guided air-to-ground missiles, they are primarily used as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets, according to The Diplomat author, Robert Bociaga.

Saudi Arabia, which is increasingly spurning a historic alliance with the United States in favor of a no-questions-asked friendship with China, has purchased weapons from the totalitarian country for years, including armed Wing Loong II drones that in 2017 were Chinas biggest-ever arms export.

Now the Saudis are buying an entire drone factory as a joint venture in which the Chinese themselves are being invited into the Kingdom.

The agreement with China Electronics Technology Group Corp., reported on March 9, will establish a research and development center and create a team that would manufacture different types of UAV systems, including communications, flight-control, camera, radar and wireless-detection systems.  The new venture will also focus on developing electric-powered vertical-takeoff-and-landing drones, anti-drone solutions, analytics, helicopter products and radar systems.

Given that the CCP is designing weapons in Saudi Arabia, any export controls that apply to China should now be considered for Saudi Arabia as well. The worlds democracies cannot allow dictatorships to build drone armies together.

The CCPs bad faith toward democracy and civilian populations is clarified by the fact that it could order DJI and other Chinese drone makers to turn off their drones in war zones like Ukraine and Yemen, where the Saudis are battling, ironically enough, Houthis backed by Iran, Chinas ally.

The Ukrainian official, Fedorov, noted in his letter that drones were turned off during Russias invasion of Georgia in 2008. The CCP could order this to happen again today, but it would rather watch its drones enable more massacres of Ukrainian civilians.

Autonomous vehicle technology and artificial intelligence, including aerial drones and ground-based unmanned combat systems, are the future of war. Drones are faster, cheaper, and more lethal. They never have moral qualms when ordered by a totalitarian power to destroy a city, killing all the civilians they can find.

A DJI Mavic Zoom drone flies during a product launch event at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York City on Aug. 23, 2018. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Chinas powerful industrial ecosystem and interconnected supply lines are well-placed to pump out military drones at an increasing pace over the coming years. The CCP hopes to use drones for its malign military purposes, for example, an invasion of Taiwan, and export them for the like purposes of others. So Beijing has every incentive to keep its drones in Ukraine flying, to demonstrate their efficacy for yet more exports and profit, despite the death they rain down upon hospitals, schools, and apartment buildings.

The United States could put secondary sanctions on Chinas drone makers, which would likely be effective at stopping their use or sale to the Russians. One person close to DJI told the Financial Times, The company doesnt want to be involved in politics, but if the United States sanctioned DJI, limiting access to U.S. components, the company would be forced to exit the Russian market.

What a great idea. And if the CCP persists in adding to the death in Ukraine, sanctions on Russia should becomevery broadlysecondary sanctions on Chinas entire economy.

Democracy advocates around the world who face the threat of death from Chinas drones are calling in vain, so far, to convince the West and its allies to impose no-fly zones and trade embargos on Chinas deadly drone exports and kill zones.

Inaction, passivity, and silence in the West are culpability in the face of injustice and war crimes, including the deaths of thousands of civilians in Ukraine. If allowed to spread, those war crimes could come to a neighborhood near you in the coming years if our politicians keep taking the easy path that avoids confrontation with Beijing.

It is better to act now against dictators and their drones while we still can. At some point, the power, sophistication, and coordination of Chinas growing drone armies could overwhelm Western defenses entirely. Then it will be too late to resist.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (L) moves to shake hands with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi before a meeting of foreign ministers and officials of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing on April 24, 2018. (Madoka Ikegami-Pool/Getty Images)

China More Determined to Boost Ties With Russia, Top CCP Official Says Amid Ukraine War

Beijing and Moscow are more determined to boost bilateral ties and expand cooperation, said Chinas foreign minister Wang Yi following a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov held in eastern China.

In what marked their first in-person meeting since Russia invaded Ukraine, Wang told Lavrov that the MoscowBeijing relationship has withstood new trials of international turbulence and kept on the right direction.

China is willing to work with Russia to push the China-Russia relationship to higher levels in a new area under the guidance of the key consensus reached by the two countries head of state, Wang told Lavrov, according to a readout from the Chinese foreign ministry.

Russia launched the attack on Ukraine a little over a month ago and has been looking to China for support as the move draws escalating economic sanctions from the West.

Ahead of the meeting, Russias foreign ministry released a video in which Lavrov appeared to suggest a vision for building a new world order together with China. We, together with you, and with our sympathizers will move towards a multipolar, just, democratic world order, he said.

Chinese state media footage showed the two officials bumping elbows in front of their national flags at the meeting in Huangshan city.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (L) meeting his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during his first visit to China since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in February, at their meeting in Huangshan City, Anhui Province, China, on March 30, 2022. (STR/CCTV/AFP via Getty Images)

The two sides agreed to strengthen their strategic partnership and to speak on global affairs with a united voice, according to a statement from Russias foreign ministry.

This is what happens when you repeatedly show weakness on the world stage, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) told The Epoch Times. Our adversaries become emboldened.

These reports that China and Russia are determined to expand cooperation while Vladimir Putin continues his genocide in Ukraine are deeply troubling.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a no limits partnership weeks ahead of Moscows invasion. Since the war, Beijing has declined to condemn the invasion and reaffirmed its rock solid ties with Russia, in a stance widely viewed as being tacitly in support of Moscow.

While also refusing to join Western sanctions on the Kremlin, the regime has vowed to continue normal trade relations with the country as sanctions and voluntary boycotts from the West threaten to throw Russia into a deep recession.

Following U.S. intelligence that Beijing had signaled a willingness to provide military and economic support to Russias war effort, President Joe Biden warned Xi during a recent virtual meeting of unspecified consequences if Beijing were to follow through with it. Although he later emphasized that he made no threats.

U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a virtual summit from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington on Nov. 15, 2021. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

The Chinese officials have refused to directly confirm or deny allegations that Beijing might aid Russia.

What unites China and Russia is a reciprocal need for natural resourcesand a common grievance with the United States, Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) told The Epoch Times.

But he believes the two countries partnership is not as firm as what may be portrayed.

Russia and China still have significant border disputes, and it would be surprising to see China discourage trade with the United States $21 trillion economy for Russias $1.5 trillion alternative, he said.

U.S. officials have noted that China appears to be complying with Western sanctions, and have warned Chinese firms of heavy repercussions if they were to help Russia skirt sanctions. At least two China-backed banks have halted lending to Russia and Belarus over the Ukraine war.

Some analysts suggest that Beijing will use the opportunity presented by Moscows isolation to deepen its economic links with the pariah state. A recent speech from a Chinese ambassador also indicates that Beijing may see this crisis as an opportunity.

Zhang Hanhui, Chinas ambassador to Russia, has called on Chinese business people in the country to waste no time adjusting their operations and fill the void in the Russian market.

Without mentioning sanctions on Moscow, Zhang said big enterprises are facing great challenges or even disruptions in payment and supply chains, an apparent reference to the exodus of Western firms from Russia.

This is just the time for our private, medium, and small businesses to play a role, he was quoted as saying by a pro-Beijing association in Moscow.

Meanwhile, a top executive for Chinas state-owned energy company Sinopec on Monday said it would keep buying crude oil and gas from Russia.

I assume China will play its hand to reap any benefit it can out of this situation, but will continue its tepid position of not condoning the situation but also not outwardly supporting it, said Fulcher.
Its day two for lockdown orders in Chinas top financial hub. A Tesla factory closes its doors for the week, while bankers are spotted camping out in their offices.

Across China, strict stay-at-home measures are driving citizens to get creativeand find new ways to make ends meet.

A man has been found dead in his apartment after neighbors noticed something was very wrong. The incident struck a major Chinese city known as the worlds factory.

Hollywood star Keanu Reeves gets banned in China. His movies have been pulled from the countrys biggest streaming platforms, all because he attended a certain event.

In Shanghai, a prisoner of conscience is paralyzed after getting tortured inside a detention center. Guards carried out the assault after he refused to denounce his faith in the Falun Gong spiritual discipline.

The topics in this episode are:

Lockdowns Drive China Citizens to Unusual Solutions

Man Found Dead At Home During Lockdown

Senate Approves $52B Chips Bill To Combat China

Biden Defense Budget Outlines Plan To Counter China

China Pulls Keanu Reeves Movies Over Tibet

Falun Gong Practitioner Paralyzed Over Torture

In A Cage: Foreign Student Under Shanghai Lockdown

One Child Policy Still Taking Toll Yrs Later: Expert

Have other topics you want us to cover? Drop us a line: chinainfocus@ntdtv.org

And if youd like to buy us a coffee: https://donorbox.org/china-in-focus

Subscribe to our newsletter for more first-hand news from China.

For more news and videos, please visit us on Gettr and Twitter.
Health workers wear protective suits as they stand outside a seniors care home in a traditional courtyard house where they were performing nucleic acid test to detect COVID-19 on local residents in Beijing, China, on March 25, 2022. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Chinas Draconian Lockdowns Are Fueling Rising Discontent

After two years of living under some of the worlds most restrictive COVID-19 policies, a growing number of Chinese residents appear to have finally had enough.

Rumblings of frustration can now be heard from inside residents buildings, on the streets, in hospitals, and on school campuses, a rare show of defiance in a country known for its regimes swift and heavy retaliation against even the faintest murmurs of dissent.

We cant stand this anymore, shouted a crowd of workers earlier this month in the locked-down Futian district in southern Chinas Shenzhen, the countrys tech hub, as a dozen health workers stood on the other side of plastic barriers. Lift the lockdown. We demand lifting the lockdown!

In another neighborhood in the city, fed-up residents banged on pots and pans for hours from their balconies after learning that their already two-week home confinement would continue.

Elsewhere in the city, incensed locals had a showdown with local officials, toppling a checkpoint booth and tearing up metal fences after being told by one health worker that theyd better not get out for several months or even a year.

Near the citys border, stranded migrant workers filled the streets, demanding to go back to their homes in nearby Daya Bay.

Daya Bay demands independence, they shouted.

The outcry displayed over the past weeks has been unprecedented as the Chinese regime has imposed a series of lockdowns affecting tens of millions of people, suggesting a change in mood among the greater Chinese public. The countrys official daily infection tally driven by the Omicron coronavirus variant climbed to 8,800 on March 29, a steep jump compared to just months ago, when cases were registered in double digits. Yet Beijings official virus figures should be viewed with skepticism, according to experts and residents, who point to the regimes pattern of concealing information thats deemed to be damaging to its grip on power.

China, at one point lauded for its severely restrictive COVID-19 measures, is now among the worlds last holdouts of the zero-COVID policy, a playbook chiefly consisting of aggressive testing, isolating anyone exposed to the virus, and locking down areas where cases emerge. The approach has disrupted entire industries and supply chains while leaving confined residents struggling to find basic supplies and medical care.

Earlier this week, Chinas financial center, Shanghai, started implementing the countrys largest lockdown to date, confining the citys population of 26 million people, a half at a time. Until the day before the lockdown announcement on March 27, officials in Shanghai, now identified as the worst virus hotspot in the current COVID-19 wave, insisted they wouldnt take such a step, owing to the economic pains it could inflict upon the country and the world.

People line up to be tested as a measure against COVID-19 at Shanghai Jingan Central Hospital in Shanghai on March 26, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the patience of the Chinese public appears to be wearing thin.

Why cant China drop the COVID restrictions like the rest of the world? some users on Chinas heavily policed internet asked.

A hashtag containing this question was viewed more than 540 million times over the past week.

The countrys largest protest came on March 23, when hundreds of small-business owners from Sijiqing, a popular wholesale clothing marketplace in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, came to a standoff with the police after demanding to be refunded their rent. Officials in early March shut down the entire markethome to tens of thousands of businessesover a single virus case and quarantined virtually all who worked there, according to one shop owner Wang Ling (alias), who joined the protest.

She had gone through 16 days of quarantine even though she didnt make contact with the infected person, she said.

We really cant survive anymore, Wang told The Epoch Times, noting that theyve been losing money ever since the COVID-19 pandemics emergence two years ago.

She watched the police take away at least four people.

They said were gathering together to create trouble.  If we could keep our lives going, who would want to create trouble? Wang said.

Matter of Life and Death

With more cities going into lockdown, more stories are emerging on the Chinese internet about residents being denied medical care as a result of stringent lockdown rules and the sometimes tragic consequences of such decisions.

A Shanghai cancer patient in his 70s recently jumped off a building and broke his ankle, reportedly because neighborhood committee officials refused to allow him to leave the compound to obtain prescribed medicine.

In Hebei, a northern province near Beijing, multiple hospitals turned away a woman seeking to treat a suspected malignant tumor, because of COVID-19 restriction measures. The woman at one point fell unconscious while waiting outside a hospital with her husband. Blood and pus were coming out of her lower body, but she was left there in freezing temperatures for nearly 10 hours before anyone responded.

Do they want us to slowly die at home? her husband said in a video posted on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, pleading for public attention for her case. Is it so hard for us commoners to get treatment? Does no one care about our lives?

Health workers wearing protective gear as a measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus work along a street in Jingan district in Shanghai on March 26, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

The resulting public pressure caused authorities to act on the womans case, promising to connect her with the top local hospital and experts for treatment. But many others have been less fortunate.

In the Anci district of Langfang, the same city the couple is from, a senior resident died after being sealed at home and running out of medicine, volunteer health worker Ge Ming (pseudonym) told The Epoch Times.

A Shanghai nurse died of asthma at the age of 49 after she was turned away by her own hospital, which had suspended emergency services because of virus control, according to a statement from her employer, Shanghai East Hospital. She died that night, shortly after her family rushed her to another hospital.

Since March 20, about 200 patients with kidney failure requiring dialysis have been turned out of Shanghai Zhoupu Hospital, according to online advocates and nearby residents.

Its a matter of life and death, Hu Yuemei (pseudonym), who lives in the neighborhood and is friends with the nurses, told The Epoch Times.

The hospital cares less about peoples lives than its standing with local officials, she suggested.

The Epoch Times couldnt reach the hospital or the district health commission through repeated phone calls.

A worker shows a QR code to customers to check their health code before entering a meat and fish market as a measure against the Covid-19 coronavirus, in Jingan district, in Shanghai on March 29, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

The lockdown-induced social costs prompted a Shanghai resident in his 70s to write a public letter to the mayor criticizing what he saw as stupid governance.

The virus has not inflicted as much damage to the public as these stupid policies, he said in the letter viewed by The Epoch Times.

People cant work, cant generate wealth for society, cant make a living, cant see doctors, and even hospitals are shut, he wrote. Can hospitals that save lives get shut down so casually during an outbreak? What level of stupidity does it take to make such decisions?

Food Shortages

Struggles to source adequate supplies have meanwhile fueled a rise in online complaints from those in locked-down areas.

Shanghais announcement of a snap lockdown over the weekend left many with only hours to stock up on supplies, leading to late-night tussles in packed grocery markets as locals snatched up whatever remained on the shelves. One man was pictured dragging three trash bags full of ramen packets while standing in line.

When I walked into the produce market and saw the empty shelves, vegetable leaves all over the ground, and lost shoes, I knew this city has gone crazy, a resident wrote in a social media post.

A store owner told The Epoch Times their store was stripped bare during the panic buying. They could not restock until at least April 1, he said, adding that new orders for supplies have all been turned down because trucking services have ground to a halt.

Shoppers rummage through empty shelves in a supermarket before a lockdown as a measure against the Covid-19 coronavirus in Shanghai on March 29, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

The challenge is even greater for the elderly who are less technologically savvy. One senior in the northeastern city Changchun, who had been forced to live by himself since a week earlier due to the citys COVID rules, was filmed venturing to buy food from a nearby store.

Please have some sympathy with me, he repeatedly said in front of the shut glass door, only to be told that he had to order through the Chinese super app WeChat.

What is Wechat? Where can I get this Wechat? asked the bewildered man, apparently choking in tears.

City officials followed up after a clip of the exchange circulated tens of thousands of times online and said they have sent supplies such as milk and rice to the man, but many remain unsatisfied.

He is not alone, a user on Chinas Twitter-like Weibo commented under the officials post. He represents a segment of society.

Hong Ning, Gu Xiaohua, and Li Xi contributed to this report.
Collins Will Vote for Judge Jacksons Confirmation to SCOTUS

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) will reportedly vote to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS), giving Jackson at least one Republican vote.

Collins told The New York Times that after a March 29 meeting with Jackson, President Joe Bidens pick to replace outgoing Justice Stephen Breyer, her concerns were alleviated and that shell give Jackson her support. She is the only Republican to commit to voting for Jackson.

I have decided to support the confirmation of Judge Jackson to be a member of the Supreme Court, she said. In recent years, senators on both sides of the aisle have gotten away from what I perceive to be the appropriate process for evaluating judicial nominees.

In my view, the role under the Constitution assigned to the Senate is to look at the credentials, experience, and qualifications of the nominee. It is not to assess whether a nominee reflects the individual ideology of a senator or would vote exactly as an individual senator would want.

There can be no question that she is qualified to be a Supreme Court justice.

Collins was one of only three Republicans in the Senate who supported Jacksons ascent to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in June 2021. Under President Donald Trump, Collins supported the confirmations of Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, but voted against confirming Justice Amy Coney Barrett because of the proximity of the 2020 election.

Over the course of four days of contentious hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, Republican senators grilled Jackson for her allegedly soft-on-crime attitude toward criminals, accused her of being too lenient in her sentencing of child porn offenders, and pushed her to expand on her judicial philosophy.

The last point was an especially contentious one among Republicans, who generally lean in favor of limited interpretations of the Constitution, such as originalism, which calls for the Constitution to be interpreted in the way that the Founders intended, and textualism, which calls for a fairly narrow reading of the text of the document itself.

Jackson erred away from articulating such a judicial philosophy, saying instead that she has a methodology of litigation that could vary on a case-by-case basis.

Out of all potential swing voters on the Republican side of the aisle, Collins was widely regarded as the one most likely to break away from her party and vote in favor of Jackson. While observers have mused on the possibility of other potential defectors, Collins has thus far been the only one to commit resolutely to voting for Jackson.

Another potential swing vote is Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who has shown himself to be willing to break with Republicans in the past over various issues.

On March 29, Romney, who opposed Jacksons confirmation to the D.C. Circuit Appeals Court last summer, said he has undertaken a much deeper dive into Jacksons record ahead of the Senate floor vote, which will take place sometime after April 4.

In this case, as well, shes gone into much more depth talking about her judicial philosophy than she had before. And were, of course, looking at her judicial record, as a district judge and as an appellate judge, in far more depth than we had before, Romney said, referencing a common Republican concern over Jacksons confirmation.

I think in the final analysis, well each be able to make our decision based upon our personal interviews with Judge Jackson and with the results that come from these hearings.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of three Republicans who supported Jacksons nomination to the D.C. Circuit last summer, has also refrained from committing either way, but he has indicated that hell vote against Jacksons SCOTUS confirmation.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), considered the second most likely swing vote by some, has also remained uncommitted, but has suggested that Jacksons track record on child pornography cases is worth looking into.

If it really is a pattern, thats something I think we should be paying attention to, Murkowski said. If its an issue of one-offs that have been hyped into more than that, I think thats something we need to try to discern.

On the Democrats side of the aisle, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) was considered the most likely to vote against Jacksons confirmation. However, the West Virginia Democrat confirmed on March 25 that hell support Jackson.

With Collins commitment to vote for the nominee, Jackson is on track to receive a thinly-bipartisan confirmation to the Supreme Court.

Because Judiciary Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) requested that the committee vote on Jackson be held for one week, she wont head to the floor until April 4 at the earliest.
My beautiful 91-year-old mother stood in the kitchen staring at the onion in her hand, not knowing what to do with it. She was a few years into living with dementia and had recently started divesting all she wouldnt need in the next life. Reading, writing, knitting, her favorite TV programs, conversations with friendsall had gone. On that day, her encroaching incapacity also claimed cooking.

Providing had been so essential to my mothers mothering that both she and I lost much that day. I could barely see her through my tears as the realization that she could no longer care for herself, let alone me, hit home.

My mums meals had nurtured me throughout my life. She had produced them in abundance when I thoughtlessly brought friends home for dinner unexpectedly, and she had left them in my apartment to entice me to eat after my partner died, and again when I was recovering from cancer. I had looked forward to them when I came home from school, from university, from work. When I popped in for lunch on Saturdays, I always found my favorite foodlentilswaiting for me. The Greeks have a way of cooking it with rice and fried onions that elevates that humble pulse into something utterly delicious. My mums was the best of the best.

Food is memory. More than music or books, it has the power to transport us to a different time and place. A Greek pastry called tahinopita, for instance, reunites me with my 5-year-old self and my bapoumy grandfatherwho always bought me one when I visited. Cypriot potatoes, roasted with bay leaves and oregano, remind me of my yiayiamy granny.

Countering these are the unpleasant recollections of school dinners. To this day, I only have to stand in front of the instant foods shelf in the supermarket to feel that cold dollop of instant mash sitting unswallowable on my tongue; the sodden, aluminum-flavored peas; and the nausea and snotty tears they induced when I was made to eat them.

This inextricable link between food and memory can be traced to survival needs, writes anthropologist John S. Allen, author of The Omnivorous Mind: Our Evolving Relationship with Food.

Finding food is so important to survival that the hippocampus is primed to form memories about and around food. In other words, to survive, our ancestors had to memorize where the best hunting groundand therefore the best source of foodwas, thereby creating a neural pathway that would forever bind together memory and sustenance.

The connection is so powerful that it even has a name: the Proust phenomenon, named after the writer Marcel Proust, who, in his book A La Recherche du Temps Perdu (In Search of Lost Time) described how the scent and taste of a tea-soaked madeleine cake took the narrator back to the past.

Lorrie Forsyth, a clinical psychologist at Maggies, a cancer charity that provides free support and advice to people with cancer and their families in the UK, Tokyo, Barcelona, and Hong Kong, said our food memories are so transportive because they run deep along multiple channels. Eating is multi-sensory. It stimulates all our sensestaste, smell, sight, touch, and hearingand so cements and then triggers recollections on every level.

This realization recently led me to take a new approach to caring for my mother: The meals I made her needed to awaken not only her tiny appetite but also her memories of precious times. Despite being well into middle age, I had never explored the rich heritage of Greek cuisine. For years, I had felt life was too short to stuff a vine leaf to make dolmades. Now, with my mum approaching the finishing line, I realized it was too short not to.

On a recent work trip to Greece, I therefore booked some lessons with Vasilis Moschotas, the head chef at the gastronomy-led MarBella Elix, a five-star hotel in the olive-rich region of Epirus.

My intention had been to learn to make my mums favorites: dolmades, vine leaves stuffed with mincemeat and rice; kioftedes, meatballs flavored with herbs and spices; and pastichio, an oven-baked macaroni dish smothered in full-fat, cheesy bechamel. Ahead of my visit, I emailed my ambitious menu plans, but when we met, Moschotas asked about my mothers eating habits. Talking about what and how she ate, I saw that I had already left it too lateall but the simplest foods had become indigestible, and her worn-out taste buds could only pick up the basicssalt, sweet, sour, and bitter foods.

And so, Moschotas and I settled on two pastries, one salty, one sweet. First, there was spanakopita, filled with feta and spinach, and then sweet, nutty, syrupy baklava. Back in London, I have made both for my mum. By far and away the most rewarding aspect of my attempts is that each one is an exercise in love. My mum sits in the kitchen as I bustle about, watching me, as I once watched her.

As Forsyth said, Food evokes feelings of belonging, of being part of somethingbe that a family, a celebration, a friendship, a relationshipand awakens recollections that are incredibly powerful and vivid. It is a vehicle that takes us back to the time when that association was made. Often those memories will be ones we cherish, and can derive comfort from.

My mother and I have come full circle. The nurturer is now the nurtured; the parent is the child; the child the parent. The same plates, the same food, the same stories she once told me to coax me to eat, now come from me. Im still creating food memories, but now they are only for me. In times to come, when my mother is no longer with me, I hope I will be able to draw sustenance from them.

The writers stay at the MarBella Elix was hosted by the hotel and Olympic Holidays.

Fakhes moutzentraCypriot lentils with riceelevates the humble pulse into something utterly delicious. No two people make this Cypriot staple in quite the same way. (Jens Almroth/The Epoch Times)

Cypriot Lentils With Rice (Fakhes Moutzentra)

How can a dish with so few ingredients lend itself to such variation in taste and texture? Because no two people make this Cypriot staple in quite the same way. I use a lot more onion than many recipes allow, and also cook my lentils for longer, but have reduced both here to bring the recipe more into line with others.

Feel free to experiment. Some people like to add a bay leaf, cumin, or lemon juice. Creating your own version is part of the fun.

Serves 4 to 6 (Unless you are me, in which case, it serves just 1)

1 cup brown lentils

4 cups water

1/4 cup short-grain rice

1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and black pepper to taste

Give the lentils a quick wash, and then boil in a pot of water for 10 minutes. Strain, add enough fresh water just to cover the lentils, and bring to a boil again.

Once boiling, add the rice, lower the heat, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the rice is soft. Dont let your pan run drykeep topping up with a little water if needed, but dont overdo it.

In the meantime, fry your onions in the olive oil until they are golden brown.

When the rice and lentils are cooked, add the onions, mix well, season to taste, and serve.

Adapted from GroupRecipes.com
A young father introduced his infant daughter to an 86-year-old widower, and the resulting relationship has been mutually life-changing.

In a moving moment captured on video, Floyd, who recently lost his wife, meets baby Brinley Kindle for the first time. Brinleys father, Camerin Kindle, 22, brought the baby to visit Floyd at an Idaho assisted-living facility where the elderly man currently resides.

You could just see light being brought to his eyes, Camerin told The Epoch Times.

Camerins mother, who works at the assisted-living facility where Floyd lives, had told her son about him. Having lost his wife, Floyd was in a pretty dark place. So, Camerins mother urged her son to bring the baby for a visit, in the hopes that it would encourage and lighten Floyds mood.

The first time Floyd was introduced to 6-month-old Brinley, he had no idea that he was being recorded on video, but according to Camerin, he instantly took Brinley to be his own granddaughter.

(Courtesy of Camerin Kindle)

Since then, Camerin, Brinley, and Floyd have created some precious memories together. Floyd and the baby have developed an unbreakable bond.

Sometimes when Camerin stops by for a visit, Brinley just falls asleep in Floyds arms. On other occasions, they have done things like watch the Superbowl together, and even venture out for a trip to the local ice cream shop. Floyd, who insisted on buying the ice cream during their outing, cradled baby Brinley as if she were his own granddaughter.

(Courtesy of Camerin Kindle)

What started as a simple visit a while ago has now blossomed into a relationship with the quality and character of a true family. Camerin now even considers him to be Grandpa Floyd.

On a regular basis, Camerin and baby Brinley visit Grandpa Floyd at least once or twice a week. The elderly mans face lights up each time he sees them.

Camerin also said its not unusual for the newfound grandfather to proudly boast about his granddaughter, or to show an innocent and endearing protectiveness when it comes to sharing Brinley with the others at the assisted-living facility.

(Courtesy of Camerin Kindle)

The trio has become family. When Floyd thanks Camerin for visiting, the young man gently rebuffs him, reminding him that its not needed, since hes grandpa, and bringing her to visit him is something that will happen forever.

You dont have to be fully related to someone to be their family, Camerin said.

Although the regular visits are for a brief period of time, the joy that the newfound relationship adds to Floyds life is meaningful.

I feel like its adding years to his life, Camerin said. Its something you cant buy at the store.

The beautiful relationship between Floyd and Brinley has tugged at the heartstrings of netizens after Camerin shared the video on his social media accounts. Additionally, a flood of encouragement and support has poured in for Floyd in the wake of the loss of his wife.

Through sharing this video, Camerin wants to deliver the message that humanity is still alive.

He shared: Whatever you can do, it may impact someones life more than you think it could.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Bright newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference held at the Assault Brigade 2506 Honorary Museum in Hialeah, Fla., on Aug. 5, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

DeSantis Vetoes New Congressional Maps Approved by Florida Legislature

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday vetoed the states newly drawn congressional map and called for a special session to redraw them in April.

The Republican governor claimed the congressional map, which was submitted by both chambers of the Legislature, violated the 14th Amendment.

We have a responsibility to produce maps for our citizens that do not contain unconstitutional racial gerrymanders, DeSantis said in a statement. Today, I vetoed a map that violates the U.S. Constitution, but that does not absolve the Legislature from doing its job. I appreciate the Legislatures willingness to work with me to pass a legally compliant map.

The veto puts more pressure on the Republican-dominated Legislature to approve a map and resolve any resulting lawsuits before the June 13 to 17 qualifying period for federal candidates. Florida is also creating a new 28th district because of population growth.

In their, I guess, understandable zeal to try to comply with what they believe the Florida constitution required, they forgot to make sure what they were doing complied with the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution, DeSantis said.

DeSantis in early March vowed to veto the new set of congressional districting maps approved by the Florida Legislature.

I will veto the congressional reapportionment plan currently being debated by the House. DOA, DeSantis wrote on Twitter.

Republicans currently have 16 congressional seats while Democrats have 11.

Earlier, the governor proposed a congressional map that would create 20 Republican districts and eight Democratic districts. The latest congressional map submitted by both chambers of the Legislature would have created 18 Republican districts and 10 Democratic districts.

The Senate had approved a map in January that would retain the GOPs 16 congressional seats. However, DeSantis asked the state Supreme Court to determine whether black Rep. Al Lawsons (D-Fla.) district, which combines the two black neighborhoods of Jacksonville and Tallahassee, was constitutional. After the court declined DeSantiss request, the governor made it clear that he would veto any map that retained Lawsons seat.

DeSantis has said he wont sign a congressional map that includes an unconstitutional gerrymander. Gerrymandering involves manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency to favor a specific class or party. Ryan Newman, DeSantis attorney, has called Lawsons congressional district an illegal gerrymander.

A Special Session of the Florida Legislature is now set to convene from April 19 to April 22 to draft a new map.

The Epoch Times has contacted DeSantis office for additional comment.

Naveen Athrappully and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Drugmaker Increases Supply of Radiation Sickness Medicine

The Tanner Pharma Group announced on Tuesday that the company would be increasing the European supply of Leukinea drug used to treat radiation sicknessamid renewed threats of nuclear conflict as a result of Russias ongoing war in Ukraine.

In a statement released on March 24, the Tanner Pharma Group said it was expanding the availability of Leukine throughout Europe in collaboration with Partner Therapeutics (which owns the patent for Leukine).

In response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Tanner is supporting preparedness and response in Europe by increasing the local inventory of Leukine that can be rapidly deployed in response to an emergency, said Banks Bourne, CEO and founder of Tanner Pharma.

Leukine, a drug commonly used in the treatment of cancer patients, was approved by the FDA in 2018 to treat Acute Radiation Syndrome, the scientific name of the condition more commonly known as radiation sickness.

Leukine was shown to increase survival when administered up to 48 hours after total body irradiation exposure at doses expected to be fatal to 50 percent of those exposed subjects under conditions of minimal supportive care, the FDA said at the time.

The need for drugs offering relief for radiation sickness is not limited to the detonation of a nuclear weapon: as the war has dragged on, concerns have arisen over Ukraines nuclear energy facilities, some of which have been attacked and captured by Russian forces during the war effort. While experts generally agree the risk is low of a disaster befalling these plants, the consequences of such an event would be apocalyptic for the surrounding areas.

The threat of a nuclear disaster looms especially large in the Ukrainian national memory, as the nation was host to the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in the waning years of the Soviet Union. While most of the fallout from the disaster ended up in neighboring Belarus, the beleaguered Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was not unspared from the woes of Chernobyl.

The news from Tanner Pharma Group is part of a trend that sees Europeans spending more on precautionary measures as they brace for the worst possible outcome of the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe.

Earlier this month, the government of Romania announced it will be distributing 30 million iodine pillsanother common medicine that treats radiation poisoningas it prepares for the nightmare of nuclear fallout drifting through the plains of Wallachia.

At the same time, countries throughout Europe are ramping up military spending, preparing for the event of military conflict with Putins Russia. The trend is most severe in Germany, where Chancellor Olaf Scholz committed to raising his nations military spending to 2 percent of economic outputits highest proportion in over three decades.

In the best scenario, all of this preparation will have been unnecessary. While the threat of nuclear war is higher now than it was a year ago, it still remains an extreme contingency. Nonetheless, the mere ghost of a threat of heightened aggression is enough to occasion such defensive measures, and with its new announcement, the Tanner Pharma Group has joined the ranks of companies rising to meet the demand for protective measures against the most unwanted contingencies of the RussoUkrainian war.
Perrin Beatty, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and former defence minister, speaks during a news conference held by the Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable at the Ottawa Airport, in Ottawa on June 14, 2021. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

Efforts Needed to Avoid Using Emergencies Act Again in Similar Circumstances, Says Acts Creator

The creator of the Emergencies Act would not say if its Feb. 14 invocation by the Liberal government was justified to deal with the Freedom Convoy protests and blockades, but he said it is such a blunt tool that efforts should be made to avoid using it in similar circumstances in the future.

Perrin Beatty, who created the Act that was adopted in 1988 while serving as defence minister under Brian Mulroney, testified before the Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency on March 29.

Beatty focused his interventions on the intention that guided the creation of the act as he addressed the committee formed of MPs and senators.

He explained that the previous War Measures Act, invoked during the two World Wars and the 1970 FLQ crisis, was drastic, could not be challenged in court, and did not protect civil liberties.

He said the Emergencies Act of 1988 replaced it to better protect civil liberties, including those enshrined in the charter of 1982, and to provide parliamentary oversight.

Beatty did not say if he believed invoking the act was justified, citing having not seen sufficient evidence, but said that even if its determined it was, parliamentarians should not be satisfied.

Even if you find that invoking the act was warranted, you should work to make it unnecessary if we face similar circumstances again, he said.

Now that its been used, it becomes easier to invoke. You must not define down the threshold at which extraordinary powers are used to curtail civil liberties.

Beatty said if the act was useful to compel towing companies to remove trucks in Ottawa, then provisions of the sort should be added to Ontarios emergency powers.

If the act allowed the swearing-in of a large number of police officers to clear the Ottawa protest, then current legislation should be amended to facilitate such a measure, without having to resort to declaring a national emergency, he said.

Different police agencies have testified before House of Commons committees in recent weeks that the act gave them additional tools that made them more effective.

Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Thomas Carrique called it an extremely valuable tool when testifying before the House public safety committee on March 24.

Beatty warned against taking the usefulness of the act as a mark of success.

The act clearly made the work of the authorities easier. The issue, however, is not whether it helped the police, but whether the powers they already had could have resolved the problem. The concern is necessity, not efficiency, he said.

Careful not to delve into politics, and making calls to keep the review process free of partisanship, Beatty did raise the hypothesis of invoking the act having a political effect.

Invoking the act set a clear message that our political leaders expected the police to do their jobs. But does that make the invocation primarily political, instead of to provide law enforcement with essential powers that they previously lacked? Would that meet the criteria for invoking the act?

Beatty encouraged the committee to study the evidence used to justify invoking the act, including the Ontario Provincial Police assessment that deemed the movement a threat to national security around Feb. 7.

I hope youll insist on seeing that assessment, and will evaluate the quality of the intelligence on which it was based, he said.

The former defence minister, who is now the CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, also said the committee should look not only at the invocation of the act, but also at the circumstances that led to it.

Leaders of all political backgrounds need to ask how we got to this point. The police were called upon to deal with a breakdown in our political system, he said. If were to avoid much more serious emergencies in the future, we must restore a civility to our politics that allows us once again to disagree strongly on issues without seeing one another as enemies.

At the end of the meeting, Conservative Sen. Claude Carignan thanked Beatty for sharing all his wisdom. Clearly were missing him, because Im sure if he were here, we wouldnt have had the Emergencies Act declared, he said.

The government invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time on Feb. 14 to deal with cross-country protests and blockades demanding the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions.

It was eventually only applied to clear the site of the Ottawa protest on the weekend of Feb. 18 and was revoked on Feb. 23. Unprecedented measures such as the freezing of protesters financial accounts without a court order were applied, as well as suspending the right of peaceful assembly in a designated area.
Emirates Will Continue Flying to Russia as Long as UAE Government Requires It To: President

Emirates airlines will continue flying passengers to Russia so long as its owner requires it to do so, the carriers President Tim Clark said on March 29, while noting that western sanctions against the Kremlin are not directed at the citizens of the country.

The Dubai-based international carrier, which is owned by the UAE Government, has been using Emirates aircraft to carry humanitarian goods and fly diplomats in and out of Russia.

Clark was attending the World Government Summit in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, when he was asked why the airline continues to fly to Russia.

Well there are two reasons for this, Clark said. Obviously the ownership has not directed us to do otherwise, so as long as we are not told not to operate to Russia, we will continue to do so. But dont forget, these sanctions are not against the Russian people, the Russian citizens, they still are people like you and me, and they want to be able to travel.

There are lots of reasons why we fly, we carry humanitarian goods in our holds. Weve got NGOs traveling in and out of Russia. Weve got the diplomatic community going in and out of Russia  so all were doing is being an enabler, facilitator, without taking a political position on this for the time being, Clark continues.

So as long as the state, our owner, requires us to fly there, we will continue, the carriers President added.

Emirates is one of the few airlines still operating in Russia after a string of other carriers pulled flights to the country after Western nations imposed a series of sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

British airlines have been banned from landing at Russias airports and entering the countrys airspace in response to the UK closing its airspace to Russian airlines, including Aeroflot.

The Netherlands chief airline KLM has also canceled all flights to Russia, as has Turkeys low-cost Pegasus Airlines, German airline Lufthansa, Swiss International Airlines, along with a string of others, many of which have cited operational risks and sanctions.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates is yet to condemn Russia for the invasion of Ukraine and has not imposed sanctions against the country.

Clark later told reporters at the World Government Summit that Emirates does not allow any sanctioned goods on its airplanes.

When asked about sanctioned individuals, he said, Im not in a position to say who or what about sanctioned individuals. [They] are sanctioned by the West, they may not be sanctioned here, according to Reuters.

Earlier this month, the United Arab Emirates joined China and India in abstaining from a vote at the United Nations resolution condemning Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed has also called for a peaceful solution to the Ukraine crisis in a way that guarantees the interests and national security of all parties.

Clark told the summit on Tuesday that the conflict in Ukraine was a serious issue that could impact the civil aviation industry and the global economy but said he believed there is still a resolution.

If this gets sorted sooner rather than later the pressure of globalization, the pressure of demand from multiple sectors within the global economy will be such that we can get through this. The longer it goes on, the more difficult it becomes to deal with, he said.
Ex-Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng (C) arrives for his criminal trial, at the United States Courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, on Feb. 22, 2022. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

Ex-Goldman Bankers Wife Testifies in Husbands Defense at 1MDB Trial

NEW YORKThe wife of former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng on Monday testified in her husbands defense at a U.S. trial over the looting of hundreds of millions of dollars from Malaysias 1MDB sovereign wealth fund between 2009 and 2014.

Ng, Goldmans former chief for Malaysia, is charged with conspiring to launder money and violate an anti-corruption law. Prosecutors say he helped his former boss Tim Leissner embezzle money from 1MDB, launder the proceeds and bribe officials to win business for Goldman.

Ng, 49, has pleaded not guilty. He argues that some $35 million he received from Leissner, which prosecutors characterize as kickbacks from the scheme, was actually the proceeds of a legitimate business venture between the two mens wives.

Ngs wife, Hwee Bin Lim, testified on Monday that shortly after Ng began working for Leissner in the mid-2000s, she invested 48 million yuanabout $6 million at the timeat a Chinese company owned by the family of Leissners wife, Judy Chan.

Lims testimony came on the second day of the defenses case in the trial, which began in early February.

Lim said she and Chan had a falling out in 2011, and Chan told her to divest her share, which had appreciated substantially. In 2012, Chan told her she was ready to transfer $26 million, Lim testified.

When asked by Ngs lawyer Marc Agnifilo if the money Chan said she would send to Lim came from 1MDB, Lim replied, Not at all.

It had to come from Judy and her family, Lim said.

A lawyer for Chan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Leissner, who in 2018 pleaded guilty to similar charges, testified in February that the investment Lim made in Chans Chinese business was a cover story that he and Ng concocted to explain the kickback payment so that the banks processing the funds would not grow suspicious.

The charges stem from one of the biggest financial scandals in history, in which U.S. prosecutors say $4.5 billion of the $6.5 billion Goldman raised for 1MDB was diverted to government officials, bankers and their associates through bribes and kickbacks.

Goldman in 2020 paid a nearly $3 billion fine and arranged for its Malaysian unit to plead guilty in U.S. court.

By Luc Cohen
In this screenshot, an ad for Shen Yun Performing Arts's Australian tour is obscured by a Facebook notification that says 'You can't share at the moment,' obtained by The Epoch Times on March 28, 2022. (Screenshot by The Epoch Times)

Facebook Says Bug Preventing Sharing of Shen Yun Ads

In the days and weeks leading up to Shen Yun Performing Arts Australian tour, which kicks off in the countrys capital, Canberra, on March 31, fans and ticket-holders have reported that Facebook has restricted their ability to share the companys ad posts on the social media platform.

Just so you know, I have tried twice to share, and both times [Ive] been told: To prevent any misuse, weve temporarily restricted your ability to use this feature on Facebook. You can try again later. Have you turned off the share feature  ? Facebook user Marie Louise wrote as a comment on a Shen Yun post in March.

A second user, Gail Klement, reported the same problem two weeks earlier: I tried also [and] it wouldnt let me. It gave me the option of disagreeing with [Facebooks] decision, so I did.

Beautiful dance form, she added, referring to the art form of classical Chinese dance at the heart of the New York-based companys performances.

Thank you for trying! Shen Yun replied to both users. Many people have reported this same problem. Please report this to Facebook. You can alternatively post our homepage.

In this screenshot, two Facebook users inform Shen Yun Performing Arts that Facebook has restricted their ability to share a Shen Yun ad post, obtained by The Epoch Times on March 29, 2022.

In this screenshot, a Facebook ad for Shen Yuns upcoming performances in Melbourne and Bendigo display a restriction when a user attempts to share the post, obtained by The Epoch Times on March 25, 2022. (Screenshot by The Epoch Times)

The Epoch Times, which is a media partner to Shen Yun, became aware of the problem when staff received the same notification when attempting to share an ad promoting Shen Yuns upcoming performances in Melbourne and Bendigo in the state of Victoria from April 22 to May 1.

A spokesperson for Meta, Facebooks parent company, confirmed the issue was due to a bug in the system.

There is a technical bug which is preventing people from sharing this video. It has been escalated to our engineering team to investigate and resolve, the spokesperson for Meta told The Epoch Times on March 29.

It is not clear if the bug confirmed by Meta is related only to the particular ad reported to the tech giant or if it included other Shen Yun ads which fans had reported to the dance company.

However, after flagging the move last year, on Jan. 19, Meta took steps to restrict options for advertisers on topics people may perceive as sensitive, such as options referencing causes, organisations, or public figures that relate to health, race or ethnicity, political affiliation, religion, or sexual orientation.

On that note, Shen Yuns 2022 ads tell potential audiences that what it presents on stage is China before communism, making the dance companys ads a sensitive topic for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Curtain call at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver on March 25, 2022. (Hugh Zhao/The Epoch Times)

In fact, the CCP has often sought to keep people from experiencing Shen Yun all around the world by intimidating theatre managers, pressuring local governments, and spreading misinformation.

This is because the mission of Shen Yuns elite dancers, musicians, and artistswho came together in New York to form the company in 2006is to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, which had come close to extinction after 70 years under the atheistic CCP, which deemed Chinas ancient Buddhist and Daoist spiritual heritage an ideological threat.

In fact, many Shen Yun performers have endured persecution under Chinas communist regime for practising Falun Dafa, a spiritual discipline with moral teachings centred on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, tolerance, and meditative exercises.

Amid pressure from the CCP, Shen Yuns dancers declare they are bringing authentic Chinese culture back to life, and within its two-hour show, they present legendary tales from history, ethnic folk dances, solo performances, and also story-based pieces that depict vignettes of communist oppression in modern-day China.

Shen Yun has performed to millions in sold-out venues such as the Lincoln Center in New York, Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., and Palais de Congres in Paris.

Shen Yun will perform in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Bendigo, Adelaide, Gold Coast, and Toowoomba this year.

The technical bug preventing fans from sharing Shen Yuns ads in the lead up to its Australian tour comes amid accusations the tech giant has censored topics sensitive to the CCP, such as its persecution of faith-based groups like Falun Dafa.

Earlier in March, two Chinese Australian women, one a celebrated jewellery entrepreneur and the other an influential, independent China watcher and authorwho both practise Falun Dafareported that Meta had restricted their accounts as well.

In both instances, Meta investigated the issues, and most of the restrictions were removed after gaining media attention.
Attorney Lance Ivey (L) speaks with Jill Sanchez, the niece of Carol Wright, during a news conference at the Royal Park Bridge in West Palm Beach, Fla., on March 28, 2022. (Joe Cavaretta/Sun Sentinel/TNS)

Family of Woman Who Plunged to Her Death Off Drawbridge Sues Demanding Changes in Safety Procedures

By Eileen Kelley

From South Florida Sun-Sentinel

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.Drawbridge tender Artiussa Paulk tried to hijack the truth, creating a false narrative when she told police blame falls squarely on Carol Wright, the woman who in February plunged to her death after Paulk opened the drawbridge she was crossing, Wrights family attorney said.

But police found no evidence that Wright darted under the crossing gate with her bicycle nor was the 79-year-old bending over to grab a cellphone, as Paulk claimed to police, effectively placing Wright in danger and out of Paulks sight. The bridge tender also falsely claimed to police to have walked around the balcony of the bridge tower multiple times to make sure the movable spans were cleared of people and cars before raising the bridge, attorney Lance Ivey said Monday when he announced he filed a wrongful death suit against Paulk and the company that hired her, Florida Drawbridges, Inc..

Wright, who would have turned 80 next month, was considered a pioneering journalist for her time. She spent many years at the Palm Beach Daily News, known locally as the Shiny Sheet.

(She was) iron-willed and a reliable person. And she always had something of value to add to a conversation. She was a quiet giver, Ivey said. On Feb. 6 2022, all those attributes were stolen, stolen from Carol, stolen from the family in a painful, disturbing, and violent way.

And within moments as Carol lies on the concrete surface below, a scheme was hatched to hijack the truth about what really happened. An attempt to perpetuate a fraud to change the legacy of everything that Carol earned for 79 years, Ivey said. That scheme was that the bridge tender followed all safety protocols to the letter T. And that Carol through her own recklessness caused her own death.

The suit not only seeks monetary damages, but also seeks changes in policies and procedures to prevent another deadly tragedy.

Paulk was arrested March 15 on a manslaughter with culpable negligence charge. Last week, the South Florida Sun Sentinel detailed how Paulks false narrative unraveled after police in West Palm Beach scoured through hours of bridge surveillance videos and obtained a search warrant to review Paulks text messages.

This story appeared to go as planned until an elite group of investigators got involved. That was the beginning of the end of this hoax, Ivey said.

What investigators learned was that Paulk never stepped outside the bridge tenders tower to visually scan the Royal Park Bridge before opening it just after 1 p.m. on Feb. 6, and that Paulk never announced the bridge was opening nor were the lights and crossing gates activated as Wright was crossing on the movable part of the bridge in direct line of sight of the tower. After Wright plunged about 60 feet to her death, police records say Paulk was instructed by her supervisor to lie about her actions before opening the bridge and to delete the text messages. Those deleted messages were retrieved.

Paulk and her supervisor Kathie Harper were fired the day after the newspapers report.

Ivey said he spoke with former bridge tenders at Florida Drawbridges and that helped him formulate a list of proposed changes. Weve learned that its not the waters, but the bridges that are troubling this paradise, Ivey said.

The suit is asking Florida Drawbridges to:

Ensure that bridge tenders are using intercom announcements and visually inspecting the bridges prior to opening and that there is increased supervision of bridge tenders.

Install sensors that are similar to a safety mechanism on garage doors, to detect the presence of a person or object in harms way.

Increase the education, training, experience, benefits and pay of bridge tenders to make it more commiserate with the importance of the job.

Hire additional well-qualified bridge tenders so they are not compelled to work multiple shifts in a row nor required to work more than seven days in a row without a day off.

Encourage and support legislation that would create additional policies, procedures, penalties, and oversight for the operation of drawbridges.

2022 South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Visit sun-sentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Ford Challenged on Both Left and Right as Election Campaign Gains Steam

The Ontario election campaign has kicked into gear with parties holding events, picking slogans, launching campaign ads, and presenting their candidates ahead of the June 2 vote.

While incumbent Doug Fords main challenge will come from the left, new faces on the right could pull away traditional Ontario Progressive Conservative voters.

Ford released a campaign ad on March 26 in which he introduces his slogan Get it done and is shown visiting communities and workplaces.

His Ontario PC party hasnt yet released a platform, but on Twitter on March 22 Ford signalled his intention to build the roads, highways and public transit needed to unlock our full economic potential and keep our province moving forward.

Ford has also made major announcements in recent days, such as the $10-a-day child care deal with the federal government worth $13.2 billion, and the breaking of ground for the Ontario Line subway system.

NDP leader Andrea Horwath speaks at the legislature at Queens Park on May 12, 2020. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)

The Ontario NDP, which currently forms the official opposition, will be hosting an outdoor campaign event in Toronto on April 3, to be attended by party leader Andrea Horvath.

The NDPs website features a number of issues likely to make it into its platform, such as raising the minimum wage to $20. Fords government recently increased the minimum wage from $14.35 to $15.

The former ruling Liberals, now headed by Steven Del Duca and holding just 7 out of 124 seats, held an event in Toronto on March 26 and has unveiled the partys economic platform. Promises include raising the minimum wage to $16, providing 10 paid sick days per year for all Ontario workers, and banning underpaid gig and contract work.

Ontario Liberal Party Leader Steven Del Duca speaks at the convention in Mississauga, Ont., on March 7, 2020. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press)

The indoor event was packed, and some pointed out how nobody wore a mask. The mask mandate in Ontario ended on March 15, and while Del Duca said he accepts the advice of Ontarios chief medical officer, he said in a March 9 statement that he opposes the lifting of mask requirements in schools.

At least four Liberal candidates took to Twitter after the event to apologize for not wearing a mask, despite not being required to wear one. The federal Liberals also still wear masks during House of Commons sittings even though they are not required to by House rules.

On the Right

Independent MPP Roman Baber, who was expelled from the Ontario PCs for challenging restrictive COVID-19 policies, is now competing in the federal Conservative Party leadership race.

Belinda Karahalios, another MPP expelled from the Ontario PCs for challenging the pandemic-related extension of emergency powers in July 2020, is running under the banner of the New Blue Party, which is led by her husband, Jim Karahalios.

The party says it has candidates in 118 of 124 ridings, and its taking a stance against big government and left-wing ideologies.

Ontarios establishment political parties are entrenched in radical left-wing ideology that seeks to socially re-engineer our province through tax-and-spend economics, government overreach, and crony capitalism, reads the partys mission statement.

The Ontario legislatures front entrance at Queens Park is seen in Toronto, Friday, June 18, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Chris Young)

Its time to get our province working again by empowering individuals, strengthening our democracy, defending taxpayers, promoting small businesses, and standing up for faith and families.

The Ontario Party, a social conservative party formed in 2018 whose slogan is Freedom, Family, and Faith, is headed by former Conservative MP Derek Sloan, who was expelled in January 2021 by then-leader Erin OToole.

Sloan ran for leadership of the Conservative Party in 2020 and competed unsuccessfully as an independent candidate for an Alberta riding in the federal election in September 2021.

The Ontario Party currently has one seat in the legislature, which is held by Rick Nicholls, another MPP expelled from the Ontario PC, in his case for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Nicholls began sitting as an independent in August 2021. He subsequently joined the Ontario Party in December.

Theyre pro-family, theyre pro liberty, he told CBC at the time. That was one of the main reasons why I chose to attach my name to them and join the party.

The Ontario Party says it currently has over 70 candidates for the upcoming election. Former Freedom Convoy spokesperson and military veteran Tom Marazzo is running in Peterborough-Kawartha.

Outspoken independent MPP Randy Hillier had formed the Ontario First Party in December 2021essentially the provincial affiliate of the federal Peoples Party of Canada (PPC)which was later rebranded as the Populist Party of Ontario (PPO). However, Hillier isnt running for re-election. and the PPO is also not a registered party.

Hillier was involved in the Freedom Convoy protest movement and has been charged with a list of offences. He was released on March 28 on bail with conditions, including a prohibition on commenting on social media about mask and vaccine mandates.

PPC leader Maxime Bernier said in December that the Ontario conservative parties should join forces and unite against Ford, but this did not materialize.
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during their meeting on the sidelines of a BRICS summit in Brasilia, Brazil, on Nov. 13, 2019. (Ramil Sitdikov/Sputnik/Kremlin via Reuters)

Foreign Investors Are Cutting China Exposure

Commentary

Are global investors rethinking their allocation to China?

Initial data suggest just thatinvestors have been pulling money out of China at a dramatic pace since Russias invasion of Ukraine in February.

The Institute of International Finance (IIF) noted in a recent report that investors cut their exposure to Chinese stocks and bonds at an unprecedented rate in February, even as flows into the rest of the emerging markets (excluding China) have held up.

The timing of outflowswhich built after Russias invasion of Ukrainesuggests foreign investors may be looking at China in a new light, though it is premature to draw any definitive conclusions, the IIF note reads.

It behooves institutional investors to examine not just whats happening in the markets today, but what the global economic environment may look like years into the future.

Most Wall Street investment banks have announced that theyll pull out of their Russian businesses. U.S. banks including JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs announced that theyll wind down their businesses in Russia. European banks such as Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas have followed suit. Credit Suisse, after some initial hesitation, has announced that it too will pull out of Russiaalthough not before catching the ire of U.S. regulators, which have begun a probe into whether it had followed U.S. sanctions.

Banking and investments are businesses centered mainly around trust. One cant lose the trust of ones clients by making head-scratching decisions.

Outside of a few intrepid hedge funds looking to snap up Russian investments on the cheapmaking a gamble, effectivelymost money managers are wise to follow the crowd and exit Russia. They wont win the idea of the year award, but it also wont jeopardize their jobs.

Then theres China.

China is the worlds No. 2 economy and owns a massivethough largely untamedfinancial market that Western investors have just recently begun to tap into.

Beijing is also Russias closest economic and ideological ally and is trying to thread an impossibly fine needle by refusing to criticize Russias actions, yet attempting to maintain normal trade relations with the United States and the West.

For now, this balancing act is ongoing. But the astute smart money may be looking a few steps ahead. We can see the broad construct of a new global dichotomy beginning to form, perhaps not as deep as during the Cold War, but certainly familiar enough.

It may seem far-fetched today, but if the RussiaChina cohort doubles down on the invasion messaging and leverages this opportunity to create an alternative economic order away from the U.S. dollar hegemonywhile prying away a few bystanders such as Saudi Arabia and Indiawill the United States look to truly decouple away from China?

There isnt a definitive answer to that question today, but the last thing investment firms want is to be blindsided without a plan.

Thats exactly the topic of discussion I had recently with a high-level executive at a New York investment firm. His firm isnt pulling out of China yet, but its seriously examining several future scenarios where it may need to, as well as how to execute it with minimal negative effect. In the meantime, it could reduce the size of its bets by cutting some China exposure.

This may be relatively easier to pull off for financial institutions where, besides solving for liquidity controls, the only physical assets may be its people. For a multinational corporation with real assets, manufacturing capacity, and logistics inside China, pulling out is a much more difficult calculus. Thats a costlier gamble, and such companies may be better off diversifying their investments (e.g. near-sourcing) to stay nimble.

Regardless of what the plans are, such plans appear to be in motion.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
General Tod Wolters, U.S. European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, D.C. on March 29, 2022. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

General Clarifies US Not Currently Training Ukrainian Forces in Poland

General Tod Wolters, head of the United States European Command and NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe, appeared to walk back President Joe Bidens remarks that the United States is training Ukrainian forces in Poland.

I do not believe that we are in the process of currently training military forces from Ukraine in Poland, Wolters said on Tuesday.

There are liaisons that are there, Wolters added. Theyre being given advice, and thats different than I think (what) youre referring to with respect to training.

His remarks come after Biden on Monday told reporters that while in Poland last week, he had been talking to U.S. troops who were helping train Ukrainian forces in Poland, something that U.S. officials had previously ruled out.

I was referring to being with, and talking with, the Ukrainian troops that are in Poland, Biden said when pressed again on the issue.

President Joe Biden delivers a speech at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland, on March 26, 2022. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

The Pentagon on Tuesday also clarified that U.S. troops in Poland were liaising with Ukrainian forces as they hand over weapons to them.

Its not training in the classic sense that many people think of training. I would just say its liaising, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

Kirby did not provide details on what exactly the interactions entail or how long they usually lasted. It was not immediately clear whether the distinction between liaising and training had greater significance, as the United States tries to limit any direct military involvement in the war.

The United States and countries from around Europe have largely limited their military support to intelligence sharing and heavy supplies of weaponry to Ukrainian forces, including anti-aircraft and anti-tank systems.

The United States withdrew its military trainers of Ukrainian forces from western Ukraine before Russias invasion, and the training site where they had previously operated near the Ukrainian city of Lviv was subsequently bombed by Russian air-launched cruise missiles earlier this month.

On March 22, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the United States does not have U.S. troops currently training Ukrainians. We do not have U.S. troops on the territory of Ukraine.

The Epoch Times contacted the Biden administration for additional comment but didnt receive a response in time for publication.

Reuters contributed to this report.
How Coercion Compromised the Vaccine

Commentary

The fight over the COVID vaccines has become an epic struggle. Its not just about who should get the shot and how many shots. The fight ever more centers on issues of effectiveness and safety of the product itself.

One group is convinced they are very dangerous for many people. The other side says that the people who say this are crazy, ideologically motivated, and spreading misinformation. Truth is, they say, these vaccines saved a million lives, are perfectly safe, and everyone should accept them, by force if necessary, including a booster and a fourth dose.

You can click all over the internet on issues of vaccine safety and find articles in both directions. There are claims and counterclaims, assertions and fact checks, fact checks on the fact checks, and all of this continues without end. Because causal inference is so extremely difficult, people believe what they want based on political biases.

Meanwhile, the data blizzard is intensifying by the day. Some of it is very alarming. Genevieve Briand of Johns Hopkins University has documented a huge and unusual rise in young and middle-age adult deaths in 2021. The causes are elusive but the trend is undeniable. Many observers immediately blame the vaccine, but there are other potential explanations: collateral public health damage from lockdowns in the form of drugs, alcohol, despair, degraded immune systems, fewer doctors appointments, and general ill-health. Or some combination.

Then theres the VAERS database, which allows doctors and members of the public to file reports of potential vaccine-related adverse events. Weve never seen reports this high. The trouble is that this database isnt science as such: its evidence of how the internet has democratized data collection. This is the first pandemic in which nearly everyone has the tools and power to access the reporting system, and many people are angry about being muscled into taking the vaccine.

This surely builds in a bias. Serious vaccine adverse reactions could get lost among vast numbers of unrelated health outcomes. At the same time, a study of reports from 2007 to 2010 concluded that this system vastly underreported injuries. We are left with the possibility that the system both overreports and underreports.

Then, we have the anecdotes. We all have them. We know people who had no bad effects and those who complain of all sorts of ailments, short and long term, which they trace to the vaccine.

A few weeks ago, there was a court-ordered discovery of vaccine trial documents from Pfizer. They became a Rorschach test of prior belief. In the end, they didnt help that much, and the genuine specialists who tried to sift through the data were shouted down by both sides.

What is true? I would like to know. We all would. We know about the increased risk of myocarditis after taking the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, especially among young men. At the same time, writes Vinay Prasad, the FDA has no reliable data to know for sure that boosting healthy young men provides a health benefit. It is possible to be net harmful.

Sorting it all out will take years of sifting through data. We should prepare ourselves for whatever the data eventually tell us. There are genuine specialists who exist in this area, but most of them have close ties to CDC and/or FDA, who already have a dog in this fight, leaving us with an awkward situation: We dont know whom to trust.

So the polarization continues without end.

Martin Kulldorff and Jay Bhattacharya rightly observe that vaccine fanaticism has bred vaccine skepticism. It also works in reverse. Why has all this become so difficult? Its the coercion. Its the overriding of human agency. The institutions that imposed these mandates already had a huge credibility problem from a year-long fiasco of crazed impositions: closures, masks, capacity limits, sanitization mania, plexiglass, forced separation, travel restrictions, and so on. None of this worked, and all of it muscled people against their wills.

Then, just as these started to go away, came the vaccine mandates, from the same gang that had previously caused such wreckage, and for a product produced by a heavily subsidized and politically connected industry that is indemnified against liability for vaccine harms.

The public had by now figured outno thanks to public-health authoritiesthat the risk of COVID to healthy kids and working-age adults was extremely low. The incidents of severity fell very clearly on the aged and infirm. Data has shown this since early 2020. It was no mystery. And yet we didnt hear public officials explaining this. They still havent. This is because they had imposed society-wide solutions for a problem that affected mostly a single age-cohort of the population.

Hence, trust was already gone by the time the vaccine mandates came along. Just as lockdowns overrode traditional public wisdom of focused protection, so too did universal mandates override an intelligent deployment of vaccines (by choice) only for those who wanted or needed them.

Now we had another problem. It seemed like a continuation of bad science and bad politics. Then the political divisions became more intense, simply because in the United States it was one political party that had imposed the mandates against the objections of the other political party. Complying or defying became a political symbol, which is pretty much the worst possible situation for public health.

It shouldnt surprise anyone that the element of force here caused people to become skeptical. Meanwhile, officials at the White House were driven by the single-minded goal of maximizing vaccinations throughout the whole population regardless of need or desire. They assumed that once people got the shot, they could be counted in the compliant category, forgetting the bitterness that remains in peoples hearts and souls once having complied with an edict that impinges so intimately on our bodily integrity.

In normal times, with any medicine you take, you are careful to know about possible side effects. You hear about them in every pharmaceutical advertisement. Your doctor tells you about them, including the incidents and the possibility. Then you make a decision. Is the problem you seek to solve greater than the risk you bear in triggering adverse effects you dont want? And clearly many people take that risk. Sometimes they regret it later. But it was, in the end, their own choice.

The Food and Drug Administration seeks to certify drugs as safe and effective, but those categories are never completely fulfilled. Nothing is wholly and completely both. And people know that. Drugs and vaccines are imperfect, and doctors and patients finally must rely on good judgments based on the available data. This had become a settled practice in American pharmaceutical distribution.

All of that was shattered with the vaccine mandates. They immediately divided workplaces and families. We heard tales from the top that amounted to separating society into clean and unclean. People were encouraged to look down upon and avoid the refuseniks even if they had natural immunity after a COVID recovery, which is stronger than vaccine-induced immunity. Families argued. Congregations and musical groups were wrecked. Careers were trashed. Parents were divided from children and siblings from each other.

Every day, Brownstone Institute receives emails from people pleading for medical contacts to grant exemptions. We receive long letters from estranged couples with children who believe their ex-spouse is either killing children with vaccines or COVID exposure. Our inbox is flooded daily with stories of people about to lose their jobs for noncompliance. The stories are truly heartbreaking, and the prospect of bringing peace to these peoples lives has been bleak, simply because authorities have been so shockingly inflexible.

Meanwhile, the reports and fears of vaccine adverse events have only grown. When people are forced into something, theres a tendency to blame that thing, rightly or wrongly, on all subsequent bad outcomes. Its the same as when you are sick and you take a medicine and then you get well: you credit the pill, correctly or incorrectly. So too with post-compulsion adverse events.

It became social, cultural, and political chaos. Cities were segregated, students bullied, professors threatened, corporate employees muscled, and even nurses (with natural immunity) fired from their jobs. Doctors were through various means pressed into political duty. Many experienced and reputable physicians were threatened, punished, and even fired for going against the narrative by granting vaccine exemptions or publicly questioning mitigation measures.

The media didnt help, especially with the summer of 2021 campaign to claim that this was a pandemic of the unvaccinated, a political line that was untrue, and common knowledge once even public health authorities realized that the vaccination could stop neither infection nor spread.

And it was impossible not to remember that many of the same people who were demonizing the unvaccinated were the same people who, in 2020, were denouncing the vaccine itself on grounds that its development was pushed into production by the Trump administration!

By the summer of 2021, science became completely disconnected from policy, if there ever was a relationship to begin with. For example, all data indicate that the effects of the vaccine in protecting people against infection wanes unusually quickly, while protection against severe outcomes lasts longer. To be fully vaccinated is on a timer, and thus came the campaign for boosters, and, with it, another round of compulsion and public anger on all sides.

The reality of waning efficacy undermined the negative externality argument for vaccine mandates. At some point after vaccination, your vaccine doesnt protect me or anyone if you still get infected and spread the disease.

To add further insult to injury, the standards of approval of the boosters by the FDA have slipped so much that not even warnings from the agencys top experts could change the outcome. It seems simply astonishing that drug safety issues in the context of mandates would have become so driven by political considerations.

For example, its impossible not to notice how regulators and messaging privileged mRNA vaccines over traditional ones such as J&J (which was withdrawn at one point) and AstraZeneca (never even approved in the United States). Why? There is every reason to be suspicious.

Then you have the problem of conflicts of interest. The FDAs own website says: About 54 percent, or $3.3 billion, of FDAs budget is provided by federal budget authorization. The remaining 46 percent, or $2.8 billion, is paid for by industry user fees. Are we supposed to believe this has no influence at all? Would regulators be slow to implicate the companies that fund them?

There will be years of conflicts and arguments over all of this. And its of no help at all that elites have imposed only one permissible line while Big Tech has censored dissent. That adds further anger and distrust. Why should we believe a forced opinion any more than we should comply with a forced medicine?

Are there conditions under which any vaccine mandates are justified? If a vaccine has the confidence of the public, the answer is probably no. People generally get them in the interest of their own health, provided there is trust.

The vaccine for this virus should never have been mandated. Having done this, public health has done itself deep harm. One wonders if the reputation of vaccines in general can recover.

Free choice is the foundation of trust. Overriding that with a politically motivated regime of compulsion, backed by the threat to destroy lives, can never result in good outcomes for either individuals or society.

From the Brownstone Institute

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Focusing on your primary responsibilities, like driving sales and moving your company forward, can be a business owner or leader struggle. Because of this, its crucial to manage your time well.

Does this mean you need to get everything done? Nope. Thats not realistic. Instead, at the end of the day, you feel accomplished and satisfied without being burned out.

Youll find some fresh ways (or reminders) to balance your responsibilities with this list of time management tips for leaders.

1. Keep your calendar fresh

Leaders often find it very difficult to refuse an invitation to a meeting. It might appear that youre violating the norms if you decline invites. You might be surprised at how many meetings you attended the previous week were useless upon further reviews.

The same concept can be applied to all of your calendar entries. For example, it made sense to attend local industry meetups to network two years ago. But, with more on your plate, this conflicts with your top priorities. Or, maybe you used to wear multiple hats as your business was growing. However, you can now offload some of your less important tasks with a larger team.

Regularly review your calendar and purge any entries that just arent priorities. This way, it wont be as cluttered. You may even be surprised that youve unlocked some free blocks of time. And, as an added perk, it makes saying no to time-wasters much easier going forward.

2. Be agenda-driven

In this Harvard Business School study, 27 top-performing CEOs of publicly traded companies worth, on average, $1.3 billion were followed around the clock. They tracked over 60,000 hours across three months with the help of their executive assistants. The studys purposes were to analyze and provide recommendations on how time could be more efficiently spent.

Im not going to go over the results of the entire study. However, I want to highlight the fact that these individuals are agenda-driven.

CEOs oversee many organizational units and workstreams and countless types of decisions, note Michael E. Porter and Nitin Nohria. Our research finds that they should have an explicit personal agenda and that most executives have one. A clearly defined agenda helps a CEO maximize their limited time. The loudest constituencies will take precedence without one, and the most important tasks wont get accomplished.

Having a good agenda will help the CEO determine their priorities for the coming months, sometimes years. But it is not unidimensional; rather, it is a matrix including broader areas for improvement and specific matters that need to be addressed. It combines time-bound goals with more open-ended priorities, they add.

Keeping time allocation aligned with CEOs top priorities is so crucial that we suggest that every quarter CEOs look back at whether their schedule for the previous period adequately matched up with their personal agenda, the authors advise. They should also update the agenda to reflect current circumstances.

3. Think about tasks in terms of debts and assets

The key to time management is thinking about your tasks in terms of debts and assets, Sujan Patel told RescueTime. But, what exactly does that mean?

In other words, which tasks give you time, and which ones take it away? Nico Prins explains in the article.

The cost of setting up time assets is usually low, and youll gain more time in the future as a result. You can accomplish this by streamlining processes, automating work, or delegating work, Prins adds.

The problem with time debts is that they are harder to calculate. In most cases, there are two kinds;

Tasks that take up time without freeing up more down the line . These will have to be done in many cases, but they can be automated or delegated. An example is answering emails.

. These will have to be done in many cases, but they can be automated or delegated. An example is answering emails. Tasks that create more work for you later on. This is a classic example of starting over if you dont get something right the first time.

Sujan says potential assets should be recognized before they turn into debts. This includes delegating tasks without sufficient instructions.

There is a tendency to assume that everyone has the same knowledge base, Prins states. However, doing so may result in vagueness and ambiguity.

To avoid this, Sujan recommends creating briefs that are detailed and precise. Then, with just a little effort, a potential time debt can change from being a liability to an asset.

4. Tackle tasks in the right order

We all tend to fall into the same trap: spend too much time on the easy stuff. You might feel productive answering all your emails, organizing your computer files, and cleaning your desk, but maybe those things arent the most important and urgent.

For this reason, so many people believe that they should identify their most important task (MIT) first thing in the morning and tackle it first. As many people are the most alert and energetic in the morning, its the perfect time to work on your most pressing issues.

You can then slowly work your way through the would-be-good-to-do activities once youve completed all the must-do ones.

5. Reduce phantom workload

The words phantom workload was coined by Marilyn Paul, Ph. D., and David Peter Stroh, writes Deanna Ritchie in another Calendar article. Phantom workload is the unintentional work created when people either take expedient but ineffective shortcuts or avoid taking on such as essential.

These include complex tasks such as:

Clarifying mission, vision, and values

Asking questions that challenge what is ambiguous or unrealistic

Identifying and resolving conflicts

Clarifying and streamlining decision-making processes

Providing candid, constructive feedback

Differentiating people with sanctions and rewards

Launching innovative projects

Making decisions that require disinvestment in programs or projects

When not addressed, the phantom workload leads to various consequences such as rework, unproductive meetings, organizational conflicts, and fractured relationships, Deanna. Moreover, the phantom workload is also a leading cause of wasted time since you have to deal with the same problem over and over again. Eventually, phantom work leads to greater stress and a further reluctance or inability to engage in difficult tasks.

How can you fight back? Deanna suggests the following;

Set a limited amount of realistic goals.

Plan for tomorrow the night before.

Be protective of your time, like eliminating distractions and not accepting all time requests.

Ask for help through delegation.

Use the right tools. Calendar, for instance, streamlines the scheduling process by eliminating back-and-forth communications.

6. Limit small decisions

Making decisions uses the very same willpower that you use to say no to doughnuts, drugs, or illicit sex, says Roy F. Baumeister, a psychologist who studies decision fatigue and the co-author of Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength.

As with lifting a weight, you can only lift the weight so many times before your muscles give up on you when you decide or avoid a temptation.

Its the same willpower that you use to be polite or to wait your turn or drag yourself out of bed or hold off going to the bathroom, Baumeister told the New York Times. Your ability to make the right investment or hiring decision may be reduced simply because you expended some of your willpower earlier when you held your tongue in response to someones offensive remark or when you exerted yourself to get to the meeting on time.

Some of the best entrepreneurs and leaders wear the same outfit every day to keep their brains sharp by avoiding small decisions. Although you dont need to go to that extent, focus on the big picture by letting go of small details.

7. Avoid the 25-minute meeting rule

People are regularly in meetings that last too long, often with little that directly involves them, writes Rebecca Newton in Forbes. One response can be to instigate a 25-minute maximum (or similar) meeting rule.

But this seeming quick fix can undermine collaboration and creativity, which typically requires longer, giving people space to brainstorm, she adds. Take action against the root of the problem by challenging managers to constantly check and ensure that the right people are in the room and encourage them to take some conversations offline.

8. Stay DRY

In 1999, Andy Hunt and Dave Thomas introduced the phrase dont repeat yourself in their book The Pragmatic Programmer. According to their definition, DRY requires every knowledge piece to have a single, unambiguous, authoritative representation within the system.

Code repetition can be reduced by using DRY techniques in software engineering. When appropriate, coders streamline coding using reusable sources, aka snippets. This is why the name dont repeat yourself is used, explains Calendar co-founder and CEO John Rampton.

As well as saving time, writing the same thing multiple times means that there is less room for human error, he adds. After all, if you make a mistake once, youll probably make it twice. Plus, if you decide to make any changes, you only have to do this one time.

In summary, less code is better. This conserves time and energy. Maintenance is much easier as well. And theres less risk of bugs arising.

How can leaders use this concept to better manage their time? By identifying where youre repeating yourself  like with phantom workload.

To start, write in a journal every day for a week or two. Then, for a better picture, track your time for at least a month. That way, you can see how you spend your time. Additionally, you should be able to identify less common occurrences using this method as well.

Hopefully, you now have a birds-eye view of your tasks, states John. Next, you need to decide which tasks are best suited to DRY. Ideally, you want to be on the lookout for bottlenecks, pain points, time-consuming tasks, and activities that you repeat. After that, you can create templates, automate routine tasks, and delegate specific tasks to others.

9. Create if-then rules

Its not unusual for a leaders day to include constant interruptions. Whats more, your schedule is likely to change at the last minute because you need to put out fires. And, since your position carries so many responsibilities, its tempting to divert your attention from your top priorities.

As a result, setting if-then rules automates what you should do in any circumstances mentioned above. Why? These rules reduce your workload and allow your employees to work independently. And, by asking your team to find a solution, you can avoid reprioritizing your entire schedule.

For example, a high-profile client is threatening to take their business elsewhere. If this happens, then you can ask your business partner to take over the scheduled team meeting.

10. Dont robo-check your email

Dont let your email inbox control your life.

Im sure youve heard that piece of advice numerous times. But, it bears repeating. After all, an Adobe survey found that people spend an average of 3.1 hours a day sending and checking emails alone. So, that comes out to 15.5 hours a week and a staggering 20 weeks a year!

Its essential to set a regular time each day in your calendar when you read and respond to messages. And more importantly, avoid being distracted by the constant pings and pop-ups that youll encounter throughout the day. Personally, I do this three times: in the morning before work, after lunch, and right before closing time.

Furthermore, turn off push notifications and other alerts if youre unable to stop checking your inbox during the day. And, to avoid checking your phone in the middle of the night or early in the morning, turn off your phone when you go to bed.

Also, make sure your coworkers and employees know when you will be available electronically  sharing your calendar and creating automatic out-of-office messages will make this easier. Dont forget to inform them that youll only be answering emails during the specified hours. During your offline hours, youre only to be contacted for urgent issues.

11. Design delegation in advance

As a leader, delegation is an essential part of managing your time. Leadership is about determining what they are uniquely qualified to do, and prioritizing those tasks while delegating to others. Always consider your employees strengths and competence when delegating tasks to them.

Another consideration? Dont micromanage. When you hand a team member the ball, let them run with it  even if its not how you would do it.

Experts like Don Jacobson recommend arranging any check-ins or follow-up conversations during the initial delegating meeting to optimize time management. Consequently, both you and the employee can plan your schedules accordingly, so you both know when to talk again.

This article was originally published on Calendar.
Judge Jackson Would Be a Social Justice, Not a Constitutional Justice

Commentary

We live in an era when notions of social justice dominate American life. For decades, from college enrollment to wokeism, Americas focus has moved from opportunity and merit to overriding concerns of fairness and rectification of the past. The Supreme Court nominees of the left are a prime example of that shift, and Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson could be their most prominent champion.

There was a time when the ideal of justice was that it was blind. Lady Justice, in statuesque form, was adorned with a blindfold symbolizing impartiality. Consistent with that, America was to be a country bound by the rule of law, that is, that all are accountable to the same laws, not the dictates of particular men or women.

Our Supreme Court, historically derived from the institution of the council of elders at the dawn of civilizations, was to wisely be the champion of those ideals in the U.S. constitutional system. After breaking with a monarch and fighting a Revolution, our Founders empowered an independent judicial system to be unaffected by trends of society or the whims of leaders in favor of the stability of the rule of law.

One of the greatest challenges the Supreme Court ever faced was from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat. Few remember that FDRs New Deal legislation was initially deemed unconstitutional. In striking down that legislation, the majority opinion of the Court stated:

We are told that the provision of the statute authorizing the adoption of codes must be viewed in the light of the grave national crisis with which Congress was confronted.  Extraordinary conditions may call for extraordinary remedies. But the argument necessarily stops short of an attempt to justify action which lies outside the sphere of constitutional authority.

In other words, the rule of law prevailed.

FDR, however, was not interested in such legalisms. Incredibly, Roosevelt asserted that Americans cannot seriously be alarmed when they cry unconstitutional at every effort to better the condition of our people. On the contrary, he asserted that we will no longer be permitted to sacrifice each generation in turn while the law catches up with life.

The law for which FDR had no patience and to which he was referring was the U.S. Constitution.

Roosevelt had no interest in waiting for the Constitution to catch up. To get his way, Roosevelt threatened to pack the Supreme Court with justices who would give him his way. Thereafter, between a retirement and switched votes, FDR got his way. The second set of New Deal legislation magically, or more properly cynically, became constitutional.

Since then, Democrats have relied on the Supreme Court to get their wayalmost always in the name of fairness and social justice. All of the recent liberal Supreme Court justices have fitted into that mold. So much so that I refer to them as Social Justices.

Recall that the once politically active Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said on an overseas trip, I would not look to the U.S. Constitution if I were drafting a Constitution in the year 2012. Ginsburg rather preferred the European Convention on Human Rights.

Today, its worth noting that the UScourts.gov website, under the Biden administration claims that rule of law is a principle under which all persons, institutions, and entities are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced, independently adjudicated, and consistent with international human rights principles.

Of course, consistent with international human rights principles appears nowhere in the Constitution. Thats a European social justice notion, not the American principle of the rule of law.

As for Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in a Fourth Amendment case, she prefaced a social justice rant by writing, Writing only for myself, and drawing on my professional experiences  Does that sound like the rule of law? As an attorney of 35 years, I can definitively say that its outright wrong for a judge to use his or her personal experiences to decide cases. The facts and the law should decide cases, not personal experience.

For her part, Justice Elena Kagan has freely spoken of what she believes to be flaws in the Constitution and believes that the purpose of the Supreme Court is to help the despised and disadvantaged, that is, to pursue social justice.

That brings us to the retiring Justice Stephen Breyer. He laid bare his view on activist courts in his book Active Liberty: Interpreting Our Democratic Constitution. In that book, Breyer encourages courts to consider the effects of their rulings on society. In other words, Breyer was not bound by blind justice or constitutionality. He cared about the outcomes of his rulingssocial justice.

So who will replace Justice Breyer? Well, President Joe Biden shattered the notion of blind justice by promising to pick a black woman for the court.

For her part, his nominee stated the following at her confirmation hearing:

SEN. MARSHA BLACKBURN: Can you provide a definition of the word woman?

JACKSON: No, I cant

BLACKBURN: You cant?

JACKSON: Im not a biologist.

No one can doubt that that response is a nod to the lefts social justice agenda.

With respect to the crime wave besieging America, as Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) noted: She thinks that the criminal justice system is too hard on criminals;  Thats why she 100 percent of the time sentences them less than the prosecution wants in the guidelines.

According to former federal prosecutor and legal scholar Andrew McCarthy, Judge Jackson has articulated a theory of sentencing that would enable her to ignore the guidelines in every criminal case, no matter what the crime is.

Obviously, her position fits in well with the lefts social justice view on crime and incarceration.

Overall, we are told of the great qualifications of Jackson. The operative question, however, is, qualifications to do what?

Would it be to pursue social justice, or blind justice and the rule of law?

Like many of the questions she refused to answer at her confirmation hearing, she likely would refuse to answer. Americans, however, in the age of social justice, cannot be confused as to her motivation and presence on the Supreme Court of Social Justices. They are there to change the Constitution and American society, not to follow the Constitution.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Keeping Your Money Safe From Shady Advisors

Dont be stunned when I tell you this. But, you cant trust every financial advisor out there. I mean there really are people out there like Matthew McConaugheys character in The Wolf of Wall Street conducting some really dirty business, which means your money may not be safe with them.

In fact, according to one study, 7.3 percent of financial advisors in the United States have been cited for abuse. If you dig deeper into the data, though, one in 12 financial advisors in the U.S. has been cited for misconduct.

These things are not frivolous, Mark Egan, an assistant professor of finance at Harvard Business School and a co-author of the study, told Forbes. The average settlement is in excess of $100,000 and the median is $40,000. These are costly offenses.

Unbelievable, right? The last thing that you would expect is that a financial advisor would embezzle money or get you wrapped up in a Ponzi Scheme. But, as far as Im concerned, most of these financial planners are doing a good job. Not an amazing job. But, a decent enough job where theyre not scamming their clients.

So, how can you find a trustworthy advisor from one who doesnt have your best interest at heart? Or, even worse, are straight-ups stealing from you?

The Fiduciary Duty

First things first. Lets talk about fiduciary duty.

All financial advisors are held to a standard of care when dealing with investors, explains Robert Pearce, P.A. Registered financial advisors have a higher fiduciary duty to their clients under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

The highest level of care must be provided by financial advisors, including making appropriate investments and providing relevant information to their clients.

Knowing whether your financial advisor is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or a state securities regulator is important because if the advisor breaches the fiduciary duty, you can bring a claim against the financial advisor through the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), adds.

The FINRA regulates advisors and their firms and assists advisors and investors to settle disputes.

Whats Their Planning Approach

Moving on, heres one glaring red flag to be on the lookout for.

Imagine, for instance, that they make a recommendation to change something in your portfolio. But, you dont fully understand it. Are they doing so because they genuinely want you to increase your earning potential or decrease your risk level or diversify more? Or, is it because it will help them line their pockets morewhich obviously doesnt benefit you.

While its only fair that both you and the advisor make money, you dont want this to happen at your expense.

Heres a real-life example. Some time ago, we had some friends who knew that I was a financial planner and they wanted my opinion on something their financial planner had recommended.

Stock photo of an elderly man writing on his notebook. (RODNAE Productions/Pexels)

Basically what this advisor was telling them was that they should take the majority of their current investments which were mutual funds, and well talk more about which kind of funds they should take as that is very important to the story.

In other words, they were suggesting moving their mutual fund portfolio into a more managed portfolio. As I mentioned before, Ive already been around the block a few times, so I get the feeling that when they say managed, theyre going to charge more.

I would advise you to be cautious of a financial planners suggestions. If they make the suggestion of changing or putting together a portfolio using the word managed or managed, that means there is going to be a fee associated with it.

Whys That a Big Deal?

Having something that is managed properly isnt necessarily a bad thing, In this case, though, the clients of the advisor were investing with a mutual fund portfolio managed by American Funds.

As you can see, this is just a mutual fund company. American Funds is one of several mutual fund companies that exist. So, essentially, this is like a Vanguard or a Fidelity.

Its worth mentioning that the Americans Fund family is a mutual fund company suggested by a lot of financial advisors for commissions. Not to pick on Edward Jones, for example. But anytime I looked at Edward Jones statement from anybody, they had American Funds. Theyre not a bad company, just a decent one.

Why do I say that? Well, when the bear market hit in 2001 and 2002, they did well. But, fast forward to 2008 and they didnt hold up as people began selling their American Fund. But, this is what my friends had.

A Thing Called Prospectus

This is one of their main products, mutual funds and this is what my friends had. Now with any mutual fund that you buy, there is this thing called a prospectus.

When you buy a mutual fund or ETF you will get a little white booklet that contains everything that you have to know and dont have to worry about. They do this to prevent you from taking legal action against them if you lose money. Bottom line.

In other words, you get a prospectus. Typically, your advisor should mail you one. And then you will receive one every year or whenever there are updates.

As part of my training on how to sell mutual funds, this was one of the things that we actually used. So I guess I ought to put this out there, I am basically bashing and criticizing other people who are selling A-shares. By bashing, I mean pointing out that these are advisors who are making commissions.

To clarify, I was trained in the way I sell mutual funds and in particular, A shares, from the moment I entered the business. As a mutual fund salesman, I have always been taught to sell front-loaded funds. As part of the prospectors, the client was shown how much they should expect to pay as well as what the costs were.

The A-shares are the mutual funds where you can buy different share classes of the fund. It is common for people to buy A shares or to sell them to their clients through their financial advisors, and Im going to share with you how it works, how much they pay, and even more specifically, how much they pay that my friends pay to purchase their A-shares from American Funds.

So Lets Take a Closer Look at a Real-Life Prospectus

Heres an excerpt from American Funds Capital Groups website. I assume that this is the prospectus for The Growth Fund of Americaat the time this was their largest mutual fund.

Ill be honest. You dont read all 81-pages of this. Its so boring with a capital B. But for those of you who love the details and want to learn more about investing with mutual funds, this booklet can help you achieve that.

To save you some time, however, the two most important things for you to be aware of are the A and C-shares. My friends purchased A-share. This is the most common type of share class to invest in if the stock and its usually for longer than five years.

Stock photo of stock chart in a laptop. (Yiorgos Ntrahas/Unsplash)

In the prospectus, you can see that there will be a load of 5.75 percent of whatever you invest. You will subtract $575 from $10,000 if you have to invest. In case youre interested, the advisor gets paid 5 percent of the load, with the mutual fund company getting paid 0.75 percent. So if I sold you a mutual fund for $10,000, I would get paid 500 dollars.

How Does an Advisor Get Paid

Although youre paying now, over time you will be recouping those costs. With a C-share, you wouldnt be paying anything upfront. However, you would pay an annual fee of 1 percent. Since this 1 percent is on an ongoing basis, youll end up paying more in the end.

However, there is an additional fee with the A-share payment. Its called the 12b-1 fee and its the 0.25 percent that you pay on an ongoing basis. In addition to this, there is a management fee.

So you have management fees, distribution fees, and other expenses. So total operating expenses are 0.64, versus the 1.39 with the C-share. This is where all of these fees play into the equation.

In this case, we have an A-share, where we pay a front-end load, 5.75 percent, and a C share, where we do not pay anything upfront. But, then we pay a 1 percent ongoing fee to the advisor, in addition to management expenses.

In regards to A versus C, if you are an advisor and this is something people are saving for retirement, then the A-share seems more logical. How come? When you pay upfront instead of ongoing, itll cost a lot more with a C-share

Also, theres another difference with mutual fund companies. Lets say that you invest more than a certain amount. So if you have less than $25,000 you will pay that 5.75 percent. Consequently, if you invest between $25,000 to $50,000 with the American Funds, then you get a discount. In that case, instead of paying a front-load of 5.75 percent, youll only have to pay 5 percent. Its like free money to you.

Heres Why This Is Slightly Suspect

The advisor most likely sold these A shares on the idea that the A-shares are a more cost-effective option. Again, youre paying upfront. And youre probably getting a discount for how much you are putting into the American Funds. Thats going to be much less expensive than owning the C shares that have ongoing costs.

His proposal was to eliminate American Funds and switch this to a managed portfolio. However, a managed portfolio means paying a higher fee.

So, why would the advisor make this recommendation?

First, the advisor was selling his clients on the benefits of diversification. How so? Well, a portfolio consisting of mutual funds means that you would own a basket of funds. You will now have 12 to 15 different mutual funds, instead of 5 or 6.

Heres Where I Become Really Suspicious

His next statement was, I just dont have the time right now to manage this portfolio. But, why would he say that?

Stock photo of a person contemplating. (Yan Krukov/Pexels)

What this advisor is basically saying is that I am too busy to manage your portfolio. As a result, I have not been managing your portfolio since I sold it.

Thats a problem because now he is saying that you should switch to the managed portfolio because he doesnt have the time anymore. Thats in addition to an upfront fee thats probably between 2  percent and 3  percent on a continuous basis. And, there are also annual management expenses, which are like 0.65 percent per year.

As a result, moving to a more diversified mutual fund portfolio means more management expenses.

Its because of this that this is borderline shady. The advisor must assess your management fee whenever you move to a managed portfolio? Oftentimes, you will hear about fees-based, fee-based advisors. The fees they charge are based on the assets they manage.

If they stuck with the first portfolio, they got paid upfront. After that, they got paid 0.6 and then they got paid 0.25 percent ongoing. But, lets say under portfolio two the advisor charges a 1 percent management fee. it does not include the 0.65 percent. So you, the client, would have to pay for the entire year 1.65 percent of the total portfolio value.

A 1.65 percent fee would be required in year two. Year three, nothing changes. And this is where the advisor is making more in the long run. Now theyre making 1 percent instead of 0.25 percent.

Thats a lot of math there. Long story short, though, the advisor has reached a point where they want to increase the fees theyre generating on a reoccurring basis.

To be transparent, however, the advisor would have to report if theyre making more money. But, maybe if you transferred firms, you might get around this.

Final Words of Advice

Even though financial advisors have to disclose this information, they can still sell their clients on diversification. Nothing wrong with having a diversified portfolio. But, in this scenario, the client paid a hefty upfront fee on their original portfolio. Then, 3 or 4 years later, the advisor suggested that they much to a more diversified portfolio. Now, theres a larger ongoing fee and everythings being managed by a third party.

So, before getting talked into this, ask the advisor whats really going on here. If they are acting fishy, consult another expert. Or, go to FINRA BrokerCheck and file a report. That sounds excessive. But, theyre trying to double-dip by making a big fat commission check on the back of the front end while making more on the back end. And, thats totally not okay.

By Jeff Rose

The Epoch Times Copyright  2022 The views and opinions expressed are only those of the authors. They are meant for general informational purposes only and should not be construed or interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation. The Epoch Times does not provide investment, tax, legal, financial planning, estate planning, or any other personal finance advice. The Epoch Times holds no liability for the accuracy or timeliness of the information provided.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear speaks to reporters at the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort, Ky., on April 7, 2021. (Timothy D. Easley/AP Photo)

Kentucky Legislature Passes 15-Week Abortion Ban, Sends to Governors Desk

Kentucky lawmakers on March 29 approved a legislative package that includes banning abortions after 15 weeks, sending it to Gov. Andy Beshears desk.

The omnibus House Bill 3 cleared the Senate gallery during a debate earlier in the day, and won final passage hours later in the House.

It followed Senate action that inserted the 15-week ban, also referred to as Senate Bill 321, into House Bill 3. The latter bill is focused on regulating the dispensing of abortion pills.

Honored to pass SB321, my 15-week abortion ban bill  as a floor amendment to the omnibus pro-life HB3 bill this evening, Republican state Sen. Max Wise said on Twitter on March 29. Proud of the consistent pro-life legislation over the past years in the KY legislature.

Currently, abortions are banned in Kentucky after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

The 15-week abortion ban has an exception in the case of when the mothers life is at stake, or to avoid a serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman.

House Bill 3 is the latest round of abortion restrictions passed by the legislature in Kentucky since Republicans took control of both the state House and Senate after the 2016 election. The governor, Beshear, is a Democrat.

The Kentucky abortion ban being proposed is modeled after a Mississippi law that also bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The U.S. Supreme Court is due to rule by the end of June on the laws constitutionality. The case is Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization 19-1392.

Im bringing this bill to you so that in the event the Supreme Court upholds the Mississippi legislation as constitution, we will have a pro-life law in place not subject to a good-faith legal challenge, Wise told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in early March, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates called on the public to petition the governor to veto the bill, saying on its website, This bill piles so many restrictions on abortion providers and patients that it will effectively end abortion access in our state.

Much of the debate on March 29 revolved around the bills requirement that women must be examined in person by a doctor before being dispensed abortion pills. About half of abortions performed in Kentucky are the result of medication as opposed to surgery.

Republican state Sen. Ralph Alvarado said the bill would prevent at-home, pill-by-mail, do-it-yourself abortions that leave women to fend for themselves if medical complications arise.

Democratic state Sen. Karen Berg opposed the measure, saying it infringes on womens medical decisions.

You dont feel that women have the right to control their own reproductive life. And I tell you, you do not have the rights to make that decision for me, she said.

On March 23, the omnibus bill was amended to add a measure regulating how fetal remains are handled, requiring remains from an abortion or miscarriage to have similar handling options as adult deaths. The measure would also give women the option to file for a death certificate, although its not a requirement.

House Bill 3s sponsor, Republican state Rep. Nancy Tate, said the legislation gives women the opportunity to acknowledge and treat those stillborn babies like the rest of their family, reported WDRB.

Addia Wuchner with Kentucky Right to Life said the measure treats all children that are lostall children, whatever you want to call it: fetal remains, child remains, terminated remainsit treats all of them and requires that dignified manner, the outlet stated.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
LA County Guaranteed Income Program Application Period Begins Thursday

LOS ANGELESThe application period begins Thursday for Los Angeles Countys guaranteed income program, which will provide 1,000 randomly selected residents with $1,000 a month for three years.

To qualify for the Breathe: LA Countys Guaranteed Income Program, people must be at least 18 years old, have a household income under $56,000 for a single person, or $96,000 for a family of four, and have experienced negative impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants will receive the money through a debit card, and there are no strings attached or conditions to the income.

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Holly Mitchell will formally open the application period Thursday at a news conference at Community Coalition headquarters.

The financial uncertainty and varying depths of poverty that millions of our constituents experience day to day cannot be addressed with a one-size-fits-all approach. Now is our opportunity to invest in support that directly reaches our residents, Mitchell said previously.

 Its time that we trust that our residents know how best to meet their needs when given the resources to do so. Across the country, guaranteed income has already proven to reduce poverty, improve the long-term well-being of families, and give residents living on the edge of a fiscal cliff the support to breathe a bit easier.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the motion, introduced by Mitchell and Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, to create the program on May 18, 2021. The motion also declared poverty and economic opportunity a public health matter.

The course of this pandemic has revealed the large number of county residents who are living on the brink of financial crisis, with insufficient savings to weather a job loss, a medical emergency or a major car repair, Kuehl said.

This guaranteed income program will help give residents the breathing room they need to better weather those crises. There is ample evidence from guaranteed income projects around the country that financial support, coupled with the freedom to make their own decisions about how best to spend their money, offers families the flexibility they need to establish stability and invest in a more prosperous future for themselves.

Los Angeles Countys Poverty Alleviation Initiative will oversee the program, and a research team from the University of Pennsylvanias Center for Guaranteed Income Research will randomly select qualified applicants. The team will also study long-term impacts the income has on residents economic wellbeing.

There is so much we still do not know about the power of unconditional cash over a longer period of time. With a three-year pilot, it opens up the possibility for families to set larger goals than we have seen in other experiments and it also gives policymakers a chance to learn how unconditional cash functions alongside other programs over time, said Dr. Amy Beth Castro of the University of Pennsylvania Center for Guaranteed Income Research.

The pilot program is based on a similar program in Stockton, California, that has been praised for its success. The City of Los Angeles introduced a guaranteed basic income program, called BIG:LEAP, last year.

Given that we saw reductions in anxiety and depression after just 12 months in Stockton, we are eager to see how families leverage a much longer period of support, Castro said.

Residents interested in applying can find more information at breathe.lacounty.gov, including a map to help determine whether they live in a qualifying community. Information is also available by calling 213-342-1003.

The deadline for enrollment applications is April 13. Selection will not depend on the timing of entries.
Mark Latham poses for a portrait during the launch of Mark Latham's new book 'Outsiders - I won't be silenced' on October 5, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Defeated Bill Gave Parents a Say on Trans, Woke Ideology Taught in Classrooms: Latham

Australian politician Mark Latham, the leader of the New South Wales (NSW) state branch of the right-leaning One Nation party, has raised concerns about the increasing presence of left-wing politics and woke concepts being taught in schools, including on transgender topics, which he said amounts to child abuse.

Theres a lot of left-wing politics and woke concepts that have snuck into our schools, and parents should have a right to say, well, thats unacceptable, and legally, Im taking my child out of that class,' Latham told The Epoch Times.

Latham said concerned parents have brought a whole range of complaints to him about school teaching materials on progressive topics that contradict their families moral and ethical values.

Some of the classroom topics raising the ire of parents are gender studies, Marxist movements like Black Lives Matter, and genocidal colonial figures from Australias history.

Amidst the emergence of woke concepts being taught in classrooms, Latham has championed a parental rights bill to give parents more control over what concepts are taught to their children while they are entrusted to teachers at schools.

The proposed legislation, introduced in 2020, has been rejected by the state NSW Parliament and NSW education unions, but Latham said he would continue to muster parliamentary support.

At an inquiry chaired by Latham in September 2021, the bill faced pushback from Greens MP David Shoebridge and Labor MP Anthony DAdam, but received support from religious advocates and some other state parliamentarians including government MP Scott Farlow and Labor MP Courtney Houssos.

If passed, the bill would have prohibited schools and teachers from teaching gender fluidity concepts, allow parents to be consulted at the beginning of the school year on what their children will learn, ban students from playing in high school sports team that does not correspond with their biological sex, ask trans students to undergo full medical transition to use toilets aligning with their identified gender, and ban schools practice to keep students new gender identity a secret from their parents.

The proposal states that: schools must recognise that parents are primarily responsible for the development and formation of moral and ethical standards and social and political values in their children.

After seeing politicised education at schools, many parents are re-evaluating their education plans for their children. (Alexander_Safonov/Shutterstock)

But NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell recently said in a statement obtained by The Guardian that the bill may lead to discrimination.

Every child has the right to receive an education of the highest quality, and the NSW government supports the right of every student and teacher to be themselves at school and to fulfil their potential, she said. NSW schools have legal obligations to protect and support students, including those who are same-sex attracted or transgender.

Meanwhile, NSW Teachers Federation President Angelo Gavrielatos said Lathams bill would stop teachers from exploring contemporary topics with students, which he said would prevent them from being able to critically analyse and evaluate information to help them develop an informed opinion on the controversial topics that parents are objecting to.

Teachers and parents should be partners in providing the best educational opportunities to students. One Nations Bill would instead pit parents against schools and teachers, and fail to put students first, Gavrielatos said.

But Latham rejects the idea that his proposed legislation would disadvantage any student, among which are cohorts as young as seven- or eight-years-old. Instead, he has asserted that it is about protecting children from confusing gender ideology that he cannot fathom being a legitimate part of the education system.

If adults want to change their gender every other day, thats their business. But if they inflict this transgender ideology upon little kids, it is child abuse, he said.

I dont see how this has got anything to do with discrimination. This is basic child welfare and child protection question. And also a basic question about what is the true and proper role of a school.

Parents would be horrified to know that the state governments policy is to keep parents in the dark if their children identify with a different gender or undergo medical gender transition procedures. He warned this would only break up the family unit and cause untold problems.

Transgender is unique in the medical world, where its the only example where the patient gets to diagnose themselves, Latham added. And if theyre allowed to separate themselves from parents, and come under negative influences at the school. That can only end badly.

Meanwhile, LGBTIQ+ advocacy group Equality Australia has pushed back against Lathams bill, saying it was bullying trans and gender diverse kids.
The COVID-19 Moderna vaccination is prepared at Lestonnac Free Clinic in Orange, Calif., on March 9, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Lawmaker Pauses Effort to Require All California Workers to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine

SACRAMENTOA bill that would have required all California workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 has been shelved, a lawmaker announced on March 29.

Today Im announcing that I have made a decision to hold AB1993, which would require all California businesses to require their employees and independent contractors to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, state Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) announced on Twitter.

Today I'm announcing that I have made a decision to hold #AB1993, which would require all California businesses to require their employees and independent contractors to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Thread   Buffy Wicks (@BuffyWicks) March 29, 2022

Wicks (D-Oakland) introduced Assembly Bill 1993 on Feb. 10 following the winter COVID-19 Omicron variant surge. However, Wicks on Tuesday afternoon admitted cases of the virus were dwindling for now.

We introduced AB 1993 because of the workers, employers & public health experts who expressed the need for vaccine requirements, yet felt unable to make these changes on their own, Wicks wrote.

Wicks confirmed the bill is simply on pause as lawmakers attempt to work with employees to address specific concerns about the legislation.

While Im disappointed in the opposition to our bill by public safety unions, its my hope that theyll ultimately come to the table to make sure all of their workers are vaccinated, she wrote.

Those opposed to the legislation introduced by Wicks celebrated the news that it would not be moving forward at this time.

Weve defeated AB 1993, the employer vaccine mandate, state Assemblyman Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) wrote on Twitter following the announcement.

State Sen. Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore) also praised the announcement.

The bill to make the vaccine mandatory for all California employees is DEAD, Melendez wrote on Twitter. Thats thanks to all of you who called and wrote to legislators to oppose this unnecessary law.

Its uncertain when the legislation will be brought forward again.
Lindale, Texas, became the states 41st 'Sanctuary City for the Unborn' on March 22, 2022, by a unanimous vote of its city council, and in response to a citizen petition for the designation. (Patrick Butler/The Epoch Times)

Lindale Becomes Latest Texas Sanctuary City for the Unborn as Abortion Bans Spread

Nearly 50 years after Texas was the center of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide, the Lone Star State now leads the country with municipalities legally making their voices heard opposing abortions.

There are now 42 cities in Texas with the Sanctuary City for the Unborn title, having passed ordinances outlawing abortion.

Omaha, Texas, which is the 2nd city to have banned abortion in Texas, is the only city in the state to have recanted its ordinance.

Five cities outside of Texas have become sanctuary cities: Hayes Center, Nebraska; Blue Hill, Nebraska; Lebanon, Ohio; Mason, Ohio; and Pollock, Louisiana. Mason is the only city outside of Omaha, Texas to have recanted its ordinance.

On March 24, Lindale in East Texas was the latest to become a sanctuary city by a unanimous vote of its city council comprised of three men and two women.

Tonight, the City of Lindale, Texas, population 6,730, became the 47th city in the nation, and the 42nd in Texas to pass an enforceable ordinance outlawing abortion within their city limits, said a statement from Right to Life of East Texas.

All of the cities approved sanctuary by votes of their councils, except for Lubbock (population 264,778) which approved it in an election in May of 2021.

More than 21,000 out of 34,260 total votes cast, approved the measure, making Lubbock the largest city in America to become a sanctuary city.

There were 629,898 abortions in the United States in 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The data was gathered from 47 voluntary reporting areas, excluding California, the CDC said.

Heartbeat Bill

Encouraged by the success of Texas Senate Bill 8, known colloquially as the Heartbeat Billwhere abortion is restricted after the heartbeat of a fetus is detectedcities across the state have moved towards eliminating abortion altogether.

SB 8 has been upheld so far despite legal challenges going all the way to the Supreme Court. The court declined to overturn SB 8 on Dec. 10, 2021.

The bill was authored by state Senator Bryan Hughes, whose Senate District 1 includes Lindale. It is being scrutinized by other states as a template that successfully withstands legal challenges.

On March 23, Gov. Brad Little, a Republican, signed a bill making Idaho the first state to enact a copy of SB 8.

Oklahomas House passed a law that models SB 8s but banned abortions altogether unless the mother is in medical danger.

At its 29th annual Celebration of Life banquet on March 26, Mark Dickson, director of Right to Life of East Texas, presented Hughes with its Pro-Life Person of the Year award.

Roe v. Wade

The Supreme Court is also currently deliberating on a challenge to Roe v. Wade by a Mississippi caseDobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organizationthat could bring a degree of legitimacy to the efforts of Sanctuary Cities in Texas and throughout the country and encourage more to pass similar measures.

Not waiting for their state legislature to enact such measures, cities in Texas are being proactive in the event the court returns the issue to the states.

Texas is poised to immediately protect all preborn children from elective abortion if Roe is overturned, said a statement by Texas Right to Life.

Just two days prior to their banquet, East Texas Right to Life made a statement of Lindales unanimous inclusion into the ranks of Texas sanctuary cities.

They became the first city to pass an ordinance by a vote of the city council, as a result of a citizen initiative petition. Since they passed the ordinance there is no need for there to be a citywide election on the ordinance. There were over 500 in attendance in support for life. The vote by the city council was unanimous! Way to go Lindale, Texas!

Lindale did not return a request for a legal definition of sanctuary city.

Correction: The number of sanctuary cities has been corrected. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
A destroyed house in the village of Lukianivka near Kyiv, on March 30, 2022. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images)

Russia-Ukraine War (March 30): Russia Bombards Areas Where It Pledged to Scale Back: Ukrainian Officials

The latest on the RussiaUkraine crisis, March 30. Click here for updates from March 29.

Russia Bombards Areas Where It Pledged to Scale Back: Ukrainian Officials

Russian forces bombarded areas around Kyiv and another city just hours after pledging to scale back operations in those zones to promote trust between the two sides, Ukrainian authorities said Wednesday.

The shelling intensified Russian attacks on other parts of the countrytempered optimism about any progress in the talks aimed at ending the punishing war.

The Russian military announced Tuesday that it would de-escalate near the capital and the northern city of Chernihiv in order to increase mutual trust and create conditions for further negotiations. But the announcement was met with deep suspicion from Zelenskyy and the West.

Soon after, Ukrainian officials reported that Russian shelling hit homes, stores, libraries, and other civilian sites in and around Chernihiv and on the outskirts of Kyiv. Russian troops also stepped up their attacks on the Donbas region in the east and around the city of Izyum, which lies on a key route to the Donbas, after redeploying units from other areas, the Ukrainian side said.

Olexander Lomako, secretary of the Chernihiv city council, said the Russian announcement turned out to be a complete lie.

At night they didnt decrease, but vice versa increased the intensity of military action, Lomako said.

___

Germany Says to Still Pay for Russian Gas in Euros/Dollars After Scholz-Putin Call

Germany will continue to pay for Russian gas in euros or dollars, a government spokesman said, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin had told the German Chancellor that nothing would change for European partners despite his plan for rouble payments.

Russia has said that because of Western financial sanctions over Ukraine, it plans to require payment for its energy exportsespecially the gas that Germany depends onin roubles rather than the usual euros or dollars.

In a phone call between the leaders, Putin told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that nothing would change for European partners and payments would be made in euros and transferred to Gazprom bank, which would convert the money into roubles, said the German spokesperson.

Scholz did not agree to this procedure in the conversation, but asked for written information to better understand the procedure, said the spokesperson.

He added that a Group of Seven agreement, stating that energy supplies from Russia would be paid for only in euros or U.S. dollars, remained.

Germany has triggered an emergency plan to manage gas supplies that could see Europes biggest economy ration power if the standoff over Russias demand to pay for fuel with roubles disrupts supplies.

___

Pentagon Sees Russia Starting to Reposition Under 20 Percent of Forces Around Kyiv

Russia has started to reposition under 20 percent of the forces arrayed around Ukraines capital Kyiv, the Pentagon said on Wednesday, but cautioned Russia was expected to refit and resupply them for redeployment, and not bring the forces home.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said some of the Russian forces may have already moved into Belarus, as opposed to their home garrisons.

Kirby also told a news briefing Russian contractor Wagner Group had deployed about 1,000 contractors into Ukraines Donbass region, which Moscow has declared a priority.

___

White House Adds $500 Million in Ukraine Aid

The White House has pledged an additional $500 million in direct aid for Ukraine as the Russian invasion grinds on.

U.S. President Joe Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a 55-minute call Wednesday that the additional aid was on its way. The leaders also reviewed security aid already delivered to Ukraine and the effects that weaponry has had on the war, according to the White House.

Zelesnkyy has pressed the Biden administration and other Western allies to provide Ukraine with military jets. The United States and other NATO countries have thus far been unwilling to accommodate that request out of concern it could lead to Russia broadening the war beyond Ukraines borders.

Prior to Wednesdays announcement of $500 million in aid, the Biden administration had sent Ukraine about $2 billion in humanitarian and security assistance since the start of the war last month.

Thats all part of the $13.6 billion that Congress approved earlier this month for Ukraine as part of a broader spending bill.

___

Russian Military Comments on Actions Near Ukraines Capital

Russian troops near the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Chernigov are regrouping as the goal of the first stage of its military operation has been completed, Russian defense ministry announced on Wednesday. During a regular press briefing, the ministry spokesperson Major General Igor Konashenkov said planned regrouping of troops is taking place in Kyiv and Chernigov directions.

_____

Ukraine Says Russian Forces Fighting on Many Fronts

Ukrainian officials claimed shelling around the capital Kyiv and the northern region of Chernihiv on Wednesday.

Russian forces were also shelling nearly all cities along the front line separating Ukrainian government-controlled territory from areas held by Russian-backed separatists in the eastern Donetsk region, the regional governor claimed, and heavy fighting was reported in the southern port city of Mariupol.

Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Russia was transferring forces from northern Ukraine to eastern areas to try to encircle Ukrainian troops there.

He claimed Russia would keep some troops near Kyiv to try to prevent Ukrainian forces reinforcing the eastern front.

Although the Russians are withdrawing some troops from (around) Kyiv, they will still leave certain forces here (near Kyiv) to keep our troops here, Arestovych said in televised comments.

Kyivs deputy mayor, Mykola Povoroznyk, told national television the capital itself had not been shelled overnight.

The night passed relatively calmly, to the sounds of sirens and the sound of gunfire from battles around the city, but there was no shelling in the city itself he said.

____

Russian Military Says New Series of Strikes on Ukrainian Arsenals, Fuel Depots

The Russian military has reported a new series of strikes on Ukrainian arsenals and fuel depots.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Wednesday that the military used air-launched long-range cruise missiles to target fuel depots in Starokostiantyniv and Khmelnytskyi in central Ukraine.

Konashenkov claimed in a statement that the Russian forces also hit the Ukrainian special forces headquarters in Bereznehuvate in the southern Mykolaiv region.

Konashenkov also said that the Russian military used mobile land-based Iskander missile launchers to hit two ammunition depots in the eastern Donetsk region. The Russian military said that it has shifted focus to Ukraines eastern industrial heartland of Donbass, where Moscow-backed rebels have been battling Ukrainian forces since 2014.

_____

Moscow Accuses West of Trying to Turn Ukraine Into Second Afghanistan

Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov has accused the West of attempting to turn this country into a second Afghanistan amid Moscows ongoing military offensive in Ukraine.

Speaking at the meeting with his Pakistani counterpart, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in China on Wednesday, Lavrov claimed those who tried to make Afghanistan the center of world politics are now trying to replace Afghanistan with Ukraine.

_____

Ukraine Says Peace Deal Vote Requires Pullback

An adviser to Ukraines president says that a vote sealing a prospective agreement with Russia could only be held after Russian troops pull back.

Mykhailo Podolyak said Wednesday that the Russian forces must withdraw to their positions before the Feb. 24 invasion to pave the way for any peace deal to be put on a nationwide referendum.

In an online briefing, he voiced hope for a meeting soon between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin but wouldnt say when exactly it could happen.

Podolyak took part in Tuesdays talks with Russian negotiators in Istanbul. He said a deal on multilateral security guarantees for Ukraine will be a key part of the package to be discussed.

_____

Russia: Kyiv Ready to Fulfill Moscows Key Demand

The head of Russias delegation in talks with Ukraine this week says that Kyivs readiness to consider a neutral status would meet a key Russian demand.

Vladimir Medinsky said that, during Tuesdays talks in Istanbul, Ukraine submitted a set of proposals including its readiness to adopt a non-bloc, nuclear-free status and drop its bid to join NATO.

He said Ukraine also signaled its readiness not to host foreign military bases and to hold joint drills with foreign militaries only in consultation with countries serving as guarantors of a peace deal, which would include Russia.

Medinsky said in televised comments that the proposals signaled Ukraines readiness to reach agreement for the first time in years, adding that if it fulfills the obligations, the threat of creating a NATO bridgehead on the Ukrainian territory will be removed.

_____

Kremlin Says No Breakthrough in Ukraine Talks

The Kremlin says there was no breakthrough in the latest round of talks with Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday it was a positive factor that Ukraine submitted its written proposals, but added that we cant say there has been something promising or any breakthroughs.

He emphasized in a call with reporters that there is still a lot of work ahead following Tuesdays talks in Istanbul.

On Tuesday, Ukraine set out a detailed framework for a peace deal under which the country would remain neutral but its security would be guaranteed by a group of third countries, including the United States, Britain, France, Turkey, China, and Poland.

Peskov said Russias chief delegate in the talks, Vladimir Medinsky, has reported their results to President Vladimir Putin.

_____

Zelenskyy Addresses Norways Parliament

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told the Norwegian Parliament that Russia wants to destroy the foundation of Europe.

Zelenskyy, speaking through an interpreter during a live video appearance before the 169-member Stortinget, claimed Wednesday that the future of Europe is being decided now.

Speaking generally of Russias military activities in Ukraine, Zelenskyy said that for the Russians, there are no prohibited targets.

Zelenskyys speech was the latest of a string of addresses to lawmakers in several countries, including the United States, Britain, Sweden, Germany, Canada, Israel, Japan, and the European Union.

____

Hungary Accuses Ukraine of Election Meddling

Hungarys foreign minister has accused Ukraines leadership of attempting to interfere in the upcoming Hungarian election. His Ukrainian counterpart has denied the charge in an episode that put further strain on relations.

In a video on social media, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto claimed that there was ongoing coordination between the Hungarian left and representatives of the Ukrainian government, and that Ukraine was attempting to influence Hungarys April 3 election in favor of a coalition of opposition parties.

Szijjarto did not provide any evidence supporting the claim.

The statements came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made several recent comments that were harshly critical of the Hungarian governments approach to the war.

On Wednesday, Szijjarto claimed that Ukraines foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, had contacted Ukraines ambassador in Budapest to discuss how Ukraine could influence Hungarys election, in which Prime Minister Viktor Orban is seeking a fourth consecutive term.

Kuleba told Ukrainian newspaper Evropeiska Pravda that we have never interfered in Hungarys internal affairs and especially not ahead of an election.

____

We Are Not Naive, Zelenskyy Says, Dismissing Russian Military Pullback

Ukraine and its Western allies on Wednesday dismissed a Russian military pullback from near Kyiv as a ploy to refit troops after heavy losses, even as Russian forces bombard cities elsewhere and press on with the obliteration of besieged Mariupol.

Russia said on Tuesday it would curtail operations near Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv to increase mutual trust for peace talks.

But in an overnight address, Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainians are not naive people.

Ukrainians have already learned during these 34 days of invasion, and over the past eight years of the war in Donbass, that the only thing they can trust is a concrete result, he said.

Ukrainian presidential advisor Oleksiy Arestovych said Moscow was shifting some forces from northern Ukraine to the east, where it was trying to encircle the main Ukrainian force there. Some Russians would stay behind near Kyiv to tie Ukrainian forces down, he said.

The past week has seen Ukrainian forces make gains, recapturing towns and villages on the outskirts of Kyiv, breaking the siege of the eastern city of Sumy, and pushing back Russian forces in the southwest.

The Pentagon said Russia had started moving very small numbers of troops away from positions around Kyiv, describing the move as more of a repositioning than a withdrawal.

We all should be prepared to watch for a major offensive against other areas of Ukraine, spokesman John Kirby told a news briefing. It does not mean that the threat to Kyiv is over.

____

Ukraine: Russian Troops More Active in East

The Ukrainian military says that Russian troops have intensified their activities in the countrys east.

The Ukrainian general staff said Wednesday that the Russians have scaled up their activities around Izyum, south of Kharkiv, after redeploying some units from other areas. It also said that the Russian forces have intensified shelling and attacks in the eastern Donetsk region, focusing on trying to win control of Mariupol, Popasna, and Rubizhne.

The Russian military has said it has shifted its focus to Ukraines eastern industrial heartland, the Donbass, where Moscow-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian forces since 2014.

_____

Kremlin Reveals Details on Switching to Ruble Payments for Gas

The Kremlin says that it will take some time to switch payments for Russian gas to rubles.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the government to make the necessary arrangements by Friday to ensure that European customers pay for Russian gas in rubles rather than Western currencies. The West has rejected the demand.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that the switch is going to be a drawn-out process. He didnt give a specific timeframe.

Peskov noted that there is always a gap between supplies and payments in the gas trade. He said the government will soon release the details of the new proposed payment scheme.

____

Norway Donates 2,000 Anti-tank Weapons to Ukraine

Norway says it has donated a further 2,000 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine to help the country defend itself against the Russian invasion, adding to protective equipment and about 2,000 anti-tank weapons that were sent previously.

Norwegian Defense Minister Odd Roger Enoksen said that if Ukraine succeeds in repelling Russias attack, it will both ensure Ukrainian sovereignty and help maintain the norm of peaceful conflict resolution and respect for borders in Europe.

_____

IAEA Head Visits Nuclear Power Plant in Southern Ukraine

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency is visiting a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on a trip meant to help bolster the security of the countrys nuclear facilities.

Rafael Mariano Grossi arrived in Ukraine on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he said on Twitter that he was at the South Ukraine power plant to meet Ukrainian government officials and staff, and start IAEA technical assistance.

Ukraine has 15 nuclear reactors at four plantsone of which, at Zaporizhzhia, is under the Russian militarys control. It also is home to the decommissioned Chernobyl plant, the site of the 1986 meltdown, which the Russian military seized early in the war.

As of Tuesday, eight reactors were operating, including two in South Ukraine, while the rest were shut down for regular maintenance.

_____

Ukrainian, Russian Delegations Decided to Return Home for Consultation, Says Turkey

Turkey says Ukrainian and Russian delegations have decided to return home for consultations after making progress in negotiations.

The talks on Tuesday hosted by Turkey sketched out what could end up being a framework for ending the war. The talks had been expected to resume on Wednesday, but Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the two sides were bringing the proposals back to their capitals.

At the conference in Istanbul, Ukraines delegation laid a framework under which the country would declare itself neutral and its security would be guaranteed by an array of other nations.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said Moscow would in the meantime cut back military activity in the direction of Kyiv and Chernihiv to increase mutual trust and create conditions for further negotiations.

Russian delegation head Vladimir Medinsky said negotiators would take Ukraines proposals to Russian President Vladimir Putin and then Moscow would provide a response, but he did not say when.

Cavusoglu said he expected a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers at an unspecified time. He said another meeting between the presidents of the two countries is also on the agenda.

Russian state news agency Tass reported that Moscows delegates arrived back in Russia late Tuesday.

____

Find Roubles if You Want Russian Oil, Grain, or Metals, Top Lawmaker Says

Russias top lawmaker warned the European Union on Wednesday that if it wanted Russian natural gas then it would have to pay in roubles, and cautioned that oil, grain, metals, fertilizer, coal, and timber exports could also soon be priced the same way.

After the West imposed crippling sanctions on Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that natural gas exported to Europe or the United States should be paid for in his countrys currency.

Europe, which imports about 40 percent of its gas from Russia and pays mostly in euros, says Russias state-controlled gas giant Gazprom is not entitled to redraw contracts. The G7 group of nations rejected Moscows demands this week.

European politicians need to stop the talk, stop trying to find some justification about why they cannot pay in roubles, Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the lower house of parliament, said in a post on Telegram. If you want gas, find roubles.

Moreover, it would be rightwhere it is beneficial for our countryto widen the list of export products priced in roubles to include: fertilizer, grain, food oil, oil, coal, metals, timber, etc.

Germany declared on Wednesday an early warning that it could be heading for a gas supply emergency and said the measure was designed to prepare for a possible disruption or stoppage of natural gas flows from Russia.

Russian officials have repeatedly said the Wests attempt to isolate one of the worlds biggest producers of natural resources is an irrational act of self-harm that will lead to soaring prices for consumers and tip the economies of Europe and the United States into recession.

Russia says the Wests sanctionsand in particular the freezing of about $300 billion in Russian central bank reservesamount to a declaration of economic war.

Putin says the freezing of central bank reserves was a default on the Wests obligations to Russia that would torpedo confidence in the U.S. dollar and the euro.

_____

Crimea Status Not Up for Discussion at Ukraine Talks: Moscow

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Wednesday that the status of Crimea is settled for Russia, so Moscow will not discuss the issue with Kyiv or any other party.

Ukraines proposal for a peace treaty with Russia included a pledge to resolve the territorial dispute over Crimea within 15 years without the use of force.

____

UK Taking Sceptical View Towards Russian Pledges, Deputy PM Says

Britain will take a very sceptical view toward Russia and its pledge to scale down military operations around Kyiv, with Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab saying London will judge Moscow on its actions, not words.

Russia has promised in negotiations to scale down some military operations to increase mutual trust, but Western countries expect that to lead to an intensification of its offensive in other parts of the country.

Britain mirrored Ukraine in reacting with scepticism.

Ultimately, they need to be tested by their actions and they need to withdraw from Ukraine, not just reposition, Raab told Times Radio.

_____

Germany Declares Early Warning of Possible Russian Gas Supply Crisis

Germany triggered an emergency plan to manage gas supplies in Europes largest economy on Wednesday, an unprecedented move that could see the government ration power if there is a disruption or halt in gas supplies from Russia.

The announcement is the clearest sign yet that the European Union is preparing for Moscow to cut supplies to the region after President Vladimir Putin demanded that Europe and the United States pay for gas exports in roubles.

That demand, which has been rejected by G7 nations, is in retaliation for the West imposing crippling sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow has not said when the currency change will take effect but it is expected to unveil its plans for rouble payments on Thursday. Russias top lawmaker warned on Wednesday that oil, grain, metals, fertilizer, coal, and timber exports could also soon be priced the same way.

With a potential crunch looming, Germanys Economy Minister Robert Habeck activated the early warning phase of an existing gas emergency plan meaning that a crisis team from the economics ministry, the regulator, and the private sector will monitor imports and storage.

____

Italy Ready to Become One of Guarantors of Ukraines Security

Italy is renewing its offer to be a guarantor should any peace deal be reached between Russia and Ukraine that involves a neutrality clause.

Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Wednesday that Italy will put at disposal all our efforts, competence and experience so that it can made a fundamental contribution to an agreement.

He told reporters in Berlin, where he was attending a meeting on energy, that Italy was willing to be a guarantor for any neutrality mechanism that might be part of a strategy to end the war.

_____

Macron Told Putin Paying Gas Bills in Roubles Not Possible: Elysee Official

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that it was not possible for Western gas clients to pay their bills in roubles, a French presidential official told journalists on Tuesday.

France is against paying in roubles, the official said.

In his phone call with Putin, Macron also reiterated his preparedness to carry out a humanitarian rescue mission in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, the official said, but added that the conditions for such a step were not yet in place.

Russia promised on Tuesday to scale down military operations around Kyiv and northern Ukraine as a confidence-building step, in the most tangible sign yet of progress towards negotiating an end to the war.

____

4 Million Refugees Have Now Fled Ukraine, UN Agency Says

The U.N. refugee agency said Wednesday more than 4 million refugees have now fled Ukraine since Russia launched its war in the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.

The new figure was posted on an UNHCR website. More than 2.3 million have arrived in Poland, but many have traveled onward to other countries or back into Ukraine.

Aid workers say the numbers have eased in recent days as many people await developments in the war. An estimated 6.5 million people have also been displaced from their homes within the country.

More than 608,000 have entered Romania, over 387,000 have gone to Moldova, and about 364,000 have entered Hungary since the war began on Feb. 24, based on counts provided by governments.

Refugees from Ukraine are now 4 million, five weeks after the start of the Russian attack, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said on Twitter as he crossed the border into Ukraine.

Grandi said he would be in the western city of Lviv and discuss ways to increase its support to people affected and displaced by this senseless war.

____

Scholz, Biden, and Allies Agree to Keep Pushing for Russian Ceasefire: German Government

The leaders of Germany, the United States, France, Britain, and Italy agreed in a phone call on Tuesday afternoon to keep pushing Russia for a ceasefire and for the withdrawal of its troops from Ukraine, a German government spokesman said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi also agreed to keep up the high sanctions pressure on Russia, spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said in a statement.

And they urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to finally allow the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian help for people in Ukraine and to erect effective humanitarian corridors  especially in the city of Mariupol, Hebestreit added.

Finally, the leaders discussed measures to secure energy security and counter high energy prices.

____

Shelling in Almost All Frontline Cities in Ukraines Donetsk Region, Local Governor Claims

Russian forces are shelling nearly all cities along the frontline separating Ukrainian government-controlled territory from areas held by Russian-backed separatists in the eastern Donetsk region, the regional Donetsk governor claimed on Wednesday.

Pavlo Kyrylenko said on national television the situation could worsen as Russian forces concentrated their efforts to attack the Donetsk region.

______

US Liaising With Ukrainian Forces in Poland, Pentagon Says

The Pentagon on Tuesday clarified that U.S. troops in Poland were liaising with Ukrainian forces as they hand over weapons to them, but were not training in the classic sense following remarks from President Joe Biden on the matter.

On Monday, Biden told reporters that while in Poland last week, he had been talking to U.S. troops who were helping train Ukrainian forces in Poland.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters that U.S. troops in Poland were liaising with Ukrainian forces when weapons are handed over to the forces fighting back against Russias invasion.

Its not training in the classic sense that many people think of training. I would just say its liaising, Kirby said.

He did not provide details on what exactly the interactions entail or how long they usually lasted. It was not immediately clear whether the distinction between liaising and training had greater significance, as the United States tries to limit any direct military involvement in the war.

___

With Ukraine Farmers on Frontlines, UN Food Chief Warns of Devastation

The U.N. food chief warned on Tuesday that the war in Ukraine was threatening to devastate the World Food Programmes efforts to feed some 125 million people globally because Ukraine had gone from the breadbasket of the world to breadlines.

Its not just decimating dynamically Ukraine and the region, but it will have global context impact beyond anything weve seen since World War Two, WFP Executive Director David Beasley told the 15-member United Nations Security Council.

Beasley said 50 percent of the grain bought by the WFP, the food-assistance branch of the United Nations, comes from Ukraine, so you can only assume the devastation that this is going to have on our operations alone.

The farmers are on the frontlines, he said.

Beasley added that the crisis was compounded by a lack of fertilizer products coming from Belarus and Russia.

If you dont put fertilizer on the crops, your yield will be at least 50 percent diminished. So were looking at what could be a catastrophe on top of a catastrophe in the months ahead, he told the council.

___

Zelenskyy Says Russia Talks Could Be Called Positive, Wont Slacken Defenses

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said the signals from peace talks with Russia could be called positive but added that they did not drown out the explosions from Russian shells.

In a late-night address, Zelenskyy also expressed caution about Russias promise to sharply curtail military action in some areas and said Ukraine would not be easing off its defensive efforts.

We can say the signals we are receiving from the talks are positive but they do not drown out the explosions of Russian shells, he said, adding that Ukraine could only trust a concrete result from the talks.

Earlier in the day, Russia promised to scale down military operations around Ukraines capital and north.

Zelenskyy said that despite this vow, the situation has not become easier  the Russian army still has significant potential to continue attacks against our state. He added: Therefore we are not reducing our defensive efforts.

Zelenskyy reiterated that for any peace deal to work, Russian troops would have to leave and there could be no compromise on Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity.

___

Pentagon Detects Small Numbers of Russian Forces Move Away From Kyiv

The Pentagon says it has detected small numbers of Russian ground forces moving away from the Kyiv area.

Spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday that the movement appears to be a repositioning of forces, not a real withdrawal. He said it was too soon to say how extensive the Russian movements may be or where the troops will be repositioned.

It does not mean the threat to Kyiv is over, he said. They can still inflict massive brutality on the country, including on Kyiv.

He said Russian airstrikes against Kyiv are continuing.

Asked whether the Pentagon assesses that the Russian military campaign in Ukraine has failed, Kirby said the Russian forces have failed in their initial objective of conquering Kyiv but remain a threat to the country, including the eastern Donbass region where Russian forces now appear to be focusing more fully.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), leaves his office after speaking with President Joe Biden about his long-stalled domestic agenda, at the Capitol in Washington, on Dec. 13, 2021. (J. Scott Applewhite, File/AP Photo)

Manchin Stakes Position Against Bidens Proposed Billionaire Tax

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on March 29 says he doesnt support President Joe Bidens recently unveiled proposal to increase taxation on billionaires, saying the plan would tax assets billionaires dont have.

Bidens proposal, called the Billionaire Minimum Income Tax, would place a minimum tax rate of 20 percent on Americas wealthiest households. The plan would go a step further than many other plans, however, to tax unrealized gains from stocks, bonds, and similar assets.

In short, the plan would tax the total net worth of billionaires before assets are actually sold and converted into cash.

The plan, Manchin said, would put taxes on things you dont have.

You might have it on paper, Manchin said. There are other ways for people to pay their fair share, and I think everyone should pay.

In the past, Manchin has staked out a middle position toward tax policy, opposing efforts that he thinks unfairly benefit the rich and also those he thinks unfairly target the rich.

Manchin was against President Donald Trumps 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reconciliation bill, which he said weighted the tax system too heavily in favor of the wealthy.

On the other hand, Manchin opposed his partys efforts to radically change the tax code in the now-defunct Build Back Better Act (BBB), which would have greatly increased the size and enforcement capacity of the IRS.

One plan in that bill would have let the IRS seize information from banks on all Americans accounts with more than $600 in activity annually, potentially allowing the IRS to seize the bank information of almost all American adults. Manchin openly criticized that proposal in October, and indicated that he wouldnt support it as part of the BBB.

Still, Manchin has indicated that he would be in favor of a scaled-back version of the BBB, with a few key climate and social policies and a reworking of the tax code to return it to its pre-2017 norms.

But the West Virginia Democrats opposition to the White House proposal makes it unlikely to get off the ground in the evenly divided Senate, where, without any GOP support, all 50 Democrats must stand behind a bill for it to advance to the presidents desk under the reconciliation process.

You cant tax something thats not earnedearned income is what were based on, Manchin told reporters. Unrealized gains is not the way to do it.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) rejected Manchins criticism in a statement.

There is no question that in any way this topic comes up, the billionaires have something of immense value, Wyden said.

Prior to the White Houses proposal, Wyden released his own plan to tax unrealized assets. Under the Wyden plan, the tax rate would sit at a substantially higher 23.8 percent. The White Houses slightly scaled-down plan would bring in less revenue, but was seen as more likely to win the support of swing voters such as Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.).

Since Manchin effectively killed the BBB in December, Democrats have worked behind the scenes to revive its key policy goals in a less wide-reaching reconciliation bill to win Manchin and Sinemas support, but Manchin has made clear that he hasnt been involved in these talks.

No, no, no, no, Manchin responded when asked if he had participated in these discussions. Its dead.

Later, Manchin clarified his earlier statements, saying If were talking about the whole big package, thats gone.

However, Manchins support is a must-have for any reconciliation package, and his opposition to Bidens proposal effectively leaves it dead on arrival unless Democrats can generate GOP support for the proposal.
Ohio Election Candidates Still in the Dark Amid Congressional Mapping Delays

Unsure of campaign schedule and perimeters as Feds set to review proposed congressional district boundaries

The approval of a new congressional district map for Ohio next could be in the hands of a federal court instead of the Ohio Supreme Court.

That comes much to the chagrin of candidates who do not yet know where to stump, are having to re-examine campaign budgets leading up to the May 3 primary election, or plan for it to be held on a later date.

Taxpayers are also looking at the possibility of having to foot a $25 million to $30 million cost of an additional election that could be held in August for the offices that fall within a district, something that candidates say is a bad time for elections.

On top of that, candidates and incumbents believe that the constitutional rights of voters are being infringed upon by the Ohio Supreme Court, or at least the judges who have rejected three proposed congressional district maps since September.

The proposed maps were submitted by the Ohio Redistricting Commission, including members Gov. Mike DeWine and Secretary of State Frank LaRose, attempting to get a new congressional district map approved by the states high court in time for the primary.

Early voting is supposed to begin on April 5, but its unclear whether state legislative races are going to appear on the May 3 ballot after LaRose pulled them the week of March 21, citing the districts uncertain legal status.

LaRose also has said that only state legislature approval could change the election date.

An update on the Lorain County Board of Elections site in northeast Ohio near Cleveland stated:

On March 16, 2022, the Supreme Court of Ohio invalidated the Ohio General Assembly district plan adopted on February 24, 2022. Therefore the offices of Ohio House, Senate, and State Central Committee will not appear on the May 3 Primary Election Ballot.

Voter district information  will be updated as soon as that information is available.

Four judgesDemocrats Michael Donnelly, Melody Stewart, and Jennifer Brunner; and Republican Maureen OConnoron the states high court have rejected the maps, claiming they favor the Republicans, hurt the Democrats, and violate gerrymandering laws implemented by the state in 2015.

Gerrymandering is the term used in the district map process that benefits one political party throughout districts and hurts the one who opposes it.

Now, after the commission has racked up three misses within the Ohio Supreme Court and the commission submitted its fourth proposed map on March 28, candidates running for state offices say it makes it nearly impossible to put together a campaign strategy.

There are 33 Ohio Senate districts and 99 Ohio House districts. Every 10 years, the districts must be redrawn based on the population taken by the U.S. Census.

A hearing for a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court is scheduled for March 30.

Republican activist groups are trying to get the U.S. District Court to impose the map that the state supreme court rejected earlier in March.

A panel of three federal judges also has indicated its considering delaying the primary, or at least the start of early voting, to give the state more time, but U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley said he could intervene if the date of the May 3 primary is jeopardized.

The federal court also could rule on a map or possibly implement one of its own.

Katherine Shutte of Beavercreek, near Dayton, is running for a state representative seat in Ohios primary election but isnt quite sure when that will be. (Courtesy of Katherine Shutte)

Candidates and incumbents from all corners of the state oppose the district court interfering in Ohio elections and believe if the federal court steps in and draws up a new map, it would set a bad precedent when its the states job to oversee its elections.

Its beyond frustrating, said Katherine Shutte, a first-time candidate from Beavercreek running for state representative against incumbent Brian Lampton on the Republican ticket.

The district in southwest Ohio covers Greene Countys District 73 near Dayton, which includes Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, but the newly-proposed maps show that it could become District 70.

The uncertainty of all of this makes it more difficult to put together a campaign, Shutte told The Epoch Times.

It makes it nearly impossible to put together a campaign strategy. Its harder for the newcomers. What your district is today, may change tomorrow. I dont think the federal court should get involved in the states election process, though. The states need to oversee their own elections.

Shutte, who opposes critical race theory in schools, supports the military, and medical freedom, believes the district needs a representative who is more accessible to constituents.

She added she has been a bit more conservative with the purse strings of her budget having has spent about $2,000 so far.

Much of her campaign has been door-to-door, going to events, and personally meeting with people in the heart of her district.

Ohio State Rep. Scott Wiggam of northeast Ohios District 1, believes the Ohio Supreme Court is infringing upon voters rights by not approving the proposed congressional redistricting maps that could change the date of the May 3 primary election. (Courtesy of Scott Wiggam)

Scott Wiggam, another Republican, is running for re-election in northeastern Ohios District 1 in Wayne County and echoed Shuttes sentiments. Wiggam is unopposed as a Republican in the primary, but will be up against Democratic opponent Mark Gooch in the November general election.

The Ohio Supreme Court is infringing upon voters rights, Wiggam told The Epoch Times. They keep moving the goalposts by continuing to reject the redistricting maps. The courts judges have become politically involved and are trying to carve out Democratic districts.

Judge OConnor is retiring at the end of this year, and Donnelly and Stewart are up for re-election in 2024.

Its been an ongoing constitutional crisis, Wiggam added about the map redistricting situation.

Moving the primary back to August would be hurting the challengers and the incumbents. The judges say there are no safe Democratic districts, and that the maps put the Republicans at an unfair advantage.

Well, Ohio has been trending red [Republican] in an aggressive way in recent years, and its getting harder to find a district that would favor the Democrats.

The commission also has called in outside groups to help with the map with two mapmaking consultants hired last week.

University of Florida political scientist Michael McDonald and California mapping consultant Douglas Johnson began working on it the week of March 21.

Their maps all were designed to favor each party to win districts perfectly in proportion to their share of the recent statewide vote, 54 percent Republican and 46 percent Democratic, and included only a handful of competitive districts, some of which leaned Republican and some of which leaned Democrat.

Ohio State Sen. Cecil Thomas, a Democrat, introduced Senate Bill 313 on March 24, requesting the May 3 primary be changed to June 28. (Courtesy of Cecil Thomas)

State senators Cecil Thomas and Tina Maharath, both Democrats, introduced Senate Bill 316 on March 24, proposing this bill would move the May 3 primary to June 28.

I believe moving the primary is the most prudent and responsible action to take right now to protect Ohioans ability to exercise their fundamental right to vote, Thomas said. In order to avoid unnecessary chaos and potential errors, we must relieve the pressure our boards of elections are facing as they prepare for the primary.
It took years to confirm in the pages of his Marvel comic book, but Marc Spector was indeed one of the first Jewish superhero alter egos, along with the Fantastic Fours Ben Grimm. In the comics, his father, Elias, was identified as an immigrant rabbi who survived the Holocaust.

The Marvel hero now has his own streaming series, but it is unclear how much of his Jewish heritage will be reflected, at least from the first four (out of six) episodes provided for review. (But there are press reports of the casting of his Jewish parents, presumably to be seen in later flashback scenes.)

Regardless, when viewers first meet Spector, he is not in the best of shape. The mercenary still serves as the empowered avatar of the fictional Egyptian moon spirit of vengeance, Khonshu, but he must share a body with the persona of nebbish Steven Grant, thanks to his severe dissociative identity disorder. Spector only comes out at times of extreme physical stress, but such instances happen plenty often in Moon Knight, adapted by head-writer Jeremy Slater and showrunner Mohamed Diab.

Superhero in London

It might sound ironic that a Jewish-American mercenary would do the dirty work of an Egyptian higher being, but that is part of the tension that the comic explored. Regardless, Spector certainly seems to know his way around the Middle Eastern country when the action shifts to Egypt, but it starts in London, where his shy Grant identity works as a gift store clerk someplace very much like the British Museum. Although bullied on the job, Grant displays a knowledge of ancient Egyptian culture well above his lowly position. Of course, that will come in handy later.

Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant and alter ego Marc Spector in Moon Knight. (Disney+)

Tormented by vivid dreams and bouts of sleepwalking, the confused Grant ties his leg to a bedpost each night and tries to forestall sleep as long as possible. Yet he inevitably comes to at awkward moments, finding himself battling thugs loyal to Arthur Harrow, a sinister cult leader. Harrows notion of justice approaches the fanatical. He too once served as Khonshus earthly avatar, but he came to the conclusion that the avenging immortal is not sufficiently proactive.

Egyptian Antagonist

Harrow now secretly plots to release Khonshus old antagonist, Ammit, who has been held in stasis within her secret tomb. Khonshu is definitely a bit of an overbearing blowhard (whose stern voice constantly reverberates in Spector/Grants head), but he believes that issues of guilt and innocence should still be adjudicated fairly. Ammit would ruthlessly cut down anyone she judged to be inclined toward criminal deviancy, like a manifestation of Minority Report from Egyptian antiquity.

What really distinguishes Moon Knight from the recent crush of superhero programming is the ancient Egyptian themes and motifs. There is a lot of hieroglyphics, sarcophaguses, and flying scarabs. The Moon Knight suit that Spector can summon to channel Khonshus superpowers also comes equipped with some impressive crescent-shaped throwing weapons.

Yet showrunner Diab (who is probably best known for the film Cairo 678, which blisteringly critiqued the misogyny of Egyptian Islamists) also maintains the hardboiled noir vibe of the early comic books. For a while, the Moon Knight comic book was criticized for its Batman-like vibe, until it started to lean more forcefully into the ancient Egyptian backstory.

Big, Bad Villain

Marvels latest series also boasts a truly creepy villain in Arthur Harrow, played with surprisingly chilling menace by Ethan Hawke. Reportedly inspired by David Koresh, viewers can also find echoes of cult leaders like Charles Manson and Jim Jones in the hippie-ish New Age messianic megalomaniac. It is the serenity masking his ruthlessness that makes Hawkes performance so creepy.

Ethan Hawke as Arthur Harrow in Moon Knight. (Disney+)

Oscar Isaac plays the Spector persona with a steeliness that suits the shows noir vibe, but he is a bit too whiny and sheepish as the meek Grant. However, F. Murray Abrahams booming voice is perfect for the stentorian Khonshu. Although the visions of the Egyptian immortal are computer generated, he plays an intriguing role in the narrative, especially when he interacts with his rival Egyptian higher beings.

Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant (L) and F. Murray Abraham as the voice of Khonshu in Moon Knight. (Disney+)

There are some nicely choreographed fight sequences and the Khonshu character design is pretty striking, but the Moon Knight suit often looks a little weird in close-ups. Regardless, Hawke gives one of the best supervillain performances of any of the Marvel/Disney+ series, so far.

Diab and Slater keep it almost entirely free of wider Marvel MCU references, so casual viewers can watch it without referring to the internet for an explanation of any stray cameos. As long as it eventually acknowledges Spectors Jewish heritage in a respectful way, it should satisfy longstanding fans of the superhero.

Recommended as something a little different from Marvel, Moon Knight starts streaming March 30 on Disney+.

Moon Knight

Director: Mohamed Diab

Stars: Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke, May Calamawy

Running Time: 6 episodes

MPAA Rating: Unrated

Release Date: March 30, 2022

Rating: 3.5 out of 5
As we continue to learn about the SARS-CoV-2 virus that caused a world pandemic, researchers and those who have contracted COVID-19 are seeing a rise of memory and cognition issues that may be attributed to long Covid.

In fact, two recent studies say that 7 out of 10 long Covid sufferers have memory and concentration problems. The research team noted that 10 to 25 percent of those who contract Covid are at risk of developing long Covid. Among the patients part of the study, 78 reported difficulty concentrating, and 69 percent experienced brain fog, about 68 percent suffered from routine forgetfulness, and 60 percent said they struggled to identify words while speaking.

Doctors have seen brain fog and other cognition issues in patients who had very mild Covid, and even those who said they were asymptomatic. This is often accompanied by varying degrees of memory loss, confusion, recurring headaches, and depression and anxiety.

We spoke with Dr. Jonathan Liu, a professor of Chinese Medicine at Canadian Public College, and learned four natural methods to improve cognition. Dr. Liu has more than 20 years teaching and clinical experience in traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture.

His most concerned patients are those in their middle age and younger adults. In other words, the majority of the workforce, he said.

They suddenly realize their minds arent working as before. They cant remember things. Of course theyre worried about this, Dr. Liu.

Dr. Liu explained why a virus that seems to cause a respiratory disease can so easily affect the mind. Places with more active blood circulation are actually weaker to infection, more easily affected by the infection of the virus, he said. At resting, the brain easily uses 20 percent of the bodys blood, oxygen, and energy; at times, this could be up to 50 percent.

So then, what happens when the brain has less blood and oxygen? Dr. Liu said. It is almost like a really, really minor cerebral thrombosis or clogged artery in the brain, resulting in that brain fog symptom. For some people, it lasts about six weeks, then its gone. But for some people it lasts longer.

Sars-CoV-2 has a high affinity to blood vessels, Dr. Liu explained, because blood vessels are abundant in ACE2, the functional receptor for Covid-19 infection and entry. Damage to these cells automatically leads to poorer blood circulation, and in some cases microthrombosis, which affects the blood and oxygen supply to the brain, leading to many other problems.

The brain does age over time, Dr. Liu said, but what a patient experiences after Covid is an acceleration of natural aging.

Dr. Liu explained what this block of circulation means in traditional Chinese medicine, methods of prevention, and natural ways to treat these conditions.

Dampness and Dementia

In modern medicine, what is known as early-onset dementia is in traditional Chinese medicine related to what they call dampness, which leads to confusion, loss of memory, and impaired speech, Dr. Liu said. Think of cold like symptoms, where the tongue is coated and the body develops phlegmthats dampness.

And while a cold and dementia have little to do with each other on the surface, the root deficiencies that lead to both have similarities.

What we eat is very important, its the first cause of dampness. Food with high sugar, high salt, and high oil content can cause dampness; sometimes youll notice phlegm after eating them, Dr. Liu said. In Chinese medicine, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, arteriosclerosis are also symptoms of excess dampness.

Dr. Liu suggested a number of natural remedies that help combat brain fog.

Modern medicine has done a lot of research to improve cognition impairment, but the options are still few. Chinese medicine has thousands of years of history, and does provide treatments of impaired brain function. There are actually many Chinese herbs that elevate the mechanism of brain function, and prevent the degeneration of the brain, Dr. Liu said.

Hawthorn Tea

Hawthorn fruits are red berries sometimes called a thornapple or hawberry.

Hawthorn is known to aid digestion, avoid stagnation, and reduce blockage in microcirculation, therefore helping clear the blockage and prevent brain fog, Dr. Liu said.

The tea is easily found in many health food stores, and Dr. Liu says he recommends it primarily for the prevention of cognition issues, but if you are suffering from long Covid you can also experience some benefits.

Barley Tea

He also recommended barley tea as primarily a preventative remedy.

Barley tea has the benefit of being anti-anxiety and antidepressant, Dr. Liu said. These are also major symptoms of brain fog.

Barley tea also helps to strengthen the spleen and stomach, basically reducing dampness. Chinese medicine believes dampness is endogenous, and develops when the spleen and stomach is weak. Thats why barley tea is effective as a preventative remedy, Dr. Liu said.

Lily Lotus Seed Soup

A lot of Covid patients suffer from comorbidities, Ive observed. For instance, fevers associated with yin deficiency. After a fever, the patients tongue is abnormally red, the mouth is dry, theyre irritable and quick to upset, suffer from insomnia, forgetfulness, they cant concentrate, and are absent minded, Dr. Liu said.

In these cases he recommends them a lily lotus soup:

100 grams lily root (often found in dried bulbs, or powdered)

25 grams of lotus seeds

a bit of rock sugar

Let the water boil first before putting in the lotus seeds, otherwise they may not soften on the outside. Simmer for another 20 or 30 minutes until the seeds are soft.

Lily and lotus seeds are both medicine and food, and theyre both tasty, Dr. Liu said. Together, they calm and soothe the nerves, alleviate insomnia, reduce brain fog, and improve concentration.

Jujube Decoction

Another deficiency he often sees in those suffering long Covid effects is qi, or energy, deficiency. Here he recommends sour jujubes and dried longan fruit pulp.

Sour jujubes nourish the mind, heart, and blood, Dr. Liu said, and even helps with sleep quality. The longan pulp is known to nourish blood and qi, and has a calming effect.

30 grams sour jujube

15 grams longan pulp

10 grams dried tangerine peel

danshen (Chinese herb)

6 grams rock sugar

Wash the ingredients well, cook them together in water, filter the ingredients out, and then add the rock sugar.

We know that Covid affects the blood vessels, causing inflammation. Danshen is a mild and safe remedy to improve blood circulation and resolve blood stasis, Dr. Liu said. Dried tangerine peel is good for relieving phlegm and dampness. Together, these herbs will soothe the nerves, replenish the brain, improve sleep, improve memory, and lift fatigue.

Another soup uses jujube and walnuts, which Dr. Liu also recommends to elderly patients with kidney weaknesses that lead to tiredness, soreness of the waist, and nocturia, or having to wake up in the middle of the night to urinate frequently enough to affect sleep quality.

handful of walnuts

10 grams fushen (Chinese herb)

10 grams sour jujube

10 grams longan pulp

For this soup, first cook the jujubes in water for 10 to 15 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients and cook for another 10 to 20 minutes.

They taste pretty good together, and function together even better, to soothe the nerves, improve cognition, and improve sleep quality, he said. Its particularly good for relieving forgetfulness, so I recommend it to older patients generally.

Acupuncture and Energy

Dr. Liu also suggested two easy-to-locate acupoints that people can use on themselves at home to help with cognition issues.

Modern medicine has recognized that many acupoints are especially effective for treating nerve system illnesses, such as a stroke, brain degeneration, and Alzheimers disease, Dr. Liu explained.

The first is the Baihui point, which is located at the crown of the head, the center of the top of your head.

Gently massage this point for 100 times to refresh the mind, improve memory, reduce insomnia, and relieve headaches, he said. In my clinical studies I found it very effected and patients responded well in improving memory, reducing brain fog, insomnia, headaches. It was also helped patients who were suffering from anxiety and depression due to long Covid.

Previously, I also found it effective in treating patients in coma. A patient with a massive cerebral infarction was in a coma for a week, and the family was informed it was unlikely she would regain consciousness. I was a consulting physician and tried acupuncture at the Baihui point three times, and she regained consciousness during the third session, he said.

The second acupuncture point is the Yongquan point on the sole of your foot. It is a third of the way down the foot, between the second and third toes. You will feel a spot between the bones that feels a little sore when you press down on it.

First, enhance blood circulation of the feet by soaking in warm water before the massage. Second, what you can do is to press on it with your knuckle, which is safer than using your finger and it presses deeper into the acupoint. You can also use a small, wooden massage stick. Press down on the point 100 times, and do this for both feet, Dr. Liu said.

Clinically, we have seen a particularly impressive effect with the pressing of the Yongquan point. Its a major acupoint. It helps to relieve brain fog, sleeplessness, and especially severe anxiety associated with insomnia, Dr. Liu said. Pressing 100 times on both feet should only take a few minutes.

Acupuncture is related to the energy of the body. The meridians of the body regular our physical energy, and the meridian is very good at regulating the energy of the human body and enhancing the strength of the energy, said Dr. Liu. In this respect, Dr. Liu also had recommendation for improving mental health, which many doctors have stressed is important to relieving long Covid symptoms.

In Chinese medicine, theres a saying that modern people lack the essence of qi compared to the ancients. Traditional Chinese culture has always been about limiting human desires, and actually from a medical point theres a lot of stock in this. The ancients paid attention to the spiritual aspect of things more than the material aspect of things; many of them lived frugal and selfless lives, Dr. Liu said.

In contrast, we live in a time of excess self-centeredness and self-indulgence, Dr. Liu said. From rampant consumerism, the prevalence of alcoholism and drug use, and overeating, these things have even become cultural norms. Take eating, for example. Too much eating is harmful to the body, no matter if youre eating good or bad foods, Dr. Liu said. Too much of anything is not good for our digestive systems, we can see that with diabetes, heart disease, and obesity increases, linked to excessive eating and contributing to higher Covid risk.

Another excess in our modern people is sexual desire and activity. In traditional Chinese medicine believes that its damaging to the essence of qi, especially the kidney energy. An old saying goes, one drop of seminal fluid is more valuable than ten drops of blood,' Dr. Liu said, adding that its certainly not a view of modern people anymore.

But what does this have to do with the brain? Well, in Chinese medicine we say that the kidney is in charge of producing bone marrow, and the marrow it produces is directly connected to the brain. If the kidneys essence of qi is kept well, the brain will function well, Dr. Liu said. These excesses that have led to kidney and brain issues are also seen in the rise of ADD, ADHD, depression, and anxiety, he added.

Todays education teaches young children about exercising sexual freedom and its actually very damaging, Dr. Liu said, adding that hes seen that these things have actually decreased peoples happiness, and in many cases their desire to do something positive in life, decreasing their motivation in life.

What I usually say to my patients is that external stimulants cant bring you happiness. True happiness comes from being selfless and not having many desires, he said. From a traditional medicine point of view, happiness comes from within. No desire is considered a virtue. Not greedy is considered a treasure. This is the source of happiness. When you dont have a lot of desires, your mind is peaceful. Inner peace brings joy. This is different from the fleeting happiness obtained through substance abuse or over-consumption. Those dont last at all.
Proposal Would Shield Farmland From Key Wind, Solar Subsidy

Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) has introduced legislation that would eliminate the energy credit for wind and solar installations if they are operated by a public utility on agricultural land.

Known as the Future Agriculture Retention and Management (FARM) Act of 2022, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means on Feb. 28.

I kept hearing stories about how productive agricultural land in Wisconsin and around the country was being used for these projects, Tiffany said in an interview with The Epoch Times.

It deeply concerns me that were going to take productive agricultural land out of production for something thats intermittent and requires enormous subsidies to survive in the marketplace.

Solar photovoltaic power in Tiffanys home state of Wisconsin has a capacity factor of just 16 percent, according to the Energy Information Administration, meaning it is far less productive than nuclear, hydroelectric, natural gas, and coal power in the state.

Tiffany told The Epoch Times that a farmer in western Wisconsin reached out to him last year and said he was being offered $800 an acre and 25 years of guaranteed rent to put up a utility-scale solar installation on his property.

Tiffany says a typical farmer in his district would pay $150 to $200 an acre in rent. Thats in line with a 2020 state-level estimate from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which listed an average price of $138 per acre.

This farmer was really concerned about this. He said, I could do this and make a bunch of moneybut thats not the best thing for America, especially when it comes to food production, Tiffany said.

Some of the rent offers per acre for land, for wind, and solar are just something that normal farmers cant compete with, Isaac Orr, an energy expert at the Center of the American Experiment, told The Epoch Times.

Tiffany first announced the legislation with Orr, who, as did Tiffany, grew up on one of Wisconsins many dairy farms.

A lot of times, it is the people who are the furthest removed from jobs where you get your hands dirty that are the most enthusiastic about these kinds of low-energy societies that are based on this kind of fairy tale of wind, solar, and batteries, Orr told The Epoch Times.

Some solar boosters have promoted agrivoltaics, which are systems that pair photovoltaic solar panels with agricultural production.

Last years Solar Futures Study from the Department of Energy, for example, noted that the Agriculture Department supports integrated agricultural systemsthat is, approaches to farming aimed at realizing more than one function from the same piece of land, often in line with environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) or ESG-like principles.

The Department of Energy suggested that agrivoltaics could fall into that category, citing, among other research, a study that indicated the combination of solar installations and crop production could make land as much as 70 percent more productive.

However, Orr expressed skepticism about the feasibility of growing crops under, or near, large solar panels. He also noted that livestock could damage such installations.

Tiffany announced the proposal as food shortages have become a looming threat, with President Joe Biden saying last week that such shortages would be real.

I think were going to see a rebalancing of our priorities when it comes to energy and agriculture, Orr said, citing the RussiaUkraine wars effects on global energy markets as well as Chinas dominance of the global supply chain for solar panels.

Various states, including Iowa and Oregon, have also seen efforts to slow the spread of utility-scale solar on U.S. farmland.

The next step is to talk to some state legislators, because it should be a real concern for them, Tiffany said.

Orr noted that Tiffanys bill doesnt outright ban wind or solar development.

If the shareholders want this, then finethats their opportunity. But the U.S. taxpayer should not be ensuring that theyre going to get their money back, he said.

There is no free market for electricity. I completely acknowledge that. But that doesnt mean we should be encouraging rational actors to do irrational things.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment regarding Tiffanys bill. The ranking Republican member of that committee, Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), also didnt respond by press time to a request for comment.

Representatives of two major renewable energy industry associations, the American Clean Power Association and the Solar Energy Industries Association, also didnt respond by press time to a request for comment.
This photo taken on Jan. 4, 2021 shows Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers taking part in military training at Pamir Mountains in Kashgar, northwestern China's Xinjiang region. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

New National Defense Strategy Will Prioritize China Threat: Pentagon

The Biden administrations national defense strategy will continue to prioritize Chinas communist regime as the foremost challenge to the nation, according to an unclassified fact sheet released by the Pentagon.

The fact sheet was released on March 28, the same day the Pentagon submitted the classified 2022 National Defense Strategy to Congress. It followed shortly after the unveiling of the administrations proposed defense budget of $773 billion for 2023, which focused on China as the key pacing challenge.

The factsheet referred to China as the most consequential strategic competitor and the pacing challenge for the Department, and said that the national security strategy would focus first on prioritizing the PRC [Peoples Republic of China] challenge in the Indo-Pacific, then the Russia challenge in Europe.

It further said that the Pentagon would work toward increasing resiliency and joint force capabilities, while also deterring strategic attacks.

Under this framework, its first priority will be defending the homeland, paced to the growing multi-domain threat posed by the PRC, the factsheet said.

The announcement follows some speculation that the United States could be forced to divert resources to Europe amid Russias ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been accused of tacitly supporting.

It also follows allegations that the CCP was considering a plea from Russia to provide military and economic assistance for the latters ongoing war in Ukraine. NATO leaders condemned Russia for the war and called upon China not to provide such support.

President Joe Biden similarly threatened consequences for the CCP should it provide such support, and a recent poll found that a majority of Americans believed China should be sanctioned if it follows through with aid to Russia.

The administration has been operating according to an interim national security strategy for the past year, and faces multiple crises both domestically and internationally. Not the least of which is the possibility of facing the combined nuclear arsenals of China and Russia.

To this end, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines cautioned that Sino-Russian cooperation would only grow in the coming years, and Admiral John Aquilino, U.S. Indo-Pacific commander, said that the CCP sought nothing less than a new international order carved out at the expense of all others.

The announcement comes amid numerous public comments from current and former lawmakers and officials, who warn that the threat from the CCP must be defended against aggressively.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said that the CCP was the greatest threat facing America. Likewise, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the communist regime should be considered as an adversary rather that a competitor.

Former Assistant Secretary of State David Stillwell, meanwhile, said that the United States was in a new Cold War with the CCP.

On the home front, U.S. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said that a war with China would reach the mainland United States. And the Justice Department issued several arrest warrants this month relation CCP conspiracies to harass intimidate, and spy on American citizens in the United States.

One such case involved an alleged plot to attack a Congressional hopeful in New York. Another included spying on and stalking an American Olympian and her family.

The Pentagon said an unclassified version of the 2022 National Defense Strategy will be released in tandem with the release of the administrations forthcoming national security strategy. But no official release date has been given.
New Peer-Reviewed Research Finds Evidence of 2020 Voter Fraud

Commentary

By a margin of 52 percent to 40 percent, voters believe that cheating affected the outcome of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Thats per a Rasmussen Reports survey from this month. This stands in stark contrast to the countless news stories editorializing about no evidence of voter fraud and the myth of voter fraud.

It isnt just Republicans who believe this cheating occurred. Even 34 percent of Democrats believe it, as do 38 percent of those who somewhat support President Biden. A broad range of Americans think this: men, women, all age groups, whites, those who are neither white nor black, Republicans, those who are neither Republicans nor Democrats, all job categories, all income groups except those making over $200,000 per year, and all education groups except those who attended graduate school.

And with good reason. New research of mine is forthcoming in the peer-reviewed economics journal Public Choice, and it finds evidence of around 255,000 excess votes (possibly as many as 368,000) for Joe Biden in six swing states where Donald Trump lodged accusations of fraud. Biden only carried these statesArizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsinby a total of 313,253 votes. Excluding Michigan, the gap was 159,065.

The point of this work isnt to contest the 2020 election, but to point out that we have a real problem that needs to be dealt with. Americans must have confidence in future elections.

Some Trump allies, such as attorney Sidney Powell, who famously promised to Release the Kraken and then provided no evidence, have helped to discredit these concerns.

Courts have rejected challenges to the 2020 presidential vote, generally citing the lack of evidence that any alleged fraud would have altered the outcome in a particular state. The Republican plaintiffs argued that since their observers couldnt watch the vote counts or were prevented from seeing other evidence, they couldnt provide such proof without investigations backed by subpoena power. Still, while some judges have agreed that irregularities occurred in 2020, they werent willing to grant discovery in the absence of evidence that fraud could reverse the election results. Republicans thus faced a Catch-22 situation.

Recounts havent been useful in resolving fraud concerns, as they merely involve recounting the same potentially fraudulent ballots.

Signature verification is far from perfect, as election employees have as little as five seconds to check a signature. Amidst unprecedented numbers of mail-in ballots in the 2020 election, many states didnt even try to verify signatures. If someone mailed in multiple ballots, there was virtually no way to catch them. And without tamper-resistant photo IDs, fraud is difficult to prove. Unless someone tries voting multiple times in the same precinct, there is no way to catch them.

My research provides three tests of vote fraud.

First, I compared precincts in a county with alleged fraud to adjacent, similar precincts in neighboring counties with no fraud allegations. Precincts tend to be small, homogeneous areas, and many consist of fewer than a thousand registered voters. When comparing President Trumps absentee ballot vote shares among these adjacent precincts, I accounted for differences in Trumps in-person vote share and in registered voters demographics in both precincts.

While precincts count in-person votes, central county offices are responsible for counting absentee or mail-in ballots. A county with systemic fraud may count absentee or mail-in ballots differently from a neighboring county. We can try to detect this fraud by comparing the results in bordering precincts that happen to fall on opposite sides of a county line. These precincts will tend to be virtually identical to each othervoters may simply be on the other side of the street from their precinct neighbors.

In 2016, there was no unexplained gap in absentee ballot counts. But 2020 was a different story. Just in Fulton County, Georgia, my test yielded an unexplained 17,000 votes32 percent more than Bidens margin over Trump in the entire state.

With the focus on winning the state, there is no apparent reason why Democrats would get out the absentee ballot vote more in one precinct than in a neighboring precinct with similar political and demographic characteristics.

Next I applied the same method to provisional ballots in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Contrary to state law, voters were allegedly allowed to correct defects in absentee ballots by submitting provisional ballots on Election Day. My analysis found that such permissions in Allegheny County alone contributed to a statistically significant 6,700 additional votes for Bidenin a state decided by fewer than 81,000 votes.

Finally, artificially large voter turnouts can also be a sign of vote fraud. This fraud could come in the form of filling out absentee ballots for people who didnt vote, voting by ineligible people, or bribing people for their votes.

Republican-leaning swing state counties had higher turnouts relative to the 2016 election. Democratic-leaning counties had lower turnouts, except for the Democratic counties with alleged vote fraud, which had very high turnouts.

My estimates likely understate the true amount of fraud with absentee ballots, as I didnt attempt to ascertain possible in-person voting fraud. Allegations have arisen of many ineligible in-person voters in Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. In Fulton County, Georgia, 2,423 voters were not listed as registered on the states records, and 2,560 felons voted even though they had not completed their sentences.

Vote fraud erodes trust in elections, and makes people less motivated to vote. Compared to Europe and other developed countries, America is unique in its lax approach to vote fraud. When all demographic and political groups in the United States support voter photo IDs and even 46 percent of Democrats believe that mail-in voting leads to cheating, ignoring Americans concerns wont make the problem go away.

From RealClearWire

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A banner bearing the blue-and-yellow national colors of Ukraine is strung along a metal fence in Phoenix, Ariz., on March 26 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)

Door Shut With Superglue: Russians in America Say They Face Harassment Following Ukraine Invasion

GOODYEAR, Ariz.There was a time not long ago when Valentina Cerkas could tell the world she was from Russia.

Now she feels uncomfortable saying it out loud following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Its embarrassing to meI hate to say that, Cerkas told The Epoch Times. I just say Im me. Im a nice person.

Cerkas admits its not a good time to be a Russian or Russian speaker in America these days, with Russophobia a concern for her now.

Im sure everybody is concerned [about Russophobia], she said. Im sure every Russian who is here is worried about that.

Sveta, a popular restaurant in New York City, recently began receiving hate emails and phone calls even though co-owner Alan Aguichev is Ukrainian.

Luckily, everything is great now, Aguichev told The Epoch Times, citing a wellspring of community support.

Still, Aguichev said hes not surprised by acts of Russophobia, given the volatile relations between Russia and the West.

Yasha From Russia, a popular international market in Phoenix, was vandalized soon after the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)

After Ukraine was invaded, Ed Vertov, the Russian owner of Stellar Remnant record store in Los Angeles, told his followers on social media that he received an eviction notice from his landlord.

The stores last day was March 27. There were no special events or goodbye partiesnone of that, Vertov posted on Facebook.

As you might have heard we have been struggling with the shop, he said in another post.

We absolutely understand that our problems are nothing compared to what people are living through war and how much suffering it causes. It must stop immediately. We take things for granted and thats just human nature.

Its unfortunate that it came to this [eviction notice], but we do not want to be where we are not welcome and with the hate and threats we have been getting, its not a good time for us to own a storefront.

Only love will save the world.

Vertov told The Epoch Times his future business plans will be announced at a later date.

Never Happened Before

At Yasha From Russia, a busy Russian and European delicatessen in Phoenix, manager Ramses Salazar said vandals sealed the rear door shut with superglue after the invasion.

Thats never happened before, Salazar told The Epoch Times.

The store has also received rude comments and phone calls from people telling staff to go back to your country, Salazar said.

Were hoping its [isolated], but who knows? he said.

Ramses Salazar, manager of Yasha From Russia in Phoenix, says the store caters to a wide range of ethnic clientele, including Russians, Ukrainians, Poles, and Mexicans. (Below) Visitors are greeted by a custom lamp cover. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)

Originally from Moscow, Cerkas said its only human to act out in fear and anger when people feel threatenedno matter how unjustified.

She is staunchly against the war in Ukraine. Her stance has come at a price in friendships lostboth Russian and Ukrainian.

To these people, I have nothing to say other than to stop communicating, Cerkas said with a note of sorrow. Theres no arguing or changing anybodys mind.

Cerkas, now retired after 30 years as a teacher in Arizona, likened Russophobia to anger directed against Muslims in the United States after 9/11 for no other reason than their language or ethnicity.

Thats just human nature. Were the villains [now], she said.

Veronika Williams, lecturer/recruitment coordinator for the University of Arizonas Department of Russian and Slavic Studies, is also a Russian national who became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

She said anti-Russian sentiment is a reality in the United States, but its complicated.

People wait in line to pay for their items at Yasha From Russia in Phoenix, on March 26. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)

There is also a sense of collective guilt among Russians and Russian speakers here over the situation in Ukraine, she said.

People who live in the United States who are Russian see the world differently because we have and see different perspectives and sources on the world, which is different from many Russians in Russia who are brainwashed by state-run media, she said.

Williams told The Epoch Times, We understand the atrocities of this unjust and unprovoked war. Its harder to proclaim today that I am Russian. I say I am from Tucson.

Nonetheless, we still experience this feeling of collective guilt [that] it is my home country doing that.

Williams said many Russians also appear to be facing an emotional identity crisis, trying to adjust to the reality of the war on Ukraine and struggling to stay connected to those who are in Russia and might have different views.

I dont know anyone in my circle in the United States who supports the war. I see my mission as an educator to show that not all Russians support the war, she said.

There are also Russians in Russia who protest and risk [their] freedom to show their opposition to the regime and the war on Ukraine.

An Interconnected World

Natalya Ralyk, who was born in Siberia in the former Soviet Union, is now married and living in Tucson, Arizona. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen after completing her doctoral degree in 2010.

Ukrainian by heritage, Ralyk said she has yet to experience Russophobia in her community regardless of opposition to the war.

We have to accept responsibility and go through this, Ralyk told The Epoch Times. I express it in my opinions.

My point is that everything is so interconnected. We are so interconnected. I have my American friends. My husband is American. We live in such a small world. My great grandparents came to Ukraine in 1916, she said.

The broader issue, she said, is that many Americans dont distinguish among the different ethnic groups that make up the Russian Federation.

Theyre all Russians in their eyes.

But in the current political climate, anti-Russian sentiment occurs though many oppose Vladimir Putin.

To say that one is Russian now is to convey an absolutely negative connotation, Ralyk said. People dont want to differentiate. People are angry.

Many Americans also dont have full access to the facts in Ukraine, so their understanding of the conflict is limited by the media.

Likewise, many Russians are living in an information bubble of state-controlled news outlets in Russia, she said.

When we talk about the war, its hard to talk, because many Russians are brainwashed, Ralyk said. It affects everyone.

From Russia, With Hope

The Russian American population is currently estimated at 3 million people. In Arizona, Russians comprise nearly 2.25 percent of the population of Scottsdale, the states fifth-largest city with nearly 260,000 residents.

Obtaining a U.S. visa has also proved challenging for many Russian emigres because of the Kremlins forced reduction of the American consular workforce in Moscow.

Nonimmigrant visa applications may be processed wherever an applicant is physically located and can schedule an appointment, according to a U.S. State Department spokesperson.

Whenever an individual applies for a U.S. visa, a consular officer reviews the facts of the case and determines whether the applicant is eligible for that visa based on U.S. law.

Consular officers deny visa applications if an applicant is found ineligible under the Immigration and Nationality Act or other provisions of U.S. law. We have no changes to visa eligibility to announce at this time.

While both sides in the Ukraine conflict have been accused of demonizing the enemy, Cerkas said shes afraid Russophobia will only get worse if the conflict escalates.

Im afraid that Russophobia will spill onto everyone who is from that neck of the woods. And that would be very unfair.
The structure of the New Safe Confinement (NSC) covering the 4th block of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which was destroyed during the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, is pictured on Nov. 22, 2018. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)

Nuclear Catastrophe: Ukraine Calls on UN to Force Russia Away From Chernobyl

Ukrainian officials called on the United Nations to push Russian forces away from the Chernobyl nuclear site to prevent a catastrophe, coming more than a month after the start of the invasion.

Is the world ready for a nuclear catastrophe because of Russias bungling? asked Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk on Telegram. The occupiers set up an ammunition depot near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, she continued while adding that the occupiers stupidity is worse than their villainy.

In 1986, the Chernobyl plants reactor blew up and sent radioactive material across Europe and the former Soviet Union as Soviet officials sought to cover it up. Since then, workers have been stationed at the Chernobyl site to manage spent nuclear fuel and monitor radiation levels.

Vereshchuk called on the U.N. to establish a mission in the region and prioritize demilitarizing the Chernobyl site. Russian troops have occupied the area since the first day of its invasion, which started on Feb. 24.

The Russian military said after capturing the plant that radiation was within normal levels and their actions prevented possible nuclear provocations by Ukrainian nationalists. Russia has previously denied that its forces have put nuclear facilities inside Ukraine at risk.

Valery Seida, acting general director of the Chernobyl plant, said he was told by witnesses that Russian military vehicles drove everywhere around the exclusion zone and could have passed the so-called Red Forest, a highly contaminated area.

A damaged administrative building of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Enerhodar, the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, on March 4, 2022. (Press service of National Nuclear Energy Generating Company Energoatom/Handout via Reuters)

Nobody goes there  for Gods sake. There is no one there, Seida told Reuters in reference to the Red Forest.

Around a week after the start of the conflict, Russian forces took over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine. Both Ukrainian and Russian officials accused one another of trying to stage a false flag attack around the plant earlier this month amid reports that buildings on the Zaporizhzhia site were shelled.

The head of the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, confirmed this week that he traveled to Ukraine to monitor the situation. Grossi will travel to one of Ukraines nuclear plants, the agency said, without elaborating.

A statement posted by the International Atomic Energy Agency said hes in talks with officials for planned delivery of urgent technical assistance to ensure the safety and security of the countrys nuclear facilities and help avert the risk of an accident that could endanger people and the environment.

Last week, U.N. officials warned that Russian shelling near Chernobyl was preventing workers from rotating their shifts after weeks of continuous work.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Nurse Pleads Guilty in Fatal Fall of McMasters Father

PHILADELPHIAA former nurse at a Philadelphia senior care facility has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor neglect of a care-dependent person and tampering with records in the 2018 death of the father of former Trump national security advisor H.R. McMaster Jr.

The Pennsylvania Attorney Generals office announced Tuesday that 34-year-old Christann Gainey had pleaded guilty in a Monday court appearance to the charges related to the death of Herbert R. McMaster Sr. Gainey had initially been charged with additional counts of felony neglect and involuntary manslaughter, which were dropped as part of the plea agreement.

A message left with an attorney representing Gainey was not immediately returned Tuesday.

The Attorney Generals office said she was sentenced to six months under house arrest, with another four years of probation, according to court records. Gainey will also be barred from seeking reinstatement of her license or working in a care facility during that time.

Prosecutors contend the 84-year-old McMaster fell and struck his head in April 2018, just days after arriving at the Cathedral Village senior living facility in Philadelphia. He died hours later as the result of bleeding in his brain.

Prosecutors said Gainey, who was assigned to the facility through a staffing agency and was the Licensed Practical Nurse on duty that night, was required by facility medical policy to perform neurological and vital sign checks on McMaster periodically after the fall.

Gainey pleaded guilty to falsifying records to show she had done those checks. During preliminary hearings prosecutors played several hours of surveillance footage from the that night, showing Gainey was not near McMaster at the times she recorded the alleged neurological checks, including one that would have happened after he had died.

The defendant has now been held accountable for her actions that led to the tragic death of Mr. McMaster, Attorney General Josh Shapiro wrote in an emailed release. We have several active and ongoing investigations into long term care facilities and nursing homes across Pennsylvania, and will hold anyone who knowingly neglects a care-dependent person in Pennsylvania accountable.

Pennsylvania Health Department officials released a report in 2018 that also placed blame for the incident on administrators at the facility who investigators said had failed in their essential duties and responsibilities. The 141-page report said the fatal fall was McMaster Sr.s fifth during a four-day stay at the Cathedral Village retirement community, where he was admitted for rehabilitation following a stroke.

The report said staff failed to develop a fall prevention plan even though his medical records indicated it was required; failed to complete required neurological checks after his falls; and did not attempt to perform CPR to resuscitate McMaster when he was found unresponsive, according to facility records.

It said the director of nursing and facility administrators failed to provide adequate supervision or implement interventions to prevent accidents and falls. The investigators did not name the older McMaster as the patient described in the fatality report, but the details of the incident including the date and manner of his death, his medical information, and the check-in date at the facility match information provided by authorities and by an attorney for the McMaster family.

By Claudia Lauer
Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes (R) looks on as Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio (L) speaks with attorney Kellye SoRelle and others at a parking garage meeting in Washington D.C. on Jan. 5, 2021. Rhodes says he merely shook Tarrios hand and did not have any conversation. (Saboteur Media/Handout via REUTERS)

Oath Keepers Founder: DC Parking Garage Meeting Was Brief Handshake, Not a Conspiracy

Encounter lasted less than 30 secondsnot 30 minuteswith no discussion about the Capitol, Stewart Rhodes says

A parking-garage contact between Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes III and former Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio on Jan. 5, 2021, was nothing more than a brief handshake, not a meeting to coordinate plans for Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol, Rhodes said in an interview with The Epoch Times.

Federal prosecutors detailed the alleged parking-garage meeting between Rhodes and Tarrio in the March 7, 2022, indictment of Tarrio and five other Proud Boys accused of conspiracy to obstruct the counting of Electoral College votes at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The indictment (pdf) says the Rhodes-Tarrio meeting lasted 30 minutes. It implies the meeting was related to the Jan. 6 violence that would occur the next day at the U.S. Capitol.

During this encounter, a participant referenced the Capitol, the indictment said, providing no other details about who made the reference or what it meant.

A Greeting, Not a Meeting

Rhodes said there was no meeting. The entire encounter consisted of a handshake greeting that lasted mere seconds.

Now theyre blowing that up into some kind of great big conspiracy meeting, Rhodes told The Epoch Times. Its just ridiculous. Thats the way its been from the beginning with all of this. Its been manufactured, falsified evidence from the very beginning.

William Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia, said in response to an inquiry from The Epoch Times, Following our usual practice, we are not commenting on pending cases beyond what is stated or submitted to the Court.

Rhodes was indicted (pdf) by a federal grand jury in January on charges of seditious conspiracy to disrupt or prevent certification of the 2020 presidential vote in Congress on Jan. 6, among a number of other charges.

Prosecutors allege Rhodes and 10 other Oath Keepers conspired to attack the U.S. Capitol and prevent certification of the Electoral College votes. He is being held without bail pending trial, which likely wont begin before September.

Tarrio was not at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. A judge ordered him to leave the District of Columbia when he released Tarrio on Jan. 5 on charges he set fire to a Black Lives Matter banner at a protest in December 2020.

Before he left DC, Tarrio stopped at the Phoenix Park Hotel, but was ordered off the premises. He went to a nearby parking garage, where he eventually encountered Rhodes. Tarrio has previously said it was a case of happenstance.

We did not coordinate to assault the Capitol, Tarrio said in a documentary in 2021.

Rhodes said he was part of a three-person security detail for attorney Kellye SoRelle, the general counsel for Latinos for Trump and the Oath Keepers. SoRelle was invited to the parking garage to meet Tarrio by Bianca Gracia, head of Latinos for Trump, to make sure Tarrio had proper legal representation in his criminal case.

So we just followed and watched over Kellye SoRelle, Rhodes told The Epoch Times in a call from the Cimarron Correctional Facility in Cushing, Oklahoma. She went with Bianca to go meet Enrique. Enrique is also a member of Latinos for Trump.

And so we walked up. Theres a film crew with him. And I just walked up and said, Im Stewart Rhodes of Oath Keepers, shook his hand and said, Im glad youre out. He said, Thank you and then I walked away.

SoRelle said Rhodes and Tarrio merely shook hands and did not have a conversation.

We go down into the parking garage. Were there for a very brief time. Stewart says, Hi man, nice to meet you, whatever, then walks off, SoRelle told The Epoch Times. I ask him about attorneys, if he needs one because Ive got contact information. I talked to him maybe two minutes.

SoRelle said she then stepped back to where Rhodes and the film crew were standing, while Gracia spoke with Tarrio for a few more minutes.

It was maybe 10 minutes tops down there, SoRelle said. It was very brief. Everybodys encounter was maybe a minute or two. I was there maybe a little bit longer than Stewart, but it wasnt about anything other than [Tarrios] arrest and attorneys and making sure his legal needs were met.

Video from the parking garage reviewed by The Epoch Times shows Rhodes briefly reached into a small group to shake hands with Tarrio.

Stewart. [Its a] pleasure, Rhodes said, to which Tarrio replied, The pleasures all mine. Rhodes then stepped back. No one uttered the word Capitol.

The video was used in a recent documentary on the Proud Boys on Channel 4 News in the United Kingdom. Footage was shot by a New York filmmaker working on a documentary for the National Geographic Channel, prosecutors said.

We were there for the purpose of watching over Kellye SoRelles safety. Thats the only reason we were there, Rhodes told The Epoch Times. So I was just being cordial and polite because Id had a falling out with Enrique over a long distance.

Wed never met in person before, Rhodes said. I walked up and said, Hello, which I thought was a classy thing to do. Im glad youre out. Thank you. And I walked away.

Rhodes said SoRelle had received death threats after becoming a whistleblower exposing possible election fraud in Detroit during the counting of presidential election ballots in November 2020. Because of the threats, Oath Keepers provided her with security while she was in Washington to speak at a Latinos for Trump event on Jan. 6, 2021.

We stepped away to let her have a private conversation, Rhodes said. And that was the end of it. We got done. I didnt talk to Enrique again. We stepped away outside of earshot and stayed out of earshot the entire time.

In a wide-ranging interview, Rhodes condemned the U.S. Department of Justices prosecution of the Oath Keepers, accusing the DOJ of manufacturing evidence to support a preconceived conclusion.

Thats the entire track record of all of this from day one, he said. Everything has been a giant nothing-burger, made out of nothing.

Rhodes said he and fellow Oath Keepers went to Washington on Jan. 6 not to attack the U.S. Capitol or subvert actions of Congress, but to provide event security. Oath Keepers were assigned security duties at a Stop the Steal rally in Area 8, adjacent to the Capitol, he said.

In all those indictments and all the media, they dont mention the fact that we were there to protect an event on the Capitol grounds, Rhodes said. Thats why we were there.

Leave that out, make it sound like we were at the Ellipse, watching President [Donald] Trumps speech, and in a reaction to President Trumps speech, we all marched to the Capitol and ran inside. Theyre lying by omission.

Prosecutors allege two groups of Oath Keepers moved across the Capitol grounds in a stack formation, a military-style maneuver used to breach buildings. One stack climbed the stairs outside the historic Columbus Doors on the east side of the Capitol and then breached the entrance into the Rotunda, according to the indictment.

Video evidence showed the giant 17-foot-tall bronze Columbus Doors were open on Jan. 6, despite the expectation of huge crowds due to Trumps speech. One of the inner doors to the Rotunda was opened from the inside by a protester. Police initially resecured the entrance, but the inner doors were opened again from the inside, allowing hundreds of people to stream into the Capitol.

The Oath Keepers who went inside the Capitol for less than 20 minutes did not damage the building or force their way into private offices, he said. Some of them made stupid statements about following a plan, but it was nothing but loose talk, he said.

Those Oath Keepers teams did go inside, but did so entirely of their own volition, Rhodes said. It was part of no plan, they just got stupid that day  and fell for the trap, bumbled into the buffalo jump.

Stewart Rhodes, founder the Oath Keepers, speaks during a rally in Washington on June 25, 2017. (Susan Walsh/AP Photo)

Doors were wide open, people walked in those Columbus Doors, opened up from the inside. You cannot open those from the outside, Rhodes said. Theyre magnetic, massive doors. So someone on the inside opened them up and the Oath Keepers from Florida wandered in right along with the rest of the crowd. Did not do much of anything inside, except actually help police officers. They helped two different police officers that I know of.

At one point, a group of Oath Keepers stepped in to calm a situation between a hostile crowd and U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn, said Rhodes and Jonathon Moseley, one of his attorneys.

They did protect a black police officer who was armed with an M4/AR-15 and was very agitated, scared-looking and was surrounded by a bunch of yelling Trump supporters, Rhodes said. The Oath Keepers jumped in between and dialed it all back, calmed him down, calmed the Trump supporters down, and escorted that black police officer to other Capitol police officers and hooked him up with his buddies. So that he wasnt by himself.

Rhodes said he mentions the race of the officer because his group is often falsely maligned as racist and composed of white supremacists.

The stakes in the situation were high, which is why the Oath Keepers stepped in to be a buffer between the angry crowd and Officer Dunn. If youre armed and you got unarmed assailants, multiples coming at you, youre in a lethal-force situation and you cant let them take your gun, he said. So in that kind of situation, law enforcement officers will shoot.

Moseley said he is seeking the closed-circuit security camera video that shows this incident. Were trying to get the video, Moseley said. The video from that corridor is mysteriously missing from the government.

Absolute Fabrication

Rhodes said he believes the Department of Justice leaned hard on Oath Keepers member Joshua A. James, who pleaded guilty on March 2 to seditious conspiracy and obstruction of an official government proceeding. James, 34, of Arab, Alabama, will likely testify against Rhodes and other Oath Keepers, though Rhodes describes it as testi-lie.

Theyve convinced or coerced Josh James, a member of Oath Keepers, to testify, you know, bearing false witness to allege this massive conspiracy beginning back in November, Rhodes said. Absolute fabrication.

James faces 7 1/4 to 9 years in prison when he is sentenced this summer under a plea deal with federal prosecutors.

That was the only deal they would accept because thats what they want  to create a false crime and to create a false witness, Rhodes said. And thats why they finally indicted me because they got someone to agree to testi-lie. Thats the only reason I was indicted. For an entire year, they had nothing on me. So go find something and make something.

Rhodes said the most explosive allegations in the federal indictmentthat he and the Oath Keepers brought weapons to Virginia in case they were neededhad nothing to do with the Capitol or any illegal plot.

The arms, some of which Rhodes purchased on his trip from Texas to Washington, were a contingency in case Trump invoked the Insurrection Act as a response to the election corruption and left-wing threats to lay siege to the White House and remove him from office. No weapons were brought into Washington.

Photo showing Capitol Police being escorted down the Capitol steps through the crowd to safety on January 6 by members of the Oath Keepers. (Courtesy of Roberto Minuta)

The Insurrection Act of 1807 gives the president latitude to employ the armed forces or militias from any state to put down an insurrection, such as the attempt to replace the legitimate government of the United States. There was some speculation after the 2020 election that Trump might use the Insurrection Act, something Rhodes publicly advocated.

We urged him to use his powers to declassify files held by the NSA or the CIA or the FBI on corrupt politicians and expose them as part of his way of fighting against this coup, Rhodes said. All of that is perfectly constitutional. None of that is anything other than protected free speech and political speech.

I did declare publicly that we would have a contingency plan that if President Trump invoked the Insurrection Act, and needed us to protect the White House and protect him because Antifa had threatened, it swore they were going to lay siege to the White House and remove Trump by force after the election, he said.

So we just said, Hey, if the president goes to the Insurrection Actbut only ifwe would then respond if he calls us up as the militia, which he certainly can do under federal statutes.

Rhodes said he made no secret of his plans to aid Trump if he exercised that legal authority.

I wasnt trying to hide it. Its no secret, Rhodes said. Its like, Hey, President Trump, please invoke the Insurrection Act. And by the way, if you need us, were here.

My big concern with him is safety, and the White House, because Antifa threatened to lay siege to the White House, Rhodes said. I wasnt even thinking about the U.S. Capitol. I was focused on if the president of the United States needed us to protect him from radical, far-left terrorists. Thats it.

Patriotic, With No Violence

Rhodes slammed the notion that the Oath Keepers are some kind of violent extremist group. Membership is made up of current and former military, police, and first responders such as firefighters and EMTs. The groups primary role in recent years has been to protect Trump supporters in the streets against attacks by Antifa and other violent groups.

Oath Keepers from day one has always been 100 percent lawful and above board, he said. Nothing we do is ever unlawful.

Oath Keepers member Jeremy Brown, a retired U.S. Army Green Beret, dressed in tactical gear at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (U.S. Department of Justice)

What we do is to protect people. Weve done that across the country, all through the Trump administration; protected Trump supporters from Antifa on the streets, he said. And thats why we were in D.C. all three times.

Weve never had to even use force, ever, Rhodes said. We use our presence and our deterrence, and Antifa is afraid of us. So the left hates us. They hate the Proud Boys for much the same reason.

Were the two major groups in the country that protect Trump supporters in the streets from radical leftist terrorists, and they dont like that. So this has been part of a way to get rid of us and get us out of the way. Its also a way to get at President Trump, ultimately.

Jan. 6 Committee Appearance

Rhodes said he appeared before the House of Representatives select committee on Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol. He said he refused to discuss anything that took place after the November 2020 election, but he did talk about the Oath Keepers and its history. He was asked to come back for an off-the-record interview.

Rhodes said the Feb. 25 suicide of Jan. 6 defendant Matthew L. Perna made him change his mind about appearing before the committee. Perna, 37, took his own life after learning federal prosecutors intended to seek sentencing enhancers that could have put him in prison for 41 to 51 months.

In charging documents and the paperwork of the plea agreement, Perna was not accused of vandalism or violence at the Capitol. He and his attorney were blindsided by the DOJ decision to seek penalty enhancers, relatives said.

I was thinking about it (another committee appearance), but then when he committed suicide, I realized theyre not interested in the truth, theyre just out there to hurt people and persecute people, Rhodes said. Im not gonna give them any credence whatsoever.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, attend a news conference at the Foreign Ministry in Rabat, Morocco, on March 29, 2022. (Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via Reuters)

Blinken Assures UAE Leader of US Defence Help Over Houthi Attacks, Iran

RABATU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to assure Gulf monarchies on Tuesday that Washington is determined to help them fend off attacks from the Iran-aligned Houthi group in Yemen.

Blinken met with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, de facto ruler of the United Arab Emirates, in Morocco as part of a trip to the Middle East and North Africa.

Washingtons Arab allies chafe at what they see as declining U.S. commitment to security in their region in the face of Iranian involvement in Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon which has nudged them into common cause with former arch-foe Israel.

Unusually for a U.S. secretary of state, Blinkens trip did not include any stops in Gulf monarchies or talks with Saudi officials.

We have real challenges to confront together, in the region and beyond, Blinken said at the start of the meeting with Sheikh Mohammed at the crown princes private residence in Rabat.

The first challenge Blinken cited was a series of missile attacks by the Houthis against the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Were determined to do everything we can to help you defend yourselves effectively against that, Blinken said, adding that he would also consult the Emirati leader on attempts to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and strengthening collective security regarding Iran.

Sheikh Mohammed said the meeting was a very important opportunity and Im sure we have a lot to talk about, especially our bilateral relationship.

Gulf states have for years been frustrated at what they see as U.S. inaction in confronting Irans role in the region, but their concerns have grown since Joe Biden became president 14 months ago.

They are worried about the impact of a potential new nuclear deal with Iran and annoyed that Washington has ended its support for their war in Yemen, put new conditions on weapons sales to Gulf states, and criticised their human rights records.

Blinken attended a summit between Israel and some Arab countries at the weekend, including the UAE and Morocco.

Ukraine Assistance

Washington wants its Arab allies to take a stronger stance against Russia over its assault on Ukraine by voting with the United States in the United Nations, joining Western sanctions or even sending security assistance to Ukraine.

The UAE abstained in a U.N. Security Council vote on Ukraine last month and Morocco did not show up for a general assembly vote. The UAE and Saudi Arabia both have increasingly important energy ties with Russia.

Energy is coming back as a major component of many of the Middle East and, indeed, world discussions. What people thought was the death of fossil fuels is, I think, a little bit premature, senior Emirati official Anwar Gargash said on Tuesday.

Gulf states have for years been frustrated at what they see as U.S. inaction in confronting Irans role in the region, but their concerns have grown since Joe Biden became president 14 months ago.

They are worried about the impact of a potential new nuclear deal with Iranian regime and annoyed that Washington has ended its support for their war in Yemen, put new conditions on weapons sales to Gulf states, and criticised their human rights records.

Blinken is expected to reassure Sheikh Mohammed of Washingtons commitment to stopping Iranian regime obtaining a nuclear weapon amid a series of missile attacks by the Tehran-backed Houthi group in Yemen.

Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, concerned that Washingtons push for a deal over Irans nuclear programme will not tackle its development of missiles or the role of its regional proxies, have moved to engage with Tehran directly.

We need to turn the page reaching out to various friends, of course, but adversaries also, said Gargash, who was speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai.

By Humeyra Pamuk
This scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 (round blue objects), also known as CCP virus, the virus that causes COVID-19, emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab that were isolated from a patient in the United States. (NIAID-RML via Reuters)

Omicron Subvariant Estimated to Account for Majority of COVID-19 Cases in US

The BA.2 Omicron subvariant is being pegged as being responsible for causing more than half of the COVID-19 cases in the United States, according to Americas public health agency.

Estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated March 29 had BA.2 as being behind 55 percent of the cases recorded in the week ending March 26.

That was up from 39 percent the previous week and 28 percent the week before that.

The estimates may be revised. The CDC revised the figures in late 2021 and did so again Tuesday, moving the estimates up for mid-March.

BA.2 is increasingly displacing other subvariants of Omicron, a strain of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2, the virus causes COVID-19.

Emerging data indicate that BA.2 is more transmissible than Omicron and other subvariants, but theres no evidence that BA.2 variant results in more severe disease, nor does it appear to be more likely to evade our immune protection, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDCs director, told reporters during a recent briefing.

Omicron itself is much better than Delta at evading protection bestowed by vaccines or prior infection, especially the former. The vaccines authorized or approved in the United States provide little shielding against infection from Omicron, though they have held up better against severe disease.

Because of the waning effectiveness, U.S. regulators on Tuesday authorized a fourth shot of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for tens of millions of Americans, and the CDC quickly recommended those eligible get one.

BA.2 also appears to render some treatments less or ineffective, including a monoclonal antibody made by GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology.

Some experts fear BA.2 could cause a fresh wave of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations in the United States, but that has not turned out to be the case so far.

The 7-day moving average of cases has continued to drop in recent weeks, hitting a new low of 26,190the lowest since July 13, 2021according to data reported to the CDC.

Hospital admissions with COVID-19 have also plunged since a new high in January, with the weekly average going below 13,000 this week.

Deaths attributed to COVID-19 have also kept going down, with just 836 reported Monday.

Under a revised measure introduced by the CDC in February, only 53 counties in the entire country are experiencing high levels of COVID-19.

Over 90 percent are pegged as having low community levels.

The World Health Organization said in a recent report that BA.2 caused about 86 percent of the cases reported to it in the four-week period ending on March 17, but that COVID-19 cases and deaths continued to drop during the week ending on March 20.
Poland to End Russian Coal, Gas, Oil Imports Completely

Poland is pressing ahead with plans for a complete embargo on Russian coal, gas, and oil imports by the end of 2022, while calling for a European Union-level tax on Russian fossil fuels, all in a bid to cut the flow of money to Russias military machine.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told a press conference near Warsaw on March 30 that Poland will put forward the most radical plan in Europe to walk away from Russian fossil fuels.

Under the plan, which Morawiecki said still needs to be approved by lawmakers, Poland will end Russian coal imports by May, with oil and gas to follow by the end of the year, according to Polish press agency PAP.

This plan is needed for Europe to awaken from its slumber, Morawieckis office said in a tweet announcing the measure.

PM @MorawieckiM: I call on the @EU_Commission to establish a tax on Russian hydrocarbons so that trade and economic rules in the European single market are fair. pic.twitter.com/NbdaI4YvMz  Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland (@PremierRP_en) March 30, 2022

Poland, which has long warned its European partners that Russian President Vladimir Putin has an empire-building agenda in the region that Russian energy exports help fund, has already taken strides to cut its dependency on Russian fossil fuels.

A liquid gas terminal built in the northern Polish city of Swinoujscie is receiving deliveries from Qatar, the United States, Norway, and other exporters.

A new natural gas pipeline, called Baltic Pipe, is to open at the end of this year and will transport gas from Norway to Poland.

In his remarks on March 30, Morawiecki blamed some European Union member states for being indifferent to the war in Ukraine and continuing to import Russian energy.

He called for the European Commission to impose a tax on Russian fossil fuel imports to make regional trade just.

We cant have a repeat of those foolish, murderous, and ill-conceived policies that increased dependency on Russia and provided it with euros and dollars so that Putin could build up his military capacity and attack his neighbors, Morawiecki said.

A Ukrainian Territorial Defence fighter examines a destroyed Russian infantry mobility vehicle after a fight in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 27, 2022. (Sergey Bobok/AFP/Getty Images)

A service member of pro-Russian troops walks near an apartment building destroyed in the course of the Ukraine-Russia conflict in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 28, 2022. (Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters)

While the European Union has taken steps in recent weeks to wean itself from Russian energy, the bloc has stopped short of endorsing a blanket ban on Russian imports of hydrocarbons.

Many EU member states are highly dependent on Russian fossil fuels to make their economies function. Russia provides over 40 percent of the EUs gas and coal imports and around a quarter of its oil.

Russias actions in Ukraine, which Moscow calls a special military operation to disarm Ukraines military and oust from power people it regards as dangerous nationalists, have prompted the EU to pledge to cut Russian gas use by two-thirds this year and phase out Russian energy entirely by 2027.

The United States and the European Union recently signed a deal for the United States to provide more liquefied natural gas to the bloc.
U.S. President Joe Biden announces his Budget for Fiscal Year 2023 as Acting Office of Management and Budget director Shalanda Young listens in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. on March 28, 2022. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)

Proposed Biden Defense Budget Names China as Primary Strategic Challenge

President Joe Bidens proposed $813 billion national security spending request to Congress includes $773 billion in direct allocations for the U.S. military with significant boosts in funding designed to counter the growing military threat in the western Pacific presented by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC).

This will be among the largest investments in our national security in history. Some people dont like the increase, but were in a different world today, Biden said Monday while introducing his proposed $1.58 trillion fiscal year 2023 budget plan.

The world has changed, he continued. The United States is once again facing increased competition from other nation statesChina and Russiawhich are going to require investments to make things like space and cyber and other advanced capabilities, including hypersonics.

The 149-page budget plan, certain to be significantly amended before the fiscal year begins Oct. 1 by Congress with Republicans vowing to further boost military spending, includes $6.1 billion in funding for the 2023 Pacific Deterrence Initiative, including $900 million for a new missile warning and tracking system to protect Guam.

Bidens proposed spending plan also calls for $400 million for the Countering the Peoples Republic of China Malign Influence Fund, $100 million more than the fiscal year 2022 allocation included in the 2,741-page, $1.5 trillion fiscal year 2022 appropriations bill approved by both chambers less than two weeks ago, five months after fiscal year 2022 began.

For the first time, the Biden administrations defense budget focuses on the PRC as the nations primary strategic challenge, despite Russias invasion of Ukraine and boosted funding for European security.

The Pentagon said the proposed budget prioritizes China as the preeminent pacing challenge while developing capabilities and operational concepts in the Indo-Pacific.

Russia, indeed poses an acute threat to international peace, U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks told reporters Monday at the Pentagon, but added the PRC is now the United States most consequential strategic competitor and pacing challenge.

An unnamed senior defense official told reporters during the same budget briefing: If you look across the board at their capability, their economy, China remains our most challenging strategic threat. Thats what the strategy says, thats what the budget says.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a news briefing in Washington on Jan. 28, 2022. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in a Monday statement that the budget reflects the U.S. National Defense Strategy.

[And] the focus of that strategy on the pacing challenge of China, Austin said.

It preserves our readiness and deterrent posture against the threats we face today: the acute threat of an aggressive Russia and the constantly emerging threats posed by North Korea, Iran, and violent extremist organizations, he said.

And it absolutely supports our policy of U.S. global leadership ofand responsibility forour vast network of alliances and partnerships.

The White House said the military spending proposal invests in deepening and modernizing our alliances and partnerships, as we are stronger in managing challengeswhether in the form of Chinas trade abuses, Russian aggression, or the worsening climate crisiswhen we work in concert with those who share our values or interests.

The 2023 Pacific Deterrence Initiative highlights some of the key investments that the DOD (U.S. Department of Defense) is making that are focused on strengthening deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region and includes nearly $1.8 billion to support a free and open, connected, secure, and resilient Indo-Pacific Region and the Indo-Pacific Strategy, the White House added.

The proposed Pentagon budget outlines $130 billion in research and development initiatives to boost research into hypersonic weapons ($4.7 billion), microelectronics/5G wireless ($3.3 billion), and biotechnology ($1.3 billion), countering PRC investments in those technologies and programs.

The spending request includes $40.8 billion for the construction of eight battle force fleet ships, including a new class of intercontinental sea-launched ballistic missile (SL-ICBMs) submarines, for the U.S. Navy, the primary deterrent force lodged against growing PRC military forces in the South China Sea.

Of 24 ships the Navy wants to decommission, nine are littoral ships, warships developed to operate in shallow waters, such as the South China Sea, that have been plagued by production and testing failures.
A photo shows a Russian ruble coin and the logos of Visa, Mastercard, and Russian Mir payment systems on bank cards in Moscow on March 14, 2022. (AFP via Getty Images)

Russian Parallel Payment System Bypasses Sanctions

Domestic credit and debit transactions in the Russian Federation have been largely unaffected by Western sanctions and the voluntary withdrawal of card companies from the country, due to an alternative system for managing domestic payments that was developed in the late 2010s.

In the aftermath of President Vladimir Putins 2014 annexation of Crimea and the subsequent backlash from the Western bloc, Russia began the development of an alternative payments system that could insulate the countrys economy from Western sanctions.

This system, called Mir, runs on the infrastructure of the National Payment Card System (NSPK, an acronym derived from the systems Russian name), and it has allowed ordinary Russians to continue using their cards even as the companies behind said cards have officially cut ties with their country.

Now the country is reaping the benefits of its preparation for the worst, as Western sanctions have taken their due toll on the nations economy. However, the infrastructure undergirding Russias domestic payment system remains largely unaffected by these sanctions, constituting a silver lining for Russias rapidly failing economy.

When Visa and MasterCard pulled out of Russia earlier this month, the move was greeted with much fanfare by the Western press, but its significance for Russias economy may have been overestimated.

According to the Nilson Report, 197 million Mastercard or Visa cards were active in Russia at the end of 2020. For most Russians, those cards will remain functional even as the companies whose branding decorates the cards declare their withdrawal from the Russian Federation, as the Mir system has already been handling such transactions within Russia since the late 2010s.

However, the NSPK infrastructure has limited reach outside of Russias borders, making financial transactions through the major card providers difficult for holders of Russia-based Mastercard and Visa cards abroad.

At present, the NSPK operates within a small set of countries outside of Russia: Armenia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Russian-occupied Abkhazia region of Georgia. While Russian state-affiliated media reported that efforts were in progress to expand NSPK to Russian allies Iran and Venezuela, such efforts are germinal.

Notwithstanding the difficulty of financial transactions for Russians abroad, the development of the Mir system has given Russia one of its few economic victories over Western sanctions in the ongoing conflicts over Ukraine: While Visa and Mastercard have attempted to use their leverage to further punish Putin for the invasion, they have found that their efforts are largely futile, as the Russian government has pre-empted their actions and prepared its own infrastructure for managing the payment transactions of its citizens.
Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a meeting with winners of state culture prizes via a video link at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on March 25, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)

Russian Troops Around Kyiv Regrouping to Focus on Donbass: Kremlin

The Russian troops stationed near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv are being regrouped to focus on the main goal of the special military operation: Donbass, the Kremlin said.

In the directions of Kyiv and Chernihiv, a planned regrouping of troops is taking place, Russian Defence Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said during a press briefing on Wednesday.

The purpose of regrouping or Russian armed forces is to focus on key fronts and first of all to complete [the] operation of total liberation of Donbass, he added.

Pentagon confirmed the move of the Russian armed forces in Ukraine.

Russia has started to reposition under 20 percent of the forces arrayed around Kyiv, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

The Russian troops may have moved into Belarus in preparation for redeployment instead of being sent back to their home garrisons, he said.

Kirby also told a news briefing Russian contractor Wagner Group had deployed about 1,000 contractors into Ukraines Donbass region.

It indicates that the Kremlin is carrying out the previously announced redeployment plan and reinforcing forces in the Donbass area.

A satellite image shows Russian ground forces northeast of Ivankiv heading in the direction of Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 27, 2022. (Satellite image 2022 Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 which the Kremlin called a special military operation.

The United Nations said that as of March 29, 1,179 civilians have been killed and 1,860 injured in Ukraine since Russias invasion and over 4 million people have fled Ukraine.

Ukrainian firefighters work amid the rubble of the Retroville shopping mall, a day after it was shelled by Russian forces in a residential district in the northwest of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on March 21, 2022. (Fadel Senna/AFP via Getty Images)

The two sides appeared to make some progress after weeks of talks, though Moscow denied there were breakthroughs.

However, there are several hurdles that still have to be cleared before a potential ceasefire deal.

Ukraine is seeking a territory security guarantee from the United States, Great Britain, France, China, the Russian Federation, Turkey, Germany, Canada, Italy, Poland, and Israel.

Its unclear how many countries will opt-in for this arrangement.

The two countries are also still disputing the arrangement of Donbass and Crimea.

Ukraine proposed to set these two areas aside in the ceasefire deal, exclude them from the territory security guarantee mechanism, and try to solve the issue through further negotiations.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters that Ukraine understood that the issues of Crimea and Donbass have been permanently resolved, Russian state media RT reported.

Lavrovs remarks were rebutted by a spokesperson from his Ukrainian counterpart.

Lavrov demonstrates [a] misunderstanding of the negotiation process. The issues of Crimea and Donbas will be settled for good after Ukraine restores its sovereignty over them, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko wrote in a Twitter post. During the talks in Istanbul, the Ukrainian delegation presented its proposals on how to achieve this goal.

Reuters contributed to the report.
Yemenis inspect the damage following overnight airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition targeting the Houthi rebel-held capital Sanaa, on Jan. 18, 2022. (Mohammed Huwais/AFP via Getty Images)

Saudi-Led Coalition Declares Ceasefire in Yemen for Ramadan

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi rebel group in Yemen declared a ceasefire starting March 30 to make peace during the month of Ramadan, the Saudi state news agency reported on March 29.

The joint forces command of the coalition hereby announces cessation of military operations in Yemen beginning at (0600) Wednesday, March 30, 2022, it said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.

It stated that the cessation came amid international efforts to reach a comprehensive political resolution to end the Yemeni conflict. The United Nations has previously pushed for a temporary truce in Yemen for Ramadan that starts in April.

The coalition will abide by this cessation, and undertake all necessary steps and procedures to ensure its success, and create the propitious conditions needed for successful consultations and favorable environment, it said.

However, Houthi leader Mohammed al-Bukaiti wrote on Twitter that the blockade of Yemeni ports remained a military action, as it was imposed by the use of weapons. He said the declaration for cessation would be meaningless unless the blockade was lifted.

If the blockade is not lifted, the coalitions declaration to stop its military operations will be meaningless because the suffering of Yemenis resulting from the blockade on ports is more severe than the war itself, which means our military operations to break the siege will continue, he said.

Meanwhile, Irans Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh welcomed the coalitions truce declaration and hoped more efforts would be made to prioritize humanitarian issues in Yemen and that a prisoner swap could also move forward.

The seven-year war in Yemen has killed tens of thousands of people and pushed the country to the brink of famine.

The coalition offered a unilateral ceasefire last year, but the Iran-backed Houthi rebels said the humanitarian situation and port restrictions needed to be resolved before any peace talks could resume.

On March 26, the Houthi group announced a three-day suspension of missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia, as well as a three-day suspension of ground offensive operations in Yemen.

Houthis political leader Mahdi al-Mashat said the peace initiative would last if the coalition reopened the ports and ceased airstrikes. It also offered to extend the suspension of ground operations in exchange for Saudi Arabia withdrawing foreign troops from Yemen and ceasing support for local militias.

Both sides are also discussing a prisoner swap, which could see hundreds of detainees freed, including 16 Saudis and a brother of Yemens president.

Reuters contributed to this report.
First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon attends the Scottish Parliament to give updates on changes to COVID-19 restrictions including the wearing of masks, in Edinburgh, Scotland, on March 30, 2022. (Fraser Bremner - Pool/Getty Images)

Scotland Delays Lifting of COVID-19 Mask Mandate Until April 18

The Scottish government has pushed back the date for lifting its mask mandates for a further two weeks, citing what it calls a very high level of CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus infection.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said two weeks ago that the mask mandates would come to an end in early April instead of on March 21 as previously planned.

But she said on Wednesday that Scots will have to wait until April 18 for all mask rules to end.

Updating the Scottish Parliament on COVID-19 measures, she said the Scottish Cabinet has agreed the legal requirement to wear face coverings should be replaced with guidance on a phased basis.

From April 4, it will no longer be a legal requirement to wear a face covering in places of worship or while attending a marriage ceremony, a funeral, or commemorative event.

The wider legal requirement for wearing maskswhich applies to shops, public transport, and some other indoor settingswill then be converted to guidance two weeks later on April 18.

Sturgeon also confirmed that mask requirements will be removed in schools from the same date.

But she stressed the government will continue to encourage the wearing of face coverings in certain indoor places, especially where significant numbers of people are present.

The first minister said the phased approach strikes a sensible balance between our desire to remove this one remaining legal measure and the common sense need for continued caution.

She recognised that face coverings are an inconvenience, but said she believes that the vast majority of people will accept that for a further two weeks this is a proportionate precautionary measure while we pass the peak of this latest wave.

She said the mask rule provides some further protection to those who are most at risk from the virus.

Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said the Scottish governments strategy to curb COVID-19 cases has failed and urged the first minister to trust the public.

He said: We believe that anyone who wants to continue to wear a face mask should keep doing so, particularly if that will help vulnerable friends and relatives. But it should be down to individual choice, as it is in other parts of the United Kingdom.

Ross said that face masks are not just an inconvenience, but are holding people back in both school and in business.

PA Media contributed to this report.
Will Smith (R) appears to slap Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Calif., on March 27, 2022. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

Screen Actors Guild Vows to Take Action Against Will Smith After Oscars Incident

The Screen Actors Guild suggested it would take action against Will Smith after he appeared to slap Chris Rock during Sunday nights Academy Awards broadcast.

Smith, who won Best Actor for King Richard, slapped Rock just minutes before after Rock made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

As the union representing presenters and other performers working on the Oscars, SAG-AFTRA is focused on ensuring our members always work in a safe environment, the Screen Actors Guild said in a statement. Violence or physical abuse in the workplace is never appropriate and the union condemns any such conduct.

It continued to say that the incident between Smith and Rock was unacceptable, adding the Guild has been in contact with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC about this incident and will work to ensure this behavior is appropriately addressed.

On Monday evening, Smith issued an apology to Rock over the incidentas the Academy, which oversees the awards show, said it would investigate the matter.

The Academy issued a statement on Monday, which read, 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.

Its not clear what punishment Smith could face, if any, over the incident.

Rock, for his part, hasnt issued a public statement and, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, declined to press charges against Smith.

LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program, the department told CNN in a statement. The incident involved one individual slapping another. The individual involved has declined to file a police report. If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report.

Video footage published by the Daily Mail on Wednesday morning showed Rock entering a bus in Boston as reporters asked him questions. He didnt respond.

Meanwhile, a White House spokeswoman said that President Joe Biden didnt see the Oscars incident involving Will Smith and Chris Rock and has no comment.

I know the president was not able to watch the Oscarsdidnt see it, Bedingfield said in response to a question on Tuesday. I dont have any official comment from the White House on the altercation.
Senators Release Bank Records Showing Payments to Hunter Biden From China

Newly released bank records show that payments were made to President Joe Bidens son from a Chinese Communist Party-linked company.

Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) presented the records on the Senate floor on March 28 and March 29.

One showed a wire payment of $100,000 to Owasco, one of Hunter Bidens firms, from CEFC China Energy, a now-defunct company closely associated with the Chinese regime.

Another showed a wire transfer of $5 million to Hudson West, a company Hunter Biden invested in and managed, from Northern International Capital, a business that partnered with CEFC. A contract also made public by the senators showed $500,000 went to Hunter Biden as a one-time retainer fee.

Two others showed a $1 million payment made to Hudson West by CEFC and a transfer of $1 million from Hudson West to Owasco, with the money appearing to go to Hunter Biden for the purposes of representing Patrick Ho, a Chinese businessman who has helped CEFC gain advantages through bribery.

The receipts are just some of the records that undeniably show strong links between the Biden family and communist China, Grassley said.

The $100,000 transaction was dated Aug. 4, 2017; the $5 million transfer was dated Aug. 8, 2017; the two other payments were made on Nov. 30, 2017, and March 22, 2018, respectively.

Hunter Bidens lawyer didnt respond to requests by The Epoch Times for comment; the White House also didnt respond to an inquiry.

For years, Grassley and Johnson have been probing Hunter Biden, who is under federal investigation, producing a report in 2020 that exposed connections between the younger Biden and Chinese nationals connected to the Chinese regime and military.

Among them is Ye Jianming, a Chinese oil tycoon who founded CEFC. Ye was put under investigation by Chinese authorities in 2018 and hasnt been seen since then.

President Joe Biden walks with his son Hunter Biden, second from left, as Hunter carries his son Beau and walks next to his wife Melissa Cohen, center, before boarding Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on March 26, 2021. (Patrick Semansky/AP Photo)

The senators discovered that Hunter Biden made millions from Ye and his company and millions more from Dong Gongwen, a financier and business associate of Ye. Messages later obtained by The Epoch Times showed Hunter Biden had a close relationship with Ye, including being the first guest at the Chinese businessmans new apartment, while other messages listed Joe Biden and Dong as office mates.

Andrew Bates, who at the time was representing Joe Bidens campaign, claimed the Senate report was using taxpayer dollars to launch an attack founded on a long-disproven, hardcore right-wing conspiracy theory. Bates is now a White House spokesman.

Acknowledging their efforts have drawn criticism, Grassley told colleagues on March 28 that the report was largely based on records from the Obama administration and almost a dozen interviews with government officials.

Grassley said he and Johnson did what any good investigator would do: we gathered even more records to prove all these people wrong.

The senators said they plan on releasing the financial records theyve obtained in full. Their offices didnt respond by press time to requests for more information.

Bank records like this piece of evidence are pretty hard to deny and sweep under the rug, Johnson told senators, asserting that the documents show corruption and conflicts of interest that could compromise Biden.

The evidence is stunning, and it is growing.

Frank Fang contributed to this report.
A health worker goes through a bag in a compound as residents are tested for COVID-19 inside a compound in Jing'an district, in Shanghai on March 29, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

Shanghai Residents Struggle to Obtain Food and Medicine as Citywide Lockdown Continues

For many living in Shanghai, the citys tough quarantine measures are proving unbearable as they struggle to cope with life without enough basic necessities, such as food and medication.

Wan Wenying, 56, a resident of Shanghais Baoshan district, told The Epoch Times on March 29 that she was short on food after local officials refused to help her.

Our building was sealed off yesterday, but our residential compound has been sealed off for four days, Wan said, adding that residents in her building had been required to take nucleic acid tests for COVID-19.

She said she sought out local community officials to help her get some food, but was told that she had to deal with the problem on her own.

One official told Wan to have cooked meals delivered to her house, but she said she couldnt afford the cost since she doesnt have any income and isnt entitled to social benefits.

The government doesnt care if its people are alive or dead. I dont have any money, and Im stuck at home, Wan said.

According to Chinas state-run media, Chinese authorities placed Baoshan under seal-off management from March 26 to 28.

Transit officers, wearing protective gear, control access to a bridge in the direction of the Pudong district in lockdown as a measure against COVID-19, in Shanghai on March 29, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

Outbreak

Baoshan is one of many areas in Shanghai hit hard by the spread of the Omicron variant of the CCP virus. Shanghai has a population of about 26 million people.

Shanghai reported 4,477 new infection cases on March 28, before reporting 5,982 new cases the next day. However, the actual number could be much higher, as experts have said that Chinas actual COVID-19 death toll is almost certainly higher than official Chinese figures.

The escalating Omicron outbreak prompted the municipal government in Shanghai to announce a two-stage lockdown on March 27. Under the measure, the city is divided into halvesone east of the citys Huangpu River and the other to its westfor health workers to carry out mass testing of local residents.

Those living east of the river, in areas including districts of Punan and Pudong, would be prevented from leaving their homes from March 28 to April 1. Residents in the Puxi area, located west of the river, would be barred from going out from April 1 until April 5. Baoshan is located north of Puxi.

The Chinese regime is implementing a zero-COVID policy, using mass testing to go after every virus case regardless of economic or psychological costs.

On March 30, Shanghai authorities said they had conducted 9.1 million nucleic acid tests since the lockdown began on March 28.

However, Shanghai authorities began imposing tight measures on residents living west of the river on March 30, ahead of the scheduled April 1 starting date.

For example, some residents received notice from their housing committees on March 29, saying they would be prevented from leaving their compounds for the next seven days.

We will resume normal life soon, but in the next period of time, we ask everyone to adhere closely to pandemic control measures, do not gather, and reduce movements, according to one housing committee notice seen by Reuters.

The outbreak has forced U.S. automaker Tesla, Irish automotive supplier Aptiv, and German auto component maker Thyssenkrupp to shut down their plants in Shanghai. Japanese apparel giant Uniqlo has also closed many of its stores in the city.

Shoppers amid empty shelves in a supermarket before a lockdown as a measure against COVID-19 in Shanghai on March 29, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

Residents

Some Shanghai residents are struggling to receive proper medical care amid the outbreak.

Lin Mei (pseudonym), a local resident living in Shanghais Pudong district, told The Epoch Times on March 28 that the lockdown came as a surprise, and said the citys authorities should have warned them ahead of time so they could make sure they had what they needed.

Lin, who is nearly 60 years old, said local authorities should be considerate to seniors, since many of them need continuous medical attention. She said shes been suffering from kidney stone pain for over 10 years.

Last week, my kidney stone disease acted up again. I wanted to go see urologists at major hospitals, but their services were suspended. I went to a small clinic, but the doctors prescription drugs werent powerful enough to subdue my pain, she said. So the pain persisted, and I ended up with a fever.

Lin said all she could do now was drink plenty of water, since she couldnt go out.

Yang Lei (pseudonym) told The Epoch Times on March 28 that local food prices had dramatically increased. Yang lives in Jingan, a district located west of Huangpu River.

She said she could still go out, but some of her neighbors couldnt, and that two buildings in her neighborhood had been sealed off after one resident in each building tested positive for COVID-19.

Some food, such as eggs, meat, and vegetables, had become expensive at her local markets, Yang said, while others, such as instant noodles, were out of stock.

Yang said that outbreaks in China wouldnt be so bad if Chinese officials cared more about the people.

The Chinese [regimes] governing principle is not about ensuring peoples livelihood at all, she said. In the name of serving the people, it actually works for money.

Epoch Times reporters Zhao Fenghua and Hong Ning and Reuters contributed to this report.
Delegates vote on party constitution items at the Conservative Party of Canada national policy convention in Halifax on Aug. 24, 2018. (The Canadian Press/Andrew Vaughan)

Social Conservative Groups Mobilize to Impact Tory Leadership Race

As the Conservative Party leadership race takes shape, social conservative groups are mobilizing to rally like-minded Canadians to buy memberships and to help to promote conservative social and economic policies such as those around family, conscience, individual rights and responsibilities, and fiscal accountability.

Abortion and assisted suicide are among the issues of conscience that concern social conservatives. Scott Hayward, co-founder of pro-life group RightNow, told The Epoch Times that the percentage of Canadians who hold pro-life views on specific policy questions has grown across the country and within the Conservative Party.

Well be contacting the various candidates as they present themselves and they meet the criteria to be on the ballot, to find out where they stand on pro-life issues and what theyre willing to offer pro-lifers in terms of policy, he said.

And, of course, well be making a recommendation to our supporters as to how they should fill out their ballots.

Canada Family Action, an organization that works to encourage members of faith communities to engage in the processes of politics and cvil government, hosts a monthly online national leadership briefing to highlight issues and offer strategies for impact.

Since March 9, the group has been posting a daily countdown to June 3, the last day someone can buy a Conservative Party membership and be eligible to vote for the new leader.

Hayward said he coordinates with counterparts from over a dozen organizations to increase pro-life representation in the Conservative Party membership and, ultimately, the party leadership.

We meet regularly once a week for a standing meeting to keep each other accountable for this leadership, best practices, and things that we are doing to sell memberships and ensure that pro-lifers are well represented, he said.

Social Conservative Clout

Due in part to the efforts of RightNow, pro-life candidates ranked highly in the 2017 Conservative Party leadership race, including Brad Trost (4th), Kellie Leitch (6th), Pierre Lemieux (7th), and the winner Andrew Scheer. In the 2020 race, pro-life candidate Leslyn Lewis had the most votes in Round 2 at 60,316, but fell off the ballot because the points system on preferential ballots favoured Peter MacKay and eventual winner Erin OToole.

One way social conservatives determine whom to support is by checking the history of how the different candidates have voted on conscience issues.

Canada Family Action regarded Bill C-4, the legislation to ban conversion therapy, as a threat to the groups four pillars. In the previous Parliament, many Conservative MPs expressed reservations or voted against the Liberals attempts to pass the bill. In December 2021, however, in the current Parliament, the party did an about-face and introduced motions in both the House of Commons and Senate to pass the legislation immediately without amendment.

Our parliamentarians completely surprised us and shocked us when they rammed it through  without any consultation from Canadians at all, Sharpe said in the March briefing.

In response to the motions, Sharpe launched an initiative to exercise maximum pressure on the federal government, where Canada Family Action supporters phoned their MPs to express their displeasure.

In great part, because of the maximum pressure that you exerted on your local members of Parliament, [it] created the opportunity for us now to help select the new leader of [the Conservative] Party, he said.

Broader Set of Issues

Despite their substantial clout, its unclear how social conservative voters would rank their ballot given the interest and concerns many have on a broader set of issues, such as fiscal policy.

Political science professors interviewed by The Epoch Times said social conservative members also care about other issues and may vote strategically, depending on who the frontrunners of the race are in the lead-up to the Sept. 10 voting deadline.

Geoffrey Hale of the University of Lethbridge said its hard to say at this point which candidate might get the most social conservative votes. Social conservatives come in a variety of shapes and sizes, he said.

Don Desserud of the University of Prince Edward Island said Pierre Poilievre could have a problem for his non-social conservative stances, although not necessarily.

The person who has the clearest vision for the party and is not going to make arguments that say we have to dampen down our principles [will win]. The moderates will back down before the extremists will back down, he said.

People who are thinking that having a moderate like Jean Charest, who has a broader-based appeal in the regular voting population and therefore should be the next leaderthat argument is not going anywhere in that party. Thats my prediction.

Nelson Wiseman of the University of Toronto said party members must choose their priorities.

Poilievre would be the first choice of the true blue [fiscal conservative] crowd. Lewis would be the first choice of the social conservative crowd. Neither crowd cares much for Charest. So yes, Poilievres and Lewiss voters will opt for each others choice before they would vote for Charest.
A member of the Ukrainian military surveys an area next to a residential building that was hit by an intercepted missile, in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 17, 2022. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Some Russian Units Pull Out of Ukraine After Moscows Pledge to Cut Operations

British intelligence said Wednesday that some Russian units facing big losses have returned home or went to neighboring Belarus, while Western officials expressed doubt about Moscows pledge to scale down military operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv.

Russian units suffering heavy losses have been forced to return to Belarus and Russia to reorganize and resupply, Britains Ministry of Defense said in a March 30 update.

The partial troop withdrawal is proof that Russian forces are having difficulty reorganizing their units in parts of Ukraine and is likely to pressure already strained Russian military logistics chains, British intelligence said.

Russia will likely continue to compensate for its reduced ground maneuver capability through mass artillery and missile strikes, the source added, with any ramp-up in shelling raising the risk of civilian casualties.

The war in Ukraine has killed or injured thousands, and has driven over 4 million people from their homes.

Local residents sit on a bench near an apartment building destroyed in the course of UkraineRussia conflict in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 25, 2022. (Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters)

Christo Grozev, lead Russia investigator with Bellingcat, an investigative journalist group, said in a Twitter post Tuesday that there were clear signs that Russian troops from the Kyiv area were heading back to Russian territory.

Russia on Tuesday announced after face-to-face negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey, that they would radically decrease its military activity near Kyiv and Chernihiv.

The claimed reason was for trust-building and creating conditions for holding talks further, and achieving the final goal of agreeing and signing a peace treaty, according to Russias deputy minister of defense.

Ukrainian soldiers carry a wounded woman during the evacuation by civilians of the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 8, 2022. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)

Western and Ukrainian officials and analysts have expressed doubt about the scale of the pullout and its rationale.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said at a briefing on Tuesday that U.S. intelligence had detected small numbers of Russian ground forces moving away from the Kyiv area, but it looked to be a repositioning of forces, not a real withdrawal.

Ukraines military on Tuesday warned that the apparent withdrawal of Russian forces from the northern cities of Kyiv and Chernihiv is likely just a rotation of troops that aims to mislead Ukrainian forces.

The governor of Ukraines northern Chernihiv region said on Wednesday that he saw no let-up in Russian attacks despite Moscows pledge to scale down military operations there.

Do we believe in it [the promise]? Of course not, Governor Viacheslav Chaus said on the Telegram messaging app.

Chernihiv, in northern Ukraine, is around 93 miles from Kyiv.

A residential building damaged by shelling is seen, as Russias attack on Ukraine continues, in Chernihiv, Ukraine, in this handout picture released March 17, 2022. (Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Handout via Reuters)

Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said Wednesday that Russia is moving forces from northern to eastern Ukraine to try to encircle Ukrainian troops there, but is keeping some behind near Kyiv to tie down part of the Ukrainian military.

Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a U.S. think tank, said Tuesday that Russian forces have not yet abandoned their attacks on Kyiv, notwithstanding Moscows claims.

Russian forces continued fighting to hold their forwardmost positions on the eastern and western Kyiv outskirts even as badly damaged units withdrew to Russia from elsewhere on the Kyiv and Chernihiv axes, ISW analysts said.

The ISW team also cast doubt on the rationale given by Russia for reducing their military operations near Kyiv and Chernihiv.

Russian officials are likely casting these decisions driven by military realities as overtures demonstrating Russias willingness to engage in serious ceasefire or peace negotiations, possibly to conceal the fact that they have accepted the failure of their efforts on the Kyiv axis, they wrote.

Ukranian servicemen walk past the wreck of a Russian tank in the village of Lukyanivka outside Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 27, 2022. (Marko Djurica/Reuters)

At Tuesdays peace talks, Ukrainian negotiators made a number of proposals, including that Kyiv would agree not to join alliances or host bases of foreign troops. Ukraine would, however, have security guarantees similar to NATOs Article 5 collective defense clause.

Other proposals include discussions on the fate of the southeastern Donbas region, which Russia demands Ukraine cede to separatists, and a 15-year consultation period on the status of Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014.

Russias lead negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, who called the talks constructive, said Russias delegation would study and present the proposals to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walks away from what state media report is a "new type" of intercontinental ballistic missile in this undated photo released on March 24, 2022 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). (KCNA via Reuters)

South Korea Claims North Korea Deceived World About Monster Missile Launch

South Korean lawmakers said on March 29 that North Korea last week faked the launch of a monster missile, claiming that the launch actually involved a smaller intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that Pyongyang last launched in 2017.

North Korea claimed on March 24 that it test-fired a new type of ICBM, the Hwasong-17, which experts dubbed a monster missile capable of striking anywhere in the United States and beyond. Pyongyangs state media also released footage of leader Kim Jong Un supervising the launch.

South Koreas Defense Ministry said it has concluded that the launch didnt involve a Hwasong-17 but rather a Hwasong-15, an older and smaller ICBM that Pyongyang test-fired in 2017.

The ministry told a parliamentary committee that the missiles speed, combustion, and stage separation were similar to those of the Hwasong-15.

North Koreas official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows the launching of the Hwasong-15 missile on Nov. 29, 2017. (KCNA VIA KNS/AFP/Getty Images)

The Hwasong-15 missile flew 596 miles (960 kilometers) at a maximum altitude of 2,796 miles (4,500 kilometers) when it was launched in 2017, while the recent ICBM traveled 681 miles (1,090 kilometers) at a maximum altitude of 3,905 miles (6,248.5 kilometers).

They also observed that shadow and weather conditions seen in the footage released by North Korean state media suggest the launch occurred on a different date and time.

The ministry claimed that the United States conducted its own investigation into the launch and concurred with the South Korean assessment.

South Korea and the U.S. intelligence concluded that North Koreas claim is false, that it was actually Hwasong-15. Thats why we are saying that North Korea is deceiving, South Korean lawmaker Min Hong Chul told ABC News.

The ministry believes that North Koreas deception about the launch of Hwasong-17 was likely an attempt to compensate for a failed launch on March 16 that South Korea claimed exploded in the skies after liftoff.

It added that Pyongyang may have intended to deceive its rivals into believing it possessed advanced ICBM technology to solidify its image as a military power and increase its leverage in future negotiations.

Japan, however, maintained its assessment that North Korea had launched a new type of ICBM. Japanese chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on March 28 that the missile poses a greater threat than any other weapon North Korea has fired.

North Korean state media reported that Kim personally directed the missile launch on March 24 to make the whole world clearly aware of the power of his strategic forces.

The North Korean leader vowed to acquire formidable military and technical capabilities unperturbed by any military threat and to be fully ready for a long-standing confrontation with the U.S. imperialists.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on March 25 that Washington would propose a resolution to tighten Security Council sanctions against North Korea, though she didnt specify what the new sanctions would be.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The latest research echoes earlier studies that found women exposed to the herbicide were more likely to have shorter pregnancies, which can increase babies' risk of long-term health problems.

Women exposed to the herbicide glyphosate were more likely to experience shorter pregnancies, according to a study published last week in the journal Environmental Research.

Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the widely used herbicide Roundup. Most research on the health effects of glyphosate has focused on workplace exposures  people who work in agriculture and as groundskeepers, for exampleand on cancer outcomes. The new study joins a small but growing body of research in the United States exploring the health risks of glyphosate exposure during pregnancy.

Glyphosate Study Follows Several Others Researchers tested urine samples from a racially and geographically diverse cohort of 163 pregnant women in California, Washington, Minnesota, and New York. They detected glyphosate in more than 94 percent of the samples and found an association between glyphosate exposure and shorter pregnancies. This latest study follows two others on glyphosate and pregnancy length, including a 2018 study of 71 pregnant women in Indiana, which found that more than 90 percent had glyphosate in their urine. Those with higher glyphosate levels were more likely to have shorter pregnancies, which can increase the risk of infant mortality and long-term health challenges like breathing difficulties and intellectual delays. First author Corina Lesseur, an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health at Mount Sinais Icahn School of Medicine, cautioned about the limitations of the new, relatively small study that focused on a single time point and did not identify the specific sources of the womens glyphosate exposure. Further research, she said, will be necessary to confirm the results in larger populations and to ascertain additional exposure effects on pregnancy and infant health.
The Specter of Asymptomatic Spread

Commentary

In January 2020, at the very start of the pandemic, the New England Journal of Medicine published a letter that suggested the possibility that COVID-19 could be spread by people who did not show any symptoms of the illness. This article was based on a single case report.

Germanys public health agency, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), later spoke with the person mentioned in the case report who was supposedly the asymptomatic spreader, and she clarified that she did have symptoms encountering the second person mentioned in the article. So this case report, published in one of the worlds most prestigious medical journals, was a false alarm. But no matter, the myth of asymptomatic spread was born.

On June 8, 2020, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that asymptomatic people could transmit COVID-19. That same day, Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead for the COVID-19 pandemic, clarified that people who have COVID-19 without any symptoms very rarely transmit the disease to others.

WHO then backtracked on its original alarmist statement one day later. Weeks later, Kerkhove was pressured by the public health establishment, including the Harvard Global Health Institute, to backtrack on her statement that asymptomatic spread was very rare, claiming that the jury was still out.

Her original claim that asymptomatic spread was not a driver of the pandemic was correct, as is now clear. Given that no respiratory virus in history has been known to spread asymptomatically, this should not have surprised anyone.

But the damage was already done. The media ran with the asymptomatic threat story. The specter of people with no symptoms being potentially dangerouswhich never had any scientific basisturned every fellow citizen into a possible threat to ones existence.

We should notice the complete reversal that this affected in our thinking about health and illness. In the past, a person was assumed to be healthy until proven sick. If one missed work for a prolonged period, one needed a note from a doctor establishing an illness. During COVID-19, the criteria was reversed: We began to assume that people were sick until proven healthy. One needed a negative COVID-19 test to return to work.

It would be hard to devise a better method than the widespread myth of asymptomatic spread, combined with quarantining the healthy, to destroy the fabric of society and to divide us. People who are afraid of everyone, who are locked down, who are isolated for months behind screens, are easier to control.

A society grounded on social distancing is a contradictionits a kind of anti-society. Consider what happened to us, consider the human goods we sacrificed to preserve bare life at all costs: friendships, holidays with family, work, visiting the sick and dying, worshipping God, burying the dead.

From the Brownstone Institute

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference at The Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida on Feb. 26, 2022. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Trump Says He Doesnt Want to Become Next Speaker of the House

Former President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he has no interest in becoming the next Speaker of the House if Republicans gain control of the House of Representatives after this years midterms.

No, I think that its not something I wanted. A lot of people bring it up. Its brought up all the time, Trump told John Solomon and Amanda Head of Just the News in an interview.

No, its not something I want to do, he repeated. I want to look at whats happening, and then were going to be doing something else.

Trump shut down the possibility days after Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) on Saturday pledged to nominate the former president for speaker.

Give us the ability to fire Nancy Pelosi, take back the majority, impeach Joe Biden and I am going to nominate Donald Trump for speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Gaetz said at a rally in Georgia, shortly before introducing Trump.

Trump responded: Well, that was interesting.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) shakes hands with former U.S. President Donald Trump during a rally at the Banks County Dragway in Commerce, Georgia on March 26, 2022. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

A spokesperson for Trump previously quashed speculation about the possibility in June last year.

Jason Miller, the former presidents outgoing spokesman, told Punchbowl News that Trump has zero desire to be Speaker.

The Constitution doesnt bar someone who is not a member of Congress from being elected as speaker of the House. However, in U.S. history, House speakers have always first been elected to the House.

The speculation about Trump becoming House speaker first gained momentum when the former president was asked about the possibility during an interview with commentator Wayne Allyn Root in early June 2021.

You know, its very interesting, Trump said when asked about a congressional bid.

Trump was asked about the possibility of being nominated if Republicans retake the House during this years midterms.

Well, Ive heard the talk and its getting more and more, he said in the interview. But its not something that I wouldve considered but it is certainlytheres a lot of talk about it. I have a good relationship with Kevin and hopefully we will do everything traditionally, he said, referring to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

McCarthy told a Fox News host in June 2021 that Trump tells me he wants me speaker, and I think he should be president.

A spokesperson for McCarthys office later told news outlets to clarify that Trump has told him he wants McCarthy to be speaker and Trump wants to be president.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
UK Parliament Backs Amendment Targeting Forced Organ Harvesting

New UK legislation that aims to stop British people from participating in forced organ harvesting in China has been approved unopposed in Parliament.

The amendment to the UKs new Health and Care Billif it becomes lawwill criminalise any UK resident who pays for the supply of an organ, seeks to find someone willing to supply an organ for payment, or initiates or negotiates any such commercial arrangement outside of the UK, according to Health Minister Edward Argar.

The proposed legislation applies to residents in Britain and UK nationals that arent residents of Northern Ireland.

The amendment states that UK nationals include British citizens, British overseas territories citizens, British Nationals (Overseas) or British Overseas citizens, British subjects under the British Nationality Act 1981, or British protected people within the meaning of that act.

Moving the amendment in the House of Commons, Argar said the measure, coupled with the Conservative governments commitment to work with NHS [National Health Service] Blood and Transplant to make more patients aware of the legal, health, and ethical ramifications of purchasing an organ would send an unambiguous signal that complicity in the abuses associated with the overseas organ trade will not be tolerated.

Commercial dealings in organs for transplantation have already been illegal within the UK.

Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting told MPs that the Labour Party welcomes the change in the legislation.

It amends the Human Tissue Act to prohibit UK citizens from travelling to countries such as Chinaalthough the wording of the amendment is not country-specificfor the purpose of organ transplantation, Streeting said. In some parts of the world, organs are not given freely, but are taken by force. And we must bear this in mind in the drafting of our legislation.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath speaks to The Epoch Times in a virtual interview in the UK on Mar. 2, 2021 (The Epoch Times/Screenshot)

The government amendment (pdf) was proposed in lieu of a House of Lords version introduced by Philip Hunt, Baron Hunt of Kings Heath.

Moving his version of the amendment on March 16, Hunt told the House of Lords that his amendment would prohibit UK citizens from travelling to countries such as China for the purpose of organ transplantation.

Forced organ harvesting in China is the crime of forcibly extracting organs from prisoners of conscience, killing the victim in the process. The harvested organs are sold to Chinese officials, Chinese nationals, or foreigners for transplantation, the Labour peer said.

Stemming from his desire to encourage an increase in organ donations in the UK, Hunt has long campaigned to end forced organ harvesting in China.

Hunts amendment, which enjoyed cross-party support in the House of Lords, would also have criminalised receiving organs abroad without the free, informed, and specific consent from a living donor or the donors next of kin in cases that the donor is unable to provide consent.

It would also have required the health secretary to publish annual assessments of countries that dont require explicit consent for the legal donation of controlled materials such as human organs.

The proposed assessment report would have determined whether each of those countries provides a formal, publicly funded plan for opting out of deemed consent for donation of controlled materials and effective public education on the system.

The countries would also have been assessed on whether theyre committing genocide by resolution of the House of Commons.

Argar said the government has significant concerns about the adverse impact this approachas in that amendmentcould have on transport patients and NHS staff.

The health minister previously told the House of Lords that he believes that by putting the burden on transplant recipients to ensure proper consent is given, Hunts amendment would have deterred individuals who legitimately receive organs overseas from seeking follow-up treatment for fear of being treated like a criminal suspect.

He also said the Hunt amendment would have placed considerable burdens on the NHS by mandating an annual report.

Argar said he believes that his amendment would achieve a similar effect to Hunts version, but without creating disproportionate impact on vulnerable recipients and NHS staff.

In an email to The Epoch Times, Hunt said that he was absolutely delighted that the government had accepted the principle of his amendment in outlawing the participation of British people in the abhorrent practice of organ tourism.

The Health and Care Bill is currently in the final stage before becoming lawknown as the ping pong, when the measure goes back and forth between the two Houses of Parliament, each of which considers amendments from the other house.

The tribunal panel (LR) of U.S. history professor Arthur Waldron, Malaysian lawyer Andrew Khoo, professor of cardiothoracic surgery Martin Elliott, tribunal chair Sir Geoffrey Nice QC, businessman Nicholas Vetch, Iranian human rights lawyer Shadi Sadr, and U.S. lawyer Regina Paulose, in London, on Dec. 8, 2018. (Justin Palmer)

On June 17, 2019, the China Tribunal, an independent peoples tribunal, unanimously concluded that prisoners of conscience have beenand continue to bekilled in China for their organs on a significant scale and that adherents of the spiritual practice Falun Gong have been one of the main sources of organ supply.

The tribunal published a 160-page report on March 1, 2020, reaffirming its previous conclusion, stating that there was no evidence of the practice having been stopped and the Tribunal is satisfied that it is continuing.

Ethan Gutmann, a China studies fellow at the Washington-based nonprofit Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation and cofounder of the International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China, said in a webinar on Feb. 24, 2021, that his investigation suggests that forced organ harvesting from the detained Uyghur population was also happening at a substantial scale.
A general view shows inside the Court of Final Appeal at Central, in Hong Kong, on Sept. 18, 2015. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

UK Withdraws Serving Judges From Hong Kong Court Over National Security Law

Following discussions with the UK government, the president and deputy president of the UK Supreme Court on Wednesday resigned from their roles in the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal (HKCFA).

UK Supreme Court judges have long sat on the HKCFA in fulfilment of the governments obligations towards the former British colony and have done so with the support of the government, which assessed their participation was in the UKs national interests, according to Supreme Court President Robert Reed.

Citing concerns over the Beijing-imposed national security law, Reed said in a statement that he and Lord Patrick Hodge had resigned as non-permanent judges in the Hong Kong court because UK Supreme court judges cannot continue to sit in Hong Kong without appearing to endorse an administration which has departed from values of political freedom, and freedom of expression, to which the Justices of the Supreme Court are deeply committed.

The senior judge said he had come to the conclusion in agreement with the government.

Handout photo of UK Supreme Court President Robert Reed, Lord Reed of Allermuir, on Jan. 13, 2020. (Kevin Leighton/UK Supreme Court via PA Media)

In a separate statement, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab supported the withdrawal of serving UK judges from the HKCFA.

We have seen a systematic erosion of liberty and democracy in Hong Kong. Since the National Security Law was imposed, authorities have cracked down on free speech, the free press, and free association, Truss said.

The foreign secretary said she welcomes and wholeheartedly supports the withdrawal as the situation in Hong Kong has reached a tipping point where it is no longer tenable for British judges to sit on Hong Kongs leading court, and would risk legitimising oppression.

Raab said the introduction of the national security law flies in the face of the SinoBritish Joint Declaration.

Therefore, having discussed at length with [the] Foreign Secretary and the President of the Supreme Court, we regretfully agree that it is no longer appropriate for serving UK judges to continue sitting in Hong Kong courts, Raab said.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss meeting European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic for talks in central London on Feb. 11, 2022. (Rob Pinney/PA)

Alistair Carmichael, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hong Kong, said the withdrawal is a positive step and called on the government to do more to support Hongkongers.

The foreign secretarys announcement sends a clear and vital message that the government does not support UK judges lending credibility to the corrupt Hong Kong judicial system. The imposition of the national security law has proven beyond doubt that those leading Hong Kong intend to govern by totalitarian force rather than by the will of the people. It is right that UK judges should no longer be a part of that system, the Scottish Liberal Democrat MP said in an email to The Epoch Times.

Todays announcement from the foreign secretary is a positive step but it cannot be the last. Hongkongers, both those still in the city and here in the UK, still need our support, he said.

Alan Mendoza, co-founder and executive director of foreign policy and national security at the Henry Jackson Society think tank, said the decision is overdue but welcome.

Reacting to the news on Twitter, Mendoza said the withdrawal of British judges is a recognition that justice is no longer being administered through the rule of law, but instead dispensed by Chinese Communist Party diktat.

Campaigner Benedict Rogers speaks at a rally for democracy in Hong Kong at Trafalgar Square in London on June 12, 2021. (Laurel Chor/Getty Images)

Hong Kong advocates in the UK also welcomed the news.

Todays news reflects the sad reality that the national security law has torn apart the human rights and constitutional safeguards which made Hong Kong meaningfully autonomous. The British judges ongoing presence was providing a veneer of legitimacy for a fundamentally compromised system, and the British government is right to have taken steps to recall them, Benedict Rogers, co-founder and CEO of the Hong Kong Watch NGO, told The Epoch Times in an email.

The two judges who have resigned have done the right thing and we hope all remaining foreign judges will follow suit, he said.

Earlier this month, Hong Kong Watch said Rogers received correspondence from the Hong Kong Police Forces National Security Department, accusing the British-registered charity of violating the national security law by colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security, and threatening a HK$100,000 ($13,000) fine and up to three years imprisonment.

Simon Cheng (front left) and Finn Lau (centre) in a march commemorating the two-year anniversary of Hong Kongs pro-democracy movement in London on June 12, 2021. (Yanning Qi/The Epoch Times)

Hongkonger expat association Hongkongers in Britain (HKB) also said it welcomes the news.

Since the Hong Kong National (State) Security Law has been imposed by Beijing in 2020, such ill-defined law criminalises critical thoughts of the state and government, HKB said in a statement to The Epoch Times.

Such suppression and chilling effects come down to not only frontline activists, but all walks of life, it targets not people in Hong Kong, but all human beings around the world.

The threat of the Hong Kong National (State) Security law to UK-based groups and individuals is blatantly trampling on the UKs judicial sovereignty and the integrity of the democratic and free system. It shows the expansionary nature of totalitarian autocracy, from economic to judicial means, to suppress dissent around the world, and in the UK.

HKB said it welcomes the decision to withdraw serving UK judges from the HKCFA as such move gives Hong Kong judiciary no longer endorsement to such a corrupted and suppressive legal regime.

The rule of law with [the] heritage of the common law system claimed by the Hong Kong government, as a bastion for civil liberty and business arbitration, comes to the end, the statement reads.

The presence of foreign judges in Hong Kong is enshrined in the Basic Law, the mini-constitution that guarantees the global financial hubs freedoms and extensive autonomy under Chinese rule, including the continuation of Hong Kongs common law traditions forged during the British colonial era.

Reed has previously said he would not serve on the HKCFA in the event the judiciary in the city was undermined.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses Russian and Ukrainian negotiators before their face-to-face talks in Istanbul on March 29, 2022. (Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Presidential Press Office/Handout via Reuters)

Ukraine Voices Optimism in Peace Talks; Russia Says No Breakthroughs

Ukrainian officials have said that they see some grounds for optimism following the latest round of peace talks in Istanbul, although a Kremlin spokesperson said the negotiations had yielded no breakthroughs and much work remains to be done before a deal could be reached that would end the fighting.

I have an optimistic impression of the round of negotiations in Istanbul, Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak told an online briefing following the talks, during which Moscow stated that it would scale back its military operations in parts of Ukraine.

Russia stated that it would radically reduce its operations near Kyiv and Chernihiv, a pledge that the West dismissed as a ploy to regroup by Russian forces that have taken heavy losses.

Ihor Zhovkva, deputy head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys office, told the BBC on March 30 that negotiations had definitely moved forward.

But intensified bombardment was reported on March 30 in a suburb of Kyiv that had seen weeks of heavy clashes, while the mayor of Chernihiv said Russian forces had ramped up shelling there over the past 24 hours.

Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talks to the media after a meeting with Russian negotiators in Istanbul on March 29, 2022. (Kemal Aslan/Reuters)

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed on March 30 that Kyiv had set out its demands for a ceasefire, but noted that no breakthroughs were made in the talks.

Ukrainian negotiators presented a series of proposals on March 29, including that Kyiv would adopt a neutral status in exchange for security guarantees that would legally oblige guarantor countries to provide military assistance to Ukraine, including imposing no-fly zones, in case of an attack.

Podolyak said the security guarantee proposal would be put to a nationwide referendum only after Russian troops withdrew to positions that they held before invading Ukraine.

Russias lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, who called the talks constructive on March 29, said Russias delegation would study and present the Ukrainian proposals to Russian President Vladimir Putin before formulating a response.

Head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, speaks to the media after talks between delegations from Ukraine and Russia in Belaruss Gomel region, on Feb. 28, 2022. (Sergei Kholodilin/AFP via Getty Images)

Medinsky said on Russian television on March 30 that Kyiv had stated its willingness to meet core Russian demands. He noted that Ukraine stated in writing that it was willing to give up its NATO membership ambitions, renounce weapons of mass destruction, and pledge to not host foreign troops in its territory.

Ukraine has declared its readiness to fulfil those fundamental requirements that Russia has been insisting on over the past years. If these obligations are met, then the threat of creating a NATO bridgehead on Ukrainian territory will be eliminated, Medinsky said.

A key concern for Russia has been the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO, which Moscow has long considered to be a geopolitical rival.

Medinsky also said that Russia continues to stand by its demands for Ukraine to acknowledge Crimea as belonging to Russia and for Kyiv to recognize the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, the two separatist-controlled breakaway statelets in eastern Ukraine, known collectively as the Donbas.

Territorial concessions are a major obstacle in the talks, with Ukraine repeatedly insisting that it wouldnt cede any territory, although Zelenskyy has expressed an openness to discussing a special status for the breakaway regions.

Despite reports of intensified Russian bombardment near Kyiv and Chernihiv on March 30, there were signs that some Russian forces had withdrawn.

UK intelligence said some Russian units facing big losses had returned home or went to neighboring Belarus in order to resupply and reorganize.

Christo Grozev, lead Russia investigator with the investigative journalist group Bellingcat, wrote in a March 29 Twitter post that there were clear signs that Russian troops from the Kyiv area were heading back to Russian territory.

In general, however, Western officials and analysts have expressed doubt about the scale of Russias stated pullout and its rationale.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said at a March 29 briefing that U.S. intelligence had detected small numbers of Russian ground forces moving away from the Kyiv area, but it appeared to be a repositioning of forces and not a real withdrawal.

Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War, a U.S. think tank, questioned Russian declarations about the wind-down, suggesting that Moscows apparent expressions of goodwill were possibly to conceal the fact that they have accepted the failure of their efforts on the Kyiv axis.

Analysts say Russian forces have been bogged down near Kyiv and face increasing pressure from the Ukrainian military.
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves from 10 Downing Street to take part in the weekly session of Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons, in central London, on March 30, 2022. (Tolga Akmen /AFP via Getty Images)

UKs Johnson Fends Off Renewed Calls to Resign Despite Partygate Fines

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has rejected renewed calls for him to resign after the police confirmed there were violations of lockdown rules in the centre of the UK government during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Johnson has been plagued by a series of damaging allegations of parties and other gatherings held in his official residence at Number 10 Downing Street and other government departments in Whitehall at the height of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic, in violation of lockdown rules written by the government.

The Metropolitan Police said on Tuesday that 20 fixed penalty notices over these parties would be referred to the ACRO Criminal Records Office, which will then be responsible for issuing the fines. The move means the police had ruled that the law had been broken.

At Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, suggested that Johnson should resign for misleading Parliament by denying the allegations of rule-breaking during the lockdowns.

Starmer said: He told the House no rules were broken in Downing Street during lockdown. The police have now concluded there was widespread criminality. The Ministerial Code says that ministers who knowingly mislead the House should resign. Why is he still here?

Johnson replied: Hang on a minute, we do at least expect some consistency from this human weathervaneit was only a week or so ago he was saying that I shouldnt resign. What is his position?

He was referring to Starmers suggestion earlier this month that Labour would prioritise the war in Ukraine over the partygate probe.

Asked if he would withdraw his call for Johnson to resign in view of the ongoing conflict, he told ITV News on March 6, At the moment the prime minister is obviously concentrating on the job in hand and we stand united as the United Kingdom on that issue.

The prime minister insisted that, as the Metropolitan Police continues its investigation into the scandal, he would get on with our job.

That means tackling the cost of living, addressing the UKs energy supply, and improving education, he said.

Meanwhile, Downing Street clashed with Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab over the Mets conclusion that lockdown laws had been broken.

Raab told the BBC earlier on Wednesday that it was clear there were breaches of the law.

But the prime ministers official spokesman said Number 10 was maintaining its position of refusing to accept the law was broken.

The Met have come to a conclusion and have started a process which relates to 20 fines and we respect that, the spokesman said.

We will not be commenting further on the detail of what happened until the investigation is concluded. It simply would not be right for me to give the prime ministers view in the midst of an ongoing Met police investigation, he said.

PA Media contributed to this report.
A Palestinian worker holds wheat grains at traditional a wheat mill, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on March 21, 2022. Russia's invasion of Ukraine could mean less bread on the table for many countries where millions already struggling to survive. (Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images)

UN Food Chief Warns of Global Crisis Not Seen Since World War II

The U.N. food chief on Tuesday warned that Russias Ukraine invasion will have a global impact beyond anything weve seen since World War II and that the war has created a catastrophe on top of a catastrophe.

We would have never dreamed anything like this would be possible, David Beasley, executive director of the U.N. World Food Program told the U.N. Security Council.

Already high food prices are skyrocketing, said Beasley, because many of the Ukrainian farmers who produce a significant amount of the worlds wheat are now fighting Russians.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization warned earlier this month of a looming global food crisis, with supplies of crucial staple crops threatened amid the ongoing conflict. Russia and Ukraine are key exporters of grain, supplying nearly 30 percent of wheat and nearly 20 percent of corn in the global market.

Prior to Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Beasley said his agency was feeding 125 million people globally.

The agency has now been forced to cut rations due to skyrocketing food, fuel, and shipping costs, he explained. The rising costs have caused a $71 million per month increase in the agencys operational costs, according to Beasley.

The Ukraine invasion is turning the breadbasket of the world to breadlines for millions of its people, while devastating countries like Egypt which normally gets 85 percent of its grain from Ukraine, and Lebanon which got 81 percent in 2020, Beasley said.

Beasley said the World Food Program buys 50 percent of its grain from Ukraine.

Wendy Sherman, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, told the Council that things will continue to deteriorate globally.

So long as Putin continues his war, so long as Russian forces continue to bombard Ukrainian cities and block aid convoys, so long as besieged civilians are unable to get to safety, this humanitarian crisis will only get worsein Ukraine, for the Russian people, and around the world, said Sherman.

Beasley expressed a similar sentiment.

If we end the conflict, address the needs, we can avoid famine, destabilization of nations, and mass migration, he said. But if we dont, the world will pay a mighty price and the last thing we want to do as the World Food Program is taking food from hungry children to give to starving children.

Sherman said Russia has bombed at least three civilian ships carrying goods from Black Sea ports to the rest of the world, including one chartered by an agribusiness company.

The Russian navy is blocking access to Ukraines ports, essentially cutting off exports of grain, she said.

Sherman said the United States is particularly concerned about countries like Lebanon, Pakistan, Libya, Tunisia, Yemen, and Morocco which rely heavily on Ukrainian imports to feed their population.

Developing nations in northern Africa and Asia are among the most reliant on Russia and Ukraine for their wheat supply.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A United Nations (UN) helicopter, operated by the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Central African Rrepiblic (MINUSCA) staff which is flown for short distances due to the threat of explosive devices, lands in Paoua, on Dec. 2, 2021. (Barbara Debout/AFP via Getty Images)

UN Helicopter Carrying 8 Shot Down by Rebels in Congos East

DAKAR, SenegalCongos army says rebels in the countrys east have shot down a United Nations helicopter carrying eight peacekeepers and U.N. observers.

The helicopter shot Monday was among two carrying out reconnaissance for the U.N. mission in Congo, according to a statement from Congos army on Tuesday. Those on the helicopter were assessing the movements of communities that had been attacked by a rebel group in order to coordinate humanitarian assistance.

The M23 rebel group on Monday attacked several villages including Tchanzu, Runyonyi, Ndiza, and Tchengerero, according to the statement.

Congos forces and the U.N. are searching for the helicopter and potential survivors, the army said.

The eight people on board the Puma helicopter included six crew membersall from the Pakistani militaryand two military personnel, one from the Russian Federation and one from Serbia, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York.

He confirmed the helicopter was there to monitor the situation where there had been fighting, but asked for patience as to the cause of its crash.

Pakistans military issued a statement with the names of the six officers and soldiers on the helicopter, saying they have embraced martyrdom.

Pakistan has always played a pivotal role as responsible member of the international community to help realize ideals of global peace and security through U.N. peacekeeping missions, the statement said.

Eastern Congo is prone to insecurity as several armed groups are vying for control its mineral-rich lands. In 2012 the M23 rebels controlled large areas of eastern Congo, including the provincial capital of Goma. The rebels were eventually pushed from eastern Congo into Uganda and Rwanda in 2013 by Congolese and United Nations forces.

Despite ongoing efforts to disarm the group, M23 rebels have recently increased their attacks in the region.

U.N. Special Representative for Congo Bintou Keita told the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday that the security situation in Congo has, since December, deteriorated despite military operations carried out by the Congolese security and defense forces under the state of siege.

Civilian deaths and displacements have increased, she said, primarily due to bloody reprisals by the Allied Democratic Forces rebels against civilians living in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

In the past three months, we have seen an alarming increase in activities by the M23 rebel movement in North Kivu, including Mondays attacks targeting civilians in communities near Rutshuru, she said. New fighting is also taking place in the three-border region, near the border town of Bunagana.

By Carley Petesch and Edith M. Lederer
Unbelievable That WHO Approved China-Made COVID-19 Vaccines, but Not Canadas: OToole

WHO says it is reviewing its policies after rejecting a made-in-Canada vaccine due to the company's ties to big tobacco

Former Conservative Party leader Erin OToole is criticizing the World Health Organization (WHO) for approving less-effective COVID-19 vaccines produced in communist China while rejecting a made-in-Canada version due to the Canadian companys ties to a major tobacco company.

The WHO has approved several less-effective emergency use vaccines funded by China, but is rejecting an innovative Canadian vaccine because of one of their investorsUnbelievable, said the Tory MP on Twitter on March 25.

OToole was responding to news that the WHO has refused to accept Medicago Incs COVID-19 vaccine because U.S.-Swiss tobacco company Philip Morris International is a shareholder of the Quebec vaccine maker.

Medicagos two-dose Covifenz vaccine was authorized by Health Canada in February for adults 18 to 64. In clinical trials, it was more than 70 percent effective at preventing COVID-19 infections and 100 percent effective against severe illness, prior to the Omicron wave.

Medicago proceeded to submit an application to have their vaccine approved by the WHO, but by early March, a guidance document was uploaded on the organizations website, stating that the Canadian vaccine was not accepted for emergency use.

WHO did not accept Medicagos vaccine application because it has a strict policy not to engage with companies that promote tobacco, and Philip Morris owns about one-fifth of the company.

Medicago was informed of this decision and has been apprised of WHOs policies on tobacco, the WHO said in a statement on March 25.

That policy could change, however, as the WHO begins a review of its policy options for health products linked to the tobacco industry.

WHO is currently holding discussions on how to address a general trend of the tobacco industry investing in the health industry, the organization said.

Meanwhile, two China-made COVID-19 vaccinesone developed by Beijing-based biopharmaceutical company Sinovac and the other made by state-owned company Sinopharmhave been approved by the WHO since 2021.

According to a vaccine tracking team at McGill University, Sinovacs CoronaVac and Sinopharms Covilo vaccines are approved for emergency use in 54 countries and 90 countries, respectively.

Experts have accused the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of using locally produced vaccines to grow its international soft power, by giving vaccine doses to those that could not otherwise afford them.

Benjamin Gedan, deputy director of the Latin America program at the Wilson Center in Washington, called the practice vaccine diplomacya means to gain more political influence over those countries.

Its never encouraging to see the worlds largest dictatorships taking most advantage of this diplomatic opportunity, said Gedan, referring to China and Russia, in an interview with The Canadian Press last April.

Gedan added at the time that China refused to give COVID-19 vaccines to Paraguay, which recognizes Taiwan diplomatically.

There have been reports from the foreign minister of Paraguay that intermediaries of the Chinese government explicitly said that Paraguay will not access the Chinese vaccine unless it changes its position on Taiwan, he said.

Another COVID-19 vaccine created by Tianjin-based biopharmaceutical company CanSino Biologics Inc., is pending final approval by the WHO before it rolls out to the international markets.

In May 2020, the National Research Council of Canada partnered with CanSino to develop the COVID-19 vaccine. However, the partnership came to a halt after the CCP blocked the shipment of doses for clinical trials in Canada in August 2020.

The folded partnership, according to experts in the intelligence community, was in line with the CCPs broader espionage campaign, and the knowledge gained from such programs could benefit the Chinese military and security apparatus.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
A University of Waterloo pylon sign is seen at the main campus entrance in Waterloo, Ontario, on Oct. 17, 2020. (Shutterstock)

University of Waterloo Terminates 49 Staff Over Mandatory Vaccination Policy

Ontarios University of Waterloo has terminated 49 staff members over the schools mandatory COVID-19 vaccine requirement.

The majority of these staff members are non-faculty members, a spokesperson from the school told CTV News.

We have an obligation under the Health and Safety Act to protect our employees, and the employees have the obligation to comply, said Nick Manning, associate vice-president of communications for the university.

All of those who werent able to be compliant after progressive measures faced the ultimate result of termination.

The terminations come a month ahead of the universitys plan to lift its proof of vaccination requirement, which has been imposed on staff, students, and visitors since the start of the Fall 2021 term.

In light of the recent relaxation of public health restrictions as part of the Ontario governments Roadmap to Reopen and on the basis of current local public health conditions, we will suspend our mask and proof of vaccination requirements for entry to campus, effective May 1, the university said in a news release on March 22.

These requirements may be reinstalled if the epidemiological situation changes, the statement noted, and in order to minimize disruption to work and learning the university will therefore maintain a requirement for all members of our community to provide information on their up to date vaccination status.

While the university told CTV that it has exempted 170 students and employees from having to provide proof of vaccination on medical and religious grounds, it didnt say whether that list included the terminated staff members.

The Epoch Times reached out to the University of Waterloo for confirmation but didnt immediately hear back.
A Facebook logo is displayed on a smartphone in this illustration taken on Jan. 6, 2020. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

US Chamber Sides With Facebook in Antitrust Appeal

WASHINGTONThe powerful U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a brief on Monday, urging a D.C. appeals court to reject an appeal by a big group of United States to revive their antitrust lawsuit against Meta Platforms Facebook.

The Chamber, along with the Computer and Communications Industry Association and Business Roundtable, argued that the district court judge hearing the case was right to toss it out because the states had waited too long to file their case.

Judge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia last July dismissed the states lawsuit against Facebook, saying they delayed in challenging the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp in 2012 and 2014 respectively.

Boasberg, who also dismissed a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, allowed the agency to refile its complaint but did not do so for the states.

The group, made up of 46 states, Guam, and the District of Columbia, argued that Boasberg erred in ruling they had waited too long to file the lawsuit and asked an appeals court to reinstate the case.

The business organizations argued further that the states were wrong in arguing that Facebook broke the law with exclusionary conduct, in executing what the states called a buy-or-bury strategy. The business groups brief called this position dubious and dangerous.
US Needs to Wean Off Its Dependence on China to Ensure Economic, National Security: Expert

The show of unity among nations opposed to Russias invasion of Ukraine presents a model for how democratic allies could come together to oppose Beijing if the communist regime follows through on its repeated threats against Taiwan, according to Robert Atkinson, president of Washington-based think tank Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.

The sanctions and economic decoupling from Russia in the wake of the Feb. 24 invasion also point the way to strategies for weaning Western powers off their dependence on China for rare earth and high-tech imports, a dependence that poses increasing risks to economic stability and national security, Atkinson told EpochTVs China Insider program on March 28.

Atkinson praised the success of two pieces of legislation that seek to alleviate U.S. dependence on technological supply chains, particularly for semiconductors, emanating from China.

The America COMPETES Act is a House bill aimed at increasing funding for microchip technology and hi-tech research. The bill passed the Senate on Monday with strong bipartisan support by a vote of 68-28. A Senate version of this bill, the United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA), was passed by that chamber last June.

He contrasted what he sees as the relatively limited ability of Russia to inflict economic harm on powers opposing its aggression, with the vast potential for Beijing to disrupt global supply chains given the current state of dependence in the areas of precious metals and technology.

If you [look at] Russia, we dont need their oil, we dont need their grain. Theres almost nothing Russia can do to us economically, but theres an enormous amount we can do to them. So its very asymmetrical, particularly when we get 30 countries and the State Department lined up to engage in export restrictions to Russia, he said.

While China is partly dependent on the United States for some imports, Atkinson said, the United States heavy reliance on China puts Beijing in a position where it could do serious damage in a scenario where an invasion of Taiwan or another setback to the bilateral relationship put the two powers more deeply at odds than they are now.

Organizations like the Consumer Technology Association have documented marked year-on-year increases for U.S. imports of such high-tech products as smartphones, speakers, and voice-activated products from China. In 2021, the United States trade deficit with China was $355 billion, according to data by the U.S. Census Bureau.

While he would like to see firms move out of China and shift their production to Vietnam, India, Mexico, or the United States, Atkinson said, a 100 percent economic decoupling is unlikely in the absence of a major war directly between the powers. But the United States can vastly expand its domestic investments in technology and in the mining and processing of rare earth minerals to alleviate the risks to national security and productivity that dependence on China entails.

Solar panels are a great example. They massively subsidize their solar panel producers, and they refuse to buy four-inch panels. And now they control 70 percent or so of the global solar panel market, and we control about five percent, Atkinson said.

I hope weve learned our lesson and will say, hey, wait a minute, when it comes to electric vehicles or jet airplanes or drugs or these other technologies, were not going to let you dominate the market, he added.

Protecting Taiwan

The best thing that the United States can do to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan is to continue to arm the Taiwanese and leave no doubt that Beijings forces would suffer massive casualties if they invaded, Atkinson said.

To some extent, we are doing this, but were not doing enough of it and were not doing it fast enough, he said.

Given this reality, Atkinson finds encouragement in the legislative solutions currently on the table to curb U.S. dependence on China in a range of areas over the next decade.

Though the success of COMPETES Act and USICA is encouraging, a broader show of geopolitical unity among nations opposed to Beijings chronic human rights violations and menacing conduct toward Taiwan is still urgent. Atkinson added that he considers certain nations of the Pacific Rim to be fundamentally aligned with the United States vis a vis China, but that European powers have not yet demonstrated the commitment that is needed.

The Australians and the Japanese are much more aligned with us on getting tough with China, but if were going to make this work, the Europeans have to get on board and say its time to get tough, Atkinson commented.

Michael Washburn China Reporter Follow Michael Washburn is a New York-based reporter who covers China-related topics. He has a background in legal and financial journalism, and also writes about arts and culture. Additionally, he is the host of the weekly podcast Reading the Globe. His books include The Uprooted and Other Stories, When We're Grownups, and Stranger, Stranger.
Border Patrol agents apprehend and transport illegal immigrants who have just crossed the river into La Joya, Texas, on Nov. 17, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

US on Track to Hit 1 Million Illegal Immigrant Encounters so Far This Year: Border Patrol

The United States is on track to reach more than 1 million illegal alien encounters so far in the fiscal year 2022, the head of the Border Patrol, Raul Ortiz, said on March 29.

Probably in the next two or three days well get over a million encounters or apprehensions along the southwest border, Ortiz said at the Border Security Expo in San Antonio, Texas, Fox News reported.

Signaling that the situation at the border is global in nature, Ortiz said that border agents have encountered illegal aliens from 157 different countries.

In February alone, there were 164,973 encountersup from 101,099 encounters in 2021 and 36,687 in 2020, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) numbers.

The law enforcement agency has also noted a more than 100 percent month-over-month increase in February in two categories of illegal aliensfamily units and unaccompanied minors.

Februarys numbers mean that there were 838,685 southwest land border encounters since the fiscal year began in October.

Marchs numbers have not yet been released but are already expected to surpass Februarys, and take the number of encounters for the fiscal year to over 1 million, within just six months of the fiscal year.

Ortiz noted on Tuesday that the Border Patrol is currently understaffed and is facing further challenges due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

A Texas state trooper arrests a U.S. citizen who was transporting three illegal aliens to San Antonio, in Kinney County, Texas, on Oct. 20, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Ortizs comments echo those of Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) who issued a similar warning on Sunday as more people try to make their way into the United States in the coming months.

Its going to get worse. Its going to get a lot worse, springtime, summer, more and more come over. The message is coming back that, Hey, we got a new president, come on in, were open for business to the traffickers,' McCaul said in an interview on ABCs This Week.

I predict a million people trying to get into this country by the summertime, McCaul said.

President Joe Biden has faced criticism from Republicans over his handling of the border crisis, with many believing the situation has worsened due to the administrations reversal on immigration policies previously put in place by former President Donald Trump.

The Biden administration is currently weighing up whether or not it will end the controversial pandemic-era Title 42 policy implemented by Trump which allowed Border Patrol agents to turn most illegal aliens back to Mexico immediately if they posed a health threat amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Soon after Biden took office in 2021, the United States stopped expelling unaccompanied minors, alleging that it was cruel and inhumane to do so.

In mid-March, the Biden administration announced that it will potentially bring changes to the policy because there is no longer a serious transmission danger of COVID-19 in the United States in relation to illegal immigration.

This, in turn, could see an influx of illegal aliens at the border, a prospect that concerns a number of lawmakers, including Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), who have urged Biden not to end the border restrictions policy without first having a comprehensive plan in place.

We write to you to express great concern about the lack of a specific plan from your Administration with respect to potential changes to the Title 42 Public Health authority, which the [DHS] has relied on at the border during the coronavirus pandemic, the senators wrote in a March 24 letter (pdf) to Biden.

Given the impacts that changes to Title 42 could have on border communities, border security, and migrants, we urge your administration not to make any changes to Title 42 implementation until you are completely ready to execute and coordinate a comprehensive plan that ensures a secure, orderly, and humane process at the border, they said.

Biden on March 21 told reporters at the White House that a lot more could be done to address the increasing number of illegal aliens crossing the border into the United States.

We are in the process of doing it now, including making sure we reestablish what existed beforewhich is they can stay in place and make their case from their home countries, he said.
Semiconductor chips on a circuit board of a computer, in a photo illustration taken on Feb. 25, 2022. (Florence Lo/Reuters)

US Senate Approves $52 Billion Chips Bill in Bid to Reach Compromise

WASHINGTONThe U.S. Senate on Monday again approved a bill to provide $52 billion in U.S. subsidies for semiconductor chips manufacturing in a bid to reach a compromise after months of discussions.

The 6828 procedural vote sends the legislation back to the House of Representatives in a cumbersome process to ultimately launch a formal process known as a conference where lawmakers from both chambers will seek agreement on a compromise version.

A persistent industry-wide shortage of chips has disrupted production in the automotive and electronics industries, forcing some firms to scale back production, and there have been growing calls to decrease reliance on other countries for semiconductors.

The Senate first passed chips legislation in June that also authorized $190 billion to strengthen U.S. technology and research to compete with China, while the House passed its version in early February.

The bills take different approaches to addressing U.S. competitiveness with China on a wide range of issues, as well on trade and some climate provisions.

Senate Commerce Committee chair Maria Cantwell said the vote was crucial to get us to real negotiations

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the Senate vote was another step to strengthen our supply chains, make more in America, and outcompete China and the rest of the world for decades to come. We look forward to the House of Representatives moving quickly to start the formal conference process as well.

A senior House Democratic aide said the chamber is set to take up the measure and send it back to the Senate as soon as later this week. The Senate will need to vote again to launch the conference. A final agreement might not be reached until summer.

Independent Senator Bernie Sanders criticized the $52 billion in subsidies, calling it corporate greed and said taxpayers should get warrants or equity from profitable chips firms in exchange for subsidies.

The financial gains made by these companies must be shared with the American people, not just wealthy shareholders, Sanders said.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo noted that two decades ago, the United States produced nearly 40 percent of all chips while today it accounts for only 12 percent of global production. The Senate vote moved the United States one step closer toward revitalizing American semiconductor manufacturing, securing our critical supply chains and bringing home good-quality manufacturing jobs.

On Friday, General Motors said it would halt production at a pickup truck plant in Indiana for two weeks in April because of the chips shortage.

By David Shepardson
A service member of the Ukrainian armed forces takes part in tactical military exercises at a training ground in the Rivne region, Ukraine, on Feb. 16, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)

US Sending Killer Switchblade Drones to Ukraine: Pentagon

The United States is sending 100 Switchblade drones to Ukraine as part of an arms package, a Pentagon official confirmed on March 30.

The drones, developed by AeroVironment, are a type of loitering munition that is lightweight and small enough to fit in a backpack. Launching from a tube, the Switchblade will fly into a target and detonate a small explosive warhead.

Ukrainian officials asked for the drones to use against Russian forces, Celeste Wallander, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, told lawmakers on March 30.

We have committed 100 Switchblade tactical unmanned aerial systems to be delivered in the most recent package of presidential drawdown, she told the House Armed Services Committee. Weve heard the Ukrainians and we take that request very seriously.

About a week ago, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the weapons would arrive in Ukraine in the near future. He didnt elaborate.

AeroVironments website notes that there are two versions of the weapons systemthe Switchblade 300 and 600. It isnt clear if the Pentagon sent the 300 or 600 models, or both, to Ukraine.

The 300 models, which weigh about six pounds, can be controlled up to six miles, using a camera and GPS locator to track, identify, and engage targets. The warhead is an explosive charge equivalent to a 40-millimeter grenade and is generally employed to destroy light armored vehicles and personnel, according to AeroVironment.

The 600 models are much larger, weighing about 50 pounds; they can fly out to about 25 miles and deliver a Javelin warhead, which can be used against heavily armored vehicles, according to the company.

Western officials have said that Ukrainian forces have successfully used Javelin anti-tank systems since the start of the conflict on Feb. 24. A number of U.S. intelligence officials have publicly asserted that Russian forces have been bogged down in Ukraine for weeks and havent captured any major city.

So far, the United States has provided more than $2 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since President Joe Biden took office in early 2021. The Switchblade 300 is believed to cost as little as $6,000 per unit, according to reports.

Biden called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on March 30 to discuss the ongoing work by the United States and its allies and partners to deliver military, economic, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and to impose severe costs on Russia for its brutal aggression against Ukraine, according to the White House.

The two leaders talked about specific defensive support, a new package of enhanced sanctions, macro-financial and humanitarian aid, Zelenskyy wrote on social media, adding that he also gave an assessment of the situation on the battlefield and at the negotiating table.
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks alongside Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore in the East Room of the White House on March 29, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

US Strongly Focused on Asia-Pacific Region Despite Russia-Ukraine Crisis, Biden Says

U.S. President Joe Biden reaffirmed Tuesday that his administration is moving strongly to implement the Indo-Pacific strategy even as they deal with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis.

During his White House meeting with Singapores Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday, Biden said that the U.S. alliance with Singapore, as well as with other nations in the region, has grown in importance.

He said that Russias unprovoked and unjustifiable war against Ukraine had threatened the core tenets of a rule-based international order, adding that all nations, regardless of size, have a right to their sovereignty.

Even as we address the crisis in Europe, my administration is strongly supportive of moving rapidly to implement the Indo-Pacific Strategy that weve talked about, Biden said, adding that his administration wants to ensure that the region remains free and open.

Biden said his discussion with Lee will cover the U.S.-ASEAN ties and the freedom of the seas, which appeared to refer to Chinas military assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea.

Chinese J-15 fighter jets being launched from the deck of the Liaoning aircraft carrier during military drills in the South China Sea on Jan. 2, 2017. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

The Biden administration unveiled its Indo-Pacific strategy in February, describing the region as the United States top strategic priority to push back against Beijings growing assertiveness.

Defense experts believe that the Russian war on Ukraine will affect global strategy and alter the political and security landscape in the Indo-Pacific region for decades to come.

Yasuhiro Matsuda, a professor of international politics at the University of Tokyo, said that Chinese leader Xi Jinping shared a point of view with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and that both believe the West is in decline and ultimately useless for their aims.

I think that their worldview might become more and more extreme, Matsuda said in an interview with the Hudson Institute in early March. The personal dictatorship is very dangerous.

He noted that Xi might be concerned that China is being encircled by U.S. influence in Japan and Korea, and through security partnerships such as the AUKUS trilateral security pact between the United States, Britain, and Australia.

For that reason, Xi likely was looking to use Russias war in Ukraine to divert allied resources away from the Indo-Pacific region and toward Europe, and resist U.S. diplomatic and economic pressures.

Despite the apparent effort to split Western attention, however, the Pentagon stated that the Indo-Pacific remains its priority theater, adding that China is the pacing challenge and the issue of Taiwan is the pacing scenario.

Andrew Thornebrooke contributed to this report.
Alexanda Kotey (Left) and Shafee Elsheikh, whom the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) claim are British nationals in Amouda, Syria, in an undated handout picture released on Feb. 9, 2018. (Syrian Democratic Forces/Handout via Reuters)

US Trial Begins for Member of ISIS Beatles Cell

WASHINGTONAn alleged member of a group of ISIS terrorists that beheaded American hostages in Iraq and Syria, nicknamed The Beatles for their British accents, faces a U.S. criminal trial beginning on Tuesday.

El Shafee Elsheikh, 33, will stand trial in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington, on charges including lethal hostage-taking and conspiracy to commit murder.

Elsheikh was one of four ISIS militants belonging to the four-member ISIS cell. The cell garnered international attention after releasing videos of the murders of U.S. journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid workers Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig, among other victims.

Two of the cells four members, Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey, were held in Iraq by the U.S. military before being flown to the United States to face trial.

Mohammed Emwazi, a British citizen who oversaw the executions, died in a drone strike in 2015. Aine Lesley Davis, the fourth member of the group, was convicted in Turkey on terrorism charges and jailed.

Kotey pleaded guilty in September 2021 to the murders of Foley, Sotloff, Mueller and Kassig. He will be sentenced next month.

Kotey was a citizen of the United Kingdom, but the British government withdrew his citizenship.

The charges against Elsheikh, a UK citizen, carry a potential death sentence, but U.S. prosecutors have advised British officials that they will not seek the death penalty against Elsheikh or Kotey.

U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis will oversee the trial, and is expected to spend Tuesday questioning potential jurors to ensure a fair trial.

Elsheikhs lawyers have said the killings were planned and carried out by Emwazi at the behest of ISIS leadership.

By Jan Wolfe
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Finance Minister Simon Birmingham with the 2021 budget papers at Parliament House on May 11, 2021 in Canberra, Australia. (Dominic Lorrimer - Pool/Getty Images)

Victorian Health Advocates Criticise Federal Funding on Healthcare

Public health and mental health advocates from Victoria have criticised the distribution of federal funding for healthcare across Australia and in Victoria as part of the 2022/23 federal budget announced on Mar. 29.

The Commonwealth Government has failed to deliver fairer funding to Victorian public hospitals and address workforce shortages at a critical moment during the pandemic, read the statement released by the Victorian Health Association (VHA).

CEO of VHA, Tom Symondson, said that COVID-19 had impacted Victoria more than any other state or territory and that more federal government support was needed to help its health system meet demand.

Public hospital federal budgets for states and territories have increased from $25.6 billion (US$19.3 billion) in 2021/22 (pdf) to $28.1 billion (US$21.2 billion) in 2022/23 (pdf).

However, Symondson said that it is not fair that the Federal Government will continue to contribute much less than 50 percent of costs to run public hospitals under the current agreements.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, in 2019/20, 70 percent of the health sector was funded by the Federal Government.

52.5 percent of public hospital costs were funded by the state and territory government, while 42.3 percent was funded by the Commonwealth if Medicare and pharmaceutical benefits were considered.

The VHA called for the Commonwealth to step up and fund 50 percent of the cost of public hospitals with no growth cap to recognise the increasing cost of COVID-19, as well as increased investments in mental health services and other communities.

The funding model has been too slow to respond to the increased costs of COVID-19, and if it continues in its current form, it will be difficult for our hospitals to catch up and recover, Symondson said.

Mental Health Victoria (MHV) called the 2022/23 federal budget on mental health a missed opportunity, lost momentum.

MHVs Acting CEO Larissa Taylor said that the 2022/23 federal budget indicated that mental health and suicide reform are no longer first-tier federal government priorities.

She said significant investments into mental health was made after the Productivity Commission released their inquiry report into mental health in 2021 (pdf).

The federal government promised the first instalment of the Commonwealths $2.3 billion (US$1.7 billion) National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan as part of the 2021/22 federal budget.

For the 2022/23 federal budget, stage 2 of the plan followed the investments made the year previously in response to the suggestions of the Productivity Commissions report; investing in prevention and early intervention, suicide prevention, treatment, supporting vulnerable Australians and workforce and governance.

$648.6 million (US$488.7 million) was promised as part of the stage 2 plan, with investments promised for suicide prevention trials with a new prevention program established in rural areas.

63.6 million (US$47.9 million) of funding will be used to continue the support of digital mental health programs such as Lifeline and $391.7 million (US$295.1 million) to support treatment programs and their expansion.

Taylor expressed that much of the funding is roll-ons from previous programs and not reforms.

What many Australians were desperately counting on last night was a bold vision for placing mental health and wellbeing investment at the heart of Australias post-COVID-19 recovery, she said.

Mental Health Victoria is both disappointed and worried. There is still time for the Federal Government to provide details on that vision before Australians go to the polls over the coming weeks. But it is getting late.
A U.S. soldier from the 3rd Battalion, part of the 6th Marine Regiment, participates in the international military exercise Cold Response 22, at Sandstrand, Norway, on March 21, 2022. (Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images)

US Sending Marines to Lithuania, Deploying Aircraft in Germany, and Liaising With Ukrainian Military

The United States is repositioning 200 Marines to Lithuania from Norway as part of Washingtons response to Russias war in Ukraine.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters on March 29 that the Marines were in Norway for military exercises and are part of Marine Air Control Group 28, based in Cherry Hill, North Carolina.

An unspecified number of C-130 Hercules aircraft and about 10 F-18 Hornets stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort, South Carolina, also will head toward Eastern Europe.

The announcement comes a day after the Pentagon announced that it was deploying six U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler aircraft from the VAQ-134 squadron based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, to Germany.

The purpose of the deployment is to bolster readiness, boost the collective defense posture of NATO, and improve air integration capabilities with Americas allies, according to Kirby.

Growlers specialize in flying electronic warfare missions and help to significantly suppress enemy air defense operations by jamming sensors to confuse enemy radars. The Growler deployment is accompanied by about 240 aircraft maintainers, aircrew, and pilots.

They are not being deployed to be used against Russian forces in Ukraine. They are being deployed completely in keeping with our efforts to bolster NATOs deterrence and defense capabilities along that eastern flank. The deployment is not in response to a perceived threat or incident, Kirby said in a March 28 statement.

On March 29, the Pentagon clarified President Joe Bidens statement from the previous day in which he claimed that U.S. troops were training Ukrainian forces in Poland. Kirby pointed out that U.S. troops were only liaising with the Ukrainian military and didnt provide further details regarding troop interactions.

Russia has promised to scale down military operations near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and the city of Chernihiv. But Kirby dismissed the claim, saying that the Russians are only repositioning and not really leaving.

Has there been some movement by some Russian units away from Kyiv in the last day or so? Yeah. We think so. Small numbers, Kirby said during a March 29 press briefing. But we believe that this is a repositioning, not a real withdrawal and that we all should be prepared to watch for a major offensive against other areas of Ukraine.

He added that a real, believable commitment would involve the full withdrawal of the Russian military from Ukraine.

The Russian attack on Chernihiv actually intensified instead of softening, amid Moscows assurances, according to the citys mayor, Vladyslav Atroshenko.

The renewed attacks are yet another confirmation that Russia always lies, Atroshenko told CNN. More than 100,000 people are trapped in the city, with just enough food and medical supplies to last one more week at most.
A voter makes his way into a polling place to cast his ballot in the early morning at the Valle Crucis School on November 3, 2020 in Sugar Grove, North Carolina. (Brian Blanco/Getty Images)

Watchdog Group Finds 24,896 Questionable Names on North Carolina Voter Rolls

The results of an investigation released this week by the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) reveal the voter rolls of the state of North Carolina are replete with errors.

By comparing the states registered voter list with the Social Security Death Index, PILF investigators found that 7,933 deceased North Carolinians are still registered to vote.

Some dead people have remained on the list for more than 20 years.

PILF investigators also discovered that 13,525 North Carolinians are registered to vote twice60 percent of whom had identical registration information on each listing, making one a true duplicate.

Another 18 percent were registered twice because their middle name was spelled out in full, and then registered a second time using only the first initial of the middle name.

And, 15 percent of the 13,525 who were registered twice, were registered once under their maiden name and once under their married name.

PILFs investigation also determined that 3,438 former North Carolinians, who moved out of the state before the 2020 election and registered to vote in another state, voted in North Carolina.

The study did not determine if the 3,438 people registered in both states voted in their new home state as well.

Absentee ballot election workers stuff ballot applications at the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections office in Charlotte, N.C. on Sept. 4, 2020. (Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images)

PILF President J. Christian Adams said in a March 29 press release: Silly, obvious errors in the voter roll can create opportunities for voter fraud and chaos in a close election. Correcting deceased and duplicate records now will help to preemptively address those risks.

North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) spokesperson Patrick Gannon told The Epoch Times that PILFs figures represent a small percentage of the states 7,264,000 registered voters.

However, we will investigate any credible allegation of irregularities or voter fraud, said Gannon.

When asked what percentage of dead people on the voting rolls is acceptable in North Carolina, Gannon could not say, and he would not commit the board to a zero-tolerance policy.

Gannon raised questions about PILFs procedures in gathering the data presented in its report, saying that without more information, it is impossible to verify the information the organization is putting forward.

Gannon stated: The assumption that not clean voter rolls are more susceptible to fraud is just thatan assumption. In North Carolina there is no evidence that names that should have been removed are actually being used to vote.

The NCSBE website makes it clear that North Carolina election law requires a person desiring to vote by mail to file a request for an absentee ballot by a paper form or online. The forms are available in English or Spanish.

The applicant must produce a North Carolina driver license, an ID card issued by the states Department of Motor Vehicles, or provide the last four digits of their Social Security number.

Upon receipt of the absentee ballot, the voter must mark it before a notary or in the presence of two witnesses. The secretly marked ballot is then to be placed in a provided and approved return envelope. The envelope must then be signed by the voter and the notary or both witnesses, who must write their addresses along with their full names.

The completed absentee ballot may be mailed, or delivered in person, to the election official by the voter or a close relative. All absentee ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on Election Day.

A potential voter arrives to cast a ballot at the Mt. Moriah Primitive Baptist Church polling station during the North Carolina primary on Super Tuesday in Charlotte, N.C. on Mar. 3, 2020. (Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images)

North Carolinas expanded use of mail-in voting created record-breaking chaos in the handling of absentee ballots in the 2020 presidential election, according to PILF.

PILFs report cited data from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission; Election Administration and Voting Surveys for 2020, which showed that North Carolina had 2,680 absentee ballots come back marked undeliverable.

The surveys showed the state had nearly 86,000 unaccounted-for ballots requested by voters.

According to the surveys, in November 2020, 15 million mail-in ballots were unaccounted-for nationwide, with another 1.1 million absentee ballots marked undeliverable by the U.S. Postal Service.

According to the PILF report, an undeliverable ballot usually results from out-of-date voter data. Unaccounted-for ballots, also referred to as Unknown ballots, are those transmitted without tracking that never returned for counting.

In other words, local authorities do not know what happened to the ballots, the PILF report said.

North Carolina officials need to use the time they still have to prepare voter rolls for the midterm elections  which include a U.S. Senate race that may be very close, stated Adams.
The Senate just approved a $52 billion bill for semiconductor chip manufacturing in the United Statespart of its version of the United States Innovation and Competition Act. Is this a step toward the United States taking a whole-of-government approach when it comes to competition with China? Or are the stakes even high enough to warrant a fight?

I spoke to Robert Atkinson, founder and president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a tech and economic think tank. He details the nature of the U.S.-China economic relationship and whats at stake when China wins and America loses.



Follow David on Twitter: @DavidZhangEET

Follow EpochTV on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus

Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/EpochTV

Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/epochtv

Gab: https://gab.com/EpochTV

Telegram: https://t.me/EpochTV

Parler: https://parler.com/#/user/EpochTV
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Ingushetia's regional head at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 30, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)

White House: Putin Being Misled by His Own Generals on War

The White House said that Russian generals are misleading Russian President Vladimir Putin on the UkraineRussia wars progress.

We believe that Putin is being misinformed by his advisors about how badly the Russian military is performing, and how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions because his senior advisors are too afraid to tell him the truth, White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said in a press briefing.

To support that assertion, Bedingfield cited U.S. intelligence that asserted Putin felt misled by the Russian military and claimed theres now persistent tension between Putin and the [Ministry of Defence], stemming from Putins mistrust in MOD leadership.

That assessment was echoed by Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, saying the Russian commander-in-chief has not been fully informed by the Defense Ministry throughout the course of the conflict, which started Feb. 24. However, Kirby didnt offer details or evidence on the claim.

Earlier Wednesday, a top Russian negotiator said that the Kyiv government essentially agreed to some of Moscows key demands that Ukraine not join NATO or allow foreign troops or bases on its soil.

Ukrainian negotiators have essentially agreed to Russias principle security demands of rejecting NATO membership and regarding the presence of foreign military bases on its territory, the Kremlins chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said, adding that Kyiv has stated willingness to meet core Russian demands, according to Russian state media.

Previously, several rounds of peace talks have yielded few results. U.S. and Western officials have said they believe Moscow is using the negotiations to regroup forces around different cities.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a 55-minute call that an additional $500 million in direct aid for Ukraine was on its way. Its the latest burst of American assistance as the Russian invasion grinds on.

Biden notified Zelenskyy about the latest tranche of assistance during a call in which the leaders also reviewed security aid already delivered to Ukraine and the effects that weaponry has had on the war, according to the White House.

Zelesnkyy has pressed the Biden administration and other Western allies to provide Ukraine with military jets, something that the U.S. and other NATO countries have thus far been unwilling to accommodate out of concern it could lead to Russia broadening the war beyond Ukraines borders.

Also on Wednesday, Russian attacks and shelling have allegedly occurred around Kyiv and Chernihiv after the Kremlin said a day earlier that it would draw down some of its forces in those regions. That was met by skepticism from both the Pentagon and NATO.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov, however, told state-run media that the initial stage of Russias invasion involved forcing Ukraines military to concentrate its forces, means, resources, and military equipment to hold large settlements in these areas, including Kyiv. At the same time, he added, Russian forces would then have more freedom to operate in the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Will Smith, Socrates, and the Virtues of Fear and Shame

Commentary

The size comparisons between Will Smith and Chris Rock could not have been more obvious than when Smith stormed onto the stage during the 94th Academy Awards and slapped Rock for a comment he made about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Smiths towering figure represented a man who should be feared.

The Hollywood film award ceremonies have become a time where celebrities are roasted by the Master of Ceremonies, none more memorable than Ricky Gervais during the 2020 Golden Globes. Every celebrity is fair game. It is a time for celebrities to be shamed somewhat into a bit of humility.

Shame and fear used to be a prominent part of American society, and the extremely public incident between Smith and Rock was a representation of what once was, and arguably should still be.

Socrates and the Virtues of Shame and Fear

Shame and fear are hardly looked upon as virtues. Most often they are looked upon as vices, or at least modes of self-deprecation. Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher, argues that shame and fear can guide us toward the virtuous life, and can actually be virtues themselves.

In The Republic, Socrates tells his friend Glaucon that there are two guardians, shame and fear. These are the guardians of the community. They are what helps establish a balance between individuals and families. Socrates uses shame and fear in the context of the relationships between the young and old. Shame, which makes men refrain from laying hands on those who are to them in the relation of parents; fear, that the injured one will be succored by the others who are his brothers, sons, fathers.

Socrates points out, rightly, that there are some acts so shameful that societys disdain of them is enough to refrain one from doing them. Secondly, if one was so inclined to conduct such a shameful act, there would be further cause for pause due to fear of reprisal from those brothers, sons, fathers.

A Society Without Shame and Fear

Our society has turned these two guardians into villains. There are the constant endorsements for people to dress, talk, and act however they wish. This disdain for social norms, commonly referred to as traditional norms, has culminated into a society without shame. Socrates experienced this overturning of social norms and condemned it. He identified how society had reconstituted vices into virtues: insolence they term breeding, and anarchy liberty, and waste magnificence, and impudence courage.

This lack of shame has resulted in a perverted form of courage in which people stand upon the weak foundation of self-adulation and mock those who defer to traditional values. Those who hold to those traditional values do so because they fear shame. They fear the destruction of their established reputation, one that has been guided by the knowledge of what is shameful and who should be feared.

That moment on the Oscars stage was a microcosm of old society clashing with the new. Rock, in his defense, was merely flowing with the traditions of what had been adopted over the decades. It was, as he said, a joke. The boundaries for insulting people had long been abolished, and therefore, as aforementioned, everyone was fair game. But something had changed, if not for many, at least for one man: Will Smith.

For Rock, Smith was the wrong man to insult and, in traditional form, was one to be feared. For Smith, he was the wrong man to take offense.

A Clash of Two Societal Eras

There was a time when insulting a mans wife was worse than insulting the man himself. People were not only slapped for such insults, they were injured, or even killed. Those were called duels.

Spouting such an insult was shameful, but receiving such an insult and doing nothing about it was even more shameful. It was intolerable, and, regardless of the outcome, something had to be done to rectify the insult. As Socrates said, If a man has a quarrel with another he will satisfy his resentment then and there, and not proceed to more dangerous lengths. (For obvious reasons, dueling proceeded to the more dangerous lengths and was not proportional to an insult.)

Smith was prompted to defend his wifes honor, and therefore his own. Smith, in his size and fury, demonstrated what should be clear to everyone: You do not insult a mans wife, especially in the most public of settings. If the shame of such an act is not enough to keep you from the act, then the fear of the brothers, sons, fathersand, in this case, husbandsshould be enough.

Rocks expression and response said it all. There was the shock of the moment. Will Smith just slapped the [expletive] out of me, he blurted out. Aside from being slapped on international television, the shock had to come from somewhere else as well. It had to stem from the perplexity that two eras of American society collided in a single moment. What was once fair game had now become completely off limitsthe past had reverted to the present. For certain Rock felt the change. Smith felt the change the moment the insult was issued; or perhaps it was long before the awards ceremony ever began.

The world (the celebrity world in particular) has responded with differing views on Smiths slap, and it shows that there are those who wish the old society gone, while there are those who still embrace the old. I blame neither Rock nor Smith for the incident. Both were playing by the rules of American society, although two different societies.

The hope, at least for me, is that our modern society will revert back to the guardians of shame and fear. There will be the return to some boundaries that guide our discourse and interaction. And as Rock and Smith rather unintentionally taught, there must be, or at least can be, some recourse to overstepping the boundaries established by shame and fear.

In praise of Rock, he further unintentionally taught this Socrates principle by choosing not to press charges against Smith. Socrates noted that when there is recourse neither will trials for assault or insult ever be likely to occur among them. For that equals should defend themselves against equals we shall maintain to be honorable and right; we shall make the protection of the person a matter of necessity.

Smith Has Brought the Joke Upon Himself

For a brief moment, Smith adopted the traditional societal norms. He defended his and his wifes honor. But this is where the perplexity, if not downright absurdity, begins. Will and Jada Pinkett Smith engage in an open marriage, meaning that the sanctity of their marriage, at least in sexual terms, is open for others to intrude. Intrude is the proper term. For how can anyone see allowing someone else to have sex with your spouse as anything other than an intrusion into the most sacred aspect of your marriage?

This is the reason I stated that Smith was the wrong man to take offense. He has not only made a mockery of himself and his wife, but has made a mockery of the most traditional of institutions and societal norms: marriage. This is also why Rock had to be even more confused. Smith had drawn the line at jokes directed toward his wife in a forum that is understood to condone such interaction, but had not drawn a line on adultery.

Smith, for all his reckless abandon in pursuit of doing what is honorable and right, is nothing more than a man who has embraced the ideals of both the old and new societal norms and become a walking contradiction.

Perhaps the shame he sustained and corrected will open his eyes to the greater shame he has brought upon himself and will lead to self-correction. If that happens, perhaps more will follow suit and embrace the virtues and community guardians: shame and fear.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Firefighters with the Los Angeles Fire Department extinguish the flames of a car fire started in a homeless encampment in Los Angeles, Calif., on Nov. 6, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Woman Trapped in Trash Chute in Koreatown Apartment Building Rescued

LOS ANGELESFirefighters rescued a woman who was trapped in a concrete trash chute about 20 feet down from the roof of a four-story apartment building in Koreatown, authorities said Wednesday.

Firefighters went to the 800 block of South Hobart Boulevard at about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported.

An Urban Search and Rescue team was sent to the scene, along with heavy-rescue specialists, and they freed the woman after about an hour, the LAFD reported. She did not appear to be injured.

Firefighters deployed a rope system from the roof, secured the patient and lowered her down to the ground, the LAFDs Margaret Stewart said in a statement.

It was not immediately known how the woman became stuck in the chute.
No end in sight for the conflict in Ukraine after Tuesdays peace talks. Ukraine and Western allies are dismissing Russian claims of a military pullback.

Russia and China have agreed to expand cooperation further. And a poll shows that a majority of Americans agree to sanctions against Beijing if it chooses to aid Moscow.

Florida is leading a multi-state lawsuit against the Biden Administration. Twenty-one states are suing over the mask mandate for public transportation, which extends to planes, buses, trains, and Uber rides.
President Joe Biden makes remarks as he meets with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Sept. 1, 2021. (Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images)

Zelenskyy Speaks With Biden, Says Two Discussed Specific Defensive Support

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on March 30 that he spoke with President Joe Biden regarding the weeks-long UkraineRussia conflict.

The two talked about specific defensive support, a new package of enhanced sanctions, macro-financial and humanitarian aid, Zelenskyy wrote on social media. He said he also provided an assessment of the situation on the battlefield and at the negotiating table.

Nearly five weeks into an invasion in which it hasnt been able to capture most major cities, Russia said on March 29 that it would curtail operations near Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv to increase mutual trust for peace talks.

Intensified bombardment could be heard in Kyiv on the morning of March 30, in suburbs where Ukrainian forces have regained territory in recent days. The capital itself wasnt hit, but windows rattled from the relentless artillery on its outskirts.

In a statement, the White House also said Biden and Zelenskyy discussed how the United States is working around the clock to fulfill the main security assistance requests by Ukraine, the critical effects those weapons have had on the conflict, and continued efforts by the United States with allies and partners to identify additional capabilities to help the Ukrainian military.

A service member of pro-Russian troops walks near an apartment building destroyed in the course of the UkraineRussia conflict in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 28, 2022. (Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters)

In addition, President Biden informed President Zelenskyy that the United States intends to provide the Ukrainian government with $500 million in direct budgetary aid, the statement said.

This week, Ukraine and Western leaders had cautioned that Moscows apparent peace gesture at the talks in Istanbul was a cover for reorganizing forces that had failed to take Kyiv.

Russias defense ministry said on March 30 that its forces were regrouping near Kyiv and Chernihiv to focus on what it described as the liberation of the breakaway eastern Donbas region.

During a press briefing, ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said that planned regrouping of troops is taking place in Kyiv and Chernihiv directions, according to Russian state-run media.

White House communications director Kate Bedingfield told a White House news conference on March 29, I think we should be clear-eyed about the reality of whats happening on the ground, and no one should be fooled by Russias announcements.

A movement of Russian troops is a redeployment and not a withdrawal, and the world should be prepared for a major offensive against other areas of Ukraine, she said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Despite an overall decrease in the number of evictions in Connecticut during the pandemic, one type of eviction  the no-cause eviction, typically involving expiring lease agreements  has become increasingly common.

From August 2019 to February 2020, there were 992 no-cause evictions filed, about 9% of total eviction filings. From August 2021 to February 2022, there were 2,511 no-cause evictions filed, nearly 35% of total filings, according to data from the Connecticut Fair Housing Center.

No-cause evictions typically involve expiring lease agreements, when the landlord wants the renter out and didnt make any claims of tenant fault, such as violation of the lease or missing rent payments.

A bill that passed through the Housing Committee earlier this month aims to do away with the practice for larger properties. House Bill 5233 would ban evictions without cause in buildings with five or more units or in mobile home parks and extend requirements that rent increases be fair and equitable to covered tenants.

Rent has spiked in Connecticut and nationally in recent months, which experts say is due in part to a lack of supply.

House Bill 5205, which also passed through the Housing Committee, would establish fair rent commissions in all towns with populations of 25,000 or more. These commissions would have the power to conduct studies and investigations and hold hearings.

Supporters say the eviction bill would keep people who havent done anything wrong in their homes.

I believe that we find a solution that works for all our communities, and this is a bill that will simply make sure there is equal voice between property owners and tenants, said Rep. Quentin Q Williams, D-Middletown.

But landlord advocates say no-cause evictions are used to keep the peace at complexes by evicting tenants who bother their neighbors or to clear apartments for remodeling when tenants leases end. Opponents have also said the bill would violate property owners' rights.

Evictions can have consequences that ripple beyond the loss of a particular apartment  disrupting social connections and school routines and harming mental health, studies have shown.

Displacement of tenants has so many ramifications in peoples lives, said Luke Melonakos-Harrison, a tenant organizer in New Haven.

Once an eviction is filed against a renter, it can also make it much more difficult for them to find a new place to rent in the future, experts have said.

I think one of the biggest benefits [of the bill] is that if people know that they cant be evicted unless there is a reason, it allows them to enjoy a level of housing security that often doesnt exist for tenants otherwise, said Dahlia Romanow, a staff attorney at the Connecticut Fair Housing Center.

Housing advocates say no-cause evictions have been used as retaliation to evict people who complain about sub-par living conditions or who try to form tenant unions.

John Souza, a Hartford County landlord and president of the Connecticut Coalition of Property Owners, said he uses no-cause to improve other tenants experiences at his complexes. Its a last resort, in part because filing an eviction is expensive, he said.

I dont do it lightly. I do it because I have no other choice, Souza added.

Souza said he thinks the number of no-cause evictions has gone up because of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention order banning most nonpayment of rent evictions from September 2020 to August 2021. Connecticut also had state-level protections against such evictions.

Nonpayment of rent is among the most common reasons for eviction. The federal government instituted the ban to prevent a wave of evictions and slow the spread of COVID-19 by keeping people out of congregate living settings such as homeless shelters.

The statute that the bill on no-cause evictions would change was instituted in the 1980s to require cause to evict the elderly and people with disabilities.

In written testimony on the bill, Souza said there is no other type of business forced to renew a contract against their will, so why force housing providers?

The Connecticut Realtors also opposed the bill, saying that many property owners put their rental properties on the market only for a set period of time.

Disallowing any property owner from having the rights to make any decisions about their own property at the end of a contractual term is an encroachment on property rights, the written testimony said.

Melonakos-Harrison said since he began working in tenant organizing, hed seen no-cause evictions used as a tool to get union members out of their apartments and to keep people from complaining about living conditions. He said the bill would help even the balance of power between landlords and tenants.

When that threat of eviction can be wielded by landlords, it scares a lot of tenants, even if they are living with really egregious living conditions, Melonakos-Harrison said.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Jarret Liotta / For Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Associated Press Show More Show Less 3 of 3





FAIRFIELD  Two former members of the rock band Talking Heads said they walked away from a crash on Post Road this month after their SUV was struck head-on by an alleged drunk driver.

Chris Frantz, the bands former drummer, said in a Facebook post his wife and fellow bandmate Tina Weymouth, the groups former bassist, suffered three fractured ribs in the crash.
HARTFORD  A key committee on Tuesday passed a bill that requires police to notify next of kin within 24 hours after a relative is found dead.

The legislation grew out of two instances in Bridgeport in which families said police failed to notify them about the death of a loved one.

This is a bill I wish we did not have to have before us but unfortunately we do, said state Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport and co-chairman of the judiciary committee.

This arises out of two situations in my hometown of Bridgeport and situations around the state, Stafstrom said. A family was left wondering what happened to their loved one. I hope we can provide some solace and framework coming out of a couple of tragic events in our state.

The full Legislature will now have a chance to vote on the bills passage.

The legislation requires police who encounter a deceased person or the remains of a person to ensure that their next of kin are notified within 24 hours of identification of the body.

The law also requires police to document why the deadline was not met. A serious violation of the mandate could be reported to the states Office of Inspector General, which is empowered to censure or suspend the responsible officer or revoke an officers certification to work in law enforcement.

The impetus for the bill is the unrelated deaths of two Bridgeport residents on Dec. 12, 2021, both of whom were found by police. Lauren Smith-Fields, 23, died from an accidental overdose while 53-year old Brenda Lee Rawls died of natural causes.

In both cases, families of the deceased said police never notified them of their family members death.

Two Bridgeport detectives who initially investigated the deaths were suspended and are under investigation for alleged violations of the departments next of kin notification policy, which requires that notifications be carried out promptly and in a considerate matter.

Family members of the deceased women have been outspoken in their criticism of city police.

The way that my daughter's death was handled was simply an atrocity, Everett Smith, the father of Lauren Smith-Fields, told lawmakers during a public hearing earlier this month.

At first it was surreal, Smith said. I couldnt believe it. And today its still surreal.

Committee members on Tuesday voted 27-2 to move the bill onto the House. Another 10 members had until 5 p.m. to cast their vote, although the bill would still move out of committee even if they all voted against the legislation.

State Rep. Greg Howard, R-Stonington, said its important for police to quickly notify family when a relative is found dead.

There are a lot of moving parts that are put on the backs on an investigating officer, Howard said. I always hesitate to add additional stress and responsibility onto an officer but the responsibility to notify next of kin in the event of a death has always been there or should have been there.

State Rep. Kimberly Fiorello, R-Greenwich, said she was voting against the bill because lawmakers have placed enough restrictions on police officers.

This body has shown an ability to micromanage police, Fiorello said, referring to recent laws designed to increase police accountability.

We are asking for a level of high professionalism from them and most times they exhibit it, Fiorello said. We as lawmakers also have to exercise restraint. In any profession there are those who mar the reputations of the group, but I believe our law enforcement deserve to have some faith from us.

State Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, said he was voting for the bill because its the right thing to do.

When a loved one is lost and a life is changed, we know the impact it has on them for years, Winfield said. So, for me, this not about the type of efforts around police accountability.

bcummings@ctpost.com
NORWALK  The citys police department will soon receive a $5.6 million upgrade to its communications system, officials said.

Approved last week by the Common Councils Public Safety and General Government Committee, Norwalk police can begin the process of employing Motorola Solutions to purchase and install a new citywide communications radio system.

The new system, which received approval from Chief Thomas Kulhawik on March 16, will cost $5,561,994, according to city records.

The department did not intend to wait for the current system to reach its end of life, and were hoping to get the project going years ago, Deputy Chief Susan Zecca said.

Weve been talking about a new radio system much longer than that, 15 or more years, so when we finally were able to get the funding, et cetera, we had done everything we can with the existing system to patch it in the meantime, Zecca said. We had done a tremendous amount of research and et cetera to determine what the best options going forward for public safety were and what you have in front of you is the result of that.

A consultant was hired to help conduct the research and sift through options, Zecca said. Along with the consultant, the department worked with the emergency service communications agency, Norcom, and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

The new system, operated by Motorola Solutions, will cover the citys police, fire and public works departments, Zecca said.

This will be not just be a public safety radio but a citywide radio system, Zecca said. Itll be police, fire (and)DPW will come on this radio system instead of having their own system, and EMS obviously. We are very excited to get this moving, so we can have better coverage within the city.

In updating the communication system with Motorola, the city will join the Connecticut Land Mobile Radio Network, which the state police use, Zecca said.

Its what the state police are on and there will be various components in our city, but ultimately its the state system, Zecca said. Well have our own, just like police will have. Fire, EMS, DPW, we will all have distinct operating systems, but we will be able to communicate when needed.

The DPW has been using a separate radio system, but that will no longer be necessary once the Motorola system is adopted, saving the city some funds, Zecca said.

In the 2020-21 fiscal year capital budget, the police department and combined dispatch received $13.5 million for a communication console. Police Lt. Terry Blake confirmed the $5.6 million for the system will be taken from the $13.5 million capital appropriation.

The project has been in the works for years, prior to a recent city and Board of Education efficiency study, which also recommended a new communications system for the citys emergency services.

In the efficiency study released last week, the consulting firm, Evergreen Solutions, recommended the city police and fire departments upgrade their communication systems.

The NexGen CAD/RMS system does not provide the functionality, features and capabilities required by police and fire departments. The NexGen CAD/RMS system was installed in approximately 2001, the report reads.

NexGen is a computer-aided dispatch public safety software the city has been using.

The department can begin planning to implement the new communications system once final approval is given by the Common Council.

In order to have more of a solid timeline, we need the approval, so once its approved, we move to the operational phase with Motorola and the sales phase in which well have a better timeline, Blake said. The big issue everyone is dealing with is supply chain and this is no difference because missing one widget basically would not allow us to finalize with the system completed so thats a work in progress.

abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com
EDITORS NOTE: The Intelligencer requests briefs be submitted at least 10 days prior to the desired publication date. Due to the volume of community-submitted briefs, the content may be published within 10 days of submission. Holidays and weather forecasts may impact some events. The Intelligencer cannot guarantee that submission will be published.

Free COVID-19 Testing

9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Tyrone Echols Senior Center, 1302 Klein Avenue, Venice, in Madison County. The NAACP Madison Branch in Venice is offering free saliva-based COVID-19 testing to the general public through a partnership with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and SHIELD Illinois. Members of the community can go to Portal.shieldillinois.com to register and make an appointment.

Virtual Evening Flow Yoga with Anne

5:30 - 6:15 p.m. at Glen Carbon Library via Zoom. A Slow Flow mixed levels practice that will lead participants through a series of yoga poses that focus on strengthening, lengthening and stretching. Requires Registration. To register call 288-1212, register at the Help Desk or go online to www.glencarbonlibrary.org.

An Evening with Jenny Lawson

7 p.m. at Glen Carbon Library via Zoom. Join for an evening with the #1 New York Times bestselling author and award winning humorist Jenny Lawson as she discusses her most recent memoir, Broken (in the best possible way).

Lunch and Brunch on Us

11 a.m. at New Shining Light HDNC at 740 Broadway, Venice. Free. Everyone welcome.

Thursday, March 31

Forest Park Owls: Hiding in Plain Sight

6 p.m. at the Edwardsville Public Library. Mark Glenshaw, award-winning naturalist, will discuss his fascination with the Great Horned owls at St. Louis Forest Park. Hes been covering them since 2005, and his enthusiasm, expertise and great photos make this program a patron favorite.

Free COVID-19 Testing

9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Tyrone Echols Senior Center, 1302 Klein Avenue, Venice, in Madison County. Members of the community can go to Portal.shieldillinois.com to register and make an appointment.

Adult Zumba with Aimee

6-7 p.m. at Glen Carbon Library via Zoom. Join in for an evening workout with a Zumba Fitness instructor. Come in comfortable exercise clothing and bring a water bottle. Space is limited. Requires Registration. To register call 288-1212, register at the Help Desk or go online to www.glencarbonlibrary.org.

NAMI Meeting

7-8:30 p.m via Zoom. The National Alliance on Mental Illness Southwestern Illinois (NAMI SWI) family support meetings may also be in person. To receive the link for a Zoom meeting or address for an in-person meeting contact Pat Rudloff, silverlining6@charter.net.

Preschooler Story Time

10 a.m. at the Edwardsville Public Library, 112 S Kansas St. If youre ready for a story, clap your hands. Ms. Megan will be sharing fun tales & tunes, and dont forget, bubbles. Ages three - five. Registration required.

Chicken Dinner Every Thursday

4-8 p.m. Dine-in or Carryout at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, 58 South State Rt. 157, Edwardsville. Two or four pieces of chicken and vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy and a biscuit. 618-656-9774

Friday, April 1

Fish Fry Every Friday

11 a.m.-8 p.m. Dine-in or Carryout at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, 58 South State Rt. 157, Edwardsville. Two pieces of cod or one catfish filet and sides. 618-656-9774

Fish Fry

4:30-8 p.m. at the Edwardsville Moose, 7371 Marine Road, Edwardsville. Dine-in and carryout options. 618-656-5051

Knights of Columbus Fish

4:30-7 p.m. at The Knights of Columbus at Rt. 143, 7132 Marine Road, Edwardsville. For call in orders the phone number is 656-4985. Carryout or inside seating is available. Menu consists of cod, catfish, shrimp and a variety of sides. There is also a children's menu.

Free COVID-19 Testing

9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Tyrone Echols Senior Center, 1302 Klein Avenue, Venice, in Madison County. Members of the community can go to Portal.shieldillinois.com to register and make an appointment.

Book Sale

9 a.m. - noon at Tri Township Library, 209 South Main, Troy. Book donations are accepted during the book sale and on Tuesdays from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. The book sale is sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Masks are required at the Book Sale.

Saturday, April 2

Rummage Sale

7 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Edwardsville Moose Lodge at 7371 Marine Road, Rt. 143.

The Illinois Nut Tree Association Meeting

10 a.m. at 6801 Strieker Road, Aviston. Registration from 9-10 a.m. Open to members and interested public. Speaker Elizabeth Wahle, Illinois State Horticulturist. Donuts and coffee will be available during registration. Sandwich, chips and a cookie served at noon by the organization. Freebie and attendance prize items included. For more information call 618-594-4122 or email vosspecans@hotmail.com.

Smash Bros. Showdown

1-4 p.m. at the Edwardsville Public Library. Enter the tournament to test your Super Smash Bros. skills against opponents on the Nintendo Switch. Registration Required.

Sunday, April 3

Chicken Dinner

11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Edwardsville Moose Lodge at 7371 Marine Road, Rt. 143. Dinners are $10 for adults and $5 for children 10 and under. Dine-in dinner includes all you can eat chicken as well as mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans, salad, tea and coffee. Carry-out also available for  chicken and sides. 656-5056.

Monday, April 4

Bingo Every Monday

7 p.m. at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, 58 South State Rt. 157, Edwardsville. Features 21 games including Racehorse, Bonanza, Eds Lucky Number, Lightning Round and $500 Cover All. Food and drinks are available.

Free COVID-19 Testing

9 a.m. - 7 p.m. at the Tyrone Echols Senior Center, 1302 Klein Avenue, Venice, in Madison County. The NAACP Madison Branch in Venice is offering free saliva-based COVID-19 testing to the general public through a partnership with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and SHIELD Illinois. Members of the community can go to Portal.shieldillinois.com to register and make an appointment.

Tuesday, April 5

Cribbage Club

6 p.m. at Camelot Bowling Alley, 801 Beltline Road, Collinsville. Beginners welcome, free to attend. Contact Phil (618) 288-7910 or Susan at (618) 978-1664 for more information.

Pasta Dinner Every Tuesday

3-8 p.m. Dine-in or Carryout at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, 58 South State Rt. Edwardsville. Pasta of the week served with salad. 618-656-9774

Toddler Time

10 a.m. at the Edwardsville Public Library. Ages 0-2. Theyve got the books, bops and bubbles. Bring your babies and toddlers to share stories and songs with Miss Kristen and all the Story Time friends. Registration Required.

Teen Game Night

6-7 p.m. at the Edwardsville Public Library. Grades 6-12. Game Night is back every week. Go on a quest with fellow players in Dungeons & Dragons or choose from a variety of board games to play with friends.

Southern Illinois PAL

7-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. The Southern Illinois Parents of Addicted Loved Ones group meets each week to provide hope through education and support. For parents and loved ones over the age of 18 who have someone in their life who is struggling with or recovering from substance use. PAL respects anonymity and is free of charge. Contact Craig at 618-567-6095 to receive the link for the Zoom meeting or for questions. More information can be found at www.palgroup.org.

Free COVID-19 Testing

9 a.m. - 7 p.m. at the Tyrone Echols Senior Center, 1302 Klein Avenue, Venice, in Madison County. Members of the community can go to Portal.shieldillinois.com to register and make an appointment.

Wednesday, April 6

Food on the Move

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at New Shining Light HDNC at 740 Broadway Ave., Venice. Free food distribution. Snap support and referrals provided.

Red Cross Blood Drive

1-6 p.m. at St. Johns United Methodist Church at 7372 Marine Road, Edwardsvillle. To sign up go to redcrossblood.org and look for the drive date and location or contact Michelle Babb at michellebabb@thenewstjohns.com or 618-656-1853.

Free COVID-19 Testing

9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Tyrone Echols Senior Center, 1302 Klein Avenue, Venice, in Madison County. The NAACP Madison Branch in Venice is offering free saliva-based COVID-19 testing to the general public through a partnership with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and SHIELD Illinois. Members of the community can go to Portal.shieldillinois.com to register and make an appointment.

Thursday, April 7

NAMI Meeting

7-8:30 p.m via Zoom. The National Alliance on Mental Illness Southwestern Illinois (NAMI SWI) family support meetings may also be in person. To receive the link for a Zoom meeting or address for an in-person meeting contact Pat Rudloff, silverlining6@charter.net.

Preschooler Story Time

10 a.m. at the Edwardsville Public Library, 112 S Kansas St. If youre ready for a story, clap your hands. Ms. Megan will be sharing fun tales & tunes, and dont forget, bubbles. Ages three - five. Registration required.

Chicken Dinner Every Thursday

4-8 p.m. Dine-in or Carryout at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, 58 South State Rt. 157, Edwardsville. Two or four pieces of chicken and vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy and a biscuit. 618-656-9774

Free COVID-19 Testing

9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Tyrone Echols Senior Center, 1302 Klein Avenue, Venice, in Madison County. Members of the community can go to Portal.shieldillinois.com to register and make an appointment.

PFLAG Edwardsville Meeting

7-8:30 p.m. at Rainbow House on Main, 808 North Main Street, Edwardsville. PLFAG offers support, education and advocacy for LGBTQ people and their allies. Contact Amy for more information at (618)977-5078 or pflagedwardsville@outlook.com.

Friday, April 8

Fish Fry Every Friday

11 a.m.-8 p.m. Dine-in or Carryout at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, 58 South State Rt. 157, Edwardsville. Two pieces of cod or one catfish filet and sides. 618-656-9774

Fish Fry

4:30-8 p.m. at the Edwardsville Moose, 7371 Marine Road, Edwardsville. Dine-in and carryout options. 618-656-5051

Knights of Columbus Fish

4:30-7 p.m. at The Knights of Columbus at Rt. 143, 7132 Marine Road, Edwardsville. For call in orders the phone number is 656-4985. Carryout or inside seating is available. Menu consists of cod, catfish, shrimp and a variety of sides. There is also a children's menu.

Free COVID-19 Testing

9 a.m. - 7 p.m. at the Tyrone Echols Senior Center, 1302 Klein Avenue, Venice, in Madison County. Members of the community can go to Portal.shieldillinois.com to register and make an appointment.

Saturday, April 9

Saturday Story Time

10 a.m. at the Edwardsville Public Library. Can't make it to story time during the week? Join the library on a Saturday morning for fun stories, songs and bubbles. This program will be geared toward preschool age, but everyone is welcome.

Monday, April 11

Free COVID-19 Testing

9 a.m. - 7 p.m. at the Tyrone Echols Senior Center, 1302 Klein Avenue, Venice, in Madison County. The NAACP Madison Branch in Venice is offering free saliva-based COVID-19 testing to the general public through a partnership with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and SHIELD Illinois. Members of the community can go to Portal.shieldillinois.com to register and make an appointment.

Tuesday, April 12

Cribbage Club

6 p.m. at Camelot Bowling Alley, 801 Beltline Road, Collinsville. Beginners welcome, free to attend. Contact Phil (618) 288-7910 or Susan at (618) 978-1664 for more information.

Pasta Dinner Every Tuesday

3-8 p.m. Dine-in or Carryout at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, 58 South State Rt. Edwardsville. Pasta of the week served with salad. 618-656-9774

Toddler Time

10 a.m. at the Edwardsville Public Library. Ages 0-2. Theyve got the books, bops and bubbles. Bring your babies and toddlers to share stories and songs with Miss Kristen and all the Story Time friends. Registration Required.

Teen Game Night

6-7 p.m. at the Edwardsville Public Library. Grades 6-12. Game Night is back every week. Go on a quest with fellow players in Dungeons & Dragons or choose from a variety of board games to play with friends.

Southern Illinois PAL

7-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. The Southern Illinois Parents of Addicted Loved Ones group meets each week to provide hope through education and support. For parents and loved ones over the age of 18 who have someone in their life who is struggling with or recovering from substance use. PAL respects anonymity and is free of charge. Contact Craig at 618-567-6095 to receive the link for the Zoom meeting or for questions. More information can be found at www.palgroup.org.

Free COVID-19 Testing

9 a.m. - 7 p.m. at the Tyrone Echols Senior Center, 1302 Klein Avenue, Venice, in Madison County. Members of the community can go to Portal.shieldillinois.com to register and make an appointment.

Wednesday, April 13

Free COVID-19 Testing

9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Tyrone Echols Senior Center, 1302 Klein Avenue, Venice, in Madison County. The NAACP Madison Branch in Venice is offering free saliva-based COVID-19 testing to the general public through a partnership with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and SHIELD Illinois. Members of the community can go to Portal.shieldillinois.com to register and make an appointment.

Ongoing Events

Al-Anon

For information call 618-463-2429. For more information, visit SIAFG.org and District-18.org.

Youth Take Home Crafts

Pick up a take-home craft bag at the Edwardsville Public Library with all the materials to make the project. A new craft will be available each month at the Youth Desk.
That release could not be found.
It is no longer news that lately, publicity secretaries and spokespersons in government offices have made the innocent/well intentioned position become platforms for fierce political and ideological warfare in ways that negates our rationality as human beings. It is equally regrettable that through this process, a great amount of innocent human character has been spilled, wars of words waged, countless souls/ambition persecuted and martyred. Spokespersons have in recent times failed to communicate noble ideas and ideals. This consequence of their failures is responsible for why communication from public officials/offices are self-undermining and often always reputed for encouraging complacency among citizens due to over bearing and two-faced attitudes of the appointees,

Despite these ugly developments which is not party-specific, there exists presently hopeful signs of improvement in that sector particularly with the latest appointment of Barrister Felix Morka, a Harvard trained Lawyer, Development Specialist, Human Rights Advocate and Senior Special Assistant on Legal and Constitutional Matters to Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, as the new National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressive Congress, (APC)..

Indeed, while many will definitely feel hesitant and think doubtful as to why this illustrious son of Ika Nation, Delta state that holds no background in media practice should be appointed to such a position, this piece contrary to that argument provides an answer(s), and expresses a divergent opinion to such feeling.

This author has known him for over 20 years; and out of this two decades, worked/observed/learn under his tutelage for an unbroken 15 years at the Social and Economic Rights Action Centre (SERAC), a non-Governmental, Non-partisan and Non-Profit Organization he founded, concerned with the protection of social and economic rights in Nigeria.

SERAC under Felix Morka used three mutually reinforcing programmes (the Monitoring and Advocacy Programme (MAP), The Community Action Programme (CAP) and the Legal Action Programme (LAP), to create awareness about specific rights and integrated economic, social and cultural rights issues. Through research, education, advocacy and community, SERAC projects explore a strategy for broadening individuals and communities participation in the design and implementation of policies and programmes which affect them.

Again, using SERAC as a vehicle, Felix Morka with his teaming young but professionally dedicated staff researched, monitored and documented Nigerias economic, social and cultural rights practices; Educated, created public awareness about economic, social and cultural rights; And provided legal assistance to individuals and groups seeking to assert their economic, social and cultural rights, and litigated in the public interest. He conscientiously promoted the rights of marginalized sections of the population (e.g. women, children, the aged, the disabled, People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).

Even after our sojourn at SERAC, the relationship remained cordial.

Definitely, he trained and practiced law. Felix is not just a lawyer but a very serious lawyer with undying passion for the defense of the poor and vulnerable. Yet, he loves both the media sector and media players. He has a very strong regard and respect for media professionals. He is bold in communication, notoriously thorough, exceedingly creative and has zero tolerance for laxity and failure. I believe media professionals will have a good day working with him as he is the best man for the job.

Viewed broadly, the appointment, more than anything else portrays the leadership of the All Progressive Party (APC) as a set of people laced with capacity to recruit the right people.

To understand this claim, lets cast a glance at the rich profile of the man Morka. He attended University of Jos, (LL.B. Hons.); Nigerian Law School, Lagos (B.L.); Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts. U.S.A. (LL.M.); First Martin Ennals Fellow - European Human Rights Foundation Brussels, Belgium; Reginald Lewis Fellow - Harvard Human Rights Program Chairman, United Nations Expert Committee on Development-Based Displacements, Geneva, Switzerland (Drafted the International Comprehensive Human Rights Guidelines on Development-Based Displacements), Member, Project Steering Committee, Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project (A $200 Million World Bank-Funded Project); Member, Global Reference Group on HIV/AIDS & Human Rights, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV & AIDS (UNAIDS); and Chairman, the Body Shop International Human Rights Award Jury, among others.

Thus, as the Ika nation, Deltans, APC and PDP alike, the entire SERAC staff and of course The Lagos Marginalized Communities Forum (LAMCOFOR), an umbrella body of over 26 blighted communities in the state you midwife, thereby, creating a platform for strategic engagement between the people and the state government while bringing development-focused organizations from different parts of the world to assist these communities, celebrate this feat, this piece will however, draw your attention to this time honoured admonition by human development experts; you should always remember that you are being watched and observed by others and conclusion is being drawn about you and your nature and performance. Your subordinates as well as seniors form an impression and opinion about you. This is based on your behavior, performance and actual contribution which you are making to the organization by virtue of your rank, position, status and placement in the hierarchy over the period.

No doubt you have to be harsh, maintain discipline and pull up the people for their poor output and performance and at times penalize them too. Your nature and attitude not to tolerate indiscipline, inefficiency and poor performance are appreciated provided you remain patient, calm, unbiased, fair and upright in your dealings and relationship. Your subordinates will accept your harsh and strict but humane behavior if they are convinced that you are acting in the primary interest of the organization with selfless, unprejudiced, justified and noble motive and sense of duty.

Thus, it is important as to how you protect yourself forward and how you are being judged and assessed by others around you. In fact, if you keep this aspect in your mind, you will always work in an interactive environment made with positive feedback. People are bound to use and express good words about you on the occasion of your transfer / posting / retirement etc.

To therefore make this appointment and celebration a rewarding one, this time is auspicious for you to recognize that every decision you make when gathering, organizing and presenting information to the media/general public requires a value judgment as different decisions bring different results. All decisions have consequences that are direct and indirect, intended and unintended, short term and long term. Those decisions may influence thousands of peoples opinions on a political issue.

Finally, while this piece again admits that politics has its own rules, one point you must not fail to remember is that Nigerians are information-hungry. What they innocently ask for is a Publicity Secretary that will furnish them with balanced, factually supported information delivered via a reliable medium and in an environment that works. You must therefore, not miss this opportunity.

Again, congratulations Sir!!!



Utomi Jerome-Mario is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Public Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), A Lagos-Based Non Governmental Organization (NGO). He could be reached via [email protected]/08032725374 .
The Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun State Command has, on behalf of the Attorney General, arraigned a thirty-five-year-old man, Ola Emmanuel, at the Family Court sitting in Osogbo, the state capital, for child abuse.

The State Commandant, CC Emmanuel Ocheja made this known on the 30th March, 2022 through the Commands Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Corps II (ASC II) Atanda Olabisi at the State Headquarters, Ilesha Road, Oke Ayepe, Osogbo.

The defendant, Ola Emmanuel, a divorcee, was arraigned for abusing his 6 years old son at his residence at No. 2 Temitope Street, Oke-Oniti, Osogbo, under the jurisdiction of Osogbo Central "A" Area Command of NSCDC, Osun State Command, on the 17th March, 2022.

The six year old victim could not attend school owing to the inability of his father to pay his school fees.

According to Ola Emmanuel, he prepared beans, served the little boy his own portion and kept the remaining for himself in order to fall back on it when he returned from work, but getting home, he discovered that his son had finished the all the food.

This act infuriated the man which made him to beat the boy mercilessly with a cable. The inhuman treatment led to various injuries on the boy's body.

A concerned neighbour raised alarm and contacted the Area Commander, Assistant Commandant of Corps (ACC) Oyetunji Olusegun to report the incident.

The case was, subsequently transferred to the State Headquarters for further investigations and prosecution.

According to some members of the community in Osogbo, the victim had been subjected to regular torture and abuse by his father. They pointed to the scars and wounds sustained by the boy as evidence of torture by the father.

During interview by the Public Relations Officer, ASC II Atanda Olabisi, the Defendant said his son is greedy, picking up things that does not belong to him, hence his anger towards him to discourage his bad behavior.

After investigation by the Anti Human Trafficking, Irregular Migration and Gender Based Unit of the NSCDC, Osun state Command, Ola Emmanuel was arraigned at a Family Court. The Court found Ola Emmanuel guilty as charged. The Defendant was therefore sentenced to 24 hours community service while the boy was ordered to remain in the custody of Osun State government at the Children's Home.

The Head, Anti-Human Trafficking, Irregular Migration and Gender Based Unit, of the NSCDC, Osun State Command, Chief Superintendent of Corps (CSC) Onifade Clement decried the prevalence of child abuse in the country. He advised parents and guardians to desist from abusing any child under their care.

While commenting on the judgment, Commandant Ocheja stressed that any parent, guardian or whosoever that is found abusing a child would be made to face the consequences. He urged the public not to relent in giving adequate and proactive information to the Corps for prompt response.

E-SIGNED

ASCII Atanda Olabisi

Public Relations Officer

Nigeria Security and Civll Defence Corps

Osun State Command.

For the State Commandant.


Iranian tourist missing, feared dead, after Phang Nga rafting accident

PHUKET: An Iranian tourist staying in Patong is missing, feared dead, after a river rafting accident during a day-trip to Phang Nga.

tourismSafetyaccidents

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Wednesday 30 March 2022, 01:30PM

UPDATE: One of the search teams found Mr Behzadifars body on the bank of the stream on Wednesday afternoon.

The Tourist Assistance Centre (TAC), set up by the Ministry of Tourism & Sports, was informed of the incident by the Subdistrict Chief (Kamnan) of Song Phraek, in Phang Ngas Muang District, at 5:30pm yesterday (Mar 29).

The missing tourist was named as Iranian national Javad Behzadifar, 42.

Mr Behzadifar and his wife arrived in Phuket on Mar 24 and were staying at a hotel in Patong, said the TAC report.

The couple were scheduled to return to Iran on Friday (April 1).

Mr Behzadifar and his wife had joined a rafting trip in Song Phraek Subdistrict, Phang Nga.

The rafting tour on Khlong Ra began at 3pm with five people in the raft, two of them tour staff as rowing personnel.

In the fast current, the raft struck a large rock then a pylon under the Poon Bridge in Moo 8, Tambon Nop Pring, causing the raft to capsize.

While all the other people in the raft were dumped into the water, Mr Behzadifar remained trapped in the upturned raft as he had secured his legs to the raft with rope*, the report said.

The upturned raft remained pinned against the pylon and a large rock as people rushed to help him. They managed to free the raft from the rock, but the fast current quickly swept it downstream.

A search for him quickly ensued. Search teams found the raft, but not Mr Behzadifar.

The search is continuing, the report added.

The TAC is to question Khun Chet, owner of Multi Adventure Partnership, which organsied the river rafting tour.

The TAC will also contact the Iranian Embassy to discuss the assistance being provided to his wife.

Col Ekkachai Siri of the Phuket Tourist Police confirmed that his officers are assisting with the search and the investigation.

* Col Ekkachai later confirmed that one of Mr Behzadifars feet was caught in the rope the runs along the side of the boat, usually used for carrying the boat and for passengers to hold onto.
Probe launched into Phuket police prostitution extortion

PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Sermphan Sirikong has ordered the Thalang Police chief to investigate allegations that at least one Thailang Police officer was involved in extorting money from a woman under threat of charging her with prostitution.

policecrimesex

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Wednesday 30 March 2022, 06:39PM

The officer, accompanied by another man, returned to the womans home last Friday and threatened her to pay the money. Photo: Supplied

Maj Gen Sermphan confirmed the probe through an official police statement issued this afternoon (Mar 30).

The statement followed allegations posted on a Phuket Facebook group that a police officer at Thalang Police Station had threatened to charge the woman with prostitution if she failed to pay him money as repayments for her car seized in a raid in October last year.

The man returned to visit the woman at her house and threaten her again last Friday (Mar 25), the woman said.

The woman told the press today that in October last year a man had contacted her for a personal service and they agreed to meet at a hotel room in Phuket Town.

The woman and the man agreed to B1,500 for the service, she said.

The two were in a state of undress when seven police officers burst into the room. Only one of the officers was in police uniform. The rest said they worked with the Royal Thai Police Cyber Police division, she said.

The officers took photos and a video clip of the two before telling them to put their clothes back on, she added.

The raiding party then searched her pickup parked nearby and found her boyfriends BB gun and a knife, the woman said.

The officers then told her that the car would have to be seized as evidence.

However, the lead arresting officer explained that instead of taking her to Thalang Police Station, some six kilometres away, they could come to some arrangement.

The officer, who she called Inspector T, said he had checked with his superior officer, who had allegedly approved the arrangement as the officer was struggling financially supporting his family and looking after his elderly mother.

The officer said she could agree to pay a total of B20,000 in installments to get her car back, and not face charges, the woman said today.

She would have to sign an agreement to mark that the arrangement could be proved to be legal, she added.

The payments were to be made in monthly installments of B5,000.

The woman agreed, but when she later met the officer leading the raid to sign the agreement, the contract was for payment of B50,000, she said.

The woman decided to not pay any of the installments, prompting the officer to visit her family home last Friday (Mar 25). The officer was accompanied by another man, she said.

Angry, the officer threatened her with charges if she did not pay, she said.

He also threatened to post the video of her online if she continued to refuse to make the payments.

The woman took a photo of the two men in front of her home, prompting more angry response threatening her if she did not pay.

Having been informed of the aforementioned matter, I have ordered the Superintendent of Thalang Police Station to conduct a preliminary investigation to determine whether or not any of the people involved were police officers or from any [government] agency, and to investigate the complaint to determine what action to take, Maj Gen Sermphan said in his statement this afternoon.

The offender is to be strictly prosecuted in accordance with the law, regardless of who the offender is, he said.
Russian foreign minister hails China as part of emerging just world order

HUANGSHAN: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov today (Mar 30) said Moscow and Beijing are leading the way towards a fairer world order, as he makes his first visit to the key ally since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last month.

ChineseRussianpoliticsUkrainemilitary

By AFP

Wednesday 30 March 2022, 05:05PM

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Photo: AFP

Lavrov landed in the eastern city of Huangshan early this morning.

In a video released by the Russian foreign ministry ahead of a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Lavrov said the world was living through a very serious stage in the history of international relations.

At the end of this reshaping of global relations we, together with you, and with our sympathisers will move towards a multipolar, just, democratic world order, Lavrov said.

The two foreign ministers were shown on Chinese state TV in face masks bumping elbows in front of their national flags ahead of the meeting.

Lavrov will attend a series of meetings hosted by China to discuss ways to help Afghanistan.

Diplomats from the United States and the Taliban-led countrys neighbours are also expected to attend.

But Russias bloody assault on Ukraine is likely to loom large over proceedings.

Unlike many Western nations, Beijing has refused to condemn the invasion and has provided a level of diplomatic cover for an increasingly isolated Russia.

US officials have accused China of signalling willingness to provide military and economic aid to Russia, while US President Joe Biden has compared Russias invasion of Ukraine to Chinas crushing of protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

China and Russia have become closer in recent years, with President Vladimir Putin notably attending the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics last month, days before the invasion of Ukraine.

The strongman leader and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping declared the relationship between their two countries knew no limits while signing energy deals worth billions of dollars.
Team NZ defend moving Americas Cup defence to Barcelona

SAILING: Team New Zealand today (Mar 30) defended their decision to stage the next Americas Cup in Spain, adamant they would have surrendered the Auld Mug if the regatta was held again in Auckland.

Sailing

By AFP

Wednesday 30 March 2022, 12:30PM

Team New Zealands skipper Peter Burling holds the Americas Cup after winning against Luna Rossa in Auckland in March last year Gilles Martin-Raget. Photo: AFP

Barcelona was announced yesterday as host of the event in 2024, seeing off bids from Malaga, Jeddah and Cork.

Team NZ chief executive Grant Dalton had come under pressure to keep the 37th edition in Auckland, given significant public funding and investment in the citys infrastructure ahead of the 2021 regatta, when the defenders beat Italys Luna Rossa syndicate in the final series.

However, Dalton said lucrative hosting rights were put out to tender when a government offer came up well short of the figure required to retain their key boat design and engineering personnel.

The decision has been greeted with broad public disappointment in New Zealand, where a wave of nationalism has accompanied previous Team NZ campaigns.

Dalton told Radio New Zealand his team would have little chance of retaining the silverware in home waters against better-resourced rivals.

If we thought for one second that we could be competitive, with a realistic chance of winning the Cup in New Zealand, then thats where wed be, he said.

What would New Zealanders think of an organisation which would lie down and be run over by a truck, and would give away the Americas Cup that theyd worked so hard to get?

I can assure you that if we lose it in New Zealand, it will be gone forever, and the team will be gone.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has previously expressed a desire for the event venue to stay put but conceded these decisions arent just down to us.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said every challenger who contested last years event was opposed to a move offshore but not Team New Zealand, which has some irony.

Most of us regard the Americas Cup as an international sporting event but, in fact, its a business venture, he said.

While not a surprise to Aucklanders, it will come as a considerable disappointment.
On Demand

We have a new story every day on the front page of thephuketnews.com. Also like us on our Facebook page (facebook.com/thephuketnews) and be the first to watch all the new stories. Finally you can watch any segment, any time by going to thephuketnews.com/tv where all the stories are listed for you to enjoy. All our programs can be enjoyed in High Definition when watching on the internet.

In-Room VDO
Southern Pines, NC (28387)

Today

Cloudy early, then thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 87F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low near 60F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Today

A few showers this morning with mostly sunny conditions during the afternoon hours. High around 75F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 49F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

Wind increasing. A few clouds from time to time. High 69F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
City_news

Amendments make Bill 96 worse: Task Force

Joel Goldenberg / By Joel Goldenberg The Suburban Task Force on Linguistic Policy president Colin Standish.

The Task Force on Linguistic Policy says recently adopted amendments to the proposed expanded language law Bill 96 will have a significant negative impact on Quebecs English-language schools and those wishing to attend these institutions.

Taken together, clause 56, articles 88.0.2 and 88.0.4, amount to nothing short of a concerted effort to systematically diminish English-speaking Quebecers and their institutions, says a statement from the Task Force.

More specifically, clause 56 modifies the Charter by capping to three years the time children of foreign, temporary workers can attend an English-language school. Foreign, temporary workers employed in the province for more than three years would have no choice but to send their children to a French school once the three-year exemption is up.

As a result, clause 56 would affect the ability of companies and various institutions in Quebec to attract non-Canadian professionals and workers to accept temporary positions and drive down enrolment in English schools. The government rejected the Liberal Party of Quebec (QLP) amendment, which would have allowed foreign, temporary workers to apply for a one-time renewal of the three-year exemption. This shows the governments unwillingness to address real concerns raised by English-language school organizations.

As for article 88.0.2, it would now require students attending an English-language college to complete three regular courses in French, in addition to two French-as-a-second-language courses.

Although hailed by Quebec Liberal Party committee representatives as an achievement, the newly adopted requirement would impose a significant burden upon students educated primarily in English, and, ultimately, motivate more young English-speaking Quebecers to leave the province.

A sub-amendment to article 88.0.4 was approved to freeze enrolment in the English college system, thereby preventing English colleges from ever expanding.

Colin Standish, president of the Task Force says these changes will greatly weaken English-language colleges, by seriously undermining their ability to provide for and respond to the ambitions of a great many Quebecers. The Task Force is convinced none of the proposals adopted over the course of last weeks proceedings will do anything to assist the growth or improvement of French in Quebec.

Andrew Caddell, the Task Forces Vice President is urging the government to reconsider both its approach to and position on Bill 96.

The protection of the French language does not mean the evisceration of Quebecs English-speaking community.
A brief period of freezing rain is possible overnight in Montreal. A warm front will produce a wintry mix of snow, ice pellets and freezing rain for a few hours. Amounts are expected to be rather light, but enough to make roads icy in spots during the wee hours Thursday morning.
Foxboro schools among others statewide see rising food insecurity among children as Universal School Meals bill remains on hold
EDWARDSVILLE  A Cahokia man was charged with felony weapons and drug charges, as well as an armed habitual criminal charge, after a February 25 incident in Granite City.

The charges were originally filed March 1, but suppressed until March 29.

Javon C. Johnson, 36, of Cahokia, was charged as an armed habitual criminal, a Class X felony; with unlawful possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, a Class 1 felony; unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 3 felony; and aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, a Class 4 felony.

The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department.

According to court documents, on Feb. 25, Johnson allegedly had fentanyl with intent to deliver, was carrying a Ruger 9 mm handgun and tried to flee a Granite City police officer, disobeying two or more traffic control devices.

Johnson has a 2017 conviction for manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance out of St. Clair County, making him ineligible to possess weapons.

The armed habitual criminal charge stems from the proximity of the weapon and drugs, and multiple felony convictions on weapons and drug charges in both state and federal court.

Bail was set at $100,000.

Other felony charges filed March 29 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include:

 James A. Griffin, 41, of Canton, Mississippi, was charged with aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony; unlawful restraint, a Class 4 felony; and interfering with the report of a domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. According to court documents, on March 27 Griffin allegedly strangled a household or family member; physically restrained the victim by not letting her leave the residence and pushing her against a wall; and taking the victims cellular phone while she was attempting to call 911. Bail was set at $73,000.

 Earlonda D. Perkins, 42, of Alton, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 2 felony; and disorderly conduct, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On March 8 Perkins allegedly bit an Alton police officer on the hand and made a false 911 call. Bail was set at $75,000.

 Jaylen K. Cleary, 19, of Granite City, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 3 felony, and mob action, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. According to court documents, on March 28 Cleary allegedly struck another person in the face with his hand and kicked the victim in the body; the mob action charge stems from his allegedly involvement with two other people during the attack. Bail was set at $30,000.

 Demetrius S. Hughes, 41, of St. Louis, was charged with criminal damage to government supported property, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On March 19 Hughes allegedly damaged an exercise bar at the Alton Police Station, 1700 E. Broadway. Bail was set at $15,000.
SPRINGFIELD  Graduates from Illinois colleges and universities may soon be able to access their transcripts even if they still owe money to the school they attended.

The Illinois House this week gave its approval to a bill that had already cleared the Senate prohibiting higher education institutions from refusing to provide copies of student transcripts either to the current or former student or that students current or prospective employer.

The proposed change in Illinois comes as the Biden administration is considering limited changes to federal guidelines that have long encouraged colleges and universities to withhold transcripts from anyone who is delinquent on repaying certain student loans.

Senate Bill 3032, dubbed the Student Debt Assistance Act, would go further than the Biden administrations proposal by prohibiting the withholding of transcripts, or charging a higher fee for accessing those transcripts, on the grounds that the student owes the school any debt.

State Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, the chief House sponsor of the bill, said schools have not limited the practice just to collecting student loan debt but sometimes use transcripts as leverage to collect any debt, including library fines and parking tickets.

It's estimated that 6.6 million people in the country cannot get a copy of their transcript because they owe a debt to their college, sometimes as little as $25, he said. Twenty-five dollars is keeping them from getting access to their transcripts.

He said that can prevent students and graduates from being able to get a job and earn the money it takes to pay off their school debt.

The bill originally passed the Senate without opposition, 55-0. But Republicans in the House raised concerns that the bill has no cap on the amount of money someone could still owe a school while still being able to access their transcripts. That, they said, could make it more difficult for schools to collect money owed to them, which could force them to raise tuition and fees on other students to make up for the loss.

And that's precisely what this is doing because somebody has to pay for that cost, said Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville. And if those debts are outstanding, somebody has to pay for it in the meantime. In the long term, you know, they may pay it 10 years down the road or 20 years down the road, they may pay it off. But in the short term, current students are going to be paying that cost.

Morgan, however, said the bill does not forgive a persons debt, nor does it prohibit schools from using other methods of collecting whats owed to them.

The bill passed the House 74-33 but was sent back to the Senate for concurrence with a minor technical amendment. That vote could happen this week, which would clear the bill to be sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Meanwhile, a similar bill is pending in the Senate that would prohibit public high schools from withholding a students grades, transcripts or diploma because of an unpaid balance in the students school account.

House Bill 4243 passed out of the Senate Education Committee Tuesday on a 10-4 vote. If it clears the Senate, it would also have to be sent back to the House for concurrence with a minor amendment.
GRAFTON  A Jersey County girl helped with a lake cleanup in Tennessee.

Sixth grader Roanna Newton joined Living Lands & Waters' cleanup efforts in March at McKellar Lake near Memphis.

Headquartered in East Moline, Illinois, Living Lands & Waters is a 501 (c)(3) environmental organization that hosts river cleanups, watershed conservation initiatives, workshops, tree plantings and other key conservation efforts. Newton participated in a virtual classroom led by the LLW team and joined about 60 other students from around the country in the program.

Students learned about natural resources and and were challenged to take action in their communities. They met virtually with educators to discuss and reflect on the monthly lessons and challenges. If the monthly challenge was successfully completed, the student would earn a monthly program pin. If all six pins were earned, students qualified to be a candidate for the End of Program Grand Prize, which was a trip to Living Lands & Waters Barge.

Newton, the daughter of Jim and Carla Newton from Grafton, was the winner of the grand prize trip to Memphis to work alongside the LLW crew. On March 11, Roanna and Carla Newton traveled to Memphis, along with Ukraine foreign exchange student Kateryna Savienkova who is staying with the Newtons.

They joined the LLW crew and 11 college-aged students for the second week of LLWs Alternative Spring Break, a clean up event that removed 35,670 lbs. of trash on McKellar Lake. They also had lunch on the LLW barge and received a tour from remote educator Rachel Loomis.

The trio also visited the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, walked across the Harahan Bridge that crosses the Mississippi River at the Arkansas and Tennessee border, and visited Beale Street.

Living Lands & Waters plans to be in Alton in April and are looking to host a community clean up when water levels allow. They also plan to host educational workshops on the Floating Classroom barge. Science teachers may contact Loomis at rachel@livinglandsandwaters.org for more details.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

EAST ALTON  It has been more than a year since the last of the Wood River Power Station in East Alton was demolished.

Now Mike Marko has taken on the task of cleaning the area up in preparation for development.

Marko  the owner of Mike's Shipyard Facility in East Alton and Mike's, Inc. in South Roxana  has purchased 161 acres of the former power plant location across Illinois 143. The purchase also includes a portion of the Mississippi River bank.

Marko said he plans to develop the area into an industrial park. He said he has had tried to obtain a permit from the U.S. Corps of Engineers' to move his shipyard facility one mile upstream.

"They tell me their worried about the eagles," he said.

Marko said he plans to use the power plant space for an industrial park. While he has no definite timeline for the project, Marko said he hopes to have answer on the Corps permit within the coming months.

The site formerly featured the Wood River Power Plant with two coal-fueled units that began operations in 1954 and 1964, respectively. When it was closed in 2016, the 465-megawatt power station employed about 90 people.

The former power plant was closed by Dynegy Midwest Generation Inc. in May 2016. On Sept. 13, 2019, CLP announced it had bought the site for an undisclosed amount with plans for environmental remediation and future development of the area.

Demolition of the site began in October 2019. CLP officials said the East Alton site, located near the Wood Rivers entry to the Mississippi River, needed remediation, groundwater monitoring, abatement and demolition of structures and coal ash ponds.
IVY GOODMAN, Stonington, Girls, Lacrosse, Senior; Goodman scored 12 goals and had 13 assists in three games. Her seven assists in the Bears win over Waterford established a school record. She surpassed the 50-goal mark for the season in Stoningtons victory over Ledyard.

DEAN PONS JR., Westerly, Baseball, Senior; Pons, a senior, struck out 14 batters in the Bulldogs five-inning win against Wheeler School/Rocky Hill. Pons had an assist on the remaining out, throwing out a runner on a groundout. Pons allowed just one hit and walked only two.

KATIE PIERCE, Wheeler, Girls, Lacrosse, Sophomore; Pierce scored five goals and the Lions beat Griswold to earn their first victory of the season. Wheeler avenged an earlier loss to the Wolverines this season with the 15-4 victory.

WEEKO THOMPSON, Chariho, Girls, Track Sophomore; Thompson, a sophomore, bettered her school record in the discus at the Classical Classic meet. She finished first in the event and also won the shot put.

Vote

View Results
Babcock International is in talks to sell most of a troublesome division that provides emergency plane and helicopter services.

The FTSE 250 defence contractor is negotiating with infrastructure investor Ancala Partners to offload a large stake in the business.

It is the latest in a string of sales overseen by Babcock boss David Lockwood to turn the company around after years ofunderperformance.

Babcock's emergency aviation services arm operates the UK's Air Ambulance fleet, search and rescue operations abroad and firefighting planes and helicopters

The emergency aviation services arm operates the UK's Air Ambulance fleet, search and rescue operations abroad and firefighting planes and helicopters.

It was part of a much wider group called Avincis, which Babcock bought under previous boss Archie Bethel in 2014 for 1.6billion.

But the business was dogged with problems and became a major financial burden.

The emergency aviation services group would be valued at around 100million if the deal with Ancala goes ahead, Sky News reported.

The Financial Reporting Council accounting watchdog is investigating PwC's audits of Babcock after it took huge writedowns and after spot checks found the quality of its work was sub-standard.
Fresh Covid lockdowns in China will push up transport costs and cause delays, according to one of the world's largest shipping lines.

Shanghai  a city of more than 25m and home to some of the world's busiest sea and airports  has been plunged back into lockdown following a rise in coronavirus cases.

The move has cast a further shadow over the global economy as war rages in Ukraine, and fuelled fears over yet more disruption to supply chains.

Shipping delays: Shanghai  home to some of the world's busiest sea and airports  has been plunged back into lockdown following a rise in coronavirus cases

Danish shipping giant Maersk warned investors that 'trucking services in and out (of) Shanghai will be severely impacted'.

Shipping delivery times from China to Europe hit record highs having more than doubled in the space of three years.

It took 116 days to transport goods through Far-East Westbound (FEWB), one of the world's largest trade lanes, in the week to March 20, according to data. It took just over 55 days in 2019.
LV faced a fierce backlash last night after it handed its bungling chief executive a bumper pay packet worth more than 1million.

The 179-year-old mutual said Mark Hartigan was given a 511,000 bonus for 2021  on top of his annual salary of 435,000.

Alongside pension contributions and other benefits he was paid more than 1million in what was branded a 'reward for failure' by critics.

Unwarranted: LV said chief executive said Mark Hartigan (pictured) was given a 511,000 bonus for 2021  on top of his annual salary of 435,000

The revelations  in the LV annual report  came less than four months after the mutual's members voted down Hartigan's plans to sell it to US private equity group Bain Capital for 530million.

The report also revealed that LV bosses spent more than 33million of members' money on public relations advisers, lawyers and investment bankers to push the deal through.

The botched takeover plan cost chairman Alan Cook his job  but only after he picked up another 201,000 in fees from LV for 2021.

In total, the nine members of the LV board, including Hartigan and Cook, were paid 2.3million last year.

But while critics have called for Hartigan to follow Cook out the door, he remains in post despite spending much of last year trying to sell the group.

The deal could have seen him earn even more under private equity owners while at the same time stripping LV members of their mutual ownership.

But it was rejected in December in a member revolt after a Daily Mail campaign to save the firm from falling into private equity hands.

Peter Bloxham, a policyholder and a critic of the Bain deal, said Hartigan's latest bonus amounted to a 'reward for failure'.

How board changed its tune over firm's health The row over boardroom pay at LV came as bosses insisted the group was financially secure, despite claims to the contrary while trying to sell it to US private equity. Formerly known as Liverpool Victoria, it said it beat targets in terms of sales and profitability and its results underlined its viability as an independent mutual. LV brought in 1.6billion of new business, up from 1.3billion in 2020, although profits fell 22.5 per cent from 40million in 2020 to 31million in 2021. LVs 1.2m members shared 38million worth of bonuses, including a 10million windfall from the sale of its general insurance business which was completed in 2020. The upbeat assessment of its future prospects was in stark contrast to Mark Hartigans repeated claims over the past year that the business could not continue independently. The former army colonel claimed at one point that the 530million takeover by Bain, roundly rejected by members, was the only deal that saves the future of LV. In a change of tone yesterday Hartigan said: LV has outperformed both our new business volumes and profitability targets with significant growth in sales and trading profit.

But the LV board insisted that Hartigan has its 'absolute and full support'.

Tory MP Kevin Hollinrake, a Treasury select committee member, said Hartigan needs to be 'shown the door' and called for a boardroom clear out.

He said: 'The only thing he has done for LV is throw 33million of members' money down the drain  chasing a deal they never wanted for his own selfish interests.

'That he can now be paid such an astonishing bonus for his utter incompetence is mind-boggling.

'Approving this 500,000 bonus begs the question  what planet are the LV board on?

'They say he has their 'absolute and full support' going forward.

'It's clear the rot runs much deeper at LV than just Mark Hartigan and his equally hopeless partner Alan Cook  now thankfully removed.

'For the members who own this business to have any faith in it moving forward, there needs to be a complete clear-out of anybody involved with the Bain Capital deal.'

Labour MP Gareth Thomas, chairman of Parliament's all party group on mutuals, said Hartigan's bonus was a 'slap in the face' for members.

Thomas said: 'LV has finally admitted bosses blew more than 33million of members' money trying to sell their mutual benefits up the river.

'To offer up a 500k bonus to the driving force behind last year's Bain fiasco is truly shocking. This bonus payment begs the question as to who is really in charge at LV. What on earth were the board thinking?

'Mr Hartigan needs to go and frankly this weak, weak board needs to leave too and be replaced by those genuinely committed to running a mutual business properly.'

Peter Hunt of mutual lobby group Mutuo said Hartigan and Cook's leadership of LV has been an 'unmitigated disaster'.

He said: 'There are a lot of lawyers, bankers and advisers who made a packet out of this. And LV bosses get rewarded as if they have done a good job.

'But the ones left picking up the bill for it all are LV's members.'
Barclays shares fell for a fifth day after a top investor offloaded a 900million stake in the bank.

An unnamed institution sold 599m shares in the group  equal to 3.6 per cent of the its stock.

The sale is another headache and an early test for boss CS Venkatakrishnan, pictured right, who succeeded Jes Staley last year.

Barclays boss CS Venkatakrishnan (pictured), who succeeded Jes Staley last year, has seen around 2.8bn has been wiped off the company's value in the space of a week

It came a day after the bank revealed it is facing a 450million hit and regulatory investigations after it made a mess of selling basic trading products in the US.

The error has meant the bank has halted the sale of new retail structured products in the US while regulatory probes are carried out by the authorities.

Around 2.8billion has been wiped off the company's value in the space of a week. FTSE 100-listed Barclays was worth around 26billion last night.

Its share price has lost more than 16 per cent of its value this year. Venkatakrishnan, 56, has been attempting to clean up the bank's reputation since he was swiftly made chief executive in November.

Staley resigned in scandal over his personal ties with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. But Venkatakrishnan  known as Venkat  has had a rough start.

The US sales blunder that emerged at the start of this week was particularly embarrassing for him as he was chief risk officer at the time it occurred in 2019.

The error also means Barclays will need to delay a 1billion share buyback programme announced in February until after the first-quarter results in late April.

Victoria Scholar, head of investment at Interactive Investor, said the sales debacle was the 'first notable setback' for Venkatakrishnan.

Scholar added: 'The stock sale acts as a sign of softening investor confidence towards Barclays and its new management.'

Blackrock, Vanguard Group and the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA)  the Gulf state's sovereign wealth fund  are Barclays' three largest investors.

Goldman Sachs, which ran the sale, did not identify the seller.

Capital Group, another significant shareholder, sold 399million shares on Monday, but it was not clear if this was connected to yesterday's sale. QIA offloaded 1.2 per cent of FTSE mining giant Glencore for around 796million last week.

The sovereign wealth fund first invested in Barclays in 2008, when it raised billions of pounds to avoid a government bailout. It trimmed its stake last year.

The Barclays sale was priced at 150p a share  lower than the 160.5p it closed at the night before. This dragged on its stock, which fell 2.5 per cent, or 4.04p, to 156.44p.

In December  weeks into Venkatakrishnan's leadership  Barclays, HSBC and NatWest were also forced to pay 293million to the European Commission for their roles in a foreign currency trading cartel via a chatroom named 'Sterling Lads'.

Venkatakrishnan has been with Barclays since 2016 after more than 20 years with JP Morgan.
Sportswear business Decathlon has suspended its activities in Russia after public outrage.

The French company faced a barrage of criticism for staying in the country, including from the Ukraine foreign minister and social media users who called for a boycott of the retailer.

Decathlon, which has 60 stores in Russia, said it would continue to support its 2,500 staff there.

Shoppers leave a Decathlon store in Moscow today. Decathlon faced a barrage of criticism for staying in the Russia, including from the Ukraine foreign minister who called for a boycott of the retailer

A company spokesman said: 'In the dramatic context of Ukraine, we are following the evolution of events and particularly the situation of those directly affected.

In strict compliance with international sanctions, Decathlon notes that the supply conditions are no longer met to continue its activity in Russia.'

Decathlon is owned by the French retail giant Association Familiale Mulliez, which has been under fire over the failure of its Auchan supermarket chain to pull out of Russia.
The boss of the firm founded by hedge fund baron Crispin Odey has resigned after more than 20 years at the business.

Tim Pearey has been a partner at Odey Asset Management since 2009 before becoming co-chief executive alongside Odey six years ago.

The 45-year old took control of the business at the end of 2020 after Odey stepped down to focus on running his funds.

Founder: Crispin Odey stepped down at Odey Asset Management in 2020 to focus on running his funds

But according to filings at Companies House, Pearey stepped down last Thursday.

A successor has not yet been announced.

A spokesman for the firm said: It goes without saying that we are very sad to say goodbye to Tim. We thank him for his great contribution to Odey and wish him every success in the future.

Peareys resignation followed the departure of one of the funds star hires, Rob Marshall-Lee, earlier this month just a year after he was appointed to head up the groups Global Emerging Markets fund.

Another senior figure, chairman David Fletcher, stepped down in July last year after around 18 years in post. He has stayed on as a senior adviser to the business.

Odey, 63, initially relinquished his role as co-chief executive shortly after he was charged with one count of indecent assault on a junior female banker at his Chelsea home in 1998.

He admitted to verbally propositioning the young woman, whom he had invited back to his home. But he denied groping her, calling her allegations a horrible slur.

Odey was eventually acquitted in March last year, but not before the multi-millionaire split from his wife, fellow fund manager Nichola Pease.

Despite troubles in his personal life, last year proved lucrative for Odey after he bagged a bumper 15.6million payday for the year to April 5, 2021, more than ten times his 1.5million pay a year earlier.

The fund manager has a history of making controversial but profitable bets. A Brexiteer and Tory party donor, he cashed in on the aftermath of the vote to leave the EU by betting against the pound.

More recently, the firm made returns of over 30 per cent after predicting that oil and gas prices would soar ahead of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russian gold miner Petropavlovsk is in early talks with an eye to potentially restructuring its debt.

The London-listed miner has a $200million committed term loan with Gazprombank and around $87million in credit lines, interest of which can not been paid due to Western sanctions after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Petropavlovsk shares jumped sharply in early morning trading but by 8.45am were down 1.61 per cent to 4.90p. The group's share price has fallen over 77 per cent in the past year.

Talks: Petropavlovsk is in early talks with its advisers and Gazprombank to potentially restructure its debt

Russia-focused Petropavlovsk has agreements, including for loans and bullion sales with Gazprombank, which make it difficult for the miner to sell its gold and refinance loans now Britain has frozen the bank's assets.

In a brief update, the London-based miner said today: 'An interest payment of $560,000 became due on 25 March 2022 under the Term Loan, which the Company was and remains prohibited from making under the Regulations.

'In addition, on 28 March 2022, the rouble equivalent of $9.5million became repayable under the RCFs, which also has not been paid as a consequence of the Regulations.

'In light of the above and the scheduled maturity in November 2022 of the $500million 8.125% guaranteed notes due 2022 issued by Petropavlovsk 2016 Limited (of which $304 million remains outstanding), the Company is in the early stages of discussions with its advisers and GPB relating to a potential restructuring of the Group's debt within the limitations imposed by the Regulations.'

Although Petropavlovsk itself has not been named in any of the Western sanctions to-date, it will be thrown out of FTSE indexes this month after many brokers refused to trade shares in the miner and in others with Russian links.

Western leaders have tightened sanctions on Russia as the attack on Ukraine entered its second month. That has had a knock on effect on companies with no apparent direct ties with sanctioned people or companies, hurting investor sentiment.

Petropavlovsk was founded by British businessman Peter Hambro and Russia's Pavel Maslovskiy in the 1990s. Its top investor is Russian businessman Sergey Sudarikov, who through his REGION brand of businesses disclosed a stake of just over 29 per cent in the miner earlier this month, regulatory filings show.

In a further fresh update on the impact of sanctions today, Polymetal suggested they were having little impact on the company's day-to-day operations.

It said: 'Sanctions announced in the period between 9 March and 30 March did not have a material impact on the business of the Group.'

It added: 'However, they might further affect key Russian financial institutions as well as mining companies. Polymetal believes that targeted sanctions on the company remain unlikely, but are not impossible. Contingency planning has been initiated proactively to maintain business continuity.'

But, Polymetal said that in Russia, while sales of gold and silver concentrates continued normally to East Asia and Kazakhstan, shipments had been 'temporarily impacted' by the change of freight and logistics service providers, which looked set to result in higher costs.

Polymetal shares rose sharply today, and were up 17.99 per cent or 61.00p to 400.00p at 8.45am. The firm's share price has dropped over 73 per cent in the past year.
More than ten million people are at risk of being left behind as the UK races towards a cashless society, a sobering report has found.

Our 'dash from cash' at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic is now thought to be irreversible, with half of us using fewer coins and notes than we used to.

But a comprehensive review of cash use in the UK, funded by ATM network Link and published by the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), warns of problems ahead.

Cashing out: Britain's 'dash from cash' at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic is now thought to be irreversible - with half of people now using fewer coins and notes than they used to

Its authors found millions of the most vulnerable people are at risk of spiralling into debt, becoming isolated from others or losing trust in the financial system altogether.

While this month marked two years since Rishi Sunak pledged to introduce new laws to protect cash, few have materialised so far.

The Chancellor's promise came a year after the authoritative Access to Cash Review called on the Government and regulators to step in 'urgently' to ensure cash remained 'viable'.

Despite this, banks have closed more than 1,259 branches nationwide since 2020, according to the consumer group Which?

Last Wednesday, Lloyds confirmed it would close a further 60 branches. This followed HSBC's announcement earlier this month that it plans to close 69 branches  one in seven in its network.

Which? data shows that while banks shut 369 branches in 2020, another 736 were axed in 2021  a 99 per cent increase and the second-highest number of branch closures in the past six years.

With eight months remaining of 2022, 154 branches have already been shut, with another 244 set to close before the end of the year.

Jenny Ross, Which? money editor, says: 'Accessing cash and face-to-face banking services is hugely important for millions of people so it's very alarming that bank branches are closing at such a rate.'

The latest report found that nearly half of UK adults believe a cashless society would be 'problematic'. It estimates that 11.5 million people, a fifth of the population, would 'struggle to cope' without coins and notes.

Meanwhile, just one fifth of UK adults were defined as 'cashless converts'  holding a strong preference for card and contactless payments.

The report authors wrote: 'While a cashless society would feel like progress for some, for millions it would lead to anxiety, economic exclusion, isolation, exploitation, debt, rising costs and major concerns over privacy, security and control.'

In the early days of the pandemic, cash withdrawals plummeted by about half, amid fears that coronavirus could be transmitted via coins and notes.

In the early days of the pandemic, cash withdrawals plummeted by around half what they had been, amid fears that coronavirus could be transmitted through coins and notes

Research commissioned by the Bank of England would go on to prove that the risk of catching Covid-19 in this way was low. However, several major restaurant and cafe chains are still turning cash-paying customers away.

French food chain Cote Brasserie says it is safer for its restaurants to only take card payments 'due to a reduction in local banking facilities'.

The report also found that people in deprived areas still take out the most cash from ATMs.

On average, cash withdrawals fell by 46 per cent in the south of England, while in two of the most deprived constituencies  Liverpool Walton and Bradford South  they dropped by just 16 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.

The researchers also found that 15 million people use cash to budget. Link chief executive John Howells says: 'For those living on tight budgets, there is no better alternative to notes and coins and they are in no rush to turn to money management tools.'

Industry-led schemes continue to offer some hope for those who use cash. Eight more 'banking hubs' shared by High Street branches are set to open, and payments service PayPoint is rolling out purchase-free cashback across more than 2,000 stores, allowing people to access cash from shops without buying anything.

But the report continues to stress an 'urgent need to introduce legislation' to ensure cash access across the country.

Cash payment options for essential government services, such as school dinners, council tax and utilities, were also called for in its recommendations.

Report author Mark Hall, of the RSA, says: 'It's vital that the dash to digital doesn't disenfranchise anyone, especially with the cost-of-living crisis putting such strain on family finances.'

A government spokesman says: 'We are committed to protecting access to cash across the UK.

'That's why we have consulted on plans for new laws to make sure people only need to travel a reasonable distance to pay in or take out cash, and have already legislated to enable shops to offer cashback to customers without them having to make a purchase.'

f.parker@dailymail.co.uk
Ruth Blakemore wasnt used to seeing her father cry, so when she found him with tears rolling down his cheeks one afternoon, her heart broke.

It had been three days since his wife, Pat - Ruths mother - had died, and the recently bereaved Ken was sitting at the kitchen table with piles of paperwork in front of him.

Its not about Mum, the then 85-year-old wept. It just feels like no one wants to talk to me any more.

Heartache: Ruth Blakemore co-founded Life Ledger after watching her father struggle following her mothers death

In front of him were the details of around 30 companies with whom Pat had held an account. They all needed to be informed of her death.

Ken had been trying in vain to contact the various firms concerned, but was repeatedly facing stumbling blocks.

Some left him on hold for hours, others didnt answer the phone and, when he queued up at one building society branch, he was turned away and told to make an appointment.

Ruth, 62, from North London, says: There couldnt have been a worse time for my old dad to climb this complex mountain of administration.

The Blakemore family is far from alone. A new report by campaign group Fairer Finance found that money firms are still making it difficult for bereaved relatives to close their loved ones accounts.

Many keep taking platform and fund management fees from customers long after they have passed away.

Some investment firms even charge hundreds of pounds to pay out the benefits when their customer dies.

Broker A.J. Bell demands at least 250 to release the funds from one of its You Invest accounts when the owner dies. .

Similarly, both Halifax and the Bank of Scotland charge on average between 250 and 500 to release funds from a self-invested personal pension (Sipp), according to the Costs and Bureaucracy of Dying report.

Barclays also applies a charge to close one of its pension accounts when its customer dies. This is also calculated on a time and cost basis.

Spokesmen for A.J. Bell and Charles Stanley say the fees cover various administrative costs, including liaising with solicitors and family members.

Lloyds, Barclays and Best Invest all say they appoint third-party pension administrators who set the costs. Best Invest says its fees depend on the complexity of the case, and that the client is charged at cost.

But the complexity and admin involved in handling these affairs means many give up. As a result, billions of pounds goes unclaimed every year, according to the report.

Campaign group Fairer Finance found that money firms are still making it difficult for bereaved relatives to close their loved ones accounts

The research also found that 22 of the 49 largest savings providers offer no way for the bereaved to close their accounts online.

And the issue has only been compounded by the pandemic.

Research by consumer group Which? found that one in six consumers reported account closures taking more than three months after a relative had died.

But this figure rose to more than one in three for those who had been through the process after the start of the pandemic in 2020.

Money Mail has long campaigned to make firms reform the way they treat bereaved customers and make it easier for them to close their relatives accounts.

Some progress has been made since we launched the Looking after your legacy campaign.

The Death Notification Service was set up to streamline the process. It means bereaved families can send out one alert notifying several companies at once.

To date, 31 financial brands are signed up  though many are owned by the same major banks.

Still, Fairer Finances report is proof that those grieving are being hit with unfair charges and endless bureaucracy.

At the worst end of the scale, it says, some firms still demand physical paperwork to close down accounts  with many even asking for the original death certificate.

Fairer Finance is now calling on the Government and regulators to outlaw ongoing charges for customers when they die.

It is also asking that companies provide quicker and easier ways for the bereaved to close their family members accounts.

James Daley, director of Fairer Finance, says: Managing a loved ones affairs when they die shouldnt be a bureaucratic and traumatic nightmare.

In the 21st century, we should be making better use of technology to simplify the process and to remove some of the burden on families who are grieving.

For Ruth, these measures would have saved her family unnecessary heartache at a difficult time.

She says: What people need to understand is that when you are grieving, youre in no state of mind to be fighting these big firms.

Ruth has since co-founded Life Ledger  a free service which allows families to inform businesses of a death all at once.

It has so far partnered with 900 companies in the UK  including banks, pension providers, utilities companies and streaming services.

Life Ledger sponsored Fairer Finance to produce the Cost and Bureaucracy of Dying report.

h.kelly@dailymail.co.uk
Around 46,000 funeral savers whose provider went bust should have their money guaranteed by the Government, campaigners say.

Pre-paid funeral firm Safe Hands folded last week ahead of a crackdown on the industry by the regulator.

Rival provider Dignity has confirmed it will fulfil any funerals for Safe Hands customers who die before April 7.

Collapse: Pre-paid funeral firm Safe Hands folded last week ahead of a crackdown on the industry by the regulator

But there is no guarantee others will get money back, and many had paid for plans worth more than 3,000.

James Daley, managing director at Fairer Finance, is calling on the Government to ensure plan holders are compensated in full.

He says: 'The Government should be doing much more to reassure customers at this uncertain time  including being willing to stand behind anyone who loses out.

'It was a Government decision not to regulate funeral plans back in 2000, and it is the act of introducing regulation today that will potentially crystallise losses for thousands of elderly consumers.'

Martyn James, of complaints site Resolver, also called for the Treasury to back customers, adding: 'Customers believed the money they paid would be protected.'

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) pledged to regulate the sector after a probe exposed evidence of misselling and unfair charges.

From July 29, any funeral plan provider not authorised by the FCA must cease trading.

But Safe Hands withdrew its application with the regulator last month.

Funeral plan customers typically pay between 3,000 and 5,000 to ensure their costs are covered when they die.

However, there is a shortfall between Safe Hands customer investments and forecasted funeral costs to be paid.

Administrator FRP will also investigate the conduct of the firm's directors and why the business failed.

A Treasury spokesman says regulating pre-paid funeral plans will protect consumers from bad practice.

An FCA spokesman says: 'We will support the administrators to see whether there is a longer-term solution for Safe Hands' customers.'

f.parker@dailymail.co.uk
Kingsport, TN (37660)

Today

Strong thunderstorms likely. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. High near 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Overcast with rain showers at times. Thunder possible. Low around 55F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
COLONIE - Twelve small businesses in the area have been awarded COVID-19 relief grants by the Colonie Local Development Corporation to offset the pandemic's ongoing financial impact.

The LDC funded this program using project fees it collects from assisting non-profits with issuing bonds to cut their project costs, according to a news release. To be eligible for the grant, these businesses could not have more than 10 employees spanning over two locations. Each recipient was allocated awards of up to $5,000.
This article was first published on NerdWallet.com.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all air travelers over the age of 2 need to get a COVID-19 viral test (regardless of vaccination status or citizenship) no more than one day before returning to the U.S.

So if you plan on traveling outside the U.S., you need to find a COVID test in your destination country and get the test results within 24 hours of your flight home. Thats a pretty quick turnaround, and the added step can add a lot of stress to your trip  especially if youre visiting a country where you don't speak the language or somewhere remote.

A negative COVID test is required for some travel, and you also need one to return to the U.S. Here are some tips on how to snag a COVID test before returning home.

Tips for COVID testing for returning to the U.S.

1. Ask about local testing options when you book accommodations

Finding a COVID test may differ depending on what type of accommodation you book. Whether you plan to stay at a hostel, hotel or vacation rental, reach out before you officially reserve your accommodation to find out where you can get a COVID test.

Many hotels and hostels offer COVID testing on site, making this option more appealing.

Disappointingly, the cost of a COVID test at a hotel or hostel may be higher than what youd find at a local testing center. Even so, the added layer of convenience, especially for travelers who go to destinations where they don't speak the local language, is worth considering. The ability to communicate in English at on-site testing centers is likely higher at tourist-oriented accommodations than at a community COVID testing site.

You may even get lucky and find that your hotel provides COVID testing completely free of charge.

2. Budget extra days in the big city ahead of takeoff

When planning travel thats off the beaten track, it could make sense to spend the last two nights of your trip in a larger city to make it easier to find a testing site, especially since the U.S. requires a test to be taken within a day of your return flight.

Say, for example, youre going to El Chalten, Argentina, for a hiking trip. It might be difficult to find a COVID test with such a fast turnaround in this smaller city. You might be better off allocating the last two days of your trip to a larger city (e.g., Buenos Aires), as finding a test there will likely be easier.

3. Join Facebook traveler groups

Last year, I was staying at an Airbnb in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, and needed to find a COVID test before my return flight to the U.S. Instead of reaching out to my Airbnb host, I searched through the Playa Del Carmen digital nomads group on Facebook to see if anyone asked a similar question.

I found several posts recommending a testing center that was only a 10-minute walk from my apartment. I had to rely on my basic Spanish skills and Google Translate on my phone to ask all the questions I needed. However, the process was quick and easy.

4. Bring an at-home COVID test with you

In the event that youre unable to find a testing center or one that has a quick enough turnaround, youll be relieved to know that the CDC says certain at-home tests can satisfy entry requirements. Even better, the test may be reimbursable by your insurance, which would greatly reduce your costs compared with obtaining a COVID test abroad.

You can get a self-test delivered to your home address to take with you on vacation. The test needs to meet the following criteria:

The test is a SARS-CoV-2 viral test with Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The test must include a telehealth service that provides virtual real-time supervision.

The telehealth provider must confirm your identity, observe the sample collection, confirm the result and issue a report that the test meets the CDCs requirements.

Airlines must be able to review and confirm your identity and the test result details.

An example of a test that meets the conditions is from eMed, an organization that sells at-home COVID tests for travel. The company is currently selling a pack of six tests for $150. The tests are FDA-authorized for travel and treatment, and eMed will supply a receipt that you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as of Jan. 15, private insurers are required to fully reimburse the cost of up to eight at-home COVID-19 tests purchased over the counter per person monthly.

Buying these at-home tests can be a great way to use insurance to cover the cost of your COVID test.

Make sure to order at-home tests well in advance of your trip in case the shipping takes longer than expected.

Final thoughts on finding a COVID test to return to the U.S.

If you plan on traveling abroad, youll need to take a COVID test within one day of your return flight to the U.S. Regardless of the type of trip, these tips can help simplify the process of finding a COVID test while youre abroad. If youd rather not deal with finding a testing center while youre enjoying your vacation, you can order at-home COVID tests to take with you.

Elina Geller writes for NerdWallet. Email: egeller@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @themissmiles.

The article Ask a Travel Nerd: How Do I Find COVID Tests to Return Home? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
HUDSON  A pediatrician with offices in Hudson and Catskill was arraigned Tuesday on child-sex charges.

Ibrahim Rabadi, 63, of Red Hook, was indicted on charges of sexual conduct against a child, a felony; and two counts of forcible touching, sexual abuse and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, misdemeanors.

The alleged crimes happened between 2018 and 2021 and involved two girls, according to Columbia County District Attorney Paul Czajka. Though the ages of the victims are not known, the top charge  course of sexual conduct against a child  is leveled against adults who victimize children under the age of 13.

Rabadi appeared in court with his attorney, John Pappalardo, who entered a not guilty plea on his client's behalf. Pappalardo argued his client should be released without bail during the proceedings, saying he had practiced in the county for 30 years and has four children.

Rabadi vehemently denied the accusations and had turned himself in to police, Pappalardo said. Rabadi's bail was set at $25,000.

The first victim came to Hudson police in January 2020, according to Police Chief Edward Moore, while police were contacted by the second victim's parents in July 2021.

Addressing the two-year gap between the first victim coming forward and the indictment and arraignment, Moore said the progress of the investigation "was framed completely in the context of protecting the victim."

"Victim interviews have to be done in a certain atmosphere, in a certain setting, and she needed to be ready to testify, and to be ready to come forward, and we had to maximize the needs of the victims in the whole timing of this," he said.

Rabadi has operated a practice out of offices on Green Street in Hudson and Jefferson Avenue in Catskill. He has been licensed to practice in New York since 1990 after receiving his medical degree in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1984, according to the New York Department of State.

Hudson police are asking anyone with information about these or similar allegations to contact detectives at 518-828-3388. Law enforcement will keep all such calls confidential.

Downtime is the best time Make the most of your Hudson Valley weekend, every week with our newsletter.

The initial announcement of the arraignment was posted in English and Spanish, and police were working to translate it to Bengali so that any other potential victims would be informed of the arrest, according to Moore.

Prosecutors argued Rabadi should have an order or protection issued barring him from having any contact with children, but Pappalardo argued against this, saying it would "be shutting down his medical practice."

Columbia County Judge Richard Koweek denied the prosecutor's request, issuing an order or protection not allowing Rabadi to be alone with children without another adult present, which would allow him to continue practicing as a pediatrician.

Pappalardo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Lets talk about anything other than The Slap. Its already been discussed, analyzed and opinionated on ad nauseum. And at its core, the incident is truly between only two people, neither of whom is us.

So, while the unfortunate assault cast a pall over the remainder of the 94th Annual Academy Awards, we shouldnt allow it to overshadow what was in many ways a milestone ceremony. Beginning right with its mostly full-on return after two years of COVID, and its first-ever trio of female hosts, two of them women of color.

All three were funny and engaging, but Regina Halls thirsty woman routine  twice!  was too much of a bad thing and so far beneath her considerable talents.

Before we rundown the award winners and landmark makers, one last word about the Academys controversial decision to shunt off eight of the categories  including editing! Oftentimes THE most important element of a movie!  to a pre-telecast ceremony, with clips of the winners speeches edited in (irony much?) later: the running time was three hours and 40 minutes, longer than the last three broadcasts. Stellar work.

But Ariana DeBose, people! The first openly queer, Afro-Latina acting winner for her work in West Side Story. And also, she and Rita Moreno  the original Anita  join Don Corleone and the Joker as the only characters to claim Oscars for two different actors playing the same role.

Troy Kotsurs supporting actor win for CODA was no surprise as hed been racking up the victories all season. But hes still only the second deaf actor to win, after his co-star and on-screen wife Marlee Matlin took home best actress for Children of a Lesser God in 1987.

Questlove and Billie Eilish are Oscar winners. So is last years best actor nominee Riz Ahmed, although his live action short category was one of the non-televised ones.

Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog) went from being the only woman ever nominated twice for best director to becoming only the third to win and the second consecutive one after Nomadlands Chloe Zhao last year.

The sight of the audience signing applause for CODAs sentimental best picture win was another tearjerker, and hopefully a sign of more to come.

And finally  breezing past Will Smiths post-slap best actor win for King Richard, which resulted in a long, indulgent, me-centric speech before an enabling crowd  lets honor Lady Gaga.

Unnominated for her turn in House of Gucci, she nonetheless agreed to give out the best picture award. Reportedly, she demanded that Hollywood icon Liza Minnelli accompany her, giving her the 50th anniversary victory lap for her Oscar win for Cabaret, something the Academy didnt see fit to acknowledge among reunions and tributes for James Bond, The Godfather, Pulp Fiction and  Juno.

As the aged and ailing Minnelli struggled, a hot mic caught Lady Gaga saying, I got you, and Liza with a Z responding, I know.

Remember that.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

BETHLEHEM  I never met anyone who could wear a beret the way Ray Ortali did.

His well-worn black beret covered his large, shaved head at a rakish angle and exuded Rays insouciant charm.

There was never anything cheesy or forced about Ray and his beret. He was an emeritus professor and former chair of the French Studies department at the University at Albany, where he taught from 1971 until his retirement in 1996. As a young scholar in Paris in the early 1950s, he rubbed shoulders with Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir at the storied Cafe de Flore, and saw Edith Piaf in concert.

Ray died on March 22 at 94. A fall at his Delmar home one month earlier, on his birthday, led to a rapid decline. Physical deterioration did not diminish the intellectual rigor of the French expatriate, a polymath whose passions included literature, cinema, pedagogy and next-generation technology.

He was a Francophile to his marrow and never lost the dramatic flair of a thick French accent.

Bonjour, mon ami! was how Ray always greeted me in a booming Gallic salutation.

Ive met a lot of colorful characters while writing thousands of stories for this newspaper over nearly 40 years. Ray was one of the most colorful. I was privileged to call him a friend, even when he could be overbearing -- which was not infrequently.

At a funeral mass at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Delmar on Friday, the Rev. Dan McHale referenced a Dos Equis beer commercial in his homily and called Ray the most interesting man in the world. He described how Ray proselytized about his beloved French authors Moliere and Voltaire.

Morgan Ruthman spoke at the funeral and mentioned how 50 years ago this month, Ray introduced his parents, Elisabeth and the late Rex Ruthman. He described a visit with Ray a week before his death. He was full of quips and jokes and kept asking not to be interrupted, Ruthman said, which drew a ripple of laughter from the two dozen mourners.

The day that he passed, Ray asked for a beer, said Ken Jacobie, Ortalis roommate and caretaker. It was unusual. Normally, hed ask for a glass of wine.

In the final weeks of his life, Jacobie said Ray would talk his dreams by muttering in his sleep and gesticulating animatedly in the wee hours.

He was a raconteur to the end.

He was a Renaissance man who had amazing energy, said Jean-Francois Briere, emeritus French Studies faculty member at UAlbany, whose wife, Eloise Briere, is also a French professor there. He maintained an optimism for the future and always had his eyes on the far horizon. I never met anyone like him.

Cynthia Fox, emerita French professor, recalled when she arrived at UAlbany in 1988 and the new chair had a lot of big ideas about using cutting-edge, computer-assisted language instruction. We thought Rays ideas were just pipe dreams, but he actually made them happen, she said. He secured a two-year grant from the French Embassy that provided travel, lodging and meals for an Albany contingent to receive training in computer-assisted French instruction at the University of Poitiers in France.

Ray liked to take credit for the French departments glory days in the 1980s and 90s, when the absurdist playwright Eugene Ionesco and New Wave film director Agnes Varda came to the UAlbany campus. In reality, he played a supporting role.

Ray wanted to be the star of every program and he could be over the top, said George Santoni, emeritus UAlbany French professor, who recalled cringe-worthy grandiose entrances Ray made during lectures or film screenings.

Santoni, who grew up in Geneva, first met Ray in 1966 when both taught French at the University of Michigan. We loved Ray. He was a fantastic friend, even when he was irritating.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

I became part of Rays circle five years ago after I wrote a profile on him. He had worn me down after a relentless barrage of emails I managed to ignore for months. He was 89 years old then and a typical day included watching a couple art-house films, listening to an opera, reading a chunk of Rabelais or Montaigne in French, cuing up a Piaf album and chipping away at a scholarly article. He paused to sip French red wine and chew on a homemade baguette.

I live a life of the mind, he told me. His apartment and an adjoining garage were stuffed with thousands of books, stacks of literary journals, towering collections of CDs and DVDs and cabinets filled with folders bulging with his own jottings and articles. A sign in his office read: Never apologize for your art. He dubbed his sprawling library the Bibliotheque nationale.

Into his early 90s, he edited and published an online literary magazine, We Love Books and Company. It was his version of a French salon. A major influence was his mother, Juliette, who ran a private grammar school. They lived above the classroom in the tiny French town of Thoirette, near the Swiss Alps. In addition to a Ph.D. in French literature from the University of Michigan, he earned a law degree in Dijon, France.

I had lunch occasionally at City Line Bar & Grill across from the UAlbany campus with Ray and filmmaker Mike Camoin. Ray brought a fistful of file folders, assiduously labeled with topics he wished to discuss. Rays persistent nagging was a factor in the Writers Institutes 2nd annual Albany Film Festival on Saturday. Ray had a label for it, even before it was a real thing.

Ray loved his labels, said Paul Hudson, longtime friend and business partner, who helped develop multi-media language instruction with Ray. He was a quintessential researcher and the most organized person I ever met.

Ortali wrote his own obituary and laid out funeral arrangements.

Ray was so brilliant he spoke in full paragraphs rather than mere sentences, said Elisabeth Ruthman. In addition to meeting her future husband through Ray, she took his course on 16th-century French literature.

At Bethlehem Cemetery, Jacobie placed a Bluetooth speaker beside a tree trunk and played Edith Piaf singing her famous anthem, Non, Je ne regrette rien. No, absolutely nothing/No I regret nothing/Not the good things that have happened, nor the bad/All is the same to me.

No regret was Rays guiding philosophy, Ruthman said. She placed a red rose on Rays casket and said softly, Au revoir.

A dozen voices joined hers. Au revoir.

Paul Grondahl is director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany and a former Times Union reporter. He can be reached at grondahlpaul@gmail.com
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

ALBANY  Medical cannabis provider Etain, New York's only women-owned marijuana company, announced Wednesday it will sell its operations in the state to investment company RIV Capital.

In an investors call, RIV's new CEO and President Mark Sims said New York will be "the most exciting legal cannabis market in the U.S. over the next several years, with adult-use (sales) expected to begin in 2023."

Sims said the buyout, which is estimated to cost about $247 million, marks the company's first foray into operating cannabis growth and retail outlets; previously, it held an investment portfolio with stakes in companies throughout the cannabis industries in Canada and the U.S. The Etain deal is expected to close this year pending regulatory approvals.

Aaron Ghitelman, a spokesman for New York's cannabis regulators, said the proposed transaction "will undergo a regulatory review and approval process after a complete and adequate application is submitted." Under state law the Cannabis Control Board has to approve of ownership changes among cannabis license holders.

The executives of Etain, a mother-daughter trio, were among the first to receive a license to operate in New York's medical cannabis program in 2015. Their company is currently the only women- or minority-owned business to hold one of the ten active licenses for medical marijuana providers in the state, a designation it stands to lose with the takeover.

An Etain spokesman told the Times Union that the company expects continuity in its operations after the acquisition, including retaining its staff, product lines, newly expanded upstate production facility and retail outlets in Manhattan, Syracuse, Kingston and Yonkers. It closed its Capital Region dispensary in 2017, favoring an entree into the New York City market: under the medical program's current rules, each vertically integrated provider can open a maximum of four retail locations.

"RIV Capital clearly recognized the potential for women-led brands to flourish in the cannabis industry," Etain COO Hillary Peckham said in a statement. "While the Peckham family will be stepping back from control of the company, we will be actively partnered with (its new owners)."

Etain's current chief executive officer, Amy Peckham, who is Hillary Peckham's mother, will no longer head the company but is expected to remain involved and take a seat on RIV Capital's board. Meanwhile, the company's outgoing executives will work on a recently won license to open a cannabis growing and processing site and medical dispensary in neighboring New Jersey.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

According to RIV Capital's chief strategy officer and general counsel Matthew Mundy, the acquisition represents the company's

"decisive entrance into the U.S. cannabis market," fueling their long-term goal of market expansion across the country.

New York's ten medical cannabis licensees will be well-situated to make a splash with recreational users once state regulators announce guidelines for that industry, according to provisions in New York's cannabis law. The existing licenses have recently been marked by both legal drama and big-dollar purchases.

Prior to Etain's announcement, fellow license holder MedMen met resistance in court and fought back after calling off a $73 million deal to sell its New York arm to Ascend Wellness Holdings, and Cresco Labs  a cannabis giant with its own medical operations in the state  said it would acquire the nationwide operations of New York competitor Columbia Care for $2 billion.
SARATOGA SPRINGS  A doctor who works at Saratoga Hospital has been accused of taking upskirt photos of unsuspecting women at a clothing store in Boston.

Dr. Damon DeTeso, 49, an imaging and radiology doctor who worked at Saratoga Hospital, allegedly used his cell phone to take photos underneath womens clothing as they walked past last year at the Anthropologie store on Newbury Street.

DeTeso allegedly placed his phone in his backpack with the lens sticking out. Then he used a second tablet in what appeared to be an attempt to coordinate the two devices, according to a store manager who witnessed his setup and said she observed similar behavior the previous month.

DeTeso then placed the backpack next to him on the stairs leading up to the entrance of the outlet where women walking up and into the store would have to step over or around it, according to charging documents, which contained detailed accounts of each alleged illicit photograph. The records were obtained and provided to the Times Union by Hearst affiliate WCVB-TV in Boston.

When stopped on Newbury Street on Sept. 24, detectives found a cell phone at the bottom of DeTesos backpack positioned in a way that could shoot pictures of unsuspecting victims.

A review of files revealed many images of the private areas of unsuspecting women, including their buttocks, pubic areas and breasts, according to the criminal complaint.

The Boston Herald first reported DeTesos arrest and the fact that he is a doctor.

DeTeso faces 21 criminal counts of secret sexual recording, as well as 16 counts for botched attempts.

Saratoga Hospital said DeTeso is an employee of Millennium Medical Imaging, which provides services under contract to Saratoga Hospital.

DeTeso has requested an indefinite leave of absence from the Saratoga Hospital medical staff, said a hospital spokesman, and the facility granted the request immediately.

Until further investigation and satisfactory resolution of this matter, Dr. DeTeso will not be conducting any services related to Saratoga Hospital, said Peter Hopper, the spokesman. The professional care and safety of our patients is of paramount importance to Saratoga Hospital.

Hopper declined to comment further.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

By Wednesday afternoon, DeTesos profile was scrubbed from Saratoga Hospitals website.

DeTeso, who lives in Saratoga Springs, pleaded not guilty during a virtual arraignment in Boston Municipal Court on Wednesday morning, according to the Boston Herald.

Prosecutors did not seek bail because he has no prior criminal record but they did ask that he stay away from the shopping area and the particular store, the Boston Herald reported. The judge granted this request.

His next court date is in May.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

SCHENECTADY  The results are in for a survey of Black voices in Schenectady designed to drive policymaking.

Respondents of the Black Freedom Project want to see deeper investments in workforce development, more jobs for those at all education levels, boosted food and nutrition programming, affordable housing (shelters excluded) and a bump in public education funding.

Lower on the priority list is a large police presence in the community and schools, according to the results.

Forty-nine percent of respondents wanted community violence prevention programs that move away from police, while only 11 percent supported the expansion of police as first responders.

Resources for gun violence prevention also ranked high (but not those run by police, respondents said).

Those are some of the key findings of a survey distributed as part of the Black Freedom Project, a statewide initiative designed to advance organizing strategies for Black-led and Black-centered groups and to drive policymaking across the state.

For much of the winter, Schenectady-based activists All of Us, a member of the Black Freedom Project, canvassed Black neighborhoods, as well solicited input at nonprofits and barbershops, to garner public input from those theyve said have traditionally fallen through the cracks.

The sample size was 305 Schenectady residents ages 16 and up.

Leaders said the goal was to not only solicit Black voices, but reach out to the most impoverished populations. All of Us co-founder Jamaica Miles said its the first local survey that she knows of designed to deliberately reach the Black community about policymaking and public safety.

Researchers at the Public Science Project, which is housed in the City University of New York, crunched the data.

Organizers delivered a presentation to the Schenectady Police Department last week. Presentations to area nonprofits will follow, as well as to City Council on April 18.

At least the door is open for conversation, Miles said. We have to get past the conversation for actionable steps.

City Police Chief Eric Clifford said the findings largely echoed what the department already knew and called the conversation with Miles, a frequent critic, a very good conversation.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

Whenever we have the opportunity to learn more about the community and hear their voices, were open to that, Clifford said. It does nothing but help us achieve our mutual goal of having a healthy and safe community.

The Black Freedom Project survey results come a year after the City Council adopted a package of community-guided reforms to the Schenectady Police Department, a result of a state mandate. That process included an extensive public input process.

When it comes to survey-takers eschewing a constant police presence, Clifford said he didnt disagree.

I dont want too much police around me either, Clifford said.

Additionally, Schenectady police also want to see a healthy population with access to many of the programming checked off by respondents, Clifford said. City department heads often discuss the same issues. Yet fulfilling many of those goals, he said, would be better chipped away at at the state or federal level  and not at the expense of public safety.

Its a discussion, its not a debate, Clifford said. The big philosophical  or big strategic discussion  is what comes first?
There are unfortunate similarities between the financing plan for a new Buffalo Bills stadium, announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday, and former Gov. Andrew Cuomos ill-fated attempt to bring a massive Amazon campus to Queens.

In both cases, enormous expenditures of public money were negotiated in private and then foisted on the public as a fait accompli. Neither Mr. Cuomo nor Ms. Hochul presented either deal as something for the public and lawmakers to chew over, with both instead announced as ironclad.

In the case of the Amazon campus, the 2019 announcement ended embarrassingly for Mr. Cuomo when rebellious lawmakers maneuvered to block the plan, leading the online retailer to pull out of the agreement. With the funding included in her proposed budget, the fate of Ms. Hochuls stadium deal remains to be seen.

But examining the details of the governors agreement with the Bills leads to an unfortunate conclusion: Mr. Cuomos Amazon plan was a far better deal for taxpayers.

While it promised to give one of the worlds most lucrative companies $500 million in cash grants over 10 years  a stomach-turning prospect, for sure  the deal also promised at least 25,000 permanent jobs, significant economic growth, and $27.5 billion in new state and city revenue over 25 years.

Indeed, much of Mr. Cuomos $3 billion agreement with Amazon was structured around city and state tax breaks for revenue that otherwise would not exist.

By contrast, Ms. Hochuls deal with the Bills hands over $600 million in state money plus an additional $250 million from Erie County on the promise of an estimated 10,000 temporary construction jobs. Since it is merely a replacement for an existing stadium, the plan offers little in the way of new tax revenue or growth.

In other words, state and county taxpayers are paying $850 million essentially to maintain the status quo. With the stadium planned for a suburban site across the street from the existing one, it doesnt even offer the benefit of downtown Buffalo revitalization or investment in a high-poverty area.

Sign up for the Observation Deck newsletter Read the latest Times Union opinion, perspective and letters to the editor on Mondays by signing up for our Observation Deck newsletter.

It is, quite simply, a bad deal  a giveaway that is generous even by the standards of recently constructed stadiums in other states. At a minimum, New York taxpayers can expect that the Bills billionaire owners would contribute significantly more.

The Legislature, then, has a job to do. It must demand that the deal be stripped from the state budget until better terms are negotiated.

Consistency demands it. Since lawmakers found Mr. Cuomos deal with Amazon too generous and too odious, they can hardly agree to an unwise stadium plan that promises significantly less benefit at an even greater public cost.

Ms. Hochul cant say she wasnt warned if her stadium plan does go down in flames. The governor is, after all, repeating a mistake her predecessor made just three years ago, but with even worse terms for taxpayers.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

ALBANY  A killing in New York City's subway system more than two decades ago resulted in Kendra's Law, a controversial legal change in which people with mental illness who refuse to take court-ordered medication can be temporarily committed to outpatient psychiatric care.

It was named after Kendra Webdale, who was shoved from a subway platform to her death by a young man with schizophrenia. According to news reports from 1999, the measure was intended to balance the rights of those with mental illness and the safety of the general public. Signing it into law, Republican Gov. George Pataki called the legislative fight over the bill a "difficult thing."

Some advocates feared it would criminalize mental illness: Joseph Glazer, president of the Mental Health Association in New York State, said at the time the law was "well-intentioned" but would punish the innocent "and provide absolution to a system that is guilty of total failure."

The law is rarely used by law enforcement on the streets, but is more likely employed by family members to address a relative's crisis.

Two decades after its passage, state officials are considering a significant expansion of Kendra's Law after a similar tragedy has added to already heightened concerns over public safety. The changes could create a pathway for the removal of mentally ill people from the subway or from homeless encampments if they are unable to feed, cloth or shelter themselves, and if they pose a "substantial risk of physical harm."

The expansion could be folded into the state's budget, which is expected to to be voted on this week.

The proposed changes are "the slippery slope we were worried about, and 20 years later we're seeing the worst part of it," Harvey Rosenthal, executive director of the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, said Tuesday at the Capitol.

Rosenthal believes people avoid services because the system has "failed them." The solution, he believed, is permanent supportive housing and funding mental health professionals at sufficient levels. It is not necessarily increasing the number of psychiatric beds, which has plummeted as the state has attempted to move toward de-institutionalization of the mentally ill.

"If what we're doing now is making involuntary inpatient criteria so broad that people will be scooped off the street for failure to do basic life things that are now portrayed as danger to self, it's heading into institutionalization," Rosenthal said.

At the peak of institutionalization in the 1950s, the state had 93,000 people in its psychiatric centers, according to the state Office of Mental Health.

Before Kendra's Law passed in 1999, the number had fallen to 5,000 people in psychiatric beds. It currently serves about 2,000. Additionally, 154,000 are in state-funded supportive housing, according to OMH.

New situation, similar dynamics

The latest proposal, pitched by Gov. Kathy Hochul and pushed by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, follows the January death of Michelle Go, who was pushed in front of a subway train by a 61-year-old homeless man with a history of mental illness. And it comes as officials want to make sure people feel safe as they push for a post-pandemic return to work and a revival of tourism.

The first glimmer that the state was going to expand the law came on Feb. 18 at a news conference in a subway station held by Hochul and Adams.

Hochul told anecdotes about people coming up to her on the street with their concerns. "They have a baby stroller, couple of toddlers and an infant. And they say, 'We want the old New York back. We don't feel safe anymore.' And that hits me right here in my heart," the governor said. "We just have to take care of some problems."

Adams said the state has become "enablers to those who need help," and turned to Dr. Mitchell Katz, president and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals, and Ann Marie Sullivan, state commissioner of the Office of Mental Health.

"We believe that there is room within existing law," Katz said before outlining what would become the thrust of Hochul's proposed language to change Kendra's Law. Sullivan said that the state was issuing guidance in the meantime.

"You always have to be aware of the civil rights of individuals," Sullivan said, "but sometimes someone's self-neglect is so severe that it would fall into that substantial harm category."

Path forward

Mental health advocates are concerned that Hochul's changes  part of her controversial 10-point public safety proposal that centered around tweaks to the state's bail laws  are unconstitutional and coercive.

The proposal would remove a standard that requires a determination that the person facing commitment would likely benefit from the treatment  a provision on which prior court cases rested their constitutionality, noted Ruth Lowenkron, director of the disability justice program for New York Lawyers for the Public Interest.

"This is going well beyond that," Lowenkron said of the proposed standard. "Someone doesn't have food, clothing, shelter? What does that mean?"

The administration views its changes as a "strengthening" of the law for people who "pose a danger to themselves through self-neglect," according to Hochul's proposal.

The changes remains on the table in budget negotiations, according to a person familiar with the discussions. Even lawmakers opposed to the expansion said Kendra's Law, which has technically already expired after a five-year extension in 2017, is likely to be renewed.

"We also recognize that extending the legislation not only allows us, but compels us to re-evaluate the program every few years to look for opportunities for improvement," Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said in 2017. But outside of the proposed expansion, it does not appear that any re-evaluation has taken place.

"It's not a public safety plan," Assemblywoman Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, D-Queens, said of the proposed changes. "There's a lot of ways to come at this problem, and (an expansion of) Kendra's Law is not one of the solutions."

State Sen. George M. Borrello, who went to Fredonia High School with Kendra Webdale in Chautauqua County, is a major proponent of her namesake law.

The Republican wants to see it maintained to protect people, especially in the wake increased mental health crises due to the pandemic.

"We need to give our mental health professionals, doctors, the tools to help people," Borrello said. "Sometimes that means holding someone for observation and treatment so that they are not a danger to themselves and others."
ALBANY  The chair of the state Senate's Ethics Committee on Wednesday said that shes "frustrated" with a proposed ethics overhaul plan being negotiated by members of her own party  and may end up voting against it.

Bronx state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, a Democrat, was addressing a tentative agreement struck between the Senate Democratic conference and Gov. Kathy Hochuls office, which would allow state leaders to appoint the members of a new 11-member ethics body.

"This whole structure is concerning to me," Biaggi said in an interview. "I dont like there being any politics in ethics. So the fact were even engaging in this conversation is very frustrating. None of the commissioners should be appointed by the executive and legislative leaders."

The states current ethics panel, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics, has long been criticized by Biaggi and others for lacking independence. That panels 14 commissioners are appointed by the governor and leaders of both parties in the state Legislature.

Biaggi said shed pushed for the creation of a citizen-led ethics panel, but the idea did not gain sufficient traction.

"I just feel frustrated," Biaggi said. "What are we doing? It's so easy to get this right."

For her part, Hochul in January had proposed that New York law school deans be charged with appointing the commissioners. But many members of the Legislature balked at that plan.

Under the proposal tentatively agreed to by Senate Democrats and Hochul as of Tuesday evening, leaders of the Legislature and the three statewide elected officials would nominate potential members of the new ethics panel. The nominees would be vetted by the states law school deans to determine if they are qualified.

State leaders would then make appointments from the pool of qualified nominees: Three would be made by the governor, two by the Assembly speaker, two by the Senate majority leader, one by the Assembly minority leader, one by the Senate minority leader, one by the state comptroller and one by the state attorney general.

Assembly Democrats still need to sign off on the bill and it wasnt clear late Tuesday whether substantial changes would need to be made.

Biaggi said she is also pushing within the framework of that agreement for two or three appointees to be made by the state comptrollers office. She contends that the office under Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has been a model of nonpartisan civil service.

She would also like the governors office to only have one or two appointments. And Biaggi believes there should be parity between the political parties in the state Legislature. Each conference within the Legislature should get a single appointment, she said.

Biaggi said she is considering voting against that portion of the state budget if the final ethics plan is inadequate. That would be notable because shes chair of the Ethics Committee, which conducted two hearings on ethics reform last year, and has studied the issues deeply.

"Im not opposed to voting against something thats not going to actually do anything," Biaggi said. "My feeling is, This is it, you get one shot. If youre going to do it, you have to do it well.'"

The tentative proposal includes some measures favored by Biaggi, including eliminating the "special voting rules" that have allowed a small number of JCOPE commissioners to veto investigations.

Biaggi said she would continue to push for a constitutional amendment more broadly reforming New Yorks ethics enforcement, which has been sponsored in the Senate by state Sen. Elizabeth Krueger, D-Manhattan.

Brooklyn Assemblyman Robert Carroll, the sponsor of the proposed constitutional amendment in that chamber, sounded a more hopeful note about the budget negotiations.

"The current model does not work and allows obfuscation of rightful investigations," Carroll said. "And so I am really hopeful that the Assembly and Senate and executive will be able to come up with a framework that allows for transparent, fair and democratic oversight."

After the Times Union reported Tuesday evening on emerging details of the panel, which would be called the "Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government," good-government groups protested. Among them was Citizens Union.

"New York needs a sweeping overhaul of our ethics system to restore the publics faith in government," said Betsy Gotbaum, executive director of Citizens Union. "Unfortunately, the ethics commission that would be created under this agreement between the governor and Legislature fails to make any meaningful reform."

"The states current ethics watchdog, JCOPE, lacks independence from the very people it is charged with overseeing," she said. "Under this plan, JCOPE would be replaced with another toothless ethics commission, with elected officials maintaining complete control over the appointees. This is no reform at all."
Last night's deadly quadruple shooting should remind us all of a simple fact:

There is no issue more important than public safety in Kansas City and our elected leaders have mostly neglected this fundamental truism about municipal policy in a careless attempt to justify their own social justice crusades and career ambitions.



Accordingly, we share another local collection on ALLEGED misdeeds, police action, court cases and community impact . . .

Investigating racism inside the KCPD The Kansas City Star published an investigation this week on racism within the Kansas City Police Department. Reporters spoke with 25 current and former Black officers about discrimination and abuse behind the blue line, and their experiences with a system that "papered out" Black officers from the department on flimsy pretexts - all while keeping leadership mostly white.

KCMO man sentenced to 10 years for selling meth, firearm to undercover agent KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without the possibility of parole Tuesday for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for illegally possessing firearms. Jacob Michael Richardson, 34, pleaded guilty on Nov.

Independence police: Man killed in Noland Road gas station shooting The Independence, Missouri Police Department is searching for a man seen running away from the scene of a fatal shooting late Tuesday night. Officers were called to the Minit Mart gas station in the 4200 block of Noland Road, near Noland and I-70, to investigate a reported shooting.When police arrived, they found a man dead from gunshot wounds outside the store.Witnesses told authorities a man ran from the gas station headed north after the shooting.

Law enforcement makes public aware of wanted sex offender in Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A 40-year-old man remains at large, wanted on a warrent for violating sex offender registration. Carlos Wells is wanted on a Jackson County, Missouri warrant, his last known address being was near 7th and Virginia streets in Kansas City, Missouri. A news release stated his current whereabouts is unknown.

Liberty police clear possible armed burglary KANSAS CITY, Mo. - UPDATE | According to the Liberty Police Department the home has been cleared and roads in the 300 block of S. Ridge will be reopened. Police responded to calls of a possible armed burglary in progress around 3:45 p.m. No suspect was found.

Merriam police investigate homicide after man found dead Update: Police have identified the victim as 26-year-old Rodney N. Winston, Jr. Police said no arrests have been made at this time. -- MERRIAM, Kan. - The Merriam police department is investigating the homicide of a 26-year-old man. Officers were called to a duplex near West 52nd Street and Knox Avenue around 5 a.m.

Authorities identify 26-year-old man killed in Merriam, Kansas shooting early Sunday The Merriam, Kansas Police Department has released the identity of a man shot and killed in a duplex early Sunday morning.Officers were called to investigate a disturbance at a home in the 9800 block of West 52nd Street around 5 a.m. Sunday. When they arrived, they found a man inside the home who had been shot.

Ticket brokers, vacation rentals warn of Final Four scams OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - The Kansas Jayhawks are headed to the Final Four and many of their fans are sure to follow. But if you've priced the cost of a trip this weekend to New Orleans to see KU take on Villanova and then potentially Duke or North Carolina, you've probably found it won't be cheap.

Young KC mother gets eviction notice after domestic violence situation KANSAS CITY, Mo. - After barely escaping a shooting by her ex-boyfriend, a Kansas City mother said she is being victimized again, this time by her apartment complex. "It was just a crazy terrifying experience. Nobody asks to be beat up or to be shot at. But it's just kind of like, 'Get out.

FBI announces eight billboards seeking information for Diana Ault's 1994 murder William Laskey on Tuesday saw a rendering of an FBI billboard seeking information about his daughter, Diana Ault's, murder."That should get the attention of people driving around," Laskey said. "Especially with eight of them to look at."The FBI announced Tuesday it would highlight Ault's 1994 murder case on eight billboards around the Kansas City metro area."I'll have to check every one of them," Laskey said.

Firearms Supervisor Leads Team Of Crime-Solving Experts One significant tool the firearms section uses is the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). Lalli's team will test-fire a gun to retrieve cartridge cases that they enter into NIBIN. The program can compare and match cartridges from jurisdictions around the country. Matches in Kansas City get forwarded to KCPD detectives.

Developing . . .
On the topic of literature and free speech . . .



This bit of protest has earned high praise amongst progressives because it offers a peek at the hypocrisy of would-be student library censors . . .



Cheryl Bannon, a former member of the Derby City Council, asked the districts library committee to review the Bible after the group decided to remove an award-winning young-adult novel from its list of approved classroom materials.



Bannon said she filed her challenge to illustrate the consequences of censorship. The Bible is used as a textbook in Derby High Schools Bible as Literature course, a one-semester elective.



Pointing to verses about murder, masturbation, genocide, incest and other mature topics, Bannon argued that the religious text is just as provocative as some contemporary works.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Derby school district won't be removing the Bible from libraries or classrooms, despite challenge WICHITA, Kansas - A Derby school district committee decided not to remove the Bible from libraries or classrooms despite a challenge that the book contains mature themes. Cheryl Bannon, a former member of the Derby City Council, asked the district's library committee to review the Bible after the group decided to remove an award-winning young-adult novel from its list of approved classroom materials.

Lead screen cap reference and pop culture bible study nod . . .

You decide . . .
Tuesday night bullets rain down in Kansas City along with the storms overhead.

First report for now . . .

"Preliminary information is that there are four shooting victims and one is deceased at this time. There are multiple crime scenes in the area."



UPDATED REPORTING . . .

It has been determined this was one shooting event where three people were shot. However, all three of the victims ended up in different locations from one another.



Homicide 27 and Topping

This evening at approximately 9:25 PM, officers were dispatched to the gas station at 2911 Van Brunt in regard to a shooting.

While in route they were flagged down in the area of 27th and Colorado by an adult female who had been shot. EMS responded and transported that victim to the hospital where she is currently in critical condition.

As additional officers responded to the original call at 2911 Van Brunt, they found an adult male who had been shot. That male was transported to the hospital with what appear to be non-life-threatening injuries.

At about the same time, a shooting call came out at 27th and Topping. Officers responded to the scene at 27th and topping and found an adult male in the street who had been shot. He was unresponsive and officers began CPR at that time. EMS responded and transported the victim to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

At this time we do not have any suspect information. We do believe based on the vicinity and time of occurrence that these are all possibly related. We are still working to determine where the shooting originated.

Detectives and crime scene personnel have responded to the scene and are actively canvassing for witnesses and processing the scene for evidence. If you have any information please call the Homicide unit at 234-5043. If you wish to remain anonymous you can call the TIPS hotline at 474-TIPS, with up to a $25,000 reward for an arrest in this case.

####################

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Police confirm three people injured in string of shootings as storms hit KC kcmo triple shooting call SOURCE: kmbc Kansas City, Missouri police have confirmed that three people have been shot as storms slam the city Tuesday night. Two shooting victims are in critical condition and one victim's condition is unknown at this time. No further victim information has been made available.

2 critically shot in triple shooting Tuesday in Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Police say two people suffered life-threatening injuries in a triple shooting Tuesday night. Around 9:15 p.m., police said they were called to three different locations in an area in eastern Kansas City, Missouri, on a reported shooting.

1 dead, 3 injured in shooting outside KC gas station KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City, Missouri police are investigating a shooting Tuesday night outside a gas station that has left one person dead and left three people injured. The shooting was reported just before 9:30 p.m. near 29th Street and Van Brunt Boulevard.

Developing . . .


Both wanted men are believed to still be in the GTA.
Free COVID-19 rapid tests will be available until at least July 31, Ontario says

Free rapid antigen tests for COVID-19 are being extended until "at least" July 31 as infection levels jump following the end of vaccination certificates and mandatory masking in most indoor public spaces in Ontario.
Toronto police ask for help finding missing woman last seen downtown
Two of the four green-band-maxi-taxi routes yet to implement a fare increase will be doing so, come Monday.

Meantime discussions are underway with respect to raising fares on a third route, but the Route 3 Maxi-Taxi Association is giving its clients the opportunity to suggest a reasonable increase. Rynessa Cutting has more.
Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it.





I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends.





More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it.





The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity.





About me:

I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS.

Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line).

Age: 42

Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed.





I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it).
The military situation in Ukraine has not become easier, and the scale of challenges has not diminished. The Russian Army still has a significant potential to continue attacks against Ukraine.

The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his video address, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to Zelensky, all Ukrainians must have seen the news today that the Russian military command has allegedly decided to reduce hostilities in the directions of Kyiv and Chernihiv.

Well, the same can be said about Chornobaivka  as if the Russian aviation simply decided to fly less, and the Russian military vehicles  to drive less, Zelensky said.

Zelensky expressed gratitude to all Ukrainian defenders, who ensure the defense of Kyiv, as their brave and effective actions force the enemy to retreat in this direction. Meanwhile, the President of Ukraine called on Ukrainians to not lose vigilance.

The situation has not become easier. The scale of the challenges has not diminished. The Russian Army still has significant potential to continue attacks against our state. They still have a lot of equipment and enough people completely deprived of rights whom they can send to the cauldron of war. Therefore, we stay alert and do not reduce our defense efforts. Both in the north of our state and in all other regions of Ukraine, where Russian troops have temporarily entered, Zelensky noted, adding that the defense of Ukraine is the number one task now, and everything else is derived from it.

Zelensky stressed that the enemy is still in the Ukrainian territory. The shelling of Ukrainian cities continues. Mariupol is blocked. Missile and air strikes do not stop. In this regard, the President of Ukraine emphasized that the Armed Forces of Ukraine, intelligence and all those who have joined the defense of the state are the only guarantee of Ukraines survival today.

A reminder that, on February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, starting a war. Russian troops are shelling and destroying the key infrastructure facilities, launching missile and air strikes on Ukrainian cities and villages, killing civilians.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

mk
The humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine is an element of the Russian military strategy.

The relevant statement was made by Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya at a meeting of the UN Security Council, which was dedicated to the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to Kyslytsya, Ukraine demands that Russia immediately and unconditionally implement all the provisions of the General Assembly resolution, Humanitarian Consequences of the Aggression against Ukraine, which has been adopted recently. This resolution provides for the ceasefire agreement, the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

With regret, I have to admit that Russia is not showing readiness to abandon its strategy for deliberately deteriorating the humanitarian situation at the local level. After the initial blitzkrieg plan failed, Russian troops switched to Plan B, Kyslytsya told.

In his words, Russias Plan B provides for causing the humanitarian catastrophe all over Ukraine and destroying the countrys agricultural potential to frighten the Ukrainian political leadership and people and make them surrender.

According to Kyslytsya, Russia is using a wide and extremely brutal set of tools. They include the deliberate destruction of residential areas and critical infrastructure facilities, missile strikes all over the country, the blockade of cities, the violation of humanitarian corridor agreements, terror against civilians within the occupied areas, including kidnapping and murders. Kyslytsya stressed that Russian invaders had already abducted about 30 local leaders, activists and journalists.

Russian troops launched 467 ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles on residential areas. According to Kyslytsya, it is the most intense missile striking over such a short period in the entire history.

Kyslytsya noted that Mariupol is remaining a bloody wound in the heart of Europe. According to the local authorities, at least 5,000 people died there. About 150,000 local residents are remaining trapped in the besieged city.

Kyslytsya stressed that Moscow is attempting to take some civilians to Russia, which is not only cynical hypocrisy but also a gross violation of the laws and customs of war and the international humanitarian law. At the moment, about 40,000 Ukrainians were forcibly deported to Russia and Belarus.

In addition, Russian troops are shelling on evacuation columns, which are trying to drive from Mariupol towards the Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Currently, a total of 1.8 million children have fled abroad. Russian invaders killed at least 143 children and wounded 216 children.

Kyslytsya repeatedly called on countries to join the Group of Friends of Accountability following the Russian aggression against Ukraine. This group was established last Friday and includes 50 member countries at the moment.

mk
In order to staff its armed forces, Russia redeployed troops from bases in the occupied territories of Georgia to Ukraine.

"In order to staff the armed forces of the Russian Federation, the units of the 4th (Tskhinvali district, South Ossetia) and 7th (Abkhazia) military bases, which are part of the Southern Military District, were redeployed from the occupied territories of Georgia to Ukraine," the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine posted on Facebook.

According to the General Staff data, three battalion tactical groups (BTGs) with a total number of up to 1,200 Russian and Ossetian servicemen were formed and sent to Ukraine from the 4th military base. Two BTGs were formed of the 7th military base units, numbering about 800 people.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine notes that the Russian armed forces continue to experience staffing problems. In particular, servicemen of the 26th Tank Regiment of the 47th Tank Division, who signed contracts, began to file reports after they had participated in the war against Ukraine, requesting to terminate the contract and send them to a permanent location for further service.

It is also reported that the Joint Forces in Donetsk and Luhansk regions repulsed four attacks by the Russian occupiers over the past 24 hours. Ukrainian soldiers destroyed seven tanks, seven armored vehicles, two vehicles, and an anti-tank gun. The enemy suffered manpower losses.

On February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin started a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops shell and destroy key infrastructure, massively fire on residential areas of Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages using artillery, MLRS, and ballistic missiles.

The United States, the European Union, and other countries have imposed sanctions on Russia as an aggressor whose international isolation is growing every day.

The International Criminal Court has begun documenting and investigating Russia's war crimes in Ukraine.

ol
Three humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of people have been agreed for March 30.

Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said this at a briefing on Wednesday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"To date, three humanitarian corridors have been agreed for the evacuation of Mariupol residents and delivery of humanitarian aid to Berdiansk, delivery of humanitarian aid and evacuation of people from Melitopol, as well as for a convoy of people leaving Enerhodar for Zaporizhia in their own vehicles," Vereshchuk said.

According to her, columns of buses and trucks with humanitarian aid have already left the city of Zaporizhia.

"We demand that occupation troops abide by their commitments and allow humanitarian convoys through checkpoints. On the way back to Zaporizhia, people from Berdiansk and Melitopol will be able to join the humanitarian convoys in their own vehicles," the official said.

She also said that during the talks on March 29, the Russian delegation was given proposals on the organization of humanitarian corridors to the most affected 97 settlements in the Kharkiv, Kyiv, Kherson, Chernihiv, Sumy, Zaporizhia, Donetsk, Luhansk and Mykolaiv regions.

On March 29, 1,665 people were evacuated from Mariupol and several towns of the Zaporizhia region along three agreed humanitarian corridors.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is now "a leader of the free world" who can convince the world of his point of view.

According to Ukrinform, Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian President's Office, said this in an interview with The Economist.

According to Yermak, Ukraine has shown that it's possible not to be afraid, not to have thousands of tanks or millions of troops. "It is simply enough to be a brave and honest person that loves his country," Yermak added.

He noted that now Ukraine needs to stand and survive, because "if it doesn't, Putin will never stop."

Yermak stressed that the Ukrainian army is one of the few armies in the world that was able to stop Russian troops after a month of fighting. "I think there is one, or maybe two armies in the world that are capable of stopping the Russian army after a month of fighting. If I were a NATO member, I would be so interested in having a country that shows what it's capable of in practice," he said.

On February 24, Russian President Putin announced the beginning of a large-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops have been shelling and destroying infrastructure, residential areas of Ukrainian cities and villages using artillery, multiple rocket launchers and ballistic missiles.
Russias invasion of Ukraine is a repudiation of a whole generation of German politicians from across the spectrum.

BERLIN  Germany is no stranger to the wrong side of history.

Thats why it shouldnt surprise anyone that Berlin spent the past 16 years with its feet firmly planted on the wrong side of the divide over how to handle Russia.

Less predictable was the speed with which Germany abandoned its stance toward Moscow in recent weeks by halting the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, sending arms to Ukraine, embracing sanctions against Russia, and even announcing it would start pumping substantial sums into its own army.

In other words, it agreed almost overnight to do everything the U.S. and other allies had been prodding it to do for years. Berlin even ginned up a hashtag-ready motto for the shift: Zeitenwende, i.e. the dawn of a new era.

Weeks later, its become clear that what German leaders are really trying to say is: Lets move on.

On that score, the Germans have had about as much luck as the Russian army in Ukraine. Thats because Germany didnt merely misjudge Putin, as Angela Merkels longtime foreign policy adviser, Christoph Heusgen, the new chairman of the Munich Security Conference, said last week.

Germanys stubborn insistence on engaging with the Russian leader in the face of his sustained aggression (a catalog of misdeeds ranging from the invasion of Georgia to assassinations of enemies abroad and war crimes in Syria) was nothing short of a catastrophic blunder, one that will earn Merkel a place in the pantheon of political naivete alongside Neville Chamberlain.

Slowly but surely, its begun to dawn on Germans that Merkels soft-shoe approach to Russia  which reached its zenith with the 2015 decision to green light the Nord Stream 2 pipeline despite Russias annexation of Crimea and its role in the separatist war in eastern Ukraine  didnt just open the door for Putin to go further, it effectively encouraged him to do so.

Russias invasion of Ukraine is not just a repudiation of Merkels chancellorship, however, but of a whole generation of German politicians from across the spectrum blinded by nostalgia for Ostpolitik and Wandel durch Handel, the 1970s-era detente policies championed by Chancellor Willy Brandt that according to German legend led to the end of the Cold War.

Germanys collective responsibility is why turning the page is easier said than done. There is no Churchill-like figure in German politics who has been warning for years of the perils of trusting Putin. While Merkel deserves most of the blame for falling into the Russian leaders trap, the truth is that Germanys entire political class is guilty.

As Merkels finance minister and vice chancellor, the current Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose Social Democrats were the driving force behind the Nord Stream pipelines, championed the notion that the best way to deal with Putin was through never-ending dialogue.

Jens Plotner, currently Scholzs national security adviser, was one of the primary architects of that policy in his years as a senior diplomat in Germanys foreign office, where he served as chief of staff to then-Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (a Social Democrat who is now German president) and most recently as the ministrys political director. Even after Putin amassed tens of thousands of troops on Ukraines border in December, Plotner advised Scholz to stick with Nord Stream 2 and publicly repeat the fiction that it was little more than a commercial project.

Plotners old boss Steinmeier, who accused NATO in 2016 of saber rattling and warmongering for holding a military exercise on the alliances eastern flank, argued almost until the first shots were fired on Ukrainians that Germany should use energy as a way to build bridges with Russia.

These days, Steinmeier, who as president is meant to serve as Germanys moral authority, occupies himself by organizing freedom and peace concerts with Russian and Ukrainian musicians. (One of the events took place in early March in Dresden as bombs rained down on Kharkiv, Ukraines second city.)

Over the weekend, Andrij Melnyk, Ukraines ambassador to Germany, declared he would boycott Steinmeiers latest event, saying Ukrainians had no time for grand Russian culture while Moscow was murdering innocent civilians.

Though less responsible than either Merkels Christian Democrats or the Social Democrats for the policies that led up to Putins invasion of Ukraine, the smaller parties in Germanys ruling coalition  the liberal Free Democrats and the Greens  havent exactly covered themselves in glory either.

While the Greens opposed Nord Stream 2, they did so as much for ecological reasons as out of solidarity with Ukraine. More significant was their steadfast opposition to arms deliveries to Kyiv, which only changed after the fighting started.

The Free Democrats were divided over what to do about Nord Stream 2, with many in the party, including deputy party leader Wolfgang Kubicki, supporting more engagement with Russia. According to Melnyk, Free Democrat leader Christian Lindner, who is also Germanys finance minister, told him on the day the war started that there would be no point in Berlin sending weapons to Ukraine or shutting Russia out of SWIFT, the international payment system, because his country only has a few hours of sovereignty.

Skepticism over Ukraines prospects, not to mention concern over the consequences of going too hard on Russia, was shared by many in the main opposition party, the Christian Democrats (CDU). Just weeks before Russias invasion, CDU leader Friedrich Merz warned that suspending Russia from SWIFT could trigger an atomic bomb in the capital markets.

We were all wrong

Having been wrong about Russia and Putin every step of the way, Germanys politicians have resorted to the who knew? card.

I was wrong, we were all wrong, Wolfgang Schauble, the eminence grise of German politics and longtime CDU finance minister, told the Welt am Sonntag over the weekend.

What Schauble and his colleagues leave out, however, is that Germanys allies had been warning it for years that it was underestimating Putin. When confronted with that reality, the Germans dont know quite how to react.

After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reminded German MPs in a speech to the Bundestag this month that the business Germany did with Russia helped finance the war against his country and attacked them for paying worthless lip service to the Holocaust, they gave him a standing ovation  and then promptly returned to regular business, which included wishing two MPs a happy birthday.

During the Cold War, the term useful idiot became a label for moderates in the West who fell victim to the communists credulous arguments.

From Germanys veto of NATO membership for Ukraine and Georgia in 2008 to its pursuit of gas deals with Moscow to its resistance to send arms to Kyiv  the countrys leaders have served as Putins useful idiots.

All the while, the so-called Russlandversteher, the smug Russian sympathizers who populate the countrys political establishment, rejected criticism of their course, insisting they knew better while (literally) laughing in Washingtons face.

No ones laughing anymore.

Even as allies welcome Berlins Zeitenwende, they arent fooled by its foxhole conversion.

Ukraine, which was pillaged by Germany during World War II, by the end of which it had lost more than 15 percent of its population, certainly wont forgive and forget.

Germany wont have any real credibility within the transatlantic alliance either (no matter how many billions it commits to spending on defense) until theres an honest reckoning with the history of the Merkel-Putin years.

As Germany knows all too well, even if its possible to hide from history for a time, theres no escaping it.

By Matthew Karnitschnig
Having suffered heavy losses in Ukraine, some Russian troops have been forced to return to Russia and Belarus to reorganize and resupply.

The British Defense Ministry said this in its latest intelligence update posted on Twitter, Ukrinform reports.

"Russian units suffering heavy losses have been forced to return to Belarus and Russia to reorganize and resupply," the statement reads.

The Defense Ministry added that such activity is placing further pressure on Russia's already strained logistics and demonstrates the difficulties Russia is having reorganizing its units in forward areas within Ukraine.

According to the statement, Russia will likely continue to compensate for its reduced ground maneuver capability through massive artillery and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities.

The ministry also believes that Russia's stated focus on an offensive in Donetsk and Luhansk is likely a tacit admission that it is struggling to sustain more than one significant axis of advance.

On February 24, Russian President Putin announced the beginning of a large-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops have been shelling and destroying infrastructure, residential areas of Ukrainian cities and villages using artillery, multiple rocket launchers and ballistic missiles.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced.

Photo: AA
Civil society, media organizations and human rights associations have called on the international community to hold Russia accountable for crimes committed in Ukraine.

According to Ukrinform, the civil society, media organisations and associations, and media outlets of Eastern Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia said this in an open statement on taking urgent and necessary measures to restore international law and order and overcome the consequences of the international security catastrophe caused by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The open statement was published on the website of the Independent Media Council.

On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation launched a large-scale invasion into sovereign and independent Ukraine in violation of the imperative norms of international law. This invasion was a continuation of Russias aggression against Ukraine that started in March 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and the subsequent occupation of part of the eastern territories of Ukraine. There is currently a large-scale international armed conflict in the heart of Europe, in which Russia is resorting to war crimes as a deliberately chosen strategy of terror against civilians, the document says.

The authors say that this this conflict has posed the greatest threat to world peace since World War II and could lead to the complete destruction of international law and order and the worlds entry into an era of war of all against all.

This catastrophe became possible due to laziness, cowardice, and conformism of international institutions and organisations that have failed to effectively defend the principles of democracy, the rule of law, and human rights. It also became possible because by relying confidently on the international standards and norms developed after World War II, we did not pay attention to the fact that the all-encompassing technological disruption of recent years could require a substantial revision and/or adaptation of at least some of these standards, the document says.

The authors of the statement call on the international community and competent international organisations to:

. Demonstrate genuine commitment to the spirit of international law and the necessary political will to expel the Russian Federation from the UN Security Council. A country that has repeatedly violated the fundamental principles of the United Nations has no legal or moral right to be a permanent member of one of its key bodies.

. Recognize that the UNs structure and certain operational procedures (above all, the rules of the work of the UN Security Council) were based on the political realities of the end of World War II and are neo-colonial and unjust by their nature. They have long been unable to uphold international law and order. For this reason, it is necessary to immediately begin the review process of the basic mechanisms of the UN with the aim of substantially reforming them to effectively ensure the preservation of peace.

. Ensure that the Russian Federation is brought to justice for the international crimes committed against Ukraine, including the crime of aggression and war crimes. Should it be impossible to engage the International Criminal Court effectively, it is necessary to establish a special international tribunal to investigate and punish the crimes committed by Russian officials and military personnel against Ukraine.

IV. Given that Russias armed aggression against Ukraine incorporates a significant information component, the aforementioned international tribunal must consider holding liable a number of Russian media figures who deliberately, systematically, and massively developed and implemented aggressive information operations to spread disinformation, incitement to hatred, propaganda for and justification of Russian aggression against Ukraine. A provisional list of persons to be brought to justice is proposed in Annex 1 to this Statement. A non-exhaustive list of verified sources and reports with examples and evidence of such aggressive information operations is provided in Annex 2 to this Statement.

V. Recognize that freedom of expression and freedom of the media should in no way extend to aggressive information operations that are funded, controlled, and/or otherwise supported by countries with unlawful intent. Immediately begin the process of international consultations involving representatives of civil society, academia, and the media to develop a legal framework to limit and counter aggressive information operations at the global and regional levels. Numerous testimonies from Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine clearly demonstrate how aggressive information operations lead to actual armed conflicts. For the sake of protection of peace, this practice must be eradicated.

VI. Recognize that information aggression is not merely a supporting factor in modern conflicts but rather a powerful main component of them. Immediately begin the process of international consultations to develop an updated definition of aggression for the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to include aggressive information operations.

The authors of the document stress that the successful implementation is possible and necessary to preserve the civilizational achievements of humanity and overcome the global security crisis.

The document was signed by about 80 organizations from Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Belarus and Georgia.

Photo: AA
No other state since World War II has posed such a threat to free navigation as Russia has already posed.

The war is not limited to our borders now. No other state since World War II and the Nazi aggression at sea has posed such a threat to free navigation as Russia has already posed, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in his address to the Storting, the Parliament of Norway.

The President noted that the Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov had been blocked by Russia since the first day of their invasion.

About a hundred ships cannot enter the Mediterranean Sea. Some ships were simply hijacked  this is piracy for theft of cargo. Several ships were fired at, he said.

Read also: Ukraine insists on punishing Russia for use of mines in Black Sea

Russians blocked the ports by their Navy and by planting mines, Zelensky underscored.

And now the mines planted by Russian forces are drifting at sea. And this is a danger for anyone: for any ships and ports of any country in the Black Sea region. One of these mines was recently cleared in time in the Bosphorus. Another - near the Bulgarian border. Another - near the coast of Romania. I don't even want to imagine what will happen if some of these mines are not cleared in time, the President of Ukraine said.

The President stressed that such mines could damage ferries or passenger liners, merchant ships or tankers, the explosion of which could lead not only to human casualties, but also to a large-scale environmental disaster.

And then Russia will say again, as always, that it is not them. As it has said many times when killing critics of the Russian government in Europe or even shooting down the Malaysian Boeing in the sky over Donbas, the Head of State added.

As reported, Turkey's minehunter vessels and maritime patrol aircraft were put on increased combat alert.

On March 28, the Ministry of Defense of Romania tried to defuse a mine found about 70 km offshore in the Black Sea.

Russia mined the recommended sea routes from the Bosphorus to Odesa, saying those were Ukrainian mines. Ukraine insists on bringing Russia to international responsibility for the use of sea mines as indiscriminate weapons which spread uncontrollably in the Black Sea.

The diplomats said that Russia was using mines seized by the Russian armed forces in 2014 during the military invasion and temporary occupation of the Ukrainian city of Sevastopol.

ol
Russian invaders plan to transport non-functioning vehicles to the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk region.

As of 18:00 on March 30, Russian troops continue to conduct a full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine. At the same time, some units of the armed forces of the Russian Federation are being partially withdrawn from the territory of Kyiv and Chernihiv regions, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine posted on Facebook.

According to the General Staff data, the enemy has significant difficulties in bringing the military equipment removed from long-term storage into a battle. In particular, a significant amount of non-functioning equipment was detected in the 163rd Motor Rifle Regiment of the 150th Motor Rifle Division.

It is noted that the enemy considers a possibility to transport non-functioning vehicles with the help of tractors to the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk region for further restoration.

At the same time, Russian troops continue to suffer significant personnel losses.

For its part, the self-proclaimed leadership of the Republic of Belarus continues to deny participation in the war against Ukraine, while freely providing its territories for deployment of Russian armed forces, airfield and transport networks, as well as locations for cruise and ballistic missile launchers.

The General Staff notes that, according to international law, an aggressor can be considered "a country that provides its airspace, its territory for launching strikes on a third country."

In addition, the Republic of Belarus provides the Russian invaders with the opportunity to use the network of healthcare facilities in its territory.

On February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin started a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops shell and destroy key infrastructure, massively fire on residential areas of Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages using artillery, MLRS, ballistic missiles, aviation bombs.

ol
The Ukrainian Embassy in Poland is holding talks with the Polish government on the complete closure of Poland's border with Belarus, even if such a decision is not taken at the EU level.

That's according to Ukraine's Ambassador to Poland Andrii Deshchytsia, Ukrinform reports.

"We are holding talks with the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure, with the Polish government, in order to completely close the border between Poland and Belarus - even if the decision is not taken at the level of the European Union," he said.

Deschytsia also said that Ukrainian diplomats were holding talks with Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

"We also appealed to these countries so that they simultaneously close their borders with Belarus and Russia. I think that if such a decision is made, it will not be necessary to wait for the decision of the European Union - we will completely block any supplies to Russia," the ambassador stressed.

On March 25, the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine sent a letter to the European Commission with a proposal to completely block transport services with Russia and Belarus.

Photo: Polskie Radio
President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for diplomats and military attaches to increase their efforts so that Ukraine could receive more weapons and sanctions against Russia be further strengthened.

The president said this in his video address, Ukrinform reports.

There are those who work together with everyone to defend the state. So that Ukraine can gain its future. We appreciate the work of each such person. And there are those who waste time and work only to stay in office. Today I signed the first decree to recall such a person. Such an Ambassador of Ukraine. From Morocco. The Ambassador from Georgia was also recalled, he said.

The president also addressed the diplomats and stressed that if there are no weapons, no sanctions, no restrictions for Russian business, they could start looking for another job.

I look forward to concrete results in the coming days from our representatives in Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa, Zelensky said.

The president said he expects the same results from military attaches.

I expect the same results from military attaches in the coming days. The diplomatic frontline is one of the key frontlines. And everyone there must work as efficiently as possible to win and help the army. Each on the diplomatic frontline must work just as each of our defenders on the battlefield, Zelensky said.

As reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on March 1 that Ukraine was recalling its ambassadors from Kyrgyzstan and Georgia.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops have been shelling and destroying key infrastructure facilities, conducting massive shelling of residential areas of Ukrainian cities and villages using artillery, multiple rocket launchers and ballistic missiles.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced.

The United States, the European Union, and other countries impose sanctions on Russia as an aggressor whose international isolation is growing by the day.

iy
The Russian Navy is blocking in the Black Sea region more than 90 civilian ships carrying food for the world market.

Thirty percent of the worlds wheat exports typically come from the Black Sea region, as does 20 percent of the worlds corn and 75 percent of sunflower oil. But Russia has bombed at least three civilian ships carrying goods from Black Sea ports to the rest of the world, including one chartered by an agribusiness company, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said at the UN Security Council briefing on March 29.

The consequences of Putin's war are being felt far beyond Ukraine and directly affect global food security, the official underscored.

The Russian Navy is blocking access to Ukraines ports, essentially cutting off exports of grain. They are reportedly preventing approximately 94 ships carrying food for the world market from reaching the Mediterranean, Sherman said.

As noted, many shippers are now hesitant to send vessels into the Black Sea, even to Russian ports, given the danger posed by Russian forces.

According to Human Rights Watch data, Russias invasion of Ukraine has exacerbated the food crisis in the Middle East and North Africa. In particular, Lebanon receives 80% of wheat from Ukraine; Egypt buys wheat as well as large quantities of sunflower oil; Libya imports more than 40% of wheat from Ukraine; Yemen  at least 27%. In addition, the authorities in Northwest Syria supply the region with wheat and flour procured through Turkey, but Turkey imports 90 percent of its wheat from Ukraine.

ol
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Poland to Ukraine Bartosz Cichocki said that everything should be done now to guarantee Ukraine and Europe's security from the Russian Federation.

He said this in an interview with LB.ua, Ukrinform reports.

In fact, it is our common tragedy. I'm not certain I will feel safe in Warsaw if we don't help you defeat the aggressor. What happened on February 24 was a huge mistake and a huge crime on the part of Russia. After what had happened, everyone realized that this was no longer some kind of incitement to separatism, this wasnt some kind of frozen conflict. This is a threat of a big war, the ambassador said.

According to Bartosz Cichocki, there are many people around the world who still need to be persuaded, but consolidation has already been achieved: unprecedented sanctions have been imposed on Russia, which sent the criminal regime back to cave times.

We are doing everything possible to prevent this (World War 3 - ed.) from happening. But yes: if we don't do enough, the Putin regime will have no choice but to start a global war. He has committed so many crimes that he has only one option left, and that is to keep committing them. Russia has excluded itself from the family of civilized nations. Now everything must be done to guarantee Ukraine and Europe's security from Russia, Cichocki stressed.

While commenting on Warsaws reaction to NATOs refusal to deploy a peacekeeping mission to Ukraine, Ambassador Cichocki clarified that Poland would continue to work on the issue of the NATO peacekeeping mission.

We will carry on our work. Poland is a NATO ally, so it will cooperate with other members of the Alliance to resolve the issue in favor of peace. Remember the discussions concerning Nord Stream 2 when we couldn't freeze it, when we were told it was a purely economic project? We were also assured that it was not the right time for Ukraine to become part of the EU. Now this situation has changed dramatically, the ambassador said.

Bartosz Cichocki added that Poland was also currently considering sending the necessary assistance to Ukraine, including Soviet-era fighter jets.

We understand Ukraine's expectations, but there are other standpoints. We should not limit ourselves to talking only about warplanes: Ukraine now needs a lot of other things. We are also working on providing aircraft. But again: this is not a local Russia-Ukraine war, this is not a Russia-Poland dispute. That is why we need consensus here and we must move in the same direction as all our allies. We need to carry on with our job, said the Polish ambassador.

He added that Russia would not respect Ukraine's theoretical neutrality, and noted that he hadnt heard any discussions within the Ukrainian government about the introduction of non-aligned status."

I give you 100% that Russia will not respect your hypothetical neutrality. It is not talking about your neutrality. What it means is the return to the relations in the Euro-Atlantic area as they were in 1997. Ukraine's neutrality will not satisfy Moscow, it needs a gray zone in Poland and the Baltic States. It needs a golden share in Ukraine, Bartosz Cichocki stressed.

As reported, Polands Ambassador to Ukraine said earlier that NATO should be more pro-active in Ukraine in order to stop Russia's intention to change the structure of international relations around the world by force.
Most members of the Federal Parliament of Canada supported the immediate abolition of the visa regime with Ukraine.

As an Ukrinform correspondent reports, the MPs voted in favor of the report tabled by the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, whose members previously supported the implementation of visa-free travel from Ukraine to Canada.

We call on the Government of Canada to implement visa-free travel from Ukraine to Canada, including by the rapid issuance of an electronic travel authorization (eTA), reads the adopted report.

MPs also recommend that the Government should increase staffing resources so that the existing backlog for all immigration streams is not further impacted by this humanitarian crisis.

In addition, the document contains calls for the Government to support Ukrainians and people residing in Ukraine who are impacted by this conflict.

We condemn the unwarranted and unprovoked attack on Ukraine, which was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, a clear violation of international law, reads the report.

The decision on the visa regime is within the competence of the government, but legislators can express political support and ask the executive power to consider a particular issue.

Canada currently has a simplified travel regime for Ukrainian citizens, but they need obtain a visa before traveling to this country.

ol
Ukraine insists on bringing Russia to international responsibility for the use of sea mines as indiscriminate weapons which spread uncontrollably in the Black Sea.

This is underscored in the statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

In particular, the Ministry points out that since the beginning of the large-scale aggressive war against Ukraine, Russia has been intensifying the illegal activities of its naval forces in the Black Sea.

"Apart from capturing and destroying civilian ships, bombing the territory of Ukraine from the sea, Russia has invented a new method of piracy, which is the use of sea mines as uncontrolled drifting ammunition. Such drifting mines were discovered off the coast of Turkey and Romania on March 26-28, 2022," the Ministry stated.

It was established in course of the inspection that those sea mines had not been registered with the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of the beginning of 2022.

"Those mines were seized by the Russian armed forces in 2014 during the military invasion and temporary occupation of the Ukrainian city of Sevastopol. As a result, Russia, using sea mines seized from military depots in 2014, deliberately provokes and discredits Ukraine in front of international partners," the statement reads.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, by doing so, the aggressor state seeks to conceal its illegal activities in the Black Sea, which run counter the principles and norms of international maritime and humanitarian law, and to evade responsibility for war crimes and piracy.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine emphasizes that Russia's deliberate use of drifting sea mines turns them into de facto indiscriminate weapons which threaten, above all, civilian shipping and human life at sea in the waters of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, the Kerch and Black Sea straits.

Responsibility for the use of drifting mines, as well as for the unpredictable consequences, rests solely with the Russian Federation and its Navy, Ukraines Foreign Ministry stressed.

"Ukraine insists on bringing Russia to international responsibility for illegal actions in the Black Sea, war crimes and, in particular, the use of sea mines as indiscriminate weapons which are spread uncontrollably in the Black Sea," the Foreign Ministry stated.

In compliance with its international obligations, Ukraine notified the International Maritime Organization of Russia's use of drifting mines in the Black Sea including during an extraordinary session of the IMO Council and the Legal Committee, as well as through NAVTEX medium.

As reported, Russia mined recommended sea routes from the Bosporus to Odesa, claiming those were Ukrainian mines.

Drifting sea mines in the Black Sea have already been detected, in particular, by Turkey and Romania.

ol
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Norway to help Ukraine with anti-ship weapons and air-defense systems to protect the freedom and security of Ukrainians and the entire Europe.

The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his speech in the Norwegian Storting.

Freedom must be armed no worse than tyranny. I will be very specific in these walls, in your walls. Believe me, we are losing specific people, specific cities are being destroyed. So I want to make it clear what we need. In particular, anti-ship weapons  Harpoon missiles, as well as air-defense systems  NASAMS. In addition, we need weapons to destroy armored vehicles and artillery systems, Zelensky said.

The President of Ukraine expressed gratitude to Norway for the tangible support they had already given to Ukraine, including weapons. Meanwhile, Russia is sending new forces to the Ukrainian land to continue destroying the Ukrainian people.

According to Zelensky, the columns of Russian armored vehicles are not decreasing. Although Ukrainian defenders have already destroyed more Russian tanks and other combat vehicles than Moscow has lost in any war in the last 50 years.

All the weapons you can help us with will be used only to protect our freedom, your freedom. Only to protect the freedom and security you enjoy with other Europeans, Zelensky stressed.

The President of Ukraine noted that Russian missiles and air bombs hit Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure every day and night. There are no forbidden targets for Russian troops. They attack everything. They attack hospitals and airports, food warehouses and residential areas.

A reminder that, on February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, starting a war. Russian troops are shelling and destroying the key infrastructure facilities, launching missile and air strikes on Ukrainian cities and villages, killing civilians.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

mk
President Volodymyr Zelensky calls on the European Union and Norway to ban Russian ships from using the ports on the continent.

Also, the European Union, and therefore, I hope, Norway, must finally implement a ban on Russian ships using ports on the continent. As long as Russia blocks our ports, it has no right to use all the ports of the free world, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in his address to the Storting, the Parliament of Norway.

According to him, this is a matter of freedom and security of global navigation, not money.

The President of Ukraine thanked Norway for joining the EU sanctions against Russia, underscoring that European companies must not help Russias military machine, which has already killed thousands of Ukrainians, destroyed dozens of cities completely.

No krone, I beg you, no euro of taxes that help Russian aggression! For example, your company MOTUS TECH and other companies must stop supporting Russia's ability to destroy neighbors. How can one supply ship equipment to Russia when it uses its fleet to mine the sea and destroy any opportunities for free navigation? Zelensky said.

Read also: Ukraine insists on punishing Russia for use of mines in Black Sea

He is convinced that sanctions are the only means that can motivate Russia to seek peace, so new sanctions packages must be introduced weekly, without pauses.

According to the Head of State, the tougher the sanctions, the sooner peace will be restored.

As reported, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said at the UN Security Council briefing that the Russian Navy was blocking in the Black Sea region more than 90 civilian ships carrying food for the world market.

Russia mined the recommended sea routes from the Bosphorus to Odesa, saying those were Ukrainian mines. Ukraine insists on bringing Russia to international responsibility for the use of sea mines as indiscriminate weapons which spread uncontrollably in the Black Sea. The diplomats said that Russia was using mines seized by the Russian armed forces in 2014 during the military invasion and temporary occupation of the Ukrainian city of Sevastopol.

ol
Germany is ready to become a guarantor of Ukraine's security but only if the parties to the war conclude a peace agreement.

"During several telephone conversations with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky asked if Germany was ready to become one of the guarantors of international security, to which the Chancellor signaled overall readiness," German Federal Government Spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said at a briefing on Wednesday, Ukrinform reports.

However, he added, it is too early to talk about any specific commitments as the precondition is a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. Moreover, it is necessary to understand what such an agreement could look like and how security guarantees will be defined. Hebestreit also did not speculate on the possible involvement of the Bundeswehr in the event of further aggression. He only reiterated Berlins stance that Germany would not become a direct "participant in this war."

"The goal should be to make Ukraine feel safe from being attacked by Russia again," the German Federal Government Spokesperson said.

Asked to comment on Moscow's statements that it scaled back military activity in northern Ukraine, Hebestreit said: "I would be fundamentally skeptical of something like that," he said.

As reported, a face-to-face round of talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations took place in Istanbul on March 29. Afterwards, the Ukrainian delegation put forward a number of proposals to end the Russian-Ukrainian war, including the signing of an international agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine. Potential guarantors could be the United States, Britain, China, Canada, France, Germany, Turkey, Italy, Poland, Israel.

On February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin started a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops shell and destroy key infrastructure, massively fire on residential areas of Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages using artillery, MLRS, and ballistic missiles.

ol
The United States will provide the Government of Ukraine with $500 million in direct budget aid on top of defensive and humanitarian support.

President Biden informed President Zelensky that the United States intends to provide the Ukrainian government with $500 million in direct budgetary aid, reads the readout of President Bidens call with the President of Ukraine.

The leaders discussed how the United States is working around the clock to fulfill the main security assistance requests by Ukraine, the critical effects those weapons have had on the conflict, and continued efforts by the United States with allies and partners to identify additional capabilities to help the Ukrainian military defend its country.

In addition, the presidents discussed the imposition of severe costs on Russia for its brutal aggression against Ukraine.

In turn, President Zelensky updated President Biden on the status of Ukraines negotiations with Russia.

As reported, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Joe Biden held an hour-long conversation on defensive, financial, and humanitarian aid, sanctions, and the situation on the battlefield and in talks with Russia.

ol
The Australian Governments budget announcement on Tuesday of an additional 16,500 places over the next four years for refugees from Afghanistan is welcome news and will be life-transforming for those who benefit.

With conflict in Syria, Yemen, Myanmar, South Sudan and elsewhere, plus now in Ukraine we are witnessing extraordinary growth globally in the numbers of people who are forcibly displaced. Increased displacement amplifies existing difficulties and waiting time for the almost 1.5 million refugees worldwide who urgently need resettlement. Only 22,800 refugees referred by UNHCR departed to resettlement countries in 2020.

This is why responsibility-sharing among nations is so important when it comes to providing answers for the worlds refugees. At a time when developments in Ukraine are so much a focus of global public and media attention, it is also crucial that the needs of refugees from countries less prevalent in the news are not overlooked or forgotten.

Australia has a proud tradition of helping refugees from around the world. Its budget announcement will give fresh hope to some over the next four years. UNHCR looks forward to a return to Australias previous more ambitious resettlement targets to address the pressing needs globally.

Media contact:

In Canberra, Charlotta Lomas [email protected] +61424 545 569
New data released by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, highlights the remarkable resilience of refugees, despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence shows that the living conditions of refugees are improving, with most families generating their own income.

Despite this, most refugees remain on the brink of falling into poverty. 64 percent* of refugees currently living on less than 3JOD a day. In addition, 90 percent of refugee families say they employ at least one negative coping strategy, such as reducing food intake or buying household goods on credit, to get through their day to day.

We stand at a crossroad of the refugee response in Jordan, stated Dominik Bartsch, UNHCR Representative in Jordan. The improving situation for refugees reflects the impact of our collective efforts over the past years, yet this can easily be reversed. Refugees remain vulnerable, and more needs to be done to support their self-reliance.

The 2022 Vulnerability Assessment Framework (VAF) is a comprehensive and rich analysis of the refugee population in Jordan. Surveying over 10,000 refugee families, this analysis usually takes place every two years although the recent assessment was delayed due to the pandemic. Results are designed to monitor changes in refugee vulnerability over time, inform the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and support programs aiming to strengthen the self-reliance of refugees.

In addition, UNHCR Jordan and the World Bank MENA Poverty team collaborated to determine for the first-time monetary poverty among refugees in Jordan. Using the international poverty line of 5.5 dollars*, equivalent to about 3 dinar per day, the data shows that without assistance, three quarters of refugees would be poor. Thanks to assistance, the percentage drops to 64 percent.

The released data in the VAF can be a powerful tool for evidence-based decision making to inform Jordans refugee response. Continued joint humanitarian-development analyses will utilize the new data to explore how to enhance the targeting efficiency of assistance, and thus its effectiveness, stated Holly Benner, Resident Representative for the World Bank in Jordan.

For the first time, this years assessment has also examined the situation of refugees living in refugee camps. In comparison to the out of camp population, evidence shows that camp residents fare better in areas such as health and education but, due to a lack of employment opportunities, are more reliant on humanitarian aid. 52 percent of out-of-camp families report having access to income from work compared to 25 percent in refugee camps.

In both camp and out-of-camp settings, findings highlight that having one family member employed is not enough to meet monthly household needs. As a result, the number of Syrian refugee families holding debt, increased by 39 percent in comparison to 2018.

Increased debt is having a knock-on effect on standards of living. Refugees living in out-of-camp settings are increasingly resorting to living in unsafe homes in sub-standard conditions. Most refugees also have no written rental agreement and almost 20 percent of those surveyed received a threat of eviction in 2021.

On a more positive note, the benefits of including refugees in national systems can clearly be seen. 80 percent of refugee children have attended school over the last year  despite the challenges of remote education  while child labor remains minimal.

In the field of health, however, more needs to be done to ensure that the most vulnerable families are receiving the support they need. In comparison to 2018, there has been a 13 percent increase in Syrian refugees who needed medical care but were unable to access it.

In total, 760,000 refugees are currently registered with UNHCR in Jordan which constitutes the second largest proportion of refugees per capita in the world. Only 17 percent of refugees live in refugee camps, with the majority living in towns and cities across the Kingdom. This vast array of new evidence about the situation facing refugees in Jordan will help to inform not only UNHCRs new multi-year strategy for 2023-2025, but also wider discussions on the next iteration of the refugee response in Jordan, ensuring support for the autonomy of refugees while continuing humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable.

ENDS

*Poverty is calculated using the international poverty line for higher middle-income countries of 5.5USD per person per day. This is equivalent to living on 90 JOD per person per month, or 3 JOD per day.

* 5.5 dollars purchasing power parity

UNHCR and the World Bank closely collaborate through the Joint Data Centre initiative which aims to improve the protection and wellbeing of forcibly displaced persons through evidence-informed humanitarian and development action and inclusive policies. In 2020, UNHCR and the World Bank launched a report on the Compounding Misfortunes faced by Syrian refugees in the outbreak of COVID-19 Pandemic, which discusses Jordan. The release of monetary poverty estimates among refugees in Jordan marks the most recent stage of collaboration.

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
Since Lithuania started receiving higher numbers of refugees and asylum-seekers, UNHCRs partner, the social art agency Artscape, started thinking of new ways to help refugees integrate in their new communities.

Artscapes so-called Creative Missions-project aims to help refugees build connections with the community based on art and creativity. Artists and volunteers visit reception centers to organize different kinds of creative workshops and activities.

It was easier for me, through them, to connect with the community that is interested in creating a connection with people based on art and creativity, says Farah, a refugee from Syria who came to Lithuania in 2016.

Artscape is also working with municipalities to strengthen integration and with the society to change the perception of newcomers through positive stories.

Learn more about Artscape and their integration work in this video, where you will meet Dharshan, a former asylum-seeker from Sri Lanka, Farah from Syria, and Rojin from Iraq.

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
Current Vacancies

Call for applications for General Service positions  Group 2 candidates

This is an open call for applications for UNHCR Group 2 candidates for General Service positions. Successfully screened candidates will be given access to apply to internally advertised GS positions with UNHCR London.

Job Description and how to apply

Internships

Click here to find out more about our internships in the United Kingdom.
March 30 2022

A bid to deliver 48 new homes on 1.83ha of former agricultural land in Kelso has been broached with the Scottish Borders Council.

Custom house types, developed by Aitken Turnbull Architects on behalf of local building contractor M7J Ballantyne, are proposed in a second phase of residential development at Nerhershot off Angraflat Road.

Situated next door to the new Kelso High School the homes are conceived as an urban extension of the town and are arranged around a series of interconnected blocks.

In a planning statement, the architects said: "As the master plan is developed and realised the spine framework will be supplemented with additional landscaping and will allow for a series of urban blocks to be formed blocks will be defined by either street or parkland frontage providing public fronts."

Arranged around an extendable linear amenity space that will connect to future phases.
UNITED NATIONS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Mar, 2022 ) :The United Nations has launched an investigation into the crash of a Puma helicopter while on a reconnaissance mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with eight peacekeepers, including six from Pakistan's military, on board, UN Spokesman Stephan Dujarric said Tuesday.

The spokesman told the regular noon briefing in New York that the two other military personnel abroad were, one each from Russia and Serbia.

He said that a search and rescue operation was launched after the helicopter lost contact with with our colleagues and crashed earlier today.

.

Dujarric said that the peacekeepers were were on a reconnaissance mission in the DRC area of Tshanzu, south-east of Rutshuru in North Kivu, pointing out to the recent clashes there between the M23 rebel armed group and Congolese forces in recent days.

"An investigation is underway," the spokesman said.

"Our thoughts are obviously with the families and friends of those onboard the helicopter, and all of our colleagues of the UN Mission of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO)." An aviation mission of Pakistan was deployed in 2011 in the UN Mission in DRC on peacekeeping duties.
(@FahadShabbir)

Alexandria, United States, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Mar, 2022 ) :The first trial on US soil of an alleged major figure in the Islamic State (IS) group -- an accused member of the kidnap-and-murder cell known as the "Beatles" -- will begin in earnest Wednesday near Washington.

El Shafee Elsheikh, 33, is accused of involvement in the murders of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, as well as aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller.

The day after the selection of 18 jurors, including six alternates, prosecutors and Elsheikh's lawyers will cross swords for the first time in Federal court in Alexandria, Virginia.

Elsheikh and another former British national, Alexanda Amon Kotey, were captured in January 2018 by Kurdish forces in Syria while attempting to flee to Turkey.

They were turned over to US forces in Iraq and flown to Virginia in October 2020 to face charges of hostage-taking, conspiracy to murder US citizens and supporting a foreign terrorist organization.

Kotey pleaded guilty in September 2021 and is facing life in prison. Under his plea agreement, Kotey will serve 15 years in jail in the United States and then be extradited to Britain to face further charges.

Elsheikh opted to fight the charges.

He faces an unconditional sentence of life imprisonment.

Kotey and Elsheikh's four-member jihadist cell, dubbed the "Beatles" by their captives due to their British accents, was allegedly involved in the abductions of at least 27 people in Syria from 2012 to 2015.

The hostages, some of whom were released after their governments paid ransoms, were from at least 15 countries, including the United States, Denmark, France, Japan, Norway and Spain.

The "Beatles" allegedly tortured and killed their victims, including by beheading, and IS released videos of the murders for propaganda purposes.

Ringleader Mohamed Emwazi, known as "Jihadi John," was killed by a US drone in Syria in November 2015, while the fourth "Beatle," Aine Davis, is imprisoned in Turkey after being convicted on terrorism charges.

Kotey, known as "Ringo" by the hostages, and Elsheikh, dubbed "George," allegedly supervised detention facilities for hostages and coordinated ransom negotiations, according to the US authorities.

The pair were also accused of engaging in a "prolonged pattern of physical and psychological violence against hostages," which included waterboarding, electric shocks and mock executions.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2022 ) :As many as six soldiers of Pakistan Army serving as peacekeepers embraced martyrdom on Tuesday during a helicopter crash while undertaking a reconnaissance mission under UN peace keeping Mission in Congo.

The Pakistan Aviation Unit was deployed in UN Mission Congo on peace keeping duties since 2011, where on 29 March, while undertaking a reconnaissance mission in Congo, one PUMA Helicopter crashed, said an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release.

It added that the exact cause of crash was yet to be ascertained as a total of eight UN peacekeepers were on board including six Pakistanis Officers and soldiers who embraced martyrdom.

The martyred Pakistani troops were identified as Lieutenant Colonel Asif Ali Awan, Pilot Major Saad Nomani, Pilot, Major Faizan Ali, Naib Subedar Sami Ullah Khan, Flight Engineer, Havaldar Muhammad Ismail, and Crew Chief Lance Havaldar Muhamad Jamil, Gunner.

The ISPR said Pakistan has always played a pivotal role as responsible member of the international community to help realize ideals of global peace and security through active support in various UN Peacekeeping missions.

"Our Peacekeepers have always distinguished themselves in executing challenging peacekeeping tasks in conflict prone areas through devotion and, if necessary , rendering supreme sacrifices", it added.
Japanese defense and foreign ministers may hold talks with their counterparts from India and the Philippines in two separate 2+2 format meetings in Tokyo in April, Japanese news agency Kyodo reported on Wednesday, citing diplomatic sources

TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th March, 2022) Japanese defense and foreign ministers may hold talks with their counterparts from India and the Philippines in two separate 2+2 format meetings in Tokyo in April, Japanese news agency Kyodo reported on Wednesday, citing diplomatic sources.

The main focus of Japan's talks with both countries is likely to be China's growing military power and intensifying cooperation on maritime security, according to the report. The parties are expected to reassert the importance of upholding international law in the East China Sea and the South China Sea. The ministers are also expected to discuss North Korea's missile launches and reaffirm their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida discussed the plans for these negotiations during his visit to India in March. Japan and India held their first 2+2 talks in November 2019. The upcoming summit of defense and foreign ministers is expected to focus on cooperation in cybersecurity and space, among other things.

The Philippines has never before held 2+2 talks with Japan. The April meeting is expected to discuss the export of military equipment to the Philippines to improve its defense capabilities.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th March, 2022) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in the Chinese district of Tunxi, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

"Sergey Lavrov has arrived in... Tunxi, where a meeting of foreign ministers in the format of countries neighboring Afghanistan will take place tomorrow.

Today, the day will be devoted to bilateral meetings with foreign counterparts," Zakharova wrote on Telegram.

Earlier, Zakharova said Lavrov would make a regional trip after his visit to China, and next week he would hold a series of meetings in Moscow.
Ukraine on Wednesday accused Russia of shelling a city where it had promised de-escalation, dampening hopes of an end to a war that has killed thousands and displaced millions, including four million who have now fled the country

Kyiv, Ukraine, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Mar, 2022 ) :Ukraine on Wednesday accused Russia of shelling a city where it had promised de-escalation, dampening hopes of an end to a war that has killed thousands and displaced millions, including four million who have now fled the country.

Ukraine and Western powers had already cast doubt on Russia's pledge to reduce military activity around Chernigiv and the capital Kyiv, made during face-to-face talks in Istanbul on Tuesday.

"Chernigiv was shelled all night," regional governor Vyacheslav Chaus wrote on social media.

AFP reporters on Wednesday could also hear frequent explosions coming from the direction of the suburban town of Irpin to the northwest of Kyiv.

Oleksandr Motuzyanyk, a spokesman for the Ukrainian defence ministry, said in a video statement that there had been "a certain partial movement of individual units from the Kyiv direction, as well as from the Chernigiv direction".

But he added: "We do not observe the mass removal of Russian troops from these areas".

Russian officials had pledged to "radically" reduce their attacks because of progress in negotiations on "the neutrality and non-nuclear status" of Ukraine -- two central concerns for Moscow.

Both sides called the Istanbul meeting "meaningful" and "positive", but the Kremlin on Wednesday played down hopes of a breakthrough.

"We cannot state that there was anything too promising or any breakthroughs," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"There is a lot of work to be done," Peskov said.

Stock markets, which had been buoyed by the more hopeful comments on Tuesday, slid again and oil prices rose back up on supply concerns.

The Pentagon said Russia had merely repositioned a "small number" of forces near Kyiv, and could be preparing a "major offensive" elsewhere.

The "vast majority" of Russian forces around Kyiv remained in place, said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.

Still, the talks in Istanbul marked the first sign of progress in discussions to end the conflict, with a Kyiv negotiator saying there were "sufficient" conditions for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

US President Joe Biden was due to speak to Zelensky later on Wednesday.

- 'Still in shock' - Ukraine's Western allies said they had no plans to ease measures taken to punish Russia for the invasion which the UN says has seen more than four million Ukrainians flee.

Western sanctions should stay until "every single" Russian soldier is out of Ukraine, said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who called for sanctions to be intensified.

Poland also urged the European Union to impose a tax on Russian hydrocarbon imports while Germany and Austria raised their alarm levels over fears Russia could cut gas supplies to countries that refuse its demand to be paid in rubles.

But Putin on Wednesday told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz gas payments could continue in Euros.

EU member Slovakia, meanwhile, announced it had decided to expel 35 Russian diplomats based on information provided by intelligence services.

And in a development in the cultural world, Russian superstar soprano Anna Netrebko condemned the war and said she would return to the stage after cancelling concerts in the wake of criticism that she was close to the Kremlin.

On a visit to China on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov began shoring up support from allies.

"We, together with you, and with our sympathisers will move towards a multipolar, just, democratic world order," he told his hosts.

Lavrov will go this week to India, which has abstained from UN resolutions censuring Russia and continues to buy Russian oil and other goods, despite pressure from Washington.

On the ground in Ukraine, the country's army has been recapturing territory.

In the town of Trostyanets, just 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the Russian border, AFP reporters saw dazed residents emerge from their homes to search for food as Ukrainian soldiers salvaged what they could from abandoned Russian vehicles.

"There was nothing left to eat in the town, no water and no electricity," said Pavlo, who has spent the past month hunkered down in the basement of his home.

In Irpin, a gateway to Kyiv, officials said they were still recovering bodies in the streets and the area was still being shelled by Russia.

Irpin's mayor Oleksandr Markushyn said at least 200 people had been killed there since the war began.

"Fifty percent of the city is destroyed, including critical infrastructure," he said.

On the eastern outskirts of second city Kharkiv, AFP correspondents witnessed a dozen corpses of Russian soldiers lying scattered in fields and houses.

The Ukrainian army has regained control of a section of the highway there, loosening the Russian grip on the metropolis.

- 'Death everywhere' - Some 20,000 people are believed to have been killed since the conflict began on February 24, according to Zelensky, though the number of casualties could not be independently verified.

On Tuesday a Russian missile strike on the southern town of Mykolaiv left at least 14 dead, Ukrainian officials said.

There was also no progress for the estimated 160,000 people still trapped with little food, water or medicine in the devastated southern port city of Mariupol.

Russian forces have encircled the city and their steady and indiscriminate bombardment has killed at least 5,000 people, but possibly as many as 10,000, according to one senior Ukrainian official.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian ombudswoman Lyudmyla Denisova said a Red Cross facility was targeted by Russian aircraft and artillery.

UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva Russia's widespread and "indiscriminate attacks" were prohibited under international humanitarian law and "may amount to war crimes".

Aid groups have called regularly for access to Mariupol, describing the conditions as hellish, and Ukrainian officials have accused Russian troops of forcibly deporting residents to Russia.

Civilians who have managed to escape Mariupol describe a place with "death everywhere".

"We buried our neighbours, we saw death everywhere and even my children saw it," said Mariia Tsymmerman, who fled to Zaporizhzhia two weeks ago, but is now making the perilous journey back to deliver supplies and help others leave.

"I know a woman who killed her own dog to feed her children," she said.
Former US President Donald Trump leads both incumbent Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in hypothetical presidential campaign matchups for 2024, according to poll data reported by The Hill on Tuesday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th March, 2022) Former US President Donald Trump leads both incumbent Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in hypothetical presidential campaign matchups for 2024, according to poll data reported by The Hill on Tuesday.

The Harvard CAPS-Harris poll places Trump ahead of Biden in a hypothetical matchup, with 47% and 41% respectively. Trump performed even better against Harris in the possible presidential race, leading her 49% to 38%, the poll found.

The poll results speak more to Biden's unpopularity than it does Trump's popularity, Harvard CAPS-Harris co-director Mark Penn said in the report.

The poll placed Biden's overall current approval at 39%.

Trump still remains the frontrunner among potential Republican Party candidates for the 2024 election, with 59% of Republican voters expressing support for his run for a second term. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence are in a tight race for second, with the former receiving 10% support and the latter getting 11%, according to the poll.

The poll surveyed 1,990 registered American voters between March 23-24 and weighted to reflect known demographics, the report said.
UN atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi visited a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on Wednesday on his first trip to the country since Russia's invasion raised fears of a nuclear accident

Kyiv, Ukraine, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Mar, 2022 ) :UN atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi visited a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on Wednesday on his first trip to the country since Russia's invasion raised fears of a nuclear accident.

Grossi has repeatedly warned of the dangers of the conflict -- the first in a country with a vast nuclear estate.

Russian forces seized control of the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant site -- where radioactive waste is still stored -- on February 24, the first day of the invasion.

They also captured Europe's largest nuclear plant at Zaporizhzhia on March 4, sparking alarm when shelling caused a fire at a training facility.

"I'm at South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant to meet Ukrainian government officials and staff, and start IAEA technical assistance for safety and security of country's nuclear facilities," the International Atomic Energy Agency head wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.

"Vital to be on the ground to provide effective support to in these extremely difficult times." Grossi also thanked the staff of the facility, also called the Yuzhnoukrainsk nuclear plant, for "their endurance and resilience".

"I want to say that we are here with you, that we are ready to support you in whatever way and form we can," he said in a video message also posted on Twitter.

The director of the Ukrainian energy firm Energoatom said Wednesday that Russian actions were jeopardising safety.

"Due to these actions by the invaders, IAEA norms are being violated on a daily basis" at Yuzhnoukrainsk and Chernobyl and the situation is "getting worse", Energoatom director Petro Kotin said in the statement.

"As long as these installations are under the control of Russian invaders the entire world is in danger," he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said that "the Russian occupiers have created an enormous ammunition depot in the exclusion zone around Chernobyl." She warned it could explode at any moment and cause a "colossal environmental catastrophe".

She called on the UN Security Council to send a special UN mission to remove military forces for the 30-kilometre (20-mile) zone around the nuclear power plant.

Grossi began his Ukraine visit on Tuesday to meet government officials, as well as send experts and equipment to the country "to help prevent the danger of a nuclear accident".

The IAEA has not said how long its chief will stay in Ukraine.

Ukraine has 15 reactors at four active nuclear power plants, as well as stores of nuclear waste, including at Chernobyl -- the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster in 1986.

Grossi met Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers in Turkey earlier this month to discuss nuclear safety but no agreement has been reached yet.
The Florida Board of Governors (BOG) today voted unanimously to confirm Rhea Law as the University of South Floridas next president.

Law, who was selected unanimously by the USF Board of Trustees (BOT) last week, is the first USF alum to fill the role.

Law has served as USFs interim president since August. Under her leadership, the university recently experienced the most transformational legislative session in USF history, with record-setting investments in operations on all three USF campuses. She also led the effort to complete USFs new five-year strategic plan, created a collaborative working group to develop a more transparent budget model and has fostered greater communication and collaboration across campuses.

Rhea Law has worked tirelessly for many years to advocate for the University of South Florida and strengthen the entire Tampa Bay region through her commitment to civic engagement and public service, BOG Chair Brian Lamb said. Rhea is a proven leader who will continue USFs trajectory of excellence.

Law has the rare distinction nationally of becoming president after previously serving as chair of the board of trustees, working at the university as a staff member and being a student, giving her a unique perspective. In a university-wide message sent today, Law shared more of her vision and some of her priorities, while pledging to continue working closely with the community to shape USFs next chapter.

"Today's confirmation by the Board of Governors is a recognition of the University of South Floridas tremendous momentum," Law said. "I am continuously inspired by the dedication of our students, faculty, staff, alumni and others within our community to shaping a better world and changing lives. Its their passion, commitment and talent that will make the next era for USF our finest yet.

Law is the former chief executive officer and chair of the board of Fowler White Boggs, a Florida law firm. She led the merger of Fowler with a national firm, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, in 2014. She is one of the founding members of the USF Board of Trustees, where she spent five years as vice chair and four years as the first and only female chair.

She is also a founding member of the Board of Directors of the USF Law Alumni Society, served as a member of the USF Research Foundation Board and was named a 2018 Distinguished Alumna by the USF Alumni Association. Law has served on numerous other boards across the Tampa Bay area.

Law earned her undergraduate degree in management from USF, putting herself through school while working as the university research project administrator for the Office of Sponsored Research. She then earned her terminal degree in law at Stetson University College of Law, where she later served as chair of their Board of Overseers, helping to select both a dean of the College of Law and president of the university.

Her full resume is available here.

After her selection by the BOT last week, Chair Will Weatherford wrote a letter to the university community highlighting Laws performance as interim president, deep connections to USF and decades of valuable experience in support of elevating the Tampa Bay region.
Press Release

March 30, 2022 De Lima deplores continued proliferation of smuggled agricultural products from China Re-electionist Senator Leila M. de Lima deplored the continued proliferation of smuggled carrots and other vegetables from China in local markets, which adversely affects the local farmers who are reportedly running out of capital due to the said smuggling. De Lima, a social justice and human rights champion, underscored the need for the government to increase the country's border control to prevent food smuggling and hold accountable all its enablers. "Our local farmers have been complaining of the adverse effects of smuggled carrots from China being sold in various markets in the Philippines since last year. It is unacceptable that they are still struggling with the same issue today, as they are being forced to compete with prices that they cannot match," she said. "Every single day that smuggling continues to run rampant, local farmers lose income massively, which not only affects them and the family that they feed but also the local farming industry. Let's not allow these smuggled carrots and other vegetables to further translate to millions of pesos of losses to our government in lost customs duties," she added. During a Senate hearing, the League of Associations at the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Areas lamented that local farmers based in La Trinidad, Benguet are now losing P2.5 million a day after more smuggled carrots entered the market this year. Agot Balanoy, the public relations officer of the group, reportedly warned that farmers are running out of capitalization due to rampant smuggling, with some throwing away as much as half of their harvest because no one is buying. In a post on Facebook page, League of Associations at the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post, the group shared that "despite the dialogue with DA Central Office and Bureau of Plant Industry, smuggled China carrots that flooded Divisoria, Procy Market, Balintawak and other key markets DOUBLED IN VOLUME." The group further lamented that "NO REAL ACTION from the local Benguet executive officials to STOP SMUGGLING and help the Benguet Vegetable Industry." "Nasaan ang ngipin, ang tapang at malasakit ng gobyernong ito para sugpuin ang smuggling? May nalalaman pa si Duterte noon na sandali lang daw nyang masosolusyunan ang problemang ito, pero matatapos na ang termino nya, laganap pa rin ang pagpapalusot ng mga ilegal na produkto," she said. "Hindi pa nakakabangon ang ating mga magsasaka sa bangungot at pagkalugi na dala ng pandemya, pero heto at pinabibigat pa rin ang kanilang pasanin ng smuggling. Yung kita nila, parang aksyon ng gobyerno, napakatumal," she added. The lady Senator from Bicol maintained that the government cannot ignore such issue, saying that food smuggling could cripple the local food industry because it would make the country's economy almost totally dependent on imports. "The government must do something to stop food smuggling, lest they want our country to be at the mercy of food producing-countries. Let's not wait for the time wherein we will not anymore be able to control the volume and price of goods to be made available to us," she said. Last year, De Lima filed Proposed Senate Resolution (SR) No. 924 stating that Senate is duty-bound to ensure that the government is strictly implementing the law against agricultural smuggling, and provide mechanisms to improve the country's policy regarding said issue to protect local farmers especially during this time of pandemic.
At the conclusion of Wednesday's General Audience, Pope Francis asks for prayers for his weekend visit to Malta from 2-3 April, while thanking all those involved in the preparations.

By Vatican News staff reporter

Pope Francis spoke about his Apostolic Journey coming up this weekend to the Mediterranean island of Malta.

The Pope said he looks forward to visiting that "luminous land" following in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, who was warmly welcomed there after being shipwrecked at sea on his way to Rome.



He said this Apostolic Journey will offer a unique opportunity "to go to the wellsprings of the proclamation of the Gospel" and experience for himself the Christian community there whose lively history goes back thousands of years.

Appreciation for welcoming migrants

Looking forward to meeting the Maltese, Pope Francis paid them tribute for their modern-day welcome and commitment shown to "so many brothers and sisters seeking refuge."



Malta is at the center of the Mediterranean, a landing point for many migrants and refugees seeking safety and a better life.



Vatican News will be providing full coverage of the weekend visit to Malta and live broadcasts of the events.


Vietnams National Assembly passed a Resolution on March 23 to increase overtime working hours from the current 40 hours to 60 hours a month. However, the total number of overtime working hours cannot exceed 300 hours annually.

The new regulations were released in Resolution 17/2022/UBTVQH15 (Resolution 17) which will take effect from April 1 until December 31, 2022. The development follows the proposal by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) to increase the overtime cap, due to insufficient labor at production sites and as businesses and the country attempt to recover the economy from the pandemic.

There are two reasons for this:

Shortage of labor due to employees calling in sick due to being infected by COVID-19; and Those not returning to work after going back to their hometowns when pandemic restrictions were lifted across the country.

Mai Quoc Hung, Associate for Dezan Shira & Associates, HR and Payroll, Ho Chi Minh City office notes that this is a positive development for employers and employees in the short term, particularly in the manufacturing sector, however, there are risks involved if employees are overworked.

Nevertheless, employers are required to acquire consent from employees before allowing them to work overtime.

Employers should also bear in mind that those not eligible to work overtime include:

Those under 18 years of age (specifically between 15 to under 18 years);

Workers with disabilities;

Employees doing heavy, hazardous, toxic, or dangerous jobs;

Pregnant women at six or seven months or more; and

Mothers raising kids less than 12 months old.

Businesses have complained that since the pandemic, labor shortages have increased significantly. Some businesses that had more than 1,000 employees before the pandemic now have around 500 and have thus resorted to temporary solutions to maintain production.

While Resolution 17 will help businesses and employees in the short term, the government and employers will have to come up with efficient long-term strategies to meet demand. This will take a while, as businesses and employees re-adjust to post-pandemic recovery and as Vietnams economy steadily expands.

To stay competitive businesses will need to offer incentives, such as additional meal and fuel allowances (as fuel prices have risen drastically), daily stipends, additional benefits such as paid travel, supplemental health insurance, family-focused benefit packages, and continuing education to develop skills among others.

In the past decade, the annual overtime cap has increased by approximately 50 percent to meet demand.
On this edition of Straight Talk Africa, host Hayde Adams and her guests discuss the Russian mercenary organization Wagner Group and security in West Africa. Guests include Ivory Coast Prime Minister Patrick Achi, Travis Adkins, the president and CEO of U.S. African Development Foundation and Nathaniel Powell, analyst at Oxford Analytica.
Russian forces continued their bombardment of some Ukrainian cities after they said their forces would scale back operations around Kyiv. Plus, the efforts of those in Ukraine to help care for people who cant escape the fighting and Russian propaganda and its role in the war in Ukraine.
The invasion of Ukraine thrust its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, into the spotlight. Although many perceived the former actor and comedian as a probable lightweight, he rose to the occasion, capturing the worlds attention when he famously refused a U.S. offer to evacuate the conflict zone, reportedly saying, The fight is here. I need ammunition, not a ride.



I think that will go down in history, says Kenneth Dekleva, a senior fellow at the George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations. After two years of a worldwide pandemic where we've seen so many failures of leadership, both in authoritarian societies and in democratic societies in the West, Zelenskyy is a breath of fresh air.



Instead of going into hiding, Zelenskyy has made a point of remaining visible, appearing on social media and in footage released by aides since Russias February 24 invasion of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy has inspired people, and he's shown us that good leadership and courage, heroism  these kinds of core values  matter, Dekleva says.

Male leaders often attempt to project strength, masculinity and a sense of being destined to lead, according to Michael Blake, a professor of philosophy, public policy and governance at the University of Washington.



Zelenskyy appears to be presenting a much more unusual picture of leadership in which his trajectory is not ordained by fate or some sort of political genius. Instead, it's almost accidental, says Blake. His personal style of self-presentation is much less concerned with depicting unusual lack of fear or unusual physical prowess. Instead, he is perfectly willing to own up to being frightened and being occasionally overwhelmed.

Zelenskyy is also shunning the usual leadership look. Hes put aside his dark suit and tie in favor of an olive-green T-shirt or jacket more associated with soldiers or rebel guerillas.



I think it's ultimately a symbol of, I'm here. I'm authentically with you, and it's been incredibly powerful, says Samuel Hunter, a professor of industrial and organizational psychology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. I think he wanted to upset the people in the suits a little bit, to come across as a changemaker, this person that is doing things that other people are unwilling to do.



Social media appeal



Like Donald Trump before him, Zelenskyy has learned to leverage social media to communicate directly with the masses. Trump broke the mold by cutting out the middleman, including his own spokespeople and the news media, by tweeting directly to his supporters. While Trump primarily used Twitter, Zelenskyy relies on the more visual Instagram platform.



There was what felt like a direct line from what (Trump) was thinking to what others were seeing and hearing and reading, Hunter says. And I think Zelenskyy represents the next data point in that pathway, but it's very visual and touches with a younger generation in a very compelling and interesting way.



One of Zelenskyys strengths is that he appears to have cross-generational appeal.

He's probably someone that multiple generations can connect on in part because not only is he adept at dealing with this sort of social media world and speaks multiple languages and is sort of this Hollywood star per se, but because he's sticking around in zones that are dangerous, Hunter says. The older generations  he's earning respect from those, as well. I think he spans generations in ways that other leaders have not been able to.



Zelenskyy isnt the first former actor to connect with the masses. U.S. President Ronald Reagan was aware of image and presentation due to his acting background. Trump, who starred on a successful reality television show, is also very deliberate in how he presents himself.



It is, I think, an under-noticed fact that politicians do have a fair amount in common with actors, Blake says. I think what's really different here is that Zelenskyy is changing the role.



New leadership model



A change that could usher in a new model of democratic leadership.



When he appeared with unshaven cheeks and bags under his eyes and said, I'm still here. Every time he came back to say, I'm still here, it's simply added to the thought that this could, in fact, be a model of leadership that would do the job, Blake says.



Over the past few years, populisms message has attracted a growing number of followers. Freedom House, which tracks the number of countries that are democratic, has noted a decline in functional democratic governance every year for the past 20 years.



Some of this has been a result of the rhetorical strength of populism in a world fraught by fear of the undeserving other coming in and undermining your economic status, Blake says. People are frightened of a slowdown in economic productivity, of widespread migration undermining cultural integrity. People are just plain frightened, and so, the populist has an easy sell, which is, I'm here, touched by God, to return you to the former glory that was unjustly taken from you.

Blake says there hasnt been a good counternarrative to that other than reasserting democratic platitudes  like the importance of the consent of the governed. But Zelenskyy demonstrates that democratic leadership has the capacity to be morally justified while also rousing peoples emotions.



The fact that Zelenskyy appeals not just to the head, but to the heart, has been extremely promising, because it indicates that democracy might have rhetorical power as well as intellectual power, Blake says. We see someone who is willing to say, This is worth fighting for. This is worth suffering for. And people are responding to it.
Rights group Amnesty International has issued a scathing report on the failure of global drug companies and Western governments to quickly provide COVID vaccines to millions of people in Africa. In its annual report, Amnesty says tens of thousands of deaths could have been prevented if companies put people before profits and if governments were less nationalistic.

In its report for 2021, Amnesty International says Africa was discriminated against by wealthy nations and international corporations who failed to quickly distribute COVID-19 vaccines.



Speaking in Nairobi, Deputy Regional Director of Amnesty International East Africa Sarah Jackson said African countries were among the last to get the vaccines.

"We see a global system that has prioritized vaccines for the few, that have prioritized vaccines for wealthy countries, and it's been very limited vaccine rollout in this region," Jackson said. "And yet at the same time, there are a host of lots of problems that has arisen in the way in which vaccines have been distributed that often come in at short notice with very limited expiry dates, and this makes it very difficult for governments to build effective information campaigns to overcome distrust, misinformation that is prevalence in some segments of the population.

African governments have struggled to purchase vaccines in the global market due to high demand and scarcity. Some African countries accused wealthy nations of hoarding vaccines.

Erastus Mwencha, a former deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission, echoes that view.



Apartheidism of vaccines you saw in the global north, vaccines that were expiring went to global south. In other words, Africa is seen as a nuisance value," Mwencha said. "But yet if you think of the pandemic, there is no way the rest of the world can be happy if Africa is sick.

In its effort to make vaccines more available on the continent, the Africa Centers for Disease Control has pushed for greater production of vaccines on the continent.

The push has paid off as American pharmaceutical giant Moderna is expected to set up vaccine production plants in five African countries.



The Amnesty report praised Rwanda for vaccinating 40 percent of its population. Researchers were also encouraged by the effort of Burundian and Tanzanian authorities to focus more on the pandemic after they initially rejected health measures to contain the virus.

Still, only 10 percent of Africans are vaccinated, the lowest rate among all the worlds continents.

Amnesty International also accused some African governments of using COVID health protocols to control or punish their citizens.

Jackson says the government used lockdowns and restrictions of movement to abuse people.

Weve seen a number of governments in the region, particularly the year before 2020 but also sometimes in 2021, have limited right to freedom of assembly," Jackson said. "I am thinking in Ugandan context around the Uganda elections in the name of COVID-19, and this impacted the rights of citizens to organize to assemble.



Amnesty International is calling on African citizens to stand up for their rights and resist any attempt to muzzle their voices. The rights group will be launching a global campaign demanding respect for the right to protest.
The Biden administration is expected by May 23 to end the asylum limits that were put in place at the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent the spread of COVID-19, according to people familiar with the matter.

The decision, not yet final, would halt use of public health powers to absolve the United States of obligations under American law and international treaty to provide haven to people fleeing persecution, and would apply to all asylum-seekers.

Ending the limitations in May would allow for time to prepare at the border, the people said. But the delay runs against the wishes of top Democrats and others who say COVID-19 has long been used as an excuse for the U.S. to get out of asylum obligations.

It also raises the possibility that more asylum-seeking migrants will come to the border at a time when flows are already high. The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday that about 7,100 migrants were coming daily, compared with an average of about 5,900 a day in February, and are on pace to match or exceed highs from 2021, 2019 and other peak periods.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended its asylum-blocking powers for two months in late January, near the height of the omicron variant. The authority is up for renewal this week, but officials have not formally decided to terminate it yet and an announcement is expected in the next few days.

The people familiar with the plans saw a draft report that has not been finalized and they spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the plans.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday declined to discuss his administration's plans, telling reporters at the White House, "We'll have a decision on that soon."

The limits went into place in March 2020 under the Trump administration as coronavirus cases soared. While officials said at the time that it was a way to keep COVID-19 out of the United States, there always has been criticism that the restrictions were used as an excuse to seal the border to migrants unwanted by then-President Donald Trump.

It was perhaps the broadest of Trump's actions at the border to restrict crossings and crack down on migrants. The health order has caused migrants to be expelled from the United States more than 1.7 million times since March 2020 without a chance for them to request asylum.

The limits took effect over the objections of CDC officials, and Dr. Martin Cetron of the Division of Migration and Quarantine refused the order to begin its use. He said there was no public health basis for such a drastic move, the AP reported. But then-Vice President Mike Pence ordered the CDC's director to use the agency's emergency powers and it went into effect.

The limitations on seeking asylum became more difficult to defend on scientific grounds as mask mandates were lifted, vaccination rates climbed, and COVID-19 rates dropped among migrants crossing from Mexico.

President Biden, who has rolled back some of Trump's other more restrictive policies and reinstated higher asylum figures, has taken increasing criticism for keeping the policy.

Homeland Security officials, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and other top Democrats were increasingly vocal about wanting to end so-called Title 42 authority, named for a 1944 public health law to prevent communicable disease.

Schumer called it "perplexing that the (CDC) continues to recommend the extended use of this draconian policy at the border, contradicting the overwhelming signs of America's pandemic recovery under President Biden's leadership." His comments were in a joint statement this month with Democratic Senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez of New Jersey, and Alex Padilla of California.

Not all Democratic elected officials agreed, including some from border and swing states. Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, both Arizona Democrats, sided with Republican leaders to say Title 42 should remain until U.S. border authorities were prepared for sharp increases in new arrivals.

And they're not. Homeland Security officials said Tuesday they were planning for as many as 18,000 arrivals daily, an astounding number that they cautioned was simply to prepare for all possible outcomes, not projections.

But there has been no major change to how migrants are processed at the U.S.-Mexico border and no increase in holding facilities for them. The immigration court backlog continues to soar to more than 1.7 million cases.

While there is no aggregate rate for migrants, COVID-19 test results from several major corridors for illegal border crossings suggest it is well below levels that have triggered concerns among U.S. officials.

In California, 54 of 2,877 migrants tested positive in the first two weeks of March, according to the state Department of Social Services. That's a rate of 1.9%, down from a peak of 28.2% on January 8.

In Pima County, Arizona, which includes Tucson, the seven-day positivity rate among migrants didn't exceed 1.3% in early March. The positivity rate among 5,300 migrants tested last month at the Regional Center for Border Health near Yuma, Arizona, was 0.1%.

McAllen, Texas, the largest city in the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, has a higher rate among migrants  11.3% for the week ending March 16  but it has been consistently lower than the general population.

Critics say Title 42 has been an excuse to avoid asylum obligations under U.S. law and international treaty, buying Biden time to create the "humane" asylum system that he promised during his 2020 campaign.

Justin Walker, a federal appeals court judge in Washington, wrote this month in an order restricting the policy that it was "far from clear that the CDC order serves any purpose" for public health. Walker, who was appointed by Trump, noted that the Biden administration has not provided detailed evidence to support the restrictions.

"The CDC's order looks in certain respects like a relic from an era with no vaccines, scarce testing, few therapeutics, and little certainty," Walker wrote for a three-judge panel.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky noted falling rates when she ended asylum limits on unaccompanied child migrants on March 11, while keeping them for adults and families with kids. In August, U.S. border authorities began testing children traveling alone in their busiest areas: Positives fell to 6% in the first week of March from a high of nearly 20% in early February.
Australias eastern coast has been hit with yet another round of devastating flash flooding.

The famous coastal retreat of Byron Bay in New South Wales state is underwater after two days of torrential rain, forcing shop owners to close their businesses Wednesday.

In the northeastern part of the state, flood waters are once again pouring through the streets of the town of Lismore after receiving some 400 millimeters of rain over a 24-hour period, causing a breach of the towns levees.

Lismore was among the dozens of communities in New South Wales and the neighboring state of Queensland that sustained massive damage after heavy rains and subsequent flooding that began in late February and lasted for several days, killing 22 people. The floods left city streets and homes submerged under several centimeters of water, forcing emergency crews to rescue residents trapped in their homes, with many having desperately climbed onto rooftops waiting for help.

Australias east coast summer has been dominated by the La Nina climate pattern, which is typically associated with greater rainfall.

During a trip to Lismore to inspect the damage from last months floods, Prime Minister Scott Morrison acknowledged that the climate-related disasters are making Australia a more difficult place to live.

Some information for this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Burundi's media authority announced Wednesday that it would lift a nationwide ban on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), nearly three years after the broadcaster was forced to stop operating in the East African country.

The National Communication Council withdrew the license for the broadcasting giant in 2019, accusing it of breaching press laws and unprofessional conduct.

"We reached the decision to reopen BBC radio starting today," the regulator's president, Vestine Nahimana, said.

The broadcaster had met the conditions set by the government, Nahimana said, adding that President Evariste Ndayishimiye had initiated the easing of restrictions on sanctioned news outlets.

Voice of America was suspended alongside BBC Radio in May 2018. While BBC has met the government's conditions to broadcast, VOA has not.

The two broadcasters were suspended barely two weeks before a constitutional referendum intended to shore up the power of former President Pierre Nkurunziza and enable him to rule until 2034.

The government-controlled media regulator accused the BBC of damaging the reputation of Nkurunziza during a discussion program and said the broadcaster had ignored previous warnings.

The suspension followed a damning BBC investigation into alleged secret torture sites run by the government to silence dissent. The state denied the report, dismissing it as "fake news."

Nkurunziza died of heart failure in June 2020.

Following Ndayishimiye's election, Western nations including the United States and the European Union have eased sanctions on the country, crediting elections, a decrease in violence, and government reforms. But campaign groups insist human rights are still being widely abused.

Before the ban, the BBC and VOA used to broadcast daily in the national language Kirundi as well as in French and English, and drew large numbers of listeners, especially in rural areas.

Burundi is the poorest country in the world as measured by GDP per capita, at less than $240 (215 euros) in 2020, according to the World Bank.

It is ranked among the worst countries in the world for press freedom, with many local and international news outlets blacklisted and independent journalists forced into exile since a major political crisis in 2015.


Starting Wednesday, China will host a series of multilateral meetings, featuring delegates from the United States and Russia, to discuss ways to stabilize Afghanistan and convey to its Islamist Taliban rulers the need to moderate polices and "earnestly" fight terrorism.

The events in Tunxi, in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui, will begin with a conference of foreign ministers from Afghanistan's neighbors  Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan  to be chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters Tuesday that Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will also attend the two-day meeting. The Indonesian and Qatari foreign ministers will attend as guests, he added.

'Troika plus'

The spokesman said that Yue Xiaoyong, China's special envoy to Afghanistan, would also host his American, Russian and Pakistani counterparts for a new round of talks under what is known as the "troika plus" dialogue process.

"As agreed upon by all sides, the extended meeting of the China-U.S.-Russia consultation mechanism on the Afghan issue will be held on the sidelines of the third foreign ministers' meeting," he said.

Beijing hopes the meetings will encourage regional countries and the international community to step up support for peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan, spokesman Wang said.

West to represent US at talks

A U.S. State Department spokesperson told VOA that Special Representative for Afghanistan Tom West will attend the troika plus meeting in Tunxi.

"It is our understanding that China has invited Taliban representatives," the spokesperson said.

The troika plus talks will bring Russian and U.S. officials to the table for the first time since Moscow invaded Ukraine more than a month ago, raising tensions with Washington and West at large.

"By hosting  the foreign ministers' dialogue, we hope to further understand the Afghan people's 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," Wang Wenbin told a news conference on Monday.

The Chinese and Pakistani foreign ministers will also hold a meeting with Afghanistan's Muttaqi under a tripartite dialogue process aimed at exploring ways to help the Taliban tackle economic challenges.

Humanitarian needs and economic upheavals have worsened in Afghanistan since the Taliban took over the country in August and U.S.-led international forces withdrew from the South Asian nation after nearly 20 years.

Talks come days after Afghanistan edicts

The China-hosted diplomatic engagements are coming just after the male-only hard-line Taliban regime enacted a series of edicts in recent days in Afghanistan, raising concerns the group is reintroducing the harsh Islamic style of rule it employed from 1996 to 2001, when human rights abuses such as the barring of women from education and work led to the country's international isolation.

The Taliban have banned girls and women from attending school beyond the sixth grade. Women are not allowed to board planes or taxis unless accompanied by a male relative.

Men and women must visit public parks on separate days, and the use of mobile telephones in universities is prohibited. Male government employees have been instructed to wear a beard and adhere to a Taliban-authorized traditional Afghan dress code.

The de facto Afghan authorities have blocked international media broadcasts, including VOA's and BBC's Pashto and Dari news programming. They have also banned foreign drama series on Afghan television channels.

Global condemnation

The controversial actions have drawn global condemnation and demands that the Taliban immediately reverse them.

The Taliban continue to move Afghanistan in the wrong direction, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Monday, as seen in their March 23 decision to prevent girls from attending secondary school.

"Each of these actions alone is alarming, but combined, they make clear the Taliban are not living up to the essential commitments they made to the Afghan people and the international community," Price said.

All Afghans are endowed with the human right to education and freedom of expression, he stressed, urging the Taliban to cease infringements of those rights.

"These are not Western values or concessions to the international community; they are human rights and essential to a peaceful and prosperous Afghan society, which is something the Taliban claim to desire," Price added.

The international community has not yet recognized the Taliban government, citing human rights and terrorism-related concerns even as Afghanistan is in the grip of what the United Nations says is one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. More than half of the country's estimated 40 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, with nearly 9 million Afghans only a step away from famine.

Analysts say human rights concerns are expected to dominate discussions with the Taliban delegation in China.

"Without a doubt, neighbors of Afghanistan will put Mr. Muttaqi on the spot and ask him behind closed doors why Kabul has decided to deprive teenage girls [of] education," said Torek Farhadi, a former Afghan official.

"Taliban's decision to put limits on girls' education goes against Islamic beliefs as well as the U.N.'s human rights charter."

Cindy Saine contributed to this report.

The story has been updated with additional information and a headline.
El Salvador's security forces intensified their operations against the country's street gangs Tuesday with mass arrests, the cordoning off of neighborhoods and house-by-house searches under a state of emergency sought by President Nayib Bukele.

The country's relatively low homicide rate during Bukele's administration had been one of his most touted accomplishments. Even while some raised doubts about how it was obtained, the country had been living in peace compared with earlier periods of bloodshed.

That changed last weekend when 89 people were killed in a four-day span, compared with 79 in all of February. The Congress passed Bukele's state of emergency early Sunday, giving authorities broad latitude in making arrests and extending jail time while investigations are carried out.

Attorney General Rodolfo Delgado told state television that in the past two days, nearly 1,500 alleged gang members were captured "without firing a single shot."

Only two homicides were confirmed Monday, compared with 62 on Saturday.

"I've been a victim of the gangs, I've paid them (extortion)," said Esteban Maravilla, who works in transportation. "They should lock them all up."

Bukele enjoys extremely high popularity in El Salvador, but some have criticized him for heavy-handed tactics.

Opposition politicians and nongovernmental organizations say security forces are going beyond even their newly enhanced powers.

Eduardo Escobar, director of the nongovernmental Citizen Action organization, noted that the state of emergency had not included restrictions on mobility, yet security forces had encircled some neighborhoods, controlling who entered and who left.

At an entrance to the San Jose El Pino neighborhood Tuesday, soldiers wearing masks and carrying rifles stopped everyone entering and leaving, searching cars and backpacks and requiring identification documents. They denied access to an Associated Press reporter.

"Free transit was not limited (in the state of emergency), and there are already citizens denouncing the encircling of neighborhoods," said national lawmaker Claudia Ortiz of the conservative Vamos party.

William Soriano, a lawmaker from Bukele's New Ideas party, suggested the spike in homicides could have been a message from the gangs after the government had taken control of two bus routes in the capital earlier this month. The gangs extort transportation companies and drivers, and the government takeover of nearly 300 vehicles slashed a revenue stream.

"Coincidentally, after they intervene in certain public transportation routes which function as a way to launder money for the gangs, as a source of income for the gangs ... this spike occurs," Soriano said. "It means they're directly touching the gangs' pockets."

The state of emergency could last 30 days and might be extended.

Bukele has railed against politicians from previous administrations who allegedly entered into pacts with the street gangs to lower killings in exchange for benefits for their imprisoned leaders. The president has vehemently denied that his administration had entered into a similar deal.

He has been accused of infringing on fundamental rights before. Early in the pandemic, Bukele's administration was criticized for holding people in detention centers to limit the spread of COVID-19. Those imprisoned were caught breaking curfew or returning to the country from abroad.


A new report on the human rights situation in the Central African Republic says combating impunity is key to achieving national reconciliation and a durable peace in the war-torn country. The report from a U.N. investigator was submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council on Monday.

The report says atrocities and human rights violations continue to be committed by various armed groups in the Central African Republic, including by the mainly Muslim ex-Seleka, the largely Christian anti-Balaka, and FACA, the Armed Forces of the C.A.R.

U.N. investigator Yao Agbetse accuses them of pillaging and looting villages and of threatening the civilian population with violence to exact illegal taxes.

He expresses particular concern about reports of ongoing human rights abuse by Russian mercenaries employed by the Wagner Group, a private security company, which reportedly has close ties with FACA.

He says witnesses have reported many crimes perpetrated by the mercenaries. Agbetse told the council they include sexual violence, intimidation, destruction of homes, racketeering, and torture.

The Russian bi-lateral forces have also hindered investigations where violations of human rights were committed As regards contractual relations with the C.A.R., under international law, the Russian bi-lateral forces are not a recognized international body, he said.

Therefore, said Agbetse, the responsibility for violations falls on the Central African Republic government, which must take all measures to achieve justice for the victims.

In response, C.A.R. Minister of Justice Djoubaye Abazene told the U.N. council that his government is making major reforms. He says it is improving the security sector and has a new judicial and court system, which is working to shed light on allegations of human rights abuse.

Investigations are now open for all presumed allegations in cases of human rights violations. Whoever the perpetrators may be and whatever their positions may be, they will be brought to justice and punished. You can be reassured of that, he said.

The president of the C.A.R. Truth, Justice and Reparations Committee, Marie-Edith Douzima, said 87% of the population thinks it is possible to have lasting peace in the C.A.R.  providing those responsible for violence are punished.

She said it is vital to combat impunity for the C.A.R. to find a way out of the repeated crises afflicting the country. She noted that to date, no victims of sexual or other crimes have received compensation and reparations. That wrong, she added, must be rectified.
The head of the United Nations food agency says Russias invasion of Ukraine could lead to the worst global food crisis since World War II.

David Beasley, the head of the World Food Program, told the U.N. Security Council Tuesday that the month-old war has turned Ukraine from the breadbasket of the world to breadlines. He told the Security Council that 50% of the grain it purchases to feed 125 million people around the globe comes from Ukraine, and warned that it will have to start cutting rations in war-torn areas like Yemen, which has already had its food allotment cut in half due to rising costs of food, fuel and shipping.

Beasley said Ukraine and Russia combined produce 30% of the worlds wheat supply, 20% of its corn and between 75-90% of sunflower seed oil. Egypt and Lebanon alone receive just over 80% of its grain supplies from Ukraine.

Beasley told the Security Council that the war has forced Ukraines farmers into the front lines of the war instead of tending to their crops during planting season. He also said Ukraines farmers are facing a shortage of fertilizer products from Belarus and Russia, which could diminish Ukraines harvest by 50%.

He said the war will create a catastrophe on top of a catastrophe if it continues, as it will lead to famine, destabilization of countries and mass migrations. He said the last thing we want to do as the World Food Program is taking food from hungry children to give to starving children.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman blamed the situation squarely on Russian President Vladimir Putin. She said Russian forces have bombed at least three civilian ships carrying goods from ports on the Black Sea, and accused the Russian navy of blocking access to Ukrainian ports to cut off exports of grain.

But Vassily Nebenzia, Russias envoy to the world body, blamed the rising food prices on hysterical sanctions imposed on his country by the United States and other Western nations. Nebenzia said the Russian navy has established a humanitarian corridor to allow ships to leave Ukrainian ports.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse.
If the United States is to even partially fulfill President Joe Bidens pledge to admit up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, it will have to overcome massive backlogs in a system that managed to admit only 6,494 refugees in the first five months of this fiscal year.

The applicants, meanwhile, are likely to find themselves confronting a bewildering array of U.S. immigration laws and policies, many of which were put in place to manage  and in some cases restrict  a flood of would-be refugees from Latin America.

Biden commented on the flows of refugees in his March 26 remarks in Warsaw, Poland, where he said Americans should do our part to accommodate some of the 3.8 million refugees fleeing Russias invasion of their country, about half of whom are now in Poland.

The fact that you have so many, so many Ukrainians seeking refuge in the, in this country of Poland, we understand that because we have, in our southern border, thousands of people a day  literally, not figuratively  trying to get into the United States, he said.

The White House has released few details about its plans for the Ukrainian refugees, but Biden officials said there are multiple pathways through which they can legally be admitted to the United States. These include the U.S. refugee program, humanitarian parole and family sponsorship through visa categories.

Some of those paths could lead to permanent residency and citizenship.

How significant is the 100,000 number?

The proposed number of admissions would be a significant increase over the current number of refugees authorized to come to the U.S. But they are not part of this fiscal years refugee cap.

President Biden raised the refugee cap to 125,000 for fiscal 2022, which began October 1, 2021. However, as of February 28, the government had only welcomed 6,494 refugees. In fiscal 2021, the United States admitted a total of 11,141 refugees from all parts of the world.

The number of refugees allowed under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program was dramatically cut under the Trump administration, leaving fewer resources within the government and resettlement agencies to handle the significant increase of refugee applications and arrivals.

Whats happening at the U.S. southern border?

Along the U.S.- Mexico border, immigration officials deal with people who hope to apply for asylum, a different pathway for immigrants seeking safety.

Since the pandemic began in March 2020, U.S. officials on the southern border have implemented Title 42, a pandemic-related policy that mandates the rapid expulsion of migrants as a public health precaution.

According to Customs and Border Patrol data, Title 42 has been used in most of the estimated 2 million expulsions of migrants from Brazil, Central America, Haiti, Mexico and Colombia. Other asylum-seekers from South America also have been rapidly expelled at ports of entry under the policy.

In February alone, U.S. border officials registered 164,973 migrant encounters. Of those, 91,513 were expelled either to the country they most recently passed through or their home country under Title 42. The rest could have been detained, allowed to seek asylum, paroled, or other possibilities.

However, the Biden administration has decided to allow U.S. immigration officials to use discretion with Ukrainians at the border and allow them to enter the United States on a case-by-case basis.

Who is an asylum-seeker?

Federal law allows people from other countries to seek asylum in the United States if they fear persecution at home. They must be present in the U.S. and prove a fear of persecution on one of five grounds: race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social class (the most vague of the five categories, it can include things like sexuality or caste).

To be granted asylum, applicants must meet three requirements, laid out by the U.N. Convention on Refugees in 1951 and adopted by the United States.

Applicants must prove:

They have a reasonable fear of persecution in their home country. Reasonable fear is defined by the United Nations as at least a 10% chance of persecution.

They must fear persecution on one of the five grounds.

They must prove the government of their home country is either involved in the persecution or unable to control it.

What does the government say about certain nationalities being allowed inside the U.S. while others are still being expelled?

VOA asked U.S. immigration officials for comment on some nationalities being exempted from Title 42. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson responded in an email that the public health order remains in place with respect to single adults and family units. The spokesperson also said DHS continues to operate in accordance with the order to the greatest extent possible.

Consistent with the CDC [public health] order, DHS continues to grant Title 42 exceptions to particularly vulnerable individuals of all nationalities for humanitarian reasons. All exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis, the spokesperson wrote.

Is there a difference between applying for asylum versus applying as a refugee?

Yes, applying for asylum is a different process than applying to come to the U.S. as a refugee. Those who are allowed to apply for immigration status from outside the United States are refugees and come only if they are granted refugee status.

Asylum-seekers come into the U.S. and apply either at the border or once inside the country, whether they entered legally or not.

What issues can cause an asylum claim to be rescinded?

Waiting more than one year after entry to the U.S. before filing an application for asylum, having been involved in persecution of another group of people, committing a serious crime, or being a threat to U.S. security can derail an asylum claim.

Can the government deny asylum cases?

Yes. The government can deny asylum by finding that an applicant failed to meet one of the requirements, by finding that conditions in their country have significantly changed since the application was made, or by finding the applicant could live safely in another part of their own country.

It is incumbent on the asylum-seeker to show that their persecution derives from membership in one of the five categories, and that the persecution or threats come from the government or forces the government can't control.

Anita Powell contributed to this report.

An earlier version of this article erroneously cited immigrant admissions instead of refugee admissions in the lead paragraph.
Two suspected rebels were killed in a shootout with government forces in Indian-controlled Kashmir's main city early Wednesday, police said, describing one of them as a former journalist.

The exchange of gunfire erupted after police and paramilitary soldiers established a cordon in a neighborhood in the old quarters of Srinagar on Tuesday night following a tip that two militants were hiding there, Inspector-General Vijay Kumar told reporters.

Kumar said two militants were killed in the ensuing shootout early Wednesday. He said one of them had been a journalist running a news portal in southern Kashmir and joined militant ranks last year. Police identified him as Rayees Ahmad Bhat.

Kumar said that Bhat was involved in several killings of civilians.

Police tweeted a photo of a press ID card they said was found on Bhat's body and said the incident "indicates a clear case of misuse of media."

Kumar asked journalists to follow the Press Council of India guidelines and warned, "Else, police will act."

There was no independent confirmation of the police claim.

The incident comes as journalists have faced relentless pressure since India revoked the region's semi-autonomy in 2019. Dozens have been arrested, interrogated and investigated under harsh anti-terror laws. Fearing reprisals, the local press has largely wilted under pressure.

India and Pakistan each claim the divided territory of Kashmir in its entirety.

Rebels in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi's rule since 1989. Most Muslim Kashmiris support the rebel goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

India insists the Kashmir militancy is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and most Kashmiris consider it a legitimate freedom struggle. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict.
Jordans King Abdullah is pressing diplomacy separately with Palestinian and Israeli leaders in a bid to prevent a repeat of last years Ramadan violence between Israel and Gaza. The monarch meets Israels president, Isaac Herzog, on Wednesday, the first official visit by an Israeli head of state to Jordan. It comes as Israel deals with a fresh wave of deadly violence, including an attack in a Tel Aviv suburb Tuesday that left at least five dead.

Israel is already on high alert following a series of deadly attacks over the past week and there is concern about an outbreak of violence in the Palestinian territories.

Jordanian analyst Amer Sabaileh told VOA that King Abdullah is concerned about security and stability in the territories, particularly the West Bank, where tensions are rising as Ramadan approaches this weekend.

Sabaileh is a non-resident fellow at the Washington-based Stinson Center.

The main challenge today for Jordan is to avoid any turmoil or kind of destabilization in the West Bank because most of the reports are talking about an escalation of violence. One of the major issues for Jordan is to contain the situation in the West Bank, to avoid any kind of falling into chaos at this stage. It requires flexible diplomacy with everybody. It comes at a moment when Jordan started to have an open relationship with the Israelis, to communicate openly with the Israeli officials. This means for Jordan a new opportunity as well to influence the internal scene in the Palestinian territories, said Sabaileh.

April is a sensitive period when Ramadan, Passover and Easter converge. The conjunction of the religious holidays last year saw tensions sparked in Jerusalem, an 11-day war erupt between Israel and Gaza, and ethnic Israeli-Arab violence.

Security fears in Israel are mounting after three deadly attacks in which at least 11 people were killed within a week. Two attacks were carried out by Israeli Arabs inspired by Islamic State and the other by a Palestinian gunman. Concerns are rising of more attacks or an outbreak of intercommunal violence.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the country was "facing a wave of terrorism."

Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad recently called for stepped up attacks in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Palestinian officials have repeatedly warned that the West Bank was on the verge of exploding.

Weve seen significant tension in Jerusalem, which hasnt died down since the last line of conflict, International Crisis Group analyst Tahani Mustafa told the Saudi Arab News newspaper. It only makes sense for Jordan to try and intervene in some way to quell tensions, he said.

King Abdullah and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz agreed on the need to preserve freedom of worship in Jerusalem and the West Bank and the importance of security coordination during the religious festivals. Jordan is the custodian of Jerusalems Muslim and Christian holy sites under a 1994 peace treaty with Israel.

The king and Israeli President Isaac Herzog say they are tackling the issues while seeking to deepen ties and maintain regional security.
For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine.

Recap of March 30

FIGHTING

* A U.S. official said Russian President Vladimir Putin has been misled by advisers too scared to tell him how poorly the war in Ukraine is going and how damaging Western sanctions have been.

* The Russian military has continued shelling areas around Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv, despite a Russian promise at peace talks Tuesday to reduce military activities in those areas.

HUMANITARIAN

* The International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed Wednesday that its building, with a Red Cross symbol on the roof, in Mariupol came under fire.

* The U.N. refugee agency said Wednesday that more than 4 million Ukrainians are refugees, while another 6.5 million are displaced inside the country and 13 million are stranded in war-affected areas.

DIPLOMACY

* The Kremlin downplayed talk of progress in peace talks with Kyiv to end Moscow's attack on Ukraine, saying there was nothing "too promising" in discussions in Istanbul.

* Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in China as Russia attempts to shore up support from its most powerful ally.

SANCTIONS

* Poland is taking steps to end Russian oil imports by the end of this year.

* Germany is triggering the early warning level for gas supplies amid Russias continued demand to be paid in rubles.

NUCLEAR CONCERNS

* International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Mariano Grossi said his agency is planning to send experts to nuclear facilities and provide additional vital safety and security supplies.



* Ukraine reported that there is a danger of ammunition exploding at the Chernobyl nuclear power station and that Russian forces occupying the plant must pull out of the area.

For the latest developments of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, all times EDT:

10:37 p.m.: The BBC reports that the value of the Russian ruble has returned to prewar levels. It had plunged after multiple nations enacted sanctions against Russia.

8:52 p.m.: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recalled the countrys ambassadors to Georgia and Morocco, suggesting they hadnt done enough to persuade those countries to support Ukraine and punish Russia for the invasion, The Associated Press reported.

With all due respect, if there wont be weapons, wont be sanctions, wont be restrictions for Russian business, then please look for other work, Zelenskyy said in his nighttime video address to the nation Wednesday, AP reported. I am waiting for concrete results in the coming days from the work of our representatives in Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa.

He added the diplomatic front is one of the key fronts in Ukraines battle to win the war against Russia.

6:30 p.m.: Ukrainian forces have liberated the Russian-occupied village of Kukhari in the Vyshhorod district of the Kyiv region. But Russian forces have continue to bombard the village with artillery and aircraft. RFE/RL correspondent Levko Stek was on the ground during one of the attacks.

5:30 p.m.: Andriy, 15, and his mother, a cousin and friends were trying to leave Chernihiv, a town north of Kyiv under heavy Russian shelling, after their house was destroyed. His mother and two others died as their car hit a mine planted by Russian forces. Andriy survived with serious injuries and told his story to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty at the hospital in the western city of Lviv where he is recovering.

4:15 p.m.: Russian soprano Anna Netrebko said Wednesday that she plans to resume performing in late May after announcing in the early days of war in Ukraine that she was taking a step back from the stage. In a statement, Netrebko also repeated her opposition to the war and said she was not allied with any leader of Russia. The 50-year-old opera singer said at the beginning of March that she was opposed to this senseless war of aggression and called on Russia to end it, according to the Associated Press.

3:45 p.m.: Pentagon press secretary John Kirby briefed the media Wednesday regarding latest developments in the war in Ukraine. VOAs National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin followed his remarks and shared them on Twitter.

3:11 p.m.: As the U.N. agency mandated to coordinate and lead on global education, UNESCO is carefully mapping how host countries are supporting education efforts to help Ukrainian refugee children, the U.N. said in a statement Wednesday. Beyond learning, education offers a protective environment that is even more relevant to crisis-affected populations, particularly children, according to the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

3:02 p.m.: Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Russian authorities have moved to wipe out any dissenting voices, any effort at civil disobedience, and any public criticism not just of the war, but also of the military and the government's conduct. Still, some Russians are resisting, and showing opposition to the conflict. OVD-Info, a Russian NGO that has tracked police arrests for years, has tallied dozens of incidents. Current Time, a co-production of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and VOA, takes a look at some of them.

2:35 p.m.: Slovakia has told Russia it must cut 35 staff members at its embassy in Bratislava because of the actions of another Russian diplomat. "In this context, we regret that, following the previous expulsions of Russian diplomats in the last two years, the Russian diplomatic mission has not shown any interest in operating correctly on our territory," it added. Slovakia did not give details on the activities it found unacceptable, nor did it give a time frame for when the cuts must be made, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.



2:21 p.m.: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday hosted Ukraines ambassador and a delegation of women members of Ukraines parliament for a meeting at the U.S. Capitol.

2:16 p.m.: As millions of Ukrainians flee their homes and many are caught in the crossfire of an unprovoked war, there has been an outpouring of support from people around the world. One Ukrainian woman in Guatemala has mobilized the online community to help Ukrainians. For VOA News, Eugenia Sagastume has the story.

1:47 p.m.: Russian hackers have recently attempted to penetrate the networks of NATO and the militaries of some eastern European countries, Google's Threat Analysis Group said in a report published on Wednesday. The report did not say which militaries had been targeted in what Google described as "credential phishing campaigns" launched by a Russian-based group called Coldriver, or Callisto. NATO was not immediately available for comment on the report, according to Reuters.



1:36 p.m.: The U.N. World Health Organization director expressed his outrage Wednesday, saying that since Russia invaded Ukraine, there have been 82 attacks on health care facilities, resulting in at least 72 deaths and 43 injuries.

1:22 p.m.: When European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel, president of the European Council, meet for a virtual summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 1, they plan to warn Beijing that there will be consequences if it provides aid to Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine. The high-stakes summit comes as ties between China and the European Union are more delicate than ever, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

1:13 p.m.: Russia may have committed war crimes by killing civilians and destroying hospitals in its pounding of Ukrainian cities, the top United Nations human rights official said on Wednesday in her strongest comments yet on the conflict. Addressing the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, Michelle Bachelet urged Russia to end its five-week invasion. "Homes and administrative buildings, hospitals and schools, water stations and electricity systems have not been spared," she said in a statement. "Indiscriminate attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes," she added.

1:05 p.m.: Russias military invasion of Ukraine has not only created one of the worlds most tragic humanitarian crises but resulted in economic devastation that will reverberate far beyond Ukraines borders. VOA News Graphics team has this report.

12:49 p.m.: The International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed Wednesday that its building in the besieged city of Mariupol came under fire, even though its roof is marked with a Red Cross symbol.

Under international humanitarian law, objects used for humanitarian relief operations must be respected and protected at all times, ICRC said in a statement. It said the facility hasnt been used since March 15 and it doesnt know if some others might have been using the space. We do not have a team on the ground there, so have no other information on potential casualties or the extent of the damage, the ICRC said.



12:42 p.m.: Ukraines Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba said Wednesday that Russia has not ceased its hostilities and called he for more arms and sanctions to strengthen Ukraines position during ongoing negotiations aimed at ending the war.



12:35 p.m.: Russia's defense ministry said on Wednesday its forces were regrouping to focus on other key areas and complete the "liberation" of the breakaway eastern Donbas region, Reuters reported. The ministry's statement, part of a reframing of Moscow's stated objectives in recent days, came a day after Russia said it would scale back operations near Kyiv and Chernihiv to support progress in peace talks. However, Russian attacks in both Kyiv and Chernihiv continued on Wednesday, according to local officials.

12:29 p.m.: Russias state TV has pulled out all the stops to sell the Kremlins narrative on the war in Ukraine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports. "All of television is now full of military brainwashing," Yelena Rykovtseva, an RFE/RL Russian Service correspondent who focuses on the media, wrote recently in a column headlined Carpet Bombing Of The Brain. She added that, in a single article, it is hard to do justice to the content on Russian state TV at the peak of anti-Ukrainian hysteria.



12:01 p.m.: U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Wednesday about the ongoing work by the United States and its allies and partners to deliver military, economic, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and to impose severe costs on Russia, according to a statement from the White House. Biden also told Zelenskyy that the U.S. will provide $500 million in direct budgetary aid to Ukraines government. Zelenskyy briefed Biden on the status of Ukraines peace talks with Russia, the statement added.

11:49 a.m.: VOAs National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin Wednesday confirmed with a U.S. official that newly declassified information shows a breakdown in trust between Russias President Vladimir Putin and his top advisers.



We have information that Putin felt misled by the Russian military. There is now persistent tension between Putin and the MOD (Ministry of Defense), stemming from Putins mistrust in MOD leadership, the U.S. official said. Putin didnt even know his military was using and losing conscripts in Ukraine, showing a clear breakdown in the flow of accurate information to the Russian President, he said.



We believe that Putin is being misinformed by his advisors about how badly the Russian military is performing and how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions, because his senior advisors are too afraid to tell him the truth, the U.S. official added.

10:53 a.m.: Hungarys foreign minister on Wednesday accused Ukraines leadership of attempting to interfere in the upcoming Hungarian election, The Associated Press reported. In a video on social media, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto claimed that there was ongoing coordination between the Hungarian left and representatives of the Ukrainian government, and that Ukraine was attempting to influence Hungarys April 3 election in favor of a coalition of opposition parties. He offered no evidence supporting the claim, and his Ukrainian counterpart denied the charge.



10:42 a.m.: The invasion of Ukraine thrust its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, into the spotlight. Although many perceived the former actor and comedian as a probable lightweight, he rose to the occasion, capturing the worlds attention when he famously refused a U.S. offer to evacuate the conflict zone, reportedly saying, The fight is here. I need ammunition, not a ride. VOAs Dora Mekouar asks, is Zelenskyy making democracy cool again?

10:37 a.m.: Ukraine accused Russia on Wednesday of planting mines in the Black Sea and said some of those munitions had to be defused off Turkey and Romania as risks to vital merchant shipping in the region grow, Reuters reported. The Black Sea is a major shipping route for grain, oil and oil products. Its waters are shared by Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia and Turkey as well as Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine's foreign ministry said Russia was using naval mines as "uncontrolled drifting ammunition" Russian officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.



10:29 a.m.: Russian forces are shelling nearly all cities along the frontline separating Ukrainian government-controlled territory from areas held by Russian-backed separatists in the eastern Donetsk region, the regional Donetsk governor said on Wednesday. Pavlo Kyrylenko said on national television the situation could worsen as Russian forces concentrated their efforts to attack the Donetsk region, according to Reuters.

10:20 a.m.: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Germany is ready to act as security guarantor for Ukraine, said a German government spokesperson in Berlin. Scholz signaled a "general willingness" about the role in a phone call with Zelenskyy, spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit told a regular news conference on Wednesday. Hebestreit said he did not want to speculate about whether the security guarantor role would also include a military component, Reuters reported. Scholz made his comments a day after Russia and Ukraine held negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey, aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine.

10:18 a.m.: Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak, speaking a day after Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Turkey for peace talks, said that Russian forces must withdraw to their positions before the February 24 invasion to pave the way for any peace deal to be put to a national referendum, The Associated Press reported. Podolyak said in an online briefing Wednesday that a deal on multilateral security guarantees for Ukraine will be a key part of the package to be discussed. Meanwhile, the head of Russias delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, said that Ukraines readiness to consider a neutral status would meet a key Russian demand. Medinsky said that during Tuesdays talks in Istanbul, Ukraine submitted a set of proposals including its readiness to adopt a non-bloc, nuclear-free status and drop its bid to join NATO, adding that this signaled Ukraines readiness to reach agreement for the first time in years.

10:12 a.m.: The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, is in Ukraine and said Wednesday his agency is planning to send experts to nuclear facilities and provide additional vital safety and security supplies. International concern has grown over fighting near some of Ukraines nuclear facilities.

10:07 a.m.: State-sponsored hacking by Russia presents a threat to American national security, a top FBI official told lawmakers this week. Bryan Vorndran, an assistant director in the FBI's cyberdivision, told a U.S. House of Representatives committee hearing Tuesday that the threat from Russia was very, very real -- and current in both a criminal sense and in the nation-state sense. Vorndran told lawmakers that instances of Russian hackers "scanning" networks in the U.S. energy sector have increased recently, and he said such activity represents a "reconnaissance phase" by Russia to try and understand a company's defenses and vulnerabilities. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has the story.



9:42 a.m.: Russians living abroad find that their money is toxic according to a Reuters report published Wednesday. Interviews with nine Russians living overseas - as well as their wealth managers, lawyers, tax advisers, real estate and art brokers - suggest that Western sanctions meant to punish Putin's inner circle are also broadly ensnaring Russian passport holders. Four Russians living overseas with dual citizenship described banks freezing their accounts or payments in London, Zurich and Paris. One wealthy emigre in London said he had switched to cash to make purchases and was keeping a low profile.



9:35 a.m.: A Ukrainian official says Russian forces occupying the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power station must pull out of the area after Ukraine's armed forces warned there is a danger of ammunition exploding at the site. "We demand that the UN Security Council immediately take measures to demilitarize the Chernobyl exclusion zone and introduce a special UN mission there to eliminate the risk of the repeat of a nuclear catastrophe," Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said in a video on the Telegram social media platform on Wednesday. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has the story.



9:28 a.m.: An estimated 200-300 civilians were killed in the Ukrainian town of Irpin near Kyiv before the town was taken back from Russian forces this week, the local mayor said on Wednesday. Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn told a briefing that about 50 Ukrainian servicemen had been killed in Irpin, and some bodies were still trapped under rubble. He said there had been Russian shelling in the area all night, Reuters reported.

9:15 a.m.: Russia and Ukraine agreed to open three civilian evacuation corridors, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk announced Wednesday. Vereshchuk said one corridor would be used for the evacuation of the besieged city of Mariupol and delivery of humanitarian aid to Berdyansk, located about 84 kilometers south of Mariupol, another for the delivery of humanitarian aid to  and evacuation from  the city of Melitopol, and a third for a column of people traveling from from Enerhodar to Zaporizhzhia, VOA News reported.

9:12 a.m.: U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, commenting after the start of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey this week, said Russia's negotiating position with Ukraine in Istanbul has been: "Capitulate and then maybe we'll talk." Ukraine, meanwhile, is willing to talk about neutrality and long-term leasing in Crimea, among other concessions, she added. Even as Russia repositions its forces around Kyiv, Nuland said, the invading army has been "absolutely unwilling to have a full cease-fire so that negotiations can get serious." She spoke with Current Time, a co-production of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and VOA.

8:44 a.m.: A NASA astronaut caught a Russian ride back to Earth on Wednesday after a U.S. record 355 days at the International Space Station, returning with two cosmonauts, The Associated Press reported.

Mark Vande Hei landed in a Soyuz capsule in Kazakhstan alongside the Russian Space Agencys Pyotr Dubrov, who also spent the past year in space, and Anton Shkaplerov.

8:35 a.m.: A survey by the International Rescue Committee of almost 500 Ukrainian refugees in Poland found that 90 percent do not have enough cash to meet their needs beyond one month, the IRC said in a statement Wednesday, noting that it is scaling up cash assistance to families displaced in Poland. Providing cash to families allows them to purchase what they need directly from functioning markets, not only giving them the right to choose what they and their families need most, but also supporting local economies and markets, IRC said.

8:00 a.m.: Out of the now over 4 million reported Ukrainian refugees, 2 million who fled are children and another 2.5 million are displaced within Ukraine according to UNICEF. The situation inside Ukraine is spiraling, said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell in a statement. She also noted that her agency continues to scale up its response efforts.

7:54 a.m.: The U.N. refugee agency said Wednesday that now over 4 million Ukrainians are refugees, while another 6.5 million are displaced inside the country and 13 million are stranded in war-affected areas. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi arrived in Ukraine Wednesday and traveled to the western city of Lviv. I will discuss with the authorities, the UN and other partners ways to increase our support to people affected and displaced by this senseless war, he said on Twitter.

7:36 a.m.: The Kremlin on Wednesday downplayed talk of progress in peace talks with Ukraine to end Moscow's attack on its neighbor, saying there was nothing "too promising" in the results of a round of discussions in Istanbul. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow a day after the talks held Tuesday, while it was encouraging that Kyiv had started to outline its positions more concretely, "we cannot state that there was anything too promising or any breakthroughs." He added, "There is a lot of work to be done. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has the story.



7:23 a.m.: In the strongest signal yet that Russia could be preparing an even tougher response to the West's sanctions, Russia's top lawmaker suggested on Wednesday that almost all of Russia's energy and commodity exports could soon be priced in rubles, Reuters reported. Asked about the comments by parliament speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "This is an idea that should definitely be worked on." Peskov said that the U.S. dollar's role as a global reserve currency had already taken a hit, and that a move to pricing Russia's biggest exports in rubles would be "in our interests and the interests of our partners."



7:15 a.m.: Ukrainian civilians who have escaped from the besieged port city of Mariupol have described scenes of hell and say those who remain in the ruins are on the brink of starvation. Russian forces have surrounded the city and have been pounding it with artillery and rocket fire. Some civilians have been allowed to flee during breaks in the shelling, and some of them spoke to Current Time, a co-production of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and VOA.

6:51 a.m.: The British government said on Wednesday it had issued 25,500 visas to Ukrainians under schemes set up to bring in refugees after Russia invaded Ukraine last month, Reuters reported. Data from the Home Office showed that 22,800 visas had been given under the Ukraine family scheme that allows applicants to join family members in the UK, while 2,700 were offered under the sponsorship scheme which permits refugees with a named sponsor to enter. The data on Wednesday also showed that 28,300 had applied for the sponsorship scheme, while the overall applications stood at 59,500. With the number of people fleeing from the war currently running at over 4 million, the British government has been under pressure to do more to take in refugees.

6:49 a.m.: Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday called for worldwide participation in the upcoming global pledging event Stand Up For Ukraine which aims to raise funds for Ukrainian citizens affected by the war. The online humanitarian pledging summit on April 9 is being hosted by the President of the European Union Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in partnership with the activist organization Global Citizen.

6:32 a.m.: Senior Ukrainian officials say that the Russian military has continued shelling areas around the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv, according to The Associated Press. Oleksandr Pavliuk, the head of the Kyiv region military administration, said Wednesday that there were 30 Russian shellings of the residential areas and civilian infrastructure in the Bucha, Brovary, and Vyshhorod regions around the capital. The barrage came despite a Russian pledge to reduce military activities around Kyiv and Chernihiv after talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Turkey on Tuesday. Olexander Lomako, the secretary of Chernihiv city council, said in a voice message to the AP that military action increased in intensity overnight and the city was bombed, shelled by artillery and heavy weapons, with a library and a shopping mall among places that were hit.

6:25 a.m.: The United Nations on Wednesday named three human rights experts to conduct an investigation into possible war crimes and other violations committed during the conflict in Ukraine, Reuters reported.

The independent panel has a mandate to investigate all alleged violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law and related crimes in the context of the aggression against Ukraine by the Russian Federation, a statement said.

The U.N. Human Rights Council agreed on March 4 to establish the commission of inquiry, for one year, at the request of Ukraine and allies including the European Union, Britain and United States.

5:10 a.m.: A spokesman for the World Food Program said the agency welcomes talk of a possible pullback of Russian forces in parts of Ukraine but the process of negotiating aid access has not improved. Tomson Phiri told The Associated Press on Wednesday that we expect faster clearances, faster guarantees of access. He said WFP has already reached 1 million people with assistance. The goal is to reach 4 million in the coming months.

On Tuesday, David Beasley, the head of the WFP, told the U.N. Security Council that the month-old war has turned Ukraine from the breadbasket of the world to breadlines. He told the Security Council that 50% of the grain it purchases to feed 125 million people around the globe comes from Ukraine, and warned that it will have to start cutting rations in war-torn areas like Yemen, which has already had its food allotment cut in half due to rising costs of food, fuel and shipping. Beasley said Ukraine and Russia combined produce 30% of the worlds wheat supply, 20% of its corn and between 75-90% of sunflower seed oil. Egypt and Lebanon alone receive just over 80% of its grain supplies from Ukraine. VOA has this story.

4:30 a.m.: Polands Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Wednesday that his country is taking steps to end Russian oil imports by the end of this year, the Associated Press reported. Poland has already largely reduced its dependence on Russian oil. On Tuesday, the country announced it was banning imports of Russian coal. Morawiecki said he expects gas imports will be cut in May and called on other European countries to follow suit.

4:00 a.m.: A free and prosperous Indo-Pacific is more important than ever, President Joe Biden said while meeting with his Singaporean counterpart against the backdrop of a raging conflict in Ukraine, which Biden has painted as a global struggle between liberal democracy and autocracy. Singapore's leader said this is a battle for a rules-based global order. VOAs Anita Powell reports from the White House.

3:30 a.m.: Ukraines Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Wednesday the countrys armed forces reports that there is a danger of ammunition exploding at the Chernobyl nuclear power station and that Russian forces occupying the plant must pull out of the area, Reuters reported.

We demand that the U.N. Security Council immediately take measures to demilitarize the Chernobyl exclusion zone and introduce a special U.N. mission there to eliminate the risk of the repeat of a nuclear catastrophe, she said.

3:15 a.m.: Germanys economy minister said he is triggering the early warning level for gas supplies amid Russias continued demand to be paid in rubles, the AP reported. Robert Habeck told reporters Wednesday that this was the first of three warning levels and entails the establishment of a crisis team in his ministry that will heighten monitoring of the gas supply situation. Habeck said he took the measure after Moscow indicated it would require payment in rubles despite the Group of Seven countries rejecting such demands on Monday. He says Germanys gas storages are currently filled to about 25% capacity.

2:50 a.m.: Ukraines Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk announced Tuesday that the country hopes to open three humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians from besieged towns and cities, Reuters reported. She said this would include trying to establish a safe corridor for people to leave the encircled southern port city of Mariupol in private vehicles. The corridors are expected to be set up on Wednesday.

2:00 a.m.: The U.K. defense ministry said Wednesday that Russian unites have been forced to return to Belarus after suffering heavy losses in order to reorganize and resupply. The report further notes that as ground forces are pushed back, Russia will likely continue to compensate for its reduced ground manoeuvre capability through mass artillery and missile strikes.

1:30 a.m.: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in China as Russia attempts to shore up support from its most powerful ally.

Lavrov landed in Huangshan, an eastern city on Tuesday. He is scheduled to attend meetings on the topic of stabilizing Afghanistan with representatives from Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. A separate meeting of the extended troika will include representatives of the United States, China and Russia, Al Jazeera reported. The meetings will take place in the town of Tunxi, which is isolated from major population centers.

The trip marks Lavrovs first to China since Russias invasion of Ukraine. Prior to the visit Lavrov declared Russia-China relations were at their strongest ever, Reuters reported.

12:30 a.m.: Negotiations are expected to resume Wednesday, five weeks into what has devolved into a bloody war of attrition, with thousands dead and almost 4 million Ukrainians fleeing the country, The Associated Press reported.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed skepticism Tuesday night about Russias announcement that it would significantly scale back military operations near Ukraines capital and a northern city.

Yes, we can call those signals that we hear at the negotiations positive. But those signals dont silence the explosions of Russian shells, Zelenskyy said. Of course, we see the risks. Of course, we dont see any basis for trusting the words voiced by those or other representatives of the state that is continuing to fight for our destruction. Ukrainians are not naive people, Zelenskyy said. Ukrainians have already learned during the 34 days of the invasion and during the past eight years of war in the Donbas that you can trust only concrete results.

12:00 a.m.: Opponents of Russias invasion of Ukraine gathered in the U.S. state of Colorado to raise funds for displaced civilians and to remember those killed by Nazis during World War II. From Denver, Svitlana Prystynska has our story.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters
No media source currently available

The URL has been copied to your clipboard

The code has been copied to your clipboard.

Malaysias health ministry is proposing a major initiative to prevent young people from smoking. Its a bold plan but critics say it has flaws. Dave Grunebaum has the story.
Shortly after finishing her lunch at a Malaysian food court, Emily Lee, a 21-year-old university student, stepped outside, pulled out a cigarette and lit it up. I usually smoke one pack per day, she said. I almost always smoke right after a meal.

Lee said she started smoking when she was 17, a year below the legal age to smoke in Malaysia. I had a bunch of friends who were smoking, so I started and quickly got addicted to the nicotine.

Government statistics show that 1 in 5 Malaysians 15 years of age and older smoke, including about 40% of the men. There are more than 27,000 smoking-related deaths in the country annually.

This is a major problem because a lot of people are losing their lives because of smoke-related lung cancer, said Azrul Mohd Khalib the chief executive officer of the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, a nonprofit health and policy research organization. However, Malaysias health minister, Khairy Jamaluddin, has announced plans to permanently ban the sale of all tobacco and smoking products including vapes as well as e-cigarettes to anyone born after the year 2005 as part of a generational end game for smoking in the country.

This proposal comes after New Zealand announced plans to raise the legal smoking age by one year each year to permanently ban the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2008.

Malaysias proposal has drawn praise from many of the countrys leading health advocates. It means theres going to be a lot fewer new smokers in the years to come, said Azrul calling the proposal a great idea.

But theres a lot of skepticism that it will actually work.

The intention is good, but I dont know if it will actually stop anyone from smoking, Lee said. Stores dont always check IDs; older people will buy for someone whos underage, plus, so many smokers just buy cigarettes under the table because theyre so much cheaper.

Its widely known across Malaysia that theres a thriving black market for tobacco products. A study conducted in 2020 by the Confederation of Malaysian Tobacco Manufacturers concluded that more than 60% of cigarettes consumed in the nation were from the black market.

In several convenience stores, employees, upon request, brought out from under the counter illegally imported cigarettes. They often sell for less than half the price of legal ones.

Its [the proposed ban] not going to reduce consumption its only going to increase the illegal consumption of cigarettes, which in Malaysia is already extremely high, said Carmelo Ferlito, chief executive officer of the Center for Market Education, a libertarian think tank in Malaysia.

Ferlito thinks if Parliament passes the proposal it will lead to a situation similar to what happened during prohibition in the United States during the 1920s when a ban on alcohol led to a massive underground market run by organized crime.

So, we [Malaysia] will have our very own Al Capone [crime boss] for tobacco smuggling, Ferlito told VOA.

Azrul acknowledges the challenges the countrys black market poses towards the proposals chances of preventing a significant number of Malaysians from starting to smoke or vape. The policy will succeed if we are able to crack down on the issues of corruption, of lack of enforcement but also political will, Azrul said. But it will fail if society fails to support the policy.

The proposed age ban also raises financial concerns for many businesses as the country tries to bounce back from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Malaysia Singapore Coffee Shop Proprietors General Association, whose membership includes many owners of semi-enclosed open-air food courts that are popular across Malaysia, released a statement calling the plan a step in the right direction but Malaysia is not ready.

The association said the proposal will drive more smokers to the black market and severely jeopardize the livelihood of our 20,000 merchants. The association said cigarette sales account for about 30% of the revenue of its members.

Ferlito said people smoke for pleasure and the government wont be able to stop this. A more successful strategy would be eventually to direct people toward less harmful products such as vaping, Ferlito said.

But Azrul of the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy disagrees.

We see smokers who are transitioning to vape thinking that they can quit smoking that way but end up with another form of addiction for which they need treatment for, said Azrul. Today we are treating both smokers and vapers in our smoking cessation clinics.

Among the public, the proposed age ban for tobacco and smoking products is getting mixed reviews.

Its not going to work, said Ni Aliah Amira a 21-year-old university student who vapes regularly. People are going to find all of those [loop] black holes.

Jordan Lee (no relation to Emily), a 25-year-old non-smoker, supports the proposed age ban. If society at large wants it to work it will work, Lee said. We should give it a try.
For Mumbai resident Shailesh Kambli a childhood dream is about to translate into reality. The 40-year-old is the third generation of his family living in a cramped, 15-square meter room along with his parents, brother and sister-in-law.

These tenements are housed in dilapidated buildings that stretch across about 37 hectares in the heart of Indias financial capital, where real estate is among the most expensive in the world.

All around the BDD Chawls, as they are called, prime commercial and residential buildings have mushroomed in recent decades as Indias financial capital, home to more than 20 million people, developed at a frenetic pace.

Whenever I went out, I wanted to own a house, however tiny, in one these buildings, Kambli recalls. I even told my uncle that one day I will live in such a place.

Now that aspiration is within his grasp.

Under a massive $2 billion redevelopment project, the 16,000 dingy settlements built over four floors will be pulled down to make way for high rise buildings in which the occupants will swap their living quarters for a 46-square meter apartment.

It is part of ambitious plans that space-starved Mumbai has long pursued with limited success  clearing up prime land on which old structures, shanties and slums sit to replace them with tall buildings that besides residential units, include office blocks and shopping malls.

Some urban planners however have raised concerns that the project will add enormous pressure in an already crowded city that is short on infrastructure.

The BDD Chawls, where the rooms built by the British a century ago for migrant cotton mill workers stretch on both sides of a corridor, are in urgent need of a revamp.

Inside most homes, a curtain separates the counter at one end that serves as a kitchen from the rest of the space that doubles as a bedroom and a living room. Televisions are mounted over the bed or in a corner. Two bathrooms serve the 20 rooms in each block. The occupants pay a meager rent to the government.

The elderly often spend their day in the corridor between the rooms where clothes hang for drying, or in a courtyard outside as they chat or look after small children, while the young go out to work.

These days, residents sometimes stop by at a sample flat that is showcased opposite one of the blocks to take a peek into what the future may hold.

I dont know when my turn will come. It may still take years. But it will be great to have a modern flat, said 55-year-old Bhagwan Sawant as he proudly points to the neat kitchen, the two bedrooms and two attached toilets.

The new complexes will also have a hospital, hostels, schools, and gyms. The work has started on the first building and it will be ready in three years, said Prashant Dhatrak, the executive engineer of the project. But the entire development will take seven years.

The redevelopment project took more than two decades to get off the ground after it was first proposed.

However, some urban planners point out that Central Mumbai, where the project is coming up, is already congested with high rise buildings and question how it will bear the additional pressure of more such complexes. They say that in a city with the highest population density in the country, too much of the land is often handed over to developers for residential and commercial complexes instead of making public parks.

Cities cannot be transformed in this way. Redevelopment is necessary but rebuilding has to be done in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner, said Sulakshana Mahajan, who as a member of the Mumbai Transformation Support Unit, a state government think-tank set up in 2005, was involved in initial proposals for the redevelopment of the tenements. The think tank was shut down in 2019.

Our initial idea was not to increase density in the area and to restrict the development for existing residents. But under the new plan, there are too many buildings being constructed, said Mahajan. Open spaces available per person will be drastically shrunk and the distance between buildings is too little. It will also create a huge strain on services such as water supply, sanitation and transportation.

In an island city with little space to grow except vertically, the search for land has intensified in the last two decades. Authorities have also proposed clearing out Asias biggest slum, Dharavi, that sits on two square kilometers of prime space to replace it with skyscrapers and shopping malls, but the plan has made little headway so far.

In the BDD Chawls, however the larger question of sustainability is not on the minds of those who have long lived with shared toilets, but only a sense of anticipation. At the same time, there is a creeping sense that a way of life that revolved around the community will end when they eventually move out.

Here, I never have to worry about my mother. All of us work, but we know that someone will look after her if she is unwell, said Kambli. But when we shut the door in the new flat, no one will know what is happening inside.

You just give one shout here and everyone gathers, laughs Ranjana Gurav. When there are marriages or celebrations or a problem, we are all there to help each other.
Russia has violated its pledge to scale back military operations on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and the northern city of Chernihiv, Ukrainian officials said Wednesday, as little progress was reported in the latest round of peace talks between the two countries.

The Pentagon said Wednesday that Russia had repositioned a small number of troops around Kyiv in the last 24 hours, but added, None of them have repositioned to their home garrison.

They're leaving Kyiv [and] heading more to the north  away from the city, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said, adding that the majority of Russian forces were still around Kyiv as airstrikes continued.

Russia said Wednesday that there was no sign of a breakthrough in peace talks with Ukraine.

The apparent impasse comes as U.S. President Joe Biden spoke Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"The leaders discussed how the United States is working around the clock to fulfill the main security assistance requests by Ukraine, the critical effects those weapons have had on the conflict, and continued efforts by the United States with allies and partners to identify additional capabilities to help the Ukrainian military defend its country," the White House said in a statement.

"President Biden informed President Zelenskyy that the United States intends to provide the Ukrainian government with $500 million in direct budgetary aid," the White House added, noting the Ukrainian leader updated Biden on the status of negotiations.

In a video address Wednesday, Zelenskyy said, I've thanked the U.S. for the new package of humanitarian aid worth 1 billion U.S. dollars and an additional 500 million dollars in direct budgetary aid. I've also underlined that now is the turning point.

He also reiterated concerns that Russia was massing troops for new attacks in Donbas.

We don't believe anyone, and in any flowery words. There is a real situation on the battlefield, Zelenskyy said.

Newly declassified U.S. intelligence suggested the more than monthlong invasion of Ukraine was causing rifts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his senior military advisers.

There is now persistent tension between Putin and the MOD [Ministry of Defense], a U.S. official confirmed to VOA on Wednesday, speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss the information.

White House communications director Kate Bedingfield expanded on that to reporters Wednesday.

We believe that Putin is being misinformed by his advisers about how badly the Russian military is performing and how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions, because his senior advisers are too afraid to tell him the truth, Bedingfield said. So, it is increasingly clear that Putin's war has been a strategic blunder that has left Russia weaker over the long term, and increasingly isolated on the world stage.

British military intelligence Wednesday provided further indications of Russia's military struggles.

"Russian units suffering heavy losses have been forced to return to Belarus and Russia to reorganize and resupply," theBritish defense attache, Air Vice Marshal Mick Smeath, said, warning Moscow's forces would try to compensate with more artillery and missile strikes.

Peace talks

Russia appeared to signal Wednesday that it was welcoming talks aimed at ending the 36-day-old war.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during a press briefing that Moscow welcomed the fact that Kyiv had presented a written statement of demands at the start of negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey.

But Peskov also said Russia had not seen anything promising that would lead to a final agreement.

An aide to Zelenskyy said the two sides discussed the terms of a possible cease-fire, along with international security guarantees for Ukraine during Tuesday's session.

Ukrainian negotiators also proposed that Kyiv would adopt a neutral status and commit to not joining NATO or other military alliances in exchange for security guarantees from Western countries.

Continued Russian attacks

Meanwhile, local officials in Ukraine said Russian forces had continued artillery attacks on the outskirts of Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv, despite a vow to reduce operations in those locations as a sign of goodwill.

In an interview Wednesday with CNN, Chernihiv Mayor Vladyslav Atroshenko said Russia's attacks had escalated over the past 24 hours.

"This is yet another confirmation that Russia always lies," Atroshenko said. "They actually have increased the intensity of strikes," with "a colossal mortar attack in the center of Chernihiv" that wounded 25 civilians.

Russia did not immediately comment on the reports and accusations that it had violated its commitment to reduce operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv.

Russian forces also damaged a Red Cross warehouse in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, the Ukrainian government and the International Committee of the Red Cross said Wednesday. The aid group said it did not immediately know the extent of the damage or if there were any casualties. Mariupol is a strategic city where officials have warned of a humanitarian disaster.

Humanitarian challenges

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk earlier Wednesday announced the two sides had agreed to open three evacuation corridors. Vereshchuk said one corridor would be used for the evacuation of Mariupol and delivery of humanitarian aid to Berdyansk, about 85 kilometers southwest of Mariupol.

Another corridor would allow humanitarian aid deliveries to the city of Melitopol, as well as evacuations from the city, while a third would open for people traveling from Enerhodar to Zaporizhzhia, both in southern Ukraine.

Filippo Grandi, the U.N. high commissioner for refugees, said Wednesday that the number of Ukrainians who had fled to escape what he called a "senseless war" had now exceeded 4 million people.

"Many in this region are feeling the pain of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in another way, with rising food prices, especially wheat. Farmers in Ukraine, instead of tending to their crops, are forced to fight for their country's future for independence or to flee," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a press conference in Algiers on Wednesday.

The U.S. State Department issued a new advisory Tuesday urging U.S. citizens either traveling to or residing in Russia to leave the country immediately.

The State Department designated Russia a "Level 4: Do Not Travel" nation on its travel advisory list shortly after the February 24 invasion of Ukraine.

VOA National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin, Pentagon Correspondent Carla Babb, United Nations Correspondent Margaret Besheer and White House Correspondent Anita Powell contributed to this report.
Tanzania is stepping up efforts to join the club of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exporters, as Russias invasion of Ukraine spurs Europe to look for new energy sources. Tanzania says investments in its first LNG project could reach $40 billion.

The Tanzanian government said it planned to conclude talks in June with a group of foreign oil and gas companies led by Norways Equinor on developing a liquified natural gas terminal.

Tanzania has an estimated 17 trillion cubic meters of gas reserves, which puts it in position to benefit from Europes rush to diversify its energy sources.

Analysts say the sale of LNG on the international market would generate huge revenues for the nation. Walter Nguma is an independent economic analyst.

He said, many Tanzanians will be employed and the country will increase government revenues through foreign income. In the project, the country would also have enough gas energy for its own needs. When you look, he says, the world is expected to use LNG in cars by 2030 to preserve the environment, so this is a potentially big project.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Tanzanian President Samia Hassan said embracing the private sector is her major priority. She said that its only the private sector that can bring foreign direct investment and create jobs.

Hassan has expressed her commitment to fast track the development of natural gas resources for the benefit of the nation.

However, James Tumaini, a Dar es Salaam resident and project manager from Mzumbe University, said the LNG market is extremely competitive, which might make it hard for Tanzania to penetrate it.

He said, the government should ensure a friendly environment in implementing this project. Since there are other countries with the same product, competition is high, so the government should stand firm on this, he said.

The LNG project will be Tanzanias biggest project, and the earliest the country will be able to ship the gas is 2030, if there are no further delays.
Opening arguments in the trial of a member of the notorious Islamic State kidnap and murder cell known by its hostages as The Beatles started Wednesday in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia.

El Shafee Elsheikh, a British citizen, is charged with involvement in the killings of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller.

Elsheikh and another British national, Alexanda Kotey, were captured in 2018 by U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in Syria. They were held in Iraq before being extradited to the U.S. in 2020 to stand trial in federal court.

Kotey pleaded guilty in September 2021 to the murders of Foley, Sotloff, Mueller and Kassig. He will be sentenced in April.

Elsheikh chose to fight the charges. He is accused of conspiracy to commit hostage-taking, hostage-taking resulting in death, conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens, and conspiracy to provide support to a terrorist organization.

The pair are accused of overseeing the places the hostages were held and coordinating ransom negotiations, U.S. authorities say.

Both allegedly took part in a "prolonged pattern of physical and psychological violence against hostages," which included waterboarding, electric shocks and mock executions, Agence France-Presse reported.

The charges carry a potential death penalty, but U.S. prosecutors have told Britain they will not seek that sentence.

Terrorism expert Seth Frantzman said the trial in Alexandria was seen as an exception. Those involved in kidnaps, killings and terror activity are rarely extradited to face trial in the country where their victims were from.

The so-called Beatles cell was allegedly involved in the abductions of at least 27 people in Syria from 2012 to 2015. The hostages created the moniker based on the accents of their captors.

Their hostages  journalists and aid workers  came from several countries, including the U.S., Britain, Denmark, France, Japan, Norway and Spain.

Mohamed Emwazi, a British citizen who oversaw the killings of some of those hostages, died in a drone strike in 2015. Aine Davis, the fourth member of the group, was convicted in Turkey in 2017 on terrorism charges and sentenced to 7 years in prison.

Defense arguments rejected

Elsheikh's lawyers attempted to have the charges thrown out before trial, arguing that Elsheikh and Kotey had made confessions under duress. The legal team has said the killings were planned and carried out by Emwazi at the behest of the IS leadership.

But a judge rejected those arguments, saying evidence showed that confessions made both to government interrogators and to journalists were made freely.

Defense attorney Edward MacMahon called Elsheikh a simple ISIS fighter in his opening statement on Wednesday, using another term for IS, which is also known as ISIL.

Mr. Elsheikh was not a member of the Beatles and not involved in the kidnapping, torture and deaths of any of these individuals, he said.

The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation applauded U.S. authorities for holding Kotey and Elsheikh accountable for their alleged crimes.

Hostage takers, like Kotey and Elsheikh, must be held accountable to deter further hostage-taking. Too often captors of U.S. nationals evade arrest and indictment, and therefore never face justice, the foundation said in a statement Tuesday.

Ricardo Garcia Vilanova, a Spanish photographer held captive by IS for six months in 2014, told Agence France-Presse on Tuesday that torture and murder were daily occurrences in an atmosphere of sadism.

American freelance journalist Foley was in Syria to report on the conflict, He and British photographer John Cantlie were kidnapped together as they left an internet cafe in late 2012.

Footage released by the IS group in August 2014 showed Foley being killed. Videos of the killings of Sotloff in September and Kassig in November followed. Aid worker Mueller is believed to have been killed in 2015.

Cantlie appeared in several IS propaganda videos, the last in Mosul. But he has not been located since the military defeat of IS in 2019. That same year, British and Syrian Kurdish officials said he could still be alive.

Positive sign

Experts say bringing those allegedly responsible for killing U.S. citizens and others to the U.S. to stand trial is a positive sign.

If the U.S. can get convictions against ISIS members, it may at least give us a record of prosecution and determination of some facts that can serve as a symbolic sentence for the crimes against humanity this group carried out, said Frantzman, author of the book After ISIS.

Most IS members were not prosecuted, even though thousands of have been captured, he added.

The prosecution of El Shafee Elsheikh is important because it is also symbolic, Frantzman said. Like the war crimes prosecutions after the Holocaust, it is important to bring at least a few suspects to court to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they committed the acts they are accused of.

Some information for this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
In an interview Tuesday, former U.S. President Donald Trump specifically asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to release information that Trump believes would implicate the family of U.S. President Joe Biden in financial wrongdoing.



In the interview with the "Just the News" television program on the network Real America's Voice, Trump suggested that Putin might want to provide the information because he thinks it would harm the United States.



As long as Putin now is not exactly a fan of our country, Trump said, the Russian leader might be willing to explain why in 2014 Russian businesswoman Elena Baturina, the wife of the deceased former mayor of Moscow, Yuri Luzhkov, made a $3.5 million payment to a firm Trump supporters have claimed is associated with Hunter Biden, the presidents son.



I would think Putin would know the answer to that, Trump said. I think he should release it.



Trump characterized the payment as having been made to the Biden family, but it was actually made to an entity called Rosemont Seneca Thornton. Hunter Biden was an original founder of the investment fund Rosemont Seneca, but his attorney said that he had no connection with or interest in Rosemont Seneca Thornton.



Hunter Biden had no interest in and was not a co-founder of Rosemont Seneca Thornton, so the claim that he was paid $3.5 million is false, the attorney, George Mesires, told PolitiFact in September 2020.

While Hunter Bidens business dealings have been under investigation by federal prosecutors since at least 2018, the information about the payment from Baturina was revealed in a Republican-led Senate inquiry. The report provided no evidence that the payment was corrupt or associated with Hunter Bidens investment fund in any way.



No parallels

Experts in American politics struggled to find another instance in which a former U.S. president had solicited damaging information about a sitting presidents family from the leader of one of the countrys most significant geostrategic rivals.



Don't bother to look for parallels because it's completely unparalleled, Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginias Center for Politics, told VOA. This is an example of complete self-absorption and elevation of personal interest over the country's interests.

Sabato added, That is something that, it goes without saying, should be beneath the dignity of any former president. But it's not beneath Donald Trump's dignity.

It was difficult to find Republicans in Washington defending the former presidents comments on Wednesday. Utah Senator Mitt Romney told reporters, I don't think Vladimir Putin ought to be one of the people we go to for favors right now."



Echoes of 2016 campaign

Trumps public call for Putin to release information about Bidens son echoed his request, during the 2016 presidential campaign, for Moscow to release emails belonging to his then-opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing, Trump said in July 2016. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.

Whether by coincidence or not, a special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election later determined that Russian hackers made their first attempt to break into computers in Clintons personal office on the same day as Trumps request.

Also on Tuesday, Evgeny Popov, a member of the Russian Duma and the host of a program on state-run television, said during a broadcast that it was time for Russian citizens to call on U.S. citizens to end Bidens term early, and to again help our partner Trump to become president.

Hunter Biden investigation

Hunter Bidens business dealings have been a target of intense interest among Trump and his political allies. In 2018, the U.S. attorney for the District of Delaware, David Weiss, opened an investigation into Hunter Bidens business activities in several foreign countries.



When Joe Biden took office in 2021, he left the Trump-appointed Weiss in office, in order to avoid the appearance of interfering in the investigation into his son.

Media reports indicate that the investigation into Hunter Biden has not only continued but has picked up pace.

Trumps efforts to dig up dirt on the younger Biden related to his seat on the board of directors of the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma led to his first impeachment. In a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2019, Trump appeared to condition the sale of military equipment to Ukraine on Zelenskyys willingness to do him a favor by announcing an investigation into the Bidens.



Bidens membership on the Burisma board had raised eyebrows for a number of reasons. He was paid a generous $50,000 per month, despite having no apparent expertise in the energy business. Also, his father was in charge of the Obama administrations Ukraine policy at the time.



No evidence has been made public suggesting that any decisions Joe Biden made while vice president were meant to aid his sons business ventures.



Chinese energy firm

On Tuesday, The Washington Post published an investigation into Hunter Bidens business dealings in China. The report relied on data from a laptop computer that Biden was purported to have left at a computer repair store and that was later turned over to the FBI.



Allies of Trump tried to get journalists to investigate the laptop during the 2020 election campaign, but many balked because of the circumstances under which the data from the machine was obtained. The owner of the store copied the computers hard drive before turning the device over to the FBI. The copied hard drive then found its way into the hands of Rudy Giuliani, Trumps personal attorney, who had actively worked to have Ukrainian officials announce an investigation into the Bidens.

The Post said it was able to independently verify the accuracy of some of the data on the machine.

Among other things, the Post story revealed that over 14 months, beginning in 2017, Hunter Bidens company received $4.8 billion in payments from a Chinese energy conglomerate called CEFC China Energy. None of the energy projects that Biden discussed with the firm ever took shape, the paper reported, and one of the executives of CEFC was arrested by U.S. authorities for bribery.
Turkish-made drones have featured prominently in Ukraine's resistance against Russia's invasion, taking out significant Russian targets in the first few weeks of the war. But the conflict, and any possibility of a Russian victory, have cast a shadow over the future of Turkey's rapidly growing drone industry, which relies on Ukrainian engines.

In one of many videos released by the Ukrainian military, a Turkish-made Bayraktar drone destroys a Russian tank to the cheers of the drone operators. But with the Bayraktar drone powered by Ukrainian engines, Samuel Bendett of the U.S.-based Center for Naval Analyses warns any Russian victory in Ukraine could set back Turkey's rapidly growing drone industry.

"Russia sees Bayraktar's TV2s in particular as a highly competitive weapon and technology not just in the former Soviet space, but in the global aerial vehicle market. Russians are nervous that Bayraktar are penetrating the former Soviet space, the Caucasus and Central Asia and now Ukraine," Bendett said. "And so, if Russians were to sort of exercise the full extent of their powers in the outcome of the negotiations, they would probably seek to limit Ukrainian military cooperation with Turkey so as not to further Turkish growing advantage in certain technologies like UAVs."

Ukraine provides cutting-edge engine know-how, and does not put restrictions on Turkish companies selling to third parties. Turkish drone use in conflicts like the Ethiopian civil war has drawn international criticism from rights groups.

James Rogers, assistant professor in War Studies at the University of Southern Denmark, says the Turkish drone industry would not have the same freedom of use if it turned to its Western allies for engines.

"There are more restrictions when you deal with UK, European or American suppliers, and that is something Turkey will definitely keep in mind," he said. "We know that the United States has been very select to who it sells drones and drone elements to around the world. This was one of the reasons why Turkey started its entire indigenous drone program because Congress wouldn't approve the sale of Reaper-Predator generation medium altitude long endurance drones to Turkey."

Earlier this year, a prominent Turkish military helicopter deal with Pakistan collapsed over Washington's restrictions on the use of American engines. In addition, Congress has been enforcing increased controls on the supplies of military components to Turkey over Ankara's purchase of Russia's S-400 missile defense system.

While Ankara has received praise from Washington over its support of Ukraine, Aaron Stein, director of research at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, expects little change in Washington's stance towards Turkey.

"One side is that Turkey is hostile to the United States. It's no longer an ally, it's (an) adversary. So, we should be treating it as such. And the other side is we misunderstand Turkey, and it needs a big hug because it's so important. And the government is somewhere in the middle, and usually, current events reinforce positions on either side," Stein said.

Given the challenges of finding an alternative to Ukrainian engines, Turkey's drone industry will likely look for drones to thwart Moscow's ambitions and secure both Kyiv and its future.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this report misspelled Samuel Bendett's name. VOA regrets the error.
The URL has been copied to your clipboard

The code has been copied to your clipboard.

Opponents of Russias invasion of Ukraine gathered in the U.S. state of Colorado to raise funds for displaced civilians and to remember those killed by Nazis during World War II. From Denver, Svitlana Prystynska has our story.
Olga M. spent the first week of the Russian invasion hiding with her teenage son in a shelter in Kotsiubynske, a Kyiv suburb. As the shelling intensified in nearby Irpin, they fled, reaching Spain a week later.

"My legs are bloodshot" from standing on the trains and in lines, said Olga, who asked that her last name be withheld to protect family members, including her husband, who stayed behind.

Throughout her ordeal, she tried to talk about the war with her parents, who live in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

"Why are you so upset? she recalled her father asking her on the first day. We will bomb your military bases. What difference does it make to you?"

Olga said she stopped talking to him after that, but maintained relations with her mother, who avoids discussing the war that has made refugees of her daughter and grandson.

Olga's father grew up in Ukraine but moved to Russia in the mid-1970s and married Olgas mother, a Russian woman. Olga married a Ukrainian man and moved to Ukraine but still considers herself Russian and maintains Russian citizenship.

She said her parents have not visited her in Ukraine since 2008, insisting they would be thrown into jail for speaking the Russian language.

"I was telling it was not true. I don't speak Ukrainian, and I still haven't obtained Ukrainian citizenship," Olga said.

Propaganda narratives

As much as her communication with her parents pains her, Olga finds talking to her former classmates in Russia worse.

"They start with sympathy, saying they are on my side, but always follow with accusations, she said. They repeat the propaganda narratives, like that we have been bombing Donetsk and Luhansk for eight years, or that we bomb ourselves. They told me that the Ukrainian government handed out 10,000 guns to the citizens, and now we shoot each other."

Only one member of her family in Russia, her brother, doesn't need to be convinced. "He knows that it's Putin's fault," she said.

Other residents of Ukraine with family in Russia tell similar stories.

Tatiana L., who evacuated with her 17-year-old daughter to western Ukraine from Hostomel, one of the hardest-hit towns near Kyiv, describes talking to her relatives in Moscow and the Ural region.

"First, I was sending them my videos explaining what was happening in Hostomel. They were not replying. I was sending videos of Borodyanka, Mariupol. On the second week of the war, they blocked me," she said.

She recalled that they sent a message to her mother about the price of potatoes in occupied Kherson and what sounded like a pleasant life under Russian occupation. "After that, they blocked my mom," she said.

Her Ural relatives, said Tatiana, explained to her that the bombing was the Ukrainians` fault. "They told us that we should have surrendered to avoid casualties, but we didn't do that because we wanted to be heroes. They don't even try to understand that we want to stay alive, live in our own homes, raise our children in peace."

Some Ukrainian residents report getting a more sympathetic hearing from relatives in Russia.

Evolving opinions



Vladislav, a political scientist in Kyiv, said his relatives in Moscow clearly understand what is happening.

"On the first day of the war, they sent me a message saying they were ashamed," he said. The relatives, originally from Ukraine, know the Ukrainian and English languages, follow the Ukrainian television channels and ask him questions. "They wish us victory," he said.

Still others say their relatives in Russia are gradually changing their opinions as the war grinds on.

Olexander, currently serving in territorial defense in Kyiv, talked about his conversations with his father, who has lived in the Altai region of Russia for the last 10 years.

"When I called and told him that the war started, he told me that we deserved it because we were Nazis and bombed the Donbas; he was repeating all these television messages," he said.

That began to change after Olexander helped his father install a VPN that allowed him to follow the Ukrainian television channels and official statements from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

"Now he keeps silence and asks me if I have a bulletproof vest, tells me to be careful," Olexander said.

He said he believed his father had been heavily influenced by seeing images on Ukrainian TV of dead Russian soldiers and their demolished tanks.

"Their military TV channel, Zvezda, broadcasts that the Russian army is [so] powerful, as no other," he said. "After seeing the destroyed tanks and dead soldiers, he understood that they lied to him."

Alex L., a pensioner who spent three weeks in heavily shelled Chernihiv before evacuating to Germany, said he believed that his cousin in Moscow also had changed her mind, but that he didn't know for sure.



"She called me, asking what was going on," Alex said. "I said we were bombed and shot at. 'Who is bombing and shooting at you?' 'Russians.' 'You are making it up.' I stepped outside and held my phone to the sounds of explosions. She still told me that it was fake."

Alex said he stopped talking to his cousin but remained in contact with her daughter, who understood what was going on.



"Her daughter probably convinced her. She says that her mother understands now. But they are speaking so carefully. They are very, very afraid," he said.

While Ukrainians were eager to describe their conversations with their relatives in Russia, they refused to put VOA in contact with them. They also asked to have their identities not revealed to protect their relatives.



Questionable polling

Russian opinion polling indicates that support for the war has been growing in Russia despite the lack of military progress. The All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center reported on March 23 that 74% of Russian citizens supported the decision "to conduct a special military operation in Ukraine," up 9 points from a February 25 poll and 3 points since March 5.

But Natalia Savelyeva, a resident fellow at the Future Russia Initiative with the Democratic Resilience Program at the Center for European Policy Analysis, pointed out that polling in authoritarian countries is unreliable, especially during a crisis like a war.



In autocracies, citizens are often afraid to answer pollsters' questions, let alone questions about politics," she has written. That tendency has been reinforced by a new law providing long prison terms for any candid discussion of Russias so-called special military operation.

Savelyeva points to an independent study conducted in Moscow by jailed opposition leader Alexey Navalny's organization, which "demonstrated that during the week from February 25 to March 3, the number of people who blamed Russia for the conflict and believed that Russia is an aggressor increased."

Whatever the true numbers, it is evident from the experiences of Ukrainians with relatives in Russia that many Russians have accepted the narrative of the war provided by state-controlled media, even when it runs counter to what they are told by close family members.

"A person rejects information that contradicts their vision of the world, which is unpleasant. Even if this information comes from verified sources  from relatives, from friends in Ukraine," said Maria Snegovaya, a political scientist and researcher at Virginia Tech, a research university in Blacksburg, Virginia.

She said people often choose to disbelieve the words of relatives because otherwise they would feel they must do something. "This motive is important for understanding why even liberals in Russia refuse to acknowledge their responsibility for what is happening, she said.

Peter Pomerantsev, a senior researcher at Johns Hopkins University and an author of two books on propaganda, agreed, saying many Russians are experiencing cognitive dissonance  believing in mutually exclusive things and trying to push away doubts that make them uncomfortable.

Even so, he said, Russians understand that their government lies to them and can be convinced if their Ukrainian relatives persist with a sensitive approach. "Everybody in Russia has doubts, he said. Everyone, even the most fascist ones. None of them trust their government."

In an interview with The New Yorker magazine, Russian investigative journalist Andrei Soldatov, who left Russia in 2020, pointed out some cracks in the Russian propaganda message were already beginning to appear.

"There are some cracks, but it's not about more sympathy toward Ukrainians. It's more killed soldiers, because the casualties are really big in the Russian military, Soldatov said.



I know from my relatives in the Volga region, quite far from Moscow, that now in small towns, they have people who have had their kids killed in Ukraine," he said. "So, society started talking about it because there are so many deaths. But unfortunately, I don't see any sympathy for Ukraine, which is a very hard thing to say."
The U.N. high commissioner for human rights on Wednesday called Russia to immediately withdraw its troops from Ukraine and stop the war that she said had caused immeasurable suffering and grief for millions of people.

In a dramatic rendering of conditions in Ukraine to the U.N. Human Rights Council, Michelle Bachelet described the living nightmare Ukrainians have endured for more than a month and said the war must end.

She said at least 1,189 civilians had been killed and 1,900 injured. She said relentless bombing raids and the persistent use of explosive weapons by Russian military forces had caused massive destruction and damage to homes, infrastructure, hospitals and schools. She noted cities such as Mariupol had been nearly razed, while others had been mercilessly pummeled and no longer existed.

Bachelet said her office had credible allegations that Russian armed forces have used cluster munitions in populated areas at least two dozen times. She said her office also was investigating allegations that Ukrainian forces have used such weapons.

"Indiscriminate attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes," she said. "The massive destruction of civilian objects and the high number of civilian casualties strongly indicate that the fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution have not been sufficiently adhered to.

Ukraines ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Yevheniia Filipenko, condemned Russias unprovoked aggression against her country. She called Russias actions against a sovereign state an attack against the norms of the worlds rules-based order.

'Flagrant violation' of charter

This step by the country occupying a seat in the U.N. Security Council and in the Human Rights Council has become a flagrant violation of the U.N. charter and fundamental principles of international law, which will have long-lasting implications for the future of the world order and humanity, she said.

Yaroslav Eremin, first secretary at the Russian Mission in Geneva, dismissed the conclusions of multiple investigative bodies that have found Russia guilty of widespread violations and abuse.

He listed a litany of alleged crimes committed by Ukrainian soldiers. He said these included preventing civilians in Mariupol from seeking safety in Russia, using civilians as human shields, and blowing up a factory and blaming it on Russia. Speaking through an interpreter, he accused the Ukrainian military of torturing Russian prisoners of war and innocent civilians.

"All these atrocities against civilians were carried out with the use of weaponry supplied by the Western countries," he said. "We urge the high commissioner and OHCHR [Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights] to give a due assessment of these facts.

Nearly 50 countries that participated in the interactive discussion on Ukraine did not buy into Russias viewpoint. One by one they stood up and demanded that Russia stop what they called an illegal war.
The United Nations childrens agency says some 2 million children have fled the fighting in Ukraine, with another 2.5 million driven from their homes within the country.

In a statement released Wednesday, UNICEF, along with the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCHR), said children make up half of all refugees from the war in Ukraine. UNICEF reports more than 1.1 million children have arrived in Poland, with hundreds of thousands also arriving in Romania, Moldova, Hungary Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

UNCHR has documented that more than 100 children have been killed during the conflict, and an additional 134 children have been injured, though the agency says the true toll is likely to be much higher.

Both U.N. agencies warn that displaced children heighten the risk of trafficking and exploitation. To seek to reduce the risks children and young people face, UNICEF, UNHCR and government and civil society partners are scaling up Blue Dot centers in refugee-hosting countries, including Moldova, Romania and Slovakia.

The Blue Dot centers are one-stop safe spaces that can provide information to traveling families, help identify unaccompanied and separated children and ensure their protection from exploitation, and serve as a hub for access to essential services.

UNICEF said it is also working urgently with national governments and other authorities across the region to put further measures in place to keep children safe, including strengthening child protection screening at border crossings.

In Wednesdays statement, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said, The situation inside Ukraine is spiraling. As the number of children fleeing their homes continues to climb, she added, it is important to remember every single one of them needs protection, education, safety and support.

This week, UNICEF began a humanitarian cash transfer program to support 52,000 of the most vulnerable families inside Ukraine. In addition, the agency, as of this week, has dispatched 114 trucks carrying 1,275 metric tons of emergency supplies to support children and families in Ukraine and the bordering countries.

The supplies include medicines and medical equipment, winter clothes for children, and hygiene, educational, early childhood development and recreational kits.
U.S. Ambassador to Somalia Larry Andre has condemned a recent wave of attacks by al-Shabab militants across the country that killed more than 60 people.

Speaking to VOA Somali on Tuesday, Andre said the attacks in Mogadishu, Beledweyne and elsewhere were intended to prevent Somalia from moving toward stability.

"We condemn those who seek to murder and destroy," the ambassador said. "They are stopping the revival of Somalia and they're taking many lives in doing so. We support those who seek to build a secure, prosperous and peaceful Somalia. That is what our cooperation with the Somali authorities, with the Somali people, with Somali civil society is all aimed at."

A daring March 23 attack by al-Shabab on Mogadishu's heavily fortified airport killed at least seven people including five foreigners, according to Somali police spokesperson Major Abdifatah Aden Hassan.

On the same day, two deadlier explosions in Beledweyne claimed the lives of 48 more people including a female lawmaker, Amina Mohamed Abdi.

Al-Shabab attacks continued into this week as the militant group carried out a raid and roadside explosion in Puntland, killing five soldiers. Another attack on Tuesday night in the town of Wanlaweyn injured a security official and killed his teenage son.

Andre said stability in the Horn of Africa cannot be achieved without the revival of Somalia as a prosperous, democratic and peaceful country.

"And these acts of murder on a mass scale prevents achievement of that full revival," he said.

On the day of the attack on Mogadishu airport, al-Shabab fired mortars at the facility.

No casualties were reported, but Andre acknowledged that one of the mortars landed close to the U.S. Embassy.

"It also came close to the United Nations compound and landed in the United Nations compound, landed in the international compound and some landed at sea," he said.

Al-Shabab has increased attacks carried out by suicide bombers wearing vests, known as Person-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (PBIED), a tactic the group has used for more than a decade.

The attack in Beledweyne was al-Shabab's third PBIED attack this year, following 11 such attacks in 2020 and 13 last year.

Police say the increase in al-Shabab's PBIED attacks is because police operations, surveillance and checkpoints have reduced the effectiveness of Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIEDs).

Andre said al-Shabab's attacks are indiscriminate.

"They often just kill indiscriminately. That is what they do. They are murderers," he said.

Droughts

The increased al-Shabab attacks come as Somalia tries to cope with a droughts that has killed tens of thousands of livestock and displaced tens of thousands of pastoral residents.

Somalia has declared a state of humanitarian emergency because of the drought. Aid workers are saying the situation is "catastrophic."

"Right now, there are 4.5 million people in Somalia who are being affected by the drought," said Tom Solomon, a senior humanitarian and development official with the U.S. Agency for International Development. "That includes 1.4 million children under the age of six, who are malnourished. And it includes 700,000 people who have left their homes in search of water and pasture for the animals."

Although the drought has affected the entire country, the central and southern regions are among the hardest hit, with the agro-pastoralists losing their livestock because of lack of water and lack of pasture, Solomon said.



"What has happened as a result is that people don't have enough food to eat; it's a real crisis because the price of food has gone way up [and] the value of animals that people sell has gone down," he said.



"We are concerned that there could be a fourth consecutive below average rainy season in Somalia with the upcoming rains. That would be unprecedented," Solomon added.

Solomon said the United States government remains a major humanitarian donor to Somalia. He said that last year, the U.S. provided approximately $430 million for humanitarian assistance and $210 million specifically for food assistance alone to Somalia.

VOA's Harun Maruf contributed to this report.

Editors note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the amount of aid the U.S. provided to Somalia in 2021.
A U.S. astronaut has returned to Earth Wednesday aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft after nearly a full year aboard the International Space Station, during which relations between the two space giants plummeted over Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The capsule carrying NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei and Russian cosmonauts, Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov, completed a parachute-assisted landing on the snow-covered steppe of central Kazakhstan, several hours after undocking from the ISS.

For Vande Hei, it ended a U.S. record-breaking stay in space. He was in space for 355 days, breaking the previous record of 340 days set by Scott Kelly in 2016.

NASA says the two countries are continuing to cooperate on the ISS, although Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russias space agency Roscosmos, posted a series of angry tweets shortly after the invasion of Ukraine, suggesting Russia could abandon the ISS and let it plummet back to Earth. He also shared a video showing Russian cosmonauts abandoning Vande Hei on the ISS.

But in a handover ceremony Tuesday before departing the orbital outpost, Shkaplerov, who commanded the latest ISS crew, expressed a more harmonious view.

People have problems on Earth. On orbit we are one crew, he said.

The invasion has led to fallout in other areas of cooperation between Moscow and other international partners in space travel. The European Space Agency has postponed an unmanned mission to Mars because it relied on a Russian rocket. And British-based satellite company One Web canceled a series of launches because they also relied on Russian-built rockets, shifting some of them to U.S.-based SpaceX.

Some information for this report was provided by the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
U.S. officials are preparing for the possibility of thousands of migrants per day attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border without authorization, a pace that could shatter last year's record-breaking levels, as the Biden administration weighs lifting a COVID-era order currently blocking most asylum-seekers.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is readying for three scenarios: as many as 18,000 migrants per day in the coming weeks, or a smaller increase to 12,000 arrivals per day or arrivals similar to current levels, an agency official said during a Tuesday call with reporters, requesting anonymity to discuss internal matters.

The official did not provide the current number of migrant encounters at the border each day. As of mid-March, around 5,000 migrants were arriving a day on average, two separate U.S. government sources told Reuters at the time.

Another DHS official on the same call said it remained unclear whether lifting the COVID-era order would increase migration, but preparations were underway anyway.

Title 42 deadline

U.S. health officials face a deadline this week to renew, modify or terminate the so-called Title 42 COVID-19 health order. The order was implemented in March 2020 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during the administration of former Republican President Donald Trump to limit the spread of the virus. U.S. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has so far kept it in place.

Under Title 42, U.S. border agents can expel migrants to Mexico within hours or rapidly send them to other countries without the opportunity to seek asylum in the United States.

Health experts, immigrant rights advocates and leading Democrats argue the policy unlawfully cuts off access to asylum and puts migrants in danger in Mexico, and that scientific evidence does not support its stated goal of helping to curb the spread of the virus. They have chastised Biden for keeping it in place despite promises to roll back Trump's most restrictive immigration policies.

Republicans across the country have made rising illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border a major attack line heading into the November 8 congressional election, where Democrats risk losing control of Congress, stymieing Biden's legislative agenda.

Reuters reported earlier this month that Biden officials were leaning toward ending the order after court decisions complicated its usage and U.S. health officials moved to loosen pandemic restrictions nationwide more broadly. DHS said on Monday that it had started giving COVID-19 vaccines to migrants in custody at the border.

The Biden administration has said the decision to lift the order lies with CDC, which declined to comment.

Increased federal staffing

DHS officials told congressional offices earlier this month that tens of thousands of migrants who are already near the border could arrive within hours of Title 42 being lifted and more than 1 million in southern Mexico and other countries could come within weeks, according to an aide briefed on the matter.

DHS did not respond to a request for comment on those estimates.

The planning effort involves building additional temporary holding facilities along the border, some of which will be ready for use by early April, one of the DHS officials said on Tuesday's call. DHS is also working to add more staffing and transportation, in an effort that involves multiple federal agencies that work with immigrants, the person said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an emergency agency that usually responds to floods, storms and other major disasters, is assisting with the planning effort, although the administration has not formally issued a disaster declaration.

DHS is working on a system that would allow migrants seeking asylum to register electronically and schedule a time to approach a legal port of entry as part of a "more orderly process," one of the DHS officials said.

Some asylum-seekers have been stranded in Mexico for months waiting for the restrictions to be lifted.
Public school districts in multiple U.S. states are grappling with  and, in some cases, acquiescing to  demands by small but vocal groups of parents to rid school libraries of certain books about sexual minorities and racism in America. The desire of some parents to shield students from what they regard as immoral, sexually explicit or racially contentious content is drawing a sharp reaction from defenders of the free flow of ideas and information.



Campaigns to ban books in schools are nothing new. Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, both regarded as literary masterpieces despite containing racist language, are among the many books that have been fought over for decades.

But recent months have seen an explosion of battles over what school libraries may and may not offer to students. Dozens of books that deal with sexual orientation, gender identity and racism in America have ended up in the crosshairs of outraged parents.



According to the American Library Association, there has been a dramatic uptick in "book challenges": when an individual or group argues that a book should be removed from library shelves because of its content.



"We're getting multiple challenge reports every day. The volume is just unprecedented," said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom. The ALA has tracked more than 150 censorship incidents in the past year.



Topping the ALA list for the past few years is Melissa (formerly published as George) by Alex Giro, a story about a transgender girl's quest to affirm her identity.

A 'fight for liberty'

The debates often pit social conservatives demanding book removals against a more liberal-minded contingent that thinks banning books, including those for youngsters, runs counter to America's constitutionally guaranteed liberties.



In fact, both sides claim to be fighting for liberty. The group Moms for Liberty seeks to empower parents to take control over what their children are taught and might otherwise learn about at school.



When it comes to removing books from library shelves, Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice noted that some states have obscenity and pornography laws that protect minors from sexually explicit materials.



"The moms don't want pornography in schools," she told VOA.



For instance, Justice denounced what she termed "extremely graphic material" in All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto by George M. Johnson, whose book explores growing up as a gay Black male and includes descriptions of sexual relationships. Critically acclaimed and a New York Times bestseller, the book has been removed from school libraries in several U.S. states.



"We're not saying books like this shouldn't be written," Justice said, "but the public-school library isn't the place for them."



Others vociferously oppose taking books off the shelves, calling it censorship of ideas.

"Parents have the right to influence what their children read," said Nora Pelizzari, communications director for the National Coalition Against Censorship. "But it is no parent's right to determine what another kid is allowed to discover in a library."



Stacy Langton begs to disagree.



"Total freedom and permissiveness contradicts your duty as a parent to protect your children," said Langton, a mom who lives outside Washington in Fairfax County, Virginia.



At a local school board meeting, Langton argued that some books were harmful to children and had no place in school libraries. She called for the removal of Maia Kobabe's illustrated book, Gender Queer: A Memoir, from Fairfax County schools. The book, which focuses on the author's search for gender identity, tells a story through drawings, some of which depict sexuality.



Langton, who says her mother is a lesbian, told VOA, "I don't care that this book is depicting gay or whatever. It's pornography and not appropriate for children."



Langton added that exposing youngsters to LGBTQ imagery could be part of a "grooming process" encouraging homosexual behavior.



After being pulled from Fairfax County school libraries, Gender Queer was returned to the shelves after a review committee concluded it was not obscene.

The episode is part of a larger trend of conservative-leaning parents seeking to dictate what's available to a school district's student body, according to the ALA's Caldwell-Stone, who notes that LGBTQ-themed books have drawn controversy for decades.

Heather Has Two Mommies, first published in 1989, was one of the first books to be challenged and banned in some school districts. Written for elementary school students, it depicts a child being raised by a same-sex couple and has no sexual content. But some people denounced the portrayal of a nontraditional family structure as obscene.



Kate Miller, a parent with school-age children in Naperville, Illinois, thinks that school libraries should highlight many different viewpoints, even those some parents may not like.



"Banning books constrains our children's education and development," she said. "It prevents children from learning about themselves and people who are different from them."



Others maintain there is a line that must be drawn.



"Banning books should be used as sparingly as possible," but some are just too graphic, said Carrie Lukas, president of the Independent Women's Forum. She is not against all books with sexual content, she said, but they must be age appropriate.



Emily Phillips Galloway, an assistant professor in the school of education at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, sees a growing disruption of what should be a partnership between parents and teachers on school curriculum.



"A lot of book-banning challenges are about whether teachers are given the support to teach certain topics," she said. "There need to be ongoing conversations with parents and educators on how to teach these complex topics."

Books about racism targeted



The discord extends to past and present race-based issues that have become emotionally and politically charged for many in the Black Lives Matter era.

Author Christopher Noxon told VOA he was flabbergasted when his book Good Trouble: Lessons from the Civil Rights Playbook was pulled from public schools in Virginia Beach, Virginia, for five months. Noxon, who is white, said he "talked to people who had been part of this incredible movement" and then wrote the book from his perspective.



"I think it was targeted as objectionable by conservative groups that did not like the content because it reframes civil rights as a current issue," he said, and not just as something America tackled in the 1950s and '60s.



But what some see as books and curriculum that legitimately underscore present-day discrimination and inequalities in America, others see as destructively divisive.



Elana Fishbein, founder of the group No Left Turn, is concerned about what she calls hateful and racist books and concepts being taught in public schools.



"We object to teaching kids to look at each other first through race," she said.



Pelizzari of the National Coalition Against Censorship said those seeking to ban books constitute a loud minority.



"Most parents don't agree with removing books from the schools simply because you just don't like them," she said.



But Justice of Moms for Liberty has no intention of giving up.



"I will fight to my death to protect the innocence of my own children," she said.
The United States on Wednesday announced sanctions on five Iranians and several Iranian entities it said were involved in the countrys ballistic missile program.

The sanctions specifically target the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Research and Self Sufficiency Jihad Organization, which is responsible for the research and development of ballistic missiles, the Treasury Department said.

Also targeted was Irans Parchin Chemical Industries.

We have taken this action following Irans recent missile attack on Irbil, Iraq, as well as missile attacks by Iranian proxies against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. These attacks are a reminder that Irans development and proliferation of ballistic missiles pose a serious threat to regional and international security.

Brian Nelson, undersecretary of the treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, said the move was aimed at preventing Iran from developing advanced missiles.

While the United States continues to seek Irans return to full compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [which restricted Irans nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief], we will not hesitate to target those who support Irans ballistic missile program. We will also work with other partners in the region to hold Iran accountable for its actions, including gross violations of the sovereignty of its neighbors, he said in a statement.
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) and Election Resource Center have questioned by-electoon results of the Mutasa South constituency saying indications are that local people were coerced to vote for the ruling Zanu PF party.

In its preliminary report of the by-elections held last Saturday, the ZESN and ERC said, It is not possible to verify the results for Mutasa South  Observers reported high turnout and vote share for a number of polling stations. While the average turnout for Mutasa South was approximately 35%, all of these polling stations had a turnout of over 50%. At the same time, over 90% of votes were cast for ZANU PF while for the constituency as a whole ZANU PF received only slightly over 50% of the vote.

These are indicators of community coercion and that voters were not able to freely participate in the elections. Given that the official margin of victory was only 549 votes, this community coercion undermines the credibility of the Mutasa South election and the legitimacy of the outcome.

ZESN and ERC, which deployed observers in most polling stations nationwide, noted that there were activities before and during the voting process that qualify as vote buying. According to the two organizations, they included the use of food to sway voters.

ZESN deployed more than 400 trained and accredited election day observers including deploying 206 observers to six priority constituencies; Binga North, Chivi South, Epworth, Kwekwe Central, Murewa South, and Mutasa South where Sample-Based Observations (SBOs) were conducted using a statistically representative sample of polling stations.

Given the timing, it was not possible to conduct SBOs for all 28 by-elections. These six constituencies were selected to provide geographic spread and to reflect the political diversity of the country.

ZESN and ERC said voter information and education associated with the voter registration process were not comprehensive enough ahead of the by-elections.

This shortcoming in public engagement, when viewed alongside the administration of the two different voters rolls in constituencies where there are concurrent elections for the National Assembly and Ward by-elections, has resulted in confusion amongst voters in the affected areas. Stakeholders have also expressed concern over the quality and integrity of the voters roll, which was further compounded by the delay by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commissions (ZEC) in sharing the official voters roll for analysis.

They also said the political environment during the pre-election period was marred by political violence resulting in the loss of life for a Citizens Coalition for Change supporter in Mbizo, Kwekwe District, and election- related intimidation. ERC and ZESN unreservedly condemn any form of violence and the attempt to limit electoral competition through the restriction of campaign activities. Political rights are protected in Section 67 of the Constitution and all stakeholders are enjoined to always promote the Constitution.

Zanu PF says it performed well in the by-elections as it gained two key constituencies that were under the opposition and retained all its seats which were up for grabs.
Streamliner At your service. So, is he asleep now or ? Photo: Marvel

Update Monday, April 4: Justice is restored for the blood and violence of The Falcon and the Winter Solider. After an edited version of the Power Broker episode was accidentally uploaded last week  a human error per a source at Disney+  the original version of the episode is now back on the streamer. While its good to have the correct form of the episode back up, weve got to say, well miss this goofy scene.

Original story follows:

Remember The Falcon and the Winter Soldier? Marvels second Disney+ streaming series is finally back in the public consciousness because keen-eyed fans on Reddit noticed that at least two scenes in the series have been altered to reduce the blood and violence onscreen. While Disney hasnt said what prompted the changes, fans spotted it weeks after the arrival both of the (formerly on Netflix) MCU shows on Disney+ and of the streaming services new parental controls, making the tweaking of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier  a show that premiered on the platform just last year  all the more baffling. A source at Disney+ told us the incident was isolated and chalked this up to the wrong version of an episode being uploaded, but as of Wednesday afternoon, the edited version was still up on the site.

So what got chopped? Two scenes with dramatic edits were spotted by Reddit and The Direct in episode three, Power Broker. (Surprisingly, the most brutal scene of the series, in which U.S. Agent murders a guy by repeatedly bashing the Captain America shield onto his head, has not been affected yet.) The episode is fairly action heavy, as Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Zemo (Daniel Bruhl), and Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp) hunt down the titular Power Broker to bust an illegal Super Solider serum operation. The foursome end up finding a Hydra scientist, whom Zemo shoots in the chest at the episodes 35:27 mark. In the original scene, you can see the scientist sprawled out on the floor with blood spattered across his chest and face, while now he looks like hes just snoozing.

The second edit of the episode comes soon after, when Falcon, Bucky, Zemo, and Sharon make their escape. Despite Sharons literally stabbing a dude in the arm minutes before (which is still on Disney+), the edit comes where Bucky, originally, throws a pipe straight through an antagonists shoulder to pin her to the wall at the 37:46 mark. The scene now shows the pipe barely missing the antagonist, who dramatically pushes herself back. (The moment honestly looks pretty funny now, so props for this one.)

Thus far, those are the only changes to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier that have been found, but they also feel somewhat  superfluous? Theres seemingly no rhyme or reason to why Disney+ would censor these few scenes in a Marvel show that could easily be put behind its parental controls, especially when theres now bed-breaking, bone-crushing, ass-kicking, Marvel action series on the service. And one cant forget the newly premiered Moon Knight, the MCUs attempt at grittier, edgier fare. In a recent interview with Empire, Marvel president Kevin Feige even said, Its been fun to work with Disney+ and see the boundaries shifting on what were able to do. There are moments [in the series] when Moon Knight is wailing on another character, and it is loud and brutal, and the knee-jerk reaction is, Were gonna pull back on this, right? No. Were not pulling back. If you say so, Kevin!
No. 3 is up in the ol This Is Us Big Three Trilogy, and if you figured it was going to be a doozy given the emotional confrontations, whether external or internal, that the other Pearsons faced in their episodes, well, I have five words for you: Randall-and-Rebecca road trip.

While watching Every Version of You, I kept thinking about season ones Pilgrim Rick, the first Thanksgiving episode, in which Randall learns his mother has been lying to him for his entire life about knowing his birth father. The two episodes feel like a pair. If Pilgrim Rick is pretty much about disemboweling the Randall-Rebecca Very Special Relationship right there on the dining-room table, Every Version of You feels as if theyre finally sewing it back up. Yes, Rebecca has apologized multiple times and Randall has forgiven her, but something about this road trip feels cathartic and healing. They need this. Maybe we all need to have gross dive-bar wine with our moms.

So how do these two end up on a road trip post-Thanksgiving? Deja flies the coop. Immediately after the big meeting with Rebecca and Miguel, Randall is trying to wrap his head around everything, including that Rebecca is handing over the reins to Kate, not to him. You know thats hitting this guy hard. So what he doesnt need at that moment is Deja storming downstairs telling Randall and Beth that she knows Randall told Malik to break up with her, which he just did, and that she hates him. Randall tries to explain again that dropping out of high school to move in with your single-dad boyfriend is a terrible idea, but Deja doesnt want to hear it. And when he tells her he can make these kinds of decisions for her because hes her dad, she says something I imagine most of us were waiting for her to use to hurt Randall: She isnt his daughter. Tess and Annie are your daughters. Im just some girl you took from her mom, she yells at him. That one stings. The next morning, they learn Deja took off for Boston in the middle of the night.

Randall is ready to drive up there so quickly he basically has a trail of cartoon dust behind him. Rebecca tries to get her son to take a breath, and he makes a little dig about asking Kate to handle it since apparently she handles family problems now. It is so mean! Rebecca decides she isnt letting Randall go by himself  shes tagging along.

The first half of this trip sees Rebecca trying to temper Randall a little bit. This guy is about to pop off. No one blames him  his teen is running amok  but Rebecca is right in that anything he says to either Deja or Malik at the moment would probably only make things worse. She makes him stop for a sandwich so she can take her meds and reminisce about what they used to do together when Randall was little  lots of reading and eating smiley-face cookies  and its just plain nice. Rebecca even wants a picture of them hanging out. When the waitress asks if theyre celebrating something, Rebecca says no, just a day with my son. See? Nice!

When Beth calls and says she heard from Deja and shes fine in Boston, Randall wants to go, go, go again, but Rebecca tells him once more to slow down. Give Deja the night. And this boy listens to his mom. They end up at a dive bar, and Rebecca fangirls about Randalls write-up in a local Philly magazine; she started reading Homegoing because he said he was in the article. They drink bad wine and play darts, and, yes, Rebecca wants more pictures with her son. Interspersed throughout this whole trip are glimpses of Rebecca and Randall doing similar things when Randall was little. She looks at him in the car and remembers looking in the rearview mirror at his little face in the back seat. When they brush their teeth side by side at the motel where theyre crashing for the night, she remembers them doing the same thing when Randall was a kid. When Randall has to open Rebeccas meds for her, hes the one who remembers his mom doing the same for him when he was little. Its all very time is a circle, the world spins madly on kind of stuff. When Rebecca looks at Randall, she sees all of him.

When getting ready to go to sleep  dont worry, they have separate beds, Kevin, godddd  Rebecca overhears Randall on a call with Jae-won. Randall probably hasnt felt this close to Rebecca in a while, and he seems almost excited to let her know whats going on  hes on a DNC shortlist to run for a Senate position when the current senior senator retires. Hes not sure he even wants to do it, especially with, as he puts it, such uncertainty in the family.

Obviously, this isnt going to sit well with Rebecca, who literally just gave all her children a talk about taking risks and not making their lives smaller because of her disease. I guess he couldnt hear it over his single tear; such is the life Randall leads. The next morning, she wants a sit-down with him by the motels closed-down pool. She talks about how wild and wonderful its been to watch him grow up, and how even before Jack died, they had a special relationship, and how he has always taken care of her, no matter what. This is why she could never ask him to be the executor of her care. She knows he would drop everything to help her and be consumed by it. You are my hero, Randall, she tells him  hes got DOUBLE tears going here in case you need to know how meaningful this moment is  and, more important, adds that she will not be the person to hold [him] back anymore. I mean, I wouldnt say that to Kate, but okay.

Its all so lovely and a great closing chapter on this relationship that has had a heavy presence on This Is Us. The scene ends with Randall confiding to his mother that he knows hell win if he runs for Senate. He knows it in his bones. And then from there  you guys, if This Is Us ends with Randall Pearson becoming president of the United States, as this episode implies more than once, my head may explode. I can take almost every This Is Us twist, but that? I dont know if I can handle that. I thought this was just supposed to be an emotional family drama with Milo Ventimiglias butt in it!! I didnt know it would be the prequel to a West Wing reboot!!

On to Boston they go! Randall has already gotten word from Deja, and its not good. I mean, its not good for her  its great for Randall. She and Malik ended things, and she wants to come home. Randall cant even speak when he pulls up outside Maliks apartment building and walks over to get Deja. Malik wants Randall to know he didnt end things because Randall told him to, but he did end things for the exact reasons Randall explained to him, so you do you, Malik. Randall tells him that hes a good kid and that things like this can come back around if theyre meant to be, especially on this show, so who knows?

Randall still cannot bring himself to speak to Deja, though. Sitting in the back of the car, she apologizes for what she said because, of course, Randall is her dad. Youre the only one I ever had, she says. Rebecca sits there watching her son looking back at his daughter, and she is moved by it all. And by all, I mean life and the passage of time. It is a very deep road trip!

The end of the episode gives us a little tag to each of the Big Threes stories: Kevin made it home with the twins and is proud of himself. After making that call to Phillip, Kate comes back to Tobys apartment and tells him shes not ready to move to San Francisco, not with where [they] are right now. And Randall calls Jae-won to tell him he wants to move forward with the Senate stuff. They are each following their moms orders and forging ahead in ways big and small.

This Is the Rest

 Its hard not to think about the other road trip Randall took with a parent: In Memphis, William shares his life with him and then dies before they make it home. Randall has gotten some special one-on-ones with his people!

 Back at the closed-down pool, Randall and Kevin are still trying to convince Kate to climb the fence when a cop car pulls up. He wants to bring them in for trespassing and underage drinking (could you just be cool, Kev?), but Randall pulls the cop aside and tells them about how theyre all struggling since their dad died two years ago and hes trying to hold them all together, but if they get arrested, itll break his mom. Also he doesnt want to get arrested because he wants to become president one day (!!!). The cop lets them go!! Randall really is a hero.

 I love seeing the older teen Big Three having fun at the diner. This version of the Big Three has had to be sad and angry so much, its nice to see them enjoy being together.

 Back at the first day at the pool, Little Randall passes the test to be allowed to swim in the deep end, though his parents really dont pay attention to him at all. Still, hes the one who ends up getting all the Pearsons in the pool together to play.

 Nope, still not tired of hearing Jack and Rebecca yell Swim goggles! like that.

 Rebecca has a memento box stored away for each of her kids  its why she takes all those photos of her and Randall  and we see her put in Randalls article, which she had him sign just in case. Shes preparing for what comes next.

 Did anyone else cry all four times theyve heard Mandy Moore do that You will not make your life smaller because of me speech? No? Me neither. Were all doing JUST FINE HERE.
This content is expired!

Unfortunely this content is expired and cannot be viewed anymore; if You are the owner of this content please login to our Website, go to our access panel and enable this content again.
Via Crucis ceremony to take place at Colosseum on Good Friday.

Papal events including the pope's weekly general audience are set to resume in Piazza S. Pietro after more than two years as Italy begins to lift its covid-19 restrictions on 1 April.

Since the start of the covid pandemic in early 2020 the Vatican has held the general audience indoors in the Paul VI auditorium or outdoors in the more intimate S. Damaso courtyard.

The first major papal event to take place once again in St Peter's Square will be the Palm Sunday Mass on 10 April at 10.00.

As part of the Vatican's Easter liturgical programme, the Via Crucis or Way of the Cross ceremony led by Pope Francis will also return to the Colosseum on Good Friday, for the first time since 2019.

The solemn torch-lit procession will be held at 21.15 on 15 April.

The Easter Vigil Mass will take place in St Peter's Basilica at 19.30 on Saturday 16 April, while Easter Sunday Mass will be celebrated in St Peter's Square at 10.00 on 17 April.

The pope will impart his traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing from the balcony over St Peter's at midday on Easter Sunday.

Photo credit: Riccardo De Luca - Update / Shutterstock.com.
Placeholder while article actions load

With no land borders and one of the worlds longest coastlines, Australia is a particularly challenging place to invade, or defend. But the internet changes that equation by making the nation more vulnerable to threats in cyberspace than on the battlefield. So the government is stepping up, with China clearly at top of mind.

A new A$10 billion ($7.5 billion) spending package unveiled Tuesday for the Australian Signals Directorate over a decade is a massive increase for the Defense Departments unit in charge of signals intelligence and cybersecurity. The funds will help the division double in size and triple its offensive capabilities. A further A$38 billion was outlined to boost the nations defense force.

Dubbed REDSPICE  Resilience, Effects, Defense, Space, Intelligence, Cyber, Enablers  the programs acronym is a clumsy dig at China, but the target is clear. It responds to the deteriorating strategic circumstances in our region, characterized by rapid military expansion, growing coercive behavior and increased cyber attacks, the ASD said in a statement.

Advertisement

The announcement, part of the center-right Liberal governments annual budget, comes less than two months before Prime Minister Scott Morrison must call a federal election and says a lot about the signal he wants to send both to Beijing, and his own electorate. The spending bill as a whole  which includes cuts in fuel taxes and one-off cash payments to families  is seen as a desperate attempt by Morrison to buy voter support amid a slide in popularity. Itll be largely funded by an increase in tax revenues driven by rising commodity prices.

Clearly, Morrison believes voters care about the threat from China, and wants to appear tough on Beijing. Hell use that to contrast the center-left Labor Party, which has been criticized for being weak on foreign policy and hewing too closely to the Chinese Communist Party. Russias invasion of Ukraine also plays into the governments national-security posturing, with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg noting in his budget speech that war rages in Europe.

Australian companies and organizations have increasingly become targets, mostly from overseas, with Chinese hackers blamed for a ransomware attack on electricity provider CS Energy and a Russian group purportedly behind a breach of logistics provide Toll Group. A single significant attack could cost Australia A$30 billion and 160,000 jobs, ASD director-general Rachel Noble told parliament last year.

Advertisement

Yet spending on cyber capabilities is also a savvy way for the government to sharpen its defenses without appearing to escalate militarily. In September last year, Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. announced a trilateral security pact  called Aukus  that included a deal to help Canberra procure nuclear-powered submarines.

But China, one of Australias biggest export markets, issued a strong rebuke over the move, and said the alliance was intensifying the arms race.

Morrison, and his defense minister, Peter Dutton, are not averse to rattling Chinas cage. But both nations rely on each other. Australia has the agricultural and natural resources the worlds second-largest economy needs, and China has the cash to buy them. So Canberra is looking for ways to be tough on Beijing without pushing too far.

Advertisement

Boosting cybersecurity, and announcing a huge spending package to back it up, offers that opportunity while responding to a very real need. It also brings Australia closer to the level of spending its larger allies are undertaking to boost their own capabilities. U.S. President Joe Biden has proposed a $2.5 billion budget for the Department of Homeland Securitys Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency next year. Thats in addition to cyber spending undertaken by other agencies including the Pentagon and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Australias GDP is approximately one-fifth of the U.S. so its increased allocation stacks up well.

To achieve its goal, the government will recruit heavily. It plans to add 1,900 staff in roles including hackers, language specialists and psychologists. By increasing its focus on offensive skills, Canberra is keen to sharpen its ability to strike back if attacked.

With a A$10 billion budget in hand, Australia is letting its rivals know that it will not only fight them on the beaches, but on the internet, too.

Advertisement

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 They May Be Kids, But Lapsus$ Hackers are Giants: Tim Culpan

 Global Cyber Guerrillas Coming to Ukraines Aid: Culpan & Olson

 How Chinas Cybersecurity Laws Could Backfire: Anjani Trivedi

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Tim Culpan is a technology columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. Based in Taipei, he writes about Asian and global businesses and trends. He previously covered the beat at Bloomberg News.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Placeholder while article actions load

In his upcoming budget, President Joe Biden proposes reviving the wealth tax, a concept popularized by his rivals in the Democratic presidential primary two years ago. The proposal  now dubbed the Billionaire Minimum Income Tax  includes a few improvements over the 2020 version. Nonetheless, it remains a convoluted mess whose primary benefit could be achieved by simply eliminating a loophole in the current tax code.

A core difficulty faced by early wealth tax proposals is uncertainty over whether they are constitutional. The Constitution stipulates that any direct tax on citizens be levied such that each state pays the same amount per capita, an onerous requirement that makes it almost impossible to impose a wealth tax. The 16th Amendment, however, made income taxes legal. So, rather than levy a 2% tax on wealth each year, as Senator Elizabeth Warren envisioned, Bidens plan would levy a onetime charge of 20% whenever an asset increases in value.

This structure is similar to the familiar capital gains tax, with one significant wrinkle: The tax is owed regardless of whether the underlying asset is sold.

Advertisement

The problem is that the taxpayer may not have enough cash on hand to pay the tax. To mitigate this, the presidents proposal allows taxpayers to pay over time  up to nine years from when the tax first goes into effect. An additional provision allows owners of illiquid assets to defer their payments for even longer periods, but with interest.

There is also the question of what happens if the value of the asset falls. Consider an early investor in the dot-com boom who saw her paper wealth evaporate as the market crashed. Would she have received a credit against any future taxes owed?

The proposal also puts very long-term investors  the type who are inclined to ignore the booms and busts of the market  at a disadvantage. They may be forced to sell at the peak, but they may not have the means to buy back during the trough. So they necessarily become more focused on the short term, with an eye toward recouping enough cash gains to at least cover their tax liability.

Advertisement

This isnt a mere technicality. It goes to the heart of what a progressive tax system is trying to accomplish. To the extent someone keeps her wealth in investments, instead of spending it, she is providing the economy with the tools and equipment it needs to increase productivity and wages. That is precisely the kind of behavior a capitalist system should encourage.

The current system encourages this by not taxing investments; instead, the more ostentatious their lifestyle, the more taxes the wealthy pay. The theory is that it is better to tax this largely unproductive consumption than to tax capital gains, even if they allow great wealth to accrue.

Bidens proposal undoes that trade-off, but awkwardly. Even liberal economists acknowledge how punitive strict enforcement of a 20% tax would be on the longest-term investors. The only virtue of this approach is that it would prevent the ultrawealthy from avoiding capital gains taxes entirely, as many do now by holding on to their assets until they die.

Advertisement

At that point, their assets are subject to the inheritance tax  but so are any cash gains that have already been realized. The loophole to the estate tax is that if the heirs then sell their inherited assets immediately, they owe no capital gains tax. They pay capital gains only on the amount the asset increased in value since they inherited it.

This feature, known as the step-up in basis provision, encourages heirs to liquidate their inheritance rather than keeping it invested in the economy. By eliminating this provision, Congress could reap most of the benefits of Bidens proposal without further complicating the tax code and discouraging long-term investment strategies. This is the approach Congress should take.

Related at Bloomberg Opinion:

 The Wealth Taxs Legality Depends on What Direct Means: Noah Feldman

Advertisement

 To Tax Billionaires, Democrats Should Keep It Simple: Alexis Leondis

 Theres Value in Trying a Wealth Tax: Noah Smith

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Karl W. Smith is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He was formerly vice president for federal policy at the Tax Foundation and assistant professor of economics at the University of North Carolina. He is also co-founder of the economics blog Modeled Behavior.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Placeholder while article actions load

Things are never as good or as bad as they seem. That adage has generally served investors well. Ignoring the extremes of optimism and pessimism can spare equity buyers some painful mistakes  such as piling into tech stocks at the height of the dotcom boom  and may signal lucrative opportunities for the brave, such as during the depths of the 2008 global financial crisis. Its worth asking where Chinas stocks currently lie on this perceptual continuum, and whether markets are correctly judging the risks that confront them.

March has been a landmark month for the nations equities, with a two-week rout that wiped out more than $1.5 trillion of value followed by a rebound that was almost as spectacular. Prices recovered so quickly (after top policy makers stepped in to pledge support) that the plunge now looks like a flash crash. Yet the rally has only returned Chinese stocks to the depressed levels where they stood before going into freefall, with upward momentum having stalled in the past two weeks.

Theres plenty to worry about, no doubt. Many if not all of the factors that helped drive the MSCI China Index to less than half its February 2021 peak remain in place. A campaign to tighten regulation of internet platform companies has yet to conclude (even if Vice Premier Liu He has promised it will end soon). The real estate sector continues to weaken. The Covid-19 pandemic is resurgent, darkening the prospects for economic and corporate earnings growth this year. Chinese companies are still at risk of being delisted from U.S. exchanges. And above all, perhaps, there is the threat of China being embroiled in secondary sanctions resulting from its stance on Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Advertisement

Even so, its fair to ask how much of this negative overhang is already priced in. On a range of measures, the MSCI China is close to its weakest relative to the MSCI All-Country World Index in five years or more. By price-to-book ratio, the Chinese gauge is at its cheapest compared to the global measure in more than two decades.

Far from being tempted by such a valuation discount, international investors are behaving as if Chinese equities are radioactive. The country has been experiencing unprecedented capital outflows since late February, the Institute of International Finance said in a report last week. The exodus, shown in high-frequency data tracked by the IIF, is all the more notable because there has been no such move out of emerging markets as a whole.

Its a picture reinforced by Hong Kong stock exchange trading figures. Net flows via exchange links with mainland bourses, which allow global investors to trade yuan-currency Chinese shares, turned sharply negative this month, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

Advertisement

Russias war with Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, is the obvious if unproven culprit. Thats understandable. Global fund managers, witnessing the effect on Russias markets and economy of U.S.-led sanctions, must blanch at the thought of China being drawn into a similar morass. How likely is this, though?

China has offered tacit support to Russia, refusing to criticize Moscow, declining to term its military action an invasion and blaming the U.S. for the conflict. However, the government has shown no appetite to defy Western sanctions and says it wants to avoid being impacted by them. More importantly, the feasibility of targeting China on any comparable scale must be in question. Russia accounts for less than 2% of global gross domestic product (based on 2020 figures); China is more than 17%, the worlds second-largest economy, and far more integral to global supply chains. Its inconceivable that the U.S. and its allies could attempt similar sanctions on China without causing severe disruption to their own markets and economies.

Thats not to say it cant happen. A vivid memory for this writer is hearing an investment analyst speak persuasively on the radio about the prospects for the Thai stock market in late 1996, citing cheap valuations after a one-third decline from the 1994 high. From there, the SET Index went on to lose close to 90% of its value in U.S. dollar terms, after the Asian financial crisis arrived the following year. Pricing the risk of once-in-a-generation cataclysmic events isnt easy.

Advertisement

So, on rare occasions, perhaps things can be even worse than they seem. Still, the balance of probabilities suggests an accommodation will be found and China wont be heading for Russia-style isolation. The near-term outlook for the stock market is probably still negative: The government still has to deliver on its market-supporting pledges, overcome the omicron wave and manage the property deflation. But these valuations are offering investors with patience a chunk of downside protection. They may be vindicated in time.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Matthew Brooker is a columnist and editor with Bloomberg Opinion. He previously was a columnist, editor and bureau chief for Bloomberg News. Before joining Bloomberg, he worked for the South China Morning Post. He is a CFA charterholder.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Placeholder while article actions load

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has shown no interest in resuming talks with the U.S. after agreeing in 2018 to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Instead, he has been busy making his nuclear-equipped arsenal bigger, deadlier and better able to strike South Korea, Japan, American forces in Asia -- and the U.S. mainland.

1. What is Kim working on?

An array of ballistic missiles of various ranges as well as cruise missiles said to be able to hit Japan. (Ballistic missiles fly in an arched trajectory and are unpowered on descent. Cruise missiles can fly at low altitudes and are maneuverable, making them harder to detect and intercept.)

 Kim has rolled out new solid-fuel ballistic missiles that are easier to move, hide and fire than many liquid-fuel versions. Hes launched more than two dozen since May 2019, including nuclear-capable, super-fast KN-23 missiles that can strike all of South Korea -- and U.S. forces stationed there -- within a matter of minutes. He has also launched KN-25 short-range missiles designed to be fired in rapid succession from a single launcher to overwhelm interceptors.

Advertisement

 The new ballistic Pukguksong-3 missile is designed to be fired from a submarine and has an estimated range of 1,900 kilometers, or 1,200 miles. It appeared to have test-fired a short-range, submarine-launched ballistic missile in October 2021 for the first time in two years. (As of late 2021, North Korea had deployed one submarine that is capable of firing missiles. A second one has been under construction for more than a year.)

 It tested hypersonic missiles in September 2021 and again in January 2022, which are designed to deploy a high-speed glide vehicle that can carry a warhead and maneuver past interceptors.

 The country also showed off last year, and again in January, what it said was a new delivery system to fire missiles off a train, making them harder for prying eyes to track.

2. Could Kim really hit the U.S.?

Advertisement

He appears to have acquired that capability after successfully testing an intercontinental ballistic missile in November 2017, the Hwasong-15. A newer, larger ICBM, the Hwasong-17, was displayed at a military parade in October 2020 to mark the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers Party. It may have exploded shortly after launch in a failed test in mid-March 2022. Eight days after that failure, North Korea fired off an ICBM that South Korea believes was the Hwasong-15. Weapons experts say the likely purpose of the Hwasong-17 is to deliver a multiple nuclear warhead payload that could overwhelm U.S. defenses, or a single, high-yield weapon. North Korea is also said to be developing an ICBM that uses solid-fuel technology, potentially giving the U.S. less warning of an imminent launch. Still, its unclear whether the countrys ICBMs could beat antimissile systems and are refined enough to strike their intended targets, as well as whether the warheads could survive reentry into the atmosphere.

3. How many nuclear devices does North Korea have?

Experts estimate that North Korea has assembled 40 to 50 nuclear warheads, the fewest among the nine nations with nuclear weapons. The country has conducted six atomic tests, with Kim responsible for the last four. The first detonation in 2006 measured less than one kiloton, leaving experts wondering whether it had been a partial failure. (A kiloton is equal to the force of 1,000 metric tons [1,102 tons] of TNT). In the most recent test, in September 2017, the estimated yield of 120 to 250 kilotons dwarfed the 15 to 20 kiloton U.S. bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. North Korea probably has developed miniaturized nuclear devices to fit into its ballistic missile warheads, according to the assessment of several countries cited in a 2020 United Nations report.

Advertisement

4. Where does Kims military get its fissile material?

It has been self-sufficient for decades in fissile material, the main ingredient to create a nuclear chain reaction and explosion. The program today relies largely on enriched uranium and, according to weapons experts, produces enough annually for about six bombs. The consensus among experts is that the country probably has enough already for as many as 60 nuclear devices, although one estimate, from a 2021 study by the RAND Corp. and Asan Institute, put the number as high as 116. In addition, North Korea appeared in mid-2021 to have resumed plutonium-producing operations -- another means of creating fissile material -- at a nuclear reactor in its antiquated Yongbyon complex.

5. What other surprises might be out there?

North Korea may be working on ICBMs that carry multiple warheads and in-flight countermeasures to throw interceptors off the trail, according to Datayo, an open-source weapons research site. Kim has pushed to develop his fleet of submarines and is looking to deploy a new vessel soon that experts say could fire missiles. He may even try to revive the countrys satellite program, arguing that North Korea has the right as a sovereign state to develop a space program. North Korea said it held an important test for a reconnaissance satellite in February. Weapons experts say satellite launches could be used by North Korea to advance missile technology.

Advertisement

6. How can the country afford all this?

The money needed is not huge in global terms. North Korea spent around $4 billion annually on its military, including one of the worlds largest armies, between 2007 and 2017, according to a 2019 CIA assessment. Thats roughly equivalent to two days U.S. military spending. Since North Korea is one of the worlds poorest countries, the outlay of around 23% of gross domestic product ranks among the highest globally, if not the most. Although international sanctions have hit the economy hard, North Korea evades some through methods such as clandestine transfers at sea of banned goods such as oil, and it generates cash by means that include ransomware attacks. Kims decade-old regime has already taken in as much as $2.3 billion through cybercrimes and is geared to rake in even more, U.S. and United Nations investigators have said.

7. Wasnt Trump going to fix this?

Advertisement

Former President Donald Trumps talks with Kim, beginning with Singapore in June 2018, turned the duo from insult-throwing enemies into dialogue partners. But their three meetings didnt produce any noticeable change, and North Korea has become what three decades of diplomacy had tried to prevent -- a state capable of developing, projecting and detonating atomic bombs. Kim has shown no interest in the President Joe Bidens call for him to return to nuclear talks.

(Updates details on March tests in section 2)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Placeholder while article actions load

One morning last week a young man in a light-blue sport coat with AirPods in his ears and no mask on his face boarded my bus in Los Angeles and sat down. Then he looked around at all the masked faces, got up, walked to the front of the bus to grab a free mask from the dispenser, put it on and returned to his seat. It made my day.

In general Im all for getting back to normal as we figure out how to live with Covid-19. I go to the office most workdays, eat indoors at restaurants, travel, shake hands or hug as appropriate and, yes, ride public transportation here in L.A. and back home in New York City. But Id be happy to keep wearing masks on the bus and subway pretty much forever, and would really like it if lots of other people did, too.

For the moment mask-wearing is still required on planes, trains and other transit in the U.S. by a federal mandate that was extended a few weeks ago until April 18. Airline executives are pushing hard for that to be the end of it, and on the subway in New York City adherence to the rule is falling quickly already, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Advertisement

Bus riders, who in New York City tend to be older than subway riders, have generally been better about keeping their masks on, but there, too, the trend is downward.

On my Southern California commute, riding the No. 4 Metro Bus from Santa Monica to the Century City office and shopping complex in Los Angeles, mask compliance remains very high. But theres been an interesting shift in who disobeys. Back when the first wave of Omicron had just crested it was the occasional troubled person, like the drunk young man with a beer in his hand who almost fell onto my lap one evening (I moved seats after that) and the guy with a mask around his chin pleading Stay away, I have Covid, from the front of the bus one morning (we did, and the poor bus driver, who couldnt stay away, let everybody board in back until the man got off). Lately, with more commuters returning and a more businesslike atmosphere prevailing, most of the maskless riders Ive seen (including the one from the beginning of this column who reconsidered) have been young people dressed for office jobs. Im guessing theyre fully vaccinated, at extremely low risk from Covid and, with mask mandates already lifted in most other settings, just didnt think they needed one on the bus.

Theres surely more of that to come, regardless of what happens with the federal rule after April 18. Continuing to require masks on planes, trains and buses while almost everywhere else goes mask-optional will be really hard to enforce. And while the looming Omicron BA.2 wave and future Covid variants may justify renewed mandates, permanent mask rules in the absence of a public health emergency really do feel like a step too far.

Advertisement

That said, maintaining high levels of mask-wearing in crowded indoor settings where the costs to doing so are low seems like it might be a really good thing. It would probably reduce transmission of Covid, as well as seasonal colds and flu, and by helping sustain ongoing demand for surgical and N95 masks it could keep us better prepared for future Covid variants and other pandemics than we were for this one.

In a lot of settings, there are costs offsetting at least some of those benefits. Wearing a mask on a long plane, train or bus ride, or for an entire school- or workday, can be unpleasant, and in the latter two cases interfere with crucial communication. Wearing one into a restaurant and then taking it off to eat seems mostly pointless (which also applies for planes and trains that offer meals).

On a shortish bus or subway ride, on the other hand, wearing a mask doesnt detract from the experience in any meaningful way. If anything, widespread mask wearing by others makes the ride more pleasant. Mask wearing discourages eating and talking  the first of which is generally banned on city buses and trains, while the second is more often than not irritating to fellow passengers. Its a win-win!

Advertisement

Lots of people wearing masks also encourages more people to wear masks, as I witnessed on the bus last week. There have been at least a couple of academic attempts to quantify this effect, although neither offers a simple percentage estimate of how prevalent masking needs to be to stay prevalent. In China and Japan its been near-universal during the pandemic in the absence of any mandates, and was already widespread before Covid, especially during cold and flu season. Nudging big-city public transportation systems in the U.S. toward that kind of equilibrium seems like a worthy and not entirely unreasonable goal.

How to do it? The Behavior Change for Good Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania offers an assortment of Behavioral Science Tips to Encourage Mask-Wearing that fall into five main categories:

 Emphasize the Many and the Influential Who Are Wearing Masks

Advertisement

 Respect Individual Freedom

 Make It The Right Thing to Do

 Use Emotional Appeals

 Invite Ownership and Personalization

Transit agencies may hesitate to undertake such campaigns for fear of discouraging ridership by signaling that public transportation is unsafe, although I would think that people who have been avoiding buses and subways during the pandemic would be more reassured by masked faces than frightened by them (85% of subway users surveyed by the MTA last fall agreed with the statement, I feel safer when I see other customers wearing masks). The early belief that the New York subway in particular was a dangerous pandemic vector has been largely debunked by the rapid spread of Covid in non-urban settings, and buses and subways are often better ventilated than offices, restaurants, stores or dwellings. But theyre still enclosed spaces crowded with strangers where masks can add a welcome layer of protection.

Advertisement

So let me close by emphasizing that, while I respect your freedom, I wear a mask on the bus and subway, as do all my friends, especially the influential ones, because its the right thing to do and we want to save the lives of immunosuppressed grandmas  and if you want to wear a cloth Aaron Judge face covering that offers you relatively little protection, well, its better than nothing.

More From Other Writers at Bloomberg Opinion:

 To Boost, or Not to Boost, That Is the Question: Lisa Jarvis

 Shanghais Much-Too-Gentle Covid-Zero Policy: Shuli Ren

 What Comes After Omicron? No One Can Say for Sure: Faye Flam

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Justin Fox is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering business. He was the editorial director of Harvard Business Review and wrote for Time, Fortune and American Banker. He is the author of The Myth of the Rational Market.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Placeholder while article actions load

Commenting on Britains near-record-high number of Covid cases, the U.K.s chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, said last Wednesday that we should expect seasonal peaks for the next few years, interspersed with new variants of SARS-CoV-2. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight As we move into the post-pandemic, living-with-the-virus era, more research is surfacing about the ways even mild Covid cases leave lingering effects on health in some people. Three conditions in particular are capturing scientists attention due to the large number of sufferers: increased rates of diabetes, neuropsychological problems, and the illness known as long Covid. Researchers have found associations between Covid infections and each of these issues, but we dont know enough yet to establish causality.

Bloomberg Opinion columnist Therese Raphael and Bloomberg Intelligence senior pharmaceutical analyst Sam Fazeli look at why the long tail of Covid is hard to pin down.

Advertisement

Therese Raphael: Lets start with diabetes. Early in the pandemic, it became clear that diabetes (and obesity, which is often linked to Type 2 diabetes) was a risk factor for developing more severe illness. Some recent research, including a study in the U.S. and another by German researchers, shows a higher incidence of diabetes in those who had Covid but were at low risk of diabetes up to that point. That seems significant, given that 11.5% of all global health spending is on diabetes and its been growing rapidly.

Sam Fazeli: The U.S. study showed there was a greater risk of being diagnosed with diabetes after a Covid-19 infection, especially among those people who needed hospitalization or intensive care. There was also a clear link to age, prior conditions and obesity.

Another study, at Mass General, found that of the patients with diabetes hospitalized for Covid during March to September 2020, 13% had newly diagnosed diabetes. Yet, contrary to the above study, they found that new diagnosis was more common in younger individuals and, critically, those with higher inflammatory markers. The fact that one-third had known pre-diabetes before admission, and half regressed to pre-diabetes or were normal at follow-up, suggests the actual incidence of truly new, enduring diagnoses may be lower.

Advertisement

The German study you mention showed a 28% increase in the risk of being diagnosed with diabetes, closer to the Mass General study risk increase, but all three had limitations that make it difficult to draw firm conclusions.

TR: So are we any closer to understanding how Covid triggers diabetes in these patients?

SF: Thats still unclear. The question is whether this apparent amplified risk is driven by the infection itself or a secondary effect. For example, there is a possibility that the diabetes is triggered by a more sedentary lifestyle, which may follow more severe cases. This may be enough to push someone who is already borderline diabetic (defined as an HbA1c of 6 or 6.5) over the line. This wasnt assessed in the two recent studies you mentioned. In the German study, stress-induced diabetes is not accounted for.

Advertisement

TR: There is also data showing increased risk of diabetes in children after Covid.

SF: The research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that new diabetes diagnoses were 166% higher in those under the age of 18 with Covid-19. The problem is that only a 31% higher risk was observed when the analysis was done using different data. This undermines the value of the CDC study.

There was also no data on prior illness or body weight. Obesity can raise the risk of both Covid-19 and diabetes. Without these details, the data is hard to interpret.

TR: Do we have diabetes diagnosis data on patients who have been fully vaccinated, including with a booster shot?

SF: Sadly, that is one area where a lot more work needs to be done, not just on the risk of diabetes, but on all long-term consequences of Covid. There have been a smattering of research papers on the subject. For example, a U.S. study showed that patients who were vaccinated before being diagnosed with Covid were seven to 10 times less likely to report two or more symptoms after their infection had cleared than unvaccinated patients. Also, patients who were vaccinated for the first time within four weeks of an infection were four to six times less likely to report multiple long-term symptoms.

Advertisement

There have also been anecdotal reports of people with long Covid being treated with Pfizers Paxlovid and reporting a resolution of their symptoms. This would suggest that, at least in some people, the problem is due to a persistent infection somewhere in the body. Whether its the virus directly or the ongoing inflammatory reaction to the infection which cause the issues is not known.

TR: Now on to the brain. A recent study found an apparent reduction in grey matter thickness in regions of the brain involved in memory and cognition, as well as tissue damage in regions connected to olfaction, in subjects who had a Covid infection. Whats the research telling us?

SF: Its a chicken and egg quandary: Are people with faster brain degeneration more susceptible to Covid, or is this a result of Covid? Also, what would have happened if people with other respiratory infections had been studied? And what explains the gain in brain volume in older uninfected people (which was seen in the UK Biobank analysis)?

Advertisement

In a review of medical history, George Stefano showed that altered cognition was reported during prior pandemics, including that of influenza in 1889 and 1892 (Russian flu) and Spanish flu in 1918-1919. Symptoms included lethargy and chronic fatigue syndrome or post-viral fatigue syndrome. Its also possible that social isolation which accompanied prior pandemics  as well as that of Covid-19  is a factor in changes to the brain.

There was a study presented at the recent Alzheimers and Parkinsons Diseases Conference showing a similar outcome to the U.K. Biobank study, but with one key difference: It followed patients for several months post-infection and found that those who didnt seek care for persisting symptoms showed a recovery of brain loss and cognitive impairment.

The Swedish analysis, showing a recovery in brain volume after symptom resolution, raises the question of whether the effects are an imaging issue in people with a viral infection or are a real impact on the brain. Again, as in the U.K. study, there was no active control group, i.e. patients with other respiratory infections, aimed at proving that the issue was due to Covid rather than a viral infection more generally.

Advertisement

TR: That suggests that countries and localities where there is not high vaccine and booster coverage face a Catch-22 situation whereby they can lower infections with more restrictions but that could potentially lead to more secondary effects among those who get Covid.

SF: Exactly. The problem is in areas where people are either not vaccinated or less effective vaccines have been used, such as China. Research has shown an accelerated decline in patients suffering from various degrees of dementia before the pandemic started, likely the result of social restrictions.

TR: Finally, lets turn to long Covid, the umbrella term of a post-Covid condition in which the body can be affected in a number of ways. One interesting piece of research published earlier this year identified four factors that could be associated with higher risk of developing long Covid: existing Type 2 diabetes (which also makes serious illness more likely); the presence of autoantibodies that can attack normal cells by mistake; a reactivation of the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes glandular fever and is often dormant after infection; and high level of coronavirus RNA in the blood.

Advertisement

Are we closer to understanding what causes long Covid or does it remain as mysterious as ever? Do we have any evidence that anti-viral treatments lowers the risk of any of these conditions?

SF: The answer is no for now, even if we are making some headway. There is a lot of work to do still, especially in finding treatments. All of these findings are associations and dont prove causation.

TR: All of this seems to reinforce the case for vaccines and boosters. But is more better? The FDA on Tuesday gave emergency-use authorization for a second booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots for the over-50s. Is there data to suggest thats going to help with either infections or any of the post-Covid issues were talking about?

SF: Not that weve seen. Data from Israel is not showing a significant effect of a fourth shot on the risk for infection, and if there is an impact, this is not long-lived. I think the decision on fourth shots should be based on the additional value of the shots for each age cohort and the cost, both economic and on the individual, as many still suffer for one or two days after the shots, which can impact their ability to work.

Advertisement

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Therese Raphael is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. She was editorial page editor of the Wall Street Journal Europe.

Sam Fazeli is senior pharmaceuticals analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence and director of research for EMEA.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Placeholder while article actions load

DP Worlds corporate website makes for striking reading in light of the furor over P&O Ferries. The Dubai-based logistics giants purchase of the British shipping company two years ago in a 322 million-pound ($421.7 million) deal ought to have been wonderful news in the post-Brexit age. DP World is hugely profitable, at least according to its website and annual report. In the last financial year, it announced record revenues of $10.8 billion, up 26.3% on the previous year. It is also committed to every nostrum in the corporate social responsibility handbook.

The company has a corporate purpose (to make the world flow and change whats possible for everyone); a corporate mission (to connect you with the things that you love and need in ways that are faster, smarter and more sustainable than ever); and a litany of corporate passions including inclusive growth, sustainable development and making a meaningful difference in the world. The company, which moves 10% of global trade, is proud to offer world-class integrated logistics solutions but will never forget where it started  in the sea.

And theres more! DP World regards its employees as not only essential to our success but also members of our corporate family. This employee-centered policy begins by ensuring that DP World respects human rights and complies with national and local laws in the countries where we operate and seek to exceed those where possible. It involves creating a working environment where our workforce feels valued. The company has strong policies on equal opportunity, anti-discrimination and anti-bullying and harassment. It extends to a commitment to creating a more diverse workforce, even using a gender lens to determine exactly how women are supported in terms of benefits and inclusion.

Advertisement

DP World codified all this in 2019 into a new sustainability and impact strategy (our world, our future) that was developed in response to feedback from various stakeholders. This strategy sets out a clear agenda that includes prioritizing sustainable and inclusive economic growth and creating positive impacts for people, communities and environments in which we operate.

Anybody playing CSR bingo with DP Worlds website would fill their card in an instant. The great buzzwords are all there in endlessly repeated profusion: purpose, mission, meaning, sustainable, diversity, stakeholder and inclusion. It also has a few bonuses, sonic identity in addition to gender lens. But when we apply DP Worlds claims to the case of its subsidiary, the wonderful world of win-win management becomes lose-lose.

Lets test DP Worlds corporate word salad against the tragic reality that is its subsidiary, P&O Ferries.

Advertisement

1. Creating a working environment where the workforce feels valued: On March 17, P&O sacked 800 staff, many of them by video, and used ex-military security guards to escort them off their ships. Some of those seafarers had worked for the company for decades.

2. Complying with national laws in countries where it operates and trying to exceed those laws where possible: P&O chief executive officer, Peter Hebblethwaite, admitted in a House of Commons hearing on March 24 to breaking British employment law by sacking his workers without going through the consulting process with unions required by British law. The company did this consciously, he said, because it knew the union wouldnt go along with its restructuring plan. Two P&O ships, manned by new staff, have been detained by the authorities for failing safety tests.

3. Creating positive impacts for the people, communities and environments in which it operates: P&O has deep roots in many British port cities such as Liverpool, Hull and Dover because its been in the business of connecting Britain with the continent for 150 years. Two of its ships are called Spirit of Britain and Pride of Hull. The company now plans to use foreign workers, contracted to a third-party supplier, who can be paid significantly less than the British minimum wage.

Advertisement

The only positive impact P&O seems to have created in Britain is to unite the whole country against it. The Conservative Party is trying to compete with Labour in moral outrage. The Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has repeatedly called for Hebblethwaites resignation while also giving him a deadline to rehire the 800 employees hes sacked. Thereafter, he will make it illegal to employ ferry workers on less than the minimum wage. The U.K. government is also reviewing its contracts with P&O, though it is hampered in negotiations by the fact that DP World runs shipping terminals at Southampton and London Gateway, which have been picked to become free ports and hence flagships for the governments levelling up agenda.

DP Worlds corporate patter is testimony to two things. The first is that the latest iteration of CSR, with its emphasis on stakeholders, corporate purpose and sustainability, is going global. The second is that corporate language bears less and less relationship to reality. Even leaving aside P&Os outrageous behavior, there is a depressingly long list of discrepancies between theory and reality. DP World waxes eloquent about diversity. But it is a state-owned company in a traditional Gulf society that might best be described as a male-dominated tribal autocracy. The companys non-executive directors are all men. To his credit, Mark Russell, one of those directors, has resigned in protest against P&Os behavior,

Does any of this really matter? I think it does. The world is suffering from a general crisis of trust in institutions that, at best, leads to public cynicism and, at worst, fuels populist revolts against a remote and supposedly duplicitous establishment. Yet sound institutions are what distinguishes us from authoritarian states like Russia or failed states like Afghanistan. Companies that speak a language that bears little relationship with reality not only undermine trust in themselves; they undermine trust in the entire capitalist system.

Advertisement

More from Other Writers at Bloomberg Opinion:

 P&O Shows How Companies Buy Their Way Around Labor Laws: Paul J. Davies



Priti Patel Echoes the Britain that Says No!: Adrian Wooldridge

 Can Britains Tories Afford to Be a Low-Tax Party Again?: Therese Raphael

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Adrian Wooldridge is the global business columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. He was previously a writer at the Economist. His latest book is The Aristocracy of Talent: How Meritocracy Made the Modern World.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Placeholder while article actions load

The diplomatic courting of New Delhi these past two weeks has been intense. India was one of only a handful of countries  and the only democracy  to abstain from a U.S.-sponsored resolution in the United Nations Security Council condemning Russias invasion of Ukraine. Now, it is under intense pressure to shift its stance.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, held a virtual summit with his Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, and had an in-person meeting with Japans leader Fumio Kishida. Others to pass through the capital include the foreign ministers of Austria, Greece, Mexico and Oman, and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland. Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited on March 25, generating serious scrutiny given the two nations fraught relations, while U.K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is also due in town this week.

Now Russias Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, is set to arrive Thursday, and his presence brings with it an awkward dilemma. Already accused of being on the wrong side of history on Ukraine, many will question whether New Delhi should be rolling out the welcome mat for Lavrov while the conflict, which has seen the Ukrainian city of Mariupol leveled and thousands of civilian deaths and injuries, grinds toward its sixth week.

Advertisement

The optics of Indias Minister for External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, meeting with Lavrov will no doubt be jarring for those whove watched the weeks of bloodshed and the brave, determined fight Ukrainians are waging to save their country.

But heres the thing: Sitting with a strategic partner  even one whos regarded as an outcast on the global stage  is exactly what Indias top diplomat should be doing. Conflicts dont end until people start talking  really talking, not just posturing to buy time to take more territory or inflict further harm. That doesnt mean there arent risks. Washington and its NATO allies will need to be convinced that Jaishankar is pushing for a ceasefire and a durable peace deal, even as they debate among themselves whether it is helpful to talk to President Vladimir Putin.

Still, the weight of opinions attempting to compel India to switch its stance in the UN and abandon its plan to continue purchasing Russian oil must be overwhelming. U.S. President Joe Biden described Indias position on Russia as somewhat shaky. At a U.S. Senate committee hearing on March 2, Donald Lu, assistant secretary of state at the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, said he hoped that part of what happens with the extreme criticism that Russia has faced, is that India will find its now time to further distance itself.

Advertisement

But India is constrained, both by its historic reliance on Russian weapons and its long diplomatic ties with Moscow, and by the tensions along its contested Himalayan border with China following deadly clashes in the summer of 2020. Wangs visit did little to lower the temperature between New Delhi and Beijing.

Russia and China are attempting to sway India in one direction  toward a more forceful statement in support of Moscows actions. Its other partners are trying to encourage it in the other  an outright condemnation, a vote with the West in the UN and some considerable distancing from Moscow. For now, however, New Delhi is holding its nerve. Even its warming relations with the U.S., which have led to a strengthened defense and security partnership and an increasingly proactive role in the regional Quad grouping, have not swayed Indias hand.

Its worth noting that India is not the only country continuing to buy Russian fuel. Europe continues to purchase significant quantities of liquefied natural gas and will do so well in to the future, despite a recent U.S.-EU agreement to boost shipments of LNG to help the continent reduce its reliance on Moscow.

Advertisement

This duplicity is not lost on India. In a parliamentary session on March 25, one politician described the Wests double game of turning a blind eye to Europes imports while criticizing Indias. Jaishankar replied: I share the honorable members observation on this matter.

A former foreign secretary and ex-ambassador to China and the U.S., Nirupama Rao, went further. Noting she was opposed to Moscows actions, Rao tweeted she was growing extremely disillusioned with the assumed righteousness of the Western response and echoes of post-9/11 rhetoric about either youre with us or not. Our relations with the West matter significantly to us, but pressure that we see as unreasonable cant work.

Lets see how New Delhi weathers this diplomatic storm, and whether an open line of communication with Moscow really will help bring this conflict to an end before more blood is spilled.

Advertisement

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 Theres a Reason India Is Losing Faith in the West: Mihir Sharma

 Putin and Ukraine Both Consider Time an Ally: Hal Brands

 Why Countries Want to Sit Out the New Cold War: Pankaj Mishra

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Ruth Pollard is a columnist and editor with Bloomberg Opinion. Previously she was South and Southeast Asia Government team leader at Bloomberg News. She has reported from India and across the Middle East and focuses on foreign policy, defense and security.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Placeholder while article actions load

Amid the carnage of war in Ukraine, one man appears to feel grimly vindicated, if not quite happy about how things have turned out  the man who played an outsize role in starting the conflict in 2014, Igor Girkin, also known as Strelkov. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Few people are hated as much in Ukraine as Strelkov (Ill use his nom-de-guerre throughout, since he prefers it to his real name). In April 2014, after Ukraines provisional government said it would send troops to put down pro-Russian revolts in eastern Ukraine, Strelkov crossed the border from Russia with about 50 men and wreaked enough havoc to pull the Russian military into a conflict that Vladimir Putin initially was reluctant to enter. He almost got Putin to do in 2014 what he is doing now, but Strelkov received no thanks from the Kremlin, was marginalized and became  so it seemed  little more than a bitter fringe figure.

The conventional wisdom saw Putin as a wily, modern strongman more interested in self-preservation and the enrichment of his clique than in any kind of ideology. By contrast, Strelkov was a romantic believer in a version of the Russian Empire that has never really existed outside of nostalgic pseudo-historical literature. Putin pursued a bureaucratic, then a political, career and consolidated power while Strelkov reconstructed historical battles as a hobby and fought as a volunteer in Transnistria and the former Yugoslavia. And yet in 2022, Putin is so besotted with history that he can talk of little else; to a large extent, hes come around to Strelkovs worldview, ditching his cynicism and pragmatism for a kind of murderous idealism.

Advertisement

I have written more than once that the president is sitting on two chairs that are gradually moving apart under his butt, Strelkov wrote recently on his Telegram channel.The chairs were a patriotic state ideology, represented by all kinds of military and civilian officials, and a liberal-oligarchic economic model. Your humble servant has also cautioned that, while one could be comfortable sitting like that before the Crimea events, it was no longer sustainable, and the president would have to choose a chair  or fall down in between. And now  incredibly late, but still  the choice has been made.

Indeed, Putin appears to be past caring about the open economy he maintained for the first 21 years of his rule. He certainly cares little about the fortunes of the wealthiest Russians, or about the effect of unprecedented Western sanctions on everyone in Russia, from his closest friends to millions of ordinary workers. Hes no longer listening to systemic liberals around him, the architects of Russias relative oil-fueled prosperity that underpinned Putins popular support. The recent headlong emigration of a key syslib, Anatoly Chubais, a man to whom Putin in large part owes his rise, is a sign that this group no longer has a place in Putins system of power.

This metamorphosis makes Strelkovs utterances a rare window on what Putin might do next as he continues his spiritual and intellectual journey toward the loony edge Strelkov has always inhabited  a journey that ends when the two become indistinguishable.

Advertisement

When Strelkovs tiny group of fighters, funded apparently by the wealthy nationalist Konstantin Malofeev, took control of the Ukrainian town of Slavyansk in 2014, it became a magnet for local separatists, like-minded Russian volunteers and out-of-uniform soldiers acting as mercenaries. Strelkov quickly rose to defense minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic, commanding a substantial ragtag force. As the regular Ukrainian army caught its stride and pushed back against Strelkovs fighters, the Russian resorted to the tactic that serves the Ukrainians well in the current conflict: He led the rebel army into the city of Donetsk, where street-by-street urban combat would have been too costly for the Ukrainians. Then Putin reluctantly sent Russian troops to support the separatists  their defeat would have undermined the popular euphoria that gave him his best-ever poll numbers after the Crimea annexation.

Strelkov, however, was too uncompromisingly odious a figure for Putin to support or even tolerate. He was ousted as minister in Aug. 2014, as Putins aide Vladislav Surkov became curator of the separatist peoples republics, with a brief to make them as self-reliant as possible, and thus less costly for Russia. Putin appeared to be interested in minimizing all kinds of costs, including foreign policy ones; he wanted a deal with the West, and he got one in the form of the Minsk agreements of 2014 and 2015, brokered by the leaders of Germany and France.

The biggest tragedy for the residents of Donbas is that the founding referenda of the Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples republics werent immediately recognized by Russia like Crimeas referendum, Strelkov told an interviewer at the time, complaining that the Kremlin didnt share his enthusiasm for further military action. They never thought their uprising would lead to an outcome as disgraceful as the Minsk agreements.

Advertisement

Eight years later, Putin gave up on Minsk and recognized the peoples republics, as if Strelkovs pleas have only just reached his ears.

The time lapse in following Strelkovs advice appears to be hurting Vladimir the invader. The former defense minister, for example, never would have advised the Russian dictator to go into Ukraine as blithely as hes done: He knew from his remaining sources in the separatist statelets that Ukrainians were much better prepared to resist now than they were eight years ago. Thus his often sarcastic criticism of Russias invasion planning. Responding to the Russian General Staffs recent assertion that Russia never planned to storm big Ukrainian cities, Strelkov wrote:

Agreed: They just planned to occupy them  Kharkov, Chernihiv, Kyiv, the whole list. The occupation didnt quite work out, but they really didnt plan to storm  and so didnt pull together the necessary forces.

Advertisement

What would Strelkov do differently? Firstly, give up the official pretense of a special military operation and start using the word war. No more talk of demilitarization and denazification. Instead, an existential war to the death. This framing, Strelkovs thinking goes, would allow a mobilization of the much more numerous military force needed to conquer and hold Ukraine. He would withdraw official recognition from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his government as a whole, declaring them fair game. He would pull out all the stops to achieve total victory, because the only alternative to it is an equally total defeat. Strelkov has suggested that Putin would arrive at the same conclusions by his usual circuitous route  just as he arrived at the inevitability of the February invasion.

If theres any kind of logic to Putins recent actions, after all, its the warped logic of Strelkov, the empire-or-death logic. Theirs is now a kinship of war criminals: Strelkov is wanted by the Dutch authorities for his alleged role in the 2014 downing of a Malaysian passenger airliner over eastern Ukraine, and Putin will never be safe from prosecution for the near-complete destruction of Ukrainian cities such as Mariupol and Volnovakha. If Putin loses the war, Strelkovs relative safety in Moscow will end, too. For the former defense minister, defeat is no abstract notion  its an existential threat. That applies to Putin, too.

As I read Strelkovs impassioned commentary from the sidelines, I wish Id paid more attention to his ramblings earlier. I wish Id noticed the clear connection between his ideas and Putins increasing history obsession, between Strelkovs insistence that the very name Ukraine be stamped out and replaced with Malorossia  Little Russia  and Putins contempt for Ukrainians as a people. If Id noticed how close the two mens beliefs had grown, I wouldnt have misjudged Putins determination to wreck two countries  the neighboring one and his own, my own  in the name of an apocryphal reading of history. I fear theres no going back for the dictator now: He has to go where Strelkov has been waiting for him all these years. And even if there are seeming victories along the way, this road leads toward the bitterest defeat.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Leonid Bershidsky is a member of the Bloomberg News Automation team based in Berlin. He was previously Bloomberg Opinions Europe columnist. He recently authored a Russian translation of George Orwells 1984.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Placeholder while article actions load

Evenly divided between the two major parties, the U.S. Senate has operated for more than a year under a power-sharing arrangement that gives Democrats a leg up (thanks to Vice President Kamala Harriss tie-breaking vote) but makes Republicans more than a silent minority. Thats the backdrop as the Senate weighs whether to confirm President Joe Bidens choice for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court. Though Democrats expect their narrow advantage to be enough to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson, there are some wrinkles they have to consider, said Sarah Binder, a political science professor at George Washington University.

1. Can Republicans block the nomination?

On their own, the Senates 50 Republicans probably cant stand in the way of confirmation, but they can slow the process down. They could, for instance, deny a quorum to the Senate Judiciary Committee when it votes whether to send Jacksons nomination to the full Senate. Senate rules dictate that committees need a majority to be physically present to recommend a nominee. The committee is evenly divided, with 11 members of each party, as a result of the power-sharing accord between Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican. Some Republicans on the committee have explicitly ruled out such a boycott.

Advertisement

2. Has this been tried before?

Senate Republicans used the strategy in February to delay action by the Banking Committee on five Biden nominations to the Federal Reserve. The boycott by Republicans -- who opposed one of the nominees, Sarah Bloom Raskin -- forced a planned vote to be put off, and Biden eventually pulled her nomination after a Democratic senator, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, announced he also opposed it. Using the same tactic, Republicans stonewalled Bidens nomination of Dilawar Syed to be deputy administrator of the Small Business Administration.

3. Could Democrats work around a boycott?

They certainly could try. If Democrats voted to advance the nomination out of committee while Republicans were gone, Republicans could object on the floor that Senate rules werent followed. Even if the current parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, sides with Republicans that half the committee doesnt constitute a majority, a unified Democratic caucus and Harris could overrule her.

Advertisement

4. What happens if the Judiciary Committee ties?

Senate rules dictate a committee must muster a majority to move a bill or nominee to the floor. Should the panel deadlock 11-11, Schumer as majority leader could move the nomination out of committee via an expedited discharge motion, which is voted on by the full Senate and requires only a simple majority. Republicans might then be expected to try to filibuster the nomination, or thwart its passage by demanding never-ending debate. But Schumer could move to cut off debate. Two of Bidens nominees to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit -- Holly Thomas and Jennifer Sung -- won Senate confirmation this way, after deadlocked votes in committee.

5. Is a 50-50 tie on the Senate floor possible?

Possible, but thats looking unlikely. Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine announced shell support Jacksons confirmation. She and two other Republican senators, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, voted to confirm Jackson to the D.C. Circuit last year.

Advertisement

6. Couldnt Harris break a tie?

A vice president has never broken a tie on a Supreme Court nominee. Only in recent years have vice presidents -- Mike Pence in 2018, Harris in 2021 -- broken ties even on lower-court judicial nominations. Harvard Law School Professor Laurence Tribe got criticized by both liberals and conservatives for questioning in 2020 whether the Constitution permits the vice president to break a tie on a Supreme Court appointment. He told Bloomberg Law in February that he didnt adequately consider the history of vice presidents breaking ties on executive nominations and may revisit his position if it comes up in the confirmation process.

7. What if a Democratic senator is absent?

Collinss support gives Democrats some margin for error. But this has been a heightened worry since Senator Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico suffered a stroke in late January. He has since returned to work. Covid-19 infections are also a concern: Senator Brian Schatzs breakthrough infection forced Democrats to postpone consideration of voting-rights legislation in January. While the House permitted members to vote remotely during the pandemic, the Senate requires in-person attendance. One way around this would be for a Republican opposed to the nominee agreeing to pair with an absent supporter by voting present rather than no -- effectively canceling each other out. Murkowski did as much for a fellow Republican, Senator Steve Daines of Montana, when his daughters wedding conflicted with the confirmation vote for Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018. Senator Mike Rounds, Republican of South Dakota, offered the same leeway to Lujan on final confirmation of Robert Califf as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Placeholder while article actions load

Baltimore  When Rumbidzai Mangwende decided to apply for the Elijah E. Cummings Youth Program, she didnt know what to expect. But much to the now-20-year-olds surprise, she gained lifelong friends, mentors and invaluable experience that prepared her for life. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight There were so many milestones the program provided me with that I wouldnt have had access to because of my social or economical background, Mangwende said. This program gave me the empowerment that people do want to hear my voice.

Nearly 25 years ago, U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) worked with the Baltimore Jewish Council to create the Elijah E. Cummings Youth Program, a two-year fellowship program offered to rising juniors in high school who live or go to school in Marylands 7th Congressional District, which encompasses just over half of Baltimore City and parts of Baltimore and Howard counties. The fellowship aims to help the teens become leaders and promote greater religious and ethnic understanding.

Advertisement

Every spring, about 60 youths apply for about a dozen openings, said Kathleen St. Villier Hill, the programs executive director.

The application process requires letters of recommendation and an interview with the board of directors. Before Cummings died in 2019, he met every interviewee, Hill said, and if they were accepted into the program, he also wrote each student a letter of recommendation for college. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, who succeeded Cummings in the 7th District in 2020, has since stepped into the role.

Once accepted, students attend twice-a-week meetings where they learn skills such as storytelling to help them land jobs, and how to podcast.

They also give back to the community by doing neighborhood cleanup events or preparing for their 3-week trip to Israel where students get to meet with another group of youths from that country. Although the program is supported by the Baltimore Jewish Council, St. Villier Hill said most who apply do not come from a Jewish background.

Advertisement

We are trying to build bridges between different communities, St. Villier Hill said. The whole idea is: How can you build relationships with people who are different from yourself?

Mangwende, who is now a junior at Cornell University, said she still remembers her interview for the program.

The Randallstown native said her stomach was in knots, knowing Cummings was sitting at the other end of the table. But she said that interview was the start of her understanding the importance of cultivating her story and being able to use her voice to tell it.

Now studying finance, Mangwende said the fellowship  thanks to trips to Congress, the Annapolis State House and Baltimore city hall  gave her the ability to be confident in unfamiliar situations.

She also absorbed the importance of not being afraid to ask questions or lean on others for support.

I learned so much about how to work with people who are different from you, she said. I was taught how to take a problem and try to solve it but also be open to other solutions.

Baltimore Sun

GiftOutline Gift Article
Placeholder while article actions load

Biden signs bill making lynching a hate crime Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden on Tuesday signed into law the Emmett Till Antilynching Act to make lynching a federal hate crime, in a historic first that comes after more than a century of failed efforts against racial violence. The new law amends the U.S. Code to designate lynching a hate crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison. More than 4,000 people, mostly African Americans, were reported lynched in the United States from 1882 to 1968, in all but a handful of states. Ninety-nine percent of perpetrators escaped state or local punishment.

Lawmakers tried, and failed, to pass anti-lynching bills nearly 200 times. The earliest such attempt came in 1900, when Rep. George Henry White (R-N.C.), then the countrys only Black member of Congress, stood on the floor of the House and read the text of his measure, which would have prosecuted lynchings at the federal level.

Advertisement

The Emmett Till Antilynching Act was introduced in 2019 by Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) in the House and Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) in the Senate. It is named for the 14-year-old Black boy whose brutal torture and killing in Mississippi in 1955 sparked the civil rights movement.

 Amy B Wang and Felicia Sonmez

DeSantis vetoes new congressional maps

In a rare disagreement with the Republican-dominated legislature, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed the states newly drawn congressional maps Tuesday, and lawmakers will hold a special session in April to redraw them.

The veto puts more pressure on the legislature to approve a map and resolve any resulting lawsuits before the June 13-17 qualifying period for federal candidates. Florida is also creating a new 28th District because of population growth.

Advertisement

In 2010, voters approved a constitutional amendment aimed at preventing gerrymandering. It states that political maps have to be drawn in a way that does not favor or hurt a candidate or party, that districts should be compact and contiguous, and that the ability of minorities to elect members to Congress should not be diminished.

DeSantis (R) argues that a later U.S. Supreme Court ruling determined that districts cant be drawn with race as the primary factor. The governors map would probably result in two Black members of Congress losing their seats: Democrats Al Lawson and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. His proposal also would probably give Republicans more Florida seats than the maps approved by the House and Senate.

 Associated Press

GiftOutline Gift Article
Placeholder while article actions load

Israeli forces arrest 5 in deadly shooting Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Israeli forces operating in the West Bank on Wednesday arrested five Palestinians suspected of involvement in a deadly attack in central Israel the previous night in which a Palestinian man used an assault rifle to kill five people. Police identified the shooter as Diaa Hamarsheh, 27, from the Israeli-occupied West Bank village of Yabad. Police fatally shot him late Tuesday, putting an end to the gun rampage.

The military said the suspects were being questioned. The Palestinian Prisoners Club, a group that represents current and former Palestinian prisoners, said those arrested were Hamarshehs relatives.

No Palestinian groups asserted responsibility for the attack. The Islamist militant group Hamas praised the heroic operation but stopped short of claiming a role.

Advertisement

The shooting was the third attack of its kind ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The previous two attacks, carried out by Palestinian citizens of Israel reportedly inspired by the Islamic State extremist group, have raised concerns about a new round of violence ahead of a sensitive period in which three major Muslim, Jewish and Christian holidays converge.

Israel ramped up its security presence in Israeli cities as well as around the West Bank.

Israel in recent weeks has been taking steps aimed at calming tensions and avoiding a repeat of last year, when clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian demonstrators in Jerusalem boiled over into an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas. It planned to ease restrictions on Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and held talks with Jordanian King Abdullah II, who made a rare visit to the West Bank this week, to try to ensure calm. But the new wave of violence is complicating those efforts.

Advertisement

 Associated Press

Suspended parliament defies president in vote

Tunisias political crisis escalated Wednesday as members of the suspended parliament met online in defiance of President Kais Saied, voting to repeal decrees that have given him near-total power. He responded by dissolving the chamber.

The online session was the first attempted by parliament since Saied suspended it in July and moved to one-man rule. He accused those participating of a conspiracy against the security of the state.

Deputy Speaker Tarek Ftiti said that 124 members of parliament out of the total 217 attended the online session and that 116 voted against the exceptional measures Saied enacted in July, brushing aside the 2014 democratic constitution.

The move represents parliaments most direct challenge to Saied, who had warned that a session would be illegal. But while it represents growing opposition to Saied and a challenge to his legitimacy as leader, it is unlikely to alter his grip on power.

Advertisement

Speaking afterward, Saied said he would dissolve parliament, and the justice minister said he had opened an investigation into members who took part.

We must protect the state from division.  We will not allow the abusers to continue their aggression against the state, Saied said in a video posted online.

 Reuters

Allies abandon Pakistani leader ahead of no-confidence vote: Pakistani lawmakers appeared poised to push Prime Minister Imran Khan out of power in an upcoming no-confidence vote, after a small but key coalition partner abandoned him and joined the opposition. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement, or MQM, has only five seats, but its move puts the number of Khan's opponents in Parliament at well over the 172 needed to oust him in the vote, expected sometime next week. Khan already faces a revolt by a dozen lawmakers from his own party.

Advertisement

Sri Lanka suffers long power cuts amid currency shortage: Sri Lankans faced 10-hour power cuts and warnings of longer blackouts as a deepening economic crisis roiled markets and the electricity regulator urged more than a million government employees to work from home to save fuel. The nation has been unable to pay for fuel shipments because of a foreign exchange shortage and is poised to seek assistance from the International Monetary Fund. Amid the country's worst economic crisis in decades, foreign exchange reserves have fallen by 70 percent in two years.

Uganda says military killed 309 in months-long security push: Uganda's military has killed 309 people in an eight-month operation against cattle rustling in a northeastern region rich in minerals, the armed forces said. The military said the campaign was intended to quell violence by cattle rustlers in the Karamoja region since July. Karamoja, inhabited by nomadic pastoralists, has long suffered banditry, livestock raids and inter-clan warfare fueled by cheap, readily available guns.

 From news services

GiftOutline Gift Article
Gordon Sondland, former U.S. ambassador to the European Union under President Donald Trump, in Washington on April 28. (Carolyn Van Houten/The Post)

Long after his turn as a key witness at Trumps first impeachment, the former E.U. ambassador wants another kind of public hearing.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences said that Will Smith was asked to leave the Oscars ceremony after hitting Chris Rock but refused.

Many have questioned why Smith was allowed to remain seated in the front row at the Academy Awards after the incident. On Wednesday, the academy suggested that it attempted to remove the actor from the audience.

Will Smith, right, hits presenter Chris Rock on stage. Credit:Chris Pizzello

Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated, the academy said. While we would like to clarify that Mr Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognise we could have handled the situation differently.

The academys board of governors met on Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations against the groups standards of conduct. The academy said Smith has the opportunity to defend himself in a written response before the board meets again on April 18. The academy said disciplinary action for Smith could include suspension, expulsion or other sanctions.
People often tell Kylie Moore-Gilbert that if they went through what she went through  804 days in an Iranian prison on bogus espionage charges  they wouldnt have survived.

And I say, Yes, you would have, because you have no choice. You find reserves of inner strength that you never knew you had, says Moore-Gilbert, the Middle Eastern studies academic who spent more than two years in prison between 2018 and 2020 and has written a book, The Uncaged Sky, about her ordeal. Ive seen dozens of others survive even worse than what was done to me.

Good Weekend senior writer Jane Cadzow, who was given the first interview with Moore-Gilbert for our recent cover story, Prisoner 97029, says the complete isolation appeared to be one of the hardest things for Moore-Gilbert to have had to endure.

If you think nobody knows whats happening to you, thats soul-destroying, says Cadzow. And its a tried and true technique of interrogators to say to the person theyre interrogating, Nobody knows youre here. Nobody cares about you. How do you keep up your spirits and your hope when youre told that?
A former police officer who snapped a photograph of Dani Laidley inside a police station admitted afterwards he made a poor decision that damaged the forces reputation and denied the former AFL coach her rights.

Shane Reid was a senior constable delivering correspondence to a colleague at St Kilda station when on May 2, 2020, he used his mobile phone to take a photograph of Ms Laidley being interviewed by two officers following her arrest for stalking. Ms Laidley was wearing a wig and makeup at the time.

Dani Laidley (right) with former teammate Brent Harvey at a North Melbourne Football Club function last year. Credit:Wayne Taylor

On his return to South Melbourne station, Mr Reid  who is no longer a police officer  allowed another officer to photograph the image on his mobile phone. The next day Mr Reid posted the photo in a WhatsApp group with eight other officers. The group members shared messages socially.

Mr Reids photo and a mugshot of the former North Melbourne coach and player entered the public domain, and three officers were charged while others were disciplined by the force. Mr Reid did not take the mugshot photo.
Mykolaiv: Ukraine has reacted with scepticism to Russias promise in the latest talks to scale down military operations around Kyiv and other cities. Some Western countries said they expected Moscow to intensify its offensive in other parts of the country.

A Russian rocket hit the regional administration building in the southern Ukrainian port city of Mykolaiv, killing at least seven people and wounding 22, authorities said, as peace talks were held in Istanbul. Eighteen of the wounded were pulled from the rubble by rescue workers, the emergencies service said in an online post.

The regional government headquarters of Mykolaiv, Ukraine, following a Russian attack, on Tuesday. Credit:AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris

The blast occurred while Kyiv proposed adopting neutral status, in confidence-building steps meant as signs of progress towards negotiating peace.

The talks took place in an Istanbul palace more than a month into the largest attack on a European nation since World War II that has killed or injured thousands, forced nearly 4 million to flee abroad and pummelled Russias economy with sanctions.
London: Fortescue Metals has been forced to clarify it has not committed $50 billion of its own money to produce 10 million tonnes of hydrogen for German energy giant EON, after its chairman Andrew Forrest used the figure to trumpet a landmark deal between the two companies.

Dr Forrest announced the latest Future Fortescue Industries contract with EON in Berlin on Wednesday morning, Australia-time, which will help to decarbonise thousands of medium-sized enterprises in Germany, the Netherlands and other cities where EON distributes energy to more than 50 million customers. In the press event he said our organisations will be going like crazy because for us its a minimum $50 billion expenditure.

E.ON chief operating officer Patrick Lammers signs the hydrogen deal in Berlin with Fortescue boss Andrew Forrest.

But after entering a brief trading halt, Fortescue issued a statement to the ASX stating the $50 billion figure was a high-level assessment by the chairman of what such a major project may cost and Fortescue clarifies that there is no commitment to this expenditure and all such final investment decisions will be at the sole discretion of the Fortescue board.

Fortescue Future Industries is a green energy subsidiary of Fortescue Metals, which mines iron ore. Fortescue has committed to invest 10 per cent of its profits into FFI, estimated to be $US1 billion this year. Since it was set up, the subsidiary has announced a string of ambitious green energy projects, and it plans to deploy money alongside other investors.
Washington: Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas should resign after it emerged that his wife had pressed the Trump White House in text messages to try to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

If not, his failure to disclose income from right-wing organisations, recuse himself from matters involving his wife, and his vote to block the January 6th commission from key information must be investigated and could serve as grounds for impeachment, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Tuesaday, Washington-time.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has called on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to resign. Credit:AP

Ocasio-Cortezs call for Thomas to resign - as well as her raising the prospect an impeachment effort - goes further than most other Democrats have in their demands for Thomas to recuse himself from cases involving the 2020 election or the January 6, 2021, insurrection after certain texts from his wife came to light last week.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar also has said Thomas should be impeached.
The leading global company in the field of private and secure messaging and voice communication Rakuten Viber enters Georgia and opens an office in Tbilisi. Its work will be focused on the development of mobile applications in Georgia.The Minister of Economy Levan Davitashvili has already met with the CEO of RakutenViber Ofir Eyal and discussed with him the directions of the international technology company in Georgia.According to Davitashvili, the opening of the company's operational office in Tbilisi is a good opportunity for local IT engineers to work in a global company such as RakutenViber. The entry of a brand of this scale and recognition in Georgia will be a new incentive for actors interested in the development of high-tech business in the country.The arrival of Rakuten Viber in Georgia will be an important message for other global technology giants to consider Georgia as a high-potential direction for expanding their businesses and making new investments, the Ministry said.The company will have employees in Tbilisi who, among other areas, will work on refining and developing software compatible with iOS and Android systems and improving the quality of software. Rakuten Viber has 500 employees worldwide.Viber is one of the most popular VoIP platforms in Georgia, with a significant customer base - 1.7 million active users in the country with a total population of 3.7 million.As the Georgian Government announced on Monday, the collection of the second consignment of humanitarian aid for the Ukrainian people has started in Georgia's regions. As the statement notes, the process is implemented with engagement from State Representatives, the Government's Regional Liaison Department, businesses, and the civil sector.The delivery includes the collection of 120 tons of goods from across Georgia, including 90 tons from the regions. The package mostly consists of medical items, non-perishable products, and essential goods.According to the Government administration, humanitarian aid mobilized in the regions of eastern Georgia has been stored at a Georgian Post Terminal in the capital Tbilisi and after completing relevant procedures, they will be sent to Ukraine by land. As for mobilizing goods in Western Georgia, the process continues and the goods will be ready for shipment to Ukraine by the end of this week.The Embassy of Ukraine has thanked Georgia for assisting Ukraine and sheltering the Ukrainian citizens. According to the embassy, 710 tons of aid had been already sent from Georgia to aid the Ukrainian people. The embassys account has also received donations of 985 000 GEL, over $45,000, and Euro1,500.According to the Georgian government, one of the media outlets, based on the administration of the President of Georgia, disseminated information that does not reflect the real picture.In particular, the government claims that in the last year the President has repeatedly left unanswered the candidates for ambassadors nominated by the government. The president denies this and says he issued an ordinance appointing 12 ambassadors.Recently, the issue of candidates for ambassadors/heads of mission nominated by the Georgian government has been repeatedly rejected or left unanswered by the President.It should also be emphasized that the Constitution of Georgia gives the government the exclusive right to conduct foreign policy, which also includes the appointment of ambassadors and permanent representatives to missions, and it is critical that ambassadors to Georgian diplomatic missions abroad are appointed in a timely manner and ensure continuity, which, in the light of this challenge, is a real problem and needs a timely solution, the government said in the statement.This was soon answered by Salome Zurabishvili's administration, where it is written that accusing the president or his administration of lies, which lacks politeness and any grounds, causes unwanted tension in society when much more key issues are resolved around us.The administration of the President of Georgia reiterates: from January 1, 2021, to March 21, 2022, the government has nominated 12 candidates for the post of Ambassador and Head of the Diplomatic Mission, and the President has issued a decree appointing all twelve.
The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
Williamson, WV (25661)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Thunder possible. Low 58F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
When a bomb goes off, a knife is brandished or a gun is fired, blood is often shed and things always fall apart.

When a bomb goes off, a knife is brandished or a gun is fired, blood is often shed and things always fall apart.

In the aftermath come the ambulances, the police, the crowds of civilians hoping desperately to find out what happened, who was hurt, or worse, who was killed.

In Israel and in the Palestinian territories, often the first to arrive at the scene is ZAKA, a group of volunteers who search the site for the dying and the dead.

Theatre preview Click to Expand The Runner By Christopher Morris  Tom Hendry Warehouse  Opens Thursday, runs to April 16  Tickets at royalmtc.ca

The ZAKA volunteers  including Jewish, Christian, Bedouin, Druze and Muslim people  are also tasked with finding and collecting spilled blood and lost body parts for burial, a part of the tradition of Chesed Shel Emes  meaning "true loving kindness"  a type of good deed for which no thanks are expected, and for which none can be given.

Toronto playwright Christopher Morris first heard of ZAKA in the 1990s, and was struck by the concept, which stuck with him.

"I have a weak stomach," Morris says. "So when I heard there was a group of people collecting the remains, I was fascinated, and thought it would make great content for a play."

I have a weak stomach... So when I heard there was a group of people collecting the remains, I was fascinated, and thought it would make great content for a play.  Christopher Morris, playwright

But he needed to learn more, so he travelled to Jerusalem in 2008 to meet with ZAKA staff and volunteers, who shared with him stories of what theyd witnessed and experienced.

"These people all have day jobs," says Morris. "But they all know if they get a call, they will leave immediately to respond. I had this image of a man dropping everything, and running as fast as he could."

GILLIAN GALLOW PHOTO Playwright Christopher Morris travelled to Jerusalem to research his one-person play The Runner.

Morris returned to the politically fraught country several times, oscillating between both sides of the conflict to gain a fuller understanding of the broad spectrum of opinion and emotion.

A media fixer showed him Ramallah, and took him to homes around the West Bank, where he conversed with locals. He did the same in Orthodox Jewish communities in and around Jerusalem. From those trips and those conversations, he searched for a story.

"In theatre, you need a dilemma," says Morris, who faced one of his own in identifying it. "A problem the person is facing. It took a while to realize what that problem would be."

He eventually recognized the potential power of building the narrative around a single volunteer, Jacob, who lives and works in an Orthodox community in Jerusalem and is committed to doing the right thing  keeping to his oath to help those who need it.

CHRISTOPHER MORRIS PHOTO Gord Rand in The Runner, Christopher Morriss award-winning one-person show.

Then, he needed a scenario to push the narrative forward: an attack, a response, a reason for Jacob to drop everything and run.

At the scene, Jacob finds a young Palestinian woman and a fatally wounded soldier. He opts to do first aid on the woman, who may have been responsible for the soldiers wounds, a decision in line with his commitment to show no bias in his care.

Morally, it is the right decision. But in his community, his loyalties are questioned, and Jacob begins to question himself.

A one-person show  the 2019 winner of three prestigious Dora Mavor Moore awards for outstanding production, direction and new play  The Runner is a tense thriller, with Jacobs frantic narration giving the audience a glimpse into his mind, where trauma, doubt, confusion, love and hatred swirl in a profoundly human mixture.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Running is a very difficult thing to pull off convincingly in a fixed setting, but playwright Christopher Morris says the modulating track  an idea of set and costume designer Gillian Gallow  is an effective tool both visually and narratively.

Adding stress and literally moving the narrative forward is the set, which features only a seven-metre-long treadmill, whose speed changes to match, underline or contradict the emotions Jacob feels as he wrestles with his own convictions. (In the Torah, Jacob is given the name Israel after he wrestles with God, so the titular runners name is fitting.)

Running is a very difficult thing to pull off convincingly in a fixed setting, but Morris says the modulating track  an idea of set and costume designer Gillian Gallow  is an effective tool both visually and narratively.

"Life feels like this," he says. "The whole machine is an apparatus driving him toward something, forcing him to face it or take action. Theres a larger force at play in this universe that is unrelenting, and its function is to keep him moving."

The treadmill is a tightrope that moves.

CYLLA VON TIEDMANN PHOTO Gord Rand in Tarragon Theatres production of The Runner, a tense thriller where trauma, doubt, confusion, love, and hatred swirl in a profoundly human mixture.

Morriss play previously featured actor Gord Rand in the lead role, but for the Winnipeg performances, the playwright will take the stage. Its the first time hes gotten the opportunity, save a single performance before the pandemic derailed a slate of shows in 2020.

Hes excited to take on the challenge and to bring the play to Winnipeg. It has received rave reviews, and has been optioned for TV by Sienna Films  a company involved in the production of Canadian series such as Trickster, Cardinal and Sort Of  and Israels Spiro Films, whose output includes award-winning films such as Samuel Maozs Foxtrot and Nir Bergmans Here We Are.

ben.waldman@winnipegfreepress.com

If you value coverage of Manitobas arts scene, help us do more.

Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow the Free Press to deepen our reporting on theatre, dance, music and galleries while also ensuring the broadest possible audience can access our arts journalism. BECOME AN ARTS JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project.
NEW YORK (AP)  The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Wednesday said that Will Smith was asked to leave Sunday's Oscar ceremony after hitting Chris Rock but refused to do so.

FILE - Will Smith, right, hits presenter Chris Rock on stage while presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

NEW YORK (AP)  The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Wednesday said that Will Smith was asked to leave Sunday's Oscar ceremony after hitting Chris Rock but refused to do so.

The academys board of governors met Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations against the groups standards of conduct. The academy said disciplinary action for Smith could include suspension, expulsion or other sanctions.

Many have focused on why Smith was allowed to remain seated front row in the Dolby Theatre after the incident. On Wednesday, the academy suggested that it attempted to remove the actor from the audience.

Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated, the academy said. While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently.

A representative for the academy declined to give specifics on how it tried to removed Smith. After Smith struck Rock in response to a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, several stars including Denzel Washington, Bradley Cooper and Tyler Perry spoke with the 53-year-old Smith.

Jada Pinkett Smith, left, and Will Smith hold hands in the audience at the Oscars on March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The stunning physical altercation between actor Will Smith and comedian Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday has sparked debate about the appropriate ways for Black men to publicly defend Black women against humiliation and abuse. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

The academy said Smith has the opportunity to defend himself in a written response before the board meets again on April 18. The film academy earlier condemned Smith's onstage assault of Rock, but it used stronger language Wednesday.

Mr. Smiths actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television," the academy said. Mr. Rock, we apologize to you for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience in that moment. We also apologize to our nominees, guests and viewers for what transpired during what should have been a celebratory event.

On Monday, Smith issued an apology to Rock, the academy and to viewers, saying I was out of line and I was wrong.

Will Smith cries as he accepts the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for "King Richard" at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Rock, who had yet to respond publicly to the incident, performed stand-up Wednesday night in Boston. He was greeted by a thunderous standing ovation.

How was your weekend? began Rock who then cautioned the crowd that he didnt have a lot to say yet about the Oscars, according to audio posted by the Hollywood trade outlet Variety. Im still kind of processing what happened

A representative for Smith didn't immediately respond to messages Wednesday regarding the academy's latest moves.

Shelley Cook | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Will Smith, right, hits presenter Chris Rock on stage while presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Only a very small number of academy members have ever been expelled, including Harvey Weinstein, Roman Polanski, Bill Cosby and the actor Carmine Caridi, who was kicked out for sharing awards screeners.

Whoopi Goldberg, a member of the academy's board of governors, said Monday on The View," We're not going to take that Oscar from him. (Even Oscars won by expelled members haven't previously been ordered to be returned.) Goldberg added that nobody is OK with what happened

Others from Sunday's telecast also began speaking out. Co-host Wanda Sykes told Ellen DeGeneres in an interview to air April 7 that she felt physically ill after Smith slapped Rock. When he returned to his seat, Smith twice shouted at Rock to keep my wife's name out your (expletive) mouth.

Im still a little traumatized by it, said Sykes in a clip released Wednesday.

Within an hour, Smith was back on stage accepting the award for best actor for his performance in King Richard. Many in the Dolby Theatre gave him a standing ovation.

I was like, how gross is this? This is the wrong message. You assault somebody and you get escorted out the building and thats it. But for them to let him continue, I thought it was gross," Sykes said. "I wanted to be able to run out (on stage) after he won and say, Uh, unfortunately, Will couldnt be here tonight.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  Infowars host Alex Jones offered to pay $120,000 per plaintiff to resolve a lawsuit by relatives of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims who said he defamed them by asserting the massacre never happened, according to court filings Tuesday. The offer was quickly rejected by the families.

FILE - This Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, file photo shows radio show host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones at Capitol Hill in Washington. Infowars host Jones has offered to pay $120,000 per plaintiff to resolve a lawsuit by relatives of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims who said he defamed them by asserting the massacre never happened, according to court filings Tuesday, March 29, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  Infowars host Alex Jones offered to pay $120,000 per plaintiff to resolve a lawsuit by relatives of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims who said he defamed them by asserting the massacre never happened, according to court filings Tuesday. The offer was quickly rejected by the families.

A Connecticut judge found Jones liable for damages in November, and a trial is planned to determine how much he should pay the families.

Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The plaintiffs said they have been subjected to harassment and death threats from Jones followers because of the hoax conspiracy promoted on his show.

The court filings posted online said: "Mr. Jones extends his heartfelt apology for any distress his remarks caused."

Last week Jones defied a court order to attend a deposition near his home in Austin, Texas, to provide testimony ahead of the trial. Jones said he was ill. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday on a request by the plaintiffs to sanction Jones for not cooperating.

Lawyers for the families rejected the settlement offer within a few hours, saying in court filings that it was a "transparent and desperate attempt by Alex Jones to escape a public reckoning under oath with his deceitful, profit-driven campaign against the plaintiffs and the memory of their loved ones lost at Sandy Hook."

Twenty first graders and six educators were killed in the 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The families of eight of the victims and an FBI agent who responded to the school sued Jones, Infowars and others in Connecticut over the hoax conspiracy. Jones has since said he believes the shooting did occur.

Jones also was found liable for damages in similar lawsuits filed in Texas by relatives of Sandy Hook victims, and also faces trial later this year.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Rock band Foo Fighters is cancelling all its upcoming tour dates including a scheduled performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and a Sept. 21 date in Winnipeg, following the death of its drummer Taylor Hawkins.

NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Rock band Foo Fighters is cancelling all its upcoming tour dates including a scheduled performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and a Sept. 21 date in Winnipeg, following the death of its drummer Taylor Hawkins.

People with tickets to the Winnipeg concert at Canada Life Centre will receive an automatic refund processed to the original method of payment, Ticketmaster said in a statement posted online.

The group was not included on the release Tuesday of the jazz festival's "cubes," which list the times and stage assignments for every performance scheduled during the two-weekend event.

The festival is returning after a two-year hiatus brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 festival will run from April 29 until May 1 and May 5 through May 8 at the Fair Grounds Race Course.

Shelley Cook | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

In an announcement via Twitter, the Foo Fighters confirmed the tour cancellation "in light of the staggering loss of our brother Taylor Hawkins. We're sorry for and share in the disappointment that we wont be seeing one another as planned."

The tweet concluded: "Instead, lets take this time to grieve, to heal, to pull our loved ones close, and to appreciate all the music and memories weve made together."

Hawkins died on Friday. He was 50.

Jazz Fest organizers have not announced a replacement.

The Who, Stevie Nicks, Lionel Richie, Luke Combs, Willie Nelson, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Charlie Wilson and Erykah Badu are among the headliners for this year's festival.

Started in 1970, Jazz Fest annually celebrates the unique culture and heritage of New Orleans and Louisiana, alongside performances by nationally and internationally renowned guest artists.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Will Smiths slap seen round the world at the Oscars was clearly a crime, legal experts say, but the chances of prosecution are slim and even if convicted hed likely face little more than a slap of his own  on the wrist.

Jada Pinkett Smith, left, and Will Smith hold hands in the audience at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

LOS ANGELES (AP)  Will Smiths slap seen round the world at the Oscars was clearly a crime, legal experts say, but the chances of prosecution are slim and even if convicted hed likely face little more than a slap of his own  on the wrist.

Smith left millions of witnesses stunned Sunday when he marched onto the stage of the Dolby Theatre and smacked Chris Rock in the face after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who was sitting with the actor in the front row.

The Los Angeles Police Department has said it was aware of the incident but was not investigating because Rock declined to file a police report.

While police could technically open an investigation based on the Academy Awards broadcast, they wouldn't do so without Rocks participation, said defense lawyer Alan Jackson, a former Los Angeles County prosecutor who oversaw high-profile cases.

Would they ever in a practical world do that when Chris Rock is saying, I wont cooperate with a criminal investigation?' Not in a million years, Jackson said. LAPD is probably breathing a relative sigh of relief that they dont have to get involved with two high-profile actors duking it out on a world stage.

Will Smith, right, hits presenter Chris Rock on stage while presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

The Los Angeles city attorneys office, which prosecutes misdemeanor crimes, declined to comment, but said it couldn't bring charges without a police referral.

If hes going to be charged, I cant speak to what the charge would be, spokesman Rob Wilcox said.

News of celebrities in trouble has been a fixture in LA since Hollywood's early days, and questions frequently arise about whether the rich and powerful receive a different brand of justice.

The celebrity thing is coming into play, unfortunately, said former LA District Attorney Steve Cooley. If some Joe Blow committed this act in front a police officer, would he would be able to walk away from it? Probably not.

If Smith is not charged, it could imperil the justice system's credibility, said Jody Armour, a law professor at the University of Southern California.

How can what appears to be an obvious criminal act committed in the open publicly not result in any criminal consequences?" Armour asked. "Do different standards apply to celebrities and noncelebrities? Apparently, we seem to all recognize that is the case. But what does that recognition say to us about the legitimacy and credibility of our criminal justice system?

Presenter Chris Rock speaks onstage as Will Smith and Jada Pinkett, bottom left, listen from their seats at the Oscars, Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

While the famous can use their status to influence decision-makers, their fame can work against them if the prosecutor decides to make an example of a crime by someone well-known.

I would surprised if the city attorney does not seriously consider it because it was so public," said Alison Triessl, a criminal defense lawyer who has handled many misdemeanor battery cases. Are they sending the wrong message if they dont prosecute him?

Triessl said theres no question a crime was committed, and theres no need for the victim to file a report. Charges are routinely brought in domestic violence cases without cooperation from the victim because the crime is against the state for violating its penal code.

It sends a message that you can commit a crime and you wont be punished," she said. "This was a very wrong message.

Defense attorney Adam Braun said it's unrealistic Smith would face charges in the absence of serious injuries and without support from Rock.

Although a prosecution is not likely, the wild card here is that the evidence is overwhelming and the incident was witnessed live by millions," Braun said. "Prosecutors could feel compelled to prosecute Will Smith, regardless of Chris Rocks preference, to avoid creating the impression that a wealthy actor is above the law.

If Smith were charged, he would face a misdemeanor battery count, which carries a penalty of up to six months in jail. Even if prosecuted and convicted, it is unlikely he would face incarceration and there are alternatives to going to court that could lead to a penalty as light as having to attend anger management classes.

Shelley Cook | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Cooley said if he were advising Smith, he'd have him voluntarily enroll in anger classes and then try to convince prosecutors not to bring charges in the interest of justice because he had recognized his problem and was dealing with it.

Cooley said hed want more information on the case as a prosecutor before making any decisions. He said said LAPD was premature in announcing they weren't getting involved.

Stephen Downing, a retired LAPD deputy chief, said a case could be brought. But he said it was reasonable not to waste resources when Rock apparently wasn't injured or ruffled enough to file a complaint.

Rock carried on as if nothing happened to him," Downing said. "He didnt even put a hand to his cheek. There didnt appear to be an injury. If he had knocked him to the floor and rendered him unconscious, I think action would have been taken.

___

Associated Press journalist Stefanie Dazio contributed to this report.
ROME  When fiddler Alex Kusturok led the Metis delegation out of the Vatican Monday, his one-month-old son was on his mind.

ROME  When fiddler Alex Kusturok led the Metis delegation out of the Vatican Monday, his one-month-old son was on his mind.

"I was thinking how great it will be one day that he can read his father was here at this time, honouring the delegates and elders with my music," he said.

Kusturok, 30, lives in Cold Lake, Alta. His family moved around, from Vancouver to Ottawa to Swan Lake, but he started life in Winnipeg.

"Im building roots in Cold Lake, but Winnipeg is home," he said. "I still love the taste of Sals."

Kusturok and Brianna Lizotte, 21, were asked by the Metis National Council to accompany the delegation to Rome and provide musical support, which included playing the Red River Jig  the Metis "anthem" as they led the delegation into St. Peters Square following their meeting with Pope Francis.

"No words can describe how powerful it felt," he said. "I came here to be of service. Im honoured to be able to support the delegates and elders in this way. Im very blessed to be part of this experience."

Its something he recognizes he might have missed had he not decided to give up alcohol in 2019.

"Ive had three years of sobriety," he said. "(Before that) I had fallen off track. I couldnt hold down a gig due to my drinking."

He marked his first year of sobriety with a recording titled Phoenix, about being a fiddle player and lifting himself out of the ashes of alcoholism.

The son of Patti Kusturok  1994-1996 national fiddling champion and member of the Manitoba Fiddle Association Hall of Fame and the North American Fiddlers Hall of Fame  he learned to play at the age of seven and grew up going to dances throughout Manitoba with his mother.

Jigging  a combination of First Nations dancing and Scottish and French-Canadian step-dancing  originated in the Red River area in the 19th century.

Although the musical tradition is dying out in Manitoba, he said the opposite is true in northern Alberta, where he moved in 2016.

"There, everybody jigs," he said. "Its like what Manitoba used to be. A lot more young people are involved."

He teaches fiddle, jigging, dancing and playing the spoons in Metis settlements and First Nations communities in Alberta.

Although he grew up Catholic, he doesnt consider himself to be one now.

The Free Press is committed to covering faith in Manitoba. If you appreciate that coverage, help us do more! Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow us to deepen our reporting about faith in the province. Thanks! BECOME A FAITH JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project.

"Im on a spiritual journey," he said. "I believe in a power greater than myself. God is bigger than anything I can understand."

He said hell always be searching in an effort to live a fulfilled life and find meaning.

"Thats something I can do now that Im not drunk," he said.

And hes committed to preserving his Metis musical roots.

"I want to pass it on," he said. "I want to make sure it doesnt end with my generation."

John Longhurst is in Rome this week to cover the papal visit by Indigenous people for the Free Press. See coverage of the visit at www.winnipegfreepress.com/papalvisit
ROME  Its nearly 9,000 kilometres from the Vatican to Kamloops, B.C., but for Rosanne Casimir, Kukpi7 (chief) of the Tkemlups te Secwepemc in that interior B.C. community, the two are strongly linked.

ROME  Its nearly 9,000 kilometres from the Vatican to Kamloops, B.C., but for Rosanne Casimir, Kukpi7 (chief) of the Tkemlups te Secwepemc in that interior B.C. community, the two are strongly linked.

"Many believe we wouldnt be here (in Rome) without the discovery of the graves," she said of the First Nations, Inuit and Metis meeting with Pope Francis.

For Casimir, as it was for many others on the trip, last years discovery of unmarked graves at the former Kamloops residential school represented a turning point in Indigenous relations with the Roman Catholic Church.

It helped create the conditions for the historic meeting with the Pope, she said, adding she came to Rome with a "deliberate message from my people to have the Pope acknowledge the harm" done by the residential schools.

That admission, and an apology in Canada, will be the first step towards reconciliation with the Church, she said.

"A lot of other things also need to take place," she said, adding there would be followup with the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops when the meetings are over.

She said moving forward will require acts of contrition so "wrongs can be made right for our people."

Members of her community differ on their willingness to pursue reconciliation with the Church, she said.

The Free Press is committed to covering faith in Manitoba. If you appreciate that coverage, help us do more! Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow us to deepen our reporting about faith in the province. Thanks! BECOME A FAITH JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project.

"Some are ready, some arent," she said, adding an apology from the Pope  in Canada  is mandatory for her. She would like him to do it in Kamloops, what some call "ground zero" for the current level of awareness about the abuses of residential schools.

Although she acknowledged not everyone in her community supported her trip to meet the Pope, she feels good about the visit, believing it will make a difference for the community.

"It can start the healing," she said.

Before she left for Rome, Casimir participated in a ceremony with elders and other community members to prepare herself mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

"I felt supported as we sang and prayed together," she said. "It was the good medicine I needed."

John Longhurst is in Rome this week to cover the papal visit by Indigenous people for the Free Press. See coverage of the visit at www.winnipegfreepress.com/papalvisit
ROME  As delegates from First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities travelled by bus from Romes airport to their hotel Sunday morning, a tour guide proudly pointed out various landmarks.

ROME  As delegates from First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities travelled by bus from Romes airport to their hotel Sunday morning, a tour guide proudly pointed out various landmarks.

They included an ancient Egyptian obelisk in a square along the way  one of eight in Italys capital city taken from that country by the ancient Romans.

Nearing the hotel, the guide exclaimed about Santa Maria Maggiore, considered one of the "jewels" of the Catholic churches in Rome. The ceiling, she said, was gilded with some of the first gold from the Americas, given to Pope Alexander VI by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain.

Listening to her, I wondered: how are the Indigenous people on the bus hearing this? In my mind I could hear them saying, "Oh, yeah, just more stuff stolen from us."

That memory came to mind following a visit to the Vatican Museum on Wednesday.

More than 100,000 objects and documents were on display. (Archdiocese of Edmonton)

While on the tour, led by curator and lead preservationist Father Nicola Mapelli, delegates saw items from Canadian Indigenous groups, including carvings, masks, gloves, pipes, rugs and wampum belts.

Most of the objects were collected by Pope Pius XI for a world mission exhibition in 1925.

The goal of the exhibition was to illustrate and promote the global mission work of the Catholic Church. More than 100,000 objects and documents were on display.

While the Vatican says the objects from Indigenous people were given as gifts, not everyone is so sure. Delegates insist further dialogue about the return of the items is required.

"Those artifacts tell a story about our communities. Those are our history," said Metis National Council president Cassidy Caron. "Weve heard from our survivors that many of them need that to go forward."

"What they now need to recognize is that they hold things of ours that tell our story, and these are our priceless cultural works and they do need to come home."

First Nations, Metis and Inuit delegates examine artifacts in the Vatican Museum such as carvings, masks, gloves, pipes, rugs and wampum belts. (Archdiocese of Edmonton)

Rosanne Casimir, Kukpi7 (Chief) of the Tkemlups te Secwepemc in Kamloops, B.C., was on the tour of the museum.

"I saw some things from B.C.," she said. "I wish we had more time to be there to ask questions."

The Free Press is committed to covering faith in Manitoba. If you appreciate that coverage, help us do more! Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow us to deepen our reporting about faith in the province. Thanks! BECOME A FAITH JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project.

In a response to the media coverage about the museum tour, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops provided a statement about the artifacts.

The objects, the statement said, represent a cross-section of works by Indigenous artists and artisans from various regions of the country, and have been "preserved as part of a broader commitment to inclusiveness and dialogue and to celebrating diverse cultures around the world."

The plan is for the objects to be compiled into a North American exhibit in the future.

Mapelli spoke to the delegates about his desire to work hand in hand with them to learn more about the artifacts and to seek their guidance about what should be returned to local communities, as well as what should be shared with the museums seven million annual visitors, the statement added.

"Father Mapelli has reached out to Indigenous leadership in Canada to discuss some of these artifacts and seek their guidance, with additional dialogue planned."

John Longhurst is in Rome this week to cover the papal visit by Indigenous people for the Free Press. See coverage of the visit at www.winnipegfreepress.com/papalvisit
ROME  Phil Fontaine believes Pope Francis intends to issue an apology to Indigenous people on Canadian soil.

ROME  Phil Fontaine believes Pope Francis intends to issue an apology to Indigenous people on Canadian soil.

And if the former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations gets a chance when he meets the Pope Friday at the Vatican, he intends to invite the head of the Roman Catholic Church to do it in Winnipeg.

"St. Boniface played a historic role in the spread of Christianity westward across Canada," said Fontaine, the Manitoba representative on the 32-member Indigenous delegation.

Phil Fontaine

Fontaine said Manitoba is a good place to start a papal visit, because the church had such a significant presence in the province, adding St. Boniface was the site of an industrial school for Indigenous children.

"The church has a long history in our community and in the province," he said.

Fontaine, who is Catholic, said having a chance to meet the Pope is "a special moment."

"Its a privilege to be invited to be here as a representative from Manitoba," he said.

Fontaine, who served three terms as national chief of the AFN  from 1997 to 2000 and from 2003 to 2009, met Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in 2009. Although the Pope expressed sorrow over the churchs role in Canadas residential schools, he did not apologize.

The circumstances have changed significantly since that "more discreet, behind closed doors" visit, Fontaine said.

"This visit is open, a public process," he said.

And there had been no Truth and Reconciliation Commission, no United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and no discoveries of unmarked graves of Indigenous children on or near the grounds of residential schools across the country.

Those things have "put a lot of pressure on the church to act," he said.

Its quite clear to us the Holy Father will follow through on his commitment to come and apologize on Canadian soil."  Phil Fontaine

Fontaine said he sees his visit with Pope Benedict 13 years ago as "part of a process, a journey, moving step-by-step" towards getting an apology.

"Its quite clear to us the Holy Father will follow through on his commitment to come and apologize on Canadian soil," he said, adding an apology will not be the end of "the journey."

"There are still many steps to take to fix the relationship with the church," he said.

The Free Press is committed to covering faith in Manitoba. If you appreciate that coverage, help us do more! Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow us to deepen our reporting about faith in the province. Thanks! BECOME A FAITH JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project.

There has been progress in that direction already, including how the church is accepting of traditional Indigenous spirituality and practices, he said.

"I take it as a good sign," he said, noting he utilizes Indigenous spiritual practices in his own life. "I dont see them in conflict."

He said the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops was instrumental in arranging the delegations invitation, a product of a good working relationship with the Indigenous community.

Fontaine said the attention the visit has drawn from Canadian and international media has made him optimistic.

"Its not just Canadian Catholics watching this process, but all of Canada and the whole world," he said.

John Longhurst is in Rome this week to cover the visit to the Pope by Indigenous people for the Free Press. See coverage of the visit at winnipegfreepress.com/papalvisit
Californias first-in-the-nation task force on reparations voted Tuesday to limit state compensation to the descendants of free and enslaved Black people who were in the U.S. in the 19th century, narrowly rejecting a proposal to include all Black people regardless of lineage.

FILE - People join hands as they pose for a photo in the Reflecting Pool in the shadow of the Washington Monument as they attend the March on Washington, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, on the 57th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech on Friday, Aug. 28, 2020. California's first-in-the-nation task force on reparations is at a crossroads with members divided on which Black Americans should be eligible for compensation. The task force could vote on the question of eligibility on Tuesday, March 28, 2022, after putting it off at last month's meeting. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

Californias first-in-the-nation task force on reparations voted Tuesday to limit state compensation to the descendants of free and enslaved Black people who were in the U.S. in the 19th century, narrowly rejecting a proposal to include all Black people regardless of lineage.

The vote was split 5-4, and the hours-long debate was at times testy and emotional. Near the end, the Rev. Amos Brown, president of the San Francisco branch of the NAACP and vice chair of the task force, pleaded with the commission to move ahead with a clear definition of who would be eligible for restitution.

Please, please, please I beg us tonight, take the first step, he said. We've got to give emergency treatment to where it is needed."

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation creating the two-year reparations task force in 2020, making California the only state to move ahead with a study and plan, with a mission to study the institution of slavery and its harms and to educate the public about its findings.

Reparations at the federal level has not gone anywhere, but cities and universities are taking up the issue. The mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, announced a city commission in February while the city of Boston is considering a proposal to form its own reparations commission.

The Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, became the first U.S. city to make reparations available to Black residents last year, although there are some who say the program has done nothing to right a wrong.

California's task force members  nearly all of whom can trace their families back to enslaved ancestors in the U.S.  were aware that their deliberations over a pivotal question will shape reparations discussions across the country. The members were appointed by the governor and the leaders of the two legislative chambers.

FILE - This image made from video from the Office of the Governor shows California Gov. Gavin Newsom signing into law a bill that establishes a task force to come up with recommendations on how to give reparations to Black Americans on Sept. 30, 2020, in Sacramento, Calif. The law establishes a nine-member task force to come up with a plan for how the state could give reparations to Black Americans, what form those reparations might take and who would be eligible to receive them. The task force could vote on the question of eligibility on Tuesday, March 28, 2022, after putting it off at last month's meeting. (Office of the Governor via AP, File)

Those favoring a lineage approach said that a compensation and restitution plan based on genealogy as opposed to race has the best change of surviving a legal challenge. They also opened eligibility to free Black people who migrated to the country before the 20th century, given possible difficulties in documenting family history and the risk at the time of becoming enslaved.

Others on the task force argued that reparations should include all Black people in the U.S. who suffer from systemic racism in housing, education and employment and said they were defining eligibility too soon in the process.

Civil rights attorney and task force member Lisa Holder proposed directing economists working with the task force to use Californias estimated 2.6 million Black residents to calculate compensation while they continue hearing from the public.

We need to galvanize the base and that is Black people, she said. We cant go into this reparations proposal without having all African Americans in California behind us.

But Kamilah Moore, a lawyer and chair of the task force, said expanding eligibility would create its own fissures and was beyond the purpose of the committee.

That is going to aggrieve the victims of the institution of slavery, which are the direct descendants of the enslaved people in the United States, she said. It goes against the spirit of the law as written.

The committee is not even a year into its two-year process and there is no compensation plan of any kind on the table. Longtime advocates have spoken of the need for multifaceted remedies for related yet separate harms, such as slavery, Jim Crow laws, mass incarceration and redevelopment that resulted in the displacement of Black communities.

Compensation could include free college, assistance buying homes and launching businesses, and grants to churches and community organizations, advocates say.

The eligibility question has dogged the task force since its inaugural meeting in June, when viewers called in pleading with the nine-member group to devise targeted proposals and cash payments to make whole the descendants of enslaved people in the U.S.

Chicago resident Arthur Ward called in to Tuesday's virtual meeting, saying that he was a descendant of enslaved people and has family in California. He supports reparations based only on lineage and expressed frustration with the panels concerns over Black immigrants who experience racism.

When it comes to some sort of justice, some kind of recompense, we are supposed to step to the back of the line and allow Carribeans and Africans to be prioritized, Ward said. Taking this long to decide something that should not even be a question in the first place is an insult.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

California Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer, who voted against limiting eligibility, said there is no question that descendants of slaves are the priority, but he said the task force also needs to stop ongoing harm and prevent future harm from racism. He said he wished the panel would stop bickering" over money they don't have yet and start discussing how to close a severe wealth gap.

Were arguing over cash payments, which I firmly dont believe are the be all and end all, he said.

Reparations critics say that California has no obligation to pay up given that the state did not practice slavery and did not enforce Jim Crow laws that segregated Black people from white people in the southern states.

But testimony provided to the committee shows California and local governments were complicit in stripping Black people of their wages and property, preventing them from building wealth to pass down to their children. Their homes were razed for redevelopment, and they were forced to live in predominantly minority neighborhoods and couldnt get bank loans that would allow them to purchase property.

Today, Black residents are 5% of the states population but over-represented in jails, prison and homeless populations. And Black homeowners continue to face discrimination in the form of home appraisals that are significantly lower than if the house were in a white neighborhood or the homeowners are white, according to testimony.

A report is due by June with a reparations proposal due by July 2023 for the Legislature to consider turning into law.
Californias first-in-the-nation task force on reparations has decided to limit state compensation to the descendants of free and enslaved Black people who were in the U.S. in the 19th century, narrowly rejecting a proposal to include all Black people regardless of lineage.

FILE - Assemblywoman Shirley Weber speaks at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., on June 10, 2020. Weber is the daughter of sharecroppers who authored legislation creating the first-in-the-nation task force in California to study and recommend reparations. California's first-in-the-nation task force on reparations is at a crossroads with members divided on which Black Americans should be eligible for compensation. The task force could vote on the question of eligibility on Tuesday, March 28, 2022, after putting it off at February's meeting. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

Californias first-in-the-nation task force on reparations has decided to limit state compensation to the descendants of free and enslaved Black people who were in the U.S. in the 19th century, narrowly rejecting a proposal to include all Black people regardless of lineage.

The vote Tuesday split 5-4, and the hours-long debate was at times testy and emotional. Near the end, the Rev. Amos Brown, president of the San Francisco branch of the NAACP and vice chair of the task force, pleaded with the commission to move ahead with a clear definition of who would be eligible for restitution.

Please, please, please I beg us tonight, take the first step, he said. We've got to give emergency treatment to where it is needed."

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation creating the two-year reparations task force in 2020, making California the only state to move ahead with a study and plan, with a mission to study the institution of slavery and its harms and to educate the public about its findings.

Reparations at the federal level has not gone anywhere, but cities and universities are taking up the issue. The mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, announced a city commission in February while the city of Boston is considering a proposal to form its own reparations commission.

FILE - People join hands as they pose for a photo in the Reflecting Pool in the shadow of the Washington Monument as they attend the March on Washington, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, on the 57th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech on Friday, Aug. 28, 2020. California's first-in-the-nation task force on reparations is at a crossroads with members divided on which Black Americans should be eligible for compensation. The task force could vote on the question of eligibility on Tuesday, March 28, 2022, after putting it off at last month's meeting. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

The Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, became the first U.S. city to make reparations available to Black residents last year, although there are some who say the program has done nothing to right a wrong.

California's task force members  nearly all of whom can trace their families back to enslaved ancestors in the U.S.  were aware that their deliberations over a pivotal question will shape reparations discussions across the country. The members were appointed by the governor and the leaders of the two legislative chambers.

Those favoring a lineage approach said that a compensation and restitution plan based on genealogy as opposed to race has the best change of surviving a legal challenge. They also opened eligibility to free Black people who migrated to the country before the 20th century, given possible difficulties in documenting family history and the risk at the time of becoming enslaved.

Others on the task force argued that reparations should include all Black people in the U.S. who suffer from systemic racism in housing, education and employment and said they were defining eligibility too soon in the process.

Civil rights attorney and task force member Lisa Holder proposed directing economists working with the task force to use Californias estimated 2.6 million Black residents to calculate compensation while they continue hearing from the public.

We need to galvanize the base and that is Black people, she said. We cant go into this reparations proposal without having all African Americans in California behind us.

FILE - This image made from video from the Office of the Governor shows California Gov. Gavin Newsom signing into law a bill that establishes a task force to come up with recommendations on how to give reparations to Black Americans on Sept. 30, 2020, in Sacramento, Calif. The law establishes a nine-member task force to come up with a plan for how the state could give reparations to Black Americans, what form those reparations might take and who would be eligible to receive them. The task force could vote on the question of eligibility on Tuesday, March 28, 2022, after putting it off at last month's meeting. (Office of the Governor via AP, File)

But Kamilah Moore, a lawyer and chair of the task force, said expanding eligibility would create its own fissures and was beyond the purpose of the committee.

That is going to aggrieve the victims of the institution of slavery, which are the direct descendants of the enslaved people in the United States, she said. It goes against the spirit of the law as written.

The committee is not even a year into its two-year process and there is no compensation plan of any kind on the table. Longtime advocates have spoken of the need for multifaceted remedies for related yet separate harms, such as slavery, Jim Crow laws, mass incarceration and redevelopment that resulted in the displacement of Black communities.

Compensation could include free college, assistance buying homes and launching businesses, and grants to churches and community organizations, advocates say.

The eligibility question has dogged the task force since its inaugural meeting in June, when viewers called in pleading with the nine-member group to devise targeted proposals and cash payments to make whole the descendants of enslaved people in the U.S.

Chicago resident Arthur Ward called in to Tuesday's virtual meeting, saying that he was a descendant of enslaved people and has family in California. He supports reparations based only on lineage and expressed frustration with the panels concerns over Black immigrants who experience racism.

When it comes to some sort of justice, some kind of recompense, we are supposed to step to the back of the line and allow Carribeans and Africans to be prioritized, Ward said. Taking this long to decide something that should not even be a question in the first place is an insult.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

California Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer, who voted against limiting eligibility, said there is no question that descendants of slaves are the priority, but he said the task force also needs to stop ongoing harm and prevent future harm from racism. He said he wished the panel would stop bickering" over money they don't have yet and start discussing how to close a severe wealth gap.

Were arguing over cash payments, which I firmly dont believe are the be all and end all, he said.

Reparations critics say that California has no obligation to pay up given that the state did not practice slavery and did not enforce Jim Crow laws that segregated Black people from white people in the southern states.

But testimony provided to the committee shows California and local governments were complicit in stripping Black people of their wages and property, preventing them from building wealth to pass down to their children. Their homes were razed for redevelopment, and they were forced to live in predominantly minority neighborhoods and couldnt get bank loans that would allow them to purchase property.

Today, Black residents are 5% of the states population but over-represented in jails, prison and homeless populations. And Black homeowners continue to face discrimination in the form of home appraisals that are significantly lower than if the house were in a white neighborhood or the homeowners are white, according to testimony.

A report is due by June with a reparations proposal due by July 2023 for the Legislature to consider turning into law.
BRUSSELS (AP)  The European Union warned consumers to stop using their clothes like throwaway items and said Wednesday that it plans to counter the polluting use of mass-market fast fashion.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen rings a bell to signal the start of the European Commission weekly College Meeting at EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, March 30, 2022. The European Union is warning consumers to stop using their clothing like throwaway tissues and is planning measures to counter the spiraling use of polluting "fast fashion." (Kenzo Tribouillard, Pool Photo via AP)

BRUSSELS (AP)  The European Union warned consumers to stop using their clothes like throwaway items and said Wednesday that it plans to counter the polluting use of mass-market fast fashion.

New rules proposed by the EU's executive arm call for a mandatory minimum use of recycled fibers by 2030 and would ban the destruction of many unsold products. The European Commission rules also seek to contain the release of microplastics and improve global labor conditions in the garment industry.

We want sustainable products to become the norm, commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said. The clothes we wear should last longer than three washes.

The changes would require a massive shift in an industry that in order to keep costs and prices down, produces items with a short life span in developing nations in Asia and Latin America, often under poor working conditions.

All textiles should be long lasting, recyclable, made of recycled fibers and free of dangerous substances. The strategy also aims to boost reuse and repair sectors and address textile waste, Timmermans said.

Almost three-quarters of all clothing and textiles used in EU are imported. In 2019, the 27-nation bloc imported over 80 billion euros ($89.2 billion) in clothes, mainly from China, Bangladesh and Turkey, according to the European Commission, and the average consumer throws away 11 kilos (over 24 pounds) of textiles a year.

Fast fashion is most closely associated in Europe with the high street -- commercial areas where clothes-hunters shop at mass-market retailers such as H&M, Primark and Zara. The EU, although targeting clothing made for that market, also wants luxury brands to set the standard for sustainable fashion in an industry where the fleeting and ephemeral is essential to turnover.

Theres a cultural change taking place, Timmermans said, added that major fashion houses are always the first to show the way forward.

The designers, the artists - they realize that the world has changed and that we need to revisit the way we design fashion," he said.

Shelley Cook | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Sustainability is a new frontier in the luxury industry. Upcycling and other methods to reduce the carbon footprint have been mainstays for some of the most famous brands on the runways of London and Paris, such as Stella McCartney, which belongs to the Kering group, and more recently Chloe under sustainability-conscious designer Gabriela Hearst.

___

Thomas Adamson contributed from Paris.

___

Follow AP's coverage of climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate

.
MONGLA, Bangladesh (AP)  The 29-year-old Monira Khatun was devastated after her husband abandoned her suddenly. She returned to her father only to face another blow: He died soon after, leaving her to shoulder three other family members' care. Without any work, she was worried about how she would feed them.

Workers gather in the morning at a boat terminal, waiting to cross the Mongla river, in Mongla, Bangladesh, March 3, 2022. This Bangladeshi town, located near the worlds largest mangrove forest Sundarbans, stands alone to offer new life to thousands of climate migrants. The town was once vulnerable to floods and river erosion. Now it has become more resilient with improved infrastructure and special economic zones to support climate migrants. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

MONGLA, Bangladesh (AP)  The 29-year-old Monira Khatun was devastated after her husband abandoned her suddenly. She returned to her father only to face another blow: He died soon after, leaving her to shoulder three other family members' care. Without any work, she was worried about how she would feed them.

I lost everything. There was darkness all around, Khatun said. My parents home was gone to the river for erosion, we had no land to cultivate.

She ended up working at a factory in a special economic zone that employs thousands of climate refugees  like Khatun  in the southwestern town of Mongla, where Bangladeshs second-largest seaport is located.

These refugees from climate-impacted areas within Bangladesh lost their homes, land and livelihood, but found a new life in the riverside coastal town about 50 kilometers (30 miles) inland from the Bay of Bengal.

Some 150,000 people now live in Mongla  many of whom moved from villages near the Sundarbans forest, the worlds largest mangrove forest which straddles the border of Bangladesh and India and harbors endangered Bengal tigers.

Being forced by climate change to move, within borders or beyond, is a growing reality expected to accelerate in the decades ahead. Over the next 30 years, 143 million people are likely to be uprooted by rising seas, drought, searing temperatures and other climate catastrophes, according to an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report published last month by the United Nations. Leaders in Asia, already one of the hardest-hit continents, are scrambling to confront major changes taking place.

Climate scientists like Saleemul Huq, director of the Dhaka-based International Centre for Climate Change and Development, are branding Mongla as a climate-resilient town for the refugees.

When it comes to adaptation, Mongla is a success story. Changes are coming there as an example of how climate refugees could transform their life through new opportunities, through a new approach of adaptation, said Huq, whose institute conducts environmental research.

Mongla has offered new opportunities to them. With its seaport and an export processing zone and climate-resilient infrastructure, Mongla town has become a different story, Huq said.

Monira Khatun, 29, stands by the door of her house in Chila Bazar, in Mongla, Bangladesh, March 4, 2022. Her father died soon as she returned back home, after being abandoned by her husband, leaving her to shoulder three other family members' care. My parents home was gone to the river for erosion, we had no land to cultivate, Khatun said. She ended up working at a factory in a special economic zone that employs thousands of climate refugees in the southwestern town of Mongla, where Bangladeshs second-largest seaport is located. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Now, we expect to replicate the Mongla model to at least two dozen other coastal towns across Bangladesh as safe home for climate refugees, he said. Currently, we are talking to mayors and officials of almost half a dozen municipalities about the success in Mongla.

Huq said more than a dozen satellite towns, all adjacent to economic hubs such as sea and river ports, have already been identified as potential migrant-friendly locations.

These are all secondary towns with populations of up to half a million, which can shelter up to another half a million climate migrants each, said Huq. Thus we can offer alternatives to at least 10 million climate migrants over next one decade.

Climate scientists say low-lying Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and millions are at the risk of being displaced  becoming climate refugees because of sea level rise, river erosion, cyclonic storms and intrusion of saline water. The World Bank in a new report said last year that Bangladesh will have more than 19 million internal climate refugees by 2050, almost half the projected number for the entire South Asia region.

Huq said by an approach of transformative adaptation in about two dozen small coastal towns including Mongla, at least 10 million climate refugees could be resettled, rather than forcing them to move to slums in big cities like Dhaka, the nations capital.

The trend is that climate migrants move to places where there are economic activities for them. We cant stop displacement, we can only offer alternatives that they will accept, he said.

The vision of transformative adaption is to create opportunities for climate migrants to live and work in an environment where the host population accepts them.

He said the incremental adjustments, such as introducing salinity-tolerant rice varieties, have been taking place in Bangladesh for years, helping climate refugees cope with the impacts of climate change where they are living today.

But we will not able to do it forever. So we need to go for transformative adaptation, which is to enable them to move somewhere else and be better off, Huq said.

In recent years, the Bangladesh government has spent millions of Bangladeshi taka (tens of thousands of dollars) to protect the Mongla town with climate-resilient infrastructure, drawing at-risk people from the remotest villages.

Investments  mostly foreign  have doubled at the Mongla Export Processing Zone over last four years, creating new jobs in its factories for the climate refugees from the region. The funds, which come from the United States, Japan, South Korea and China, among others, have prevented the refugees from moving to big cities.

Nazma Binte Alamgir, spokesperson for the government regulator Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority, said about 10 more factories are in the pipeline to start production soon in Mongla, adding thousands of jobs.

This is a good news for the people who are suffering in the region. They will have a chance to survive in a different way, she said.

To become resilient, Mongla raised an 11-kilometer (7-mile) embankment along a newly built marine drive designed to stop flooding, two flood-control gates, a better drainage system, a water reservoir and a water treatment plant, said Sheikh Abdur Rahman, mayor of Mongla since January.

We need more investment to protect Mongla town from erosion and high tides. People feel safer now, but we need to do more, he said.

Rahman said the government is building new infrastructure in the seaport and dredging the Mongla river to widen its channel, allowing for big ships, while more investment is coming to the export processing zone, or EPZ. He said a new rail line is being constructed to connect the town with a major land port across the border with neighboring India.

There was only about 2,600 workers in the Mongla EPZ in 2018, but now there are about 9,000 workers employed in different factories, he said. The changes are visible.

Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Reshma Begum, 28, is one of them.

Begum used to catch fish in the river that swallowed her home, making her three-member family homeless. Now she lives temporarily on another mans land and works at a factory in the EPZ.

Now I earn a good amount of money each month to support my family, she said, adding that her husband is a day laborer and contributes to the family's income.

Maybe we will build a new house in the future by saving some money, she said.

___

Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about APs climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
BERLIN (AP)  Germany and Austria activated early warning plans Wednesday amid concerns that Moscow could cut natural gas deliveries, while Poland announced steps to end all Russian oil imports by years end, in fresh signs of how Russia's war in Ukraine is affecting Europe's energy security.

Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, speaks at a press conference following the virtual G7 energy ministers' meeting at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection in Berlin, Germany, Monday, March 28, 2022. The G7 energy ministers met today at the invitation of Vice Chancellor Habeck for a short-term virtual switch and discussed the current situation surrounding the war in Ukraine. (Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa via AP)

BERLIN (AP)  Germany and Austria activated early warning plans Wednesday amid concerns that Moscow could cut natural gas deliveries, while Poland announced steps to end all Russian oil imports by years end, in fresh signs of how Russia's war in Ukraine is affecting Europe's energy security.

The German government said it was establishing a crisis team to step up monitoring of the gas supply, and called on companies and households to conserve energy following demands by Russia that deliveries should be paid in rubles.

Western nations have rejected that demand, arguing it would undermine sanctions imposed because of the war.

There have been several comments from the Russian side that if this (payments in rubles) doesnt happen, then the supplies will be stopped, Economy Minister Robert Habeck told reporters in Berlin.

Hours later, German officials said Chancellor Olaf Scholz had received assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin that European companies wont have to pay for Russian gas supplies in rubles but could continue to pay in euros as stipulated by existing contracts.

Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, holds a press conference at his ministry on energy security in Germany in Berlin Germany, Wednesday, March 30, 2022. The German government said Wednesday it was triggering the early warning level for gas supplies amid concerns that Russia could cut off supplies unless it is paid in rubles. (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP)

Scholz had asked for further details of the process, which involves payments to a Russian bank not subjected to sanctions, his office said.

Habeck had earlier said that the level one warning triggered  a step also taken Wednesday by Austria  was a precautionary measure and Germany was prepared for a sudden stop in Russian gas supplies.

Still, he warned of considerable impacts if that were to happen and urged consumers to help prevent a shortage by conserving energy.

FILE -A pumpjack of Wintershall DEA extracting crude oil at an old oil field in Emlichheim, Germany, Friday, March 18, 2022. The German government said Wednesday it was triggering the early warning level for gas supplies amid concerns that Russia could cut off supplies unless it is paid in rubles. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner,file)

We are in a situation where, I have to say this clearly, every kilowatt hour of energy saved helps, Habeck said. He added that Germanys gas storages are currently filled to about 25% capacity.

A second warning level would require companies in the gas industry to take necessary measures to regulate supply. The third and highest level entails full state intervention to ensure those who most need gas  such as hospitals and private households  receive it, Habeck said.

Were not there and we dont want to go there, he added.

FILE - Pipes at the landfall facilities of the 'Nord Stream 2' gas pipline are pictured in Lubmin, northern Germany, on Feb. 15, 2022. The German government said Wednesday it was triggering the early warning level for gas supplies amid concerns that Russia could cut off supplies unless it is paid in rubles. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)

France also called Wednesday for those who can to conserve energy, including electricity and gas, focusing especially on businesses and public facilities. The country's gas storage facilities are well filled, according to the head of its Regulatory Energy Commission, but still asked for some efforts to save energy.

If we dont do that, there is a risk next winter for consumption demand to be superior to our ability to meet that demand, Jean-Francois Carenco told the BFM news broadcaster.

France gets about 70% of its electricity from nuclear plants but uses natural gas during peak demand at winter time and for home heating.

FILE -A worker rides his bicycle to the BP oil refinery Ruhr Oil in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Monday, March 28, 2022. The German government said Wednesday it was triggering the early warning level for gas supplies amid concerns that Russia could cut off supplies unless it is paid in rubles. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, file)

Italy issued a pre-alert of the risks to its natural gas supply days after the war broke out, given its heavy reliance on Russia. Energy transition minister Roberto Cingolani said at the time that the warning aimed to inform users of the uncertainties linked to the conflict, while confirming supplies remained adequate to cover demand. It has not asked people to conserve.

Meanwhile Poland, which has taken in millions of Ukrainian refugees, has taken the lead in the European Union on swiftly cutting off Russian fossil fuels. The 27-nation bloc has declined to sanction energy because it depends on Moscow for the fuel needed for cars, electricity, heating and industry, but it has announced proposals to wean itself off those supplies.

We are presenting the most radical plan in Europe for departing from Russian oil by the end of this year, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said at a news conference.

FILE -Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, speaks at a press conference following the virtual G7 energy ministers' meeting at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection in Berlin, Germany, Monday, March 28, 2022. The German government said Wednesday it was triggering the early warning level for gas supplies amid concerns that Russia could cut off supplies unless it is paid in rubles.(Bernd von Jutrczenka, file)

On Tuesday Poland said it was banning Russian coal imports, expected by May. Morawiecki said Poland will take steps to become independent of Russian supplies and called on other European Union countries to walk away as well. He argued that money paid for Russias oil and gas is fueling its war machine.

Shelley Cook | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

While some in Europe are calling for an immediate boycott of all Russian oil and natural gas, the EU plans to reduce Russian gas imports by two-thirds by the end of the year and eliminate them before 2030. In the meantime, rattled energy markets have pushed up already high oil and natural gas prices for Europeans and others worldwide.

The EU is turning to investments in renewable energy as a long-term fix but also is scrambling to shore up alternative sources of fossil fuels, including a new agreement with the U.S. to receive more liquefied natural gas, or LNG, that arrives by ship.

Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki speaks with the media as he arrives for an EU summit in Brussels, Friday, March 25, 2022. After a first day of talks dedicated to the war in Ukraine, EU leaders turn their focus to energy policy as they try to agree on measures aimed at curbing skyrocketing electricity prices at a summit in Brussels. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Poland is expanding an LNG terminal to receive deliveries from Qatar, the U.S., Norway and other exporters. A new Baltic pipeline bringing gas from Norway is expected to open by the end of the year. It also has been reducing dependence on Russian oil through contracts with Saudi Arabia, the U.S. and Norway and is considering imports from Kazakhstan.

Germany, the EU's biggest economy and until recently reliant on Russia's natural gas for 55% of its needs, has signed deals with several suppliers of LNG, which is shipped to neighboring European countries and then pumped in. German officials say they aim to end the use of Russian oil and coal this year and natural gas by mid-2024.

___

Scislowska reported from Warsaw. Samuel Petrequin in Brussels, Sylvie Corbet in Paris and Colleen Barry in Milan contributed.
VATICAN CITY (AP)  Pope Francis allegedly authorized negotiating an exit strategy for a key figure in the Vaticans bungled London real estate investment and was so satisfied with the outcome that he paid for a celebratory dinner at a fancy Roman fish restaurant the night the 15-million- euro payout closed, a defendant in the Vatican's extortion trial testified Wednesday.

Pope Francis greets nuns at the end of his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall at The Vatican, Wednesday, March 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

VATICAN CITY (AP)  Pope Francis allegedly authorized negotiating an exit strategy for a key figure in the Vaticans bungled London real estate investment and was so satisfied with the outcome that he paid for a celebratory dinner at a fancy Roman fish restaurant the night the 15-million- euro payout closed, a defendant in the Vatican's extortion trial testified Wednesday.

The testimony by Monsignor Mauro Carlino, a onetime secretary in the Vatican secretariat of state, placed the pope squarely in the center of the Vatican's landmark trial and raised questions about why low-ranking Vatican officials were indicted and their superiors were not  given the hierarchical way authority, decision-making and obedience are exercised in the Holy See.

The trial concerns the Vaticans 350-million-euro (US$390 million) investment in a London real estate venture, which lost the Holy See some 217 million euros, much of it donations from the faithful. Vatican prosecutors have accused Italian brokers and Vatican officials of fleecing the Holy See of millions in fees and of extorting the Holy See of 15 million to get full ownership of the building.

Pope Francis attends his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall at The Vatican, Wednesday, March 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Carlino is accused of extortion and abuse of office for his role in negotiating the payout to Italian broker Gianluigi Torzi so the Vatican could get full ownership of the building.

At issue are contracts signed between Torzi and another Vatican official in November and December 2018 asserting that the Vatican would own 30,000 shares in the buildings holding company and Torzi 1,000. But Torzis shares were the only ones with the right to vote, meaning he controlled the building.

By December 2018, the Vatican realized it had an empty box, Carlino testified, and scrambled to figure out a way to get full control of the building from Torzi: either by buying out Torzis shares or launching legal action against him for what the Vatican considered to be a fraudulent deal. Torzi is accused of extortion, fraud and other financial charges, which he denies.

The pope's legal experts had warned the Vatican that it might lose any lawsuit, given the signed contracts, and worried that in the meantime Torzi might sell the building and leave the Vatican empty-handed. Francis, informed of the situation and after having met with Torzi, gave his authorization to pay as little as possible to close the thing and turn the page, Carlino testified.

Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

During 4.5 hours of testimony Wednesday, Carlino said his boss, Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra, had asked him in January of 2019 to become the middleman in negotiations with Torzi. But Carlino stressed that he had no authority to make decisions, no expertise in administrative affairs, real estate or finance, and that every decision was taken and approved by Pena Parra, who in turn reported weekly to the pope.

Carlino recalled that on the day of his ordination, he vowed to his bishop that he would give total obedience to his superiors, and that his superior, Pena Parra, had demanded trust, obedience and secrecy when he gave him the negotiation portfolio.

After five months of talks, the 15 million euro payout closed on May 2, 2019 and Pena Parra, Carlino and another member of the Vaticans negotiation team, co-defendant Fabrizio Tirabassi, had a celebratory dinner. The location: Le Vele, a restaurant that features a Royal Plate of raw fish appetizers for 120 euros, and fish entrees between 18-38 euros apiece.

When Tirabassi went to pay the bill, he (Pena Parra) said This time I pay because it was offered by the Holy Father, Carlino testified.

Asked by Torzis lawyer if the pope was pleased with the outcome of the negotiations with Torzi, Carlino said: I believe so. The substitute (Pena Parra) said so, that the Holy Father was happy that we could finally close this.

Carlino said that only later, months after the negotiation closed, did the Holy See realize that Torzi had a previous financial relationship with the original broker in the deal. Prosecutors say both men were part of the fraudulent maneuver to have Torzi get control of the building, to the detriment of the Holy See.
MaryAnn Kempes crew has a list of job postings ready: shes been waiting for the Newcomer Employment Hub.

MaryAnn Kempes crew has a list of job postings ready: shes been waiting for the Newcomer Employment Hub.

The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce launched the virtual hub last Friday. The portal matches job-seeking immigrants with employers by using artificial intelligence.

"Theres (been) a gap," Kempe, whos the chief human resources officer for Birchwood Automotive Group, said. "Newcomers are looking for work. Theyre talented, theyre experienced. Employers like us need this talent but there was no common place for us to say, This is what we need."

"The Chamber just stepped up and has filled that need."

Newcomer service agencies  five for now  will help clients upload resumes to the hub on the chambers website. Chamber members will post jobs in the same space and list their core qualifications.

Through artificial intelligence, job seekers will be invited to apply for jobs matching their skills; job seekers can also browse postings. Employers will see flagged applicants as they read resumes  the site highlights people who best fit a companys requirements.

"Instead of going through 100 resumes and assessing, the AI program does that work for you," said Loren Remillard, the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerces president and CEO.

Newcomer agencies will assist in settling the new hire in their role and will help companies work to overcome barriers, Remillard said.

Through artificial intelligence, job seekers will apply for jobs matching their skills and browse postings. The site then highlights people who best fit a companys requirements, says Loren Remillard, the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerces president and CEO. (Winnipeg Free Press files)

"Thats the goal that that person coming into your workplace is welcomed and feels, as much as can be, barrier free," he said.

The project has been in the works since 2019.

"We have this wealth of talent within the newcomer Canadian community that are either unemployed or underemployed," Remillard said.

Hes on Immigration Partnership Winnipegs council. The group brainstormed how to connect newcomers to relevant jobs while also filling gaps in the workforce.

"Whenever we survey our members, for years, talent attraction, retention and development has been a top issue," Remillard said.

The Chamber and its partners launched a feasibility study including interviews, surveys and focus groups.

"We knew that this was going to be something that required significant research, significant investment (and) significant collaboration, so we wanted to make sure we took the requisite time to understand the need," Remillard said.

The results came out in February 2021, in a 22-page report, leading to the creation of the Newcomer Employment Hub.

Entry to advanced-level jobs will be on the site.

Monika Feist, CEO of Success Skills Centre, is excited about the possibilities the hub will present. (Joe Bryksa / Winnipeg Free Press files)

"Ideally, it is really designed to assist those companies whose growth is being constrained because they just cant find people," Remillard said, adding the pandemic has exacerbated the problem of finding staff.

Five newcomer agencies are on board for the pilot version of the program, which will last two months, Remillard said.

"Its so exciting," said Monika Feist, CEO of Success Skills Centre, one of the five agencies. "The employer is looking for a good match, and so are we."

Success Skills Centre is joined by N.E.E.D.S Inc., Opportunities for Employment Winnipeg, Seven Oaks Immigrant Services and the Immigrant Centre.

The organizations have a plethora of offerings for clients, including resume workshops and practice interviews. They can help clients through the application process.

Uploading resumes to the Newcomer Employment Hub will be done on a one-on-one basis, and only when the client is ready, Feist said.

"(This) doesnt do away with the contacts that we have with individual employers," she said. "This is an additional help."

Employers will have access to the Chambers diversity and inclusion programs and will be able to connect with the newcomer agencies for support upon hiring.

"Maybe its some cultural brokering," or troubleshooting, including talking about workplace culture with the new employee, said Jessica Praznik, a project manager with Immigration Partnership Winnipeg.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Jessica Praznik, a project manager with Immigration Partnership Winnipeg, worked closely with the Chamber on developing the hub. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Praznik worked closely with the Chamber on the hub. Immigrants not with an agency can also submit a resume.

"Part of the hub is trying to build up (newcomers) networks," Praznik said.

Most people who stay in their home country have relationships that make it easier to get a job, whether it be through friends, family or distant acquaintances, Praznik said.

"When (immigrants) come here, they dont have those connections," she said.

Kempe, from Birchwood Automotive Group, said having employees from different countries makes the business "stronger."

"It really allows us to connect with our customers," she said. "We should be representative of our customers, and our customers are from all (over)."

Diversity brings increased cultural sensitivity, she added.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada is giving $175,000 over three years for the hub. The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce is also providing funding.

The Chamber plans to bring more newcomer agencies into the fold once the pilot finishes, Remillard said.

The goal is for the private sector to fund the hub completely in the future, and to expand to Indigenous communities and people with disabilities.

"We know they are significantly underrepresented in the workplace but represent just a tremendous talent pool," Remillard said.

The Chamber is hosting a virtual training session on the Newcomer Employment Hub on April 7.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com
WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. - A moment of silence for the children who didn't return home from the St. Joseph's Mission Residential School near Williams Lake, B.C., marked the end of a visit Wednesday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is framed by a eagle statue as he visits Tkemlups te Secwepemc in Kamloops, B.C. Monday, Oct. 18, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. - A moment of silence for the children who didn't return home from the St. Joseph's Mission Residential School near Williams Lake, B.C., marked the end of a visit Wednesday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Trudeau walked around the site of the former institution, which has been demolished, and helped Williams Lake First Nation Chief Willie Sellars light a fire where people offered prayers and tobacco.

The prime minister and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller spent the day visiting the nation in central B.C., starting with a welcome from children drumming and ending with the ceremony where St. Joseph's once stood.

The nation announced in January that a preliminary investigation had found 93 "reflections" that could indicate the unmarked burial sites of children at the site.

Trudeau said he was moved by the courage of survivors as they shared painful experiences to help their communities heal and understand what happened at the institution that opened in 1891 and closed 90 years later.

"Many of them spent years, not talking, not thinking, about that incredibly difficult time in their life, when they were students at that so-called school," he said.

Trudeau told the survivors and members of the nation that he was there to listen and learn from them about what the path forward looks like, "not just for this community, but for this country, in partnership, in respect, in reconciliation."

Miller said he knows the process of finding and documenting unmarked graves at former institutions can be emotionally draining for Indigenous communities.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is touched with cedar by Charlene Belleau, left, and eagle feathers by David Archie as they perform a brushing ceremony on him during a welcoming ceremony at the Williams Lake First Nation, in Williams Lake, B.C., on Wednesday, March 30, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

"It is retraumatizing. There's a lot of scars getting reopened."

The minister added that he hoped to have an update for the public in May or June about what's happening with such investigations across the country.

RoseAnne Archibald, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, was also at the gathering and said more than 130 former institutions across Canada have yet to be searched for the possible graves of children.

She said the journey toward healing is long and painful, but she felt "blessed" to see Trudeau and Miller listen to survivors as they became emotional.

"To watch that interaction was such an honour for me because (the survivors) were sharing so much of themselves," Archibald said.

"I know (that) interaction with Prime Minister Trudeau is an important one. It's an important one because I believe that when you touch somebody's heart, you help them to understand the importance of healing."

Trudeau announced Wednesday that Ottawa will provide $2.9 million in additional funding for First Nations in B.C. to support healing for communities whose children were taken from their families and sent to St. Joseph's.

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office says the funding will be used to continue the investigation at St. Joseph's and to "further uncover the truth about what happened at the school and begin the process of healing."

The St. Joseph's institution was opened by the church as an industrial school where Indigenous children were required to do labour like timber splitting and farming.

Sellars thanked Trudeau for taking part in their ceremonies and starting his visit in a powerful way.

"We are a proud people, we are proud First Nations, and today I am a proud Canadian," he said.

Sellars said there's still work to be done to hasten the healing process for Indigenous Peoples in Canada, but Trudeau's visit was a "great first step."

Trudeau said he visited the nation to show that all of Canada grieves with the community "at the feelings of loss that have come since the discovery of the reflections, but also the deep loss that this community has felt over generations because of the legacy of residential schools."

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which documented the experiences of survivors and others affected by Canada's residential schools, says at least 4,100 children died of neglect at the institutions.

Trudeau told media his government is committed to sharing all the information that can be possibly found about the institutions "to allow for healing, to allow for closure and to allow for us to move forward with full understanding of what the terrible truth of our history is."

In a news release ahead of the prime minister's visit, the Tsilhqot'in National Government said St. Joseph's was the main residential institution for six Tsilhqot'in communities in the surrounding area, and every Tsilhqot'in family is affected by "this legacy of trauma."

It said the Tsilhqot'in chiefs are calling for a greater role in the ongoing investigation.

The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program has a hotline to help residential school survivors and their relatives suffering with trauma invoked by the recall of past abuse. The number is 1-866-925-4419.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 30, 2022.
A full-patch Hells Angel biker accused of running a drug-trafficking network with links in Manitoba was once targeted by a contract killer disguised in a burqa in Vancouvers airport.

A full-patch Hells Angel biker accused of running a drug-trafficking network with links in Manitoba was once targeted by a contract killer disguised in a burqa in Vancouvers airport.

Damion Ryan, 41, of Ottawa, was arrested in that city Feb. 23, as part of an RCMP probe that infiltrated five Canadian and international criminal networks with assistance from police agencies across Canada, the U.S., Colombia and Greece.

RCMP Damion Ryan of Ottawa was arrested in Vancouver Feb. 23, as part of an RCMP probe that infiltrated five Canadian and international criminal networks with assistance from police agencies across Canada, the U.S., Colombia and Greece.

Hes charged with leading one of the networks. Ryan is a prominent member of B.C.s outlaw motorcycle gangs and is a member of the Hells Angels chapter in Attica, Greece.

The investigation, dubbed Project Divergent, began in 2018 based on criminal intelligence about the flow of drugs into southern Manitoba from North Dakota. It morphed into an international probe and on Tuesday, RCMP Insp. Grant Stephen, commander of Manitoba RCMPs organized crime unit, announced that 22 people had been charged.

In the bungled airport hit on April 10, 2015, Ryan went to a food court at the Vancouver Airport to meet with Thomas Duong, a member of the British Columbia UN gang, as outlined in a 2018 B.C. Supreme Court sentencing decision involving the man convicted of the attempted hit.

The B.C. Crown attorneys office believed he had been lured to the airport to be slain.

The two gangsters sat together in the food court. Knowah Ferguson, an 18-year-old Hamilton resident, waited in a nearby womens washroom clad in the burqa.

ERIK PINDERA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Police seized significant amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and ecstasy; 14 handguns, five semi-automatic rifles and more than $445,000 in cash.

Ferguson returned to the food court and sat at a table behind Ryan. He got up, walked toward Ryan, and pointed a pistol at the back of Ryans head. He pulled the trigger, but the gun didnt fire. Ferguson later told an unnamed witness who helped him flee and torch the getaway car the pistol had "fuing jammed."

Ryan ran through the food court and toward the domestic terminal. Ferguson also escaped but was taken into custody weeks later. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder, and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Eighteen of the 22 accused as part of Project Divergent are Manitobans. Police seized significant amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and ecstasy; 14 handguns, five semi-automatic rifles and more than $445,000 in cash.

Ryan is charged with possessing controlled substances for the purpose of trafficking, possessing of the proceeds of crime exceeding $5,000 and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence  namely that he conspired with three named and other unnamed individuals to traffic an illicit substance between Sept. 17, 2020 and Feb. 17, 2022, court documents show.

ERIK PINDERA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Hells Angels and Wolf Pack patched clothing at RCMP D Division headquarters which were seized as part of Project Divergent.

Hes barred by court order from contacting 23 people, including many of those charged in the probe, and he faces firearms charges in Ontario. On March 14, he was denied bail and remains in custody in Milner Ridge Correctional Centre northeast of Winnipeg.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Another accused is Andre Omar Steele, 42, of Winnipeg. Hes charged with drug trafficking, two counts of conspiracy to commit drug trafficking, possessing the proceeds of crime, and the unlawful transfer of firearms and prohibited devices. In court documents, hes named as a co-conspirator.

On Feb. 28, officers arrested Steele at Stony Mountain Institution, RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Julie Courchaine confirmed Wednesday.

Hes serving hard time for drug trafficking and firearms offences after being sentenced to 11 years in prison in January.

Court was told on March 20, 2021, that Winnipeg police had executed warrants on Steeles Portage Avenue suite. They found a loaded .22-calibre rifle, 400 grams of meth, 84 grams of a powder containing fentanyl, 100 Percocet pills, 75 grams of cocaine and four pounds of cannabis.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @erik_pindera
Jordan Manton had no idea about the kind of ordeal hed be in for when he tried to remove his permanent ice-fishing shack from its Lester Beach spot last Friday afternoon.

Jordan Manton had no idea about the kind of ordeal hed be in for when he tried to remove his permanent ice-fishing shack from its Lester Beach spot last Friday afternoon.

"When we got there, it was frozen up past the bottom of the door," the 32-year-old ice-fishing enthusiast and owner of Crunch Time Tackle, told the Free Press Tuesday. "Water had gotten into the shack, the shack was flooded, it had about three inches of water with the layer of ice on top of it inside."

Manton realized he was done for the day and would have to return; he spent most of his Saturday working  successfully  with a friend to break the shack free. They returned Sunday to load it up in a truck and get in home, and

It was frozen in place again.

After a bit of extra labour, the weekend of woe finally came to the hoped-for ending.

"I had already seen pictures of similar circumstances other people were in on the lake, but I wasnt expecting it to be so bad I was wrong," Manton said. "Obviously, all the warm weather we had caused everything to melt."

Despite the looming March 31 deadline to remove shacks from bodies of water north of Highway 16, and ice-fishing season set to end Monday, there are plenty of shelters frozen in place.

Although theres still a heavy layer of ice atop the water on many Manitoba lakes and rivers, recent roller-coaster temperatures, combined with extreme winter snowfall, created difficult, frozen-slush conditions on the water making shelter removal difficult, and near-impossible for vehicles to get anywhere close to them.

Anyone who leaves a shack on the ice past the deadline risks getting a $152 fine, along with being charged the cost of removing the shelter, a spokesperson from the province said.

Manitoba Conservation has seen a typical number of people in this situation, but Matton said hed never before seen his shack freeze the way it did in all his years of owning it. (Supplied)

"Officers work with clients on a case-to-case basis if a member of the public contacts the department experiencing difficulty removing their ice-fishing shack," the spokesperson said in an email.

Manitoba Conservation has seen a "typical" number of people in this situation, but Manton said hed never before seen his shack freeze the way it did in all his years of owning it.

"Its the first time its been this bad," he said. "Usually its a little bit frozen, and were prepared for that when we get there. We werent really thinking it was going to be this bad."

Todd Longley, a guide who takes ice-fishers out on Lake Winnipeg in Gimli, had to cancel plans after he tore tendons in his foot while attempting a test Friday to determine whether hed be able to drive on the ice with his track vehicle.

"Theres over (a metre) of ice still on the lake, everywhere, its just all the surface water on the ice. And then at nighttime, it freezes up," Longley said. "So theres a lot of people that are stuck out there that cant get their shacks off the ice right now."

While owners of shelters in the Northwest, North Central and Northeast Conservation divisions have until April 15 to remove them, the deadline on the Red River has already passed.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Longley suspects some fishers will leave them there for Conservation to eventually take down.

"Some people waited to the last minute and they should be aware of ice conditions. If I owned a shack, I would have had it off well over a week ago. Waiting to the last minute like this causes a lot of problems, like freezing in, and because we had so much snow this winter, theres a lot of snow that needs to melt, so youve got a lot of surface water thats on top of the ice," he said.

"It needs to go somewhere, and it just melts and sits there. Its not good, its not good at all."

While some fishers have taken to less-permanent tent options and expensive, hard-to-find RV fishing houses, Longley said he doubted this weather would push people to abandon their permanent shelter setups.

"Theyre part of our way of life out here with ice fishing on the lake and on the rivers," he said. "People go out on the weekends with their families, they have their own little shack set up the way they like it. Its just a way to spend time in the winter in Manitoba."

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca
A plan by the Progressive Conservative government to double surgical slates this summer has triggered labour concerns as Manitoba nurses brace for cancelled vacations and mandated overtime.

A plan by the Progressive Conservative government to double surgical slates this summer has triggered labour concerns as Manitoba nurses brace for cancelled vacations and mandated overtime.

On Wednesday, Health Minister Audrey Gordon said the province plans to run surgical slates at 75 to 100 per cent capacity through the summer months in order to catch up on thousands of operations that were delayed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Surgical volumes typically drop to about 40 per cent through the summer as part of scheduled slowdowns to accommodate vacation time for surgeons, nurses and other health-care staff.

"This equates to approximately 200 to 250 surgical slates over the summer months as a recovery measure moving forward," Gordon said during an announcement at Concordia Hospital with the diagnostic and surgical recovery task force.

This equates to approximately 200 to 250 surgical slates over the summer months as a recovery measure moving forward.  Audrey Gordon, health minister

Manitoba Nurses Union president Darlene Jackson said the ambitious plan will come at the expense of her exhausted members, who recently learned fewer nurses would be permitted to take time off this summer.

"Its very clear that we are getting to the point where our numbers are dwindling and that theres fewer and fewer nurses out there to get these surgeries done," Jackson said, adding nurses are routinely asked to give up holiday time for extra pay. "Nurses in this province are going to be expected to step up and volunteer and if they dont we could very well be looking at nurses having vacations cancelled."

Jackson described plans brought forward by the task force to address the growing backlog  including opening a new operating room at Concordia Hospital, expanding spinal assessment services and purchasing new diagnostic imaging machines  as great solutions that do not take into account the ongoing staffing crisis in the health-care system.

The government's plan will come at the expense of her exhausted members, who recently learned fewer nurses would be permitted to take time off this summer, says Manitoba Nurses Union president Darlene Jackson. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files)

"When we hear messages like, were really going to ramp up surgeries, my first question is, where are they going to get the staff to do this?" she said. "There were no clear answers on that at all."

The plan to deliver thousands more CT scans and MRIs could fail to come to fruition if human-resource challenges among diagnostic imaging staff are not urgently addressed, said Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals president Bob Moroz.

The task force ordered the purchase of a new mobile CT unit and two new mobile MRI units for use in Winnipeg. Once fully operational, they will deliver an estimated 11,600 CT scans and 7,200 MRIs annually.

"The addition of mobile MRI and CT units is a first step, but machines dont operate themselves," Moroz said. "Questions remain about how quickly capacity can increase without a plan to train and hire more technologists, and still no word on ultrasound, mammography and other important tests."

Moroz said additional staff are needed to bring down wait times that have continued to increase, even though testing volumes have returned to, and at times exceeded, pre-pandemic levels.

"We need to do more to retain the qualified professionals we have and to train and hire more of them, or they will take their skills somewhere else and the wait times and testing backlog we are seeing today will become a chronic and lasting problem," he said.

Dr. Peter MacDonald, the diagnostic and surgical recovery task force chair, said a new surgeon will be recruited to open a fifth operating room and four in-patient beds by the end of the calendar year at Concordia. The province will also invest in anesthesia staff to increase orthopedic surgery capacity by approximately 1,000 cases annually.

A new surgeon will be recruited to open a fifth operating room and four in-patient beds by the end of the calendar year at Concordia, said Dr. Peter MacDonald, the diagnostic and surgical recovery task force chair. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

The Concordia Hospital Foundation must raise half of the $700,000 needed to refurbish the operating room, with the province footing the rest of the bill. Running the additional operating room will cost approximately $4.9 million.

Another $400,000 will be spent to improve waits at the Spine Assessment Clinic for an estimated 900 people who need appointments. The province will hire four new physical therapists to offer on-site, virtual and travel-based assessment services by September.

Finally, the province intends to increase Misericordia Health Centres cataract program capacity by inking an agreement with an unspecified service provider.

A broader human-resources strategy was not part of the task force announcement Wednesday.

NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara said the initiatives brought forward by the province lacked details and raised more questions and concerns, particularly around staffing the promised programs.

"Its one thing to make an announcement that youre going to expand orthopedic surgeries in Concordia Hospital. Its another thing to substantiate that announcement with actual plans in terms of how youre going to staff it," Asagwara said. "Health-care workers who are totally burned out are being asked right now to give up their summer vacations and plans with their families."

Its one thing to make an announcement that youre going to expand orthopedic surgeries in Concordia Hospital. Its another thing to substantiate that announcement with actual plans in terms of how youre going to staff it.  NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara

Liberal leader and St. Boniface MLA Dougald Lamont said the government set a low bar for success Wednesday.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"This is nowhere near good enough," Lamont said in a statement. "Ultimately, its people who provide health care and thats where we need to see investments, especially in nurses."

Doctors Manitoba president Kristjan Thompson said he was encouraged by the "concrete steps" taken by the task force since its last full update in mid-January.

The physicians advocacy group estimates the surgery and diagnostic backlog has now surpassed 160,000 cases, representing about 10 per cent of the provinces population. The group has asked the province to set a timeline to clear the logjam.

"While much more work and investment will be needed these initiatives are positive steps in the right direction," Thompson said in a statement.

 With files from Katlyn Streilen

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
RIVERS  Reconstruction of the dam at Lake Wahtopanah, north of Brandon, will begin this year, two years after a colossal rainstorm damaged it.

RIVERS  Reconstruction of the dam at Lake Wahtopanah, north of Brandon, will begin this year, two years after a colossal rainstorm damaged it.

Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk said KGS Group Ltd. of Winnipeg was awarded the contract to design the reconstructed dam. Construction could start as early as this fall and is expected to take up to three years.

"In early July 2020, heavy rainfall caused record rainfall in the Little Saskatchewan River, which affected the dam here in Rivers," Piwniuk said.

Water flowed through the dam at a rate of 12,000 cubic feet per second, more than double the previous peak outflow of 4,500 cubic feet per second.

The dam held despite the flow exceeding capacity, putting towns like Rivers, and the city of Brandon, which is downstream, on high alert.

The City of Brandon erected a temporary dike along 18th Street North to block off Grand Valley Road, and some residents were evacuated, but the dam, built in 1960, stayed in tact.

Riverdale Municipality Deputy Mayor Ken Tait (second from left) talks about reconstruction work planned for Rivers dam on Tuesday, flanked by Deputy Premier Cliff Cullen (left), Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk (second from right) and Minister of Municipal Relations Eileen Clarke (right). (Colin Slark / The Brandon Sun)

The project will bring the 62-year-old structure up to current provincial and national standards and is part of a government initiative to prepare infrastructure for the effects of climate change, the minister said.

Last year, Piwniuk said, a preliminary design for the rehabilitation was completed with input from municipalities and stakeholders. Interim fixes to the spillway were completed in winter 2021 and the structure performed well in the subsequent spring.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

With the province having downgraded the severity of its flood outlook for this spring, Piwniuk said the dam is expected to handle snowmelt and runoff.

"Were very confident that the outlook for the Souris and Assiniboine (rivers) are going to be very low when it comes to any flooding," he said. "It all depends on whether theres a weather event."

No price tag for the project was revealed, and KGS is still choosing between several options for the project.

Ken Tait, deputy mayor of the R.M. of Riverdale applauded the project.

"Its a little over 60 years old and it withstood a real blow in 2020," he said. "Hopefully, the repairs  over the next three years will last the next thousand years before the next big main event."

 Brandon Sun
Theres an intergovernmental battle over health care coming your way. It will be a very Canadian conflict. Dueling news releases will unleash words of mass distraction. Demands for face-to-face negotiations will flounder over the shape of the virtual or in-person table. Red lines will be drawn and erased.

Opinion

Theres an intergovernmental battle over health care coming your way. It will be a very Canadian conflict. Dueling news releases will unleash words of mass distraction. Demands for face-to-face negotiations will flounder over the shape of the virtual or in-person table. Red lines will be drawn and erased.

In the end, federal money, bolstered by three years of newly secured power ahead, will prevail.

This is the result of last weeks Liberal-New Democratic Party Supply and Confidence Agreement. Since thats a mouthful, and columns like these have a word cap, lets call it the Lib-Dip (for NDP "Dippers") Deal.

Politics aside, behind the plaudits for national pharmacare and dental care is a decisive entrenchment (a familiar constitutionalism) of federal overreach in areas of provincial jurisdiction. The Lib-Dip Deal has cemented a clear interventionist and expansionist pattern in Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus practice of intergovernmental relations. After six years in power, Ottawas rinse-and-repeat features are obvious:

First, set national goals to build political demand. From carbon pricing to child care, and from the pandemic Safe Restart agreement to infrastructure and whats coming with pharmacare and dental care, all are predicated on a set of national goals formulated by Ottawa.

Provinces have flexibility, but only at the margins of what they can do instead. There is no opt-out unless it meets these federal goals and standards. National goals incite national demand.

Second, devalue provinces as constitutional partners. The federal intergovernmental affairs ministers formal mandate letter places provinces, territories, municipalities and Indigenous partners all on the same constitutional footing. Where provinces and territories were once privileged partners as an "order of government," this federal government eschews constitutional niceties by dealing directly with municipalities, which are creatures of provincial governments.

Indeed, the minister is explicitly instructed to ensure "that the priorities of municipalities are reflected in our agenda," reflective of the Liberals political representation from urban Canada. Big-city mayors are empowered to directly challenge premiers for projects and cash.

Third, spend lots of money. The most powerful intergovernmental tool in Ottawas arsenal is federal spending power. Wielding it causes big things to happen, such as federal-provincial-territorial agreements on child care. No premier can long resist "free" federal money, even if it skews provincial priorities.

The best you can do is lobby for prevailing local circumstances (as Manitoba did with an age threshold of six rather than five years with its child-care deal, but couldnt accomplish with carbon pricing). Pharmacare and dental care will face the same dynamic to cement a national arrangement to federal liking.

Fourth, carve out Quebec. Canadas "distinct society" is alive and well in Justin Trudeaus constitutionalism, despite the concept never having been constitutionalized. More prosaically known as "asymmetric federalism," Ottawa was quick to recognize Quebecs existing cap-and-trade carbon pricing regime and child-care program by not touching the former and handing over cash equivalents for the latter.

This allowed Ottawa to say its plan was "pan-Canadian" rather than "national," proving that intergovernmental officials are the most adept "wordsmiths" in any public service. Either way, this enables the federal government to advance nation-building plans with Quebec appeased or acquiesced.

After 150 years, Canadas original watertight constitutionalism of the British North America Act is as leaky as Alberta Premier Jason Kenneys office. Health is not formally mentioned in the Constitution, but is widely accepted as falling mostly, if not exclusively, in provincial jurisdiction. The Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that the topic was "amorphousdepending on the circumstances." So, while Ottawa would likely not be allowed to legally deliver hospital care in a province, it can fund some or all of that hospital care via the province. And it can set conditions for the related health-care funding, which it will.

Now, with pharmacare and dental care in play courtesy of the Lib-Dip Deal, provinces can expect stronger conditionality to accompany these two new programs as well as any CHT increase.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Based on past practice, we can expect premiers to react to type. Protestation will give way to permission, as Ottawa strikes bilateral deals with one province after the other. A cascade into another new national (oops, pan-Canadian) program will ensue.

Meanwhile, the original constitutional expression of two equal but different orders of government mutates further into an increasingly one-sided partnership, as provinces leach authority to the central government one intergovernmental agreement at a time.

Such is the pragmatic nature, or even "bug," of Canadian federalism. Past constitutional battles were won with words, not weapons. We have no tradition of erecting barricades to demand provincial rights. Our battlefields have been the courts, not the streets.

But make no mistake, for better or worse, with each such step Canada becomes more centralized and nationalized. This Liberal prime minister is boldly remaking the federation in a way that premiers have proven powerless to resist.

So, tune in. An intergovernmental battle is coming to a province in which you live. But dont worry if you miss it; the results are already in.

David McLaughlin was Clerk of the Executive Council in the government of Manitoba in 2020-21. He was campaign manager for the PC Party of Manitoba in the 2016 and 2019 elections.
WHILE the world has watched with horror the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Ukraine, the federal government recently launched the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET)  a special temporary residence pathway to welcome Ukrainians and their families to our country.

Opinion

WHILE the world has watched with horror the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Ukraine, the federal government recently launched the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET)  a special temporary residence pathway to welcome Ukrainians and their families to our country.

Although well-intentioned, the application process is deeply flawed, and it will prove to be a barrier to refuge, not the bridge it was designed to be. If Canada is to have a meaningful role in the temporary settlement of Ukrainians fleeing the ravages of war, we must up our game.

Applicants are expressing frustration over the amount of red tape and complicated application portal. Applicants are also asked to book an appointment for the collection of biometric data in a separate process from their initial application. And on the first day of this pathway being opened, there was already a multi-week wait for appointments, given the limited collection points in Ukraines neighbouring countries.

In normal times, the Canadian temporary visa application process can be extremely cumbersome, as applicants are required to provide voluminous supporting documentation related to education, employment history, military service, residence and family status. Many of these requirements remain in the CUAET process, though the majority of those fleeing Ukraine did so with only the clothes on their backs and basic essentials, as Russian missiles rained down upon their homes.

The vast majority of the more than 3.5 million Ukrainians who have fled to date are women, children and seniors. Our policies must recognize a high degree of trauma and our processes must be adjusted for real-life circumstances. And for the 6.5 million internally displaced in Ukraine who are deciding what to do and where to go, bureaucratic and unforgiving processes only dissuade from attempting to apply altogether  tragically, it seems less onerous for many to simply remain hiding in makeshift bomb shelters.

The longer Ukrainians are required to wait, the more vulnerable they become. And processing times and delays will only grow as Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been long plagued by capacity issues and backlogs, which were further exacerbated by the pandemic. At the end of 2021, the total immigration backlog to Canada stood at 1.8 million applications  a problem acknowledged in the Liberal Partys election platform last year.

Thus, while IRCC claims it will be able to prioritize and expedite Ukrainian applications, the departments track record tells a different story.

One way Canada can prevent another backlog is to immediately waive the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) requirement for Ukrainian citizens. This would allow those seeking temporary refuge to come to our country in the fastest, safest and most efficient way, aligning with the federal governments stated goal.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

If Ukraine was added to the visa-exempt country list, Ukrainians would still be required to obtain an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)  the same pathway used for other European nationals who come to Canada temporarily.

Our countrys approach stands in stark contrast to that of the European Union, which established a visa-free regime with Ukraine in 2017, and the Irish government, which announced on the first day of the invasion an immediate lifting of all visa requirements for Ukrainians.

No legislation is required for Canada to follow suit  it only takes a ministerial signature and green-light at the cabinet table.

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser has acknowledged this option was considered but rejected, owing to internal departmental IT demands. When the stakes are so high  life and death  our government should create the IT capacity.

What additional horrors does the world need to witness in Ukraine before our government decides to do the right thing and create a system that is truly welcoming of Ukrainians seeking temporary shelter? Canada must provide an immediate lifeline to Ukrainians by waiving the temporary visa requirement.

Nick Krawetz is a long-time advocate for visa reform and a volunteer within Manitobas Ukrainian community.
Its extremely unlikely Phil Sheegl will be nominated for entry to the Order of Manitoba, the honour bestowed on citizens for exemplary service to the province. Mr. Sheegl was tasked with serving the city during his time as chief administrative officer, but evidence presented in a recently concluded civil case suggests his inclination was to serve himself.

Its extremely unlikely Phil Sheegl will be nominated for entry to the Order of Manitoba, the honour bestowed on citizens for exemplary service to the province. Mr. Sheegl was tasked with serving the city during his time as chief administrative officer, but evidence presented in a recently concluded civil case suggests his inclination was to serve himself.

Many Winnipeggers will suggest any future visits by Mr. Sheegl to this city are as welcome as a skunk at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, but its going too far to use such scorn as motivation for legislation that strips government pensions from officials found legally responsible for corruption.

Legislation should be based on careful consideration, not whipped up hastily as knee-jerk reaction to a single individual, even someone found to have accepted a $327,000 bribe from a company contracted to build a downtown police headquarters.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation called for such legislation last Friday after Court of Queens Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal ruled Mr. Sheegl must pay damages of at least $700,000, which include the $327,200 amount of the bribe, the cost of a severance package, punitive damages and the citys court costs.

The dealings in question relate to the renovation of the one-time Canada Post facility at 266 Graham Ave. that was transformed into the police headquarters. The facility opened in June 2016 at a cost of about $214 million, well above its original $135-million price tag.

What particularly perturbed the taxpayers federation was the confirmation that Mr. Sheegl is likely still entitled to claim a city pension. City officials refused to disclose details of the pension, citing privacy legislation.

The CTFs proposal may gain a certain amount of support from people repulsed by the idea that Mr. Sheegl will continue to draw from the tax-dollar stream, but several significant questions would need to be answered before the concept could be taken seriously.

As its worded, the CTF proposal would "strip employee pensions from any municipal or provincial official who is found legally responsible for corruption." The vagueness of the word "officials" casts a wide net, presumably including everyone from the deputy supervisor in charge of municipal pothole repairs to the provinces assistant manager of video-lottery terminals.

Would criminal convictions be required before someone is found "legally responsible for corruption"? In this instance, Mr. Sheegl has not been prosecuted under the Criminal Code. The RCMP conducted a lengthy investigation into fraud and forgery allegations, but no criminal charges were laid. The ruling against Mr. Sheegl was in civil court, where the burden of proof is lower.

JOE BRYKSA / FREE PRESS FILES Phil Sheegl

How about the rights of people who believe they are entitled to the pensions they have paid into for years? Even when someone is convicted of a criminal offence, they dont automatically forfeit legal rights in unrelated matters. Unless there are legal precedents that so far havent been presented by the taxpayers federation, a legislative attempt to quash pension payouts would seem ripe for overturning by subsequent court challenges.

Rather than pursuing wide-sweeping legislation in what seems to be little more than an attempt to block one individuals pension, it might be more helpful for the province to heed the requests of those, including Mayor Brian Bowman, who have urged a public inquiry into the infamous construction project.

The mayor has quite properly called it "one of the biggest scandals in Winnipegs history." An inquiry would have the power to peel back the layers of secrecy and would lead to measures that ensure such a scandal doesnt happen again. Thats more important than vindictive retaliation directed at one individual.
JERUSALEM (AP)  A gunman on a motorcycle opened fire in a city in central Israel late Tuesday, methodically gunning down victims as he killed at least five people in the third such street attack a week. The shooter was killed by police.

Israeli border police officers carry the flag-draped coffin of Druze Israeli border police officer Yezen Falah, 19, during his funeral in the village of Kisra-Sumei, northern Israel, Monday, March 28, 2022. Falah was killed in a Sunday night shooting attack by a pair of Arab gunmen, in the central Israel city of Hadera that police say killed two people and wounded four. The militant Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attack and the shooters were killed by police. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

JERUSALEM (AP)  A gunman on a motorcycle opened fire in a city in central Israel late Tuesday, methodically gunning down victims as he killed at least five people in the third such street attack a week. The shooter was killed by police.

Israeli media said the attacker was a Palestinian from the West Bank, the third Arab assailant to launch an attack ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The previous two attacks, carried out by Arab citizens of Israel inspired by the Islamic State extremist group, have raised concerns of further violence.

Israel "stands before a wave of murderous Arab terrorism," declared Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. He pledged to combat it "with perseverance, stubbornness and an iron fist." He held an emergency meeting of top security officials and planned a meeting of his Security Cabinet on Wednesday.

Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani waves as he poses for a photo with attendees following the Negev Summit in Kibbutz Sde Boker, southern Israel, Monday, March 28, 2022. Israel on Monday hosted the foreign ministers of four Arab nations and the United States in a bid to strengthen its position in a rapidly shifting Middle East. The gathering brought together the top diplomats from all but one of the Arab countries that have normalized relations with Israel in U.S.-mediated negotiations. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

Israeli authorities have not yet determined whether the attacks were organized or whether the attackers acted individually. The Israeli military announced it would be deploying additional troops to the West Bank, and the police chief raised the national readiness level to its highest.

Amateur video footage aired on Israeli television appeared to show the gunman in a black shirt armed with an assault rifle stopping a moving vehicle and shooting the driver. Another showed him chasing a cyclist, with the gun appearing to jam as he tried to fire.

Tuesday's shootings occurred at two locations in Bnei Brak, an ultra-Orthodox city just east of Tel Aviv. Police said a preliminary investigation found the gunman was armed with an assault rifle and opened fire on passersby before he was shot by officers at the scene.

The Magen David Adom paramedic service confirmed that five people were killed. Police said one of the victims was a police officer who arrived at the scene and engaged the shooter.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews stand near the covered body of a shooting victim in Bnei Brak, Israel, Tuesday, March 29, 2022. The circumstance of the deadly incident Tuesday were not immediately clear. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Israel Defense Minister Benny Gantz wrote on Twitter that the security forces "will work with all means to return security to Israeli streets and the feeling of security to civilians."

Israeli media reported that the suspected gunman was a 27-year-old Palestinian man from the northern West Bank town of Yabad. Police did not immediately provide information about the suspect.

In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the attack, saying the killing of Israeli or Palestinian civilians "only leads to further deterioration of the situation and instability, which we all strive to achieve, especially as we are approaching the holy month of Ramadan and Christian and Jewish holidays."

He said the violence "confirms that permanent, comprehensive and just peace is the shortest way to provide security and stability for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples."

Israeli police search a car at the scene of a shooting attack in Bnei Brak, Israel, Tuesday, March 29, 2022. The circumstance of the deadly incident in the city east of Tel Aviv were not immediately clear. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

No Palestinian groups immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The Islamist militant group Hamas praised the "heroic operation," but stopped short of claiming responsibility.

Israel in recent weeks has been taking steps aimed at calming tensions and avoiding a repeat of last year, when clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian demonstrators in Jerusalem boiled over into an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas.

But the new wave of violence is greatly complicating those efforts.

On Sunday, a pair of gunmen killed two young police officers during a shooting in the central city of Hadera, and last week, a lone assailant killed four people in a car ramming and stabbing attack in the southern city of Beersheba.

Police secure the site where a a gunman opened fire in Bnei Brak, Israel, Tuesday, March 29, 2022. The circumstance of the deadly incident in the city east of Tel Aviv were not immediately clear. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli security services raided the homes of at least 12 Arab citizens and arrested two suspected of having ties to the Islamic State group in a crackdown sparked by recent deadly attacks.

Hours before the raid, Bennett said the recent assaults inside Israel marked a "new situation" that required stepped-up security measures.

Law enforcement officials said 31 homes and sites were searched overnight in northern Israel, an area that was home to the gunmen who carried out the Hadera attack.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the two previous attacks.

All of the attacks have come just ahead of Ramadan, which begins later this week and as Israel Israel hosted a high-profile meeting this week between the foreign ministers of four Arab nations and the United States.

All four Arab nations  Egypt, Morocco, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates  along with the United States, condemned the killings.

Ramadan is expected to begin Saturday.

Deadly attacks by IS inside Israel, and attacks by Arab citizens of Israel, are rare.

The group operates mainly in Iraq and Syria, where it has recently stepped up attacks against security forces. It no longer controls any territory but operates through sleeper cells. IS has claimed attacks against Israeli troops in the past and has branches in Afghanistan and other countries.
A Columbus man is facing a felony charge for allegedly crashing a vehicle in 2020  causing another person to be injured  after he smoked cocaine.

Joshua W. Kooiman, 34, was charged earlier this month with one count of cause injury/operate under controlled substance. The criminal complaint states this is the third offense after being convicted of the same charge in 2021 and 2007. If convicted, he faces up to a $10,000 fine and three years in prison followed by up to three years of extended supervision.

As this is the third offense, Kooiman could also have his drivers license revoked for up to two years. Online records show Kooiman is not in custody after being released on a $1,000 signature bond.

At his initial appearance on March 18 standard felony conditions were set for Kooiman.

According to the criminal complaint:

On Jan. 17, authorities were dispatched to the scene of a crash near Highway 16 and Interstate 39. A Portage Police officer arrived on the scene and observed a vehicle in a ditch rolled over onto its roof.

The officer spoke with a man who was laying on the ground near the vehicle and was identified as the victim. The victim told the officer he had pain in his back and neck.

Another officer arrived on the scene and located Kooiman who was standing next to the damaged vehicle.

Officers spoke with a witness who was driving on County Highway CX when Kooimans vehicle went by at a high speed. The witness said Kooimans vehicle hit a curb and became airborne.

The complaint states the witness then watched the vehicle land in a ditch and rollover. Other witnesses provided police with similar reports of Kooiman allegedly failing to negotiate a curve in the roadway, becoming airborne and then rolling.

A detective on the scene said Kooimans eyes were allegedly bloodshot and glossy and that it was difficult to understand what he was saying because he was mumbling and slurring his words.

Kooiman told the detective he was driving but was not sure how the accident occurred. Kooiman performed field sobriety tests and the detective reported he observed a multiple clues of impairment.

Following the field test, Kooiman allegedly told the detective that he had smoked cocaine earlier that evening. A sample of Kooimans blood was taken shortly after that statement was made, according to the complaint.

The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene completed a report on Sept. 16, 2020, that stated Kooimans blood contained 500 ng/mL of benzoylecgonine, which is a cocaine metabolite.

On Feb. 5, authorities received medical records showing the victim had sustained a lumbar compression fracture.

Kooiman is scheduled to be in Columbia County Court on April 5 for a pre-trial conference.

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.
National Batho Pele Excellence Award for Rees

This accolade acknowledges and recognises her outstanding contributions to COVID-19 research in 2021/2022.

Professor Helen Rees, Executive Director of Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI), has been awarded the prestigious Ministerial COVID-19 Special Award at the National Batho Pele Excellence Awards in the Platinum Category in recognition of her outstanding contributions to COVID-19 research in 2021/2022.

The Public Service and Administration Minister, Ms Ayanda Dlodlo, recognises the creative achievements and contributions of public servants who have gone the extra mile in accelerating service delivery. Batho Pele is a Sotho word meaning People First. This implies that public servants should put communities at the centre when rendering services. Batho Pele is a government initiative that aims to enhance the quality and accessibility of government initiatives and services.

Watch the awards ceremony.

Rees is internationally recognised as an award-winning health practitioner who has dedicated her professional career to improving global health with a focus on public health in Africa. Over the years she has received numerous national and international awards for her contribution to science and to the South African, African and global health sectors. She is an Officer of the British Empire awarded for her contribution to global health and received the Order of the Baobab, one of South Africas highest honours, for her contribution to the health of women and children. Her most recent accolade received, was the prestigious L'ordre national du Merite (National Order of Merit) by the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron, in recognition of her groundbreaking and outstanding medical career.

She chairs the Board of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority and also Chairs the World Health Organisations AFRO Region Immunization Technical Advisory Group. Rees has extensive involvement in national, regional and global response efforts to COVID-19 including the development of COVID-19 vaccines, their potential rollout and utilization. She is a member of the South African Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19 and a member of the South African Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19 vaccines. Furthermore, she is involved with the oversight of the COVAX facility that GAVI, CEPI and WHO are jointly driving. She is a member of the COVAX committee on COVID-19 maternal immunization and a member of the WHO IHR Emergency Committee on COVID-19, a member of the WHO Expert Committee on COVID-19 vaccines, and a member of WHOs Scientific and Technical Advisory Group on Infectious Hazards. She also chairs the WHOs International Health Regulation Polio Emergency Committee and Co-Chairs the WHO SAGE Working Group on Ebola Vaccines. She is a member of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization Board and chairs the Gavi Programme and Policy Committee. She is a member of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovation Board and chairs the CEPI Scientific Advisory Committee.

She is honoured to receive this award from the Public Service and Administration Minister and acknowledges that this personal recognition reflects the work of many committed and talented colleagues. She would like to also acknowledge and congratulate the other recipient winners, Professor Tulio de Olivera, Professor Mosa Moshabela and Sandile Cele from Africa Health Research Institute.
Pictured from left to right are TVA North Region Government Relations Specialist Josh Tubbs, FFA chapter sentinel Lane Holmes, chapter vice president Grayson Gibson, chapter president Carson Gilliam, Mary Beth Paschall with Murray Electric marketing, Murray Electric Safety Coordinator Justin Holland, chapter secretary Kelly Parr, chapter treasurer Ryann Doss, chapter reporter Farris Howard and Murray Independent FFA Chapter Advisor Brittany Forgey.
What to know about the Justice Clarence Thomas recusal debate around his wife's texts
12:44PM Big batch of results in Mr Bancrofts hands.

12:40PM Thought there was a sniff of a recount in Cefn West, two animated candidates talking to the returning officer.

12:28pm: Heres how the results are looking so far.

Two new Plaid Cymru Councillors elected  Emma Holland for Gwersyllt North and Pete Howell for Gwersyllt South. Conservative Beverley Parry Jones Holds Bryn Cefn for the Conservatives.

Phil Wynn and Frank Hemmings both re-elected. Fred Roberts elected for the new Rhos ward as an independent

12:11PM Only four wards still counting.

12:05 PM It looks like the only wards counting now are the dual member ones  so could be wrapped up by 1pm possibly with a pile of results this hour.

11:59am: Three more votes in  Carrie Harper (Plaid) HOLDS Queensway, Graham Rogers (LAB) holds Hermitage and Paul Williams (Plaid) Regains Smithfield for Plaid from Labour

11:47am: Flurry of votes through, all incumbents holding their seats in those four announcements. Paul Blackwell, Marc Jones, Jeremy Kent and Brian Cameron all re-elected

11:40AM We have had a huddle for Grosvenor and now Gresford East. Results soon on those  the latter being a head to head Jeremy Kent (Cons) v Aimi Waters (Plaid Cymru).

11:32AM The Returning Officer Ian Bancroft is walking around with lots of papers going to some candidate groups  looks like things are picking up in terms of confirming results and possible further announcements shortly. Huddles of candidates some looking happier than others.

11:24AM: The first two results are in. Labour HOLD Wynnstay and Cefn East. Malcolm King and Derek Wright both re-elected.

11:15AM You might see some tables with big white sheets, they are being used in wards where there are two councillors being elected. People there have had two votes to use, so it makes things a little more complicated for the count. There does certainly seem to be inactivity on more tables, perhaps we are waiting for a fifth before the first declaration

11:03AM Looks like we could have a result soon, Wynnstay candidates being gathered

10:56am For those who are just joining us, welcome to the Wrexham Council count 2022!

Results will be announced in groups of five and this time, due to covid, there will be no candidates going up to the stage.

Once the winners are announced theyll be taken for the photos taken and given election packs.

Interesting counting method going on for the dual councillor wards which you should be able to see on our livestream.

10:43am: It looks as though the counting on some tables has begun. Still no indication when results will start being announced.

10:40AM Lots of clear tables as the verification process draws to an end.

10:21: Neighbouring Flintshire has started to announce votes. Still at the verification process here in Wrexham.

For coverage of Flintshire elections check out our sister site, Deeside.com

10:08am Apologies for the dodgy stream today  connection issues meaning the feed is buffering a fair bit.

10am: Voting and verification is now underway.

Clwyd South side of the hall, a few tables still waiting to be given votes to verify and count pic.twitter.com/hLldnVZrE2  Wrexham.com (@wrexham) May 6, 2022

9:40am: And were off! The counting and verification is about to get underway

Returning Officer Ian Bancroft is just outlining how the count will take place. County council first and then the community councils will begin at 3pm

There will be about five election announcements in one go, so theyre going to come through thick and fast today.

9:36am: Returning Officer Ian Bancroft has just announced the count will begin in five minutes time

Current council leader Mark Pritchard  who is also unopposed  has just arrived pic.twitter.com/ddim6bSYB2  Wrexham.com (@wrexham) May 6, 2022

9:30am: We finally have audio on the election feed. For those watching the tables nearest the camera are the votes for Wrexham wards and the ones at the other end are Clwyd South:

9:26am: The counting room is starting to fill up, so far everyone seems in good spirits.

Its a bit odd seeing some of these councillors in person for the first time in two years after all meetings were held remote since the start of the pandemic.

9:06am: The first of the candidates have started being left into the main count hall.

Our live video coverage of the count has also started for all those who enjoy watching our live feed.

8:49am: We are live from the count! Another day time count so hopefully no one was sat waiting at 10pm last night for the results to start coming through.

Candidates are starting to arrive but theyre being kept outside until 9am, when the verification and voting will take place.



Good morning Wrexham!

We have switched the site over to our live election coverage for todays count. Ballot boxes arrived at Glyndwr University sports hall from just after 10pm last night  video below  and have been securely held overnight.

Today will see the verification process start some point shortly after 9am of ballots made yesterday and postal votes, and then a count will take place for each ward.

There is no firm timetable due to the nature of counts, but we guess this could take all of this morning and into the early afternoon to complete for every ward in Wrexham.

A day time count means there is no wait for boxes to turn up and so we think we could see the first ward result as early as just before 10am.

This page should auto update, and hopefully the video feed will appear as the count process begins.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken flew to the Middle East at the weekend to hold an extraordinary meeting with Middle East leaders.

His ostensible purpose was to discuss the regions relations with Iran, but his overarching mission was to secure full backing for the US/NATO war drive against Russia.

Blinken (third right) at the Negev Summit (Source: Secretary Antony Blinken Twitter)

The hastily arranged meeting, attended by leaders from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Morocco, all of whom signed the Abraham Accords with Israel in 2020, and Egypt, was hosted by Israels Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. It was held in Sde Boker, a town in Israels Negev desert. Jerusalem would have been too contentious a location for Israels newfound allies, still supposedly committed to a two-state solution to the decades-long Israel/Palestine conflict.

The Negev summit comes amid US concern that its longstanding Middle East allies are not firmly on board the Biden administrations war drive against Russia in a bid to assert US hegemony.

On Tuesday, Blinken met Moroccos King Mohammed VI and the UAEs Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed in Rabat. The UAE hosts numerous Russian oligarchs, has bought weapons from Russia, initially refused to denounce Russias invasion of Ukraine, abstaining from a resolution at the United Nations Security Council, and declined calls from US President Joe Biden. Its welcoming of Syrias President Bashar al-Assad, who survived US imperialisms covert war for regime change with Russian help, for a state visit to Abu Dhabi has infuriated Washington.

Tel Aviv has desperately sought to balance between the US and Russia, despite having acted for years as the custodian of US imperialisms interests.

Israel is home to many immigrants from both Russia and Ukraine on whom it is reliant as a source of cheap labour for its high-tech industries. It has formally supported the US/NATO war drive in Ukraine, but has been very reticent in public, with Bennett ordering his cabinet to remain silent on the issue and refusing to publicly mention Russia or Putin or criticize Russias invasion of Ukraine. Senior US politicians and officials have criticised Israel for sitting on the fence.

Victoria Nuland, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, called on Bennett to come out of his comfort zone and provide Ukraine with military aid while joining the sanctions against Putin, adding that the US did not want Israel to become the last haven for dirty money thats fuelling Putin's wars.

While Israel has sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine, it has refused Kievs requests to send arms, including US-made anti-aircraft Stinger missiles or drones, or supply it with Israeli arms company NSOs Pegasus spyware. Bennett has sought to avoid antagonising Russia, even paying a flying visit to Moscow as the first Western leader to meet Putin after the invasion of Ukraine. He has refused to impose sanctions on Russia or Russian oligarchs, despite Nulands insistence that joining the financial sanctions was more important than Israel providing military aid to Ukraine.

A Ukrainian official accused Bennett of using his role as mediator to justify the fact that Israel is avoiding transferring military aid to Ukraine or joining the sanction slapped on Russia, while also pressuring Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept Russian President Vladimir Putins conditions for ending the wara claim Bennett denied.

Some 30 to 40 Russian oligarchs reside in Israel, where many hold Israeli citizenship. As new immigrants, they do not have to report on their source of income for a 10-year period, while charitable donations to academic, cultural, and other public institutions serve to protect their interests in the public arena. Indeed, Yad VaShem, Israels Holocaust Museum, was forced to turn down tens of millions of dollars from the Israeli-Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, after its appeal to the US not to include him in sanctions failed.

At least five cabinet ministers in the present coalition government, including Minister of Defence Benny Gantz, the Speaker of Israels parliament and a former political prisoner in the Soviet Union Yuli Edelstein, Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Housing Minister Zeev Elkin and Justice Minister Gideon Saar, have links to Israels Russian oligarchs.

Israel relies heavily on its trade and investment links with Russia, importing about $1 billion of Russian coal, wheat, diamonds and other goods annually, and exporting about $718 million in agricultural products to Russia in 2020.

Crucially, Israel coordinates its hundreds of airstrikes on Syria with Russia, attacking government positions and fighters and facilities belonging to Lebanons Hezbollah and Iranian forces, which have played a key role in defending the Assad regime against the oppositionists armed and trained by the Sunni Gulf states, Turkey and the CIA.

Tel Avivs too open public opposition to Russias invasion and occupation of Ukraine would contradict its own diplomatic campaigns against the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement that opposes Israels occupation of Palestinian territories and the International Criminal Court that is investigating suspected crimes committed during Israels brutal assault on Gaza in 2014, its 15-year blockade of the enclave and military occupation of the West Bank. It was for this very reason that former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turned for support and trade with far right and authoritarian governments including Brazil, Hungary, Ukraine, India, China, the Philippines and Russia.

The petro-monarchs in the Gulf have also been less than enthusiastic about the Biden administrations war drive. They have been angered by:

Washingtons lack of support for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak during the Egyptian revolution in 2011.

Its failure to openly prosecute the proxy war for regime change in Syria.

Its lack of overt support for the Saudi-led war against the Houthis who toppled Riyadhs hated puppet in Yemen, President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, that has turned the country into the worlds greatest humanitarian disaster.

Its distancing from the Gulf nations public split in 2017 with Qatar, which they accused of supporting Iran and extremism.

Its treatment of Saudi de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a pariah for ordering the murder of insider turned dissident Jamal Khashoggi in its Istanbul consulate in 2018.

And above all:

President Joe Bidens apparent political withdrawal from the Middle East, where Saudi Arabia and Iran have backed opposing sides in regional wars and political conflicts in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria for years, in favour of its great power rivalry policy with China and Russia; and

His efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which is accused of supporting their own restive Shia populations.

The Gulf rulers have sought to end their overwhelming reliance on the US and turned to Russia and China for trade and investment. They have refused US demands to increase oil production to lower prices on the world market.

The US has sought to reassure them that Washington will not agree to Irans demand for the US to lift its designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organisation. Neither would the US allow Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons.

The growing distance between the US and its allies takes place amid the disastrous economic impact of the war in Ukraine, threatening shortages of wheat and other products from Ukraine and Russia in a region already seething with discontent, poverty and inequality.

Blinken, who also met Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank, later flew on to Rabat where he discussed the contentious issue of the Western Sahara. There, in his meeting on Tuesday with the UAEs de facto ruler, he sought to reassure the Gulf monarchs of Washingtons determination to help them fend off attacks from the Iran-aligned Houthi group in Yemen.

Speaking in advance of his trip to neighbouring Algiers, the Algerian capital, the following day, he said he would discuss how to alleviate some of the burden that this [the war] is placing on people, including throughout the Middle East. This was code for trying to persuade Algeria to become an alternative gas supplier to Russia, thereby reducing his allies dependency on Moscow for its energy needs and reducing gas prices.
The World Socialist Web Site has spoken to workers over recent weeks who have denounced Russias reactionary invasion of Ukraine and the US-NATO aggressive war drive against Russia. In contrast to the pro-war propaganda pumped out by the corporate-controlled media on a daily basis and the war fever that has gripped much of the middle class, working people across Canada have no enthusiasm for the aggressive warmongering of American and Canadian imperialism, which is playing an especially provocative role in the conflict.

Laurent Lafrance, national convener of the Cross-Canada Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee (CERSC), recently posted an anti-war video message on behalf of the committee to Twitter. 

The CERSC was set up by educators last year to fight for a Zero COVID policy.

We condemn unequivocally the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which only produces destruction, death, and divides the Russian and Ukrainian working class, Lafrance stated. But we also oppose the provocations of the imperialist powers of NATO, which has expanded right up to Russias borders in the three decades since the dissolution of the Soviet Union and deliberately sought to incite the current conflict.

Lafrances message concluded with an urgent appeal for educators and other sections of working people to join the struggle against war and to end the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not only necessary but urgent to build an anti-war movement among school workers and the working class as a whole, he said. This is inseparable from a struggle to eradicate the pandemic globally. It is on these two fronts that our committee is working with determination alongside our supporters in the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC).

Canadian Armed Forces personnel training Ukrainian troops (CAF-Operation Unifier)

We call on teachers and school workers in Russia, Ukraine and elsewhere to build their own independent committees and join the struggle for socialism.

Malcolm, a teacher from British Columbia, opposed the imperialist powers reckless drive towards a third world war in a powerful contribution at a recent CERSC meeting.

I have no interest and actively oppose any participation of the Canadian government, my government, in an armed conflict so that the Ukraine can join NATO, an imperialist, military alliance, declared Malcolm, who described the war drive against Russia as being about power, control and geopolitical rivalries.

The Ukrainian government is being portrayed to the world as a kind of liberal, tolerant state, a beacon of democracy.

But this is the exact same playbook that the Western media rolls out in every drive to war. The theocratic, fundamentalist Mujahideen was portrayed as revolutionary partisans during the Soviet-Afghan war in the 1980s, the reactionary Kuwaiti monarchy portrayed as the modern equivalent of French Resistance fighters, the terroristic Kosovo liberation army as heroic freedom fighters.

This is always accompanied by atrocity propaganda. In the runup to the 1991 Gulf War congressional hearings heard testimony from a young woman named Nayirah, who claimed to be a nurse during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and said she saw Iraqi soldiers come into her hospital, rip babies from their incubators and leave them on the floor to die. It was a lie, she was actually the daughter of the Kuwaiti ambassador to the US and was part of a campaign by the Kuwaiti government to influence public opinion. The media reported the allegations as fact, and Western leaders repeated them over and over as justification and cover for their real imperialist motives.

Malcolm concluded by drawing a parallel to the support for war within the ruling elite and its homicidal policy during the pandemic. The political establishment, the media elites, the economic tycoons and investors told workers for two years that they need to live with a virus that has killed millions of us, he said. They have not overnight become bleeding-heart humanitarians. The principle of profits before lives, increased access to markets and natural resources, the drive above all for continued economic profit is exactly the same principle that is guiding the response to the conflict in the Ukraine. The fight for Zero COVID and international disarmament is one and the same, and that can only be carried forward by a movement of the international working class. In the face of threats of nuclear war and a pandemic that shows no signs of ending, the fate of the planet hinges on us building our movement.

The WSWS also spoke to a rail worker at CP Rail, where the company seized on high commodity prices produced by the imperialist powers sanctions against Russia and the disruption of supply chains during the pandemic to justify locking out 3,000 conductors and engineers to prevent a strike. Rail workers had previously voted overwhelmingly for strike action to fight for improved wages and pensions, and an end to punishing scheduling and disciplinary regimes.

He said, This [Russia-Ukraine] war is good for CP Rail. They are stoked for this. The employees are not asking for a lot, just basic things that are necessary for a reasonable life. CP is a multibillion-dollar company, and I see no reason why the employees shouldnt be treated with fairness and respect. But its No, screw you! and then theyre locked out.

The WSWS received many comments from British Columbia (BC). Will, a teacher on Vancouver Island, said, I dont agree with NATOs expansion and encroachment on foreign soil. I disagree with all wars that are fought in the name of capitalism at the expense of the working class of all nations, including the current situation in the Ukraine.

Andrew, a hospitality worker, said, The jarring move away from pro-economy COVID coverage by the government and media towards overly simplified narratives about freedom and democracy regarding the conflict in the Ukraine shows the power of a neoliberal private-public partnership to disseminate ruling class narratives and reveals concerning cracks in the foundations of our so-called liberal democracies.

Yet again, the working class is being disproportionately impacted by capitalists solutions to crises of capitalists creation.

Nella, an office worker in northern BC, added, I cant believe all the so-called progressives out there screaming for Russian blood. The ruling class has sat by and allowed hundreds of thousands of infections, possibly millions, and thousands of preventable deaths, and now they want us to believe theyve turned into humanitarians? Give me a break. But whats worse is the unbelievable stupidity of the liberal middle classes who have bought it, hook, line and sinker.

Why should I support NATO expansion? What do I get from Ukraine joining a Western military alliance aside from the threat of a thermo-nuclear war hanging over my head? So far the only thing Ive gained is a bigger gas bill. Im old enough to know that we dont give a toss about freedom and democracy in foreign lands if it doesnt meet our material interests.

A retired BC parent who wished to remain anonymous told us, We did nothing when the US invaded Iraq, we joined in when the US invaded and occupied Afghanistan, we helped bomb Libya, we placed civilian-killing and illegal sanctions on countries like Iran, Venezuela and Syria. As for the invasion itself, its obviously illegal, just like the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions were illegal. Unprovoked, the West is saying? No. If you paid attention to world events the past few decades you know Russia has been consistent. No NATO expansion. Yet thats exactly what NATO did and is doing. Would the US accept weapons of war on Mexican or Cuban soil?

He also noted the imperialist powers support for far-right forces in Ukraine, commenting, CTV had to apologize for airing two women Ukrainian soldiers wearing Nazi symbols. Thats the type of people were supporting?

An educator from Ontario stated, In this warmongering world craving for more destruction and more social inequalities, I stand against the war in Ukraine orchestrated by NATO and its stooges, e.g., France, USA and Canada. We are witnessing unbelievable misinformation regarding the origins and causes of this historical conflict.

The working class must unite and stand against wars. All wars. As an educator I have a moral and professional responsibility to let my students know about this situation and guide them in learning more about this war and the struggle of the working class.
In an extraordinary ruling issued on Monday, a federal judge in California wrote that it was more likely than not that ex-President Donald Trump illegally attempted to obstruct the Joint Session of Congress on January 6, 2021, which was tasked with officially counting the electoral votes.

Rejecting a suit by Trump coup lawyer John Eastman seeking to block the transfer of emails subpoenaed by the House Select Committee on January 6, US District Judge David Carter bluntly summed up what was at stake in the attempted coup. In the Disposition section of his 44-page decision, he wrote:

Dr. Eastman and President Trump launched a campaign to overturn a democratic election, an action unprecedented in American history. Their campaign was not confined to the ivory towerit was a coup in search of a legal theory. The plan spurred violent attacks on the seat of our nations government, led to the deaths of several law enforcement officers, and deepened public distrust in our political process. More than a year after the attack on our Capitol, the public is still searching for accountability.  If Dr. Eastman and President Trumps plan had worked, it would have permanently ended the peaceful transition of power, undermining American democracy and the Constitution. If the country does not commit to investigating and pursuing accountability for those responsible, the Court fears January 6 will repeat itself.

Trump supporters scaling the wall of the Capitol on January 6, 2021 [Credit: Flickr.com/Blink Ofanaye]

The ruling, which is subject to appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and ultimately the US Supreme Court, exposes all the more starkly the refusal to date of the Biden administration and Attorney General Merrick Garland to launch criminal prosecutions of the ringleaders of the coup plot, beginning with Trump himself.

The Democratic Partycontrolled House Select Committee has itself held a grand total of one public hearing since its formation on July 1, 2021, almost nine months ago, and has repeatedly pushed back the scheduling of additional public hearings later this year.

It must also be recalled that the failure of Trumps coup, organized with the support of the bulk of the Republican Party and powerful sections of the military/police/intelligence apparatus, and through the mobilization of fascist paramilitary forces, was not due to any serious opposition from Biden and the Democrats. On the contrary, they acted to conceal from the public Trumps plans stated well in advance of January 6 and have since worked to cover up the plot and shield its most important perpetrators.

The judge, a Bill Clinton appointee, ordered Eastman to turn over 101 of the 111 emails sought by the committee. He rejected Eastmans inflated claims of executive privilege in part by invoking the crime-fraud exemption. He wrote that both Trump and Eastman knew that their plans to overturn the election resultswhich included pressuring then-Vice President Mike Pence to reject Biden electors from seven swing states, or, failing that, delay certification of Bidens victorywere in violation of the 1887 Electoral Count Act.

Judge Carter wrote:

The illegality of the plan was obvious. Our nation was founded on the peaceful transition of power, epitomized by George Washington laying down his sword to make way for democratic elections. Ignoring this history, President Trump vigorously campaigned for the Vice President to single-handedly determine the results of the 2020 election.  Based on this evidence, the Court finds it more than likely that President Trump corruptly attempted to obstruct the Joint Session of Congress on January 6, 2021.

Carter noted that Attorney General William Barr, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, multiple state officials, including Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, and even some of Trumps own campaign staff told the then-president that the election was legitimate.

The judge pointed in particular to a memo from Trumps personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani that was forwarded to Eastman. The memo game-planned a series of scenarios concerning the January 6 session of Congress.

This may have been the first time members of President Trumps team transformed a legal interpretation of the Electoral Count Act into a day-by-day plan of action, Carter wrote. The memo is both intimately related to and clearly advanced the plan to obstruct the Joint Session of Congress on January 6, 2021.

Eastman, then the dean of the law school at Chapman College in Orange, California, played a leading role in Trumps efforts to overthrow the election in the lead-up to January 6. On the eve of the attack, Eastman met with Trump and Pence in the White House in an attempt to convince Pence he could unilaterally reject Biden electors from seven key swing states and either instruct Republican-controlled state legislatures to replace them with Trump electors, or throw the election into the House of Representatives, where a majority of state delegations were Republican-controlled.

In a two-page memo, Eastman emphasized that the main thing here is that Pence should do this without asking for permissioneither from a vote of the Joint Session or from the Court.

Eastman also promoted his coup scheme to hundreds of Republican state legislators and to Republican members of the US House and Senate. Trump hailed Eastman as a top constitutional lawyer at the rally outside the White House on the morning of January 6 where Trump called on his supporters to descend on the Capitol to stop the certification of Bidens victory. Eastman was among the speakers who incited the mob with lies of a stolen election.

Even as Trumps fascist militias were laying siege to the Capitol, seeking to capture and likely kill Democratic leaders as well as Pence, Eastman was firing off emails to Pences legal counsel demanding that Pence halt the certification of the election.

Eastman, who has yet to be arrested, much less charged for his actions, continues to defend Trumps efforts to overthrow the election. During an earlier deposition before the January 6 committee, Eastman refused to turn over any documents and invoked the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination 146 times.

After Mondays ruling, Charles Burnham, an attorney for Eastman, said in a statement that his client intends to comply with the courts order.

Trump, for his part, responded by issuing a statement accusing Radical Left Democrats in Congress and the Unselect Committee of continuing to seek the destruction of lives of very good people and destroying our country.

Judge Carters ruling reflects concerns within sections of the ruling class and its state apparatus that the Biden administrations failure to prosecute Trump and his top co-conspirators is enabling Trumps efforts to build a fascist movement and further undermining the political system, potentially fueling a mass social and political movement of the working class in opposition to capitalism.

His blunt assertion that Trump and Eastman are guilty of felonies against the United States was repeatedly cited in a Monday session of the House Select Committee, during which the committee unanimously voted to recommend criminal contempt of Congress charges against former Trump White House advisers Dan Scavino Jr. and Peter Navarro.

So far, only former Trump aide Stephen Bannon has been arraigned on contempt of Congress charges for defying subpoenas from the House Select Committee. Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has yet to be arraigned, four months after Congress voted to hold him in contempt last December.

Several Democratic members of the Committee, including Zoe Lofgren and Elaine Luria, directly called out Attorney General Garland, demanding that he do his job and indict those cited for criminal contempt by Congress.
P&O Ferries has remained belligerent after CEO Peter Hebblethwaite admitted before parliamentary committees last week that the company knowingly broke the law through its mass firing of 800 seafarers without notice.

The ferry workers were replaced with agency staff paid on average 5.50 an hour, slashing wage costs by half overnight.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps had called on the chief executive to resign last Friday, but Hebblethwaite remains at the helm as he dismisses government entreaties to drop the March 31 redundancy deadline. Those refusing to sign a non-disclosure agreement and forfeit taking out legal action against the company by that date have been threatened with a reduced severance package.

Grant Shapps (Credit: Grant Shapps flickr)

Shapps March 28 letter to P&O only spoke of the company offering the 800 workers their jobs back on existing salaries, making clear that nothing would be done to prevent their illegal firing. The company ruled out any such offer, insisting that slashing wages through mass sackings formed only part of its wider objective for increasing productivity by speed ups and slashing its workforce.

P&O stated, The predicted savings we announced are not solely coming from a reduction in wages, but from removing job duplication and the benefits we will see from increased flexibility.

The criminal character of the affair is further underscored by the inability of P&O Ferries to provide ships that can be safely put to sea. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has detained two P&O ferries due to the failure to meet safety requirements. Last Friday the MCA held the European Causeway in Larne, Northern Ireland due to lack of crew familiarisation and training and on Monday it prevented the Pride of Kent sailing from the port of Dover after it also failed a safety inspection.

The Johnson government has been able to rely on the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, Nautilus International and Unite to ensure that no industrial action has been organised in opposition to the summary dismissal of nearly a third of the P&O Ferries workforce through the most brutal methods.

The campaign of the RMT has been based on suppressing class opposition in favour of a jingoistic campaign in conjunction with the Labour Party directed to the Johnson government. The defence of British seafarers has been based on pitting them against foreign crews, citing the British maritime interests. This entirely degraded spectacle was brought into sharp relief by the only solidarity action to have taken place to date when dockers in the port of Rotterdam, Holland refused to load freight on a P&O ferry destined for Hull last Friday.

P&O Ferries in addition to carrying passengers is responsible for around 15 percent all freight cargo in and out of the UK. Merchant shipping is among the most globalised of all sectors of the economy with 80 percent of freight carried by sea. The social force without which this would not function is a working class which has been fully internationalised but there is no suggestion by the RMT of a unified struggle against the shipping companies and their ruthless exploitation.

The toxic combination of nationalism and class collaboration promoted by the RMT paved the way for the outrageous action taken against workers by P&O Ferries. It has left behind a trail of job losses of British seafarers and expanded the super exploitation of foreign crew from the Philippines, India and eastern Europe.

According to the RMT by 2019 the proportion of British seafarers employed in shipping and ferries from UK ports had declined to under a quarter of the 67,000 workforce.

An article in the Guardian on March 30 by Gwyn Topham titled P&O Ferries is not the first in UK waters to hire low-cost workers shows how widely practised this has become, but in the process seeks to provide a cover for the role of the trade unions.

As far back as 2017 inspections of multiple vessels from different shipping companies working out of UK ports by the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) showed that paying below the UK minimum wage was widespread. A telling fact that Topham omits to mention is that the ITF along with the International Labor Organisation (ILO) institutionalised slave wages by recommending a minimum wage of $1.99 per an hour for an eight hour shift for the lowest ships rating in January 2021.

The article refers to Irish Ferries being the forefathers of P&O axe-wielding bringing its low-cost crewing model to operating Dover-Calais crossings in early 2021 and cites its actions in 2005 sacking its crew to replace them with foreign agency workers. The actions of Irish Ferries were the subject of a 20-day strike which was ended by the Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union agreeing to mass redundancies and foreign crews hired on the minimum wage. The article is based on promoting the unions as unsung heroes in the fight against the race to the bottom, rather than its joint architects with the shipping companies through the national divisions they have sown between workers.

Rather than the RMT undertaking a heroic fight, its collaboration with the government has demobilised the working class and cut across the international struggle necessary to defeat P&O Ferries. In a March 30 press release the RMT was forced to concede that its allies in the Tory government had not lived up to its expectations:

It is almost two weeks since our members were sacked by P&Os military style attack and a week since the Prime Minister repeatedly said to Parliament that they would be taking legal action to save these jobs but this has not happened  the government have not even decided to test the arguments in court.

The centrepiece of the 9-point plan outlined by Transport Secretary Shapps in Parliament yesterday, packaged in the media as redressing the actions of P&O Ferries, was for Her Majestys Revenue and Customs to check that all UK ferry operators are compliant with a National Minimum Wage (NMW) and for ports to be given the power to block non-compliant vessels. The national minimum wage is set to rise to 9.50 from next month. This means that if enforced P&O Ferries wont be able to pay agency staff its 5.50 an hour average but will get a level playing field with its competitors with poverty pay for seafarers.

In relation to fire and rehire, Shapps only referred to a new statutory code regarding failure to consult that courts or Tribunals could reference in levying an additionally 25 percent compensation paid to a dismissed worker. No legal action is to be taken by the government against P&O Ferries CEO for breaking the law. Shapps only urged the Insolvency Courts to consider whether Hebblethwaite should be disqualified as company head.

In relation to the promotion of the minimum wage for all seafarers, the RMT has tried to distance itself from this by citing the fact that in the case of sacked P&O Ferries workers it would mean a 60 percent cut in wages. However, the RMT has been working throughout the pandemic directly with government ministers to institute this benchmark and claimed that a previous amendment extending NMW legislation in October 2020 to limited UK maritime operations, excluding ferries, was the basis to conduct a wider replacement of foreign crews with UK seafarers. It proclaimed, UK seafarers are now in a better position to compete.

Labour MP for Hull East Karl Turner (second left) at a protest in Hull called by the RMT earlier this month (WSWS Media)

Labour MP for Hull East, Karl Turner, one of many false friends the RMT has championed, has warmly embraced the minimum wage for ferry workers. Its a major victory and Im glad that Grant Shapps will finally enact the legislation following his statement in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
A task force led by police and sanitation workers dismantled a homeless encampment under the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn on Monday. The homeless were given an ultimatum to either pack up their tents and other belongings within 24-hours, or have them destroyed by the citys sanitation trucks.

The Williamsburg action is only part of a larger sweep planned for the next several weeks directed against the thousands of people who live on New York Citys streets. While official statistics report nearly 50,000 in the citys overcrowded system of homeless shelters, thousands more refuse to enter the shelters because of theft, violence and the complete lack of privacy. The citys total homeless population is well over 60,000 and regularly sets new records.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams last week announced a crackdown on homeless living on the streets, promising that 150 encampments would be demolished over the next two weeks.

A homeless person in New York City (Anthony Quintano/Flickr.com)

Adams announced the policy in an Orwellian statement: This effort is about taking care of our people and our public spaces because no New Yorker deserves to live on the street. Adams, like his predecessors, demands instead that the homeless deserve to endure the prison-like conditions in the citys shelters. He made vague pledges of finding private rooms and supportive housing, but such facilities do not come close to meeting the demands of the growing crisis.

The mayor admitted that, vagrancy laws having long since been declared unconstitutional, it is not illegal to sleep on the street. But you cant build a miniature house made out of cardboard on the streets, he said. Thats inhumane.

The homeless themselves had a different reaction. The Gothamist website quoted Heriberto Medina, who lost most of his belongings in Mondays sweep. The mayor says the crime rate is going up. Lets target the homeless again, like they usually do. They always target the homeless. The homeless, the homeless, Medina said. Every day the homeless, the homeless, the homeless and instead of helping us they kick us while were already down.

The latest sweeps against the homeless are not a new tactic. According to the advocacy group the Urban Justice Center, there were a total of 9,600 such actions between 2016 and 2021, more than 6,000 of them in the last year of the de Blasio administration.

The action against the street homeless comes two weeks after a similar initiative directed at the homeless who shelter in the citys subways. The high-profile announcements, designed to give the impression of taking action to help those in need, only succeed in making life even more miserable for the homeless as they move to new locations. Craig Hughes, a supervising social worker at the Urban Justice Center, was quoted by the New York Times as saying that the city had an approach that has always been an effort to hide homelessness rather than to get people housed and that generally leaves people more precarious than they were beforehand.

The homeless who are targeted and criminalized are themselves a stark symptom of the unprecedented social polarization and inequality in New York City and other metropolitan centers that were toutedat least before the COVID-19 pandemicas great success stories of American capitalism. Since they cannot and will not deal with the disease itself, the response of the political representatives of big business has always been to remove or reduce the visibility of the symptom.

The scapegoating of the homeless is stepped up under circumstances like the recent spate of anti-Asian attacks, many of them committed by the mentally ill. In fact, the homeless are more likely victims than perpetrators. While the tabloid newspapers and the television stations scream about the dangers posed by the homeless, the citys own statistics, as tabulated by the Department of Homeless Services for the fiscal year ending last June 30, show that 22 homeless individuals were killed during that period. Occasionally a particularly violent incident is publicized, such as the recent attacks in Washington D.C. and New York that left five dead.

Advocates for the homeless have criticized actions such as the latest taken by Adams. Gothamist quotes Jacquelyn Simone, policy director at the Coalition for the Homeless: Sweeps and policing are not the answers to unsheltered homelessness. Without expanding access to the types of shelters and housing people want and need, Mayor Adams latest initiative will fail to address the reasons people sleep on the streets and will harm an already vulnerable community.

The dispersal of the homeless into different parts of the city is particularly dangerous under conditions of the ongoing COVID pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in its COVID guidance, has said that homeless encampments should not be removed unless private rooms can be provided. Clearing encampments can cause people to disperse throughout the community and break connections with service providers, the guidance reads. This increases the potential for infectious disease spread. In the first months of the pandemic two years ago, more than 100 homeless residents died of the disease in New York City.

Lip service is regularly given to the need for more homeless services, including an increase in shelters that afford greater privacy and in less crowded conditions, but action not only does not correspond to words, but generally moves in the opposite direction. Bill de Blasio was only the most recent example of a mayor who took office promising to massively reduce homelessness, only to leave office with the citys shelter population having reached a new record. It should be noted that, while the Coalition for the Homeless regularly calls for more action, it was its own long-time attorney, Steven Banks, who joined the de Blasio administration as its social services commissioner, and presided over the growth of the crisis.

Even more fundamental, of course, than the issue of private rooms and security for the homeless, is the need for genuinely affordable housing, as well as good-paying jobs and free, high quality, social and public services such as education and health care. Such is the crisis of capitalism in the 21st century that these issues are not even raised when the homeless are once again pursued and persecuted.
Five hundred people attended the one-year anniversary of the National Covid Memorial Wall in central London yesterday.

Families leave the National COVID Memorial Wall on their way to Downing Street (WSWS Media)

The 500-metre wall, adjacent to St Thomass Hospital, faces the Houses of Parliament across the River Thames. Over 180,000 individually painted hearts, most with names, dates of death and messages from loved ones, each represent a life lost to the virus.

Families from across the country gathered by Lambeth Bridge before staging a silent march along the length of the memorial. Many held photos of their loved ones killed by COVID-19, some with the hashtag #NamesNotNumbers. Banners demanded, The National Covid Memorial Wall must be made permanent. One banner read, 186,094 men, women and children have died in the UK with COVID-19 given as a cause of death on their death certificates.

The procession crossed Westminster Bridge, passed through Parliament Square and arrived at Downing Street. In an expression of the determination of the families to achieve justice and for those responsible in the political establishment to be held to account, one woman shouted towards Number 10, They have to know we are not going away!

A banner showing that over 186,000 lives have been lost to COVID in Britain (WSWS Media)

Representatives of the campaign group Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK were allowed in to present a petition with over 100,000 signatures. It calls on the government to support us in our efforts to have the wall made a permanent memorial, a place of reflection and contemplation and remembrance that will stand as a reminder of the horror and grief so many have endured.

A crowdfund to maintain the site explains, Each week volunteers help keep the memorial alive whilst we wait for the Government to commit to helping make it a permanent feature of the Southbank, dedicating hours to keep memories of loved ones from across the UK alive.

For the anniversary, volunteers and family members had strung photos of those killed by COVID along the length of the wall, powerfully affirming the cross-section of population affected by the diseasepredominantly the old, but with people of all ages, including children, and of all ethnicities. Below these a row of miniature lights the length of the memorial added to a poignant atmosphere.

Family members walk across Westminster Bridge towards Parliament on their way to Downing Street. One sign reads "Remember Our Dad" (WSWS Media)

Another moving procession was held from 8pm covering the distance back from Westminster Bridge to Lambeth Bridge, with people carrying candles and roses to remember their loved ones and all who have died. Many paused to leave candles under the pictures of their relatives on the wall and to take photos of the scene. The flowers were thrown into the Thames at the end of the walk. Some were in tears, consoling one another.

Reporters from the World Socialist Web Site circulated copies of the article UK COVID memorial wall anniversary: The pandemic still raging, the criminals still at large.

The Stephens family came from Birmingham to pay respects to Teval, who died from COVID, aged just 44. Teval passed away on February 21, 2021, after fighting COVID for around six weeks. He was a yoga expert on the internet and went to the gym every day.

The Stephens family from Birmingham (WSWS Media)

His sister Tervina said the wall is a great place where everyone can come together whos lost a loved one. Other than that youd just have no way of contacting other people and sharing stories. And I think for us, my brothers ashes were scattered in the sea, so its somewhere we can go and remember him.

She said of the Johnson government, I think they knew exactly what they were doing. Johnsons playing the role of a buffoon, but he knows exactly what hes doing. Its just so obvious, for example the care homes scandal. They were full of elderly, frail people, probably with a lot of health conditions. So why are you going to put people with COVID in there? Even a 5-year-old would know that thats wrong. They dont care.

Tevals mother Tina, agreed, Yes, its obvious they dont care. Not acting to protect meant people got COVID from work, or from kids bringing it into their mum and dads.

Two family members outside Downing Street hold up photos of their loved ones lost to COVID-19 (WSWS Media)

James is a small business owner whose mother, Jacqueline, died of COVID aged 77 in January 2021. He said the wall is to remember the huge swathe of the population that have died from a preventable disease and to keep it in everybodys memory, and of those who are supposed to be running the show and how they failed.

James said that questions must be answered, Who was aware of the previous planning for a pandemic? Who ignored it? Who decided they were just going to wing it? To add insult to injury my mother died because she was infected with COVID in hospital. This was 10 months after the start of the pandemic, the second wave. There were well known prevention vectors and it could have been prevented.

In my company, the father of one of our staff died in April 2020. She was seriously ill, and her father died. That was in the first wave. Two people out of a company of 25 to have relatives die is a high proportion.

A bereaved family remember their loved one during the candlelit procession during the evening (WSWS Media)

The government wasnt concerned, James said, because its killing the elderly, who are a drain on the public purse anyway. Who cares, to put it bluntly?

Ive taken as many precautions as I can. and Ive still had Delta and Omicron. The latest information is that the latest variant is as infectious as measles, which is the most infectious disease there is. Its just going to get more and more infectious as it mutates. Whether or not it will be less deadly as a result, who knows. But for those people who will end up dying from it they are now far more likely to catch it.
On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police issued 20 fines to people in and around the Conservative government who attended one of 12 parties held in Whitehall in breach of national pandemic laws.

No names have been released, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson claims he is not among them. Johnson was one of 100 people sent questionnaires by the Met in February as part of its investigations into partygate. Photos have emerged of him present at gatherings with colleagues and one of the scrutinised events took place in his flat. His spokesperson insists the prime minister will admit he has received a fine if he does.

This is still a possibility. The first 20 penalty notices are understood to have been issued to the people against whom there is an open and shut case, and who are therefore unlikely to challenge the fine. The Met states that investigations are still ongoing.

At Downing Street family members hold up photos of their loved ones and a sign reading The National Covid Memorial Wall must be made permanent

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab was sent to the morning news shows to defend Johnson yesterday. He claimed the prime minister had not deliberately misled parliament about the gatherings, but had told the truth to the best of his ability and in good faith updated parliament on what he knows.

During Prime Ministers Questions that afternoon, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said there had been widespread criminality in Downing Street and called on Johnson to resign, The ministerial code says that ministers who knowingly mislead the House should resign. Whys he still here?

This was as pro forma and muted a call for Johnsons resignation as he could manage, coming in Starmers fourth of five questions. The majority focussed on the economic situation, with Starmer attacking Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak by asking if they still thought they were tax-cutting Conservatives. The last thing Starmer wants to do is mount a serious challenge against Johnson, which might destabilise the Tory government at a critical time for British imperialism.

As Johnson pointed out in reply, not long ago Starmer was saying I shouldnt resign. Earlier this month, the Labour leader declared, [W]hen it comes to standing up to Russian aggression, and standing in support of Ukraine, its very important in the United Kingdom and in our politics that we show the world that were united and, therefore, whatever the challenges and frustrations and criticism I have of the Prime Minister, and Ive got many on this issue, there is unity, and its very important that we demonstrate that unity.

He as good as withdrew his earlier call for Johnson to step down, stating, Look, at the moment the prime minister is obviously concentrating on the job in hand and we stand united as the United Kingdom on that issue.

This followed weeks in which the Labour Party based its campaign against Johnson on appeals to Tory MPs to do the right thing and remove him by sending letters of no confidence to the Conservatives backbench 1922 Committee and forcing a leadership challenge.

This has evaporated now Johnson is leading Britains wartime, living with the virus offensive. But it served the purpose of handing the reins of the Johnson premiership crisis to the Tory right, who promised to back the prime minister only if he rapidly implemented their agenda. In the first instance, this meant ending all public health measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnson has carried out this policy in full, scrapping the legal requirement to self-isolate from February 24, with free universal testing to end tomorrow.

However, the full implications of Labours ceding the initiative to the Tory hardliners have been made clear in the war over Ukraine. Johnson has fulfilled the role demanded of him by his backbenchers in operating as the most bellicose ally of the US and bloodcurdling anti-Russian provocateur on the world stage.

He was true to form in parliament yesterday, saying the UK needed to make sure that there is no backsliding on sanctions by any of our friends and partners around the world.

Johnson continued, In fact we need now to ratchet up the economic pressure on Vladimir Putin, and it is certainly inconceivable that any sanctions could be taken off simply because there is a ceasefire.

Labours extreme reluctance to challenge Johnson even for the sake of party-political point scoring flows, on the one hand, from its refusal to jeopardise this warmongering agenda and, on the other, from its shared nervousness at the state of social relations in the UK.

The first set of 20 fines for flagrant lockdown breaches by government officials were issued on the same day as COVID-19 bereaved families gathered in the capital. They marked the one-year anniversary of the National Covid Memorial Wall, set up independently of the government and maintained in the face of its barely concealed hostility, with a silent procession to Downing Street. Participants carried banners listing the more than 180,000 dead and photos of their loved ones.

MPs from the ruling Conservatives walk past members of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK on their way to a glitzy private dinner at the Park Plaza hotel hosted by Johnson (Credit: Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice/Twitter)

Later that evening, many protested outside a glitzy private dinner at the Park Plaza hotel hosted by Johnson for his Tory MPs, just seconds walk from the memorial wall. They shouted, shame on you and off to another party are we? as senior backbenchers and cabinet members arrived. Large numbers of police were deployed, and Johnson entered by a different entrance.

One protestor, Kathryn de Prudhoe, whose father Tony Clay died with COVID in April 2020, spoke for millions when she told the Press Association, His living with COVID plan is reckless and failing but his desire to save his own skin means hes willing to let more people become seriously ill and die.

Stating that Johnson simply must resign, she added, His reputation on the national and global stage is already in tatters, and now COVID cases and hospitalisations are once again rising rapidly he has no authority to ask anyone to do the right things to get the situation back under control.

Safiah Ngah, whose father Zahari, died with COVID in February 2021, said, Theres just very little respect for real people in this country from the people that have the power.

Widespread popular anger over the governments murderous herd immunity agenda during the pandemic now combines with an opposition to the NATO war drive against Russia that currently finds no organised expression thanks to the warmongering of the Labour Party, the trade unions and a venal media. This has created such a volatile political atmosphere that the Tories depend on Starmer et al for their political survival.

Addressing the three fundamental issues confronting millions of peoplethe war, the cost-of-living crisis and the pandemicdepends on a political mobilisation of the working class independent of these rotten organisations.

In a February 4 statement on the partygate scandal, the Socialist Equality Party (UK) warned, The conditions exist for the emergence of a mass struggle by the working class against the Tory government, the corporations and the super-rich. But this can only be realised by workers breaking free of the political stranglehold imposed by the Labour Party and trade unions, which are working to prevent an explosion of the class struggle, thereby ensuring the Tories crisis is resolved safely within Westminster and in the interests of the capitalist class.

The SEP explained, The fight of the working class against the Johnson government will raise ever more urgently the necessity of a political mass movement, independent of and opposed to both the Tories and Labour, and against the capitalist system and its state.

As the pandemic enters yet another upswing, households face the worst fall in living standards on record, and the world teeters on the brink of a third world war, this perspective and its conclusion become all the more urgent: The working class is entering into decisive battles and requires a new leadership, the Socialist Equality Party.
On Saturday, Facebook deleted a video posted by the Socialist Equality Party of Germany opposing the German governments participation in the US-led NATO proxy war against Russia in Ukraine.

The video, titled No Third World War! Against the war in Ukraine, NATO aggression and German rearmament!, places the conflict in Ukraine in its historical and political context. It was viewed by 20,000 people before being removed.

The Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP), which produced the video, wrote to Facebook to demand an explanation for its actions. The SGP has yet to receive an answer.

There is no innocent explanation for this action from a company that, earlier in the war, changed its guidelines to allow users in certain countries to publish calls for acts of violence against Russians. It is an act of political censorship directed against anyone who opposes war and militarism.

Facebooks actions expose the official narrative that the Ukraine war is about defending Western democracy against Russian authoritarianism as a propaganda lie. Indeed, the ruling class in the imperialist countries is increasingly resorting to repressive measures because it fears the growth of opposition in the working class to its murderous policy in the interests of the rich.

The suppression of opponents of war has a long tradition in Germany. During the Franco-German war, the two workers leaders August Bebel and Wilhelm Liebknecht were imprisoned in December 1870 because they had demanded a peace without annexation in the Reichstag. During the First World War, Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht served lengthy prison terms. Carl von Ossietzky, a prominent opponent of German militarism, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 1932, even before Hitler took power, because he had uncovered the secret rearmament of the Reichswehr. After another six years of Nazi terror against the working class, the Nazis launched a new world war, leading to the greatest crimes in human history.

Opponents of war in Germany are now censored once again because the NATO powers are in a de facto state of war. As the censored video shows, NATO has long been a war party in Ukraine. It has deliberately provoked the reactionary Russian invasion and is continually intensifying its aggressive threats against Russia. The Ukrainian people are being sacrificed as pawns in order to advance NATOs confrontation with Russia. This confrontation, which can quickly lead to a nuclear war, is now escalating with breathtaking intensity, the video says.

On the weekend the video was deleted, US President Biden announced a decades-long fight, and openly stated that the goal of American foreign policy was regime-change in Russia. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made a similar statement when he defended the tripling of the German military budget on television Sunday, saying that Germany must again be able to wage war against Russia. The rapidity with which the NATO powers are heading towards a world war is breathtaking.

The video is a thorn in the side of the ruling elite because it breaks through official propaganda and explains the real background and circumstances of the war. It shows that the main causes of the imperialist powers war policy are the fundamental contradictions of capitalism.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the US sought to establish its global supremacy. In the countless wars in Iraq, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and many other countries, any threat to US hegemony was to be eliminated, the video explained. For its part, German imperialism reacted with a return to militarism and is now eagerly arming itself. The acute danger of a Third World War is the consequence of this policy.

The video concludes that the fight against war requires a fight against its roots, capitalism. A catastrophe can only be prevented by an international movement of the working class against capitalism, it explains.

Such a socialist perspective against war is being banned in Germany. Anyone who opposes the ubiquitous and deafening war propaganda is to be silenced. But as always in history, such a reaction is not an expression of strength, but of weakness. The censorship of opponents of war is a desperate response to the growing opposition of the working class to warmongering.

The drive to war is exacerbating all social contradictions. Food and energy prices are already rising rapidly as a result of the war in Ukraine and the sanctions against Russia. The interruption of supply chains is resulting in temporary layoffs and redundancies in German industry. The ruling class is intensifying its ruthless profits before life policy in the pandemic, which has seen governments let COVID-19 run rampant, by turning to war. Such a policy is incompatible with democratic rights, which is why censorship and repression are increasing.

The tech companies collaborate intimately with the governments and the state apparatus of the major imperialist powers. Facebook alone hired more than 20,000 employees for its security and enforcement team to monitor and censor the posts on its platform. Many of them are former intelligence and law enforcement officials, admitted Monika Bickert, head of Counter-Terrorism at Facebook, in January 2018.

In Germany, more than 1,000 people are employed to monitor the content on Facebook. Cooperation with the government is particularly close. With the Network Enforcement Act, the Federal Government has turned the large technology corporations into de facto Internet judges who can independently decide on the censorship of content and are even encouraged with the threat of high fines to delete more content rather than less. Hundreds of thousands of posts have already been deleted on the basis of this law.

The current censorship of the SGPs anti-war video is directly related to the Federal Governments attempt to criminalize the SGP and, with it, any socialist perspective.

In 2018, the Federal Ministry of the Interior included the SGP in the report of the Verfassungsschutz, Germanys secret service, for the first time and defamed the party as left-wing extremist. This move was later justified on the grounds that the SGPs fight for a democratic, egalitarian, socialist society and agitation against alleged imperialism and militarism were unconstitutional. The Berlin Administrative Court followed this antidemocratic line of argumentation in its first-instance ruling in December last year on a lawsuit brought by the SGP against its inclusion in the Verfassungsschutz report. Only a few months later, anti-militarist videos are already being censored.

These developments are not limited to Germany. In 2017, Google announced that it would give preference to authoritative sources in search results in the future. At the same time, socialist and anti-war websites, and in particular the World Socialist Web Site, were censored and banned from search results. Facebook tried twice last year to block pages and content of the ICFI but was forced to reverse its actions because of an outpouring of opposition.

The authoritarian and antidemocratic measures are aimed not only at the socialist perspective of the ICFI, but at every principled opponent of war. Julian Assange, a courageous journalist who has uncovered the war crimes committed by the NATO powers, is subjected to ongoing torture in Belmarsh maximum-security prison and is threatened with death if he is extradited to the US. Progressive journalist Chris Hedges, who is well known as an opponent of US-led wars and has criticized the government-dictated narrative of the NATO-Russia conflict, reported on Monday that all episodes of his show On Contact on YouTube were deleted without notice or explanation.

The fight against censorship and ruthless war policies must be based on the mass opposition to a third world war. It must give a voice and a socialist perspective to the deep-seated hostility to imperialist war in the working class. We strongly urge all our readers to spread this article widely and protest on all social media channels against censorship. Use the hashtags #defendSGP, #StopCensoringSocialism, and #SpeakOutAgainstWW3 to distribute the video censored by Facebook.
The results of Sundays state elections in Saarland are generally being portrayed as a triumph for the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which after 23 years succeeded in becoming the strongest party again in Germanys smallest state and in forming a majority government.

However, a closer analysis reveals a different picture. The election result is not a vote for the policies of the SPD, but an expression of the bankruptcy of a political system that no longer gives voters the opportunity to even begin to influence politics with their ballot paper.

The SPD has an absolute majority of 57 percent in the new state parliament, with 29 of 51 deputies, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) 19 and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) 3. This is in stark disproportion to the SPDs real influence. The SPD received only 43.5 percent of the votes, with only a quarter of the 750,000 eligible voters casting their ballot for it. Thirty-nine percent did not go to the polls8 percent more than in the state election five years ago and more than in any other state election except 2004. With 288,000 abstentions, the party of non-voters was by far the strongest.

The SPD owes its absolute majority to the fact that 22 percent of the votes cast were for parties that failed to clear the 5 percent hurdle required to enter the state assembly. Although valid, the votes of more than one-fifth of the electorate are thus not represented in the state parliament.

The future SPD Minister President Anke Rehlinger (Image: Sandro Halank, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

Both the Greens and the Liberal Democrats (FDP) narrowly missed entering the Landtag (state assembly), where they had already been absent in the previous legislative period. The Left Party literally imploded; it lost 10.3 points and ended up with 2.6 percent. In addition, 12 parties referred to as others received around 10 percent of the vote, 6.6 percent more than five years ago. Four of themTierschutzpartei, Freie Wahler, die Basis, bunt.saarachieved 1 percent and above. The AfD received 5.7 percent, making it the third party to enter the state parliament.

The SPD gained 13.9 points, but it did so mainly in exchange for its previous coalition partner, the CDU, which lost 12.2 percent and achieved its worst result since 1955 with a share of 28.5 percent. CDU voters over 60 switched to the SPD in large numbers or stayed at home.

Among the over-70s, the SPD scored 49 percent, but did much worse with younger voters. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, only 32 percent voted for the SPD and 19 percent for the CDU. Eleven percent voted for the Greens, 9 percent for the FDP and 20 percent for other parties.

The CDUs top candidate and previous state premier, Tobias Hans, who took over the office from Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer only three years ago, was apparently punished for the widespread social misery and the state executives disastrous coronavirus policies. Of the nearly 1 million inhabitants in Saarland, 235,000 have been infected so far, and 1,500 have died. With 153 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, Saarland has the second-highest death rate from COVID of all the federal states after Bavaria in western Germany. In an interview shortly before the election, Hans had complained, Yes, obviously the frustration related to coronavirus is being dumped on me.

His replacement by Anke Rehlinger (SPD) will not change government policy. Rehlinger has been a member of the state administration since the CDU and SPD formed a grand coalition 10 years ago. First, she led the Justice Department, then the Ministry of Economics. During these 10 years, she has worked closely with the CDU without ever coming into conflict. Rehlinger has always given assurances that she would continue the previous policies as minister president.

This will lead to fierce conflicts with the working class. Saarland, once a centre of the coal and steel industry, has been suffering the consequences of deindustrialisation for decades. In terms of average gross income, it is, along with Schleswig-Holstein, at the bottom of the list of west German states.

After 10 years of CDUSPD coalition, poverty and unemployment are well above the national average. Child poverty has risen more sharply in the past 10 years than in any other federal state. The poverty rate among minors climbed from 16.2 to 22.2 percent between 2010 and 2020, according to calculations by the Paritatischer Wohlfahrtsverband charity association.

Saarland is also the frontrunner in terms of public debt per capita, which has risen by 77 percent since 2008. The state government is responding with massive cuts to comply with the debt ceiling. Added to this are the consequences of the restructuring of the auto industry, the sanctions against Russia and the massive spending on war and armaments.

Already, the future of the states largest employer is in question. The Ford plant in Saarlouis, built in the 1970s as a reaction to the decline in coal mining, is now threatened with closure. As economics minister, Rehlinger has worked closely with the IG Metall union to nip any resistance from Ford workers in the bud.

With a mixture of subsidy offers and concessions on wages and jobs, the state government and the union are trying to outmanoeuvre the Ford plant in Valencia, Spain, whose future is also in questiona policy that only divides workers and plays into the hands of the Ford corporation.

Rehlinger will use her absolute majority in the state parliament to intensify the attacks on the working class in close cooperation with the federal government of her party colleague Olaf Scholz. The times when SPD governments cushioned the effects of social crises or adopted social improvements are over, at the latest since Gerhard Schroders Agenda 2010 attacks on welfare and labour reforms.

The bankruptcy of a perspective based on state aid and social partnership is vividly illustrated by the collapse of the Saarland Left Party. In 2009, it had received 21.3 percent of the vote and 12.8 percent in 2017. Now, it has been kicked out of the state parliament with 2.6 percent. This was preceded by the resignation from the Left Party of Oskar Lafontaine, who had a considerable following as the states former SPD prime minister.

As we wrote in the article on Lafontaines resignation, his social policies always pursued the goal of suppressing the class struggle, not strengthening the working class. The Left Party, which he founded with Gregor Gysi in 2007, was supposed to prevent the devastating social consequences of Agenda 2010 from leading to the revival of the class struggle. The bankruptcy of this policy is now manifesting itself in the demise of the Saarland Left Party, which served as Lafontaines main field of activity in recent years.

Workers must prepare for fierce attacks and class struggles. This requires building an independent party that represents the interests of the working class, unites them internationally and fights for a socialist programmethe Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party).
In a defiant speech to the Solomon Islands parliament yesterday, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare denounced as very insulting the backlash from Australia and New Zealand to his governments negotiations with China. A draft security cooperation agreement between the Solomons and China would allow Beijing to send military forces and ships to the small Pacific Island state.

The online leaking of the draft agreement last week met with immediate uproar in Canberra, Wellington, and Washington. Sogavare declared that the regional imperialist powers viewed the Solomons as their backyard and pointed to discussions in the Australian public media encouraging the invasion of Solomon Islands to force a regime change to stop the deal. He said this was a decision by a sovereign nation that has its national interest at heart, adding that there was no intention whatsoever to ask China to build a military base in the country.

The outraged response to the draft agreement by Washington and its local allies, Australia and New Zealand, points to the growing drive to counter Chinas influence in the Indo-Pacific amid a build-up to war. US imperialism is determined to maintain dominance in the strategic region that it has regarded as an American lake since the end of World War II.

Speaking on Radio New Zealand (RNZ) on Monday, NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the proposed deal as gravely concerning. She hypocritically declared that it could lead to the militarization of the region. Australias Defence Minister Peter Dutton similarly stated: We dont want unsettling influences. And we dont want pressure and exertion that were seeing from China to continue to roll out in the region.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern answers a question during a press conference at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand. (Robert Kitchin/Pool Photo via AP)

NZ Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said the pact would destabilise the current institutions and arrangements that have long underpinned the Pacific regions security. This would not benefit New Zealand or our Pacific neighbours.

Under the terms of the agreement, Honiara can request a military intervention to assist in maintaining social order, protecting peoples lives and property, providing humanitarian assistance, carrying out disaster response, or providing assistance on other tasks.

Further, China may according to its own needs and with the consent of Solomon Islands, make ship visits to carry out logistical replenishment in, and have stopover and transition in Solomon Islands, and the relevant forces of China can be used to protect the safety of Chinese personnel and major projects in Solomon Islands.

Charles Edel, the chair of the Centre for Strategic & International Studies, a leading Washington think tank, said the agreement would be deeply problematic for the United States and a real cause of concern for our allies and partners. The establishment of a base in the Solomon Islands by a strategic adversary would significantly degrade Australia and New Zealands security, he said.

New Zealand High Commissioner Georgina Roberts directly raised the matter with Sogavare, while Ardern has sought contact with Beijing over the draft. The Sydney Morning Herald noted that since Australia has not had any high-level ministerial contact with Beijing for more than two years due to diplomatic hostilities, New Zealand is a key negotiator with the Chinese government.

Along with several other Pacific states, the Sogavare government in 2019 switched the Solomons diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China as Beijing has increased financial aid to the region. Following riots and an attempted coup in Honiara last November, China donated police equipment and sent six police trainers to work with Solomon Islands officers.

The coup attempt, which saw moves to storm the parliament, was carried out by supporters of Daniel Suidani, the premier of Malaita province. Suidani maintains his own foreign policy, with ties with Taiwan, and has barred Chinese personnel and investments from Malaita. He is financed and politically supported by Washington. Visiting Fiji in February, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told an online meeting of Pacific leaders that the US planned to establish an embassy in Honiara to counter China.

Australia and New Zealand had military personnel and vessels in Honiara during the recent crisis, ready to intervene in their own interests. Ardern told RNZ there were leadership level talks with the Solomon Islands at the end of last year. We expressed some concern over the direction of travel that Solomons was taking in terms of their security arrangements with China, she said.

NZ Defence Minister Peeni Henare has revealed that both countries will maintain elements of their respective assistance forces in the Solomon Islands. According to Henare, Dutton wants to expand the deployment of Australian troops and police, while NZ will be reassessing its contribution. Both want to show strong signals that Solomon Islands and the Pacific are definitely in our collective backyard, he said.

Ardern told the media that Pacific countries are sovereign nations which are entitled to form their own security arrangements. However, a NZ Defence Ministry Strategic Assessment released last December asserted New Zealands freedom to act in support of shared interests and values against any competitor who sets up a military base or dual-use facility in the Pacific. This means intervening wherever Chinese influence is deemed a threat to New Zealands interests as a minor imperialist power or those of its allies.

A clamour is erupting to prepare for such a reckless course of action. Defence analyst Paul Buchanan told the New Zealand Herald the Chinese could establish a secure base for further operations. If you have forward-deployed boats then you can intimidate people, you can go to Vanuatu, you can go to Tonga, he said. If China established a foothold further east, perhaps in Fiji, then it will have the ability to straddle the most important checkpoints in the southwest Pacific, he declared.

Prominent pro-US academic Anne-Marie Brady has implicitly demanded a regime change operation in the Solomons. Following a comment in the Sydney Morning Herald on March 25, in which she called for a cull of sacred cows, including an over-emphasis on sovereignty, Brady told RNZ the Solomon Islands was a failed state ruled by a corrupt elite. She hysterically declared that New Zealand could be cut off and encircled by Chinas navy.

On Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin warned against any attempt to disrupt and undermine relations between China and Pacific countries. He also pointedly denounced the US-led military build-up and exercises in the region, backed by Australia and NZ, saying this was threatening regional peace and bringing nuclear proliferation risks to the Pacific Ocean.

Australia and New Zealand are now putting pressure on countries throughout the Pacific to fall into line. Australian Prime Minister Morrison has already approached Fiji and Papua New Guinea (PNG) to help persuade the Solomon Islands to end its deal with Beijing. According to Ardern, New Zealand will use bilateral relationships and the 18-member nation Pacific Islands Forum to raise issues related to the militarisation of the Pacific, which she again stressed is our backyard.

The Solomon Islands is expected to be on the agenda as Mahuta meets this week with Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama. Ardern said she was confident New Zealand and Fiji aligned on many geopolitical affairs. In fact, both Fiji and PNG have long-standing diplomatic and financial links with Beijing. An article in the SMH on Tuesday pointedly warned that Canberra needed to pay attention to PNG, following Chinas Solomon Islands deal.
The Socialist Party (PSOE)-Podemos government has announced the largest increase in military spending in history, including that under the military-fascist dictatorship of General Francisco Franco which ruled Spain from 1939 to 1975. It follows the decision of the German government to allocate 150 billion to the Germany army, the most since the fall of the Nazi dictatorship. This made Germany Europes strongest military power overnight.

Last week, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Spains military spending would rise to 2 percent of GDP, more than double the current expenditure. This implies bringing the budget of the Ministry of Defense to 24 billion, more than double its current 10 billion budget.

Speaking to Spains RTVE public television, Sanchez said Russias invasion of Ukraine required a massive increase in military spending. He said, We have woken up from a kind of mirage since we thought that at the gates of Europe a war was not going to happen, but we are living it, this is not a movie, its real. Therefore, he assured, common foreign and security policy and the complementarity between NATO and the EU must be strengthened.

Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez speaks to Spanish troops during his visit to Adazi Military base in Kadaga, Latvia, Tuesday, March. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Roman Koksarov)

He blamed Putin exclusively and his expansionist desire, though Moscows reactionary invasion of Ukraine was provoked by NATOs decades-long eastward expansion against Russia. Sanchez did not rule out that conflict could trigger a Third World War, which he says must be avoided.

The truth is that the PSOE-Podemos governments promotion of militarism was already reflected in the Ministry of Defences 2022 budget, which rose 7.92 percent over a year ago. The governments priorities are clear: it cut this years health budget 17.3 percent amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen 162,000 excess deaths in Spain according to The Lancet .

While it claimed there was no money for an elimination strategy for COVID-19, including lockdowns, contact tracing and subsidies to workers and small businessmen, and that the economy could not stand any more lockdowns, it showered the military with billions.

In fact, total military spending is actually more than double the Ministry of Defences budget, once military spending carried out by the Industry and Interior Ministries is counted. The latter runs the Civil Guard, an 80,000-strong force that carries out police activities, but which participates in foreign peacekeeping missions, including operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Angola, Congo, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Haiti, East Timor and El Salvador. It also joined in the US-led neo-colonial wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

According to a report by the Center for Peace Studies, total Spanish military spending in fact reaches 22 billion, a 5.7 percent rise over the previous year. Investment in arms amounts to 4.5 billion. With the increase to 2 percent of GDP in the budget of the Ministry of Defence that Pedro Sanchez has pointed out, total military spending would rise to an astonishing 36 billion.

While officials claim the military spending increase is caused by the war in Ukraine, a rise in military spending has been planned for years. As in Germany, officials waited years for an opportunity to carry it out. The World Socialist Web Site and the Socialist Equality Party (Germany) have documented and condemned this conspiracy of the ruling class to resurrect German militarism.

Similarly, the PSOE and Podemos are seizing on the war to implement long-designed plans to promote militarism and raise military spending. The Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies, a Spanish Ministry of Defence think tank, published in 2019 a document titled The Defence Financing Law: an urgent need. It called to spend 2 percent of GDP on the military. The main obstacle, however, is historically rooted opposition to Spanish militarism in the working class. It stated:

The reduced spending on this item [Defence] in our country is nothing more than a reflection of the scant political and social importance given to Defence, the result of both a non-existent national strategic culture, scarcely promoted by the Executive, and the scant relevance given by political actors. Also contributing to this is not only the lack of interest from government agencies in promoting the culture of Defence, but also the lack of educational and informative work by the government that allows, both at the level of citizens and the rest of the political parties, to move forward, explain and maintain sustained growth in defence spending.

Along the same lines, the Elcano Institute, a think tank in Spain whose honorary president is the King of Spain, published an article in 2017 entitled Defence spending in Spain. It said, The increase of 2 percent of GDP should be assumed as an urgent need for National Security and that to overcome resistance to this increase, a strategic communication exercise was needed.

This policy is massively unpopular among workers. According to a report by the Funcas foundation, only 21 percent of Spaniards consider the military budget to be low, and public opinion is unfavourable to allocating state resources to the military. On the other hand, 60 to 80 percent of the population thinks that insufficient resources are dedicated to health, pensions, care, scientific research and protecting the environment.

Working class memory of the past crimes of the Spanish ruling class have proven to be obstacles to remilitarisation since Francos death in 1975. The army was associated with vicious colonial wars in Northern Africa and South America, and extreme violence against the working class at home. In 1936, generals led by Franco who had led the suppression of anti-colonial Moroccan resistance launched a coup, in alliance with German and Italian fascism. This led to the deaths of 500,000 Spaniards in a civil war and a 40-year military dictatorship.

Nevertheless, efforts to revive Spanish militarism did not stop after Franco. Under PSOE governments in the 1980s and 1990s, Spain joined the main structures of post-war European capitalism: the European Union and NATO. It ended conscription, banned the military from making public political statements, and allowed women to serve, while modernising the army for the neo-colonial wars of the 21st century.

Key to consolidating the culture of defence has been the branding of wars as humanitarianin Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo and Libyaby social democrats, Stalinists and pseudo-left groups. The Stalinist United Left worked for decades to lull workers to sleep, promoting these as humanitarian wars. Podemos for its part recruited former Chief of the Defence Staff Julio Rodriguez, who led the Spanish armys participation in the US-led neo-colonial wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.

The PSOE and Podemos intend for the working class to pay for Spanish militarism. Facing an unprecedented debt of 120 percent of GDP, they will impose further cuts in education, health care, pensions and social services. The PSOE and Podemos plan to crush social opposition and are already deploying 23,000 police to try to crush a nationwide truckers strike.

Podemos does not represent an alternative to this. While it claimed to oppose the budget, it was involved in the anti-Russia drive from the beginning, supporting NATOs crippling sanctions against Russia and arming Ukraine. These weapons are now being used by the far-right Azov battalion, which has recently published videos of its members armed with weapons supplied by the Spanish government.
The Russian and Ukrainian negotiating teams met on Tuesday for talks hosted by Turkeys Recep Erdogan in Istanbul, on ending the month-long war in Ukraine.

The talks, initially scheduled for two days, ended after the first day, with both sides speaking of positive signs.

Ukraine has submitted its proposals for a peace agreement to the Kremlin, which include:

1) In exchange for security guarantees from a number of states, including Russia, Ukraine would accept a formally neutral status, involving a guarantee that the country would not join any military alliance (i.e., NATO), not host foreign military bases and not conduct joint military exercises with alliances, unless all states that had issued security guarantees agreed;

2) Talks about the status of the Crimean Peninsula would be held for the next 15 years, during which neither Russia nor Ukraine would try to resolve the dispute through military means;

3) Ukraine would not try to return the Donbass, controlled since 2014 by pro-Russian separatists, through military means;

4) Russia would accept Ukraines entrance into the European Union.

People gather amid the destruction caused after shelling of a shopping center, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, March 21, 2022. (AP Photo/ (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

These proposals would be tantamount to Ukraine reneging on its current military strategy, adopted in March 2021, which explicitly aimed at retaking Crimea and the Donbass. The strategy was one of the main provocations that led up to the current war. However, right after the meeting had ended, Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that he was not willing to make concessions on Ukraine territorial integrity, i.e., the status of Donbass and Crimea.

Russia, for its part, declared that it would drastically reduce its military operations in the direction of Ukraines capital Kiev and Chernigov, to facilitate further negotiations. The Kremlin will now review Ukraines proposals and said Vladimir Putin would be ready to meet with Zelensky once a peace agreement had been drawn up.

Even before the talks, there were signs of shifts in Russias military strategy. On Friday, the vice-head of Russias general staff and head of the military operation in Ukraine, Sergei Rudskoi, declared that the focus of Russian military operations would now shift to the Donbass in East Ukraine, because the first phase of the operation had been successfully completed.

While several Russian air strikes on targets in West Ukraine have since been reported, media reports have also pointed to an apparent retreat of Russian forces in large parts of southern Ukraine as well as around Kiev.

Over the past month of war, Russias army has suffered heavy losses. While the Defense Ministry now acknowledges that 1,351 Russian troops have died and 3,925 were wounded, estimates by the Pentagon put the figure as high as 7,000 dead and almost 30,000 wounded. For comparison, in the almost ten-year long war in Afghanistan from December 1979 to February 1989, Soviet forces lost just under 15,000 troops.

The casualty figures among Russian senior military leaders have been particularly staggering. Reports suggest that 15 generals and senior officers were killed, with Business Insider noting that the the Russian officer elite is being decimated in Ukraine.

Tuesdays peace talks came just days after a visit by US President Joe Biden to Warsaw, in which one highly provocative gaffe followed another: First, Biden told members of the 82nd US Airborne Division that youre going to see when youre there how strong the resistance in Ukraine is, suggesting that they would soon be deployed to the war zone. Then, on Saturday, he publicly announced what has long been an aim of US strategy  regime change in Moscow, and declared that the US had to be prepared for decades of war.

Biden, who had earlier denounced Putin as a war criminal , deliberately bringing US-Russian relations to the brink of collapse, also called the Russian President a butcher.

While quickly walked back by his staff, either one of these public statements by the US President could have formed the basis of a major military escalation of the war. They were, unsurprisingly, interpreted by Russian foreign policy circles as a clear sign that Washington had no interest whatsoever in a peaceful resolution of the war.

On Monday, Biden made yet another extraordinary statement, claiming that the US was helping train the Ukrainian troops that are in Polandsomething both the White House and the US military had earlier denied. Also on Monday, the White House submitted a request to Congress for yet another record war budget of $813 billion for 2023, including $682 million for Ukraine.

It is thus hardly surprising that, when asked about the outcome of talks and the Kremlins assurance that it would scale back its military operation around Kiev, Biden displayed everything but enthusiasm: I dont read anything into it until I see what their actions are.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby similarly dismissed the Kremlins assurances, claiming that nobody should be fooling themselves by believing them.

A recent piece in Foreign Affairs indicates that, even if Washington were to accept some kind of settlement of the war for the time being, it would only be one that, in all but words, ensures the continued status of Ukraine as a proxy of imperialism. In the piece, A. Wess Mitchell, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia under Trump from 2017 to 2019, argued that a deal doesnt have to be a death sentence.

Even while accepting formal neutrality, he argued, Ukraine could get an agreement that ensures that renunciation of NATO membership does not come at the expense of the countrys self-defense or its prospects for an economic and political future in the West.

Such an agreement would involve a commitment [by the West] to support its military development with foreign assistance and weapons procurementi.e., a continuation of the massive multibillion-dollar weapons shipments to Ukraine that have been under way for years and have been dramatically accelerated with the war .

However, it is everything but certain that any sort of deal would be accepted by either Washington or the Ukrainian far right, which wields enormous influence in Ukrainian politics and the state apparatus and is now heavily armed with NATO weapons and tanks.

Since the war began, the Ukrainian secret service (SBU), which openly places itself in the tradition of the Nazi collaborationist Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), has conducted a campaign of terror against members of the Ukrainian negotiating team and pro-Russian oppositionists. One member of the negotiating team was killed, and at least one other arrested on charges of treason. Many more politicians have been arrested or disappeared.

On Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the oligarch Roman Abramovich, who has been involved in peace negotiations with Ukraine, as well as several members of the Ukrainian negotiating team, may have been poisoned during talks earlier this month. The report was based on a joint investigation by the Journal with Bellingcat, a highly dubious investigative consortium with documented ties to NATO. Bellingcat was also behind the revelations about the alleged poisoning of right-wing US-backed Putin critic Alexei Navalny.

The Wall Street Journal was quick to suggest that hard-liners in Moscow were behind the suspected poisoning However, if, indeed, there was an attempted poisoning of Abramovich and other negotiators, it may just as likely have been perpetrated by the Ukrainian SBU or any of the numerous far-right militias in the country that have time and again proven, including through assassinations, that they will do everything in their power to prevent a settlement of the conflict.
Daily confirmed COVID-19 infections in the US have stopped declining and plateaued as the BA.2 subvariant of the Omicron variant has come to dominate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that BA.2 represented nearly 55 percent of all sequenced cases in the US last week. Globally, the BA.2 accounts for close to 90 percent of all recently sequenced SARS-CoV-2 viruses.

Sixteen states have reported a rise in the 14-day average of new infections, of which nine are in the Northeast, where BA.2 makes up 70 percent of sequences and daily infections are up by 50 percent. These findings are corroborated by wastewater surveillance.

Other regions of the country also see signs of an upturn in cases. These include the Southeast, specifically South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, the Southwest, Great Plains states, and, finally, the Northwest and Alaska.

Overall, the average number of new cases is just above 29,000 infections per day. The numbers dying each day from COVID continue their decline and currently stand at an average of 750 per day. There have been almost 81.7 million COVID cases and just over one million reported COVID deaths in the US, based on the Worldometer COVID dashboard.

Children and their caregivers arrive for school in New York, Monday, March 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Despite the lull in cases, the US is in a precarious place as it has essentially dismantled all its meager mitigation measures and tracking dashboards and flying blind once more. Real-time data is speculative and reliant on whatever reporting systems remain in place.

It is crucial to remember that when BA.2 became dominant just two to three weeks ago in European countries like the UK, France, and Germany, COVID cases there turned rapidly upwards. Accompanying these changes has been a rise in hospitalizations and deaths. Additionally, these countries have substantially higher rates of vaccination and boosters than the US.

Given the projections that the US will experience a similar if not more extensive community spread than seen in Europe, then cases could quickly rise by more than tenfold if BA.1 to BA.2 peak comparisons hold. This implies that daily infections could reach above 300,000 per day at their peak by mid to late April.

The situations in the US and across many high-income countries are similar. Regardless of the political party in charge, governments have entirely disregarded the continued dangers posed by the pandemic. With each wave of infection, they have systematically, step by step, undermined their public health measures to protect the well-being and life of their populations.

Daily COVID cases for select countries on a per capita basis. (Source: Our World in Data)

In an editorial statement published by Nature on March 23, 2022, the journal warned, The pandemic might have taken upwards of 18 million lives, disabled many more than that and gut-punched the global economy, yet surveillance and reporting of the viruss movements are starting to slow just at a time when a highly infectious subvariant of Omicron, BA.2, is spilling out across the world and case rates and hospitalizations are creeping back up.

As the statement notes, These cutbacks are not based on evidence. They are political, and they could have disastrous consequences for the world. Accurate information becomes a political weaponcensorship functions to disarm the working class by dismantling public health information trackers. Even the refusal by the World Health Organization (WHO) to designate BA.2 with a Greek letter signifying it as a variant of concern undermines efforts to convey the real dangers posed by the ever-evolving SARS-CoV-2 virus to the worlds population.

The frequency of reporting COVID cases, deaths, hospitalizations, critical care admissions, and length of stays has been drastically curtailed across the United States. The lack of real-time data at the local level implies that public health departments will have little to offer by way of accurate information for their health systems to act on. However, the actual state of health systems has become a moot point.

One only must look back over the last six to eight months when the Delta and BA.1 waves swept across the US like a tsunami wave. State and local governments did little to heed or respond to the dire warnings and pleas made by health care workers and health system administrators when facing imminent collapse.

This colorized transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19isolated from a patient in the U.S. Virus particles are shown emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. (Source: NIAID-RML)

And to assure no further encroachment on US economic activities and profit incentives by future waves of infection occur, conveniently, the White House and Congress have declared that all funding for any forthcoming pandemic response has dried up despite ample monies available for warincluding billions overnight for Ukraine. The lack of funding will make tracking the virus even more difficult through testing, genomic sequencing, and wastewater surveillance.

Perhaps the irony of it all is that even as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just authorized a second booster dosea fourth dosefor those ages 50 and older and for immunocompromised individuals, the White House announced, The federal government does not have adequate resources to purchase enough booster vaccine doses for all Americans, if additional doses are needed.

Given the new immune evading variants, the second boosters would bolster the immune system against what is most likely to be a broad-based community infection regardless of previous immune status. In the UK, during their current surge, upwards of 6 to 9 percent of the population became infected weekly with the BA.2 subvariant.

Peter Marks, director of the FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, reported yesterday: Current evidence suggests some waning of protection over time against serious outcomes from COVID-19 in older and immunocompromised individuals. Based on an analysis of emerging data, a second booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine could help increase protection levels for these higher-risk individuals.

He added that the data show that an initial booster dose is critical in helping to protect all adults from the potentially severe outcomes of COVID-19. So, those who have not received their initial booster dose are strongly encouraged to do so.

The US has barely budged above the 65 percent threshold of fully vaccinated people. On December 1, 2021, only 60 percent had been fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, only 29 percent have received a booster, of which half were administered in the last four months. By comparison, the USs counterparts in Europe have managed to nearly double this figure. Even Brazil has overtaken the US in boosters administered. These take on important context as the US faces its brunt with BA.2.

Yet, any booster shot given now would require at least two weeks before the immunity can fully establish itself. With the speed that the BA.2 spreads, even the recent jabs will have little impact on those getting their vaccines.

This makes it even more imperative to implement a Zero-COVID elimination strategy, which would include the shutdown of schools and nonessential workplaces across the country with full compensation for those affected to stem the spread of the virus and protect the most vulnerable from another assault while measures are once more put in place to vaccinate the population. Indeed, with current daily infection numbers at present low, elimination could be achieved in a few weeks.

However, the reality for the ruling elites is far from such simple, practical considerations; the protection of the population is not a factor in their calculations.

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found that the federal government did not have enough vaccine doses remaining in its current stocks under all their scenarios to fully cover the US population through a fourth dose. Even under the limited projection of providing a fourth dose to only those ages 65 and older, there would remain a deficit of 162.5 million doses. Under the FDA authorization, the deficit increases to 225 million doses.

The White House has also announced that the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) COVID-19 Uninsured program would be discontinued without new funding. The program was essential to reimburse health care providers for the costs of delivering COVID-19 testing and treatment services and administering vaccines to the more than 28.9 million uninsured Americans. As of March 22, 2022, HRSA stopped accepting reimbursement claims for COVID infections, and on April 5, 2022, claims for vaccination will end.

The BA.2 variant will have real consequences for the health of the American working class and the fragile finances of many health systems that operate on razor-thin margins. Though COVID hospitalizations have dropped considerably off the BA.1 wave, health systems blind to the subsequent surge in COVID infections may face another deluge of cases over the intervening weeks. The pandemic will undergo its next deadly iteration unless the working class, which has a critical interest in its own well-being, intervenes to stamp out the virus and put it to an end.
Minnesota native Tyler Jacob, who was freed late last week after being detained for 10 days by the Russian military in Ukraine, appeared Wednesday on Don Lemon Tonight along with his mother, Tina Hauser. Jacob spoke about his time in captivity, recounting how he was traveling on a bus with others trying to escape the violence when he was detained at a checkpoint for several hours before being moved to a jail the next morning. He was charged with not giving his passport.

Jacob, who was an English teacher in Ukraine, where he has a wife and daughter, was the only one of the group he was traveling with to be detained. He believes he was singled out for a reason..

The Russians believe in this myth that 007, the legend, his cover story is being an English teacher, Jacob said. So they thought that I was, like, the legend.

Jacob said he went through some pretty heavy interrogation about being a spy, but after going through all his devices, and seeing that he did not have in his contacts list someone they were suspicious of, the Russians realized he was who he said he was.

Jacob said the person questioning him said, Youre just an English teacher thats in a bad situation.

Jacob also spoke about the time he spent in jail. While his mother, who was being interviewed with him, feared the worst, Jacob said he was actually treated really well.

How did they treat you in custody? Lemon asked. So, the first two days werent so great, Jacob said. But once I got to jail in Simferopol [Crimea], they were absolutely perfect to me.

Russia has caused countless deaths in Ukraine, including women and children as the military has repeatedly attacked civilian targets. Though Jacob admitted the fault of the Russians in the invasion, he only had words of praise for his captors.

As much as Id like to say that Russians are bad people for invading a sovereign country, these people are some of the nicest people Ive met, Jacob said. I mean, there [were] three captains that rotated in the jail, and two of them would speak English with me, and one of them would wink at me when Id get pulled to go get questioned and he would make sure that I knew that things were going well.

Story continues

Don Lemon Tonight airs weeknights at 10 p.m. on CNN.

Check out how a Jeopardy! glitch left fans confused and the ending spoiled:

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:

Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
EXCLUSIVE: Producers Andrew Bendel and Alistair Maclean-Clark of Blue Horizon Productions have optioned the memoir Sea Dragons, Yvonne Foleys story of how she believed she had been abandoned in Liverpool by her Chinese father as a child only to find out many years later that he and other sailors had been deported.

Foley only discovered later in life that her natural father, who was a sailor from Shanghai, had been blacklisted for demanding equality of treatment with British sailors and was prevented from coming back to the UK.

More from Deadline

The story was first told in BBC online magazine article Looking for my Shanghai Father, and an exhibition about the Chinese sailors, Dragons of the Pool, was organized by Yvonne and Charles Foley and held in a Liverpool gallery.

Liverpool-based playwright and emerging screenwriter Lizzie Nunnery is penning the screenplay. Her works have been shortlisted for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, and she won Best New Play in the UK Theatre Awards for Narvik in 2017.

The pic is a co-production with Taiwan is Ma Studios (Amy Ma) and Firefly Films in New Zealand (Emma Slade and Victoria Dabbs). Development has been supported by the BFI Film Fund and it also participated in the Sino/European workshop Bridging the Dragon in Beijing. Late stage development finance was subsequently raised from Taiwanese industrial firm, Kingston Technology, and the New Zealand Film Commission.

The project, titled With Love, is now out to lead cast with a view to a market launch in Cannes.

Best of Deadline

Story continues

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The White House on Wednesday criticized Donald Trump's request for Russian President Vladimir Putin to release potentially damaging information on U.S. President Joe Biden's son, calling the move particularly poorly timed as war rages in Ukraine.

Reporters asked White House spokesperson Kate Bedingfield about the former president's comments on the "Just the News" TV program that raised unsubstantiated questions about Hunter Biden's former business dealings in Russia. Trump said, "I think Putin would know the answer to that. I think he should release it."

His comment came as Western nations are trying to persuade Putin to end his five-week-long assault on Ukraine, the biggest European war since World War Two. Russia calls its actions there a "special military operation."

"What kind of American, let alone an ex-president, thinks that this is the right time to enter into a scheme with Vladimir Putin and brag about his connections to Vladimir Putin? There is only one, and it's Donald Trump," Bedingfield said.

Trump's remarks came the week that a federal judge ruled he "more likely than not" committed a felony by trying to overturn his election defeat on Jan. 6, 2021, and as his business remains under investigation.

During the military buildup preceding the invasion of Ukraine, Trump praised Putin as a "genius." Once the attack had commenced, he condemned it as "appalling."

Trump's long-running search for information on Hunter Biden that could be politically damaging to Joe Biden led to the first of his two impeachments, over what presidential aides said was an effort to withhold nearly $400 million in military aid and a White House visit unless Ukrainian officials announced investigations into Biden.

During his 2016 presidential campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton, the Republican publicly suggested Russian hackers could help find Clinton emails, saying, "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails."

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Writing by Katharine Jackson; Editing by Scott Malone, Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis)
SALEM, Ore.  The man accused of driving into a Salem homeless camp, killing four people and hospitalizing two others, was driving 35 mph above the speed limit with a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit, prosecutors said Monday.

Enrique Rodriguez Jr., 24, is being held without bail on multiple manslaughter charges, as well as a charge of driving under the influence of intoxicants.

Marion County Deputy District Attorney Katie Suver said Rodriguez lost control of his car early Sunday and crashed into the camp, flattening the site and pinning two individuals beneath the car. His blood alcohol content was 0.26%, Suver said. The legal limit is .08%.

Rodriguez was driving at 70 mph in a 35-mph zone, which is above the speed limit of 35 mph for that road, prosecutors said.

Since 2014, Rodriguez has been found in violation of various traffic laws, including driving without a valid license and careless driving, Suver added.

Two people died at the scene of the 2 a.m. crash, Suver said. Four others were taken to a hospital, where two later died. Rodriguez, who was the only occupant of the car, also was taken to the hospital, according to the Salem Police Department.

Authorities identified those killed as Jowand Beck, 24; Luke Kagey, 21; Joe Posada III, 54; and Rochelle Zamacona, 29.

'MY FRIENDS ARE DEAD': 4 killed in Salem, Oregon, after driver crashes into homeless camp; suspect arrested

Noland Baliey and Justin Adamson console each other at the site of a car crash that killed four of their friends on Sunday night, in Salem, Ore. on Monday, March 28, 2022.

Family members respond at arraignment

Several family members and friends of the six victims of the crash were present as Rodriguez was arraigned Monday afternoon. A few made statements asking for Rodriguez to be held without bail.

Rodriguez's mother, Maria Arreze, said her son's "mistake" is not a reflection of who he is.

Arreze said her son should be held accountable for his actions, but also pointed to the City of Salem allowing people experiencing homelessness to sleep off busy and dangerous roads.

Story continues

Jimmy Jones, executive director of the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, which assists in providing services for people experiencing homelessness, told the Salem Statesman Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, that nearly 50 people without housing have died in the past two years, but this is the first incident involving this many people.

"No one deserves to have to live in unsheltered conditions and they damn sure do not deserve to die in them," he said. Tragedies like this will continue until this nation makes a serious commitment to the idea that housing is a human right, and that everyone deserves a warm, safe and dry place where they can live with dignity.

Those remaining at the camp are likely to be removed this week, the Oregon Department of Transportation said.

Carl Rhymes, Enoch Gerber and Mike Wade pray for the victims of a car accident that killed four people at a homeless camp near Front Street Northeast on Sunday, March 27, 2022 in Salem, Ore.

Memorial honors neighbors, friends killed in crash

Several people gathered Monday afternoon for a small memorial in honor of the victims. There were yellow and red flowers at the base of a tree the car had hit. Attendees were invited to light a candle or a sparkler in the victims' honor.

No one made speeches. Instead, they spoke quietly amongst themselves about previous interactions with the victims and about their desire for a safe place to sleep. Some were helping clean up, clearing the ground with a shovel and garbage bags.

Most people knew Luke Kagey, one of the victims, as "Fish" or "Little Luke." Noland Baliey called him his "little brother."

The two met at a shelter downtown. Baliey had just started staying at the shelter and was eager to make new friends. He spotted Kagey, and as an offer of friendship, Baliey handed him an entire cigarette pack.

Baliey said he woke up Sunday morning and heard what had happened around the corner. When he arrived, caution tape still blocked people from the scene.

He said he was sick on the sidewalk.

It was like I knew, he said.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem, Oregon, homeless camp crash: Driver was drunk, prosecutors say
Panama City Beach Police say they seized enough guns to arm a small army over the weekend.

Law enforcement officials in Panama City Beach in northwestern Florida  a popular Spring Break destination  announced on Monday that they seized 75 weapons and detained 161 people on Saturday and Sunday, referring to the suspects as pathetic cowards.

Beach Police Chief JR Talamantez said the guns were taken over a period of two days.

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, he added, according to the Panama City News Herald.

As violence increased in the area over the weekend, a shooting on Sunday led to one person being injured.

Mr Talamantez said those found to be breaking the law will soon find out what justice looks like in Bay County.

Panama City Beach Police say they seized enough guns to arm a small army during Spring Break (Panama City Beach Police)

Right here, today, we stand united as not only law enforcement officials, not only as city leadership or county leadership, but just as citizens of Bay County, he said. What we saw this past weekend is absolutely unacceptable, period. These pathetic cowards who came and committed these crimes  their actions will not be tolerated.

Panama City Beach Police say they seized enough guns to arm a small army during Spring Break (Panama City Beach Police)

Panama City Beach Police say they seized enough guns to arm a small army during Spring Break (Panama City Beach Police)

Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford said on Monday that almost 80 of the 161 arrested individuals were from Alabama.

We were faced with dangerous circumstances but stood firm in protecting our county, Mr Ford said. Each one of these 75 firearms ... represents a violent encounter with law enforcement, and Im so proud of the law enforcement officers who stood in that gap [between] citizens and the criminals who were carrying these guns.

He said law enforcement had prepared for this weekend for weeks, expecting a large number of visitors.

We will not tolerate this criminal activity, Mr Ford said. These are behaviours that we as a community have fought before, won and moved on to become a premier family destination ... If you come here to act like a criminal, well treat you like one.

Story continues

Panama City Police Chief Mark Smith said the people responsible for violence and vandalism over the weekend were not regular spring breakers but true criminals.

Every time one of our brave officers confronted these 75 individuals, it was an opportunity for that brave officer to have lost [their] life or been forced to take someone elses life, Mr Smith said. This is not what Bay County is about, not what Panama City Beach is about.

This isnt what we want coming to our city, he added. We want the spring breakers. We want the tourists, we dont want this element.

Police added that a number of incidents of violence against officers and vandalism against businesses occurred over the weekend.

WMBB reported that a Walmart in the area was left in chaos with items strewn across the floor. Mr Talamantez said the shop was one of several establishments that closed early this weekend.

Both residents and visitors struggled in the citys overcrowded streets.

We were getting run over by people, Ladariya Gurley, a visitor, told WFLA. They were pushing us.

An officer received a cut to the head after having a beer bottle thrown at him.

These are the type of individuals that were facing. Throwing beer bottles at police officers. Shooting right down the road, Mr Smith said. There were blue lights up and down the road as these shootings took place.

The blatant disregard for public safety that these individuals are having will not be tolerated, he added.
Washington  Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine will vote to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, she announced Wednesday, providing President Biden's historic nominee with at least one GOP vote toward her likely confirmation.

"After reviewing Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's extensive record, watching much of her hearing testimony, and meeting with her twice in person, I have concluded that she possesses the experience, qualifications, and integrity to serve as an associate justice on the Supreme Court," Collins said in a statement. "I will, therefore, vote to confirm her to this position. "

Collins' decision to support Jackson's nomination to the Supreme Court comes after the two met privately for a second time Tuesday. The Maine senator said the two had a "good" meeting and told reporters Jackson clarified some outstanding issues.

Collins and Jackson met for the first time at the beginning of March for more than 90 minutes. The New York Times first reported Collins would vote to confirm Jackson, who will be the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court if confirmed.

The White House has been hoping Jackson's nomination would clear the Senate with bipartisan backing, and Collins' support ensures this will happen. Two other GOP senators who are seen as possibly voting to confirm Jackson, Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have not yet said whether they intend to support the confirmation.

Romney met with Jackson on Tuesday and said he will likely reveal his decision when the Senate holds its final vote. Murkowski, one of three Republicans who backed Jackson's nomination to the federal appeals court in Washington, had a one-on-one meeting with the judge earlier this month.

Jackson appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week for a grueling two days of questions from the panel's 22 Democratic and Republican members. She has continued to meet with senators ahead of the committee's vote on whether to advance her nomination to the Senate floor, which is set for Monday.

Story continues

Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson meets with Sen. Susan Collins of Maine on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. / Credit: Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Democratic leaders are aiming to hold the final vote on Jackson's confirmation before the Senate leaves town for a two-week recess April 8.

Mr. Biden announced Jackson as his nominee to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer at the end of February. A judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Jackson made history as the first Black woman to be nominated to the Supreme Court, and will do so again if the Senate approves her nomination.

During her confirmation hearings, which spanned a total of four days, Republicans on the Judiciary Committee zeroed in on Jackson's sentencing record in child pornography cases while she was a judge on the federal district court in Washington and claimed she imposed lenient sentences that were well below federal guidelines.

Others GOP senators criticized Jackson for declining to place a label on her judicial philosophy, as well as for the clients she represented as a federal public defender and for refusing to take a position on adding seats to the Supreme Court during her hearings.

Collins said she discussed with Jackson "in depth" several issues raised during her confirmation hearings.

"Sometimes I agreed with her; sometimes I did not. And just as I have disagreed with some of her decisions to date, I have no doubt that, if Judge Jackson is confirmed, I will not agree with every vote that she casts as a justice," she said in her statement. "That alone, however, is not disqualifying."

Collins has across her tenure in the Senate voted to confirm Supreme Court nominees put forth by Republican and Democratic presidents, including Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, nominated by former President Donald Trump, and Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, nominated by former President Barack Obama.

She did not, however, support Justice Amy Coney Barrett, citing the close proximity of the confirmation vote to the 2020 presidential election.

In her statement, Collins lamented the changing nature of Supreme Court confirmation fights, which have become bitterly partisan in recent years, and said the role of the Senate when examining nominees to the high court is "not to assess whether a nominee reflects the ideology of an individual senator or would rule exactly as an individual senator would want."

"No matter where you fall on the ideological spectrum, anyone who has watched several of the last Supreme Court confirmation hearings would reach the conclusion that the process is broken," she said. "Part of the reason is that, in recent years, the process has increasingly moved away from what I believe to be appropriate for evaluating a Supreme Court nominee."

With Democrats controlling 50 seats in the Senate, Jackson does not need Republican support to be confirmed to the Supreme Court, as Vice President Kamala Harris would cast a tie-breaking vote. But Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, told reporters earlier this month he has been working to persuade Republicans to back her, arguing "this is a moment in the history of the United States, and I always want to try to be on the right side of history."

War rages in Ukraine amid peace talks

International Space Station continues to operate normally despite Ukraine conflict, for now

Widow of officer attacked by rioters on Jan. 6 calls for action on police suicides
Update: Bryan Wayne Ivey was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay a total of $510 in restitution and assessment fees. His sentencing hearing was held March 30, 2022, by video conference before U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper in the District of Columbia.

A Tennessee man has pleaded guilty to a minor protesting charge related to the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Bryan Wayne Ivey admitted to knowingly entering restricted areas of the Capitol in a videoconference plea hearing Tuesday.

Ivey pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of parading, demonstrating or picketing inside Capitol grounds. On top of possible prison time, a fine or probation, Ivey agreed to pay $500 in restitution to the United States.

The 28-year-old Crossville man, born in Gallatin, was arrested March 4 in Tennessee on four charges related to the riot. The remaining charges were dropped Tuesday as part of his plea agreement.

More: 15 with Tennessee connections arrested in Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot investigation

A tipster told the FBI they recognized Ivey in a still photo of a video posted to social media, court documents show. In the photo, Ivey appeared to be breaking a window at the Capitol with a riot shield.

If the case had gone to trial, prosecutors would have presented evidence that Ivey in fact watched another protester do the damage, Assistant U.S. Attorney for D.C. Leslie Goemaat said in court Tuesday.

"He joined a large crowd around the Capitol. After the police lined the streets, he approached and watched another rioter break a window at the Capitol using a riot shield. The defendant then entered the U.S. Capitol," she said.

Ivey's wife and brother also traveled to Washington, D.C., with him but did not enter the Capitol, according to statements made in his initial appearance before a judge in March.

A sentencing hearing has been set for Sept. 28 in front of Washington, D.C. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper. The charge carries possible sentences of up to six months in prison, a fine of up to $5,000 and/or probation for up to one year.

Story continues

Ivey's attorney, Middle Tennessee public defender Robert David Baker, told the judge he planned to present mitigating factors related to the sentence at the September hearing.

The tipster told the FBI that a close contact of Ivey's said he told them he was in the building on Jan. 6.

In photos released by the U.S. Attorney's Office in March, Ivey was identified as a man wearing a brown hat, brown jacket and sunglasses in the image. The tipster said they also recognized Ivey's voice captured in video from the scene.

Ivey originally faced four charges:

Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority;

disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds;

disorderly conduct in a capitol building;

parading, demonstrating or picketing in a capitol building.

At least 15 people with Tennessee ties have been charged in connection to the riot. A massive investigation continues.

Ivey is the first defendant with Tennessee ties to plead guilty on related charges.

Reach reporter Mariah Timms at mtimms@tennessean.com or 615-259-8344 and on Twitter @MariahTimms.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee man pleads guilty to minor protesting charge in U.S. Capitol riot case


If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

Whether youve had a bad day, recently broken up with a toxic ex (or friend), or simply want to reset your space after you hosted last nights rager, learning how to cleanse your house of negative energy can be a powerful tool. Theres no better way to be proactive about resetting your intentions and ushering in good vibes than physically steering bad energy out of your space. Once you get the hang of the general process, youll find yourself reaching for your Palo Santo and lighter more than ever.

More from StyleCaster

A new moon presents the perfect lunar event to align with your abode aura cleanse, and we are mere days away from the first new moon of the astrological new year, which occurs in Aries during the wee hours of April 1. To seize this cosmically-aligned cleansing opp, STYLECASTER spoke to Neelou Malekpour, author of The Art of Sacred Smoke and founder of SMUDGED for a soothing ritual anyone can do. If you want to find other ways to cleanse and more rituals for manifestation, energy, and more, you can find it all in her book, available now.

Click here to read the full article.

Amazon.

Buy: The Art of Sacred Smoke $21

How to Cleanse Your Home From Bad Energy

1. Open Up Your Space

Malekpour refers to it as opening sacred space, which can be adjusted to anyones personal preferences. When you open sacred space, you go into a meditative state, Malekpour explains. Its a shift from rational thinking, and thinking about everything on my to-do list to a quieter space.

You can do this by taking a few deep breaths and putting your hand on your heart, or by calling in your guides. I always call in my angels, allies, and ancestors of 100 percent light, and I always call in my grandmother, says Malekpour. Opening your sacred space is very personal, so do whatever that means to you.

Story continues

2. Set an Intention

The intention allows the energy to go in a specific direction, says Malekpour. So whether you just want to cleanse your home from tracked-in negative energy after a bad day or want to reset after you had a lot of people over, you can replace the neutral energy with positive energy.

You can match your intention to whatever youre feeling at the moment. Malekpour recommends saying, my intention is to cleanse my space, feel better, or release what isnt serving me right now.

Courtesy of Nikki Brown.

3. Open a Window

The only hard rule of cleansing is to open windows or have proper ventilation, says Malekpour. Smoke inhalation is not a good thing, but also the stagnant or negative energy needs a place to go. If there are no windows open, its not going anywhere.

4. Light Your Herb of Choice

First, Malekpour suggests thanking the element of fire and the herb youre using, such as sage or Palo Santo. If youre using Palo Santo, Malekpour shakes out the flame versus blowing it out to keep the smoke flow going.

5. Begin Your Cleanse

Once your herb is lit, you can walk around every corner of your space, but there are a few spots Malekpour says you should never overlook. Under your arms, theres always stagnant energy. Walk around your home in the corners, go near your cell phone and your computer. Corners are really important, any place where the energy can get stuck. she explains.

Walk around and try to keep your mind clear or perhaps just keep repeating your intention over and over as you move.

6. Call In Something Good

Malekpour calls this the most important step of your cleansing ritual. Once you cleanse your space, you have a clean slate. You want to call in something good: either health, happiness, or good luck, she says. After you cleanse the space of negative energy, you have a neutral space. When you have neutral, you want to set what you want, she says. Otherwise anything can come in.

If youre having trouble with any part of the above steps, Malekpour says that you should always feel free to tailor your cleansing ritual to you and make it personal. Some people struggle with entering the pre-cleanse meditative state or dont like using herbs that burn. If this is the case for you, Malekpour says you can replace smoke with a room spray. Sprays like Palo Santo Smudge Spray or Cleanse + Protect spray can help you focus and relax, and the latter has been used in shaman ceremonies in Peru for hundreds of years.

You can even cleanse with sound if that feels right for you.

Bottom line: do whatever feels good and eventually youll come into a practice that feels second nature. You can cleanse your home as often as youd like, or once a week if you need a starting point. Just make sure to relax, have fun, and set a positive intention to usher in good vibes and kick out the old ones.

newsletter banner

Best of StyleCaster
Got invited to someones place for dinner and they charged me for it ... this is weird, right? comedian Amber Nelson wrote earlier this month in a tweet that went viral. (Photo: Oscar Wong via Getty Images)

Earlier this month, an odd, very Seinfeldian etiquette question was put to Twitter by LA-based comedian Amber Nelson.

Got invited to someones place for dinner and they charged me for it ... this is weird, right? she tweeted.

In the thread, Nelson doled out the backstory: The dinner party was held in Los Angeles. The host mentioned having guests contribute in passing during the dinner, then Venmoed her friends a request for $20 later on. The dinner was penne alla vodka, not some high-effort lasagna with bechamel or a pasta spun out of a $899.99 Costco parm wheel.

Nelson partook in a few servings and went on her way. She paid when the request came in but she hasnt spoken to the host since.

While most people replied something along the lines of, yes, thats very weird, some folks said theyve had this happen to them, too.

Others admitted they host their friends at a charge themselves.

As someone who hosts often I usually ask for people to chip in what they can to help me cover costs if they enjoyed the food. I would never stop someone from eating, though, one person said. I invite my friends I like to hang out with and they pay what they want to make it happen more.

Some wondered if Nelsons dinner party-throwing friend was from the Netherlands. The expression going Dutch originates there, after all.

In the Netherlands this is very normal especially when youre a young adult, one woman said. Not everyone has enough money to just feed a bunch of their friends. I always expect to pay. (Of course, just as many commenters were quick to shoot back, Hey, watch it! Im from the Netherlands and even this is a step too far for us.)

Some wondered if charging was a California thing or an LA thing, since thats where the party took place. (As a lifelong Angeleno, I, like the Dutch person above, take umbrage!)

Some argued it was a generational thing: Everything has become so transactional for millennials, even something as wholesome and human as breaking bread is tainted, they said.

Story continues

Others felt the whole incident spoke to the ills of Venmo culture: No one would have the gall to ask for money if they had to do it face-to-face; requesting money on an app is relatively painless.

I was taken aback a bit [by the request] one man who was charged for a dinner party told HuffPost. I thought he was joking so I laughed. Then he said that he was serious. (Photo: AlexanderFord via Getty Images)

Some on the thread speculated that it was an upper-middle-class or rich person thing or maybe specifically, more of a nouveau riche thing.

Its definitely a new money thing, saidAvijit Ghosh, a computer science researcher who replied to the thread, told HuffPost. People who didnt grow up with generosity as the norm behave that way. I grew up in India and something like this would be horrifying.

Ghosh, who now lives in Boston, had tweeted about his own experience with a money-hungry host last May.

Is it normal for your friend to invite you for dinner a week in advance out to their multimillion-dollar new home in the suburbs, get pizza and then charge you on Venmo for it? #AskingForAFriend, he joked.

Something similar happened to Jarrel Benedict, a photographer who works in advertising in Canada, a few years ago. In his case, it was a 10-person traditional dinner party where pork tenderloin was served. Cheese and nuts, bacon-covered asparagus and mashed potatoes were also on the menu, as well as sugar pie for dessert. (Compared to Nelson and her penne alla vodka, at least Benedict got his moneys worth!)

Later, as digestifs were passed around, the host made a beeline to Benedict and casually informed him it would be $30 for your share. (This was on top of the $70 wine Benedict had already brought to dinner).

In the moment, I was taken aback a bit, he told HuffPost. I thought he was joking so I laughed. Then he said that he was serious.

Awkwardness ensued.

I told him I didnt really carry cash (because I just use my card or Apple Pay), so he suggested I Interac e-transfer him the money, which is like Venmo here in Canada, Benedict explained. I transferred him the money only because it felt awkward to argue about it.

Etiquette Experts Weigh In

Naturally, when asked about the original viral tweet, etiquette experts we spoke to had some strong opinions.

Is there a typo in the tweet? I think the person meant to write, made a reservation at a restaurant instead of got invited to someones place for dinner, joked Nick Leighton, the host of the weekly etiquette podcast, Were You Raised By Wolves?

Unless a host is employing the corporate definition of guest  you know how Disneyland and Airbnb call their paying customers guests?  you should never expect those you invite to your house to pay, Leighton said.

If you do, they have a right to have a say on whats on the menu, at the very least.

Being a dinner party host means enjoying certain privileges: getting to choose the date and time, selecting who is on the guest list, and picking the menu, he said. But if you ask other people to chip in, then you are inviting them to be co-hosts of the event, so youll need to share these privileges.



Jodi R. R. Smith, the founder of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting, checked off a few social scenarios where it would be acceptable to charge so long as you disclose your plans  and the price  when the invitation is sent:

A potluck presumes the guests will be assisting in providing refreshments or sides

A rent party where tenants hire a musician or band to play and pass the hat to raise money to pay their rent, originating in Harlem during the 1920s. (This one assumes youve time traveled back to the 20s, so thats neat.)

A fundraiser that may include a cost to attend and the presumption that you may be donating again during the event in the form of pledges, auctions or other donations.

Whats verboten, at least as far as Smith is concerned, is the bait-and-switch like Nelsons friend did.

It is terribly rude to invite over friends under the guise of a dinner party and then after they have arrived, turn it into an unofficial fundraiser, Smith said.

If you plan on asking your guests to shell out, that conversation needs to happen in the earliest planning stages, said Diane Gottsman, the author of Modern Etiquette for a Better Life and founder of The Protocol School of Texas.

Its fine when theres open communication among friends and the host makes it clear that they want to throw a party but would love some help, she said. You have to be upfront and honest so guests arent caught off guard. Its a courtesy to let guests know in advance what to expect and they can decide if they want to attend.

But Gottsman agrees with the other etiquette guests that billing a guest or charging them without their knowledge is generally ill-advised.

Bottom line, etiquette-wise? Charge upfront and as early on as possible or dont charge at all. And if that one friend who charges you continues to invite you to their pseudo-restaurant, you have our full permission to leave them a bad Yelp review.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
WASHINGTON  Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine announced Wednesday that she intends to vote yes on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to the Supreme Court. The announcement means Jackson will be confirmed to the court with bipartisan support.

"After reviewing Judge Ketanji Brown Jacksons extensive record, watching much of her hearing testimony, and meeting with her twice in person, I have concluded that she possesses the experience, qualifications, and integrity to serve as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court," Collins said in a statement. "I will, therefore, vote to confirm her to this position."

Jackson will be the first Black woman to serve on the country's highest court.

On Friday, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced he, too, would support the nomination, all but guaranteeing Jackson's confirmation. The Senate is evenly split, with 50 Democratic caucus members and 50 Republican members. Jackson needs a simple majority of 51 of the 100 senators to be confirmed.

Swing votes for Jackson: Manchin to vote for Ketanji Brown Jackson, likely ensuring she will be the first Black woman on Supreme Court

Get the news in your inbox: Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter here

Collins' announcement means there won't be a tie vote that Vice President Kamala Harris would need to break. More Republicans could come out in support of Jackson, like Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska or Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, who said Tuesday he had yet to make a decision.

Collins, Murkowski and GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina voted yes on her appointment to her current federal court role. Graham's aggressive questioning and remarks during the confirmation hearing, however, suggest he is unlikely to support Jackson this time around.

More: Two-thirds of Americans back Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for Supreme Court, poll shows

Speaking to reporters after her initial meeting with Jackson in early March, Collins said, "I think it's important to recognize that she has been confirmed three times now, so this is not a candidate who has a blank slate to us."

Story continues

Their initial one-on-one meeting lasted more than an hour and a half, during which Collins said she asked Jackson about a decision she made that was overturned by the circuit court.

Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson meets with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 8, 2022.

GOP pushed Jackson on her record

During the confirmation hearings last week, Republicans pressed Jackson on her record sentencing defendants in child porn cases and as a federal public defender representing detainees at Guantanamo Bay. In sometimes acrimonious back and forth, Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee asked Jackson about her views of court packing, critical race theory and gender.

Ketanji Brown Jackson hearings: Graham, Jackson spar over child pornography sentencing

"In my meetings with Judge Jackson, we discussed in depth several issues that were raised in her hearing. Sometimes I agreed with her; sometimes I did not. And just as I have disagreed with some of her decisions to date, I have no doubt that, if Judge Jackson is confirmed, I will not agree with every vote that she casts as a Justice," Collins said.

"That alone, however, is not disqualifying," she added.

Takeaways: Judicial philosophy to child porn sentencing: Key takeaways from Ketanji Brown Jackson's Supreme Court hearings

Collins' Supreme Court vote history

Collins voted yes on Justice Brett Kavanaugh's nomination, but no on Justice Amy Coney Barrett, which Collins said was because it was so close to the presidential election.

"In my view, the role the Constitution clearly assigns to the Senate is to examine the experience, qualifications, and integrity of the nominee. It is not to assess whether a nominee reflects the ideology of an individual Senator or would rule exactly as an individual Senator would want," Collins said in her statement Wednesday.

"This is the approach that I plan to continue to use for Supreme Court nominations because it runs counter to the disturbing trend of politicizing the judicial nomination process."

Contributing: Bart Jansen

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Susan Collins will support Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson
Hilaria and Alec Baldwins family tree just keeps on growing, with the couple announcing on social media that they are expecting their seventh child.

Hilaria shared the baby news on Instagram Tuesday, posting a sweet home video that shows the couple telling their six children of their newest sibling. Hilaria shares Carmen, 8, Rafael, 6, Leonardo, 5, Romeo, 3, and 1-year-olds Eduardo and Lucia with her actor husband. Alec, who reposted the video on Instagram, also has a 26-year-old daughter, Ireland, with ex-wife Kim Basinger.

After many ups and downs over the past few years, we have an exciting up and a huge surprise: another Baldwinito is coming this fall, the 38-year-old author captioned the post. We were pretty sure our family was complete, and were beyond happy with this surprise. Im sharing with you the moment we told the kidsas you can see, they are super excited!

She added: Our new baby is a very bright spot in our lives. A blessing and a gift during such uncertain times.

USA TODAY has reached out to the Baldwins reps for comment.

This isnt the first time Hilaria has taken to social media to reveal the additions to her growing family. The yoga instructor introduced youngest Lucia on Instagram in March 2021, but she didn't go into detail about how the then-newborn joined their family.

We are living each day, bonding, and grateful for all of the very special angels who helped bring Lucia into the world, she captioned the post. Maria Lucia Victoria and Eduardo Pau Lucas: our babies who bring light into our livesalmost like twins, we love you so much.

Although Lucia was born via surrogacy, according to reports from People and Today, Hilaria didnt reveal in her latest Instagram post how their seventh child is joining the Baldwin clan.

Hilaria Baldwin, Alec Baldwin and their children, Lucia Baldwin, Rafael Baldwin, Eduardo Baldwin, Leonardo Baldwin, Romeo Baldwin and Carmen Baldwin attend "The Boss Baby: Family Business" world premiere June 22, 2021.

More: Hilaria Baldwin thanks 'very special angels' who brought newborn daughter 'into the world'

More: Alec Baldwin gives his account of the 'Rust' shooting, Hilaria Baldwin offers support: 'I will take care of you'

Story continues

The Baldwins baby news comes at a time of strife for the family, after multiple lawsuits were filed against Alec in the wake of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins death, who was shot and killed last October when a prop gun wielded by Baldwin went off. Brian Panish, a lawyer for the victim's husband of 16 years and the couple's 9-year-old son Andros, has accused Baldwin and the film's producers of major breaches of industry protocols that led to the senseless and tragic death of Halyna Hutchins.

Hilaria has been vocal in her support of her husband during the legal dilemma, vowing to "take care of Baldwin through this unthinkable nightmare, she wrote in an Instagram post in December 2021.

My Alec, I am here to heal any of your pain that I can, she concluded the post. I am not going anywhere. Onward to being Alec and Hilaria, messy, emotions strong, but lots and lots of loveuntil the very end.

More: Alec Baldwin addresses 'Rust' shooting lawsuits: 'Why sue people if you're not going to get money?'

Contributing: Amy Haneline, Charles Trepany, Pamela Avila

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hilaria and Alec Baldwin announce they are expecting seventh child
Clark Township

A New Jersey town allegedly paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to silence a whistleblower who came forward with secret recordings of local officials, including the mayor and police chief, using racial slurs.

But now, the whistleblower claims the city is holding back his retirement pension in retaliation.

According to NJ.com, Antonio Manata, a former police lieutenant, recorded several Clark Township officials using racial slurs and making derogatory statements, then threatened to file a lawsuit exposing them. But Clark officials ultimately decided to fork over $400,000 to Manata under an agreement that required the ex-cop to turn over his recordings.

In seven recordings obtained and published by NJ.com, Manata captured the mayor and two top police officials referring to Black people as spooks, shines, and ns.

Wichita Cops Leaked Group Chats Are a Cesspool of Racism and Cruelty

In one recording from 2019, Clark Township Mayor Sal Bonaccorso, a Republican serving his sixth term, was leaving a meeting at the Clark Recreation Center when an officer pointed out some ropes hanging from above and asked what they were.

We [expletive] hang the spooks up there, Bonaccorso responded as laughter filled the audio.

So the [Arthur L. Johnson High School] incident all over again, the cop replied, referring to a racist incident in 2017 in which a Black puppet was found hanging at a local high school.

How about I go to a Plainfield [expletive] council meeting in front of a room full of them and get up and talk about it? Bonaccorso said.

In another recorded conversation from 2019, Clark Police Chief Pedro Matos spoke about reopening a bias crimes investigation into the high school incident.

Im going to prove that them [expletive] n-s did it, Matos can be heard saying.

In another recording, Internal Affairs Sgt. Joseph Teston allegedly said a Black suspects mugshot reminded him of a National Geographic photo and said he had a big [expletive] monkey head.

Story continues

Bonaccorso can be heard in another clip from 2019 asking about a Black man police officers were chasing.

What spook are you guys chasing around in a red shirt? he asked, repeatedly using the racial slur.

Officials were also captured on audio demeaning women.

As far as female cops go, I hope there is never any, but I can only take care while Im here, Bonaccorso once said, according Manatas draft lawsuit which was never filed but was obtained by NJ.com. They are all [expletive] disasters that Ive seen.

Stunned Students Film Chicago Teachers Feud Over Black Dolls Lynching

Bonaccorso did not respond to The Daily Beasts request for comment Wednesday.

He denied to NJ.com that hed ever used racial slurs but also refused to listen to the audio obtained by the outlet to confirm it was his voice. He attempted to defend himself, saying, I have many, many Black friends in my life, many of them; and employees here and everything else.  Ive been here for 22 years, never had a problem, and all of a sudden this is coming up? I find it offensive. I do.

But Bonaccorso has been accused of racism in the past. According to ABC 7 New York, he said he was pro-Black for all the good Black people at a 2020 rally during the height of George Floyd protests. He later clarified his comment, saying, Im for people. Good people. Law-abiding, hardworking, good family, good friends. People with good intentions. If youre Black, great. If youre white, great. If youre Hispanic, great. It doesnt matter. I judge people on how you judge me.

Black people make up less than 2 percent of Clark Townships population of 15,500, according to NJ.com.

Coronado City Boots Official Over Anti-Asian Spiel

In a settlement with Manata in early 2020, Clark officials allegedly agreed to keep him on the police departments payroll for two yearswithout workinguntil he could retire as captain. He was also paid a lump sum plus legal fees totaling $400,000. In exchange, Manata handed the recordings over to town officials and agreed not to file his draft lawsuit. The town also signed a document denying the allegations.

Six months after Manata settled with Clark Township, supervision at the police department changed. According to NJ.com, the Union County Prosecutors Office took over the department and found credible allegations of misconduct. Matos, Teston, and Cpt. Vincent Concina were immediately placed on leave during an investigation. But nearly two years later, all three officers are reportedly still on paid leave, raking in more than $763,000 through March 15.

Now, Manata is not expected to receive his first pension payment, due to a pending investigation in the police department.

The Clark Township Police Department did not immediately respond to The Daily Beasts request for comment Wednesday.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.
Mar. 30New Mexico Lt. Gov. Howie Morales and several other lieutenant governors met with Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House on Tuesday to discuss broadband expansion efforts and share stories about challenges states face in providing broadband services to their communities.

"Across the country, we know that broadband has been an issue," Morales said in a telephone interview from Washington, D.C. "During the COVID pandemic, it magnified those [issues], specifically in rural communities and our colonias communities and our Native American communities."

New Mexico has "acute" broadband connectivity challenges, according to Morales' office. An estimated 20 percent of households in the state lack access to basic broadband with good internet speed.

Morales is in the nation's Capitol this week to attend annual conferences of the National Lieutenant Governors Association and Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association.

"It was an added bonus to have some time with the vice president herself," he said.

While broadband took up most of the hourlong discussion, Morales said, Harris also wanted to discuss two other topics: maternal health and services for mothers, and voting and election integrity.

"It was a great opportunity to share what we've done but also some opportunities that we can work together," he said.

Harris "really has a deep sense of the needs of people across the country, so it was good collaboration and an opportunity to learn from one another," Morales added.

He said New Mexico has made investments in broadband with both federal and state funding, but more needs to be done.

Morales will be in Washington, D.C., until Wednesday and said he and others are scheduled to meet with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg before the trip concludes.

"We're going to talk about infrastructure," he said.

Follow Daniel J. Chacon on Twitter @danieljchacon.
LONDON  Sarabande will cross the Atlantic this spring with a fundraising gala at The Standard High Line set for May 3, and plans to set up its first international outpost in New York City.

The Dream with Sarabande dinner will follow a similar event that took place at The Standard in London in November. It will mark the start of the foundations activity in New York, where it plans to replicate the studio/gallery model it has in London.

More from WWD

Established by the late Lee Alexander McQueen, the Sarabande foundation supports up-and-coming artists, designers and creatives from across the globe.

To date, it has nurtured more than 130 fashion and jewelry designers, painters, sculptors, videographers and performance artists including Craig Green, Molly Goddard, Castro Smith and Bianca Saunders, with subsidized studio space, mentoring and scholarships in London.

Sarabande offers its alumni advice throughout their careers, and also hosts talks and other events for creative audiences and the wider public.

Ambassadors for the foundation include Andrew Bolton, Nick Knight, Naomi Campbell and Shaun Leane. Francesca Amfitheatrof, the jewelry designer, and artistic director for jewelry and watches at Louis Vuitton, serves as president of the Friends of Sarabande America.

Matthew Needham in his studio at Sarabande in London. Needham is a designer and artist who focuses on upcycling and sustainability. - Credit: Courtesy image

Courtesy image

In an interview Trino Verkade, Sarabandes chief executive officer and founding trustee, said she and the team had been wanting to take Sarabande to the U.S. for a while. New York, she said, is the right venue for a Sarabande outpost because it attracts young creatives from all over the world, and from a variety of disciplines.

The evening event in May, she added, will highlight the foundations work, and say that New York needs Sarabande. Were putting our feelers out and telling everyone who we are. We want to get people interested, and get them on board.

Story continues

Verkade said the New York Sarabande will have the same dynamic as the London one, and will support young, emerging artists, creatives and businesses. We plan to replicate the whole multicultural, multidisciplinary mix of Sarabande.

Its still early days, she said, and the New York Sarabande will likely open in the medium term. We need time for people to understand who we are and what we do, she said. This is the future; the next generation and they need the support to drive their businesses forward.

Tiffany & Co., and Thom Browne have already taken tables at the New York event, which promises culture, food and festivities to raise funds for fearless creatives.

The Sarabande building and courtyard in north London. - Credit: Courtesy image

Courtesy image

There will be a surreal dinner experience with the tables dressed like beds, and monogrammed pillows for each guest, which will double as napkins.

There will also be a private viewing of art from Bound, the one-of-a-kind, hand-bound, limited-edition albums of sculptural works from the Sarabande artists.

The artwork explores paper, and its endless creative potential, while each book has been individually hand-bound and wrapped in hand-embroidered linen in the traditional Japanese Furoshiki style.

At the London dinner, the books cost 2,500 pounds, and in New York theyll cost roughly the same at $3,500.

Louis Vuitton, Alexander McQueen, Hermes and Versace were among the brands that took tables at the London event.

That event was hosted by the British actress Gwendoline Christie, with guests including Riz Ahmed, Harris Reed, Katie Grand, Sarah Burton and Harry Lambert.

Dinner was served on limited-edition plates designed by Sarabande artist Camilla Hanney. The night also featured an interactive performance by Sarabande artist Daisy May Collingridge and her 3D, wearable Squishy creations.

Best of WWD

Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, on Wednesday announced she will vote to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to sit on the Supreme Court.

The GOP moderate becomes the first Republican to support Jacksons groundbreaking nomination and all but seals her historic confirmation.

She possesses the experience, qualifications, and integrity to serve as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court, Collins said. I will, therefore, vote to confirm her.

Collins said she decided after meeting with Jackson a second time after four days of stormy Senate hearings last week.

Jackson could have won with the support of all 50 Democrats in the evenly divided Senate since Vice President Kamala Harris can cast a tie-breaking vote.

Collins support gives her a cushion in case of an unforeseen snag with any Democrats, all of whom voted to confirm her previously to an appeals court judgeship.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., has already committed to voting for Jackson, but fellow moderate Sen. Kirsten Sinema, D-Ariz., has not announced her decision.

Collins has a history of supporting Supreme Court nominees from presidents of both parties. She cast a controversial critical vote in favor of Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

The sometimes swing vote says she considers nominees based on their qualifications and temperament, not their ideological stances.

Besides Collins, two other GOP senators, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, are considering voting to install the first African-American woman on the court in its 233-year history.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., backed Jackson for her appeals court position but sparred with Jackson during her confirmation hearing and has suggested he will flip-flop and vote against her.

____
Former Springfield mayor and Vote417 vice president Bob Stephens speaks at a press conference Tuesday renouncing a political attack ad on Springfield school board candidate Charles Taylor.

A Springfield group formed to advance voter rights called a press conference Tuesday to publicly denounce a political attack ad involving the school board.

The ad paid for by the opaque Truth In Politics group supports candidates Kelly Byrne and Steve Makoski and makes false claims against incumbent Charles Taylor.

Former Springfield mayor Bob Stephens, vice president of Vote417, a political action committee, called on developer Curtis Jared  who leads the Truth In Politics group  to remove the 30-second ad that started running March 21 on KY3.

Stephens called on Byrne and Makoski to "condemn and repudiate" the ad, which is expected to air until the April 5 election.

The group paid nearly $30,000 for the KY3 spots but does not disclose how it raised the money.

"No one should want to win so badly that they resort to these tactics. The ad is not where Springfield needs to be on a political level," Stephens said. "It is not a good look for any campaign but especially a local race, where we all have to live together and work together and try to solve problems together."

Stephens said the ad takes several "ultra-conservative dog whistles"  such as critical race theory  and "puts them into one ad to appeal to a small group of bottom-dwellers."

He accused the group of "fear-mongering."

Jacob Brower, treasurer of Vote417, speaks at a press conference Tuesday renouncing a political attack ad on Springfield school board candidate Charles Taylor.

The News-Leader reached out to Jared, Byrne and Makoski. None responded by press time Tuesday.

In a statement issued late Tuesday, the Truth In Politics group said it stands by its ad and "will not back down to those afraid of the community learning the truth."

Asked about the ad last week, Makoski responded: "I would encourage others to remain focused on the true purpose of why I am running, to improve academic success for our children at SPS."

Byrne was more direct, saying the ad was in "very poor taste" and initially calling for it to be taken down, noting he did not appreciate the group using a family photo with his wife and two children.

Story continues

"This was not my commercial. I was not consulted. It does not represent the way I wish to run my campaign," Byrne said in the response last week. "I do not support this ad or its attempts to slander another candidate who I may not always agree with but I believe is a well-intentioned man volunteering to serve his community."

More: Campaign fundraising for SPS board exceeds $123K with one week to go

The ad alleges the district is "paralyzed by politics" and falsely claims Taylor, elected in 2016, "hijacks meetings so he can push critical race theories."

The ad juxtaposes stark images of Taylor against sunny stock images of children, in and out of classrooms, as a voice asks: "How does that solve the problem of Springfield students' ACT scores plummeting? It doesn't."

Vote417 leaders, from left, include Barry Rowell, Bob Stephens and Jacob Brower. They spoke Tuesday at a news conference about the school board race.

The Truth In Politics groups registered with the Missouri Secretary of State in late 2021, giving a Jefferson City address.

There are connections between Truth In Politics officials and the campaigns for Makoski and Byrne.

Byrne's campaign treasurer, Tyler Creach, has been the chief financial officer of Jared's company. Creach and Jared also started Alliance Capital Investors together.

Jared has also donated $2,000 to Byrne's campaign.

Makoski received $1,000 from James Nevins, who co-founded the Nevont company with Royce Reding, a Truth In Politics board member. Reding was previously connected with U.S. Rep. Billy Long, a Republican from Springfield.

Jacob Brower, secretary and treasurer of Vote417, said the group formed late last year to oppose voter suppression. The PAC intended to target most of its efforts during the August primary and November general election.

Brower said the PAC had not planned on getting involved in the school board race until the attack ad started running.

In Missouri, school board candidates are required by law to be nonpartisan.

"School board elections, school boards were kind of a safe haven from politics. It was people in the community, concerned citizens, who just came together because they wanted their children to have the best education possible," said Brower, who formerly worked as a journalist. "And within the last few years, what we've seen regarding the politicization of those races, it is very troubling."

Jacob Brower, treasurer of Vote417, speaks at a press conference Tuesday renouncing a political attack ad on Springfield School Board candidate Charles Taylor.

The Missouri Ethics Commission shows an active Truth In Politics group but it last filed a report in 2021, spending for billboards and door hangers in support of Brent Brown, who ran unsuccessfully for Springfield City Council.

This year, Brown donated $500 to Makoski's campaign.

Taylor, Byrne and Makoski are among five candidates  along with Chad Courtney and Brandi VanAntwerp  on the April 5 ballot.

At the Tuesday news conference, the Vote417 group issued its first endorsement. It will back Taylor in his re-election bid.

The group said they were moved by Taylor's stance against banning books and his six-year record on the board.

"The second thing that led us to get involved in this race is the $30,000 of dark money being used to attack Charles Taylor," Brower said. "There are just so many things here that do not add up."

Claudette Riley is the education reporter for the News-Leader. Email news tips to criley@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Voter rights group denounces political attack ad in SPS board race
Tourists take a selfie outside the Royal palace in central Stockholm, Sweden

ALI LORESTANI/Getty Images

Sweden will drop all COVID-19-related travel protocols next month, making it the latest destination to roll back pandemic-era rules.

Starting April 1, Sweden will welcome travelers from all over the world without the need to show proof of vaccination or get tested before arrival, according to the government. The decision comes after Sweden declared the virus is "no longer [to] be classified as a threat to public health and a danger to society" due to vaccinations and other measures.

"We have already lifted the entry ban within the EU. Now the Government has decided not to extend the entry ban from third countries," Minister for Justice and Home Affairs Morgan Johansson said in a statement. "This will make it much easier for everyone who has been prevented from coming to Sweden in recent years due to the pandemic."

Currently, travelers from the United States are allowed to enter Sweden, but they must show either proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their trip, according to the Swedish Police Authority.

The decision to drop entry protocols comes more than a month after Sweden removed pandemic-related rules on places like restaurants as well as dropped face mask requirements on crowded public transportation. Following that, Swedish airline SAS removed mask requirements on domestic flights and flights within Scandinavia but requires them on all other flights.

Sweden is currently averaging about 1,130 new infections each day, according to Reuters, a drop from January when the country topped more than 53,000 in a day. The country has also vaccinated just over 74% of its population, according to Johns Hopkins' Coronavirus Resource Center.

Sweden will become the latest country to drop all COVID-19-related travel restrictions, joining countries like Iceland, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, as well as Puerto Rico, which has eliminated all travel restrictions for domestic visitors.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
Fire department officials in Washington Township  where former President Donald Trump will speak to supporters Saturday night  are scrambling to ensure the safety of the event that could potentially draw thousands.

"I do not want to allow it," said Rob Schmelzer, the townships assistant fire chief and fire marshal. "I have nothing against the past president. This has to do with the venue."

Schmelzer and Washington Township Fire Chief Brian Tyrell said the rally falls outside the approved use of the Michigan Stars Sports Center space where the event will be held.

Tyrell said he is working with event organizers, Secret Service and the Macomb County Sheriffs Office, and added that off-duty officers will be on-site to provide fire protection and emergency medical services.

"Were still early in the planning, believe it or not, even though were only a few days out," he said. "This came upon us very quickly, and were just going to do our best to plan for the worst case scenario."

More: Trump putting his prestige on line with Macomb County rally

More: Donald Trump heading to Michigan to rally for GOP election deniers DePerno, Karamo

Trumps visit Saturday marks his first to Michigan since 2020 when he spoke in Grand Rapids on the eve of the election. He is coming to boost support for two Michigan candidates he has endorsed  Matt DePerno for attorney general and Kristina Karamo for secretary of state. The Michigan GOP will convene in late April to endorse candidates for statewide office ahead of this years November election.

DePerno and Karamo have both embraced Trumps lie that the election was stolen and their campaigns have divided Republicans on whether they are the best candidates to try to unseat the Democratic incumbents: Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

Schmelzer and Tyrell both said that they dont have a good picture of how many people will show up Saturday and whether the number attending might exceed a safe limit.

Story continues

Tyrell said that Schmelzer established a safe occupant load of 5,760 when Trump held a rally indoors at the same venue in 2018. That was above the normal occupancy limit based on the townships fire code. Tyrell cited "dividers and multipliers in the fire code" that look at the width of exits and allow for a larger capacity limit.

Schmelzer said hes not sure what the limit is this time because he said he hasnt seen a floor plan for Saturdays event. A one-time exemption was made for the last indoor Trump rally there but the building was never supposed to be used for an event like Saturday's, Schmelzer said.

Township Treasurer Mike Nicley said he spoke with a representative from the Secret Service last week who said that as many as 10,000 people are expected to attend Saturday's rally.

But without knowing exactly how many people will show up, Schmelzer said that he couldnt say whether the event will be safe.

Tyrell said he didnt want "to fear-monger or lead anyone to believe that the building is unsafe," but noted that the department is "just stretching" the capacity limit. "Clearly, a political rally or fundraiser, while exciting for the community, does not verbatim align with the approved use."

Schmelzer said that a citation could be issued to the buildings owner if the event exceeds the safe limit.

In an email, DePerno downplayed concerns about the event site, suggesting it was a "false narrative" contrived by Democrats in an effort to get the "fake news" to report on it.

The parking situation Saturday could also create challenges for those attending the rally.

Nicley said he was the lone vote against a Board of Trustees agreement Monday to allow those attending to park on township-owned farmland. At the end of the night, Nicley said, there's "going to be a mad dash" to get out that could leave drivers stuck in the mud, spinning their wheels. He also raised concerns that access for emergency crews might be impeded.

Nicley said he supports the event and plans to attend.

"This is just not the right venue," he said.

Staff writer Dave Boucher contributed to this report.

Clara Hendrickson fact-checks Michigan issues and politics as a corps member with Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support her work at bit.ly/freepRFA. Contact her at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on Twitter @clarajanehen.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trump rally in Michigan has fire officials scrambling
Submit An Obituary

Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death.

Go to form
Rolling Barrier Guardrail System was successfully installed for the first time on Nahan to the Kumarhatti section of NH 907A in Himachal Pradesh as a pilot project. This ingeniously engineered system will prevent fatal injuries, especially in the Hilly Areas.

In line with PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji's vision of zero tolerance towards road accidents, our government, by adopting world-class technology, is committed to making India's roads safer than ever, said Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.

A consultative committee of members of Parliament was held on March 24 with the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways to discuss various issues related to road safety.

Also read: Mumbai Police files over 2,000 FIRs in 20 days for wrong side driving

The committee members from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha expressed their concern over a large number of accidents and deaths on roads. It was emphasised that the number of road accidents and fatalities on roads across the country needs to be reduced through engineering, awareness, and measures of enforcement, the Union highway ministry said in a statement.

Rolling Barrier Guardrail System has been successfully installed on Nahan to Kumarhatti section of NH 907A in Himachal Pradesh as a pilot project. This ingeniously engineered system will prevent fatal injuries especially in the Hilly Areas. #PragatiKaHighway #GatiShakti pic.twitter.com/wnzu94xH7N  Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) March 28, 2022

Gadkari chaired the meeting where he asked regional officers and project directors of national highways to ensure appropriate road safety measures in ongoing projects.

Other major issues discussed during the meeting included rectification of black spots, the requirement of widening of roads, provision of ambulance and trauma care facilities on national highways, GPS to alert drivers, payment of compensation to the road accident victims, maintenance and repair of roads and need to impart driving training.

The minister emphasised that effective training of drivers is the need of the nation.

Gadkari appreciated the efforts of the Save Life Foundation for its initiative to create the zero fatality corridor on national highways.

The minister urged all the committee members to conduct regular meetings of the members of Parliament of the road safety committee in their districts with the district collector, police department, PWD, and other state agencies.

A detailed presentation on the setting up of the Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR), Regional Driving Training Centre (RDTC), Driving Training Centres (DTC) and Model Inspection & Certification Centres in the country was also made.

Gadkari asked all the members present in the meeting to send proposals for setting up driving training institutes in their constituencies.

Gadkari appreciated the efforts of the officials of his ministry and praised the work done by the NHAI, NHIDCL, TRW, and others towards road safety.

(With inputs from agencies)

Live TV

#mute
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, today (March 30) reached the Parliament House in Toyota Mirai, a Hydrogen based Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV). Gadkari emphasised the need to spread awareness about Hydrogen, FCEV technology and its benefits to support hydrogen-based society for India amidst the rising fuel prices in India.

While reaching the Parliament, Nitin Gadakri said, "India will soon become Green Hydrogen exporting country. In line with PM Shri Narendra Modijis vision of clean and cutting-edge mobility in India, our government, through National Hydrogen Mission is committed to focus on green and clean energy."

Union Minister Shri @nitin_gadkari ji visited Parliament House by Hydrogen based Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) today. Demonstrating the car powered by Green Hydrogen, Shri Gadkari ji emphasised the need to spread awareness about Hydrogen, FCEV technology... pic.twitter.com/NNHewczvpc  Office Of Nitin Gadkari (@OfficeOfNG) March 30, 2022

This move by Nitin Gadkari to promote Hydrogen as an alternate source of powering vehicles apart from electric energy for EVs and CNG is seen apt at a time when petrol prices have crossed Rs 100 mark in some cities like Delhi and Mumbai and are on a continous rise.

A few days earlier, Gadkari inaugurated a pilot project to test the viability of Hydrogen based advanced Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) vehicles in India. The pilot project will be conducted by Toyota along with International Center for Automotive Technology (ICAT) to study and evaluate the world's most advanced FCEV Toyota Mirai which runs on hydrogen.

Toyota Mirai has a Guiness Book of World Record on its name to run 1359 km on a single tank, making it the greenest car in the world. Toyota Mirai has an EPA-certified mileage of 650 km on a single tank. Hydrogen takes less time to refill and has zero tail pipe emission, just like Electric Vehicles.

Also read: World's most advanced Hydrogen car Toyota Mirai to run on Indian roads

The project is aimed at spreading awareness about Hydrogen, FCEV technology and disseminating its benefits to support hydrogen-based society for India. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Transportation powered by Green hydrogen is going to be a key technology option of the future with the significant application, especially across bigger cars, buses, trucks, ships and trains and best suited for medium to long distances.

With inputs from agencies

Live TV

#mute
Harley Davidson has been pushing forward to develop entry-level models to add to its range of motorcycles. A few years back, the automaker collaborated with a Chinese automaker Qianjiang, to develop mid-level platforms and engines. It is to be noted that the aforementioned Chinese company is also the parent company of Benelli.

Recently, one of the upcoming motorcycles from the American automaker has been spied going by the name Harley Davidson 338 R. This upcoming model is speculated to be the first model to be developed by this collaboration. In addition, the bike following the model in production has also been revealed in spy shots.

As per reports, the new motorcycle is undergoing tests before the launch. The motorcycle was revealed in a video by QJ Motor and got uploaded on a Chinese Website. Speculations are being made that these new spy shots are of the new 500cc motorcycle under work by the American automaker.

Also read: Highway in Himachal Pradesh gets Indias 1st Rolling Barrier Guardrail system

Looking at the picture, we can say that the new motorcycle has similarities with the Harley Davidson Roadster. The new bike gets a circular headlamp highlighted with silver bezels, a teardrop-shaped fuel tank. Moving forward, the bike is equipped with circular rearview mirrors and a long single-piece seat.

Since the bike is undergoing tests, it doesn't have a very clear Harley Davidson marking. However, the fuel tank does feature a logo resembling the automaker. In addition, the rear end features a number saying, "HD 500", which might be an indication of it being a 500cc Harley Davidson.

Taking a closer look at the bike, the effects of the partnership with the Benelli makers can be seen on the bike. It gets a steel trellis frame, upside-down forks for the suspension along a mono-shock at the rear-end, all showing similarities with Benelli motorcycles.

There is no information on the power source of the motorcycle. However, speculations are that it might get a 500cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine similar to the one on Leoncino 500. The engine will be mated with a 6-speed gearbox.

Source

Live TV

#mute
To modernize air traffic management, Boeing has developed a comprehensive 10-year roadmap for the Centre-run Airports Authority of India (AAI).

"The roadmap aims to drive operational excellence and offer enhanced air traffic capacity for our flying public, and improved navigation, communication and surveillance for our users, making Indian skies seamless and safer to operate in," AAI Chairman Sanjeev Kumar said.

The AAI manages the commercial traffic in the Indian airspace. It also runs more than 100 airports across the country.

Also read: IndiGo to resume international flights to 150 plus countries from April 2022

The project "to develop a comprehensive 10-year Communication, Navigation and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) modernisation roadmap" was undertaken with a grant from the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), Boeing said in a press release.

As part of the project, Boeing worked closely with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the airlines operating in India, airport operators and other airspace stakeholders, it added.

Boeing and the AAI had signed an agreement in 2019 to jointly develop the roadmap. "This is a proud moment for us at Boeing as we develop and present a comprehensive roadmap to AAI to be leveraged as national guidance in helping improve airspace utilization, and maintain safe and efficient aircraft operations," Ahmed Elsherbini, chief engineer, Boeing India, said.

(With inputs from PTI)

Live TV

#mute
The final trailer of the much awaited Top Gun: Maverick, starring Hollywood actor Tom Cruise was released recently, revealing the release date of the movie, which is set to hit the theatres globally on May 27. The movie is a sequel to 1986 Top Gun starring Tom Cruise as a young fighter jet pilot in the US Navy. He will revive the iconic role of Captain Pete Maverick Mitchell, wearing the armed forces uniform once again, now as a high-flying test pilot and instructor.

While he will be seen manoeuvring fighter jets like the F-18 and F-14 in the movie, what changes is the competition and enemy fighter jets. As seen in the trailer for a brief moment, Tom Cruise is seen dogfighting with a supposedly Sukhoi Su-57 (based on the frame design).

The new trailer for #TopGun is here. See you at the theater. pic.twitter.com/QTdfWNeTzc  Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) March 29, 2022

Sukhoi Su-57 is widely considered as the most advanced fighter jet in the world, although Russia hasnt shared this jet with any other country. The fifth-gen fighter jet competes with F-35 and F-22 Raptor from the US and the J20 Chengdu aircrafts.

Although Cruise was supposed to fly only F-18 Hornet jet in the movie, as pointed out by a Twitter user, he is flying the F-14 Tomcat in the scene where he is fighting with Su-57 Felon. Interestingly, the F-14 retired in 2006, while Su-57 took its maiden flight in 2010.

Also read: Ukraine's Antonov An-225 maker seeks public help rebuilding world's largest plane

Leaving that aside, the moviegoers will be up for a delight, watching close combat, high-speed action sequences of the worlds most advanced fighter jets. The trailer shows plenty of shots of Cruise's Maverick jetting across barren landscapes and over mountain ridges.

Not only this, Tom Cruise will ditch his old Kawasaki from the 1986 movie and will ride one of the fastest superbikes in the world  the Kawasaki Ninja H2R. He has been spotted having fun on the bike multiple times during the shoot of the movie and afterwards.

Live TV

#mute
Bihar Board 10th Result 2022: The Bihar Board Class 10th Results 2022 is likely to be declared today (March 30) by the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB). Bihar Board 10th Result 2022 will be announced on the BSEB's official website.

The results for the Bihar Board Class 10th will be released online at biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in.

Bihar Board 10th Result 2022: Date and Time

The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) is expected to announce the Bihar Board 10th Result 2022 today (March 30, 2022). The BSEB is likely to release the Bihar Board 10th Result 2022 around 3 PM.

BSEB Matric Result 2022: Sites to check 10th Results

The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) will declare the Bihar Board 10th Result 2022 on its official website. The Bihar Board Class 10th students can check their results at biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in. Students can also access Bihar Board 10th Result 2022 on the DigiLocker app.

BSEB (Bihar Board) Matric (Class 10) Result 2022: How to check Results

Once declared, Bihar Board Class 10th students can their results on BSEB's official website at biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in.

On the homepage, students need to click on the 'result' link.

Students then need to enter their details including their roll numbers.

Bihar Board Class 10th Result 2022 will appear on the screen.

Around 17 lakh students are said to have taken the Bihar Board Class X exams.

Live TV
New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) chief Tejasvi Surya on Wednesday (March 30) said the protests against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will continue till he issues an unconditional apology for mocking Kashmiri Pandits in the Delhi Assembly.

We held protest against the way Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal mocked and made fun of massacre of Kashmiri Pandits (in Vidhan Sabha). We demand unconditional apology from him and until he issues an apology our protests will continue, the BJP MP from Bengaluru South was quoted as saying by ANI.

During the protests led by Tejasvi Surya today near Kejriwal's residence at Civil Lines in Delhi, the members of the BJP's youth outfit attacked and damaged CCTV cameras as well as security barriers at the AAP convenor's residence, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged earlier.

Sisodia further claimed that the BJP wants to "kill" Kejriwal after the saffron party's poll defeat in Punjab. He added that they will lodge a formal complaint in this connection, PTI reported.

"As it could not defeat Arvind Kejriwal in the Punjab polls, the BJP now wants to kill him (hatya karna chahta hai). Today's attack on the chief minister's house shows that the BJP, with the help of police, wants to kill Kejriwal. We will lodge a formal complaint against this," Sisodia said.

The Delhi Deputy CM claimed that the"life-threatening attack" on Kejriwal was "properly planned".

BJP and AAP have been at loggerheads after Kejriwal had mocked BJP leaders in the Delhi Assembly last week. "They (BJP) are demanding that the movie be declared tax-free in Delhi. Upload it on YouTube, the movie will become free and everyone will be able to watch it," the Delhi CM had said.

The AAP leader had also said, "Some people are earning crores in the name of Kashmiri Pandits and you (BJP) have been sticking posters of the film."

BJP leaders had hit back at Kejriwal and accused him of mocking the pain of Kashmiri Pandits.

(With agency inputs)

Live TV
BJP workers dismantled barricades as they huddled outside Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal's house during a protest on Wednesday.

The protest was spearheaded by the Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha over the Chief Minister`s recent remarks in the Assembly on `The Kashmir Files` movie that were deemed as against the Kashmiri Pandit community among the saffron clans.

The protest, which was led by BJP Yuva Morcha`s national secretary Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga and its national president Tejasvi Surya, started around 10.30 a.m. from the IP College to the Chief Minister`s residence.

When the protesters reached the CM`s residence around 11.30 a.m., they started raising slogans against Kejriwal and his party. Around 1 p.m., some of the protesters breached the two barricades that were placed near the CM house and created ruckus there.

Confirming about the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sagar Singh Kalsi told IANS that the protesters who breached the barricades, "were carrying a small box of paint from which they threw paint outside the door".

"In the imbroglio, a boom barrier arm was also found vandalised as also a CCTV camera," Kalsi said.

The senior police officer further informed that the police team immediately removed them from the spot and detained around 70 persons. "Legal action is being initiated," he added.

Meanwhile, the AAP leaders are accusing the personnel of Delhi Police for their alleged inaction during the incident and alleged that the BJP was "trying to kill Arvind Kejriwal".

"CM Arvind Kejriwal`s HOUSE ATTACKED BY BJP! SECURITY BARRIERS BROKEN, CCTVs CAMERAS BROKEN, GATE VANDALISED, WITH FULL SUPPORT FROM BJP`S DELHI POLICE. Stunned by AAP`s victory in Punjab, is BJP trying to kill Arvind Kejriwal ji?," the party tweeted from its official handle.

AAP leader Raghav Chaddha alleged that the BJP was furious over their defeat in Punjab and have now come down to poor politics. "The attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ji`s residence by BJP goons is highly condemnable. In the presence of police, these goons broke barricades and CCTV cameras," Chaddha said.

BJPYM`s leaders -- Bagga and Surya -- alleged that Kejriwal should tender an apology for his comments against the Kashmiri Hindus.

"If asking for an apology on Kejriwal`s remarks on the genocide of Kashmiri Hindus is an anti-social activity, then yes we are an anti-social," Bagga wrote on Twitter.

The BJP was continuously demanding from the AAP government to make `The Kashmir Files` movie tax free in Delhi, however, Kejriwal, recently in the Assembly turned down all such requests and further asked the BJP to upload the movie on YouTube and spent the earned money on the welfare of Kashmiri Pandits. Furthermore, the Delhi chief minister also insinuated that `The Kashmir Files` is a "jhoothi" (not based on facts) film.

The Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKDP) took strong exception to the Chief Minister`s remarks and said that the `docudrama` (`The Kashmir Files`) is based on personal testimonies and meticulous documentation of the community records.

Pertinent to mention here that, in the past, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government had given the tax free status to several movies like `83` and `Saand Ki Aankh`.
New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) will be writing to education ministers of all states and union territories urging them to get the public-funded universities on board for adopting the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for undergraduate admissions, UGC Chairman Jagadesh Kumar said.

The UGC chief will also be meeting vice-chancellors from all state-funded universities on the issue and will address their queries about the exam. "I will be writing to education ministers of all states and UTs about the CUET. I will also be meeting VCs of all state-funded universities to encourage them to come on board for adopting the CUET for undergraduate admissions so more and more students can benefit with the parity and get a level playing field," Kumar told PTI.

To begin with, the UGC Chief met 25 vice-chancellors from universities in Gujarat. "We had a detailed discussion. They have expressed interest in coming on board. The universities will now be placing the issue before their statutory bodies like the Academic and Executive Council. If there are certain queries and concerns, we are ready to hold consultations and address them," he added.

Kumar had last week announced that CUET scores, and not Class XII scores, will be mandatory for admission to 45 central universities and the central universities can fix their minimum eligibility criteria. "I will be meeting next the vice-chancellors from Assam and Karnataka," he said. Kumar had on Tuesday told PTI that eight deemed-to-be universities including the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and Jamia Hamdard have also expressed a desire to use CUET scores to admit students to the undergraduate course and top private universities are in touch with the Commission to come on board for using CUET in their admission process.

The application process for the CUET for undergraduate courses in central universities will commence from April 2. According to NTA, the CUET will provide a single-window opportunity to students seeking admission in any central university across the country. The exam will be conducted in a Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode.

Live TV
Washington: The United States in a new travel advisory has urged its citizens to exercise "increased caution" while travelling to India and advised them to not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir and within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border. "Exercise increased caution in India due to crime and terrorism," the US State Department said in its latest travel advisory for India that decreases the risk of travel to India from Level 3 to Level 2. The last travel advisory issued by the United States was on January 25.

The State Department's travel advisory comes a day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 1 Travel Health Notice due to Covid-19, indicating a low level of Covid-19 in India. Both the advisories are indicative of the fact that the US considers that the situation in India is now returning to normal. However, its view on Jammu and Kashmir and the Indo-Pak border remains the same, where it is asking its citizens not to travel.

"Terrorist attacks and violent civil unrest are possible in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Avoid all travel to this union territory (with the exception of visits to the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh)," the advisory said. "Sporadic violence occurs particularly along the Line of Control (LoC) separating India and Pakistan, and in tourist destinations in the Kashmir Valley: Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam. The Indian government prohibits foreign tourists from visiting certain areas along the LoC," the State Department said.

India and Pakistan maintain a strong military presence on both sides of the border, it said, adding that the only official India-Pakistan border crossing point for persons who are not citizens of India or Pakistan is in the state of Punjab between Atari, India, and Wagah, Pakistan.

"The border crossing is usually open, but confirm the current status of the border crossing prior to commencing travel. A Pakistani visa is required to enter Pakistan. Only US citizens residing in India may apply for a Pakistani visa in India. Otherwise, apply for a Pakistani visa in your country of residence before travelling to India," it said.

Live TV
New Delhi: Dominated by the BA.2 Omicron sub-variant in recent weeks, the Covid-19 cases in Asia on Wednesday (March 30, 2022) crossed the 100-million mark.

The region, which is witnessing a resurgence in coronavirus infections, is reporting over 1 million new cases about every two days, according to a Reuters analysis. With more than half of the world's population, Asia now contributes 21% of all reported Covid-19 cases.

The highly contagious but less deadly BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron has pushed the figures to greater highs in the past few days in countries like South Korea, China and Vietnam. BA.2 reportedly now represents nearly 86% of all sequenced cases.

South Korea leads the world in the daily average number of new coronavirus infections reported, accounting for one in every four cases recorded globally each day, as per Reuters analysis. While the number of cases has levelled off since earlier in March, the country is still reporting over 300 deaths on average each day, with authorities ordering crematoriums nationwide to operate longer.

On the other hand, China is trying to fight its worst outbreak since the pandemic broke out two years ago. The rise in Covid-19 cases in Shanghai, fuelled by the BA.2 substrain, has prompted the financial hub to go into strict lockdown. The city on Monday moved into a two-staged lockdown of its 26 million residents and restricted movement through bridges and highways to contain the spread of the infections.

China, notably, has now seen over 45,000 new Covid-19 cases since the start of this year, a figure higher than it reported in all of 2021.

India, where coronavirus infections have been falling to their lowest in recent days, accounts for 43 million cases, more than the total in the next three worst-hit Asian countries of Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. The country of about 130 crore population has, however, reported fewer than 2,000 cases per day for the past 11 days versus its peak this year in January of over 3,00,000 infections on average per day.

Earlier this month, Asia had passed 1 million Covid-related deaths. There have now been 10,27,586 million Covid fatalities across the continent.

(With agency inputs)

Live TV
New Delhi: Slamming BJPs report on Birbhum violence, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday (March 30) that it will weaken and interfere with the ongoing CBI investigation into the incident.

Speaking to reporters in Darjeeling on BJP fact-finding panel's report, Banerjee said, "The BJP report on Bogtui killings will weaken and interfere with the probe. I condemn this attitude of the saffron party.

Terming BJP's interference "misuse of power", the TMC chief called for a fair probe by the CBI. "When an investigation is on there should not be any interference from any (political) party or any side. Investigation must be free and fair. Party interference at this moment is misuse and abuse of power which may distort the probe and people will lose their confidence in the investigation," PTI quoted Banerjee as saying.

Eight people were killed in the Bogtui village near Rampurhat on March 21, while one more succumbed to injuries a week later after a mob allegedly set houses on fire following the killing of TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh. Sheikh, also a local deputy president of Rampurhat village, was killed on March 21 by bike-borne assailants.

Banerjee lashed out at the saffron party and said the mention of TMC Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal's name in the report "clearly shows the vindictive attitude of the BJP". "They have mentioned my district president's name. This is biased and vindictive attitude. Without completion of probe, how can they name him? It shows they want him to get arrested. This is personal vendetta. They are hatching a conspiracy," the West Bengal CM alleged.

The five-member fact-finding committee of the BJP submitted its report to national party president JP Nadda on Wednesday. The committee comprised West Bengal state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, Rajya Sabha MP and former Uttar Pradesh DGP Brajlal, Lok Sabha MP and former Mumbai Police Commissioner Satya Pal Singh, Rajya Sabha MP, former IPS KC Ramamurty and BJP spokesperson and former IPS Bharati Ghosh.

Last week, the Calcutta High Court had ordered an independent CBI investigation into the Birbhum violence and directed the central agency to submit a report by April 7.

(With agency inputs)

Live TV
Embattled Pakistan PM Imran Khan will address the nation in a televised speech today, country's inetrior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said today. Khan's address comes hours after losing majority in Pakistan's Parliament. As per Pakistan media, PM Imran Khan will address the nation in the evening to take them into confidence over a foreign conspiracy letter aimed at toppling the incumbent government.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) got another shock as Muttahida Qaumi Movement - Pakistan (MQM-P), an ally of the PTI-led government, decided to join hands with the opposition to support them in the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan.

After this development, the government has lost its majority in the lower house of the Pakistan parliament and even in the no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, which is expected to take place on April 3, Geo TV reported.

Now, the Pakistani government has only 164 members in the parliament. The Pakistani National Assembly has a total strength of 342 members, with the majority mark being 172. The PTI-led coalition was formed with the support of 179 members, but now, after MQM-P left the party, PTI is standing with 164 members in support and the Opposition has now 177 members as supporters in the national assembly and they don't need the support of disgruntled PTI MNAs.
New Delhi: Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (March 30, 2022) attended the 5th BIMSTEC Summit and said that the recent developments in Europe have "raised questions about the stability of international order".

Seeking regional cooperation during the virtual summit, which is being hosted by Sri Lanka, the current BIMSTEC chair, Prime Minister Modi said that the time has come to make the Bay of Bengal the bridge of connectivity, prosperity and security.

"The recent developments in Europe have raised questions about the stability of the international order. In this context, it has become a greater priority to have regional cooperation. Today we are adopting the BIMSTEC charter to develop institution architecture for our group," he said.

"I call on all BIMSTEC nations to dedicate themselves to working with new enthusiasm to achieve the goals we achieved together in 1997," PM Modi added.

Speaking at the BIMSTEC Summit. https://t.co/6ffhno70HR  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 30, 2022

"With our region facing challenges of health and economic security, the need of the hour is unity and cooperation," PM Modi asserted.

He also stated that India will provide the BIMSTEC secretariat with 1 million US dollars to increase its operational budget.

"It is important to strengthen the capacity of (BIMSTEC) secretariat... I suggest the Secretary-General create a roadmap for the same," the Indian PM opined.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional multilateral organisation comprising seven Member States lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity. The members include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand.

Through the Bangkok Declaration, this sub-regional organization came into being on June 6, 1997. Initially, the economic bloc was formed with four member states with the acronym BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation). Following the inclusion of Myanmar on December 22, 1997, during a special Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, the Group was renamed BIMST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation).

With the admission of Nepal and Bhutan at the 6th ministerial meeting in February 2004, Thailand, the name of the group was changed to Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

Live TV
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (March 30) will attend the 5th BIMSTEC Summit, which is being held in virtual mode. The summit is being hosted by Sri Lanka, the current BIMSTEC chair.

To prepare for the Summit, meetings of BIMSTEC Senior Officials (SOM) took place on March 28 followed by meetings of the BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers (BMM) on March 29. The leaders are also expected to discuss the establishment of basic institutional structures and mechanisms for the group.

"The Covid pandemic related challenges, and the uncertainties within the international system that all BIMSTEC members are facing, imparts greater urgency to the goal of taking BIMSTEC technical and economic cooperation to the next level. This is expected to be the main subject of deliberations by Leaders at the Summit," the Ministry of External (MEA) said in a press release.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar, who on Monday concluded a "productive and congenial" BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting, tweeted, "Thank you FM Prof GL Peiris for the excellent arrangements."

Jaishankar participated in the 18th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting in Colombo and emphasized the grouping`s commitment to intensify and expand areas of cooperation especially connectivity, energy and maritime ties among the member countries.

What is BIMSTEC?

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional multilateral organisation comprising seven Member States lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity. The members include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand.

Through the Bangkok Declaration, this sub-regional organization came into being on June 6, 1997. Initially, the economic bloc was formed with four member states with the acronym BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation). Following the inclusion of Myanmar on December 22, 1997 during a special Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, the Group was renamed BIMST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation).

With the admission of Nepal and Bhutan at the 6th ministerial meeting in February 2004, Thailand, the name of the group was changed to Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), according to information available on the BIMSTEC's official website.

Live TV
EU Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific Gabriele Visentin who is in Delhi has said that war in Ukraine "does not reduce the resolution of the EU to act in the Indo-pacific". During his India visit, the envoy met Secretary West Sanjay Verma, Joint Secretary Indo Pacific Geetika Srivastava, Joint Secretary Sumit Seth, and envoys of all EU countries on the grouping's role in the region and the implication of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking to Zee Media's Sidhant Sibal, Visentin said, "price tag has been shown" for breaking of international order with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and what is seen is a "big neighbour attacking a smaller neighbour in an unprovoked way, not respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state." In February, France and the EU co-hosted a foreign ministers' meeting on the Indo Pacific.

Q: What is your key focus during the Delhi visit?

A: What brings me here is actually a step up in the relations with India in terms of involvement of India in terms of implementation of the EU strategy on the Indo-Pacific. So, my visit here is not only aimed at a political level, and a comparison of note on the current situation but also to implement the EU strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, both bilaterally and regionally.

Q: What is EU strategy on Indo Pacific, what is it all about?

A: The term Indo-Pacific, was born in India in 2007. It was first raised in the speech by PM Abe in front of the Indian Parliament. The notion of the Indo-Pacific was born in India. Already this is a great alignment, some people refer to the region as Asia-Pacific. We both refer to it as the Indo-Pacific. EU strategy for cooperation in Indo-Pacific aims at strengthening and reinforcing the current and ongoing cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. It is structured along 7 themes, all of which have very high importance to India. We have a theme that talks about economic development and trade, 2nd theme on climate change and the fight against its impact, 3rd, cooperation on security and defence, human security which is all about fighting against the pandemic, then ocean governance involving pollution and illegal fishing and illegal smuggling and law enforcement. Its overall strategy encompasses all possible fields of interest in the area and in India itself. The biggest is the chapter on connectivity. The real backbone of the strategy is connectivity and implementation of the connectivity chapter is really at the heart of our policy for India and the region.

Q: Any practical cooperation by the EU in the region?

A: It is a bit too early to identify concrete projects. We are still in the phase of agreeing on the terms of cooperation. The EU has specified its concept of connectivity, through a policy initiative called global gateways, published towards the end of the year. India is one of 2 countries with which the EU has a connectivity partnership. The implementation of the global gateway and connectivity partnership will pass through the identification of projects but we are aligned on the philosophy. The philosophy of the EU's way of connectivity and India's way of understanding connectivity is that projects should be based on their bankability or financial sustainability in the long term. It means that the financing will be a blend of public-private funds, involvement of financial institutions, and a mix of loans and grants. Connectivity must be in the interest of the recipient country and based on the long-term sustainability of debt. India, EU's idea of connectivity is that connectivity should create links and not dependency.

Q: Ukraine crisis has been the biggest worry; will it impact the EU's focus on Indo-Pacific?

A: This is not a crisis, this is a drama going on. For the first time in 75 years, war has touched European soil. This is something we all stood against and this paradoxically does not reduce the resolution of the EU to act in the Indo pacific. It enhances the EU's resolve to act worldwide. What is happening there resonates all over the world. What is seen there is a big neighbour attacking a smaller neighbour in an unprovoked way, not respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state. This is all in a total breach of the UN charter, the international rules-based order. Breach of the rules, we all gave to each other to live peacefully. We can't pretend nothing has happened. This is something that will reinforce our resolve to act even more in the Indo-Pacific and this has found attention from the Indian authorities during my talks.

Q: Do you see a Ukraine-like situation erupting in Asia, and if yes, what can the EU do?

A: For the time being nothing like that has happened and for the time being we have no signs that something like this can happen. Should this happen, anyhow the western world and western democracies, liberal democracies have shown that they can unite together to counteract this. The answer that EU and its member states, like-minded countries have given worldwide amid the Ukraine war is exemplary, what it means to breach the UN charter.

Q: You haven't taken the name of one country in Asia, but you have indicated bigger countries chipping away territory of smaller countries. How big is that worry for Europe?

A: It's not a worry, you need to be ready for whatever the future might bring. Actually, something on which we all agree, is to show the price tag of breaking the international rules-based order. I think the price tag has been shown. There are no worries or targets for anything but an indication of the fact that democracies can work, deliver and unite themselves when need be.

Q: What are your expectations from the Indian side of the Indo-Pacific? India has been the torchbearer of the vision.

A: I would not talk about expectation but joining force. India is the biggest democracy in the world, the biggest regional power, both military and economic - so it is not a matter of expectation but a matter of cooperation and joining forces. My presence here shows we want to engage more and more with India in order to really cooperate more in every possible aspect. There are tangible cooperation ideas, on connectivity, on defense undertaking EU military missions in the Indian ocean or fighting climate change, or capacity building on law enforcement that will promote multilateralism, for example UNCLOS. I would really like to stress, we found ourselves aligned on the will to cooperate more.

Q: Are you planning a big-ticket event, for example, the France event.

A: The Indo pacific meet was co-organized by EU and France, so it was an EU event as well. We consider it a major step toward integrating the EU with the Indo-Pacific. In Paris, we had all the ministers of the EU, plus more than 30 foreign ministers from the Indo-Pacific. They all got together and found ways to further the cooperation. This is important, and we do plan to continue this path and major events will be organized by the incoming presidency, we are in contact with the Czech, Swedish and Spanish presidencies so that IndoPacific remains the center of EU attention which has been an integral part of the bloc.

Live TV
New Delhi: After the UP Board Class 12 English paper was leaked leading to the exam being cancelled in as many as 24 districts on Wednesday (March 30), the Yogi Adityanath-led government has asked Special Task Force (STF) to probe the incident.

The exam was scheduled to be held today at 2 pm. As per IANS, the Uttar Pradesh government has also ordered the suspension of district inspector of schools (DIOS) with immediate effect.

Additional chief secretary (ACS) education, Aradhana Shukla assured that a proper investigation would be held and those found guilty would be punished. Further, she said a new date for the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Sikhsa Parishad exam would be announced soon.

Uttar Pradesh minister in charge of secondary education Gulab Devi said strict action will be taken against the guilty. "It appears that the English question paper of class 12 was leaked in Ballia. The matter is being looked into and strict action will be taken against the guilty, PTI quoted Devi as saying.

On Class 12 English exam being cancelled in only 24 districts, Gulab Devi said the leaked question paper was distributed only in 24 districts where the exam has been cancelled. "In the remaining 51 districts, the English exam is underway, she added.

As per reports, the paper was first leaked in Ballia and some students received the leaked question paper in their WhatsApp groups.

Meanwhile, taking a potshot at the Adityanath government, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav tweeted, "The BJP government is not allowing an examination to take place. The government should run a paper bulldozer over the paper mafia.

(With agency inputs)

Live TV
Srinagar: After 31 years trial has begun against Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate, a former terrorist, presently in jail in Srinagar session court.

Bitta Karate was an active terrorist in 90ties and had admitted to the killing of many Kashmiri Pandits during the 1990s.

The hearing in the case began after nearly 31 years following a plea by the family of Satish Tickoo, one of the victims.

Advocate Utsav Bains filed the criminal application on behalf of the family of victim Satish Kumar Tickoo in Srinagar Sessions Court for status reports of all the FIRs registered against Bitta Karate.

The court directed Utsav Bain, lawyer of Tickoo, to file a hard copy of the petition before April 16, when the next hearing is likely to be held.

Several Kashmiri Pandit families have demanded justice who migrated from the Valley in the 90ties after the release of the movie 'The Kashmir Files.

Two days back Jammu Kashmir Reconciliation Front President Dr Sandeep Mawa also burnt down an effigy of Farooq Ahmad Dar. Mawa also has set an ultimatum to the Government to establish a fact-finding committee to find out the exact scenes of killings by terrorists in Kashmir Valley. He said that if the government fails to do so by April 19, he will sit on hunger strike for ten days and further threatened self-immolation.

A Kashmiri Pandit organisation had also moved a curative petition in the Supreme Court seeking a probe either by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the mass murders and genocide of Kashmiri Pandits during 1989-90.

Live TV
New Delhi: Two terrorists, including a former journalist, have been killed in an encounter in the Srinagar district, Jammu and Kashmir Police informed on Wednesday (March 30, 2022) morning.

The slain terrorist, named Rayees Ah Bhat, was running an online news portal 'ValleyNews Service' in the Anantnag district.

He joined the terrorist ranks in August last year and was categorised as 'C' on the J&K police's list.

"Two FIRs are already registered against him for terror crimes," the police said.

#SrinagarEncounterUpdate: Killed terrorist (Rayees Ah Bhat) was earlier a journalist &was running online news portal 'ValleyNews Service' in Anantnag. Joined terrorist ranks in 8/2021 &was categorised 'C' in our list. 02 FIRs are already registered against him for terror crimes. https://t.co/60J86npozf  Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) March 30, 2022

The second slain terrorist was identified as Hilal Ah Rah, a resident of Anantnag district's Bijbehara. The police said that he is a 'C' categorised terrorist.

While Rayees is said to have gone missing on August 8, 2021, Rah went missing two months later on October 18.

#SrinagarEncounterUpdate: 2nd killed #terrorist has been #identified as Hilal Ah Rah of Bijbehara, a 'C' categorised terrorist. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice https://t.co/ouAvJYlivy  Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) March 30, 2022

Meanwhile, incriminating materials including arms and ammunition have been recovered from them and further investigation is underway.

It is notable that this year, as per the data given by the police, security forces have so far killed over 40 terrorists in 30 different encounters. As many as 26 active terrorists and 150 terrorist associates have also been arrested.

Live TV
Women staff posted as ministers' personal secretaries and assistant personal secretaries In Uttar Pradesh have been withdrawn, and ordered to go back to their parent cadre.

Citing practical constraints in working with women staff members, several ministers in the newly constituted Yogi Adityanath government in UP had reportedly requested the secretariat administration department to depute male personal secretaries and assistant personal secretaries, reports Shailvee Sharda. Principal secretary (secretariat administration) Amrit Abhijaat on Tuesday said ministers who had problems working with the female staff would be provided with alternatives.

The majority of the selected staff were given their postings on Sunday and Monday. Some women employees assigned to ministers, too, had expressed their unwillingness to take up their new assignments because of challenges like working for longer hours, travelling outstation and dealing with the public.

Earlier, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had approved a new system where the selection of the staff had been digitised and ministers were asked to choose from a list of candidates randomly sorted through a computer lottery undertaken by the Secretariat Administration Department.

This time no jugaad was possible in the matter of allocation of staff to the ministers. The personnel who have worked in this post for the last five years did not get a chance this time. This process was adopted with the aim of giving opportunities to new employees.

Live TV
New Delhi: Markets regulator Sebi on Wednesday came out with timelines for rebalancing of portfolios of mutual fund schemes in order to bring uniformity. Issuing a circular, the watchdog said the rebalancing period will be applicable in the event of deviation from mandated asset allocation mentioned in the Scheme Information Document (SID) due to passive breaches.

Passive breaches are generally that have not arisen due to omission and commission of Asset Management Companies (AMCs).

The mandated rebalancing period for all mutual fund schemes, except Index Funds and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) is 30 business days.

In case, the rebalancing is not done within the mandated timelines, justification in writing, including details of efforts taken to rebalance the portfolio should be placed before the investment committee concerned. The committee can extend the timelines up to 60 business days from the date of completion of mandated rebalancing period.

According to Sebi, if the portfolio of schemes is not rebalanced within the extended timelines, then the AMCs would not be permitted to launch any new scheme till the time the portfolio is rebalanced.

They would also be disallowed from levying exit load, if any, on the investors exiting such schemes.

AMCs are required to report the deviation to trustees concerned at each stage.

In case the AUM of deviated portfolio is more than 10 per cent of the AUM of main portfolio of scheme, Sebi said AMCs have to immediately disclose the same to the investors through SMS and e-mail/letter, including details of portfolio not rebalanced.

"AMCs shall also have to immediately communicate to investors through SMS and email/letter when the portfolio is rebalanced," the regulator said. Also Read: Apple introduces $50 million global upskilling fund; Indian employees to benefit soon

The norms would be applicable to main portfolio only and not to segregated portfolios, if any. They would come into effect from July 1, 2022. Also Read: Delhi HC expresses concern about Whatsapps data sharing policy

Live TV

#mute
Mumbai: Extending gains for a third day in a row, benchmark Sensex and Nifty on Wednesday rallied over 1 per cent to end at over six-week high levels on buying in RIL, Infosys, HDFC twins and ICICI Bank following gains in Asian equities amid hopes of a breakthrough in Russia-Ukraine peace talks.

The 30-share BSE Sensex surged by 740.34 points or 1.28 per cent to settle at over six-week high of 58,683.99, a day ahead of the derivatives expiry on Thursday. As many as 21 of Sensex stocks ended in green. During the day, it jumped 784.13 points or 1.35 per cent to 58,727.78.

The broader NSE Nifty climbed 172.95 points or 1 per cent to settle at 17,498.25, the highest closing level since February 10.

In the three-day rally, Sensex has soared 2.29 points or 1321 points while 50-issue Nifty has jumped 2 per cent or 345 points to close near the 17,500 level.

Among Sensex stocks, Bajaj Finserv was the biggest gainer, rising by 3.82 per cent. Mahindra & Mahindra, Bajaj Finance, Power Grid, HDFC, ICICI Bank, Nestle, Maruti, Reliance Industries Limited were among the lead gainers.

On the other hand, ITC, Tata Steel, Tech Mahindra, Bharti Airtel and Titan were among the laggards.

"High volatility prevailed in the global market, but peace talks between Russia and Ukraine gave hopes of de-escalation of the war, helping the domestic market to trade with confidence. The ease in crude oil and commodity prices supported the market as it will help corporates to reduce their margin pressure," Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services said.

Mitul Shah, Head of Research at Reliance Securities, also said that Russia-Ukraine peace talks have reinstated optimism among investors.

In the broader market, the BSE smallcap gauge jumped 1.09 per cent and midcap index climbed 0.78 per cent.

"Bulls were back in action ahead of the F&O expiry, which helped Sensex close above the crucial 58,000-mark. Investors cheered the reports that both Russia and Ukraine are engaged in peace talks, which is providing some stability to markets globally," Shrikant Chouhan, Head of Equity Research (Retail), Kotak Securities Ltd said.

Among sectoral indices, BSE Finance rose by 1.71 per cent, BSE realty by 1.49 per cent, BSE Bankex by 1.36 per cent, and industrials by 1.25 per cent.

Elsewhere in Asia, Seoul, Shanghai and Hong Kong settled with gains, while Tokyo ended lower. Stock exchanges in the US ended with gains on Tuesday.

European stock markets traded with losses in mid-day deals due to profit taking after a stellar rally.

Meanwhile, international oil benchmark Brent crude jumped 2.25 per cent to USD 112.7 per barrel.

Foreign portfolio investors turned buyers as they bought shares worth Rs 35.47 crore on Tuesday, according to stock exchange data.

Live TV

#mute
New Delhi: Abhishek Bachchan's upcoming release 'Dasvi' was filmed on location at Agra Central Jail. While shooting for the social comedy, the actor struck up a cordial relationship with a few of the inmates, even promising them an exclusive screening of the film.

A promise the inmates never thought would actually come true! The actor returned to the city to screen Dasvi for 2000 odd prisoners. The grand set-up saw senior officials welcome the cast and crew that included Abhishek as well as co-stars Yami Gautam, Nimrat Kaur and director Tushar Jalota.

Abhishek took to his social media and shared a heartfelt note. He wrote: "Last night I managed to fulfil a commitment I made a year ago. The first screening of our film #Dasvi held for the guards and inmates of Agra Central Jail. We shot the film here. Their reactions are memories I will remember and cherish for a lifetime."

Taking a nostalgic stroll around the jail, Abhishek reminisced on many memorable moments, excitedly showing some members of the media where he shot the Macha Macha song and other important scenes. And thats not all! Junior Bachchan is truly a soul with a golden heart, as he also donated an assortment of books for the inmates to enjoy at the library.

Sources close to the crew reveal that the inmates were humbled by the actors thoughtful gestures. They fell in love with the film too, especially going gaga over Abhisheks character Ganga Ram Chaudhary. The screening was filled with genuine warmth towards the entire Dasvi team.

They do say If you do good, good will be done to you, and if the buzz on social media is to go by, Abhishek and co. have quite a good winner on their hands with Dasvi.

Jio Studios & Dinesh Vijan present, Dasvi. A Maddock Films production, directed by Tushar Jalota, starring Abhishek Bachchan, Yami Gautam and Nimrat Kaur among others, produced by Dinesh Vijan and Bake My Cake Films, streaming on Netflix from April 7, 2022.
Washington: Will Smiths mother, Carolyn Smith, has addressed her sons behaviour at the 2022 Oscars, stating that shes just as surprised as the rest of the world. According to Variety, while speaking to a local Philadelphia news outlet, Carolyn shared that shes never seen her son lash out the way he did at the 94th Academy Awards, where he took to the stage and slapped Chris Rock.

Reacting to the incident, she said, "He is a very even, people person. That`s the first time I`ve ever seen him go off. First time in his lifetime...Ive never seen him do that."

Damn. So did Will Smith just punch Chris Rock for real? Here is a Japanese networks uncensored exchange between Will Smith and Chris Rock. #Oscars #WillSmith pic.twitter.com/fjqgypVdue  Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) March 28, 2022

The whole controversy erupted after comedian Rock joked about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head during this year's Oscars ceremony. Rock said he couldn't wait to see Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia, star in `G.I. Jane 2` which led Smith to go up on stage and slap Rock.

Smith returned to his seat and shouted, "Keep my wife`s name out of your fu--ing mouth!"

Smith was named best actor later in the evening. He used his time at the podium to apologise to the Academy and to his fellow nominees. He has also apologised to Chris by penning a lengthy post on Instagram.
New Delhi: The fans know that king of romance, Shah Rukh Khan is currently busy shooting for his comeback film 'Pathaan'. He was last seen in Aanand L Rai's Zero which was released in 2018 co-starring Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif.

SRK is shooting in Spain with leading lady Deepika Padukone and their on-set pictures surfaced on the internet a few days back. Needless to say, his 8-pack abs at 50 something sent fans into a tizzy. Now his latest set of photos donning long hair and posing with fans for selfies has hit social media again. Take a look here:

SRK and Deepika shot for a grand song sequence in Mallorca, a Balearic Island of Spain and later move to Cadiz and Jerez in Spain where they were reportedly scheduled to wrap up the schedule of Pathaan by March 27.

Yash Raj Films bankrolled Pathaan is directed by War fame filmmaker Siddharth Anand. Besides Shah Rukh and Deepika, the film stars John Abraham in the lead role. The makers released a teaser announcing the film and lead star cast.
New Delhi: After announcing her pregnancy, actress Sonam Kapoor and husband Anand Ahuja made their first public appearance at an event. The parents-to-be walked hand-in-hand and were all smiles as they happily posed for the shutterbugs. Anand shared the photos of the same on his Instagram and captioned his post, You dont need permission to build castles in the sky. Sonam, who is full of love for Anand, commenting on the post wrote, Youre so Hot and Obsessed with you.

Check out the post:

In the photo the couple is not wearing a mask. Though Sonam can be seen holding one in her hand. One user took to the comment section of the post to school the couple and asked them to take precautions and wear a mask. @ anandahuja and @ Sonam Kapoor wear mask u r pregnant so be careful, COVID s still around, commented a user.

To which Anand personally responded and wrote, yes she did! Just for the entrance she was without and then wore when she went inside

Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja announced pregnancy earlier this month in an adorable post featuring both of them. They captioned the post, "Four hands. To raise you the very best we can. Two hearts. That will beat in unison with yours, every step of the way. One family. Who will shower you with love and support. We can't wait to welcome you." They added the hashtags #everydayphenomenal and #comingthisfall2022.

On the work front, Sonam was last seen in the 2019 film The Zoya Factor, co-starring Dulquer Salmaan and Angad Bedi. She will next be seen in Shome Makhija's film Blind.
New Delhi: In what would give respite to lakhs of farmers, the government has extended eKYC deadline for few more months.

eKYC is MANDATORY for PMKISAN Registered Farmers. However, the deadline to complete eKYC for PM KISAN Beneficiaries has now been extended till 22 May 2022.

Deadline of eKYC for all the PMKISAN beneficiaries has been extended till 22nd May 2022, says the PM KISAN official website.

If you are looking to complete the PM-KISAN e-KYC process, you can check out the step by step process below.

- Visit the official PM Kisan website https://pmkisan.gov.in/

- In the right hand side, below the home page, you will see Farmers Corner

- There is a box just below Farmers Corner that mentions e-kyc

- Click the e-kyc

- A page will open that facilitates Aadhar Ekyc

- Now, you will have to enter your Aadhar number and then the Captcha code shown and click on the search button

- After that, you will have to enter your mobile number linked to your Aadhar card and click on Get OTP button

- The OTP will be sent to your registered mobile number

- Punch in the OTP and click on the Submit For Authentication button

- As soon as you click Submit For Auth button, your PM KISAN e-KYC will be successful

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme was launched by PM Modi in 2019. The Scheme aims to provide income support to all landholder farmer families across the country with cultivable land, subject to certain exclusions.

Under the Scheme, an amount of Rs 6000 per year is released in three 4-monthly instalments of Rs 2000 each directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. In a financial year, PM Kisan installment is credited thrice through --Period 1 from April-July; Period 2 from August to November; and Period 3 from December to March.

ln the beginning when the PM-KISAN Scheme was launched (February, 2019), its benefits were admissible only to Small & marginal Farmers' families, with combined landholding upto 2 hectare. The Scheme was later on revised in June 2019 and extended to all farmer families irrespective of the size of their landholdings.
New Delhi: Apple on Wednesday (March 30) announced a $50 million Supplier Employee Development Fund to work with its supply partners in various countries such as India, the US, China and Vietnam to deliver best-in-class content to people across the supply chain.

The fund will aim to expand access to learning opportunities and skill development in India, along with other supply chain hubs like the US, China and Vietnam, the tech giant said.

As part of the initiative, Apple is expected to train tens of thousands of employees across India. Eligible workers can participate in programmes through the global fund over the course of the next year.

Further, Apple will scale this programme to more supplier employees in India and around the world, IANS reported.

"We put people first in everything that we do, and we`re proud to announce a new commitment to accelerate our progress and provide even more opportunities for people across our supply chain," said Sarah Chandler, Apple`s senior director of Environment and Supply Chain Innovation.

"Together with rights advocates and education leaders, we are continuing to drive new innovation to support people and the planet," Chandler added.

Foxconn and Wistron are the two of Apples contract manufacturers in India. The companies are helping Apple assemble its smartphones in India, including the flagship iPhone 13 in the country.

According to Sabih Khan, in-charge of Apple`s global supply chain, more than 175 of their suppliers have committed to using 100 per cent renewable energy for their Apple production.

"We`ve diverted more than 2 million tonnes of waste from landfills since 2015, and saved more than 50 billion gallons of freshwater since 2013," Khan informed in a letter. Also Read: Stocks rally for 3rd day as Russia Ukraine talks raise hopes of de-escalation of war

"We`ve supported more than 60 organisations -- including human rights and environmental defenders -- in our work to empower local voices, support community leaders, and ensure people across our supply chain are treated with dignity and respect," he added. Also Read: Delhi HC expresses concern about Whatsapps data sharing policy

Live TV

#mute
New Delhi: The government rejected an application for the import of refurbished Apple iPhone and iPads as it will expedite e-waste generation in the country, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar in a written reply to the Lok Sabha said that under the Foreign Trade Policy, 2015-20, import of refurbished or re-conditioned spares of refurbished parts of personal computers, laptops is restricted and refurbished or re-conditioned spares of capital goods is free.

In response to question whether the government has denied permission for import of used Apple iPhone and iPads which are sold as Apple Certified and pre-owned after repair by the original equipment manufacturer, Chandrasekhar said, "Yes, Sir."

An application from M/s Apple India Limited was received in the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in April, 2015 seeking permission for import of used Apple I-Phone and I-pads which are sold as Apple Certified and Pre-owned after repair by the original equipment manufacturer."

He said that the matter was discussed in the Technical Review Committee in its 37th meeting held during June, 2015 which deliberated upon the proposal with respect to Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008.

The Committee so far has not recommended import of old consumer electronic items like mobile, lap-tops, televisions etc for the purpose of trading. The Committee noted that the items proposed to be imported are known to have short functional life and are prone to become obsolete in a short period of time. Also Read: Petrol, diesel prices to witness another hike tomorrow; check latest fuel rates

"Therefore, generation of e-waste would become quicker in the country. The Committee therefore, did not recommend import of such items for trading purpose," Chandrasekhar said. Also Read: PAN card to become inoperative after March 2023 if not linked to Aadhaar card, says CBDT

Live TV

#mute
New Delhi: President Joe Biden on Wednesday (March 30, 2022) signed a bill into law to make lynching a federal hate crime in the US, more than 100 years after such legislation was first proposed.

"I just signed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law  making lynching a federal hate crime for the first time in American history," Biden tweeted.

I just signed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law  making lynching a federal hate crime for the first time in American history.  President Biden (@POTUS) March 29, 2022

The Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act is named after the Black teenager whose killing in Mississippi in 1955 had become a galvanising moment in the civil rights era.

"Over the years, several federal hate crime laws were enacted, including one I signed last year to combat COVID-19 hate crimes. But no federal law  no federal law expressly prohibited lynching. None. Until today," Biden said.

"Lynching was pure terror to enforce the lie that not everyone  not everyone belongs in America and not everyone is created equal; terror to systematically undermine hard  hard-fought civil rights; terror not just in the dark of the night but in broad daylight," he stated.

This afternoon, Im signing the Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law. https://t.co/JonhvqASWk  President Biden (@POTUS) March 29, 2022

The new law makes it possible to prosecute a crime as a lynching when a conspiracy to commit a hate crime leads to death or serious bodily injury. The law lays out a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and fines.

Congress first considered anti-lynching legislation more than 120 years ago and had failed to pass such legislation nearly 200 times, beginning with a bill introduced in 1900 by North Carolina Rep George Henry White, the only Black member of Congress at the time.

(With agency inputs)
Beijing: Hosting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the first high level Russian official to visit Beijing after the Ukraine war, China on Wednesday said "cooperation" between the two allies has no "ceiling" to resist "hegemony".

Lavrov arrived in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, for the third meeting of foreign ministers of the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan, Russia's official news agency Tass reported on Wednesday.

"There is no ceiling for China-Russia cooperation, no ceiling for us to strive for peace, no ceiling for us to safeguard security and no ceiling for us to oppose hegemony," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here when asked to describe the limits of China-Russia relations.

Commenting on the most recent round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey's Istanbul, Wang Wenbin noted "positive signals" demonstrated by both parties.

"We have always believed that a dialogue and negotiations are the only correct way to achieve the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis," he said.

Asked by a reporter from Russia's official Tass news agency whether China as the permanent member of the UN Security Council can be a guarantor for any agreement between Russia and Ukraine, Wang Wenbin said China encourages all sides for peaceful resolution of the crisis.

"We support all diplomatic efforts towards that end," he said.

Later, Lavrov in his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Russia is interested in building relations with China in a stable and consistent manner.

"We are interested in our relations with China developing steadily and consistently, our leaders - President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of China Xi Jinping agreed upon this. Today, as you have said, we will consider concrete steps to ensure that all those agreements are consistently implemented," the top Russian diplomat stated.

Putin and Xi met here in February on the sidelines of the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games where they firmed up their strategic alliance against the US and its alliance.

"I am very pleased to talk to you, dear friend, especially in another beautiful province. I have already visited many provinces of China, and all of them are truly exquisite," Lavrov told Wang Yi as they met in Tunxi, Tass reported.

Wang Yi told Lavrov that China-Russia ties have stood the new test of a changing international landscape and the relationship has maintained its correct direction and shown strong resilience.

"Both sides have a firmer will to develop bilateral relations, and stronger confidence to advance cooperation in various areas," Wang said.

China is willing to work with Russia to push the relationship to a higher level in the new era, guided by the important consensus between the two heads of state, Wang said, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Lavrov informed the Chinese side of the Russia-Ukraine talks, saying Russia is committed to easing the tensions, continuing peace talks with Ukraine, and maintaining communication with the international community.

Noting that the Ukraine issue has a complicated history, Wang said China supports Russia and Ukraine in overcoming difficulties to continue their peace talks, supports the positive outcomes achieved in the negotiations so far, and supports the deescalation of the tensions as soon as possible and the efforts of Russia and other parties to avoid a large-scale humanitarian crisis.

From a long-term perspective, lessons should be taken from the Ukraine crisis, and all parties' legitimate security concerns should be responded to on the basis of mutual respect and indivisible security, he said.

He called for establishing a balanced, effective and sustainable European security structure through dialogue and negotiation in order to realise lasting peace in Europe.

The two sides also exchanged views on other multilateral affairs such as the Asia-Pacific situation and the BRICS mechanism.

While the purpose of Lavrov's visit to China is to take part in the meeting on the Foreign Ministers of the neighbouring countries on Afghanistan, significance is attached to his visit as Beijing, a close ally of Moscow, has backed Russia's war on Ukraine even though it walked a fine-line calling for peaceful resolution while highlighting Russia's security concerns relating to NATO expansion.

This is the first visit by a top Russian official to China after Moscow launched a war on Ukraine on February 24.

Significantly, the US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns will be attending the troika meeting of the special envoys of China, Russia and the US of Afghanistan being held on the sidelines.

It is not clear yet whether Burns will be meeting Lavrov.

The troika meeting will be held on the sidelines of the third meeting of the foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries being held on Wednesday and Thursday.

Wang Yi will chair the meeting to be attended by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan or their representatives.

Live TV
Islamabad (Pakistan): Amid the political chaos, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) got another shock as Muttahida Qaumi Movement - Pakistan (MQM-P), an ally of the PTI-led government, decided to join hands with the opposition to support them in the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan.

After this development, the government has lost its majority in the lower house of the Pakistan parliament and even in the no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, which is expected to take place on April 3, Geo TV reported.

Now, the Pakistani government has only 164 members in the parliament. The Pakistani National Assembly has a total strength of 342 members, with the majority mark being 172. The PTI-led coalition was formed with the support of 179 members, but now, after MQM-P left the party, PTI is standing with 164 members in support and the Opposition has now 177 members as supporters in the national assembly and they don't need the support of disgruntled PTI MNAs.

The MQM-P's decision to support the Opposition came after both sides signed a draft prepared by Administrator Karachi Murtaza Wahab. The signatories also include the leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and Pakistan People's Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, according to Geo TV citing sources. MQM-P leader Faisal Subzwari confirmed the report about MQM-P siding with the opposition and tweeted, "The agreement between the joint Opposition and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan has been finalized." "After the ratification of the proposed agreement by the PPP CEC (Central Executive Committee of PPP), MQM-Pakistan Coordinating Committee, the details will be revealed before the media tomorrow at 4 pm," he added.

In a statement, an MQM-P spokesperson also confirmed the party's Rabta Committee would meet at their Bahadurabad office, at 2 pm today, where the draft would be presented for ratification. PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also confirmed the news on Twitter and said, "Rabta committee MQM and PPP CEC will ratify the said agreement. We will then share details with the media in a press conference tomorrow IA. Congratulations Pakistan."

Reacting to the above development, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill swiped at MQM-P and said, "Middle-class parties do not make decisions in the middle of the night. Such work is done by the elite. But if you watch N-League TV, they are breathing a sigh of relief right now."

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, MQM-P in a bid to put pressure on the ruling party has asked the government to fulfil three demands: ensure the safe recovery of over 100 of its missing workers, reopen their sealed offices and remove false and baseless cases against the party leaders and workers. Moreover, MQM-P leader Waseem Akhtar said that if the slot of Punjab Chief Minister can be offered to a party (PML-Q) with just five seats in the National Assembly, then MQM-P has seven members, reported the News International.

After the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan was tabled in the National Assembly with a total of 161 votes in favour, the proceedings were adjourned till March 31. The no-confidence motion was submitted by the Opposition parties on March 8. The Opposition has been confident that its motion would be carried as many PTI lawmakers have come out in the open against PM Imran Khan.

Live TV
Washington: Highlighting that Russian forces have moved away from Ukraine's capital Kyiv "in the last day or so," Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby on Tuesday (local time) said that he believes this is a "repositioning", not a "real withdrawal"."Has there been some movement by some Russian units away from Kyiv in the last day or so? "Yeah. We think so. Small numbers," said Kirby during a briefing. "But we believe that this is a repositioning, not a real withdrawal, and that we all should be prepared to watch for a major offensive against other areas of Ukraine," he added.

Kirby spoke several hours after a member of the Russian negotiating team announced that the Ministry of Defense had decided "to radically, at times, reduce military activity in the city of Kyiv and Chernikyiv direction."The Russian defense ministry said it was withdrawing forces as "a good faith" measure in the talks. However, Kirby said the move coincided with the Russian military's lack of success in its moves on the two northern cities. "Russia has failed in its objective of capturing Kyiv. It's failed in its objective of subjugating Ukraine. But they can still inflict massive brutality on the country," he added.

Pentagon press secretary's remarks come a day after a US senior defense official told reporters that Russian troops are "making really no efforts on the ground to advance on the city," and days earlier, the same official said the Russians were now "prioritizing the Donbas" region. The Pentagon's latest assessment is in line with the White House, where communications director Kate Bedingfield described the moves around Kyiv as a "redeployment" and not an outright "withdrawal."

"Everyone should expect that we're going to continue to see attacks across Ukraine," Bedingfield said."Obviously, a key message that the president delivered on his trip to Europe last week was that we are in for a long slog, that our allies and partners need to remain, that our resolve needs to remain strong, and that we need to continue to execute on the strategy of inflicting significant costs on the Russian economy, and again, strengthening Ukraine on the battlefields and at the negotiating table," Bedingfield added.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia cannot be trusted. He said it was Ukrainian troops who forced Russia's hand, adding that "we shouldn't let down our guard" because the invading army still "has a great potential to continue attacks against our country."

Ukraine will continue negotiations, he said, but officials do not trust the word of the country that continues "fighting to destroy us."US President Joe Biden, asked whether the Russian announcement was a sign of progress in the talks or an attempt by Moscow to buy time to continue its assault, said, "We'll see. I don't read anything into it until I see what their actions are."

On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. In response to Russia's operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow.

Live TV
New Delhi: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday (March 29, 2022) reacted to Russia's promise to scale down its military operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv and said that Ukrainians are not 'naive'.

The statement came hours after talks between Moscow and Kyiv took place in Istanbul where Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin made the promise.

"In order to increase mutual trust and create the necessary conditions for further negotiations and achieving the ultimate goal of agreeing and signing (an) agreement, a decision was made to radically, by a large margin, reduce military activity in the Kyiv and Chernihiv directions," Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin told reporters.

He, however, made no mention of other areas that have seen heavy fighting, including around Mariupol in the southeast, Sumy and Kharkiv in the east and Kherson and Mykolaiv in the south.

"Ukrainians are not naive people," Zelenskiy reacted.

"Ukrainians have already learned during these 34 days of the invasion, and over the past eight years of the war in Donbass, that the only thing they can trust is a concrete result," he added.

The general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said that Russia's promise to curtail military operations in some areas was "probably a rotation of individual units and aims to mislead."

According to the US, Russia has started moving very small numbers of troops away from positions around Kyiv in a move that is more of a repositioning than a retreat or a withdrawal from the war.

Britain has said that it is "highly likely" that Russia will seek to divert combat power from the north to their offensive in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east.

It's now been more than a month into the largest attack on a European nation since World War Two that has killed and injured thousands, Vladimir Putin's troops began the attack on February 24 and it has so far forced nearly 4 million to flee abroad.

(With agency inputs)

Live TV
New Delhi: The US Congress has submitted a resolution seeking the designation of April 14 as National Sikh Day, a move, which has made the members of the Sikh community residing there, euphoric.

Resolution 1007 was submitted by the US Congress in its second session on March 28 by prominent congressmen including the members of the American Sikh congressional committee.



Ms. Scanlon (for herself, Ms. Bass, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Meuser, Mr. Swalwell, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Norcross, Mr. Kim of New Jersey, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Neal, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Valadao) submitted the resolution, which was further sponsored by Mary Gay Scanlon (PA), and cosponsored by Karen Bass (CA); Paul Tonko (NY); Brian K. Fitzpatrick (PA); Daniel Meuser (PA); Eric Swalwell (CA); Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL); Donald Norcross (NJ); Andy Kim (NJ); John Garamendi (CA); Richard E. Neal (MA); Brendan F. Boyle (PA); David G. Valadao (CA) and Committee on Oversight and Reform (Standing).

The resolution, while recognizing the contributions of the Sikh community, which originated in Punjab, India, and began migrating to the United States over 100 years ago, recognizes Sikhism as the worlds fifth-largest religion with nearly 30,000,000 adherents, roughly 1,000,000 of whom call the United States home. It also acknowledges the important role played by the Sikh community in developing the United States.



April 14 has been chosen as National Sikh Day as it is the day when Sikhs, the world over, celebrate Vaisakhi, the harvest festival of Punjab, the state of their origin in India, and the day marking the founding of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Master.

Sikhs celebrate Vaisakhi on the first day of the month of Vaisakh in the Sikh calendar, which typically falls on April 14; Whereas Vaisakhi is a special occasion in which Sikhs remember the founding in 1699 of the Order of Khalsa, a fellowship of devout saint-soldier Sikhs, by the 10th Sikh Guru to fight tyranny and oppression, which played an important role in shaping the religions history and identity; and Whereas it is altogether fitting and proper to celebrate the day of Vaisakhi alongside Sikhs throughout the world, says the resolution.



The development has been hailed by the members of the Sikh community in the US. The American Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (AGPC) has thanked the congressmen for introducing the resolution. Pritpal Singh, Coordinator, AGPC, said that this will go a long way in not only helping generate awareness about Sikh culture and customs in the US, but will also help bring down the spate of hate crimes against Sikhs, which largely transpired in the aftermath of 9/11 incident with Sikhs being mistaken for Arabs, which also resulted in attacks on Gurudwaras, the Sikh places of worship, in the US.

Appreciating the Sikh communitys role in the US, the Congressmen said the people of the United States feel obliged to honour the Sikh communitys important contributions in supporting and enriching the social fabric of the nation. Harpreet Singh an executive director of Sikh caucus committee says, I am glad that United States of America understands the importance of recognizing the communities living here and their contributions towards the growth of the state. Himat Singh and Harjinder Singh from Sikh co-ordination committee and Jugraj Singh, a prominent Sikh activist, said the resolution itself recognises the distinct identity of the Sikhs in the US.



Live TV
Washington: US President Joe Biden has announced that he will host a special summit of the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian countries here this spring, indicating the importance he attaches to his Indo-Pacific policy amidst China's aggressive moves in the strategically vital region.

Biden made the announcement during a joint news conference with the visiting Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the White House on Tuesday.

"As we look toward the future, Prime Minister Lee and I share a commitment to ASEAN and its centrality in all of what we do. And I'm looking forward to hosting the ASEAN leaders here in Washington, DC for a special summit this spring," Biden told reporters.

The exact dates of the special summit have not been announced yet, but it is expected to be held soon.

Biden did not give any other details about the special summit, but the announcement during his meeting with Prime Minister Lee reflects the significance he attaches to his Indo-Pacific policy.

Singapore and the United States are both committed to freedom of navigation as well as the unimpeded flow of maritime commerce in the South China Sea, Biden said.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, established in 1967, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee welcomed the decision.

"We welcome his intention to host an ASEAN-US special summit here soon. It's a strong affirmation of American commitment to Southeast Asia and to ASEAN centrality. The President and I discussed the importance of the US growing both its strategic and economic stakes in the Asia Pacific," Lee said.

Biden said the US and Singapore are working to uphold a rules-based international order supporting the founding principles of the United Nations and advance a future for the Indo-Pacific that is both free and open.

"We also discussed a wide range of concerns for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. That includes ensuring that all nations in the region, including China, uphold the principles that enable a free and open region. Singapore and the United States are both committed to freedom of navigation as well as an unimpeded flow of maritime commerce in the South China Sea," he said, amidst China's aggressive actions in the region.

Beijing claims almost all of the 1.3 million square mile South China Sea as its sovereign territory. China has been building military bases on artificial islands in the region also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Beijing has impeded commercial activity like fishing or mineral exploration by countries like Vietnam and the Philippines, claiming that the ownership of territory belonged to China for hundreds of years. The vast region is rich in fish stocks and undersea minerals. It has key sea lanes through which nearly USD 5 trillion in global trade travels annually.

Singapore is the second largest Asian investor in the US, and the US is the largest investor in Singapore. Singapore's investments in the US and US exports to Singapore support over a quarter million American jobs. On the defence front, Singapore is a major security cooperation partner of the US, in fact, the only country with this status, he said.

Lee said it is important to advance a positive economic agenda that's open, inclusive, up to date, and flexible. "We therefore welcome America's proposed Indo-Pacific economic framework which will strengthen America's engagement in the evolving, regional, economic architecture. I discussed with the President his recent visit to Europe and the ongoing crisis in Ukraine," he said.

Live TV
New Delhi: US President Joe Biden on Wednesday (March 30, 2022) signed into law to make lynching a hate crime in the country, after the Senate passed the bill earlier this month.

"Over the years, several federal hate crime laws were enacted, including one I signed last year to combat Covid-19 hate crimes. But no federal law  no federal law expressly prohibited lynching. None. Until today," Biden said.

I just signed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law  making lynching a federal hate crime for the first time in American history.  President Biden (@POTUS) March 29, 2022

"Lynching was pure terror to enforce the lie that not everyone  not everyone belongs in America and not everyone is created equal; terror to systematically undermine hard  hard-fought civil rights; terror not just in the dark of the night but in broad daylight," he stated.

This afternoon, Im signing the Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law. https://t.co/JonhvqASWk  President Biden (@POTUS) March 29, 2022

What is Emmett Till Antilynching Act, which makes lynching a hate crime in US?

The Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act is named after a 14-year-old Black boy who was brutally killed in Mississippi in 1955. The law makes it possible to prosecute a crime as a lynching when a conspiracy to commit a hate crime leads to death or serious bodily injury. It also lays out a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and fines.

The bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent and the House of Representatives by a vote of 422-3.

Congress, notably, had first considered anti-lynching legislation more than 120 years ago and had failed to pass such legislation nearly 200 times, beginning with a bill introduced in 1900 by North Carolina Rep George Henry White, the only Black member of Congress at the time.

However, the murder of Till and an all-white jury's dismissal of charges against two white men who later confessed to his killing drew national attention to the atrocities and violence that African Americans face in the United States and became a civil rights rallying cry.

(With agency inputs)
??? Premier Anibal Torres coordina con diversos sectores para la reunion del Acuerdo Nacional de este sabado 26https://t.co/jcBXCtcBvC
Gracias al gobierno regional de Puno por compartir ideas para aumentar exportaciones de quinua y cafe a los ????, asi como turismo e investigacion en la region. Coincidimos tambien en la importancia del cuidado del lago Titicaca y el empoderamiento de poblaciones vulnerables. pic.twitter.com/7WvXNnXANc
" " Despite that fearsome visage, there have been only 10 documented attacks on humans by lemon sharks  and none were fatal. Jim Abernethy/Barcroft Media/Getty Images

The silhouette of a massive shark lurking below the ocean's surface doesn't exactly conjure up images of a laid-back creature that prefers to chill with its posse. But research shows there's a yellow-hued giant  the lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris)  who isn't a fan of aggression and seems to have quite the social life.

Lemon sharks hang out in subtropical, coastal waters and can grow up to 10 feet (3 meters), weigh up to 551 pounds (250 kilograms) and live to be up to 30 years old. Besides sporting an unusual skin color for a shark, they're recognizable by their short, blunt snout and two similar-sized triangular fins on their back, positioned behind the pectoral fin.

Advertisement

Why Are They Yellow?

Lemon sharks aren't necessarily as brightly colored as their name suggests, but their yellowish-brown hue is still noticeable  and quite valuable to this shark in terms of survival. The color helps the sharks blend in with the sandy seafloor, making it a whole lot easier to catch their next meal.

What's on Their Dinner Menu?

Lemon sharks mostly chow down on bony fish, crustaceans and an occasional seabird, but they're also part of the 1 percent of fish that practice cannibalism  large adult lemon sharks are known to eat smaller lemon sharks or babies.

We humans may not be on their dinner menu, but in some areas, they're on ours. Lemon sharks are hunted commercially and recreationally, and their fins are sold for shark fin soup  an often illegal delicacy  and their skin is sold for leather.

" " A lemon shark swims in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Grand Bahama Island. Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild/Getty Images

Are Lemon Sharks Dangerous?

Given their penchant for subtropical shallow water, they're in frequent proximity to swimmers, surfers and divers. But according to the International Shark Attack File, there have been only 10 attacks ever documented on humans by lemon sharks  and none were fatal. While they do seem a bit like the Casper the Friendly Ghost of the sea, it's important to remember lemon sharks are predators near the top of the ocean food chain and could still bite when they themselves get spooked.

They Enjoy Social Gatherings

They don't exactly get together for a night out on the town, but there's growing evidence that many sharks  the lemon shark included  are quite social and hang out in groups. "Juvenile lemon sharks do show evidence of being social, both in captive and wild settings. This is most likely defensive and increases their chance of seeing an incoming predator. However there may be other advantages as well. The adults appear to be less social, but again there do appear to be times (and locations), where they form groups," explains Yannis Papastamatiou, Florida International University associate professor in biology, in an email interview.

Advertisement

Where Do Lemon Sharks Live?

The lemon shark is found in subtropical shallow water in depths up to 300 feet (90 meters). And they can be found over quite a large area, extending from the coast of New Jersey in the U.S. to Southern Brazil, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, and along Senegal and the Ivory Coast of Africa in the eastern Atlantic. They also live in the Northern Pacific, stretching from the Gulf of California and Baja California all the way south to Ecuador.

When migrating, they head out to oceanic waters, but tend to stay close to the coast. They're also sometimes enter freshwater, but don't worry, they can't stay there for long.

Researchers Love Them

Lemon sharks do well in captivity and play a big role in helping scientists understand sharks as a species. According to Florida International University distinguished postdoc fellow Diego Cardenosa, in an email interview, the abundant research can be attributed to "the late Dr. Samuel Gruber, who studied lemon sharks in Bimini, Bahamas for decades. Dr. Gruber built a research station in Bimini in the early 1990s  and since then the Bimini Sharklab has been a major platform for many scientists around the world, including myself, to gain research experience with sharks in the field. The lemon shark is a highly abundant species in Bimini and Dr. Gruber's team uses it as a model species for many studies on behavior, physiology, ecology and conservation."

Are Lemon Sharks Endangered?

Cardenosa studied with Dr. Gruber in Bimini to monitor the impact of habitat loss on the growth and survival rate of juvenile lemon sharks. "The status of lemon sharks is currently Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The major threats for lemon sharks are overfishing and habitat loss. As with many other sharks, this species is caught in commercial, artisanal and recreational fisheries across its habitat range. Habitat loss through mangrove ecosystem degradation is also a major threat for this species as it uses these habitats as nursery grounds," he shares.

The lemon shark is breaking color stereotypes, keeping their friends close and boosting our understanding of sharks. And if you're going swimming with sharks on your next adventure vacation, you might just get to be social with one of nature's gigantic yellow marvels.

Now That's Small Not all sharks are big. In fact there's one that'll fit in the palm of your hand. The dwarf lantern shark (Etmopterus perryi) is the smallest shark in the world and when fully grown can measure a maximum of just close to 8 inches (20 centimeters).
YEREVAN, MARCH 30, ARMENPRESS. The situation at the Artsakh frontline is currently relatively calm, the Speaker of Parliament of Artsakh Artur Tovmasyan said during a parliament session on March 30.

We can now initiate in an unconstrained manner and in calm conditions the bills which I will now present to you for approval, the Speaker said.

Earlier on March 30 the Artsakh authorities also issued a statement noting that no significant ceasefire violations were recorded overnight March 29-30 at the line of contact. However, the Azerbaijani troops havent yet withdrawn from Karaglukh.
YEREVAN, 30 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. Continuing the meetings in the European Parliament, head of Civil contract faction Hayk Konjoryan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on European Integration of the National Assembly Arman Yeghoyan and member of the Armenian delegation to the PACE Arusyak Julhakyan on March 30 had discussions with the Vice-Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee Kosma Zotowski, the members of the European Parliament Francois-Xavier Bellamy and Viola von Cramon-Taubadel.

The situation in Artsakh and the ongoing provocations by Azerbaijan were at the core of the discussions.

The Armenian MPs called on their European counterparts to take concrete measures to prevent provocations of Azerbaijan and to de-escalate the situation in Artsakh.
YEREVAN, 30 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. US President Joe Biden will hold a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on March 30, ARMENPRESS reports the representative of the US administration told reporters at the White House.

The issue of the US assistance to Ukraine will be discussed during the telephone conversation.
YEREVAN, 30 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. Russian State Duma deputy Mikhail Delyagin stated that he has not called for the bombing Azerbaijan, ARMENPRESS reports he made a note about this on his "Telegram" page.

"I have not called for the bombing of Azerbaijan with conventional or nuclear weapons," he said.

He expressed the opinion that the information about him being declared internationally wanted by the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan "is either fake or a journalistic mistake."

"Otherwise, we must admit that there is no one left in the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan who understands Russian or can use the services of a translator. If we assume that this news is true, it is very sad, because the people, whose legal system has nothing to do with reality, are waiting for very interesting revelations, which will not always be pleasant," he wrote.

Mikhail Delyagin had called on Russian peacekeepers to strike at Azerbaijan's oil fields for disobeying.

In response to that statement, the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan filed a criminal case against him. Mikhail Delyagin was declared internationally wanted through Interpol.
A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden is possible only after a significant de-escalation in Ukraine, White House Director of Communications Kate Bedingfield told reporters on Tuesday, Tass informs.

March 30, 2022, 09:46 Putin-Biden meeting possible after de-escalation in Ukraine  White House

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 30, ARTSAKHPRESS: "He said yesterday that he would be willing to meet with President Putin again or talk to him," she said. "Im not going to set preconditions for a conversation between President Biden and President Putin, except to say that we have been very clear and President Biden has been very clear that there needs to be tangible de-escalation from Russia and a clear, genuine commitment to diplomacy."

On Monday, Biden said a new personal meeting with Putin was possible, adding that prospects for such talks would depend on their agenda.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24 said in an early morning televised address that he had launched a special military operation in Ukraine in response to a request for help from the leaders of the Donbass republics. He stressed that Moscow had no intention of occupying Ukrainian territories, the sole purpose of the operation, the leader stressed, is the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine. Western countries responded to the actions of the Russian authorities by slapping sanctions against physical and legal entities.
Azerbaijan has announced an international search for Mikhail Delyagin, a member of the Russian State Duma and deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, news.am informs.

March 30, 2022, 17:30 Azerbaijan puts Russia MP on its international wanted list

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 30, ARTSAKHPRESS: On the air of two Russian TV channels on Monday, Delyagin had called Turkey a US satellite, and Azerbaijana "proxy of Turkey" and a real threat, and called for severely punishing Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijani business, which depends on the Russian economy, may explode in one day. Azerbaijan's oil industry is highly localized and may cease to exist within 15 minutes, as the proxy does not understand in any other way. An independent state would understand, but not the 'proxy'. A proxy has no function to understand it freely. It is no longer possible to speak differently in the modern world," Mikhail Delyagin had said.

The Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan said it has seen in the actions of this Russian MP signs of the crimes specified in several articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.

On Tuesday, the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan instructed the Investigation Department of the Prosecutor's Office to conduct an investigation to launch a criminal case under these articles.

Subsequently, Mikhail Delyagin was charged under these articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, an Azerbaijani court ruled to declare an international search for him through Interpol, and detention was selected as his pretrial measure.
Binstec comprises India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top leaders of the member nations of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) on Wednesday adopted a charter and also a master plan for transport connectivity of the group at the virtual summit organised by Sri Lanka on Wednesday, with a complete revamp of the groups functioning into seven pillars, of which India will head the important security pillar to combat terrorism and other crimes.

With New Delhi later publicly defending the participation of Myanmar at the summit, citing its importance, Mr Modi earlier in his speech referred to the Ukraine conflict obliquely, as having raised a question mark on the stability of the international order, adding it was now imperative for the group to give more priority to its regional security. He also called for making Bimstec a Bridge of Connectivity, Bridge of Prosperity, Bridge of Security.

Binstec comprises India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. These developments are seen by observers as an important move to counter Chinas influence in the region. Bimstecs membership is for nations that are littoral to or dependent on the Bay of Bengal. With Saarc in cold storage due to India-Pakistan tensions in earlier years, India has invested its hopes for regional cooperation in Bimstec, which does not have Pakistan as a member.

At a special briefing on Wednesday afternoon in New Delhi following the summit, the external affairs ministrys additional secretary in charge of Bimstec, Rudrendra Tandon, said with the adoption of the charter by the leaders, Bimstec had been formalised into a regional organisation with its purpose, principles and architecture and now had an international personality with its own emblem and flag.

Asked about the controversial summit participation of Myanmar, which is now ruled by a military junta after the coup in February last year, the senior MEA official defended Myanmars participation, describing it as an important constituent-member of Bimstec, with an important geographical location. He said for the success of the groups regional cooperation efforts, all members had to be present. According to reports, Sri Lanka invited Myanmar foreign minister U. Wunna Maung Lwin to represent his country at the virtual summit.

New Delhi noted that the summits main outcome was the adoption and signing of its charter, which formalises the group as an organisation made up of member states that are littoral to, and dependent upon, the Bay of Bengal.

In his address at the summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: The developments in Europe of the last few weeks have raised a question mark on the stability of the international order. In this context, it has become important to make Bimstec regional cooperation more active. It has also become imperative to give more priority to our regional security. He added: Today, as our region faces challenges of health and economic security, the need of the hour is solidarity and cooperation. Today is the time to make the Bay of Bengal a Bridge of Connectivity, Bridge of Prosperity, Bridge of Security. Rededicate yourself with a new vigour, new energy.

On security, Mr Modi said: Without security it is impossible to ensure the prosperity or development of our region. In our fourth summit in Kathmandu, we decided to strengthen the regional legal framework against terrorism, trans-national crime and non-traditional threats. We also decided to increase cooperation between our law enforcement agencies. I am glad that our convention to combat terrorism has become active since last year. During todays summit, a mutual legal assistance treaty on criminal matters is also being signed between us. We should also move quickly to other similar instruments, so there can be better coordination between our legal systems.

On the Bimstec charters adoption, Mr Modi said: This is an important step in our efforts towards an institutional architecture In the charter, we have decided to have summit meetings every two years and annual foreign ministers meetings. I welcome it. We should focus our attention on how to make this architecture stronger. In this context, the secretary-general suggests that an Eminent Persons Group be formed, which will prepare a vision document. I agree with this suggestion. It is also important to enhance the capacity of the Secretariat for Bimstec to meet our expectations India will provide financial assistance of $1 million to increase the operational budget of the secretariat.

The PM added: Our region has always been prone to natural disasters. The Bimstec Centre for Weather and Climate is important (to cooperate on) disaster management, especially disaster risk reduction. I would like your cooperation to make it active. India stands ready to contribute $3 million to restart the work of this centre.

On the proposal for a Bimstec Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Mr Modi said: It is necessary to make early progress on the proposal of Bimstec FTA to enhance our mutual business. We should also increase exchanges between the entrepreneurs and start-ups of our countries. Along with this, we should also try to adopt international norms in the field of trade facilitation. This will boost intra-Bimstec trade and economic integration. Speaking later, the senior MEA official, Mr Tandon, said the trade facilitation efforts were a low-hanging fruit or early harvest that will lead to flourishing of intra-Bimstec trade.
Beijing has reacted angrily to reports Chinese students have been turned away at Australian airports under the guise of national security.

Chinese state media publication China Daily on Monday accused Australia of having a potential political motive behind the rejections amid a torrid period for Sino-Australian relations, citing unnamed sources.

China Daily detailed the case of a student who was allegedly interrogated at Sydney airport, with their mobile phone and luggage searched.

Their visa was then cancelled after failing to declare a routine military training course at university which was depicted in a series of photos on the individual's phone.

China says several Chinese students have been turned away at Australian airports. Pictured are two unrelated students at Sydney Airport in 2020. Source: AAP

"The Foreign Ministry and the Chinese embassy in Australia have lodged serious concerns over the country's recent repatriation of Chinese students," the publication stated as per its sources.

During Tuesday's foreign ministry daily press conference, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said there had been several incidences of students being knocked back at the border.

"Such acts have gravely undermined the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese students," he said.

"We urge the Australian side to stop such practice that does no good to others or itself, and create a sound atmosphere and necessary conditions for the bilateral cultural and educational exchanges and cooperation," he said.

Australia defends visa position

While Australian Border Force (ABF) does not comment on specific visa cases, it has stood by its visa decisions.

"We are committed to facilitating the entry of legitimate visa holders into Australia, but will not hesitate to use the powers we have to protect Australia's national interests when required," it said in a statement to Yahoo News Australia.

Story continues

"The travelling public should be aware that the Australian Border Force can and does cancel visas at the border if a traveller has provided false information."

Wang Wenbin called on Australia to stop hampering a "mutually beneficial" arrangement in terms of students. Source: FMPRC

It's not the first time Mr Wang has criticised Australia over the treatment of Chinese students.

Last year he said he was "deeply concerned" over the treatment of Chinese nationals in Australia, suggesting the country had a problem with racism fuelled by anti-Sino views that had surged due to the emergence of Covid-19 in China.

In 2020, amid a decline in relations between Australia and China, Beijing's education ministry warned students not to travel to Australia due to a spike in racist attacks. Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the time dismissed the claim as "rubbish".

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
The Cayuga County unemployment rate last month fell to 4.3%, the lowest mark on record for a February, newly released state Department of Labor data show.

The local jobless mark was down from 6.6% in the same month of 2021. It was above the national rate of 4.1% but below the New York state mark of 5.1%. Those figures were not adjusted for seasonal fluctuations.

The next lowest February unemployment rate in Cayuga County was reported in 2001 at 4.8%.

Like the labor market in much of the state and nation, Cayuga County continues to experience a decline in available workers. The size of the county's labor force last month dropped by 700 from the prior year to 34,700 residents who are either employed or actively seeking work. The number of employed residents, at 33,200, actually climbed by 100, while the unemployed total dropped by 800 to 1,500.

Among New York state's 62 counties, Cayuga's February unemployment rate ranked 27th lowest. At 3.0%, neighboring Tompkins County had the lowest state jobless rate, while Bronx County's 9.3% was the highest.

In a separate report, the labor department reported that employers in New York state added 100 jobs in February. The county's 23,100 non-farm jobs included flat private sector jobs at 17,500 along with a 100-job gain in government positions.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
SUNY Upstate Medical University will receive more than $780,000 in federal funding to support mental health research, U.S. Rep. John Katko said Wednesday.

The funding  $786,432  was available through the National Institute of Mental Health, a division within the National Institutes of Health. According to Katko, SUNY Upstate will use the grant to fund a study conducted by the university's Laboratory of Behavioral and Psychiatric Genetics on genetic factors that contribute to schizophrenia.

Katko, who co-chairs the Mental Health Caucus in the House of Representatives, said the study could help medical professionals better identify and treat schizophrenia, which affects between 0.25% to 0.64% of Americans.

"In Congress, I've been a strong advocate for funding to advance mental health treatment, and I'm proud this funding will help provide researchers with the necessary resources to develop a fuller understanding of these disorders," he said.

Since taking office in 2015, Katko has prioritized improving mental health services in central New York. Shortly after joining Congress, he launched a task force to develop ideas for addressing pediatric mental health in the region. The task force issued recommendations in 2017.

Katko has authored or cosponsored several bills in Congress to bolster mental health services and end the stigma. One bill that passed last year would quadruple annual funding for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. He also successfully advocated for Medicare to expand coverage of mental telehealth services.

During his four terms in Congress, Katko has been recognized for his work on mental health issues. In 2016, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention presented him with its Allies in Action Award. The award is given to members of Congress "who have made important contributions toward preventing suicide."

Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

Love 0 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.
CCTV: On March 29, the fifth round of negotiation between Russia and Ukraine was held in Istanbul. The representative of Russia said that the meeting was meaningful. The representative of Ukraine said that the Ukrainian side proposed to fix its status as a non-bloc and non-nuclear state in the form of permanent neutrality. What is your comment?

Wang Wenbin: We noted the positive signals sent by the two sides in the negotiation. It is Chinas consistent belief that dialogue and negotiation is the only right way to resolve the Ukraine crisis. We call on both Russia and Ukraine to stick to the course of dialogue and negotiation, work in the same direction and reach consensus on a political resolution to avoid further escalation of the situation and restore peace at an early date. Under the current circumstances, the international community should speak and act in a way conducive to dialogue and negotiation, and support Russia and Ukraine in keeping the talks going to bring about outcomes for peace. It is important to stay wary of and prevent adding fuel to the fire and heightening tensions, which will only impede the diplomatic settlement of the issue.

TASS: Will China, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, serve as a guarantor of the Russia-Ukraine peace deal?

Wang Wenbin: China supports and encourages all diplomatic efforts for the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis and is happy to see Russia and Ukraine in dialogue and negotiation. China always holds that the legitimate security concerns of all countries should be taken seriously. We are ready to work with the rest of the international community to uphold common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and support the establishment of a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism. China has been making an effort for peace and will continue to play a constructive role in its own way in promoting the deescalation of tensions in Ukraine. We will work with other parties toward the direction of the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and restoration of peace in Europe at an early date.

ARD German Television: Its on the EU-China summit. The EU has sided with Ukraine and condemned Putins invasion whereas China refused to condemn it. Given these conditions, what are your expectations for the upcoming EU-China summit on Friday?

Wang Wenbin: As agreed by China and the EU, Premier Li Keqiang will hold the 23rd China-EU Summit with President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen via videolink on April 1.

The China-EU Summit has been successfully held for 22 times, playing an important strategic guiding role in the development of China-EU relations and bilateral dialogue and cooperation. During this upcoming meeting, President Xi Jinping will meet with President Michel of the European Council and President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission via videolink. Premier Li Keqiang will co-chair the meeting with President Michelle and President Ursula von der Leyen via videolink.

The current international situation is unstable and volatile, with rising uncertainties. China and the EU are two major forces for world peace, two major markets for common development and two major civilizations for humanitys progress. The two sides should strengthen strategic communication, enhance mutual trust, build consensus and conduct dialogue and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, mutual benefit and win-win results, so as to promote the sustained and sound development of China-EU relations and inject stability and positive energy into the complex and turbulent international situation.

On the issue of condemnation, we have stated Chinas position on many occasions. I think it would be behind the curve to keep asking the question. We hope the international community will say and do more that are conducive to dialogue and negotiation and make joint efforts for realizing peace and seeking a political settlement of the Ukraine issue at an early date, instead of setting up obstacles.

AFP: According to reports, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Lavrov in Anhui today. Russian media reported that Lavrov informed Wang Yi about the progress of the special operation in Ukraine and of the negotiation process with the Kiev regime. Can you offer more details of this meeting?

Wang Wenbin: I announced a couple of days ago that Foreign Minister Lavrov will attend the third Foreign Ministers Meeting among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan in China. Further information on this meeting will be released in a timely manner. Please stay tuned.

Reuters: When will the extended troika talks on Afghanistan be held? Do you have any other details about these talks?

Wang Wenbin: We will release information on the extended meeting of the China-US-Russia consultation mechanism on the Afghan issue in a timely manner too. Please stay tuned.

CRI: According to media reports, armed conflicts broke out in some regions in South Sudan in recent days and the security situation was once tense. What is Chinas comment?

Wang Wenbin: China has noted relevant reports. Since 2020, South Sudans peace process has seen important progress, which meets the fundamental interest of the people in South Sudan and benefits regional peace and stability. China calls on all parties to cherish the hard-won peace, bear in mind the interests of the country and the people, exercise maximum restraint and continue to resolve differences through dialogue and consultation so as to avoid further escalation of the situation. China is ready to work with the international community as always and contribute positively to the political transition process in South Sudan.

Reuters: During Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Sergey Lavrovs meeting earlier, did China ask Russia to end its war in Ukraine?

Wang Wenbin: I answered relevant questions already.

Bloomberg: Do you have any details on what the quarantine requirements the representatives from the NTSB and other investigators from the US who would be assisting in the China Eastern Airlines crash would face on arrival? Would they have to quarantine? If so, for how long and where?

Wang Wenbin: I would like to refer you to competent authorities.

Dragon TV: On March 29, the Taiwan regions leader Tsai Ing-wen met with Damon Wilson, President of the US National Endowment for Democracy (NED). Tsai said that she looks forward to sharing experience with the NED and jointly strengthen the resilience of democracy. What is your comment?

Wang Wenbin: The DPP authorities are apt at using democracy as a pretext to mask its true face of Taiwan independence. But no matter how they try to gloss it over, their nature of seeking Taiwan independence by refusing to recognize the 1992 Consensus which embodies the one-China principle or pursuing de-sinicization or seeking de jure independence is laid bare.

Last year, the DPP authorities tried to expand the space for their secessionist activities with the so-called Summit for Democracy, only to court a rebuff. This year, their attempts to put on a farce where the Taiwan independence forces hijack democracy in cahoot with the NED, or the second CIA, will only invite humiliation once again.

No matter how the DPP authorities try to cover things up, the international community cannot be fooled, and the ugly face of Taiwan independence will only be more nasty.

Reuters: The Philippines have issued a protest about a Chinese Coast Guard ship entering and engaging in close distance maneuvering in its waters. Does China have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: I answered this question the other day. You may refer to that.

China News Service: It is reported that the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology on Tuesday authorized textbooks for students in high schools, which downplayed and distorted the historical facts of Japans forced recruitment of comfort women and laborers and touted its unilateral claim over Diaoyu Dao. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: The forced recruitment of comfort women and laborers is a serious crime against humanity committed by the Japanese militarism during its aggression and expansion. This is a historical fact supported with iron-clad evidence and universally recognized by the international community, which cannot be altered.

It is Japans old trick to play with words when authorizing textbooks in an attempt to obscure historical facts, understate and evade its historical responsibility, and deny and misrepresent its history of aggression. China deplores and rejects this and has lodged solemn representation with the Japanese side. We seriously urge Japan to face squarely and reflect on its history of aggression, make a clean break with militarism, properly handle problems left over from the past in a responsible manner lest it will further lose the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community.

I want to emphasize that Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are Chinas inherent territory, over which China has indisputable sovereignty. No matter how Japan meddles with textbooks, it can never change the fact that Diaoyu Dao is part of China. Any attempt to undermine Chinas territorial sovereignty will be in vain.

Reuters: According to the Interfax agency, Russias foreign ministry said today that Russia and China have agreed to widen cooperation in challenging international conditions. What kind of cooperation will Russia and China have and will this include military cooperation?

Wang Wenbin: As permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and Russia develop bilateral relations following the principle of non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party. Both sides will continue to practice true multilateralism, stay committed to the vision of a multi-polar world, and work to promote democracy in international relations.

Beijing Daily: A survey by the Asian American Federation (AAF) found that 75% Asian seniors in New York City said they are weary to leave their homes due to anti-Asian violence. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: I have seen relevant reports and am concerned about the discrimination against Asian Americans and hate crimes in the US.

Ethnic minorities of Asian descent have made important contributions to the economic and social development in the US. For example, it is reported that Chinese Americans contributed over $300 billion to US GDP in 2019 through consumer spending, supporting 3 million jobs. As of 2017, there are over 160,000 Chinese American-owned businesses in the US, generating approximately $240 billion in revenue and supporting 1.3 million jobs. Chinese Americans have also made important contributions to public health and social welfare in the US through active involvement in non-profits, volunteering and philanthropy. Since March 2020, more than 690 Chinese American grassroots organizations have raised over $18 million and delivered millions of items of personal protective equipment (PPE) and meals to agencies in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. However, such hard work and important contributions brought them no respect or protection they so richly deserve, but unabated discrimination and injustice. After COVID-19 broke out, several doctors of Asian descent said that the patients are more afraid of them than the virus. On March 16 last year, a shooting spree in Atlanta targeting women of Asian descent has resulted in the death of six Asian females. The case later triggered fear and anger among Asian Americans nationwide as the US law-enforcement authorities refused to label it as an incident of hate crime. A report published by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University San Bernardino revealed that anti-Asian hate crime increased by 339% in 2021 compared to the year before. Besides hate crime, Asian Americans are also subjected to various discrimination in employment, education, income, social welfare and cultural rights. According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, only 54% of Asian American older adults surveyed said they were satisfied with their lives, significantly lower than respondents of other races.

It takes more than one cold day for the river to freeze three feet deep. At the heart of the persistent discrimination and hate speeches and acts against people of Asian descent lies the deeply entrenched white supremacism. Even worse, some US politicians instigate antagonism and confrontation and clamor for hostile anti-Asian policies to serve their selfish political interests, only to make things more difficult for Asian Americans. Former US leader openly called the coronavirus the China virus in a speech delivered at the UN General Assembly, sparking a public outcry in the international community. Six Republican congressmen in the US, who are also veteran anti-China politicians, voted against an anti-Asian hate crime bill. They even openly stigmatize and attack people of Asian descent by associating the coronavirus with them. The previous US administrations infamous China Initiative fueled racial discrimination against Asians, especially Chinese Americans, and contributed to a 71% increase in violence against Asian Americans between 2019 and 2020.

Although the China Initiative was suspended at request, the discrimination, stigmatization, suppression and attacks against Asian minorities, including those of Chinese descent, have continued. This is a stain on the US human rights record, an irony to the US reputation as melting pot of ethnic groups, and an affront to the US value of freedom and equality. UNHRC Special Rapporteur Fernand de Varennes said the US human rights system is leading to growing inequality. Stephen Walt, a professor at Harvard University, said Americans must first fix what has gone wrong at home and rethink how they deal with the rest of the world. At the 48th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, many countries blasted the United States for being the biggest destroyer of human rights in the world and urged the country to address its own severe human rights violations. We urge the US government to heed these appeals from the international community and stop being a textbook example of double standard of human rights.

Bloomberg: US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said that it was time to forget about changing Chinas behavior and instead take a more defensive posture towards the worlds second biggest economy. She said, The United States has repeatedly sought and obtained commitments from China only to find that follow through or real change remains elusive. Does the foreign ministry have a comment to this?

Wang Wenbin: As a staunch supporter of trade liberalization and facilitation, China is determined to continue to open wider to the outside world. The Chinese government always supports the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, respects market rules, opposes protectionism and is committed to promoting the sound and steady development of the global economy and trade. The label of market-distorting behavior cannot be pinned onto China.

It is the US that has to turn the page on the old playbook. It should stop stretching the concept of national security, abusing its technological strengths and global financial hegemony to oppress companies in other countries, and stop bullying practice and long-arm jurisdiction. Such actions seriously violate the principles of market economy and international economic and trade rules, harm the interests of other countries, undermine the security and stability of the global industrial and supply chains, and will only hurt others while doing no good to itself.

PTI: Who is attending on behalf of the United States at the troika meeting on Afghanistan in Tunxi?

Wang Wenbin: Special representatives for the Afghan issue of the US, Russia and Pakistan will attend the extended meeting of the China-US-Russia consultation mechanism on the Afghan issue chaired by Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong, Special Envoy for Afghan Affairs of Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Global Times: In recent years, the Mekong Dam Monitor (MDM) program of the US has released data accusing Chinas dams of contributing to droughts in Southeast Asian countries. But a team of hydrological experts from Tsinghua University recently found, with the help of satellite remote sensing monitoring technology and data from high-precision real-time monitoring, that MDMs data is a far cry from the reality. For example, data on the Xiaowan Reservoir for three monitoring periods in 2020 published by the MDM deviates from the reality by three to ten meters. What is the foreign ministrys comment on this?

Wang Wenbin: I also noted the research findings of the team of experts from Tsinghua University. The MDM later openly acknowledged the serious flaws with the data it published and made corrections. But some hydrological experts pointed out that the revised reading still has an error of up to eight meters from the actual water level measurement. Major errors like this could lead to wrong conclusion that Chinese dams have intercepted water, and may be hyped as evidence that upstream dams are causing drought downstream in Southeast Asian countries.

We also noted that some media reported that the so-called dam monitoring program is financially backed by the US State Department, where some of the officials have been making unfounded accusations against China for years on issues related to the Mekong River.

In fact, the international science community and the Mekong River Commission (MRC) have already made a fair judgement on the role of dams on the upper reach of the Lancang River. The MRC acknowledged in its report that cascade reservoirs on the Lancang River store water in the flood season for later use in the dry season, which helps maintain the steady flow of the Mekong. Cooperation on information sharing on the Lancang River has seen thorough development. Since November 2020, China has been providing year-round hydrological information of the Lancang River to Mekong countries and the MRC, making important contributions to sharing the water resources and jointly responding to flood disasters to riparian peoples benefit.

Lancang-Mekong water resource cooperation requires mutual trust and real actions among regional countries instead of irresponsible remarks and moves to sow discord from outside the region. We hope the US can fully respect the efforts of Lancang-Mekong countries in promoting sustainable use of water resources in the region and do more positive and concrete things to boost regional economic and social development.

Reuters: Before the Beijing Olympics started, the Chinese and Russian Presidents said that the two countries cooperation would have no limits. Now if we are widening cooperation now, what does that mean and how much are we widening it in which areas?

Wang Wenbin: There is no limit to China-Russia cooperation in the pursuit of peace, no limit to our efforts to safeguard security, and no limit to our opposition to hegemony. China-Russia relations feature non-alliance, non-confrontation, and non-targeting of any third party.

Reuters: You talked a little about the China-EU virtual summit on April 1. What exactly is China hoping to get out of it? Is China hoping to rekindle the investment deal?

Wang Wenbin: I just shared with you the information on the upcoming 23rd China-EU Summit. Id like to share more information with you. In his virtual meeting with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles yesterday, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that as two major forces in a world moving toward multi-polarity, China and the EU should maintain regular strategic communication, continuously enhance mutual understanding, constantly expand cooperation consensus and jointly address various global challenges. The two sides should make good preparations for high-level exchanges going forward to provide strategic guidance for bilateral cooperation and send a positive signal to the world.

The China-EU investment agreement is a win-win deal reached by the two sides through consultation on the basis of many years of mutually-beneficial cooperation and mutual trust. It is an economic and trade agreement with the highest level of openness, lowest market access threshold and the widest range of areas to date on the part of China. It is good for China, and even better for Europe.
BMW Group Plant in Chennai has completed 15 years of its operations in the country and the company celebrated this landmark by arranging an event with all associates. A year ago in 2007, the manufacturing facility built its first car, which was a BMW 3 Series. Since then, the plant has evolved much by growing in multi-fold ways and being expanded, increasing operations, growing manpower and substantially by increasing localisation.

Recently, the plant rolled out its 100,000th locally produced car from its assembly lines. Congratulating the team behind the plant, Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India, said, The plant plays the most instrumental role in fulfilling demand for the latest, most aspirational BMW and MINI products. We are also proud of the pioneering role that BMW Group Plant Chennai has assumed in sustainable manufacturing practices in the auto industry."

(Also read | BMW India to hike prices across entire range from April 1)

BMW India celebrated this landmark by arranging an event with all associates.

The manufacturing facility boasts of quality production with advanced manufacturing processes, technology, state-of-the-art machinery and skilled associates. The company says that each car that rolls out of the facility has the same international quality standards as any other BMW Group plant across the world. (The plant) has emerged as a centre of manufacturing excellence in the last 15 years. It is a world-class facility that locally produces Made in India BMWs and MINIs with the toughest quality standards," said Thomas Dose, Managing Director, BMW Group Plant Chennai.

Since starting operations on 29 March 2007, BMW Group has increased the number of its locally produced car models. Currently, 13 car models are locally produced at the plant, including BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, BMW 3 Series, BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine, BMW M340i, BMW 5 Series, BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo, BMW 7 Series, BMW X1, BMW X3, BMW X4, BMW X5, BMW X7 and MINI Countryman.

First Published Date:
Vietnamese electric vehicle maker VinFast has planned a factory in North Carolina which is the company's first phase of its $6 billion worth of investment in the US.

Vietnamese electric-vehicle maker VinFast announced it will start building a plant with an initial investment of $2 billion in the US state of North Carolina this year. The factory will be located in Chatham Countys Triangle Innovation Point, informed VinFast's Chief Executive Officer Le Thi Thu Thuy. The factory is expected to become operational in the second half of 2024.

This factory is the EV maker's first phase of an extensive plan that it has in store for the US. VinFast has investment plans of as much as $6 billion. For this EV plant in particular however, a construction permit is still required,the company shared in a statement.

(Also read | Vietnam's indigenous carmaker VinFast to stop making ICE vehicles in a year)

The factory will have a capacity to produce 1,50,000 electric cars a year, and will also steadily manufacture electric buses and batteries, Thuy added. It will be VinFasts second vehicle factory after its first in the northern Vietnam port city of Haiphong. The company expects to begin production at its battery plant in the central province of Ha Tinh at the end of this year, she further added. US President Joe Biden also tweeted a statement about VinFasts North Carolina factory plans, and how it will help in the creation of over 7,000 jobs.

VinFast aims to start delivering electric vehicles in the US, Canada, France, Germany and the Netherlands later this year. It has, however, begun domestic deliveries of its first electric cars in December. Prices for its VF8 and VF9 electric SUVs range from $41,000 to $61,000.

(Also read | Vietnamese EV maker VinFast begins development of battery plant)

The EV company said it is also working with investment banks to prepare for an IPO that would make it one of the first Vietnamese companies to be traded in the United States.

(With inputs from Bloomberg)

First Published Date:
LOS ANGELESCharlie Valentine lives out a bisexual fantasy in a new DVD release from BiPhoria and director Jim Powers, Wanna Cum Bi?

In the new release, the starlet has a bisexual three-way with Michael DelRay and Cesar Xes that culminates with two cream pies. Valentine and DelRay play a husband and wife whove had a previous romp with Xes and they now agree to hook up again with him.

With this marking her second box cover for BiPhoria, Valentine said she was thrilled to join her co-stars on the cover and return to the studio. I loved being able to revisit BiPhoria and work with Jim Powers again, she said. Its always such a pleasureespecially as part of this trio! Michael and Cesar were a girls dream and Im so happy to share this box cover with them. Its my second box cover ever, my first also being with BiPhoria!

Working with the ladies at Nexxxt Level is always a treat because of their amazing performance and overall high level of professionalism, Powers said. I was amazed at what a great actress she is. Very natural at giving lines. She really enjoyed the whole aspect of bi sex and loved the male talent, Michael and Cesar. She was great in the scene and gave her all.

To watch the trailer, click here.

Im definitely looking forward to more BiPhoria experiences in my future, Valentine said.

Valentine is represented by Nexxxt Level Talent Agency. For booking information, contact Jonathan at (818) 326-7001 or Andre (818) 383-8147 or visit NexxxtLevelTalentAgency.com.
VEENDAM, The NetherlandsEDC Wholesale developed two brand new toys for the left-handed communityLirpa ane Enoin the company's PMV20 collection.

Lirpa is an ergonomically approved left-handed bullet vibrator. The unique curves provide the ultimate grip for left-handed users. The Eno is designed for left-handed women to move in sync with the body which cannot be achieved with regular toys.

Commented EDC Wholesale sales director Andre Visser, We are extremely excited to introduce toys for left-handed lovers. We are all about inclusivity and we dont want anyone to be left unsatisfied. Our design team did a remarkable job designing toys for lefties. The first feedback from our customers was already highly positive and Im sure the left-handed community will be as exciting as we are.

PMV20 Lirpa and Eno are now available for retailers to order at EDC Wholesale.

For more information about PMV20 Lirpa and Eno, visit one-dc.com or contact [email protected].
ORLAND PARK, Ill.The Kyro Wand Massager by Zalo has earned the spotlight at Cosmopolitan.com's article The 21 Most Powerful Vibrators You Can Buy in 2022" due to its power and sleek design.

In the collaborative article written by Corinne Sullivan, Carina Hsieh and Rachel Varina, the case was made for investing in heavy-duty vibrators for anyone who enjoys vibrators that come with high speeds, lots of power and intense vibrations. The authors explain how powerful vibrators, such as the Kyro Wand, can completely change a users masturbation game.

Zalo CEO Peter Ovsonka explained to Cosmo that among the important features that consumers should look for when shopping for a powerful vibrator is the toys RPM, as well as the weight of the toy. "The heavier the counterweight, the deeper the vibration," he said, noting that toys also need to be balanced to direct the vibration to the areas of the body that one desires, rather than relying on overpowering speed that may cause discomfort.

Kyro features Zalo's Direct Power 2.0 technology, which emits strong vibrations that are concentrated on the wands head for direct stimulation. Kyro is equipped with two multi-functional silicone attachments.

Said Ovsonka, "A quality vibrator should be both powerful and quiet with the best materials, especially body-safe silicone."

The articles authors agreed, calling the Kyro Wand Massager a great choice, as it features Zalos innovative Direct Power 2.0 technology with six speeds and five vibration modes. Plus, the Kyro comes with multiple attachments designed to stimulate the nipples or deeper parts of the clitoris, providing suuuper intense orgasms.

The wand massager features a sleek, elegant design inspired by the look of the scepters of Egyptian pharaohs combined with Direct Power 2.0 technology. Despite the strong vibrations that are concentrated on the wands head, Kyro is light and easy to control. As described in the Cosmo article, the two included attachments are specially shaped to be used for targeted stimulation to the G-spot or nipples or clitoris. The wand comes in Turquoise Green and Black tones.

Visit zalousa.com to check out Kyro and the full Legend Series, along with other bestsellers.
POMPANO BEACH, Fla.Swiss Navy Brand Ambassador Rocky Bowell has been on a mission to conduct store visits and trainings, better known as #RockyOnTheRoad, throughout the last 18 months of the pandemic to support retailers.

Said Bowell, Since starting with M.D. Science Lab in late 2020, Ive covered almost 31,000 miles throughout 14 states. Being able to connect with retailers one-on-one and give them in-person support during a trying time has been extremely rewarding. I cant wait to get out there in 2022 and share our newest products and training materials with as many of our customer-partners that I am able to visit.

#RockyOnTheRoad is currently planning his next places to visit and welcomes retailers and distributors to reach out if they would like to schedule a training.

Said M.D. Sciences vice president of sales and marketing, Briana Watkins, "We understand that there are a lot of new retail employees entering our industry and we want to be able to fully support them and give them the best possibility for success. Rocky has been an amazing influence for newbies and veterans alike. Our Swiss Navy team appreciates being able to help our retail partners by providing assistance exactly where it counts the most.

The Swiss Navy B2B Resource Site, which was launched earlier this year, has been instrumental in providing retailers with training videos, sell sheets and Bowells sales and merchandising tips. "Rockys Top Tips" was recently added to the site and shares advice and wisdom from the 25-year industry veteran. Bowell recently shared one of his favorite tips via video.

Said Bowell, Did you know that 90 percent of people are right-handed and this trait leads them to naturally turn to the right when they enter retail stores? Depending on the store set-up, merchandising by science can really be positive for profits.

Retailers have reported an average increase in sales of 36 percent after Bowell has completed his in-store trainings.

To see Bowells weekly "Top Tip" videos, click here. To schedule your own Swiss Navy training, reach out to [email protected].

For more information on the Swiss Navy collection, visit swissnavy.com and the Swiss Navy B2B Resource Center at B2BSwissNavy.com.
Arizonas public universities presented their tuition proposals to the Arizona Board of Regentss (ABOR) Finance Capital and Resources committee meeting March 24.

NAU first announced its tuition proposal for the 2022-2023 school year March 11. Undergraduate tuition is expected to increase by 3.5% for resident and nonresident students, 7.4% for international students and 2.2% for online students.

The university also plans to convert class fees (563 in total, according to Martinezs presentation) to three undergraduate college fee tiers, similar to a system already in place at Arizona State University (ASU).

Net tuition and fees has become a primary component within university budgets and...it is the main funding source that the universities have for pursuing their academic mission, ABORs vice president of finance and administration, Lorenzo Martinez, said in a presentation outlining the tuition proposals.

NAUs net tuition and fees were projected to account for 31% of its total revenue in fiscal year 2022, compared to 49% at ASU and 30% at the University of Arizona (UofA).

NAU is very much in a design mode, university president Jose Luis Cruz Rivera said in the presentation, so the tuition proposal is really a building block to a broader redesign of our tuition, our pricing positioning and our tuition model, and how we go about doing strategic enrollment management.

He said the proposed increase was a step in getting us in the right direction," after three years without tuition increases.

It will ensure that future incoming classes are not either subject to a lower quality of education because we dont have the resources for that, or to spikes in the costs that they had to pay because previous classes were not contributing to the same level toward their education," he said.

Cruz Rivera emphasized a need for "access to excellence" when asked about the apparent contrast between a mission of access and rising prices.

We are also looking at reformulating our financial aid policies and practices to ensure that we are being more mindful of the balance between merit aid and need-based aid, given [how] our broadening participation mission plays out, he said.

Regent Bill Ridenour said he thought the universitys pledge program (which fixes tuition rates for four years after a student enrolls at NAU) was neither financially sustainable nor achieving its goal of increasing enrollment.

NAU was the only one of the three universities to have declining enrollment for fall 2022, according to Martinezs presentation. ASU and UofA both projected increases to their full-time enrollment (FTE) last semester (4,572 and 1,521, respectively), while NAUs estimated FTE fell by 858 students.

Cruz Rivera said the university was considering changes to its pledge program and that this would be among information presented to the board in the coming months.

The enrollment rate is in part due to NAUs continuing students, Cruz Rivera said.

We had some very large classes a few years ago who have graduated out, so our pipeline is slower than it has been for a few years," he said. "Nevertheless, there is strong demand for new incoming students, so were rebuilding that pipeline and we expect [enrollment] will increase."

NAU's vice president for university finance and business services Bjorn Flugstad added that Arizona resident admits and deposits right now are at an all-time high" at the university.

NAU is expected to generate just $70,000 in net incremental tuition and fee revenue in fiscal year 2023, compared to slightly over $136 million at ASU and $53 million at UofA.

Other ways Cruz Rivera proposed to surmount the challenges brought up in the meeting are growth in statewide higher education, an increase in international and out-of-state students, retention and work to advocate for more state investment in higher education.

Arizonas per state contribution to NAU is around $4,400 a year, he said, comparing it to the K-12 rate of $7,000 per year.

I would make the argument that it would be to the benefit of all Arizonans if the level of investment in NAU students was similar to the level of investments in third graders," he said. "Advocacy will also be an important part of our walk forward as we evolve our value proposition for the state and what it means for not only the individuals who are getting access to this education but also for the communities they represent."

A recording of the presentation, as well as Monday's public forum, is available at youtube.com/user/abornews. ABOR is expected to vote on the tuition proposals at its next meeting, April 6-8.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
WASHINGTON -- Leaders of two Arizona tribes asked lawmakers Wednesday to support funding for development of critical water infrastructure and to OK a bill that would let tribal water be sold to others in the drought-stricken state.

White Mountain Apache Chairwoman Gwendena Lee-Gatewood told the Senate Indian Affairs Committee that her tribe needs more time and money to complete a long-delayed rural water system promised by the federal government more than 10 years ago.

And Colorado River Indian Tribes Chairwoman Amelia Flores said her tribe has deals to reallocate some of its water, but needs congressional approval to do so. But Flores said the hearing was about more than just water rights and infrastructure.

This bill will allow our tribes sovereignty, itll enhance and strengthen our sovereignty for our tribal people, Flores said after the hearing.

Both Flores and Lee-Gatewood appealed for urgency, citing the megadrought that is gripping Western states.

This is a critical time in the Colorado River Basin. We are facing a mega-drought and Arizona is Ground Zero, Flores said in her testimony.

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., who sponsored both bills with fellow Arizona Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, echoed the need for action both for tribes and for the state in general, as it faces historic water shortages.

The issue is a priority for me because Arizona is on the frontlines of this megadrought, and in many instances, tribal nations are among the most vulnerable to its effects, Kelly told the committee. At the same time, tribes hold significant water rights that can position them to lead on water conservation.

The White Mountain Apache bill would give the tribe an additional two years, from 2023 to 2025, to break ground on a rural water system to replace failing wells on the reservation. The project calls for a dam across the North Fork of the White River and a water treatment and distribution system that will supply water directly to tribal members.

The project was first promised by the federal government in 2010 to settle water claims by the tribe, but has been delayed by environmental review and engineering problems. Kellys bill would also add another $250 million for the project to account for the delays and cost overruns.

The tribes current water sources and infrastructure have continued to be grossly inadequate to meet the current demands and needs of our reservation communities, Lee-Gatewood said in her testimony. We are in urgent need of a long-term solution for our drinking water needs.

Lee-Gatewood said that with continued federal support, the plant could provide drinking water to the community as soon as 2028.

The second bill would let the Colorado River Indian Tribes lease some of their Colorado River water allotment to other Arizona communities, and to reinvest the revenue into improving water infrastructure on tribal land.

Flores said the tribes have taken steps to reduce the amount of water they take from the river, and leaving more than 200,000 acre feet in Lake Mead since 2016. She said the tribes want to do more, including diverting some of their water to preserve habitat elsewhere on the river, but they cannot do so without congressional approval.

Right now we cannot make water available for off-reservation river habitat that is suffering as water levels drop, Flores said. This bill will help us support the native plant and endangered fish restoration programs along other stretches of the river like we do on our reservation.

With the revenue earned from leasing the water to other areas in Arizona, she said, the tribes will be able to invest in water-efficiency programs to help conserve water used from the Colorado River.

Lee-Gatewood also explained how the proposed rural water system would enhance tribal sovereignty for the White Mountain Apache by letting them control their own water on tribal land.

I cannot overstate the importance of our water rights settlements and the White Mountain Apache Tribes rural water system in the health and welfare of our people, she said.

If this issue is not resolved, the completion of the rural water system project will be threatened, thereby increasing the ultimate cost to the tribe and to the United States and delaying delivery of life-sustaining drinking water to our reservation communities, Lee-Gateweood said.

Flores said after the hearing that she is optimistic about the passage of both bills, even if they wont come as quickly as the tribes would like.

Its just the beginning, Flores said. Were at the doorstep, we just havent gone through the door yet.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0




The US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization has always portrayed itself as an alliance for self-defense. It was created around seven decades ago with the express purpose of defending the West from the Soviet Union. Following its rival's dissolution in 1991, NATO continued to exist but noticeably became much more aggressive. The bloc bombed the former Yugoslavia in 1999, utterly destroyed Libya in 2011 and continues to wage a hybrid war on Syria.

Russia regards NATO's continued eastward expansion after 1991 a violation of verbal promises given to the former USSR not to move beyond the then-newly reunified Germany as an existential threat. Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated these concerns during his speech on February 24 announcing the commencement of his country's special military operation in Ukraine. The Kremlin considers NATO's regional deployment of "anti-missile systems" and strike weapons near its border to be very dangerous.

These high-profile criticisms by a world leader and the subsequent military action he ordered in response to Russia's concerns about that bloc have prompted a global debate over its true purpose. Putin has a valid point in asking why NATO feels the need to continue expanding and deploying various military systems closer to Russia's border. It was this development that provoked what international relations theorists describe as Russia's security dilemma with NATO.

This concept refers to one country or group like NATO making military moves it claims are in self-defense. But others like Russia might have legitimate reasons to regard them as latent threats to their security. This in turn leads to them making their own military moves on a similar pretext of self-defense seen as threatening by the other. The cycle continues, which escalates tensions while worsening regional security. That's what happened with NATO and Russia.

NATO's first post-Cold War wave of expansion in 1999 led to the incorporation of former Warsaw Pact members Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. Its second 2004 expansion then saw former Soviet republics in the Baltics joining alongside Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Russia was mired in instability due to the federal intervention in Chechnya during that time after having just barely survived a massive decade-long economic crisis from 1989-1999. It objectively didn't pose a threat to the region.

This shows those first two waves of NATO's post-Cold War expansion weren't genuinely predicated on self-defense, but on advancing ulterior self-interest. While some members like those in the Baltic states and Poland have historically been suspicious of Russia, others like Slovenia weren't. It should also be remembered Putin came to regard those expansions as provoking the security dilemma that followed.

The international security context prior to 1999 was that the US had been preparing for what would eventually become NATO's war on Yugoslavia. This unprovoked aggression insincerely launched on the false basis of defending "human rights" and "stopping genocide" was intended to fill the bloc with a new purpose, well beyond containing the former USSR or modern-day Russia. The then-US unipolar hegemon wanted to expand its network of vassal states to fight its future wars.

The 2004 expansions came after the US' wars on Afghanistan and Iraq that America ordered its vassals to participate in. It gained seven new official ones after sparking those two conflicts. The motivation was two-fold: recruit more vassals to fight its growing number of wars in the Global South while also pressuring them to comply with NATO's demand they spend 2 percent of GDP on defense. Their military equipment would obviously be mostly supplied by American companies.

The US' military-industrial complex is infamously influential in terms of shaping this now-declining unipolar hegemon's foreign policy. Political officials who invested in such companies were partially motivated by self-enrichment to continue expanding NATO. They did so despite concerns in academia and the media (back when both were a lot freer in the West) this would provoke a security dilemma.

Far from the supposed alliance for self-defense it was during the Cold War, NATO rapidly transformed into an alliance for US elites' self-enrichment and the Pentagon's neo-imperialist plans for the Global South after the USSR's dissolution. It too should have dissolved or at least incorporated Russia as an equal member to stand against shared transnational threats to global security. Instead, NATO became nothing more than one of the Pentagon's many weapons to wield against its opponents.

This insight is crucial to remember during the present day. Folks mustn't be misled by the US' information warfare campaign into thinking the Ukrainian crisis is purely Russia's fault. The Kremlin has legitimate reasons to regard NATO as an existential threat. This bloc isn't based on self-defense but on self-enrichment and neo-imperialism. Its members are little more than American vassals. NATO, not Russia, arguably constitutes the greatest threat to global security and will likely remain so.

Andrew Korybko is a Moscow-based American political analyst.
Please Help SFFA Add New Members and Students??

This Thursday, March 31 at 7pm ET, Harvard (and the rest of the Ivies) will send acceptance and rejection notices to about 55,000 applicants. SFFA estimates that over 10,000 of these applicants are Asian-Americans.

As we have discussed, SFFA would like to add a significant number of new members during the next month or so, especially those who have been rejected from Harvard.

We are also hopeful to get new members who are rising high school sophomores and juniors and will be applying to Harvard and other competitive universities in this fall.

Beginning on Friday, April 1 and throughout next week, please ask your friends, family and social network followers to join SFFA at StudentsForFairAdmissions.org ($10 lifetime membership fee).

Important fact: The identities of all of our membersand those students who have been rejected from Harvard, Yale, the Univ. of North Carolina and the Univ. of Texaswill never be made public. SFFA never shares membership information.

Do not hesitate to call me at 703-505-1922 with questions or ideas.

Many thanks for your help in this important endeavor.

Best,

Edward Blum
Azimuthal anisotropy (black dashed lines showing the fast direction of wave speeds) in the mantle at 200 km depth plotted on top of vertically polarized shear wave speed perturbations (dVsv) after 20 iterations based on global azimuthally anisotropic adjoint tomography. The maximum peak-to-peak anisotropy is 2.3%. Red and blue colors denote the slow and fast shear wave speeds with respect to the mean model which are generally associated with hot and cold materials, respectively. CREDIT Ebru Bozdag, Colorado School of Mines

Earthquakes do more than buckle streets and topple buildings.

Seismic waves generated by earthquakes pass through the Earth, acting like a giant MRI machine and providing clues to what lies inside the planet.

Seismologists have developed methods to take wave signals from the networks of seismometers at the Earth's surface and reverse engineer features and characteristics of the medium they pass through, a process known as seismic tomography.

For decades, seismic tomography was based on ray theory, and seismic waves were treated like light rays. This served as a pretty good approximation and led to major discoveries about the Earth's interior. But to improve the resolution of current seismic tomographic models, seismologists need to take into account the full complexity of wave propagation using numerical simulations, known as full-waveform inversion, says Ebru Bozdag, assistant professor in the Geophysics Department at the Colorado School of Mines.

"We are at a stage where we need to avoid approximations and corrections in our imaging techniques to construct these models of the Earth's interior," she said.

Bozdag was the lead author of the first full-waveform inversion model, GLAD-M15 in 2016, based on full 3D wave simulations and 3D data sensitivities at the global scale. The model used the open-source 3D global wave propagation solver SPECFEM3D_GLOBE (freely available from Computational Infrastructure for Geodynamics) and was created in collaboration with researchers from Princeton University, University of Marseille, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The work was lauded in the press. Its successor, GLAD-M25 (Lei et al. 2020), came out in 2020 and brought prominent features like subduction zones, mantle plumes, and hotspots into view for further discussions on mantle dynamics.

"We showed the feasibility of using full 3D wave simulations and data sensitivities to seismic parameters at the global scale in our 2016 and 2020 papers. Now, it's time to use better parameterization to describe the physics of the Earth's interior in the inverse problem," she said.

At the American Geophysical Union Fall meeting in December 2021, Bozdag, post-doctoral researcher Ridvan Orsvuran, PhD student Armando Espindola-Carmona and computational seismologist Daniel Peter from KAUST, and collaborators presented the results of their efforts to perform global full waveform inversion to model attenuation -- a measure of the loss of energy as seismic waves propagate within the Earth -- and azimuthal anisotropy - including the way wave speeds vary as a function of propagation direction azimuthally in addition to radial anisotropy taken into account in the first-generation GLAD models.

They uses data from 300 earthquakes to construct the new global full wave inversion models. "We update these Earth models such that the difference from observation and simulated data is minimized iteratively," she said. "And we seek to understand how our model parameters, elastic and anelastic, trade-off with each other, which is a challenging task."

The research is supported by a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award, and enabled by the Frontera supercomputer at the Texas Advanced Computing Center -- the fastest as any university and the 13th fastest overall in the world -- as well as the Marconi100 system at Cineca, the largest Italian computing center.

"With access to Frontera, publicly available data from all around the world, and the power of our modeling tools, we've started approaching the continental-scale resolution in our global full wave inversion models," she said.

Bozdag hopes to provide better constraints on the origin of mantle plumes and the water content of the upper mantle. Furthermore, "to accurately locate earthquakes and other seismic sources, determine earthquake mechanisms and correlate them to plate tectonics better, you need to have high-resolution crustal and mantle models," she said.

FROM THE DEEPEST OCEANS TO OUTER SPACE

Bozdag's work isn't only relevant on Earth. She also shares her expertise in numerical simulations with the NASA's InSight mission as part of the science team to model the interior of Mars.

Preliminary details of the Martian crust, constrained by seismic data for the first time, were published in Science in September 2021. Bozdag, together with the InSight team, is continuing to analyze the marsquake data and resolve details of the planet's interior from the crust to the core with the help of 3D wave simulations performed on Frontera.

The Mars work put in perspective the dearth of data in some parts of the Earth, specifically beneath oceans. "We now have data from other planets, but it is still challenging to have high-resolution images beneath the oceans due to lack of instruments," Bozdag said.

To address that, she is working on integrating data from emerging instruments into her models as part of her NSF CAREER award, such as those from floating acoustic robots known as MERMAIDs (Mobile Earthquake Recording in Marine Areas by Independent Divers). These autonomous submarines can capture seismic activity within the ocean and rise to the surface to deliver that data to scientists.

SEISMIC COMMUNITY ACCESS

In September 2021, Bozdag was part of a team awarded a $3.2 million NSF award to create a computational platform for the seismology community, known as SCOPED (Seismic COmputational Platform for Empowering Discovery), in collaboration with Carl Tape (University of Alaska-Fairbanks), Marine Denolle (University of Washington), Felix Waldhauser (Columbia University), and Ian Wang (TACC).

"The SCOPED project will establish a computing platform, supported by Frontera, that delivers data, computation, and services to the seismological community to promote education, innovation, and discovery," said Wang, TACC research associate and co-principal investigator on the project. "TACC will be focusing on developing the core cyberinfrastructure that serves both compute- and data-intensive research, including seismic imaging, waveform modeling, ambient noise seismology, and precision seismic monitoring."

Another community-oriented project from Bozdag's group is PhD student Caio Ciardelli's recently released SphGLLTools: a visualization toolbox for large seismic model files. The toolbox based facilitates easy plotting and sharing of global adjoint tomography models with the community. The team described the toolbox in Computers & Geosciences in February 2022.

"We provide a full set of computational tools to visualize our global adjoint models," Bozdag said. "Someone can take our models based on HPC simulations and convert them into a format to make it possible to visualize them on personal computers and use collaborative notebooks to understand each step."

Said Robin Reichlin, Director of the Geophysics Program at NSF: "With new, improved full-waveform models; tools to lower the bar for community data access and analysis; and a supercomputing-powered platform to enable seismologists to discover the mysteries of the Earth's and other planetary deep interior, Bozdag is pushing the field into more precise, and open, territory."

More information

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
A Lockwood man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to allegations he struck and killed a man last year on the West End of Billings while driving under the influence of alcohol.

Cooper Knutson Rude, 20, has been charged in Yellowstone County District Court with vehicular homicide while under the influence and failing to stop or remain at the scene of an accident involving a death or serious injury, both felonies. He walked out of court on his own recognizance after appearing for his arraignment before Standing Master Brad Kneeland.

Emergency crews responded to a fatal hit-and-run crash Sept. 2, 2021 in which a pickup truck struck a man at a crosswalk at the intersection of Santa Fe Drive and Central Avenue. County prosecutors allege that Billings police found the pickup truck near Amend Park, according to court documents. Its driver was identified as Rude, who was 19 at the time.

Charging documents say Rude told police he was driving west on Central Avenue at about 45 mph when he saw a group of people in the road. He was not able to slow down, he said, and struck one of them. He told the officer that he drank approximately four beers before the crash and was traveling with two other passengers.

In a subsequent statement to police, Rude said he and his two passengers were on their way to Home Depot for a home project, and he knew he was driving over the posted speed limit for that portion of Central Avenue. After allegedly hitting the 31-year-old man, Rudes passengers got out of the truck, and he started driving to his home in Lockwood.

Rude consented to having his blood drawn, and his blood alcohol content was 0.089 at the time of the crash, according to a toxicology report completed in November 2021. Billings police seized the pickup. Court documents say damage to the truck included hair and flesh embedded into its shattered windshield and a broken headlight.

Officers spoke with Rudes two passengers who said they met that evening to work on a project at a residence on Miles Avenue. They allegedly saw Rude drinking beers, but could not say how many. Both said after the crash, Rude dropped the two off and drove away from the scene.

If convicted of vehicular homicide while driving drunk, Rude could face up to 30 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. A conviction for failing to stay at the scene of a fatal crash comes with the possibility of up to 10 years in prison, a $50,000 fine and revocation of driving privileges for up to two years.

As part of the conditions of his release, Rude will not be allowed to drink and will have to submit to daily alcohol testing. The court also limited driving privileges to commuting to and from work. His next court appearance is scheduled for May.

In February, Yellowstone County prosecutors filed multiple felonies against a Nevada man, including vehicular homicide while under the influence. The charges came a year after the death of a Billings teen at the intersection of Rimrock Road and Virginia Lane.

Christian James Harshbarger, 20, has since pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was allegedly driving east on Rimrock Road while under the influence of cannabis when he struck a sedan driven by a 17-year-old girl traveling with her younger sister. The collision killed the driver and put her sister in the hospital. Harshbargers trial is scheduled to take place in June.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 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.
Two former Montana governors and three retired state Supreme Court justices are among a long list of attorneys urging the U.S. Senate to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jacksons nomination to the U.S. Supreme court.

Former governors Marc Racicot, a Republican and Democrat Steve Bullock, are among 85 attorneys to write Senate leadership encouraging Jacksons confirmation. Both former governors also served as Montana attorneys general.

Former state Supreme Court justices Patricia Cotter, James Nelson, James Regnier, signed onto the letter as well, as did former Montana U.S. Attorney Michael Cotter.

The bipartisan endorsement from red state Montana comes as Jacksons Senate support appears increasingly partisan. Only one Republican Senator, Susan Collins, of Maine, has indicated she will vote to confirm.

Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester announced his support after meeting with Jackson. Republican Sen. Steve Daines intended to meet with Jackson this week, though in February he called Jacksons nomination an appeal to the far-left base. Wednesday, Daines said the his meeting with Jackson had been cancelled by the Biden administration, which then asked if Daines could meet next week after nomination votes began.

Its very disappointing that Bidens White House cancelled the meeting between myself and Judge Jackson this week, taking away the opportunity to ask the Supreme Court nominee important questions about her record ahead of the first votes on her nomination," Daines said in a press release. "I planned to meet with Judge Jackson to give her a chance to address my concerns on behalf of Montanans, like her views on the limited role of the judiciary and separation of powers, her willingness to uphold the Constitution and not serve as a political arm of Bidens woke White House, her stance on the Second Amendment, and her record of being soft on crime. Its clear that the Biden administration is not looking to build a more robust bipartisan consensus for this nomination, and its inexcusable that they would not allow the voices of all Montanans to be heard. I will be voting no on Judge Jacksons nomination.

Asked about the Daines meeting, the White House said that Daines had agreed Tuesday to reschedule, and confirmed a meeting for April 5 at 4:30 p.m.

This is false. Senator Daines meeting was rescheduled - not cancelled - and his office had already agreed to a new time on Tuesday," said White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates. "Weve offered the opportunity for any Senator who would like to meet the judge to do so and she has had numerous sit-downs every day that the Senate is in session. Before her hearing, she met with all members of the Judiciary Committee. And both before and after, has met with any Senator who is interested, honoring the Senates advice and consent role. Because of volume and coordination, at times meetings need to be adjusted.

In the letter, Montana attorneys describe Jackson as someone with boots-on-the-ground experience who has spent more time as a judge, nine years, than the combined experience of four current Supreme Court justices at their time of appointment. Jackson is currently a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

The attorneys also emphasized Jacksons work as a criminal defense attorney.

This work shows not only Judge Jacksons commitment to the Constitution, but also her courage: criminal defense attorneys must stand up for their clients constitutional rights when it is least popular, the attorneys wrote.

Love 20 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 8

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.
NorthWestern Energy's plans to build a natural gas pipeline beneath the Yellowstone River were allowed to move forward on Tuesday after Yellowstone County commissioners voted to deny an appeal against the project.

The appeal was filed last month by residents who live along the south side of the Yellowstone River near Laurel where the pipeline will be drilled. The pipeline eventually will feed gas to NorthWesterns proposed gas-fired power plant on the north bank of the river, roughly a half-mile downstream from the CHS refinery.

"This is a terrible location for a pipeline," said Jenny Harbine, an attorney representing the landowners along the river. "The stakes are too high to rush this permit through."

In fact, it's NorthWestern's second choice for a location; the first was to run underneath Riverside Park in Laurel and was abandoned by NorthWestern after it failed to get the requisite votes from the Laurel City Council.

Commissioners sympathized with the area's landowners, but said they found no grounds for appeal. The permit process was followed and the various state agencies with a stake in the project, along with the Army Corps of Engineers, all approved.

"I do not see the evidence," said Commissioner John Ostlund. "I believe that our floodplain administrator has done his job."

In their appeal, neighbors said the county's floodplain administrator, Tim Miller, inexplicably reclassified the pipeline location out of the floodway and granted the permit. The entry point from which crews began boring a deep pipeline route beneath the river is 175 feet from the Yellowstones south bank and well within the flood zone.

Miller explained that a floodplain includes both a floodway and a flood fringe and that the requirements for a permit allowing the drilling and installing of a pipeline there were all met by NorthWestern.

He said he definitely understands the concerns expressed by the neighbors, but those concerns fall outside what's required within the permitting process.

"The application was found to be in compliance," he said.

The appeal hearing on Tuesday lasted three hours and heard public comment from over 30 people.

Representatives from the Billings Chamber of Commerce and Big Sky Economic Development, along with labor union representatives, spoke about the importance of NorthWestern's project to the region's energy-based economy.

But the vast majority of comments were from neighbors and Laurel residents who expressed concerns about the dangers surrounding the project: accelerated erosion around the drill site and the possibility of an exposed and ruptured pipeline should the Yellowstone reach flood stage sometime in the future.

NorthWestern Energy wants to bury the risks of the project as deep as the pipeline, they said.

"Please do not gamble with pipelines that endanger landowners," Laurel resident Carol Blades told commissioners.

Craig Smith, an engineer with NorthWestern told commissioners the pipeline will enter the floodplain at a depth of four feet and reach a depth of 31 feet below the river bank and then hit 50 feet below the main channel of the river.

"NorthWestern Energy is not going to let this erode," he said.

The company's vice president of transmission, Mike Cashell, told commissioners safety is NorthWestern's greatest concern along with protecting the environment.

"We are true stewards of the environment," he said.

Neighbors balked, pointing as an example to the malfunction at NorthWestern's Hebgen Dam that left the Madison River without water in late November, killing scores of fish.

Blades told commissioners that the fears of neighbors aren't unreasonable. Blades lives off Thiel Road and said that in the last 13 years, she's been evacuated from her home twice after a pipeline ruptured in the Yellowstone.

Tom Riter, who also lives in the area, said they've experienced a 100-year flood twice in the last five years.

"You can't fight water," he said. "All you can do is direct it."

Resident Kara Ronin said of all the requirements for the floodplain permit, nothing is included to address an accident with the pipeline.

"What happens when something goes wrong," she asked.

Following the meeting, resident Barb Emineth said she was disappointed with the outcome but not surprised. Residents are genuinely concerned about their safety, the health of the river and the environment that surrounds it, she said.

If the county's floodplain permit process doesn't account for those concerns, it might be time to update the permit process, she added.

"It's not all on one meeting," she said. "It's a process."

Love 11 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 10

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.
HOT SPRINGS  Jon Sepps first career was to test parachutes for the U.S. military, with over 800 free falls, 200 low-altitude BASE jumps and numerous severe leg injuries under his belt. Hes used to danger and adrenaline. Still, the sight of a 2,200-pound bison chasing him down last August scared the living crap out of him.

He broke through the metal gate, Sepp recalled. And I just looked and saw him coming after me.

Sepp, a bison rancher with a herd near Camas Prairie just south of the town of Hot Springs in western Montana, was being filmed by a German television documentary crew when the accident happened. The animal pummeled him into the ground, then came back and gored him through the arm and trampled him. He suffered a severe concussion, but was able to escape with the help of a ranch hand.

It was really, really bad, Sepp recalled. For a moment I thought I was going to die.

That incident, and another time he got trampled in a trailer, didnt stop him from loving and respecting the animals.

Sepp and his partner Brittany Masters, owners of Roam Free Ranch, manage a herd of 200 bison that will grow to about 300 after calving season, which starts at the end of April.

Theyve found a unique way to make a living with the tens of thousands of pounds of grass-fed meat they harvest every year.

They created a ready-to-eat, pre-cooked Roam Free bison chili product thats available exclusively at Costco stores in several states in the western U.S., including the Missoula and Kalispell stores. The products have flown off the shelves. The stores may be out soon, but theyre planning another resupply later this year.

Roam Free Ranch also has a line of jerky products and sell cuts of meat locally. It has a growing staff and Sepp and Masters hope to expand to more stores over the next few years.

We found a chef that created a really amazing recipe for us, explained Masters, who left a career in marketing at the Boeing aerospace company to move to Montana. Even when I try to recreate it at home, I cant make it like he does.

Masters said it took a huge logistical undertaking to get a product on the shelves of Costco. They had to find a place that was big enough to process a large volume of animals, get the recipe right, find a commercial factory to create the product and convince Costco to put it on their shelves.

There is no soup plant in Montana, so if anyone wants to start one let us know, Masters said.

Masters said they also had to prove they were already distributing the jerky to other stores before Costco would accept the chili.

Theyve seen other companies go in and crash and they dont want to be responsible for that, she explained.

Both Sepp and Masters said its been exciting to see people trying their creation.

Weve run into people at Costco buying it, Master said.

We want to interview them, not to be creepy, but just to understand what made them pick that up, Sepp added. We did so well at first and we were so excited with the product. I want to know why. Is it the packaging? Is it because its bison? Is it a mixture? So we just want to get peoples feedback.

Sepp said they realized there are very few pre-cooked bison products on the market, and he knows busy people are looking for something that can be heated up quickly. Masters said Costco has sold ground bison for years but there hasnt been a lot of innovation.

We knew that there was a bison consumer that shops there, Master said.

She said Costco originally contracted with them for just 5,000 units, but she decided shed have another 5,000 made just in case. Sure enough, the 5,000 sold out way before the three months that Costco had estimated, so the company frantically called them and asked how much more they had.

The couple practice regenerative farming methods, which means they confine their herd to small areas so that they intensively graze the grasses down to the ground before theyre moved.

That, combined with the fact that the bison are constantly fertilizing the ground, triggers an emergency response in the grasses and causes them to spread out and keeps the land healthy. But the practice also requires lots of fencing, so most of their summer is spent building scores of miles of fence.

They recently lost a lease on land they had been improving for years, and Sepp laments the fact that Montana is one of the last places where ranching can still be even marginally profitable. Development pressure in places like Colorado means that prime land goes to builders and wealthy homeowners and there will be fewer and fewer small ranchers.

We have friends in the bison industry who have lost their leases in the last year, Master said. Its not an uncommon thing.

Despite his run-in with the angry bull, Sepp is still enamored with bison, as he has been since childhood.

"One year, when I was like 4 or something, my mom and dad stopped the car and we got out in Montana somewhere and saw some bison," he recalled. "I always said I was gonna raise them when I got older."

To this day, he still gazes in wonder at the huge beasts from the safety of his truck. Staring into the eyes of a younger bull, with Camas Prairie far down below, Sepp still has the feeling he had those many years ago.

"It never gets old," he said.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
James Boyettes Republican candidacy for Montanas Eastern U.S. House district started at the kitchen table talking to his wife about their disappointment with public schools.

Boyette, 29, was experiencing public schools as parent for the first time, not as the father of a kindergartner but rather as the parent of a middle schooler. James Boyette's stepdaughter was 12.

This was kind of a mixture between my wife and daughter kind of pushing me to do something, Boyette said. And I felt like, if Im going to do this, I want to at least be in a position where I'm able to make the biggest impact to help the most people and kind of go about it that way.

Much of Boyettes concerns about education center on sex education curriculum and discussion about gender identify or sexual orientation. These are mainstream concerns among Montana Republicans, who in the 2021 state Legislature overwhelmingly supported a law requiring advance notice to parents whenever the topics come up in classrooms and allowing the parents who object to remove children from school.

Also peppered into the Bozeman residents platform are concerns about Critical Race Theory, a 40-year-old approach to considering the presence of racism throughout American history, past and present. CRT is a complex legal theory that is rarely taught below the graduate level in universities.

But, it has become a hair-trigger conservative issue nationally and in Montana, where the states highest educational authority, Superintendent Elsie Arntzen, opposes CRT, but also hasnt cited examples of it being taught in any Montana public schools.

Boyette works for Hologic, a medical technology company focused on womens health with products such as three-dimensional mammography and tests for detecting cervical cancer, or sexually transmitted disease. The work brought Boyette to Montana several years ago from Idaho, where he is a native of Emmett. His travels through a service area that includes Montanas Eastern U.S. House District, as well as Wyoming, has helped shape his opinions on health care.

One thing Boyette has noticed is that Medicaid and Medicare are the determining factors for what insurance covers and for how much. As a result, small rural hospitals and care providers tend to defer treatment to big city hospitals when coverage isnt strong enough to support the service being provided on a smaller scale locally.

Lower cost is not a bad thing, especially for patients who are struggling. But they're not focusing near as much as on the aspect of how do we support the actual facilities, and the doctors, to make sure that they have the resources available to treat the patients to the best of their abilities, Boyette said.

Illegal immigration is a big part of Boyettes platform and dovetails with his belief that Democrats are trying to win elections by allowing non-U.S. citizens to vote. President Joe Bidens administration ending construction of Donald Trumps wall across the border with Mexico is a concern, as is the flying of undocumented immigrants to detention facilities throughout the United States. These flights known on conservative cable news as ghost flights have been used for years, including during the Trump era, but have been characterized more ominously lately as a Biden attempt to embed illegal immigrants across the US.

This immigration policy directly coincides with the Democratic agenda to take complete and total control of the government, Boyett explains on his website. There is this idea that the Democrats have, which is that if they let these illegal immigrants in, they will turn into Democratic voters and keep the Democrats in power. The immigration policies of the Biden Administration has resulted in not only record-setting illegal immigration, but also record-setting drug trafficking, human trafficking, crime rates and so much more. This needs to stop. We need to protect Americans and put an end to these horrible policies.

More than any candidate running for the states Eastern U.S. House District, Boyette has targeted fellow Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale for relying heavily on donations from out-of-state contributors. Some of those out-of-state contributors have also been associated with scandal, specifically employees of the brokerage Cantor Fitzgerald, which was investigated for money laundering and illegal gambling. More than 80% of Rosendales money is coming from out of state, Boyette said.

That's where, for me personally, I don't agree with affiliating yourself with companies that are involved in any sort of illegal activity like that, Boyette said. And to be accepting that kind of money from people you're not even technically representing. For me personally, I feel like the biggest responsibility is to the people who are electing you within your district. And that's who you should be getting most of your support from.

There are other candidates in Montanas Republican primary, including Kyle Austin of Billings and Charles Walkingchild of Helena. Rosendale is the only Republican candidate reporting donations at this point. As Montanas current at-large representative, Rosendale has most of the benefits of incumbency, even though the newly created Montana U.S. House District 2 is an open seat.

In January, Rosendale reported $916,775 cash on hand. None of his Republican rivals have reported a single dollar.

Editor's note: This is one in a series of profile stories on the candidates running for Montana's Eastern U.S. House district. These stories are being written as the candidate interviews occur.

Love 0 Funny 5 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4

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.
A Bismarck man arrested after allegedly hitting another man with a hammer and then engaging in a standoff with police has been formally charged.

Kirk Wilkie, 32, is charged with a felony count of aggravated assault that carries a maximum punishment of five years in prison.

He was booked around 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Burleigh Morton Detention Center. No attorney was listed for him in court records.

Bismarck police and the West Dakota SWAT team responded Monday night to a 34-year-old Bismarck man being struck with a claw hammer.

A police affidavit says two men were playing video games while Wilkie was walking around the residence with the hammer and "was paranoid."

Wilkie allegedly struck one of the men after asking the two men a question they didn't hear. The man suffered a 1-inch laceration above his left eyebrow that required stitches, according to the affidavit.
She also is accused of fraudulently representing to the title company that Andrew Feist had signed a deed for the property and that the deed was notarized in North Dakota. The name of the notary public on the document was not a licensed notary in North Dakota, authorities say.
The North Dakota Public Service Commission has fined Montana-Dakota Utilities $40,000 for rerouting a power line without first receiving approval from the state.

The three commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to accept an agreement reached with MDU concerning the dispute related to changes at Heskett Station north of Mandan.

The utility recently retired the two coal-fired units at the power plant and is adding another natural gas turbine near an existing one at the site. Amid the changes, its rerouting parts of a 1.5-mile power line at Heskett.

The company initially considered the reroute two separate projects, falling outside PSC jurisdiction, MDU spokesman Mark Hanson said.

But the project needed state approval, according to the commission.

PSC Chair Julie Fedorchak said she was disappointed in MDU, given that it is in touch with the commission on a regular basis about a host of regulatory matters and could have asked questions to clear up any confusion. She said MDU was involved in developing North Dakotas siting laws and should have a good understanding of what the law requires of utilities.

Hopefully this (agreement) puts this to bed, and theyve changed the processes within the company that allowed this to slip through the cracks, she said.

The PSC says MDU also failed to secure approval from the commission to remove topsoil before it froze this past winter.

Hanson said MDU has realized its regulatory and construction staff need to communicate more on projects such as this.

The full amount of the fine is $50,000, with $10,000 suspended as long as the company does not violate any state law for seven years.

The PSC also assessed another $60,000 fine because MDU put up poles too close to homes as part of the reroute project, but the commission has dismissed the entire amount. The company sought to secure waivers from landowners to keep the poles in place, but it did not acquire waivers from all of them. The company plans to move the poles now that the fines have been resolved, Hanson said.

Fedorchak said she feels the cost of moving the structures is a penalty in itself.

The fine levied Wednesday comes on the heels of another one issued against MDU last month regarding upgrades that began without PSC approval for a transmission line that runs from Heskett to Ellendale in southern North Dakota. Hanson said that project involved restringing the line, and the company realized through conversations with commission staff that it needed formal approval to move forward. The PSC fined MDU $10,000 in that case.

Reach Amy R. Sisk at 701-250-8252 or amy.sisk@bismarcktribune.com.

Love 1 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.
"We will pursue every legal avenue for challenging this decision out of respect to the wide swath of North Dakotans who want term limits, and to protect the integrity of our initiated measure process," he said last week.

The measure's 42-member sponsoring committee includes several state lawmakers linked to the ultraconservative Bastiat Caucus, as well as multiple GOP district chairmen, including Hendrix.

North Dakota's dominant Republican Party has seen infighting between ultraconservative and establishment members, notably in the party censures of several state lawmakers and a walkout from a party meeting last year.

The party meets Friday and Saturday for its state convention in Bismarck; delegates will endorse candidates for statewide and congressional races.
State revenues have been exceeding projections set by North Dakota's Legislature, but a persistent budget gap, recent tax breaks and volatility of the state's major revenue sources create challenges for budget writers.

The Legislature's interim Legacy Fund Earnings Committee heard Tuesday about general fund revenues and oil taxes exceeding their forecast by 14% and 29%, respectively, so far in the 2021-23 budget cycle. General fund revenues include sales taxes and individual income taxes, among others.

"From where we are right now, things are looking definitely on the positive side," Legislative Budget Analyst and Auditor Allen Knudson told the panel.

But the state in recent years has faced a budget gap between ongoing general fund revenues and ongoing spending, which the Legislature has balanced largely by tapping funds derived from oil taxes, including earnings of the Legacy Fund oil tax savings. North Dakota's constitution requires a balanced budget.

As much as 28% of the 2019-21 budget "came directly from oil," according to Knudson. And 21% of the 2021-23 budget comes from oil tax revenue -- "definitely progress made" but "still a pretty significant amount," he said.

The 2021-23 budget as of November had a $1.17 billion gap between ongoing general fund revenues and spending, he said.

Causes of the gap include ongoing spending increases for Medicaid, federal matching rates for medical assistance, and state school aid for property tax relief, Knudson said.

Revenues also have been decreased by tax relief and rate reductions, including a 50% reduction for rates of individual income taxes from 2009-15 and an additional 28% reduction for income tax relief the Legislature made last fall, he said.

The state is still trying to pay for the school aid/property tax relief begun in 2013; ongoing revenues to pay for it have declined since 2015-17.

County social services will soon cost more than is available in the state fund designated to pay for them -- "a potential further drain" on the general fund or another source, Knudson said.

North Dakota's major revenue sources, such as sales and oil taxes, are volatile, according to Knudson.

The governor and Legislature in 2016-17 grappled with a $1 billion revenue shortfall due to slumped commodity prices, bringing budget cuts and raids on reserves.

Knudson laid out one scenario of the 14% revenue increase continuing throughout this budget cycle, decreasing the budget gap to $680 million.

The 2023-25 budget could see a $600 million gap under the scenario, which includes myriad factors.

Budget writers have options to fill the gap for 2023-25, including excess 2021-23 revenues, a major fund of oil taxes, leftover federal coronavirus aid and Legacy Fund earnings.

Key considerations include weaning the budget off "significant" use of oil taxes, pre-funding new programs with one-time revenues, and planning for Legacy Fund earnings, according to Knudson.

The earnings have been "substantial," but the Legislature last year committed $100 million every two years for repaying bonds for 20 years, he said.

Key to the budget picture are the state's healthy reserves, according to House Majority Leader Chet Pollert, R-Carrington.

"We're going to be glad we've got this money in these buckets coming into the next session" or future sessions, he said.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jeff Delzer, R-Underwood, said, "It's always better to be spending cash that's on hand than projected income that might not come in."

An added twist to the next state budget process is three of four legislative leaders and the top Senate budget writer not running for reelection -- meaning new leaders will guide the Legislature.

Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com.

Love 0 Funny 1 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.
A total of four CubeSats were deployed by Nanoracks from the International Space Station on the ELaNa38 Mission. Credits: NASA

NASA has selected eight small research satellites from seven states to fly as either auxiliary payloads or deployments from the International Space Station (ISS).

These missions are currently planned to launch in the 2023-2026 timeframe. The selected CubeSats were proposed by educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and NASA centers in response to NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) call for proposals issued on August 9, 2021.

"CSLI fosters innovation in the science and technology community by launching CubeSats built by diverse organizations - from middle schools to NASA Centers," said Samantha Johnson, Launch Services Office, NASA Headquarters. "These partnerships benefit NASA, commercial launch partners, and participants by providing a low-cost pathway to launch small satellites conducting scientific investigations, technology demonstrations, Earth observation, and more."

CubeSats are a type of space research nanosatellite. In their smallest form, they measure about four inches on each side, weigh less than three pounds, and have an approximate volume of one quart. CubeSats are built using these standard dimensions or units (U) and are typically classified as 1U, 2U, 3U, 6U, or 12U in total size. Each selected CubeSat proposal was required to address aspects of the agency's science, technology development, or education goals.

Launch opportunities for the selectees are provided through the Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) missions facilitated by NASA's Launch Services Program (LSP). Selected CubeSats will launch aboard planned spaceflight missions led by NASA, other U.S. government agencies, or commercial organizations with coordination from LSP. After launch, the CubeSats will deploy into orbit from either the launch vehicle or the International Space Station.

CSLI 13th Round CubeSat Selections

The organizations and the CubeSats chosen during this selection round are:

Arizona State University - Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS) is devoted to photometric monitoring of M stars in the far-ultraviolet (UV) and near-UV, measuring the time-dependent spectral slope, intensity and evolution of M-star stellar UV radiation. SPARCS will continually observe each selected target over at least one complete stellar rotation (5-45 days). SPARCS will also advance UV detector technology by flying high quantum efficiency (QE), UV-optimized detectors developed at Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - The Virtual Super-Resolution Optics with Reconfigurable Swarms (VISORS) formation will image the solar corona at the resolution required to determine the existence of hypothesized heat-release bands. These scientific phenomena may explain why the corona exhibits such unexpectedly large temperatures. By separating the telescope components across two spacecraft, the VISORS formation avoids the scaling problem which limits conventional coronal imagers and gathers high-quality imagery at a fraction of the cost.



NASA Langley Research Center - ARCSTONE will provide more accurate lunar spectral reflectance measurements to establish an absolute lunar calibration standard for past, current, and future Earth observing sensors. The objective of this project is to demonstrate in-space validation of an approach for establishing the Moon as an accurate reference for on-orbit calibration of reflected solar instruments.



California Polytechnic State University - Additively Manufactured Deployable Radiator with Oscillating Heat Pipes (AMDROHPSat) primary aim is to demonstrate the use of a new generation of deployable radiators in low-Earth orbit (LEO). The demonstration of this technology will enable small satellite mission with greater thermal constraints to operate in LEO and beyond.



Olin College - The Space Weather Atmospheric Reconfigurable Multiscale Experiment (SWARM-EX) project provides an important step in the advancement of designing and building CubeSat constellations for space weather. SWARM-EX will consist of three identical CubeSats with novel technologies for radio communications between satellites, onboard propulsion, advanced data downlinks, and autonomous operations within the constellation. Each satellite will measure ionized and neutral gases in the Earth's upper atmosphere, studying structures seen near the equator.

University of New Hampshire - The 3U3-A measures precipitating electrons and ultraviolet (UV) emissions in the auroral and cusp regions of Earth. These measurements are combined with other measurements of the interplanetary conditions to investigate how the polar regions of Earth's atmosphere respond to varying solar wind conditions and particle precipitation. The proposed work gives undergraduate students experience in space physics and engineering by letting them lead a CubeSat mission in all stages of the mission life cycle, from design to data analysis. In addition to its educational objective, 3U3-A has a secondary scientific objective of advancing our understanding of Earth's atmosphere in the polar LEO.



Utah State University - The Active Cooling for Multispectral Earth Sensors (ACMES) mission is to simultaneously validate two new technologies, each representing an important advance in satellite remote sensing capability for Earth science. The first technology is the Active Thermal Architectures (ATA) and the second technology is the HyTI (Hyperspectral Thermal Imager). ACMES includes two student technology demonstrations, the Filter Incidence Narrowband Infrared Spectrometer (FINIS) and the Planer Langmuir/Impedance Diagnostic (PLAID).



Arizona State University - The Deployable Optical Receiver Aperture (DORA) mission will perform a technology demonstration of a widefield infrared laser communication terminal for small satellites. The new technology enables communication networks in cis-lunar space and new mission classes, including constellations of small satellites for scientific investigations.

To date, 210 CubeSat missions from 42 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have been selected, and 134 CubeSat missions have launched into space through ELaNa rideshare opportunities.

For additional information on how to apply for a launch opportunity through CSLI, visit http://go.nasa.gov/CubeSat_initiative

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
The Battle of Little Bighorn took place in 1876, four years after Bismarck was founded. Though it occurred hundreds of miles to the west, its an important part of our local history.

The founding of Bismarck and the most famous battle in the American West were both direct consequences of the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1872. When railroad engineers chose this location for a bridge across the Missouri, a town site soon followed. The railroad cut through the homelands of Northern Plains tribes, resulting in a military campaign to force the last free bands of Lakota and Northern Cheyenne onto reservations.

The U.S. Army launched an expedition of three columns in the spring of 1876, one of which was the nearly 1,000-strong Dakota column that departed Fort Abraham Lincoln on May 17. Gen. Alfred Terry was the nominal leader, but the force was spearheaded by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custers Seventh Cavalry.

Riding with Custer was Bismarck Tribune reporter Mark Kellogg, who arrived in Bismarck in 1873. That same year, Col. Clement A. Lounsberry, a Civil War hero and journalist from Minnesota, established The Bismarck Tribune. Lounsberry chose Kellogg, his part-time editor and printer, to accompany the expedition.

On June 25, along the banks of the Little Bighorn River in southeastern Montana, known to the Lakota as Greasy Grass, Custer and his men encountered 2,500 Lakota and Northern Cheyenne warriors led by Sitting Bull, Gall, Crazy Horse, Lame White Man and Two Moon. The Indian warriors achieved total victory, fighting bravely and furiously to protect the women and children in the sprawling village Custer hoped to attack. Custer and his 268 men were killed, including Kellogg.

Further south along the valley, three companies under Maj. Marcus Reno desperately retreated back across the river to a defensive hilltop position after a failed attempt to attack the village.

With Reno was Dr. Henry Rinaldo Porter, who came to Bismarck in 1873 as contract surgeon at Camp Hancock. As soldiers fought off constant attacks, Dr. Porter established a makeshift field hospital protected by boxes, saddles and the carcasses of horses and mules. Porter cared for dozens of injured men under horrendous conditions -- almost no water, blistering heat, sniper fire, and the constant stench of death.

The soldiers held firm for two days until the vast Indian camp moved southwest toward the Bighorn Mountains. Then began the arduous process of transporting the wounded to the steamboat Far West, anchored near the confluence of the Yellowstone and Big Horn rivers.

The captain of the Far West was Grant Marsh, the greatest steamboat captain of the era and an early Bismarck resident. Porter continued to care for 42 wounded men as Marsh piloted the boat to Fort Lincoln, traveling 710 miles in 54 hours, a record that was never matched.

After the Far West brought news of Custers defeat, Lounsberry worked for 24 hours to publish the first account of the battle in The Bismarck Tribune on July 6. As Lounsberry wrote the story that would electrify the nation, John M. Carnahan, manager of the Bismarck telegraph office, sent Lounsberrys words to the New York Herald and other newspapers nationwide.

For the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne, Little Bighorn was the height of resistance to white encroachment and the beginning of the end of their traditional way of life on the Northern Plains. For white Americans, it was a shocking event during the nations centennial and led to a campaign of vengeance against Native peoples.

Bismarck was just a small, dusty frontier town in 1876, but a number of its residents played major roles in the most famous event in the history of the American west.

Tory Jackson is an attorney and writer. His legal practice involves real estate and business matters, with a particular focus on historic rehabilitation projects. He holds degrees from Bismarck State College, the University of Virginia and Harvard Law School. He lives in Bismarck, where he was born and raised.

Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
To survive in todays threat landscape, advanced threat defense (ATD) is designed to give you the right tools to prevent threat actors from intruding your network.

Access this infographic to discover how SonicWalls ATD aims to provide threat intelligence with no false positives, detect new and emerging threats and more.
As a genre of dark intrigue, stoic protagonists, and femmes fatales, film noir has continued to beguile and entertain filmgoers for decades. But does it also have something to say about the relationship between happiness and justice? []

Recently I spoke at Hillsdale College on film noir as part of a program that introduced audiences to four of the most impressive movies in the genre that defined the tough detective in America and the less popular type of doomed romantic. The two together present the greatest fear that comes out of our ambitionthe radical disjunction between justice and happiness.

Film noir is accordingly disturbing, halfway there to tragedy, and you might think its not what Americans love, yet this was considered stylish, beautiful moviemaking and in turn created stars: The Maltese Falcon (1941) made Humphrey Bogart; Out of the Past (1947), Robert Mitchum; The Killers (1946), Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner; and Laura (1944), Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney. They made directors, toothe great John Huston above all.

These crime stories were influential in print in the America of the 1930s and on film in the 1940s, but they have left quite a legacy. They made a return in the 1970s as liberalism led the nation to collapse and moral idealism was losing its plausibility. Then in the 1990s, the influence of noir was felt once again on all genres, as well as on those upcoming directors, like Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan, looking for the only plausible statement on manliness in America (except for the Western, then considered obsolete).

The theme of film noir is man in the city. Does the newly urbanized American of the 20th century have any room or need for men? In The Maltese Falcon (1941), we see one of the few plausible answers, the private detective. It is of the essence of America that private detectives are possible and necessary: Finding out the truth and telling the story have been privatized to some extent, without which justice, the basis of the common good, cannot be done.

The novel The Maltese Falcon was written by Dashiell Hammett in 1930, a private detective turned writer himself, trying to tell the ugly truths about modern American society and to offer America a new hero, Sam Spade, shamus. If you will, hes named Samuel for the biblical judge, and spade for his penchant for bluntness. His is an almost nihilistic kind of stoicism, the manly response to a situation where justice doesnt really count for much.

John Hustons script and movie step back from that harshness and instead offer a wittier, more beautiful version of the story, ultimately intended to serve as an education for Sam Spade, improving on the novel; its whats called in the vulgar language of our times an origin story. Hustons Sam Spade is the role that defined Bogart for American audiences, a tough guy who laughs at the show he puts on to intimidate or impress others. He dresses well and respects himself for his wit; he enjoys the intrigue and deception of the sophisticated world of San Francisco where he lives, despite the moral ugliness that shows up everywhere he turns.

His intellect is part of his integrity, and he is accordingly not an unhappy manthe conflicts between justice and a desperate, criminal search after happiness interest him but arent quite powerful enough to shake him to the core or tempt him with corruption. At times he seems more interested in figuring out whether to dedicate himself to the American way of life than entertaining any worries about the moral collapse of the country. The challenge he faces, however, is very realthe Old World, at the last moment before America conquered the world. He beholds European adventures and Asian mysteries with freedom and splendor as gifts. He emerges a defender of America against such rotten sophistication.

Along with Bogart, Huston showed America the minute, fragile, but devious Peter Lorre and the rotund and orotund Sydney Greenstreet, a man by turns mannered and murderous. Both Lorre and Greenstreet are chasing the mythical Maltese Falcon, an idol of ancient wealth, exorbitant beyond the imaginations of mere modern people stuck with the self-contempt of democracy and science, which make greatness illegal or irrational. Both actors were to appear with Bogart a year later in Casablanca. They show the varieties of European sophistication with which Bogart must contend, the only people who have a chance to match him intellectuallyunlike his partner in the detective business or the cops or the district attorney, who are crude, moralistic blunderers. They want the aristocratic wealth and pedigree of the bird statuette, but they need Bogart to help them get it, because their globetrotting adventure, spanning the British Empire and the edges of Asia, Istanbul, and Hong Kong, have led them to San Francisco, a place new to them, where they will find the limits of their ability to mislead or corrupt justice.

Enter the Femme Fatale

Bogarts main antagonist, however, is neither of the two men, who show the charms of evil; hiding a gun behind a scented handkerchief or drugging a mans drink is not the worst one must face in this world. Mary Astora combination of the damsel in distress and what we have come to call the femme fataleis the true antagonist because she shows the charms of love, which is always in some sense good and innocent. She is attractive, sophisticated, has seen the world and yet might need, might choose, Sam Spade as her knight errantthats something San Francisco and indeed America simply cannot offer a man of ambition. Indeed, precisely because shes caught in a criminal world, shes attractive, since love is a law breaker. To the extent that she has no patriotism, shes an American who has abandoned her country, which not only adds to her charms but shows Bogart one possible path out of his boring, drab life.

Film noir starts from an acknowledgment that America simply has little to offer daring men. The border, as we know, is closed, and freedom from moralism has disappeared. The life of commerce is not as interesting to men of ambition as the life of honor, or at least splendor, because theres no freedom in commercenobility is literally forbidden to public men by the Constitutions Article I, Section 9, Clause 8.

In some sense, this is injustice to heroes, and accordingly the men with which noir concerns itself are doomed simply for being Americans. This is why they are open to a certain temptation to abandon justice, something most people do not faceits only a few steps from being daring or witty to being reckless or doing something desperate. The popularity of such heroes, Bogart above all, shows, however, that manliness, daring, and pride have a secret attraction to American men, who are at best reconciled to their mundane situation but not in love with it.

Perhaps the strangest thing about The Maltese Falcon shows up in its delight in sophisticated language and argument: The freedom of the mind is unknown in America, to judge by Sam Spades loneliness. He is treated with at best mild contempt by both his detective partner and the authorities, who are blind to his irony. Only his enemies even care to take Spades measure. Since he can never amount to something, why not accept being seduced by someone charming?

Only now can we see that there is a real conflict at the core of the movie: Will Sam Spade stay American or, like many sophisticated people, most famously Hemingway, leave America? What seems like an accident turns out to be the key to his characterthe woman he falls in love with deceives people into trusting her and then murders them. The fundamental ingratitude involved in that calculating mind is so ugly that it takes away any sentimentality Sam Spade had in him.

This then becomes the real mystery of the story and, like film noir, Ill leave you with a lingering doubt and a newly acquired, startled moral seriousness. Its obvious to anyone that you cannot love in accordance with public opinion; on the contrary, something exotic, beyond the limits of American democracy, has attraction precisely to the extent it allows a man a view of a wider world, a vision of life beyond the middle class. But can you love at all when faced with the possibility of deception? Spade chooses justice over false happiness, but in the process makes it seem like happiness is always false.




Were particularly excited about this next phase of our journey as we officially bring our rider-only technology to San Franciscothe city many of us at Waymo call home, shares co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana. Weve learned so much from our San Francisco Trusted Testers over the last six months, not to mention the innumerable lessons from our riders in the years since launching our fully autonomous service in the East Valley of Phoenix. Both of which have directly impacted how we bring forward our service as we welcome our first employee riders in SF.





Waymo has safely developed and integrated its Driver with three unique vehicle platforms for fully autonomous operations







o

All of this cumulative experience, not to mention the valuable feedback from our riders, allows us to continue to build incredible operational expertise in deploying and operating a fully autonomous fleet. Notably, this is the first time any company is simultaneously running fully autonomous ride-hailing operations in multiple cities, and we look forward to being able to serve more riders and continue learning from them.

Building a safe, robust, and generalizable autonomous driverthe Waymo Driverwhose capabilities and performance transfer well between geographies and product lines is our main focus, said Dmitri Dolgov, Waymo co-CEO. Just as our previous experience allowed us to deploy our 5th-gen Driver in San Francisco quickly and with confidence, the combination of our experience in San Francisco and Phoenixs East Valley, grounded in millions of miles of real-world driving and boosted by billions of miles driven in simulation, is already guiding our progress in Downtown Phoenix and sets us up for future expansion of our fully autonomous ride-hailing service.





These important steps all help bring us closer to our mission of making it safer and easier for people and things to get where theyre going. Were delighted that our teammates in San Francisco who are working tirelessly to help build the Waymo Driver are now, along with enthusiastic residents who are members of our Trusted Tester program, able to ride with us throughout the city. If youre interested in helping us shape the future of autonomous ride-hailing, whether as a Trusted Tester or a future Waymonaut , wed love to have you on this journey with us. All of this cumulative experience, not to mention the valuable feedback from our riders, allows us to continue to build incredible operational expertise in deploying and operating a fully autonomous fleet. Notably, this is the first time any company is simultaneously running fully autonomous ride-hailing operations in multiple cities, and we look forward to being able to serve more riders and continue learning from them.

This morning in San Francisco, a fully autonomous all-electric Jaguar I-PACE, with no human driver behind the wheel, picked up a Waymo engineer to get their morning coffee and go to work. Since sharing that we were ready to take the next step and begin testing fully autonomous operations in the city, weve begun fully autonomous rides with our San Francisco employees. They now join the thousands of Waymo One riders weve been serving in Arizona, making fully autonomous driving technology part of their daily lives.While removing the human driver from our vehicles in San Francisco is a significant milestone, this is not Waymo's first time deploying fully autonomous vehicles in a city. This step were taking in SF comes from years of experience deploying our technology in the East Valley of Phoenix, beginning first with our Early Rider Program (now Trusted Tester) in 2017, then introducing fully autonomous public rides in 2020, to serving hundreds of rides weekly. Our commitment to Phoenix and the community there remains strong, and well soon be expanding to another area: Downtown Phoenix. Just as weve done before, we'll start with Waymo employees hailing trips with autonomous specialists behind the wheel, with the goal of opening it up to members of the public via our Trusted Tester program soon after.
There is a wealth of information on beekeeping on the internet. Many new beekeepers, like myself a few years back, take in all information as given. Little do we know that there is also a lot of misinformation out there. A new beekeeper usually cant separate information from misinformation. From the hard lessons I learned over the years, I firmly believe a new beekeeper must have a sound foundation of knowledge to be a good beekeeper.

I have read many beekeeping blogs and watched a lot of Youtube videos. Many bloggers and youtubers will just share with the rest of us what they did without explaining why they did what did. A lot of youtubers will also just show us the beginning of a trial without any update. These blogs and videos are not that useful.

Over the last couple of years, I have evaluated many blogs and Youtube channels. Here I recommend one blog and two Youtube channels that will definitely make you a better beekeeper. This recommendation comes from me, an experienced beginner, to you, a brand new beginner. You can still get a lot out of these videos and blogs, even if you are an experienced beekeeper.

The beekeeping blog that every beekeeper can benefit from is Honey Bee Suite, a place for bees, wild, native and managed. This blog is maintained by Rusty Berlew, a master beekeeper, in the Pacific Northwest. Rusty is a great writer. She uses common sense and a scientific approach to keeping bees. She explains every topic in easy-to-understand English. One does not have to agree with everything in her blog, but one can surely learn a lot from her beekeeping experience and knowledge.

The first Youtube channel that is highly recommended is the National Honey Show. The National Honey Show is the Britain's premier honey show with lectures and workshops. They have had the show 90 times and are having the 91st show in 2022. World famous beekeeping experts from all over the world have been invited to give lectures on a wide range of beekeeping topics, including bee biology, bee nutrition and queen rearing. They have uploaded many recorded lectures to Youtube. Some of these lectures are a little on the academic side. But if I can understand, enjoy and learn, so can you. Watch all lectures a couple of times and understand everything the lecturers said. And when you are done, you will feel like you have obtained an associate degree in beekeeping.

The second Youtube channel that I recommend is the channel by the University of Guelph Honey Bee Research Centre. In these videos, research staff and faculty at the Honey Bee Research Centre demonstrate how they keep honey bees in Canada. You can learn a great deal of practical beekeeping skills from these videos. This Youtube channel is particularly useful for beekeepers in northern US, Canada and other regions in the northern climate. Paul Kelly, the research and apiary manager at the Research Center, is their main presenter. Paul is a great teacher. Every student would get an A if Paul were to teach a beekeeping class in a university.

There are of course a lot more great beekeeping blogs and channels. But the three I recommend are the cream of the crop in my opinion. They are great resources for all beekeepers, especially the beginning beekeepers. Trust me, you will become a much better beekeeper following my recommendation.

---------------------------------------------------------



---------------------------------------------------------

One blog and 2 Youtube channels that will make you a better beekeeper

Honey Bee Suite

The National Honey Show

The University of Guelph Honey Bee Research Centre

---------------------------------------------------------
Rep. Madison Cawthorn is in hot water after he revealed that colleagues he's "looked up to" imbibe in cocaine and orgies in their spare time. In fact, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy plans to have a chit chat with the 26-year-old Pro-Putin, accused insurrectionist from North Carolina about his loose-lipped remarks, according to Politico.

From Politico:

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is planning to sit down with Rep. Madison Cawthorn and talk to the North Carolina Republican about his latest incendiary public comment  suggesting that some of his colleagues invited him to orgies as well as used cocaine in front of him.

During a closed-door House GOP conference meeting on Tuesday, multiple Republicans in the room said lawmakers stood up to air their anger and frustration over Cawthorn portraying his own colleagues as bacchanalian and sexual deviants.

In one case, Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.) stood up and addressed his colleagues, telling them that he rarely speaks during the closed-door weekly meetings but felt he must address the topic because he's now getting questions about participants in Cawthorn's alleged orgies and drug use. Womack remarked that many lawmakers go to bed at 9 p.m. and still use fax machines and flip phones, stating that it was inappropriate to paint them with a broad brush, as Cawthorn did. 

Many GOP lawmakers privately expressed disbelief at Cawthorn's claims, particularly of orgies. Some wondered if he made the comments consciously in a bid to portray himself above such acts  past media reports have addressed sexual misconduct allegations against him before his election. There's a desire among fellow Republicans for Cawthorn to identify the colleagues involved to prove the truth of his comments, but that desire to name names could also cause new headaches for a conference that's already faced an array of controversies this Congress.

Cawthorn himself most recently faced criticism from members of his own party after suggesting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was a "thug" amid Russia's invasion of his democratic country.
Who does Alex Jones think he is, Prince Andrew?

Yesterday, the Infowars host offered to pay $120,000 to each of the families suing him. All the families rejected the settlement.

Jones is being sued for falsely claiming that the Sandy Hook massacre, which left 20 children and six adults dead, was a hoax perpetrated to ban firearms. The families of the murdered children were harassed and threatened by Jones's followers and are seeking damages. In one of the cases, the parents of Noah Pozner, a six-year-old who was the youngest victim of the massacre, said they have been forced to move seven times because of death threats from Jones's followers. They are currently living in a high-security community.

From USA Today:

Lawyers for the families rejected the settlement offer within a few hours, saying in court filings that it was a "transparent and desperate attempt by Alex Jones to escape a public reckoning under oath with his deceitful, profit-driven campaign against the plaintiffs and the memory of their loved ones lost at Sandy Hook." Twenty first-graders and six educators were killed in the 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The families of eight of the victims and an FBI agent who responded to the school sued Jones, Infowars and others in Connecticut over the hoax conspiracy. Jones has since said he believes the shooting did occur. Jones also was found liable for damages in similar lawsuits filed in Texas by relatives of Sandy Hook victims, and also faces trial later this year.

Jones refused to attend a scheduled deposition in the trial, explaining that doing so would cause him "significant stress."
Superheroes have always been political and, consequently, controversial. Revisionist history will lead you to believe that the first issue of Captain America (where Steve Rogers punches Hitler in the face) earned unanimous praise upon publication, but Marvelthen known as Timely comicsreceived a ton of backlash for the cover.

If you ignore the Nazi sympathizers, which is an excellent rule for life in general, most of the issues' complaints came from concerned Americans that thought the book would escalate the tensions between America and Germany. To be fair, Captain America #1's publication date was nine months before Pearl Harbor. It isn't a stretch to understand how Americans (many old enough to remember World War One) might have found the issue equal parts cathartic and distressing.

Before Captain America socked the Furher in the dome, another superhero battled Hitler in the comics. In the February issue of Look magazine in 1940, Superman became the first character to tussle with Hitler. In a wonderfully atavistic two page story, Superman escorts Hitler and Stalin to the League of Nations for sentencing. Given that the issue takes place a year before America's official entry into World War 2, it's no surprise that an article urging America to retain its neutrality appears within the very same copy of Look.

Looking back at Superman's brief battle with Hitler in Look magazine, running parallel to an article about America's apprehension around entering WW2, made me wonder about our current political climate. Smarter folks than me have drawn correlations between Putin and Hitler, but when will artists begin to echo that sentiment in their work? And more specifically, will comic artists ever feature Putin in their work? Are we too savvy to have an issue of Green Lantern where Hal Jordan chucks Putin into orbit?

I don't have the answers to these questions, but I'd love to hear what you think about this in the comments.
Costco Wholesale will open its first local store in Amherst along the busy Niagara Falls Boulevard corridor, Supervisor Brian J. Kulpa said Wednesday afternoon.

The international warehouse retail chain signed a lease with Benderson Development Co. on Wednesday to take over the former site of Tony Roma's restaurant at 4200 Ridge Lea Road, across North Bailey Avenue from Benderson's thriving The Boulevard shopping center, Kulpa said.

The site of the restaurant, which closed in 2006 about two years after its opening, is part of the former University at Buffalo annex property now owned by the development company.

Costco plans to construct a new store building on the property, Kulpa said, and likely will go through the approval process this year with construction beginning one year from now. The store could open as soon as late 2023, Kulpa figured.

"There's a lot of excitement," Kulpa said. "I'm certainly glad they're coming to Amherst."

Eric Recoon, Benderson's vice president of development and leasing, said in an email that he could not yet confirm nor deny "rumors" of Costco's arrival in Amherst. Property-management companies typically are strictly limited in what they can say publicly unless and until a retail tenant gives its approval.

The closest Costco is a 156,000-square-foot store in Rochester that opened in 2015. The chain has other locations in Ontario, Syracuse, downstate and the Pittsburgh and Cleveland areas.

Costco has eyed the Buffalo area since at least 2013, The Buffalo News reported at the time. Costco purportedly looked at a range of sites in the suburbs, from Tonawanda and Amherst to Cheektowaga, but nothing came of it then.

The membership-only wholesale club competes with Sam's Club and BJ's, but is considered more upscale than those retailers and is lauded for its quality, selection, price and customer experience.

As The News put it nine years ago: "Costco has garnered a passionate following around the world for its upscale shopping experience, discount prices, high-quality goods, ever-changing inventory and pleasant customer service. Its the kind of place shoppers can find everything from cold cuts to televisions to a Cartier diamond watch, at discount warehouse prices."

Costco is headquartered near Seattle and as of this month had 829 locations and 115 million cardholders in 12 countries. Its 573 American locations are in 46 states and Puerto Rico and its average warehouse size is 146,000 square feet.

It has 288,000 full- and part-time employees worldwide, with $192 billion in annual revenue.

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.
NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei ended his record-breaking time on the International Space Station with a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, at 7:28 a.m. EDT (5:28 p.m. Kazakhstan time).

Vande Hei, along with Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov, began the journey back to Earth in the early morning hours on the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft.

Vande Hei arrived at the International Space Station on April 9, 2021, spending 355 days in low-Earth orbit, breaking the previous record held by retired NASA astronaut Scott Kelly by 15 days.

"Mark's mission is not only record-breaking, but also paving the way for future human explorers on the Moon, Mars, and beyond," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "Our astronauts make incredible sacrifices in the name of science, exploration, and cutting-edge technology development, not least among them time away from loved ones. NASA and the nation are proud to welcome Mark home and grateful for his incredible contributions throughout his year-long stay on the International Space Station."

During his 355 days aboard the station, Vande Hei experienced:

- Approximately 5,680 orbits of Earth

- Approximately 150,619,530 statute miles traveled (equivalent of approximately 312 round trips to the Moon and back)

- Fifteen spacecraft or modules visited the International Space Station, including three Russian Progress cargo ships, two Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo craft, three Russian Soyuz, two SpaceX crew Dragons, three SpaceX cargo Dragons, and the two new Russian modules (the Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module and the Prichal Node Module).

Expedition 67 formally began aboard the station after undocking, with new station Commander Tom Marshburn, NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Kayla Barron, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveev, and Sergey Korsakov.

The Soyuz MS-19 crew will now split up, as per standard crew return practice, with Vande Hei returning to his home in Houston, while the cosmonauts fly back to their training base in Star City, Russia.

On-Orbit Status Report

65 Soyuz (65S) Undock and Landing: The 65S vehicle carrying Cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Petr Dubrov and NASA Astronaut Mark Vande Hei undocked from the ISS at 2:21 AM CT on Wednesday, March 30th, and successfully landed at 6:28 AM CT in Kazakhstan. After 355 days onboard the ISS, Mark Vande Hei returns as the NASA record-holder for longest single spaceflight. The departure of 65S reduced the crew complement onboard from 10 to 7.

Payloads:

Biological Experiment Laboratory (BioLab): The Biolab Incubator Biological Isolation Filters were replaced by the ISS crew. The BioLab is a multiuser research facility located in the European Columbus laboratory. The facility is used to perform space biology experiments on microorganisms, cells, tissue cultures, small plants, and small invertebrates. BioLab allows scientists to gain a better understanding of the effects of microgravity and space radiation on biological organisms.

CalliopEO: The CalliopEO Mini hardware was attached onto the Multi-Use Bracket of the AstroPi Infrared (IR) in Columbus. Photos were taken and downlinked to the ground. CalliopEO (Calliope Mini in Space) is a project of Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Calliope gGmbH, and the German Space Agency at DLR to promote software programming skills among German school children. CalliopEO uses a Calliope mini-computer, which is widely used in German schools, to teach coding skills. CalliopEO performs a couple of pre-installed experiments, as well as code written by German school children.

Confocal Space Microscopy: The Confocal Space Microscopy and PLT5 laptop were closed out and the protection cover was placed over the hardware. The Confocal Space Microscope (Confocal Microscope) is a JAXA facility that provides fluorescence images of biological samples aboard the ISS. Confocal microscopy uses spatial filtering techniques to eliminate out-of-focus light or glare in specimens with thicknesses exceeding the immediate plane of focus. With the Confocal Microscope, data can be obtained on the fundamental nature of cellular and tissue structure and functions in real-time.

Exploration Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS)-Toilet: The Toilet motor was tested, and the filter inspected as part of troubleshooting efforts. The Toilet System is an Exploration Tech Demo that has evolved into a permanent USOS system and has the same basic design as the Orion Universal Waste Management System (UWMS). The Toilet System will be the primary WMS for USOS for up to 90 crew-days and interfaces with the Urine Transfer System (UTS) to allow concurrent Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC)/Toilet operations.

FLUIDICS: The Fluidics data hard drive (HD) was connected to the COL Payload Laptop 2 and disconnected after ground operations were complete. The FLUIDICS investigation evaluates the Center of Mass (CoM) position regarding a temperature gradient on a representation of a fuel tank. The measurement of liquid displacement within a sphere in microgravity relates to a given kinematic representation of a spacecraft's fuel tank. The observation of capillary wave turbulence on the surface of a fluid layer in a low-gravity environment can provide insights into measuring the existing volume in a sphere.

Plant Habitat-05: A clean and flush was performed on the Plant Habitat Facility. Unlocking the Cotton Genome to Precision Genetics (Plant Habitat-05) cultivates several cotton genotypes that differ in their ability to regenerate into whole plants from undifferentiated masses of cells known as a calli. Cotton is highly resistant to the process of plant regeneration, making it difficult to engineer stable, reproducing plants that have specific or enhanced traits such as drought resistance. The investigation could provide a better understanding of this behavior and a pathway to avert this problem.

Retinal Diagnostics: Retinal Diagnostics measurements were conducted with multiple crewmembers. The DLR-EAC Retinal Diagnostics Study (Retinal Diagnostics) utilizes a commercially available ophthalmology lens, approved for routine clinical use with mobile devices, to capture images of the human retina in space. The videos/images are downlinked to test and train models to detect retinal pathologies common among astronauts.

Space Tango - Cubelab Satellite Demo: The KENT_SAT01 CubeSat was removed from TangoLab-3, activated, photographed for documentation, and then re-stowed. This completes the planned test demonstrations for this CubeSat. Space Tango - Cubelab Satellite Demonstrator tests a new attitude-control technology for small satellites, which is an integral part of future space missions as conventional attitude control systems for large satellites are not suited for small satellites. The new technology is energy efficient, lightweight, and not subject to friction wear, and could enhance the attitude maneuvering capabilities of small satellites.

Systems:

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Mobility Unit (EMU) Activities: Today, the crew continued post-EVA maintenance on EMU 3015 and EMU 3004 following the successful Radiator Beam Valve Module (RBVM) Jumper Install EVA conducted last Wednesday, March 23rd. First, the three Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garments (LCVGs) used during the ISS Roll Out Solar Array (IROSA) 3A Prep and RBVM Jumper Install EVAs were double-bagged and will no longer be maintained for future use. The crew then collected a 60-milliliter sample of the EMU 3015 cooling loop water post-water screen test from the Display and Controls Module (DCM) for chemical analysis. Next, the crew initiated the ionic and particulate filtering of EMU 3015, EMU 3004, and Airlock cooling water loops. EMU loop scrubs are performed periodically to prevent contamination in the EMU Cooling Loop due to stagnant water in the Airlock Coolant Loop. Finally, after terminating the iodination and de-configuring the EMUs, the crew moved stowage items back to their designated location in the Airlock.

Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Collect and Analysis: As part of regular maintenance, the crew performed periodic EHS water sampling by collecting water samples from the PWD for in-flight and post-flight analysis. In-flight samples were used to perform a TOCA analysis that measures the amounts of organic constituents in the potable water. The crew also tested the water samples for the presence of Coliform bacteria utilizing a Coliform test bag. These tests are used to determine if the drinking water is still safe for crew consumption.

Health Maintenance System (HMS) Optical Coherence Tomography 2 (OCT2): The crew completed routine OCT2 eye exams today. OCT2 is an imaging technique analogous to ultrasound imaging that uses light instead of sound to capture micrometer-resolution, two- and three-dimensional images of tissue; in this case, the objects of interest are the crewmembers' eyes. Eye exams are performed regularly on-board to monitor crewmembers' eye health. Eyesight is one of the many aspects of the human body that may be affected by long-duration stays in a microgravity environment.

Completed Task List Activities:

65S USOS Prepack

Data Preparation for 65S Return

Private Astronaut Mission (PAM) Big Picture Review (BPW)

Today's Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Atmosphere Revitalization System (ARS) Thermal Amine Scrubber (TAS) Mode Change

Attitude Control System (ACS) Configuration Controller Database (CCDB) Parameter Update

ACS US Thruster Only (USTO) Activation and Maneuver

ACS Handover from USTO to Russian Control

ACS Handover from Russian Control to USTO

EMU Cooling Loop Scrub Support

Dragon Quiescent Operations Checkout

Look Ahead Plan

Thursday, March 31 (GMT 90)

Payloads:

CAL MTL Jumper Lk Check (NASA)

GRASP Stow (ESA)

IGO Sample Exchange (NASA)

ISS HAM COL Powerup (NASA)

Standard Measures Saliva Collect (NASA)

TangoLab 2 Cardcube Replace (NASA)

Systems:

EVA Airlock Restow

SSC Power Chain Build

Crew Handover Conference

EHS - Coliform Water Sample Analysis

COL SSC Relocate

Crew SSC Relocate

METOX Regeneration Initiation

Friday, April 1 (GMT 91)

Payloads:

Air Particulate Monitor Status Chk (NASA)

IGO Sample Exchange and GN2 Valve Close (NASA)

Standard Measures Saliva Collect (NASA)

Systems:

Crew Choice Event

WHC Manual Fill

SSC 19 and 22 Swap

EVA METOX Initiate & Terminate

Saturday, April 2 (GMT 92)

Payloads:

Toilet Questionnaire (NASA)

Systems:

METOX Regeneration Termination

Today's Planned Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Human Research Facility (HRF) Generic Saliva Collection 10 Minutes

HRF Generic MELFI Sample Retrieval and Insertion Operations

HRF Generic Saliva Collection Stow

HRF Generic Ambient Blood Collection

HRF Generic Ambient Blood Collection Pack and Handover

HRF Generic HRF Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection Conclude and Stow

Actiwatch Plus HRF Rack 1 Alternate Performance Setup and Stow

TangoLab CubeLab Satellite Activation and Checkout

EHS TOCA PWD Sample Collect and Analysis

EHS Coliform Water Processing

EHS Bose Headset Stow

ISS HAM Radio Power Down in SM

ISS HAM Kenwood Radio Power Down in COL

65S Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth

EHS TOCA Sample Data Record

65S Farewell and Undocking

COL Payload Laptop #2 Activation for Biolab

Food Physiology MELFI Sample Retrieval

Unstow of Items for Incubator Isolation Filter Exchange

EVA Liquid Cooling Ventilation Garment Packing

Food Physiology Fecal Sample Processing

Biolab Incubator Biological Isolation Filters Exchange

Extravehicular Mobility Unit Water Sample

Restow of items for Incubator Isolation Filter Exchange

EMU Cooling Loop Maintenance Scrub Initiation

Food Physiology MELFI Sample Insertion 2 & 3

Fluidics HDD connection to COL Payload Laptop 2

Food Physiology Fecal Sample Processing Hardware And Portable Glovebag Stow

Atmosphere Control and Supply (ACS) Nitrogen Manual Valve Open

Review Toilet System Big Picture Words for Phase 2 Operations

JEM Common Gas Support Equipment Gas Supply Stop

Toilet Air Filter Inspection

Retinal Diagnostics Setup

Toilet Motor Test

Retinal Diagnostics Data Acquisition

Retinal Diagnostics Equipment Stow

CalliopEO Mini Deployment in COL

Public Relations Photo Shoot for CalliopEO Mini

EMU Cooling Loop Maintenance Iodination

Confocal Space Microscopy and Payload Laptop Terminal 5 (PLT5) Closeout

Confocal Space Microscopy Cover Set

Toilet Deactivation

PAM Tablet Deploy

EMU Cooling Loop Scrub Deconfiguration

EXPRESS Rack ZBook Setup

HMS OCT2 Setup

EVA Airlock Restow

Plant Habitat Facility Clean and Flush

HMS OCT2 Exam

HMS OCT2 Stow

Fluidics HDD Disconnection from COL Payload Laptop 2

PAM Tablet Reconnect



Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
Along the Lake Erie shoreline, its easier to find a spot to surf than a special meal within sight of the waves.

Your chances improved in November, when Alex Diaczenko, the chef who in 2015 opened luxe Italian frontrunner Lucias on the Lake, got behind the stove at Lago 210. Its slightly closer to Buffalo, and a lot closer to the surf, a water's edge restaurant on the brink of discovery. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February, its Ukrainian-American chef started making Ukrainian dishes to raise money for refugees, in addition to his regular, tiny menu. More on that later.

A half-mile south of his old spot, Diaczenko is filling a dining room again. Since its a converted hot dog shack, the task is admittedly much simpler. It weighs in at just over 20 seats, including the compact bar.

That doesnt include the patio. When summer comes, it promises to be prime real estate for sun-seekers. Manager Amanda Krouse is out front taking care of customers, giving service a distinctly hands-on feel. Theres a selection of wine, beer and a full bar, with Krouse on the shaker.

With fewer slots on the menu, Diaczenko wastes no chances in making an impression. Stuffed peppers ($18) are a Buffalo mainstay and at Lago 210, it can be read as a statement dish. Here's a place that wants to take your favorites further. Split Hungarian yellow chiles are roasted, then filled with cotija and other cheeses, and spicy chorizo. Underneath is roasted tomato and pepper sauce, amplifying the Mexican angle, with warm flatbread doing mopping-up duty.

Brussels sprouts, the improbable it vegetable of 2021, has one of its finesse moments of 2022 at Lago 210 ($10). Quartered and deep-fried to a crisp, they sprawl over miso-maple sauce, much to the tables satisfaction. Crowning it all was a shining topknot of housemade kimchi, whose crunchy funk gave these tiny, blessed cabbages another dimension.

Notably, Diaczenko rang the cherries without resorting to bacon, the cabbage crutch, making his effort suitable for vegetarians. The kimchi is vegan, by the way.

So is the cauliflower steak ($22), an honest-to-goodness satisfying vegan entree, which is rare as hens teeth round these parts. Carefully caramelized cauliflower rides roasted-red-pepper-and-nut pesto called romesco, with plumped golden raisins for fruity sweetness.

Dont read too much into that, though, because then comes the shrimp and grits ($29). Smoked, spicy andouille appears as crisped-up garlicky pork croutons. A half-dozen fat tail-on shrimp arrive nestled in velvety grits that taste more like cheddar than corn. Rousing salsa verde, alive with green chile, cilantro and lime, cuts through the heaviness to make it a dance party of a dish.

Chicken skin done right is its own course in any truly boffo roast chicken effort. Diaczenko crusts a breast and leg with zaatar, the Middle Eastern mixture of thyme, sesame and tangy sumac, for an aromatic, gently crispy counterpoint to the tender flesh beneath ($27).

Underneath it was tzatziki, the garlic-cucumber yogurt sauce, turbocharged with charred jalapeno for a lick of green fire. Cracked fried potatoes and sweetly astringent lengths of roasted carrot rounded out the platter, enough to feed two.

Those dishes are on the standard menu. Lately, Lago 210 specials have been dedicated to raising money for Ukrainians in need. Diaczenko was born in Rochester, to Ukrainians who fled to survive World War II. Proceeds from three Ukrainian dishes based on his mothers cooking lessons go to refugee aid.

Even in peacetime, I would have recommended Diaczenkos Ukrainian-style beet soup ($8). Borscht is Slavic soul food with beets, potatoes and cabbage in deep ruby broth zippy with vinegar. It arrives with a dollop of dill creme fraiche and yet more fresh dill fronds.

Cabbage rolls filled with meat and grain are called holubtsi (little pigeon) in Ukraine. Diaczenkos version ($23), a pair of burrito-sized packages stuffed with pork and beef, are presented in a jammy roasted tomato sauce and a halo of salsa verde.

For a sausage platter ($28), Diaczenko worked with BABS Sausage to fashion a Ukrainian-inspired link of beets, cabbage and pork, and kovbasa, a characteristic Ukrainian smoked sausage. (The chorizo and andouille he uses is also from BABS, run by Six Friends Cabernet chef Jessica Arends.) Sliced and served over a potato pancake, with a thicket of Barrel + Brine red sauerkraut, and more dill creme fraiche, it would have been my favorite of the three. But you cant beat borscht.

Desserts ($8) come from Sweet Pea Bakery in Hamburg, which Lago 210 owner Audrey Zybala opened in 2015. Everyone adored the gooey butter cake, like butterscotch custard in a chewy crust, served with whipped cream. Everyone agreed it would be even gooier, in a good way, if it was warmed up first. A Polish honey cake was a dense forest delight, calling for black coffee despite the hour.

Zybalas place doesnt promise the cheapest, or the fastest, bites along the Lake Erie shore. What Lago 210 can offer is a meal with heart, and the chance of sunset for dessert.

Lago 210

4038 Hoover Road, Hamburg (lago210.com, 716-246-3022)

Hours: 4 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

Prices: starters, $10-$28; entrees $16-$49.

Parking: lot

Atmosphere: shoreline relaxation.

Wheelchair accessible: yes

Gluten free: many choices.

Outdoor seating: coming soon.

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.
Actor Jim Carrey lambasted Will Smith and members of the Hollywood circle in candid comments after Smith smacked Chris Rock during the Academy Awards.

Appearing Tuesday, March 28, on CBS Mornings, Carrey called Smiths smack a selfish moment and one that cast a pall over the annual award show.

Keep scrolling for a look back at other stunning live TV moments in history

You do not have the right to walk up on stage and smack someone in the face because they said words, Carrey said.

Rock was smacked after he made a joke about Will Smiths wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. When Will Smith took his seat after the physical confrontation, he had choice words for Rock.

Keep my wifes name out your ------- mouth, Smith told Rock as the audience  and viewers  quickly realized the smack was not staged.

But later in the show, Smith received his first Oscar award, winning for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He received a standing ovation from the Academy Award crowd as he accepted the honor.

Carrey said he was sickened by that standing ovation.

I felt like Hollywood is just spineless en masse, Carrey said. It just really felt like this is a really clear indication of were not the cool club anymore.

Smith apologized to the Academy and to other nominees while he accepted the award for his role in the movie King Richard.

The night after the show, he shared a public apology on social media to Rock, saying he was out of line and he was wrong. He again apologized to the Academy and members of the King Richard movie, as well as the people the movie was based on.

Rock has chosen not to press charges against Smith, McClatchy News reported. Carrey believes Smith should have been arrested.

He doesnt want the hassle, Carrey said of Rock. I would have announced this morning that I was suing Will for $200 million because that video will be there forever. Its gonna be ubiquitous. That insult will last a very long time.

Other comedians took a similar stance as Carrey in criticizing Smith. Kathy Griffin, Tim Allen and Rosie ODonnell were among those who took Rocks side.

***

***

2022 The Charlotte Observer. Visit charlotteobserver.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
It began as what police said was a routine stop of a "suspicious" vehicle at the foot of Ferry Street on the bank of the Niagara River.

It turned into one of the wildest police chases in Buffalo's history.

When the 30-minute pursuit ended in a hail of bullets and a cloud of dust at the corner of East Ferry Street and Fillmore Avenue Tuesday evening, three police officers were wounded. A suspect was shot and in critical condition at Erie County Medical Center, expected to be arraigned on three counts of attempted murder of the cops. Nine police cars were riddled with bullets. Nineteen separate crime scenes needed to be examined.

But the fact that left law enforcement officials most stunned was that no one was killed and no bystanders were hurt.

"It's a miracle nobody died," Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia told reporters Wednesday during a news conference in the lobby of police headquarters.

"What should have been a minor vehicle and traffic stop turned into a running gunfight throughout the city," said Thomas H. Burton, the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association attorney. "What this subject did resulted in citywide chaos. These Buffalo officers did what they had to stop one of the worst threats to the public that I have seen in three decades of representing cops."

On Wednesday, new details about the gun battle that raged from the West Side to several East Side neighborhoods came to light through new information from police, interviews with sources and reviews of recordings of radio transmissions during the incident.

Shortly before 6 p.m. Tuesday, two patrol officers in the parking lot of Broderick Park at the end of Ferry Street conducted a "suspicious vehicle investigation," Gramaglia told reporters. He did not give details on why the officers deemed the vehicle "suspicious."

The driver, identified later as Kente Bell, 28, handed his ID to the officers and "it was reported the driver immediately took off."

The vehicle, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, headed north on Niagara Street and police began pursuing.

Man accused of trying to kill Buffalo cops has prior gun conviction, was shot in 2012 "The way that this individual was shooting from a moving vehicle showed absolutely no concern for peoples safety, no concern for human life," Mayor Byron W. Brown said.

Initially, Bell was accompanied by a passenger but that person, believed to be a woman, left the vehicle and police said Wednesday that Bell was the only person suspected of being part of the chase and subsequent shootings.

A recording of radio transmission archived by the website Broadcastify.com indicated police followed the Jeep into Black Rock.

"I need more cars," a dispatcher said.

Gramaglia said Wednesday that Bell is believed to have fired shots at police somewhere in the Black Rock area  the first of many during the pursuit  before getting on the Scajaquada Expressway, Route 198, at Niagara Street, heading east.

An officer said on the radio: "For safety, the vehicle did shoot at us."

The Jeep continued to the Kensington Expressway, Route 33, heading east. The dispatcher announced that Cheektowaga police were being informed that the chase could be headed their way.

But then the radio transmissions indicate the Jeep exited at Bailey Avenue.

A dispatcher said: "Currently shooting at officers again."

About 6:07 p.m., a police officer cried out: "I'm hit. I'm hit."

Another officer gave the location on Bailey, near the intersection with Erskine Avenue.

"Officer shot," he said. "We're taking off for the hospital."

A dispatcher repeated back: "One officer headed to ECMC ... ECMC is being notified now."

Less than a minute later, another police officer can be heard. "Shooting at officers again."

The transmissions indicated the police followed the Jeep as it turned east on Walden Avenue.

"Another officer hit," a voice yelled.

Next a voice from what seems to be a supervisor can be heard.

"Cut the pursuit. Cut the pursuit. Too many officers injured," the voice said.

A dispatcher repeated the order. "Officers, back it off. Officers, back it off."

The pursuit did not end.

"They're still shooting. Multiple officers hit," a voice was heard saying.

The dispatcher announced that the Erie County Sheriff's Office had been contacted for help with their helicopter, Air One. The Sheriff's Office, along with the State Police, Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority police, FBI and ATF all ended up assisting in the incident, Mayor Byron Brown said later.

The Jeep circled around the East Side, heading north from Walden through side streets to Genesee Street before heading west again toward downtown.

"Shots fired," a voice said.

Another police officer was wounded on Genesee and Haven Street, police said.

The Jeep continued to crisscross the East Side.

"Still shooting! Still shooting!" a police officer said.

An officer noted that the Jeep was "now smoking."

The Jeep eventually was seen heading north on Jefferson Avenue.

"Watch crossfire!" a voice said.

The Jeep then headed east on East Ferry. A dispatcher said a "bear cat"  an armored police vehicle  would be in the area.

"Shots fired!" a voice said. "Officer hit! Officer hit!"

The Jeep crashed into a pole at East Ferry and Fillmore, in a vacant lot across the street from the "C" District police station.

By that time, dozens of police officers had converged on the spot. In a cellphone video from the scene that was posted to Facebook, dozens of gunshots can be heard and smoke was seen rising from the vehicle.

From the radio transmissions, the dispatcher seemed to be trying to assess how many people were hurt, asking about how many ambulances  "buses"  were needed.

"How many buses do we need? How many for officers so we can let ECMC know?" she said.

"I just want to confirm we do not have another officer shot at East Ferry?" she asked.

"That's correct," someone replied.

"And the suspect is detained?" she asked. "You do have the other passenger in custody?"

"Along the way we got him. That's correct," the voice said.

Gramaglia, who was sworn in two weeks ago as the 42nd commissioner of the Buffalo Police Department, said the investigations into what happened would likely take a long time, due to the complexity of the incident.

A law enforcement source said more than a dozen police officers fired their weapons during the incident.

Wednesday afternoon, Gramaglia joined Brown at a news briefing announcing Bell's arrest and said more information would be released, including body camera footage, as the investigation progressed.

Gramaglia expressed relief that no one was killed and that all three Buffalo patrol officers were recovering, with two already out of the hospital. Officer Trevor Sheehan was shot on the side of his ear and in the bicep. Officer Christopher Wilson was shot in his bulletproof vest, which prevented the bullet from penetrating. Officer Joseph McCarthy was shot in the lower abdomen and underwent two hours of surgery Tuesday night. He was reported to be in stable condition at ECMC where he remained hospitalized Wednesday.

"This conversation could have been very different this morning," Gramaglia said.

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Maki Becker Chief of the Breaking News/Criminal Justice Desk I've worked at The Buffalo News since 2005. I previously worked as a reporter at the New York Daily News and the Charlotte Observer and was a special correspondent for the Los Angeles Times. Follow Maki Becker 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
A California-based technology training company is coming to Buffalo, with a focus on diversifying Western New York's pool of tech workers.

Bitwise Industries teaches people from marginalized communities  people of color, low-income populations, women, LGBTQ+ people, the formerly incarcerated  the in-demand skills they need to work in well-paying tech jobs.

Bitwise will bring its scalable, venture capital-funded approach to solving the problem of lack of diversity in tech to the Buffalo Niagara region. And the company's methods have so far been successful elsewhere.

Since its founding in 2013, Bitwise has trained more than 8,000 people across the country, with 80% going on to work in tech jobs. The average Bitwise student's annual salary after training is between $60,000 and $80,000, equaling $295 million in aggregate wages paid to mostly women and people of color, according to the company.

Bitwise chose Buffalo as one of its next cities in a process Buffalo entrepreneur and 43North board member Eric Reich described as highly competitive.

Buffalo had the right demographics

Buffalo has the type of demographics Bitwise is looking for.

Around 30% of Buffalo residents live in poverty and the majority are nonwhite, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Fewer than 29% of city residents have a college degree and the median income is less than $40,000 a year.

The company recognized the potential in Buffalo to build up the workforce and "give opportunity to folks that have been left behind," said Tammi Sherman, vice president of Bitwise Toledo. Though she's based in Ohio, Sherman was part of the team that worked on setting up Bitwise's operations in Buffalo.

"I think the biggest impact is on the lives of the people," she said. "Being able to create a path free of barriers to the tech world."

For the businesses, Bitwise's expansion to Buffalo will make it easier to hire a diverse tech workforce, something Reich struggled with when he founded Campus Labs, now Anthology, in the early 2000s.

"Business leaders need to have a representative workforce in order to create products that are usable to the general population," Reich said.

Leaders in the region's tech and startup space have worked in recent years to create accessible training opportunities for tech workers through initiatives like TechBuffalo and M&T Bank's Tech Academy. Both organizations seek to connect Buffalo's underserved populations with technology training.

Bitwise's expansion into Buffalo is the next piece in the puzzle.

43North Foundation chairman Bill Maggio said Bitwise is a "phenomenal fit" in Buffalo's tech and startup ecosystem.

"This will train and arm, hopefully, a new generation of entrepreneurs in Buffalo who are able to start their own companies because they know how to code or they're able to become early employees of companies that are just starting," Reich said.

Bitwise offers training, support services

Bitwise offers four classes: websites for beginners, mobile-friendly websites, JavaScript for beginners and React.

The classes run two days a week for six weeks for a total of 36 hours and cost $250. Financial and equipment assistance are available, Sherman said.

After completing the classes, students are often hired to work for Bitwise's in-house technology consulting firm, which builds custom software for local companies. They also have the option to join a paid apprenticeship program through Bitwise. Some students will seek work with a local company.

Bitwise also offers its trainees other supportive resources, such as counseling, transportation and child care.

Employers launching 'boot camp' to train more tech workers The 12-week program, which kicks off next week, is supported by ACV Auctions, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York, M&T Bank, Moog Inc. and Rich Products.

When Bitwise comes into a city, it typically transforms a blighted historical building into a technology hub, where classes are held, its operations are housed and other tech companies can rent space.

Bitwise has not decided on a location in Buffalo yet, Sherman said. But, all Bitwise classes are being held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The company is working on a plan to safely transition to in-person work and classes, Sherman said.

Since Bitwise's operations have been virtual, two groups of Buffalo students have already enrolled in classes and a third class is set to begin in April.

Bitwise's expansion into Buffalo was made possible through financial support from M&T Bank, the 43North Foundation, the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New Yorks Blue Fund, Maggio and Reich said.

Bitwise was founded by Jake Soberal and Irma Olguin Jr. and has raised more than $100 million to expand across the United States. In addition to Buffalo, the company is also opening new offices in Texas, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming.

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.
Gary Costello fell in love with the Warren Hull House in Lancaster the minute he set eyes on Erie County's oldest stone building, erected when most of New York State west of Albany was wilderness.

He was attracted even more by the remarkable history of the Hull family, including their involvement in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War and the abolitionist movement.

For the past 20 years, Costello has replaced floors and walls, put up mantels, contributed woodwork and built a replica fence. The house, thanks to $1 million in contributions through the years, was restored in 2015.

Costello, president of the all-volunteer Hull House Foundation, is anxious to realize the group's vision of restoring the farmstead, which would cost $400,000. The foundation hopes to raise $1 million in all, which would also allow the foundation to build a small visitor center across the street and add to its endowment.

If the foundation's needs were put in an ad, it might read: "Wanted: Early American history buff with deep pockets to put finishing touches on one-of-a-kind educational center."

The Hull Family Home and Farmstead, at 5976 Genesee St., tells the early history of the United States unlike anywhere else in Western New York, Costello said.

"When you put together the fact that it's restored, open to the public and was the home of a Revolutionary War veteran who was in the presence of George Washington, it all fits into a nice package," Costello said. "Every story relevant to early American history can be told through this family."

Warren Hull and his father, Peter, then in Berkshire County, Mass., enlisted in the Continental Army and fought in the Revolutionary War in 1779. James Hull, one of Warren and Polly Hull's 12 children, fought in the War of 1812. And another son, Edmund, became a legislator in Albany when Millard Fillmore served there.

Daughter Sophia helped move slaves to freedom by running a "station" in Ohio as part of the Underground Railroad. And grandsons Gustavus and James fought on opposite sides of the Civil War.

The Federal-style house  which has a gabled roof and stands two stories in the front and three stories in the back  is on the National Register of Historic Places and chartered by the Board of Regents as an educational site.

Outside the property, under a tarpaulin, sits timber from a circa 1800 barn the foundation purchased in Kings Ferry, a hamlet in Cayuga County.

Randy Nash, retired owner of New York State Barn Co., located the barn, disassembled it and will supervise its rebuild when funds become available.

That's the first priority, and that project has a price tag of $95,000.

Also on tap for re-creating the farmstead are a water well, a root cellar unearthed by the University at Buffalo Archaeology Survey, an outdoor bake oven, a smoke house and a mini-farm with an apple orchard and crops such as barley and wheat.

"We want to restore the farmstead like it was in 1810, 1820," Costello said.

Other needs include interior furnishings, an improved drainage system, pedestrian path and lavatory.

The property was last occupied in the late 1980s. A buyer of the property donated it in 1992 to the Landmark Society of the Niagara Frontier.

Costello and his wife, Nancy, also a volunteer at the Hull House, visited Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia one weekend. Inspired, Gary Costello became proficient at making furniture by hand without power tools.

He went to an open house at the Hull House 30 years ago and signed up to volunteer with the Landmark Society, beginning his involvement with the house. He joined the Landmark Society's board in 2002.

Volunteers Iris and Daniel Drzewiecki founded the Hull House Restoration Committee in 2000, leading to the formation of the nonprofit Hull House Foundation in 2006. Costello became a founding board member and president of the foundation.

Among the house restoration projects was removing the pebbly stucco that had coated the original rough cast limestone facade. In addition to restoration costs, the organization raised $900,000 over the years for land acquisition.

They purchased an 1870s barn on one side of the house and an 1890s-era house on the other used for office space. The foundation also acquired 28 acres around the properties and across the street.

"We had to have a campus," Costello said. "What good was the house if we didn't have any place to greet guests and offer visitor amenities?"

Because the house is at the busy intersection of Genesee Street and Pavement Road, Costello envisions connecting it to a visitor center through an underground pedestrian walkway. The center would offer parking and amenities that he said could include a small theater for an educational film and docent-led storytelling.

The foundation provides educational programming through school field trips and summer history camps, as well as special events. For information, go to hullfamilyhome.com

The field trips begin with the "common room," with wide floorboards and a large fireplace that might have welcomed travelers with a meal and a bed, Costello said.

Visitors walk through the pantry, sitting room, parlor and three bedrooms, all with plain interior finishes. A donated late-1700s English desk is in one of the rooms.

A large hearth for cooking and a larder for cold storage is in the basement.

The white wooden fence Costello built outside the house was re-created from a photograph from the late 1800s.

"After we did this, I got an email from someone who wrote, 'How dare you put that ugly plastic fence in front of your house,' " Costello laughed.

Costello said nothing that has been accomplished would have been possible without the dedicated volunteers over the years.

He said the foundation is grateful for the grants it has received from philanthropies, local and state governments and individuals.

Now, he said, they're hoping someone will "relight the past" by bringing the project to the finish line.

"This place is like a textbook on American history," Costello said. "I hope someone in the universe falls in love with this."

Mark Sommer covers preservation, development, the waterfront, culture and more. He's also a former arts editor at The News.

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.
A Justice Department investigation into Hunter Biden's business activities has gained steam in recent months, with a flurry of witnesses providing testimony to federal investigators and more expected to provide interviews in the coming weeks, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

The probe, led by the US Attorney in Wilmington, Delaware, began as early as 2018 and concerns multiple financial and business activities in foreign countries dating to when Biden's father was vice president. Investigators have examined whether Hunter Biden and some of his associates violated money laundering, tax and foreign lobbying laws, as well as firearm and other regulations, multiple sources said.

To do so, law enforcement has gathered information from lobbyists connected to Hunter Biden, from his business partners, and from others who've observed his financial engagements, including a woman with whom he had a child.

Keep scrolling for a gallery of images of Hunter Biden through the years

Hunter Biden has not been charged with any crimes and has denied any wrongdoing. His father, President Joe Biden is not being investigated as part of the probe of his son's business activities, according to sources who have been briefed.

But the ongoing investigation has persistently raised questions about the ethics and behavior of the President's son and fueled right-wing political attacks. In 2019, then-President Donald Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate the Bidens over Hunter's work for Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company, eventually leading to Trump's first impeachment.

In 2020, Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, helped orchestrate news stories centered on a laptop purported to belong to Hunter Biden and said to include his business documents and other potentially salacious materials. CNN previously reported that the FBI took possession of the laptop in late 2019, according to a computer repairman in Delaware who showed reporters a copy of a subpoena.

Activity in the investigation has ebbed and flowed for years -- with coronavirus disruptions and pausing around the 2020 election -- and in some instances, investigators have not followed up for months after making initial outreach to possible witnesses.

But in recent months, investigative activity in the Biden probe has intensified along with discussions among Justice Department officials about the strength of the case, and whether more work is needed before seeking a decision on possible charges, according to people briefed on the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation.

Those discussions have involved investigators from the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation agency and prosecutors in Delaware and at Justice Department headquarters, one person briefed on the matter said. Hunter Biden has publicly discussed his own substance abuse struggles, and some Justice officials have debated whether his open discussions of his past drug use could potentially weaken their case should they bring one.

Some officials have noted that Biden could argue he wasn't aware of wrongdoing because he was on drugs, the source said. Others have countered that Biden's own public accounts of his recovery show he was fully responsible for actions now under scrutiny, according to the person briefed on the matter.

Investigators have at various times inquired about multiple facets of Hunter Biden's life -- initially focusing on tax issues and money transfers related to business activities in China, according to multiple people familiar with the probe. They're also examining Biden's role while on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma years ago, the sources said.

Biden has told associates he paid outstanding tax bills, and public records show more than $450,000 in state liens in Washington, DC, were lifted in 2020, indicating those liabilities were likely paid off.

But those payments haven't resolved his legal issues. Investigators have examined the source of funds to pay the tax bills.

The gun incident

Prosecutors also have examined a 2018 incident in which a firearm owned by Hunter Biden ended up tossed by his then-girlfriend into a dumpster in Wilmington, a person briefed on the matter said. Biden described in media interviews last year that he was addicted to drugs, which raised the possibility he broke federal law when he bought the firearm.

Federal law prohibits firearms purchases by anyone who uses or is addicted to illegal drugs. It's unclear whether the gun incident remains an active part of the investigation.

Biden has denied wrongdoing in his business activities. In late 2020 after being notified by the Delaware US attorney about the investigation, Hunter Biden said in a statement issued by his father's presidential transition office: "I take this matter very seriously but I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors."

Hunter Biden's attorney, Christopher Clark, did not respond to multiple requests for comment in recent days.

The Delaware US Attorney's Office and the Justice Department declined to comment.

In recent months, Biden has tried to turn a page, publishing a memoir and debuting his work as an artist with shows in Los Angeles and New York. But even apparent attempts to avoid controversy have backfired. The White House acknowledged it played a role in the arts sales, setting up a legal process to shield the identity of buyers of Hunter Biden pieces, for the stated purpose of ensuring that no one could curry favor with the President by buying his son's art. But critics noted that art sales and anonymity of buyers have long raised concerns about money laundering.

Ukraine business dealings

Biden's involvement in Ukraine has been a major source of his legal and political issues. He served on the board of Burisma, paid as much as $50,000 a month, from 2014 to 2019, according to a Republican-led Senate report on Biden's business activities released in 2020. That partly overlaps with a period during which his father was vice president and tapped by then-President Barack Obama to handle Ukraine issues. The overlap raised concerns about a conflict of interest among some Obama administration officials at the time.

Joe Biden has said his son's work in Ukraine had no influence on his decisions at the time, and State Department critics of Hunter Biden's Ukraine ties say they were never influenced improperly, according to transcripts of Senate testimony.

Federal prosecutors from Justice headquarters in Washington and in Delaware have focused at least in part on whether a lobbying firm working with Burisma called Blue Star Strategies approached US government officials in an attempt to burnish the Ukrainian firm's reputation after State Department officials criticized the oligarch who founded it.

The firm's founders have testified to Congress previously that they were merely interested in understanding the US government's views of the foreign company.

The Justice Department requires lobbyists and public relations firms working on behalf of foreign entities to disclose their ties, and in recent years national security investigators expanded the Department's initiatives to prosecute groups and people who don't publicly disclose their international connections.

Blue Star did not respond to a request for comment.

In the past year, a grand jury in Delaware has issued subpoenas and prosecutors have gathered information about Blue Star Strategies, as well as about Hunter Biden, four people briefed on the matter said. The inquiries included how closely the lobbyists were working with Hunter Biden, how active he was in Blue Star's work on Burisma's reputation in the US, and what their efforts for Burisma entailed, the sources said.

The Blue Star employees previously disclosed in the Senate inquiry that Hunter Biden was included on emails about their work related to Burisma, but said he wasn't particularly involved in the project.

Late last year, witnesses provided interviews in the federal criminal probe. And prosecutors have continued to seek information from some witnesses this year, including about Blue Star Strategies.

Also last year, investigators pursued information from former business contacts of Hunter Biden. His long-time associate and Burisma co-board member Devon Archer went before the Delaware grand jury last July, according to a person familiar with the matter. Archer was asked about the structure of payments Burisma made to an entity founded by Biden and other partners, which appeared to be related Biden's taxes, the source says. He was also asked about lobbying efforts involving Blue Star Strategies, the source said.

Archer was sentenced last month to more than a year in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud a native American tribe. There hasn't been any contact with investigators since July, the source said.

Archer's attorney, Matthew L. Schwartz of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, said, "Mr. Archer has cooperated completely with the Delaware U.S. Attorney's Office investigation from the moment he became aware of it."

Archer is in the process of appealing his sentence.

Also among the witnesses to meet with investigators is an Arkansas woman who had a child with Biden and who had sued him for child support, people briefed on the matter said. Her attorney told CNBC that she testified in February to the grand jury in Delaware as part of the investigation and turned over Hunter Biden's financial records she had.

Clint Lancaster, the attorney, didn't respond to CNN requests for comment. Lancaster is not new to the political world: He was listed as an attorney working on a Republican-commissioned review of the 2020 election results, a failed effort to find fraud in the election that President Joe Biden won.

A political live wire

The swirl of partisan politics has hung over the investigation for years. The prospect of the Justice Department continuing to investigate the sitting President's son has added to the sensitivity.

President Joe Biden has said he won't interfere in the independence of the Justice Department. Early on in his presidency, Biden decided to keep in office US Attorney David Weiss, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, to continue to oversee the investigation in Delaware.

As the law enforcement work in Biden's home state has stayed relatively quiet, the political smears of Hunter Biden persisted.

Trump had sought to make the Hunter Biden probe a part of the 2020 campaign, publicly urging Attorney General William Barr to announce an investigation of both Hunter and Joe Biden. Barr responded by publicly announcing that Joe Biden wasn't under investigation.

Giuliani helped orchestrate news stories seeking to tie then-candidate Joe Biden to allegations of corruption in Ukraine. He later helped push stories on documents he said came from a laptop belonging to Hunter Biden.

CNN last year reported that the FBI took possession of the laptop in 2019 and investigators believed it belonged to Hunter Biden.

Hunter Biden, last year making the publicity rounds for his memoir, dodged questions about the laptop.

"There could be a laptop out there that was stolen from me," he said in a CBS interview. "It could be that I was hacked. It could be that it was the -- that it was Russian intelligence. It could be that it was stolen from me."

Giuliani also sought to provide law enforcement a trove of documents he said came from sources in Ukraine and that purported to show wrongdoing by Hunter Biden and his father.

The role of Giuliani and Trump added unusual hurdles for Justice Department officials overseeing the probe, current and former law enforcement officials say.

Barr, concerned about Giuliani's credibility and trying to keep what he viewed as a legitimate investigation of Hunter Biden from being tainted, directed that the documents be handed over to prosecutors in Pittsburgh, according to people briefed on the matter. There, Barr instructed, prosecutors would work with US intelligence agencies to try to determine their authenticity and then turn over any relevant materials to prosecutors in Delaware and elsewhere.

It's unclear whether any of the materials provided by Giuliani or the laptop remain part of the investigation.

***

CNN's Kara Scannell and Paula Reid contributed to this report. The-CNN-Wire  &  2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
A couple of environmental projects  one involving Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper and the other the Western New York Land Conservancy  demonstrate the progress this area is making in the investment in the future of Western New York. Both will pay a long dividends.

The groups worked together for the success of the Western New York Wildway, a long-term project of the Land Conservancy. A $2 million grant, as reported in a News story, will help connect and protect forests in the region, linking them with the more than 46,000 acres of state-owned land in the county. It is the beginning of a project that will continue for decades, said the Conservancys executive director, Nancy Smith. It needs partners to succeed, she said, and among them is the Waterkeeper.

The Conservancy received the grant from the state Department of Environmental Conservation to permanently protect forests in the Black Creek-Angelica Creek watershed, by working with property owners. The grant protects the forests vital to public drinking water sources.

In addition, the Conservancy was awarded a $690,000 grant by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation to collect local native plant seeds, grow the plants and provide them to Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park. It is a way to build the capacity of the regions native plants. The Conservancy, as well as other land trusts, is also working on issues of environmental equity, especially in our Indigenous community.

Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, meanwhile, is working on a $2.2 million project to cut a new channel for Cayuga Creek in Niagara Falls. The effort will reduce flooding in nearby neighborhoods while protecting native plants and animals.

It is about restoring the ecosystem and righting the wrongs of past decades when channel was cut into the creek. Restoration should help mitigate some flooding. At issue is a wetland area between Porter Road and Niagara Falls Boulevard that belongs to the town. The Weber Family gifted the land, valued at $250,000, to the Town of Niagara. The family also owns the adjacent Cayuga Village mobile home park.

Both efforts combine well with other big projects, including those aimed at cleaning the Buffalo and Niagara rivers. All are evidence that more resources toward such projects is a recognition of the importance of our fresh water and the developing blue economy that is crucial to this regions future.

  

Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing.
As the Russian invasion of the whole of Ukraine has entered the second month of fighting, I have been inspired by the will of the Ukrainian people to defend the existence of their country, culture and freedom. The bravery of this nation and its people is a shining example of unity, shared sacrifice and true leadership. Looking in the mirror as Americans, we should see Ukrainians staring back at us, asking us to live up to and support our founding principle: Liberty.

I do not believe the role of the United States is the worlds policeman or worlds gun dealer for simply any country that asks, especially after the futile 20-year long assistance of Afghanistans government and military. Ukraine differs from Afghanistan in two major ways; Ukrainians as a culture value democratic government with individual rights for all and they have proven a willingness to defend their beliefs, to the death, on their own, with the equipment they currently have.

I think Ukraine understands that we cannot commit troops. We should be supplying them with whatever firearms, body armor, vehicles, and drones they request, in addition to removing aircraft from storage and transferring them. We should also provide them humanitarian equipment to ensure clean water and reliable food during the wars disruption. We have the resources as a country to whole-heartedly back them up, its time to put our money where our mouth is when it comes to believing in freedom and those who would fight for it.

Matthew Williams

Hamburg
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Trade Representative Tai speaks to media following tour of silicon wafer plant, in Bay City

By David Lawder and Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -There has been no agreement on the terms of a COVID-19 vaccine intellectual property deal among four key World Trade Organization members, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said, amid growing questions about the effort's future.

Tai told U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday that "there has been no agreement" related to a proposed IP waiver text that was leaked to media earlier this month, as civil society groups urged President Joe Biden to reject the deal.

Tai called the text the "concept" of a compromise developed during discussions facilitated by WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala between the United States, the European Union, India and South Africa.

Her spokesperson, Adam Hodge, said Washington was still consulting on the issue, but the compromise worked out during the informal WTO-led discussions "offers the most promising path toward achieving a concrete and meaningful outcome."

A text of the proposed compromise seen by Reuters earlier this month sought to waive IP rights to COVID-19 vaccines and supplies but it needed to be finalized and then presented to and accepted by the WTO's 164 member countries.

Tai's comments suggest that more work was needed to finalize the text amid some criticisms that the proposed compromise does not go far enough beyond a mandatory vaccine licensing regime.

She reassured members of the House Ways and Means Committee that the effort to increase vaccine access to developing countries aimed to preserve U.S. intellectual property rights. Biden first declared his support for an IP waiver for COVID-19 vaccines in May 2021, drawing sharp criticism from industry.

Asked about the issue during a hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee, Tai said, "On your question of whether or not we are working to give away American IP, no, we are not."

She said she hears "loud and clear" the concerns voiced by some lawmakers that any waiver of IP rights at the WTO could benefit China, but also noted that ending the pandemic was critical to ensuring global economic growth.

Story continues

In a letter https://tradejusticeedfundorg.files.wordpress.com/2022/03/potus_leakedwtoproposalltr_033022.pdf, Doctors without Borders, Oxfam America, Amnesty International and other top civil society groups said the proposal would impose new conditions limiting the existing WTO rules that now allow countries to issue compulsory licenses for patented products.

"If adopted as-is, this text, while continuing to privilege Big Pharma monopolies and profits, would continue to deny access to lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines and treatments to millions around the world," the groups wrote.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and David Lawder; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Lisa Shumaker)
CHATHAM  Its not the first time Stacey Henderson and Laura Gill, who are volunteering to help Ukrainian refugees in Poland this week, have traveled far to help in a humanitarian crisis. But its the first time theyve done so near a war zone.

Henderson, a Chatham firefighter/paramedic, and Gill, a nurse and seasoned human services worker from Brewster, flew to Poland last weekend on a 10-day trip to volunteer their medical skills and deliver essential supplies to refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Theyve deployed to Przemysl, a city of some 60,000 residents that, in one recent day, saw a similar number of refugees pass through from the Ukrainian border less than 10 miles to the east. Since the outbreak of the war, the city has been transformed into a center for aiding more than 350,000 refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is also a Mecca for aid organizations providing every manner of assistance, from food and clothing to counseling and financial help. Gill and Henderson knew it was where they needed to be.

I get compelled, Gill said. I cant just watch the news again...

...and sit and cry, Henderson said.

The two are experienced at helping people who are suffering. As a first responder, Henderson is there for people whove suffered traumatic injuries, accidents and sudden illnesses; and Gill became a nurse after volunteering with the American Red Cross during Hurricane Katrina. Where did they meet?

Tegucigalpa, in Honduras. Despite the fact that we live like two minutes apart, Henderson quipped. The two were volunteers with Community Health Partnership Honduras, a nonprofit that deploys medical brigades to the most rural parts of that developing country.

Imagine hundreds of people lined up to be seen by doctors, Gill said. Teams support local physicians and clinics providing free medical and dental care to the local population. Organized by retired Eastham Fire Captain Jennifer Smith, the group helps residents manage chronic illnesses and everyday injuries, while also engaging in preventative medicine. Crews make home visits, seeing residents in their simple homes with dirt floors and a central hearth.

That is intense, Gill said. But over the years things have improved. Having provided patients with fluoride treatments over the course of years, volunteer dentists are now pulling fewer teeth, she said.

You see the kids grow up, Henderson said. Its amazing the human suffering thats been done away with.

Having worked with large and small NGOs, Gill said its clear that they have the ability to provide assistance on a large scale, but they sometimes lack the flexibility thats available to individual volunteers.

The need is fluid and dynamic, Henderson said. Having abandoned their homes and livelihoods suddenly, in a foreign country without the easy ability to communicate with family members, Ukrainian refugees have a range of needs that sometimes dont fall within the parameters of major relief programs. So it was with a clear understanding of the challenges theyd face that Henderson and Gill decided to go as freelance relief workers.

On arrival, they planned to connect with World Central Kitchen, operating a medical aid station for their volunteers. Theyre also ready to share their medical skills in other venues, and packed with them some basic medical supplies including 25,000 doses of over-the-counter painkillers. Having put out an appeal on Facebook, in like two days we raised over $10,000, Gill said. As a result, theyll be providing small cash grants of around $50 U.S. dollars, directly to refugees in need. Supported by a donation from the Chatham Fire Association and from contributions from a new GoFundMe page, they traveled with about $6,000 in Polish zloty. Refugees can use the grants as they see fit, for food or necessities, or for travel expenses or to help with lodging. Because theyre paying for their plane tickets, lodging and car rentals, they have very low overhead.

Your donation will go to a real human being, Henderson said.

The trip is also a reconnaissance mission, with Henderson and Gill scoping out local contacts in the community of relief providers who need financial support to continue their work after theyve returned home to the Cape.

Having volunteered on the island of Lesvos receiving primarily Afghani and Syrian refugees by boat, I understand the power of being present for people who have suffered so much trauma, Gill said. Those refugees receive far less publicity and assistance from people in the U.S. when compared to Ukrainians, who are largely white Europeans, she observed.

But at the same time, they deserve the same humanitarian aid, she said.

People looking to support their mission can visit www.GoFundMe.com and search for Cape Codders Helping Ukraine, or send checks payable to the Chatham Fire Association with Ukraine in the memo line to 135 Depot Rd., Chatham, MA 02633.

The two are painfully aware of the proximity of the fighting. Russian invaders recently attacked a military airbase in Lutsk, about 50 miles west of the Polish frontier. They know that there is a possibility that the war could grow to include chemical or biological warfare, or even  unthinkably  the use of tactical nuclear weapons. They have an emergency exit plan and will be taking certain security precautions (some, learned from a drug cartel assassin-turned-security guard who worked with them in Mexico). But they also know that the safety risk is balanced by the incredible opportunity to help at a key moment in world history.

Were lucky to be able to do this, Gill said. The ability to be among so many compassionate, giving people will soothe your soul.
RACINE  The man charged with threatening to kill cops while live on Facebook will do a year in the Racine County Jail.

Dajuan M. Jones, 27, was sentenced for making terroristic threats.

Racine County Circuit Court Judge Robert Repischak withheld the sentence and gave Jones a three-year term of probation. However, one of the terms of the probation is that he do a year in county.

After three months have been served, the defendant may leave the jail temporarily to work or care for his children. Jones described himself as a stay-at-home father.

The Department of Corrections recommended probation on the charge, but the judge felt that would unduly depreciate the seriousness of the crime.

For Repischak, it wasnt so much what happened as what could have happened to a person running around town threatening cops, holding what looked like a real firearm but was only a pellet gun.

Think in 2020 how many cities burned because somebody got shot by the police, something happened, and then people go out and riot and burn down their neighborhoods, Repischak said.

He added: I thank God you didnt get stopped by the police when you were out driving around acting like a fool because theres no doubt in my mind that you would have pulled a gun on them, and youd be dead, and Racine would still be burning.

Case history

The Racine Police Department began an investigation in October 2020 after viewing video from a Facebook live feed in which Jones said: Want to see a cop get killed today? I dont care. Im drunk.

According to police, someone had shared a video of Jones holding a gun and stating he had an AK-47.

Police, upon reviewing the video, reported that Jones had said: When Im done, a couple cops gonna be hurting.

Officers reported they were informed Jones had pointed a gun at someone and was in his car, parked in front of the Racine County Courthouse, 717 Wisconsin Ave., before saying he was going to the Police Department.

An officer was also dispatched to an address on the 700 block of Center Street, the same block where the Racine Police Department is located.

However, officers said they found Jones at a different location, where he was found sleeping on the couch and had what was believed to be a crack pipe.

Jones

The defendant has consistently said he does not remember the night in question, as he was intoxicated.

In the pre-sentence report, Jones was quoted as saying he was very upset about the death of black people at the hands of the police in 2020.

In court, Jones said since he has been out of jail, he has been a stay-at-home dad and has learned quite a bit about his kids and himself.

I didnt realize how much my kids looked up to me as their dad, he said. I always thought of myself as a big mess-up.

Jones asked for a second chance and apologized for his actions.

As part of his probation, Jones was ordered to complete drug and alcohol counseling as well as mental health counselling.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
A Nebraska nonprofit is trying to reduce suicide rates among youths with "Baskets for Hope."

The proceeds and donations from the Northeast Nebraska Suicide Prevention Coalition's April 9 silent auction will go toward founding a "hope squad" in an area school. Donna Wolff, the founder of the coalition, said there is a serious need.

If you look online at Hopesquad.com, you can see all the schools in Nebraska that have hope squads. In Northeast Nebraska there are none, Wolff said.

Hope squads are a form of peer-support group comprised of teachers, counselors and selected students who aim to reduce suicides and suicidal tendencies among their peers. They are trained to recognize tendencies, ideas and words consistent with suicidal ideas; listen to peers who may have them and to report them to teachers, advisors, and eventually the parents of the student of concern. Members of the squad are nominated by their peers as individuals people feel comfortable talking to.

Its a really good chain to follow and to help someone and to know that you dont have to struggle alone if youre having thoughts, Wolff said.

The group has provided suicide prevention and awareness training and support to area schools and survivor groups since its foundation in 2010. This would be the first hope squad in their roster, and they hope the first of many.

Robin Swearingen, president of the coalition, said the coalitions goal is to facilitate and educate on prevention, and provide resources for survivors and their loved ones in the area as a whole, not just the schools.

We just want to be able to be that voice out there that can help the schools, individuals, groups in the community. We want to be that voice out there and let them know what their resources are, Swearingen said.

The hope squads are not the only tool the group has at their disposal, as they offer education and resources for prevention and awareness. It is a tool they hope they have in the near future, though.

Its a vision and a dream that I want to do. In the schools that have it, its found to reduce suicide numbers, Swearingen said.

The fundraiser will consist of a silent auction of 40 themed baskets, with themes like "stay-cation," "quilts" and "art." There will also be a Facebook Live event for those unable to attend in person.

The baskets were donated by local businesses, individuals, and groups, who Swearingen and Wolff both said have been very supportive and helpful in this process. The raised funds will be going to the schools in some capacity, even if its not the hope squad they hope for.

Our goal is to provide the needed resources for our local schools, Swearingen said. My hope and vision is that someday we can have a hope squad in our local schools.

The event will take place April 9 at the Oak Room, from 4 to 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time via Eventbrite for $30 and tickets at the door the day of will be available for $35.

Its going to be a great evening where people can socialize and raise money for a great cause, Swearingen said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The seat of a teen who fell to his death from an amusement park ride in Florida last week was still locked, according to an accident report obtained by CNN that is based on ride employee witnesses.

Tyre Sampson, 14, fell Thursday from the FreeFall drop tower that takes riders up 430 feet and then drops at speeds of up to 75 mph, according to ICON Park in Orlando, where the incident happened.

Sampson came out of the seat when the magnets engaged to slow the ride during the descent, according to the report written by the Fair Rides division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

"Harness was still in a down and locked position when the ride stopped," the report said.

The report named three witnesses, all listed as employees.

There are also questions around whether the teenager may have been too large to be allowed on the ride.

Sampson's father, Yarnell Sampson, raised that question Friday, telling CNN: "My son was 6'5", 340. So, he's a big guy."

The ride's Operations & Maintenance Manual, which has been posted online by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, indicates the maximum passenger weight is approximately 287 pounds.

"Be careful when seeing if large guests fit into the seats. Check that they fit within the contours of the seat and the bracket fits properly. If this is not so - Do not let this person ride," the manual states.

It's not clear if Sampson fit the contours of the seat or if the bracket fit properly.

CNN has reached out to the ride operator, Slingshot, and ICON Park to ask if there was a weight limit for the ride and whether Sampson fit properly.

Video circulating on social media, purportedly of the ICON Park incident, shows a person falling from their seat about five seconds into the ride's drop, perhaps about two-thirds of the way down, as the ride slowed as it approached the ground.

The accident is still under investigation, and the FreeFall ride is closed for now.

ICON Park on Monday said it has demanded that Slingshot suspend another of its rides at the park, the Orlando SlingShot, "until such time as a thorough investigation by the appropriate authorities has been completed and all parties are satisfied that the rides are safe for the public," the park landlord said in a statement.

CNN's Theresa Waldrop contributed to this report. The-CNN-Wire  &  2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The United Way Worldwide has created a United for Ukraine fund to support refugees, providing immediate assistance in the form of transportation, shelter, food and medicine, and critical child care supplies such as infant formula.

"There is no doubt that this situation is fluid and changing by the hour. And though the needs are great and will likely only grow and change over time, we will be there to support those in crisis," said Angela F. Williams, president and CEO of United Way Worldwide. "United Way stands ready to mobilize the caring power of our global community to help ease the suffering of those whose lives have been upended, and whose future is uncertain."

Rae Lynn Cox, vice president of communications and donor engagement for United Way of the Capital Region, said online contributions can be made at www.unitedway.org/our-impact/work/no-nav/unitedforukraine.

Checks can be made out to United Way Worldwide and include a note and/or memo to state the check is for the United for Ukraine Fund. Checks should be sent to: United Way Worldwide, P.O. Box 418607, Boston, MA 02241-8607.

For more information, contact Cox at rcox@uwcr.org or by phone at 717-724-4058.

Email Jeff at jpratt@cumberlink.com or follow him on Twitter @SentinelPratt.

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.
Authorities are investigating the death of an inmate at the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center (ERDCC) that occurred early Sunday morning.

A Missouri Department of Corrections (DOC) press release states that offender Ronnie Brown, 39, was pronounced dead at the prison at 3:16 a.m. on Sunday.

DOC Communications Director Karen Pojmann said she was not able to provide additional details regarding Brown's death "as the matter is under investigation by department investigators, local law enforcement, and the medical examiner."

On Monday, the River Front Times reported that Missouri Prison Reform Executive Director Lori Curry told the news outlet Brown's death came as the result of a violent attack. Curry reportedly told RFT that the inmate was attacked in his sleep, "but no staff came until it was too late."

RFT wrote that "[Curry] later clarified that it was the man who initiated the attack who died."

On Tuesday, Missouri Prison Reform posted on social media stating, "The man who died was actually the one who initiated the attack. The man who was sleeping was injured, life-flighted out, but was back at the facility Sunday evening and is in the medical unit. The assault began with a food tray."

Brown was serving a life sentence for second-degree murder and armed criminal action from St. Louis City. He was received in the Missouri Department of Corrections on March 19, 2003.

The DOC press release states that an autopsy will be conducted.

The death comes after several assaults were reported at ERDCC earlier this year. Officials have said that ERDCC is not adequately staffed.

Bobby Radford is a reporter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at bradford@dailyjournalonline.com

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 4 Sad 3 Angry 2

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov has said that although Azerbaijan has large oil and gas resources and is an exporter, one of the main goals is to develop the renewable energy sources field and become a green energy exporter.

He made the remarks during a roundtable on the topic Azerbaijan-oil, gas and beyond: Prospects for a future energy partnership held within the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue conference.

Given the large solar and wind energy projects currently being implemented, the rich potential of renewable energy sources on land - about 27,000 megawatts, and offshore - 157,000 megawatts, as well as plans to build two new lines that will ensure an increase in electricity exports to Europe, it can be said that Azerbaijan has great prospects to become a source of the green energy corridor, he said.

The minister underlined that this also makes Azerbaijans next contribution to the diversification of Europes energy supply through green energy. He stressed that companies from Germany can become important partners in bilateral long-term energy cooperation in this direction.

Stressing that Germany's trade with Azerbaijan increased by 57 percent last year, the minister spoke about the prospects for developing cooperation between the two countries in new areas.

Shahbazov noted that the end of the long-term conflict fully ensured security, which is one of the main prerequisites for the inflow of investments into the region. In this regard, he stressed that the widespread use of renewable energy sources both in the liberated Karabakh and East Zangazur economic zones and in the country as a whole has been identified as one of the countrys national priorities.

All this, along with the potential and goals of Azerbaijan related to green energy, the rich experience of German companies, as well as the combination of possible investment opportunities, can open a new page in energy cooperation, he said.

The participants of the event also discussed the effective cooperation relations with VPC, Siemens, Berlin Wind and other German companies in the field of energy. They noted that fruitful cooperation was established with the German Energy Agency-DENA to prepare four pilot project proposals to support the development of decentralized renewable energy in Azerbaijan. To expand cooperation, German companies have been invited to participate in renewable energy projects.
Jean Usher and John Sherrill are both seeking a six-year term on the Doe Run Fire Protection District Board.

Both will appear on the ballot on Tuesday.

Usher currently holds an appointed four-year position on the Doe Run Fire Protection District and is looking to win a six-year term.

Usher has Firefighter I & II Certifications, and EMT-B License, an AAS Degree in Criminal Justice. She is University of Missouri Certified Fire and Ambulance District Board Trained (2018) and has training in vehicle firefighting, crowd/traffic control, civil disturbance response training, emergency vehicle driver training, simulated incident management for first responding officer and evidence review.

Currently working in county corrections and ambulance EMT, Usher also has an insured and bonded business in lawn care, snow removal and trucking with her husband Bobby Usher.

Usher was an Evidence of Insurability specialist with General American Life for several years and secretary for an HVAC company. She is a former Jobs daughter with Bethel 53 of Ironton and former member of the Elks Lodge in Pilot Knob.

Serving several times on the board, Usher has been appointed in the past when board members have left the organization for various reasons. She has also served in the offices of President, Secretary and Treasurer.

I implemented the participation in the Fire Prevention Week by contacting our local daycare center and educating the children and allowing them to explore the fire truck, she said. I have started a smoke detector program and am trying to get that information to the community as I know there is a great need.

Working with a local church, Usher is trying to put together a donation box for food and coat drive for the needy in the area.

I would like to have fundraisers for the department to obtain badly needed brush gear, she said. I would also like to make the community feel like they can call to use the meeting room for an event.

Usher says that she has grown to love the department.

When Bobby Johnson passed away, I vowed to do my very best to keep the department running smoothly within my capabilities. There are a lot of changes that need to be made and I would like to see the taxpayers' dollars going to things to implement the safety and well-being of our village. I care about everyone in the district and want them to feel safe, but also want them to know that we are here for them, within reason and our abilities, if we can be of assistance.

Sherrill is running for reelection for the six-year term.

A 1995 graduate of Farmington High School, is the owner of S & S Woodstoves. He is a 23-year member of the Farmington Elks Lodge #1765 and a member of the Firefighters Association of Missouri for 13 years.

Sherrill has been on the Doe Run Fire Protection District Board for eight years and president for six years.

I was instrumental in getting compensation for firefighters for answering calls and getting upgraded, modern equipment, he said. I assisted in auditing funds spent in order to maintain accountability to the residents of Doe Run.

Living in Doe Run for 46 years, Sherrill wants to continue advocating for its best interest.

As a small business owner, I feel I bring the skills to the table such as financial budgeting and accountability and positive interactions with the stakeholders that extends beyond the ability to fight fires, he said.

Mark Marberry is a reporter for the Farmington Press and Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3629, or at mmarberry@farmingtonpressonline.com

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 2 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.
He was a Mercury 7 astronaut, Air Force pilot and American hero. He was the second American astronaut to fly in space and also the second American to do it twice.

This accomplished astronauts name was Virgil Ivan Gus Grissom, and he would have celebrated his 96th birthday on Sunday.

So The Space Museum and Grissom Center in Bonne Terre is having a huge celebration in Grissoms honor at the Grissom Center, which opened in 2019 as the newest addition to The Space Museum.

There will be games, science shows, cake and much more. But thats not all.

The Space Museum has hinted at a very special surprise that will be unveiled at Saturdays birthday bash. In fact, a NASA representative will present something out of this world.

The Bonne Terre Space Museum is getting  a moon rock!

According to Space Museum Founder and President Earl Mullins, the rock is embedded in a lucite cylinder on a black base and is inscribed as a gift to the museum at the request of the Grissom family.

The moon rock was collected on the Apollo 16, which took place in 1972 and was the 10th crewed mission in the U.S. Apollo space program. There were only 842 pounds of specimens collected on all of the Apollo missions combined.

Mullins said the Bonne Terre museum will only be the second location in Missouri to have a moon rock.

Obviously were incredibly excited that NASA is recognizing us as a legitimate museum and that they are entrusting us with something that is literally irreplaceable, he said. Per their request, we had to install some very special security and monitoring systems in order to be able to get this.

Mullins said, At this point, our museum is on the radar. I really give God all the credit for this because its amazing how things are continuing to come together.

He also gave thanks to his wife Suzanne and Lowell Grissom, Guss brother, for opening many doors of opportunity for the museum. Lowell also serves as museum advisor and has been instrumental in advising the direction of the facility.

Lowell had a choice, and the fact that he and his family chose Bonne Terre to honor Gus, well that speaks very well for us, said Mullins.

There are plenty of activities planned for the Saturday celebration.

Tours of the museum and its premier exhibits; bounce house; cake; and Rockets Rule, an interactive 45-minute demo, are a few of the fun events. Door prizes include a drone, smart watch and raffle of a LEGO space shuttle that has a value of $400. Space-related games include Ring Saturn, Planet Journey, Lunar Lander and space bean bag toss. Kids can earn points and redeem them for prizes.

The NASA presentation of the moon rock takes place between 11 a.m. and noon.

Author Ryan Walters will sign his book Apollo 1: The Tragedy That Put Us on the Moon. The hardcover book is $30.

Lowell Grissom will also sign items, including posters and other things from the museums gift shop.

The Space Museum, located at 118 East School Street in Bonne Terre, will be open for its regular hours on Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.

Find out more information about the museum at www.space-mo.org or call 573-358-1200.

Pam Clifton is a contributing writer for the Daily Journal

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.
This weeks Buzz Bites salutes wine with dinner, wine with books and a peek at the history of an epic comfort food.

At Broadcloth Reservations are required at Resy.com for Thursdays Spring Wine Dinner at Broadcloth at The Wool Factory, which features Ankida Ridge and Early Mountain Vineyards. The repast begins at 6 p.m., and theres a limit of four people per party.

Select a four-course meal for $60 per person, a six-course meal for $90 per person or the Chefs Tasting Menu for $135, which comes with eight to 10 courses selected by chef Tucker Yoder. Beverage pairings are available.

Learn more at thewoolfactory.com/broadcloth or call (434) 270-0555.

At Revalation VineyardsAuthor Andy Straka will be at Revalation Vineyard in Madison from 3 p.m. until sunset Friday for the latest Book World Meets Wine World series event. Its an opportunity to watch the sunset, meet the author of Split City and help support the adult and family education services of the Literacy Council of Madison County, which will receive 10% of the days proceeds.

For details, call (540) 407-1236 or email info@revalationvineyards.com.

At Charlottesville Melting Pot

Charlottesville Melting Pots Thursdate experience is getting a boost from some tasty talking points. Sweet Talk uses digital conversation starters to build anticipation of the date-night dinner, which can enhance the evening for new couples who are getting to know each other and relationship veterans who still love learning new things about their loved ones.

After you make an online reservation, youll receive an email inviting you to send a digital invitation to your date through social media. Once youre both seated at the dinner table, youll use a QR code to find questions ranging from What is your favorite item dipped in melted chocolate? to What can I do more often to make you feel more appreciated?

All that food for thought can make you hungry for a four-course dinner of cheese fondue, fresh salads, entrees and sparkling chocolate fondue. Entree choices include filet mignon, teriyaki-marinated steak, herb-crusted chicken breast, shrimp, Atlantic salmon and wild mushroom pasta. Also available are the Love Martini, which gets its flavors from Malibu Rum, Peach Schnapps, cranberry juice and fresh strawberries, and the Pink Crush, which combines New Amsterdam Pink Whitney Vodka with orange liqueur, white peach, orange juice and strawberries topped with Prosecco.

For reservations and details, go to https://www.meltingpot.com/charlottesvillle-va/thursdate-menu.aspx.

At Monticello

Chef James Hemings and Thomas Jefferson often get credit for building popularity for macaroni and cheese in the new nation. From 1 to 3 p.m. April 23, fans of one of the countrys favorite comfort foods can learn more about the origins of the dish from Karima Moyer-Nocchi, professor at Siena University in Tuscany, Italy.

Gayle Jessup White, Monticellos public relations and community engagement officer, will serve as moderator for The History of Macaroni and Cheese. Her new book, released in the fall of 2021, is Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson and a Descendants Search for Her Familys Lasting Legacy.

Guests can decide whether to attend the hybrid event in person or online. Either way, youll receive recipes to try at home, but if you attend the in-person event in the Howard and Abby Milstein Theater at Monticellos David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center, youll get a chance to sample mac and cheese as prepared in a live cooking demonstration by David Bastide, Monticellos executive chef.

The event is $40 for in-person attendees and $25 for virtual guests. Head to monticello.org for details and registration.

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.
Lisa Bittners clinic at Meriwether Lewis Elementary once was filled with cough drops, jars of cotton balls and a lot fewer masks.

Now, two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, boxes of different types of masks furnish the counter, a six-foot ruler stands near the doorway, and cough drops no longer sit out for the taking.

Were not allowed to give cough drops anymore, said Bittner. We dont give Tylenol to students or staff anymore unless its like a tooth pain or a known migraine history. We used to be like Dr. Feelgood. The kids loved cough drops, but now we dont have any.

In the early days of the pandemic, the school division directed school nurses to stop administering acetaminophen or ibuprofen to students or staff in most cases, as the drugs could mask a fever. The COVID-19 safety plan also included social distancing, improved ventilation and daily temperature checks for students, staff and visitors. This school year, officials stopped requiring the temperature checks.

As school systems and the community at large have had to rethink everything during the pandemic, so have school nurses. On top of all their other responsibilities, theyve become infection control officers, helping to identify any close contacts when theres a positive case in the school. They monitor students and staff for COVID-19 symptoms. They coordinate testing for staff. Theyve helped to administer the COVID-19 vaccine.

That was super fun, she said about helping with vaccinations. I was like, I want to do that because I want to tell my grandchildren one day that I did everything that had to do with the pandemic.

Bittner has worked at Meriwether Lewis since 2018. Her background was as a critical care nurse. After being a stay-at-home mom, she wanted to get back into nursing. She had always wanted to go into the Peace Corps and be the only medical person in a village; now, the school is her village.

Before the pandemic, Bittner said her job was focused on students, though she would help if a staff member were sick or injured. But in the last two years, shes spent more time worried about teachers and staff.

I will always have that in my heart now because if a child is sick with anything, either the flu or something else, itll dawn on me even more that the teachers are vulnerable because theyre really on the frontline, she said.

Shes also worked more with other staff members, from the custodians to the bus drivers, to coordinate cleaning a classroom after a positive or help with identifying students who would need to quarantine. As a team, they worked hard to limit transmission, she said.

I think with all the rules the county set in place, and theyve been pretty good about sticking to them, that weve limited the number of outbreaks that could have happened, she said.

So far this school year, Meriwether Lewis has 37 reported cases among students and staff, according to the divisions dashboard.

Bittner sees about 30 students a day who are either ill or injured. This year, Meriwether Lewis has about 320 students. During the pandemic, the number of visitors to her office hasnt increased, but she has seen increased reluctance in students who come through her clinic.

Thats because if a student had one of the 10 COVID-19 symptoms, they would be sent home and could only return if they had a negative COVID test, under policies in place for much of the last two school years. Starting Friday, the school system will suspend contact tracing for individual cases and modify the requirements for students who are symptomatic at school.

School nurses have been in demand this school year with both the Charlottesville and Albemarle school divisions offering stipends or bonuses to boost recruitment and retention and recognize the additional responsibilities brought by the pandemic. Charlottesville school nurses received $5,000 while those in Albemarle County received $2,500.

As of July 1, 2021, the average salary for school nurses in Albemarle County was about $35,000, according to county data. Thats for about 10 months of work, though some schools do hire their nurse over the summer, which would be recorded separately from their annual pay.

Each school in Albemarle County has one nurse, though the division is planning to spend $140,777 next fiscal year to hire one more nurse for Albemarle High School and a coordinator for health services. Thats the first phase in a broader plan to hire one nurse for every 750 students, officials have said.

Learned a lot

As Albemarle and other school divisions start the process of dismantling the many COVID mitigation measures, Bittner doesnt want them all to go away. Shed like to keep the isolation room, which is where students go to wait if they are showing symptoms.

The room has a desk, tables and chair, a cot, an iPad, an Etch a Sketch and an assortment of books.

Having a place to send students who are sick would help, especially during flu season, she said. In January 2020, Bittner said the school had a difficult flu season with half of one of the classes out sick.

Bittner also thinks shell continue to wear a mask to protect herself from other colds and viruses that tend to circulate around a school.

But Bittner is happy to leave the daily temperature checks in the past.

It was a huge manpower effort that never resulted in a single positive case, she said. We were so into keeping the schools open, and were like, if this is what we have to do, well do it. We learned a lot.

With case numbers dropping in the county, Bittner is planning to update the bulletin board in her clinic. A COVID case meter was on the board previously along with other information about the virus. But now, she wants to do something more cheerful.

I really do feel honored to have this job because the kids are great, she said. Thats one thing that hasnt changed.

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 coalition that includes the states largest teachers union, the Virginia chapter of the NAACP and the Legal Aid Justice Center on Tuesday criticized efforts by the Youngkin administration to extricate divisive concepts from schools.

During a news conference on the Capitol grounds, the group lambasted a recent report by Youngkin education officials that criticized ongoing efforts to address racial and socioeconomic disparities in education as discriminatory. The report sought to downplay the role of systemic racism in fostering those disparities, and defended the decision by state education officials to scrap resources for teachers and administrators on diversity and equity.

We will not stand idly by while he and his administration attempt to roll back the recent progress weve made in teaching honest and culturally competent lessons in Virginia public schools for blatant political gain, said James Fedderman, the president of the Virginia Education Association, which represents 40,000 teachers in the state.

Fedderman said Youngkins efforts are an attempt to exploit the fear of a small group of parents in order to advance his politically motivated agenda. He also criticized a tip line the administration set up to field tips of divisive concepts, calling it a ridiculous and insulting educator snitch line.

If ever there was a time to draw a line in the sand, now is that moment.

Fedderman was joined by leaders with the State Conference of Virginia NAACP; Equality Virginia, an advocacy group representing LGBTQ+ Virginians; the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, which represents churches and religious organizations; the Legal Aid Justice Center, a civil rights group; and Virginia Excels, an education reform group.

We stand against any efforts to dismantle the progress thats been made toward an inclusive society by those claiming we must only teach a sanitized version of history, said the Rev. Elisha Burke, a board member of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, and a leader within the Baptist General Convention of Virginia.

We must not condone any efforts to set us back.

A Youngkin spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Attempts by the administration to end lessons on divisive concepts through the legislature and the budget have so far been unsuccessful. Its unclear if the issue will resurface during a special session of the General Assembly that begins Monday, or through the veto session later in April.

Earlier this month, the administration also fielded criticism from the Virginia Association of School Superintendents, which in a letter criticized the administrations efforts and decried being excluded from the process by which the administration decided to scrap the diversity materials.

The letter purported to be on behalf of all 133 state school superintendents. The organization later said the group's board crafted the letter and that it wasnt reviewed by all school superintendents, rather, was approved through an internal process by regional leaders - drawing criticism from the Youngkin administration and its supporters. Still, no local superintendent publicly spoke out against the letter's overall message, according to The Washington Post.

Youngkin, who campaigned heavily on reforming the way schools teach students about race, directed his new education leaders to audit the states resources for divisive concepts in the first executive order he signed on Jan. 15, the day he was inaugurated.

The resulting memo describes affirmative action policies in schools as discriminatory, suggests that historic discrimination in education might not be to blame for disparate outcomes among students of color, and rejects the idea that white people may unwittingly benefit from systemic racism and discrimination.

The report made the case that schools have unduly emphasized equitable outcomes over equal opportunity.

The memo defended the scrapping of EdEquityVA, a state initiative that promoted equity and diversity through resources for school districts. That included an entire website dedicated to increasing cultural competency among Virginia teachers, and a suggested readings list that includes historian and MacArthur Fellow Ibram X. Kendi.

In mid-April, Balow is scheduled to release a final report on divisive concepts, per Youngkins executive order.

On Tuesday, the VEA announced it would host many of the equity and diversity materials scrapped from the Virginia Department of Education website on its own servers, making them available in perpetuity to teachers, school leaders and the public.

The materials can be found at www.veanea.org/edequity
The Sweet Home Police Department has arrested a 21-year-old allegedly involved in the Feb. 9 assault of a 13-year-old.

Investigators believe this will be the last arrest stemming from a Feb. 9 incident caught on video in which a group of older youths allegedly assaulted a junior high student near Sweet Home High School.

According to a news release from SHPD, officers arrested Custin Jones Jr. of Albany on Tuesday, March 29. He is being held at the Linn County Jail.

Court documents and the jail website list the suspect as Custin Junior Jones, but SHPD Capt. Jason Ogden said agency records list him as Custin Jones Jr.

With this most recent arrest, six people have been been identified as suspects.

Jones is accused of third-degree assault, riot, recklessly endangering another person and second-degree disorderly conduct, according to court documents. He was arraigned on these charges in Linn County Circuit Court on Wednesday afternoon, March 30. Judge Keith Stein set the defendant's bail at $5,000, according to Oregon's online court database. The next court appearance in the matter is set for April 11.

According to the Sweet Home School District, a staff member witnessed the Feb. 9 incident, rushed to the scene and provided aid to the victim. Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District responded.

The victim was transported to a local hospital and later released.

On Feb. 10, police arrested a 15-year-old girl allegedly involved in the assault. By the end of February, police had arrested three more juveniles and one adult. The other juveniles were identified as a 14-year-old boy, a 15-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy. Police arrested the adult, Dakota House, 18, of Albany, on Feb. 18.

Maddie Pfeifer covers public safety for Mid-Valley Media. She can be contacted at 541-812-6091 or Madison.Pfeifer@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter via @maddiepfeifer_

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 trio of Corvallis sophomores is taking their science fair project to the next level, a project that hones in a local controversy.

Corvallis High School students Pablo Garcia, 15, Joe Parmigiani, 15, and Mary Parmigiani, 15, designed and built an air quality sensor to collect readings around the Hollingsworth & Vose glass fiber plant in south Corvallis. The sensor was part of a science fair-winning project that studied incomes and pollutant exposures.

The plant, which has run afoul of environmental regulators in the past, was in the news recently after Corvallis leaders backed a City Hall decision that may ultimately lead to a new and different air emissions discharge permit for the company.

The students' project didn't initially target Hollingsworth & Vose. It got its inspiration from Oregons wildfire season, according to Garcia. After seeing Mid-Valley Media's coverage about the glass fiber plant they recognized a local opportunity to test for particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide.

Information on pollutant concentrations isnt easily accessible, and the equipment that records it is usually stationary, but the teams air sensor is easily portable, Garcia said, and can be used indoors and out to gather a wider range of data.

We hypothesized the lower income areas would have higher concentrations, Joe Parmigiani said. Its an environmental justice issue that were trying to tackle.

The sensor tests for levels of carbon dioxide, particulate matter 2.5, and nitrogen dioxide. While testing at parks and schools, found in both lower and higher income areas, the team found particulate matter 2.5 was more prevalent around low-income schools. Nitrogen dioxide levels, however, were higher around high-income schools. Testing is ongoing.

We have one major claim, Mary Parmigiani said while reviewing past sensor readings, and that is the factory is releasing pollutants at certain times of the day.

In an email, however, Hollingsworth & Vose spokesman Andrew Thompson said the glass fiber plant operates at a relatively constant rate throughout the day. Previous monitoring around the facility documented ambient concentrations varying with patterns of wood stove use in the surrounding community, he said.

The state's Department of Environmental Quality also documented that the wind in the vicinity of the H&V facility blows from one direction for half of the day and the other direction for the other half of the day, thus complicating monitoring efforts, Thompson said in the email.

The company cant make specific comments about the students work without having seen it, Thompson said, but officials are pleased to see students participating in STEM  science, technology, engineering, and mathematics  activities.

He added the company has installed a state-of-the-art emissions control system, which he said has been highly effective at reducing particulate and fluoride emissions and wastewater discharge.

In collaboration with DEQ, we collected a years worth of CO data through ambient air monitoring around the facility, and it showed extremely low levels of CO, he said. The data showed less than a tenth of the (Environmental Protection Agency) air quality standard threshold.

The student team is also working on a theory that surprisingly low nitrogen dioxide readings are driven by the gas combining with other particles in the air to form worse pollutants, such as ozone, which Garcia said is good up in the troposphere but harmful down below.

Were thinking that if were recording less NO that means it already combined with other pollutants to make pollutants we arent testing for, he said.

The students' sensor is housed in a plastic frame with a clear top that shows off the inside components, and it connects to a keyboard and mouse. Its "brain" is a Raspberry Pi, a simple and highly module computer that's popular with electronic hobbyists, which collects air quality data and relays it to a Google Document.

Overall, sensors are really expensive. Governmental sensors can cost up to $50,000 and even more, Garcia said. Our sensor, all the parts combined, cost around $370.

Its a cost-efficient design that could have wide application, the team believes. It took from June to November getting the device from the drawing board to fully functional. And theyve largely done it on their own, with a little advice from professors and a science fair judge.

Garcia said many communities  not just in Oregon but around the world  dont have access to pollution detection devices, and those are the very places being exposed to higher concentrations of pollutants. The students hope to work with nonprofits and other organizations to distribute their device.

This factory is just one example of how we can help communities, Garcia said. He added the teams device is more versatile than most with its ability to detect three pollutants at once. He said it would be hard to find a sensor with the same capabilities at the same price point.

Winning the local science fair gave the students a ticket straight to the weeklong 2022 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Atlanta in May. They are also competing in the Northwest Science Expo in April.

Hollingsworth & Vose

Under the previous permit, the Department of Environmental Quality required Hollingsworth & Vose to pay $240,000 in fines and fees for over-emitting but allowed the company to keep operating its riverside facility, 1115 SE Crystal Lake Drive, while it applied for a higher-level permit.

To clinch the new permit from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the company first needed to get a statement from the city that its use of the land is compatible with the general vicinity.

When first staff and then Corvallis City Manager Mark Shepard in 2021 determined that it was, a group appealed to the City Council, asking members to overrule Shepard's decision upholding the prior staff decision and allow for public testimony.

On March 7, the City Council backed him in a 7-1 vote. The local group that filed the appeal claimed city staff disregarded public process, zoning rules and rising pollution levels in issuing the statement.

Shepard declined to comment on the council decision, citing an appeal on the matter that was filed with the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals prior to the council meeting.

In a statement prior to the council meeting, Hollingsworth & Vose Corvallis Site Manager Cindy Frost called the permit the company is seeking the most stringent air permit DEQ can issue for the plant, which she said employs 121 people.

Following the meeting, Frost said in a statement the new DEQ permit would set emissions levels and require testing, monitoring, and reporting to ensure compliance, and wont authorize any expansion or change in operations. Frost added the DEQ process provides opportunity for written comment and a public hearing.

Cody Mann covers Benton County and the cities of Corvallis and Philomath. He can be contacted at 541-812-6113 or Cody.Mann@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter via @News_Mann_.

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.
Election_2020

featured

Denton's mayoral hopefuls talk infighting, economic development, police

Jeff Woo/DRC Denton City Council Chamber at City Hall.

Only two sitting Denton City Council members are up for reelection this year  and both are competing for the mayors seat.

Mayor Gerard Hudspeth is seeking his second term as mayor. He is opposed by Mayor Pro Tem Paul Meltzer.

As is policy, Meltzer had to resign his Place 6 seat on the City Council in order to run for another seat. That means hell have to sit at least one cycle off the council if he doesnt beat Hudspeth in the May 7 election.

Campaign finance reports filed by Hudspeth and Meltzer in January show the incumbent vastly outraised his opponent despite receiving far fewer donations.

Meltzer reported 55 donations from 53 people locally and around the country by mid-January, for a total of $9,985 in campaign contributions.

Hudspeth reported only seven donations by the same reporting deadline, but those seven donors provided $16,798.

His largest donation was from TREPAC Association Realtors to the tune of $7,298.41. His smallest donation was a $500 contribution from a Corinth resident.

Meltzers largest donation, on the other hand, was a $1,000 contribution from a man in Cold Spring, Kentucky. The majority of his contributions were for less than $500 and came from Denton residents. His smallest donation was for $35 from a Denton man whom Meltzer also paid as a campaign consultant.

The next batch of campaign finance reports is due April 7, so a clearer picture of the race will develop as we approach early voting, which begins on April 25.

Their responses to the questions below have been edited for clarity and length.

Gerard Hudspeth

Gerard Hudspeth

Age: 49

Raised in: Denton

Education: Denton High School graduate; general associate degree from North Central Texas College, 2018; Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences, applied technology and performance improvement, University of North Texas, 2020.

Employment: Consultant with Freeit Data Solutions, 2022-present

Website: gerardfordenton.com

What does responsible economic growth for Denton look like?

Responsible economic growth for Denton looks like something that would be of benefit to all of the majority of the taxpayers in Denton. Economic growth is a vehicle by which we enhance the community, ergo it should enhance the lives of those that live here in Denton across a myriad of spectrums. Obviously for me, my campaign focuses on increasing the commercial tax base to take away pressure on the residential tax base and create corporate jobs so that people can graduate from UNT, graduate from [Texas Womans University], NCTC, and have corporate jobs that pay well that offer great benefits  and they dont have to drive to Dallas, Frisco, Plano, etc.

What can be done to mitigate infighting among council members?

You know, Im going to put this one back partially on the role you have as the local newspaper. For example, your article during the firemens forum talked about swipes  your word, not mine  but thats a fair assessment and, if balanced against the alternative perspective, I think it would help the community understand. The paper has yet to touch on the fact that were in a work session and council member [Deb] Armintor told me I was part of the good ol boy network. Now, in case you didnt know, I dont fit that profile, and I had to correct her on that. So theres some angst that happens that goes unreported, right? There wasnt a reporter that said, Hey, this was an out-of-line comment to the mayor.

And so you have these cumulative attacks, and I will tell you this: I challenge you to go watch  and trust me, Ive been there  go watch every council meeting and find the one where someone else was interrupted other than me. Between the points of orders, the hey you cant do that, what are you doing? All those interruptions  100% of them  are directed at me from all of the other six members. You wont find one where council member Armintor is talking 10 minutes and gets interrupted. You wont find one where Mayor Pro Tem [Meltzer] says something less than great and is interrupted. Those all come my way.

I think the answer is everyone has to be held accountable, and everyone has to have the same level of respect for their peers and for their positions. And once we achieve that level of respect  but thats going to require everyone being able to hold each other accountable, and I believe the local newspaper is part of that fix because, again, Ive never seen the paper note that I never call you about issues in your stories. You have carte blanche to write whatever you want. But I also know you get phone calls from other council members, and then that doesnt get reported.

So if someones just reading the paper, it looks like, Well, theyre swiping at each other for no reason, and you dont note all the other things that happen and all the lead-ups. And its not been noted that  my opponent says, I have no experience as being a mayor, but Ive had this other experience that should suffice. I wonder what would happen if I said that about any other vocation, right? If I said, I have no experience in that space, but it looks easy enough.

What sort of police chief would you like to see in Denton?

I would like to see a police chief that understands the citizens and the culture of Denton and has diverse experience, and I think Denton is a diverse community, and so that diverse experience will help them blend and hit the ground running much like [current Police] Chief [Frank] Dixon did, and it helps to have a heart for the city.

And so thats really whats important to me is the connectivity with the community, ability to communicate and then also someone that just has a passion like Chief Dixon for the training side of things. Thats not always popular. The officers we have now have  from my viewpoint  been willing to embrace that. Im sure its not without bumps along the way, but I think all in all, it serves the community well.

[A] higher level of training and a connectivity with the community and a diverse background will help them get up to speed and get active in our diverse community.

Paul Meltzer

Paul Meltzer

Age: 61

Raised in: New Paltz, New York

Education: Bachelors degree from Wesleyan University in 1982, masters degree from Dartmouth College in 1989

Employment: Former senior vice president of product management for a large cable company that has since merged with Time Warner Cable.

Website: meltzerformayor.com

What does responsible economic growth for Denton look like?

The key to growth in Denton is building on what makes Denton unique and great, so that the bigger Denton that we will inevitably become is an even better Denton. So that means leveraging the creativity and commitment to sustainability in our community, which includes having everything from landmark performance spaces that will help drive commerce to deploying enough dark fiber so that creative high-tech firms can be productive here. And investing in sustainability and making it into the news for being forward-thinking so that companies who want that association will seek us out.

And part of whats responsible about this approach, which incidentally includes having an attractive quality of life, is that it leads to companies wanting to write us checks instead of us having to write checks just like any other city without a point of difference.

What can be done to mitigate infighting among council members?

It comes back to leadership, and a good leader of a team  and the council should be a team  makes everyone feel heard, doesnt cut off mics or cut off debate, but draws out the best ideas from all participants and tries to articulate a consensus that everyone can feel some ownership in. A leader also challenges the group to stretch aggressively toward our strategic objectives.

As an example, when we had our [City Council] retreat and generated our list of council priorities, I can tell you that many of them were championed by me in such a way that we could all join on to them, and theres been very little discord associated with focusing staff on achieving those priorities and moving forward on affordable housing, on addressing homelessness, on creating a comprehensive plan that includes a preferred pattern of preservation. Those priorities have moved forward very powerfully without infighting because of careful, attentive consensus building.

What sort of police chief would you like to see in Denton?

Ive been a huge fan of Chief Dixon, and I hope we can find someone with many of the same qualities. Hes clear about the police staffing needs we need to achieve to keep pace with our growth and to allow for the kind of proactive community policing and being out in the neighborhoods that can help create a lower-crime environment. And hes also been a visionary leader in terms of moving forward on the 8 Cant Wait initiative even before the George Floyd murder, and in creating the mental health division and in other ways deploying non-sworn officers where its appropriate so that our resources go to the places theyre needed most.

Related
By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov has said that during the current cataclysms, Azerbaijan is one of the few countries that has been seamlessly and continuously implementing its goals for green energy.

He made the remarks during a panel discussion on the drivers of a just and social energy transition at the 8th Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue, an international conference.

Azerbaijan is a country that does not depend on external suppliers in the energy sector and has no problems with energy security, he said.

The minister noted that the export of oil, gas and electricity today contributes to the energy security of European countries along with the countries of the region. He emphasized that Azerbaijans energy independence, meeting the demand for energy at the expense of internal capabilities is the countrys strength and advantage.

This allows us to take a step from energy security to decarbonization. Let's further increase the share of green energy in our energy mix. Currently, we continue to play the role of a reliable partner, and we are also implementing plans for the widespread use of renewable energy sources, he said.

He added that without ensuring energy security, economic development, social welfare and environmental security are impossible.

During the panel discussions, the energy minister shared his views on energy transition, energy security actualized compared to decarbonization under the conditions of unprecedented uncertainties, as well as the factors ensuring the energy independence of Azerbaijan and the course of renewable energy.

Shahbazov brought to the attention that Azerbaijan stands in solidarity with the calls for a just energy transition, supports efforts to strengthen the position of renewable energy sources in the energy mix, and at the same time considers the diversity of energy resources as a guarantee of stability in the energy market in the future.

Moreover, answering a question about the development of the sustainable energy sector in Azerbaijan, he noted that the country has achieved sustainability through a variety of energy sources, diversification of export routes and markets.

The main goal facing us today is to further strengthen this sustainability. To this end, along with the development of the gas sector, we focused on the development of green energy. We aim to increase the share of renewable energy sources in the installed capacity of electricity from 16.5 percent to 30 percent by 2030, he said.

The contribution of the TAP to the sustainable supply of energy to European consumers was also touched upon during the discussions.

Minister of Environment and Energy of the Hellenic Republic Kostas Skrekas, Federal Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology of Austria Leonore Gewessler, French Minister of the Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili, State Secretary to the Ministry of Energy, Sri Lanka K.D.R. Olga and CEO of Bakulu Power Lucia Bakulumpagi-Wamala also participated at the meeting.
Your morning rundown of the latest news from overnight and the stories to follow throughout the day.

Sign Up View all of our newsletters.
The pandemic has prompted a global surge in demand for data, with video-grade networks required now for entertainment as well as basic communication with those weve been unable to see in person. Operator groups were already on this journey, but have been forced to accelerate their strategies to meet this demand.
Philippines' Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has unveiled a PHP 50-billion (USD 960 million) spending plan for the next three years, with a focus on improving the countrys digital infrastructure.

DICT Acting Secretary Emmanuel Rey Manny R. Caintic said that the majority of the funds will be spent on the National Fibre Backbone and the Accelerated Fibre Build through regional and provincial rings.

While we have come a long way in terms of Internet speeds during this administration, a lot more remains to be done to achieve nationwide connectivity. Digital infrastructure is the only way to go if we want to improve the internet connectivity in our country. There are still a lot of underserved and unserved areas. Digital infrastructure investments can change that, Emmanuel said.

In a virtual press briefing, he said projects in the pipeline have to continue in the next administration to further improve internet services in the country.

As of February 2022, there are 79.66 million internet users in the Philippines and a 72.7% Internet user penetration rate according to Statista.com with a median download speed of 18.79 megabits per second (Mbps) for mobile internet and 49.10 Mbps for fixed broadband according to Ookla Speedtest.

The DICT supports the digitalisation of the countrys government, industries, and communities by establishing our equivalent Build programmes for the National Digital Infrastructure to provide quality, affordable, and extensive connectivity for Filipinos in line with President Rodrigo Roa Dutertes Build, Build, Build programme and address the relatively slow Internet speeds in the country due to lack of fibre and cell towers in the country, he stated.
Several of Ericssons investors have rejected the vendors proposal to clear its CEO and certain board members of liability over the alleged payment of bribes to military groups in Iraq.

Cevian Capital, together with Norways sovereign wealth fund, confirmed that it would vote against the motion at Ericssons AGM, which was held yesterday (29th March). Local outlet STV noted that the objection of these two shareholders is significant as it means that investors representing 10% of Ericssons equity now oppose the proposal, meaning that legal action against the board and CEO is now a possibility.

In a statement, Cevian said: We still lack the information necessary to make an informed judgment of what went wrong, why, and who should be held responsible. Given the lack of information and the magnitude of the damage, we have no choice but to hold the entire board accountable.

Shareholders in major Swedish firms typically approve the discharge of liability, so the fact that this threshold has been crossed demonstrates the depth of the disquiet among Ericssons shareholders. While Cevian aims to hold the board accountable, this did not stop it from supporting the re-election of both Ericssons board and CEO Borje Ekholm  both of which were confirmed at the AGM.

Following his re-election, Ekholm acknowledged shareholder concerns and offered assurance, saying: I want to state my commitment to continuing to lead Ericsson in the transformation of our company and its culture, executing on global 5G technology leadership, and strengthening our ethics and compliance performance to ensure lasting change.

Ekholm was appointed CEO of Ericsson in 2016, with The Economic Times reporting that this was due to shareholder pressure for a change of the vendors management. The companys fortunes have improved under his leadership, with Ekholm resolving a 2019 US investigation into a number of bribes paid by Ericsson. In the same year, Ericsson carried out an internal investigation into allegations of bribe payments to military organisations in Iraq without revealing its findings to shareholders. The current scandal arose when the story broke in the media.

Nonetheless, Ericsson chair Ronnie Leten backed Ekholms re-election, stating that the CEO had led the focus on ethics and compliance and executed the performance turnaround of Ericsson during his tenure.
London Internet Exchange (LINX), one of the worlds largest internet exchange points (IXPs) and Saudi Arabian operator STC have announced the expansion of interconnection services to new internet exchange points in Riyadh and Dammam.

This expansion aims to complement the initial collaborative project, JEDIX, which was launched in 2018 in Jeddah. All internet exchanges will continue to be supplied and managed by LINX.

JEDIX, the first exchange point in Saudi Arabia, is a carrier-neutral exchange which interconnects carriers, cloud, content providers, local ISPs and enterprise networks connected in MENA Gateway (MG1), a Tier IV data centre located in Jeddah, owned and operated by STC. Jeddah is one of the main landing stations for subsea cables in the Middle East, providing convenient onward connectivity to Asia, Europe and Africa.

Dammam, to the east of the country, is a key location for the countrys energy sector and associated businesses. It is also strategically close to other neighbouring countries which may benefit from interconnected services.

Riyadh, the capital, is the location of the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), which is a key area designed to serve the local and regional financial sector.

Internet exchange points provide a platform or central hub for networks to interconnect with other networks via a single connection. Networks often benefit from lower latency, increased control and resilience. LINX says that expanding to new cities improves all three of these benefits for both hosted clients and end users.

The new sites in Riyadh and Dammam are due to launch later this year, making the STC and LINX interconnection footprint the largest in the Middle East.
Zain South Sudan has selected Tecnotrees BSS suite for a major digital transformation initiative.

Tecnotree will implement its complete range of BSS Suite products and services, providing Zain South Sudan with a new set of capabilities such as Advance Customer Experience, Quick Time to market with new unified Product Catalogue, Convergent Billing and Charging solutions, as well as other key solutions. The deal expands on an existing agreement between the companies signed last year.

The deployment will help drive the digital transformation of Zains current legacy products and BSS infrastructure, making them 5G-ready. Tecnotree will be involved in delivering licences, implementation services, and support services. The firms solutions and experience will enable the operator to improve operational efficiency, sustain rapid growth and redefine their customer experience.

Khalid Abdalla, Zain South Sudan CEO, said: This partnership with Tecnotree will help us update our BSS infrastructure in order to unlock our digital transformation strategy. This implementation will be a first step towards facilitating our business processes efficiently, and achieving our goals to provide innovative services to our customers.
By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

Georgian Economy and Sustainable Development Minister Levan Davitashvili has said that his country remains committed to its top natural gas supplier, Azerbaijan, Trend reported citing Georgian media.

We do not expect our conditions to worsen today and expect to maintain cooperation with our partners in the long term. Because Georgia respects its main supplier country, Azerbaijan, and remains committed to longer-term, stable contracts, he said.

Davitashvili noted that Georgia's cooperation with Azerbaijan is not one-time based, it is a long-term and strategic cooperation.

Moreover, the minister added that with proper, insightful and good communication with friendly countries it will be possible to secure Azerbaijan's natural gas supplies in Georgia.

Earlier it was reported that Azerbaijan ranked first among the top exporters of petroleum gases to Georgia in January 2022. During the reported month, Azerbaijan exported $51.4 million worth of petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons to Georgia, which is 57.6 percent more compared to the same month in 2021.

Azerbaijan and Georgia are collaborating in a variety of economic fields. Azerbaijan and Georgia signed a number of cooperation agreements in 2021 as part of a meeting of the joint intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation.

Simultaneously, as part of the trilateral business forum held in Baku in December 2021, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey signed five memorandums and agreements on cooperation.

In 2021, the two countries' trade turnover totaled $763.6 million, with exports accounting for $661 million and imports accounting for $102.6 million.
Old edition donated to Chipola library

An old edition of a novel written by Caroline Lee Hentz, who was buried in Marianna in 1856, has been donated to the Chipola Junior College Library by Dean James A. Lewis. Hentzs novels were popular, particularly in the South, during the late 1800s. Born and reared in Massachusetts, Hentz spent her life in various Southern locations and is buried next to her husband in the St. Lukes Episcopal Church cemetery.

Lewis, whose hobby is locating rare books, found Linda, or the Young Pilot of Belle Creole, written in 1850, after a request by Merle Houston, Chipolas director of Library Services. Houston is trying to acquire the complete works of Hentz for the librarys Florida collection. Like other rare books in the Chipola Library, the book donated by Lewis may not be checked out.

All of Hentz novels support slavery and present a romantic view of Southern plantation life. Her most successful book, The Planters Northern Bride, was a rebuttal to Harriet Beecher Stowes anti-slavery book, Uncle Toms Cabin. Jackson County Floridan, Wednesday, March 19, 1980

Fate of hostages not a priority An Iranian diplomat who met with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini said today the U.S. Embassy hostage issue will not be resolved before May 15. He said he was told the Americans fate will not be a priority item on the agenda of the new Iranian Parliament. At the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands, the United States charged that the Moslem militants holding the embassy had treated their American captives harshly during the first weeks of the takeover. The 50 Americans at the embassy were spending their 137th day in captivity. Jackson County Floridan, Wednesday, March 19, 1980

Follow @JCFloridanNews on Twitter.
Fortis College in Dothan, part of a network of schools managed by Education Affiliates Inc., one of the largest medical, dental and skilled trades education programs in the U.S., has appointed Michael Lewis as campus president. He will be responsible for overseeing all day-to-day operations of the campus.

Lewis will execute directly or by delegation, all executive and administrative duties in connection with the operation of the college including budget, admission and board representation. He plans to foster an innovative learning culture within the campus by utilizing state-of-the-art education tools, hands-on training, and a change-oriented approach that prepares Fortis graduates for their chosen professions.

After witnessing four of his five children earn degrees at career schools, Michael joins us with a unique perspective and appreciation for Fortis, remarked Fortis College Regional Vice President John Estorge. We believe hell be an exceptional leader who will take the Dothan campus to new heights.

Prior to assuming his new role as campus president, Lewis held similar leadership positions throughout the south. He received his Master of Business Administration from Belhaven University in Jackson, Miss., and a Bachelor of Science in Religion from Liberty Christian Colleges in Lynchburg, Va.

Fortis College in Dothan offers a wide range of programs, including medical assisting, pharmacy technology, and HVAC-R. The campus is located at 200 Vulcan Way in Dothan. For more information or to apply, visit https://www.fortis.edu/campuses/alabama/dothan.html or call 1-855-436-7847.
A Dothan man faces arson charges for two Monday afternoon fires in downtown Dothan.

Jeffrey Watford, 38, was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree arson, according to the Dothan Police Departments web page. His bond has been set at $60,000.

On Monday, the Dothan Fire Department responded around 4 p.m. to a fire in the 100 block of South Oates Street, an unoccupied building located near the hump south of Main Street. About 13 minutes after responding, firefighters were called to a second fire in the 200 block of North Oates Street at the Town Terrace Inn, a vacant motel located next to the Dothan Eagle and within two blocks of the first fire.

While dark smoke continued from the South Oates fire, firefighters attacked the motel fire on North Oates, which started on the second floor and was more quickly extinguished. The first fire proved more challenging because firefighters had to take a defensive position due the aging structure of the abandoned building, Fire Chief Larry Williams said Monday.

We didnt want to risk anybody in there knowing we had that much fire, Williams said.

Dothan police officers closed portions of Oates Street due to the confined streets in the downtown area and the equipment required to fight the two fires. Both fires were under control within an hour of the original fire. Crews remained on the South Oates scene after dark on Monday night.

Because the two active fires were within minutes, and within blocks of each other, suspicion was quickly raised, the Dothan Police Department reported. A criminal arson investigator from the police department began working alongside the Dothan Fire Marshall and they were able to determine both fires were a result of arson. Both structures received extensive damage from the fires, however, no one was injured in either fire. Upon officers arrival at the second fire, they observed a person of interest coming from the area of the fire. That individual was detained as part of the active investigation.

Dothan Police Chief Will Benny said that officers quickly noticed that Watford was acting suspicious and they observed burn marks on his clothes that indicated he had been in very close proximity to the fire.

He eventually confessed to lighting both the fires.

Its very typical of someone who lights a fire in arson cases to light the fire and stay around to watch it, Benny said.

The investigations led to Watfords arrest, although a motive in these cases has not been determined, according to the police department.

Dothan Fire Battalion Chief David Hasty said both the origin and cause of the fires are still being investigated as of Tuesday afternoon.

He added that the incidents were unusual and rare, but that Dothan Fire personnel were prepared.

This was the first time in my career of over 20 years something like this had taken place, Hasty said. We were able to pull that off while still responding to medical calls. Nobody in the area went unserved during that time.

Most of the fire departments resources were allocated to those two incidents, which typically only occurs during severe weather events, Hasty added. Despite Hasty lauding the fire departments pre-emptive training, he said the department always uses information gathered during the post-incident analysis to assist with future learning.

Tactically, I dont think we could have done any better, Hasty said. But, we always look at it as a growing opportunity.

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.
Drinks industry events round-up

New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Trade Tasting

May 4

Lindley Hall, London

In the first Annual New Zealand Wine Tasting event in over two years, the 2022 tasting will showcase around 350 wines from 83 producers.

Brew//Ldn

May 6-7

Printworks, London

Beer festival featuring food, beer and music.

Prowein

May 15-17

Dusseldorf, Germany

The international trade fair for wine and spirits takes place in May this year, rather than its usual March. The show features 13 halls with producers from around the world.

London Wine Fair

June 7-9 Live

June 20-21 Digital

London Olympia

Around 400 exhibitors will be at The Fair, including winemakers and importers, spirits and low and no alcohol producers. Industry sessions and masterclasses will also take place across the duration of the event.

Wines from Spain

June 20

Royal College of Physicians, Glasgow

Hosted by Wines from Spain, this will be a sit-down tasting and wines will be poured by a team of sommeliers. The programme also includes masterclasses presented by Rose Murray Brown MW and Miguel Crunia.

The Big G Trade Sessions

June 22

79 Borough Road, London

Wines of Germany is bringing back its live event, with a handful of masterclasses and panel discussions throughout the day. Vistors will also have the opportunity to taste wines from across Germany.

Wines from Spain

June 28

Lindley Hall, London

Visitors will be able to taste new releases and vintages, while also meeting Spanish wine importers and meet wineries seeking distribution in the UK. A self-pour tasting will feature selected winners from the 2022 Wines from Spain Awards.

Bordeaux Day

July 11 and 13

Stoller Hall, Manchester

13-14 Margaret Street, London

Now In its second year, Bordeaux Day will be returning to Manchester and London this July for two days of tastings, meetings and conversations.

To tell us about your trade event, email rachel.badham@agilemedia.co.uk

Related articles:
The VinFast logo is displayed on a VF5 electric SUV during CES 2022 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. January 5, 2022. Photo by Reuters/Steve Marcus

Automaker VinFast has signed a deal with North Carolina state in the U.S. to build a $2-billion plant to make electric buses, cars and auto batteries.

It is set to finish by July 2024, when it will have a capacity of 150,000 units a year, VinFast said in a statement Wednesday. Investment in the plant will eventually double to $4 billion.

U.S. President Joe Biden claimed in a statement Tuesday that the plant, which will create more than 7,000 jobs and hundreds of thousands of electric vehicles and batteries, is the latest example of his economic strategy at work.

"Our efforts to build a clean energy economy are driving companies to make more in America, rebuild our supply chains here at home, and ultimately bring down costs".

The announcement is the latest move by VinFast, a subsidiary of Vietnams biggest private company, Vingroup, in its efforts to become a global electric vehicle manufacturer.

It is targeting sales of 42,000 this year after starting to deliver cars in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, and the Netherlands in late 2022.

Outside of North America, it is looking to set up a plant in Germany, the company had said in January.

VinFasts VF8 and VF9 electric SUVs cost from $41,000 to $61,000 in the U.S. By comparison, a Tesla SUV sells for around $63,000.

The company became Vietnam's first indigenous car manufacturer in 2019 and plans to transition completely to electric vehicles this year.
Vietnam Electricity (EVN) will borrow 80 million euros (over US$88 million) from the French Development Agency (AFD) to integrate renewable energy with the power grid in southern Vietnam.

The loan agreement will fund a project that aims at strengthening the power grid in the south of Vietnam and the integration of newly installed renewable energy capacities. The non-sovereign loan was pledged by AFD in 2018 to the Southern Power Corporation (EVNSPC), an EVN subsidiary, a French embassy press release Tuesday.

Work will be carried out on nearly 540 km of distribution lines and electrical substations with a capacity of approximately 900 MVA.

The project will contribute to the connection and transmission of electricity generated by renewable energy plants, thus relieving pressure on the existing grid. It will also improve the quality of electricity supply for end users and reduce technical losses.

Around 630 MW of renewable energy is expected to be connected to the distribution network, replacing part of fossil fuel generation and helping avoid emitting nearly 500,000 tons of CO2 equivalent per year. The estimated reduction in technical losses is 151 GWh per year.

Herve Conan, Director of AFD, said it wishes to support Vietnam implement the Paris Agreement as well as the Net Zero Emissions commitment by 2050 that Vietnam made at COP26.

The loan agreement will pave the way for future collaboration between AFD and EVN, not only through non-sovereign financing but also at the level of EVN's subsidiaries engaged in power transmission and distribution.

Over the past three years, Vietnam has increased its renewable energy capacity by 20GW, totaling nearly 25 percent of its energy mix. Nevertheless, the country lacks the transmission infrastructure to integrate this renewable energy.
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

The State Philharmonic Hall will host a jubilee concert of the People's Artist, professor at the Baku Musical Academy Zahra Guliyeva on April 8.

The concert will feature the Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Honored Artist Fuad Ibrahimov.

The Deta?e Violin Ensemble will also please the audience with their performance.

The soloists are the laureates of republican and international competitions Nazrin Aslanli, Farida Rustamova, Osman Mustafazadeh, Jamila Garayusifli, Khadija Mirgulamli and Shukufa Rasulova.

Zahra Guliyeva graduated with honors from the Azerbaijan State Conservatory (1975) (now Baku Music Academy ), where she studied in the class of the People's Artist Sarvar Ganiev.

In 1976-1978 she continued her musical education, enrolling in the graduate school of the Leningrad State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory (now the Petersburg State Conservatory ).

Since 1978 she has been teaching at the Conservatory, from the same year to 1993 she worked as a teacher at the Department of String Instruments.

In the period 1983-1990, the musician hosted the author's program "Tenderness" on the Azerbaijan State Television, where she talks about the art, life and work of both Azerbaijani and world-famous artists.

In 1993, at the invitation of the Turkish Bilkant University, Zahra Guliyeva started teaching in Turkey. At the university, she combined teaching and performing arts.

In 1998, the musician continued her teaching activities at the Macau Conservatory, was active as a performer, gave numerous solo concerts and with an orchestra in various cities of China, as well as in Portugal and Spain.

Returning to Azerbaijan in 2001, Zahra Guliyeva continues her performing and teaching activities to this day.

In addition to the class of performing arts, she gives a lecture on "History of violin art" at the Baku Music Academy.

Zahra Guliyeva has repeatedly performed with concert programs in Turkey, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Bulgaria, America and Europe.

She is the author of the first textbook in the Azerbaijani language "History of violin art" and textbooks on cello.
Vietnamese rescuers give first aid to a Bangladeshi sailor suffering from chest pain on a ship off the central coast, March 30, 2022. Photo by Vietnam News Agency

Rescuers in central Vietnam returned a Bangladesh sailor to shore for emergency aid after he experienced chest pain early Wednesday.

The sailor, MD Milon, 25, was on his way from China to India on the cargo ship Izumo that is registered in Panama, Vietnam News Agency reported.

When the ship was 103 nautical miles northeast of Nha Trang in Vietnam's Khanh Hoa Province, he started suffering from "a terrible chest pain" on Tuesday, said Nguyen Xuan Binh, director of the maritime search and rescue coordination center in region 4, which oversees the area off Vietnam's south-central coast.

The crew on Izumo contacted the center for help, receiving immediate assistance.

Around 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, the SAR 27-01 rescue vessel ship reached Izumo and rushed to take MD Milon to a hospital in Nha Trang for emergency aid.

The Bangladesh sailor might have suffered from a heart attack, according to the report.

He is now in stable condition.
We need to stop accepting that hassling and overcharging are normal

Thousands of people go to the beach in Nha Trang for the Reunification Day-Labor Day holiday in 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Xuan Ngoc

People who travel a lot know what is wrong with Vietnam's tourist destinations as well as the fact that authorities have not managed to fix them yet.

If all the hassling and overcharging does not stop, even locals will lose interest in traveling let alone foreign tourists.

If tourist hassling is a global issue, then what Vietnam needs to do is to put its foot down and squash it completely.

That deplorable act is nothing more than greed, which seeks to satisfy a short-term desire without thinking of the future.

Vietnam does not need more fancy buildings to attract tourists; it just needs to deal with its existing problems properly.

And if someone tries to say that hassling happens everywhere and that it is normal, tourists will simply stop coming to Vietnam and travel elsewhere instead.

Hassling is far from the only problem with Vietnam's tourism; what about the destruction of nature and the environment? What about the senseless construction of soulless buildings to pocket more money from people?

Look at what Japan, South Korea and Thailand have been doing. Their tourism succeeds because they are willing to face their problems head on for the better. And what is Vietnam doing? Constantly making excuses for its mistakes instead of rolling up its sleeves to fix things. Instead of acknowledging that tourist overcharging is ubiquitous and alarming, we settle for the excuse that "it happens everywhere". We settle for mediocrity.

Why can't we reframe it as a unique opportunity to set ourselves apart? If Vietnam manages to become a tourist-friendly destination that outmatches everyone, people will come to us on their own accord. If not now, then when?
After learning she had a serious illness, Solene Martel was determined to find her Vietnamese birth mother, believing "if not now, then never."

She was born Tran Thi Thanh Xuan on August 27, 1998, at a local medical center in Phuc Xuan Commune in Thai Nguyen Town in the northern province of the same name.

When she was four months old, she was adopted by a French family.

Finding her biological mother has always been on the back of her mind over the years, but she began the journey only recently after being diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome caused by an adrenal gland abnormality.

Martel, who lives in Amiens (about 140 kilometers from Paris), underwent surgery last summer and is now on hormone therapy for six to 18 months.

Solene Martel's Vietnamese name is Tran Thi Thanh Xuan. Photo courtesy of Martel

The rare endocrine disorder that affects only one or two people in a million has caused her weight to rise uncontrollably.

Despite the constant encouragement and care of her adoptive parents and older sister, also adopted from Vietnam, she felt sorry for herself throughout her treatment.

"When I was in the hospital, all I wanted to know was who my biological mother was. Is she still alive and suffering from the same disease or not?"

Solene had known since she was a child that she was adopted.

She says: "All my papers were kept in a box by my adoptive mother, who handled them with care. When I was old enough to read, she showed them to me and told me that every child has the right to know about his or her ancestors".

The moment she opened the box, she realized she was more than Solene Martel.

Martel's Vietnamese birth certificate. Photo courtesy of Martel

She always felt her parents' great love for her during her 18 years of living with them before moving out. She adores them in return, but deep down she still feels a void in her heart.

After getting permission from her adoptive mother, Solene has recently started sharing all of the information and pictures she has on Facebook, hoping her birth family will see them and get in touch with her.

She also has the name Thanh Xuan tattooed on both her arms as a reminder to return to her roots.

According to the medical facility's records, her birth mother, who walked out five hours after delivering, said her name was Tran Thi Hao and she lived in Thinh Dan Commune, now Quyet Thang Commune in Thai Nguyen Town.

Doctors and nurses told the police to find the woman, but there was no one with the name mentioned in the documents.

After that the child was raised by a nanny before being adopted by the French couple.

Veronique Deremaux, Solene's adoptive mother, brought her to Vietnam in 2004 in the hope of finding her biological mother, but was unsuccessful.

The girl returned to Vietnam for a second time in 2019 as part of a six-month trip across Asia with friends. This journey taught her about her hair and skin colors.

"I felt very emotional as soon as I stepped foot in Vietnam," Solene says.

"That's when I started thinking about my biological mother and realized how desperately I wanted to find my true relatives".

She posted her information about a month ago on a Vietnamese group in France where she met many people similar to her.

They advised her to post on large Vietnamese Facebook groups.

She then met Nathalie Bui, a Vietnamese woman living in France who offered to help with the translation though she didn't speak Vietnamese.

Thanks to the help provided by many Internet users, the two were able to locate the old nanny as well as the nurses at the Phuc Xuan Commune health station, but no one knew where her mother was.

Martel and the nanny who took care of her for four months. Photo courtesy of Martel

Solene has not found her mother but has received assistance from many people.

"Every day someone texts me to ask how I am doing and to wish me luck in finding my mother. Even though I still need to use a translation tool, I feel a deep sense of patriotism in my heart".

Solene has a university degree in human resource management and has worked as an office worker. She is currently not working and is recuperating at home.

Her plan is to return to Vietnam once her condition stabilizes and resume the search for her mother in the location mentioned in her birth certificate. In order to stay for an extended period of time, she has applied for Vietnamese citizenship.

Since posting the information about her mother's antecedents, she has had frequent dreams about her in which she sings lullabies to her and pats her on the back.

But she never sees her face.

"I hope I resemble her so that she would recognize me if she saw me while surfing the Internet".

She is learning Vietnamese in order to clearly say "Me oi" (Mom).
After a hiatus of two years, caused by the pandemic, politicians, diplomats and policy experts gathered again in person, in Jerusalem, for the Chairmen's Conference.

The meeting is organized every year by the Israel Allies Foundation (IAF), an international political network for Members of Parliament focused on faith-based diplomacy regarding the situation in Israel. Members of Parliament from different countries all over the world, Members of the Israeli Knesset, governmental representatives from Israel and members of Israel's civil society discussed the current challenges Israel is facing. The conference included a visit with the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yair Lapid.

During the session on Europe- Israel relations, ECPM Director for European Affairs -Leo van Doesburg- spoke about the importance of disseminating current and accurate information among politicians, in times of crisis. He also spoke about the work ECPM and IAF are doing together, about previous events and outcomes.

The speakers included:

Peter Ostman, MP Finnish Christian Democrats, former President of the ECPM

Eugene Kontorovich, Professor of Law at George Mason University

Josh Reinstein, IAF President

Matan Kahana, Minister of Religious Affairs

Mark Pritchard, UK Member of Parliament

Kees van der Staaij (MP Netherlands, SGP), Don Ceder (MP Netherlands, Christian Union), Branislav Skripek (former President of the ECPM and former MEP) and Peeter Vosu (former ECPM President) participated in the discussions.
Russian opposition leader Aleksey Navalny was sentenced to nine more years in a high security prison on March 22. State Department spokesperson Ned Price condemned the politically-motivated conviction and sentencing of Navalny on additional spurious charges. The United States has repeatedly urged the Russian Federation to immediately and unconditionally release Aleksey Navalny and to end its campaign against his organizations and associates. The excessive prison term is a continuation of the Kremlins years-long assault on Navalny and on his movement for government transparency and accountability.

In 2020, Navalny was nearly poisoned to death by a chemical nerve agent Novichok at the hands of Russian security services. After receiving life-saving treatment in Germany, he returned to Russia in January 2021 and was promptly arrested and imprisoned. Navalny has continued to speak out against the Kremlins suppression of freedom of expression in Russia, and the increasing restrictions on the ability of Russias citizens to access information and communicate freely with each other and the outside world.

This campaign has intensified as the Kremlin seeks to hide the truth of its brutal war against Ukraine from its own people. More than 15,000 Russian citizens have been detained for taking part in anti-war protests since February 24. Russias communications authority has blocked access to most independent news outlets and several social media platforms, and threatened journalists and citizens alike with jail time if they dare to openly discuss the war against Ukraine.

In a message shared on Twitter, Navalny expressed gratitude to his supporters and added: "The best support for me and other political prisoners is not sympathy and kind words, but actions - any activity against the deceitful and thievish Putin regime. Any opposition to these war criminals."

State Department spokesperson Price said, Navalnys case is sadly one of many the Kremlin continues to brazenly pursue as it systematically ignores the constitutional rights of the Russian people and its international commitments to respect and ensure human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Now more than ever, said spokesperson Price, the people of Russia must be able to hear voices of courage and integrity that tell the truth about the Kremlins wrongdoing at home and abroad.
Western Watersheds Project sent a letter to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offices saying they had received a map of a man camp being considered for the Thacker Pass lithium mine project, asking that the agencies do further analysis before the project can move forward.

Tim Crowley, Lithium Nevadas vice president of government affairs and community relations, said in an interview that the company is simply considering the possibility of setting up a small RV area for construction supervisors, and no man camp is being considered.

The letter, written last week by WWP Energy and Mining Campaign Director Kelly Fuller, says, The man camp was not analyzed in the Projects Environmental Impact Statement, will have effects on greater sage-grouse and other wildlife, and will likely require new rights-of-way. Because the NEPA analysis supporting the project did not address the man camp, BLM must prepare a supplemental NEPA analysis to consider the effects of the man camp on the environment. Due to the man camps location, it may also render the golden eagle take permit that will be issued in April 2022 inadequate because of additional disturbance.

LNCs apparent decision to pursue a man camp for the Thacker Pass mine after stating repeatedly that it would not build one will be controversial, to say the least. Fuller wrote. The sooner supplemental NEPA starts, the better for everyone.

Concerns about man camps in Thacker Pass have been brought up over the past year. The Battle for Thacker Pass, a Sept. 23, 2021, article in The Nation magazine, said similar operations often bring outside contractors who populate sprawling man camps. These temporary, overwhelmingly male workforces can make housing unaffordable for locals and lead to spikes in drug use and violent crime. Julia Stern, editor-in-chief of the Immigration and Human Rights Law Review, has noted that Native women frequently experience violence from non-Native perpetrators, writing that the potential for harm from man camps is exacerbated when they are on or near Indigenous peoples lands.

In an interview in February Crowley said concerns about potential problems with man camps are totally valid.

What weve done is commit to building temporary housing in Winnemucca, Crowley said. Thats where we believe our temporary workforce would want to live. There may be a few spots for our management team at a ranch we have, but by and large, were going to have our workforce living in Winnemucca, and well bus them to and from the site.

Crowley said last week that in looking at the options for handling the construction phase of the Thacker Pass project, they have considered the possibility of setting up a small, temporary recreational vehicle area near the mine site to provide accommodations for the construction leadership team and their families.

Lithium Nevada made a conceptual drawing of the site with 20 RV sites along a road, plus four additional spots for visiting Lithium Americas management.

This plan would have to adhere to all federal, state and local regulations, Crowley said.

This is a small enough project that it doesnt register as a man camp, Crowley said. Theres no infrastructure, there are no food facilities or laundromat.

Its currently just a concept and would be built on private land that we purchased in mid-2021 when it unexpectedly came on the market, Crowley said.

Lithium Nevadas purchase of the Lyman Ranch property on the north side of the Thacker Pass mine site was an opportunity that came up after the NEPA process for the Thacker Pass was completed.

Lithium Nevada has talked about the possibility of an RV area for the construction management team with the Thacker Pass Negotiating Work Group, a community group which has been set up to discuss and identify solutions that protect the safety and well-being of community members. The company asked people in the Work Group whether they would prefer to have the RV area at a ranch the company owns at Orovada or at the Lyman Ranch adjacent to the mine site. Crowley said most of the work group members preferred the Lyman Ranch site.

The company is considering several options for housing the construction supervisors, Crowley said, and the RV area at the Lyman Ranch is just one possibility.

The construction phase of the Thacker Pass project is expected to utilize around 1,000 people.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
ELKO  The Eureka County Sheriffs Office is reporting a shooting incident off Interstate 80 west of Carlin.

A message on their Facebook page said multiple agencies were en route to the scene early Tuesday evening. Motorists should avoid the area.

No further information was immediately available.

If confirmed, it would be the second highway shooting in the region since the start of the year. A man being chased on I-80 between Elko and Wells shot himself Feb. 19 and his vehicle crashed.

Last July, Nevada Highway Patrol investigated an incident on I-80 near Reno after gunshots were reportedly fired at a vehicle following a crash.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 0
ELKO  In early March, local artists set up a fundraiser for Irakli Dzneladze, a Georgian photographer who visited Elko in 2019. Dzneladze had been living with his family in Ukraine. When Russia attacked Ukraine, his wife and two young children were stuck in Shepetovka, where they were sheltering daily.

Dzneladze was recovering from Covid in the republic of Georgia during an attempt to move his family back to a safe location. The situation was dire.

The familys plight was brought to light during an online conversation with Dzneladze and a local friend. Logistics for escape were difficult and expensive.

However, a fundraiser created by local artists and an appeal in the Elko Daily Free Press raised $10,075. People both near and far contributed to the cause.

The trip was almost 19 hours long, said Dzneladze about his familys escape from Central Ukraine to Poland. They traveled by bus. Only women and children were on the bus. The stop was at the border and I was already waiting for them in the car.

Dzneladze had flown to Poland after he was well enough to travel.

We escaped to Warsaw first, then moved to Wroclaw, where we spent six days.

Dzneladze said the Ukrainians are hosted warmly by the Polish people who give them food, shelter and toys for the children.

The short respite helped Luliia Bankova and their children, Barbare, 8, and Melania, 6, calm somewhat before flying back with Dzneladze to Georgia.

My family spent almost 10 days in Ukraine after the first Russian missile was launched, Dzneladze said. They spent four to five hours every day in a bomb shelter.

He described the shelter like a cellar of the three-floor residential building.

The emotional state of my wife and kids is not good, Dzneladze said. Kids are scared and still react to every sound like a siren. They are talking about the war every day. They ask if their toys in Kyiv are still safe and clean. They contact their schoolmates via social media, sing the anthem of Ukraine all the time.

Bankova is the chief editor of a Ukrainian media outlet that covers the war, according to Dzneladze.

Her friends and colleagues are under shelling in different regions. Many of them have relatives in occupied cities. She tries to support them. She cant sleep and is scrolling through a newsfeed all the time. She is ready to go back to Ukraine at any moment. Her family remains in a small town in central Ukraine. The neighboring town was shelled the first day of the war.

The raised money allowed us to buy tickets for me from Georgia to Poland and then from Poland to Georgia for my family, Dzneladze said.

We are so grateful for every single person who supports Ukrainians at this horrible time. From our side, we donate money to the Ukrainian Army and volunteers who provide people with food, clothes, homes and other necessary stuff.

My wife is fighting with Russian propaganda on the informational frontline ever day in order to tell the truth to the world about this war. She is also fundraising for independent Ukrainian media, which are facing a catastrophe with little precedent in the wake of Russias invasion. The only future is to go back to Ukraine and help these brave people to rebuild the country.



Cynthia Delaneys favorite stories of 2021:

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.
WASHINGTON  The long-awaited new veterans cemetery in Elko will be named Elko National Cemetery, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs revealed on March 29.

I am pleased to announce the name of the first VA national cemetery in Nevada. With every new Veterans cemetery, we increase access across the nation for veterans who want to be buried in a Veterans cemetery close to their home and loved ones, said VA Undersecretary for Memorial Affairs Matt Quinn.

The VA sought suggestions from local veterans and community leaders, and the name Elko National Cemetery was nominated by several veterans groups and had the support of Elko Mayor Reece Keener, the VA reported.

The name Elko National Cemetery meets federal requirements that the cemetery be named for the geographic area in which the facility is located.

The VA reported that there are 3,075 veterans within a 75-mile radius of Elko, where the VA purchased 15.37 acres in August 2021 from the City of Elko for $900,000, which was the appraised value. The land is south of Rocky Road and east of Jennings Way.

According to the announcement, the first interments in the Elko cemetery will be in late 2024. The cemetery will be built in multiple phases, with each phase providing 15 years of burial service. Phase One will include 600 gravesites.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., who was instrumental in winning approval for the Elko VA cemetery, said this cemetery has been a long time in the making, and Ive worked with our veteran community and local officials to make it a reality. Now, with an official name, the Elko National Cemetery will make it possible for our dedicated veterans to be buried near their families and loved ones.

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., said we must do everything we can to honor the thousands of Nevada veterans who have heroically served our country in military service. By officially naming the Elko National Cemetery, the VA is another step closer to providing veterans and their families with our first nationally recognized burial ground in Nevada for those who fought to protect our freedoms.

Nevadas other cemeteries for veterans are owned and maintained by the State of Nevada.

Currently, the closest burial option for veterans living in the Elko area is Snake River Canyon National Cemetery 169 miles away in Buhl, Idaho. There are two in-state veterans cemeteries  Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley, 254 miles away from Elko, and Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, the VA stated.

When this new cemetery opens, approximately 94% of Americas veterans will have a national, state or tribal cemetery located within 75 miles of where they live, Quinn said.

Efforts had been under way since 2011 to get a VA cemetery in Elko, and federal land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management was under consideration for the cemetery before the VA chose the citys property.

The citys ability to provide water to the cemetery was a selling point. The city plans to install a water tank at a higher elevation to serve the site.

Love 8 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
ELKO  Many northeastern Nevadans are not happy with the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. In a county where Republican voters outnumber Democrats by three to one, Trump 2020 flags and signs were a common sight long after President Joe Biden took office.

Then other flags began to appear with political messages like Lets Go Brandon, a slogan that became popular after a crowds chant of F- Joe Biden was heard during a televised interview of a race car driver, and the NBC reporter doing the interview told viewers they were chanting Lets Go Brandon.

As dissatisfaction grew over the course of Bidens first year in office, some residents in Spring Creek began to fly more graphic banners  including the original message behind Lets Go Brandon.

According to Spring Creek Association Vice President Annette Kerr, other residents recently began complaining about the vulgar signs  particularly when they were displayed near school bus stops. This week, members of the Committee of Architecture passed a new rule prohibiting any flags or signs that contain offensive, indecent or vulgar language.

Once the minutes of Mondays meeting are approved in April, Kerr said the association could begin fining property owners under a system used to enforce other rules and regulations.

The new rule will also bring Spring Creek in line with state and county regulations regarding political signs. Postings for or against candidates or ballot measures can be no more than 24-by-36 inches, and can only be displayed for a certain time period before and after an election.

COA members discussed the flag regulation briefly before passing it unanimously Monday evening in a special session.

Were not trying to limit anyones ability to fly flags  theyre more than welcome to  its just the vulgar language that were concerned about, Kerr told the committee.

Board member Nick Czegledi said the rule would likely be challenged in the future regarding the definition of vulgarity.

Im sure theres going to come a time when somebody comes up with something and says, well, its not offensive to me, but we as a committee  or whoever sits here after us  will have to make that decision, he said.

Violations go through a process of informing the property owner and following up on their response or lack of response. Kerr said it can take more than two months to resolve the issue or forward it on to the associations legal counsel.

Stiffer fines and late fees

Also on Monday, the COA approved the first reading of an amendment to the associations Declaration of Reservations raising the fine for any violations from $200 to $250. The late fee for unpaid fines was raised to $35 a month, and will now continue beyond the previous one-year limit.

These changes  along with another amendment pertaining to rules regarding unused vehicles and a new rule regarding home occupations  were discussed at last months regular COA meeting but were brought back for this weeks special session.

Committee members approved first readings of the rules and amendments, which will come back before the panel for a second reading during its regular session in April.

Vehicle storage

Current COA rules state Any vehicle which does not possess a current valid license plate and registration sticker or which is in a wrecked, discarded, dismantled, inoperative or abandoned condition, unsightly and is not in a condition where it may be used on a public highway is not allowed and is a violation.

Unlicensed vehicles should be stored in a permanent structure such as a garage or carport, or may be placed behind the residence out of view of public right of ways behind a fence. Any vehicle that is not enclosed needs to be covered with a vehicle specific manufactured cover which must be continuously secured to the vehicle. Blue tarps are not acceptable as vehicle covers.

The amended rule will limit such stored vehicles to one per property, Kerr said.

The committee also clarified Monday that the unused vehicles should not be visible from any public right of way, not just the street along the propertys front. The rule does not apply to being seen from another private property.

Committee members discussed adding a definition of what a vehicle is, and Czegledi suggested following Nevada Revised Statutes. For example, he said a trailer with a piece of equipment sitting on it does not have to be registered, but a licensed trailer does.

Home occupations

Regarding home occupations, Kerr said the Association already has a guideline for permitted uses. The new rule will classify home occupations as light or general, and will clarify that a portion of business must be conducted inside the main residence to meet the definition.

General occupations will allow up to one non-resident working on the premises at any point in time.

Light occupations will not allow non-resident employees and will be limited to office-type work, clerical work, custom sewing and fabric crafts, creation of visual arts, and sales or surveys over the phone. Such businesses may not involve more persons regularly visiting the premises for business purposes, but instead primarily involves the operator setting appointments for visiting clients 

Other requirements for a home occupation permit include adequate parking; no traffic in excess of normal single-family use; a valid Nevada State Business License; no business use of yard space; no outdoor operations or outdoor storage of materials; and no show windows, business displays or unapproved signage.

Types of business that will not be allowed are a veterinarian office, non-household stable, kennel, funeral home, retail store, restaurant, mechanical auto repair or body work, spray painting of vehicles, trucking company terminal, welding, pesticide company, manufacturing other than custom crafts such as ceramics, hotel or motel, and boarding house.

The new rule does not address Airbnb, which Kerr said is quite involved and should be revisited on its own.

Committee members said they were not trying to limit or take away anyones opportunity to have a home business, just to set parameters to adhere to so neighbors would know what they could expect.

I think youre going to see more and more home occupations over time, Czegledi said, pointing out that the county is in the process of amending its ordinance on conditional business uses of property. We need to get ahead of it.

All of the measures on Mondays special session agenda were approved unanimously, with no comments from the public.

Love 23 Funny 4 Wow 3 Sad 0 Angry 17
By Azernews





By Vugar Khalilov

Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova has said that Azerbaijan expects Armenia to honor its commitments under the trilateral statement signed by Baku, Moscow, and Yerevan in 2020, Azertag has reported.

Gafarova made the remarks on March 29 at the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Interparliamentary Assembly (PA) Council meeting in Almaty, Kazakhstan, commemorating the CIS PA's 30th anniversary.

She said that Armenia should take a constructive approach and work to normalize relations on the basis of mutual recognition of sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders, as well as the restoration of all regional economic and transportation ties.

"This is the only way to achieve true peace and stability in the region," she underlined.

The speaker also informed the participants about the new realities that have emerged in the South Caucasus following the liberation of Azerbaijani territories from Armenian occupation.

She noted that new prospects for peace and cooperation in the region have emerged in the post-conflict period. As a supporter of peace, Azerbaijan is committed to implementing the trilateral statement signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia on November 10, 2020.

At the same time, the complete withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces and illegal Armenian armed formations from the territory of Azerbaijan, envisioned by the 4th paragraph of the trilateral statement, hasnt yet been carried out, and not Azerbaijan, but Armenia violates the provisions of the statement, Gafarova said.

She reminded her Armenian counterpart Alen Simonyan, who was also present at the meeting, that "we are still waiting for an answer from Armenia on the fate of about 4,000 Azerbaijanis who went missing during the First Karabakh War".

The speaker underlined that Azerbaijan returned all of its prisoners of war to Armenia as part of the trilateral agreement. According to the Geneva Convention, Armenian personnel imprisoned on Azerbaijani soil after the signing of the November 10 declaration are not considered prisoners of war, she added.

Gafarova stated that Simonyan's allegations concerning Azerbaijan's ceasefire violations are false.

She emphasized that the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry had previously said that the positions and locations of the Azerbaijani army in Karabakh, which is Azerbaijan's sovereign territory, are being defined.

Moreover, on the morning of March 26, members of illegal Armenian armed groups attempted to commit sabotage against Azerbaijani army forces, but the effort was quickly foiled, the speaker stressed.

She added that the administrative-territorial unit known as "Nagorno-Karabakh" does not exist in Azerbaijan.

She reminded Armenia that Azerbaijan had provided a document including five sections on the restoration of relations and was awaiting a response.

Gafarova also read out an address by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to the event's participants.

Commenting on the issues at hand, she congratulated the participants on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly and wished the organization continued success.

The speaker emphasized that the InterParliamentary Assembly is a favorable platform for exchanging experience in political, legal, economic, humanitarian and other fields.

Despite the pandemic, the Azerbaijani parliament continued its activities within the Interparliamentary Assembly, and members of the Azerbaijani delegation joined the organization's online and face-to-face events and were represented in separate commissions, she added.
ELKO  Supporters broke ground Tuesday afternoon on the site for the Great Basin Child Advocacy Center at 1401 College Avee.

American Southwest Electric, a Las Vegas-based company, will be completing construction at a bid of $4.35 million. The bid was accepted by Elko County Commissioners March 2.

The William N. Pennington Foundation gave us $5.8 million to make this happen, said Elko County District Attorney Tyler Ingram. Nevada Gold Mines gave $200,000 for our mental health counseling, which is tremendous. Another huge contributor is NV Energy on behalf of the City of Elko. They gave us the property we are standing on for $1. Thanks [Mayor] Reece (Keener), City Council and Curtis Calder.

The Chief of Police, Ty Trouten, Mike Palhegyi and Jason Pepper have always had our back from day one when we wanted to do this project. Thanks for your support, Ingram continued. I never got a no from any of the county or city officials. Without their support this would not be possible.

Ingram also thanked Eureka County and Sheriff Jesse Watts for getting the ball rolling on the project.

They gave us $100,000 which we used to hire our architect to put together an application to present to Pennington.

He thanked others for their engineering donations and other services.

This is a very exciting day, Ingram said.

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.
President Joe Biden set off international alarms over the weekend when he committed the United States to the goal of regime change in Russia. For Gods sake, this man cannot remain in power, Biden said of Russian leader Vladimir Putin during a speech in Poland. The last time the United States set itself to removing a foreign leader, in Iraq in 2003, the American plan turned into a long-running disaster. Now, with war raging in Ukraine, it would seem a terrible idea for the president to announce that the goal of U.S. forces is to remove Putin from his position atop the Russian government.

The White House was quick to explain that it was all a mistake  Bidens mistake. Worried aides put out word that Bidens statement was not in his prepared remarks. They made clear that no, no, no, United States policy was not regime change in Russia. He was not discussing Putins power in Russia, or regime change, a freaked-out White House official told Fox News. 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. So when Biden said Putin cannot remain in power, he meant that Putin cannot remain in power over his neighbors.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken performed the formal cleanup Sunday during a news conference in Jerusalem. Unbidden, he said, As you know, and as youve heard us say repeatedly, we do not have a strategy of regime change in Russia or anywhere else. Blinken said any regime change in Russia would be up to the Russian people.

Finally, Biden, back home, said flatly, Im not walking anything back. Asked what he meant when he said Putin cannot remain in power, Biden explained, I was expressing the moral outrage I felt towards this man.

Indeed, some of the administrations most fervent supporters argued that the president was right to say what he did. The pro-Biden Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin wrote that Biden reminds us how fortunate we are to have an experienced diplomat and energetic proponent of our democratic alliances rather than Putins poodle, by which she meant former President Donald Trump.

Democratic fundraiser Bill Kristol, who as a Republican was one of the loudest and most influential proponents of regime change in Iraq in 2003, compared Bidens retracted cannot remain in power statement to President Ronald Reagans famous declaration at the Berlin Wall in 1987: Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

It was a laughable comparison. For one thing, Reagans line was not a gaffe. In the weeks leading up to the Berlin speech, some in the Reagan administration opposed the proposed tear down this wall declaration. The president favored it, and thus it stayed in the speech. In an article on the National Archives website, Peter Robinson, the Reagan speechwriter who penned the speech, included an image of the page of Reagans speech that contained the declaration. There it was, in black and white. So Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall was not a gaffe. It was a planned remark.

Second, the Reagan White House and administration did not rush to disavow the presidents words. The tear down this wall passage became the most famous of the speech, and one of the most famous of Reagans presidency, because it dramatically expressed Ronald Reagans feelings and policy toward Communism. In the days that followed, the president did not run away from his own words.

Third, Reagan called for Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet leader, to allow freedom in his country and the nations under Soviet control. Reagan did not call for the removal of Gorbachev. Perhaps if Biden had said, in todays circumstances, Mr. Putin, end this war, there would have been some analogy. But that is not what Biden said.

After Bidens gaffe, there emerged a debate over whether it was really a gaffe  whether Biden said exactly what he intended to say and then allowed his staff to back away from it to avoid the charge that the U.S. is trying to remove Putin, even though, in fact, the U.S. is trying to.

Just a week earlier, the historian Niall Ferguson argued that the Biden administration had decided to make Russian regime change its goal in the Ukraine war  in other words, to use the war to try to bring Putin down, rather than to seek a quick and peaceful resolution to stop the killing.

After Biden delivered his speech, Ferguson tweeted: As I said last week, the Biden administration has apparently decided to instrumentalize the war in Ukraine to bring about regime change in Russia, rather than trying to end the war in Ukraine as soon as possible. Biden just said it out loud. This is a highly risky strategy. Instead, Ferguson wrote, the U.S. should be doing everything in its (considerable) power to broker a ceasefire and compromise peace.

Now, after Bidens cannot remain in power gaffe, or non-gaffe, the U.S. strategy is not clear. If it was a gaffe, it was a sign of a disturbing trend. As Glenn Greenwald noted, This episode marked at least the third time in the past couple weeks that White House officials had to walk back Bidens comments, following his clear decree that U.S. troops would soon be back in Ukraine and his prior warning that the U.S. would use chemical weapons against Russia if they used them first. If it was not a gaffe, it was perhaps even more disturbing.

So if it was a gaffe, it was bad. If it was not a gaffe, it was worse. What it was not was the reincarnation of Reagans tear down this wall declaration. Of that, everyone can be sure.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Russias offensive into Ukraine has stalled and serious negotiations have begun to call an end to the crisis. After rapid gains in the first two weeks of the war, little more progress has been made. Some analysts are pointing to overestimates of Russian technological power and neglected to consider logistics. Videos throughout the war have shown Russian vehicles abandoned in mud, as well as tanks fighting alone in streets, a recipe for disaster for crews who become easy targets in urban combat.

The current state of the invasion has been meticulously mapped by the Institute for the Study for War. The institute has been used extensively by news outlets, such as the BBC, so it can be used as a good source.

Latest CoT #maps from @TheStudyofWar and @criticalthreats. #Ukrainian forces recaptured #Irpin, a town on the northwestern edge of #Kyiv. #Russia reportedly withdrew 2 BTGs of the 106th Airborne Division from the Kyiv front. pic.twitter.com/Z39VFG07aN  ISW (@TheStudyofWar) March 28, 2022

The institute has been reporting that Russia is in control of the cities of Luhansk and Donetsk, as it had been through its client states of the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics. The cities of Chernhiv and Kharkiv are under assault, as well as the capital Kyiv. Mariupol remains surrounded and under siege, with some 160,000 people still trapped inside.

Positive news for the Ukrainians is that these battlelines have not oft changed in the last two weeks. Even better, counterattacks back the Ukrainian army have been reported. The southern city of Kherson, on the shores of the Dniepr river, is said to once more be under Ukrainian control. The town of Irpin, in the immediate north of Kyiv, has also been liberated.

These reports bode well for the Ukrainian negotiating delegation, who now have a much stronger negotiating hand compared to the first week of fighting which suggested a defeat. Now, Ukraine is pushing back.

Related stories:

What happened in peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia?

Delegations have met in the Turkish city of Istanbul to try and find an agreement. Ukraine has proposed that they will be a neutral state and not join NATO, though negotiations continue on whether Ukraine could be allowed to join the EU. These are said to be positive moves, and Russia responded by moving troops away from the Russian capital of Kyiv, although rocket and missile attacks continued unabated.

Russia says military activities in the Kyiv and Chernihiv areas will be reduced for the sake of mutual trust.

Interpreting this for you guys into the human language: We have been smashed in the face, so we need to buy some time to redeploy troops to Izium and Donbas.  Illia Ponomarenko  (@IAPonomarenko) March 29, 2022

Russian Deputy Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin told Russian TV that there had been progress on Russia's negotiation aims and the redeployment of troops was to "create the necessary conditions for further negotiations and for the signing of the aforementioned agreement".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that while signs from peace talks were "positive", they do not "drown out" the explosions of Russian shells in the continued Russian attack. In a late-night address, the president said that his country can only trust the final results of any negotiations.
The latest jobs report from Californias Employment Development Department suggests that the state is beginning to return to pre-pandemic economy. In February the state added 138,100 new jobs, the largest increase since July 2021.

However there are still millions of Californians out of work and the state continues to provide comprehensive Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits for residents. Individuals can only claim a maximum of 26 weeks of unemployment support each year, one of the most generous state-organised unemployment programmes in the country.

Montana (28 weeks) offers the longest period of annual unemployment support for residents, while Florida provides the shortest (12 weeks).

California Unemployment Rate Falls To 5.4% In February https://t.co/4CcM5l5hBq pic.twitter.com/pcbAotjQMp  CBS Sacramento CBS13 (@CBSSacramento) March 26, 2022

Who is eligible for unemployment benefits in California?

Californias Unemployment Insurance programme is restricted to state residents who also satisfy the following criteria:

- Unemployed

- Earnt a certain amount of wages over the past 12 months, as determined by state guidelines

- Have been employed in California at some point in the past 12 months

- Must be actively seeking work for every week in which they claim benefits

For those who meet the eligibility requirements, the state will determine the amount each individual is entitled to receive based on a variety of criteria.

The recipients prior earning will be considered; usually the first four of the five full annual quarters that came directly before the UI claim was filed, which is known as the base period. A claim submitted in July 2022 would be based on earnings between 1 April, 2021 and 31 March 2022.

Related news:

The weekly entitlement is then based on the quarter in which the individual earned the most. The vast majority of claimants the weekly entitlement can be calculated as their highest-earning quarter divided by 26, up to a maximum of $650 per week.

For example, a claimant who had receive $6,000 during their highest quarter would receive $231 per week in benefits. Any claimant with quarterly earnings of $11,674 or higher would simply receive the maximum weekly entitlement of $450.

If youre unsure how much you could be eligible to receive from unemployment support in California, the Employment Development Department provides this handy Unemployment Benefits Calculator.

Simply enter your earnings history to see how much you are entitled to.
Largest port on Mongolian border sees number of trains pick up this year

China's largest railway port on the border with Mongolia has seen a significant rise in international freight train services over the past decade, boosting connectivity between China, Mongolia and Central European countries.

By this month, Ereenhot Port in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, the largest land port on the China-Mongolia border, had facilitated more than 9,000 China-Europe freight trains since the first such train passed through in 2013.

Over the past 10 years, the port has witnessed a rapid increase in China-Europe freight trains.

In 2013, only two such train services were facilitated, while last year, the port saw 2,739 trains pass through. There are 57 routes connecting more than 50 cities in 22 regions in China and 44 stops in nine countries.

The trains have played an important role in smooth logistics and the stable supply of anti-epidemic materials for China and countries along the routes.

With the expansion of the China-Europe freight train network, agricultural and industrial products from all over China can be transported on outbound trains to be sold abroad. The inbound trains carry overseas goods, such as German beer and French wine, to China, benefiting Chinese consumers.

In addition to commodities and food, exports of high-value-added products, such as automobiles, motorcycles and solar photovoltaic modules, have also increased.

To increase efficiency, the railway port has improved its services by building a "smart border inspection platform", offering customs clearance 24 hours a day and carrying out contact-free inspection in accordance with epidemic control protocols.

"The station has launched a series of facilitation initiatives such as priority inspection for China-Europe freight trains and special channels for epidemic prevention materials," the station's director, Amgalan, said. "Abiding by epidemic control protocols, we make every effort to ensure the safe and efficient passage of China-Europe trains and to boost the high-quality development of the economy in the border area."

The 500th China-Europe freight train this year passed through the port on March 1, hitting that mark 18 days earlier than last year.

China State Railway Group has said a new national railway schedule will be operated from April 8, with more China-Europe freight train services scheduled to better serve international supply chains and improve high-quality opening-up.

By January, there had been more than 50,000 China-Europe freight train trips through all border ports.

The value of goods transported by the cargo services has skyrocketed from $8 billion in 2016 to $74.9 billion last year, an increase of more than 9 times, according to the group.
By Azernews





By Sabina Mammadli

Human Rights Commissioner Sabina Aliyeva has urged the international community and international organizations to conduct the necessary fair and transparent political and legal assessments of the genocide against Azerbaijanis in order to protect human rights and prevent future occurrences.

She made the remarks in a statement issued ahead of the March 31 commemoration of the Day of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis.

"I... revere the memory of the victims of the genocide against Azerbaijanis and call on the international community and international organizations to give a necessary political and legal assessment of this act of genocide to protect human rights and prevent the recurrence of such cases in the future," Aliyeva said.

Ethnic cleansing

She emphasized that "throughout history, Armenian nationalists with the dream of establishing a 'Greater Armenia' state have purposefully pursued a policy of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and deportation of the Azerbaijani people. The most heinous manifestation of this policy is the genocide committed beginning in March 1918".

Tens of thousands of civilians were killed as a result of this genocide in Baku, other cities and provinces of the Baku Governorate, Shamakhi, Guba provinces, Karabakh, Zangazur, Nakhchivan, Lankaran, and other regions of Azerbaijan due to their ethnic and religious background, the commissioner stressed in her statement.

"Furthermore, settlements, cultural monuments, mosques and other places of worship, and cemeteries were destroyed. Some 110 Shamakhi villages, 167 Guba villages, more than 150 Karabakh villages, 115 Zangazur villages, and 98 Kars villages were destroyed, burned, and their inhabitants were killed," the statement added.

Over 50,000 Azerbaijanis, including women, children, and the elderly, were killed between March and July 1918 as a result of bloody crimes committed by Armenian armed groups in Baku, Shamakhi, Guba, Mughan, Lankaran, and Goychay cities and districts.

Furthermore, 199 villages were destroyed in and around the historical territory of Azerbaijan - Iravan city, as a result of which 132,000 Azerbaijanis were killed, the statement said.

The rights commissioner added that despite the fact that more than a century has passed since this genocide, those bloody events have not been forgotten and have left indelible marks on the nation's blood memory.

"As a result of the investigation, the facts of Armenian mass exterminations committed during the events of 1918, as well as countless human bones and other material evidence, were revealed," the statement continued.

Political assessment

Aliyeva described as an important step a relevant decree issued by late national leader Heydar Aliyev in 1998 in the political assessment of the genocide.

"The presidential decree 'On the Genocide of Azerbaijanis', signed on March 26, 1998, by national leader Heydar Aliyev, was an important step in revealing the historical truth. As a result, these heinous events were given a political assessment, and March 31 was declared the Day of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis," the statement noted.

Aliyeva added that the Genocide Memorial Complex was established in Guba city under President Ilham Aliyev's appropriate order to convey these truths to the world community and to memorize the genocide victims.

She stressed that every year, thousands of people visit the venue to commemorate the murdered compatriots.

Lacking appropriate int'l response

Aliyeva emphasized that according to international law, genocide is considered the most serious crime against peace and humanity.

"Unfortunately, despite the fact that there is enough evidence and proof of Armenia's genocide against Azerbaijanis, there has been no adequate response to these crimes against humanity, and double standards have been demonstrated in respect of Azerbaijan. In this regard, the European Parliament's resolution of 10 March 2022 on the alleged destruction of Armenian cultural heritage in Karabakh once again demonstrated double standards and biased policy against our country," Aliyeva stressed.

She underlined that Armenia, which has committed numerous crimes against Azerbaijani civilians over the past 30 years of occupation, has purposefully and systematically destroyed all Azerbaijani historical, cultural, religious monuments, archeological sites, libraries, museums, artifacts, rare manuscripts, and cemeteries.

Despite the Azerbaijani sides repeated calls during these years, no fact-finding mission has been established by relevant international organizations to investigate these issues on the spot, the statement said.

Aliyeva added that "the failure to respond to ethnic cleansing and genocide committed by Armenia against the Azerbaijani people for many years, along with acts of vandalism against our cultural heritage, is a clear example of discrimination and indifference to states and contradicts the principles of international humanitarian law.

Azerbaijan expects fair approach to Armenian crimes

The statement emphasized that, unlike mono-ethnic Armenia, Azerbaijan, as a state adhering to the principles of tolerance and multiculturalism, is taking all necessary steps to ensure peace, stability, and security in the South Caucasus, as well as to restore the peaceful coexistence of nations.

I believe that international organizations and the international community must demonstrate a fair and transparent approach with regard to the investigation into crimes against civilians, and the facts and evidence-based cases of destruction of cultural heritage belonging to Azerbaijanis. I once again remember the victims of the genocide against Azerbaijanis with deep sorrow, the statement said.

This statement was addressed to the UN Secretary-General, UN Security Council, Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Office of UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UN Human Rights Council, the United Nations Childrens Fund, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the European Union, the Council of Europe, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, International and European Ombudsman Institutions, Asian Ombudsman Association, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Ombudsman Association of its member states, etc.
Serhii Taruta, People's Deputy of Ukraine, Head of Donetsk Regional State Administration (2014)

As to negotiations in Istanbul - I will not comment on or criticize their course, because we all understand that these are only the first steps out of a thousand. However, the ultimate goal of any negotiation and it is important to speak loud and clear, must be Russia's responsibility for the genocide of the Ukrainian people.

I am sure that this is not only my position, but also the position of all those who are now defending the Ukrainian land, all those who have lost relatives and friends who have lost their homes. The position of the totally destroyed Mariupol, Kharkiv, Irpen, Bucha, Gostomel, the mutilated Sumy, Chernihiv, Trostyanets, occupied Kherson, the position of Nikolaev, in which yesterday the orcs buried people under the rubble of the bombed administration. The position of millions of people whose lives and families were destroyed by Russian troops, whose children were killed and maimed by the occupiers.

Reparations and contributions have to be discussed at these negotiations.

The Russians staged genocide (see the definition of this term in international law - this is what the Russians are doing) on the territory of an independent state in the heart of Europe. At a time when Mariupol, which is a symbol of invincibility, is holding a heroic defense, while orcs are drawing their most powerful troops to the city, when the Armed Forces are fighting for every inch of Ukrainian land, shedding blood, we must demand responsibility for genocide.

The enemy must respond. And this responsibility must fall not only on the current generation of Russians, zombies of Putin's propaganda, but also on future generations. They will either bear collective responsibility, like the Germans did after World War II, or in a few years we will have a Second Chechen War.

Russia's historical responsibility for the genocide of the Ukrainian people must be irreversible. Even now, even before the ceasefire, they must understand that the world knows who is the aggressor in this war and who is the victim of the bloody war. And no Russian propaganda should have a chance to spread the idea that "only Putin is to blame."

This is the genocide of the Ukrainian people. Those who dropped bombs on hospitals, maternity hospitals, the theater where children and pregnant women hid, those who raped, shot, tortured, and looted will not be able to simply leave Ukraine and live their lives. War criminals must be punished for war crimes. The invading people must bear historical responsibility. Russia must pay for the genocide.

Without this, there will never be not only peace, there will be no World as we have known it until now.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said that Ukraine has already received more than $3 billion in international financial support, and negotiations are underway for another $10 billion.

"Every day we talk about financial support for Ukraine. More than $3 billion has already been received. We are negotiating another $10 billion. And this is just the beginning," Shmyhal said at a government meeting on Tuesday.

The prime minister also said that the authorities are working to restore Ukraine in three directions.

"The first is a competent calculation of all the losses of our people and our state from this aggression. The second is the freezing and seizure of all Russian funds and assets abroad. The third is the accumulation of funds from partners in the Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine," he added.

Shmyhal said that it is a new plan for the restoration of Ukraine, which will unite the countries of the world: from the United States to Japan, from Australia to Canada.

"The countries of Europe are ready to demonstrate leadership in this matter, and we hope it will not only be in words, but we will really see what a united Europe is, what a united world around Ukraine is," the prime minister said.
PJSC Ukrhydroenergo has lost one unit at the Kakhovska hydroelectric power plant (HPP) occupied by Russian invaders on February 25, the company's CEO Ihor Syrota has said.

"We lost one unit in Kakhovka. We will tell you more about how and why this happened after the war," he said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

At the same time, he said that the loss of the unit does not affect the safety of the HPP, despite the spring flood season.

"Safety is not affected, given that the flood is below average, we pass water through those that are," Syrota said.

At the same time, the CEO of Ukrhydroenergo said that careful preparation for the flood allows it to pass "in accordance with the technical regulations, as planned."

"Of course, we were preparing for it, although after February 24 we had only three or four days to reorganize to work in war conditions. As a result, all plant units and services are working. All flood control measures have been worked out. No flood. We don't see any threats to its passage, any flooding," he said.

As for the overall operation of the Kakhovska HPP under the conditions of occupation, the head of Ukrhydroenergo said that the plant is technically controlled by the company, and it is possible to rotate operational personnel. Also at the plant, according to him, there are no representatives of the hydropower industry of the aggressor country.

"...We managed to convince the occupiers to let the operational personnel controlling the units work. We managed to explain that when there is a flood. Water needs to be drawn off so that the reservoir does not accumulate more and so that the dam does not break or other accidents do not occur. Therefore, the personnel remained. It performs all our tasks, purely technically, we are managing the HPP, but not physically," Syrota said.
Ukraine and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have established a regular dialogue that will result in practical results, Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko said following a meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi during his visit to the Yuzhnoukrainsk NPP.

"We understood that the IAEA sees everything that is happening, it will continue to communicate. And it is very important that the technical assistance that Energoatom and the IAEA will consider in the future will take place. We have established a regular dialogue that will have a practical plane," Haluschenko said at a briefing at the Yuzhnoukrainsk NPP on Wednesday, the video of which is at the disposal of Interfax-Ukraine.

He stressed that the key for Ukraine is the fulfillment of its obligations to comply with nuclear safety.

"And we see the way out of this situation as the liberation of our plants, the Chornobyl and Zaporizhia NPPs, from Russian invaders. And for our part, we will do everything to make this happen as quickly as possible," the minister stressed.

He also noted that Ukraine was aware of the plans of the Russians to seize the Yuzhnoukrainsk NPP as well, and thanked the Ukrainian defenders for not allowing this.

Energoatom head Petro Kotin, for his part, noted that the presence of the IAEA Director General at the Yuzhnoukrainsk NPP is evidence that no one will ever capture this station and it will always remain Ukrainian, "although the Rashists did everything to capture it."

Summing up the meeting with Grossi, he pointed out that very important issues were considered and ways of their solution were outlined. "Very important issues were discussed at the meeting, and we also outlined the ways in which we will move towards a way out of the current situation," the head of Energoatom explained.

The parties did not disclose other details.

At the same time, Kotin noted that the first financial assistance from the IAEA has already arrived. "Now we have already brought sets of good individual dosimeters and high-level dosimetric equipment," the head of the company specified.

As reported, on March 29, the visit of IAEA Director General Grossi to Ukraine began to resolve issues of providing support in ensuring nuclear safety.
IAEA Director General arrives in Ukraine for talks on nuclear security

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi is in Ukraine for talks with high-ranking officials on the agency's urgent technical assistance in ensuring the safety of nuclear facilities and preventing the risk of accidents.

The IAEA announced this on its website on Tuesday.
Russia trying to launch campaign about allegedly bad attitude towards prisoners in order to compromise Ukraine

Russia is trying to launch an information campaign about the allegedly inhuman treatment of prisoners by Ukrainian servicemen in order to compromise Ukraine, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

"There was an order from the acting Defense Minister of Russia to create fakes about the prisoners. The Russian military was ordered to create and distribute staged videos where the Ukrainian side allegedly shows an inhuman attitude towards the prisoners of Russia. Russia is trying to launch a campaign to compromise Ukraine," the ministry said in a statement posted on Facebook.
On Wednesday morning, Russian occupiers shelled residential areas of Lysychansk, significantly destroyed high-rise buildings, the rubble is being sorted out, information about the dead and wounded is being specified, Head of Luhansk Regional Military Administration Serhiy Haidai has said.

"An hour ago, the Russians shelled Lysychansk, casualties are reported. At about 6:30 am, the enemy from heavy weapons opened fire on residential areas of one of the districts of Lysychansk. High-rise buildings have been significantly destroyed. Information on the number of dead and wounded is being specified. There is a lot of rubble. Rescuers are trying to save alive," he wrote on his Telegram channel on Wednesday morning.
Signals from negotiation platforms with Russia can be called positive, but they do not drown out shell explosions  Zelensky

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has called the signals from the negotiation platform with Russia positive, but these signals do not drown out the explosions of Russian shells.

"You can call positive the signals that we hear from the negotiation platform, but these signals do not drown out the explosions of Russian shells," Zelensky said in a video message on Tuesday.

According to the head of state, Ukraine sees all the risks and sees no reason to trust the words that come from certain representatives of the aggressor state.

"Ukrainians are not naive people. They have learned during these 34 days of the invasion and over the past eight years of the war in Donbas that we can trust only a concrete result, facts. Of course, Ukraine is set to negotiate and will continue the negotiation process to the extent that is really from us depends. We count on the result. There must be real security for us, for the state, for sovereignty," he said.

"Russian troops must leave the occupied areas. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine must be guaranteed. There cannot and will not be any compromises regarding sovereignty and our territorial integrity. These are clear principles, a clear vision of a possible result," the president added.

Zelensky also appealed to those who spread information on social networks about Ukraine's alleged loss of sovereignty.

"And for those in social networks who perceive words in such a way that they are already facts [loss of sovereignty]. I want to remind one thing: we live in a democratic state, we are fighting for our freedom, because any decisions that matter to our people should be accepted not by one person, nor by a group of people with any political views, but by our entire people," he said.
On Wednesday night, Russian invaders launched a missile attack on three industrial facilities in Khmelnytsky region, the fires that broke out were localized, head of the regional administration Serhiy Hamaly said.

"There were three attacks on industrial facilities in the region at night. The fires were localized by the State Emergency Service. Information about the victims is being checked," he wrote on his Telegram channel on Wednesday morning.

Hamaly said that on the eve of Tuesday afternoon, the Russian aggressor launched a missile attack on a military facility in the town of Starokonstantyniv.
Issue of lifting sanctions cannot be raised until war ends and we return what belongs to us  Zelensky

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that the issue of lifting sanctions cannot be raised until the war ends and everything that belongs to Ukraine is returned.

"And even if some countries do not even count on the fact that certain negotiations will affect the lifting of sanctions from the Russian Federation. The issue of sanctions cannot even be raised until the war is over, until we return what belongs to us, and until we will not restore justice," Zelensky said in a video message on Tuesday.

On the contrary, according to the head of state, the sanctions should be strengthened.

"Be toughened weekly. And they must be of high quality. Not just for the headlines in the media that sanctions have been imposed, but for the real onset of peace. Real. And to ensure this, a team of experts  Ukrainian and international, has already begun to work, evaluating the effectiveness of the imposed sanctions against Russia," he said.

From the Ukrainian side, this direction is coordinated by Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, from the international side, ex-U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul.
By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

The recent announcement of the White House budget request for the fiscal year 2023 has demonstrated the triumph of justice and added to the hysteria of the Armenian diaspora in the United States.

The Biden administration requested $24 million in aid to Armenia in the White House budget request for the fiscal year 2023, which was released on March 29. This is $21 million less than the amount allocated by Congress and approved by the president a few weeks ago for the fiscal year 2022. Furthermore, it does not include a specific amount of aid to the separatists in Karabakh.

We are disappointed that President Bidens annual budget-released in the wake of a government watchdog report documenting over $164,000,000 in U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan - flat-lines U.S. aid to Armenia at just over $24 million and fails to include any specific dollar amount for U.S. assistance to Artsakh [Karabakh], ANCA [U.S-based pro-Nazi Armenian National Congress of America] Executive Director Aram Hamparian said in a press release posted on the organization's website.

At the same time, he desperately claimed that the ANCA is relying on its allies in the U.S. Congress. He stated that the coalition partners and community activists will work through the foreign aid appropriations process to significantly boost U.S. aid for both Armenia and the Karabakh separatists.

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department is considering providing Azerbaijan with $9.1 million in financial assistance. Another $600,000 could be spent on military exercises in Azerbaijan. The $9.1 million figure does not include additional funds provided by the U.S. Department of Defence under Section 333. According to a report released in March by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Azerbaijan received more than $164 million in assistance from the United States under the aforementioned section.

To recap, earlier ANCA - the U.S. branch of the ultranationalist left-wing party Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF, also known as Dashnaktsutyun or in short, Dashnak) usually inciting hatred towards Azerbaijan and Turkey as a way to ensure political and financial support for themselves, urged Washington to provide greater financial support to Armenian separatists in Azerbaijan's internationally-recognized territories in Karabakh.

Armenian anti-humanist nature

Political analyst Elchin Mirzabayli told local media that the main reason for the US decision is Armenia's even more explicit demonstration of its anti-humanist nature against the backdrop of world events, its lack of contribution to peace and security issues critical to the South Caucasus, the post-Soviet space, and the world at large, and its position as an outpost rather than a subject of independent law.

Another reason, according to the expert, is that the Armenian diaspora organizations, such as the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), are already losing their significance as a tool of geopolitical pressure.

"Another important reason is the realities that have developed after the [2020] Second Karabakh War, the fact that both Azerbaijan and Turkey play a regulatory role in the processes taking place in the region and the world, acting as countries aware of their global responsibility, they remain committed to their obligations and undoubtedly contribute to ensuring peace and security, as opposed to Armenia, he said.

At the same time, Mirzabayli stated that, as evidenced by the numerous criminal cases uncovered in Armenia, the assistance provided by the United States and other countries has been embezzled over the years, and organizations such as the ANCA have collaborated in these matters with the war criminals who have led Armenia for many years.

"The ANCA's request to the White House and Congress for $50 million to help 'resettle over 100,000 Armenian refugees from the region' also indicates an intent to misappropriate these funds. As one of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, the United States has been dealing with issues related to the now-defunct Karabakh conflict for many years and is well aware of the number of ethnic Armenians in those territories, as well as the number of Armenians who have moved to Armenia. Apparently, Washington no longer believes Armenians' false tears," the expert observed.

It is worth noting here that the United States previously allocated millions of dollars to Karabakh Armenians for demining, but based on what has become known since the liberation of Azerbaijan's territories, Armenia has spent those funds on mines. According to experts, the total mining of such huge areas has cost Armenia more than $300 million.

Ukraine hostilities changing situation

The Baku-based news website Day.az noted that the hostilities in Ukraine have changed a lot, particularly the authority, image, and role of fraternal Turkey, which has grown rapidly.

"It serves as a reliable and strategic partner for Ukraine, whose opinion is also valued by Russia. It is not for nothing that Russian-Ukrainian talks were recently held in Istanbul. The U.S. appreciates it," the website says.

It is noteworthy that the U.S. also highly appreciates Azerbaijan's position, which has stated the importance of respecting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, in contrast to Armenia, which has always been openly anti-Ukrainian. In this regard, Azerbaijan dispatched several planes carrying humanitarian aid to Ukraine and expressed its readiness to supply fuel for the sowing campaign. Simultaneously, SOCAR Energy, which operates in Ukraine, provides free fuel to ambulances and fire departments.

In other words, Azerbaijan supports Ukraine in word and deed, while Armenia, on other hand, is known to support Russias actions against Ukraine in every possible way.

So, everything makes sense Only now the United States corrects its huge mistake. Until now, it was the only country in the world to officially allocate annual financial aid to the Karabakh separatists. Now it wont do that either, Day.az underlined.

It should be noted that Azerbaijan is the economic and political leader of the South Caucasus, has the strongest army in the region, and pursues a truly competent foreign policy, which has been understood and recognized not only in the U.S. but also in the European Union. To recall, the EU initially announced a 2 billion aid package for Armenia, but only 140 million for Azerbaijan. However, in less than two months, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Oliver Varhelyi announced that the EU will provide Azerbaijan with a 2 billion financial aid package.

To summarize, the world is now witnessing justice triumph, demonstrating that the Biden administration has accepted the region's new reality. And Azerbaijan is simply fortifying its positions and expanding its network of allies.
It's too early to say that Russians reduce intensity of hostilities in Kyiv, Chernihiv regions - Denysenko

Air raid sirens sounded almost all over Ukraine at night, there were shellings of Chernihiv, Khmelnytsky region, several rockets were shot down over Kyiv, adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Vadym Denysenko said.

"Unfortunately, there is no way to say that the Russians are reducing the intensity of hostilities in Kyiv and Chernihiv directions," he said on the air of the telethon on Wednesday.

He said: "In Kyiv, as far as we can speak now, several missiles were shot down over the capital. Now the situation is being clarified."

According to Denysenko, in Kyiv region, in fact, the fighting in Irpen was heard the whole night.

"We can say that certain units and equipment are entering the territory of Belarus. This is more like a rotation and licking of wounds than a real suspension of hostilities," the adviser to the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs said.
Russian forces launched an air strike on Kreminna, positional battles continue in Popasna and Rubizhne. The enemy is shelling exclusively residential areas, Lugansk Regional Military Administration Head Serhiy Haidai has said.

"Russian troops are firing exclusively at residential areas. They bombed Kreminna using aircraft. Positional battles in Popasna and Rubizhne are ongoing. Severodonetsk, Rubizhne, Popasna and Kreminna came under heavy enemy fire last night," he wrote on Facebook.

"The enemy continues to fire and assault operations. Russian troops carried out air and missile strikes in areas around Kreminna. The main efforts of the enemy focused on taking control of the settlements of Popasna and Rubizhne. But they have failed. They remain under the Ukrainian flag," Haidai said.

According to him, in Rubizhne and Severodonetsk, food and non-food stores are burning after the shelling.

"The Russians are doing this on purpose to leave people without the necessary food and hygiene products," Haidai said.

"In the regional center, Russian troops fired at old districts. High-rise buildings were damaged, and massive fires are in garages. Rubizhne's State Emergency Service employees responded to several damaged houses and evacuated five people to a safe place. In Kreminna, a two-story house was on fire. One person was rescued by emergency workers," he said.

He also added that the change in weather and shelling led to daily massive fires in open areas, setting hectares of dry grass ablaze.
To reinforce the its contingent in Ukraine, Russia deployed about 2,000 military personnel from the occupied territories of Georgia, forming five battalion tactical groups (BTGs), the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) has reported.

"In order to recruit the armed forces of the Russian Federation, units of the 4th (Tskhinvali region, South Ossetia) and 7th (Abkhazia) military contingents based in Russia-occupied Georgia (part of Russia's Southern Military District) were transferred to the territory of Ukraine. Three BTGs were created from units of the 4th military base and sent to Ukraine with a total number of up to 1,200 people of Russian and Ossetian military personnel. Two BTGs were formed from the units of the 7th military base numbering about soldiers," the General Staff said on Wednesday.

In Russia-occupied areas in Zaporozhia and Kherson regions, the enemy continues to commit illegal acts against the local population.

In particular, in the settlement of Velyka Bilozerka, Russian units dispersed throughout the settlement, placing military equipment between residential buildings.

In the city of Melitopol, invaders set up checkpoints on the outskirts of the city to strengthen their control over the area.

The General Staff said that the invaders continue to rob houses and apartments of local residents, detain pro-Ukraine activists and government officials.

"In the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk region, the occupying authorities plan to conduct another wave of mobilization from April 1 of this year. It is possible that there will be such attempts in the recently occupied territories of the region," the General Staff said.

According to available information, Russia's armed forces continue to experience problems with the staffing of units. Thus, conscripts of the 26th Tank Regiment from the 47th Tank Division, who signed contracts after their participation in the war with Ukraine, began to request termination of their contracts.

The grouping of the Joint Forces in the Donetsk and Luhansk directions over the past day repulsed four attacks of the Russian invaders. Our soldiers destroyed seven tanks, seven armored vehicles, two military vehicles and an anti-tank gun. The enemy also suffered losses in manpower.
The city of Chernihiv was under enemy shelling overnight, air strikes on the city of Nizhyn were recorded, Head of Chernihiv Regional Military Administration Viacheslav Chaus has said.

"The "decreased activity" in Chernihiv region was demonstrated by the enemy in strikes on Nizhyn, including air strikes, and all night long they shelled Chernihiv. Again, civilian infrastructure facilities, libraries, shopping centers and other facilities, a lot of houses have been destroyed, as the enemy has been hitting Chernihiv all night," he wrote in his Telegram channel on Wednesday morning.

Chaus said that all the settlements of Chernihiv region will be restored and they will be "even better."
The Ukrainian authorities demand that the members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) immediately take measures to demilitarize the Exclusion Zone around the Chornobyl nuclear power plant (NPP), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Iryna Vereschuk has said.

"We demand that the UN Security Council immediately take measures to demilitarize the Exclusion Zone of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and introduce a special UN mission there to eliminate the risk of a repetition of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster as a result of the actions of the Russian occupation troops," Vereschuk said at a briefing on Wednesday.

She noted that the occupiers massively use dangerous ammunition of the Second World War, which can self-detonate and provoke a fire and explosion, as it happened the day before at a warehouse in Belgorod region of the Russian Federation.

"At the warehouse of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the Russian city of Belgorod, an unauthorized detonation of ammunition occurred. This is an example of typical for Russians neglect of safety precautions and mass use of dangerous ammunition of the Second World War," Vereschuk emphasized.

The minister said that the occupiers built a huge warehouse of such ammunition in the Exclusion Zone near the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, about the threat of self-detonation at which the Ukrainian General Staff warned the occupiers the day before.

"Russia must immediately withdraw its troops from the Chornobyl zone. The irresponsible and unprofessional actions of the Russian military are a very serious threat not only to Ukraine, but also to hundreds of millions of Europeans," the minister concluded.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a conversation with Western leaders on Tuesday, during which they discussed the need to support and strengthen Ukraine.

"Discussed the ongoing need to support and sustain Ukraine this afternoon with U.S. President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Prime Minister Mario Draghi. There will be no let up in our resolve until aggression against Ukraine ends," Johnson said in a statement on Twitter on Tuesday.

In turn, the Downing Street said in the statement that one of the topics of the phone conversations was the need to reduce the dependence of Western countries on Russian energy resources.

"The leaders discussed the need to work together to reshape the international energy architecture and reduce dependence on Russian hydrocarbons. They agreed there could be no relaxation of western resolve until the horror inflicted on Ukraine has ended," the government said in the press release.

The leaders agreed on the ongoing need to support and sustain the people of Ukraine in their fight against Russian barbarism.

The White House, in turn, said that the leaders reviewed their efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the millions affected by the violence, both inside Ukraine and seeking refuge in other countries, and underscored the need for humanitarian access to civilians in Mariupol.

The leaders affirmed their determination to continue raising costs on Russia for its brutal attacks in Ukraine, as well as to continue supplying Ukraine with security assistance to defend itself against this unjustified and unprovoked assault.

"They also discussed the importance of supporting stable energy markets in light of current disruptions due to sanctions," the White House said.
The loss of personnel in the ranks of the Russian invaders from February 24 to the present day total about 17,300 people, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has said.

"The total combat losses of the enemy from February 24 to March 30 were approximately: personnel - about 17,300 people, tanks - 605, armored fighting vehicles  1,723, artillery systems - 305, rocket launchers - 96, air defense systems - 54, aircraft - 131, helicopters - 131, automotive equipment  1,184, ships/boats - 7, tanks with fuel and lubricants - 75, UAVs of the operational-tactical level - 81, special equipment - 21, long-range rocket launchers - 4," the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on Wednesday.

The General Staff noted enemy losses are constantly being tabulated.

"Counting their losses is complicated by the high intensity of hostilities," the General Staff said.
The head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, who arrived in Ukraine the day before, is visiting Yuzhnoukrainsk NPP in Pervomaisk (Mykolaiv region) on Wednesday.

"I'm at South Ukraine [Yuzhnoukrainsk] Nuclear Power Plant to meet Ukrainian gov't officials and staff, and start IAEA technical assistance for safety and security of country's nuclear facilities. Vital to be on the ground to provide effective support to Ukraine in these extremely difficult times," he wrote on Twitter.

He said that he personally thanked the Yuzhnoukrainsk Nuclear Power Plant staff for their endurance and resilience during these extremely difficult times. He added that IAEA's on-site presence will help prevent the danger of a nuclear accident that could have severe public health and environmental consequences in Ukraine and beyond.

"Staff of all Ukrainian nuclear facilities deserve full respect and admiration for keeping sites running in a safe and secure way amid conflict," Grossi said.
The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine has called on UNESCO to move the 45th session from Kazan, Russia to Lviv and to expel the Russian Federation from the organization, due to the fact that Russia has been systematically violating international humanitarian law and international conventions since 2014.

"A country that started a war and uses its culture as a propaganda tool cannot be a member of UNESCO and influence the decision of the organization. After all, its actions testify that not only does it not share the statutory goals of UNESCO, but is completely opposed to them. Russian cultural figures today become the mouthpieces of crushing Kremlin propaganda and use the language of hatred in their rhetoric. Such a state cannot be given the floor to protect culture," the press service of the ministry said in a statement.

The Russian army has already begun to destroy National Preserve of Tauric Chersonese and damaged the Bakhchisaray Palace of the Crimean Khans  the only example of the Crimean Tatar palace architecture in the world, as well as other cultural and historical monuments in Ukraine.
Russian occupiers on Tuesday shelled the town of Nizhyn (Chernihiv region), as a result of which one person was killed, six more civilians were injured, including one child, said mayor of the town Oleksandr Kodola.

"After yesterday's shelling of the city, six civilians were injured, including one child, one person died. Ten private houses were damaged, three were destroyed, as well as cars and garages were damaged," Kodola wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.
By Trend

Russia continues its efforts to normalize relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a weekly briefing, Trend reports.

"Russia's position regarding the recent incidents in the service area of the Russian peacekeepers is reflected in the statement dated March 26. We urged Azerbaijan and Armenia to ensure strict compliance with the trilateral agreements as of November 10, 2020 on a complete ceasefire and cessation of all military activities in the Karabakh conflict," she said.

According to her, the Russian Ministry of Defense and the command of Russian peacekeepers are taking vigorous actions to de-escalate the situation. Meanwhile, the peacekeepers act strictly in accordance with the provisions of the above-mentioned statement of the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders.

"The Foreign Ministry of Russia is in constant contact with representatives of Baku and Yerevan. Up-to-date information on the operational situation in the region is also published daily in the bulletins of the Defense Ministry," she said.

"We pursue our efforts aimed at normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on the existing agreements between the leaders of the three countries, as well as at delimitation and demarcation of the Azerbaijan-Armenia border and unblocking economic-transport links in the region. We will actively contribute to the conclusion of a peace treaty between Baku and Yerevan," Zakharova stated.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has said that since the beginning of the large-scale aggressive war against Ukraine, the Russian Federation has been intensifying the illegal activities of its naval forces in the Black Sea  using unguided drifting ammunition.

"In addition to capturing and destroying civilian ships, bombarding the territory of Ukraine from the sea, Russia has come up with a new method of sea robbery, which is the use of sea mines as unguided drifting ammunition. It was these drifting mines that were discovered on March 26 and on March 28, 2022 off the coast of Turkey and Romania," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release on Tuesday evening.

Based on the results of the identification, it was established that these are sea mines, which at the beginning of 2022 were not registered with the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

"These mines were seized by the armed forces of the Russian Federation in 2014 during the military invasion and temporary occupation of the Ukrainian city of Sevastopol by Russia. Therefore, Russia, using naval mines from military depots seized in 2014, deliberately resorts to provocations and discrediting Ukraine in front of international partners," the ministry said.

By such actions, the aggressor state seeks to hide its illegal activities in the Black Sea, which is contrary to the principles and norms of international maritime and humanitarian law and to evade responsibility for war crimes and sea robbery.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said that the conscious use of drifting sea mines by Russia turns them into a de facto weapon of indiscriminate action, which threatens, first of all, civilian navigation and human life at sea in the entire water area not only of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, but also of the Kerch and Black Sea straits.

"Responsibility for the use of drifting naval mines, as well as their unpredictable consequences, lies solely with the Russian Federation and its naval forces. Ukraine insists on bringing Russia to international responsibility for illegal actions in the Black Sea, war crimes and, in particular, the use of naval mines as a weapon of indiscriminate action, uncontrollably distributed by the Black Sea," the ministry said.

"Ukraine, in compliance with its international obligations, notified the International Maritime Organization on the use of drifting mines by Russia in the Black Sea, including during an extraordinary session of the Council and within the framework of the IMO Legal Committee, as well as international partners through the channels of the International Automated Maritime Navigation Safety System (NAVTEX)," the Ukrainian ministry said.
Over the past 24 hours, the Russian Armed Forces continued shelling residential areas and civilian infrastructure facilities in Kharkiv and the districts of the region, head of the regional administration Oleh Synehubov said.

"Over the past 24 hours, the Russian occupying forces have constantly launched artillery, mortar, and MLRS shelling, 39 times in total: these are the areas of Saltovka, Oleksiivka, Kholodna Hora, Chuhuiv, Derhachi. About 180 attacks by the enemy from Grad-type MLRS," Synehubov wrote in his telegram channel.

Because of the shelling, there were fires in Kyiv, Shevchenkivsky and Moskovsky districts of Kharkiv. Residential buildings, trade facilities and other civilian infrastructure facilities were damaged, there were no victims or injured.

Synehubov noted that the activity of enemy drones does not stop in order to reconnoiter the positions of Ukrainian units.

"According to the Defense Headquarters, no enemy aircraft were observed in the city of Kharkiv. But the activity of enemy unmanned aerial vehicles continues, reconnaissance of the positions of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Territorial Defense and National Guard of Ukraine," Synehubov said.

He also said that fighting continues in Izium direction.

"Active battles continue in Izium direction. In this area, the Armed Forces shot down one enemy fighter and a drone in a day," Synehubov wrote.
A humanitarian hub for the delivery of aid to Zakarpattia begins to work in Slovak city of Kosice, the closest major city in Slovakia to the Ukrainian border, where there is an airport.

According to the Facebook page of head of Zakarpattia Regional Military Administration Viktor Mykyta, the hub in Kosice includes a direct railway line to Ukraine, an airport located in the immediate vicinity, an extensive network of highways with many European countries and all the necessary material and technical base.

With its opening, Ukraine will be able to receive more volumes of humanitarian aid, quickly process and transport cargo from Slovakia to hot spots and receive cargo by planes with transshipment to the railway. The hub also enables the team of Zakarpattia Regional Administration to work with Slovak partners directly on it.

The opening of the hub, according to Mykyta, was the result of cooperation with the Slovak side to optimize the process of delivering humanitarian aid from Europe to Ukraine.

"During the meeting with Adviser to the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Eduard Buras and Consul General of the Slovak Republic Pavol Panis, the last organizational issues were agreed. I thank everyone who supported and believed in us from the beginning of this work to its implementation. Stand together, shoulder to shoulder! We will win, we will be on our own land!" said Mykyta.
Estonia offering to rebuild Ukraine using Russia's oil, gas revenues

KYIV. March 29 (Interfax-Ukraine)  Estonia has proposed to restore Ukraine with money from Russia's oil and gas revenues, so payments from the EU to Russia for energy supplies, as they think in Tallinn, should be temporarily deposited.

"The cost of military action for Russia must be very high, so by the end of the year the EU will reduce the supply of fossil fuels from Russia by two-thirds," Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Eva-Maria Liimets said at a briefing on Wednesday.

"But in order to have an immediate impact and make Russia pay for what was done to Ukraine, last week the Estonian Prime Minister proposed at the EU Council to temporarily deposit payments for Russian gas and oil and use them to rebuild Ukraine," the minister said.

She expressed regret that over the past few days, there have been no special changes in the matter of ending the war of the Russian Federation to Ukraine. "This means that we must actively continue all international efforts to end the war," Liimets said.

According to the minister, it is important that negotiations are underway between Ukraine and Russia, "but there is no progress in them."

"Ukraine is conducting these negotiations under pressure," Liimets said.

She stressed that in connection with the hostilities, Estonia will continue to work in three areas  this is support for Ukraine, strengthening the political and economic isolation of Russia, as well as strengthening its own security.
Before the Russian military invasion, Ukraine exported monthly up to five million tonnes of agricultural products through the ports of Odesa and Mykolaiv, however, due to the blockade of these ports by the aggressor country of the Russian Federation, Ukraine can transport no more than 0.5 million tonnes of grain monthly, which led to $1.5 billion shortfall in export earnings since the start of the war.

Such data were published on the website of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food on Wednesday.

The ministry reported that due to Russian aggression, Ukraine can now export agricultural raw materials only through the ports of the Danube, by rail and by road, and each type of transportation is associated with certain problems.

The agency clarified that the Danube ports now account for about a third of Ukrainian agricultural exports, but since earlier this export route was practically not used due to economic inexpediency, now it does not have a sufficient number of barges, berths and transshipment terminals to meet the sharply increased demand for transportation.

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy noted that now up to 30,000 tonnes of grain are sent by rail every day, and the country could export twice as much, but exports get stuck because of difference between the Ukrainian and European track widths.

"In Ukraine and Russia, as you know, the track width and rolling stock are different from the EU. Therefore, it is necessary to look for European grain carriers, reload products into narrow-gauge wagons. In Europe, this practice is not common, so there is a lack of locomotives, and traction, and transshipment points with terminals," First Deputy Minister Taras Vysotsky is quoted in the message.

According to him, due to the current imperfection of the railway infrastructure, Ukraine will have to export within three years the grain stock, which is planned for export in one year.

"Nevertheless, together with our partners, we are doing everything to ensure that the processes of export transportation of products are intensified. As a world food leader, we are responsible not only for ourselves. Due to the war unleashed by Russia, dozens of countries will not be on the verge, but in the epicenter of hunger. We are working to prevent this," Vysotsky said in the message.

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy recalled that the export of agricultural products in 2021 accounted for the largest share in all-Ukrainian exports - about 41%.

In addition, Ukraine is in the TOP-3 food suppliers to the world market. It ranks fifth in the world in wheat exports, fourth in corn sales, third in barley and first in sunflower oil. Ukraine is also one of the leaders in the production of nuts, rapeseed, peas, wheat flour, honey and other agricultural products.
Mayor of the town of Prymorsk, Zaporizhia region, Oleksandr Koshalevych, elected from the Opposition Platform - For Life, exchanged himself for his father captured by the Russians, Ukrainian MP Volodymyr Kaltsev told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

"From the first days of the occupation, the mayor publicly declared that Prymorsk is Ukraine, he participated in protest rallies on the square together with the townspeople. The Russian military searched for the mayor, and when they could not find him, they captured his elderly father. And Oleksandr Koshelevych exchanged himself for his father. The Russians took the mayor in the direction of Berdyansk," Kaltsev said.
In connection with the need to recruit units that have suffered significant losses, the command of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continues to send military personnel from military support units and educational institutions to the war in Ukraine, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) said Wednesday.

"In connection with the need to recruit units of the armed forces of the Russian Federation participating in the war against Ukraine and suffering significant losses, the military command of the enemy continues to send military personnel from military support units, including from educational institutions," the General Staff said.

The enemy suffered significant losses and, probably, temporarily abandoned the task of blocking Kyiv.

"Regrouping and focusing efforts on conducting an offensive operation in the Eastern Operational Zone. It is building up the system of logistics and logistics support for troops in the Donetsk and Tavryda directions," the General Staff said.

The enemy personnel are demoralized and have low motivation to participate in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine.

"Thus, according to available information, the attempts of the Russian military command to mobilize volunteers do not have the support of the population. In particular, only 17 so-called volunteers were registered in Kaliningrad region," the General Staff said.
The issue of liberation of the Chornobyl and Zaporizhia nuclear power plants occupied by Russian troops should be considered at different levels, it also depends on reaching agreements between the parties on a ceasefire, Director General of the International Nuclear Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi has said.

"There are different levels about this. And we hope that a ceasefire will come soon, and the negotiations that are taking place at the moment between your government and the government of the Russian Federation will bring peace that we all want," he said during a meeting with workers from Yuzhnoukrainsk NPP on Wednesday, the video of which was posted on the Telegram channel of National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom.

At the same time, Grossi called the situation with the capture of the plants critical.

"As far as we are concerned, the IAEA, we treat this as a major crisis, this is not business as usual and we will continue discussing this issue until there is a solution," the IAEA Director General said, noting that the attention of journalists from all over the world is riveted to it, and this is a guarantee that that events at nuclear power plants cannot be hidden.

"I want to believe that the fact that the IAEA is talking about this every single day that I am requested by journalists all over the world about this. This is also a way to keep the world focusing on this, not forgetting what is going on here, and in particular, in the nuclear facilities," the head of the IAEA said.

He thanked the staff of Yuzhnoukrainsk NPP, noting that they protect a very important infrastructure in difficult times.

According to him, issues of support and assistance to Ukraine will be discussed during his visit.

The head of the IAEA said that representatives of many countries have approached us with proposals to provide support through our organization.

As reported, Grossi's visit to Ukraine began on Tuesday and will last for several days.
More than 4 million refugees have been forced to flee Ukraine, in 34 days of the full-scale war unleashed by Russia, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency reported as of 13:00 in Kyiv time on March 29.

The agency said that the Ukrainian-Polish border accounted for 58.1% of all refugees: 2.337 million.

Romania received 608,936 and Moldova 387,151, Hungary received 364,804, and Slovakia 281,172.

UNHCR did not update the data for refugees fleeing to Russia. However, after the publication of data on Wednesday, a new trend of a sharp increase in the number of refugees from Ukraine to Russia and Belarus was confirmed. Now their number has reached 350,632 and 10,902, respectively.

According to UNHCR, if since March 14 (when the total number of refugees amounted to 3 million people) the number of refugees fleeing to the EU countries and Moldova has increased by 41.7%, then to Russia  almost 2.5 times, and to Belarus  almost 9 times . This increase coincided with Kyiv's accusations against Moscow of forcibly transporting Ukrainian citizens to Russia and Belarus, as well as preventing them from leaving the war zone in the direction of Ukraine.

According to the UNHCR, the f refugee influx from Ukraine is gradually decreasing, in particular, over the past five days it has decreased from 66,080 to 41,670 per day.

Earlier UN predicted the possible number of refugees from Ukraine at 4 million people. UNHCR estimated in the middle of March that there were currently 6.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine, and more than 12 million people have been affected in the most war-affected areas of Ukraine.

"Humanitarian needs are growing exponentially," UNHCR said on 18 March.

The agency said that by the middle of 2021 there were only 53,470 Ukrainian refugees in the world who applied for the appropriate status, of which 36,490 were in Europe.

As of the middle of 2020, the UNHCR estimated the Ukrainian diaspora in the world at 6.1 million, including 5 million in Europe.

The agency said that the right to move freely within the Schengen area means there are very few border controls within the European Union. The data of arrivals in Schengen countries (Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) bordering Ukraine therefore only represents border crossings into that country, but we estimate that a large number of people have moved onwards to other countries.

In addition, UNHCR does not count individuals from bordering countries leaving Ukraine to return home.
Over the past day, Semenivska, Chudnivska and Malynivska communities of Zhytomyr region came under missile strikes of the occupiers, the National Police of Ukraine have reported.

During the day of March 29, as a result of enemy shelling, a number of settlements of Zhytomyr region were destroyed and damaged, the National Police said on the Telegram channel on Wednesday.

"It became known about the missile strike on the territory of Semenivska territorial community of Berdychiv district. On the same day, near the village of Karvynivka of Chudnivska territorial community, fragments of an enemy missile were found. On the morning of March 29, in Malynivsky territorial community, the villages of Ukrayinka, Lumlia and Druzhne, and the villages of Liubovychi and Pryvitne came under air strikes by the armed forces of the Russian Federation in the evening of the same day ," the National Police said in a statement.
By Azernews





By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani have discussed prospects of cooperation and post-war rehabilitation in liberated lands, the ministry reported on March 29.

The parties expressed their satisfaction with the current state of cooperation between the two nations and discussed prospects of bilateral relations during the meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the 8th Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue in Germany.

The ministers discussed cooperation within international organizations as well as the importance of expanding joint work in the political, economic, energy, and cultural domains.

Bahrain's support for Azerbaijan's position in international forums, particularly the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, was greatly appreciated in this regard.

Bayramov briefed his counterpart on the post-conflict situation in the region, including reconstruction and reintegration efforts in Azerbaijan's liberated territories.

It was emphasized that consultations and political dialogue between the foreign ministries as well as the two countries play an important role in terms of sharing perspectives on various areas of cooperation and debating agenda items.

Government officials also discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Bahrain were established on November 6, 1996.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Bahrain amounted to $778,470 in 2021. In addition, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $292,620 in the first two months of 2022.
Norway can make a decisive contribution to the energy security of Europe, providing the necessary resource for both the EU states and Ukraine, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday, speaking via video link in the Norwegian parliament.

"You are one of the most responsible energy suppliers. There has been and, I am sure, will continue to trust Norway in the world. This contrasts sharply with the way Russia is behaving," he said.

According to Zelensky, "when supplying energy resources, it is you who can make a decisive contribution to the energy security of Europe, providing the necessary resource for both the EU states and Ukraine."

"We have already begun a dialogue on the supply of about 5 billion cubic meters of gas to Ukraine for the next heating season. I hope this will become the basis for our long-term cooperation in this area," Zelensky said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine needs anti-ship weapons and anti-aircraft systems, means of destruction of armored vehicles and artillery systems to repel Russian aggression.

"I am grateful to your government and society for the support already provided to Ukraine, including for helping with weapons. You have taken historic steps by providing us with what we needed in the fight for freedom and against tyranny. But the war continues. Russia is throwing new forces on our land to continue to destroy us, to destroy the Ukrainians. We must do more to stop the war. First and foremost: these are weapons. Freedom must be armed no worse than tyranny. I will be very specific: we are losing people, cities, they are destroyed. Therefore, I want to clearly state what we need. In particular, anti-ship weapons, Harpoon missiles, as well as anti-aircraft systems," he said in a video address to the Norwegian parliament on Wednesday.

He added that Ukraine needs means of destruction of armored vehicles and artillery systems.

"All weapons that you can help us with will only be used to protect our freedom and your freedom, security," Zelensky said.

The second important tool in the fight against the Russian Federation is sanctions, the president said.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen spoke out in support of the #StandUpForUkraine campaign proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"Dear President Volodymyr Zelensky, we are with you and the people of Ukraine. With #StandUpForUkraine we are mobilising the global community. We are raising much needed funding and aid for the internally displaced and refugees," von der Leyen wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.

Earlier, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky called on friends of Ukraine around the world to join the #StandUpForUkraine campaign and support the Social Media Rally online event on April 9.
The meeting of the Presidents of Ukraine and the Russian Federation, Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin, may take place in the near future, but it is impossible to say exactly when this will happen, because this is a logistical issue, Mykhailo Podoliak, the adviser to the head of the President's Office of Ukraine, has said.

A package of documents has been developed, which we are already presenting, and proposals have been submitted to the Russian side. They say that, in principle, it is possible to start preparing for the meeting of the presidents. The Russians have to examine our proposals, to give some kind of preliminary response to them," Podoliak said at an online briefing at the Ukraine Media Center on Wednesday.

He noted that at the same time, sub-working groups are currently working online to clarify certain positions.

"We believe that a package of documents is ready, the key document is the Treaty on Security Guarantees, which resolve issues of war and peace, and where there are already declared countries, with which Andriy Yermak is consulting. Therefore, we can probably come to an understanding that there will be a meeting of the presidents in the near future. It is impossible to say exactly when, because this is already a logistical issue," Podoliak said.
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi said agency inspectors could be present at Ukrainian nuclear power plants during the war.

We hope that we can start delivering aid to Ukraine in the next few days, perhaps even sending inspectors and technical experts from the agency here to Ukraine to support certain actions at different sites, Grossi said at a briefing at Yuzhnoukrainsk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) on Wednesday, the video of which is at the disposal of the Interfax-Ukraine agency.

Summing up a meeting with Minister of Energy Herman Haluschenko and the heads of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate Oleh Korikov and Energoatom Petro Kotin, Grossi said that "it was a morning of analysis and assessment of a number of specific areas in which the IAEA and Ukraine will cooperate."

"It was very intensive, painstaking work on each of these points, which continued after that," he explained.

According to him, these areas relate to the assistance that the IAEA is going to provide to Ukraine in certain areas, including the safety of nuclear power plants, as well as ensuring the operation of the safeguards system, conducting "normal," as he said, inspections carried out at every nuclear facility in the world.

"As you know, a lot of international assistance is coming to Ukraine, in particular nuclear equipment and components, and we are going to send, order and match it with the needs of various facilities at four large nuclear sites in the country and other related facilities," Grossi said, outlining the task of the IAEA.

At the same time, the head of the agency called the situation in Ukraine unprecedented, which was not in any country in the world, while noting that Ukraine is one of the most advanced states in nuclear technology.

"One of the most advanced countries, super-complex world technologies are distributed in one of the largest countries in the world. This is unprecedented. And we try to make sure that we cover everything with our support, including all these nuclear facilities," Grossi said.

As reported, Haluschenko after a meeting with Grossi noted that Ukraine and the IAEA have established a regular dialogue that will translate into real results. At the same time, he pointed out that the quickest thing to do was remove Russian occupiers from Chornobyl NPP seized on February 24 and Zaporizhia NPP on March 4.
According to preliminary data, up to 50 servicemen, 200-300 civilians killed under shelling, during fighting in Irpin

About 200-300 residents of the city of Irpin, Kyiv region, killed during the occupation, street fighting and from shelling in the city, and about 50 servicemen, including 16 territorial defense fighters, were killed during the battles for the city, Mayor of the city Oleksandr Markushyn has said.

"Unfortunately, some 16 fighters from our territorial defense killed. Some 29 fighters were in the hospital. If we add the Armed Forces of Ukraine, then, I think, somewhere in general up to 50 people killed and 100 people were wounded. They are hero, who did not allow the enemy to enter Kyiv," Markushin said at a briefing on Tuesday.

At the same time, answering a question about the number of killed civilians in the city, he said there is no such information at present, specifying that when there were intense battles and shelling, residents buried the dead in yards and parks.

"I think about 200-300 people, unfortunately, killed. A lot of people died under the rubble... No one has cleared the rubble yet... Today, our team, together with the police and the military, was engaged in the removal of dead people," Markushyn said.

The mayor specified that about 30% of the city's residents refused to leave it with the outbreak of the war and survived the fighting and occupation in Irpin.

According to him, some 50% of houses and critical infrastructure have been destroyed in the city. Water supply is already being restored by connecting networks to Kyiv, but power and gas supplies are not yet restored, because it is dangerous.

"Today it is still dangerous in Irpin... We are constantly shelled from the Bucha, Vorzel area, Irpin suffers from Hailstone shelling, mortar shelling, heavy artillery, we are partially shelled from tanks and from small arms. But the perimeter is completely controlled there are no Russian invaders in Irpin with our troops," Markushyn said.

He thanked all law enforcement officers and military personnel who helped defend and recapture the city.
Deputy of Kharkiv Regional Council, President of the Ukrainian Association of District and Regional Councils Serhiy Chernov asks the European Committee of the Regions to help create an International Scientific and Expert Center for Monitoring the Consequences of Armed Conflicts, which would minimize the environmental consequences of Russia's armed aggression in Ukraine.

"This is a rather difficult task, so we are appealing to the European Committee of the Regions to help us create such a Center, find an opportunity to partially finance the Center, provide it with the necessary modern equipment and technology. The functioning of the Center will promptly inform European countries about possible environmental accidents and disasters on the territory of Ukraine and threats of transboundary transfer of hazardous pollutants," Chernov said at a meeting of the EU Committee of the Regions.

"Thus, we will make an invaluable contribution to the prevention of irreversible pollution of the environment, the elimination of negative consequences in cases of accidents and disasters, the prompt restoration of the natural environment and the protection of public health," he added.

Chernov stressed that the aggressor deliberately chooses the most vulnerable, environmentally hazardous facilities (oil depots, gas and oil pipelines, storage facilities for radioactive waste, toxic substances, including chlorine, ammonia, complex hydrocarbons, etc.) as targets for shelling, of which there are more than 20,000 in Ukraine.

"As a result, we already have dozens of not only local, but also regional environmental disasters associated with massive pollution of the atmosphere, soil, surface water and groundwater with hazardous substances. This is not only a problem for Ukraine. I want to emphasize the inevitable transboundary transfer of any pollutants" Chernov noted.

He also pointed to the risks of flooding the reactors at the Zaporizhia NPP.

"According to experts, the flooding of the reactors at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant as a result of the destruction of any dam located above the reservoirs  Zaporizhia, Kamianka, Kremenchuk  will inevitably lead to flooding, and consequently, the explosion of all six nuclear reactors at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant, that is, a global catastrophe, including radioactive contamination of the Black and Mediterranean Seas ... Therefore, I believe that protecting the environment in Ukraine from the consequences of Russia's military aggression is ours common goal," Chernov said.

In his opinion, in order to prevent environmental disasters on a European scale, it is already necessary to ensure the collection of reliable up-to-date information on the state of environmentally hazardous facilities on the territory of Ukraine and each specific community, as well as to ensure constant online monitoring of pollution of all components of the environment, their changes, in those locations and regions where the aggressor has already struck at environmentally hazardous facilities, which led to severe environmental consequences. Chernov also pointed out the need for a rapid assessment, with the help of highly professional experts, of the possible consequences and threats for the environment and the population of the communities. In addition, he considers it necessary to develop short-term operational recommendations and an algorithm for their implementation for local and central authorities in order to prevent from negative consequences or reduce risks for the environment and the population. It is also necessary to develop medium-term and long-term forecasts of changes in the environment and, based on them, recommendations and an algorithm for their implementation for local and central authorities in order to prevent from negative consequences or reduce negative risks for the environment and the population.

"We believe that these tasks can be achieved through the creation of an International Scientific and Expert Center for Monitoring the Consequences of Armed Conflicts on the basis of the State Ecological Academy of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine. The functioning of such a Center will allow the implementation of the above tasks not only at the level of the central government, but also at the level of regions, districts, communities. To do this, the Center will create its own regional branches," Chernov said.

As one of the possible sources of funding for the creation of the Center, he proposed the redistribution of resources provided in the EU and UN system for programs in Belarus and the Russian Federation.
The Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) receives electricity from Belarus, Yevhen Kramarenko, head of the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management, has said.

"The station is connected to the grid. But at the expense of Belarus. There is no power supply on the territory of Chornobyl and other territories of the exclusion zone," he said on the air of the nationwide telethon on Wednesday.

According to Kramarenko, the station personnel, who a few days ago replaced those workers who remained at the station on the day of its capture on February 24 for almost 600 hours, maintains the station in a safe mode.

"We don't see any risks here," the Exclusion Zone Agency head said.

However, he drew attention to the fact that the nuclear waste disposal sites located on the territory of the zone are no less dangerous for the Chornobyl nuclear power plant itself.

"We do not know the level of radiation pollution at these sites," Kramarenko stressed.

In addition, he explained that the automatic system for monitoring radiation pollution is also not working, and the agency does not know what is happening in the area in terms of radiation pollution.

Kramarenko also noted that he did not meet with IAEA head Grossi during his visit to Ukraine, but for its part, the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management repeatedly informed the agency about the situation at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, including the loss of monitoring of radiation indicators.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and the President of the United States on Wednesday will discuss the support provided by the United States to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, CNN reports, citing a White House spokesman.

According to CNN, the conversation was supposed to start at 17:45 Kyiv time.

As reported, on Tuesday, Biden said that the United States would continue to maintain sanctions against the Russian Federation and supply defense assistance to Ukraine.
The Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people insists on the restoration of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine as the main condition for negotiating with representatives of the Russian Federation.

According to head of the Mejlis Refat Chubarov, on the night of March 29, 2022, an online meeting of members of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people was held with the participation of the leader of the Crimean Tatar people, MP Mustafa Dzhemilev.

The meeting participants listened to Dzhemilevs information about the meeting on March 29, 2022 in Istanbul between members of the Ukrainian delegation and representatives of the Russian delegation and exchanged views on the positions of the parties voiced during the meeting.

"According to the results of the meeting of members of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, decisions were made, the implementation of which is entrusted to head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Refat Chubarov," the report says.

At the same time, members of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people drew the attention of all politicians of Ukraine and the Ukrainian society as a whole to the unchanging position of the highest representative body of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people - the Mejlis, set out in a statement dated March 18, 2022 on the negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation regarding the end of the war started by the Russian Federation on February 20, 2014, which states that the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people proceeds from the fact that a prerequisite for official negotiations by the authorized representatives of Ukraine with representatives of the aggressor country of the Russian Federation, as well as with representatives of any involved parties and international organizations on the issue of completing the Russian-Ukrainian war must be a condition for the restoration of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state within the internationally recognized state border, including the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol.
By Azernews





By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijani Defence Minister Col-Gen Zakir Hasanov and UK Minister for Armed Forces, MP James Heappey have discussed military cooperation between the two countries, the ministry reported on March 30.

In welcoming the visitor, Hasanov stated that the development of relations between the two countries is always a priority for Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Hasanov provided detailed information on the work done in the liberated territories following the victory in the 44-day war, as well as the situation in the Karabakh economic zone and on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border.

The minister also thanked the UK for its assistance in clearing mines and explosive ordnance from Azerbaijan's liberated land as part of the UN Development Program.

In turn, Heappey said that mutual visits and meetings between the two countries are important for the expansion of bilateral relations.

Finally, the parties discussed the prospects for military cooperation and other issues.

The UK contributed over AZN 1 million (500,000) to Azerbaijans recovery efforts and demining activities in its liberated lands, the UK embassy reported earlier.

UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan James Sharp said in a video address posted on the embassy's Twitter account (September 2, 2021) that landmines and unexploded ordnance in the liberated areas pose a threat to peoples lives and there have been over 150 victims of mine explosions following the 2020 war.

He described the former conflict zone as one of the worlds most mine-littered areas based on his own observations.

Therefore, the UK as a leading country in mine clearance, along with international organizations, takes active measures in the demining activities on Azerbaijans liberated territories, he said.
The Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine says that more than 10,000 children from vulnerable categories have been evacuated from areas of active hostilities during martial law.

"As of today, due to active hostilities, as a result of a large-scale military invasion of Russia in Ukraine, some 10,224 children from vulnerable categories have been evacuated. Of these, some 6,548 children are orphans, children deprived of parental care and other children who are around the clock in institutional care institutions under the jurisdiction of the Health Ministry, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Social Policy," the ministry's press service said.

It is noted that another 3,676 evacuated children are children from vulnerable categories who are in family forms of education: foster families, family-type orphanages, in care, guardianship, in foster families.

According to the statement, some 4,425 children have been moved within Ukraine to safe areas, of which 3,640 are children who are in institutions of institutional care, and 785 children from vulnerable categories who are in family forms of education.

However, some 5,799 children have been relocated abroad, of which 2,908 are children in institutional care and 2,891 are children from vulnerable categories who are in family forms of upbringing.

Within Ukraine, more children have been moved to Zakarpattia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk regions. There are also children in Dnipropetrovsk, Chernivtsi, Volyn regions.

As for evacuation abroad, most of the children from vulnerable categories were accepted by Poland, Germany, Romania, Czech Republic, Italy, Spain. There are also children in France, Austria, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Greece, Belgium, Latvia, Hungary and other countries.

"All evacuated children are safe, provided with housing, food, medical and educational services," the ministry said.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky discussed with U.S. President Joseph Biden issues of macro-financial, humanitarian assistance, U.S. defense support for Ukraine, as well as strengthening sanctions against Russia.

"Just finished an hour-long conversation with U.S. President Joseph Biden. Shared assessment of the situation on the battlefield and at the negotiating table. Talked about specific defensive support, a new package of enhanced sanctions, macro-financial and humanitarian aid," Zelensky said on Twitter on Tuesday evening.

According to the website of the Ukrainian President, Zelensky shared with Biden a forecast of the development of events, spoke about the crimes of the invaders against the civilian population and the heroism of Ukrainians in protecting the independence and territorial integrity of their country.

The presidents discussed issues of security guarantees for Ukraine and specific support that will further strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities on water, on land and in the air. "We need peace, and it will come only when we have a strong position on the battlefield. Our spirit is strong, determination is enough, but we need your urgent support," he said.

Zelensky thanked the United States for another $1 billion humanitarian aid package and an additional $500 million in direct budgetary aid.
The United States and the Czech Republic are jointly trying to reduce dependence on Russian energy resources, the parties said in a joint statement following the talks in Prague, which were held as part of the strategic dialogue between the two countries.

"The United States and the Czech Republic are taking steps to reduce reliance on Russian oil, natural gas, and nuclear fuel by diversifying sources of energy, expanding our already strong cooperation on nuclear power, and reducing consumption in line with our shared climate goals," the U.S. State Department said in the press release on Wednesday.

According to the document, Washington and Prague agree that "enhancing energy security" against the backdrop of current geopolitical events is "more urgent than ever."

In addition, the parties said that "Beijing's position also remains under our close scrunity" regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Last week, the U.S. and EU authorities announced the creation of a joint working group to reduce Europe's dependence on Russian energy resources.

According to a White House statement, the task of this group is to ensure Ukraine's energy security, as well as prepare the EU for the next winter period, while supporting the EU's goal to end dependence on Russian energy.

As part of the initiative, the United States will seek to provide the EU market with at least 15 billion cubic meters of additional liquefied natural gas in 2022.
Draghi to Putin: Italy ready to facilitate peaceful settlement in Ukraine, subject to clear signs of de-escalation from Russia

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, during a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, called for a ceasefire in Ukraine and expressed readiness to promote a peaceful settlement, the Italian leader's office said on Wednesday.

"The focus was on the negotiation process between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. Prime Minister Draghi stressed the importance of achieving a ceasefire as soon as possible in order to protect the civilian population and give impetus to the negotiations," the report says.

"The prime minister announced the readiness of the Italian government to contribute to the peace process, subject to clear signs of de-escalation from Russia," it says.

The office stressed that "President Putin spoke about the system of payment for Russian gas in rubles. Both leaders agreed to continue contacts."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov showed a lack of understanding of the current negotiation process, saying that "the issues of Crimea and Donbas have been resolved," Oleh Nikolenko, spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, said.

"Lavrov demonstrates misunderstanding of the negotiation process. The issues of Crimea and Donbas will be settled for good after Ukraine restores its sovereignty over them. During the talks in Istanbul, the Ukrainian delegation presented its proposals on how to achieve this goal," Nikolenko wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.

Earlier, Lavrov said that he considers progress in the negotiation process "understanding by Ukrainian colleagues that the issues of Crimea and Donbas have been finally resolved."
Biden informs Zelensky about US plans to provide Ukraine with $500 mln in budgetary aid

U.S. President Joe Biden, in a conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, announced Washington's plans to provide Ukraine with $500 million in direct financial assistance, according to a press release from the White House.

"President Biden informed President Zelensky that the United States intends to provide the Ukrainian government with $500 million in direct budgetary aid," the White House said in the document.

The two leaders also discussed how the United States is working around the clock to fulfill the main security assistance requests by Ukraine and continued efforts by the United States with allies and partners to identify additional capabilities to help the Ukrainian military defend its country. It was also about how the United States is trying to "fulfill the main security assistance."

In addition, President Zelensky updated President Biden on the status of Ukraine's negotiations with Russia, according to the press release.
US senators ask Biden administration to accelerate supply of aid to Ukraine

A group of U.S. senators asks to accelerate the supply of military assistance to Ukraine and report on the amount of weapons transferred to Kyiv from February 24, The Hill reports.

"Americas commitments to Ukraine and to our NATO allies demand we expedite the delivery of weapons and capabilities to our allies and partners," the publication quotes a letter from senators to U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

A bipartisan group of senators is also asking for details of the military aid the U.S. and allied countries sent to Ukraine on Feb. 24.

The letter was signed by 25 senators from two parties.

Meanwhile, representative of the National Security Council of the White House, Emily Horne, told the publication that the supply of assistance to Ukraine is made daily.
British authorities are enacting legislation that prohibits sanctioned Russian entrepreneurs from using the services of British companies for the maintenance of their aircraft and ships, according to a Downing Street press release.

"The United Kingdom today (March 30) adopted new legislation that prohibits maintenance on aircraft or ships belonging to specific sanctioned Russian oligarchs or their businesses," according to the document.

Thus, Downing Street said, these entrepreneurs will not be able to "benefit from the world's leading British maritime and aviation industry and their engineers."

According to the statement, Russian businessmen Oleg Tinkov and Evgeny Shvidler are immediately affected by these measures.

On March 24, the British sanctions lists for Russia included, in particular, businessman Tinkov and Roman Abramovich's business partner Shvidler.

Meanwhile, according to a press release, the new British legislation also provides for the extension of the so-called "DPR" and "LPR" to the sanctions previously imposed on Crimea.

"The new legislation extends the finance, trade and shipping sanctions imposed on Crimea to territory not controlled by the Ukrainian government (in Donetsk and Luhansk," according to the statement.

Downing Street also said that since the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine, London has imposed sanctions on banks whose global asset value is estimated at GBP 500 billion. In addition, the sanctions affected more than GBP 150 billion of net worth of entrepreneurs and their families.
Ihor Zhdanov, Information Defence

Informational Defence of Ukraine provides a daily review of the military-political situation in Ukraine, morning of March 26th, based on an analysis of open sources.

1. The russian occupiers have not achieved success in any of the operational areas and have sustained heavy losses as a result of counterattacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the occupiers are trying to intensify the activities of sabotage and reconnaissance groups in Kyiv in order to destabilise the socio-political situation and disrupt the system of public and military administration.

In the Donetsk direction, the enemy continues to regroup their units to resume offensive attacks in order to reach the administrative borders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Fierce battles continue for Mariupol.

In these areas, the Ukrainian military repulsed 9 attacks by the russian troops. Ukrainian soldiers destroyed 8 Russian tanks, 17 armoured units, and 11 units of enemy vehicles. The total losses of the russian troops in these areas amounted to 170 people.

Last night, fighters of a separate Azov Special Forces unit destroyed 5 trucks and 2 combat vehicles of the russian occupiers, as well as more than two dozen invaders.

Air defence units shot down three enemy planes and three Orlan-10 enemy drones in the skies of the Ukrainian Donbas.

In general, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed 12 enemy air targets (3 planes, 3 UAVs, a helicopter and 5 cruise missiles) during the previous day. Shock aircraft of the Air Force under the cover of fighters inflicted devastating missile and bomb strikes on columns of equipment and clusters of the troops of the occupiers.

In Chornobaiivka near Kherson, the Ukrainian military killed Lieutenant General and Commander of the 49th Russian Army Yakov Rezantsev.

Since the beginning of the war, the Security Service of Ukraine has detained more than 350 members of the DRG (in English: RSG - The Reconnaissance and Sabotage Groups) and eliminated international channels for recruiting mercenaries for the occupying army.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the russian federation, 1,351 servicemen were killed and 3,825 were wounded during the special military operation. This is 10 times less than reliable Ukrainian and American sources provide.

The daily public summary of British intelligence reports and emphasises that Ukrainian troops have managed to retake cities and defensive positions within a radius of 35 km east of Kyiv.

Ukrainian forces are likely to continue attempts to push russian troops northwest of Kyiv to Hostomel airfield, it was reported.

In southern Ukraine, russian forces still try to bypass Mykolaiiv, trying to go west toward Odesa, but their progress is slowing due to problems with Ukraine's logistics and resistance, according to British intelligence.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine have more tanks than they had at the beginning of the war due to their capture from the russian army.

After the russian invasion on February 24th, Ukraine lost at least 74 tanks - they were destroyed or captured (source - Forbes ). At the same time, the Armed Forces seized at least 117 russian tanks, according to analysts from open sources who carefully study photos and videos on social networks.

Meanwhile, the newspaper has informed that the russians have seized at least 37 Ukrainian tanks, which is not enough to compensate for the loss of about 274 tanks that are supposed to have been lost.

According to the General Staff, the Russians lost 530 tanks.

In the Poltava region, law enforcement officers confiscated 11 enemy tanks from local residents, which somehow ended up in their possession after the russian invasion. Besides, 2 armoured cars, 33 weapons, and more than 4200 blasters were confiscated (see the picture).

russian invaders have been demoralised. The Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration has said that on March 24th, 70 russian servicemen in Melitopol staged a riot and refused to obey orders from their leaders.

2. The russian occupiers continue to violate international humanitarian law.

russian aggressors continue to kill Ukrainian children. According to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, as of the morning of March 25th, 2022, 135 children died in Ukraine due to the armed aggression of the russian federation, and another 184 children were injured.

Children mostly suffered in the following regions: the Kyiv region - 64, the Kharkiv region - 44, the Donetsk region - 46, the Chernihiv region - 34, the Mykolaiiv region - 25, the Zaporizhzhia region - 26, the Zhytomyr region - 15, the Kherson region - 15, the Sumy region - 14. In Kyiv City - 16.

Only over the past 24 hours, two children were killed and three injured in shelling in the Donetsk region.

russian invaders continue to attack civilians daily. The Mariupol City Council said that about 300 people were killed in a russian air bombing at the city's Drama Theatre.

The russian occupiers have struck 55 times in the Kharkiv region over the past 24 hours, and increased activity of Grads and Hurricanes has been recorded, and there are casualties.

On the morning of March 25th in the Osnovianskyi district of Kharkiv, the city polyclinic was fired upon with artillery and Grads, where humanitarian aid was being issued. In addition to the dead, there are 7 wounded people.

Since the beginning of the attack, the russian troops have destroyed at least 59 churches in 8 regions of Ukraine. On average, the occupiers destroyed two religious buildings per day. The vast majority of them are Orthodox churches, according to the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine.

Peaceful resistance of Ukrainian citizens continues. In Novotroiitske in the Kherson region, people went on a peaceful rally against the occupation by the russian army. Participants were singing the anthem of Ukraine and also: Novotroiitske is Ukraine! and patriotic slogans: Glory to the nation - death to the enemies, Ukraine is above all!.

The occupiers of the russian federation are scheduled to hold a paid rally in support of "russian authorities" at 8:00 am on March 26th in the central square of Melitopol.

russian occupiers forcibly deport Ukrainian citizens to russia. The Ukrainian authorities have appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross to obtain from russia the lists of citizens forcibly deported from Mariupol and to provide them with the opportunity to return to Ukraine.

The abduction of civilians and their hostages continue. The russian occupiers abducted two people in the Snovska community of the Chernihiv region: the head of the Snovska territorial community, Olexander Medvediov, and businessman and former deputy of the regional council, Hryhorii Bozhko.

The head of the russian-occupied village of Nyzhni Sirohozy, the Henichesk district, the Kherson region, Dmytro Takadzhy, has disappeared, before he has informed about his resigning from his position as the head of the village.

The russian militaries have abducted Olha Sukhenko, the head of the village of Motyzhyn in the Kyiv region, also they have abducted her husband and son.

The State Bureau of Investigation has started a criminal investigation into the treason of the former mayor of Izium in the Kharkiv region, two current deputies of the Izium City Council and a former police officer. The attackers sided with the enemy and began to help the occupying forces.

3. Under attacks by the russian occupiers, evacuation through the humanitarian corridors continues.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, on March 25 it was confirmed to open two humanitarian corridors - from Mariupol and Melitopol to Zaporizhzhia, which evacuated 7,331 people.

2,800 people traveled from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia by their own vehicles in one day. Also 4,000 Mariupol residents were evacuated from the centre of Berdiansk by buses. 80 tons of humanitarian aid were delivered to Berdiansk.

From Melitopol to Zaporizhzhia on Friday 531 people were evacuated. Humanitarian aid was also delivered to the city.

According to official data, 26,477 Mariupol residents were taken out of Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia last week by the humanitarian corridor.

During the week, 699 people were evacuated from Zaporizhzhia region, 9,488 from the Kyiv region, and 972 from the Luhansk region.

In general, 18 humanitarian corridors were launched during the week, which saved 37,606 people from the encircled cities.

4. Political and socio-economic situation in Ukraine.

According to a poll conducted by the sociological group Rating on March 19th, the unprecedented unity of society against the background of the war had a drastic effect on attitudes toward the language status: today the vast majority (83%) of citizens support Ukrainian as the only official state language in Ukraine.

Sociologists emphasise that this view dominates in all macro-regions, despite the age and language groups. Almost a quarter of Ukrainians were in favour of granting state status to the russian language before the war, and today only 7%.

The vast majority of citizens (67%) believe that there is no language problem in Ukraine, and only 12% are convinced that it exists and even poses a threat to the internal security of the state.

The NBU called for continued charitable donations to a special account in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As of March 25th, UAH 21 million remained on the special account opened by the National Bank for the needs of the army.

The National Bank of Ukraine transferred almost UAH 13 billion to the military, most of it to the Ministry of Defence (UAH 9.4 billion). The National Police also received UAH 1.6 billion, the State Border Guard Service received UAH 980 million, and the National Guard received UAH 950 million.

In total, since the opening of the special account, about UAH 13 billion in equivalent has been transferred to it. In particular, about UAH 3.8 billion in equivalent came from abroad in foreign currency.

Ukrainian authorities have increased pension guarantees for people who are members of voluntary formations of territorial communities. In case of the death of volunteers who belong to the territorial defence groups during their activities in the defence of Ukraine, members of their families are also entitled to increased pension rates, which are provided for family members of deceased servicemen.

5. International support and assistance to Ukraine.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Peter Szijjarto said in response to criticism of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that his country would not change its decision on military supplies to Ukraine and on sanctions against russian energy sources.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reacted to this unchanging position of Hungary. According to Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko, supporting Ukraine with one hand and financing russia's aggression machine with the other hand by buying oil and gas is, in fact, giving russia more powers for offensive attacks and assassination.

Several thousand people rallied in Warsaw on the day of US President Joe Biden's visit. The action was called Stop promising, start acting! (Enough to promise, start doing!).

Over the past 24 hours, on March 24th, Ukraine received a record amount of humanitarian aid - more than 10 thousand tons.

The total amount of aid imported and cleared by customs officers on March 24th was almost 10.3 thousand tons, including 274 vehicles and 3.5 thousand tons of diesel fuel.

During the entire period of full-scale invasion of the territory of Ukraine, 138 thousand tons of humanitarian aid and more than 3,000 vehicles have been registered.

6. Provocations and fakes of russian aggressors.

Russias FSB says it has detained a man who allegedly was an agent of the Security Service of Ukraine and spied on Ukrainian journalists and political scientists in russia. The detainee's name is Rudas and he has dual Ukrainian and Polish citizenship.

The man was detained in Moscow while trying to obtain information about the military participating in a special operation in Ukraine, the russian FSB informs.

On the morning of March 25th, the FSB also reported the detention of a Khabarovsk resident. russia's intelligence service said the man had anonymously asked the Ukrainian intelligence service to provide information that could be used to the detriment of russia's security, including sabotage.

russian FSB from time to time reports the detention of mythical Ukrainian spies. This practice has been widely used since 2014, when russia launched a hybrid military aggression against Ukraine.

7. Political and socio-economic situation in russia, the impact of international sanctions on it.

New sanctions are being imposed on russia. On March 25th, Switzerland announced new sanctions against russia in accordance with the restrictions applied under the latest packages of EU sanctions.

The UK has imposed sanctions against the russian company Kronstadt, which is the main manufacturer of the russian drone Orion and other UAVs.

23 member states of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) have decided to suspend contacts with scientists and research centres in russia and Belarus.

The oil embargo has caused panic among russia's leadership. The United States and the European Union have agreed to supply an additional 15 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas to alleviate the bloc's dependence on russian natural gas.

EU countries have agreed on joint gas purchases to curb high energy prices, and thus create a lever of influence against russia.

russia's leadership is showing signs of panic over how quickly the EU and other Western allies are abandoning imports of russian oil, gas and coal, which are crucial to Moscow's finances. This was stated by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to EU leaders at the summit, writes Politico .

By the end of the year, Canada will increase oil and gas exports by 7% to cover the deficit in the world market, which arose due to restrictions on imports of russian energy resources.

As a result of sanctions against russia, leading international campaigns are leaving the russian market. American biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences has suspended all non-core business operations in russia and new clinical trials in russia.

Passenger rail service between Finland and russia by Allegro high-speed trains will end on March 28th.

German telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom stops software development in russia.

Jewellery company Tiffany will stop buying new diamonds mined in russia amid pressure on the company to remove russian products from supply chains.

Swiss plumbing manufacturer Geberit ceases all business activities in russia.

Dutch manufacturer of paints and coatings Holland Colors announced the cessation of business development in russia and Belarus.

Music streaming service Spotify has announced its withdrawal from russia due to new laws that impose restrictions on the dissemination of information within the country.

China's Sinopec, after hearing a government call for caution over tightening sanctions, has suspended talks on major investments in a russian gas plant and a russian gas company in China.

The possibilities of using russia's gold and foreign exchange reserves are significantly limited. The Central Bank of russia stated that all the gold from gold and foreign exchange reserves is in the vaults of the Bank of russia in the country. They also apologised for blocking their gold and foreign exchange reserves in dollars and euros in the West, saying there was no way to keep them.

Already two clearing systems have blocked the accounts of the National Settlement Depository of the russian federation, which in practice means that russian investors will not be able to receive payments on foreign debt.

The russian stock market continues to stagnate and fall. The russian stock market ended trading on Friday with a rollback, the Moscow Stock Exchange index fell by -3.7 %, the RTS index by 2.7%.

The index of the Moscow Stock Exchange on the first day of trading after a month's break rose by 4.43%. The RTS index ended the day falling by 9.11%.

International rating agency Moody's Investors Service intends to revoke the ratings of all russian organisations and their divisions.

Sanctions continue to negatively affect the russian economy. russian AvtoVAZ has been introducing a four-day working week at production sites in Togliatti and Izhevsk after June 6. This decision was explained, in particular, by a significant shortage of supplies of electronic components.

The government of the russian federation intends to refuse funding from the National Welfare Fund (NWF) for the high-speed railway project between Moscow and St. Petersburg. The financial model of the project has lost relevance due to rising imports, declining effective demand, deteriorating forecasts for traffic. Another reason for the possible refusal to finance the project with the NWF was the reduction of technological capabilities due to sanctions on imports.
Ihor Zhdanov, Information Defence



Informational Defence of Ukraine provides a daily review of the military-political situation in Ukraine, morning of March 30th, based on an analysis of open sources.

1. The russian occupiers have not achieved success in any of the operational areas and have sustained heavy losses as a result of counterattacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Groups defending Kyiv are continuing hostilities and controlling the situation in the settlements of Motyzhyn, Lisne, Kapitanivka, and Dmytrivka. Our soldiers liberated Irpin.

According to some sources, the occupiers are regrouping and withdrawing troops from Kyiv.

In the Donetsk direction, the enemies increased their firepower and intensified assault operations in most areas. The occupier carried out airstrikes in the settlements of Voievodivka, Rubizhne, Lysychansk, Kreminna, Zolote-4, Popasna, Toretsk and Novhorod. The enemies focus their main efforts on taking control of Popasna and Mariupol. In Berdiansk, the russian occupiers are trying to restore the port infrastructure.

In Donetsk and Luhansk , the United Forces successfully repulsed four enemy attacks during the day and the russian occupiers sustained heavy losses. In particular, Ukrainian defenders destroyed 7 tanks, 7 armoured units and 2 units of motor vehicles, as well as one enemy MT-12 anti-tank gun.

In the Slobozhanskyi direction, the russian occupiers continue to use aircraft and artillery in the settlements of Kharkiv and Barvinkove, trying to capture Izium. Fighting continues in the area of the settlements of Kamianka, Sukha Kamianka, Tykhotske.

In the battles near Kharkiv, the 200th separate motorised infantry brigade of the enemy suffered the losses of two battalion and tactical groups, more than 1,500 servicemen and also the brigade commander, Colonel Denis Kuril.

The command of the occupying forces is trying to compensate for the decline in the combat potential of the enemy units by indiscriminate artillery fire and rocket-bomb attacks, trying to completely destroy the infrastructure and residential areas of Ukrainian cities. The enemy is concentrating on fuel depots in order to complicate logistics and create conditions for a humanitarian crisis.

2. Information summaries and assessments of foreign and Ukrainian intelligence.

According to the latest survey of the UK intelligence, Ukrainian forces continue to conduct local counterattacks northwest of Kyiv, in particular in Irpin, Bucha and Hostomel. These attacks were somewhat successful and the russians were repulsed from a number of positions.

The russian forces continue to attack Mariupol but the city centre remains under Ukrainian control.

According to the UK intelligence on Twitter , the russian private military company Wagner Group has already been deployed in eastern Ukraine.

It is expected that more than 1,000 mercenaries, including administrative staff', will be involved in the fighting. Due to significant losses and the invasion, which has largely stalled, russia has likely been forced to change the priority of Wagner's staff for Ukraine through operations in Africa and Syria.

A Pentagon spokesman quoted by ABC said that the russians had changed their priorities and were moving more actively to eastern Ukraine.

The official called the advance of the russian troops southeast of Izium a gradual advance in the direction of Donbass. The United States believes that this may be an attempt to cut off Ukrainian troops in the East from the rest of the country, gain leverage in future negotiations or reorient their goals.

The officials have said that we are not quite sure what is behind this change of priorities. All I can tell you is what we see.

After russia announced on Tuesday its decision to sharply reduce hostilities in Kyiv and Chernihiv, the United States is already watching the withdrawal of russian troops  CNN, citing two US officials

According to CNN sources, russia is beginning to withdraw some forces, including russian battalion tactical groups (BTG), which are leaving the surrounding areas around the Ukrainian capital. The russian troops are now retreating in some areas of northern Ukraine, presumably to concentrate forces in the south and east.

U.S. intelligence does not rule out that such a retreat could be accompanied by aerial bombardment and artillery attacks on Kyiv: "According to the United States, this is not a short-term regrouping manoeuvre, but a long-term step, as russia has failed to attack Ukrainian territory from the north."

The US Department of Defense has warned that although a small number of the russian troops have left Kyiv on the last day or so, russia could still use "mass brutality" against the country, including the capital. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby (source - CNN ) said at a briefing: We believe that this is a repositioning, not a real departure, and we must all be prepared to watch a major offensive attacks in other parts of Ukraine. This does not mean that the threat to Kyiv has disappeared.

3. The russian occupiers continue to violate international humanitarian law.

Violating international humanitarian law, in the occupied settlements of Kyiv, the Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Kherson, and Kharkiv regions, the russian occupiers terrorise local residents and fire on houses; rob, abduct and take Ukrainian civilians hostage.

russian aggressors continue to kill Ukrainian children. As a result of russia's armed aggression, 144 children were killed and more than 220 were injured in Ukraine as of the morning of March 29th, the Prosecutor General's Office has informed.

Children suffered mostly in the Kyiv region - 68, the Kharkiv region - 49, the Donetsk region - 54, the Chernihiv region - 38, the Mykolaiiv region - 30, the Luhansk region - 28, the Zaporizhzhia region - 22, the Zhytomyr region - 15, the Sumy region - 15, the Kherson region  25, and Kyiv - 16. Data on dead and injured children in the city of Mariupol are in the progress of calculation.

russian invaders continue to attack civilians on a daily basis. The mayor of Chernihiv Vladyslav Atroshenko states that, according to preliminary data, between 350 and 400 people have already died in the city.

The russian occupiers continue to destroy the Kharkiv region - during the day the districts of Kharkiv and the entire region were shelled for 46 times, 280 shellings from "Grad" were also recorded, one person was killed and some were injured.

Rescuers in the city of Liubotyn, near Kharkiv, pulled a man's body out from the rubble and two more people were rescued.

On March 29th around 08:45 in Mykolaiiv as a result of shelling and a strike on the nine-storeyed administrative building there was destruction of the central section of the building of regional state administration from the 9th to 1st floor. 12 people died and 33 were injured. Earlier, SES units rescued and released 18 people from the rubble, who were handed over to ambulance crews.

The russian occupiers fired missiles at the Dnipropetrovsk region, injuring one person, damaging a viaduct and farm machinery.

The abduction of civilians and their hostages continue. The russian occupiers have abducted approximately 30 local leaders, activists, and journalists in Ukraine, and 40,000 Ukrainians have been forcibly relocated to russia and Belarus, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has stated.

On March 28th, servicemen of the russian Armed Forces, threatening with firearms, abducted and held hostage the chairman of the Hola Prystan City Council.

The russian military detained Zaporizhzhia journalist Iryna Dubchenko and took her to occupied Donetsk to "conduct investigative actions."

4. Under attacks by the russian occupiers, evacuation through humanitarian corridors continues.

According to Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk, the work of three humanitarian corridors in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions was confirmed on March 29th.

In the Donetsk region, from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia the rescue was made possible by use of own vehicles. Buses to evacuate Mariupol residents from Berdiansk also left Zaporizhzhia.

In the Zaporizhzhia region, 2 humanitarian corridors: from the city of Melitopol to Zaporizhzhia; from Enerhodar to Zaporizhzhia.

Unfortunately, not all corridors functioned successfully. In Vasylivka, the occupiers blocked convoys of evacuation buses and humanitarian aid trucks sent to Berdiansk, Melitopol, and Enerhodar in the morning. Organised convoys of people on private vehicles traveling to Zaporizhzhia from Tokmak and Enerhodar were also blocked.

On March 29th, 1,665 people arrived in Zaporizhzhia by their own transport through the confirmed 3 humanitarian corridors.

936 people were from Mariupol, and 729 were the residents of the Zaporizhzhia region: Berdiansk, Melitopol, Enerhodar, Polohy, Orikhiv, Huliaypole, and Vasylivka.

5. Socio-economic situation in Ukraine, losses due to russian aggression.

The contraction of the Ukrainian economy in the month of the full-scale war is estimated at 35% and above, and the total losses, taking into account future periods, reach a trillion dollars. This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

He also noted that hostilities are taking place in 10 regions, where enterprises account for about 50% of the country's GDP.

At the same time, Ukraine's losses from russia's full-scale military aggression, taking into account both the infrastructure and economic damage already provided and future losses in the coming years, exceed $ 1 trillion. This amount consists of three parts.

First: direct infrastructure damage, i.e. destroyed bridges, roads, housing, buildings. Currently, this estimate is about $120 billion, taking into account military and civilian infrastructure the cost is more than $ 270 billion.

Second: the calculation of the losses of the Ukrainian economy, i.e. the fall in GDP per month, when the fighting continues. This is a loss of income and uninvested fund, estimated at $ 290 billion.

Third: the losses incurred as a result of declining GDP in the run-up to pre-war plans, as enterprises that are supposed to bring revenue to the state have been destroyed.

The International Monetary Fund estimates that Ukraine needs about $ 4.8 billion in external financing this year, and that the country's GDP will shrink by 10% if the war ends soon. At the same time, the Fund allows a reduction of -35% this year.

Ukraine's gross domestic product in 2021 reached UAH 5.5 trillion, and real GDP grew by 3.4% after the year of the pandemic.

6. International support and assistance to Ukraine.

Political support for Ukraine. US President Joe Biden has stated that he does not renounce his words that russian president putin cannot remain in power ( CNN ). He stressed that this did not mean a change in US policy towards russia, and his opinion was based on emotions during the day.

Asked by reporters whether he feared putin would take the remark as an escalation, Joe Biden said he did not care what putin thought of his comments; he spoke to the russian people when he made the remarks.

A ceasefire agreement between russia and Ukraine will not be enough to provoke the lifting of the UK sanctions. This was stated by the Prime Minister of the UK Boris Johnson at a meeting with ministers, according to Reuters .

Military assistance to Ukraine. The UK will hold a donors' conference on Thursday to mobilize more lethal weapons for Ukraine,

Bulgaria urgently needs to help Ukraine strengthen its army. This is stated in a joint statement of six former defence ministers: Boyko Noev, Nikolay Svinarov, Anyu Angelov, Todor Tagarev, Velizar Shalamanov, and Nikolay Nenchev (BNR).

The former ministers note that in these dramatic days, Bulgaria "continues to stand out among its allies from the European Union and NATO with its indecisive and ambiguous policy on military-technical assistance to Ukraine."

Bulgarian Defense Minister Dragomir Zakov said that due to poor military capabilities, the country would not send weapons to Ukraine and would focus on strengthening its own underfunded army.

The Minister of Defence of russia Sergei Shoigu stressed that russia will "respond adequately" if the plans of a number of NATO countries to supply fighter jets and air defence systems to Ukraine are implemented.

Earlier, russia said it would attack convoys with military aid to Ukraine, which could lead to a direct clash with NATO troops.

Humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The Council of the European Union on Monday unanimously agreed on a 10-point plan to support Ukrainian refugees, as well as European Union countries that host most of them.

This was announced after the extraordinary meeting of the Ministers of Internal Affairs of the EU and the Schengen area, by Gerald Darmanin, the Minister of Internal Affairs of France, and Ylwa Johansson, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, the correspondent of the Deutsche Well reports.

This plan provides for the establishment of an EU platform for the registration of all those arriving and those applying for temporary protection. Currently, this registration takes place only within each EU country, without the exchange of information between national systems.

The plan also provides for the development of measures to combat the exploitation of Ukrainian refugees by criminal groups. The EU Council has also decided to activate a special anti-crime platform to avoid security threats.

A separate item concerns the admission of children, in particular those who arrived in the European Union without adults. In total, 3.8 million Ukrainian refugees arrived in the European Union, half of them children.

For the second week in a row, the March of Mothers is taking place in cities around the world, during which women who left Ukraine because of the war will tell the truth about russia's war crimes. Such actions have already taken place in New York, Atlanta, Berlin, Munich, Brussels, Budapest, Nicosia, Soultzmatt, and Berlin.

The Minister of Finances Serhii Marchenko announced the signing of an agreement with the French Development Agency. As a result, Ukraine will receive 300 million euros in soft loans.

7. Ukrainian-russian negotiations.

On March 29th, another round of Ukrainian-russian negotiations was held with the mediation of Turkey. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba stated that the most ambitious goal of Ukraine in the negotiations with russia in Turkey this week is to reach a ceasefire agreement ( Reuters ).

The Minister is convinced that the minimum program consists of humanitarian issues, and that the maximum program is connected with reaching an agreement on a ceasefire. Ukraine does not trade in people, land and sovereignty, and it is upon such a firm position that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the Ukrainian delegation to take into consideration.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has noted that there are no compromises in negotiations with russia on Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

As Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the russian delegation, has said after the negotiations, russia has decided to drastically reduce hostilities in Kyiv and Chernihiv. The russians called the negotiations "constructive." According to Medinsky, the authorities assume that Kyiv will make decisions and create conditions for further normal work.

Following the negotiations with russia, the Ukrainian leader delegation of Davyd Arakhamia stated that Ukraine wanted security guarantees from signatory countries that would be stricter than NATO Article 5: "We insist that this be an agreement signed by all security guarantors; ratify (parliaments) not to repeat the mistake that was made in the Budapest Memorandum, when it turned out to be just a piece of paper.

We want it to have a functional international mechanism with concrete security guarantees for Ukraine, where the guarantor countries will act in the same way as NATO Article 5, but even tougher, because there is a motivation mechanism. We say that consultations should take place within three days; it could be aggression, a hybrid war, a disguised war in any format.

After that, the guarantor countries must provide us with military assistance with the armed forces, weapons, closing the sky - all that we need so much now and we cannot get.

The guarantors of Ukraine's security should include UN Security Council member states (USA, russia, the UK, China, France) and Turkey, Germany, Canada, Italy, Poland, and Israel.

The Ukrainian side also believes that since we have unresolved issues with the ORDLO and the Crimea, the guarantees will not work temporarily in these areas. The Ukrainian delegation proposes that the fate of the occupied territories of eastern Ukraine be decided during direct negotiations by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and president of russia putin.

Information Defence analysts believe that such proposals of Ukraine are unlikely to receive unanimous support in the all-Ukrainian referendum, as proposed by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.

At the same time, experts point out that the mechanism for implementing Ukraine's security guarantees of the proposed agreement differs significantly from the guarantees set out in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty establishing the North Atlantic Alliance (hereinafter - the Treaty). In particular:

First, Article 5 of the Treaty does not refer to any three-day consultations in case of an attack on one of the parties to the Treaty. That is, the guarantees are much stricter. It clearly states that an attack on one of the NATO countries is an attack on other members of the military-political bloc, and other countries will come to its aid immediately, including the use of its own armed forces.

To be precise, we quote Article 5 verbatim: The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

As you can see, there are no three-day consultations with the 11 countries that guarantee security. After all, in case of hostilities, the bill is often not for days, but for hours. An automatic response is provided for in the text of the Agreement.

Secondly, in view of the provisions of Article 5 of the Treaty, the statement of Ukrainian high-ranking officials that future Ukrainian guarantees will even include the closure of the skies over Ukraine by security guarantors seems rather dubious.

The requirements of Article 5 provide for the full use of the armed forces to protect NATO member countries. If we extrapolate this to the current situation in Ukraine, if we were members of the North Atlantic Alliance, Mariupol, Kyiv, Kharkiv and other Ukrainian cities would be defended by US, UK militaries, and Poles, and other allies. Patriot systems would shoot down russian planes and missiles, and NATO navies would attack the russian Black Sea Fleet. An issue regarding the no fly zone would not arise at all, because it would be clear to anyone.

Thirdly, it is completely unclear how the aggressor country, russia, appeared among the guarantors of Ukraine's security. Sorry, but it's the same as putting a hyena to guard the meat.

russia has waged an unprovoked war against Ukraine and cannot be a guarantor of its security. In the opinion of Information Defence experts, this is a completely understandable situation.

The fact that russia is a member of the UN Security Council is also not a reason for its inclusion in the countries of guarantors of Ukrainian security. The UN, as an international organisation, has demonstrated its complete helplessness in preventing wars and military conflicts. In addition, russia's right to veto UN Security Council decisions only allows putin to pursue his aggressive policies with impunity.

These proposals of the Ukrainian side will be the subject of a rather sharp domestic political debate. The main thing is to preserve the unity of the country in the face of russian aggression.

8. Provocations and fakes of russian aggressors.

The russians were driving without protection through the territory of the Rudyi Lis in the Chornobyl zone, raising radioactive dust. This was announced by Chornobyl workers in a comment to Reuters .

The russian soldiers who took to the site of the Chornobyl nuclear accident drove their armoured vehicles without radiation protection through a highly toxic area called the Rudyi Lis, raising clouds of radioactive dust.

The large area around Chornobyl is closed to anyone who does not work there and does not have a special permit, but the Rudyi Lis is considered so polluted that even workers at the nuclear power plant are not allowed there.

The nuclear installation "Source of Neutrons" came under russian fire in Kharkiv.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said Ukraine had told the International Atomic Energy Agency that the Kharkov nuclear research facility had suffered additional damage since it came under renewed fire a few days ago, but that little of its nuclear material remained intact.

He also stressed that the facility's nuclear material is subcritical - it cannot have a nuclear chain reaction - and the stockpile of radioactive substances is low.

9. Political and socio-economic situation in russia, the impact of international sanctions on it.

russia is not going to supply natural gas to European countries without payment for russian gas supplies. This was stated in an interview with PBS by the kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Haven being asked whether russia is going to turn off gas if it is not paid for in rubles, Peskov said: "No payments, no gas."

It should be noted that the previous day the Group of Seven countries rejected russia's demands to pay gas bills in rubles.

New sanctions and restrictions are being imposed on russia. According to the Minister of Foreign Relations of Australia Marise Ann Payne, Australia is imposing sanctions on 39 russian citizens in connection with the "Magnitsky Act".

The Australian government, in honor of Sergei Magnitsky and all those who defend the rule of law, is imposing sanctions on 14 russian people responsible for the serious corruption he has exposed. The sanctions will also cover 25 russians involved in Magnitsky's death.

As The Financial Times reported, the United States want to take steps to limit russia's ability to buy military parts abroad.

Washington is targeting key nodes in the supply chain to weaken russia's armed forces and its defence industry, which still relies on Western technology.

The UK government calls on all public sector organisations to urgently review and, if possible, terminate contracts with russian and Belarusian companies.

Japan has banned the export of luxury goods to russia after April 5. This includes luxury cars, motorcycles, alcoholic beverages, cosmetics, works of art, and jewellery.

According to the government, cars account for a significant share of supplies to russia from Japan that was 627.8 billion yen ($ 5 billion) in 2020.

The Executive Committee of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) unanimously decided to immediately suspend the activities of the national federations of russia and Belarus.

The International Emmy Award refused to consider russian television programs at this years competition. The relevant decision was made by the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences .

Large international companies continue to leave the russian trade market. Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News is suspending its work in russia and Belarus due to the russian invasion of Ukraine, but the media resource will continue to operate.

The American Ball Corporation, which produces aluminum cans, has announced its decision to leave russia.

Canadian oil service company Calfrac Well Services Ltd. announced the suspension of any investment in russia.

The largest manufacturer of bearings in the world and in russia, the Swedish company SKF, announced the shutdown of its plant in russia.

French sports goods chain Decathlon has announced the suspension of its stores in russia.

The russian version of the Meta social network Instagram, banned in russia, called Rosgram worked in a pilot mode. This was reported in its channel in the Telegram.

The design of the application copies the original design of Instagram, but does not have, for example, the ability to edit photos. First, access will be open to bloggers and investors, and in April to everyone.
By Azernews





By Sabina Mammadli

Russian ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov has said that Russian State Duma MP Mikhail Delyagin's earlier anti-Azerbaijan statement is detrimental to relations between the two countries.

He made the remarks at a press conference in Baku on March 30.

"I consider such statements detrimental to relations between Russia and Azerbaijan," he said.

The ambassador called the MP's remarks unacceptable, adding that they do not reflect Moscow's official position and have already been condemned by the Kremlin and the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Delyagin earlier described Azerbaijan as a proxy state and suggested launching a tactical nuclear strike on Baku and destroying Azerbaijans oil industry on Russias 60 minutes political talk show broadcast on Russia 1 TV channel on March 28.

He stressed that Azerbaijan needs to be punished for its attempt to open a second front. Delyagin accused the country of violating the truce in Karabakh and not observing the trilateral statement signed by Baku, Yerevan and Moscow in 2020. Moreover, the MP called Azerbaijan a real danger to Russia.

The frenzy was quickly followed by a rebuttal from Russia's Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, who urged Delyagin to control his personal emotions and refrain from making hostile statements toward Azerbaijan.

"This statement is the result of a personal emotional outburst. We would urge you to control your emotions and refrain from making such statements, especially against our partners. Azerbaijan is one of our partner countries," Peskov said.

Later, Delyagin apologized for his remarks.

Bilateral cooperation

During the same conference, Bocharnikov stated that the Azerbaijan-Russia Declaration on Allied Cooperation, dated February 22, 2022, is bringing the parties' relations to a new level of development.

According to him, this document has become a key aspect of the meeting of the two countries' presidents.

"The provisions of this declaration lay the foundation for our cooperation in accordance with international law," he noted.

In response to payment difficulties caused by a change in the ruble exchange rate, Bocharnikov stated Russia's intention to expand banking cooperation with Azerbaijan in national currencies.

He stated that the shift to payments in national currencies will aid in resolving this issue.

According to him, expanding banking cooperation in national currencies in accordance with the declaration will also help to solve the aforementioned problem. He went on to say that positive steps had already been taken in this direction.

The diplomat also spoke about the Russian customs service's March visit to Azerbaijan, during which a pilot project to simplify the customs corridor for participants in foreign economic activity was presented.

Furthermore, Bocharnikov stated that the majority of Russian regions are interested in long-term cooperation with Azerbaijan.

There is great potential for the two countries' scientific cooperation to grow. Furthermore, relations in the humanitarian sphere are developing, he added.

Over the past 30 years, Azerbaijan-Russia relations have developed regularly and successfully in the political, trade, economic, and interregional sectors," the ambassador said.

Talking about the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Azerbaijani-Russian diplomatic relations, he suggested holding joint events on this occasion.

Every year, a large number of students leave for Russia under the state quota, and there are joint ties through the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, according to Bocharnikov.

We know that our partners are interested in the education of many Azerbaijani young people in Russia, he added.

Economical ties and foreign trade

Despite Russia's current unstable foreign trade and economic relations with other countries, Bocharnikov stated that all contracts with Azerbaijan will be fully implemented.

Furthermore, the diplomat stated that Russia supports Azerbaijan's admission as an observer to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The ambassador stated that Azerbaijan's closer interaction with the SCO must come from within the country and that joint participation in the organization by Azerbaijan and Russia will help strengthen cooperation in trade, economy, and culture.

Azerbaijan has great prestige in the international arena, its authority is growing and joining SCO would correspond to this trend, Bocharnikov added.

The ambassador stated in a separate speech that the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) has developed a concept for information technology cooperation that Russian companies will be able to use.

According to the ambassador, the parties signed a document in 2020 envisioning cooperation in innovations and technologies, with which technology companies are actively cooperating.

Russian innovations, he claims, are in high demand in the Azerbaijani market.

All Azerbaijani chain stores operate upon the Russian technologies. Moreover, both countries also cooperate in the field of space, which is of national importance for our countries, he added.

Agriculture

Concerning agricultural exports, Bocharnikov stated that Russia's restrictions on wheat exports are only temporary and that all restrictions on the Azerbaijani tomato supply have been lifted.

According to the ambassador, Azerbaijan exported $1 billion in tomatoes to Russia in 2021.

"Azerbaijan's export to Russia increased by 38 percent during the first two months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, reaching $123 million," said Bocharnikov.

He said that Russia is willing to offer Azerbaijan projects for product supply to other markets.

"It is planned to increase the volume of deliveries of goods by rail and road from Azerbaijan to Russia and in the opposite direction, we are working on this issue. It is also planned to expand trade through the use of maritime transport," Bocharnikov said.

He mentioned that the Russian Export Center has tools to support the import of Azerbaijani goods.

"A solid foundation for trade and economic cooperation will allow us to expand our existing potential," Bocharnikov said.

In 2021, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Russia amounted to $3.3 billion, which is more than before the COVID-19 pandemic, said the diplomat.

Tourism

Bocharnikov also discussed the opportunities for tourism in the current situation.

He stated that the opening of the Azerbaijani-Russian land border will bring a large number of tourists to both countries.

The ambassador stated that Azerbaijan has always been a popular tourist destination for Russians and that the ability to pay with MIR cards would help with the tourism flow.

"The flow of tourists from Russia to Azerbaijan has been actively growing lately and the possibility of paying with MIR payment system cards would greatly help to increase the number of Russian tourists in Azerbaijan," Bocharnikov said.
Google has announced the creation of Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund  a support fund for startups in Ukraine in the amount of $5 million for the allocation of cash grants during 2022.

Google will announce selected Ukrainian startups on a permanent basis, and they will receive up to $100,000 in no-share financing, as well as a mentoring support program from Google, product support and loans in Google Cloud, the company reported in its blog on Wednesday.

"This hands-on support is designed to help Ukrainian entrepreneurs maintain and grow their businesses, strengthen their community and to build a foundation for post-war economic recovery," the company said.

In addition, Google invites Ukrainian startups to use the space of the Google for Startups Campus in Warsaw as a temporary office.

"The first few startups  predominantly run by women who have fled the country  are already working from Campus, and weve witnessed their determination to succeed, " Google Senior Director for Startups Agnieszka Hryniewicz-Bieniek is quoted as saying.

According to the company, the support of Ukrainian startups will help them succeed and create technologies that Ukraine needs now. And also, when the region begins to recover, start-ups and technology companies will become key to the recovery of the Ukrainian economy, the creation of jobs and a positive impact on cities, their homes.

According to Google, out of about 2,000 startups in Ukraine, 126 startups have attracted venture funding since the beginning of 2021.
By Trend

Head of Azerbaijans representative office of Turkeys Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association (MUSIAD) Rashad Jabirli became a guest of Trend News Agencys "Actual with Sahil Karimli" author's video project.

Jabirli spoke about the results of the International Business Forum (IBF) held in Baku a few months ago, as well as the desire of foreign businessmen to invest in Azerbaijan, especially in the Azerbaijani territories liberated from Armenias occupation, and the work being carried out in this sphere.

The head of Azerbaijans representative office said that IBF was established by MUSIAD in 1996.

This forum is held annually and the decision of holding this forum in Azerbaijan was made after its victory in the 44-day Armenia-Azerbaijan Karabakh war, Jabirli added.

The forum organized and supported by the Ministry of Economy and the Small and Medium Business Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan was successfully held in November 2021, the head of Azerbaijans representative office said.

Jabirli also said that from the first day MUSIAD-Azerbaijan's priority is to attract businessmen and investors from Turkey and other countries to Azerbaijan.

The head of Azerbaijans representative office stressed that this was the purpose of the IBF held in Azerbaijan.

More than 500 investors and businessmen from 32 countries, including Turkey, visited Azerbaijan and viewed the favorable investment opportunities, Jabirli said. We are also accepting the requests received after the forum.

As is known, investing is a process that requires time, the head of Azerbaijans representative office said. During this process, certain research must be carried out. The motto of IBF is Invest in the pearl of Asia - Azerbaijan, inform businessmen about the possibilities of entering the CIS market with a 320 million population and provide them with this opportunity.

Jabirli said that MUSIAD-Azerbaijan is proud of attracting companies to the restoration of Karabakh, investments in this sphere.

At the first stage, the companies, willing to participate mainly in the construction sector, appealed to us, the head of Azerbaijans representative office said. We pay special attention to investments to create new jobs in the liberated territories.

During IBF, we determined several spheres, such as agriculture, tourism, construction, healthcare and in particular, our task is to attract the companies operating in these spheres to Azerbaijan, Jabirli said.

The head of Azerbaijans representative office said that the Turkish companies are involved in the construction process in the Karabakh region and applications from other companies are still being received.

Another goal is to create the Azerbaijani-Turkish joint ventures, assess the possibility of their entering the CIS market, Jabirli said. MUSIAD-Azerbaijan will continue its activity in this sphere.

Trend presents this interview for readers:




Cairo governorate started on Thursday the operation of new automated garbage trucks in an experimental phase in southern Cairo, replacing traditional manual collection methods.
Belarus' leader defended Russia's invasion of Ukraine and said he was doing ``everything'' to stop the war in a sit-down interview with The Associated Press on Thursday.
By Trend

Two-faced aggressor Armenia sent four Su-30 fighter aircraft to Russia for use during military actions in Ukraine. The fighters are piloted by Armenia. It is obvious that Armenia has already joined the military actions against Ukraine.

Although the whole world thought that Belarus will join the military actions, Armenia was ahead of it and turned into a participant in the armed conflict, Azerbaijani MP Jeyhun Mammadov said while answering Trends question.

The MP added that thus, the Armenian leadership can be "proud" that today Armenia is also participating in the destruction of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Apparently, Azerbaijans "iron fist" was not enough for Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyans government, Mammadov said. The Armenian leader dealt a great blow to his country, sacrificing the interests of statehood and people. This is the true essence of Armenia's policy.

The MP stressed that earlier it was reported that Armenia played a role in sending fighters from Syria to participate in the military actions in Ukraine.

That is why today some Western circles express opinions about the need to impose sanctions against Armenia for such actions, Mammadov said. Armenia's recent steps give grounds for imposing sanctions against it. Now it is time to move from words to deeds.

Mammadov said that proceeding from today's realities, Azerbaijan respects Ukraines territorial integrity and sovereignty and renders humanitarian assistance to this country.

Senior adviser at the Azerbaijani Center of Analysis of International Relations Vasif Huseynov also expressed opinion on this topic.

The information that Armenia sent its Su-30 fighter aircraft for using during military actions in Ukraine causes instability in the region, Huseynov told Trend.

Of course, the corresponding US and European intelligence agencies are closely monitoring these reports and will investigate them, the senior adviser added. If this information is confirmed, then Armenia may have big problems with the Western countries.

Huseynov stressed that despite the deplorable situation in Armenia after the 44-day Karabakh war, it continues to be a toy in the hands of some powers.

Some authoritative Western media outlets express such opinions that certain sanctions will also be introduced against Armenia, a senior adviser said. I would like to stress that certain steps are already being taken in this sphere.

For example, the US decision made this week about reducing aid to Armenia within the fiscal year 2023 budget by 50 percent and that separatist groups in Karabakh will receive nothing shocked both the Armenian diaspora and Yerevan, Huseynov said.

The senior adviser said that Armenia was also greatly shocked that Washington decided to allocate about $170 million to Azerbaijan as part of military assistance.

This once again shows that the modern world does not accept the countries that are unable to pursue an independent foreign policy and have become a toy in the hands of some powers, Huseynov added. One of these countries is Armenia, which sends weapons for using during the military actions in Ukraine, which is experiencing a great humanitarian tragedy.
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba it is imperative to resolve the crisis with Russia peacefully and stop the bloodshed.

In a phone call on Thursday, Shoukry and Kuleba shared the latest humanitarian and field developments in Ukraine and the course of talks between Russia and Ukraine, a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs read.

Cairo and Kyiv enjoy distingushed economic relations, with Egypt importing 30 percent of its wheat needs from the Ukraine before the outbreak of Russian-Ukrainian war.

In a tweet after speaking to Shoukry, Kuleba wrote: "Call with Egyptian FM Sameh Shoukry on bilateral & UN cooperation. Ukraine is ready to remain a reliable supplier of agricultural goods to Egypt & other countries, but Russia must cease hostilities to restore supply chains. Grateful for taking care of Ukrainian citizens in Egypt."

After the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Egypt paid for thousands of Ukrainian tourists in the country to stay in hotels until they are able to return home.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian authorities facilitated the evacuation of hundreds of Egyptian nationals who were studying or living in the Ukraine at the time of the invasion.

During the call, Egypt's top diplomat briefed his Ukrainian counterpart on the outcome of the emergency meeting the Arab League (AL) held upon Egypts request to debate the crisis.

During the AL meeting, held in late February at the level of permanent delegates, Secretary-General Ahmed Abul-Gheit said the crisis should be resolved without resorting to military force.

Abul-Gheit warned of the "sad and high costs" of wars, calling for engaging in serious international action to put an end to the current crisis politically and diplomatically in a way that leads to restoring stability.

In early March, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi voiced in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin Egypt's readiness to support the diplomatic endeavours that would facilitate reaching a political settlement between Russia and Ukraine to end the conflict and preserve international security and stability.

Egypt was among the 141 countries that voted for a UN resolution at the General Assembly calling for a halt to Russias invasion of Ukraine and an immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from its western neighbour in early March.

Egypt called at the General Assembly for a quick political solution to the Russia-Ukraine crisis through peaceful means, warning of the impact of the crisis on the fragile global economy.

Egypt also warned against economic sanctions that are not based on the mechanisms of the multilateral international system.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict, which started with the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, has so far claimed dozens of lives of Ukrainians and Russians, according to both countries' officials.

More than 3.5 million Ukrainians have fled the country to neighbouring countries as the Russian military continues its advance on Ukrainian cities.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said Thursday that forces from his Russian region had taken control of the city hall in Ukraine's besieged southeastern port of Mariupol and hoisted the Russian flag.

Kadyrov posted on Telegram a video of a phone recording in Chechen, which he said was Russian parliamentary lawmaker Adam Delimkhanov speaking to "our valiant men".

"The guys are radioing to say that they liberated the building of the Mariupol authorities and put up our flag over it," the Chechen leader said on his Telegram, which has more than 1.4 million subscribers.

The former rebel-turned-Kremlin-ally wrote that Ukrainian "bandits who remained alive did not risk it and abandoned their positions... and fled".

"Other units are moving in parallel through the city and clearing it of Azov filth," he added, referring to Ukraine's far-right Azov Battalion.

"God willing, soon Mariupol will be completely cleansed," he wrote.

In the besieged southern port, Zelensky says nearly 100,000 people are trapped without food, water or power and enduring fierce shelling by Russian forces.

Ukraine's foreign ministry tweeted that Moscow had "launched a new phase of terror against Mariupol" by forcibly deporting about 6,000 residents to Russian camps.

Kadyrov said on March 1 that Chechens had been killed in Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

"Unfortunately, there are already losses among the natives of the Chechen Republic. Two died, six more were injured to varying degrees," Kadyrov said on Telegram.

Kadyrov, in charge of Russia's Chechnya Republic which he governs de-facto by his own set of rules, has posted videos of Chechen fighters in Ukraine.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stressed in a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday the need to prioritise dialogue and diplomatic solutions to settle the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.

El-Sisi expressed Egypt's support for all endeavours that would accelerate the political settlement of the crisis via the negotiations path, a statement by the Egyptian presidency said.

Menwhile, Zelenskyy briefed El-Sisi on the latest developments in the Ukrainian crisis, as well as the updates related to the negotiations efforts with Russia.

"Egypt is following with great concern the successive on-the-ground developments and the resulting deterioration of the humanitarian situation," El-Sisi said, expressing his appreciation for the measures taken by the Ukrainian side to facilitate the exit of Egyptian citizens from Ukraine, and to ensure their safety and security.

The Ukrainian authorities facilitated the evacuation of hundreds of Egyptian nationals who were studying or living in Ukraine at the time of the invasion to neighbouring Romania, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia

During the phone call, Zelenskyy expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the efforts made by Egypt for hosting Ukrainian tourists in Egypt's tourist resorts and facilitating their return to Ukraine's neighbouring countries.

Following the start of the Russian invasion, Egypt paid for the stay of all Ukrainian and Russian tourists at three-star Egyptian hotels.

EgyptAir and Cairo Air airlines also began in March flying out Ukrainian tourists who wanted to return at the expense of the Egyptian government.

Earlier on Thursday, following a phone call with Egyptian FM Sameh Shoukry, the Ukrainian FM Dmytro Kuleba tweeted: "Call with Egyptian FM Sameh Shoukry on bilateral & UN cooperation. Ukraine is ready to remain a reliable supplier of agricultural goods to Egypt & other countries, but Russia must cease hostilities to restore supply chains. Grateful for taking care of Ukrainian citizens in Egypt."

Cairo and Kyiv enjoy distingushed economic relations, with Egypt importing 30 percent of its imported wheat from Ukraine before the outbreak of Russian-Ukrainian war.

Shoukry told Kuleba that Egypt supports a peaceful resolution to the crisis with Russia and a stop to the bloodshed.

In early March, Egypt was among the 141 countries that voted for a UN resolution at the General Assembly calling for a halt to Russias invasion of Ukraine and an immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from its western neighbour.

Egypt also called at the General Assembly for a quick political solution to the Russia-Ukraine crisis through peaceful means, warning of the impact of the crisis on the fragile global economy.

In early March, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi voiced in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin Egypt's readiness to support the diplomatic endeavours that would facilitate reaching a political settlement between Russia and Ukraine to end the conflict and preserve international security and stability.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egyptian citizen Yahia Hassan Yahia Hamed  a man that was reportedly in his thirties  was killed earlier in March amid the Russian shelling of the encircled city of Mariupol, becoming the first Egyptian citizen to die in Ukraine due to the ongoing Russian invasion of the country.

Hamed, who was taking refuge in a shelter in the battered Ukrainian city along with his wife and mother-in-law, died immediately when a bomb landed next to him while he was buying food for his family on 15 March, a diplomatic source told media, adding that his death was confirmed more than a week later on Saturday 26 March.

Hamed hailed from the northern Egyptian city of Mit Ghamr.

Head of the Egyptian community in Ukraine Ali Farouk told Ahram Online via mobile phone that the community found out about the death of Hamed when his family reached out to the Egyptian embassy and the community in an attempt to find him after failing to reach him following the Russian invasion in late February.

According to Farouk, Hamed was not a resident of Ukraine, but he used to own a shop in Sharm El-Sheikh and was married to a Ukrainian woman  a native of Mariupol  and had a child with her.

We did not know him because he was not a resident of Ukraine, he came to visit his wife and child in Mariupol in early February but then the war broke out and he got stuck here, Farouk said, adding that telecommunications to and from Mariupol were down ever since it has been under heavy Russian attack.

After a long search, members of the Egyptian community in Ukraine who chose to remain in the country managed to reach Hameds wife, and earlier on Saturday, she informed them that her Egyptian husband died during the shelling of the city a week prior.

She added that he was buried in Mariupol.

According to Matilda Bogner  the head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine  on Friday, since Russian armed forces launched their offensive on 24 February, at least 1,035 civilians have been killed and at least 1,650 injured in Ukraine.

Bogner added that the death and inured tolls are much higher in locations that have intense fighting like Mariupol.

A week ago, Ukrainian authorities in Mariupol estimated that at least 2,300 civilians died in the previous three weeks. Human Rights Watch estimates that there are more than 200,000 civilians still trapped in the besieged city.

Egypt has been pushing forward with efforts to bring its nationals home from Ukraine. Prior to the Russian invasion, around 6,000 Egyptians lived in Ukraine, including 3,000 students studying at the countrys universities, especially in the field of medicine.

Over the past three weeks, scores of Egyptian expats have already crossed the borders into Romania, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia.

On Thursday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stressed in a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy the need to prioritise dialogue and diplomatic solutions to settle the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.

Earlier in March, Egypt was among the 141 countries that voted for a UN resolution at the General Assembly calling for a halt to Russias invasion of Ukraine and an immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from its western neighbour.

Egypt also called at the General Assembly for a quick political solution to the Russian-Ukrainian crisis through peaceful means, warning of the impact of the crisis on the fragile global economy.

El-Sisi also voiced in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin Egypts readiness to support any diplomatic endeavours that would facilitate reaching a political settlement between Russia and Ukraine to end the conflict and preserve international security and stability.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypts Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA) signed on Tuesday a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Amazon Egypt to support small and medium-sized businesses in the country.

The MoU was signed by Aly Gamay, Senior Program Manager at Amazon Marketplace, and Raafat Abbas, head of the Non-Financial Services Central Sector at MSMEDA. The signing ceremony was attended by Egypts Minister of Trade and Industry Niven Gamea and General Manager of Amazon Egypt Omar El-Sahy.

Through this partnership, Amazon Egypt will support MSMEDA-registered businesses interested in availing their products on Amazons platform.

Minister Gamea said that the MoU is in line with Egypt Vision 2030 to assist small and medium-sized businesses in different sectors, helping them to sustainably expand their business model.

The minister stressed the important role of leading technology companies in the field of ecommerce, such as Amazon Egypt. During the signing ceremony, the minister reflected on the advancement of technology that Amazon provides these businesses.

MSMEDA is keen to provide various types of support for SMBs in all sectors including fashion, leather, food, or furniture to help business owners market their products. This is in addition to supporting handicrafts and heritage arts that reflect the cultural diversity of the Egyptian civilisation. MSMEDA is also constantly working on developing its mechanisms to help business owners expand the exposure of their products, which can positively impact their growth and expansion, and increase their competitiveness locally and globally, the minister explained.

For his part, El-Sahy said that supporting such businesses is a fundamental part of Amazon Egypts work and an extension of its customer-centric culture.

In fact, more than 50 percent of everything sold in Amazons stores globally comes from third-party sellers, most of which are small and medium-sized businesses. Partnering with MSMEDA will help us highlight Egypts rich handicrafts heritage, adding valuable selection to customers shopping on Amazon.eg, El-Sahy expounded.

We will continue to support Egypts vision for economic diversification and digitalisation, acting as a key partner in the countrys path to progress in todays digital economy. This partnership is a key milestone in our ongoing efforts to champion small businesses within our local communities. We are confident that our efforts with MSMEDA will encourage more Egyptian entrepreneurs to sell on Amazon.eg, as they choose to grow their businesses with us, El-Sahy said.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi is meeting Sudans military leader Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan on Wednesday in Cairo, to take part in a series of discussions on the political front to seek a way out of the Sudanese crisis.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry will also meet UN Special Envoy for Sudan Volker Perthes as well as a high-level Sudanese delegation that are scheduled to meet with a number of Egyptian leaders, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Tuesday.

Perthes seeks to consult with Sudans stakeholders to establish a national dialogue that could yield a way out of the countrys political crisis.

Egypt has frequently expressed it keenness to help maintain its southern neighbours security and political stability. This includes reaching a consensus among all Sudanese parties towards managing the transitional period without foreign interference.

The two countries have intensified coordination and enhanced bilateral relations throughout the past decade, exchanging high-level visits, conducting several joint military exercises, and exchanging views on key issues of mutual concern.

Egypt and Sudan have also adopted similar visions on their dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), expressing fears over their water security due to Ethiopias unilateral filling and operation of the mega dam.

Moreover, both countries have condemned Ethiopias commencement of GERD operations as a breach to Addis Ababas international commitments and the Declaration of Principles signed in 2015.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypt condemns all acts of violence and terrorism targeting civilians, Ahmed Hafez  the official spokesperson for the foreign ministry  said in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement comes after a Palestinian gunman went on a rampage on Tuesday night, killing five people east of Tel Aviv before being fatally shot.

Israeli police forces said the attack took place at two locations, apparently by a gunman riding a motorcycle.

The attack took place two days after a shooting in the city of Hadera that left two police officers dead, and a week after a series of stabbing incidents in the southern city of Beersheba in which four people were killed.

The militant Islamic State group claimed responsibility for both attacks in the past week, in which the assailants were killed.

Egypt condemns any act of violence or terrorism, Hafez said, warning against the consequences of any escalation on both sides.

It will only add to the climate of congestion and frustration and further aggravate the situation, he added.

Only one day before the attack on Tuesday, a summit was held in Negev desert between the foreign ministers of Israel, the US, Egypt, the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco under the pretence of reducing tensions between Israel and Palestine in their decades-old conflict.

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.

Within this context, Shourky warned against practices of extra-regional interference in the affairs of other countries and highlighted the importance of facing terrorism and extremist thought from its roots.

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 the 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 tranquillity during this very sensitive and important time.

The summit came amid Israeli and some Arab countries concerns regarding Irans nuclear programme and interference in internal Arab affairs across the region.

However, the most recent shootings have raised concerns about stability in the region, shooting down any efforts at the summit to resolve the 75-year-old conflict that erupted in 1947.

Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq have held high-level meetings over the past year to review means of resuming the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, including a summit between the leaders of the three countries in Iraq last June.

Egypt, which brokered a ceasefire in May between Israel and Palestinian factions in Gaza to end 11 days of Israeli aggression on the enclave also hosted a summit with Jordan and Palestine in September to discuss the revival of the long-frozen talks.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Two murals by Mexican artist Enrique Chiu on the theme of migration were unveiled at Maqas Maqd of Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbey in historical Cairo on 28 March.

The murals are part of Chiu's Humanitarian Immigrant Project, supported by the Mexican Embassy in Cairo and the International Organisation for Migration.

Chiu is famous for having painted the Mural of Humanity on the northern border of Mexico.

The murals were unveiled by Ambassador of Mexico in Egypt Jose Octavio Trip, head of Mission of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Egypt Laurent de Boeck, Ambassador Mohamed Khairat, the assistant minister of Migration for International Cooperation, and Agnieska Dobrovolsk, director of the Arquinos Architecture Foundation.

Also in attendance were Ambassador of Argentina Eduardo Antonio Varela, Ambassador of Chile Pablo Arriaran, Ambassador of Ecuador Rafael Veintimilla, and Charge d' Affairs for Peru Eduardo Palacios Rangel.

During the event, the ambassadors of Bangladesh, Guatemala, and Sudan delivered speeches on migration in their respective regions.

Ambassador Trip stressed Mexico's commitment to preserving the dignity of migrants, pointing out that Mexico and Egypt are similar, having been a transit and a new home for migrants.

"Mexico is a country of origin, transit, destination and return. Our history is intimately linked with different migratory processes that continue to shape our identity. For our country, seeking the person's dignity is a fundamental part of the observation and administration of the migration process. The Migrant Humanity project is held in Egypt hand in hand with the International Organisation for Migration to make visible the importance of migration in the current world context. It includes a photographic and painting exhibition, the screening of the documentary A World Without Borders on 24 March at the Greek Campus in Cairo, and a live painting mural which was inaugurated at the Maqd of Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbay complex," said Ambassador Trip.

The murals were painted live over three days with the participation of IOM volunteers, migrants from Yemen, Eritrea and Ethiopia, and Egyptian residents in the district. The murals will remain in the same place as a dedication from Chiu.

The issue of migration is brilliantly depicted in the mural through different aspects. There are the natural elements, such as rivers (light blue), oceans (deep blue) and deserts (yellow and brown). Natural borders which migrants come across during their journey are represented by colours in the mural. Feet, ships, and planes are drawn to represent the ways in which migrants move.

There is also a representation of walls and borders with black and red stripes. Mayan and Aztec hieroglyphics frame the mural at Maqas Maqd of Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbay complex.

The Migrant Humanity exhibition comprises paintings and photographs that show the artist's creative process and the people involved. The pictorial work of Chiu is the result of experiences, perceptions, and personal emotions. The Migrant Humanity is an invitation to experience art and forget a precise analysis to interpret the images.

Born in Guadalajara in 1981, Chiu's mural at Mexico's northern border is an artistic intervention that achieves contemporaneity because the spectator, regardless of their age and nationality, reaches a dialogue with the artwork. The mural invites the viewer to his self-understanding and reveals his inner world. It allows communication without verbalising because through painting an identification link is achieved.

Each person, regardless of their origin, expresses their cultural identity in a specific way, resorting to their language and symbolism, managing to connect with their emotions.

The artwork is located in a particular geographical space, the border between Mexico and the United States. Still, the identification of the migratory phenomenon and the vicissitudes transcend time and space with shared emotions.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Hungary's foreign minister has accused Ukraine's leadership of attempting to interfere in the upcoming Hungarian election. His Ukrainian counterpart has denied the charge in an episode that put further strain on relations.

In a video on social media, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto claimed that there was ``ongoing coordination between the Hungarian left and representatives of the Ukrainian government,'' and that Ukraine was attempting to influence Hungary's April 3 election in favor of a coalition of opposition parties.

Szijjarto did not provide any evidence supporting the claim.

The statements came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made several recent comments that were harshly critical of the Hungarian government's approach to the war.

On Wednesday, Szijjarto claimed that Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, had contacted Ukraine's ambassador in Budapest to discuss how Ukraine could influence Hungary's election, in which Prime Minister Viktor Orban is seeking a fourth consecutive term.

But Kuleba told Ukrainian newspaper Evropeiska Pravda that ``we have never interfered in Hungary's internal affairs and especially not ahead of an election.''

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Starting 10 April (9 Ramadan), venues operating under the Ministry of Cultures Cultural Development Fund will offer a number of events that will take audiences on spiritual and traditional adventures during Ramadan evenings.

The first event will be marked by the inauguration of a calligraphy exhibition at Cairos northern wall in the Gamaleya district.

The exhibition will run till 23 April.

Furthermore, music and poetry activities will take place across numerous centres, many of which will be in historic buildings. These events will kick off on 12 April, starting with the Spiritual Nights of Shrines at El-Ghoury Dome.

In the days to follow, the same location will host the El-Tanoura Heritage Troupe, Harpist Manal Mohie El-Din, Ali El-Helbawy, El-Nour Wi El-Amal Orchestra, the Mawlawi Dervishes Ensemble, the Nazra Ensemble for Religious Chanting, and others.

Additionally, the Prince Taz Palace will host Amer El-Tuni and the Mawlawi Dervishes, followed by concerts by Wael El-Fashni, Radwa Saeed, oudist duo Ghassan and Dina, Sheikh Mahmoud El-Tohamy, the performances of the Bait El-Oud Orchestra, as well as the play Sahina Ya Sina, which was written by Khamis Ezz El-Arab and directed by Issam El-Shuwaikh.

The rest of the centres will also be witnessing a number of distinguished cultural activities and events, most notably the Bashtak Palace, which will host Angham Mostafa, Ibrahim Rashid, and the El-Khan Troupe.

Meanwhile El-Suhaimi House will feature the Qasr El-Ghouri Arabic Music Ensemble, Sheikh Zain Mahmoud, El-Haramlik Ensemble, Sheikh Mahmoud Al-Hadawi, and Sheikh Ihab Younis.

Throughout the holy month of Ramadan, the House of Arabic Poetry will present a number of evenings filled with music and literary gatherings, including recitations of Sufi poetry.

Moving on, the Oud House will host Tarek El-Azhari and Mario Said with their respective ensembles.

Furthermore, the Talaat Harb Cultural Centre will be availing its stage to a theatre play titled The Great Night along with a number of art workshops.

Special workshops aiming to boost childrens creativity in terms of calligraphy and storytelling will also be held at the Child Creativity Centre in Beit El-Ainy.

Additionally, the Egyptian Architectural House will hold an evening in which attendees will listen to readings of various books, such as The Trilogy of Ibn Tulun and The Architecture of the Ayyubid State in Egypt, alongside a photography exhibition of the Mawlids in El-Mahrousa.

In Alexandria, the Freedom Creativity Centres evenings will include concerts by Ali El-Helbawi, and the Mawlawi Dervishes.

The exact dates of each performance are available at the Cultural Development Funds website.

*Please note that there may be possible changes to the schedule during Ramadan.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad/Sabina Mammadli

The Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General's Office has put Russian State Duma member Mikhail Delyagin on the international wanted list, the office's press service reported on March 30.

The decision was made in light of Delyagin's recent media statements, which demonstrated a stance contrary to the principles of interaction between the two countries.

The Prosecutor-General's Office recalled in its statement that that on March 28 during a program broadcast on the Russia 1 TV channel, Delyagin, openly calling for an aggressive war against Azerbaijan, made a provocative statement about the use of tactical nuclear weapons to destroy the country's energy infrastructure and oil industry, and conducted a public opinion poll on the social media platform in this regard.

In this regard, on March 29, Azerbaijans Prosecutor General initiated a criminal case against Mikhail Delyagin, citing his actions as violating Criminal Code Articles 101.2 (open calls through the media and by an official to wage an aggressive war), 214.2.3 (threat of committing an act of terrorism with the use of firearms and objects used as weapons), 283.2.1 and 283.2.2 (incitement to national hatred by threatening to use force and using one's official position)

The preliminary investigation was also entrusted to the Investigation Department of the Prosecutor-General's Office, according to the statement.

Given sufficient evidence justifying charges brought against the accused, on March 29, 2022, Mikhail Delyagin was charged under the articles above, and through INTERPOL channels was put on the international wanted list with arrest imposed as a measure of restraint against him, the statement stressed.

Simultaneously, requests were made to the relevant competent authorities of a number of partner countries to ensure the accused's immediate detention upon his entry into their territory and his extradition to Azerbaijan for prosecution.

In a criminal case, intensive investigative efforts are still underway.

The Prosecutor-General's Office of Azerbaijan states that the measures provided for by law will be taken in connection with any provocative actions against the national interests, security and territorial integrity of our country, the statement added.

Earlier, the Azerbaijani embassy in Russia issued a statement saying that Delyagin's delusory and provocative speech caused widespread concern and dissatisfaction among Azerbaijanis, including embassy personnel.

The Azerbaijani ambassador to Russia, Polad Bulbuloglu, expressed the Azerbaijani public's dissatisfaction with the leadership of the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, which includes Russia 1 TV channel, and emphasized the inadmissibility of such incidents.

While commenting on Delyagins statement on March 29, the Russian president's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, urged him to control his emotions and refrain from making unfriendly statements against Azerbaijan.

Moreover, Peskov stressed that this statement does not correspond and cannot correspond to Russias official position.

The press secretary added that while Russia is making big efforts to maintain peace in Karabakh and is working for the sides to fulfill the obligations, Delyagin must refrain from such rhetoric.

During a traditional press briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova expressed solidarity with Peskov, stressing that such statements are unacceptable and irresponsible.

Zakharova added that Delyagins words do not reflect the position of Russia and its leadership, aimed at relations of alliance and strategic partnership with Azerbaijan.

She expressed confidence that the State Duma leadership will also assess such provocative statements in an appropriate manner.

Moreover, Oleg Shein, secretary of the presidium of A Just Russia party, member of the State Duma's III, IV, V, VI and VII convocations, sent a letter to Azerbaijani ambassador Polad Bulbuloglu.

In his letter, on behalf of Russian citizens having common sense, Shein apologized for the statements of his party member, State Duma member Delyagin.

Shein also stressed that most of his compatriots consider Azerbaijan a friendly country while the Azerbaijani people - are good neighbors.

Moreover, Shein, as one of the members representing the leadership of the party, stressed that the corresponding measures were taken to prevent such incidents in the future.

As a result of these efforts, Delyagin said that he took into account the advice given by the Russian officials, apologized for his statements, stressing that he took such a step for the sake of the show.
The amendment, which was approved by the Senate  Egypt's consultative upper house  on Sunday 27 March, has to be ratified by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to go into effect.

Abdel-Hadi El-Qasabi, chairman of the House's Social Solidarity Committee, said the legislative amendment to the law on the exercise of civil work will grant NGOs a timeframe to adjust their legal situation.

"This law's executive regulations were issued on 11 January 2021 and went into effect the next day," said El-Qasabi, indicating that "facts on the ground have, however, shown that many NGOs were not able to adjust their legal conditions within this one-year period, and so they were not able to hold their general assemblies as required by Article 7 of the law due to the anti-coronavirus protective measures, and so they were threatened with dissolution."

El-Qasabi also indicated that many NGOs were not able to familiarise themselves with the electronic system legalising and regulating their status, or to accommodate all the organisational procedures that must be met.

As a result, the legislative amendment to the 2019 law gives NGOs another grace period to adjust their legal conditions, El-Qasabi said.

The legislation amends Article 2 to state that civil society organisations, institutions, unions, regional and foreign NGOs and entities shall be allowed to adjust their conditions within six months, and this period shall be extended for another six months only upon a decision from the minister in charge of NGOs and civil work and after getting the cabinet's approval.

El-Qasabi also pointed out that "the amendment also reflects President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's call during the World Youth Forum last January to declare 2022 as the Year of Civil Society."

Egypt's National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) said in a statement in January that the extension was necessary to affirm the state's openness to enhancing the role of NGOs and their contribution to the community.

The NCHR asserted that the cabinets decision gives the opportunity to over 20,000 NGOs and civil society organisations to legalise their status, adding that only 31,000 NGOs out of 54,000 were able to settle their legal status before the initial deadline of 12 January.

Some governorates only saw 35 percent of their operating NGOs able to legalise their status, it added.

MP Talaat Abdel-Qawi, chairman of the general union of NGOs and civil society organisations, said the legislative amendment gives a good opportunity for NGOs to adjust their legal situation.

MP Inas Abdel-Halim said around 40,000 NGOs were threatened with dissolution because they failed to adjust their legal conditions.

MP Soliman Wahdan, the spokesperson of the Wafd Party, said the legislative amendment will open the door for 22,000 NGOs to adjust their legal conditions in order to be able to play their roles in achieving the country's sustainable development.

Wafdist MP and journalist Mohamed Abdel-Alim warned that there should be stricter supervision on NGOs that obtain funding from the United States and the European Union, "as this kind of foreign money and funding spread everywhere like cancer in Egypt, and for a long time in the past, targeting political parties and certain institutions and aiming to manipulate internal political conditions in Egypt," said Abdel-Alim, recommending that the "funding of NGOs should be limited to national sources only."

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypt's parliament gave the thumbs up on Wednesday for a government-drafted law on providing insurance to EgyptAir to offset the difficulties faced by the national airline amid the Ukraine crisis.

The law, which was approved by the House's Budget Committee on Sunday, allows the finance minister to provide EgyptAir with an insurance guarantee covering risks  such as wars and hijacking  that it might face due to operating flights to and from Russia.

Fakhri El-Fiqi, chairman of the House's Budget Committee, read out a report on the law, saying that the EgyptAir Holding Company "has recently faced a number of crises, at the top of which is the breakout of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, which had a disastrous impact on the world transport industry."

El-Fiqi explained that the Russia-Ukraine war has led to the European Union imposing sanctions against Russia that include banning European insurance and reinsurance companies from providing insurance or paying compensations to certain Russian individuals or entities. The report added that EgyptAir has stopped its flights to Russia since 2 March due to the EU sanctions.

El-Fiqi explained that the European Union law forced Egypt's Misr Insurance Company to stop providing insurance to EgyptAir's flights to and from Russia.

"Due to this, EgyptAir tried to seek alternative insurance from Russian companies, but they declined on the grounds that they cannot cover non-Russian airlines," said El-Fiqi, adding that "in the end, EgyptAir asked the government to allow the Ministry of Finance give it the insurance guarantee necessary to help it operate flights to and from Russian airports."

El-Fiqi said the insurance provided by the finance ministry will help EgyptAir meet the obligations that might arise from operating flights to and from Russian airports.

The Budget Committee's report said the draft law is in line with Article 127 of Egypt's 2014 constitution, which states that "the executive authority may not obtain a loan or funding or engage in a project that is not listed in the approved state budget which entails expenditure from the state treasury within a subsequent period, except with the approval of the House of Representatives."

The law allows the finance minister  on behalf of the republic  to provide insurance for the risks that EgyptAir may face due to operating flights to and from Russia, including accidents resulting either from normal flight conditions or due to wars or hijacking. The law also states that the insurance guarantee will begin from the date the law goes into effect and for two years, or when the cabinet declares it concluded.

Parliament speaker Hanafi Gibali also announced that the government has decided to withdraw amendments to the income tax law for further study. The draft law, which would impose a new tax on the sale or handling of real estate properties or construction land contracts, was rejected by MPs in a plenary session on 22 February upon the grounds that it places financial burdens on citizens.

Speaker Gibali indicated that due to MPs' rejection of the amendment, it will be referred back to the Budget Committee to study it and take MPs' remarks into account.

At the end of Wednesday's debate, speaker Gibali announced that the House's next plenary sessions will be held on 17 April.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Iraqi lawmakers Wednesday failed for a third time to elect a new national president for lack of a quorum, officials said, prolonging the war-scarred country's political crisis.

The continued failure by parliament to elect a president after last year's elections reflects a deep schism between Shia political groupings, with one bloc boycotting proceedings.

"The assembly adjourned its session until further notice," the parliament's press service said without giving a new date.

Iraq's federal court has given lawmakers until April 6 to choose a new president.

If that deadline is missed, said political scientist Hamza Haddad, "we could reach a point where new elections are decided to break the deadlock".

The judiciary can only determine "a violation of the constitution" and cannot take any initiative to break the political deadlock, according to legal expert Ahmed al-Soufi.

A parliamentary source told AFP that only 178 out of 329 lawmakers were present in parliament Wednesday, far short of the two-thirds quorum required for the vote.

As in the previous two aborted votes, last Saturday and February 7, Wednesday's session was boycotted by a major Shia coalition bloc in parliament.

Half a year after October 2021 legislative elections, Iraq still does not have a new president or prime minister, keeping the country in a state of political paralysis.

Parliamentarians must first elect the head of state, by convention a member of the Kurdish minority, with a two-thirds majority. The president then appoints the head of government, a post still held by Mustafa al-Kadhemi, who headed the previous government.

- 'Little appetite' -

Among the 40 candidates for the presidency, two are considered the frontrunners: incumbent Barham Saleh, of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and Rebar Ahmed of the rival Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

On February 13, Iraq's supreme court ruled out a presidential bid by KDP-backed veteran politician Hoshyar Zebari, after a complaint filed against him over years-old, untried corruption charges.

Iraqi politics were thrown into turmoil following October's election, which was marred by record low turnout, post-vote threats and violence, and a months-long delay before the final results were confirmed.

The largest political bloc, led by firebrand Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr, had backed Zebari for the presidency before moving its support to Ahmed.

The failed votes in parliament have underscored the gulf in Iraqi politics between Sadr, the general election's big winner, and the powerful Coordination Framework, which called the boycotts.

The Coordination Framework includes former premier Nuri al-Maliki's party and the pro-Iran Fatah Alliance -- the political arm of the Shia-led former paramilitary group Hashed al-Shaabi.

Alongside backing Ahmed for the presidency, Sadr intends to entrust the post of prime minister to his cousin and brother-in-law Jaafar Sadr, Iraq's ambassador to Britain.

That prospect is unpalatable for the Coordination Framework.

Sadr on Wednesday ruled out any compromise, warning that a consensus government would spell the "death" of Iraq.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypt has offered its condolences over the death of eight UN peacekeepers from Pakistan, Russia and Serbia in a helicopter crash in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Eight members of the UN Stabilisation Mission in Congo were killed when a UN helicopter crashed in North Kivu province.

In a statement on Wednesday, Egypts Ministry of Foreign Affairs extended its "sincere condolences" to Pakistan, Russia and Serbia, as well as to the family of the victims.

The ministry asserted its full solidarity with the UN mission in Congo in its efforts to contribute to achieving stability in the country, the statement said.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Russia's invasion of Ukraine is having a "deadly" impact and threatening security in the Arab world, particularly through spiraling wheat prices, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Algiers Wednesday.

He was speaking on the final leg of a trip that began with an unprecedented summit in an Israeli kibbutz, attended by Blinken and the foreign ministers of Egypt, the Jewish state, and three Arab countries that normalized ties with it in 2020.

Addressing journalists in Algiers, he said that while Russia's invasion of Ukraine seemed distant, it has already had "deadly consequences for citizens in the region".

"It's having a direct impact on their lives right now, particularly with regard to rising food prices... especially wheat," he said.

This poses "grave threats to security" in Arab countries, he added.

North African nations are heavily dependent on wheat imports and Blinken earlier said they were facing "disaster" over the massive shock the war dealt to already tight supplies.

Both Russia and Ukraine are major wheat producers, and Moscow also exports vast amounts of oil and gas.

Blinken said there was "a clear aggressor and a clear victim" in the Ukraine conflict.

"It's important to stand with the victim and to stand for the principles that have also been violated," he said.

Blinken met Algeria's President Abdelmadjid Tebboune after holding talks with Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra.

It was his first visit as a top US diplomat to the North African country, a Moscow ally, and a major gas producer that has faced calls to boost exports to Europe after prices soared.

But Blinken made no mention of that subject during a press conference after his meetings on Wednesday.

Soured Ties

The top US diplomat had flown in on Wednesday morning from Algeria's arch-rival Morocco, which in 2020 normalized ties with Israel under a deal that sparked renewed tensions between Algiers and Rabat over the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

Relations between Washington and Algiers had also soured as a result of Morocco's normalization deal, brokered under then-president Donald Trump.

As a quid pro quo for normalization, the Trump administration recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, a phosphate-rich desert territory where Algeria has long backed the Polisario independence movement.

In Rabat on Tuesday, Blinken had voiced support for a Moroccan autonomy plan for the Western Sahara, which he described as "serious, credible and realistic".

In Algiers on Wednesday, he refrained from mentioning the Moroccan plan, instead of voicing Washington's support for United Nations mediation.

"We're very focused on diplomacy and on advancing a resolution through diplomacy," he said, insisting that there had been "no changes" in Washington's position.

US 'Values' UAE Ties

Officials in Algeria, a longtime supporter of the Palestinian cause, have voiced concerns over Morocco's normalization with Israel, particularly over the possibility their rival could access advanced Israeli military technology.

Blinken on Wednesday re-emphasized that the normalization process was "not a substitute for dealing with the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians" and reaching a two-state solution.

Israel was keen to cast its summit, attended by the foreign ministers of Morocco, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, as an alliance of powers against its arch-foe Iran.

Bahrain and the UAE were the other countries to strike normalisation deals with Israel in the last months of the Trump administration.

Israel is fighting a regional shadow war against Iran and accuses it of seeking a nuclear bomb, something Tehran denies.

The summit in Israel came after the UAE has come under cross-border missile and drone attacks from Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Blinken said Wednesday that during talks with the UAE's de facto ruler -- Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed -- the day before he had expressed his support.

"One of the things I made very clear to him is the value that we attach to that partnership," he said.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypt's First Lady Entissar El-Sisi visited the headquarters and operations room of the Egyptian Red Crescent, where she reviewed the organisation's activities as well as the efforts exerted by its volunteers.

On her official page on social media, the president's wife wrote, Today, I visited the operations room of the Egyptian Red Crescent, which is considered a great symbol of social work in Egypt.

She also hailed the great efforts and humanitarian role played by the Egyptian Red Crescent.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The Sovereign Fund of Egypt, in cooperation with the Saudi Public Investment Fund, aims to attract investments worth $10 billion during the coming period, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Wednesday.

Madbouly made the comments after the cabinet approved on Wednesday a draft investment agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia on the Saudi Public Investment Fund.

Madbouly said that this is part of a package of Saudi projects that will be established in Egypt and will be announced as soon as possible.

Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala Al-Saeed, who is also the chairman of the Sovereign Fund of Egypt, signed the draft agreement.

The agreement aims to lure foreign investments, localise modern technologies in the Egyptian economy, and transfer expertise related to the Fund's investments in Egypt in a way that enhances the trade volume between Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Essam bin Saeed, a member of the Saudi Cabinet and Minister of State for Shura Council Affair, said the investments of the Saudi fund will include several sectors such as in education, healthcare, agriculture, development, and the financial sector.

"It is true that the sovereign fund has commercial entities, but be fully confident that we are working on a partnership with Egypt that achieves growth in all fields," he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia deposited $5 billion in the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) as part of the rigid bonds and close cooperative relations between the two countries and as a gesture of confirmation of their deep-rooted relations, according to Saudi state news agency SPA.

This comes a month after President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi paid a visit to Riyad, where he met with Saudi Arabias King Salman to discuss boosting cooperation and coordination between the countries on several fronts with the aim to protect Arab security.

Egypt and Saudi Arabia have closely coordinated on regional and international issues since El-Sisi took office in 2014, with the two sides regularly holding top-level meetings.

Egypt signed in 2019 three financial agreements with Saudi Arabia to provide EGP 125 million to boost financial leasing for small and medium sized enterprises, under the Saudi Fund for Development.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypt and Sudan announced on Wednesday they would continue consultation and coordination regarding the developments to do with the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and that both nations consider water a matter of national security.

In a joint statement following talks between Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Sudans military leader Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan earlier on Wednesday in Cairo, the two countries reiterated their wish to reach a fair and legally binding agreement with Ethiopia on the filling and operation policies of the GERD that achieves the common interests of all parties.

In February, Ethiopia announced that it began generating power from the GERD, which Egypt condemned and described as another unilateral move by Addis Ababa. Both Cairo and Khartoum have been negotiating with Ethiopia for 10 years now to reach a legally binding agreement on the rules for filling and operating the GERD, but Addis Ababa has repeatedly refused to sign any such deal.

Concerning Libya, El-Sisi and Al-Burhan stressed on the importance of safeguarding Libyas stability and the unity of its territories, and expressed their total support for reaching a Libyan-Libyan political solution without foreign dictates or interventions.

The two leaders also said that it is important that foreign forces exit Libya within a specific timeframe in accordance with UN resolutions, and that the 5+5 military committee should continue its work and all parties should to be committed to the ceasefire to protect Libyas security and stability.

Regarding bilateral relations between Egypt and Sudan, both El-Sisi and Al-Burhan expressed their satisfaction with the current coordination between the two sides, asserting the importance of boosting economic relations and increasing commercial exchange.

The two leaders also discussed maximising efforts to achieve agricultural integration as well as the railway and electrical interconnection between the two countries, as well as deepening cooperation on the security and military levels.

The statement also said that Egypt will continue to send aid packages and logistical and humanitarian support to Sudan, in addition to providing technical support and activating all bilateral cooperation programs.

El-Sisi and Al-Burhan also discussed the latest developments concerning the Sudanese community in Cairo, which is considered one of the oldest and biggest communities in Egypt, the statement said.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed in a telephone call on Wednesday the latest developments in the Ukrainian-Russian talks with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Egyptian presidency announced.

El-Sisi reiterated in the telephone call he received from Zelensky the need to prioritise dialogue and diplomatic solutions to settle the crisis, stressing Egypt's support for all efforts to reach a peaceful solution either at the bilateral, regional or international level.

This is the second call El-Sisi received from Zelensky, and the first was eight days ago.

In early March, Egypt was among the 141 countries that voted for a UN resolution at the General Assembly calling for a halt to Russias invasion of Ukraine and an immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from its western neighbour.

Egypt also called at the General Assembly for a quick political solution to the Russia-Ukraine crisis through peaceful means, warning of the impact of the crisis on the fragile global economy.

In early March, President El-Sisi voiced in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin Egypt's readiness to support the diplomatic endeavours that would facilitate reaching a political settlement between Russia and Ukraine to end the conflict and preserve international security and stability.

Cairo and Kyiv enjoy distinguished economic relations, with Egypt receiving 30 percent of its imported wheat from Ukraine before the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi attaches special importance to preserving Egyptian families and improving citizens quality of life across various spheres, affirmed Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine El-Qabbaj.

During a meeting held on Wednesday with Middle East News Agency (MENA), the minister discussed the National Family Development Project, which was launched by El-Sisi with the aim of securing a decent life for all citizens.

The Ministry of Social Solidarity is keen on supporting Egypts most impoverished and vulnerable segments, as part of the presidents directives in this regard, added the minister.

She also said that several categories have been included in the ministrys support programmes, adding that great attention is being given to amending the needed legislation to protect kafala families.

Most of those covered by the social protection umbrella have been included in the Takaful and Karama Programme, except about 300,000 families, said the minister.

The programme now includes new segments of society, including breadwinners, those above 65 years old, people with disabilities, people suffering from illness, and orphans, she added.

Further segments will eventually become part of the programme include unmarried women who reached 50 years of age, and professions that need urgent support for a limited amount of time, like fishermen who are forced to temporarily suspend their work.

Al-Qabbaj added that efforts are underway to issue a unified law and programme for social aid to include all eligible citizens.

Regarding the suggested legislative amendments that aim to support kafala mothers, the minister affirmed that these amendments mainly aim to make adoption more accessible and widespread.

Mothers who adopt a baby in their very first months need privileges and legal rights that allow them to provide the necessary care for the infant, she went on to say.

Currently, adoptive mother cannot travel without requesting prior approval from the ministry, she said, adding that social and sporting clubs also do not allow adopted children to be given membership.

We are exerting painstaking efforts on the legislative front to ensure that children and foster parents are protected against all forms of discrimination and that everyones rights are preserved, said El-Qabbaj.

The minister also stressed that foster parents have the full right to feel close familial ties with these children.

Presidential directives in this respect will greatly contribute to solving these problems, she went on to say.

The minister also discussed the ministrys efforts in supporting female breadwinners and individuals with special needs.

The ministry has increased its allocations to people with special needs to EGP 5 billion, representing 27% of all cash support.

El-Qabbaj added that female breadwinners obtain 19% of all cash support.

Women constitute about 75% of the total beneficiaries of the ministrys social programme, she added.

El-Qabbaj also emphasised that her ministry is very keen on supporting and maximising womens rights.

We are cooperating with the relevant organisations in order to provide all support to women, she affirmed.

Moreover, the ministry is keen on supporting Egypts most vulnerable women to enable them to overcome any difficulties they may face.

Consequently, new centres affiliated with the ministry dubbed Working Women Centres have been established to provide the necessary care for the elderly and people with special needs; a matter which will alleviate the burden on women, she further said.

Centre are equipped to provide training in several areas, give out loans, and create opportunities for Egyptian women to work from home, empowering women economically.

The minister also said that she unequivocally supports working women, adding that development in Egyptian society is based on female empowerment by providing them with the necessary potentials.

Regarding violence against women, El-Qabbaj said that her ministry has established nine specialised centres to support victims of domestic abuse so far.

It also established the first centre for victims of human trafficking to support women who experience difficult family conditions.

When asked about the social solidarity ministrys role in the Decent Life Presidential Initiative, El-Qabbaj said that her ministry has developed the first database of poor families in Egypt, noting that the database includes 9.5 million families that consist of 35 million citizens.

Furthermore, she explained that the number of beneficiaries of cash support rose from 1.68 million families in 2014 to 3.8 million in 2021, representing a 21% increase.

Following the directives of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, the number of beneficiaries is expected to increase to 4.2 million families, she added.

Additionally, the annual budget of the cash subsidy programme increased from EGP 3.7 billion in 2014 to EGP 19 billion in 2021.

El-Qabbaj also pointed out that about three million Meeza cards were issued for citizens receiving subsidies, and 200,000 cards were issued for those benefiting from micro-enterprises.

Furthermore, President El-Sisi approved a 13 percent increase in pensions that will be applied in April rather than July.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


By Trend

Azerbaijan will host an international conference on March 31 and April 1 to globally discuss the problem with mined territories and de-mining, Trend reports.

The event will be organized by the United Nations Development Program and Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA).

The conference participants are expected to visit Aghdam, the ANAMA regional mobile field camp, hold a briefing at the Special Representative Office of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the territories liberated from Armenias occupation, which are part of the Karabakh economic region.

The conference participants will also visit the territories, where the de-mining work is being carried out.

The panel discussions on the global efforts in de-mining, as well as current challenges and opportunities, the application of best practices in Azerbaijan will be held on the second day of the conference.
The United States sanctioned Iranian defense companies Wednesday after a spate of ballistic missile attacks on targets in Iraq and the Gulf.

The US and Iran's neighbors blame that country for a March 13 strike on Irbil, Iraq, and for repeated missile strikes into Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates by Iranian-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen.

On Friday, a Houthi missile strike set ablaze a Saudi Aramco oil storage site, prompting warnings from angry Saudi leaders that the attacks threatened the stability of the world oil market.

Even as the US carries out indirect negotiations with Iran for reviving limits on Iran's nuclear program, it will keep up penalties against those involved in Iran's ballistic missile production, Treasury Undersecretary Brian Nelson said in announcing the sanctions.

``We will also work with other partners in the region to hold Iran accountable for its actions, including gross violations of the sovereignty of its neighbors,'' Nelson said in a statement.

The Treasury Department said Wednesday's sanctions target an Iran-based procurement agent and his companies, which helped acquire propellant-related materials for the missile research program of Iran's Revolutionary Guard; an Iranian defense company; and an Iranian intermediary who also helped in the development of missile propellant.

The sanctions were authorized under an existing executive order targeting producers and supporters of weapons of mass destruction.

The penalties allow the US to block the assets of the sanctioned people and entities, and to prosecute others who do business with them.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been at war against Iranian-backed Houthi fighters who have seized much of northern Yemen.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for the March 13 strike on Erbil and alleged it was targeting an Israeli strategic center there.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Tunisia's President Kais Saied announced Wednesday that he was dissolving the country's parliament, eight months after suspending it in a July power grab.

"Today, at this historic moment, I announce the dissolution of the Assembly of Representatives of the people, to preserve the state and its institutions," he said.

Related Tunisia police blockade dissolved judicial watchdog

He made the announcement at a meeting of the National Security Council, hours after parliamentarians held a plenary session online and voted through a bill against his "exceptional measures".

Saied denounced parliament's move as a "coup attempt" and said those responsible had "betrayed" the nation.

The former law professor, elected in 2019 amid public anger against the political class, on July 25 last year sacked the government, froze the assembly and seized wide-ranging powers.

He later gave himself powers to rule and legislate by decree and seized control over the judiciary in what rivals saw as further blows to democracy in the birthplace of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.

Saied's moves were initially welcomed by many Tunisians sick of the often stalemated political system that emerged from a revolution that overthrew longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

But an increasing array of critics say he has moved the country, which also faces a grinding economic crisis, down a dangerous path back towards autocracy.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Britain is withdrawing its judges from Hong Kong's top court, with the government saying Wednesday that remaining would ``legitimize oppression.''

British judges have sat on the court since the former British colony was returned to China in 1997.

A national security law was imposed on Hong Kong in 2020, prompting complaints that Beijing was eroding the autonomy that had been promised when the former British colony returned to China in 1997 _ and ruining its status as a trade and financial center.

Pro-democracy figures have been imprisoned. They include Jimmy Lai, the 74-year-old former publisher of the Apple Daily newspaper, which shut down under government pressure, and organizers of candlelight memorials of the party's deadly 1989 crackdown on a pro-democracy movement.

The government said it was ``no longer tenable for serving U.K. judges'' to sit on the Court of Final Appeal because of the increasingly oppressive laws enacted by China.

The two British judges on the court submitted their resignations on Wednesday.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss says that ``since the National Security Law was imposed, authorities have cracked down on free speech, the free press and free association. ``

``The situation has reached a tipping point where it is no longer tenable for British judges to sit on Hong Kong's leading court, and would risk legitimizing oppression,'' Truss said.

She said the decision to pull British judges out out after many years in Hong Kong was taken by the British government in consultation with the head of the U.K. Supreme Court.

Conservative lawmaker Iain Duncan Smith, a longtime critic of the government in Beijing said ``the government has done the right thing here, and not a minute too soon.''

He said the presence of British judges was ``lending legitimacy to a regime hellbent on undermining our way of life.''

Search Keywords:

Short link:


With Taraweeh prayers and Iftar banquets permitted after a two-year ban, Egyptians will celebrate Ramadan the traditional way.

Ramadan is expected to begin on 2 April and for the first time in three years will be celebrated by Egyptians without the heavy shadow cast by strict protective measures against Covid-19.

Anti-coronavirus restrictions which have been in place since 2020 will be completely lifted, said Minister of Waqf [religious endowments] Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa.

During Ramadan, we will open 64 new mosques to accommodate the increasing number of worshippers at this time of year. Gomaa added that mosques will be sanitised in order to receive citizens and hold prayers in a secure atmosphere.

Though night prayers (Taraweeh) will be allowed during Ramadan for the first time in two years, the ministry has stipulated that they must not exceed half an hour, should be held directly after evening prayers (Ishaa), and precautionary measures such as social distancing and mask wearing must be observed.

Friday prayers will continue as usual, with a limit of 20 minutes placed on the Friday sermon.

Gomaa also confirmed that female prayer halls in mosques will be re-opened during Ramadan 2022, ending a ban in place since 2020, and that religious lessons can once again be held following afternoon prayers provided that they are delivered by moderate clerics. We will never allow mosques to be turned into fertile ground for extremist thoughts, he said.

Gomaa cautioned, however, that bans on late-night Tahajjud prayers and on Itikaf (mosque retreats during the last 10 days of Ramadan) will remain in place for the third consecutive year.

Cabinet Spokesperson Nader Saad revealed that charity Iftar banquets  Mawaed El-Rahman (Tables of the Merciful)  will be back for the first time in two years. Such banquets offer hot meals free of charge to poor people so they may break their fast. Celebrations will also be allowed in closed venues in hotels with some precautions and, with most anti-coronavirus protective measures eased or removed for Ramadan, coffee shops and restaurants will be able to remain open until 2am from 1 April.

Acting Health Minister and Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said Covid-19 infections had declined over the past five weeks from 2,000 to less than 700 a day.

Abdel-Ghaffar added that almost 33 million people have been fully vaccinated against the virus, with 76.5 million doses of vaccine and just under two million booster shots administered.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 31 March, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The Russian defense ministry announced a ceasefire starting Thursday morning in Ukraine's besieged port city of Mariupol to allow civilians to be evacuated.

"For this humanitarian operation to succeed, we propose to carry it out with the direct participation of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross," the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The White House has pledged an additional $500 million in direct aid for Ukraine as the Russian invasion grinds on.

US President Joe Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a 55-minute call Wednesday that the additional aid was on its way.

The leaders also reviewed security aid already delivered to Ukraine and the effects that weaponry has had on the war, according to the White House.

Zelesnkyy has pressed the Biden administration and other Western allies to provide Ukraine with military jets.

The US and other NATO countries have thus far been unwilling to accommodate that request out of concern it could lead to Russia broadening the war beyond Ukraine's borders.

Prior to Wednesday's announcement of $500 million in aid, the Biden administration had sent Ukraine about $2 billion in humanitarian and security assistance since the start of the war last month.

That's all part of the $13.6 billion that Congress approved earlier this month for Ukraine as part of a broader spending bill.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Olga Panchenko, 65, lives with about 20 other locals in a dimly lit basement shelter on a housing estate in northeastern Kharkiv.

She ventures out just twice a day, climbing the six floors to the family's tower block flat, with food for her husband and adult son.

Her husband had a stroke and is paralysed down one side. Her son "lost his mind after an accident" and has to be watched constantly in case he wanders off.

The men are stuck in the flat, in striking distance of Russian shells. They have no electricity or water. The windows are shattered and the curtains hang in sad tatters from the frames.

Saltivka, a run-down suburb in Kharkiv's district number five, is now a ghost town of blackened rubble, mangled playground swings, the unstable carcasses of bombed-out tenement blocks.

Most of the locals have fled the incessant Russian air strikes -- all save a handful who are too old, too unwell or too disabled. Besides, they have nowhere to go.

Russian forces have thrown their full weight at Saltivka, pounding it almost daily since they invaded Ukraine on February 24.

Why here? Saltivka is closer to the rich black soil of the surrounding fields than to the centre of Ukraine's second-largest city.

But a Ukrainian air defence unit was stationed on the edge of the neighbourhood in the early days of the conflict and Ukrainian troops have been firing rocket launchers at the Russians from the vicinity.

'Where are the Nazis?'

Galyna Malakhova, 63, is one of the rare locals not to have moved out. She whiles away the days in her ground-floor flat with her two dogs, Rita and Mafa.

"It's dark and cold in here without electricity," she says apologetically, pulling her woollen coat closer round her.

Sitting on her worn settee under the benevolent gaze of postcard Orthodox icons, she recalls her lucky escape from the missile that rammed the building. It shattered the door of the flat opposite and destroyed the water pipes in the street.

When there is a pause in the shelling, she picks her way around the sodden mattress in the mud outside her door to feed the local cats. They, too, have been left to their fate.

"At first I was petrified. Now I'm a bit used to it," Malakhova says. "When the bombing gets too fierce, I hide in the bathroom. I don't know what's happening outside."

Outside, there is a pause in the shelling. Two hooded silhouettes are stationed in the well of a staircase, in case anyone tries to ransack the abandoned flats.

A man hovers at the entrance to his underground shelter, drawing nervously on a cigarette. His eyes are red with fatigue.

It is dark and dank inside, in the entrails of what was a school just a month ago. You have to stoop to avoid banging your head on the heating pipes.

Forms appear in the candle-lit gloom. A dazed old man behind a school desk, still as a statue. Shapes in blankets huddled on school benches.

Haggard and wan, these locals haven't been outside for days.

"We don't know where to go and we've no idea how to get out of here," says Vadim, one of the rare youngsters in the group. Yevgen, 18, sits nearby with his mother, forlornly stroking his cat.

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the invasion was needed to "de-Nazify" Ukraine. But that doesn't wash with the people hiding under the school.

"Where are the Nazis here?" one elderly woman scoffs angrily.

Just 'staying alive'

There are 20 or so people living in the shelter. Some managed to salvage a few meagre possessions from home, but they depend for food on volunteers prepared to risk a run for it.

When the power cuts out, they light a fire in the basement to cook.

Two locals died when a rocket landed in front of the school. Roman, 38 and already an army veteran, points to the dried blood stain on the playground wall.

Like Panchenko, others basement residents have relatives trapped in their homes, too frail or ill to negotiate the tower block stairs. The lifts stopped working ages ago.

It takes Panchenko's husband a while to reach their flat door, but he greets visitors with a quiet smile.

"No, I'm not frightened. In any case, I can't get downstairs fast, so..." His voice trails off.

"We count the days and nights," Panchenko says, "and just stay thankful for every day we're still alive".

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The UN human rights chief says her office is looking into allegations that some residents of the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol have been forcibly evacuated to areas controlled by Russian forces or to Russia itself.

Speaking to the UN's Human Rights Council on Wednesday, Michelle Bachelet decried a life of ``sheer terror'' for people in the southeastern port city since Russia's invasion on Feb. 24.

Ukraine has charged that Russian forces were forcibly taking people from Mariupol and other areas to Russia. Moscow has denied the claims, saying about 500,000 Ukrainians left for Russia voluntarily.

Bachelet said her office also is reviewing ``credible allegations'' that Russian forces have used cluster munitions 24 times and allegations that Ukrainian forces also have done so.

She says the office also received allegations that two civilians affiliated with Russian armed forces, or backing pro-Russian views, had been killed. She criticized the ``widespread'' detention of civilians who openly support Ukraine in areas under Russian control.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The German government said Wednesday it was triggering the early warning level for gas supplies amid concerns that Russia could cut off supplies unless it is paid in rubles.

Western nations have rejected the Russian demand for ruble payments, arguing it would undermine the sanctions imposed against Moscow over the war in Ukraine.

``There have been several comments from the Russian side that if this (payments in rubles) doesn't happen, then the supplies will be stopped,'' Economy Minister Robert Habeck said. ``In order to be prepared for this situation I have today triggered the early warning level.''

Habeck, who is also Germany's energy minister and vice chancellor, told reporters that this was the first of three warning levels and entailed the establishment of a crisis team in his ministry that will step up monitoring of the gas supply situation.

The measure was a precautionary one and Germany's gas storages are currently filled to about 25% capacity, he said.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine and Turbocharger (MHIET), a part of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group, has introduced its new MGS-R Series of diesel generator sets mainly developed to support the growing needs of the digital economy, primarily targeting data centers across Asian and Middle Eastern markets.

The new series also serves as a reliable backup power solution for commercial facilities such as shopping malls and office buildings.

Mitsubishi Generator model MGS-R is the first upgrade to MHIET's diesel generator set lineup in over two decades following the MGS-B models introduced in 2000.

The new series features 21 models that cover all rating categories. Some of them were released last November, while the remaining models will be introduced in sequence by year-end.

The new series provides outputs ranging from 500 to 2,750 kVA for 50Hz, and 460 to 2,000 kVA for 60Hz for standby offerings. With the recent modifications to turbocharger specifications and improvement on fuel system and exhaust system to the engine, all models in the series boasts 10-second start.

Newly adopting MHIET-made compact and high-power 12-cylinder engine on the 1,500kVA rating for 50Hz, the best-seller in the offerings, has made its installation area the smallest-in-class.

Furthermore, overhaul interval has been extended to more than double by examining how generator sets are operated at sites.

All models in the MGS-R series are compliant with the two leading industry standards: the ISO's Class G3, the organization's highest standard for generator sets; and the standards of National Fire Protection Association of the United States.

They also satisfy Tier 3 and Tier 4 standards by the Uptime Institute, a private sector organization that certifies the reliability and overall performance of data centers. These days more and more data center operators require high levels of quality compliance with various industry standards.

"At a time when reliable power is increasingly critical for commercial facilities such as data centers, we are pleased to announce that we have launched this new MGS-R Series," said Ichiro Ichihashi, the Senior General Manager, Engine & Energy Division of MHIET.

"Many generator sets manufacturers purchase engines from suppliers, but we manufacture engines ourselves as well as generator sets. I believe this is our strength and our value. I am confident of the reliability and dependability of our generator sets that have sold 12,000 units worldwide," he stated.

The MGS Series will be assembled at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine System Asia plant in Singapore. MHIET will continue expanding our MGS Series to meet the growing energy needs of customers in various industries including mission-critical applications.
Egypt and Djibouti officially inaugurated on Tuesday a direct flight route between the two countries for the first time, the Egyptian foreign ministry announced.

Egypts Assistant Foreign Minister for African Affairs, Ambassador Sherif Issa marked the inauguration by landing at DjiboutiAmbouli International Airport in the first direct air flight from Cairo.

Djibouti's Minister of Islamic Affairs and Awqaf Moamen Hassan Berri and Minister of Trade and Tourism Mohamed Warsama Dirieh received the Egyptian diplomat upon his arrival.

Berri stated the launch of the new direct flight route between the two countries is evidence of the ongoing momentum in bilateral relations following President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's visit to Djibouti in May 2021, and the Djiboutian president's visit to Cairo in February.

From his side, Ambassador Sherif Issa said that the launch of the new direct flight route will help advance bilateral cooperation. He also pointed to recent cooperation projects between Egypt and Djibouti, including a project to establish a logistics zone at the Free Zone of Djibouti (DFZ), opening a new branch of Egypt's Banque Misr and building an Egyptian pediatric and gynecologic hospital.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


All Japanese social studies textbooks for first-year high schoolers will assert Tokyo's flimsy colonial claim to Korea's Dokdo islets from next year.

The claim is stressed by 30 high-school social studies textbooks newly authorized by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology on Tuesday.

Eighteen geography and civics textbooks also parrot the claim, which has become a rallying point for rightwingers in the island country.

They describe the islets "occupied illegally by Korea" or "Japan's inherent territory." Twelve history textbooks purport to describe the "process of how the islets were absorbed as Japanese territory."

The Japanese government, led by the rightwing Liberal Democratic Party, issued teacher guidelines pushing the territorial claim in 2018, and textbook publishers now seem to have fallen in line.
The Japanese government has issued yet another directive in a creeping campaign to disclaim all responsibility for World War II atrocities by fiddling with the euphemism for wartime sex slaves.

The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology earlier this year decreed that school textbooks are no longer to refer to the Imperial Army's sex slaves as "military comfort women" but call them "comfort women" instead.

The aim is to conceal the fact that the Imperial Army itself was behind the drafting of Korean and other Asian women into sexual slavery. The Japanese revisionist right claims the victims were prostitutes and any abuses that took place were the fault of independent contractors rather than the Japanese government.

Tokyo has been tying itself into knots over the issue for decades. Following a Japanese government study in 1993, then-Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono made a famous statement that admitted that the Imperial Army forced women into prostitution at brothels run by the military during World War II.

The statement has hung like a millstone around the neck of subsequent rightwing governments. According to Japanese media, the Cabinet on April 27 declared it was in principle upholding the statement, but that it would be "preferable" to refer to the victims as "comfort women" or "ianfu," a euphemism for prostitutes, instead of "jugun ianfu" or "comfort women following the army."

The Cabinet was caving in to the demands of rightwing lawmakers who felt that mentioning "jugun" in the context besmirched the honor of the military.

At the same meeting, it also decided that it is improper to say wartime forced laborers from Korea were mobilized "by force" to work in Japanese manufacturing lines and mines. They are now described as "conscripted."

Following the Cabinet decision, 29 middle and high school textbooks will no longer use the terms. Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe created a new standard requiring a unified government view and Cabinet approval for the screening of school textbooks.

One textbook publisher decided to keep using the term "military comfort women" but add a note that the Japanese government believes "comfort women" to be the proper term.

Previous Japanese governments have acknowledged the role of the Imperial Army and apologized for the "deep wounds" it caused to the honor and dignity of the Korean victims. But since the mid-2000s, increasingly chauvinistic governments have tried to backpedal at every opportunity.
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine ended Tuesday with both sides stressing the importance of the negotiations and indicating a willingness to compromise.

Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, hosted the fifth round of Ukrainian and Russian peace talks. The Russian delegation described the more than four hours of talks as positive. Speaking to reporters after the talks, Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin pledged a reduction in military operations.

To increase mutual trust and aid negotiations, he said, a decision was made to reduce military activity in the Kyiv and Chernihiv areas.

The Russian delegation said further steps on reducing military operations would be discussed on their return to Moscow. Tuesday's talks focused on Russia's demand that Ukraine should become neutral and end its aspirations to join NATO. The Ukrainian delegation proposed that eight countries should guarantee its security, including Poland, Israel, and Turkey, in exchange for neutrality.

Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak, speaking to reporters, said international guarantors are key to accepting neutrality.

He said intensive consultations are underway on various issues, the most important of which is agreement on international security guarantees for Ukraine. That agreement, Podolyak added, is necessary to end the war.
Korean travelers can now enter 39 countries without having to self-isolate on arrival, according to travel agency Hana Tour.

Korean travelers can enter 26 of the countries without showing proof of vaccination. The countries with the most relaxed rules are mostly in Europe, including Britain, France and Switzerland. But some still require a negative COVID-19 test result.
President-elect Yoon Seok-youl spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the phone on Tuesday.

They discussed issues pending between the two countries during the conversation, according to the office of Yoon's spokesperson.

No details of the call were made public, however. "It is difficult to provide details of their conversation because Ukraine is currently in a state of war," the spokesperson said.

It is speculated that Zelenskyy asked Yoon to support Ukraine's effort to repel the invasion of his country by Russia.

"Thanked the people of the Republic of Korea for their support of Ukraine," Zelensky tweeted after the phone conversation. "Wished the President-elect success in his future responsible activities and expressed conviction in further fruitful cooperation!"
The U.S. staged an aerial show of force by scrambling several dozen stealth fighters at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska last Friday, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Monday.

The so-called "elephant walk" coincided with the South Korean military's similar exercise the same day, just a day after North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, the first since November 2017.

The elephant walk refers to the close formation of military aircraft before takeoff.

The coinciding drills of the South Korean and U.S. militaries can be seen as part of concerted efforts to suppress further provocations by North Korea, as well as a response to its latest ICBM launch.

But a military spokesman here said, "There was no coordination with the U.S. to conduct the same exercise on the same day."


Japan will remove the word "forced" from any reference to conscription or mobilization in support of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II from new high school textbooks to be introduced there next year.

It is yet another bid by Japan to whitewash the island country's abysmal colonial and wartime history.

The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology said Tuesday it authorized 239 textbooks for second and third graders in high schools for 2023. Among them, 14 history textbooks have had some descriptions changed.

A history textbook by Yamakawa Publishing, which is the most widely used in Japanese high schools, formerly described Koreans and Chinese people as having been "forced" by Imperial Japan to labor in coal mines and factories. In the new version, however, that has been changed to say that Koreans were "conscripted" into service, while Chinese were "taken" to Japan to work in factories. Similarly, in a textbook published by Jitkyo, the phrase "forced conscription" has been changed to "mobilization."

The Japanese ministry demanded the revisions, claiming that the expressions used previously "are not based on the [Japanese] government's unified stance."

Japan last year decreed that school textbooks are no longer to refer to the Imperial Army's sexual slaves and labor conscription as "military comfort women" and "forced labor conscription," but as "comfort women" and "labor conscription" instead.

Also, more textbooks now assert Japanese territorial claims to Koreas easternmost islets of Dokdo. Previously, no world history books mentioned Dokdo, but now two of them refer to the islets as belonging to Japan.

The Foreign Ministry here said in a statement, "Our government expresses regret over the changes made to Japan's history books that water down the fact that women were forced into sexual slavery and people were forcefully conscripted." The ministry also summoned Naoki Kumagai, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Korea, to lodge a complaint.
The head of the United Nations' food agency says Russia's invasion of Ukraine could lead to the worst global food crisis since World War II.

David Beasley, the head of the World Food Programme, told the UN Security Council Tuesday that the month-old war has turned Ukraine "from the breadbasket of the world to breadlines."

He told the Security Council that 50 percent of the grain it purchases to feed 125 million people around the globe comes from Ukraine, and warned that it will have to start cutting rations in war-torn areas like Yemen, which has already had its food allotment cut in half due to rising costs of food, fuel and shipping.

Beasley said Ukraine and Russia combined produce 30 percent of the world's wheat supply, 20 percent of its corn and between 75-90 percent of sunflower seed oil. Egypt and Lebanon alone receive just over 80 percent of its grain supplies from Ukraine.

Beasley told the Security Council that the war has forced Ukraine's farmers into the front lines of the war instead of tending to their crops during planting season. He also said Ukraine's farmers are facing a shortage of fertilizer products from Belarus and Russia, which could diminish Ukraine's harvest by 50 percent.

He said the war will create "a catastrophe on top of a catastrophe" if it continues, as it will lead to famine, destabilization of countries and mass migrations. He said "the last thing we want to do as the World Food Programme is taking food from hungry children to give to starving children."


KYODO NEWS - Mar 30, 2022 - 19:26 | All, Japan

Japan has rebuffed a protest from South Korea against descriptions in new Japanese high school textbooks of thorny bilateral issues related to territory and history, the top government spokesman said Wednesday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the protest, made Tuesday when South Korea's Foreign Ministry summoned Naoki Kumagai, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in South Korea, is "unacceptable." South Korea has claimed that the textbooks "distort historical facts."

Relations between Tokyo and Seoul remain frosty over Takeshima, a group of islets controlled by South Korea but claimed by Japan, and wartime issues related to what South Korea view as forced Korean laborers as well as "comfort women," or South Koreans procured for Japan's military brothels before and during World War II.

Japanese textbooks need to satisfy certain standards and pass screening by the education ministry before they can be used in classrooms.

The results of such examinations showed Tuesday that publishers were advised to clearly state Takeshima is an "inherent part" of Japanese territory and to change the wording "forcibly taken" in describing wartime laborers from the Korean Peninsula, in line with the current government stance.

"We objected to the protest as unacceptable based on our consistent stance," Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno said at a press briefing, adding that the latest round of textbook screening was conducted from an academic standpoint in a "fair and neutral" way.

"It is natural for children to understand their country's territory and history accurately through education in a sovereign nation," he said.

South Korea said Tuesday Japan's claims over the islets, known as Dokdo, are unacceptable and expressed its strong regret over the descriptions of wartime South Korean laborers and comfort women in a way that "dilutes their coercive nature."

Despite the chill in relations, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has spoken of the need for healthy ties between Tokyo and Seoul and expressed hope to meet in person with South Korea's President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol, who is calling for a "future-oriented" approach.
Wilo, one of the worlds leading manufacturers of pumps and pump systems, has introduced high-performance pumps in its projects across the globe reducing power consumption by 1.77 terawatt-hours (TWh) in total.

The company has been making significant milestones in its sustainability strategies through deploying innovative pumps to increase the efficiency and contribute to energy usage reduction.

Recently, the company set its 2025 goals which include reduction of carbon emissions by 50 million tonnes, achieve climate-neutral production across all its sites and to save 1.8 terawatt-hours of energy per year through the utilisation of high-efficiency pumps.

Sustainable solutions

Wilo, a recipient of the renowned German sustainability award for climate transformation, has been increasing its sustainable solutions in a bid to achieve its recent commitment to the Business Ambition for 1.5 C and be carbon neutral by 2050.

As pump solutions provider, the company acknowledges that water sector entails higher consumption of electricity. However, innovation in pumps can cut energy consumption and will help building operators reduce cost.

The company points out that new innovative pumps utilise much less electricity than previous models and replacing old technology with new, highly efficient pumps is more economical than maintaining old ones.

Significant innovations

Pump technology have made significant innovations in terms of energy efficiency and reliability, including digital innovations and electronically controlled systems.

Along with its expansion plans in the Mena region, Wilo also commits to delivering sustainable solutions and contributing to the regional climate change goals. The company seeks to increase utilisation of high-efficiency pumps in its projects and operations in the region to significantly lessen the carbon footprint of water consumption.

Yasser Nagi, Managing Director of Wilo Middle East said: Innovation can bring about major changes and facilitates in addressing major challenges such as reduction of carbon footprint. Technological advancements and sustainability go hand in hand to mitigate the risks of climate change especially in areas like the Mena region where water scarcity, for instance, is one of the pressing concerns. This is why we have incorporated the use of high-efficient pumps and other sustainable strategies in all our operations to contribute to the regional efforts to reduce carbon emission while ensuring water efficiency.-- TradeArabia News Service
KYODO NEWS - Mar 30, 2022 - 19:13 | All, Japan

Japan is considering hosting separate talks with the Philippines and India next month involving their foreign and defense ministers to beef up security ties amid China's growing maritime assertiveness, diplomatic sources said Wednesday.

Arrangements are being made for Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi to hold "two-plus-two" meetings with their Philippine counterparts in early April, and their Indian counterparts in mid-April, both in Tokyo, according to the sources.

The talks are being planned as Russia's invasion of Ukraine spurs concern that China could be emboldened to further intensify its military activities in the Indo-Pacific region, and as North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile launch last week has increased its missile and nuclear threat.

The officials are expected to share the view that no unilateral attempt to alter the status quo in the region should be tolerated, and to renew their pledge to promote a "free and open" Indo-Pacific region, the sources said.

For Tokyo and Manila, the planned gathering will be their first-ever two-plus-two talks. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte agreed to consider launching them during phone talks in November.

From Manila, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana are expected to come.

China has been routinely sending ships to the East China Sea to waters near the Japan-administered Senkaku Islands, which Beijing claims and calls Diaoyu. China is also involved in a territorial dispute with the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations over the South China Sea.

Tokyo and Manila are also expected to discuss arms exports to the Philippines and support for building up the Philippine military, according to the sources.

When Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh visit, Japan aims to confirm the two countries' readiness to strengthen defense cooperation in various fields, including outer space and cyberspace.

Tokyo is also likely to convey its stance to India that Moscow's "aggression" toward Kyiv that began on Feb. 24 is "a serious violation of international law" that rocks the foundation of the international order. India has traditionally had close ties with Russia.

Japan and India held their first two-plus-two talks in New Delhi in November 2019. The two nations signed an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement in September 2020 that enables them to exchange military supplies and logistical support. The accord took effect in July last year.

Besides the Philippines and India, Japan has held two-plus-two security talks with the United States, Australia, Britain, France, Germany, Indonesia and Russia.
KYODO NEWS - Mar 30, 2022 - 13:48 | All, World

The United States is skeptical of Russia's promise to curtail military assaults on Ukraine's capital Kyiv and its northern city Chernihiv, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday, following cease-fire talks between Kyiv and Moscow.

Kirby described the movement of some Russian units away from Kyiv as "a repositioning, not a real withdrawal," cautioning of the possibility of major offensives against other areas of Ukraine. He renewed U.S. calls for a complete Russian withdrawal from the country.

"Nobody should be fooling ourselves" by Moscow's offer to pull back its military from Kyiv and Chernihiv, he said, adding that Russia had failed in its objective to capture the Ukrainian capital but can still inflict "massive brutality" on the country.

The new development came after representatives from Ukraine and Russia held negotiations in Istanbul, with Moscow making its most significant pledge as its invasion of the neighboring country enters its fifth week.

Related coverage:

Russia says it will sharply cut back military activity near Kyiv

Kirby's statements were an echo of U.S. President Joe Biden's skepticism regarding Russia's vow. "I don't read anything into it until I see what their actions are," Biden said earlier. "We'll see if they follow through on what they're suggesting."

Biden agreed during his telephone talks with the leaders of France, Britain, Germany and Italy to maintain sanctions on Moscow as they monitor developments in the situation.

As part of its concessions, Ukraine has said it is prepared to relinquish joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and adopt neutrality in return for security guarantees.

Kyiv wants the guarantors to be the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -- the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China -- as well as Turkey, Germany, Canada, Italy, Poland and Israel.

Mykhailo Podolyak, a member of Ukraine's delegation and adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, told local media that these countries including nuclear-weapon states are major military powers, and that a new security model would be created if the proposal is agreed upon.

Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday that the country's main attention and efforts will be focused on achieving "the liberation of Donbas," a pro-Russia separatist region in eastern Ukraine, according to Tass news agency.

Russian attacks still continue on the port city of Mariupol -- a key area that links the Donbas region containing pro-Russian separatists with Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.

Local media also quoted the leader of the Russia-backed, self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine as saying Tuesday that the separatists would consider joining Russia once they control all of the Donetsk region.

Similarly, the head of the other separatist region, the Luhansk People's Republic, had earlier suggested a referendum could be held in the area in the near future on whether to join Russia.

Last month, the two breakaway regions were unilaterally recognized as independent by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Related coverage:

Biden renews U.S. commitment to Indo-Pacific region amid Ukraine war

U.S. defense strategy prioritizes China over Russia as bigger threat

Biden's $6 tril. budget eyes defense boost amid Russia, China threats
KYODO NEWS - Mar 31, 2022 - 01:00 | All, Japan

A 45-year-old man was arrested Wednesday after crashing his car into the Foreign Ministry building in Tokyo, police said.

The car hit a pillar near the front entrance of the ministry at around 6:30 p.m. The police arrested the man at the scene on suspicion of trespassing and damaging a structure.

After the collision, the man exited the vehicle and yelled repeatedly, "I had something to talk about with the Foreign Ministry," according to a Kyodo News reporter who witnessed the incident.

Security officers at the ministry ordered the man, a self-claimed Tokyo resident, to lie face down on the ground and pinned him down with a two-pronged weapon, the reporter said.
Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds talks with Kyrgyz Parliament Speaker Talant Mamytov via video link at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, held talks with Kyrgyz Parliament Speaker Talant Mamytov via video link on Friday.

Noting that China appreciates Kyrgyzstan's firm support on issues related to China's core interests and major concerns, including those related to Taiwan, Xinjiang and Hong Kong, Li said China will continue to support the development path independently chosen by Kyrgyzstan.

Li said that the two sides should continue to carry out anti-pandemic cooperation, promote cooperation in medicine, health care and other fields, and jointly build a community of health between the two countries.

The two sides should expand practical cooperation, better synergize development strategies, expand the scale of economic and trade cooperation, jointly build a high-quality Belt and Road, and continuously deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, he said.

Noting that China and Kyrgyzstan are a community of shared interests and security, Li said that the two countries should strengthen exchanges and cooperation, actively carry out joint actions and take preventive measures.

He called on the two sides to firmly prevent violent and terrorist forces and safeguard the security and stability of the two countries and the region.

Li stressed that legislatures of the two countries have long maintained friendly exchanges, which plays an important role in the development of bilateral relations. The legislative bodies should have further communication at various levels, share legislative experience in agriculture, the digital economy and other fields, and work toward closer coordination on multilateral occasions to safeguard international fairness and justice, he said.

Mamytov offered congratulations on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kyrgyzstan and China. He noted that through the joint efforts of both sides, the two countries have established a bilateral relationship featuring mutual trust, mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation.

Mamytov thanked China for its valuable support for Kyrgyzstan in the fight against COVID-19, and said the Kyrgyz Parliament is willing to strengthen exchanges with the NPC and make positive contributions to the promotion of bilateral cooperation. 

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds talks with Kyrgyz Parliament Speaker Talant Mamytov via video link at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)
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)
A healthcare worker administers a dose of vaccine to a woman at the Messukeskus Expo and Convention Centre in Helsinki, Finland, May 31, 2021. (Photo by Matti Matikainen/Xinhua)

Since the beginning of this year, increasing numbers of scientists around the world have said that the SARS-CoV-2 virus may never become a common seasonal flu but is likely to continue as a disease that causes severe symptoms and deaths, especially among the elderly.

HELSINKI, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Finnish medical experts believe that the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, may never become a common seasonal flu, Helsinki's Ilta-Sanomat newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The paper quoted Ilkka Julkunen, professor of virology at the University of Turku, as saying that SARS-CoV-2 clearly differs from other seasonal coronaviruses that cause the flu.

"I find it unlikely that the virus would change so dramatically. I don't see that the coronavirus would become much less dangerous for at least a few years," he said.

While the Omicron coronavirus variant is widely considered less likely to cause severe disease and require hospital treatment, Julkunen and Olli Vapalahti, professors of zoonotic virology at the University of Helsinki, agree that Omicron is not harmless.

In Finland, for example, more people have died from Omicron than from all the previous coronavirus variants combined, according to Julkunen.

Before November 2021, when the Omicron variant starts to rise, about 1,200 people had died from COVID-19 in Finland. The country's current coronavirus death toll exceeds 3,000.

According to Vapalahti, it is misleading to describe Omicron as a less severe variant. The virus may cause milder symptoms in a population whose immunity level is higher due to vaccinations or prior infections.

People walk near a COVID-19 test centre in Sydney, Australia, March 30, 2022. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)

The number of CCOVID-19 patients requiring hospital treatment in Finland has gradually risen to record levels as the immunological protection provided by two or three vaccine doses wears off.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned in late January that the next variant of SARS-CoV-2 could be even more contagious than Omicron.

Since the beginning of this year, increasing numbers of scientists around the world have said that the SARS-CoV-2 virus may never become a common seasonal flu but is likely to continue as a disease that causes severe symptoms and deaths, especially among the elderly.

Julkunen explained that the virus is mutating into new variants all the time, each one becoming more contagious than its predecessor.

Two different viruses can make new combinations in the same cell, Vapalahti noted, recalling that the virus still has a lot of power.

Medical workers wheel a patient into Maimonides Medical Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York, the United States, Dec. 14, 2021. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

"Recombinants can also occur when two different viruses end up in the same cell. Gene exchange can occur, creating new variants. There is already evidence of this between Delta and Omicron and the two variants of Omicron in Finland," Vapalahti was quoted as saying.

Still, high levels of immunity from vaccines or prior infection reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, the professors emphasized. 
TAIPEI, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan reported 163 new COVID-19 cases, including 56 locally transmitted infections and 107 imported ones, said the island's disease monitoring agency on Wednesday.

Most of the new local cases were reported in Keelung, Taoyuan, and New Taipei.

To date, Taiwan has reported 23,155 confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 15,782 were local infections. 
Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina (L, Front) attends a commemorative ceremony in downtown Antananarivo, capital of Madagascar, on March 29, 2022. Madagascar commemorated on Tuesday the 75th anniversary of its uprising against French colonizers almost everywhere in the country with ecumenical worship, wreath laying ceremony in front of commemorative steles or at martyrs' cemeteries, as well as various festivities. (Xinhua/Sitraka Rajaonarison)

ANTANANARIVO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Madagascar commemorated on Tuesday the 75th anniversary of its uprising against French colonizers almost everywhere in the country with ecumenical worship, wreath laying ceremony in front of commemorative steles or at martyrs' cemeteries, as well as various festivities.

With the theme, "Ilo tsy very, tsy maty ao ampo, ny fanavotana ny firenena", widely translated into English as "the salvation of the country is an unquenched flame, alive in the heart", the commemoration events were notably remarkable in the capital of Antananarivo, in Moramanga (east) and in Manakara (south-east), where hundreds of Malagasy nationalists are buried in mass graves after being shot by the French.

Accompanied by youths and survivors of the 1947 insurrection, Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina laid wreaths at the Mausole Avaratr'Ankatso in downtown Antananarivo on Tuesday before flying to Manakara.

In Manakara, the centre of the celebration, the Malagasy president called for solidarity among Malagasy people. "Patriotism is the reason for the celebration of March 29 every year, it is the main message that we must transfer to our descendants," he said.

"The struggle continues, we need a lot of effort to have real independence, food independence, the fight against corruption and independence for real development," he added.

For his part, Prime Minister Ntsay Christian was in Moramanga to lay wreaths at the cemeteries where hundreds of martyrs are resting.

"The struggle made by Malagasy nationalists is not in vain. The current government has done its best to fulfil the dreams of these nationalists. Despite the negative consequences of the COVID-19 and the crisis in Ukraine, the Malagasy government is making efforts to find solutions to the difficulties of Malagasy citizens," the Prime Minister said.

On March 29, 1947, the uprising against France broke out throughout Madagascar. The most violent incident took place in Moramanga, where French soldiers shot hundreds of Malagasy demonstrators in a train.

Madagascar was colonised by France from 1896 and gained its independence on June 26, 1960. 

Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina (Front) attends a commemorative ceremony in downtown Antananarivo, capital of Madagascar, on March 29, 2022. Madagascar commemorated on Tuesday the 75th anniversary of its uprising against French colonizers almost everywhere in the country with ecumenical worship, wreath laying ceremony in front of commemorative steles or at martyrs' cemeteries, as well as various festivities. (Xinhua/Sitraka Rajaonarison)
TEHRAN, March 30 (Xinhua) -- An Iranian envoy to the United Nations said that U.S. coercive measures against Iran still pose a "serious threat" to the people's right to health, the semi-official Iranian Students' News Agency reported on Wednesday.

Zahra Ershadi, Iran's deputy permanent representative to the UN, made the remarks on Tuesday in an address to the 76th UN General Assembly session on global health and foreign policy.

She said though the United States claims that its unilateral measures do not apply to the delivery of foodstuffs and medical items to the country, Washington's sanctions and the Islamic republic's lack of access to the international banking system prevent Tehran from receiving these products through available trade and financial mechanisms.

This comes as the world is still making efforts to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, the Iranian envoy said, noting that "we also express support for the principle that any advancement in global health is primarily dependent on international collaboration and multilateral cooperation, particularly amid worldwide crises."

The Iranian envoy stressed that the necessity of ensuring global access to high-quality and affordable healthcare services is a fundamental priority for international development, noting that the health sector issues must not be politicized solely for the sake of safeguarding certain countries' interests. 
CAIRO, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Egypt and Saudi Arabia concluded on Wednesday an agreement that the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) will invest in the North African country.

The move stems from the close historic ties between Egypt and Saudi Arabia and is based on the directives of the leaders of the two countries to strengthen cooperation, the Egyptian cabinet said in a statement.

"The PIF will pave the road for luring more investments and foreign currency, boosting the national workforce, localizing modern technologies in the Egyptian economy," said the statement.

The fund will promote the trade between the two countries and contribute to expanding their investments in other countries at the regional and international levels, it added.

On the same day, Saudi Arabia announced the deposit of 5 billion U.S. dollars at the Central Bank of Egypt, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The banking deposit is part of the kingdom's initiative to support the Egyptian economy. 
Taha International Corporation, one of the largest aluminum dross processing companies in the world, has lauded Bahrains commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.

Patrick Pollmann, Group CEO of Taha International Corporation stated that it's evident how serious the Kingdom is in its endeavour to achieve net-zero carbon by 2060, as announced by the government. He pointed out that the strategies of Alba Bahrain in this field are at par with international standards and serve as a model for major industrial companies around the world.

Pollmann was speaking on "Industrial Sector's Role in Achieving Net-Zero Carbon" forum, organized by the Environment Committee of the Alwane Bahrain Society, under the patronage of the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, His Excellency Zayed bin Rashid Al-Zayani, and in the presence of Dr Khaled Fahad Alalawi, Assistant Undersecretary of Industrial Development.

Pollmann indicated that Bahrain offers an integrated legislative, procedural, and logistical system to encourage various sectors, including the industrial sector, to consider various environmental and sustainability issues and adopt the best international standards in this field.

Taha, which has been operating in Bahrain since 2005, relying on the experiences of its Bahraini and foreign cadres, was able to develop a one-of-a-kind international technology. Through this patented technology, Taha's aluminum dross process is a radical innovation that uses less energy and produces no toxic salt cake while keeping the carbon emission at its minimum limits close to zero, marking an unparalleled achievement in the field of environmental preservation. This new technology is being adopted by an increasing number of aluminum smelters around the world, Pollmann said.

Pullman pointed out that a recent study conducted by Ernst & Young, the Netherlands in collaboration with the renowned Austrian Montan University concludes that the carbon footprint of Tahas method vastly outperforms the conventional method otherwise available in Bahrain and most parts of the world, showing a reduction of more than 81% GHG emissions.

Taha International Company is proud to support the industrial sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and we are keen to incorporate Bahrain's industrial development strategy 2022-2026 into our key initiatives and plans because we have common goals to develop the Bahraini industrial sector and increase its contribution to national GDP," Pullman concluded.

Taha International Corporation was honoured at the end of the forum for its commitment to implementing the highest environmental and climate standards, as well as its support for the Kingdom of Bahrain's efforts to reach net-zero carbon emissions.TradeArabia News Service
ALGIERS, March 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived on Wednesday in Algeria as part of his tour to the Middle East and North Africa, the official APS news agency and local media reported.

Upon his arrival at Algiers International Airport, Blinken was greeted by Algerian officials and U.S. embassy staff.

The U.S. official is expected to hold talks with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra, during which energy cooperation and the situation in the region will be on the agenda.

Blinken is also due to inaugurate the United States' pavilion at the Algiers International Trade Fair. 
TOKYO, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Right-wing forces in Japan are using the conflict between Russia and Ukraine as an excuse to hype up security threats in the Asia-Pacific region.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe even openly proposed the idea of "nuclear sharing" between Japan and the United States and claimed that the United States should abandon its "strategic ambiguity" on China's Taiwan.

Experts and analysts believe that right-wing forces in Japan are taking advantage of the Russia-Ukraine conflict to seek military expansion.

Asia-Pacific countries should be vigilant.

CHALLENGING "THREE NON-NUCLEAR PRINCIPLES"

As the only country in the world hit by nuclear weapons, Japan has established the "three non-nuclear principles" of "not possessing, not producing and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons" as a foundational policy since the 1970s.

However, Abe suggested in a television program on Feb. 27 that given the Russian-Ukrainian situation, Japan should discuss a "nuclear sharing" policy similar to that of some European NATO members, under which the United States deploys nuclear weapons on allied bases and uses them on allied warplanes in emergency cases.

Sanae Takaichi, head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Policy Research Council, suggested the party rethink the principle of "not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons" and allow exceptions in emergencies.

The Japan Innovation Party, a right-wing opposition party, has submitted a proposal to Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, asking the Japanese government to discuss "nuclear sharing" to strengthen defense capabilities and increase defense spending to 2 percent of the country's gross domestic product.

In response, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the Japanese government adheres to the "three non-nuclear principles" and will not discuss "nuclear sharing," but added that he is not opposed to internal discussions among political parties.

The fresh round of discussions on "nuclear sharing" initiated by Abe and other right-wing elements has drawn domestic criticism.

In an editorial, the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun wrote, "Abe's comment signals a total lack of awareness of Japan's responsibility to the world as the only nation to have experienced atomic warfare."

Takakage Fujita, director general of a civil group dedicated to upholding and developing the well-known Murayama Statement, in which Japan apologies for its past atrocities in the Asia-Pacific region, said that Abe and other right-wing politicians and forces are taking advantage of the Russia-Ukraine conflict to push for "nuclear sharing," which is a violation of Article 9 of Japan's pacifist constitution and should never be tolerated.

Fujita said Japan should reflect on the historical lessons of its past aggression and colonial rule -- a disastrous period for Asian countries -- and adhere to the "three non-nuclear principles."

SEEKING MILITARY EXPANSION

In addition to advocating "nuclear sharing," Abe claimed that the United States should abandon its "strategic ambiguity" policy on China's Taiwan. He also said last December that "a Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency, and therefore an emergency for the Japan-U.S. alliance."

Analysts pointed out that Japan regularly uses major international events to justify its military expansion, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict is no different.

Experts said the intention of the right-wing forces represented by Abe is clear -- to provide excuses for violating the spirit of the pacifist constitution and the country's exclusively defense-oriented policy.

The Japan Innovation Party is calling for a national referendum on amending the constitution, while the Liberal Democratic Party is pushing for four amendments, including adding the Self-Defense Forces into Article 9 of the constitution.

However, Article 9, which stipulates that Japan does not maintain war power and renounces the right of belligerency, is the core of the pacifist constitution and the legal cornerstone of Japan's path of peace after World War II.

Fujita said he believes Japan is at a critical juncture, and the outcome of upper house elections in July will influence the issue's trajectory.

Magosaki Ukeru, a former Japanese foreign ministry official, said right-wing forces in Japan are no longer a minority, and Japanese politics have primarily shifted to the right. 
Deputy Prime Minister of the Afghan caretaker government Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar attends an inauguration ceremony of a water canal project in Balkh province, northern Afghanistan, March 30, 2022. Taliban-run administration on Wednesday inaugurated the first-ever major water canal project to irrigate thousands of hectares of land in the northern region. (Photo by Kawa Basharat/Xinhua)

MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Taliban-run administration on Wednesday inaugurated the first-ever major water canal project to irrigate thousands of hectares of land in the northern region.

"This is a matter of happiness today that we inaugurate the Qushtipa water canal project. With the completion of this essential project our need for agricultural products would be largely solved," Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said at the inauguration ceremony.

Baradar also noted that the Taliban-run administration would do its best to take the war-torn country towards self-sufficiency.

Fetching water from the Amu River, the Qushtipa water canal project, with a length of 285 km, was expected to facilitate water's flow from Kaldar district in Balkh to Qushtipa district of Jawzjan onward to Faryab, irrigating 550,000 hectares of land, according to officials.

Work on the project would be completed at a cost of 60 billion afghanis (680 million U.S. dollars) within five years, an official Riazudin Sharifi said.

"The completion of the Qushtipa project would help us to become independent in the food sector and its completion requires people's support," said the administration's chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

"We are trying to stand on our feet and I am calling upon Afghan businessmen to join hands and rebuild the country together," the minister for commerce and industries Hajji Norodin Azizi said at the ceremony. 

Photo taken on March 30, 2022 shows bulldozers at the site of a water canal project in Balkh province, northern Afghanistan.

Taliban-run administration on Wednesday inaugurated the first-ever major water canal project to irrigate thousands of hectares of land in the northern region. (Photo by Kawa Basharat/Xinhua)

Workers are seen during an inauguration ceremony of a water canal project in Balkh province, northern Afghanistan, March 30, 2022.

Taliban-run administration on Wednesday inaugurated the first-ever major water canal project to irrigate thousands of hectares of land in the northern region. (Photo by Kawa Basharat/Xinhua)
TEGUCIGALPA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Honduras extradited Oscar Fernando Santos Tobar (alias "El Teto") to the United States, where he is wanted on drug trafficking charges, the Public Prosecutor's Office announced on Tuesday.

Santos Tobar was arrested last August in the municipality of El Paraiso in the department of Copan, after posting videos on social media showing his luxurious lifestyle.

In October 2021, a judge granted his extradition following a request from a court in the U.S. state of Texas on drug trafficking charges.

He is said to be linked to the cartel led by the Valle brothers (Miguel Arnulfo and Luis Alonso), both imprisoned in the United States, as well as to another criminal group led by Alexander Ardon, also incarcerated in the United States.

The alleged drug trafficker was the first person to be extradited to the United States this year and was met by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents when he landed. 
CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has pledged Egypt's "unwavering support" for presidential and legislative elections in Libya, according to the Egyptian presidency.

The Egyptian leader made the comment during a meeting with Libyan Presidential Council chairman Mohamed al-Menfi on Tuesday, during which they addressed the latest developments in the Libyan conflict. Egyptian presidential spokesperson Bassam Rady said, Sisi reaffirmed "Egypt's unflinching support for Libyan state institutions to fulfil their responsibilities and roles, leading to the conduct of presidential and parliamentary elections."

The Egyptian president also emphasised Egypt's support for efforts to advance Libya's larger interests and maintain its territorial integrity.

Al-Menfi, for his part, lauded Egypt's "crucial role" and tireless efforts to restore security and stability in Libya by supporting comprehensive reconciliation efforts among Libyans and reunifying the country's governmental institutions. He also praised Cairo's support for the evacuation of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya, which he believes is necessary to maintain Libya's unity, security, and sovereignty.

The meetings took place amid escalating tensions between Libyan political factions, which have resulted in the postponement indefinitely of general elections scheduled for late 2021. Since the assassination of Libya's late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the country has been plagued by insecurity and anarchy, with mercenaries and foreign soldiers purportedly operating in the country for years.

On February 10, the Libyan parliament unanimously elected Fathi Bashagha as the country's next prime minister, succeeding Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah, who had pledged to keep his administration in power until general elections could be held.

Paks Imran Khan expresses grief over death of UN peacekeepers in Congo

'Black magic' will determine PAK's future! Opposition said- Khan's wife is burning live chicken

Russia's foreign minister schedules to visit India this week
* STOXX 600 declines for first time in four days

* Commodity-linked sectors outperform

* Belgium's Kinepolis slips as finance chief exits

* Cracks widen in EZ economy as war rages on (Updates to market close, adds comment)

By Shreyashi Sanyal and Anisha Sircar

March 30 (Reuters) - European shares retreated after three straight sessions of gains on Wednesday, as investors paused to take stock of the outcome of Russia-Ukraine peace talks.

The STOXX 600 closed at levels hit before the conflict on Tuesday after peace talks between Russia and Ukraine yielded the most tangible sign of progress toward negotiating an end to the war.

"(The recent) relief rally, which has been all about the possibility of an agreement between Russia and Ukraine, has fizzled out today," said Danni Hewson, financial analyst at AJ Bell.

Russian forces bombarded the outskirts of Kyiv and a besieged city in northern Ukraine on Wednesday, a day after Moscow promised to scale down operations there.

The pan-European STOXX 600 lost 0.4%, while commodities-exposed sectors were in positive territory. European miners and the energy sector rose 2.4% and 3.3%, respectively, as prices of oil and metals rebounded.

Given the rally in commodity prices since the onset of the war, energy stocks are up 4.7% this month, while miners have added more than 6%, broadly outperforming the STOXX 600's 1.6% gain in the same period, and the German DAX's 1% rise.

"If the standoff intensifies and Moscow does turn off gas supplies, Germany is going to be in major trouble, and trying to get gas from other places will be very difficult. There will be rationing and issues of supply, which European markets are extremely concerned about today," Hewson said.

Germany triggered an emergency plan to manage gas supply on Wednesday, an unprecedented move that could see the government ration power if there is a disruption in gas supplies from Russia.

Frankfurt's DAX index was the biggest decliner among regional markets, shedding 1.5% to record its worst day in nearly three weeks.

Story continues

Fuelling investor worries, data and warnings from policymakers made clear that Europe's economy at large is increasingly strained by Russia's war in Ukraine as growth stalls, confidence plummets and inflation soars.

Among individual stocks, BioNTech advanced 5.6% after saying it has expanded a clinical trial programme to develop new vaccines to tackle the Omicron COVID-19 variant as it reported a profit boost from its first-generation shot.

Shares of Belgian cinema operator Kinepolis Group slipped 4.7% after announcing its finance chief Nicolas De Clercq would step down. (Reporting by Shreyashi Sanyal and Anisha Sircar in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Fortune Business Insights

Companies covered in acetone market are LyondellBasell Industries Holdings B.V. (Rotterdam, Netherlands) INEOS (London, UK) Altivia (Texas, U.S) Royal Dutch Shell Co. (The Hague, Netherlands) Honeywell International Inc. (North Carolina, U.S) Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) SABIC (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) KUMHO P&B CHEMICALS., INC. (Seoul, Korea) and more players profiled.

Pune, India, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global acetone market is expected to gain momentum from the high demand for petrochemicals and chemicals from several end-use industries. This information is given by Fortune Business Insights in a new study, titled, Acetone Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Application (Solvent, Bisphenol A (BPA), Methyl Methacrylate (MMA), and Others), By End-use (Paints & Coatings, Plastic, Automotive, Adhesives, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics, Electrical & Electronics, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2020-2027. The study further mentions that the acetone market size was USD 3,962.0 million in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 4,995.3 million by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 3.7% during the forecast period.

A list of all the renowned acetone manufacturers operating in the global market:



LyondellBasell Industries Holdings B.V. (Rotterdam, Netherlands)

INEOS (London, UK)

Altivia (Texas, U.S)

Royal Dutch Shell Co. (The Hague, Netherlands)

Honeywell International Inc (North Carolina, U.S)

Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan)

SABIC (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)

KUMHO P&B CHEMICALS., INC. (Seoul, Korea)

Cepsa (Madrid, Spain)

Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corp. (Changhua, Taiwan)

Borealis AG (Vienna, Austria)

PTT Phenol Company Limited. (Bangkok, Thailand)

Prasol Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. (Navi Mumbai, India)

Chang Chun Group (Taipei, Taiwan)

Other Players

Get a Sample PDF Brochure:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/acetone-market-104446

COVID-19 Pandemic to Affect Growth Backed by Ongoing Crude Oil Price War

Story continues

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the global chemical industry. It has disrupted supply chains and created uncertainty in the demand worldwide. Also, restrictions from governments on manufacturing activities may hinder growth. The ongoing crude oil price war is also set to hamper growth.

Market Segments:

Paints & Coatings Segment to Grow Steadily Fueled by Higher Usage of Solvents

Based on end-use, the plastic segment earned 33.3% in terms of the global acetone market share in 2019. The paints & coatings segment generated the largest share in 2019 because of the rising usage of solvents in this sector as it can dissolve non-polar and polar substances.

How Did We Create This Report?



We employ iterative and comprehensive research techniques focusing on minimizing deviance. We use a combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches for estimating and segmenting quantitative aspects of the parents market. At the same time, data triangulation is used to look at the market from three perspectives. Simulation models were used to gather data about the market forecasts and estimates.

Drivers & Restraints-

Increasing Manufacturing of Sanitizers and Disinfectants to Drive Growth

The increasing production of disinfectants and sanitizers worldwide is set to surge the demand for dimethyl ketone as isopropanol is derived from it. Besides, the high popularity of cosmetics and personal care products would aid the acetone market growth throughout the forthcoming years. However, acetone possesses higher initiation energy points and cant auto-ignite. This may hamper its demand.

Competitive Landscape-

Key Players Focus on Signing New Agreements to Enhance Their Portfolios

The market for acetone contains many manufacturers that are mainly focusing on expanding their production capacities by adopting state-of-the-art technologies from other organizations. Some of the others are aiming to sign new agreements to acquire businesses of prominent firms.

Browse Detailed Summary of Research Report with TOC:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/acetone-market-104446

Regional Insights-



Easy Availability of Raw Materials to Favor Growth in Asia Pacific

In 2019, Asia Pacific held USD 1,739.2 million in terms of revenue. This growth is attributable to the lower labor cost and easy availability of raw materials in emerging countries, such as India and China. Dimethyl ketone is extensively used in numerous manufacturing processes as an industrial solvent in the region.

North America, on the other hand, is anticipated to grow considerably backed by the increasing research and development activities in the electronics sector. It would further surge the demand for Bisphenol A. The presence of large chemical industries in the U.K., Italy, and Germany would propel growth in Europe.

Detailed Table of Content:

Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities Emerging Trends

Key Insights Key Emerging Trends  For Major Countries Industry SWOT Analysis Regulatory Analysis Recent Industry Developments - Policies, Partnerships, New Application Launches, and Mergers & Acquisitions

Qualitative Insights  Impact of COVID-19 on Global Acetone Market Supply Chain Challenges Steps taken by Government/Companies to overcome this impact Potential opportunities due to COVID-19 outbreak

Global Acetone Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2016-2027 Key Findings / Summary Market Size Estimates and Forecast By Application (Volume/Value) Solvent Bisphenol A (BPA) Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) Others By End-use (Volume/Value) Paints & Coatings Plastic Automotive Adhesives Pharmaceuticals Cosmetics Electrical & Electronics Others By Region (Volume/Value) North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa



TOC Continued!

Inquire Before Buying This Research Report:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/queries/acetone-market-104446

Below are the two latest industry developments:



February 2020 : PKN ORLEN is planning to adopt the Phenol 3G and UOP Q-Max technologies to manufacture 200,000 metric tons of phenol per year. It will be done in its facility situated in Poland. UOP is likely to offer a license for the technologies, along with adsorbents, catalysts, key equipment, and basic engineering design services.

August 2019: Dow signed an agreement with ALTIVIA Ketones & Additives, LLC to sell off its Acetone Derivatives business. The company will now be able to align more with ALTIVIAs portfolio and will aim to gain higher returns.

Read Related Insights:

Cumene Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Application (Phenol, Acetone) and Regional Forecast, 2022-2029

Food Bleaching Agents Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Azodicarbonamide, Chlorine, Hydrogen Peroxide, Benzyl Peroxide, Others (Ascorbic Acid, Acetone Peroxide, and others)), By Application (Bakery, Beverages, Dairy Products, Oils) and Regional Forecast, 2022-2029

About Us:

Fortune Business Insights delivers accurate data and innovative corporate analysis, helping organizations of all sizes make appropriate decisions. We tailor novel solutions for our clients, assisting them to address various challenges distinct to their businesses. Our aim is to empower them with holistic market intelligence, providing a granular overview of the market they are operating in.

Contact Us:

Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd.

9th Floor, Icon Tower,

Baner - Mahalunge Road, Baner,

Pune-411045, Maharashtra, India.

Phone:

US: +1 424 253 0390

UK: +44 2071 939123

APAC: +91 744 740 1245

Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com

Connect us via Social Media Channels:

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Blogs




Company to host conference call on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. ET

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: AKBA), a biopharmaceutical company with the purpose to better the lives of people impacted by kidney disease, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a complete response letter (CRL) to Akebia's New Drug Application (NDA) for vadadustat, an investigational oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase (HIF-PH) inhibitor under review for the treatment of anemia due to chronic kidney disease (CKD). The FDA issues a CRL to indicate that the review cycle for an application is complete and that the application is not ready for approval in its present form.

Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: AKBA), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapeutics for people living with kidney disease (PRNewsfoto/Akebia Therapeutics, Inc.)

The FDA concluded that the data in the NDA do not support a favorable benefit-risk assessment of vadadustat for dialysis and non-dialysis patients. The FDA expressed safety concerns noting failure to meet non-inferiority in MACE in the non-dialysis patient population, the increased risk of thromboembolic events, driven by vascular access thrombosis in dialysis patients, and the risk of drug-induced liver injury. The CRL stated that Akebia could explore ways to potentially demonstrate a favorable benefit-risk assessment through new clinical trials. Akebia will discuss the details of the CRL with its collaboration partners and request a meeting with the FDA.

"We are extremely disappointed to receive a CRL for vadadustat, a therapy that has the potential to help patients with anemia due to CKD. We continue to believe the data are supportive of a positive benefit-risk assessment of vadadustat for patients with anemia due to CKD, particularly in dialysis patients," said John P. Butler, Chief Executive Officer of Akebia. "Despite this setback, we continue to work toward our purpose to better the lives of people impacted by kidney disease."

In October 2021, Akebia's collaboration partner, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Otsuka), submitted an initial marketing authorization application (MAA) for vadadustat to the European Medicines Agency for vadadustat, for the treatment of anemia due to CKD in adults; the review is ongoing. In Japan, vadadustat is approved as a treatment for anemia due to CKD in both dialysis-dependent and non-dialysis dependent adult patients.

Story continues

Conference Call

Akebia will host a conference call Wednesday, March 30 at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the CRL and next steps.

To listen to the conference call, please dial (877) 458-0977 (domestic) or (484) 653-6724 (international) using conference ID number 7961118. The call will also be webcast LIVE and can be accessed via the Investors section of Akebia's website at http://ir.akebia.com.

An online archive of the conference call can be accessed via the Investors section of Akebia's website at http://ir.akebia.com. A replay of the conference call will be available two hours after the completion of the call through April 6, 2022. To access the replay, dial (855) 859-2056 (domestic) or (404) 537-3406 (international) and reference conference ID number 7961118.

About Akebia Therapeutics

Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. is a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company with the purpose to better the lives of people impacted by kidney disease. Akebia was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit our website at www.akebia.com, which does not form a part of this release.

About Anemia due to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

Anemia is a condition in which a person lacks enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to the body's tissues. It commonly occurs in people with CKD because their kidneys do not produce enough erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone that helps regulate production of red blood cells. Anemia due to CKD can have a profound impact on a person's quality of life as it can cause fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath and cognitive dysfunction. Left untreated, anemia leads to deterioration in health and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in people with CKD.

About Vadadustat

Vadadustat is an oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor designed to mimic the physiologic effect of altitude on oxygen availability. At higher altitudes, the body responds to lower oxygen availability with stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factor, which can lead to increased red blood cell production and improved oxygen delivery to tissues. Vadadustat is an investigational new drug and is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). On March 29, 2022, the FDA issued a complete response letter to Akebia's New Drug Application for vadadustat for the treatment of anemia due to chronic kidney disease (CKD). Vadadustat is currently under review by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of anemia due to CKD in adults. In Japan, vadadustat is approved as a treatment for anemia due to CKD in both dialysis-dependent and non-dialysis dependent adult patients.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release regarding Akebia Therapeutics, Inc.'s ("Akebia's") strategy, plans, prospects, expectations, beliefs, intentions and goals are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: Akebia's plans, strategies and prospects for its business, including with respect to planned interactions and communications with its collaboration partners and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); vadadustat's potential to help patients with anemia due to CKD and Akebia's beliefs about the benefit-risk assessment of vadadustat. The terms "believe," "expect," "potential," "will," "continue," derivatives of these words, and similar references are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results, performance or experience may differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement as a result of various risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, but not limited to, risks associated with: decisions made by health authorities, such as the FDA and the European Medicines Agency, with respect to regulatory filings, including the New Drug Application for vadadustat; the potential therapeutic benefits, safety profile, and effectiveness of vadadustat; the potential indications, demand, potential and acceptance of, and Akebia's estimates regarding the potential market opportunity for Akebia's product candidate, vadadustat, if approved, or any other products or product candidates and the size of eligible patient populations; the direct or indirect impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on regulators and Akebia's business, operations, and the markets and communities in which Akebia and its partners, collaborators, vendors and customers operate; manufacturing, supply chain and quality matters and any recalls, write-downs, impairments or other related consequences or potential consequences; early termination of any of Akebia's collaborations, including the amended and restated license agreement; and Akebia's and Vifor Pharma's ability to satisfy their obligations under the amended and restated license agreement; the competitive landscape for vadadustat, if approved. Other risks and uncertainties include those identified under the heading "Risk Factors in Akebia's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and other filings that Akebia may make with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in the future. These forward-looking statements (except as otherwise noted) speak only as of the date of this press release, and, except as required by law, Akebia does not undertake, and specifically disclaims, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Akebia Therapeutics is a registered trademark of Akebia Therapeutics, Inc.

Akebia Therapeutics IR Contact

ir@akebia.com

Akebia Therapeutics Media Contact

Mercedes Carrasco

mcarrasco@akebia.com

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/akebia-therapeutics-receives-complete-response-letter-from-the-fda-for-vadadustat-for-the-treatment-of-anemia-due-to-chronic-kidney-disease-in-adult-patients-301514075.html

SOURCE Akebia Therapeutics
A grey heron perches on the rocks along the edge of the Lake Erie shore at the peak of the Marblehead Peninsula at the east end of Ottawa County.

WASHINGTON  A group of U.S. representatives from throughout the Great Lakes region has signed on to a bill, recently introduced by U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, aiming to create a new entity dedicated to developing the area's communities and conserving its vital natural resources.

The legislation, referred to as the Great Lakes Authority Act, would establish a new federal body that would solely seek to advance solutions to issues facing the region's eight area states: Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

For years, Kaptur has stressed the importance of the Great Lakes, which she noted comprises 20% of the worlds fresh water, and has helped the region develop into the "core of the United States commercial and defense industrial base."

'Great Lakes region is the industrial workhorse'

Kaptur, chair of the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee and co-chair of the bipartisan House Great Lakes Task Force, noted that while numerous federal agencies deal exclusively with environmental conservation in other parts of the country, the Great Lakes region does not.

"The Great Lakes region is the industrial workhorse that powers America," Kaptur said in a statement. "But after decades of bad trade deals that outsourced living-wage jobs and fomented deindustrialization  the need for a robust new partnership that catalyzes regional revitalization is abundantly clear."

U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo.

In addition to Kaptur, eight other Democratic representatives in the U.S. House have backed the bill, including Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan, Bobby Rush of Illinois, Paul Tonko of New York, Gwen Moore of Wisconsin, Dan Kildee of Michigan, Brad Schneider of Illinois, Joseph Morelle of New York, and Haley Stevens of Michigan.

If passed, the legislation would fund the Great Lakes Authority with $30 million beginning in fiscal year 2023, and $50 million each following year,

Story continues

The agency would use the funding to invest in economic development efforts, expanding domestic manufacturing while also pursuing more sustainable power by financing clean energy, green infrastructure and water infrastructure.

Great Lakes Authority would pursue workforce training

The agency would also pursue workforce development efforts through education and training in areas that have been disproportionately affected by outsourcing, according to the legislation.

More: Sandusky River ice buildup largest in decades

Kaptur said these innovative investments administered by the Great Lakes Authority would "unleash the heartlands full potential for this 21st century."

The legislation was supported from officials working on both the east and west sides of Lake Erie.

"The bill rightly identifies the assets of the region, as well as challenges that can be addressed through planning and investment, that will not only benefit the region, but improve the entire nations economic security and global leadership," said Frank Calzonetti, vice president of research at the University of Toledo.

Baiju R. Shah, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, said the new authority could be the "catalyst" for economic growth throughout the region.

Shah praised the legislation for how it could foster multi-state collaboration in both the public and private sectors and pursue alternative energy solutions that will be critical to staying competitive well into the future.

jstinchcom@gannett.com

419-680-4897

Twitter: @JonDBN

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: 8 U.S. Representatives back bill to create 'Great Lakes Authority'
A new venture has been formed to provide digital infrastructure services in the Middle Eastern region and bridge high speed connectivity infrastructure with data centres and exchange platforms.

Alliance International Management (AIM) along with Amsterdam Internet Exchange BV (AMS-IX), Bahrain National Holding Company (BNH), Gulf Bridge International (GBI), GCC Interconnection Authority (GCCIA), Gulf Data Hub (GDH), Gulfnet Communications Company (B Online) and Nuetel Communications (Nuetel), have signed a memorandum of understanding to create the joint venture.

The new venture has been named Alliance Networks and is slated for launch in the near future. Alliance Networks seeks to simplify the digital infrastructure business by providing a concise offering that unifies connectivity to data centres and internet exchange services across hubs in the Middle East specifically in the Gulf with interconnected data centre and internet exchange platform solutions.

Accelerated access

Alliance Networks will enable carriers, enterprises, cloud, and content providers to benefit from accelerated access to networking and data centre infrastructure across the region, through a single platform, contract, and experience.

The first phase in this venture is defined as the interconnection phase in which, all GCC countries will be interconnected to function as a single region/country and thus, addressing the need for seamless regional connectivity.

This phase brings cloud, content, and communications to the edge and closer to users across the Middle East.

Alliance Networks aims to address last mile connectivity challenges by partnering with key regional players and global partners to interconnect and integrate data centres in the Gulf and beyond.

Multiple interconnected internet exchanges

The second phase in this venture is defined as the deployment phase which plans to deploy multiple interconnected internet exchanges (IXs) in the region. This will enable customers to build flexible and agile network ecosystems that deliver exceptional digital experiences to end users.

Todays market is all about agility, experience and seamless connection between hubs across the region, said Adel Al Daylami, CEO, AIM.

Were proud to be part of Alliance Networks and supporting an innovative business that will ultimately benefit the region including technology providers and end users.

Low latency

Peter van Burgel, CEO of AMS-IX: "AMS-IX is excited to work with strong partners and develop key digital infrastructure and connectivity services for its peers and the wider Internet community. This initiative will contribute greatly to bringing low latency, value for money and high-quality Internet to the region and will help establish the GCC countries as a key Internet hub.

We see a clear gap in the regional markets, for a one stop provider of digital infrastructure and connectivity, that is flexible, responsive to customer needs and reliable, said Sameer Al Wazzan, CEO Bahrain National Holdings BSC. We keenly look forward to the next stage of this exciting project.

Alliance Networks provides GBI an opportunity to further address the region's growing capacity requirements. The alliance is another exciting example of how carriers can co-operate to meet the region's growing demands and beyond," said Cengiz Oztelcan, CEO, GBI.

Synergies to the forefront

GCCIA is delighted to partner with Alliance Networks and support their efforts and ambition plan to provide innovative digital infrastructure services in the region, said Ahmed Al-Ebrahim, CEO, GCCIA.

Combining the proven capabilities of technology providers and GCCIAs resilient network will bring synergies to the forefront for the benefit of customers across the region.

Digital transformation and cloud adoption needs simplicity and cost effective connectivity and host solutions, said Tarek Al Ashram, CEO, GDH We are excited to invest in Alliance Networks and accelerate innovation across the Middle East.

Strategic venture

Digitisation is an integral part of all our lives today that urge us to be part of the evolution of telecommunication networks and information society systems, said Dina AlEissa , CEO, B.Online.

We are proud to partner with Alliance Networks, moving forward together uniting our forces, so success takes care of itself.

Nuetel is honoured to be an active member of this strategic venture which shall not only provide an innovative and redundant interconnection between the GCC countries but will also provide dynamic and competitive business propositions while meeting the rapidly changing customer requirements said Mohamed Madan, CEO, Nuetel.

The Alliance Networks encompasses a wide variety of partners leading to the new venture to become a unique in its industry with many dimensions that shall be widely valued by the customers, Madan said.-- TradeArabia News Service
Support will fund the DESC's People Plan, a focused Detroit at Work employment initiative to increase residential employment, reduce poverty and improve economic mobility

DETROIT, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America today announced that it has awarded a $1 million three-year grant to Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC) for its Detroit at Work employment initiative, The People Plan. The People Plan is a focused strategy to ensure all Detroiters  especially Black and Brown residents  have a clear pathway to economic sustainability and employers have access to the talent they need to grow and thrive. The goals of the People Plan are to increase residential employment, reduce poverty and improve economic mobility.

Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation logo

"Bank of America is committed to driving economic opportunity and upward mobility to help put individuals on a path toward success," said Matt Elliott, President, Bank of America Michigan. "The People Plan will work to improve employer access to the talent within the City of Detroit so both business and residents can thrive."

In Detroit, more than one third of working age residents have been persistently disconnected from the labor force, which is the highest rate in the nation. Additionally, more than 22,000 young adults are not in school or work, and less than 1 in 4 Detroiters age 25 and over have a post-secondary degree. While Black and white residents of Detroit are equally likely to be in the labor force, Black residents are more than twice as likely to be unemployed. Furthermore, just getting a job is often not enough to move out of poverty, especially since those who work in Detroit are less likely to work full-time, full-year jobs as compared to national averages.

The Bank's $1 million grant will support key initiatives in The People Plan, which include: Detroit at Work Job Training, which encompasses several evidence programs that are designed to help those with a limited work history such as residents functioning at a lower literacy level, returning citizens and individuals on public assistance and/or facing poverty; Learn to Earn, which includes weekly stipends to participants pursuing high school diploma or GED attainment for up to six months and provides intake and academic assessment, career exploration and coaching, essential skill building, supportive services and job placement; and The Friends and Family Choices Program that provides high-touch employment and wrap-around support for residents directly or indirectly involved in gun violence.

Story continues

"The People Plan is essential to uplifting Detroit residents who might otherwise not know how to take part in all the programs available," said Nicole Sherard-Freeman, City of Detroit, Group Executive - Jobs, Economy & Detroit at Work. "When simply making it from day to day is a struggle, many people don't have the time or resources to investigate or access the help that is available. The People Plan brings resources to the table so those most at risk get immediate access to the help they need."

DESC is a nonprofit organization organized to carry out the Detroit workforce area's strategic plan, goals and objectives of the Mayor's Workforce Development Board as the fiscal and administrative agent for workforce. DESC is the lead agency for "Detroit at Work" which provides job placement, search, training, career advisement and other supportive services to tens of thousands of Detroiters every year.

Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation

Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC) is the administrative and fiscal agent for workforce solutions for the City of Detroit, which means it is responsible for assisting Detroit employers with finding employees and jobseekers with finding jobs. DESC was formed as a non-profit on July 1, 2012. It is a part of the Michigan Works! Association and is one of 25 Michigan Works! Agencies located around the state. Like other Michigan Works! agencies, DESC receives the majority of its funding from the federal government. These funds can only be spent on programs and initiatives for which they are intended, and that are consistent with Office of Management and Budget guidelines. DESC reports to the Detroit Workforce Development Board, which is established by the Mayor of Detroit. For more information, visit www.descmiworks.com.

Bank of America

At Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), we're guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We're delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It's demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for email alerts.

Reporter may contact:

Diane Wagner, Bank of America

Phone: 1.312.992.2370

diane.wagner@bofa.com

(PRNewsfoto/Bank of America Corporation)

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bank-of-america-awards-1-million-grant-to-detroit-employment-solutions-corporation-301513855.html

SOURCE Bank of America Corporation
Beter Bed Holding NV

Were all different and we all have different requirements where sleep is concerned. That makes choosing the right mattress no easy matter. And a lot of people dont know whether they actually prefer a hard or soft mattress or something in between. Beter Bed aims to help! By screening customers and letting them feel for themselves what a good nights sleep means, the Beter Slapen ID system takes just a few minutes to provide an independent mattress recommendation based on the customer's personal needs. Introduction of the new system is in line with the companys strategy presented last year for modernising its current stores.



Beter Bed intends switching to three different types of stores. The first are experience stores such as the one recently opened at the Sontplein retail area in Groningen; these stores have a strategic function within a region. They will be joined by city stores, with the first (200 m2) opening at the Mall of the Netherlands in June. Beter Bed also aims to introduce this concept in inner-city shopping streets. Over the next few years, the company's current shopping-centre stores will also be modernised.

Beter Slapen ID: personal, data-driven sleep advice

In line with its Sleep Better, Live Better mission, Beter Bed is supporting these shopping concepts with a new service: Beter Slapen ID. This system uses sensors to measure the customer's body and matches the results with data about our entire mattress range. Using the results of this test combined with the knowledge of our sleep consultants, we can offer customised, independent mattress advice. The device has been successfully tested in two stores over the past few months.

"During tests with this new technology, it became clear that many people have very different preferences than they initially thought. In the near future, Beter Bed wants to make it possible for people to take measurements themselves at home so as to discover their ideal sleep solution. Customers can already be measured in 12 stores in the Netherlands (Groningen Sontplein, Den Bosch, Zoeterwoude, Amsterdam Arena, Rotterdam Alexandrium, Heerlen, Veenendaal, Breda, Leeuwarden, Apeldoorn, and The Hague) and in the Belgian city of Genk. A whole series of measurements and thousands of calculations provide an objective overview of the five most suitable mattresses within just five minutes. And thats only the beginning, many more will follow", says a proud Perijn Hoefsloot, responsible for Strategic Business Development at Beter Bed.

Story continues

Following the success of the Peter de Beter Bed-weter campaign, the introduction of the Beter Slapen ID will be supported by an extensive marketing campaign on TV, radio and online.





About Beter Bed Holding

Beter Bed Holding (BBH) is the Netherlands leading sleep specialist in retail, wholesale and B2B.



Our mission is simple. We believe that the better we sleep, the happier, healthier and more productive we are. And we wont rest until everyone gets the high-quality sleep they deserve.



Listed on Euronext Amsterdam, BBH operates the successful retail brands Beter Bed, Beddenreus, the new subscription brand Leazzzy and the digital organisation LUNEXT. In addition, through its subsidiary DBC International, BBH has a wholesale business in branded products in the bedroom furnishings sector, which includes the well-known international brand M line.

With 4 distribution centres, a fleet of 80 vehicles, 134 stores, a fast-growing online presence, and a wholesale company our team of over 1,000 dedicated employees generated  214.2 million revenue in 2021.

Providing expert sleep advice is at the very heart of our strategy, and thanks to our revolutionary Beter Slapen ID tool, our sleep consultants help customers to get the perfect nights sleep. BBH is proud that

M line is the official sleep supplier of AFC Ajax, TeamNL, Jumbo-Visma, NOC*NSF and the KNVB.





For more information

Press enquiries: Uneke Dekkers / CFF Communications

T +31 (0)20 575 4010 or M +31 (0)6 50261626

E uneke.dekkers@cffcommunications.nl





For the Pdf version of the press release please click on the link below. Press photos can be downloaded here .





Attachment




New funding takes Builder.ai's total raise to $195M, accelerating growth and enhancements of its human-assisted AI app development platform that empowers every business and entrepreneur

LONDON, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Builder.ai  today announced an investment of $100 million in a Series C funding round led by Insight Partners, a New York-based global venture capital and private equity firm. The round, which brings the company's total funding to $195 million across three total rounds, includes participation from existing investors in combination with new individual and institutional names that include the IFC & Jeffrey Katzenberg's WndrCo.

Builder.ai Logo (PRNewsfoto/Builder.ai)

Established in 2016, Builder.ai is a leading AI-powered low-code/no-code app development platform that builds software and apps up to 6x faster and up to 70% cheaper than traditional human teams, without users needing to speak tech. Builder.ai has increased its revenue by over 300% and deployed more than 40,000 features to happy customers within the last year. The recent raise will support Builder.ai's continued focus on helping organizations and entrepreneurs unlock their creativity and potential with digital transformation. Builder.ai will invest the capital in AI and automation capabilities, rapidly develop its proprietary low-code/no-code platform, scale product development on core systems, including its conversational AI, named "Natasha", for improved self-service, and expand global operations. For its next chapter, Builder.ai will stay focused on pushing the boundaries  both technically and in go-to-market; whether its knowledge graph-powered code synthesis or expanding to cities across the continental United States.

Of the new round, Sachin Dev Duggal, Chief Wizard & Co-Founder of Builder.ai, said, "We believe that everyone, every business should be empowered to unlock their human potential, whether it's creating new ideas or digitally transforming their business, and because of this, our choice of investor for this round was very deliberate; we wanted someone who had deep insight and immense courage to let us think and do differently. This led us to the only natural choice  Jeff Horing and Insight Partners. This is so much more than just capital  it's a round for our customers, all the tinkerers, the people that never accepted "no" for an answer, the small businesses that said "we shall prevail" and the entrepreneurs who never blinked for a second."

Story continues

Key company milestones over the past 12 months include:

Headcount increased from 265 in March 2021 to 450 by March 2022

Revenue from Builder Studio has grown by 18x since April 2020

Deepening partnerships by introducing new marketplace partners to customers to add logistics and payments to their apps

"Builder.ai has spearheaded a new category in the low-code/no-code industry with an innovative business model and clarity of vision, fueling its 300% growth in the last year," said Jeff Horing, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Insight Partners. "I've been speaking with Sachin from the early days of Builder.ai and have witnessed how he and the team have built something very special. By truly democratizing access to complex software, Builder.ai is set to disrupt the core of how applications are built."

Builder.ai further welcomes key business leaders, such as WndrCo. and Nikesh Arora, as investors and mentors to help make Builder.ai into a generational business. Builder.ai's investor base provides access to network, capital and acute wisdom as it expands and continues to disrupt the disruptors of low code/no-code.



"Builder.ai gives businesses large and small the superpower of building custom apps quickly and easily. WndrCo is excited to invest again and to partner with Sachin and team on accelerating growth in the US and beyond." ChenLi Wang, Partner, WndrC.

Guggenheim Securities, LLC. acted as exclusive financial advisor and Goodwin Procter LLP acted as legal advisor to Builder.ai. Wilkie Farr Gallagher LLP acted as legal advisor to Insight Partners.



About Builder.ai:

Builder.ai is an AI-powered low-code/no-code app development platform that allows customers to order apps for every business and entrepreneur. The AI-powered assembly line fuses together Lego- like reusable features, using Building Blocks automation to reduce human effort, leveraging a verified network of experts to vastly extend development capabilities, and producing apps at almost zero failure rate that are multitudes cheaper and faster than traditional software development.

Led by serial entrepreneur Sachin Dev Duggal, Builder.ai is reshaping how software is built and operated with a suite of products and services, including BUILDER STUDIO, BUILDER CLOUD, BUILDER CARE, BUILDER NOW, BUILDER HIVE, STUDIO STORE and STUDIO RAPID. In 2021, Builder.ai was awarded 'Hottest AI Startup' at the Europas for Europe's successful tech start-ups and made the 'Inc 5,000 list of Fastest Growing Companies in America' and awarded 'Visionary' in the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Multi-experience Development Platforms. Builder.ai is headquartered in London, supported by employees and hubs in Delhi NCR, Singapore, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and Dubai. For more information, visit www.builder.ai .

BUILDER.AI and BUILDER are trademarks of Engineer.ai Corp. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners.

About Insight Partners:

Insight Partners is a global software investor partnering with high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. As of February 24, 2022, the closing of the firm's recent fundraise, Fund XII, brings Insight Partners' regulatory assets under management to over $90B. Insight Partners has invested in more than 600 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO. Headquartered in New York City, Insight has offices in London, Tel Aviv, and Palo Alto. Insight's mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with practical, hands-on software expertise to foster long-term success. Insight Partners meets great software leaders where they are in their growth journey, from their first investment to IPO. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit insightpartners.com or follow us on Twitter @insightpartners.

Media Contact:

Stephanie Lowenthal

stephanie.lowenthal@builder.ai

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/builderai-raises-100m-series-c-funding-led-by-global-software-investor-insight-partners-301513079.html

SOURCE Builder.ai
Wagner Machine Co. improves quality and profitability with a transformed Quality Management System that supports ISO and AS9100D Standards.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The leadership team at Wagner Machine Co. has recognized the value of maintaining a robust quality management system for many years. As they were already using ISO compliant quality procedures, they desired to attain certification of their quality system to industry standards. They had previously worked with IMEC on other projects, so reaching out to them about ISO 9001:2015 certification was an obvious move. Shortly into the process, they learned of a pool of new customers they were missing out on because they lacked AS9100D certification. "We had the advanced machining capabilities they were looking for but we couldn't even approach them without the proper certification." reflects Kurt Wagner, CEO of Wagner Machine.

Igniting Illinois manufacturing excellence and global competitiveness. (PRNewsfoto/IMEC)

Solution

Dual certification to ISO9001 and AS9100D required about 20% more time and resources, but it was well worth it to the Wagner team. IMEC partnered with Qual Train Consulting to help the Wagner team meet their certification goal. The process began with transitioning Wagner Machine's current Quality Management System to one that was compliant with the AS9100D Standard. After being in business for 40 years, it was a tedious, but worthwhile process to convert years of established procedures to match the new standard while steering the culture to appreciate the value of consistent processes.

IMEC assisted in training the management team at Wagner Machine to develop an understanding of the AS9100D standards and policies. Training included developing detailed procedures and work instructions that were AS9100D compliant and creating robust and efficient procedures. The team also received internal auditor training that covered how to schedule and conduct internal audits. In the final stages, IMEC helped Wagner Machine identify and select a trusted registrar.

Story continues

"IMEC was instrumental in our ISO9001:2015/AS9100D certification. They helped us make key connections to implement our Quality Management System in a way that provides huge benefits for Wagner Machine Company and all our customers." Kurt Wagner, CEO of Wagner Machine Co.

Becoming AS9100D certified has allowed the Wagner team to increase their level of quality in both processes and products and opened the door for new opportunities. As Wagner was completing the certification process, they compiled a list of prospects who require AS9100D certification to conduct business. They planned to reach out to these companies once certified. Before they even had the chance to initiate conversations, prospective customers were already contacting Wagner Machine. Since there aren't a lot of companies with this certification, word spreads rapidly when one is newly available for customers that require AS9100D certified suppliers. Since then, Wagner has been reaping the benefits of this new avenue for gaining customers.

On the shop floor, there is much more clarity; "our work instructions are standardized now, and we don't have three slightly different copies of a work instruction for the same process. It is clear how things are supposed to be done in the shop and if anything is out of line, we can spot it immediately." said Kurt Wagner. Adopting the AS9100D Standard has been a challenge, but it has been well worth it. Kurt was appreciative that the employees didn't react unfavorably due to the misconception that becoming ISO or AS9100 certified meant changing all processes, adding extra steps, or requiring more time. He noted, "The initial goal was to make sure we were meeting the basics of the standard. That required some changes, but we tried to keep them to a minimum because we had an established system that was working. Over time, we have found more opportunities to improve our processes and even reduce redundant work, so we are constantly making minor adjustments based on information we collect.

Going forward, Wagner will continue to focus on maintaining a high level of quality that follows the AS9100D Standard and will conduct regular internal audits to ensure they provide consistent and reliable quality for all their customers  not just those that require certification.

Results

8 New or retained employees

$490,000 Anticipated retained sales

$175,000 New investment in new product/process

$470,000 New investment in plant or equipment

$65,000 New investment in information systems

$18,000 New investment in employee skills

Improved on-time delivery

About IMEC

IMEC is a team of improvement specialists and technicians dedicated to providing organizations in Illinois with the tools and techniques to create sustainable competitive futures. The experienced hands-on team at IMEC works closely with its clients to plan critical business improvements in the areas of Leadership, Strategy, Customer Engagement, Operations, and Workforce. IMEC, Illinois affiliate of the U.S Commerce NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) National Network, has demonstrated a return on investment that exceeds 19:1. This is made possible as organizations become more effective and efficient - and together with IMEC - excel toward enterprise excellence. For more information, visit www.imec.org.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/champaign-manufacturer-achieve-iso-90012015-and-as9100d-certification-with-the-help-of-imec-301514049.html

SOURCE IMEC




A top legal analyst at CNN said it is possible President Biden's son Hunter Biden could be indicted by the U.S. government following an investigation into his foreign business dealings.

"This is a very real, very substantial investigation of potentially serious federal crimes," Elie Honig said Wednesday morning on the network. "We are seeing federal prosecutors in Delaware do exactly what you would expect to see federal prosecutors do in this situation."

Honig said it appears the investigation into Hunter Biden's business overseas is "gaining steam."

Hunter Biden's history of drug use and relationships in the international business world have been the subject of scorn among Republicans and critics of his father for years.

Former President Trump relentlessly attacked President Biden over his son's struggles with addiction and what he alleged to be corrupt overseas business affairs during the 2020 presidential campaign. Trump's first impeachment stemmed from a call with the president of Ukraine during which Trump pressured the Ukrainian leader to help him dig up dirt on Hunter Biden, who had done business in the country with a corrupt oil and gas company.

On Tuesday, Trump took his attacks on the Bidens a step further, asking Russian President Vladimir Putin to release any damning information the Russian government may have on Hunter Biden. Putin is currently carrying out an invasion of Ukraine that has earned widespread condemnation from the international community.

"Why did the mayor of Moscow's wife give the Bidens, both of them, $3.5 million dollars? That's a lot of money," Trump said. "I would think Putin would know the answer to that. I think he should release it."

Many media outlets have through independent fact-checking shot down some of Trump's various claims of corruption against the Bidens. Yet The Washington Post this week published a 3,000-word investigative report confirming key details of Hunter Biden's business dealings in China.

The Justice Department is reportedly continuing to look into potential illegal lobbying allegations against a consulting firm tied to Ukrainian energy company Burisma, on whose board Hunter Biden once sat.

"There is a realistic chance this could result in federal charges," Honig said. "Of course, then we'd be in unprecedented political territory - not legal territory but a situation of having potentially the Department of Justice prosecuting and trying to imprison the son of the president."
A former DeepMind employee has accused the company of mishandling a series of serious sexual harassment allegations. In a report published Wednesday, The Financial Times recounts the experience of a former female staff member who alleges she was sexually assaulted twice by a senior researcher at the Google subsidiary. She says her harasser also sent her multiple traumatic documents, including one where he made allusions to raping unconscious women.

DeepMind eventually dismissed the researcher, but not before it subjected his victim to a disciplinary process she argues showed major flaws in how the company handles such incidents. All told, it reportedly took DeepMind seven months to address the complaint, and only did so after the former employee filed an appeal. It then allegedly took another two months before the company finally dismissed her harasser in September 2020.

During that period, the former employee was told she would face disciplinary action if she talked about her complaint with colleagues. She was advised not to visit the office where her harasser worked, but her manager, not knowing the full scope of the complaint, repeatedly pushed her to attend meetings at that same building. According to The Times, DeepMind did not place any restrictions on the alleged perpetrator, a claim the company disputes.

A spokesperson for DeepMind said the firm told the researcher not to contact the staff member in September 2019. The company also disputes a claim the researcher received an individual award for their work during the time they were being investigated by the company. DeepMind says the award was given for a historic team paper of which he was one member.

According to your own findings, I was subjected to sexual harassment, assault and abuse I will never be the same person. I have spent almost the entire last year fearing for my safety. There is absolutely no reason why the investigation was so dysfunctional, the former employee said in an August 2020 email to DeepMinds senior leadership.

Any incident of sexual assault or harassment is abhorrent. DeepMind takes all allegations of workplace misconduct extremely seriously and we place our employees safety at the core of any actions we take, DeepMind told Engadget. The allegations were investigated thoroughly, and the individual who was investigated for misconduct was dismissed without any severance payments.

Following the incident, DeepMind told Engadget it implemented a series of policies to change how it investigates such matters. Among other changes, the company says it now communicates more clearly how employees should go about raising concerns, and that it has a better system in place to support workers who complain of harassment and discrimination. It also told The Times it regrets the former staff member was provided with incorrect guidance around breaking confidentiality.
Duke Realty Corporation

INDIANAPOLIS, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Duke Realty Corporation (NYSE: DRE) today announced that the company will release its first quarter 2022 operating results on Wednesday, April 27th, after the market close. The company will host its quarterly earnings conference call on Thursday, May 28th, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

The public may access the conference call through a live audio webcast available on the investor relations section of Duke Realtys website at www.dukerealty.com. Supplemental materials will be posted to the investor relations section of the Company's website prior to the conference call. Shortly after the conclusion of the conference call, investors can access a replay of the webcast on the Companys website.

About Duke Realty Corporation

Duke Realty Corporation owns and operates approximately 162 million rentable square feet of industrial assets in 19 key U.S. logistics markets. Duke Realty Corporation is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol DRE and is a component of the S&P 500 Index. More information about Duke Realty Corporation is available at www.dukerealty.com.

Contact Information:

Investors:

Ron Hubbard

317.808.6060

Media:

Gene Miller

317.808.6195




* Chinese blue chips lead Asian gains, Japan slides

* European futures lower, FTSE futures flat

* U.S. 10 year yields lower

* Oil and gold both gain

By Alun John

HONG KONG, March 30 (Reuters) - Asia shares joined a global rally on Wednesday as hopes rose for a negotiated end to the Ukraine conflict, while bond markets signalled concern about the U.S. economy overnight after 10-year yields briefly dipped below two year rates.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 1.28% to its highest level in nearly a month, with most Asian stock markets in positive territory, and Chinese blue chips, up 2.5%, leading the charge.

Japan's Nikkei bucked the trend however, falling 1%, as observers pointed to profit taking heading into the end of the fiscal year. The benchmark hit a two-month closing high on Tuesday.

Ukraine, on Tuesday, proposed adopting a neutral status in a sign of progress at face-to-face negotiations, though on the ground, reports of attacks continued, and Ukraine reacted with skepticism to Russia's promise in negotiations to scale down military operations around Kyiv.

The rally looked set to peter out later in the day however, as while U.S. and European shares had risen sharply overnight, futures pointed to a lower open on Wednesday.

EUROSTOXX 50 futures shed 0.18%, FTSE futures and U.S. S&P 500 futures were flat.

"On the one hand there has been more positive news regarding Ukraine, and the market is hopeful of a peace deal at some point, which is resulting in a bit of a 'risk-on' event, with shares up," said Shane Oliver chief economist and head of investment strategy at AMP Capital.

"But then it's back to worrying about inflation and bond yields, and there's this debate about whether we're going to see a recession in the U.S. because of the inversion of part of the U.S. yield curve."

The widely tracked U.S. 2-year/10-year Treasury yield curve briefly inverted on Tuesday for the first time since September 2019, as bond investors bet that aggressive tightening by the Federal Reserve could hurt the U.S. economy over the longer term.

Story continues

Longer-dated yields falling below shorter ones indicate a lack of faith in future growth, and 10-year yields falling beneath 2-year rates is widely seen as a harbinger of recession.

On the other hand, the spread between the yield on 3-month Treasury bills and 10-year notes this month remained steeper.

"The messages from the yield curve are very confusing," said Oliver.

The benchmark U.S. 10-year yield was last softer at 2.3615% having risen as high as 2.557% on Monday, its highest since April 2019, as traders position themselves for quickfire rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

The spread between the U.S. 10-year and 2-year yields was last 3.4 basis points.

JAPAN IN FOCUS

Rising U.S. yields are also dragging Japanese government bond yields in their wake, a threat to Japan's ultra loose monetary policy.

The Bank of Japan increased its efforts to defend its key yield cap on Wednesday offering to ramp up buying of government bonds across the curve including through unscheduled emergency market operations.

While this apparently underscored its resolve to hold to the policy, some analysts questioned whether the strategy was sustainable.

I wouldnt be surprised if the Bank of Japan sets a higher limit for 10 year JBG yields  currently at 0.25%. They cant afford to be too far behind the curve, because if the yen were to weaken further beyond certain levels it could raise market fears, said Joel Le Saux fund manager of Eurizon Fund's Sustainable Japan Equity sub fund.

The widening differential between U.S. and Japanese yields have caused the yen to weaken sharply, but it managed to regain some lost ground on Wednesday.

The Japanese currency was was at 121.95 per dollar, compared to from Monday's low of 124.3. Traders pointed to rising fears that Japanese authorities might step in to try and halt the slide as being behind the recovery.

Elsewhere in currency markets, the euro was up 0.2% at $1.1107 supported by hopes that talks between Russia and Ukraine lead to peace.

Supply tightness kept crude prices firm, according to analysts, as the oil market was not ready to speculate that the talks would end the conflict and pave the way for Western allies to remove sanctions against Russian oil exports.

Brent crude rose 0.66% to $110.96 per barrel. U.S. crude rose 0.7% to $104.97.

Spot gold rose 0.3% to $1920.6 per ounce.

(Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
Vantage Market Research, The North Star for the Working World

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vantage Market Research published a report, titled, "Orthodontics Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Product Type (Instruments, Suppliers), by End User (Hospitals, Dental Clinics, Others), by Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa) - Global Industry Assessment (2016 - 2021) & Forecast (2022 - 2028)". According to the report, the global Orthodontics industry generated $ 5,285.10 Million in 2021, and is anticipated to generate $ 13,213.30 Million by 2028, witnessing a CAGR of 16.50% from 2022 to 2028.



Synopsis:

Orthodontics Market is a field in dental science that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and correction of mal-positioned teeth and jaws, and misaligned bite patterns. The Orthodontics Market consists of transparent aligners, brackets, elastics, ligation wires, Orthodontics Market appliances, mouth guards, and retainers for the treatment of dental problems such as crowded teeth, loss of spacing between teeth, growth deficiencies, excessive spacing, and malocclusions due to genetics. With the growing demand of ensuring good dental hygiene and oral health is increasingly, the market for Orthodontics Market procedures is growing rapidly. In addition, high incidence of malocclusion, increase in common dental disorders globally, increased use of dental care by ageing population, and rising demand for cosmetic dentistry operations will drive the growth of market during the forecast period. The rise in the number of Orthodontics Market problems such as crossbite, overcrowding, diastema, and influx have increased the demand for brackets substantially, which will drive the growth of the Orthodontics Market in the near future. Orthodontics Market brackets are made with several material types such as ceramic, metals, plastic or combination materials which are used for dental correction and commonly s misaligned teeth. This factor will contribute in the growth of market in future.

Moreover, the adoption of advanced imaging technology, adaption of technology and oral healthcare in the endodontics and Orthodontics Market industry and treatment planning software are further expected drive the market growth in the coming years. Increased market developments such as 3D printing technology which is used to create personalized dental devices and promotes essential oral wellness and quality of life for more experienced adults is estimated to further enhance the market growth during the forecast period. However, factors like poor dental care access in underdeveloped and developing nations, shortage of dental healthcare infrastructure in rural areas high cost of advanced Orthodontics Market treatments and limited reimbursement, side effects are expected to limit the growth of the global Orthodontics Market over the coming years.

Story continues

Please Check Out Our Free Sample Reports and Make a More Informed Decision:

Get Access to a Free Copy of Our Latest Sample Report @ https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/orthodontics-market-1418/request-sample

(Sample reports are a great way to test our in-depth reports or study before you make a purchase)

The newly updated, 145+ page reports provide an in-depth analysis of the COVID-19 virus and pandemic.

Using industry data and interview with experts, you can learn about topics such as regional impact analysis, global forecast, competitive landscape analysis, size & share of regional markets.

We offer these reports in PDF format so you can read them on your computer and print them out.

Free sample includes, Industry Operating Conditions, Industry Market Size, Profitability Analysis, SWOT Analysis, Industry Major Players, Historical and Forecast, Growth Porter's 5 Forces Analysis, Revenue Forecasts, Industry Trends, Industry Financial Ratios.

The report also presents the country-wise and region-wise analysis of the Vantage Market Research and includes a detailed analysis of the key factors affecting the growth of the market.

Sample Report further sheds light on the Major Market Players with their Sales Volume, Business Strategy and Revenue Analysis, to offer the readers an advantage over others.

Key Insights & Findings from the Report:

According to our primary respondents research, the Orthodontics market is predicted to grow at a CAGR of roughly 16.50% during the forecast period.

The Orthodontics market was estimated to be worth roughly USD 5,285.10 Million in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 13,213.30 Million by 2028; based on primary research.

On the basis of region, North America is projected to dominate the worldwide Orthodontics market.



List of Prominent Players in the Orthodontics Market:

DB Orthodontics

G&H Orthodontics

Henry Schein Inc.

Danaher Corporation

3M

Unitek

Align Technology Inc.

Rocky Mountain Orthodontics

American Orthodontics

DENTSPLY International

Purchase This Premium Report Now @ https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/buy-now/orthodontics-market-1418/0

Benefits of Purchasing Orthodontics Market Reports:

Customer Satisfaction : Our team of experts assists you with all your research needs and optimizes your reports.

Analyst Support : Before or after purchasing the report, ask a professional analyst to address your questions.

Assured Quality : Focuses on accuracy and quality of reports.

Incomparable Skills: Analysts provide in-depth insights into reports.

Market Dynamics:

Drivers:

Increase in number of Teeth Malocclusion to Increase Demand for Orthodontics Market Products

Malocclusion is one of the most common oral problem, and ranked third among worldwide dental health disease problem. Malocclusion means having crooked teeth or a poor bite, where bite means the way the upper and lower teeth line up with each other. The rising number of cases of dental malocclusions worldwide is one of the factor for the Orthodontics Market growth during the forecast period. According to Align Technology, one of the major players in the industry, there are approximately 12 million cases of dental misalignment and malocclusion around the world seeking treatment in 2020. Many private and public organization have initiated prevention and awareness programs to address the increasing prevalence of malocclusions, which is expected to boost the demand for Orthodontics Market products over the coming years.

Ongoing advancement of technology in the products will drive the market.

The increasing use of dental 3D scanners and dental imaging has reduced the need for handwritten descriptions and aided in effective treatment planning with virtual images of the patients jaw, teeth, and mouth which is expected to drive the market growth in the near future. The introduction of technologically advanced diagnostic tools by manufacturers for the clinical diagnosis of oral health and detection of misaligned teeth has enhanced the treatment quality. Moreover, use of CAD/CAM & 3D technologies, IoT software and AI-based technologies with dental and Orthodontics Market techniques is driving the Orthodontics Market growth over the coming years.

Restraints

Expensive procedures might restrict market growth

The high costs associated with various treatment options is the major factors restraining the growth of market during the forecast period. With an increasing number of interest of patient populations for Orthodontics Market every year for various purposes, the concern associated with high treatment costs is the only reason for backing out of considerable amount of population. Treatment cost is based on type, length and location of treatment, age of the patient and the availability of dental insurance. With most of the insurance company in underdeveloped and developing countries not recognizing the need of Orthodontics Market surgery and classifying them as elective surgery will restrain the growth of the Orthodontics Market over the forecast period.

Read Full Research Report @ https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/industry-report/orthodontics-market-1418

Regional Analysis

The North America region accounted for the major market share of in the year 2021 and is anticipated to grow throughout the projected period due to factors such as growing elderly population, technical advancements in Orthodontics Market and increased insurance coverage of Orthodontics Market by insurance companies.

Besides, Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at a rapid pace due to factors like enhancing economic conditions, technological advancements in medical sciences, an increase in the number of affordable dental services, increasing young population, growing numbers of malocclusion problems and an increase in emergence of dental practice in the region. Moreover, increasing income and growing awareness on oral health are further expected to drive the growth of this regional segment in the coming years.

The growth for the European Orthodontics Market is due to the rise in the aging population and rising incidences of oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontal diseases, tooth decay, and malocclusion. The oral diseases are increasing due to the Lack of proper oral hygiene and tobacco use; for instance, in 2019, 3.5 billion people are suffering from oral diseases, driving the growth for Orthodontics Market in the European region.

The Middle East and Africa market is showing potential growth in the current period. Orthodontics Market treatment options are in high demand due to the aesthetic appeal as well as the treatment being considered as minimally invasive in nature which has further stimulated the demand for the Middle East & Africa Orthodontics Market over the forecast period.

Speak To Analyst @ https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/orthodontics-market-1418/contact-analyst

The report on the Orthodontics Market highlights:

Assessment of the market

Premium Insights

Competitive Landscape

COVID Impact Analysis

Historic Data, Estimates, and Forecast

Company Profiles

Global and Regional Dynamics



Key questions answered in the report:

Which regional market will show the highest and rapid growth?

Which are the top five players of the Orthodontics Market?

How will the Orthodontics Market change in the upcoming six years?

Which application and product will take a lions share of the Orthodontics Market?

What is the Orthodontics market drivers and restrictions?

What will be the CAGR and size of the Orthodontics Market throughout the forecast period?

This market titled Orthodontics Market will cover exclusive information in terms of Geographic Segmentation, Forecast, Regional Analysis, Key Market Trends, and various others as mentioned below:

Parameter Details Market Size in 2021 USD 5,285.10 Million Projected Market Size in 2028 USD 13,213.30 Million CAGR Growth Rate CAGR of 16.50% From 2022  2028 Market Size Provided for Years 2016-2028 Base Year 2021 Historic Years 2016-2020 Forecast Years 2022-2028 Segments Covered Product Type Instruments Suppliers

End User Hospitals Dental Clinics Others

Region & Counties Covered North America U.S. Canada Mexico

Europe U.K France Germany Italy Spain Rest Of Europe

Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea South East Asia Rest Of Asia Pacific

Latin America Brazil Argentina Rest Of Latin America

Middle East & Africa GCC Countries South Africa Rest Of Middle East & Africa

Companies Covered DB Orthodontics

G&H Orthodontics

Henry Schein Inc.

Danaher Corporation

3M

Unitek

Align Technology Inc.

Rocky Mountain Orthodontics

American Orthodontics

DENTSPLY International Report Coverage Market growth drivers, restraints, opportunities, Porters five forces analysis, PEST analysis, value chain analysis, regulatory landscape, technology landscape, patent analysis, market attractiveness analysis by segments and North America, company market share analysis, and COVID-19 impact analysis

Customization of the Report:

The report can be customized as per client needs or requirements. For any queries, you can contact us on sales@vantagemarketresearch.com or +1 (202) 380-9727. Our sales executives will be happy to understand your needs and provide you with the most suitable reports.

Download Free Sample Report Now @ https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/orthodontics-market-1418/request-sample

Browse More Related Report:

Contrast Media/Contrast Agents Market:- https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/industry-report/contrast-mediacontrast-agents-market-1424

Myoelectric Prosthetics Market:- https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/industry-report/myoelectric-prosthetics-market-1409

Surgical Sutures Market:- https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/industry-report/surgical-sutures-market-1396

Ultrasound Market:- https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/industry-report/ultrasound-market-1378

Top Companies in Dental Turbines Market:- https://v-mr.biz/dental-turbines-market



About Vantage Market Research:

We, at Vantage Market Research, provide quantified B2B high quality research on more than 20,000 emerging markets, in turn, helping our clients map out constellation of opportunities for their businesses. We, as a competitive intelligence market research and consulting firm provide end to end solutions to our client enterprises to meet their crucial business objectives. Our clientele base spans across 70% of Global Fortune 500 companies. The company provides high quality data and market research services. The company serves various enterprises and clients in a wide variety of industries. The company offers detailed reports on multiple industries including Chemical Materials and Energy, Food and Beverages, Healthcare Technology, etc. The companys experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants use proprietary data sources and numerous statistical tools and techniques to gather and analyse information.

Follow Us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vantage-market-research/

Follow Us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/vantagemarketr

Contact us

Eric Kunz

6218 Georgia Avenue NW Ste 1 - 564

Washington DC 20011-5125

United States Tel: +1 202 380 9727

Email: sales@vantagemarketresearch.com

Website: https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/

Latest Vantage Market Research Press Releases @ https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/insight/press-releases

Latest Vantage Market Research Blog @ https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/insight/blogs

Blog:




Market Data Centre

The prominent players in the infusion pumps market are Becton, Dickinson and Company (US), Baxter International (US), B. Braun (Germany), ICU Medical (US), Fresenius Kabi (Germany), Smiths Medical (US), Medtronic PLC (Ireland), Moog Inc. (US), Avanos Medical, Inc. (US), Nipro Corporation (Japan), Terumo Corporation (Japan), Insulet Corporation (US), Ypsomed Holding AG (Switzerland), Tandem Diabetes Care (US), JMS Co., Ltd. (Japan), Micrel Medical Devices SA (Greece), InfuTronix Solutions LLC (US), Zyno Medical LLC (US), Roche Diagnostics (Switzerland), Teleflex, Inc. (US), Mindray Medical International Limited (China), Epic Medical (Singapore), SOOIL Development Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Shenzhen MedRena Biotech Co., Ltd. (China), and CODAN Medizinische Gerate GmbH & Co KG (Germany).

Pune, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Infusion pumps are medical devices that are used to deliver therapeutic fluids into a patients body in a controlled manner. These pumps are capable of delivering fluids in large or small amounts, and to deliver nutrients or medications such as insulin or other hormones, antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, pain relievers etc. into a patients circulatory system. It is generally used intravenously, although arterial, subcutaneous, and epidural infusions are occasionally used. These are in widespread use in clinical settings such as hospitals, nursing homes and in household.

There has been lot of research resulting in several different varieties of pumps giving more control on the volume and time of the fluid to be delivered. An infusion pump draws fluid from a pump reservoir or a standard bag of intravenous fluid and controls the rate of dosage flow. It provides accurate and continuous therapy, since precise fluid infusion and drug administration is crucial for its optimum management. Because it can use any size bag of intravenous fluid, an infusion pump can be used to deliver fluids at different rates.

Types of Infusion Pumps

Story continues

These pumps are generally segregated into two different types  Electronic Programmable with a motor driven motor pump and non-programmable constant flow pumps.





Get a Sample Copy of the Report https://www.marketdatacentre.com/sample/73







By Application:

Enteral Pump - A pump used to deliver food and liquid nutrients through a tube directly into your digestive tract

Insulin Pump  Insulin pumps are small computerized devices used to deliver insulin to patient with diabetes.

Patient Controlled Analgesia Pump - There are highly effective safety pumps equipped with a feature that allows patients to self-administer a controlled amount of medication.

Gravity Infusion Pump  These are one of the most common types of systems used where medication is put in a bag that hangs on a pole, and the pressure of gravity delivers the medication at a safe and steady rate

Syringe Pump  These pumps deliver small doses of high concentration medications over the course of a longer period of time where the fluid is held in the reservoir of a syringe, and a moveable piston controls the delivery of fluid

Elastomeric Pump  Also known as balloon pump or ball pump, has a stretchable balloon reservoir which holds the medication and the pressure from the elastic walls of the balloon drives the fluid delivery.

Multi-Channel Pump  This device can deliver two or more kinds of fluids from multiple reservoirs at multiple rates

Smart Infusion Pumps:

(Generally referred as next generation Infusion Devices)

Smart infusion pump have become increasingly dominant and they offer significant advantages, including the ability to deliver fluids or many of the drugs at a precisely programmed rate using a combination of computer technology and drug libraries to detect dosing and programming errors that may harm patients

Compliance in using smart pumps is important in to avoid medication errors. This system also helps in alerting the users where there is a risk of an adverse drug interaction or when the user sets the pump parameters outside of specified safety limits.





Speak to Our Research Analyst https://www.marketdatacentre.com/analyst/73







Major Players

Fresenius Kabi :

German based healthcare company. It has been working on infusion technologies for approximately 50 years, and today produces several types of smart-connected pumps that uses its Agilia infusion system

Baxter International:

American healthcare firm. It produces its own Evo IQ infusion system, and is a flexible technology which means it can be integrated with electronic media record (EMR) and can also adopt new medical capabilities like e-prescriptions

Micrel Medical Devices:

Athens-based medtech firm. They offer Rythmic infusion pumps, which are designed for chemotherapy and several other syringe devices as well

Q-Core Medical:

Israel based medical product manufacturer. They specialize in infusion delivery systems for use in both hospital and homecare settings. They use Q-Core flow control technology in their range of infusion pumps, notable for being small and light which come equipped with a full colour touchscreen and user-friendly interface.

Becton Dickinson:

US healthcare giant. They became a major player in the infusion pump market after acquiring CareFusion in 2014. After this acquisition, they gained several Alaris infusion products, many of which features Guardrails safety software which reduces intravenous medication errors, tracks and measures system performance, and improves overall quality of patient care.

COMPANY PROFILES (Business Overview, Products Offered, Financial Performance*, Recent Developments) Baxter BD B. Braun Melsungen AG ICU Medical, Inc. Fresenius Kabi AG Medtronic Terumo Corporation Halyard Health Mindray Medical International Limited Insulet Corporation

At MDC Research, we offer research solutions to help businesses break the barriers of doubt or uncertainties when they plan to expand their growth. Our researchers compile data and information that help chief executive officers decide which growth opportunities in a market to pursue.

MDC Research is known for conducting well-researched reports, and the expertise of our researchers contributes to the outstanding quality of our reports. MDC Research enables businesses to make impactful decisions by blending innovation and analytical thinking. Our unique blend of these two skills assures you access to the most complete and up-to-date information about your industry.

MDC Research has a wealth of experience using the latest methodologies to develop reports for a wide range of clients in diverse markets. Our commitment to delivering high-quality research and creating innovative reports is one of the reasons why MDC Research is such a trusted name in the business world today.





Buy Now This Report https://www.marketdatacentre.com/checkout/73







Key Questions Answered in This Report:

What is the potential of the Infusion Pump Market?

What is the impact of COVID-19 on the global Infusion Pump Market?

What are the top strategies that companies adopting in Infusion Pump Market?

What are the challenges faced by SMEs and prominent vendors in Infusion Pump Market?

Which region has the highest investments in Infusion Pump Market?

What are the latest research and activities in Infusion Pump Market?

Who are the prominent players in Infusion Pump Market?

What is the potential of the Infusion Pump Market?





Read Overview of the Report https://www.marketdatacentre.com/infusion-pump-market-73







About MDC:

Market Data Centre (Subsidiary of Yellow Bricks Global Services Private Limited)

Market Data Centre offers complete solutions for market research reports in miscellaneous businesses.These decisions making process depend on wider and systematic extremely important information created through extensive study as well as the most recent trends going on in the industry.The company also attempts to offer much better customer-friendly services and appropriate business information to achieve our clients ideas.

CONTACT: Contact: Market Data Centre (Subsidiary of Yellow Bricks Global Services Private Limited) Office 808, Amar Business Park, S.No. 105, Baner Road, Pune 411045, India Email: sales@marketdatacentre.com Phone: +1-916-848-6986 (US) Website: https://www.marketdatacentre.com/




Company Logo

Global Safety Laser Scanner Market

Global Safety Laser Scanner Market

Dublin, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Safety Laser Scanner Market (2021-2026) by Product Type, End-User Industry Type, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Global Safety Laser Scanner Market is estimated to be USD 356.9 Mn in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 482.14 Mn by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 6.2%.



Market Dynamics

Due to increasing workplace fatalities and securities, the Global Safety Laser Scanner Market, increasing demand for power or energy-efficient safety laser scanners drives the market's growth. Additionally, safety laser scanners offer many benefits such as high-user friendliness, small form factor, seamless integration with a long-term, cost-effective solution, and increasing adoption by various industries such as automotive, consumer electronics, and especially in healthcare and pharmaceuticals are fuelling the growth of the market.

On the other hand, the availability of safety mats as a substitute solution that offers similar protective solutions is restricting the market and hampering the growth of the global safety laser scanner market.



Furthermore, growing safety and security measures related to machinery usage and favorable regulatory framework will create potential opportunities for the market to grow in the forecasted period. Moreover, bon-contact functionality with scanners is the challenge that may negatively affect the market's growth.



Market Segmentation

The Global Safety Laser Scanner Market is segmented further based on Product Type, End-User Industry Type, and Geography.

By Product Type, the market is classified into Mobile Safety Laser Scanner and Stationery Safety Laser Scanner.

By End-User, the Safety Laser Scanner market is classified into Automotive, Consumer Goods & Electronics, Food & Beverages, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, and Others.

By Geography, North America is projected to lead the market.

Story continues

Company Profiles

Some of the companies covered in this report are Banner Engineering Corp, Hans Turck GmbH & Co KG, Hokuyo Automatic Co Ltd, IDEC Corporation, Keyence Corporation, Leuze Electronic GmbH + Co KG, OMRON Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Rockwell Automation, Inc, and SICK AG, etc.



Countries Studied

America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas)

Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe)

Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA)

Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific)

Competitive Quadrant

The report includes a Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.



Why buy this report?

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Safety Laser Scanner Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.

The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry.

The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report.

The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.

The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's competitive positioning tool.

Key Topics Covered:



1 Report Description



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Market Size and Segmentation

3.3 Market Outlook



4 Market Influencers

4.1 Drivers

4.1.1 Increasing Workplace Fatalities and Security

4.1.2 Growing Demand for Energy-Efficient Scanners

4.1.3 Numbers of Benefits offered By Safety Laser Scanners

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 Availability of Safety Mats as a Substitute Solution

4.3 Opportunities

4.3.1 Developing Safety and Security Measures for Machinery Usage

4.3.2 Favorable Regulatory Framework

4.4 Challenges

4.4.1 Non-Contact Functionality with Scanners



5 Market Analysis

5.1 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.2 Impact of COVID-19

5.3 Ansoff Matrix Analysis



6 Global Safety Laser Scanner Market, By Product Type

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Mobile Safety Laser Scanner

6.3 Stationery Safety Laser Scanner



7 Global Safety Laser Scanner Market, By End-User Industry Type

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Automotive

7.3 Consumer Goods & Electronics

7.4 Food & Beverages

7.5 Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals

7.6 Others



8 Global Safety Laser Scanner Market, By Geography

9 Competitive Landscape

9.1 Competitive Quadrant

9.2 Market Share Analysis

9.3 Strategic Initiatives

9.3.1 M&A and Investments

9.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations

9.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements



10 Company Profiles

10.1 Automated Precision, Inc

10.2 Arcus Automation Private Limited

10.3 Baker Hughes Company

10.4 Banner Engineering Corp

10.5 Carl Zeiss AG

10.6 Creaform

10.7 Datalogic S.p.A

10.8 Hans Turck GmbH & Co KG

10.9 Hexagon AB

10.10 Hokuyo Automatic Co Ltd

10.11 IDEC Corporation

10.12 Innovalia Metrology

10.13 Keyence Corporation

10.14 Kreon Technologies

10.15 Leuze Electronics GmbH + Co KG

10.16 LKH Precision Pte Ltd

10.17 LUXONDES

10.18 Micro-Epsilon

10.19 OMRON Corporation

10.20 Panasonic Corporation

10.21 Pepperl+Fuchs SE

10.22 Pilz GmbH & Co KG

10.23 Quelltech GmbH

10.24 RIEGL Laser Measurement Systems GmbH

10.25 Rockford Systems, LLC

10.26 Rockwell Automation, Inc

10.27 ReeR SpA

10.28 Sentek Solutions Ltd

10.29 Shanghai Huace Navigation Technology Ltd

10.30 SHINING 3D Tech Co Ltd

10.31 SICK AG

10.32 Trimble, Inc



11 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/vh5p5h

Attachment

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




Ken Research Pvt. Ltd

Vietnam Medical Education Industry Report Covers Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy Medical Education Market Revenue, Faculty of Medicine Medical Education Market Sales, Growth of Internal Medicine Education Market in Vietnam, Growth of Ophthalmology Education Market in Vietnam, Growth of Physician Education Market in Vietnam, Hai Phong University of Medicine and Pharmacy Medical Education Market Revenue, Hanoi Medial University Medical Education Market Revenue, Hanoi Medical Education Market Shares, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Medical Education Market Size, Industry Research Report Of Vietnam Medical Education, Major Colleges for Internal Medicine in Vietnam, Market Research Report Of Vietnam Medical Education, Medical Education Industry In Vietnam, Medical Education Market In Vietnam, Medical Graduates in Vietnam, Medical Higher Education in Vietnam, Ophthalmologists Vietnam.

Gurugram, India, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vietnam News

To pursue medical education in Vietnam, high school students can directly enter into medical college after completing the admission process.

Hanoi Medical College is one the top university with campus in central Vietnam. It is the oldest medical college of Vietnam.

Popularity of Vietnam Medical Education Market: With  ultin f 96.4 million during 2020, it makes Vietnm third mst ulus untry in Suth Est Asia. Along with the rapid enmi develment, the helth sttus f ele in Vietnm hs signifintly imrved in reent yers, with the life exetny t birth inresing frm 71 yers in 1990 t 76 yers in 2015. In the past two decades (2001  2020), medical education system has gradually moved towards an integrated educational program, applying the principle of "student-centeredness", and introducing educational methods "based on problems". And "based on simulation". The need for additional doctors to the local health system has been addressed, helping to improve access to medical education for ethnic minorities and people in rural areas.

Story continues

Enablers of Medical Education in Vietnam: In recent years, medical education in Vietnam has undergone changes with the support of international donors. For example, the ''Strengthening Medical Skills Training at Eight Universities'' project supported by the Netherlands' NUFFIC program from 2004 to 2008, in establishing and developing medical skills training units and new medical skills training curricula. The Dutch government also supported another project aimed at strengthening community-oriented education. As a step forward, medical schools in Vietnam have led changes in their education models through Health Professionals Education and Training for Health System Reforms project (HPET), approved by the Vietnamese government in late 2013. With coming ages there will be a lot of growth in the Vietnamese educational sector with the support of these efforts.

Specialized Courses in Vietnam: Vietnam, being a colonial country in the past follows traditional French system of education. The traditional methods involve learning by practice. This involves learning by practice through residency programs.

Students can go for the residency programs straight after their medical graduation, all they need is accreditation from the Department of Health. Approximately, 10% of medical students go for their residency program. Other methods of acquiring the medical specialization have to go through the Specialization level 1 and level 2 degree programs.

The report titled " Landscape of Vietnam Medical Education Market- Outcome Based Curriculum with Clear Explicit Articulations that Medical Graduates should Demonstrate " by Ken Research suggested that the Colleges have faced a slight downfall in terms of No. of Intake, Enrollment and Graduates amid COVID-19. Major merits of pursuing medicine in Vietnam Universities are factors such is high salaries, cheap cost of living, free style education and high opportunities.

Key Segments Covered:-

Market Segmentation basis Type of Institution (Number of Colleges)

Private College

Public College

Market Segmentation basis Region (Number of Colleges)

Central Region

Southern Region

Northern Region

Physician

Admission Process

Intake Status

Selection Process

Total No. of Graduates

Total Number of Intake

Internal Medicine

Admission Process

Intake Status

Selection Process

Total No. of Graduates

Total Number of Intake

Ophthalmology

Admission Process

Intake Status

Selection Process

Total No. of Graduates

Total Number of Intake

Key Target Audience:-

Public Medical Colleges

Private Medical Colleges

Aspiring students of Bachelor in Medical Education

Aspiring students of Master in Medical Education especially Internal Medicine and Ophthalmology

Time Period Captured in the Report:-

Base Year: 2020

Study Period: 20162020

Colleges Covered:-

Landscape on Vietnam Medical Education institutions include faculties of medicine of following colleges

Hanoi Medial University

University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City

Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy

Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy  Faculty of Medicine

Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine

Hai Phong University of Medicine and Pharmacy

Vietnam Military Medical University

Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy

Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy

Tay Nguyen University, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy

Vo Truong Toan University, Faculty of Medicine

Tan Tao University School of Medicine

Vietnam National University, Hanoi

Key Topics Covered in the Report:-

Vietnam Medical Education Introduction

Detailed Landscape of Private and Public Colleges

Market Ecosystem

Market Segmentation basis Institution and Regions

Admission Process for both Bachelor and Master Course

Detailed Analysis on Physician Courses (Market Size on the basis of Intake Enrollment and Graduates with Statistics for Each College)

Detailed Analysis on Internal Medicine Market Size on the basis of Intake Enrollment and Graduates with Statistics for Each College)

Detailed Analysis on Ophthalmology Market Size on the basis of Intake Enrollment and Graduates with Statistics for Each College)

Major Universities and Colleges in Vietnam Medical Education Market

Vietnam Ophthalmology Education Market

Vietnam Internal Medicine Education Market

Vietnam Physician Education Market

Vietnam Education Market

Ophthalmologists in Vietnam

Medical Higher Education in Vietnam

Medical Graduates in Vietnam

Growth of Ophthalmology Education Market in Vietnam

Growth of Internal Medicine Education Market in Vietnam

Growth of Physician Education Market in Vietnam

Vietnam Ophthalmology Education College Course Fee

Vietnam MBBS Education College Course Fee

Vietnam Physician Education College Course Fee

Vietnam Internal Medicine Education College Course Fee

Major Colleges for Internal Medicine in Vietnam

Private Medical Colleges in Vietnam

Public Medical Colleges in Vietnam

Hanoi Medial University Medical Education Market Revenue

University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City Medical Education Market Revenue

Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Medical Education Market Size

Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy  Faculty of Medicine Medical Education Market Shares

Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine Medical Education Market Sales

Hai Phong University of Medicine and Pharmacy Medical Education Market Revenue

For More Information On the research report, refer to below link:-

Vietnam Medical Education Market

Related Reports:-

Landscape of Indonesia Medical Education Market- Consistent Changes In The Course Curriculum Helping Indonesian Medical Education System to Improve Skills of Medical Graduates

Indonesia Medical Education Sector has been facing many macro and micro-challenges. Each challenge has a direct or indirect effect on the Quality of Education and Quantity of Medical professionals prevailing in the Industry. Some of the common challenges faced by the Industry are high fees of medical programs, absence of standardized admission process, and difficulty to crack exams. The Industry also faces a major challenge in the form of learning outcomes, there is a disparity between the skills of graduates and the needs of employers. Hence Medical Education needs a curriculum that improves the skills of the graduates. Major Enabler in the Indonesia Medical Education Market is mostly the great environment to accommodate students especially International Aspirants provided by the country owing to factors such as a large number of medical schools, good infrastructure, high employment opportunities, and excellent scholarship schemes.

Landscape of Philippines Medical Education Market- Outcome Based Curriculum with Clear Explicit Articulations that Medical Graduates should Demonstrate

Philippines Medical Education Sector has been facing many macro and micro-challenges. Each challenge has a direct or indirect effect on the Quality of Education and Quantity of Medical Professional prevailing in the Industry. Some of the major challenges faced by the Industry are Malpractices by Education Agents, Regional Education Disparities and more. Major Enabler in the Philippines Medical Education Market is mostly the great environment to accommodate students especially International Aspirants provided by the country.

Landscape of Malaysia Medical Education Market-Growth in Medical Graduates, Pushing Candidates to Seek Specialization Contributing to Medical Workforce

Malaysia Medical Education Sector has been facing many macro and micro challenges. Each challenge has a direct or indirect effect on the Quality of Education and Quantity of Medical Professional prevailing in the Industry. Some challenges are opening up over the time however some challenges have become stagnant. Enablers in the Malaysia Medical Education Market are mostly apprehending for the international students.

Landscape of Thailand Medical Education Market-Increasing Number of Top Rated Universities coupled with Undertaking Cutting Edge Research Driving the Industry

Medical Education in Thailand has seen a long journey with various turns with intense progress. The journey has given the system its fair share of challenges to deal with issues including keeping pace with rapidly changing knowledge and installing same coping abilities in the students, maintaining quality of training of students with their increasing demand, mental health issues arising for medical students under heavy pressure, funds and scholarships to arrange the education, to retain good quality staff and lack of private investment in medical education.

Various factors that drive the growth of Medical Education Sytem in Thailand are expensive public infrastructure and universal coverage, postgraduate program is in alignment with international standards, the brain drain is at lower level in comparison to its neighbouring countries because majority of education is in Thai, changes in the need of society, changes in the nature of students, evolution in learning and teaching processes, rapid changes in technologies supporting medical practices and education, enormous explosion in medical knowledge and changes in the health system.

Contact Us:-

Ken Research

Ankur Gupta

Head Marketing & Communications

Support@kenresearch.com

+91-9015378249

CONTACT: Contact Us:- Ken Research Ankur Gupta Head Marketing & Communications Support@kenresearch.com +91-9015378249




Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits

PRESS RELEASE

Charenton-le-Pont, 30 March 2022

Aymeric de Beauville succeeds Georges Graux as member of the Board

of Directors and Chairman of MBWS

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits (Euronext: MBWS  the Company) announces that its Board of Directors, meeting on March 30th, acknowledged the decision of Mr Georges Graux to retire and resign from his duties as Chairman and member of the Board of Directors of MBWS, as of today.

Following the recommendation of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, the Board of Directors decided today to coopt Mr Aymeric de Beauville as a director to replace Mr Georges Graux for the remaining period of the latters mandate (i.e. until the end of the ordinary general meeting which will be held in 2025 to present the financial statements for the fiscal year ending 31 December 2024).

Mr Aymeric de Beauvilles nomination will be subject to ratification by the Company's shareholders at the next general meeting.

The directors also unanimously approved the appointment of Mr Aymeric de Beauville as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company.

Mr Aymeric de Beauville has extensive experience in senior management positions in leading companies, first with the Martini Group, then with Compagnie Francaise des Grands Vins, the leading operator in France in the sparkling wine sector, for which he was Chief Executive Officer for 17 years after holding several operational positions. Mr. Aymeric de Beauville was also President of the FFVA (Federation Francaise des Vins d'Aperitif), the industry body which represents aromatic wines, the major port brands and sparkling wines.

This appointment by the Board of Directors is a choice of a profile with recognised qualifications in areas of great importance to the Company, while maintaining the current diversity of expertise among its members.

The Board of Directors expresses its gratitude to Mr Georges Graux for his deep commitment to Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits.

Story continues

About Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits is a Group of wines and spirits based in Europe and the United States. Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits stands out for its expertise, a combination of brands with a long tradition and a resolutely innovative spirit. Since the birth of the Maison Marie Brizard in 1755, the Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits Group has developed its brands in a spirit of modernity while respecting its origins.

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits' commitment is to offer its customers brands of confidence, daring and full of flavours and experiences. The Group now has a rich portfolio of leading brands in their market segments, including William Peel, Sobieski, Marie Brizard and Cognac Gautier.

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits is listed on Compartment B of Euronext Paris (FR0000060873 - MBWS) and is part of the EnterNext PEA-PME

150 index.

Investor Relations & Shareholders

Groupe MBWS

Emilie Drexler

emilie.drexler@mbws.com

Tel : +33 1 43 91 62 21 Media

Image Sept

Claire Doligez - Laurence Maury

cdoligez@image7.fr  lmaury@image7.fr

Tel : +33 1 53 70 74 70

Attachment




Math-only, supplemental-education franchise to open 45 centers in Saudi Arabia

LOS ANGELES, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mathnasium , a leader in the math-tutoring sector currently operating in 11 countries with over 1,100 centers worldwide, announced today it has signed a 45-unit master franchise agreement for Saudi Arabia with Asma Aldehlawi.

Mathnasium is North Americas leading math-only supplemental-education franchise, operating in 14 countries.

Born and raised in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Asma Aldehlawi spent the last decade as the Head of the Gifted Education Administration (a sector in The Ministry of Education), as well as the supervisor of a housing development in the Bunyan Charity Association since 2018.

After one of her sons began attending Mathnasium remotely, she started to see positive results and became interested in Mathnasium's mission to help children learn math. "As a businesswoman who worked most of my life in the education sector, investing in Mathnasium seemed like a natural, promising business model that I can relate to," said Asma Aldehlawi. The first center will be built in Riyadh, with expansion plans to open 45 centers throughout the country.

"Mathnasium will enter the largest market in the Gulf Cooperation Council. A first center in Riyadh will be a great opportunity to demonstrate the value Mathnasium provides in helping maximize children's math capabilities through a fun and enjoyable learning experience," said Bill Schreiber, Executive Director of International Development. "We're very excited for Mathnasium to be seen, talked about, and experienced in Saudi Arabia."

About Mathnasium

Mathnasium is North America's leading math-only supplemental-education franchise, operating in 11 countries. Since 2002, the Mathnasium Method  the result of decades of hands-on instruction and development  has been transforming the lives of children in grades 2-12 by offering comprehensive assessments, fully individualized learning plans, and teaching true math comprehension. For information visit https://www.mathnasium.com/franchise/ .

Story continues

Media Contact: Angelic Venegas, Fishman Public Relations: (847) 945-1300, ext. 230 or avenegas@fishmanpr.com

Mathnasium Logo (PRNewsfoto/Mathnasium)

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mathnasium-signs-master-development-deal-for-the-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia-301513288.html

SOURCE Mathnasium Learning Centers
SEBRING, Fla. , March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Parallel, one of the largest privately-held multi-state medical marijuana operators in the U.S., announces the opening of a new Surterra Wellness (Surterra) medical marijuana dispensary in Sebring, Florida. Located at 1300 US 27 N, Suite 4, a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting is planned for Thursday, April 7, 2022.

"It's an honor to bring Surterra Wellness to the city of Sebring and to provide our high-quality products to all medicinal marijuana patients in the city and surrounding area," said Parallel CEO James Whitcomb. "Patient demand continues to grow across the state of Florida, and we will continue to expand the number of Surterra locations so we can help as many patients as possible."

The dispensary will offer a wide variety of products, including those sold under the Surterra Wellness, Coral Reefer (collaboration with Jimmy Buffett), Float, and Heights brands. The array of available products are all developed to enhance a patient's well-being in the form factor that works best for them: flower, vaporizers, tincture oils, topical patches, edibles, and more. Surterra products are all produced from plants grown here in Florida in state-of-the-art cultivation facilities. No harmful chemicals or ingredients are used in the growing process.

"The opening of Surterra's Sebring dispensary is one that we are especially proud of, as patients in the region will finally have access to superb high-quality products, and the same trusted guidance that Surterra is known for throughout the state of Florida," said President of Surterra Wellness Karim Bouaziz. "We welcome all qualified patients as well as those who are seeking first-time consultations."

In celebration of the store's grand opening, customers will enjoy a 42.0% off discount (some exclusions may apply) as well as double Loyalty Points for the entire day of the grand opening. For new patients, Surterra also offers a First Time Patient Discount of 60% off of the total purchase (excludes accessories) every day, and 40% off of the second purchase. Loyalty Rewards allow shoppers to save more when they spend, with 1 point awarded for every $1 spent and at 500 points members receive a 10% discount, which can be stacked for more savings. The first 100 customers will also receive a Surterra branded hat in celebration. Surterra welcomes anyone 18 and older in its stores so that they can ask questions and learn more about products directly from their highly educated staff.

Story continues

The Sebring location is currently open. Days of operation and hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Patients registered in the state of Florida with a medical marijuana card are welcome to purchase. All other visitors are welcome to seek consultations.

For more information, visit Surterra Wellness at Surterra.com or follow on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

ABOUT SURTERRA WELLNESS

Surterra Wellness, a retail brand of Parallel, is a vertically integrated cannabis company that operates 43 Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers in the state of Florida, with more planned to open in 2022. Its diverse portfolio of branded medical marijuana products enhance a patient's well-being, and are produced with plants grown in Surterra Wellness' state of the art cultivation facility, where no harmful chemicals or ingredients are used in the growing process. Surterra Wellness' brand intent is to deliver a trusted, consistent, and seamless way for patients to connect and learn, and for patients to have access to the highest-quality medical marijuana products in the state of Florida. The ethos of Surterra Wellness is based on Parallel's commitment to compliance, quality, innovation, and to be a great employer and local community partner, as well as its actions to improve diversity, inclusivity, and economic empowerment in the cannabis industry. To learn more about Surterra Wellness visit, www.surterra.com or on Facebook and Instagram.

ABOUT PARALLEL

Parallel is one of the largest privately-held, vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis companies in the United States with a mission to pioneer well-being and improve the quality of life through cannabinoids. Parallel has ongoing operations in five medical and adult-use markets under the retail brands of Surterra Wellness in Florida; goodblend in Texas and in Pennsylvania; New England Treatment Access (NETA) in Massachusetts, and a joint venture with Cookies retail brand in Nevada. It will add a sixth market upon the pending regulatory approval of the planned acquisition of six Windy City Cannabis licenses in Illinois. Parallel has a diverse portfolio of high quality, proprietary and licensed consumer brands and products including Surterra Wellness, Coral Reefer (collaboration with Jimmy Buffett), Float and Heights offered through its retail wholesale business. Parallel operates approximately 50 locations nationwide (including 47 retail stores in FL), and cultivation and manufacturing sites. Through its wholly-owned Parallel Biosciences subsidiary, it conducts advanced cannabis science and R&D for new product development in its facilities in Massachusetts, Florida, Texas and a facility in Budapest, Hungary through an exclusive license and partnership. Parallel follows rigorous operations and business practices to ensure the quality, safety, consistency, and efficacy of its products and is building its business by following strong values and putting the well-being of its customers and employees first. Find more information at www.liveparallel.com, or on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/parallel-announces-opening-of-surterra-wellness-a-medical-marijuana-dispensary-in-sebring-fl-301514077.html

SOURCE Parallel
Historic donation made through Canadian Olympic Foundation and Paralympic Foundation of Canada

TORONTO and OTTAWA, ON, March 30, 2022 /CNW/ - The Canadian Olympic Foundation and the Paralympic Foundation of Canada announced Wednesday that Canadian entrepreneur Sanjay Malaviya made a $1.2 million donation to directly support Team Canada's Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 medallists.

Canadian Olympic Foundation / Paralympic Foundation of Canada (CNW Group/Canadian Paralympic Committee (Sponsorships))

This is the first time a gift of this magnitude has been given directly to Olympic and Paralympic medallists through either foundation. They will receive a $5,000 grant per medal earned. Additionally, $100,000 will go to the NextGen program to help support future Olympians and Paralympians.

"Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes have inspired and united us during a very difficult time," said Malaviya. "It's an honour to be able to celebrate their achievements and invest in their future."

In total, 130 Olympians and 53 Paralympians will receive a grant through this donation.

"The gift Sanjay has made is truly remarkable, especially following the challenges Team Canada athletes have faced over the past few years," said Jacquie Ryan, Chief Brand and Commercial Officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee and CEO of the Canadian Olympic Foundation. "Sanjay's belief in the power of sport, and the impact Olympic and Paralympic medallists have on all Canadians is truly inspiring."

Malaviya is a Canadian healthcare technology entrepreneur who developed cutting-edge IT products that have helped to keep patients safer in more than 2,000 healthcare organizations around the world. His passion for sport comes from his appreciation of the lessons that athletes can carry from sport to all other aspects of life. In particular he loves the leadership and resilience that Team Canada athletes have demonstrated over the past two years and thinks this has been a source of inspiration for all Canadians to share Olympic and Paralympic values.

Story continues

"We are truly grateful that Sanjay saw the importance of recognizing Paralympic medallists alongside their Olympic counterparts," said Dean Brokop, Director of the Paralympic Foundation of Canada. "This generous gift will play a pivotal role in empowering Canada's finest athletes as they work towards reaching more podiums in Paris and Milan-Cortina."

Recipient Abigail Strate won a historic Olympic medal by securing Canada's first-ever medal in ski jumping, a bronze in the mixed team event at Beijing 2022.

"In order to be competitive globally, an athlete needs access to the best equipment, services and facilities, which undoubtedly requires financial support. As a member of the Ski Jumping Canada Women's National Team, I live abroad to have consistent access to training facilities," said Strate. "I am incredibly grateful for the support Sanjay has provided. His undeniable commitment to sport will make each of us strive to make our country proud."

Para nordic skier Mark Arendz won four medals at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games to bring his career total to 12.

"On behalf of all my fellow Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Paralympians, a huge thank you to Sanjay for this gift," added Arendz, a four-time Paralympian. "This is a significant step forward in the recognition of Canadian Paralympic athletes who work and train so hard to compete on the world stage. I am optimistic that Sanjay's generosity will serve as a catalyst for greater equality for Canadian athletes with a disability that so proudly represent our country."

For more information about the Canadian Olympic Foundation and the Paralympic Foundation of Canada and how you can support Team Canada, please visit olympicfoundation.ca or paralympicfoundation.ca .

SOURCE Canadian Paralympic Committee (Sponsorships)

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2022/30/c1060.html
ReportLinker

Major players in the transformers market are ABB, General Electric Corporation, Schneider Electric S. A. , Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Schneider Electric, Mitsubishi Electricis, Toshiba Corporation, Siemens, SGB-SMIT, and Hammond Power Solutions.

New York, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Transformers Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06248554/?utm_source=GNW





The global transformers market is expected to grow from $64.52 billion in 2021 to $70.78 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7%. The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $94.75 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 7.6%.



The transformers market consists of sales of transformers and related services which are used in the manufacturing of power, distribution, and specialty transformers.A transformer transfers energy from one circuit to another.



Transformers increase or decrease voltage and current level, increase or decrease capacitor value, prevent direct current from passing between two circuits, and isolate circuits.



The main types of transformers market are low rated transformer, high rated transformer.The low-rated transformer is transmitted to the receiving end.



This low voltage power if transmitted results in greater line current which is causing more line losses.The transformer types are power transformer, distribution transformer.



The phases are single-phase, three-phase. The applications are residential and commercial, utility and industrial.



Favorable government policies to increase electrification will contribute to the growth of the transformers market in the forecast period.Countries around the world are implementing several initiatives to increase electrification across the countries.



For example, in 2019, the Indian government launched the One Nation One Grid, an initiative aimed at offering affordable power to all the states.These initiatives increased the market for medium power transformers in the historic period.



The increasing demand for medium, low, and high-power transformers supported by favorable government initiatives will positively impact the growth of the transformers market.



Instability in the pricing of raw materials is a major restraint in the transformers manufacturing market.The instability is due to the volatility in the raw material prices of steel, copper, and crude oil.



Steel and copper are predominantly used in the manufacture of transformers.Increased tariffs on raw materials such as steel and copper, increased the volatility of prices, thereby limiting the growth of the market for medium power transformers.



For instance, in October 2021, the United States and the European Union had reached an agreement on the lifting of US tariffs of 25 percent on imports of steel from the EU and 10 percent on imports of aluminum from the EU. The increase in prices leads to an increase in operating expense thereby hampering the growth of the market.



The transformers market is moving towards the evolution of independent and self-regulating smart transformers.Smart transformers are programmed to constantly regulate voltage and maintain contact with the stakeholders and provide information and feedback on the power supply.



They provide the exact amount of power that is needed and respond to fluctuations through a process known as voltage optimization.They significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and power consumption as they supply electrical equipment with the ideal amount of power.



For instance, in 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) invested a total of $20 million in funding for innovative research and development in artificial intelligence (A.I.) and machine learning. DOEs Office of Electricity has selected eight projects to receive nearly $7 million in total to explore the use of big data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning technologies for improving existing knowledge and discover new insights and tools for better grid operation and management. Companies should consider investing in technologies to produce smart transformers for commercial establishments.



In June 2019, Hitachi, Ltd., a Japan-based energy solution provider company acquired 80.1% of ABBs power grids business for $11 billion. The acquisition was aimed to broaden the product portfolio of Hitachi, by combining ABBs power grids and offering enhanced energy solutions globally. ABB is a Switzerland-based company that specializes in manufacturing power grids products such as power transformers.



The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, and Africa.



The countries covered in the transformers market are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, and USA.





Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06248554/?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




Following years of explosive growth and a $400M investment from SoftBank Vision Fund 2, the activewear unicorn valued at $4B begins its global expansion

ENCINITAS, Calif., March 30, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Southern California inspired activewear brand Vuori launches in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Australia, and Canada, marking the initial steps of a global rollout announced late last year. Consumers in these countries now have access to the popular apparel brand through e-commerce, and in select markets Vuori will soon be sold at a variety of leading wholesale partners including Selfridges, Brown Thomas, Cotswold Outdoor, Barrys Bootcamp and Bever.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005777/en/

Vuori makes premium performance apparel inspired by the active Coastal California lifestyle; an integration of fitness, surf, sport, and art. Breaking down the boundaries of traditional activewear, Vuori is a new perspective on performance apparel. (Photo: Business Wire)

Established in 2015 by Founder and CEO Joe Kudla, Vuori has grown to unicorn status thanks to its differentiated, versatile perspective on performance apparel. In October 2021, Vuori was valued at $4 billion by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, which invested $400 million in the brand. Both the investment and valuation are believed to be among the largest in history for a non-public apparel company.

"We are proud to announce Vuoris first-ever expansion outside of the U.S.," said Joe Kudla, Founder and CEO at Vuori. "We are infinitely grateful for our team, who has helped bring this shared vision to life, and are thrilled to bring Vuoris new perspective on performance apparel to these markets. 2022 is going to be Vuoris biggest year yet, and we look forward to sharing much more in the weeks and months ahead."

Shoppers in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Australia, and Canada can now browse Vuoris entire collection of mens and womens apparel at their countrys respective web addresses below. In the United Kingdom, Vuori products will soon be carried by Selfridges (all four locations and online, mens product only), Cotswold Outdoor (20 locations and online), and in the retail shops at all 11 of the countrys Barrys Bootcamp locations. This year, the brand intends to open its U.K. flagship store in the city of London. Irelands Brown Thomas will offer Vuori (two locations and online) as will Netherlands-based outdoor retailer Bever (20 locations and online). For more details on locations and availability, please visit www.vuoriclothing.com.

Story continues

As it reaches new markets around the globe, Vuori is working to continue expanding its product offering, make key investments in infrastructure and people, and open both a U.K. distribution hub as well as an innovation center in Taiwan. The company, which through partnerships with organizations such as Climate Neutral and CleanHub is offsetting its carbon and plastic footprints while taking steps to eliminate 80% of plastics from its shipping and supply chain this year, will continuously invest in its sustainability efforts. Profitable since 2017, Vuori is backed by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and Norwest Venture Partners.

About Vuori

Launched in 2015, Vuori merges technical clothing with a West Coast aesthetic that looks and feels great. When creating Vuori, Founder Joe Kudla didn't have to look far for inspiration; headquartered in the aspirational beach community of Encinitas, CA, the brand is a natural extension of its home environment where active, conscious and creative people inspire those around them every day. In addition to a thriving e-commerce business and physical stores in Berkeley, Boulder, Cherry Creek, Del Mar, Encinitas, La Jolla, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Newport Beach, San Francisco, San Jose, Scottsdale, Studio City, and Venice Beach, Vuori is also sold in most Nordstrom and REI stores. Please visit www.vuoriclothing.com for more information.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005777/en/

Contacts

Press Contact: Casey McDonald | casey@theleadpr.com 212.584.5668
FILE PHOTO: The facade of a Google office is seen in New York City

(Reuters) - New Zealand media firm NZME said on Friday it has signed a letter of intent with Google to outline terms for news content delivery, as the country's publishers take on digital platforms over fair payment for news displayed on their sites.

NZME, which owns the New Zealand Herald, also said it was in discussions with Facebook parent Meta Platforms over various digital projects for next year.

New Zealand's news publishers association had sought approval to collectively bargain with Meta Platforms and Alphabet Inc unit Google for fair payments, but NZME chose to engage with the tech giants directly.

NZME will enter a 90-day period of negotiation with Google to finalise key terms of the proposed supply of its news content to Google's News Showcase and other news products, it said on Friday.

The final deal was intended to be for a minimum of five years.

The company's portfolio includes several regional newspapers, as well as radio channels and online websites.

NZME also said it expects 2022 core earnings between NZ$67 million ($46.63 million) and NZ$72 million, if it finalises the deal with Google at the end of the negotiation period.

($1 = 1.4368 New Zealand dollars)

(Reporting by Riya Sharma; Editing by Devika Syamnath)
As Russian bombs pounded Ukraine, a friend reached out to a Fredericksburg company for help.

Please, do something, the woman texted Abbas Haider, CEO of Aspetto. My hometown is completely destroyed.

Haider has contacts in Ukraine because his company has supplied the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs with hard armor plates, ballistic shields and other equipment.

On Friday, the company chartered a cargo plane to fly thousands of head lamps, hand warmers, cold weather gear and other equipment to RzeszowJasionka Airport in southeastern Poland. Its the shipment hub Ukraines allies are using to resupply the war-shattered country.

The flight is one of several Aspetto will charter to help fulfill the $4.2 million contract it was recently awarded by the U.S. Department of State to provide medical and specialized equipment to Ukraine. Haider also traveled to the region to see how things are operating on the ground near Ukraine.

I want to make sure that if theres anything we can do to help them, I want to do that. I want to be there for them, he said. And second, I know that the Department of State is short staffed over there, so if theres anything that they need, even if its transport or anything, I got my international drivers permit.

He said working on this contract is personal because he has spent time in Ukraine and has made good friends.

Anything we can do, were going to do our best to do it, Haider said. The entire office feels this way, not just me. When this opportunity came up to help them out, I told them, This is what it feels like, or what it looks like, to make an impact. We actually are involved in getting the products out there. 

Aspetto, which Haider and fellow University of Mary Washington graduate Robert Davis founded in 2008, made its mark initially by making custom mens suits and then bullet-resistant clothing. It has since branched out to include tactical gear, logistics, IT and systems engineering, digital media and, within a few weeks, cybersecurity.

We are not actually doing body armor for this contract, at least not yet, I should say, because it is not just a done deal, Haider said. It does have the ability to add more products and more dollars to this contract as their demands and requirements change.

Aspetto also sells over 20,000 products from various suppliers to the government. Haider and his team at Aspetto began reaching out to some of them for products for its latest contract before the ink was even dry. Everything needed to be in stock and ready to ship because there was no time to wait for things to be manufactured.

Aspetto almost sounded like a New York Stock Exchange trading floor because we had to get them real-time inventory, said Haider, who was facing competition from other offices, governments and nongovernmental agencies. Every second, things were changing.

Several companies held items for him until the contract was finalizedincluding 2,000 headlamps, 10,000 pieces of cold-weather gear and 250,000 hand warmersfor which he said he was grateful. Aspetto was also able to source thousands of other items, including uniforms, medical kits, tourniquets, backpacks, hydration packs, boots, batteries and ready-to-eat meals.

To get the supplies to Poland, the State Department asked Aspetto to charter its own cargo planes. Shortages and soaring gas prices soon sent the companys $250,000 contracted quote for this skyrocketing to actual expenses of from $500,000 to $600,000.

The $4.2 million contract to help supply Ukraine is one of several Aspetto has been awarded or is bidding on this year. Haider said he expects the companys revenues will be about $30 million for 2022, a growth rate of more than 100 percent over 2021. He attributed that to both diversification and Aspetto being good at what it does.

Forbes magazine, among others, has taken notice. It named Aspetto in the top 20 percent of the fastest-growing companies in America for 2021, and included Haider and Davis in its Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2018 list. That list features 600 visionaries under the age of 30 in 20 different industries.

Every industry we have gone into, we have learned what everyone else is doing and then weve made a difference. For example, we got into the suit business, right? What did we do? We did what everyone else did, and then we created Americas first bullet-resistant clothing line, Haider said.

Then we got into the tactical industry, which is tactical gear. What did we do? We created a patented quick-release system that allows the user to quickly put on or take off their tactical vest, and that component took off like wildfire, where the biggest body armor company in the world has that component on their vests as a standard feature, he added.

Aspettos most recent acquisition is Pop Smoke Media, which has almost 1 million Department of Defense, veteran and first responder followers on social media, as well as a popular podcast. Among its duties will be enlivening what Haider called a boring approach to recruitment by injecting wit and humor in its podcasts and online newspaper.

Pop Smoke is also helping the company give back to its target audience. Last month, it selected and paid for 10 service members to get help creating their resumes. This month, it picked five and paid their past-due bills.

Haider says his and Davis time at UMW helped hone their ability to diversify. As liberal arts students, they didnt have to concentrate on one subject. Instead, they were able to take everything from acting and art classes to biology and computer science.

We know a little bit about so many different things, Haider said. When someone from, lets say, the biotech side, starts talking to us and starts dropping certain terms, we can follow along.

He said that he and his cofounder plan to continue growing their company, and added Greg Dyer as chief of strategy and technical growth in 2020. Prior to joining Aspetto, Dyer helped develop and lead Spinvi Consultings growth from $3 million to $115 million in annual revenue over a three-year period.

Were not looking to sell. Were having too much fun, Haider said. This is exciting to me. Professional growth is important to me, but personal growth is almost more important than professional growth. One thing that I love in what we do, and the freedom to do what we do, is that we can diversify, we can learn about different things.
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), one of the leading employers in the kingdom, has honoured its national employees who have completed 10, 20, and 30 years of service in the company.

An awarding ceremony to honour and recognise its long-serving national employees was held on March 29, 2022 at Albas Oasis Hall.

Albas Chief Executive Officer, Ali Al Baqali, awarded the employees and thanked them for their extensive contribution to Albas success over the last decades. The ceremony was also attended by several Albas Executives and Directors.

Best investment

Al Baqali, said: Our national employees always come first, and this is the best investment we make to sustain our business operations and realise our vision  to be the number one aluminium supplier for the generations to come.

Our human assets are and will always be the backbone of every success Alba had and will have in the future. Its thanks to our long-serving employees over the years, Alba has evolved today to be the largest smelter in the world ex-China.

As a leading corporate, Alba has one of the highest Bahrainisation levels in the kingdom, where Bahrainis represent +84% of its 3,135 employees. Renowned for being an employer of choice, Alba is known for its commitment towards the growth and development of its people which in turn contributes to Bahrains economic and social progress.-- TradeArabia News Service
FICTION: A compelling historical thriller about a woman who investigates the disappearance of her fiance at the end of World War I.

"Two Storm Wood" by Philip Gray; W.W. Norton & Company (352 pages, $28.95)



Many a novel has played out in the dying days or fraught aftermath of World War II, in particular among the rubble and ruins of a vanquished Berlin. In contrast, novelists dealing with World War I tend to steer clear of the end of the conflict, preferring instead to focus on the cusp of it and the crumbling of old orders, or the heat of battle and the horrors of trench warfare.

British writer Philip Gray has done something refreshingly different with his new novel. "Two Storm Wood" contains the odd flashback to military events during World War I. However, the book is set predominantly in 1919, several months after hostilities were brought to a close and the Armistice was signed. Rather than tell a story of war with a soldier at its center, Gray has crafted a historical thriller in which a gutsy heroine goes searching for answers on the empty battlefields of the Western Front.

Amy Vanneck discovers that her fiance, Captain Edward Haslam of the 7th Manchesters, is missing in action. Rather than sit around idly waiting for news, she travels to northern France to find out what has become of him and, if necessary, give him a proper burial in a marked grave. It is a bold move for a well-bred woman, one who, until now, has been forced to lead a sheltered life.

"A young lady of your station doesn't spend her time cutting up bodies, living or dead," her mother once told her, thwarting her plan to study medicine.

Such an education might have prepared Amy for the carnage she witnesses on her grisly fact-finding mission. First, she meets Capt. James Mackenzie and his band of war-weary, battle-scarred volunteers who are engaged in the grim task of recovering, identifying and laying to rest the many bodies strewn across the ravaged landscape.

Then her search for Edward takes a different turn when 13 mutilated bodies are located beneath a German strongpoint called Two Storm Wood. It is evidence of a brutal war crime. It soon becomes clear, though, that the killing hasn't stopped and that a murderer is still at large.

Gray's novel succeeds on multiple levels. It is thoroughly researched and tightly plotted. Amy's sleuth work  tracking down survivors, sifting testimonies, venturing underground and re-evaluating the man she loves  makes for absorbing reading. There are murky tales of opium addiction and raids on enemy trenches, plus a range of scenes that are thick with atmosphere. Throughout it all is a fiendish twofold mystery: What happened to Edward, and who committed the atrocity?

The novel is a whodunit of sorts. But it is also a thought-provoking drama which routinely strikes a number of serious notes about man's inhumanity and the traumatic effects of conflict. As Edward reminds us, "War poisons everything that it does not destroy."



Malcolm Forbes has written for the Times Literary Supplement, the Economist and the Wall Street Journal. He lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.
A Colonial Beach man who had been missing for two weeks was found dead near his home Tuesday morning, police said.

William Sylvester Hopewell, 73, was found not far behind his home on Macedonia Road, Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said. His body was sent to the medical examiners office in Richmond for an autopsy, though authorities said foul play was not readily apparent.

State Police issued a news release Sunday seeking information regarding Hopewells whereabouts. His family had last talked with him March 16, the same day he was seen walking along Macedonia Road.

Geller reported that there had been multiple irregular transactions made on Hopewells debit and credit cards. Hopewell had not been suffering from any cognitive impairment, police said.

State police were searching the area Tuesday when someone came across the body. Anyone with information about his death is asked to call State Police at 804/609-5656 or email questions@vsp.virginia.gov. Geller said anonymous calls are welcome.

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 Richmond woman was killed Monday after losing control of her car in King George County, police said.

Virginia State Police Sgt. Jessica Shehan said the single-vehicle crash took place at 7:06 p.m. at the intersection of State Route 3 and Rollins Fork Road, not far from the Westmoreland County line.

Shehan said a black 2012 Hyundai Sonata was traveling east on Route 3 when it ran off the right side of the road at a high rate of speed, struck an embankment and overturned.

The driver, 40-year-old Ericka Joyner of Richmond, was ejected from the vehicle and later pronounced dead. She was not wearing a seat belt.

King George Sheriffs 1st Sgt. Kecia Wharton said her office received a call at 6:53 p.m. from an off-duty Charles County, Maryland, deputy who had followed the vehicle into King George from southern Maryland. The deputy reported that the southbound sedan had been passing cars on double yellow lines and riding on the shoulder of the road.

The Hyundai made it to Route 3 before a King George deputy got involved and tried to make a traffic stop. Wharton said the driver was traveling at more than 100 mph, continued passing on double yellow lines and at times drove in the westbound lane.

Wharton said the deputy fell behind in the pursuit because of safety concerns.

As the deputy rounded a corner, he saw the vehicle flipping. Wharton said the deputy didnt realize the driver had been ejected until he got to the vehicle and didnt find anyone in it.

The deputy and a nurse who stopped to help attempted to give aid to the victim until rescue workers arrived. The driver was taken to Mary Washington Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

State police are investigating the incident.

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.
ORANGEA judge from Virginias 16th circuit called for Orange County leaders to consider removing the Confederate statue that has stood since 1900 on Main Streets courthouse lawn.

Orange Circuit Court Judge David B. Franzen called the statue an obstruction to the proper administration of justice in Orange County, according to an email from his government account sent Friday to Orange County elected officials. Recipients included the sheriff, commonwealths attorney and county administrator.

A group of residents showed up at the soldier statue Monday morning to protest the judges letter. State Senator Bryce Reeves called for a judicial review of Franzens actions.

protest stirred

Franzen, a former Charlottesville judge appointed in July to an eight-year term on the Orange circuit, had planned to make an announcement Monday morning about the statue prior to convening a grand jury.

He called it off over the weekend after word got out and opposition mounted.

In the email, Franzen said, the purpose of his planned declaration was to call upon the Board of Supervisors to exercise its legislative power to remove the Confederate statue from the courthouse lawn.

He said it was not his intention to order any action, but rather to defer to the legislative power of the board, the judge wrote.

State law gives local governing bodies the power to remove or relocate war memorials.

Protesters at the Confederate statue Monday morning felt Franzen was improperly trying to take that power. About two dozen held signs calling for his removal: Remove Judge Franzen! The bench is not for politics! shouted one man during the one-hour protest.

Hes acting like hes above the law, said protest attendee Kerry Sellers, of Orange. He doesnt have the authority to do what hes doing.

Sellers felt the Confederate soldier statue should remain in front of the courthouse.

In the email Friday, Franzen said his actions had been misunderstood. He cited credible threats of the possibility of violence Monday morning as to why he was postponing his announcement.

It had been my hope the issue could be discussed and debated in the public forum of the Board of Supervisors and I was prepared to call upon the board to do so, Franzen said. It appears such an appeal would have been misunderstood and perhaps manipulated in a manner unintended by me.

The judge said the postponement did not mean he was deferring the issue.

Matters of this kind require urgent, open and honest discussion, Franzen said.

Republican activist Paul Moog, of Orange, attended the protest.

Moog accused Judge Franzen of violating the judicial code of conduct and said he should not insert himself into controversial issues.

Its a very foolish move on his part to get involved in this, said Moog.

He said it was bizarre that Franzen would say the statue was causing an obstruction of justice.

Very difficult issue

Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairman R. Mark Johnson said he was aware of Franzens emails asking the board to address the Confederate statue.

This is has not been added to any board agenda and I am not aware of any plans to add it to the agenda, Johnson said. Of course, I cant tell what the future may hold.

He said he hasnt had many people contact him about removing the memorial.

Asked if the statue was obstructing justice in Orange County as the judge asserted, Johnson said he couldnt speak to it.

This is a very difficult issue, not something that I want to talk about on an ad hoc basis, Johnson said. At some point, I may have something to say, the board may have something to say, but for right now, I dont.

Orange County resident Griffin Floyd started a change.org petition two years ago to remove the Confederate statue that now has close to 25,000 signatures. Johnson said hes aware of the petition and also of another online petition that wants to keep the statue.

I dont think online petitions are something board members need to be giving opinions on the relative merits of, he said.

Orange County Administrator Ted Vorhees told television station CBS 19 in August that the local government had not been able to engage in conversations with the public about the monument because of COVID-19.

Johnson said Monday he didnt think the pandemic insulated local elected officials from the public.

Did COVID prevent constituents from talking to the board? No, he said.

Reeves STEPS IN

Orange County resident D.J. Anglin III said he felt it was unacceptable for a judge to approach elected board members to ask them to take it down.

The behavior by this judge is despicable. An abuse of power, he said.

Sen. Reeves, Orange Countys state senate representative in Richmond, stood with protesters Monday in the town of Orange, posing for pictures, giving interviews and waving to passing cars honking their horns.

Reeves said in a statement he intended to file a complaint with the Judicial Inquiry & Review Commission based on alleged violations of the Canons of Judicial Conduct.

In this case, the mere fact Judge Franzen calls to make a declaration from the bench and his actions have called into question his impartiality, tarnished public trust, and ruined his reputation that will affect his ability to deliver justice fairly, the state senator said in an email.

The courtroom must remain blind to politics and hold to the rule of law. Judges should not be activists.

symbol of inequality?

The stone memorial stands over the towns main intersection at Madison Road and Main Street. Its located in front of the historic courthouse where Franzen last year oversaw the dedication of a portrait of a Tuskegee Airman from Orange, Capt. Andrew Maples Jr.

It was the first portrait in the courtroom of an African-American, displayed in a line of pictures including President James Madison.

Engravings on the side of the base state the monument was, Erected by their comrades and friends Oct. 18, 1900.

The names of dozens of Confederate soldiers from Orange who died in the war are listed on both sides of the larger portion of the base.

The monument is also engraved with: They fought for the Right They died for their country Cherish their memory Imitate their example.

Griffin Floyd, in his two-year-old online petition to remove the monument called it a symbol of racial inequality, injustice and oppression.

It is perverse to have a monument to oppression outside of a courthouse, where justice is supposed to be served, he wrote.
LINCOLN  Much of eastern Nebraska, including Cass County, will be without a voice in the U.S. House of Representatives for a time until a special election is held to fill the seat of Jeff Fortenberry, who recently announced his resignation effective today (Thursday).

Its going to be a vacant seat until a special election is held, said Cindi Allen, spokeswoman for the Nebraska Secretary of State Office. There will be a special election within 90 days of the vacancy and the governor is the person who will select the date.

As of Tuesday, her office had not yet heard from the office of Gov. Pete Ricketts on a possible date, Allen said.

The two parties (Democrats and Republicans) will each nominate a candidate to run on the special election ballot, she said.

A person can petition to be on the ballot, but since time is short, it would be a challenge for someone to accomplish, Allen said.

But, it is allowed, she said.

Whoever wins that special election would assume office immediately through the end of the current term, Allen said.

Despite Fortenberrys announced resignation, his name remains on the May 10 primary ballot because these ballots have already been printed, according to the Cass County Election Office.

The Republican candidates on the primary ballot are Fortenberry, Curtis D. Huffman, Thireena Yuki Connely, John Glen Weaver and Mike Flood.

Patty Pansing Brooks and Jazari Kual Zakaria are running on the Democratic ballot.

Fortenberry, a nine-term Congressman, made his resignation announcement last weekend after a federal jury in California found him guilty of one count of concealing conduit campaign contributions and two counts of lying to federal agents.

In an e-mail sent to area media outlets, including the Plattsmouth Journal, Fortenberry said, Due to the difficulties of my current circumstances, I can no longer serve you effectively. I will resign from Congress shortly. Please know that it has been the honor of my life to serve you.

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.
Being a firefighter has always come as second nature to Scottsbluff Fire Capt. Ryan Lohr. Having been with the Scottsbluff Fire Department going on 19 years, he had always known it was something he wanted to do, and he took it up right away.

When I first started, it was something that I kind of wanted to pursue, he said, and I was lucky enough to test really well on.

Because its the only career hes ever had, he and his family have never known anything different.

I was a firefighter when (he and his wife, Andrea) met and got married, so she has been pretty much used to it our entire marriage, Ryan said.

Andrea, added, When Im at home, hes at work at night  I dont even know what calls theyre on. Its just kind of become second nature.

For Ryan, its about protecting and giving back to the community.

We take a lot of pride in helping the community, he said. The satisfaction of being able to go and help somebody on their worst day is also very rewarding. I mean, thats something that we take a lot of pride in, and we look forward to and why we train all the time.

Scottsbluff firefighter Chris Gabis said, Its almost hard to put into words what Ryan has done for the community just (through) the fire department, because we see the worst side of life, and Ryans been through that roller coaster for almost 19 years.

That roller coaster is something only first responders can relate to, and its why working as a firefighter builds such strong connections with ones colleagues.

The fire service is all about the brotherhood. (Thats) something that I take to heart, Gabis said, and the guys that work together every day in our fire station are like a family. And for us, it was very important to be there for our family member, our brother.

Between the brotherhood of the fire department and Ryans dedication to the community, its not much of a surprise that everyone rallied together to help out the Lohr family when times got tough.

Back in December, he was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer, Gabis said. And so the Scottsbluff Professional Firefighters, which is the firefighters union for 15 members of the Scottsbluff Fire Department  we wanted to make sure that we could help Ryan and his family chip away at the medical expenses and really all the expenses that come with battling cancer.

While it wasnt something Ryan wanted, he appreciated how much the community that hes given so much to has given back to him.

Were fortunate, he said. Weve never asked for anything, but the outpouring of support and prayers and stuff is just, its really overwhelming.

Even though Ryan is still in the midst of battling cancer, hes able to continue his work with the fire department. Thankfully, he said, theres understanding and not too much special treatment.

Ive been really fortunate  my crew, the chief, everybody has been very supportive, he said. I wouldnt go back if I couldnt do my job. They dont treat me special or anything, but they understand that I get neuropathy in my hands after treatment stuff, so I have to wear gloves all the time because I cant touch anything cold or (else) it just hurts my hands and stuff. So, theyre supportive of the little things . The nights get tough sometimes when youre up all the time, and youre tired anyways, but thankfully, I can go home and take a nap or whatever the next day, but all in all, I cant complain.

No matter how tough the job might get, whether its because of his illness or because its just generally a tough job, Ryan said he wouldnt have it any other way.

Its just something thats just part of me, he said. I dont really think of it as an option.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
As we approach the final days of the 2022 legislative session, the Nebraska Unicameral has the opportunity to deliver smart criminal justice reforms that will enhance public safety and benefit all Nebraskans. These changes will allow us to better manage our inmate population and provide modern resources to prepare offenders for life after time servedwithout compromising public safety.

However, there are a small subset of soft-on-crime reforms that would have a large, negative impact. Senator Steve Lathrop, Chair of the Judiciary Committee, is holding reasonable policies hostage to promote four soft-on-crime measures that would jeopardize public safety.

Last year, the Nebraska Criminal Justice Reinvestment Working Group considered ways to better protect public safety and manage Nebraskas inmate population. The group looked at data collected from Nebraskas criminal justice system and analyzed by the Crime and Justice Institute (CJI). After many discussions, the group reached consensus around seventeen recommendations. However, there were four other proposals included in the report that did not receive consensus approval.

Senator Lathrop has decided he doesnt want to work on the 80% of reforms our group agrees upon. Instead, hes focused on the four non-consensus items. Most of these policies are complete non-starters for anyone looking to serve victims of crime and promote public safety.

One policy item would limit the use of consecutive sentences. This means someone could commit three crimes on the same day, and serve time for just one crime. This would handcuff a judges ability to issue a sentence appropriate for the crimes committed. The limitation on consecutive sentences isnt even tied to overly harsh sentencing. CJIs own analysis found that judges use of consecutive sentences has remained flat over the last decade, and the median time served for those incarcerated on a consecutive sentence has remained unchanged. Furthermore, Nebraska already has a very generous good time law which reduces most sentences by half.

Two other policies would soften penalties for drug crimes. One would end mandatory minimum sentences, including for drug dealers, while the other would reclassify all drug possession offenses as misdemeanors.

With our broken Southern border, drugs have been flooding into the U.S. from Mexico during the Biden-Harris Administration. In January, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported a 1,066% increase in the amount of fentanyl confiscated in South Texas in the 2021 fiscal year. Weve seen a staggering increase in Nebraska, as well. Last year, Omaha DEA seized 26 kilograms of fentanyl. Thats more than ten times the amount seized in 2020, and its the equivalent of 13 million lethal doses. Lincoln and Omaha have seen a spike in overdoses as our entire nation battles the scourge of fentanyl on our streets. Weakening penalties for drug dealing will only increase the spread of these deadly substances throughout Nebraska.

For drug possession offenses, incarceration is typically the last resort. Its common for drug possession offenders to be given the opportunity to attend drug court, a diversion program, plead to a misdemeanor offense, or receive a sentence of probation. The policy Senator Lathrop is pushing would limit a person on their 10th offense for possession of hard drugs to a misdemeanor.

The fourth non-consensus proposal would let elderly criminals out of jail early. Inmates incarcerated for serious and violent crimeslike first degree sexual assault or sexual assault on a childshould not be released from prison after just 15 years simply because of their age.

We have seen many cases in Nebraska over the years where older inmates have been released from prison and gone on to reoffend. For example, Laddie Dittrich was originally convicted of burglary and first-degree murder in 1973 for his involvement in the stabbing death of an Omaha man. He received a life sentence. In April 2013, Dittrich was pardoned, and his sentence was commuted. Dittrich was paroled in May 2014 at the age of 68. Just six months later, Dittrich was arrested for third-degree sexual assault on a child.

Letting violent criminals out of prison early simply because of their age would be a disservice to the victims of crime who deserve justice and would put Nebraskans at risk.

The bulk of these non-consensus proposals should be outright abandoned. As theyre currently written, all of them should be.

Instead, the Legislature should pursue the seventeen reforms that the working group agreed upon. These include measures to improve access to mental healthcare for individuals on parole or probation; provide transitional housing for Nebraskans recently released from prison looking to make a fresh start; and increase the availability of problem-solving courts.

These are a few examples of the many smart criminal justice reforms everyone can unite behind. The 2022 session only has a few weeks remaining. Now is not the time to tie up the Unicameral with divisive proposals that would weaken public safety, especially not at the expense of these common-sense measures.

Now is the time for action, not antics, on public safety.

Nebraska already has the lowest incarceration rate of any surrounding state. Senators can make smart criminal justice reforms this session to further address the capacity of our corrections system. I encourage you to contact your state senator to let them know your thoughts on these soft-on-crime policies. You can find their contact information at nebraskalegislature.gov.

If you have questions about my commitment to public safety, please email me at pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov or call 402-471-2244.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
At least three Pakistani soldiers and as many attackers were killed in a firefight in northwestern Pakistan early on March 30, security sources told RFE/RL.

The attack was claimed by the outlawed Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The attack occurred early in the morning on a Frontier Corps (FC) fort in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Tank district, police official Waqar Ahmad told RFE/RL.



The fire exchange continued for several hours, Ahmad added. Ten soldiers were also wounded in the gun battle.

An intelligence source told RFE/RL that six soldiers were killed and 22 were wounded in the fighting. The reason for the discrepancy between the two tolls was not immediately clear.



In a separate attack in South Waziristan, one army captain and a soldier were killed on March 30. This attack was also claimed by the TTP.
Ebrahim Khalil Kanoo, the sole distributor of Toyota and Lexus vehicles in Bahrain, has won the Gold Toyota Distributor Award for its achievements in sales, service, marketing, and customer satisfaction for 2021.

The prestigious award was bestowed on Ebrahim Khalil Kanoo Chairman, Mohamed Kanoo and Vice Chairman Fuad Kanoo in the presence of members of the Board of Directors and top management who gathered in the companys head office to attend the virtual award ceremony.

The award recognises the outstanding achievements for the year in multiple sectors within the company including sales, after sales, spare parts, marketing, and the successful implementation of Toyotas customer satisfaction programme; Best in Town (BIT), and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) activities to ensure a delightful customer experience.-- TradeArabia News Service
UNWTO has announced the return of Best Tourism Villages for 2022, which promotes the role of tourism in safeguarding rural villages, along with their natural and cultural diversity, local values and activities as well as gastronomy.



The initiative also promotes transformative approaches to the development of tourism in rural destinations that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).



In 2021 over 40 villages from more than 30 countries across the five world regions (from over 170 applications) were recognized as Best Tourism Villages (BTV) and a further 20 villages were selected to participate in the Upgrade Programme. Now, UNWTO Members States are invited once again to present candidacies through their National Tourism Administrations (NTAs) . Applications will be open until 28 June 2022 and the chosen villages will be announced at the end of the year.



The initiative has three components:



 The Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO recognizes outstanding examples of rural tourism destinations with recognized cultural and natural assets, that preserve and promote rural and community-based values, products and lifestyle and have a clear committed to innovation and sustainability in all its aspects  economic, social and environmental. The recognition is based on an evaluation of their resources and initiatives in nine areas covering the three pillars of sustainable development.



 The Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO Upgrade Programme assists a select number of villages among those that do not fully meet the criteria to obtain the recognition. The villages receive support from UNWTO and Partners in improving elements of the areas identified as gaps in the evaluation process.



 The Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO Network provides a space for exchanging experiences and good practices. It includes representatives of the villages recognized as Best Tourism Village by UNWTO as well as those participating in the Upgrade Programme and it will benefit from the contributions of experts, public and private sector partners engaged in the promotion of tourism for rural development. The Network also contributes to the work of UNWTO in identifying good practices, developing guidelines and policy recommendations as well as insights and knowledge.



Applications will be evaluated by an external independent Advisory Board consisting of experts in the different fields based on the nine evaluation areas covering natural and cultural resources as well as initiatives in the three pillars of sustainability  economic, social and environmental.



Tourism for rural development



Announcing the launch of the second edition on the occasion of its 48th Commission meeting for the Middle East in Cairo, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: Tourism brings immense opportunities to communities around the world to build new businesses, promote and protect their culture. I look forward to seeing examples of villages working to realize tourisms unique potential to foster sustainability and create opportunities for all.



In parallel to the announcement, the kick-off meeting of the BTV Network will be held online on March 30 with more than 60 current members to take part in shaping its identity, objectives and approach. The calendar of activities within the Network (training, webinars, masterclasses, etc.) will also be expanded from April to December 2022.



The Network will be enlarged with new members of Best Tourism Villages 2022 and forthcoming editions with the aim of becoming the largest international network focusing on tourism for rural development.  TradeArabia News Service
Abu Dhabi Festival and the American Ballet Theatre (ABT), a leading global dance company presented the world premiere ZigZag, performed to the iconic music of Tony Bennet between March 15-20 in California, USA.



This was followed by shows on March 29-3 at Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.



Huda Ibrahim Al Khamis, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation and the Artistic Director of Abu Dhabi Festival said: Abu Dhabi Festival is pleased to give audience members the opportunity to experience the magic and wonder of the American Ballet Theatres gala performance, ZigZag, celebrating the legendary career of Tony Bennett.



It is truly remarkable to witness the creative process of the unique collaboration between dance and music come together on stage and its presentation at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in California advances our mission to bring original works of the performing arts to audiences around the world.



Featuring choreography by renowned choreographer Jessica Lang, the scenery designed by Emmy- and Tony-award winner Derek McLane, and costume design by the Creative Director at Carolina Herrera, Wes Gordon, the marvellous performance celebrates the brilliant career of singing icon Tony Bennet, integrating his impressive tunes and artworks to shed light on the wholehearted human nature of his unique singing style.



The 19th edition of Abu Dhabi Festival 2022 is held under the theme Crafting an Emirates State of Mind: Creation, Innovation & Joy.



The 2022 Abu Dhabi Festival programme is part of the contribution that the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation makes to the UAE capitals designation as a UNESCO City of Music, further bolstering its role as a world leading musical center and incubator of an innovation-based resilient and sustainable music ecosystem.



Abu Dhabi Festival 2022 encompasses over 1,000 participating artists from around the world to present more than 300 live and digital events. The 19th edition will also include two world tours and 17 world premieres.  TradeArabia News Service
It was as if April Fools Day had come early. At a gala staged for the press last Wednesday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Denvers three-term Mayor Michael Hancock met publicly to herald a special occasion  the licensing of the countrys first cannabis consumption lounge.
Maureen Mo Basenberg is the Executive Director of Safe Passage Childrens Advocacy Center, a nationally accredited childrens advocacy center that provides hope and healing to children who have experienced abuse and neglect.
LETTERS: A seat at the table; let's not do this again
Lawmakers intend to provide funding to Secretary of State Jena Griswold's office in the upcoming fiscal year to hire private security in situations where the State Patrol is unable to do the job, although at a smaller amount than the state's top election official requested.

The 2022-23 budget package authorizes Griswold to tap $32,400 from her office's cash fund and permits her to "coordinate with Colorado State Patrol in securing private security in the instance that CSP is unavailable to provide security requested by the Department of State."

The money comes on top of the $120,800 that Griswold's office sought and received in supplemental funding this year.

Gov. Jared Polis signed that supplemental budget request on March 7. That bill didn't include a line item or footnote on the funds' purpose, but the Joint Budget Committee narrative document on supplemental requests explained it allows her department to "contract for private security and threat monitoring services in response to an increase in threats towards Department personnel."

In her official budget request , Griswold's office asked for a yearly general fund allocation of $184,800 to address security concerns. Her office said it would use the money to work with a vendor to track threats on social media and hire security to accompany Griswold and other staffers in key public events.

According to Rep. Kim Ransom, R-Littleton, a JBC member , that's $10,000 per month just for monitoring.

All told, Griswold's office sought a $4.6 million increase to its $33 million budget. Lawmakers' proposed fiscal 2023 budget gives Griswold's office a little more than $1.4 million over current levels.

As the Secretary of State's Office's supplemental budget request for this year was going through the Legislature, a spokeswoman said private security would be used for official public events only and paid for by a cash fund in the office's budget.

Republican legislators had objected to how the security funding would be paid for, noting cash funds are furnished by fees paid by businesses for services provided by Griswold's office.

House Minority Leader Hugh McKean said the request highlights a much bigger issue: how to provide security for constitutional officers.

"It's sad that we live in a world where we get death threats on a routine basis. We're left with the question on how to deal with it," the Loveland Republican said during a House debate on the supplemental measure.

McKean argued that the best approach is to handle such threats in the same way as credible threats to lawmakers: Take it to the State Patrol. Then, those complaints can be aggregated in one place, and the agency has its "thumb on the pulse" of what is happening within the legislature and with the constitutional officers.

Rep. Janice Rich, R-Grand Junction, questioned how private security would be used in an election year, saying the lines between Griswold's official duties and campaign events could become blurred.

The supplemental bill later passed largely along party lines in both the House and Senate.

Last October, the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State  Griswold is the organization's national chair  went to the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission seeking permission to pay for private security for Griswold.

The request for private security was tied to online threats, some tied to false allegations that the 2020 election was fraudulent. That included threats of physical harm, some which Denver7 News forwarded to the Colorado State Patrol for investigation. According to discussions during the meeting, the threats did not rise to the level of requiring the Colorado State Patrol to provide additional security for Griswold. The ethics commission ultimately denied the request.

Cole Wist, an ethics commissioner and former Republican state representative, had raised concerns about the security detail, which would have covered Griswold in her official capacity, regardless of the type of event. According to a DASS representative, the security detail could cover campaign events.

"One of the tough issues for me is to understand where the line is between work and the secretary's official capacity and political work and appearances that are political in nature," Wist said during the Sept. 22 meeting. "Are we to conclude that all appearances by the secretary would be in her official capacity?"

A DASS representative replied that all appearances, official or political, are in her capacity as a public official.

"There is no distinction. She's always acting in her official capacity," the official said.

That was enough for the ethics commission to turn down Griswold's request, stating it would violate the Amendment 41 gift ban.
After losing nearly a quarter of its clients during COVID-19, leaders of Open Bible Medical Clinic and Pharmacy in Colorado Springs considered closing the doors of the faith-based operation that has been dispensing free medical care and prescriptions to uninsured patients for 17 years.

But as pandemic-related federal funding evaporates and Medicaid rolls that grew over the past two years get purged of people who no longer qualify, the clinic anticipates more low-income residents from El Paso and Teller counties will seek out its services.

When they start getting their letters of denial for Medicaid, we want to make sure they know were here and have a place to go, said Kellie Dodson, who became operations director March 1.

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing has said that an unknown number of 550,000 Coloradans covered during the public health emergency could be ineligible as their files are reviewed during an annual cycle.

Medicaid use in El Paso County increased from 19% of the population in 2019 to 29% in 2021, according to the Colorado Health Access 2021 survey. The uninsured population dipped slightly, from 5.6% in 2019 to 5.2% in 2021, the survey shows.

Open Bible Medical Clinic saw its number of patients drop from 296 in 2019 to 231 in 2021, Dodson said, setting off alarms among officials who run the nonprofit, a program of Open Bible Baptist Church.

But theres a renewed effort to keep it going, as more people lose subsidized government insurance coverage.

Its a real benefit to the community, Dodson said, and we want to be here for people who need us.

Open Bible moved its clinic to 555 E. Costilla St. in the Hillside neighborhood in 2018, just a few miles from the church at 824 S. Union Blvd. An expansion added a wing to accommodate a registration area, waiting room, four exam rooms, a consultation area, a doctors office and a nurses station. The pharmacy already had been at the location.

Just a handful of staff are paid; some 180 volunteers donate their time as doctors, nurses, practitioners, pharmacists, technicians, intake specialists and other positions.

Each four-hour shift on the three days the center is open each week requires 12-14 volunteers, Dodson said.

Hunter Turbyne, a University of Colorado in Denver graduate who is applying to medical school, drives at least an hour from where she lives in Parker to the clinic twice a month to volunteer. She takes vital signs, talks to patients about why theyre there, and performs other tasks.

Oftentimes with new patients, theyve had a pain for a really long time, or they need bloodwork to see whats going on, and it ends up abnormal, she said.

Shes been volunteering for more than a year and says she loves the mission to provide free quality health care to people in need.

I drive a long way, but its worth it because of how awesome the other volunteers are and how amazing the patients are," she said.

Every single patient Ive met has been extremely friendly, patient and kind, and it is so humbling. People are so down to earth; its a special experience to come here.

Although the clinic is faith-based, neither volunteers nor patients must subscribe to any type of religion or belief, Dodson said.

Patients do need to qualify for the free services. They must have identification, an address, proof of residency, be between ages 18 and 64 and lack any type of health care insurance  either they cant obtain government-assisted coverage or cant afford to pay for insurance based on their household income. They must earn less than 200% of the federal governments poverty level, which for a household of four is $53,000, for example.

Many clients have chronic health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, anemia, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Dodson said.

In addition to delivering primary care for about a dozen patients per shift, the clinic can refer lab work, CT scans, MRIs, X-rays, along with some orthopedic needs and counseling. Doctors provide referrals to specialists, who also do not charge patients.

The on-site pharmacy is unique in that its the only known one in Colorado that accepts donations of unused, unexpired medications from nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, physicians offices and other pharmacies, and reissues them at no cost to clients.

About 90% of medications prescribed are donated to the organization, said volunteer Bob Shelton, who owned a pharmacy in Colorado Springs for 40 years before selling it in 2018 and retiring.

It helps out the community tremendously  a lot of the medications we supply are expensive, and people couldnt afford them, he said. Otherwise, a lot wouldnt take their medications, so it keeps them out of the hospitals.

Shelton said he volunteers because he likes being able to contribute to a worthy cause.

Its a win-win  we help the people and do Gods work.
With a workforce shortage that prevented southern Colorados only resettlement agency from accepting its entire allotment of Afghan refugees comes the likelihood that the Colorado Springs office of Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains will be called on to assist refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Its possible well have Ukrainians, said Floyd Preston, program manager for the local office of Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains.

Everything is so fresh and new, we dont how many were going to get, he said Tuesday. There are talks, but we have not been privy on anything to date.

Last weeks announcement from President Joe Biden that the United States would accept 100,000 refugees  of about 4 million people who have left the country after Russia invaded on Feb. 24  and Gov. Jared Polis saying publicly that Colorado would welcome them, was the first wed heard of it, Preston said.

However, its unlikely Colorado will see Ukrainian refugees soon, said Madlynn Ruble, spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Human Services, which oversees the states resettlement services.

And it's too soon to tell how many will come, she said in an email.

The federal government sets immigration policies and oversees the nations immigration system; Polis directed Colorados Office of New Americans to connect Ukrainian Coloradans to resources and prepare for Ukrainian refugees in working with the Colorado Refugee Services Program.

Larysa Martyniuk, a first-generation Ukrainian American who helped organize a recent candlelight vigil for the people of Ukraine at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, said she offered to help bring her cousins to the United States, but they want to be closer to their native country.

Theyre hoping the situation gets better soon, she said. Its been a month, and its crazy news all the time.

I stay up because of the time difference to see if my family is alive, and thank goodness were able to contact people through email or the free phone service," Martyniuk said. You have this knot in the middle of your stomach all the time.

Many members of the Ukrainians of Colorado group are trying to get family members stateside and have met online with immigration lawyers and lawmakers about the situation, Martyniuk said.

The Ukrainian Embassy moved to Warsaw, Poland, and there are lines and lines of people, who are saying it will be five to six months before they can get everything going, unless someone had been in the process of coming with a green card.

Theres no preparation for Ukrainians yet at the Colorado Springs Lutheran Family Services office, Preston said: As far as were concerned, were still focusing on the Afghans and other refugee populations.

Southern Colorado was supposed to receive 175 Afghan refugees seeking resettlement.

Instead, 160 Afghan individuals have moved to southern Colorado, Preston said, with temporary staff filling gaps in administrative work, and volunteers locating housing, raising donations, and managing appointments.

Hiring staff has been the stumbling block, Preston said. Like other industries across the nation, there are not enough workers for the work.

In recent weeks, hes been able to add a few employees.

But its on the back end, he said. I needed them three to four months ago. Im grateful were in a better position now, though.

Because in the past few months, resettlement efforts have ramped up beyond high gear.

In 2021, the local office helped 132 individuals, primarily from Cuba, resettle in southern Colorado, according to agency data.

Already this year, Preston's staff has worked with just over 200 refugees  mostly Afghans, Preston said.

This year is going to be huge, he said. Normally, we wouldnt have received that bulk of refugees.

Federal grants and donations support the agencys budget.

About 30% of the Afghans who have relocated here are working, Preston said, mainly in the hospitality industry, and living in apartments or houses.

Churches of all denominations as well as individuals in the community have responded generously by leasing homes to families, acting as hosts and donating furniture, household items, gift cards and rent money, he said.

As a result, They are mainstreaming quite well.
The dance community of North Iowa is getting something worth cheering about in the next few months.

Dancin' With Roxie, a dance studio in Clear Lake, is set to undergo a massive renovation to its current facility to continue expanding and allow access to dance classes to more people in North Iowa.

"We just want to give them the best dance education we possibly can," Roxanna Johnson, owner of Dancin' With Roxie, said. "North Iowa needs more dance studios."

Johnson created Dancin' With Roxie in 2005 as a dance studio for kids between the ages of 18 months and 18 years, with classes catered to a wide range of students from those just wanting to learn and have a good time, to those wanting to pursue the highest levels of competitive dance.

Dancin' With Roxie has been a unique part of Clear Lake since 2006, when Johnson started off renting a tiny studio space in the community. Eventually, Johnson was able to buy her own building, which she thought would be more than satisfactory in terms of space, but she soon came to realize that even the building wasn't enough to satisfy the demand in the area.

"When I bought the building around seven years ago I thought that would be all the space I would ever need," Johnson said. "But it became fairly obvious the last couple of years that we're turning kids down because we don't have space, and I don't want to do that."

To accommodate the growing demand for dancing classes in North Iowa, Johnson decided to undergo the expansion to her facility.

The new building, which was approved by the Clear Lake Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday night, will feature two brand new dance studios that can be combined into one national regulation size studio, and an expansion to the already existing studio space. The project will also add an expanded parking lot, an expanded lobby, a study zone and a cafe.

"I think the funniest part is that most of the kids are most excited that we're going to have a drinking fountain with a water bottle filler," Johnson joked.

The renovated building when completed will look similar to the Dancin' With Roxie facility located in Ankeny.

To do the renovations, which Johnson estimates will cost north of $1 million when it's all said and done, Dean Snyder Construction in Clear Lake has brought onboard. The renovations are set to begin within the next week, with the goal to have the project complete by the fall, just in time for the start of fall dance classes.

"It's definitely going to be a big project," Johnson said. "But it's something we are super proud of, and super excited about."

Dancin' With Roxie has four locations in Iowa including Clear Lake, Ankeny, Iowa Falls and Hampton.

The Clear Lake location is at 1502 Second Avenue S.

Zachary Dupont covers local government and business development for the Globe Gazette. You can reach him at 641-421-0533 or zachary.dupont@globegazette.com. Follow Zachary on Twitter at @ZachNDupont

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
March 30 is National Doctors Day, a holiday signed into law over 30 years ago.

This day marks the importance of physicians, an appreciation that has grown over the last two years.

Healthcare as a whole has been part of upheaval since the beginning of the decade, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting 2.6 million jobs to be added throughout the decade before the pandemic began.

Back in 2018, Iowa Workforce Development reported 40% of respondents had job vacancies.

In 2020, a Nursing Demand Survey by the Iowa Board of Nursing and Iowa Center for Nursing Workforce showed that over 50% of respondents have difficulty finding qualified applicants for nurses. Their second greatest problem is turnover.

In response to the growing need, most employers say they've bumped up overtime hours for current staff, increased recruiting and revised their pay scales. Nearly half of employers have said the expected wages have also made it difficult to hire, even as hospitals around the country continue to increase wages to retain numbers and fill vacancies.

Today, the growing need for healthcare professionals is seen everywhere.

In MercyOne Mason City, there are currently 304 open positions. Of those positions, 88 are for nurses, and 21 for doctors. These positions show a critical need for healthcare workers in an essential industry.

"Like hospitals across the country, MercyOne is experiencing a critical staffing shortage." said Angie Anstine, Communications Lead at MercyOne. To incentivize incoming healthcare workers, MercyOne "reviews pay and benefits on a regular basis to remain highly competitive within the health care market."

Like MercyOne, other health centers are actively recruiting workers. Mitchell County Regional Health Center has more than 30 open positions at varying levels, and MercyOne locations throughout North Iowa are recruiting workers.

With a whirlwind of both necessity of workers and layoffs of unvaccinated employees, it can be difficult to ascertain how best to assist healthcare workers who have continued working since 2020.

33% of healthcare workers are experiencing burnout at any given time, according to an article published in the National Library of Medicine in 2020. Doctors today are estimating up to 70% of healthcare workers are currently experiencing burnout.

For those looking to show appreciation on this national holiday, here are a few ways to show you care:

1. Food. Ordering take-out or making a meal for doctors and nurses on the hospital floor can be a big help for workers. Everyone needs to eat! Be sure to call ahead and follow any procedures your local hospital may have relating to deliveries.

2. Call ahead before going to the doctor. Emergency Rooms and Doctor's offices fill quickly. COVID patients without warning symptoms and other non-emergency visits should be scheduled ahead of time when possible.

3. Reach out to the nurses and doctors you know. Share your appreciation. Buy them a coffee. Show your support in whatever way you can. Even the smallest words of encouragement can make a difference.

4. Donate blood. The American Red Cross is facing the worst blood shortage in over a decade. Donating blood is more important now than ever.

Rae Burnette is a GA and Crime & Courts Reporter at the Globe Gazette. You can reach her by phone at 641.421.0523 or at Rae.Burnette@GlobeGazette.com

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Students who perform average work in school sometimes receive higher grades than they actually deserve. These students are able to convince teachers that they truly enjoy the subject matter, are stimulated by the lectures, or have a personal interest in the instructor. These students must be careful, however, because exaggerated efforts may backfire.If the statements above are true, which of the following draws the most reliable conclusion from the paragraph?(A) Students are dishonest when it comes to grades.(B) Teachers may give grades to students for reasons other than classroom performance.(C) Good students will seldom resort to trickery in achieving good grades.(D) Teachers want to help their students to excel in the classroom.(E) The perceptions of average students are important in achieving good grades._________________
Representatives from Staunton River Plastics  the first tenant of the Southern Virginia Multimodal Park in Hurt  provided a tour Wednesday of the new facility under construction.

The company plans to invest $34 million in the structure that will ultimately employ about 200 people in the industrial park when it opens later this summer.

The exterior wall panels, each of which can weigh in excess of 120,000 pounds, are currently being dropped into place.

The Ohio-based plastics manufacturer is set to use less than 20 acres for the project, leaving more than 800 acres available for future tenants.

Representatives from Staunton River Plastics, Pittsylvania County, the town of Hurt and ARCO Construction took part in the tour.
DANVILLE, Va.  For the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District, a continued drop in daily COVID-19 cases is ushering in a new attitude for the local health department: optimism with only a small dash of caution mixed in.

The caution is there because the novel coronavirus certainly knows how to throw curveballs just when health experts think they may have a handle on the situation.

In Danville, the daily infection rate has dropped to about one. And while Pittsylvania County is still adding about six new cases per day, data from the Virginia Department of Health shows the figures are comparable to the summer of 2021, the lowest point in the pandemic now in a third year.

There were seven new fatalities recorded in the last week, bringing the death toll to 469 for Danville and Pittsylvania County. However, those deaths likely occurred weeks ago and only recently made it to the official record books.

A subvariant of omicron  the altered version of the coronavirus responsible for the record infections in January  is leading to a rise in virus infections in other countries. Even if that does cause an uptick in cases locally, a full-blown surge isnt projected.

While BA.2 is in the U.S. and in Virginia, it remains relatively low here, Brookie Crawford, a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Health, told the Register & Bee on Friday. Hopefully, it will not contribute to any significant surge.

Across Virginia, many health districts are seeing rapid drops in infections and hospitalizations. The exceptions are in Central Virginia, Roanoke city and West Piedmont districts, the University of Virginias Biocomplexity Institute reported Friday. Those locations are seeing a slow growth from low case levels.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the BA.2 subvariant accounts for about 30% of new COVID-19 cases in the state. By mid-April, its expected to become dominant, UVa reports.

Most European nations have crested the BA.2 surge, UVa researchers wrote in Fridays abbreviated report. However, the subvariant is causing a major surge of hospitalizations in England and Ireland.

The state health department is using early warning systems to monitor possible upticks, including wastewater surveillance. Locally, sampling is happening in Danville.

This week, we have observed a decreasing trend in viral load (amount of virus in a sample) at that site, Linda M. Scarborough, a health department spokesperson, wrote in an email to the Register & Bee.

This is part of more than 400 testing sites across the nation feeding data into the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By monitoring wastewater, health leaders hope to catch signs of an increase in COVID-19 before it becomes problematic.

Virus levels in wastewater usually increase four to six days before clinical cases increase, so surveillance results can help communities act quickly to prevent the spread of COVID-19, CDC officials wrote in a Friday update.

Vaccinations

Vaccination continues to be a cornerstone in preventing another uptick, Crawford explained, also noting theres likely to be more seasonality to this virus by fall.

Just as cases have fallen, so has the demand for vaccines. In fact, across Virginia and the United States, daily administrations of the shots of protection are at the lowest levels in the pandemic.

Locally, only about half of the population is fully vaccinated and about 1-in-4 have received a booster dose.

The district is now using a mobile van to reach residents who havent been vaccinated.

Thats in addition to handing out thousands of test kits, long hailed by experts as a key part in controlling the pandemic.

Yet vaccine hesitancy is difficult to overcome, especially in rural areas.

We continue to partner with community leaders and organizations across both health districts to reach the unvaccinated population and offer vaccination clinics, Crawford explained, referencing the Southside Health District to the regions east also. Additionally, Governor Youngkin released a public service announcement with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) encouraging Virginians to get vaccinated.

Anyone wanting a free COVID-19 vaccine should visit vaccinate.virginia.gov.

Masks and more

Danville and Pittsylvania County are in the low community level for COVID-19 based on the CDCs new formula for calculating the virus threat. Instead of relying on how the virus is transmitting in a community, data from hospitals now determines the local rankings.

In the low level, the federal agency no longer recommends masking in public indoor places. The local health district is a tad more measured when asked if residents should feel safe returning to a pre-pandemic life.

Masks are no longer required, but they are still suggested, Crawford said. It is important to evaluate each situation individually and use the 3 Ws  wash your hands, watch your distance, wear your mask  appropriately for the situation.

She also stresses people stay home when sick and follow quarantine and isolation guidelines.

Other health focuses

For the last two years, the local health departments daily routine has centered around COVID-19. However, once the virus moved to the endemic designation  essentially living with it  workers will be able to get back to the core health programs, Crawford explained.

In addition, they hope to launch some initiatives put on hold to better help the regions health.

We do hope to build upon what we have learned about our communities and the relationships we have built/deepened to springboard these efforts to greater community engagements, she said.

Crawford also noted with low cases, its a perfect opportunity for residents to follow-up on preventive health screenings that may have fallen by the wayside because of the pandemic.
The Rockingham County Board of Elections recently provided the latest details about exactly when and where county residents may vote in the upcoming Primary Election. Early voting sites will be open, beginning in late April, and Election Day is May 17.

Ways to vote

Visit your polling place and cast your vote on May 17, Election Day, between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Know your polling place. If you do not know where to go on Election Day, call the Rockingham County Board of Elections at 336-342-8107 to find out.

Precincts

All 15 precincts in Rockingham County will be open on May 17, 2022 and include:

DraperFirst Baptist Church, 1017 Fieldcrest Road, Eden

Eden 1Bridge Street Rec. Center, 319 Bridge Street, Eden

Eden CentralOsbourne Baptist Church, 326 E. Stadium Drive, Eden

HogansComers Chapel, 1981 Bald Hill Loop, Madison

HuntsvilleHuntsville Elementary, 2020 Sardis Church Road, Madison

IronworksMonroeton Elementary, 8081 US 158 W, Reidsville

Leaksville 2Leaksville Christian Church, 1010 Washington Street, Eden

LincolnLincoln Elementary, 2660 Oregon Hill Road, Ruffin

MatrimonyVera Holland Building, 203 E. Main Street, Stoneville

McCoyReidsville Alliance Church, 1300 Freeway Drive, Reidsville

Moss StreetZion Baptist Church, 807 Piedmont Street, Reidsville

New BethelSharon Baptist Church, 3540 Iron Works Road, Reidsville

Rock CentralRockingham Co. Agricultural Building, 525 NC 65, Reidsville

SoutheastWilliamsburg Elementary, 2830 NC 87, Reidsville

WesternMadison Mayodan Public Library, 611 Burton Street, Madison

One-stop early voting

One-Stop Early Voting will be held from April 28thMay 14th at four locations, including the Board of Elections Office at 240 Cherokee Camp Road in Wentworth.

The elections office will be open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., MondayFriday, and on Saturday, May 14th, from 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Other early voting sites:

Eden Library, 598 S. PIerce Street, Eden

Zion Baptist Church, 807 Piedmont Street, Reidsville

Madison Mayodan Library, 611 Burton Street, Madison

The remote sites will be open from 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m., MondayFriday and on Saturday, May 14, from 8 a.m.- 3 p.m.

You may also register to vote or update your voter information (except party affiliation) during One-Stop Early Voting.

Absentee by-mail voting

Send in an absentee ballot request by 5 p.m. on May 10. Absentee ballots must be returned to the Board of Elections office by May 17 at 5 p.m., or postmarked by this date and received within three business days from Election Day.

Find request down the form at www.rockinghamcountync.gov, or call the Board of Elections office to have an absentee ballot request form mailed to you. The elections board will begin mailing out absentee ballots on March 28.
REIDSVILLE  Tanker trucks from throughout the county lined U.S. 29 from early Monday morning until midday as firefighters from more than 20 agencies fought to extinguish a blaze at a vacant American Tobacco Company building  one of areas largest fires in recent times.

Emergency crews received calls from area residents and train crews from Norfolk & Southern Railroad at about 3:30 a.m. with reports of a fire at the complex of buildings known as the tobacco companys sheds at 125 Narrow Gauge Road.

Long-vacated, the three-story wood and brick building that caught fire was known as The Stemmery and stood within a few feet of the railroad tracks along U.S. 29 Business, adjacent to the approximately 90-acre property. One longtime resident of the area estimated the building size at about 90,000 square feet.

Firefighters reported having trouble accessing the fenced-in building and trains were forced to slow to as little as 10 m.p.h. or stop to allow emergency crews access to the inferno. The fire was especially aggressive because wood was stored within it, officials said. That wood caused flames to spread across the span of the facility, they explained.

Despite challenges, though, crews contained the fire by noon, officials said. Crews stayed on the scene for more than 16 hours, returning to the site several times Monday night to extinguish hot spots that had reignited in the rubble.

No injuries were reported, officials said.

A number of warehouses and sheds are located near the stemmery, but firefighters kept the blaze from spreading to them, officials reported.

To further ensure the safety of the firefighters on Monday, Rockingham County Emergency Services Director Rodney Cates stayed in contact with the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Va. to determine the strength and direction of the days winds.

Oregon Hill Fire Station crews were helped by firefighters from across Rockingham County, as well as fellow paid and volunteer firefighting teams from several neighboring counties.

Parts of US-29, and Madison and South Scales streets near Wal-Mart were closed for several hours to allow tankers quick access to fire hydrants nearby.

Crews shuttled water from four hydrants, including one near Wal-Mart, where tankers refilled 130 times, officials and firefighters said.

It was so involved, we couldnt put it out, but we used the water to contain the fire and keep it from spreading, one firefighter said.

Given the age of building and the period of time its been vacant, this created a heavy fire load where the fire just grew and grew, Cates said.

Cates credited the combined actions of the countys 9-1-1 operators, firefighters, rescue squads, emergency service personnel, the sheriffs department and the N.C. Department of Transportation with containing the fire by noon Monday.

Emergency personnel from Alamance, Caswell and Guilford counties stood by at the local departments to handle other area fire calls while local crews attacked the huge blaze.

During a Monday afternoon news conference, Cates said: This fire could have been deadly if we didnt have the countywide effort we saw today. Their service, both today and every day, should be commemorated. It really shows the camaraderie between stations and crews across the county and beyond the Rockingham County border. I cannot thank them enough for their efforts today.

Cates stressed the importance of volunteers and the outpouring of support from our fire community ... These people are volunteers. They have jobs, he said. They gave up their jobs today to come out here and fight this fire.

The remains of the building are very, very insecure, Cates said, noting he has spoken with demolition crews and the buildings owners to ensure the integrity of the building and the safety of those who may have to do any type of follow-up investigation.

Much of the building already has caved in, and further collapse may be imminent, Cates said. Right now, conditions are too dangerous for Rockingham County Fire Marshal Anthony Crowder and other investigators to go inside.

The unidentified property owners told Cates the building had stored some expensive wood and the owners are cooperating with the fire investigation, Cates said.

In recent years, Tobacco Pine, LLC, a reclaimed lumber company, owned by the late Clarence Duck Evans of Rockingham County, used the stemmery building to provide high-quality, antique reclaimed wood products that add character to the home or business, while being affordable to the average American, according to one website.

They had torn down most of the 63 storage sheds on the property, making a positive impact on the environment with minimally invasive deconstruction techniques and waste disposal.

Although damages were heavy to the historic property, no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Cates, Crowder and other investigators were back at the fire scene early Tuesday to assess the damages and determine how best to handle demolition.
SUMMERFIELD  Investigators from Rockingham and Guilford counties arrested three people and confiscated narcotics  including enough fentanyl to kill thousands  stolen guns and cash here Friday, officials said in a Wednesday news release.

Rockingham County Sheriff's Office investigators used a search warrant to enter a home at 485 Old Mill Drive where they discovered 38 grams of pure fentanyl, 115 grams of cocaine, classified as a "trafficking amount" by the sheriff's office, marijuana, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and assorted narcotic pills, the release said.

Authorities also recovered seven guns stolen during recent residential break-ins in Rockingham County, and about $15,000 in cash, according to the release.

Studies by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration show that the amount and type of fentanyl recovered Friday had the potential to kill roughly 19,000 people, the release said.

Two men and one woman living at the residence were arrested Friday in connection with the contraband and charged with multiple felonies.

Jeremiah Chaney, 39, and Tabitha Nicole Miller, 28, were both charged with felony possession of a firearm by a felon, felony possession of a stolen firearm, felony maintain dwelling, felony possession of methamphetamine, felony possession of crack cocaine, felony possession with intent to sell/deliver fentanyl, felony trafficking cocaine, misdemeanor possession of a Schedule II substance, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Both are being held at the Rockingham County Detention Facility on a $500,000 secured bond.

Brandon "Tyler" Benfield, 24, was charged with felony possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a stolen firearm, felony trafficking opium, felony maintain dwelling, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. He is being held at the jail on a $500,000 secured bond.

Authorities issued a criminal summons to Emily Thorpe, 22, of the same Summerfield address, for misdemeanor possession of fentanyl and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

"Today, investigators from the Rockingham County and Guilford County Sheriff's Offices recovered a lot of deadly drugs and stolen guns that would have otherwise ended up on our streets", said Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page. "Point blank, they saved lives. I am very proud of their hard work and commitment to keep our citizens safe."
GREENSBORO  The bus driver shortage that has plagued public schools across Guilford County is showing signs of improvement, according to district officials.

Now, students at eight high schools that lost their service  and had been asked to use other methods of transportation  can rely on school buses to get them to class starting Monday.

That news from district officials on Tuesday marked yet another sign that Guilford County, like the state and country, is gaining back some semblance of normalcy after the latest COVID-19 surge.

It was a wave of new cases, along with what has been a continuing shortage of bus drivers, that pushed the district to take drastic action at the beginning of the year.

District leaders responded by delaying middle and high school start times on Jan. 7, and then by suspending regular school bus services for the eight high schools, which sit along public transportation lines in Greensboro and High Point.

The cuts affected about 2,780 high school students, including those attending Page, Grimsley, Smith, Dudley and Andrews. Typically, about 39,000 students in the district take school buses.

Students at the eight high schools were given the option to use city buses instead  with the district covering the cost. Even though school buses are resuming their routes, students can still use city buses for free through the end of the academic year.

But since January, a lot has changed. Coronavirus infections  many resulting from the omicron variant  have dropped dramatically as more people have become vaccinated and public health measures, such as a county-wide mask mandate, took effect.

The district said it is now able to staff enough buses due to improved absentee rates and the hiring of 16 new bus drivers.

In a brief interview with reporters on Tuesday, the districts operations chief, Michelle Reed, said that daily absences for bus drivers are now in the single digits. Thats a stark contrast to the peak of the coronavirus crisis in January, when the district said 76 drivers were out sick with COVID-19 in one day.

Reed said the district needs another 54 bus drivers to become fully staffed, noting Guilford County Schools and other districts around the country are still facing historic shortages.

In the meantime, bus riders at the eight affected high schools can get updated route information from the district as well as the Here Comes the Bus app.

Students who have been using the districts temporary school shuttles, which served limited stops at some major apartment complexes and housing projects, will move back to regular school bus service as well.

From the district staff who stepped up to drive the shuttles to families and community volunteers who offered rides and carpools, many have played a role in getting Greensboro and High Point students to and from school in the last few months.

We just appreciate the community support during this time of need, Reed said.
GREENSBORO  Guilford County commissioners agreed Tuesday night to kick in $2 million to help the International Civil Rights Center & Museum buy an adjacent building and parking lot.

By a 5-3 vote, the Board of Commissioners agreed to give the museum $1 million up front and $200,000 each year for the following five years. The money is to help purchase 2.2 acres adjacent to the building, including the former First Citizens Bank at South Elm and Market streets. The museum already has a contract on the five-story brick building.

Last week, Greensboros City Council also agreed to give $2 million to the museum to help purchase the property.

Museum officials have said the $10.25 million purchase is necessary to meet requirements allowing it to potentially become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

UNESCO stands for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and there are only 24 sites with this designation in the United States. Among them are the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon.

To qualify, the museum must control the immediate environment of the building so it can maintain the character and feel of the historic site at the time that the historic event took place, said Will Harris, a principal scholar for the museum.

The museum site sits on what was the old F.W. Woolworth store, where four N.C. A&T students refused to leave a whites-only lunch counter until they were served. The months-long protest, which eventually succeeded, sparked similar sit-ins throughout the South.

Tuesday nights vote fell along party lines, with Republican Commissioners Alan Perdue, James Upchurch and Justin Conrad voting against it. Chairman Melvin Skip Alston did not participate since he is a co-founder of the nonprofit Sit-In Movement Inc., which made the museum possible, and sits on its board.

For us to have this in our midst, in our city  in our county is significant, Commissioner J. Carlvena Foster said. It gives us national recognition.

However, Upchurch said, while he considers the museum an asset to the community, I dont believe that taxpayers should be on the hook to purchasing buildings for nonprofits.

Prior to the meeting, Harris told the News & Record: We understand that its taxpayer money, and its taxpayer benefit that were offering, too. This is not a charitable request. This is an attempt to leverage whats already here for the benefit of this community.

The final motion in the virtual-only meeting included a few changes submitted by the museum earlier in the day that were not on the boards public posting of supporting materials. Those changes were broadly discussed at the meeting, but few specific details were included.

The changes involved specific language for annual audits of the museums finances, conflict-of-interest statements, a county-appointed ex-officio member of the museums board and public access to the museum boards meetings.

We get a lot of sensitive support for the organization, and people want that kept confidential, said John Swaine, the museums CEO, in addressing the nonprofits concern about holding public meetings.

Contact Kenwyn Caranna at 336-373-7082 and follow @kcaranna on Twitter.
GREENSBORO  Police have identified a pedestrian who was killed early Sunday as a 43-year-old man from Indiana.

John Dean Simpson, of Leesburg, Ind., died after being struck by a truck just after 5 a.m. Sunday in the area of Interstate 40 East and Elm-Eugene Street, according to a news release from the Greensboro Police Department.

Simpson was struck while running north across the roadway, police said.

No charges have been filed against the driver of the truck.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact Greensboro/Guilford Crime Stoppers at 336-373-1000; or, download the mobile P3tips app for Apple or Android phones to submit a mobile tip, or go to P3tips.com to submit a web tip.
CHARLOTTE  While court records reveal Khalil Prater as a persistent bank robber, he has not proven to be a particularly elusive one.

Starting in February and continuing for the next month or so, the 26-year-old Charlotte man targeted three city banks, the FBI claims.

In each incident, Prater was either wearing a GPS device or unknowingly carrying one. Not surprisingly, his attempted escapes on foot never got very far.

Prater was arrested last week on federal bank robbery charges and was being held in the Mecklenburg County jail, arrest records show. As of Tuesday, his initial appearance in federal court had not been scheduled nor did his court file include the name of a defense attorney.

However, a new five-page FBI affidavit added to his court file is flush with details of Praters eventful history with electronic monitoring.

Take what happened in February. Prater entered a Wells Fargo branch on South Tryon Street in Charlotte, then passed a note to a teller: Give me money and no one gets hurt. Hurry.

The manager turned over $837 in cash, but not before slipping in a tracking device. According to the affidavit, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police quickly tracked the GPS monitor to within a few hundred yards of the crime scene.

There, according to the affidavit, officers found Prater, who was wearing the same clothes as the robber captured by the banks surveillance cameras. He also was carrying $750 in cash  as well as the banks monitor. He confessed to the crime later that day.

Two weeks later, Prater was released from the county jail and ordered by a judge to wear an ankle monitor. According to the FBI, a robbery suspect was wearing the same device a week later when he walked into a Bank of America branch on Beatties Ford Road, just north of uptown.

That suspect turned out to be  you guessed it  Prater.

Once again, Prater passed a note to a teller  Give me as much money as you can and nobody gets hurt  hurry. He left on foot carrying $6,600.

This time, Prater made it as far as home in Lincoln Heights. Thats where police tracked and found him, the affidavit claims.

According to the monitoring device, Prater was in the Bank of America branch at the time of the robbery. When police arrived at his home, he was still wearing the red shirt witnesses had included in their descriptions of the robber. A search of Praters pants revealed $6,535 in cash.

Prater denied committing the robbery, describing it instead as a misunderstanding. Police arrested him anyway.

But Prater wasnt finished with his crime spree.

On March 15, he again was freed from pretrial release  this time on the second bank robbery charge  and again ordered to wear an ankle monitor.

Suitably chastened, Prater waited an entire day before entering the U.S. Bank branch on South Tryon Street in uptown, the affidavit claims. He again passed a familiar note: Give me all of your cash and nobody gets hurt, please hurry.

This time, the teller did not cooperate, telling Prater that she was busy with a call  while she notified her colleagues of the ongoing robbery attempt.

Prater went to another teller, the affidavit claims.

I know you can open it, Prater said, referring to the tellers cash drawer. You have 30 seconds. He then began counting down.

An unarmed security guard interceded, telling Prater to leave, which he did without getting any money.

Police, because of the ankle monitor, knew almost immediately that Prater was near the bank at the time of the attempted robbery.

About an hour later, officers tracked him down. Intentionally or not, Prater, according to the affidavit, had returned to the scene of the alleged crime.
A longtime Montana nonprofit reproductive and sexual health care clinic announced Wednesday that it  and not the state health department  was awarded more than $2 million in federal family planning money.

The Department of Public Health and Human Services has for 50 years been awarded and administrated the money, known as Title X funding, and distributed it through contracts to clinics around Montana.

But Bozeman-based Bridgercare said in a press release that state legislation passed last year would have prohibited it and other organizations like Planned Parenthood from receiving the federal funding if the state was granted this year's award.

During the 2021 legislative session, state Rep. Amy Regier, R-Kalispell, passed a bill that would have prohibited the department from entering into a contract with any organization that provided non-federally qualified abortions.

The law, however, only applies to the state health department and cannot dictate how Bridgercare spends the funding. Bridgercare does not provide abortions.

"Bridgercare had serious concerns about the impact of new state restrictions on Title X funding and services. These concerns spurred us to develop an alternative to the Title X program that would exclude Bridgercare and other providers," said Stephanie McDowell, Bridgercare's executive director, in a press conference Wednesday.

In an email Wednesday, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said grants are awarded "through a competitive process to public and private nonprofit entities."

"A competitive funding announcement was published at Grants.gov announcing the competition. Eligible applicants were reviewed by a panel of independent reviewers and evaluated based on criteria in the Title X regulations," the spokesperson said.

In an emailed statement, the state health department said it was "disappointed" with the news.

"DPHHS is disappointed with the Biden administration's refusal to renew funding for this longstanding, successful state program," a spokesperson said.

"We recognize, however, that recent pro-abortion federal rule changes have distorted Title X and conflict with Montana law, as well as the Gianforte administration's priority of expanding primary care. The department will provide a transition and continuity for Title X-funded clinics and their clients."

The department said it was unable to answer further questions Wednesday "due to the recent nature of this news." Regier's bill also said primary care clinics should be prioritized for funding over clinics like Bridgercare.

In October last year, the Biden administration issued new regulations around Title X money, which replaced rules from the previous Trump administration. Biden reversed a Trump regulation that blocked funding for recipients that made referrals for abortions and disqualified clinics that were located where abortion services were provided. The Title X Family Planning Annual Report 2020 National Summary found the Trump administration's change led to the number of people accessing services dropping from 3.9 million to 1.5 million people between 2018-2020.

In a press release, the U.S. Department Health and Human Services said grants it awarded across the country Wednesday will "fill service gaps caused by more than a quarter of Title X providers withdrawing from the program over the past two and a half years in response to the previous administrations Title X rule."

A report prepared by Democratic staff for the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee said in 2015 Montana had 26 sites funded by Title X money that provided care to 18,090 women and that Planned Parenthood centers served 43% of those women.

"If Planned Parenthood were excluded from Title X, all other types of Title X-funded sites in Montana would have to increase their contraceptive client caseloads by 74% to serve the women who currently obtain contraceptive care from Planned Parenthood health centers," according to the 2018 report.

Since the Trump administration's gag rule took effect in 2019, Planned Parenthood of Montana was not a participant in Title X programs.

McDowell said that will change going forward. In a statement Wednesday, Martha Fuller, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Montana, said that will increase access to family planning services for Montanans.

Thanks to Bridgercares leadership, Montanans will once again be able to access the federal family program from the provider of their choice and without interference from extremist politicians. PPMT looks forward to coming back into the program to meet patient needs and in partnership with providers around the state," Fuller said.

Bridgercare said the network will start with eight providers at 16 locations and the capacity to serve 20,000 people. The grant is for five years and the organization can apply for increased funding in the future.

While some existing Title X clinics, including several in rural areas, chose to be a part of the state's application for the funding and not Bridgercare's, McDowell said Bridgercare will reach out to them to try to bring them under the Montana Family Planning network. The state health department's website listed 22 clinics on its Title X website.

Clinics that get funding do things like provide contraceptive services to men and women; perform pregnancy tests and cancer screenings; test for STDs and provide health education and referrals for other care.

Love 16 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 3

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.
Editor's note: Tuesday's email from Valerie Hellermann of Helena to the Helena Independent Record was brief. "My last day in Ukraine," it began. Hellermann, executive director with Hands On Global, was among the members of Hands on Global who traveled to Siret, Romania, on the Ukraine-Romania border earlier this month, to establish a medical relief team for those fleeing the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Portions of this email have been edited for clarity.

My last day in Ukraine. New team oriented.

Busy day today. Over 70 patients, many with severe mental trauma. Children afraid to be outside, insomnia and constant worry that the air raid siren means missiles have followed them.

I am saying goodbye tomorrow morning to an amazing team who will continue this work with courage and compassion.

I am ready to come home

Valerie Hellermann

Executive director

Hands On Global

Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world's grief.

Do justly, now.

Love mercy, now.

Walk humbly, now.

You are not obliged to complete the work,

but neither are you free to abandon it.

Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Montana State Fund, the state's largest workers' compensation insurance company, recently announced a 3% average rate reduction for its policyholders.

The decision came at the March 11 meeting of the MSF board of directors and is effective for new and renewal policies on or after July 1. This is the 16th consecutive year MSF rates have remained flat or been reduced, agency officials said.

MSF Board Chair Richard Miltenberger said in a news release the board is committed to providing Montana employers with stability and predictability, knowing that the agency has a big impact on Montana businesses.

We hope this rate decrease allows employers to hire more workers, make improvements, and ultimately better the Montana economy, he said.

MSF President and CEO Laurence Hubbard said as Montana businesses continue to improve workplace safety, we are committed to ensuring our rates reflect these improvements.

With the most recent reduction, MSFs rates are now 54.1% lower than in 2006 (the year of the last rate increase), state fund officials said.

Next to payroll, workers' compensation insurance is the highest expense on an employer's books, state fund officials said, adding that small businesses make up the backbone of the Montana economy.

In October, the State Fund announced a record-tying $40 million dividend for policyholders.

Dividends are issued to employers as a direct result of better-than-expected investment market performance and positive workplace safety results, Montana State Fund said.

On Tuesday the Montana State Fund said it had presented the Motor Carriers of Montana with a check amounting to $224,044, as a "retrospective return" for participating in the group safety program and improving workplace safety.

Hubbard said the Motor Carriers of Montana earned this return by putting "safety in the front of their collective mind and proven that safety pays.

Duane Williams, executive director of Motor Carriers of Montana, said they have been able to improve members workplace safety culture and reduce on-the-job accidents.

The 23 motor carriers group members will share the total return with the average check to policyholders amounting to roughly $9,700. The checks range from about $64 to more than $34,000, depending on policy size, premium paid and losses incurred, state fund officials said.

Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The Legislature could do more to support creation and preservation of affordable housing in Montana, three experts told the Interim Local Government Committee earlier this month.

The measures they recommended included supporting Tax Increment Financing districts and giving mobile-home residents more opportunity to purchase their properties.

Andrea Davis, the chairperson of the Montana Housing Coalition and the executive director of the affordable housing nonprofit Homeword in Missoula, told the committee that state lawmakers need to support legislation that helps those with the lowest incomes.

Theres a growing affordability crisis, Davis said. I read about it every day. Its been a growing issue for years and decades in the state and its clearly boiling over. I was shocked to find out that Kalispells median home price has surpassed that of Missoulas.

She noted that theres been double digit growth of home prices every year during the pandemic in most parts of Montana.

Were kind of on a collision course with a number of issues, Davis said. Theres more people moving here. Theres higher materials prices and labor costs. Every sector of our economy is impacted by this.

Davis said that because the town of Lewistown has a Tax Increment Financing district, Homeword was able to work with the city to build 16 permanently affordable homes in a historic building. Those types of projects are difficult without the use of TIF funding, she noted. Two similar projects have been built in Billings, and Homeword has used TIF funding for affordable housing projects in Missoula.

Tax Increment Financing is a tool that allows developers to use the property taxes generated by their own new projects, rather than having those taxes go to general taxing jurisdictions. The money can be used for things that benefit the public, such as deconstruction of aging buildings or infrastructure improvements.

David Fine, the economic development program manager for the city of Bozeman, said the state needs to allow local governments to utilize TIF as well.

Tax Increment Financing allows cities to improve infrastructure to construct workforce housing, he said. It provides a true source of leverage.

Fine said Bozeman has utilized TIF to construct 93 affordable housing units recently.

Davis also called for legislators to allow community land trusts to be more easily built and financed.

Preserving existing mobile homes should also be a big priority, Davis said, as they are the only affordable option for many people with the lowest incomes.

She recommended an expansion of the state law that allows capital-gains savings of 100% for owners of mobile home parks who sell the property to the residents. That would create more resident-owned communities, Davis said.

She also called for legislation that would force owners of mobile home parks to give the residents an exclusive 45-day period to make a fair-market offer before other buyers could get in on the action.

As it stands today, people that live in manufactured-home parks dont have the opportunity to compete with some really pretty heavy outside investors that are eyeing what they call that high asset class, Davis said. Thats why manufactured-home parks continue to be picked up and the prices of those lot rents and utility increases continue to go up and in some cases get doubled.

In Missoula this winter, a manufactured trailer village was purchased by an out-of-state buyer who immediately raised lot rents and told some residents they'd have to move.

Davis said the term mobile home is a euphemism.

They are truly meant to stay where they are, she said. This is an affordable way to preserve homeownership.

Davis also called for the state to create workforce housing tax credits. A bill last session, HB 397, did exactly that and passed the Legislature but was vetoed by Gov. Greg Gianforte.

Gianforte vetoed the bill for several reasons, one of which was that the Montana credits would be tied directly to the level of available federal housing credits, meaning Gianforte thought there would be an unanticipated risk to the programs fiscal stability.

Davis said making the state housing credit a fixed number, rather than tying it to the federal level, is a relatively simple fix.

Rep. Dave Fern, a Democrat from Whitefish, said he expects a number of bills to emerge in the coming years to tweak or change Tax Increment Financing law in Montana.

"What we can all agree on is it's a great idea," he said. "And I think sometimes there's an expanse of ideas on what is the appropriate way to use TIF."

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
I am angered and disturbed by the response to the war in Ukraine by our states elected leaders. Increasing production of domestic oil and gas is not the answer. There is no security, no peace as long as we are relying on fossil fuels. Our communities deserve a just transition to energy that does not have disastrous effects on our environment and does not escalate geopolitical conditions.

The only way that we can truly end the violence caused by war and stop the aggressions of petro-dictators is to transition off of fossil fuels. Oil runs deep throughout the global economy and it is hurting our communities. The extraction and use of fossil fuel energy causes air pollution, water contamination and now, once again, war. Unfortunately, this week, we have seen a brazen willingness to increase its use from our senators calling for more domestic drilling to NorthWestern Energys hollow 2050 net zero pledge.

Starting now, we need to subsidize and build community solar, wind and energy storage. We need to get homes insulated and switch to heat pumps and induction stoves.

Investing in renewables will improve public health, create jobs (on average, more jobs are created for each unit of electricity generated from renewable sources), save money, and provide an unlimited energy source. The cost of wind and solar power have risen zero percent since the Russian invasion began.

I stood outside the Gallatin County Courthouse on March 18 with my peers to call on our leaders and our utility to put people over profits. A better world is possible if we invest in renewable energy production in Montana.

We have the seventh-best wind potential in the USA, but we rank 34th in actually using this potential. Today, Montana has only 92 wind jobs. North Dakota has 1,738. Why aren't our leaders and our utility (NorthWestern Energy) putting Montanans to work in expanding local energy production?

To them I say: Quit blaming everyone else and suggesting violent solutions  get to work. We need to stop using fossil fuels. Climate breakdown is happening now.

Isabel Shaida is a Bozeman resident and youth climate organizer. She volunteers with Gallatin Valley Sunrise Movement, Bozeman United for Racial Justice, and currently sits on the Bozeman Citizen Advisory Board for Sustainability.

Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0